Brunch with Brittany
Welcome to Brunch with Brittany, the podcast where meaningful conversations meet fun and laughter! Join your host, Brittany Gonzalez, every week as she dives into the world of relationships, beauty, fashion, and self-improvement. Designed to be your go-to brunch companion, this podcast is all about empowering women and creating a community where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued.
Whether you’re looking for tips on navigating modern relationships, advice on leveling up your financial game, or just a good laugh, Brunch with Brittany has got you covered. Brittany brings in inspiring guests from all walks of life to share their stories and insights, ensuring that each episode leaves you feeling motivated and uplifted.
Tune in for engaging discussions, practical advice, and plenty of humor. Don’t forget to subscribe, so you never miss an episode, and join the conversation on social media @Brunchwithbrittany. Let’s brunch and elevate together!
Brunch with Brittany
Political Earthquakes and Community Change with Dr. Cindy Banyai
Ready for a deep dive into the shifting tides of American politics? We're thrilled to have Dr. Cindy Banyai, a passionate political leader and Fort Myers City Council candidate for Ward 4, join us as we unpack the seismic news of President Biden stepping aside for Kamala Harris's historic nomination. Dr. Banyai gives us a first-hand account of how she learned about this political earthquake while on vacation and breaks down the complex nomination process of the Democratic National Convention. Together, we explore the excitement and mobilization this historic moment has generated, making a compelling case for why staying informed and engaged is more crucial than ever.
Welcome back to Brunch with Brittany. I'm Brittany Gonzalez and I am so excited about today's episode. I have a special guest with me here today. I have, I want to say, she's like my unofficial political professor, like I go to her when I want to know about politics because you know, this girl doesn't know a lot, but she's trying to learn. And if you feel that way, this is the episode for you and this is the person to get your information from. I'm telling you you are going to love her, please. Welcome Dr Cindy Banyay. Hey, hey girl. Hey are gonna love her, please welcome dr cindy banye.
Speaker 2:Hey, hey, how's it going?
Speaker 1:oh my gosh thank you so much for coming on. Of course, my pleasure. You know I always hit you up with questions about politics because I don't know a lot, but I have learned so much since the first time I came to you for stuff because of you, by the way. So, um, if you don't know, dr c Cindy Banier, she is an amazing political leader here in our Southwest Florida community. She's running for a Fort Myers City Council, ward 4, right, that's correct? Yes, so she is running that she is here in our community.
Speaker 1:She's the woman that's always like I've been at rallies with her for women's rights I've heard her speak so passionately about our infrastructure here in southwest Florida, making sure that it's safe and that it's uh, you know it's safe and it's a great for not only just the kids but for elderly, which is also something I never thought about. Yeah, and, and I want to save that too for, like, we're going to get into all of that because, um, what it's so important and, like I said, I'm learning so much from you and I was like when politics is starting to get entertaining again to me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it certainly has, the last month especially.
Speaker 1:Yes a lot has changed. Okay, I feel like everybody was kind of like shoulders slumped and like here we go, and I was still hoping that everybody would just kind of like see the bigger picture of everything. But I wanted to talk to you starting off, so let's start with biden stepping aside yeah sacrificing his political aspirations and then nominating kamala harris as, uh, the democratic nominee yeah well.
Speaker 2:So let me just say one thing about that. That's hilarious. I was on vacation with my children when that announcement came out, you may see. So like here, right here it says don't die. Today I was in the desert. I was on a mountain with my children, had no idea it was happening until I came down and had service, because my phone was like we had no service. We're camping enjoying wildlife. Right Came down and it was like blowing up the phone's, going crazy because Biden stepped aside. So it was interesting, exciting. What's funny also is that I'm a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. So now what does that mean?
Speaker 2:So, okay, there's a ton of stuff going on, so buy this up the side now. We have an actual formal process in all the parties, but the democratic party has a process through which they nominate their official nominee, got it, and actually they had a pre-process that finished today. So, as of today, yes, kamala harris's has enough votes to be the official nominee for the Democratic Party for president.
Speaker 1:I saw that because I thought it was official. Once. Everything was like first, all the money that was being raised, the people that were rallying together, I was like, well, who else Did you think it was going to be her, though, when he stepped aside?
Speaker 2:So no, Well, I was actually very happy that he did step aside. I mean I thought he could have won anyway. I was concerned that it was late in the race. I'm glad that he basically said you know, harris is up next, and people came out in full force with her. She did an amazing thing of getting so many people behind her in like 48 hours. Yay, because there were a lot of people that wanted to have an open convention, right. So that means so the convention is coming up, august 18th to the 22nd. It's coming up and that's where all of these delegates about 4,000 people from around the country go and that's where a lot of these official things happen. There's going to be speeches. We just saw the Republican one a couple weeks ago as well.
Speaker 1:Oh see, I missed that, but I didn't know that was going on. Okay, so now the Democratic one happened.
Speaker 2:Yes, Well, the Democratic one is coming, oh, coming, okay okay, it's complicated. It's so complicated.
Speaker 3:So the.
Speaker 1:Democratic is coming. It was a pre-one. You did say pre, right.
Speaker 2:So we did a pre-vote. So the delegates did a pre-vote, which was scheduled under if Biden was the nominee as well. So they were going to vote to make sure that they got all of their paperwork in, essentially to get the candidate on the ballot in Ohio, so that pre-work is all done. There's going to be no contentions in the convention. So we're going to go and we're going to have a big rally as we work to save democracy and elect the first female president.
Speaker 1:Yes and OK, so that voting happens and or is going to happen. But you know it's all in talks and then, you see, I saw that once he said, maybe a couple couple hours after Biden stepped aside, that he was like I nominate Kamala. There was talks about how there were a bunch of black women that got into a Zoom call. Okay, and to me the story was that it started with a thousand, because Zoom has a max of a thousand participants, right? So then what they did was whoever was in charge of that, and I heard there were like some, you know people with deep pockets, also people who were like because she was in a sorority and I don't know which one, but a lot of women from that.
Speaker 2:I think she's an alpha, kappa, alpha. She's like the green and pink one.
Speaker 1:So women who were, yeah, I wouldn't know, I wouldn't know, I wasn't in one, but I was like, okay, now you know, knowing that women from sororities stepped in and were like with pockets because obviously they you know, these are women who are successful have gone on to make money and all of that they get a thousand participants. Then they need more.
Speaker 2:But Zoom maxed out at a thousand. So, okay, I think that there's a couple of different stories going on. With this one, I know that there was a call for white women that crashed Zoom. They actually had to raise the limit and I think that they had raised the limit for the one with black women as well, and they were on the phone with, like, the CEO of Zoom to raise the limit of it. Yeah, and there's been a lot of outpouring of support. I mean, I think it surprised everybody.
Speaker 1:It surprised me.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it surprised everybody.
Speaker 1:Great, I really did not think it was going to move the needle the way it did, oh yeah, and it has moved the needle.
Speaker 2:That's what's crazy about it, too, is that Harris is moving the needle in the Democratic direction. She's closed the gap on. The polling in all these swing states moved a point or more. The polling in all these swing states moved a point or more and now is less favorable to Trump in those areas. So it's it's pretty good. It's pretty exciting. We needed some excitement. We really did, because I am such a fan of Joe Biden. He's done so many good things the infrastructure bill. He has been a strong leader, has been a steady hand at the head of the united states and, however, he's just not somebody that younger folks were getting behind. Right, he and no one wanted to see a the battle of the two oldest candidates again oh my god, I know, and that was they just didn't want to see it.
Speaker 1:No, and it did. It was pitiful next week, which is why I also think this was refreshing for Kamala to step in, because now Trump is the old man at the podium. They're supposed to debate. I thought, of course, if you're going to be a presidential candidate, it's mandatory, you have to debate. Why is that not mandatory? Well, nothing's mandatory.
Speaker 2:I mean, when you're running for president, they get to kind of decide how things go. Like there was a presidential debate that was scheduled between Biden and Trump, right, and Trump pulled out and said, okay, I'm not going to do that because now she's not the official nominee. Now, like I said, as of today, she's had enough votes, she's the official nominee, right, but we also think that Trump doesn't want to face her.
Speaker 1:I don't think he does, because I think she will like run him over. I really do think verbally and with just the knowledge that she has, I think she'll run circles around him and of course he can't look weak, like that's just not in his nature. So that's also why I think that people are so excited, because it's like, okay, well now, what can you say about her?
Speaker 1:and then the Montel Williams stuff with Kamala, like she used to date him and you know she's in this like nice satin dress, looking like a baddie, by the way, I was like I would wear that outfit and do my hair just like that, and I'm like you know they're trying to shame her for that and I'm like that to me I love that about her, that she had those moments in her life. Like that doesn't take away from her intelligence, from her experience being an attorney general Right In this, a senator like you know you don't just get there. Well, I shouldn't say that, but I do think that she earned her way there.
Speaker 2:You don't just get there.
Speaker 1:Well, I shouldn't say that but I do think that she earned her way there over time and learned a lot.
Speaker 2:I'll say one of the things that has been very disappointing for me is how many sexist attacks I've seen on her, and this was actually even before she became the nominee. I was seeing memes like very disgusting memes, trying to say that she slapped her way to the top and stuff like that, and I was just like why is that the default when there's a successful woman? Why is it not ever that there's a woman and she's got this amazing record and she's done all these amazing things? Why is it that she's? You know that she's sleeping her way to the top and it's just. It is so disgusting to me and I keep seeing these things go around and I just want to tell everybody stop it. You look stupid very stupid.
Speaker 2:You look stupid, you sound stupid, no, yeah, well, I mean it is if like that's all you got, that's all you got.
Speaker 1:I know and, and, and. If that's the case, well then, shame those men for being weak and that's all it took for them to give her an opportunity. Okay, you know instead of her, if it wasn't her, her expertise, her experience, and you know what she could do, so, yeah, and I saw a good flip of the narrative on that.
Speaker 2:as said, we should stop saying that women slept their way to the top and say that men are withholding uh positions, yup.
Speaker 1:Yup and positions yes.
Speaker 2:For sexual favors real thing.
Speaker 1:Let's not pretend, it doesn't right it's not a you know, we made that up. No, we didn't make that up. I don't think I could speak to one woman that wouldn't um say that they've been through at least one experience of that, of thinking that you know this opportunity they were going for was something that just like based off of mary or based off of their talent, and and it turns out like no, you're gonna need to give more than just that if you want this position. But that's for another day.
Speaker 2:For sure, now, okay, jd Vance what's his name again like Jim Bowman. I mean he's got so many names now and then he became like an author and now he's got a new name.
Speaker 1:So see I don't know all I. The little bit that I've heard of him in the few moments of him speaking everything I have to like it takes everything in me to be like how does not everyone see that this is horrible for the whole country? I mean especially like a woman like me with no kids, no cats, but with no kids You're not even a cat lady. Where am I in this? What do I do?
Speaker 2:But you must live such a sad life. The opposite, the contrary. But yeah, if you ask him I'm, what do I do?
Speaker 1:But you must live such a sad life as a the opposite, the contrary, right. But yeah, if you ask him, I'm miserable and my vote shouldn't be Right and your vote doesn't count, right.
Speaker 2:Yeah, actually, the only thing I have to say about that is that this is actually putting on front street what has been said behind closed doors for a long time, especially among the far-right evangelical movement. There has been this movement. There was a vote in Texas to move back to the household vote, so that means that you wouldn't get a vote because you don't really count as a household, but it would be the one vote for the household the man, the wife and all the kids and stuff. There's this whole anti-feminism thing, this whole thing about putting women back. It's tied into the birth control and the abortion debates because it's all about returning the public realm to men. Yep, according to this very, very narrow interpretation of Christianity, and it's horrible.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's horrible, and especially Project 2025. What the hell is this okay, because they're, and then they're saying that they're, they have no, uh, they're, they're not affiliated with right now they're like what? What? What's project 2025? Meanwhile, like tens and I'm saying tens of it, it's probably more, but tens of like the, the people who are a part of project 2025, the, the, whatever is in that, that paperwork. They used to work for trump.
Speaker 2:Right, there were trump Tens of, and it's probably more, but tens of, like the people who are a part of Project 2025, whatever is in that paperwork they used to work for Trump Right.
Speaker 1:There were Trump administration employees yeah, correct Like tens of them. This isn't just like one or two, no, right, no, so you know. So there were so many, and now Trump's, like I don't know who these people are, I don't know.
Speaker 2:I least he's smart enough to realize that that's bad, like it's bad, and because here's the thing. So in Trump's first presidential term, nobody thought he was going to win and so there was no plan. It was just like, oh my gosh, this guy won and he's kind of a nut and he's going to do all this stuff. And he tried to go in there and do it, but there were still a lot of institutional people, people that knew how the government works, telling them like, hey, you can't do that, hey, that's illegal. What Project 2025 does is eliminates the guesswork and says, hey, this is what we're going to do. It's an agenda for the far right, for far right fiscal conservatives, for actually extreme libertarianism. It's that stemmed out of the world that we've seen in the Tea Party movement that goes all the way back to the John Birch Society actually, where freedom, by the way, is freedom of property, and that includes the property of other humans that you may own.
Speaker 1:Why did I know that was the direction I was going? We're talking about property. I already know women are property in this.
Speaker 2:Women met and enslaved people, black people, yeah, so it's really and that's why the labor stuff is all wrapped into it, because that's where this initially had started was this idea, this rebelling against the concept that I'm a landowner, so why can't I just put anything on it, take all the resources and do with whomever on my land whatever I want? So I mean, it's actually a lot more insidious than it is on face, but it's a plan that has been put in place that is there to hand over to Trump, so that they can have only loyalists in place and they can put all these draconian rules in.
Speaker 1:So, and then you just reminded me how Trump had said you know he's telling Christians to vote. I wanted your thoughts on this. He tells Christians to vote. Christians, go on and vote. This is going to be the last time you have to vote. After this, you won't have to vote again. And now he has gone to explain that. But what did you take from that? When he said that, when he first said you're not going to have to do this again?
Speaker 2:he's telegraphing his dictatorship, right? That's what it is. It's like don't, don't worry, you're never gonna have to vote again. That's what it sounded like to me same, and he actually kind of doubled down on it and was like oh no, but it's gonna be so great, you'll never have to vote again yes, that's what he tried to explain it as that he was saying I mean, here's the thing every time somebody tries to explain what trump meant, they're usually wrong.
Speaker 2:He meant what he said. Yes, that's why he said it right. And here's the thing, even with that subtext of like oh, maybe you know, I'm gonna be a dictator on the first day, ha ha ha, and don't worry, you're not gonna have to vote again. It's all plausible deniability for him. But let's be real about what the plan is.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and that's what I see that direct. I'm like he is telling us that Trump does not say anything, that he does not want to say and that he does not mean. And you know, and him being like I mean I just see so many other things with him has nobody noticed that he always says he's the greatest and everything he does is the greatest and it was the best and it was the most. And even though the numbers don't show that, does nobody notice that for every single subject, he says that. Do you know who else does that?
Speaker 2:Who? Kim Jong-un, kim Jong-il. You know the dynasty in North Korea. That's what they live on, that's what dictators do. They are the best, they are the greatest. You know they tell the story of the hole in one that you know Kim Jong-un got the very first time that he picked up a golf club. Right, I mean it, but it's, it's a glorification, I mean. That's what the point is is it's to make it so you don't believe your eyes anymore. So you question all of the information and you put all of your stock into the dear leader.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I see, and I just I, just I see that and that I'm like you can't be the greatest at everything, okay, it couldn't have been the best every single time you need to say admit one time you failed, okay, then maybe I can listen to everything else you say, but I haven't heard that.
Speaker 2:Yet it's not about you know. It's not about the truth.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's about perception you're right perception influence and and he's got a lot of that. He, he did. I think I don't. I'm glad that I feel like it's going in a different direction now. I do think that they're very concerned right now with Kamala jumping in where it's like oh, this is, I think you don't think they're like kind of.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, I mean they're. They're worried because they had their Right, they were ready to run against Biden. So all they got is like you're a woman or you're not black. Look at this photo of Montel. That was this weekend.
Speaker 1:Yeah, her not being black and that whole thing. Like she says, now she's black, apparently she's black. I couldn't believe he was saying that in front of nothing but black people.
Speaker 2:All the black journalists, yeah, uh-huh.
Speaker 1:And so I was so happy with the way they handled him on that though. But yeah, he and he just says it and I'm like nobody's gonna punch him in the face, but okay, I guess that sounds a little like. You know, I don't want to call, I didn't feel like it was racist, but maybe it is, but I just felt like it was ultimately rude to say that right, I mean, yeah, speculating on anybody's you know race is not appropriate etiquette.
Speaker 1:It's just not like, what are we talking about here? You know, and but I could go into more of that too, because apparently he used to say, or deny, his he's got some German in his blood or something in his DNA or his family line, and that his, his family, had denied it for years. And there there's Omarosa was the one that brought this up about a book that someone had in his family wrote and mentioned that, so anyway, so you know, you could go, they go back that far, you could see all of those things you know. But okay, so now let's talk about her, kamala Harris's VP.
Speaker 1:Uh, possible candidates, right, and there were several. There were like I don't know all of them, but I saw like at least five or six men and then one woman, um, and I don't know a lot about, know all of them, but I saw like at least five or six men and then one woman, um, and I don't know a lot about a lot of them, but I did see a couple that I felt really good about, okay, but just before we get into like one of the candidates, so I noticed like there's six maybe majority men and then one woman, and I really don't. I love that there was a woman there, but I don't think two women. I don't think people are ready for that. I am, but I don't. I love that there was a woman there, but I don't think two women. I don't think people are ready for that. I am, but I don't think the world is ready for two women. As president and vice president.
Speaker 2:I mean, at this point I was kind of like, let's just go for the moonshot, because this is going to freak everybody out anyway. Oh, I like that. That's why I was like, yeah, maybe we'll go. Gretchen Whitmer was one of the considered, for she's the governor of the state of Michigan, or Pete Buttigieg, and he's a gay man.
Speaker 1:Oh wait, I've heard of Pete. He's got nice hair.
Speaker 2:He does have nice hair. He's secretary of transportation.
Speaker 1:Oh, okay, yeah, I liked what he was saying. There was a couple interviews he did and I liked him. Did you get good vibes from him? Oh?
Speaker 2:he's great, like he's very great, and he's always good at holding Trump accountable and coming with facts, and so that's why I liked him. I liked him when he was a Democratic presidential candidate as well. Oh, I didn't know that. Yeah, he was a 2020 candidate. I actually met his husband, chastain Buttigieg, here in Naples, so, um, very interesting. But I mean again, what is going to make the far right's head spin more than a black and south Asian woman as a lead on the ticket and a gay man as her running mate? Oh my God, yes, I don't know if you could get more woke than that.
Speaker 1:You know they hate that. It's not even woke, it's just like they're qualified and that's it. But it does matter.
Speaker 2:They are, but it would.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they would spin it to that for sure. Oh, look at what wokeness is doing. You know we can't have a woman and a gay, Right, it's too much, it's a bridge too far. So were any of the candidates still for her VP pick? So any of them stand out to you where you were like oh, it was Pete then for you, right?
Speaker 2:I really, you know I, like I said, been a fan for a long time. I think that they're probably going to go back to what I would describe as like a traditional strategy with vice presidencies. What would that?
Speaker 2:look like Okay. So usually when you pick your vice president, you're picking somebody who's going to balance your not only just your personal qualities, but it's also about states and where they can go in and pick up additional votes, and especially swing states and stuff like that. So she's California. California is going to be on lock for the Democrats. Where is there an opportunity to pick up votes? So if you get Beshear in Kentucky, that would be an opportunity for him. He's the governor of Kentucky. He's a Democrat. That's a very mixed state as well. Would be interesting to get some votes there. A lot of people have their money on Shapiro, who is the governor of Pennsylvania, and Pennsylvania is a swing state. Pennsylvania is in play and he would be able to bring a very strong hand to the presidential campaign as her vice president.
Speaker 1:I definitely want to look into him more Because I was reading too. So she doesn't have to make her announcement for that pick for the VP pick until August 19th.
Speaker 2:Right, that's the Democratic National Convention, but by all accounts they will likely make the decision this weekend.
Speaker 1:Right, that's what I was saying. She was going to do early. But you know, someone pointed out like why do it earlier?
Speaker 2:Like let all of these men go out there and praise you, girl, you know, because they have to go out there and do the interview I I actually think it's because of the ohio ballot issue, so they have to have the ticket on paper for ohio and I think it's like august 10th is the deadline I see.
Speaker 1:so I know I think it was the 7th or the 9th. She's gonna do it a few days before or days before the the 19. That's what it was saying. I do want to introduce, though, because there was one possible candidate that I did learn a little bit about and I loved I had to look into him, because he's the one that started the they're weird. They're weird calling, you know, the Republicans and Trump's administration and all of them, Like they're just weird. And it caught on, which I was not expecting either, because I'm like that's such a small thing to say.
Speaker 1:It's a weird thing to say and for them to get triggered by it so badly that it was going around. So we're going to put on our headphones and I want you to hear what he had to say or how that started. I should say. So we'll go into some of this audio right here.
Speaker 4:Yes, why do you think she's so much more competitive in Minnesota than Joe Biden was?
Speaker 3:Well, good morning Jake. Thanks for having me. Look, there's a burst of energy out here. Joe Biden, we've heard it delivered across the board on so many issues, but there's a new burst of energy. I was at a labor rally yesterday and I've not seen anything like this for 15 years. And what you saw out in St Cloud yesterday with Donald Trump and JD Vance is the same old nonsense just, uh, talking points and denigrating folks and and I think she's more, you know, boosted because she's bringing a positive vision look, we care about what happens to your kids, we care about the environment, we care about job creation. So it's just a whole new vibe to the campaign. And I think these guys there isn't going to be a pivot because they don't have any new plans. So this is what you're going to see. I think Minnesota always competitive, but we're certainly going to win.
Speaker 4:So you've gotten some attention this week for calling Trump and Vance and Republicans in general weird, and I think that you're the one that set this tone. And there's this shift. The Harris campaign seems to be following your lead, echoing this language. Why do you think weird is a more effective attack line against Trump than what Democrats have been done previously, which is argue that he's he's an existential threat to democracy.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and it's an observation on this, and I know, being a school teacher, I see a lot of things. But my my point on this was is people kept talking about look, donald trump is going to put women's lives at risk. That's 100 true. Donald trump is potentially going to end constitutional liberties that we have in voting I. I do believe all those things are a real possibility, but it gives him way too much power. Listen to the guy. He's talking, talking about Hannibal Lecter and shocking sharks and just whatever crazy thing pops into his mind. And I thought we just gave him way too much credit, and I think one of the things is is when you just ratchet down some of the you know the scariness or whatever and just name it what it is I got to tell you. My observation on this is have you ever seen the guy laugh? That seems very weird to me that an adult can go through six and a half years of being in the public eye. If he has laughed, it's at someone, not with someone. That is weird behavior.
Speaker 1:I love that. It's weird behavior.
Speaker 1:It is weird behavior, but everything he was calling it out for and we can take off our headphones real quick, but yeah, so he's calling them weird and that's how it started. But his background is that he was a teacher. His parents were teachers. He comes from education. He was also in the military. His parents, he says, taught him about kindness and caring and community and those are his values. So I just really like the way he talks about them and he's like it's just weird that they want to be in your exam room. It's weird that they want to you know, uh, just know be in your personal life, like that so I really liked him and I felt like he he's like.
Speaker 1:I would like to see him, but I don't know how, how close he is in the front running or any of that.
Speaker 2:Um, I know that he is definitely, you know, in the front running of it because of his capacity to speak like this. Now, if we go back to the strategy thing, minnesota is pretty blue, so he doesn't bring in that strategic side of the vice presidency pick, but he may be a better messenger than the other folks. We don't know. It's going to be ultimately up to, you know, harris and her team and making sure that they have a strong ticket. But I do like what he's saying and I do agree with the concept that they're weird and it does take away the power. It's something that I've actually said a lot, even though, deep down in my heart of hearts, I am very worried. Like you know, he is saying as well, there's, there is actually really threats, but it's something like project 2025. That's actually the threat. So, if we have this huge push coming in behind Donald Trump the dotard right Like you know, he doesn't.
Speaker 2:You know he he, you know, throws ketchup around he you know he says weird things. He's got a lot of felonies. He talks randomly about and rambles about stuff all the time. He himself is not a threat like that. It's what happens to all the institutions around him. That's a threat and I do like that. You know, talking about how ridiculous he is, how ridiculous the team is, how ridiculous his hair is, how ridiculous his spray tan is his stance forward? That he never you know, he never smiles.
Speaker 1:That people who, in one sentence, will say, oh, we're for law and order, and then buy a t-shirt with a mugshot of their presidential candidate right like I don't, this is these things don't make sense, and calling that out, I think, is a good strategy, that's what he's been doing, and that's what I don't hear, what I haven't heard before, which is why I got so excited about him, because I'm like he's just saying the things that we all know, but he's on a platform to say that and and and and and. Say it with. You know, there's no fear behind it. No, I don't care what happens to me, it's about the people, it's about what's best for everybody, and so whatever comes with that, but he's the governor of Minnesota, yes, so I really liked him, I liked what he was saying. But I'm looking forward to this with Kamala Harris. I'm excited. I think that I really do think. If I can predict, I think Kamala, kamala's going to win. I don't know who her VP is going to be, but I know Kamala's going to win.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I do too. I feel very strong about it. I feel the energy and I think that we're going to see new folks coming out. We're going to get some of those young voters back Away from some of the weak points from Joe Biden, including on Gaza, where you know he had been shedding support from people in Michigan Muslim Americans and young people and voters of color because they look at the situation in Israel and Gaza as apartheid, feeling that if we're going to allow that to happen in another country and stand by an ally that is perpetrating these type of atrocities you know how easy is it that to slide into affecting my life here in the United States and I do understand that.
Speaker 1:I also just keep looking at, like everything that if we allow Trump to go to to another, another term, everything that's going to be taken away, including like he's still using that rhetoric of, like you know, women can kill their babies at nine months.
Speaker 1:And he says it like that. You know like it's just so easy that information to be found and to be educated on to speak correctly on it, that that's not really not the case and our rights are, you know, on the line. As women, you know the immunity for police that terrifies me. We've seen that there has to be accountability there, absolutely. You know what happened with Sonia Massey. So they asked Trump about that, did you see, when they asked him about what his thoughts were on Sonia Massey?
Speaker 2:I did not see his response.
Speaker 1:His response goes you know, I don't know much about it Is that where she threw the water and he does a motion where, like of her throwing the boiling pot of water, which, if you look at it there, you know some people say she did, some people, depending on what video you saw, if she did or if she didn't. There was a whole lot more that went on, but I found it interesting that he thought, well, oh, if this is the the you're talking about, let's start with her and automatically make her seem like she deserved to be shot in the head, in the face, because she threw allegedly she threw water, instead of saying, oh, beginning with, is this the story about the police officers and they go to her home? And how do you not know about it?
Speaker 2:It's national news for weeks he did, clearly he did he did right, but he but.
Speaker 1:But I also thought that he wanted to frame her as the perpetrator and I also thought it was backhanded to to just like black people in general, especially in that setting, to be like I don't know about it. How, what do you mean? Like knowing that he's lying, you still have to have, I feel like it was. It was crazy to not acknowledge that and pretend like I don't really know what to talk about. Yes, you do.
Speaker 2:Yeah Well, so I think you were correct earlier when you said that Trump is always intentional about how he says and frames these things. He was absolutely trying to set that up as, oh, that lady who did that? He knew, just like he knew about Project 2025 and all this other stuff. But I think it's also important to remember that the truth doesn't matter to Trump. We already know that he, you know, he, you know they created the you know a whole new universe of it, because the point that they make is that the truth is what they say when they say it. So, and you got people that are hooked into that.
Speaker 2:So the the point and, by the way, if you want to throw in, like, why is this a whole thing? This is a whole psyops thing. This has been happening in this country at the hands of Russian operatives and Chinese operatives. They are some of the biggest places who are producing this disinformation in the United States, with the point of confusing people, yes, and making it harder for people to make a decision because they don't know what the real information is, to muddy the waters and to make it so that people don't want to vote because they don't feel like they have a clear understanding of things. So Trump plays into that, because voter suppression means he wins, right, right. So the more apathy, the more confused people are, the less likely they are to vote and the more likely Trump will win.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I definitely agree with that. I see him doing that too, where I'm like, oh my God, I hear a lot of people too say I'm not going to go vote, it doesn't matter, and I don't know how to convince them. I don't know, I always feel like you're a goner at that point when you're just like you gave up your vote. Um, I don't know, what do you say to people Like have you ever been able to convince someone who was like I'm not voting, and then convince them to just vote, not for your side or other, just vote?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, you do. I mean, you know. First of all, I usually say listen, I understand, I understand that you don't want to vote. I understand the apathy, I understand that you know. You see the president, and it's usually white guy after white guy after white guy, and your life doesn't really change, no matter what happens. What I usually say to folks is don't worry about the president. Actually, you know, a lot of times I said look at what is actually happening in your community, because votes for city council, votes for county commission, votes for the state legislature are actually more important to your everyday life. So if you're worried about your street flooding and not having lighting and stuff like that, then you need to look at who's on city council. And so usually I talk to people about that. Like get to know these folks. These are your neighbors and are they good people? Are they representative of you? And that's how you make a change in your community. You shouldn't be looking at the top thinking that it's going to change your life down here.
Speaker 1:Well see, you know where I see that, where it's like people would take. That for me is like, oh see, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter about up there, but I do think it does. It matters in both areas locally, in your own communities. But for me, trump, being a president, it means I'm going to lose my rights as a woman. I am not, I'm not going to have my own choices on my own, my own health care, my own um reproductive system, you know, and, and I think that there's going to be laws that are really going to make, force me to maybe possibly be in a situation where I, you know, end up pregnant, I decide I don't want it. Well, now it's not even allowed. You don't even have a choice. You have to have this. And that scares the crap out of me, because I purposely have not had kids, because I don't for me, I'm not ready financially. I don't want to deal with that Like I don't. I would.
Speaker 2:They're messy. Make your car smell.
Speaker 1:And like I do that, enough for myself, but I have purposely chosen not to have kids for so many reasons, but especially financially, like. So to me, that scares me because mistakes happen, things happen. But also, again, with the police immunity. That scares me because then I feel less safe and even me, being a latina woman, like I, still would not feel safer knowing that. And, um, there's so many others. And the environment? He doesn't give a crap about that. You know, I care about our environment, I care about the future of it. So there's just so many. That's why to me it matters, because he would, depending on who's president they're going to allow bills, allow, you know, laws to pass. Uh, that would, would affect my life, don't you think?
Speaker 2:Yeah. So this election more than anywhere at any time else actually. So, because what we've seen is Supreme court decisions come down where now presidents have almost blanket immunity to do anything as long as it's an official act, and that means that presidents can break the law during their presidency. That's something that was just decided this summer by the Supreme Court, by the three justices that Donald Trump put in. So we're actually in a time now where voting for president matters more than any time else. But before we used to have institutional protections and you could always say, well, congress is going to vote on this and the Senate's going to vote on that, and that will still be true to a certain extent. But what we see with Project 2025 is actually the president's expansion of powers, and the capacity of that to happen is now the door's wide open. Essentially, the door is wide open because the Supreme court has made that decision on presidential immunity. They don't have to follow the rules anymore.
Speaker 1:And why would we want that? Like, why don't? We don't want that? So what? So right there, like you cannot to me, it's like. That scares me, because you give someone unlimited power and no consequences for that. I mean, what will they do? There's nothing they can't do, and already they're showing me they're not in favor of doing things that matter to me. It would be good for me. So that scares the crap out of me. But I do want to talk to you, because I bring it down to the local level too, because, as I introduced you, you know you're here, you're running for Fort Myers, ward 4, and that's going on right now. Can you tell me about that? Like, what are?
Speaker 2:you up to. Okay. So that campaign is for Ward 4. So that includes downtown Fort Myers River District and then up McGregor, basically almost to Colonial.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:And that little section in between 41 and McGregor and there's a little bit. There's a little bit behind the mall and it's going well. I've been going out knocking doors in the community. I actually just sent some Christmas cards so because we had a Christmas in July party and we were sending Christmas cards to voters. So if you get a random Christmas card, it's probably from me, dr Cindy Vanier, because we were trying to find innovative ways to get people excited about voting and we thought you know what People might open a Christmas card yeah actually no, that doesn't make sense and put a little like a little gusher in there or starburst.
Speaker 2:So my daughter was actually drawing pictures, so some of you will get, like, hand-drawn pictures from my daughter, evie, so you're welcome, but, yeah, so this is about, you know, focusing on the people of Fort Myers, because, as we've seen over this past couple of weeks, some data came out that we're like the fastest growing small city in the country. We have like 6.3% growth annually, and we have a lot of people coming here, and that's really great. And what we need to keep focused on, though, is the people of Fort Myers, and not just the tourists, not just the visitors, not just the snowbirds, Because we keep making policy that puts these shiny objects up there. Right, like, currently, there is a project going on on McGregor, right in front of the Edison Estates, and it is putting some fancy bricks just so happens to be in front of the mansion of my opponent on the street that bears his name. I'm sure it's just a coincidence, yeah, no, not a coincidence, it's a priority issue, right? So how many times have we shut down McGregor to put in these beautification projects? Mcgregor has been shut down and redone four times in the last 10 years.
Speaker 2:Were there other areas of the city that are being neglected? I have to walk on the side of the road, in a very, very small road, just to get my daughter to school in the morning, because there's no sidewalk there and there are places that still don't have lights replaced from the hurricane, and we keep putting the priority on what looks good for the tourists, I see, and that's wrong, that's wrong. I think. I think that we need to put the priority on the people of Fort Myers. I think that as we're doing development, we should prioritize the residents that are living there, not bringing in new people. That's, by the way, gentrification, that's what that is. So if you're not doing that, you get gentrification. So there is a big push right now. I mean, I think it's great and redevelopment is great and we see good things happening on the McGregor, on the Martin Luther King Corridor, right.
Speaker 1:Is that recently?
Speaker 2:Yeah, and downtown. And now there's another redevelopment area on US 41 that actually goes through Ward 4. So that's your Edison Mall kind of area right, which we need some attention. We agree with that. What we don't want to see is we don't want to see residents who've lived there be pushed out because the prices and the rents go too high, and we don't want to see profiteering landlords feel like they have to jack up the prices because oh now it's a nice neighborhood, right, and that's what gentrification is, and it's a policy decision.
Speaker 2:And what we have right now is a lot of good old boys that are on the city council, that are on the county commission. They prioritize developers, so they want to see high end luxury development. We don't have a real emphasis on affordable housing. We don't have an emphasis on attainable housing. We don't have an emphasis on attainable housing. We don't have an emphasis on workforce housing. So people who are regular folks, who make up, by the way, the majority of our workers, are people who are working in retail and small shops and hospitality and stuff like that, which does not pay.
Speaker 1:Well, it does not pay a lot. You're going to need a few of those jobs to make ends meet.
Speaker 2:They're already being pushed out of the city, and it's not right. It's not right, it's not good policy, it's not ethical. Just to say, oh, we want to be a bigger, fancier city, so we're only going to be putting in fancy developments, we're only going to be prioritized luxury housing. And I know I've talked a lot on this. But the other thing that's really grinding my gears at the moment is taking city property and giving it to private companies. We've seen this on the River District this is Ward 4, too a whole bunch of times. You know we have the amphitheater downtown right, yes, okay, it's beautiful I love it.
Speaker 2:I love the park there. It yes, okay, it's beautiful.
Speaker 1:I love it. I love the park there. It's very new.
Speaker 2:It is new A couple years, a few years, something like that yeah. Do you know who makes the money for that? Who? I have no idea. Luminary Hotel. Luminary Hotel is a private company. Oh, luminary Hotel was built on land that was city land that was supposed to be a park.
Speaker 1:So when it's city land, that means that it's obviously not meant to be like to build a hotel on. It's more like what you said, like a park or what are the city land, what are they? What should?
Speaker 2:they be doing with city land? Well, it should be for public good. So if it's sold for public good, that's OK. If it's developed for public use, that's OK. There was actually a delay in the building of the Luminary Hotel because the family that gave that property to the city stopped it and said look, this is supposed to be a park. That's why our family gave it to the city. We do not approve of it being used and sold to a for-profit company. And it got tied up in courts. And then the developers and their big lawyers prevailed. And now we have a similar situation going on with the Hall of the 50 States downtown.
Speaker 2:What is that? So that's next to the Luminary, you know there's like kind of a big field, yes. And then there's this old building there. That's a historic building. Okay, they have taken RFPs for that, and their top rated proposal from the city staff was to actually move the historic building off that property and then sell it to a private developer. And for basically like a pittance too. By the way, what is it? Wait, what does pittance mean? Pittance? Like a small amount, like they wanted $400,000. Like you can barely even buy a house in the city of Fort Myers, let alone waterfront property downtown Fort Myers. Yeah, I know Right.
Speaker 1:My mouth is too open. Dropped right now, Right.
Speaker 2:Right, because that yeah, and again. So it goes against the vibe that we've been building in the city of Fort Myers as a historic downtown and what you're going to have is only people who can afford this luxury property be able to enjoy the waterfront, and it's going to take away that area. Because, by the way, another thing that's been snuck in is the redevelopment of the yacht basin down there again to a private company. So that's again city property and had been available for boat flips and people you know would be able to go in there. It hasn't been in use since the hurricane and now they have plans and developers ready to put in again another big luxury development there. They want to put in something that looks like marina jacks up in saras, which is a lovely place. However, we are slowly, because of the city council, handing away those public properties to private investors with very little in return for the public in the city of Fort Myers.
Speaker 1:That's the most important part Very little in return, if nothing at all, because it's a private company. They can decide. You know, this is absolutely not for the public, this is every you know, only for high paying customers or whatever it may be. But and then again, for the tourists, or, like you said, it's just not for the people here living in this community who should be able to enjoy something like that, you know, and is that, would you say that that project is already like written, signed, it's just in the works, or can that be stopped? I mean what and how that?
Speaker 2:sorry, you didn't answer that yeah, how the heck did this happen in the first place? Well, it happened because we have people who aren't really looking out for the interests of the people of Fort Myers right on council can we name names?
Speaker 1:no part of that project?
Speaker 2:um no so these are really difficult things for regular people to get involved in as part of it. So we, you know there are things like the Lee County, you know, Historic Preservation Society. There's some activists that are looking at this. But I mean, you really have to be diving in on the city council agenda to be able to see this kind of stuff, Do they have?
Speaker 1:meetings every month or something.
Speaker 2:Yes, they do.
Speaker 1:We could just show up.
Speaker 2:Like, I don't need to buy a ticket, you can just show up. No, it's free. Now, the times aren't always very accessible because I believe they start at like 4 pm, so working folks have a hard time getting to them as well. And again, you're going to look at this huge agenda and it's really hard to understand. So some of these process the Yacht Basin one, I believe, has been voted on already Again, the one where we gave away the amphitheater downtown to the Luminary. That's a done deal. I believe that the Yacht Basin one has already been voted on. Now. The Hall of 50 States one is still in process. That will be coming up soon. You can check out my Facebook page, my Instagram. I'm going to try to keep everybody up to date on that. It's hard, even for somebody who's a watcher, for me to keep up with it because so much of this happens and it's very technical.
Speaker 1:I know it's a lot, but that's why I love that you're here and that you can help at least give us some direction, because otherwise I'm just going in circles. I have have no idea, but I know it's important and I know that you're very passionate about our community. You really do show up and she is always at the rallies or anytime something's going down. Cindy is there in person, you know, ready to shout to the, to the world about this, and that's what I love about her. So learn about Dr Cindy Banyay. Please follow her on her socials. Actually, can you tell them your socials?
Speaker 2:yeah, so you can check out. My website is cindybanyecom, that's B-A-N-Y-A-I. And then you can find me cindy underscore banye underscore F-L on Twitter and Cindy Banye Cindy Lynn Banye for Fort Myers on Facebook and Dr Cindy Banye on Instagram.
Speaker 1:And I will say because she has her own podcast and it's about it's political and it would keep you at least informed, especially locally. So I highly recommend if you could plug that yeah, absolutely you can check out.
Speaker 2:Um, there's actually a host of podcasts I do on big mouth media. You can see more about that at bigmouthmediaflcom. We host one called a democrat and republican. Walk intoa bar where we have a democrat and republican. We sit down, we talk about it. We really focus it. We really focus on local issues, particularly Cape Coral and Fort Myers.
Speaker 1:Yes, and I've listened to it. I love it because it's both sides. And her partner, who's a Republican, sean, is great too. I love his takes, and so I highly recommend it. If you want to learn about politics and you're like me, you're like oh, where do I start? What's going on? That is a great base to start. You'll love it. Check that out, dr.
Speaker 2:Cindy Banyan. Thank you for joining Friends with Brittany. Thank you so much. Appreciate it.
