Stacey Abrams

Can you talk a little bit more about state and local public health preparedness? Because that's one of the issues we try to focus on here on Assembly Required. We have a lot of attention... that necessarily needs to be turned towards the federal government. But often the real levers of power, and particularly the accessible levers of power for our listeners, happen at the state and local level.

Can you talk a little bit more about state and local public health preparedness? Because that's one of the issues we try to focus on here on Assembly Required. We have a lot of attention... that necessarily needs to be turned towards the federal government. But often the real levers of power, and particularly the accessible levers of power for our listeners, happen at the state and local level.

So can you talk a little bit more about how state and local public health works and how public health preparedness works at that level?

So can you talk a little bit more about how state and local public health works and how public health preparedness works at that level?

Can you think of an example or a time when citizens or local citizens sort of raised the alarm and had an effect at the local or state level? Because sometimes it can feel like industry is too big and the problem is too big. We can't do anything about it. You've spent a lot of time advising local and national policymakers. When have you seen citizens actually take what you use and have an effect?

Can you think of an example or a time when citizens or local citizens sort of raised the alarm and had an effect at the local or state level? Because sometimes it can feel like industry is too big and the problem is too big. We can't do anything about it. You've spent a lot of time advising local and national policymakers. When have you seen citizens actually take what you use and have an effect?

Well, let's stay there for a second because, you know, I talked about the allergy to science among policymakers. But there's a second strain that seems to have affected segments of the general public. And, you know, Project 2025 and its acolytes, they tend to harp on the uncertainty of COVID and the changes we adapted to. And as you described,

Well, let's stay there for a second because, you know, I talked about the allergy to science among policymakers. But there's a second strain that seems to have affected segments of the general public. And, you know, Project 2025 and its acolytes, they tend to harp on the uncertainty of COVID and the changes we adapted to. And as you described,

the uneven and sort of patchwork response, which seemed to prove that nothing was true, therefore nothing would ever be true. You know, there was the, you know, first we all wiped down every surface, and then we realized wiping down every surface wasn't necessary. And opponents of science hold this up as proof that the public should turn against the scientist.

the uneven and sort of patchwork response, which seemed to prove that nothing was true, therefore nothing would ever be true. You know, there was the, you know, first we all wiped down every surface, and then we realized wiping down every surface wasn't necessary. And opponents of science hold this up as proof that the public should turn against the scientist.

How do you respond to people who might be convinced that no one is right without invalidating how difficult that time was?

How do you respond to people who might be convinced that no one is right without invalidating how difficult that time was?

So basically, I'm going to translate this into television. We need to be more like Dr. House than we are like Law & Order.

So basically, I'm going to translate this into television. We need to be more like Dr. House than we are like Law & Order.

So as a practical matter, as a practical translation, if I'm having a conversation over the holidays with someone who tells me, well, we didn't get it right in COVID and that's why I'm not paying attention to H5N1. That's why it doesn't matter who's in charge. What's the pithy response that we want listeners to be able to give?

So as a practical matter, as a practical translation, if I'm having a conversation over the holidays with someone who tells me, well, we didn't get it right in COVID and that's why I'm not paying attention to H5N1. That's why it doesn't matter who's in charge. What's the pithy response that we want listeners to be able to give?

Or at least how do they start a conversation in a way that reminds us all of our high school bio classes?

Or at least how do they start a conversation in a way that reminds us all of our high school bio classes?

So part of the genius of Project 2025 and the effectiveness of the Trump administration approach is that by targeting everything, our attention has nowhere to focus and it's nearly impossible to concentrate. And that is especially true in this assault on health. Because HHS is such a mammoth agency with so many responsibilities.

So part of the genius of Project 2025 and the effectiveness of the Trump administration approach is that by targeting everything, our attention has nowhere to focus and it's nearly impossible to concentrate. And that is especially true in this assault on health. Because HHS is such a mammoth agency with so many responsibilities.