The Young Turks - Congressional Candidate Runs POPULIST Campaign After Medical Bankruptcy

Episode Date: May 21, 2025

Congressional Candidate Randy Bryce, a former iron worker who once was bankrupted by medical bills, talks about how we relates to the working class. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're listening to The Young Turks, the online news show. Make sure to follow and rate our show with not one, not two, not three, not four, but five stars. You're awesome. Thank you. All right, back on TYT. Joining me now, a new Rebellion Pack candidate from Wisconsin, Iron Stash, Randy Bryce running again in Wisconsin. How you doing, brother? Great, brother. It's so great to see you.

Good to see you. Randy was a just Democrat, ran against Paul Ryan for a while in Wisconsin, and had this amazing video that they captured the imagination of the country. Randy, what brings you back into politics? Why fight again on all these issues? I'm literally seeing things crumble in front of me. Our safety net is under attack and it's, it's worse. I mean, I didn't think it could get worse than when Trump was first elected,

but now he's redistributing the wealth of the, you know, working people like me up to the wealthiest. I'm sick of all this money in politics. Just this morning we went to a Social Security office that we had a protest at in support of, only to be told that they had relocated to another part of the city. And this was, we had, we stopped for coffee with some seniors to help start our launch off this morning. So then we drive all the way out to this other place. And it's, it's inaccessible. There's no, the bus route is literally, you have to cross, cross a freeway to get to this place.

And it's, it's like a mile away from the bus stop. Today it was raining. It was pretty crappy weather. I can only imagine when it snows here and somebody has to travel that to get, you know, with a walker. It's crazy. Just looking at this big beautiful bill as well. And they want to take more. What, you know, when does it end? When does it end?

You know, you can't be homeless. That's illegal too. Working people really need a break. And we sure are headed in the wrong direction. It's just, I mean, what Donald Trump said sounded good. I understand people liking what he said. But to realize, he's not, he's not in it for us. He's in it for himself.

And Brian Stile has just, he hasn't done anything. He's avoiding town halls. He's running from people. And we need somebody that's going to run for people. Yeah, I want to get back to what you did for a living. I want to get back to your opponent in a second. But, you know, you open up a really interesting topic here. So Trump ran as a populist, but I, you know, I've been calling him a fake populist this whole time.

Right. But he had at least enough sense to run as a populist. So when you first ran for Congress, you were, you know, you're a progressive populist. You're on the left. You believe in economic populism. And so the establishment didn't love that, right, of the Democratic Party. And so they, they had the wrong strategy. And that strategy was proven wrong in Hillary Clinton's laws, Kamala Harris's loss, et cetera.

So, but Trump comes in pretending to be a populist, but what kind of populace closes down social security offices, right? So they came in, they cut hundreds of thousands of jobs of people who hadn't done anything wrong in the government. They closed down a whole bunch of social security offices. Now they're looking to cut Medicaid and all of this in order to get a $5 trillion tax cut for the rich in the so-called big beautiful bill. Randy, isn't that the exact opposite of populism? It sure is. It sure is. And it's, you know, it's time to reclaim that title because we're the ones that actually suffer.

I mean, how could somebody like Donald Trump know what a working person goes through, you know, on a, on a daily basis? Here's a guy saying, you know, girls should have two dollars while he, he has a, you know, his condo in New York City is gold-plated everything. He's got a gold toilet for crying out loud. And, I mean, how can you, I know personally guys that have worked on a project for him that have gotten stiffed out of being paid just because the way he operates where, you know, like they have a. a list that needs to get done before they get an exit, like say 50% of the project has to get completed and then they get a certain amount of money. Well, they keep adding projects that need to get done to be added on to make it to that 50%. So, you know, small contractors are getting screwed. They're going out of business because of him. He's anti-union. He's, he's just trampled

all over, you know, the federal workers unions. And I drive by a place that's in the neighborhood. that has a, you know, pro-union sign and and a Donald Trump sign. And I, I just want to stop my car, get out and talk to this person. It's like, how, how can you have two fighting signs in your front yard? Again, what he said sounded good. His promises sounded good, but he has no intent of, you know, no intent of following through. And that's why we need people, representation in Congress that's that understands what it's like to live paycheck to paycheck and and no you know have to I mean I've been bankrupted by medical bills I know what that feels like nobody else should ever have to go through that ever and then it's like a stigma that

that runs you know that you carry throughout your entire life well I'm sorry I'm not the I'm not the person that's at fault here it's it's the system it's screwed up it needs to be fixed And we're not going to do that until we stand up. And right now, people are petrified or either so hacked off that they just, you know, want to, want to break something. And I can't blame them. Yeah, I prefer building things. So I love that you're building that campaign. Yes.

I'm in building not demolition. Construction, not demolition. That's right. And so that actually relates back to, and I want to get back to that bankruptcy in a second, but back to your life story. So before you got into politics, what was your job, Randy? Union iron worker. Yeah, how long did you do that? Close to 25 years.

25 years is an iron worker. Okay. So when tell me about the situation with the medical bankruptcy, because this affects so many Americans, I think more than half of bankruptcies in America are not the Donald Trump type, where they decide to start three casinos in the same city, right? They're driven into bankruptcy by. How can you go bankrupt with the casino?

It's amazing. It's the closest thing to like a money, money printing machine. Yeah, no, he found a way to screw it up. Like now it says the house always wins asterisk unless Donald Trump runs a house. Which by the way, is kind of what he's going to do now to us. He's going to bankrupt the country. But tell me about what happened to you with the medical bills. Well, this was before I was an iron worker.

And I mean, I felt the pain and it was, you know, being a younger guy, I was in my late 20s, I'm thinking I can get through this. You know, basically I have to get through this because I don't have insurance. I was working two jobs, bartending in the evening and I worked security during the day. Two full-time jobs. Not either one of them provided health insurance. So this was after I was going to. to go have, get a checked out. My mom made me go because I couldn't, it got to the point where I'd walk and I, like, I'd winced and I didn't realize that I was wincing. And my mom was like,

I've, I've had enough, you know, you're going to the doctor with me. So she took me to the doctor and he, you know, did examine me and threw a pamphlet on a table in front of me about testicular cancer. And that, I mean, that's how I found out that I had cancer. And, and, I mean, that's how I found out that I had cancer. And then so then he was like, well, the next thing is to, uh, we'll talk about insurance. I was like, I don't have any. He was like, let me make a phone call. He called freighter and I ended up lucking in to getting, like I was basically a guinea pig for the medical college there. But I got the, I got the treatment done I needed and they did a fantastic job. Um, but after that, I needed, um, some other tests. And, you know, without without having insurance,

Um, what do you do? It's like you go in there, they, they don't even tell you how much it's going to cost ahead of time, whatever medical procedure you need to have done. It's like, oh, we, we don't tell you that. Um, and then just start getting bills. And it's like the amount that they charge for what they do was just, it's like, holy crap to the point where you're like, just, you just feel hopeless. And, um, just it's a very bad place to be.

It's very depressing, and it's not something I would wish on anybody. And, you know, that's why I look around the world. We're the only industrialized country that doesn't have some kind of nationalized health care. And it just, I mean, it's something else. Now I'm working with disabled people, and, you know, it's hard enough for other working people that are able to get a job and have decent pay. But now I'm seeing what disabled people have to go through as well. And, you know, the insurance, Wisconsin doesn't want to expand badger care, which is what so many of, so many disabled people rely on for their health care.

That with the other cuts that are coming, it's all, there's no sunshine. There's no sunshine to look forward to. Yeah. But that's what needs to change. And that's why, you know, with a rebellion pack and I'm just glad to be a part of that, I'm glad you started that up because everything in there especially I mean getting the money out is is like the number one thing and it sucks that you have to play by the rules that are in place before you can change the rules because they're they're designed to keep people like me out yeah by the way Randy's site is Bryce for Congress.com so make sure you're

checking that out Bryce for Congress.com so Randy just one more thing on the medical bills there. It puts you at the mercy of the companies you work for, right? So you had two jobs, but they didn't provide health care. So then you're out of luck, right? And if you were at a job that you hated, but they provided health care and then you got cancer, you're out of luck. You got to stay with that employer, right? So that's, and you mentioned, every other development has universal health care. We're the only ones who don't, right? And then, and then, you know, the populist plank that you signed, it's got, we've got to negotiate drug. prices it through Medicare, right? So, so Randy, when you look at that and we're all have become

kind of indentured servants to these corporations, right? And without them, that's good term. Yeah, without them we might literally die, right? Well, that's how they've got us on the hook. And then they say, by the way, you're not even allowed to negotiate the drug prices. You just have to pay the ransom. You don't have a choice. I mean, what kind of sick government has this developed into. I, you know, and it's the same pill that they sell someplace else, the same bottle for, you know, pennies on the dollar. What it, what we charge ourselves for. It's and it's because, you know, pharmaceutical companies, who I'm not going to take a penny from, again in this election, are making big money off of us. And it's like we're all money farms. And they, you know, they come

by and they like shave us for whatever money they can. They let it grow back for a little while. And then it's like, okay, let's time to shave them again. Let's figure out something else. Yeah, and it's, it's not designed for working people. The government is not designed for working people. They're not looking out for us. There are, there are some fantastic proponents who we all are aware of that are

traveling around now, hitting districts where the representatives are afraid and their leadership to NRCC is telling them, don't go talk to your constituents because we screwed up in Washington, D.C. And, you know, it's just, it's a horrible place. But it's a country that I was, you know, I signed, signed up for three years of my life in the Army. And it's one that when you put in that much investment into a country where you're willing to give your life, it, it means that, you know, you know you're willing you want to protect it yeah and i took that oath and i still lived by it you know all enemies foreign and domestic um and just making making this place a better a better place than it was when i got here yeah so i want everybody to know by the way anybody who's in rebellion pack uh it has can't take corporate pack money does not take

corporate back money so randy doesn't take it ojetta doesn't take it rocana doesn't take it hopefully we'll have even more candidates coming soon and in fact by the way if you want to be a candidate you could apply apply through rebellion pack.com. Randy already ran a great race. It was in a tough district and so and now here you are again Randy in another tough district. So this is this is a red district, right? So this is bold of you. It's better. It's better than it was when I ran before. The like they added the University of Whitewater. So we have a college campus and we

really plan on getting out the youth vote. Yeah. So right now, uh, Because it is a red district for the moment being, right, until you win. What's, who's your opponent and what's his backstory? His name is Brian Stile. And he was a corporate attorney. He helped outsource jobs from Wisconsin. I can't remember the name of the place where he worked at. But he was, he was Paul Ryan's driver for a while too. It looks very similar, and I wouldn't doubt that he inherited Paul Ryan's wardrobe and the same ideas. I mean, Paul Ryan was famous for gutting Social Security. And, you know, this guy made a commercial the last time he ran promising his 100-year-old sweet grandmother.

I mean, it's like just breaking my heart, watching him lie to her about he's never going to do anything to touch, you know, to hurt our social safety net. And here she is saying, oh, I know you won't, Brian. And I'm like, oh, my God, bringing your grandmother on is okay. But lying to her in front of all these people, it's just so horrible. Like it's, but he's, he's one of the people. He's, he's running away from people. And that's why, you know, you get somebody that's running from people and I'm running for people who really cares. And it's, you know, been around.

There are more protests. There's one I just found out about. On the first and third Wednesday, and there's like, I mean, 60 people, it's like the second most busiest intersection in the state of Wisconsin. One of the guys was telling me today, they have like 60 to 100 people show up those two days every, you know, every day of the, every day that they have this event. And I know there's other events going on. People are just really fed up and they're making their own, their own groups. And I think it's fantastic. pick. But we're not getting any health from the government. Yeah. So, Randy, I mean, look,

if the American government was run by real Americans like you, it would be amazing, right? Because Yeah, yeah. Like, if you all, like, you don't take the corporate pack of money. So you would work for your voters instead of your donors already a million times better, right? Exactly. So, but for Brian style, one more thing. So he's, he's going to sign on to that bill, right? The a tax cut bill. No doubt. So when he does, isn't that a bit of an albatross around his neck? Because they- Oh, absolutely. Because they claim that they want to balance the budget, but they never ever bounce the budget. That's gonna put a $5 trillion hole in the budget. So are you gonna use that to run against them? Oh, absolutely. Absolutely am. Everything, he's already got

a record. That's another thing that he didn't, that wasn't in place the first time I ran against him. He had no negatives. At this time, he has a horrible voting record, and it's only going to get worse, especially him being saddled up with Trump. And again, there's a reason why he's afraid of talking to voters in the first district. There's a reason why people are having to have their own empty chair, cut out Brian style town hall meetings. He doesn't care about us. He doesn't have to care about us because he doesn't depend on us for for his money. Yeah, I think that maybe you'll put him out of style. Yeah, I'm here for the dad jokes all day long.

Too shay. Maybe we'll make signs like that. All right, Randy, one more thing. So look, sometimes folks promised a good and talk to a good game, then get into Congress and all of a sudden they just start listening to Democratic establishment. right? So if the Democratic establishment says, hey, Randy, nice job on winning Congress back and we appreciate it, but we're not going to negotiate drug prices and we're not going to do paid family leave, et cetera. What's your response to that? No, I'm totally opposed to that. That's something that I wrote down. I, you know, I took a note to help help promote those

those issues. And that's something that I'm, I definitely am going to fight for. It's, you know, Because again, I know I'm going to come back to the district and talk to people. And if if they don't like, I mean, that's a promise that I will have a town hall in every county. And there's quite a few counties in the district that people can have an opportunity to that I can tell them what's going on in Washington, D.C. So we can help work together to come up with things. and just make sure that, you know, we, we do fight for those things. And that, you know, when I come back, I would prefer not to get yelled at, but that's why I need to communicate with the district.

Something Brian Stile isn't doing it. They deserve the people that vote. Actually, even if you don't vote, you deserve representation in the district. And we're going to try to get people out to vote. And it's like, look, you know, all those good things. you heard that were lies this is they can be made real but it's you know again like the video says it's going to take everybody working together and it really will and i'm not afraid to go talk to places that you know generally democrats haven't been welcome to talk to yeah uh yeah that's what we need

to do we need to open up conversations and there are things we can agree upon and that's all we need to do is have that first step i mean i saw you had um mtg on the other week talking of And we agreed upon, you know, everybody agreed upon no wars and it's something for helping veterans. That's, you know, when I get elected, it's like going to do Republican colleagues and saying, let's do something to help veterans just so we can see that we can work together. Yeah. It's, it's too ugly now. It's too ugly and there's no need for it. And we need to make, you know, admit when we make mistakes, people make mistakes, political people make mistakes. It's okay. We don't have to be perfect. I mean, I'm not perfect, but I own up to things that I've done. And I take responsibility for things that I have done. And that's what we need, working people in Congress that know what it's like to live, you know, paycheck to paycheck. Yeah.

And look, when you're in that situation, you don't have the luxury of saying, I'm going to be morally pure and I'm not going to work with this person or that person. So, you know, so I'm sure that you disagree with Marjorie. Taylor Green on the tax bill, I don't know, just about every other bill. But, you know, Rokana and Matt Gates did an anti-corruption bill. I think AOC joined, right? And if they're actually doing anti-corruption, the few of them that are, or they're actually anti-war, as Marjorie Taylor-Green was saying, she says she'll oppose Trump if he attacks Iran, right? So if you've got someone who's an ally on that particular issue, wouldn't it be amazing if the establishment was ignored and there was an uprising of the right wing voters and the left

wing voters and we joined and said, no guys, we said anti-war, we meant anti-war. Wouldn't that be just, look, it doesn't mean that you're naive and you're going to say, oh, and in return, I'll vote for your $5 trillion in Texas for the rich, no way, right? But if they're coming to our position, isn't that a good thing in America? It's a great thing. It's a great thing, especially because it's so hard to find common ground with with people on the other side of the aisle these days. And it's almost like automatic. They come up with an idea. We shoot it down. We come up with an idea. They shoot it down. And it's like before even finishing reading the, you know, the sentence. That's no way to work together. And you know what? It's all because too many politicians have been auctioned off in our own. by billionaires in corporations. And it's like they don't have to think. Just, you know, do we, we want you to vote this way.

And shortly thereafter, magically money appears in their, in their packs. Yeah. I don't plan on operating that way. I'm just, I mean, we raised over $8 million last time. And most of it was by small dollar amounts. We plan on doing it again this time. And that's, that's the only way we're going to take back

this country is by by turning down easy, big money. Yeah. And so that involves selling our souls, you know, and that's something I, no, I value mine too much. Yeah. I couldn't face people that I love and care about if I would sell, if I would sell out. Yeah. I don't have a problem. I don't have a problem working together with people. Um, but there are some things that are just, no, you don't touch that social security, Medicare, those are two things. I'm willing to put up one heck of a fight for. Yeah, damn straight. So I'm going to end on a fun question here. But first, everybody remember, it's Bryce for Congress.com. We'll have the link down below to Brycefor Congress.com.

And Iron stash on social medias. Yeah, and check them out on social media as well. Iron stash is back. Tell everybody. So look, and you're in a red district. So you've got to win over the independent voters to win there. And the good news is the core democratic policies, the economically populist policies you signed on for, you know, negotiating drug prices, higher wages, anti-war, anti-corruption, lower housing prices, etc. That plays well everywhere. Independence love it. And the people who got hoodwinked by Trump thinking he was going to do it, well, you give them an alternative in a red district. And by the time they realized they got hoodwinked, There's Randy Bryce ready to build something.

And if you're going to build something, an iron worker is a good way to go, right? Absolutely. If you want something built right, that's going to stand, testify him, yes. Yeah. Yes. So Randy, the fun question to end, I once I was talking about Ojeda and I called him lead pipe. And then that idea then popped into my head. And I thought, you and him are such an amazing populist team, right?

He's a 24-year veteran, you're a veteran, an iron worker, et cetera. He's running in North Carolina. You're running in Wisconsin. You're both a rebellion pack. But I don't want to be presumptuous. So would you rather be blowtorch or lead pipe? The new BMO, V-I-Porter MasterCard, is your ticket to more. More perks, more points, more flights.

More of all the things you want in a travel rewards card, and then some. Get your ticket to more with the new BMO ViPorter MasterCard and get up to $2,400 in value in your first 13 months. Terms and conditions apply. Visit bemo.com slash ViPorter to learn more. But probably blowtorch. Low torch, yeah, that makes sense for an iron worker. All right, so your blow torch, Ojet, it'll be lead pipe.

You know, you guys, you know, you start here on TYT, but I hope left wing shows, right wing shows. He's fun. He's fun. I've met him several times. I really like the guy. Yeah, I win. It's, you know what it is?

Real Americans taking the country back. Enough, enough, enough. Enough with everybody working for corporations and working for the donors. What a concept. Yeah, so let's get, let's get lead pipe and blow torches on as many shows as possible. Show people what populism really looks like. Randy, you know, I'm going to thank you at the end here because thank you for having the courage to run again and to get back in the fight.

The only way we're going to win is if guys like you get back in the fight. So thank you, brother. We need more. We need more. Thank you, Jenk, for helping pull us together. We, you know, it's great to be put in touch with other fantastic candidates. I love what you're doing. And I mean, just reading that, I was like, the plank is just common sense.

It's just common sense and let's, we can, it's things we can make happen. Let's make it happen. All right, and we'll put a link to all these things, populousplank.com, RebellionPact.com, but most importantly, go check out Brycefor Congress.com, see what Randy's all about. Thank you for being back in the game, brother. We appreciate you and we need you. Thank you, brother. Appreciate you and everything you're doing. All right, we'll talk again soon. All right, guys, so that's it for today's show. But for you members out there, we are going to be

We are going to be live with old school in about an hour at 930 Eastern. So come back and check that up. All right, we'll see you then.