Swalwell GOES ON OFFENSE against Trump…ALREADY!!

Summary

Summary of "Swalwell GOES ON OFFENSE against Trump…ALREADY!!" | The MeidasTouch Podcast

Release Date: November 7, 2024

In this episode of The MeidasTouch Podcast, hosts Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas engage in a compelling conversation with Congressman Eric Swalwell. The discussion delves into the current political landscape, focusing on Congressman Swalwell's strategies and messages in the face of former President Donald Trump's ongoing influence. The episode is structured around key themes such as resilience in political activism, legislative challenges, judicial shifts, and strategies for rebuilding a robust pro-democracy coalition.

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1. A Call to Action: Staying Resilient and Engaged

[00:00] Host:
The podcast opens with the host emphasizing the importance of not giving up despite unfavorable political outcomes. Addressing Eric Swalwell, the host highlights the congressman's recent message urging the audience to maintain hope and increase their efforts in political engagement.

[00:19] Congressman Swalwell:
Swalwell responds passionately, stating, "Let's get loud and let's get going." He draws parallels between various struggles—such as a young woman navigating restrictive laws in Florida, soldiers in Eastern Ukraine, and high school students facing an environment ripe with mass shooters—to illustrate that collective resilience can overcome significant challenges. Swalwell acknowledges the pain of political losses but underscores the necessity of continued activism to counteract what he refers to as "Trump's Project 2025."

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2. Legislative and Executive Challenges: Navigating Political Appointments

[02:06] Host:
The conversation shifts to the potential appointments by Donald Trump, mentioning figures like Rick Grenell and Cash Patel, who are reportedly high on Trump's list to lead the CIA.

[02:17] Congressman Swalwell:
Swalwell expresses concern over these appointments, emphasizing the need for vigilance to prevent individuals he deems unfit from holding significant power. He criticizes figures such as Judge Eileen Cannon, highlighting her controversial decisions, including dismissing a case related to nuclear secrets.

[02:45] Host:
The host probes into the role of Congress in resisting these appointments, seeking Swalwell's insights on the legislative branch's capacity to counteract executive actions.

[02:45] Congressman Swalwell:
Swalwell outlines potential scenarios within Congress, discussing the implications of Democrats holding the majority versus a narrow Republican majority. He references past instances under Speaker Johnson to illustrate how Democrats can influence significant votes even in minority positions. Swalwell stresses the importance of using the House of Representatives to "fence in Donald Trump and his worst instincts," ensuring that detrimental policies do not advance unchecked.

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3. Judicial Shifts: The Overturning of Chevron and Its Implications

[03:29] Host:
The discussion transitions to recent Supreme Court decisions, specifically the overturning of the Chevron doctrine, which historically granted agencies considerable discretion. The host notes that this shift diminishes deference to agency decisions, altering the balance of power and strategic maneuvering of Trump's allies.

[04:26] Congressman Swalwell:
Swalwell critiques the Supreme Court's decision, labeling it as unstrategic and unsmart. He asserts that this ruling necessitates a more collaborative and gridlocked approach within Congress, effectively hindering the implementation of Trump’s policies. Swalwell highlights the importance of electoral victories in the House and Senate as a buffer against a robust Republican majority that could otherwise "rubber stamp" Trump's agenda.

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4. Social Media Polarization and Building Unity

[05:45] Host:
The host raises concerns about divisive rhetoric proliferating on platforms like TikTok, where various groups are "pointing fingers" at each other. He suggests that such divisions benefit political adversaries by distracting and fragmenting the base.

[06:45] Congressman Swalwell:
Swalwell acknowledges the polarization but emphasizes the importance of gratitude and recognizing the pivotal role of Black voters. He commends Black men and women for exceeding turnout expectations, countering the narrative that they would not participate. Swalwell advocates for authenticity in political messaging, suggesting that leaders should "lead with our personality" rather than solely focusing on policy. He believes that genuine connection, grounded in personal values and experiences, is more effective in garnering support than traditional, perhaps more sterile, approaches.

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5. Lessons from the Election and Future Strategies

[08:13] Host:
As the conversation draws towards its conclusion, the host invites Congressman Swalwell to share actionable advice for listeners eager to contribute to the pro-democracy movement.

[08:35] Congressman Swalwell:
Swalwell outlines a clear "to-do list" for listeners:

1. Educate Themselves:

   • Committees Awareness: Examine the Senate committees responsible for confirming nominees, particularly those relevant to personal and public interests (e.g., health committees concerning vaccine policies).

2. Engage with Representatives:

   • Electoral Accountability: Reach out to senators up for reelection to question their priorities—whether they will support constituents' interests or prioritize Trump's agenda.

3. Active Participation:

   • Voting and Advocacy: Continue supporting elected officials who align with pro-democracy values and hold those in power accountable.

Swalwell emphasizes that these actions are crucial in thwarting "Trump's Project 2025," urging listeners to remain proactive and engaged as new political developments unfold.

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Conclusion

The episode concludes with the host thanking Congressman Swalwell for his insights and encouraging listeners to subscribe and follow the podcast's social media channels for ongoing updates. The conversation encapsulates a strong message of resilience, strategic legislative action, and the imperative of authentic, community-focused political engagement to safeguard democracy against perceived threats.

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Notable Quotes:

• Congressman Swalwell [00:19]:
  "Let's get loud and let's get going. Because if a young woman in Florida... can find her way through, we can, too."

• Congressman Swalwell [02:45]:
  "We have to use the House as a way to fence in Donald Trump and his worst instincts."

• Congressman Swalwell [04:26]:
  "No one has ever accused them of being strategic or smart."

• Congressman Swalwell [06:45]:
  "We should lead with our personality... connects more rather than the Harvard Law School moot court approach."

• Congressman Swalwell [08:35]:
  "Start to look at the committees in the Senate who will confirm these nominees... ask them, are you going to be looking out for my kids or for Donald Trump?"

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This episode serves as a rallying call for listeners to remain engaged, informed, and proactive in their efforts to support democratic principles and counteract policies they perceive as detrimental. Congressman Swalwell's insights provide a roadmap for political activism, emphasizing the significance of both legislative action and authentic community connection.

Transcript

[A]

I'm joined by Congress member Eric Swalwell. So, Congress member, not the result that people wanted. I'm telling our audience, though, now is not the time to give up. Not the time to give up hope. Now is the time to get to work. You put out a message today to that effect. What's your message to everybody out there?

[B]

Yeah, let's get loud and let's get going. Because if a young woman in Florida, where a six week ban is now the law of the land, can get up today and find her way through, we can, too. And if a soldier in a trench in Eastern Ukraine who just saw their best ally walk away from them can keep fighting, we can, too. And if a high school student who's going to go to school today in a country that's going to arm mass shooters to the teeth and they're still going to get through it, we can, too. It doesn't feel good to lose. It sucks. I hate it. I hate what this winner says about our country and the people who make it so great. But we have work to do. We've dealt with this guy before. He's a one term president coming in. He's in serious cognitive decline. We're not helpless. We are privileged to be among those who can do something. And by the way, there's no time to, you know, mourn or grieve for too long because the next play is going to happen pretty soon when he starts to nominate all of the cabinet officials who will implement Trump's Project 2025. And so we got to be loud. We have to get in front of all of the senators who are going to be voting on this and make our cases to them as to why people like Rick Grinnell and Cash Patel and all these others in the Rogues gallery cannot be in charge of our country. Why our kids need vaccines and we're not going to let RFK Jr. As the health secretary take them away. So there's a lot of plays coming down the field and so we should be upset, but let's put our helmets on, get back on the field and defend the yardage between US and Project 2025 becoming the law of the land.

[A]

You talk about two individuals there, Rick Grenell, Cash Patel, who are now at Donald Trump's top list of leading the CIA. You talk about.

[B]

Yeah. And by the way, if either of them are there, it's just the ca, Right?

[A]

Then you, then you, then you have, you know, his picks for, you know, Attorney General Judge Eileen Cannon, who dismissed his case when he stole Nuclear secrets is at the top of that list. Other individuals who have said some really serious things. What can we do? First off, what's Congress going to do? As you're speaking to your colleagues, what is that resistance going to look like?

[B]

Well, here's the good news about Congress. Best scenario is Democrats win, are in the majority. Hakeem Jeffries is the speaker. That can still happen. Worst case scenario is that we're in the minority, but Republicans only have a two or three seat majority. We just saw what that looked like with the shit show under Speaker Johnson. And Speaker Johnson was formerly the speaker. Functionally, Hakeem Jeffries was the speaker because no vote of consequence passed without Democrats delivering the vote. So we know what that looks like. We can do that again. So we have to use the House as a way to fence in Donald Trump and his worst instincts.

[A]

And a lot of people are talking about how the Supreme Court, we did a video on this this morning. You know, the Supreme Court overturned the Chevron decision, which used to provide not carte blanche authority for agency discretions, but gave agencies a lot of deference. Donald Trump and all of his people got that overturned. Now Donald Trump controls the agencies. And so there are people saying, and you're a lawyer, that the federal courts are now a route as well to kind of curb it. Which is interesting, that. And it just goes to show you the lack of strategy that they're having where they would have had all this deference to agency decisions. Now that deference is stripped away. And federal judges in the first instance are now making decisions, which is what they wanted because they wanted to own the libs and own Biden. But now that's back to kind of haunt them here, if you will, or protect the people is probably a better way of putting it.

[B]

No one has ever accused them of being strategic or smart. And so, yes, now they're going to have to live with the decision that their Supreme Court came up with, which means that everything effectively has to go through this pretty gridlocked Congress. And again, I want your viewers to know, because I understand, like, they may be upset, they may be feeling down, but the work that you did to elect Ruben Gallego and Alyssa Slotkin and Tammy Baldwin, that is the difference between running away with this stuff in the Senate and having tight margins, where Murkowski and Collins and Tillis and others are going to feel a lot of pressure to work with us to inoculate against Trump's worst tendencies. The work that we did to win four House seats in New York, hopefully A couple in California. That is going to be the difference between, you know, a, a robust Republican majority that can just rubber stamp Donald Trump's agenda or one that is going to really pare it down. So we, we did work that mitigated against what could have been just an absolute disaster. And so I want your viewers to know that I'm grateful that they did that work because it's all going to pay off as these next couple plays come down the field.

[A]

You know, finally on my Tick Tock feed, at least I'm seeing, you know, all these videos of this group pointing fingers at that group and these people pointing fingers at these people. And I've been telling the audience I'm not sure that's the most productive way of dealing with this. And there are certain lessons to be learned, of course, but I think the recriminations and especially dividing each other is exactly what ultimately the people who helped Donald Trump get into power, the Elon Musk's, want the people to be pointing fingers. I'm not helping you. So, so I'm not helping you. So what are the lessons, though, that, you know, it's recent. I'm sure you have some lessons that you've taken out of this election. And what are, what can we do, though, to build back, you know, this robust coalition that brought, you know, a big Biden victory in 2020?

[B]

Well, first, let's show gratitude. Black women and black men showed up. They showed up at the same levels as they showed up for Biden or greater. And they were really leading up to this election. The press extended this narrative that they were not going to show up. And there was really no reason to extend that and they still did. So I think we should thank black men and black women for really showing up this election. We have work to do, clearly, with different segments and people in our country. And we'll do that work and we'll take the time to understand, you know, what it is. I will just say from where I sit, and I'm just a blue collar kid, you know, who's the son of a cop and was the first in his family to go to college. I think we have to be more real and plain spoken and authentic as we deliver our message. And we shouldn't lead with policy, we should lead with our personality. And if our personality reflects our values and our principles and what we'll do if trusted to lead, I think that connects more rather than the Harvard Law School moot court approach that I see too often. But there's work for us to do. And we're going to do it. But as I said, we don't have the luxury of admiring the problem because the next play is going to happen pretty soon. And we all need to be in the game to make sure that, you know, they don't score with Trump's Project 2025.

[A]

Well, Congress member Swalwell, our forum here is open to you, anyone else in the pro democracy community to make sure we get out all of those messages. And when we have you back, we'd love to hear too, about what is it that people can do. You know, should we be writing letters, calling Congress members, protesting being in D.C. you know, what is it we should be doing?

[B]

Item one on the to do list is start to look at the committees in the Senate who will confirm these nominees. And again, if you don't want RFK to take away, you know, your kids, you know, polio vaccine or the measles vaccine, get to know the health committee that's going to be confirming them. And look at the senators who are going to be up for reelection and ask them, are you going to be looking out for my kids or are you going to be looking out, you know, for your, you know, your leader, Donald Trump? Who will you choose? So we've got, as I said, that's coming soon.

[A]

Congressman Swalwell, thanks for joining us.

[B]

Thanks, guys.

[A]

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