Michael Kirwan, who drafted Jacksonville's ethics code, explains how Congress shifted from following rules to running on rage. He points to a $4 trillion deficit bill that favors the top 0.1% and argues voters now choose based on emotion rather than policy.
Questions this video answers
$4 trillion
the top 0.1%
Chapters
I can say I want to go to a restaurant that has super healthy food that will help me lose weight, be good for my cholesterol, salt into. I can, I can say that. But what happens when people go out to restaurants? They go to the Cheesecake Factory. They want the 2000 calorie appetizer with lots and lots of sugar. And I've seen this in politics. People have historically said I don't want a candidate who uses negative ads and then they run for are. They vote for the person with negative ads. You are now entering a field that most observers would say is controlled by the non rat. Politics is just not rational. How do you make that jump from a world of corporate law where yes, there can be cutthroat attorneys and highly competitive, but you just never went in front of a judge and made an argument citing law cases that you knew were just lies? A politician can do that. You can be attacked for having failed to feed your daughter breakfast for years even though you don't have a daughter. Someone could just make that charge. How are you going to make that adjustment from being in a world of the rational to the irrational, which is where politics is today?
Well, T.J. that's an unfortunate indictment of where we are. And I think people are ready for change. And emotionally are they there yet? Will they allow their emotions to overrule their rational decision making? And that's the challenge. I feel like I have led a squeaky clean life. So I am not worried about anyone making accusations or attacking me in this campaign. If they do, I know they're mistruths. And we will highlight, highlight that on this campaign. You know, I think we can appeal to people's emotions actually by showing what the facts are and how outrageous they're being treated. We can point out the big beautiful bill is indeed a bill and it's a bill that so many Americans are going to be paying. It not only increase the national deficit by $4 trillion, it is making the tax system more regressive. It is giving a benefit to the top point 1%. We're no longer really focused on the 1%. It's the top 0.1% that is really benefiting under the decisions coming out of Washington.
Let me ask you about the big beautiful bill because if I walk down the streets of where I live in Florida and I asked 100 people tell me what's in the big beautiful bill that you think is harmful to people? I don't think I would get any saying the same thing. And most of them would say I don't really know what is the how do you make that real to people that this was a problem?
Well, I think Congress is making it real right now by showing the impact to people's health care that as a result of the big beautiful bill, so many people will be losing health care or unable to afford the their health care going forward. So I think that is probably the best illustrator of the negative effects of the big beautiful bill, I think.
And of course the irony there. The most eloquent Democratic spokesman on that issue these days is Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, Republican, who very vividly says my own two adult children are going to see their health insurance premiums double and I'm worried about it. She really brought it down to a personal level that made it quite compelling. You just say it said something a moment. You've read it, you've had a squeaky clean life. Well, John Kerry would say he had an exemplary career in the military, volunteering for the Vietnam War, getting a Purple Heart against a draft dodger like George W. Bush. And still the way they used outside pacs advertising, they shifted that narrative to make it seem like Kerry was the draft dodgers. So I'm not sure leading a squeaky clean life even matters anymore to a lot of voters, especially when you look at who's in the White House. This is a moment for me to give full disclosure. So if you're watching this, I play it straight. I'm not here as a partisan. I'm here to give you objective analysis up top, typically business, technology, news, culture, news of the day through a communication and personal development lens. And I can tell you I wanted to bring Michael on today because I've known him for 41 years. I actually know that he is someone who is a level headed man of integrity, smart, hardworking. He's basically everything the polls would say people want in a congressman. He is very, very moderate. He's the Sunday school teacher. I'm not. He's the guy who always studied the extra few hours every night. 44 years ago when we first met so that he got into Harvard Law School, he played by the rules. He has been extraordinarily successful. He's given to his community. So voters, here's your chance. If you say you want someone moderate, hardworking, not extreme, I'm here switching hats here from the host to being. This is a testimonial. I can't be quiet. So if you are a voter in Jacksonville, you need to give this person very serious consideration because I've seen him under pressure. I well Remember, Michael, you might not even remember this, but you and I and another friend were in your canoe in a lake in Jacksonville. This is 40 years ago. I foolishly told our third friend, hey, canoes don't sink easily. You could stand up and go back and forth, it wouldn't sink. Which, by the way, is true in canoes made of aluminum. We were not in an aluminum canoe. We were in a fiberglass canoe. Our friend Rich stands up. He says, you mean I can do this? The boat sinks, Wallets are everywhere, keys are everywhere. Sinking. The boat's going down. This would have been a perfect time. If I had been Michael, I would have screamed at me, saying, tj, you imbecile, why did you tell him to do that? If I had been Michael, I would have screamed at Rich and said, you imbecile. Why would you stand up and sink the boat? All of our stuff is gone. But that's not how Michael handled it. He left. He chuckled. He fought with us to rescue the boat, to rescue things. Not a crossword from him. Not. No anger, no recriminations. And he really. I've seen him under fire, and he reacts. I also know he's a man of kindness. Now, he does a lot in the community, but he has given me shelter in his home. He's fed me. He's never asked for a thing. And I can see this is a man who actually walks talk when it comes to giving back. Michael, tell us about your service in the community, because some people have heard from one of your opponents just saying, oh, he's a corporate attorney and spends all this time helping rich people. What are you proudest of when it comes to working in your own community?
Well, pj, those were awfully kind comments and some good memories you shared there. You know, I am delighted that I've had the. The life that I've had. I have had a wonderful family life. And due to my family life and professional life, I've been able to get involved civically. And whether it was being active at my church, teaching Sunday school to youth and adults, Cub Scouts, things like that. But on the civic side, I was able to assist with drafting the city's ethics code and being chairman of the ethics commission.
What's that?
The city of Jacksonville's ethics code.
What's ethics? This is 2025, and the concept of ethics in government seems to be something that most people are not taking seriously anymore. Tell me what was put into the provision, and how is it made for better government?
Well, I'll share this, that there is no city of Jacksonville employee that would ever think it's permissible to accept a Boeing 747 from foreign country. I mean, we have clear guidelines practices in place for acceptable behavior by our our city's employees. And it's worked well for the past 35 years. I was fortunate to be on our.
And a full disclosure. I have taken gifts from from cutters, but it was because I was doing media training for the the Queen at the time, or they have a different name for it, but essentially the Queen. And she was nice enough to give me some of the tastiest dates I've ever had.
Well deserved. And you're not running.
She did not offer me a 747. Please continue.
Yeah, so I've also been involved with a group called Scenic Jacksonville, and that has really worked to improve the aesthetics of our natural and built environment in Jacksonville.
