Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Alabama's Morning News. My name is John Mounts j T
will be back on Tuesday till then you got me
filling in. I was watching TV a couple of nights ago,
watching Channel six, and they had a story on about
this group that was protesting in Railroad Park called Let's
see Alabama fifty to fifty one. And I didn't know
much about them, but I could tell that they're not
a big fan of the current administration in the White House,
(00:21):
and I thought, you know, what'd be cool is to
get somebody on from that group to better explain your position,
because too often we don't get to hear from the
other side. Joining me right now in studio is JEFFA
is what you want to be called? And you are
a local organizer with Alabama fifty to fifty one, So
for starters, explain your organization.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yeah. So fifty to fifty one started off in early
February after the slew of executive orders right after Trump
took office. It stands for fifty states fifty protests one day,
and it has since grown into a national movement. We've
had several days of national action with thousands of events
(01:00):
over the last two months. We are a peaceful, decentralized,
and bipartisan movement. So that means we do not condone
violence by the state or by protesters. We don't have
really a national We come together as a collective and
push our path forward, and we're nonpartisan, so we accept
(01:21):
people from left, right and center who are fed up
with how this administration is affecting their lives, and we
are pushing for change.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Now.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
We're not satisfied with waiting until tw twenty six after
the elections. We are trying to push back against executive
overreach and authoritarianism and defend our constitution and hold our
representatives to uphold their oath to defend the constitution.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
So let's talk specifically about some of the things that
you've got a problem with the current administration. At Donald
Trump brought in what he calls the Department of Government.
What's the Efficiency Efficiency? Yes, thank you, the Department of
Government Efficiency Doche and he's put Lawn Musk in charge
of that, and a lot of people, and I assume
your group is one of them, have problems with it.
So what is your biggest concern about DOGE?
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Yeah, so it claims to be the Department of Efficiency,
but it's anything, But we see it as a weapon
to make the federal government even less efficient, make it
so that it works less for the people, and to
show that it is broken. So they are putting chainsaw
(02:30):
cuts across the federal government without regard, and we consider
that executive overreach, which is just a fancy word for
saying that the executive branch is breaking the law.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
So more specifically, they're doing things like they're cutting parts
of now that have not eliminated the Department of Education,
but they have made cuts to the Department of Education.
In fact, I don't think the president could eliminate the
Department of Education, but he can try, but he can
defund it. He has the ability to cut part portions
of it out. And let me ask you this, what
(03:01):
do you think I mean as our government the right size?
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Now?
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Should it be bigger, smaller? What should be done with
the size of our government?
Speaker 2 (03:09):
I really don't have a comment on the size of
our governments. I'd like to talk about you saying that
the president has the right to defund the Department of Education.
He really doesn't. The legislative branch makes the laws, it
makes the budget. The judicial branch interprets the laws, and
the executive branch enforces the laws. So if the legislative
(03:32):
branch says, hey, this is how much money the Department
of Education gets, the executive branch really doesn't have a
say in that. So that's pretty, I guess, crucial to
the Constitution. And so that's something that part of this
executive overreach that we are trying to defend against.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
So your concern is about constitutional issues, is what you're saying.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Constitutional issues as well as every day working American issues.
We feel that this administration is does not have americans
best interest at heart. Behind Donald Trump, there were the
three richest men during his inauguration, and behind those people
were thirteen other billionaires. So we are pushing for working class,
(04:14):
middle class Americans. We're trying to make everyday life for
us better.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
But money in politics is nothing new. There's been money
on both sides. George Soros is a fabulously wealthy guy
who supports a lot of causes on the Democrat side.
So money and this is nothing new. And we're talking
decade for centuries.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
For decades, yeah, and so that's part of what we're
trying to push up against. So I want to put
it here that fifty to fifty one is a completely
volunteer organization. We do not receive any funds from anyone.
In fact, the organizers ourselves are putting our own money
into this movement. And part of what we are trying
(04:57):
to push back against is the Citizens United. We want
money out of politics. We want our politicians to be
beholden to the people, not to corporations or packs or
shadow money.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
I think that you know, I agree with you. I
think politicians should absolutely represent us. I asked for our
listeners to weigh in with us. We have somebody wants
to do so. Craig in Gardendale, welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Thank you, sir. I am just a little tired of
all the accusations that are being made. I like how
when he brought up to be and there's nobody he
didn't talk about George Soris, I talk about them. I
know you did. I know you did. But he conveniently
leads that out and he makes accusations with no proof,
which the Democrat Party has always done. Where were you,
(05:46):
dear no Obama? Where were you dear no Obama time
and the Joe Biden time when they were making everybody
pay more money each month, our feel calls were over
three dollars. We were sending more money to other countries.
But yet in Trump's first term, he turned his country
down and we had a booming economy. See y'all conveniently
(06:08):
leave out facts.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
It continue, sir.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Were your normal talking points. So go ahead, all right.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
So I just want to let you know that many
of the organizers with this group were organizing against actions
by the Biden administration and the first Trump administration, and
the Obama administration and the Bush administration. A lot of
the organizers with this group have been active in activism
(06:41):
for many years and many decades now.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Now I will say back four years ago, there was
a lot of protests going on, even in Birmingham. I
remember a lot of very they got. They got rather
a violent I mean we're talking about they did damage
on the streets in downtown Birmingham. I don't know if
this was fifty to fifty one or a different group,
but fifty to fifty one has only been around for
two months. There was there was a group. I realized
the group hasn't been around long, but the people who
(07:03):
are as part of the group. There was some protests
in Birmingham conveniently. I don't know if you can speak
to this or not, but it just so happened. A
spontaneous protests broke out, and there were palettes of bricks
in places, there were frozen water bottles in places, there
were people with skateboards in places, and they did a
lot of damage to businesses, downtown businesses who had nothing
to do with the things they were upset about.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Yeah, so I can comment on that. So again, fifty
to fifty one is a peaceful movement. We do not
condone violence in any way with protesters putting up agitations
and bricks in that stuff, state organized agitators that come
(07:45):
in and add to the chaos there fifty to fifty one.
In all of our events, we push very hard for
non violence and peaceful.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
And I'm glad to hear that. And we're almost out
of time. I promised you i'd let you plug. You've
got an event coming up this weekend, and you said
you want all folks to come out. So you mean Republicans, Democrats,
anyone who wants to come out and participate in your
event this weekend?
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Right, Yes, So this is the hands off event. It's
on Saturday. There are over a thousand events across the
entire nation coming together to protest getting his hands, getting
this administration's hands off our rights, our jobs, and our livelihoods.
It's sponsored with fifty to fifty one Indivisible, a woman's
(08:32):
March in the ones in Alabama with the Northern Alabama
Area Labor Council. So it's a huge nonpartisan coalition that's
coming together to raise up our voices.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
And they'll be in I guess Railroad Park in the
Birmingham area this weekend.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
They're going to be everywhere we have them in Florence, Huntsville, Birmingham, Tescaloose,
auburnople like Mobile, Pensacola, Columbus.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
But everywhere but where we're being heard.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Yes, in Birmingham, they're going to be in Railroad Park.
In Huntsville, they'll be in Big Spring Park.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Okay. And so if you want to come out, you
want to have a conversation, a reasonable conversation. I imagine
people will be willing to engage there too, and I
look forward to the exchange of ideas. Jeff, I wish
we had more time. We've got to take a break
for traffic and weather here, but thank you so much.
For coming in, thank you for sharing your point of
view on things, and I'm sure our listeners will continue
to send us talk back responses and look forward to
(09:28):
hearing from everybody. So thank you for coming in, Jeff Sain,
thank you for having me. This is Alabama's Morning News.
Alabama's Morning News. My name is John Mounts j T
will be back on Tuesday till then you got me
filling in. I was watching TV a couple of nights ago,
watching Channel six, and they had a story on about
this group that was protesting in Railroad Park called Let's
see Alabama fifty to fifty one. And I didn't know
much about them, but I could tell that they're not
a big fan of the current administration in the White House,
(00:21):
and I thought, you know, what'd be cool is to
get somebody on from that group to better explain your position,
because too often we don't get to hear from the
other side. Joining me right now in studio is JEFFA
is what you want to be called? And you are
a local organizer with Alabama fifty to fifty one, So
for starters, explain your organization.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yeah. So fifty to fifty one started off in early
February after the slew of executive orders right after Trump
took office. It stands for fifty states fifty protests one day,
and it has since grown into a national movement. We've
had several days of national action with thousands of events
(01:00):
over the last two months. We are a peaceful, decentralized,
and bipartisan movement. So that means we do not condone
violence by the state or by protesters. We don't have
really a national We come together as a collective and
push our path forward, and we're nonpartisan, so we accept
(01:21):
people from left, right and center who are fed up
with how this administration is affecting their lives, and we
are pushing for change.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Now.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
We're not satisfied with waiting until tw twenty six after
the elections. We are trying to push back against executive
overreach and authoritarianism and defend our constitution and hold our
representatives to uphold their oath to defend the constitution.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
So let's talk specifically about some of the things that
you've got a problem with the current administration. At Donald
Trump brought in what he calls the Department of Government.
What's the Efficiency Efficiency? Yes, thank you, the Department of
Government Efficiency Doche and he's put Lawn Musk in charge
of that, and a lot of people, and I assume
your group is one of them, have problems with it.
So what is your biggest concern about DOGE?
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Yeah, so it claims to be the Department of Efficiency,
but it's anything, But we see it as a weapon
to make the federal government even less efficient, make it
so that it works less for the people, and to
show that it is broken. So they are putting chainsaw
(02:30):
cuts across the federal government without regard, and we consider
that executive overreach, which is just a fancy word for
saying that the executive branch is breaking the law.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
So more specifically, they're doing things like they're cutting parts
of now that have not eliminated the Department of Education,
but they have made cuts to the Department of Education.
In fact, I don't think the president could eliminate the
Department of Education, but he can try, but he can
defund it. He has the ability to cut part portions
of it out. And let me ask you this, what
(03:01):
do you think I mean as our government the right size?
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Now?
Speaker 1 (03:04):
Should it be bigger, smaller? What should be done with
the size of our government?
Speaker 2 (03:09):
I really don't have a comment on the size of
our governments. I'd like to talk about you saying that
the president has the right to defund the Department of Education.
He really doesn't. The legislative branch makes the laws, it
makes the budget. The judicial branch interprets the laws, and
the executive branch enforces the laws. So if the legislative
(03:32):
branch says, hey, this is how much money the Department
of Education gets, the executive branch really doesn't have a
say in that. So that's pretty, I guess, crucial to
the Constitution. And so that's something that part of this
executive overreach that we are trying to defend against.
Speaker 1 (03:48):
So your concern is about constitutional issues, is what you're saying.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
Constitutional issues as well as every day working American issues.
We feel that this administration is does not have americans
best interest at heart. Behind Donald Trump, there were the
three richest men during his inauguration, and behind those people
were thirteen other billionaires. So we are pushing for working class,
(04:14):
middle class Americans. We're trying to make everyday life for
us better.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
But money in politics is nothing new. There's been money
on both sides. George Soros is a fabulously wealthy guy
who supports a lot of causes on the Democrat side.
So money and this is nothing new. And we're talking
decade for centuries.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
For decades, yeah, and so that's part of what we're
trying to push up against. So I want to put
it here that fifty to fifty one is a completely
volunteer organization. We do not receive any funds from anyone.
In fact, the organizers ourselves are putting our own money
into this movement. And part of what we are trying
(04:57):
to push back against is the Citizens United. We want
money out of politics. We want our politicians to be
beholden to the people, not to corporations or packs or
shadow money.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
I think that you know, I agree with you. I
think politicians should absolutely represent us. I asked for our
listeners to weigh in with us. We have somebody wants
to do so. Craig in Gardendale, welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (05:22):
Thank you, sir. I am just a little tired of
all the accusations that are being made. I like how
when he brought up to be and there's nobody he
didn't talk about George Soris, I talk about them. I
know you did. I know you did. But he conveniently
leads that out and he makes accusations with no proof,
which the Democrat Party has always done. Where were you,
(05:46):
dear no Obama? Where were you dear no Obama time
and the Joe Biden time when they were making everybody
pay more money each month, our feel calls were over
three dollars. We were sending more money to other countries.
But yet in Trump's first term, he turned his country
down and we had a booming economy. See y'all conveniently
(06:08):
leave out facts.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
It continue, sir.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Were your normal talking points. So go ahead, all right.
Speaker 2 (06:19):
So I just want to let you know that many
of the organizers with this group were organizing against actions
by the Biden administration and the first Trump administration, and
the Obama administration and the Bush administration. A lot of
the organizers with this group have been active in activism
(06:41):
for many years and many decades now.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Now I will say back four years ago, there was
a lot of protests going on, even in Birmingham. I
remember a lot of very they got. They got rather
a violent I mean we're talking about they did damage
on the streets in downtown Birmingham. I don't know if
this was fifty to fifty one or a different group,
but fifty to fifty one has only been around for
two months. There was there was a group. I realized
the group hasn't been around long, but the people who
(07:03):
are as part of the group. There was some protests
in Birmingham conveniently. I don't know if you can speak
to this or not, but it just so happened. A
spontaneous protests broke out, and there were palettes of bricks
in places, there were frozen water bottles in places, there
were people with skateboards in places, and they did a
lot of damage to businesses, downtown businesses who had nothing
to do with the things they were upset about.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Yeah, so I can comment on that. So again, fifty
to fifty one is a peaceful movement. We do not
condone violence in any way with protesters putting up agitations
and bricks in that stuff, state organized agitators that come
(07:45):
in and add to the chaos there fifty to fifty one.
In all of our events, we push very hard for
non violence and peaceful.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
And I'm glad to hear that. And we're almost out
of time. I promised you i'd let you plug. You've
got an event coming up this weekend, and you said
you want all folks to come out. So you mean Republicans, Democrats,
anyone who wants to come out and participate in your
event this weekend?
Speaker 2 (08:08):
Right, Yes, So this is the hands off event. It's
on Saturday. There are over a thousand events across the
entire nation coming together to protest getting his hands, getting
this administration's hands off our rights, our jobs, and our livelihoods.
It's sponsored with fifty to fifty one Indivisible, a woman's
(08:32):
March in the ones in Alabama with the Northern Alabama
Area Labor Council. So it's a huge nonpartisan coalition that's
coming together to raise up our voices.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
And they'll be in I guess Railroad Park in the
Birmingham area this weekend.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
They're going to be everywhere we have them in Florence, Huntsville, Birmingham, Tescaloose,
auburnople like Mobile, Pensacola, Columbus.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
But everywhere but where we're being heard.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Yes, in Birmingham, they're going to be in Railroad Park.
In Huntsville, they'll be in Big Spring Park.
Speaker 1 (09:06):
Okay. And so if you want to come out, you
want to have a conversation, a reasonable conversation. I imagine
people will be willing to engage there too, and I
look forward to the exchange of ideas. Jeff, I wish
we had more time. We've got to take a break
for traffic and weather here, but thank you so much.
For coming in, thank you for sharing your point of
view on things, and I'm sure our listeners will continue
to send us talk back responses and look forward to
(09:28):
hearing from everybody. So thank you for coming in, Jeff Sain,
thank you for having me. This is Alabama's Morning News.
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