>> A GLOBAL HEAT WAVE WITH NO END IN SIGHT...

THE CULTURE WARS COME FOR THE MILITARY... TRUMP'S PLAN TO CONCENTRATE POWER... AND THE PANDEMIC LEARNING GAP •HOW CAN OUR KIDS CATCH UP?

WE'LL DISCUSS THOSE TOPICS AND MORE ON A SPECIAL HOUR-LONG EDITION OF IVORY TOWER, NEXT.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> GOOD EVENING.

WELCOME TO A SPECIAL HOUR-LONG EPISODE OF IVORY TOWER.

THIS IS SHOW NUMBER ONE THOUSAND, A LOT OF SHOWS OVER 20 PLUS YEARS.

I'M DAVID CHANATRY, FROM UTICA UNIVERSITY.

ON OUR PANEL TONIGHT WE HAVE TARA ROSS FROM ONONDAGA COMMUNITY COLLEGE, NINA MOORE FROM COLGATE UNIVERSITY, ANIRBAN ACHARYA FROM LEMOYNE COLLEGE, SARAH PRALLE FROM SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY, AND RICK FENNER FROM UTICA UNIVERSITY.

WE'LL START THE PROGRAM TONIGHT BY TALKING ABOUT THE WEATHER •.AND THE CLIMATE.

IT HAS BEEN ALMOST UNBEARABLY HOT OVER MUCH OF THE WORLD-A HEAT INDEX OF 152 IN IRAN, "PIZZA OVEN" CONDITIONS IN SOUTHERN EUROPE AND MULTIPLE HEAT DOMES OVER THE SOUTHERN UNITED STATES.

IN THE SOUTHWEST, PHOENIX HAS HAD 21 CONSECUTIVE DAYS WITH TEMPERATURES AT LEAST 110.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, KEVIN MCCARTHY CALLED FOR AMERICANS TO PLANT ONE TRILLION TREES.

I DON'T MEAN TO BE GLIB •.BUT IS THIS PROGRESS?

IS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY BEGINNING TO SAY WE HAVE TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE IN SOME FASHION?

>> I HATE TO BE THE BEARER OF BAD NEWS BUT I DON'T THINK THIS REPRESENTS A SEA CHANGE FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

I MEAN IF THE LEADERS ARE NOT OUTRIGHT DENYING CLIMATE CHANGE, THEY'RE GENERALLY IGNORING IT.

AND, IN FACT, A LOT OF THEM ARE TRYING TO INCREASE FOSSIL FUEL USE AND ACTUALLY ROLL BACK A LOT OF BIDEN'S PRO-CLIMATE POLICIES.

SO, I GUESS LIKE THE $64,000 QUESTION FOR ME IS WHETHER LIKE FACTS ON THE GROUND, LIKE THIS EXTREME HEAT THAT WE ARE EXPERIENCING, THE INTENSE FLOODING, WILL EVENTUALLY SORT OF CATCH UP WITH THE REPUBLICAN PARTY BECAUSE I REALLY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE ONLY GOING TO CHANGE, SHIFT THEIR POSITION IF THEIR VOTERS START DEMANDING IT FROM THEM.

RIGHT NOW, THE REPUBLICAN VOTERS ARE NOT PUNISHING THE REPUBLICAN LEADERS FOR IGNORING THIS CRISIS YOU KNOW, WE SEE RON DeSANTIS WINNING BY A LANDSLIDE IN FLORIDA, BROWRS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE GROUND ZERO FOR CLIMATE CHANGE.

THE HEAT IS HERE TO STAY, DISASTERS WILL GET WORSE AND MAYBE VENTLY THE REPUBLICAN PARTY WILL BE MOVED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

>> I TOTALLY AGREE WITH SARAH, THAT THEY'RE NOT SERIOUS ABOUT THIS BECAUSE ON THE ONE HAND THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT PLANTING A TRILLION TREES WHILE ALSO PROPOSING THE LOW ENERGY COST ACT, WHICH, IF IT LOWERS, YOU KNOW, WHAT THEY WANT TO DO IS FIRST INCREASE DOMESTIC PRODUCTION OF FOSSIL FUELS, LOWERING PRICES AND WE KNOW THAT LOWERING PRICES LEADS TO MORE CONSUMPTION.

AND IN SOME CASES, THEY'RE ACTUALLY GOING BACKWARDS.

IF YOU LOOK AT TEXAS, RICK PERRY HAD TURNED TEXAS INTO THE LARGEREST-- THE LARGEST PRODUCER OF WIND POWER AND DID A GOOD JOB WITH RENEWABLE ENERGY.

BUT JUST THIS YEAR, THEY'RE GOING BACKWARDS AND THEY ARE ENCOURAGING FOSSIL FUELS AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY PUTTING IMPEDIMENTS TO RENEWABLE RESOURCES SO I THINK THEY HAVE NOT LEARNED A LESSON YET.

>> I WONDER IF IT'S MORE OF WHAT SARAH WAS SAYING, THAT YOU HAVE THE REPUBLICAN ELECTORATE BASE THAT HAS NOT YET BEEN FULLY PERSUADED THAT THIS IS A HUGE DEAL; THAT THIS IS A BIG ISSUE.

AND THE IDEA OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY NOT BEING SUPPORTIVE OF MORE GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE IN THE ECONOMY GOES WAY BACK TO ITS FOUNDING IN THE 1800s.

SO I THINK WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW-- JUST WITH THE PROPOSAL FOR MORE TREES-- IS A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I DON'T THINK IT IS GOING TO FIX EVERYTHING, BUT IT SIGNALS, THAT, AS YOU BOTH HINTED, THIS INCREDIBLE HEATWAVE THE COUNTRY HAS EXPERIENCED, HAS HAD SOME TRACTION IN SORT OF MAKING THIS ISSUE MORE SALIENT FOR REPUBLICAN VOTERS AND THEREFORE REPUBLICAN LEADERS.

I WOULD ADD, HOWEVER, THAT THE CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO DEVELOP CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY HAS TO BE MUCH MORE INCLUSIVE, MUCH MORE GROUND-UP THAN IT HAS BEEN BECAUSE THE SENSE ON THE PART OF REPUBLICAN VOTERS IS THAT THERE ARE EDICTS THAT COME DOWN ABOUT PLASTIC BAGS, PLASTIC STRAWS, ABOUT WHETHER TO USE GAS STOVES AND THERE ISN'T MUCH OF A DELIBERATIVE PROCESS, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN KEY IN A DEMOCRACY GENERALLY.

BUT IT ESPECIALLY, WHEN IT COMES TO CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY BECAUSE IT HAS BECOME A PARTISAN ISSUE.

>> THINGS LIKE PLASTIC BAGS AND PLASTIC STRAWS REALLY ARE KIND OF BESIDE THE THE POINT, IN TERMS OF THE BIG PICTURE THAT WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH CLIMATE.

>> YES, BUT I THINK, DAVE, THE IMPACT-- BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT AFFECT THE DAY-TO-DAY LIVES OF REPUBLICAN VOTERS.

AND SO BEFORE YOU CAN GET THEM TO THINK ABOUT THE BIGGER PICTURE, THAT I THINK YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ABOUT, THERE HAS TO BE BUY-IN.

THERE HAS TO BE PERSUASION.

THAT REALLY IS THE ESSENCE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS AND WHETHER IT'S IN REGARD TO PLASTIC BAGS, PLASTIC STRAWS AND ALL OF THESE OTHER THINGS, I THINK IS WHAT HAS TO BE DONE.

>> TARA.

>> YOU KNOW, YOU ARE MILWAUKEEING AN ABSOLUTELY IMPORTANT POINT BECAUSE ONE OF THE FEW, YOU KNOW, SMALL GROUP OF REPUBLICANS WHO HAVE ACKNOWLEDGED CLIMATE CHANGE, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS HE SAID.

THE REASON HE HAD TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE WAS A NEED FOR CLIMATE CHANGE, EVEN THOUGH HE HASN'T GONE VERY FAR IN HIS VIEW POINT IS BECAUSE HE WAS ASKED ABOUT IT AT TOWN HALLS AND HE REALLY DIDN'T HAVE AN ANSWER.

AND YOU ARE RIGHT, WHEN REPUBLICAN VOTERS BEGIN TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH ROLLING BLACKOUTS, WHEN THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH A COUPLE OF NIGHTS OF 100 PLUS DEGREE WEATHER WITHOUT THEIR A.C., THAT'S WHEN YOU ARE GOING TO BEGIN TO SEE THE REPUBLICAN PARTY CHANGE.

AND THAT'S WHERE, REALLY, THE GROUNDWORK NEEDS TO BE SET.

AND PEOPLE ALSO NEED TO HAVE-- AND THIS I THINK IS TRUE FOR BOTH PARTIES.

PEOPLE ALSO NEED TO BE GIVEN A BETTER SENSE OF, OKAY, THERE MAY BE SHORT-TERM PAIN IN TERMS OF THE CHANGE NOW BECAUSE THERE IS A LONG-TERM BENEFIT.

AND RIGHT NOW BOTH PARTIES ARE DOING A VERY POOR JOB OF REALLY MAKING THAT CASE.

>> AMERICANS DON'T TEND TO LIKE SHORT-TERM PAIN FOR LONG-TERM GAIN, RIGHT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> IN CLIMATE, WE LIKE TO DRIVE BIG CARS, AND PICKUP TRUCKS AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS, SO ANIRBAN, HOW DO WE GET AROUND THAT?

>> WELL, I TELL MY VIEWERS TO GO BACK TO THE EARLIER EPISODES JULY 22, 2022 LAST YEAR, WE STARTED THE SHOW BY SAYING ENGLAND IS MELTING AND HERE WE ARE, MELTING AGAIN, RIGHT?

AND YOU KNOW, I WILL PUSH BACK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S WILLINGNESS TO CONFRONT CLIMATE CHANGE.

IF AT ALL, BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S HAS BEEN HIGHLY CRITICAL.

WE TALKED ABOUT IN JANUARY BIDEN OUTPACED DONALD TRUMP ON DRILLING ON PUBLIC LANDS AND PUT OUT A NEW DRAFT PLAN TO OPEN UP OIL AND GAS DRILLING LEASES OFF THE COAST OF ALASKA AND THE GULF OF MEXICO.

SO I THINK DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS MORE-- THEY WANT TO SAY THEY LOVE CLIMATE CHANGE BUT THE ACTUAL POLICY ON THE GROUND IS COMPLETELY OPPOSITE TO THAT.

NOW I'M GOING TO GO BACK AND READ WHAT GEORGE BUSH SAID A LONG TIME AGO.

HE SAID THAT THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE IS NOT UP FOR NEGOTIATIONS.

AND I DO THINK THAT THE AMERICAN SYSTEM, THE AMERICAN SOCIETY BEHAVES AS SUCH.

WE EMIT 14.4 TONS OF CARBON DIOXIDE PER PERSON, WORLD AVERAGE IS 4.4 AND CHINA IS 4.1.

WE LOVE TO WASTE ENERGY AND FOOD.

LOOK AT OUR HOUSES.

MASSIVE HOUSES WITH HUGE AIR CONDITIONING, BIG LAWNS AND LOVELY YOU KNOW, SWIMMING POOLS AND ALL THAT STUFF.

I DON'T THINK AMERICANS ARE GOING TO FACE UP THIS PROBLEM UNTIL THEIR HOUSES START BURNING.

>> I HAVE A COUPLE OF THOUGHTS ON THAT, IF I MAY.

I MEAN I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS QUESTION OF WHETHER AMERICANS ARE WILLING TO SACRIFICE AND HOW MUCH I THINK IS RELEVANT, BUT I THINK YOU CAN OVEREMPHASIZE THAT AS WELL, RIGHT?

THERE IS LOTS OF CO-BENEFITS TO SOME OF THESE CLIMATE POLICIES AND SOME OF THE ADAPTATION MEASURES.

PLANTING TREES.

NO ONE IS AGAINST PLANTING TREES.

IT'S A GREAT IDEA, RIGHT?

IT'S NOT GOING TO SOLVE CLIMATE CHANGE, BUT IT CREATES SHADE.

IT CREATES COMMUNITIES THAT ARE MORE LIVABLE, THE TEMPERATURES IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE LOTS OF TREE COVER ARE UP TO 3° OR SOMETIMES MORE COOL.

OF COURSE THOSE TEND TO BE WEALTHIER AND WHITER NEIGHBORHOODS AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE NEED TO ADDRESS WHEN WE ARE PLANTING TREES.

THERE ARE LOTS OF CO-BENEFITS.

WE COULD GET BETTER TRANSPORTATION, MORE COMMUNITIES, MORE WALKABLE CITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS AND SO I THINK THIS JUST CONSTANT DRUMMING ABOUT SACRIFICE IS NOT ACCURATE AND B: IT'S NOT POLITICALLY VERY STRATEGIC.

TO ONLY FOCUS ON THAT.

>> AND IF YOU LOOK AT... >> I DO THINK THAT, TO GO BACK TO BOTH ANIRBAN AND SARAH'S EXCELLENT POINT, I DO THINK THAT THE PRIORITIES CHANGE BASED ON THE KINDS OF PROBLEMS THAT THE COUNTRY IS FACING.

AND SO, YES, THE GOING BACK TO THE DEMOCRATIC VERSION OF DRILL BABY DRILL IS AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF ENORMOUSLY HIGH GAS PRICES THAT AFFECT PEOPLE IN THEIR DAY TO DAY LIVES.

I DO THINK THAT WERE THAT NOT THE CASE, THEN IT'S VERY UNLIKERY THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY THAT BIDEN WOULD HAVE MOVED IN THAT DIRECTION.

AND SO FOR REPUBLICANS AS WELL AS DEMOCRATS, I DO THINK IT'S A VERY DELICATE BALANCING ACT TO DECIDE WHAT TO DEAL WITH MOST IMMEDIATELY VERSUS WHAT CAN WAIT UNTIL LATER.

>> RICK.

>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY, THERE CERTAINLY IS HYPOCRISY ON THE PART OF THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THE VIEW AND THE POLICIES THAT DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS HAVE TAKEN ARE COMPLETELY OPPOSITE.

AND WE HAVE MADE QUITE A BIT OF PROGRESS, YOU KNOW, AUTOMOBILES ARE ONE OF THE LARGEST SOURCES OF POLLUTION AND YOU LOOK AT SALES OF ELECTRIC CARS AND THEY ARE GOING UP AND PEOPLE NOW ARE ACCEPTING THEM.

EVEN SIFs AND TRUCKS ARE BEING MADE ELECTRIC.

SO I DO THINK THAT WE ARE MAKING SOME PROGRESS.

PLANTING TREES ARE FINE, I THINK THE REPUBLICANS ARE STILL SELLING TOO MUCH OF A FREE LUNCH THOUGH >> THE CULTURE WARS HAVE COME FOR THE MILITARY.

ALABAMA SENATOR TOMMY TUBERVILLE HAS FOR FIVE MONTHS BEEN HOLDING UP PROMOTIONS UNTIL THE PENTAGON RESCINDS ITS POLICY OF PAYING TRAVEL EXPENSES FOR SERVICE MEMBERS TO OBTAIN ABORTIONS.

THAT'S ALSO ONE OF THE CONTROVERSIAL SOCIAL ISSUES THE HOUSE JUST TACKED ON TO THE MUST-PASS DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT.

MILITARY SPENDING GENERALLY SEEMS SACROSANCT-IS THE BATTLE OVER "WOKE" PUTTING NATIONAL SECURITY AT RISK?

NINA?

>> I THINK THAT THE BATTLE OVER WOKE IN THE WAY THAT IT'S BEING EXECUTED BY REPUBLICANS, YES, IS JEOPARDIZING THE MILITARY.

BUT I THINK THE PREMISE OF THE QUESTION THAT THIS IS SOMETHING NEW THAT CULTURE WARS HAVE ONLY NOW BEGUN TO MOVE INTO NATIONAL SECURITY AREAS, OR TO THE MILITARY, I THINK THAT IS PROBLEMATIC BECAUSE IF YOU GO BACK TO THE CLINTON YEARS DURING THE 1990S, THEE WAS THE FIRST TO ISSUE AN EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT DON'T ASK AND DON'T TELL AND THEN THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION RESCINDED THAT ORDER WITH RESPECT TO LGBTQ RIGHTS.

SO THE IDEA THAT CULTURE WARS ARE NEW IS NOT BORN BUT BY THAT FACT AND IN REGARDS TO WOMEN RIGHTS, IN 2013, THEN SECRETARY OF DEFENSE LEON PA NETTA REMOVED THE RESTRICTION ON WOMEN BEING ABLE TO ENGAGE IN BATTLE.

SO WE HAVE SEEN WHAT IS CALLED THE CULTURE WAR, I THINK ANOTHER WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT IS THE EXPANSION OF RIGHTS FOR PREVIOUSLY EXCLUDED GROUPS.

BUT EVEN IF WE CALL THEM CULTURE WARS, SO DEFINED IN THE WAYS I JUST MENTIONED, IT'S NOT NEW.

WHAT IS DIFFERENT HERE AND WHAT IS TROUBLING HERE IS THAT THE STANDS OF SENATOR TUBBERVILLE AND NOW THE HOUSE, THEY'RE BOTH OBSTRUCTING THE EFFECTIVE OPERATION OF THE MILITARY, THOSER ISSUES WERE ABOUT PROVIDING ACCESS.

ABOUT EXTENDING OPPORTUNITY TO THOSE WHO WANT TO BE PART OF DEFENDING OUR COUNTRY.

THIS IS VERY DIFFERENT.

TUPPERVILLE, BY HOLDING UP THE PROMOTIONS OF THESE VERY VARIOUS MILITARY PERSONNEL IS ESSENTIALLY NOT ENABLING THE TROOPS TO MOVE FORWARD IN WAYS THAT THEY NEED TO AND ALSO THE FAMILIES OF THESE INDIVIDUAL NOT BEING ABLE TO PLAN HOW THEY AND WHERE THEY WILL MOVE AND GET ALL OF THOSE THINGS IN PLACE.

AND AS FOR WHAT THE HOUSE HAS DONE, THAT IS DEEPLY DISTURBING BECAUSE OF THE MOMENT THAT WE ARE LIVING IN.

THIS IS NOT A TIME TO PLAY AROUND WITH MILITARY AID WHEN WE ARE SENDING AND UKRAINE IS NEEDING THE HELP THAT WE ARE SENDING IN THE RUSSIA/UKRAINE CONFLICT.

CHINA IS NOW TAKING UP SHOP IN CUBA, AND FINALLY NORTH KOREA HAS SIGNALED IT IS GOING TO AMP UP ITS NUCLEAR MISSILE TESTING.

SO, YEAH.

>> BUT THAT UKRAINE ISSUE IS ONE OF THE ISSUES THAT THEY'VE TACKED ON TO THIS BILL.

ANIRBAN?

>> YEAH, I MEAN I THINK IT'S A CLASH OF INDUSTRIAL COMPLEXES.

1 IS THE MILITARY COMPLEX AND THE OTHER I THINK NINA MENTIONED IN ONE OF HER Fs IS THE D.E.I.

INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX AND THEY'RE CLASHING TOGETHER.

MILITARY IS ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE AND INTEGRATED INSTITUTIONS IN THE U.S.

BUT MILITARY DOES HAVE QUITE A PERVASIVE WHITE SUPREMACIST PROBLEM.

YOU KNOW, AND THIS HAS BEEN HISTORICAL KKK RECRUITED ARMED FORCES FOR DECADES, KLAN MEMBERS PARADED IN MAKE SHIFT WHITE ROBES AND BURNING CROSSES IN AN AMERICAN BASE IN VIETNAM CELEBRATING THE ASSASSINATION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING AND I CAN GO ON AND ON FOR THE NEXT HOUR.

>> BUT THAT'S ONE OF THE OTHER ISSUES THERE.

>> I KEEP CALLING HIM TUPPERWARE, SORRY.

BUT TUPPERVILLE SHOULD KEEP A LID ON HIS WHITE NATIONALIST THEORIES.

HE TALKS ABOUT RACIST STUFF SAYING WHITE NATIONALISTS ARE NOT RACISTS.

WHAT DREAM WORLD DOES HE LIVE IN OTHER THAN HIS OWN RACIST DREAM WORLD?

I SEE THIS AS A RACIST BLACK BACKLASH AGAINST SUBSTANTIVE PROGRESS IN THE MILITARY AND REGARDING FORCED PREGNANCY WHICH IS WHAT ANTIABORTION IS THEY SUPPORT THEIR TROOPS WHEN IT IS CONVENIENT TO THEM.

HAVE I NOTHING TO TELL THESE PEOPLE.

THEY'RE HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE PEOPLE.

>> ONE QUICK PART OF WHAT YOU SAID THAT I REALLY WANT TO PUSH BACK AGAINST AND THAT IS WHEN WE LOOK AT THE DIFFERENT SECTORS OF AMERICAN SOCIETY, IT'S ACTUALLY THE MILITARY WHERE WE SEE MORE INTEGRATION, WHERE WE SEE MORE REPRESENTATION OF RACIAL MINORITIES IN THE UPPER ECHELON.

SO THIS OTHER STUFF I AGREE WITH YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE STRUCTURAL ISSUES, THE MILITARY HAS DONE BETTER THAN ANY OTHER INDUSTRY.

>> IF THE MILITARY HAS DONE SO WELL IN THAT ASPECT, DOES IT NEED-- WHY DOES THIS INSTITUTION NEED D.E.I.

POLICY, RICK?

>> YOU THREW ME A CURVEBALL.

WE HAVE GOTTEN AWAY FROM THE MAJOR ISSUE WHICH IS REPUBLICANS BLOCKING NORMAL PROCESS HERE.

YOU KNOW, RAND PAUL HAS BEEN HOLDING UP POSITIONS IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT BECAUSE HE WANTS DOCUMENTS ON COVID, TED CRUZ, J.D.

VANCE HAVE DONE THE SAME THING.

AS YOU MENTIONED I THINK SARAH MENTIONED, THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT, I GAVE REPUBLICANS AN F LAST WEEK FOR BLOCKING THAT BECAUSE OF CULTURE WARS.

SO IT'S NOT ONLY FILLING POSITIONS IN THE MILITARY BUT IT'S THE BUDGET OF THE MILITARY.

IT'S INCLUDING RAISES IN THE MILITARY, SO THIS JUST SHOWS THAT REPUBLICANS ARE WILLING TO DO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING TO MUCK UP THE PROCESS OF GOVERNMENT.

>> AND THAT RAISE-- THE BILL, WHICH INCLUDES THAT RAISE AMONG OTHER THINGS, ISN'T GOING TO GO ANYWHERE IN THE SENATE, RIGHT, SARAH?

>> I MEAN TO RICK'S POINT, THE OTHER THING IS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS NOT POLICING THIS BEHAVIOR OF TUPPERVILLE AND I THINK PRESIDENT BIDEN IS RIGHT IN FRAMING THIS AS A REPUBLICAN PROBLEM.

TUPPERVILLE WANTS TO MEET WITH BIDEN AND BIDEN IS REFUSING TO DO SO AND I THINK THAT'S GREAT.

AND YOU KNOW ONE OF THE FEW THINGS THAT THE SENATE EVEN DOES THESE DAYS, BECAUSE IT'S CERTAINLY NOT PASSING MAJOR LEGISLATION, IS TO APPROVE APPOINTMENTS.

AND NOW WE CAN'T EVEN DO THAT, RIGHT?

SO I SORT OF WONDER LIKE WHAT ARE THEY REALLY DOING?

WHAT ARE WE PAYING THEM FOR IF THEY CAN'T DO THE BASIC MINIMUM.

>> TUPPERVILLE WANTS TO HOLD THE POSITIONS HOSTAGE AND WANTS TO TALK WITH BIDEN.

SOUNDS LIKE A PLAYBOOK OUT OF McCARTHY'S PLAN ON BLOCKING THE DEBT CEILING BILL.

HE IS HOPING TO GET SOME KIND OF A DEAL HERE.

>> THAT'S THE NATURE OF SENATE PROCESS, THAT YOU CAN HAVE A SINGLE SENATOR EXERCISE TREMENDOUS CONTROL BECAUSE OF THE FILIBUSTER BUT I WOULD SAY IN THIS INSTANCE, WHAT TUPPERVILLE-- NOT TUPPERWARE IS DOING IS NOT ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FROM THE HYDE AMENDMENT WHICH REMAINS IN PLACE WHICH PROHIBITS THE USE OF FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ABORTIONS.

HERE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TRAVEL.

SO AS AWFUL AS HIS BACKGROUND IS AND AS AWFUL AS THE CRAZY STUFF HE SAYS ABOUT WHAT IS AND IS NOT WHITE SUPREMACY, THERE IS A LARGER STRUCTURE THAT THIS BUSHBACK AGAINST EXPANDING FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S SUPPORT FOR ABORTION IS SITUATED IN.

>> YOU KNOW, THAT IS ONE OF THE FEW THINGS ABOUT ALL OF THIS, YOU KNOW, DELAYING APPOINTMENTS, DELAYING THE ACTUAL MILITARY BUDGET, THAT'S ONE OF THE FEW THINGS WHERE THERE SHOULD BE SOME REAL ROBUST SENATE DEBATE ABOUT WHETHER THAT-- NOT WHETHER WE SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT, BUT WHETHER IT IS A VIOLATION OF THE HYDE AMENDMENT.

THAT'S WHERE THERE SHOULD BE SOME REAL SENATE DEBATE.

THE REST OF THIS IS POLITICS.

THAT'S WHAT IS SO EMBARRASSING.

OVER 60 YEARS, WHILE THERE HAS BEEN GIVE TANNED TAKE, THERE HAS BEEN BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR THE MILITARY PART OF THE BUDGET.

AND NOW EVEN THAT IS NOT SAFE, IN A SENSE.

>> THE G.O.P., RICK, YOU MENTIONED, HAD BLOCK THE NOMINATIONS AT STATE AND HAS HAPPENED AT THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL.

SO THIS IS JUST A STRATEGY.

>> YES.

>> JUST A STRATEGY TO PURSUE POLITICAL AIMS.

I WANTED TO ASK, YOU MENTIONED, NINA THAT ONE SENATOR IS DOING THIS.

HOW IS IT THAT WE HAVE A SYSTEM-- A VIEWER WROTE IN ABOUT THIS ASKING THIS VERY QUESTION.

HOW IS IT WE CAN HAVE ONE PERSON OBSTRUCT TO THIS EXTENT?

>> WELL, BECAUSE WE HAVE DIVIDED GOVERNMENT AND BECAUSE THE FOUNDING FATHERS WANTED TO ENSURE THE RIGHTS OF THE MINORITY AND SO YOU'VE GOT ALL THESE FOLKS WHO ARE PUSHING BACK AGAINST THE SENATE FILIBUSTER THAT WOULD ERODE INDIVIDUAL POWER.

I QUESTION THAT BECAUSE THE SENATE IS BECOMING MORE DIVERSE.

BUT THAT IS WHY; THAT YOU CAN HAVE ONE PERSON WHO CAN ONLY, FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, NOT PERMANENTLY, ACTUALLY BLOCK ALL OF THE OTHER 199 SENATORS.

HOWEVER, AND IMPORTANTLY, THE FILIBUSTER IS SET UP SO THAT, TO GO BACK TO MY EARLIER POINT, IT BECOMES NECESSARY TO THEN PERSUADE AT LEAST 60 SENATORS TO COME ON BOARD.

AND WE HAVE FORGOTTEN IN THIS COUNTRY THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPROMISE, OF MEETING PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE AND I DON'T KNOW THAT THAT IS POSSIBLE AND WHETHER TO GRANT ABORTION TRAVEL OR NOT, BUT CERTAINLY THAT IS WHAT THE FILIBUSTER IS ABOUT, FORCING COMPROMISE.

>> SO THIS IDEA OF COMPROMISE AND MEETING PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE IS A PERFECT SEGUE INTO OUR NEXT SIGNIFICANT SEGMENT.

THE CENTRIST GROUP NO LABELS HAS BEEN GETTING A LOT OF INK LATELY.

THIS WEEK SENATOR JOE MANCHIN WENT TO NEW HAMPSHIRE, OF ALL PLACES, TO FORMALLY RELEASE THE GROUP'S POLICY PROPOSALS.

NO LABELS IS CALLING FOR BI-PARTISAN 'COMMON SENSE" POLICIES BECAUSE IT SAYS BOTH PARTIES HAVE GONE TO EXTREMES.

THE NEW HAMPSHIRE EVENT SURE FELT LIKE A 3RD PARTY GETTING READY TO RUN A CANDIDATE IN NEXT YEAR'S ELECTION.

MANCHIN WOULD MOST LIKELY BE THE CANDIDATE.

WHAT'S HE UP TO--SHOULD BIDEN AND THE DEMOCRATS BE CONCERNED?

BECAUSE A MARCHIN CANDIDACY WOULD BE MORE LIKELY TO HELP HIS OPPONENT?

>> HAVE I TWO BETTER NAMES.

ONE IS CALLED THE WOLVES OF WALL STREET PARTY AND THE OTHER IS CALLED THE REVOLVING DOOR PARTY, RIGHT?

LET'S LOOK AT ITS HISTORY.

13 YEARS AGO WHEN IT WAS LAUNCHED, THEY ACTIVELY QUOTED THE AMERICAN OLIGARCHS, DAVID KOCH, HANK GREENBERG, DAVID THIELE AND MICHAEL BLOOMBERG WAS FLIRTING WITH THIS SO CALLED NO LABELS PARTY.

SO TO ME, AS A POLITICAL SCIENTIST WHEN I OBSERVE THIS, IT IS NOTHING BUT A POST PARTISAN REBRANDING AND THAT IS BASICALLY ABOUT POLITICALLY SAFEGUARDING WELL DEFINED FINANCIAL INTERESTS AND MASQUERADING AS FRIENDS OF THE PEOPLE.

>> WAIT A SECOND.

THOSE PEOPLE, SURE, IT RECRUITED THOSE PEOPLE, OBVIOUSLY EXTREMELY WEALTHY.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH GETTING WEALTHY DONORS TO START YOUR NEW PARTY?

>> WELL, I DON'T THINK THERE IS A LEGAL PROBLEM BUT THE PROBLEM WITH HAVING WEIGHTY DONORS TO BACK YOUR PARTY IS THAT YOU ARE BEHOLDEN TO WEALTHY DONORS.

THAT'S HOW WEALTH WORKS IN THE WORLD, RIGHT?

AND YOU KNOW, I READ THE PARTY PLATFORM.

IF YOU CAN CALL IT A PLATFORM.

ALTHOUGH I THINK THE PLATFORM IS DOING A LOT OF HEAVY LIFTING THERE.

BLAND STUFF LIKE OUR LEADERS MUST TAKE ACTION TO GET HEALTHCARE COSTS UNDER CONTROL; TO GIVE ALL AMERICANS ACCESS TO QUALITY HEALTHCARE AND REDUCE OUR DEBT.

WE ALREADY DO THAT.

THERE IS NOTHING WITH FREE HEALTHCARE FOR PEOPLE.

WHICH IS SUPPORTED BY A MAJORITY OF AMERICANS.

EDUCATION COSTS BEING LOWERED IS SUPPORTED BY MAJORITY OF AMERICANS.

SO THEY'RE BASICALLY RIGHT OF CENTER PARTY MADE OUT OF, I DON'T KNOW, BOYS CLUB OF BILLIONAIRES, AND I DON'T THINK BIDEN SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT THAT.

AMERICAN PEOPLE CAN SEE THROUGH THIS LEFT, RIGHT AND CENTER.

AND COMPLETELY REJECT THIS PARTY OUT OF HAND.

SO I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT IT.

I'M WORRIED ABOUT THEM.

>> TARA.

>> I WOULD DISAGREE WITH YOU.

I THINK THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY CERTAINLY PRESIDENT BIDEN AS OUR FRONT RUNNER FOR RIGHT NOW, I THINK HE SHOULD BE VERY WORRIED BECAUSE POLLS HAVE SHOWN THAT-- AND IN FACT THE NO LABELS PARTY ITSELF KNOWS IF THERE IS A CENTRIST CANDIDATE PUT INTO THE MIX WITH BIDEN AND TRUMP, MORE THAN LIKELY THE VOTES THAT ARE GOING TO BE TAKEN AWAY ARE GOING TO BE TAKEN AWAY FROM PRESIDENT BIDEN AND THAT WILL GIVE THE ELECTION TO TRUMP.

>> SO DO YOU THINK MARCH MANCHIN REALLY WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT?

>> NO, I DON'T THINK HE WANTS TO BE PRESIDENT.

I THINK HE WANTS TO BE THE KING MAKER.

AND MANY TIMES THERE IS MUCH MORE POWER IF YOU ARE THE KING MAKER.

AND I THINK THAT'S THE POINT OF HAVING THE BILLIONAIRE SUPPORTERS BEHIND THE NO LABELS ORGANIZATION.

THAT'S THE POINT BEHIND GETTING THE NO LABELS PARTY ON THE BALLOT IS TO BASICALLY SAY, OKAY, WE WANT TO SHOW YOU WHAT CAN HAPPEN, AND I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW MUCH INFLUENCE I HAVE.

SO EITHER PRESIDENT BIDEN, YOU ARE GOING TO MOVE MOVE TOWARDS THE POLICIES THAT I SUPPORT OR WE ARE GOING TO UP END YOU AND TRUMP BECOMES PRESIDENT AGAIN.

>> RICK, DO WE NEED A THIRD PARTY OR JUST BETTER CANDIDATES?

>> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, I'M NOT SURE THAT MANCHIN REALLY IS GOING TO RUN AS PRESIDENT.

THIS COULD BE A STRATEGY TO HELP HIM BE RE-ELECTED TO HIS SENATE SEAT.

HAVE YOU TO REMEMBER HE IS RUNNING IN A STATE THAT WENT 70-30 FOR TRUMP.

AND SO IT'S UNUSUAL THAT YOU WOULD SEE A DEMOCRAT BECOME SENATOR.

SO THIS IS A VERY GOOD WAY THAT HE CAN TRY TO SEND A SIGNAL THAT HE IS WILLING TO STAND UP TO BIDEN EVEN THOUGH, ON THE RECORD, HE HAS VOTED WITH BIDEN 88% OF THE TIME.

YOU KNOW, I THINK THE DEMOCRATS SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT THIS.

I THINK THEIR POSITIONS, NO LABELS, ARE A LITTLE LEFT OF CENTER.

AS I READ THEM, THEY HAVE A LITTLE MORE IN COMMON WITH WHAT MODERN DEMOCRATS WOULD LIKE WHICH MEANS THEY WOULD TAKE MORE DEMOCRATIC VOTERS AWAY.

THE OTHER ISSUE THAT WORRIES ME THOUGH IS THE ONE NAME THAT WE DO KNOW THAT'S BEHIND THE FUNDING THERE IS CROW, HARLAN CROW, WHO IS, YOU KNOW,CLARENCE THOMAS' BEST FRIEND.

SO THERE IS... [LAUGHTER] SO THERE IS SOME FEAR THAT WHILE THE PEOPLE OUT FRONT ARE MODERATES, THE MONEY DRIVING THEM MAY BE FAR RIGHT REPUBLICANS, KNOWING THAT THIS PARTY WILL BRING THE PRESIDENCY TO THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.

>> SARAH.

>> YEAH, WELL I REALLY TAKE ISSUE WITH THEIR CLAIM THAT BOTH PARTIES HAVE GONE TO THE EXTREMES.

I MEAN THERE IS A LOT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE RESEARCH THAT SHOWS THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY, ESPECIALLY IN CONGRESS, HAS MOVED FURTHER TO THE RIGHT THAN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS MOVED TO THE LEFT.

AND YET THE MEDIA REPEATS THIS IDEA, THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SEEM TO THINK IT'S TRUE.

BUT THE TRUTH IS THAT THE MODERATE MIDDLE IS REALLY SOMEWHERE BETWEEN JOE MANCHIN AND ALEXANDRIA CORTEZ.

IT'S WITHIN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY AND THAT'S PARTLY BECAUSE REPUBLICAN PARTY, THE FACTION WITHIN THAT, THE MEGA FACTION HAS BECOME SO EXTREME THAT THEY DON'T EVEN SUPPORT BASIC TENETS OF DEMOCRACY.

HOW DO YOU COMPROMISE ON DEMOCRACY, RIGHT?

AND BECAUSE THEY HAVE MOVED SO FAR TO THE RIGHT, THE COMPROMISE POSITION IS A FAIRLY CONSERVATIVE POSITION ON A LOT OF THESE ISSUES.

IF YOU TAKE ABORTION AS AN EXAMPLE, MOST OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC SUPPORTED A ROE V. WADE WHICH WAS A COMPROMISE, IT WAS MORE OR LESS 24 WEEKS IN WHICH ABORTION WAS LEGAL AND RESTRICTIONS AFTER THAT BUT YOU HAVE REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS PASSING SIX-WEEK BANS SO THE COMPROMISE LOOKS LIKE 12 WEEKS WHICH IS NOT WHAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT AND IS A PRETTY EXTREME POSITION.

SO I JUST THINK THEIR WHOLE, YOU KNOW, THEIR WHOLE SPIEL ABOUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS AND MISLEADING.

>> I ACTUALLY WOULD DISAGREE WITH YOU, SARAH, AND NOT THINKING ABOUT ABORTION, WHICH I THINK YOU MIGHT BE RIGHT ABOUT.

YOU CAN'T REALLY SPLIT THE BABY AND CALL IT A MODERATE POSITION.

BUT THERE ARE SOME LEFT WING CRAZIES WITHIN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

I DON'T WANT TO CALL ANY NAMES, BUT THE IDEA THAT YOU WANT TO TELL ME THAT I CAN'T HAVE BURGERS ANYMORE BECAUSE YOU WANT TO GET RID OF COWS AND YOU ARE NOW CALLING THE STATE OF ISRAEL AND RACIST STATE, ONE OF THE U.S.' LONGEST AND CLOSEST ALLIES AND A NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS THAT THEY'VE SAID AND DONE THAT DO PAINT THEM AS JUST WAY OUT THERE.

I THINK MANCHIN'S GOALS HAVE LITTLE TO DO WITH HIS OWN CAREER, AT LEAST NOT AS MUCH AS IT HAS TO DO WITH WHAT THE PARTY IS SAYING, TO ENSURE THAT-- AND I DON'T WANT TO PUT A LABEL ON THEM AGAIN, NO LABELS, BUT THE CRAZIES DON'T PUSH BIDEN TO A POINT WHERE THE PARTY COULD LOSE.

NOW I DON'T THINK THAT MANCHIN IS GOING TO THROW HIS HAT IN THE RING.

I THINK HE CARES TOO MUCH ABOUT AMERICAN PUBLIC POLICY, AND ABOUT THE PARTY AS WELL.

I THINK WHAT HE IS DOING IS GIVING BIDEN COVER TO NOT GO WHERE OTHERS WANT HIM TO GO AND HE HAS BEEN QUITE SUCCESSFUL.

HE HAS A TRACK RECORD THERE IN HELPING TO REIN IN SOME OF THE RAMPANT SPENDING THAT OF COURSE STARTED WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION BUT AMPED UP UNDER THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.

WHAT WE HAVE NOT TALKED ABOUT SO FAR, BECAUSE THIS IS A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE NO LABEL PARTY IS THE GREEN PARTY THAT NOW HAS CORNEL WEST.

I THINK THAT WHAT CORNEL WEST IS GOING TO DO THERE IS PUT THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT RACE BACK ON THE TABLE AND, IN A WAY THAT IS MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL, THAN TALKING ABOUT WHETHER TO CAPITALIZE THE B IN BLACK AND WHETHER OR NOT TO PRONOUNCE THE VICE PRESIDENT'S NAME CORRECTLY AND ALL OF THIS OTHER ABSOLUTELY IRRELEVANT AND INSANE STUFF SO THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS GOING ON HERE.

AND IF THEY WERE TO RUN, COULD THEY DO DAMAGE?

YEAH BECAUSE BIDEN AND TRUMP ARE NOW NECK AND NECK.

AND THE POLLS SHOW THAT THAT'S WITHIN THE MARGIN OF ERROR.

SO, YEAH, THIS IS MORE THAN JUST ABOUT MANCHIN.

>> I DO THINK THAT, YES, I AGREE THAT IT MIGHT BE THAT BIDEN HAS MORE OF A CORNEL WEST PROBLEM THAN A JOE MANCHIN PROBLEM, AT LEAST IN TERMS OF THE NO LABELS PARTY.

COMING BACK TO THE PREVIOUS DISCUSSION, I DO THINK THE UNITED STATES NEEDS MORE THAN TWO PARTIES.

THERE IS-- WE ARE SEEING THIS COMING AGAIN.

IT'S JUST BECAUSE OF THE PASS THE VOTING SYSTEM BUT WE CAN CHANGE IT BY MAKING IT LIKE NEBRASKA DID WITH THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE VOTES.

SO THERE IS A NEED FOR OTHER PARTIES THAT ARE FEELING THAT THEY'RE NOT AT HOME EITHER IN THE REPUBLICAN OR THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY FOR WHATEVER REASONS THEY MIGHT BE.

>> I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH THAT BUT THE PROBLEM IS NO THE NO LABELS IS NOT DOING THAT.

THEY'RE NOT ASKING FOR STRUCTURAL CHANGES THAT WOULD ACTUALLY LEAD TO MORE CHOICE.

SO I DON'T THINK THEY'RE SERIOUS.

>> SO IS THE PARTY, PERHAPS, MORE ABOUT MAINTAINING-- THE NO LABELS GROUP-- MORE ABOUT MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO, SARAH BASED ON WHAT YOU WERE SAYING THAN ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, SHAKING THINGS UP?

>> I THINK PEOPLE ARE REALLY FLUMMOXED ABOUT WHAT THEY'RE ACTUALLY TRYING TO DO.

THEY SAY THEY'RE SERIOUS ABOUT WINNING BUT THEY'RE JUST TOTALLY IGNORING HISTORY AND FACTS AND THE FACTS IS THEY CAN'T WIN.

THIRD PARTIES CANNOT WIN IN OUR SYSTEM BECAUSE OF THE STRUCTURAL ISSUES.

SOME PEOPLE SAY, LIKE, YEAH, IT'S REALLY AN ATTEMPT TO GET TRUMP BACK IN THE WHITE HOUSE, TO PEEL VOTES OUT OF BIDEN.

I DON'T THINK WE REALLY KNOW WHAT THEIR PURPOSE IS.

>> THERE IS STILL A CHANCE.

THEY HAVE NOT SAID THEY WILL RUN SOMEONE.

THEY STILL SAID THAT THEY COULD ENDORSE ONE OF THE TWO CANDIDATES.

THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE.

I THINK THERE IS A ZERO PERCENT CHANCE REGARDLESS OF THE MONEY BEHIND THEM THAT THEY WOULD EVER ENDORSE TRUMP.

I DO THINK THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE THEY COULD END UP COMING DOWN AND ENDORSING BIDEN.

>> THAT BRINGS US TO A NEW LABEL CALLED THE BLACK MAIL PARTY F. YOU DON'T PROTECT MY FINANCIAL INTERESTS, I'LL NOT ENDORSE YOU AND SO ON.

IT'S MORE LIKE A BLACK MAIL MECHANISM THAN A PARTY MECHANISM >> DONALD TRUMP HAS BIG PLANS IF HE RETURNS TO THE WHITE HOUSE.

THE NEW YORK TIMES RAN A PIECE THIS WEEK OUTLINING TRUMP'S PLANS TO CONCENTRATE POWER IN THE OVAL OFFICE, GIVING HIM GREATER AUTHORITY OVER INDEPENDENT FEDERAL AGENCIES AS WELL AS THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT.

THE TIMES REPORT IS BASED ON ON-THE RECORD INTERVIEWS WITH HIS AIDES, AS WELL AS CAMPAIGN STATEMENTS.

THE PLAN IS ALSO BEING PUSHED BY DOZENS OF CONVERSATIVE GROUPS AS A WAY TO TAKE BACK POWER FROM WHAT THEY CALL THE ADMINISTRATIVE STATE.

THERE ARE A COUPLE IDEAS AT PLAY HERE •TRUMP'S QUEST FOR PERSONAL POWER, BUT ALSO THIS IDEA OF CURTAILING INDEPENDENT ARMS OF GOVERNMENT.

SHOULD THE "ADMINISTRATIVE STATE" BE REINED IN?

>> WELL, FIRST LET'S SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE UNITARIAN EXECUTIVE THEORY, WHICH IS PART OF THIS.

AS YOU SAID, THE PRESIDENT HAS COMPLETE CONTROL OVER THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH THAT WOULD INCLUDE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION AND I THINK OMINOUSLY, THE FEDERAL RESERVE BANK.

CONGRESS CREATED THESE INDEPENDENT AGENCIES AND GAVE THEM SOME OF THEIR POWER.

BUT THEY RETAINED CONTROL OVER THEIR BUDGETS AND WHILE THEY ALLOW THE PRESIDENT TO NAME THE HEADS OF THESE AGENCIES, YOU KNOW, CONGRESS DOES PUT LIMITS ON HOW THE PRESIDENT CAN FIRE THESE PEOPLE.

THEY NEED CAUSE.

UNDER THIS EXECUTIVE THEORY, THE PRESIDENT WOULD HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL AND TAKE THAT AWAY FROM CONGRESS.

IN ADDITION, THE EXECUTIVE, THE PRESIDENT, CAN IMPOUND FUNDS WHICH MEANS NOT SPEND FUNDS THAT CONGRESS HAS APPROPRIATED FOR PROGRAMS.

NIXON TRIED TO DO THIS AND WAS REBUFFED BY CONGRESS.

BUT NOW TRUMP IS SAYING HE WILL DO THIS AGAIN.

HE ALSO WANTS TO DO AWAY WITH THE PROTECTIONS OF CIVIL SERVICE AND WANTS TO BE ABLE TO HIRE AND FIRE AT WILL USING WHAT HE HAS CALLED LOYALTY TESTS TO DETERMINE WHO SHOULD BE IN OUR INTELLIGENCE AGENCIES AND THE LIKE.

SO I THINK THIS GOES WAY BEYOND JUST CONTROLLING WHAT THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION DOES.

AND THIS REALLY COMES DOWN TO TRUMP WANTING COMPLETE POWER.

>> SO TARA, IS THIS JUST TURNING BACK THE CLOCK TO PRE-F.D.R.

DAYS IN TERMS OF THE POWER OF FEDERAL AGENCIES AND EVEN HAVING FEDERAL AGENCIES?

>> SOMEWHAT IT WOULD BE TURNING BACK THE CLOCK, BUT EVEN IN OUR EARLIEST DAYS, WITH THE FIRST CONGRESS, THERE WERE CERTAIN LIMITS THAT WERE IN PLACE ON THE PRESIDENT AND THE PRESIDENT'S ABILITY TO COMPLETELY CONTROL EVERY ASPECT OF THE GOVERNMENT.

AND EVERY COMPONENT OF WHO WAS HIRED FOR THE GOVERNMENT.

SO I THINK THIS GOES BEYOND ANYTHING THAT WAS ENVISIONED BY THE FOUNDING FATHERS.

>> OKAY.

SARAH?

>> I WANT TO FIRST GIVE CREDIT TO "THE NEW YORK TIMES" FOR PUTTING THIS ON THEIR FRONT PAGE BECAUSE I THINK SO MUCH OF THE COVERAGE OF CAMPAIGNS IS ABOUT THE HORSE RACE ASPECTS AND NOT REALLY ABOUT THE STAKES THAT ARE INVOLVED.

AND I THINK THIS HIGHLIGHTS REALLY HOW IMPORTANT THIS ELECTION IS GOING TO BE.

AND, YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT TO RICK'S POINT, THERE ARE SOME LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW ACCOUNTABLE THE BUREAUCRACY IS TO THE PUBLIC.

IT'S HUGE.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYS TWO MILLION PEOPLE.

THESE AGENCIES HAVE A LOT OF OFTEN TIMES CONTROL OVER OUR LIVES AND OUR COMMUNITIES.

AND PRESIDENTS FROM BOTH PARTIES HAVE TRIED TO CONSOLIDATE PARTY IN THE WHITE HOUSE AND GET SOME KIND OF CONTROL OVER BUREAUCRACIES; BOTH AS I SAID BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS.

SO THEY HAVE ENLARGED THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT TO REVIEW RULES AND REGULATIONS AND THEY HAVE THICKENED THE LAYER OF POLITICAL APPOINTEES.

SO THOSE ARE LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS, BUT TRUMP IS NOT INTERESTED IN GIVING POWER BACK TO THE PEOPLE, AS RICK SAID, HE IS REALLY INTERESTED IN GETTING REVENGE ON HIS ENEMIES AND PLAY OUT HIS OWN PERSONAL GRIEVANCES.

AND IT COULD HAVE A REALLY DELETERIOUS EFFECT ON THE BUREAUCRACY, THE E.P.A.

WAS DEVASTATED AFTER REAGAN PUT IN TONS OF POLITICAL APPOINTEES, PEOPLE LEFT IN DROVES, THEY WERE VERY DISCOURAGED.

AND I CAN JUST SEE THAT HAPPENING IF THIS IS THE CASE.

>> IN THIS CASE, NINA, IT'S NOT JUST TRUMP'S DESIRE TO CONSOLIDATE POWER, ALTHOUGH THAT'S CLEARLY THERE.

BUT ALSO THE G.O.P.

ESTABLISHMENT IS BASICALLY SIGNING ON TO THIS WITH THIS PROJECT 2025 AS THEY'RE CALLING IT.

>> THAT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME BECAUSE THEY'RE THINKING SHORT-TERM, THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT SHIFTING POWER IN THE PRESENT MOMENT.

BUT I DO THINK ALL OF THIS IS OCCURRING WITHIN A MUCH LARGER POLITICAL AND HISTORICAL CONTEXT ALLUDING BACK TO SOMETHING YOU MENTIONED, DAVE, THAT THERE IS A SORT OF GRADUAL EXPANSION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE STATE THAT GOES BACK TO THE ROOSEVELT YEARS.

WHY DID THAT HAPPEN?

BECAUSE GOVERNMENT TOOK ON MORE PROBLEMS, MORE CONCERNS, NECESSARILY SO BECAUSE OF THE KINDS OF CRISES AND ISSUES THAT WE HAVE FACED AND BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HAS VERY DEEP POCKETS THAT STATES DON'T HAVE AND SO THE GOVERNMENT CAN DO MORE.

HOWEVER, THERE IS ANOTHER PIECE TO THIS, AND THAT IS EVERY TIME CONGRESS PASSES A LAW, EVERY TYPE TIME CONGRESS AUTHORIZES SOMETHING, IT LEAVES IT TO AGENCIES TO WORK OUT THE DETAILS, RIGHT?

CONGRESS CAN AGREE ON THE DOS AND THE DON'TS BUT AIS TO IMPLEMENTATION, GUIDELINES, REGULATIONS, IT HAS LEFT THOSE RESPONSIBILITIES TO AGENCIES.

AND SO PART OF ENSURING THAT THERE ISN'T AN UNUSUAL CONSOLIDATION OF POWER ON THE PART OF TRUMP, OF ALL PEOPLE, IS FOR CONGRESS TO DO MORE LEGISLATING AND LESS DELEGATING.

>> THAT SWINGS BACK TO THE IDEA OF THE MAJOR QUESTIONS DOCTRINE WHICH I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT A FEW WEEKS AGO, WHICH THE COURT IS BASICALLY USING THE SUPREME COURT TO CURTAIL ITSELF SOME OF THE POWER OF THE AGENCIES.

AND JUSTICE BARRETT HAS BEEN A BIG PART OF THAT.

>> THAT GOES BACK TO THE 1952 DECISION YOUNG STOWN SHEEP COMPANY VERSUS SAWYER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, WHERE THE COURT SAID, JUST AFTER WORLD WAR II HAD HUM TO A-- HAD COME TO A CLOSE THAT CONGRESS WENT TOO FAR IN DELEGATING TO THE TRUMAN ADMINISTRATION THE POWER TO SEIZE CONTROL OF STEEL PRODUCING COMPANIES IN ORDER TO HELP THE WAR EFFORT AND SO YES, THERE IS A LEGAL DIMENSION HERE ROOTED IN WHAT IS THE POWER WITHIN ARTICLE 1 OF THE CONSTITUTION DEALING WITH LEGISLATIVE POWERS VERSUS THE POWERS OF THE EXECUTIVE IN ARTICLE 2 AND YES I THINK THERE IS A SPACE WHERE WHERE THAT CAN BE CORRECTED.

>> THE CORNERSTONE OF DEMOCRACY SEPARATING AND SHARING POWER AND I THINK THIS MOVE BY DONALD TRUMP AND HIS ACOLYTES I THINK IT'S MORE ABOUT AGGRANDIZING POWER TO THEMSELVES IN THE SAME LINE OF OTHER DICTATORS OR WANNA BE DICTATOR THAT WE ARE SEEING, BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, FOR EXAMPLE, SO MANY, SO I SEE HIM AS SOMETHING NOT AS A MESSIAH THAT IS GOING TO DISMANTLE THIS AND RETURN POWER BACK TO THE PEOPLE.

THIS IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.

HE IS A NARCISSISTIC SERIAL SEXUAL PREDATOR.

HE IS GOING TO AGGRANDIZE MORE AND MORE POWER TO HIMSELF AND PURGE HIS ENEMIES LIKE STALLIN DID AT ONE POINT IN TIME OR McCARTHY IN THE UNITED STATES AND HE IS WITHIN THAT TRADITION OF AGGRANDIZING POWER TO HIMSELF AND TO HIS ACOLYTES TO CREATE A SORT OF NON-DEMOCRATIC AUTHORITARIAN RULE WHERE HE SEES HIMSELF TO BE THE KING.

THAT'S HIS MOTIVE.

>> THAT'S HIS MOTIVE.

BUT THE OTHER GROUP... >> WHAT OTHER GROUP OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS THERE, DAVE?

WHICH OTHER GROUP IS THERE IN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY?

THEY'RE ALL BEHOLDEN TO THIS GUY.

>> IF HE IS RE-ELECTED-- IF HE IS ELECTED, EXCUSE ME, HE WILL ONLY BE PRESIDENT FOR FOUR YEARS, SO THE CONSERVATIVE DONORS, I MEAN THEY'RE SHOOTING FOR SOMETHING BIGGER BUT MAYBE HE IS THEIR TOOL TO DO THAT.

>> THEY'RE GOING TO DO WHATEVER THEY NEED TO IN THE SHORT RUN.

LOOK AT WHAT KEVIN McCARTHY GAVE UP IN ORDER TO BE, TO GET HIS ROLE.

HE WAS ABLE TO BASICALLY GIVE AWAY ALL OF HIS POWER TO SEVEN OR EIGHT PEOPLE, ALL RIGHT, JUST BECAUSE HE WANTED THAT NOW SO BADLY.

I THINK THAT'S THE SHORT SIGHTEDNESS THAT THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS SHOWING IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

>> AND NOW THE FREEDOM CAUCUS IS TURNING ON HIM.

THEY KICKED OUT MARJORIE GREEN TAYLOR.

I THINK THERE ARE MORE DIFFERENCES WITHIN THE REPUBLICAN PARTY THAN WE HAVE TIME TO TALK ABOUT.

MAYBE THAT SHOULD BE A TOPIC LATER.

>> I THINK THAT SHOULD BE A TOPIC.

>> NOW, THE POST COVID LEARNING GAP FOR AMERICAN STUDENTS IS NOT SHRINKING.

THAT'S ACCORDING TO A RECENT STUDY FROM THE CENTER FOR SCHOOL AND STUDENT PROGRESS.

PROGRESS IN MATH AND READING SKILLS STALLED LAST YEAR FOR ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, DESPITE HUGE FEDERAL OUTLAYS TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM.

THE REPORT CONCLUDES NEED AN EXTRA FOUR AND A HALF MONTHS OF INSTRUCTION TIME TO CATCH UP TO PRE-COVID LEVELS.

WAS IT A MISTAKE TO LIMIT IN-PERSON SCHOOL DURING THE PANDEMIC?

AND STAY WITH REMOTE LEARNING DURING THE PANDEMIC.

>> IT WAS NOT.

FIRST AND FOREMOST WE KNEAD TO REMEMBER THAT HINDSIGHT IS 2020 AND THE TIME WE WERE IN THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC, AT THE TIME THAT THOSE DECISIONS WERE BEING MADE, WE HAD NO IDEA, YOU KNOW, HOW THE PANDEMIC WAS GOING TO PLAY OUT.

WE HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING HOW MANY LIVES WERE SAVED BY GOING TO REMOTE LEARNING.

AND JUST TO PUT THAT IN CONTEXT, 15.6 MILLION CHILDREN TESTED POSITIVE FOR COVID FROM THE TIME SORT OF WE FIRST BECAME AWARE OF IT AND WENT TO REMOTE LEARNING UNTIL MAY OF 2023.

OUT OF THAT, BLESSEDLY ONLY 1847 DEATHS OCCURRED BUT STILL, WOULD ANYONE WANTED THEIR CHILD TO BE ONE OF THOSE 1847 DEATHS?

THAT ACCORDING TO THE CDC?

SO TO SAY THAT IT WAS WRONG TO GO TO REMOTE LEARNING, I JUST DON'T THINK WE CAN DO THAT BASED ON WHAT WE KNEW AT THAT TIME.

BUT THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT WHEN WE WENT TO REMOTE LEARNING, BECAUSE IT SORT OF HAD TO BE DONE ON THE FLY AS IT WERE, THERE WAS SUCH VARIATION IN WHAT THAT REMOTE LEARNING WAS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE DISCUSSED MANY TIMES ON THIS SHOW THE PROBLEMS WITH, YOU KNOW, ACCESS TO THE INTERNET, ACCESS TO THE TECHNOLOGY, TO UTILIZE THE INTERNET, ET CETERA.

I DON'T WANT TO GO DOWN THAT WHOLE ROAD.

THE OTHER ISSUE THAT WE ARE FACING, HOWEVER, IS THERE WERE SUCH VARIATIONS IN WHAT REMOTE LEARNING WAS SUPPOSED TO BE AND WHETHER THAT REMOTE LEARNING COMPLETELY STOPPED ONCE WE WENT BACK FACE TO FACE BECAUSE-- AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE DON'T ADDRESS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT POST-COVID-19 BUT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT THE FACT THAT THERE ARE STILL VARIATIONS IN TERMS OF REMOTE LEARNING.

IS IT BEING USED WHEN A STUDENT IS ABSENT OR WHEN A STUDENT HAS BEEN SUSPENDED.

SO THERE ARE SO PROBLEMS.

THE OTHER PROBLEMS ARE THAT, BECAUSE OF COVID, THIS WERE RELATED PROBLEMS.

THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS WHO, YOU KNOW, HAD TO LEAVE THE CLASSROOM FOR VARYING REASONS, EITHER THEY HAD COVID, SOMEONE IN THEIR FAMILY HAD COVID, ET CETERA, WE WERE STILL OR DEALING WITH THAT EVEN ONCE WE WENT BACK TO FACE-TO-FACE LEARNING.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF PROBLEMS THAT HAVE INFLUENCED THAT ACHIEVEMENT GAP.

>> SO THAT TEACHER SHORTAGE, I MEAN THAT LED TO A TEACHER SHORTAGE.

THAT'S A REAL AND ONGOING PROBLEM.

WE JUST DON'T SIMPLY HAVE ENOUGH TO HELP THEM CATCH UP.

SARAH IS THAT... >> I TOTALLY AGREE WITH THAT, WITH WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT THAT, TARA BUT I SORT OF DISAGREE WITH YOUR FIRST POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE COULDN'T HAVE KNOWN BETTER.

I THINK INITIALLY IN EARLY 2020, WE DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER AND SOAP I UNDERSTAND THE DECISION TO GO TO REMOTE LEARNING, BUT THE PROBLEM IS WE DIDN'T LEARN.

WE DIDN'T LOOK AT THE DATA.

WE DIDN'T LEARN.

AND THEN CHANGE OUR BEHAVIOR FAST ENOUGH, ESPECIALLY I HAVE TO SAY IN BLUE STATES, RIGHT, AND IN BIG CITIES, URBANNERS.

AND I THINK THE LEFT NEEDS TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS; THAT THEY OFTEN SAY THEY'RE INTERESTED IN SCIENCE AND USING DATA DRIVEN POLICY DECISIONS.

THEY'RE WILLING AND OPEN TO NEW INFORMATION AND CHANGING THEIR MINDS, BOUGHT A LOT OF PEOPLE DUG IN ON THIS ISSUE OF REMOTE LEARNING.

AND I KNOW IN MY SCHOOL DISTRICT, MY DAUGHTER WAS DOING PARTIAL REMOTE LEARNING FOR A LONG TIME, WAY PAST WHEN IT FELT REALLY NECESSARY.

AND WE SHOULD HAVE LOOKED TO EUROPE, WE SHOULD HAVE LOOKED TO THE STATES THAT GOT RID OF REMOTE LEARNING AND WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN COLLECTING DATA AND MAKING DATA DRIVEN SCIENCE DECISION.

>> THERE IS A CERTAIN GOVERNOR IN FLORIDA WHO WOULD POINT VERY STRONGLY TO THEIR RECORD IN KEEPING KIDS IN CLASS.

>> IT WILL BE INTERESTING TO KNOW, I READ THE REPORT, ABOUT THE FAILURE IN TERMS OF THESE GRADES IN MATH AND THINGS.

WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT STATES, PARSE THE DATA AND SEE WHETHER THE STUDENTS IN STATES WHERE THEY WENT BACK TO TRADITIONAL TEACHING QUICKER, WHETHER THEY DID BETTER ARE NOT.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN TELL STORIES BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THE DATA SET USED TO MAKE THESE CLAIMS ABOUT THE LOSS OF KNOWLEDGE BROKEN DOWN SO THAT WE COULD COME UP WITH THAT.

BUT STILL, WE CAN'T GO BACK.

SO WE NEED TO, I THINK, TALK MORE ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO NOW.

AND I THINK I'M KIND OF SKEPTICAL THAT THE MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS, YOU KNOW, STUPTH AND FAMILIES-- STUDENTS AND FAMILIES, TEACHERS AND TAXPAYERS ARE REALLY WILLING TO ENTERTAIN MUCH OF ANY SACRIFICE IN ORDER TO OVERCOME THIS BECAUSE CLEARLY WHAT WE FEED NOW IS TO COMPENSATE MORE TIME GOING PERHAPS FROM 180 TO 200 DAYS A YEAR IN INSTRUCTION FOR AT LEAST AN EXTRA THREE OR FOUR YEARS IN ORDER TO CATCH UP.

I'M SURE THAT THAT IS A NON-STARTER RIGHT AWAY.

BUT IF WE ARE NOT EVEN WILLING TO DO THAT, YEAH, WE CAN ARGUE ABOUT WHAT CAUSED THIS BUT HOW ARE WE GOING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM?

>> THAT'S THE QUESTION IS WHAT CAN WE DO TO ADDRESS THE GAP?

>> THIS PROBLEM WITH STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES AND BEING WORSE AND WORSE OVER THE YEARS, PANDEMIC EXACERBATED IT BUT THE TREND STARTED A LONG TIME BACK.

AND, OF COURSE, I WANT TO COMMEND ALL THE TEACHERS AND WHO HAVE DONE BRILLIANT WORK.

WE COULD HAVE NOPE EARLY ON THAT , YOU KNOW,-- WE FAILED TO LEARN.

WE COULD HAVE SENT THE KIDS BACK KNOWING THE KIDS ARE LESS WILLING TO GET HARMED THROUGH THIS DISEASE BUT TARA AS YOU POINT OUT, IF IT IS YOUR CHILD, DO YOU WANT TO BE THE STATISTIC OF 1800 SOME KIDS DYING?

THAT'S A HAZY SITUATION.

WAS I WANT TO SAY IS WHAT PEOPLE REALLY DON'T TALK ABOUT.

WHY IS IT THAT IN THE WEALTHIEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD, THE SCHOOL THAT YOU CAN GO TO IS DEPENDING UPON YOUR PARENTS INCOMES?

WHY AREN'T WE ASKING THIS QUESTION.

WE SEE ALL THESE DOGMATIC ECONOMISTS ON THE SUPPLY SIDE, THEY WANT TO GIVE TAX BREAKS TO COMPANIES, THEY WANT TO, SUPPLY SIDE ECONOMICS BUT GIVING LABOR A CHANCE, GOOD HEALTH, GOOD EDUCATION OUTCOMES FOR EVERY STUDENT NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE BORN OR WHAT PROPERTY TAX YOUR PARENTS PAY.

THAT IS A CORNERSTONE OF A GOOD DEVELOPED SOCIETY WITH RESILIENT EDUCATION SYSTEM SO MY THING WOULD BE TAKE THE HARD-- LET'S TALK ABOUT.

THIS WE CAN PUT BAND-AID METHODS BUT THE LONGER PART IS NOT TO HYPERVENTILATE ABOUT CHINA AND ACTUALLY LEARN FROM CHINA AND OTHER COUNTRIES THAT HAVE INVESTED TREMENDOUSLY IN THEIR EDUCATION SYSTEM TO ADDRESS THE SUPPLY SIDE ISSUES AND HAVE CREATED A BETTER OUTCOME FOR THEIR STUDENTS.

SO WHY ARE WE STILL IN A SOCIETY WHERE CHILDREN GROW UP IN EXRETLY UNEQUAL SCHOOL SYSTEMS?

CAN WE ASK THAT QUESTION?

>> REPUBLICANS WOULD ARGUE THAT THAT IS WHAT THEY'RE SUPPORTING, CHARTER SCHOOLS, GIVING PEOPLE DOLLARS SO THEY CAN GO AND SHOP AROUND FOR THE BEST SCHOOLS.

I MEAN THEY WOULD PROBABLY JUMP ON WHAT YOU SAY AND AGREE.

>> DO YOU HAVE TIME?

WELL, YOU KNOW, I AGREE THAT WE DO NEED TO CHANGE THE FORMULA THAT WE USE TO FUND SCHOOLS.

IT SHOULD ACCOUNT BE BASED ON WHERE PEOPLE LIVE AND HOW MUCH MONEY THEY HAVE TO LIVE WHERE THEY ARE AND IT SHOULDN'T BE BASED JUST ON THE LOCAL ECONOMY BECAUSE EDUCATION NOW AFFECTS SO MUCH ABOUT THE NATIONAL ECONOMY AND PERHAPS EVEN NATIONAL SECURITY.

WHAT I WILL SAY IS THIS, TO A POINT THAT I THINK RICK WAS MAKING EARLIER.

THERE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE SOME PAINFUL ADJUSTMENTS MADE AND PARENTS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING THOSE PAINFUL ADJUSTMENTS, INCLUDING A LONGER SCHOOL YEAR, PERHAPS A LONGER SCHOOL DAY.

BUT ALSO ELIMINATING PERHAPS CERTAIN EXTRACURRICULAR PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES THAT THEY CAN'T AFFORD PAY FOR IN ADDITION TO UNDERPAID TEACHERS AND I'LL SAY THIS LAST COMPTROLLER THING.

WE MAY WANT TO GET RID OF SOME OF THE WOKE STUFF.

MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE TO TIME TO EDUCATE STUDENTS AND AT THE SAME TIME TELL THEM ALL ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL LIVES.

>> WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE THAT ON THAT NOTE AND GET TO OUR As AND Fs AND BEGIN TARA WITH YOUR F. >> OKAY, MY F GOES TO ALL OF THOSE WHO ARE CRITICIZING SINGER SONGWRITER JASON ALDEAN'S SONG "TRY THAT IN A SMALL TOWN" DON'T GET ME WRONG, THERE IS MUCH TO CRITICIZE ABOUT HIS SONG.

IT IS BASED ON THE STEREOTYPE THAT ALL SMALL TOWNS ARE ACTUALLY MAYBERRY AND ALL CITIES OF GOTHAM CITY.

IT IS SEXIST AND PROMOTES THE USE OF VIGILANTE JUSTICE.

CRITICS ARE WRONG WHEN THEY SAY IT PROMOTES LYNCHING AND IS RACIST.

THE ONLY WAY TO GET TO THAT IS WHEN YOU USE THE QUOTE FROM THE SONG THAT BLACK PEOPLE SUCKER PUNCH SOMEBODY ON A SIDEWALK OR CAR JACK OLD LADIES.

YOU ONLY GET TO IT'S A RACIST SONG IF YOU PRESUME THAT ONLY BLACK PEOPLE DO THOSE THINGS.

ALDEAN CRIT-- CRITICIZE HIM FOR WHAT HE DID, PROMOTE A MYTHALOGICAL TOWN WHERE THE VALUES ARE ALL RIGHT VALUES AND THE PEOPLE EXERCISE THEM PROPERLY.

>> HALLELUJAH, TAR ARC.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATING THE TREATMENT OF BLACK WOMEN, AT THE CEDARS SINAI MEDICAL CENTER IN LOS ANGELES IT COMES AFTER REPEATED ALLEGATIONS THAT BLACK WOMEN WERE PROVIDED A STANDARD OF CARE THAT WAS BELOW THEIR COUNTERPARTS AND, UNFORTUNATELY, IT TOOK THE HUSBAND OF A WOMAN WHO KEPT TELLING THE HOSPITAL THAT HIS WIFE WAS IN TROUBLE, LOSING HER.

SHE EVENTUALLY DIED AND NOW HOPEFULLY THIS INVESTIGATION WILL STOP THAT.

>> ANIRBAN.

>> MY F GOES TO THE FLORIDA REPUBLICANS FOR LEAVING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF FINES ON VOTER REGISTRATION GROUPS.

LATEST SUPPRESSION IN OVERDRIVE LED BY GOVERNOR RON DeSANTIS FINES RANGING FROM 50 TO $10,000 AND WAS LEVIED BY THIS NEW AGENCY THAT DeSANTIS FORMED TO LOOK AT VOTER FRAUD.

>> SARAH, YOUR F. >> SO MY F GOES TO THE 19 REPUBLICAN STATE ATTORNEY GENERALS WHO WANT THE POWER TO ACCESS PRIVATE OUT OF STATE MEDICAL RECORDS.

REPUBLICAN OFFICIALS WANT THE ABILITY TO MONITOR THEIR CONSTITUENTS WHO MAY LEAVE THEIR STATE TO GET ABORTIONS OR GENDER AFFIRMING CARE IN A STATE WHERE THESE PROCEDURES ARE LEGAL AND POSSIBLY PROSECUTE THEM FOR DOING SO.

IN THE PAST, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY HAS CHAMPIONED ITSELF AS A PARTY OF SMALL GOVERNMENT AND OF INDIVIDUAL LIBERTY, WHICH ARE BOTH SOMEWHAT MYTHALOGICAL, BUT TODAY THEY'RE NOT EVEN TRYING TO HIDE THE FACT THAT THEY WANT TO CONTROL OUR MOST PRIVATE OF DECISIONS.

>> RICK, YOUR F. >> MY F GOES TO TACO BELL.

TACO BELL STARTED A NUMEROUS MARKETING CAMPAIGN CALLED FREE TACO TUESDAY LAMENTING THE FACT THAT THEY COULD NOT USE THE TERM TACO DOES TUESDAY BECAUSE IT WAS TRADEMARKED AND STARTED A PETITION SAYING TACO TUESDAY SHOULD BELONG TO EVERYBODY.

THEY SUED TACO JOHNS, A SMALL TACO CHAIN AWARDED A TRADEMARK TO THE TERM BACK IN 1989.

THIS WEEK, TACO JOHN RELENTED AND GAVE UP THE TRADEMARK SAYING IT COULD NOT AFFORD THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN LEGAL FEES IT WOULD HAVE TO DEFEND ITSELF.

CONGRATULATIONS TO TACO BELL FOR BULLYING A SMALL TACO CHAIN INTO GIVING UP THEIR INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.

>> MORE LIKE TACO HELL.

>> YOUR A.

>> TO THE SCIENTISTS AND DOCTORS WHO ARE PROMOTING A RETURN TO THE SIESTA AS A SIMPLE YET PRACTICAL SOLUTION TO THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF THESE HEATWAVES.

CULTURALLY DENIGRATED FOR MOST OF THE 19th AND 20th CENTURY, THE SIESTA IS ITALIAN AND SPANISH ORIGIN AND BASICALLY IS A WAY TO RECOGNIZE THAT IN THE LATE OR MID AFTERNOON, THAT'S WHEN IT'S HOTTEST AND SO THAT'S WHEN PEOPLE ARE THEIR LEAST PRODUCTIVE.

SO PERHAPS IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA FOR EVERYONE TO TAKE A NAP AT THAT TIME.

>> ALL RIGHT.

NINA.

>> MY A IS GOING TO THE "IVORY TOWER" PRODUCTION STAFF.

THIS 1,000th SHOW, SOS THAT THEY KNOW HOW TO KEEP A GOOD THING GOING, ESPECIALLY THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER DOUG MOREAU WHO PUTS UP WITH ALL OF US WITH INCREDIBLE HUMOR, CAREFUL GUIDANCE AND NEVER ENDING EXCITEMENT ABOUT THE SHOW.

OF COURSE, I WANT TO OFFER MY PERSONAL THANKS TO TANNER WHO MANAGES TO CAPTURE THE ESSENCE OF MY BROWN SKIN BUT ALSO TO ALL OF THE OTHER STAFF MEMBERS.

THANK YOU AND I SALUTE YOU.

>> OKAY AND ANIRBAN, THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE LAST ONE.

>> WELL, MY A GOES TO 11 TRIBES CALLING FOR RESTITUTION FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA.

THE SPOKESPERSON FOR THE TRIBE SAID THEY HAD NOT SETTLED ON A SPECIFIC AMOUNT PARTLY BECAUSE OF THE DIFFICULTY OF QUANTIFYING ALL THE HARM DONE BUT THE UNIVERSITY HAS A DUTY TO ADDRESS THIS HISTORY.

MY A GOES TO THIS AMAZING MODESTY AND KINDNESS IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY AND THE NATIVE AMERICAN PEOPLE'S DEMAND FOR RESTITUTION.

>> MY A GOES TO MAG FLIES AND CROWS RIPPING ANTI-BIRD METAL SPIKES OFF BUILDINGS AND MAKING BEAUTIFUL NESTS OFF OF THEM.

>> NICE.

>> RICK.

>> STUDENTS PAPERS AT NORTHWESTERN AND STANFORD FOR STORIES THAT LED TO THE FOOTBALL COACH BEING FIRED.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

FOR COMMENTS YOU CAN RIGHT WRITE TO THE ADDRESS ON THE SCREEN, IF YOU WANT TO WATCH IT AGAIN, YOU CAN DO SO AT WCNY.ORG.

I'M DAVID CHANATRY AND FOR ALL OF US AT "IVORY TOWER," HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.