The Breakfast Club - INTERVIEW: Nina Turner Speaks On Palestine & Israel, Biden Vs Trump Rematch, Black Liberation & More

Episode Date: December 13, 2023

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Starting point is 00:00:00 Had enough of this country? Ever dreamt about starting your own? I planted the flag. This is mine. I own this. It's surprisingly easy. 55 gallons of water, 500 pounds of concrete. Or maybe not. No country willingly gives up their territory. Oh my God.
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Starting point is 00:02:45 Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy, Charlamagne Tha Guy. We are The Breakfast Club. Lauren LaRosa is our guest host. We got a special guest in the building. Yes, indeed. Former Ohio State Senator Nina Turner. Welcome. It's good to be home. Welcome back. How you feeling?
Starting point is 00:03:01 You look amazing, man. Thank you. Can I get up? Yes, please do. Hey! How you feeling? You look amazing, man. Thank you. Can I get up? Yes, please do. Hey! Hey! I just want to let you know, Charlamagne threw shots at everybody because of you. One of the producers came back and was like,
Starting point is 00:03:14 you know, Nina Turner's here and she's looking amazing. Yeah. And Charlamagne was like, well, that's because she's in the gym and she eats well. That wasn't a shot at nobody. Listen, let me give a shout out to my trainer, Derek Doddell from DDT.
Starting point is 00:03:26 Derek Doddell training in Cleveland, Ohio. There you go. We're helping be coded together. Absolutely. Lauren, is it all right? Oh. Is it all right? What made you want to go down that path of, you know, getting right physically?
Starting point is 00:03:38 Help, because we need it. Yeah. You know, you talk a lot about mental health, and it all goes together. Mental health, physical health, the endorphins you get. And I ain't want to hurt nobody, Charlamagne. So I got to get in there. My trainer is also a boxer, too. So I get on the bag a lot, too, DJ.
Starting point is 00:03:54 And I picture Lauren all kinds of faces. That's the best way to do it. They trying to hurt nobody in real life. You get that aggression out. Yeah. Take the energy out on them. Yeah, just a little bit. How often do you train?
Starting point is 00:04:02 How often do you work out? Every day? Almost every day, yes. And has your eating changed eating changed oh 70 percent of it is what you eat and he tells me that all the time now i had gotten smaller than what i am now and he was a little concerned about it so he did tell me to go eat some fried fish and french fries get that back up because because i had i had lost my sister girl okay you know, you can lose too much. But he was joking. I mean, he was just saying, hey, you're getting a little too small. So he's a good trainer. It's not just about, it's about how you feel.
Starting point is 00:04:31 He knows each and every one of his clients in a deep way. He knows when you're not feeling right. He knows when something is, every single client, not just me. And I think that's a special gift. He is a gifted man. I'm going to have to bring him the next time I come. Absolutely. People have bonds with trainers that a lot of people don't see because they have that time.
Starting point is 00:04:48 And they're there for an hour or two hours. And they're talking not just about training but about life as well. Because it's holistic. Exactly. Everybody. So I know everybody's going to be eating from Thanksgiving through New Year's. But we got to keep it together. And this is for everybody but especially black people because we go through so much.
Starting point is 00:05:03 Correct. And your health is ultimately your wealth. And it is spiritual. It is physical. It's mental. It's all of that stuff. But working out, it's not just about weight loss or toning. It's psychological, too.
Starting point is 00:05:15 It keeps you sharp. Well, I'm glad because, you know, next year is the presidential election year. And boy, it's going to be a lot of stress on everybody. You said Biden shouldn't win, Char. I mean, shouldn't run. Shouldn't run. He ain't going to win stress on everybody. You said Biden shouldn't win, Char. I mean, shouldn't run. Shouldn't run. He ain't going to win. But anyway, you said he shouldn't run.
Starting point is 00:05:27 I mean, but that's why I think he shouldn't run, because he's not going to win. He's not going to win. You know? So what does that mean? I wish he would just run in the primary. Can we just start with the primary? At least run in the primary. Break that down.
Starting point is 00:05:38 Explain. Because we have a primary that the DNC is refusing to acknowledge, because both parties, when you have an incumbent, they pretend like competitors don't exist primaries are for us to have a robust debate about about ideas and if in fact the incumbent is the strongest candidate and that will come out in the wash too it's kind of like training why not you got Marianne Williamson running as a Democrat you got Jane you go running as a Democrat you got dr. Cornel West running as a Democrat. You got Cenk Uygur running as a Democrat. You got Dr. Cornel West running as an independent.
Starting point is 00:06:11 I think Dr. Cornel West and also Robert Kennedy Jr. should be on both stages, but minimally they should be on the Democratic stage. And then you got Congressman Dean Phillips, who has jumped in the race, running as a Democrat. If your ideas are all that, then debate them out in the primary so that things can come out in the watch so that you ready for the main event but the democrats have decided they don't want to do that and so now they have anointed biden as the heir apparent just because you the incumbent don't mean you entitled to a second term and that's him or anybody else that that that goes for me or any other politician you got to earn the vote each and every time what do you say to people who say none of those people you named have a chance in hell or one well they won't have a chance in hell to win if people don't know that
Starting point is 00:06:46 they're running right and the media is very important and that's what i love so much about the breakfast club because you guys give audience to everybody republican democrat libertarian no party rock and roll cop you know r b whatever you however you rolling because people need to know those other people are running and if people want to know why governors are not running right now, you know, like the governor of California who just debated DeSantis in Florida. Well, he's not running because he needs to play the game so he can be ready for 2028. If he runs or any of these governors run, they see they don't have the courage to buck the system to say that we are in peril. 17 polls have shown President Biden losing. Nowiden losing now i get it polls are snapshots in time but this is turning into a polaroid picture i know i'm dating myself now but this snapshot
Starting point is 00:07:30 is becoming more than a snapshot it's becoming a very clear picture most americans do not want to see a rematch between president joe biden and former president donald jake trump those are the facts yeah that's scary though you know first of all I just want to say Polaroids are back in my door to ask for Christmas. I'm all right. It's a vibe now. But, you know, that's very scary when you have everybody, politicians, regular people saying that they don't have faith in Joe Biden. What does that mean? Are people going to go out or are we just going to give this to Donald Trump? It's not giving, though, DJ. It's like it's a competition. So I need people to understand this.
Starting point is 00:08:10 Politicians are not owed anything. I need to come and ask you for your vote. I need to lay down what I did for you. You know, as Miss Jackson asked in one of her songs, what have you done for me lately? You don't owe me as the politician. I owe you. And to think that President Biden is the best or the only thing that we have, he ain't the savior. You know, and I would say this about any candidate. Everybody knows I rock with, you know, I rocked with Senator Bernard Sanders, who is, you know, supporting Joe Biden. For me, it's what are you doing for my people? What are you doing for the people in the hood where they misunderstood? What are you doing for working class people of all backgrounds in this country? You let the shadow president, you know, hijack your bill back better. We ain't built back nothing better. Then you got billions of dollars to send over the war. Janet Yellen, the secretary, the treasury secretary, when she was asked, can we afford,
Starting point is 00:08:56 we Americans, afford two wars? She said, oh yeah, we can afford it. So if we can afford two wars, then we could afford to enhance, to keep the enhanced child tax credit. If we can we can afford two wars and won't y'all go ahead and cancel all student debt and then put a mechanism in place so that kind of debt doesn't happen to to college students again if we can afford two wars then baby we can afford universal health care if we can afford two wars and damn it black people want their reparations that's right that's all i'm saying hey charity starts at home and spreads abroad. I'm not saying don't help any of our allies, but we got people dying in the streets of America right now for the lack of resources. But they got the pure, unadulterated gall to say we ain't got money for domestic issues.
Starting point is 00:09:41 What about domestic tranquility? That's part of it, too. So people fed up, DJ. They just all they're going to say, I don't think people are going. I know there's a poll that says that about 22% of black people are going to go over to Trump. Maybe they will. Maybe they won't. But I think most people are just not going to vote. Yeah, I say, okay. Question for you.
Starting point is 00:10:07 Do you feel like, though, because of the people that you mentioned, like the Colonel West is and other people that are running on that side, they don't have, the platform is not there. And as sad as it is, people don't, a lot of stuff you're talking about, people go and vote just because of who they're hearing about on social, who has the biggest campaign. So what's the real, like, what do they do? How do they even get next to, Biden has the platform. He's the president right now. Well, the incumbent is always going to have the upper hand. That's the system. But we live in a time where maybe you can google everything i mean people got to study to show themselves approved but media is a powerful force and you all know that because you hold a modicum of power to the extent that mainstream media continues to lock out these people or then you're right most people may never hear them i think dr cornell
Starting point is 00:10:40 west has somewhat of advantage because he's an internationally known philosopher, you know, international known intellectual. So a lot of people across generations definitely know Dr. Cornel West. Now, they might not get to know that he's running for president, but he's running in the same for all the other people. I think Congressman Phillips may have an advantage because he is a congressman. He got that fancy title right now. But the mainstream media is not supposed to be calling these politicians. They're supposed to open up the airways for everybody and let the games begin. Let's compete for this stuff. So it is shameful that that is not happening. I think, you know, what's interesting to me, Senator Turner, is people are using logic for
Starting point is 00:11:19 illogical times, right? Because even when you bring up the polls, people will say, well, you know, the polls aren't always accurate. It's not even just the polling. He's polling terribly against a man who has 91 criminal charges, four indictments, two impeachments. It shouldn't be close. It shouldn't be close. A man who said he wants to be a dictator. Right. It shouldn't be close. Like, it shouldn't be close. That's why people are like, maybe you need to step aside. That's why David Axelrod is saying, hey, maybe you need to step aside. We can't risk it.
Starting point is 00:11:47 And not be selfish. I think for both of these men, they can run. Right. We know age is a factor, but I think age is connected to economics, how people are feeling about their personal economies. I know that the system you look at the stats and they'll say, oh, the economy is doing better. But is it doing better for big mom? Is it doing better for Big Daddy? Are they feeling it? Because the economy, the measures that we use to say that our economy is healthy is based already on a rigged system. In other words, the system leans toward those who have the greatest wealth. But if Big Mama and Big Papa can't afford the eggs or the gas
Starting point is 00:12:19 or everything is going up, then damn what the numbers say on paper, we need to know what is happening for them in their real lives now the point about the the the polling again snapshots we get it but unless democrats make some real deep-seated changes all them polls can't be wrong i mean it's like dropping bread crumbs it's telling us something and so both of those men can run right they are allowed to run i won't say that they shouldn't have the ability to run, but I think it's selfish that they are running. In other words, that's the best we can do in this country is to have a rematch between two presidents that
Starting point is 00:12:54 most Americans do not want. And even Democrats, if you look at President Biden, most Democrats do not want Joseph R. Biden as the candidate. So he's not the only one. He's the only one that the system is elevating in such a way that it's locking out other people who would be logical choices to run. And then you've got a few courageous people who have been in this studio, who I just named, who are out there saying, damn, I'm running anyway. Who would you like to see? Well, me, actually. But I'll put that to the side. Ain't nobody better. But i'm not running right now um i'm i love dr cornell west i think he got the moral courage and the moral fire right now and then my other choice if i could vote for two people for the people that are running right now it'd be marianne
Starting point is 00:13:37 williamson those two are out there doing the daggone thing and dr west has definitely made the requisite sacrifices to be running in this race. But Lawrence Point is well taken. You know, he won't get, well, I won't say he won't get the oxygen. It's just going to be harder. I think it's positioning. Yeah. I think that matters.
Starting point is 00:13:55 I was going to ask you, does it bother you, like what Lawrence said, where people are so stuck in a way of I'm born Democrat, I vote Democrat. I'm born Republican, I'm going to vote Republican. I'm not voting independent because that's the way that I've been doing it my parents been doing it my grandparents been doing it and it's kind of like we're stuck in that zone I know I know a lot of people that just go to the thing be like Democrat Democrat Democrat Democrat don't even know who they voting for just a Democrat all the way down the board or especially judges
Starting point is 00:14:19 judges I really get a free pass and then main ones we need to check out because they got the ability to keep you out free or lock you up. No, it does bother me. But when you know better, you should do better. You know, there's a scripture in the Christian Bible where Paul said, you know, when I was a child, I did childish things. It's time for us to grow up and do the research. We have more technology at our disposal than any other generation. So it really is no excuse.
Starting point is 00:14:43 I used to do that. Mama say vote for so-and-so and so-and-so. I'm going to vote. But then I matured and I started to do the research. And now it really is no excuse. I used to do that. Mama say vote for so and so and so on my vote. But then I matured and I started to do the research and now it's not that hard. So, yes, DJ, it does bother me that people are just going just just flapping in the wind instead of doing the study and then asking these politicians, really, what have you done? Not that you like them, not that you want to have a beer with them, not that you would club with them, because I like a lot of people. But what have you done with the power that you want to have a beer with them not that you would club with them because i like a lot of people but what have you done with the power that you have to change the conditions for the people who suffer the most in this country if you haven't done anything then why am i voting for you and the
Starting point is 00:15:14 people say the lesser of the two evils well you know what sometimes people just gonna throw up their hands and say damn it i'm just gonna vote for straight up evil because i already know lesser two evil ain't getting me nothing so i might as well go for the for go all the way and just go for evil do you think uh palestine and israel is going to have a real impact on um president biden because i hear a lot of people in michigan especially muslim americans in michigan say they're not rocking with them they're not voting for them they're not showing up like it will and i don't think people are going to change their minds that we haggling over medicare for all and you you don't do it then i may just go ahead and vote for you anyway and keep fighting you to try to get it. But now we're talking about the slaughter of innocent people
Starting point is 00:15:48 in Gaza. Let's talk about the slaughter of Palestinian people in the West Bank. That's not even talked about a lot, but you got 18,000 people dead. You got about 42,000 or so people maimed or injured. You got 60% of the Gaza has been just blown up. So imagine being a son or a daughter or a person from Gaza. Imagine being a Palestinian. And if you live, what do you have? You know, I saw a picture of a, she probably was five or six years old, a Palestinian young girl. She's shaking like a leaf. Traumatized. That's trauma.
Starting point is 00:16:30 And if you have children or you know somebody who have children, imagine that that was your children. Oh, yeah. The Middle East is going to be blood is on the hands of the United States of America. There's a law called the Leahy Law. And in that law, that law was put in place in 1996. The law says that we in America should not be giving funds to military operators who we know are violating human rights just slaughtering innocent people to get at Hamas I think is a violation of human rights you got Netanyahu in 2015 said that under his watch as under his watch there would never be a Palestinian state so now how as a palestinian then what am i gonna do with that if we take hamas yeah evil vile what they did uh immoral and illegal under international law let's deal with that but 18 000 palestinians dead 42 or so thousand maimed and injured their
Starting point is 00:17:21 entire world is is in rubble if we don't have a ceasefire how we ever gonna get to peace and then the mental impact on the people who survive on what just happened in them that girl shaking that baby shaking is many like her what is she gonna think growing up you think she gonna be in love with the system no she's not and so to keep Israelis safe Palestinians gotta have self-determination to keep Palestinians safe Israelis gotta have self-determination but they do they control the water the electricity so we not looking at this in a way that's very holistic the UN has said this you know don't do this many of the human rights organizations across the world said don't do this. Many of the human rights organizations
Starting point is 00:18:05 across the world said, don't do this. All I want to know is how many people got to die before we realize that you can't war your way to peace. Yeah. You know, Senator Bernie Sanders was on this weekend and he said that we have to stop giving Israel a blank check. Without conditions. Yeah. We have to stop giving them a blank check so they can stop killing innocent, you know, civilians and children. And I feel like, man, why aren't people talking about that more? Like that point, because everybody was focused on him saying we can't have a permanent ceasefire with people who want permanent war.
Starting point is 00:18:37 You think it's justified? The flack he's getting, the backlash he's getting for that? Some of this stuff is incongruent. Now, I'm with the senator on don't just give Israel or any other country just a blank check. If we paying for, you know, my mama say, I paid, I paid for this. You live in my house. I pay everything. So you're going to do what I say do.
Starting point is 00:18:54 You know, the same thing applies here. If America took a moral position on this to say, you know what? I get it. What Hamas did was rotten, evil, wicked. Hey, go after Hamas surgically. But there comes a point where there are too many bodies laying in wake. How many more bodies? I just wonder how many more bodies is going to take? So although I appreciate Senator Bernard Sanders saying don't just give Israel a blank check.
Starting point is 00:19:19 But at the same time, the Senate doesn't want a permanent ceasefire. So how do we get to permanent peace? At some point, people got to stop the shooting and the bombing. And most of those bombs are coming from Israel. In our name, those bombs are made over here. It's our money. So we are culpable for the deaths of the Palestinians. And you know what?
Starting point is 00:19:40 It's not only going to impact you and you and you. It's going to impact our children, our children's children. See, now you're messing with my stuff now. And all the money that we send over there, whether it's over there or in the Ukraine, is less money that we have to have universal health care, canceling student debt, you know, name the things that we need. Water systems.
Starting point is 00:19:57 Hell, Flint, Michigan still got dirty water. The Democratic Secretary, Attorney General in Michigan dropped the case. So now you got people who live in Flint who just got to live with it. And I can go on and on and on. What are we going to do on the domestic side of the ledger? And Israel certainly is our ally. Israel has a right to exist. Israel has a right to protect itself.
Starting point is 00:20:22 And what about the Palestinians? Because I learned in math you know what you do on one side you got to do on the other right so what about the palestinians and what about the innocent palestinians over 50 of those people are our kids is a very young uh community they didn't vote for hamas so at what point how many bodies i just want to know how many bodies so shar look i get it but you've got to have a ceasefire. I don't know how you get to peace without a ceasefire. And then how do we get to a permanent peace where Palestinians have self-determination?
Starting point is 00:20:53 I want our viewers and listeners to know they don't control electricity. They don't control food. They don't control water. They don't control all of that. So how can you control your livelihood when you can't control the basics? Maslow's hierarchy of need is in in play here and so we got to put ourselves in that place remember Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. not the only one but he is the symbol for it as long as he was talking about civil rights for black people it was all good but when the Reverend doctor started talking about the Vietnam War they said oh hold on brother hold on now you done got out
Starting point is 00:21:24 your depths now we ain't gonna allow you to talk about that. That's the same. That's when he became a communist. That's it. That's the same thing happening right now. We got to stand up for humanity because that, but by the grace of God, that could be any of us. So no indiscriminate killing of Israelis, no indiscriminate killing of Palestinians. And when you hear a baby cry, until you look at that baby, you don't know what their race or ethnicity is. All you know is that you hearing a baby cry. That's real.
Starting point is 00:21:53 Damn. Now you have a new worker power organization called We Are Somebody. We Are Somebody. I brought you some mugs. Put the mugs in here. I don't know what else. You know what's so crazy?
Starting point is 00:22:03 Sim came in here with like four of them, but never put them down. Well. Oh, I see it. We are somebody. Yes, we are. Workers' rights should be codified
Starting point is 00:22:16 into legislation. Strike without fear. Rebuild the middle class. Absolutely. Unions do matter. One job should be enough too. One job should be enough. People working. I remember when I was growing up, an extra job was an extra job.
Starting point is 00:22:29 Absolutely. But now an extra job is mandatory because of the way the economy is rocking. You know, CNN did a poll and they basically asked people, you know, how you feeling about the economy? In 2020, at the height of COVID, people, you were saying oh you know i'm feeling pretty good 2023 they're not feeling good and you know why they're not feeling good despite what the economic indicators say they're not feeling good because those safety net measures that were that we did during kovi taking away they're gone so people are not feeling good about the economy right now working class people and i mean all working class people from all strata some people may be in the six figure range
Starting point is 00:23:10 and some people may be you know just barely making it but baby we all working class unless you got a sugar mama or sugar daddy or sugar somebody uh and i don't mind having that you know someday let me just put that out there but i'm a working woman and I'm blessed. But working class people got to come together. And that's what We Are Somebody is about. It is a capacity building organization for working class people, whether they're unionized or not, because people deserve to live a good life and you shouldn't have to be ultra wealthy to live a good life. Are you pushing to change things like the 40-Hour Workweek? 40-Hour Workweek, yeah. Friday's off. off. Working with a group, One Fair Wage,
Starting point is 00:23:45 ran by an extraordinary young woman. First name is Saru. I hope to get her on The Breakfast Club. But she is, her organization is, next year there will be 13 states that they target. Five of those states will have ballot initiatives. The others of the states will have legislative initiatives. And that is to do away with the sub-minimum wage.
Starting point is 00:24:03 I don't think people understand the history of the sub minimum wage is really the mess over black women regular where that that industry said black women down deserve to be paid let them get tips so now you got to get your money based on the largesse of somebody that's coming into the restaurant and one thing that's our Ruth said what they meant for evil for black women now reverberates to everybody because now everybody in that industry sub minimum wage the average wage is about two dollars and some change you may live in a state where it might be a little higher but every time we go to a restaurant those people who are serving us our meals are depending on us
Starting point is 00:24:40 to give them a tip to supplement their wages and that should not. So that's one example of a project that we are somebody that's going to work on the legislative side because if you change legislation, helping unions is a beautiful thing. It only helps those members, and that's good. If we want to enlarge that territory, then we've got to do ballot initiatives because laws do matter and put laws in place that do away with the sub-minimum wage. Can you imagine somebody?
Starting point is 00:25:04 It's hard as them people work, only making $2 and some change. That's crazy. You know, and I cannot believe we're still talking about this in the 21st century. Those are the kinds of things that President Joseph R. Biden and this Congress could be doing when they had the opportunity to increase the federal minimum wage
Starting point is 00:25:19 from $7.25. They decided not to. You remember they did a hard pass and they blamed it on the parliamentarian. They could have done that. That's when the Democrats controlled both chambers. And they didn't do that. The PRO Act didn't do that. George Floyd didn't do that.
Starting point is 00:25:34 So, yeah. I was going to say, so you talked about the safety net, right? And the safety net during COVID there was, I mean, of course, they were giving money. They were helping people out with their, whether it was car loan or mortgage or whatever it may be PPP loan PPP loans what will help people now right because you look at people losing their jobs I was telling Charlemagne earlier one of the gaming companies just had to get rid of 1100 people Spotify just had to get rid of people so many people are losing their jobs interest rates are at an all-time high people can't buy houses or
Starting point is 00:26:01 automobiles when you look at food food costs are through the roof if you ever look at a price of eggs or some orange juice or you're just normal things that people would need to survive as expensive as ish what would how do people what will people have to survive you already said that people are not getting paid in a 40-hour work week so what can be done and is that the reason why people are looking for trump and not buying because they feel like trump will send out some more checks with his name on it or whatever it may be is that some of that reason i'm gonna be flipped for a minute poor people don't need eggs they don't get to eat eggs you know i mean that's basically what this is coming down to eggs cost more than chicken wings
Starting point is 00:26:36 yeah material conditions that people have to change the motive people vote when they hopeful and they ain't got nothing to hope for they're not gonna go out and vote what i i i believe see this is not about trump and so this trump derangement syndrome is just blowing my mind this is more about who has the power right now what they're gonna do about it yeah you don't keep bringing up trump but trump ain't been in office for the last almost four years so it really is up to this administration and this congress democrats and republicans we ain't gonna let them republicans off the them. They don't show themselves be just outright. This is totally lost their minds. But if we put them in the parking lot, what substantive things are Democrats doing other than blaming Trump and telling people, oh, my God, if you vote for Trump in 2024, it's going to be the worst thing ever. People living in worse times right now in this particular moment.
Starting point is 00:27:25 You asked me what would be some of the fixes. First of all, this Congress could restore the enhanced child tax credit that lifted millions of children out of poverty. We lifted them out of poverty only to catapult them right back into poverty. What sense does that make? It makes no sense whatsoever. They could pass the PRO act so that workers can organize without being retaliated against by the man or the woman that runs the company store they could
Starting point is 00:27:53 do those things they could cancel all student debt right now again the treasury secretary said we got enough money for two wars where there's a war brewing right here in America against everyday working class people. We need a social contract. We need a humanitarian way, a human rights economy. And that's the kind of thing that I do at the New School as a senior fellow. Shout out to Dr. Derek Hamilton. We need a human rights economy. And in that human rights economy, it said that there are some basic things that everybody should have. Healthcare is another one, DJ. If everybody had healthcare
Starting point is 00:28:29 and it wasn't commodified, it wasn't tied to a job, people would do all kinds of creative things, but they can't because it's tied to a job, underinsured and uninsured. So those are things, inject that money into the economy domestically and give people the freedom of mind and body and soul and spirit that they need and deserve i know you um you talked about uh the middle class catching hell you talked about hopelessness right now yeah a lot of times with me i feel like when i have the political conversations like this and voting i have friends right now they're saying they're not going to vote at all because they're in that space that you're talking about what do you think is like the best thing for people like how do you put that aside and and i mean i know it logically makes sense like we need to be able to get out vote change the world and all that but the people
Starting point is 00:29:13 that you're talking about it goes over their heads like they don't feel like if i vote something's going to change they're just tired of what they're going through right now what do you say to those people how do those people get that hope back to feel like if we do this things will change local level federal levels like yeah I get that Lauren I'm not one of those politicians that say you know you don't have a right people have a right to feel the way that they feel but I would say you gotta vote mad as hell you still gotta vote everybody should vote but this this is especially for black people people literally died and we are so far removed from that generation we don't teach it enough you know the santas don't want it taught at all but that don't stop us from going into our black
Starting point is 00:29:57 churches and doing it anyway people literally died for it now a lot of people because tesla tesla you know would say well people don't want to hear that that they died but they did people died and what she means by that is sometimes that's not enough and that's what you're saying too lauren you got to be in it to win it the game gonna happen either gonna happen to you or through you right it's gonna happen to you or through you it can happen through you by you getting out there to vote you can have a lot of impact on local elections probably even more so than the federal level but all elections matter there's no such thing as an off-year election so people mad as hell i get it but you still need to
Starting point is 00:30:33 go vote but voting is just one part of the process you know when our fore parents were fighting for the vote they understood how pivotal it was to give black people voice into who could represent them that's just one part we now have to take that to the next level and say not only do you have to vote but you got to hold these people accountable you got to keep the score and if they not doing what they told you they were gonna do damn lesser of the two evils right hey i'm just gonna find me another candidate and vote because as big mama would say i can show you better than i can tell you they just got to stop accepting it so i get the frustration voting is just one part of making the change or being the change in your community you got to be actively involved
Starting point is 00:31:12 all the time because justice is not a destination it is a journey too many people don't want to make a sacrifice we ain't talking about you know uh boy being in a montgomery bus boycott for 381 days we're just asking lord people can you just go to the polls and vote that's all we ask we ain't got them kind of auction block problems that our our our ancestors had so why can't you vote and be mad well what if i agree with everything you're saying but what if those people say you know what you're right but i want to vote conservative all right vote anywhere they want i want to vote independent yeah which is that vote however they want because again i believe politicians need to earn the vote we have conservative black people and i ain't mad at it you don't put all your eggs in one basket we got liberal black people i'm a little mad at
Starting point is 00:31:54 that because i think the black bourgeoisie or or black moderates are part of the reason that black people are catching hell and i'm writing you know my damn i'm writing a book about that thinking of mine too they the ones you. We talk a lot about the white liberal, but we don't talk about the black folks that's standing in the way of black liberation. Why isn't the black caucus the main people down there saying, where is
Starting point is 00:32:15 black people die at higher rates? Where's the universal health care? What are they doing? Now, I ain't talking about individual black caucus members. They can bring me to smoke if they won't because i'll bring it back to them but where is that moral conscience it was a time when the congressional black caucus was the moral consciousness of the congress but when you go to their little things hell they bought and paid for too sponsored by sponsored by sponsored by
Starting point is 00:32:39 so i people should be able to vote for who the hell they want to as long as they vote now it's my job if i want you to vote me, is to try to convince you to do that. Now, it's a lot harder. What I'm saying is easier said than done because then big money will come in and tank the whole process. We get that. But ultimately, I, as a politician or a public servant, have a role to play in that. So vote for whoever they want to vote for. Just go vote.
Starting point is 00:33:02 And you say you write writing a book about oh about how the black moderate is the biggest threat to black liberation damn oh yeah more than the white liberal because you know minister malcolm x warned us about the white liberal dr king warned us about the black about the white liberal but we have done very little study about the impact of black moderates on black liberation i'm coming for why do you think they uh are stopping progress so much because they stand in the way black faces and high places they ain't standing up for nothing and they give people shields to not do enough for black people if you ain't standing up for your own people just okay with being the one that's you preaching no you preaching preaching they just
Starting point is 00:33:47 so giddy about being in the damn room they forgot why they in there titles are good but purpose is better we need purpose driven people in those rooms especially black because when and the onus is not just on black people but when we move foundations shake the world shakes and shapes it changes civil rights movement just one of many examples of how when we move in a way that has an eye towards justice
Starting point is 00:34:16 in all of its forms everybody gets it we got to move especially us not only us but especially us and if you see black people languages if you see a legal system that sees only black people because justice over there that y'all got over there on that she ain't blind she see us all the damn time when you have a system that barrels down on one group of people disproportionately than anybody else somebody gotta say this ain't right and if the congressional black caucus won't say
Starting point is 00:34:46 this ain't right why didn't you pass the george floyd policing act this ain't right why didn't the john lewis voting rights law pass or why didn't you why wasn't y'all on table see i'll get on the table but i want people to think this is a family show but you know why why aren't you doing those things why you ain't say gas up Why didn't you stare the shadow president down, Joe Manchin, and say the hell to the no? You're not going to do away with the hands child tax credit. I got too many poor people and struggling people in my district. The moral consciousness is lost. And that is what is happening.
Starting point is 00:35:18 He's trying to guilt people into voting for people. I ain't here to guilt you to vote for nobody. Because I tell you what, if they not delivering, they got the power. I got two toddlers in my life, and I have higher expectations of them than we do of these politicians. Oh, they didn't have enough of a majority. But that ain't what y'all said when y'all was running in 2020. You said give you the majority, you was going to make some things happen, and you didn't. What are you willing to give up?
Starting point is 00:35:41 I think a lot of politicians, especially when lives and livelihoods are at stake, you need to run like you're only going to get one term. And, baby, if I was running for president and I got it, I'll be up in that piece like, hey, they ain't going to put me back in here. But I tell you what, they're going to know Nina Turner was here. And that's all we want somebody to fight. It's because you're a black woman, though. It's different.
Starting point is 00:35:58 It's different. They running real lax right now. They running real lax right now. And that's all we want somebody to fight. No saying black moderates will be like, ah, yeah, it's Congress, it's Congress, it's Congress, Congress. Well, give Congress hell then. At least give Congress hell on behalf of the people. Because I know one thing, that damn Trump, say what you want,
Starting point is 00:36:14 he going to give his people hell if they don't do his bidding. Yeah, yeah. And he let it be known. I mean, the difference between him is covert and overt. You know, these other politicians, they do it covertly. They want to be, they going to come back at some folks. They going to seek retribution. Trust me, I've been in the Holy's a holy. Well, Trump make it plain. I'm coming for you. So now I'm different between the fox and the wolf.
Starting point is 00:36:32 I know how to deal with the wolf because you just told me exactly what you're going to do in lieu of the fox. Yes. Is Trump a neo-fascist? Is fascism dangerous? Yes. The difference between knowing that you got 10 hours worth of oxygen and not knowing at all. Maybe if I know I might be able to survive. So we got to deal with neo-fascism. But don't forget, neo-liberalism, meaning keeping the status quo, breeds neo-fascism. And so my party, the Democrats, have to run like Trump is a clear and present danger. That's right.
Starting point is 00:37:02 And not put the onus on the voters. And don't y'all come in here shaming black people when what's going to go down in 2020. Unlike Trump is a clear and present danger. That's right. And not put the onus on the voters and not try to. And don't y'all come in here shaming black people when what's going to go down in 2020 because we don't warn you. That's right. And don't put it on us because we vote overwhelmingly for Democrats come hell or high water, whether they do anything for us or our children, our children's children. And I don't think that's right either. We need to change that. But don't blame us. And that's the other thing.
Starting point is 00:37:23 We're not telling Biden not to run because he's losing the black vote. He's losing the vote. Oh, everybody. Young people. That's right. Arab Americans, Latinos, Asian Americans. The polls show most Americans do not want to see a rematch between these two presidents. That's right.
Starting point is 00:37:39 But getting still, they're not doing what we ask. Other leaders would bubble up to the top if they had space to do so but when you are within the machine so lauren if you were you know so biden said you decide you want to run if you run then they're going to remember that see and then when it comes 20 20 28 they're going to punish you for challenging so that's why you have people like newsom and some of these other governors. And don't get me wrong. They're not the only ones that's qualified to run. I'm just naming them because in the trajectory of things, people really see, oh, if they're a governor or U.S. senator, they should be the one running.
Starting point is 00:38:14 If they stepped out there to run right now, then it's going to be retribution against them in 2028. What 2028? We might not have a democracy. I know that. We might not be here. The world might not be here. That's another reason why we need to go for peace there is a ripple effect those of you who play domino you understand how when the dominoes fall they fall what's happening in the middle east is happening over here in other words none of us are going to escape what is happening
Starting point is 00:38:39 in the middle east or ukraine so let's talk about the continent of africa what's happening in the Middle East or Ukraine. Let's talk about the continent of Africa, what's happening in the Congo. See, we don't talk about that. What's happening in Haiti, all of that has a ripple effect on each and every one of us. So that's why I want peace. Peace ain't soft. Peace is strong.
Starting point is 00:38:55 It take a lot to want to have peace. I want peace so I can have some peace. That's right. WeAreSomebody.org. WeAreSomebody.org, baby. We appreciate you for joining us it's always a pleasure I can listen to you
Starting point is 00:39:06 talk all day oh thank you Lauren I am going to go on your website and get some of you so I can stretch your fashion you have to change
Starting point is 00:39:14 your whole wardrobe I did oh my god DJ but it was a good there you go tell you baby can I tell you
Starting point is 00:39:20 how much I love y'all we love you and I feel that and I know that. I got Charlamagne, DJ, Lauren. I mean, you create space for black people. But I want to say particularly you create space for black women of all ages and all stages. And I love you for that.
Starting point is 00:39:38 And I got to shout out one of my advisors, Tesslyn Figaro. Tess. Tess. She do it, don't she? Absolutely. But I just love y'all so much. I love our people. I love all people.
Starting point is 00:39:49 I love black people. And the reason why I want to see people lifted because I want people to be able to live a good life. I think everybody should be entitled to do that. Systems can change.
Starting point is 00:40:00 Policies can change and we got to make sure it happens. So nothing but love. Happy holidays, everybody. Nina Turney, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you so much. Thank you. It's The Breakfast Club.
Starting point is 00:40:07 Good morning. Wake that ass up early in the morning. The Breakfast Club. Had enough of this country? Ever dreamt about starting your own? I planted the flag. This is mine. I own this.
Starting point is 00:40:19 It's surprisingly easy. 55 gallons of water, 500 pounds of concrete. Or maybe not. No country willingly gives up their territory. Oh my God. What is that? Bullets. Listen to Escape from Zakistan. That's Escape from Z-A-Q-istan on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey guys, I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more.
Starting point is 00:40:53 After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And I go by the name Q Ward. And we'd like you to join us each week for our show, Civic Cipher. That's right. We discuss social issues, especially those that affect black and brown people, but in a way that informs and empowers all people. We discuss everything from prejudice to politics to police violence. And we try to give you the tools to create positive change in your home, workplace and social circle. We're going to learn how to become better allies to each other. So join us each Saturday for Civic Cipher on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts,
Starting point is 00:41:46 or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jack Peace Thomas, the host of a brand new Black Effect original series, Black Lit, the podcast for diving deep into the rich world of Black literature. Black Lit is for the page turners, for those who listen to audiobooks while running errands or at the end of a busy day.
Starting point is 00:42:06 From thought-provoking novels to powerful poetry, we'll explore the stories that shape our culture. Listen to Black Lit on the Black Effect Podcast Network, iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hello, my undeadly darlings. It's Teresa, your resident ghost host. And do I have a treat for you. Haunting is crawling out from the shadows, and it's going to be devilishly good. We've got chills, thrills,
Starting point is 00:42:36 and stories that'll make you wish the lights stayed on. So join me, won't you? Let's dive into the eerie unknown together. Sleep tight, if you can. Listen to Haunting on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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