Speaker 0 00:00:00 And you're listening to KPI community radio of the twin cities and beyond 90.3, FM Minneapolis, Minnesota kpi.org, all programs online about an hour after broadcast. And it's about a minute after 1:00 PM. You just heard democracy now airs Monday through Friday at noon central standard time. And the one o'clock hour during the week is locally produced public affairs, arts and culture and news is Friday. That means it's time for a catalyst driven can show up politics and culture. I'm Lydia Howell. I am Rico Maryella's good afternoon, everyone. And we're continuing our conversations with candidates today. We're going to be having a conversation with Anton Melton, mucus, who was challenging Congresswoman Ilhan Omar for the demo DFL nomination for her seat in Congress, representing the fifth district in Minneapolis, as well as a tribute to John Lewis. You're going to get to hear more than the 20 seconds of John Lewis's speech at the 1963 March for jobs and freedom in Washington. But first we're going to have a great conversation with Anton Melton musics. Welcome to KVI.
Speaker 1 00:01:22 Well, thank you for having me a video Rico. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 0 00:01:27 I understand that. Um, you've got, uh, have done a number of different, uh, jobs that, uh, I'll be interested to hear a little bit of the connection there. You've been a lawyer, a mediator, and a minister. Um, maybe you could say how you got here. How long have you been in Minneapolis? What inspired you to want to run for office?
Speaker 1 00:01:52 Well, thanks for the opportunity. I'm looking forward to the conversation. So we've been in Minnesota. Um, my wife and I, uh, dr. Lee Melton mix for 12 years, we came here for her job, um, at the university of Minnesota. She's a colorectal surgeon at the university. And, you know, we came from the DC area where I was a practicing attorney for several years, uh, and also, uh, served two years as a congressional black caucus fellow. While I worked for Donna Brazil and with Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes, Norton two incredible, uh, public servants, um, who were, and continue to be mentors of mine, to people that really showed me the power of being grounded in your district. You know, doing hard work, uh, to bring people together, to get things done. Those are really important value propositions that I learned on the Hill and some of the things that have driven me to serve today, and I've been a minister also for about 30 years. I started my ministry when I was 18 years old in the hometown of Cincinnati. I never received a bachelor's degree in religion from Washington university and a master's of theology from union theological seminary, where I studied under the illustrious James cone and others. And was the chapter for two years
Speaker 0 00:03:08 Calling on democracy. Now he was a remarkable human being.
Speaker 1 00:03:14 He was, we lost him not long ago, and it was a tremendous loss for the union theological family, but for people all over the globe, they believe in voices of liberation and freedom. Most people don't know he was the kind of the author and inspiration what's called black theology as a liberation theology, uh, rooted in the exit story, really talking about how African Americans in this country, I've had a passage of trials and tribulations, and they're fighting their way to come to their own sense of a promised land. Um, and he said it in a way that not only names conquered and we live in miss his voice. Um, and since being here in Minnesota, the past 12 years, I've been an attorney working at firms. So I've also worked at st. Jude medical, um, here in the States, uh, where I was the lead attorney for the employment law division for the company globally.
Speaker 1 00:04:07 And two years ago, I started my own mediation practice in the full time mediator. Um, my firm is called work, resolve mediation. And what I do every day is I bring people together. We have incredibly deep disputes, frankly, people that can't be even in the same room with one another or the same zoom space sometimes with one another. And we talk about, um, the difficulties, the problems, how we got there, but we don't stay there. Uh, Lydia, we talk about points of commonality. We talk about ways we can find creative solutions that both sides can live with and move on with their lives, their businesses, and their organizations. And I love that word values.
Speaker 0 00:04:45 Your mediation practice has primarily been in terms of employment.
Speaker 1 00:04:51 So I've done a combination of things. Um, employment is a big part. I also do a lot of work with the Minnesota department of human rights and the Minneapolis department of civil rights. So I do a lot of civil rights case, public accommodation cases, equal rights cases, voting cases, um, through those agencies as well.
Speaker 0 00:05:10 Huh. Interesting. Yeah. Well, I think mediation is an interesting tool. Um, I'll reveal to the listeners about a little over 20 years ago in the late nineties, I took a 40 hour training in order to work with a church spaced mediation program that was doing early restorative justice work in a juvenile diversion program. So that, uh, kids, um, who did legitly done, you know, small time stuff, not violence, no thing with guns, but it was a chance to sort of intervene early, not get them in the juvenile system. And, um, I think mediation is a very interesting tool. Um, w do you think that the fact that you sort of stopped doing lawyering and started? Cause there's too damn many lawyers in conference? I think I liked it. Well, no, I'm not a get smart it's I play one on the radio sometimes, but I liked the idea of people coming from different work, like Ayana Presley, part of the so called squad from she's from Massachusetts she's teacher of the year. She was a public school teacher, I think that's so, uh, anti Melton, mucus, I'm interested in, how, what do you think being a mediator would bring, you would bring to Congress? Like, you know, we've got some healthcare professionals in Congress I'd like more of those, especially,
Speaker 2 00:06:35 And the lobbyist, the lobbyist
Speaker 0 00:06:37 Lobbyists, that's, that's a whole other topic, but just your experience as a meter. What, what, what, what, how do you think that would make you different in Congress?
Speaker 1 00:06:48 I think quite, um, a bit of difference, uh, Lydia, and let me just kind of give you, and you've taken the training, which is, which is awesome. So you have a sense of what I'll be talking about and just try to let people, um, see behind the veil a little bit of how the process works, at least how I do my work. So when I get, um, a matter or an issue, um, that I volunteer for, or I'm asked to serve as the mediator. And the first thing that I do is I ask, um, both, both individuals or sides to, you know, put something in writing and let me know what's going on from your perspective. And sometimes it could be one page or sometimes it can be hundreds of pages depends on the situation. And the first thing I do is most important is I, I prepare, I read everything and I read it once and I outline, and I really think about, um, how people are coming into that space.
Speaker 1 00:07:42 Um, what their concerns are, what their expectations are, what the differences are. So I'm fully prepared. And then when we get into the space, I close my binder. I don't look at my notes. What I do is I listen because I want to hear directly from the individuals or the organizations from their own words, their own body language while we're here. And then I take that really deep listening and informed questioning and answers couple with my preparation. And then I help steer, um, the individuals and organizations to first build trust. So you can resolve any dispute if there's no trust. Um, my job is to, um, build trust in me as the facilitator and build the level of trust necessary for them to start talking about not the problems, but the suit shifts take time.
Speaker 2 00:08:32 Well, thank you. Thank you very much. Anton Melton, nukes. This is Rica Miralis. Can you, in some of your, um, proposals and, uh, some of your media, you have said and mentioned the fact that there are dividers in Congress, have you found that to be true? How do you know that? How do you, how have you seen that and who are those dividers?
Speaker 1 00:08:54 Well, first of all, the main divider is the president himself. Who's sitting in charge of the executive branch, Donald Trump. Um, he, he, he, he basked in the glow of division, uh, and his anti-immigrant anti worker, um, anti, uh, global partnership, um, views amongst others. And, um, that kind of toxicity, uh, permeates throughout the capital. Uh, we also have what I have called, uh, in many parts of politics right now. Um, ideological purity tests really pushed to the extremes, uh, such that if you don't check a box in one particular area, um, you cannot be viewed as a progressive or as a person that believes in working class people support, whatever that may be. And I can tell you that in my conversations with now, thousands of people in the district, they're tired of the politics of division, uh, and distraction. Um, and they want someone that's going to work hard to unite people I'm running against consummate Omar. You know, obviously I'm doing that and I've been disappointed because she's engaged into this, uh, politics to, you know, whether it be the, the, this is tropes that she made towards the Jewish community, um, or towards Israel, whether it's her constant fights,
Speaker 0 00:10:10 Mr. Mr. Melton mutes, you've got a pretty good campaign war chest, and had been running lots of ads attacking representative Omar, and that's your right to do, but I think what your ads haven't done is tell us anything about you, or you've got all this great literature that has bullet points about different issues you care about. I really don't want this to be an attack forum. I'm far more interested in you getting a chance to talk about the issues that have drawn you to want to go to Congress. And, um, and instead of attacking your opponent, and if I have representative Oman, I'm going to say the same thing to her. I don't want her to use this time to attack you, or, you know, either there's just so much of that, you know, Rico, you know, as to what the dividers, why I think I was always attacking each other, you know, as part of what's gotten us where we are, um, I would be interested in you talking about, um, some of these issues that you've got on your literature that are the things that you really are making priorities.
Speaker 0 00:11:25 And I think that things that have, that people are broadly, deeply concerned about, um, since, um, you've spent a lot of time getting educated as a minister, lawyer and mediator. Um, I assume that, and I know that you have school aged kids in public school, right? I do. Yes. Yeah. Um, so I'm sort of interested in you, your ideas for how we get our hands educational disparities. I think most people think of that as a very local issue, a school board issue. So how could Congress have an impact on that? What are your ideas for really dealing with that?
Speaker 1 00:12:09 Well, it's an important area and it's one of the reasons that I'm running for Congress is the education and opportunity gaps that we have in the fifth congressional district. And the reality is we have one of the biggest gaps in the country, and most people, um, don't know that are not willing to accept that. Um, but it is reality. Um, and, uh, black and Brown kids have born the brunt of that. Um, and as we all know, education is the key to prosperity. Um, it's been true for my family. My father integrated his high school in the 1950s and Kentucky. And that was a platform for us to, as a family have opportunities that I'm frankly, of the benefactor of, because of that. And so here we can do at the federal level are a few things. First, we can invest more in our early learners right now, here in Minnesota, it costs about $15,000 to put children into daycare, um, or early learning. Um, when they're born too, they get into kindergarten for most families, that's completely out of reach. And all studies have shown that our children learn right out the gate and it's the best investment of our resources to invest in our children at that point in time in their lives. So I'm calling for what's called universal, early learning
Speaker 0 00:13:21 K through K basically.
Speaker 1 00:13:23 So it would be birth basically to K and it would be like a educationally based childcare system that will be available to all families and particularly those that are low income or minority. So they have a place first, their child is safe, but also a place where they're learning and their services to help families with, um, housing stability or health services, wraparound services.
Speaker 0 00:13:48 Are you thinking like, in terms of like modeling your ideas off of, um, Jeffrey Canada's, um, is it Harlem? Children's Harlem children's zone? I think I've got the name of it, right?
Speaker 1 00:14:02 It's something similar to that. These schools have wraparound services
Speaker 0 00:14:07 And food services and
Speaker 1 00:14:09 Exactly right, because it's a community based investment because when you invest in children, you also have to appreciate they come from community and if their housing is stable or food insecure, um, they're not going to be able to learn effectively. So we have to be honest about those factors and really invest dollars, um, smartly to address the totality of what our children are facing. And that helps
Speaker 0 00:14:35 Minnesota had made pre-K maybe because I'm not a parent, I dropped the ball on this. I thought Minnesota had done that, but maybe the Republicans didn't allow allocate the money. So it still hasn't happened. Well, I'm talking
Speaker 1 00:14:52 About something much more expansive I'm talking about from birth, not pre-K from birth until they enter kindergarten, those resources being available to our students and our families, because the truth is our kids, their brains are, are nearly developed by the time they get into pre-K. And so if we haven't given the right type of stimulus education opportunities, exposure to different learning platforms, we've missed out on an incredible opportunity, uh, for them to be even a better position to produce well, be engaged and have success once they enter K through 12.
Speaker 0 00:15:29 Yeah. This very much sounds like, um, Geoffrey Canada's, Harlem children's zone, uh, which has had remarkable success over the last 15 to 20 years. He was doing it before, um, president Obama's term in office, um, for listeners, they might want to know that, um, the democratic nominee challenging or presumed nominee, former vice president, Joe Biden, just did a beautiful speech in the last couple of days around childcare and early education. So I would think that, so it sounds as if what you're suggesting, um, Anton Melton meats is something very in line with what Joe Biden is also proposing in terms of what he calls a care economy.
Speaker 1 00:16:20 That's right. It's a holistic approach. And I think that's, what's missing from our politics right now is that we see things as a problem, check the box and it's solved. But the reality is these issues of much more complex and interconnected, um, touching on many parts of, you know, areas in our communities like housing, um, education, income, um, food. And we have to be honest about, you know, policies that reflect each one of those complexities.
Speaker 2 00:16:50 So mr. Melton nukes, this is Rica Morelos. And I'm just wondering from your ads and campaigns and your, uh, some of the interviews that you've done online and in the media, um, you quote ms. Omar as missing votes in Congress. And I was just wondering if you guarantee, if you are elected or if you were to win the election, are you guaranteeing that you're not gonna miss any votes in Congress?
Speaker 1 00:17:19 They go, I've been on the record about this and I'll state it again, unless I'm physically unable because I'm sick written. I will, I will not miss it.
Speaker 2 00:17:29 And then also, what about the, um, when, when you said that you've had the talk and, and you've had to give the talk to your own son, you're black, African American son, what does that mean? When someone says I've had the talk from my father, from my parents. And what do you mean by that? Well,
Speaker 1 00:17:50 You know, in the wake of the murder, George Floyd, um, something that's been made more aware to people or communities is that, um, the black community in particularly black men, there was a tradition. And I say that with a lot of sorrow, to be honest, where it's your responsibility to talk to your son, such that he understands, um, how to handle himself if he's pulled over by a police officer, or has a police interaction so that he can minimize the chances that the police will, um, you know, harm him or, um, mistreat him or violate his constitutional rights. My father, uh, who grew up in, you know, Kentucky and integrated his high school, um, he understood that. And so he had a conversation with me when I was very young. I think I was 12 years old when he talked to me about, uh, the police and how I need to handle myself.
Speaker 1 00:18:44 And because of that, and I've had no interactions with the police where I've been pulled over. And I was detained as a law student for several hours where two white police officers try to course me to commit to a crime, that there was no way that I could have committed to. Um, so it was incumbent upon me to talk to my son Xavier. And I did so when he was eight years old, because I did not want him to have a situation when he's walking in the community or on the school bus or anywhere where I was not present. And he didn't understand the dynamics of engaging with the police officer as a black boy in America. And that's a sad thing to say. Um, but I'm not alone in having that conversation with my son.
Speaker 0 00:19:25 Well, and, and, you know, we've been hearing more and more of that, you know, that being put out there and frankly, a long time listeners of callus will know, uh, I've been working as an independent journalist and a community activist on police accountability issues since 1978. So it's, and it's been a regular topic on this show, but everything in the last couple of months has shifted after the torture and murder of George Floyd. And so now there's all sorts of talk about possible police reform. There's slogans like defund the police, dismantle the police. And I don't hear much in the way of concrete specifics, slogan st going to get it. Um, and I've done enough work that wasn't just marching down the street, but around policy you made as your list of bullet point issues, you're concerned about reducing police violence is how you put it, what are the concrete things that could happen at a national level? We tend to think of law enforcement as a local matter. What could Congress do to begin to actually change this issue? What are your ideas on that?
Speaker 1 00:20:40 And it's a great question. Um, I appreciate that you, um, are showing demarcations between the federal and local levels. Cause I think that's one of the confusing things that people hear today. People are making promises on things they can't deliver on because they don't have the jurisdiction to do so. So at the federal level, there are four things that are maybe five that we can do specifically. The first is we can demilitarize the police. What I mean by that is there are, um, government, um, resources that go to local police, um, offices and in jurisdictions that are military equipment, basically bayonets, grenade, launchers, heavy duty machinery. Um, I, local police officers don't need that. We don't live in a war zone. We shouldn't be treated like enemy combatants. That's the first thing, the second thing is creating a uniform excessive force standard. That means that, um, whether I'm in Minnesota or California or Florida, my constitutional rights in terms of excessive force are the same only the federal government can do that. Third thing we can do is in what's called qualified immunity. Um, let me try to explain that to,
Speaker 0 00:21:50 That's a very important thing, and it's hard. I think most people don't even know it exists,
Speaker 1 00:21:54 Right? It's a law created by judges is not legislation it's called case law where judges have made it almost impossible to being a successful misconduct case against the police officer. It's almost impossible to, so standard is so high. And then the last thing is ending police sexual violence, which happens more times than people know. It's actually, I think one of the two top issues in terms of complaints against police officers is for sexual violence. And then we need better oversight at the federal level, almost against the voting rights act. Um, we need better oversight to identify a systemic bias and misconduct within local police officers. And then we have to talk about policing itself. That's a local issue, but my suggestion is that we have a much more clearly and narrowly defined police function. What we've done, unfortunately, Lydia is that we have policed and criminalized, uh, mental health crises. We have policed and criminalized homelessness. Um, and right now our jails are the number one provider of mental health in the country. That's the truth.
Speaker 0 00:23:01 Oh yeah. I urge anybody. If you want to get into the weeds on that, uh, PBS has show frontline did an amazing documentary on that, but isn't this local what you're talking about.
Speaker 1 00:23:13 I mean, as I'm saying, these are local issues, right?
Speaker 0 00:23:15 It's kind of irritating about where we're at is the most I've heard is going to be taken away from the Minneapolis police department is 600,000 bucks out of the budget of, I can't seem to get a straight answer on just how much the budget is. I keep seeing different figures, but it's a pittance to be, to take mental health crisis away from the police and put it in something like a wonderful group called Culp community outreach and psychiatric emergencies. And so the police don't show up unless there's a weapon present and 600,000 isn't enough to have enough teams that could respond much less. It doesn't address homelessness or getting police out of our schools. So I guess I want to focus primarily on that, what you were saying before the congressional aspect, that what can be done nationally, um, on qualified immunity since it's, uh, it's not a law, this is just something that Congress could change. There could be a package of police reforms. And what would that mean if there wasn't qualified immunity?
Speaker 1 00:24:23 Well, then you go to a basic civil standard. Like we all are no longer be above the law. In other words, basically. That's right. That's right. Sounds good. And that's the way it should be.
Speaker 0 00:24:35 Um, yeah, I mean, I'd like to see the department of justice more involved, sometimes consent decrees have been a way to get some actual policy change at a local level. Um, but it sounds like, you know, you are making some good suggestions. I don't know, given, um, the law, this last fake bill that the Republicans offer, which wasn't a bill at all was pretty void of any real reform. You know, I'm feeling we're going to have to slug it out city by city, but, um, it would be great if we could have a sort of national state and local push. I think we could see something really happened. Um,
Speaker 1 00:25:23 We're calling that media.
Speaker 2 00:25:27 Thank you, mr. Mr. Melton milks. I'm just wondering, uh, have you been driving around the twin cities, Metro area? Do you see people living outside in tents and how would you address the, the, are our neighbors living outside in tents? How would you address that issue?
Speaker 1 00:25:43 Well, thank you for that question. I appreciate it. And yes, I have driven around the city and I've seen the encampments, um, and we'd have to take measurable steps. And this is what we're seeing here, um, is, um, kind of chronic homelessness. And it's not just enough to, you know, support people when they have these encampments. That's important. So people have food and resources, but we have to end the cycle. Um, we have to decriminalize homelessness and I propose that we invest dollars. Again, this is a with a local state and federal issue for more permanent supportive housing for our homeless, with supportive services that will help them. If they have say a drug addiction to address that if it's a job issue, giving them training and skills, uh, to be able to get back on their feet, to get jobs that are sustainable for them, whatever that situation is, we have to have those very much dedicated resources to end that cycle. And then this is a larger conversation, maybe beyond the question about affordable housing, right? Cause right now that is a crisis COVID is making it worse. We have to do more to increase our affordable housing stock and the quality of that stock. And we need to give people much more flexibility in terms of things like housing choice vouchers, so they can move themselves and their families to a location that works best for them.
Speaker 0 00:27:01 You know, it's great to talk about choice when it comes to housing, but there has been a section eight voucher program for a long time. Landlords don't want it that. Why? Because it can't just Jack your rent up at will. Every year. There are some parameters they can't refuse to make repairs because they are inspected. So, you know, I think we need to build more low income housing, frankly. Um, public housing, the, I haven't been building new stuff to any degree in decades. Um, and locally local government probably doesn't have the resources and it makes us the will because gentrifying. So a lot more fun. Um, so is there a way to get Congress to see that, uh, everybody isn't making a hundred thousand a year and that, you know, a huge amount of your workforce, the working poor when you can't afford a one bedroom apartment and you work full time, there's something wrong with that picture. And that's the reality thing, more and more people,
Speaker 1 00:28:08 Right? There's two things happening in that. Lydia one to your point, we need more housing units available. So I'm, I am in my plan calling for $75 billion from the federal government to increase, um, the housing availability stock, which is too low right now. But this is also part of that issue that you mentioned is people are working quite often, two or three jobs to barely make ends meet if it's that, um, we have to address the issue of wages right now, um, right now with COVID though, we have to make sure that people can pay them, right? So I'm in favor of rent and mortgage support for families in need, but longterm, we have to increase the federal minimum wage, still acts seven and changes. It's an absolute embarrassment it's atrocious. And what I'm proposing is called up a national living wage. Now let me try to explain, because I've been critiqued on this a bit.
Speaker 1 00:28:59 I would support the $15 minimum wage if he came across my desk as a member of Congress, but does not go far enough because the truth of the matter is in many cities in our country, Minneapolis, really, depending on where you live, $15 an hour is not enough. And so the national living wage that I'm talking about, we'll use $15 as a floor, but that number could be higher based upon where you live. So if you're in LA or New York, which are incredibly expensive markets, that number will be higher in addition is going to be an inflation indicator with that. So people aren't priced out. That's what happened. She said at a 15, in five years, everyone is priced out. And we know, uh, cause we seen this. Congress is not going to come back this conversation for a very long time. So instead of, you know, getting a temporary victory on the issue, let's build in a system that will sustain working in middle class families for the foreseeable future, with an inflation indicator. That makes sense.
Speaker 0 00:29:55 And inflation indicator means like the wage will go up over time naturally.
Speaker 1 00:30:02 Exactly. Every single year based upon inflation.
Speaker 0 00:30:05 Yeah, no, I think that's important. And you know, uh, on the upside for those who don't know if regular working people's wages are either so-called minimum wage, which we'd all like to have it be a living wage had gone up at the same rate that CEO pay has, we'd all be making 22 bucks an hour.
Speaker 2 00:30:31 Yep.
Speaker 0 00:30:32 If it had gone up the same rate and hadn't been, you know, stuck and stopped and blocked, well, good luck dealing with the Republicans cause they don't, they don't want to raise the bar.
Speaker 2 00:30:42 We could decrease the military spending, spending in the military budget and some of our grants and loans to other countries and other militaries for, you know, outsourcing militaries and privatized prisons and bring that back into the American economy for people struggling with homelessness, mental illness, drug addiction, and all sorts of other things.
Speaker 1 00:31:05 Well, and we can also repeal Donald Trump's giveaway estate tax to fund our housing shortage.
Speaker 0 00:31:13 That's right. We're having a conversation with Anton Melton mutes. He is challenging representative Ilhan, Omar, a democratic Congresswoman for Minnesota for the, uh, DFL nomination. Special election is happening August 11th. There's also a special election for ward six. Um, that's the word word in that's the word KFC is in Cedar, Riverside Westbank, South Minneapolis, Seward Phillips, and a couple of more neighborhoods Ventura village can't remember. Um, but that was audible Assamese, um, seat. And that also August 11th, special election, if you need information on voting, uh, please call three, one, one. I just called them today cause I was afraid I'd screwed up my absentee ballot. Uh, well a neighbor asked me to be their witness and I'm like witness what I need a witness. So I've never voted absentee. I'm a religious voter. I voted on those years where there's once you know, city council seat at a so kind of ballot measure.
Speaker 2 00:32:21 I like to walk in and pull the lever
Speaker 0 00:32:23 Too. Um, but please call three, one, one here in Minneapolis to get information. One is say to people, uh, it is not too early to register to vote wherever you live. Since we know some folks will be listing elsewhere, but keep checking back from here to November cause the voter suppression has already happened. Anyway. We've been trying to do these candidate conversations. Um, I want to make sure, uh, mr. Malta makes you get a chance to, although the issues that you talk, um, pointed out here, uh, quickly since it is very relevant, it is rarely relevant in this Pam deck, your views on healthcare. Uh, are you for universal single payer? Do you want to build on prisoner Obama's affordable care act or something else?
Speaker 1 00:33:11 It's a great question. Incredibly relevant right now have human, the human rights healthcare is it just that's fundamentally true. Um, and Medicare for all came across my desk. I would support it in a heartbeat. Um, however I think Medicare for all is great, but doesn't get as far enough. Uh, let me explain Medicare for all is great for access appear. It doesn't fully address the quality and the cost of care. And so I am proposing is what's called primary care for all and primary care for all as a comprehensive universal platform. Um, it is a built-out is a public option. So we'll compete with private insurance, wouldn't affect people's Medicare Medicaid, and the focus is on putting more emphasis on continuous care. All studies have shown that people's chronic diseases. Um, the amount of that occurrence goes down. Quality of life goes up Costco down when you have continuous care from a primary care physician and this plan that's an expansive view, includes primary care physicians. It includes, um, eye dental, hearing care. It includes internal medicine, um, health, mental health, and behavioral care. Um, as well as, uh, reproductive care, uh, for women, no additional costs
Speaker 0 00:34:28 That was this any different. This sounds like universal single payer. I mean, one of the good things about the affordable care act. I think a lot of folks don't know is it wasn't only about access, but Willy looking at healthcare, I know get alive. I need to get alive, but I actually watched some of the hearings and panels on CSPAN. Sorry, a lot of times there's not many as a C-SPAN junkie, but one of them was very much trying to encourage more people that were going into medicine to become primary care physicians or what we used to think of as family practice or general practice. Um, so what is the difference between, I mean, primary care, what you're saying and the universal single payer healthcare.
Speaker 1 00:35:18 So a couple of differences right now, Medicare has about five to 7% of its resources, dedicated to primary care support. That's that's incredibly low and insufficient for what you were talking about and what I'm talking about. Um, in addition to that, um, the, how doctors are paid, um, that structure is misaligned for that goal. Um, it's based upon a fee for service. So doctors are getting paid for their quantity of care. What I am proposing, we move to a global payment system. So doctors paid for the value or quality of care. So when patients do better, doctors get paid more. That means they spend more time with you. It's much more holistic. Um, there's a long term, medium term and short term plan for your healthcare. And all States have shown that will improve quality of life, reduce chronic diseases, reduce visits to the ER and urgent care. Now this plan it's important to note does incorporate specialty services. So if you have to go to a surgeon, right, if you have to go to urgent care, ER, it's covered in that. But the goal is for there to be fewer occurrences of those specialty services because people are healthier. Um, and they are able to ward off those acute, these disease States, frankly, this is an equity issue too, for people of color because they are disproportionally impacted by the lack of care and higher chronic diseases like heart disease and hypertension.
Speaker 0 00:36:47 We got insurance companies. I was so tired of hearing about the death penalties, the death panels that the Republicans were talking about in terms of the affordable care act. I'm like we already got those they're called insurance company, you know? Yeah. Um, I mean I think the emphasis on primary care will be very important and continuity of care is really important. Um, I just, I want to see the United States pay twice as much as any other industrialized nation and yet the healthcare outcomes. Aren't what they could be as you note, a lot of people should get left out. Um, um, I know that, uh, Joe Biden definitely is gonna, since he and president Obama worked on the ACA, I know this is going to be a big issue for him too one way or the other. Um, I just wanted to still stay on the agenda because I, you know, feel like we're gonna lose what gains have been made without it being on the agenda.
Speaker 2 00:37:50 So, uh, mr. Melton, nukes, I just want to say thank you for coming on the show and being available and taking time away from the campaign, you know, that, that you're doing, you seem to possibly have, um, an uphill battle as far as the poll numbers are concerned, but you have been raising money from may until June, uh, $3 million. And so there's sort of a mixed bag of, you know, things that like we could talk about. Uh, what do you, what are you most happy about, uh, most proud about for your own campaign?
Speaker 1 00:38:23 Well, you know, this campaign was started in December of last year and it was based upon a really simple of idea that the people of this district is if someone's going to work hard, to bring people together, to get things done, that's what I've done my whole life as a mediator, as an attorney, as a minister. And that message has really blossomed. Uh, since, uh, December. Now we have 15 full time staff members have hundreds of volunteers. We have two offices, one 26 in Blazedale. Um, we have reached throughout the entire district, um, including the Somali community, uh, one of the former competitors in this race, Leila Shukria dog actually dropped out of the race. Um, a couple months ago, endorsed by campaign. It's not working for our campaign and I've been at places like Carmel mall and other places in a smaller community. And there's a lot of excitement about the opportunity for change and better leadership. Um, and I would say that we are extremely competitive. Uh, I'm proud of our fundraising dollars, but, uh, more importantly, I'm proud of the, the resources that we've yielded from, um, the district and the support from the people, the residents of this district that I would say this about the poll that was an internal poll driven by Congresswoman Omar, um, where they didn't actually call people and the polling company that did that poll got a C minus rating from, uh, from polling agencies. So I would take that
Speaker 0 00:39:42 After 2016, I don't pay attention to Paul's. I'll never believe that ever. I don't even care what the <inaudible>. One of my friends says numbers lie and liars use numbers. So, you know, there's a bit yeah. <inaudible>
Speaker 1 00:40:05 Because we're out there working, we're out.
Speaker 0 00:40:08 These are human beings we're talking about. Yeah. It'd be a lot of time before I think I'm going to put you in, um, no more poll questions. Yeah.
Speaker 1 00:40:16 Well, let me just add this. We also super proud of our endorsers. You know, we have incredible people who stepped up like, you know, iconic civil rights leader to Josie Johnson, a civil rights activist. He came to be bare Armstrong, strong people like Senator Ron Latz and golden Valley mayor, chip Harris and folks like Andy Luger and, and many, many others, um, rabbi, I'm sorry, mr. Michael Ramadan and Layla Shukria Don. So we have a really wonderful a roster of supporters all over the district, uh, from every background. And he really reflects the big tent of his campaign.
Speaker 0 00:40:52 Well, you know, here's the third rail. I mean, I know that some of what I've seen is that it does see there's a certain amount of, out of state to support some of it, frankly from Republicans and conservatives. Um, and other adult, like representative Omar probably have wandered her out since a week after she got there. Um, I know that the pro Israel lobby get the sense that it's put some money in. And I, I just feel like at this point, I'm just going to try to ask this question in the most fair way possible, where do you it's gotta be okay if I can criticize my government, I should be able to criticize his Railey government and some of their policies, which for some time United nation is says violates the Palestinian's rights there. The Netanyahu government is, and X-Wing more land. So my question to you is twofold. One, do you support the policies of the current Israeli prime minister Netanyahu? Who's just seems hell bent on undermining the two state solution and two, why is the United States giving $5 billion every year to Israel, which is quite wealthy? I'm not saying we shouldn't give any, but it seems like you've got plenty of things. Do we need to do at home? Is there not a, what is, is there not some way we could still have a two state solution?
Speaker 1 00:42:35 So let me try to unpack those pieces. I do want to just say about the money just really quickly. Um, this idea they were prompted by a Republican GOP support is frankly just false. It's created by affection, by consequent Omar and her camp. We actually depressed actually asked them for specific names of people that reflect that notion that were profit by Republicans, every single person that they identified, um, gave to Democrats and Republicans, every single one of them. So they would get a gig to both parties and they gave to both parties. And, and then, um, with the pro Israel, um, groups, um, those packs, again, these are nonpartisan organization. They get the both Democrats, Tina Smith
Speaker 0 00:43:20 Cracks and Republicans. That's her question is this idea that we can't even challenge us policy regarding Israel that, you know, and I may not always like the way representative Omar has stated things, but I do think questioning that policy and saying, is there some better role we can play to do what our supposed goal is, is state to state solution. So both Israel and the Palestinians can live in peace side by side. And all I'm asking you is, do you support Israeli president Netanyahu use current policies? Are you interested in any other approach?
Speaker 1 00:44:14 Right. So I just want to make sure that I kind of reframe the premise of respect to the concept of not trying to create an attack here, but the issue with Conklin, Omar is not really the critique of Israel. The issue of constantly Omar is she lost the trust, the Jewish community because she engaged in really hurtful and harmful tropes, several occasions. That's the issue. And that's where the frustration is from the Jewish community. From folks that I've talked to is a sense of betrayal or a lack of trust. And the fact that she said first, she would not support BDS. And then she changed her mind and said that she wouldn't,
Speaker 0 00:44:52 I can say book, I don't know, except for the one meme, follow the Benjamins. I don't know of any other examples of things that could be interpreted as an antisemitic remark from her. I, I, I do.
Speaker 1 00:45:07 Yeah. And what I'm referring to Lydia or conversations that I've had with people in the community.
Speaker 0 00:45:12 But I do think the, uh, boycott divest and sanction movement is a nonviolent peaceful long time tactics used by many different groups to create social justice change. Maybe the most, the most known domestic one would be right here in the USA civil rights movement, internationally South Africa. So if it is now not right to support nonviolent tactics like economic boycott or divestment sanctions, we're in trouble because those have long time are long time tactics for social change. If you take the nonviolent tactics away left, what are you left with?
Speaker 1 00:46:01 Okay. But I think, and I hear what you're saying, but then my point is that consistent, the BDS movement, is that what you're saying? I oppose BDS in terms of applying it to the middle East negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians. I have also said, I've also said very clearly, just want to make sure I make this clear that I will look at anything with respect to BDS from a constitutional perspective. So I think it's important for people to have their freedom of speech rights protected. I've been very consistent about that.
Speaker 0 00:46:31 So you're saying you're not going to, you're not for these bands that have been coming up that make it illegal, to support a boycott, divest and sanction
Speaker 1 00:46:40 Of Israel. Yeah. What I'm saying is I will look at that and if it violates someone's constitutional rights, then I won't support that.
Speaker 0 00:46:47 No, if ands or buts about it, if they ban that they are violating constitutional free speech rights, not long time, nonviolent tactics that have been used from, you know, boycotts of Woolworths that wouldn't see black, uh, hire black people or let black people eat in the lunch and had to, uh, bring him down apartheid.
Speaker 1 00:47:11 Like anything else it's responsible as a legislator. I can tell you this as an attorney, you have to look at the language, you have to look at what it says, you know, and then you make an informed decision. I think that's important
Speaker 0 00:47:22 You're you oppose the BDS movement, but whether you support banning, it would depend on the actual language. And I get it. You're a lawyer, that's a moderate, reasonable thing to say that you'd want to see how was the law created? Um, that's cool. I appreciate that. We were able to talk about something that's so darn difficult, um, that this country is way behind on having discussions about that because it's so hard to ever even have one. So I'm glad that we were able to touch on it in a reasonable way. Um, we've been having a conversation with Anton Melton UK's he is challenging Congresswoman Elana, Omar Democrat of Minnesota. Who's representing the fifth district in Congress, uh, in the primary, which was a special election, August 11th, August 11th. Um, and there's a couple of other things on the bout that day, too. You can do an absentee ballot, please call three, one, one in Minneapolis.
Speaker 0 00:48:25 So do it soon if you want an absentee ballot. Um, it's not too late. Um, this shows broadcast in July 24th. Um, three one, one in Minneapolis. You can get your absentee ballot. Anton Melton news really appreciate your time. And we ended up giving you those show, sorry, John Lewis, you will be honored next week. I promise a great man and a wonderful human being. Who's inspired so many, uh, really appreciate your time and thanks for spending some of it with us on KFC. I thank you, Lydia. Please check us
[email protected]. Thank you. Thank you. I'm not an aura. Thank you. I thank you very much. All right, bye. And that was anti milk. The nukes, uh, running for the DFL nomination, uh, which, um, for representative Elana Amarsi, we've got some, uh, public service announcements. We'll be right back and you're listening to catalyst you're with weekly shell politics and culture on KPI 90.3, FM Minneapolis all shows online after broadcast <inaudible> dot org.
Speaker 2 00:49:37 Hey, there I am record Morales. I'm here with Lydia. How every Friday afternoon from one until two, Monday through Friday for the public affairs slot one until 2:00 PM. I just want to say cafe that'll work. Listen to the archives. You can listen to the history of the show in the archives online. And also we had some callers here during the show. They couldn't get through because we were on the phone with our guests (612) 341-0980. Um, if you want to email us or check out social media, you can help contact and connect with Lydia howl Catalyst's show on cafe and Facebook and other social media events. Catalyst
Speaker 0 00:50:18 Men be a Facebook friend because I post stuff on there for, um, events.
Speaker 2 00:50:24 Yeah, you're really informative. Thank you. Because there's some stuff. If
Speaker 0 00:50:28 I tell you it over the air, it's just too gobbledy, goop the link out there
Speaker 2 00:50:32 And it's trackable. You can track it.
Speaker 0 00:50:35 In fact, if you go and sign up for KVI show catalyst on Facebook, um, there is a concert. I know we're all dying for live music. The beautiful Minnesota singer songwriter, Larry Long is doing a concert tonight, Friday, July 24th, 8:00 PM on zoom. He's playing with a whole bunch of different people, including folks from the steel family. And, um, we will close out the show with a song off his new album that he did with his cousin. Um, the album is called, uh, is Larry Long, the Melvin James sessions. That's his, uh, cousin from his new album dove with claws, which a phrase Johnny Cash came up with.
Speaker 2 00:51:18 No, that's good. That's beautiful. That's beautiful. That's right. That's right. Yeah.
Speaker 0 00:51:24 Go to the, if you go to KFA I on Facebook. Okay. Fab, radio and cat Facebook or KPI show catalyst on Facebook. There is the link for that. And the concert is July 24th, 8:00 PM. On zoom. There's a link there. You can click on to be able to hear it. That's been one of the hardest things about the pandemic, no live music.
Speaker 2 00:51:45 I know, I know. I think the patios are, um, definitely hot right now. There's an excessive heat warning right now until 8:00 PM tonight. So please be careful. Everyone drink plenty of water, stay inside or stay cool or hydrated. If you can please
Speaker 0 00:52:00 Three, one, one, and get your absentee ballot. And you can check. You can say you want the ballot for the August 11th, special election here in Minneapolis and also your ballot for November. You can do both, uh, but you know, to make this mailing thing work, we gotta start early. Um, one more thing. I know we're giving you a light info at the end wonderful group called, uh, community power to also want Facebook. They're doing work around a program to make energy more affordable. Um, and, um, there are public hearings happening at the Minnesota public utilities commission coming up this month. So go to community power, um, Minnesota on Facebook to find out more information about that. The hearings are, I believe June, July 28th through 30th and that's next week. Um, and, um, I wish I could say I understood more about how that works, but I still don't quite get it, but maybe you will.
Speaker 0 00:53:06 You can get a break on your bills and, and, uh, help get more people. Solarized. You've been listening to catalyst or weaker saw politics and culture. We will honor John Lewis next week with this beautiful speech from 1963 and a fun music mix that will take you from world war two to now, uh, fighting for civil rights. We're going to go out with a song from this new album. It's really fun or electric Larry Long with Melvin James off this new album, dove with claws. And the song is called living in a rich man's world. Peace out
Speaker 3 00:53:46 <inaudible>. My mother told me to practice humility. Everybody wants me to play that game. Lord knows I'm going crazy now. <inaudible> and that's very long. And Friday, July 24th, 8:00 PM. KCI
Speaker 0 00:55:56 Catalyst on Facebook for the link you're listening to KPI 90.3 FM. Minnesota also is online at the broadcast KPI.
Speaker 3 00:56:07 We're going to go into
Speaker 0 00:56:10 Then 90 feature. And after that is of course,
Speaker 3 00:56:14 Beautiful music.
