Will the New Democratic Leader Please Stand Up? | Angela Rye SoloPod

As you all know, many of us, I'm saying us, Lolo included, many of us are very frustrated by the fact that he didn't understand understand the assignment last week. House Democrats are on or all the House are on recess this week, and we're trying to understand why anybody's given him a pass because we've not given him a pass. We are trying to understand, Chuck Schumer, why would you vote with a Republican party that refuses to hold Donald

Trump and Elon Musk. Really President must accountable for his actions. You're giving them a rubber stamp. Let the Republicans do that. So those of you are at home and like I don't really care about none of this. If you are at home saying that, you probably don't watch the podcast quite yet. But welcome if you do, welcome home, as we say every week on Native Lampi. But what I will also say to you is we need to talk about accountability structure. That's lolo suggestion. We need to talk

about why we should care. And we are going to get a little bit further into Chuck Schuber. Lola, I'm hanging up on you, y'all. Tune in over here, y'all. She's still yelling, hanging up. I'm hanging up. Okay, so on live now. Now, here's what I want to tell y'all. Why should you care? Why should you care? Well, I'm so glad you asked. So. The Congress is a coequal branch of government, and Congress dictates whether or what builds

the president signs into law. Okay, what we have seen in recent weeks is that literally since Donald Trump has been torn into torn into office January twentieth, we have seen a Republican Congress, a Republican administration that has been willing to give Donald Trump a rubber stamp. We talked about this several times, that there's no accountability, that it

feels like a land has no president. All of that, Chuck Schumer had to have seen Hakim Jeffries, who is the House Democratic Leader we've been calling him the opposition leader, ensure that his caucus, that House Democrats, voted in lockstep to oppose a continuing resolution that even included a cut of a billion dollars to the DC government. What does that mean for you? If you live in Mississippi or Alabama or Washington State, which is where I'm from, why

should you care about that? Well, if you're willing to cut the budget of another entity because you don't agree with their politics, or you want to punish them or whatever, that's a very dangerous precedent to set. And that is kind of the role where where that we're walking down. So we assumed that because Chuck Schumer said last week, Hey, guys, I'm gonna I'm going to be voting in lockstep with the House Dems. We're going to ensure that our party

is lined up together. We're going to protect the American people. That's the most important party here, y'all. He was supposed to be protecting the needs and the interests of the American people. And guess what, Chuck, he didn't understand the assignment. He did not understand the assignment. Instead, he said, you know what, hell with this. Not only am I going to vote with the Republicans on this Continuing Resolution, I am going to get ten of us to stand in

lockstep to pass this. As you all may know, in the Senate, the United States Senate, most of us would just think a simple majority, right would ensure that we could pass policy. Well that's not the case. In order for a cloture vote to happen, you have to have sixty votes. So because of the margins in the margins in the Senate, you normally are going to have to have some Democrats who side with Republicans to get the bill to cloture, and then for the ultimate measure, whatever

that legislation is. Here was the Continued Resolution, which is a budget how things will be funded throughout the government or not funded, which is another big part. So they voted for cloture, which means the overall bill could continue, and then they allowed the Republicans to get this measure through that now gives Donald Trump and Elon Musk more rain to do whatever they want to do. So regardless of if you guys care about this or not, what you've got to understand is that even at your job.

You have accountability. If you come into work late every day, you got to have a conversation with your boss. Right after you had a conversation with your boss, you still coming to work late. You are may get disciplined, maybe some type of probationary period, and then you ultimately lose your job. If the American people are telling you what time it is, Chucky, if the American people are telling you how they want you to vote, Chucky, I'm going to need you to fall in line. Friend. So that's

what's happening. So now Chuck Schumer's making his calls, he's making his rounds, he's asking people for cover, he's asking people for support. He's telling them, whatever you want to do, I'll do it, man. We told you what to do. Man. So here's the thing I want to know from y'all if you think that Chuck Schumer should face any consequence for again, this is the Senate minority leader. He only got but so much power. And mind you, let me

tell you. When the Republicans were in the minority, there's a guy named Mitch McConnell who some of y'all might have seen like this at a press conference, and he was stuck. He didn't get stuck when it was time for them to debate a continuing resolution that they didn't like. In twenty twenty one, when he didn't want to give Joe Biden approval or be on the other side of what they would what they would call a democratic rubber stamp, he didn't give him no support, No, no, no, no no.

Guess what Mitch McConnell did, friends, He philibustered that bill. Philibuster, I'm so glad you asked. That means that he was on the Senate floor talking that ish about the bill because he didn't want the thing to pass. That's what you do, you put up a little bit of fight. And here's the problem. Me a political myself. I'm a political strategist. I grew up professionally in this stuff. I love this stuff. I have been telling people for a year that we are living, we will live under a

fascist regime if Donald Trump wins this election. Okay, I have been and you know why I'm telling you that because I believe it, and we're already seeing signs of it. We have lost there's an index, a democracy index. We have lost standing on that democracy index. I believe the words that are coming out of my mouth. I ain't line, y'all. I believe that we are fifty two steps closer to fascism. Okay,

so I'm not telling you something I don't believe. So my question is for folks in elected office who have also said the same thing that me and my friends, people who are in the political process have said for over a year that this will be fascism, that democracy will be dead, which means only that people power will exist no more. If we really believe that, why would you vote in favor of giving somebody more reach like Elon Musk would doge the Department of Government Efficiency that

ain't even a real department. Why would you give Donald Trump, who's signing in these executive actions, all these executive actions that are not into law, rogue authority for him, abuses of power for him trying to strengthen and garner more presidential power, which he clearly doesn't need. There need to be more checks and balances. Why would you give him more authority? And not even filibuster it. Y'all wanted to

keep the filibuster bro use the filipbuster. So I want to just tell y'all about some other folks who didn't quite get this right. Okay, So there were several several Democrats who voted to support this measure, and I know that some of you have already been following this issue, so you know who they are. I am going to one of our graphics because y'all, my memory is bad to pull up who the list of senators were that voted for this bill, the Continuing Resolution. Some of them were,

for example, Kristin Gillibrand in New York. So why are you voting for it? What's on the line for you? Catherine Cortes, mast them out of Nevada? Why are you voting for it? Let me see who else voted for this. I want to name everybody, because it's not just Chuck Shoo who should be facing these consequences. It's the other people too who voted for this. But I do think that he had an obligation and he didn't fulfill his obligation.

He's the leader, so if he gives them cover, which means he gives them permission to vote for it, we have a problem, you know. So let's see who else. The vote was sixty two to thirty eight, and it was a six month extension of the current budget, which means that in six months we're gonna be back here again, probably before them. So Cinni Minority leader Chuck Schumer, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania again, Catherine Cortes mass So of Nevada.

Dick Durbin, who is normally pretty good on issues of Illinois, voted for this. Brian Shattz of Hawaii. Now, Brian, what you doing? Gary Peters of Michigan, really, what are you doing? Like? Do these folks not realize they have people who would be impacted by some of these cuts in their states. Maggie Hassen of New Hampshire, a Grin again, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, and Jean Shaheen of New Hampshire, who, by the way, says she's not going to uh seek

office again, She's gonna step down after this term. So what did you have to lose? Friend? And then Angus King, who is an independent from Maine but caucuses with the Democrats. That's what we're up against. So my position is you need to make sure these people hear from you and understand what's at stake here. There are those of you who have been hearing us say this for weeks now that you need to call these members of Congress, make your voices heard, ensure that they are doing the right thing.

And you're like, why should I care? Why should I Why should I take my time to call them? I've never seen them work for us? Why should I care? Well, this is what I'm gonna tell you. Where I think black folks in particular have the greatest amount of power, it is in our political power, and it is the place where we will surrender it the easiest. We uh forsake our obligation to hold these members of Congress accountable whether they whether we believe they work for us or not,

they actually do. They are paid with our hard earned taxpayer dollars. And so those are the reasons why you should care and really focus on. Hey, these I'm gonna look at what this bill says it will do to people in communities like mine. I'm gonna look at what this bill will do to me personally. This is how these things would harm me personally. I think those are the kinds of conversations that we have to do now.

When that new shoe drops, or there's a a concert you want to go to, or there's you know, some contest where you can earn some you know, participatedness and you get a five hundred dollar gift card. Right, we will bust a move. But when it's come, when it comes time to protect our interest, we don't. And so I really want to understand from you all why, like

what would keep you from engaging in that way. Our voices are sometimes all we have, and so we've got to lift our voices and make sure that we hold these people accountable. Now here's let me tell you some tea. So Chuck Schumer been getting all this pressure, and what he did was he has a new book out on the rise of anti Semitism in America, and his little book tour was supposed to start. His book tour was supposed to start in Baltimore Monday. So yesterday, y'all, Chuck

Schumer canceled the tour. And let me tell you why he canceled the tour because some of you understood the assignment in ways that he did not, in ways that some of us have not. And you called his office until they cut the phones off, and you blew up the social media accounts until they cut those off, and they stopped responding, but the pressure was successful because he's postponed the tour because he did not want to face those who he hurt. And that is what this is

all about, y'all. We are in a different age. Something more is required out of all of us. And I will tell you, honestly, I don't have all the answers. I couldn't even remember all the Democrats who voted against or voted for the continued Resolution. But what I can tell you I know is that if we do extraordinary things, we will experience extraordinary results. I want to hear from y'all honestly on what else you think we can and

must do. I think that some people would say, how do y'all got all this time to be mad at Chuck Schumer? You should be mad at the Republicans, Chiad. We've been mad at them. We've been mad at them, but they don't feel accountable to us. They say smartmouth things to us when we raise our concerns to them.

We need to go first to the people who said that they stood with us on issues, who go on our platforms to reach our people, who come to our churches and ask for our votes, who come into our communities, for Black History Months, gatherings and all the things in the parade celebrating. Judent team voted for the holiday, but when it comes time to protect the funding that will

keep us alive, we looking like where you at? Those are the kinds of things that we need to be wrestling with in this moment, and I think it is abundantly important that we start shifting our expectations and we start shifting how we deal with elected officials who are supposed to serve us. Let me tell you why, y'all.

Do you know there are whole communities of people who know by default to call their elected officials, who know like, oh, well, if I host this fundraiser, I have an audience with this person, They'll at least listen to what I have to say. They know that if they go up to Capitol Hill and request a meeting, that that member has an obligation to hear from them. We have that power. We just have decided that it's not important enough, or

or because I don't want to cast judgment. You might be in a position where you're like, hey, given the work that I do and the hours that I work, I don't have time to call. Maybe you work all day and you're not allowed to make any personal calls, so you can't call the Hill, or maybe you don't you're not on social media, or maybe you're like, I can't fly. I can't afford to fly to DC to talk to these members in their face, only to potentially

get denied a meeting. I get it. But what you can do also is look up organizations in your area. Maybe you're an educator, maybe you are, you know, a janitor, Maybe you are in a labor union. Did you know that these labor unions have relationships with these folks, that there are education associations that have relationships with these folks. That maybe you care deeply about civil rights, so you join the NAACP or Urban League or what have you,

and they have relationships with these folks. Maybe you prefer to be a little more confrontational and you want to sign a petition about it when you can go to color Change right. Maybe you're seeing that there are people who represent your interests better who are running for office in these neighborhoods. You can support that person. Now you might say, Angela, I don't have money to give to these members, and actually I wish we ken't money out

of politics all together. I understand that too. You can phone Bank for that person, you can text Bank for that person and push them. Now, some of y'all just like me too, I'm not gonna lie. Maybe like well, that sounds real cute and cool, but I don't know if there's gonna be another election. I'm with you. I don't know either. But here's what I do know. We

have an obligation to do different. We are expecting extraordinary things from Members of Congress, from elected officials in these very trying times, but we are not doing extraordinary things ourselves. And calling your member of Congress and holding them accountable or meeting with them or showing up to their town hall is not an extraordinary thing. It is actually the

least you can do. And if you're not able to do it, call a member of your family, call someone in your community who you trust and ask them to do it for with you. If you are intimidating, you could literally send a message to our ed Native lampod or you can put a question in the chat today. I'm looking on to Lo Lo too to see if we have any questions today to ask them, you know, to help. Can you help you can ask us to help.

We would love to. We love those questions. Every week we answer questions on our main show that drops Thursday. But you just have to send in your question to Lolo our dm our Native Lampod on Instagram at Native Lampod on Instagram. You can send a question and say, Okay, I want to let's run this through. Let's like trial and error. We can try to call somebody tomorrow. But yeah, I think that we should do some of those things. Let me get to some of these questions before we're

out of time. Thanks Sol for Senandy. So, why did Chuck say that the filibuster would give Trump more power? Is it true if the government shuts down, Trump has a better plan hand. So here's a real thing. What Donald Trump wanted in this instance was for the government to stay open. This bill helps the government stay open. A lot of federal workers were saying themselves, shut it down because it's been shut down anyway. That's what we've been saying on the podcast for a little over a week.

It has been shut Now, what they're doing is an abuse of power, and so they're engaging and shut down tactics. They just dismantled the Department Education. Do you know the same day that the Senate passed the continuing resolution that Chuck Schumer put his staff of approval on and endorsed and passed and voted yes on. Did you know that same day that Donald Trump dismantled the Minority Business Development Agency?

Did you know that he ended the CDFI fund what helps to which helps to ensure balance and fair access to poor communities to financial services and resources. That's what we're up again. So the government's been shut down and he doesn't need them to pass any bill to do that, So we should be using this time to hold them accountable. Like, yeah, bro, I would love to vote on your little bill, but until you rein and Elon Musk, I ain't got no

time for that. Yeah, bro, I would love to vote on your little bill, but until you I'm signing executive actions that you think went through the legislative process, I ain't got no time for that. That's how you handle that. You do not meet someone who is a dictator and an abuser of power by giving them more access and power. That's not how that works. Come on, we gotta know better than that. We gotta fight better than that. Fighting

back is not saying yes, that is surrender. And that's why I really believe that Chuck Schumer in his incendency too. But I don't believe he's gonna run again. The word on the street is he is not going to pursue office again. So he should be more bolder than more bold than ever. Right. I'm not talking about him stepping down from his seat, because that's gonna take too long. I'm talking about stepping down from leadership because if you can't lead, and you can't lead with courage, and you

can't follow what the people who sent you want. And I'm not talking about the small minority of donors who wanted you to pass that bill for defense funding. I'm clear, I see you, Bro, I'm not talking about them, talking about the people who wanted the federal government workers who you claim to be standing in solidarity with as they sue to get access to their jobs and to keep their jobs. I'm not talking about the small number of donors who had a business interest in this bill passing.

I'm saying that your values are off, and because your values are off, you don't deserve to lead the American people on the centate side. That's what I really believe. I would like to go over what's being cut, but instead of me doing that, I'm actually going to refer you to our last podcast from Thursday where we talk about that in detail, Elizabeth. But I did answer your first question, Percy Miracles. What's the Democrats specific black agenda

ain't one boom. We got to make one, and we have to demand that they are held accountable to that. I love this. Then this goes right back to the heart of what we were really saying. Boston Baby sixty eight says, I've called and left messages. What impact did it really have? What I can tell you is that I know for a fact that Chuck Schumer has been scrambling making calls to people asking for help, and it might have been your call. I think they might have

said Boston Baby called me. So let me go ahead and do what I need to do. Let me at least ask a question. But I do want you to know it is a part of our collective action when we come together and say, it's not about who the person leading it is. It's not about if it goes exactly my way. Lolo knows about that. Me and Lolo both hardheaded and We like for things to be in our way, in our language, but it doesn't have to be that if we agree on the end goal, which

often is the liberation for people. Me personally, I'm always talking about the liberation for black people. The only way to liberation is for people to be on one accord. So if you can't agree on how we get there, if you can't agree on when we get there, if you can't agree on the tactics for how we get there, we're going to have a problem. And I think that it is dangerous enough in this country right now. We have got to pivot. The tactics of the past have got us so far, thank you. It is time for

the tactics of the present. It's time for the tactics of future generations. And so I'm not suggesting that we leave it at a call. I'm suggesting that we launch a campaign to call for his resignation as the minority leader. Because it's not that Chuck. Maybe. I mean, some people would argue he's always been a bad leader. Some people

would say, eh, it's indifferent. But what I guess, what I'm telling you all is we are living in unprecedented times and we need innovation and creativity and boldness and

courage to get us through this season. If we don't have that in leadership for the people who have to sit down with Donald Trump, not the people who are in the background whispering laughing with him in the Oval office and at these different public gatherings, but people who really believe that this man is the threat we said he is, then that means we got to take a one eighty. That means we got to try a different approach. That means that the season and the time that we're

in requires something greater of us. So let us lean into what that greater might be. I would love to hear from you all on what you think this moment requires from us politically, psychologically, economically, Like y'all, I really think we should be moving like this is turning into fascism. We should know where we're going to get our food from. We should know how to contact people if they're not saved in our phone. We should know some phone numbers

by heart. We should have all of our documents. Do you have your birth certificate? Do you have your Social Security card? Because they cut back on Social Security access right, do you have your passport? If you don't have a passport, hurry up and go get one. If it's near expiration, maybe you have six months left, go get your passport. Okay. For people who are like, stop up on nonperishables. If

you can afford a generator, get a generator. If you have a neighbor that you're close to and y'all can go in on a generator, get a generator. Okay, I'm telling you, I'll figure out how we can grow some crops. I want to learn how to farm, y'all. Okay, I'm not in the right place again. I'm in Seattle, but like I need to learn how. I need to know. And if I'm not the farmer, can I, you know, put some resources into somebody who is one. I am

not trying to scare you. What I'm trying to tell you is I don't know what we're up against, and I don't know where we are going from here. But I know that we can create a vision of the America that we want to see. I know that we can hold accountable those in power for the America that we want to see. And we must demand change, we must demand to move different. But those demands all start with us. So until next time. I'm so grateful to be here with you all. I wouldn't mind if you

posted Shumer must step down. I wouldn't mind if you told us who you think should be leading the Democrats in the Senate. I want to know. We know who's leading the Republicans, Donald Trump on every level, because don't nobody else have a backbone or a spine in his party? So our folks can look the same way, right, So let's move different. Let's do our parts so we can easily, in an integrity call upon them to do their parts. And until next time, welcome home. I'll see y'all in

a couple of days. Native Lampard is a production of iHeartRadio in partnership with Reason Choice Media. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.