The Last Election

damn rights. You know, there is a part of me that believes, in a lot of ways that Americans are both the most courageous people and also the fucking laziest. And why do I say that, Because I believe that over the last fifty plus years, I'll say fifty to sixty years. Those of us who are younger than that age, way younger, do not remember a time when you have had to literally put your own life and body on the line in order to fight for your life and

the life of generations behind you. For many of us, too many of us, that fight has only been a story that we've read in history books, or that have been passed down through generational tales of strife and struggle. I remember being young, being in high school, being in elementary school, and learning about the Civil Rights movement and asking myself as a young person, who would I be if the civil rights movement we're happening right now? Who would I be? How would I show up? What would

my contribution be? We are in this time. We don't get another chance here. People are concerned about the twenty twenty four elections, and I'm saying, fuck the twenty twenty four elections. The presidential election doesn't fucking matter right now. What matters is what happens in six weeks. Don't talk to me about not having the perfect presidential candidate. I don't care. What I care about are the slate of fucking election deniers that Republicans are running across this country

in battleground states. What I care is the fact that every Republican that is running from the state, local, and fucking school board level is a goddamn fascist that is hoping and praying for a time to put black people back in leashes, to put fucking gay people back in the closet, to kill trans people by denying them the ability to get medical care, that they need to chain women to the kitchen and the stove to make it so that white men, rich, white wealthy, fucking straight quote

unquote Christian men continue to put their knees on the neck of our society to finally break, to suffocate our democracy. They are banking on the fact that nobody votes in midterm elections. They are banking on the complacency of people thinking that all will get them next time. I cannot stress a fucking enough that there is no goddamn next time. This is it. And you know, we have said, as politicos, as activists, as movement people, you know, as progressives, that

every election is consequential. And you know what, you should fucking be aware of that now, because had we been thinking about the courts in every goddamn election that we have had, we wouldn't be here. Had Democrats had fought back against Republicans in the way Republicans fight against progress, we wouldn't be here. So, yes, every election builds on the last election. But dear friends, dear listeners, this is

the last goddamn election. It's the last election of the America that you have come to know and live in and understand in the course of your lifetime, because what comes next will be America in name only. It won't be in values. It won't be in the Constitution, it won't be in democracy, it won't be in the Statue of Liberty, it won't be in the vision of the

founding fathers. No, it will be an authoritarian regime and the largest one, with the biggest fucking military in the goddamn world, being wielded by very small men who only gain their power from cruelty and oppression. War is imminent, violence is imminent. The cards, indeed, are stacked against us. And so what happens? The question that we have to ask ourselves is what happens when you realize that your back is up against the wall. Because let me tell

you something. We got six weeks, six weeks to fucking organize, six weeks to make phone calls, six weeks to make donations, six weeks to figure out if you are registered to vote, if your friends are registered to vote, if your colleagues are registered to vote. Please do not tell me during this six week time that things will be okay and that you are resting on your laurels, Because let me

tell you something. You'll be telling yourself that on the way to the fucking concentration camps, you will be telling yourself that on the way to the interment camps all week. Can't happen here. It has happened here, and it will happen again. We have a weaponized Supreme Court, We have a weaponize Republican Party. They have They are backed by their own goddamn white supremacist militia that are willing and

ready to do whatever it takes. These motherfuckers are like sharks in the water that smell chum right now, and everybody else is just paddling along in their boats saying, oh, it'll be fine. The Ward's great folks, Rachel Maddow among many others, are raising the alarm. I've been raising this same fucking alarm since Donald Trump came down that escalator. It is happening here. Everything that you think could never is happening here. The question is who are you gonna be?

Who are we gonna be? Because the fight is at our doorstep. We don't get another time, we don't get a next time, So what are you going to do? Coming up next, my conversation with our friend, our in house doctor doctor Jonathan Metzo. The Damage Report with John Idarola is one of the most popular shows on the TYT Network that serves as your daily breakdown of the

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so you never miss an episode. Folks, you know that when we have the opportunity to talk with our very own in house doctor, doctor Jonathan Metzel on a range of issues from COVID to monkey pocks, to voting to dying of whiteness, We're always please, Jonathan, I want to start off today with talking about voting with just I think that we are at the six week mark to midterm elections, and you know what pundents love to I

mean not pundents. I'll say what anchors love to do, and what pundits also love to do is talk about the issues that are on the ballot and what it's going to get Americans to vote. And for me, right now, as we're watching elections unfold in Italy with Georgia Maloney, who is a self proclaimed fascist and upholds Mussolini as a great statesman, we saw Bulsonado in Brazil. The polls said, oh, he was going to be beat by Lula, and he

was not. They will head into a runoff, and they had more people vote in Brazil than I think we've ever had vote in the United States. What is it that you think people need to understand and pay attention to. I mean, you are indeed the author of dying of whiteness, and it seems that you know I say this often for you, you were and are a soothsayer, right of understanding what it is that is always on the ballot, whether or not we have a midterm election or presidential election,

Whiteness is always on the ballot. So I just want to get your thoughts on what we are seeing as a reordering of the world order and where you see America sitting in it. Yeah, I mean, I think it's, as we've talked about on this show, a bunch of a really perilous moment. I think that it did seem like there was a kind of upsurge and activity upsurge and voter registration, and it lasted a couple of weeks maybe for the Democrats after the Dab's decision, and I

don't know what happens. I mean, this is not a knock on anybody. I mean, there's something larger at play than just individual attitudes. I don't know what it is exactly, but it does feel to me a lot of times like Democrats are there. They don't realize that the other side, that the upsurge in activity and voter registration and all that kind of stuff, the other side has been doing that for like ten years now, and so we had

a three week runt of it. And I guess I'm saying that because I'm worried about the mobilization that I'm seeing in places like New York, where I think there's a really radical right wing gubernatorial candidate for the GOP, and I'm worried that I'm just not seeing the kind of mobilization. There's a kind of complacency given the stakes. Of course, here in Tennessee, you can't see. I don't even know if there are any Democrats running for in

the office, you'd never see it. And so, you know, I think part of the issue is we had a good maybe three four weeks where all of a sudden we made like a teeny dent in the efforts that the Republicans had done. But they've been at this for years. So part of it is just, I think a mobilization issue, which I'm really worried about. And I do feel just my personal bias and this is just me, but I feel like people on our side feel like we're angry.

We're angry, angry, and then we feel better when we send a tweet or we feel better when we see that there are opinion polls that are sent that are you know, we like we can see our movement in the polls and stuff like that, and so it's kind of like we're doing the things that are emotionally resonant for us. But we're not doing the things that I've seen the other side do, which is subterranean, massive mobilization of voters and power and all these kind of things.

So they're not sitting at home answering people from the Gallop Foundation poll, you know, they're they're not talking to posters. They're getting ready to go out and vote, like, um, you remember the orc army in Lord of the Rings kind of thing, Like they're going to vote. And so for them, this is about power and they can feel power and smell power. And it's a moment where I do think that, you know, that Italy election, we talked about it before, is a massive wake up call because

people didn't vote. Everybody's complaining now, but people didn't vote. It was like sixty percent voting, which is really low for Italy. And and so I don't know. I just I'm worried that the Democrats have not made enough of an appeal to minoritized and low income communities. I'm worried that there's not the voting registration stuff in place. It

came too late. Again, I realized, like everybody's trying as hard as they can, but we're up against the other side that is incredibly, incredibly organized and systematic, and so you know, the only thing standing between s and disaster right now is herschel Walker and so and so it's I find this to be a scary moment, and I hope something turns around in the next couple of weeks,

because this is pretty important right now. You know, I'm glad that you brought up herschel Walker because what a fucking walking disaster, you know, like just yeah, I just I just like I need to actually get this off my chest, Like just a herschel Walker to me is just the the full embodiment of of white supremacy. And people will say, well, Danielle, how do you say that?

Because he is a black man, Because white supremacy and racist in this country think very little of black people, right, And all you have to do is slap on, you know, get somebody with enough melanin to be your puppet, because black people can't clearly think for themselves, you know, don't need much skill. They just need a white man with their hand up their back, right, And that's what herschel Walker is. And when you look at him in comparison to you know, Reverend Warnock, it is, it is so

disgustingly insulting. Um and and so I hear everything that you're saying, Jonathan, and I and I will say this as somebody who makes, you know, part of their message about pushing Democrats to do better, think bolder, you know, and expand and expand their their tactics beyond you know,

this twentieth century way of campaigning. Part of me is just like if you ain't walking around conscious with your eyes open, like you don't need to be reading the paper, you don't even need to be, you know, watching the news twenty four hours a day, but if you don't understand like the stakes right now, just in a basic fucking fifth grade level of what is happening in this country, Like I don't know, I just I guess. I'm I am at a place and I and I really shouldn't be.

It's it's the beginning of the week, and I feel spent, but I'm at a place where I'm just like, if you need people just like COVID, if you need somebody still to tell you that you should wear a mask in crowded places, that you should get the vaccine, even though we still have four hundred deaths. Unlike, at some point, it's just on you and I know that, like we

need the collective masses to show up. But at some point, I'm just like, God, damn, you know, Jonathan, like you wrote the book on this, Like there are just I guess there are more people than not that just won't be moved by the threats that like the rest of us have been seeing and talking about since twenty sixteen. So I guess, like my question is, just like what else is there to do for people who are willingly

walking with eyes you know, shut like sheep over the cliff. Well, it's interesting because you and I have had this a version of this conversation. I mean, it's just the stakes keeps getting higher, and I think something you wrote on Twitter is very important for people to realize that when we lose the rights that we're poised to lose right now, we're not going to get them back in our lifetime.

So I think you're what you wrote was exactly right about that that what it took to get reproductive choice and women's health and voting rights, all those things, that the forces that were aligned for those things were tectonic and they were generational and they are not going to come back anytime soon, and so right now is kind of a you know, it's kind of a I mean, it's funny because like when when Biden went, everybody was all immediately talking about twenty twenty four, but you and

I have been saying on this show for six months, twenty twenty two is actually almost as important, if not more so, for what's happening. And so I think that, you know, again, my fear is that they're focusing too much on battleground states and not on everywhere and unified message, and and I think that that's there's just a lot of peril right now. I think that the science could not be more clear that you need a kind of broad national message that makes sense to people, and I

just don't see it right now. And now the flip side of that, of course, is there is something to do to act on this in the next month, which is to mobilize everyone you can to vote, start making car pools, going out there, getting everybody you know, vans, Like there's actually something you can do about this now, which isn't just about like speaking truth to power, but actually like doing something and so and so. I think right now is just a very important time to not bemoan,

but to actually get activated. And we're doing it here in Tennessee. Everywhere you are, people need to really start thinking, what's my plan for voting day? Who can I take to the polls? Make sure your voter registration is current, make sure you know all that kind stuff. So that's the kind of thing that needs to be happening no matter where you are. And I'm really kind of angry, to be honest, that there's not a more unified message about here's the checklist you need to do to make

sure you can vote. This is the most important vote of your lifetime. All that kind of stuff. We need that happening, and I don't see it so that you can do I want to I'm sorry to interact you, but I want to say this one thing too, because when we started recording today, Rachel Maddow is trending on Twitter because in you know, she does one show a week now, and in her in her show, she basically directed camera laid out very clearly what is going to

happen when Republicans take back control in this country. There is something fundamentally wrong though Jonathan with Democrats believing that they are still working within a system that is going

to give them multiple chances. Like, I think that where where we tend to be misaligned is that you have just a handful of of of reporters, just a handful of journalists like mattaw who are doing their best to ring the alarm with the platform that they have to say, here is the fucking slate of things that you stand to lose this year, right like that, I mean we'll come crashing down, that there is no coming back from this, like we are going and I and again, like it

is really difficult to have optimism and to tell people to vote when I can tell you that the people that respond to me, WOKAF audience members on a regular basis, that are fucking exhausted, right like they are. People are beat to shit. I did. I joked and sent out a tweet the other day and I said, it's Monday, and is it just me or just like this day feel like it is kicking your ass, like in more ways than one. And so you have people that are ringing the alarm. You have people that are trying to

do the organizing. But I'm like, have we just read like, are we too naive or it is the naivete whole faith that we're not too late. I guess it's my question because in all honesty, voting is not going to change what happens with the Supreme Courts session this year. They have voting rights on the block, they have you know, same sex marriage on the block, they have affirmative action on the block. They have so many gutting things that allow America to be America that we know the outcome

of these things already. And the session just started this and so yeah, please respond. I just think this is the last election we're probably going to have under the old rules of democracy. Yeah, and so I do again think that the two things people can do right now,

I mean, I agree with you about exhaustion. I would say that there needs to be such a massive tidal wave of support that, you know, in a month right now, like everybody should just drop everything they're doing and run around trying to figure out how they can drive people to the polls. So Democrats need to show up and force and then we need a presidential candidate who will get people excited and mobilize people, you know, and not just feel like status quo, you know that kind of thing.

So I think you know that we'll do that next. But I would just say that, I would just say that right now, there's no other answer. There's no other avenue than to mobilize people. Even in places where it feels like your vote is safe, it's not. And so again, if you're in New York or San Francisco or um, you know, Honolulu, places that are blue cities, your vote

really matters. Right there are all these places that feel I mean, the complacency in New York about the gubernatorial race to me is a real canary in the coal mine for and the guy who's running the GOP candidate for the Gubernatrol position in New York is a desantist clone who has gotten Yes, Zeldin has been my family's because of redistricting. Yeah, the congressman for my district. He is anti abortion, he is pro gun. He is you know, anti you know, critical thinking curriculum for kids. He is.

He is the reincarnate of everything that is wrong. Yes, But the thing is, like, people need to mobilize, and I just think the stakes, I just you know, where are the progressives and centrists unifying together to say we're all under this same tent. Where is the people getting out there with their networks like it's just it's got to be happening. We have a month to turn this around right now. And I understand things are things are fucked right at the court level. We've been talking about

judges for quite some time here. Um, But but I'm just saying that even under all that, it's different with or without power. It's different with or without states where you can have a refuge and have those states be relatively safe from the things that are happening in the rest of the country. Without that, I mean the Democrats with or without New York and um in the governor with in the governor's office as is a totally different calculus.

And so I would just say, whatever people have to do, you know, for the next month, get you know, back your bag with snacks and water and get out there and get in line. Yeah, um, I agree wholeheartedly, and I know I do. I agree wholeheartedly, and I am you know, I My level of anxiety, stress and fear rises by the day. Uh, if if not the minute, in this country like this, This isn't a This isn't a like where, honestly, where is AOC out there mobilizing

people for the gougernatorial vote. Where is um, you know, Schumer, all these guys have to I mean, this is the you know, we've we've got to be like unifying right now. Um, That's really what's got to be happening. And I'm hope, I'm hopeful that it will come come together. I mean, we have six weeks, so I you know, like who the fuck knows? You know? And and I want to with this because I know we're short on time today.

But you know, again, we are watching judges overturn the ability of states to be able to control guns, to limit violence, to do all of these things. Who places those judges in those positions politicians that you vote for right or decide not to vote for. And we're in a situation where we have states rights. So long as you are upholding oppression and not allowing a woman to

have bodily autonomy, then it's the state's decisions. But when it's the state's decision to want to protect all citizens from mass shootings and gun violence, then no, no, no, it's the federal decision that matters the most of And I guess what it comes down to, Jonathan, for me, and then I'll give you the last word, is that I just feel like we no longer have a right to life in this country, like unless you are a collection of cells inside of a uterus, Like that is

the only time that apparently the right to life matters. And what I think that people are starting to understand, but I also there's a part of me that believes that we are too late, is that there is no right to life that you know, after this session, come June twenty twenty three, America as we know it is done, and the America that comes in its place is going to be a really dangerous and dark place that we are not going to see our way out of in

our lifetime. I'll give you the last word. Yeah. No's that's really a terrifying I mean, I just keep thinking about all the times you and I have said democratic riffs don't matter anywhere near as much as having a slate of judges that gets put in place from the very first minute and having that all set up, Like two Democrats are just waking up to the fact that their strategy was an emotionally resident strategy which actually wasn't

the power strategy. But again, it's kind of like we played softball over the weekend and it was like fifty five degrees and it was it was raining lightly in New York from the you know, not a storm, just raining, and everybody's like this sucks, man, And I'm like, yeah, but in two months, this weather is going to seem great. You know, We'll take fifty five and sprinkling any day. And so it's kind of the same here where I agree with you about all this shit, but I mean,

we would take this moment a year from now. We would take this moment any day. So instead of just getting discouraged, we also everybody needs to be calling everybody they know in every state they know and saying, what's your plan for voting? What are you going to get out of work? Are you bringing snacks? You know? Right now I think is the moment where like getting us despaired and stuff. That's the strategy of the other dudes, and I think right now we can't do that. It's

kind of like, what's your voting plan? That's got to be the issue, and then we can form the resistance. And you know, I always think of the cover that Bernie Sanders book with his freaking fist up. You know, I don't want to be in the resistance, you know so, But right now I think voting is important. And again I think as you're seeing, like you know word debating

progressives versus centrists versus whatever, who cares? You know, you know, whoever has the best chance of winning, who's against fascism? That person? Everybody needs their support, doctor Jonathan. That's al as always, thank you for making the time to join will gate A. We deeply appreciate you. Stay take everybody.

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