Senator Cesar Blanco on Big Bend, Senator Royce West Endorses Talarico

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My name is Iram Garcia.
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I'm here with Domingo Garcia, the best personal injury attorney in all of Texas.
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And we got César Blanco here today that represents District 29 of the Texas Senate.
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How are you doing today?
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Doing well.
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Great to be with you guys.
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Great to be.
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Thank you for joining us, Cesar.
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It's the you represent El Paso and almost all of West Texas.
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Tell us about what area you represent.
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Well, I repres have the honor of representing the most beautiful part of Texas, right?
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From the border communities of El Paso all the way down to Perecidio.
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We go down to the Big Bend in Brewster County, and then we go all the way up north to oil and gas country in the Permian Basin, Reeves, Pecas County, and everything in between, Cobbleston Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, Brewster, big district.
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When you look at the western bend of Texas, that's pretty much the district.
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So tell us about you know, I grew up there.
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I told you in Port Venid and Van Horn, uh Valentine, Marpato, that was most of my family is from.
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And I as a boy, uh crossing the river all the time, uh and it was nothing.
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It was no border patrol, no había nada.
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Right.
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Uh but now I heard that they're trying to put a border wall there in Big Bend, destroying the natural habitat, that beauty there.
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Uh one of my compadres used to go uh uh canoeing down the Rio Grande from Big Bend all the way to Del Rio, and you know, it's a beautiful part of Texas that many Texas never see.
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That's right.
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I mean, you go out there, um we my family, we've got generations that would go and camp, uh, go to the river, enjoy the the beautiful nights, skies with clear scars, and and uh you know it's uh it's a great place uh to go and unwind uh where your cell phone doesn't work, uh where you can see the wildlife, where you can see beautiful sunsets.
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The cell phone doesn't work.
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You want to take your kids and have them start talking to you.
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That's a that's a horror story's.
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Yeah, you go out there to relax.
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But it's a beautiful place.
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Uh it's a community full of farming and ranching.
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Uh uh, a place where you uh go and hike, enjoy ecotourism, really unplug from the world and enjoy uh what God gave to us.
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So why uh is the Trump administration trying to pull a wall?
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There's nobody really there.
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I mean, I mean and nobody tries to cross because basically it's desert.
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I mean you you they're probably gonna die if you try to cross in that area.
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Aaron Powell You've seen it.
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When you were a kid down there, the the terrain is treacherous uh and it is very difficult to to come across.
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And um this administration has been uh not transparent this whole time.
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They've talked about building a uh a physical barrier.
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Um look, growing up on the border, uh we know that sure, we've got to go get some bad guys that are out there.
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There are some bad guys.
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Uh, and there's ways to do border security in a way that that doesn't disrupt the community, that respects the community, the culture, and the ecosystem, right?
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Um I'm a veteran.
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I served in the military, I know what surveillance looks like, I know what patrolling looks like, I know all of that.
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And in this area, you could do a lot more with uh technology that's not evasive uh to the community.
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But what this administration wants to do uh and in many ways, I think is political, and they want to tear up nuestra tierra down there, right, and put physical barriers that that aren't effective.
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Um as early as this week, Secretary Mullins, uh the the Secretary of Homeland Security indicated that there's gonna be two miles of barrier and about 30 miles of some kind of technology or or or um uh surveillance systems.
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Um but two miles of border wall in an area where animals uh come across the border, uh where there is wildlife that depends on river water, uh where there are generations of uh family farmers and ranchers uh that depend on that land.
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Uh and this is private land, a lot of it's private land, right?
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And so uh this is an injustice not only to the ecosystem but to communities in West Texas.
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Well, you know, I went to see the wall in El Paso, and I remember that it was very, you know, it's very high, put out steel, but you can like go around it.
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Right, yeah.
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Right, yeah.
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I mean, it wasn't hard to do through.
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There's a point where it stops, and then you that's it, you can look around it.
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Uh like it's puro pedo, no?
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It's it really look, it's something that's political, uh, it it's ineffective.
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Uh these are ancient solutions to to modern situations that doesn't work.
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Um we've seen you can use drones, you can use infrared sensors, all kinds of stuff to catch uh you know the uh the narcos that are that are that are crossing uh uh uh illegal drugs, but uh to tear up our communities, no.
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Uh that's not the solution.
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That's not the way to do it.
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So what can the Hanos who live out there in West Texas want to protect the the heritage, the culture, the beauty?
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I mean, I've been I took my boys to the McDonald Observatory.
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Yeah.
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Okay.
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And the star this is the darkest area in the United States.
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Yeah.
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And you can see every star, every constellation.
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You can see the Milky Way.
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Todo.
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Yeah.
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Gorgeous.
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Uh and I remember that's just a beautiful area.
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What can we do to protect that?
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What can they do to stop this uh from being destroyed?
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So uh we've seen a a huge amount of activism, not only from those that want to protect the environment, but also liberals and r and and conservatives, uh, people that uh are concerned about land rights, people that are concerned about farming and ranching.
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Um and uh at the Capitol, there's a big rally, and we had Republicans and Democrats there that were against the border wall.
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Um so this is something that I think is uniting not only the community in West Texas, but I think it's sending a message uh to everyone in the United States that this is the wrong approach.
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Um so to your question, what can we do about it?
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We can organize, we can uh make our voices heard.
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We need to let this administration know that this is a gem that we have in our backyard.
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Uh we don't get public spaces like this anymore.
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God's not making any more of it.
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Right.
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Um, and we gotta make sure that we're protecting it.
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So uh we got to get out there and mobilize and and and pressure this administration not to tear up a beautiful gem that we have.
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Man, I see like a lot of Latinos, right, that turned their back on the Democratic Party, supported Trump.
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Domingo likes to say, Les picaron los ojos, you know, and like now those same Latinos that, you know, were really worried about immigration are the ones facing deportation, right?
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Unfortunately.
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But I see a lot of Latinos still, you know, talk a lot about how they're concerned about immigration or immigration system, then they talk about the wall.
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How do we bring back those Latinos, right?
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Like that, you know, are maybe brainwashed or concerned about our immigration system, want to feel safer, you know, at our border, even though it's really safe.
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Um What are you telling those Latinos?
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Because I, you know, there's just unfortunately a lot of Latinos that, you know, they they really turn their backs.
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Well, I think we've got to it it's a lot broader than that.
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Number one, I think we need a very strong immigration system that needs to be fixed in Washington, right?
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Yeah.
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We don't have the labor that we need to compete with uh global powers like China.
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Uh we need a strong immigration system that's fluid, that allows our economy to thrive with workers who are gonna come here to do the jobs that a lot of people don't want to do.
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Um so that's number one.
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But number two, uh I think the economic policies that Republicans have implemented are hurting Latinos.
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They're hurting the male worker.
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Look, uh at the very uh core of it, I think a Latino uh wants to be a provider for their family, wants to uh take care of a family.
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And yes, absolutely.
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Does it does it affect uh uh uh somebody who is there to provide for their family, that they can't get a job?
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It's difficult.
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But it's not that it's not that an immigrant is taking the job.
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It's that these uh economic policies uh that are shipping jobs overseas, uh now that we're talking about near shoring and things like that, uh, these are the economic policies the Republicans that have implemented that are hurt hurting the American worker.
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Yeah.
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So, but then they pivot and they say that that it's immigrants that are taking the job.
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That's completely false.
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And there's tons of data to demonstrate that.
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So uh what I say to those, if you're unhappy, look at the system in its place, look who has been in power in the state of Texas for decades, look who's in power in Washington.
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They they've got the trifecta, they're in the White House, they're in the Senate, and they're in the the U.S.
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Congress.
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And the Supreme Court.
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And the Supreme Court, absolutely, absolutely.
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So if you're unhappy with your economic condition, uh get out there and and motivate uh other Latinos to go vote.
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And and if you're satisfied with what you've got now, um then vote.
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Vote the status quo.
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But they're not happy.
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Yeah.
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Look, I I I um my buddies, they're working class guys, right?
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Uh you know, we we we we sit around uh during World Cup or uh football games, we watch the Cowboys, we have our beers, do our carne asada, and we talk about these things, right?
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Uh and a lot of them are working class guys.
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Yeah.
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And and uh I I think we need to switch gears and make sure that we're focusing on the economy as well.
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So you know, a lot of Tehran men, like I said, we got a loss and they thought that uh Trump was gonna you know increase wages and get jobs and that whole thing, you know, and then oh, you know, the Democrats are gonna cut energy and you know the the Green Deal to this.
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So how do we get uh I noticed a lot of counties there in West Texas uh went, you know, they were blue and they went red.
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How do we get those Tejano men to come back to the Democratic Party, realize that this is a party of jobs, a party of fairness and uh equity and opportunity, and that the Republican Party is really the party of the rich, the billionaires.
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Right.
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I mean, uh most of our people they don't serve in corporate boardrooms where they're getting paid uh uh hundreds of thousands of doll to dollars to serve on those boards, right?
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Um our folks are just working.
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Um so uh we've got to educate them and and and let them know that the policies that are coming down from Washington are not helpful.
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Look, this is a president who promised to drain the swamp, and the only thing he's filled the swamp with is chaos, uncertainty, um uh tariffs, uh rising costs of gasoline, wars.
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Uh these all affect our economy.
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These all affect our ability to create jobs in the United States.
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Um and that's where the problem lies.
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So if you're happy with your condition, okay, continue to vote uh for the those that are in power.
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But most of the folks that I talk to in my district in West Texas, they're fed up with it.
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And uh they're looking to change.
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So you know, like I'm fed up with it, right?
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And let's say I just heard this for the first time, the big band walls getting built.
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As a Latino, as a Tejano, what can I do like to just step in, you know, and make a difference?
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We know voting helps, but you know, take us through it.
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Like, what can a Latino do to stop this big band project?
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Aaron Ross Powell Well, look, I think we have an opportunity with uh with certain elected officials that uh are not coming back.
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Uh Senator Cornyn recently said uh he can't get enough uh information on the what's going on with the border wall uh uh uh in in that specific area.
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So he's got nothing to lose at this point.
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And he's got a a president that worked against him uh to support a far-right uh candidate.
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Let's utilize that opportunity to reach out to Senator Cornyn uh and others, and maybe that'll put the pressure on the president of the case of the case of the case.
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I've been with him several times.
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He's he's he's actually a pretty moderate, decent guy.
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Yeah.
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So I mean, we we need to reach out in unconventional ways, but we also have to put the pressure on those elected officials that are currently in office, right?
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Uh right now, the the 23rd Congressional District has a vacancy.
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Um we've got two candidates that are running.
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One is uh Katie Padilla Stout, who I believe you're all gonna have on your on your show at some point.
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Um she's a mom who went to college.
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She was a teacher, she worked her way through law school, and she's a practicing lawyer now, and she now she defends uh uh kids in court.
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Uh we need to elect real people that understand the human condition in our districts, right?
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Uh meanwhile, uh the person that she's running against is an AK-47 enthusiast that has a bunch of uh TV and YouTube channels about just shooting guns.
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Like, I mean, come on.
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Uh do we want someone who's been through the struggle, who's got a family, or do we want someone who likes to uh play with toys?
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Right.
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So, so um that's the difference.
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We've got to elect these folks that are are there to make a strong difference for our community.
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Absolutely.
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And you know, I'm I'm gonna switch the topic a little bit, but I feel like these, you know, rural communities, smaller communities getting targeted by AI data centers.
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Yeah.
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All Paso's going through a huge fight right now, you know, with a meta subsidy that, you know, people are like fighting whether or not, you know, they should get these tax breaks.
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Right.
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Uh what are you feeling about these AI data centers?
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I mean, obviously they're gonna suck up all the water, right?
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Oh so we're this is a this is uh I'm I'm thankful that uh we're currently in the interim.
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Um and Domingo, you you remember when when you were in the legislature, this is the time where we study all these issues.
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Right.
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Where right we're having these study groups, interim charges.
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And what I've asked the lieutenant governor for us to study is because I've got a lot of projects in my district in West Texas, these AI centers, these cryptocurrency centers, these Bitcoin mining.
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Yeah.
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Right.
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Yeah, absolutely.
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They just announced a big one, actually.
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Um to study the balance, like how much water are these uh data centers gonna use?
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How much power is gonna be required uh for these?
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And and in this case in El Paso, Meta has come in uh with a very large uh uh data center.
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Yeah.
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Um and folks are concerned.
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We don't have answers to how much water is gonna be utilized.
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We don't have answers to how much power is gonna be is is gonna be required to sustain this uh entity.
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And the health impacts.
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And the impacts, uh any kind of pollution they may have, noise pollution, environmental pollution, all kinds of stuff.
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So we're we're studying that right now.
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Uh we're going through that process.
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Now, what we've seen recently is the governor has directed the PUC uh to look into the energy use and the process for data centers to start uh uh working in those communities.
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And and there's rumors that uh he's asking the TCEQ to halt any data centers for the next six months uh to take a look at uh water use.
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Uh we're gonna see what happens.
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Um this is a developing story.
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Again, very much like the border wall.
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This is an issue where Republicans and Democrats alike are against data centers.
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Um, look, uh, as a former intel intelligence guy in the military, we do need some data centers, but it's how we deploy these the kind of economic incentives and finding the balance on protecting our our energy resources and our natural resources for our communities.
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There needs to be some like valid impact studies, you know, environmental impact studies.
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Because oftentimes, you know, these companies they're guilty of checking themselves.
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You know, they'll be like, hey, we're no big deal.
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But when you look at who said that, they said it about themselves.
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You know, these studies about environmental impact, water use, they're usually inaccurate on purpose.
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Yeah.
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You know, it's unfortunate.
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So uh what do you think is uh we're wrapping this up.
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Yeah.
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What are the major issues of Asia in the lecture legislature next year?
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We talked about AI centers and water rights.
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What else do you think is gonna be?
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So that's gonna be a big issue.
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Uh we're we're looking at uh uh I serve on the Sunset Commission.
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Uh we're looking at all of uh health and human services and seeing what works and what doesn't work.
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Uh uh this this week we had a hearing on insurance companies.
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Uh uh look, uh the insurance companies uh premiums are are skyrocketing in Texas.
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Deductibles are skyrocketing in Texas.
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50% of claims that are filed in the state of Texas are denied.
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And we're required to have insurance.
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We're required to have auto insurance and home insurance.
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Uh we got to figure this thing out.
00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:50.320
Uh so we're looking at our health services, it's it's for the insurance companies and against the users.
00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:50.960
Yeah.
00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:53.039
It's it's something's not working here.
00:16:53.200 --> 00:17:02.320
Uh we're looking at broadband, the uh uh implementation of of uh the broadband funds, both from the federal uh government and the state that are going out to our communities.
00:17:02.480 --> 00:17:04.240
Uh we need broadband in West Texas.
00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:14.319
Uh when you when you go out there to Van Horn in Hudsmith County, uh there's no broadband out there, so we've got to make sure that we're uh uh holding the agencies accountable, making sure those monies are going where they're where they're needed.
00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:16.319
So those are a couple of topics.
00:17:16.559 --> 00:17:19.759
Um, I hope we don't focus on red meat issues.
00:17:19.920 --> 00:17:25.680
My my priority is infrastructure, healthcare, workforce, uh, small business issues.
00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:28.160
We've got to focus on the on the stuff that matters to people.
00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:28.480
Right.
00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:31.519
That matters to those constituents uh that that we may be losing.
00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:32.319
Yeah, absolutely.
00:17:32.559 --> 00:17:40.240
Look, I gotta ask, like, what do you think about um this would be a hard question, so hold your horses, uh Chicos Tacos.
00:17:41.519 --> 00:17:44.000
If you haven't had Chicos Tacos, you haven't lived.
00:17:44.640 --> 00:17:45.359
That's crazy.
00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:46.960
Usually I'll hear the opposite.
00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:48.400
People don't like it as much.
00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:54.480
Listen, I used to go, my dad used to take us to Chicos Tacos, the original one there on Alameda Street.
00:17:54.559 --> 00:17:54.720
Yeah.
00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:59.519
We used to go catch a uh uh back then it was the the baseball team was the El Paso Diablos.
00:17:59.759 --> 00:18:09.920
And we would go, uh it was there in Washington Park, and I have fond memories as kids getting a double uh uh um uh order of tacos with french fries, a hot dog, and a coke.
00:18:10.160 --> 00:18:10.640
Good stuff.
00:18:10.880 --> 00:18:15.680
Good for the heart, not so much for the arteries, but uh Senator Blanco, thank you for joining us.
00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:18.880
Uh this is uh brings an end to our Tejano talk.
00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:23.119
So if they want to get a hold of you and find out a little bit more about time to Big Ben, how do they get a hold of you?
00:18:23.359 --> 00:18:25.839
Check us out on Instagram, on Facebook, uh on X.
00:18:26.079 --> 00:18:31.680
Uh you can find us there, uh, or you can reach out to us uh through our uh office uh either in Austin or or in El Paso.
00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:32.880
Thank you so much, Mr.
00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:33.599
Blanco.
00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:49.759
Like we said, you know, it's important to have people like yourself, you know, here that represent Tejanos, that represent Latinos, but more than anything that represent the fight, you know, against things like the border wall and big band and like the AI data centers right now that are being proposed in El Paso.
00:18:50.079 --> 00:18:51.119
It's a huge fight, you know.
00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:57.119
And again, sometimes you wouldn't know unless you watch the Hano Talks, you know, you listen to conversations we have here with Domingo.
00:18:57.279 --> 00:18:58.240
So thank you for joining us.
00:18:58.319 --> 00:18:59.519
This has been the Hano Talks.
00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:02.799
Follow us on YouTube, Spotify, Instagram, all your favorite platforms.
00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:04.000
We'll be right there for you.
00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:04.799
We'll see you next time.
00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:06.319
Yeah, so vote on it.
00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:07.039
Remember to vote.
00:19:07.200 --> 00:19:07.920
Absolutely.
00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:12.160
Last year, 178,000 Texas workers were injured.
00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:14.160
We know the losses are devastating.
00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:18.960
The crooked insurance companies have only one goal to pay you nothing or as little as possible.
00:19:19.359 --> 00:19:20.559
Domingo Garcia.
00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:29.759
Recovering millions for the hard-working people of Texas, including a$32 million verdict, making the insurance companies pay and protecting your rights.
00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:31.759
If we don't win, you pay nothing.
00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:33.039
Demand a legend.
00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:34.640
Demand Domingo.
00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:37.920
The offices of Domingo Garcia, Tehano Tough.
00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:44.079
My name is Youam Garcia.
00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:48.319
I'm here with the best attorney in all of Texas, Momingo Garcia.
00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:52.480
Or it might disagree with them, but I'm we got Rose West.
00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:54.880
Well, since it's his show, I understand you're saying that.
00:19:57.440 --> 00:19:58.000
You know what?
00:19:58.079 --> 00:20:00.319
I'd have to argue he is the best attorney I've ever met.
00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:01.519
But maybe I just met you a bit.
00:20:01.920 --> 00:20:02.720
You haven't met me, though.
00:20:02.799 --> 00:20:04.000
That's there we go, there we go.
00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:04.960
Personal injury?
00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:06.240
He's the man.
00:20:07.039 --> 00:20:11.359
Since 1992, serving in the Senate for about 30 years now, is that right?
00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:11.759
That's it.
00:20:11.839 --> 00:20:13.440
Now it's one in 1993.
00:20:13.519 --> 00:20:16.799
So actually it's about 34 years now.
00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:17.680
Wow, that's crazy.
00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:18.160
Yeah.
00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:19.279
Longer than I've been talking about.
00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:20.720
It's not crazy.
00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:21.839
That's not crazy.
00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:23.440
Well, he's talking you're old.
00:20:23.920 --> 00:20:24.720
That's what he's talking about.
00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:26.799
That's why I had to give me a ton.
00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:29.279
It's not that you're old, it's that I'm young.
00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:31.599
I'm just a baby.
00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:33.200
I'm 29.
00:20:33.839 --> 00:20:35.200
Okay, he's just a baby.
00:20:35.279 --> 00:20:35.920
He's just a baby.
00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:39.440
So tell me, uh, for those of you who don't know you, yeah.
00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:45.359
Senator Royce West is uh represents uh the 23rd Territorial District.
00:20:45.599 --> 00:20:47.680
Excuse me, hold up, it's Donald Trump.
00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:54.880
Donald, I'm on the I'm on a uh uh show with uh Domingo Garcia, so I'll have to call you back.
00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:57.200
Yeah, the same thing to you also.
00:20:58.480 --> 00:20:59.359
You tell him Royce.
00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:01.759
Come up, come up, come over to Exhibit Hall B then.
00:21:02.400 --> 00:21:03.440
Come on over here, come on over here.
00:21:03.680 --> 00:21:04.400
Bring a bob.
00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:08.160
I think that orange hair is gonna have a hard time over here.
00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:09.119
But anyway.
00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:14.960
So, yeah, I remember when you first ran and you had that go west.
00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:16.400
Go west as a J.
00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:17.440
Go West.
00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:21.759
And uh, like you said, got elected in 92, started serving in 93.
00:21:22.160 --> 00:21:24.880
Uh is there a dean of the Senate?
00:21:25.200 --> 00:21:27.359
Ju Judith Zaffarini.
00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:28.000
Yeah, okay.
00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:28.880
And you're number two, right?
00:21:29.119 --> 00:21:29.839
I'm number two, right.
00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:30.559
Wow.
00:21:31.039 --> 00:21:32.400
So tell us about your experiences.
00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:38.720
How how how's how's that been being the uh in the state senate for so long and what you've seen and what you see the challenges coming forward?
00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:42.400
Yeah, first of all, I I thank God for allowing me to serve in the state senate.
00:21:42.559 --> 00:22:04.079
Um by way of background, I'm uh from the Dallas area, went to UT Arlington, went to law school, University of Houston, and then uh was in the district attorney's office, ran for district attorney back in nineteen eighty six and decided to run for The Senate in nineteen ninety-two became Senate in nineteen ninety three.
00:22:04.559 --> 00:22:07.359
Uh since that time I've been able to get things done.
00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:08.559
And what does that mean?
00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:15.200
That means that I've been able to co establish coalitions based on interests, not based on the color of one's skin.
00:22:15.680 --> 00:22:19.920
And the interests has left me with some of the following victories.
00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:23.599
As it relates to criminal justice.
00:22:24.160 --> 00:22:41.839
When you see police officers with body cameras on, it was as a result of legislation that I passed that came from my days as a prosecutor, recognizing trying cases where in many instances it was a police officer's word against the citizens' word.
00:22:42.799 --> 00:22:55.680
And for those of you who are too young like you and him, that's the back in the day, if uh a police officer beat the crap out of you and then uh it was your word against his, you normally, if you're black and brown for sure, exactly.
00:22:56.079 --> 00:22:58.319
Lost that that discussion.
00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:01.119
But now because we have a body campaign.
00:23:01.359 --> 00:23:05.279
And policies, and policies by each police department, we've got to have body campus.
00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:09.440
The most hated man by all police, probably all bad police at least.
00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:12.079
Well, I mean the reality is that it helps the police.
00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:13.440
Yeah, help citizens also.
00:23:13.680 --> 00:23:13.759
Yeah.
00:23:13.920 --> 00:23:24.160
Because accountability is and it helps and it helps with uh the jury because not only do they have the police testify, but also we have the by-de-cam video that can be used by the juries.
00:23:24.480 --> 00:23:25.359
Yeah, absolutely.
00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:26.319
It's it's so important.
00:23:26.640 --> 00:23:30.880
Like, you know, for a really long time, we're under underutilizing our technology.
00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:38.640
I'm really glad that you took those first steps to utilizing our technology for accountability, you know, and and now there's just a lot of questions about how it's being used.
00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:39.839
But, you know, pioneer.
00:23:39.920 --> 00:23:40.960
Uh I appreciate service.
00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:47.839
Yeah, I mean, the reality is that we also the uh um racial profiling reports that police uh departments have to do.
00:23:48.079 --> 00:23:53.119
It was legislation that uh uh introduced and got passed where you know every year they got to turn in.
00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:54.319
You know, who are you stopping?
00:23:54.400 --> 00:23:55.200
Why are you stopping them?
00:23:55.359 --> 00:23:55.759
Things like that.
00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:57.039
So we're getting that type of information.
00:23:57.359 --> 00:23:58.960
I go on and on in terms of criminal justice.
00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:12.000
Well, you know, another one that I think is important that people don't know, you know, when uh when I was trying to go to college, 18-year-old, 1976, there were no public universities in Dallas County, one of the largest counties in Texas, and we didn't have a public university.
00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:15.359
And you filed a bill to create the University of North Texas Dallas.
00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:16.000
Aaron Ross Powell, that's correct.
00:24:16.160 --> 00:24:18.720
And so we now have the University of North Texas at Dallas.
00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:22.400
Not only did we file a bill to do that, but also the law school in Dallas.
00:24:22.880 --> 00:24:24.000
The first public law school in Dallas.
00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:25.519
The first public law school in Dallas.
00:24:25.599 --> 00:24:27.599
And so I've uh I've done a few things.
00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:31.039
Uh issues concerning foster care, kinship care.
00:24:31.200 --> 00:24:32.000
I can go on and on.
00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:39.200
I've been uh fortunate to be able to build coalitions based on interests and get the votes in order to pass.
00:24:39.440 --> 00:24:41.680
It dealt with issues concerning child care.
00:24:42.000 --> 00:25:06.000
I passed a bill that enabled a constitutional amendment that was passed by about 60, 65 percent of the people in the state of Texas to allow counties to be able to give tax breaks to child care facilities in order to use those monies to number one, hopefully increase the uh monies that they're paying their staff and also to help them increase their ability to have uh great facilities.
00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:10.319
I ain't go so I've been fortunate to be able to establish those coalitions.
00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:10.880
Mr.
00:25:11.119 --> 00:25:16.880
West, I I love that you say that you build coalitions not based on race, but based on interests.
00:25:17.119 --> 00:25:22.000
Tell me a little bit of like what does that mean, you know, especially for younger people running for office.
00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:23.440
I want to build coalitions.
00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:25.440
How do I how do they identify that interest?
00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:27.920
What is uh I I I think you just identify the interest.
00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:32.079
The fact is, if we're talking about education, you want to work on education.
00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:32.559
Okay?
00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:40.799
And you want to make sure that all Texans have an opportunity, regardless of their skin color, to go to a university.
00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:45.680
And so you make certain you put in policies in place that allow that to happen.
00:25:46.079 --> 00:25:52.720
Now, the the the the the piece is this, so once you put the polity policy in place, we can't have any retrogression.
00:25:52.960 --> 00:25:57.920
Because we're at a point now where if we don't vote right, we're gonna that's what's gonna happen.
00:25:58.000 --> 00:25:59.200
There will be retroaggression.
00:25:59.359 --> 00:25:59.519
Yeah.
00:25:59.759 --> 00:26:04.000
Okay, we've done some things that make sense, but there is a move afoot.
00:26:04.079 --> 00:26:11.839
Uh the the CD that uh want to erase uh African American and Hispanic history out of our books.
00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:12.480
Oh, yeah.
00:26:12.799 --> 00:26:19.200
And the reality is they have the votes to do it unless we turn out the vote, work together to get it done.
00:26:19.279 --> 00:26:20.319
We're not gonna agree on everything.
00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:22.160
Blacks and browns are not gonna agree on everything.
00:26:22.319 --> 00:26:23.200
Just not gonna happen.
00:26:23.359 --> 00:26:28.319
It's just not a a situation where that occurs on a regular basis with anybody.
00:26:28.480 --> 00:26:30.640
I don't agree with my wife on everything, okay?
00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:37.839
And so the the fact is that we have more in common, though, that we should agree on than we should disagree on.
00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:40.480
Uh you're at for state white office.
00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:41.599
You know how big Texas is.
00:26:41.839 --> 00:26:42.000
Yes.
00:26:42.240 --> 00:26:50.240
So how do you how do you see uh the Democrats' chances this November with uh James Telarico, Jaynahosa, you know, and and so on down the line?
00:26:50.559 --> 00:26:55.599
You know, I I think we stand a very good chance of winning the U.S.
00:26:55.839 --> 00:26:56.799
Senate race.
00:26:57.039 --> 00:26:58.160
And and why do I say that?
00:26:58.400 --> 00:26:58.640
Oh, yeah.
00:26:58.880 --> 00:27:05.839
Uh uh I think about when Beto ran, when Beto ran, excuse me, uh we came real close within like, I think, five percentage points.
00:27:06.079 --> 00:27:06.160
Yeah.
00:27:06.319 --> 00:27:06.720
Four, I think.
00:27:07.119 --> 00:27:07.440
Four or five.
00:27:07.599 --> 00:27:08.480
Four or five.
00:27:08.799 --> 00:27:10.480
The energy level is different.
00:27:10.720 --> 00:27:10.880
Okay?
00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:14.480
Now I know there were differences between Talerico and Jasmine Crockett.
00:27:14.559 --> 00:27:16.000
We've got to get those things ironed out.
00:27:16.160 --> 00:27:22.400
But we shouldn't allow that to be a s a stumbling block in order to turn the vote out.
00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:27.279
See, and I understand how uh how how Jasmine felt because when I ran for the U.S.
00:27:27.440 --> 00:27:31.039
Senate, I thought that I was the most qualified candidate.
00:27:31.200 --> 00:27:37.359
Now, I understand I was running during COVID, but uh my credentials in the Democratic Party, I had paid my dues.
00:27:37.519 --> 00:27:37.839
Oh, yeah.
00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:42.960
But I and I d and did not get the backing of the Democratic Party in order to be the nominee.
00:27:43.200 --> 00:27:48.720
But I I have since those scars have kiloed over, I put it like that.
00:27:49.519 --> 00:27:56.640
And and and I recognize the necessity of deciding whether or not to back uh Tel Aco, stay out of the race, or back Paxson.
00:27:56.799 --> 00:27:58.400
Well, I'm not gonna back Paxton, that's absurd.
00:27:59.359 --> 00:28:06.000
And uh stay out of the race, so I've got to make certain I do everything I can to get Telarico uh elected.
00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:12.400
And by doing that, I believe that he will have coattails in the governor's race and other races here in the state of Texas.
00:28:12.720 --> 00:28:13.519
Yeah, yes, sir.
00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:17.440
I mean, that that's right on par with you know how I feel Tehano should think.
00:28:17.519 --> 00:28:18.880
You know, I think often we get caught.
00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:26.079
Startled me for a second that actually that was that was not even a joke.
00:28:26.319 --> 00:28:31.839
Uh but it took it's gonna take me a while to get my train of thought back.
00:28:32.160 --> 00:28:34.720
But you know, yeah, we get caught by ego.
00:28:34.799 --> 00:28:42.160
Like, you know, oftentimes we we want to be the ones with their names on the certificate or the name on, you know, the paper or the website.
00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:43.920
But I find that kills everything.
00:28:44.000 --> 00:29:02.079
You know, it when you step aside and and really think about the larger mission and the larger interests, you know, that's when you find your place and you sit down and you take your place happily because you know what role you're playing instead of like trying to force something or trying to be the name, you know, on a plate or on a trophy or whatever it is.
00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:06.880
Let me let me give you a different perspective to take into consideration in forming your opinion.
00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:07.599
Yes, sir.
00:29:07.839 --> 00:29:15.039
Uh the fact is that uh African Americans have been uh the mainstay of the Democratic Party in Texas.
00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:22.319
Our base has been um uh African American women as an example.
00:29:22.720 --> 00:29:30.640
And so when you run but don't get the support of the party, you feel as though you're being used.
00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:34.720
And that's the sentiment of a lot of African Americans.
00:29:35.200 --> 00:29:35.519
Absolutely.
00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:41.359
So they feel disinfe d disaffected, uh uh d disenfranchised, excuse me, disenfranchised.
00:29:41.759 --> 00:29:55.599
And so from that vantage point, we've got to make certain that just as African Americans support the party nominee, uh, when we go through the nomination process, we've got to make certain that African Americans get through that process.
00:29:55.839 --> 00:29:59.759
Because if they don't, then we're gonna really see a splintering of this party.
00:30:00.079 --> 00:30:00.559
Yeah, yeah.
00:30:00.720 --> 00:30:02.720
I I love the nuance uh you bring it to it.
00:30:03.359 --> 00:30:06.240
So are we gonna get Jasmine on board?
00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:13.680
Inquiring minds want to know?
00:30:14.400 --> 00:30:16.000
You've got to ask Jasmine about that.
00:30:16.960 --> 00:30:19.039
That's a jasmine question, not a Royce question.
00:30:19.359 --> 00:30:22.480
Uh you know, me and you have a Christmas party every year.
00:30:22.640 --> 00:30:23.440
Ooh, yes.
00:30:23.680 --> 00:30:27.279
It's that the biggest social event in Dallas County.
00:30:27.839 --> 00:30:28.000
Right?
00:30:28.240 --> 00:30:30.880
And it's black and brown, and Oh man.
00:30:31.119 --> 00:30:42.000
It's the I'll tell you what, it's the movers and shakers in the African American community and the Latino community, and we do it once a year, and we gave toys to uh needy children in both communities.
00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:42.559
Yes.
00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:42.880
Right.
00:30:43.759 --> 00:30:48.079
And I think, as far as I know, Royce, I don't think anybody else does that anywhere in the state of Texas.
00:30:48.400 --> 00:30:48.799
Probably right.
00:30:48.880 --> 00:30:50.400
And we've been doing it for what, 15, 20 years?
00:30:50.640 --> 00:30:51.279
That's a bumping in.
00:30:51.519 --> 00:30:52.559
Yeah, it's it's a long time.
00:30:52.880 --> 00:30:53.680
A very long time.
00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:54.799
If I do say so.
00:30:56.799 --> 00:30:58.079
So what do you think what do you see?
00:30:58.160 --> 00:31:00.480
Uh you got a we got a session coming up next year.
00:31:00.720 --> 00:31:04.000
What do you think are going to be the major challenges, issues that we're going to be looking at here as Texas?
00:31:04.319 --> 00:31:14.799
I think the major challenges, uh, as you can see, these uh uh data centers are really becoming the at the top of the uh uh uh uh priority board.
00:31:15.039 --> 00:31:22.160
Uh Gina's been hitting the governor as well as uh others have been hitting Republicans on these uh data centers.
00:31:22.640 --> 00:31:29.359
And I think the Republicans are understanding that rural Texas don't want to have anything to do with these data centers.
00:31:29.839 --> 00:31:34.559
Uh there's uh you you don't know what's fact and what's not fact.
00:31:34.640 --> 00:31:40.799
There there's different types of uh stories on social media about Jeff Bezos, and I don't know whether it's true.
00:31:40.880 --> 00:31:43.279
And I again, then I shouldn't say it.
00:31:43.519 --> 00:31:49.519
There's quotes for Jeff Bezos, and uh, you ought to read them and make your determination as to whether or not they're accurate.
00:31:49.680 --> 00:31:50.960
I'm just gonna leave it like that.
00:31:51.119 --> 00:31:52.960
So that's gonna be a big issue next session.
00:31:53.279 --> 00:32:10.240
What's gonna be a bigger issue if we as Democrats and independents and sensible Republicans don't elect reasonable people as our elected officials, we're gonna be facing another round of redistricting.
00:32:10.799 --> 00:32:22.720
And if that happens, what we're gonna end up seeing is some of the minority seats that have been created, redistrict, and those persons ultimately being uh dropped out of office.
00:32:23.039 --> 00:32:41.519
Uh in Louisiana as an example, there was a person that was elected and before he could take office, the governor of the state of Louisiana and the Republicans decided to rush through a bill to uh do away with the office, therefore denying him the ability to take office.
00:32:41.680 --> 00:32:45.119
Even at the vote and even after the voters had elected him.
00:32:45.359 --> 00:32:53.359
And so when you begin to think about next session, there's a lot if we don't do what we need to do, there's a lot of room for mischief.
00:32:54.000 --> 00:32:55.039
Talk about mischief.
00:32:55.599 --> 00:32:57.839
I don't trust those guys.
00:32:58.079 --> 00:33:00.559
The Secretary of State has resigned.
00:33:01.119 --> 00:33:01.519
Exactly.
00:33:02.240 --> 00:33:04.880
What, four months before, five months before the election?
00:33:05.119 --> 00:33:08.000
Does that give you concern that there might be some break it, Jay?
00:33:08.240 --> 00:33:14.079
I mean, Jay Nelson and I entered the legislative uh the Senate together.
00:33:14.559 --> 00:33:16.720
Come to think of I'm the only member of my class left.
00:33:18.319 --> 00:33:21.440
And uh when I saw her and I said, Why'd you uh what happened?
00:33:21.599 --> 00:33:22.720
You know they get you know how you do it.
00:33:22.880 --> 00:33:23.359
What happened?
00:33:23.519 --> 00:33:26.880
She said, I want to g spend some time with my family.
00:33:30.319 --> 00:33:30.720
Really?
00:33:30.960 --> 00:33:31.119
Yeah.
00:33:31.680 --> 00:33:33.440
Yeah, yeah, exactly, exactly, exactly.
00:33:33.680 --> 00:33:45.200
You know, and the reality is I don't think that whatever plan they have, I don't think Jane could stomach it and wouldn't be a part of it, and therefore decided to leave.
00:33:46.079 --> 00:33:55.839
Which gives me pause because during this election process, we as Democrats have got to make certain that we understand that there will be mischief.
00:33:56.079 --> 00:34:07.200
And we've got to be prepared for that, which means that we've got to have a legal army of lawyers around the state that are prepared to take on whatever they do.
00:34:07.359 --> 00:34:14.559
Uh you know that there will be counties that will be suspect, Dallas County will be one, Harris County will be another.
00:34:14.719 --> 00:34:22.639
If they see extraordinary votes coming out of these particular centers, which we should be able to get them out of, then they're going to challenge those votes.
00:34:22.880 --> 00:34:32.320
And we'll have a they'll have a new Secretary of State that will have not gone through confirmation process, okay, to do their bidding.
00:34:32.559 --> 00:34:33.840
To do their bidding.
00:34:34.000 --> 00:34:41.440
And so we've got to have lawyers that be able to go to court, get TROs and things of that nature in order to stop them from stealing the vote.
00:34:41.679 --> 00:34:44.800
Well, you know, Secretary of State declared that I was dead a couple of months ago.
00:34:45.119 --> 00:34:45.519
Oh, yeah.
00:34:45.840 --> 00:34:47.920
And purged by vote registration cards.
00:34:48.159 --> 00:34:48.800
That's what I'm talking about.
00:34:49.039 --> 00:34:52.000
I mean, how many other people does that happen to because they don't know their rights?
00:34:52.320 --> 00:34:53.039
They don't know their rights.
00:34:53.360 --> 00:34:53.519
Exactly.
00:34:55.280 --> 00:35:07.039
So we've got to make certain we have a legal army to be able to, number one, go out there and figure out who's being purged and making certain that we go out there and contest these purges, administrative and if necessary, going to court.
00:35:07.519 --> 00:35:08.800
Yeah, absolutely.
00:35:09.039 --> 00:35:11.519
Um, you know, and and and and it's it's scary.
00:35:11.599 --> 00:35:18.800
Look, as a young person, uh, you know, somebody that's just stepping into the world, uh like not brand new, right?
00:35:19.119 --> 00:35:21.519
But it's a smile.
00:35:24.400 --> 00:35:26.480
You still got baby baby formula, your breath.
00:35:28.400 --> 00:35:38.880
You know, but but navigating my way through the world, like, you know, with with all the new technologies available, you know, the the different ways to inform yourself, like it's being weaponized.
00:35:38.960 --> 00:35:57.599
And I I feel like there's a strong responsibility, like you said, to try to prevent the mischief, but not just from like, you know, the the standpoint of the redistricting, because that's important, but also with young people getting misinformed and and being told that these are the right decisions when really it's you know our rights being taken away.
00:35:57.760 --> 00:36:04.159
They they found clever ways of taking away rights and convince and to convince young people on the way that what we're doing is right somehow.
00:36:04.320 --> 00:36:10.079
But again, I I blame it all on social media and a new landscape, you know, where we're just battling all this information.
00:36:10.239 --> 00:36:20.960
But I, you know, I I I'm just happy to hear from you and and to hear that there's people still, you know, that have been fighting for a long time and and see exactly what I'm afraid of, which is, you know, all these people.
00:36:21.280 --> 00:36:29.119
Well, you know, let me let me say this and uh the fact is is that uh we we've gotta get men to vote.
00:36:29.440 --> 00:36:29.840
Oh, yeah.
00:36:30.079 --> 00:36:30.320
Okay.
00:36:30.639 --> 00:36:34.159
Uh I go to the barbershop and we talk about everything, everything.
00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:37.039
Uh sports mostly.
00:36:37.360 --> 00:36:41.280
Uh but uh there's no conversations about uh men voting.
00:36:41.440 --> 00:36:44.559
And when I bring it up, oh yeah, we're gonna do it, Senator, we're gonna do it.
00:36:44.800 --> 00:36:49.599
But w again, the ultimate numbers that we see throughout the state of Texas is that men are not voting.
00:36:49.840 --> 00:36:57.519
So we've got to figure out how to make certain that uh uh our men are doing what they need to do in order to uh show a little responsibility in our community.
00:36:57.599 --> 00:36:57.760
Trevor Burrus, Jr.
00:36:57.920 --> 00:37:07.519
Not only are a lot of men not voting, but a lot of men, Tejanos, for example, uh Mexican Americans and a lot of some African-American males started voting for the the crazy party, you know, over there.
00:37:07.840 --> 00:37:12.480
Um, you know, we're like we're gonna work on getting them back.
00:37:12.719 --> 00:37:18.880
How do you think the Democratic Party, the party, can get men back into the Democratic fold?
00:37:19.280 --> 00:37:35.119
I think we've got to make certain that once we leave out of here and it's it's still June, that uh there should be a special task force uh put in place to kind of come up with some best ideas on how to on how to do it, uh how to how to get us back into fold.
00:37:35.199 --> 00:37:45.519
I don't have the answers right here, but we've gotta make certain that we come up with some uh best uh ideas in terms and implement those ideas to get them back into fold.
00:37:45.840 --> 00:37:47.119
I gotta throw you one hard ball.
00:37:47.360 --> 00:37:47.519
Okay.
00:37:47.840 --> 00:37:48.400
All right.
00:37:48.880 --> 00:37:53.679
Dallas Cowboys, do you think this will be the year they finally put a ring?
00:37:53.920 --> 00:37:56.719
Or do you think they're gonna leave us at the altar again with nothing?
00:37:57.039 --> 00:37:57.840
Oh no.
00:37:58.719 --> 00:38:00.000
Put a ring on it?
00:38:02.400 --> 00:38:03.199
Super Bowl ring.
00:38:03.280 --> 00:38:03.920
It's been 95.
00:38:04.159 --> 00:38:04.639
We've been waiting.
00:38:04.719 --> 00:38:05.920
Oh, yeah, I'm for it all the way.
00:38:06.079 --> 00:38:07.360
Cowboys all the way.
00:38:07.599 --> 00:38:08.320
Yeah, right.
00:38:11.519 --> 00:38:14.719
I hope our Cowboys get us don't disappoint us again.
00:38:14.880 --> 00:38:17.039
You know, they've left us at the altar how many times now?
00:38:18.079 --> 00:38:18.639
25 years now.
00:38:21.280 --> 00:38:23.679
30 years old this time around.
00:38:24.000 --> 00:38:24.320
Wow.
00:38:24.480 --> 00:38:25.199
That's crazy.
00:38:25.360 --> 00:38:26.400
But go ahead.
00:38:26.719 --> 00:38:27.440
Let's go ahead and wrap it.
00:38:27.679 --> 00:38:29.039
Yeah, we're gonna wrap it up here with Mr.
00:38:29.119 --> 00:38:29.360
West.
00:38:29.679 --> 00:38:31.920
Thank you so much for being on the Hunnelt Talks.
00:38:32.000 --> 00:38:34.880
You know, the Hunnel Talks is exactly what you were saying.
00:38:34.960 --> 00:38:37.519
It's that barbershop conversation where we talk about everything.
00:38:37.679 --> 00:38:39.920
We talk about the World Cup, we're talking about basketball.
00:38:40.079 --> 00:38:47.360
Today we talked about some important things, you know, with their political system and how it's falling apart and what we could do to hopefully turn that around.
00:38:47.519 --> 00:38:50.960
You know, we need young people, we need everybody to step up to vote.
00:38:51.119 --> 00:38:52.239
We need men to vote.
00:38:52.400 --> 00:39:02.000
Um, it's like you said, we're we're facing times where if we just don't pay attention, our rights are going to be taken off, taken out right before our eyes, away from us.
00:39:02.400 --> 00:39:04.079
It's important that we work together.
00:39:04.400 --> 00:39:04.800
Mm-hmm.
00:39:05.360 --> 00:39:06.719
Let me ask you a question.
00:39:07.280 --> 00:39:13.840
Why do you think barbershops are so much a social networking event for men?
00:39:14.079 --> 00:39:15.599
You know, the movies have been barbershop.
00:39:15.760 --> 00:39:16.239
I saw the movie.
00:39:16.320 --> 00:39:16.719
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:39:16.800 --> 00:39:22.320
And in the Latino community, the kind of men go there, they talk about the cowboys or, you know, baseball, everything.
00:39:22.480 --> 00:39:23.199
World Cup now.
00:39:23.440 --> 00:39:24.719
Because there's no women there.
00:39:24.880 --> 00:39:25.199
Okay.
00:39:26.480 --> 00:39:27.840
That's a man cave.
00:39:28.239 --> 00:39:29.840
I mean, it's certainly that's our man cave.
00:39:29.920 --> 00:39:33.599
I'm pretty sure women do the same thing in in beauty shops the same way, you know?
00:39:34.079 --> 00:39:35.119
With the doing their nails, I guess.
00:39:35.280 --> 00:39:37.199
Yeah, and it's it's our man cave.
00:39:37.280 --> 00:39:39.280
And so we get to talk about a little bit of everything.
00:39:39.599 --> 00:39:39.840
Absolutely.
00:39:40.159 --> 00:39:41.760
Welcome to the man cave at the Hunnel Talks.
00:39:42.000 --> 00:39:42.559
There we go.
00:39:45.519 --> 00:39:48.079
A lot of politicians go to the barber shops to go talk to people, right?
00:39:48.320 --> 00:39:49.360
Oh, yeah, without question.
00:39:49.440 --> 00:39:49.760
Yeah.
00:39:49.920 --> 00:39:51.599
I get some of my best thoughts on it.
00:39:51.760 --> 00:39:58.559
In fact, the matter is this when we started looking at the body camera legislation, that two things happened.
00:39:58.719 --> 00:40:00.639
When Barack Obama was a U.S.
00:40:00.880 --> 00:40:08.559
uh state uh was a state senator in Illinois, he uh had legislation dealing with body cameras for the state troops, troopers.
00:40:08.800 --> 00:40:14.159
And I got the idea listening to what he did, looking at what he did, and also in the barbershop.
00:40:14.400 --> 00:40:15.199
Ah, look at that.
00:40:15.679 --> 00:40:16.639
So it's you never know.
00:40:16.719 --> 00:40:17.440
That's where you can politic.
00:40:17.599 --> 00:40:18.079
Barbershops.
00:40:18.960 --> 00:40:23.280
The birthplace of our rights in a lot of ways, and and our legislation.
00:40:23.360 --> 00:40:26.320
That's really advantageous while we still have enough hair to still go to the barbershop.
00:40:26.559 --> 00:40:27.840
Go to the barbershop, exactly.
00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:29.119
And we still have enough hair.
00:40:29.199 --> 00:40:29.280
Yeah.
00:40:29.440 --> 00:40:30.559
All right, thank you, Senator West.
00:40:30.960 --> 00:40:31.280
My pleasure.
00:40:31.440 --> 00:40:31.920
Yeah, absolutely.
00:40:32.000 --> 00:40:33.119
This is the Hunnel Talks.
00:40:33.199 --> 00:40:37.440
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00:40:37.519 --> 00:40:38.079
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00:40:38.159 --> 00:40:39.440
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00:40:39.519 --> 00:40:40.960
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