January 9, 2025 • 9 mins
Check out the STACK for links from each show here: http://JustinBarclay.com
Try Cue Streaming for just $2 / day and help support the good guys https://justinbarclay.com/cue
Up to 80% OFF! Use promo code JUSTIN http://MyPillow.com/Justin
Patriots are making the Switch! What if we could start voting with our dollars too? http://SwitchWithJustin.com
Down 40 Pounds in 40 Days.. Find Out How http://HealthWithJustin.com
No matter what's coming, you can be ready for your family and others. http://PrepareWithJustin.com
#ad
Try Cue Streaming for just $2 / day and help support the good guys https://justinbarclay.com/cue
Up to 80% OFF! Use promo code JUSTIN http://MyPillow.com/Justin
Patriots are making the Switch! What if we could start voting with our dollars too? http://SwitchWithJustin.com
Down 40 Pounds in 40 Days.. Find Out How http://HealthWithJustin.com
No matter what's coming, you can be ready for your family and others. http://PrepareWithJustin.com
#ad
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
On with us right now.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Big day yesterday in the state and the of course,
writes Smack Dab in Lansing, I was there. Speaker of
the House Matt Hall tells us that it look it's
it's just the beginning. It's the beginning, just the beginning. There,
the first step of the rebuilding process taking the house back.
(00:21):
Republicans did that in November. Luke Merriman, a representative, joins
us now from West Michigann. We appreciate you taking the
time to beer here with us repping. Gosh, what a
big day yesterday.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Absolutely great to be with you, justin thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
I know you didn't see me because I kind of
quietly snuck in I was sitting right behind you and
your your family there, Okay, I.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Was actually looking for you. I heard around, I was,
I was.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
We had a fantastic time with the Speaker afterwards, and
sat down with him in his office and he outlined
some of the priorities and we'll talk about that coming
up here in just a little bit. But one of
the things that I thought was most interesting to me
is that you'll already getting things done on day one
to day that's pretty much mostly kind of pomp and
(01:08):
circumstance sort of thing already taking action with with this
restaurant stuff, that's big, a big deal. Democrats failed to
deal with it in lamed up Boy. They wanted to
do everything else, uh, in their in their dreams and hopes,
the nightmares that they wanted to push through, But they
refused to deal with something that average everyday folks here
(01:29):
in Michigan are going to be forced to deal with
in February if if we don't get this done.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Absolutely they refused, and you saw the House Republicans say
this is enough and uh and we're leaving and and
you know that triggered a lot of discussion and at Pension,
I think to the subject because it's going to be
devastating to uh, waitresses and waiters. It's absolutely going to
be devastating if if we don't get to shades through
(01:56):
the house in the Senate.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Yeah, this is the you know, this is something that
I just can't believe that they haven't dealt with already.
These are you know, these are folks who are going
to feel it.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
And there's no room.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
You know, it's it's not just the people that work
in the restaurants. It's not just the people that own
the restaurants, and they've been devastated. But after what Whitmer's
done ever since, you go back to the COVID days.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
But it's going to devastate people like me and.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
You too, who we're not gonna be able to afford
to eat out anymore.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
No, look at the states paying the places that have
tried it, you know Portland, Maine. You know the waitresses
and waiters showed up at city councils. Then you have
to reverse this. This is ruining our jobs. You know
in Washington, d C. They're losing a restaurant a week
when they got rid of tip credit. It just completely
upends the relationship between the patrons and the waitresses and waiters,
(02:50):
which is, you know something that most people don't know
that you know today before this law is even implemented
in February, before this ballot in issuetive even came to
the table, which is as leaders are guaranteed minimum wage.
So this was a nothing burger from the beginning. And
here's something else that really strikes me. Justin ten million
(03:13):
dollars has been spent on this by my fair wage,
and guess how much came from the from Michigan State
of Michigan one hundred and fifty dollars. This is not
something that the people of Michigan have been asking for.
It's not even coming from the people of Michigan. And
now we're looking to see a devastate restaurants.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
I just I can't you know, I can't say it enough.
And I think more and more people are starting to
see this. In fact, I think it's part of what
we saw in November and what we are starting to
see now. You know, the Republican Party, and particularly under
President Trump, has really shifted and become a party of
the people more than anything else. These people used to
say that the Republican Party, it's a corporate interest in
(03:56):
all this and business and YadA, YadA, YadA.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Well there's a bit of that. That's it's true.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
They want the Republican Party wants business to be able
to thrive, they want jobs to be able to be created.
And I think now more than anything, people are starting
to see it's also because they want people to be
able to thrive. So people like me and you just
give us a chance to get out there and make
sure that the you know, we've got the opportunity and
(04:22):
nothing standing in our way. I think what we've seen,
especially if you look back in November across the country,
with the massive win, but also the opportunity to take
the house back.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
I think that's reflected in all that.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
So the question is how do you make sure we
hang on to it because we're in a particularly i think,
very important time between now and twenty six here in
Michigan two where we really if we do the right
things and you all do exactly what you say you're
going to do on the speaker as laid out this plan.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Boy as he mentions, this.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Is the ultimate time to really take the first step
in rebuilding the state.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
I couldn't agree more with you about the importance of
the next year or less for US House Republicans to
you know, really speak into the people of Michigan.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
And in a lot of ways, Trump is in the
same position as well. You know, the people of the
United States are watching and waiting to see and you know,
at the end of the day, justice I hope is
in prayer is that we as a people of the
United States remember and value our freedom and liberty. And
(05:33):
just as when Reagan came to the table, he brought
a new vision for what role of government would play
in our lives, and I think you know it. It
gave us new breath here in the United States for
a generation, and we're responsible for that now. To help
(05:53):
people remember that, you know, this is we the people first,
and the power comes from we the people. And the
government that's you know, big enough to give you anything
you want, is big enough to take it all away
from you as well. So we need to value that liberty,
independence of we the people in limited government. And this
is the government and a perfect example of extreme government overreach,
(06:17):
you know, moving into deciding you know, your relationship with
your waiter and waitress in the restaurant. I mean, what
right do they have to do that in a system
where nobody asked for this to be changed.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Rap Blue Bahriman with us right now.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Republicans now controlling the House in Lansing, and the first
day off to a big start. Rap Merriman from Coopersville
District eighty nine. If you're listening, he could actually be
your rep here in West Michigan. Up. Let me let
me ask you what else is on the on the agenda?
Obviously in this rebuilding process, what are we going to
be looking forward to over the next year or so.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Well, I think the biggest thing that's made a stir
in Lansing here, and it's a good stir because again
it's it's bringing accountability to the government. That's you know
that we have and that's this oversight focus that the
Speaker Hall has put into the whole process and the
idea that we voted in rules yesterday that gets the
(07:18):
pena powers to the Oversight Committee for the next two years.
That's never been done before and oversight is in It
is a huge role to us as legislators have the
legislative body oversight of you know, our departments and I
think you can talk to almost anybody and and find
a place where you know government has really hurt them.
(07:45):
And that's what oversight is about. It's it's about holding
accountable the very government that we the people have asked
you represent us. So again, the penut powers for the
Oversight Committee and six different subcommittee of that Oversight Reaponization
of state government is one subcommittee, Child Welfare system, corporate subsidies,
(08:08):
state investments as there's two more force one Public Health,
include Security, fIF Homeland Security for influence and sixth State
and local public assistant programs, and if we could take
a minute to focus on the homeland security and for influence.
But I'll stop there for a minute.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Yeah, we're up against the clock here, but I'll tell
you I'll let you talk about that.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
I'll say that.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Also, the speaker yesterday mentioned to me because I asked
about foreign interference and some of the issues. We saw
a student from China vote in this last election and
his vote counted, and I asked him about that as
a as an issue, the foreign interference, we're talking about
the battery plants, we're talking about some of the other issues,
(08:54):
could talk about border security, and we're also talking about
what he called election integrity. Because I asked him about that,
he said, you know, you notice we changed it from
elections to election integrity. Actually talked about how they changed
the language on this to focus on this particularly all
of these issues have did take it very seriously right now.
I think that's one of the things that people are
(09:14):
most hopeful about.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Yeah, absolutely, I mean too.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Rep.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Luke Merriman, all right, before we let you go, people
want to follow you, find you online and stay up
to date with everything. And obviously District eighty nine. Where
where can folks do that? What's best for you?
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Yeah, yes, well look it up online, email, text, sorry, email,
phone call. I'd love to interact with you through the office.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Fantastic, Always a pleasure. Rep.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Thank you so much for taking the time to be
here with us, and please come back give us updates.
We know we're looking forward to them.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Thank you, I got it.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
God bless
On with us right now.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
Big day yesterday in the state and the of course,
writes Smack Dab in Lansing, I was there. Speaker of
the House Matt Hall tells us that it look it's
it's just the beginning. It's the beginning, just the beginning. There,
the first step of the rebuilding process taking the house back.
(00:21):
Republicans did that in November. Luke Merriman, a representative, joins
us now from West Michigann. We appreciate you taking the
time to beer here with us repping. Gosh, what a
big day yesterday.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Absolutely great to be with you, justin thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
I know you didn't see me because I kind of
quietly snuck in I was sitting right behind you and
your your family there, Okay, I.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Was actually looking for you. I heard around, I was,
I was.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
We had a fantastic time with the Speaker afterwards, and
sat down with him in his office and he outlined
some of the priorities and we'll talk about that coming
up here in just a little bit. But one of
the things that I thought was most interesting to me
is that you'll already getting things done on day one
to day that's pretty much mostly kind of pomp and
(01:08):
circumstance sort of thing already taking action with with this
restaurant stuff, that's big, a big deal. Democrats failed to
deal with it in lamed up Boy. They wanted to
do everything else, uh, in their in their dreams and hopes,
the nightmares that they wanted to push through, But they
refused to deal with something that average everyday folks here
(01:29):
in Michigan are going to be forced to deal with
in February if if we don't get this done.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Absolutely they refused, and you saw the House Republicans say
this is enough and uh and we're leaving and and
you know that triggered a lot of discussion and at Pension,
I think to the subject because it's going to be
devastating to uh, waitresses and waiters. It's absolutely going to
be devastating if if we don't get to shades through
(01:56):
the house in the Senate.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
Yeah, this is the you know, this is something that
I just can't believe that they haven't dealt with already.
These are you know, these are folks who are going
to feel it.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
And there's no room.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
You know, it's it's not just the people that work
in the restaurants. It's not just the people that own
the restaurants, and they've been devastated. But after what Whitmer's
done ever since, you go back to the COVID days.
Speaker 1 (02:21):
But it's going to devastate people like me and.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
You too, who we're not gonna be able to afford
to eat out anymore.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
No, look at the states paying the places that have
tried it, you know Portland, Maine. You know the waitresses
and waiters showed up at city councils. Then you have
to reverse this. This is ruining our jobs. You know
in Washington, d C. They're losing a restaurant a week
when they got rid of tip credit. It just completely
upends the relationship between the patrons and the waitresses and waiters,
(02:50):
which is, you know something that most people don't know
that you know today before this law is even implemented
in February, before this ballot in issuetive even came to
the table, which is as leaders are guaranteed minimum wage.
So this was a nothing burger from the beginning. And
here's something else that really strikes me. Justin ten million
(03:13):
dollars has been spent on this by my fair wage,
and guess how much came from the from Michigan State
of Michigan one hundred and fifty dollars. This is not
something that the people of Michigan have been asking for.
It's not even coming from the people of Michigan. And
now we're looking to see a devastate restaurants.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
I just I can't you know, I can't say it enough.
And I think more and more people are starting to
see this. In fact, I think it's part of what
we saw in November and what we are starting to
see now. You know, the Republican Party, and particularly under
President Trump, has really shifted and become a party of
the people more than anything else. These people used to
say that the Republican Party, it's a corporate interest in
(03:56):
all this and business and YadA, YadA, YadA.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
Well there's a bit of that. That's it's true.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
They want the Republican Party wants business to be able
to thrive, they want jobs to be able to be created.
And I think now more than anything, people are starting
to see it's also because they want people to be
able to thrive. So people like me and you just
give us a chance to get out there and make
sure that the you know, we've got the opportunity and
(04:22):
nothing standing in our way. I think what we've seen,
especially if you look back in November across the country,
with the massive win, but also the opportunity to take
the house back.
Speaker 1 (04:33):
I think that's reflected in all that.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
So the question is how do you make sure we
hang on to it because we're in a particularly i think,
very important time between now and twenty six here in
Michigan two where we really if we do the right
things and you all do exactly what you say you're
going to do on the speaker as laid out this plan.
Speaker 1 (04:52):
Boy as he mentions, this.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Is the ultimate time to really take the first step
in rebuilding the state.
Speaker 4 (05:01):
I couldn't agree more with you about the importance of
the next year or less for US House Republicans to
you know, really speak into the people of Michigan.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
And in a lot of ways, Trump is in the
same position as well. You know, the people of the
United States are watching and waiting to see and you know,
at the end of the day, justice I hope is
in prayer is that we as a people of the
United States remember and value our freedom and liberty. And
(05:33):
just as when Reagan came to the table, he brought
a new vision for what role of government would play
in our lives, and I think you know it. It
gave us new breath here in the United States for
a generation, and we're responsible for that now. To help
(05:53):
people remember that, you know, this is we the people first,
and the power comes from we the people. And the
government that's you know, big enough to give you anything
you want, is big enough to take it all away
from you as well. So we need to value that liberty,
independence of we the people in limited government. And this
is the government and a perfect example of extreme government overreach,
(06:17):
you know, moving into deciding you know, your relationship with
your waiter and waitress in the restaurant. I mean, what
right do they have to do that in a system
where nobody asked for this to be changed.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Rap Blue Bahriman with us right now.
Speaker 2 (06:35):
Republicans now controlling the House in Lansing, and the first
day off to a big start. Rap Merriman from Coopersville
District eighty nine. If you're listening, he could actually be
your rep here in West Michigan. Up. Let me let
me ask you what else is on the on the agenda?
Obviously in this rebuilding process, what are we going to
be looking forward to over the next year or so.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Well, I think the biggest thing that's made a stir
in Lansing here, and it's a good stir because again
it's it's bringing accountability to the government. That's you know
that we have and that's this oversight focus that the
Speaker Hall has put into the whole process and the
idea that we voted in rules yesterday that gets the
(07:18):
pena powers to the Oversight Committee for the next two years.
That's never been done before and oversight is in It
is a huge role to us as legislators have the
legislative body oversight of you know, our departments and I
think you can talk to almost anybody and and find
a place where you know government has really hurt them.
(07:45):
And that's what oversight is about. It's it's about holding
accountable the very government that we the people have asked
you represent us. So again, the penut powers for the
Oversight Committee and six different subcommittee of that Oversight Reaponization
of state government is one subcommittee, Child Welfare system, corporate subsidies,
(08:08):
state investments as there's two more force one Public Health,
include Security, fIF Homeland Security for influence and sixth State
and local public assistant programs, and if we could take
a minute to focus on the homeland security and for influence.
But I'll stop there for a minute.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
Yeah, we're up against the clock here, but I'll tell
you I'll let you talk about that.
Speaker 1 (08:32):
I'll say that.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
Also, the speaker yesterday mentioned to me because I asked
about foreign interference and some of the issues. We saw
a student from China vote in this last election and
his vote counted, and I asked him about that as
a as an issue, the foreign interference, we're talking about
the battery plants, we're talking about some of the other issues,
(08:54):
could talk about border security, and we're also talking about
what he called election integrity. Because I asked him about that,
he said, you know, you notice we changed it from
elections to election integrity. Actually talked about how they changed
the language on this to focus on this particularly all
of these issues have did take it very seriously right now.
I think that's one of the things that people are
(09:14):
most hopeful about.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
Yeah, absolutely, I mean too.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Rep.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
Luke Merriman, all right, before we let you go, people
want to follow you, find you online and stay up
to date with everything. And obviously District eighty nine. Where
where can folks do that? What's best for you?
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Yeah, yes, well look it up online, email, text, sorry, email,
phone call. I'd love to interact with you through the office.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Fantastic, Always a pleasure. Rep.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Thank you so much for taking the time to be
here with us, and please come back give us updates.
We know we're looking forward to them.
Speaker 3 (09:51):
Thank you, I got it.
Speaker 1 (09:52):
God bless
Popular Podcasts
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy And Charlamagne Tha God!
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Decisions, Decisions
Welcome to "Decisions, Decisions," the podcast where boundaries are pushed, and conversations get candid! Join your favorite hosts, Mandii B and WeezyWTF, as they dive deep into the world of non-traditional relationships and explore the often-taboo topics surrounding dating, sex, and love. Every Monday, Mandii and Weezy invite you to unlearn the outdated narratives dictated by traditional patriarchal norms. With a blend of humor, vulnerability, and authenticity, they share their personal journeys navigating their 30s, tackling the complexities of modern relationships, and engaging in thought-provoking discussions that challenge societal expectations. From groundbreaking interviews with diverse guests to relatable stories that resonate with your experiences, "Decisions, Decisions" is your go-to source for open dialogue about what it truly means to love and connect in today's world. Get ready to reshape your understanding of relationships and embrace the freedom of authentic connections—tune in and join the conversation!