Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
It's the week of October twelfth, twenty twenty five, and
this is what's on the People's News. In a People's
News exclusive, an HISD teacher speaks out on being fired
by the district. Forty day hotel strike ends with a
new contract. The Trump shutdown hurts Veterans protests at the
(00:24):
Veterans Hospital. The Trump shutdown means delays for air travel,
ceasefire in Gaza, Will it hold? Houston elections are coming?
Are you ready? All that? And more on The People's News.
I'm Steve Gallington. This is the People's News, and the
(00:45):
People's News starts now.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Hi.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
This is Steve Gallington, producer and host for the People's News.
In preparation for the upcoming No King's Rally at Discovery
Green October eighteenth, which The People's News will be covering extensively,
I wanted to rebroadcast this list of guidelines to help
keep you safe during the protests. You have rights when
(01:19):
dealing with the police or ice no matter or immigration status.
Number one, if they do not have a warrant, an
arrest warrant or a search warrant, you do not have
to open the door for the police or ice. You
do not have to answer any questions about status or
country of origin. The right to remain silent is protected
(01:42):
under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution. You have the
right to ask to see a lawyer. You have the
right to refuse searches of your person and your car
if the police do not suspect a crime. This is
the fourth Amendment of the com Institution. Never sign anything
(02:04):
without knowing what it says, and you have a right
to record what happens. The adduled convicted felon and want
to be dictator. Donald Trump wants you to get violent
during this protest to use as an excuse to declare
martial law and use the Insurrection Act. Don't let him win.
(02:28):
Keep everything peaceful, and we'll see you on the ground
at Discovery Green on Saturday. Houston Education Association Union president
Michelle Williams, a twenty six year teaching veteran, was fired
by the Houston ISD board last week. The Benbrook third
grade elementary teacher was fired for leaving the school without
(02:48):
letting the school know she was gone. She was on
house suspension from a previous allegation that she was not
teaching to the plans set up by the state run
school district superintendent Mike Miles. In this exclusive, she talks
about what is happening within the school district and why
she says she was fired.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Everything is not flying in hi se.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
First of all, as far as the numbers, testing data
can be manipulated, and we've seen that time and time
again as educators.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
That's something. Well, look at it this way.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
If the state took over the largest school district in
the state of Texas, would you.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Let it be a complete and total failure?
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Absolutely not, So you have the fox Garden the hen House.
That's basically and it's politics. What they're doing is basically saying, oh,
we're doing great, now we want to take over. It's
a way for them to say and get support for
the state takeovers of local school districts.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
That's what this is about. It has nothing to do
with children. How to attacking Uny.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
They're attacking me because I'm very vocal. I'm vocal about
breaking the special education laws. That's what they're forcing teachers
to do, and they tried to force me to do it,
but I refuse to be a part of that. They
don't want to teach us, to teach the children I
was told that there was not any time to teach
(04:25):
the children how to read, although I was supposed to
be teaching the science of reading. I was putting that
spot specifically, I was taking out a math, putting that
spot specifically to teach the children how to read, which
is mandated by House Built three that was passed in
twenty nineteen.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
You teach pensial kids their kids also, which is a
totally different.
Speaker 6 (04:49):
Way of teacher.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Right, we're supposed to implement by law. We're supposed to
implement their IEPs. And we signed for those ips. And
when we signed for those ips, it's like a contract
saying that I'm going to implement these accommodations in the
generated classroom, which is what I taught as written.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
And there's no you can't get around that.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
You have to do it. It's the law.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
And what is what is how they skip around all this?
Speaker 7 (05:24):
This is crazy to me that they can skip they're
trying to skip around.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Law because there has not been a teacher who has
had a large enough platform like myself to get the
word out about what's taking place in HISD.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
But I'm here now, so and everybody's gonna know.
Speaker 5 (05:42):
And what's going on also is teachers are leaving at
a high rate.
Speaker 7 (05:48):
Unskilled teachers are going to put in the place that's gonna.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Go along with the programs. How's that work?
Speaker 4 (05:54):
So they're leaving now because Miles has intentionally made ade
a play, so to speak, for the non Nes schools.
So now he has his tentacles of nes inn non
Nes schools and he's the experienced teachers that were there
(06:16):
are now starting to leave. So now you see them
leaving in addition to the other teachers that he's hired,
because the Chronicle, I think said that most of the
teachers that he hired had already left.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
So where does he put the kids?
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Ed puts them in a bad position.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
And what I tell people is I took this previous
summer and my grandson doesn't go to HISD.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
I don't trust the system. I don't trust the curriculum.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
So I teach him myself during the summer the curriculum
before he goes to school.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
I did that. He's in third grade now.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
So if I'm doing that, I need for our communities
who care about any school age children to wake up
and understand that our kids are in danger of not
being educated and I can just explain it like this.
They want employees that know the bare minimum, that can
(07:18):
read an instruction instructional manual to operate anything, because they
want employees. Rick Campbell, who's the chair of the Port
of Houston and he's the president of the boarder Managers,
he said at city Hall, we need employees, So he
doesn't care that the children.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
Reach their full potential.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
He only cares that they're educated just enough to get
into these dead d low wage jobs without any room
for investment.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
I can't believe he said that he did.
Speaker 7 (07:55):
But what's your future.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
My future it is.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
I'm going to fight HISD to clear my name and
fight for children. I'm running for state representative and this
is the reason why I decided to and I'll go
from their public education. I can't see me return into
the classroom, not under these circumstances. But I definitely am
(08:21):
going to be always a public education advocate for our
children because they're my babies and I want them to
reach their full potential.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
And I'm going to always continue to fight for that.
Speaker 7 (08:34):
Even going to get a charter school or a private school.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Absolutely not. I'm done.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
That was Houston Education Association Union president Michelle Williams, who
was fired by the Houston ISD School Board last week.
Victory for workers at the Hilton Hotel downtown as the
forty day labor strike for workers at the Hilton Hotel
in downtown Houston come to an agreement. Forty day long strike,
(09:01):
which was the first hotel strike led by union members
in Texas, has brought forth significant gains, raising the standard
for hotel workers in the city. We talked to Francesca Cabalo,
Texas Chapter president of Unite here Local twenty three.
Speaker 8 (09:18):
Okay, it was Yeah, so yesterday, after forty days, workers
ratified their contract. So you know, today is officially the
last day. But you know, after forty days of striking,
the workers did ratify their contract yesterday. So workers are
very proud. You know, they made history, you know, being
(09:40):
the first hotel in Texas to ever go on strike.
So workers are feeling very proud of the work that
they did.
Speaker 7 (09:48):
Yeah, what happens now is when can they go back
to work? Are they starting immediately or yeah?
Speaker 8 (09:55):
Yeah, workers, most the majority of workers are going back
on Monday. Actually, so today is like our official last
day of the strike. But yeah, they'll be they'll be
back to work starting Monday.
Speaker 7 (10:07):
And how do you feel because now you have the
Georgia Brown workers going on on strikes.
Speaker 8 (10:13):
Yeah, I mean the workers at the GRB, you know,
took a strike authorization vote just a few days ago.
Of them voted to authorize a strike. It's necessary. I mean,
we know that the workers, you know, were definitely inspired
by the Hilton workers. You know, they being that they
work essentially for the same employer, Houston. First, you know,
(10:36):
they thought that it was their best that was their
best course of action, you know, to pressure the company
to come to the table with a real offer with
you know, living wages and you know, a fair workload,
fair scheduling, all the same it's it's all the same fights.
So yeah, workers are ready to do what it takes
there as well.
Speaker 7 (10:58):
What's included is including in this school contract flow the
workers at the Hilton. Yeah.
Speaker 8 (11:04):
So the Hilton, you know, obviously the big highlight is
the wages. You know, so workers like housekeeping, stewarts, laundry attendance.
They're going from sixteen fifty to twenty dollars in this
first year of the contract, and they will end up
at twenty two dollars by the end of the contract.
(11:25):
So it's just a it's a big jump from where
they they were at. And that's why, you know, workers
did do take this ultimate you know, sacrifice of striking
and walking off the job, and you know it was
it was all worth it in the end.
Speaker 7 (11:42):
And they do you have to like any type of
concessions as far as work rules or anything.
Speaker 8 (11:49):
So I mean, for example, housekeeping, right they they you know,
it is one of the toughest jobs in the hotel.
It's a very heavy, heavy workload. So housekeeping did win,
you know, a decreased workloads as far as how many
rooms that they clean. So that's a big victory. Even
(12:11):
though you know it's the highlights of the contract or
what's been in the media has been about the wages,
you know, stuff like things like that, like a morefare
workload was very important to the workers and it was
you know, something that the workers were willing to to,
you know, fight to the end about. And you know
that's one example of of of a victory and that
(12:32):
in that area.
Speaker 7 (12:35):
And then and everything is I can make you feel
as a union, as an union leader, as an organizer.
Speaker 8 (12:44):
Can you say that again?
Speaker 6 (12:45):
I'm sorry, how didn't.
Speaker 7 (12:46):
Make you feel as a union leader, as an organizer.
Speaker 8 (12:49):
Well, I feel extremely proud. I mean, I'm from Houston,
this is my hometown. So to be a part of
something like this, it's it makes me so proud, you know,
to be able to play, you know, in in changing
changing these types of jobs. I mean, I I you know,
worked service industry jobs too, and I was, you know,
(13:11):
younger and going putting myself through college and stuff so
and making you know, living check to check, making nine
eight dollars an hour. So to be part of something
like this, a movement like this to change these jobs
and the way that they're seeing too. These are essential jobs.
These are the jobs. These are the workers that you know,
keep our city afloat in crisis. So for them to
(13:33):
you know, stand together and and fight and win the
respect they deserve, I mean, it's it's I'm I'm so
incredibly proud of them, and you know, for me to
play a small role in that is I'm very grateful
for the experience.
Speaker 7 (13:51):
And I know you got Yeah, another thing that was
important is like you got a lot of people coming
from the immigrant community that you know, in a lot
of waves were scared to go on strife be tell
me the climate right now, you know, and you had to.
You had to, you had to support them as far
as like, hey, yeah, we got your back on this.
How important was that you know for those those I
(14:14):
was this they were going on strife?
Speaker 6 (14:15):
Would you?
Speaker 8 (14:17):
I mean yeah, the majority, I would say, if not,
the majority close to it. I mean the workforce are
our immigrants from pretty much all over the world, Latin America, Africa, Asia.
So it was very important to us for for workers
to know that our union does stand with immigrants. And
(14:38):
you know, yeah, like you said, the climate right now
is very hostile, is very like dangerous towards towards immigrants.
But I think the workers knew that, you know, this
fight was something that was interconnected, right, It wasn't just
about you know, a certain group of workers or this hotel, Like,
(15:00):
we're fighting for something bigger. We're looking to change the
standards and how these jobs are viewed in our city.
So I think the workers, you know, despite all the
differences and the barriers that the company and tries to
put up, they saw pass that right and organize through it.
Speaker 7 (15:22):
Well, thank you so much for taking my phone call,
and thank you so much for all the bools, you've done. Yeah.
Speaker 8 (15:29):
We appreciate you taking the time to cover us and
spread our message. So thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
That was Francesca Cabello, Texas Chapter president of Unite Here
Local twenty three. The workers at the Georgia Brown Convention
Center voted to go on strike as they have been
working without contract. Also as stated, the same issues are
on the table. We will continue to follow their strike efforts.
The US is in the midst of a second Trump
(15:57):
government shutdown. This time the main purpose of the shutdown
is to keep the Epstein files from coming out. Thousands
of people are being affected by the shutdown are not
being paid while having to work as essential federal employees.
Thousands of workers in Houston are working without contract and
(16:19):
under fear of firing, say members of the American Federation
of Government Employees, who represent over eight hundred thousand federal workers.
Congressman Al Green of the ninth Congressional District marched with
workers to one of the largest VA hospitals in Texas
as a protest to the adult convicted felon and those
in charge. He commented on the shutdown and put the
(16:41):
blame squarely on the Epstein friend and convicted felon Donald Trump.
Speaker 9 (16:48):
Well, we're here. This is a part of the shutdown
because employees and not being paid. But it's important for
everybody to know that President Trump and Republicans created the
shutdown by deciding that they wouldn't play by the rules
of the House and the Senate.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
The Senate has a rule.
Speaker 9 (17:06):
That will allow things that are important to be passed
with fifty one votes. Most things are passed with sixty
first and then you get fifty one. The sixty is
called cloture, and then you go to fifty one to pass.
But they can suspend going to the sixty and just
pass things with fifty one. So they could have on
day one of the shutdown prevented this. This is their
(17:27):
shutdown because they have the majority. They have the House,
the Senate, and the presidency. If they wanted it shut down,
they could. The President is doing this because he has
a scheme. Doctor King had a dream of all persons
being treated created and treated treated justly. The President has
a scheme to deprive people of their jobs, their livelihood,
(17:48):
and to do this he is allowing the shut down
to take place so that he can say, look, there
are people who are declared not essential. And these persons
who were declared not essential, he had nothing to do
with it, That's what he'll say. So he's gonna fire them,
fire many of them, thousands of them that are declared
non essential by people other than himself. Then after he
(18:09):
has done this, he will open up the government.
Speaker 5 (18:12):
It's okay. So the people here out here right now,
they're not getting paid.
Speaker 8 (18:18):
Well.
Speaker 9 (18:18):
The people who are out here now are part of
various organizations. AFGE is a federal government union. We have
Common Defense, which is another union, and we have the CWA,
which is a union as well, and there are others.
But they're here to represent the people in there in
the Michael ed Baky Hospital who are not being paid,
(18:41):
who are required to work. We're also here to represent
my staff who's required to work but not get paid,
which is why I have informed the payroll department not
to send me one penny of money until they send money.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
To my staff.
Speaker 9 (18:55):
As long as my staff is not getting any money,
I won't get any either. I will not be paid
on they are paid. So the president has put people
in a position now where they have to make hard
choices about some of the necessities of life. Food, clothing, shelter,
whether you're going to pay your houseload or buy food
and put that on the table. The President understands that
(19:18):
he can now downsize the government finish what those started
by simply saying that when people declared non essential, those
are the people that I am firing. And he is
saying that he's going to go after non essential Democrats
or people somehow who favor Democrats, which in my opinion,
is a heartless way to decide you're going to downsize
(19:41):
the government based upon political affiliation. I also think that
there are some other constitutional questions that I'll be dealing
with later associated with this. But the President understands that
he can do this now under the cover of non
essential workers being fired. Well, at some point he will decide, Okay,
I'm going to open the government up, and Republicans will
(20:03):
open the government up, so the crisis that they have created.
At some point they'll say, we're not going to end
the crisis, but they want to somehow blame the other party,
the Democrats, for the crisis. When they have the majority
in the House, the majority in the Senate, they've got
the presidency, and the Supreme Court is yielding to their
every whim. It seems so as a result, they create
(20:25):
a crisis, They then fire people. Then they say the
crisis is over now and we can allow people to
come back to work those who have not been fired.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
It's crazy, Yeah, that's his scheme.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
That was the ninth Congressional District Representative Al Green. The
second Trump shutdown continues to affect all segments of society.
Included in that is air travel, as long delays at
airports because of not enough air traffic controllers. Added to
this pain, US airplane manufacturer Boeing is having labor issues
(21:02):
with their workers. The shutdown also affects inspectors before being
used in commercial aviation. We talked to Ryan Ewing, founder
of airline geeks dot com and Airline Trade Publication.
Speaker 10 (21:16):
Well, you know, I think you're seeing kind of the
early indications of how this will play out, and it's
certainly how I've actually played out in twenty nineteen during
the third day over thirty days shutdown, you know, you're
seeing some persh yeary sort of staffing issues within the
national ware space system. You've seen bigger ones, you know
(21:39):
in places like Burbank where they've on antet zero but
you know, it's an already very you know, it's so
secret that they're already having some staffing issues at the
FAA on the controller side, and this sort of just
exasperates as far.
Speaker 7 (21:54):
As I'm concerned, what's going on with the fa right now?
We knew we had a shortage of air Prafitt controllers,
and it seems like the new the new director, the
first edition job was he decided to get rid of
the diversity program to get more minorities involved, and then
(22:14):
he still had a staffing issue. Well, how do you
play out his his tenure so far as the FAA director.
Speaker 11 (22:23):
Yeah, you know, Sean Duffy, uh, you know, obviously had
the dot secretary, kind of took the job first, right,
and he came in, uh you know, within a couple
of weeks there he was dealing with, you know, the
first deadly US.
Speaker 10 (22:38):
Airline accident and you know, over well over a decade, so,
you know, definitely not an easy feat to come in. But
in obviously the do OT overseas one more than just
the you know, they have a's kind of largest part
of the dut uh, but I only have Brian Bedford
who is uh was appointed the Administrator the f A.
He was confirmed by Congress a couple of months ago.
(22:58):
Uh And and I also that you know, he's been
a more more quiet as I think he gets more
ingrained into the rule. But also he comes through a
lot of industry experience. Bedford was the SEEO of Public Airways.
He's piled himself, you know, so he's been around the industry.
And I've always said, you know, Public Airways is a
(23:19):
regional carrier. They primarily operate in the Northeast for Delta
America and United So he's no stranger terror traffic control issues.
And you know, I think this is a time when
they are probably thinking, man, we wish we hired a
few more We pushed, we pushed the accelerator down more
on getting a few more people through the door. But
(23:41):
you know, obviously what it could have shown a situation.
Speaker 7 (23:46):
And is it is it getting better as far as
as far as as far as the air traffic controllers
as well.
Speaker 10 (23:52):
They did, they did meet their hiring goal. I think
it was like twenty two hundred twenty twenty five, which
is you know, which is a start. Uh So they
met that, but again, you know, there's there's still a
lot of uh attrition on the top in because the
fellers can retire you know, around fifty seven depending on
(24:13):
a few different factors. But that's that's normally the age.
And so yeah, I mean I think they're they're working
to backfill as much as they can, but you know,
it's it's a long process to get a controller trained up.
Speaker 7 (24:28):
It wasn't it wasn't really any better with this statement
that because the air traffic control is not getting paid,
but they have to go to work, and some of
them were sick and they're they were threatening that there
was it was a sick out some that you know,
so they were threatening to fire some some air traff controls.
Speaker 10 (24:43):
What I heard, Yeah, you know I saw that, and
you know, I I I think there's a careful balance
right that that the dot as they have to walk
because in the same time, you know, yes, you can't
have people you know who may or may not be sick,
right pulling this stuff during this time, because then everybody
(25:04):
else who is you know, the ninety percent. I think
when Duffy says has actually coming into work and getting unpaid,
you know, I don't really see that as being you
know fair, you know, to everybody else. But uh, you know,
I think in the other time, another vein there.
Speaker 8 (25:21):
Is that.
Speaker 10 (25:23):
You know, we have to be you got to thank
your controllers, uh, because this is it's not an easy job, period,
but especially not an easy job you're not get paid
for it.
Speaker 7 (25:34):
And this is that as all this, we would go
back a month or so with the Bowling strike.
Speaker 10 (25:40):
You know, that's a it's actually another interesting government shutdown
angle to Uh. It's funny you say that because remember
that the FA has people inspectors embedded within Boeing facilities,
and they do that at Boeing Airbus it here in
the United States, and they do it at airlines too.
(26:03):
So I always say, you know, phones had you know,
some some tougher times recently. That's no secret. But you
throw in this, you know, the unpaid inspectors that are
there now too, because they are not getting paid either.
Speaker 7 (26:17):
Uh.
Speaker 10 (26:18):
You know, this is just not a good situation for anybody,
even the private sector.
Speaker 7 (26:22):
So so in the inspector so these respectors, that's gonna
hurt the plant a plan as far as them getting
out planes getting planes, does it just does it hurt,
doesn't hurt the distribution of them getting the planes out
on time.
Speaker 10 (26:41):
It could I wouldn't rule that out, you know, especially
if there's inspectors that you may not want to really
come to work on paid or something like that. Yeah,
that could certainly slow going down. Even though they do
have some self certifying ability, there are still limits on it.
So yeah, I think that doesn't certainly doesn't help to
see situation.
Speaker 7 (27:00):
That they're already in. I know, the airlines was increasing
their increasing their flight schedule. Will it decrease will will
this this shut down decrease some of the some of
the added flights that some of the some of the
terriers were planning.
Speaker 6 (27:16):
M h.
Speaker 10 (27:17):
I think it's a little too early to tell the
impacts of that. You know, American seid of Reunited is
sort of uniquely exposed to impacts as the government, uh
because they have such large hubs in the DC area,
and obviously when you have federal workers that are furlough,
they're not traveling either. So you know, I think that's
(27:40):
certainly one factor that they could be looking at, But
I don't know if it's going to be you know,
something that is material unless this really continues on.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
That was Ryan Ewing, founder of Airline Geeks, dot com
and airline trade publication.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
Hi.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
This is Steve Gallington, producer and host of the People's News.
The People's News is people powered news. We are free
to report the unvarnished and unspun truth and challenge the
status quo of corporate propaganda and social media advertising disguised
as reel news. Shiny new one hour episodes of The
(28:21):
People's News drop each Sunday on The People's News Podcast.
Thanks for listening. This week, a peace deal was agreed
to by Hamas and the Israeli government. This will stop
the bombs and invasion of Gaza by Israel and the
hostages that are being held by Hamas will be set
(28:41):
free and thousands of prisoners held by Israel will also
be free. This is part of a twenty point piece
plan that has been mapped out. There are lots of
things that can happen that will end this plan and
a lot of questions remain on the table. For now,
the people of Gaza are moving back to their homes
(29:02):
as more than half the territory is destroyed. Un food
and supplies will also be let in. We talked to
William White, a political consultant.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
You know what I'm pretty shocked at some of the
expectations on from Moss, but especially in shocked that for
two years now the world has fell completely silent in
the face of this genocide which was killing young children
(29:33):
very early into its.
Speaker 6 (29:35):
Day, and has not stopped.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
Either through bombs or bullets like they did with Hindradjab
and not through starvation and now through starvation and disease.
And so while I am optimistic at the possibility of peace,
I don't think there can ever be peace by Benjamin Netta,
(30:01):
who he will use this opportunity to continue to ethnically
cleanse Daza and all that stands there and remove its
people and continue to kill them if they refuse.
Speaker 7 (30:14):
People as people are not noting that because they talked
about peace and a peace steal, the bombing still continues.
I think forty seven people do today.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Yeah, and there have been hundreds of people die each
day and every day since October seventh, twenty twenty three.
That remains clear that Israel is not going to stop
at any costs to kill the Palestinian people.
Speaker 7 (30:40):
What do you feel that the that's in it for
the Trump administration.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
Well, you know, Donald Trump is obsessed with making himself
the Nobel Pott Prize President perhaps unable to soothe his
ego that President Barack Obama has Nobel Peace Prize and
he does not. But I think that's what isn't it
(31:07):
for the president is he's just looking for an easy
way to claim a Nobel Peace Prize.
Speaker 7 (31:13):
I looked at the other countries that are being part
of the peace deal, Tata, Saudi Arabia, the United Immlands,
all these countries that that have a monarchy for the
most part, are fight are fighting within the people that's
living in the country themselves who are pro Palestinian, and
(31:33):
they're still looking up. They are they in it just
to save themselves. As far as as far as the
way they make in the Middle.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
East, I think they are facing a dilemma and that
they know they will not They're they're they're a fellow country,
will not welcome the opportunity for palace in In to
be displaced.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
And so.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Between a rock and a hard place, the rock being
the displacement of Palestinians and a hard place being the
ongoing genocide which they're facing pressure over both, they would
they would be hard pressed to to not push for
a peace steal right now. It's in their best interests
not only from their fellow countrymen and the political situations
(32:24):
that are in those countries now, but also for the
people of Gaza. And so it's a it's a course
of action which we've rarely seen, but a course of action.
Speaker 7 (32:37):
Nonetheless, what does Sama say as far as as far
as where do they go next?
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Well, I think that remains to be seen. Like I say,
some of these things that Israel and the United States
have agreed on are would outright take them out of power,
which Hamas seems resentful and not responding to that that portion. However,
I think Amas would. I think Amas would be looking
(33:11):
for peace currently just as much as some of their
neighbors are.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
And so.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
You know, they they have paid the biggest price throughout
this genocide and losing hundreds of thousands of people and
tens of thousands by their own estimate, but hundreds of
thousands by the estimates of some outside groups, and so
you know they're desperate for peace. They want to get
the hostages back, it seems like, and there I think
(33:40):
that was the first agreement that was made, is they're
going to quickly deliver the hostages to people so there's
I think everyone wants its genocide to be over, is
what I'm understanding. But what it looks like the day
after the bombs stop, the AID is let in remains
to be unseen, and of course it looks like it's
(34:03):
going to be heavily weighted towards furthering the ethnic cleansing
of Gaza.
Speaker 7 (34:09):
Also, there's no sense of pressure on the Israeli government
and in those sense that they might not sign a
deal because hard liners within Israeli government are not seeking
any type of negotiations and one continue the fighting. Have
you seen that? Also?
Speaker 2 (34:27):
Yeah? Absolutely, I mean the hardliners in the Israeli government
have no doubt had the biggest impact in further in
the genocide by protesting AID going into Gaza, and furthermore
by continuing their annexation of the West Bank, which has
nothing to do with Hamas as their old argument goes.
And so their intentions are very clear, and that is
(34:50):
they want to see Israel control all of Palestine and
even further into Jordan and Syria, which of course Jordan
and Syria and Lebanon have all seen as a direct
threat to their sovereignty. So with that happening, in the background.
It remains to be seen whether the Israeli people will
(35:12):
de escalate.
Speaker 7 (35:14):
And you said, yeah, something that has not been talked
about is the continuing battle within West Bank, because there's
not just the idef. These Reeli defense forces have been
letting right wing Zueli settlers attack Palestinians and nothing in
(35:35):
killing Palestinians with with no type of pause in their fighting,
you know, mostly mostly peaceful Palestinians.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
Well, yeah, and we have to remember that the West
Bank is still a factor in Israeli expansion just as
much as Gaza or the Sinai or Golan heights. These
far right extremists in the Israeli government want nothing short
(36:07):
of a total Israeli state throughout the area of Sham
And you know, I'm I'm hoping for peace, but it
doesn't look like they want to head in that direction.
Speaker 7 (36:22):
Ken is Reel Israel the estate without Palestinians.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
I'm sorry, Can you repeat that, Richard.
Speaker 7 (36:32):
Can Israel has a state live without Palestinians being there?
Speaker 2 (36:40):
I think that.
Speaker 7 (36:42):
I don't think it's function. I'm just asking the question
can they from now?
Speaker 2 (36:47):
I think that that's a much larger question, is to
you know how they would treat Palestinians, and right now
the record shows that they don't treat Palestinians within their
borders very well. And so it's proving to be an issue.
Speaker 7 (37:00):
M that.
Speaker 2 (37:03):
You know, yeah, they can function with Palestinians and their country,
but we know that they are treated as second class citizens. Mhm.
Speaker 7 (37:13):
Well, they let peace treaty, gonna allow food into the
country without the without the organization that they have right
now that that's supposedly uh working to get food into
the into the into gaza that has not been working.
Are they are they gonna Are they gonna allow food
(37:33):
and medical aid to come come in? What's his peace
treaty assigned? Or even let the UN And.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
Again that remains to be seen.
Speaker 10 (37:45):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
They may say they they will, but so far Israel
has found nothing but excuses to further the genocide, and
so I don't expect anything short of that. It may
be that they get all of the remaining hostages back
this second, but they'll find some reason to continue harming
the people of cause it without justification, as they have
done for two years now.
Speaker 7 (38:08):
Is there is there? Does this seem to be as abstine?
But has he seen any strife between the US and
the Trump administration, and now who and and is and
is really give it?
Speaker 2 (38:22):
Well, Trump is of course denied that there has been
any strife, but we know there has been. We know
that he's mentioned the aids net who's really screwed him
over to use his own words. We know that according
to Actios just this weekend, he told Benjamin Netton now
who to take the win?
Speaker 1 (38:42):
And so.
Speaker 2 (38:45):
We know there is strife. But of course both Donald
Trump and Benjamin Netton, not who deny there is.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
That was political consultant William White, commenting on the delicate
peace in the Middle East. The elections are right around
the corner. Many candidates are out around the city trying
to get their name out to the community. A nonpartisan
election form was held on Saturday to give the candidates
the opportunity to meet the people and give their ideas
(39:12):
on how they will serve once elected. The candidates at
the event were for US Congressional District eighteen, Amanda Edwards,
Jolanda Jones, Christian Menefee, Carmen Maria Montel, and George Foreman
Junior for the Houston City Council at Large position number
four Alejandria Salinas, Jordan Thomas, Ethan Hale, Crystal Mataza, and
(39:39):
Dwight Boykins. The event was held at the Judson Robinson
Senior Community Center. This was sponsored and put on by
numerous organizations. One was the Hip Hop Caucus. We spoke
with Gerald Clay who represents the Hip Hop Caucus. Jerre Clay.
Speaker 12 (40:00):
And name an organization Okay Jarell Clay Hip Hop Caucus,
National nonprofit based in DC, LA, Houston, New Orleans, and Atlanta.
Speaker 7 (40:09):
Tell us what's going on today today?
Speaker 12 (40:12):
We're holding, in partnership with the Healthy part Communities Coalition,
a candidate forum where community, particularly blackground and Indigenous people
and families get to interact with with candidates who are
vowing to fight for our communities. And we want to
make sure that not only are they talking to talk now,
but we urge them and demand that they walk the walk.
(40:35):
Should they be elected, should the people who put them
in office hold them accountable for what they say?
Speaker 7 (40:40):
Today?
Speaker 5 (40:41):
Election is coming up for the primaries.
Speaker 3 (40:43):
A lot of people don't know about it.
Speaker 5 (40:45):
How are you going to try to get the name
to worry out to get people to know about this
upcoming election?
Speaker 12 (40:50):
This upcoming election is about what is in the system
for us. We know that there's a lot going on
at the state and local level right now, and we
know that every year is an election year. It's not
about if we're going to vote, it's about who we're
going to vote for and how we show out. Most
of the tactics for us is just information and education.
(41:15):
If folks don't know that, if folks don't know what's
going on, then they can't they can't advocate for themselves.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
And so we have to give the folks to information.
Speaker 12 (41:23):
And there is a reason why they don't have easy
access to it, and so part of it is breaking
down the barrier so that they do get that access
to information. But the second part is then urging them
and mobilizing them to do something once they have it.
Speaker 5 (41:35):
For the African American communient community, we saw in the
last election that didn't come out in full force, reaping
the reaping the fruits.
Speaker 7 (41:44):
Of that action.
Speaker 12 (41:47):
Yeah, well, right now, we have to focus on making
sure that the folks who didn't come out have the
motivation to come out if we don't give them the motivation.
And for some folks, especially if we're so close to
advocacy so close to policy. For those folks, it's a
no brainer. They come out because they know what's at stake.
Other folks may even realize what's at steak, but they
(42:08):
don't know how much power they have to do something
about it. And so when you give someone the tools,
but you also give them the vision for what's possible
when we do show up, when we do speak up,
and when we do use our power to vote, you'll
see that number in turnout rise, not only for the
general election, but elections in between.
Speaker 3 (42:29):
How can people find out about it?
Speaker 7 (42:30):
Hip Hop Caucus.
Speaker 12 (42:32):
Hip Hop Coccus again is a national nonprofit. You can
look us up at hip hococcus dot org or hip
Hopcoccus on all social media platforms.
Speaker 1 (42:40):
Another was Anthony Desuza with Airlines of Houston.
Speaker 13 (42:43):
My name is Anthony Desuza and I'm the air Monitoring
program manager at Airlines Houston. So i have managed our
air quality monitoring system across the city and I'm here
helping out with this event. The Candidate Forum to the
community in contact with their elected officials and ask the
(43:04):
questions ahead of the election.
Speaker 5 (43:06):
Well, we talk about environmental racism and how you know
petal chemical plants in the neighborhood and how cancer rating
the people in this neighborhood, How's how's getting a good
candidate to represent effective.
Speaker 13 (43:20):
Oh, it's very important because right now, at least in
Congressional District eighteen, there's no there's no representation in Congress
for over a year now, and so they have no
one to fight for them to you know, protect them
from bad industries polluting the air. And so that's why
we really need elected official that it will stand for
the people, will listen to their concerns, will bring their
(43:43):
concerns to either city council or Congress depending on the race.
And you know, people who put people's health and people's
well being as their priority, not corporate profits, not you know,
making money, but people's lives, because that's the most important thing.
Speaker 5 (44:00):
One thing that's really important is on the state level,
we know that the restrictions on the on the chemical
plants around this area have affected the community on two ways.
Speaker 3 (44:13):
One the cancer rate. Also the fires.
Speaker 5 (44:16):
And and an emergency, uh emergency events that have happened
and with those plants, sam dangered community. Yeah, so how
important is how important is that to the airlines to
try to find the right candidate for how to fight.
Speaker 13 (44:32):
Them for sure, because we've already seen how good policies
can bring about change either in improvements and air quality,
improvements and water quality, and so you know, we have
that track record of of of good builds, good laws
protecting people. It's just that we don't have the right
right now. We have candidates that are more willing to
(44:55):
put corporate interests ahead of community in christ you know,
and are not bringing bills and laws into effect that
prioritize the community. And that's why we need an elected
official that I was saying that will make their number
one priority people's health. Because once you do that, you know,
every single bill, law, policy you passed has people's health
(45:16):
as their priority, and that that will lead to you know,
improvements in air quality, water quality, pollution released into the environment,
and all of that brings up about positive changes to
people's health.
Speaker 1 (45:30):
One of the candidates running for Congress is George Foreman Junior.
We talked to him on how he is getting beyond
his famous dad's name and what it's like running for office.
Because it's a special election.
Speaker 14 (45:44):
You can already see our national and local leadership China
Pack as much in on us as possible. I think
there could not be a better time for people to
use their civic duty and civic right get out and vote.
You say I don't know what to vote for, Well
click George Foreman and then fill in the rest.
Speaker 5 (45:58):
What's your qualifications?
Speaker 7 (46:00):
You know, what what makes you go to this? You
know people know your father, but people don't know you.
Speaker 3 (46:04):
How do you separate? How do you separate from the two?
Speaker 14 (46:08):
Well, one thing about my father, he wanted to make
sure he kept us out of the boxing ring and said,
you want to box, you got to go to school first.
So that led me to get even my master's degree
in public administration and understanding how government works, especially how
the money works in government. And I want to make
sure that I bring the money back to the eighteenth.
He said, we stimulate the economy, you know, we get jobs,
(46:29):
we get trade skills. We Lord knows we drive.
Speaker 2 (46:32):
Well.
Speaker 14 (46:32):
Now it's time to get our money back, you know,
invest back into its give us the free ways and
the schools that we need. That's what I'm running for.
I'm going to bring it back to the eighteenth.
Speaker 5 (46:41):
How are you going to get the people who know
about you that don't know about you.
Speaker 1 (46:45):
As an individual. You know it's hard.
Speaker 14 (46:46):
I'm not part of the party, and one thing I
want people to know and understand is there's a candidate
out there that's bigger than the party.
Speaker 1 (46:54):
We the people.
Speaker 14 (46:55):
And I think if we the people use our mind
to learn what's something ballot, learn who's on the ballot,
and you'll see this people there that represent us, not
the system, but the people. And I'm one of those people.
Speaker 1 (47:08):
Richard also interviewed Warren Powell, who is a Conservative Republican
candidate running for Harris County judge. Mister Powell is not
an attorney, but has worked his entire life in construction,
and among some of his ideas, he wants to establish
a Department of County Efficiency, patterned after Elon Musk's infamous
(47:32):
Department of Government Efficiency, which resulted in the illegal firings
of thousands of federal workers. Here's Richard's interview with Warren Powell.
Speaker 6 (47:42):
Okay, I am Warren Powell, and I'm running for county judge.
Speaker 7 (47:49):
All right, what made you want to run for county judge?
Speaker 6 (47:53):
Well, I never heard anyone on either side of the
fence tell the people. Number one, what was really wrong,
and number two what they were going to do to
fix it. And I figured, well, if they're not going
to do it, well then I'll do it. So that's
why I'm running because I'm the only one. Number one,
(48:16):
I'm the only one with a construction background where I
can where I can look at a project and look
at blueprints and tell you whether or not we've got
a good deal working or a bad because I've been
doing construction all my life. But you know, we have
a we have a real problem in Harris County. We've
got a system that literally does not work. It used
(48:38):
to work a long time ago, but it quit working
and it's gotten to the point where you can't even
repair it. You've got to go in and dismantle the
departments that aren't needed, reform the departments we do need,
and get our government back to an assistant operating machine
(49:00):
reasonable cost to the taxpayers of Harris County. I want
to do that.
Speaker 7 (49:05):
Oh I'm sorry, how would you do that? As far
as a kind judge.
Speaker 6 (49:09):
Well as county judge. You go in and you set
the agenda, and I'd have to have two more votes
on everything I want to do. But I've got Tom
Ramsey for sure with vote for me and with me,
and then we just have to get one more commissioner
to join us, and we can start, one piece by
(49:29):
piece restoring a good government in Harris County. We've got
to quit giving department heads, for instance, the ability to
step salaries and determine raises. We've got one individual. You
won't believe this, four hundred and fifty eight thousand dollars
(49:51):
a year. This after one hundred and eighty four thousand
dollars rais one year. We've got nine people making more
than the president of the United States. We have forty
five people making more than two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars a year, or more than a cabinet position in
Trump's cabinet. The whole thing is this, Harris County government
(50:16):
is your business and my business. So it's our business,
and the people running our business aren't terrible. If you
were in your business like they run our business, we'd
all be out in the streets with signs, starving to death.
It's it's pitiful.
Speaker 7 (50:35):
A quick question on this one, how would you how
would you answer the question of the astrodome and what
to do with the astrodom that boy.
Speaker 6 (50:44):
Actually, there's so many different I've heard proposals to make
it a parking garage to satisfy the rodeo so that
we don't have to do these A competing bus was
back and forth from various parking lots all over the world. Uh,
it's uh, the astrodome is is a is a real
(51:07):
problem and it need you know, we voted a long
time ago really just to tear it down, and for
some reason it's still standing there. So I love the Astrodome.
I'm I'm a native Uestonian and I literally saw it
when it was being built. Okay, so I hate to
(51:28):
I hate to lose it, but it's the same token.
You know, it's sitting on some pretty valuable land and
there's a lot of other uses that land could could
you know, satisfy it. So you know, it's just a
real problem. There was one individual I heard that wanted
to rent it and turned it into office space and
(51:49):
parking and this, that and the other. And for some reason,
it's my understanding that that our ignorant government turned it down.
I don't know why they would do that, and I
don't have confirmation on that either, But if the astronom
(52:10):
is very complicated. My first thought is if we can't
make it, do you serve some specific purpose? Once and
for all? We have to, as economically as possible, figure
out a way to dismantle and remove it.
Speaker 7 (52:30):
All. Right, How can people find out about your campaign?
Speaker 6 (52:34):
My website is Howell Pharriscounty dot com and it tells
you about my bio and where I came from. I've
been in construction over fifty years. I've been in insurance
and risk management for more than thirty so my background
in business should be very valuable in repairing what has
(52:58):
to be done. And that we've got a major campaign working.
I've got a large team working for me, and even
folks having to go out and speak for me because
I can't be at two or three places at the
same time. But you know, we're at a point where,
(53:19):
you know, we have a chance to fix this once
and for all, and I'm hoping that people will quit
voting for who's popular and start voting for someone who
can actually get the job done. That's my hole.
Speaker 7 (53:35):
This is only one more quick question. What are you
going to do about the Harris County jails?
Speaker 6 (53:40):
Well, as soon as we can get an efficient government
in place and get rid of all the programs that
we don't belong in. That's six to seven hundred million
back to the general fund. We'll staff and redo the
jails to where they're operating as a professional organization. If
we need more jail space, We've got abandoned commercial buildings
(54:01):
all over Euston, like a kmart over on Homestead Road
that can be turned into a low security extra jail space.
So we're we'll pull out all stops to get our
jail capacity where it needs to be and and get
it operating as it's supposed to be.
Speaker 7 (54:20):
The uh uh.
Speaker 6 (54:21):
You know, I wish people would quit committing crimes, but
doesn't seem to be the way it's going to go.
They don't want to. They don't want to. Sorry, they
don't want to stop that yet. Huh. I would love to.
I would love to get on a microphone and say,
don't you know and that works? You know so far
(54:43):
that is not what the uh And with flood control,
we should talk about that because you know, we really
this is a flat seventeen seventy seven square miles and
so we've got to increase our retention ponds or we've
got to increase our reservoir space. We've got to and
(55:08):
while doing so, I can create soccer fields, baseball diamonds,
golf courses at the same time. So we knock out
two birds of one stone. We've lost six golf courses
in the last ten years. But our population is you know,
keeps growing and a lot of that population they play soccer,
they play golf, they want to play baseball, and you
(55:32):
know we Americans need that. What programs do you want
to see cut? Well, we got to cut the affordable
housing program and let the let the FEDS and the
state handle that. We've got to get rid of the
program where we called Financial Family Financial Stability for in
just twenty twenty four that ran eighty eight man. That's
(55:55):
That's not the job of Harris County. Our job is
public safety Transportation, which is the Harris County Tow Road Authority.
That's another thing that's the ahead of that is getting
four hundred and eighty six thousand a year. They're buying
state of the art wreckers. We don't need. You should
be able to just call a rerecord service if you
(56:16):
need something, TOAD, and they're buying these expensive wreckers and
putting a driver in them twenty four to seven, not
to mention the insurance and maintenance costs that's associated with
owning it. I mean, if they're just making such poor decisions,
will and get this. The state was trying to pass
a law where they could get the surplus, you know,
(56:36):
get their little grubby little hands on the surplus. And
I said, I talked to a congressman that was actually
sponsoring that bill, and I said, save your energy, because
that surplus is going back to the people, and that's
at least thirty three and a third percent. So we
get it working like it's supposed to, we'll cut the
toe road fees fifty percent and that'll help a lot
(56:58):
of folks who right now can't afford The U to.
Speaker 1 (57:03):
The People's News is a production of Steve Gallington and
Richard Hannah, and is protected by copyright laws. All the
information broadcast on air and online, as well as published
in both print and or online, including articles, audio clips, illustrations, graphics, photographs,
and videos, are protected by these copyright and other state
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(57:26):
our content in any prohibited way, including reproducing, publishing, transmitting, selling, rewriting, broadcasting,
or posting on the Internet without the expressed written permission
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our material in printed or electronic brochures, newsletters, or flyers,
as well as all website or email distribution. To obtain
(57:49):
permission to use copyrighted material, email Steve Gallington at Steve
atgallington dot com. Thank you.
It's the week of October twelfth, twenty twenty five, and
this is what's on the People's News. In a People's
News exclusive, an HISD teacher speaks out on being fired
by the district. Forty day hotel strike ends with a
new contract. The Trump shutdown hurts Veterans protests at the
(00:24):
Veterans Hospital. The Trump shutdown means delays for air travel,
ceasefire in Gaza, Will it hold? Houston elections are coming?
Are you ready? All that? And more on The People's News.
I'm Steve Gallington. This is the People's News, and the
(00:45):
People's News starts now.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
Hi.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
This is Steve Gallington, producer and host for the People's News.
In preparation for the upcoming No King's Rally at Discovery
Green October eighteenth, which The People's News will be covering extensively,
I wanted to rebroadcast this list of guidelines to help
keep you safe during the protests. You have rights when
(01:19):
dealing with the police or ice no matter or immigration status.
Number one, if they do not have a warrant, an
arrest warrant or a search warrant, you do not have
to open the door for the police or ice. You
do not have to answer any questions about status or
country of origin. The right to remain silent is protected
(01:42):
under the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution. You have the
right to ask to see a lawyer. You have the
right to refuse searches of your person and your car
if the police do not suspect a crime. This is
the fourth Amendment of the com Institution. Never sign anything
(02:04):
without knowing what it says, and you have a right
to record what happens. The adduled convicted felon and want
to be dictator. Donald Trump wants you to get violent
during this protest to use as an excuse to declare
martial law and use the Insurrection Act. Don't let him win.
(02:28):
Keep everything peaceful, and we'll see you on the ground
at Discovery Green on Saturday. Houston Education Association Union president
Michelle Williams, a twenty six year teaching veteran, was fired
by the Houston ISD board last week. The Benbrook third
grade elementary teacher was fired for leaving the school without
(02:48):
letting the school know she was gone. She was on
house suspension from a previous allegation that she was not
teaching to the plans set up by the state run
school district superintendent Mike Miles. In this exclusive, she talks
about what is happening within the school district and why
she says she was fired.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
Everything is not flying in hi se.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
First of all, as far as the numbers, testing data
can be manipulated, and we've seen that time and time
again as educators.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
That's something. Well, look at it this way.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
If the state took over the largest school district in
the state of Texas, would you.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Let it be a complete and total failure?
Speaker 4 (03:34):
Absolutely not, So you have the fox Garden the hen House.
That's basically and it's politics. What they're doing is basically saying, oh,
we're doing great, now we want to take over. It's
a way for them to say and get support for
the state takeovers of local school districts.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
That's what this is about. It has nothing to do
with children. How to attacking Uny.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
They're attacking me because I'm very vocal. I'm vocal about
breaking the special education laws. That's what they're forcing teachers
to do, and they tried to force me to do it,
but I refuse to be a part of that. They
don't want to teach us, to teach the children I
was told that there was not any time to teach
(04:25):
the children how to read, although I was supposed to
be teaching the science of reading. I was putting that
spot specifically, I was taking out a math, putting that
spot specifically to teach the children how to read, which
is mandated by House Built three that was passed in
twenty nineteen.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
You teach pensial kids their kids also, which is a
totally different.
Speaker 6 (04:49):
Way of teacher.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Right, we're supposed to implement by law. We're supposed to
implement their IEPs. And we signed for those ips. And
when we signed for those ips, it's like a contract
saying that I'm going to implement these accommodations in the
generated classroom, which is what I taught as written.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
And there's no you can't get around that.
Speaker 4 (05:16):
You have to do it. It's the law.
Speaker 3 (05:20):
And what is what is how they skip around all this?
Speaker 7 (05:24):
This is crazy to me that they can skip they're
trying to skip around.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
Law because there has not been a teacher who has
had a large enough platform like myself to get the
word out about what's taking place in HISD.
Speaker 3 (05:39):
But I'm here now, so and everybody's gonna know.
Speaker 5 (05:42):
And what's going on also is teachers are leaving at
a high rate.
Speaker 7 (05:48):
Unskilled teachers are going to put in the place that's gonna.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Go along with the programs. How's that work?
Speaker 4 (05:54):
So they're leaving now because Miles has intentionally made ade
a play, so to speak, for the non Nes schools.
So now he has his tentacles of nes inn non
Nes schools and he's the experienced teachers that were there
(06:16):
are now starting to leave. So now you see them
leaving in addition to the other teachers that he's hired,
because the Chronicle, I think said that most of the
teachers that he hired had already left.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
So where does he put the kids?
Speaker 3 (06:33):
Ed puts them in a bad position.
Speaker 4 (06:36):
And what I tell people is I took this previous
summer and my grandson doesn't go to HISD.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
I don't trust the system. I don't trust the curriculum.
Speaker 4 (06:49):
So I teach him myself during the summer the curriculum
before he goes to school.
Speaker 3 (06:55):
I did that. He's in third grade now.
Speaker 4 (06:57):
So if I'm doing that, I need for our communities
who care about any school age children to wake up
and understand that our kids are in danger of not
being educated and I can just explain it like this.
They want employees that know the bare minimum, that can
(07:18):
read an instruction instructional manual to operate anything, because they
want employees. Rick Campbell, who's the chair of the Port
of Houston and he's the president of the boarder Managers,
he said at city Hall, we need employees, So he
doesn't care that the children.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
Reach their full potential.
Speaker 4 (07:43):
He only cares that they're educated just enough to get
into these dead d low wage jobs without any room
for investment.
Speaker 3 (07:53):
I can't believe he said that he did.
Speaker 7 (07:55):
But what's your future.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
My future it is.
Speaker 4 (08:00):
I'm going to fight HISD to clear my name and
fight for children. I'm running for state representative and this
is the reason why I decided to and I'll go
from their public education. I can't see me return into
the classroom, not under these circumstances. But I definitely am
(08:21):
going to be always a public education advocate for our
children because they're my babies and I want them to
reach their full potential.
Speaker 3 (08:31):
And I'm going to always continue to fight for that.
Speaker 7 (08:34):
Even going to get a charter school or a private school.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
Absolutely not. I'm done.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
That was Houston Education Association Union president Michelle Williams, who
was fired by the Houston ISD School Board last week.
Victory for workers at the Hilton Hotel downtown as the
forty day labor strike for workers at the Hilton Hotel
in downtown Houston come to an agreement. Forty day long strike,
(09:01):
which was the first hotel strike led by union members
in Texas, has brought forth significant gains, raising the standard
for hotel workers in the city. We talked to Francesca Cabalo,
Texas Chapter president of Unite here Local twenty three.
Speaker 8 (09:18):
Okay, it was Yeah, so yesterday, after forty days, workers
ratified their contract. So you know, today is officially the
last day. But you know, after forty days of striking,
the workers did ratify their contract yesterday. So workers are
very proud. You know, they made history, you know, being
(09:40):
the first hotel in Texas to ever go on strike.
So workers are feeling very proud of the work that
they did.
Speaker 7 (09:48):
Yeah, what happens now is when can they go back
to work? Are they starting immediately or yeah?
Speaker 8 (09:55):
Yeah, workers, most the majority of workers are going back
on Monday. Actually, so today is like our official last
day of the strike. But yeah, they'll be they'll be
back to work starting Monday.
Speaker 7 (10:07):
And how do you feel because now you have the
Georgia Brown workers going on on strikes.
Speaker 8 (10:13):
Yeah, I mean the workers at the GRB, you know,
took a strike authorization vote just a few days ago.
Of them voted to authorize a strike. It's necessary. I mean,
we know that the workers, you know, were definitely inspired
by the Hilton workers. You know, they being that they
work essentially for the same employer, Houston. First, you know,
(10:36):
they thought that it was their best that was their
best course of action, you know, to pressure the company
to come to the table with a real offer with
you know, living wages and you know, a fair workload,
fair scheduling, all the same it's it's all the same fights.
So yeah, workers are ready to do what it takes
there as well.
Speaker 7 (10:58):
What's included is including in this school contract flow the
workers at the Hilton. Yeah.
Speaker 8 (11:04):
So the Hilton, you know, obviously the big highlight is
the wages. You know, so workers like housekeeping, stewarts, laundry attendance.
They're going from sixteen fifty to twenty dollars in this
first year of the contract, and they will end up
at twenty two dollars by the end of the contract.
(11:25):
So it's just a it's a big jump from where
they they were at. And that's why, you know, workers
did do take this ultimate you know, sacrifice of striking
and walking off the job, and you know it was
it was all worth it in the end.
Speaker 7 (11:42):
And they do you have to like any type of
concessions as far as work rules or anything.
Speaker 8 (11:49):
So I mean, for example, housekeeping, right they they you know,
it is one of the toughest jobs in the hotel.
It's a very heavy, heavy workload. So housekeeping did win,
you know, a decreased workloads as far as how many
rooms that they clean. So that's a big victory. Even
(12:11):
though you know it's the highlights of the contract or
what's been in the media has been about the wages,
you know, stuff like things like that, like a morefare
workload was very important to the workers and it was
you know, something that the workers were willing to to,
you know, fight to the end about. And you know
that's one example of of of a victory and that
(12:32):
in that area.
Speaker 7 (12:35):
And then and everything is I can make you feel
as a union, as an union leader, as an organizer.
Speaker 8 (12:44):
Can you say that again?
Speaker 6 (12:45):
I'm sorry, how didn't.
Speaker 7 (12:46):
Make you feel as a union leader, as an organizer.
Speaker 8 (12:49):
Well, I feel extremely proud. I mean, I'm from Houston,
this is my hometown. So to be a part of
something like this, it's it makes me so proud, you know,
to be able to play, you know, in in changing
changing these types of jobs. I mean, I I you know,
worked service industry jobs too, and I was, you know,
(13:11):
younger and going putting myself through college and stuff so
and making you know, living check to check, making nine
eight dollars an hour. So to be part of something
like this, a movement like this to change these jobs
and the way that they're seeing too. These are essential jobs.
These are the jobs. These are the workers that you know,
keep our city afloat in crisis. So for them to
(13:33):
you know, stand together and and fight and win the
respect they deserve, I mean, it's it's I'm I'm so
incredibly proud of them, and you know, for me to
play a small role in that is I'm very grateful
for the experience.
Speaker 7 (13:51):
And I know you got Yeah, another thing that was
important is like you got a lot of people coming
from the immigrant community that you know, in a lot
of waves were scared to go on strife be tell
me the climate right now, you know, and you had to.
You had to, you had to support them as far
as like, hey, yeah, we got your back on this.
How important was that you know for those those I
(14:14):
was this they were going on strife?
Speaker 6 (14:15):
Would you?
Speaker 8 (14:17):
I mean yeah, the majority, I would say, if not,
the majority close to it. I mean the workforce are
our immigrants from pretty much all over the world, Latin America, Africa, Asia.
So it was very important to us for for workers
to know that our union does stand with immigrants. And
(14:38):
you know, yeah, like you said, the climate right now
is very hostile, is very like dangerous towards towards immigrants.
But I think the workers knew that, you know, this
fight was something that was interconnected, right, It wasn't just
about you know, a certain group of workers or this hotel, Like,
(15:00):
we're fighting for something bigger. We're looking to change the
standards and how these jobs are viewed in our city.
So I think the workers, you know, despite all the
differences and the barriers that the company and tries to
put up, they saw pass that right and organize through it.
Speaker 7 (15:22):
Well, thank you so much for taking my phone call,
and thank you so much for all the bools, you've done. Yeah.
Speaker 8 (15:29):
We appreciate you taking the time to cover us and
spread our message. So thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
That was Francesca Cabello, Texas Chapter president of Unite Here
Local twenty three. The workers at the Georgia Brown Convention
Center voted to go on strike as they have been
working without contract. Also as stated, the same issues are
on the table. We will continue to follow their strike efforts.
The US is in the midst of a second Trump
(15:57):
government shutdown. This time the main purpose of the shutdown
is to keep the Epstein files from coming out. Thousands
of people are being affected by the shutdown are not
being paid while having to work as essential federal employees.
Thousands of workers in Houston are working without contract and
(16:19):
under fear of firing, say members of the American Federation
of Government Employees, who represent over eight hundred thousand federal workers.
Congressman Al Green of the ninth Congressional District marched with
workers to one of the largest VA hospitals in Texas
as a protest to the adult convicted felon and those
in charge. He commented on the shutdown and put the
(16:41):
blame squarely on the Epstein friend and convicted felon Donald Trump.
Speaker 9 (16:48):
Well, we're here. This is a part of the shutdown
because employees and not being paid. But it's important for
everybody to know that President Trump and Republicans created the
shutdown by deciding that they wouldn't play by the rules
of the House and the Senate.
Speaker 1 (17:04):
The Senate has a rule.
Speaker 9 (17:06):
That will allow things that are important to be passed
with fifty one votes. Most things are passed with sixty
first and then you get fifty one. The sixty is
called cloture, and then you go to fifty one to pass.
But they can suspend going to the sixty and just
pass things with fifty one. So they could have on
day one of the shutdown prevented this. This is their
(17:27):
shutdown because they have the majority. They have the House,
the Senate, and the presidency. If they wanted it shut down,
they could. The President is doing this because he has
a scheme. Doctor King had a dream of all persons
being treated created and treated treated justly. The President has
a scheme to deprive people of their jobs, their livelihood,
(17:48):
and to do this he is allowing the shut down
to take place so that he can say, look, there
are people who are declared not essential. And these persons
who were declared not essential, he had nothing to do
with it, That's what he'll say. So he's gonna fire them,
fire many of them, thousands of them that are declared
non essential by people other than himself. Then after he
(18:09):
has done this, he will open up the government.
Speaker 5 (18:12):
It's okay. So the people here out here right now,
they're not getting paid.
Speaker 8 (18:18):
Well.
Speaker 9 (18:18):
The people who are out here now are part of
various organizations. AFGE is a federal government union. We have
Common Defense, which is another union, and we have the CWA,
which is a union as well, and there are others.
But they're here to represent the people in there in
the Michael ed Baky Hospital who are not being paid,
(18:41):
who are required to work. We're also here to represent
my staff who's required to work but not get paid,
which is why I have informed the payroll department not
to send me one penny of money until they send money.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
To my staff.
Speaker 9 (18:55):
As long as my staff is not getting any money,
I won't get any either. I will not be paid
on they are paid. So the president has put people
in a position now where they have to make hard
choices about some of the necessities of life. Food, clothing, shelter,
whether you're going to pay your houseload or buy food
and put that on the table. The President understands that
(19:18):
he can now downsize the government finish what those started
by simply saying that when people declared non essential, those
are the people that I am firing. And he is
saying that he's going to go after non essential Democrats
or people somehow who favor Democrats, which in my opinion,
is a heartless way to decide you're going to downsize
(19:41):
the government based upon political affiliation. I also think that
there are some other constitutional questions that I'll be dealing
with later associated with this. But the President understands that
he can do this now under the cover of non
essential workers being fired. Well, at some point he will decide, Okay,
I'm going to open the government up, and Republicans will
(20:03):
open the government up, so the crisis that they have created.
At some point they'll say, we're not going to end
the crisis, but they want to somehow blame the other party,
the Democrats, for the crisis. When they have the majority
in the House, the majority in the Senate, they've got
the presidency, and the Supreme Court is yielding to their
every whim. It seems so as a result, they create
(20:25):
a crisis, They then fire people. Then they say the
crisis is over now and we can allow people to
come back to work those who have not been fired.
Speaker 3 (20:35):
It's crazy, Yeah, that's his scheme.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
That was the ninth Congressional District Representative Al Green. The
second Trump shutdown continues to affect all segments of society.
Included in that is air travel, as long delays at
airports because of not enough air traffic controllers. Added to
this pain, US airplane manufacturer Boeing is having labor issues
(21:02):
with their workers. The shutdown also affects inspectors before being
used in commercial aviation. We talked to Ryan Ewing, founder
of airline geeks dot com and Airline Trade Publication.
Speaker 10 (21:16):
Well, you know, I think you're seeing kind of the
early indications of how this will play out, and it's
certainly how I've actually played out in twenty nineteen during
the third day over thirty days shutdown, you know, you're
seeing some persh yeary sort of staffing issues within the
national ware space system. You've seen bigger ones, you know
(21:39):
in places like Burbank where they've on antet zero but
you know, it's an already very you know, it's so
secret that they're already having some staffing issues at the
FAA on the controller side, and this sort of just
exasperates as far.
Speaker 7 (21:54):
As I'm concerned, what's going on with the fa right now?
We knew we had a shortage of air Prafitt controllers,
and it seems like the new the new director, the
first edition job was he decided to get rid of
the diversity program to get more minorities involved, and then
(22:14):
he still had a staffing issue. Well, how do you
play out his his tenure so far as the FAA director.
Speaker 11 (22:23):
Yeah, you know, Sean Duffy, uh, you know, obviously had
the dot secretary, kind of took the job first, right,
and he came in, uh you know, within a couple
of weeks there he was dealing with, you know, the
first deadly US.
Speaker 10 (22:38):
Airline accident and you know, over well over a decade, so,
you know, definitely not an easy feat to come in. But
in obviously the do OT overseas one more than just
the you know, they have a's kind of largest part
of the dut uh, but I only have Brian Bedford
who is uh was appointed the Administrator the f A.
He was confirmed by Congress a couple of months ago.
(22:58):
Uh And and I also that you know, he's been
a more more quiet as I think he gets more
ingrained into the rule. But also he comes through a
lot of industry experience. Bedford was the SEEO of Public Airways.
He's piled himself, you know, so he's been around the industry.
And I've always said, you know, Public Airways is a
(23:19):
regional carrier. They primarily operate in the Northeast for Delta
America and United So he's no stranger terror traffic control issues.
And you know, I think this is a time when
they are probably thinking, man, we wish we hired a
few more We pushed, we pushed the accelerator down more
on getting a few more people through the door. But
(23:41):
you know, obviously what it could have shown a situation.
Speaker 7 (23:46):
And is it is it getting better as far as
as far as as far as the air traffic controllers
as well.
Speaker 10 (23:52):
They did, they did meet their hiring goal. I think
it was like twenty two hundred twenty twenty five, which
is you know, which is a start. Uh So they
met that, but again, you know, there's there's still a
lot of uh attrition on the top in because the
fellers can retire you know, around fifty seven depending on
(24:13):
a few different factors. But that's that's normally the age.
And so yeah, I mean I think they're they're working
to backfill as much as they can, but you know,
it's it's a long process to get a controller trained up.
Speaker 7 (24:28):
It wasn't it wasn't really any better with this statement
that because the air traffic control is not getting paid,
but they have to go to work, and some of
them were sick and they're they were threatening that there
was it was a sick out some that you know,
so they were threatening to fire some some air traff controls.
Speaker 10 (24:43):
What I heard, Yeah, you know I saw that, and
you know, I I I think there's a careful balance
right that that the dot as they have to walk
because in the same time, you know, yes, you can't
have people you know who may or may not be sick,
right pulling this stuff during this time, because then everybody
(25:04):
else who is you know, the ninety percent. I think
when Duffy says has actually coming into work and getting unpaid,
you know, I don't really see that as being you
know fair, you know, to everybody else. But uh, you know,
I think in the other time, another vein there.
Speaker 8 (25:21):
Is that.
Speaker 10 (25:23):
You know, we have to be you got to thank
your controllers, uh, because this is it's not an easy job, period,
but especially not an easy job you're not get paid
for it.
Speaker 7 (25:34):
And this is that as all this, we would go
back a month or so with the Bowling strike.
Speaker 10 (25:40):
You know, that's a it's actually another interesting government shutdown
angle to Uh. It's funny you say that because remember
that the FA has people inspectors embedded within Boeing facilities,
and they do that at Boeing Airbus it here in
the United States, and they do it at airlines too.
(26:03):
So I always say, you know, phones had you know,
some some tougher times recently. That's no secret. But you
throw in this, you know, the unpaid inspectors that are
there now too, because they are not getting paid either.
Speaker 7 (26:17):
Uh.
Speaker 10 (26:18):
You know, this is just not a good situation for anybody,
even the private sector.
Speaker 7 (26:22):
So so in the inspector so these respectors, that's gonna
hurt the plant a plan as far as them getting
out planes getting planes, does it just does it hurt,
doesn't hurt the distribution of them getting the planes out
on time.
Speaker 10 (26:41):
It could I wouldn't rule that out, you know, especially
if there's inspectors that you may not want to really
come to work on paid or something like that. Yeah,
that could certainly slow going down. Even though they do
have some self certifying ability, there are still limits on it.
So yeah, I think that doesn't certainly doesn't help to
see situation.
Speaker 7 (27:00):
That they're already in. I know, the airlines was increasing
their increasing their flight schedule. Will it decrease will will
this this shut down decrease some of the some of
the added flights that some of the some of the
terriers were planning.
Speaker 6 (27:16):
M h.
Speaker 10 (27:17):
I think it's a little too early to tell the
impacts of that. You know, American seid of Reunited is
sort of uniquely exposed to impacts as the government, uh
because they have such large hubs in the DC area,
and obviously when you have federal workers that are furlough,
they're not traveling either. So you know, I think that's
(27:40):
certainly one factor that they could be looking at, But
I don't know if it's going to be you know,
something that is material unless this really continues on.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
That was Ryan Ewing, founder of Airline Geeks, dot com
and airline trade publication.
Speaker 2 (28:00):
Hi.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
This is Steve Gallington, producer and host of the People's News.
The People's News is people powered news. We are free
to report the unvarnished and unspun truth and challenge the
status quo of corporate propaganda and social media advertising disguised
as reel news. Shiny new one hour episodes of The
(28:21):
People's News drop each Sunday on The People's News Podcast.
Thanks for listening. This week, a peace deal was agreed
to by Hamas and the Israeli government. This will stop
the bombs and invasion of Gaza by Israel and the
hostages that are being held by Hamas will be set
(28:41):
free and thousands of prisoners held by Israel will also
be free. This is part of a twenty point piece
plan that has been mapped out. There are lots of
things that can happen that will end this plan and
a lot of questions remain on the table. For now,
the people of Gaza are moving back to their homes
(29:02):
as more than half the territory is destroyed. Un food
and supplies will also be let in. We talked to
William White, a political consultant.
Speaker 2 (29:13):
You know what I'm pretty shocked at some of the
expectations on from Moss, but especially in shocked that for
two years now the world has fell completely silent in
the face of this genocide which was killing young children
(29:33):
very early into its.
Speaker 6 (29:35):
Day, and has not stopped.
Speaker 2 (29:39):
Either through bombs or bullets like they did with Hindradjab
and not through starvation and now through starvation and disease.
And so while I am optimistic at the possibility of peace,
I don't think there can ever be peace by Benjamin Netta,
(30:01):
who he will use this opportunity to continue to ethnically
cleanse Daza and all that stands there and remove its
people and continue to kill them if they refuse.
Speaker 7 (30:14):
People as people are not noting that because they talked
about peace and a peace steal, the bombing still continues.
I think forty seven people do today.
Speaker 2 (30:25):
Yeah, and there have been hundreds of people die each
day and every day since October seventh, twenty twenty three.
That remains clear that Israel is not going to stop
at any costs to kill the Palestinian people.
Speaker 7 (30:40):
What do you feel that the that's in it for
the Trump administration.
Speaker 2 (30:46):
Well, you know, Donald Trump is obsessed with making himself
the Nobel Pott Prize President perhaps unable to soothe his
ego that President Barack Obama has Nobel Peace Prize and
he does not. But I think that's what isn't it
(31:07):
for the president is he's just looking for an easy
way to claim a Nobel Peace Prize.
Speaker 7 (31:13):
I looked at the other countries that are being part
of the peace deal, Tata, Saudi Arabia, the United Immlands,
all these countries that that have a monarchy for the
most part, are fight are fighting within the people that's
living in the country themselves who are pro Palestinian, and
(31:33):
they're still looking up. They are they in it just
to save themselves. As far as as far as the
way they make in the Middle.
Speaker 2 (31:41):
East, I think they are facing a dilemma and that
they know they will not They're they're they're a fellow country,
will not welcome the opportunity for palace in In to
be displaced.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
And so.
Speaker 2 (32:02):
Between a rock and a hard place, the rock being
the displacement of Palestinians and a hard place being the
ongoing genocide which they're facing pressure over both, they would
they would be hard pressed to to not push for
a peace steal right now. It's in their best interests
not only from their fellow countrymen and the political situations
(32:24):
that are in those countries now, but also for the
people of Gaza. And so it's a it's a course
of action which we've rarely seen, but a course of action.
Speaker 7 (32:37):
Nonetheless, what does Sama say as far as as far
as where do they go next?
Speaker 2 (32:47):
Well, I think that remains to be seen. Like I say,
some of these things that Israel and the United States
have agreed on are would outright take them out of power,
which Hamas seems resentful and not responding to that that portion. However,
I think Amas would. I think Amas would be looking
(33:11):
for peace currently just as much as some of their
neighbors are.
Speaker 1 (33:17):
And so.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
You know, they they have paid the biggest price throughout
this genocide and losing hundreds of thousands of people and
tens of thousands by their own estimate, but hundreds of
thousands by the estimates of some outside groups, and so
you know they're desperate for peace. They want to get
the hostages back, it seems like, and there I think
(33:40):
that was the first agreement that was made, is they're
going to quickly deliver the hostages to people so there's
I think everyone wants its genocide to be over, is
what I'm understanding. But what it looks like the day
after the bombs stop, the AID is let in remains
to be unseen, and of course it looks like it's
(34:03):
going to be heavily weighted towards furthering the ethnic cleansing
of Gaza.
Speaker 7 (34:09):
Also, there's no sense of pressure on the Israeli government
and in those sense that they might not sign a
deal because hard liners within Israeli government are not seeking
any type of negotiations and one continue the fighting. Have
you seen that? Also?
Speaker 2 (34:27):
Yeah? Absolutely, I mean the hardliners in the Israeli government
have no doubt had the biggest impact in further in
the genocide by protesting AID going into Gaza, and furthermore
by continuing their annexation of the West Bank, which has
nothing to do with Hamas as their old argument goes.
And so their intentions are very clear, and that is
(34:50):
they want to see Israel control all of Palestine and
even further into Jordan and Syria, which of course Jordan
and Syria and Lebanon have all seen as a direct
threat to their sovereignty. So with that happening, in the background.
It remains to be seen whether the Israeli people will
(35:12):
de escalate.
Speaker 7 (35:14):
And you said, yeah, something that has not been talked
about is the continuing battle within West Bank, because there's
not just the idef. These Reeli defense forces have been
letting right wing Zueli settlers attack Palestinians and nothing in
(35:35):
killing Palestinians with with no type of pause in their fighting,
you know, mostly mostly peaceful Palestinians.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
Well, yeah, and we have to remember that the West
Bank is still a factor in Israeli expansion just as
much as Gaza or the Sinai or Golan heights. These
far right extremists in the Israeli government want nothing short
(36:07):
of a total Israeli state throughout the area of Sham
And you know, I'm I'm hoping for peace, but it
doesn't look like they want to head in that direction.
Speaker 7 (36:22):
Ken is Reel Israel the estate without Palestinians.
Speaker 2 (36:30):
I'm sorry, Can you repeat that, Richard.
Speaker 7 (36:32):
Can Israel has a state live without Palestinians being there?
Speaker 2 (36:40):
I think that.
Speaker 7 (36:42):
I don't think it's function. I'm just asking the question
can they from now?
Speaker 2 (36:47):
I think that that's a much larger question, is to
you know how they would treat Palestinians, and right now
the record shows that they don't treat Palestinians within their
borders very well. And so it's proving to be an issue.
Speaker 7 (37:00):
M that.
Speaker 2 (37:03):
You know, yeah, they can function with Palestinians and their country,
but we know that they are treated as second class citizens. Mhm.
Speaker 7 (37:13):
Well, they let peace treaty, gonna allow food into the
country without the without the organization that they have right
now that that's supposedly uh working to get food into
the into the into gaza that has not been working.
Are they are they gonna Are they gonna allow food
(37:33):
and medical aid to come come in? What's his peace
treaty assigned? Or even let the UN And.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
Again that remains to be seen.
Speaker 10 (37:45):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
They may say they they will, but so far Israel
has found nothing but excuses to further the genocide, and
so I don't expect anything short of that. It may
be that they get all of the remaining hostages back
this second, but they'll find some reason to continue harming
the people of cause it without justification, as they have
done for two years now.
Speaker 7 (38:08):
Is there is there? Does this seem to be as abstine?
But has he seen any strife between the US and
the Trump administration, and now who and and is and
is really give it?
Speaker 2 (38:22):
Well, Trump is of course denied that there has been
any strife, but we know there has been. We know
that he's mentioned the aids net who's really screwed him
over to use his own words. We know that according
to Actios just this weekend, he told Benjamin Netton now
who to take the win?
Speaker 1 (38:42):
And so.
Speaker 2 (38:45):
We know there is strife. But of course both Donald
Trump and Benjamin Netton, not who deny there is.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
That was political consultant William White, commenting on the delicate
peace in the Middle East. The elections are right around
the corner. Many candidates are out around the city trying
to get their name out to the community. A nonpartisan
election form was held on Saturday to give the candidates
the opportunity to meet the people and give their ideas
(39:12):
on how they will serve once elected. The candidates at
the event were for US Congressional District eighteen, Amanda Edwards,
Jolanda Jones, Christian Menefee, Carmen Maria Montel, and George Foreman
Junior for the Houston City Council at Large position number
four Alejandria Salinas, Jordan Thomas, Ethan Hale, Crystal Mataza, and
(39:39):
Dwight Boykins. The event was held at the Judson Robinson
Senior Community Center. This was sponsored and put on by
numerous organizations. One was the Hip Hop Caucus. We spoke
with Gerald Clay who represents the Hip Hop Caucus. Jerre Clay.
Speaker 12 (40:00):
And name an organization Okay Jarell Clay Hip Hop Caucus,
National nonprofit based in DC, LA, Houston, New Orleans, and Atlanta.
Speaker 7 (40:09):
Tell us what's going on today today?
Speaker 12 (40:12):
We're holding, in partnership with the Healthy part Communities Coalition,
a candidate forum where community, particularly blackground and Indigenous people
and families get to interact with with candidates who are
vowing to fight for our communities. And we want to
make sure that not only are they talking to talk now,
but we urge them and demand that they walk the walk.
(40:35):
Should they be elected, should the people who put them
in office hold them accountable for what they say?
Speaker 7 (40:40):
Today?
Speaker 5 (40:41):
Election is coming up for the primaries.
Speaker 3 (40:43):
A lot of people don't know about it.
Speaker 5 (40:45):
How are you going to try to get the name
to worry out to get people to know about this
upcoming election?
Speaker 12 (40:50):
This upcoming election is about what is in the system
for us. We know that there's a lot going on
at the state and local level right now, and we
know that every year is an election year. It's not
about if we're going to vote, it's about who we're
going to vote for and how we show out. Most
of the tactics for us is just information and education.
(41:15):
If folks don't know that, if folks don't know what's
going on, then they can't they can't advocate for themselves.
Speaker 1 (41:22):
And so we have to give the folks to information.
Speaker 12 (41:23):
And there is a reason why they don't have easy
access to it, and so part of it is breaking
down the barrier so that they do get that access
to information. But the second part is then urging them
and mobilizing them to do something once they have it.
Speaker 5 (41:35):
For the African American communient community, we saw in the
last election that didn't come out in full force, reaping
the reaping the fruits.
Speaker 7 (41:44):
Of that action.
Speaker 12 (41:47):
Yeah, well, right now, we have to focus on making
sure that the folks who didn't come out have the
motivation to come out if we don't give them the motivation.
And for some folks, especially if we're so close to
advocacy so close to policy. For those folks, it's a
no brainer. They come out because they know what's at stake.
Other folks may even realize what's at steak, but they
(42:08):
don't know how much power they have to do something
about it. And so when you give someone the tools,
but you also give them the vision for what's possible
when we do show up, when we do speak up,
and when we do use our power to vote, you'll
see that number in turnout rise, not only for the
general election, but elections in between.
Speaker 3 (42:29):
How can people find out about it?
Speaker 7 (42:30):
Hip Hop Caucus.
Speaker 12 (42:32):
Hip Hop Coccus again is a national nonprofit. You can
look us up at hip hococcus dot org or hip
Hopcoccus on all social media platforms.
Speaker 1 (42:40):
Another was Anthony Desuza with Airlines of Houston.
Speaker 13 (42:43):
My name is Anthony Desuza and I'm the air Monitoring
program manager at Airlines Houston. So i have managed our
air quality monitoring system across the city and I'm here
helping out with this event. The Candidate Forum to the
community in contact with their elected officials and ask the
(43:04):
questions ahead of the election.
Speaker 5 (43:06):
Well, we talk about environmental racism and how you know
petal chemical plants in the neighborhood and how cancer rating
the people in this neighborhood, How's how's getting a good
candidate to represent effective.
Speaker 13 (43:20):
Oh, it's very important because right now, at least in
Congressional District eighteen, there's no there's no representation in Congress
for over a year now, and so they have no
one to fight for them to you know, protect them
from bad industries polluting the air. And so that's why
we really need elected official that it will stand for
the people, will listen to their concerns, will bring their
(43:43):
concerns to either city council or Congress depending on the race.
And you know, people who put people's health and people's
well being as their priority, not corporate profits, not you know,
making money, but people's lives, because that's the most important thing.
Speaker 5 (44:00):
One thing that's really important is on the state level,
we know that the restrictions on the on the chemical
plants around this area have affected the community on two ways.
Speaker 3 (44:13):
One the cancer rate. Also the fires.
Speaker 5 (44:16):
And and an emergency, uh emergency events that have happened
and with those plants, sam dangered community. Yeah, so how
important is how important is that to the airlines to
try to find the right candidate for how to fight.
Speaker 13 (44:32):
Them for sure, because we've already seen how good policies
can bring about change either in improvements and air quality,
improvements and water quality, and so you know, we have
that track record of of of good builds, good laws
protecting people. It's just that we don't have the right
right now. We have candidates that are more willing to
(44:55):
put corporate interests ahead of community in christ you know,
and are not bringing bills and laws into effect that
prioritize the community. And that's why we need an elected
official that I was saying that will make their number
one priority people's health. Because once you do that, you know,
every single bill, law, policy you passed has people's health
(45:16):
as their priority, and that that will lead to you know,
improvements in air quality, water quality, pollution released into the environment,
and all of that brings up about positive changes to
people's health.
Speaker 1 (45:30):
One of the candidates running for Congress is George Foreman Junior.
We talked to him on how he is getting beyond
his famous dad's name and what it's like running for office.
Because it's a special election.
Speaker 14 (45:44):
You can already see our national and local leadership China
Pack as much in on us as possible. I think
there could not be a better time for people to
use their civic duty and civic right get out and vote.
You say I don't know what to vote for, Well
click George Foreman and then fill in the rest.
Speaker 5 (45:58):
What's your qualifications?
Speaker 7 (46:00):
You know, what what makes you go to this? You
know people know your father, but people don't know you.
Speaker 3 (46:04):
How do you separate? How do you separate from the two?
Speaker 14 (46:08):
Well, one thing about my father, he wanted to make
sure he kept us out of the boxing ring and said,
you want to box, you got to go to school first.
So that led me to get even my master's degree
in public administration and understanding how government works, especially how
the money works in government. And I want to make
sure that I bring the money back to the eighteenth.
He said, we stimulate the economy, you know, we get jobs,
(46:29):
we get trade skills. We Lord knows we drive.
Speaker 2 (46:32):
Well.
Speaker 14 (46:32):
Now it's time to get our money back, you know,
invest back into its give us the free ways and
the schools that we need. That's what I'm running for.
I'm going to bring it back to the eighteenth.
Speaker 5 (46:41):
How are you going to get the people who know
about you that don't know about you.
Speaker 1 (46:45):
As an individual. You know it's hard.
Speaker 14 (46:46):
I'm not part of the party, and one thing I
want people to know and understand is there's a candidate
out there that's bigger than the party.
Speaker 1 (46:54):
We the people.
Speaker 14 (46:55):
And I think if we the people use our mind
to learn what's something ballot, learn who's on the ballot,
and you'll see this people there that represent us, not
the system, but the people. And I'm one of those people.
Speaker 1 (47:08):
Richard also interviewed Warren Powell, who is a Conservative Republican
candidate running for Harris County judge. Mister Powell is not
an attorney, but has worked his entire life in construction,
and among some of his ideas, he wants to establish
a Department of County Efficiency, patterned after Elon Musk's infamous
(47:32):
Department of Government Efficiency, which resulted in the illegal firings
of thousands of federal workers. Here's Richard's interview with Warren Powell.
Speaker 6 (47:42):
Okay, I am Warren Powell, and I'm running for county judge.
Speaker 7 (47:49):
All right, what made you want to run for county judge?
Speaker 6 (47:53):
Well, I never heard anyone on either side of the
fence tell the people. Number one, what was really wrong,
and number two what they were going to do to
fix it. And I figured, well, if they're not going
to do it, well then I'll do it. So that's
why I'm running because I'm the only one. Number one,
(48:16):
I'm the only one with a construction background where I
can where I can look at a project and look
at blueprints and tell you whether or not we've got
a good deal working or a bad because I've been
doing construction all my life. But you know, we have
a we have a real problem in Harris County. We've
got a system that literally does not work. It used
(48:38):
to work a long time ago, but it quit working
and it's gotten to the point where you can't even
repair it. You've got to go in and dismantle the
departments that aren't needed, reform the departments we do need,
and get our government back to an assistant operating machine
(49:00):
reasonable cost to the taxpayers of Harris County. I want
to do that.
Speaker 7 (49:05):
Oh I'm sorry, how would you do that? As far
as a kind judge.
Speaker 6 (49:09):
Well as county judge. You go in and you set
the agenda, and I'd have to have two more votes
on everything I want to do. But I've got Tom
Ramsey for sure with vote for me and with me,
and then we just have to get one more commissioner
to join us, and we can start, one piece by
(49:29):
piece restoring a good government in Harris County. We've got
to quit giving department heads, for instance, the ability to
step salaries and determine raises. We've got one individual. You
won't believe this, four hundred and fifty eight thousand dollars
(49:51):
a year. This after one hundred and eighty four thousand
dollars rais one year. We've got nine people making more
than the president of the United States. We have forty
five people making more than two hundred and fifty thousand
dollars a year, or more than a cabinet position in
Trump's cabinet. The whole thing is this, Harris County government
(50:16):
is your business and my business. So it's our business,
and the people running our business aren't terrible. If you
were in your business like they run our business, we'd
all be out in the streets with signs, starving to death.
It's it's pitiful.
Speaker 7 (50:35):
A quick question on this one, how would you how
would you answer the question of the astrodome and what
to do with the astrodom that boy.
Speaker 6 (50:44):
Actually, there's so many different I've heard proposals to make
it a parking garage to satisfy the rodeo so that
we don't have to do these A competing bus was
back and forth from various parking lots all over the world. Uh,
it's uh, the astrodome is is a is a real
(51:07):
problem and it need you know, we voted a long
time ago really just to tear it down, and for
some reason it's still standing there. So I love the Astrodome.
I'm I'm a native Uestonian and I literally saw it
when it was being built. Okay, so I hate to
(51:28):
I hate to lose it, but it's the same token.
You know, it's sitting on some pretty valuable land and
there's a lot of other uses that land could could
you know, satisfy it. So you know, it's just a
real problem. There was one individual I heard that wanted
to rent it and turned it into office space and
(51:49):
parking and this, that and the other. And for some reason,
it's my understanding that that our ignorant government turned it down.
I don't know why they would do that, and I
don't have confirmation on that either, But if the astronom
(52:10):
is very complicated. My first thought is if we can't
make it, do you serve some specific purpose? Once and
for all? We have to, as economically as possible, figure
out a way to dismantle and remove it.
Speaker 7 (52:30):
All. Right, How can people find out about your campaign?
Speaker 6 (52:34):
My website is Howell Pharriscounty dot com and it tells
you about my bio and where I came from. I've
been in construction over fifty years. I've been in insurance
and risk management for more than thirty so my background
in business should be very valuable in repairing what has
(52:58):
to be done. And that we've got a major campaign working.
I've got a large team working for me, and even
folks having to go out and speak for me because
I can't be at two or three places at the
same time. But you know, we're at a point where,
(53:19):
you know, we have a chance to fix this once
and for all, and I'm hoping that people will quit
voting for who's popular and start voting for someone who
can actually get the job done. That's my hole.
Speaker 7 (53:35):
This is only one more quick question. What are you
going to do about the Harris County jails?
Speaker 6 (53:40):
Well, as soon as we can get an efficient government
in place and get rid of all the programs that
we don't belong in. That's six to seven hundred million
back to the general fund. We'll staff and redo the
jails to where they're operating as a professional organization. If
we need more jail space, We've got abandoned commercial buildings
(54:01):
all over Euston, like a kmart over on Homestead Road
that can be turned into a low security extra jail space.
So we're we'll pull out all stops to get our
jail capacity where it needs to be and and get
it operating as it's supposed to be.
Speaker 7 (54:20):
The uh uh.
Speaker 6 (54:21):
You know, I wish people would quit committing crimes, but
doesn't seem to be the way it's going to go.
They don't want to. They don't want to. Sorry, they
don't want to stop that yet. Huh. I would love to.
I would love to get on a microphone and say,
don't you know and that works? You know so far
(54:43):
that is not what the uh And with flood control,
we should talk about that because you know, we really
this is a flat seventeen seventy seven square miles and
so we've got to increase our retention ponds or we've
got to increase our reservoir space. We've got to and
(55:08):
while doing so, I can create soccer fields, baseball diamonds,
golf courses at the same time. So we knock out
two birds of one stone. We've lost six golf courses
in the last ten years. But our population is you know,
keeps growing and a lot of that population they play soccer,
they play golf, they want to play baseball, and you
(55:32):
know we Americans need that. What programs do you want
to see cut? Well, we got to cut the affordable
housing program and let the let the FEDS and the
state handle that. We've got to get rid of the
program where we called Financial Family Financial Stability for in
just twenty twenty four that ran eighty eight man. That's
(55:55):
That's not the job of Harris County. Our job is
public safety Transportation, which is the Harris County Tow Road Authority.
That's another thing that's the ahead of that is getting
four hundred and eighty six thousand a year. They're buying
state of the art wreckers. We don't need. You should
be able to just call a rerecord service if you
(56:16):
need something, TOAD, and they're buying these expensive wreckers and
putting a driver in them twenty four to seven, not
to mention the insurance and maintenance costs that's associated with
owning it. I mean, if they're just making such poor decisions,
will and get this. The state was trying to pass
a law where they could get the surplus, you know,
(56:36):
get their little grubby little hands on the surplus. And
I said, I talked to a congressman that was actually
sponsoring that bill, and I said, save your energy, because
that surplus is going back to the people, and that's
at least thirty three and a third percent. So we
get it working like it's supposed to, we'll cut the
toe road fees fifty percent and that'll help a lot
(56:58):
of folks who right now can't afford The U to.
Speaker 1 (57:03):
The People's News is a production of Steve Gallington and
Richard Hannah, and is protected by copyright laws. All the
information broadcast on air and online, as well as published
in both print and or online, including articles, audio clips, illustrations, graphics, photographs,
and videos, are protected by these copyright and other state
and federal intellectual property laws. Therefore, you may not use
(57:26):
our content in any prohibited way, including reproducing, publishing, transmitting, selling, rewriting, broadcasting,
or posting on the Internet without the expressed written permission
of the People's News. Prohibited use also includes publication of
our material in printed or electronic brochures, newsletters, or flyers,
as well as all website or email distribution. To obtain
(57:49):
permission to use copyrighted material, email Steve Gallington at Steve
atgallington dot com. Thank you.
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