Join host John Rush as he navigates the turbulent waters of political misinformation and messaging. This episode dives into hot button issues like the increase in healthcare premiums and the misconceptions surrounding it. With expert analyses, John and his guest Joe dissect how political parties and media alter the narrative on such critical topics. Listeners will gain insights into why government policies on subsidies are misunderstood and who’s really responsible for these changes. Don’t miss the eye-opening discussion on why mainstream media may not be your most reliable source of political information.
You are going to shut your damn yapper and listen for a change because I got you pegged, sweetheart. You want to take the easy way out because you’re scared. And you’re scared because if you try and fail, there’s only you to blame. Let me break this down for you. Life is scary. Get used to it. There are no magical fixes.
SPEAKER 09 :
With your host, John Rush.
SPEAKER 21 :
My advice to you is to do what your parents did.
SPEAKER 12 :
Get a job, sir. You haven’t made everybody equal. You’ve made them the same, and there’s a big difference.
SPEAKER 19 :
Let me tell you why you’re here. You’re here because you know something. What you know, you can’t explain. But you feel it. You’ve felt it your entire life. That there’s something wrong with the world. You don’t know what it is, but it’s there. It is this feeling that has brought you to me.
SPEAKER 16 :
Are you crazy? Am I? Or am I so sane that you just blew your mind?
SPEAKER 14 :
It’s Rush to Reason with your host, John Rush, presented by Cub Creek Heating and Air Conditioning.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, we are back. Hour three, Rush to Reason, Denver’s Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Joe, what’s going on, sir?
SPEAKER 11 :
Oh, John, we’ve got so much to talk about and not enough time.
SPEAKER 05 :
Always the case.
SPEAKER 11 :
Hey, first thing I want to get into is the Democrats are doing a great job of spreading misinformation and making the Republicans look bad. And the Republicans, as usual, are doing a lousy job. And this is concerning the increase in health care premiums that is scheduled to happen on January 1. What they’re saying is Republicans are responsible for cutting health care subsidies. Now, what happened is under the Affordable Care Act, it had built into its subsidies for people who bought their health insurance on the public exchanges.
SPEAKER 06 :
Right.
SPEAKER 11 :
So in 2021, as part of the COVID pandemic, the Republicans, excuse me, the Democrats introduced the American Rescue Plan, and that did a couple of things. Number one, it removed, there was a 400% cap. If you were earning more than 400% of the federal poverty level, you weren’t eligible for any subsidy. And by the way, for a family of four, 400% was $120,000 a year. Well, the first thing they did in 2021 as part of the COVID emergency, they removed the cap so anybody could get a subsidy. And they increased the amount of government subsidy to where the government was picking up more than 90% of the total premium. But it was done through the budget reconciliation process. So they only had a two-year, 21-22. That was only supposed to be in place for two years. Then in 2022, Biden comes along with his Inflation Reduction Act, and he extended it For another two years, 23 through the end of 25, well, as of today, the government has continued those what were supposed to be temporary emergency subsidies to where the government has been picking up better than 95% of the cost of everybody’s health insurance premiums who buy it. And let me give you an example. A 25-year-old guy making $28,000 a year is only paying $30 a month for his health insurance. And if the subsidies expire, as the Democrats built into their legislation, it’s going to go from $30 a month to $90 a month. And they’re saying, oh, the Republicans are responsible for his cost of his health insurance tripling. Well, Republicans aren’t responsible for it because they didn’t pass the legislation. The Democrats did. Republicans have passed no legislation to cut subsidies. It was Democrat legislation. They’re the ones who put the expiration date in. And all the Republicans are saying, hey, it was your expiration date.
SPEAKER 05 :
We just didn’t continue on with it, that’s all.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, we assume you know what you’re doing. We’re not going to mess with it. But, by the way, even if it is allowed to expire, the federal government is still on average going to be picking up 80% of the cost of the health insurance for people who buy their health insurance on the exchanges, 80%. Meaning we as taxpayers are picking it up, you mean? Taxpayers are still going to continue to pick up 80%. 80.3% on average of the premiums for people who buy their health insurance on the exchanges. But they’re screaming, oh, you’re going to triple people’s out-of-pocket costs. And we had nothing to do with it. It was a Democrat legislation. They’re the ones who put the expiration date in. We’re just saying, hey, it was your bill, your expiration date.
SPEAKER 05 :
So, Joe, why do you think we struggle so much? We talk about this a lot even on the roundtable. Why do we struggle so much with the messaging sides of things? Why can’t we counter this better?
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, part of it, John, is that the media, the mainstream media with the exception of Fox, generally, even if we put it out there, it doesn’t want to cover it.
SPEAKER 05 :
It doesn’t want to publicize it. Very true.
SPEAKER 11 :
I know there have been people on Fox have made this point, but I haven’t seen it anywhere else other than Fox. So I think it’s kind of, you know, whistling into the wind here, John. They don’t want the public to hear it.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I’ll buy that, by the way. I can’t disagree with that. I mean, it’s very hard to fight the machine that’s against you.
SPEAKER 11 :
Right.
SPEAKER 05 :
The media machine, in this case, I mean.
SPEAKER 11 :
And by the way, and the Democrats would have you believe that this tripling of out-of-pocket costs for health insurance is going to affect the vast majority of the middle class. No. If you’re working for an employer, you know, Walmart, whoever, that is not going to have zero impact on your employer-subsidized health plan. Okay. It’s only for that small portion of the U.S. population that buys their health insurance on the exchange. But on the topic of what the Democrats want put back in, again, the continuing resolution is just, hey, we’re going to continue to fund the government at the same level it was in the Biden budget. But the Democrats have come back and said, no, no, we want more than that. We want to undo that. We want to undo a bunch of cuts that were part of the Big Beautiful Bill that was signed into legislation on the 4th of July. And Senator John Kennedy, if you have the clip, does a great job of running down some of the absurd items they want put back into the continuing resolution trying to undo the Big Beautiful Bill. Do you have that clip?
SPEAKER 05 :
Let me look here real quick. Which one, Bill’s?
SPEAKER 11 :
Senator John Kennedy.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I’ve got that one. Give me one second. I’ve got them all loaded up here. Let me get the sound up. Give me one second, Charlie. And where’s the play button? Here we go.
SPEAKER 16 :
We took out, and here’s what they want us to put back in. We found that under President Biden, they were spending $3 million for circumcisions and vasectomies in Zambia. We took that out. The Congresswoman says, we’re going to shut down government until you put that back in. We found $500,000 of American taxpayer money for electric buses in Rwanda. We found $3.6 million for pastry cooking classes and dance focus groups for male prostitutes in Haiti. I kid you not. I’m not making this up. That was in the budget under President Biden. We took it out. Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez in the socialist wing, the loon wing of the Democratic Party, says we’re going to shut down government until you put it back in. I’ll just read you a few more that we took out. They are demanding we put back in. $6 million for media organizations for the Palestinians. $833,000 for transgender people in Nepal. $300,000 for a pride parade in Lesotho. $882,000 for social media mentorship in Serbia. $4.2 million. We took it out. The congresswoman and the socialist wing of their party says we’ve got to put that back in for the open government. $4.2 million from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people in the Western Balkans and Uganda. I could spend the rest of the afternoon.
SPEAKER 05 :
Joe, I mean, he’s just, by the way, at the tip of the iceberg.
SPEAKER 11 :
Just the tip of the iceberg. That’s the ridiculous stuff. He’s not even getting to the stuff we just talked about, like the subsidies.
SPEAKER 06 :
Right.
SPEAKER 11 :
Now, on the other side of the coin, I think the Democrats… are in fact losing a big portion of the American public. And Bill Maher has a clip, and John, before you play this, I’ve got to warn you that… Yep, 205.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I’ll end it. I got it.
SPEAKER 11 :
But here’s Bill Maher saying he wants the Democrats to regain majorities, and he’s saying, guys, you’re screwing up, and here’s what you need to change. So here’s Bill Maher.
SPEAKER 20 :
The problem we have in America is conservatives think the liberals are insane, and they’re not completely wrong, Now, I don’t think most liberals are insane, but neither do they make it clear they disapprove of the ones who are. And they’re cowardice in not marginalizing their own crazy.
SPEAKER 05 :
OK, I got to stop for just one second, Joe, and interject, because I will say that on our side, myself included, when we get some loon on our side and I call these people out all the time when they’re on our side of the aisle, we to his point, we at least call our loons out. They don’t. And he’s exactly right in what he’s saying.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yep, they don’t call out their loons. So therefore the people just assume that the loons speak… They’re all together.
SPEAKER 20 :
That’s right. …has been their downfall. I couldn’t get Neil deGrasse Tyson, a genius scientist and preeminent scientific voice in the media, to agree that it was ridiculous for a scientific American and the Atlantic to be claiming that separating sports by sex doesn’t make sense. Yes, it does. Actually, it makes perfect sense. And it’s obvious that it does. And there’s a lot of stuff like that on the left. And when conservatives see it, they say, I’m sorry, we’re just not going to go along with reinventing society, often pointlessly, even if we have to cancel democracy to do it. That’s what they’re saying.
SPEAKER 05 :
OK, got to stop in there for one second, because, again, nobody’s canceling democracy because, Joe, we don’t have one.
SPEAKER 11 :
Exactly. We’re a constitutional republic. The word democracy never appears even once in the Constitution.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right.
SPEAKER 20 :
They see gender is only a construct and sex is assigned at birth. And they say, we’re not doing that. Transing kids by self-diagnosis with no age limit, no parental notification and no acknowledgement of social contagion. Not doing it. Asylum now covers any reason for anyone to come to America? Not doing it. Homelessness is a lifestyle. Natural immunity doesn’t count anymore. Whiteness is toxic. Penises in women’s prisons. Welcoming the intifada. We’re not doing it. And so, folks… If we are ever going to get back to the old America, that’s got to be the Democrats’ part of the bargain. Stop coming up with radically new and often terrible ideas, and then in the next breath, insist there be no debate about any of it. That if you don’t see it right away and go along, you’re bad, stupid, and deplorable. As if you were saying, duh, two plus two equals…
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, I’ll leave it at that. Two plus two equals five. It doesn’t. It equals four, as you know, Joe. And by the way, Bill Maher is definitely on the left. I do believe that he wants his party to succeed, much like I want and you want our party to succeed. And I’m willing, like him, by the way, I get accused of… of, by the way, not being on our side because of the things I call out our side in doing, well, I guess you could say the same thing about Bill Maher for the left. He’s definitely on the left. He just wants to see what’s best for his party moving forward. I’m no different, Joe.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, he’s the John Rush of the left. He’s saying, look, guys, you’re screwing up. Here’s what you’re doing wrong. This is what you need to fix, which is what you tell people on the right and what you and Andy tell people on the right. And that’s all he’s not. Trust me.
SPEAKER 05 :
He’s a lefty. He is a lefty through and through, Joe.
SPEAKER 11 :
Right, but he’s calling them out. You know, he’s calling a spade a spade, and he’s calling them out saying, guys— Okay, so just like our side, Joe, why don’t they listen?
SPEAKER 05 :
Why don’t they listen?
SPEAKER 11 :
John, I hope they don’t listen to him.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, on his side, absolutely, I hope they don’t listen. Yes, I hope they don’t.
SPEAKER 11 :
They’re doing such a great job of screwing up. I hope they completely ignore them.
SPEAKER 05 :
Which I think, Joe, because of the same reason our side doesn’t listen, I don’t think they will. Our side has the same problem their side has. This is where they’re equal. I’m sorry to say, but those that are on the far right on our side and those that are on the far left on his side, frankly, they should form their own party because they’re all loons. And frankly, Joe, they’re in it for one reason, or sorry, two reasons, but they coincide. Money and power.
SPEAKER 11 :
Money and power, right. And unfortunately, the press eats it up. The press loves giving loons airtime. That’s right. On both sides of the aisle, by the way. On both sides of the aisle.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yep. You want to do a little humor, John? Yeah, let’s do it. I’ve got to have some fun every now and again, Joe.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right. Now, I don’t know if this was staged or this is real, but there’s a guy who claims he’s a vegetarian. He’s got a nose ring. He’s got a man bun.
SPEAKER 05 :
I would say by looking at him, it’s probably a good description.
SPEAKER 11 :
And he claims he’s a vegetarian. He’s recounting his first visit to a Buc-ee’s. I understand you have one up at Johnson’s Corners.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yes, we do.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, he’s recounting his first visit to Buc-ee’s. All right, here we go.
SPEAKER 03 :
Guys, I just have to tell you about this huge mistake I made. I walked into a Buc-ee’s the other day. I don’t know what I was thinking. I don’t. I thought it was just like a gas station with snacks. But no, no. Buc-ee’s is not a store. It’s a meat cathedral. Everywhere you look, there’s meat. You walk in, and it just hits you like smoke from the altar of brisket. There’s not one vegan option. Not one. I swear. It’s like they barbecued everything on Noah’s Ark. Everywhere I’ve turned, it was smoked meat, barbecued meat, beef jerky, brisket sandwiches, chicken sandwiches. It was like meat stacked on top of meat. It’s like they were building a pyramid to cholesterol. So I got brave and I asked the cashier, I said, do you have anything vegan? And without even missing a beat, you know what this girl does? She just pushes a bag of ice toward me and goes, chew on this, sweetheart. That’s not even the scariest part. Want to know the scariest part? The people. Just the people. Bucky’s is like Comic-Con for carnivores. I was surrounded by thousands of folks in like cargo shorts and camo crocs, just double fist and beef jerky everywhere. They were doing it like trail mix. I left shaking. I’m telling you, it’s not a road trip stop. No, it is a horror movie. It’s like the Texas barbecue massacre. I’m still shaking.
SPEAKER 04 :
I’ve got to stop it there. I don’t know if that’s real or not after listening to that now, Joe. I don’t know. He’s pretty funny.
SPEAKER 11 :
Do you have any vegan options? And she pushes a bag of ice towards me.
SPEAKER 04 :
Hilarious. By the way, that’s a really good ad for Buc-ee’s. They should, like, play that. Hire that guy.
SPEAKER 11 :
If anybody wants to see it, I don’t know if you put it in your notes, but if anybody wants to see it, just send me an email to joe at jerseyjoe.com.
SPEAKER 05 :
I’ll put it in my notes as well, so you guys will have that. But, Joe, that’s hilarious.
SPEAKER 11 :
Had you seen that before, John?
SPEAKER 05 :
I have not seen that until you sent it, and that’s absolutely hilarious. I mean, again, you’ve got to wonder, okay, was that a spoof? Was that real? Is Buc-ee’s behind that? I mean, that’s a great ad for Buc-ee’s, by the way.
SPEAKER 11 :
It really is.
SPEAKER 05 :
And if you haven’t been to a Buc-ee’s, yes, they are definitely different. Are they for everybody? I mean, I don’t know, Joe. I mean, to me, it’s one of those things that you’ve got to experience at least one time. Whether you like it or not, it’s still worth the experience.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, I love his description. It’s a meat cathedral.
SPEAKER 05 :
And it is. It is. It is. I experienced my first one, you know, down in Texas. My brother lived down there for years. We’d go down and visit, and they have a couple of different – they have a Buc-ee’s down there, and then there’s another great place that’s not near as big as Buc-ee’s called Pracix, and they have some of the best food ever. I mean, these things are like mini – it’s not even a gas station, Joe. It’s pumps with a smorgasbord of whatever you want inside.
SPEAKER 11 :
They’re as big as a Walmart, John, as big as a Walmart.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, it’s awesome. It really is. I love it. Absolutely. Okay, before I let you go, government shutdown. I talked to a couple of different people today kind of polling when people think this thing will end. What are your thoughts?
SPEAKER 11 :
I’m thinking it’s going to go at least through next weekend, not this weekend, next weekend. So far, nobody’s missed a paycheck, but starting next week, people are going to miss paychecks.
SPEAKER 05 :
Then you think things will start, the hammer will start to drop?
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, yeah. Hey, John, can we squeeze one more thing in?
SPEAKER 05 :
Oh, yeah, sure. We’ve got plenty of time.
SPEAKER 11 :
Go for it, Joe. All right. You know, I always do the stupidest thing I’ve heard a week, and this is the mayor of Seattle. Here’s a quote from last week.
SPEAKER 06 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 11 :
He was being interviewed about, you know, why there’s so many repeat offenders on the street, and here’s what he said. He said, when a man does six or seven crimes, we do not know his life story. Maybe he was just hungry. Therefore, I have zero desire to jail him. Now, here’s my thought, John. If you believe he was just hungry, which is why, if you think he was just hungry, that’s why he’s going to, then why don’t you send him to jail where he’ll be fed three times a day, every day, for as long as you keep him in jail. Problem solved.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, true. You kill two birds with one stone.
SPEAKER 11 :
And along those lines about not jailing criminals, you probably didn’t hear about New York City yesterday. 25-year-old guy with 17 prior arrests. Now, you’re 17 with 17 prior arrests. Wow. Killed a 60-year-old guy by kicking him in the head in a subway platform. Oh, my word. And why was this guy, 25 years old, walking around on the street? And by the way, he’s now a suspect in another incident where somebody else was killed about three weeks earlier. Wow. 25-year-old guy, 17 arrests, walking around free, killed the guy just by kicking him. Now, it wasn’t accidental, John. When you kick somebody in the head 15 times, you’re trying to kill them.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yep. Yeah, that’s not accidental, Joe. You have intent to kill them in doing that.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, because he’s already unconscious and you continue to kick him.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yep.
SPEAKER 11 :
You intended to kill him.
SPEAKER 05 :
That’s cold-blooded murder at that point in time.
SPEAKER 11 :
Cold-blooded murder. Wow.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, and Joe, just as a side note, and I’ve talked about this many times, from the shutdown to some of the things we’ve played today, Bill Maher’s right, by the way. If his side doesn’t make an about face on some of the things it’s doing, including even the shutdown, the person in the middle that needs to vote on, this is something I don’t think even our side, their side I don’t think gets it, should have played. I didn’t have it queued up and ready today. But did you see the lady running for governor that did the TV interview?
SPEAKER 11 :
No, I didn’t.
SPEAKER 05 :
Oh, you need to watch that. For those of you out there listening, just Google that. Lady running for governor in California. Katie Porter is her name. Thank you, Charlie. Katie Porter. Go look her up, Joe. I should have played it today, but we’re running out of time. But those of you listening, go look it up. She basically sabotaged her own campaign in the on-air network interview she was doing because she basically didn’t want to answer some of the questions the reporter was asking. And it was really dumb. I mean, basically what she said was she doesn’t need anybody that is on the right side of the aisle voting for her to win. Basically disregarding, in that case, about 40% of voters. Yeah.
SPEAKER 11 :
And not just the Republican Party. You’ve got independents. Correct.
SPEAKER 05 :
And that was the point of the reporter saying, well, wait a minute. You can’t win with just your own party’s votes. You realize that, right? And the gal just went off the rails when she said that.
SPEAKER 11 :
Gentlemen, I’m going to have to look that up.
SPEAKER 05 :
It’s worth watching, Joe, because basically she sabotaged her own campaign. And I think in the polls she was doing fairly well until this came along. And she just submarined her own campaign by basically not answering questions and admitting live on air that I don’t need them to vote for me.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, of course, she may not win the primary, but it doesn’t mean we’re going to have a Republican governor in California.
SPEAKER 05 :
No, no, no. No, probably won’t be. But, you know, reality, Joe, is at least it won’t be her. Won’t be her. That’s good. But that just shows you. And my point is, both sides have to have those middle of the road, you know, those unaffiliated slash, you know, independent voters that, you know, both sides has to have them or they don’t win.
SPEAKER 11 :
No, you’re 100 percent. It’s always been that way, John. And there’s no nobody who ever wants to win an election at the state or federal level can ignore the unaffiliated independent voters.
SPEAKER 05 :
Unfortunately, there are hardcore lefties and hardcore righties that don’t understand what I just said.
SPEAKER 11 :
And, John, unfortunately, you’re right about that as well.
SPEAKER 05 :
So, anyways. Joe, as always, I appreciate it, man. Thank you. Good stuff. My pleasure, Don. All right, man. Have a great rest of your night. I appreciate you very much. Geno’s Auto Service coming up next. And, again, folks, whatever your vehicle needs, full bumper-to-bumper service, Geno’s is there for you. Find them at genosautoservice.com. And Geno’s starts with a J.
SPEAKER 02 :
Take advantage of Geno’s Auto Service’s Fall Coolant Flush Special. Even as the weather is starting to cool, your engine runs hot. When coolant degrades, it becomes acidic and can corrode your radiator, thermostat, and water pump, sending debris into your engine. These debris, if left unchecked, can lead to major headaches and repairs. Reduce the chance of overheating, even in cooler weather, and keep corrosion at bay with a coolant flush from Geno’s. Maintaining your vehicle will give you additional years of performance and reliability. Geno’s is celebrating 42 years in business in Littleton. We are all for making your life simpler, offering loaner vehicles so you can drop your car off and pick up when ready. Give us a call or go online to schedule an appointment. Geno’s is AAA approved and located at Bowles and Platte Canyon. Don’t forget to check out all of Geno’s Google reviews. Reduce the chance of overheating with a coolant flush from Geno’s. Stop in or visit us online at genosautoservice.com.
SPEAKER 05 :
That’s Geno’s with a J. All right, Cub Creek Heat and Air Conditioning. And yes, the weather’s getting colder, getting cool enough at night. And for some of you to probably turn the furnace on, don’t forget about the furnace tune-up special. Call them today. Find them at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 07 :
It gets busy, but Cub Creek Heating and AC makes staying comfortable in your home easy. Whether you need a tune-up, inspection, or even a full HVAC replacement, just hop online and choose the date and time that works best for you. Cub Creek’s automatic scheduler is quick and easy, and their online assistant is always standing by to answer your HVAC questions. In most cases, there’s no need to call. The smart sign-up system asks all the right questions, so you can book with confidence. Still have a question? No problem. Someone from the Cub Creek team will call you back as soon as possible. And if you’d rather schedule over the phone, you can find our certified Ream Pro Partner Cub Creek’s contact info on the KLZ Advertisers page. For a limited time only, mention you heard this ad on KLZ Radio to save $56 on your tune-up. Make your life a little easier with Cub Creek Heating and AC. Schedule your furnace or AC service today at klzradio.com slash HVAC.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, and windows, direct from the source to you, saving you a lot of money. Talk to Dave today, Veteran Windows and Doors. Find him at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 12 :
You’ve met with a window and door company that says they’re the best. But are they really? Before you sign anything, meet with our trusted partner, Veteran Windows and Doors. Owner Dave won’t pressure you into buying. Instead, he’ll educate you on the energy codes and efficiency ratings your home actually needs. Because here’s the truth. If your windows and doors don’t meet the right standards, your heating and cooling bills could skyrocket. That’s why Veteran custom designs every window and door to fit your home and your energy requirements. They offer Provia’s unlimited customizable options, from colors and designs to hardware and panel styles, so you get exactly what you want and need. Plus, with Veteran’s fair pricing policy, everyone gets the same great deal. No hidden markups or high-pressure tactics. Don’t settle for companies that skip the details or rush you to sign. Choose veteran windows and doors. Start now at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 09 :
This is Rush to Reason on KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 05 :
And we are back. Rush to Reason, Denver’s afternoon rush, KLZ 560. Dr. John Lott joining us now. Dr. Lott, how are you? Welcome back to Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 17 :
Great to talk to you. Thanks again for having me on.
SPEAKER 05 :
Always a joy. I appreciate it very much. Okay, talk to us about some of this data that’s out there that really not only misrepresents, but it skews things in the wrong way. And, you know, this happens on an ongoing basis. I talk about it frequently here, but give us the rundown on this.
SPEAKER 17 :
Right. Well, I mean, I’ve been concerned for years now about inaccuracies in the FBI crime data. I mean, I think last year in terms of the overall crime data that was used during the campaign that the FBI was engaged in election interference. But they have a report that they put out every year on active shooting cases. And over the 11 years from 2014 through 2024, The FBI claims that there was only 14 instances where a concealed carry permit holder stopped what they call an active shooting case. An active shooting case is an instance where a gun’s fired in public, not part of some other type of crime like a gang fight over drug turf or a robbery, anything from one person being shot at and missed all the way up to a mass public shooting. So they claim about 4% of these attacks are stopped by civilians. We think the number is actually about 36%. Rather than 14 cases, I think there’s about 202 of them. And nobody needs to take our word for it. This stems from some data, some work that I did while I was working at the Department of Justice. I was senior advisor for research and statistics there. And unfortunately, the problem has gotten worse. They claim, the FBI claims that last year, that there was not one single case in the United States where concealed carry permit holders stopped an active shooting attack. We’ve identified about 48% of the attacks last year were ones where civilians stopped them. And on top of that, One argument that I had when I worked at the Department of Justice was that you have to separate out those cases where civilians were legally able to carry a gun from those where they weren’t, so-called gun-free zones. And the reason is you’re talking about law-abiding citizens stopping these attacks, and you can’t expect a law-abiding citizen to stop an attack where it’s illegal for them to have a gun. And when you do that, You, in fact, find that 63% of the active shooting attacks last year were actually stopped by civilians carrying permanently concealed handguns. That’s a lot different than zero.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah. And as you know, Dr. Lott, you know, they skew these numbers to your point to either make people feel more frightful or make it seem like there’s a lot more school shootings than there actually are. There’s a lot more mass shootings than there actually are. I mean, they really skew the numbers in favor of, of course, those folks out there that want more gun control.
SPEAKER 17 :
I mean, one of the problems with the FBI data is it’s used in court cases. It’s relied on constantly by the media. In the work that we did, we pointed to a number of headlines and news outlets from the New York Times and Washington Post and the Associated Press were using this 4% number. They would essentially say the rate that civilians stop active shooting cases is very rare. It’s used in legislative debates, both federally and in the states. And it’s used by academics in terms of doing research. And, you know, it just makes a real difference in terms of the debate. And I think the thing that’s most frustrating to me is that – The FBI has been told about these problems. They were told about it when I worked there. They’ve acknowledged that their data isn’t complete. So there are two problems. One is they’ve misidentified some cases. And so like there are cases where a civilian stopped an attack and the FBI unfortunately just claimed, well, it was a security guard rather than a civilian. But the vast majority of cases are ones where they’ve simply missed, including the case in their list of cases.
SPEAKER 05 :
A question came in from a listener on the text line. Do certain Democrat cities also not report everything that they’re supposed to? In other words, do they withhold data?
SPEAKER 17 :
Well, you know, interesting. You have the Department of Justice going and trying to look at D.C. right now in terms of underreporting crime. But one of the things that you’ve seen in a lot of these cities which have Soros prosecutors is – I’ll give you a simple example. The difference between aggravated assault and simple assault involves whether a weapon is used. And these Soros prosecutors have refused to prosecute people for weapons offenses. And so they’ll downgrade it from an aggravated assault, which is a felony, to simple assault, which is a misdemeanor. But not only that is they don’t want to take the full burden of downgrading these things. And so they put pressure on police officers when they’re doing the reports. not to include a weapon when they’re writing up the police report. And the FBI data, which goes and everybody uses to go and talk about changes in crime rates from one year to another or comparison across cities, they rely on crimes reported to the police from police reports. And they don’t include simple assaults in their numbers. They just include felonies, aggravated assault, which is the main part of violent crime. And, you know, I mean, that’s just one example. In New York City, I mean, in D.C. and Chicago, you have a number of reports where higher ups in police departments will put pressure on officers not to record a murder as a murder. there’s cases in D.C. where police have reported that higher-ups have demanded that they, rather than recording as a murder, record it as person taken to hospital, which isn’t even a crime.
SPEAKER 05 :
Right, right.
SPEAKER 17 :
So, you know, you have an officer, in that case a detective, who issued a sworn statement saying that he was ordered that by his superiors. And look, there’s an even bigger problem with regard to the crime data that isn’t necessarily a result of manipulation or corruption. It’s just the fact that people have to realize that there’s a big difference between crimes reported to police and total crimes. Only about 40% of violent crimes get reported to police. only about 30 percent of property crimes get reported to police and whether or not crimes get reported depends in large part on whether or not people think that the criminal is going to be caught and punished i see and one thing that we’ve seen is that you know in recent years why we may have seen a drop in the number of reported crimes uh in 2024 uh a few percent drop there We actually saw a fairly significant double-digit increase in our measure of total crimes from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The Bureau of Justice Statistics, in order to get a handle on what’s happening to total crimes, surveys about 240,000 people each year. They’ve been doing this for over 50 years. And, you know, we have, during the Biden administration, the numbers that just came out, most recent numbers, indicate that We had a 59% increase in total violent crime during the four years of the Biden administration. That’s the largest by far. That’s more than twice as large as the largest previous four-year increase in violent crime that we’ve ever seen.
SPEAKER 05 :
Wow. Amazing. All right. So you guys, Crime Prevention Research Center, A, how do folks find you? And is all of this information you just talked about and have uncovered, is it all there?
SPEAKER 17 :
Yes, it’s all on our website. It’s at crimeresearch.org, crimeresearch.org.
SPEAKER 05 :
Awesome. Well, again, it’s very important. Those of you listening, please make sure you go there. Utilize this when you’re having conversations with others. And, you know, A, I’m a big believer, Dr. Lott, that we’ve got to be on top of this. We’ve got to be, especially our side, we’ve got to be correct in the things that we say. This is fabulous information that you’re giving folks, so they’ve got real solid information. pardon the pun, but ammunition to go out there and really set the record straight, I guess is what I should say.
SPEAKER 17 :
Well, thank you for being there, and I appreciate you helping get this information out.
SPEAKER 05 :
You’re very welcome.
SPEAKER 17 :
People can go and find all the data on our website.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, I appreciate it. No, again, and for those of you listening, it’s Crime Prevention Research Center. And again, Dr. Lott, I mean, your name goes without saying. I mean, I don’t really have to say much about you and all the work that you’ve done over the years, and I appreciate all that you do.
SPEAKER 17 :
Thank you.
SPEAKER 05 :
You’re very welcome. Have a great evening. some of what’s going on, and you just heard him talk about that. And, yes, utilize that information as you can. Roof Savers of Colorado coming up next. Make sure you’re dialed in when it comes to your roof. Extend the life of your roof through the roof regeneration that Roof Savers of Colorado can do through the Roof Max product, 303-710-6916.
SPEAKER 21 :
August heat and those September storms can really take a toll on your roof here in Colorado. But before you shell out thousands for a full replacement, call Roof Savers of Colorado. Roof Savers offers Roof Max, a quick, affordable, eco-friendly treatment that restores flexibility and extends the life of your asphalt shingles, all for a fraction of the cost of a new roof. As the seasons start to change, now is the perfect time to get ahead of winter damage. In just one treatment, RoofMax rejuvenates your roof, improves protection, and gives you peace of mind before the snow hits. Call Roof Savers of Colorado today for a free roof assessment at 303-710-6916 or visit us at RoofSaversCo.com and ask about our seasonal specials. Roof Savers of Colorado, we add years to your roof and protection to your home.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, and group insurance analysts, when it comes to insurance, please make sure you’re dialed in. They’ll help you with every aspect of insurance, including business insurance for some of you that are business owners, e-gia.com.
SPEAKER 08 :
Finding the right home and auto insurance can be confusing, and picking the wrong plan can cost you thousands of dollars more out of your pocket. You need an expert in home and auto insurance to help you find the best coverage that fits your needs and at the very best premium. Call Paul DeNigro at GIA Insurance, and his team of home and auto insurance specialists will help you find the right plan for your needs. I’ll see you next time. Whether it is your home, auto, classic car, or liability insurance, GIA has got you covered. Call 303-423-0162, extension 100, or go online to e-gia.com. Get more without paying more.
SPEAKER 09 :
The best export we have is Common Sense. You’re listening to Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, as I was talking to Joe earlier about Bill Maher and him talking about his side of the aisle, the Democrats, well, I’m going to talk about something on our side. And it just drives me nuts. The amount of misinformation that gets spread and then continues to spread, and there’s a thread now on X from a post by Wall Street Apes. And I guess the handle sort of tells you what you need to know, but This is total misinformation. This is involving, in this case, Toyota. So let me just read this to you. We as a society have to fiercely reject this. American, just reading this word for word, just bought a brand new 2025 Toyota. You must pay a monthly subscription fee, too. $15 a month to stream music to your screen in your own vehicle. Your own phone’s Bluetooth won’t work. $15 per month to use the screen on your vehicle for navigation. Your own phone’s Bluetooth won’t work. You can bundle Bluetooth of music and navigation from your own phone for $25 a month. Again, this is just to use your own Bluetooth from your phone. There’s also a monthly subscription fee to use your own key fob to remote start your car. This can be bundled in with your music and navigation plan. $8 a month to be able to see your oil level and your tire pressure remotely. Service Connect is $8 a month, provides vehicle health reports. They are in their new vehicle physically unable to view their music or navigation from their phone on their new vehicle screen. You must pay monthly. By the way, some of this is true, so they take a little bit of what’s true and then expand it in all sorts of things that are not true. We just test drove one of these, by the way, not that long ago. And you can take your phone and you can use CarPlay, you can stream your music, you can use your phone, you can do everything that you would normally do with any other system. Yes, there are features where if you want to use Toyota’s own navigation system and their own music and their own XYZ, you get the drift. Yes, like OnStar with General Motors, there’s a fee to do so. For example, in a GM vehicle, if you want turn-by-turn navigation where it really speaks through even the speakers to you on how to do that and you’re using OnStar to perform that, yes, there’s a subscription fee to make that happen. Same thing with Toyota and a lot of other brands, by the way. Nothing new there. That’s been that way for a very long time. GM started it with OnStar. Other companies have picked it up, and it’s very true with a lot of vehicles that are out there. No, you don’t have to subscribe to Toyota to use the vehicle’s quote-unquote head unit. Totally false information. Now, this is either a person that is thoroughly ignorant and hasn’t read the owner’s manual to even understand how to use their own vehicle, Or is just pushing propaganda? One of the two. I don’t know which. Frankly, Richard just sent me this, my son, a little bit ago, so I haven’t had time to even really… I was going to play the video, but I can’t because I don’t know what kind of language is in it. And I never play anything that I can’t preview first for obvious reasons. We have the FCC out there monitoring what we do, and I can’t let things go out over air that aren’t cool to do. The words that can’t go out, and I don’t know what’s in this video. So I don’t know what the history is here and or what this person did. But again, this is either a person that is extremely, extremely ignorant or is pushing propaganda. Or maybe a combination of two. Maybe it’s a little bit of both. I don’t know. A lot of ignorant people out there on both sides of the aisle, our side included. Point being, and I see comments coming in from probably conservatives talking about how wrong this is and I’ll never buy another Toyota product and on and on and on. And no, I’m not a spokesperson for Toyota. I talk about every single car the way I see it. I am not beholden to any one manufacturer and I don’t look more highly upon one manufacturer than another. You guys all know that. I really speak my mind pretty clearly about all things concerning vehicles, period. And I try to set the record straight as many times as I possibly can, especially from conservatives that are ignorant when it comes to cars, including some quote-unquote car experts but are still ignorant when it comes to cars. And yes, they do exist. Just because somebody’s a car journalist, by the way, it doesn’t make them an expert. It means they’re a car journalist, but they’re not an expert. No more than a political commentator on air is an expert on politics. They’re a good commentator, but it doesn’t mean they’re an expert when it comes to policy and politics and so on. They can comment on it. It doesn’t mean they’re an expert. Great examples of that in the automotive journalistic world. And I’ve met a lot of these people, by the way. Now, in this case, I don’t know this person. I don’t know the gal speaking. I’ve never seen her before. I wouldn’t know her if I met her on the street corner. I have no idea who this person is. What I do know is… Everything that was posted in here, or the majority of what’s posted, maybe not everything, but the majority of what’s posted in here is false. It’s just not true. And I didn’t go to Toyota’s website to specifically – I didn’t have time because this just came as I was talking on air, as I was talking to John Lott. So I didn’t have an opportunity to actually review this and go to Toyota’s website and find out what their subscription services actually are and what they cost. And frankly, that’s not what I even put into our reviews on the cars that we do because subscription services, by the way, can vary from car to car, what you pay for the car, what you in some cases are as a customer to them. And it’s true with a lot of different services. You know, Sirius XM, for example. You get a better deal the more radios you have subscriptions on. Same is true when it comes to OnStar and things like that. The better the customer, the less money you’ll spend for those services. It’s true with a lot of services that are out there. So I don’t talk about those things, Richard and I don’t, in our reviews because at the end of the day, they can vary. And so it’s not standard as to what someone pays for those quote unquote subscription services. But I just want to make sure everybody knows when it comes to a lot of the things that were started by General Motors and OnStar that a lot of the other companies out there picked up on and figured, wait a minute, here’s a really good way for us to make money and still help the customer at the end of the day. Let’s jump on board. They did. And it’s not any different than what OnStar has been doing for years. Now, all of them, I think Toyota included, gives you basic things for free. If you have a bad accident, are they going to call 911? Yeah, and you don’t have to subscribe to do that. It’ll just do it for you. As long as that car can still communicate through the regular cell network, if you have a bad accident, you don’t have to be a subscriber, and it will call 911 for you. That just sort of comes with the vehicle when you buy it. Now, if you want upgraded services… then you get those. Now, I don’t talk about this much, but this is where a lot of the higher-end EVs will come with all of those subscription services included. So you buy a higher-end GM EV, you get all of those subscriptions for free. Lower-end EVs, you may not. And by the way, it’ll tell you this on the Monroney, on the window sticker, as to what services are included with what vehicle you’re actually buying. So… I just wanted to make sure that I got in front of this one because this one’s going to make its rounds. So for those of you listening, when you see this post, don’t forward it. Don’t get on board and then be a fool at the end of the day because most of what’s in here is false. Don’t be gullible is my point. And just don’t be stupid like this person is that posted this in the first place. So anyway, I just want to set the record straight. Let’s do this. Golden Eagle Financial coming up next. And Al Smith is always there to help you when it comes to your financial future, planning for getting to retirement, staying in retirement. Golden Eagle Financial. Find them at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 15 :
goes further with the help of Golden Eagle Financial. Taxes don’t retire when you do, and they can eat up significant portions of your retirement savings. That’s why you need a sound strategy from Al Smith of Golden Eagle Financial. Al’s relational approach to retirement planning means he’ll get to know the whole you, including your goals and history of saving. And Golden Eagle will help you utilize financial products that will best benefit you. saving taxes helping you defer taxes where it makes sense and skipping them all together if or when that’s possible tax evasion is illegal but tax avoidance is encouraged by the irs so let golden eagle financial help you figure out how to avoid taxes where you can using roth iras and other products and be strategic in your plan for retirement Find Golden Eagle on the advertisers page at klzradio.com and send out a message for a free, no obligation consultation. That’s klzradio.com slash money. Investment advisory services offered through Brookstone Capital Management LLC, registered investment advisor. BCM and Golden Eagle Financial Limited are independent of each other. Insurance products and services are not offered through BCM, but are offered and sold through individually licensed and appointed agents.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, Kevin Flesch, when it comes to civil or criminal cases, Kevin can represent you on either side. The only thing Kevin doesn’t do, by the way, is family law. Outside of that, he’s there for you. We’d love to represent you as an attorney, 303-806-8886.
SPEAKER 18 :
Here’s why you need personal injury attorney Kevin Flesch on your side. He understands the way the jury thinks. In the context of a personal injury case, you’ve been hurt by someone else’s negligence. The idea is that you’re going to try to recover so that you can get back to where you were just prior to that incident occurring. What that really means from a jurist’s perspective is that you’re going to be asking them to award you money. So when we talk about fairness, we’re talking about six people that you don’t know. Those six people view the evidence and make a unanimous decision that will decide what the fair value is. When you’re the one who’s hurt, you have a good idea of what you think it’s worth. The question is, can you persuade those other individuals whom you don’t know and were witnesses to believe that’s what the case is worth? Kevin Flesch understands the way the jury thinks. Call now for a free consultation, 303-806-8886.
SPEAKER 05 :
And Dr. Scott, if you’re looking for a great doctor, again, that thinks like we do here on KLZ, and of course, Dr. Kelly, you hear her on Thursdays with us as well, then give Scott a call today. His phone number, 303-663-6990.
SPEAKER 01 :
Tired of rushed appointments and cookie cutter care? At Castle Rock Regenerative Health, Dr. Scott Faulkner offers true concierge medicine. Personalized, unrushed, and on your schedule. Not the schedule of big health care. No crowded waiting rooms. No waiting weeks to be seen. Thank you so much for having me. You’ll get advanced options designed to help you truly heal and stay healthy. If weight loss is part of your journey, they offer medically guided plans tailored to you, helping you lose weight safely and sustainably with real support every step of the way. And for those experiencing changes in energy, mood, or vitality, ask about our personalized hormone therapy. We’ll help you restore balance and feel your best at every stage of life. Ready for a different kind of health care? Visit CastleRockRegenerativeHealth.com or call 303-663-6990 and start your journey with Dr. Scott today. You can also find Dr. Scott at RushToReason.com.
SPEAKER 13 :
As independent brokers, GIA Insurance can help you shop the market so that you get the right coverage at the right price. Whether it is your home, auto, classic car, or liability insurance, GIA has got you covered. Call 303-423-0162, extension 100, or go online to e-gia.com.
SPEAKER 09 :
It’s time to leave your safe space. This is Rush to Reason on KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, something I haven’t talked much about because I kind of don’t need to is the whole NFL halftime show. You know, Bad Bunny, who is really a Marxist, I guess you could say, that doesn’t even want to come here to perform. And just also something to take note of is… The NFL has a company they hire to handle the halftime shows, and they’re the ones that make all the decisions on all of these things. That’s Jay-Z’s company, actually. They’re the ones that do all of the promotion, figuring out who’s going to be there. These people, by the way, are not paid. They typically get all sorts of… of credibility, I guess you could say, or their own advertisement from being there. So again, it’s not the NFL. I do understand that the NFL probably has a final say, you know, a nod to or whatever. But I will tell you that personally speaking, I don’t think the NFL really cares much one way or the other when it comes to the halftime show. They know people are going to watch the Super Bowl regardless of what the halftime show is or isn’t. And at the end of the day, I don’t think they frankly care. I’m just being really honest. It’s sort of like a gone with the wind. They don’t really give a you know what. That’s my opinion. Does that keep people from watching the NFL because of it? Frankly, I don’t think so either. No, I don’t think it does. If Super Bowl people are going to watch one way or the other. Now, I think a lot of people, by the way, at halftime go and do other things anyway, so I don’t think most people really care what the halftime show even is unless you’re there at the stadium. And even then, you’re going to the bathroom, you’re getting food, you’re doing whatever, even at the halftime itself. Most of the people in the stadium probably aren’t watching it. Anyways, Turning Point USA. Charlie Kirk’s organization, as you guys all are familiar with, they are going to have an alternative halftime show. Not sure exactly how it’s all going to work and who’s going to actually be there, but it’ll be the all-American halftime show. It’ll be an alternative to the regular halftime show that will be performed by the three-time Grammy Award-winning Bad Bunny. at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. So at the end of the day, there will be an alternative. You don’t have to watch Bad Bunny. You’ll be able to turn and watch something else at Turning Point USA if that’s something that you’re interested in. And as we get closer to that, I’m sure there’ll be more details that will come out, and we can talk about that further as we get closer. All right, on tomorrow’s show, Friday. It’s always a fun day. Have NFL picks, of course, in the second hour. And he’s going to do two movie reviews this week by watching him as we speak. Soul on Fire and Tron Ares. Make sure I say that right. The new Tron movie, basically. And the movie rental hour is going to be inspirational stories. That fits a lot of different movies, by the way. So put your thinking caps on and send me what your favorite movies are. Along those lines, don’t forget the text line, 307-200-8222. Guys, have a great night. We’ll see you tomorrow right back here on Friday. Rush to Reason, Denver’s Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560.
Scott Garliss: Rate Cuts, Job Slowdowns, and Treasury Trends: What’s Next for Investors?
Join host John Rush as he navigates the turbulent waters of political misinformation and messaging. This episode dives into hot button issues like the increase in healthcare premiums and the misconceptions surrounding it. With expert analyses, John and his guest Joe dissect how political parties and media alter the narrative on such critical topics. Listeners will gain insights into why government policies on subsidies are misunderstood and who’s really responsible for these changes. Don’t miss the eye-opening discussion on why mainstream media may not be your most reliable source of political information.
More Episodes
HR1 Dr. Scott: From Biomarkers to Breakthroughs, Why “Normal” Might Be Your Biggest Risk. (4-1-26)
HR3 Dr. Scott: Are Statins the Enemy or a Misunderstood Tool? Aging: What If You’re Wrong? (4-1-26)
HR2 Dr. Scott: Cell-Level Secret to Energy, Focus, Longevity — A1C, Autoimmunity, Aging. (4-1-26)
No Kings, No Clue: Protest Logic Falls Apart