Where is Congress During Shutdown? Check Vegas and Space Mountain

0:00This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human Support for the show comes from public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On public, you can build a multi-asset portfolio of stock, bonds, options, crypto, and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt, from renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one-of-a-kind index, and lets you backtests it against the S&P 500. Then, you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com slash podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com slash podcast, paid for by public investing, brokerage services by open to the public investing ink, member Finra and SIPC. Advisory services by public advisors LLC, SEC registered advisor. Generated assets is an interactive analysis tool, output is for informational purposes

1:00only, and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com slash disclosures. There's a difference between liking a house and actually getting it. Redfin is built to make up that difference and close the gap between finding and owning the home for you. Redfin agents close twice as many deals as other agents. So when you find a home you love, you're not a step behind when it comes to making an offer. That means less watching great homes disappear and more focus on the one you'll call home. Redfin helps turn saved listings into real addresses. Get started at redfin.com. Own the dream. This is Bowen Yang from Laws Culture Research with Matt Rodgers in Bowen Yang. We all know the feeling when life gets really busy, taking care of yourself can feel impossible. That's why premier protein shakes are my go to. We have 30 grams of protein, 160 calories, no added sugar, and they taste amazing. So there are a healthy choice you'll actually want to make. It's not just for fitness, it's for getting after life.

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3:05CarMax has options for almost every price range, including more than 25,000 cars priced under $25,000. So hey, want to get started? Just head to CarMax.com for details and get pre-qualified today. Want to drive? CarMax. Hey there folks, it is Monday, March 30th, and Kenna, brother, get a vacation. No, if you're a high profile US Senator, and the government is still shut down and of all places you want a vacation, is Disney World with that. Welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. What in the actual hell is going on with Senator Lindsey Graham right now, Robes? It's not a good look. It's, first of all, it's not a good look. I'm just going to say this and maybe I'll get some hate for this.

4:06But a lot of people would just question in general why a grown single adult man would spend a weekend at Disney World. Now I get it. Sometimes it's fun to ride the rides and to go to Epcot and all of that. But it is a little question. Wait a minute. He's there with friends, is he not? Isn't he there with people? He's just not there with, with a ticket on his own. I have that right, don't I? I mean, he says he was meeting friends, but all the photos I just see him by himself, meeting rides and holding a bubble one. Okay. There reportedly were other people with him, but still it's not a good look when the government shut down. Okay. This folks, maybe you've seen it, but Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina has been spotted over the week for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Yes. Picture started emerging of him at Disney World in Orlando. The first one I saw was of him dining and Minnie was nearby. Mickey was nearby. Mickey was nearby.

5:07Yes. I think Mickey was nearby. So it's a kind of a funny photo. It's okay. That was one. Then there's another one that comes out where he seems like he's standing by himself holding a child's bubble wand in his hands. Okay. Yes. And there's another one. You tell me. He's boarding space mountain. He stood in line. Of course, the jokes are made. They were much shorter than the TSA lines to ride space mountain. Okay. Well, his constituents and other folks here around the country are waiting in four hours long lines and missing flights while he's waiting to ride space mountain. It's not a good look. Okay. Before we break all of that down, give me an idea. You went through more so than I do. Just give an idea of the heat he's taking and the things people are saying about these things. Don't we know how snarky social media is? So Twitter or I guess X, sorry, still call it Twitter. But X is probably the most brutal.

6:07There are just, there is so much like just headed his way and they're just, it's low hanging fruit. It's easy, obvious things to say about him. People questioning, calling him creepy, calling it just a bad look, but just it runs the gamut. There are, there are a lot of comments. Okay. All those comments and he's not the only one. We have seen this over the years in times of crisis. I think the first one that comes to mind, folks famously was during the ice storms in Texas, Ted Cruz was video where he was going somewhere tropical actually was I can't remember. It was like Costa Rica or something while Texas was being inundated and his constituents were losing their homes and emergency. And emergency. It was an absolute emergency down there. I remember that one comes to mind. Now we're talking about Lindsey Graham, but we want to mention and we'll explain the whole story by the another Congressman Democrat from California, Robert Garcia was also spotted. Now I just saw the picture first rose before I saw his explanation and I think it allows

7:10for some contact. Look, so representative Robert Garcia from Long Beach was seen at a Vegas casino over the weekend. And probably not a good look when people are struggling to pay their rent payment to put food on the table, living out of their cars, taking second and third jobs, getting a Viction notices, he's gambling in Vegas. It just isn't a good look. However, so here's the deal. I did point this out TMZ actually put out a call like a citizen journalist call. If you see a member of Congress out and about enjoying their spring break, we want the photos. So of course, that is now going to create a, I don't even know, but a large number of folks who are going to be on the lookout for to catch members of Congress. And I say catch because that is what is being implied here that they're doing something they shouldn't be, which is questionable. This is their recess. However, given the circumstances, they should probably be aware that people are watching

8:17them. So it's interesting. So Robert Garcia gets caught. I say that with you understand air quotes in a Vegas casino. He says, actually, I don't mind what TMZ is doing here. Like the story says, my dad has lived in Vegas for 15 years and I had just finished lunch with him. I try to see him whenever I can. And like I said a few days ago, Speaker Mike Johnson should never have sent us all home. Okay. All right. I want to go back to something you just said, Robes, about the TMZ putting out almost a bounty, if you will. Think no, they have. Yeah. You're saying keep being on the lookout and folks are almost hunting our Congressman and women at least in the sense of taking pictures. But Robes, you said caught as if they're doing something they shouldn't be. I want to stop right there. If a member of Congress right now is enjoying himself, enjoying herself with family out public, are they doing something they should not be doing right now, given the circumstance?

9:20I think so. Yes. Damn. I do think so. I'm sorry, but I just do because your job is to keep the government running at its basis level and to pay government employees. And if you've had six weeks to figure it out and you still couldn't for whatever reason, point the finger at whoever you want, I don't care. You're a part of the problem if you weren't a part of the solution. And then to go out on this two week recess, not having to fill your job and enjoy yourself, spend your money with the paycheck that you didn't miss. Yeah. That is a rub. Like rubbing salt in the wound of a lot of folks who are having to quit positions to pay the bills because you want a job because you aren't doing your job. Okay. But while you're not doing your job, you go ahead and ride space mountain. You go ahead and gamble on whatever you're doing, blackjack, it just is a, are you technically

10:22doing something wrong? No. But visually and from like an emotional level, are you doing something wrong? Yeah. You are. You can almost even say ethically. Yes. You, I mean, okay, I'm trying to find a way and defense of. I really am. I'm trying to find a way to defend. They have a right and they should be able to in this, but you get a break from work when you do your job, right? They're taking a two week recess. You're right. It just, I don't know how to sit with this and be okay. I don't know. And I'm trying, trying, trying, trying, trying, trying. I'm, I'm also going to take issue with Robert Garcia because I just think that. Oh, I didn't know if this is going to hit you. Go ahead. Well, it's going to hit me that he's using it to point fingers at the other side and not take any responsibility and say, yeah, I'm here in Vegas because because my Johnson sent me home. Okay. That was bad. I'm not taking responsibility for your part in the game of chicken or whatever it is you

11:24want to call that you all did for the last six weeks. So to just completely and totally abdicate any responsibility and say, what me? I would have stayed, but they sent me home. And so I'm just here in Vegas visiting my dad. No, you're not. You're in a casino gambling after you visited your dad. Okay. I didn't want to mention it. I thought the direction you were going to go. And I didn't want to mention it because you were so hot when you were talking. And I said, I'm not going to add to I swear to you. I didn't add this because you might have gotten hotter. He's in a casino gambling with who's money that paid him. Yeah. The American people. Damn. So don't. Don't. Salary didn't stop. Yeah. Don't just point the finger at my John. Oh, man. Go ahead and own up to your part too. And I would have actually given you a little bit of a break. But I don't like the fact that you didn't take any responsibility for it whatsoever. And frankly, neither did Lindsey Graham with his team. Okay. And we're going to read the Lindsey Graham statement here in a second. But we have to go back to this ropes. I don't know exactly what or he say he was there for a meeting initially,

12:27even said Steve Whitkopf was down there for a luncheon. Okay. He was invited to. Okay. Fine. And he ends up, yes, he's he's literally and clearly hanging out at Disney World and enjoying himself as a patron, even riding rides. Robes, does this the fact that he's at the happiest place on earth without his family? No, there's even not on time. I don't know. If you were kids who were dying to go, when you had you had bought that ticket like months in advance and this recess happened and you didn't want to disappoint your kids, I would say that was a valid reason for being there. Yeah. Yes, kids, whatever you owed it to them because you would promise them months ago. And we could say, okay, that is why I point that we see why he's there. We can't understand. We can't understand why he knew he was going to be photographed. Why was this important enough? It seems almost a middle finger to the country.

13:29It almost some of this stuff, Robes seems like not only did we not care enough to do our jobs, we don't even give a damn what you think about us. Like we think so little of you that I don't want to even respect your situation enough not to pour salt in the wound of your unemployment, of your lights being cut off, of you sleeping in the car. I don't even care. I have a child's wand in my hand hanging out at Disney World getting photographed and that's okay given what other people are going through. I cannot, I'm trying to give them space, Robes, where? You said space, all I can think of is space now. Let me see that picture. Hands up, having fun. You said he was boarding. He was boarding. You sure it's him. Oh, yeah. Okay, this is it. It's absolutely him. I asked her to wait to show me this picture. He's right there standing in line. He's about to get on. Oh, I can't tell. That's him. Absolutely him. Yes, it is. There's another picture of him getting on. He will. A young kid. So yeah, maybe he is with that kid.

14:29Yes, maybe an according to folks who were nearby who took the picture of him holding the little bubble wand. It was for a little girl who was using the restroom. So maybe it's friends of the family, whatever, I'm not saying there isn't a genuine reason for him to be there, but the point being is it's tone deaf as F, A, F. Like you have to know that on any other year, in any other time, fine, go enjoy your family, your friends whomever you choose to be with during this time, but also recognize that you have chosen to leave your job without doing it. And you have left people penniless and you are having the time of your life at Disney World. That is a terrible look. People have said even folks forget the people who aren't getting paid, but the people who have missed flights, missed time with family, missed important business meetings, and you're off jumping on rides, throwing your hands up saying, woohoo, that is a major PR problem. And I remember someone saying in line, I'm going to remember in November.

15:31Oh, yeah. To the airport, right? To these folks. Yeah. That's like a slogan. I'm going to remember in November. It has a ring to it. And are these congressmen and women, do they get it? I don't know. I feel like this is something that the American voters won't forget. Here is the thing that I think, Garcia and Lindsey Graham and every other member of Congress who's having a good time somewhere right now, can say that it'll help them sleep better at night. It's not my fault I'm here. It's the other side's fault that we're in this position. I tried to do all I could to keep the government open. This is not my fault. So why should not be able to enjoy myself? Be respectful of the folks who can't, who can't afford to because of your indecision, your inability to compromise. Now actually, that is, that shuts it down. You make a good point. Even if you can make that argument, you're still not being decent to your fellow American. But it is absolutely at least partially your fault that they are struggling.

16:34Not just folks struggling without the job, we talk about the TSA workers. And we forget about FEMA, we forget about the Coast Guard, all these other folks. But Rose, the other part of that, you are devastating. How many stories have you read about people missing flights, important flights going through hell day in, day out in already hard lives because there's a five hour line at the airport? And when they miss a flight, they can't necessarily afford to book a hotel room or extend wherever they are. This is actually incurring costs for folks to who have missed. I don't know what the airlines are doing. If you get stuck in a TSA line, if you have to incur fees, or you have any issues, but for folks who sometimes like I even had it with like, look, you get rebooked the next day, the day after. What are you doing in the meantime? This is serious and devastating. So yeah, that's where we are in the world. And so to see members of Congress who didn't act, who couldn't get there, you know what together, and couldn't put aside politics to come together to help the American worker,

17:39the American federal worker, it's lay low, dudes, and women lay low right now. I actually think they should lay low. Okay. Well, that was going to be my question going into the break. I will ask. What are they supposed to do? Sit under a rock, stay at home. I'll get a rewax answer to that question. And we told you we let you hear Lindsey Graham's statement, well, it wasn't much, but we'll let you know how he explained what he's doing at the happiest place on earth. There's so much noise around weight loss right now, trends, opinions, medications. It could be hard to know what's actually right for you. That's where weight loss by hers comes in. Hers offers access to doctor developed weight loss treatment plans that are personalized to you. Hers goes beyond medication with ongoing care, nutrition, and lifestyle tips, tools to track movement, hydration, and sleep, plus 24 seven support.

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22:10It's not just for fitness, it's for getting after life. The 30 grams of protein gives you the fuel you need, it's not just for intense gym sessions, it's just for life. With a wide variety of flavors from capillata to cake batter, it never feels boring. It's a flavor for everyone. I personally love the peaches and cream, but maybe you're a root beer float or cinnamon roll kind of person. Premiere protein powers me to say yes to more. Find your favorite flavor at premierprotein.com. That's P-R-E-M-I-E-R protein.com or at Amazon Walmart and other major retailers. We continue here on Amy and TJ. We were just having a discussion. Do they make a distinction? Are both Disney World and Orlando and Disney Land in LA still both refer to as the happiest place on Earth? Does it matter which one? I don't think it matters. If Disney is involved, it's supposed to be the happiest place on Earth.

23:11Yes, I mean, Disney parodies. Depends on what you ask. Tokyo, yes. Don't ask us. Yes. I caught that too late. Probably for the best. Okay. Lindsey Graham, what did he say? He said, I was invited to a lunch in South Florida on Friday with Trump official Steve Woodcoff and many others to discuss or to talk about the possibility of normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel. I went to Orlando to meet friends after. I got back to South Carolina on Sunday. I voted seven times to fully fund the government. Call the Democrat. So you've got the Democrat pointing fingers at the Republicans and you've got a Republican pointing the fingers at Democrat. Wow. It doesn't matter where they are in the world and even if they're at the happiest place on Earth, they're still partisan AF and still pointing the finger at the other guy which just infuriates those of us who have to watch our elected members of Congress just completely take zero responsibility.

24:12And that is what is so infuriating. And look, we're not even people who have been financially impacted. Like, can you imagine if you haven't been paid for six weeks? Can you imagine if you're the person who missed a flight trying to get to your grandmother's funeral, whatever the situation, so many people have so many more reasons to be personally offended and upset by what they're seeing. And the fact that they actually feel so insulated, that they feel so secure, I cannot imagine showing my face at one of those places after not doing my job. And yeah, you can blame whoever you want, but you are still a part of the problem. And to not take responsibility is the biggest problem of it all. And to your point about, right, over to our point earlier in the conversation, you asked the Democrat and they asked the Republican, why are you in a casino, why are you a Disney World? Call the Democrat, is there a fault? The other side, I'd love to be here, but ask the Republican speaker. They're both can justify what they are, what they are, and they're saying it's somebody else's fault that put them there.

25:16Okay. But to not understand that collectively, you're still a part of a law-making body that shows not to act, and shows not to find common ground, and shows to play politics at a time where people's livelihoods are at stake. You sound hopeful. I was going to say idealistic. No, that's the way things should go. You're right, I was saying it all. You're right, that's not a high bar that you just said. That shouldn't be the basis, the basis. But what are they supposed to do? Should they all be sitting at home? Should they all not be showing their faces other than town halls? Is it inappropriate right now for any of the 530 plus members of Congress to be out and about, enjoying themselves these two weeks? Yes. And I don't think they should be anywhere but DC. What do you think? Damn, now that's a good call.

26:16Shouldn't have left in the first place. Now that is the point. There you go. Shouldn't have left in the first place. So that is probably where I'd land with you. I just, I know what I would as a PR person or as the PR or campaign person for. I would recommend, no, you're not going to be going out in public. You're not even going to go out to dinner. Like I don't want you to be seen enjoying yourself in any way that even looks like you're spending money. I actually would appreciate you doing something to help those workers. I'd like to see you at an airport handing out visa check cards or providing lunch or doing something to at least acknowledge your role in these folks not getting paid and having had to suffer but to do something to give back because you acknowledge that the place where you work and find you can try to say one me wasn't my fault. I voted in favor of the funding. And sure there I get that. That is a valid explanation if you voted to fund each and every time.

27:17I'll give you that but you're still a part of an entity that failed to act. And so by default, sorry, you're a part of the problem. So do something to make other people's lives better that you've impacted in a negative way. Spend this time giving back in the spirit of Easter in the spirit of Jesus Christ. Do one to others. Amen. I don't know why I'm so fired up, but I am fired up. It's maddening to see that. We're going to have fun later when I'm explaining you all what our backup topics were for this episode of the podcast. We actually chose this one because we were in a good mood and thought it would be lighter. You know, Lindsey Graham at Disney World, what a wand. That's funny and all of a sudden it's hot in here. So one of the two of us probably needs to go take a walk. And that's all right. Good to see you. Good to see you fire, baby. It's going to be rough two weeks, ain't it? Yes, and I really do hope that Lindsey Graham and Robert Garcia.

28:20I hope the other fellow lawmakers see what's happening. Honestly, you know what? We have been kind of fancy TMZ. Gonna be honest here, which is unusual for us. We're not... What? We don't love some of the tactics of certain news outlets or media entities. But I have to say, I don't hate that they have asked people to go find congressmen and women enjoying themselves. I'm turning these two ways. I don't think they asked anybody to hunt us. People just started sending them stuff, right? They could put a bounty on us, I don't think. We like Harvey. He almost always gets it right. But I actually... I'm going to say... I want to say I am in support of Harvey Levin's mandate to find congressmen and women, like living it up during these two weeks while the government is shut down. Let me publicly split with my fiance right now. I am not in favor of any outlet putting a bounty of any kind on anybody under any circumstance.

29:20As long as they're in the public eye, doing something on a public street, they're fair game. No, you can do it with that. All right, folks. Well, at least we're smiling at the end of this thing. We always appreciate you spending some time with us for my dear. Hot! Heated, fired up. Dear fiance, Amy Robock. I am TJ Holmes. We'll talk to you soon. This is Julian Edelman from Games with Names. I want to take a second to talk about something that's personal to me. I've had the privilege of working closely with Robert Kraft for a long time. And one thing I've always respected is how seriously he takes up standing up to hate. As a Jewish athlete, my identity is something I am proud of. But I also know what it feels like to be singled out for it. That's why this new commercial for the Blue Square Alliance against hate

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