#RolandMartinUnfiltered - Black Farmers Rebuff Trump Farm Aid, ACA on the Brink, Economy Approval at 31%

Episode Date: December 16, 2025

12.15.2025 #RolandMartinUnfiltered: Black Farmers Rebuff Trump Farm Aid, ACA on the Brink, Economy Approval at 31% Black farmers are voicing their skepticism about Donald Trump's new $12 billion farm aid program, stating that it contains racist undertones. John Boyd from the National Black Farmers Association will explain their concerns. Millions are watching to see what will happen next with the Affordable Care Act, especially after the Senate rejected its extension. I'll speak with a former official from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to understand what this means for your healthcare. Recent polling shows that only 31 percent of voters approve of Trump's handling of the economy. We'll analyze the numbers with Morgan Harper from the American Economic Liberties Project. The National Association of Black Journalists has launched a bold initiative to raise $15 million over the next four years to create a permanent endowment that invests in the next generation of Black journalists. One of the original 44 founders, Sandra Long Weaver, will join us to discuss this effort. DeMaurice Smith will be in the studio to discuss his book, "Turf Wars: The Fight for the Soul of America's Game," which delves into controversies surrounding Colin Kaepernick, Deflategate, and power struggles within the NFL. #BlackStarNetwork partner: Fanbasehttps://www.startengine.com/offering/fanbase This Reg A+ offering is made available through StartEngine Primary, LLC, member FINRA/SIPC.  This investment is speculative, illiquid, and involves a high degree of risk, including the possible loss of your entire investment. You should read the Offering Circular (https://bit.ly/3VDPKjD) and Risks (https://bit.ly/3ZQzHl0) related to this offering before investing. Download the Black Star Network app at http://www.blackstarnetwork.com! We're on iOS, AppleTV, Android, AndroidTV, Roku, FireTV, XBox and SamsungTV. The #BlackStarNetwork is a news reporting platform covered under Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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Black Farmers are voicing their skepticism about Donald Trump's new $12 billion farm bailout program saying that it contains racist undertones. John Boat from the National Black Farm Association will join us. Millions are watching the see what will happen next with the Affordable Care Act, especially after the Senate. Yeah, just refuse to extend the credits. I'll talk to the former official from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicaid Services understand what this means for your health care.

Recent polling shows that only 31% of voters approved with Donald Trump's handling of the economy, but Fox News is like, oh my God, it's fantastic. It's wonderful. It's a great economy. Well, that's what happens when you make $15, $20 million a year. We'll talk with the economist Morgan Hopper from the American Economic Liberties Project.

National Association of Black Journalists has launched a Bolinichita to raise $15 million over the next four years to create a permanent endowment and invest in the next generation of Black Journalists. will talk to one of the 44 founders of the NABJ. Plus, former head of the NFL Players Association, DeMaris Smith, with Joe Me, to discuss his new book, Turf Wars, The Fight for the Soul of America's Game.

Trust me, it is a conversation you do not want to miss. It is time to bring the funk. I'm rolling back on Filcher on the Black Sun Network. Let's go. The economy for farmers in America. Those white farmers, Yale scream holler. And so now Trump says, hey, I'm proposing $12 billion.

in a relief package. He's describing it as a lifeline for growers affected by rising costs and trade policies. Now, mind you, he said, oh, no, that my tariffs are going to do wonders for the American economy. Ask those

who grow soybeans. It's happening all across. We're talking Nebraska. Idaho, Illinois, Virginia, Iowa, Wisconsin, Georgia, all these places where we have farms, They're getting screwed because Donald Trump's idiotic policies are screwing them.

Oh, beef prices. Then he cuts a deal and bails out the Argentinian economy and then says we're going to buy Argentinian beef? Oh, yeah, all of this. This schizophrenic trade policy has caused massive harm across the country. Now, this one-time payment will be distributed through the USDA's new Farmer Bridge Assistance Program that's what they're calling it, okay? But you've got some farmers who are already saying, wait a minute, how is this going to help us

with crops for next season? Now, it also is a significant requirement to qualify for this assistance. Farmers must already be registered in the USDA system must report their acres. This is where black farmers have expressed concerns. The system fails to adequately support them. John Board is president of the National Black Farmers Association.

He joins us now. So, John, explain to us what that mean. What's the issue with the report? reporting of the acreage. Well, here's the issue, Roland, and the president gave out, Trump gave out $30 billion under his first term as president. He bailed out farmers. And he tried the same card that he tried right now, the tariff messed with China.

Roland, do you know how some of the soybeans for $16.80 a bushel when Trump came in the first time, the price dropped all the way down to $8 a bushel and, and, and, you know, At some point, lower $7 a bushel. Wow. Cut by more than half. 50% and a half. And white farmers keep saying they are voting for Trump. They voted for him three times because he's good on agriculture. Do you know who is president when I was selling soybeans for $18?

Let's and change, you're going to take one guess. Obama or Biden? Barack Obama, 2012. The highest prices in U.S. history was under a black president. his name was Barack Obama. And I hope they spread across the Internet like wildfire. So the president sold out white farmers for Argentina. He gave him $40 billion.

Yes. And then they turned around and started selling soybeans to China. So they took the money and they took our contract and all that stuff, rolling. The president got played. And then white farmers, as you know, for the first time, but now you're 42 years rolling, I've never seen white farmers. on every network, every network. Oh, no, they have been crying.

They have been, oh, my God. And not only that, you have these white farming groups. They've been going to CBC members. Man, what can y'all do? And I'm like, hold up. Go talk to the white MAGA folks y'all voted for. These folks voted for MAGA. In the town where Tyson's, Nebraska,

shutting down one of their plans. That county voted 72% for Trump. And Roland, they voted for Trump, not one time, not two times. They voted for them three times. They voted for them three times. And when I came out for Harris, I came out for Harris swinging and campaigned for indoors to the whole nine yards, white farmers were calling me and said,

well, Democrats ain't ever done nothing on farmers. They don't even talk about farmers. But guess what? This president is sending them into bankruptcy, farm foreclosure, farm suicides. All of those things are happening under his watch. And every press conference, this president saw it tell me. He said, sleepy Joe Biden did. Joe Biden did not impose terrorists on China. This is Donald Trump's whole bread and basket. This is his baby from A to Z robert. And it happened from January to January to. now. So within a year's time, this president is putting white farmers out of business, and his vice president, J.D. Vance, is buying a land under his company called Acre trader. Y'all, look it up if you don't believe me. So they got, they got a master plan here. And what I'm telling black farmers is, no, man, apply. Apply. They're banking on you not to apply. Go into those local offices. As a matter of fact, groan, I'm going tomorrow. I'm going to my

local office tomorrow and I'm going to apply. They are banking on black farmers not applying. They are banking on black farmers to miss the deadline and if their bank owners not to go in and get farm serial numbers or what I, we're going to do it this time. We're going to fix their ass because look, that's how they leave us out and they know that this system that's in place is geared up for white farmers. Yep. There's some stuff on the internet right now and I'm going to clean it up. this is not slave reparations. This is not a court case that you opt out of. It's not any of those things, rolling.

It's a Trump, it's a Trump created program and it's called Farm of Bridge Assistance Program where he's going to compensate white farmers for the mistake he made. Now, here's what happened. He created this trade fiasco. He created the problem with tariffs and all this stuff. And then we turned around and had to pay

terrorists on all of the parts that come in. And when my combines go down, and I have to wait for parts that come from other parts of the world because we don't make them here. And then I got to pay extra money for these parts, man. So everything that we, that's happening on my farm right now. And I want to make something clear because, oh, man,

I read these comments, man, you got the baddest damn show on the Internet, the badest show that speaks directly into the heart of the black community. And they ask two or three questions. at the same time. What did board vote for Trump? I did not vote for Trump. I supported and endorsed Harris.

That's the first thing. Is board really a farmer? Yes, I'm really a farmer. My father was a farmer. I come from the board plantation. Family farm was in our family farm was in our family for over a hundred years. And yes, I raised soybeans, all of these things.

So I read those comments and I get so irritated out of the same ignorant question. They deserve what happened to them. deserve what happened to them. I don't deserve this stuff. Donald Trump did this stuff. Right. That's the first thing. We are dumped in this thing and I'm saying because we're dumped into it, I want black people, black farmers in this case, to flood the officers and apply. Flood the officers and apply. And if you don't get it, me and rolling are going to help

hold our USDA accountable. See, this is the thing that that really irritates me. I'm seeing all I've seen all the stories you mentioned these white farmers we don't want a government handout yes they do you got one last time second of all

people really don't people really don't understand the power of the Department of Agriculture they don't they don't understand that listen under Biden then congresswoman

Marsha Fudge she didn't want to be Secretary of HUD She wanted agriculture, and she bought hard for agriculture. People have no idea that white folks, white farmers, they have controlled that USDA budget, the subsidies that they have gotten, the internal bank in the USDA that's funded all sorts of projects.

And so folk need to understand, this ain't some canned goods and some bushels and some oranges. No, we're talking billions upon billions of dollars that white farmers have controlled and they ain't never wanted black folk to have a foothold

in the USDA. And you know what, Rona, thank you for that plug and listen, when Biden and you helped me do this, man, to your credit, $5 billion that we lie before we finally got it done for black farmers and return our land out of federal inventory, white farmers could have said,

hey, you know what, boy, how can we help you implement this, man? The black farmer's been done wrong. How can we help you do this? Instead, Stephen Miller went out and found white farmers and sued us in all these federal courts, blocking the aid to black farmers. But now they want all this money from the federal government when they're in trouble rolling.

I ain't never seen that one white farmer get on television and say, you know what? What happened in them was bad, man. And people said, boy, you never explained the discrimination. Roland, they spat on me. Spit, depending on what part of the country you're from, in his office. He spat in his tobacco can.

That's what he told the people, went on my shirt. They called me a nigger. Openly, I took him to court. The court said they only did it one time so they can do it. They tore my house. Everyone needs to take care of their mental health, even running back Bejan Robinson. When I'm on the field, they're feeling the pressure.

I usually just take a deep breath. When I'm just breathing and seeing what's in front of me, Everything just slows down. It just makes you feel great before I run the play. Just like Bijan, we all need a strong mental game on and off the field. Make a game playing for your mental health at love your mind playbook.org. Love your mind. Brought to you by the Huntsman Mental Health Foundation, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation,

and the ad console. The social media trend that's landing some Gen Z years in jail. The progressive media darling whose public meltdown got her fired. I'm going to take Francesco off the network entirely. The massive TikTok boycott against Target that makes no actual sense. I will continue getting stuff from Target, and I will continue to not pay for it. And the MAGA influencers whose trip to the White House ended in embarrassment.

So refreshing to have the press secretary after the last few years who's both intelligent and articulate. You won't hear about these online stories in the mainstream media, but you can keep up with them and all the other entertaining and outrageous things happening online in media and in politics with the Brad versus Everyone podcast. Hosted by me, Brad Palumbo. Every day of the week, I bring you on a wild ride through the most delulu takes on the internet, criticizing the extremes of both sides from an independent perspective. Join in on the Insanity and listen to the Brad versus Everyone podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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and they would only see us one day of the week. Wednesday, one day of the week, and we had to come in the back door. this happened rolling in my lifetime. So I get it when black farmers say, hey, boy, I don't want to go back in that office anymore. I don't want to apply. I don't trust them. But yes, I get all those things,

but don't leave the money on the table, man. Right, right. Don't leave the money. We've got to set that, look. For everybody watching John Simmons earlier, this is a video of his farm. So all y'all people who are on social media who love running your mouths,

stuff along those lines, this is video of his farm, that's cattle. And let's take that, for example. We're talking about the cattle. Bee prices. I mean, bee prices have absolutely just collapsed. And again, Trump is sitting here, and he's been so arrogant saying,

oh, yeah, basically y'all pipe down. You know, I'll deal with y'all. And listen, there's a brother man up in West Virginia. He voted for Trump. I told him not to do it. coal mining coal and farming. His truck has been parked since Trump got elected.

And you tell him not to do these things, well, and I was telling them, but guess who was screaming at him? You was. You were the guy out there screaming on social media every day don't get Duke by Trump, and they've done it, and they've done it anyway. That's what we kept saying.

We got shirts, say hashtag, we tried to tell you. Like, we told y'all, he screwed farmers last time. Yes, we told them. And look here, everything this president has touched in agriculture has went from bad to worse. Soybeans. Huh? China. Corn, Mexico.

Fertilizer. Canada. Beef cattle. Now he wants to give the beef cattle business. He wants to buy that from his buddy in Argentina because he says, oh, I want to be like Trump. That's what the, all you got to do is say he like Trump and rolling. He wants to do business with him. you got to do. He's playing black people.

He got that press conference last week and tell you know, oh, black people love me. Man, we got a whole mechanic. We don't love your ass. No. He needs to stop saying it. He needs to stop playing on. You know black people don't love him, man. Yeah. The problem was we didn't come out

enough to help elect tariffs. Well, yeah, that was a autopsy on the race. Democratic autopsy showing there was a 6.8 million voter drop from Biden and Harris in 2024. This is from the nation. They have this piece here called

White farmers are getting a taste of their own medicine. Trump's terrorist and immigration raids are driving the latest farm crisis. White farmers have stood by him year after year and still do. And this is the whole thing right here. The governor of Nebraska earlier this year called Trump and said, hey man, can you please stop these immigration

raids? He said that we've lost 6% of our state gross domestic product because we don't have anybody who work at farms. Let's just be real clear. All of these white farmers who are sitting here saying,

shut the border down, they have been hiring and they have been making money off of the work of illegal, of undocumented workers. That's what they've been doing. So the same people now who are complaining

about how they can't find folk to work, I mean, we are hearing this, Nebraska, Mississippi, all these states. So it's like, oh, I don't want to hear anything because you may have to file for bankruptcy because you don't have any workers. You voted for this. Then it's like, well, no, I voted for this, not for that.

It all came together. And this is the last time, this is like, this is what's crazy to me. I mean, he's a football analogy. The last time he was there. So he ran these plays in the first half. Now we're in the second half. and you shocked he running the same play? The same play.

And you know what rolling what kills me is? He wants to give white farmers from South Africa. That's what I call them. I ain't giving him that fancy name from white farmers from South Africa. He wants to bring him to the United States, giving them a fast path to citizenship and want to give him homesteads and land out of inventory of USCA and grazing land from the Department of Interior. And he wants to get rid of Ethiopians.

He wants to get rid of Somalians. wants to get rid of Haitians. Anybody that look like me and you, they got a deadline to leave this country, man. But they say, oh, it has nothing to do with race, but you're only bringing in white farmers from South Africa and you're going to give them a fast path to citizenship and you want to take and get black people out of this country, man.

We've got to say hell no to this kind of rhetoric. This article is interested in this guy, Caleb Raglan, he's president of the American Soybean Association, says that farmers are going to lose about $44 billion this year. Look at this year. Ragland, for example, supported Trump dating back to 2019. Trump won a majority of USDA farming dependent counties ahead of his first term. And within years of assuming office, his trade wars drove American farm exports to China down from 19.5 billion to 9 billion.

That's a loss of $10.5 billion. Ultimately, farmers saw a decline. of $27 billion in agricultural exports, nearly 71% of that attributable to soybean profit loss. But guess what? Raglan, a soybean farmer, still turned right back around and voted for Trump again in both 2020 and 2024.

Here again, he was just one of many. Farmers increased their support. This is crazy. They lost money, under Trump massive made money under Biden but they increased their support for Trump by 5% in 2020

hitting 76% support and then increased it again in 78 to 78% and so it's like oh and then he got 80% of these farmers vote votes

and now y'all want to go on TV weeping and moaning and gnashing of teeth, you literally voted for your own demise. They're really dead, Role. And you know what kills me is, the only thing that this president is doing that he said he was going to do. First of all, they didn't want me at the meeting

because I was trying to get in there. I was trying to say, this is where we need to move and all this stuff. They didn't want me in a meeting. And they said something about they want to get away from DEI and all this stuff. rolling ain't no DEI on my farm my cows eat the same amount of hay as white white man cows do my tractor burn the same amount of fuel

as a white farmer's tract to do I got the same high cost that white farmers do so why can't I have a seat at the table to AI grievances about what's going on in our particular population of black farmers because we got a whole set of different problems companies don't want us they want to

doggers, they want to dump on us, government dumped on us. They don't want you at the table. They don't want us to apply for this money. And that's why I'm going to keep hitting that in there. Because I know this is going to get it out there. Go in and apply. I'm going in it tomorrow and apply. It's called Farm of Bridge Assistance Program. Take your information in there and sign up. And if they tell you, you know, come back and let me enroll in the note because we're going to hold that as a calendar people. Absolutely. You can't get it if you don't apply. Yeah. People out there telling them, Don't apply. This is about a farm slave reparations. Pay me $100, $500.

Don't pay nobody a dime. It's free. Get up and go to your local farm service agent. Yes, the same people dog. Just go back into those offices and put the ink to the paper and sign it at the end. And then if you don't get your money, you call us and let us know. So this is from usda.gov of the $12 billion provided, up to $11 billion will be used for the Farmers Bridge Assistance Program.

program, which provides broad relief to United States' robed crop farmers who produce barley, chickpeas, corn, cotton, lentils, oats, peanuts, peas, rice, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, canola, cram, flax, mustard, rapeseed, safflower, sesame, and sunflower. Yes. Then it says, then it says farmers who qualify for the FBA program can expect payments to be released by February 28, 2020.

eligible farmers should ensure their 2025 acreage reporting is factual and accurate by 5 p.m. Eastern on December 19th. 5 p.m. Eastern on December 19th. Today is December 15th. So folks, you got until 5 p.m. Eastern on by Friday. And then the remaining one billion of the 12 billion in bridge payments will be reserved for commodities not covered in the FBN. program such as specialty crops and sugar, for example. And so, again, if you have any questions, folks, to submit, to submit questions,

justification for USDA Farmer Bridge Aid or to request a meeting on Farmer Bridge Aid, producers can reach out to farmers, y'all emails right here, Farmerbridge. Farmerbridge at usda.g.org.combeach.usda.org. Farmer Bridge at usda.gov. John, final comment. And Roland, I want to go a step further. This is my official statement on this on your show.

Farmers go in and apply. We're not opting out anything. This isn't slave reparations. Stop spreading that false story on the internet. There is no money to apply. People charge $100, $500. Don't do it. It's a scam.

It's free. Go into the local office, apply, and for those people who putting out that bad information, shame on you. You know, God got a special place for people like you. Stop doing it. Go into the office and apply. If you don't apply, you can't get it. This is John Boyd, president and founded the National Black Farmers Association.

And this is my official statement on Roland Martin, the right outlet to get this out to black America. All right. John, we'll appreciate it. Keep up the fight. We're staying right with you. Thank you, brother. Thank you very much. I want to bring in my panel real quick.

because folks what we're talking about here is, look, it's real. Dr. Ami Kongo to being a senior, professor of lecture school of International Service of American University, author of Lies About Black People, How to Combat Racist out of D.C. Raven, Schwarm Curtis, content creator and keynote speaker of Chicago, Teresa Lundy, principal founder, TML Communications out of Philadelphia as well. Ray, when I start with you, listen, he's wrecking the economy, pure and simple. This ain't even a conversation.

And the thing is, these white farmers, it's just kind of like, oh, let's just keep, let's just keep, just destroying ourselves. They keep voting for this fool, and they're like, oh, my God, I can't believe this happened again. What gives? Yeah. You don't get to be woe as me and then make decisions that create the woe with me conditions.

You know, pick a struggle. Can't be both, and it's either or. You know, Roland, I think you're really poignant in your sort of original comments on this, that this is a traditional Trump tactic. He manufactures a problem. He offers a solution or partial solution or approximation of solution on a silver platter,

pretends that he's doing some grand favor for us, and then uses that for great press, right, for good headlines. But he really needs in a moment where he's getting a lot of bad press because of his failures around the economy and a whole host of other issues. So I think that's important to point out here, first and foremost. I also want to ground us in some historical context here. We're talking about an industry in this country specifically, built on the backs of our enslaved ancestors, right?

It's not an accident that the vast majority of farmers in this country are white. That is the direct result of indigenous genocide, land theft, and the enslavement of our ancestors to procure mass wealth for white people in this country with no reparations for us, still fighting for that. There are programs that are starting around that, but certainly a fight that still rages on. So I just want to ground us in that truth. And to John's point, I think it was really important that he's calling our community in, right? Get this money while the money is good. this money while to getting this good. I think I think that's an important call in. And I also want to

name it's understandable that our community is deeply skeptical, you know, of various apparatuses in this country, whether it's the medical system, whether it's USDA. There is deep historical precedent for that. There has been and continues to be deep betrayal. And I think we have to recognize, you know, when it's important to tap in and engage with resources that are critical for the growth and sustainability of our agricultural industry and for black farmers. It really is insane listening to these people Omic Congo. I mean, I have seen more white farming tears on these TV shows

and I'm sitting there going you contribute to your own demise like you really do it yourself. And what I said, the Democrats is y'all should say it. Y'all should look. As a matter of fact, every time I see one of these stories

these are some sorry-ass reporters, they should open up and say before I begin an interview that you vote for Trump? Yeah. It's real. And some will say, I've seen some of these interviews as well, and some will say, well, you know, we all shouldn't be grouped into one area.

You know, we all shouldn't be labeled as the same. But you did this, like as Farmer John said, not once or not twice, but three times for this individual who played you the first time. If these guys voted for them the first time around, I don't know what their problem was, obviously. But you can get a pass for messing up your vote. But when you do it two, three times,

you're committed to this guy. They chose whiteness over everything else, period, bottom line. Some of them, you know, may have gone with Biden, you know, a little bit in 2020, but when it came down to it, they went with whiteness. And they thought, like, this guy was going to take care of him. And I didn't realize you started off the segment by saying that some of these guys are now going to the Congressional Black Caucus, you know, looking for some assistance and whatnot.

So hopefully that means that they won't file any lawsuits this time around. Once black people start trying to get their money, but with Stephen Miller around, you never know. these guys, look, I wouldn't be surprised, Roland, if some of these guys got Trump 2028 hats. That's how deep this is. And that's why, like you said, the Democrats got to be calling them out. The reporters got to call them out as well.

This is a time for accountability. And just like Trump, people who did vote for them don't want to take accountability for what they did to help get us into this mess and to get them into a mess. And for Farmer John to say that prices were better for him 10 years ago when Obama left office, that should be all of the after.

advertisement that you need right now. But they don't want to do it because they're sticking with him because whiteness prevails. And we have seen time and time again, Roland, many people will sacrifice their own lives for whiteness to prevail, even if they are not going to benefit. It's Lyndon B. Johnson all over again about teaching the lowest white man, he's better than the best, quote, unquote, color man. He'll let you pick his pockets.

Teresa and Democrats should be hammering these folks on this repeating. You're absolutely right. You know, if this wasn't a gift to the Democrat party, that's something that, you know, if I'm the Democratic Party on that communication team, I would be actually looking at facts around in and around our local neighborhoods and our certain districts. I know in Pennsylvania, you know, we have rural and urban areas. And in some of these areas, in these rural areas, we have a lot of farmland. And so there are a few farmers that want to, quote, get in the game. But with Trump's bill and what they're proposing,

they won't even have a chance. And so if I'm a Democrat and we know that in some of these counties where these farmlands are happening and then we keep, you know, saying that versy and inclusion and unity is our top priorities, then we need to really have a clear understanding of what that looks like and break it down so people understand why this matters. I think your guest was spot on when he said, listen, the scams and the gimmicks are A1 and really determining about this application. Like the application process is free.

Information is free. It's just the way it's disseminated, you know, is those who know and those who don't. But again, I think this is a real opportunity for the Democratic Party to really bring some of these national issues right at home as we all just suffered some food insecurity in our own neighborhoods and communities. All right, folks.

Going to a quick break. We come back more about what's happening with this, economy. And of course, a former Karek is tied right into that. You're watching World of Monarch. Filtred on the Blach.com. This week on the other side of change. Book fans, anti-intellectualism, and Trump's continued war on wisdom.

This is a coordinated backlash to progress. At the end of the day, conservatives realized that they couldn't win a debate on facts. They started using our language against us, right? Remember when we were all woke and the woke movement and all that kind of stuff? Now everything is anti-war. right when we were talking about including diversity equity inclusion in higher education now it's anti-de-e i all

this are efforts to suppress the truth because truth empowers people you're watching the other side of change only on the black star network hey what's up everybody it's got to be the funniest dude on the planet and you're watching roland martin unfilter well in a few days uh congress is leaving dc for the holidays and guess what the enhanced task credit that helped millions of families afford health insurance are going to expire. The Senate was unable to agree on a path forward, so House Republicans introduced their own plan that would allow Affordable Care Act subsidies

to lapse at the end of the year. Congress does nothing premiums for individuals. Purchasing insurance on the exchanges could increase dramatically with some prices rising by more than $1,000 a year. Chiquita Brooks LaSure, the former administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, is here to discuss the implications. Glad to have you on the show.

So walk us through this, they leave town and nothing gets done. What happens? Well, I'm, you know, today is really a sad day for me and millions of people who depend on these tax credits to be able to afford coverage. Today is the deadline for people who depend on Affordable Care Act coverage to enroll for their coverage starting on January 1st. And just as you said, for many, many people, this means they had to make a choice. whether to pay thousands of dollars more for some people to enroll in coverage. Some people, I've been talking to people over the last couple of weeks, some people made a

decision to enroll in a plan that wasn't going to cover all of their costs just because they felt like that's what they could afford. And that's the decision that many, many Americans, hardworking Americans, self-employed, unemployed Americans, small business owners, Americans have made, had to make over this last couple of weeks. I mean, here's what's so stupid here. I mean, this is a piece right here at kff.org. More than three and four ACA marketplace enrollees living states won by Trump in 2024.

And you're like, and I've been saying this all year. and it is not because I want people to endure pain. It's not because I want people to go through this. But I've actually, but I said the only way some people are going to learn a lesson is if they experience significant pain. Because I think for a lot of these people, when they vote it, oh, yeah, it's those people. It's those people. Oh, yeah, that's right. That anti-Di stuff.

Oh, yeah, that's the blacks. That's them. Oh, yeah. The wall? Oh, yeah. to these Latinos, these little immigrants. Oh, no, no, no, we're good. And now they're realizing, oh, damn,

we hate Obamacare, but it's the same as the Affordable Care Act. Oh, we're in West Virginia. We are red as hell. We voted for all these Republicans with the sickest, brokers, one of the most illiterate states in the Union, and we greatly depend upon federal money,

and now we're screwed. South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Texas. We can go on and on and on Arkansas. All these places and you're like, we told you. But they got their big, beautiful bill.

Yeah, it's unfortunate, as you said, I would say a couple of things. One, whether we're covered on ObamCare or the Affordable Care Act or not, we all pay the price when people lose health coverage because hospitals across our country are very dependent. on Medicaid and the ACA coverage has really helped them to make sure that they get the care,

that they get paid for the care that they deliver. And what we have already started to see as a result of the bill that was passed earlier this year by Congress is that there are places across this country, often in rural areas where hospitals are already starting to make changes, where hospitals are closing, where hospitals are saying, oh, we can't keep open our labor and delivery units. And so again, you know, I think that one of the reasons why what you said is true that in a lot of the red states, we during the Biden administration, actually saw the significant increases in enrollment. And it was for two reasons. One, because many of those states haven't expanded Medicaid. And so they were even more

dependent on ACA or ObamaCare subsidies than some of the other states. And that's why we are going to see a lot of people in these areas who are seeing their coverage become much more expensive. Yeah, right here is from KFF.org. Since the enhancing premium tax credits were introduced, the number of people who receive health coverage through the ACA marketplaces have as more than doubled. And more than half, 55% of the national growth comes from Texas, Red, Florida, Red, Georgia, Red, North Carolina, Red, in six states, Texas, Trump won, Louisiana, Trump won, Mississippi Trump won, Tennessee, Trump won, Georgia, Trump won, West Virginia, Trump won. Enrollment has more than tripled in five years. In Florida, West Virginia, and Alabama,

98% of people enrolled in Marketplace coverage received federal financial premium assistance, and 99% do in Mississippi. Oh, but that they can't be, we don't want that pesky government stuff. We want to pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps. But the government is actually paying for your boots. And it pays for everyone's boots. Everyone needs to take care of their mental health,

even running back Bijan Robinson. When I'm on the field, I'm feeling the pressure. I usually just take a deep breath. When I'm just breathing and seeing what's in front of me, everything just slows down. It just makes you feel great. before I run the play. Just like Bijan, we all need a strong mental game on and off the field.

Make a game plan for your mental health at love your mind playbook.org. Love your mind. Brought to you by the Huntsman Mental Health Foundation, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, and the ad console. The social media trend that's landing some Gen Z ears in jail. The progressive media darling whose public meltdown got her fired. I'm going to take Francesco off the network entirely. The massive TikTok boycott against Target that makes no actual sense.

I will continue getting stuff from Target, and I will continue to not pay for it. And the MAGA influencers, whose trip to the White House ended in embarrassment. So refreshing to have the press secretary after the last few years who's both intelligent and articulate. You won't hear about these online stories in the mainstream media, but you can keep up with them and all the other entertaining and outrageous things happening online in media and in politics with the Brad versus Everyone podcast, hosted by me, Brad Palumbo. Every day of the week, I bring you on a wild ride through the most. DeLulu takes on the internet, criticizing the extremes of both sides from an independent perspective.

Join in on the Insanity and listen to the Brad versus Everyone podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And the winner of the IHeart Podcast Award is, you can decide who takes home the 26 IHeart Podcast Awards podcast of the year by voting at IHeartPodcastawards.com now through February 22nd. See all the nominees and place your vote at IHeart Podcasts Awards.com. Audible is a proud sponsor of the Audible Audio Pioneer Award.

Explore the best selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals all in one easy app. Audible. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free trial at audible.com. Every coverage in our country is subsidized in some way, shape, or form by the federal government. If you get coverage through your employer, your employer gets a tax cut and tax break as a result, and so do you.

if you're covered by TRICARE, if you're covered by Medicare. So why should we treat the ACA any different? It's important that coverage be subsidized in part so that people can get the care that they need. Again, it helps all of us, not just those of us who are dependent on the program, because we all benefit from having providers, doctors, nurses, hospitals across this country, be able to see people when they get sick and make sure they get paid for it? Well, I think come January 4th, 5th, it's going to be a lot of howling coming from a lot of places.

And you have some nervous Republicans, especially those 35 Republicans who are from purple districts, they're really going to be running themselves scared. So we'll see. We appreciate it. Thanks a lot. Thank you. All right, folks.

Maria Botteramo swears. The economy is fantastic. I think she's high as hail. We'll talk about that next. The state of the economy right here on Roland Martin unfiltered on the Black Star Network. Don't forget support the work that we do. Join our Brain DeFunk Fan Club. Your Dolls make it possible.

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Rolling at rolling martin unfiltered. Check and money order. Make it payable to Roland unfiltered. P.O. Box 5-7196, Washington, D.C. 2.003-7-0196. Back at a moment. Next, on the Black Table with me, Greg Carr. America is being reshaped in Rio,

in real time by a group of six people, unelected, and without any checks and balances. By the end of the current Supreme Court session, education, the workplace, who gets to elect our leaders, and so much more could radically change. This week, we reconvene our legal roundtable and look at what the new America may look like and how we should respond. That's next on the Black Table, right here on the Black Star Network. This week on the other side of change, book fans, anti-intellectualism, and Trump's continued war on wisdom. This is a coordinated backlash to progress. At the end of the day, conservatives realized that they couldn't win a debate on facts.

They started using our language against us, right? Remember when we were all woke and the woke movement and all that kind of stuff? Now everything is anti-woke, right? When we're talking about including diversity, equity, inclusion, higher education. Now it's anti-DI. All this are efforts to suppress the truth because truth empowers people. You're watching the other side of change only on the Black Star Network. If in this country right now, you have people get up in the morning,

and the only thing they can think about is how many people they can hurt, and they've got the power, that's the time for mourning. For better or worse, what makes America special, it's that legal system that's supposed to protect minorities from the tyranny of the majority. We are at a point of a moral emergency. We must raise a voice of outrage. We must raise a voice of compassion. And we must raise a voice of unity.

We are not in a crisis of party versus party. We are in a crisis of civilization, a human rights crisis, and a crisis of democracy itself. And guess what? You've been chosen to make sure that those that would destroy, those that would hate, don't have. have the final say and they don't ultimately win.

Michael McMillan, president and CEO of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and you were watching Roland Martin unfiltered. I can't remember was it a movie or was it a comedy special and the person was making this comment about

some crazy stuff that somebody said and they said that must be some good shit you're on. Well they must have some seriously great weed over at Fox Business because Maria Bartaromo

you know long as she's at CNBC because she was one half of the money honies don't ask me why I've seen her in person so anyway so she literally said this

on Fox News because we gotta remember she is a massive a massive I mean her supply a chapstick to kiss Trump's ass cause her a lot of money per month. Okay? Listen to this. People are frustrated with housing and the price of homes.

People are frustrated with certain food items. But there are a number of things that President Trump has already been incredibly successful doing. So when he says this affordability issue is a hoax, he's right. He's basically talking about how the Democrats have taken this word affordability and used it as their calling card for the 2026 elections. They think that these Democrat wins that we just saw in Miami, in New York City, in other places like New Jersey, we shouldn't be surprised that the Democrats won those races. These are all blue states and cities.

So it's no surprise there. What is a surprise is that after all of these years, the Republicans keep getting rolled over by the Democrats' messaging. I got to tell you, I don't think that people really feel as bad as the Democrats are talking about. The economy is doing well. There's $18 trillion of new investment that have come into this country. For more delusion, here is Trump's top economic person, Kevin Hathet, talking to, oh, his daughter-in-law, like you're going to get some real information talking to that idiot. If you had a crystal ball and you looked to the very end of President Trump's second term in office,

where would you expect to see this economy? I think that we're already right on the cusp of having the greatest economy that the U.S. has ever seen. I think that Trump policies are about as good as it gets. Really? New polls show 31% of voters approve of Trump's handling of the economy. His worst economic rating yet. Families are struggling with affordability. Again, still the orange one is bragging about how amazing the stock market is and promising to quote, make America affordable again.

He continues to dismiss the concerns of a high prices as a hoax cooked up by Democrats. Okay, so here's the thing that I find to be hilarious here. He announces affordability as a hoax. Wasn't he running on affordability last year? Oh, so affordability was real last year, but it's a hoax. Now, like I said, that must be some good shit they're smoking. Morgan Harper is the Director of Policy and Advocacy for the American Economic Literature. this project. She joins me now. I'm more getting glad to see you. These people literally are

high. I mean, this idea that no, no, no, the rest of you, you're totally wrong, you're crazy, and you're looking at Barter Romo going, yeah, it ain't no problem for you because you damn that making $20 million a year. Right. Yeah, I mean, this disconnect between what real people are experiencing, which the polling data would reflect, and they're saying, they've, they've American people are speaking pretty clearly, and they have been for some time, that all is not well in the economy. And what pundits who have been very closely tied to the administration and, to your point, his family members are saying, are neither here nor there. These are totally different existences. And I think, you know, continuing to point to the stock market, as we've talked about Roland, kind of neglects the fact that a lot of people are not playing on the stock market.

And if they are active on the stock market, it's through, in a passive way, in mutual funds, and they are still living with the reality that being involved in the stock market even a little bit is not enough to guarantee you any kind of financial stability. Most people in America recognize, you know, the conversation you are having before, that you are one illness away from having financial devastation, and there's nothing that Fox News or Donald Trump can say to wish that away. And that's what a lot of American people are looking for is real solutions. But we're dealing with a crony federal government right now that is just about rewarding

friends and not solving real problems and the economic problems are mounting. Oh yeah, so here is Bryson DeShambos, same thing, who got paid millions of dollars to leave the PGA tour for LiveGolf. So he's at the White House and he's just, hey, guess what? Let me just

kiss more Trump as. Listen. Current U.S. Open Champion my goodness. Well, I did not know I was going to be coming up here today, but I got to say thank you. And what the president done in this term has been incredible, right? It's the greatest economy that we've ever had.

And just to be serving on the President's Council's sports, fitness, and nutrition has been such an honor. And the first lady, it looks so beautiful, by the way. And I'll say, cheers to the greatest economy that we've had in a long, long time. Yeah. More bullshit. More bullshit. If a golfer says it, it must be true about the economy.

Well, when Liv Gull gives you $125 million check to come play, yeah, I think things are great in your life, Bryson. Yeah, I mean, in the beauty of the First Lady, I have no idea what that has to do as an economic indicator. But here's what the reality is. And this, again, is showing up in all the data. Take any facet of American life. Hold on. Data that we can actually check

because they stop releasing their data. They don't want to release jobs numbers because they know it's bad. Right. I mean, it's all kinds of stuff that are canceling because they know it sucks. Right. But even the things that are available,

like utility prices, for example, I mean, these are continuing to go up. People are now reporting that they have utility bills, even if we're just talking about electricity that are getting into the hundreds of dollars a month to heat a household, add onto that gas,

same dynamic, completely out of control. markets that are at the whim of Wall Street, and the American people, again, are saying very clearly, we can't keep up with this. And so to see this disconnect with what's going on in the administration and just how much people are struggling, it's, yeah, it's a pretty scary time. Three-town Trump voter here on CNN. Watch this. My kid's daycare went up. Can't afford the cost of food. Using credit cards for everyday expenses. No money left after their bills are paid.

Pretty much just a whole bunch of financial mess. We changed presidents at the beginning of the year. We did. And the guy who moved into the White House said that he was going to fix it. Several times he said it would be easy. Absolutely. Has he fixed it? Absolutely not.

I'm definitely waiting for him to fix it. Jones is a three-time Trump voter, but she says he has simply failed to keep his promise to lower the cost of living. I'm very let down by that. Very, very let down because I feel like it's only gotten worse. No, you fail for the okie-dote. Again, so many of these people, this woman, farmers and others, they believed his lies, and now they're stuck. Now they're having to live with it, and we're sitting here going,

can we try to tell you? Yeah, I mean, I think it is devastating to hear people, even if they voted for Trump, to have to go through this struggle of getting through daily life. So I don't want to diminish that at all, but it is the reality that a lot of this was predictable. President Trump has put out a lot of talk, but you cannot staff, let's just look at the basics of how he has managed this administration. You cannot staff your administration with people who have no background in these issue areas and expect that any useful policy is going to come out of that. And to our earlier point, I mean, we have some like really complicated problems that we need to solve in this country.

Let's look at health care, for example. Beyond just the subsidies of the ACA, we have a market that has, has been totally captured by large healthcare conglomerates, and we have no vision on the table from this administration as to what to do about it. Should more people be in Medicare for example? That is not an easy thing to pull off. That requires people to have a background and understanding the healthcare industry

to be able to then implement a better solution. Then again, when you also have the richest cabinet in history, they don't really give a damn. I do have to ask you this, because this is the one drives me crazy before we go to our panel with questions for you. So she said to him, like, Oh, my God, it's amazing. So she threw out, we got $19 trillion in new investment.

I saw some talking head on some clip on CNN. I saw it on social media going. $20, $22 trillion in new investment. Okay, here's why that's insane. Go to my iPad in it. The United States, I just want you all to understand. when we're talking GDP okay

we're talking GDP give me uh look right here these are the top um squeeze it in here these are the top

15 countries by GDP the United States is a 30 trillion dollar economy China is a 19 trillion dollar economy those two of the only ones that with those digits Germany, five, Japan,

four, India, United Kingdom, three. Friends, Trump touts the trillions that Saudi Arabia is going to be investing. Y'all, the GDP of Saudi Arabia is only 1.27 trillion.

They're lying, Morgan. There's not $18 trillion in new investment. 18 trillion dollars in new investment would qualify as the third largest economy in the world That's what that's that's that's that's nuts Yeah I mean a lot of this is made up

Even the investment that's happening I think we're seeing it for things like A new data center or whatever You take that overall amount They just making shit up They're making shit up because they're like oh six eight no it's 10 no it's 12 no it's 14 no it's 18 No, it's actually 20.

Right. Well, and then, again, the data that we do have is showing on the core promises that the president made about bringing manufacturing jobs back. Manufacturing jobs are down from this point a year ago by the tune of like 50,000. And our trade deficit is increasing. So we are continuing to import more than we're exporting. This is not a revival of an American economy that is rooted in building things or employing people. It is a game that we are being bought and sold to the highest bidder that gets in Trump's year. Questions from the panel, Teresa.

What's your question for Morgan? Hey, Morgan. Thank you so much for that high-level overview. You know, as we just kind of went back and saw that clip of the reality versus the economic polls, how do people learn to actually trust what they're seeing and also face the reality of what they're dealing with? especially in Trump's economy. Yeah, I mean, I think this gets to something y'all we're talking about earlier is we have to have spokespeople out there

that are calling out the BS, identifying the lie, but not stopping there, also talking about a better path, a different solution. So let's come back to health care, for example, which I touched on earlier. You know, yes, the ACA subsidies, we need to protect those, but when we have people that are saying, like, oh, we're just going to start accounts for people,

like we've heard from some of the Republicans, we're going to start these health care accounts that everything will be okay. We need to be like, no, but here's what would be better. Why don't we let more people get into Medicare so that we have predictable pricing? That's a substantive idea. Why are we not banning prior authorization

that then slows down the delivery of health care? These are all concrete solutions that would allow people who do have an interest in government, looking out for people, lowering costs, having something that people can really understand as a better alternative, rather than getting lost in all of the misinformation and lies that are coming out of the White House.

Right. So Trump throughout $21 trillion in new investment, this is CBS right here. The White House put a list together. It includes more than 100 corporate commitments totally just over $3 trillion. Yes, some of the largest were originally unveiled years before Trump took office and were backed by federal funding under President Biden's administration. They're full of shit. O'Ma Congo, your question. Thank you, Morgan, for all you do to keep us informed. My question ties to this segment as well as the last one,

when we were talking about health care. What are you seeing as it relates to the potential red state, blue state outcomes to what's happening? Because you talk to Scott Besson, he'll say, hey, just move to a red state. The economy's doing much better there. But we also know that blue states are the ones that fund red states. Are blue state governors going to be reacting to this better?

Or are both red and blue states just going to be screwed? How are you seeing that dynamic playing out? Well, that is another example of complete BS. I can report from the heartland, living in Ohio, a red state at this point, that people are not faring better economically. I've heard nothing but small business owners complain about how tariffs are impacting their businesses, people complaining again about these electricity prices that continue to go up. And let's stick with that as an electricity prices and example. These utility dynamics, we have utility monopolies that are very much.

much beholden to Wall Street and they are using financial manipulation to drive up these costs, that's everywhere. That's every state in the United States of America. So I think it is incumbent upon us to, again, identify the lie, but then also understand what's going on that is driving up some of the costs for constituents in red states, in blue states, and we're going to find it's actually not that different. The difference is that we are in some states fortunate to have people at the top of these state governments that are looking to actually solve problems. And we do need to make sure that they have full information about how they can actually deliver the solutions that are going to help people and make sure that they understand how to make better

electoral decisions. But it's not the case that, you know, people on the ground in red and blue states are having wildly different experiences. It's actually quite similar. This data, I think the data center thing, another good example. Ohio, big state with a lot of data centers. I was just reading today, another state with a ton of data centers that are trying to figure out how to manage that all. Maryland, blue state, totally different political dynamics, same experience. on the ground that people are having these higher electricity prices. Raven? Yeah, Morgan, thank you so much for your time and expertise this evening.

I really want to pick up a conversation around the big, beautiful bill, so-called big, beautiful bill, and unpack a recent statement that was made by Trump's Treasury Secretary that essentially Americans are going to get a, quote, very large refund. All right, son. Time to put out this campfire. Dad, we learned about this in school. Oh, did you now? Okay.

What's first? Smokey Bear said to. First, drown it with the bucket of water, then stir it with the shovel. Wow, you sound just like him. Then he said, if it's still warm, then do it again. Where can I learn all this? It's all on smokybear.com with other wildfire prevention tips, because only you can prevent wildfires.

Brought to you by the USDA Forest Service, your state forester, and the ad council. The social media trend that's landing some Gen Ziers in jail. The progressive media darling whose public meltdown got her fired. I'm going to take Francesco off the network entirely. The massive TikTok boycott against Target that makes no actual sense. I will continue getting stuff from Target, and I will continue to not pay for it. And the MAGA influencers, whose trip to the White House ended in embarrassment. So refreshing to have the press secretary after the last few years who's both intelligent and articulation.

You won't hear about these online stories in the mainstream media, but you can keep up with them and all the other entertaining and outrageous things happening online in media and in politics with the Brad versus Everyone podcast. Hosted by me, Brad Palumbo. Every day of the week, I bring you on a wild ride through the most Delulu takes on the internet, criticizing the extremes of both sides

from an independent perspective. Join in on the insanity and listen to the Brad versus Everyone podcast on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And the winner of the IHart Podcast Award is, you can decide who takes home the 26thiHard Podcast Awards Podcast of the year

by voting at iHeartpodcastawards.com now through February 22nd. See all the nominees and place your vote at iHeartpodcastawards.com. Audible is a proud sponsor of the Audible Audio Pioneer Award. Explore the best selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals all in one easy app. Audible. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free trial at audible.com. I end up about $1,000 to $2,000 in the new year as a result of the big beautiful bill. obviously we know that's that's nonsense.

That's bullshit. Yeah, it's bullshit. This bill is created by the rich for the rich. But can you break that down a little bit for us for folks who may see that number amount and think, oh, this bill is actually working for me. Well, for first of all, it's the first thing. Sorry. That has to be a congressional action.

Trump just can't just hand out money. The Constitution clearly states anything that deals with revenue has to start the U.S. House. Sure. although we are in an environment where Trump is just going to be. Right, like whatever. So he could get some private donor and then start sending people out checks. I don't think we have any idea what exactly that might look

like or what these people might do as they enter this period of desperation where they know that the economy is not doing well and they're going to try to distract people from that reality. So that I will just get out there. And again, I mean, not to continue to beat a dead horse here, but I do think it's important to call this stuff out.

This is not a real conversation. Yeah, it's all made up. these are lies, and this is no way to run an economy if we are trying to make sure that people are actually building stable lives here. And so big, beautiful bill was a complete giveaway to the rich, large corporations. When we're talking about investment that's coming in from other countries, and we're talking about Saudi investment funds, I mean, look at this Netflix deal. This is another one where they're probably going to tell the fact that the Saudis might, or actually it's the Paramount side of it, that the Saudis are funding the Paramount offer that's coming from Jared Kushner to be able to

give us the great pleasure of further consolidating our media industry. Is that going to be part of the tally of how much great investments coming into the U.S.? So none of this stuff is serious about actually improving people's lives. We have to continue to identify that. And yeah, I mean, I do think, I personally think it's possible that they might just do something random to try to get people money. Like you saw the secretary Duffy is now announcing he's giving bonuses to Amtrak workers. This is all signs of desperation because they know that none of this is real and they're just hoping that they can skip by long enough so that the American people don't notice. I'm sure he'll be hanging out the fake checks that Nome did to the TSA workers.

Well, she tried that same crap a few weeks ago. That's who they are. Morgan, we appreciate it. Thanks a lot. Thanks for having me. Folks, going to go to break. We come back. We'll talk to one of the 44 finals of the National Association of Black Journalists celebrating

is 50 years. Next, on Rolla Mark, unfiltered on the Black Shut Network. They said the quiet part out loud. Black votes are a threat. erased them. After the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act in 2013, Republican legislatures moved fast. New voter ID laws, polling place shutdowns, purges of black voters from the rolls. Trump's Justice Department didn't stop it, they joined in. In 2018, his DOJ backed Ohio's voter purge system, a scheme that disproportionately erased black voters, their goal, erase black votes and political power.

Yeah, that happened. These are the kinds of stories that we cover every day on Roland Martin unfiltered. Subscribe on YouTube and download the Black Star Network app. Support fact-based independent journalism that centers African Americans and the issues that matter to our community. Hatred on the streets, a horrific scene. A white nationalist rally that descended into deadly violence. You will not.

White people are losing their their minds. There's an angry approach from Trump mob storm to the U.S. Capitol. We're about to see the lives of what I call white minority resistance. We have seen white folks in this country who simply cannot tolerate black folks voting. I think what we're seeing is the inevitable result of violent denial. This is part of American history. Every time that people of color have made progress, whether real or symbolic, there has been what Carol Anderson that every university calls white rage as a bad.

This is the rise of the proud boys and the boogaloo boys, America. There's going to be more of this. There's all the proud boys, guys. This country is getting increasingly racist in its behaviors and its attitudes because of the fear of white people. The fear that they're taking our jobs, they're taking our resources, they're taking out women. This is white people. National Coalition on Black Civic Participation and Black Women's Roundtable, and we are watching Roland unfiltered all day, every. every day 24-7, spread the word.

50 years ago on Friday, December 12th, 44 black journalists met in a Washington, D.C. hotel that led to the founding of the National Association of Black Journalists. One of those folks joined us right now. Sandra Longweaver, glad to have you here on the show. Sandra, when you, where were you working at the time? Hello, Roland. Thank you for having me. I was a reporter for the Wilmington Delivern.

News Journal. It was my first job out of college. How did you find out about this meeting? I found out through, I had joined, Wilmington, Delaware is about 30 miles away from Philadelphia, and I had joined the Philadelphia Association of Black Journalists. I would drive up once a month to Philadelphia to meet other Black journalists because there were no other Black journalists in my newsroom. It was pretty much me. There was a black sports reporter, but he worked at night, so I never saw him. So the Philadelphia, so Philadelphia had a journalism chapter before there was a national association of black journalists. Yes. Okay. Yes. Absolutely. And so, and that's what happened

across the country. There were a number of cities that had journalism chapters. And then once the national was founded, they folded into the national as well. But Philadelphia was there first. In the Philadelphia area, we like to think of ourselves as the founding chapter of the national organization. So the list that we're seeing right here, that literally is, guys, if you go back to that, please, and just freeze it for me. That actually was a sheet that was passed around where folk actually signed. In the documentary, Duane Wickham, who was the

later became president in ABJ, one of your fellow founders. He said, we didn't really even know we were founders. We were just like at a meeting. So take us into that meeting. What was the discussion like? How long did it last? Let's see. Now, this is 50 years ago.

But I think we, I know we were there for more than an hour. And there were actually more than 44 of us because there was, there was a sheet, an attendance sheet, of those who attended this meeting. And we had gotten, some of us were able to get our news organizations to send us to D.C. to cover a black gathering of legislators. And so, but it was, we were pulling together as black journalists to talk about, why can't we have a national organization as well. So that's how, why we gather. And I remember I sat on the floor. It was in a hotel room.

It was crowded. And as the yellow sheet came around, some of us signed. Some of us did not. There were people who were concerned. I have a family. I can't sign this. I may lose my job. So that, I mean, that was a concern

that you had to think about. I was 23, very young, and I said, well, I'm going to sign it. I'm here. I want to be a part of this movement. I want to know a part of this movement. other black journalists and, you know, what the, having the same issues that I'm having, navigating your newsroom, getting stories on the front page, getting those good assignments

in your newsroom. How did we do all of that? How could we make that work for us? And was there a backlash? You know, if there was a backlash, I did not feel it. I felt support from my white colleagues in in my newsroom for being a part of this organization. But there were people who wondered, well, why do we need a black organization? You can be a part of something else. Or I get, you know, but really, you couldn't.

And the issues were different. They didn't address the issues or concerns that we had. But also what people who understand is, this is 1975. Exactly. The current commission report came out in 1968. They didn't agree on much, but that report said that they were there to study the race rise of 67. We said there were two Americas, one white, one black,

and they largely blamed news media for lack of representation in those newsrooms. So really, the first, y'all were part of the first wave of black journalists who went into white newsrooms. Really, after that 68 report, we're talking about 6970. So really that first, at first five, to seven years, that was the first wave of black journalists being hired at what was before white newsrooms. Exactly. That's exactly right, because there were a few newsrooms that had

one or two. If they had more than one or two black journalists, it was an exception. And most newsrooms didn't have any black journalists. So they weren't in the communities. They weren't covering the issues of the communities, not only just covering the issues, the concerns, but also the good things of what is Black life about. What is it like? There was no cultural coverage of what was going on. So, yeah, we were in that first wave

and often had to fight to get the stories that we felt were important to the black community on the front page or even into the newspaper because they didn't always white editors, mostly white male editors, did not see the importance of the stories that we also felt were important. And there certainly were not black editors

who were in the news meetings to advocate for your story. So you really had to learn how to navigate the newsroom and push for the stories that you felt were important to get them recognized. You obviously over the last 50 years saw an increase and influx next generation,

wave after wave after wave, but then you still had a lot of media outlets. There still had one or two, very few executives in charge. Now we're seeing even more contraction where we're seeing jobs lost, and we're seeing in many of these places where it's black journalists who are on the cutting board,

the ones who are getting laid off. And so it's sort of like back to the future, if you will. It, in a lot of ways, Roland, it is. You know, that's one of the things that NABJ had done and continues to do a good job of really pushing for black journalists to be hired, but not just hired and coming in the door and doing the entry-level jobs, but being hired into positions where you're directing coverage, where you're throughout the newsroom. When I was hired, there were no black copy editors.

There were no black entertainment writers. There was no black city editor. all of those positions now, in looking across the country, you can often find black journalists who are in those positions. But to your point, especially in newsrooms when newspapers started to contract, news and not just newspapers, but also television stations, it was the last hired, first fired. And because we weren't there from the beginning, often we are the first ones who were fired. So again, then you're still recycling, still trying to hire more people, especially black journalists, to come into the business. Questions from my panelists? I'll start with you first, Raven.

Well, thank you so much for sharing these insights and your experience with us. I'm so curious to hear in this moment where we're seeing tremendous white backlash and sort of this reversal of so many of the gains that you've made, what path you see forward for black journalists today. You know, how do we continue to fight the good fight? the same way we always have. We still push for stories in our newsrooms, but in today's world, there's also more opportunity for, you know, online coverage, the program that we're doing. Programs like Rollins did not exist in 1975 or even in 1980. You know, it's been years getting to this point. So it's pushing for the stories, creating alliances in your newsroom, making sure that you don't give up.

You know, you still have to, it's the resilience. We talk about being resilient, and that's why we're still here 50 years later. And we do excellent work. So our work needs to be recognized across the board. You have to continue to tell the stories of what's going on in the black community, what's important to us. We used to say, you know, once you get your foot in the door, then you have to bring somebody else also behind you. You advocate for someone else that you know in the business who should be in your newsroom, who can make that difference in the coverage that should be going on. Oh, Mekongo?

Thank you so much for the legacy that you have set for so many of us. My question regards AI, how do you see the future of not only journalism, but particularly as relates to black journalists, getting their foot in the door, when people are competing so much with AI and writing stories and newsrooms disappearing? Are you concerned about that? Have you experienced something like this similar in the past? What are your thoughts as it relates to that going forward? You know, when the Internet first came on to the scene in the last.

late, not mid to late 90s, there was concern that black journalists may lose jobs then. Every time there is a change in technology, something that can push things forward, there's always that concern. AI is a concern, but we're on the front end of it, where we can also start to use it to tell better stories to really ramp up the ethics. and to know the difference, you know, we also have to educate our readers, too, and not just our readers, but also our viewers. So they know the difference between a voice that's not authentic. And that's one of the big differences that we as black journalists have. We have authentic voices.

We can use AI to enhance our stories, but using making sure that we're being ethical about it. I don't see it as something we should fear, but something that we should really learn how to use and do better work, to expand what we're doing, to reach other people who aren't really connected to us. So I think we should see it as an opportunity and take advantage of it. Teresa. Thank you so much for coming on. I'm here in the city of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection, so I definitely do. do see the work that we do locally and nationally. So thank you so much for your initial service and continued advocacy.

I think one of my concerns is always in the DEI and minority space as I do run a business. And I was wondering about the advocacy, you know, especially with all the slice coming down from the federal level of the lack of using the term diversity, equity and inclusion. wanted to see what maybe in a BJ's role would be on advocating to make sure that minority businesses still have a seat at the table. Well, actually, before Sater jumps in, since I'm back on the board as Vice President Digital, it is different. It's a huge, it's a huge, huge chain. We saw a dramatic decrease in the number of companies recruiting at our convention in Cleveland this year compared to last year. we are preparing ourselves, I dare say, fortifying ourselves for the next three years because the companies that, frankly, didn't really want to do this work.

Trump has given them a reason not to do it. So one of the things that we are also looking at when we talk about advocacy is still challenging these companies to say if you are committed, then are you really committed? I think the key is what we can't do, Sandra, and I guess for me, I guess I'm sort of in a different position than some of our younger members, in that we had our founders in 75. I joined NABJ in 1989, so we were 14 years old, and so many of those founders, I met.

I knew. Right. I talked to. I sat at their feet. I listened to them. So the spirit of a Chuck Stone, first president, a less pain,

a Vernon, Jared. I could go on and on and on. So, I mean, so I carry that with me. And so when the challenging of going into those meetings, going to those advocacy meetings,

it's a little different than folks who didn't know those folks, who didn't listen to those war stories, who did. didn't frankly, and many of them, like especially Vernon, actually, you know, not mandated, well, I will say mandated, wanted to hear that I was committed to following in their footsteps. So what we have to do is we have to, I believe, let next generation know, frankly, you can't punk out. you can't get weak.

You can't accept less. There's a level of, I dare say, militancy that is still needed among leadership to challenge these media companies. Roland, I'm in absolute agreement with you on that point. And when you say you can't punk out, and that's what I talk about, the resilience. And we have been resilient. We did not give up. You know, there's a number of times I thought I should have gotten a promotion, did not get it. I didn't quit the business. I hung in. I came around and tried to do, come in a different way.

When I did leave the Philadelphia Inquirer in 2011, I was a vice president for news for the inquirer and for the daily news. And starting to, that was also a period in 2011 when you were starting to combine news desks and copy desks and how we produced newspapers. So again, change in the business and how we did things. But we can't. We have to hang in. If we don't continue to tell our stories, then somebody else is going to tell that narrative. And that's not what we want. And from the very beginning, we wanted to be able to tell our stories, make sure that we're, you know, we are there. And also, you know, and it's a... ABJ does include people from the black press.

And the black press has been there for almost 200 years now, telling stories of what's going on in the black community and how we've been impacted. I've also worked for the black press. I've almost 10 years spent time at the Tennessee Tribune and telling stories and getting a different perspective of what it was like from those freedom riders who are now dying off. but their stories of what they did on, you know, to push us forward as well. I came up with this idea that our board accepted this Jubilee Endowment campaign.

Because where we are now is we've spent, you know, all of these years, Sandra, fighting for African-Americans to be in these places. Listen, we've got individuals who are NABJ members who are making three, four, four, five, eight, ten, twenty million dollars. And the reality is we now have to look inward. So one of the things that we've done with this, the goal is to raise $15 million over four years. Over the past 50 years, we've had different people talk about.

We need an endowment. We have investments, but we do not have an actual endowment. And part of this is that they have what I call a golden circle. And that's to get 100 individuals or corporations to contribute a minimum of $100,000 each. If 100 folks do that, that'll raise $10 million. So we're two-thirds the way towards our goal. And that's a $25,000 commitment each year.

I've said to many of those folks, look, you know you need the tax breaks. So you're going to give your money away to somebody, so you might as well do NABJ. Babes, what are you doing? What? I'm just mowing the lawn. No, it's blazing hot and dry out here. Don't you remember? Smokey Bear says,

Avoid using power equipment when it's windy or dry. Where'd you learn this? Oh, it's on... Smokeybear.com with many other wildfire prevention tips. Right. Thanks, honey, bear. Because remember, only you can prevent wildfires. Brought to you by the USDA Forest Service, your state forester, and the ad council.

The social media trend that's landing some Gen Ziers in jail. The progressive media darling whose public meltdown got her fired. I'm going to take Francesco off the network entirely. massive TikTok boycott against Target that makes no actual sense. I will continue getting stuff from Target, and I will continue to not pay for it. And the MAGA influencers, whose trip to the White House ended in embarrassment. So refreshing to have the press secretary after the last few years who's both intelligent and articulate.

You won't hear about these online stories in the mainstream media, but you can keep up with them and all the other entertaining and outrageous things happening online in media and in politics with the Brad versus Everyone podcast. hosted by me, Brad Palumbo. Every day of the week, I bring you on a wild ride through the most Delulu takes on the internet, criticizing the extremes of both sides from an independent perspective.

Join in on the insanity and listen to the Brad versus Everyone podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And the winner of the IHeart Podcast Award is, you can decide who takes home the 26 IHeart Podcast Awards Podcast of the year by voting at IHeart Podcast Awards.com.

Now through February 22nd. See all the nominees and place your vote at iHeartpodcastawards.com. Audible is a proud sponsor of the Audible Audio Pioneer Award. Explore the best selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals all in one easy app. Audible. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free trial at audible.com. But this is what, one of the things that I have been saying on this show for a very long time

and by getting back on the board and why we had to do this is because in this moment where black institutions, as I keep saying, is that MAGA wants to defund black America, this is where we are going to have to fortify black institutions. I would love for McKenzie Scott, who's given more than 700 million of HBCUs, would love for her to cut a check to NABJ. But look, I don't even know how to reach her. But the bottom line is we have to have members of our organizations, whether it's NABJ, whether it's National Society of Black Engineers,

whether there's national black MBAs. We need to have members who are ensuring the future survival of our organizations, and that's why we have this endowment campaign. And I think it's a great campaign, and I think it will push us forward for the next 50 years. You know, it is still amazing to me that we have survived. We're still here. We're thriving.

We grew from 44 members to over 4,000 in this 50 years. and we're still attracting new members. Young people are still coming into the organization, depending on us for scholarships, for training, and training not just on an entry level, but also training to move up into your newsroom, to run a newsroom, to run a company. All of those things are depending on us.

So this endowment, you're right, will fortify us, help us go forward and be an even stronger organization as we head toward moving to the future. Well, as always, I remember we were at, I forgot which convention, and Barbara Sierra was the president, and she gave me the president's award, and I stood up, and I said then, I said, you know,

I said, guys, there's an alpha. We never have any events where we don't recognize our seven jewels. I said, and we have too many NABJ events with founders sitting in our presence, and we don't even recognize them. So folks started changing that after that. I said, that should never happen. So I'm always appreciative of the folks who paved the way for those of us to be able to be NABJ members today.

And so Sandra, thanks for your service. We appreciate it. And we're going to keep walking in those footsteps, giving them hell. All right. And thank you, Roland. I appreciate all that you do. And as in that documentary, Norma Wade Adams said, you know, the torch has been passed. And the young people picked it up.

You picked it up. And then we're still passing it on to that. next generation. So it's greatly appreciated. Absolutely. I appreciate it. Thanks a lot. All right. Thank you. Folks, if you want more information on the NABJ Jubilee Endowment campaign, go to the NABJ website at

naBJ online.org. Go to my iPad. Come on. This is the campaign. You go to NABJ online.org. You've got more information and we'll be adding the links very soon. Trust me, I'll be called the national office. So if you want to make a contribution to the endowment campaign,

you can. Let me thank Teresa Raven and Omicongo for being on today's panel. I certainly appreciate it. Thank you so very much, folks. Great to see y'all. Coming up next, a great conversation. DeMorris Smith, former head of the NFL Players Association, executive director. I will chat with him about his new book, Turf Wars.

It is an unbelievable book. And if you think you understand the NFL and pro sports, I can guarantee you. You do not. You do not want to miss this conversation. Next, right here, Rolla Mark Unfiltered on the Black Star Network. This week on a balanced life with Dr. Jackie, we're talking about the ups and the downs of the holidays, the ebb and flow of life, those things that keep us running and gunning.

But you know there comes a time each of our lives where we need to just sit down, sit back, and relax, giving you a chance to really find out who you are and how you're going to move your life forward. How do I learn? How do I grow from this? And that's where, you know, resilience. I'm literally walking this out in real time. It's just giving myself all the grace, all the space, all the permission that I need. We're talking about all of these things this week on A Balance Life with Dr. Jackie here on Black Star Network.

If in this country right now, you have people get up in the morning, and the only thing they can think about is how many people they can hurt, and they've got the power, that's the time for morning. For better or worse, what makes America special, it's that legal system that's supposed to protect minorities from the tyranny of the majority. We are at a point of a moral emergency. We must raise a voice of outrage.

We must raise a voice of compassion. And we must raise a voice of unity. We are not in a crisis of party versus party. We are in a crisis of civilization. a human rights crisis and a crisis of democracy itself. And guess what? You've been chosen to make sure that those that would destroy, those that would hate, don't have the final say,

and they don't ultimately win. Now that Roland is ruling to give me the blueprint, I need to go to Tyler Perry and get another blueprint because I need some green money. The only way I can do what I'm doing, I need to make some money. So you'll see me working with Roland. Matter of fact, it's the Roland Martin and Cheryl Lundnery Show. Well, should it be the Sherlock Wishaw and a Rutherlander Show?

Well, whatever show is going to be. It's going to be good. All right, folks. I've been reading the sports books since I was a kid. Y'all know when I was growing up in Houston, I would do 300 books a summer. We went to the library, and my mom made us check out the maximum number of books every week, not the minimum number of books. And so I really got into a lot of sports books.

Then, of course, as I got older, and then I said, I'm going to leave the children's section, and I went to the other side of the Pleasantville Elementary, Pleasantville Library, where I said that was the adult books, and then begin to read books. And so many of those books were about sports characters, Lou Gehrig and Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, and others. But that's one facet of sports. The other facet is the business of the business. and too many of us as fans, we have fixated on the fandom of sports,

not understanding the real life and death implications involved in sports. Well, in a new book called Turf Wars, The Fight for the Soul of America's Game, it is written by Demore Smith. He is the former executive director of NFL Players Association. It is an absolutely riveting book that really takes you inside. And when I say inside, I'm talking inside, inside, inside, inside, not only of the NFL and the commissioner and the owners, but also the players in their psyche and DeMoros Jones is right now,

man. Glad to see you. As you see my, see, look, I read books. That's the way I want to see it. I read books. So I don't, I don't, and I don't particularly like, sometimes I'll take the cover off, but this is what happened when you travel. So I'll be taping mine of. I love it. So let's, so let's, we're going to do, so let's get right into it.

Um, you spent 14 years. Yeah. As head the NFL player association, following let the legend, Gene Upshaw. Yep. And he was a player.

Mm-hmm. That right there was an issue. Yep. And it is an issue because, well, people have to understand the, this union is the NFL player's association. It's theirs.

But their job is to play football. Their job is not to know the ends and out of labor agreements, legal precedent, things along those lines. So you walking in that had to be coming from corporate law,

coming from federal prosecution. That had to be a culture shot learning curve to understand that also they're my bosses. 100%. Look, first of all,

you mentioned the goat and that was Gene. And Gene ran the union for decades, played as a player for decades. The most precious thing that I ever had in the union building

was the only helmet that Gene Upshaw wore. And I kept that in the building for one reason. It is covered in duct tape. It's got chip paint. But Gene really represented that hard nose

we're going to play football in a tough way, we're also going to run this union in a tough way. And that's the way that I wanted to run the union. And coming in from, like you said, you know, 10 years as a prosecutor, another 10 years representing big companies, it's a bit of a culture shock.

You know, the players are young, and they love playing the game. For almost all of them, it's also their first job. Right. Right. And I think, you know, it took me a while to start giving them a little bit more of a cushion, a little bit more of a

grace, but, you know, I remember my first job working at a restaurant, sub-shop, and you realize in your first job that the boss doesn't care for you. The players of the National Football League sometimes have to be shocked out of this complacency that they're joining a family. Right. That they're part of the Jets family, that they're part of the NFL family. Well, but we just saw it, and I text you. Oh, yeah.

Is it T. Higgins? Yeah. So this brother, I mean, concussion, they put them back into the game. And then when it's over, he's given an interview, he said, well, you know, I got to beat it for my guys. And you're like, dude, okay, you're going to have another 20, 30, 40, 50 years of life. You may not be present for your family. 100%. And that's the culture you have to break them out of.

And look, we put in the new concussion protocols in 2011. it was not popular. It certainly wasn't popular with fans. Still not. Still not. But I did see a change, which, you know, when we texted back and forth about that the other day, you know, that's the slip back that I'm starting to see. 2011, we put in these protocols.

It's a year or two before players get their heads around them. But slowly, players start to understand, wait, wait, wait, this is a job. I'm a husband. I'm a son. I'm a father. I'm going to have a balance of my life. not playing football. But remember, 2011, what you also had,

these back to back to back to back of players killing themselves. We did. CTE. So it was constantly... Well, and we drilled it in. There you go. And we drilled it in.

And look, almost famously, you know, when I texted you back, you know, near the end, we were in a situation where a doctor put Tua back into the game. Miami Dolphins quarterback. And we opened up. I authorized an investigation

of exactly how did he make that decision to put him back in. and when that doctor refused to participate in the investigation, I fired him. Everybody lost their minds, especially the league, especially the doctor. But again, you know, Roland, hey, look, you have one job. Right.

Your job is not to be a fan. First of all, you are a doctor. You're a doctor. You have a hypocrite oath. Just do the Hippocratic Oath and what good. But what we learned with Dr. O'Mathalo, what we learned with even that, even the movie that came out,

what we learned is that the doctors were operating like they were fans. The doctors were not operating as these independent medical... It was kind of like, no, you work for the team or your hospital

is the official partner of the team. And so your job is not to the well-being of the advocate, it's to get his butt back on the field fast as possible. I'll give you one further, and it sounds like punchline to a joke. When I took the job

in 2009, the head of the league's concussion committee was a rheumatologist. Not a neurosurgeon. A rheumatologist. He was the one that tried to block Dr. Amaloo's studies. And I was the first one that hired Bennett into the NFL family because

I wanted him to tell us how do we build a new set of structures to keep players safe? And he and along with another great group of doctors were the ones that came up with the new concussion protocols. But You know, Roland, that's the job. The job is to not be a fan.

I'm not there to make the players happy. I'm not there to make the owners happy. Sure as hell. My job is to try to make the players better. Right. And that culture change means, correct. And that means you're fighting everybody. You're fighting the coaches.

You're finding the agents. Sometimes you're fighting the players. Coaches, agents, players, owners, the league, media, the public. Because, again, your job is, no, no. My job is to make you as much money. 100%. As long as possible.

keep you healthy to get you back to your families. 100%. And hopefully that you live a much better and more productive life after you've been playing with a ball, right? You're the previous generation. Right.

I mean, our guys are going to leave football at the ripe old age of 26, 27. The average career 3.3 years. 3.3 years is one pillar, 100% injury rate as the other. And that's how I saw my job. You know, two pillars. I'm going to do my job right between those two pillars.

And frankly, sometimes let everybody else be damn. One of the things that that Jeff done that me when you said first of all you said I'm not here to be a fan so when you meet with Roger Goodell and he

slides he takes off his lapel pin and he slides it across the table and he says welcome to the league and you slide it back because you're not joining the league. And I think that is a lot of people probably would be shocked to hear that

and you lay it out No, no, no. I am here to represent the Players Association. That's it. I am not, I don't want to hear that shield crap, protect the shield. No. I protect these guys. Every time someone says the shield, it still makes my stomach boil.

Yeah. I'm not there for the shield. No, I mean, my job is to be literally myopically focused on what is in the best interest of the players. And that simply means, to a certain extent, you can't be a fan of the game. And for me, I was a huge, you come out of the womb here, you root for the Washington football team, you do. But I realized that there was an inconsistency between me being a fan of the game and me having a responsibility only to the players. And you can't do both. And I think for the time that people try to juggle both, I think that's when it gets sideways.

The, we talk about mindset. I'm sitting here as I'm reading the book, I'm remembering, I'm remembering the labor strife. I'm remembering the hell that Gene caught. Players who are trashing him, who are dogging him, how dare you to get us a better deal.

I know. And you come in and then you realize, and you're doing your research, and you're realizing how they've gotten screwed. And you're studying baseball and hockey and basketball. And I often talk about, I always have this conversation, when I say the baseball players, the reason they had those guaranteed contracts,

because they stood together as one and saying, we ain't playing. Well, they went through a strike. And they, but the key is they didn't trash their leader. No. They didn't dog the leader. No. But these owners, they also know,

This is why I love NIL today. They were dealing with largely African Americans who were poor, who came from nothing, who desperately needed the money, and they were and so who were not financially savvy, and so they knew, oh,

we got y'all, we got y'all because the check can control what you do. 100%. And control your mindset about what you want to do. Yeah, like right, what you said, Antonio Cremardi. Stop bitching.

about money, money ain't nothing, money can be here and gone, us players, we want to go out and play football. What's, what you're going to do when you're not playing, and now the money is gone, and you're trying to figure out how to pay

into the health insurance, and then now, oh, what about the pension? Look, is that warrior mentality? And look, the only thing I ever wanted to do in the job is be a dog warrior. And I always thought Gene was, and to your point, Gene took so much abuse.

But remember, Gene was a participant of three failed strikes. The union called the strikes and star players like Joe Montana across the picket line. Quarterbacks. And broke the union.

Because you say this and this and I was believed it, but when you verified it, you said the person who is the closest to the owner on every team is that QB. 100%.

And look, you either find those QBs who want to be a different cat. And I was lucky enough to have Drew Breeze, you know, again, you know, great. Because the previous strike, they screwed them. Oh, no. They crossed the line. Well, the quarterbacks club nearly broke the union. And there were a lot of quarterbacks in that group. And I continue to call a lot of them scabs because that's who they were.

And they were the people who were paid the most who literally came and gave the least to the union. And I will never forgive that group of people because all those men needed to do was just toe the line. Right. I mean, Gene never asked those guys to do any more than anybody else in the locker room. You know, by the time I came in, one of the reasons why I needed Brady and Breeze and Manning to really now stand up and sue the league. Right. I needed to reverse that mentality. And thankfully, you know, guys who came behind those guys were always good, strong dudes.

And we needed it. See, again, so for the people who are watching and listening, you might be the NFL PA executive director, but you're dealing with, it was it, 32 teams? 32 teams, 2,500 guys? You're dealing with 31 billionaires. 32 distinct environments. And so this locker room is different from this one and from this one.

And so you've got to like convince cats in each one. So like you're having a mass meeting, you're like to go to each one convince in each one. And so you're going to have resistance. Hey, I'm down with you. I don't trust you. 100%. So it is not for the faint of heart. Reading the book, I was like, damn, this job ain't easy.

No. No. Look, I used to be six, two, and I had tons of hair. So, no, look, it's a tough job because it's a group of young men who, again, it's their first job. They're doing something they love. It's all they want to do. but they don't understand, first thing, the power they have together is just unimaginable, unimaginable.

Or I always say the leverage and influence they have, because the power resides in that person who can say, 100%, you're cut. 100%. Well, and look, you look at the National Football League, and the only two entities within the league that are unionized are the referees and the players, not the coaches. Not the coaches, not the assistant coaches.

No, so when you look at the issues that the coaches are dealing with and primarily the lack of minority representation, no union. And I used to run and pay for the coaches union. So you have no entity that's fighting on their behalf. Because they're unwilling to come together to form their own union. There you go. And so look, I can take the bitching and the moan and the complaining, but when all of that is directly linked to your unwillingness

to stand up and fight for yourself, but see what you're just what you're describing though is and again we have to connect the dots because Reagan gets elected 1980 anti-union

fires the air traffic controllers and so that was a war on union yeah and what you begin to see is this massive attack over three decades against unions lazy over

paid. Inhibit. Hosting. Inhibits grow. Costing us. And so people start hitting unions. Yep. But what was very interesting when I think about that and what you write in this book here

is that you got these players, or not the players. You, the NFL has been so brilliant at psychological manipulation. 100%. That they have convinced fans that, no, no, no, we own this. And so when said player holds out, how dare you? You're hurting the team, your teammates, you're letting the city down, all the sort of stuff, and people are sitting there going, get your ass back on the field. Get up there.

Everyone needs to take care of their mental health, even running back Bejan Robinson. When I'm on the field, I'm feeling the pressure. I usually just take a deep breath. When I'm just breathing and seeing what's in front of me, everything just slow. It just makes you feel great before I run the play. Just like Bijan, we all need a strong mental game on and off the field. Make a game plan for your mental health at love your mind playbook.org. Love your mind.

Brought to you by the Huntsman Mental Health Foundation, the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, and the ad console. The social media trend that's landing some Gen Z years in jail. The progressive media darling whose public meltdown got her fired. I'm going to take Francesco off the network entirely. The massive TikTok boycott against Target that makes. no actual sense. I will continue getting stuff from Target and I will continue to not pay for it. And the MAGA influencers whose trip to the White House ended in embarrassment.

So refreshing to have the press secretary after the last few years who's both intelligent and articulate. You won't hear about these online stories in the mainstream media, but you can keep up with them and all the other entertaining and outrageous things happening online in media and in politics with the Brad versus Everyone podcast. Hosted by me, Brad Palumbo. Every day of the week, I bring you on a wild ride through the most delulu takes on the internet, criticizing the extremes of both sides from an independent perspective. Join in on the insanity and listen to the Brad versus Everyone podcast on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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And I'm sitting there going, but you ain't saying nothing to the dude, and especially the owners now, who are worth $8, $10, $12, $15, $20, $100 billion. but you're sitting here pissed off at the player, but when they say, oh, I know you got a contract, we cutting your ass? 100%. No, look.

The manipulation is insane. Well, look, and it's also, let's just call it the way it is. It is absolutely perpetrated by the league's TV partners, right? They just are. And so the way that I've always told players is, look, when you go down on that field

and you can't get up anymore, Every fan will give you the tap and applause. Oh yeah. Thank you very much. But you know what? No one's coming to your house to make sure you've got healthcare. Nope.

No one's gonna make sure that your brain isn't scrambled. No one's gonna hope that you're not gonna function with CTE or Alzheimer's later on in your life. So at the end of the day, the only group of people who are there to take care of us is us. Or in the case of the young kid, Jordan Travis? No. Massive injury to Florida State.

This dude, listen, that injury cost that kid. 100%, 200, 300 million. Easy. Goes to the Jets, can't play medical retirement. That one injury. And so you're yelling in college. Right. Run the ball, run.

Guess what? You're excited, but you've got to go home. His whole life change with that fraction. Look, and look, is there anybody in the FBS asking the group of players, hey, do you want to add one more game to this playoff? Of course not. There's no one saying, hey, what's in the best interest of the players

where, hey, man, you've got to catch one more punt before you make it through the gauntlet of college football, then the gauntlet of everything connected to trying to get into the league like the combine, get into the gauntlet of training camp so that you can sign your first contract. No one else is thinking about how does this detrimentally impact the players than the players themselves. Especially we talk about that one hit.

I told Sterling Sharp this. I said before I got to know them and become friends, I said, Sterling, I said, you know I'll talk about you for a year. He was like, what? I remember I was in Dallas. I was in Dallas in sports radio. I'm listening. And they're going off.

They're going off on some player with the Cowboys who was holding out. First of all, I despise the Cowboys more than I hate the clan. Yep. Trust me. And the Grand Wizard Jerry, same thing. I hate the Cowboys. But I'm listening to this radio show, and I was so pissed off and I called in. I said, let me explain some of y'all.

I said, Packers win the Super Bowl. I said, and Sterling holds out. And one reason I don't give a shit about Brett Farr, and you hit him in a book, is that he, Sterling's be back here in camp. And I'm like, oh, no, Brett, you got your money. 100%. But you want Sterling to come back, and I think he did it later with another risk, I think was not done on drive.

another receiver. He left the Packers and he went to the Broncos. Same thing. So what happens? Sterling holds out. Yep. Gets his money 10th or 11th game, suffers an injury, career over that could have been life threatening. If Sterling did not hold out for his money. He's done.

He's done. And I said, y'all, I said I ain't got no problem. When a player I said has outplayed his contract who's holding out. Because guess what? That owner, the billions that he's making, the money that he's making,

what that player is making pills in comparison. So I tell fans all the time, shut the hell up. Because you ain't taking one hit. Well, look, I'll make a crazier, crazier story Joey Bosa. Mr. Trump had. When Joey Bosa went to the Chargers,

getting ready to sign his rookie deal, the Chargers put all sorts of language into his contract that, frankly, just was not good for the player. Right. We talked to his agent, we talked to the player. Hey, look, you don't have to agree to this language. Hold out until they changed the language. And he did.

So again, you talk about a guy at the end that, you know, Joey's politics or Joey's politics, but when it came time for the union to protect him... Right. Who did? Right. Who did? And why? Because you have to look out for yourself in this game, because at the

end of the day, like I said, a hundred percent injury rate about the only thing that an owner is ever going to get hurt doing is maybe getting cut on a lobster claw, right? the end of the day. That's as bad as it's going to get for those guys. And again, they will will their teams to

their families for generations. Yep. And our guys will be out in 3.3 years. The hunts who now run the, daddy owned it. 100%. You could... Marys. Go down a lot. Roonies. You could go all around in terms of how they do it. Families get, family members

get hired. I mean, McNair with the Texans, the people were like laughing at. We can go on and on and on in terms of how they operate and then also who they hire as coaches. They will own in perpetuity. And every guy that comes into the National Football League

only gets to the National Football League because he made it through a gauntlet. And to your point, the fact that the league does such a great job, spinning the heads of working people who work just like these guys. Oh, yeah. No guarantees.

Yeah, that player is depriving you of an opportunity to enjoy the game because they're holding out and you spit your hard-earned money buying that jersey when the reality is most fans cannot afford that ticket cannot even afford the tailgating

the food at the game and again it is psychological manipulation. I know and look I got into it with fans during Anthem and Kaepernick well wait a minute Dee you know we don't really care of course we won't mind but we just don't like the fact that it's interrupting the game when is it interrupting the game when is it interrupting the game?

And in fact, when he was doing it, no one knew. It was a reporter that recognized it. I got to call that second preseason game. Then all of a sudden, like, so yeah, they're going like, oh, yeah, we don't want politics in the game. Oh, so you don't want politics in the game, but Chris Christie's in Jerry Jones box.

Oh. You don't want politics in the game. I ran into Herman Kane at a Texan game in the tunnel, and I said, yo, Herman, when are you coming on my show, why you're scared. So it's amazing.

It's like people like I understand, oh, you don't want politics in the game, but it's always been in the game. But this stadium was built with political city, county. Come on. 1933, the owners, 1933, the owners

ban NFL players who have been in the National Football League from the start. Ban them. Political decision. When they go to get their antitrust exemption so that they don't have any competition whatsoever, that's purely politics. That was Congress.

100%. When they get their 501 C6, non-profit status, political or not political? So this idea that somehow politics has never been in sport and a fan saying, hey, we just don't like the anthem because it's putting politics in the sport, your butt is

in the seat at the stadium only because of politics. Right. That's it. And so when... The chiefs are pissed off right now because the voters... Oh, didn't give them the referendum. Didn't give them the referendum. And they're pissed off. That's politics. That's politics.

And so, yeah, we are in a macro political system in America now that is run by oligarchs. And at the end of turf wars, I came to the conclusion that now the country's being run like the NFL. Yeah. And it is politics first, it's wealth and absolutely rich people and billionaires getting richer. That's the system. And if people just don't wake up and understand that this is just a moment. money play. This is a power play. Yeah. That's why I wanted a right turn force.

You mentioned Capernig. I was very, I mean, I covered that extensively. Yeah. Texting him and others back and forth. But I was shocked reading your book at how he wasn't even talking to y'all.

And so, and so I, and the reason I remember that vividly, because the protest, and people were, right, people who were involved in it. I mean, I remember the conversations and folks are like, well, okay, dude, are you in this? Are you not?

Are you leaving this? Are you not? Like, what are you doing? And then, oh, so you don't want people wearing jerseys and going to games and then it's like, okay, but, okay, but what are you doing? And then the Players Coalition and then the whole deal, and I'm sitting here and you're literally saying, dude, are you going to call us back?

That, that... It was a hard, it was a hard time. You know, my job is to represent the players, and I did. And we represented Colin, we woke up and found out about the settlement on the news like everybody else, you know, trying to keep the players. You said the settlement. That was when he sued the NFL. Right.

And then he settles for him and Eric like $8 million. I have no idea. And, well, that's what no one's been thrown out. But, yeah, same thing. But again, I'm sitting here reading your book and you said he still has a called us back. It's hard. It was hard. And look, and what I love from the players, you know, especially guys like

Kenny Stills. Yep. And those guys who decided, no, we're going to fight this fight. And many of them were fighting on this fight saying, we're going to kneel until Colin gets a job back. And then, you know, we have that issue in Atlanta where... Yeah, the whole workout deal.

And then you say his attorney, Mark Garragos, admits oh, no, it was all PR. When there were people, I mean, I was one of the people who were on the air fighting and demanding. The triumph. You're right. I know.

I know. Look, it reminds me that these jobs, all of these jobs are, are, nothing's a straight line. Have y'all ever talked? Not about the case. Okay. Not about the case. And look, for me, nonetheless, we're going to do our job. You know, our job was to represent him as well.

We did it. We worked well with his lawyers, whatever they wanted to do. We did. we pursued the case, he settled the case, we're done. That's what happens. And, you know, a player has the unilateral right to settle the case on his own. He doesn't have to check with the union. He didn't.

That case was over. But, you know, look, I made a living suing the NFL because, again, that's how we hold them accountable. Right. And I get it that, you know, you'll take the licks from the media and from the fans that D would rather litigate than negotiate. That's us fighting. that's how we fight. But also you have, also, you have limited pathways

to holding the league accountable. So it's not like, first of all, again, I think what some of the people don't understand is they see Roger Goodell. Right. He is the commissioner of the NFL. Roger Goodell is a well-paid employee.

The reality is, no, there are 32 owners who control the league. A hundred percent. And it's only really a handful of them. So all this stuff about, oh, how he's the, he's the phase, all sorts of stuff. No, he has bosses. 100%. And look, Roger's extremely well paid.

But when you think about you have those 31 owners, there is no SEC. They don't file any 10ks, no 10Qs. There's no border directors. There's no Department of Justice Oversight, no SEC oversight, no state attorney general oversight. like nothing. The only thing that stands in the breach to hold the league accountable is a union of 2,500 players

and a short guy from Southeast. What was the, what was it that you wrote where you said, okay, local prosecutor, state, federal, does any of y'all?

These folks won't even, like, do any of y'all want? They all like, nah, nah, we're good. We're good. I mean, think about the whole, think about the, let's just take the situation

of minority representation and coaches and front office employees. Look, every state has their own EEOC and fair employment laws. Everybody. If you have been looking at the National Football League for the last 30 years and looking at the gross

disproportion of representation in coaches and front office jobs, that's a prima facie case for discrimination. Not one Attorney General's touched it. Not one. Not one. And I love Brian Floris, I love that

even though he's the D.C. Defense coordinator of the Vikings, he's like, I don't know. We're continuing. We're still going. We're still going. Litigation is literally the only way, for the most part, that you can hold the league accountable. And that's been the way since the beginning. I mean, Bill Radovich was a

war hero. He gets home from the war. He goes to the Detroit Lions owner to say that he wants to play in California because his father's dying. Detroit Lions owner, says, no, you're going to play here next year, even though you don't have a contract. Even though you don't have a contract. And if you decide to not sign the contract, you'll never work in the NFL again.

He was literally the first person who was blackballed, a war hero. He sued the NFL for 10 years and won his case at the United States Supreme Court. So I don't have time or patience for anybody to talk about that, you know, this idea of suing the league is somehow... you know, an in-run around negotiations. If you're sitting at a table, there's 31 billionaires. They can out-run you, out-pay you, out-spin you, out-power you in any way. And the only place where someone is going to hold them an accountable is a courtroom,

who wouldn't make the decision to go to a courtroom? Well, it's like when you talked about what took place with the Patriots and how the NFL destroyed the evidence when it came to the day of Steiner case. We go on and on on. Like, you have this, what's so crazy is, you have a lead that goes, oh, we're going to be forced to hire outside counsel. Let's go hire a former federal judge or whatever. Former FBI director.

So what it does is it gives the veneer of, oh, no, this. When in fact, no, no, no, you're paying that person. You get to see their report. 100%. You get to redact their report. 100%. You get to determine what gets released. So how, but again,

the PR is, oh no, this is beyond reproach. Oh, 100%. I went through it with bounty. I went through it with Ray Rice, went through it with the flake gate. And all three of those were exactly, as you described. We're going to investigate this the way that we want to investigate it. We're not going to let anybody see.

If it comes to evidence that needs to be held so that we could look at it, so the player could look at it, oh, now it's gone. And then they write a report, and then they give it to everybody in the network, and then everybody in the network says, hey, this thing's good, it's all wrapped up now. No. So I made a decision early on that the players hired

someone to go to war. And my only job was to go to war. It's not to make friends. It's not to appease people, not to make everybody happy. Not even there to promote the game. Right. I'm not there to promote the game. I'm there to make sure that the players have some sense of safety

and what they need to find out now, what these new players who now are moving to whomever their next leader is going to be. They just simply have to make a decision whether they're going to hire a warrior or someone who is a caretaker. Right. When you mentioned Joey Bosa earlier in the contract language, I cracked up laughing at Kirk Cousins bitching about the franchise tag. I mean, he's bitching.

And you're sitting here going, dude, really? Really. And the person who has benefited, the absolute most is the person who's bitching Kirk Cousins. And then you go in, then you start going into Tom Brady. And you're like, dude, I need you to maximize your contract. Right. Helping everybody else. The Lamar Jackson deal.

I mean, that was absolute, I mean, that was, I remember, I was, listen, I'm a Houston Texans. I'm born in Virginia, Houston. I'm all Houston. But I was yelling. Y'all, this is absolute collusion. Absolutely. How in the hell the MVP becomes available and nobody bids? The Atlanta Falcons go, oh, no, we're good.

Your QB sucks. And this is the MVP. They were like, oh, damn it, you get to Sean that contract? 100%. The hell would guarantee deals. And look, that was, I have never seen the league more blatantly willing to rub it into the players' faces than during Lamar. That was collusion. And that's why

I sued them. I sued them. The case was pending when I left. My successor for whatever reason made the decision not to tell the players what the outcome was. The outcome was that the management council urged teams to not give guaranteed contracts. Why

they wanted to keep that secret? I have no idea. Which is insane that the NFLPA, that was like, okay, that's like we got flames and red flags and we got sirens going

we yelling this from the rooftops. I am still dumbfounded by that. But that was so, and you said and you said, Lamar got as much as he could but I wish it had. Because I go back to leverage and influence because I use this, I hate when people

say Michael Jordan had power. No. He had leverage in influence. 100%. A. Paulin fired his ass. You found out. Michael learned with power. A hundred percent. And so...

We were all here for that one. Oh, I use that example all the time. And I say that. And so that was a case where, and would you argue what you wrote in the book, well, Lamar could have said, until you put a guaranteed deal on the table, on my plan. And we get... Yeah. X number of years. Yep.

You don't want something to go by. Yep. But the reality is... That's the war. The guys today, they got... They have to, some, some of these guys are going to have to have some Oscar Robertson, some Kurt Flood, some Spencer Haywood, some dog. In them to say that, no, if I do this, this is literally changing the game for the next 50 years.

Well, look, and I was lucky enough to have a lot of those guys in 2011. You know, when Drew and Peyton and Tom decide to put their names on that thing to sue the National Football League. I love my fellow Aggie Von Miller called you. When he calls me...

Dude, not even in the league. Not even in the league. Not even in the league. Not even drafted yet. That dude called me and myself on, hey, Dee, I want to be a part of this. We need those guys. Somebody has to find those guys for the next 15, 20 years because what's going to happen, because I know the owners and I know the way they operate.

they're going to try to roll all of this back. Yeah. And, you know, they're unhappy about a lot of the current deal right now, mostly because a lot of teams are spending above the salary cap. That's the way we structured it. I'm not mad. Spend as much as much as much. Because you wrote about how a lot of these teams were under it,

and they were just sitting there pocketing that money. Oh, yeah. They were just like, oh, we're going to be competitive. We're just going to keep. And when you think about the teams, and again, you know, fans were conditioned to believe, well, of course everybody's spending the salary cap, because everybody wants to win the same amount. No, they don't.

The fact that you had more than 10 teams spending less than 80% of the salary cap or 85% of the salary cap for decades. It's a third of the league. It's unbelievable. So now, you know, when they declared war on us in 2011, guys stood up, and guys like Vaughn, Legion, Mike Vrable was like a hardcore union guy standing up.

And we found those people to stand up and fight. this new group of players are going to have to find a group of players who want to fight and then pick the right executive director that matches their will. Instead of potentially getting it

the other way. I really need you to explain to people. I mean, when Robert Kraft who you talk a lot in his book, when he went on CNBC and C.N.BC

and said, oh yeah, it's socialism. And Joe Kernan, hardcore MAGA. No, no, no, no, don't say that, don't say that because this is before the Mondani election. Right. Kernan, no, no, no, don't say that, and then crowd tried to dance out of it. And it's like, no, it is.

The NFL, the most profitable sports league in America, the NFL is a socialist system. Explain to people how it is pure socialism. By definition, they socialize their cost, they privatize their wealth. When you think about almost every stadium in the country is supported by taxpayer money, you know, the league will say, well, you know, wait,

the owner is going to kick in some money to build the stadium, and perhaps the bill stadium is the best example. Right. By the time it's over, the taxpayers in Erie and in New York are going to end up paying close to 1.4, 1.5 billion. New York State, Kathy Hochel put it, $600 billion.

And I was like, yo, where the hell that come from? At the end of the day, it is, every economist believes it's going to be well over $1.5 billion. Later on in the month, she's got to make a decision. Babes, what are you doing? What? I'm just mowing the lawn. No, it's blazing hot and dry out here.

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Because remember, only you can prevent wildfires. Brought to you by the USDA Forest Service, your state forester, and the ad council. The social media trend that's landing some Gen Ziers in jail. The progressive media darling whose public meltdown got her fired. take Francesco off the network entirely. The massive TikTok boycott against Target

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You won't hear about these online stories in the mainstream media, but you can keep up with them and all the other entertaining and outrageous things happening online in media and in politics with the Brad versus Everyone podcast hosted by me, Brad Palumbo. Every day of the week, I bring you on a wild ride who the most delulu takes on the

internet, criticizing the extremes of both sides from an independent perspective. Join in on the insanity and listen to the Brad versus Everyone podcast on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And the winner of the IHeart Podcast Award is, You can decide who takes home the 26 IHeart Podcast Awards podcast of the year by voting at iHeartpodcastawards.com now through February 22nd. See all the nominees and place your vote

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On the budget to cut aid to whom? Kids and families and mothers. But she gave the Pagolas multiple billionaires $600 million for a state. 100%. That again, I believe it's going to be $1.5 billion by the time it's done.

One of the worst stadium deals, Cincinnati. Easy. And then, you know, Terry Pagula parks his $100 million yacht for whatever it is out front in the, so that he can watch his daughter play in the tennis match. But that is what they do. Even when they say that the owner is going to kick in money,

the owner's money is tied to the PSLs. that the fans are paying. So the fans are going to pay three times for this stadium. You're going to pay from tax costs. You're going to pay for PSLs, and then you're going to pay tickets to get into the stadium. I'm paying a license that gives me the right to buy the seat. So let's flip it around and let's just turn it into D. Smith's house.

I go to the folks in Montgomery County and say, hey, look, I got a great idea. I want to build a big house for myself. The only thing I need is I need the city or the state. of the county to give me the land to build the house on. That's all I need. After that, I'm going to charge people to come in every time they come into my house. And also, it would be great if I got the taxpayers

to also, I don't know, pay for the building. Everybody would laugh. Oh, I'm sorry. And also, if I'm looking for any lawn maintenance or any upkeep, oh, you also are going to pay for the renovations. All of it. Also, by the way,

if I have a party and I'm actually if I have valet parking I'm gonna keep the ballet parking money and then matter of fact I'm gonna park a food truck out front and I'm gonna keep all the food money as well and we oh by the way I'm gonna need you to also go to the state

and improve the highway yeah because I want people to get there better and then by the way we'll top it off with we need all the first responders and all the police officers to get paid overtime to protect my house. That's a national football. Hold on, hold up. And then,

Pentagon, I'm going to each other to cut us a check so we could unfurled the big-ass flag. And the flyover. And then the flyover. And also the salute to the soldier in the third quarter. Oh, taxpayers, y'all paying for that, too. All of it. All of it.

I mean, it is simply the biggest land-grab. of money I've ever seen in my life. And you sit there and then you get to a negotiation session with a group of owners. And you and I, if we were able to pull off such a scam like that, we would be thankful. We would just be thankful. But you get to a meeting with those guys and they look at you and the first thing they say to you is, you know, we need more back from you.

It's actually different, D. The players should just be thankful for being a part of this. just happy to be a part of this universe and we're going to need players to give back a little bit of money and this whole pension thing we don't really like that we don't like the 401ks so you end up fighting with a group of people who are the most entitled people in America

the National Football League is the largest concentration of billionaire wealth in the country and you have to fight to the death for a player to make sure that he has and all of these guys have the right health care on the sideline. I mean, again, it is not perfect. I'm proud of what we were able to do.

But the fact is it comes with just hand-to-hand combat that I now worry that a group of players don't understand that legions of players fought that hand-to-hand combat just to make sure that you have the locker room that you have today. Well, even when you talk about, what was it, I literally just saw the report where the league is pissed off with the NFL player's annual survey

over the quality of the team. And you're just supposed to make this public because the report comes out every year. This team facilities suck. Yeah. Food suck. The family room sucks. And it's typically the Bengals who are always the worst.

And like, they're imagining. and the chief. They're mad. That is public. It is a surreal world, right? Where you want to hold them accountable. I think the next thing the players have to do with that is collectively bargain to make the facilities better. Right. I mean, look, I love the idea of the survey, but the next thing that you have to do after that is go and fight to make all of the facilities meet some...

Because what the players have to... And this is, this is, and again, it goes back to leverage influence. Yes. There literally is no game. Right. Without the players. Correct. If the players say it, I go back to when the NCAA was scared as hell,

that Nolan Richardson and John Thompson were going to boycott. I remember the one when Thompson walked off the court. 40 minutes of hell. I think it was 48. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 40 minutes of hell, Nolan Richardson. Oh, yeah. They were scared that, oh, my God, if the tournament comes,

these cats are not going to come out but tip off. That's leverage. When Donald Sterling, when they were, I mean, Adam Silver was fighting like, I mean, they were like, okay, are these players going to not play in a playoff game? And so the thing here is, that's it. If these NFL players, it's no different than when in college,

when that brother at Ole Miss, the running back. You know what? I ain't really feeling playing with that Confederate emblem on that flag. And when that thing went from Ole Miss to Mississippi State,

here we go. That black folks had been fighting for decades to get it off. But when the football players said, we're done. And the white coaches

went to them Republicans, the racist Republicans, said, listen, we ain't going to have have no players. That damn flag was changed. 100%.

And this is where if black players, that level of consciousness, to say we can change all this, but as King said on April 3rd, 68, has to be collected. 100%. Has to be collected.

And you have, and you, look, I used to tell the players, I'm so thankful that Dr. King didn't have Twitter because everybody would hashtag a fist sign and a walk emoji and nobody would have actually gotten into the streets. There comes a time

when you have to get into the street. Because when you look at union rights, rights for women breaking the glass ceiling, civil rights, none of that was bestowed upon us. No. Someone had to actually get into the street

and march. I just did a book thing at the Birmingham Civil Rights. People die. Most labor laws today are a result of deaths. 100%. I mean, You talk about the Triangle Shirtways factory fire. Those are deaths.

You talk about Ludlow, deaths. The Voting Rights Act is linked to hundreds of deaths. Hell, you write about the whole DeMar Hamlin deal. They wanted to go back and play. 100%. And it was the players who were like, and you, no, hell no. Ain't going to be a game. And that willingness to actually do something is what,

players across almost every league has to do. And look, I hope, for example, the WNBA players reach a good deal, but if they don't, they're going to have to demonstrate their willingness not to play. And I think out of all the sports leagues... Man, I'll tell you right now.

I've worked with those women in the past. They are killers. I dig them. I dig them because they're willing to go to war. They are willing to go to war. They were more aggressive on BLM or social justice than anyone. Yeah, they got rid of a city. They ran an owner.

Dog, will you run an owner out of the league? Kelly Leffler, your ass got to go. She's a senator. She was a billionaire. Out. Look, everybody wants to talk about, you know, who's strong, who's got a lot of leverage, who's got a lot of power. I don't know of any group of players in history

who ran out their own owner, who was a billionaire politician. Who? Group of women. Right. Right. And so that level... The players didn't run sterling out.

Oh, no. No, no. That was the narrative. And again, nothing against the players. Nothing against the players. But Adam Silver did exactly what Adam Silver had to do. Yes. Full stop.

Right? I mean, nobody ran that dude out. Full stop. The only group of players I have ever seen execute that level of... Atlanta Dream players. ...dard dog. And look, I dig every one of them because I... I think that they understand what the frame is.

You know, if they've played in high school, if they've played in college, they have always been second. You know, the men's team probably got better facilities, always, better everything. And I think that they understand. Right, except at Tennessee. Except at Tennessee. Yeah.

And so they come from a system in a frame where they understand that it's just us. They're going to get this done. But also what I love that these women, they're sitting there going, Hold on, hold up. How much are you not worth? See, everybody keeps talking about, right. I love when the Clay Travis is in these MAGA people, at least make no money.

They're like, no, no, hold up. Stop. You can't go from this to, oh, now that, now, oh, you paid $325 million. You pay, they're like, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. They're making money. We see what's going on here. We see what, how the games, and they're like, and, because the WNBA is so young,

now with these rival leagues, they're like, you know, the talent can go over here, because for so long, if you were a woman basketball player, you actually made more money going overseas. Oh, 100%. So unlike in the United States

where it's the NFL or bust, yeah, you can play overseas, but the NBA money is different from over there. Correct. They actually made more money in Poland and Russia than the United States. So much so they tried to change the rule to say if you worked over there, you couldn't come back.

So, I mean, the agency that these group of athletes have, I see is almost unique in the paradigm. And I'm looking for them to use every bit of leverage they have. A few more questions. Being the head 14 years took a massive personal toll. The drinking. And it was just, you write how. at me, this job was eating you alive because it was 24-7.

It's hard. You know, look, I only know one way to go, and that's 110 miles an hour the whole time, and you convince yourself that you're absolutely indestructible. You just do. And it got to a point for me of, look, you know, the way that my brain churns about everything that the league is going to do. I'm playing three-dimensional chess all day. Right.

And unfortunately, all night. And it wears on you. And so for me, you know, just to get to sleep at night, you know, you're hitting a few martinis and a half a bottle of wine. And I thought that, you know, it doesn't, look, for anybody who finds themselves in that situation and for people out there who have dealt with it, they all tell the same story. It doesn't jump on you one day.

It's just that one day you realize, wait a minute, what has happened. And when my jaw wires shut where I could barely walk and had to go see somebody to handle TMJ, I knew that the stress level for me and my ability to handle it had completely got out of way. And that, you know, look,

that's born out of this belief that you're indestructible. But I think, you know, for me, what led me there and some of the frustration that I had with some of the players, people who have not grown up in a sports, paradigm who have your background or my background. When you sit down and you write on a sheet of paper

that, okay, let's just start off with the fact that there's 31 billionaires and they control and they have a way of controlling almost every political figure in their state. They have a pack and they can control almost every politician they want. Sure, we might be able to file a few lawsuits, but they have more money to spend these lawsuits into litigation forever. I've got a group of players who are primarily under the age

of 23 years old. They play for 3.3 years. There's a part of you that in order to play the three-dimensional chess the right way, you actually have to become the lawyer for the other side and say to themselves, well, if I was

running this, what would I do to D. Smith? Oh, you've literally had to deal with the elders trying to put a former player in the job that you got and Troy Vincent who they then

hire on their side. That was, you say, basically, they wanted to control the union by putting their own guy in. 100%. And again, go back to Gene Upshaw. Troy is out of the union because of Gene Upshaw. Because when Gene found out, that was Troy's

last day. And Gene understood the stakes, I think, better than anyone. And in some respects, he was much stronger and a much more powerful leader than I would ever be. He was also willing to do things

that I'm not sure I could do. When you think about Gene as the executive director, they call a strike. I mean, they call the play. The players, look, Gene doesn't make that call. The players make that. That's a vote. That's a vote. And everybody decides we are going to pursue this

strike. It's a majority vote. 100% until we get what we want. And then again, players like Joe Montana cross that picket line and kill. I think Elway Crossed too. Oh yes. Yeah. Yeah. And so when the high profile players killed that

strike and killed that picket line and that strike is over, who has to pick up the phone to call Paul Taglibu to say, hey, by the way, you won, we lost. and now you have to beg to come back to work.

Gene made that call. I'll be dead honest. I'm not sure I can make that call. I mean, I don't know how I would go through a strike that the players called only to watch it capitulate for other players. And then I've got to pick up the phone. Right. And I called Roger.

Hey, how you doing? Hey, I know you broke our backs, but we want to come back to work. Gene made that call. And when he made that call, the owner said, sure, you know what, it's great. Why don't you all come back to work? But the first game this weekend, everybody's playing for free.

That's what the league did. So no, I don't have any love lost. What do you do? You're lost. You've lost. So I know people, you know, the sports business journal, I think just recently honored Gene as one of the most influential people, top 125 influential people

and I think he deserves it. Here's my question. I wonder how many people connected to the sports business journal gave Gene his flowers while he was alive. Right. Pump the brakes.

Right. And so I know Gene didn't get into this job to try to get accolades from people like that. I didn't because I certainly saw what they did to Gene. and I saw the way that they did everything in their power

to make him a false caricature. He got eviscerated. I mean, I remember reading stories. I remember seeing players curse him out and talk about that man like a dog in interview. And when I took the job, I made the decision of, I wanted to run the union the way that Gene would have run the union if he was an asshole prosecutor from D.C.

And that's the way that I wanted to run the union. Because he was the former player. Your deal was like, that ain't me. It's not me. It's not me. But I'll tell you right now. And I think one of the things Gene did that I didn't do, especially when it came to former players,

bad-mouthing Gene, I think the code of being a player, I think Gene kind of gave it a pass and let those players kind of say. whatever they say. I'm not a former player. Now, you write about Russell O'Cong, you write about Troy, you put names. I'm right at Joe Montana.

Look, I'm not going to let you undercut the work that this union on behalf of the players has done. And by the way, I'm not going to let you undercut what those other players did. I mean, we've got hundreds and thousands of players who supported this union who lost their jobs fighting for this.

No, I'm not going to let you put out a false narrative that does a disservice to them. You, you, not only see you retire, but you step down. Yep. They replace you. That person barely lasted. They're now in a conundrum. Yeah. You fought, there were people who you were fighting for, do they reach out and say,

they give us some advice? Because not, to your point, listen. when these TV contracts are coming up, all the sort of stuff. Yeah, you got to decide who do I want, do I want a pit bull in there swinging for us? And what they just went through, that was shocking that, I don't even last in the year. Two, almost two. I'm still at a loss about that. I don't, you know.

Because you're one of, you were not involved in the search, in the replacement, none of that. No, and rolling on. Honestly, I mean, I spent more than a few months blaming myself for this because I, you know, within two years of you leaving and you see things get so far out of whack, you can't help but blame yourself. And that you blame yourself because you thought I had positioned it in the way, proper way that they would make the right choice? Taught. I thought I had taught. Got it. You know, and again, I always thought that my main job vis-a-vis the players was a teacher, right? Because you have to teach a group of people who've never had a job, what this is.

You've got to tell them about John Mackey. You also are teaching them, though, which is, again, this is a union, the intricacies of labor law. Yeah. You're teaching them finances. You're teaching them p and their responsibilities. I mean, you're talking about a $15, $20 billion, $25 billion. But even from the player's standpoint, your budget ain't small. No, no, no, no.

This is a multi-million dollar union in a multi-billion-dollar industry. And you're facing. 32 meg billionaires. And look, nobody should feel sorry for players because they have the wherewithal to go to war. I mean, that was what I left and built. I mean, they're sitting on probably a billion dollars in cash. Players Inc. runs the union so we can fight every case to the death as we would. But, you know, for example, when it became public about the collusion lawsuit,

that somebody decided to keep secret from the players. You know, two things jumped out of me. One, I, I, the collusion case, and one giant step back, collusion goes to the heart of the relationship between players and owners. It is literally the third rail. And when you think about the baseball strike in 1994, that was pure leverage by the players. But the same thing that was going on at the time.

They still hate Marvin Miller. Oh. That man. To death. They still hate that. That man has passed away. And his name is a cuss word. And you know who is my mentor, Marvin.

And they still hate him. And Marvin talks about him. He hasn't been elected to a Hall of Fame. No. And let me say this. The last dude who cared about being in the owner's Hall of Fame was Marvin. But they're like, hell not, Wayne. Because he led those players.

That's the way I wanted to fight. And so, you know, collusion being at the heart of this, yeah, the 1994 strike by the baseball players was important. But the same thing that was going on at the same time, three collusion cases. So that combination of player activism joined with the fact that there were three monumental collusion cases that the owners had lost, put the owners at such a disadvantage where they were like, no, no, no, no, no, we have to cut a deal with the players. So this idea of taking a collusion case and not leveraging it to the benefit of the players is still something. stunning to me. And I

I'm always walking a careful line. I've got a non-disparagement clause against them. But that's simply the truth. The collusion is the most important thing for any group of players to find and leverage. It led to free agency in 1993.

John Mackey started the collusion fight in 1971. Kaepernick is a collusion case. Lamar is a collusion Right. So, I mean, yes, this is the essence of the fight. And so my hope, you know, look, I love the union.

I love the players. My hope is that they find that warrior spirit. Because if they don't, I'll tell you a group of people who will roll the clock back on them. Those billionaires. 100%. Do you believe your last question? Yep. Do you believe that with NIL, and this is the position that I take, that what NIL has done.

So the old model was, player gets drafted. Right. Walks across that stage. Happy. Big bear hug, Roger Goodell. Drives me crazy. And then they go interview,

they go interview them, but my mama house. Yeah. And all this sort of stuff, my mama daddy a truck. Okay, if you ever even see the daddy. Now all of a sudden, you're a mess.

You got cats. I hated that. I really, I do too. I hate it. I just, I, it's against our grain of existence as men. Right? Right.

I just this whole, like, thankful. Like, this is my new daddy. Like, I... Shake his hand. Right. Right. Shake his hand.

I'm like... Look, I said the same thing to every rookie. Shake his hand. Right, because you, that bear hug, but if you do something, he's going to be giving you that fine.

The next time you see Roger will be when he suspends you. Right. That's what I used to tell people. Just shake his hand. So... But I think you're right. N.I.L.,

what you now have, you now have, college freshman and now it's going down to high school now it's going to junior high you now have not only players who are now more financially aware now their parents are

so now you don't have the same player I agree with you I think and I the more you listen to your kids the closer you'll be so we asked kids what do you want your parents to hear

I feel sometimes that I'm not listen to, I would just want you to listen to me more often and evaluate situations with me and lead me towards success. Listening is a form of love. Find resources to help you support your kids and their emotional well-being at soundedouttogether.org. That's sounded outtogether.org. Brought to you by the Ad Council and Pivotal. The social media trend that's landing some Gen Z years in jail. The progressive media darling whose public meltdown got her fired. I'm going to take Francesco off the network entirely. The massive TikTok boycott against Target that makes no actual sense.

I will continue getting stuff from Target, and I will continue to not pay for it. And the MAGA influencers, whose trip to the White House ended in embarrassment. So refreshing to have the press secretary after the last few years who's both intelligent and articulate. You won't hear about these online stories in the mainstream media, but you can keep up with them and all the other entertaining and outrageous things happening online in media and in politics with the Brad versus Everyone podcast. hosted by me, Brad Palumbo. Every day of the week, I bring you on a wild ride through the most delulu takes on the internet,

criticizing the extremes of both sides from an independent perspective. Join in on the Insanity and listen to the Brad versus Everyone podcast on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And the winner of the IHeart Podcast Award is, You can decide who takes home the 2026 IHeart Podcast Awards podcast of the year by voting at iHeartpodcastawards.com now through February 22nd. See all the nominees and place your vote at iHeartpodcastawards.com. Audible is a proud sponsor of the Audible Audio Pioneer Award.

Explore the best selection of audiobooks, podcasts, and originals all in one easy app. Audible. There's more to imagine when you listen. Sign up for a free trial at audible.com. What's pissing his owners off is, you're going to do now, No, I could make 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12 million in college, so

I don't have to sit here and... Be thankful. Right. I think NIL is changing a lot of this right here among a lot of these ballplay, especially African-American. Look, I think that that's absolutely right, and I think that's the hope. I think that...

I think the new mentality around around labor unions and sport have to take into account that you're dealing with a new group of people who are more financially aware have a higher level of agency and hopefully

have a different spirit that whoa whoa whoa whoa whoa I am going to take control of my own destiny and look is that going to roil the owners 100% and again I have my own theories about Chador but I know that that level of brashness,

that level of, I know how to play football, I've already got some money, I am going to come into this relationship on a purely equal transactional basis. Yes. That is something the owners do not like. Oh, and by the way, owners, uh, my jersey is number one.

100%. 100%. And so... ask them, your sons are wearing number 12. A hundred percent. Not Dylan Gabriel. And that, again, it is now the time. They can't handle that.

It is now the time to take the mantle of being a warrior and let's F go, right? Because this system, I'm proud of the things we've done, but this system is also ripe for a revolution. Oh, yes. And those things are good for working people. See, that's why I've had some, I've had some common. and colleagues of mine with, this was when, and I wish we were having this when Michelle was still there, but then she was leaving.

Yeah. Oh, at the NBA, PM. At the NBA players. I love her to death. But what's happening is, and I had a conversation with the retired, president of the retired player association. And I said, I said, bruh, I said, you guys understand, you guys are all,

individual corporations. I said, what is the most fascinating thing? If you take all the smoke, you take the pivot, take all of these different shows, this is why, and I'm like, y'all, y'all got to see this thing differently. I'm like, stop

going to do deals with these cats over here making them money. I said, what makes these podcasts successful are your stories. 100%. So your story, you're taking us inside the locker room. We can't go I can be a reporter and say

what I heard, but no, you're saying what I know. And I said, so you're now billed, I said, all these cats are now doing these individual deals. I said, as opposed to, if y'all create a collective and then say, I don't know, we're going to go out and sell these shows as a collective. Sure.

We're going to go cut brand deals. We're going to go cut, just the Jeff Teague, their podcast, just a, deal with Adidas. So now of a sudden, so as opposed to individual individual, no, no, no, no. You should be moving as a collective because every time, well, people don't realize

all of these same stories, that's how documentaries are made. 100%. Why do they have the executive producer documentary? Y'all can actually go out and hire your own filmmakers. Now you're talking about yes, you're making money over here but this is a multi-billion dollar

industry. It's a media deal. 100%. The NFL and the The NBA and Major League Baseball and soccer and PGA, it's all media deals. Oh, no. I'm saying to the players, y'all got to be in the media business. I know. Well, look, one of the reasons I created one team partners was that, getting everybody together on a group licensing page so that we dictate our own destiny, right?

Now, think about what happens to your point. Explain that, but folks who don't know, because that was NFL and... Right, NFL, Major League Baseball, soccer. So now y'all are moving as a collective. Correct. I can negotiate a higher. 100%. I got you.

And so our deal over deal ratio went through the roof. It holds all of the people that we do deals with accountable. Because if you do a deal that screws one of our partners, guess what? No, no, no, no, no. So this idea of a collective is literally the thing that changes. Look, institutions don't change. People change. Right.

And the idea of a collective, imagine what happens if a group of veterans, basketball players or football players decide, you know, we're not going to give away the free interviews to ESPN anymore. Right. We're going to create Nucco, and we're going to do it ourselves. Well, is that when the magazine, the players, Derek Jeter, that's what that was. Oh, the magazine, the player, it was called the players. Yeah.

Yeah. That was that nation idea. It was sort of like, wait a minute, hold up, why do I, I, I'm driving, I'm driving ESPN. I'm driving TNT. I'm driving. Without us, you don't have. have shit to talk about when the game's over. One of the biggest fights I got into

in the National Football League, if you think back to Marciaun Lynch, who... Oh, I remember? Famously. I remember it. I didn't want to come to the press conference. And the way the CBA is written, it only says that the players have to be available. No player has to give an interview. I mean, I thought that thing

so hard, why? Because at some point, this collective is going to understand that the media deals and our ability to go directly to the consumer is going to absolutely change this market. Did you see the movie? I guarantee you you saw it.

I love the movie because of all he shot it with an iPhone. That's one of the reason why I love high-flying bird. Oh, yeah. I love it. Because the crux of that is, yo. Self-Media silo. We're the product. If we can get, we can sell tickets, get excited.

And so many of the players, and again, I have talked to players. I've talked privately. They'll come to me and say, man, how did you build this show a network? I said, guys, you're in the media business. 100%. I said, that's how they sell shoes and everything else. They're in the media business.

And look, and once you are in the media business and you have that piece of leverage, then you use that leverage when it comes time to asymmetrically negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, right? That's the power. But it takes vision, it takes a level of discipline, but it honestly has to start with a group of players who have to decide that we don't want to be complete.

complacent. And that's literally, I think, what's the theme... Complacent? Or I'll say, satisfied. So I always think back to the movie Malcolm X. When Denzel playing Malcolm X, brother Johnson is beaten by the cops, he says, call an ambulance. And he called the ambulance, and the cop goes. All right, you got what you wanted. Now let's break this up. He goes, no, I'm not satisfied. onto the hospital.

I'm always saying, no, I'm not satisfied. 100%. Look, that's what drives us, right? That's what drives us. And look, I've always been such a fan because you speak truth to power. And, man, what a pleasure.

Absolutely. I was at the coaches meeting. We were in New York. And, you know, I was hoping, hey, cats would follow up because I was like, yo, we're there. But the reality is, movements

movements are built upon moments but it requires people that will commitment to say they want to make this thing happen 100% that's the only way it happens that's the only way it happens folks the book is called turf wars the fight for the soul of America's game

and y'all I'm trying to tell you y'all you think I'm lying listen it's all marked up I dig it I dig it I don't that's what I love that's what I love I go through highlighters so I I'm trying to tell you biggest honor that you can give me that. I'm trying to tell you. When I read, I go, look, all my books,

I go, look, it's a highlighter. I actually, I have two or three highlighters, because if one goes dry, I'm good. A hundred percent. And then people always ask me, why don't you give you a book to? I said, no, because I actually will go back to pull something from. So, a fascinating book as well. Tomlin's, I appreciate it. My brother. Folks, that is it for us. Again, be sure to get the book, Turf Wars. I guarantee you absolutely. We have a totally different understanding of the NFL. We want y'all support the show. Of course, look, we ain't got no millionaires and billionaires cutting us checks. We started this show seven years ago. Now we have this network. We have three of the shows. We're launching a daily news show next month. We're launching a weekly health show as well.

We're trying to launch a business show, all because what we focus on is centering African-Americans, speaking to the issues that we care about where we're not an afterthought or we're sort of a side story, part of the story. We are the central part of the story. So your support is critical. I said this, and on our seventh anniversary of September 4th, the goal was to raise a million dollars between then and the end of the year. We got 15 days left because, again, 2026 is going to be huge. We're going to be traveling around the country. We're going to be in North Carolina, Georgia, Texas,

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That's it. The fundraising round closes on Wednesday. Download the app, fanbase. And, of course, if you want to invest, get more information at start engine.com forward slash fanbase, start engine.com forward slash fan base. I wore my Aggie shirt. Now, you know, I ain't happy with these our conservative border regions.

How are they screwing over when it comes to DEI? But I'm fighting them as well. But I will shout out Texas A&M volleyball team. They upset the number one team in the country, Nebraska. On yesterday, they advanced to the national semifinals this weekend. And Matt Manning, longhorns suck. They lost to Wisconsin. So y'all not going to the national semifinals. So shout to the Texas and the women's volleyball team. And of course, we'll be getting

ready for this weekend. My Aggis play Miami. Oh, by the way, Henry, your cowboys suck. They lost last night. My Texas won. Yeah, that's how we do it. I'm going to see y'all tomorrow. Hala! Babes, what are you doing? What? I'm just mowing the lawn. No, it's blazing hot and dry out here. Don't you remember. Remember, Smokey Bear says, Avoid using power equipment when it's windy or dry. Where'd you learn this? Oh, it's on...

Smokeybear.com, with many other wildfire prevention tips. Right. Thanks, honey, bear. Because remember, only you can prevent wildfires. Brought to you by the USDA Forest Service, your state forester, and the ad council. The social media trend is slanding some Gen Ziers in jail. The progressive media darling whose public meltdown got her fired, and the massive TikTok boycott against Target

that actually makes no sense. You won't hear about these online stories in the mainstream media, but you can keep up with them and all the other entertaining and outrageous things happening online in media and in politics with the Brad versus Everyone podcast. Listen to the Brad versus Everyone podcast

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