We see movement! Overton window, TikTok, and Kate Middleton. (Ep.23)
In Episode 23, we talk about what’s coming in November and how we can use our voices to influence policy positions up and down the ballot. And leaders, if you’re listening, we’re safe enough from Tiktok. Can we have healthcare please?
Show notes and sneak peek
Episode 23 begins with a raunchy smell and a diaper change. Aren’t you glad this is a strictly audio medium and not smell-o-vision? Like the poop in Kori’s son’s diaper, we discuss the less-than-fragrant choices at the top of the ticket this November. That said, Laura is encouraged by the ever-so-slight, but significant movement she’s seen among U.S. leaders on Gaza. We have more power than we realize! Influencing the algorithm, having courageous conversations, voting uncommitted - it’s sending a message loud and clear! Laura brings up the concept of the Overton Window and how it shifts over time due to social forces. Kori shares how the war on Gaza is illuminating colonial power and oppression all over the globe in new and powerful ways for people. More and more folks are realizing the connectedness in these issues - and how our liberation is tied to the liberation of everyone around the world. Keith reminds us about the stark nature of our choices at the top of the ticket - and how tr*mp would be worse for the Palestinians - and women, and people of color, and democracy, and and and. Kori reminds us about the importance of every elected office - up and down the ballot - and not to get overly fixated or frustrated by just the presidency. The House and Senate control the budget priorities. The Senate confirms judges and cabinet members. Heck, local school boards are deciding what books your children can read! Remember, if your vote didn’t matter, folks with power wouldn’t work so hard to disenfranchise others. Laura confesses her naivety, years ago, when she thought Republicans would play by the rules and the party would lose the majority and therefore the power, ushering in a new era of more progressive thinking. Ha! Isn’t she precious? People of color have long known that systems are erected purposely to keep power and create “others.” Evil shapeshifts. While we believe the Democratic party is more likely to listen to the needs of the people out here, Kori wants to hear more of a positive vision for the future from leaders. Not just - “at least we’re not as bad as the other guy.” I mean if only leaders could get as excited and work together for health care as they do about banning Tik Tok… Just saying! Laura just has to sneak in some Kate Middleton talk, and while we wish her well as she focuses on her health, how does the monarchy make sense anymore?? Get yourself out of this messed up family! There is nothing special about your bloodline. You are stuck in a gilded cage so citizens can gawk at you. Blech! That said, I’m sure a presidential challenger wouldn’t mind setting up his dynasty here in the U.S. so we have to be vigilant, use our voices, and push for representation that values humanity!
Visit our new home on the web: www.pushingpastpolitepodcast.com for full show notes, transcripts, links to resources, and discussion prompts. Follow us on social media, as we want to hear from YOU! @pushingpastpolite onInstagram,Facebook,TikTok, andYouTube.
Resources
The Overton Window from the Mackinac Center
Disconnect between Trump and Roe v. Wade from Mother Jones
Recall of anti-LGBTQ school board members from LA Times
Terry Gross episode on the rise of Christian nationalism from NPR
and a discussion guide:
Transcript
Episode 23 Full Episode
[00:00:00] Laura: Are you recovered?
[00:00:00] Kori: Yeah, I turned the fan on. It's like standing in here. The smell. Is it like sick poop? No, it's like a regular
[00:00:08] Laura: Good. You know I was worried it had been in there a while and it was like a good
[00:00:11] Kori: clean one. But it was just
[00:00:16] Laura: Your hair's a little curlier than when you left. Right,
[00:00:17] Kori: exactly. The nose. It's like my nose hair is singed in there. Good night.
[00:00:24] Laura: Sorry. Yeah. Sorry. Poop is no joke. Uh, that was worth taking a break for because that would have soured your attitude on the whole topic.
[00:00:33] Kori: Voting
[00:00:34] Laura: is terrible.
[00:00:35] Kori: It's shit. Just like what's in my son's diaper.
[00:00:39] Laura: Like our choices this November. It is shit as shit.
[00:00:54] Kori: Welcome to pushing past polite, where we talk about what matters and make the world more just I'm Kori and I'm Laura, and we're so glad you're here. Keith, are you with us today or are you not?
[00:01:06] Keith: Oh yeah, I don't know. You, you jumped right to the, thanks for being here. I thought, uh, I could escape that one.
[00:01:11] No, no, no, no,
[00:01:13] Laura: no. You're a part of the trio today. Let's do it. Okay. All right. So I wanted to talk about how. Well, let's, let's, let's situate this in what I'm noticing on foreign policy in the last few weeks, right? So Gaza has been heartbreaking, terrible to watch. It continues to be. It's disgusting. The genocide that's happening?
[00:01:35] Kori: Yeah. Yes. The forced starvation. Let's call that out. All that. Yeah.
[00:01:37] Laura: Forced starvation. Yep. You look at the, the water standards, um, for what, you know, the, the WHO says is like normal or healthy and they weren't even at the right levels pre conflict. Right. It is just the, the lack of humanity, the lack of care, and blaming this all on October 7th is bananas.
[00:01:56] Think about if we, post September 11th, had completely decimated the Afghani population because of this. Like, I mean, like, it's just bananas! I'm not saying we did a great thing in the U.S.. Okay. It's like we did, kind of just, yeah. Yeah. The parallels just don't exist. I've never seen No,
[00:02:16] Kori: that's the thing. There is no parallel in our, in this 20th, 21st century.
[00:02:21] There is, no. It's, atrocities like we've never seen them before. No, and it's not just, Being documented in ways, Yes, both scale to human life, That have never
[00:02:32] Laura: been matched. Because of technology, right? Um, and also, you know, ruining historic sites. Yes. Churches, mosques, hospitals, schools, wells, wells.
[00:02:45] Kori: Yeah,
[00:02:46] Laura: it blows my mind.
[00:02:47] And we have talked about this and we need to continue to talk about this. And those, and
[00:02:50] Kori: those who lead those spaces, right, targeting journalists and scholars and artists. UN workers. UN workers. Doctors. You know? Yes. Yes. To
[00:03:00] Laura: the point where this is not easily, this is not rebuildable. You know, you've, you've ruined a people.
[00:03:09] So what I've been amazed by, and again, it's still not far enough, let's be clear, but seeing the movement from the White House in particular, from October 7th to now,
[00:03:21] Kori: to now being what? March 22nd.
[00:03:23] Laura: Now being end of March. Yep. So we go from Israel has a right to defend itself. To Israel has a right to defend itself to like that was the that was the line for months and months and months and then it's, you know, well, there should be, you know, a temporary ceasefire, they should provide aid or we should, you know, little bits, little bits of sunlight.
[00:03:45] And again, we're not fully there. But suddenly, you know, this, this acknowledgment that we need to do more and there should be at least a temporary ceasefire, that, that C word of ceasefire was nowhere in conversation.
[00:03:59] Kori: Yeah. But side note, tied to the multi trillion dollar budget that was just passed to not close the government was that the United States will no longer be providing aid through the UNRWA.
[00:04:13] Yes. That provides aid. directly to Palestinian refugees that we are suspending that for at least a year. So, so it's like, we say the word ceasefire and then it's like, oh, but we're not going to provide aid and we're going to continue to provide weapons.
[00:04:34] Laura: Agree. So it's like. Not far enough. Dizzying. Agree.
[00:04:38] Agree. But what I wanted to say was that I have seen movement because of people talking about this. Again, like you're saying, the way it's being documented, the way that it's, you cannot ignore this. Mm hmm.
[00:04:54] Kori: Yeah,
[00:04:57] Laura: that's right. We have more power than we realize. We're influencing the algorithm. We're influencing conversations.
[00:05:04] Suddenly, the uncommitted vote for Biden in the primary said, spoke volumes, continues to speak volumes, continues to speak volumes. And that's a really, that's another sticky one in terms of what to do in November, right? But as we are saying, no, this is not acceptable, And it's this idea too, so this, I wanted to bring up this, um, academic idea of the Overton window.
[00:05:31] I forget the name of the scholar, his first name, his last name, clearly Overton. But basically said there's a range of options. Joseph Overton. Joseph Joe, my buddy Joe. Um, There's a range of options in policy, and that wide range of options in policy, there's a more narrow window, if you will, of what's socially acceptable, what's considered normal.
[00:05:55] And that window can expand, it can contract, and it can shift over time. And this is why it's so important to have conversations, to post, to share, to elevate voices that are, you know, putting forth something that's a little bit outside of the norm because over time we can see that window shift. An example of this prohibition, right, with alcohol, banning the sale of alcohol.
[00:06:20] At some point in time, that was an acceptable, that was in an acceptable range of policy options. No longer today, that window has so far shifted the thought of banning alcohol is comical, right? We have government organ, we have government agencies in some states. that run this and make plenty of money off of this.
[00:06:37] There's no way they would want to do that. Um, but that took a shift over time, right? And so similarly, I think with the situation and the conflict in Gaza, I'm hopeful that it's moving the right direction, that we're starting again, not purely, uh, it's a, it's a menu of less than awesome options right now, but also to, um, The conversation, I feel like, is starting to shift, and I'm starting to hear the genocide word and the ceasefire word, where we were not hearing that months ago.
[00:07:07] Kori: I also think that the war on Gaza is also illuminating how deeply seeded and consolidated so much power is within the Western world. And like bringing to light the overall impact that colonialism has had on societies all over the globe. Yes. Right? And it's bringing up those conversations that were not being talked about before.
[00:07:42] Like in the Congo, in Sudan, what's happening in Haiti right now, what's happening in the Philippines right now, some of what's happening in Ecuador, um, what took place in El Salvador with the shift. into a president who is, the window has shifted in that space, right, where it was, he's going for another term, which constitutionally he's not supposed to be able to do, but he's created an environment in the country where the people feel so much safer.
[00:08:10] That they're willing to allow that to happen, right? Mm hmm. Mm hmm. Um, but what's happening in Gaza, I think, has broadened people's awareness and understanding of how these things are happening all over the world.
[00:08:27] Laura: And how our narrative has been so whitewashed. Yes. Right? Mm hmm. That, you know, the United States, this beacon on a hill, this moral high ground, and yet, okay, wait a minute.
[00:08:38] Mm hmm. You know, the, the Israeli people and the victim, you know, being the victims of a terrible Holocaust and the need to protect them and the need for this regional partner. And yet, like, what did, at what cost? Look what this did to indigenous people there, right? The Palestinians. And that narrative has not been balanced up until this point.
[00:09:01] And so these conversations help to shift windows, help to shift what we're willing to accept and what we're not. Um, And I just want us to not undervalue the power that we have in elevating narratives that are often not highlighted.
[00:09:18] Kori: And the, and the way that we can leverage our vote to help to continue to elevate some of these narratives, right?
[00:09:27] Yes. It's like really using our power to send messages to those who are supposed to be representing us in Washington that. If hundreds of thousands of people are out on the street demanding a ceasefire, if hundreds of thousands of people in a state are voting uncommitted, right, that is demonstrating a very strong message that whatever you're doing is not speaking on my behalf.
[00:10:00] That's right. And so this is why it's so crucial that people, A, Know who their representatives are, right? And we're coming to a place where there can be a refresh in who those people are. So spending time researching, doing a little bit of reading to really know who the people are that are going to Washington to represent us and not just voting down party lines because that's what we've been acculturated to do.
[00:10:31] Mm hmm.
[00:10:33] Laura: And, and in the absence of really good options, because, let's talk about that, there's not always great options. If you're down to a binary choice, or sometimes someone's run, running unopposed and you really don't have a choice, you still have your voice. Right. You can still write letters to the editor, you can still have conversations, you can still come and speak in public meetings, whatever that looks like for you, because the conversation needs to shift.
[00:10:56] Mm hmm. Um, because, to your point, we, you know, they're not, it's not representing me, and so therefore, and my needs, and what. What I value and what I think our country says it is, right? Here's the ideals and yet here's what our policy is. And so finding ways, even in the absence of great choices on a ballot, to still be committed to shifting those conversations is something we should consider.
[00:11:22] Kori: Yeah, for sure. It's like looking around and seeing the fact that books are being banned, DEI divisions are being disbanded, that this Movement away from inclusion is becoming something is becoming seemingly acceptable in a lot of places, right? We don't want these kinds of books here, these kinds of people, these kinds of ideas in our community.
[00:11:54] So how do we disrupt that, right? How do we begin? To say, but this is my community, too. That's right. And I deserve to have space in this community, and I deserve to be seen in this community, and I deserve to feel safe in this community, and I deserve to not be targeted or profiled in this community, because it's mine, too.
[00:12:12] Laura: Especially when you're talking about public dollars and public spaces. Right? Exactly. It's one thing in your private school, in your private church, in your private home. You know, bigotry ain't great, but you want to wear that, go ahead and wear that. In our public schools that serve all kids, not just kids that look like you.
[00:12:29] There should be books on the shelves that speak to their experiences. There should be representations of, of diverse experiences. Absolutely. There should be policies that are completely neutral or, or agnostic to your beliefs that give everyone the same rights and protections. Uh, the police should protect all people.
[00:12:51] Right? So like, not just the people that look like you or people that you think belong there. Right. You know, have lived there for generations, whatever that looks like or means to you. So you're right. You're absolutely right that this pushback and organizing and telling stories, leveraging social media as much as possible is something that does have impact over time.
[00:13:11] Kori: Yeah. And I think it also helps us to like recognize that our liberation, if you want to call it that, it's so deeply tied to each other. Like, I've been looking at. These videos, because I'm from Southern California, of like this, uh, school board representative in, in Chino, California, who is just so disrespectful to parents.
[00:13:35] So, evidently, uh, set in who she thinks belong and who don't belong. And there are parents who are speaking up against that, right? But them posting these videos is allowing parents in Texas, in Tennessee, To see her and her behavior. Yes, and be like, I have one of those people in my school district and I'm seeing what you all are doing to organize and support one another and to bring your voice into the space.
[00:14:06] Like, it's giving that collective movement and energy around not feeling isolated and facilitating change.
[00:14:14] Laura: Yeah. Especially if you're in a community where you may be in the minority for having these more progressive views. Yeah. Um, absolutely. That it expands that sense of, of, uh, of community more broadly.
[00:14:25] Yeah. And to your point, yeah. Share strategies. This is how we're pushing back here. Try it where you are.
[00:14:30] Kori: That's how this uncommitted thing started catching fire, right? It was like, it started in Michigan, right? Yes. And it was very successful in Michigan. It was a proven strategy that was like, wait a minute, Michigan is an important state in the electorate.
[00:14:45] And so the fact that over 100, 000 people voted uncommitted in Michigan means something. And so what if it happens in my state, in Virginia? What if it happens in Maryland? What if it happens in now? What was this one state that is considered to be pivotal? We're having this movement across many states that are saying, nope.
[00:15:08] This is how we're feeling about this, too. And that momentum is what you're saying can shift the window. And that is part of, I think, what's been shifting some of that narrative that you started talking about.
[00:15:19] Keith: Yes. I think a lot of that work is what led Chuck Schumer to do what he did. I mean, like, the highest ranking Jewish American ever in the history of our country came out and basically called for Netanyahu to, to, well, not step down, but hold new elections.
[00:15:36] Yeah. It was huge. It's such a departure from the way that Democrats have, have approached this issue. And he himself
[00:15:42] Kori: have been approaching this issue like that, the way Schumer has been approaching this for many, many years.
[00:15:47] Keith: Yeah. He was, you know, he knew Netanyahu coming up and like he's seen Netanyahu go super far to the right and bring in all these extremists, which is anyway, my point, like, I think that that reaction, the votes in the primaries across the country were what led to Schumer making that.
[00:16:06] Decision. So you really do sometimes you see it in real time, moving the window back a little bit and trying, you know, for a while there, people were just like, Oh, we're going to give aid to, to Israel. We're going to keep doing things as normal. We're not going to change anything. And now we have, you know, a Senate leader
[00:16:26] Kori: stepping
[00:16:27] Keith: out and, and basically calling for regime change, um, in a nation that we've considered an ally.
[00:16:33] So I think it's. That's important. And also the reaction that we saw from that is important because Republicans immediately came out and started saying like, Chuck Schumer hates Jewish people. He hates Israel. If you vote for Democrats, you hate Israel. And like, it really highlighted the fact that regardless of the way that you vote, one side is much worse.
[00:16:56] But if Trump were to get elected, this is a guy who antagonized the situation over there. He moved the Capitol. Yep. He was very close with Netanyahu. You're looking at a guy who would absolutely support like the full destruction of the Palestinian people,
[00:17:12] Kori: which to me then says, Hello, if he will support that over there, why wouldn't he support that shit over here?
[00:17:22] Laura: Yes,
[00:17:22] Kori: right?
[00:17:23] Laura: Oh, like, it's no question what he will do. He has told us.
[00:17:27] Kori: So I mean, our futures are tied. Our liberation is bound to each other.
[00:17:35] Laura: Yeah. And
[00:17:35] Kori: so like, If our freedom is predicated on the oppression of other people, then we're not actually free. That's right. And if we continue to expand that oppression in order, in order to hold more tightly to what we consider freedom, what we find ourselves is in our own prison, right?
[00:17:57] Because we're so confined now to the space that we're trying to hold on to that we're actually have imprisoned ourselves.
[00:18:04] Laura: Yes, yes. Um, yeah, I, you know, I'm, I'm having this conversation in my own head, and as I listen to people on social media talk about, you know, two bad choices, I'm not voting in this election, all of that.
[00:18:18] I understand the frustration. I understand the feeling like there's lack of good choices, but to Keith's point, these are not, it would be false, it would be a false equivalence to say that these two are equal. Um, and when you think about what would be better for the Palestinian people of the two, if this is your one issue that is, that is making you say, I'm sitting this out.
[00:18:43] Kori: And I like to go back to like, can we also just remember that there are multiple branches of our government and there are multiple branches of the government for our reason, for a reason, right? And the executive branch is, is one branch of government and we have every single seat up in the House of Representatives is going to be up for election this year.
[00:19:02] In about 40 percent I think of the seats in the Senate are up for reelection this year. And so that is tremendous power typey, typey, typey. Sorry, I'm fact checking. I'm just making sure that's right. Yeah, I have
[00:19:15] Laura: links in our, um, notes. A total of 460 seats in U. S. Congress, 435 in the House. Every single seat
[00:19:23] Kori: in the House and a third of the Senate seats.
[00:19:25] Laura: Yep, third of the Senate. Just
[00:19:27] Kori: making sure. Sorry, fact checker right here. But I have, I have the data in our notes. Of course you do, because you're ready. And I'm not. I've been in bed for a week. I told you, I told you I wanted to be ready for this conversation. But anyway, it's like that, let that sink in.
[00:19:40] Right, that we have an opportunity to shift the power to be representing our voices in the House of Representatives, who are supposed to be representatives of us, and the Senate. It's so like, let's, and down ballot races too, if there's anything locally happening. And anything that's
[00:20:00] Laura: local. Sure.
[00:20:01] Kori: So like, let's not get so fixated.
[00:20:03] I'm not saying that we should not be paying very close attention to what's happening in the presidential election, but let's not allow that to be the reason that we don't show up at the ballots at all, at the ballot box at all, because there is so much more at stake. in these other spaces. The executive branch is just one single branch of our government.
[00:20:22] And that was intentional, right? That we divide up the powers. Yes. Intentionally.
[00:20:27] Laura: Well, on the legislative branch, holding the purse strings, right? Passing a budget with our priorities is important. Uh, the Senate with the Supreme Court and any other appointments of cabinet officials and folks in high levels.
[00:20:40] Uh, federal judges. This is incredibly important. Uh, have we not seen what happens now when the Supreme Court does not reflect the American people? Right. Holy shit. It, but
[00:20:51] Kori: it reflects the previous president. Holy shit. Who is a criminal and they're criminals.
[00:20:56] Laura: Yes.
[00:20:57] Kori: Yes. So many of them are also criminals.
[00:20:59] Laura: Legitimately criminals.
[00:21:00] Kori: Legitimately criminals. Yeah.
[00:21:03] Laura: Yes. I am, uh, I'm very, very, very worried about the Supreme Court, its legitimacy and what Supreme Court reform could look like because we are, we're fucked. Sorry, did you not expect me to say that? Simply said. The abortion issue alone blows my fucking mind.
[00:21:20] Speaking of Overton Window, they are outside the Overton Window, but they are not elected. They are not accountable to the people. It's a problem. It's a huge problem that is affecting real lives, real lives, like pro life, like real lives.
[00:21:36] Keith: I read like a really disturbing stat that I don't know, 70 percent of likely Republican voters, I could be wrong, but it was a significant percentage of likely Republican voters who don't equate the Roe v.
[00:21:50] Wade decision to Donald Trump. They don't. They don't even make that connection. Yeah. They just think, Oh, it's the Supreme court. That's how, how slanted some of these media outlets are that they're, they're intentionally obscuring the line between Donald Trump and the justices who did this and like, that's the scary part.
[00:22:09] You would think that if the Supreme court does something really unpopular at the very least, it would. Cause a reaction among the voting base and say, like, wait, okay, we're holding you responsible for this, but because of smoke and mirrors, smoke and mirrors, people don't have anything to do
[00:22:24] Kori: with him. Yeah, right.
[00:22:26] Keith: Yeah.
[00:22:26] Kori: But that's necessary to control people, right? Misinformation, disinformation, and poor education. We have all those things rolling around in our country. That's a good way to maintain control of people and the narrative. Right. And so it's like. If you don't really strongly understand how The federal judges and how Supreme Court judges make it into those seats, then you wouldn't make the connection between Trump and these decisions, right?
[00:23:02] Because you don't, you don't understand how he nominates people and they get confirmed and they, that like, if you don't understand that trajectory, then it's like, oh, it's just the Supreme Court. He told us
[00:23:16] Laura: what he would do. He did it.
[00:23:19] Kori: Yeah,
[00:23:19] Laura: he's telling us now the rhetoric now is so amped up that We should believe what he would do that we could, this could be the end of our free and fair elections.
[00:23:31] I'm concerned about Gatza out of my, like, I think about it all the time. And I'm also, like, to me, it's not a, it's not an either or. To your point, if we're not all free, we're not free. And this set of choices that we have, while not ideal, And while we need to continue to hold them account and to raise our voices about what we do want, we know what we don't want, uh, which would be an annihilation of people, complete end of democracy, all of that.
[00:24:02] To me, it's not a choice. Uh, it's a false choice. Of course. Like, of course we have to. Which
[00:24:08] Kori: is why I keep going back to we have to maximize and leverage the democracy that we live in. Like we have. The democracy was designed, supposedly, to be a voice of the people, right? That we're, the people are supposed to be running, leading, and so take advantage of that.
[00:24:31] That's why it's necessary to show up, because if you don't show up, Then you're like, Oh, but I'm just one person. But if we all think that we're just one person, then no one shows up. Like, it's not a big deal. It's just me. Yeah. And that just me is 10, 000 people.
[00:24:49] Laura: Which is the difference in, especially with an electoral college, is the difference, particularly in some states, between.
[00:24:56] Kori: Especially too, when they're trying to increase the gerrymandering that's going on in redistrict, in redistrict counties, to like really create more barriers for people to vote. If it wasn't important, then why would they be trying so hard to obscure it? That's right. That's right. There wouldn't be all this energy to obscure it and to diminish it if it wasn't extremely important.
[00:25:24] There wouldn't be all this energy to ban books if the content of those books were important to affirming people and helping them feel seen and like they belong, right? And if they feel like they belong, then what else are they going to be able to do? Hmm.
[00:25:38] Laura: Yeah, and these, these policies that target transgender children, so that way these transgender children don't grow up and don't become adults that can vote, that can write.
[00:25:48] It is.
[00:25:49] Keith: I forget the district, somewhere in California that there was a board that passed this like really anti LGBTQ policy for the district and the parents just got together and voted out two of the board members who were for it, including the president. Parents like legitimately are pushing back in some, some areas, which is good to see.
[00:26:07] Um, uh, one of the most interesting parts, they found that like when these policies pass, a lot of the times. They'll have like a hundred or two hundred people in the, the boardroom supporting it. And then they find out that like the vast majority of those people don't have kids in that district. They don't even live in the district.
[00:26:26] And it's sort of just this
[00:26:28] Kori: performance.
[00:26:29] Keith: Yeah.
[00:26:30] Kori: And how about even how it could be a single person? That's behind getting a whole set of books banned. A single person who's never even read the book. In my local community.
[00:26:41] Laura: She was just single person, now she's on our board, which is terrifying. But she's, you have to submit forms to challenge these books.
[00:26:48] And on every single one, we FOIA'd them. Freedom of, Freedom of Information Act. We've requested copies of these forms. She indicates on the form she's never read the books.
[00:26:57] Kori: Like, how is that even a thing? How can you, so again, going back to using your voice, why could she get the books banned? Because she worked the system.
[00:27:06] She used the system that was in place to benefit her, whatever her beliefs are. And so if we have beliefs that are different and we want our beliefs to also be represented, then we have to use the system. Like she just showed us. Yes. And now she's on the school board.
[00:27:26] Keith: Yep. And a lot of times, it's like, what, a few hundred votes in some cases.
[00:27:30] Yes.
[00:27:31] Laura: In my little community? My God. Last cycle, not this last November, but, uh, the last time that there was an election, there was like 76 votes that decided whether or not this crazy right wing MAGA woman who has really wreaked havoc in our community. She's currently in a lot, she's sued, she's suing our normal like common sense school board.
[00:27:52] They're still in litigation over that. That's costing taxpayer money. Yep. Yep. She's, like, completely decimated this sweet little town and, uh, yeah, 76 votes. Your vote matters. Your voice matters. Please, please, please. They would, you're, to Kori's point, they would not be trying to take it away or make it so hard if it didn't matter.
[00:28:12] I remember 10 years ago thinking, looking at demographic shifts, looking at generational shifts and different values, that the Republican Party would be dead by now. Like, that was my projection because, number one, I didn't see the, Evolution of it into MAGA ism. I did not have a playbook for that. That was not in my head.
[00:28:30] But also too, I assumed everybody would play by the rules, that by the rules, with voting, with things changing, this will just go away. Well guess what? Guess who makes the rules? People who have the power. That's exactly right. And I failed to account for that in my little analysis of this being the dying gasp of this, of this backwards thinking.
[00:28:52] And I don't mean like conservatism, like traditionally, like fiscal conservatism. Fine. Think that all you want. But this hateful, uh, anti human, pro business, pro It's just gross shit. I did not fathom how, how well they would know how to work the
[00:29:11] Kori: system. That's very sweet of you to say out loud. Isn't it? I'm precious.
[00:29:14] Yeah. I'm precious. Because like, I know. You know, if you're black, indigenous. Yep. Any kind of person of color. It shows my privilege and naivety. And in the space, you're like, we've seen the way that it just re creates itself over and over and over again. Right? It's like, so yeah, it's, uh, slavery being legal, called slavery, is not allowed in our country.
[00:29:43] Today. Today. However, we have a prison system that has majority black men. Doing all kinds of labor for no money or pennies on the dollar. And that's not called slavery.
[00:30:03] Laura: And we're okay with paying, with, with having humans who are not being paid and there's no label, labor laws and protections for them.
[00:30:16] Kori: Yeah. I mean, so it's like we've, it just shapeshifts. And so people who are impacted by the shapeshifting regularly. Know it well. Can recognize it and know it well. Yeah. Absolutely.
[00:30:28] Laura: Oh yeah. Yeah. I won't make this mistake again in my next 10 year projection.
[00:30:32] But you've been, now you've been impacted by the shape shifting. That's that's true. But I also have a, have a different perspective. Again, having a, a very insulated white female perspective, you know, middle up, middle to upper class, uh, whatever that is, you know, growing up, suburban, yeah. This, this, this land was made for me and you like, no, it was made for me.
[00:30:52] For the most part, right?
[00:30:54] Kori: And you had to work for that, too. It didn't start out. It was made for Keith. I know.
[00:30:59] Keith: Yeah.
[00:31:01] Kori: Like, yeah. No. It was made for Keith. And then you were adjacent, right? You were the closest. Yeah, we were connected. You were the closest adjacent to that. Yes. And so then you got your privileges next.
[00:31:11] Laura: Yes.
[00:31:11] Kori: Right? It's like that. I see
[00:31:14] Laura: it now. Uh, I, I've, I've seen it for a little while. And so my naivete at assuming that this was the end of, uh, you know, we were only on the trajectory forward, the arc of justice bending towards, you know, more liberation for everyone was certainly very naive. And I see that, I see that now, uh, and see the need for being a part of bending that arc because it does not bend on its own.
[00:31:43] Keith: It's just, it's been a long sequence of othering for a very long time, um, saying that's, that's your enemy over there. It used to be more nuanced, um, and now it's just very much like Democrats are evil, Satanists, uh, Mexicans are going to rape you and kill you and they're all together on this side and if you care about protecting your white family, then you have to hate them.
[00:32:08] And that's it. Like, uh, it's, there's not a single thing about. This is what we'll do for you. This is my platform. These are the policies we're going to enact. This is why you should vote for me. It is just solely nakedly scary black gay liberals vote against them. And like, that's what politics has devolved to.
[00:32:29] It's like, it's kindergarten shit.
[00:32:32] Laura: Well, but then you start introducing language and rhetoric around bloodbath. It'll be a bloodbath if I'm not elected, says Trump. And all of a sudden. These fears that have been preyed upon are now weaponized and, uh, you know, the flames are being fanned. They're pouring kerosene on, on, uh, on a fire.
[00:32:53] Kori: And, I mean, I would like to just give a, also, another side of the fact that Is that a xylophone? No, it is a toddler with an iPad and some sort of Kidopia game he's baking on there and that's the music that goes with it.
[00:33:07] Laura: Okay. I love I'm here for it. Add what you're gonna add with a little sprinkle of Yep, bye!
[00:33:11] Not a
[00:33:13] Kori: lot. I love it. Um, it's like, but the, this narrative of It's on both sides, right? It's like the Democrats are like, Oh, well, it could be way worse if you pick them. Also not offering you anything. It just won't be so blatantly bad.
[00:33:33] Keith: I would, just the one, I would say that like it's, it's different. We're not talking about like, you know, Clinton versus George Bush anymore.
[00:33:45] Like Joe Biden is not my ideal choice. It's not anybody's ideal choice, but for example, he came out and tried to forgive all student loan debt. Campaigned on it, got elected and he passed it. And what happened? A bunch of Republican rich activists filed a bunch of court challenges and then the Republican Supreme court took it away.
[00:34:04] Republicans in Congress for years now have been trying to stifle any real action that could be done, and then they turn around and say, well, look, they're not doing anything.
[00:34:13] Kori: I'm not
[00:34:14] Keith: saying that I love Joe Biden, and I'm not saying that I'm a, I'm a registered independent. I'm just saying that I think that the both sides thing is being leveraged now.
[00:34:24] Laura: In a way that's a bit unfair.
[00:34:26] Keith: Yeah.
[00:34:26] Kori: I'm not trying to make it unfair. I'm just saying like, we have to also recognize that. The current narrative on the Democratic side is basically it could be worse, and they're not offering ways in which it could be so much better. And so that's, that's what I'm saying.
[00:34:46] It's like, I would expect and hope that the way in which we're very concerned about what it would be like if we had a Republican president, House, and Senate. And Supreme Court, that we also want our leaders to be acknowledging and representing the things that we do want. And so there is movement in that direction, and that there is a fight for that.
[00:35:22] And that the best argument that they give us for being elected is that, well, it could be worse.
[00:35:28] Laura: Yeah. You know? I agree. I hear that. And I also look at a bipartisan infrastructure deal that was struck. I look at, to Keith's point, the student loan debt forgiveness. Uh, which is expanding and reaching a broader swath of people.
[00:35:44] It's
[00:35:44] Kori: like when it comes down to banning TikTok, they seem to
[00:35:46] Laura: be able to agree no problem. I know, thanks for protecting me from the
[00:35:50] Kori: next dance.
[00:35:50] Laura: Yeah, I'm good on that, if you don't mind. I'm good on the next viral trend. If you would just give us healthcare, Yeah, great. I'd
[00:35:56] Kori: really
[00:35:57] Laura: love that. So
[00:35:57] Kori: it's like, the evidence is clear that they can come together, but they're coming together over what?
[00:36:05] Yep. Control and power.
[00:36:08] Laura: No,
[00:36:08] Kori: no, for sure. Not on giving us what we need. Yeah.
[00:36:12] Keith: No, I think that one of the Democrats biggest problems is that they are complacent and sort of that narrative that you were, you were talking about. And I think some of the biggest mistakes they've made are not allowing new voices, younger voices to sort of take the reins.
[00:36:27] I'm sorry, like Nancy Pelosi. Is, you know, a pioneer, but like, man, give her
[00:36:34] Laura: flowers, but thank you. Yeah. At some point you need to sit down. And Chuck
[00:36:37] Keith: Schumer as well. I like Chuck Schumer, but like you have these younger popular people who are there and they're kind of reduced to just being like, we'll put them on a committee and let them get their, their TV time.
[00:36:47] So we can say, Hey, we look young, but they don't actually have any real say in the direction of the party. I think that there's a lot of mistakes. That they make their 100%. I just think that one party is much more likely to eventually adjust to the whims of, of their voting base. The constituency for one party has, is much more likely to be able to influence the direction and change things than the constituency of the other where there is no, the constituency is just a bunch of billionaires who give them money.
[00:37:19] Laura: And uneducated folks, people who are not aware, and I don't mean not educated as in don't have degrees, while that is often the case, it's more that they're unaware, right? They're being exploited. They're being taken advantage of. I wouldn't even say that.
[00:37:32] Kori: I wouldn't even say that. I think that's overstating.
[00:37:35] I would say that there's a single issue in which the Republican Party is very deeply committed to. And there are so many people who are willing to accept all of the other things for that single issue, support. That there are a lot of educated people who support them because of their pro life position.
[00:38:01] Or because, right? Or because of their anti immigration position, right? It's that very single thing. And, but where the Republicans are doing, what they're doing successfully is that they are all in alignment around what those things are. And that's where we're not doing a great job, Keith, to your point of like allowing the experience of those who are living through decisions you have been making for decades.
[00:38:31] And allowing those people to say, Hey,
[00:38:35] Laura: not just the party elites, right?
[00:38:37] Kori: We need to make some shifts here because our communities are changing. Our constituency is changing and we need the Overton
[00:38:45] Laura: window is shifting and we need to
[00:38:47] Kori: be speaking collectively to them. Not just the six of us, but like we need to, as a party to be speaking collectively to them, and that is where the Democrats are failing and the Republicans are finding success.
[00:39:05] Right.
[00:39:06] Keith: I a hundred percent agree. I think it, Oh God, really look at their last. Presidential nominees. It's like Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Obama, Joe Biden. It's seriously, it's like when you, when you see the stick of us, I'm laughing. Cause it's like, yeah, there's probably about six of us. Anyway, I completely agree, but I just think that that's more likely.
[00:39:28] I think that
[00:39:29] Kori: the
[00:39:29] Keith: democratic party is more likely to take steps in that direction. If you look what's happening on the Republican side and the primary process, like There are these guys who are like extreme, arch conservatives, evangelical, like crazy people and they're being beaten on their right. There are people coming in, primary challenges, finding ways to be more extreme and they're winning.
[00:39:52] Right. Um, and I just see when we're talking about the window, it's scary how quickly. That window is moving on that side toward Terry Gross recently had an interview with, um, uh, sort of a scholar of like the white and Christian nationalist movement, particularly the militant parts. It was such an eyeopening article about like their goal is to, is not to like convert people and make new people.
[00:40:18] Christians, it's to take over every facet of American life. It's called the seven mountains. It's, uh, it's worth a read. I I'll just say that it's a little, it's eyeopening what is actually going on. Um,
[00:40:35] Kori: Christian nationalism. It's like a whole, right. That's like a podcast for another day.
[00:40:40] Keith: Yeah. No, sorry. No, no, no.
[00:40:42] No, no, no. I think definitely. Don't
[00:40:45] Laura: you? Yeah. But make no mistake, person of faith can very much so, if you follow the church, it can have a very different implication than if you look at the person of Jesus and what he would be. Promoting and, and trying to expand. Let's just
[00:40:59] Kori: start with the fact that he wasn't white people.
[00:41:01] Can we just agree
[00:41:03] Laura: on
[00:41:04] Kori: that part? Why does my internet suck? Did I freeze? Oh man. Riverside was like, nope, Kori. Nope.
[00:41:14] Keith: Jesus. What?
[00:41:22] Keith: No, I agree. I should make the distinction that there's a very big difference between people of faith and the people who.
[00:41:28] Want Palestinians to die because they think it's going to bring about the the end times and Jesus will come back They're very different kinds of faith. Yeah, one of them I would argue isn't faith at all.
[00:41:40] Laura: It's cultish It is well and here we are what end of March if you've got a an Israeli flag as your profile picture today What does that tell me?
[00:41:52] What does that tell me? Yeah. Whew. Netanya, all the holy yahoo. We gotta, we got all these yahoos. We gotta, we gotta, we gotta use our voices. We have to be more effective. Um,
[00:42:05] Kori: can I just say one more thing? Yeah. Can I just do another thing I just wanna add here quickly that I wanna acknowledge. That people are not their government.
[00:42:17] And so, you know, you could have an Israeli flag and a Palestinian flag and a Star of David and a, uh, Kafia. You're not your government, right? That that's kind of the point of democracy. Is that the government is the people, but the people aren't necessarily the government. And so we have to like, be able to separate those things.
[00:42:40] Laura: That's a fair point. In the same way that not everyone in Russia is aligned with Putin. Right. Right. And his actions in Ukraine. Right.
[00:42:47] Kori: Because those are their brothers and cousins and, you know, like that. So just keeping that in mind that, um, that part.
[00:42:56] Laura: That is a fair point. I guess I was thinking of the figurehead and the symbolism of Israel at all costs at this day and age.
[00:43:02] Right. And this ripe age of March 24th, 2024 is a bit, uh, jarring to me, given the juxtaposition of what's happening in Palestine. Oh, friends. Wait, one more thing with colonialism. Should we talk about Kate Middleton real quick? Oh.
[00:43:20] Keith: Nope. I would have nothing to offer on that one.
[00:43:22] Laura: Yeah. Ah! I was genuinely worried.
[00:43:25] I was in all the conspiracy theories. I was literally like, why does
[00:43:28] Kori: anybody care?
[00:43:30] Laura: I only care because this family is so fucked up, and I know what they did to Meghan and Harry, that I was worried, like, is she not playing the game? And is she suddenly, like, is she gone? Is she gone? Um, but it's been interesting.
[00:43:44] Okay, so I hate the fact that she is ill. I want her to have the privacy she needs. I hate that all of this happened. Her PR sucks, if that was the case, if they let this go this long. But, what I want to say is, this is another peek behind the curtain of white power. Of, uh, systems that are not aging well. Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.
[00:44:06] Say more. The monarchy makes no sense anymore, right? This idea of a God given person that is better and different than everyone else. That the government, that the taxpayers should be, and the citizenry should be supporting and revering differently than everyone else. Um, and all of the insular and dark ways that that wreaks havoc on actual people's lives within.
[00:44:35] They're in their own little prisons, right? And then Realizing, just all of it, it's, I feel bad for the individuals that are in it, and I also think, what the heck are we doing this for anymore?
[00:44:48] Kori: But this is also what, uh, people are striving toward. That's what Israel's striving toward, right? Having like, a dictatorship style of leadership, where we have this one group that is very highly revered, and we have all, you know, that's like, what Trump is talking about here.
[00:45:04] Right? Of like creating this very much centralized, single power, I am given this power by God. This is my right and birthright to be here. It's like the thing Yeah, and he's got a family
[00:45:17] Laura: he'd love
[00:45:18] Kori: to fill the that people were quote fleeing from is now the thing people are trying to recreate. Right? Uh, undue Because it shapeshifts.
[00:45:26] Undue democracy. Shit on the constitution.
[00:45:31] Laura: Yeah. Again, Overton Window. If you had said to Republicans ten years ago You know, let's upend the constitution. Let's, let's, uh, overthrow an election.
[00:45:43] Keith: And we found out, I, a lot of people always were like, Hmm, I wonder what would happen if somebody actually tried that they'd be mowed down, they'd be buried under the jail and it turns out half the country would just pretend that it never happened. They would just, they would support it. And then when it was over, nobody would face, well, the, the people on the ground would do a little bit of jail time, but the people in government who actually They'll be fine.
[00:46:07] And then they'll just pretend that it never happened and then they'll immediately start talking about doing it
[00:46:11] Laura: again. And they'll run for re election again. Yeah. It was a test run. Bloodbath, he says. Bloodbath. Yeah. Okay. Where's the encouragement today? Vote. Please go vote. Register to vote. Like, your voice
[00:46:22] Kori: matters, but you're registered to vote.
[00:46:24] Go to Ballotpedia. org if you want to see who all the people are in your state and town that are running for, um, office. Thanks. And then you can go and read about them. Know the people that are in your Senates and City Councils and show up to those things. If you're having experiences in your town that you don't want, show up to the City Council meetings and let them know that this is not how you, uh, this is not what you voted for.
[00:46:56] This is not what you support. Use your voice. Know the people who are representing you in the federal government, in the Senate seats, in the Congress seats. Choose them. Choose them. Select them. Don't just go with the person who you've heard about or seen a sign for. Like spend a little bit of time between now and November figuring out who your candidate really is.
[00:47:20] Yep. Who your candidates are for all of these different spaces. Who they are. Who are the people that most closely align with your values. And then go vote for them.
[00:47:32] Laura: And donate to the causes and think about nonprofits that are working in spaces that are grooming the leaders that are espousing the values you want, uh, volunteering for these causes, sharing, posting, reposting, retweeting, liking, putting it on your stories.
[00:47:52] Uh, having conversations, making conversations, pushing past polite of just the weather and having conversations that matter with people in your community
[00:48:00] Kori: to enact
[00:48:00] Laura: change.
[00:48:01] Kori: Feel okay that you can evolve and change in your understanding of people's roles and candidates and You know, that like learning about them just widens your lens and your view.
[00:48:15] And that if you're like, Oh, this person was good for me two years ago or six years ago, but is no longer aligning with my goals, my values, who I, who I think the U. S. should be now, then make a shift. That's
[00:48:28] Laura: right. There's no shame in that. That's actually very honorable. That's what smart people do.
[00:48:34] Kori: Yeah.
[00:48:35] Laura: New information.
[00:48:36] Yeah. Adjust.
[00:48:40] Kori: All friends. Thanks for hanging with us through this conversation. Thanks
[00:48:43] Laura: for putting up with my heavy breathing with my post flu face, and thanks for checking on me this week. Of course. Oh, yeah. We're glad that you Sorry, y'all. survived. Yeah. Thank you. They're talking like it was death. It was just the flu, but it was not fun.
[00:49:02] Kori: It was a flu on the road. I think that is the part for me that really encapsulated the Yeah, yeah. Flu
[00:49:08] Laura: in a hotel room. With Zero stars. No. Flu
[00:49:10] Kori: in a hotel room with four other people in that one hotel room. You know? Zero stars. And like, soccer games and like, that, that part is just like, you're not even, you're not at home.
[00:49:22] You don't have any of your comforts.
[00:49:25] Laura: I know. I missed it. And you're feeling very poopy. I did bring my pillow with me. That was good foresight. Yeah, that was good. Being in a hotel without your pillow is such a sad thing. There's no need for that, you know? Especially when you're driving. For real? For real.
[00:49:38] All right, crew. It's been real. Thanks so much for listening. Thanks for being brave and sharing what you think and being willing to disagree with each other a little here and push back there. Yep. Yep. Yep. Love you all.
[00:49:53] Kori: Thank you for joining us on Pushing Past Polite. I'm Kori. I'm Laura. And
[00:49:58] Keith: I'm Keith. Visit pushingpastpolitepodcast.com.
[00:50:02]Laura: Yes. Thank you very much. Share with friends. We'll look forward to catching up with you soon. Bye. Take care.
Kori: Thanks for listening to Pushing Past Polite. We encourage you to go deeper in your trusted spaces and find new space for good conversation.
Laura: You'll find episodes, transcripts, and lots of other goodies at our website, pushingpastpolitepodcast.com. You can also connect with us on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok at Pushing Past Polite.
Kori: Pushing Past Polite is an independent podcast with Kori and Laura from Just Educators. Our cover
Laura: art was designed by Rachel Welsh De Iga of De Iga Design, and our audio is produced by Keith at Headset Media. Until next time, don't get stuck talking about the weather. Push past polite.
Kori: See you next time.
Little Dude: Bye bye.
Laura: Jay, you did perfect!
