WEBVTT
00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:08.240
Ah, welcome back to the Lars Larson Show.
00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:09.199
It's a pleasure to be with you.
00:00:09.359 --> 00:00:13.039
I'm glad to get to your phone calls and emails at 866-HLars.
00:00:13.279 --> 00:00:16.480
That's 866-439-5277.
00:00:16.800 --> 00:00:20.000
This segment of the show brought to you by Native Path Krill Oil.
00:00:20.079 --> 00:00:23.839
If you're taking those omega-3s, don't settle for ordinary fish oil.
00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:28.399
Native Path Antarctic Krill Oil is up to 50% more absorbable.
00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:31.839
It supports healthy joints, cholesterol, and inflammation.
00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:36.159
Get up to 60% off at nativekrill.com slash Lars.
00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:40.799
That's Native Krill, K-R-I-L-L.com slash Lars.
00:00:41.119 --> 00:00:45.039
Pleasure to be with you on a Wednesday and always glad to take your phone calls and emails.
00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:46.799
Coming up, I want to talk to Dr.
00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:50.399
John Fleming, who's a former member of the United States Congress.
00:00:50.560 --> 00:00:55.200
He represented Louisiana's fourth congressional district from 09 to 17.
00:00:55.600 --> 00:00:59.359
Should Louisiana's new map survive the latest courtroom fight?
00:00:59.520 --> 00:00:59.679
Dr.
00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:01.600
Fleming, welcome back to the program.
00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:03.359
Hey, Lars.
00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:04.879
Great to be back with you again.
00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:05.280
Thank you.
00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:13.280
Sir, are we finally over the fighting over Louisiana's uh uh Louisiana's redistricting for Congress?
00:01:13.920 --> 00:01:15.200
Yes, I I really do.
00:01:15.359 --> 00:01:28.879
In fact, I think it's a seminal moment because I think we've ended a an uncomfortable debate we've had for years, which is can we or should we be gerrymandering based on race?
00:01:29.120 --> 00:01:47.040
Uh of course, the the laws that were passed uh back in uh 1965 that had to do with uh you know uh making sure that everyone can participate in our democratic republican uh process of a republic.
00:01:47.200 --> 00:02:01.760
Uh there there were things in there that we had to get past, like poll taxes and and other things that that really created a barrier for African Americans and other minorities from getting involved in our process.
00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:04.319
But those things have been resolved over the years.
00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:19.360
So there's no need for uh anything that that would require concern about race because we have so many people, both in Louisiana and around the country, uh, who are from all backgrounds who participate uh in that.
00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:26.400
And and and so the Supreme Court came down and said, look, racial gerrymandering is not constitutional.
00:02:26.560 --> 00:02:26.719
Yep.
00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:30.240
And I think that that's a permanent decision that's been made.
00:02:30.319 --> 00:02:35.520
I don't think there's any going back on it, regardless of whatever lawsuits may have been filed afterwards.
00:02:35.840 --> 00:02:36.479
You know, Dr.
00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:43.439
Fleming, I I guess I think even what they did in the 60s was in and of itself unconstitutional.
00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:45.439
I'm not a lawyer, but I think it was.
00:02:45.599 --> 00:02:48.560
And I think it was based on the rankest kind of bigotry.
00:02:48.719 --> 00:03:00.719
I mean, if you and I walked in to a restaurant, you know, in your state, and we sat down for dinner, and a young man or a young woman walked over and said, I'm gonna be your waiter, and we said, We don't want a black waiter.
00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:03.680
We can only be properly represented by a white waiter.
00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:08.000
They'd kick us out, I would hope, because they'd say that kind of stuff isn't allowed here.
00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:27.199
And yet the assumption was that we had to draw congressional districts that had a majority or a sizable number of black voters in them, because then black voters would be able to elect black members of Congress because black Americans can only best be represented by black members of Congress?
00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:30.719
Isn't that whole set of assumptions a whole bunch of garbage?
00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:32.560
Well, absolutely.
00:03:32.719 --> 00:03:41.919
And and in fact, regardless of who may benefit from doing that practice now, it can always reverse and go the other way.
00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:52.879
Uh before you know it, people are only requesting white waiters or white doctors, uh, or again, black, or uh, you know, brown or whatever.
00:03:53.039 --> 00:04:08.000
Uh we we we need to be uh, and and that's been our goal really since 1965, uh, is is is really to uh have a colorblind society where color, race, even gender no longer matters.
00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:10.879
What really matters is meritocracy.
00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:22.639
It's earning the right, the most qualified, and who should be doing that based on anything other than immutable uh characteristics such as, again, gender or skin color.
00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:24.959
Okay, so what do we do going forward?
00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:36.800
Do we get out of this, I guess, this regimen where we can get back to redistricting once every 10 years and simply say we're gonna district based on where the lines ought to sit.
00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:39.759
They probably ought to follow some geographic boundaries.
00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:53.439
They might even follow county or city boundaries, but we're not gonna draw them anymore ever because we're going to try to either put a a certain number of Americans of one color or another into a district or out of a district.
00:04:53.519 --> 00:04:55.120
Can we get away from that?
00:04:56.079 --> 00:04:57.600
I think we I think we have.
00:04:57.759 --> 00:04:59.920
I think this ends that practice.
00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:05.279
But you know, there are a lot of reasons why you still can redistrict or even gerrymander.
00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:07.920
You can do it based on party affiliation.
00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:15.199
Uh for instance, if you have Democrats who are in the majority, they can uh gerrymander uh Democrat-leaning districts.
00:05:15.279 --> 00:05:17.759
They can do that uh incumbency.
00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:21.279
Uh, for instance, Louisiana has the Speaker of the House.
00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:29.600
Uh, we can redistrict in a way to guarantee that the that the Speaker of the House will have no worry about being uh re-elected.
00:05:29.759 --> 00:05:33.120
These are all allowed under the law and under the Constitution.
00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:34.560
Well, and Dr.
00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:53.040
Fleming, didn't the founders understand that when they drew new boundaries, whoever, which I mean, even though we didn't have a party system as clearly defined as we do today, that back then the founders would have understood when these lines are drawn, they'll be drawn by human beings, and they will be drawn politically, won't they?
00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:54.079
Wouldn't they?
00:05:54.560 --> 00:05:55.360
Well, yes.
00:05:55.519 --> 00:06:02.959
And you know, w when you think about it, you go, well, you know, to to draw these lines on a political basis is just not fair.
00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:05.519
But then when you think, well, then what is fair?
00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:08.879
Well, there's nothing any more fair than politically.
00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:10.800
It only gets worse from there.
00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:13.360
It's always going to be controversial.
00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:20.639
Uh, but again, uh it it ultimately it reflects the will of the people, and that's what's important about redistricting.
00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:32.720
Well, the thing I keep wondering about is if the founders assumed these will be political decisions and they will be made by you know people who will be influenced by politics, they knew that was part of the system.
00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:36.480
And these days when I hear people object, well, we can't make this political.
00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:39.120
Well, as you said, who's going to make the decision then?
00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:45.839
And how do you make a decision if the Democrats are in the majority that the Republicans will also agree with, or vice versa?
00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:54.560
If the Republicans happen to be in the majority, do you think we can ever set a draw a set of boundaries that the Democrats would say, yeah, that's fair, and we'll go with that?
00:06:54.639 --> 00:06:57.920
And God forbid we hand it over to artificial intelligence.
00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:01.040
I'm sure that's probably the next crazy idea that's coming up.
00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:01.439
Dr.
00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:02.879
Fleming, thanks very much.
00:07:02.959 --> 00:07:03.839
Uh, that's Dr.
00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:05.920
John Fleming, former member of the U.S.
00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:06.399
Congress.
00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:13.519
He represented Louisiana's fourth congressional district from 09 to 2017, and we appreciate you coming on.
00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:19.759
Hey, a little reminder: Father's Day is coming up, and if you don't know what to get your dad, I've got the perfect solution.
00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:25.199
Skip the random last-minute gift and give dad something he'll actually use, something I've already got.
00:07:25.360 --> 00:07:28.160
The Chef IQ Sense Smart Thermometer.
00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:30.000
This thing connects to your cell phone.
00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:32.879
Your smartphone tells you exactly when your food is done.
00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:36.319
No guessing, no cutting into a steak to see if it's ready.
00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:40.240
It tracks your cooking in real time and walks you through every step.
00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:43.839
Tells you when to flip, when to pull, when to rest, and when to serve.
00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:47.040
It turns I think it's done into I know it's perfect.
00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:48.800
And that's why dads like me love it.
00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:57.600
Whether you're cooking steaks, burgers, chicken, fish, or just about anything else, Chef IQ's Sense helps deliver restaurant quality results right in your home.
00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:02.000
It works on the grill, in the oven, on the smoker, whatever you happen to be cooking.
00:08:02.160 --> 00:08:05.120
And best of all, you don't have to babysit your food.
00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:10.240
You can watch the game or spend time with the family, and your phone lets you know when everything is ready.
00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:13.839
It's like having a personal cooking coach right in your pocket.
00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:21.279
And right now, during the Father's Day sale, you'll get 40% off site-wide when you use my name, Lars L-A-R-S.
00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:23.519
Yeah, my parents had a sense of humor.
00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:29.040
Go to chefiq.com and use promo code Lars for 40% off site wide.
00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:32.320
That's ChefIQ.com, promo code Lars.
00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:08.240
Ah, welcome back to the Lars Larson Show.
00:00:08.320 --> 00:00:09.199
It's a pleasure to be with you.
00:00:09.359 --> 00:00:13.039
I'm glad to get to your phone calls and emails at 866-HLars.
00:00:13.279 --> 00:00:16.480
That's 866-439-5277.
00:00:16.800 --> 00:00:20.000
This segment of the show brought to you by Native Path Krill Oil.
00:00:20.079 --> 00:00:23.839
If you're taking those omega-3s, don't settle for ordinary fish oil.
00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:28.399
Native Path Antarctic Krill Oil is up to 50% more absorbable.
00:00:28.559 --> 00:00:31.839
It supports healthy joints, cholesterol, and inflammation.
00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:36.159
Get up to 60% off at nativekrill.com slash Lars.
00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:40.799
That's Native Krill, K-R-I-L-L.com slash Lars.
00:00:41.119 --> 00:00:45.039
Pleasure to be with you on a Wednesday and always glad to take your phone calls and emails.
00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:46.799
Coming up, I want to talk to Dr.
00:00:46.880 --> 00:00:50.399
John Fleming, who's a former member of the United States Congress.
00:00:50.560 --> 00:00:55.200
He represented Louisiana's fourth congressional district from 09 to 17.
00:00:55.600 --> 00:00:59.359
Should Louisiana's new map survive the latest courtroom fight?
00:00:59.520 --> 00:00:59.679
Dr.
00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:01.600
Fleming, welcome back to the program.
00:01:02.640 --> 00:01:03.359
Hey, Lars.
00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:04.879
Great to be back with you again.
00:01:05.040 --> 00:01:05.280
Thank you.
00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:13.280
Sir, are we finally over the fighting over Louisiana's uh uh Louisiana's redistricting for Congress?
00:01:13.920 --> 00:01:15.200
Yes, I I really do.
00:01:15.359 --> 00:01:28.879
In fact, I think it's a seminal moment because I think we've ended a an uncomfortable debate we've had for years, which is can we or should we be gerrymandering based on race?
00:01:29.120 --> 00:01:47.040
Uh of course, the the laws that were passed uh back in uh 1965 that had to do with uh you know uh making sure that everyone can participate in our democratic republican uh process of a republic.
00:01:47.200 --> 00:02:01.760
Uh there there were things in there that we had to get past, like poll taxes and and other things that that really created a barrier for African Americans and other minorities from getting involved in our process.
00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:04.319
But those things have been resolved over the years.
00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:19.360
So there's no need for uh anything that that would require concern about race because we have so many people, both in Louisiana and around the country, uh, who are from all backgrounds who participate uh in that.
00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:26.400
And and and so the Supreme Court came down and said, look, racial gerrymandering is not constitutional.
00:02:26.560 --> 00:02:26.719
Yep.
00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:30.240
And I think that that's a permanent decision that's been made.
00:02:30.319 --> 00:02:35.520
I don't think there's any going back on it, regardless of whatever lawsuits may have been filed afterwards.
00:02:35.840 --> 00:02:36.479
You know, Dr.
00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:43.439
Fleming, I I guess I think even what they did in the 60s was in and of itself unconstitutional.
00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:45.439
I'm not a lawyer, but I think it was.
00:02:45.599 --> 00:02:48.560
And I think it was based on the rankest kind of bigotry.
00:02:48.719 --> 00:03:00.719
I mean, if you and I walked in to a restaurant, you know, in your state, and we sat down for dinner, and a young man or a young woman walked over and said, I'm gonna be your waiter, and we said, We don't want a black waiter.
00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:03.680
We can only be properly represented by a white waiter.
00:03:03.840 --> 00:03:08.000
They'd kick us out, I would hope, because they'd say that kind of stuff isn't allowed here.
00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:27.199
And yet the assumption was that we had to draw congressional districts that had a majority or a sizable number of black voters in them, because then black voters would be able to elect black members of Congress because black Americans can only best be represented by black members of Congress?
00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:30.719
Isn't that whole set of assumptions a whole bunch of garbage?
00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:32.560
Well, absolutely.
00:03:32.719 --> 00:03:41.919
And and in fact, regardless of who may benefit from doing that practice now, it can always reverse and go the other way.
00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:52.879
Uh before you know it, people are only requesting white waiters or white doctors, uh, or again, black, or uh, you know, brown or whatever.
00:03:53.039 --> 00:04:08.000
Uh we we we need to be uh, and and that's been our goal really since 1965, uh, is is is really to uh have a colorblind society where color, race, even gender no longer matters.
00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:10.879
What really matters is meritocracy.
00:04:11.039 --> 00:04:22.639
It's earning the right, the most qualified, and who should be doing that based on anything other than immutable uh characteristics such as, again, gender or skin color.
00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:24.959
Okay, so what do we do going forward?
00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:36.800
Do we get out of this, I guess, this regimen where we can get back to redistricting once every 10 years and simply say we're gonna district based on where the lines ought to sit.
00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:39.759
They probably ought to follow some geographic boundaries.
00:04:39.920 --> 00:04:53.439
They might even follow county or city boundaries, but we're not gonna draw them anymore ever because we're going to try to either put a a certain number of Americans of one color or another into a district or out of a district.
00:04:53.519 --> 00:04:55.120
Can we get away from that?
00:04:56.079 --> 00:04:57.600
I think we I think we have.
00:04:57.759 --> 00:04:59.920
I think this ends that practice.
00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:05.279
But you know, there are a lot of reasons why you still can redistrict or even gerrymander.
00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:07.920
You can do it based on party affiliation.
00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:15.199
Uh for instance, if you have Democrats who are in the majority, they can uh gerrymander uh Democrat-leaning districts.
00:05:15.279 --> 00:05:17.759
They can do that uh incumbency.
00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:21.279
Uh, for instance, Louisiana has the Speaker of the House.
00:05:21.360 --> 00:05:29.600
Uh, we can redistrict in a way to guarantee that the that the Speaker of the House will have no worry about being uh re-elected.
00:05:29.759 --> 00:05:33.120
These are all allowed under the law and under the Constitution.
00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:34.560
Well, and Dr.
00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:53.040
Fleming, didn't the founders understand that when they drew new boundaries, whoever, which I mean, even though we didn't have a party system as clearly defined as we do today, that back then the founders would have understood when these lines are drawn, they'll be drawn by human beings, and they will be drawn politically, won't they?
00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:54.079
Wouldn't they?
00:05:54.560 --> 00:05:55.360
Well, yes.
00:05:55.519 --> 00:06:02.959
And you know, w when you think about it, you go, well, you know, to to draw these lines on a political basis is just not fair.
00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:05.519
But then when you think, well, then what is fair?
00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:08.879
Well, there's nothing any more fair than politically.
00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:10.800
It only gets worse from there.
00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:13.360
It's always going to be controversial.
00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:20.639
Uh, but again, uh it it ultimately it reflects the will of the people, and that's what's important about redistricting.
00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:32.720
Well, the thing I keep wondering about is if the founders assumed these will be political decisions and they will be made by you know people who will be influenced by politics, they knew that was part of the system.
00:06:32.879 --> 00:06:36.480
And these days when I hear people object, well, we can't make this political.
00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:39.120
Well, as you said, who's going to make the decision then?
00:06:39.279 --> 00:06:45.839
And how do you make a decision if the Democrats are in the majority that the Republicans will also agree with, or vice versa?
00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:54.560
If the Republicans happen to be in the majority, do you think we can ever set a draw a set of boundaries that the Democrats would say, yeah, that's fair, and we'll go with that?
00:06:54.639 --> 00:06:57.920
And God forbid we hand it over to artificial intelligence.
00:06:58.079 --> 00:07:01.040
I'm sure that's probably the next crazy idea that's coming up.
00:07:01.199 --> 00:07:01.439
Dr.
00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:02.879
Fleming, thanks very much.
00:07:02.959 --> 00:07:03.839
Uh, that's Dr.
00:07:03.920 --> 00:07:05.920
John Fleming, former member of the U.S.
00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:06.399
Congress.
00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:13.519
He represented Louisiana's fourth congressional district from 09 to 2017, and we appreciate you coming on.
00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:19.759
Hey, a little reminder: Father's Day is coming up, and if you don't know what to get your dad, I've got the perfect solution.
00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:25.199
Skip the random last-minute gift and give dad something he'll actually use, something I've already got.
00:07:25.360 --> 00:07:28.160
The Chef IQ Sense Smart Thermometer.
00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:30.000
This thing connects to your cell phone.
00:07:30.079 --> 00:07:32.879
Your smartphone tells you exactly when your food is done.
00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:36.319
No guessing, no cutting into a steak to see if it's ready.
00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:40.240
It tracks your cooking in real time and walks you through every step.
00:07:40.399 --> 00:07:43.839
Tells you when to flip, when to pull, when to rest, and when to serve.
00:07:43.920 --> 00:07:47.040
It turns I think it's done into I know it's perfect.
00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:48.800
And that's why dads like me love it.
00:07:48.879 --> 00:07:57.600
Whether you're cooking steaks, burgers, chicken, fish, or just about anything else, Chef IQ's Sense helps deliver restaurant quality results right in your home.
00:07:57.759 --> 00:08:02.000
It works on the grill, in the oven, on the smoker, whatever you happen to be cooking.
00:08:02.160 --> 00:08:05.120
And best of all, you don't have to babysit your food.
00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:10.240
You can watch the game or spend time with the family, and your phone lets you know when everything is ready.
00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:13.839
It's like having a personal cooking coach right in your pocket.
00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:21.279
And right now, during the Father's Day sale, you'll get 40% off site-wide when you use my name, Lars L-A-R-S.
00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:23.519
Yeah, my parents had a sense of humor.
00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:29.040
Go to chefiq.com and use promo code Lars for 40% off site wide.
00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:32.320
That's ChefIQ.com, promo code Lars.
