1 00:00:04,879 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: What's going on? Thank you so much for listening to 2 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:09,640 this podcast. It is heard live every day from noon 3 00:00:09,679 --> 00:00:12,519 to three on WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,719 want exclusive content like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, 5 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,239 my daily show prep with all the links, become a patron, 6 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,640 go to dpeteclendershow dot com. Make sure you hit the 7 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,160 subscribe button. Get every episode for free right to your 8 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:27,719 smartphone or tablet, and again, thank you so much for 9 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:31,600 your support. As we do on Mondays at two o'clock, 10 00:00:31,640 --> 00:00:34,600 we chat with ap Dylon. She is a reporter at 11 00:00:34,600 --> 00:00:38,359 the North State Journal nsjonline dot com. She's also the 12 00:00:38,399 --> 00:00:42,479 publisher of a substack newsletter called More to the Story, Ap. 13 00:00:42,759 --> 00:00:43,560 How are you today? 14 00:00:44,399 --> 00:00:45,759 Speaker 2: I'm great. How are you doing? 15 00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:48,439 Speaker 1: I'm doing all right doing? Okay. We got a new 16 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:52,759 police chief in Charlotte. I heard it's the Raleigh police chief. 17 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:53,560 Speaker 2: Yep. 18 00:00:55,920 --> 00:01:03,759 Speaker 1: Yeah. Any thoughts on her tenure there in the Raleigh zone. 19 00:01:02,719 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 2: Well, it was bumpy for a while there. I believe 20 00:01:05,680 --> 00:01:08,840 she was there when the riots happened in twenty twenty, 21 00:01:10,359 --> 00:01:13,480 and I believe that she was, you know, oversaw most 22 00:01:13,519 --> 00:01:18,719 of the COVID era hm hm, So you know there was. 23 00:01:22,000 --> 00:01:22,400 Speaker 1: Having that. 24 00:01:24,439 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 2: You know, crime definitely was creeping up there in the 25 00:01:26,959 --> 00:01:27,840 last couple of years. 26 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: Yes, so yeah, so we'll say, like I'm hoping for 27 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:37,200 the best, but we'll see. Let's uh, you wrote You've 28 00:01:37,239 --> 00:01:39,480 got a lot of stuff over at North State Journal 29 00:01:39,519 --> 00:01:42,000 as well as at more to the story. So first 30 00:01:42,079 --> 00:01:45,760 let's let's talk about Cecil Brockman. He is the North 31 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:50,239 Carolina state representative Democrat out of Guildford who was a 32 00:01:50,439 --> 00:01:55,480 still in prison under like a million dollar bond for 33 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:00,000 taking indecent liberties with a child who counts the statutory 34 00:02:00,159 --> 00:02:03,319 rape sex offense of a thirteen to fifteen year old. 35 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:06,079 So there is a development now in this story. 36 00:02:07,599 --> 00:02:12,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, very very late last Friday afternoon, Halloween Eve, his 37 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:17,439 resignation was received by the House. He's finally resigned. And 38 00:02:17,479 --> 00:02:19,960 it looks like from the screenshot of the letter that 39 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:20,599 was put. 40 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 1: Out, no we lost you, he had ye Are you 41 00:02:25,759 --> 00:02:29,159 back yep? I'm okay, all right, yeah yeah yeah, so 42 00:02:29,199 --> 00:02:32,000 your phone just cut out. It did that earlier too, 43 00:02:32,159 --> 00:02:34,080 So yeah, I don't know if you're like standing next 44 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:35,599 to a microwave or something, but. 45 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:41,599 Speaker 2: No, but right next to my computer that might be it. Yeah, yeah, 46 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:44,599 he resigned on Friday afternoon, Halloween, right around five I 47 00:02:44,759 --> 00:02:48,319 think it's when the House received his resignation, and that 48 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:52,039 came like literally half an hour after the House Speaker 49 00:02:52,039 --> 00:02:54,280 announcer is going to be a committee, you know, a 50 00:02:54,319 --> 00:02:56,960 bipartisan committee to look at, you know, what they could 51 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,360 do to possibly remove him from the House. The letter 52 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:03,719 itself was dated October twenty second, and they've been crossed out, 53 00:03:03,759 --> 00:03:05,719 wrote October thirty first, So it looks like you had 54 00:03:05,719 --> 00:03:09,360 been thinking about doing this for over a week just 55 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:10,080 hadn't done it. 56 00:03:11,159 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 1: That's kind of interesting you would write. Yeah, you wrote 57 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:17,080 the letter and had it ready to go and then 58 00:03:17,199 --> 00:03:21,520 just waited for the House Speaker to create the committee 59 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:23,159 to try to find a way to oust you. And 60 00:03:23,199 --> 00:03:24,560 that's when you sent the letter. 61 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:28,919 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, it was literally you know, it's dated five 62 00:03:29,199 --> 00:03:34,840 eight pm on Friday, and Speaker Dustin Hall had announced 63 00:03:34,840 --> 00:03:37,960 it announce it could be something at like like four 64 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:42,280 point thirty something, So I mean it really came right 65 00:03:42,319 --> 00:03:43,560 on the heels, one after the other. 66 00:03:43,759 --> 00:03:47,759 Speaker 1: Yeah, all right, So process now is that the Guildford 67 00:03:47,800 --> 00:03:51,360 County Democrat Party they get to pick a replacement, to 68 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:56,159 nominate a replacement, and then that goes to what the 69 00:03:56,199 --> 00:03:59,439 governor first and then is that it or does the 70 00:03:59,479 --> 00:04:01,360 generally need to sign off on that too? 71 00:04:02,159 --> 00:04:05,280 Speaker 2: Uh well, the General Assembly will install him after that point, gotcha? 72 00:04:05,919 --> 00:04:09,599 So yeah, I mean it's typically the party of the 73 00:04:09,800 --> 00:04:13,439 representative who nominates and administrative gets a nod from the 74 00:04:13,439 --> 00:04:15,360 governor and then that gets passed down to the General 75 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:17,279 Assembly and then they turn around and install. 76 00:04:17,560 --> 00:04:19,839 Speaker 1: So who are we looking at for the candidates now 77 00:04:20,199 --> 00:04:23,879 that have I guess made their made themselves known as 78 00:04:24,319 --> 00:04:25,480 as eyeing the seat. 79 00:04:25,959 --> 00:04:27,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, could there could be it could be any one 80 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:29,319 of these four, but it could be somebody else that 81 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:32,240 they have in mind. We're not sure. But former Guildford 82 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:37,240 County Commissioner Bruce Davis, high Point City councilwoman Amanda Cook, 83 00:04:37,879 --> 00:04:43,000 a former Guildford Party Democratic Chairman Joe Alston and then 84 00:04:43,079 --> 00:04:45,560 a citizen of high Point and so she's a former teacher, 85 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:49,199 Angie Williams McMichael. Those are the four that have said 86 00:04:49,199 --> 00:04:52,600 that they want to run for the seat already. So 87 00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:54,160 it could be one of those four or it could 88 00:04:54,160 --> 00:04:55,800 be somebody completely different. We'll see. 89 00:04:56,240 --> 00:05:00,959 Speaker 1: All right, let's move down East Wilmington. This the North 90 00:05:00,959 --> 00:05:06,279 Carolina Republican Party has referred evidence of potential cash for 91 00:05:06,600 --> 00:05:12,000 votes to the North Carolina State Board of Elections for investigation. Okay, 92 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,279 is this real? Is this is did this really happen? 93 00:05:15,519 --> 00:05:19,439 Or like I've seen people trying to claim online that 94 00:05:19,759 --> 00:05:21,040 this is all just made up. 95 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:25,399 Speaker 2: Well, there were text messages or dacted text messages that 96 00:05:25,439 --> 00:05:28,360 were accompanied the press release that came out of the NCGOP, 97 00:05:29,319 --> 00:05:32,240 and that also came out last Thursday, lest Friday. M h. 98 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:35,160 I think it was less Thursday. No, it was less Friday. 99 00:05:35,199 --> 00:05:35,879 Speaker 1: Yea, it was Friday. 100 00:05:36,639 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, they got these text messages and they weren't sure 101 00:05:40,720 --> 00:05:42,680 what to do with them, but then they figured out 102 00:05:42,759 --> 00:05:45,160 that these were real things that were forwarded to them, 103 00:05:45,240 --> 00:05:49,279 so they were dacted them so that you could see 104 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:52,360 the person's name that was being sent to or being 105 00:05:52,399 --> 00:05:55,040 the numbers being sent from. But if you take a 106 00:05:55,079 --> 00:05:59,480 look at them, they talk about the initiating one talks 107 00:05:59,480 --> 00:06:03,079 about having met this person at the No King's protest 108 00:06:04,199 --> 00:06:07,560 and that they wanted to touch base about the three 109 00:06:07,600 --> 00:06:11,279 Democrat candidates on the city council ballot for New Hamner 110 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:16,040 County Town in Wilmington. So it talks to them about 111 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:18,240 that and it says. The person responds back, how do 112 00:06:18,279 --> 00:06:18,920 I get paid? 113 00:06:19,480 --> 00:06:23,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, because it says the outreach message says, each candidate 114 00:06:23,680 --> 00:06:26,120 will pay you one hundred dollars for your vote. 115 00:06:26,639 --> 00:06:29,399 Speaker 2: Yep, So I mean, I mean that's one hundred dollars 116 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:33,040 for that person's felt. But if it's all three candidates 117 00:06:33,519 --> 00:06:35,800 or all three you know votes that he's going for, 118 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:37,040 that's three hundred bucks. 119 00:06:37,399 --> 00:06:38,199 Speaker 1: Not too shabby. 120 00:06:38,639 --> 00:06:42,279 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's too shabby. And it says the person says 121 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:45,240 to him, Well, after you vote, our team members will 122 00:06:45,240 --> 00:06:47,920 meet you in her Our team member will meet you 123 00:06:48,040 --> 00:06:51,360 in her car, so it's a woman near your polling 124 00:06:51,399 --> 00:06:54,639 place and pay you the cash money. We can arrange 125 00:06:54,720 --> 00:06:56,240 transportation if needed. 126 00:06:57,399 --> 00:06:59,279 Speaker 1: So I wonder did they back that cost out of 127 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:01,279 one hundred dollars like it? 128 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:04,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, it looks like an uber. 129 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, it's like a ten dollars pickup fee or something 130 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:09,800 if I have to drive you bud okay. So the 131 00:07:09,879 --> 00:07:11,879 GOP is treating this as if it's real. 132 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,319 Speaker 2: They've handed it over to the State Board of Elections, 133 00:07:15,639 --> 00:07:19,319 and their public information officer told me on Friday that 134 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:23,000 they're aware of the text messages, but they can't comment 135 00:07:23,079 --> 00:07:26,560 as specific investigations of course, and that they take allegations 136 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:29,399 of voter fraud very seriously. And then he cited the 137 00:07:29,399 --> 00:07:33,480 felony that would be associated with this particular act should 138 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:37,319 it be true, and ways for people to find out 139 00:07:37,319 --> 00:07:39,319 whether or not they're getting text messages that they're real 140 00:07:39,399 --> 00:07:42,040 or fake or that kind of thing. Right, But that's 141 00:07:42,040 --> 00:07:44,040 one looked like it was two individuals who had met 142 00:07:44,079 --> 00:07:45,920 at some point, Otherwise they wouldn't have had each other's 143 00:07:45,959 --> 00:07:50,639 phone numbers. Right at a King's route, No King's protests. Yeah, 144 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:53,040 and there was one of those recently down in Wilmington. 145 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 1: Right, all right, so we'll monitor that as well. You 146 00:07:55,800 --> 00:08:01,439 can read about that at nsjonline dot com. Lawmakers are 147 00:08:01,439 --> 00:08:05,639 requesting a hearing with Chapel Hill Carborough School board chairman 148 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:11,279 and the superintendent because the allegation is that the school 149 00:08:11,319 --> 00:08:16,120 district there has failed to follow the state law called 150 00:08:16,160 --> 00:08:19,120 the Parents Bill of Rights. What is this stem from? 151 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 2: Okay, so this this happens over a year ago. I 152 00:08:24,319 --> 00:08:28,680 reported on the fact that this Board of Education in 153 00:08:28,759 --> 00:08:32,000 Chapel of Carborough they just decided that no, we're not 154 00:08:32,039 --> 00:08:34,039 going to follow a couple of provisions in this thing. 155 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:37,120 And this happened last January, January and twenty twenty four, 156 00:08:37,919 --> 00:08:40,600 and then nothing happened out of it after it Mike 157 00:08:40,679 --> 00:08:42,919 Senator Mike Lee was supposedly going to look into it, 158 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:46,279 but then he ended up leaving the legislature, So this 159 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:50,960 kind of fell under the carpet there, but it resurfaced 160 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:54,480 again on social media through a couple different accounts, including 161 00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:59,200 libs of TikTok, which is widely followed, where there was 162 00:08:59,200 --> 00:09:01,799 a video of the board chair from the meeting actually 163 00:09:01,799 --> 00:09:03,879 talking about how we're not going to follow this these 164 00:09:03,879 --> 00:09:07,080 two pieces of the law, and those two pieces of 165 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:12,840 the law are sexual concepts and gender identity in K 166 00:09:12,919 --> 00:09:17,039 four and the other one is telling parents whether or 167 00:09:17,039 --> 00:09:20,240 not their child has changed their pronoun So. 168 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:26,879 Speaker 1: The board chairman and the superintendent explicitly say that this 169 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:29,399 is morally wrong and we're not going to do it 170 00:09:29,440 --> 00:09:32,279 this way, and we're just not going and that's. 171 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,360 Speaker 2: That's what the board chair said, Yeah, yeah, this isn't 172 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:38,159 going to happen. We're not going to do it. So 173 00:09:38,279 --> 00:09:40,960 he's blown it off. And so two letters went out, 174 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:44,559 one to Chair George Griffin and the other one to 175 00:09:44,639 --> 00:09:49,240 Superintendent Rodney Trice, and they're identical letters, but Basically, it 176 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:52,440 says you're invited to come. We're requesting you actually to 177 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:55,799 come on December third and testify before us, and we 178 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:58,919 want all these documents, communications, et cetera, et cetera from you, 179 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:02,559 and we want those by No. Number fourteenth. 180 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:07,639 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, some light reading material to read through over 181 00:10:07,639 --> 00:10:13,279 the Thanksgiving break. So yeah, December third. I mean, well, 182 00:10:13,399 --> 00:10:15,039 I don't know, like, do you think that they'll show 183 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:17,879 Do you think they'll go or do they just say no? 184 00:10:18,759 --> 00:10:21,960 Speaker 2: That's a good question, you know. I would guess that 185 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:25,840 if they don't show up that the legislature can take 186 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:31,639 action to compel them to come. But we'll see what happens. 187 00:10:32,080 --> 00:10:36,200 They could just blow it off. Trice was the former 188 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:40,039 deputy superintendent who ran the Wake County School's Office of 189 00:10:40,039 --> 00:10:43,200 Equity Affairs for a number of years since this installation, 190 00:10:43,279 --> 00:10:45,720 up until about twenty twenty two, I think, and then 191 00:10:45,759 --> 00:10:49,440 he went back to Chapel Hill after people started noticing 192 00:10:49,519 --> 00:10:53,240 what his office was doing in terms of teaching. They 193 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:57,399 were going around doing systematic trainings for teachers at every 194 00:10:57,440 --> 00:11:00,519 single school in the district and critical race theory and 195 00:11:01,039 --> 00:11:05,759 DEI concepts. I thought when that got figured out, so I. 196 00:11:05,679 --> 00:11:06,679 Speaker 1: Thought they weren't doing it. 197 00:11:06,759 --> 00:11:08,159 Speaker 2: I will no. 198 00:11:08,320 --> 00:11:10,759 Speaker 1: I thought that was like Antifa, that like all that's 199 00:11:10,759 --> 00:11:12,240 a myth, that was never happening. 200 00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:15,679 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, no, it's really happening. In fact, I had 201 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:19,039 a teacher who sent me the presentation materials and I 202 00:11:19,039 --> 00:11:21,240 did a five part series. It's on North State Journal 203 00:11:22,480 --> 00:11:24,679 at NSJA online dot com that folks can go look 204 00:11:24,679 --> 00:11:28,919 at that. Yeah, there was a series about critical race 205 00:11:28,960 --> 00:11:29,519 theory training. 206 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:33,039 Speaker 1: Yeah. You can read AP's work at North State Journal 207 00:11:33,120 --> 00:11:37,360 nsjonline dot com. You can also subscribe to her newsletter. 208 00:11:37,399 --> 00:11:40,480 It's called More to the Story. It's over on substack. Ap. 209 00:11:40,679 --> 00:11:43,600 Thanks as always, We appreciate it absolutely. 210 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:44,080 Speaker 2: Thanks Pete. 211 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:47,600 Speaker 1: All right, take care. That's AP Dylan. Here's a great idea. 212 00:11:47,720 --> 00:11:50,480 How about making an escape to a really special and 213 00:11:50,519 --> 00:11:53,720 secluded getaway in western North Carolina. 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It's another edition of reading Pete's mail. 234 00:13:07,919 --> 00:13:13,840 This is actual mail, like honest to God, dead tree 235 00:13:13,879 --> 00:13:18,159 in my hand piece of mail that arrived in the 236 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:22,039 mailbox to my house. I've read a couple of these 237 00:13:22,159 --> 00:13:26,159 over the last few weeks. This too is a card. 238 00:13:29,799 --> 00:13:36,639 It is from the Partnership to Advance Charlotte Incorporated, once again, 239 00:13:36,679 --> 00:13:39,080 coming from the address of eighty five Oa Park Road, 240 00:13:39,159 --> 00:13:43,519 Suite one, fourteen, Charlotte. So I've gotten a couple of 241 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:49,320 mailers from this organization that really really wants me to 242 00:13:49,440 --> 00:13:57,919 vote yes for roads, vote yes to vote for the solution. 243 00:14:00,559 --> 00:14:02,919 And when I saw that, I was like, we vote 244 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:07,240 for the solution November fourth. At first, I thought, wait, 245 00:14:08,559 --> 00:14:11,679 anytime I start seeing mailers with like solution in it, 246 00:14:11,759 --> 00:14:14,279 and it's like, is this coming from mom, Donnie, I'm 247 00:14:14,279 --> 00:14:17,639 not even in that. I'm just kidding. It's just a 248 00:14:17,799 --> 00:14:24,080 joke because he's Jihati adjacent. Anyway, It's got the same 249 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:29,120 picture of the woman being a jerk leaning out her window, 250 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:32,200 like this is a real good way to get yourself attacked, 251 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:36,240 to lean out your car window, raising your hand up 252 00:14:36,679 --> 00:14:41,559 like you're like, and she's like angry, screaming at somebody 253 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:44,399 in front of her. You know, she's leaning out her 254 00:14:44,399 --> 00:14:48,000 car window, hand raised, screaming at the car in front 255 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:50,159 of her or something. Or maybe it's a pedestrian she's 256 00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:52,559 yelling at, or a bicyclist or something. I don't know. 257 00:14:52,600 --> 00:14:55,600 They don't show us who she's yelling at, but she's 258 00:14:56,080 --> 00:14:59,039 she yeah, I like that's a really good way to 259 00:14:59,080 --> 00:15:00,600 get the guy in front of her. You to get 260 00:15:00,639 --> 00:15:04,240 out of the car. And now you're blocked in because 261 00:15:05,039 --> 00:15:07,159 he's in front of you, and you could. He walks 262 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:08,480 up to you and it's like, hey, why are you 263 00:15:08,559 --> 00:15:11,120 being an idiot? Why are you screaming like a like 264 00:15:11,159 --> 00:15:16,960 a jerk here? And so the the mailer shows a 265 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:20,039 big picture of her and it says traffic will continue 266 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:24,759 to suck unless dot dot dot we vote for the 267 00:15:24,799 --> 00:15:29,320 solution on November fourth. Then you turn it over. It's 268 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:33,000 got like a little graphic of the referendum question one 269 00:15:33,039 --> 00:15:36,200 percent local sales and use taxes in addition to the 270 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:38,919 current local sales and use taxes to be used only 271 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:42,720 for roadway systems and public transportation systems. And then it 272 00:15:42,759 --> 00:15:45,639 has a little four box and then against box and 273 00:15:45,679 --> 00:15:48,879 then the fours is checked, which, by the way, if 274 00:15:48,919 --> 00:15:51,399 you are filling out a paper ballot, that is not 275 00:15:51,639 --> 00:15:55,240 going to that will not lead lead to your vote 276 00:15:55,240 --> 00:15:58,320 being counted. Okay, it's a little bubble, it's like a circle. 277 00:15:58,360 --> 00:16:00,679 It's an oval, and if you just put a check 278 00:16:00,679 --> 00:16:03,000 mark in the oval, it's not going to read okay, 279 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:08,759 So like this is fake news right here, Like, yeah, 280 00:16:08,759 --> 00:16:11,279 you got to fill in the whole bubble if you 281 00:16:11,399 --> 00:16:14,639 got one of the bubble sheets to vote. Okay. Now, 282 00:16:14,639 --> 00:16:16,840 in Necklimer County, we've got the touch screen, so I 283 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:19,039 don't really know why they're showing is this but anyway, 284 00:16:20,120 --> 00:16:22,000 so they want me to vote for a sales tax 285 00:16:22,039 --> 00:16:31,000 increase for roads to alleviate all the traffic. Right, I've 286 00:16:31,039 --> 00:16:34,159 gone over this before, but I'm highlighting this mailer because 287 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:37,320 for the first time I have received one of their 288 00:16:37,360 --> 00:16:44,720 mailers and it includes a mention of bus and rail service. 289 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:54,159 So give it up. They finally have included the bus 290 00:16:54,159 --> 00:16:58,039 and rail as part of this package. I mean, they 291 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:01,559 still say, you know, billions of do to improve our roads, 292 00:17:01,919 --> 00:17:04,880 cut down on traffic. I don't know how exactly are 293 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:09,319 you cutting down on traffic. Is that building sidewalks so 294 00:17:09,400 --> 00:17:12,559 therefore people will walk instead of drive? Is that the 295 00:17:12,599 --> 00:17:18,119 idea that's the only reason people don't walk. Sink the 296 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:21,279 green lights for faster commutes, which, by the way, you 297 00:17:21,359 --> 00:17:25,160 can do that right now like you wanted to. But 298 00:17:25,279 --> 00:17:26,799 this is how they're selling it. This is how they've 299 00:17:26,799 --> 00:17:30,599 always been selling the sales tax increase, which forty percent 300 00:17:31,359 --> 00:17:33,079 is going to be used for the light rail. Like 301 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:35,359 that's they want to use most of that money, forty 302 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:38,880 percent of it to build the rail service, which they 303 00:17:38,920 --> 00:17:44,680 then say, enhance bus and rail service, not create a 304 00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:49,200 new rail line. No, no, it's going to enhance bus 305 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:52,079 and rail service. So there you go, and that's the 306 00:17:52,119 --> 00:17:58,480 solution for the congestion. Right, but at least they mentioned 307 00:17:59,039 --> 00:18:02,519 rail for the first time a day before the election. 308 00:18:03,519 --> 00:18:05,880 You know, stories are powerful. They help us make sense 309 00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:09,359 of things, to understand experiences. Stories connect us to the 310 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:12,519 people of our past while transcending generations. They help us 311 00:18:12,519 --> 00:18:15,599 process the meaning of life, and our stories are told 312 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:19,720 through images and videos. Preserve your stories with Creative Video. 313 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:23,079 Started in nineteen ninety seven and Minhill, North Carolina. It 314 00:18:23,160 --> 00:18:26,680 was the first company to provide this valuable service, converting images, 315 00:18:26,880 --> 00:18:30,920 photos and videos into high quality produced slide shows, videos 316 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:34,559 and albums. The trusted, talented and dedicated team at Creative 317 00:18:34,640 --> 00:18:36,720 Video will go over all of the details with you 318 00:18:36,799 --> 00:18:40,680 to create a perfect project. Satisfaction guaranteed. Drop them off 319 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:42,599 in person or mail them. They'll be ready in a week. 320 00:18:42,680 --> 00:18:48,400 Or two memorial videos for your loved ones, videos for rehearsal, dinners, weddings, graduations, Christmas, 321 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:52,680 family vacations, birthdays, or just your family stories, all told 322 00:18:52,720 --> 00:18:56,440 through images. That's what your photos and videos are. They 323 00:18:56,440 --> 00:18:59,279 are your life told through the eyes of everyone around 324 00:18:59,319 --> 00:19:01,599 you and all who came before you, and they will 325 00:19:01,599 --> 00:19:04,960 tell others to come who you are. Visit Creative video 326 00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:10,279 dot Com did get a couple of texts in regarding 327 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:19,400 the sales tax hike mailers. Bill said, Uh, my mailer 328 00:19:19,559 --> 00:19:21,680 like that had a woman on it that looked like 329 00:19:21,839 --> 00:19:28,079 AOC's sister. It's the same one. She does resemble Alexandriaz 330 00:19:29,519 --> 00:19:31,759 and it made me want to vote for more taxes. 331 00:19:33,559 --> 00:19:40,680 That's why they do it. This is Allen who says, ah, yes, 332 00:19:42,079 --> 00:19:45,680 enhance is a clever word for subsidized those who don't 333 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:49,119 pay to ride the rail. And because they said yes 334 00:19:49,319 --> 00:19:54,799 enhanced bus and rail service. And this from Chris, thank 335 00:19:54,839 --> 00:19:59,279 you for covering the dishonesty of the pro transportation tax mailers. 336 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:02,079 My wife Life came to me with that same mailer 337 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,640 with the woman yelling in traffic and said maybe we 338 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:08,160 should vote yes because Huntersville traffic is going a hell fast. 339 00:20:09,480 --> 00:20:12,839 How exactly we're paying this tax benefit Huntersville residents with 340 00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:16,319 commuter cars. Maybe a knowledgeable caller can call in and 341 00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:23,039 tell us. Now, I don't think it actually is going 342 00:20:23,079 --> 00:20:29,599 to it's it's not gonna be of great benefit. It's 343 00:20:29,640 --> 00:20:34,440 just it's not. Remember they wanted the one sent sales 344 00:20:34,480 --> 00:20:39,079 tax just for rail. They had to put the road 345 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:43,799 component in because the state legislature would not give them 346 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:49,839 the authorizing statute. They would not allow Mechlimber County to 347 00:20:49,920 --> 00:20:52,599 go to voters and ask for the sales tax increase 348 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:56,440 unless there was a road component. That's how the roads 349 00:20:56,440 --> 00:20:58,799 got in there. And now that's all they sell. They 350 00:20:58,839 --> 00:21:01,279 didn't want the roads in there. They wanted it all 351 00:21:01,319 --> 00:21:06,880 for buses and trains, mainly trains. So yeah, I just 352 00:21:07,119 --> 00:21:10,519 I find and then yeah, I find it dishonest. And 353 00:21:10,559 --> 00:21:12,720 I understand it's a campaign, you want people to vote, Yes, 354 00:21:12,799 --> 00:21:15,960 I get it, but I just find it to be 355 00:21:16,240 --> 00:21:22,200 overtly and obviously dishonest. This is the first mailer that 356 00:21:22,200 --> 00:21:24,519 I've gotten, and I've gotten probably a dozen of them 357 00:21:24,519 --> 00:21:28,440 by now, and this was the very first one that 358 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:33,559 even named rail, that even put the word rail anywhere 359 00:21:33,599 --> 00:21:39,079 on the mailers, so it's obvious what they're doing. And 360 00:21:39,160 --> 00:21:41,400 I suspect part of it is that they know, you know, 361 00:21:41,480 --> 00:21:45,200 bus and rail is not a winning message. It's not 362 00:21:45,279 --> 00:21:47,880 a winning message for bonds if they were going to 363 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:50,319 us for a bond. This is not a bond. I 364 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:53,519 keep seeing people referring to this as a bond referendum. 365 00:21:53,519 --> 00:21:58,559 It's not a bond. This is a sales tax increase. Okay, 366 00:21:59,359 --> 00:22:03,359 so you will be paying, on average about twenty dollars. 367 00:22:04,400 --> 00:22:09,160 I think it's per household per month forever. That's the 368 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:14,400 increased cost. And they're selling it with the road component, 369 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:17,880 and again I find that to be dishonest. And I 370 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:24,319 also believe that the campaign is focusing on roads, not 371 00:22:24,359 --> 00:22:27,279 only because it's a more popular thing. People will vote 372 00:22:27,279 --> 00:22:32,000 for a road bond before they'll vote for a train bond. 373 00:22:32,079 --> 00:22:35,480 But I also suspect that it's partly due to the 374 00:22:35,680 --> 00:22:39,799 violence on the public transportation systems that people do not 375 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:44,440 want to fund in light of the recent violence. Right, 376 00:22:45,119 --> 00:22:49,480 so there is that as well. I don't live in 377 00:22:49,480 --> 00:22:54,559 Mecklenberg County, however I travel through it enough since my 378 00:22:54,640 --> 00:22:58,400 daughter does. This sounds like another bait and switch scam. 379 00:22:58,440 --> 00:23:01,880 Just like lotteries for schools, where's all the school money 380 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:05,160 from the law? Well, schools do get that money, they do. 381 00:23:05,279 --> 00:23:09,359 But the issue there is that then there's the incentive 382 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:14,160 to supplant rather than supplement right, which, by the way, 383 00:23:14,359 --> 00:23:18,039 the city leaders, the city manager, i should say of Charlotte, 384 00:23:19,079 --> 00:23:22,839 made a mention of doing that exact thing months ago, 385 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:25,920 or maybe it was last year. He said like, well, 386 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:28,519 you know what, the legislature wants us to put road 387 00:23:29,599 --> 00:23:33,039 funding into this sales tax in order to allow us 388 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:38,240 to take it to voters. And they agreed, the city agreed, 389 00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:41,079 they put it in there, and then at a meeting 390 00:23:41,319 --> 00:23:43,839 he's like, well, you know, and we can whatever revenue 391 00:23:43,839 --> 00:23:45,480 we get off of the sales tax, we can just 392 00:23:45,559 --> 00:23:47,799 kind of use that to pay for some of our 393 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:50,720 road needs and take the road dollars and use them 394 00:23:50,720 --> 00:23:53,720 for other things. And when the state lawmakers heard that, 395 00:23:53,759 --> 00:23:57,000 they were like whoa. They went back and they amended 396 00:23:57,039 --> 00:24:00,599 it and they were like, you have to fund your 397 00:24:00,799 --> 00:24:07,039 road allocations at the current level, so you cannot supplant. 398 00:24:07,519 --> 00:24:11,920 You can't replace your current road dollars with new sales 399 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:18,799 tax revenue dollars. This has to be in addition was 400 00:24:18,839 --> 00:24:23,440 it ever promised that rail would bring in revenue. No, 401 00:24:24,599 --> 00:24:28,119 even back with the original Blue Line. It was never. 402 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:32,759 Like everybody always understood that these systems do not make money. 403 00:24:32,839 --> 00:24:38,119 They lose money, all of them. They're not revenue generators. 404 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:46,759 They do kick off some revenue, but net it's a loss. Now, 405 00:24:47,119 --> 00:24:50,000 I did see this tweet just came down from the 406 00:24:50,039 --> 00:24:54,920 Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, who says, after the polls 407 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:58,359 close tomorrow night, I will impose a one hundred percent 408 00:24:58,400 --> 00:25:01,319 tariff on anybody moving to tech from New York City. 409 00:25:01,480 --> 00:25:09,839 That's fair, that's fair. Speaking of migration, there's a piece 410 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:13,480 at The New York Times the other day by Josh Barrow, 411 00:25:13,759 --> 00:25:19,319 a contributing opinion writer, author of the newsletter Very Serious 412 00:25:19,319 --> 00:25:23,200 In the host of the podcast Serious Trouble, and he 413 00:25:23,279 --> 00:25:27,240 had a piece headlined how Democrats can win back trust 414 00:25:27,319 --> 00:25:32,200 on immigration. Okay, and he writes this as a Democrat, 415 00:25:33,000 --> 00:25:36,519 all right. Since the spring, the shine has come off 416 00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:41,000 of President Trump's handling of immigration, and yet there's been 417 00:25:41,039 --> 00:25:45,440 no apparent surge in voter's desire to put immigration policy 418 00:25:45,519 --> 00:25:49,160 back in the hands of Democrats. Frankly, Democrats have not 419 00:25:49,279 --> 00:25:54,920 earned voter's trust on immigration. The most recent Democratic administration 420 00:25:55,039 --> 00:25:58,599 presided over an enormous surge in migration, with the unauthorized 421 00:25:58,599 --> 00:26:03,119 immigrant population explode, voting to fourteen million in twenty twenty three. 422 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:06,359 That is up from ten and a half million two 423 00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:10,240 years prior, and likely millions more by the time Joe 424 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:14,440 Biden left office. That's all, according to the Pew Research Center. 425 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:18,000 For too long, mister Biden and his team asserted they 426 00:26:18,039 --> 00:26:21,119 could not stop the surge without new legislation, and that 427 00:26:21,240 --> 00:26:25,599 proved false. In twenty twenty four, having failed to get 428 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:29,359 an immigration built through Congress, Biden finally took executive actions 429 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:33,160 to curb abuse of the asylum system and slow the 430 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:36,599 flow of migrants across the southern border. When Trump took office, 431 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:40,319 illegal border crossings slowed to a trickle. In other words, 432 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:46,039 the problem had been fixable all along. Mister Biden simply 433 00:26:46,079 --> 00:26:50,680 did not fix it until much too late. What he 434 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:58,359 does not answer is why, why Why did Biden allow 435 00:26:58,480 --> 00:27:02,599 this to occur? Why did Biden say he needed new legislation. 436 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:07,119 Why did Biden preside over this loose asylum system. Why 437 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:11,359 did Alejandro Majorcis the Homeland Security Secretary, Why did he 438 00:27:11,640 --> 00:27:16,839 grant blanket asylum status to millions of people. Why did 439 00:27:16,839 --> 00:27:20,400 they implement this app that made it super easy to 440 00:27:20,480 --> 00:27:21,920 apply for asylum status? 441 00:27:21,960 --> 00:27:22,200 Speaker 2: Why? 442 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:26,480 Speaker 1: Why? Why? They never want to address this question of why, 443 00:27:27,319 --> 00:27:30,119 and so I don't think that you earn back voters 444 00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:35,440 trust on immigration before you examine why. All right, if 445 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:37,240 you're listening to this show, you know I try to 446 00:27:37,319 --> 00:27:39,119 keep up with all sorts of current events, and I 447 00:27:39,119 --> 00:27:41,319 know you do too, And you've probably heard me say 448 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:45,519 get your news from multiple sources. Why. Well, because it's 449 00:27:45,519 --> 00:27:48,240 how you detect media bias, which is why I've been 450 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:51,839 so impressed with ground News. It's an app and it's 451 00:27:51,920 --> 00:27:54,799 a website and it combines news from around the world 452 00:27:54,799 --> 00:27:58,240 in one place so you can compare coverage and verify information. 453 00:27:58,559 --> 00:28:01,839 You could check it out at check dot ground, dot 454 00:28:01,839 --> 00:28:05,000 news slash pete. I put the link in the podcast 455 00:28:05,039 --> 00:28:08,039 description too. I started using ground News a few months 456 00:28:08,039 --> 00:28:10,640 ago and more recently chose to work with them as 457 00:28:10,680 --> 00:28:13,880 an affiliate because it lets me see clearly how stories 458 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:17,160 get covered and by whom. The blind spot feature shows 459 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:20,039 you which stories get ignored by the left and the right. 460 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:24,880 See for yourself. Check dot ground, dot news slash Pete 461 00:28:25,000 --> 00:28:27,680 subscribe through that link and you'll get fifteen percent off 462 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:30,960 any subscription. I use the Vantage plan to get unlimited 463 00:28:31,000 --> 00:28:34,279 access to every feature. Your subscription then not only helps 464 00:28:34,319 --> 00:28:37,119 my podcast, but it also supports ground news as they 465 00:28:37,119 --> 00:28:42,240 make the media landscape more transparent. Josh Barrow of the 466 00:28:42,279 --> 00:28:48,279 famed Wheelbarrow family, writing at The New York Times about 467 00:28:48,279 --> 00:28:52,079 how Democrats can win back trust on immigration, I identified 468 00:28:52,279 --> 00:28:58,400 what I think is a pretty big glaring omission here 469 00:28:58,759 --> 00:29:02,359 when he's talking about how Biden simply did not fix 470 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:09,599 the broken immigration system that he implemented. And the big 471 00:29:09,640 --> 00:29:12,720 glaring hole is why why did he break it? Why 472 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:14,680 did he allow it to continue? Why did he say 473 00:29:14,720 --> 00:29:17,359 he needed new legislation in order to fix it when 474 00:29:17,359 --> 00:29:20,720 in fact he did not. Barrow then goes on to say, 475 00:29:20,759 --> 00:29:24,440 as a result, the unauthorized immigrant population in the US 476 00:29:24,519 --> 00:29:29,039 today is considerably different from what it was before Biden's presidency. 477 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:35,200 In twenty twenty one, over eighty percent of unauthorized immigrants 478 00:29:35,880 --> 00:29:39,799 had been living here for at least five years. Now 479 00:29:40,119 --> 00:29:45,240 there are millions more recent arrivals without similarly deep links 480 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:50,039 to American communities. Admitting all these new migrants was never 481 00:29:50,839 --> 00:29:56,519 and agreed upon public policy. No voters endorsed this, no 482 00:29:56,720 --> 00:30:00,400 law passed by Congress contemplated it. And to the extent 483 00:30:00,440 --> 00:30:03,519 the migrants are seeking asylum, their legal claims are too 484 00:30:03,559 --> 00:30:09,119 often bogus. But it happened, and Democrats need to explain 485 00:30:09,200 --> 00:30:12,200 to voters why they should not expect it to happen again. 486 00:30:12,599 --> 00:30:18,000 If they regain power, it will. That's the thing. You're 487 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:21,960 asking Democrats to explain something they don't want to explain, 488 00:30:22,000 --> 00:30:26,759 because it most assuredly will happen again. They also need 489 00:30:26,799 --> 00:30:29,680 a story. They need to come up with a story 490 00:30:30,119 --> 00:30:32,599 about what happens with the millions of people who came 491 00:30:32,640 --> 00:30:36,480 here recently, even though they were not supposed to see 492 00:30:36,680 --> 00:30:41,519 therein lies the problem. They don't actually have an explanation 493 00:30:42,039 --> 00:30:48,440 or a proposed solution, and any plan they come up with, 494 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:53,599 he says, is not going to work without a robust 495 00:30:53,759 --> 00:31:01,920 and credible commitment to enforcement, including in tear enforcement. He 496 00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:04,400 goes on to say later in this lengthy piece, the 497 00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:08,279 mental block that democrats have here relates to an instinct 498 00:31:08,319 --> 00:31:13,759 about deportations, a feeling that it's presumptively improper to remove 499 00:31:14,279 --> 00:31:17,359 an illegal alien who has settled in the country. If 500 00:31:17,400 --> 00:31:21,119 that migrant has not committed a crime unrelated to immigration. 501 00:31:21,920 --> 00:31:24,759 These people have been here a long time. The idea goes, 502 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:28,720 they're not causing trouble. But if we build a system 503 00:31:29,039 --> 00:31:32,000 where people very often get to stay here simply because 504 00:31:32,000 --> 00:31:35,880 they made it in the system that prevailed during most 505 00:31:35,880 --> 00:31:39,359 of Biden's term, well then we really don't have an 506 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:43,839 immigration policy and voters won't have any reason to believe 507 00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:47,240 us when we say our new policy will produce different 508 00:31:47,319 --> 00:31:53,599 results about who comes here. Yeah, like, that's the problem, 509 00:31:54,359 --> 00:31:58,359 you guys have never been about enforcement. The need to 510 00:31:58,359 --> 00:32:01,759 make a credible enforcement threat does not require Democrats to 511 00:32:01,880 --> 00:32:07,079 endorse specific enforcement practices of the Trump administration. He calls 512 00:32:07,079 --> 00:32:10,599 for a more targeted approach that still needs to contemplate 513 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:14,359 that being in the country without authorization is reason enough 514 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:18,960 to deport someone, and therein, I think, is the fatal 515 00:32:19,000 --> 00:32:25,400 flaw of his argument. They cannot do that. All right, 516 00:32:25,400 --> 00:32:27,759 that'll do it for this episode. Thank you so much 517 00:32:27,799 --> 00:32:29,839 for listening. I could not do the show without your 518 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:32,640 support and the support of the businesses that advertise on 519 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:35,480 the podcast, So if you'd like, please support them too 520 00:32:35,519 --> 00:32:37,160 and tell them you heard it here. You can also 521 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:39,839 become a patron at my Patreon page or go to 522 00:32:39,960 --> 00:32:43,680 vpetecleanershow dot com. Again, thank you so much for listening, 523 00:32:43,759 --> 00:32:50,039 and don't break anything while I'm gone.