Transcriber: nvidia/parakeet-tdt-0.6b-v2, sat-12l-sm, and large-v3-turbo
Source
Participants
Main
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julie johnson
rep/d08:36
Appearances
marco rubio
admin01:14
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mimi geerges
cspan04:07
Clips
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louie gohmert
rep/r00:18
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Voice
Speaker
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Legislative Gaps in Equality00:07:26
unidentified
They'll also hold a joint news conference later today.
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And so a lot of my staff has been with me for a long time, understand the process, just getting used to DC and trying to figure out my way around those tunnels.
Yes, so the Homeland Security, I'm on the Emergency Management Subcommittee, and they had organized a trip down there to inspect the area where the attack had occurred on January 1st and make sure that security measures have been remedied to prepare for the Super Bowl.
It's a SEER one security level event, meaning that it's the top level of security and that the federal government on all levels are involved in that.
But the thing that was really disturbing to me was that the FBI special agent in charge for New Orleans was terminated as opposed to Trump's wholesale cleaning house of the FBI and destruction of that.
unidentified
And right before the Super Bowl, after years of planning, I think that was irresponsible and reckless on his part.
And as you know, whenever there's a weak link in any of it, it exposes all of it.
I was just really disgusted at the complete disregard, dismantling of the FBI, the agency that's responsible for homeland terrorism investigation and many other things, and that they would remove somebody who was so critical to that mission to keep the people safe in New Orleans.
unidentified
I just think that was irresponsible on part of the Trump administration.
If you'd like to join our conversation and ask Representative Julie Johnson, a Democrat of Texas, any questions, you can do so.
Our lines are Republicans, 202748-8001, Democrats, 202748-8000, and Independents 202-748-8002.
Your website says that you're the first openly gay member of Congress from the South.
So I want to ask you about a couple of things.
The first is the Trump administration's revoking of the order to allow transgender troops to serve in the U.S. military.
Tell us about how many people that would affect as far as active duty and Guardian Reserve and what impact you think that might have.
unidentified
Well, it's my understanding that it affects about 10,000 servicemen and women.
And again, we have people who are willing to put their life on the line for this country, who are willing to put themselves in harm's way to defend the values of equality for all, for everyone.
And the transgender members serve with valor, they serve with distinction, they serve with honor and bravery.
And to just unilaterally, wholesale dismiss them is disrespectful to our men and women of the military, all everyone that serves, to say that you can be just summarily discharged from our military service, even though you have served with exemplary honor, just because the president doesn't like a characteristic of you.
unidentified
It has nothing to do with the quality of your service.
It's just disrespectful to everyone that serves.
And it's really unfortunate.
We don't have enough people wanting to serve our country in that role.
And to start filtering out a whole segment of folks, not because of their abilities, not because of their qualifications, but because of a political ideology that has nothing to do with their service is really unfortunate in my opinion.
So how do you think the Congress should respond to that?
Advocates who disagree with that and other orders related to LGBTQ plus issues.
How do you think they should respond in today's Washington?
unidentified
Well, I think we need to pass legislation.
We need to pass the Equality Act that confirms that the LGBTQ community cannot be discriminated against, that we deserve full equality and not bigoted biased policies just based on who we are.
The other thing that is really disturbing about this whole situation is that the Trump administration has just summarily removed transgender and queer people from all government websites.
unidentified
Travel advisors, everything.
If you go now on the government sites, it used to say LGBTQ, and now it just says LGB.
LGBTQ Rights and Tariffs00:09:48
unidentified
They just took it off.
And it is so irresponsible, bigoted, discriminatory, and biased.
And so for a party who supposedly campaigned on lowering prices, his policies are going to do everything but I thought it was interesting that after he announced his tariffs, the stock market plunged and was on a deep dive and only it was the stock market that forced that correction.
We'll start with Betty, an independent in Bowdoin, Georgia.
unidentified
Good morning.
I am totally in favor of equality as long as it includes everyone.
However, my question to you is, why should we believe what any Democrat tells us when the same people are telling us that never questioned Biden's cognitive abilities and told the American people he was fine and approved of everything he did?
So she was saying why should we trust the Democrats when they were not forthright about President Biden's cognitive abilities and telling us that he was fine?
unidentified
Well, and I believe she said she agreed with everything he did, right?
And so the thing is, is that, yeah, you agree with his policies.
And the reality of it is we're not his medical providers.
You know, I agree with many of what President Biden did.
I thought the infrastructure bill was transformative for our country.
I can only look at what the Trump administration is doing policy-wise towards the LGBTQ community by removing all transgender service members from the military, by erasing whole swaths of the LGBTQ community from governmental websites and programs.
unidentified
That's what I'm looking at, and I find that to be very discriminatory and bigoted towards our community.
The first question is in reference to federal funding and the responsibilities of our federal republic insofar as normal citizens, when they own property, they have a right to cover themselves by paying for homeowners' insurance.
unidentified
What I don't understand is why our taxpayer funds are being used.
Yes, it's a shame when there's a tragedy such as a hurricane, et cetera.
But should we make normal American citizens pay for others who don't take the responsibility to have, like, say, homeowners' insurance?
And then another question that ties a little bit into it is constantly, I'm hearing a lot of representatives, journalists constantly saying we are a democracy.
Now, while it is true that we vote democratically when we vote officials into office, but we are actually a constitutional federal republic that votes democratically.
unidentified
And the responsibility of the government is simply to protect individual rights.
It's not supposed to interfere so much into our private lives.
And that's where, of course, with our new administration coming in, I am an independent, but I'm happy that Donald Trump got in.
But the main problem I have is that there's too much today interference into the private lives of our citizens, including federal spending and all that.
unidentified
When are we going to go back to being a country of individuals where our lives are private again instead of being exposed?
Now, the government does have the right to protect individual rights.
So when individual rights are being violated, yes, then the government has a right to step in.
But to force people to pay for others through our taxes, to get involved in people's lives, whether they're, say, for example, have a different sexual orientation, that's their business.
They measure risk and they decide whether or not they are going to accept a risk and insure appropriately for that.
unidentified
A lot of times, though, there are some areas where there are not insurance carriers or they choose not to engage in a market.
An example of that is the Texas Gulf Coast.
We have the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association, TWIA, which is sort of a collaboration of reinsurance to make sure that people can have affordable insurance.
We as the richest country on earth have a society where our government is not going to let thousands and thousands and thousands of its citizens suffer due to a natural disaster.
unidentified
It's too destructive to our life of our country.
It's too destructive to our economy and our overall production.
And it's not the moral values that we have.
So oftentimes insurance will act as sort of a reinsurance, as an extra backstop to cover a lot of the things that regular private insurance won't cover.
And I think that as a society, that's something that we all want.
And it is the right thing to do.
With respect to our democracy, we are a democracy.
And I agree with you in that there are certain aspects of life that you either want privacy, you want privacy in your bedroom, you want privacy and sanctity of the physician-patient relationship.
unidentified
I think there's a lot of governmental overreach with abortion access and that kind of thing, trying to regulate how physicians practice.
And those are fundamental differences in the two parties that we have right now, with Republicans and Democrats.
I think Democrats believe in those privacies that you advocated for in terms of not being able to invade LGBT people, not be able to invade the doctor-position relationship with women seeking health care.
unidentified
And I think that's a big distinction on the parties right now.
Democrat, you're on with Representative Julie Johnson.
unidentified
Well, I'm kind of in a tissue here because I've been trying to get through and thank you for a month or so.
And I'm just going to hit bases at a few things.
I'm 85 years old, and I've listened to a lot of them in my age group.
And what I am so appalled at, in fact, my heart's beating quite fast right now, is that I've lived through 13 administrations and I am so afraid for this country and mainly my children and grandchildren.
And one of the most things that have got me so in a turmoil is J-6.
That was the most deplorable thing I've ever seen to say it was not a Boy Scout outing.
It was disgusting.
And the fact that we as Americans is accepting that is unbelievable.
And also, people need to reread the Constitution because we're taking it as a joke.
And this is serious.
This is why other countries are laughing at us and think we're now, we're at the bottom.
We're getting at the bottom.
And the confirmations, they're a joke.
Are these men so afraid of another man?
And this is all in the line of dictatorship, fascism, and the whole nine yards.
This is unbelievable.
And I'm so concerned.
Like I said, I've lived through quite a bit.
My eyesight may be getting better, but I certainly can see through BS.
You know, we had people who attacked our country, who were seeking to overthrow our government, who were seeking to execute members of our political leadership on both parties because they didn't like the election results.
They were trying to steal an election.
unidentified
And the fact that, and Capitol Police served with honor, bravery.
And the fact, and then these people were duly charged, convicted by a jury of their peers in our court system, and which is one of the best legal systems of structure in the world, the fact that we have an independent judiciary and an independent judicial process, and they were all convicted.
And for the fact for President Trump to come in on day one, and absolve them all is so disrespectful to our court system, to the values of democracy, to the rule of law.
He's trying to diminish the value and the import of the rule of law in this country.
And once we see, fall into the abyss of absolute and utter lawlessness, where are we?
unidentified
To your point, it is one of the most concerning aspects of the last 30 days.
How can you be a party that claims you back the blue, that you support law enforcement and support the pardons of the January 6th rioters who viciously attacked Capitol Police?
But I think that the fact that leadership of the FBI is, of the president of the Trump administration is coming in and trying to purge anyone in the FBI that had anything to do with the January 6th investigations is outrageous.
And it's something that we should all be screaming about.
unidentified
It's undermining an agency that's sole mission is to enforce law and order, prosecute dangerous criminals in this country, and keep us safe.
And to be able to weaponize the FBI in such a political fashion is nothing like we have ever seen in this country.
And again, if you value law enforcement, if you value the bravery, if you value our judicial system that's supposedly free from corruption and intimidation, then you need to be outraged by this.
unidentified
There are countries in the world that have a corrupt judicial system where people cannot get a fair trial, a fair prosecution in the system.
And when you start undermining and politically weaponizing a major branch of law enforcement, it's really destructive to our country.
Let's talk to Jonathan, a Republican in Wilton, Connecticut.
Good morning.
unidentified
Oh, good morning.
Thank you, Congresswoman, for serving.
You know, look, the worst crime we see in this country is in these sanctuary cities.
And, you know, California has the common sense to finally pass some laws to prosecute people going into stores and just ripping stuff off.
You know, I think, you know, one of the biggest things you didn't mention is the powers these presidents have is too much, right?
I mean, President Biden dismisses two brothers for possible graft.
That is more outrageous to me than anything.
I mean, during COVID, $250 billion was stolen from the American taxpayer.
And this is from AP News, if you don't believe me.
So yeah, we're upset about all these things going on, but this country's been run to the ground since NASA, Clinton, allowing Wall Street to control our economy.
The Dems have sold out to money.
So we've elected a guy that is very sketchy.
Do we want the billionaires running the country or all the Dems and Republicans who are looking for the money run in the country?
You know, this country is, you know, and then, I mean, you look at, I ran away to San Francisco.
I know the gay thing.
Okay, so 1972, the mine shapped in New York City.
I'm tired of watching.
We got to bring some morality back to this country.
All of those issues are fundamental to our national security, to our quality of life.
And I think Biden has in the infrastructure bill and the CHIPS Act trying to bring in manufacturing of really key computer equipment and chips that really are propelling our country forward was very significant that happened in the recent time.
And then two hours later, he's on there saying how they're going to be fighting in the streets and they're going to be fighting in the government to stop Trump.
unidentified
Okay.
It's really sad that they're doing this because Trump is trying to turn this country back around so that we can get back on our feet.
And yeah, the conviction they made on him was all lies and the government knows it.
And everyone just turns their back.
And I think the government needs to shut their mouths and tend to the country.
Stop fighting and acting like children.
You know, maybe we'll give them all lollipop or an ice cream.
I mean, I've worked in a very bipartisan fashion in the Texas legislature as a Democrat.
I've passed a lot of the legislation and worked very productively with my Republican colleagues on bills that were rational, that made sense, that helped the American people.
We've always said, if we can come together and work to lower your grocery prices, to make cars more accessible, to make it easier to get a mortgage, reduce some of the regulation in that space, improve our country, we're all here for it.
But what we're not here for is an unconstitutional power grab where he is trying to take the power of the purse and power of the Congress away from the legislative branch and consolidate even more power in the executive branch.
He has no legal authority at all to not put out the funding that was duly appropriated by Congress in previous sessions.
unidentified
His wholesale cancellation of USAID is unconstitutional.
His putting in Elon Musk, a private citizen, to take your confidential security financial data out of our treasury database is alarming and not okay.
And he's trying to redirect the power of the purse and consolidate all of that power and really dismantle our constitutional protections that our framers have put in place that have kept this country strong for over 200 years now.
Congresswoman and Corporate PACs00:00:53
unidentified
And so what he's doing is absolutely amoral and wrong.
I think corporate PACs are made up of employees who work for companies who give $20 a month out of their paycheck to see to it that they have a better life.
unidentified
Most of these employee PACs want equality for all people.
They want good access to health care.
And I'm representing those values in the United States Congress.