Cyrus Habib is the Lieutenant Governor of Washington State. He lost his eyesight to cancer at age 8, went on to Yale, and became the first Iranian-American to hold statewide office. He talks with Preet about his remarkable life, the midterms, and governing in a deeply divided America.
Plus, Preet’s wish list for constitutional amendments.
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This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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I'm prepared, I think about what it is. That allowed me three time care
are surviving fully blind iranian American from a mixed religion, immigrant family too,
serve in this role. It is the welcoming spirit and
desire to continually renewed ourselves as a country
that Cyrus Harding Lieutenant governor of Washington State, and he has a remarkable life story- he's a road scholar service. Fellow and
you would be lost and now have eve is the first iranian American ever elected to state what office in the? U S,
I talked to Cyrus about his remarkable life, the upcoming mid term elections and the future of the Democratic Party. That's coming up stated
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to learn more and get thirty five dollars off your first order that Son Basket dotcom slash preach for thirty five dollars off Son basket: dot com, slash preach. Alright, let's get your questions he pre. This is my friend Sacramento. I want to ask you what you think about the decision that judge Alice me
and the man for a child to not to question the jury. Could this move allow Europe to be influenced by the media or by the president's tweet? Could this impact the outcome of the trial or have influence on possible assailed by either side? I levy shuttled, keep up the great work and I'll see you in Davis
temper. Thank you, my every question also great name, so that this is a question you ask about
judge: Allison, there's not a controversy throughout the trial. With respect to some of the rulings that Judge Ellis entered and also some of the back and forth he had. We talked about in the pockets of the back and forth. He had
the prosecution. So now we have the conclusion of a trial, conviction and counts hung on ten counts. So to the extent people thought that would judge Alice was doing was gonna in some way a tank, the prosecution case, because he look like he was not favourable to them. That clearly come to pass the prosecution and when convictions on all counts,
but he counts as pretty significant and didn't lose a single account daily at Hungary's on those counts. So, like I said
I think, a week or two ago, sometimes what matters
facts in the evidence and more than anything else, and what a judge does what it just says, with its corrected or not doesn't have as much of an impact
Now the course of sequestering the jury, you know traditionally there's no hard and fast rule. There's no.
Education somewhere. That says, under these particular kind of circumstances, do sequestered jury. First of all, sequestering jury is expensive. Its cumbersome jurists, don't like it. They liked cable to be free in the world and not feel like they themselves are prisoners like the defendant may,
so it a huge burden on people who are already burning themselves by engaging the civic duty so another you wanna, do it lightly. Second, there was common.
In what you do, that is when there's a threat of danger or harm to the jury in that
typically any notary, intense, violent gang case or in a mafia case who had sequestered juries from time to time, and so the District of New York also now
throughout most of the proceedings here.
really not any whiff of harm or danger to the jury. At one point you may remember the judge
in deciding emotion and whether or not the names of the jurors we're going to be given out said that he had been subjected to some threat on specified.
but generally anything there was a lot of danger of harm
The jury was anonymous would actually helps them somewhat from being harassed by reporters and other folks. But the heart of your question is: how do you make sure that do not
fluency by things that are set in the press about the case. You know it's hard to avoid that in a standard case. I think people believe and trust that the jury follows the pre strong instruction of the court, not to read about the case.
And that is not that difficult to accomplish in your garden, variety, even high profile case. The point you raise a good
no I don't know that it was anticipated by the judge. Although maybe I should have been that the president himself was going to be tweeting away. There was directly focused on the Manafort case, cased, calling him a good guy saying that
he's unfairly yap me. I think, there's a little bit of a worry when you have a president acting like that and talking like that. At the end of the day, it's it's impossible to know what effect in some tweets by Trump may have had, but it's pretty common in cases like this not to sequester. I previously stallion bells rely. Georgia love your show and I haven't ninety nine percent success rate recommending it others. Last constitutional amendment was a twenty seven amendment passed over quarter century ago. A question pre is: when do you think another constitutional men older certain pass thanks great
Hi tony thanks, your question. Ninety nine percent. I would like you to get that up to one hundred percent for suasion rate work on that thanks, so look concerts limits are really hard to pass. I've been thinking a little bit about it in connection with the democracy task force, then
sharing. With governor women that you may have heard about, if you're a diligent listener of the pod and am in some of the things we ve talked about historically, are the change to the constitution. With respect to having terms a president conserve after Franklin, Roosevelt collected four times, people decided, even though he was a popular president, that we would amend the constitution to limit the terms too, to which I think was a good thing, even though, by the most were integrated. Roosevelt was very good president and saved us from
two things including Nazism, these days, but we are discussing and I think what should legitimately be under review particular if the president exceeds, I think good judgment further, is restricting the presidential pardon. It's probably the place in the constitution, where a president has the most unfettered power, and so people keep excusing his decide to go outside the guidelines.
go outside of the recommendations of the partner attorney and decide on his own, based on a whim or your connection, to somebody famous that he'll pardon this person rather than that person
But there is a real concern now that the president will in some sense abuse his power by deciding to pardon people who are in a position to harm him or pardon people that are very close to him in what I think most people think would be an unfair way. There's even some debate in some people suggested not clear whether not the present good pardon himself. Most people think you can't do. That does make a lot of sense. Given the texan structure, the constitution does make common sense. It does make sense in the context of what seems fair in the world, but the fact that we have these concerns in the fact that we have these debates.
We might be faced with an actual assertion of that kind of power. Make me think that the Pardon powers the place where smart people should be focusing their energy a little bit and we might be
we might be making some recommendation with respect to the pardon power as part of our task force recommendations. While on the subject of amending the constitution, I would also suggest perhaps the article to section one of the constitution could use a tweak in others that thing about natural born citizen Oliver. That next question is in a tweet from Amy EM. The tweet reads: thanks for the great pot cast, could you please clarify the law regarding pleading the fifth after being pardoned hashtag aspirate, since a common question is confusing to non lawyers? I remember playing. The fifth is a reference to your right in the fifth amendment to the constitution.
against incriminating yourself. It's a very powerful protection that not all countries have an old criminal justice systems have it means you can't be compelled to be witness against herself. Now you only have the right to assert the fifth amendment. If you can make a showing that to speak, would in fact incriminate yourself or subject you two legal
Harold right. So let's say you do there some possibility that someone could show, because you drove some into the bank robbery to be compelled to tell
Thy about your driving, your friend, the bank robbery could incriminate you because you could be considered
an aid or in a better repeal conspirator of the bank robbery and you have not been charged with it. So we say those circumstances that you have the right to pollute the fifth, because otherwise you be in some amount of legal
people. On the other hand, if you are no legal jeopardy because nothing can
Don T, you then there's no risk of testifying, because,
Humphrey and one way in which it can be home free, is having been pardoned.
Same example is a second ago, if you're the person who drove your friend to the bank robber
and for whatever reason you have to be.
Anybody with accommodation in the car dashing convinced president trump to preemptively. Pardon you for driving your friend to the bank. Now
you can't be prosecuted any longer for your conduct connected to the bank robbery and in that circumstance, if some body, like the congressional body or a profit,
office, one due to testify about what you did that day. You would not have the
Billy to say you refuse and you could be compelled to testify
so. The pardon scenario is relatively rare, because preferential partners are rare, but the waiters comes up more frequently is that sometimes prosecutors will give you immunity, meaning you're off the hook, not because of a presidential
but you're off the hook, because you been granted immunity from prosecution for the thing that you're worried about. So as the driver of the car- and this happens, what more frequently prosecutors may decide its really important that they have your testimony to implicate and prosecute the person into the bank robbery and they take away your concern about being self incriminating by giving
Grant of immunity, so it's not a different from that. The pardon scenario community scenario, the bottom line is, if you no longer
have to worry about the threat of being imprisoned for your crime? Can the fifth one more thing
one thing that you may have seen that I did last week was I flew out to LOS Angeles and was a guest on HBO Bill, Mars, real time,
and it did the interview at the top of the show, and then there was a segment official segment that they don't put on television
but it's on the internet in which Bill Filmore, throw surprised me and asked me the following quest.
free towers, the Trump family gone so many years in New York City without facing major prosecution rate question. I would love to know that easy to
my bad, so they have to show in its supposed to be comedy, and I had not to leave immediately funny before that. So that's how answer that question and I am not suggesting that members of the Trump family have necessarily committed crimes or that we should have pursued criminal prosecutions of any particular member to the Trump family, but from time to time.
You know what people wonder is how it can be with its Harvey Weinstein's or someone else. How can
They get away with their misconduct more Michael coin. For that matter, who display guilty how people we come to learn have committed crimes. Looking back,
they get away with it for so long and it's a frustrating thing taking it outside the context of the term family could lead to serious question with its Bernie made off or the priests in Pennsylvania prosecutors can't find every criminal or prosecute every criminal. Sometimes we come upon destinations because there has been, as I said before, the show and intrepid investigative reporter who shines a lie.
Something- and you know, shows us where we should be looking. Sometimes you have whistleblowers inside companies, sometimes yet people who confess to bad things they ve been doing that lead you to other criminal activity. But you know the people have a certain amount of security and privacy in this country and its difficult. But I understand is frustrating it's difficult for prosecutors, a sort of walk into their office one day and say you know what there's a family over there. That seems to have a lot of money or there's a company over there. That seems to be really successful and without a credible allegation. Piece of evidence that the law has been crossed or a crime has been committed or unethical behaviour pervades. The place is not clear to me. The prosecutor should be you know, engaging in aggressive, provocative legal process everywhere they look. I don't think people want to live in a country like that and it sometimes true what you're talking about Paul
will Michael Cohen, that when people start legitimately pursuing an investigation of one thing say the russian investigation, what people call collusion when you start looking into rocks, but usually universal rocks owned by generally unethical or corrupt people? You may find other crimes that they committed and that's how a lot of crime is prosecuted and lot of people are held accountable. Unless you have a much more serious surveillance state, I think they're going to be people who get away with things that they shouldn't know. It's the balance between making sure that law enforcement also accountable and make sure the people's privacy and affairs are not unduly invaded
the prying eyes of law enforcement. Like sometimes law enforcement doesn't get right and they miss things, and sometimes law enforcement gets it wrong in the other way and they go aggressively after something and there's no there there and you get in trouble for that too. And criticism for that too have been criticised for both Merrick. I just thought that the question was a serious one that deserved a glib and funny answer in a moment, but a more serious answer for my friends in the past
my guest this week, Cyrus a big he is due.
governor of Washington state he's.
Iranian American ever to her
statewide office in the? U S and he's widely
hitherto rising star in democratic politics. I missed
have Cyrus on the show, because, as I've gotten the gnome over the last year, I think he is as articulates about the state of politics in America.
The crisis of leadership in America as anyone I've heard from over the last number of years. That's coming up statehood.
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the way to compare and by life insurance Cyrus Habib. Thank you so much for being here.
wonderful to be here with you. I should actually classical you lieutenant Governor YU, like the titles, pretty good title right. I don't
do this but technically alive
haven't. Governors are called governor, but I
I finally right. Hence, as vice pray, I now we called president.
yeah, I like keeping a good relationship with governor injuries. I I definitely don't push for that. So you know you were born to iranian immigrants, to the United States in the early nineteen eighties, and so your zero iranian American, but the other thing that you had to contend with. In addition to, perhaps you know people not understand
what IRAN was about was a disability, you! You went blind in one eye at age too, and then you one
and the other eye at age, eight and even fully blind. Since then, how did you deal with that challenge as a child? I often joke
because that was in nineteen. Eighty nine, that's when I was eight years old and became blind all
years that I could see took place.
Nineteen eighties, so
visual memories to this day parade are still from the nineteen eighty, so everyone still looks like Cindy Locker and Boy George. I look
look more like Cindy, elaborate and boy George Decision,
and elaborate and boy Georgia. It's now it's agree
You know. That's that's nothing! You ever want to have happened to you, but in a way it was the best time,
to happen, because I was old enough that I had a good archive
visual memories, but young enough that I was still adaptable.
and was still learning things in the idea. You I mean I learned Braille when other kids learned cursive. Did you begin to learn? Braille
You were losing sight and
Are you yes,
the cancer that I had.
really is only curable by removal of
at, and so they knew that I was gonna, become blind and
of the goal of the treatment was
You try to prolong my eyesight as long as possible to give me that
archive of memories as a kid, but they did start to prepare me now
by teaching Braille, but also how to use a cane etc. Do you remember being scared?
During this time, when you were told how much the cancer was affecting you, how did your parents explain it to you? Look what what was that being a child is difficult for for an average childhood and have this tremendous medical towns. You had had it
What is your recollection of that time? Yeah? You know it's interesting, because I was an only child and because my
and did such a good job of it,
making me feel typical. I didn't,
really have a sense of how exe
ordinarily bad the situation was, I
asked my hair because a chemo and had to wear in baseball cap
and that was you know. I knew that that was different, but you know I didn't have
benchmark of like a sibling or something to compare my life to, and my
and later told me that they
kind of Meda up past
with one another that they would not allow their fear to become. My fear. Did you talk to you? If you talk your parents and in how hard it was for them, if it be, parents are pretty three kids.
The protective of their children, they don't want any harm to come to them, and it can be difficult to hide that from a child who, you are concerned about.
How did your parents do what they did a wonderful job of of concealing their their fear from me and when
was in third grade, and by this point we moved to Washington State
I was. It was one of the first days of the school year and end all the kids were playing out in the past
brown during recess time, as kids do and the the school
direct knowing that I had recently become blind, and I think more importantly,
that my mother was a litigator didn't want this. This blind kid playing
on the jungle, Jim and Monkey bar.
Swing, sets in everything. You know five feet off the ground, so while the other kids were playing, they would keep me
sidelined, basically with the recess monitors, and so I went home, I told my parents had you know, I'm not being allowed to play with the US.
Kids and my mom went to the school the next day
she. Actually she took me with her to the principles off
so that I could learn how to advocate for myself and she said to the principle of the elementary school.
Going to take my son to your school over the weekend and I'm going to teach him how to get around the playground and I'm going to teach him how to use all the playground. Equipment might happen that he
slip and fall, and he might even slip and fall and break his arm. That's a fear
any mother has, but she said I can fix a broken arm. I can never fix a broken spirit. Who is the reaction of the school to that?
Were they taken aback yeah mean they were. You know they were this was this was before this was right when the
The idea was actually being passed by Congress and I don't think they had experience with a mom
who was empowered and understood the law, and and
in writing Maria humanely motives with disabilities act? The Americans Disabilities act here that would they wouldn't actually come into full effect until
I was in eighth grade, but that was the moon,
that I learned
that I had a right to be included in the school worried. Were they more concerned about your safety or about liability? I think it's both. I think that you know that
the people on the front lines, the the teachers in the recent minors. I think they really were thinking about safety
I think this is something that comes up in so many
front ways with people would disappear,
This is a kind of protectionism. I think you know, as you go up to that
in Paul. You know you get to people whose job is to think about legal liability, but we have what I
had to deal with a number of occasions whether it was learning how to die.
Hell, ski your, do, martial arts etc our we now can you explain keys when how you'd how you learn to downhill ski causing? I think that that strikes on people's ears, as that seems very difficult
Anne and more dangerous than a plug in for teenagers than a jungle Jim?
who was? A few years later I was in six or seventh grade and I wanted to participate in one of these schemes. School programmes
and this time it was my dad- and so
I am really come up with you and what we did was. We would take the ski lift up to the top of the slope and then he would describe ok, here's kind of the lay out of the slope going to go down, and then he would
ski behind me few yards behind me and yell. You know left right, left right, cliff,
so, that's how we did it, and you know people with disabilities are often even if their incurred
to feel good about their minds. There still made to feel ashamed of their bodies and they're, not the bodies, are kind of the the the locusts of pain, indifference and and illness and injury, and so it's really
our fall. When you give particularly young person with a disability, the opportunity to really rare
in their in their physicality and enjoy their body and be able to do sports do some kind of activity. It is actually really up ends with some of the deepest.
Feelings of insecurity that they might have internally, so your parents and amazing
didn't amazing job in showing you that you didn't have limits, but obviously there still are some limitations because of your inability,
to see? I want read you something you said Anne and ask you what does it feel like to have two
even with all your independence have to rely on other people
more than the average person perhaps- and you said once no
I rely on the generosity of cap drivers barristers in store clerks. Each time I make a purchase with cash,
I have rarely been ripped off- is a testament to their honesty or my charm at things from both, but I cannot help it protests the perpetual necessity for either. How does it feel to have to
rely on other people, yeah yeah. That was that work
is
Part of a movement that was ultimately successful led by the American Council,
blind to make our? U S currency accessible, where the
industrialized country where you can't tell other than visually the difference in a five dollar bill into twenty dollar bill,
and so I got involved that movement and end its true that that's one of the that's
The areas where you know it, unfortunately, because those bills
not distinguishable right. Now they will be soon a person
blind or low vision even can can be vulnerable and the I think them
thing there is it's not just
a lack of independence when it comes to like a consumer, but it's also
idea that in someone's blind ought to be able to work at a Starbucks added Plugin Seattle Company
or another coffee shop. They ought to be able to do that and be able to make change for people you. You raise the issue of employment for people who,
lined the overall unemployment rate in the country is at you know, historical lows, but tell folks what the unemployment rate is among blind people in the United States.
yeah well as as recently as a few years ago, the unemployment rate for blind,
Americans was about seventy percent, and so
is there and I would also say, of those who are
ploys. Many are under employed,
We ve got a long ways to go, so you
you know you had a sort of mediocre academic career Colombia, Oxford Yale, after which, at some point you decided to get into politics
on earth. Would you do that mainly so that I could use the expression? I went from Braille to Yale on podcast like this get lads, as I believe that is going to be the title of the episode. Thank thank you are, I, you know without teachers
our social services without the the purse.
taught me how to use a cane or red Braille or use software on the computer, that right
what's on the screen. Without in those things, I would
have been able to travel the road from Braille to Yale. So, as I
graduate law school and came back and entered into private practice in Seattle. You know I heard about
all these attacks on social Services- one of
You here often times would be education being pitted against
social services and I knew first hand that you need both any good schools
and you need the wraparound services to help kids, and so I you know, I felt that that was a perspective that, while there a lot of people care about these things, that their there are unworkable in public office who actually had active case files with with
double state agencies and departments to help them get to where they are. And you know
We're always in a way competing with Silicon Valley and
I wanted our state to be more friendly entrepreneurs and, and so those two areas of interest
based on personal experience, led me to decide to run for the state
representatives in twenty twelve and you are elected first, I'm out
I did, and you know it's the first time it is
to I went and spoke with a party leader in ours.
Eight and said I am thinking about running for State House of Representatives and here's my background in your my interests and
He said well
in order to run
office. You know you ve to do a lot, a door bellying and you know
the door to door and meeting voters, and you know
don't know how would that ever work for you? He hadn't seen ski eggs.
HU? I do that's what, if I said, you know what and I and I just
said to him. You know I don't mean to be disrespectful, but you know you mean
here this all that often, but running first state legislature is not actually gonna, be the hardest thing I've ever done in there have been
since then I mean they're, been lots of instances when people have said how could you do this one of the jobs that it
tenant governor is to preside over,
State Senate and call on senators. So there were people during the campaign that
say, including my opponents. That would say he can't do that. You don't
for him, because I can assure you that there are. You actually had opponents who said in the campaign that you wouldn't be able to do your job, because you're blind yap that doesn't seem to it both not right and also doesn't seem politically smarts,
that. Maybe that's why you beat those guys. There were other things at me. I we had my own version of a bird
conspiracy, people saying is even born in
country which, by the way, is not a prerequisite for state aid,
lieutenant governor it. You know it
but yet there were people who say because I can
see senators, how am I gonna do
you my job. Well, guess what we put touch screen,
on every senators desk,
when they want to speak and because their politicians, you know they always want to speak they.
touch the screen on their desk and it sends their name up to a computer where I'm standing at the front of the Senate Chamber and I can feel
their name in Braille in real time, so all their names pop up and
and call on the senator. That makes sense for the debate at that time. So
all these, things can be solved, but what uniting the biggest obstacle honestly is.
impoverished imagination when people just can't imagine how could you do that? Another thing, that's absolutely correct. So on
election day November. Twenty sixteen there. Sixteen two unlikely among others. There are two unlikely victors and
panes one was you as lieutenant governor of the State of Washington
and the other one you may recall an effort of was Donald Trump as president. What was election night like for you given
I still cry
the and value, and cherish the thirty minutes in bed.
in my knowledge of those two events.
As some of the sweetest standard about your own victory. First awry. I thought of my own victory. First, and you know it wasn't, look
good for Clinton.
But it was like with you know. We, along with everyone else we are like this will be fine. It's we're gonna, have to think
Why was so close to Morrow, but you now show when
For me, it was also a really bitter sweet time on a personal level, because my father passed away on October, thirteen goodness just three weeks earlier, so the last few weeks of that campaign were kind of
learn for me- and I know my dad would have- would have loved nothing more than to celebrate with US
night and nothing would have made him more angry than Trump winning the the election. But what was the split in the vote on the presidential side and Washington State and twenty? Sixteen, do you remember
tromp, got under forty percent and represent so drunken under forty percent that still hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people who are trump supporters in your state and the reason I pointed out- because even I have talked about this- and I want you to share your views with the listeners in politics, at least, if you're doing state, why politics and you think, expansively about bringing people over to your point of view and persuasion who talk about persuasion, a lot in the show is people seem to be in that business anymore. You know they just slice the electorate up, and you talk about the way that it makes sense to have conversations with people who disagree with you and those include travellers who
your state in your lieutenant governor for everyone in Washington State whether they a supported, Clinton or Trump? How you go about talking to people who disagree with you? I think you have to start by showing them basic respect
It sounds like common sense, but
It's it's really hard. I think that
What a lot of voters felt.
Was ignored. Disrespect id like they work.
listen to- and I find
actually my own story from the playground,
and beyond, of of having felt marginalized resonates with people everywhere
no somebody with a disability in a way that differ
from say, race or gender or sexual identity, disability
actually can be, and in road into talking about respect and
maternity and and even equality in some of these things that can sometimes be very charged in our debate, so
So I tried to share my own personal story- I tried to listen to them
and I try to show up two things that matter to them. You know I try to go
The state go to county fares, show
things. Knowing that probably seventy five percent of pupils and vote for me with some political strategies say: well, don't waste your time. The important thing for you, Cyrus or any political person running, is to increase the turnout in the neighborhoods, where there are people who are likely to be progressive, like you
me I like the message but explain why it makes sense, for so I dont think that their mutually exclusive I mean. I think that this is my job, so I would I should do it and I would do it irrespective of the
actual outcome and waterways. Actually I dont do it. I don't expect that these people will
turn on a dime and olives and start voting democratic. It's gonna take a long time and it's gonna take more than
one elected official for Democrats
to show rural voters end and suburban voters that we care about everybody. So it's the right thing to do. I dont think that its mutually exclusive,
actually think that it allows you to actually get to the heart of the matter. If you meet with different types of folks, indifferent parts of our state difference of our country, and here
their challenges and recognise how many shared issues in
just their army, climate change,
you know right now in Seattle,
hazy and smoky all over, because these wildfires gone crazy. Will those same wildfires are devastating the rural parts of our state and so in a very poor.
The end way, it's like mother nature,
reminding us that we all live under one sky in one shared reality. So I dont
I dont see them at all as mutually exclusive, and I think actually benefits us as public officials to do that. One of the reasons I think people will say the Trump got elected. Is there a lot of disaffection among the electorate for establishment politicians right? They talk a lot. They gridlock alot. They don't really help us so much in their repelled by politicians. Who is that
What is it the people expect from their representatives and then take a big risk on this plot cas eminence, say something
positive about Donald Trump that is nodded
Candide Compliment Don
tromp. I
more than any other president that I can think of in recent history really is working to follow.
Rule on his campaign. Promises the
camping, promises are heinous and
fallen on American, but but he is gonna, do every
You can't build that wall. You know he's glue everything he can to
deuce immigration in this country, he said you get out of the Paris accord. You gotta
Harris Cohesive, get around you get out there and he said he's gonna
actually talk tough with China.
many other presidential candidates at Democratic republic. Enough said they would do, and
actually done that none of the analogue
Would be that way
President Obama was elected had he come
in and within the first six months, and you know what I'm shutting Guantanamo and send these guys to your federal prisons
Alabama or South Carolina Virginia and Congo
to figure out what to do about it. You know, but it breeds
sort of fastening recollect I get your point deposited does to describe. It is that he sticks to his guns and he adheres to his promises. But there is also the art of compromise, and I thought we were elected president elected out his ability to make a deal, and so on the other side of the coin you know, maybe he would have greater approval. Then he has
actually backed off a little bit on some of the things that he said, he'd want over sure means anything, but a deal maker he's walked away in a countless times.
From immigration deals, and
Stubbornness he's also, you know done it in the worst possible way, using children as as hostages, etc. So I
we agree with you about all that, but I think what people
are tired of. Is politics.
That will say anything. It's I'll do this I'll. Do this do this under this and then
get in and then
view their job in Congress or in any other offices, continuing to be as spokesperson for the things they said, they would do as opposed to working really hard to
publish some version of it or some compromise based on it, and I think that you know again
I'd like to see our Denmark
economically and twenty twenty, be someone who really takes their campaign
promises seriously
by the way, I'm not saying that present Obama didn't I mean. Obviously, healthcare was front centre and he did go that done, but I think there is a kind of
a kind of cynicism about politicians
these matters as they don't only compromise with other folks, they have to compromise within their own agendas,
heard Rama manual. Another say these are the kinds of conversations going on in the White House. We can either whole people accountable for engaging in torture or we can have healthcare, and you can't put too much on the table because you only have limited political capital because very quickly, you're running for office again, and so you have to be stark in the choices you make. Even though you promised ten things
when you come into office, these conventional politicians say you gotta pick one or two: that's all you can do men. Why? What I would argue in response to that is to say actually, if you can do one and you
well, you build momentum and you get more capital capital. Is it in there was, I dont view
that kind of a zero sum way. I guess, although just two tonnes chance second Barack Obama's
One of his singular achievements was enacting Beforeblacker act and lots of people would say that success which
need a lot of people on the other side and was largely accomplished without any votes from the other side is what caused him not to be able to achieve further things that he wanted to
fear not marrying twenty ten ito was gonna, be just as twenty eighteen, God willing will be a wave year. My point:
How did they use those two years?
two thousand nine two thousand ten and
Not even what could it couldn't be done, but what the press
section of the voters is. Is that if we
we're gonna do one or two things, let's at least be bold with those
that's what you saw, Bernie Sanders gets
much energy in twenty. Sixteen behind his presidential bid and
you gonna see in twenty twenty people
the warning a nominee who can espouse as bold a pie,
the division as doll.
I'm has expressed on the negative side. What one thing that we talk about a lot from the shown in June?
early in american discussion of politics, and the presidency is does, as president have autocratic impulses. Does he just want everything to go the way he wants to go by fee out by executive order? That's a complaint! That's made about other presence to it. I think trumpets taken into an extreme and we say: oh that's terrible, but isn't there any? I think I've heard you say this, isn't there some logic to some people being attracted to a leader who buy whatever method, even if its by passionate
I wish it would have rules at least try to get something done. I mean there's a balance right. I think that there's there's a spectrum and you could be at the very process end of that special.
Process heavy end, and people are really frustrated with that
That is why our mayors so popular right now compared to other executive office holders wire governors look too and in large part it's because they have been
as bold as they can be without look. I'm not saying you know you, don't you dont violate separation of powers, any these things that Trump has has sought to. Do you certainly don't enrich or so
Personally, the way he's doing, but did you know
mayors have been able to use their office too.
log logjams, you know I remember. I met Rama Manual, one time it was tat
but some controversy in chicago- and he said you know that with all the stakeholders and some of them, so we have to do their sums that we are to do that and so far I said you know what I want to decide this, the demo
radically we're gonna. Do this democratically elected Mayor
gonna decide? I dont think that that needs to be hostile to the legislative branch, but I think voters really
on us when we get elected to do something more than grand
stand united and sooner than you, people sick, a talk here. More than talk I mean you know you have politician
we're out their elected office holders wrought there and they think the best thing that they could do in public office is to get arrested
Really, members of Congress are the five and thirty five Americans who can do something about this
want them in their offices and on the Senate in House floor, doing something to fix this problem and to check this president. So it's not just
question of executive powers also about legislative power, and I think voters are tired of people that just but jockey
spots on podcast
and MSNBC interviews or Fox NEWS interviews, etc. Knocked the park ass jack. You know it's an important part of that, but I want people to come on. These shows and talk about what they ve done and what they're doing now.
Bemoan the way the rest of the way the rest of Americans are doing as well? Let's, let's talk about that. Instead of bemoaning areas
you are where you are in life in part because of the educational opportunities you had any took full advantage of them. You know, did amazing work and multiple schools. What are you doing to improve higher educational opportunities?
for people in Washington? Yeah? That's that's been our focus in my office and now
Why, when I ran into any sixteen, when I
travelling around the state. I would hear this the sentence the sentiment uttered over and over again by frankly, by both demo
that's an Republicans and the the sentiment was quote, college isn't for everyone.
often not said from a place of.
Alice rust idiots often said from a play
compassion. You know, but I heard echoes of the things that I had experienced as a child and people saying you know, people lowering expertise
since you know- and I still do this- we also causes and for everyone I asked them I so so. Let me ask you
Did you go to college and it turns out that
must inevitably they did, and then
animal. What are your kids do. You know are worry planning for your kids
that is why I can oh my,
daughter, is going to Universal Washington and my son's going to women college right and I'm like okay, so colleges for you, colleges, freer kids, who is it that you're, saying college
isn't for right, and I think we know the additives organisers. It's, because we
because we know who is not going to college. We know it's kids from communities com
kids from rural parts of our state, kids with disabilities. Kids was parents didn't go to college the people who are saying that you're describing who say counters not for everyone? Are they saying that for some people there should be no further education past high school or they
hang near their speed, vocational vocational training, that sort of thing they're saying you know what there are plenty of jobs today we ought to really focus our high schools on preparing
washingtonians for the kind of technical jobs that exists today. The problem,
The reason they wouldn't send their own kids down. That path is that
do very well that those jobs are very unlikely to be there in ten years, and certainly not in forty years that seventeen year old needs to be thinking about
preparing for that and in preparing herself to be able to be mobile in the economy, and I want to be
I'm not hostile to learning
occasional trade, but my my project in our office has been. How do we connect that with the bachelors degree? So we
created a programme. The legislature has funded called complete Washington and the idea is to take folks who are working
there are already in a job
and maybe they ve done an apprenticeship to take them and connect that prior learning and their work. Experience with a bachelors degree through online
education to quality are not Trop University, but actual clause.
Online College is part of the problem that it's hard to convince everyone of the value of education,
I think there is a kind of booty guilt on the line,
after a people's real, I'm nor that prison while booty guilt, well
there's this I'd. Theirs is kind of a sense that they don't wanna, be offensive
others who haven't gone to college and and so the
say things like what you know. You know if you say colleges, you oughta be for everybody than you sound, like an elitist. You know what
mine's me of his when Paul Ryan last year would say about health care. Well
you know not. Everyone necessarily wants to buy health insurance. You know we oughta, give people money
our pocket and they can make the disease.
for themselves- and it's like,
Paul Ryan. You do know anybody know one in your social circle or family doesn't have health insurance. You know very well that every wants to have health insurance to protect them in the event of an illness into its
disingenuous to say that I think this in the same way we know
Everyone ought to have the opportunity to go and get a car
degree which will mean they'll make ninety percent more on average than their colleagues without a college degree. We know that the jobs
The robots will take over last
are gonna, be ones that require critical thing.
And persuasion and communication skills, and these kinds of things are so, let's just call a spade,
late, and I dont think its offensive to people. In fact, when you go and meet with community
that don't have access or Canada
Word higher education there
Really eager folks are eager to hear about plans and ideas to expand access to call us right- and you know from being from an immigrant fan
de the kinds of sacrifices people make of looking for my parents, the thing that they cared about the most any kind of educational aid.
For me and my brother, and they would say that that faith in education was vindicated cuz. This many years later,.
why one of their sons is a successful multimillionaire business man and the other one has a pot cast so neither their dream. Their victory is now getting aside. Yet he did lots and lots of people in America feel that way. There are certain immigrant communities who came to
country, for that purpose, for the for the better educated came for that for that sole purpose and mean it's. Why my dad came here himself, but it's why it's why they stayed.
It's one of the reasons they say. That's why so many people come here and and nothing is more heartwarming. I got a chance to give a couple commencement speeches this year.
You know I'm sitting up there on stage, so I'm hearing these graduates. Thank the president. The proverb they walk across the stage in its just brings tears your eyes. How excited people are when they get this degree, and I want that for everybody recognized recognised
that we might have to reform our high red system all but more. If we really want to reach everybody, we have certainly make it more affordable and we have to connect it to some of the more vocational work and training like apprenticeship programmes that exists out there. So we're running at a time
and I could go on with you for hours and hours and lots of things, and hopefully we can have you back a very simple question for you, because I've been thinking about it for a while in just wanted to debate about what this word means in the current moment in Amerika, what is patriotism
Do you know I think about what it is that allow
me it three times. Can
are surviving fully blind iranian American from a mixed religion, immigrant family, to be able to
serve in this role, and I think it is the welcoming.
spirit and the desire to continually renew ourselves as a country, its law
of that, it's love of either
sacred cows. It's love of. We will continually question
and rebuild and innovate and challenge ourselves to be made. Now
again, most tangier
lay through immigration, but also through
disruption, innovation and technology and and the arts and new ideas, and that that to me what I love, others controlling any other country on earth-
was based on an idea, and that idea continue,
is to exist and it continues to get re imagined as more and more people are brought into it. The question is,
as we continue to evolve
as a country is more and more people get to have a voice in this group.
American idea. Can we talk to one another
and we communicate with one another in a way that that is respectful in a way that diamond
trades that we're not threatening one another that we all just want to be included, and I think that that can be done, but it does require
those of us who are people of color. Those of us who are
do have disabilities, and I know this can be frustrating does require us to do a little bit of that extra work of reaching
out to those who may feel threatened, and I know it can feel like
We have to do this over and over and over again and Van Jones makes this point. It is unfair, its deeply unfair because we're anything wrong, but at this
in time. I want the future of this country to be one that is knitting,
Heather and wear white blood.
Iranian american Indian Marry, you know all of us feel that we are better
because of this and right now we're just not there, and so that might mean that we
to deliver the extra work right now, but I think the pay off for future generation.
We'll be tremendous. This idea that were ever improving more
Lucifer, as President Obama reminded us, always becoming a more perfect union. We have to do that.
Work and make sacrifices, and sometimes those who have to do that have been
ones have been oppressed historically, but let's
by example. What makes this country great? So that's a very good answer with which I agree so final question. You then, would you take the opportunity here and now on this podcast to announce your candidacy for present. I believe you have just cleared the age
requirement very recently. What is what do you say eyesight
thought you- and I were friends and so announced on my life gets its best. You wanted what's best for me and I will I'll tell you,
I heard I was there. I appreciate that there is
Another person from our state,
who is seriously considering running for president so I've been told- I don't know that first hand Jeff Basis
I think we can say his name and you laugh. That's not gonna be good for you. I think he's got enough on his hands right now. Ok, so so here here we have it, you did
rule it out what I will say this I was born in the United States. Yet so you say so I want
x I wanted to. I will be on record as having answered and, after the contrary that, however they, why
I believe you will look. It's been great. Having on the show, as I said at the beginning, what you ve done in how you achieve what we have achieved is is really inspiring to a lot of people. So thanks for sharing your story with Us- and I hope you can
accident prate. Thank you. So much will that's it
this episode of stay tuned. Thanks again,
My guest Cyrus happy, if you like the show
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Transcript generated on 2021-10-07.