Latest / Coconut Justice / CJP #67: Thomas Roach ( CA-4 )
Transcript
- Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Hey everybody, when I tell you that my life is wonderful, I mean it. Because how many people do you know that can actually reach out to folks that are running for office in their district and be able to talk to them over coffee and just getting to know them like the real them be because you know when you're on CNN and MSNBC or whatever the hell they call it now, you get like 10 seconds to to prove that you're not a jerk. But Hey, what's good? Thomas Roach is a construction worker, a husband, and a father that is spending the rest of the weekend celebrating his daughter's high school graduation. Not only is Thomas a grassroots candidate, but he's also someone that's running as an independent. Born and raised in Calusa, California, he's leveraging his life experience to make a run for California's 4th district. You guys, I want you to meet Thomas Roach, running for California's fourth district. Hey, Thomas. This is my conversation with Thomas Roach. Before we get into it, remember to go to CoconutJustice.com to get you some clothes that I think would look good on you. Let's go. Thomas Roach: Carlos, thank you very much. That was a perfect ⁓ description of what is going on. You know, here we are able to just converse and I've never felt so much so comfortable about it, you know, and I appreciate what you're doing, and like I was telling you earlier, it's a much needed part of our community is what you're doing. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah, thank you. I feel like you know, we were talking about this, we're touching on this like right before we started recording. And it's it's like there's this established process to becoming a lawmaker and it just seems like For 54 years we've I've seen everyone complaining about the same exact thing. And here 54 years later, we're still complaining about the same exact thing. Prices are too high, cops are too rough on the minorities, there's no jobs. But but they keep telling us that if you vote for me, we're gonna do something different, but then nothing different ever happens. So I appreciate Thomas Roach: Exactly. No, it's like a it It's like sorry. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): I appreciate your efforts. That's that's me talking too much. I appreciate your efforts like coming out of your just regular life to try to make positive change. Thomas Roach: Dude, you're like what they call oil in the the food industry. You're calorie dense. You good you're saying a lot in like three words. So I hear I'm I'm like, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, you know. But what you just said wraps it up. We have a situation, and we'll just start off, we'll just call, I, you know, and I'm not Johnny Thesaurus, but perennial ⁓ issues. and they come to you and God, you know, it it's we don't want to criticize someone that comes up as hey I'm trying to help you, you know, and everything and you're like, thank you for coming here. But like you said, but as soon as you start to question the apparatus, the the system Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Mm-hmm. Thomas Roach: All of a sudden it gets straight voodoo. You know, they're ⁓ you wouldn't understand this. ⁓ watch out, buddy. Don't want to touch that third reel. All these fucking warnings from a guy that just said, hey, I don't know shit either, but I'm gonna go there to help you. And all of a sudden he's Johnny Genius. Hey, everybody stay back. Don't warn me off of anything. We're in this together. I didn't vote for you to, you know, fight my fights. I just, you know, early on, I went to, you know, want you to say, hey, Thomas Roach would like to see some of this ⁓ but when the time comes to get into it call me i'll be there for you you know i mean i'm not you don't fight my fight Just represent me and that's the thing. We're not representing. I don't know what they're doing over there, but it you just summed it up. The whole thing. I mean, look at the budget of or the deficit spending of our budget. You know, whatever. We'll just round it off to 1967. I don't know the exact years, but almost to a T, it's 20 to 28% more than we make. Someone talked to these guys and said, you know, they'll be acceptable of a 20% overdraw, but we've never paid. ⁓ Debt down, and then you look at the problems you just talked about. All of that stems from our government trying to like tell us what to do or how you know we're gonna fix this for seven billion, and it never happens. Never Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): And it never happens. And that's one of the things that I when I talk to you guys, I say, you know, the homelessness problem in California is is a really good example because everyone points to it as a failure in California. and For me, it's like, you know, trickle down doesn't always doesn't trickle down. Like for some reason, the money that's supposed to be spent on these people just never quite reaches the people. So how how would we how would we make sure that Thomas Roach: Trickle up doesn't trickle up either. Right. never intended to. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): All of these billions and trillions of dollars actually go to where d to solve the problem that that exists. Thomas Roach: As that framed as a question is is yeah no shit, how do we do that type deal? Go talk to the Salvation Army, you know, they they run through some ⁓ people, you know, they're trying to help these guys. But you know, one little I shouldn't say little, I'm just saying they have rules, you break the rules on delay, bud. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: But that i the the thing that when going back to when you started out talking about, you know, politicians say, Hey, we're gonna solve this, this and this. Well You know, I'm not the guy that invented the outline, but it all I know is you draw a line down and then there's like three here and then you know it it extrapolates out. So homeless is you know good at it's like god that ADHD, I'm probably the guy that believes in, you know, yeah, there's something up with some of us that it's not non-conformity or whatever it is. But it is. But as soon as I start talking, in fact I have a nephew that's, you know, spectrum up like a like a genius though. ⁓ calls me Gordon Ramsay. That's the only reason he likes me now. so I have to yell at him and hit him with spatulas. But he That broke our bond, and I was like, holy shit, we would have never, you because I was always like, ⁓ hey, Uncle Thomas loves you. He's he doesn't care about that. So if we could truly talk about substrates and you know what the definition is of homeless, I'm down with it. But Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: We're not gonna throw cash at it. You know what I mean? I got saved not by cash. I got saved by old ladies that played cards with my mother. And were concerned. And they didn't do they s they they saw my bullshit a mile away. You know, they're just like, because I used to be one of those people that was like just waiting for the person to quit talking. I'm like, great seeing you, thank you. You know, but your issue has to be solved by you, you know, like 75% of it, whatever. I don't even know the number, but you need help. And that's where you could help the homeless. But like what they're doing, ⁓ we're gonna build Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: Whatever the you know, forty thousand miniature homes. Are you kidding me bro? You know I mean like that just benefits whoever's charging eight hundred grand for a a miniature house. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: So we have to find out within that structure, there's elements. You know, they everybody talks about the mental illness, everybody talks about drug use, you know, the whole abuse issue, I think, accounts for, and I throw numbers like I know them, but this they're all made up. But I would say 38% of homelessness is because someone is so abused that they have to leave their shelter. They can't take it anymore. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. I'm trying to remember. There's a there's a Nordic country. ⁓ Thomas Roach: There's only four of ⁓ so. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah, it's one of them that has pretty much solved homelessness and what they're doing is ⁓ a lot like what I was reading Utah did something similar to this where you would you would have a house or an apartment, whatever. You would have housing, but you would also have ⁓ a social worker connected to you and this house. So they would help you get your act together. Get your act together, you know, whatever that act might be. ⁓ and and, you know, and then you you find stable footing for your life and then you're able to move forward. ⁓ you know, 'cause Thomas Roach: Yeah. That's the answer right there. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): If you're homeless if you're homeless and you're looking for a job, the first thing they ask you is your address and your phone number. If you don't have either one of those, how do you qualify for a job? Thomas Roach: Exactly. Exactly. And that that's so you know, we can't fault the whole deal of, you know, so you're an employer, you know, well I need to know where to send your check, all that. You I mean there's there's valid reasons. But if we start off, what's the word? ⁓ reverse engineer. That's the greatest, whatever, it's not the greatest, but you know, it it it provides for us an avenue that's rarely thought of. So you know, basically you want that cat to be doing whatever it is you wish him to be doing. So let's just say mow lawns or something. You need them behind the mower going. so we're not worried about his address, we're worried about getting getting him doing that. Him or her. Now Let's work on those things, you know, like hey, ⁓ what's and I get it that you need a phone, you need you know, because well how are we gonna get a hold of you, you know, type thing. Well, for right now you're not, you know, but if I'm here, you know, this is what we're doing. And I think if we look at that part of the employment thing of Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: Can he do the job? And then let's worry about the other bullshit. We just assumed that meant you could do a job because ⁓ I went through a couple they said, Well you have to have a reliable car. You know, it's like Okay, you know, I hope it's reliable. But Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Ha ha ha. Thomas Roach: that that that represented ⁓ whole subsection of things you know so if you have a phone that means you pay your phone bill you do the you know i mean so we we we allowed that kind of like from 77 to you know 92 people that was like the stamp of approval you know like people would say ⁓ your power bill that's a perfect one you know well fuck I don't need any power homie I'm homeless you know I plug in it safe way So that as valid as it is, you know, and that's another thing, I don't like the The whole villain you know, subject of when people are like, ⁓ you can't say that and everything. Well I just did. You know, I mean I'm not saying it's you know gospel, but we have to find a way to redefine what we are doing. Just like when we talked about homeless, there's substrates to it and there's a lot to it. Let's not be embarrassed by our ⁓ ignorance. But the fact that back in the day we thought paying your power bill was a you know a good ass measurement. People like that does not apply in the situation of a homeless person. That's it. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. They're they don't look at money the same way we do. They don't look at they don't look at they don't look at this game, this capitalism game that the same way we do. Thomas Roach: Not at all. Exactly. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. What so you're you're running for California's fourth district. What made you want to run for for House of Representatives? Thomas Roach: That that I wish I you know, I go over this in my head all the time. I can almost, you know, like be emotional about it. It starts out and then there's the funny part of it too, because we just said, hey, AOC beat the shit out of whoever he is. I don't care. You know, everybody talks shit about her. You know, she won. And that's the initial part. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: And just because I don't look that cute, I said, I'm gonna be the AOC of the West. But to to s the foundation of it, I'm not represented. ⁓ my ⁓ data sets I hope we get into that too. but let's just say how I'm labeled in society. you know, I'm I've been married. I think that's the part. And a lot of it is I can't do what I want. And that, you know, like, you know, to I I see, you know, my daughter graduated last night. Yeah, it time flies. But it's one of those things, you know, like I live in a small town and you know, you could protect people. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): ⁓ congratulations. It does. Thomas Roach: And I ⁓ it's kinda like the mow the lawn tomorrow thing. I always thought, you know. I'll deal with this tomorrow. And then it came up on me, you know, she had like a senior project to cheer. I'm like, ⁓ honey, that's that's heavy duty. She wrote a play, and I mean I could go into that for a million things. It was someone who ⁓ has been involved with like New York plays, you know, like a legitimate, you know, not from Calusa, but from Calusa. At the very end, she said, bold decision. You know, and I'm like But going back to it, I want to be able to hand the baton to my daughter's generation. And I'm like, what have I done? You know, I've taken advantage of and quite well. You know what I mean? Like, you know, I could read a room of what has been provided to me. So think of our parents, you know, how hard they worked and the whole get down of the American dream. It was free money for us, you know. I had every opportunity ever. And the only thing that bothered me was me. I've never been ⁓ harmed by anybody else. But that point of everybody being upset about the redistricting, hey that, you know, that's the greatest thing ever. ⁓ you know, they're like, it's the worst thing ever. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Ha ha ha. Thomas Roach: I think our district's like that's how it should be, just a belt. You know what I mean? Because I truly believe that I relate to everyone in this strip. I would have gone a little higher up into the Sierras. you know, but I've gone to Sonoma County, I've gone to, you know, trying to reach out to people because I'm trying to run a campaign that is not normal. And That's a it's a shared experience. You know, I work in construction, so I'm working with these 22-year-old kids, almost to a T, 85% Hispanic, and they're like, I want to contribute like my grandparents did. I was like, God damn, that's that's a great way to say it. Where I was, you know, my grandparents came here, you know, as tenant farmers and you know, worked their way up, planted trees for four cents apiece and all, you know, you hear all these stories. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: I didn't have that struggle. I didn't have a struggle. You know, my struggle was ⁓ that's our whole mental health thing right there, you know. My struggle was me, you know, I was the problem. So going back to the whole, you know, they announce ⁓ redistricting. So bam, I'm looking up. Who's our ⁓ congressman? And nothing, you know, I'm not a disparaging guy. I'm not trying to I do talk shit, but I that's because I love you type thing. But Mike Thompson is ⁓ you know Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): I get that. Thomas Roach: intelligent, capable, everything about him. Dude's like Forrest Gump too with the whole you know he's got the purple heart and then you know he comes back from Vietnam and saves the life of the most you know perfect old lady in Yauntville and you know I mean you can't knock him about it. But when it comes down to it he is on the House Ways and Means Commission. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: You're a powerful person. You should start changing things for your district. Who do you represent? So it's a perfect example. You know, you have whatever. We'll just run it at 58% of your population is picking grapes, running irrigation lines. There's your goddamn constituents. What have you done for them lately? And then that's Going back to it, after we cheers me for being the AOC of the West, we're like, holy fuck, we are not represented. And then it started with the middle class. And then, you know, you have these you know, and I'm a fan of the brainstorm. We're like, well, what is the middle class? So they double the medium income, that puts you at 162,000. I was like, that's the fucking high in the middle class. You know, I look at my neighbor with this ski boat. And I love that dude. You know what I mean? But ⁓ it's better to have a friend with a boat than to own a boat type deal. But you know, that dude's blasting out like 320 grand a year or whatever. I'm you know, I'm not his accountant. But I mean he is hustling and doing it. He isn't even the top of the middle class. And we're like, holy shit, the middle class needs to be redefined. And then that that started me where it became like a passionate thing. I'm like We are not represented. And it scared me too, going back to my daughter. I'm like, holy shit, you know, I'm acting like I know what's up. And I'm not acting like I know what's up. And that's what started, you know, it's here we are. And from Calusa, we're the most marginalized motherfucker in this whole district. You know, I think we're bringing what, 13,000 votes or something? Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Calusa, yeah. When we first started talking, you said Calusa, do you know where that is? I said, No, not even Thomas Roach: Sorry to get sideways on that, but it's Dude, I went to karate camp. We slugged people for that thing. The best part is ⁓ if you've ever had sushi, all your sushi rice, well, a little bit of Sutter County too. We grow the best sushi rice in the world. We also grow a shitload of mammoths. But you're right, everywhere I've been, but I've loved it, you know, to be undercover like that. ⁓ people are in Calusa. I'm like, it's a county too. You know, in fact, we should get shirts that say that. And ⁓ Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Nice. Thomas Roach: And it used to be a hella county. Back in the day, it incorporated Glynn and Tejama County. You know, it was a big ass county. And basically it came from like Spanish land grants and all that. That you know that is the definition of our area is that someone came here Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): It's pretty Yeah. Thomas Roach: and like re-establish the you know what's going on because there was nobody look like me hanging out here at all. And even you know the ⁓ the early part of it. So you know representation is tough because I'm the most whitest cat walking. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Ha ha ha. Thomas Roach: But all of sudden I have a relationship with twenty-two year old ⁓ you know Mexican dudes from everybody says they come from the fli best place in Mexico, but we related right away, you know. And then right away I'm like, well then why aren't you married? They're like, Well, you know, you gotta make sure. I'm like, she made your lunch, homie. Just saying. And that part of what we had in common, I mean I just had a ⁓ piphany, you know, I'm like, holy shit, if we would just cross off the list of what we say we have a problem with. Like you and I can make a list right now. And and I call that the mow lawn tomorrow, you know, like I'll say that a thousand times today. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): ⁓ that's easy. Thomas Roach: I never mow the lawn tomorrow. So when I say, hey, we'll we'll talk about the shit we disagree with tomorrow, I'm not gonna fucking make that meeting. Yeah, I mean I would just to be hanging out. But I'm just saying we have sixty-eight percent agreement on what we need. You know, my hospital's in dire need of you know funding. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: I think they run it poorly and I think the way the federal government tells them to run it, Glenn County, same thing. You know, I can agree on that. And I'll do whatever it takes. You know, I mean if you need another ten percent for me, I'm good. You know, I need a hospital here though. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. how about schools? What are schools like out there in Calusa? Thomas Roach: But I start crying again. So I'm at my house right now. We're ⁓ you know on the the seven block. My daughter, you know walk to school, ⁓ ultra elementary, but I've benefited from public education. I love public education. Part of that is because the socialization or how you know, I'm not trying to force it on anybody, but it's not a bad gig. The faults within the system, I can't argue, you know, especially you have like someone that is, you know, and the whole world's smarter than me. And they so you have to recognize when someone says, Bam bam, this is not right. I can't argue that, but my my daughter's teachers upper level. You know, we're talking like echelon type shit. And the sad thing is being in a small town, especially with ⁓ younger teachers, you're not gonna want to come to Calusa. I the place shuts down at eight o'clock. You're trying to like go and relax with some like minded individuals. There's maybe seven here and one of them is like not cool. You know I mean like it's tough to be a teacher in Calusa. I get it. Most of them live in Chico. But going back to your question, I'm a Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: and a public education a hundred percent because it is developing other things other than you know what we're learning and i think it's super important to learn how to deal with people to get along and this is not gonna go over right but there's a time when people need to get fucking punched in the lip Dreate up answers more problems than we'll ever know in life. In fact, we have when Mia was probably kindergarten, I noticed this chart, you know, they'd have on the wall. At the top, it's like, ⁓ the superstellar. It's always a girl too. best kid in the world, you know, wish we had seven. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: It's a bell curve, bro. That's it. Here we are. And ⁓ in the middle there's ⁓ you know, super helpful guy or whatever, you know what I mean? Like always just willing to help. And ⁓ at the bottom was parental contact. fell in love with those guys. Last night, the cat that was on the he was the parental contact king. Every parental the parent conference thing I went on. I was like, there's my guy right there. I I think he had a stamp made, you know, he just Dude, he's exceptional. And I did say, it was about sixth grade. When COVID hit, I remember COVID, I said, this guy's either gonna kill everybody or solve the world. gonna solve the world. You know, but that represents you know public education. You have to deal, you know, there's bullies and You know, I don't want anybody to feel hurt, but fucking feeling hurt is part of life. You know, I'm not it's an unpleasant conversation. You know, people like, ⁓ I can't believe you said that. But the bully's going through some shit too. You know, I mean, everybody needs a Snickers, you know, and public s education allows our children to experience that first hand and God bless you know, I do ⁓ my daughters. Upper echelon too. There's probably twenty-five K you know Calusa has a graduating class of a hundred, we'll just say in twenty-three. It seemed like a long time last night. But probably about thirty-five of are right there, could have been the top two students. And my daughter has come home every day complaining. about the same thing. Kind of going back to your political thing. And I'm like, well solve it, homeboy. You know what I mean? You're there, I'm not there, you know what I mean? But they are better adjusted than my generation. You know, they're accepting and they understand. And so, you know, the ho going back to the public education, I tr you know, next to parks, greatest thing ever invented. You know Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. ⁓ yeah. Thomas Roach: people that sit there and want to find fault with it not right away should be fucking punched in the lips but there's another issue if someone has a problem with it. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah, imagine imagine having a school system that's properly funded. You have all the supplies and and all the programs to to to actually make a proper difference. and to pay teachers the important pay them according to the importance of their position in society. Thomas Roach: and accounting. Right? Great. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): And you're gonna attract more teachers. You're gonna attract more quality teachers. But you can't you can't have your school system in shambles and and think that kids are gonna be motivated to go to school. Like Thomas Roach: No, that's that voodoo shit. When they when you go to question it and they're like, ⁓ fuck, you would never understand this. Well fucking explain it to me then because I'm here for the duration. I won't eat until I understand this. And that's but I agree, you know. it's but that that's life or something, because Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Handing the keys off to the lady from the WWE is not the answer. I know that for a fact. Thomas Roach: and that's the thing, if you're gonna tell me that I don't understand You know, I have to somewhat agree with that. Shit, what am I supposed to say? ⁓ you know, I mean I act like I know everything, but okay. But when it comes to my ⁓ start crying again. When it comes to something we care about, all of a sudden we're listening. I I go to go to the parent teacher nights. You know, you see everybody and there's like seven of us that, you know, we're like, God, we should have brought a beer, you know, ha ha you know. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Ha ha ha. Thomas Roach: But once you bring up the thing that matters to this guy, he's like, hey. Yeah, because you know, Roach is telling him a story about seventh grade or something when I was here and he's like, hey shit about my kid. And that's when I was like, holy shit, that's real. You know, like right away I respect it and every I'm like, sorry, sorry. I'll tell you later, you know. But that is a common core. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. He pays attention. Yeah. Thomas Roach: And you know that ⁓ I always talk about the Democratic and Republican thing. God bless them, you know, but the whole identity politics is so like left field. The heart what we agree on is so important. The binding, you know, That part. And I don't even like I could not want to even ever be next to this person in my life. But he says, hey, someone's messing with my daughter. Let's get him. You know, I mean, I'm in. But I never want to be on a bus with this guy. You know what I mean? Never. Never. And I've had because I've been in the position Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): I mean, you know. Thomas Roach: You know, usually if you're asking somebody for help, there's a sense of panic that's behind it. You know, I'm not trying to have a debate of why I need help. You know, ⁓ I work in construction, so I call it the the ladder theory. I just need a ladder, but I don't have one. You know, people why you need one fucking to be higher than I am right now. You just you know. But that part of going back to public education and everything, to community. I don't care what this person says. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Ha ha ha. Yeah. There's a work to be done. Thomas Roach: That person, you know, like they need help right now. In fact, I have a great neighbor two doors down. And you know, dude's pretty hardcore, you know, not not super mega, but I mean like, you know, he's like, let's change this thing. I'm like, I'm in. I go, but what happens if shit hits the fan? And he said, Well How are you gonna support me if I don't have something you want? We're talking about if it just all folded in the barter system. I'm like, you're ne you're my neighbor, bro. Down the road. There's gotta be something. You know there's it's gonna happen. We're neighbors. We have common problems. And he really, in the most polite way, dismissed me. Because he felt that I would like, you know, like, ⁓ yeah, you're out. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: You don't have anything we need today? And I was like, Dude, that's offensive. He's like, I don't Thank you. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): But your background is in construction. I can ought I've I've been talking to you for thirty one, thirty two minutes and I know you're in construction. I know that you know some things. Thomas Roach: I went to karate camp for fucking three summers, bro. I mean, I I like to think I know a lot of things, but yeah, I I exactly I like I think I could contribute. You know, maybe not today, but there's gotta be something down the road. You know, when there's a leak or something. And this guy's a super good dude. You know what I mean? Like a super good dude. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. When his house starts getting weak, you know? Yeah. And that's the thing. And that's the thing. I've talked to I've talked to a lot of ⁓ conservative minded folks and for the most part we agree on most everything you if you say for example if you go around your neighborhood and you say don't you think we need a better equipped hospital everyone's gonna be like yeah we do you say don't you think the kids need better schools they're gonna say yeah we do Thomas Roach: Exactly! Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Don't you think the kids need a library and things to do so they don't get in trouble? Everyone's gonna say, Yeah. Everything past that, past the the structure of help, I guess, you know, of support, better said. The structure of support past that it's just like Now you're just being picky. You know? Like you're you're you're you're you're you're trying to separate Thomas Roach: Yeah. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): what it is to be an American and some folks have the ⁓ have the have the picture of an American as a white dude and other people know that it's just a blend of everything. Thomas Roach: Yeah. Right. No, Mike. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): But if you have a structure built where everyone can succeed and everyone can share their stories and everyone can learn from each other, you're gonna learn that all this other stuff that you see on the news that that separates it, like you're talking about the bullies and all that stuff and the neighbors that don't quite see eye to eye with you. It's not It's not that difficult. You're just being hard headed. And once everyone is is on the same page and there's a structure that helps you succeed, everyone's gonna see that their neighbor is amazing and they're gonna see that they're that their neighbor is helpful in case all hell breaks loose, like you guys were talking. Thomas Roach: Absolutely. No, that and exactly. But exactly. And once again, dude, you are rich in your ⁓ expression. I love it. Calorie dense. Hey, calorie dense is real. But that, you know, and there you go, that's I don't know. That, you know, and I I've caused problems. And I don't, you know, I feel like it's Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): I'm calorie dense. I'm gonna put I'm gonna make a t shirt. ⁓ Thomas Roach: I mean I cause problems. I enjoying it though, you know what I mean? Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): How do you cause problems? You're you're you seem like a super nice guy. What problems do you do you cause? And it depends on the problems too, because I think, you know, ⁓ we d we need some we need some rabble rousers in Congress these days. Thomas Roach: Yeah, that's the whole fucking gig. If you're gonna cause problems you have to look like that. You know what I mean? Like you have the No, I could fucking solve problems too though. Because I know ex Like I said, I'll t sh I have like my third grade teacher This is Elger. Called me on my shit like day one. You know, and I always and it's crazy because she looked the same, you know. She was like 92 when she but I make up numbers though, so don't fucking Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): She was ninety two for thirty years. Thomas Roach: Yeah. It looked like it too. Like I'm a weathered motherfucker. You know what I mean? Like ⁓ I'm fifty eight and people are like, What happened? You know. Mrs. Hallecker though was a badass teacher that, you know, if you're a teacher, bro, you see the people coming through. They're the best filter like going back to my that You gotta get that thing, like ⁓ whatever it is, the you know, how we label kids. Which is cool. I'm not trying to get rid of it. And if anybody gets rid of it I'll slug you too, but the you know, Mrs. Helaker saw the people coming through, you know, and she always went out of her way. And God, I can name so many Like I said, there was a couple older dudes. I don't wanna leave them out. But the older ladies in my town 'cause I was polite as a kid. I was like that kid on Leave It to Beaver that was nice to everybody or whatever. But they went out of their way when I was a little sideways to just like you know when are you gonna, you know, get your shit together? Like tomorrow. We're gonna mow the lawn too. but Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Ha ha. Thomas Roach: That support system is so huge because especially women and I'm not trying to pick aside here but ⁓ if you look at everything of the minority of the the the like disadvantages, let's say of not being in the crowd. So like you're looking at the whitest guy in America right here. ⁓ if there is white privilege to be had, I've I've I've Overserved, you know, I went to ⁓ hometown buffet on white privilege. But I didn't know that. You know what I mean? I wish someone had explained to dude, I could have rode that wave like a fucking champ. Just saying, you can't get whiter than me. But when it boils down to for sure, women have towed the line and just Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: Put up with the bullshit for longer and I'm not taking away from, you know, there's all these segments of everybody. And that's what, you know, we're getting into now is everybody goes, well, what about me? Hey dude, you're you're you're here. I'm with you. But we just have to say hardship is hardship and we're not gonna Well you can make every label you want, but I'm not gonna, you know, like be there for every meeting. But women, since, you know Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): ⁓ yeah. Thomas Roach: The whole voodoo thing where men convince them that they're better, you know, what a fucking joke that is. Whatever I don't even know how they sold that, but they have calmly, patiently, put up with our shit, and waited till the moment. They save the day, they feed more people, they save more people, and all that. So they know the patience. And they they believe that's the thing. They believe. And when they Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: You know, you see Mrs. Helleker weaving her way through and you're like, ⁓ fucked, here she comes. Hi Mrs. Hellecker, you know, she cares about you. I have I could list 50 names of you know like Rayleigh Liss is another person in our town that Weave your way through, you know, you're just trying to be polite and be at the logo function. And here she comes. And she's dead serious. And they're not, they're not trying to, you know, they're like, when you're ready. When you're ready to mow the lawn tomorrow, you know. And you're like, God damn it. You know, they got me. But that's what saved me. That's what brings you back. That's the thing. You finally mow the lawn, is the thing. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: And you have people in the community just like them. They didn't do it for you. They didn't help you. You know, going back to our government assistance and all that shit. But they come and pat you on the back and they said, I knew you could do it. And that's a huge deal for ⁓ you know, going back to kids and everything. You know, to have someone when you finally, you know, get straight. someone to say, I knew you could do it. Because you do feel left out. And that, you know, going back to the alienation of groups and all that, I get it, you feel left out. I've never felt left out. Well I take that back. But I put myself in the positions where I felt left out. You know, there is you know an an element to it though. You know, and you don't don't realize it. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Sure. Thomas Roach: You know, we all think my struggle's way more important than yours. And then you see these like Somali guys, you know, taking boats across, you know, the whole world or the suit who is it that was Syria. You know, those those cats carried their shit to Europe. And you're like, holy shit I'm complaining about things that don't matter. You know I mean like the struggle is real in humanity. But it is within ourselves that we, you know, manifest it and all that. You know, I mean it's it's our own problem. And going back to the whole community side, it helps to have people that are supportive. You know, that your neighbors, simply as that. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Well, we all have Right. I think there's some of us that have forgotten that you know, I understand some folks thinking that ⁓ I d I built this company all by myself and I did this thing all by myself and you have to say, No, you you you didn't really. Thomas Roach: Yeah. No. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Because there was other people that built the road that you're driving on. There's other people that are running the lights that are keeping you from crashing into other people. There are other people that are doing other things for you in support of your efforts to create this company, you know? ⁓ Thomas Roach: The efficiency of all those things, that contribution, we take for granted. I think who was it? I think Obama, someone like that, and then they flipped it on him. You know, he's like, you didn't fucking build that, you know, and and people are like, hold on, I did build this. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Right. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Thomas Roach: And then and that's another thing. We could get into that, you know, this whole idea that socialism, capitalism, there's this fine line, you know, this definite, you know, with the finest tooth comb that parts it. Fuck you. Fuck you. You're so wrong, bro. We don't even talk about going back to the women, like in my town, you know, you have a fundraiser. We have a you know, I'm sure every city has Lions Club. And dude Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. And it's not it's not. It's all grey area, yeah. Thomas Roach: every fundraiser there is they're the ones cooking the meal so i belong to a couple groups you know ⁓ in calusa were like we're gonna have a fundraiser at the park at concert in the park you know all this shit that's going on we go there to raise money well let's let's just say we bring in 550 dollars well they did all the the cooking i think they even bring the hamburgers you know i mean like that would have been a 700 cost to us and you know our group's like ⁓ we made 500 well rabbin the ponciano cooked everything And there's more people to that. But we have, you know, I mean, like, we don't look what you just said, there's a contribution level that is so important, that is calorie dense, you know, that's so meaningful. Like the person that carries that fucking 900-pound thing of beans. You know, I never I never carried the beans in my life. And then I let me help. I'm like, you know, you saw these old ladies, they would just be like, holy shit, bro. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Ha ha ha. Thomas Roach: Holy shit. You know, the farce of it, you know, we have God, I there's this lady, Mrs. Jacanetti, I think she was like, you know, like four foot two and probably four foot two wide, you know. And she would just bring stuff in and you're like, here let me only ⁓ I couldn't even lift it. And you're like, I take that for granted. You know, and Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Were you born and raised in Calooza? Yeah. Calooza hometown boy. What's it like growing up out there? Thomas Roach: Absolutely. Yeah. Like I said, I didn't realize, you know, looking back on it so but yeah, greatest ride ever in my life, you know what mean? I do it ten times over. everything about it. And then but like I said, I you know, you can't get more The whole white privilege thing is a real deal in its sense. You know what I mean? I'm not trying to give away 'cause you get some fucking white guy that you know had the roughest life ever, you know what I mean? And they're like, ⁓ well when they're handing that out, I wasn't there. Yeah, obviously, homie. You know what I mean? I was there watching you. So but in my personal thing, I you know Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: benefited, ⁓ you know, I was able, I was fed, my parents loved me, the whole gig. I had parents, you know what mean? Like I also had I'm the youngest so so I mean I saw right away that You know, ⁓ deny till you die is legitimate defense. You know, ⁓ you know, my I saw where my siblings got sideways, but I mean literally my siblings are work ethic, upper echelon, you know, people like they were all I don't e you know, whatever they won. And I I you know, came in later and I was like, you know, you could just Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: skip a lot of this and I think that you know hurt me in the long run. But you know going back to it I think of the my teachers they tried to tell me, you know, like hey we got lucky on this. you know I was like that yeah I'm kinda counting on that shit the rest of my life. But There is a benefit to this type of community. You know, like I said, little league. Every every aspect of it, ⁓ the lessons that are important in life I learned from people that I went to school with. I grew up with strong women, strong girls. I grew up you know, I have I don't wanna ever leave anybody out, but ⁓ Norma Valdez and ⁓ Rosalinda Mendoza were probably the most badass chicks walking the face of the earth. 'Cause I saw it, I knew they were, you know, lessened by being women and, you know, the whole Mexican connection. But th I w grew up Catholic. I'm not practicing. I mean I'm down with Jesus but I'm not down with organized religion really. And like but I had like one of my uncles was a Jesuit priest, badass dude study banking in China and I was like, why? You know I mean that's not saving souls and they but you know you get it with the Jesuits. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah, yeah. A Jesuit priest studying finances in China. Thomas Roach: He was in China before a lot of i i I'm just saying it's but the Jesuits were laced up with the Chinese forever, like way back in the day. The Jesuits would come and learn your culture and hang out with you. They didn't like try to change you. They assimilated, took their ten percent and gave you one of these. But going back to it, I grew up with po so I have two sisters, badasses. I have an older brother, my mom's a badass, my dad was you know, I mean they were contributors and everything, and I Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. That's pretty cool. Yeah. Thomas Roach: definitely took advantage of my position or however you want wish to say it. You know, I was well aware of it. You know, I mean I it wasn't like I was, you know, like, ⁓ what do you mean? You know, I mean, well aware of it. But lo and behold, when you go to play ⁓ soccer with Mr Deese, another guy that, you know, came to our channel and changed shit, ⁓ You saw it, you know, all sudden ⁓ guess what? Right white privilege doesn't exist on the soccer field, bro. You know I mean it doesn't. It's like go to the seventies and and you know, express your white privilege. It doesn't exist. So Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Either you can play or you can't. Thomas Roach: We c we can be aware of things. So going back to you know, like ⁓ Mr. Neast asked me to play soccer, I was like, I don't play soccer, that's like immigrant shit, you know what I mean? Like or French, even worse, like you know, but that was my mindset. I was like, I wouldn't even want to be thought of as a soccer player. You know, I was you know, a basketball player, football, you know I mean like and then he's like ⁓ and he I I just remember the sincerity. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thomas Roach: like you're missing the greatest thing ever and you would be good at it and I was just like hold on what so as a goalie it turns out we have these Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Ha ha ha. ⁓ nice. Thomas Roach: phenomenal players literally like my first year I had like three shots on gone like just let ⁓ through I just want one diving save but I never I just hung out I just wore my gloves. You know I mean like everybody was but I grew up you know so I grew up with ⁓ a lot of people every ethnicity you know I mean like Fiji Colombian Mexican ⁓ You know, everyone was well, not everyone, but for the most part. But we had strong women in our town. And that was I think we're lucky. You know, I'd hate to be, you know, different. In fact one of our best whatever, I don't want to blow her out of proportion. But one of the better lobbyists will say in Sacramento right now, and she married the dude that wrote or redistrict is you know like ⁓ through the map let's say of this is from Calusa you know and right there you know yeah you know I mean and I don't know exactly you know but her mother and father came here I don't know we were probably like third grade I wanna say Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): ⁓ nice. Thomas Roach: But you know, like mixed ethnicity, however you say that in a perfect way, because I don't know exactly what it is, but basically we'll say in a you know, way Asian. and her sister was like a super badass gymnast, like like super nails, you know, someone that was way better than everybody else. And You don't know what's going on at people's kitchens table, you know, their their dinner table or whatever. But it must have been something phenomenal in their house 'cause they're overachievers, you know. And I think that's the thing includes it. Everybody I'm not saying everybody had it, 'cause I I'm not trying to you know, people had rough lives here too. We have some super rough lives here. And but even those people like knocked it out of the park. you know. And it's Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. And I think that's the part that small towns have is because you know your neighbor a little a little more, you can have a rough life, but there's still that support system there. People actually care about you. Thomas Roach: So true. I mean that you're you're held accountable. Like I said, it's like it's like Mrs. Hellicker coming up to you and saying, I knew you could do it. You know, ⁓ fuck. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. And for a kid coming up that that's words like words of encouragement like that will make the difference. Thomas Roach: And that and that's the thing. We try to like ⁓ label that or brand that, you know, and make it into something. And there's the tough part. And then you know, going back to what we first said about, you know, how do you help people? You just have to be there when they need it. But you can't do anything for them. And I you know, I don't know. I think I think that especially, you know, like you think of nutrition, that whole gig of you know, that's super important. And you think of the people that ⁓ you know we talk about how oil is calorie dense. It is, but not for a month straight. It's not nutritional. And you know, ⁓ saturation does not mean absorption. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Right. Thomas Roach: You know, I don't care how long you want to sit there in the you know, the bath, it doesn't matter. you know, it has to be the receiving part of it is important. God, I think of people you know, people we knew had it rough. And I'm this is a stereotypical thing and I hate to say it this way, but Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Ha ha. Thomas Roach: It's funnier and shit. The people, you know, that their dad was smoking when they dropped out of school, I don't know like, and don't don't fucking be stupid or what you know I mean like I but as a kid, you know, I'm walking out like that's the coolest thing ever. But that's all that guy probably heard all day, you know, and that's sad. You know, that negative you know, and here Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Ha ha Yeah. Yeah, but back in the day, like dads weren't tapped in the way that they are these days. Like we now now we know, you know, we've we've conquered the frontier. We don't have to worry about well, we we do have to worry about bobcats and and coyotes and shit, but not as much as we used to. So dads had to before, you know, mom would be taking care of the kids in the house and the dad was out, you know, taming the wilderness. Thomas Roach: Yeah. Yeah. Well I think a lot of it is expressing your emotions. ⁓ you know, like there was such a thing goddamn, 'cause you know, think about the you know, the the Marble, the Campbell no filters was the best. ⁓ but God my mind, what would they go through as a kid? You know I mean, like when we talk about love the bully. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah, yeah. Yeah. ⁓ Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: I mean, like in Little League, there was this family and the the dad's like, Are you fucking kidding me? You swung at that? You know, like God. You know, most people are like, keep your eye on the ball, Junior. You know, this guy's like, God damn. But sincere in it. You know, he was proud of his children and all that, you know, but. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Relax I'm six Yeah. Thomas Roach: I remember my mother used to sit next to him, you know, and she just said it's almost my favorite time, you know, because you know, he r he means well type deal. But you think about we had the guy too, every Friday was a bath and a beating. And yeah, you know, and I was like Ye exactly. Cause they might have missed something. You know, and I was at a Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Jesus. Whether or not you needed it. Yeah. I've gotten my ass whipped on credit before. Yeah. Thomas Roach: You know, so in small towns, fundraisers are ⁓ interesting gig. You run into people. And I ran into that guy's daughter. And she's like, you know, you're Thomas Roach? She goes, ⁓ you know, my dad knew your dad. I was like, ⁓ really? You know, who was it? And ⁓ she's like, His name was Clarence. I was like, ⁓ bath in the beating. You know, because as a little kid, that was you know, that stuck with me. But it it made sense, like I was in on it. I was like, hmm Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: Probably fucking right, you know? Probably did do something you didn't know. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah, but I think I think I'm not I'm not I'm not saying to beat your kids. I'm saying every every kid responds differently. and if you do your job right, the beatings don't need to happen. If if you do your job right. Thomas Roach: Right. But what are the odds of fucking being a hundred percent as a parent then? So right now we just accepted thirty-eight percent of beatings. You know what I mean? We just said it. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): ⁓ no, that's Yeah. Yeah. But but that's just it. We also have to equip our I'm a big fan of education. Thomas Roach: Same hair. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): All the way from, you know, kindergarten teaching you colors on into giving you the tools to be a communicative adult. Right? So that way when you break things down for your kids, then that way they know how to express themselves in a way where they're not throwing tantrums. You don't need to give them a bath and a beating. Thomas Roach: A hundred percent. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): You know what mean? And I'm not saying that there's not that there's not a time where you need to like physically correct the behavior. Thomas Roach: Yeah. I'm with you. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): ⁓ 'cause yeah, I'm I'm somewhat old school on that stuff too. Like sometimes just a little hey, you know, like snap out of it. Yeah. But this shit like this shit would like I'm gonna go get a switch ⁓ from the tree because I'm about to whip like v we gotta be done with that. We gotta be done with that part. Thomas Roach: A SWAT. We used to call it a SWAT. Yeah. Hell, I'm with you. And the whole idea that I'm expressing ⁓ other feelings in me, I just take it out on you. You know, that but then you know, fuck that goddamn well we so then we'll we would have like a counseling session for you know everybody. Well there you go. ⁓ we all need like an hour a day of just ⁓ you know, something, you know, is there something you need to talk about? No. And you can give your hour to the next guy. But you know, you're talking about beatings and everything. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Cause kids pay that price too. Yeah. And that's the support system. Thomas Roach: When we talk about calorie dense, there's some density to a beating. You know, if we're on the same page, it's the same, I you know, but it's tough. Now we're back to substrates and all this. You're right. In the long run, we should not be. But God, if there's an understanding and you get the right SWAT, that's like six weeks of knowledge that just got delivered calorie dense. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): And some kids some kids, you know, I'm no professional, but I I know me, I remember myself as a kid, and again, not that I needed a beating, but a smack on the ass when I was saying bad words outside the church, like I get it. Like you know. Thomas Roach: I'm a perfect example of that. ⁓ that's my favorite. You go out you as soon as you're out the door. I remember one time I was like, what about Jesus? Doesn't he see this? Yeah, but nobody else does. I didn't want to beat you in church. Yeah. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Ha ha ha. Thomas Roach: But I I don't you know, and there's the thing, you know, maybe there's the conversation too. And that's the other thing. We don't have conversations. So you know, going back to it, I appreciate what you're doing because we need to have a conversation about everything. And then you get into it, people are like, fuck, I don't have time for this, bro. You know. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, but right now you might not, but there's time in your calendar because I know for a fact that some like anyone anywhere out there, they're gonna be sitting in front of the TV to watch whatever shows float your boat. So I know you have time. I know you have time to talk and I know you have time to learn. You know? And it's it's this communication that we do. Thomas Roach: Yeah. Well it's interesting 'cause you know the Right. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): That to me is democracy. Like democracy, you're sharing ideas and you're and you're t and you know, the there's a lot of the times that I, you know, my my what'd you call it? My calorie dense ⁓ conversation, sometimes it's calorie deficient. Sometimes I like telling fart jokes and it just doesn't make sense to a lot of people, you know. Thomas Roach: Agree, hundred percent. ⁓ yeah, yeah, yeah. Right. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): but being able to communicate with each other and share ideas and you say, Well, no, Carlos, that's not how it works, and then I say, how can we do this better? you know. Thomas Roach: ⁓ that Right. That's you know biggest part of my campaign is right there. Let's we can't find fault if someone, you know, because someone says, Well, I disagree with this. That whole villainization thing of, well you you don't care about America then or whatever, like hold on, bro. Ow. You know, I mean so we have to allow for a system of that we disagree and how do you know how do we move on? Next week how are we gonna handle this type thing? Instead of Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Mm-hmm. Thomas Roach: That whole you know one thing like the billionaire thing, you know what I mean? Let's fucking get over those cats. They did it, whatever happened. But yes, they need to contribute more. They're not gonna miss a meal if they contribute seven million. You know what I mean? What I and it's not up to me to think. But to villainize them, the same thing happened with COVID, you know what mean? Like that whole thing of, you know, you're wrong no matter what you're doing and all this. I you know Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): This is my Thomas Roach: It's fun to think that we know what we're talking about and all that. But we don't know. So let's just have a conversation, you know. So the whole thing of this this this finite there's a book like that. It's called like Infinite Games or something. but that that part of our human uhness that we have to have this final like, well then you're not with me final thing. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: It's like what we're talking about beating your kids. Sometimes you're like pissed about something else. The kids just happen to get in the way. You know. It it doesn't represent you know, the truth. And you know, I do it. I do it off the unlucky. So, you know, I have a great wife, great daughter. And they have no problem checking me. You know, 'cause all if I can't find the sock, watch out. You know what I mean? Like Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah, that's unfair. Who stole my sock? Thomas Roach: What's going on in the world? Everyone's against me. Exactly. And they're like, hey, hey, preacher boy, ⁓ karate camp guy. Shut up. You know, I mean, first of all. And it but that's the tough part right there is to get through when I'm emotional, I'm not listening. You know, and you have to be willing to wait. that's the hard part right there. You have to be patient, I guess. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Ha ha ha. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. What did your wife and daughter think when you told them you're running for office? Thomas Roach: It was weird. I brought it up to him 'cause I said, Hey, I'm thinking about running for Congress. So I've done you know, like within my community I tried to integrate and you know, I so, you know, I'm like on theater board, I'm on our parks and recreation and tree commission which is trying to be alienated right now. ⁓ we got a little revolt going on. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Nice. Thomas Roach: And then I joined the planning commission, ⁓ and then that's when it kinda got serious. Like people are like, Well fuck, we don't want that guy. You know what I mean? it was fun though. You know, I mean to go through that. but that scrutiny I think that comes on you from putting your name out there, that's what I said. And they initially in the first step is we support it. You know, I said, Hey, I don't think we're represented, you know, you know, here's why I'm doing this. And they both you know, they're like, God damn, you know Can't you just write a letter to somebody? But they were supportive, but they are the ⁓ my best critics. ⁓ Both of ⁓ are upper, you know, once again, upper echelon. Put up with shit like I am ⁓ not without reference to the struggles of others. You know what I mean? Like I said, when I can't find my sock, they're they're right there for me. Like we all can't find a lot of shit in our lives. Shut up. You know. So there's a double standard in the whole world. How I am in my house. ⁓ And how I am in public is two different things. The bottom line. I mean they they mix. But ⁓ you know, I am ⁓ Eddie Haskell, that's the cat from Leave It the Beaver. I have good manners, I I'm pleasant to people. But like I said, the Mrs. Hellecker's ⁓ that's her name. Mrs. Leaver was my neighbor. And she was, you know, f in Mrs. Hellecker's class. They're great. She was like a student aide and you know, I'd ⁓ not been here for a while. There's more to my story too. We can cover that in a minute. Of I've ⁓ Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): ⁓ yeah. Thomas Roach: ⁓ you know, like I said, my causing problems was ⁓ to a level not not super severe, but definitely I was removed from society we'll say. but Mrs. Lieber has you know been a supporter of mine the whole lot my whole life. So we move across the street from her. You know, God she's like eighty nine at the time. She comes bustling over. She's like, Do you have a real job? You know, I'm like, Yeah, yeah, yeah, totally, totally. And stuff like that, you know, you appreciate it, but Going back to it, when I brought it up to You know, Mia and Alyssa, I'm like, look at I think there's a chance here because Doug Lamalfa had died and I that's funny now you say it, 'cause part of that started out. I was reading the big beautiful bill. You know, I'm like, let's just see what we got here. I had no idea that they limited ⁓ on your Roth Ira and all these, you know, like in individual retirement accounts. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: I'm like, holy f what the fuck? Who wrote this shit? And not to go after Mike Thompson, but that's the fucking guy that did, you know, he's on the Ways and Means Commission. You motherfucker, you're trying to tell me first of all, you say I can only contribute seven thousand dollars a year. You know, I mean, and then I found out that if you make more, and then that's it just set me off, dude. I was like looking for anybody. Like, who's in charge? But if you make, you know, as an individual, if you make more than 156,000 a year. year you can't even contribute to your your Roth Ira and I'm like God that is like a severe blow to the middle class I mean I was irate and nobody would listen to me God ⁓ fuck I couldn't find one audience I'm like can you believe this you know I thought there would be 50 people behind me with pitchforks you know like we're gonna get them fucking nobody bought into it at all and I'm like maybe I'm not saying it right and then the best ⁓ I could cry for this too my wife is like of course you're not Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. ⁓ huh. Thomas Roach: Idiot, you know. but that's you know, I was like, unbelievable. Look at the restrictions on the middle class. Like ⁓ you know, I think of the guy that you know that has that pickup that he had in high school. You know, here we are, I'm fifty-eight. That thing's worth like eighty-two grand now. It's a straight piece of shit. You know, I mean three on the tree. You could sell that well, we're in a different but you know, four years ago you could sell that thing for eighty-five grand. It was a piece of shit. Seats torn, everything. Some dumb ass from Vegas or something has cash for you. But you couldn't put that money in your retirement account? You know, I mean you'd find Came up, and I've and that's what got me grinding. I'm like, who wrote this? Who thought of this? And then it just started to roll. And I'm like, holy shit, as a middle class person, we are ripped off. You know, think if you run a business, you you write down your expenses and then report your income. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: As a construction worker, they take my taxes out before I get my money. I didn't even get to say, hey, I had a shoelace or something. You know what I mean? There's expenses, bro. You know what I mean? I don't get to account for that. In fact, nobody gives a shit. They make me under pressure at the beginning of the year. Hey, mark a box and I'm like, whoa, whoa. You know, I would I'd like time to think about this. Well, you don't have time. Mark it now. And ⁓ as much as those ladies at the front offices, when you get to a new job, you know. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: They're bullies, you know. You don't got time to what am I your counselor, your life planner, you know, and and that's what got me on it. I'm like, then we should be able to write off our child care for sure. You know what I mean? I'm contributing to the world. You know, why is it and and thank God that you know I live you know there you go, live in a small town, so I have relatives, my wife's relatives. You know, we have babysitters available and some people that that wouldn't wouldn't qualify. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: Qualify in a normal situation, but because of calorie dense ⁓ you know, application of force, you know, we'll let them watch our kid because they know they can't be smashed out driving drunk or whatever. You know, they wouldn't be able to run a daycare, but you know, we you know, we need you to watch our kid when we know you don't have a job and you know, you're gonna watch Mia today, you know, and they were cool about it, but I'm just saying they would never be able to watch a child in any other circumstance, but we have That here, you know, we some of our whatever we'd be considered the worst people I would leave my kids with here. You know, I mean, by society, you know, but that's the part of the community. And then, you know, you start to convey those things to everybody, and all of a sudden you're like, yeah, we're getting ripped off completely. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: You know, look at like they say, ⁓ you know, whatever. I'm down with ⁓ giving people tax breaks to bring in jobs or whatever. I'm just saying. But like Elon Musk, obviously dude's got it going on, you know, he's catching rockets over there in Texas and boring holes and you know, doing it way out there more than anybody. But Tesla paid zero income tax. That can't be right. I'm gonna Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. That's insane. Thomas Roach: I'm just saying, and I know it's incentives. Like they they shot this shit to them like 20 years ago. They're like, fuck, if you build this factory and hire this many people, you know, dude, got it. I'm not I'm not faulting them for it. But let's learn from that and not ever have have that happen again. Cause that's literally like 184 billion ⁓ on the low end. That's like on four percent. That could have been taxed. And on the high end, it's 380 billion 420. You know, I mean not to get on his 420 thing, but I'm just saying, we missed out off half a trillion dollars in tax money. I mean, come on, man. Who missed that? And so, God damn, I could get sideways on this stuff, but I would like those same things as a middle class person. Let me know. Like if my daughter gets ⁓ you know, Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): That's wild. That's wild. Mm-hmm. Thomas Roach: Bees are better, you know. That means I'm I'm doing something right, right? Do I get something for that? You know, ⁓ that type of thing. So when Amazon comes into your community and said, hey, if these things happen, can we get this back? That's what Tesla did. If these things happen, you know, can I get some incentive? That's what they call it. Incentivize the middle class. You know, if your kid goes to college, bam, write 20 grand off your dude, college, holy shit, my daughter, ⁓ she's so smart. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: You almost wish you didn't have a smart kid or they were not good at sports because that's 60 grand a year. God forbid your kid's good at soccer, bro. 35 grand out the door. God forbid you have two kids that are good at gymnastics. You know what I mean? So going back to it, I'm super glad. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. That is bananas. Yeah. Yeah. And that's just the schooling. That's not even the extra training and the extra equipment and the it goes there's a lot of money that goes into having a a constructive member to of building a constructive member of society. Thomas Roach: Yeah, if you win something you gotta fly to Tennessee to fucking compete. Thank you. So we should be able to write that off. All I'm saying. If my daughter gets to Grand National Championship balance beam, whatever it is, I should be able to write that off. That was an expense. So going back to my daughter, she really wanted to go to New York. And I was like, ⁓ man, I don't even care. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Is she is she creative? Is she an artist of sorts or is she Thomas Roach: She is so well rounded, it's insane. She is so her senior project, she wrote a play. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): ⁓ hell yeah. Thomas Roach: I told you I'm on the board for a theater company here, so I said, come present it to us. We'll you know we'll support you and everything. But you know I mean just just come on, you know. And a couple, whatever. Everybody's hardcore in our theater group. I love everybody on it, but some are a little less tolerant of bullshit, let's just say. So they're like, well, it better be a comedy because that's the only thing that sells tickets. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's awesome. ⁓ Thomas Roach: Mia was looking down, she looked up, she goes, It's definitely not a comedy. I was like, holy fuck. That was hard, you know, and I'm trying not to be anyway. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: wrap it all up, you know, every day I'm like, Can I help you with dialogue? We've been in our first play together was quite a long time ago. And I've been in a couple here too. But ⁓ I'm like, hey, you know, I'm a professional honey, I can help these she goes, I don't want your influence because you always try to influence me. And I do, you know I mean I c I'm trying to win. I'm a lobbyist type deal, you know, and that's I wanna be the lobbyist for the middle class. But I never read it. I never Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: Never read it. One time, ⁓ emergency phone call, she's like, I don't know why she calls me Tongi. I think it's like some weird like, you know, Japanese cartoon thing. Anyway, she's like, Tongi, I need you to print these this script. I'm like, well, only I'm pouring concrete right now, you know. I mean, how are we gonna do this? Anyway, long story short, she goes, but don't read it. I was like, you know, you're holding true. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Ha ha ha. You're killing me, kid. Yeah. Thomas Roach: So anyway, I did not know the dialogue to this. And so to give you a little backup too, she's like, you know, super A student, biology, advanced play, you know, everything, math, the whole gig, like gets it way better than me, and it's way smarter than me, way better than me, type things, a thousand times. Anyway, the first line in this play. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Nice. Thomas Roach: I mean everybody because nobody knew I you know I mean we get 80 people that's a pretty good crowd in our theater and literally the whole crowd went like their heads went back like holy shit So it's this ⁓ Greek ⁓ tragedy type thing Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: I'll try to wrap it up quickly, but ⁓ their farm their slaves or whatever, then they have a ritual that they ⁓ all your worries and everything you grant to this rabbit, and then they let the rabbit go and it takes off. And there went your worries. Well, this cat's dad had fucking left or whatever, and so he's a little angry, and someone said something he kills a rabbit in the very beginning. Everybody's like, ⁓ my god, you're the worst person ever. Dude, I didn't watch this. I'm like, God damn, this is like the first three minutes. So he carries the rabbit. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): ⁓ wow. Thomas Roach: The whole time with him, and ⁓ gonna give it a proper burial or whatever, and then there's a whole there's tragedy throughout the whole thing, and at the very end, he looks at the rabbit, he throws it down, and the spotlight comes down and narrows on that rabbit. Like I said, everybody's like, holy shit! So, to answer your question, she is hella artistic, we just never Focus on that 'cause she was smart and, you know, a hard worker and followed the rules, bro. Never done anything wrong. You know. Never. And it's and that's the thing, you know, I try to you you gotta be supportive of that. I was not that person. And ⁓ it's cool though. I think that helps us in a sense. You know, that 'cause, you know, I'm like Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): That's outstanding. That's outstanding. Yeah. Thomas Roach: I'd wrecked like five cars v you know, by the time I was thirteen or something, you know, that's an exaggeration. But I'm just saying they dun she doesn't Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I mean this growing up in the seventies were different. It's it's completely different. Thomas Roach: It was. I would I would witch it upon anybody though. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: It was the funnest time ever. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. This is back yeah. This is back before this is back when kids could make mistakes and and not be hung out to dry f for them. And apologize, yeah. Like now you say something goofy and eventually it it might catch up to you. And you're just trying to be funny as a kid on Thomas Roach: And apologize. Yeah. ⁓ Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Twitter or Instagram or whatever. You know, and that's the unfortunate thing for kids. ⁓ Thomas Roach: Yeah. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): is that they they have they have so much yeah, they have so much more information, but the leash is so much shorter. Thomas Roach: It makes him too fucking cautious. We didn't have a leash. We had ⁓ you know when you got home you knew what was up. Fuck the whole town did. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): We didn't Yeah. We had street lights. If the street light was on and you weren't home yet, you're probably in trouble. Thomas Roach: Well, you know, growing up there's this guy and he's somewhat famous around here. He's actually a preacher now. ⁓ I don't want to blast people off, but you know, his name's Jeff Papinga and he's just a contributor. But he and I grew up together and his wife, God, there's another just a a a genetic better person. His wife's badass. Her mother and father are badass. I mean, it's just incredible. Anyway, we looked alike when we were kids. And we had ⁓ Betty, the yard lady, you know, like in second grade with me smoking, you know, blowing the whistle. And she called me Jeff. She's like, Jeff, get over here, put in guy right. You and I was like, you know, yelling at me. And I found out that people mis mistook us. And ⁓ That led me on almost like twelve years of people are like, What is your name? I'm like, Jeffapinga. And you know, I never gave him a second thought. I never answered to that. ⁓ and then flash forward, my mother's having like her seventy-fifth anniversary. He's a musician and everything too. He was doing, you know, side gigs or whatever and we're sitting at the table. I was like, Yeah, the craziest thing, you I used to tell people I was you and he's like Holy shit, bro. People would show up to their house or whatever and like, yeah, your kid threw an orange at my car or whatever. And they're like, and you know, and back in the day the adults were the final say. So for me, it's like, I didn't do it. And they're like, Mr. Carter said you did, you know. And ⁓ and then especially for the adult, they're like, no, that's him, you know. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: Now that I've ⁓ you know I got Miles on me, he looks great, you know, we're the exact same age. And ⁓ you know, the ⁓ you know people are like, ⁓ you guys look like each other? I don't I don't see how that happened. But you know, you bring out the early pictures and it's dead nuts, you know, and I was like, God damn, you know, that couldn't have happened anywhere else really, you know, except in this type of environment, you know, and it's crazy. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Ha ha. Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: It is crazy. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. It was a great time though. It was a great time. Thomas Roach: It was. Striped shirts, you know what I mean? Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Hey, let me ask you this. If you could go back and talk to your thirty year old self. What would you tell yourself? Thomas Roach: It's tough because I'd have to quit talking. You know what I That's it. Shut the fuck up. Do. Do more than say. I I just always have been afraid that I was gonna be wrong. So a lot of what I've done has been because it happened right then. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: You know, I've but as far as planning and doing that, ⁓ there's there's a lot to it. And I would say that practice is real. You know, as much as I'm like, fuck this, let's do it, let's do it. I think ⁓ you know, so going back, this is probably the best segue, I did serve time of You know, basically I got, you know, was someone that was on drugs that found you could get ⁓ cheaper if you go wholesale and got in trouble for that. Plain and simple. You know what I mean? so I like to say I I got a master's degree in civil discourse at San Quentin. You know, there was my 'cause you wanna see white privilege disappear? Show up. And Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah, yeah. I mean Thomas Roach: I didn't know the whole click thing. You know, I was like 34, 35. I don't even know. I was probably 30, you know, I was older. They didn't know what to do with me. And I look at that as probably not the, you know, like, ⁓ it's the greatest time ever, but as far as a reset, there was that and then I met this Buddhist dude. His name's Adi Ashante. He's out of like Marin or something. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): It's a definite lesson. Thomas Roach: And he f pretty much set me straight. You know, he just straight up. He's like, Quit telling your story. And I was like, you know, I super love telling my story and I love my voice, you know. And he's like, Yeah, but you gotta start doing some shit. And ⁓ that was part of the thing of getting into construction, you know, go to work every day. You know, that that part of it I still, you know, talk hella shit, but I I tr you know, the contribution thing and I was you know, my town opened up to me 'cause th I mean I'm sure there's still people that think I should just get hit by a bus, you know what I mean? But it's it's ⁓ and I deserve it, you know. But there's no better scrutiny or transparency than what I have because people are like, you know, ⁓ that's crazy, you know, you know They they will watch you closer than anything. And ⁓ like our local newspaper used to come at me pretty hard. And so I started writing a local article for that too though. And it you know, and I respect what they're saying, you know what I mean? The you know, I get it. They're like, Well why ⁓ why would you let him on that especially when I first got on the recreation and parks wreck and trees, you know, 'cause I'm a big park guy. And So s you know, there was some graffiti, you know, we'd have our own park and I'm like, look at I'm not gonna discourage our local artist, you know, I mean, if it's like kill Sammy, yeah, we gotta get rid of that. But I mean you can't, you know, just say just because you don't like it, no shit. But dude that painted that, chick that painted that, you know, they they felt it. And that part I think that I did bring, you know, and people like, you know, people think you don't go through hardship, but you have to remember, you know, and there's another thing, like the two judges that sentenced me, I didn't learn the first time around. You know, so I I was but I Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: I consult with them all the time, see ⁓ I l I love ⁓ You know, ⁓ they they had disdain in their voice when they sentenced me. They were upset with me. And that is just as as encouraging as someone saying I knew you could make it. You know, they're disappointed. And I I value that though. You know, I know. I talk to Judge Sternan all the time. And And he has no problem setting me straight. You know, I get a little out of hand with my ideas. But I, you know, when I have a problem, I'll call him no problem. And there's kind of a funny story about that, because ⁓ my dad always told me never let anybody call you Tommy. He just didn't like that. I don't know why he said it. Lucky enough I grew up with a guy named Tommy ⁓ and you know my whole life, so he was Tommy, I was Thomas, never had a problem with it. But ⁓ I'll call Judge Tiernan's house, you know, and ⁓ and Mrs. Tiernan. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: does not like to be called Mrs. Tierham. Anyway, she's like, judge it's Tommy Roach on the phone. And you know, and so anyway, my wife is like, I notice you don't say any shit to him about calling you Tommy. I'm like, ⁓ you know, you're right. But it's one of those things, you know, it's heartfelt from him. And I remember when I first ran into it, he says this story different than me. ⁓ fundraiser, you know, you're at the thing. And I saw him, you know, and I can't avoid him. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: But I you know, went up to him and I just said, Hey, I wanna say thank you. You know. You Always cared about me, you know I mean, and ⁓ he truly did, and the rest of our community too. You know, I mean there's people straight up disagree with him, but he cares about you. ⁓ the end result is what he's you know, he wants a better community. And he he's you know, we talked about it all the time. He's like, Yeah, I didn't think you'd ever make it back, you know what I mean? And ⁓ you know, even our local district attorney was, you know, his name was John Pointer, was you know, we had disagreements, but he was like, I get you up totally. You know, because I was deceptive in my ch you know, like I was not ⁓ you know a c contributor to society, but I wanted to be a part of the community. And the part of it that when you come back and people are willing to give you a chance is big, you know I mean that saves you. And then you know you build on it and everything. And also I do feel though, you know i is the caring of the people. You know, I mean, they truly want you to do well. And Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Like if you think about it, if your neighbor is struggling and is not doing well and is not a constructive part of society and you're letting them struggle and you're letting them what's that say about you? Thomas Roach: Right. That's it. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): And and why Why would you complain about your neighbor instead of just looking over the fence to say, hey, is there anything I can do? You know, like to to to to bring a little clarity to our relationship, I just met Thomas, but I saw that there was a grassroots candidate that that you're you're up against some dudes with some dough. Thomas Roach: Yeah, yeah. It's yeah. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): And my instinct my instinct was to reach out to you and say, Thomas, I see that you're running for office. Like come talk to me. Come share with me p some of your ideas because I know that it would help you. Thomas Roach: Yeah. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): And Europe against one dude that has one point five million dollars and another one that has one point six million dollars. Thomas Roach: Right, and I think ⁓ you'll see in reporting, I'll guarantee you Eric spent like three point two of his own money. And then you look at what ⁓ his other dudes have given him, that's like five point six million he's gonna spend on this campaign. Is what I that's my guess. I told you I throw out numbers, but and Thompson's probably right at like right at two million dollars. You know what I mean? They're a little more efficient, but Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: You know Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Well, he's been he's been Thompson's been in office for what, fifteen years now? Thomas Roach: No, no, way longer. Twenty-seven, I think. I gotta open this gate for my dog real quick. Let me skip back. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): ⁓ Jesus, yeah. Okay. Thomas Roach: Caramelito? Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): But yeah, Thomas is going up against the up and comer. We talked about ⁓ Thomas Roach: Yeah, I'm not sure exactly when he got in. But Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah, so we're Thomas Roach: I think it's like twenty seven years or something like that. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): And so he's, you know, the a lot of the the grassroots candidates that come on this channel, we we get to talk about their experiences running and everything. And they talk about how if you're an established candidate, an incumbent, all these things, the road for you is way easier. Than if you're a Thomas type, you're a grassroots candidate. You don't have how many millionaires do you have in your back pocket? Thomas Roach: Yeah. ⁓ totally, totally. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Probably none. And you're going up against these these guys that are well funded, so Thomas Roach: Well, it's in you know in saying that though. I've had incredible support and guidance. But there's the same thing I told you earlier. I am different in my house than I am in in public. You know, I mean, like ⁓ exactly. You know, there's a duality to it, the multiple ⁓ personality thing that's all real shit. But when it comes down to the final core of who we are. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah, everyone is. Everyone is. ⁓ huh. Thomas Roach: Similar to my Adi Ashante buddy. his little hippie ass showed up at San Quentin. ⁓ God bless him though. You know, I mean he we went in there, it's a shitty ass place and to help people, and he helped me. And when we look at that in the core, so Calusa has ⁓ a high wealth aspect to it. You know, you have people that have ⁓ you know I not you know, they're not super billionaire type thing, but let's just say, you know, in the tens of millions, ⁓ you know, and they work hard and everything you know, I mean, like it's not some gift, but so when you look at contributions, when I first started my you know, like I'm gonna do this, everybody said, Well you have to raise this much money by this time. I was like, No you don't. We're just trying to find an idea here. So I've had These people, you know, and ⁓ it's not like I super hang out with them, but I know them, so I white up to ⁓ hey, this is what I'm doing. But let's just give it a a broad thing. So let's say someone I think they have six thousand acres of almonds, ⁓ almonds for the rest of the world. ⁓ Fourteen years ago they were making millions off of that. So they have cash and you know, but times are tough with farming right now. ⁓ you look at ⁓ grapes is a perfect thing ⁓ for you, the Sonoma Napa people. ⁓ you know, but the idea and what I was talking about of s of of having the foundation be our middle class and really it's not the middle class, it's focus on family. Focus on community that encompasses what is good for the country. ⁓ that resonates. And people that I you know, and I I'm not their accountant. I don't know how much money they have, but they got a shitload of money and you know, they would be considered super wealthy, they agree. And that's the thing. They don't want to be known for their money. And they give money. ⁓ and I do want to give a little shout out to ⁓ James Gallagher out of ⁓ He's running in district one, you know, he's a good ass dude. And you know, going back to Eric Jones, he's a good ass dude. ⁓ you know I mean there's th th they're they're s they're putting their neck out and nothing against Mike Thompson, but it is time to pass the baton. Plain and simple. We should have term limits. That's another thing. God damn, we need to bring up. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Come live by the rules. Come live by the rules that you set. That's how I see it. It's I think it's I I don't think it's it's I don't think it's a good idea to have career politicians that are making rules. Well, they make money by passing the rules that someone else wrote, and then you're you're you're ⁓ you're protected from the rules that you've made because you're in the cool kids club getting paid from all the people that are shuffling money back and forth. I think it would be helpful to give folks you get to run a handful of times, two, three times. You get to office for however many years, and then you get to come and you get to you get to live by you get to live in the environment. Thomas Roach: No, I agree a hundred percent. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Of rules that you created. That way you can see if your dumbass rules have actually helped or hurt. Thomas Roach: Right. Well you know That's the thing. I look at So like I was talking about earlier, the villainization of certain groups or whatever, that whole deal. So there is a ⁓ of ⁓ you know, ⁓ a structure that people use to define, you know, the villain. And if you flip that around on yourself, all of a sudden now there's this, you know, ⁓ I got a coupon for that or whatever. You know, same thing with the people that are in charge. If you're gonna make rules you have to live by And the whole the Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Uhhuh. Thomas Roach: The trading thing's the craziest shit ever. The no term limits is the craziest shit ever. It's the craziest shit ever. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Anywhere. Anywhere from the from the Supreme Court on down. Thomas Roach: It's craziest shit ever. You know, and that the whole what is good for thee but not for thou, I don't know the fucking quote. But you what mean? Like, that's the epitome of it. And I, you know, and so, you know, going back to the people that are running for office and doing it, you know, I have a respect for ⁓ but I, you know, I go to other people's events just to hear them and, you know, I want to meet them and want to tell them, look, it I'm supporting if you if you're trying to do what I'm trying to do, dude, I you got my vote. You know what I mean? I'm not Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: I'm not trying to tackle anybody. ⁓ so especially, you know, I see some of the ads that are running against Eric Jones. That is some piece of shit moves, whoever does that. And I'm not saying, but ⁓ calorie dense person needs to be punched in the face. 100%. If if that's what you think is your contribution, something, I don't know. Now we're going to love the bully, so fuck now I need to pray for the person and be nice to them. Something's up though. But to to treat another guy that ⁓ another person that way because you're running against them? Have you s have you seen those ads? Like you know, they show ⁓ he's like, ⁓ he fucking helped predators, sexual predators. You know what I mean? Like I don't know why you would ever do that. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): I haven't seen those. Yeah. That's very strange. Thomas Roach: You know, that that that type of ad campaign so if you're gonna have a rule, you know, and then you're like, ⁓ I think we should all be nice and work together. What the fuck was that thing then? Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): You just got done shitting all over me. Thomas Roach: You just got done saying this dude like baby rapes, you know, the worst things you could say about someone. And I gotta say though, ⁓ I hate to be, you know, appreciative meanness, but they have him with like this wine glass last, you know, he's like, ha ha ha. You know, the the perfect it's like they put white privilege and I you know, I don't know w truly, you know, Eric Jones' ethnicity, but ⁓ it's like they painted him with that one thing of Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. He's just a normal American dude from Maine. He's a nice guy. Thomas Roach: Yeah. ⁓ it's crazy. But you know, that's the part that I don't like about where we are of that this guy's a do or die guy or whatever, you know. And I don't know. I feel for everybody. I think I can't. Are we s can you turn my volume up? I can't hear you all of a sudden. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. No, you're good. I can hear you just fine. Can you hear me okay? Thomas Roach: I can't hear you at all. Did I mute you or something? ⁓ I may have touched something, but ⁓ I can't really I can't hear you at all. ⁓ hold on. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): All right, let me see if I can How about now? Test, test. Testing, testing. Thomas Roach: ⁓ we're in business. Yeah, I don't know why that happened. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Are we there? Thomas Roach: Almost want to say it's something in my ear. No, I could hear you beautifully now. But you know, the whole thing of ⁓ you know, this is how we should operate and then we don't operate that way, I think is the part that people are having trouble with politics. I'll give you you know, I think people f never felt part of it. That's where Trump came in and, you know, he brought people in, you know. I worked with ⁓ God, I love that shit. 'Cause I do, you know, at work we talk shit. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): All right, cool. Thomas Roach: And this guy's like, Hillary Clinton Clinton was the worst Secretary of State ever. You know, and he said it with conviction. Like he I think he slammed something down when he said it. I was like, fucking name two others. Silence. I was like, anybody in this whole room, name a secretary of state. And this one cat, I knew he wanted to say it, but he you know, now you could see, man, if you bring up a secretary of state, you're almost ⁓ you know, on the wrong side. Not, you know Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: that they don't want to be on my side, but you know, we'd rather just laugh at Roach for a second, you know. Only nerds know that. And finally dude said he goes, Madeline Albright, and you know, and I was like, yeah, famous. Condoleezza Riley. You I mean, but I enjoyed reading. I know I grew up with Gavin Newsom and Kamala Harris, dude. I read the San Francisco Chronicle. You know, I mean I think I'm older in the butt dude, both were rock stars. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Mm-hmm. Colin Powell. There's a lot of them. Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: I mean, don't care what anybody says. You want to talk all your shit about ⁓ fucking she did this, he did this. But I do Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Why don't why don't people like Gavin Newsom? Thomas Roach: I God, I could easily say that somebody both of ⁓ something happened. They're not the same that they were. They say things that I know it's fucking right. I don't know how it happened, but they drank the Kool-Aid. Especially Kamali, dude, I expected her to really excel as vice president, like be in front, almost like people would say, Hey, hey, tone your shit down. I never saw her. You know what I mean? She she and Gavin Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Is that right? Yeah, I know. She was Thomas Roach: were rock stars growing up. I mean, come on, man. They were rock stars in that San Francisco scene. And ⁓ and then something happens to so then we could go to that. Why do we spend more money than we have every year? Why? Nobody agrees into that shit. But every year we do it. So what happened? Where where where does that w what happened? Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. And We kept spend we keep spending money and and like I said earlier, like it never really reaches the problem. Thomas Roach: That's Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): And that and the heartbreaking thing is, you know, we have I I think California's approach to things, I think makes a lot of sense. That I I live in California because I choose to live in California. I've lived everywhere. I've lived everywhere. But I choose to live here because it's beautiful and because the people are wonderful and all the all the wonderful things that you hear about California. But the thing is Thomas Roach: Yeah, I like it here. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): When you get into California politics, well politics in general, and you see that they're taking a lot of money and things aren't the things that we want to get better aren't being addressed. Thomas Roach: No, never. Never. It's what's the thing? SBCA, United Way, all those things. When we audit those people, fucking two percent is you know, they buy some shoes for three people and they're flying like private jets everywhere. So I that there there's the problem though. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Or or making social media posts, you know, like Thomas Roach: But what do we do about that because my first initial emotional response We need to remove those people. And I mean in a not pleasant way. You know, I mean they need to be gone. And I think then that, you know, because when I was actually when I was locked up, I wrote a little paper about removing people such as myself from society, you know, because death row was still there. They were thinking about, you know, often people. So that has to be brought up in some sense. How do we remove the the con the continuous non-contributor? The one that detracts. Like, you know, they talk about fraud, you know, they they whatever. I'm not, I'm happy for the guy, Shirley or whatever, Matt Shirley or whatever, you the guy goes, There's supposed to be a kindergarten with 7,000 kids here, and there's not. Hey, I'm down with you. You know what I mean? Fucking do your gig. But the sad thing is, in order to operate a normal doctor's office, commits fraud. You know, they you come in there and you're like, hey, my ear hurts. Okay, we're gonna send you to these three people. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: 'Cause that's the way they build a system. So we have a a a a it's not a c absolute corruption, but there's a corrupting element to everything we do. And if ⁓ if we're willing to accept it, you know what I mean? Like like, you know, if if welfare fraud stays under seven percent, fuck, I don't care. You know I mean, I'm not gonna go spend eighty percent to catch seven percent. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Well, see, when it comes to when it comes to fraud, ⁓ R I if you look at technology, th Thomas, when's the last time you were able to write a check fifty cents over the balance that you had in your bank account? They don't let you do it. They don't let you do it, right? So with with yeah. So we have the technology to keep you from writing bad checks and keep you like to so you can track your finances and stuff. But when it comes to the most important financial expenditure, the government. Thomas Roach: Yeah, I don't you know, now no. They fucking know even if I think about it. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): we don't have the checks and balances. We don't have we don't have a way to make sure that the money goes from my pocket to the government to actually like fixing schools to actually fixing ho ⁓ homelessness to actually supporting the people to make the people successful. And that's I call bullshit when Thomas Roach: Dead right. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): When it comes to us breaking the rules, they have the cameras and they have police and they have all the things. But when it comes to politicians breaking the rules and they're not doing their work, last year they worked, what was it, a hundred and forty seven days. The House of Representatives works a hundred and forty seven days. When's the last time, Thomas, that you went to work at a construction company and you only worked 147 days and they kept you around? Thomas Roach: Yeah. Right. Yeah. ⁓ our calorie dense ⁓ theory. Yeah. No, and getting and ⁓ as as my days off I was getting paid to like say nice things. You know what I mean? Like but yeah, so the density of what you're saying is absolutely true. ⁓ like I said, you know, Elon's over here catching rockets and ⁓ firing ninety percent of his people. You know what I mean? So yeah, you're right. It's it's the the whole thing's available. Why don't we put one of those flock cameras on our Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): And you had your money in the cookie jar. And you had you know? Yeah. He's a moron. He's a moron. He's so dumb. Thomas Roach: you know, ⁓ Pentagon guys. You know what I mean? Like you could read my goddamn license plate. So you're absolutely right. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Everyone everyone in government gets a bank card and we get to track what the hell you're spending it on. Thomas Roach: Well we just know. ⁓ so there's two things. ⁓ Cambridge Analytica. Remember when they ⁓ laced up with ⁓ Facebook? They're stealing all the yeah, you know. So the guy that wrote the or drew the maps, look at I'm not this I I admire these people that get down, you know, they're doing it. But somehow he has 60 data points on every household in California, you know, and he sells that software. And the same thing what you just said. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: so now that we know that, what are we doing? Where you know, so let's just stop and there's the thing. And you know, I how do we handle the people that are just looking at us like they're like me when Mrs. Heliker would come up to me and they're like, Okay, Thomas, just waiting for I to quit talking. Okay. They they will outweight us. And ⁓ I th I think of ⁓ the Israelis, you know, when they lit up all those people that ⁓ I don't even know what the group was, but they gave them all pagers, like what did they give them for Christmas? You know what I'm saying? Remember that? Come on, man. If if that's available to us, we could this is where we get crazy with the whole thing. And this is what they hope that we'll quit talking about what you just brought up. Because I was just gonna say, look at the Ukrainians and their drones. Now people hire Ukrainians to fucking build drones. You know what I mean? Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): ⁓ yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. And they even have drones that go underwater. That's which is pretty cool. But like they're doing that because they have to defend themselves because people don't know how to keep their hands to themselves. Thomas Roach: Crazy. For sure. And now we've already quit talking about how our fucking homeless money just lines somebody's pockets. So that's the thing though. You know what I mean? We just fucking skipped it. You know, 'cause it's fun though. And that's that's so going back to the paper I wrote when I was locked up, I said if you've if you've committed three felonies on the next one they they should ki you know, remove us, kill us. You know what I mean? Let's let's put the machine you know, you got this fucking death penalty machine over here, you know. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. That's a great Thomas Roach: Cost millions. ⁓ let's put it to work. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): That would suck to get killed for stealing three cars though. But Thomas Roach: Yeah, fuck it, you know. Yeah. Yeah. Hey, so this play that I'm writing about our local thing, one of it is, you know, ⁓ what does a couple mean to you? So my friend we're talking about and he says, Yeah, you know, I stole a couple cars when I was a kid, you know, 'cause his kid just got wrapped up with these other kids, you know, 'cause his kid was like, Whoa I I didn't know a stolen. Shut the fuck up, you know what I mean? ⁓ and so the the thing was is like I was like, dude, your your your thing looked like Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. It wasn't yours. Thomas Roach: Your backyard look like Carmax. You know, I mean like yeah, like fifteen cars back there. You know, what's a couple? So well, you know. So that's the thing. Where where do we draw the line? So ⁓ hey, I met the requirement for that. I would have been, you know, off t as well, you know, get rid of roach. And you know, people are like, ⁓ they're ⁓ you know, but look at what you're doing now. Right, but we you know, there'll be another one of me. Don't worry about that part. Let's for sure get rid of the bad part. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Mm-hmm. Ha ha ha. ⁓ Right, but I think ⁓ I think given the right support and having the right scaffolding for people, it would it would fix a lot of that. Cause I'm not I'm not I have family members that have been in and out of prison. So your story is on i is not Thomas Roach: Yep, for sure. I agree. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): new to me. So I have because I've been exposed to folks with that don't always make good decisions, nobody does. It's just the severity of the bad decision making process. But you have learned things that I would rather listen to and learn from you than have to go through it myself. Thomas Roach: Yeah. Right. Right. I agree. But that's like going back to our ⁓ Ukrainian drone guy. You know, how do you wanna learn to get good at making shit and making good decisions? You know, he lost all his family. You know, he saw his city being blown up, you know? And they're like the you know, adversity breeds the desire to succeed type thing. And Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): You know? Right. Right. And I think but I think well supported communities would help alleviate some of that and and kids kids having something constructive to do, you know. ⁓ what's the saying? ⁓ idle hands are the devil's workshop or something like that. Right. Thomas Roach: I I'm it. Yeah. Right. Yeah, exactly. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): If we're teaching kids how to build things, how to lay concrete, if we're teaching them how to read properly, if we're teaching them if we're constantly teaching them how to we're g we're helping them develop the tools that it takes to make good decisions. Thomas Roach: Absolutely. Yes. I agree. Well, I'll tell you, there's a perfect example. San Quentin's old as sh you know, hella old, they'll just say. I mean, way old. God almighty, what a shithole. ⁓ it's funny, the company I work for, we just built a school there ⁓ at the old furniture place. They have a whole you know, they're doing it, you know, it's coming around. The ideas catch on. But, you know, so it's bars, you know, old school. ⁓ and at night, you listen to everybody. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): You know? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: And this is the thing. People don't have family and they don't have education. And it's sad. It's super sad to hear. The that, you know, and you gotta click up when you get there. You know, I mean it's not if you're white, you're just running with the whites type deal. And then there's substructures of those two. But you know, I didn't know anybody. I didn't you know, my county has nobody there. You know, it was as a a alone type of moment. ⁓ you know, and you y you realize this is what I brought upon myself. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Thomas Roach: And so it wasn't ⁓ you know, I think I learned valuable lessons. It you know, they could've given me less time. I talk tearing it about all the time. But ⁓ you know, I could have learned the same lesson in three months, I think. But ⁓ that point of they don't have education and th they you know, the sad part, they don't feel loved. You know, it's it's and there's ⁓ a time, you know, at night they call it, you know, the shutdown or whatever. And ⁓ Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Ha ha ha. Yeah. Thomas Roach: you know, each group it's usually divided by race, I'm gonna say, you know, there's like four groups of each. Anyway, say good night. Yeah. I think it works like a champ. I'm not I'm not you don't have to force on people, but to initially say you're in charge of your people, we're in charge of our people, it works. But I'll guarantee you the most problems I had was with white people. I never had a problem with a black guy, ⁓ Mex ⁓ Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Mm-hmm. That's just a easy line to draw. ⁓ yeah. Thomas Roach: I had a neighbor 'cause my get down was if the yard jumped off I'd just punch a black guy, you know, 'cause you had to look good. And, you know, I mean, there was nothing you know, i it never was my problem. But, you know, all of sudden it's like going. And if you're not doing something, it's worse. You know, every all the white people, yo, y you didn't like get down or whatever. And so my neighbor I walk to breakfast every morning with this guy. C Fo and I always thought he was C four for like the explosive. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Right, right, right. Thomas Roach: And ⁓ you know, I felt bad. I told him I was sorry. But he he's like, I can't believe you hit me you know. I was like, Bro, you know, I don't know what to do, dude. I'm alone here, I gotta do my thing. But that was my get down to you know, I mean that a and that makes it easier. You know, I mean, ⁓ you know, i there is a black and white to it. And when it comes down to it, you know, if you're gonna handle your own problems, it is easier. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Ha ha. Thomas Roach: You know? And that kinda goes back to your community thing. You need the people, you know, that know you or accept you unconditionally. You know. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. You hinted at it. You hinted at it earlier when you were a kid. There was teachers and and people in the community that would say, Hey Thomas, stop. Thomas Roach: Yes. A hundred percent. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Doing that or stop doing that, you know? Thomas Roach: ⁓ yeah. And they're always ladies. The dudes were cool, but I'm just saying I ⁓ Mrs. Regier was one I won Citizen of the Month once. And dude I w yeah, but I we had these partitions, you know, it separated our classrooms in order to get out at the end of the day you had to hand in something. I fucking just bolted through the other I was like, Whatever. And I'll never forget, you know, Mrs. Regier, she was like, You know you don't deserve this. I was like, Yeah, but none of them know it. You know, I mean I'm about ready to go on stage right now. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Nice. Thomas Roach: You know, and she reminded me of that all the time. She goes, You that's what you said to me. I was like, I know, I'm the one that said it. You know, I mean like I was kind of a dick to her, but later on I did thank her. I was like, you know, you never let me get away with it. And that, you know, it meant a lot. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Since you've been since you've been to San Quentin and and I I'm sure I don't know if you've ever visited Alcatraz. What is it about California that they pick some of the most gorgeous terrain to put a prison on? Thomas Roach: You know, it's crazy. Well, I think early because I mean that shit was abundant when they built those places, whatever, eighteen forty eight. So yeah, yeah. ⁓ so there you there you go. It's perfect example if I was in charge of California, fucking gonzo with I mean, come on, San Clinton's like the most you got Timoron or whatever. You know I mean. Hey, I'll tell you too, ⁓ No, it's insane. Right, but back in the day that shit was abundant. You think if you're ⁓ a Spanish cat coming in the bay, you're like, holy shit, bro. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's a gorgeous area, but then there's like this huge like Thomas Roach: You could feed some cattle here. You know what I mean? There's grass. You know. ⁓ I get that part of it. But yeah, someone's got to come to their wisdom on ⁓ San Quentin for sure. Plus it's a piece of shit. That that and that's another thing. So they just spent whatever, twelve billion there to build new shit, you know, schools. Come on, man. Move that shit to ⁓ low die or whatever. ⁓ not to pick on low die fight. I'm just saying. Fucking yeah, it's right on the bay. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Ha ha. So for folks that don't know, Lodi is more inland. It's it's a little more deserty. A little more deserty. Yeah. Thomas Roach: Hella inland. They grow a lot of grapes, so Yeah, I mean it there are plenty. In fact everybody that ⁓ you know is a farm kid from here Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): And San Quentin is like literally on the ocean. It's it's on the bay. It's got a gorgeous view of the city. Thomas Roach: Yeah, it's on the bay, but I mean, yeah. Andre Agassi owns a house next to you. So one of my kind of jokes at Christmas because you know, whatever. And my family was supportive of me, but they, you know, strongly disappointed. ⁓ my mom wrote a great letter about, you know, there comes a time when, you know, we have to not care. You know what I mean? We care about you. We don't give a shit about what you're doing though. You know what I mean? Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: And so, you know, like writing ⁓ at h you know, writing home during Christmas, stuff like that, it's tough. I feel for you know, I mean i I'm the one that did it, so I know, you know, why I'm removed. But I did write one year that I was still in living in a gated community in the Bay Area. And it's you know, it's one of those things. It's like Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Sure. That's outstanding. I'm still living in this gated community on the bay. That's outstanding. Thomas Roach: Yeah, you know, I mean it works. Yeah. And it's we you know, that's another thing. So I had a guy show up too from Calusa and he you know, he's like two years older than me. And I used to go to all the classes to get out of my cell and stuff. You know what I mean? You go to you know and if you're not mandated to go to a class, there's fucking huge logic coming from what people are trying to help you. That's how I met that guy, Ady Ashante. I was going to a parenting class and ⁓ this lady's like, Hey, you should come hear this guy speak And whatever, you know, y ⁓ Ego's a weird thing. I went in there with a bad attitude, you know, but I went because I wanted to kiss ass to this lady, so y you know, she'd get me something later in life or something, I guess, you know, but but he set me straight so instantly that I was like, Whoa, you are onto something you know, my whole thing was like, What's this whole emptiness you fucking Buddhist hippies talk about? You know, and he's like, ⁓ it's simple. Shut the fuck up you know, he didn't say it that way. But that's he's like, Quit telling your story. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Ha ha. Thomas Roach: He's got me. I wanted to punch him, that's how serious it was. But I used to go to those classes to get out of my thing. So anger management was one of the best ones ever, you know, 'cause I had a cellmate that was just he's mandated to go. You know, he's just, I'm gonna kill everybody here. And I'm like, bro, we just learned about this. But this I show up at this parenting class and there's a guy from Calusa there. ⁓ he ran with the the paisas or whatever, you know, just regular Mexican Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: ⁓ no gang affiliation and he looks over at me and I was like ⁓ fuck I'm like hey what's up bud you know and dude like starts on a speech about he's like I just want to say this guy should not be here he is you know and I'm just like hey I'm running a way harder story than what you're gonna fucking say right now but and I couldn't believe it. You know I was scared you know that I was found out but that also allowed me to be accepting of that. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Ha ha ha. Yeah. Thomas Roach: You was like, holy shit, he's right though. I shouldn't be here. I'm the fucking I'm the worst piece of shit. You know, I don't have a harmed story, you know, I mean, I am my problem. You know. My dad didn't smoke cigarettes and yell at me. You know, I mean, and I hate to you know, be mean to smokers. But you know, I did associate that with a rough parent, you know. Come on, god damn it, you know. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Ha ha ha. That story that story's told a a bunch of different ways where dad was out getting his ass whipped by society and he's a smoker and he comes home and he's not feeling cheery. Yeah. Thomas Roach: Yeah. Yeah. The double job. Yeah. Yeah, exactly. And that's you know, 'cause I kinda laid that out there when I was there, you know, like, ⁓ yeah, it was fucking tough. I think at Dave Chappelle when he said he was hanging with whoever, you know, like Nas or whoever. They're like, ⁓ yeah, we grew up in the projects And, you know, he didn't grow up in the projects. And I didn't I you know, I grew up in a you know, great time, great area, great parents, great you know, I mean, I used to complain that I had to pick walnuts, you know what mean, like you know Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: Other people didn't have walnut trees type deal. You know, it's one of those things. And you but like I said, this guy is he is a good ass dude though, you know what I mean? Just a g you know, he meant well. But he was just dumbfounded to see me there. ⁓ it's crazy. ⁓ Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): We've been going for two hours. I know you have graduation things to get to. All right, cool. I just wanted to check in. ⁓ 'cause earlier you said that y the graduation and you got family over and all kinds of stuff. Thomas Roach: I know, I can't believe it. Yeah, I do have to get going. Yeah, thank you very much for starting me early too. That fucking ⁓ super saving 'cause I do have ⁓ my wife's very understanding, bro. But it's funny. So I was I was doing my thing. Yo, yeah. Well believe me, you'll hear about it when you meet, 'cause ⁓ I said you know, I said, Hey, he switched the date, I gotta do this, you know, and ⁓ and then I was gonna do ⁓ cat five wire, you know, 'cause I was gonna be outside. I'm just trying to be away 'cause, you know, we're clean and stuff. Well Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Thank her. Thank her for letting me borrow you for a couple hours. Thomas Roach: ⁓ apparently ⁓ these newer models don't take cat fives. I'm like, holy shit So I had to make sure the router's by the window and anyway she goes, What's the deal with the pressure washer out? What I thought you said you were done with that. I'm like, No shit, I'm done with it. Fucking scrambling to do this, you know, you think I'm gonna leave it out in the party, like right in the middle of the backyard? And she's like, I know, move it. I'm like, I will, you know. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Thomas Roach: ⁓ and then my daughter has two of her friends here that are just hardcore. You know, we've grown up with these girls our whole lives. So they don't take shit for you know, I'm deeply outvoted. It's women against men, yeah. I'm one against five here. But they love it. Yeah. ⁓ my thing when they were kids, I used to say, Hey, don't be dumb. You know, they'd come in crying. I'm like, You want some don't be dumb. And so that is now full circle, that's all they say to me all the time. You know, 'cause I'm like, God, what happened to this? Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Is three to one. Or no, a couple is four to one. Yeah. That's outstanding. Thomas Roach: I don't know, don't be dumb, you know. But going back to it, Carlos, I do appreciate what you're doing, you know, like we were talking about subsidization subsidization. You are contributing to what you want to see in the world and it's appreciated. You know. I wish ⁓ you know, I would have answered you sooner. You know, I mean I would and I'd love to come on again, you know, let's talk about something else. So you know, but I it is appreciated. You are ⁓ you know, a true contributor. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Exactly. And ⁓ yeah, definitely. Definitely. Thomas Roach: And ⁓ I look forward to the edited version, dude, 'cause it's ⁓ Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): ⁓ it's not edited. I'm I'm gonna I'll do a yeah, yeah, yeah. I do a I do a recorded intro that explains who you are and then I just let it ride out. You know, it's I I want I want people I want people to meet the real person, not just a talking head that's gonna talk shit for five minutes. I want them to see that Thomas Roach comes from Thomas Roach: Straight up on this. Yeah. I think that's beautiful then. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. And condense it. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Calusa and he's got real people problems and he's leveraging that to tell the world and to and to help. Thomas Roach: Yeah. That no, that is my experience, you know, 'cause I've had that people are like, Well, what experience you have? Fucking I'm here. Yeah, that my experience what are you fucking downplaying my experience? And I you know, I do believe that you have to consult people that are better than you at certain things. You know what I mean? I don't give I don't catch rockets, you know what I mean? But I'll go out there, I'll try to catch one. You know what I mean? So it is appreciated. Fuck yeah. I mean, I love shit like that. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Boy, do I have experience. Yeah. One hundred percent. Yeah. I'll talk to people who catch rockets, that's no problem. Thomas Roach: And we do have a better generation coming, I think. You know, I'm the guy I want to go to Congress and be the guy that chops the weeds on the side of the trail and let's you know, we're gonna blaze it. But the people paving it are behind us and they're smarter than us, they're harder workers and they're better understanding. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): One hundred percent. Yeah. Yeah. And they're and they're and they're just proof. They're proof that if you invest in in them and you invest in the education, they're going to leverage it to make the world a better place. It's it's no harder than that. It's been proven over and over and over again. Thomas Roach: Yeah. ⁓ my god. That's so true. It is. No. Exactly. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Go to the rich schools, go to the rich neighborhoods and look take a look at their schools and tell me that investing in education doesn't make everything better. Thomas Roach: No, exactly. That's the truth. Well, I look forward to speaking to you again. Thank you very much. I appreciate it. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): You know. Same here, Thomas. ⁓ take a couple take a couple minutes and let people know where they can find you online if they want to follow up with your campaign, where they can find you and and your final pitch. Thomas Roach: Yes. Okay, well, you know, I wish to be represented ⁓ you know, as myself and I think that in itself represents, you know, a lot of us in our district. I wish I would have shortened my name on my Instagram page, but it is Tax Less More Austerity. I mean it's almost like a Greek last name. I could have just called it like TRP or something. My daughter pointed that out to me. But I had felt that we could have, you know, a true grassroots ⁓ you know, ⁓ movement. And I think that it is felt across the United States that we have to take care of ourselves in the same way that we ⁓ treat our family, treat our community. So I've benefited from that. I wish it to be promoted. ⁓ I know it works. So I wish the best for everybody. I think you have to support and whoever does win this election, let's support that person and express our ideas to it. Let's Let's be done with the the the fighting or whatever you want to call it. Let's be pleasant. Let's be ⁓ purposeful. So thank you very much, Carlos. Thank you. I do appreciate it. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): You're so welcome. ⁓ and again, thank you for for showing that normal people Can stand up and say we can do this better. Thomas Roach: Yeah. The next one's gonna be, you know, I I like to be weird though, but I the next the next person's gonna be not a politician. Guarantee it. You know I mean, we're done with that shit. ⁓ I do support Eric Jones in his endeavors. I think, you know, he's he stepped out there. I don't appreciate, you know, what attack adds and all that. You know, I mean ⁓ y you know, let the guy do his thing. He's doing it. And same thing with, you know, another person from our area, James Gallagher. That that guy's contributing. So support people that contribute. Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Yeah. Yeah. Thomas Roach: Let's not be detractors. But vote for Roach. Fucking don't you have to talk about either one of those guys? But thank you very much. I do appreciate it. You know, we are going to make this a better place. It's our job. And it's something that I value as a responsibility. You know, so thank you very much. Right on. Appreciate it. How do we hang up on each other? Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): I love it. Thank you. And with that everybody, I'll hang up while I'll hang up right now. Hang on. And with that everybody, we're out. Thomas Roach: ⁓ right on. Thank you very much. ⁓ Carlos Gomez (Coconut Justice): Thank you.