Hey, what's going on, everybody? I'm Trevor Noah,
and this is The Daily Social Distancing Show.
Before we get into it, this weekend is the Super Bowl,
and a lot of you have been asking,
so I'll tell you who I'm rooting for.
Lionel Messi.
Because that, my friends, is the real football,
because they use their feet.
And I'm sick and tired of America pretending that...
(pleasant music playing)
I'm glad I could get that off my chest,
and I'm glad that no one stopped me from saying it.
Anyway, on tonight's show-- why Lil Uzi Vert
is getting insurance for his forehead,
Roy Wood Jr. and Michael Kosta preview the Super Bowl,
and Marjorie Taylor Greene discovers 9/11.
So let's do this, people.
Welcome to The Daily Social Distancing Show.
? ?
ANNOUNCER: From Trevor's couch in New York City
to your couch somewhere in the world,
this is The Daily Social Distancing Show
with Trevor Noah.
? ?
Let's kick things off with Joseph "Railroad" Biden,
President of the United States and America's palate cleanser.
He has made fighting the coronavirus pandemic
his top priority.
And while much of that involves improving vaccine distribution
and doing more testing, Biden is also considering
a creative new idea.
The Biden administration is weighing in
on a plan to send masks to every American.
NBC News reports the Biden White House is considering sending
face coverings directly to households across the country.
The COVID-19 Response Team is currently evaluating
the logistics of mailing out millions of masks.
Okay, this is a great idea.
Because it helps everybody.
Democrats get free masks
and Republicans get free toilet paper.
Nah, guys, I'm joking.
I mean, you'd think that if someone
hasn't worn a mask by now,
I mean, this isn't going to convince them.
But you never should underestimate
the power of free shit.
Have you ever seen the free samples
that people will eat at a grocery store?
Like, if they'll fight each other for a plastic spoon
of liver casserole, they'll probably wear a free mask.
At the same time, though, it might be a little wasteful
to send these masks to everyone.
'Cause some of us already have a ton of masks lying around.
I mean, you should see my apartment.
It looks like Sub-Zero hasn't picked up his laundry.
But still, it is a good idea.
And based on how well the government
has managed vaccine distribution so far,
we can probably all expect to get our masks
by the end of 2023.
Yay!
But until then, we still have to deal with the fallout
of the pandemic, and one of the many casualties
has been the 2020 Tokyo Olympics,
which got cancelled quicker than Morgan Wallen.
But yesterday, the Olympic Committee
released a new safety plan to ensure that the games
could go ahead this year instead.
Unfortunately, those plans were quickly overshadowed
by another announcement from the Olympic Committee.
The head of the Tokyo Olympics Organizing Committee
is in some hot water this morning
over some sexist comments that were made earlier this week.
83-year-old Yoshiro Mori said that women talk too much
during meetings, making them run too long.
Mori called that annoying, and added that women
want to speak up when they see others speaking.
The former prime minister was responding to a question
about increasing the number of female members
of the Organizing Committee.
Mori has since apologized.
Oh, man, this dude is gonna wish he did resign,
because now he's gonna have to go back into meetings,
and it's gonna be hella awkward.
Afternoon, Sharon. How is your department doing?
I don't know, Yoshiro. Do I have enough time
to tell you, ya bitch?
And look, man, I'm not excusing this guy's sexism,
but at the same time, he is 83.
I mean, put your grandparents in front of a microphone
for two minutes
and see how many are still allowed to host the Oscars.
And look, he's not totally wrong.
He's not totally wrong. Meetings can go longer
when women are in them.
I know, I know, but hear me out.
Because every time a woman gives an idea,
a man repeats the idea a minute later.
So it doubles the meeting time.
You're killing us, ladies.
But honestly, I don't even know why this guy
was having meetings to begin with.
It's the Olympics. They've been doing it for 125 years.
What do you need to talk about?
All right, everyone, still okay with the gold being first place?
All right, great. Item two: second place.
Everyone still good with it being silver?
All right, third place?
But let's move on now from someone killing his career
to someone killing The Rap Game.
What do you do as a rap star to show the world
that you've really made it? Huh?
Maybe you buy a big house or a fancy car
or you splurge out on Hulu Plus. Pew! Pew!
No ads.
Well, now one rapper is taking bling to another level.
NEWSWOMAN: Rapper Lil Uzi Vert has unveiled
his new forehead piercing.
A nearly 11-carat pink diamond for which he paid $24 million.
MAN: He tweeted that he's been making payments on the diamond
for the past three years, and assuring fans
that he does have insurance.
NEWSWOMAN: He said it's more than his Bugatti,
other cars, his house, everything combined.
? All my friends are dead ?
? Diamond in my head ?
? All my friends are dead... ?
A $24 million piercing?
That, my friends, is the definition of balling.
I just hope his career keeps going up.
Because there's nothing worse
than having to pawn your forehead
because times are tough.
But until then, he's probably gonna be
the most recognizable rapper in the world,
so that's a plus.
On the downside, now Vision can unlock his face I.D.
Ooh, he's gonna see all your texts.
Not to mention,
the problem with having a diamond in your forehead
is that you can never do that thing
where you pretend that you don't have any money.
Sorry, man, times are tough. I don't have any...
Oh, this? Oh, this, nah, this is cubic zirconia.
This isn't what you think.
Now, look, all hating aside,
your forehead is a very secure place to keep a diamond.
I mean, think about it, it would take
the world's most skilled jewel thief to steal it
without getting caught.
Which means...
ze game is afoot, Lil Uzi Vert.
(speaks French)
But let's get to today's big story,
the battle over Georgia congresswoman
Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Rising Republican star and the friend everyone ignores
in the group text.
Greene is known for her history of deranged beliefs,
ranging from racist conspiracy theories
about Jewish space lasers
to supporting calls to execute Democratic politicians.
Now, Democrats can't stop her from serving in Congress,
and they definitely can't stop her from saying crazy shit.
But today they decided to give her just a little less input
on running the country.
NEWSWOMAN: Tonight House Democrats taking
an unprecedented step,
voting to strip freshman congresswoman
Marjorie Taylor Green, a member of the opposing party,
of her committee assignments.
NEWSMAN: She's gonna be removed from the House Education
and Labor Committee, as well as the House Budget Committee.
She's gonna be a member of the House of Representatives
for the next two years, but she's gonna be a member
without being able to serve on any of these committees.
Yes, people, Marjorie Taylor Greene
has been kicked off her committees.
But if you think about it,
this is a pretty sweet deal for Greene.
Basically, her punishment for acting insane
was to do less work for the same amount of money.
And honestly, I think kicking her off these committees
could actually backfire.
The last thing you want to do with a crazy person
is give them time to be crazy.
That's why they should put her on all the committees.
Then you'll never hear from her again.
Excuse me, when are we gonna talk
about those Jewish space lasers?
Well, now, first we need to discuss the budget
for the asphalt acquisitions.
Sharon, do you have the report?
I don't know. Do I have time to report, bitch?
Oh, come on, I didn't say that. That was Yoshiro.
So Democrats have made their position
on Marjorie Taylor Greene clear.
But Republicans are a different story.
While some prominent senators have spoken out against her,
House Republicans held a meeting last night
where they decided to stick with her.
Or, at the very least, look the other way.
House Republicans hosted a marathon meeting overnight...
There's a lot of questions that have to be answered,
and we've got to be able to do that in a family meeting
to help bring people back together.
NEWSWOMAN: Marjorie Taylor Greene,
who escaped any punishment yesterday
over her very extreme views,
including endorsing political violence
and anti-Semitic falsehoods.
Sources say Greene was given a standing ovation
from half of the members in the room
after she expressed remorse for some of her past comments.
I think it would be helpful if you could hear
exactly what she told all of us.
Denouncing Q-On-- I don't know if I say it right.
I don't even know what it is. Um, any from the shootings,
she said she knew nothing about lasers
or all the different things that have been brought up about her.
Damn! Kevin McCarthy, he's a GOP OG!
I didn't hear shit, didn't see shit,
and I definitely don't know shit!
Shit!
It's truly amazing that this guy acts like he doesn't even know
what QAnon is, even after they tried to kill him.
I mean, most people would have at least googled them
at that point.
Like, eventually, Carole Baskin must have been like,
"Okay, I'll bite. Who is this Tiger King guy?
'Cause, I mean, I should figure this out, right?"
And it's not like these guys don't have the time
to research conspiracy theories.
'Cause when it comes to Hunter Biden,
they remember every word
like it's the lyrics to their favorite song.
? The Burisma e-mails decrypted from the Delaware laptop ?
? Have been verified by Tony Bobulinski. ?
But then ask them about the biggest right-wing cult
in the country, and they're like,
"Uh, coo-non?
"Kwa-hoo-na-na?
Man, who can keep track of this stuff?"
But, to be fair to Kevin McCarthy,
he's far from the only Republican
who'd rather look like a dumbass
than take a position on Marjorie Taylor Greene
and her crazy beliefs.
Although, some Republicans
are a little smoother at it than others.
Newly elected senator, archconservative from Alabama
Tommy Tuberville tells CNN
he doesn't know anything about the congresswoman
because the bad weather kept him from reading the news.
TUBERVILLE: Travel in this weather,
it's been a little rough looking at...
looking at any news or whatever.
(chuckles) Really?
He hasn't been looking at the news
because the weather's been rough?
I know it's Alabama, but is this dude
getting his news by stagecoach?
"It's been so stormy, the pony express
hasn't made it out here with the latest tweets."
Clearly, Marjorie Taylor Greene
has become a distraction and a liability
for the Republican party, which is maybe why she decided
to step up on the floor of the House today
and disavow many of her past insane beliefs.
When I started finding misinformation, lies,
things that were not true in these QAnon posts,
I stopped believing it.
School shootings are absolutely real.
And every child that is lost,
those families mourn it.
I also want to tell you 9/11 absolutely happened.
So, that I definitely want to tell you.
I do not believe that it's fake.
Ooh!
Looks like someone started listening
to the reasonable voices in her head.
Although, this woman is so crazy
that her saying that 9/11 happened
makes me go, "Wait, did it?"
But, hey, I'm glad that she's come around
to the standard Republican belief
that school shootings are real
and that nothing should be done to stop them.
But you may not want to give Greene too much credit
for disavowing these conspiracies
since it turns out she doesn't take responsibility
for believing them in the first place.
What I did is I started
looking up things on the Internet.
And stumbled across something--
and this is at the end of 2017--
called QAnon.
I was allowed to believe things that weren't true,
and I would ask questions-questions about them
and talk about them.
And that is absolutely what I regret,
because if it weren't for the Facebook posts
and comments that I liked in 2018,
I wouldn't be standing here today,
and you couldn't point a finger and accuse me of anything wrong.
Wow. I've never seen someone
try to delete their browser history in real life.
But, yes, you see, it's all Facebook's fault
for allowing her to believe in those things.
So don't blame her.
Blame Mark Zuckerberg,
with his social media lies and his space lasers.
Now, look, man, Marjorie Taylor Greene
isn't the first person to believe things
that she read on the Internet.
But her defense isn't really reassuring,
because, basically, what she's saying is,
"Yes, up until now,
"I believed that school shootings were fake,
"9/11 didn't happen
"and that Jewish space lasers blew up California.
"But that's only because I am incapable
"of separating fantasy from reality.
"So, let's do the right thing
and let me go back to making laws."
All right, when we come back, Roy Wood Jr. and Michael Kosta
break down what we can expect on Super Bowl Sunday.
You don't want to miss it.
Welcome back to The Daily Social Distancing Show.
This weekend is the Super Bowl,
also known as where Gronk thinks he lives.
But this Super Bowl Sunday,
officials are worried that a giant platter of wings
isn't the only thing that's gonna be passed around.
NEWSWOMAN: As Super Bowl weekend looms,
fears the game could become a super-spreader event.
The CDC issuing guidelines for the big game,
warning against attending large gatherings,
urging people to watch at home with your own household.
Yes, people. Please, listen to the CDC.
That's what I'm gonna do.
I came this far.
I'm not gonna have an obituary
with the word "Buccaneers" in there.
Yeah, if I'm gonna die, it's not gonna be
because of a football game.
I want to go peacefully in my sleep
at a baseball game.
So, please, guys, do the right thing
and watch the game safely.
And for a preview of the big game,
let's turn now to Roy Wood Jr. and Michael Kosta
for another episode
of "I Apologize for Talking While You Were Talking."
? ?
-? ? -What's up, sports fans?
He's Roy Wood Jr., I'm Michael Kosta,
and it's that time again, Roy.
We are getting ready for the Super Bowl.
Yes, we are, Kosta. Super Bowl LV,
where young upstart Patrick Mahomes
takes on Tom Brady, who's trying
to become the oldest man in history.
You know Tom Brady's been playing forever, Roy,
because I've had time to like him winning,
get sick of him winning,
then get sick of myself being sick of him winning,
and now I like him again.
I'm rooting for Mahomes,
but I kind of feel bad for the dude, Kosta.
You know, on the one hand,
if he loses, you lost to an old guy.
And then on the other hand, if he wins,
it's elder abuse.
But either way, I'm looking forward
to Super Bowl LV-- Kansas City Chiefs,
-Tampa Bay Bucs, let's go! -(claps)
My whole house is riding on this. Oh, my God.
Hell, yeah, Roy!
I'm still coming over to watch the game, right?
Oh, no. No, the hell you are not, dude.
You're a walking petri dish. Ugh.
A walking pe...?
Why do you and the CDC keep saying that?
But let's be real about this year's Super Bowl.
Things are going to be a little different
-because of the rona. -That's right, Roy.
This ain't your mom's new boyfriend's Super Bowl.
Coronavirus is changing every part of the game,
including the stuff that plays in between the game.
NEWSWOMAN: The companies behind
some of the most iconic Super Bowl ads ever
announced they're staying on the sidelines this year,
choosing not to run any ads for their products.
Budweiser says they will donate the money
that would have gone to a TV spot
to COVID vaccine awareness campaigns instead.
It's a tricky year to hit the tone
and decide, are people ready for a laugh?
Or do they want something more serious?
Now, this is a travesty, and I'm not just saying that
because I nailed my audition
to become the next Budweiser Clydesdale.
I ate 50 pounds of hay for nothing, Roy.
Oh, that's what that was.
I thought you looked a little horsier than usual.
I mean, how are you gonna sit out the Super Bowl?
It's the one time of the year people are actually talking
about the commercials.
You go to work on Monday, and your coworker's like,
"What'd you think of the commercials?"
And I'm like, "I don't know. I was too drunk to remember."
I don't know, Kosta. It's kind of hard
to do a fun commercial right now.
And those somber commercials, they're the worst.
The last thing I want to see on my TV on Super Bowl Sunday
is the Pillsbury Doughboy
talking about these unprecedented times
before his belly gets finger blasted.
The good thing, though,
is that these bigger companies not advertising
makes room for smaller companies,
like, say, Yankee Candle.
That's who I want to see a commercial from.
Big production, fireworks, the whole nine.
A-And have Morgan Freeman do the voice-over.
(imitating Freeman): "Yankee Candle.
"The official shit smell cover-up candle
of the NFL."
That's what I want, bro.
Fingers crossed, Roy.
Of course, the Super Bowl ads aren't the only way
the big game will be affected.
If you were hoping to get a ticket,
you're even more out of luck than usual.
If you want to go to the Super Bowl,
get ready to dish out major money for a ticket.
Big game is always pricy,
but there is limited capacity this year.
We're talking about major, major money.
Right now, prices range from about $10,000
to nearly $85,000.
I can't even wrap my head around this.
This is the most expensive Super Bowl ticket yet.
$85,000 for a ticket?
If I was spending that much money,
the seat better come with unlimited drinks
and all-you-can-eat hay.
One thing I'm glad to see?
The NFL is giving 7,500 vaccinated health care workers
free tickets to the game.
They busted their ass for us this entire pandemic.
What better way to let off a little steam
than to see 100 men slam their brains together?
And those health care workers
aren't the only ones getting tickets.
It turns out at least one poet got the invite, too.
NEWSMAN: She was the breakout star at the inauguration,
and now inaugural poet Amanda Gorman
is going to perform at the Super Bowl.
She's going to perform an original poem before the game
to honor three heroes the NFL has named as honorary captains.
A poem before the Super Bowl?
Eh, I don't know, Kosta. I-I guess.
But, like, when I'm trying to get hyped up
for some gridiron action,
the last thing I want to hear is somebody telling me
about the two roads diverged in the yellow wood
and then, the next thing I know, I'm crying in the queso
'cause I never went to dance school.
There's no shame in giving up on your dreams, Roy.
You know?
Props to Amanda Gorman though.
This just shows how huge she's become since the inauguration.
There's no way the NFL was like,
"We definitely want a poet to kick off Super Bowl.
It's just a matter of which one."
I'm happy for Gorman. I know she'll crush it.
But the NFL better not think we're gonna forget
about their diversity problem though.
They promised us Black coaches.
And of the seven head coach positions that were open,
only one was filled by a Black guy,
and I'm pretty sure they only hired him
'cause they thought he was Obama.
Yeah, I don't know. They don't really look alike to me.
Wow.
Okay, Kosta. So you're seriously saying
that all Black people don't look alike?
Um...
-Yes? -(music stops)
-(chuckles) It was a test. You passed, man. -Oh! Yes! -? ?
-You passed. You were scared. You passed. -Does that mean
we can bubble up and watch the game?
I promise I'll be safe. All I have on Saturday
is a dentist appointment and a four-hand massage.
-But that's it. -No. Not a chance.
That's all for us, Trevor. Back to you.
What? Dude, come on, I'll bring hay.
(stammers) Stop with the hay.
I'm really worried about you.
Thank you so much for that, guys.
All right, when we come back,
Representative Cori Bush is joining me on the show
to talk about her plans for Congress
and what happened on the floor just today.
So stick around.
Welcome back to The Daily Social Distancing Show.
Earlier today, I spoke
with Representative Cori Bush of Missouri.
She's part of a new group of progressive Democrats
shaking up Congress and their own party.
We talked about her first month in office,
her priorities for Congress, and so much more.
Congresswoman Cori Bush,
welcome to The Daily Social Distancing Show.
(laughs) Thanks for having me.
Um, I thank you for making the time.
I mean, we literally had to wait for this interview
because you were on the floor giving your remarks
in I-I'm sure what many people agree
was a fiery condemnation of your colleagues' inability
to condemn white supremacy
and also condone the actions of,
in particular, Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Why is this such a major issue for you?
I know it's an obvious question,
but I want to know why you were so fired up
by what's happening in Congress right now.
Multiple reasons. One is if we don't call it out,
if we just allow it,
we continue with what we have right now.
My activist friends and I, we stood out on the streets
of Ferguson day in and day out.
Rain, sleet, hail, snow, hell no, we won't go.
Getting our butts kicked out there on the ground
but then also fighting to be able to be here,
to be in a place where we get to make these kind of decisions
to save lives and especially to save Black lives.
And so you think I'm gonna make it all the way to Congress
and then be quiet when-when white supremacy
comes and knocks at the door?
When white supremacy was ready to attack me and my colleagues?
When it could have attacked my-my team?
I will say this:
it's not that she can't evolve or be reformed.
And so that's why I won't shut up.
because maybe she just needs to be exposed
that there is a whole other side to this thing.
It's called loving humanity.
And she gave a response earlier today saying that she regrets,
you know, some of the things that she said because,
you know, she didn't-- she didn't realize
that those things were-- you know, may not be true.
This is the thing: she called me a terrorist.
She said I was the leader of a terrorist mob.
She said that I called, um-- I called, uh, on the, uh...
the rape and the m-- the rape and the burning of a home.
And she called-- And I called, you know,
-for the murder of a couple. -Mm-hmm.
She didn't take that back. She didn't regret that.
That's the kind of stuff that's dangerous for our communities.
And so that has to be called out.
You haven't been afraid to speak your mind
about what you see that is going wrong.
And you-you have had an interesting journey,
because you were an activist
marching from Ferguson, you know?
This was the pre-George Floyd, you know,
before it became a nationwide movement,
the way people saw in 2020.
It's been interesting, because some people will say
that the activists on the streets
are the reason that we're seeing the changes.
And now you are in Congress.
Where do you think that more progress is made,
in Congress or through the activism in the streets?
Should more activists be trying to get into lawmaking?
Absolutely more activists should be trying to get into lawmaking.
But you need both.
I don't think you need to h-- There is-- It's--
And, you know, um, if-- You got to have both.
You can't just have one. It's not either-or.
The reason is you need the activists that'll put pressure,
that'll do the work to make sure that things are moving,
that'll keep the awareness and the visibility.
But then you need the person that has the pen,
you need the person that has the power of the purse
to be able to bring those things home.
That's what we were missing when we were out there fighting
for justice for Michael Brown.
But now there is a representative sitting here,
and I'm hoping to be able to pull in more.
But not just in Congress.
We need 'em on the local levels and on the state level.
You are the first Black woman
to represent Missouri in Congress.
You overcame extreme odds.
I mean, you know, living an unsheltered life.
You were unhomed. You-You're a mother of two kids.
And you-you've shared being a survivor of sexual assault.
It is a story that resonated with many,
and some of your constituents have said,
"I like her because I believe that she'll fight for me
because she reminds me of me."
When you're now in Congress
and you are trying to, I think, enact laws
that are-are specific to your constituents in Missouri
and then there's obviously the laws that are gonna affect
the entire country, how do you find that balance?
What are you looking to achieve?
Every single moment, I'm thinking about,
what can we do to make sure that we're doing the absolute most
for everybody in our district and around the country
but starting with those who have the very least?
Because I've been someone who's had the very least,
and I understand how we--
how legislation happens all around us and all above us
but then it misses us. So many of us.
Trevor, I can remember the days when I was hungry
and I was-- I was able to feed my kids but not myself.
I remember being, um, abused by, um--
by a former partner and not being able
to have justice in that situation.
And so why would I not?
If I'm okay with being vulnerable for my people
so that they get change, why would I not bring that
to the forefront and use that to help inform legislation
and to help push my colleagues?
Like, you may not know what it was like to be hungry.
You may not know. These things may not be your story.
You may not know what it's like to have your rape kit
sit on the shelf for four months and still not get justice.
You may not understand that. You may not understand
what it's like to make $20,000 less a year
simply because you're a Black woman,
when the person next to you is a white man
doing the exact same work but getting more money than you.
You may not understand it,
but I'm here to tell you what that's like.
Do you think that many of your colleagues are out of touch?
I mean, one of the stories that you shared,
which was pretty insane, was you got to the Capitol
and you were wearing a-a Breonna Taylor mask
and some of your now colleagues thought you were Breonna Taylor.
I mean, that truly means
that there are some people who are there just, like--
maybe they've been there for a long time
or maybe they're completely disconnected.
Do you feel like many of the lawmakers are out of touch
or some of them?
Absolutely some of them are out of touch.
I won't say all. But some of them are.
But that's our work.
'Cause-- Because the thing is,
we all have something to bring.
We all have a skill, a gift, a talent, something to bring.
And so, for me, I'm going to bring the struggle
that Black folks and brown folks
have been fighting for such a long time.
I'm bringing all of this chocolate,
all of this blackness, every single struggle
that I've had to the forefront
so that they understand what has to change.
And you're going to hear it from your a--
your own colleague. I'm not--
I-I don't care about a name, a reputation, or a title.
I don't care if you-- you know, if you look at me like,
oh, I'm dirty because I came from--
you know, I came from being hungry.
I came from, you know, living on the street.
I don't care!
Give my people what we need.
You've been very vocal in talking
about what you think Joe Biden needs to do.
One of the issues has been commuting, um, the sentences
of federal inmates who are on death row.
This has always been a contentious issue in America.
You know? Many have said, "Look, we don't want the death penalty,
we don't want death row, etcetera."
But beyond the conversation... I agree with you.
I-I... I do not support the death penalty.
But I always would like to know, from a lawmaker's point of view,
how do you speak to those families
who have been the victim of some of these people
who are on death row and say to them,
"Hey, here's why this person shouldn't be on death row"?
You know, I not only empathize with those families.
I sympathize with those families as someone who lost a loved one,
a very, very close loved one, to an execution-style murder.
I absolutely stand with those families.
But we cannot continue this cycle of violence and think
that we will begin to heal this country.
We have to get out of the mindset
that that is a way to get justice.
There are other ways to get justice.
And one... some of those ways is the work
that we're doing right now with legislation,
saying that we have to make sure
that there are resources in our communities,
we have to make sure that people have
and communities have the things that we need
to be able to be whole.
And so, if we won't do that work,
when we... when our work is to, um...
to build this carceral system, when that's our work...
When we're telling our third graders
that if you don't score this particular number
on this particular proficiency test
that, um that-that you may be...
have a one in three chance to end up in prison one day,
when we're telling that to our third graders,
when that's the mindset of America,
then that's the problem we have to deal with.
We stand with our families, and we do.
But we have to change our thinking
and do the real work to fix...
-Um, you build people to building families... -Mm-hmm.
...to build communities.
Let's talk a little bit about the COVID relief bill.
$1.9 trillion.
That's what Joe Biden has come out with.
It is ambitious, because America's in a desperate place
where something ambitious needs to be done.
One of the sticking points
in this bill has been the $15 minimum wage.
Some people have argued that fighting
for a $15 minimum wage is going to cost small businesses,
in particular, the opportunity to give people jobs.
What do you say to the small business owners
who are terrified of the idea
of not being able to afford to pay someone?
And, also, how do you respond to the worker who says,
"Hey, I get $12 now, and I still want my job.
I don't want to lose my job because it's $15"?
You know, in our district locally, we had...
we have had small-business owners who decided
to take a risk and go ahead and switch to $15 an hour.
-This was... this, um, started a few years ago. -Mm-hmm.
And they didn't know that they would be able to do it.
They didn't know if they would survive.
And some of them said, "Well, Cori, I was thinking maybe,
"you know, in a year or two years that I would start
to see some change, that it would be rough."
But what actually happened was,
when they started paying their staff $15 an hour,
they saw... they saw an uptick.
So then, the productivity increased,
and they started making more money.
They said that that was the best thing for them.
And not only that. When we think about
when you pay people a living wage, 'cause I...
You know, I don't know if you've ever worked for,
but I've worked for $5.35 an hour,
and after ten years, I was making nine dollars
at that job, so I understand. I totally get it.
The thing is, when we push something else
that I've been pushing, which is Medicare for all,
-Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. -...and we take away employers
for having to pay that part of the health care,
and then they can take that...
So now, they can take the money that they would have been paying
into health care, and now they can use that to pay more
and to... and to increase the benefits for their staff,
that's how we look at it.
But for our... for those... for those, um, small businesses
that feel like it's going to hurt their...
-hurt their business... -Right.
that's when you call on us.
Use your lawmakers in that way.
Let us put together those programs to be able to help you
because we cannot look at it like we can't do this
because we don't want... we think what may happen.
Because you know what?
There was a day when people didn't wear seat belts.
We were just driving, and then, all of a sudden, somebody...
We had to start to wear seat belts.
And people-people pushed back, but now let's see...
-We can see the benefit of it. -Right.
There was a day when you could smoke
anywhere you wanted to smoke, and people pushed back,
but now they see the benefit.
So we have to, you know, look at change being a good thing.
Yeah, it really is about perception sometimes.
It's more about how people perceive a thing
than the thing itself.
So, looking at that perception, let's talk about
one of the issues that's gonna be coming up,
and that is the $2,000 checks
that people have been waiting for and expecting.
Now, there are two realities that sort of exist right now.
Some people say what happened was,
the Democrats fought and argued that, yes,
Americans should be getting a $2,000 stimulus check,
the same as Donald Trump was saying at the time.
Republicans said, "No, it's too much money.
We care about the budget now,"
which was hypocritical, but fine.
$600 was agreed upon.
And now the Biden administration has said
$1,400 additional will be added which makes up the $2,000.
There are many who are saying, "No, no, no,
"you promised us $2,000.
We want the $2,000 check."
This is going to be a sticky conversation,
which, as you know better than anyone,
can be used in a... in a conversation about perception.
So my question to you is,
what do you think needs to be done,
and where do you stand as a lawmaker?
You know, I'm all for the $2,000 straight out, you know.
Not a $600 and a 14.
You know, I have been advocating,
along with several of my colleagues,
for $2,000 per month, you know, that's retroactive,
back to when this pandemic started.
And we want to keep it until...
um, through the course of this pandemic
so that people can get on their feet and start...
and have some stability and sustain.
That's what this is about.
So we're pushing for monthly checks,
-and that check has to be $2,000. -Oh.
Obviously, a lot of your colleagues are going to say,
"But Cori, where does that money come from?"
Look, if we can find money for a wall,
if we can find money for so many other things...
Look, we have Space Force now.
Don't tell me we cannot make sure
that the people in our communities can eat.
We're talking about people eating.
We're talking about children having diapers and milk.
We're talking about people being able to keep lights on,
to have heat if they need it,
or-or to be able to have cool air if it's hot.
That's what we're talking about.
We're talking about saving lives.
And there is no price to that saving lives.
One, period.
But then, also, when we can build a wall?
(Noah laughs)
Congresswoman Cori Bush, I could talk to you forever,
but I know you've got business to get to.
Thank you so much for taking the time
and thank you for joining us on the show.
Thank you for having me.
Thank you so much again
to Representative Bush for joining us.
We're gonna take a quick break,
but we'll be right back after this.
Well that's our show for tonight.
But before we go, this Black History Month,
please consider supporting Dreaming Out Loud.
They're an organization that's increasing access
to healthy food in marginalized communities,
and building a sustainable food system
that employs and works for people of all backgrounds.
If you'd like to support their cause,
then all you got to do is check out the link below.
Until next week, stay safe out there,
wear a mask, and remember:
if you ever get in trouble, Facebook made you do it.
Now, here it is-- Your Moment of Zen.
-? ? -ANNOUNCER: In a dimension between left and right,
between space lasers and birtherism,
lies a dimension of the imagination.
It's an area we call "The Marjorie Zone."
He does. He's fantastic! This guy right here is great!
Standing up in there in the mucky swamp.
-Diane always has him in the... -(laughter)
-...mucky swamp, yeah. -(laughter)
? ?