Salud Carbajal: What Americans Need To Understand About Israel-Hamas War As Israel Moves Into Rafah

Forbes Breaking News

On "Forbes Newsroom," Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-CA) spoke about what he thinks the U.S. public needs to know about the Israel-Hamas war, the possible ban on TikTok, what concerns him most as an elected official, and more.  Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:  https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript   Stay Connected Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes More From Forbes:  http://forbes.com

Transcript

00:00 Updating the war on Gaza, will the US actually ban TikTok?

00:04 And why can't we get a carbon tax bill passed in this country?

00:08 I'm senior writer Jabari Young here at Forbes.

00:10 We'll be talking all that and more with US Congressman Salud Carbajal right now.

00:18 Thank you so much for the time.

00:19 Really appreciated Congressman Carbajal, 24th District, Democrat out in California, US

00:25 Congressman.

00:26 Thank you so much for the time.

00:27 And how's your year been so far?

00:29 I mean, every time I look up and I'm watching CNN and all the news channels, we see so much

00:34 ruckus in Washington.

00:35 But individually, how's everything?

00:38 Well, individually, I think it can be a little frustrating, but you can't not be optimistic

00:44 as a member of Congress.

00:45 You always have to hope that things will get better, that we'll find common ground and

00:49 that we will be able to do what we were all sitting here to do, cover.

00:54 You know, you see a lot of people who love to be in the media, the media loves to cover,

01:01 but that doesn't always necessarily reflect the essence of the tone in Congress.

01:08 Certainly the chaos that we've seen and the lack of governing is real.

01:13 But there's enough people, I think, in the middle who are trying to find ways to work

01:18 together in a bipartisan way to govern.

01:20 Because at the end, that's what we need to do for our country.

01:24 And that's what we were sitting here to do.

01:26 Absolutely.

01:27 Absolutely.

01:28 So much to get into, so short a time.

01:29 But I want to jump into some news first, Congressman.

01:31 You know, May 6th, you wrote a letter to President Biden expressing your concern about the war

01:36 in Gaza.

01:38 You were expressing a continued humanitarian aid despite talks of a ceasefire.

01:43 You know, it appears as though that war has expanded.

01:46 I watch so many videos of you.

01:48 I mean, there's been times after sessions are over, you go right to YouTube channel

01:51 to deliver the clear cut message.

01:53 And I look at you and say, hey, here's an honest guy, right?

01:57 Let me ask him, what does the American public need to know about that war in Gaza?

02:02 And again, you wrote the president a letter expressing your belief, because we are at

02:05 a point now where this war has kind of crossed our borders.

02:09 And we see, you know, so much, you know, arguments and so much disagreement on our university

02:14 campuses and things of that nature.

02:17 Anti-Semitism is up in this country.

02:20 What does the American public need to know about this war?

02:23 Well, the American public needs to know is that a terrorist organization started this

02:28 war by killing over 1,200 innocent Israelis and starting this war.

02:36 Since that has occurred, obviously, Israel has the right to defend itself.

02:41 And they're going after Hamas to destroy its capability.

02:45 But the way Israel goes about it is equally as important, because what has been happening

02:52 is a tragic loss of civilian Palestinian lives that is unacceptable.

03:00 And also the fact that humanitarian aid needs to get into Gaza.

03:05 And I've been advocating for a number of initiatives and efforts to make sure that aid, humanitarian

03:14 aid reaches Gaza.

03:15 I voted for $9 billion of humanitarian aid to help various parts throughout the world,

03:24 including Gaza.

03:26 And just because we, I am supportive of Israel's right to defend itself and to go after Hamas

03:33 as they should, I am also critical of how they are going about it, because the loss,

03:40 the rate and loss of life of Palestinians in Gaza is unacceptable.

03:47 And I've been pushing to make sure that those issues are addressed.

03:51 The president is working feverishly to, through diplomatic channels, to achieve a ceasefire,

03:58 a release of the hostages, and to make sure that we can reach sooner rather than later

04:04 a two state solution that provides security, peace, hope and prosperity for both Israelis

04:12 and the Palestinian people.

04:13 Yeah, Congressman, I'm 40 years old.

04:16 And I'm seeing these wars in real time.

04:18 I mean, listen, you were active for the Gulf War, right?

04:21 And I'll get into that in a minute as I go into your background.

04:24 I wasn't old enough to remember what that was, right?

04:26 I was still running around watching cartoons in 1992.

04:30 But here I am now watching this war go on, watching these wars go on.

04:34 And now I have a 10 year old and we're at an age now where media is right in front of

04:38 our face.

04:39 Social media is right in front of our face.

04:40 So you see so much of what's going on.

04:43 And I ask you, how is the U.S. viewed around the world?

04:46 Because as I follow this war and the perception of it, I'm watching South Africa accuse Israel

04:51 of genocide.

04:52 I'm watching the international court, you know, get involved, although I don't know

04:54 what the power is and what that means.

04:57 I'm just watching the perception of this war kind of look, it's negative on us, right?

05:02 How are we viewed from an international standpoint?

05:05 You serve on the House Committee of Armed Services, so you're well informed about what's

05:08 going on from a geopolitical standpoint.

05:10 Well, I think, first of all, you need to recall that after World War II, we were able to stand

05:19 up NATO with our allies.

05:23 You're referencing one war, but there's another war going on, as you are aware, in Ukraine.

05:29 And certainly the United States has been the dependable partner for so many countries to

05:36 make sure that democracy prevails, that we stop dictators and totalitarians from invading

05:43 free democracies.

05:45 And we continue to do that.

05:47 And that's why we've supported Israel.

05:49 That's why we support Ukraine in the last round of funding and appropriations.

05:56 So on one hand, we're viewed as a welcome partner, not without baggage.

06:03 We've had our baggage as a country throughout the world on occasion, supporting certain

06:12 governments that in some cases has been troubling.

06:16 Latin America comes to mind.

06:18 But for the most part, we, I think, as a country, try to learn from those mistakes and those

06:23 issues and we try to take the high ground.

06:26 And we are the country that the world depends on to help support and promote democracy throughout

06:33 the world and free people.

06:36 Peace and democracy and protection of our democracy and free people throughout the world

06:41 is a key role the United States has played.

06:44 That doesn't go without saying that with great responsibility, with great power comes great

06:49 responsibility, and that is that we have to be extra, extra careful that we are modeling

06:56 the way of what is the highest moral ground, the highest values of how we interact with

07:03 each other as countries and what is acceptable and what is not in when it comes to the rules

07:10 of war.

07:12 And so I think we're mostly appreciated, but every once in a while, countries are critical

07:19 of us, sometimes without without valid reason.

07:23 Yeah, I was talking to Senator Raphael Warnock a few months ago.

07:26 Right.

07:27 Just kind of previewing what's ahead this year.

07:29 And he said we're in a fight for our democracy.

07:32 You concur?

07:33 Absolutely.

07:34 We're in a fight for our democracy here domestically.

07:39 We saw what happened on January 6th.

07:41 We saw what has transpired with so many people.

07:45 For instance, some of my colleagues in the House from the other side that we have come

07:51 to label as the Putin caucus of the Republican majority.

07:58 We are dealing with all those issues that are trying to undermine our democracy, not

08:03 only domestically, but abroad.

08:05 Yeah.

08:06 You mentioned again, the war in Ukraine, another ongoing issue is that, you know, continue

08:09 to monitor that as well.

08:10 But another news item that, you know, still closely monitoring, at least I am, H.R. 7521,

08:16 you know, protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, right,

08:20 a data security bill, TikTok ban, right.

08:23 That's on the minds of Americans.

08:24 A lot of Americans make their revenue from using TikTok.

08:28 A lot of music artists make their revenue and become exposed to that TikTok app.

08:33 But again, we are in this perception that they're closely tied to China and our Americans

08:40 data is on the line.

08:42 Where does the TikTok ban stand?

08:43 Can you see this actually getting through, especially in an election year where one of

08:48 the candidates was for a TikTok ban and seems to be against it now?

08:52 But that's a very, very sensitive topic right now.

08:55 Well, let's be clear.

08:57 We don't want to ban TikTok.

08:59 We just want American interests and companies to divest themselves from being a major part

09:08 of TikTok, because at the end of the day, it's all about protecting Americans' privacy

09:14 and American data.

09:15 It's about protecting the American people.

09:18 No one wants to take away any vehicle or medium by which Americans can use for music, for

09:27 recreation, for social media.

09:30 We need to make sure that that is safeguarded.

09:35 And so the goal is not to ban TikTok.

09:37 The goal is to protect the American people and their data and their privacy.

09:42 Yeah.

09:43 And with that said, right, at the same time, can you see TikTok being around in 2025?

09:49 Will Americans be able to use TikTok in 2025, you see?

09:52 I think that all depends on how this shakes out, whether the American companies that were

10:01 invested in TikTok, whether they divest themselves from it.

10:05 If they don't, then I think there are a number of course of actions that can be taken.

10:12 But if they do, I think the American people will know the perils and will have the freedom

10:18 to decide how they want to be able to participate using TikTok or not.

10:24 Our job, my job, is to protect them and to make sure they're fully informed as to the

10:30 perils that are involved using TikTok with their data and their privacy.

10:34 Yeah.

10:35 Kyle, let's take a step back here, because I'm always interested to talk to elected officials.

10:39 I at one point, probably at my-- once upon a time, wanted to be one.

10:44 And I was going around asking those who were, they said, well, you better be able to sleep

10:47 at night because elected officials have so much power.

10:51 And a lot of people depend on your votes.

10:53 They depend on your legislation because you've got their lives in the palm of your hands.

10:58 Their lives are in one vote.

11:01 That's a lot of power.

11:02 And I said, well, I have trouble sleeping at night as it is, so maybe I should get into

11:06 politics.

11:07 But here you are.

11:08 You're an elected official, born in Mexico.

11:10 Your dad was a minor, right-- excuse me, a minor in Arizona before you left and moved

11:14 to California.

11:15 And there you went to Oxford, right, Oxnard, California.

11:19 That's where the Cowboys have training camp at.

11:21 Are you a Cowboys fan?

11:23 I am a Rams fan.

11:25 Oh, man.

11:26 But I certainly appreciate the Cowboys coming to paradise to have their spring training

11:33 camp.

11:34 Yeah, yeah, I thought you were a Cowboys fan, man.

11:35 I was very-- I thought me and you were going to get along very well.

11:37 But Rams is not so bad.

11:39 But what's it like being an elected official?

11:43 Well, I think it's a very gratifying privilege to be able to serve the people that elect

11:51 you and to be able to work to make people's lives better and improve not only the lives

11:57 of the constituents in the area that I represent, but as a member of Congress, you have a national

12:04 role and an international role, a world role.

12:08 So it is a very important and serious job that I take very seriously.

12:14 Sometimes I stay up at night because there's some really important decisions that I participate

12:20 in.

12:21 And I just try to do the best that I can to make sure that I'm working to improve people's

12:28 lives, making sure that we're providing the best customer service, constituent service

12:34 to my constituents that elected me, and to make sure that we're trying to reconcile all

12:39 the differences we have here in Congress in a bipartisan way when at all possible.

12:44 Yeah.

12:45 When did you decide that, hey, you know, elected official is going to be the role for me?

12:48 You went to University of Santa Barbara, right?

12:51 I'm looking here.

12:52 And again, we joked at the top of the show, you got a degree, a master's degree in organizational

12:56 management, definitely want to get your take on that.

12:59 But at what point did you say, that's the road for me?

13:03 When an elected official is the role for me?

13:05 Was it in college?

13:06 Well, no, I would say it's something that evolved.

13:10 I've always been somebody that has been gravitated toward service from my days in the Marine

13:16 Corps Reserves to working in the local health and human service nonprofit world, as well

13:22 as local government in the health department.

13:26 And then eventually working 12 years as chief of staff to a local county government supervisor,

13:34 who I was able to replace after 12 years when she retired.

13:39 And I served myself as an elected county supervisor for another 12 years.

13:44 And I think during that time of service as a staff, and then as an elected official in

13:49 local government, I think came to terms that working in government is an honorable role

13:59 to be able to improve people's lives.

14:00 And when the possibility of serving in Congress became available, I pondered on the possibility

14:07 of continuing my service in a broader capacity to improve the lives of a lot more people

14:13 that I would represent, and to be able to work in the interest of our country and on

14:18 the world stage to hopefully make it a better place.

14:22 But to be of service is something that spoke to me and decided that that was the path that

14:29 I would take.

14:30 Yeah.

14:31 Speaking of service, you also were you served in a Marine Corps Reserve, right?

14:34 Eight years, including active service again and during the Gulf War.

14:38 Were you nervous at that time when you were an active member that, you know, your number

14:42 could be called at any minute?

14:43 And here you are, your life is on the line, right?

14:45 I mean, are you nervous?

14:46 Are you scared?

14:47 I mean, what was that like?

14:48 I mean, you signed up when you signed up for the military.

14:51 That is sort of part of the contract.

14:53 You're willing to put your life on the line to serve.

14:56 But the words are different, though, kind of like when you see it is there, you think,

14:59 OK, I'll sign it.

15:00 But then when you're active, it has to be a different feeling like, wait a minute, what

15:04 did I sign up for?

15:05 Yeah, well, I think the reality hits you.

15:09 But let me be clear.

15:10 I served the majority of my time in the reserve.

15:13 I was mobilized from the reserves for the Gulf War, and I was sent to North Carolina

15:20 after the war ended.

15:22 After 33 days, they sent me home.

15:24 They didn't send me into the theater.

15:26 I was supposed to go into the theater in the Gulf, but the war ended.

15:30 So they sent me back home.

15:33 And certainly when I was mobilized, it was with the intent that we would go serve in

15:39 the Gulf War.

15:40 Like I said, it's something that didn't come to me to be.

15:45 I just went to North Carolina, Camp Lejeune, and then back home.

15:49 But when you sign up for the military, it's part of the contract.

15:54 But you're absolutely right.

15:55 It hits you a little bit harder when the reality of actual war is in front of you.

16:02 And of course, you know, war is a place where you go, unfortunately, to defend our democracy

16:13 or to defend our interests.

16:15 You put your life on the line.

16:17 It means you could be killed, and it regrettably means that you have to kill other people.

16:23 And it's a terrible thing to the prospect of war.

16:26 That's why I'm such a believer in diplomacy, because war should be the last resort.

16:33 We should make sure we do everything possible to resolve our differences through diplomacy.

16:39 And at the end of the day, we don't want to send our men and women into harm's way for

16:46 a war unless we have to.

16:48 And those should be important for you.

16:50 Yeah.

16:51 Well, you know, listen, you talk about war.

16:52 I've spent and lived in San Antonio, right up with big military bases down there.

16:57 A lot of families move down that way.

16:59 When you look at soldiers abroad who are serving, right, and they're looking back home and they

17:03 see so much disagreement with elected officials.

17:06 What's your message to those in the armed services right now who is helping to defend

17:11 our country?

17:12 But when they look at the news and they see all the rhetoric, they just don't see any

17:15 clear, cohesive plan about what we're going to do and how to move this country forward.

17:19 I mean, listen, we have 30 plus trillion dollars of debt.

17:23 And every business person I talk to is they say, listen, watch out for this.

17:26 This is dangerous times that we're in.

17:28 What do you tell those in the armed services about what they're looking at right now from

17:31 abroad?

17:32 First thing I would tell them is thank you and your family for your sacrifice.

17:39 Because they are at the tip of the spear in defending our interests and representing

17:43 our country when we have to go into a war.

17:47 Secondly, and again, having been a veteran and having served myself, I understand that.

17:55 Secondly, I would tell them that we as a country have their backs.

18:00 I serve on the House Armed Services Committee.

18:03 We recently moved every year we move forward the National Defense Authorization Act.

18:09 For the last National Defense Authorization Act, we not only provided an enhancement to

18:18 benefits for our veterans and their families, but we also provide the resources for our

18:25 bases and our weapons and our readiness.

18:30 And that is something that we have done and we will continue to do in the upcoming National

18:36 Defense Authorization Act.

18:38 And speaking of May, May is Memorial Day this month.

18:41 So definitely a time to remember the veterans.

18:44 Hey, listen, man, moving on, Congressman, you're a congressman.

18:47 I want you to get back because you got a lot of stuff to do, right?

18:49 A lot of votes and legislation to look over.

18:52 Want to close it out with some macroeconomic things, right?

18:54 And start with something that's very important to you.

18:56 That's carbon solutions.

18:57 I'm looking across the country and across the world, and that's still an issue.

19:01 I'm watching the Moderna CEO and he's talking about us being in a series of pandemics, right?

19:07 We're in a health pandemic, which turned into a financial pandemic, which is turning to

19:11 a war pandemic.

19:12 We're in a misinformation pandemic.

19:14 Right.

19:15 And that's a crucial one.

19:16 And sitting on the sidelines waiting to get in the game like Anthony Edwards on the Minnesota

19:20 Timberwolves looking like is the climate pandemic, which is yet to hit us yet.

19:25 We're talking about the Paris agreement, right?

19:27 The U.S. pulled out.

19:28 Then we're back in.

19:29 Where are we?

19:30 Are we close to getting to where we need to be by 2030, which is calling for cutting right

19:34 greenhouse gas emissions by 43 percent in order for us to achieve certain things?

19:39 Where are we there and why can't we get a carbon tax implemented in this country?

19:43 Well, so many of the most industrialized nations in the world already have carbon programs,

19:50 carbon fee programs.

19:51 Yeah.

19:52 Some call it a tax.

19:53 Some are taxes.

19:54 In other cases, their fees.

19:55 My bill, the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, is not a tax.

20:01 Let's be real clear on that.

20:03 It's a fee that will be placed on every metric ton of carbon that certain industries, companies

20:13 produce and the fee collected does not go to government.

20:18 It would go back to the American people.

20:20 And what this does is incentivizes industry and corporations that emit these emissions

20:27 to innovate, to put in the best technology to reduce their emissions, thereby reducing

20:35 the crisis of climate change that we are all enduring throughout the world and in our country

20:41 and in my district.

20:43 And it would provide jobs, jobs, jobs.

20:46 And it would give back the American people the dividend monthly, which is a win win for

20:52 everyone.

20:53 Yeah.

20:54 But why not a tax?

20:55 And other academic professors that are calling and saying, hey, tax will help, because at

21:00 that point, companies will get serious about going overboard.

21:04 It's exposed to the public.

21:05 Why not a tax?

21:06 Why these caps and programs and all this other stuff?

21:08 Why not just a guarantee?

21:10 The government tax everything.

21:11 We got soda tax.

21:12 You have cigarette tax, alcohol tax.

21:15 Certain cities and counties tax marijuana now, which is becoming at that point, you're

21:20 almost looking at it like a federal thing.

21:22 But why not a carbon tax?

21:23 What's the problem with getting it passed?

21:24 What's the cons?

21:25 This is one way.

21:27 But I thought I would bring the entire American people with me and tell them this is not about

21:32 government collecting more taxes.

21:34 This is finding an innovative market principle framework that both Republicans and Democrats

21:42 can get behind to be able to incentivize the reduction of emissions in that will allow

21:49 us to address climate change, create jobs and put skin in the game for every American,

21:55 because they would get the fees collected going back to them to minimize any costs for

22:02 energy increases, to make sure that we are doing everything possible to minimize the

22:11 increase of emissions in our country.

22:14 But keep in mind, this would also put in a framework that it would provide a border adjustment

22:20 fee or tax for companies in other countries that want to send their products into our

22:27 country that don't have a carbon fee program in their countries.

22:32 So in other words, we would incentivize the world to come along with us as well for those

22:38 countries that haven't put in a carbon fee program in place to be committed, rowing the

22:45 same way to reduce carbon emissions, because anybody who wants to send products to our

22:51 country, India, China would have to pay that fee, the border adjustment fee, to be able

22:59 to trade and provide their goods in our country.

23:02 You mentioned international trade, right?

23:03 Again, you born in Mexico.

23:05 And you see so much talking about border security.

23:09 What is the state of the U.S.-Mexico relationship?

23:13 Well, I think that we were able to achieve the United States and Mexico, the USMCA trade

23:20 compact.

23:21 I think it was a good compact because it was bipartisan and both Democrats and Republicans

23:26 worked together to hammer out a trade compact that would allow for trade, economic prosperity

23:34 for both countries.

23:35 And I think it was a good one.

23:36 Was it a perfect compact?

23:37 No.

23:38 But was it a good one?

23:40 Yes.

23:41 You look at the U.S. presidential elections this year, right?

23:44 You're in the Democratic Party.

23:45 Talk to U.S. voters, talk to those who are independent.

23:48 Why should they reelect a Democratic president?

23:51 Well, I think if you look at what this president has achieved, some of the most historic pieces

23:57 of legislation that improve people's lives, the bipartisan infrastructure law, the inflation

24:04 reduction act, the chips and science act, helping our veterans, investing in our infrastructure,

24:11 lifting people up, renewable energy, improving people's quality of life.

24:16 We have the two strongest years of job growth in history.

24:21 Manufacturing has rebounded at a rate of more than nearly 30, 40 years to be exact.

24:28 Two of the strongest years for small business applications in history, lowest unemployment

24:34 rate in over 50 years, new record low black and Hispanic unemployment.

24:41 This president has done a lot of consequential legislation to improve the American people's

24:50 lives.

24:51 Congressman Carver Hall, thank you so much for the time.

24:53 And listen, I'm going to be a fair guy.

24:55 Go Rams.

24:56 How about that?

24:57 There you go.

24:58 Go Rams.

24:59 I need you to come to California.

25:00 I am.

25:01 I got to come out that way, especially if you're out there.

25:04 We thank you so much for the time, Congressman.

25:05 Look forward to having you back and talking more policy and politics.

25:09 Great.

25:10 Thank you so much.

25:11 All right.

25:11 Thank you.

25:11 [END]

Category

Transcript

Recommended