July 8, 2026 • 30 mins
Ryan and Saagar discuss AZ candidate says Israel buying his election, Ryan's DSA friend runs for Mayor.
David Morales: https://www.davidmoralespvd.com/
Kai Newkirk: https://kaiforaz.com/
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Speaker 3 (00:33):
So Brad par Scale is a former top Trump campaign
official and is now a registered foreign agent for the
State of Israel and appears to be linked to this
project now. Interestingly, I've even I was with a friend
recently and they got a text metch that was very
similar to these. They come in asking you about Israel,
and as you respond, they you know it, then goes
(00:56):
back and forth about your positions on Israeloing us now
is Kai new Kirk, candidate for the fourth Congressional District.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
Kai, thanks so much for joining us here. Great to
be with you. Good morning, Yeah, good morning.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
So this is this is quite an extraordinary kind of
turn of events in American politics. We're very used to
of course a PAC or a Democratic Majority for Israel,
or any number of other packs that are headquartered here
in the United States and are funded by American citizens
who are supportive of our relationship with the State of Israel. Now,
(01:32):
APAK often often takes direction, and it is publicly known
that the Israeli government speaks directly with APEC routinely, which
a lot of people argue say means they ought to
be registering under FARA.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
They do not have to.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
They're they're an American funded organization. This, though, is something different.
So what what is going on in Arizona? What do
is you guys uncover? Well, we don't know, to be
honest yet what exactly is happening. All we know is
as much of the information that you reported there, that
we started getting these text messages asking if we wanted.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
To talk about the US Israel.
Speaker 5 (02:10):
Relationship, and then when people would engage what we think
is the AI chatbot. In that conversation, it was clear
that that program was pushing for deeper military and government integration.
Right at a time when most Americans are saying, we
don't want to be sending in less unconditional military at Israel.
We don't want to be complicit in this genocide. It's arguing, no,
(02:32):
you're seeing it wrong. We need a deeper partnership. Israel
is the best ally, etc. And then when people started
asking the chatbot questions about who was behind it, what
was going on, we got some information that we could
then follow back to the website that, to my great surprise,
said right there at the bottom, this is on behalf
(02:54):
of the state of Israel. I mean, this is not
some conspiracy theory, This is just the facts of what
but the people doing this are saying. And then the
public reporting that's from various outlets saying that it was
Brad Parscal who was behind Cambridge Analytica and all that
stuff on Trump's campaign is doing it. So to me,
it's shocking. We saw it in our district and then
(03:16):
we've seen it happening in other places around the country.
I think we don't know exactly what all they're trying
to do, but to me, it's clear that a foreign
government is trying to interfere in our elections. In our
politics using this AI political persuasion texting program, and my view,
that's clearly illegal. It's something that needs to be responded to.
It's not just about my election, but it seems from
(03:38):
those that are looking into it, that they may be
targeting areas where APAC is more invested or where these
issues are more at stake. And that's very much the
case in my race because I'm taking on one of
the most powerful corporate DEMS in the country whose top
contributor we're into open secrets, not me, open secrets is APEC.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Yeah, tell us a little bit about your race and
why the State of Israel might have might have an
interest in it.
Speaker 5 (04:01):
Yes, as I said Greg Stanton, co chair of the
New Dems, that I'm taking on Apak is this top contributor.
He has been, in my view, actively complicit in the
genocide and gods that We've been pushing on him, pushing
him on this for years, but he's refused to take
any step to hold the extremist Israeli government accountable, not
(04:22):
only voting for endless, unconditional military aid, but pushing back
when anybody tried to do anything else. When Biden paused
the two thousand pound bomb shipments. You'll remember Stanton spoke
out against that, said he needed to resume those illegal
arm ceales. When the International Criminal Court indicted Netanyahu galant
hamas leaders for war crimes, he voted to sanction the
International Criminal Court, So he's pushed back on every front.
(04:44):
I've been a leader in the fight to try to
stop that genocide, to secure Palasin and freedom and human
rights for all the people in the Holy Land, and
this is a huge fault line in the selection, so
it would make sense that this would be one of
the areas that they would target with this persuasion program
to influence voters. We don't know for sure, but we
know enough that we followed this complaint with the Attorney General.
(05:05):
I called to follow up, as you saw on the video.
Yet on Monday, we haven't got a response yet, but
we trust that she will do something. She's been great
on standing up for integrity of Arizona elections, and we
hope that she will now.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
And your your primaries on July twenty first, I saw
that you're even getting a little bit of attention reasoning
because people have noticed that you've been arrested something like
twenty five times. For people don't know I've been I've
known Kai quite some time because I cover these types
of protests, and every time I look up, you were
getting arrested for some for some protests or another. You
(05:40):
talk a little bit about your background. Usually when voters
find out that somebody's been arrested twenty five times, it's
it's a press conference and their resign and the resigning
from office, or they're dropping out of the campaign. But
for you, it's actually, I think kind of propelled your
campaign in this in this moment. So give people a
little flavor of how you got into politics and what
(06:03):
you've been doing up until this.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
Absolutely.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
Yeah, I've been a community organizer in many different non
violent movements for a long time, going back to the
anti war movement as a college student, what we call
the global justice movement, to the labor movement where I
was a shop floor leader in union, to immigrant rights movement,
a climate justice and what I'm best known for is
the work I've done in the democracy fight, trying to
(06:26):
end the big money corruption of our politics and protect
voting rights with ninety nine rids and democracy leading a
march from Sacramento from LA all the way to Sacramento,
five hundred miles, twelve straight days of sit ins at
the California Capital from the Liberty Bell all the way
to DC, and then mass sit ins at the US
Capitol there.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
In twenty sixteen.
Speaker 5 (06:46):
And I have been arrested over twenty five times in
non violence civil disobedience. Everyone to me is a badge
of honor, not a mark of shame. And I look
to people like Dolores werta Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient
who has been arrested twenty five times, from War of
Martin with the King Junior twenty nine times, John Lewis
over thirty times. And it's an act of deeper fidelity
(07:07):
to the law, because it's fidelity to the spirit of
the law, which is about justice, which is about what
is right, and when that's in conflict, sometimes we have
to break the law. And we've done so non violently
and peacefully. And I've been encouraged by what people say
at the doors, you know, because people want someone who's
going to fight and stand up to Trump's authoritarianism. And
I've proven that I will put my freedom and my
safety on the line to stand up for justice many times.
(07:28):
And that's the kind of leadership people want when we're
taking on oligarchy, authoritarians and war criminals, and I'm going
to take them on as stand up to them no
matter what to win in Arizona. That we can afford
in America that's free of vice, is cruelty once and
for all, and a world where genocide never happens again.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
We talked to Will Lawrence last week on Breaking Points.
He's running in a competitive you mind, guys may know
each other competitive primary in Michigan, and he was saying
that the issue that has really propelled his campaign was
opposition to data centers, which is a big issue across
the country, but particularly in Michigan. Has he has two
corporate backed candidates and even though they may recognize which
(08:08):
way the political wind is blowing, they're tied back and
they're not allowed to put their sale up in that direction.
Is our data centers an issue? Where you are and
where are you on AI and the Bernie Sanders backed
kind of an AOC back data data center moratorium?
Speaker 4 (08:27):
Yes, well, I love Will.
Speaker 5 (08:28):
We know each other from the Sunrise movement, So go brother,
and this is an important issue here in the district. Absolutely,
they're trying to build. Meta is trying to build an
AI data center in the district in the Awatuki neighborhood
is part of Phoenix. I've been standing with the community there.
We've helped to organize protests, We've been pushing back. The
incumbent Greg Stanton has been silent on the issue. He
takes a ton of corporate pack money and including money
(08:51):
from the big tech companies that are driving this. And
this is being built right within residential neighborhoods. It's homes
on across the street on every side zone commercial should
be like a shopping center. Instead, it's going to be
this industrial, mega industrial facility if it gets completed. We're
fighting to stop it. But I think that Bernie Sanders
(09:12):
and AOC are right that we need this moratorium on
new AI data center construction to make sure that if
they are being built right, they're being built in a
safe way with clean power, that they're not creating issues
in terms of water, local pollution, etc. But also that
this transformative technology, artificial intelligence, that I think has constructive purposes.
(09:33):
We're already seeing the scientific and medical research, for example,
but has, according to experts in the industry, existential risks. Also,
we need this moratorium, and we need, in my view,
negotiations toward an international treaty bringing all the world together
to create a regulatory framework to make sure that this
technology benefits all of us, not just the oligarchs, and
to address those existential risks. And my view, democratic socialists
(09:55):
like myself should be thinking about how we could make
something like this useful to bring down to a thirty
hour workweek, right, to be able to shift we're being
more productive to society. Let's have that wealth go to
all the people, because really AI is a product of
the collective sum of human cultural endeavor across generations, and
so the benefits of that should flow to everyone. But
(10:16):
that's not going to happen unless we stand up to
the oligarchs and the military leaders military industrial complex that
are the ones driving this right out of either greed
or fear, to say that no, we're going to have
a democratic process led by wisdom that is going to
decide what this technology is going to be and how
it's going to be used, and what the framework is
for that. So I think it's a critical issue standing
(10:38):
up locally in terms of the impacts with data centers
it's another corporate power versus democracy and people issue, but
also on the bigger front of AI and it's moving
so fast. We've got to make it a priority, even
if it feels more distant in places where the data
centers are not an issue. So I'm in that fight.
My incumbent is not taking money from those interests. It's
another reason why people are coming to support our campaign
(11:00):
and why I believe we can win.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
And last question for me, I'm curious kind of as
a democratic socialist in this rising movement, rising moment, when
you are coming across a voter on the street, handing
out literature, you're knocking on a door, and you're trying
to get them to vote for you, and the kind
of democratic social agenda, Like how do.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
You frame it? What's the fifteen to thirty.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Seconds you know, when you've got a voter's attention, like
what you stand for, and like why you're different than
the new damn corporate democrat who's in office.
Speaker 5 (11:34):
Well, look, I say, if we're going to deal with
this cost of living crisis, if we're going to stand
up to Trump's authoritarianism, we need leaders that aren't beholden
to the same corporate interests that are screwing the working
class over that are running independently, that can fight stand
up for us, to shift power from the oligarchs to
the working class and give us a better life, from
Medicare for all to freezing utility rates, to getting ice
(11:57):
off our streets forever, disbanding that agency and ending our
complicity in war crimes. Democratic socialism doesn't come up very much,
to be honest, but if it does, I talk about
doctor King. I wrote an article about Kingyan Democratic socialism
in twenty twenty one, pointing to his legacy is something
we needed to follow in the left, and he said,
as Zurn said in his campaign, call it democracy, call
(12:19):
it democratic socialism. We need a better distribution of wealth
for all God's children. We have to focus on that.
I don't care what you call yourself. I'm going to
be honest about what I call myself. But I'm focused
on change for you and your family, for basic justice,
for democracy in our country. And that's what we're doing
in this race. There's no other primary in the country
this month. Right, we have a chance to be the
(12:40):
next big victory following on Colorado on New York. To
continue this wave of momentum, and we're asking people from
around the country to join us in this fight, to
go to Kyfhasy dot com and be part of this.
We can take out one of the most powerful corporate
Dems in the country and Apak is his top contributor,
and continue to send a message to the Democratic you
(13:01):
don't want to be beholden to corporations anymore or apex.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
We want to go in a different direction. We want
to start now.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
I can say, as somebody who's been watching for too long,
if the chair of the New Democratic New Democrat cauc
is that which.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
Is basically the kind of pro corporate.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Wing of the party lost on July twenty first, it
would be it would be a shockwave here here here
in Washington. So we'll find we'll find out. Kai, thanks
so much for taking some time. Really appreciate it. Thank
you for having me have a great day. Appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
You got it. Take it easy.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Joining us now is State Representative Dave Morales, who is
a candidate for Providence mayor and maybe the next kind
of DSA backed mayor after New York and Seattle.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
Are there any others that we know of?
Speaker 6 (13:51):
We have to keep the movement going as of right now. Again,
I think those are the prominent examples that we have
of executive officers have that back, you know, be democratic, socialist.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
Rhode Island is such an interesting state.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
I will speak ill of it so you don't have to,
but you know, our smallest it is our smallest state
that's great, and by population, you know, quite small, yet
also has two senators just like just like every other state,
and the senators from a democratic kind of grassroots perspective,
are often good on some things, often bad on some
(14:24):
other things.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
And being a one.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Party state, whether it's Republican or Democrat, creates an interesting
kind of political economy because the reactionary and corporate forces
have to go somewhere, and there's if there's only one party,
then they create kind of a massive faction within that party,
and for many years in Rhode Island, a very very
(14:48):
corrupt I would argue faction of democratic politics has been
just hegemonic. But I've been covering this, this push in
Rhode Island for almost you know, it's been going on
more than a decade now to say, wait a minute,
like what are we doing here? Like this state's small enough,
we should not actually be getting run over by just
(15:09):
a few, like if the many of us joined together.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
So Rhode Island's left has done this in fits and.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Starts, like give us the kind of the the insight
of how you got into this, and like how we
got to a place where DSA might actually now you know,
take control of the most powerful position in the city
in the state, in the state's biggest city.
Speaker 6 (15:35):
Yeah. So I'm happy to share that there have been
strides around the progressive movement all across Rhode Island really
since the start of twenty twenty. We saw a wave
of state representatives and senators get elected that sent.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
Shock waves to the polinorandad out late. That is correct.
Speaker 6 (15:50):
Yeah, so we had at the time what was known
as the Rhodeland Political Cooperative, which was running the slate
of candidates, in addition to DSA being actively involved, as
was the Working Families Party, and that led to this
systemic change in the sense that we were able to
shift the culture inside of the state House. I was
very proud to have been elected in twenty twenty and
during that timeframe being able to pass bold legislation around
raising the minimum wage. Finally towards fifteen dollars, being able
(16:12):
to guarantee healthcare coverage to every child in our state,
regardless of immigration status. Like those are meaningful victories that
we've been able to have, and in a large part
it was because of the electoral results of getting more
progressives in office between twenty twenty to twenty twenty two.
But we have seen the pendulum swing on the other side,
where the status quo in the political establishment has doubled
down to try to stomp this progress out. Now, I'm
(16:34):
happy to share that over the course of the last
several years, our Providence City Council in particular, has gotten
a lot more progressive and policy oriented than ever before.
This year they put forward rent stabilization, which would cap
rent hikes at four percent a year. They passed it.
Unfortunately it was vetoed by the current mayor, who is
the corporate backed incumbent that I'm taking on. And it
(16:55):
goes to show the strength that we've been able to demonstrate,
not just in the form of more presentation, but actually
in the form of delivering when it comes to meaningful change.
And so I'm running for mayor because right now Providence
is becoming far too expensive for so many working people,
and we've been building a movement unlike any other in
our city, where we have hundreds of volunteers that are
actively knocking on doors feeling inspired by our message of
(17:18):
building a providence for all, And in large part, we're
doing it alongside a coalition of other council candidates and
candidates for state legislature, because we want to make sure
that all levels of government have that level of representation
of those that align with the principles of democratic socialism.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
And one reason I wanted to talk to you about
all of this is because obviously a lot of our
audiences in New York City, because a lot of the
public is in New York City, but it's a vast
minority of the overall number of people in this country,
and a lot of people who've been watching the success
of the DSA and the left more broadly populist move
(17:54):
more broadly in New York City are like, how can
I do this where I am? How like I want
to be in politics and I want to be able
to throw overthrow the old guard. Now Rhode Island is
Rhode Island's labor movement has historically been and you tell
me how much of this is a caricature associated with
(18:14):
the mob with kind of broad organized crime elements. How
yet organized labor seems to have become a real battleground
for this this fight.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
How have you so?
Speaker 3 (18:30):
How how has DSA been able to kind of DSA
and the cooperative and your movement more broadly been able
to kind of influence and penetrate organized labor in Providence?
And how true is that charricture today? Does it vary
by union?
Speaker 4 (18:46):
Like? What is this? What is the situation with organized
labor in Rhode Island now?
Speaker 6 (18:50):
So the same way that we've seen a shift in
terms of the culture we see at the state House
where there's more progressive representation and action that has been
met with urgency, we're seeing the same trend cross organized labor.
I'm really proud to share that we've been endorsed by
the SEIU State Council, which represents thousands of healthcare and
home care and childcare.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Workers, Which is kind of crazy, right the.
Speaker 6 (19:11):
First time YEA over fifteen years that they had engaged
in a mayoral primary in profits. The fact that they're
flexing this muscle as a part of this race speaks volume.
In addition to that, we have the Providence Teachers Union
that again, in a shocking turn of events, is not
supporting the incumbent but instead of supporting our campaign because
it speaks to the vision that they want to align with,
(19:33):
which is one centered around progressive values. And that has
a lot to do with some of the shifts that
we've seen in organized labor in terms of leadership. So
I certainly believe that that's helped contribute. But also the
fact that.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
So you've been challenging, like your folks, your movement has
been like winning leadership positions in the unions and like
organizing the members themselves, like how have you gotten to
this place?
Speaker 6 (19:55):
I think what we have seen over the years is
just rank and file speaking up, rank and file speaking
up in recognizing that their legislators and that their advocates
and activists on the ground.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
There's new young people coming into the unions, or these
are older people who are like just sick of how
things have been going.
Speaker 6 (20:10):
It's a mix of both. It's a mix of both
those who have been a part of the union and
want their union to be a lot more active and
engaged as a part of the electoral process, and also
beyond that, also seeing a wave of new younger members
also being part of the union as well. So again
I'm very proud to just share that SEIU State Council,
the Providence Teachers' Union, and Local twenty six from Unit
(20:31):
here have been actively supporting us. And again these are
unions that generally speaking might have just stayed neutral when
it came to a mayoral primary, but instead have gone
behind our movement.
Speaker 4 (20:42):
And so I give a lot of credit to.
Speaker 6 (20:43):
The shift in the leadership that we've seen and also
their willingness to take what is otherwise seen as a
quote unquote political risk, which is going up against an
incumbent that is backed by corporate interests.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
You know, and as people organize, go door to door
and like you know, they run campaigns, volunteer for camp pains,
they know that they're taking risks. Professionally, they're taking you know,
they're they're giving their time. But in some cases, like
there's an actual threat going on. And I'm curious if,
as as your movement has grown in Providence, if any
(21:16):
anybody has been kind of threatened or like the power
structure there, Like we're saying, like this is not a
small town council where you're just gonna like they're just
gonna like say, oh they it seems like the political
winds blow in their way. They got more votes. I
guess we're gonna, you know, fold up shop here. I
would imagine that they are fighting back and might be
(21:38):
fighting back in ways beyond just the ballot box, like
it have you been threatened?
Speaker 4 (21:42):
Like?
Speaker 3 (21:42):
What's what has it been like for people who are
trying to stand up for their communities here?
Speaker 6 (21:48):
So power concedes nothing without demand, and we have watched
as a status quo will fight tooth and the able
to try to prevent any shift.
Speaker 4 (21:56):
That little tooth and nail like what's so, what.
Speaker 6 (21:58):
We've seen are certain city council members that essentially have
corporate backed challengers. And I am talking specifically around large
developers and industrial facilities that have been polluting our waterfront.
These are corporate interests that do not want our movement
to move forward because they don't want to cap around
rent increases. They don't want us to transform the waterfront
(22:19):
and tax industrial polluters at a higher rate. And so
what we've seen are members of the Providence City Council
who voted, advocated, and spoke up in regards to rent
stabilization are all now facing challengers, and some of whom
we are actively backing and supporting as a part of
our campaign. So it's been exciting to watch that despite
the fact that, yes, the status quo and the political
establishment is now going on the offense. We're ready, We're
(22:42):
ready to defend these existing legislative seats while at the
same time also running candidates for open seats and recognizing
that the establishment also has their series of candidates. So
a lot of what we've seen are certain council members
that during the legislative process, we're being pressured, We're being
pressured not to support rent stabilization, Otherwise they would face
a major challenge when it came to reelection.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Right, but at least we're talking democratically. You haven't seen
threats of political violence.
Speaker 6 (23:07):
Thankfully not, and I would hope that it remains that
way over the next two months and beyond.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
And so what are you finding that is really landing
with people? And are you.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Are your opponents trying to use the democratic socialism label
or do they recognize that it kind of backfires at this.
Speaker 4 (23:25):
Point and people like, oh, okay, then I know who
to vote for.
Speaker 6 (23:28):
What resonates is speaking to the needs of working families
all across Providence. Right now, we have so many of
our neighbors that are just being priced out because the
cost of rent has gone far too expensive. So when
we speak about rent stabilization, it is literally speaking to
their needs. Because the working mom who just watched to
rent and go up from fourteen hundred dollars to two
thousand dollars, that knows that that's not sustainable. And so
(23:48):
when they hear that we have a plan to cap
rent increases at four percent, it provides that level of reassurance.
When we talk about the ways that we're going to
maximize the city Solicitor's office to be able to prosecute
fascist ICE agents and take action around the activity of
ICE that has been abusing our neighbors, that speaks to
the needs of what our immigrant community is going through.
So I believe that our campaign and our movement as
(24:11):
a whole is meeting the moment. And to your point,
our opponents are certainly trying to use the term around
democratic socialism and red Scare up against us, while also
trying to demonize us as being overly radical and inexperienced
to be able to take on the responsibilities of the
mayor's office. But I think what has been shown over
the last several months as a part of our campaign
is that one we're speaking to the needs of our neighbors,
(24:32):
but two we have a plan to make sure we're
actually delivering.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
And so for people who are outside of Rhode Island,
outside of New York and are trying to figure out,
like how to develop some kind of a movement like this,
one thing I'm curious is maybe you could offer some
advice on as I've watched Rhode Island's populist progressive movement
go through it's growing pains, and it's you know, fits
and starts, you know, huge wins and then and then setbacks.
(24:57):
Every movement has severe factionalism that develops at times, and
you guys in your state had had some of the
most dramatic that I've seen, and such that at times
I thought, well, I guess this is over, Like they're
just going to rip each ozz or others throats out
at this point.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
Yet that didn't happen.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
I mean throats were ripped metaphorically, thankfully, not actually.
Speaker 6 (25:21):
I'm a pro wrestler, Yeah, so I just want you
to know I use these terms right, it means something.
Speaker 4 (25:26):
Else to me exactly.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
So, but you guys have thrived despite some extremely dark
and you know, drama filled moments of sectarian factionalism that
that kind of threatened to undermine the entire project. So
what would you say to people outside who are who
are facing that? Because when when people come together to
fight for something, tensions are high and you're gonna have
(25:51):
you're going just factionalism is going to develop.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
How did how did you?
Speaker 3 (25:55):
I won't say anybody ever overcomes it, but how did
you overcome it enough that you're now pulled together and
threatening power at the highest level.
Speaker 6 (26:03):
Here, it's all about coalition building, making sure that different
leaderships of respective organizations are actively coming together and communicating,
because more often than not, we've seen a breakdown communication,
a mix up in disagreements around strategy, and that has
led to exactly what you described, factions being formed.
Speaker 4 (26:19):
So happy hours, how do you like? What's like? Practically speaking?
How do you keep that?
Speaker 6 (26:23):
Social gatherings are incredibly important? So thankfully we have a
grassroots organization called Reclaimer Rhode Island. They've been around since
twenty twenty where some of the endorsing folks that allowed
me to get elected the first time around, and they've
been very intentional about building relationships with the working families party,
building relationships with labor like SCIU. And some of that
does take the form of social gatherings, being able to
(26:44):
get together at our neighborhood bars and restaurants to just
be able to get to know one another as neighbors,
and then beyond that, having an actual unified strategy because
leadership teams have had conversations on how do we want
to tackle this next legislative session, and over the course
of the last two years, for example, there has been
an ongoing fight to preserve our public transportation system RIFTA,
(27:05):
and that's been a part of an organization called a
Provident Streets Coalition that has garnered a group of neighborhood associations,
community organizations, unions, and nonprofits to get behind this basic
principle that public transit is a right that all of
our neighbors should be able to access and that has
led to very strong legislative advocacy that is now transitioning
(27:26):
over to electoral organizing. And so I think what's always
important to know is that the fight does not stop
in September, November or the ballot box in general. That
we need to maintain this level of advocacy year round,
whether it's during election season or during the legislative session.
We need to consistently be partnering. And that's what I
want to be able to help formulate and facilitate as mayor,
(27:48):
making sure that once we're elected, going into office in
January of twenty twenty seven, that we're mobilizing in our
neighbors because we're gonna have a tough city budget that
will require large industrial facilities to pay more intact. But
we know the corporate polluters aren't going to want to
pay more in taxes. So it's going to be up
to our office, alongside organizations like Reclaim, the Working Families
Party in some of our labor unions, to be at
(28:10):
these committee hearings to make sure that it is known
that the public here in Providence wants to see a
more fair tax structure.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
And last question for me, like what made you think
the mayor was vulnerable? Like what made you say, you
know what, this is the year and we can do this.
Speaker 6 (28:24):
A series of poor decisions that he has made, the
fact that he vetoed rent stabilization despite the fact that
it is an overwhelmingly popular issue that neighbors wanted to
see actively passed, so they had a sense of reassurance.
The fact that he allowed for Providence Police to be
in a situation where they collaborated with Ice and then
thereafter there was no accountability. There are many moments where
(28:47):
the mayor has missed the mark, and you combine that
with the fact that he is just simply out of
touch with the needs of so many of our neighbors.
Given who takes money from and I'm talking about corporate landlords,
I'm talking about the lawyers representing these industrial facilities in
corporate packs. Providence as a whole, a city of one
hundred and ninety thousand plus people, is relatively progressive and
they want to see change. And so I knew back
(29:09):
when we launched in September of twenty twenty five that
we were going to meet the moment that we had
an opportunity to mobilize, especially young people, immigrant communities, and
folks who generally do not feel engaged when it comes
to local politics and government.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
All Right, David Morales, candidate for Mayor in Providence. The
election is September.
Speaker 6 (29:28):
Wednesday, September ninth. Then you can visit David MORALESPVD dot
com to learn more about our movement.
Speaker 3 (29:33):
All right, all right, so election of September will be
following as closely the next next DSA target.
Speaker 4 (29:39):
Thank you so much, Riyan, you got it. Quick clarification.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
David Morales is a longtime DSA member. DSA itself is
not endorsing in this particular may oral race that will
do it for us. Today, I didn't make Sager sit
through the two comic questioning sessions. I'm not a total
say this. I try to be a good colleague. But
(30:02):
Soccer and I will be back for another Bro show tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (30:05):
We'll see you then,
Hey guys, Saga and Crystal here.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Independent media just played a truly massive role in this election,
and we are so excited about what that means for
the future of this show.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
This is the only place where you can find honest
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So if that is something that's important to you, please
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Speaker 1 (00:25):
We need your help to build the future of independent
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Speaker 3 (00:33):
So Brad par Scale is a former top Trump campaign
official and is now a registered foreign agent for the
State of Israel and appears to be linked to this
project now. Interestingly, I've even I was with a friend
recently and they got a text metch that was very
similar to these. They come in asking you about Israel,
and as you respond, they you know it, then goes
(00:56):
back and forth about your positions on Israeloing us now
is Kai new Kirk, candidate for the fourth Congressional District.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
Kai, thanks so much for joining us here. Great to
be with you. Good morning, Yeah, good morning.
Speaker 3 (01:09):
So this is this is quite an extraordinary kind of
turn of events in American politics. We're very used to
of course a PAC or a Democratic Majority for Israel,
or any number of other packs that are headquartered here
in the United States and are funded by American citizens
who are supportive of our relationship with the State of Israel. Now,
(01:32):
APAK often often takes direction, and it is publicly known
that the Israeli government speaks directly with APEC routinely, which
a lot of people argue say means they ought to
be registering under FARA.
Speaker 4 (01:46):
They do not have to.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
They're they're an American funded organization. This, though, is something different.
So what what is going on in Arizona? What do
is you guys uncover? Well, we don't know, to be
honest yet what exactly is happening. All we know is
as much of the information that you reported there, that
we started getting these text messages asking if we wanted.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
To talk about the US Israel.
Speaker 5 (02:10):
Relationship, and then when people would engage what we think
is the AI chatbot. In that conversation, it was clear
that that program was pushing for deeper military and government integration.
Right at a time when most Americans are saying, we
don't want to be sending in less unconditional military at Israel.
We don't want to be complicit in this genocide. It's arguing, no,
(02:32):
you're seeing it wrong. We need a deeper partnership. Israel
is the best ally, etc. And then when people started
asking the chatbot questions about who was behind it, what
was going on, we got some information that we could
then follow back to the website that, to my great surprise,
said right there at the bottom, this is on behalf
(02:54):
of the state of Israel. I mean, this is not
some conspiracy theory, This is just the facts of what
but the people doing this are saying. And then the
public reporting that's from various outlets saying that it was
Brad Parscal who was behind Cambridge Analytica and all that
stuff on Trump's campaign is doing it. So to me,
it's shocking. We saw it in our district and then
(03:16):
we've seen it happening in other places around the country.
I think we don't know exactly what all they're trying
to do, but to me, it's clear that a foreign
government is trying to interfere in our elections. In our
politics using this AI political persuasion texting program, and my view,
that's clearly illegal. It's something that needs to be responded to.
It's not just about my election, but it seems from
(03:38):
those that are looking into it, that they may be
targeting areas where APAC is more invested or where these
issues are more at stake. And that's very much the
case in my race because I'm taking on one of
the most powerful corporate DEMS in the country whose top
contributor we're into open secrets, not me, open secrets is APEC.
Speaker 3 (03:55):
Yeah, tell us a little bit about your race and
why the State of Israel might have might have an
interest in it.
Speaker 5 (04:01):
Yes, as I said Greg Stanton, co chair of the
New Dems, that I'm taking on Apak is this top contributor.
He has been, in my view, actively complicit in the
genocide and gods that We've been pushing on him, pushing
him on this for years, but he's refused to take
any step to hold the extremist Israeli government accountable, not
(04:22):
only voting for endless, unconditional military aid, but pushing back
when anybody tried to do anything else. When Biden paused
the two thousand pound bomb shipments. You'll remember Stanton spoke
out against that, said he needed to resume those illegal
arm ceales. When the International Criminal Court indicted Netanyahu galant
hamas leaders for war crimes, he voted to sanction the
International Criminal Court, So he's pushed back on every front.
(04:44):
I've been a leader in the fight to try to
stop that genocide, to secure Palasin and freedom and human
rights for all the people in the Holy Land, and
this is a huge fault line in the selection, so
it would make sense that this would be one of
the areas that they would target with this persuasion program
to influence voters. We don't know for sure, but we
know enough that we followed this complaint with the Attorney General.
(05:05):
I called to follow up, as you saw on the video.
Yet on Monday, we haven't got a response yet, but
we trust that she will do something. She's been great
on standing up for integrity of Arizona elections, and we
hope that she will now.
Speaker 3 (05:16):
And your your primaries on July twenty first, I saw
that you're even getting a little bit of attention reasoning
because people have noticed that you've been arrested something like
twenty five times. For people don't know I've been I've
known Kai quite some time because I cover these types
of protests, and every time I look up, you were
getting arrested for some for some protests or another. You
(05:40):
talk a little bit about your background. Usually when voters
find out that somebody's been arrested twenty five times, it's
it's a press conference and their resign and the resigning
from office, or they're dropping out of the campaign. But
for you, it's actually, I think kind of propelled your
campaign in this in this moment. So give people a
little flavor of how you got into politics and what
(06:03):
you've been doing up until this.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
Absolutely.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
Yeah, I've been a community organizer in many different non
violent movements for a long time, going back to the
anti war movement as a college student, what we call
the global justice movement, to the labor movement where I
was a shop floor leader in union, to immigrant rights movement,
a climate justice and what I'm best known for is
the work I've done in the democracy fight, trying to
(06:26):
end the big money corruption of our politics and protect
voting rights with ninety nine rids and democracy leading a
march from Sacramento from LA all the way to Sacramento,
five hundred miles, twelve straight days of sit ins at
the California Capital from the Liberty Bell all the way
to DC, and then mass sit ins at the US
Capitol there.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
In twenty sixteen.
Speaker 5 (06:46):
And I have been arrested over twenty five times in
non violence civil disobedience. Everyone to me is a badge
of honor, not a mark of shame. And I look
to people like Dolores werta Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient
who has been arrested twenty five times, from War of
Martin with the King Junior twenty nine times, John Lewis
over thirty times. And it's an act of deeper fidelity
(07:07):
to the law, because it's fidelity to the spirit of
the law, which is about justice, which is about what
is right, and when that's in conflict, sometimes we have
to break the law. And we've done so non violently
and peacefully. And I've been encouraged by what people say
at the doors, you know, because people want someone who's
going to fight and stand up to Trump's authoritarianism. And
I've proven that I will put my freedom and my
safety on the line to stand up for justice many times.
(07:28):
And that's the kind of leadership people want when we're
taking on oligarchy, authoritarians and war criminals, and I'm going
to take them on as stand up to them no
matter what to win in Arizona. That we can afford
in America that's free of vice, is cruelty once and
for all, and a world where genocide never happens again.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
We talked to Will Lawrence last week on Breaking Points.
He's running in a competitive you mind, guys may know
each other competitive primary in Michigan, and he was saying
that the issue that has really propelled his campaign was
opposition to data centers, which is a big issue across
the country, but particularly in Michigan. Has he has two
corporate backed candidates and even though they may recognize which
(08:08):
way the political wind is blowing, they're tied back and
they're not allowed to put their sale up in that direction.
Is our data centers an issue? Where you are and
where are you on AI and the Bernie Sanders backed
kind of an AOC back data data center moratorium?
Speaker 4 (08:27):
Yes, well, I love Will.
Speaker 5 (08:28):
We know each other from the Sunrise movement, So go brother,
and this is an important issue here in the district. Absolutely,
they're trying to build. Meta is trying to build an
AI data center in the district in the Awatuki neighborhood
is part of Phoenix. I've been standing with the community there.
We've helped to organize protests, We've been pushing back. The
incumbent Greg Stanton has been silent on the issue. He
takes a ton of corporate pack money and including money
(08:51):
from the big tech companies that are driving this. And
this is being built right within residential neighborhoods. It's homes
on across the street on every side zone commercial should
be like a shopping center. Instead, it's going to be
this industrial, mega industrial facility if it gets completed. We're
fighting to stop it. But I think that Bernie Sanders
(09:12):
and AOC are right that we need this moratorium on
new AI data center construction to make sure that if
they are being built right, they're being built in a
safe way with clean power, that they're not creating issues
in terms of water, local pollution, etc. But also that
this transformative technology, artificial intelligence, that I think has constructive purposes.
(09:33):
We're already seeing the scientific and medical research, for example,
but has, according to experts in the industry, existential risks. Also,
we need this moratorium, and we need, in my view,
negotiations toward an international treaty bringing all the world together
to create a regulatory framework to make sure that this
technology benefits all of us, not just the oligarchs, and
to address those existential risks. And my view, democratic socialists
(09:55):
like myself should be thinking about how we could make
something like this useful to bring down to a thirty
hour workweek, right, to be able to shift we're being
more productive to society. Let's have that wealth go to
all the people, because really AI is a product of
the collective sum of human cultural endeavor across generations, and
so the benefits of that should flow to everyone. But
(10:16):
that's not going to happen unless we stand up to
the oligarchs and the military leaders military industrial complex that
are the ones driving this right out of either greed
or fear, to say that no, we're going to have
a democratic process led by wisdom that is going to
decide what this technology is going to be and how
it's going to be used, and what the framework is
for that. So I think it's a critical issue standing
(10:38):
up locally in terms of the impacts with data centers
it's another corporate power versus democracy and people issue, but
also on the bigger front of AI and it's moving
so fast. We've got to make it a priority, even
if it feels more distant in places where the data
centers are not an issue. So I'm in that fight.
My incumbent is not taking money from those interests. It's
another reason why people are coming to support our campaign
(11:00):
and why I believe we can win.
Speaker 3 (11:02):
And last question for me, I'm curious kind of as
a democratic socialist in this rising movement, rising moment, when
you are coming across a voter on the street, handing
out literature, you're knocking on a door, and you're trying
to get them to vote for you, and the kind
of democratic social agenda, Like how do.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
You frame it? What's the fifteen to thirty.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Seconds you know, when you've got a voter's attention, like
what you stand for, and like why you're different than
the new damn corporate democrat who's in office.
Speaker 5 (11:34):
Well, look, I say, if we're going to deal with
this cost of living crisis, if we're going to stand
up to Trump's authoritarianism, we need leaders that aren't beholden
to the same corporate interests that are screwing the working
class over that are running independently, that can fight stand
up for us, to shift power from the oligarchs to
the working class and give us a better life, from
Medicare for all to freezing utility rates, to getting ice
(11:57):
off our streets forever, disbanding that agency and ending our
complicity in war crimes. Democratic socialism doesn't come up very much,
to be honest, but if it does, I talk about
doctor King. I wrote an article about Kingyan Democratic socialism
in twenty twenty one, pointing to his legacy is something
we needed to follow in the left, and he said,
as Zurn said in his campaign, call it democracy, call
(12:19):
it democratic socialism. We need a better distribution of wealth
for all God's children. We have to focus on that.
I don't care what you call yourself. I'm going to
be honest about what I call myself. But I'm focused
on change for you and your family, for basic justice,
for democracy in our country. And that's what we're doing
in this race. There's no other primary in the country
this month. Right, we have a chance to be the
(12:40):
next big victory following on Colorado on New York. To
continue this wave of momentum, and we're asking people from
around the country to join us in this fight, to
go to Kyfhasy dot com and be part of this.
We can take out one of the most powerful corporate
Dems in the country and Apak is his top contributor,
and continue to send a message to the Democratic you
(13:01):
don't want to be beholden to corporations anymore or apex.
Speaker 4 (13:04):
We want to go in a different direction. We want
to start now.
Speaker 3 (13:06):
I can say, as somebody who's been watching for too long,
if the chair of the New Democratic New Democrat cauc
is that which.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
Is basically the kind of pro corporate.
Speaker 3 (13:15):
Wing of the party lost on July twenty first, it
would be it would be a shockwave here here here
in Washington. So we'll find we'll find out. Kai, thanks
so much for taking some time. Really appreciate it. Thank
you for having me have a great day. Appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (13:30):
You got it. Take it easy.
Speaker 3 (13:34):
Joining us now is State Representative Dave Morales, who is
a candidate for Providence mayor and maybe the next kind
of DSA backed mayor after New York and Seattle.
Speaker 4 (13:49):
Are there any others that we know of?
Speaker 6 (13:51):
We have to keep the movement going as of right now. Again,
I think those are the prominent examples that we have
of executive officers have that back, you know, be democratic, socialist.
Speaker 4 (14:00):
Rhode Island is such an interesting state.
Speaker 3 (14:03):
I will speak ill of it so you don't have to,
but you know, our smallest it is our smallest state
that's great, and by population, you know, quite small, yet
also has two senators just like just like every other state,
and the senators from a democratic kind of grassroots perspective,
are often good on some things, often bad on some
(14:24):
other things.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
And being a one.
Speaker 3 (14:27):
Party state, whether it's Republican or Democrat, creates an interesting
kind of political economy because the reactionary and corporate forces
have to go somewhere, and there's if there's only one party,
then they create kind of a massive faction within that party,
and for many years in Rhode Island, a very very
(14:48):
corrupt I would argue faction of democratic politics has been
just hegemonic. But I've been covering this, this push in
Rhode Island for almost you know, it's been going on
more than a decade now to say, wait a minute,
like what are we doing here? Like this state's small enough,
we should not actually be getting run over by just
(15:09):
a few, like if the many of us joined together.
Speaker 4 (15:13):
So Rhode Island's left has done this in fits and.
Speaker 3 (15:16):
Starts, like give us the kind of the the insight
of how you got into this, and like how we
got to a place where DSA might actually now you know,
take control of the most powerful position in the city
in the state, in the state's biggest city.
Speaker 6 (15:35):
Yeah. So I'm happy to share that there have been
strides around the progressive movement all across Rhode Island really
since the start of twenty twenty. We saw a wave
of state representatives and senators get elected that sent.
Speaker 4 (15:47):
Shock waves to the polinorandad out late. That is correct.
Speaker 6 (15:50):
Yeah, so we had at the time what was known
as the Rhodeland Political Cooperative, which was running the slate
of candidates, in addition to DSA being actively involved, as
was the Working Families Party, and that led to this
systemic change in the sense that we were able to
shift the culture inside of the state House. I was
very proud to have been elected in twenty twenty and
during that timeframe being able to pass bold legislation around
raising the minimum wage. Finally towards fifteen dollars, being able
(16:12):
to guarantee healthcare coverage to every child in our state,
regardless of immigration status. Like those are meaningful victories that
we've been able to have, and in a large part
it was because of the electoral results of getting more
progressives in office between twenty twenty to twenty twenty two.
But we have seen the pendulum swing on the other side,
where the status quo in the political establishment has doubled
down to try to stomp this progress out. Now, I'm
(16:34):
happy to share that over the course of the last
several years, our Providence City Council in particular, has gotten
a lot more progressive and policy oriented than ever before.
This year they put forward rent stabilization, which would cap
rent hikes at four percent a year. They passed it.
Unfortunately it was vetoed by the current mayor, who is
the corporate backed incumbent that I'm taking on. And it
(16:55):
goes to show the strength that we've been able to demonstrate,
not just in the form of more presentation, but actually
in the form of delivering when it comes to meaningful change.
And so I'm running for mayor because right now Providence
is becoming far too expensive for so many working people,
and we've been building a movement unlike any other in
our city, where we have hundreds of volunteers that are
actively knocking on doors feeling inspired by our message of
(17:18):
building a providence for all, And in large part, we're
doing it alongside a coalition of other council candidates and
candidates for state legislature, because we want to make sure
that all levels of government have that level of representation
of those that align with the principles of democratic socialism.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
And one reason I wanted to talk to you about
all of this is because obviously a lot of our
audiences in New York City, because a lot of the
public is in New York City, but it's a vast
minority of the overall number of people in this country,
and a lot of people who've been watching the success
of the DSA and the left more broadly populist move
(17:54):
more broadly in New York City are like, how can
I do this where I am? How like I want
to be in politics and I want to be able
to throw overthrow the old guard. Now Rhode Island is
Rhode Island's labor movement has historically been and you tell
me how much of this is a caricature associated with
(18:14):
the mob with kind of broad organized crime elements. How
yet organized labor seems to have become a real battleground
for this this fight.
Speaker 4 (18:29):
How have you so?
Speaker 3 (18:30):
How how has DSA been able to kind of DSA
and the cooperative and your movement more broadly been able
to kind of influence and penetrate organized labor in Providence?
And how true is that charricture today? Does it vary
by union?
Speaker 4 (18:46):
Like? What is this? What is the situation with organized
labor in Rhode Island now?
Speaker 6 (18:50):
So the same way that we've seen a shift in
terms of the culture we see at the state House
where there's more progressive representation and action that has been
met with urgency, we're seeing the same trend cross organized labor.
I'm really proud to share that we've been endorsed by
the SEIU State Council, which represents thousands of healthcare and
home care and childcare.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
Workers, Which is kind of crazy, right the.
Speaker 6 (19:11):
First time YEA over fifteen years that they had engaged
in a mayoral primary in profits. The fact that they're
flexing this muscle as a part of this race speaks volume.
In addition to that, we have the Providence Teachers Union
that again, in a shocking turn of events, is not
supporting the incumbent but instead of supporting our campaign because
it speaks to the vision that they want to align with,
(19:33):
which is one centered around progressive values. And that has
a lot to do with some of the shifts that
we've seen in organized labor in terms of leadership. So
I certainly believe that that's helped contribute. But also the
fact that.
Speaker 3 (19:44):
So you've been challenging, like your folks, your movement has
been like winning leadership positions in the unions and like
organizing the members themselves, like how have you gotten to
this place?
Speaker 6 (19:55):
I think what we have seen over the years is
just rank and file speaking up, rank and file speaking
up in recognizing that their legislators and that their advocates
and activists on the ground.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
There's new young people coming into the unions, or these
are older people who are like just sick of how
things have been going.
Speaker 6 (20:10):
It's a mix of both. It's a mix of both
those who have been a part of the union and
want their union to be a lot more active and
engaged as a part of the electoral process, and also
beyond that, also seeing a wave of new younger members
also being part of the union as well. So again
I'm very proud to just share that SEIU State Council,
the Providence Teachers' Union, and Local twenty six from Unit
(20:31):
here have been actively supporting us. And again these are
unions that generally speaking might have just stayed neutral when
it came to a mayoral primary, but instead have gone
behind our movement.
Speaker 4 (20:42):
And so I give a lot of credit to.
Speaker 6 (20:43):
The shift in the leadership that we've seen and also
their willingness to take what is otherwise seen as a
quote unquote political risk, which is going up against an
incumbent that is backed by corporate interests.
Speaker 3 (20:53):
You know, and as people organize, go door to door
and like you know, they run campaigns, volunteer for camp pains,
they know that they're taking risks. Professionally, they're taking you know,
they're they're giving their time. But in some cases, like
there's an actual threat going on. And I'm curious if,
as as your movement has grown in Providence, if any
(21:16):
anybody has been kind of threatened or like the power
structure there, Like we're saying, like this is not a
small town council where you're just gonna like they're just
gonna like say, oh they it seems like the political
winds blow in their way. They got more votes. I
guess we're gonna, you know, fold up shop here. I
would imagine that they are fighting back and might be
(21:38):
fighting back in ways beyond just the ballot box, like
it have you been threatened?
Speaker 4 (21:42):
Like?
Speaker 3 (21:42):
What's what has it been like for people who are
trying to stand up for their communities here?
Speaker 6 (21:48):
So power concedes nothing without demand, and we have watched
as a status quo will fight tooth and the able
to try to prevent any shift.
Speaker 4 (21:56):
That little tooth and nail like what's so, what.
Speaker 6 (21:58):
We've seen are certain city council members that essentially have
corporate backed challengers. And I am talking specifically around large
developers and industrial facilities that have been polluting our waterfront.
These are corporate interests that do not want our movement
to move forward because they don't want to cap around
rent increases. They don't want us to transform the waterfront
(22:19):
and tax industrial polluters at a higher rate. And so
what we've seen are members of the Providence City Council
who voted, advocated, and spoke up in regards to rent
stabilization are all now facing challengers, and some of whom
we are actively backing and supporting as a part of
our campaign. So it's been exciting to watch that despite
the fact that, yes, the status quo and the political
establishment is now going on the offense. We're ready, We're
(22:42):
ready to defend these existing legislative seats while at the
same time also running candidates for open seats and recognizing
that the establishment also has their series of candidates. So
a lot of what we've seen are certain council members
that during the legislative process, we're being pressured, We're being
pressured not to support rent stabilization, Otherwise they would face
a major challenge when it came to reelection.
Speaker 3 (23:02):
Right, but at least we're talking democratically. You haven't seen
threats of political violence.
Speaker 6 (23:07):
Thankfully not, and I would hope that it remains that
way over the next two months and beyond.
Speaker 4 (23:12):
And so what are you finding that is really landing
with people? And are you.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
Are your opponents trying to use the democratic socialism label
or do they recognize that it kind of backfires at this.
Speaker 4 (23:25):
Point and people like, oh, okay, then I know who
to vote for.
Speaker 6 (23:28):
What resonates is speaking to the needs of working families
all across Providence. Right now, we have so many of
our neighbors that are just being priced out because the
cost of rent has gone far too expensive. So when
we speak about rent stabilization, it is literally speaking to
their needs. Because the working mom who just watched to
rent and go up from fourteen hundred dollars to two
thousand dollars, that knows that that's not sustainable. And so
(23:48):
when they hear that we have a plan to cap
rent increases at four percent, it provides that level of reassurance.
When we talk about the ways that we're going to
maximize the city Solicitor's office to be able to prosecute
fascist ICE agents and take action around the activity of
ICE that has been abusing our neighbors, that speaks to
the needs of what our immigrant community is going through.
So I believe that our campaign and our movement as
(24:11):
a whole is meeting the moment. And to your point,
our opponents are certainly trying to use the term around
democratic socialism and red Scare up against us, while also
trying to demonize us as being overly radical and inexperienced
to be able to take on the responsibilities of the
mayor's office. But I think what has been shown over
the last several months as a part of our campaign
is that one we're speaking to the needs of our neighbors,
(24:32):
but two we have a plan to make sure we're
actually delivering.
Speaker 3 (24:36):
And so for people who are outside of Rhode Island,
outside of New York and are trying to figure out,
like how to develop some kind of a movement like this,
one thing I'm curious is maybe you could offer some
advice on as I've watched Rhode Island's populist progressive movement
go through it's growing pains, and it's you know, fits
and starts, you know, huge wins and then and then setbacks.
(24:57):
Every movement has severe factionalism that develops at times, and
you guys in your state had had some of the
most dramatic that I've seen, and such that at times
I thought, well, I guess this is over, Like they're
just going to rip each ozz or others throats out
at this point.
Speaker 4 (25:15):
Yet that didn't happen.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
I mean throats were ripped metaphorically, thankfully, not actually.
Speaker 6 (25:21):
I'm a pro wrestler, Yeah, so I just want you
to know I use these terms right, it means something.
Speaker 4 (25:26):
Else to me exactly.
Speaker 3 (25:27):
So, but you guys have thrived despite some extremely dark
and you know, drama filled moments of sectarian factionalism that
that kind of threatened to undermine the entire project. So
what would you say to people outside who are who
are facing that? Because when when people come together to
fight for something, tensions are high and you're gonna have
(25:51):
you're going just factionalism is going to develop.
Speaker 4 (25:54):
How did how did you?
Speaker 3 (25:55):
I won't say anybody ever overcomes it, but how did
you overcome it enough that you're now pulled together and
threatening power at the highest level.
Speaker 6 (26:03):
Here, it's all about coalition building, making sure that different
leaderships of respective organizations are actively coming together and communicating,
because more often than not, we've seen a breakdown communication,
a mix up in disagreements around strategy, and that has
led to exactly what you described, factions being formed.
Speaker 4 (26:19):
So happy hours, how do you like? What's like? Practically speaking?
How do you keep that?
Speaker 6 (26:23):
Social gatherings are incredibly important? So thankfully we have a
grassroots organization called Reclaimer Rhode Island. They've been around since
twenty twenty where some of the endorsing folks that allowed
me to get elected the first time around, and they've
been very intentional about building relationships with the working families party,
building relationships with labor like SCIU. And some of that
does take the form of social gatherings, being able to
(26:44):
get together at our neighborhood bars and restaurants to just
be able to get to know one another as neighbors,
and then beyond that, having an actual unified strategy because
leadership teams have had conversations on how do we want
to tackle this next legislative session, and over the course
of the last two years, for example, there has been
an ongoing fight to preserve our public transportation system RIFTA,
(27:05):
and that's been a part of an organization called a
Provident Streets Coalition that has garnered a group of neighborhood associations,
community organizations, unions, and nonprofits to get behind this basic
principle that public transit is a right that all of
our neighbors should be able to access and that has
led to very strong legislative advocacy that is now transitioning
(27:26):
over to electoral organizing. And so I think what's always
important to know is that the fight does not stop
in September, November or the ballot box in general. That
we need to maintain this level of advocacy year round,
whether it's during election season or during the legislative session.
We need to consistently be partnering. And that's what I
want to be able to help formulate and facilitate as mayor,
(27:48):
making sure that once we're elected, going into office in
January of twenty twenty seven, that we're mobilizing in our
neighbors because we're gonna have a tough city budget that
will require large industrial facilities to pay more intact. But
we know the corporate polluters aren't going to want to
pay more in taxes. So it's going to be up
to our office, alongside organizations like Reclaim, the Working Families
Party in some of our labor unions, to be at
(28:10):
these committee hearings to make sure that it is known
that the public here in Providence wants to see a
more fair tax structure.
Speaker 3 (28:17):
And last question for me, like what made you think
the mayor was vulnerable? Like what made you say, you
know what, this is the year and we can do this.
Speaker 6 (28:24):
A series of poor decisions that he has made, the
fact that he vetoed rent stabilization despite the fact that
it is an overwhelmingly popular issue that neighbors wanted to
see actively passed, so they had a sense of reassurance.
The fact that he allowed for Providence Police to be
in a situation where they collaborated with Ice and then
thereafter there was no accountability. There are many moments where
(28:47):
the mayor has missed the mark, and you combine that
with the fact that he is just simply out of
touch with the needs of so many of our neighbors.
Given who takes money from and I'm talking about corporate landlords,
I'm talking about the lawyers representing these industrial facilities in
corporate packs. Providence as a whole, a city of one
hundred and ninety thousand plus people, is relatively progressive and
they want to see change. And so I knew back
(29:09):
when we launched in September of twenty twenty five that
we were going to meet the moment that we had
an opportunity to mobilize, especially young people, immigrant communities, and
folks who generally do not feel engaged when it comes
to local politics and government.
Speaker 3 (29:23):
All Right, David Morales, candidate for Mayor in Providence. The
election is September.
Speaker 6 (29:28):
Wednesday, September ninth. Then you can visit David MORALESPVD dot
com to learn more about our movement.
Speaker 3 (29:33):
All right, all right, so election of September will be
following as closely the next next DSA target.
Speaker 4 (29:39):
Thank you so much, Riyan, you got it. Quick clarification.
Speaker 3 (29:42):
David Morales is a longtime DSA member. DSA itself is
not endorsing in this particular may oral race that will
do it for us. Today, I didn't make Sager sit
through the two comic questioning sessions. I'm not a total
say this. I try to be a good colleague. But
(30:02):
Soccer and I will be back for another Bro show tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (30:05):
We'll see you then,
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