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Olivia Juliana
Getting rid of waste in the government, and that's. I think that's corruption, as plain and simple as you want to get. You know, if Trump wanted to get ahead of Doge, it was someone who had experience doing that kind of thing. Even if it was someone from MAGA world, like, that would arguably be so much less corrupt than putting Elon Musk in charge.
Unknown Host
Okay, guys, we are in Houston. We got Olivia Juliana here, one of the more polarizing figures here, I'd say. Right.
Olivia Juliana
I would say that's true. Yeah.
Unknown Host
We were just talking. You get hate on both sides of the spectrum, which is pretty hard to pull off, I feel like.
Olivia Juliana
Yeah, well, you know, I'm a woman of many talents.
Unknown Host
Yeah. Which hate came first? Was it from the right or from the left?
Olivia Juliana
Oh, definitely from the right. Definitely from the right. I mean, I think it's. I think it's pretty hard if you're on the left, because I started when I was 17. Like, for you to be hating on a 17 year old on TikTok, just saying, like, vote for Joe Biden, like, I won't. That just kind of makes you an.
Unknown Host
So that was in 16, you started saying that.
Olivia Juliana
No, this is 2020.
Unknown Host
Oh, 20.
Olivia Juliana
20. 2020.
Unknown Host
Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Now there's a lot of infighting on both sides.
Olivia Juliana
Always.
Unknown Host
It's actually crazy. The right is the most divided I've probably ever seen.
Olivia Juliana
I. Yeah, I think so. I mean, it's about time it's their turn, you know, like, we've been dealing with it and watching it happen for, I don't know, probably damn near my entire life. So.
Unknown Host
Yeah, I think this Iran stuff, whatever happens there, one side's gonna be pissed and one's gonna be happy, I guess.
Olivia Juliana
Yeah, I guess so.
Unknown Host
We'll see. There's been a lot going on lately. What have you been covering?
Olivia Juliana
Oh, my gosh. Strangely, even though Trump has kind of come back into office now, I think this is the first time I've been talking a lot about my personal life and, like, just kind of being like, I'm gonna enjoy my life and live my life, but politically, I mean, I just. I've really been focused a lot on the Democratic Party because, like, I think it's abundantly clear this election was a failure. It was a failure for us on all fronts. And I think that it. We have an opportunity now to do two things, which is to be united in any kind of opposition we have and to kind of quell out any of the problems we have in our own party that keep bringing Us to this point where it's like, okay, like, we get to an election, we have to get 51%. I don't want to win 51%. I want to win elections with 60% of the vote. And so I think I've been focused a lot on figuring out how we, as a party can get to the point where we actually do that.
Unknown Host
I know it's kind of early, but is there any candidates on the left for 28 that you think can achieve 60%?
Olivia Juliana
You know, I think Andy Beshear is really talented. I think that it takes a special kind of politician to be a Democratic governor from the state that Trump's won by double digits. But, I mean, as far as 20, 28 goes, I. I feel like it's too early to tell, just because I think we kind of need to see how they're going to govern or act in this first half of the Trump administration. But also post midterms, I think it'll tell us a lot about their leadership skills in this kind of new political environment.
Unknown Host
Agreed. You think Newsom's gonna. Gonna make Iran? It looks like it.
Olivia Juliana
Do we have eyes like, this man's been running for president for, like, four years now? I think that Gavin Newsom is a very skilled politician, and I don't know if I necessarily mean that as a compliment. I think that he is very charming, and I think that he's very good at getting people to agree with him on being his side, which, in a lot of ways, I think he's like Trump on that front. But politically, I mean, I just. I don't know that America would elect a Democrat from California.
Unknown Host
President Newsom versus Trump. Who are you siding with on that debacle right now?
Olivia Juliana
Well, I'm kind of. I'm with Newsom on the. You know, the. The mechanics of the National Guard and not overstepping the governor. And I'm not a fan of the way that Trump has gone about immigration reform. I think it's been excessive uses of force in some places that I just don't think it was necessary. So I would side with Newsom on that. But from a media perspective, I think that Newsom won the optics of it. I think it's one of the few times I think that a Democrat has been able to go toe to toe with Trump when it comes to the media war and do a really, really solid job.
Unknown Host
I actually agree. I think he did really well in the media. Yeah, I was surprised he did that well, because usually when Trump goes against someone, they don't look too good afterwards?
Olivia Juliana
No, because he's skilled. I mean, this is. This is one of the things that bothers me a lot of times about people on the left is the inability to admit when people on the right are good at something. Like I despise Donald Trump categorically. I don't like his policy.
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Olivia Juliana
And I'm sure that I wouldn't like him as a person, but the man is brilliantly, brilliantly skilled when it comes to media. Like, I don't think that there is anyone who commands media and public attention as well as he does. Um, and I think that that's. But I think part of it is just. It's. It's like he cares that he doesn't care. Like, he just kind of stands on whatever he says. If he wants to change his mind, he just does it, and he doesn't backpedal about it. And I think more people need to be like that.
Unknown Host
Absolutely. Trump's first term, did you think that was better than Biden's term?
Olivia Juliana
No. Not even those? Nah, not even close. But I think it. I think it depends on what matters to you as a person. So, like, for me, I think. I think some people find comfort in the policy that's passed, like, the. The bones legislation, the boring stuff that people don't want to get into. Like, some people find comfort from that. That's me. Like, I like looking into, you know, the American Rescue plan and the inflation Reduction act, those kinds of things, especially the bipartisan ones, I find comforting and interesting. But I think some other people find more comfort in the way that Trump talks about certain things or the way that he talks about politics, versus Biden, who was a lot more calmer, typical politician, in the way that he approached and talked about things on a policy front. I think that the Biden's term was just categorically so much better than Trump's. But, like, on the. You know, on the optics, in the speaking terms, like, I can't say that Trump didn't hold his own combating the media that was criticizing him in his first administration.
Unknown Host
Yeah. Well, Biden just avoided media the last few years. Right.
Olivia Juliana
I think it was a mistake. I think that. I think that Democrats, a lot of times just get so scared of saying or doing the wrong thing that they just avoid it altogether. And I feel like that's probably what happened with Biden is they just were like, well, things are really delicate right now, so we don't want to send them out with Kamala. Like, I really don't know what the hesitation was there. I don't know if it was. They were worried she would overshadow him. I don't know if it was that they didn't trust her. But I think that the lesson that one of the lessons we've taken Away as Democrats is like, we need to have our people out there as much as possible.
Unknown Host
Yeah, you guys need your own Joe Rogan.
Olivia Juliana
Well, that's this. Okay. This is, this is the thing for me. I think I'm not allowed to cuss. I think it is so fucking stupid how everyone is like, we need a Joe Rogan of the left. Joe Rogan was the Joe Rogan of the left. Like Joe Rogan is, I would say, median to median right voter. Yeah, he's like pro legalizing marijuana. He's pretty pro choice. Like he, the way he's talked about immigration in the past is very compassionate. Like he was, for God's sakes, this is a Bernie Sanders guy. Like Joe Rogan was the Joe Rogan of the left. And I think that this is the. Another one of the mistakes we make is assuming that because someone, you know, goes to the right or votes for a Republican one time or starts associating with more Republicans, that we're never going to get that person back. And I just don't think that's the case. Like, I think that there are a number of Democratic elected officials all over this country, state and local government, who if you sat them down with Joe Rogan, he would really like them. And I think that's the same for a lot of people. And so this idea of like we can create a liberal Joe Rogan in a lab, like it's just bullshit and it hyper intellectualizes the concept, which is exactly one of the main reasons why we lost the election in the first place.
Unknown Host
Yeah, I mean, I can see it. I just saw Cash Patel on Rogan and he didn't seem to like that interview based off what I saw.
Olivia Juliana
I didn't see it.
Unknown Host
You didn't see it?
Olivia Juliana
No.
Unknown Host
They were talking about the Epstein stuff, but I think Joe's a pretty smart dude. I could see him swinging back if the things lined up.
Olivia Juliana
I think he's just, I think. But I think that's it. I think he's just a dude. Like he's, he's a father. He, you know, big time UFC guy, stand up comedian. Like, I feel like if the Democratic Party was a place where Joe Rogan felt like some of the, the main policy concerns that he had were addressed if we had, you know, sound immigration policies and if we weren't for at large stereotypically so sensitive about everything and constantly worried about what everyone was saying, I don't think that that's a left that he would be afraid to go back into.
Unknown Host
Yeah, it'd be too Hard to replicate another Rogan, like, because you can't.
Olivia Juliana
Like, you can't replicate Joe Rogan.
Unknown Host
He's been doing it for 15 years. He has that trust with his audience.
Olivia Juliana
Yeah. You know, those are fun fact. The Joe Rogan podcast was my number one listen to podcast throughout the entirety of high school.
Unknown Host
Wow.
Olivia Juliana
And so, like, to this day, like, I'll still listen every once in a while, but, like, I growing up as a teenager, you know, like, I would listen, and my favorite episodes were the ones where it was, like, him, Andrew Schultz, and Charlemagne the God. Like, I thought that they were so funny. Or Bert Kreischer, Tom Seguro. Like, he'd have all these people on. And I think that that's one of those things where that's why it can't be replicated is because so much of his best content and his best interviews are people he has relationships with. And you can't. You can't create that in, like, a means tested, message tested lab.
Unknown Host
Agreed. Yeah, he put on a lot of comedians.
Olivia Juliana
Yeah, he did.
Unknown Host
A lot of comedians came out of the Rogan atmosphere.
Olivia Juliana
That's true. I like. And just over the years, like, the sheer talent he's had on there and he's. And he has, like, wacky, crazy people on there, too. Like, someone else I think is really fun to put on there. Is Ms. Pat like.
Unknown Host
Oh, yeah.
Olivia Juliana
He just kind of lets people run. And I just feel like, that's why, you know, Joe Rogan of the left left wouldn't work is because I don't know that they have the. The comedy relationship. I mean, maybe they do, but the willingness to just kind of let people just say and do whatever it is they want to do.
Unknown Host
Yeah, people are comfortable. You know, that's a big thing. As a podcast host, have you seen any ICE agents yet in Houston?
Olivia Juliana
I haven't personally, no. I know that. I think that they've been here. I think there were some arrests done at. At the courthouse. But the. But the thing about, you know, the ICE and the. The raids happening now is, like, people don't really realize a lot of this stuff that Trump has wanted to do. It's kind of already been going on in Texas. So, like, we passed a bill here a few years ago called SB4 that allowed for Department of Public Safety officers to start to facilitate the deportation of people. And it was a. It was a bill that was fought back against a lot because they said that it would lead to racial profiling, which it has. Like, there are people who are citizens at the border who were kept from reentering. And so I think that in Texas it's kind of. We've already been conditioned to deal with these kinds of things, so we're more used to it, which is why I think Texas Democrats are a lot more unique than like broad scale Democrats.
Unknown Host
Yeah. Texas left. Just learn that term, Texas left.
Olivia Juliana
Yeah.
Unknown Host
So you think if you move to a different state, you'd be more center?
Olivia Juliana
Probably, yeah, I think. And I mean, I'm pretty center. Center left now, but I feel like if I moved to, you know, New York or California or, you know, Oregon, almost definitely I'd be considered like moderate, moderate. But here in Texas, I feel like I'm pretty progressive for the state government that we have here.
Unknown Host
When was the last time Texas or Houston was left? Where shipwise?
Olivia Juliana
Well, the last time Houston was left was with Mayor Sylvester Turner, who passed away a few few months ago when he was at Congress. Our new mayor, John Waym, is a Democrat.
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Olivia Juliana
Crap. Democrat in disguise. Well, he was a Democrat in the, in the state senate for like 30 something years, but he was a. He was elected as a Democrat like back then. So I feel like modern day he probably more Republican. He got elected because he got a lot of Republican support and he's been doing a lot of stuff with Republicans he got into office. But we have a Democratic county judge, Democratic county commission, so. But it's still like that's what happened to me.
Unknown Host
I grew up pretty left in Jersey and now I feel like I haven't changed too much, but the left kind of has.
Olivia Juliana
Yeah, I agree with that.
Unknown Host
And some people on the left denied that.
Olivia Juliana
Yeah, I mean, well, there's some people on the left who think that the left is going too far left and there's some people who think that we're not going far left enough. Which is why I think you get a lot of people like me who feel like sometimes there's not really a home for just like normie libs. Like, that's part of the reason I get attacks from the left is because they think that I'm too moderate, which is crazy to me because I'm like, I don't understand how it's moderate for me to be pro choice, pro public education, pro universal healthcare access, pro immigration reform. And I think a lot of times it's just because the way that I think we should go about it, they don't agree with. And so that turns me into a DNC sellout, bootlicker, shill who is based. The amount of times I have been called a Republican is astounding to me. Like, it's truly insane.
Unknown Host
It's so nuts to me. Because you're still voting for the same person at the end of the day.
Olivia Juliana
Yeah. I've never voted for a Republican, and somehow I'm basically a Trump supporter to a lot of people on the left online.
Unknown Host
What's the closest you've been to voting Republican?
Olivia Juliana
Oh, I know. I know the answer, too. I've never been close to voting for a Republican, but I have been close to leaving my ballot blank. Um, that was in the 2022 Harris County Judge race.
Unknown Host
Really?
Olivia Juliana
In, in Harris County. I, I, I'm not gonna lie. I stood there at the voting booth for a good minute and a half just thinking about. And I ended up, I ended up voting for Lena Hidalgo. And I campaigned for her because I thought that her opponent, Alex Mueller, was crazy. And I feel like I, you know, ended up being, she might, she might see this and post about it so she can get some views on her socials because nobody pays attention to her anymore.
Unknown Host
So she did not do a good job is what you're saying.
Olivia Juliana
She almost won.
Unknown Host
Oh, she didn't win.
Olivia Juliana
Or Lena or. No, Lena almost lost. You know, Alex ne almost won. I think that there's a level of professionalism I think Harris county needs at that moment. That's, that was my main concern. And I know it's going to be a pretty contentious election in this next year. Because it's next year. I don't know if she's gonna run for reelection. Yeah. But I know it's gonna be a primary with some serious opponents for her, so we'll see.
Unknown Host
You supporting Isaiah Martin?
Olivia Juliana
I sure am. He's. He's one of my best friends. He's running for Congress here in Houston, Texas. State scene. Me and Isaiah have been very close friends for almost, Gosh, almost half a decade now.
Unknown Host
Nice. He's bright.
Olivia Juliana
He is. He is. And he has this ability of, like, you either really like him or you really don't like him. But it's funny because I've, I watched him do these TikTok live debates and the amount of people who are Republicans, and not just Republicans, like MAGA people who you'll see in the chat or like, come up, be like, I don't agree with your politics and I don't agree with a lot of your policies, but I respect you, because you're upfront and consistent about what it is you say, and you'll actually talk to us. I think that's part of the reason me and Isaiah became such good friends, is our willingness to, like, actually talk to people alone, not be so closed off all the time.
Unknown Host
And that's where I'll give the left flowers. You guys on TikTok debates, crushing it. Harry Sisson, Dean Withers, Parker getting, like, isaiah is getting 50k views a day or something. It's actually insane. I was on his TikTok last night. A thousand live viewers.
Olivia Juliana
It's. It's pretty crazy. I mean, but I think it shows a willingness to, you know, not necessarily try to change people's minds. I mean, maybe that's the point. But for me, I see it more as. I think we as a country as a whole need more of both sides normalizing, interacting with each other, because I think that the less we interact with each other, the more. More polarized we get. So I think the more we have things like that happen, the better. Better our politics will be.
Unknown Host
100. Yeah, he made a great point when Isaiah came on. He's talking to people in states that no one even gives the daylight to, like Iowa, or. I'm not trying to call it states, but, like, he's talking to people in the middle of nowhere, so to speak, and getting their perspective on politics.
Olivia Juliana
Yeah, I think that matters, especially, like, if you, you know, maybe you're. Maybe you're a Republican in California, and like you, there's a Republican online who you could talk to or, like, you're a Democrat in Iowa. And, you know, I know kind of the. The intention behind that. I grew up, you know, in more rural Texas, outside of Houston, and I didn't meet a Democratic elected official until I actually moved into the city. And so I think that it. Online, social media gives people the opportunity to, like, see themselves or see conversations. Otherwise they never would be able to.
Unknown Host
Yeah. So you said you're pro immigration reform.
Olivia Juliana
I am, yeah.
Unknown Host
So you're not a fan of Trump's deportations right now?
Olivia Juliana
I think that immigration is the issue that Trump had an extremely clear mandate on, and I think he could have approached it in a much more effective and intelligent way. And I think that instead of going in with a surgical needle, he's kind of just gone in with a hatchet. And I don't think you can do that in government. When I say that I don't support the way Donald Trump has been going about immigration, a lot of people automatically Assume that that means, I think, that we should just have wide open borders and let anyone come in. That's not the case. I believe that the motto and the policy of the Democratic Party should be secure the border, protect the drain. Yeah, I think we should have a secure border. I think the border patrol agents should have the resources they need to keep criminals out. But I also think that if you are someone who. You want to come to America to. To bring your family a better life, and you want to come here and build something for yourself, then you should be able to do that. And we should have an immigration system that actually allows you to do that instead of getting caught up in all of this bureaucratical paper bullshit for 20, 30 years.
Unknown Host
I agree. But for the people that did come here illegally, what would your recommendation be?
Olivia Juliana
I think it depends. I think it depends. You know, I think if you're. If you're a kid and, you know, your parents brought you here, if you were a DACA recipient or you fall into that category, I don't think that you should be removed because I think that, you know, you don't know any other country. And these are people who, in my opinion, they're American in every way but on paper. And I think that it. It wouldn't just be immoral for us to. To take those people away from the only home they've ever known. I think it would hurt us as a country. Because I think that, you know, these are people who, who love this country, who care about this country, who would be taken away. As far as people who came here illegally, I think that there needs to be a lot of research and analysis done on how those people came here and who brought them here. Because living in Houston, I can tell you that, you know, this is the human trafficking hub of the world. And I think a really common misconception is a lot of times there will be people who will come to America illegally, but they don't realize that they're coming to America illegally because they've paid someone to bring them to America. They've paid someone for paperwork, and so they don't find out that they're here legally until they're already here because they've been trafficked into the United States, whether it be by a coyote or whether it be by someone else. So I think that that's something we need to be really mindful about, is if someone was brought to America under false pretenses by someone who was a criminal, then I think we should spend more time going after the criminal who's doing that than the people who thought they were doing it the right way. And I think that that's where a comprehensive immigration system would come in. Where. All right, now you're here. You are a victim of a crime because you thought you were coming here correctly. Let's get you processed into the paperwork so you have a work permit, so we can get you paying taxes, get you into a home. And after seven years, which is outlined in the Dignity act bipartisan piece of legislation in Veronica Escobar, Maria Elvis Salazar, after seven years of you paying taxes, you paying for this, then you can become a citizen. And I think that going about it that way is so much more effective and so much more beneficial to the economy than, you know, whatever the hell it is that, that Trump is doing.
Unknown Host
Going straight to the source.
Olivia Juliana
Yeah.
Unknown Host
Yeah. I didn't know Houston was known for trafficking. Well, that's crazy. I guess we are close to the border.
Olivia Juliana
Border and also the, the ports, you know, because you have the, the Gulf of Mexico. And so it kind of, it's kind of, you know, on all fronts. And that's why, you know, we have to have a really strong criminal justice system here.
Unknown Host
So pro public education. So them proposing. They don't want, they want to get rid of the Department of Education. You're not in support of that?
Olivia Juliana
Yeah, I'm not. I, I'm not in support of it. I think that the, the underlying premise there is the consolidation of agencies, and I'm not opposed to that. I'm not opposed to the premise of consolidating government agencies or getting rid of bloating or overlapping of jobs. But I think education in particular is such a sensitive issue that I think it needs its own concentrated space that focuses specifically on that.
Unknown Host
Yeah, Doge sounded good at first. I don't know if it's been working, but I mean, I see mixed things on it.
Olivia Juliana
I see mixed things. I, and I don't, again, like, I don't disagree with the premise of Doge. I just disagree with the richest man in the world who has no government experience being the person to headline that. You know, I know that. I know that Tesla is a successful company in SpaceX because it's a successful company. But I mean, don't you think it's a conflict of interest that a guy who gets government contracts is now getting rid of waste in the government? And that's, I think that's corruption, as plain and simple as you want to get. You know, if Trump wanted to get a head of Doge who was someone who had experience doing that kind of thing, even if it was someone from MAGA world, like, that would arguably be so much less corrupt than putting Elon Musk in charge. Like, to me, it's very clear, like, he bought his way into that position. And, you know, now he's. He's gone. So we see how well that went.
Unknown Host
I mean, even Candace, who you probably don't like, but she exposed that Elon got ousted because he didn't get a certain Tesla deal with the government or something.
Olivia Juliana
Well, you know, I'll say this about. I'll say this about Candace Owens. I don't like her as a. I don't like her. I don't like her content. I don't like her politics. But I respect that she stands on business. And I have. I have respect for a select number of people on the right who do this, where I categorically disagree with pretty much every single thing they say. But it's clear that they're not afraid to say how it is they feel or what it is they believe, regardless of who it is they're talking about. And I think that Candace Owens is one of those people.
Unknown Host
Nice. Who else would you put in that bucket on the right?
Olivia Juliana
Laura Loomer. Oh. Who? Not a fan of mine. Well, like, Laura Luminary said some pretty. Pretty catty things about me online, especially about my appearance. Which girl? Stone the glass houses. But I respect that she. She stands on business. Like, she'll. She'll say things about. But it works. Like, we've seen people who Trump tapped or Trump people tap for certain things. Laura Loomer went after them, and they were removed from those positions.
Unknown Host
Wow. So she got some authority.
Olivia Juliana
She's. I think she's got some authority, and I think the, you know, I think that these people are talented at what they do, and I think that it'd be a shame to discredit them about that.
Unknown Host
Yeah, I feel like with. When it comes to debates, because I watch a lot of debates when they start attacking personal traits. Yeah, you lose some points in my eyes for sure.
Olivia Juliana
And that. That's all I deal with. Um, like, I mean, you know, I'm sure we were talking about this anyway is, you know, Donald Trump Jr. And the right coming after me for being the face of, you know, winning back young men, which. This whole idea of me getting $20 million and the DNC hiring me to be in charge of winning back the youth male vote, it's bullshit. None of it's true.
Unknown Host
So how did that even start?
Olivia Juliana
I. I Went on my friend's podcast. He had, like, 300 YouTube subscribers. I thought it was just going to be like a. Like, a quick little thing of, like, all right, I'll post it on Twitter. Like, maybe it'll get a couple hundred likes. And I was just talking about young men, and I was making jokes about, like, I love frat guys. It's like, oh, no. Like, God forbid someone appreciates young men. But I. I started talking about, like, the. The real issues that young men in America face. And what I said was, a lot of young men are pro choice. They're pro gay marriage, they're pro Black Lives Matter. And in me saying this, like, it just blew up because the right just took it and ran with it. And I think it was because they were saying, like, oh, like, who. Like, who is this fat chick that's in charge of bringing young men back into the Democratic Party? And it's like, well, for one, I'm not, Like, I'm just. I'm just a social media creator who, like, particularly thinks that, you know, shocker, like, the Democratic Party should be a welcoming space for everyone, and that includes young men. But they just took it and ran with it, and they made it about my appearance, and they made it about my identity. A lot of them are calling me a lesbian, which, like, I'm not, but. Okay. But the thing that in particular about this, because it wasn't just, you know, Trump Jr. Trump Wharam tweeted about it, you know, Matt Walsh made like, it was just everywhere, is a lot of them completely disregarded the point that I was making in that video, which was a lot of young men are not rigidly conservative in their ideals. Like, I know most young men, they're pro choice, and, like, they. They're pro family. Like, they think that they should be able to decide if, when and how they start a family. They're. They're pro gay marriage in a way of like a. It's not really my business. Like, if you want to get married, like, why is that an issue to me? Or as far as Black Lives Matter, like, they agree with the premise that police should not be racially profiling people. And I think that if you took a poll of young men and you posed the question of that, you pose those questions to them in that way, I think a lot more of them would agree with me than not. And instead of addressing that and addressing the very valid arguments I'm making in the larger video about the economic anxiety young men face and the mental health issues that young men face, they decided to make it about me, which I find extremely ironic because the right consistently says all the left cares about is identity politics. All the left cares about is talking about social issues. And in a video where I'm talking about young men and what we should do to better their lives in this country, prominent figures in the Republican Party made it about me, made it about the way I look, made it about my sexual identity, and didn't address a single one of the claims that I made in that video. Which is why I responded. I responded and I said, you know, if I lose another £65, will y' all actually raise young men's wages? Will you actually invest in their mental health care resources? Because if that's the case, if it just takes me putting on some running shoes and the track, like, I'll go do that. But if we get to that point, are you just going to find another reason to deflect from the fact that in my opinion, you really don't have any plan on how to make their lives better? You just in the way that I feel like sometimes people on the left do. You said things because they wanted. You wanted them to vote for you because you wanted to get elected. And now Trump's been in there for what, over 120something days. What is the specific plan on how to make life better for young men in America? Because I haven't seen it.
Unknown Host
It's tough, man. Buying a house.
Olivia Juliana
Yeah, she's impossible buying a house. But and this is the thing, and this is why, like, I feel like people should have so much more empathy for young men, is everyone knows and talks about the standards that are put on young women of, you know, you have to fit into a certain beauty standard and you have to be nice and you have to be, you know, defend yourself, but you can't be too mean or else you're a. And for young guys, it's like, okay, you have to be the breadwinner and the provider and you have to buy the house and have the wife and have the kids and the high paying job right after you get out of college and you can't have debt, and if you don't, you're a failure and you're not a man. And then we have politicians in this country who pass policy that make it impossible for the majority of young men to fulfill those standards that they have set for them. And if you're a young guy and, you know, you're working 12 hours a day or you're working, you know, 80 hours a week, and someone tells you that, you know, you still can't do this, are you going to believe that it's your own fault when you're working your ass off to try to reach that dream? Or are you going to find someone else to blame for those problems? Because it can't be me. If I'm working 80 hours a week, how am I the person that's the problem here? And I think that that's where, you know, Trump and Republicans have done such a good job is convincing these young men that it's someone else's fault. Maybe it's immigrants fault, maybe it's women's fault that they can't fulfill these dreams, when they're the ones that are blocking minimum wage increases, when they're the ones that are not increasing funding to mental health resources, when they're the ones that are trying to cut back on things like Pell grants or trade school grants. Like these are things young men could use to build a foundation for their lives. And instead of making those things stronger, they're either ignoring it completely or they're trying to get rid of those programs.
Unknown Host
I agree. Yeah. Trump crushed the, the young male vote, right?
Olivia Juliana
He did. He did. It's because of social media, I think.
Unknown Host
Elite podcast, too.
Olivia Juliana
Podcast. Podcast.
Unknown Host
He crushed the podcast tour when he was running for president.
Olivia Juliana
He did. And it was smart. It was, it was a smart strategy and it wasn't a new strategy. It wasn't like that's what Biden did in 2020 because of the pandemic. You know, he ran a digital campaign and it worked because that's where people are. And I think that the other thing that Trump did in going on these podcasts, he did a really good job at is he was, he was very personable and he talked about his personal life and he told stories and he was very relaxed and chill. And I, I don't think that there are a lot of Democratic politicians at that point who were doing that kind of thing. I think we're, we're getting to that point now where I think we're finally starting to see some people realize that that's what we need to do.
Unknown Host
Yeah. Because our grandparents could work, first of all, only one of them had to work, which is crazy. So that typically the male would work 40, 80 hours a week. They could buy a house, they could buy groceries, they could buy gas. Not even think about it.
Olivia Juliana
Yeah.
Unknown Host
And now both have to work.
Olivia Juliana
Both have to work. And this is why, you know, on the abortion issue, this is, this is why this one's in particular important to me is I have a lot of Republicans who will try to debate with me about the morality of abortion. And my, my typical response to that is, I'm not going to debate with you about the morality of abortion until the Republican Party, by and large, has a policy platform that is actually pro family. Because I, I'm pro family. Like I said, you should, you should have the ability to decide if, when, and how you start a family. And that means you are able to give birth and have a child because you have affordable health care. You're able to take your child home to a house that you own because it's affordable for you to buy a house, and then you're able to take paid leave off of work so you can spend those first few weeks with your child, and then when they get to the point for you to go back to work, you can afford to send them to childcare? And these are all things that Republicans are obstacles to. They don't support paid family leave. They don't support increased assistance for child care costs. They don't support a lot of Republicans on the local level. They don't support, you know, permitting reform to build more affordable housing units. And so for me, like, everyone always wants, because I'm like the abortion girl, everyone always wants to talk to me about the morality of it. Like, I don't want to talk about the morality of it until y' all are ready for people to actually start having kids. Because a lot of the women who have abortions have abortions because they already have two to three children and they cannot afford to have another one. So if you're going to be pro family, be about it.
Unknown Host
I've seen that. Because having a baby just at the hospital is five figures, which is crazy. So most families cannot afford that.
Olivia Juliana
No, they can't. Especially, like, if you don't, if you don't have health insurance or if you have a job that doesn't have paid parental leave. So, like, if you have a kid, you could lose your job. What kind of a country is it that we say we're pro family and we say that we have this dream that people can achieve, but we've created a circumstance where if you get pregnant and you want to have a child, you could lose the job that you need to provide for that child, and the government will tell you it's your fault?
Unknown Host
Yeah, that's ironic. Yeah. I know so many people in their 20s and even early 30s that just won't have kids right now. They want to have kids, but they. They don't buy them. Yeah. They can't afford it.
Unknown Advertiser
It's crazy.
Unknown Host
And the birth rates are declining, and.
Olivia Juliana
And that's why.
Unknown Host
Yeah. Hard Brian parents era had like, six.
Olivia Juliana
Kids, and they think that banning abortion is the solution, and it's just not. You know, banning abortion is not going to get rid of abortion. It's just going to make abortion unsafe, and it's going to lead to more women putting themselves in dangerous situations, either because they want to take care of the kids they already have, or maybe they're in a domestic abuse situation and, you know, now they're forced to have their abuser's baby. Well, now that attaches them to that person even longer. And so, you know, if you want abortion rights to go down, past policies will make abortion rates go down. But. But until then, I don't want it debating you on the issue.
Unknown Host
You might have to go on a Jubilee video and. Or on a Charlie Kirk campus that.
Olivia Juliana
Well. Well, Charlie Kirk, he's an interesting one.
Unknown Host
Yeah. College is a scam.
Olivia Juliana
Yeah. Well, when you drop out and you don't go back, it's easy to say that. And I say. I say that as someone who is a community college student who is in the process of still grad. I'm not gonna finish school. I'll finish school eventually, but it's not a priority to me. And so I think it's really easy for you to be like, oh, college is a scam when Charlie Kirk has access to all the measures of power that the young men he's telling not to go to college don't.
Unknown Host
So, bars. Well, Olivia, it's been fun. Where can people find you, support you and keep up with you?
Olivia Juliana
You find me a camera, you can find me everywhere. Olivia. Juliana. Twitter. Sorry. X. Facebook. Instagram. Tik Tok. Substack. I'm everywhere, controversial everywhere. And I love to hear from both sides. So come find me, find her.
Unknown Host
Guys. Thanks for watching. See you next time.
Podcast Summary: Digital Social Hour – Olivia Juliana: The Truth About America’s Youth Crisis | Olivia Julianna DSH #1421
Episode Details
The episode opens with Olivia Juliana addressing concerns about government corruption, mentioning figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk. She asserts the importance of integrity in leadership, stating:
"If Trump wanted to get ahead of Doge, it was someone who had experience doing that kind of thing. Even if it was someone from MAGA world, like, that would arguably be so much less corrupt than putting Elon Musk in charge."
[00:01]
Olivia acknowledges her polarizing presence across the political spectrum, highlighting the difficulty of receiving hate from both sides:
"I'm a woman of many talents."
[00:38]
The conversation delves into the deep divisions within political parties, particularly focusing on the Democratic Party's challenges post the 2020 election. Olivia emphasizes the need for unity and stronger electoral strategies:
"We have an opportunity now to do two things, which is to be united in any kind of opposition we have and to quell out any of the problems we have in our own party..."
[01:32]
She discusses potential Democratic candidates, mentioning Andy Beshear and Gavin Newsom, and compares their media strategies to Donald Trump's:
"I think Gavin Newsom is a very skilled politician... America would elect a Democrat from California."
[03:32]
Olivia praises Newsom's media prowess, likening his ability to command attention to Trump's:
"There is anyone who commands media and public attention as well as he does."
[07:06]
Immigration is a central topic, with Olivia critiquing Trump's approach and advocating for comprehensive reform. She outlines her stance on securing borders while providing pathways for legal immigration:
"I believe that the motto and the policy of the Democratic Party should be secure the border, protect the drain... but also think that if you are someone who wants to come to America to bring your family a better life, then you should be able to do that."
[20:32]
Olivia differentiates between illegal immigrants who are victims of trafficking and those who enter unlawfully, emphasizing the need to target criminal facilitators:
"If someone was brought to America under false pretenses by someone who was a criminal, then I think we should spend more time going after the criminal who's doing that than the people who thought they were doing it the right way."
[21:46]
The discussion shifts to public education, where Olivia expresses opposition to eliminating the Department of Education, citing the necessity of a focused approach to education policy:
"I think education in particular is such a sensitive issue that I think it needs its own concentrated space that focuses specifically on that."
[25:04]
She also touches upon government agency consolidation, supporting efficiency but cautioning against overlooking critical sectors like education.
A significant portion of the episode centers on the challenges facing America's youth, particularly young men. Olivia recounts her experiences with online backlash after addressing the realities young men face, such as economic anxiety and mental health issues:
"A lot of young men are pro choice, they're pro gay marriage, they're pro Black Lives Matter... Instead of addressing that, they decided to make it about me."
[27:09]
She criticizes both political parties for their approaches, advocating for policies that support young men in achieving economic stability and personal fulfillment:
"You're pro family... you should have the ability to decide if, when, and how you start a family... these are things that Republicans are obstacles to."
[35:50]
Olivia highlights the societal pressures on young men to fulfill traditional roles amidst economic challenges:
"If you're a young guy... you're working your ass off to try to reach that dream. And I think that... Trump and Republicans have done such a good job is convincing these young men that it's someone else's fault."
[32:03]
The episode explores the role of media and alternative platforms like TikTok in shaping political discourse. Olivia praises her friend Isaiah Martin for effectively engaging with diverse audiences through live debates, fostering dialogue across ideological divides:
"Isaiah has this ability of, like, you either really like him or you really don't like him... he's actually talking to people alone, not being so closed off all the time."
[19:13]
She underscores the importance of normalization and interaction between differing political viewpoints to mitigate polarization.
Olivia shares her personal journey in politics, including the unfounded accusations of her being a Republican supporter. She defends her political stance and emphasizes her commitment to Democratic values:
"I've never voted for a Republican, and somehow I'm basically a Trump supporter to a lot of people on the left online."
[16:42]
She discusses the backlash she received after addressing issues relevant to young men, detailing how her message was distorted to focus on her identity instead of the substantive issues:
"They made it about me, which I find extremely ironic because the right consistently says all the left cares about is identity politics."
[30:20]
In wrapping up, Olivia reflects on the current political environment and the necessity for strategic engagement to address America's youth crisis. She encourages empathy and comprehensive policy solutions to support young men and rebuild trust within the Democratic Party.
"I think the more we have things like that happen, the better. Better our politics will be."
[19:42]
Olivia urges for actionable plans rather than mere rhetoric, emphasizing the importance of tangible support systems for the younger generation.
Notable Quotes with Timestamps
On Government Corruption:
"If Trump wanted to get ahead of Doge... so much less corrupt than putting Elon Musk in charge."
[00:01]
On Media Strategies:
"There is anyone who commands media and public attention as well as he does."
[07:06]
On Immigration Reform:
"We should have an immigration system that actually allows you to do that instead of getting caught up in all of this bureaucratical paper bullshit for 20, 30 years."
[21:46]
On Young Men's Issues:
"If you're a young guy... how am I the person that's the problem here?"
[32:03]
Final Thoughts In this episode of Digital Social Hour, Olivia Juliana provides a candid and insightful analysis of the multifaceted challenges facing America’s youth, especially young men. She critiques existing political strategies, advocates for comprehensive immigration and education reforms, and emphasizes the need for authentic engagement across political divides. Olivia's reflections offer a nuanced perspective on bridging gaps within the Democratic Party and fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment for the younger generation.
For more insights and discussions, listeners are encouraged to follow Olivia Juliana across her social media platforms.