WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:09.840 [upbeat music] Hey, it's Quinn. Before we get into today's episode, I need a favor. 2 00:00:10.540 --> 00:00:31.500 If this show, The Most Important Question, has been valuable to you in any way, helped you take action on something you care about, deepened your understanding on some complex issue, introduced a new way to see a problem, or just to someone cool, one of our guests, whatever, please take 30 seconds and leave us a rating and a review right now wherever you're listening. 3 00:00:31.730 --> 00:00:43.960 And look, here's the fun part. Right now, every review we get for this month, July, you will be entered to win some official Actually Pro-Life merch, which people just love. 4 00:00:44.380 --> 00:00:53.910 So just email us a screenshot of your review to questions@importantnotimportant.com to be entered, and that's all you gotta do. This genuinely helps the show more than you'd think. 5 00:00:54.080 --> 00:01:05.899 Reviews are how new listeners who give a shit, like you, find us and find you. So if you've got a spare minute or a spare 35 seconds, we would really, really appreciate it. All right. On to the episode. 6 00:01:08.440 --> 00:01:22.510 [upbeat music] There are a lot of folks in rural America that can say, "No candidate's ever come and knocked on my door." So today I'm going to introduce you to the one who knocks, my new best friend, Brittney Newton. 7 00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:34.230 You folks around the world, country, have said very clearly that you would like more examples of fight and progress you can actually see, touch, and feel, and talk to and feel like someone is listening to you. 8 00:01:34.590 --> 00:01:44.660 And so in these conversations, in partnership with our best friends at Run for Something, we're giving you the people you asked for because that's exactly who Brittney is. She's a vet. She's a mom. 9 00:01:44.870 --> 00:01:51.700 A future representative who will actually, and this might shock you, represent her constituents, her neighbors in North Carolina. 10 00:01:52.040 --> 00:01:59.160 All the guests in this series are sourced from the Run for Something pipeline and graduating classes. They are the next generation of leaders. 11 00:01:59.220 --> 00:02:09.759 If these conversations inspire you in any way, connect with you in any way, please do these three things. One, find out what office you or some other under 40 person you love can run for at runforwhat.net. 12 00:02:09.800 --> 00:02:20.320 Two, find and support incredible candidates like Brittney, who are endorsed by Run for Something and other amazing organizations we love at whatcanido.earth. And share it. Share this conversation. 13 00:02:20.530 --> 00:02:28.320 Please just hit the little share sheet, forward button or whatever with someone who needs it, 'cause if you and I need it, you can bet your ass somebody else does too. 14 00:02:28.420 --> 00:02:39.800 So as always, please shoot me any questions or feedback at questions@importantnotimportant.com. Thank you for listening, and let's go talk to Brittney. Brittney Newton, welcome to the show, which is not live. 15 00:02:40.240 --> 00:02:51.760 It's not live. We're... Who, who knows how much we're gonna edit out of this. Can't wait to find out. How you doing? [laughs] I'm doing good. And you? Not too bad. Not too bad. We were just talking about we're both on... 16 00:02:51.780 --> 00:02:56.530 What do they call us now? The, the south/mid-Atlantic, whatever. Either way- Yeah... we're about to get cooked. 17 00:02:57.000 --> 00:03:06.400 I can see my little window air conditioner over there struggling to keep it at even, like, 75 degrees in here, so should be an adventure. Brittney, introduce yourself for a moment. Tell us who you are. 18 00:03:07.220 --> 00:03:21.090 So I am Brittney Newton. I am running for North Carolina House District 46. I am a veteran, served in the United States Army for eight years. Mom of two, in healthcare, business-minded. Mm-hmm. 19 00:03:21.240 --> 00:03:35.360 But I got into politics three years ago far as advocating for minimum wage being increased for North Carolina, as well as taxing more of the rich, wealthy folks. Mm-hmm. 20 00:03:35.680 --> 00:03:46.590 Back three years ago, I was asked to run for office, and I was like, "No, I'm just gonna be boots on the ground-" Mm... "just talking to people, trying to motivate them and encourage them-" Mm-hmm... 21 00:03:46.600 --> 00:03:58.859 giving them information that they didn't know. And so last year I started getting more and more phone calls about running for office. [laughs] And I initially gave them a list of a whole bunch of other people to call. 22 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:09.660 Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Anyone else. And... [laughs] Yes. [laughs] So they called me back and was like, "Thank you so much for that, but we really want you." Oh. And so I basically... 23 00:04:09.980 --> 00:04:22.400 I know some people are not of faith, but I am, so I went and prayed about it, and what I heard was, "It's not about you." Mm-hmm. "You're just the vessel that's being used." And so I said, "Okay. 24 00:04:22.960 --> 00:04:34.800 If this is what you really want me to do, then provide, show me open doors." Mm-hmm. And when I say doors have been opened tremendously throughout this whole process, doors have been open. 25 00:04:35.200 --> 00:04:44.580 I knock doors, and I get inspired. Even though I'm inspiring other people, I get inspired by just knocking doors and talking to people. Mm-hmm. So it's been very encouraging. This... It's been fun. 26 00:04:44.720 --> 00:04:52.480 It's, it's been encouraging, fun, hard work. Mm-hmm. But I, I know we can do this. We can come out on top. Why do you think people kept calling you? 27 00:04:52.700 --> 00:05:03.120 Why do you think they called everybody on your list, and they were like, "It's still Brittney"? [laughs] I have no idea. Well- Come on... everybody says they love m- who I am, how I talk to people. I relate to people. 28 00:05:03.160 --> 00:05:14.760 Like, I'm a, I'm a mo- a single mom that work. I didn't have a silver spoon handed to me. Like, I... Everything that I got, I got from the mud, I say mud, ground up. Mm-hmm. And I think it shows. 29 00:05:15.860 --> 00:05:28.140 And people just want- Yeah... a real person. They don't want the typical politician. They want a real person. Sure. Yeah. That's fair. It would be nice to have a real person involved somewhere representing us. 30 00:05:28.220 --> 00:05:39.240 How old are your babies, if you don't mind sharing? So I have a soon-to-be 10-year-old, and I have a- Oh, all right... seven-year-old. But they both think they're my mom- Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm... and my dad, so. 31 00:05:39.380 --> 00:05:48.640 Yep, that tracks. Mine are 11, 12, and 13, and they are done with me. They've been done with me for a while, but at the same time, completely unable to fend for themselves. 32 00:05:48.960 --> 00:05:57.460 What do they think about mom running for office? So I talked to them first. Mm-hmm. And they were like, "Okay. That's fine." But if we... 33 00:05:57.740 --> 00:06:09.660 They're in sports as well, so they were like, "If we do this, when we ask for you to come, will you come to our event?" Mm-hmm. So they've been settling with grandma showing up to Event. 34 00:06:09.690 --> 00:06:17.760 And then when they ask me to go, I, I, I make sure I show up. 'Cause most of the time I'm doing political things. They honestly have been supportive. 35 00:06:17.860 --> 00:06:23.430 My daughter calls me Madam President, even though I'm not the president. [laughs] Ah. That's just her little nickname for me. Is that who it is? 36 00:06:23.430 --> 00:06:33.160 And that it's, uh- It's hard to get to any kids' activities when you have a job. You're incredible for making what you can. I'm sure they genuinely appreciate that, and they'll appreciate it when you're president. 37 00:06:33.640 --> 00:06:44.100 Tell me how you got hooked up with our friends at Run for Something. I've been looking at other candidates. So Run for Something came up on my social media. Mm-hmm. And so I was like, "Let me look into this." Mm-hmm. 38 00:06:44.140 --> 00:06:54.180 So I started looking into it, and I was like, oh, wow, they actually train you how to become a candidate before you even start- Mm-hmm... the process. 39 00:06:54.260 --> 00:07:08.380 So obviously I had already filed my paperwork, but then I was like, well, they also help people that are running. Mm. And I am young, so I met- Mm-hmm... one of the biggest requirements. There you go. 40 00:07:08.440 --> 00:07:19.140 So I said, "I'll apply." And so I did, and that's how we got connected. I love the way they stick to... This will date me, but it's like old school MTV. They're like, "We're for young people. That's the deal. 41 00:07:19.400 --> 00:07:30.520 Once you're out, you're out. Like, we're, this is not for you anymore." I'm like, "Okay. Well, I'm 1,000, so I guess the answer's no." So why do you feel like you need to be the one to represent this district? 42 00:07:32.180 --> 00:07:45.580 We need change. A lot of times in my area, specifically Columbus County, we've been on the news, national news, really about the bad things. Mm-hmm. Not so much the positive things. 43 00:07:46.640 --> 00:08:00.680 And I might be a little biased, but Columbus County has some pretty good people here. Mm. And a lot of times we are overshadowed by the negative energy, and I think we need unity again. 44 00:08:01.160 --> 00:08:07.700 It was a time where we were pretty close. We didn't always agree, but it was kinda like a family, and I think we can get it back. 45 00:08:07.940 --> 00:08:19.860 Like I said, I get encouraged by knocking doors, and I've heard it from other people, I'm giving them a sense of hope. Hmm. People to, for a reason to vote. Like, the last few terms, the voting turnout has been low. 46 00:08:20.560 --> 00:08:31.940 But now, like, everybody's like, "Oh, I'm voting." Hmm. "I am voting." They have a reason to vote. It's not the same thing over and over again, or they feel like their vote really doesn't matter. 47 00:08:32.280 --> 00:08:45.060 They have a choice this time. Mm-hmm. And they haven't had a choice for the last two terms for the position I'm running for. So they feel empowered, and I like empowering people. I like- Mm-hmm... getting them excited. 48 00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:54.160 Like, let's do this. We got work to do. Like [laughs] And North Carolina, like Virginia, has had some real ups and downs the past 10, 15 years politically and culturally- Mm-hmm... and societally. 49 00:08:54.700 --> 00:09:06.620 So to have someone who's like, "No, I'm, I'm, I'm going to actually try to represent you here," has to just be so meaningful. Everybody asks, like, "Well, what side are you on? What side of the table are you on?" 50 00:09:06.680 --> 00:09:21.600 I'm like, "I'm for everybody" because I am. Like, I'm genuinely for everybody. And so when I can have different people from both sides of the aisle and in the middle to say, "Oh, yeah, you're the right choice" Mm-hmm... 51 00:09:21.670 --> 00:09:32.000 it means a lot. Mm-hmm. It, it means a lot because it's like they see that I'm for everybody as well. And so- Sure... that's that unity again, like bringing folks together. We're here... 52 00:09:32.060 --> 00:09:43.100 Everybody has struggles, no matter what side of the aisle you're on. Oh, yeah. If we work together and give back to the people for the people by the people- By the people. Mm-hmm... we can make some things change. 53 00:09:43.390 --> 00:09:51.120 [laughs] 'Cause you're a veteran. Thank you very much for your service. When did you get out? Why did you go in? Tell me about your experience and how that might have affected you. 54 00:09:51.860 --> 00:10:07.040 So I joined when I was 17 years old, and I initially went in because my dad had bet me. Well, he betted that I wasn't gonna go completely. Like, I would sign the paperwork, but I would chicken out basically. Mm-hmm. 55 00:10:07.420 --> 00:10:17.640 So I was just like, I'm a daddy's girl, and I'm like, "Mm, no, I'm gonna go. I'm gonna go all the way." Mm-hmm. So I go and I start crying. Like, I, I don't cry before I leave. 56 00:10:17.680 --> 00:10:26.640 Like, I get on the bus, and as the bus is leaving, I'm crying. Mm-hmm. But I'm not turning around. [laughs] Like, it's already done. Yeah, yeah. That's the initial reason why I went. 57 00:10:26.760 --> 00:10:36.600 I got out in 2019 after doing eight years, and that's because I had two babies at the time, and I really didn't wanna leave them, like, me being a mom. 58 00:10:36.660 --> 00:10:45.660 I just, I had already missed out so much on my daughter's birth that I was like, "I'm doing things a little different this time with my son." Sure. And so that's what made me get out. 59 00:10:45.700 --> 00:11:01.479 For me, it taught me family because we're of all races, all origins, male, female, and they're still my sisters and brothers to this day. Mm-hmm. And I haven't talked to them, we can go months, years without talking. 60 00:11:02.070 --> 00:11:12.820 Yeah. And so that gave me unity there, integrity, honesty, and those are accountability, and those are things that are needed in a pol- N- not necessarily a politician. 61 00:11:12.860 --> 00:11:24.460 I wouldn't say politician 'cause I still don't consider myself a politician. I consider myself somebody that's gonna get the job done. [laughs] Mm-hmm. I love that. And so but those are characteristics that is needed, 62 00:11:25.420 --> 00:11:39.380 and we don't have that. I don't think you should be able to lie your way into office and, you know, represent the people by off of a lie. Just do what you need to do. And if you can't do it, be honest. 63 00:11:39.450 --> 00:11:47.160 Transparency is very important, and that's something that we talked about in the military, you know? I wanna go back, though, for a minute. You were talking about 64 00:11:48.620 --> 00:11:55.560 you don't have to talk to these folks every day who you experienced so much with for eight years, right? That chosen family of whatever the mix is, right? 65 00:11:55.980 --> 00:12:05.610 People are so divided but also so isolated now more than ever in so many ways. Mm-hmm. Young boys and girls, like, do not hang out anymore. It's cr- it's so different from at least when I was growing up. 66 00:12:05.640 --> 00:12:12.420 I don't know if that was different from when you were growing up, but... And people want neighbors, but they struggle to be neighbors, right? 67 00:12:12.680 --> 00:12:21.316 And you want people you can rely on in an emergency or day to day, but you gotta- Be that as well, and you gotta put that out there. But that's like what that sort of, 68 00:12:22.236 --> 00:12:29.656 what's the word, chosen family is re- is really about. Mm-hmm. And sometimes you get what you get, like the Army, and you get, you get some folks, you know, and it's not all perfect. 69 00:12:29.676 --> 00:12:40.896 But that's how neighbors and your community is too. But learning to work through that, 'cause whether we're talking about reproductive rights or a, a minimum wage that's a nightmare or, or how hot it is, right? 70 00:12:42.096 --> 00:12:49.795 Obviously some people cannot escape from extreme heat. But if you're outside, it's affecting everybody, you know? And- Right... and being able to get through that. 71 00:12:49.876 --> 00:12:55.756 You know, we were in Los Angeles for a long time, and I remember I was born and raised here and lived all over the place, but we spent about 15 years out there. 72 00:12:55.786 --> 00:13:04.956 And I remember them, the firemen coming and they talked to the neighborhood about when the earthquake does come, they're like, "It doesn't matter what your... how, how big your house is or what it's made of or anything." 73 00:13:04.996 --> 00:13:13.416 He's like, "You will need each other," 'cause this is the one disaster where you actually don't wanna run away ahead of time or during it or whatever. 74 00:13:13.476 --> 00:13:25.416 Like, you have to stay put, and the people around you, look around like, "This is what you got." And that is really meaningful, right? 'Cause it's, it's those constraints. That's what you got. That's what you got. 75 00:13:26.436 --> 00:13:36.416 That's what you got. Yeah. And you... I imagine that perspective of sort of chosen family is you're knocking on doors and seeing and talking to people and understanding who these people are you might actually represent. 76 00:13:36.936 --> 00:13:44.296 I imagine you have a pretty good perspective of that from your time in the Army. Some people listen just to say they're listening. Mm-hmm. 77 00:13:44.356 --> 00:13:56.326 But if you're listening to understand and to feel, have compassion for them, and to see how you can benefit their quality, right? That's a difference. Mm. 78 00:13:56.396 --> 00:14:08.096 And when people see that and they feel that, it's not what somebody told you, it's actually what you're actually doing for them. It's what you do. And for me, 79 00:14:09.556 --> 00:14:18.916 I feel like if you don't have compassion for people, then being in a political office or even representing people might not be the career you need to do. 80 00:14:19.376 --> 00:14:28.396 You're quite literally supposed to be represent- You said, "I'm not a politician." You're like, "I'm someone who gets a job done." You're, you are a representative, right, of these people who put it out. 81 00:14:28.776 --> 00:14:45.566 People who did show up said, "I trust you." It's very easy to break that, and we see it all the time. That's why you say transparency is always important as well. You can't just go in there just giving false hope, right? 82 00:14:45.656 --> 00:14:54.956 Mm-hmm. Be transparent because I think people will like transparency more often than feeling that they're lied to or- Mm-hmm... they was just used. 83 00:14:54.996 --> 00:15:06.276 Far as election-wise, people say things all the time, but if you're not gonna be able to fully commit to it or say, "Hey, this was the game plan. This is what the idea was. However, this is what's going on. 84 00:15:06.356 --> 00:15:19.056 This is what got stopped. This is why it's not happening," when you have that level of communication, it's better. Mm-hmm. It makes more sense, and, and people can continue to trust you. When you lose that trust level, 85 00:15:20.376 --> 00:15:27.176 it's nothing else there. What, what else is there where- That's it. Yep... nobody has anything to hold on to. Yeah. No, 100%. 86 00:15:27.256 --> 00:15:33.576 And, and that's, you know, where we find our place, selves in a place like this where nobody trusts anything, right? You don't... you've... 87 00:15:33.616 --> 00:15:42.676 Everyone feels so untethered from these things and these people that are, are imperfect. They've been imperfect for a long time, often by design. 88 00:15:42.736 --> 00:15:55.416 But either way, like, they don't exist in a way that any of us can go, "Well, at least we still have the CDC," you know, whatever it might be. What is local organizing like in this rural area? 89 00:15:55.476 --> 00:16:05.075 Or it's like, who are the groups you're working with you feel like are your real allies that have been doing the work before you decided to finally say yes? Like I said, three years ago, I started with a, a group. 90 00:16:05.256 --> 00:16:15.756 We named ourselves, 'cause I am a founder and captain of the group. Mm-hmm. We decided to name ourselves The Deciders. Love it. And that is because we get to decide, right? 91 00:16:16.036 --> 00:16:26.696 I didn't know I was coming out of The Deciders as running for office, but, you know- Uh-huh... hey, we here. So- [laughs] You're not getting out of it now. [laughs] But within that group... 92 00:16:26.876 --> 00:16:39.426 So it's a group that is funded by the Patriotic Millionaires, and they are a slim number of millionaires that feel like, "Hey, I don't believe in the tax code, what it is. I wanna pay more in taxes- Mm... 93 00:16:39.426 --> 00:16:50.576 but I'm only gonna pay what they require me to pay." Mm. Which is a slim 1%- Mm-hmm... of those group of pe- people that is in this organization. Mm-hmm. So they did a training series, right? 94 00:16:51.656 --> 00:17:04.476 They're gonna give us free food, and they're gonna just explain to us the process, which is something else that I wasn't really taught. Like, you, you're taught the basics of how the general assembly works. Mm-hmm. 95 00:17:04.536 --> 00:17:19.576 But they don't tell you how the sandwich is officially made, right? So this organization taught us how the sandwich is made. Mm. And I was able to go to rallies, speak, advocate, talk on the gerrymandering of the maps. 96 00:17:19.776 --> 00:17:31.256 The ones that needed to be there wasn't there. You know, it was just a lot of back and forth, doors not opening, no town hall, halls being available to us, not answering phone calls. 97 00:17:31.316 --> 00:17:44.436 Not even a generic email that says, "Thank you for your email." We didn't even get that, right? Petitions being sent. And it was like, "Okay, we've been doing this for three years. We've been doing this work." 98 00:17:44.496 --> 00:17:52.036 And we have a documentary out too. It's called "The Deciders." It used to be called "Red, White, Blue and Blue." If you get a chance to watch it, I would definitely encourage you to watch it. 99 00:17:52.116 --> 00:17:55.486 It'll tell you a little bit more- Okay... about me as well and my many jobs. Awesome. Mm-hmm. 100 00:17:55.516 --> 00:18:07.576 [laughs] But so doing the advocacy work and being boots on the ground, going to fairs, speaking to everybody, because the group is nonpartisan. Mm-hmm. Everybody is in the group. 101 00:18:08.764 --> 00:18:18.724 Just believe in those main core values which is what brought back to unity. Mm. Like, we all are on different levels. We all are from different ways of living. 102 00:18:19.194 --> 00:18:29.854 We've all done different things, but we all agree on these two important factors, right? So if we can do that, if we cut all the other stuff to the side, we can do that for anything. Mm-hmm. 103 00:18:29.984 --> 00:18:38.804 Everybody can come together for anything. If we can do that with a small organization that has over 200 plus members now- That's awesome... the Deciders do- Mm-hmm... 104 00:18:38.944 --> 00:18:49.584 we can do that for anywhere, not just those two issues. We have other groups getting people out to get registered to, to vote. Voting registration, they have, like, several groups around here that has that. 105 00:18:49.644 --> 00:18:59.864 Southeastern Community College here that gives back. Got HEARTS program which they do back to school drives and different things to give back. So it's a lot of different resources here. Mm-hmm. 106 00:18:59.924 --> 00:19:10.034 The problem is people don't know about the resources. Like, you have your select group here that might know about it, the select group there. So my whole campaign is about letting people know about everything- Yeah... 107 00:19:10.074 --> 00:19:23.264 that's going on- Yeah, yeah... because we can do more when we know. Awareness, right? That educational awareness of what is available to you, whether it's a, a food pantry or some sort of credit of some kind. 108 00:19:23.524 --> 00:19:35.864 You made a whole video I found about going to get your election ID because not everybody can get a driver's license, right? And some places make it incredibly tough for you to vote, and they're trying to make it harder. 109 00:19:35.924 --> 00:19:51.134 Like, that shit half- most people, most people have no idea those exist. I had no idea it existed, and my mom went, and I was like, "You did what now?" And, yeah, they make voter IDs. And that's how you find out about... 110 00:19:51.164 --> 00:19:57.114 And people goes, "Yeah." And you're like, "Well, how new is that?" And they're like, "It's 30 five years old." And you go, "How, how..." I try to see every... 111 00:19:57.124 --> 00:20:06.024 When you work on, like, climate change and public health and politics and whatever all day- [laughs]... it's hard not to just see the problems. We try to frame them as opportunities where we can. 112 00:20:06.064 --> 00:20:14.744 I'm not neglectful of the fact that often people go, "Well, we don't, we don't want people to know about this, then more people would vote." And you go, "Well, right." I mean, bad guys are real. Like, we 113 00:20:15.824 --> 00:20:22.404 work on those, and hopefully more people understand. First of all, we just make it easier for them to vote so they don't need those things, but that they are available, you know? 114 00:20:22.504 --> 00:20:31.284 So the, the folks I had on a couple months ago were talking about how most people do not get handed their tenant rights until they've been served an eviction notice, right? 115 00:20:31.764 --> 00:20:39.344 At which point y- you don't have time to call on a, an attorney or someone who can help you with your credit or pay your bills or any of that stuff. 116 00:20:39.384 --> 00:20:50.384 And they are working on very specific municipal laws so that when you move in, you are given your tenant rights, right? They have to hand it to you. Is that gonna solve affordable housing? Of course not. Does it help? 117 00:20:50.904 --> 00:21:03.324 Absolutely, right? Just to know upfront, "Oh, wait a minute. They can't do this," that goes such a long way. So anyways, I love you saying your platform is like, "I'm telling everybody about everything." 118 00:21:03.544 --> 00:21:14.444 That's fantastic. It is, and, and we've, again, intentionally built these layers of, of red tape and bureaucracy so that people fail, so that they can't get Medicaid or they get kicked off of Medicaid. 119 00:21:14.524 --> 00:21:23.824 So, you know, whatever it might be. So it's easy to have this argument about like, "Oh, we gotta make election day a Saturday or a national holiday or both," and how it's easier this. 120 00:21:23.864 --> 00:21:33.704 It's like, well, people can't even get the, the ID they need. They gotta make an appointment for that before they can go there. Where's the holiday to g- [laughs] to go to the DMV? 121 00:21:33.844 --> 00:21:51.384 So anyways, I, I appreciate it 'cause we need every one of these levers that we can get, right? It really does, it really does matter. What's the minimum wage in North Carolina right now? $7.25. Um. [laughs] Yep. Oof. 122 00:21:52.544 --> 00:22:00.884 Mm-hmm. So is that the first, is that the first thing you're working on? Like, w- again, it's hard when you're like, "Well, there's 70 things," but what are you going after your first day? 123 00:22:01.164 --> 00:22:12.904 That's within my economic development. Another issue that we have here personally is that our young people are leaving. So like- Yeah... we don't have a lot of young people that stay in, but the one... 124 00:22:13.004 --> 00:22:20.924 A few reasons why we don't have young people that stay in after they go to college is because they don't have jobs to allow them to build a family here. 125 00:22:20.984 --> 00:22:32.504 Not only that, but the quality of the different types of jobs that we have here. So we need not only better jobs, better pay, you know, better living arrangements. 126 00:22:32.824 --> 00:22:42.464 You know, it's a lot of different things, so all of that is within my economic development plan, but minimum wage is at the top of the list of that- Yeah... for sure. Sure. 127 00:22:42.764 --> 00:22:54.254 And not necessarily minimum wage, but we don't need a, just a minimum wage increase, and then we're stuck here again- Mm-hmm... for 20, 30 years. So we need to be able to make it, even if it's not, 128 00:22:55.504 --> 00:23:04.824 which I doubt it would be $20 an hour off the gate. But at least start moving the number up- Mm-hmm... 129 00:23:04.864 --> 00:23:14.344 and then continue to move that number up so that we don't be left behind as far as we have been behind in these past years s- as inflation continues to grow. 130 00:23:14.704 --> 00:23:23.834 You can't just celebrate a win of getting to nine bucks and being like, "Well, congratulations, it's 2035, and it's still nine bucks." It's untenable, obviously. But it's the kitchen sink. 131 00:23:23.904 --> 00:23:32.624 Like you said, we need all of those things, right? We need just not to make people have [laughs] slightly more income to be able to have a family. 132 00:23:32.944 --> 00:23:42.024 So having someone who really understands that perspective and is willing to listen to folks. What's the plan for the next few months? So we're gonna continue knocking doors. We have some fundraisers coming up. 133 00:23:42.064 --> 00:23:49.724 We just finished a fundraiser on yesterday. Yeah. It was successful. We did a plate sale. Amazing. It was a little food. [laughs] What did we make? What's in the plate sale? 134 00:23:51.224 --> 00:24:06.264 So we had green beans, fried chicken, chicken and rice- Mm-hmm... potato salad, rolls, a homemade dessert cake, which the desserts was red velvet cake, Italian ch- cheesecake, chocolate cake, honey bun cake. 135 00:24:06.584 --> 00:24:20.712 So all of them was homemade, and they got a drink with it. So it was really good. I have important questions. Who made the potato salad? So my auntie. Okay. What is her... W-what, what, what was in it? 136 00:24:20.852 --> 00:24:29.652 My grandma's potato salad, my mom's mom's potato salad, one of my favorite things on the planet, and it's all I think about is, like, a hot day, her cold potato salad. So what, what was in your auntie's potato salad? 137 00:24:29.752 --> 00:24:42.032 This is the most important thing we're gonna talk about. It was potatoes, obviously. Mm. Eggs. Mm-hmm. Sweet relish in it. Mm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Mayonnaise, and 138 00:24:43.232 --> 00:24:53.052 I don't know the other seasonings and stuff that got mixed in there. Okay. But those was the main- Mm-hmm... that was the main stuff that was in it. Mm-hmm. And then sweet relish p- pickles, yeah, those. Mm-hmm. 139 00:24:53.412 --> 00:25:03.912 Boy, people- Pickles were in it... get particular, potato salad, about their potatoes, right? And then, and then the mayo. The eggs, and the mayonnaise. And the mayo. You gotta have... Oh, you have to have Duke's. 140 00:25:04.412 --> 00:25:15.432 That's what I figured. Duke's. That's what I figured. Can I tell you- Duke's. Gotta have Duke's. My dad's been a Hellmann's guy for his whole life, and [sighs] I don't get it. I don't get it. [laughs] You know? 141 00:25:16.732 --> 00:25:29.612 I don't know. Maybe I'll adopt it. Um, amazing. Well- God, I love potato... Now I'm hungry. How can folks help out with your campaign, whether they're in North Carolina, or they're far away, or just by learning about it? 142 00:25:29.732 --> 00:25:43.502 What's, what's the plan? I have a website. It's BrittneyForNCHouse. Mm-hmm. You can go to the website.com. You can become a volunteer. And even if you're outside of North Carolina, you can help me phone bank. Mm-hmm. 143 00:25:43.572 --> 00:25:55.502 So we, we do those virtual. Knock doors if you're in North Carolina and willing to come down to Columbus County or Robeson County and help me knock doors. You could donate to my campaign, or just tell a friend. Yeah. 144 00:25:55.532 --> 00:25:58.432 Tell more people about me. Let's get my name out there. 145 00:25:58.492 --> 00:26:11.472 In all of your free time, with all your jobs and your children and them calling you Madam President and, and driving an hour back and forth bet- between your counties, God, is there any way you're taking care of yourself here? 146 00:26:11.932 --> 00:26:21.612 I don't get often, like, much time often, but I have a soon-to-be 10-year-old, so for her birthday, it's really not my time, but I'm taking her out of town. 147 00:26:22.092 --> 00:26:31.762 She turns 10, and I think she's gonna have a, a, a great time, so those three days that we're out of town, I am unavailable. So- Oh, I love that. Good for you... 148 00:26:31.792 --> 00:26:42.692 I'm super excited about that, and I think she's gonna be super excited about that 'cause she shares her time with me all the time. [laughs] Oh, man, that is so awesome. It's... That's all they want, right? 149 00:26:42.732 --> 00:26:49.382 Like, you know- Yeah... we have this whole other podcast, and, uh, uh, we'll have you on after you get elected. It's just, like, about parenting right now, right? 150 00:26:49.421 --> 00:26:56.432 And obviously it's so different for so many people, but, uh, you know, you can make fun of your kids and do this and that, and talk about how hard it is, but in the end, like, they just want your time, man. 151 00:26:56.512 --> 00:27:01.772 That's what all those crazy questions are. At some point they're definitely not gonna ask me anymore, and she's definitely not gonna... 152 00:27:02.272 --> 00:27:12.002 Sorry to break it to you, but, like, you know, she'll, she'll have other ways to spend three days, but, like, that's so meaningful to them. It is, and she's really super excited about it, so I'm excited for her. Oh. 153 00:27:12.002 --> 00:27:23.372 And we're, we're gonna have a good time. Her Madam President out on the road. I love it. Well, Brittney, thank you so much. I really appreciate it. No, I appreciate you for your time, and let's win this in November. 154 00:27:23.742 --> 00:27:33.892 [laughs] Let's win it. Awesome. That's it. You can check us out at our new site and new URL at themostimportantquestion.show. That's themostimportantquestion.show. 155 00:27:34.052 --> 00:27:40.672 You can check out our very quickly growing YouTube at Important Not Important. Please subscribe and like and all that stuff. 156 00:27:40.692 --> 00:27:50.072 And of course, you can follow us on the socials at importantnotimportant on Instagram and TikTok. You can buy our merch at shop.importantnotimportant.com. 157 00:27:50.132 --> 00:28:02.201 We've got great stuff, and of course, almost everything we make is free to you, not to us, so you can support that by joining the membership and get some bonus episodes too at importantmembership.com. Thanks.