Anti-Social

Luis Lauredo: the Exit Interview

September 02, 2022 Tony Winton & Thom Mozloom Season 6 Episode 2
Anti-Social
Luis Lauredo: the Exit Interview
Show Notes Transcript Chapter Markers

LUIS LAUREDO is a former U.S. ambassador and one of the founders of the Village of Key Biscayne, but he decided recently to NOT run for re-election to the Village Council. It means that the new village council taking office in November will be quite different than the current body. 

We ask him why he decided not to run --  and what he sees as troubling trends on the "island paradise," and what advice he has on some of the big issues facing the island. 

In segment two, we talk about President Biden's recent national address decrying "MAGA Republicans." 


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Tony Winton:

[MUSIC] Live from Key Biscayne, Florida. This is Anti-Social, the program that looks at issues on our social media feeds and once in a while tries to make some sense of them. I'm Tony Winton.

Thom Mozloom:

I'm Thom Mozloom. I don't know how you make any sense of my social media feed Tony. It's sort of the raging mess of anger and mockery.

Tony Winton:

Would you say it's getting better or worse

Thom Mozloom:

now, it's way worse. Okay, it's way worse. The closer we get to an election, the worse it gets.

Tony Winton:

This is a season six. So you think maybe there was a trendline?

Thom Mozloom:

This is season six? Yeah. How on earth did that happen? Oh, no, we're doing it for six seasons. And we've only been thrown off the air three times. So I thought it would be more.

Tony Winton:

Okay, well, maybe it's because of the trendline. We'll try to work today to improve our trend. Yeah, we're gonna be nice today. Is that the goal? We're gonna be nice.

Thom Mozloom:

And what do we think is gonna happen on WhatsApp after this show?

Tony Winton:

You know? Listen, you know, we have kind of a symbiotic relationship with the chats, as you know, because if we didn't have the chats, we wouldn't have anything to be antisocial about.

Thom Mozloom:

That's correct. And, and it's important to understand that from a branding perspective, the important part about branding is emotion. We want people to feel something, right. It's good if they think something, but we want them to feel something. So if people are feeling something, even if it's hatred and anger, that's actually a good thing. If you're in my business, it's

Tony Winton:

let's try to find the root of the the anger, right and talk it out. That's the whole idea.

Thom Mozloom:

Well, I mean, the you know, the term they you know, they're given us flak, you know, where that comes from, right? It's, it's a world war two or statement, right? So the bombers are flying over the target. And, you know, the flax is like oil and nails and whatever they can find to shoot up at the plains to put a cloud over the target. So the bombers when they lost sight of the target would drop their bombs where the flak was thick. And so if they're giving you flak, you must be over the target.

Tony Winton:

There you go. So, so we must be over the target a lot. Well, well, we'll try to keep that in mind, though, as we talk about the bigger issues in our

Thom Mozloom:

'we have a really a big issue in the election season. Right now on Key Biscayne is a couple of council members have said no mas.

Tony Winton:

Right.

Thom Mozloom:

And that isn't a remake the council like there's going to be what five seats now open? What No, there are three seats open. Yeah. And so of the three seats that are that are up for re election this year, because we have three council seats and a mayoral seat. So four seats, right, so we'll have four new voting members of the council, and only one incumbent has decided to run for so so that means that by definition, we will have you know, a lot of new people on the council and one of our lame duck Council. I mean, one of our leaving council members

Tony Winton:

See didntt you say that you're gonna be nice. It didn't last long

Luis Lauredo:

and he starts the morning with calling me a duck. Even even if it's a live duck, but he calls me a lame duck. Councilmember Luis Laredo has joined us in the studio. It's great to have you here and welcome. No, you know, I'm just using, of course, I don't have an ego probability. You got a lot of other problems. So that's not one of them.

Thom Mozloom:

So we have to ask like right off the bat, one term, and you're out. Why? what about this decision?

Luis Lauredo:

Well, everything that I've done is grounded, as I've mentioned to Tony before on the fact that I was one of the founding members chairman of created the city 31 years ago. And so I'm very grounded on our original idea, which is I don't want to spend too much time on but it's about a small small, apolitical. I recall that we originally called it trustees. We avoided ,I avoided the, Betty Sime was my vice chair and three other great people, different backgrounds. We were peacefully putting together a new, a new city that never been done before. In Dade County. It precipitated a whole bunch of new ones. And so my frustrations is when I see that dream, dissipate into bad things. Unnecessarily one of the things I never dreamed of was at night when I say I mean us. The five members -- and by the way, I've been fighting with some people here because I paid for the video but you know, videoing of our hearings back 30 Some years ago with a video, because it shows you intent, you know. And when the US Constitution we fight about what were the Founding Fathers sitting around Philadelphia Hall talking about and we have to construct. Here, you can hear it. Because it's not just a letter of a law. It's a spirit of the law. So therefore, first of all, never expected this is a political career. This goes to explains why I say, four years, it's enough for anybody to contribute. It also accentuates the fact that we are unique community, that we have a lot of talent here. If we don't have litmus tests or personality clashes . We have people who know about architecture, people who know about finance, who would if properly approached would run as a community service. All of a sudden, it's become, you know, there are people.

Thom Mozloom:

Politics

Luis Lauredo:

Well, there's people who had been serving for 14 years out of 30. There are people running , you know. It doesn't click with me. It probably was a big mistake looking back, somebody had to chair the meeting. And since we had the word trustees, it goes here where semantics comes in your you know, we can trustees doesn't, doesn't lend itself, you have to be Chairman of the Board of Trustees. And if you translate to Spanish, the only word would be president. So it's auto. So we came up with the word mayor. But mayor is nothing more and if you go go go back to basics.

Thom Mozloom:

You guys should have gone with Pooh bah.

Luis Lauredo:

Well, are you gonna sweat? But look what we did look at the charter section 2.02. The mayor has absolutely no power. In fact, there are people who call it a second. let me tell you, let me tell you, some people

Tony Winton:

Well, have actually called it a second class Council member, because you have absolutely the same power, which is one vote. And you get two years where your council you for four years. So to chair the meetings, to nominate board members boards of the committee with the approval in other words with the vote of the council. And you are the the head of protocol, head of the city for purposes of military and legal processes serving period. I'll leave it for you if you want. There's one big thing you're leaving out. Yes. Which is the bully pulpit, you're not going to find it, you're not going to find it inside the charter.

Luis Lauredo:

Of course. And I agree with you,

Tony Winton:

that is a very, very powerful

Luis Lauredo:

it is but the underlying underlying philosophy was, in fact, I learned later and other cities have done it. That which would have been smart. If we had that they elect seven council members or five in this case, let's say Miami Shores. And in the first meeting, they elect for a year a chairman, which he calls mayor, and it's rotating like we did with the vice mayor. But we were we had so many pressure But the point is though, Tony and Thom, is that worth? You see this campaign? I mean, this is like worse than city or Miami personal attacks.

Tony Winton:

Hey, wait a second. That's a pretty high bar council member.

Thom Mozloom:

Listen, pal, I live in the city of Miami. I can tell

Luis Lauredo:

Well let me tell you something. I was Chief of Staff to the Mayor of the City of Miami right out of school. And so believe me I was there a creation I saw the whole thing. So that one of the reasons when I was chairman of the creation of this thing, what I brought was experience and and not any smarter than anybody. But I said here's how not to do it. Because I want exactly,

Thom Mozloom:

here's how we all messed up the City

Tony Winton:

negative examples can be used. And up

Luis Lauredo:

heretofore, just for the purposes I know you want to be just take away the names because then you'll get into all kinds of personality. Just Candidate A and Candidate B. Heretofore, I think the record for a council seat, by the way, in case people don't know, we don't get paid anything. It is a part time job.

Tony Winton:

What about that cold pizza in the back room?

Luis Lauredo:

that's true. That's true. And it is usually very cold. And at the last election, I believe that I was kind of surprised. $17,000 in expense, so let you have an idea. I think I spent like$2,000. From what I hear and see. There's close to $100,000 of contributions in this race, mostly from out of the city out of the village. So you guys, I am such a great believer in the press. I'm noxious as it may be an antisocial Hey, hey, hey, yeah, no, no, because you're the one because you're the ones who keep democracy on it.

Tony Winton:

I'm a believer when it comes if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Luis Lauredo:

No, that isabsolutely. But you have a responsibility to bring these things up. It shouldn't be my hobby. Excuse me, I don't understand this. Why would anybody want to spend 100,000 dollars to be mayor of Key Biscayne with no power? Whoever his name is? Because we were lucky to have to, you know, they're decent people. Yeah,

Thom Mozloom:

that 100,000 is just what you know of. There's a whole bunch of money.

Luis Lauredo:

provokes in you a common sense here, sir. Wait a minute, what's the deal? By the way? This is a I always tell people not only to me anyway, this is a 33, a 32 million dollar company. You know, I've been raised on my life in the private sector, right? You know, city of Miami is almost a billion dollars is 900,000,000. So just to give you a scale also, even if you were strong mayor of a local company of 30. So it distorts. It distorts us. It, does it really is, this truly is a historical election. And it is the duty I think, or at least the attempt of people like you to question not and not pre judge. I'm not pre judging. But it doesn't, you know, to intuit for I'm very simple, and it doesn't make sense

Thom Mozloom:

now. Well, if you look at the chats, and you look at the temperature on

Luis Lauredo:

Thank God I don't look at the chats.

Thom Mozloom:

, right, like that's like just it's it's hyper for a in a political election. Yes, hyper political, like people have divided on the island, one side versus the other side in really hyperbolic ways. It's, it's, well, you know, this, for a guy like you who's like you set this up to be a political How Does that strike you?

Luis Lauredo:

Is that terrible, terrible? And I The other mistake we made around the mayor's office was one of the struggles was there was a there was a movement and unreasonable want to have districts. And do I was absolutely against districts. So that we would run like the council, everybody, everybody at large. Yeah. And you don't have to attack Tony, you don't you just have to say I'm the best of the seven. We missed it. What the mayor because of selecting a separately, now you have to run one person against the other. And that leads to this kind of stuff.

Tony Winton:

Isn't the flip side of that, though. And I don't mean to cut you off. But the flip side of that is accountability. Right. So the reason that you and I know that the charter commission panel discussed it, they decided not to put it forward. But when you want everything at large, it's harder to hold a specific person accountable, because they're not running against one person they're running against a field. Doesn't that

Luis Lauredo:

is oh, they're now running against the field. Naively, perhaps, because what what we wanted to do 30 years ago is to make this as apolitical as possible, right? Is you run to project yourself your qualifications, why you deserve their vote, I did not have to you ran and the time that I ran, I, you know, everybody, three of us made it. But I don't remember any attacks. I don't remember having the need to say I disagree with Tony, I want to paint, I believe that the walls at City Hall, a village hall should be red. And Tony says, Well, I think it should be blue. I said, Well, you know, I don't you know, I didn't have to say you don't have a taste. Tony, you are erotic Marika. You're a blue person, which is the What's your left in cognitive tree hugger? All of which is true. But we saw we don't think structurally. And I had hoped that this review commission that didn't share would have changed it. They were honest mistakes. But this we were so the spirit was so embedded in us, we'd never assumed they would go this far off, which is what prompted me to go run four years ago, which never, you know, because I saw administratively. From my business background things were I don't that's a subject for another for another meeting. I mean, that when you're when you're free, you could come back. No, you know me I'm very free about talk. I'm like you I say not, not here to bring it back to the question you decided to i decided i think i a lot of nice people on both sides of whatever is divided out there said that. First of all, they wanted me to run for mayor. And I just tell you that I think that I wouldn't never did the first time I ever got more of a mayor. I didn't the second time that I really, really believe. And I'm I'm telling you that one term is enough. Sometimes somebody wants to run a second term, but we have now a lot of people who have been around for a long time and that's just not good. Particularly because we do have a tool, a pool of of talent here. And you don't have to agree. I mean, there's not that much. We're not fighting by the way the Ukraine war and cave escape. We are not fighting for the freedom of the Committee of January the sixth work we got about four or five days. stick things where like, you can walk this community. By the way, when I ran the first time, and most of the original Council, I don't think we spent any money. We just walked the streets and met everybody, I think, should consult as we have PACs, political actions Committee, which has destroyed the national system. What is the fate? I want to give you one last interruption for for you. Notice that I refer to you as the intellectual or you will know this America, this English master by the name of Shakespeare sure that one of his great phrases is much ado about nothing. Yeah. I mean, when when you stop, and you say, wait a minute, it's not your Are you crazy United States. So for the US Senate, this is for? You know, God bless. This is a great community. So it gives me anxiety. But as to my after your question, no, I really believe that I need to step out and let new blood come in, whatever their opinions are. Because that refreshes us.

Thom Mozloom:

You've mentioned twice though. There's plenty of talent on the Key. Yes, you've mentioned to other times that we need new blood, how is Key Biscayne going to go get those people because who in their right mind would run for office? If you're going to be told what a horrible person you are? Yeah, time and time again. And further. Yeah. How do you go out to the very talented people incredibly intelligent, mostly successful human beings of Key Biscayne and say, Listen, you really shouldn't think about being on the council.

Luis Lauredo:

That is my hope. That is exactly why I'm very worried about our future because those kinds of people I have spoken to a lot of people on the whole spectrum of, by the way, very, not only qualified but influential people, one of the reasons we were able to beat off altra and all of that is that people don't realize that in the mainland, if you want to call it that way. We have people there who are heavy hitters, heavy hitters in terms of financial support of city of Miami Commissioner, so it's not us little arrogant Key Biscayne. The other side, the practical side to your question is they are either running a bank or a law firm or other kinds of professional and they can barely get out of there. Once a month, which is usually under charter, we only have once a month, we have meetings now going galore. Every every other day, we have a meeting and start a meeting a six, three or four times Tom and Tony, I've tried to move the meeting to seven, and I can't even get a second. So that person he or she does not have time to go to the house, kiss the kids and the wife or the spouse and make it a seven o'clock and so also practically it is absolutely ridiculous.

Tony Winton:

Well you tried, early on, to have actually in many municipalities do this, they have committee meetings. You don't have to have the entire council there for a discussion about one issue that maybe three council members really care or know about? The committee examines it, ask the questions of whatever it is, and reports back we think we should do this. Okay. And I and I bring look that never happened.

Luis Lauredo:

Exactly you've seen I've been on bank board for 30 years I've been President chairman of a multinational oil company. I've been on board of Baptist Health System which is 12 hospitals. This is how this is no say to me. See, to me, it's so normal. Why should I even bring that up? It makes sense. If two of us are interested it's sort of a delegation of not authority but expertise you know, Tony You were attacked for bringing

Tony Winton:

yes because they were supposed to be your secret quite the [inaudible] makes efficiency, it is not sustainable. To your question to have this kind of quality people. first of all try to make you sound silly at six o'clock, but but it's not. seven o'clock makes a big difference given our particularly traffic and and some of them who are flipping channels. Of course, who when I approached him the next day I see him coffee is the cat darn it. You will need people like you to run, said Louis, I was flipping channel remember we're gonna you guys were still there. Right? We were, excuse me. This is a 30. We had on this multibillion dollar company that I was involved in, like literally an oil. Our board meetings were two hours. We had we had a two a $1 million refinery projec. This is a $32 million company for crying out loud. What are we doing at 1130? It took us Tony you know, almost two hours to them. Yeah, it took us two hours. Yeah, I see you and I pity you because I have to get up and leave you're stuck there.

Luis Lauredo:

I know. Remember the. I don't even know what we call it anymore. That Park the park it took an hour and a half. I thought I just throw would name it whatever you want. I said Sunrise because sunrise drivers know what does it so if you're if you're running a big serious company, and you look at this, you say no. Which I tell me is that Luis, you know what? We're so happy you're there. What do you need? I says, Well, that's great for you to say, but I also have a life, right?

Thom Mozloom:

The rest of us are looking around and going, I don't want any part of that

Luis Lauredo:

Really is and it shouldn't be. And it's not to blame anybody. We everybody's trying to do the best they can on the council, but your thirst you need to be grounded on some experience outside of here. It's not logical.

Thom Mozloom:

It's not it's not for lack of passion. The people who sit on the council are certainly passionate. They love the community.

Luis Lauredo:

Yes, I agree. And it's a thankless job, which is fine, like you said, you go in, nobody ever is that there's an old phrase in politics, they're no good deed shall go unpunished. Nobody stops you for for saying thank you for this, or I disagree with you. But you know, they just say you know, you know how it is, which is fine. That's your phrase, a very good American phrase, If you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen, I can take the heat. But I really do believe philosophically that we better. I'm not naive enough to say that we can go back to 100% 30 years ago, because progress is progress. But certainly the spirit and the values should not compromise. We should be just a bunch of friends, community people and you liked the red door and I liked the green door. And which by the way, don't he's still a communist. Yeah, he hasn't. But he, by the way, the five original members of the charter committee, we didn't know each other. We came from very different backgrounds, different opinions. Under Attack, we never had one incident or word among us, and then my weak structure, a hell of a village that everybody else is there. So we need to get back to that somehow. And this campaign is completely wacko

Thom Mozloom:

bonkers. It is bonkers.

Tony Winton:

Let's we have just a few minutes left. Let's do a maybe some final final pearls, right? Because I told you this shouldn't be your exit interview, parting thought parting parting thoughts. Maybe we should just run a couple of issues down and just see Sure. What What would you what would be your advice to whoever's going to assist the new council going forward? Okay. Let's say, and I know you, you you have you interacted with the city we talked about the city of Miami seems to be the arch. If there's an arch enemy, it would seem to be the city of Miami,

Thom Mozloom:

the evil empire?

Tony Winton:

Yeah. what would what would be your that would be your your pearls of wisdom? How should you posture yourself in dealing with the city of Miami?

Luis Lauredo:

Absolutely, that politics is the art of the possible. And so as business as always life, they have the power. And Virginia Key. They own it. Same thing with the County. One of the things I hope that I contributed is I did since I know a lot of the people on the council, the commission of both the city and the county, even when I we were sorting Rema right through Ultra. They have the checkbook, it is their home. So you can just we had a reputation in Key Biscayne. We are, well, we're above at all. No, no, no, unfortunately, we want to do Bear Cut this way. Yeah, well, then go pay for it. And so I think the smart thing to do, first of all respect. You might disagree, disagree agreeably be grounded on reality that it is their Rickenbacker . It is their it is their Crandon Blvd. It is their Virginia Key. And we decided not to incorporate those things when we incorporated. So that there comes maturity, people successful in the private sector who understand that you've lived the fight another day. And it's not necessarily fight is It is absurd to go on. We don't have I used to joke with the mayor Miami a lot during this crisis is that if you don't stop doing this, I'm gonna we're going to fund the Navy. So well, we got a bigger Navy than you. And it's a funny way of saying, you know, like, you know, between you and I got the checkbook. Yep. And I the property.

Tony Winton:

So

Luis Lauredo:

Respect.

Thom Mozloom:

Resilience is like an existential problem that the key is going to face and the key is a wealthy community with the assets and the means if it had the willpower to prepare against it, but it seems to be a pocketbook issue that people are willing to die on the Hill for. How can we get past our differences and fortify the key so that it is here for a very, very long time and property values don't go down because they're underwater?

Luis Lauredo:

Yes. Well, you think that we're not united on that? It's no and I'd like to hear your opinion because I think we are. What happened is, you know, semantics are so important and in your business here, up to about three or four years ago, anything that had to do with it. Let's call it environmental at least remedy was to call us tree huggers. Yeah, hippies. And you're walking around with sandals. Well, all of a sudden people all over the US, I don't know what you call it to it. Yeah. But gee, I couldn't get out of my house. So all of a sudden, it's like, oh, we still have to change the language I'm playing speaker resiliency is, you know, it's a kind of a, you know, it's a we got flooding man. Yeah, I mean, it's so I think we have a great staff at the village manager. And they're, the people of Key Biscayne overwhelmingly voted, because everybody who voted for against the bond issue, water for the bond issue, unfortunately, people who are used to dividing us made it seem that if you wanted to do it in trenches, in other pieces, rather than the whole amount of 100 million, you were against it, that was beginning of a bad trend, which still continues, people want to control this island. So people put their money where their mouth is. So to your point, because it talks about the culture and the new people coming in. Now, for the first time, we have about $100 million in the bank, so to speak, I'm using Yeah, you gotta borrow it, you gotta borrow, but it's $100 100 billion dollars to fix all these problems, which now gets you into, you know, we're going to be playing in the big leagues. Yeah, in terms of that, and therefore, that more responsibility, and by the way, a lot more scrutiny from people like you. On those decisions, you know, who are the contractors? Who are the lawyers that are getting all these fees? Who are their consultants? You know, how I feel about consultants? We haven't even gotten to the big checks yet. Yeah, exactly. But now these are costs, right. But now my analogy of the little $30 million company, who happens to have$100 million in cash I'm using to be spent Whoa, yeah, but that 100 million might not go very far. It might not go very, look at 250 $400 million worth to fortify it. And you guys are going to argue about the debt cap. Yeah, what I agree and but I think the only way we're going to solve this is if we get over we got to put aside a group of people on both sides. I don't even know what a side is, that are constantly room pounding divisiveness, and my friend, Shakespeare Much Ado About Nothing. It's a little more than nothing now, because you have$100 million of serious stuff. I've been preaching as he goes to the meetings, Tony, that also one of the things that this Council, and the community has to understand is that this infrastructure stuff, so it's gonna require this eruption of your life. A lot. You can't just say, Blessed are putting underground and all of that on Friday, and by Monday, but by the time I got there, you know, it's gonna be two or three years of, you know, inconvenience the streets drive it up, but people are not ready. People are spoiled. There are complainers, and I think this happens overnight when he doesn't. And you don't build a bridge overnight. So this more than perhaps the founding 30 years ago, is the most important election, in my view, because we are at a transition moment when we need unity and common sense and experience more. And that's where I see the biggest thing I see incredible hatred, incredible personal attacks. Too much money.

Thom Mozloom:

Right? You guys have a paradise that most of us want to live here.

Tony Winton:

Let Yeah, let me give you an exit question here. Because I've covered this and there clearly are factions in the island, there's no question about it. I'm not getting into the merits of who's right or who's wrong, because both sides believe that they're right. Okay. And no one's you know, so that that is that is it, but there are factions. And I guess my question would be, you know, how do you how do you move forward, given that environment and, or what is what is the underlying thing and one thing that seems to be keep coming up, and it's gonna get a little wonky here for a second, so so bear with me,

Luis Lauredo:

I'll bear with you. Okay. LC it's a case of Shakespeare.

Tony Winton:

Well, it's a continuing debate between the east side and the west side of the island, the single family homes and the condominium. So we've done we've looked at the polling, the polling shows that on the issues, there's really no difference the people live in condos want the same things that the people in single family homes do, by and large, they have similar opinions about government, they think government's doing a good job. They there may be some slight differences on street lighting is a bigger deal with single family homes and it isn't the condos but little things like that. But generally speaking, they have very similar views yet, this division persists. And so I'm at you know, you've you've had this perspective, looking back at the beginning, and going forward. It Is there a way out of this? This tension between these two groups? That's my question.

Luis Lauredo:

Yes. And I said extraordinary. Good question, because that answers a question as to the founding, I fought tooth and nails I started this program talking about that we would not have districts you are in Key Biscayne is small enough as it is, if I remember that I have had experience single member districts when it was pushed in for because there was discrimination, and no Hispanics and blacks are getting well, all all the good, unintentional negative is that we now have governments with single member districts that don't give a damn what happens across the street. You know, as long as I got elected on District Six, so I was the leader with all five of us know, districts, and that is why includes I know, running one against each other, except the mistake we made with the mayor posts, which we thought it was a minor post and became. So that was a big fight. And if you recall, my first few months here, I had very strong and I was the only one who was very, you know, me, I'm a fighter, with an association from the condominium. So when they were making on undergrounding, which happens to be an area I was on the Public Service Commission, right, okay. And they were trying to as you know, Penny, when I say, you know, as you recall, there was an individual and all of that, and I was like, on their face, on the issues, I cannot and we will not survive. If we have this, you on the other side of this on the other side, it is so immature as the word it is. So it is I mean, you're not right. I mean, we have the privilege and people on the houses are probably subsidizing some of us who live on the beach, that day, all I have to do is go down the elevator, they have to drive. So it is about sharing, it is about values, it's about being a community of one. So it 30 years ago, or today, or when I started you saw me and in fact, my mom now my wife saw that I had dad because I was gonna go in and say I just want to be a Loki be 107 It drove me nuts that they kept coming back about dividing. And so this resisting

Tony Winton:

that this idea to grow up that one side is subsidizing that argument needs to be reduced to always gonna

Luis Lauredo:

be their problem, or study American history for crying out loud. You know, we've got too many people who don't know about American history. That was the fight found in this country, 235 years stability, you know, the stakes rights versus a national government. That's all we had a Senate that we have a House of Representatives, you give a little and I give a little it's called compromise. It's called compromise. And it's called a cup it meant two values at the national level and this little tiny little town, what it would mean, what am I going to wear different T shirts. So when I go have coffee, if I wear green, you're from the condos. And so I don't want to talk to you because you have the blue shirts, or you must facing I mean, literally at the end of the day. And this goes back to your question of people, serious people, mature people successful people say this is a joke. Yes, it's very it's very childish. i Excuse me for being so blunt. My whole shtick on this show is all the following less less less disagree agreeably get off to your little ego trip. You know, not everybody's bad. Not all the opinions that you run agree with, you know, what is the phrase Tony? tool? You can be my political opponent, but you don't need to be my You're not my political enemy. Right. And here is like personal attacks. Nope. It's very personal. And it's, it's, the thing is we can't run away, man. This is why I tell people, if they were sitting in Miami, you're going to all these fights and then I go live, you know, coconut groves here. Where can you hide? You stay home? Right. So on it?

Tony Winton:

There's, as I tell people, there's only one Winn Dixie. Exactly.

Luis Lauredo:

And two places to have coffee and that's about it and people. So look, I'm pessimistic, but but at the same time to semantically contradicted myself very optimistic, that common sense will prevail that people will chill out, get their bearings us we have a good administration in place we got I still got a lot of problems with them. And you know, I'm a fiscal ultra conservative, we keep growing and that's not acceptable to me. Just because you know, you have X amount of income doesn't mean you have to spend it and that's very government you know, view you just because you have high income doesn't mean you have to go out and spend it. And we're losing that battle to its share with you some of our budget and it keeps going up. So, I am like to be able to contribute on from the outside and a lot of people like me, a lot of good people are willing to do that who are not willing to do have to run for office for the reasons we talked about, but they're willing to specifically rationally help so So what about you? Well, you run again? No, I don't think so. I use it. I can tribute it enough. I mean, you never know. Yeah, no, I mean, this is it. But But no, but you have to understand that for me, I've been in the federal government as I've been in this. I've been this is what's supposed to be community service. We actually thought if we could figure out a way to govern ourselves without election, you know, that we actually thought that well, we couldn't legally so can we just sort of have

Thom Mozloom:

just nominate somebody? Okay, it's your turn to be on council. Yeah, I like that idea.

Tony Winton:

It could have had a New England style tile town meeting, but I might divide that would have been very smart. And

Luis Lauredo:

I thought about the Swiss system of direct democracy where you have the you know, you have the cantons when they get together but it's now impossible right now it will be you will have to have more police there.

Tony Winton:

That's probably not a good idea. Councilmember Luis Lauredo. I want to thank you for for coming on our program or your service and of your sir,

Thom Mozloom:

thank you for your service for the last four years. That's number one and for being on this program.

Luis Lauredo:

Listen, if you keep thanking me that I can't have I can't handle it. I'm prepared for attacks but this guy is thanking me. What are you gonna get rid of Tom? I don't understand. He's it can't You can't know. He's definitely having

Thom Mozloom:

an election next year to see who takes my place. Here we

Tony Winton:

go. Thanks, everybody.

Luis Lauredo:

Thank you.

Thom Mozloom:

And we are back. This is anti social. I'm Tom moslem. I'm Tony Winton. And loitering in the studio is the soon to be former council member.

Tony Winton:

Well, he's learning he's not we didn't even get into this time. But he's not done yet. There's still one very big vote that's going to be coming up. No. on the budget. Yes. Yes. So there's a lot of decisions that have to meet about what stays in what gets cut, what goes, what the priorities are. And it's we haven't even got to that fun aspect of fall politics

Thom Mozloom:

Before we get there and just tying into the interview. Can you talk a little bit about what's going on an independent, Matt Bramson wrote a he did a fire and brimstone

Tony Winton:

Fire and brimstone? Okay,

Thom Mozloom:

type air and brimstone? Okay, it was a little it was a little pessimistic. Right, a little pessimistic, Op Ed piece about the great divide? And

Tony Winton:

I don't know, I don't know, if I use brimstone. I don't remember anyone, anyone being castigated to the nether regions.

Thom Mozloom:

there was certainly a that was certainly an opinion from one side of the aisle. Right? Well, you know, this is sort of that sort of blew up the other side, people

Tony Winton:

People have written to me, and we will publish contrasting views. If you have a contrasting view, you know, the format is 400-700 words, write an article, you know, we will we edit them, because, you know, we edit them for any factual claims, we make sure that they're correct, but argument and opinion, we encourage them.

Thom Mozloom:

I think you should do that. I think on on KBI, you should put a call for opinion, we did outline what an opinion is, versus, you know, what marketing and advertising is? Yeah. And, you know, maybe throw it out on some of these chats that are Yeah, it's common, and we have had, we have had people in the past so I would encourage folks who have a different perspective and take take it and say you know, that that opinion, there's a lot of opinions in there. I disagree. Here's why. it just it just it's it otherwise the independent is not going to seem so independent.

Tony Winton:

Yeah. Well, the aspect of that is it's if you have an opinion column, you should have multiple opinions and that's always been our goal.

Thom Mozloom:

Yeah. All right. Well, I'm looking forward to that I want to see the other side I want to see other folks other opinions I mean, you know me I'm I'm a more opinions is better guy, even if I don't agree with them.

Tony Winton:

I think that's a good practice

Thom Mozloom:

and that sort of brings us to

Tony Winton:

Yeah, so it brings us to the to our our discussion item for today. Let's see if I can find it. Don't get it ready. But the President the President of the United States had, I think an extraordinary address to the nation. Last night. He held it from you went to Independence Hall. Where are you are you are just they're running away from Philadelphia, though I don't know what it is.

Thom Mozloom:

Exactly. far enough away from that mess. Yes.

Tony Winton:

So the President had a national address and it was taking on these themes of what's happening to our democracy. And I think the easiest way to discuss it is to start with the President's comments. Here is what the President said

Joe Biden:

too much of what's happening in our country today is not normal. Donald Trump and the MAGA, Republicans represented extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic. Now, I want to be very clear, very clear up front. Not every Republican, not even a majority Republicans are MAGA Republicans. Not every Republican embraces their extreme ideology. I know, because I've been able to work with these mainstream Republicans. But there's no question that the Republican party today is dominated, driven and intimidated by Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans. And that is a threat to this country.

Tony Winton:

President United States speaking last night in Philadelphia, Very strong words indeed.

Thom Mozloom:

So he chose Founders Hall in Philadelphia, as his backdrop, and he chose his political opponent to castigate and he used it as a as a point about national security. This reminds me a lot of what Hitler did. And I listen, I can't stand Donald Trump, but this type of rhetoric is dangerous from him. And from the president united states there in that backdrop, what is he Vladimir Putin? Is he going to throw Trump in jail and call anybody who is a Trump follower voted for Trump a dangerous human being dangerous to democracy? Where does this slippery slope lead? And again, I can't stand Donald Trump. I think the man as a human being I wouldn't let him watch my kids, let alone watch my country. But, you know, yeah, but

Tony Winton:

You have Georgia? Yes.

Thom Mozloom:

I wouldn't let him watch Georgia, the dog. My dog. No, no, no, no, no, no, there's no possibility. But this is dangerous rhetoric. This is what's this is what's wrong in the country. Not this is this isn't how to write the country. This isn't the voice of sanity that Democrats and others voted for, for him to sit in that seat. This is the opposite of that. Right? So you put little Stockton into distinction or definition that he made. We didn't play the whole speech, obviously, where he was referencing the January 6, assault on the Capitol, people who are supporting that. And I have to say that this speech, and these words are coming just within a day or two of the former president saying he would pardon? Yeah, all of the participants in January 6th. It doesn't matter what I think. I'm not the target audience. So as a marketing guy, as a branding guy, you look at your target audience, who is he speaking to? Who are we talking to? This is? That's a lot that's very nuanced. I don't think the general public is going to make a differentiation between people who are Magga Republicans and the general person who just voted for Donald Trump. Anybody who voted for Donald Trump is a mega Republican, anybody who says, you know, right up until the point that they breach to the Capitol. That's, that's a protest that is perfectly legal. And anybody who says, hey, you know, they breached the Capitol, and that sucked, and there should be punishment. But cities burned that entire summer, for the difficult for the other political party. And those were mostly peaceful protests. Anybody who held those positions is now a mega Republican, and anybody who expresses these beliefs is now in danger of being a danger to the very fabric of our democracy. So it's dangerous.

Tony Winton:

So but so I'm trying to understand what you're saying. Because clearly you you said you don't you don't care for President Trump, former President Trump, right. And you think that January 6 was awful? Okay. All right. So these are kind of the two pole stars there. The messaging then is using the word is tying it to a specific party, instead of people who have those beliefs and support those. That's correct. It's the same

Thom Mozloom:

thing Hitler did with the Jews. And I hate to say that because I know I'm gonna get I know what's going to happen to my my feeds i Oh, what's going to happen in my way, if

Tony Winton:

we were live, my phone would already be blind. Get it?

Thom Mozloom:

I know what's gonna happen. I totally get it. But that's how, when you demonize a large swath of the population call them a danger to democracy, what do you think happens next, people who aren't as intelligent and aren't as nuanced say they're a danger to democracy. We must protect democracy. Therefore, we must act against those people. This is exactly the thinking that led idiots through the doors of the Capitol. On January 6, those people thought they were protecting democracy too. They thought what was going on was a danger to democracy and they were defending this country. They were wrong. But this is the rhetoric that leads to that. And we haven't chilled the rhetoric. We've escalated the rhetoric, it's dangerous, it's stupid. Both parties need to stop. And both parties need to recognize that the polls, the extremes of both parties are dangerous. They need to they need to rein them in. And the vast 80% In the middle, the center right in the center left need to be the voice of sanity in this country. All right.

Tony Winton:

Let me ask another question is, I'm just gonna

Thom Mozloom:

get on a soapbox there. I'm sorry. I apologize. Yeah, maybe I'll write an op ed.

Tony Winton:

Yeah, I you know, we had a sitting United States Senator, Lindsey Graham, of South Carolina suggest or directly say that if the President is criminally charged, which appears to be what is likely now based on the public filings in court, just a few miles north of here, and in Palm Beach County, that it would lead to riots in the streets.

Thom Mozloom:

He's not wrong. He's not wrong. This is the kind of politics that goes on in countries like Moldova and Lithuania. And what former Soviet countries where the the, the the out of power president is jailed for claims against the nation. But

Tony Winton:

isn't there an equal risk that not doing that means the President's above the law?

Thom Mozloom:

I think there's a middle ground on this

Tony Winton:

a middle ground between so not breaking the law? And I think I said not understanding that. So I think what's

Thom Mozloom:

going on is politics. If the president is indicted, on the Espionage Act, of all things, there is a legal philosophy that suggests he can't run for president, send the statute, that's what they're going for. They didn't charge him on petty theft. They're gonna charge them on the Espionage Act. The whole thing is designed to ensure that Donald Trump does not run for president again, listen, I pray with everybody else that is on this side of the aisle that Donald Trump doesn't run again, I think he is a horrible human being, as I said before, but then let's put a candidate out that's going to beat him. And if you're a Republican, he has to go through the primaries. And if you're a Republican who hates Donald Trump, let's get a candidate that's going to beat him. That's the way democracy works.

Tony Winton:

Hasn't he frozen the field already?

Thom Mozloom:

Yeah, but why? Why?

Tony Winton:

Why does she Why is he chosen to frozen?

Thom Mozloom:

I mean, listen to Nikki Haley. Any of them DeSantis. Any of them could run against them. Any of them can run against him any Republican that wants to run for president and can qualify, he could run for president. They don't need to leave it up to Donald Trump to decide who gets to run for president and who doesn't?

Tony Winton:

Yeah, I guess what I'm saying is that if, if the President's indicted? How was that? How does that I mean, this is kind of the thinking, right? It almost guarantees he's going to run for office, doesn't it? Oh,

Thom Mozloom:

well, this is again, the problem with the Democrats is that they overreach and they're shrill and they have no limiting principle. So they're going to get what they want, no matter what. And it always blows back in their faces it galvanizes the base, the Maga base, the Trump support, even people who voted for Donald Trump, but hate him are going to look at the Democrats actions and go Well now we have no choice. Now. We're going to dig in our heels and it's us against you. This is a bad strategy. This is bad all the way around. It's been bad for years and the media, God loved the media. I love you guys. Really I do. And you know, I'm loyal to you. But I've never seen a politician who's headline news every single day for the last six years. Do you understand the value of that kind of marketing?

Tony Winton:

Let me but let me be just lay it out for you. There are strategists who believe that running against Trump, again, is the Democrats best option. Because that's how they win again.

Thom Mozloom:

How'd that work last time?

Tony Winton:

Well, the President that Donald Trump lost and But Joe Biden won. How did that work with Hillary. I'm not talking about Hillary, I'm talking about Donald Trump. And this president.

Thom Mozloom:

so it's a coin flip. Yeah, it's a coin flip. It's a 5050. How about you put your best candidate forward and the Republicans put their best candidate forward and we have an a real place. So you think the strategists are crazy. We I think if Donald Trump,

Tony Winton:

they look at the same polls, you do so that's what I'm saying.

Unknown:

I'm looking at the polls and I'm looking at the polls that the Democrats are looking at, right if Donald Trump runs again, he wins you think so? I'm calling it right now. I will call the election

Tony Winton:

Alright ladies and gentlemen, you heard it here first.

Thom Mozloom:

Make sure you mark this make sure you mark this tape Okay. And you say Oh, this is the day Mozloom said that

Tony Winton:

It's September 2 and

Thom Mozloom:

then come Inauguration Day. I don't want to hear crap. I am giving you war. navy.

Tony Winton:

Okay, all right. We have it here. I, I don't like to make predictions because, you know, I was a weatherman. That was before I went to journalism, most people to know this. I was a meteorologist. And how did that work out?

Thom Mozloom:

All right, I did that at Columbia. All right, you by the way. You've you've ruined the show for me because, yes, you've been fun. It's Friday morning. It's not Friday afternoon. It means there's no happy hour. I don't get to pour myself a drink and this conversation. I need one.

Tony Winton:

Okay. Listen, you know, you used to work at NBC. That's what Hurley's was for.

Thom Mozloom:

Yes. Yes. That's what Bloody Marys and earliest the

Tony Winton:

guy from the AP evening shift would come off and they would be having their beer, and they'd be watching the NBC executives having their bloody marys going in.

Thom Mozloom:

that's exactly that was the deal. Good morning. All right, brother. got us out of this mess.

Tony Winton:

I will get you out of that. Thank you very much. And again, our thanks to to Councilmember Luis Laredo for his exit interview. Or how should say is that the right word exiting

Thom Mozloom:

song seems so awful, I think no, I think I think I think councilmember Laredo is going to be around for a while and I expect to see him at the DSP.

Tony Winton:

He comes back to our show.

Thom Mozloom:

I hope you have I think we co host because he has a perspective. I think he's going to be the co host who replaces me. Okay, all right.

Tony Winton:

Thanks, everybody,

Thom Mozloom:

be safe everyone.

Unknown:

MUSIC

Luis Lauredo
We want more columnists
President Biden the threat to democracy