Rare News Desk
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Videos by Rare
Kurt Wallace: Here is Governor Jesse Ventura, host of Off the Grid on OraTV. Governor Ventura, thanks for being with us today on Rare.
Jesse Ventura: It’s great to be here.
Kurt Wallace: What is Off the Grid?
Jesse Ventura: Well, Off the Grid – by definition – just simply means you live where you’re not dependent upon any government services, per se. I’ve been living off the grid now in the winters. I don’t like Minnesota winters – I never have. I was a competitive swimmer in high school, so I spent winters in a swimming pool. So for 8 years I’ve lived off the grid, and what it simply means is that you don’t require the government to provide you with much. You’re self-sustainable – I get all my electricity via solar. I take care of all my daily needs without the need of the government or any services from them. I provide them myself, including the power. Now, initially it’s a bit “spendy” because you have to make the initial investment to do so. But in the long run, you don’t have electric bills ever again, which is nice. You don’t face – if the grid goes down, you’re going to lose your power in the storm or anything like that because you’re separate and you have your own. So you’re not dependent upon a grid for your power at all. That’s truly what the definition, I think, of Off the Grid is. And it means you’re very rural because, let’s face it, to get off the grid and to get where electricity isn’t provided, you kind of have to search for it at times.
Kurt Wallace: So, what is the show about, Off the Grid?
Jesse Ventura: Well, the show is about my concept now of the United States. I view the United States to be very much, in the last decade or so – really since 9/11 happened – we’re under siege. Our Constitution and Bill of Rights and our freedoms are being taken away from us. I kind of view the United States to be much like, when I was younger, I viewed East Berlin. Because I cross the border over here driving, and when I drive into Mexico, there’s nobody there. When I drive into the United States, it takes 3 hours, 7 lanes of traffic, 95% of the license plates are US. I’ve watched temperature go from 99 degrees in the desert up to 117 while we wait in line. And I think to myself, “This is like Checkpoint Charlie of East Berlin. The only thing missing are the army tanks, and I’m sure they’re on their way.” And I’m just very disturbed over that, and so I’ve kind of taken the view from inside the country yelling about my political position and my hatred for the Democrats and Republicans and no one seems to listen. So I thought I’d try a new approach and do it from the outside looking in, as opposed to the inside looking out. That’s how Off the Grid got started. When I ran into Larry King doing a book tour and he told me about this company and their capabilities – it’s my dream job. I have freedom to talk about anything I want, and it’s like doing a 10+ minute wrestling interview on any subject. The only thing missing is Mean Jean at the mic.
Kurt Wallace: How many days a week does the show air?
Jesse Ventura: It airs Tuesday through Friday, 3pm EST on Ora.tv. Or you can just go to Jesse Ventura “Off the Grid” and you can pick it up like anything, watch it at your own convenience, see the old shows. It’s all available.
Kurt Wallace: Well, it sounds very interesting. What kind of guests do you have on the show?
Jesse Ventura: Well, it’s not necessarily a “guest show.” I’ve had guests. I’ve had Ron Paul on, I’ve had Governor Johnson who ran as the Libertarian candidate for President last election, and I’ve had various people that are not your mainstream political analysts that think more like me – in the third, or outside the box. But it really is a show that allows me to vent. I’m being censored in the United States now. I can’t get on Fox News. I can’t get on MSNBC. I’m very limited on CNN. The networks won’t have me anymore, so my only recourse is to create my own. That’s what the internet and OraTV has done for me. And I just choose to do it outside the US, much with the same mystique as Wolfman Jack years ago. When we were teenagers and the Wolfman had broadcast The Mystique, he did it from Mexico because they wouldn’t allow it in the United States. I kind of feel that way. I feel like the patriot who’s been shunned out and thrown out the door, but I’m still yelling because I’m a vigilant citizen. I’ll just do it outside the country, yelling in now, and maybe people will listen.
Kurt Wallace: There are some people out there that want you to run for president. They want you to run in 2016. There’s “Recruit Jesse Ventura” websites and Facebook pages and Twitter accounts and that sort of thing. Are you considering that?
Jesse Ventura: Well, I’ve told people that it would require a great grassroots movement. Larry King laughed and said to me, “You’ve got the world made down there. It’s 85 and sunny every day. You wanna come back here and run this country?” And I said, “Well, I don’t know if I really want to.” But something inside me almost wells up in me and says, “If not me, than who?” And that’s how strongly I feel against the Democrats and Republicans. They’re ruining the country. They’re destroying it right before my very eyes. And they have to be stopped! Now how do you do it? You do it by winning elections. But I’ll tell you what. I need to see it from the people, so I’ve made the challenge. If I’ve got valid access in all 50 states, and if they petitioned and could ensure me I could be in the debates, well then I’d give it that consideration. But if you’re not allowed in the debates when it comes to Dems and Repubs, guess what? They control who debates, you don’t. They control who you hear. It’s their candidates. Ross Perot got one 1 out of 5 votes in ’92 and he was not allowed to debate in ’96. How fair is that system? It isn’t. So that’s what has to be overcome for me to run for President. Plus, I will already tell you what I will run on. I will run on one issue. You know what that issue will be?
Kurt Wallace: Tell us.
Jesse Ventura: I will run on the issue of challenging – if I do, if I were to do it – I would run on the issue of challenging the American people to make history with me and elect the first President since George Washington who does not belong to a political party. Isn’t that interesting? The only President we have ever had is the founder of our country who did not belong to a political party. Well if I run, I would give the American people the opportunity to make history and elect the second President who does not belong to a political party.
Kurt Wallace: Governor Jesse Ventura, host of Off the Grid on Ora.tv. Thank you for spending some time with us today on Rare.
Jesse Ventura: My pleasure! Always a pleasure to exercise my 1st Amendment rights, and I’ll just finish by stating this. Guess what? It’s 85 and sunny here.
Kurt Wallace: Hahahaha.
Jesse Ventura: Alright, well have a good one. We’ll talk to you again.
Kurt Wallace: Alright. Take care.
