1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:24,960 A terrifying week in global warfare brings cautious relief days later by way of a two-week 2 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:27,560 ceasefire in Iran. 3 00:00:27,560 --> 00:00:32,000 Times on the sidelines may wonder where their congressional representatives stand and how 4 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:34,200 they are responding to the war. 5 00:00:34,200 --> 00:00:38,520 Tonight we turn to second-district Democratic Congressman Mark Polkhand. 6 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:43,560 We should know we reached out to Republicans in several districts without reply. 7 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:46,360 Congressman, thanks very much for being here. 8 00:00:46,360 --> 00:00:47,560 Sure, thank you. 9 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:52,760 So on Tuesday this week, the world was on Tenterhooks, waiting President Trump's threat 10 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:58,920 that a whole civilization will die tonight unless Iran opened a Strait of Hormuz and 11 00:00:58,920 --> 00:01:00,900 then the announcement of a ceasefire. 12 00:01:00,900 --> 00:01:05,720 The White House says it was a tough negotiating tactic that worked. 13 00:01:05,720 --> 00:01:07,720 What do you say? 14 00:01:07,720 --> 00:01:13,840 Yeah, this is chaos piled on top of chaos, piled on top of uncertainty, right? 15 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:19,560 I don't think Donald Trump from day one really had a plan on how to deal with what he was 16 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:21,240 doing going into Iran. 17 00:01:21,240 --> 00:01:23,760 And we're seeing that all unfold right now. 18 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:29,160 And that rhetoric just has been unseen by any world leader previously. 19 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:33,120 And even now, the ceasefire still has all kinds of uncertainty. 20 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:35,760 We're not exactly sure what all the standards were. 21 00:01:35,760 --> 00:01:39,080 Donald Trump said he knows the 10 and he'll tell you if they're met. 22 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:40,080 That's ridiculous. 23 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:44,520 And Iran, just I saw today, he said two conditions aren't met yet. 24 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:48,960 The stopping of the bombing in Lebanon and releasing some funds to them, which that was 25 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:52,800 the first time I actually had kind of heard that part of whatever it was negotiated. 26 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:54,800 So this is just a complete mess. 27 00:01:54,800 --> 00:01:56,240 Our gas prices are going up. 28 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:58,720 Our respect across the world was going down. 29 00:01:58,720 --> 00:01:59,920 And it was a war of choice. 30 00:01:59,920 --> 00:02:02,400 There was no imminent threat to the United States. 31 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:05,680 And that's the only time the president could initiate this without Congress. 32 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:11,800 So, you know, to call it chaotic is probably an insult to the word chaos. 33 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:16,720 You and others have called to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Donald Trump from office. 34 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:21,440 That would take the vice president and the majority of the cabinet to declare the president 35 00:02:21,440 --> 00:02:22,440 unfit. 36 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:29,080 So is this really a rhetorical demand on your and others parts? 37 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:32,920 Yeah, I think this is a signal to the world that don't hate America. 38 00:02:32,920 --> 00:02:37,240 There are normal people here because what Donald Trump is doing is hurting our place 39 00:02:37,240 --> 00:02:42,640 across the globe right now, you know, some of our best trading partners in Japan and 40 00:02:42,640 --> 00:02:47,160 South Korea rely on like 70% of their energy coming through the streets of our moves. 41 00:02:47,160 --> 00:02:52,440 The fact that now they're paying the price of Donald Trump's bad decision, the fact that 42 00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:56,280 our best allies were not informed going into this. 43 00:02:56,280 --> 00:03:02,600 So now they're not participating in which I totally understand, but Donald Trump doesn't. 44 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:07,800 We have to express that as a nation this we understand this is a bad decision. 45 00:03:07,800 --> 00:03:13,920 What he did in a couple of those social media posts this week were beyond a bad decision. 46 00:03:13,920 --> 00:03:18,400 And I seriously think in many others question whether or not he's able to do this job. 47 00:03:18,400 --> 00:03:23,640 But we want others to understand that many of us do question his capability. 48 00:03:23,640 --> 00:03:28,760 Wisconsin polling shows that 61% of voters opposed this war. 49 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:31,360 Many of them probably in your district. 50 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:35,200 But what levers of power do you and others in Congress have over this? 51 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:39,400 Will Dems continue to push for a war powers resolution? 52 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:45,280 Yeah, we'll push for a war powers resolution next week when we're back in Washington. 53 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:49,160 And I'll tell you this is one where, you know, we need some of the Republicans from Wisconsin 54 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:54,320 and across the country to reach around their backs and feel if they have a bone down the 55 00:03:54,320 --> 00:04:00,040 middle called a spine because it's necessary for Congress to stand up and stop Donald Trump 56 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:01,880 from this chaotic behavior. 57 00:04:01,880 --> 00:04:03,600 It is up to Congress to initiate war. 58 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:05,440 That's according to the Constitution. 59 00:04:05,440 --> 00:04:09,560 And I've heard a few Republicans say they're waiting 90 days and all this other stuff. 60 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:11,000 That Constitution doesn't say that. 61 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:13,880 Constitution gives the power to Congress on this. 62 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:17,520 So we have to act and take the responsible role in this. 63 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:22,480 And if we don't, then unfortunately we continue to pay higher prices at the gas pumps. 64 00:04:22,480 --> 00:04:25,800 We continue to hurt ourselves with other countries across the world. 65 00:04:25,800 --> 00:04:31,000 So there's a lot riding on this and we need Wisconsin Republicans and others in Congress 66 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:34,400 to stand up and grow a spine. 67 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:40,280 Why should Wisconsinites care about a conflict happening in half a world away? 68 00:04:40,280 --> 00:04:41,280 A lot of reasons. 69 00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:43,040 I mean, you're seeing it right now in gas prices. 70 00:04:43,040 --> 00:04:46,880 They're about $1.20 a gallon right now because of what's going on. 71 00:04:46,880 --> 00:04:48,320 This is going to continue for months. 72 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:53,480 If this ended today, Frederica, we will see gas prices and those increases for months 73 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:54,480 to come yet. 74 00:04:54,480 --> 00:04:57,840 So this was a terrible decision that was done by the White House, but you should care 75 00:04:57,840 --> 00:05:01,840 because also our trade around the world, you know, as chaotic as Donald Trump's tariffs 76 00:05:01,840 --> 00:05:07,040 have been, it's important that we have partners across the globe that buy American products, 77 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:09,000 that create American jobs. 78 00:05:09,000 --> 00:05:12,880 And when we're hurting ourselves like we are with this right now, we be jeopardized our 79 00:05:12,880 --> 00:05:14,560 role in being able to do that. 80 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:15,560 So it's about jobs. 81 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:16,840 It's about your pay. 82 00:05:16,840 --> 00:05:20,200 It's about what you're paying for goods because we're paying too much for everything from 83 00:05:20,200 --> 00:05:25,880 groceries and everyday goods because of tariffs to health care and utilities because of the 84 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:29,760 big ugly law and now we're paying too much for gas because of this. 85 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:32,840 There's a lot of reasons we should pay attention and care. 86 00:05:32,840 --> 00:05:39,920 As to rising inflation, I see that consumer sentiment just ranked at the lowest on record 87 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:48,400 in the U.S. and meanwhile, Trump's budget calls for $1.5 trillion in defense spending. 88 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:52,000 This would not be, I trust, a priority of yours. 89 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:55,640 No, in fact, I think what the president said is we don't have money for things like 90 00:05:55,640 --> 00:06:03,160 childcare because he wants to put it into the national, the Pentagon's budget essentially 91 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:08,480 because he's wasting so many weapons right now while he's doing this war of choice in 92 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:09,480 Iran. 93 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:13,240 And I think if you talk to the average person, certainly the average employer, childcare 94 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:16,600 is far more important than what he's doing right now. 95 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:20,960 So the fact that he doesn't understand, let's face it, he's the Epstein class, right? 96 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:25,240 He's a really, really rich guy who is out of touch with what it is to actually live 97 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:29,000 paycheck to paycheck, to pay a mortgage, to make sure you have health care for your 98 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:30,000 family. 99 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:31,160 Can you budget for a vacation? 100 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:37,000 This guy hangs out at Mar-a-Lago and has 20s, roaring 20s style parties. 101 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,720 That person doesn't understand what Americans are going through. 102 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:43,400 And we see it because we're paying for the increase in prices. 103 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:48,160 So November, people can see a change that can change out some of the faces in the House 104 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:49,160 and the Senate. 105 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:52,800 And then we can finally have the ability to stand up and do proper oversight. 106 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:55,680 But right now, it's tough times. 107 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:59,080 And we get the calls in the office and people are certainly nervous. 108 00:06:59,080 --> 00:07:03,240 How do you think the war in Iran informs voters coming into the midterms? 109 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:06,480 Well, I think it just shows another bad decision, right? 110 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:07,760 The tariffs are a bad decision. 111 00:07:07,760 --> 00:07:08,760 We know that. 112 00:07:08,760 --> 00:07:12,000 And we're all paying more for groceries and everyday goods. 113 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:15,600 That big ugly law where they gave a giant tax break to Elon Musk and people who belong 114 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:21,840 to Mar-a-Lago, that took away health care from people and more in November, by the way, 115 00:07:21,840 --> 00:07:23,760 all the Medicaid cuts take place at that point. 116 00:07:23,760 --> 00:07:27,280 So 15 million people lose health care and we're all paying more for it, plus it made 117 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:28,840 utility rates go up. 118 00:07:28,840 --> 00:07:31,400 And now we're paying more for gas because of the war. 119 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:33,280 So you look at all of this. 120 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:38,720 And I think people are just kind of exhausted from the winning that Donald Trump keeps telling 121 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:39,720 us. 122 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:41,640 I think most of us have a different definition of winning. 123 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:45,680 It's being able to have that little luxury of snowmobile or a boat or whatever it might 124 00:07:45,680 --> 00:07:46,680 be. 125 00:07:46,680 --> 00:07:50,160 But it's not just paying more for good so that rich people get tax breaks. 126 00:07:50,160 --> 00:07:54,320 Speaking of elections, what's your reaction to Liberal Supreme Court candidate Chris Taylor's 127 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:58,280 20-point victory this week? 128 00:07:58,280 --> 00:07:59,880 She was an extraordinarily good candidate. 129 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:05,080 I think they feel that an extraordinarily poor candidate by Supreme Court standards. 130 00:08:05,080 --> 00:08:09,040 But people also are very frustrated with what's happening nationally and I think you saw that 131 00:08:09,040 --> 00:08:10,040 translate. 132 00:08:10,040 --> 00:08:15,120 I mean, you saw mayors flip from conservative to more progressive across parts of the state 133 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:18,560 that aren't exactly blue, maybe not even purple. 134 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:21,280 But people are just frustrated with what's going on. 135 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:22,960 So I think you saw a lot of that. 136 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:26,720 But you know, Chris Taylor is going to be a great Supreme Court justice. 137 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:28,160 She's very smart, very savvy. 138 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:31,120 I've worked with her since my time in the state legislature. 139 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:32,120 She's going to help that court. 140 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:35,200 We need that court to probably get a kick in the butt maybe to get a few more things 141 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:36,200 done. 142 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:38,120 And I think she may just be that catalyst. 143 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:43,320 But how is a spring election different from a November election? 144 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:47,120 Turnouts definitely lower, but you saw the intensity of certain people wanting to come 145 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:48,120 out. 146 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:51,680 And so I think it's really important to see the intensity of Democratic or more progressively 147 00:08:51,680 --> 00:08:54,240 in voters versus Republican. 148 00:08:54,240 --> 00:08:57,280 People are really upset with Donald Trump. 149 00:08:57,280 --> 00:08:58,520 And very few are very happy. 150 00:08:58,520 --> 00:09:00,840 In fact, independents, we saw a poll. 151 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:04,280 The swing was 48 points from independents from a year ago. 152 00:09:04,280 --> 00:09:07,720 That was called the extinction level numbers when that happens. 153 00:09:07,720 --> 00:09:12,440 So I think, you know, when you look at, you know, certain congressional districts in Wisconsin, 154 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:16,400 the state assembly and state senator both up to flip, I think all of that is going to 155 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:21,680 happen this November because people have just had it with how Donald Trump is behaving 156 00:09:21,680 --> 00:09:25,320 and how Republicans are just rolling over and getting their bellies rubbed rather than 157 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:28,000 standing up and fighting for their constituents. 158 00:09:28,000 --> 00:09:29,000 We leave it there. 159 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:30,000 Congressman Mark Polkhand. 160 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:31,000 Thanks very much. 161 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:32,000 Sure. 162 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:36,760 Thank you so much. 163 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:42,600 I have no idea how long that went and we may need to trim to fit it into our program, 164 00:09:42,600 --> 00:09:43,600 but thank you. 165 00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:44,600 Thanks a lot. 166 00:09:44,600 --> 00:09:45,600 Sure. 167 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:50,240 And no problem, it's going to be interesting. 168 00:09:50,240 --> 00:09:53,600 Everything we're seeing come November is not going their way. 169 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:58,040 I mean, it's massive more than I think a lot of people even are ready for. 170 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:01,520 So, you know, and I don't know how he gets out of this Iran thing. 171 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:05,800 I mean, just this morning, seriously, I saw the fact that Iran said part of the deal was 172 00:10:05,800 --> 00:10:11,520 releasing of funds, which remember they criticized Joe Biden about and Obama. 173 00:10:11,520 --> 00:10:17,080 It's just, you know, it's kind of unexplainable in some ways, so. 174 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:19,360 We'll see how these peace talks go. 175 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:27,280 Hopefully, you know, everyone hopes, right, that there's a cessation of this kind of violence, 176 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:28,280 but. 177 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:29,280 Yeah. 178 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:31,080 Problem is we never should have got there in the first place, and now we've got to figure 179 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:36,800 out how to get out and let Donald Trump save some face, and that's why I think the difficulties 180 00:10:36,800 --> 00:10:38,040 just beginning. 181 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:40,480 Well, thank you for your time. 182 00:10:40,480 --> 00:10:41,480 Appreciate it. 183 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:42,480 Thank you. 184 00:10:42,480 --> 00:10:43,480 Yeah, take care. 185 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:44,480 You too. 186 00:10:44,480 --> 00:10:44,520 We'll see you.