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The Parnas Perspective
Breaking: Trump Outraged as Mass Boycott Tonight’s State of the Union Grows
00:15:29
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Whether you're into unsolved mysteries, solved mysteries, or creating your own mysteries, Amazon Music's got millions of podcast episodes waiting. Just download the Amazon Music app and start listening to your favorite podcasts ad free included with Prime.
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We have some pretty significant news right now. The mass boycott of the State of the Union address this evening is growing fast, to the point where you now have nearly four dozen members of Congress say they're not going to attend the President's speech tonight. Which means that for the first time really in a long time, you're gonna have a Hall of Congress, a chamber of the House that is relatively empty. You have dozens and dozens of members say they're not going to be attending the speech. Over 40 say they're not going to be attending the speech. Based on what I understand inside the White House, the President isn't too happy about it because he really does care about crowd sizes. And his crowd size tonight is said to be one of the smallest in recent American history outside of the crowd size for President Biden during his address during the pandemic in which you had a cap on a number of people that could show up. Make sure to like, comment, share and subscribe. The more you like, the more people see this and subscribe to my substack. Click the link below to support my work or send the Venmo to Aaron Parnas to keep me caffeinated as I battle the flu. And make sure that you all get State of the Union coverage, because I'm watching the speech tonight so that you don't have to. You have the mass boycott happening. You have Trump being upset. We learned this afternoon that several of Donald Trump's guests, including will be, including Erica Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk. There'll be other guests as well in an effort for Trump to champion his quote, unquote, affordability agenda. But what's happening, what we're seeing this year that's very different from prior years is that members of Congress are taking it upon themselves to give their alternative States of the Union. So you're gonna have Abigail Spanberger, the governor of Virginia, give her the official Democratic response, the State of the Union tonight. Then you're gonna have the people's State of the Union hosted by Midas, touch and move on. There'll be dozens of members of Congress there. And today you already had Congresswoman LaMonica McIver give her official response to the State of the Union, which she did on her own. And why is that important? She did it with Democracy Defenders Action. Lamonica McIver I'm going to show you her full speech. I encourage you to watch it. To me, this is a better speech, better use of your time to watch rather than the speech tonight. She's important because she is a member of Congress from New Jersey, one of the members of Congress indicted by the Trump Justice Department for trying to conduct valid oversight responsibilities at an ICE detention facility. Her case is still pending. People don't talk about it that much because there's so much other craziness in the news, but the White House did indict a sitting member of Congress on obstruction related charges despite the fact that she was conducting lawful oversight. So with that, without further ado, Here is Congresswoman LaMonica McIver and her official, unofficial response to the State of the Union.
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I am Lamonica McIver. You may not know my name, but you may have heard my story. I am the congresswoman that Donald Trump is trying to put in prison for 17 years. Trump's department of justice is going after me, trying to silence me and scare other people out of standing for what's right, all because I was doing my job. I am proud to represent my hometown in Congress. The people who raised me trusted me to be their voice and sent me to Washington to represent them. They all call New Jersey home. Last year, as Donald Trump took office, I saw those same people living in fear. Raids, mass agents, kids being pulled out of school, loved ones taken away without a trace. So I did what I am supposed to do as a member of Congress. I went to inspect a detention center in my district because we heard reports of how bad it was. I went to get answers. This administration charged me with two felonies, imprisoning elected officials of the opposing party, using the full force of the law and the taxpayer dollar to shut down dissent. This is not what happens in America, and it is not what happens in a democracy. That is why I am here today, joining with Democracy Defenders Action to address the state of our union and the state of our democracy. There is so much happening in our country. My colleagues and many others will talk about that tonight and in the coming days. But this moment demands that we directly address the state of our democracy. What has happened over the last year, where we are headed and what must change if we are going to pursue the country we all love. Trump never believed the law applied to him, but now he surrounded himself with people who believe it, too. He stacked the courts, sent troops into American cities, and is using the government as a tool for retribution. This moment in time feels as close to to the brink as we have ever been. Tonight, we can expect Donald Trump to do what he always does. Lie. He will tell us not to believe our own eyes. He will tell us we've never been safer, even as he sends mass agents to murder Americans and terrorize families. He's going to tell you life is getting more affordable even as his policies make things more expensive. He is going to tell you that he is popular, he's made a lot of promises, but the only thing he's done is make life worse. He doesn't work for you because he doesn't care about you. And that is a democracy problem. Everything Donald Trump does, he does to help himself, his family and his billionaire buddies. Economic chaos, global instability, the elimination of our rights at home, and constant fear allow powerful people to get more power and more money. Everyone else pays the price. As daily costs go up, everyday people don't have a corporate cushion to help them out. As we worry about our loved ones safety, we focus less on who is responsible. But in boardrooms and back rooms across the country, Trump and his richest friends can sit above the chaos and and rewrite the rules to help themselves even more. This is power and money that they will do anything to keep. While Americans are forced to focus on survival, it becomes easier for those at the top to tighten their grip on everything else and get rich while doing it. There are people who can change this, people who were elected to do so. And tonight, at least on the Republican side, many of those people will stand up and clap. The President will say things that will make your stomach turn. And these Republicans will cheer. But it's no surprise. They're doing what they've always done. Giving up on all the power voters trusted them with and handing it directly to Trump. Congress has the responsibility to check the president, and these people refuse to do it. The Constitution gives members of Congress the responsibility to oversee the executive branch and protect everyone in this country from abuses of power. But we have seen repeatedly that the Trump administration and Republicans will lie, cheat and steal to avoid their actions being seen for what they are. Look at ICE and dhs. Last year was the deadliest in decades for ice. But they saw my oversight and called me a criminal. They used a little boy as bait and locked him up. They killed a mother and called her a domestic terrorist. They murdered a nurse and called him an assassin. They want to get away with all of it. They will turn the story around on any and all of us. They are testing our humanity and they are testing the strength of our democracy. Pushing, bending and Even breaking the guardrails that hold it together. The administration weaponizing the Department of Justice against me is just one example. They are doing something that hasn't happened in our country since the 1700s, trying to put someone who the people elected in jail for using my voice to question his. No experienced prosecutor would have brought this case. That's why Trump appointed Alina Haba. No normal DOJ was. Would keep pursuing it. That's why Trump chose Pam Bondi. No just DHS would have stood so firmly behind their wrongdoing. That's why Kristi Noem is at the helm. To them, the government is a tool of intimidation. I'm not the only one in the administration's sights. They threatened Attorney General Tish James after she enforced the law. They charged David Huerta for standing up for working people. They investigated members of Congress for telling troops to follow the law. They have singled out the people who challenged their power. And this is only the start. Trump is talking about nationalizing elections. He's got the FBI storming the Fulton County, Georgia, election office. This administration has shown us that they only think elections are fair when they win. They don't believe they are accountable to the people on any front. And they are scared more than anything that they will lose power. What we do in this moment matters. People in power haven't always cared about people who look like me, a black girl from Newark who grew up poor. They haven't always listened to or fought for communities like mine or yours anywhere in this country. But democracy meant that people in power had to listen to us, to the people. That is what is under attack. Authoritarians target their critics one by one to warn everyone else to stay quiet. They drown them in lies and legal bills and fear and threats. They isolate their critics and make the people watching think nothing can be done to help. But that's just another lie they're telling you. America can handle dissent. We should welcome it. The conversation makes us stronger. But Donald Trump doesn't care about America. He cares only about himself, his money, his power. It is time to decide. Is democracy worth defending? Is it worth the risk? Is it worth the very real sacrifice? There are people who will tell you that democracy is just a beautiful idea and not something we've bled for. I am not one of those people. Tonight, when you hear the State of the Union, I want you to listen carefully. Watch not just what the president is saying, saying, but what he is doing. Think about what he has done. Is this the America you want? Because that is the real measure of the state of our union. And if the answer to that question is no, then the work is ours. And I know that we can do it together. We must.
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Hey folks, thanks so much for watching. Feel free to add this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or anywhere you watch for the latest breaking news and daily hits throughout the day. Make sure to follow subscribe. See you soon for more Far Lost
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I'm gonna pull over and ask that man for directions. Hi there. We're looking to get to the campground.
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Well, you're gonna take a left at the old oak tree end of this here road. No, I'm just kidding. Let me get my phone out.
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How are you getting a signal out here?
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Actually, can you point us in the direction of a T Mobile store?
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