Michael Douglas On His Concerns For Biden, 2024 Election & New Doc On Political Divide | The View

Intro AT A TIME WHEN THE COUNTRY IS WORRIED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF DEMOCRACY AND THE AMERICAN DREAM, TWO-TIME OSCAR-WINNING ICON, MICHAEL DOUGLAS, PRODUCES AND NARRATES THE NEW DOCUMENTARY, "AMERICA'S Michael Douglas Documentary BURNING," A REALITY CHECK ABOUT HOW ANY FUTURE CIVIL WAR PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE FOUGHT ON THE BATTLEFIELD. TAKE A LOOK. >> THE IMAGE OF CIVIL WAR IS OF BLOODY HAND-TO-HAND BATTLES AND DRAMATIC CAVALRY CHARGES. INSTEAD IT WOULD MORE LIKELY BE AN ECONOMIC WAR BETWEEN GOVERNORS THAT WOULD RISK SENDING BOTH SIDES INTO AN ECONOMIC DEPRESSION WITH TENS OF MILLIONS OF JOBS LOST. FAMILIES HAVE ALREADY BEEN HIT HARD BY THE RISING COST OF LIVING. >> TO FILL MY TANK UP, IT'S $80. WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT MY TRUCK, A FILL-UP WAS $43. EVERYTHING IS GOING STRAIGHT TO BILLS AND, LIKE, EVERYTHING IS A BILL, BILL, BILL, BILL. SOMETIMES I HAVE TO NOT DO ONE THING OR NOT PAY SOMETHING IN THE FULL AMOUNT JUST TO MAKE SURE SOMETHING ELSE IS COVERED. >> Whoopi: PLEASE WELCOME THE Welcome Michael Douglas AMAZING MICHAEL DOUGLAS. [ CHEERS AND APPLAUSE ] ♪ >> THANK YOU. [ APPLAUSE ] ♪ Welcome Michel Martin >> Sunny: WELCOME. >> I LIKE THIS, VERY NICE. >> Joy: HAVEN'T BEEN HERE IN A LONG TIME. >> I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE IN A LONG TIME. >> Whoopi: NOT SINCE BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. >> NOT SINCE BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. TWO MONTHS. THAT'S ALL RIGHT. >> Joy: YOU MEAN THE 18th CENTURY WHEN HE WAS REALLY AROUND. Civil War >> Sunny: well, WELCOME BACK. >> THANK YOU. >> Sunny: AND THIS DOCUMENTARY IS FANTASTIC, SO THANK YOU FOR DOING IT. WE'VE ALL BEEN FEELING THESE DEEP DIVISIONS IN OUR COUNTRY FOR YEARS, I THINK. SOMETIMES EVEN WITHIN OUR OWN FAMILIES, AND THE SITUATION CAN FEEL DIRE. DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE A CIVIL WAR IS POSSIBLE, FIRST OF ALL, AND, SECOND OF ALL, WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO BE A PART OF THIS DOCUMENTARY AT THIS TIME? >> RIGHT. Political Divide WELL, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, POLITICS HAVE TURNED A LITTLE TOUGHER AND TOUGHER THROUGH THE LAST FEW ELECTIONS, AND PERSONALLY I THINK WE'RE CONSUMING MUCH TOO MUCH INFORMATION WITH POLITICS. I MEAN, I'M SO TIRED OF OUR ELECTIONS AND HOW LONG THEY GO ON AND PARTICULARLY WATCHING IN ENGLAND NOW, THREE WEEKS, BOOM, CHANGE, FRANCE, SAME THING. WE GO ON FOR YEARS, YOU KNOW. [ LAUGHTER ] >> Sunny: YEAH. >> IT'S TAKING UP A LOT OF TIME. >> Sunny: WE DO. >> Joy: IT'S TRUE. >> AND SO IT'S BOTHERED ME, THE VITRIOLIC VIOLENCE, THIS UNDERCURRENT OF -- THE SEPARATION. IT HIT ME WITH MY BROTHER' ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE ON THIS AND -- >> Sunny: PLAYS FOR THE OTHER TEAM. >> YEAH, AND WE FINALLY STARTED NOT BEING ABLE TO TALK TO EACH OTHER. WE HAD TO JUST TAKE IT OFF THE TABLE. IT'S THAT OLD STORY ABOUT IF YOU TAKE OUT RELIGION AND POLITICS, YOU CAN TALK TO ANYBODY. >> Sara: YEAH. >> Joy: WHAT SIDE WOULD KIRK The Economy DOUGLAS WOULD HAVE BEEN ON? >> I THINK YOU KNOW WHICH SIDE HE WOULD HAVE HAVE BEEN ON. [ LAUGHTER ] SO THAT WAS THE KIND OF FEELING AND CONSENSUS THAT BUILT UP, THEN THIS GENTLEMAN, DAVID SCHMICK, WHO DIRECTED AND WROTE "AMERICA'S BURNING" REACHED OUT TO ME, AND I SAID, YEAH, WHAT HAS BEEN CAUSING ALL THIS, AND HE SAYS, YOU KNOW, IT'S THE ECONOMY. IT'S THE ECONOMY REALLY. THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENED, AND HE WAS AN ECONOMIST HIMSELF, SO HAD A COUPLE OF INTERESTING FACTS, WHICH I THOUGHT WERE INTERESTING. 1980 TILL TODAY, THE STOCK MARKET HAS GONE UP 3,800%. LIVING WAGES EXCLUDING INFLATION HAVE GONE UP 16%. >> Sunny: THAT'S RIGHT. >> SO WE'VE LOST OUR MIDDLE CLASS. WE'RE LOSING OUR MIDDLE CLASS, AND THIS IS REALLY ANGER I THINK ABOUT PEOPLE -- IT USED TO BE PART OF MIDDLE CLASS, YOU WERE A PROUD PERSON. YOUR KIDS COULD GO TO SCHOOL. EVERYTHING WAS ALL RIGHT. NOW YOU'RE STRUGGLING, SO I THINK ECONOMICS HAVE PLAYED A LARGE PART OF THAT. >> Joy: DIDN'T IT START WITH REAGAN WITH THE TRICKLE DOWN THEORY BALONEY? >> Sunny: IT DIDN'T WORK. >> Joy: IT DIDN'T WORK. THE MONEY CONCENTRATED AT THE TOP. >> THE OTHER HALF OF IT IS 50% OF OUR COUNTRY OWNS STOCK, AND 50% DO NOT, AND THOSE WHO DO NOT ARE JUST GOING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK AND BASICALLY CAN'T GET Community ANY SAVINGS AND GET OUT OF THAT RUT. >> Alyssa: WELL, AND I THINK THE DOCUMENTARY IS EXTRAORDINARY, AND I THINK YOU DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM OF OUR DIVISION AND PLURALIZATION SO WELL AND FOCUSING ON THE ECONOMY, BECAUSE THERE'S THIS INCREDIBLE STAT THAT COLLEGE COSTS MORE THAN THE AVERAGE FAMILY'S ANNUAL INCOME, AND HALF OF AMERICANS ARE TWO PAYCHECKS AWAY FROM FINANCIAL INSOLVENCY. TERRIFYING STATS. NOW, A LOT OF THESE THINGS ARE GOING TO REQUIRE CHANGES IN LAWS AND POLITICS TO FIX, BUT YOU TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO, WHICH IS COMMUNITY. TALK ABOUT THE ROLE COMMUNITY PLAYS IN REUNITING US AND BRINGING US BACK TOGETHER. >> WELL, I THINK EVERYTHING KIND OF GOES BACK TO FAMILY, YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD, YOUR TOWN. I THINK LOCAL POLITICS, PEOPLE CANNOT TAKE THIS FOR GRANTED. EVERYBODY HAS TO BE RESPONSIBLE ON A LOCAL LEVEL. THOSE ARE TRADITIONAL APPOINTMENTS THAT ARE BEING MADE AS FAR AS THAT, AND THEN MOVING UP, I DO NOT THINK WE WILL FIX THIS FROM THE TOP DOWN, SO WE ALL HAVE TO TAKE MORE OF A RESPONSIBILITY, YOU KNOW. >> Sunny: THE ONE THING I WILL Depression SAY ABOUT THE DOCUMENTARY IS THAT WHEN PEOPLE ARE UPSET WITH THEIR STATION IN LIFE, THEY DON'T NECESSARILY TURN THAT ANGER INWARD, RIGHT? THAT'S DEPRESSION. THEY SEEM TO PUT THE BLAME ON SOMEONE ELSE. >> Joy: SCAPEGOAT. >> Sunny: SO, THEY SCAPEGOAT USUALLY PEOPLE THAT ARE MARGINALIZED. THEY SCAPEGOAT BLACK PEOPLE, HISPANIC PEOPLE, LGBTQ, WOMEN ESPECIALLY. >> Joy: BLAME THE JEWS. THAT'S TRADITIONAL. >> Sunny: THE JEWS. THE DOCUMENTARY DOESN'T NECESSARILY DELVE INTO THAT. IS THERE A REASON WHY? >> NO, I JUST THINK THAT DAVID'S EXPERTISE IS IN FINANCIAL, ECONOMICS, AND THAT SEEMED TO BE THE CLEAREST ONE HE COULD -- Economic Marginalization >> Alyssa: I THINK THAT ALSO MISSES A MOUNTAIN, WHICH IS THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT ARE MARGINALIZED REGARDLESS OF THEIR COLOR, THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN, THEIR ORIENTATION. >> Sunny: ECONOMICALLY. >> Alyssa: AND THE SYSTEM HAS FAILED THEM. THAT'S WHAT IT'S DONE SO BRILLIANTLY. THIS IS NOT THEIR FAULT. THEY ARE WORKING HARD. WORKING THEIR FINGERS TO THE BONE AND CAN'T GET AHEAD. >> Sunny: DO YOU THINK THEY'RE ONLY THEN ANGRY AT THE SYSTEM? >> Alyssa: I THINK THEY LOSE THAT SENSE OF SELF-WORTH, AND YOU CAN TURN OUTSIDE TO POLARIZATION, RADICALIZATION, BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU DON'T -- YOU'RE NEVER GOING TO ACHIEVE THE AMERICAN DREAM. >> Joy: WHAT REALLY IS AMAZING IS THEY GET THAT THE OTHER SIDE IS GOING TO FIX IT. >> Whoopi: WE ALSO GET BEAT UP BY -- 'M SORRY -- BY OUR POLITICIANS. EVERY TIME SOMEBODY WANTS A BIG, GO TO THE PEOPLE AND SAY, YOU GOT TO PAY FOR THIS, OR YOU GOT TO PAY FOR THIS, SO PEOPLE ARE LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK. PEOPLE USED TO BE ABLE TO HAVE A LITTLE PLACE THEY CAN GO IN THE SUMMERTIME. YOU KNOW, THAT'S ALL GONE. YOU'RE NOW PAYING TAXES, AND YOU'RE PAYING COMING ACROSS THE BRIDGES WHEREVER YOU LIVE, OR, YOU KNOW, ON THE PHONE YOU GOT 9,000 TAXES. YOU DENT KNOW WHAT IT'S GOING TO, AND NO ONE EXPLAINS IT. >> THERE'S SO MUCH MONEY INVOLVED. >> Whoopi: YES. >> SO MUCH MONEY INVOLVED IN THE LOBBYIST ORGANIZATIONS AND ALL OF THAT. THE SYSTEM HAS BEEN CORRUPTED. WE NEED A COLONIC. >> Whoopi: YEAH. >> LET'S BE HONEST. [ LAUGHTER ] >> Sunny: YEAH, WE DO. >> Sara: QUICKLY, I THOUGHT THE DOCUMENTARY ESTABLISHED THAT SO WELL THAT IF IT CAME DOWN TO ONE SOLUTION, BECAUSE YOU ADDRESS THE DIVISION AND THEN THE WHYS THAT YOU REMOVE THE SELF-WORTH, THE ABILITY FOR SOMEONE TO WORK AND FEED THEIR FAMILY, BUT THEN WHEN YOU WENT INTO THE MONEY PART, I THOUGHT THAT WAS SO CLEAR. IF YOU COULD TURN THE GOVERNMENT AND TAKE ALL THAT MONEY OUT OF D.C. AND ALLOW THEM TO BE AN IMPARTIAL GOVERNING BODY, WE COULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. >> Whoopi: MAYBE THEY COULD TAX SOME OF THE PEOPLE WHOSE CORPORATIONS PAY NO TAX. >> Sunny: THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. >> Joy: OR THE BILLIONAIRES IN THIS COUNTRY. Biden >> Sunny: THAT'S A GOOD IDEA. [ APPLAUSE ] >> Joy: SO, MICHAEL, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE A LONGTIME BIDEN SUPPORTER, AND WE'VE BEEN WATCHING THE NEWS THIS WEEK. IT'S A LITTLE BIT DISHEARTENING. YOU EVEN HOSTED A FUND-RAISER. >> I DID. >> Joy: AT YOUR HOME IN APRIL. RIGHT? >> I DID. >> Joy: SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HIS DEBATE PERFORMANCE, AND DO YOU AGREE FOR CALLS FOR HIM TO STEP ASIDE? EVEN NANCY PELOSI SEEMS ON THE FENCE NOW ABOUT HIM STEPPING ASIDE. >> SUCH A TOUGH ONE. I ADORE THE GUY. 50 YEARS OF PUBLIC SERVICE. >> Joy: HE'S A LOVELY MAN. >> A WONDERFUL GUY, AND THIS JUST HAPPENS TO BE ONE OF THESE ELECTIONS THAT IS JUST SO CRUCIAL, AND IT'S REALLY HARD. I DON'T WORRY NECESSARILY TODAY OR TOMORROW, BUT A YEAR DOWN THE LINE, I WORRY. I AM CONCERNED, YOU KNOW, AND SO I'D MAKE A BACK AND FORTH AND LOOKING AT SOME OF OUR POLITICIANS WHO SPOKE ABOUT BIDEN DROPPING OUT LAST WEEK, AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THIS WEEK NOW THEY'RE HEDGING THEIR BETS. >> Joy: BECAUSE HE'S DIGGING HIS HEELS IN. >> HE DUG HIS HEELS IN. WE NEED COURAGE. WE JUST GENERALLY NEED SOME STRENGTH AND COURAGE ON THE SIDE OF BOTH PARTIES. >> Whoopi: WELL, YEAH. >> THE DOC TRIES TO BE AS BIPARTISAN AS POSSIBLE. >> Sunny: YES. George Clooney >> Alyssa: ARTHUR BROOKS WAS IN IT, WHO IS FABULOUS, AND I DO WANT TO MENTION THAT GEORGE CLOONEY CAME OUT WITH AN OP-ED CALLING FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN TO STEP ASIDE. THE STAKES ARE TOO HIGH FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RESPOND TO THAT? >> WELL, I THINK IT'S A VALID POINT. I MEAN, I'M DEEPLY, DEEPLY CONCERNED. I MEAN, ESPECIALLY IT'S DIFFICULT BECAUSE THE DEMOCRATS HAVE A BIG BENCH. I MEAN, THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF HEAVY HITTERS. >> Joy: A LOT OF TALENT THERE. >> A LOT OF TALENT. >> Joy: PEOPLE HAVE TO CATCH UP. THEY ONLY HAVE A FEW MONTHS TO CATCH UP. >> I DO WORRY ABOUT THE DEBATE, THE DIFFICULTY WITH THE DEBATE. IT WAS RELATIVELY SIMPLE. YOU JUST, FIRST OF ALL, SHOULD HAVE TOLD THE PRESIDENT, STAND UP, PUT A LITTLE MAKEUP ON HIM, YOU KNOW, FOR THE DEBATE, WHICH WOULD HELP HIM AND THEN WHERE TO LOOK. >> Sunny: AND CALL THE OTHER GUY A CONVICTED FELON. >> AND CALL THE OTHER GUY -- DON'T DEAL WITH ALL YOUR FACTS. JUST DEAL WITH HIS LIES. >> Joy: SAY YOU'RE A LIAR. THAT'S A LIE. >> Whoopi: WHEN HE DOES THAT EVERYBODY SAYS -- YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T WIN IN THIS GAME. I REALLY FEEL BAD FOR HIM. I AM -- YOU KNOW WHAT, IF HE