Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Back capture it. We got more comments from President Trump
on the shutdown coming up in minutes, we're going to
get that. You'll hear the latest and a new ad,
new polling, new commentary from Congressman John James, who's announced
his race a run for the governor here in Michigan.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
And why do we lock our doors at night because
we hate the people on the outside. No, because we
love the people on the inside. We also need to
lock our borders to protect us from drugs and terrorists.
America is the most generous country in the world. But
Democrats want to give you I legal free health care. Well,
you go into debt paying for yours. That's crazy. I'm
(00:43):
John James. We have to fix this crisis before it's
too late. I approve this message.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
He's running for governor and he joins us now on
West Michigan Live. Thank you for taking the time to
be here with us Today's they're always a pleasure.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Hey, thanks having on hastin.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Solid message in that, and I think I don't think
I've heard it put much better than that about this
border issue. And one of the things as that issue
was discussed it can get lost on people is that
Michigan is a border state.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
That's right. That's right. People forget the Michigan's a border state.
People forget that when presidents was successful in shutting down
our southern border, all of the immigration, illegal immigration went
to the longest land border in the world, our border
between Canada and the United States of America. Michigan is
a border state, and when our northern border apprehensions skyrocketed,
(01:41):
those are just the ones that we know about. Just
last year, sixty Minutes interviewed one of these cartel goons
and they said that they're absolutely going to keep coming
through because of the things that Democrats did in the
past to create a draw for the system. This is
human trafficking, this is drug trafficking, this is weapons trafficking
(02:03):
that we've been highlighting for so long. So Michigan being
a border state, Michigan gets hit tough and hard on this.
And I applaud the governor of the President's efforts here
and as Michigan's next governor, Michigan will not be a
sanctuary state on my watch.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Well that's big because what we're talking about and what
we're seeing play out, as you just mentioned, the President
trying to solve these issues in a lot of ways,
and he's getting some friction from attorneys generalis throughout the country,
but also from governors in local law enforcement, and that's
not helpful at all.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
No, not helpful at all. And the president having an
ally and a friend in a battleground state, in a
border state, is massively going to benefit making America safe again,
making sure we have an ally who will not only
protect us from our public safety standpoint, but have being
a combat veteran, being a soldier, having defended this country before.
(03:00):
Having a governor who will be the commander in chief
of the National Guard, who understands what it takes to
do that. Working alongside the President, I think is massively
beneficial for the state of Michigan and for the United
States of America. We have massive economic opportunity here that
will benefit the country and our own citizens in Michigan,
and we also have massive opportunity as a border of state.
(03:20):
But let's not forget that we're being probed by China
right now, and with this failed regime with Gretchen Whitber
and Lansing, they have everything from Goshen to probing and
Graling and everywhere in between. You may have heard recently
that two Chinese operatives a few months ago were apprehended
at Detroit Metro Airport. Imagine a state that's so wonderful,
(03:42):
so powerful, so beautiful, so economically dominant, that we're getting
more respect from the Chinese government that we're getting from
our own administration in Lansing. We need to have somebody
who understands what it takes to keep our streets safe,
but also understands what it takes to lead and keep
our country safe as well.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
John James is with us right now. The Congressman uh
from Michigan wants to be the governor and talking about
this very serious subject. One of them is Goshen itself.
The Midwestern are doing a lot of reporting on this
in in that fight and those folks, they're so incredibly
happy to see that finally come to an end. So
Goshen is a big part of it. But there is
(04:21):
also a machine, and it has to do with Gretchen
Whitmer and the current governor here and what she was
doing behind the scenes m d C and some of
the scandalous things that they've been sort of caught in
the in the tracks. I don't think even the Attorney
General's that's Dana Nessel looking into some of this stuff.
But uh, boy, number one, great to see what those
(04:42):
folks were able to pull out a testament to when
people realize people every day people get together and uh
and stand up with each other to make a difference.
But also, I think there's a lot to be done
in in this, in this in the sort of the
aftermath of this. We've got it, we got in investigate
find out how we got here.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
And the first thing I'm going to do, among the
first things I'm going to do, We've got to audit
the entire structure in Lansing. We have to figure out
who's been greasing whose palms, and who's been on the take.
Because there's no reason that this MEDC, which is tantamount
to the governor's piggy bank, has been able to fail
so spectacularly in its mission. Why this sore organization can
(05:26):
spend over six hundred million of your tax dollars and
create zero jobs. You heard it, exactly zero jobs. The
best way to make sure you spend money is to
spend it on the taxpayers who are paying the taxes.
We need the tax tort and regulatory reform that's necessary
to make this a better place to do business, from
our farms to our factories. We need to make sure
that we have a government that's fair, efficient and limited.
(05:50):
We need to make sure we have a customer service
centric organization, changing the culture in Lansing to make sure
it works for us and not against us. This is
just the start it from top to bottom, and then
when we have the results, we will streamline what's working,
we will consolidate what could be made better, and we
will eliminate the things that are working against the people.
Speaker 1 (06:10):
Let's talk about one of the questions that keeps coming
up in the chat, and I'm sure you'll want it to see.
I have a feeling it ties into this shutdown President Trump.
We're just talking a little bit about how they're trying
to get this all wrapped up in a deal done here.
But let's talk a little bit about it if we can.
What you're hearing on the inside track on this. I'm
sure it has a little bit to do with last
(06:32):
night's forum that happened here in Sparta. And the question
is where's the congressman? But it sounds like to me
that you'll probably answer that question with the answer of
the shutdown as well.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
Yeah, well, here I am here. I am speaking to
your educated, your passionate, and engaged audience in West Michigan.
Here I am speaking to you. Last night, I was
on Fox two News and Detroit, and I guarantee you
more people heard from me than heard from our candidates
in a closed door, non stream fundraiser for the politically connected.
(07:09):
I don't think that the voter should have to pay
one thousand dollars per table to hear from their candidates.
I took my message to voters, and more importantly, I'm listening.
I'm getting out around the state and I'm hearing what's broken.
I'm hearing that people want to restore hope. And Frankly,
a combat veteran who's grown a business and has deployed
to DC to support our president to make America great again,
(07:29):
are the things that people know that we need to
lead us out of the doldrums. Right now, I'm ahead
in the polls by fifty points on my next closest competitor,
and I'm the only one that the other side is
even considering would be an opponent. I'm the farthest ahead
of anybody any Republican candidate has ever been over a
year out and in terms of individual fundraising, over twelve
(07:53):
five hundred individuals contributing to this campaign and outraised everybody
else to include Joslyn Benson and Mike dug In. This
is an indication of the energy that we have with
people recognizing that someone who has a passion for service,
who's willing to put service before a self, someone who's
been proven in combat and business, is what it takes
(08:14):
to get through and not engaging with a few people
in a closed room. And frankly, I would say that
somebody who can win in southeast Michigan, and somebody who
can win in Southeast Michigan with abortion on the ballot,
that's the type of person who will.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Be able to win Michigan again. Because again Trump got
seven thousand more votes than I did in twenty twenty,
but I got sixty thousand votes closer.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
If you agree that Trump got robbed in twenty twenty,
you have to agree that I did too. We are
going to win again. We are going to turn our
state around. And I'm excited to engage with you individually
and all over the state and will I'm happy, happy,
to consider a debate once the field is set.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Hey, let's talk about something I think needs to be addressed.
In fact, they've got a couple of folks. You've got
the couple of Democrats on the other side, you know,
one in Joscelyn Benson. That should be taken very seriously.
If you thought Gretchen Whitmer was bad, get ready, she'll
(09:16):
be Whitmer times ten. But then you've got Douggan, who
really is He really is a Democrat, even though he
doesn't admit it. Now it independent and parading around like
he is, you know, God's gift to mayors. Here's the
Midwesterner headline that states something different. Beggin's Detroit ranked fourth
(09:38):
most dangerous city in America. And I know you're you're
in the area, you live there, you know what it's like.
It's a completely different picture that's being painted on billboards
and the like the rest right now in the state.
Speaker 3 (09:54):
Yeah, no, they think we're stupid. We're not stupid. Detroit
ranks number three, number three in rape, murder and vehicle theft.
The rest of Michigan want that. Mike Duggan actually went
out on August second. Check it out yourself. And said
that he's not going to change any of his policy positions,
not any Okay, well, you know where that stands. We
(10:17):
have a state that is ranked high in unemployment. We
have a state that's ranked toward the bottom in every
other metric to include. We were ranked toward the bottom
in population, growth, were ranked toward the bottom and education.
We're ranked toward the bottom in an economic opportunity. And
everywhere you look throughout the country, where you see the
(10:40):
states that are growing and thriving, there are red states
run by Republican governors with lower taxes. Every state where
you see that population is declining and people are losing hope,
these are blue states with Democrat governors with high taxes.
The answer is simple. We have to turn around our state.
Not the time for half measures in games. We have
(11:02):
the opportunity right now with the strongest candidate who's been
able to win in Southeast Michigan, win statewide again and
then be able to take our state to a much
better higher plane to benefit everyone, regardless of race, color,
and creed. That's what we need to be focused on.
How do we win the state and take it back
from the Marxists who will ruin our lives by imposing
(11:23):
more government on us, or we can spend the next
year fighting each other and getting nothing done. I'm excited
to have the opportunity to engage with you individually and again,
I was on with the Detroit audience last night and
I'm on with you today because I believe fully in transparency, accountability,
and that's exactly how we're going to be running the state.
The core values, the things that we stand for are
(11:45):
economic excellence, economic mobility, public safety, accountable government, and healthy families.
Those are things that we can all get behind and
those are the things I'm going to be fighting for you.
Speaker 1 (11:58):
On MS running for governor here, and of course we
let's have you back on. I know there are plenty
more questions we want to get to, but obviously time
running out here. You're hearing from lots of folks as
you talk to people throughout the state, and I'm sure
continue those conversations as you just mentioned. But where can
(12:19):
folks keep up with you? Where can they see a
shake a hand, ask a question, maybe go online and
do the same. What's the best way for them to
do that?
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Yeah, I'd say for campaign stuff. If you want to
see what we're doing around the state. John James am
I on the socials John James am I or on
the website. But during these troubling times, when House Republicans
voted to keep the government open over forty days ago,
and Senate Republicans have voted thirteen times open it back
up in these troubling times, if you need help, please
(12:48):
contact my official office and we will do everything that
we can to make sure you have the resource that
you're entitled to.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
It's important. I know there's gonna be a lot of
people hurting right now, and obviously that's what the Democrats
seem to want. They seem to be okay with that.
That's shameful in my mind.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Yeah, if I have a couple I want to give
your people the facts. House Minority Whip Catherine Clark. She stated,
of course there will be families that are going to suffer,
but as one of the few leverage items that we have,
Chuck Schumer says, every day gets better for Democrats. Senator
Bernie Sanders said, you reopen the government and we lose
(13:25):
our leverage. That's the whole point of the shutdown. Even
Everett Kelly, the President of the American Federation of Government Employees.
That is time to pass a clean continuing resolution and
in the shutdown today, no have measures, no gamesmanship, but
every single federal worker back on the job with full
back pay to day. And you're even seeing the fake
news media out on CNN and Washington Post and CNBC
(13:49):
who are looking at these Democrats and saying, what are
you doing. We absolutely are on the right side because
we are always siding with the people. The government protects
the rights of the people. We get our rights from God.
We have a constitutional republic, and we need five more
senators to open the government and fix this broken sick
care system that is breaking our banks, making us more unhealthy,
(14:10):
and sending our children further and further into debt. That
is what we need to do. But first we need
to reopen the government to keep our promises to the
American people.
Speaker 1 (14:17):
Here you have it, John James, always a pleasure, the congressman,
and of course could be the next governor from the
state of Michigan. Go online and find out more. John
JAMESMI dot com. Always a pleasure, my friend. Thank you,