Episode 15: Liz Shuler President of the AFL–CIO, with Will Beshear Learning Gen-X Lingo!

Summary

Episode 15: Liz Shuler, President of the AFL–CIO, with Will Beshear Learning Gen-X Lingo!

Release Date: July 17, 2025
Host: Andy Beshear

---

Introduction

In Episode 15 of The Andy Beshear Podcast, Governor Andy Beshear welcomes Liz Shuler, the first female president of the AFL–CIO, an influential organization representing over 15 million union members across 63 different unions. This episode delves into Liz's journey to leadership, the challenges faced by the labor movement today, and the profound impact of recent legislation on working Americans. The conversation also features a lighthearted segment on Gen-X lingo with Will Beshear and John McConnell.

---

Liz Shuler’s Journey to AFL–CIO Presidency

[00:00 – 03:12]
Liz Shuler opens the conversation by highlighting the AFL–CIO's role as an umbrella organization for diverse unions, advocating for workers both within and outside unions. She emphasizes the organization's commitment to representing a wide range of professions, from auto workers and steelworkers to professional athletes.

Notable Quote:
“We are the face of America, frankly, what’s behind America’s unions.” – Liz Shuler [04:47]

---

The AFL–CIO’s Role and Representing a Broad Coalition

[04:15 – 05:49]
Andy Beshear discusses the diversity within AFL–CIO’s membership, including the United Autoworkers at Kentucky’s Ford and GM plants, steelworkers, and professional athletes. Liz elaborates on the joy and privilege of representing such a varied workforce, stressing the importance of these workers in maintaining the country’s infrastructure and services.

---

Recent Challenges and Legislative Impacts

[06:10 – 10:32]
Liz addresses outdated stereotypes about unions, asserting their continued relevance in combating modern issues such as child labor in meatpacking and agriculture, and the impact of technological advancements like artificial intelligence on jobs. She criticizes the recent reconciliation bill, describing it as the "most devastating piece of legislation" for working Americans.

Notable Quote:
“This is the worst job killing bill in American history.” – Liz Shuler [08:18]

Key Points:

• The bill threatens to rip healthcare from 17 million people and close numerous hospitals and nursing homes.
• Projected job losses include 1.75 million construction jobs and 3 billion work hours for construction workers.
• Increased healthcare costs for insured individuals by nearly $500 annually.

---

Impact on Rural America and Local Economies

[10:32 – 15:38]
The discussion shifts to the broader economic ramifications of the bill, particularly in rural areas. Liz explains how job losses in healthcare and construction will have cascading effects on local businesses and community services, such as restaurants, coffee shops, and banks. She emphasizes the interconnectedness of these sectors and the severe economic downturn that could ensue.

Notable Quote:
“Everyone will know someone who will be impacted.” – Liz Shuler [14:07]

---

Political Accountability and Labor Movement’s Response

[15:38 – 21:28]
Andy and Liz critique the motivations behind the bill, accusing Congress members of prioritizing special interests over their constituents. Liz discusses the influence of wealthy donors and the widening inequality gap. She advocates for mobilizing constituents to hold their representatives accountable and emphasizes the importance of collective bargaining power.

Notable Quote:
“Unions will be more relevant in the future than ever before as technology and the changing workplace continues to evolve.” – Liz Shuler [28:16]

---

Communicating with Working Americans and Party Politics

[18:04 – 24:30]
Andy raises concerns about the Democratic Party's communication strategy, suggesting that it fails to directly address the immediate needs of working Americans. Liz agrees, highlighting the need for authentic, issues-based communication that resonates with everyday experiences. She stresses that the labor movement must focus on common struggles rather than partisan politics to effectively advocate for workers.

Notable Quote:
“It's not going to be Democrats or Republicans that save working people. It's going to be working people who save working people.” – Liz Shuler [19:01]

---

Liz Shuler’s Personal Motivation and Leadership

[24:00 – 26:58]
Liz shares her personal story, growing up in a union household in Portland, Oregon. The bankruptcy of her father’s utility company ignited her passion for labor rights, inspiring her to fight for fair wages, secure pensions, and workers' rights. As the first woman to lead the AFL–CIO, she acknowledges the challenges and honors the evolving workforce dominated by women.

Notable Quote:
“Labor is really the one institution left in this country that is for everyday Americans who can come together to leverage their strength and power and balance the scales.” – Liz Shuler [24:30]

---

Handling Ups and Downs in Leadership

[26:58 – 29:08]
Andy draws parallels between his and Liz’s roles, discussing the stress and unpredictability inherent in leadership positions. Liz mentions finding balance through personal activities like walking her dog and highlights the resilience shown by the labor movement despite setbacks, such as the elimination of collective bargaining rights for federal workers.

Notable Quote:
“Unions will be more relevant in the future than ever before as technology and the changing workplace continues to evolve.” – Liz Shuler [29:08]

---

Fun Segment: Learning Gen-X Lingo

[35:37 – 46:35]
The episode concludes with a playful segment where Will Beshear engages Liz and John McConnell in a discussion about Gen-X slang. They explore terms like "kicking it old school," "rad," and "gnarly," providing humorous and relatable explanations that bridge generational gaps.

Notable Interaction:
Andy explains "kicking it old school" by comparing it to Mr. Beast's early YouTube efforts, emphasizing returning to the roots of any endeavor. [44:00]

---

Closing Remarks

Andy wraps up the episode by summarizing the key discussions with Liz Shuler about the impact of the new legislation on working Americans and rural communities. He reiterates his commitment to fighting against the detrimental effects of the "big ugly bill" and highlights the importance of authentic communication and collective action in supporting labor rights. The episode ends on a light note with the Gen-X lingo segment, fostering a sense of camaraderie and understanding across generations.

Final Thoughts:
“You're listening to the Andy Beshear Podcast. This next segment is called in my Kentucky Accent... Let's do this together.” – Andy Beshear [43:31]

---

Subscribe and Listen:
Stay updated with future episodes by downloading The Andy Beshear Podcast on all major platforms and subscribing to the YouTube channel @andyBeshearPodcast. Join the conversation as Andy continues to discuss pressing issues, share insightful interviews, and connect with real people making a difference.

Transcript

[Liz Schuler]

Foreign.

[Andy Beshear]

To episode 15 of the Andy Beshear Podcast. Remember, you can download us on all major platforms and please subscribe to our YouTube channel @andy Beshear Podcast. Today's podcast is going to be a good one. We have Liz Schuler, the president of the of the AFL cio, an organization that supports working Americans union members that has over 12 and a half million members. We're going to talk to her about her journey to the presidency, about breaking that glass ceiling, being the first female president. And she's going to give you her evaluation that this big ugly bill is one of the most devastating pieces of legislation that's going to kill jobs that she's ever seen. We're then going to have our conversation with the Johns, except today it's going to be John McConnell and my son Will. And we're going to have a little spin on Gen Z lingo that hopefully you enjoy. But before we start, I think what makes this podcast special is that we're different. This isn't a back and forth. It's not about scoring political points. This is about a conversation between friends. It's about processing the news of the day and it is about real talk with people trying to make this world a better place and figuring out how we do it. The way we have these authentic conversations is by following our cast rules. Number one, be authentic. We want people to be their real selves when they come on this show. We want people to learn something about them that they've never heard. Second, we got to talk like real human beings. How you hear us interact on this podcast ought to sound like you talk to your friends. Third, we want people to tell their why. Not just the what they believe, but the why they believe it. What drives them, what motivates them. When we share our why, we create grace and space to maybe hear each other just a little bit different. Number four, no debating reality. Far too often on podcasts or on the news, people deny facts or truth or math. It's time that we stop doing that and make sure that we are treating facts as facts and finally have fun. We've had a lot of fun in our first 14 episodes. We're going to have some more today. So with that, Here is episode 15. You're listening to the Andy Beshear Podcast. Our guest on episode 15 is Liz Schuller, the president of the AFL CIO. She heads up this group which has 63 unions and over 15 million people that are represented. I shorted it in the intro. They have two and a half million More than what I started with. Liz, welcome to the podcast.

[Liz Schuler]

Thank you, Governor. This is such an honor to be with you.

[Andy Beshear]

Well, I'm really excited because a lot of our listeners, I believe, are very supportive of organized labor, but might not know the role of the AFL cio.

[Liz Schuler]

Yeah. So we are an umbrella organization, as you said, 63 different unions. We represent working people, we are bring voice to those who are in a union, but also lifting up the needs of working people across the country, no matter if you're in a union or not. And so we're very proud that we can bring voices to all the spaces, whether it's Capitol Hill in legislation or into the public eye of what teachers are going through, what manufacturing workers and construction workers are enduring in this economy. Sports figures, professional athletes and actors. So our membership really runs the gamut from any type of job you can possibly think of.

[Andy Beshear]

As I was looking through your members who I know pretty well, at least here in Kentucky you have everything from the United Autoworkers who are working at Ford and GM plants in Kentucky. You have the steelworkers that are out there working on major projects. And as you mentioned, you have major league baseball players through their players associations, professional basketball players. What's it like to represent such a broad coalition of workers?

[Liz Schuler]

Well, it definitely makes coming to work every day an absolute joy and privilege. Because if you think about what makes our country hum, it's the work of the people who deliver the services that we all rely on, who make sure that we have food to eat on the table, whether it's growing the food or delivering it at a grocery store and you know, construction projects that we're all in the summer. Right. Enduring a lot of road construction. Well, those are good jobs, good union jobs to make sure that we get to our destination safely. So every time type of job you can think of that makes our country move, we bring the voices of those workers to try to build more power so that they actually can make a decent living and have a secure life and be able to predict their schedules and to have health care and retirement security. So I think it's really the face of America, frankly, is what's behind America's unions.

[Andy Beshear]

When people think about the history of unions, I think they think back to ending that 60 hour work week. They think about bringing safety into the workplace. They think about ending child labor practices. Tell us what some of the more recent issues that you're addressing are.

[Liz Schuler]

Well, that is true, Governor. There is a lot of old stereotypes I want to say. You know, people think, oh Unions, they were relevant way back when, when we didn't have labor law, or as you said, when we had children in the workplace. Well, fast forward to today. We're still dealing with a lot of the same struggles. We actually do have children still working in meatpacking plants across this country or certainly in agriculture. Right. Where we know that the labor laws are not inclusive of those who work in ag or domestic workers. So it's often a misnomer that the labor movement isn't relevant anymore, when in fact it couldn't be more relevant now than ever. And when we talk about technology, for example, and how technology is affecting work, a lot of people are talking about artificial intelligence.

[Andy Beshear]

Yes.

[Liz Schuler]

We are on the forefront of making sure that those changes in technology and how they impact your jobs make sure that we include workers voices in how those changes happen, that we're negotiating at the table with our employers to make sure that we get the training that we need to get to that next job in the future. And we're advocating on places like Capitol Hill where in this last bill, with the reconciliation bill, they tried to put prohibition on any protections on AI for 10 years at the state and local level. We fought, we said, no, this cannot happen because you can imagine how much change is going to take place over the next 10 years. And we need protections for working people.

[Andy Beshear]

This is the Andy Beshear podcast. We're talking to Liz Shuler, head of the AFL cio. You mentioned a buzzword or phrase to me. I've been talking about this big, ugly bill as much as I can to whoever I can. I've described it as the most devastating piece of legislation to rural America. I think you've called it the largest job killing bill in history. Give us an evaluation of it.

[Liz Schuler]

Absolutely. And you stole my words, Governor, because you, you said it correctly. This is the worst job killing bill in American history. And every member of Congress that voted for this devastating bill picked the pockets of working people.

[Andy Beshear]

Amen.

[Liz Schuler]

To hand billionaires a $5 trillion gift that they didn't need, by the way, in terms of these tax cuts. So the harm that the bill will cause working people cannot be overstated. It's going to rip health care from 17 million people. Hospitals and nursing homes will close. Millions are going to lose their jobs, and everyone is going to be forced to pay higher daily costs, all while they're driving more resources, of course, to this cruel mass deportation effort. And just to give you a flavor of some of the jobs that we're tracking, because we are a labor organization, you know, certainly in the healthcare arena because of the impacts on hospitals, especially in rural areas, as you've mentioned, energy, we had billions in clean energy investments that were putting construction workers to work and also helping us with our clean energy economy over the entire country. And so we project that about 1.75 million jobs will be lost in the construction arena from these canceled investments. And it's about 3 billion work hours for construction workers. So it's going to ripple out across all of the various industries throughout our economy, but it's also going to impact services. And so what our job is, is to really unpack, you know, what's in this bill for working people, because most people are working, you know, two and three jobs and 12 to 15 hour days and, you know, they're not tracking exactly what's in this bill. So we want to bring the facts, we want to show people what the connection is between both the services that will be lost and, and the jobs, because it's both.

[Andy Beshear]

I think in addition to that, we're going to see lower worker productivity. The idea that if you live in a rural area and work in a rural area, you've got to take off a whole day now to see a doctor because you're going to drive two hours to and from. And then when your kids need to see a doctor, it's another day. And when your parents need to see a doctor, it's a third day. So I imagine as you look at benefits packages that you all try to negotiate, there's going to be further challenges in the future when you can't see your doctor or secure your health care in your own community.

[Liz Schuler]

Yes. And I think a lot of people also don't realize, you know, there's a lot of talk about folks on Medicaid, but for those who have negotiated in their contracts, for example, or those who actually have health insurance through their employers, the costs are going to go up for them too, because we know that that's going to have a cascading effect on our hospitals and how they can provide service. We did a [e-mail], you can find the study that we believe it's now going to cost the average person who has health insurance almost $500 a year more per person because of these cuts.

[Andy Beshear]

I also worry about what services get cut in rural hospitals. When you look at delivery, that's one of the areas with some of the lowest margins. And what does it mean for Americans, especially women, getting close to their due date if they are two hours away? Are we Going to have someone staying in a hotel while their partner or their husband are hours away working, what that can do to the American worker or the American families is just so challenging.

[Liz Schuler]

And what you're bringing to the surface here, Governor, is the reality of the impacts on real people. Because I think most everyone has been thinking, oh, this is some distant thing that's happening in Washington, D.C. it's about politics. No, it's about the impacts on real people. And I think you're doing exactly what we want to do is, is humanize this. Right. And actually bring to the front what real people will be experiencing.

[Andy Beshear]

The idea that this isn't owning the libs or getting the other side, it's impacting your direct daily life and making things harder, making paying the bills harder, making getting those services harder. I also have concerns in rural America about what happens when we lose all those jobs and there are less dollars that are going around in that community. Does that mean that the restaurant closes down the coffee shop? Does that mean that there's not an expansion at that next business? In other words, the lost construction jobs create even more lost construction jobs moving forward?

[Liz Schuler]

Absolutely. The ripple effects will be enormous and sadly, people aren't feeling it quite yet. It's going to take some time for it to start cascading out. But you're absolutely right. There will be direct impacts where people will lose their jobs and certainly direct impacts then on some of the services that we just discussed. But people aren't really talking about how that impacts the community writ large. And I think everyone knows someone. They call it, what is it, six degrees of separation. I guess that everyone.

[Andy Beshear]

The door of Kevin Bacon.

[Liz Schuler]

Exactly. Well, everyone will know someone who will be impacted. And we're already seeing that. And, you know, we did some hearings across various parts of the country, particularly in rural areas, when Doge started making cuts to services and jobs. And then we've seen that that has just been put on steroids in terms of this big bad bill that just passed. And what we heard from people all across this country was exactly what you pointed out, that, you know, the doctor who's in a rural area who is already working around the clock, you know, barely making ends meet, him or herself, but to see the patients that come through now and then knowing that the volume is going to increase and they won't be able to keep up with demand because of the lack of care. This notion of the things like the postal service. Right. That we know are under attack. Also the idea that rural areas won't, you know, sometimes we know that's the center of gravity, right. In a small community, is the post office, that it's a lifeline for so many people. But we're going to be seeing cuts. We're going to be seeing, you know, a move to try to privatize the postal service, which, as we know, will drive up costs and make it more and more difficult for folks in rural communities to get that service.

[Andy Beshear]

Conceptually, it's so hard to accept that. That many members of Congress would vote for such a devastating bill because I believe that they know it. But this is the clearest example I've ever seen of people saying, I'm no longer going to represent my constituents, that I'm going to put my party or my allegiance to one individual ahead of my country or my people.

[Liz Schuler]

Yeah. And, you know, how many times did we hear folks who actually voted for the bill say, I don't like what's in this bill, but I'm going to vote for it anyway. There's something very wrong or broken with our system where you end up in a situation where you're putting the sort of the special interests ahead of your constituents. Because we know that this is all about giving more tax breaks to the wealthy, to corporations and, as I said, who don't need them. And a lot of those folks getting those tax cuts are the ones who were the big donors to the campaigns of those elected officials. So we have a lot to unpack here. My hope is that the constituents in those districts will be rising up, will be mobilizing and activating in their local areas so that those members of Congress actually see the impact and feel the brunt of the damage that they caused with this vote. Because this is all about, again, you know, real people and people who are struggling, people who are trying to put food on the table for their families and try to have a decent job and a decent way of life. And it's just becoming more and more difficult to do that. The American dream has been at risk for some time, as we know, this inequality gap that has just continued to widen. You know, the top 1% are doing great and continue to do well. And then we just see that gulf between those people and the rest of us. And so I think that's what we in the labor movement hope to bring is power in numbers. The fact that we can balance the scales when we come together and negotiate for more, because we know we deserve more. People are working harder and harder for less, and it's not fair.

[Andy Beshear]

This is the Andy Beshear podcast. Our Guest this week is Liz Schuller. Listen, I've got this theory about the Democratic Party and I know a lot of people are asking these questions. I've seen you on cable news talking about it just like I have. And that's that the party has very good policies for working Americans. But at some point stop talking as directly to working Americans and stop showing our priorities by how much we talk about what that if we talk about 100 different things, you know, a hard working American might say, well, only two of those apply to me. How much time are you spending on how much I make or where my next doctor's appointment is or public safety in my community or the school my kids go to? What are your thoughts?

[Liz Schuler]

I couldn't agree more. And after the last election, we heard it over and over again that the Democratic Party in particular really missed the boat in how it communicated with working people. And it was working people that really decided this election. And there was just an absolute chasm in how we reached people, how we reached people and what we said when we reached them. And to your point, we just weren't talking about people's experiences in an authentic way. I know I was out on the campaign trail, I was talking to working people for months and months on end. And mostly people told you it was about the crisis in affordability, the fact that costs have been going up and people couldn't keep up with the cost of groceries and gas and housing, oh my gosh, housing. And that, you know, most of the candidates weren't focused on those issues. So it was a, you know, this notion of connection. And meanwhile, you know, Donald Trump does a pretty good job of messaging. And it's a lot of rhetoric, but it doesn't match up with the reality. But the rhetoric does resonate. And so we as the labor movement have been saying all along we have to be talking about working people's issues. And really a credible messenger is that person in your community that has a following because they work at the grocery store or maybe the community or union leader that is doing the volunteer work or responding to disasters. You know, a little something about that, right? It's like you're making those connections in your day to day life to talk about issues year round instead of political candidates. And so we've really been doubling down on this issues based approach to conversation because we know it's not going to be Democrats or Republicans that save working people. It's going to be working people who save working people. And so we keep saying it shouldn't be about Partisan politics. We're fighting for, you know, freedom, fairness and security for all working people. And that cuts across party lines.

[Andy Beshear]

I couldn't agree more. It's that idea that a good job isn't red or blue, left or right, and it lifts everyone up. And if. And if, first of all, politics is supposed to be a route to public service, and then public service, you're supposed to do the best you can for everybody. But a brand of politics that maybe isn't partisan. And lately I've been thinking we use bipartisan too much, but more of nonpartisan. That roads and health care and jobs and education, those are things that in most people's everyday life aren't partisan. So why are we pushing this destructive force on them instead of saying we're going to do the best we can here before we ever argue about anything else?

[Liz Schuler]

Yeah, and you touched on something there. And it's about finding the commonality versus the division. Because there's a lot of work being done right now to divide us. And we know that that's what makes us weak. And that's what breeds the kind of march to authoritarianism as people have been talking about, you know, that our democracy is really at risk care, because we have kind of taken our eye off it, that we've pushed away from politics. People have become so dispirited and it's so toxic out there that people just turn off. They don't want to have anything to do with it. So this idea of bringing folks back together in a nonpartisan way, where we're just focused on, you know, the struggles that we all endure and what we have in common. And so that's what we've been trying to do too, in the labor movement is let's focus on what we agree on. Don't we agree that we all should make a decent wage, be fairly rewarded for our work, and that we should all have health care and we should all be able to predict our own schedules and, you know, have affordable, quality child care and, you know, all the things we care about on the day to day that seem to get missed. And so I'm encouraged that I'm seeing a lot out there as I travel now. People are more mobilized and energized and activated than they've been in a long time. And a lot of it is because they're like, wait a second, I see what's happening. I can't just stand by silently and watch things devolve. I need to get engaged and active and help make a difference.

[Andy Beshear]

So I recognize that it ain't easy to become the president of the AFL cio and I want to make sure we give credit where credit's due. You've made history. Being the first woman to ever serve in this role, which I'm guessing meant getting there, was even harder than previous people's path. What's your why? What drove you to want to serve in this position and to stand up for working Americans?

[Liz Schuler]

Well, I'll go back to where I came from, which is in Portland, Oregon. I grew up in a union household. My dad was a power lineman at the local power company. My mom worked at the company as well, was an admin and I worked there. And so it was a family operation until it wasn't when Enron came in. A company that many people will recognize that name, bought our sleepy little utility company and drove it into the ground, into bankruptcy, playing fast and loose with the rules and trying to deregulate electricity and make money. So I watched my dad, who had worked for this company for nearly 40 years, hard work as a power lineman, was getting ready to retire, lost his pension because of that bankruptcy. And that ignited something into me because I said, you know what, that is not fair. Right. That people who work hard, show up to work every day, aspire to retire at some point after decades of hard work, should be able to do that. And it's that promise that was made, right. So that really inspired me to say, well, what is it that actually can combat a fast talking company like that that can just come in and wreak havoc on a community? Well, it's the unions. Labor is really the one institution left in this country that is for everyday Americans who can come together to leverage their strength and power and balance the scales. And so that's what really inspired me. That's why I do what I do. I'm actually a little bit emotional for some reason right now.

[Andy Beshear]

That's what happens when we talk about our why.

[Liz Schuler]

Yeah, exactly. So I'm just so excited because you mentioned being a woman in this role. A lot of people don't realize that the labor movement is now half women and a lot of people don't see us that way. So we are the largest organization of working women in the country. So that makes it even more exciting to be in this seat in this moment because as we know, the workforce is changing, we're building for the future and I'm just honored to be along for the ride here.

[Andy Beshear]

I was thinking about how your job, like mine, can be stressful because you have a lot of ups and A lot of downs. I was thinking that you went from, say, last year with record contracts for the UAW and the Teamsters, which are helping people here in Kentucky, to now dealing with the Trump administration, which certainly isn't pro union. How do you deal with it? How do you deal with the ups and the downs?

[Liz Schuler]

Lots of walks in the woods with my dog and my husband. It is. It's like a whiplash kind of situation. Because you're right. Thanks to folks like yourself, Governor, and the Biden administration, who really saw the value in investing in working people, investing in our country. I think about all of the opportunities that working people had on the horizon that basically have just been devastated, especially by this bill that was just passed and a lot of the executive orders that this administration put into effect right away. The elimination of collective bargaining rights for nearly a million federal workers was the largest single act of union busting in the labor movement's history.

[Andy Beshear]

Wow.

[Liz Schuler]

A lot of people think about the air traffic controllers. You know, Patco back in the 80s. It dwarfs that. But we've been, I think, playing a good game of defense, but always with an eye on offense, as they say, on the front foot, because we see this moment of organizing opportunity. The country supports unions. In fact, 71% of the people believe in unions, and it's 90% of young people under the age of 30 are pro union. So people want to belong to unions. They know the benefits of coming together collectively. Unions will be more relevant in the future than ever before as technology and the changing workplace continues to evolve. And I think it's an opportunity to really be looking forward into the future.

[Andy Beshear]

This is the Andy Beshear Podcast. We're finishing up our conversation with Liz Schuller. Liz, we like to close by trying to have a little bit of fun, especially in this crazy world with questions that are designed for people to get to know you a little bit better. So what is your favorite meal?

[Liz Schuler]

Well, I love ethnic food, so I would say a perfect meal would probably be at my local Indian restaurant in my neighborhood. Masala Art.

[Andy Beshear]

What is your secret superpower that no one knows? We've had people that can cook a certain thing. For my wife, it's packing a suitcase. What's that? Secret superpower?

[Liz Schuler]

I am a secret weekend warrior, and I do a lot of diy, so I'm not afraid to stick my hand in a toilet.

[Andy Beshear]

All right, that is a good secret superpower. If you could go back in time and tell yourself not to follow one fashion trend, what would it have been? I had Some haircuts I wish I could erase.

[Liz Schuler]

Wow, that's a tough one because there's so many to choose from. Maybe leg warmers.

[Andy Beshear]

Oh, leg warmers were great. I'm a big fan of the 80s, but I could see that. What's something about you that people are surprised when they learn?

[Liz Schuler]

Wow. I feel like I'm an open book. That's a hard one.

[Andy Beshear]

Well, that's a good thing to be.

[Liz Schuler]

Yeah. That I came up through the electrical workers union, I think does surprise people. I came up on the electric utility side, but a lot of people think of these male dominated industries and they're like, what a woman you. So that's, I think one thing that comes to mind first. Yeah. And then maybe just doing a lot of handyman stuff or I should say handy person stuff.

[Andy Beshear]

So if you had to do a job different than what you're doing right now, looking back, what do you think you choose?

[Liz Schuler]

Well, I love the arts and I love just being creative and using paint and mosaic tile and so if I didn't have to worry about making a living, I would definitely have pursued something in the arts.

[Andy Beshear]

And perhaps the most important two questions I've asked, because you mentioned your dog, what type of dog and what's his or her name?

[Liz Schuler]

My black Labrador is the love of my life. He is a 13 year old former seeing eye dog and his name is Traitor. Like Trader Joe, not like Benedict Arnold, but Traitor.

[Andy Beshear]

This is the Andy Beshear Podcast. Our guest has been Liz Schuller. Liz, thank you for the great conversation.

[Liz Schuler]

Thank you so much, Governor. And we are so, so grateful to you for your leadership and for the voice you bring for working people every day.

[Andy Beshear]

Happy to do. You're listening to the Andy Beshear Podcast. This next segment is called in my Kentucky Accent. It's when I talk about what's on my heart and mind, what's been burning me up that week. And today I'm pretty fired up because Congress passed that big ugly bill proposed by the president and it's the most devastating piece of legislation for rural America and working America that I have ever seen. This big ugly bill is going to devastate health care across this country. In my state alone, 200,000 people are projected to lose their health care coverage. They won't be able to go see a doctor when they're sick. The bill is going to fire 20 to 30,000 health care workers in Kentucky. Those are doctors, nurses, orderlies. Those are people who contribute to their community who are going to be out of a job and thus aren't getting any tax break. And it threatens to close 35 rural hospitals. Folks, this isn't just devastating to health care, it's devastating to the economy of rural and parts of urban America as well. These rural hospitals, the ones that might close, are typically the second largest employer in their communities and they typically have the largest payroll. So just think about what happens if any of them lay off a third or more of their staff. Those are hundreds fewer people going to the local restaurants, the local coffee shops, going to the local bank. It's going to mean there are significantly fewer dollars going around in those local economies, and that's going to hurt absolutely everyone. And then you look at all the other things that this big ugly bill. I mean, look at what it does to food assistance, shifting huge costs to states and ultimately making cuts where people are going to go hungry. In my faith, the miracle of the fishes and the loaves is in every book of the gospel. And I think what it says is that in a country where we grow enough food for everyone and then enough to export all over the world, no one should go hungry. That is a basic test of humanity. And this Congress failed it. Folks, we don't elect people to go to D.C. to represent their political party. We elect them to represent you. And these congressmen and senators that voted for the big ugly bill have failed you and have failed this country. We all deserve better, and I'm going to keep fighting for it. Next on the Andy Beshear podcast, it's our version of a roundtable, except instead of a table, we have a tiny couch and two guys named John. It's our conversation with the Johns today. John Rabinowitz is not with us, so Will Bashir will be filling in. And as always, we have John McConnell. You all ready?

[John McConnell]

We're ready.

[Will Bashir]

So ready.

[John McConnell]

Yes. I would like to point it out. We'll miss John, but at this point, there'll be no shameless small business self promotion. So that's going to free up a little more time to have a conversation.

[Andy Beshear]

Let's start with a topic we've talked about a lot, but it keeps changing. The chaos continues and our economy keeps getting hit because of it. And that's Donald Trump's tariffs. The on again, off again, across the board, industry specific, company specific, reciprocal. It seems to constantly change. And then I think last week we talked about how the newest approach was the letter. And the letter said that if you didn't agree to something by August, you were going to get April tariffs. Except since then, we've now had a threatened tariff against Brazil because he doesn't like a criminal proceeding going on there, as well as 30% tariffs against Canada and really high tariffs against Japan.

[John McConnell]

Another one that was put out there was another 30% tariff against Mexico possibly. And here's one thing I would like some input on is that he's actually quoted as saying this is going to make our country a lot of money.

[Andy Beshear]

I think there's a level of concern that these tariffs are really being proposed to bring in enough dollars for the tax cut, but that would be paying for an income tax cut for wealthier Americans on what's basically a sales tax on all the goods out there. Because what happens with tariffs, prices go up and we the consumers pay for it.

[John McConnell]

I kind of feel like saying the country's going to make a lot of money, but then at the same time, like you said, it's going to cost us as consumers a lot of money. And at some point that's got to settle out to where we can just go back to doing business with our biggest trading partners. What's your feelings on the best way for us to start back down that path?

[Andy Beshear]

That's a challenge. I mean, it's a challenge because we're taking decades, if not more of good relations, understanding that trade is only part of that relationship. There's also security, international security. There's foreign direct investment where we make a lot of cars for Japanese manufacturers. Largest Toyota plant in the world is in Kentucky. And so it's recognizing that it's more complex than that. But one of my biggest concerns is how this president directly insults other countries. And does that lead to an American backlash or backlash against America on our products?

[Will Bashir]

I would have to agree. Like, I don't know how more specific we can get with these tariffs. He's changed his policy four times or more, if my account is correct on this. And I just don't know like, what the goal of this is from my perspective. Like, obviously making the country a lot of money is what he's saying, but the fact that we haven't seen any results yet.

[Andy Beshear]

What was it, 99 deals or 100 deals in just a few days? I guess my final thought on this is it's slowing down our economy. I'm seeing it. Companies can't move forward with projects in the United States right now because they're going to import a lot to build the project or equipment. Even if they wanted to reshore, the overall cost could float by six such a degree that could put the company under. So I know I'VE said it before, but pretty ironic that his goal is to reshore. His tool is tariffs and the tool he's using is preventing his goal.

[John McConnell]

And moving on to another topic, Russia all over the news again. In the very beginning during the campaign, this was a really big deal that if I'm elected within 24 hours, Ukraine and Russia will stop their war. We're somewhat past 24 hours and here we stand.

[Andy Beshear]

Will, you didn't grow up with Rocky iv, but I'm pretty sure that even you recognize that Russia is the bad guy here.

[Will Bashir]

One instance he's a great person. In another instance, he's the enemy.

[Andy Beshear]

Describing Putin.

[Will Bashir]

Putin, yes. And it just doesn't make any sense to me as a young person and I don't think it should make sense to anybody.

[Andy Beshear]

And this is a country, Russia, that invaded another country. It's very clear who the aggressor is. And another example of Congress just totally changing its position with the exception, I'll give Mitch McConnell, the fact that he has stayed with his support of Ukraine. But going from this broad bipartisan support for a ally country, that's important. Ukraine produces a huge amount of wheat that the United States relied on. To suddenly altering that position dramatically just shows that Congress isn't doing its job as a separate branch of government.

[John McConnell]

And then another part of this is as far as the leadership, seeing the people you're in the room with, you know, he came in to be Putin's friend to come in to make this work for all of us and try to get a war ended. Then all of a sudden, you know, he's now saying that, you know, he talks good when we're together, but then he bombs people like it's a revelation.

[Andy Beshear]

At least he's recognizing it. And if he moves forward with sanctions against Russia, it's the right move. It probably took far too long. I worry that, like tariffs, it could change overnight, but hopefully that's moving in the right direction. Let's close up talking about these floods in Texas that are just wrenched at the heart of every American. To lose that many people, to lose that many kids is tough. There's a lot of questions raised about the response. I think that the Trump administration is reacting like it is a political attack. And I agree there shouldn't be politically based attacks when we're talking about this. But I think you always have to answer the questions, how do you do better the next time if you don't answer the questions about what happened?

[John McConnell]

Well, in this one, I think the count now is 132people have passed away. And when I saw the pictures of Camp Mystic, I mean, that affected me, because my daughter went to a camp similar to that, to where she had her little trunk she would take in, and that's what they would be in their cabins, all down near a creek. And it just makes me look at the response and what could have happened and how that response was timed.

[Andy Beshear]

And I want the answers to those questions, but I want what's front and center to be those families and what they're going through and most of our energy to go to support them. But I hope that everyone asking and answering the questions recognizes that the most important thing is no matter how this response went, that we're honest about it, and we always figure out how to do better. We've had. Will, how many floods have.

[Will Bashir]

I've lost count.

[Andy Beshear]

I mean, we've had in Kentucky, and every single time we've looked back at it and said, what more can we do? What more can we do? What more can we do? And you see me when I come home and how hard it is. I want to make sure that we don't lose as many people the next time or the time after that.

[Will Bashir]

Right.

[Andy Beshear]

As we close out this week's edition of the Andy Beshear podcast, we're bringing back one of our favorite segments, Gen Z Lingo. But we're doing it a little different today. Will is going to ask John and I about some Gen X lingo, and we're going to see if we can explain it to his generation.

[Will Bashir]

I'm really nervous. I want to put that out there.

[Andy Beshear]

I can understand.

[Will Bashir]

My heart is pounding.

[John McConnell]

It should be. The tables have turned at this point.

[Will Bashir]

Yes. I'm not really comfortable right here, but I want to ask about kicking it old school.

[Andy Beshear]

What a great Gen X phrase. And it takes you back, doesn't it?

[John McConnell]

It takes us back a little bit.

[Andy Beshear]

So kicking it old school is about doing something the way that you used to do, like back in the day.

[Will Bashir]

Okay.

[Andy Beshear]

So think about a band that's been around for 10 years and think about their first album and how different it is. Well, if they were going to play that and play it in the way that they used to, you'd be kicking it old school.

[Will Bashir]

Okay, so if we talked about the word skippity, would we be kicking it old school since that was the first episode?

[Andy Beshear]

So if we went back and we did everything the way we did on the first episode, we'd say we're gonna kick it old school and run this podcast.

[Will Bashir]

So is it the exact same.

[Andy Beshear]

Well, here's. Let me give you an explanation that I think Gen Z can understand.

[Will Bashir]

Okay.

[Andy Beshear]

And I'm gonna try to explain it in a way to where the boomers can understand it too. Are you ready?

[Will Bashir]

I'm so ready.

[Andy Beshear]

So Mr. Beast is one of the most popular podcasters in the world. He gets hundreds of millions of views on his current YouTube episodes. He's also now on streaming services, but you've shown me his first episodes from years back. Now, his current budget is like a million dollars for each of the ones he produces, but he started out walking around his town giving out money for people who needed it or who would stand in a circle long enough and basically filming it on an iPhone. And so if Mr. Beast looked at his buddies and said, you know what? We're gonna do this like we did the first episode and walk out and do it, he would be kicking it old school.

[Will Bashir]

That was an amazing explanation. Hats off.

[Andy Beshear]

I do communicate for a living.

[Will Bashir]

This is true. You're okay at it.

[John McConnell]

So if we use the word will, that was awesome. Is that our lingo, or has it transitioned to your awesome?

[Will Bashir]

Yeah, awesome is just like a regular vocabulary word. I wouldn't say it's lingo necessarily.

[Andy Beshear]

All right, what about rad?

[Will Bashir]

Rad is definitely a Gen X lingo. When I looked that up to ask about a lingo today, that's the first thing that popped up.

[Andy Beshear]

You almost asked us about rad.

[Will Bashir]

I almost asked you about rad.

[John McConnell]

What about cool Beans?

[Will Bashir]

I used that earlier when I was texting you.

[Andy Beshear]

You actually texted that to me.

[John McConnell]

Okay.

[Andy Beshear]

All right. But when we think about what about gnarly?

[Will Bashir]

I can kind of imagine what that is just like, something being. Well, actually. Is it like a cool gross?

[Andy Beshear]

It is.

[John McConnell]

It is.

[Andy Beshear]

Okay, now, I'm not sure that I could explain the difference between rad and gnarly, other than the fact that you decided to say one of them instead of the others. Or your friend said awesome, then the next guy said gnarly, and you were stuck with rad.

[Will Bashir]

Real world problems right here.

[John McConnell]

That's it?

[Will Bashir]

Yeah, yeah.

[Andy Beshear]

I mean, I remember we had movies like Pump up the Volume, so we had to find different words to appear, like rebels or what is it, the.

[John McConnell]

Bicycle movie that was actually called rad.

[Andy Beshear]

That's right.

[John McConnell]

Yes, there was one.

[Andy Beshear]

That's right. So today we did a lot. We talked to Liz Schuller, and she talked about representing 15 million working people. You heard in my Kentucky accent how upset I am about what this big, ugly bill is going to do, especially the people of Kentucky, but to the people of rural America. Will joined us for our conversation with the Johns, and now we were in the driver's seat explaining Gen X lingo to him. I think we did an okay job. If you're enjoying the Andy Beshear Podcast, remember, you can download us on all major platforms or subscribe to our YouTube channel @andy Bashir Podcast. Your downloads and your subscriptions are what keep us going and keeps this conversation going. So make sure you're a part of it, and let's do this together.