 Hello everyone. I'm here with another fantastic candidate. His name is David Kim running in California's 34th congressional district against corporate Democrat incumbent Jimmy Gomez, and he is here to talk about his campaign David. Welcome to the show Hi, Mike. Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to be on. This is great I'm excited to have you on because there's been so much excitement and momentum surrounding your campaign Right before we went on the air. You were just talking. We were just talking about The Bernie endorsed Kim campaign that was trending on Twitter and that's actually how I got To know you about your candidacy because there's so many Campaigns that are phenomenal so many people running for Congress that I have like a really overall sense of like who's running but It's difficult to keep track, which is a really good problem to have when there's so many people running But when I see your campaign what really stood out to me is that you're running on three points financial freedom Love and justice and like after browsing your platform. This is my impression. You can correct me if I'm wrong It looks like if we like extracted all of the best elements from Mary Ann Williamson Bernie Sanders and Andrew Yang out and we made like a candidate in a lab That would look like you correct like all of those campaign components are combined So so talk about those three key points What they mean to you and how you came up with them Yeah, um, Mike, what's funny though is you kind of took it a step further. So I've actually heard That analogy a lot. Oh David, you remind me of Mary Ann Andrew and Bernie all put together But now actually tying it to the financial freedom love and justice part it actually sort of Kind of financial freedom. Who would you say it is? Andrew Yang Love would be Mary Ann justice Bernie or or whichever way you want to characterize her Categorize that but I actually didn't think of it in that aspect, but that's pretty cool So for our campaign Mike so unlike other campaigns where it's just paid for by and then your name For me, I just really felt that there's a lot of power and identity in a name And that's something that I learned from my parents So our campaign committee name is paid for by David came for Congress financial freedom love and justice for all The financial freedom part addresses the 35 plus 40 year income wage stagnation the disparity in Income the widening wealth gaps with that. What are we doing to address this? Why is it that people have two to three jobs and no matter how much they work whether it be several months or a few years? They still can't see the light at the end of the tunnel They barely increase their savings by 50 bucks 100 bucks Whatever that is and then they keep on blaming themselves when it's actually something bigger than all of us It's systemic, but no one's doing anything to address that so it's starting to talk about what what what does financial freedom? Really look like do our people have to wake up every day and deep-rooted chronic economic anxiety every day wondering Oh crap. How do I make that extra money to pay for it? Well, how do I do this? Like why is why are we subjecting our people to that to more? Suffering increasing upon their suffering and then having that then be felt amongst their family inside their families in their communities Why are we doing that? Overall, it's not good for the health of our people and that's I think the overall health of our people something We've neglected it's too long and it just so happens to be right now when we think about Cash and money money actually means power power and it means freedom to give money directly to the people So it's the financial freedom part the love part is we have a lot of elected officials saying hey We love we love the people we're fighting for the people But it's like I don't know your status, but when I when I say to my boyfriend I say hey like I love you or when I say to my mom Hey, I love you like love isn't just a word. There's always action There's always like you can see if it's just lip service if it's all empty or if the person really loves you or if you really love the person whether that be a family member or your partner or whoever and There's action that needs to show forth for it, but in a time like this where Millions are don't have insurance where we're in the Los Angeles several hundreds of thousands are about to face eviction Where we're in times like this like to me love from elected official looks like making sure that the people have access to health health care education To to housing with the room and a roof to be able to pay for their basic expenses to be able to to to have Access to good food and so ensuring that our people are able to get those needs That's the love component So love isn't just a word love looks like something and then the justice part is to ensure that the people's rights are always The people are prioritized at all cost above corporate interests above the military industrial complex Above the private prison industrial complex above all of these corporate interests and party leaderships at play in order to prioritize the people We need to really take money out of politics. That's the justice component. We really need to abolish private prisons That's the justice element. We need to do a criminal justice overhaul. We need to do immigration overhaul We need to grant amnesty to those in our immigrant communities who are undocumented have been working for years and contributing to America Taxing them without representation is tyranny. Why aren't we talking about that? There's so many elements We need to end our regime change on this words. That's justice and and that way We're not Continuing the oppression of other communities and and lives abroad But then also that way we're able to take care of our own people back at home And so that's the justice part to ensure that we can continue This achieving of financial freedom and love for everyone because none of us are less than another So so those those were those three components Mike Yeah, I like that and I think that when you kind of like merge all of those together You kind of see like this really big picture when you look at that and you look at your platform Like it is this concern for human beings I mean the thing about all of this like you mentioned that you live in the 10th poorest district in the country on your website The saddest part is that this is so unnecessary. We live in the wealthiest country on the planet So all of the suffering that we're seeing all the deaths due to COVID-19 all of the medical bills All of this is unnecessary and that to me is I think one of the worst parts about this Like if we were struggling as a country financially and we didn't have the means to take care of our own people I mean that would be one thing But the fact is that we do have the means and we don't so that's why you know finding candidates like you It is honestly made me a little bit less cynical and I'll admit at first when I heard Mary Ann Williamson talking about love My reaction was like oh, I don't I don't want to hear about love because like I'm angry right now Like there's so much wrong in this country so much that we need to fix like I'm in the tear everything down mood Not good vibes and love, but I think that over time that approach really has She sold me and you sold me like these types of approaches like I think it's important because really When when we only see red when we look at politics and the in the anger sense not Republicans You know it it kind of clouds our review and we have to really get back to why we're doing this in my opinion And I've tried to recenter myself and it's about a love of people You know trying to make sure that we take care of our people So one thing that I want to ask you about because your district may be disproportionately affected because you know A lot of the people who you will be representing don't have the means to take care of themselves. What do we do? economically speaking with regard to COVID-19 If you were a lawmaker, what would be your immediate? Response like I know that you're gonna be balancing so many different things if you're a lawmaker But what in your opinion would you prioritize first? Yeah, well first I would prioritize in regards to there should have been Monthly cash relief past when when the ABC act came out or when different versions of it came out now We're in to our fifth month of paying rent Five and a half months the the eviction moratorium here ends in California in two days We have several hundred thousand about to be evicted in Los Angeles We should have already given them and recurring monthly cash relief and with depending on whose version That's whatever version it is. We should have passed it and I know that Senator Markey is Is as for the two thousand dollars a month and then retroactively from the beginning of March to onward So so with that being said also like that's something that the people need right now Because the people if you're taking money away from the people, how are the people going to survive? And in what ways are they able to sustain themselves when they're actually the local lifelines and the economies of every community that we have And it's just forgetting like hey the economy isn't the stock market the economy is the people like these cities We're built by the people like and what are we doing for them? And so it's it's first that component the second component is people aren't able to get free health care right now Or even have health care. So that's the thing millions already lost their jobs. We have Millions both pre-covid that didn't have health care And so we need to ensure like at least and I'm not and and whether over that compromise could be at least for the entirety of the Pandemic people need many care for all right now like it just makes sense. That's what needs to happen and and and I think Because one solution is not the end-all solution to anything and that's why we've crafted our platform with I mean not one issues Particularly way important than the other one that the other one's not that important It's not to say that but but of our flagship issues are UBI why it's for basic expenses and to be able to give you some Breathing room in your life to be able to to to live a life because life isn't here just a toil to the last day That you breathe life is here for you to experience And and to thrive and to do what you you feel like you've been called to do as Whether it be multiple dreams or purposes that you feel like you have and with Medicare for all taking care of health care with the homes Guarantee with the green you deal with jobs. And so in this economy, I mean in this pandemic We need a rent to mortgage cancellation where bills like representative Ilhan Omar's are being supported and talked about Continuously, but we don't hear about that from our from my opponent. We don't hear about that in our district We hear about general. I mean why support a hundred billion dollar rent really fund when you could be supporting rent and mortgage cancelation right now when hundreds of thousands and millions are about to be evicted and so in regards to those are the basic three in terms of Increasing PPE in terms of covering hazard pay and all those other elements Those are yes those are all needed But these would these would be my top three in terms of if I were in Congress right now and ensuring that people are getting at least these three right now because I mean I was just on a Just talking with somebody else. I don't know what's gonna happen in two days when these evictions start happening and we're Unfortunately, we're going to have to find out while protesting and and that's what's gonna happen. So it's it's very I mean I hate to be a Debbie Downer, but we're in serious times. And so with serious times it comes We need to Strategize better. We need a plan better. We need to organize better. And so our campaign is really set on winning this election We have a good chance The incumbent only won a total 52% of the primary election vote and his challengers He had four challengers including myself the four of us won a collective 48% of the primary vote and so with there being mail-in ballot voting and and whatnot and us also Increasing the awareness about our campaign about what it really means to support and reelect a corporate elect corporate incumbent again What that means and looks like what is a universal basic income? What is a homes guarantee? Why is it that we we Los Angeles? We've had many people experiencing homelessness for years and that increasing Why is it that? We continue to reelect officials, but that hasn't changed and so I understand Mike when we're making calls People immediately hang up when they think it's a political candidate and I get it I'm not offended because our elected officials locally. They're so corrupt and paid to play schemes developer money Everything you can name it. It's so deep like and you could continue to vote you continue to show up But nothing's really changed I can see where the apathy and difference comes and it's and it's yes It's partly us the American people not not being more engaged But I can see what the cause of that was too and so I think though if but for us like what we do is we We were smiling we're sharing and it's not and it's really helping each of us realize that if we the sleeping giant We're to actually wake up as the American people we could actually bring so much change in in our district in our communities like all around and to realize like We can't just continue waiting for that savior person or whoever to come along Like we need to step up ourselves because we're we can actually do it and once we take that first step things will start playing into action Um, so yeah, so that's that's sort of I know I went from a tangent to answering the COVID-19 part But we really just need elected officials that are really hearing what the people's needs are during a pandemic like this And being very fast and swift and and deliberating on that in a timely manner Yeah, no, I'm glad that you actually kind of um expanded that because like if you're running for congress Like you have to be able to speak at length about these issues And you demonstrated that and I think that one thing that really sets you apart And candidates like you apart from the establishment is that you actually Can empathize with people who are feeling apathetic about the political process and even turned off by it because You know, you do see this general sense of well I want to check out of electoral politics because it's not working I don't want to vote and even I felt that instinct that I had to fight You know earlier this year when joe biden started to push ahead. I'm sure we all felt that way, right? So it's like I I think that the fact that you're able to Empathize it puts you in a unique situation to where you're able to communicate with people Who feel the same way because like when you look at individuals within the establishment like your opponent jimmy Gomez, you know, they have no idea why people are so turned off by the political process Like some of the comments that I've seen um more, you know from out of touch elite celebrities Is how could any millennial be upset with joe biden as the nominee? Look at his platform. He has the most progressive platform in american history But I mean if you ask them to name three policies on that platform that was written by consultants He probably couldn't so I mean like things aren't changing and where things are changing for the better They're not changing fast enough So i'm so glad that you're able to speak to that And you know people know about that and they know that you're aware of this But I want to talk a little bit more about jimmy gomez because This is an individual who he is losing popularity And he just he he hasn't met the moment now I alluded to the fact earlier in this interview that he is a corporate democrat But can you expand upon that because During covet 19 if you're not there for your constituents when they need you the most I think that that really speaks to a failure in leadership and speaks to the necessity of replacing him So talk through in your opinion why you think He needs to be ousted because a lot of people don't necessarily know who jimmy gomez is He's not like one of these high profile democrats You know, that's a rising star with a lot of name recognition So people may not be aware but in terms of like the need for your future constituents How has he failed in your opinion? It's gonna be a long list i'm i'm sure Well, I mean to me. I mean just to make clear I don't know and personally i've never met him and i'm sure he's he's a great guy and a great friend to a lot of people But when it comes to Legislating on the behalf of 700,000 people in your district it becomes a very serious matter So if you don't have If you don't have a plan on what's your first 100 days of congress or what your first two years will look like Why are you in office? And what does that look like like what are you standing for? We need to see that in an elected official and a representative and before I go to the corporate aspect I think the corporate aspect is just an example of what i'm getting at is just this lack of conviction this this This urgency that's that's lighting a fire inside of you where Everything you do is is for your community right now because It's really a life or death for a lot of people In terms of finances and debt and where they're going And and to realize that this job and position isn't a position to be taken lightly at all That if it were a job at like all of us that had jobs But we understand that if we Performed below a certain standard or certain levels of expectations that our time would be very up Would be up and so what what got us to to shape up and do our jobs Is is that fact and realization and knowing that but because our elected officials Continue to be reelected continue to not be challenged continue to be elected into the office by campaign and corporate funds There's no there's no measure of accountability or oh, I should actually be doing what I was called to do or a reminder system in place Because we have all of this corporate money. And so there's there's also the campaign finance part of that Where for a community or a district no representative should be determined based on how much Corporate money they were able to fundraise like that's ridiculous Shouldn't somebody that's elected from the community be elected based upon their platform their visionary ideals What they envision and and their track record and what they've done and how they spent their time and what they've learned Like isn't isn't that more all more important when it comes to electing somebody into office and so Even and and so these are these bigger things where we have they're not able to really take firm stances on policies for the people and an example of that is And that's also because they're tied to their corporate interests Because they just basically are puppets and and when I say corporate dems or corporate republicans. I think they're all the same because In the at the end of the day You're just part of the status quo and you're enabling the transfers of wealth that are happening between the masses of working people to the few and privileged that are that are wealthy And even in this pandemic we've seen the biggest transfers of wealth happen to the wealthy and the privileged and the few where this oligarchy doesn't is Doesn't seem like it's going to be ending soon if the people really don't rise up and so the thing about My opponent jimmy is he's not taking firm stances on issues that hurt and That hurt the district the most. Yes, he might have done this and that but where are we in our People experiencing homelessness. Why is it that we have 45,000 brothers and sisters living unhoused? Why is it that people continue to live in financial distress? What have you done during the 78 years that you've been in office including your assembly years? Has our district gone better? No, and it's not and I know it sounds unfair to put it on one person But if you're in a situation where los angeles is known for being local corrupt politics with the pay-to-play developer scheme and and if los angeles is known for its homelessness crisis and the lack of affordable housing and And and that wouldn't that be your main goal in fixing and addressing heard? Addressing the areas where people are hurting the most and so when you're not doing that either it makes you think Is this person really connected and hearing the constituency in the communities Or even able to relate to the suffering or is even making any effort and engaging in regular office hours for the constituents or regular town halls And when you look at it the questions are all no he hasn't fought for housing legislation of any kind He hasn't taken a stance on recurring monthly cash relief. He hasn't taken a stance on rent and mortgage cancellation And in all of these things it's like come on like We're supposed to be one of the arguably the most progressive districts in the nation But you're not like you say you're progressive, but I don't really see it I don't see you being big and bold and I'm not saying you have to scream and Do everything all day like not in a physical sense, but I don't see that I don't see that that that conviction that passion where you really want to fight for the people happening Um, why is it that you're doing town hall sessions right before reelection time? Why is it why is it that you're doing it at once a year? Isn't it something where if you're representing to the people it's not you doing your job and giving the people an update You're doing the job with the people you're listening to the people in terms of what are your concerns and issues? What are you going through? What's your suffering? Oh, are those are your ideas? Okay, let me go back to dc and this is what I'll try to fight for that's the conversation that should be happening But it's not happening with him It's not happening with all of these corporate incumbents that are in office right now And that's the thing we need to bring that focus around to the people where it's not just lip service anymore and one of the things that prevents them from Being able to carry out their promises to be able to carry out where it's not like my opponent where he's like I'm for Medicare for all guys, but then his biggest donors are pharmaceutical companies and healthcare companies Are they for Medicare for all? No talk with your donors first or cut them off. Um, I'm for free education. It's like But your donors are student debt collectors. What are you talking about? Like what are you saying? Why are you at black lives matter police police brutality? protests or labeling them as police brutality when you're taking money from police union packs and private prisons Why are you doing this? Why are you saying that you're leading and speaking at usps rallies when you're taking money from its competitor? And it's not to say that they can't coexist. Yeah, they can but when you're taking money from both Conflicting conflicts of interest like how are you going to say that you're fighting in the best interests of usps? So here's your claiming and so I think it's just a deeper realization of like what are elected officials doing Yes, we talk about being progressive on social issues But what does that mean on a practical level as well? Like are we putting our money where our mouth is? Why do we continue to? Fund the Pentagon as it is and I am actually I give I give him props for voting for the 10% decrease and a lot of people I've been saying it's because Um, I mean it's reelection time and and what that's that's one of the benefits Mike us running for office Is to push them closer to the needle to do their job? And that's what he's feeling and that's a great outcome of it and and And that's a great thing But for I think right now it's for us to really realize like what's going on Bernie's called it out in the early 90s when he said hey guys Like we're being run by an oligarchy and an oligarchy is one where just the few and the privilege are controlling everyone That's what's going on right now. We are being controlled through poverty Through through money right now. Why is it that ubi? Which seems something that could be just so easy and simple where bam it goes through your Maybe set up a separate direct federal bank account where it goes separately just straight to you Where that happens and you're able to get instant access to that. Why is that something so hard? Because it bypasses the government It bypasses hands that can make money off of it that can all of these bureaucratic Types of things it goes straight to the people and that would be giving the people too much freedom Too much money too much power. It's not even too much money But too much power because when the people start waking up We know that with all of these protests that have been happening even within communities when people start waking up They know how to organize and protest and so imagine if Each of us were given pre-covid a thousand dollars a month This would give us the levers to say hey, I don't want those kind of minimum job Horrible working conditions. I don't want to be taken advantage of like that I I I will be able to now start for a different career lift for that It would empower even labor unions because now they have a bigger leverage power in that sense as well So it would empower everyone and and give that extra hope and give that extra Assistance But the thing that's going against it is that's not the priority of our elected officials right now That's not their priority. Their priority is to their corporate donors. Their priority is to passing a $1,200 stimulus check for the people and then passing Huge transfers of wealth that they won't talk about in their town halls to you because they don't they probably didn't even read those pages Because they were fumbling just to even give you what the benefits of the $1,200 stimulus check were Because they barely read the bill. I've seen my opponents stumble trying to answer very basic questions about Major highlights of a bill. So it's like why are you not doing your job in congress? And so I know I kind of beat around the bush. I mean not beat around the bush but answer that in so many different ways But with this corporate Incumbent idea. It's so dangerous. It's it changes everything Why is it that corporate interests like All a lot of his corporate donors were bailed out first in this pandemic Why why do we continue? Why did we give away 20? Why are we giving away 20? 20 plus billion dollars to defense contractors in a pandemic like this And yes, they might say on the on the superficial on the surface level. It's coven 19 related But if you see how the payment scheme and what they could have done to do all of that No, it's just another handout Like why are we not calling out these handouts to corporate interests? But then talking about where are we going to get the money when we're when we're talking about prioritizing the people And it's this brainwashing of manipulation that we've also undergone as the american people right now and so The corporate, uh, I think the biggest thing that in addition to Proposing all of these flagship policies that are prioritizing people We really need to take money out of politics because we can't have Our elected officials pledging their allegiance to corporate interests to the few in party leadership that are controlling the entire congress and house And all of that really needs to stop Yeah, I think that really you hit the nail on the head in calling out the conflict of interest. I think that a lot of people they They know that there's this, you know, they have the sense of money in politics being an issue But like really directly tying votes and specific legislative actions to specific donors That is something that I think is missing and I'm glad that you did that because it's important Like when we live in this late stage capitalist society and we have commodified every single sector of society Healthcare education even human beings, you know, we are viewed as commodities now with regard to our labor like You you have to speak to the money angle with regard to governing Otherwise, you're going to miss the mark. You're not going to be able to diagnose the problems The many of which we face. Um, so I think that by now people who are watching this, they're already sold on you Um, I think there's something there for everyone. You have a housing guarantee green new deal Medicare for all UBI There's a lot and I think that we need someone like you who has this like robust Holistic approach to politics because you know, a lot of people oftentimes they have like their one or two Pet issues. I have mine like mine is Medicare for all and uh climate change, you know, green new deal but I think you really like you You pay equal time to all of these issues, which I think is super important because you can't really leave out anything There's so much like we need criminal justice reform We need uh to take immediate action on climate change if you know, when you and I are older, we're going to be able to Uh, you know survive and not see more of an apocalypse So I mean like we need so much action right now So what can we do to help you out? Um, can we fund bank for you for can we canvas? Basically, can you tell my viewers what we can do to pitch in because I think we all want to see you in congress Yeah, uh, for sure. Um, thank you so much again mic for giving me this platform For those like for grassroots and dam ballot candidates and for this particular campaign season We um, it was so amazing just to see so many people run and also see some victories with that with jamal future representative Jamal Bowman and uh, Cory Bush and and many others, but it's it's it's continuing this movement and so Realizing that we are going up against a corporately funded incumbent who has a campaign war chest of a million dollars and We are grassroots 100 people powered So donations help, but I totally understand if you're If you're having tough times then don't donate we have volunteering opportunity as well There's other ways you can support as well. So just visit david kim 2020.com You can go ahead and find volunteering opportunities and phone baking opportunities there All right. Well, thank you so much david kim running in, uh, california's 34th congressional district against jimmy gum As we will be watching and rooting for you Great. Thank you so much mic