WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.919 --> 00:00:04.519 Welcome to the Three Martini Lunch. 2 00:00:04.879 --> 00:00:07.639 Grab a stool next to Greg Corumbus of Radio America 3 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:09.359 and Jim Garrity of National Review. 4 00:00:10.560 --> 00:00:11.679 Free martinis coming up. 5 00:00:13.400 --> 00:00:15.640 Hey, really glad you're with us for the Tuesday edition 6 00:00:15.839 --> 00:00:18.160 of the Three Martini Lunch. So much to get to 7 00:00:18.160 --> 00:00:20.519 Today we're going to dive into and yes, it's a 8 00:00:20.519 --> 00:00:23.079 midterm election yere now, so we're going to be looking 9 00:00:23.079 --> 00:00:26.000 at some of these races, the race to replace Jerry 10 00:00:26.120 --> 00:00:30.399 Nadler in New York's twelfth Congressional district, which is basically 11 00:00:30.679 --> 00:00:33.119 part of Manhattan. And today we'll be looking at the 12 00:00:33.600 --> 00:00:39.640 likely candidacy of former GOP lawyer turned Lincoln project fill 13 00:00:39.640 --> 00:00:44.280 in your adjective there, George Conway, former husband of Kelly 14 00:00:44.280 --> 00:00:47.640 and Conway will also be taking a look at, sadly, 15 00:00:47.759 --> 00:00:50.719 the death of a GOP member of Congress and not 16 00:00:50.759 --> 00:00:52.600 only a little bit about his record, but what that 17 00:00:52.719 --> 00:00:55.200 does to the margins in the House of Representatives, which 18 00:00:55.240 --> 00:00:58.240 are getting tighter and tighter. And we'll be starting with 19 00:00:58.280 --> 00:01:02.280 a look at Iran protests there and whether there's real 20 00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:06.959 hope of actual meaningful change there. So, Jim again, another 21 00:01:06.959 --> 00:01:09.120 big day as we get going here, in twenty twenty six. 22 00:01:09.239 --> 00:01:13.200 You know, I've long since stopped expecting slow news days, 23 00:01:13.239 --> 00:01:14.879 but you kind of be curious if they could have one, 24 00:01:15.000 --> 00:01:17.560 And apparently we won't have one ever ever again. 25 00:01:17.640 --> 00:01:19.280 Your new year can also get off to a rip 26 00:01:19.359 --> 00:01:22.719 roaring start, especially for your business, and that is especially 27 00:01:22.760 --> 00:01:25.760 true when it comes to your business communications. The old 28 00:01:25.799 --> 00:01:29.159 systems just aren't going to be as efficient, effective and profitable. 29 00:01:29.480 --> 00:01:32.000 And so when it comes to twenty twenty six in 30 00:01:32.040 --> 00:01:34.840 your business, and when you're in that level up mindset 31 00:01:34.840 --> 00:01:37.840 for your business, it's wild how much the basic stuff matters, 32 00:01:38.159 --> 00:01:40.280 like how you talk to customers and keep your teams 33 00:01:40.319 --> 00:01:43.200 on the same page. A cleaner, more modern setup can 34 00:01:43.239 --> 00:01:46.560 make everything feel smoother, which is why today's episode is 35 00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:50.439 sponsored in part by QUO, spelled QUO, the modern alternative 36 00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:52.239 to run your business communications. 37 00:01:52.439 --> 00:01:57.359 QUO is easy. It means calls, texts, voicemails, transcripts, and 38 00:01:57.439 --> 00:02:01.359 contact details all now can live in one clean view 39 00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:05.000 with full context at your fingertips. This means your team 40 00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:09.520 communicates faster, stays aligned, and delivers a more personal experience 41 00:02:09.599 --> 00:02:10.400 for your customers. 42 00:02:10.919 --> 00:02:13.199 So make this the year where no opportunity and no 43 00:02:13.319 --> 00:02:16.520 customers slips away. Try quote for free plus get twenty 44 00:02:16.520 --> 00:02:18.759 percent off your first six months when you go to 45 00:02:18.840 --> 00:02:23.039 quote dot com slash three mL. That's QUO dot com 46 00:02:23.080 --> 00:02:31.560 slash three mL quot No missed calls, no missed customers. 47 00:02:32.840 --> 00:02:35.879 All right, Jim, let's look over at Iran now and 48 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:38.560 over the break. You wrote about this in the morning jolt, 49 00:02:38.599 --> 00:02:42.719 but we've also seen protests there and those protests are expanding. 50 00:02:43.080 --> 00:02:45.800 The BBC out just today with it updates, saying that 51 00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:49.120 protests have broken out in at least seventeen of Iran's 52 00:02:49.159 --> 00:02:52.719 thirty one provinces, presenting the largest challenge to the country's 53 00:02:53.000 --> 00:02:57.879 clerical establishment. That's the BBC terminology since twenty twenty two. 54 00:02:58.039 --> 00:03:00.919 The BBC's analysis of protests and fod's only those for 55 00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:04.240 which we have verified video footage. The true number is 56 00:03:04.280 --> 00:03:07.360 almost certainly far higher, because there are reports of protests 57 00:03:07.360 --> 00:03:10.960 and at least eleven more provinces. The wave of protests 58 00:03:10.960 --> 00:03:13.840 has spread rapidly across the Ran since December twenty eighth, 59 00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:17.240 when anger initially broke out in Tehran following a fresh 60 00:03:17.280 --> 00:03:21.120 and sharp devaluation of the country's currency against the dollar 61 00:03:21.159 --> 00:03:24.400 and other major foreign currencies, and So, Jim, when you 62 00:03:24.439 --> 00:03:27.520 wrote about this last week, I think we have inflation 63 00:03:27.599 --> 00:03:30.240 issues in this country, and we do. You point out, 64 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:32.719 and you're actually quoting a guy from the Foundation for 65 00:03:32.759 --> 00:03:36.599 the Defensive Democracies that when Komani came into power in 66 00:03:36.680 --> 00:03:40.879 nineteen seventy nine, one dollar got you seventy rials. Now 67 00:03:40.919 --> 00:03:44.360 the same dollar gets you one million, one hundred and 68 00:03:44.360 --> 00:03:48.840 thirty thousand reals, a sixteen thousandfold difference in its price 69 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:53.560 from nineteen seventy nine. So it's understandable why people are upset, 70 00:03:53.639 --> 00:03:55.879 especially when they realize that their government is far more 71 00:03:55.879 --> 00:04:00.120 focused on lining their own pockets and killing infidels and 72 00:04:00.159 --> 00:04:01.319 actually helping their own people. 73 00:04:01.520 --> 00:04:03.759 We just went through a couple of years ago, twenty 74 00:04:03.800 --> 00:04:06.599 twenty two, inflation in the United States year over year 75 00:04:06.759 --> 00:04:09.840 reached a point of about nine percent, and that was painful. 76 00:04:09.919 --> 00:04:12.159 People hated it. Right. I went and I looked up 77 00:04:12.199 --> 00:04:15.319 the very worst we've had since nineteen sixty was in 78 00:04:15.520 --> 00:04:19.199 nineteen eighty Jimmy Carter's last year in office, thirteen point 79 00:04:19.240 --> 00:04:22.240 five percent. Right, So that's our top level of how 80 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:25.399 bad it gets. And you know, the irradiance went four 81 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:30.639 to five times that and Unsurprisingly, people who may not 82 00:04:30.759 --> 00:04:35.680 automatically be the most inclined towards revolutionary attitudes or most 83 00:04:35.720 --> 00:04:38.800 inclined to get angry at the government. Their life savings 84 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:41.639 are disappearing. The value of the money that they hold 85 00:04:41.720 --> 00:04:45.720 is growing worthless. I was talking about this, this report 86 00:04:45.759 --> 00:04:49.879 by a gentleman from the Foundation for Defense and Democracies, 87 00:04:50.319 --> 00:04:53.759 said guest Cinema Jod. I'm hoping I'm pronouncing that correctly. 88 00:04:54.920 --> 00:04:57.000 He'd actually written his report back in November, and it 89 00:04:57.040 --> 00:04:59.480 was just clairvoyant. It was just talking about, Hey, the 90 00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:03.720 number in the Iranian economy are really really bad. We're 91 00:05:03.800 --> 00:05:05.439 used to them being bad. We're used to them being 92 00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:07.720 bad because the sanctions, price of oil, things like that. 93 00:05:08.120 --> 00:05:10.000 This is much much worse. And he says, this is 94 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:15.639 really a structural problem. Decades of corruption, decades of sending 95 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:19.720 money to every terrorist group in the Middle East, arms expenditures, 96 00:05:19.920 --> 00:05:22.600 not building infrastructure, not building the sorts of things that 97 00:05:22.639 --> 00:05:25.439 actually help your public. It has finally caught up to 98 00:05:25.480 --> 00:05:27.800 the Iranian most and there are no simple solutions here. 99 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:29.959 People might be thinking, well, why is this the good Martinia? Well, 100 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:32.399 is really terrible that the Iranian people are suffering in 101 00:05:32.399 --> 00:05:34.800 this way, and if you're looking at these protests and 102 00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:37.000 you're saying, I feel like I've seen this movie before. 103 00:05:37.360 --> 00:05:39.920 We've seen uprising in the past. Really almost like every 104 00:05:39.959 --> 00:05:42.360 couple of years. It seems like there's been one Green 105 00:05:42.399 --> 00:05:44.560 revolution back in two thousand and nine that Obama did 106 00:05:44.639 --> 00:05:47.839 not support. You later said he regretted it arab spring. 107 00:05:47.959 --> 00:05:49.720 We've seen a bunch of times where people get upset 108 00:05:49.759 --> 00:05:52.319 and get in the streets. Almost every time, the regime 109 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:56.600 comes out, shoots a bunch of people and suppresses the uprising, 110 00:05:56.600 --> 00:05:59.040 suppresses the descent. I don't know if that's going to 111 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:02.240 work this time, or even if it does. Okay, you 112 00:06:02.360 --> 00:06:04.279 have just shot a lot of people. You've killed a 113 00:06:04.279 --> 00:06:06.759 lot of people through sheer force and brutality. You've knocked 114 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:10.079 them down. You're still left with the economic problems, meaning 115 00:06:10.120 --> 00:06:13.519 that the only thing that could actually improve the average 116 00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:17.920 life of the average ranean would require giant structural reforms 117 00:06:18.079 --> 00:06:21.800 on the part of the regime that they're not really 118 00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:23.959 willing to do. You'd have to become more of a 119 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:26.120 free market economy. You would need to have a lot 120 00:06:26.199 --> 00:06:29.480 more free public expression of descent. It's very hard to 121 00:06:29.560 --> 00:06:33.680 change government policy if you can't criticize the government, and 122 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:37.199 you know, they've now hit that brick wall, and these 123 00:06:37.240 --> 00:06:40.120 are problems that have accumulated for decades. So the good 124 00:06:40.120 --> 00:06:42.959 news is the Iranian regime is going to like however 125 00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:46.319 this immediate uprising shakes out, They're going to have these 126 00:06:46.360 --> 00:06:49.399 big structural problems for a long long time. Does this 127 00:06:49.480 --> 00:06:51.920 mean that they're you know, Iran is no longer a 128 00:06:51.920 --> 00:06:53.720 potential threat to any of its neighbors. No. I mean 129 00:06:53.720 --> 00:06:56.800 they still have that military, they still have that terrorist 130 00:06:56.800 --> 00:06:59.959 proxies and all of that. But if you looked at this, 131 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:02.680 you would basically say that the Iranian regime is probably 132 00:07:02.759 --> 00:07:05.120 less stable than it's ever been before. There was a 133 00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:09.079 report in the London Times that there's a British intelligence 134 00:07:09.120 --> 00:07:12.920 report that the Ayatola is preparing plans to go to 135 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:15.680 Moscow if this uprising does not go the way he wants. 136 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:18.360 Put as much stock in that as you feel necessary. 137 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:20.519 He'd be kind of foolish to not have plans like that. 138 00:07:21.000 --> 00:07:22.759 I just kind of wonder Greg if he's going to 139 00:07:22.839 --> 00:07:25.879 end up as a roommate of Bashirasav, the former dictator 140 00:07:25.920 --> 00:07:26.680 of Syria. 141 00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:30.160 Don't forget Edward Snowden this could be a reality show. 142 00:07:30.199 --> 00:07:32.240 They're all kind of hunkering down there. 143 00:07:32.279 --> 00:07:34.680 They're going to form a sitcom. Two bedrooms, one bath. 144 00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:38.319 I've been using that joke for a while and it 145 00:07:38.399 --> 00:07:41.839 always works every time. You have to understand the Baphist 146 00:07:41.879 --> 00:07:43.199 party of Syria to get that joke. 147 00:07:43.240 --> 00:07:45.160 But anyway, yes, exactly. 148 00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:47.040 You know, it's a clue that you're not a real 149 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:50.560 popular regime when Israel is bombing you and people are 150 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:54.079 having parties on their rooftops to celebrate it. That's not 151 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:57.360 probably how the Malas expected people to react to Israel 152 00:07:57.399 --> 00:08:00.480 attacking Iran last year, but it's what happened into ran 153 00:08:00.560 --> 00:08:02.839 in other places. I'm not saying it's universal the reaction, 154 00:08:03.240 --> 00:08:07.160 but let's just say that they're not a popular punch there. 155 00:08:05.879 --> 00:08:08.240 And saying aim over there. 156 00:08:10.680 --> 00:08:15.360 So yeah, and basically Israel saying you know, we know 157 00:08:15.399 --> 00:08:17.199 where you were. You were here and then you went there, 158 00:08:17.240 --> 00:08:19.759 and then you went there. I totally commany. So we 159 00:08:19.839 --> 00:08:22.959 could have taken you out, but decided not to, basically 160 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:24.639 at the best of President Trump. 161 00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:25.839 But we will see. 162 00:08:25.879 --> 00:08:27.720 You're right that we've had a ton of protests that 163 00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:30.240 have not ended the way we would have liked. 164 00:08:30.399 --> 00:08:31.959 A lot of repression, a lot of death. 165 00:08:32.600 --> 00:08:36.200 They eventually cracked down, but we will see eventually people 166 00:08:36.279 --> 00:08:37.919 are just fed up to the point where they won't 167 00:08:37.919 --> 00:08:40.000 even care about that, and we'll see if we're at 168 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:42.759 that point. But kudos to the people of Iran trying 169 00:08:42.759 --> 00:08:45.120 to get their lives back. All right, Well, let's talk 170 00:08:45.159 --> 00:08:48.000 about another important part of your business, and that's keeping 171 00:08:48.120 --> 00:08:50.799 the books straight. You know, it's hard enough to have 172 00:08:50.879 --> 00:08:54.000 all the accounts, payable and receivable lineup, but when you've 173 00:08:54.039 --> 00:08:56.440 got people out in the field and they're buying supplies 174 00:08:56.480 --> 00:09:00.320 and and gassing up a company vehicles and then they've 175 00:09:00.360 --> 00:09:02.960 got pockets full of receipts, it can get really really complicated. 176 00:09:03.000 --> 00:09:06.559 So let's fix all that with Coast Pay. Cost Pay 177 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:09.799 fixes that by showing you exactly who's buying what, where 178 00:09:09.879 --> 00:09:12.559 and why, and finally giving you the control your old 179 00:09:12.600 --> 00:09:13.200 fuel card. 180 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:16.000 Never did you know, Greg, this is this really special offer, 181 00:09:16.000 --> 00:09:18.639 particularly for our listeners who work in the Minnesota state government. 182 00:09:19.200 --> 00:09:24.039 Fraud protection actually works on Coast. No more shared pions 183 00:09:24.159 --> 00:09:27.240 or you know, personal information numbers, no missing receipts, no 184 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:31.879 guessing employees check in by text. Coast verifies the purchase 185 00:09:31.960 --> 00:09:34.639 and use stay in control, and your accounting team is 186 00:09:34.679 --> 00:09:37.240 going to thank you because automatic receipt capture and cleaner 187 00:09:37.320 --> 00:09:39.879 data means the end of your month goes from a tedious, 188 00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:42.559 multi hour project to just a quick review. 189 00:09:42.720 --> 00:09:45.679 And right now, Coast pay is offering three Martini lunch 190 00:09:45.720 --> 00:09:47.879 listeners free gas for a day when you get started 191 00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:51.679 at costpaid dot com slash threemil. Go to Coastpaid dot 192 00:09:51.720 --> 00:09:54.080 com slash three mL to get free gas for a 193 00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:58.120 whole day. Terms apply. That's costpaid dot com slash threeml. 194 00:09:58.399 --> 00:10:00.480 The Coast Visa commercial credit card is issued by a 195 00:10:00.480 --> 00:10:04.399 Celtic bank. All card accounts are subject to credit approval. 196 00:10:08.600 --> 00:10:11.360 All right, Jim, onto our bad Martini now and this 197 00:10:11.559 --> 00:10:16.159 is very sad, bad Martini. California Congressman Doug Lameltha has 198 00:10:16.200 --> 00:10:18.679 passed away at the age of sixty five. He represented 199 00:10:18.679 --> 00:10:23.159 California's first congressional district, first elected there in twenty twelve. 200 00:10:23.480 --> 00:10:26.360 A very strong conservative record had north of an eighty 201 00:10:26.360 --> 00:10:31.320 percent approval rating from the American Conservative Union, very strong 202 00:10:31.360 --> 00:10:34.720 on social conservative issues and pretty much down the line 203 00:10:34.759 --> 00:10:37.279 conservative on a lot of different things. Passing away at 204 00:10:37.279 --> 00:10:39.240 the age of sixty five, I have not yet seen 205 00:10:39.320 --> 00:10:43.639 a cause of death. Yesterday, of course, was the resignation 206 00:10:43.840 --> 00:10:49.080 of Marjorie Taylor Green of Georgia, and so right now 207 00:10:49.240 --> 00:10:52.480 the margin in the House is at eighteen to two 208 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:56.159 thirteen in favor of Republicans. But we've also gotten word 209 00:10:56.200 --> 00:10:59.200 that Indiana Congressman Jim Baird is in the hospital after 210 00:10:59.320 --> 00:11:01.159 a car wreck. So right now there are two hundred 211 00:11:01.159 --> 00:11:05.399 and seventeen votes available for Republicans, and the next two 212 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:07.600 vacancies to be filled will be that one down in 213 00:11:07.600 --> 00:11:10.639 Texas that's been vacant for almost a year after the 214 00:11:10.679 --> 00:11:13.799 death of Sylvester Turner. That's a deep blue district. It 215 00:11:13.879 --> 00:11:15.879 is most expected to be won by a Democrat. And 216 00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:18.039 the next one up will be in April and New Jersey, 217 00:11:18.399 --> 00:11:21.440 as voters there replaced Mikey Cheryl who was elected governor 218 00:11:21.440 --> 00:11:25.159 back in November. Most likely that will be a Democratic hold, 219 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:27.440 and that'll be two eighteen to two fifteen before we 220 00:11:27.480 --> 00:11:30.679 get to Georgia and California. Now California will have a 221 00:11:30.679 --> 00:11:33.360 special election since this death occurred before the end of 222 00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:35.480 the filing deadline for the next election, so it will 223 00:11:35.519 --> 00:11:37.840 be held under the old map. Don't know what this 224 00:11:37.919 --> 00:11:40.840 district looks like under the gerrymandered map, but it doesn't 225 00:11:40.840 --> 00:11:44.559 look better for Conservatives, that's for sure. So Jim obviously 226 00:11:44.600 --> 00:11:47.120 condolences first and foremost to the family and the colleagues 227 00:11:47.159 --> 00:11:50.679 of Congressman LaMalfa, who by all accounts was a good 228 00:11:50.720 --> 00:11:53.360 guy and voted the right way on the vast majority 229 00:11:53.399 --> 00:11:56.799 of issues. But the math was already complicated on the 230 00:11:56.799 --> 00:11:59.120 House side of Capitol Hill, and it's not getting better. 231 00:11:59.320 --> 00:12:00.960 I was going to say, is a sad fact of 232 00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:04.279 life that every cycle a couple members of Congress pass away. 233 00:12:04.519 --> 00:12:08.519 Sometimes it's because of age, sometimes it's because of unfortunate 234 00:12:08.519 --> 00:12:11.559 you know, health issues or other problems. And so this 235 00:12:11.639 --> 00:12:14.240 is another one of those sad cases. If you'd said 236 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:18.000 to me which member of the GOP House of Representatives 237 00:12:18.120 --> 00:12:19.799 is going to end up in a car accident, I 238 00:12:19.879 --> 00:12:23.279 might not have picked the occagenarian kind. I just didn't 239 00:12:23.279 --> 00:12:26.720 figure he'd be a draged, a street racer type. But nonetheless, 240 00:12:27.320 --> 00:12:29.360 you know, hoping he makes a quick recovery. But that's 241 00:12:29.399 --> 00:12:31.879 these things happen. You end up in a circumstance where 242 00:12:32.159 --> 00:12:35.519 somebody is surgery, somebody's recovery. You know, it's just one 243 00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:38.279 of those things. The House of Representatives was already tight, 244 00:12:38.919 --> 00:12:42.159 tight control you and I have lamented over the years. 245 00:12:42.320 --> 00:12:45.840 These things happen if you have a health issue in yourself, 246 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:48.120 health issue for your family, and you have no choice 247 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:50.840 but to resign your office. Okay, you know, we understand 248 00:12:51.519 --> 00:12:53.960 if you resign your office because you've decided it just 249 00:12:54.000 --> 00:12:55.759 you just don't like the job anymore, and you don't 250 00:12:55.759 --> 00:12:57.559 want to deal with it, and you're really upset that 251 00:12:57.600 --> 00:13:00.720 the President has ripped into you, as Marjorie Tyler Green did. 252 00:13:01.240 --> 00:13:04.480 We are much less sympathetic because you signed on, you 253 00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:08.759 campaigned for this job. You effectively promised to your constituents, 254 00:13:09.240 --> 00:13:11.440 I'm going to represent you in Congress for the next 255 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:14.399 two years, come hell or high water. I don't begrudge 256 00:13:14.399 --> 00:13:17.039 Marjorie Taylor Green being upset that the President denounced her 257 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:19.039 furiously and turned on her for what she thought were 258 00:13:19.120 --> 00:13:22.279 some very reasonable minor disagreements. I either released of the 259 00:13:22.320 --> 00:13:25.080 Epstein files. She thinks he's not he's forgotten America first, 260 00:13:25.080 --> 00:13:28.399 et cetera. Look, I'm sure it stinks to have the 261 00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:30.879 President of the United States denounce you on truth social 262 00:13:30.919 --> 00:13:32.600 and she said she got a million threats and you 263 00:13:32.679 --> 00:13:36.759 know that's really terrible. But you swore an oath to 264 00:13:36.879 --> 00:13:40.480 serve in this position. Like, it's not like this suddenly 265 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:42.320 come up. Oh it's a two year term. Oh wait 266 00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:44.080 a second, you didn't tell it. You've been in Congress 267 00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:46.320 for several years. You know exactly what this is. If 268 00:13:46.360 --> 00:13:47.600 you want to say, you know what, I'm not going 269 00:13:47.639 --> 00:13:49.600 to run for reelection, do you want to pull a 270 00:13:49.639 --> 00:13:52.519 Tim Walls, That's fine, you're entitled to do that. But 271 00:13:52.559 --> 00:13:56.720 to quit halfway through the term, everyone's while. You've had 272 00:13:56.720 --> 00:13:58.279 a guy who people who leave because they want to 273 00:13:58.279 --> 00:14:00.600 take a private sector job, and I'm sitting they're thinking like, well, 274 00:14:00.600 --> 00:14:03.120 I'm sorry, Like did you not do you not look 275 00:14:03.159 --> 00:14:05.799 the fine print of serve members of It's right there 276 00:14:05.799 --> 00:14:08.360 in the Constitution. This really shouldn't be sprung on you 277 00:14:08.399 --> 00:14:11.799 as a surprise. So it's a little infuriating to be 278 00:14:11.879 --> 00:14:15.000 in this situation for House Republicans. You know, Marjorie Tayler 279 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:18.159 Green could have served, chose not to. I've kind of 280 00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:21.600 noticed her sense of betrayal, kind of echoes elis staphonic 281 00:14:21.600 --> 00:14:23.440 who decided she did not want to run for governor. 282 00:14:23.879 --> 00:14:26.000 At least she'd been very clear that she expected to 283 00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:28.159 plan to do that after she became became clear she 284 00:14:28.200 --> 00:14:29.879 was not going to be the US Ambassador to the 285 00:14:29.960 --> 00:14:33.039 United Nations. I just kind of want to say this 286 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:36.080 to all Republicans, but it really goes to all Democrats too, 287 00:14:36.080 --> 00:14:37.480 And we'll be talking a bit a bit more about 288 00:14:37.480 --> 00:14:41.279 this in our third Martini. It's a two year term 289 00:14:41.960 --> 00:14:45.159 plan on serving that. Don't make any plans don't like 290 00:14:45.240 --> 00:14:47.200 at ah, you know, I'm up for this other like, 291 00:14:47.200 --> 00:14:49.840 if you've got other irons in the fire, don't run 292 00:14:49.919 --> 00:14:52.759 for Congress. You really owe it to your constituents to 293 00:14:52.799 --> 00:14:56.240 serve the full terms, unless you've got some other extraordinary 294 00:14:56.279 --> 00:14:59.159 circumstance that makes everybody say, oh, okay, why don't you resign. 295 00:14:59.200 --> 00:15:02.200 We'll have that opening. Also, you know, again, I'm glad 296 00:15:02.200 --> 00:15:06.320 that the California state law puts out why when the 297 00:15:06.360 --> 00:15:09.600 next special election should be held? Usually we're big fans 298 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:12.840 of Greg Abbott, uh the big The delay in that 299 00:15:12.879 --> 00:15:16.519 Houston off Houston seat has been almost a year, and 300 00:15:16.559 --> 00:15:18.399 it's just that strikes me it's way too long for 301 00:15:18.440 --> 00:15:21.720 anybody to be without representation in the House of Representatives. 302 00:15:21.840 --> 00:15:23.639 Of course, there was always going to be another Democrat. 303 00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:25.360 It certainly seems like this was done to help the 304 00:15:25.399 --> 00:15:30.559 Republican majority, and everybody deserves representation in Congress, even it's 305 00:15:30.559 --> 00:15:32.120 by If it's by an income poop. 306 00:15:34.279 --> 00:15:36.320 We'll see who actually gets elected there. But are you 307 00:15:36.440 --> 00:15:39.840 dying as a family member dying? Then your resignations? Are 308 00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:42.120 you about to be indicted? That's the third test that 309 00:15:42.159 --> 00:15:42.799 I usually give. 310 00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:44.919 Are you fleeing law enforcement? Are you? 311 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:49.919 But are you being offered a lucrative position to lead 312 00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:51.519 the Americans for America Foundation? 313 00:15:51.960 --> 00:15:55.159 Uh? Do it after the term ends. It's not that hard. 314 00:15:55.279 --> 00:16:01.840 But yeah, so Jim, yeah, left heritage, but look, is 315 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:05.120 that a sweet gig? Absolutely? But again, if you've signed 316 00:16:05.159 --> 00:16:07.480 on for a term, I really think you should be 317 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:10.240 finishing that term. So fifty lashes with a wet noodle 318 00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:11.320 for Marjorie Chilly Green. 319 00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:14.519 Exactly now sent it's a six year term. But also 320 00:16:14.679 --> 00:16:16.440 you applied for that too, so you should fill that 321 00:16:16.519 --> 00:16:18.639 term out as best as you can. But in the 322 00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:23.200 House two years, absolutely no excuse whatsoever. And so no 323 00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:26.279 special election has been set yet in Georgia or obviously 324 00:16:26.279 --> 00:16:29.720 California since that news about Congressman Lamoutha just came through. 325 00:16:29.799 --> 00:16:32.639 But anyway, it's going to be two It's two eighteen 326 00:16:32.679 --> 00:16:34.879 to two thirteen right now, to eighteen to two fifteen 327 00:16:34.919 --> 00:16:38.840 before a chance for Republicans to pick up those seats 328 00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:40.600 or at least hold those seats in those two states. 329 00:16:41.159 --> 00:16:43.600 It's the beginning of the year. Talked about this yesterday, 330 00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:45.960 and that means making sure your years off to a 331 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:47.919 good start and making sure your health is off to 332 00:16:48.639 --> 00:16:51.480 a very good start. But if you've been putting anything off, 333 00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:54.320 like a dental cleaning, the annual checkup, if you're not 334 00:16:54.360 --> 00:16:56.960 sure who to go to, ZocDoc is where you want 335 00:16:57.000 --> 00:16:59.559 to go. ZocDoc is a free app and website that 336 00:16:59.639 --> 00:17:02.639 helps you find and book high quality in network doctors 337 00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:05.559 so you can find someone that you love. Both Jim 338 00:17:05.559 --> 00:17:07.319 and I have used doc doc and have been very 339 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:08.319 happy with the results. 340 00:17:08.359 --> 00:17:11.640 Greg, I have to make something of an anti endorsement today, 341 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:13.759 and it's what it is is that once again I 342 00:17:13.799 --> 00:17:17.480 have used ZocDoc to schedule an optometrist appointment this week. 343 00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:19.440 I'll be honest, I was not itching. By the way. 344 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:22.000 Eyes are fine. I did have to wash them with 345 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:25.440 bleach after the last Jets game, but otherwise I'm seeing okay. 346 00:17:25.480 --> 00:17:28.039 But I'm like, you know, all right, it's been long enough, 347 00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:29.640 I need to do this again. But I was kind 348 00:17:29.640 --> 00:17:32.400 of hoping I could put it all for a while. Greg, 349 00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:34.279 wouldn't you know it, With ZocDoc, I could find the 350 00:17:34.559 --> 00:17:37.799 appointment within like two days I had. At that point, 351 00:17:37.839 --> 00:17:40.640 you have no excuse. You can't put it off. You 352 00:17:40.680 --> 00:17:43.559 can't say oh, but if you actually wanted to, I 353 00:17:43.559 --> 00:17:45.960 could have looked further into the appointment calendar. But that's 354 00:17:45.960 --> 00:17:48.200 the thing about zachback. You'll look at it. It's exactly 355 00:17:48.279 --> 00:17:51.880 where the appointments are. You press one button, presto change. Oh, 356 00:17:51.960 --> 00:17:54.480 you are booked, and I have no excuse to not 357 00:17:54.519 --> 00:17:58.039 go to the optometer. So that's that's the downside of ZocDoc. 358 00:17:58.039 --> 00:18:00.160 If you hate going to the doctor, it will take 359 00:18:00.200 --> 00:18:01.920 away all of your excuses for putting it off. 360 00:18:02.279 --> 00:18:04.519 That's awesome. Yeah, Jim loves it. I love it. 361 00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:06.680 So stop putting out those doctors appointments and go to 362 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:10.119 ZocDoc dot com slash three mL to find and instantly 363 00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:11.799 book a top rated doctor today. 364 00:18:11.880 --> 00:18:13.480 That's zoc d oc. 365 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:18.559 Dot com slash three mL, zochdoc dot com slash three mL. 366 00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:23.319 Pay it off, Pay it off now. 367 00:18:23.480 --> 00:18:26.519 The Watchdot on Wall Street podcast with Chris Markowski. Every 368 00:18:26.559 --> 00:18:29.319 day Chris helps unpack the connection between politics and the 369 00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:31.599 economy and how it affects your wallet. If you have 370 00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:34.759 thousands of dollars of credit card debt, you cannot start 371 00:18:34.759 --> 00:18:37.920 investing until you pay it off. There is no financial 372 00:18:37.960 --> 00:18:40.799 advisor that is cheaper than your credit cards interest rate 373 00:18:40.839 --> 00:18:43.119 with all that debt, whether it's happening in DC or 374 00:18:43.160 --> 00:18:45.079 down on Wall Street, it's affecting you financially. 375 00:18:45.160 --> 00:18:45.680 Be informed. 376 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:47.880 Check out the Watchdot on Wall Street podcast with Chris 377 00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:50.960 Markowski on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. 378 00:18:55.880 --> 00:18:59.279 All right, Jim onto our Crazy Martini Now And as 379 00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:02.480 we in the wake of Mamdani and the whole Aft 380 00:19:02.519 --> 00:19:06.200 and Bane experience, the democratic primaries are going to have 381 00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:09.680 some pretty crazy figures involved in them. Some people looking 382 00:19:09.720 --> 00:19:11.680 to be just the furthest to the left, some people 383 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:15.759 looking as opportunists to pick up seats, and that may 384 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:18.920 be exactly what's happening in New York's twelfth Congressional district. 385 00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:22.839 You know, New York Manhattan one of the most sophisticated, 386 00:19:22.920 --> 00:19:25.359 glamorous parts of the country, so of course for decades 387 00:19:25.400 --> 00:19:30.160 it was represented by Jerry Nadler reminds me of when 388 00:19:30.279 --> 00:19:35.039 Henry Waxman for decades represented Hollywood, and you're just like, okay, 389 00:19:36.799 --> 00:19:41.200 you know, But anyway, Nadler is not running for reelection 390 00:19:41.319 --> 00:19:43.519 this year, and as Gym points out in the Morning Joel, Today, 391 00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:47.680 there are ten Democrats currently running for a heavily blue seat. 392 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:50.359 The Democrats are almost certainly going to hold this seat, 393 00:19:50.440 --> 00:19:52.640 but in addition to a couple of assemblymen, and that shouldn't 394 00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:55.119 be overlooked because we know how much damage an assemblymen 395 00:19:55.160 --> 00:19:58.000 can do, for example, in a mayoral race. But two 396 00:19:58.039 --> 00:20:01.640 other names that are there already are Jack Schlosberg, the 397 00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:04.680 son of Caroline Kennedy Shlasberg, which makes him, of course 398 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:08.880 the grandson of JFK. And then he hasn't made it 399 00:20:08.920 --> 00:20:12.720 official yet, but George Conway one time a Republican lawyer 400 00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:17.240 married to White House Counselor Kelly Ann Conway. And during 401 00:20:17.240 --> 00:20:20.559