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Unknown A
Well, earlier today had the opportunity to sit down with Thevek Ramaswami. Vivek, of course, friend of the show, ran for president last time around, was part of Doge briefly and now he's declared his running for the Ohio governorship. We get a chance to down together. Here's what it sounded like. Well, joining me on the line is Vivek Ramasswami, who is now declared his run for the governorship of Ohio. Vivek, welcome to the show.
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Unknown B
It's good to see you.
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Unknown A
Betn so let's talk about why you decided to run for governor of Ohio. Is a lot of things you could have done. You decide that you wanna remain in the sort of public service area and you wanna run for governor of Ohio. Right now you are prohibitively ahead of the rest of the field in the polling of the endorsement of President Trump. Elon Musk as well. What made you wanna do this?
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Unknown B
Yeah, look, I looked at my impact on the future of the country. I had run for US President. And one of the things I reflected on, Ben, is many of the issues that I discussed, even on my presidential campaign have to now be addressed by the states, by strong governors. Then you look at what President Trump is doing in Washington D.C. i think he's going to be very successful in the next two years. But that means a lot of those programs, from education to health care, are going to be shifted down to the states and to the people where they belong. So if you skate to where the puck is going in terms of driving a real change in the country, I think the center of gravity and politics is going to move to the states, saving the country is going to belong to the states after President Trump has done his part.
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Unknown B
And then for me, there was the broader question of just staying in public service and public life. There's obviously, in many ways you could wake up many days and say there's better ways to live than that. I came from the business world and we live a blessed, comfortable life. But my reason for remaining in this is that, first of all, I believe in excellence. I want my home state. I was born and raised here. I'm raising my two sons here. I want my state not just to be one of the best in the Midwest, but the best in the country. And there are just so many basic fixes that you could bring to a state like Ohio. They're just really basic that would accomplish that, that I felt a sense of duty to do it right here at home. And you and I, we've both lived the American dream.
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Unknown B
My wife's live the American dream. We want our kids to live that same American dream. And we're pretty passionate about having an impact and we're grateful for what the country and the state have given us. And so in some sense this is just our way of giving back.
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Unknown A
So Vivek, the state of Ohio has been moving significantly to the right over the course of the last several election cycles. I'm old enough to remember when it was bellwether state. Now it is a fairly solidly red state. What are some of the biggest problems that are facing the state of Ohio that you wanna cure and focus in on as governor of the state?
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Unknown B
Yes, it's not California, it doesn't require a U turn. But I would say is it is a conservative state. You're right. In its electorate, it's time for the state to actually be governed like a conservative state. And there I see room for progress and actually stepping on the gas. Thinking about the basic table stakes on economic policies. You got to be a zero tax state, find a path to become a zero tax state. There's eight other states that have done it. There's no reason we can't do it right here in Ohio. Bring down the property tax burden. You know, I think with my own instincts in the long run I'd love to see that get to zero, but at least bring it down to a reasonable place. Slash and burn the regulatory state. In some ways I want to see Ohio become a special economic zone for the rest of the country at the heart of the Midwest for really any entrepreneur for industrialization, for production, the natural gas timelines for building a new pipeline in the state.
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Unknown B
We've got great natural resources underneath our ground. Drill baby drill belongs in Ohio. And not a lot of people are actually even aware of the natural resources we have. And yet it takes 18 to 36 months to get a new permit when that should be six months or less. And so the sum total of that is when you look at other states across the country, Texas And Florida, number one and number two when it comes to people moving into the state versus out, Ohio is S number 38 today. And I see an opportunity over the next eight, 10 years for Ohio to find its way actually to number one on that list. And that might sound unrealistic today, but if you look at the first industrial revolution, Ohio was the leading state in the country. And I think with the strong governor I'm motivated, I think we can get there again.
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Unknown B
I'd say the other distinctive part of my candidacy and this is really what gets me going, Ben, is not just making sure that we're at the forefront economically, but to be able to do something that no other state has actually done is leading in the crisis of educational achievement in America. That's a 50 state problem. Right now our kids aren't excelling in math and reading and writing. Even if we talk about conservative solutions like school choice, which I'm a strong proponent of ardently in favor of, we also have to take aim at looking at how we revitalize our public schools on their own terms. And I just for my part, refuse to stand by and watch idly as China laughs at our gradual decay into oblivion when 75% of 8th graders in this country aren't even proficient in math according to international standards. In fact, there's kids in other countries where English isn't even their first language now doing better on English proficiency than our own kids here.
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Unknown B
And just to speak some hard truths, I found that people, frankly both political parties aren't too patient. They don't want to hear this message because it hurts to hear. But if you care about somebody, you tell them the truth. And I think being a true conservative state governed according to conservative principles means targeting that educational achievement deficit. Yes, beat the dei, yes, beat the woke. I mean I led the crusade on that and I believe in all of that. But there's a deeper failure here as well as it relates to just raw educational achievement on math, reading, writing, physical education, civic education and, and I think we as conservatives need to step up in directly tackling those deficits. And that's one way where I hope to set the standard for the rest of the country. The Ohio standard we could call it for the way the rest of the states I think need to catch up as well.
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Unknown A
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Unknown B
Bro.
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Unknown A
Brought to you by Bena Big One thing that's distinguished you from a lot of other Republicans is your focus on economic dynamism, on innovation. That's a really important thing for the Republican Party. It's also a really important thing for the Midwest. There's sort of been this model that's been applied by really a lot ofrt blue governors in the Midwest that's regulate and subsidize, regulate and subsidize. You heavily regulate and then you subsidize all of your political friends with taxpayer dollars. And somehow this is supposed to bring jobs back or spur particular friendly industries. And what you're talking about is something different, which is take the shackles off of American industry in places like Ohio and you will get naturally an incredible level of growth.
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Unknown B
That's exactly right. And I say that the reason to flash and burn the regulatory state and over bureaucratization and regulation and taxation isn't because that's a more important objective than standing for American workers and manufacturers. It is because it is the best way to lift up American workers and manufacturers. And I'm keen to make sure that our Republican Party doesn't make some of the mistakes as Democrats have made in these blue states in the Midwest as well. The right answer isn't to foster greater dependence on the government and justify that with a new victimhood culture. The right answer is to find a path to independence from the government. That's actually true compassion. That's not cruelty. That's compassion. Things like work requirements for Medicaid, for welfare, that's even in the long run, been good for the people who receive it. It's not good to be dependent on the government permanently in this handout welfare state that leads to depression, anxiety, fentanyl suicide, opioid usage as we've seen in so much of this part of the country.
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Unknown B
And so it's really good for nobody. And you know, the left has made that mistake for years. And we've been good at calling that out and we shouldn't. We've won. We won decisively in November. I think for that victory to mean what it should in the long run, I think we in the Republican Party, in the conservative movement, in the pro American movement, owe it to ourselves to stick to the principles that made America great the first time around. And there I see President Trump doing a great job in Washington, D.C. downsizing that federal government, taking aim at the tax rates, taking aim at the type of things that have held back the American economy. But we'got to stay true to that North Star rather than getting distracted in other directions. I would just say. And the way I want to lead Ohio, I want toa embody those same principles of excellence, of dynamism, rejection of victimhood, rejection of dependence on the government.
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Unknown B
Embracing capitalism. Yes, I don't think that's a bad word. Capitalism and meritocracy, not crony capitalism, but the real thing. I want Ohio to be the state that leads the way, where freedom is our heritage, excellence is our destiny. And we got to remember that. I think it's true in America and I think it's every bit and true here. I believe in the heart of America right here in Ohio. It's a state where you have 60% of the population in North America within a single day's drive of where we are right now. Led the way in the 19th century. Led the way even the earlier 20th century. I'd like to see Ohio occupy that leadership position again with some friendly coopetition. Let's just say with Texas and Florida. I'd like to see Ohio be in that vanguard of states that actually shows the country what's possible.
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Unknown A
N Vik Rasami running for governor of Ohio. I'm sure that he is well positioned in this primary. People wanna give you your campaign or help out. Where should they go?
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Unknown B
Go to Vivek for Ohio.com. appreciate support across the country. Cause it's about lifting Ohio up, but it's also about setting a standard for the rest of the country. That's the standard we hold ourselves to. And I appreciate support from anybody however big or however small. It's a big movement here.
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Unknown A
That's Vake ro Swamyake. Good luck in the race. I'm sure we'll check back in.
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Unknown B
Thank you, Matt.
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Unknown A
Well, that's all for now folks. Don't forget to like subscribe and comment your thoughts down below. Be sure to check out all of the other great content on my channel. I'll see you here next time.