
The midterms are said to predict the next presidential election. Support for President Biden and the Democratic Party is starting to waver, and former President Trump's influence is strong within the Republican Party. We hear from senior citizens struggling with the rising cost of living in Oregon, members of Generation Z in Arizona, a famous swing state, and a family in Florida, shaken by the introduction of a law prohibiting LGBTQ+ education in schools. How will they vote?
-
0m 01s
November 8, 2022.
-
0m 04s
The polls opened for the US Midterm elections.
-
0m 08s
The Midterms were seen as a referendum on the political performance of the Biden administration and the Democratic Party.
-
0m 20s
It also serves as a bellwether for the 2024 presidential election, with former President Trump also attracting attention.
-
0m 29s
A key issue in this election was record-high rates of inflation.
-
0m 35s
Economic uncertainty has been a major concern for American citizens.
-
0m 46s
Plus, on the abortion issue, the two parties were split on a woman's right to choose.
-
0m 54s
The media predicted that the Republicans had the upper hand,
-
0m 58s
but the Democrats maintained control of the Senate.
-
1m 03s
A sweeping "red wave" of Republican wins failed to materialize.
-
1m 11s
How did voters engage with the midterms amid growing divisions?
-
1m 16s
We asked citizens living across the U.S. to keep a video diary of their experience in the run-up to the elections.
-
1m 28s
I love trump.
-
1m 29s
I think he easily had another four years, and it is my personal belief that the elections were tampered with.
-
1m 40s
It is encouraging that at least for the next two years, we'll continue to have a Democratic President.
-
1m 47s
I don't believe that I belong anywhere.
-
1m 48s
So right now, today, I'm an independent.
-
1m 52s
We will save America.
-
1m 53s
We will stop these people from destroying us.
-
1m 57s
How did the voters decide?
-
2m 00s
Americans' choices. 2022.
-
2m 18s
These two senior citizens live in Portland, Oregon.
-
2m 24s
-Look how pretty these trees are.
-I know. -
2m 32s
Brenda Rose and Gayle McDonald share a house together.
-
2m 44s
Gayle bought the house on a mortgage, and later, Brenda moved in.
-
2m 55s
Brenda has been a professional photographer for 14 years, but the pandemic changed her life drastically.
-
3m 04s
At that time, I was living in an apartment in Portland.
-
3m 07s
My rent was about one $1,350 a month for a very small one bedroom apartment.
-
3m 18s
And so, in March of 2020, COVID hit Portland went into lockdown.
-
3m 25s
I was unable to afford my apartment because I lost my business.
-
3m 30s
And in March of 2020, my sisters and I had a conversation,
-
3m 35s
and one of my sisters had a recreational vehicle, an RV that she wasn't using,
-
3m 42s
and she offered to let me borrow it to live in until I could figure something out, and the pandemic ended.
-
3m 50s
At 60 years old, and living off of unemployment benefits,
-
3m 54s
she spent 15 months on the road living in an RV.
-
4m 02s
In August of 2021, The RV had had lots of mechanical problems and it was unsustainable for me to continue.
-
4m 13s
I didn't have the money to take care of it.
-
4m 15s
And it was really frustrating.
-
4m 20s
A month later Brenda registered with an online homesharing platform in order to find a living arrangement that she could afford.
-
4m 28s
That's where she met Gayle.
-
4m 34s
Brenda started receiving her pension in 2022.
-
4m 38s
She gets around $1,400 per month, of which $880 goes toward the rent.
-
4m 48s
Gayle, meanwhile, uses half of her pension each month to make payments on the mortgage for her house.
-
4m 57s
We go to the grocery store.
-
5m 02s
They're concerned about the rising cost of living.
-
5m 09s
Their combined food budget is around $160 per week.
-
5m 16s
Brown and red rice?
-
5m 17s
I mean, yeah, I've tried it.
-
5m 20s
It it's $4.
-
5m 21s
Even though it's on sale, I feel like that's a lot for rice.
-
5m 24s
Yeah, I mean, it's two servings of rice.
-
5m 26s
True.
-
5m 30s
So on sale.
-
5m 32s
These bags are 7.5-8.99.
-
5m 37s
-The wild ride is 14.99.
-Wow. -
5m 43s
I honestly don't know how families afford to eat unless you eat really inexpensive.
-
5m 49s
Okay. I spent $62 at New Seasons and then 43, so that's 105.
-
5m 58s
So that's way over my budget.
-
6m 00s
But I'm going to have to be a little more careful.
-
6m 01s
Because that's too much.
-
6m 05s
The record-high inflation is one of the main issues behind this election.
-
6m 11s
The Republican Party touted their plans for fighting inflation as the centerpiece of their campaign.
-
6m 18s
They repeatedly blamed the Biden administration's policies for rising inflation.
-
6m 24s
Under the Trump administration, we had the greatest economy in the history of the world with no inflation.
-
6m 30s
Biden and the Democrat Congress created the worst inflation in 50 years 9.1%.
-
6m 38s
It's going to go a lot higher.
-
6m 42s
In the face of rampant inflation, voters have become critical of the current administration.
-
6m 52s
In response, President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law,
-
6m 57s
appealing to the American people that it would help cut energy costs and lower healthcare costs.
-
7m 06s
Oregon is traditionally a Democratic stronghold.
-
7m 10s
Even here, however, there have been many critical comments in the local media.
-
7m 20s
It says, this election don't indulge choose what's good for Portland.
-
7m 24s
Vote healthy.
-
7m 27s
Here in Oregon, governor's race math is everything.
-
7m 30s
Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than nine percentage points.
-
7m 35s
That dominance is imperiled this year, understandable.
-
7m 38s
Oregon's woeful response to homelessness, its inadequate strategy for treating mental illness and substance abuse,
-
7m 45s
and the dismal performance of the state's public schools have many voters wondering whether Democrats
-
7m 51s
who have controlled both chambers of the legislature for every year except one since 2007 are complacent, incompetence, or both.
-
8m 02s
Brenda and Gayle have both long supported the Democrats.
-
8m 08s
But will their stance change in the current climate, with public opinion swaying under the weight of inflation?
-
8m 16s
I actually don't feel pessimistic.
-
8m 20s
I just know it's hard.
-
8m 22s
There was a time when gas went way up and so everybody got rid of their SUVs
-
8m 27s
and got smaller cars and then the price of gas went down.
-
8m 30s
That's a lifestyle choice.
-
8m 34s
Screwing in Led light bulbs and, you know, keeping your hot water temperature lower, those are all things we can do.
-
8m 42s
But that doesn't make a big dent in the big problem.
-
8m 45s
I frankly don't blame Biden for it because he just got into office.
-
8m 50s
The wheels are already well in motion before he took over.
-
8m 55s
And he does have an inflation reduction act.
-
8m 59s
That's going to reduce the deficit and help inflation.
-
9m 02s
I'm good with that.
-
9m 04s
But I'm with you.
-
9m 06s
Like, people have to get out and vote and the price of chicken might not drop next month
-
9m 12s
and we have to be longer looking, say, taking a longer view.
-
9m 22s
With only one month left until the ballots open,
-
9m 25s
there is still no end to the inflation problem in sight.
-
9m 39s
Arizona, in the southwestern US, is one of the most hotly-contested states.
-
9m 45s
Historically it has been a Republican stronghold,
-
9m 48s
but support has grown lately for the Democrats,
-
9m 51s
and Biden won the state in the 2020 presidential election.
-
9m 59s
In the state's Senate race, Democratic incumbent Mark Kelly was running for reelection against Republican nominee Blake Masters.
-
10m 09s
He's a political newcomer endorsed by former President Trump in the hopes of winning back the seat.
-
10m 17s
Blake Masters is an incredible person.
-
10m 19s
A very smart guy an American first fighter.
-
10m 29s
Dominique Phillips supports the Republican Party.
-
10m 32s
She's a third-year marketing student at the University of Arizona.
-
10m 38s
This is my side right here.
-
10m 40s
So all my clothes and things I need to get ready and all my schooling.
-
10m 44s
We can see right here, this is my desk.
-
10m 48s
So this is where I do all of my studying.
-
10m 50s
I put up a few little decorations with me and my close friends.
-
10m 56s
This is a picture of Megan and one of my roommates.
-
11m 01s
We went went to this event called Country Thunder.
-
11m 07s
Dominique was influenced by her father, an accountant and her mother, a teacher who are the Republicans supporters.
-
11m 18s
She cast her first ever ballot for Donald Trump in the 2020 Presidential election.
-
11m 25s
Huge passion.
-
11m 26s
That's, like, one of the other things that I also love about him,
-
11m 30s
I personally support President Trump, he is a businessman,
-
11m 38s
so he knows what he's doing in the economy.
-
11m 41s
I believe we should work, do hard work to earn high rewards.
-
11m 46s
And I disagree with how socialism works, how everything is equal.
-
11m 54s
In August, President Biden announced the partial forgiveness of student loan debt.
-
12m 02s
Using the authority Congress granted the Department of Education,
-
12m 05s
we will forgive $10,000 and outstanding federal student loans.
-
12m 13s
People who earn less than around $125,000 a year are eligible.
-
12m 19s
Dominique felt uneasy at his use of public funds to bail out a lot of people.
-
12m 26s
I'm like saying how he's forgiven student loans and you don't have to pay your student loans anymore.
-
12m 35s
I don't think that's really fair to people who follow all the rules and the right way to do things
-
12m 42s
and how it's the how you normally do things, like a few years ago.
-
12m 55s
Former President Trump has been drawing a lot of attention as a symbol for the Republican Party in the Midterm elections.
-
13m 03s
He took to the campaign trail, speaking at rallies and making his presence felt across the country.
-
13m 14s
His party has inspired a new base of supporters: young members of Generation Z, like Dominique.
-
13m 22s
Playing a key role in rallying their support is a nonprofit organization that reaches out to students: Turning Point USA.
-
13m 32s
Championing limited government and free-market principles,it aims to build a network among conservative students.
-
13m 43s
In the 10 years since their founding, they have established a presence in over 3,000 high schools and colleges across the U.S.
-
13m 53s
29-year-old, Charlie Kirk, is the founder of the organization.
-
14m 01s
He raised support as a student leader for the presidential election, and is an avid Trump supporter.
-
14m 10s
Post college you'll be a tough person that understands what it means to fight for your country.
-
14m 15s
Having difficulty younger and age can actually be a very good thing for you.
-
14m 19s
And you kind of look at the liberals and the leftists.
-
14m 22s
They're incredibly weak people.
-
14m 24s
They can't even hear just agreements.
-
14m 25s
They can't hear an idea that they don't currently hold.
-
14m 29s
I will make you a promise.
-
14m 31s
Your life will be easier if you do not commit to a conservative worldview.
-
14m 39s
It will be easier, but it will not be deep.
-
14m 41s
Thank you.
-
14m 46s
I am probably the biggest Trump supporter.
-
14m 49s
I believe in their views, and I agree with a lot of them.
-
14m 52s
And I think that, like, the things that the Republican Party believes in is like a step in making America a better place.
-
15m 01s
Dominique is the leader of the University of Arizona chapter of Turning Point USA.
-
15m 11s
They have around 25 members.
-
15m 13s
They hold various events on campus to bring more conservative students together,
-
15m 18s
and aim to make Arizona a "Red state," that is, a firm stronghold for the Republicans.
-
15m 26s
We just want to try and get to know the people better because
-
15m 28s
as people who we already know are likeminded because they are conservative and have similar life values like that.
-
15m 40s
Here's another Generation-Z resident of Arizona: Angel Martinez.
-
15m 47s
I'm currently studying political science here at Arizona State University.
-
15m 52s
I am a Democratic activist, and I believe in the Democratic Party.
-
15m 57s
And I am a really big advocate for immigrant rights, human rights, voting rights,
-
16m 03s
abortion access, and hence the reason why I support the Democratic Party.
-
16m 09s
Angel belongs to a club for Democratic supporters at his university.
-
16m 14s
In the future, he wants to work for the Democratic party and get directly involved with elections.
-
16m 22s
My parents are both immigrants from Mexico.
-
16m 25s
Therefore I am the first one in my family to have the chance to vote since I was born here in Arizona.
-
16m 32s
That means I get to be a voice for them,
-
16m 36s
Hopefully in the future more immigrants will have the chance to vote and therefore have their voices heard in that manner.
-
16m 45s
The Hispanic population of the US has increased 23% in the last 10 years.
-
16m 52s
Sharing a border with Mexico, Arizona is home to a particularly high proportion of them.
-
16m 58s
Hispanic voters generally support the Democrats, due to their stance on immigration.
-
17m 04s
This may have contributed to the Democratic victory in 2020.
-
17m 09s
In Arizona at least, there's a lot of anti immigrant sentiment from our government.
-
17m 14s
I hope Arizona goes to blue and we just become a more Democratic state.
-
17m 18s
We become more immigrant friendly.
-
17m 23s
In the run-up to the Midterm elections, Angel is actively working to encourage people to vote and raise support for the Democrats.
-
17m 38s
In Arizona, one key point for the midterms is how to address illegal immigration.
-
17m 44s
The Wall that was built under the Trump administration stretches along the border.
-
17m 58s
Immigration policy is also an important topic for Dominique.
-
18m 06s
I live in Tucson and honestly it takes about 2 hours, hours to drive to the border down in Mexico.
-
18m 12s
So it's super close and there's been a whole lot of scandals and issues here
-
18m 18s
with people just crossing the border wall and illegal immigrants flooding into our country.
-
18m 27s
Over the past year about 2.38 million illegal immigrants have been arrested across the US.
-
18m 34s
This is more than 5 times the amount recorded 2 years ago.
-
18m 39s
This has brought harsh criticism to bear on President Biden's decisions to ease immigration policies.
-
18m 47s
In response, Blake Masters was appealing to voters with immigration measures
-
18m 52s
such as the completion of the wall and increased border security.
-
19m 00s
250000 illegals cross this border every month.
-
19m 06s
This is an invasion.
-
19m 07s
We need to finish Trump's wall.
-
19m 10s
If we don't do these things right now, we're not going to have a country.
-
19m 13s
President Trump endorsed me because he knows that I'm going to secure this border.
-
19m 18s
I put down Blake Masters and Kari hoping that the Arizona traditional values and the originality of the Reds, they would bring back.
-
19m 28s
I hope that for the future of Arizona, that our border security gets increased.
-
19m 35s
Like I said, Proposition 309 right there.
-
19m 41s
Meanwhile, Angel has been concerned about a Republican ballot measure regarding voter identification.
-
19m 52s
The measure proposes tighter restrictions on ID confirmation when voting, requiring voters to show photo ID.
-
20m 05s
This proposition and others like it are seen as stemming from claims made by former President Trump after the election.
-
20m 13s
All of us here today do do not want to see our election victory stolen by emboldened, radical left Democrats, which is what they're doing.
-
20m 22s
And stolen by the fake news media.
-
20m 25s
We're going to walk down Pennsylvania Avenue.
-
20m 29s
I love Pennsylvania.
-
20m 31s
And we're going to the Capitol.
-
20m 35s
He claimed he lost the election due to stolen votes, which incited his disgruntled supporters to storm the Capitol.
-
20m 49s
Since then, laws enforcing tougher voter ID rules and shorter voting windows were introduced across the country.
-
20m 57s
Currently, they are in effect in 21 states, mostly under Republican control.
-
21m 05s
The Republicans insist this is to improve transparency over the elections.
-
21m 10s
Critics claim that it is an attempt to make it harder for Black people and Hispanic immigrants to vote,
-
21m 16s
as they are less likely to have the necessary identification.
-
21m 22s
That Republicans want to talk about is that, oh, there are fraudulent votes,
-
21m 26s
people who aren't allowed to vote either don't vote, or they get caught when they vote.
-
21m 31s
So adding an extra step is just going to make it harder for people who actually can vote.
-
21m 36s
I believe that this past few years and, like, even the 2020 election,
-
21m 41s
that election integrity wasn't really focused on.
-
21m 44s
You have to show anybody buying alcohol.
-
21m 46s
It's not being mean.
-
21m 51s
It's not being racist.
-
21m 52s
It's just proving who you say you are and making sure you're an Arizona resident
-
21m 57s
and just keeping things how they're supposed to be.
-
22m 04s
In mid-October, the election race is heating up.
-
22m 08s
On this day, Democratic candidate Mark Kelly is attending a campaign event.
-
22m 14s
A former astronaut, his campaign focuses on climate change and maintaining the right to abortion.
-
22m 21s
He is running against Masters, the Republican candidate.
-
22m 27s
He apparently doesn't understand the job he is trying to get.
-
22m 31s
He wants the job, we want to do the job.
-
22m 33s
Called Democrats Psychopaths, that's not a good way to start.
-
22m 38s
I've got, like, really great relationships with one of my Republican colleagues,
-
22m 43s
and we work together to get things done for the American people.
-
22m 47s
That's what congress should be.
-
22m 49s
All right, so I'm walking back home here with my friend Ryan.
-
22m 54s
Would you think of a meeting?
-
22m 55s
Thought it was very informative and very and I'm not super up to date on a bunch of those candidates, so it's good to get that information.
-
23m 04s
It's scary because the thing with all that is that the Republican strategists.
-
23m 11s
They know how to tap into feelings and they know how to get young people like me to be angry about certain issues.
-
23m 18s
So, honestly, I think former President Trump is a threat to our democracy.
-
23m 23s
Right now we're at a turning point where either now or democracy
-
23m 27s
will complete fail and collapse or we'll prevail and get through it.
-
23m 34s
This footage shows armed people outside the Arizona polling stations in late October.
-
23m 41s
Tensions are starting to mount over the election.
-
23m 56s
Good morning, Metro Detroit.
-
23m 58s
This is Kerry Leon Jackson, the urban conservative.
-
24m 01s
Kerry is a Radio personality in Detroit.
-
24m 05s
For 6 years, he's been broadcasting a radio show aimed at the local Black community.
-
24m 11s
This is my home studio.
-
24m 13s
You're looking at the place where the Urban Conservative broadcast from when I'm broadcasting from home,
-
24m 20s
which I do quite a lot of now.
-
24m 24s
After the pandemic, many of us wound up to receive an equipment in the studio.
-
24m 37s
He talks about local news and political issues for an hour from 6 AM every weekday.
-
24m 44s
In late October, he has been speaking a lot about the midterm elections.
-
24m 51s
Halloween is this weekend.
-
24m 53s
November is next week.
-
24m 55s
The midterm election is two weeks from today.
-
24m 58s
But many of you.
-
25m 00s
If you've not already voted and voted early in your community,
-
25m 04s
I need to make sure that you've made a plan to vote.
-
25m 09s
Kerry was born and raised in a Democratic household in Chicago, a traditionally Democratic city.
-
25m 17s
But something happened during his student days that convinced him to support the Republicans.
-
25m 25s
And I mean pumped.
-
25m 26s
Jesse Jackson, when he ran for president,
-
25m 28s
he dismissed him because he was black,
-
25m 30s
because the Democratic Party was not ready at that point in time to say, we're going to get behind a black leader.
-
25m 35s
So at the same time, the party that I've been loyal to, I figured they were not at all.
-
25m 42s
They were taking a black vote for granted.
-
25m 44s
And there was this window of opportunity when I met Jack Kemp at an event.
-
25m 50s
And Jack Kemp, seeing a black face, which is what he would normally do,
-
25m 55s
starts talking to you to convince you that you should be a member of the Republican Party because it's this great big tent party.
-
26m 02s
They opened their arms, they welcomed me, and they made me part of it.
-
26m 05s
They treated me like family, and I became a Republican.
-
26m 11s
Kerry later moved to Michigan, and supported over 200 election campaigns over 30 years working for the Republican Party.
-
26m 22s
You can see me in the background.
-
26m 24s
There's not a whole bunch of me and Donald Trump pictures that you'll ever see.
-
26m 28s
But I've got a few pictures here that were taken by different media outlets
-
26m 34s
at a Trump rally that I attended a few weeks before the election back in 2016.
-
26m 42s
He also supported former President Trump's election campaign.
-
26m 47s
However, in 2017, something happened to change his mind.
-
26m 53s
That was the straw that broke the camel's back.
-
26m 55s
I was done at that point.
-
26m 58s
There was an incident in Charlottesville, Virginia:
-
27m 01s
a clash between white supremacist groups and local citizens who opposed them resulted in over 30 injured and several dead.
-
27m 13s
You had a group on one side that was bad and you had a group on the other side that was also very violent.
-
27m 18s
And nobody wants to say that, but I'll say it right now.
-
27m 21s
I think they're is blame on both sides.
-
27m 27s
Kerry lost faith in former President Trump following his defense of racist actions, and distanced himself from party work.
-
27m 37s
I've still got a large number of people who are still I consider them friends who are still very active Trump followers.
-
27m 45s
I'm not one of them.
-
27m 46s
I have not stopped being a conservative.
-
27m 53s
In the upcoming midterm elections, Kerry is supporting a Republican candidate not backed by Trump.
-
28m 01s
He may be young and relatively unknown, but Kerry appreciates his focus on the local community,
-
28m 08s
including his efforts to support small and medium-sized businesses in Detroit.
-
28m 13s
Just Kerry Leon Jackson.
-
28m 15s
You hear Urban conservative.
-
28m 17s
We're talking to Martel Bivings.
-
28m 20s
Here, they discuss differences in opinion among Republicans.
-
28m 26s
He said, yeah, we were talking about what they do in Georgia as far as up giving water out to someone, and that's now against the law.
-
28m 34s
And we said, yeah, that's a good thing.
-
28m 35s
And I said, we got to stop saying things like that because it makes people look funny towards the party.
-
28m 43s
And they look at me like I'm a fool.
-
28m 44s
When we use ugly, excluding language like that, it allows us to get away from our commonalities, and it pushes them into the Democratic Party.
-
28m 57s
I agree with you 1000%.
-
29m 01s
Ever since Trump was in office, they've decided, we're not going to go with that old playbook.
-
29m 06s
They've gotten away from suggesting going out and meeting the voter and doing where you met people on the street and you talk to.
-
29m 15s
5 days before the midterms, Kerry is attending an event held by the Democratic Party.
-
29m 24s
In the election for Michigan's State Governor, the Republicans have fielded a candidate backed by Trump,
-
29m 31s
so Kerry is wondering whether to support the Democratic candidate instead.
-
29m 39s
We are hanging out at the UAW (United Auto Workers) event,
-
29m 43s
where they are getting ready to welcome all of the members of the Democratic ticket,
-
29m 50s
from our governor to supreme court and everybody that decided to show up.
-
29m 59s
We are making progress.
-
30m 00s
And the people of Michigan are tough.
-
30m 02s
They need a leader just as tough as they are.
-
30m 07s
I want a candidate that's a real thinker.
-
30m 10s
I need a candidate that knows what the issues are.
-
30m 13s
I prefer a candidate that knows and has at least thought about some sort of answers to those things.
-
30m 19s
I don't believe that I belong anywhere.
-
30m 21s
So right now, today, I'm an independent.
-
30m 25s
Will Kerry maintain his anti-Trump stance?
-
30m 28s
We'll see on election day.
-
30m 42s
Florida.
-
30m 43s
In the southeastern United States.
-
30m 46s
It's a red state, with Republican representatives in both the House and Senate.
-
30m 52s
Several candidates in the state's races are backed by Trump.
-
30m 59s
He said he loves this community and wants to be back here soon to do an event.
-
31m 04s
So greetings to you from President Donald Trump.
-
31m 22s
I also got a call from Joe Biden.
-
31m 31s
Incumbent Governor Ron DeSantis is running for a second term.
-
31m 35s
A hard-line conservative, he is well known for his stance against abortion and for stronger measures to combat illegal immigration.
-
31m 44s
He has been dubbed a "Mini-Trump," and he may even be a candidate for the next presidential election.
-
31m 52s
You know, girls are going to play girl sports and boys are going to play boys sports.
-
31m 56s
That's what we're doing.
-
31m 57s
We're going to make sure that that's the reality.
-
32m 02s
This same-sex family lives in Florida.
-
32m 18s
Joshua, and Elliot, together with their son Ira.
-
32m 31s
Wake up IRA.
-
32m 33s
Now to get ready for the day we still have our fall leaves up because we like them.
-
32m 41s
Hey, IRA.
-
32m 44s
It's time to start waking up, honey.
-
32m 51s
Every day Elliot wakes Ira up before 6AM, and gets him dressed for school.
-
33m 00s
During the after school time, if me, Garry and Harrison are allowed to go down to the carpet.
-
33m 09s
Oh, yeah.
-
33m 12s
Ready?
-
33m 22s
Okay. And we are off for school.
-
33m 27s
The school is around 15 minutes away by car.
-
33m 34s
You have a good day.
-
33m 38s
Joshua teaches English to middle and high school students at a public school.
-
33m 48s
Ira is a second grader at Joshua's school.
-
33m 58s
In March, something happened that threatened this family's lifestyle.
-
34m 10s
So at the start of this school year.
-
34m 12s
We had to sign what was known as the Parental Bill of Rights.
-
34m 16s
A bill that passed prohibited any kind of affirmative discussions of LGBT content in the classroom.
-
34m 27s
Elliot is referring to a bill passed by Florida.
-
34m 31s
It strengthens the rights of parents and guardians in regards to children's school life.
-
34m 38s
For example, parents or guardians must now be notified before any action is taken
-
34m 45s
that might affect a student physically or mentally, such as administering care after an injury.
-
34m 52s
In that same bill, there is also a clause prohibiting discussion at school about sexual orientation
-
34m 59s
and gender identity from Kindergarten through 3rd grade.
-
35m 03s
Dubbed as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, the law has stirred debate across the country.
-
35m 13s
This bill was signed into law by Governor DeSantis in March, coming into effect in July.
-
35m 24s
And today we will sign HB 1557.
-
35m 28s
The Parents Rights and Education Bill.
-
35m 30s
The bill prohibits classroom instruction about sexuality or things like transgender in k through three classrooms.
-
35m 40s
The signing took place at Joshua and Ira's school.
-
35m 53s
Joshua wrote the following email to the school principal in March.
-
35m 59s
I feel afraid.
-
36m 02s
The governor's signing of this bill in our library will suggest to all of our students
-
36m 08s
that our institution endorses the notion that LGBTQ people ought to feel ashamed.
-
36m 14s
That shame.
-
36m 15s
I worry, too, for my own small family, for my own son, who is a CPS student in the first grade.
-
36m 26s
I worry that this bill will render his home life a taboo subject.
-
36m 34s
As soon as the bill was passed, businesses and students all over Florida came out in protest.
-
36m 43s
We say gay!
-
36m 51s
President Biden also expressed opposition to the bill, tweeting that "LGBTQI+ youth deserve to be affirmed and accepted just as they are".
-
37m 03s
The bill had initially been drawn up after resistance from parents and guardians
-
37m 08s
who argued that education on sexual orientation and gender identity in public schools was going too far.
-
37m 17s
They claimed that messages were being forced on children through actions
-
37m 22s
such as decorating classrooms with rainbow flags and inviting drag queens to story hour events.
-
37m 30s
Eulalia, a mother of 6, was one of the parents who spoke out.
-
37m 39s
Concerned about the wellbeing of her children, last year she joined a conservative parents' group.
-
37m 45s
She supports Governor DeSantis by giving a speech at events.
-
37m 53s
Teaching the kids things that they can't even process.
-
37m 56s
Teaching the kids things that they don't even know what it means.
-
38m 00s
They're teaching the kids that there's nine genders.
-
38m 03s
I'm sorry there's not nine genders.
-
38m 06s
There are two genders.
-
38m 08s
Yes. Everybody needs to be respected.
-
38m 10s
Everybody needs to be loved.
-
38m 11s
But there's a male and there's a female, because that's how God created it.
-
38m 15s
We have to protect the kids, and at the same time, we have to teach the kids how to protect themselves.
-
38m 25s
Feeling unable to leave her children's education in the hands of a public school,
-
38m 30s
Eulalia has been home-schooling her children the past 2 years.
-
38m 34s
However, with the change in the law, she decided to send them back to school.
-
38m 43s
They had taken it counselors also, they had taken it upon themselves
-
38m 48s
to just alienate the parents and make decisions on the child's health,
-
38m 56s
medical health, mental health wellbeing, and they were not informing the parents.
-
39m 04s
The bill states parents are to be informed of any changes or issues.
-
39m 13s
Unfortunately, the bill has been twisted into ridiculous, you know short names, don't say gay, et cetera.
-
39m 26s
There's no such definitions or terminology in the bill.
-
39m 34s
It's November 2nd.
-
39m 37s
Elliot and Joshua are filling in their ballots.
-
39m 41s
They are pinning their hopes on the Democratic candidate running against DeSantis, but can't help but feel uneasy about the future.
-
39m 52s
Crushing.
-
39m 55s
How so?
-
40m 02s
It's difficult to open the door.
-
40m 04s
Difficult to open the car.
-
40m 10s
If it's supposed to be, like, about parents having rights,
-
40m 14s
what about parents like us and wanting to see families like ours reflected in the classroom.
-
40m 19s
That's been explicitly banned.
-
40m 22s
Or, even more fundamental than that.
-
40m 27s
What about people of integrity and what and dare call common sense who simply want their children?
-
40m 38s
Even if those children are growing up in profoundly conventional households,
-
40m 44s
to understand that they live in a world populated by all kinds of people.
-
40m 51s
How did you feel when the don't say gay bill was signed at your school?
-
40m 55s
Annoyed.
-
40m 56s
Annoyed. Why did you feel annoyed?
-
41m 06s
I'm just mad that someone would sign a bill exactly for that thing.
-
41m 13s
Why does it have to be that exact thing?
-
41m 17s
Yeah. Something that affects our family.
-
41m 19s
It's about families like ours.
-
41m 21s
Or did it bother you for some other reason it doesn't actually have much to do with our family.
-
41m 29s
I just hate how some people treat it in a way that people, unlike families like us, don't matter.
-
41m 37s
I don't like that at all.
-
41m 39s
It's super infuriating.
-
41m 41s
Yea super infuriating.
-
41m 45s
We love Trump!
-
41m 47s
2 days before the midterm elections, former President Trump arrives in Florida for an event.
-
41m 53s
The Republicans are mounting a final offensive.
-
41m 57s
Biden and the far left lunatics are waging war on your jobs, your safety, values, and your freedom.
-
42m 04s
Then this Tuesday you must go out and vote republican in this giant red waves.
-
42m 25s
On election day, Angel, the Generation Z Democratic supporter, was at a local polling station.
-
42m 32s
4:30.
-
42m 33s
Voting closes at 07:00, and we've got a very, very, very long line.
-
42m 40s
Then, this video appeared on social media.
-
42m 44s
To the great people of Arizona, maricopa county in particular.
-
42m 49s
Don't leave your line.
-
42m 51s
Stay where you are.
-
42m 53s
They say that the machines aren't working.
-
42m 55s
They want to delay you out of voting.
-
42m 58s
Voting machine problems were causing a significant delay in the casting and counting of votes.
-
43m 06s
At 08:00 and people are still voting.
-
43m 11s
The vote total so far look pretty good for the democrats, thank god.
-
43m 16s
But I'll have more, more results soon.
-
43m 21s
Mark Kelly kept his seat in the Senate for the Democrats.
-
43m 27s
Now, here in Maricopa County, we did have a couple of voting problems.
-
43m 34s
Unfortunately, this has fueled a lot of conspiracy theories by people saying,
-
43m 40s
hey, there's fraud involved in the election when there actually isn't.
-
43m 44s
But I think it worked out fairly, and our elections are still one of the safest in the country.
-
43m 52s
We're a generation that is tired of the lies.
-
43m 58s
Dominique, a member of Generation Z supporting the Republicans in Arizona, had mixed feeling.
-
44m 06s
I'm hoping that possibly it was a little more fair than the President election, but I'm not behind the scenes, so I'm not really sure.
-
44m 15s
But I was really hoping that everyone saw the red wave would happen and it would be super easy for everyone to get elected,
-
44m 23s
but I guess it's just not happening.
-
44m 31s
Good morning.
-
44m 33s
Radio personality Kerry supports the Republican party, but is against Trump.
-
44m 44s
He was unsure for some time over who to vote for governor, but in the end,
-
44m 49s
he chose the Democratic candidate over the Trump-endorsed Republican.
-
44m 55s
Hoping is that we can start to I know it's too early to say that the era of Donald Trump is behind us.
-
45m 01s
I just hope that those folks who actually got out and decided that they were going to
-
45m 06s
remember what happened on January 6 and that they were going to vote against all of the policies of Donald Trump and all of his supporters.
-
45m 14s
In Florida, Governor DeSantis won the state's gubernatorial election.
-
45m 19s
The Republicans also overwhelmed the Democrats in the House and Senate races.
-
45m 28s
Eulalia believes Governor DeSantis could go on to lead the country.
-
45m 35s
I honestly did not expect such a huge red wave.
-
45m 40s
I believe our governor has been an amazing leader.
-
45m 44s
I support him 100%.
-
45m 48s
He has been about keeping our state open.
-
45m 54s
He has been about protecting our freedoms.
-
45m 58s
I'm not saying that he does not have that plan in the future,
-
46m 04s
and I'm not saying that he wouldn't be an amazing president.
-
46m 08s
In fact, I think he would be an incredible president.
-
46m 12s
So how are you feeling about the results in Florida?
-
46m 17s
I feel unsurprised by the results in Florida.
-
46m 21s
If it's possible not to feel surprised and still to feel deeply disappointed.
-
46m 26s
Part of what I was getting at and talking about these other conservative places
-
46m 30s
we've lived is this spirit of just to stay and fight,
-
46m 35s
to continue to live our lives the way we live our lives, to be unapologetic.
-
46m 44s
To to stand up for what we believe in.
-
46m 47s
To teach our kid to value the things we value and to value other people's lives
-
46m 53s
and to value difference and to not be afraid of what's different.
-
47m 02s
The senior citizens house-sharing in Oregon voted for Democratic candidates in their House, Senate, and gubernatorial races.
-
47m 18s
We voted!
-
47m 22s
Brenda and Gayle look back on the elections, which saw Democrats narrowly manage to maintain control of the Senate.
-
47m 31s
I think what went right about I think what went right about the elections was in the end,
-
47m 39s
it was young people who came out, I think mostly because of women's rights,
-
47m 48s
human rights, abortion rights, those sorts of things, I think really got a lot of people going.
-
47m 55s
And it showed that people are tired of the extremism.
-
48m 00s
Right.
-
48m 00s
Because the extremists, actually most of them didn't win.
-
48m 05s
I think you can't deny the deep division that exists in America, and I don't think that's going to go away.
-
48m 14s
On November 15th, Donald Trump announced his candidacy for the next presidential election.
-
48m 22s
In order to make America great and glorious again.
-
48m 25s
I am tonight announcing my candidacy for President of the United States.
-
48m 33s
How will the Democrats lead their people?
-
48m 41s
Will people of the United States overcome the divisions between them?
-
48m 47s
The race for 2024 has already begun.