As the Supreme Court rules on the TikTok ban, we explore the complex issues surrounding data privacy and freedom of expression. With expert insights and audience opinions, we delve into the potential impacts on users and the economy, all while keeping a keen eye on the latest updates from the legal world. This pivotal moment marks a crossroads for American technology and security policy, as the nation watches closely how these developments unfold.
SPEAKER 03 :
We got breaking news, major change in the Trump inauguration. Keeping you informed and engaged, now more than ever. This is Seculo. We want to hear from you. Share and post your comments or call 1-800-684-3110.
SPEAKER 07 :
And now your host, Logan Secula. Welcome to Secula. We're going to be taking your calls today because we've got a lot of breaking news at 1-800-684-3110. Will Haynes is joining me in studio. Harry Hutchinson is going to be joining us a little bit later. But there is some big breaking news. Obviously this morning you may have heard the update where the Supreme Court has said it is okay to go ahead with the ban on TikTok. I'd love to get your thoughts on that. Give us a call again, like I said, at 1-800-684-3110. 31 10 and as people are tuning in right now on radio on youtube on rumble on the salem news channel i know a lot of you saw that headline and that is that the trump inauguration had a major change and that was just it hasn't even been officially announced that has been highly speculated speculated sources are saying the trump inauguration will be moving indoors now the primary reason for this you may have expected is because of very cold weather that is coming on Monday to Washington, D.C. However, you can also look into this and say this could be a very big sigh of relief for the Secret Service. Now, it is a bummer for a lot of people who are planning on making that trip. I know there are people in our own office doing that. There are people who are involved who really want to go see that moment, family members. But unfortunately... All reports are right now that the Trump-Vance swearing-in ceremony traditionally that takes place will be moving inside, likely inside the Capitol. That's where we're at.
SPEAKER 04 :
That's right. So clearly there hasn't been an official announcement, but every reporter in D.C. is getting the same information from sources, which means... They're getting it out there now with an official announcement with what it will look like forthcoming. But we're seeing that because of what they're calling dangerously cold temperatures expected on Monday, that they are moving it inside. That means it'll be in the rotunda there at the Capitol. And when you look at the weather... Typically, we're not giving you a 10-day forecast here, but on Monday, it is a high of 24 degrees, a low of 9, expected to be around 22, 23 degrees around the time of the swearing-in. People are obviously there for hours upon hours beforehand as they try to get their position in on the lawn.
SPEAKER 07 :
One of my friends that has a ticketed version says that he had to arrive at 5 a.m. Right. So, I mean, you're talking about a very cold pre even sun coming up. I'd love to hear your thoughts. I'm actually looking at the comments and a lot of you are are very happy about this and are really mainly because of safety. Obviously, everyone was concerned when you've had multiple assassination attempts. on a presidential candidate what this looks like. And sadly, this is the state of America. I think this is something we can hopefully get away from soon. But right now, the safety and security of everyone is dealing with this. Now, I encourage you to give me a call because I want to know your thoughts at 1-800-684-3110. This also comes on just hours ago, the Supreme Court ruling that the ban on TikTok, TikTok, could go in place, could continue to happen, and that could happen as early as Monday. However, it looks like President Biden is going to kick it down the road, put a hold on this, and let the Trump administration figure out what to do. Now, there's a lot of thoughts. A lot of people are happy about this. A lot of people are sad. I'll tell you, I have a lot of mixed feelings. Here in our own office, you cannot use TikTok on our servers. That is for security reasons. So clearly, we know there is an issue there because we do not allow that on our servers. However... You also have an economy built on that for a lot of people. So I'm very concerned when you ever start censoring speech. Yes, the reason that they are trying to censor TikTok isn't really to do with the speech being homegrown in America or even the speech being controlled. It is where your data and your privacy is going. How they can be a part of that. Give us a call. I'd love to hear your thoughts. Because this one, I think there's a conservative libertarian point of view here that is... a bit at odds i'd love to hear your thoughts and on your thoughts on the swearing and moving indoors we're also going to discuss a new aclj case uh that's really wild and it involves another big tech company so stay tuned to that give us a call as i said at 1-800-684-3110 we're facing some big challenges this year we got a new administration taking office in just a few days and we know we have to be ready So the ACLJ, we're planning to defend liberty. I can't wait for you to hear this one. You're going to be shocked by this one coming up in just a few segments of really what's happening to the American people. 1-800-684-3110. But become an ACLJ champion right now at aclj.org. Welcome back to Secular. We are obviously covering kind of two big breaking news stories, the TikTok story, and President Trump just put out some sort of statement because of the cold, saying he doesn't want to see injuries, moving the inauguration inside. It could be a disappointment to a lot of people, but I see a lot of great comments coming in. People are actually happy that he's taking this step. But Rick Grinnell is joining us. Last second, Rick, I appreciate you calling in because you were pretty early. on telling us about the issues that were coming out of TikTok years ago, what the concerns were, not necessarily calling for a ban on TikTok, but said, hey, if you're concerned about your privacy, don't have it on your phone. We don't allow it on our servers here at the ACLJ. Some of that was due to your advice. However, we're at this point now where the Supreme Court has ruled that they can ban it, but you have President Trump coming out and saying, you know what, and I think he's right in this, saying we need to figure out a way to move forward.
SPEAKER 12 :
Yeah, look, this is a difficult issue. And I think President Trump is going about it the right way. Remember, we tried early in the days of TikTok to just ban it or get an American company to host it. That was kind of the compromise. That didn't work. The court said, no, you can't ban it. So the president, President Trump, followed the rule of law, followed what the court said and said, OK, well, let's try to get a more aggressive ownership of an American. That's where we are now. It hasn't been able to be solved in the Biden administration. So once again, here's another issue that has to come back to Donald Trump's plate. And we're going to have to make sure that we find an American firm to not only buy it, but to host it. so that you can really mitigate as much as possible the information flow back to communist China. Remember, they don't allow the current version of TikTok that's available in the United States. The Chinese don't allow that version in China. Right. And so there's a, there's a lot of questions for how do you mitigate the problem? But I do think that president Trump is right that, uh, you know, we've got some of the same aggressive problems with Facebook, Instagram, some of the other social media platforms have not always been, uh, you know, pro friendly, uh, yeah, friendly or, or just, or just pro free speech. Right. And not manipulating the content in some way. So I think this is yet just another problem that TikTok has in the larger issue of social media.
SPEAKER 07 :
Right, because at least with Meta, with Facebook, or now with X, even before when it was Twitter, we could at least turn to it and go, Mark Zuckerberg. runs this. Now, Elon Musk or Jack Dorsey, there were American faces or very known people who are running it. I don't think most people, if you said who was running TikTok, the transparency is not there. We know it's not there. However, you do have a situation where a lot of Americans have built Most, you know, 90% plus for a lot of these creators and influencers, a lot of their revenue comes through TikTok directly or indirectly. And again, I know a lot of you will go, well, that's just, you know, influencer culture and all that. But think about even the people who are, I use an example, created a candle company that went viral on TikTok. you do have to think about those people because they are Americans contributing to society. Now, you are right. The TikTok version in China, it's very education-based. It is not this endless sea of mind reading, which is what it does feel like when you're using it. But maybe this will be a moment where we'll see some change because there are some big voices, some big names in tech and in media that have come and said, hey, we want to buy it. And now it's, I guess, the question of, does China say... Great. We'll happily sell it to you. Or does China say, well, then now we don't even have the influence we want out of it. Oh, well.
SPEAKER 12 :
I think China will absolutely sell it. They realize what a huge deal it is. There'll be some sort of a partnership. But let's remember one thing. Mark Zuckerberg and Meta spent billions of dollars to hire people that were responsible for looking at the content of of users on Facebook, my mother's content, when she would update her status, Facebook employed people to look at that to say, is this accurate information or is this misinformation? We've gone from opinions being illegal in this country. And Mark Zuckerberg was at the forefront of that. I'm sorry, but I'm not easily swayed with, you know, suddenly he's now a fan of Donald Trump after Donald Trump won the popular vote. I think Mark Zuckerberg is a big fan of money.
SPEAKER 07 :
If you run into him at the inauguration, let us know. Let us know what he thinks.
SPEAKER 04 :
Go ahead, Will. And Rick, I mean, I think what we have here also is two issues that for the audience to think about as well as one, yes, we've had an issue with the way that especially these American social media companies have acted, have acquiesced to the censorship that the government wanted to impose and whether that is, as you mentioned, because They're going to go with the winds of the administration if they want to make more money. But at the end of the day, it still was inappropriate, unconstitutional actions that were happening across social media platforms when it came to censorship. But then you also have to look at the TikTok issue, which... on its face, has a lot of the same issues with data privacy, the ability to look across your device at other things and garner information that way, which our American companies are doing too. But the difference here with TikTok is that it's a... adversarial foreign government that is able to get this. And you think of the national security implications across the board. If our soldiers have this on their phone, if people within the administration or within the bureaucracies have this on their phone and the ability to easily lose track of things to a foreign adversary is really what the impetus for this was. But we still have a lot of other issues with the privacy issues as conservatives, especially that are going rampant with other apps in this country.
SPEAKER 12 :
You know, well, when I was in high school, I remember thinking I'm never going to be that old stuffy person that says, you know, get off my lawn or turn down that music. I always thought of myself as hip and cool and, you know, pop culture driven. And I now have to admit to you that I don't allow TikTok into my home. After being the D&I and seeing how the Chinese operate, I'm not very popular with my friends, kids, or my nephews and nieces because I don't want that product in my home. And so I ask people who come in, I'm that stick in the mud. When you come into my home, I ask you if you've got TikTok on your phone to leave the phone outside.
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, I mean, that should say it all, Rick. I mean, that is a pretty... And look, you've told us that, and that's one of the reasons that we do not have it here on our servers locally, here in the offices. We don't tell our employees what to download or not download, but we make sure that we don't have it at least connected to our servers. Rick, I appreciate you calling in. I know it was just at the last second here, but I wanted to get, because I knew you were on the forefront of all of this originally, so I just wanted to get your thoughts. Obviously, we're looking at Washington, D.C. right now. A lot of people coming to town for the inauguration. There is your reports right now that that will be moved inside, so it's going to be a little bit different, but it still will be a pretty wild week coming up.
SPEAKER 12 :
All the best. Thank you.
SPEAKER 07 :
Thanks, Rick. Thanks for joining us. Give us a call, by the way, right now. 1-800-684-3110. A lot of you called in and didn't stay on hold because you got to let our screeners do their job. So just stay on hold. Even if you just hear it ringing, give it a little bit. We'll try to get to you. And we'll be back in just a minute with more calls and questions. Let's go to Robin, who's calling in Nevada on line one. Robin, you're on the air.
SPEAKER 11 :
Hey, thanks for having me. Is the inauguration... Hold on, let me get you off echo here. Is the inauguration taking place in the same Capitol where Trump was supposed to have incited the storming of the Capitol January 2nd? Is that not poetic justice?
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, I mean, look, I don't know if it's poetic justice, but you can at least say that it is an interesting, maybe you say, into that story. Right, the final chapter of that saga. As George Lucas would say for Star Wars, it echoes. It has a moment where the theory goes around and it all comes full circle.
SPEAKER 04 :
Does that mean that there's going to be 36 more Trump inaugurations because of the way the Star Wars franchise works out? I'm talking about the original Star Wars. Oh, okay, got it.
SPEAKER 07 :
The history repeats itself. to a way where, yes, you have these sort of big moments where you'll have this conclusion. And yes, I think that will be part of the story in history. I think history books will look, books, you know, the internet, will look back and say, our brain chips from Elon, will say, isn't that wild? That's a crazy end to this story, if you will, that because of the weather. Now, this is not the first time the inauguration has had to be moved inside. It happened to Ronald Reagan. It's happened multiple times throughout history. this entire run. But hey, you know what? President Trump is a Floridian now. He knows. Too cold. Too cold.
SPEAKER 04 :
Too cold. To her point, our caller's point, you can guarantee that on MSNBC and CNN, they are going to have side-by-sides of the swearing-in ceremony and the protesters walking through the rotunda. Van Jones is going to be crying. They have already, as soon as this information went out, they ordered the graphics department to start mocking up the side-by-side, try to find the right angle so it looks identical because they're going to try to repeat that forever.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, it's like my wife took a great picture of my kids walking across Abbey Road and nailed it perfectly. That's what they're going to do. They're just going to be like exactly the same. Again, phone lines are open for your calls. I'd love to hear from you. Ronald's Downhold will get to you when we come back. And we're also going to talk about a new ACLJ client This is a pretty wild story. Again, it does involve big tech and really a big push against supporters of Israel. But in this one, not even just supporters of Israel, people that survived the Holocaust. You're not going to want to miss this. Stay tuned. 1-800-684-3110. And again, I encourage you, if you like this broadcast, hit that subscribe button or become an ACLJ champion right now. Welcome back to Secular. Again, we're going to take your calls. Stay on hold if you're listening right now. Just give us a minute to get screened through these. We did want to, again, bring up the breaking news that President Trump's second inauguration will be now inside the United States Capitol Rotunda. He put out a statement. It was used, obviously, by Ronald Reagan in 1985, who had his ceremonial inauguration, fun fact, at Walt Disney World at Epcot. You should watch those. Look at those pictures. See those videos. If you ever wanted to see something crazy, see the president speaking out in front of Spaceship Earth. But this is what he said. I have ordered the inauguration address in addition to the prayers and other speakers to be delivered inside the United States Capitol Rotunda, as was used by Ronald Reagan in 1985, also because of very cold weather. The various dignitaries and guests will be brought into the Capitol. This will be a very beautiful experience for all, and especially for the large TV audience. We will open Capitol One Arena on Monday for live viewing of this historic event. and to host the presidential parade. I will join the crowd at Capital One after my swearing in. So again, Capital One Arena, though, it holds, formerly the MCI Center, for those who remember that, it probably holds a normal size of an arena, somewhere between 19,000 and 20,000. Not exactly fitting everybody in there, probably, but you will at least have something that people who have gotten tickets, probably those guaranteed tickets, will be able to attend. And again, this is what the big breaking news is. A lot of people are speculating, of course, the security concerns that were going to be happening of an outside event, a big event which you can't necessarily control everything. And obviously, I'm sure the Secret Service is somewhat breathing a sigh of relief trying to figure out what to do after you've had such a chaotic six months or seven months for President Trump in his run up to the election. So again this is what's happening. That's the big breaking news item as well as the TikTok ban that is still set to go in place. It's up to President Trump on how that will be taken care of. And again, I wanted to cover that, make sure you guys all know what's happening here in Capital One Arena, Will. Happens to be where I saw my first ever WCW Monday Nitro. So for those, that was the night that Sting joined the Wolfpack. So you know what? I should text Sting and get his advice.
SPEAKER 04 :
True patriot. He should have been on air today after this breaking news.
SPEAKER 07 :
He's a true patriot, that Steve Borden. He is. All right, let's move a little bit to the work of the ACLJ. We have a very interesting client right now. I think you're going to get shocked by this. You know, for Amazon, yep, that's right. I said it. With Amazon, which we've all used, let's just be honest. Everyone uses Amazon. You can put up your own book and release your own book, self-publish these books, and you can order copies. This is what our client did. They ordered copies of their book, which is about a Holocaust survivor. Her father, actually. Her father. You know, they probably have thousands of these churning a day, I would assume, of these self-published books or even published books. You know, they are the ones providing the printing. When those books arrived directly from the Amazon warehouses and printers that create these books, if you're watching right now, either on YouTube Rumble or the Salem News Channel or on X or on Facebook, this is what it looked like. When you opened up the pages, there were pages that said Zionism kills Jews. Open up another copy of it. What do we got there? What about the blood of Palestine? Let's keep going. I think there's some more. This one is from the river to the sea. Palestine will be free. And if you're not watching, if you're just listening to Liberate Palestine, if you're just listening, this isn't like little marks written on the cover or written in the small print somewhere. These are giant marker pages.
SPEAKER 04 :
essentially graffitied over the entire pages and what we are demanding is that amazon give some answers to this well that's right so these copies every copy she received word was defaced yeah by someone within the supply chain at some point uh before before packaging i would assume because i don't believe it was opened and then defaced then repackaged But she had reached out to Amazon and she's an Israeli American. This book is called Daughter of the Holocaust. It is about her father, who is a Holocaust survivor. And she received inadequate responses from Amazon originally. And she was actually in Israel and had these books delivered to her son's house. So by the time when she got home It was outside of the return window because she didn't have adequate time to check because she had them delivered to her son's home and came. So then she shows them like, sorry, we can't we can't really do anything. It's outside of our terms of service. But now she is a client of the ACLJ. This is a breach of contract from Amazon is what we are letting them know. And we're demanding from Amazon that they replace the destroyed books that were defaced with anti-Semitic hate. Conduct a thorough investigation of this conduct and provide our client with confirmation that the responsible party has been terminated and also provide her with a report of the investigation. Now, that obviously will take time, but we are demanding a response from Amazon that they get back to us, letting us know that this will occur tomorrow. By January 23rd. So just early into next week, they need to provide a lot more answers and a lot more things of confirmations that they are going to move forward and start making this right.
SPEAKER 07 :
You know they can track this back. They know the printer that was used. I mean, I'm talking about not necessarily the printer. I'm talking about the physical printer. They know where it came from. They then know where it went from there to binding, then from binding to packaging. There are cameras, I assume, and I would hope, honestly, at Amazon's warehouses for quality control. checking all of these things they can find it and we were going to do our best here at the aclj to make sure that they do this is taken care of and our client is taking care of them by the way they're taken care of as i've said on this show numerous times at no cost to them i highly doubt that this person could go get a lawyer spend the money that would take to go after and to try to be vindicated by a company like amazon you know that is a true david goliath story uh in this moment but because of the aclj and because of aclj champions people that give on a monthly basis or people that give individually just your donors because all of these clients all of these clients get this legal services at no cost to them zero dollars out of pocket now obviously we want to be able to pay the best of the best our best attorneys that we can get we can't do that without your support because one day it could be you one day it could be me The ACLJ is here. And by the way, if you need legal help, easy, aclj.org slash help. If it's within our scope of what we do here, you're going to get immediately attached to an attorney and get the ball rolling. So let's do it again. If you listen to moments like this, you see stories like this, you see the hate that's happening in this country. you know that we can't just stand by and do nothing. So I encourage you again to go to aclj.org. We are going to take some more phone calls coming up. A lot of you are joining us right now, by the way, on YouTube. I can see the numbers. If you are brand new to this show, which a lot of you are, as I know, I look at the analytics, about 50% of the people who watch this show every day have never seen us before. And well over 50% don't subscribe. We do this show every day, noon to 1 p.m. Eastern Live. And we put up a lot of other great content. So I'm encouraging you right now, if you can't give or you're brand new and you're not sure if you're ready to give to the ACLJ, which supports this show, good free way to do it, hit that subscribe button. We are at 452,000 subscribers. I would love to get that well over a million. Let's do that right now. I mean, we're not gonna be able to do that right now. That'd be nice. It'd be nice. But let's even get another thousand subs, 2,000 subs. It means more than you know. I know that sounds ridiculous because it sounds like I'm just like a YouTuber saying, please subscribe. But what this does, it gets this kind of voice. When you see what we're doing in Washington, D.C., you see what we're doing for clients like this Holocaust survivor's daughter who wrote a book about her father's experience and then had her books all defaced by Amazon, the behemoth of Amazon. And we're going to take them on. We're going to take them to court if necessary. We can't do that without your support. I encourage you to go to ACLJ.org. Do that now. Stay on hold. If you are on hold, we're going to get to you. We're going to take some calls in the next segment and a little bit later in the broadcast. So stay tuned right now. If you don't get us for the full hour, some of your local radio stations don't carry us, find us live or later on on ACLJ.org, YouTube, Rumble, X, and the Salem News Channel. We'll be right back on Sekulow.
SPEAKER 03 :
keeping you informed and engaged now more than ever. This is Seculo. And now your host, Logan Seculo.
SPEAKER 07 :
Welcome back to Seculo. We're going to be taking your calls in this segment and later on in the broadcast. Again, we're in the breaking news. It's out of Washington, D.C. as President Trump's inauguration has been announced to be moved indoors. There will be a viewing party at the Capital One Arena where the Washington Wizards play, the Washington Capitals. So there'll be a place for, if you want to say, the regular people, the fans, if you will, the supporters, people that are coming in from all over the country to watch this in a air conditioned, heated environment because it is just so cold. And obviously there's a sigh of relief in terms of the security nature that could, um, You know, scary risks that could happen from such a big outdoor event, especially just a few months after multiple assassination attempts. Let's just be a little bit grateful. I see some of the comments coming in saying that. So I really do appreciate that. Give us a call. 1-800-684-3110. We're going to take some calls and I'll open up some lines. Let's go ahead. First, let's go to Joseph, who's calling in Rhode Island on line three, who is watching. On one of our new homes, the Salem News Channel, which is available as a 24-hour news network, a lot of other great hosts, and we're on it live now from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern. Joseph, go ahead.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yes, Logan. I am relieved. that is being moved inside. Not just for his safety, but he is elderly. And if he caught pneumonia, I know because my grandmother died from pneumonia, you know. But I'm surprised that they didn't think of having
SPEAKER 07 :
having it at mar-a-lago you know that you know with the big gulf course you know you could have said everybody like that's what i wanted to say joseph i think there's a lot of people that feel similarly not necessarily because of age but because of health and even said i don't want anyone to get injured is that you know obviously it's an icy area a lot of places to slip and fall uh and then you have the obvious health risks of being out in below freezing temperatures Interesting, you brought up, should they have it in Mar-a-Lago or somewhere like that? The ceremony will definitely be taking place inside the Capitol Rotunda, as it should be. But if you look back to 1985, as I mentioned earlier, President Reagan had his second inauguration celebration, because they had to move it inside, at Epcot at Walt Disney World. So, you know, I don't know if Walt Disney World's still up for hosting an inauguration. A little bit different times with the Walt Disney Corporation. Ronald Reagan helped open Disneyland and was friends with Walt Disney, a true patriot, Walt Disney. But there are things like that that can happen. I wouldn't be surprised if you saw some form of celebration tour that happens for President Trump that feels to be kind of on track for him. But of course, we want him to get in there first and just get this country safe and sound again. And that's what we're hoping for.
SPEAKER 04 :
And you have to think that those in the Secret Service as well are thrilled with this move. Obviously, the pomp and circumstance and President Trump's own style is to have the big outdoor celebration with a large crowd extending out down the National Mall. So I feel like he didn't make this decision lightly. It was from advice of, you know, people are going to be out there since 5 a.m. The exposure to that kind of cold for that long is not good and not wanting people to get hurt. But you have to think that with all of the negative and failures of the Secret Service over the past year, that they were probably weighing in on this as well and saying, you You know, if you are moving it in, it's a good move because it is clearly being indoors contained in an already very secure building. Then you have to think that that's a much better thing when the entire world will be watching on Monday as President Trump is sworn in for his second term in office.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, I do think there's also not only the concern from the security point of view, because look at what happened during these confirmation hearings that are happening right now. You've had not violent protesters, but you've had very loud, obnoxious, being carried out protesters. Obviously, you know there will be protesters at the inauguration. I don't think there will be as many as there were before, somewhat because of this unprecedented cold here in January in Washington, D.C. But This is a moment again that we'll see what the progress happens. We'll see where it goes. The reaction, though, I'm seeing on our comments, people are, I don't want to say excited, but maybe relieved. Because you're not going to be watching an event with that just concern maybe the whole time if security is really in place or not. Phone lines are open for your calls. 1-800-684-3110. Also, Kristi Noem is up right now doing her confirmation hearing. We'll discuss that as well as continue the updates on TikTok, the updates on President Trump's inauguration and take your calls. All right. Welcome back to Seculo. I did want to address, because there's so many new people joining us right now, I can tell the numbers on YouTube and on Rumble and all of that. You may have saw that headline, Breaking Trump Inauguration Pushed Indoors. That has been officially announced now, even by President Trump. There will be a viewing party that will be happening at the Capital One Arena. That's where the Wizards and the Capitals play. So it holds about 20,000-ish. That's going to be happening during the live event, and then President Trump is going to travel from the Capitol Rotunda, where they'll be doing the indoor event, They'll be traveling to this arena. Again, twofold. One is the weather. It is going to be well below freezing. So a lot of people out there at 5 a.m. or earlier to get their spot, not good for people's health. And then you have the security concerns. Now, they're not addressing the security concerns, but I can tell you by just looking at the comments, I know a lot of you are thinking that way. And there's a lot of people going, I'm relieved. So I'm sure that's true for people within the Secret Service as well. We are going to take some more phone calls, 1-800-684-3110, and we have been discussing the ban on TikTok. Brief update on that, Supreme Court said it can happen. Biden administration looks to be punting it to President Trump, and it is in his hands. He hopes to have a new seller that can get that done, a new American buyer who will buy TikTok and have more transparency and less information going to the Chinese government. Right now, though, we want to shift gears a little bit, Will, and talk about what's going on in Washington as this transition period of time is happening.
SPEAKER 04 :
That's right. As we see the incoming cabinet members go through their confirmation hearings, and we have Professor Harry Hutchison joining us, we are also seeing, maybe not getting as much play... But a lot of interviews, farewell speeches from current cabinet members. We're seeing Attorney General Merrick Garland had a ceremony yesterday at the FBI to thank them for their hard work over the past four years. He was presented with a Tommy gun from Director Wray.
SPEAKER 07 :
If you're watching on any of our platforms, our visual platforms, which you should be, by the way, there it is. I mean, a mob boss style video game looking Tommy gun.
SPEAKER 04 :
and and now Christopher Wray said you know this is from you know the beginning of the federal bureau of investigation this was kind of the the arms that they used at the time and so that's what the symbolism is I think that they completely lost the symbolism that everyone associates that with the mob and you are now saying Merrick Garland, here's a symbol of the mob, which I don't know, maybe people have been criticizing the tactics of the FBI of being a little mob-like over the last four years.
SPEAKER 07 :
I mean, it's got the orange tip at the end, so you know this is a replica. This isn't real. It's not something to work. But still, even the imagery of giving a gun.
SPEAKER 04 :
Merrick Garland did say, I hope this is legal. And he goes, and the ATF guy I think is here, so maybe he can clear it. It's like when Elvis snuck a gun in to give to Nixon. Even the attorney general is questioning, well, maybe I shouldn't be getting this. But, you know, he's not really a gun guy himself. But then you're also seeing he made a statement During this speech where he said, the story has been told by some outside this building about what has happened inside of it is wrong. You have worked to pursue justice, not politics. That is the truth and nothing can change it. Professor Hutchison, what are your thoughts on this revisionist history that Merrick Garland is trying to put out into the world before his time is up?
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, Will, it's increasingly clear that delusional Democrats continue to live in the exciting world of make-believe. So this past Thursday, we have Attorney General Merritt Garland who urged Department of Justice staffers to resist any efforts by the incoming Trump administration to weaponize the DOJ. It's clear beyond question that Merrick Garland's analysis is exactly backward. What the American people have witnessed over the past seven to eight years under both the Obama administration and the Biden administration is the political weaponization of the DOJ against Donald Trump. I mean, who could forget the effort to prevent Donald Trump from actually appearing on the ballot? within the meaning of the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. Who could forget Jack Smith's multiple efforts to incarcerate Donald Trump based on an alleged election interference claim in Washington DC and based on a classified documents case in Florida. Who could forget published reports of alleged cooperation between the DOJ and Alvin Bragg and the reported cooperation between Fannie Willis in Georgia and the DOJ. And who could forget the January 6th House Committee and Liz Cheney preening before the cameras, the Russia collusion investigation, crossfire hurricane, you name it. There have been multiple efforts by Democrats to essentially prevent Donald Trump from becoming president. And then once he became president in 2016, multiple efforts to prevent him from acting effectively, including two impeachment cases. So I think at the end of the day, the Democrats have got it exactly backward. And it is very good to see the back of Merritt Garland because he's been one of the most incompetent attorney generals in American history.
SPEAKER 04 :
And Professor Hutchison, I also want to bring up because Kristi Noem, the governor of South Dakota, is currently today having hearings on her nomination to lead the Department of Homeland Security. And we're seeing Alejandro Mayorkas, the impeached director of Homeland Security. As Nancy Pelosi liked to say, you know, once you're impeached, you're impeached forever. He was impeached by the House of Representatives. They did not have a trial in the Senate over his impeachment. But he went on CNBC and was having a discussion. And the host actually asked him pretty straightforward, you know, a lot of your work on the border. Many point to that as being one of the decisive factors to the loss by Kamala Harris in November. And he was asking his take on that. So this is him responding. This is bite four from the outgoing impeached Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas.
SPEAKER 02 :
I'm not sure I'm in a position to agree or disagree with your political conclusion as to what determined the election in November. There are different views having been expressed. I wish that we had more time. And that would enable us to do more, not only in furtherance of our mission, but in the service of the American people. And I don't tend to look back like that. I look forward and see what is ahead and what can be ahead for the benefit of the American people.
SPEAKER 04 :
Professor Hutchison, there was only one Secretary of Homeland Security during the tenure of Joe Biden in the White House. And normally, I mean, sometimes there is turnover within these agencies over the course of a first term, but there was only one. There was Alejandro Mayorkas. He had four years. uh to not create the disaster that they created and yet he's asking and saying that he wishes they had more time to further their mission i don't know if he's talking about more time to completely eviscerate any semblance of a border uh for the united states or what but there was another bite where he also almost threw the people above him uh the president vice president under the bus by saying you know a lot of different views are expressed And then once it's decided what we're going to do, everyone has to unify. So maybe he's trying to rewrite history a little bit, say it's not all my fault. But that statement there alone of saying, I wish I had more time is the most perfect descriptor of this Biden administration where everything they did for four years seemed to be just chaotic. And yet they wish they had more time.
SPEAKER 05 :
Absolutely. So I think if you look at Mr. Mayorkas, it's imperative to note that the translation of what he said about having more time simply means more time to demonstrate beyond cavil and beyond question his incompetence. There have been few DHS secretaries who have been more incompetent than Mr. Mayorkas. He told the American people that the border is closed. He told the American people that the border is secure. That is one of the greatest lies in American history. So, I think, again, the American people will be happy to see him go. I hope at the end of the day he can find work, perhaps as a janitor or someone else. Or at MSNBC. It's the same thing.
SPEAKER 04 :
He may get a tenured professorship at Harvard. You know, there's a lot of academic jobs that he could get professored.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, I don't want to talk bad about anyone in that services because they're doing the hard work out there. But hopefully, like I said, he'll end up on MSNBC. No one will be able to see him. It's fine. They don't have a boss. It's what's happening right now. We only have 50 seconds left. I'm going to take your calls coming up in the next segment. 1-800-684-3110. 1-800-684-3110. We urgently need your support here at the ACLJ. I encourage you to do that right now. We've got a great lineup of calls coming up as well. So stay on hold. If you're in Oklahoma, South Carolina, Maryland, Arizona, all our calls. And if you're brand new and you're wondering what happened with President Trump, why I'm moving to indoors, we'll state that coming up in the next segment. We'll also talk about the TikTok ban as well. And if you are watching right now and you haven't subscribed, I encourage you to do that on YouTube, on Rumble, however you're watching this, Facebook, like the page. Do whatever you need to do to stay engaged with what we're doing here at the ACLJ. We do a show each and every day, so be a part of that as well. And I encourage you, make a comment. If you don't know what to comment, I like reading in the breaks, where are you watching from? Be right back. Welcome back to Secular. I love hearing from the most important voice in the room. Of course, that's you, our callers. Phone lines are open at 1-800-684-3110. As we clear through these, there'll be more availability. So do that now or start getting on hold. We've got a lot to go through. Let's go to Lori who's calling. You've been on hold for a long time, Lori. A lot of you have, so stay on hold. Lori in Arizona watching on YouTube. Welcome.
SPEAKER 10 :
Hello. Um, thanks for talking to me. Um, I just have a comment and as, as far as the inauguration of ceremony location is at, it doesn't matter to me. I just want him sworn in as president of the United States. And then the closer that he's to that.
SPEAKER 04 :
um desk where he signs those executive orders the sooner our country can get back on track i think that's a lot of us a lot of us just want the safety and security to return once again uh well well and even remember though as you think about these things uh the first inauguration he did the very unprecedented move of getting out of the limousine and walking down pennsylvania avenue uh with Barron and Melania. A lot of people were like, is he going to try to do that again? And I think the answer on that was going to be no. I don't think that the Secret Service would have allowed that at this point. The inauguration, while secure and they put as many Secret Service individuals on it as possible and as many resources throughout the federal government as they can on it, when you're exposed in a city There's only so much threat mitigation you can do, especially if it's a moving pathway. And I think that the Secret Service would not have allowed that to risk any sort of disruption or failure, again, based off the year they've had. But... Moving it indoors, I think, is a sigh of relief for those at the Secret Service that they can contain that ceremony 100% indoors. But I think we should go on to another call.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yep, continuing on. Let's go to Susan who's calling in Maryland, watching on YouTube. Susan, go ahead.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, I just called to thank ACLJ for taking the Amazon case for defaying Holocaust books. I am not Jewish. But I am more than honored to support your decision to represent this case. Thank you very much.
SPEAKER 07 :
Susan, I'm glad you called in. And if you didn't see that, if you're your brand new watch the ACLJ, by the way, if you're brand new, I know half of you are. We also are not just a television show and not just a YouTube show or podcast. We are also a law firm, public interest law firm. where if you need us and at no cost, we will represent you. And what she was referring to is a case that we now have, or a client that we now have, it could turn into a case, where the person had created a book, which you can do, and uploaded it to Amazon and ordered it from Amazon to be delivered. And this book happened to be about her father, who was a Holocaust survivor. And when the books arrived... When you open them up, as you can see right now, they were all defaced. Every single copy of them defaced with anti-Semitic rhetoric. What about the blood of Palestine? Zionism kills Jews. From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free. All of those tropes written in all the books. What about this? What about that? And Amazon kind of said, well, there's nothing we can do. It's outside of our return policy. We're going to make sure that Amazon does respond to this. Everyone uses Amazon. OK, let's not live in a world where we don't. I know a lot of you are saying you wish you couldn't. Well, that's fine. But most people do have to use or do use Amazon's great service. Great what they do. However. They should not just roll over to anti-Semitism coming from inside of their own company. So we are going to respond to that aggressively, Will. We've told them there's a deadline. Now we've got two calls still on the hit. There's a deadline for them to respond because we know they have cameras. We know they have ways to find out who this individual is and to take care of the problem.
SPEAKER 04 :
Right. I don't think that they have the cover of saying, ah, we didn't have enough data to be able to figure this out. They can figure out what you're thinking three weeks from now, what you may want to purchase. But I think it is also important to reiterate this case. I don't know that if the Biden administration had allowed the rampant anti-Semitism to just fester in this country over the past almost year and a half now, that it would have even been someone as brazen enough to think that they could deface every product that someone ordered with anti-semitic tropes which was a daughter writing a memoir about her father who was a holocaust survivor and they thought they could get away with it why do they think they could get away with it because they saw thousands of anti-semites across this country protesting the streets defacing public property not just someone's individual book but public landmarks and schools and buildings and not getting even a slap on the wrist that's on the hands of the biden administration to make someone think they could get away with this and to really instill fear and hatred against a individual
SPEAKER 07 :
Yep. Let's go ahead and try to get as many calls as we can. Again, that's the work of the ACLJ, which you should support at ACLJ.org. Or if you're brand new, hit that subscribe button. You don't have to donate the first time here, but we encourage you if you are a frequent viewer of this or you like what we do and you want to make sure you're protected as well, ACLJ.org. Let's go ahead and take Ronald, who's calling from South Carolina, watching on Rumble, one of our favorite free speech platforms. Ronald, go ahead.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yeah, thanks for taking my call. Yeah, and you were correct when I had that thought as to you know, this was not the first time that has happened. And I actually remembered watching the Reagan inauguration when it was moved into a secure inside place because of the frigid temperatures. And I think it was more health than protection of the president. I think maybe you can probably use that as the underlying base for that. But I think it's just had to do to the fact of literally having citizens come all the way out there being exposed to frigid temperatures for a prolonged period of time. You know, that's what I think.
SPEAKER 07 :
I think absolutely. But of course, you had Ronald Reagan also had an attempted assassination just a few years before that was shot. That all happened. So we can't forget that there are some similarities here, if you will, in terms of the weather, the security and all of that. But Ronald, yeah, you're right. This isn't the first time this has happened. And there are other ways you can celebrate, and it seems like they are creating that option for the people that are going there live. They can attend. If you have a ticket, it looks like, I don't know all the details. I'm sure you'll get it. If you are attending, you can go to the Capital One Arena to watch, and President Trump will appear towards the end of that, I'm sure, after his inauguration. Quickly, Paul in Oklahoma, you are on the air as well. I know this is a little bit of a different topic, but we're running out of time. Go ahead.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, I've always been a strong supporter of IDF and Israel's right to exist as people. And I was concerned with the hostage negotiation deal, but realizing that they've always played chess to our tic-tac-toe, I think they're going to do all right. And if they fail, well, God's going to have platform to demonstrate his love. the saving hand to all the nations.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, Paul, I think that's true for a lot of people.
SPEAKER 04 :
We have to see what comes out of this. And there was a slight delay in the moving forward of that deal. The war cabinet did sign off on it today, and then it went to a vote for the full cabinet for them to move forward with this hostage deal. And as you can go back and watch yesterday's show or the day before, we even say this may not be the best deal on paper, but it's the deal that can be made now. It's the deal that can save lives. It's the deal that can be saved lives. And we know that also there is a president in the White House that will support Israel going forward if they want to wipe out Hamas, as we believe they should.
SPEAKER 07 :
We are seeing echoes of Ronald Reagan multiple times throughout this week, and whether that's the inauguration or whether that is the situation at hand in the Middle East. I want to encourage you and tell you to really consider supporting the work of the ACLJ and consider becoming an ACLJ champion. That's something that gives on a monthly recurring basis. Set it and forget it. Of course, you can cancel it anytime. Donations are tax deductible. So do that right now. Give monthly. Scan the QR code on your screen right now or just go to aclj.org and you can opt in. Of course, one-time gifts are very appreciated as well. And I want to thank everyone who's watching online. If you're brand new, hit that subscribe button. Or if you're watching on all the other platforms, just make sure that you are following us each and every day. We'll be back next week with full coverage of the inauguration and so much more. It's going to be a busy week next week. Go to aclj.org to help us be ready.
Jody also takes an in-depth look at California's ongoing wildfire crisis, critically analyzing the state's policy failures and the urgent need for reform. Joined by California Assemblyman Bill Saley, the conversation turns towards the state's preparation strategies, legislative sessions, and the contentious political landscape impacting disaster management. Highlighting the pressing need for unity and action, this segment emphasizes how essential it is for both voters and policymakers to address the root causes of such devastating fires. Tune in to understand the complex tapestry of current affairs from a biblical worldview with insights from FRC's David Claussen.
SPEAKER 01 :
From the heart of our nation's capital in Washington, D.C., bringing compelling interviews, insightful analysis, taking you beyond the headlines and soundbites into conversations with our nation's leaders and newsmakers, all from a biblical worldview, Washington Watch with Tony Perkins starts now.
SPEAKER 08 :
Good afternoon. Welcome to this Friday edition of Washington Watch. I'm Jody Heiss, your Friday host, Senior Vice President here at the Family Research Council and President of FRC Action. Such an honor to have you joining us today. We've got a lot to cover. We're going to begin with this story. Just hours ago, Israel's full cabinet... for the hostage and ceasefire deal that the Israeli Security Cabinet gave their stamp of approval on earlier this morning. And I'll be getting the latest in just a moment when I'm joined by Chris Mitchell, the Middle East Bureau Chief for CBN News. And after the decisive victory of President Trump in November, interesting that California's governor, Gavin Newsom, called for a special legislative session to Trump-proof his state. Amazing. You would think that had he taken a little bit more time on fireproofing his state, perhaps the tragedy that we've been seeing unfolding in Los Angeles County could have been quite different. But is this just another example of leftist government officials driven by ideology and agendas rather than the needs of the people that they represent?
SPEAKER 11 :
While this wildfire is happening, and while people are trying to understand what's going on and are worried about disaster relief, worried about the ability to get homeowner's insurance, your chamber gaveled into a special legislative session to prepare for Donald Trump in a way that you are already able to do without a special legislative session. So, again, is now the right time for that?
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, that was a reporter who's confronting a Democrat California Assembly Speaker, Robert Rivas, and that happened a little bit earlier this week. So what's going on now in the Golden State? Well, I'll be joined here a little bit later in the program by California State Assemblyman Bill Assele to discuss the latest. So you'll want to be sure to catch that. And speaking about being more focused on an agenda rather than the people, do you remember this ad from the Trump campaign?
SPEAKER 02 :
Kamala was the first to help pay for a prisoner's sex change. The power that I had, I used it in a way that was about pushing for the movement, frankly, and the agenda. Kamala's agenda is they, them, not you.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, interestingly, there's a new poll that was released this week that is confirming just how instrumental the so-called culture war issues really were in Trump's election victory. And Terry Schilling of the American Principles Project will join me a little bit later in the program. to discuss that. And then to close out the program and to close out the week, I'll be joined by David Claussen for our Biblical Worldview segment and discuss with him the incoming administration as well as the outgoing administration. So as always, we've got a lot coming your way today, and if you happen to miss any portion of it, The website, of course, is TonyPerkins.com. And let me also just remind you of this Sunday, this coming Sunday, FRC is co-hosting an inauguration praise and prayer convocation. It's going to take place at the Greater New Hope Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. And for those of you who are not going to be there in person, I've got some really good news for you. You can join us online at The best way to do so is through our Stand Firm app. You can also follow it on Tony's YouTube channel. But if you do not have our app, friends, now's the time to get it so that you can have it wherever you go. And you can get the app wherever you typically get apps, or you can simply text the word APP to 67742. This is going to be a great time of worship and prayer for our nation, and we'd encourage you to come along and join us. All right, let's jump into the top story for today. Earlier this morning, Israel's security cabinet gave their approval on the hostage and ceasefire deal that negotiators had worked out between Jerusalem and Hamas. The deal was then advanced to the full Israeli cabinet, which just hours ago... So have we really reached the end of this 15-month war that started with Hamas' attack on Israel? Joining me now to discuss this is Chris Mitchell. He's the Middle East Bureau Chief for CBN News. Chris, as always, thank you for joining us on Washington Watch. Hope you're doing well.
SPEAKER 06 :
Doing well, Jody. Hope you are, too, and great to be with you.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, it's pretty exciting times right now for Israel and the world and for many here in the United States as well. So the vote was originally expected yesterday, as we all know, but it was delayed after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Hamas had sought out some late concessions. But both sides have now confirmed, as I understand, that the issues have been resolved. So what were those issues? Where do we stand now, Chris?
SPEAKER 06 :
Well, we don't know all the details of why the government delayed it for one day, but we do know that it likely, I believe on Sunday, some of the hostages will be released. There's certain to be very, very emotional scenes of families being reunited after maybe 470 days. I would say, Jodi, this is a very, very difficult time for Israel and the Jewish people. Excited, relieved that some of the hostages will be released after the horrific conditions have survived. but also gut-wrenching that they know other hostages do remain. And the deal as it's set up right now, Jody, with maybe about a thousand Palestinian prisoners, Many Israelis know that historically those prisoners go back to committing terror attacks. And so unless the deal doesn't go through and these Palestinian prisoners are not released, it's likely that other Israelis or Jews will be subject to terror attacks by these Palestinian prisoners. You can go back historically to 2011 when one IDF soldier, Gilad Shalit, was released for more than $1,000. Palestinian prisoners. And importantly, one of those prisoners was Yahya Sinwar, who eventually became the head of Hamas in Gaza, who masterminded the October 7 terror attacks, the worst since the Holocaust. So it's a very, very difficult time for Israelis to both relish and celebrate the return of some hostages, but also know that this is a very difficult deal to swallow, and they're looking forward to this is not necessarily the end of the war there in Gaza.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, it is a bittersweet. I can't imagine what the emotions are going to be like with that reuniting with families that you described. As we all know, Senoir is gone. Israel has shellacked so much of the infrastructure of the terrorist Hamas and Iran. I mean, on and on and on we could go, Hezbollah. Are you saying that by the release of these terrorist prisoners that they've not learned a lesson? Or do you and others there in Israel fully anticipate another attack?
SPEAKER 06 :
Many people do believe after this 15-month war plus, it seems like Hamas hasn't changed its ideology, that it continues to do what it can, not only to survive, but also to reconstitute itself, to be able to commit another October 7th. You would think after being, as you said, shellacked in so many ways and so long, they would change maybe their ideology, but they haven't. And we understand that Hamas has been recruiting new members, even though The IDF has reportedly killed maybe 15,000 to 17,000 of Hamas members. Part of this deal also, Judy, is that maybe 600 trucks per day will be going into Gaza. What happens to those trucks is Hamas actually has been stealing many of those trucks. They sell them. That's how they get much of their funding right now. And so they will be able to be – continue to rearm and rebuild, given the details of this plan. And, you know, unbelievably, after so long and so much destruction inside Gaza and damage to Hamas, they're still there. And, you know, one of the two of the main goals of the war, right after October 7th, were Hamas would be defeated militarily, and also they wouldn't be able to govern Gaza after. Some people believe this deal puts those two goals in jeopardy. This ceasefire will last, I believe, for 42 days, and perhaps the war can begin after that. And we do have some reassuring statements by incoming National Security Advisor Mike Walz, who says part of the guarantee, in his words anyway, that Hamas won't be able to govern Gaza again. That's a bit reassuring, but some people are still concerned what this means for Hamas continuing to survive.
SPEAKER 08 :
What have others throughout the Middle East, other officials in particular, been saying about this?
SPEAKER 06 :
Well, we know there's celebration in many parts, certainly in Gaza and Palestinians in Judea and Samaria, known as the West Bank. But also in Iran, they're celebrating and different parts of the Middle East. Qatar is celebrating that part of the mediators is Egypt as well. So this sends a signal to many in the Middle East that really Israel is weakened by this. They're claiming a victory despite all the damages and destruction that they've endured. Hamas is still claiming victory and committing themselves to continuing to come after. after the Jewish people and the state of Israel. They still, their agenda remains the same, Jody. They want to destroy Israel. They want to reclaim Jerusalem and they want to kill the Jews. And that's been part of their charter, part of their raison d'etre. And they pledged to continue that after the ceasefire.
SPEAKER 08 :
Wow. Yeah, it really is amazing. I read that the foreign minister of Israel, of Iran, is saying just what you said, that all of this really means that Israel has surrendered to all of this. I don't know how in the world they come to that conclusion, but assuming, and this is another thing, but assuming that Hamas holds to the agreement, which is not 100% guarantee, isn't this rolled out in phases? What are those phases that are involved in this?
SPEAKER 06 :
The first phase should be 33 hostages released over 42 days. And then the second phase, which is to be negotiated during phase number one, would be eventually the end of the war. That is what Hamas is hoping for during phases two and three. And that to many Israelis would be really disastrous. You know, Jody, there is one group there in Gaza, in Israel, that is, that are opposed to this agreement. And this group is family members of those IDF soldiers, men and women who have fallen in Gaza. And they believe that their sacrifice, they don't want it to be in vain. In fact, there's another group, some of them actually family members of hostages that don't want them, they don't want Israel to negotiate with Hamas. In fact, there's a story that we have heard, Jodi, of a father and son at a Shabbat dinner. And this is before October 7th. And the son said to his father, listen, if I am ever... uh kidnapped i don't want you to negotiate for my release and so that is sort of a perspective and a point of view that really hasn't got as much attention as many of the other uh groups that represent many of the hostage families so but overall um a gut-wrenching uh scenario for jews and uh israelis and really a time i think jody to be praying for the comfort of Israel, as it says in Isaiah chapter 40, comfort ye my people, but also praying for extraordinary wisdom for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and also President Trump as he comes in to take over in just a few days.
SPEAKER 08 :
Absolutely. Chris Mitchell. Middle East Bureau Chief for CBN News, as always, an honor to have you on Washington Watch. Thank you so much. And we indeed will be praying and encouraging others to do the same. God bless you. All right, friends, coming up, we're going to be talking with the California Assemblyman about the latest on the California fire. So stay tuned. Much more coming your way.
SPEAKER 03 :
During these challenging times for our nation, Family Research Council continues to serve as a watchman on the wall for faith, family, and freedom. And together, thanks to your support, we're making an eternal impact. 2024 was a year of shining the light for biblical truth in Washington, D.C. Last fall, over 1,000 spiritually active, governance-engaged conservatives gathered for the Pray, Vote, Stand Summit to pray for our nation and ensure that the issues impacting sage cons were understood and advanced. Washington Watch with Tony Perkins marked a major milestone this year, its 900th episode, and added the Washington Watch News Desk, a new production that presents the top news each day from a biblical worldview. The Washington stand published 2,000 articles of news, commentary, and podcasts in 2024, garnering over 5 million views. FRC's outlet for news and commentary continues to pursue the truth on the issues that matter most to you and your family. And with the launch of the Stand Firm app, you can listen to, watch, and read our content in one simple place. Pray for current issues, stay rooted in the scriptures, and engage the political sphere with the community of believers on our new platform. In 2024, FRC shaped public policy and culture, organizing the National Gathering for Prayer and Repentance, where members of Congress and Christian leaders came together to seek God's intervention in America. In May, FRC called upon believers to pray for and stand with Israel by dedicating a portion of their worship services to pray for Israel's peace, prosperity, and protection. With Pray, Vote, Stand Decision 2024, FRC and Real Life Network led a powerful evening of election night coverage to analyze the election results and pray that our nation would turn back to God. We also filmed a transformative educational course, God and Government. Launching early this year in January 2025, this series will explore the biblical and historical foundations of our government, empowering you to stand confidently in your role as a citizen of heaven and earth. Family Research Council thanks you for partnering with us, and we look forward to 2025 and standing for faith, family, and freedom.
SPEAKER 12 :
Looking to grow closer to God in the new year? FRC's Stand on the Word spiral-bound journal is here to help. Dive deeper into Scripture with thought-provoking questions, note-taking space, and context for each book and author. This second edition, covering Isaiah 2 Revelation, will guide you in tracking your journey through God's Word while deepening your faith in Christ. Order now at frc.org slash store or text journal to 67742. Perfect for you and your loved ones.
SPEAKER 08 :
Good afternoon. Welcome back to Washington Watch. I am your Friday host, Jody Heiss, and so glad to have you joining us today. Well, California's wildfire crisis continues to devastate the state there with at least 27 deaths now. Thousands of homes and businesses have been reduced to ash and more than 200,000 residents have been forced to evacuate. As firefighters battle the blazes across Los Angeles County, there's outrage that continues to mount over the state's preparedness and policy failures. Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency, but critics argue that years of mismanagement, underfunded fire prevention efforts, and restrictions on environmental policies have left California vulnerable to these types of catastrophic events. As California grapples with mounting damages with some are saying could exceed $150 billion, voters and lawmakers alike are demanding accountability. They're demanding immediate reforms. So what needs to change to prevent disasters like this from becoming the new normal for California and for other states who follow these type of woke ideologies? Well, joining me now to discuss the latest is California Assemblyman Bill Saley, who has spoken out about the need for meaningful policy changes there in California. Assemblyman, welcome to Washington Watch. Great to have you. Thanks for having me. All right, well, you've called on Governor Newsom to convene a legislative session to overhaul wildfire prevention policies. Tell us a little bit about that. What do you have in mind?
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, the reason I called for it is because he convened a special session to quote-unquote Trump-proof the state of California. He wants... to hit the ground running on inauguration day and filed multiple lawsuits, frivolous lawsuits against the Trump administration. So I said, rather than doing that, why don't we have a special session to fireproof the state of California? Let's focus on responding and mitigating future wildfires. So under public pressure, he has caved and he has now called a special session on the wildfires. They're mostly, the Democrats intend to mostly focus on money and diverting millions, if not a billion dollars or more to respond to the current wildfire situation. Republicans will be pushing for policy changes in that special session.
SPEAKER 08 :
Wow. So it sounds like from a political perspective, there's going to be some fireworks as well. So what kind of specific changes, let's put it that way, would you like to see introduced?
SPEAKER 10 :
Yeah, there's some changes we need to make in the law. And then a lot of the changes, honestly, has to happen in the governor's branch. He's got a lot of control as the executive over the state. But from a legislative perspective, we got to get the regulations out of the way so that way the firefighters can prepare the state for these wildfires. Specifically, we have controlled burns that we need to do across the state in the safe seasons when it's safe to do so. We need to clear all this brush. And the most efficient way to clear it is frankly to burn it. But because of decades of environmental regulations, we don't do that anymore. The firefighters have to comply with CEQA, which is our environmental policies here. They have to do environmental impact studies. So we have to clear all this regulatory burden so we can clear the brush that we need to do. We have to let the lumber industry go back into the wild lands and remove the dead trees. We need to upgrade and underground our power infrastructure. A lot of these fires get ignited by failing electrical infrastructure. So there's several things we can do to clear up the regulatory burdens so we can make the state more fireproof or at least fire resistant.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, I recall when I was in Congress, I served, among other places, a natural resources committee. And what you were talking about right now, specifically, we dealt with on the federal level several times, and obviously nothing was ever done about it. So let me ask you this. It's my understanding. that California's wildfire prevention budget has drastically been reduced over recent years from some close to a billion dollars to somewhere in the ballpark of 200 million now. Has all this underfunding, do you think, contributed to the current crisis?
SPEAKER 10 :
Absolutely. Absolutely. I mean, the state, the size of California to spend $200 million on wildfire prevention is kind of laughable. We're spending over $5 billion a year just to give illegal immigrants health care in the state of California. We're going to spend about a billion dollars in the budget on this high speed train to nowhere. So it just shows you where the priorities of the Democrat Party are. They're not interested in the basics of governing. They're not interested in public safety, transportation. mitigating disasters. They like to play politics. They like to get involved in really things that the public doesn't want them involved in. We don't want the state involved in immigration policy, but that's what drives these people. They're very unserious people, and they're wholly incompetent, as you could see that playing out on the national stage right now with both Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass.
SPEAKER 08 :
We have all seen and heard, there have been many celebrities, it seems many, who have lost their homes during all of this, and of course they've been very outspoken. But what seems to be going underneath the radar largely are dozens and dozens of middle-class families, largely families of color that have lost their homes. Is there any effort specifically to help these communities that probably are perhaps more vulnerable?
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, they definitely are going to need a lot of help, but I think that's also upset some people in the state. We've had some really devastating fires in the past, just the last couple of years, and it didn't get the national attention that this fire got. So there is a little bit of that where now because celebrities are involved, it's become a bigger issue. Regardless, there are real victims of all socioeconomic class. The federal government is ultimately going to have to step in and help them. I fully support that and I fully support getting aid directly to the victims. But when it comes to reimbursing the state for its expenses, I think it's appropriate to attach some conditions to that because otherwise this is just going to continue the way it is.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, absolutely. And listen, we've only got about a minute or so left, but you lawmakers have got a lot to deal with right now. Do you think that you will be able as lawmakers to rebuild the trust and demonstrate really some progress as it relates to wildfire prevention?
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, when you say lawmakers, California is a supermajority Democrat state. So the Democrats have the governor's office. They've got the supermajority in the legislature. So Republicans really were not part of the equation here. We'd obviously love to change that at some point. But right now, the Democrats own this. And so we're just making sure the public understands who's been in charge and who's responsible for these policy failures.
SPEAKER 08 :
Thank you so much, California Assemblyman Bill Issaily. Wow, you've got your hands full. We deeply appreciate you taking your time to join us today on Washington Watch.
SPEAKER 10 :
Appreciate you covering this.
SPEAKER 08 :
Thank you. You bet. All right, friends, big question. Did cultural issues impact the presidential election? It's a big question that many people have been asking. In fact, many people said, stay away from the cultural issues. Well, American Principles Project President Terry Schilling is going to be joining me after the break to discuss that very thing. How critical were cultural issues in the presidential election? So don't go anywhere. We'll be back with much more on Washington Watch in just a moment.
SPEAKER 14 :
So if you like to think and you like to pray, FRC is the place for you.
SPEAKER 13 :
I think it is the best program out there.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, I've absolutely loved my experience interning at FRC.
SPEAKER 13 :
They really are making waves out in the political world and doing it from the light of the Lord.
SPEAKER 14 :
It's really humbling for me as a college student who has been involved in the life movement for only a couple of years to be able to witness it alongside of some of the people who have spent their entire lives fighting. A huge thing that sets FRC's internship apart from others is they are looking for what they can pour into you instead of what they can get out of you.
SPEAKER 13 :
I have talked to so many of my friends who have interned. other places and they're responding to emails or taking phone calls and doing things like that. But here we get real hands-on experience and get to talk to important people and do important things that we get to see the impact of
SPEAKER 04 :
The throne of Jesus Christ is unchallenged. His name was never on the ballot to begin with, and it's never going to be on the ballot. He's the King of Kings, and He's the Lord of Lords, and nothing's going to change that. And so our mission stays the same, preach the gospel, make disciples, get ready for heaven. In the meantime, that we're to advance the concerns of the kingdom of God here on earth.
SPEAKER 05 :
America has entered a critical and vulnerable period from now until January the 20th. Join Family Research Council for Operation Prayer Shield, a 10-week prayer initiative for our nation. From now until January 20th, our country faces global challenges, a transition of leadership, and a lame duck session of Congress. This season calls for heightened spiritual vigilance, discernment, and prayer. Text the word SHIELD to 67742 to join us. You'll have access to prayer points, scripture, prayer calls, text SHIELD to 67742. Unite with us and pray for our nation.
SPEAKER 08 :
Good afternoon. Welcome back to this Friday edition of Washington Watch. I'm your Friday host, Jody Heiss, and so glad to have you on board with us. All right, as President-elect Donald Trump readies himself to retake the White House on Monday, the American Principles Project released a new poll earlier this week with confirmation about just how instrumental so-called culture war issues really were in Trump's election victory. So what are the takeaways of it all? Here now to talk about the poll is Terry Schilling, who is president of the American Principles Project. Terry, welcome to Washington Watch. Glad to have you.
SPEAKER 07 :
Hey, thanks for having me, Congressman. I'm excited to be here.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, we're excited to have you too. And what an incredible outcome of this poll. So tell us about it. What did the poll find?
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, we did a post-election survey after November 5th. We wanted to measure how much of an impact the issue of transgenderism had on the election with voters and how it determined whether or not they would vote for President Trump or Kamala Harris. And what we found is that this was not just a small microcosm of an issue. This was a largely impactful issue. And depending on On the swing state that President Trump won, which he won all of them besides Minnesota, depending on the swing state, it shifted the electorate between 1.7% and 2.6%. To put that in perspective, this election was decided by just 2.2% of the vote in Pennsylvania. These were very tight margins, but this issue... where voters felt like Kamala Harris was much more concerned about cultural issues like transgenderism than people like them and their families. This was the largest issue of the election, and President Trump should get a lot of credit for putting this front and center and having this question be answered by the American people. It's really what led him to victory.
SPEAKER 08 :
Wow, that is amazing. So tell me, going into this poll, I think whenever any of us are involved in a poll, there's a little bit of, you kind of guess what you think you might find, but you're not sure. That's why you put it out there and see. But were you surprised at all by the findings?
SPEAKER 07 :
You know what I was surprised about, Congressman? I was not surprised that we found that this issue was important to voters and that it had an impact on their vote. What I was mostly surprised about is who this issue resonated with. This was not an issue that resonated or stood out as resonating with white voters or Christian voters. They were already on board. This issue resonated with non-white working class voters and a lot of suburban women. These are the key demographics that the Republican Party has been needing to win over for decades, right? Every election we've lost is because too many people in those subsets vote for the Democrats. And what we found that the thing that was most surprising to me was that these issues of cultural insanity from the Democrats were enough to bring enough voters from these core demographics that Republicans have been struggling with for decades. It was enough to bring those voters over to vote for Donald Trump, who, by the way, Congressman, we know, from experience that Donald Trump went through hell this past election. He had assassination attempts, but more so when it comes to voters and their opinion of him, he suffered, what, 89% negative coverage from the lamestream media and was up against a candidate that was getting into the low, I'm sorry, the mid to low 80s for approval. I'm sorry, not for approval, but for positive coverage by the lamestream media. This was a totally disparate race in terms of media coverage. And because of this culture war agenda that President Trump decided to make front and center, he's now president of the United States. These are a very powerful subset of issues, and the Democrats would be wise to start toning down their rhetoric and their policy goals around them.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, so far, they're not. I mean, they're doubling down on everything so far. They are so entrenched in this radical left wing movement within the Democratic Party. It's hard for them to get away from it. But, you know, I think what surprised me with all of this is how often we were told, stay away from cultural issues, stay away from it. People don't want that. And yet it was just the opposite. And I think this ought to give encouragement for everyone to continue standing for these things, a common sense, standing against the insanity, as you said, because the majority of people agree with us on these things. So let me ask you this. This type of messaging, can this be successfully replicated in another non-Trump election, or is this unique for Trump?
SPEAKER 07 :
I think it can be replicated anywhere. The biggest thing that we need to do, the thing that we need to replicate is we need to replicate candidates making these central to their campaigns, right? You hear all the time in this town, stay away from the culture, just like what you said, stay away from the culture war, it's a loser. You would never advise a candidate to stay away from an entire section of issues like fiscal issues, right? You would never tell a politician, hey, don't talk about economic and financial issues because those are losers. No, you would tell them, hey, on economic issues, talk about this. This is very... Helping families afford to have children and helping them afford schooling and all of this. This is very popular. Don't talk about this aspect of it. But instead, these establishment cronies who are all basically Democrats, they're all socially moderate people. It's really socially liberal and leftist. They all want to stay away from it because they don't understand how politics work. The American electorate is complicated and complex, right? You have a bunch of different votes, 320 million people in this country. We all care about different things. Different things motivate us in terms of our votes. Some voters only vote on whether or not a politician is going to protect the unborn. On the other hand, some people only vote if a politician is going to allow more babies to be killed. This country is diverse. It's different. We all care about different issues. And the culture war agenda is extremely exceptionally strong because it appeals to voters that we really need in order to win elections. And it's so powerful of an issue. It brings so many voters to the table for us.
SPEAKER 08 :
Terry Schilling, president of American Principles Project, thank you so much for leading the charge on this. And thank you for coming on Washington Watch to unfold it for us.
SPEAKER 07 :
Anytime. I love coming on. Thank you so much for having me.
SPEAKER 08 :
You bet. All right, friends, don't go anywhere. On the other side of the break, FRC's David Claussen will join me for this week's Biblical Worldview segment. So stay tuned.
SPEAKER 05 :
Hello, I'm Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council here in Washington, D.C. Behind me is one of the most recognizable buildings in all the world, the U.S. Capitol. What does it stand for? Well, most people say government. But you know, the Bible talks about four institutions of government. You know what they are? And do we have a republic or a democracy? Well, what do you say? Also, what about this thing, separation of church and state? Does that mean Christians shouldn't be involved in government? Guess what? We address those issues and more in our new God and Government course. I invite you to join us to see what the historical record and the Bible has to say about government. Join us for God and Government.
SPEAKER 09 :
The world is hurting, streets are filled with crime, families are broken, sin is celebrated, and God is mocked. Everywhere we look, the wages of our sin are on full display. As Christians, we know that surrender to God's will is the solution to our biggest problems, but not everyone agrees. Even in church, we hear people say the most important thing is to be tolerant, that we shouldn't impose a morality on other people, and that loving our neighbor means celebrating what they do. But you can't do that. It's not that you don't love your neighbor. You do. But you care about God's opinion more than your neighbor's opinion, and this makes you different. In fact, sometimes it makes you feel alone, like you're the only one. But there is good news. You are not alone, not even close. Research has found that there are 59 million American adults who are a lot like you. There are millions of people around the country who are born again, deeply committed to practicing their faith, and believe the Bible is the reliable Word of God. But that's not all. They're also engaged in our government. They're voters. They're more likely to be involved in their community, and they're making a difference in elections. The problem is that a lot of them feel alone, too. We want to change that. FRC wants to connect these 59 million Americans to speak the truth together, no matter the cost. If you want to learn more about this group and what it means to be a spiritually active, governance-engaged conservative, or if you want to find out if you are one of these SageCons yourself, go to frc.org slash SageCon and take the quiz to find out. The world is hurting, and we have the solution. We can't do it alone, but we can do it if we work together. That's what we're working toward every day. Join us. Go to FRC.org slash S-A-G-E-C-O-N, SageCon, to learn more. That's S-A-G-E-C-O-N, SageCon, to learn more.
SPEAKER 08 :
Good afternoon and welcome back to Washington Watch. I'm your Friday host, Jody Heiss. So glad to have you on board with us today. And again, I want to remind you about the inauguration praise and prayer convocation that FRC is co-hosting. It's going to take place this coming Sunday. January 19th. It will be held live at the Greater New Hope Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. But for those of you who are not going to be able to join us in person, I have some great news. You can join us online through a couple of different options, our Stand Firm app, or you can go to Tony's YouTube channel. And speaking of the Stand Firm app, if you don't have it, You can download it wherever you get your apps, or you can simply text the word APP to 67742, and you can get a link to receive the Stand Firm app, which you want to have. And speaking of the inauguration, All right, friends, this has just been an unbelievably busy week of preparation for the incoming administration. There's been confirmation hearings underway for the president-elect's cabinet picks. Congress has been moving through various pieces of legislation. And then just before noon today, President-elect Trump announced that the inauguration is now going to be moved indoors as the D.C. could be actually seeing record low temperatures here on Monday. So there literally has not been a dull moment here in Washington. And the bottom line is, Christians, we want to try to analyze and evaluate all the headlines through the lens of Scripture to the best of our ability. And that's why we like to conclude the week with a Biblical Worldview segment, a conversation about how to look at the headline news through the lens of Scripture. So joining me now for that discussion is David Claussen. He's the director of the Center for Biblical Worldview here at the Family Research Council. David, as always, great to see you. Welcome back to Washington Watch.
SPEAKER 02 :
Oh, great to be with you, Jody. Thanks for having me.
SPEAKER 08 :
All right, I'm going to start by giving you a loaded question, all right? So get ready. All right, here we're preparing for Monday's inauguration. But it's also an appropriate time to look back on the outgoing administration, the Biden administration. So on issues of concern to social conservatives, issues of concern to Christians, what are your reflections on President Biden's legacy?
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, that is a big question, Jody. And I think when you think about President Biden's legacy on a whole host of issues, I think there's some things we could commend. And maybe I should start there. One thing that does come to mind would be after the October 7th attack, when President Biden went to Israel, first time an American president had stepped foot in Israel when they were under war. That was heroic. That was something to commend, something that made all Americans proud. I wanted to start there, though, Jody, because, frankly, everything else that comes to mind, unfortunately, is historically bad. This is a president who I remember in his inaugural address talked about the importance of unity and his desire to unify the country in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. And on issues that matter to social conservatives, and Jodi, we've talked about this, the issues that matter to social conservatives are issues that are related to the created order. These are not marginal tax rates. These are not ethanol tariffs. Things that matter to social conservatives relate to life and death, abortion, the value and dignity of human life, unborn children, things like male and female, the whole LGBT panoply of issues. And on those issues, Joe Biden has been the most aggressive proponent of a pro-abortion agenda and a pro-LGBT agenda and an anti-religious freedom agenda, Jody, that we have ever seen. whether it was the State Department flying rainbow flags at embassies around the world, including at our embassy in the Vatican, whether it was conditioning foreign aid to developing countries, that these countries, as a condition of American aid, had to get on board with pro-abortion, pro-LGBT policies. whether it was using the power of the administrative state to rewrite guidelines that affect the family, whether it was using the bully pulpit of the presidency to promote his abortion agenda. This was a historic administration on issues of social conservative that we care about, Jody, but for all the wrong reasons.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah. Wow. You know, I got to be honest with you. I hadn't thought about being the first president to go to Israel during a time of war, but that certainly is commendable. I heard someone the other day say the only other thing, they did not mention that. So in their words, the only thing that the Biden administration did is unify Republicans and unify conservatives. And I You know, from a Democrat perspective, that's not good news. But it really is. You know, it's amazing how God uses all things and works together for good. And even the fact that I think is not too far of a stretch to say Republicans are probably more unified on many, many issues now than they have been in years. Would you agree with that?
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, I would agree. And again, I think it's important. You know, I'm here at the Family Research Council. We're just a couple blocks away from the Justice Department. And just think of how the Justice Department over these last couple of years was weaponized. Everyone knows about the law fair directed against President Trump personally. Now, with some of those cases, but even just think about the way the Justice Department has gone after pro-life activists. FBI agents have shown up at the homes of pro-life dads. We have a friend, Vanessa Savage, where the FBI went after her as she was a whistleblower for that case in Texas, dealing with underage kids illegally receiving so-called gender affirming care. And so, yes, Jody, I think Republicans and conservatives are more united than we've ever have been in large part because how overreaching the Biden administration was, you know, let's be honest in the 2020 election. Democrat primary, Joe Biden was not the most liberal candidate in that field that included people like Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar and others, Bernie Sanders. But when he took office, he took a hard tack to the left. And Jody, it started with his first decision. as the nominee for the Democrats, which was to choose Kamala Harris as his running mate, who was the most liberal senator in the United States Senate. So I do think by overreaching as much as the Biden-Harris administration did, it did serve to unify Republicans and conservatives.
SPEAKER 08 :
I think there's both a sense of unity and a sense of urgency. I mean, obviously, I don't want to get too far in the weeds here because I want to move on to some other stuff with you, David, but I think there's a sense of urgency that people have that now's the time to turn the ship around on a lot of issues. This is not a time simply of reprieve. This is a time that God has given us a moment to respond to this appropriate. It's like the mercy of God has been granted to this country for this moment, and we better steward it well. And that applies both in the halls of Congress as well as in the places of churches and Christians all across the country. This is a moment of mercy that all of us need to step up at the plate and not let go to waste.
SPEAKER 02 :
And I agree with that, Jody, and I'm actually encouraged by how Congress – obviously Congress took their seats a couple weeks ago, so they've already been quite active. But even earlier today, seeing the United States Senate invoke cloture on the Lake and Riley Act. President Trump ran on the immigration issue. That is an issue that's tearing apart communities all over this country. And to see, I think it was seven or eight Democrats cross the aisle with Republicans to pass this legislation that will toughen our immigration laws. Praise God to see legislation like that even before President Trump takes office. We know next week that the House and the Senate are going to take a vote on the Born Alive Survivor Protection Act. We need to be praying that legislation like that is approved. But this is a key opportunity we have. And Jody, I'll add, you know, the first hundred days are going to be busy. And wonder, you know, part of the way our system works, dozens of executive orders that Joe Biden signed can be undone with one stroke. of Donald Trump's pen, things like reinstating the Mexico City policy, making sure Title 10 funding doesn't go to abortion clinics and Planned Parenthood providers, rejoining the Geneva Consensus Declaration that says abortion is not a matter of human rights, so many other things. putting back into place safeguards to make sure that those chemical abortion pills are not so easily obtained by women looking to use them. And so I think I would advise Christians to pay attention to what's happening in Congress and to watch the White House because it is a tremendous opportunity to not just undo some of the bad policies and executive orders of the previous four years, but to actually advance the ball. And the election, Jody, frankly shows that I think a lot of our friends and neighbors are ready to move in a more conservative direction.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, I couldn't agree more. And this is a time, you know, it's still a country based upon we the people. And, you know, it is the voice of the people that ultimately matters. And we've got to embrace that and take responsibility of it. But at the end of the day, we also know that we can't fix all the problems in this country with just another piece of legislation or just throwing trillions of more dollars at the problem. It is ultimately a spiritual problem, and believers need to step up and pray like we've never prayed before and engage like never before. And you talk about a busy hundred days. I read somewhere today that there's going to be like a hundred executive orders on day one. What a way to start. I mean, that's starting with a With the speed of a bullet, it's only probably going to get faster from there. But if I can shift gears with you, David, a little bit, I know that you were recently at a rally outside the Supreme Court for a very important case that we've all been watching here at FRC, a case coming out of Texas dealing with pornography. Can you bring us up to date on what's happening with that law and what's going on with that case? Why don't you explain it a little bit for folks who may not be familiar with what we're talking about?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, really briefly. And FRC has been involved. We had Meg Kilgannon, our colleague, spoke at the rally. I brought our new intern class to the rally to kind of experience a D.C. rally outside the Supreme Court. But oral arguments were heard in a case that originates from Texas. So Texas legislators put a law in place to protect minor children just to simply require age verification for the pornography industry. This shouldn't be controversial. You know, the pornography industry, Jody, is a multibillion dollar industry. And tragically, studies show that the average age of exposure is around seven years of age. And there's just no safeguards. And so what Texas has done is to provide age verification to these, you know, pornography sites. So if you want to look at this filth, which no one should, but if you want to, you have to prove that you're an adult. And no surprise, the pornography industry has sued. And this case has gone all the way up to the Supreme Court. Based on oral arguments, Jody, even some of the more liberal justices, including Elena Kagan, for example, they didn't seem to buy the arguments that were being put forth by the porn lawyers. And so this is something we'll get a decision on early summer. But again, it's pretty simple, just this law that's requiring the pornography industry to make sure that the people that are accessing this filth are actually adults and that there's safeguards in place that minor children can't access this. Because at the rally, Jody, I'll tell you this. We heard from folks who got – kind of sucked in to looking at pornography unintentionally. They weren't even looking for it, and they got hooked on it. And that ended up, for some of them, being a gateway to being exploited, to getting plugged into human trafficking. So this is an example of why politics matters. Politics matters, Jody, because policy matters, and policy matters because people matter. And so we can be praying that in the months to come, the court will make a good decision on this case.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, we'll certainly be keeping a pulse on that. I'm sure you'll be keeping us up to speed as that comes forward, too. Look, I know that you're actually going to be attending the inauguration, correct? Yes, sir. All right. Well, some good news. It's going to be indoors now. You're not going to be frozen. We won't come chip you out of an icicle somewhere when it's all said and done. But what are you hoping to hear from President Trump?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, I obviously, like most Americans, would love to hear his vision for the next four years on things like the economy. You know, my wife and I are new homeowners and interest rates are pretty difficult. I'd love to hear his plans for the economy. I'd love to hear his vision for American foreign policy. We live in a dangerous world. I'd obviously love to hear about his plans to further protect the southern border. But as a social conservative, I would love to hear President-elect Trump's plans to protect life, to protect family, to protect our ability as Christians and people of faith to not only worship the Lord according to our conscience, but to order our lives in accordance with those deeply held beliefs. And so I think Americans and the tens of millions of Christians that voted for President Trump would love to hear, as part of this inaugural address, some of his plans for the American family. And that'll be something I'm definitely looking forward to hopefully hearing in the inaugural address.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, and likewise with the first hundred days, what do you anticipate that may be priority? I know we talked about the border, but from a Christian perspective, some of the issues are important. What do you kind of see as priority there?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah. First hundred days, obviously, in Congress, we'd love to see the Lincoln Riley Act approved finally in the Senate and then go when it goes back to the House. We would love to see born alive these babies who survived botched abortions. We would love to see them get the protections that they deserve from the executive order, executive branch, Jody. Reinstate Mexico City, make sure that our embassies are flying the American flag, not the rainbow flag. Make sure that Title 10 funding can't be used for abortion clinics to make sure all the federal rulemaking process actually understands the difference between a man and a woman. And just seeing the bully pulpit used to promote good and not vice. So I know it will be a busy 100 days, but I am hopeful, Jody, that the right people are in the right places, including many of these wonderful nominees that have been going through their confirmation hearings.
SPEAKER 08 :
David Claussen, director of FRC's Center for Biblical Worldview, always great to end the week with you putting all the headlines in a package for us to look at it from a biblical perspective. Thank you so much. Enjoy the inauguration. Glad you're not going to be frozen when it's all over. Thanks for joining us. All right, friends, that wraps up this week and this edition of Washington Watch. Hope you have a fantastic weekend. We'll be back on Monday.
SPEAKER 01 :
Washington Watch with Tony Perkins is brought to you by Family Research Council and is entirely listener supported. Portions of the show discussing candidates are brought to you by Family Research Council Action. For more information on anything you heard today or to find out how you can partner with us in our ongoing efforts to promote faith, family and freedom, visit TonyPerkins.com.
In a candid conversation, Mike and Mark unravel the complexities of monumental political events, from Trump’s surprising electoral triumphs to the sensational details of inaugural balls. Dive into a facet of history often glossed over—how personal beliefs, divine intervention, and cold, hard facts intersect in the world of political machinations. This episode is an immersive experience into the enigmatic interplay between public figures, their personas, and the underlying spiritual narratives that often go unnoticed.
SPEAKER 01 :
Mike Gallagher. Every day, Mike visits with Mark Davis, morning host on 660 AM The Answer in Dallas. Here's today's Eminem experience.
SPEAKER 03 :
Let's just stop and let this ruminate a little bit. Think about this. We're off to Washington, D.C. after the show to cover... The inauguration of Donald J. Trump. Mark, I want to ask you a personal question. In the middle of 2024, when Trump was being convicted of 34 felonies, think about that for just a little, let that sink in. If you or I had one felony to our name. We're done. We're done. Ruins our life. How about 34? How about 34? Which, of course, the absurdity of that, taking an expired misdemeanor that expired due to the statute of limitations over a bookkeeping mistake. and turning it into 34 felony convictions.
SPEAKER 02 :
And maybe not even a mistake. It was a drop-down menu where he called it a legal cost. It was a legal cost.
SPEAKER 03 :
So to take that and turn it into 34 felony convictions, the absurdity of that is a big reason, a big part of why he won. Of course, the assassination attempt is a big part of why he won. All of this came together, and this is a God thing. You can't ever convince most of us that God didn't have his hand in this, Mark. You know, it's been said that Trump believes that the assassination attempt was absolutely, it was God's will, of course, that that bullet didn't hit him in the head. that it would graze him. If he hadn't turned his head in that split second, how do you not think of that as divine intervention? Even his haters can't go around saying, oh, well, this is the luckiest son of a gun who ever lived. No, this isn't luck. This is fate. This is spiritual. And I am so proud to be bundled up and headed to the tender conditions. Oh, my gosh. This is going to be one of the coldest inaugurations on record. One of the presidents who went to the inauguration was just cold. He died. William Henry Harrison.
SPEAKER 02 :
William Henry Harrison got pneumonia. And it wasn't even that cold. It was just, it was like raining in like 38 or something.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, this is going to be cold. It's going to be in the teens when people are filing in. Now, look, I have to sacrifice. I got to be in a warm, toasty studio anchoring. Joey Hudson will be among the crowd.
SPEAKER 02 :
You know what inquiring minds want to know? What? Where you stay in.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I'm not staying where I usually stay because that hotel room – you know the hotel room where I usually stay?
SPEAKER 02 :
That's why – by the way, I don't need hotel name or room number. No, but I'll tell you the story. Have you priced it out and found it? I have.
SPEAKER 03 :
There's a hotel that I've always stayed at when I go to D.C. and I always like it. It's an older hotel, but it's very luxurious, very comfortable. It's the Ritz-Carlton in Pentagon City. There you go.
SPEAKER 02 :
Across the river, really.
SPEAKER 03 :
You know, right over the bridge. And it's easy to get to. In fact, do you know why it's kind of famous? Do you know why it's notorious for a reason?
SPEAKER 02 :
Something happened there? What happened there?
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah. Monica Lewinsky was confronted by FBI agents in that hotel. And that's where she had, like, Linda Tripp. Remember how Linda Tripp turned her in and everything? Well, that all happened at that hotel. Anyway. I like that hotel. It's comfortable. And, you know, it's not a cheap room. I mean, but, you know, thankfully I can put it on the Salem expense account. It's usually about $700 or $800 a night. Yeah, what is it now? $4,000. A night.
SPEAKER 02 :
$4,000 a night for a home. Is it time for my 30 cents? There's no such thing as gouging. Oh, really? Really? No. That's the marketplace. That's gouging. I mean, gouging is like criminalized to some. Well, that should be criminal. No. Oh, stop it. Stop it. Stop it. We're the conservatives. We're the libertarians. They have every right to charge that. And if somebody doesn't want it, they don't pay it.
SPEAKER 03 :
And I'll bet they're sold out. So, anyway. So, proves my point exactly. We're staying a little farther away, but not too far. In Baltimore. And we're going to get to go to the balls. We're going to go to a couple of inaugural balls Sunday night. It's going to be, you know, Phil Boyce and Joey and Peg Hudson and I. Oh, my God. We're going to go off to the South Carolina Palmetto Bowl.
SPEAKER 02 :
Make sure you've got a black tie and boots. Got to hang with the Texans.
SPEAKER 03 :
I got the boots. Well, I don't have the boots, but I got the tux and I got the tie and the cumber. I got a big boy tie, too. I've got an actual tux tie that you've got to tie. It's not a clip-on. Whistle. Do you know how to tie one of those? I do. I haven't done it in 20 years, but I do. I don't know how to tie it. I have no idea how to tie it. So Joey Hudson is going to have to treat me like a toddler and tie it for me. Come on. But how about the ball, the big ball, the Turning Point USA ball we're going to get to go to, thanks to Phil Boyce's connections. The actual village people are performing.
SPEAKER 02 :
man oh man they're they're performing and don jr and uh lord president trump i don't know if he's going to show up or not i'll bet if i'll bet he may i mean because the president and the first lady the freshly installed president and first lady usually make the rounds yes i mean the last one i actually went to was black tie and boots the texas ball for the first bush inauguration um but would trump come to the texas one i would think would come to various other ones i i It's a cool tradition.
SPEAKER 03 :
It's going to be Sunday night. Washington will be packed and there'll be lots of excitement and drama. His official inauguration portrait has been released and it bears a striking resemblance to his mugshot, which I love.
SPEAKER 02 :
He's got that glowering determination.
SPEAKER 03 :
With the lighting from below. It's like, hey, look, I love the phrase, dad's coming home and dad's pissed. Dad is not happy with you. He is not happy. And speaking of interesting things about the inauguration, you know Jason Whitlock, right, from his many appearances with Tucker? The Fearless podcast. Fearless podcast. He does a rant about Michelle Obama refusing to go to Trump's inauguration. Now, here's what he said. It's fascinating. I'm going to play it on the show today. And the post that he put up on X was, Michelle Obama is setting the example for black women. By missing Jimmy Carter's funeral and making a fool out of Barack, she's telling black women that they don't have to pay any respects or follow any protocols. He mocked a conversation. He did a mocking conversation between – Barack and Michelle. And it went something like this. Honey, I've got to put on a suit and tie. We've got to pay respects to Jimmy Carter. Honey, we've got to go to D.C. It's the inauguration of the 47th president. And Michelle says, I ain't going. I ain't going. I'm staying home. Honey, don't embarrass me like this. And Jason Whitlock has a whole rant. Now, he's a black man.
SPEAKER 02 :
I was going to say, which gives him a little bit of Teflon to be able to do this.
SPEAKER 03 :
Go ahead. I guess he has the latitude to do this. And he says, look, in the black community, this is a black – and he talks about a wife has a biblical – duty you know god a husband is accountable to god um a wife is accountable to her husband and god and it's basically almost a scriptural reference he makes where he says look she's making a fool out of barack obama there's a lot of rumors swirling that their marriage is on the trouble in paradise yeah i mean what do you what do you make of that's that's the second uh hottest uh active rumor about michelle
SPEAKER 01 :
Download the podcast and hear all of Mike and Mark's conversations at MikeOnline.com for the M&M experience.
Join us as we uncover historical gems and modern-day controversies in today's Kim Munson Show. From the Battle of Cowpens' legacy to the ongoing debate over private property rights, we cover a broad spectrum of topics. We address listener queries about SNAP benefits and the potential impact of banning junk foods from this program. With an array of guests, including experts and listeners, this episode is packed with informative discussions sure to captivate politics enthusiasts.
SPEAKER 09 :
It's the Kim Monson Show, analyzing the most important stories.
SPEAKER 13 :
An early childhood taxing district? What on earth is that?
SPEAKER 09 :
The latest in politics and world affairs.
SPEAKER 13 :
I don't think that we should be passing legislation that is so complicated that people kind of throw up their hands and say, I can't understand that.
SPEAKER 09 :
Today's Current Opinions and Ideas.
SPEAKER 13 :
And it's not fair just because you're a big business that you get a break on this and the little guy doesn't.
SPEAKER 09 :
Is it freedom or is it force? Let's have a conversation.
SPEAKER 13 :
indeed let's have a conversation and welcome to the kim monson show thank you so much for joining us you're each treasured you're valued you have purpose today strive for excellence take care of your heart your soul your mind and your body my friends we were made for this moment in history and thank you to the team that's producer joe luke rachel zach echo charlie mike theresa and all the people here at crawford broadcasting happy friday producer joe happy friday kim And we've got a really interesting show planned for you today, so fasten your seatbelts. We'll talk with Brandon Wark in the first hour. He is the founder of Free State Colorado. Of course, Jim May, cattleman with Lavaca Meat Company in the second hour, as well as listener Sandra Lull, who has really put together a very interesting list of things that you should have put together in case you're in case we lose our electricity or something happens. And she will be joining us to talk about that in the second hour. So really interesting stuff here. I want to say thank you to the Harris family for their gold sponsorship of the show. We are an independent voice and we search for truth and clarity by looking at these issues through the lens of freedom versus force, force versus freedom. If something's a good idea, you should not have to force people to do it. and we are an independent voice in doing so, and it's because of all of our sponsors and all of the support that you all give us. But, my friends, it's not compassionate to take other people's stuff, whether or not it's their rights, their property, freedom, livelihood, opportunities, or lives. Force can be a weapon, but it's policy. We're going to see this here in the Colorado State Legislature with legislation that they're passing. So policy, unpredictable and excessive taxation, fear, coercion, government-induced inflation, the World Economic Forum's agenda. the globalist elites agenda, all these are connected. The United Nations, the Colorado State Legislature, this Colorado governor, the World Health Organizations, land use codes, zoning regulations, force fees, conservation easements, national monument designations, and the list goes on and on and on. Because even if you think that you own your land, but you can't do with your property what you want to do with your property, then clearly you do not have ownership of that property. It's just a little different way. of controlling everything. And we've seen this on the local, county, and state level, national level, this assault upon our private property rights. And I think people are really waking up to that. We'll talk about some of these things happening out in California regarding shedding light on all of these regulations that make it more difficult to... to build homes. And so we'll talk about that here in just a little bit. But remember, if something's a good idea, you should not have to use force to implement it. And the show comes to you Monday through Friday, 6 to 8 a.m. with the first hour. rebroadcast one to two in the afternoon, second hour, 10 to 11 at night. And that is on all KLZ 560 platforms, KLZ 560 AM, 100.7 FM, the KLZ website, the KLZ app. Shows are posted on my website, typically within the next day with a summary as well as the podcast. And then you can listen to the podcast also, Spotify and iTunes. Be sure and check out the website. There's a lot going on over there. That's kimmonson.com. Sign up for our weekly email newsletter that goes out on Sundays. You'll get first look at our upcoming guests as well as our most recent essays. We'll be rolling out Pam Long's essay regarding how to push back on legislation down at the State House. She had three great strategies on that. You can email me at kim at kimmonson.com. And again, thank you to all of you who support us. We do greatly appreciate that. Our word of the day is polemic. And it's spelled P-O-L-E-M-I-C. And your challenge is to use it in a sentence today. And it could be a controversial argument, especially one refuting or attacking a specific opinion or doctrine. Number two definition, a person engaged in or inclined to controversy, argument or refutation. And number three, one who writes in support of one opinion, doctrine or system in opposition to another. One skilled in polemics is a controversialist, a disputant. And so our challenge is to use the word polemic. In a sentence today, that should be quite easy, because as we are engaging in conversations with others, I would say that we each can be polemic in that, be a polemic in that, because there is a lot of controversy that's happening in our society. In our country right now, and we need to come together to unite. And what the thing that should unite us is this vision of the declaration that all men are created equal with these rights from God of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. That should be a unifying doctrine, I would say. And we need to continue to remind each of us about this. It is Friday. So that means our quote of the day is from the Medal of Honor quote book from the Center for American Values. And I'd highly recommend that each of you have that on your in your home, in your freedom library. The Center for American Values is located in Pueblo on the beautiful Riverwalk. Pueblo is known as the home of heroes because there's four Medal of Honor recipients that grew up there. And the Center does really important work in honoring and remembering Americans. our Medal of Honor recipients, and also they're focused on honor, integrity, and patriotism. And these are great foundational values of which America was founded on. So what they've done, though, is they have portraits of valor of our Medal of Honor recipients, and it is really a reverent place to visit. And each time I go there, I'm very inspired. They are going to have an event this coming Thursday, the 23rd, regarding the USS Pueblo, which was taken captive by the North Koreans during the Vietnam War. And Robert Chica, who was a crew member on the USS Pueblo, will be presenting at their On Values event this coming Thursday, the 23rd. And Let them know if you plan on attending. It doesn't cost anything, but that way they can plan accordingly. And this is his quote from the Medal of Honor quote book. And I wanted to give you his citation. He was born in 1944. He died in 2002. This is for actions that were taken on April 25, 1967. And this is his citation for his Medal of Honor. And then I'll give you the quote. This is for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity and action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sergeant Stump distinguished himself while serving as a squad leader of the 3rd Platoon Company C on a search and destroy mission. His company approached a village that accounted a North Vietnamese rifle company occupying a well-fortified bunker complex. During the initial contact, three men from his squad fell wounded in front of a hostile machine gun emplacement. The enemy's heavy volume of fire prevented the unit from moving to the aid of the injured men, but... sergeant stump left his secure position in a deep trench and ran through the barrage of incoming rounds to reach his wounded comrades he picked up one of the men and carried him back to the safety of the trench twice more sergeant stump dashed forward while the enemy turned automatic weapons and machine guns upon him Yet he managed to rescue the remaining two wounded squad members. He then organized a squad and led an assault against several enemy bunkers from which continuously heavy fire was being received. He and his squad successfully eliminated two of the bunker positions, but one to the front of the advancing platoon remained a serious threat. Arming himself with extra grenades, Stumpf ran over open ground through a volley of fire directed at him by a determined enemy toward the machine gun position. As he reached the bunker, he threw a hand grenade through the aperture. It was immediately returned by the occupants, forcing Stumpf to take cover. Undaunted, he pulled the pins on two more grenades, held them for a few seconds after activation, then hurled them into the position, this time successfully destroying the emplacement. With the elimination of this key position, his unit was able to assault and overrun the enemy. Stump's relentless spirit of aggressiveness, intrepidity, and ultimate concern for the lives of his men are in the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the US Army. This is what he said. He said, veterans have provided you with great opportunities. Set goals, believe in yourself, and let God be your point man. What great advice for us today. And he is absolutely right. We have the sky is the limit, really, on the opportunities that we have in front of us. And he says, set goals, believe in yourself, and let God be your point man. This day in history, a lot of different things happened. In the Revolutionary War, this was a very important battle. 1781, the Battle of Cowpens, American Revolutionary Forces led by Brigadier General Daniel Morgan, defeat the British under Lieutenant Colonel Bannestrade Tarleton in a decisive double envelopment near the town of Cowpens.
SPEAKER 01 :
So I switched my insurance to the Roger Mangan State Farm Insurance Agency. Get this, I actually talked to Roger Mangan, who has been helping people with their insurance coverage in our community for 47 years. He helped me create a State Farm personalized price insurance plan for my home in Otto and explained affordable options. For personalized service and peace of mind that you are working with a team that cares about you and your family, call Roger Mangin now at 303-795-8855. Kim highly recommends the Roger Mangin State Farm Insurance Team. Again, that number is 303-795-8855.
SPEAKER 09 :
There are always opportunities in changing markets, and the metro real estate market is no exception. That is why you need to work with seasoned RE-MAX Alliance realtor Karen Levine when you buy your home, sell your home, consider the opportunities of a new build, or explore investment properties. Rising interest rates are spurring creativity, innovation, and opportunity in the real estate and mortgage markets. Kim Monson highly recommends award-winning REMAX realtor Karen Levine. Call Karen Levine today at 303-877-7516 for answers to all your real estate questions. That's 303-877-7516.
SPEAKER 11 :
Focused and wise marketing is essential for your success, especially during tough economic times. If you love The Kim Monson Show, strive for excellence and understand the importance of engaging in the battle of ideas that is raging in America. Then talk with Kim about partnership, sponsorship opportunities. Email Kim at KimMonson.com. Kim focuses on creating relationships with individuals and businesses that are tops in their fields. So they are the trusted experts listeners turn to when looking for products or services. Kim personally endorses each of her sponsors. Again, reach out to Kim at Kim Monson dot com.
SPEAKER 03 :
It's right.
SPEAKER 13 :
It is Friday. It feels like a Monday for Producer Joe. Welcome back to the Kim Monson Show. And Producer Joe, you feel like you are wrestling a serpent here, correct? We are. We're doing a new computer. What's going on there?
SPEAKER 15 :
So our software is changing. And so what initially operates the initiation of like the spots and music and stuff like that, that's changing over to a new program. So there's always going to be technical difficulties with that big of a project.
SPEAKER 13 :
But you feel like I know that we had some challenges yesterday and you felt like that you had it totally under control. But there's still gremlins in this whole thing, right?
SPEAKER 15 :
Yes, ma'am, there is, and I think there always will be.
SPEAKER 13 :
But we do strive for excellence, but with live radio, things do happen. And so we just wanted to keep you up to date on that. Not sure if we got the whole thing regarding the Battle of Cowpens, but it was a turning point in the American reconquest of South Carolina, and the American Revolutionary Forces, led by Brigadier General Daniel Morgan, defeat the British under Lieutenant Colonel Tarleton in a... decisive double envelopment near the town of Cowpensin. Tarleton was really brutal. I can't remember now. Ben Martin can refresh my memory exactly what they called him. Something like bloody Tarleton or something like that. So this was a very important battle on this day in 1781. In 1821, Mexico permits Moses Austin and 300 U.S. families to settle in Texas. And after his death, his son Stephen leads a colony in Texas. And I did not know this. 1873, Modoc warriors defeat the United States Army in the first battle of the stronghold, a part of the Modoc War. And this was an armed conflict between the Modoc people in the United States and California and Oregon from 1872 to 1873. And I was not aware of that. So it's always nice to learn something about this day in history. Now, a couple of things. I want to make sure that I did give you the website for the Center for American Values. That is AmericanValuesCenter.org. And again, they're going to have an event on the 23rd, which should be most informative. It's an on values presentation. But also I wanted to mention a climate conversation, which is the project of Walt Johnson. And back in the 70s and 80s, there was concern that the world was the earth was going to get too cold. And then – and certainly we'd like to have a little bit of global warming when we look at some of these temperatures over time. But then the narrative moved to global warming. Well, when that didn't totally work out because we had some coal snaps, they moved to climate change. And they are using the – argument of climate change basically to bankrupt the United States and to bankrupt us as individuals and control, really control our lives. So I'd like to bring out these weather events so that we can understand that the climate has always been changing. So in 1893, negative 17 degrees Fahrenheit was recorded in Millsboro, Delaware. Then also Ukraine, Russia. They have been fighting for a long time. 1915, Russia occupies Bukovina and western Ukraine. 1917, the U.S. bought the Virgin Islands from Denmark for $25 million. Of course, now we're talking about somehow acquiring Greenland. Trump is talking about that because it's very strategic. And so this would not be the first time then that we were in negotiations with Denmark because we bought the Virgin Islands. 1934, and my dad told me about this. He said he remembers when rural America became electrified and you started to see lights on in homes in the evening. And so 1934... Less than 100 years ago, the Electric Home and Farm Authority was incorporated. In the war, World War II, 1943, there was a tin can drive day in the United States to salvage tin cans for the war effort. 1945, this was getting to an end to World War II. The Nazis begin evacuation of Auschwitz concentration camps to other camps in Austria and Germany as the Red Army advanced across to Poland. This is very famous. 1961 U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower delivers a televised farewell address to the nation three days before leaving office in which he warns against the accumulation of power by the military industrial complex. And we certainly do have a military industrial complex here. In 1982, a cold Sunday in the United States would see temperatures fall to their lowest levels in over 100 years in numerous cities. And in 1991, the Operation Desert Storm begins with the U.S.-led coalition forces bombing Iraq during the Gulf War. So that's our This Day in History. Let's get over here to some headlines. This is pretty interesting. This is from the BBC. Trump names Gibson, Mel Gibson, Sylvester Stallone and John Voight to be special ambassadors to Hollywood, California. And he says Trump said this was his honor to announce this. And he wrote that on his truth social platform. He says they will serve a special envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to foreign countries back bigger, better and stronger than ever. It goes on to say all three celebrity figures have recently been associated with Trump and his election campaign. It's unclear what their roles will involve. And in a statement, Gibson 69 said he received the news at the same time as all of you and was just as surprised. Nevertheless, I heed the call. My duty as a citizen is to give and help and insight where I can. Gibson recently lost his home in the Los Angeles wildfires. He added, any chance the position comes with an ambassador's residence. So that's our first headline. Next headline, this is from Media8. Media8, I think it is. Bill Maher blasts Newsom for cutting California's red tape nightmare to help rebuild efforts. He asked why he can't do it when we're not on fire. And this is something that Karen Levine and I have really realized is and when I talk about these things that regarding taking away our rights is policy. These policies in many of these municipalities have made it so difficult to build single family homes. and also ownership units. And it's a lot of it is because of zoning regulations, rules, just all kinds of different things. And so now Newsom said he's gonna make it easier to rebuild. But what that means is connect the dot of which Bill Maher has, is that all of this is making it so difficult for people to, for developers to build single family homes. So this article says Bill Maher ripped into California Governor Gavin Newsom after Newsom announced an executive order cutting red tape to help streamline rebuilding efforts following the expansive fires that has destroyed thousands of homes. Newsom's recent order suspends California Environmental Quality Act regulations, making faster rebuilds of homes possible. Marr joined TMZ's Harvey Levin and Charles Ledebeduer on Wednesday and recalled his own run-ins with California's extensive red tape. He chronicles on his real-time show that it took more than a year to get approval to build a shed to install solar panels at his property. The comedian said the state's uber-progressive politics certainly didn't cause the Palisades fires, but they have impeded response efforts. Mars says, I always think there's a middle road, actual practical solution to everything. And for this, I would say was California's uber progressive politics the cause of the fire? He says, of course not. I do think that many of those decisions, though, set California up for this more intense fire. And one of the things is just not managing the underbrush, because that's basically the like Tinder for a fire. And so these policies, hands off of our grasslands, our forests, our land, instead of managing it properly, is, I think, one of the big causes of this California fire. And it's so interesting, Bill Maher and other progressives are recognizing that. Next thing, and when we talk about the government can giveth and the government can taketh away, this is from Fox News. SNAP recipients may be barred from junk food purchases under a new House GOP bill. And it's limiting food stamps. This is driven by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.' 's mission to make America healthy again. Representative Josh Brigine, a Republican of Oklahoma, is leading the Healthy SNAP Act to bar most junk foods from being eligible for purchase under the SNAP program, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. It says President Trump has been given a mandate by the majority of Americans to make America healthy again, and those in his administration like RFK Jr. and Senator Marco Rubio have directly advocated for eliminating junk food purchases with SNAP. It says if someone wants to buy junk food on their own dime, that's up to them, but what we're saying is don't ask the taxpayer to pay for it, and then also expect the taxpayer to pick up any tab for resulting health consequences. So a super interesting development on that. And then I don't really know what to think of this. I'd love to know what you all think about this. Text line is 720-605-0647. And something just came in on the text line. And from one of our listeners says, buy Greenland seriously. He says we have no money. The U.S. is broke. That is true. We are spending way too much money. We have way too much debt. But Trump would like to get Greenland from a strategic standpoint. So text line, I want to hear what you have to think about this. That text line is 720-605-0647. And this is from NBC News. Former Presidents Obama, Clinton, and Bush will not attend Trump's inaugural lunch. And This is a traditional inaugural lunch. Obama received an invitation but declined to attend, and apparently Michelle Obama is not going to attend the inauguration. It says Clinton was also invited but does not plan to attend, and Bush's office says it's not tracking an invitation to the luncheon. I don't know if it's normal practices that former presidents attend this luncheon. It seems to me like it would be courteous to do so, but I don't know the protocol on that. Would love to hear what you guys all think about that. It says former Secretary of State and First Lady Hillary Clinton also received an invitation to the inaugural luncheon but will not attend. and a spokesman for Trump's transition team did not immediately respond to a request for a comment on the absences. But all three former presidents will attend the swearing-in, so that's good. So it may just be that that's protocol and they don't do that. So, again, I'd love to hear what you all have to say about that, 720-605-0647. And then next thing, this is, I think, somewhat serious. This is from the Miami Herald. The Supreme Court, as the headline delivers, a blow to oil and gas companies. And the U.S. Supreme Court is declined to hear an appeal for major oil and gas companies, including Sunoco, Shell, Chevron, ExxonMobil and BP regarding a lawsuit initiated by the city of Honolulu. It says the decision allows the lawsuit to proceed, holding the industry accountable for billions in damages allegedly linked to climate change. Chief Resilience Officer Ben Sullivan of Honolulu stated the ruling aims to protect taxpayers and communities from financial burdens related to climate damages. And This is again, this is another attack upon the oil and gas industry and that provides has provided reliable, efficient, affordable and abundant energy. And that powers our lives. It helps fuel our hopes and dreams. It helps us keep our climates, our personal climates safe. changing how we wanted so to be warm in the winter with this cold snap that's coming up here in Colorado. I think we're all grateful to have warm homes and cool in the summer. And so this is, I think this is a problem. And again, when they're talking about financial burdens related to climate damage, Think about the financial burden in California and the climate damage of all of these homes and cars and trees that have gone up in smoke and that smoke is in the air. So stay tuned. This, again, is another attack upon our oil and gas industry. And all of these conversations come to you because of our sponsors. And really, for a premium product, that steakhouse experience at home, great source of protein in your diet, check out Lavaca Meat Company.
SPEAKER 07 :
Lavaca Meat Company takes great pride in selling only the best. Lavaca Meat Company is a third generation family-owned business with its roots in eastern Colorado. Lavaca means the cow in Spanish. As our name implies, we only sell beef. No poultry, pork, bison, or game. Just premium quality, aged, mouth-watering beef. Our store is located at the corner of Maine and Nevada in the historic Coors Building in downtown Littleton. For a steakhouse experience at home, visit us in person or shop online at LavacaMeat.com. Lavaca Meat Company, only the best. Again, that's LavacaMeat.com.
SPEAKER 06 :
Boson Law fights for clients who've been injured or family members who have lost a loved one due to the careless, reckless, or wrongful conduct of others. Whether injured in a car accident, suffered an injury due to a product or bad pharmaceutical drug, or need help fighting for medical care and benefits following an accident at work, don't go it alone and uninformed. Boston Law is the law firm you need in your corner. Time is of the essence with any personal injury claim. Call 303-999-9999 to schedule your complimentary consultation. That number again is 303-999-9999. Call now.
SPEAKER 08 :
You'd like to get in touch with one of the sponsors of The Kim Monson Show, but you can't remember their phone contact or website information. Find a full list of advertising partners on Kim's website, kimmonson.com. That's Kim, M-O-N-S-O-N dot com.
SPEAKER 13 :
It is Friday. Welcome back to The Kim Monson Show. Check out our website. That is KimMonson, M-O-N-S-O-N.com. Sign up for our weekly email newsletter, and you can email me at Kim at KimMonson.com as well. Thank you to all of you who support us. We're an independent voice, and we search for truth and clarity by looking at these issues through the lens of freedom versus force, force versus freedom. If something's a good idea, you should not have to force. Pleased to have on the line with me Brandon Wark. He is the founder of Free State Colorado. You can find that at freestatecolorado.com. And he calls it the Liberty Lifestyle. Brandon Wark, welcome to the show.
SPEAKER 05 :
Good morning, Kim. Thanks for having me on.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, you really are doing great work at Free State Colorado. And I wanted to talk with you about the Colorado State Legislature. You and I both are watching that closely. And what's your ear to the ground saying to you? Because the legislature convened just recently.
SPEAKER 05 :
Oh my gosh, it is going to be a crazy year down under the gold dome in Denver. Lots of stories, lots of really interesting legislation. Unfortunately, a lot of bad legislation, of course, from the perspective of a liberty-minded Coloradan. But there's some good bright spots there as well. You know, there's some changes from 2024. Here this year, we saw that the Democrats lost their supermajority in the state House. One of the big stories out of the 2024 election is that Republicans picked up three seats. So it's going to shift the dynamic slightly. Now, it's not enough to make a huge impact, but nonetheless can help slow down some of those bad bills. And actually, we got 23 new legislators, 23 out of 100 new legislators down at the state capitol. So lots of new voices, lots of new faces and lots of new ideas coming down. So it'll be really interesting to see. But I think one of the bigger themes we're going to see after next week is how the state legislature, you know, this Democrat majority, how they respond to Trump, the immigration issue. I think that's going to be one of the continuing themes we see throughout the legislator this year until May when it ends. But some interesting stuff coming through. We see a lot of great bills to repeal some of the fees, some of these ridiculous laws, such as the confinement for egg-laying hens, the cage-free egg law that passed many years ago. There's a bill to repeal that this year. Actually going to be heard next Monday in committee hearings, so really trying to rally people to go speak on that. There's also a bill to repeal the recycled paper bag carryout fee. Everybody knows that plastic bags are banned, unfortunately, but They still charge you $0.10 for a paper bag, so there's a bill to repeal that, and why can't we have free paper bags at grocery stores, and grocery stores are willing to pay for them. So those are some of the subjects, some of the bills that affect us. Pretty much everybody in Colorado knows dinner table issues, but we're seeing a lot of interesting other legislation come through as well.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, and we are preparing over at the Colorado Union of Taxpayers to start with our emails on Monday. We'll be rating bills this weekend. because bills are being scheduled for hearings. So how it works with us over at the Colorado Union of Taxpayers is we use something called Bill Track 50, which will populate all of the bills scheduled for hearing for the next week. And then we go through it and take a look at them. If they affect taxes or property rights or a TABOR school choice, then I'll put that out for the team, the board of directors to consider. take a position on it and their reasoning. And then if we have a majority that goes one way or another, then we'll take a position on that. So that's going to be happening here very soon. But I can take a quick look at the number of bills that have been proposed already, and that, or I guess have been, yeah, I guess they've been proposed. We have 150 bills, Brandon Wark, that have already been proposed, and the legislature's only been in session since the 8th of January. It's pretty crazy, I think.
SPEAKER 05 :
Oh, it's absolutely crazy. Last year, they had up to 700 bills introduced in the legislature. There were 500 passing last And the legislature only meets for 120 days. So, you know, you hear this refrain about Congress all the time that nobody reads the bills. They don't have time to read these thousand page bills. Unfortunately, the same is true at our state legislature. These bills are many pages. Some of them are very long. Some of them are complicated and nuanced arguments. They come out so quickly. There's such a short amount of time for these representatives to read through them, to decide how they're going to vote. And it's really unfortunate that the time is not allowed for proper public debate often. And it's so much legislation in such a short amount of time. It's really unreasonable to think that they can have an honest debate with public input on 500 or 700 pieces of legislation in 120 days. So a little outrageous. We got 150 so far. We're going to see quite a bit more. One of the bills I'm most excited about, though, we have Representative Kindergarten. And Senator Mark Baisley sponsoring House Bill 1067, which is criminal asset forfeiture. So civil asset forfeiture is a major issue for a lot of people who have been watching it for many years in which law enforcement can confiscate your property, your money if they have reasonable suspicion. You know, it's hard to get it back sometimes. It's really unfortunate. Kindergraft's been a leader on that issue for several years now, but I'm really hopeful that we can have some reform around this asset forfeiture here in our state government. So that's a good one that people should really be paying attention to, and there's a good potential for that to pass. On the other side, unfortunately, we have some bills that are going to make it a little bit harder to be a landlord. There's a bill to get the attorney general involved in some of these local disputes with landlords and property owners. And we've seen this trend in many years where we have some of these legislators down there who are fighting for tenant rights. And on the surface, it sounds so good, but the ultimate effect is that it makes it harder for people to rent their property out, to be a landlord, new restrictions, new costs, new expenses. And it's really unfortunate. That's Senate Bill 20, sponsored by Weissman, Gonzalez, Lindsay, and Marbury, to enforce existing landlord-tenant law, but to give the Attorney General of Colorado power to do that at that local level.
SPEAKER 13 :
Wow. And I know of stories of people that had purchased rental property for their retirement, for cash flow. And here in Colorado, they're making it so difficult that some people have actually moved out of Colorado and sold their properties because of that. And what that is, Brandon, though, it is an assault upon property rights. And I talk about it all the time, how there's different ways that there could be an assault upon property rights. And this is certainly an assault upon the landlord's property rights for their property. And so this is a real problem. And it's been every year they seem to be coming back, trying to make it more difficult for people to have rental property here in Colorado.
SPEAKER 05 :
Oh, 100%. Yeah, multifamily housing has been a real target of the legislature for many years now, trying to create more state-controlled systems where people can live in and really attacking those private property owners. So it's really unfortunate. We see where that trend is going. So it's something people need to pay attention to.
SPEAKER 13 :
So, Brandon, I mentioned the Colorado Union of Taxpayers, and we're going to have our legislative kickoff on January 23rd, which is Thursday. And that is the same night as the Center for American Values is having a great event as well. So people have two different things they can choose from. But the Colorado Union of Taxpayers is an all-volunteer group. Our membership is $25, so for basically $2.08 a month, you will be able to be very informed about what is happening down at the Statehouse, which is really important. And you can join us by going to coloradotaxpayer.org, and you can join there, and you can buy your ticket for the event. It's just $10. But in preparation for this, the woman that created Bill Track 50, which is what we use today, She lives in London, and so I had a 4 a.m. call with her today to get things ready for what is going to happen down at the Statehouse. But one of the things that I have been very concerned about is is where we have legislation where we can actually have interested parties come in and put money into these different laws. It's called gifts, grants, and donations. And I asked her if she would do a search and create an actual set for where we can see all of the different bills that have gifts, grants, and donations in there. And it's something that's very subtle, but it's something that I have a great concern about. Have you really thought much about this gift grants and donations that can be in some of this legislation?
SPEAKER 05 :
You know, Kim, I'm not too familiar with it, but I'm familiar with it at least to know that it's something to be watching, something people need to be concerned about. We've seen it happen previously where some of these interested parties, people with money come in. You know, so much of these bills, people say, where do they come from? Where does this legislation originate? You know, it's not like our representatives and senators are down there thinking about it. Oftentimes they're approached by out-of-state special interests who bring them model legislation from other states. say, hey, introduce this here. You know, we're part of this bigger organization. Let's put this in Colorado law. And people go along with it. And oftentimes it's people, the citizens, the voters of Colorado are very unaware of where this legislation is coming from, who's funding it, who's behind it. How does it connect to these larger issues at the national level? And they come in, get this bill sponsored. It passes through committee. passes on the floor, governor can sign it into law, and now all of a sudden we have these out-of-state entities having a little bit more power in our supposed citizen representative system.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, and you're absolutely spot on on that. And then the fact that these interested parties can somehow then come in and use gifts or grants or donations to – have interested party money to come in under law is something that is really of great concern. The other thing is that we at CUT are watching is the safety clause, which is really used and abused quite often here in Colorado as well, and that is It's interesting in Colorado, if a piece of legislation is passed and doesn't have the safety clause on it, we as the people of Colorado could actually vote on it on whether or not we wanted that to be implemented into law. But the safety clause was created in case there was a disaster or something needed to be done quickly. And if that is put on a piece of legislation, then we cannot vote on it. And so what we've seen is the safety clause has been used and abused on a regular basis here in Colorado, Brandon.
SPEAKER 05 :
Oh, yeah. And the safety clause also, they really want to push some of these bills through so quick. Instead of giving the public time to prepare to either train counter some of this legislation or even understand what's happening, these safety clauses can have these new bills, these new laws going to affect a lot sooner as well. So it really provides a shorter timeline for some of this legislation to go through. And, you know, it's really not right on so many levels. I mean, don't get me wrong. True emergency. You know, I think we could all agree on that. But for the most part. What's considered an emergency by some of these legislators is nothing that a normal person would consider to require that sense of urgency.
SPEAKER 13 :
Absolutely. And so we have a flag on this regarding safety clause. And just quickly looking at this, it looks like out of the 150 bills that have been proposed, 42 of them have the safety clause on them, which there's, I don't think that there's 42 emergencies right now in Colorado. Well, actually, there's a lot of emergencies in Colorado, but I don't think there's anything that we need to be putting the safety clause on legislation for, Brandon.
SPEAKER 05 :
Oh, I'm sure you're right there. Yeah, 100%. I'm sure it's some simple things that they really just want to see these programs instituted quickly without public input, kind of forcing their special interest agenda on Coloradans without providing necessary time and public scrutiny.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, and at Free State Colorado, when we come back, I want to talk about this. You just recently posted an article on how to provide remote testimony in Colorado Legislative Committee hearings. It says, have your voice heard. I think this is really important. So we're going to continue the discussion with Brandon Mark. And we have all these discussions because of our sponsors. For everything mortgages, reach out to Lauren Levy.
SPEAKER 06 :
If you're 62 or older, a reverse mortgage could be a great tool regarding retirement and estate planning. It is essential to understand the process. Lorne Levy with Polygon Financial Group has nearly 20 years in the mortgage industry and has the experience to answer your questions. Call Lauren at 303-880-8881. Licensed in 49 states, Kim Monson highly recommends Lauren Levy for all your mortgage needs. Call Lauren at 303-880-8881.
SPEAKER 02 :
All of Kim's sponsors are an inclusive partnership with Kim and are not affiliated with or in partnership with KLZ or Crawford Broadcasting. If you would like to support the work of The Kim Monson Show and grow your business, contact Kim at her website, kimmonson.com. That's Kim Monson, M-O-N-S-O-N dot com.
SPEAKER 07 :
Franktown Firearms and Shooting Range has everything you need to be fully trained with your firearm. They have multiple levels of training, including pistol, rifle, and shotgun that will make you feel better, faster, and safer no matter what your skill level. Classes are taught in a group setting, or you can schedule one-on-one instruction from the qualified instructors at Franktown Firearms. Learn from our seasoned instructors, including veterans of law enforcement and military, SWAT, and special forces. so you can trust that the training they give you is second to none. Franktown also makes obtaining your concealed carry permit convenient and will ensure you have all you need to get your permit quickly and safely. The staff prides themselves on friendliness, and you will feel comfortable and in capable hands. And Franktown is always where friends are made. So if you're ready to take your shooting skills to the next level with friendly, qualified staff, contact Franktown Firearms on the klzradio.com advertisers page.
SPEAKER 13 :
It is Friday. Welcome back to the Kim Monson Show. Be sure and check out our website. That is Kim Monson, M-O-N-S-O-N.com. Sign up for our weekly email newsletter. You can email me at Kim at KimMonson.com as well. Thank you to all of you who support us. We're an independent voice and we search for truth and clarity by looking at these issues through the lens of freedom versus force, force versus freedom. If something's a good idea, you should not have to force people to do it. And this year, make sure that you have in your giving repertoire to make a donation to the USMC Memorial Foundation as they are raising the money for the remodel of the Marine Memorial. Paula Sarles and her team are working diligently on making that a reality. And Paula is the president of the USMC Memorial Foundation. She's a Gold Star wife and a Marine veteran. And you can get more information by going to USMCMemorialFoundation.org. I'm talking with Brandon Wark. He is the founder and creator of freestatecolorado.com. And Brandon, we're talking about this 2025 Colorado legislative session. And you've just posted, I think, a really important article to explain to people how they can provide remote testimony. So where should we start on that?
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, Kim, definitely encourage people to get involved with your state legislature. Find out who represents you. I think would be the first step. Who's your state senator? Who's your state representative? And then, you know, look at some of the bills. Get on the legislative website. And I have all the links at freestatecolorado.com. Yeah, just this morning put up a post on how to provide remote testimony. You know, I think so often people are discouraged from interacting or testifying because they feel like they have to drive down to Denver. Not a lot of people want to drive down to Denver. They have other things going on in their lives. It's far. It's parking, all of these things we hear. But you can provide remote testimony even on a touch-tone phone. Most people don't realize. So you do need Internet access to sign up. to email the legislature, the staff there, and tell them you want to do testimony with a touchstone phone, and it's possible to do. So we cover that in this morning's post of how to provide remote testimony in Colorado legislative hearings, how to have your voice heard. So definitely encourage people to do that. There's so much important legislation, so many important topics being discussed this year. People have an opportunity to have their voice heard, and that's what needs to happen. We need more citizen participation. in our process. We need people supporting good legislation, too. You know, there's some good bills to lower taxes, to reduce some of the restrictions on gun ownership, some of the good things that I think liberty-minded Coloradans would like to see. And we really need people to show up in support of those bills. But at the same time, of course, there's a lot of bad things going on down there, and people need to have their voice heard. You know, I've heard from legislators in the past who say, hey, well, nobody told me they didn't like this bill. You know, nobody showed up. Nobody talked about it. And it's so unfortunate when you see the other side have expert witnesses, have multiple people show up and speak on this. And then the pro-liberty side is absent. So we need to have our voices heard. We need to get involved. And I want to try and help make it as easy as possible for people to speak down there in the state capitol. So check it out at freestatecolorado.com.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay. And is it as effective to testify remotely as being there? Pam Long and I talked about it yesterday that sometimes it can be really long days if you're down there. Is it as effective? Is your voice really heard if you provide this remote testimony?
SPEAKER 05 :
I think so. I think it does make an impact. One of the nice things, too, if you're able to do it over the WebEx or Zoom link that they provide, you actually get to watch it. You get to actually have kind of a first-person view that's not normally seen. Most of these committee hearings, you can listen to the live audio on the legislative website, but you can't really – there's not a live video streaming it. However, if you're part of this remote testimony, you can watch it. You can see what's going on from the comfort of your own home. It makes it more convenient for people to get involved. Now, don't get me wrong. If you're down there in person and you get to look the representative in the eye, you're five feet away from them, tell them how wrong they are or tell them how right they are. It's very powerful. Plus, you can network with other individuals. You can meet people who are on the same side of that issue as you are. interact with them, network, build a community of people who care, who want to get involved, and you can find some key allies and maybe friends down there. So if you can show up in person, definitely encourage it. But I don't want people to get discouraged if they can't and still have your voice heard, do what you can. There's different levels of involvement. Some people will just send an email. Some people will make a phone call to a representative or a senator over a specific bill or issue. That's good. But the next step would be to do that remote testimony and then ultimately, if you can, show up in person.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay, so great advice. And again, you can find this at freestatecolorado.com. Somebody that you and I both really respect is Natalie Minton. She has been tireless in really being an advocate for Coloradans, for taxpayers. And you recently published this with her. How many DEI employees is your tax money paying for? And she explains that. But she is doing amazing work. And it's important that we shed light on all of this. And so tell us just a little bit about that post.
SPEAKER 05 :
Oh, definitely. Can't speak highly enough of Natalie Metten. She's one of our Liberty Warriors, our Liberty leaders fighting the good fight down in Jefferson County. Well, she was curious about the payroll situation at the county level. So in our video that people can find at Free State Colorado, she goes through her CORA request. So Colorado Open Records Act request to get the payroll records for Jefferson County. And that's public information. You have the right to that information as a citizen here, as a taxpayer in Colorado. So she got that information, and then she found that there's several employees, at least four that she saw, that are specifically DEI, which is this diversity inclusion type of thing that's in the media these days, but DEI employees. There's at least four of them in Jefferson County, and a DEI manager is making over $100,000, so making lots and lots of money. And the question is, what do they do, this diversity, equity, inclusion employees? What do they do? And, you know, so she was able to see that they, you know, help plan for some parades and they talk about different issues and send emails and they're making lots of money. And of course, you know, these governments are so starved for cash. They claim, you know, we have potholes in our roads. We have crime in our streets. We have so many issues that these local governments say they can't deal with until they take more of our money. and yet they have employees that are paying specifically for this DEI program that don't seem to do much else except provide input from that perspective to the county commissioners, to different offices, and it's really eye-opening. So I really encourage people to check out that video Natalie and I made and find out how you can do a core request to find the payroll of your local government employees and see what's going on in your community.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, and another great resource for that can be open the books as well, which they're doing great work on a national level. And then they're getting the payroll for many. And if you don't see it there, but for many different municipalities, fire districts, all kinds of things. And if you don't see your municipality there, you can let them know and they'll get that on there. This came in on the text line. Do you happen to know? Is there going to be any kind of a bill to stop people from running for office and then immediately stepping down and then somebody is appointed to that position? Do you know of anything out there yet on that, Brandon?
SPEAKER 05 :
So it's definitely been in the media that there's going to be legislation dealing with vacancy committees. Now, I haven't seen any final bill drafts, but I know that's going to be one of the issues that we're going to see coming up here. So it's definitely something to keep an eye on. And I would encourage people to sign up to be a member of the Colorado Union of Taxpayers to get those weekly email alerts. That's a great way to find out all the different legislation down there. And then actually Free State Colorado, we're doing a legislative live stream every Sunday night on YouTube, Free State Colorado on YouTube. every Sunday night at 7.30, and we're going to talk about some of the bills of the week. So that's something I'm going to be keeping a close eye on. I know we've seen bills in the past dealing with vacancy committees, and I know we'll see something this year. So I'm very curious as well to see what that looks like.
SPEAKER 13 :
Yeah, I am curious about that as well. And again, I would recommend that people check out Free State Colorado. And we really do have some great warriors down there standing up for the taxpayer. And one of those, and you've done a piece on him, is Kindergraf. We've got a couple of minutes left, but I do want to give a shout out to him. He's been tireless in the work that he's been doing as one of our Colorado state legislators.
SPEAKER 05 :
Oh, 100%. I definitely encouraged people last week. I put out a video with him. It was about 40 minutes, and he talked, and he gives the unvarnished truth about what's going on down at the state legislature. We talk about some really good issues in terms of the ideology behind the thought process, this battle versus freedom and liberty versus this authoritarianism. And he really spells it out. He doesn't hold anything back. It was a really fun video. So I really encourage people to hear directly from him. And he's got some great bills he's sponsoring this year. So if you see Kindergraft's name on it, definitely encourage people to show up and testify on those bills as well.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay. We've got a minute left. How would you like to wrap this up, Brandon Wark?
SPEAKER 05 :
I would say people should be hopeful. It's easy to get down. It's easy to get depressed. When you look at the news, when you get on social media and see so much negativity here in Colorado, But we have so much opportunity. There's so many more people fighting the good fight. There's people out there doing what they can to shine a light on the misdeeds of these politicians and these interested parties. So get involved, network, support, find a support system at that local level, and really pay attention and show up. The first step is showing up. Show up at your city council meeting, your county commissioner hearings. Show up at local meetups and get involved. Find the others. Let's build a liberty network and push back against this authoritarianism.
SPEAKER 13 :
Absolutely. And you're doing such great work. And I just love your optimism on all of this, Brandon. And I'm sure that we will see each other quite often, probably, this particular legislative session. So thank you. Check out freestatecolorado.com. Keep up the great work, Brandon Wark.
SPEAKER 05 :
Thank you, Kim. Take care.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay, and our quote for the end of the show is Benjamin Franklin. And he said this, by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. And today, my friends, be grateful, read great books, think good thoughts, listen to beautiful music, communicate and listen well, live honestly and authentically, strive for high ideals, and like Superman, stand for truth, justice, and the American way. My friends, you are not alone. God bless you. God bless America. Stay tuned for hour number two.
SPEAKER 16 :
But tell them if I don't survive, I was born.
SPEAKER 10 :
The views and opinions expressed on KLZ 560 are those of the speaker, commentators, hosts, their guests, and callers. They are not necessarily the views and opinions of Crawford Broadcasting or KLZ management, employees, associates, or advertisers. KLZ 560 is a Crawford Broadcasting God and country station.
SPEAKER 09 :
It's the Kim Monson Show, analyzing the most important stories.
SPEAKER 13 :
An early childhood taxing district? What on earth is that?
SPEAKER 09 :
The latest in politics and world affairs.
SPEAKER 13 :
I don't think that we should be passing legislation that is so complicated that people kind of throw up their hands and say, I can't understand that.
SPEAKER 09 :
Today's current opinions and ideas.
SPEAKER 13 :
And it's not fair just because you're a big business that you get a break on this and the little guy doesn't.
SPEAKER 09 :
Is it freedom or is it force? Let's have a conversation.
SPEAKER 13 :
Indeed, let's have a conversation. Welcome to our number two of the Kim Monson Show. Thank you so much for joining us. You're each treasured, you're valued, you have purpose today. Strive for excellence. Take care of your heart, your soul, your mind, and your body. My friends, we were made for this moment in history. And thank you to the team that I get to work with. That's Producer Joe, Luke, Rachel, Zach, Echo, Charlie, Mike, Teresa, all the people here at Crawford Broadcasting. Happy Friday, Producer Joe.
SPEAKER 15 :
Happy Friday, Kim.
SPEAKER 13 :
And this software update, I know it's like you said, I think wrestling a serpent, but you're getting through it, Joe. So good for you. Every day it'll get a little bit better, right?
SPEAKER 15 :
Yes, ma'am. That is the hope. the hope.
SPEAKER 13 :
So hey, be sure and check out our website. That is kimmonson.com. Sign up for our weekly email newsletter that goes out on Sundays. You'll get first look at our upcoming guests as well as our most recent essays. You can email me at kim at kimmonson.com. Thank you to all of you who support us and the show broadcasts 6 to 8 a.m. Monday through Friday on all KLZ platforms. The first hour is rebroadcast 1 to 2 in the afternoon, second hour 10 to 11 at night. And those platforms are KLZ 560 AM, KLZ 100.7 FM, the KLZ website, and the KLZ app. And summaries of the show and podcast can be found at my website. Just click on the image for the show, and that'll bring all of that up. And then also you can listen to the podcast of the show on Spotify, iTunes, and all of the streaming services. We look at these issues through the lens of freedom versus force, force versus freedom. If something's a good idea, you should not have to force people to do it. We're going to focus on the issues, not the people, not the personalities. We'll mention the people that are pushing these particular issues, but we are trying to stay out of all of the kind of eighth grade girl fighting that can happen in politics. Our word of the day is polemic, and Rich Guggenheim had texted me something regarding he's on his way up to Wyoming to testify on a bill regarding boys and girls sports. He's picking Aaron Lee up, and he was able to use... the word polemic in a sentence. And he said, you can read about this polemic experience in the Cowboy State Daily. And good for him. So the word of the day is polemic. And it could be a controversial argument, especially one refuting or attacking a specific opinion or doctrine or person engaged in or inclined to controversy, argument or refutation. and one who writes in support of one opinion, doctrine, or system in opposition to another. And Rich Guggenheim has been just really a great polemic in this whole attack upon our children. Boys and girls sports is just really crazy. I saw on one of the evening shows yesterday, Alexandria... AOC, and she was testifying in favor of boys and girls sports and boys and girls bathrooms. It is unbelievable what these radical activists, Democrats are pushing forward. And it's big time here in Colorado. And I mentioned in the first hour that I had a 4 a.m. call. with the founder of Bell Track 50, which is the software that we use for the Colorado Union of Taxpayers as we're trying to track these bills. And I would really encourage you all to join us, Colorado Union of Taxpayers. It's just $25. You will receive the email that we send to all the legislators and the governor regarding legislation that's scheduled for hearing for that week. And you can join us by going to coloradotaxpayer.org. And when you see these folks, we're all volunteers. Say thank you to them. That's the board of directors that is doing this analysis. And that's Steve Dorman, Greg Golianski, Russ Haas, Bill Hamill, Rob Knuth, John Nelson, Wendy Warner, Marty Nielsen, Rami Johnson, Mary Jansen. And so pleased to recently have them come on the board. That's Dave Evans and Corey Onasorg. And you can join us by going to coloradotaxpayer.org. I did want to mention Hooters Restaurants. They have been great sponsors of the show for many years. Great place to get together with friends and family. It's going to be a great football weekend. They have five locations, Loveland, Aurora, Lone Tree, Westminster, and Colorado Springs, and great specials for lunch and for happy hour. So be sure and check that out. And it is Friday, which that means we're going to get some cowboy wisdom. And from Jim May, who's cattleman with Lavaca Meat Company. Jim May, welcome to the show.
SPEAKER 12 :
Good morning, Kim. Good morning and happy Friday. I'm not sure about the cowboy wisdom, but I'll do my best.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, I love the wisdom of your father from last week that you shared with us. And I actually had a treat last night. I had a Lavaca filet. And it really is truly a premium product, and it truly is the steakhouse experience at home. And for a real treat, I would recommend people check that out. And it's just really, it really is a great product.
SPEAKER 12 :
Well, thank you. I think so, too. I think one of the really neat things in life is to be able to have the best of something. We think it's as good as it can be, and we're trying every day to make it as good as it can be. And A reflection of what we do. So we were at the stock show yesterday and went down to the Cattlemen's Club. Shout out to my little nephew, Zach, there, who worked on our team. Zach May and saw Christian Dinsdale and a bunch of his crew, Kenny Monfort, kind of the young lions in some of our businesses. And so we went out to the Cattlemen's Club. club down there. It had a primary event. It was wonderful. It's a quality of Lavaca. It was a good experience. Happy for everybody that's coming in the store. We'll do all we can to meet your needs.
SPEAKER 13 :
And that the store is located at the corner of Nevada and Maine in Old Littleton. And one of our listeners said that she had sent Lavaca Meat Company some fillets for Christmas. And she typically would send the competitors in the past. And she sent, anyway, a gift box to her brother-in-law. And he responded back and said it was the best he'd ever had.
SPEAKER 12 :
Well, that's wonderful to hear. And I hope... I hope more of you will try that. And, you know, going on through the year, this is a good place to come and get it online at LavacaMeat.com and the steakhouse experience at home.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay. So you were at the National Western. I know that you and Trent Luce were trying to get connected. Did that happen yesterday or not?
SPEAKER 12 :
You know, we were trying. I left a quick voicemail or something. Well, actually, his mailbox was full. He's a busy guy. And then he texted me back. He called back. We did not get to touch bases. I did not meet him yesterday. We've had a kind of slam this week and couldn't stay very long. We share a lot of the same mentality, for sure. And he's a good man.
SPEAKER 13 :
Yeah, really important. And we continue to shed light on this real attack on the people that feed and fuel us from a legislative standpoint, from rules, regulations. And so we continue to shed light on that because we have taken it for granted that having affordable and abundant food sources. And so we need to continue to shed light on all of this so that we can continue to have this great blessing that we have. Do you have a poem for us today, Jim May, by any chance?
SPEAKER 12 :
I have one I've never run by on this show, and they're getting to beat you in far between. And by the way, the technology is there now to just tell AI to write a poem. So maybe I'm a dying breed here, but everything I've ever done is my stuff as far as my writing and that. And I still think there's something about that that I'm not going to change. I'm not going to do the cheating. This is an old one I wrote many years ago for... Bill Foxley, who was in the Hall of Fame. And the theme here, Dan's going in the Hall of Fame here in just a couple of weeks. My brother Dan, and thank you all for your support and votes for him. And he was responsible for getting two people in the Hall of Fame. One was a banker named Roy Dinsdale. Bank of Colorado here is owned by the Dinsdales and the Pinnacle Banks in Nebraska, a really great family and a really great supporter of the cattle industry. Saw Christian yesterday there. And the other one is Bill Foxley, who we bought the Nebraska feedlot from, and it's a quickie. This is called the Fox and the Hound. In the heart of Nebraska, two people were born in the land of the sandhill, now covered in corn. Cattlemen and banker, the best to be found. This is the legend of the fox and the hound. They named the fox, well, he's sly and he's cunning. The traders are scared and the brokers are running. The floor of the murk is starting to rattle and when the dust is all cleared, he's just wind rowing cattle. The hound is honest and loyal and smart. If you'll do the same, he'll give you your start. To call them a hound might be a bit blunt, but one thing is certain, that dog will hunt. So Nebraska released them, the fox and the hound, and they ran and they hunted and tracked them all down. The best generation they came from, they say, the fox and the hound, they know how to play.
SPEAKER 13 :
Oh, I love that.
SPEAKER 12 :
They've never done that one, and dedicated to Bill Foxley and Roy Densville.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay. And I'm with you also on this AI thing. I know that it can do a lot of different things, but I'm with you. I like to have original content. So good for you.
SPEAKER 12 :
My stuff comes from me. And then I'm going to work on some of the ones we've done over the year now, almost been a year, and committing those to memory and working through that. And that's the other thing about poetry. I think it needs to be inside you. And that's what I'm going to try to do is get some of those We've had poems for almost every holiday over the year here and the elections and some of the things I've done. And so in my miles and my travels, I'll try to put them all inside my head.
SPEAKER 13 :
I love that, Jim May. I love that. So people need to check out LavacaMeat.com and Lavaca Meat Company. It really is a premium product, and it is really a treat. And so I would highly recommend people check that out. Jim, have a great day, and we will talk to you next week then.
SPEAKER 12 :
Great, Kim. Thanks. Good to be with you. It's going to get cold now. Bundle up and have a great week.
SPEAKER 13 :
Yeah, that's for sure. And I just am so blessed to work with amazing people. Another great sponsor is the Roger Mangan State Farm Insurance Team. And certainly you want to understand your insurance coverage, give them a call at 303-795-8855. Like a good neighbor, the Roger State Farm Insurance Team is there.
SPEAKER 01 :
So I switched my insurance to the Roger Mangan State Farm Insurance Agency. Get this, I actually talked to Roger Mangan, who has been helping people with their insurance coverage in our community for 47 years. He helped me create a State Farm personalized price insurance plan for my home and auto and explained affordable options. For personalized service and peace of mind that you are working with a team that cares about you and your family, call Roger Mangin now at 303-795-8855. Kim highly recommends the Roger Mangin State Farm Insurance Team. Again, that number is 303-795-8855.
SPEAKER 07 :
Lavaca Meat Company takes great pride in selling only the best. Lavaca Meat Company is a third-generation family-owned business with its roots in eastern Colorado. Lavaca means the cow in Spanish. As our name implies, we only sell beef. No poultry, pork, bison, or game. Just premium quality, aged, mouth-watering beef. Our store is located at the corner of Maine and Nevada in the historic Coors Building in downtown Littleton. For a steakhouse experience at home, visit us in person or shop online at LavacaMeat.com. Lavaca Meat Company, only the best. Again, that's LavacaMeat.com.
SPEAKER 08 :
You'd like to get in touch with one of the sponsors of The Kim Monson Show, but you can't remember their phone contact or website information. Find a full list of advertising partners on Kim's website, kimmonson.com. That's Kim, M-O-N-S-O-N dot com.
SPEAKER 13 :
It is Friday. Welcome back to the Kim Monson Show. Be sure and check out our website. That is Kim Monson, M-O-N-S-O-N dot com. Sign up for our weekly email newsletter. You can email me at Kim at Kim Monson dot com as well. Thank you to all of you who support us. We're an independent voice. We search for truth and clarity by looking at these issues through the lens of freedom versus force, force versus freedom. If something's a good idea, you should not have to force people to do it. I'm really pleased to have on the line with me Sandra Lall. She is a listener of the show and just has great insight on so many different things. But after we had had John Spence and Maria Sepnik on the show earlier this, well, gosh, I guess it was a week or so ago now. Now I'm drawing a blank. But anyway, it was regarding our grid is at significant danger with Chinese influence as well as our ports. And if things really got bad, what should we do? We should be prepared. We talk about being prepared. And Sandra has some great comments about that. So, Sandra, welcome to the show. Thank you, Kim. Good morning. Great to have you. And you and I talked about being prepared, and I thought it would be great to have you on the show. So set this up a bit for us. How did you end up coming up with this list of things that you recommend for people?
SPEAKER 14 :
Well, it goes way back. My dad, well, first of all, I was born in Leadville. My dad was born in Boulder, Colorado folks. And he was just probably like your dad, Kim. was always prepared. I mean, he had a toolbox always. I always remember crowbars, hammers, you know, you name it. An ax, a saw, just in case. And so I grew up this way. My mother, we'd go camping. My dad would go hunting on his own in Leadville up in the mountains by himself. And so I learned a lot. And when we would go camping, My dad would take us up on these logging roads up in the high country here in Colorado, and my mom would pull us out of the camper, and we'd all walk behind the truck because the road was so narrow. I never thought you had to pay for campgrounds because we were out in the middle of nowhere all the time.
SPEAKER 13 :
There it is. Wow. And so you had to get out because the road was so, that would be pretty hairy, I would think.
SPEAKER 14 :
It was kind of hairy. My mother would just pull us out of camp. We never knew why. We were just little children. And she goes, come on, we're going to follow the camper. Okay.
SPEAKER 13 :
So here we are now, and so many people live in the urban areas. They're not prepared. If something would happen regarding the electricity goes out or, of course, all these fires in California, we see what's happened in North Carolina, Lahaina. For people in the urban area, This is a pretty extensive list. How would you recommend that they put this all together, Sandra Law? Let's go through it.
SPEAKER 14 :
I would just, you know, first of all, I'd like to, let's make it fun for a family, a family effort. And, like, even prepare a little fanny pack for the children. They make their own pack, what they think is important. And make it interesting and make it serious that they know that they might need this one day. And hopefully that day won't come. But if it does, they're ready. I just kind of did a little. The first thing I put on there is make your contact list and get all your essential documents. But that contact list is. It's probably the last thing we think of. When these fires came these last years in Colorado, I did not have my, I mean, I had it on my phone, but what if the phone goes out? You need to really put pen to paper and write those lists, put it in a Ziploc bag and put it in the emergency fanny pack. I also have your essential documents, your passport, your insurance papers. Maybe photos of your home, even if they're just copies, you have photos. I'm trying to think what else they have here. Your driver's license, your medical papers, put your prescription, your prescriptions in that fanny pack, an extra pair of prescription glasses. Just the little things you don't think of. Always have water. So that's the emergency fanny pack. And, um, I always, I always carry a little, um, one of those little, um, I always have my little teeny pocket Gideon Bible. Yep. I have that one. And, um, you want, uh, your, you know, your extra, let me see the contact list and your passport driver's license. So all of that place in a Ziploc bag. So it keeps, so it keeps dry just in case. Um, And then the next one I have is your essential backpack. And this is the one that will actually go. I'm going to go to the vehicle. I'm going to do the vehicle since I think that's the most important thing.
SPEAKER 13 :
Let's see here. You said a good map. You really recommended a good map. That's important.
SPEAKER 14 :
A good map. And the one I have is called the, it's called D D Lorme and it's capital D E capital L O R M E. And it's a topographical map. It will lay out here in Colorado. I have one in each of our trucks and it, it, it, Maps out every trail, every back road, lake, creek here in Colorado. It's amazing. It's an amazing map. It's like an atlas, the size of an atlas, but it's pages of anywhere in Colorado you would want to go. And a good map is good because if the cell service goes down and you don't have your GPS going on with your map, It's nice to know that you have that backup. And I recommend if you do have to evacuate, just know your route. And we've seen what's happened in these fires where, well, people, you know, just they can't get out. And even if you're on foot, you have that map. But your vehicle, okay, I'm getting off track here. So... So in the truck, in the vehicle, a lot of water, food. And some food as well, right? Yeah, food and water. I put in there sleeping bags or a blanket, weatherproof, an extra pair of weatherproof boots, weatherproof coat, hat, gloves, a phone charger. An external power source, just in case those charges don't work. But I think in your vehicle, you can put it in to where the lighter is or used to be able to. A fire kit, your spare tire, your tire pumps, your jacks, flashlights, battery jumper cables, window washer fluid, just in case. I mean, when all this ash was flying around after the Cameron Peak fire, we had ash everywhere. And you couldn't see out of your windshield. Let's see. Reflective jackets are best. So if you have to get out of the vehicle, people can see you. Also, I always call it rescue me clothing, too. So and a shovel, an axe, a metal bucket, and a tool kit, a roll of duct tape, a fire extinguisher, sanitized hand wipes, paper towels, bathroom tissue, and That's like the basics. And that's just, you know, you can just, those are easy things to kind of pick up. And when you start preparing your, you know, it's kind of overwhelming when you hear all this list. But as you think about it, just have a box maybe, you know, in the garage. And as you think about it, just put things in as you go. And then it's not an overwhelming chore. Does that make sense?
SPEAKER 13 :
Yeah, because it does, as I was looking at this, I thought, oh, my gosh, it seems a little daunting to put all this together. But I think you're right to just start to kind of bite off on the list and have that ready to go. And, again, hopefully we never have to use this. And another thing that you mentioned was a full tank of gas. Yes. And that's what you always tell us, Kim. Yeah, it's really important. And so I always am driving. I shouldn't say always. There was I did get down under half tank within the last month or so. And I thought, oh, my gosh, I need to make sure and be prepared, because I think that's one of those things. As you see these abandoned vehicles in both the Lahaina pictures and also in California. I can't figure out how how that began, though. How was it that was it a traffic jam or do you have any idea what happened that people then just ended up getting out of their cars?
SPEAKER 14 :
Well, what happened in Lahaina is the policemen had stopped him on the road and they were they were not letting them through. And so people have their children at home. See, the children stayed home that day. And these parents, they were trying to get home to their children. They saw the fires coming and they were running, running to their homes. And that's what happened there. California, I think the fires just overwhelmed them, Kim. And I don't think they could, yeah, they couldn't go anywhere. So the other thing in your vehicle I forgot is the first aid kit.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay, okay.
SPEAKER 14 :
And so let's go to basically... Okay. If you have the things ready in your vehicle, you actually have half of everything you need probably for an emergency.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay. Okay. So we're going to continue this discussion. And some of these things seem kind of like a no-brainer, but so many of us don't really think about it. I'm talking with listener Sandra Lull, who grew up being prepared. And it is it's important in this day and age. We take so much for granted that we don't think that maybe we need to, particularly if we live in urban areas. But we do. We need to be prepared. And so this is an important discussion to have. And we have these important discussions because of our sponsors. One of those is Karen Levine for Everything Residential Real Estate.
SPEAKER 09 :
There are always opportunities in changing markets, and the metro real estate market is no exception. That is why you need to work with seasoned RE-MAX Alliance realtor Karen Levine when you buy your home, sell your home, consider the opportunities of a new build, or explore investment properties. Rising interest rates are spurring creativity, innovation, and opportunity in the real estate and mortgage markets. Kim Monson highly recommends award-winning REMAX realtor Karen Levine. Call Karen Levine today at 303-877-7516 for answers to all your real estate questions. That's 303-877-7516.
SPEAKER 06 :
If you're 62 or older, a reverse mortgage could be a great tool regarding retirement and estate planning. It is essential to understand the process. Lorne Levy with Polygon Financial Group has nearly 20 years in the mortgage industry and has the experience to answer your questions. Lauren understands that each financial transaction is personal. If you'd like to explore your options on a reverse mortgage, remodel your home, buy a rental property, or move, call Lauren Levy at 303-880-8881. Licensed in 49 states, Kim Monson highly recommends Lauren Levy for all your mortgage needs. Call Lauren at 303-880-8881.
SPEAKER 02 :
All of Kim's sponsors are an inclusive partnership with Kim and are not affiliated with or in partnership with KLZ or Crawford Broadcasting. If you would like to support the work of the Kim Monson Show and grow your business, contact Kim at her website, kimmonson.com. That's Kim Monson, M-O-N-S-O-N dot com.
SPEAKER 13 :
It is Friday. Welcome back to The Kim Monson Show. Be sure and check out our website. That is KimMonson.com. Sign up for our weekly email newsletter. You can email me at Kim at KimMonson.com as well. Thank you to all of you who support us. We're an independent voice. We search for truth and clarity by looking at these issues through the lens of freedom versus force, force versus freedom. If something's a good idea, shouldn't have to force people to do it. And do check out the USMC Memorial Foundation's website. That's USMCMemorialFoundation.org. And make sure that you add this into your list of giving this year, because it is coming through the Biden-Harris administration and the tearing down of monuments and statues and renaming things. It is really important that we remember and honor those that have given. given their lives or been willing to give their lives for us. So be sure and check out the USMCMemorialFoundation.org. I'm talking with Sandra Lull. She is a listener who grew up being prepared. And we wanted to talk about having things on hand to be prepared. One of our listeners asked if this list is going to be available anywhere. We will have that in the show summary on my website. So be sure and you'll be able to find that there. So, Sandra, you had a rather extensive list for if you're in the backcountry, which I thought was pretty interesting. So tell us about that.
SPEAKER 14 :
Well, the things that really – we always have a backpack, and we go camping a lot in the middle of nowhere. And, you know, it's one of those things, if you don't have it, you can't use it sort of thing. Yeah, so usually I have basically what I have in our trucks. But then we go a little bit further. We have a cranked radio with the Weather Channel AM and FM. It's battery-powered, always have extra batteries, canned food. manual can opener, sharp knife, coffee. I almost forgot that on the list. Salt and pepper, honey, a lot of Ziploc bags, garbage bags, rolls of duct tape, life straw for water filtering. We're usually by a water source, so just in case. A deck of cards, a board game, something to keep us, you know, You know, interested. It's good for children, too, to put that maybe in, you know, in your to-go bag, too, for children. And in the toiletries, insect repellents, sunscreen, toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, towels, washcloth, feminine supplies, and I always have my Carmex. So, yeah. Also, the water, we do carry a lot of water with us in our medicine, our first aid kits, utensils, bowls. We always have a camp stove. We have a little camp stove. It's a little like a, I call it the one cup butane thing. And you can put it on and actually place pots like a teapot or a soup pot on top and cook with that. So, I mean, it's easy, squeezy. Now, you go online, Amazon just has about everything. But I recommend going to Jack's Outdoor Stores. That's where I got the topographical map, the Delorme map that's so useful. And any camping gear, all my mountain boots and stuff come from there as well. I use a lot of Ziploc bags. And also take some, you know, storage containers. You know, the plastic that I call them Tupperware, but aluminum foil, a fire kit, a flint starter kit, a neck whistle, binoculars, a lot of flashlights. And that's about it. My main thing is having that water.
SPEAKER 13 :
Yeah, water is really, really important. And so you have water on hand at home as well? Do you just put it in bottles or how are you storing water?
SPEAKER 14 :
We've bought these big bladders. They hold 100, I think it's 100 gallons in each bladder. And you can put those, you know, in the garage or, you know, just somewhere where it doesn't freeze. And yeah, we have we have a lot of water on board just in case.
SPEAKER 13 :
So let's talk about people in the urban area. I'm thinking about people that are in these these apartments, the four or five story apartment buildings, small apartments. They don't have a lot of room. And guys, if people don't have a vehicle, that's a that's a pretty difficult thing, too, if there was a disaster. Right. That is.
SPEAKER 14 :
That's why you need that emergency list. You have neighbors and friends. You can pull together somebody who does have a vehicle. And that's why that list, it's the number one thing on my list because it's the one thing I did not have prepared, and I'm embarrassed to say, you know, to call out to other people. I mean, I have numbers on my phone, but to actually have that contact list, at the ready is so important.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay. And so what about somebody living in a small apartment in the urban area? In some ways, it seems like it would be difficult to have a lot of this stuff.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, it would. The other thing we have is I have a Berkey water filter system, and you can get them in the Amish, Lehman's Amish store sells them, and I think you can get them online on Amazon. But you can get the really big ones, so at least you have a water source, clean water for a while if your water goes off. But I do. I mean, I even get teased a lot. But I do save water in bottles. And if I don't use them, you know, for us, I use them as my plant water or my garden water. I mean, you get creative. But, you know, getting those gallon bottles of water, the milk jugs, if you will. I like putting things in glass, but if you have plastic and you need water, you'll have it. Also, the other tip with water, if you, you know, put it in a plastic container, don't put a lid on it because in about an hour, all that, the chlorine evaporates out of it. So it's better drinking water then.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay, that's a great tip. So first, so if you are in the urban area, certainly make sure that you have extra water. You can have all of these things that would be in the fanny pack and the backpack. But probably, just trying to think about, so many younger people would not be thinking about this kind of preparation. And they could just have... a box there in their apartment someplace with um with their prep which i think would be a great idea so again let's let's run through this emergency backpack you said holy bible prescribed medication water food cups bowls utensils all-weather coat first aid kit soap toilet paper paper towels hand sanitizer flashlights and and solar portable radio two-way radio And is that primarily for information? So you said weather channel, those kinds of things?
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, that has a weather channel on it. So let's say the electricity goes off, and maybe they're announcing evacuation routes. Maybe, you know, or a center for shelter. It's nice to have. It cranks. It's actually a hand crank.
SPEAKER 1 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 14 :
And it charges up. It takes a while, but I mean, not too long, but you just crank it and you dial it to the station. Maybe you want to hear the weather. They go for about $39 and on up, but they work.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay. And, yeah, I'm just doing a quick search on that, and that's easy enough. So I need to do some shopping here, it looks like. Okay, so we said hand crank, radio, batteries, external power source. What is that exactly, external power source? What would that be?
SPEAKER 14 :
Well, we have one. It's called Goal Zero. And it's like a little sun solar panel. And you can plug your devices into them if you need them. And you can charge up your solar batteries and some of your solar flashlights. So you always have light. Like if you're in the dark in your apartment, you can have that solar light.
SPEAKER 13 :
And how do you spell that again, Sandra?
SPEAKER 14 :
It's goal zero, like a goal post. G-O-A-L-0-Z-E-R-O.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 14 :
And those are also, you know, they sell a lot of those. They were going like hotcakes a couple years ago there at the Jack's Outdoor Store.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 14 :
You can get them in every size, shape. It's amazing. They're in there, and you can pack them up in your And they're to go back.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay. Okay. And it looks like there's some bigger ones as well. So are they pretty expensive? The bigger ones are.
SPEAKER 14 :
The smaller ones are reasonable. When you get one about the size of a small, like I call them a card table, you can get them up that big. And those get up a little bit higher. But they're handy to have because we've got a lot of sun here in Colorado. Okay.
SPEAKER 13 :
Yeah, so that's a great idea. Okay, so we've got that. Then extra pair of boots and shoes, protein food, nuts, dried fruit, raisins, peanut butter, honey, canned meat, canned food, manual can opener. That is really important. I remember my brother, when he was a little kid, he decided he was going to run away from home. So he packed up all of this canned goods, and I remember he had this red, white, and blue suitcase, and he got down to the end of the alley, and he came back, and he said, I forgot a can opener, and that is a real problem. He certainly wanted a manual can opener.
SPEAKER 14 :
sharp knives ziploc bags large garbage bags um live straw water filter now what is that exactly uh sandra law it's actually it's something that you can like if you're by a stream or you have some kind of a water source and and you want to make sure it's clear you don't you don't you you don't want any parasites or anything and it just filters the water out it's um They're at Jack's as well or on Amazon. Yeah, you're filtering the water through a live straw. And, yeah.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay, so I'm seeing that. And then emergency alert radio, battery powered. And then, yes, things to keep you occupied, deck of cards. That's really important as well. So this has really been fascinating. And you and I will work together and we'll get this list together. And then that will be posted on the website for people as well.
SPEAKER 14 :
So just one more thing. I think I had it at the very end. I said, do not leave your home if you don't have to. Even in a mandatory evacuation order, discern and assess your situation. And so if you have to evacuate your home, just have two emergency destinations planned and know your routes. And then I say to have a planned emergency day to prepare for that day. So making an event in your family with your children or neighbors, you know, this is what we're going to do if this happens. And, yeah, when this last fire came here, the Storm Mountain Fire, the Alexander Fire, people were ordered to evacuate up there by Pine Ridge Road. And a lot of people didn't leave their homes. The fire, they felt comfortable staying there. Some people did evacuate. Because once you evacuate, you can't get back in your home. And, yeah, so it's good to know.
SPEAKER 13 :
Yes, and one other thing we didn't talk about, and we should, and that is pets. And you said that you could have a backpack for your pets as well.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yes. So a collar with its name or your name and your telephone number, the veterinarian records, a recent pet photo, dry pet food and treats, leashes, double clips, food and water bowls, two toys, a ball, and a soft bed.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay, and that is really important as well because, and it's really tragic. I saw on one of the evening shows they were interviewing someone in the California fire, and I think that they couldn't get back to their pets. I saw that one. Yeah, that's really, really tragic. We love our pets. We do. But but God willing, we will not have to be in this situation. But you just never know. So we'll put this together. I think that it's it's important to be prepared. And even if you don't have everything, make sure that you get started on this as well. And so this has been really great advice for people to be prepared. Sandra, any other final thoughts that you want to leave with our listeners?
SPEAKER 14 :
Well, just like I said, make it a family event, you know, and just go along. When you go to the store and you see somebody go, hey, I could use that, that's good for the to-go bag. And grab and go at the grocery store and then put it in your box at home.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay. Sondra Lal, this is great advice, and I really do appreciate it. And then I'm using your quote that you suggested from Ben Franklin for our end of the show quote as well. And so thank you. Thank you so much. And we're going to be taking call-ins, and I'm going to be commenting on some of the text messages coming in in this next segment. And so, Sondra Lal, thank you so much. Thank you, Kim. And a great sponsor of the show is John Boson with Boson Law. And if you have had some complications from Ozempic or any of the other drugs in that family, reach out to John Boson at Boson Law because you might be able to get some remedies for that. And so be sure and reach out to John Boson.
SPEAKER 06 :
bosun law is a local law firm dedicated to helping injured individuals in denver and the surrounding areas fight for the justice they deserve bosun law focuses on personalized representation tailored to your unique situation with one-on-one attention and counsel and consistent communication Boson Law personal injury attorneys have extensive trial experience and have successfully represented clients against the interests of powerful corporations, manufacturers, insurance companies, and government agencies. Contact Boson Law at 303-999-9999 for a complimentary in-person consultation. Again, that number is 303-999-9999. Call now at 303-999-9999.
SPEAKER 11 :
Focused and wise marketing is essential for your success, especially during tough economic times. If you love The Kim Monson Show, strive for excellence and understand the importance of engaging in the battle of ideas that is raging in America. Then talk with Kim about partnership, sponsorship opportunities. Email Kim at kimmonson.com. Kim focuses on creating relationships with individuals and businesses that are tops in their fields. So they are the trusted experts listeners turn to when looking for products or services. Kim personally endorses each of her sponsors. Again, reach out to Kim at KimMonson.com.
SPEAKER 07 :
Franktown Firearms and Shooting Range has everything you need to be fully trained with your firearm. They have multiple levels of training, including pistol, rifle, and shotgun that will make you feel better, faster, and safer no matter what your skill level. Classes are taught in a group setting, or you can schedule one-on-one instruction from the qualified instructors at Franktown Firearms. Learn from our seasoned instructors, including veterans of law enforcement and military, SWAT, and special forces. so you can trust that the training they give you is second to none. Franktown also makes obtaining your concealed carry permit convenient and will ensure you have all you need to get your permit quickly and safely. The staff prides themselves on friendliness, and you will feel comfortable and in capable hands. And Franktown is always where friends are made. So if you're ready to take your shooting skills to the next level with friendly, qualified staff, contact Franktown Firearms on the klzradio.com advertisers page.
SPEAKER 13 :
It is Friday. Welcome back to the Kim Monson Show. Be sure and check out our website. That is Kim Monson, M-O-N-S-O-N.com. And I do want to hear from you. Our call in line is 303-477-5600. That's 303-477-5600. And hopefully I'll get this texted over to one of our listeners who wants to call in on this as well. Jenny said regarding this podcast, being prepared is to start with a survival mindset shut off all the water and gas and yeah that makes a lot of sense you don't want to have the gas on which could cause um an explosion and don't want to have uh all that water if uh if something happens as well so good advice on that um Okay, one of our listeners said, Kim, you better trade in your little car for a Suburban. I actually have a big car. I grew up in farming and ranching country, and so I was used to pickups, and so my car is the size of pickups. Oh, Yvonne said she'd love to be involved in our prep list as well, and that would be great. We'll have her do that. candles and lighters in your home for light, and that's a great idea as well. So we've got Tom Tarver on the line, one of our listeners. Tom, welcome. What's on your radar?
SPEAKER 04 :
Good morning, Kim. So I was listening in this morning and listening to your last caller, and that's the basic outline of stuff you need. And because in the event of power outages, you don't have a car anymore. So there's a litany of different things that the survival guys will talk to you about to make more efficient packs, better food sources, better water systems, things to do with fire. I mean, you can start a fire with two batteries of steel wool, or you can start a fire with water and miners carbide. A lot of people don't know you need water to start a fire with. In a rainstorm, you can start a fire. So there's a lot of different things you can do to enhance that. But as As a listener and a student of this kind of stuff, there's a great book that was written by William Forsythe, and it's called One Second After. And I'm not sure if you've ever read that.
SPEAKER 13 :
I have not read it. I've heard of it. So it sounds like I need to read it.
SPEAKER 04 :
I just sent you the audio version of it on a text link, and you can share it with your listeners. And it talks about when an EMP goes off in a rural part of North Carolina and and then what happens to the system, how the system breaks down. If the power goes out, you know, the first people, unfortunately, are very sharply diabetics because there's no refrigeration. Cars don't move. Gas pumps don't work. There's no heat. There's no way to charge your phones. In an EMP situation, it'll take out the electronic devices, so solar-powered stuff becomes ineffective. You're going to have to go back to the rudimentary caveman-type things on how to start a fire. So you need fire, water, shelter, all those different types of things. Um, it's a great, it's a great lesson for you. And I'd love to come back on and talk about it in depth after everybody gets in a listen. And in our case, like when we live, we live out in Larkspur. So for us, um, our, our defense mechanisms and survival mechanisms are built into our homes in the, in terms of what, what are the mobile options, what to do in a case of fire, those kinds of things. We have, we have a one hour, two hour, three hour window for our bug out what we're going to take with us. If we have to depart, how to pack a camper and how to leave, what destinations do you select to go stay at? If those are not available, what are your backup plans? What are you going to have to do if you have to walk? I mean, there's a litany of things that go along with that. And there are some great survivalist guys out there that might be calling in here to go over some of the things, like the food that she was talking about are perishable. So you may have a shelf life on those where you've got your typical and even your traditional hikers and campers used to dry food. Dry freeze foods and stuff like that that will carry a shelf like that can sit in your house forever and be ready to go for you in a moment's notice. And it weighs 80% less than the food sources that your prior caller called in on. Not that that's wrong, but you do have to have a plan. But there are many efficient ways to go about this.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, and Tom, I'll ask you what I asked Sandra as well is, this is extensive, but here in the metro area, we have all these apartment buildings, four and five story apartment buildings, people living in these teeny tiny little apartments. This is not really crossing their mind, I don't think. What would you say to them?
SPEAKER 04 :
It's not. And in the event of this, I'm telling you, that's the best part of this book is it talks about what happens to the inner cities and how inner cities move to the outer suburbs looking for resources. and i remember peter boils used to talk about this it's called the seven meal rule and after seven meals you turn into an animal so what happens to the inner cities most people don't have more than a couple days of food because they go down to the grocery store well what if everybody raids that grocery store and there's no more food right so then people are going to start automatically starting to go out of the city into the suburbs into the suburbs into the rural areas in search of services food water things like that and you're going to have mass chaos inside the cities because people are going to start fighting over food. And you've seen it throughout history. That's what happens. So, uh, the, that's the, the ultimate, I think crucible of a problem for inner city people is when something like this were to happen, the inner cities are going to what die first. Okay. And so as, as people come out, then you end up with conflict. There's engagement. She didn't mention anything about weapons. You have to be able to defend yourself. You know, that's kind of suburbia talk like that. But if you're outside and a gang of people come up on you and they're not intent on working with you, your survivalist mode has to kick in. So you need your defense mechanisms and systems in place to be able to defend yourself, your family, your neighbors, however you're going to go about it in your scenario.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, and I think we can connect this then to legislation here in Colorado. There is, down at the legislature, there is continued legislation trying to limit law-abiding citizens from having firearms to protect themselves against bad actors. And we're going to see that again down here at this legislature. One has to ask why. Why? Because we need to be able to protect ourselves, Tom Tarver. This was really fascinating. We've got about a minute left. Any other nuggets of wisdom you'd like to leave with our listeners?
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, I'd like to tell your listeners to search out. You can listen to the online. It's called One Second After and get educated on it, and then you'll understand what your next steps are.
SPEAKER 13 :
Okay. Tom Tarver, thank you so much. I really do appreciate it. And let's see, let's get it. Oh, I did. I had that question posed regarding Obama and Clinton and Bush not attending Trump's inaugural luncheon. And one of our listeners, Connie, said this. She said, shame on them. They're acting like children. That's exactly what I was thinking as well. And but maybe maybe it's protocol, but it sure seemed like it would be the courteous thing to do. And then another listener regarding this headline that I had mentioned regarding the city of Honolulu that is suing the oil and gas industry. This one listener said, boycott Hawaii. And let's see here. Okay. From a strategic standpoint, getting Greenland would be important. And, oh, and this is from one of our listeners who said, yes, mentioning firearms to be able to protect yourself and your family against bad guys. And, yeah. One of our listeners said with the scenario of people moving out of the inner city, moving out to the suburbs, Jenny said they need to go to politicians' homes first because they created this. So love hearing from you. I wish you guys all really a great weekend. Our quote for the end of the show is from Benjamin Franklin. He said this, by failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail. So, my friends, read great books, be grateful, think good thoughts, listen to beautiful music, communicate and listen well, live honestly and authentically, strive for high ideals, and like Superman, stand for truth, justice, and the American way. My friends, you are not alone. God bless you, and God bless America.
SPEAKER 16 :
Young like a new moon rising Fierce through the rain and lightning Wandering out into this great unknown And I don't want no one to cry But tell them if I don't survive I was born
SPEAKER 10 :
The views and opinions expressed on KLZ 560 are those of the speaker, commentators, hosts, their guests, and callers. They are not necessarily the views and opinions of Crawford Broadcasting or KLZ management, employees, associates, or advertisers. KLZ 560 is a Crawford Broadcasting God and country station.
You are what you think. “As a man thinks in his heart, so he is” (Prov 23:7). The real you is revealed by the thoughts and intentions of your heart. “As water reflects the face, so a person’s heart reflects the person” (Prov 27:19). God knows our thoughts, intentions and motives. Acquiring a divine viewpoint is so important. Arrogance will short-circuit this. The only way to shed arrogance is to let the Word of God shed light on the real you. Have you ever asked God to give you a personal examination? “Test my thoughts. Let me know where I am out of line.” Replacing human viewpoint with divine viewpoint thinking is a lifelong process.
Click for Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/real-transcript-56e1cb
The Real You
Transcript of FLOT Line Episode 639 aired on December 1, 2017
Good morning and welcome to The FLOT Line. I'm your host Rick Hughes and for the next few
minutes, would you please stay with me? Just a few minutes of motivation, some inspiration, a
lot of education, and always with no manipulation, no con games, no hidden agendas here. We
are not trying to sell you anything. We are not trying to hustle any money. We’re just trying to
give you some accurate Biblical truths and introduce you to a way of in-depth studying, in-depth
thinking, learning God's Word all without any type of solicitation. Just 30 minutes of the Word of
God and me trying to verify and identify God's plan for your life and hopefully, if I can do this,
then you will orient and adjust to the plan. Thank you for listening to The FLOT Line, 12 years
we have been broadcasting across the United States. What an honor, what a privilege it is to be
able to do this and to see the grace of God handle all the circumstances that we face on a daily
basis. I love hearing from you listeners that are learning the Word of God, that are growing in
grace, that have been challenged by what you've heard. Thank you so very much for staying in
touch. Right now we’re broadcasting in 25 stations across America, the latest being Spokane,
Washington which started last Sunday. Hopefully we’ll have a long, wonderful relationship with
the folks in Spokane. What I want to talk to you about today is, who are you really? The real you,
remember that TV show, will the real so-and-so please stand up?
Proverbs 23:7 says,
“As a man
thinketh in his heart, so he is.”
The answer to the question, who are you or who is the real you
is found in this verse. You are the sum total of your thoughts.
You are what you think.
Your
image and your style are not the real you.
The real you is the thoughts, the intentions of your
heart.
That's what exposes the real you. Sometimes people try to cover this up with a style or an
image or dressing. You can take a preacher and put him in a white neck shirt, a white turtleneck
shirt like a priest, or you can put him in a coat and tie, or you can put him in a pair of blue jeans
and a cowboy shirt. Preachers wear all sorts of stuff nowadays in pulpits but that's not them.
What's them is inside their hearts, inside their minds. As they really think, that's the real true
them. God tells us in His Word that He has the ability to look not only into the pastor's heart, but
into your heart, to be able to discern your very motives concerning any action that you may take.
Remember, God gave you volition as part of your soul and volition means you have the ability to
choose. God did not make you an automaton robot, you have a choice. As you make decisions,
God can discern the intentions or the motives of why you made these decisions. In 2 Chronicles
16:9, part of this verse says,
“For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth
to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is perfect towards Him.”
Yes, God has His
eye on you. This is an anthropomorphism, God doesn't have an eye and He doesn't have a hand.
He's immanent and transcendent. But that's a way that we can understand God. We can
understand that the omniscience of God always knows what we’re thinking. The omniscience of
God always knows what our intentions are, what our motives are, and why we do certain things.
When the Bible refers to your heart, just what exactly is it referring to? Is it your ticker? I mean
639-The-Real-You-transcript.pdf
the part of you that the doctor says, “Oh-oh, the plumbing’s clogged up,” or “Oh-oh, the
electrical system is not working right.” When the Bible talks about the heart, it's talking about the
invisible, immortal part of you in your soul. See, your soul possesses mentality and that's part of
the format of your soul, the ability to think, the ability to logic, the ability to reason. In the soul
resides the mind and the heart. One in the Greek New Testament is the
nous,
the mind, and the
other is the
kardia
or the heart. Most of time when
the Bible talks about the heart, it’s not
referring to the organ, it is talking about the mind.
The mind has two lobes, your right lobe
and the left lobe. In one lobe, the mind, is where you receive the information and the other part
of the mind is where you apply the information. Your thinking skills should include things that
help you in life, like you should be able to comprehend certain things, comprehension skills. You
should have memory retention and be able to recall. You should have problem-solving
capabilities. We have problem-solving capabilities, decision-making abilities. God gave you the
ability to be creative, some of you more than others, and He gave you awareness. These are
thinking skills. If you combine these thinking skills with the spiritual skills that we talk about on
the FLOT line of your soul, then you have the ability for divine good production. What short-
circuits all of this is arrogance.
Arrogance can short-circuit your awareness skills of who you
really are, give you a false image of yourself.
That's the dangerous thing about Satan, he is
arrogant. He was arrogant in heaven in eternity past and assumed that he could rule like God
ruled and he is still arrogant today, The arrogant viewpoint that many people have of themselves
is an unrealistic self-image. If you have this unrealistic self-image, you are going to have
unrealistic expectations. You need to understand, if you have an unrealistic self-image about
God, if you think God is going to let you into heaven because you're a good person, because you
have been nice, because you have been moral, then you don't really understand God. You have
this unrealistic self-image of yourself and you have unrealistic expectations of God. Jesus Christ
our Lord said this in John 14:6,
“I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life and no man can come
to the Father but through Me.”
You can't look at yourself and say, “Well, basically I'm a good
person. Therefore God is going to like me and let me come into heaven.” The gift of eternal life
is based on the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross. He was our substitute. He paid the
penalty for our sin, “
He that knew no sin was made sin for us so that we can be made the
righteousness of God by means of Him”
(2 Corinthians 5:21). It’s through Christ Jesus that we
have redemption, don't ever forget this. It is not through yourself because arrogance will tell you
that you are a good person. Arrogance will tell you that God likes you and arrogance will tell you
that you're better than other people. That's not necessarily true.
Very few people ever pull out of
arrogance. The only way to do it is to let the Word of God shed light on the real you.
That's
one reason people don't want to hear the Word of God taught. They don't like it because it
condemns them for being phony, two-faced, arrogant individuals who live only for themselves
and not caring who they step on, anyone who gets in their way. Proverbs 24:1-4 warns us about
these people. Here’s what it says,
“Don’t be envious of evil men and do not desire to be with
them, for their minds devise violence and their lips talk of trouble. By wisdom a house is built
639-The-Real-You-transcript.pdf
and by understanding it is established, and by knowledge the rooms are filled with all the
precious and pleasant riches.”
Three things here: wisdom, understanding and knowledge,
these are some phenomenal gifts to you from God the Holy Spirit as you take God's Word
and learn it and apply it into your life
. You get the wisdom of God's Word that builds a house
of understanding in your soul. That’s knowledge, that's understanding what God's plan is,
understanding who you are, understanding what God expects out of you, and understanding what
you can expect out of God. Understanding uses faith to comprehend issues, faith to apply
decision-making abilities. For example in John 14:1-6, we have the illustration of those
wonderful disciples not really using faith to understand what our Lord was telling them. He
comforted His disciples in John 14:1 and He told them that He was going away. He had been
telling them He was going to go to Jerusalem and would be killed. He said,
“Don't let your
hearts be troubled. Believe in God and believe also in Me.”
This is how He comforts them. He
said,
“In My Father's house are many dwelling places and if it were not so, I would have told
you, for I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I'll come back
again and receive you to Myself so that where I am, you may be also. And you know the way
where I'm going.”
Here comes Thomas, you know, the doubter.
“Thomas said to Him, ‘Lord, we
do not know where You're going, how could we know the way?’ And Jesus replied, ‘I am the way,
the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father but through Me.’”
This is the only way to God
the Father. You don't come to God the Father through your works. You don't come to God the
Father through any religion.
You only come to God through Jesus Christ.
To start with, these
disciples didn't actually comprehend that He was going to Jerusalem to die. They were a little
freaked out about this sort of stuff. They were confused about, first of all, where He was going
when He said,
“I'm going to prepare a place for you.”
They had no idea, not a clue that they
were going to become wanted criminals and that their leader Himself would be put to death by
the Romans, although He told them on several different occasions. Listen to Matthew 16:21,
“From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer
many things from the elders and the chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on
the third day.”
Then Matthew 20:17-19,
“Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, He took the
twelve disciples aside and He said to them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem and the Son of Man
will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the Law. They will condemn Him to death
and turn Him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and on the third day
He will be raised to life.’”
How much more plain could this have been and yet it just went right
over their heads, they didn't have a clue. You know, in your own life it's easy to sit in church and
never really hear what your pastor tells you. It's easy for you to daydream. It's easy for you to be
distracted when you're sitting in church. It's easy for you to be deceived and discouraged. How
many times do you even take notes? How many times if you go to church do you even write
down something the pastor says so that you can go back and read it later and apply it to your
life? The Bible uses a word we call wisdom. Wisdom is the Word of God or what I call
“doctrine,” God’s Word that has been learned and been applied. In other words, the doctrine that
639-The-Real-You-transcript.pdf
has gone through your
nous,
through your mind. You heard it, you understood it, and you cycled
it by faith. You believed it and you applied it into your life. Now it's in your heart and this is
where it's called wisdom. Doctrine on the launching pad of your soul is called wisdom. When
you need this doctrine, when you need to get this information, when you need to recall, you go
into your heart and you pull up this information. That's where it’s stored. It’s stored in the
memory center of your soul, in your frame of reference of your soul. You’ve got to understand,
doctrine has to be learned and applied or there can be no growth. You’re replacing human
viewpoint, the thinking of the world, the arrogance of the world, with divine viewpoint, which is
the mind of Christ and you’re told in Philippians 2:5,
“Let this mind be in you that was also in
Christ Jesus.”
If you're going to replace your human viewpoint thinking which will tell you that
happiness is involved in people, happiness is involved in the details of life, happiness is involved
in circumstances then you want to remember what Jesus said.
“Happiness belongs to those
people who hear My Father's Word and keep it”
(Luke 11:28). There is no happiness without
application and there is no learning without listening.
Replacing human viewpoint with divine
viewpoint is a life-long task. It doesn't happen overnight. It includes replacing arrogance
with humility.
This is why 2 Timothy 2:15 says,
“Study to show thyself approved unto God a
workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of truth.”
Rightly dividing,
orthotomeo
is the Greek word. We get a word orthodontist from this, to straighten out your teeth.
We’re suppose to be able to straighten out the Word of God, rightly divide the Word of God. If
we're suppose to rightly divide it, is it possible we can wrongly divide it? The answer is
absolutely yes. Yes, you can misapply the Word of God. You can take it out of context. You can
claim that it’s not really literal, that it's just figurative. That's not true. The Word of God is literal,
it's not figurative. It is true and you can't take it out of context. You have to know the context of
what the Lord was saying or what the writer was saying. Proverbs 27:19,
“As water reflects a
face, so a person's heart reflects the person.”
Again, if God wants to check you out, He's not
going to look at your hairline. He's not going to look at your style of clothes that you're wearing.
He's not going to look at anything except your heart, He's going to look right into your heart and
He's going to see what you're thinking. He's going to see your motives. He's going to see your
intentions. He's going to see your desires. He's going to be able to read your thoughts as the
omniscience of God can do. He can tell what you're really like. What you really are is not what
you appear to be on the surface. What you really are is what's in your heart, what's in your right
lobe.
“As water reflects the face, so a person's heart reflects the person”
(Proverbs 27:19). So
the Bible is like a mirror. When you look into the Word of God, you will see what you really
are. It will show you your flaws and your failures.
In Psalm 26:1-2 the writer wrote,
“Judge
me Oh Lord, for I have walked in my integrity because I have trusted in the Lord and I do not
slide into sin. Examine me Oh Lord and test my emotions and my heart.”
Have you ever asked
God to do this?
Have you ever asked God to give you a personal examination?
That's a prayer
you might want to consider. “Heavenly Father, test my thoughts. Test my emotions. Test my
desires. Test my intentions. Let me know if I'm out of line. Let me know if I'm thinking wrong.”
639-The-Real-You-transcript.pdf
You have to understand the Word of God is there to show you where you’re right and
where you're wrong.
If you don't learn it, how can you understand it? If you don't have wisdom,
you have no understanding. Wisdom, understanding, and learning are critical in the believer's
life.
“We must grow in the grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”
(2
Peter 3:18). Without spiritual growth you're never going to understand God's plan. Look, you
have a physical life. You know God gave you a physical life. You're born, you’re short, tall, fat,
skinny, whatever you are, that's your physical life. You have a spiritual life too, that's a different
life. It's not a biological life, it's a soul life, it’s the spiritual life. It's where God the Holy Spirit
comes to live inside of you, and in this spiritual life, that's where the content of the heart is
important because it's what's in the heart that guides and controls the spiritual life. We know that
you have a sin nature in your physical life and we know that he doesn't want your spiritual life to
assume control of your body. The sin nature is going to tempt you, trick you, try you, test you,
anything it can do to take control. It doesn't want to surrender control but you are told,
“Walk in
the Spirit and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh”
(Galatians 5:16). You are told,
“The flesh
wars against the Spirit and the Spirit wars against the flesh, and these are contrary one to the
other so that you cannot do the things that you would”
(Galatians 5:17). You are told in
Ephesians 5:18,
“Be filled with the Spirit.”
So the secret to the Christian life is really simple.
It’s to stay filled with the Holy Spirit by means of the rebound technique and learn God’s
Word
. Rebound is confessing any sin that may be in your life, admitting it to God, not hiding it,
to rebound when you sin and recover your spiritual momentum, and to get yourself under the
ministry of a well-qualified pastor who can teach you God's Word consistently on a daily basis.
Not once a week, not twice a week, every day. You say, “It’s not possible.” Yes it is. It's possible
every day for you to sit down with your Bible, with a notebook, with a cup of coffee or a glass of
water or whatever, and take notes as you listen to a man teach you the Bible. There are a lot of
great pastors that I know of, a lot of them study and teach and study and teach and their messages
are available free of charge. There's enough for you to learn from my own pastor whose teaching
the life of Christ. I just studied lesson 1,092 this morning, at 5am. That’s right, 1,092 hours on
the life of Christ. Now, if you want to listen to this, I’ll tell you how to do it. Get in touch with
me. But you have to be consistent. You have to sit down on a daily basis and take in God's Word.
I mean don't you sit down every day and eat? Don't you sit down every day and have a meal?
You could not survive without doing this in your physical life and your spiritual life will be
malnourished if you don't sit down daily and take in God's Word. That's where the arrogance
comes in and tells you, “You don't need to.” It distracts you, a decoy, you get delayed, and the
next thing you know you’ve gone two days, three days, and you haven't studied at all. You
haven't sat down and listened to the Word of God being taught to you. If you don't do this, you
don't grow. You just keep going backwards. You're losing ground and you’ve been losing ground
a long time. That's why I'm giving you this message, because God's looked into your heart. God
can see what you're thinking and it's a lot of games. You're playing games at church. You're
playing something that you're not and you know it. You're not what they think you are, are you?
639-The-Real-You-transcript.pdf
Listen to what
The Man in the Glass
says, a poem. I don't know who wrote it, but I want you to
listen to these words very carefully. It’s called,
The Man in the Glass.
“When you get what you
want in your struggle for self and the world makes you the king for a day, go to the mirror and
look at yourself and see what that man has to say. For it isn't your father or your mother or your
wife whose judgment upon you must pass, the fellow whose verdict counts the most in your life
is the one who stares back from the glass. Some people might call you a straight shooting chum
and call you a wonderful guy, but that man in the glass says you're only a bum if you cannot look
him straight in the eye. He's the fellow to please, never mind all the rest, for he's with you clear
to the end. And you have passed your most dangerous test if the guy in the glass is your friend.
You might fool the whole world down the pathway of years, and even get pats on the back as you
pass, but your final reward will be heartaches and tears if you cheat the man in the glass.” That’s
you, no one can answer but you. Who is the real you? Your conscience will convict you today of
sin, of wrongdoing in your life. That's what it’s there for. The ministry of the Holy Spirit uses
your conscience to reveal your flaws and your failures and your volition makes a decision to do
something about it. You must act on your volition. You must act on what you know and what you
hear. You can't hide from it, you can’t act like everything's okay. You must go to the Father and
admit your sin, “He will be faithful and just to forgive you” (1 John 1:9). I'm not saying that
there is this horrible sin in your life. What I'm saying is there is the sin of neglect.
Putting God
second place is a sin. Failing to advance spiritually in the plan of God, being caught in the
world's distractions, is a sin.
We use this as an excuse all the time, “There’s just not enough
time in the day. I’ve got so much to do.” I understand, but Matthew 6:33 says,
“Seek ye first the
Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these other things will be added to you.”
It’s
talking about priorities.
Unless you make your spiritual life your priority, your physical life
will end in failure I promise you.
I hope you're listening. I hope you will consider these things,
and I hope you'll come back next week. Until then, this is your host Rick Hughes saying thank
you for listening to The FLOT Line
Join us as Dr. Kelly Victory discusses crucial healthcare issues with host John Rush and contributor Steve House. The podcast unravels the intricacies of pharmacy benefit managers, entities largely unknown yet immensely influential on drug costs. Dr. Kelly shares her insights on why these middlemen are a significant factor in the high cost of pharmaceuticals and what can be done to regulate them. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation that sheds light on why these issues persist and what changes could be on the horizon with future administrations.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right. Welcome. Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560, Thursday edition. Dr. Kelly Victory joining us as well as Steve House. I always start with Dr. Kelly. Welcome. How are you?
SPEAKER 14 :
I'm doing great. And I am cautiously optimistic that in a handful of days we will be on the really on the horizon of a brand new, not just administration, but really a sort of rebirth for this country.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, Steve, according to Joe Biden, we already are. He's already accomplished all this. It's all done, man. He's got it all figured out.
SPEAKER 05 :
It's all done. It's all in place. We just have to live through whatever it was he set us up to live through.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah. So, you know, Dr. Kelly, we're good to go. He told us last night that everything's all dialed in.
SPEAKER 04 :
I know.
SPEAKER 03 :
My favorite of all of the delusions.
SPEAKER 14 :
And I really find this off-putting is that, you know, Trump has already fundamentally brokered a deal for the return of these hostages. It's such a big deal. I cannot even imagine the horror and the pain that these people, these families have gone through. But the idea that Joe Biden is trying to assume credit for that is really, really unconscionable. You know, Trump has taken the moral high ground and has not pushed back and come out publicly, at least, and said the truth, which is that, you know, you buffoon. This would never have happened were it not for me. But that's the reality. And everybody knows that.
SPEAKER 03 :
He has been the Trump has been quasi president for the last 90 days or so anyways. And I don't think there's too many people that would argue that. And again, Steve, to Dr. Kelly's point, I mean, yeah, I get it. The hardcore left, they're never going to admit that Trump does anything right. But the reality is Joe Biden hasn't done any. I mean, let's face it. He hadn't done anything in a year.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, you know, people forget, you know, the fact that we're like. 40% higher in budget deficit right now than we were a year ago. But keep in mind, too, that I'm betting both of you that sometime next summer, the Nobel Prize Committee will award Joe Biden the Peace Prize for the Hamas-Israel deal in the Middle East. You watch.
SPEAKER 03 :
Wasn't shocked.
SPEAKER 14 :
I think you're right.
SPEAKER 03 :
You know, at least I predicted that prior to Inauguration Day, Donald Trump would have at least the Israeli Hamas thing pretty well handled, which it's turning out to be that way. I thought that he'd actually get the Ukraine-Russia deal handled, although the other administration, the current administration, continues to throw as many monkey wrenches into that deal as as possible, Steve. So the reality is, yeah, I'm off on that one, but that's not on me. That's on Joe Biden and his team.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, it's not only monkey wrenches, but if you keep funding the pensions of the people in that race or in that war, then the people who are supposed to come to the negotiation table don't have as big an incentive to negotiate because what they need is being taken care of. for them by the United States of America. I mean, it's a leverage problem in a negotiation that Trump would never do.
SPEAKER 03 :
That's right. All right, moving along. Dr. Kelly, I sent you guys an article, and we've talked about this. In fact, just a few weeks ago we talked about this topic, but we've been talking about this for a while. Wall Street Journal, they put out an article. Largest pharmacy benefit managers hiked up drug prices, the FTC says, and there's all sorts of articles linking back to the FTC study and so on. And reality is, again, start with you, Dr. Kelly, but we've been talking about this, or you guys, you and Steve have been talking about this for years.
SPEAKER 14 :
Absolutely. And to break it down to the easiest possible explanation for listeners, a pharmacy benefit manager, a PBM, is what Steve and I refer to as a, quote, middleman. What they are is a broker. They're sort of akin to, for pharmaceuticals, what a real estate agent is in the sales of real estate, of homes and buildings. They're the person who connects the seller and the buyer. And in real estate, they take a pretty much set commission of a certain amount, somewhere between 4% and 6% in most markets. The problem with the pharmacy benefit managers, the PBMs, is they are the person who brokers the deal between, say, a hospital system or a doctor's office or a big corporation and the drugs that they will make available for their patients. And instead of taking, you know, 4% to 6% or what they're supposed to be able to take by law, which is 2% to 3%, they sometimes are taking well more than 100% commission. In other words, they are more than doubling the cost and sometimes tripling or more the cost of medication. And that has been one of the biggest drivers in the outrageous cost of pharmaceuticals in this country for some decades. And Steve and I have tried very hard to bring light to this, but we still have not cracked that nut. It is getting these middlemen out of the equation would be the quickest way to drive down drug costs.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay, Steve, you know my background and where I come from on the automotive side. And I get it. Every industry, even automotive, there are, in some cases, middlemen that stock a product and they distribute it and so on. And they're sort of, in this example, they're that middleman as well, although none of them in our industry ever see the kind of profits that these guys are seeing. On the same token, Steve, there's a lot of products in the automotive world that are are sold, in some cases, direct to consumer or at least direct to installer. So my question is, as just sort of a novice in that world from the outside in, why is a PBM needed at all?
SPEAKER 05 :
A couple things. I mean, number one, there's so many new drugs that are created, you know, on a monthly basis by pharmaceutical companies around the world that it's a complicated process. The hospitals are trying to take care of patients and make them well. And in the meantime, try to keep up with, you know, what they should or should not have on formula in terms of drugs. I mean, there's...
SPEAKER 03 :
The amount of money, though, that these organizations, hospitals, et cetera, are paying the PBMs, you could put an entire department in the hospital and handle all of that on your own, or am I wrong?
SPEAKER 05 :
no you're not wrong but the solution is here's what's going to happen john is that you know the pbm they're going to tell congress that if you shut up down if you give up you know if you stop linking our fee to the price of the drug and drugs cost over a hundred thousand bucks so they get this massive number if you stop that then drugs are not going to be available however because of artificial intelligence because of some of the technology available today what's really going to happen is is there going to be pbms that come along and there already exists i know the name of one right now and those pbms will charge a per member per month fee that's a fixed fee to manage the drug distribution to the hospital through their discount programs like 340B to employers directly. There are competitors coming along who will do it for a fixed fee because the life of a traditional PBM is very limited at this point.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay, that makes more sense. Dr. Kelly, I'll let you chime in.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, the other thing that's gone on historically, and the reason it hasn't happened, John, is because the PBMs have been, you know, they are thugs. They are back alley thugs. What they say is if, you know, hospital, you know, ABC says we're going to hire Kelly Victory instead. We don't want these middlemen. We're going to hire Kelly Victory. We're going to bring her on staff and we're going to let her, you know, she's going to be our employee at the hospital and she's going to go out and negotiate this thing and bring us the best prices and figure out what drugs we should have on formulary. The PBM will go around me and say to the pharmaceutical company, if you sell to Kelly Victory, If you let her do that, we will not let you sell anywhere else. You will go out of business. We will make sure you lose the contract. They are the mafia under a different name. This would be called, in any other industry, this would be known as racketeering. Because that's exactly what it is. It is back alley thuggery. It is absolutely out of control. And it is the thing that is driving up drug costs for Americans. and it has got to stop. And Congress, both sides of the aisle, thank you, Republicans and Democrats, have been absolutely remiss. They have been absent from their mandate to look out for the American people, and they have done nothing about this, despite the fact that we have brought it to their attention over and over and over again. This has got to stop.
SPEAKER 03 :
Steve, isn't this an FTC situation to where they should be the ones handling this and getting rid of what Dr. Kelly just said?
SPEAKER 05 :
I mean, is it a monopoly? Almost. It probably technically qualifies.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, but the Federal Trade Commission is also supposed to protect consumer rights and really watch out for the end consumer when it's all said and done. And we've seen them meddling in things that, frankly, in my opinion, they had no business meddling in, and yet they won't take care of this.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, and it's primarily because there's this... not real belief that without the PBMs, people will die, right? Because they won't get access to drugs. So they're hesitant to do that. But back in the days when Kelly and I were talking about PBMs, the one thing that should have happened is diabetics, especially diabetics. When we went away from insulin created by cows and pigs, and we went to a human synthesized version, which was $5,000 more per year for the insulin, although it did not deliver significantly better benefits. What should happen is diabetics should have gotten to a class action lawsuit and sued the federal government for not enforcing their own safe harbor laws that limited that fee to two to three percent. Kelly and I talked about this back in 2020. We had a committee when I was running for Congress. The way it should have been done is big groups like diabetics should have sued the federal government over this and forced their hand in taking care of the problem, but they didn't.
SPEAKER 03 :
Which means they missed that opportunity and it just kept snowballing. Is that correct, Dr. Kelly?
SPEAKER 14 :
Exactly. And it's now spun so far out of control. And everybody, you know, blames the pharmaceutical companies. And believe me, I am no fan of Big Pharma.
SPEAKER 04 :
Right.
SPEAKER 14 :
of these back alley thugs, these PBMs who are doing the negotiating for them. And they need to be eliminated there. We really need to. Congress has been, as I said, remiss. They did not hold accountable the PBMs to only take the two to three percent for which they were uh allowed and they now are charging sometimes many hundreds of percent in profits and you know that really is being paid for it's being felt by the consumer unfortunately and so i am hopeful that in this next administration we will see that turn around
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, I mean, this article, they're talking about how the markups alone helped PBMs reap in $7.3 billion from 2017 to 2022. And I get it. There's some costs that those guys have. And you guys know me. I'm a capitalist. I don't mind people making money. And that's not what I'm after here. But when you're doing it, Dr. Kelly, the way you're saying, to where you're forcing your hand and you're really, in a lot of ways, developing a monopoly when it's all said and done, no, that is not the way it's supposed to work.
SPEAKER 14 :
Exactly. And again, you know, there are Americans who are absolutely being crushed by the cost of their drug prices. And we're seeing people having to make choices that they shouldn't have to make, trying to spread out their insulin or avoid taking a blood pressure medication every day so that they can make a prescription that's supposed to be for 30 days last more like 45 or 60 days. These are things that we should not have happening in the United States. particularly because most of these drugs are really dirt cheap. They are very inexpensive to make. The entire cost is in the marketing. The other thing I'm hopeful is that if Robert Kennedy Jr. is in fact confirmed to head up HHS, and I believe that he will be, I believe that he will go after and try to eliminate pharmaceutical advertising on television. If you cut out a lot of that advertising budget and the fact that then maybe they can get the cost of the drugs down to something that's actually sustainable.
SPEAKER 03 :
But then all their lobbying power goes away, Dr. Kelly.
SPEAKER 14 :
Exactly. Not all of it. All of Washington.
SPEAKER 05 :
Go ahead, Steve. Not all of it. I mean, yeah, the advertising should go. Kelly's right. But they still have the ability to find ways to get people to donate to candidates running for office, and they'll still have market power that way.
SPEAKER 03 :
So in other words, what you're saying is eliminating the ads doesn't necessarily eliminate all the power they have over Congress and Senate. Exactly.
SPEAKER 05 :
It does help, though, because, you know, patients see ads and say, hey, I've got that problem. True. And demand that they get it. And, you know, it does push their scenario. Every other country in the world doesn't allow this. I think there's one country that allows advertising. Yeah, New Zealand. New Zealand. I think there's a good reason why we don't do it. But there's still one lobbyist. For every congressional member in Congress, there's at least one lobbyist out of the pharma and health care industry. Wow.
SPEAKER 03 :
Amazing. All right. Good segue. We'll come right back, folks. We've got questions for us. 307-200-8222. We'll come right back. Affordable interest mortgages next. Kurt's going to join me at 5 o'clock. We'll talk about housing, mortgages, and all of that. Then, in the meantime, his direct line, 720-895-0500.
SPEAKER 01 :
Interested in buying a new home? Well, the cost may have just gone down. It's been a seller's market for years, and buyers are regaining some authority. Want to cut your costs when you buy? Take AIM, Affordable Interest Mortgage, 720-895-0500. Recent changes to buyer's agent compensation now helps the buyer spend less. Sellers no longer need to raise the price to cover compensation for both sides. Your pre-approval now gives you more control in pricing and compensation. Make sure you work with a knowledgeable mortgage broker that will save you money. Take AIM 720-895-0500. AIM has a team of broker agents willing to negotiate their compensation and save you thousands. They know the new law. They're experienced and professional. Before you sign with an agent, protect yourself with a real pre-approval letter that puts you in charge. Take AIM. Affordable Interest Mortgage. 720-895-0500. We have that team willing to work for you. That's 720-895-0500. Regulated by Dora and MLS. 217-147-Equal Credit Lender.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, if you like what you hear during this hour, we have a great doctor for you. He's local. He'd love to take care of you, have you as a patient. 303-663-6990. That's Dr. Scott Faulkner.
SPEAKER 07 :
Are you looking for a healthcare provider who truly cares about you and your well-being? Look no further than Castle Rock Regenerative Healthcare, where Dr. Scott Faulkner is ready to provide you with top-notch care. At Castle Rock Regenerative Healthcare, you'll experience a competent, friendly, and efficient staff that puts your comfort and care first. Dr. Scott Faulkner is a true advocate of the latest advancements in healthcare and weight loss. Worried about being lost in the crowd of impersonal health care? Fear not. Dr. Scott is a big picture doctor, not beholden to big pharma or big insurance like some other providers. He takes the time to understand your unique needs and will customize your health care to fit you, your body, and your lifestyle. Tired of waiting weeks for an appointment? Unlike other practices, Dr. Scott Faulkner has the remarkable ability to see you in a matter of days. Reach your full potential and achieve your goals. Call Dr. Scott today at 303-663-6990 or visit him online at castlerockregenerativehealth.com or find him at rushtoreason.com. Castle Rock Regenerative Health Care, your path to a healthier tomorrow.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, your roof's a big deal. There's going to be a lot of changes coming on the insurance side. Find out exactly what you should be doing with Dave Hart at Roof Savers of Colorado, 303-710-6916.
SPEAKER 02 :
At Roof Savers Colorado, we are about more than roofs. We are about helping you make the best decisions with the right information. Being a homeowner isn't getting any easier or cheaper, and neither is getting your roof the solution it needs. Deductibles are going through the roof, and with every passing year, insurance covers less than the one before. Due to a record amount of hailstorms recently, insurance companies have started limiting your coverage and pulling out of states entirely. We know the industry. With over 3,000 roofs under our belts and 23 years of experience, Dave Hart and his team are ready to complete a free roof inspection and discuss the option that is best for you. Don't wait. Policy renewals are increasing by as much as 50%. Now is the time to get the solution you need. Call Roof Savers Colorado today at 303- 710-6916 or go to roofsaversco.com. That's 303-710-6916 or go to roofsaversco.com to schedule your free inspection and start saving your roof today.
SPEAKER 11 :
No liberal media bias here. This is Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 03 :
And we are back. Dr. Kelly Victory with us this hour along with Steve House. Appreciate both of you guys joining us. Dr. Kelly, a question came in even last week right after we got off air that I said I would go ahead and ask today. I know we've talked about this in the past, and I don't know if there's been any further progress in this area, but somebody was wondering if there's been any studies or information on say, an unvaccinated man getting together with a vaccinated woman. They then have kids. Are the kids then, you know, do they then have that mRNA end of things when it's all said and done, or does anybody know?
SPEAKER 14 :
I think the answer is we don't know. There certainly has been concern about that, and I think it's not unbased to have some concern about that. Because the mRNA does become incorporated into the DNA of many cells, And vaccinated people, therefore, if they procreate, if they have children, you could conceivably be passing that DNA down. That's certainly a concern that Dr. Peter McCullough raised very early on. The reality is, however, that we don't know. That type of genetic testing has not been done yet, and there's no way to say. So I certainly don't have any evidence that it's true. I can understand the concern. And I think these are the sorts of things, again, I will get back to. This doesn't make me anti-vaccine. The fact that somebody is asking this question, a very legitimate question, and that I and the people who designed these vaccines and pushed them as safe can't answer that question. These are the sorts of questions, people, that are supposed to be answered before you stick a needle in millions of people's arms.
SPEAKER 04 :
Great point.
SPEAKER 14 :
We should know the answer to this question. But, you know, this is insane that we that my answer is we don't know because we should know. And that's part of what the testing. There's a reason why the average vaccine takes four or six to eight years to come to market. If it ever comes at all, there's a reason we take years to study something before we put the stamp of approval on it. These things simply did not go through that rigorous testing. And as a result, there are lots of very important questions for which we do not have answers.
SPEAKER 03 :
And Steve, to Dr. Kelly's point, we don't have a lot of those answers. And the reality to Steve is, is, you know, I keep questioning. I know we've asked this on this program many times is is the whole why? I mean, I get it. You know, Donald Trump was duped. You know, he felt like the economy would be in better shape if we had a vaccine, because that's what his handlers were continually telling him that, you know, the only way we can get back vaccines. work and get back to school and fly and do this and do that is to get the population vaccinated. And through that, we'll have herd immunity and blah, blah, blah. We were talking about some of that stuff even back then, Steve. The reality is none of that happened and the entire world's been duped.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I was going to say, Kelly, Kelly, Kelly, listen, if you had waited to have all the safety data you needed on this vaccine, if you would have dealt with Moderna's death of a child and all that stuff, what would have happened is the pandemic would have ended a year earlier. There would have been a lot less people dead from the vaccine, and we would have gone into a room at some point. They would have gone into a room and said, okay, it's a virus. It's a coronavirus. So we know it's going to get weaker when it mutates. We already know that the best way to do this is isolate sick people, not isolate healthy people. We've always known that. Masks are not going to save us. That's why we've got to isolate the sick. It would have gone from Delta. to whatever the next one was, it would have got less viral or virile as it went. And by the time the vaccine came out, we wouldn't need it. But unfortunately, we push the vaccine when we never should have.
SPEAKER 03 :
Right. And again, we've talked about a lot of this on the program in the past. Those of you that are maybe listening to us fresh haven't heard some of those things in the past. Again, Dr. Kelly, the answers that none of us have heard yet and not sure we ever will is the whole why. You know, why did this have to get pushed so quickly? What was the end goal? What were they really trying to do? The The things that we're seeing come out of these shots and, you know, a lot of the turbo cancers and things that we've even talked about here in the months past, you know, leading up to today. The reality is those things have happened because of it. And I'm not even to this day. I still don't know the why.
SPEAKER 14 :
Exactly. And so to use an analogy, you're in the car world, John, can you imagine a car being brought to the market and somebody saying, well, how's it doing on ice? Say, well, I don't know. We actually never tested that. How does it do if you try to break with it when the pavement's wet? I don't know. We didn't actually test that. That's insane. They have to go through all of this stuff. You would never bring a product to market with a bunch of things that you hadn't bothered to test.
SPEAKER 03 :
And really quick in that world, as we know, not allowed, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Department of Transportation, would not allow those things to even happen, Dr. Kelly, in the first place. That's on something that's mechanical that people get in and drive to and from. By the way, they still choose to get in and out of on a daily basis. That is a huge, huge difference in what we did with this shot.
SPEAKER 14 :
Exactly. So, number one, people have a choice what car they buy or don't buy, as opposed to these shots where many people were mandated, coerced, shamed or forced. You can't go to work without it. Correct. You can't feed your children if you don't take this thing. And on top of it, it'd be saying, and not only did we not test whether the car's brakes work, but if they fail, you can't sue them.
SPEAKER 1 :
Hmm.
SPEAKER 14 :
If they fail and your children are killed or maimed, you have no recourse.
SPEAKER 03 :
If those seatbelts don't work, the airbags don't go off, and your kids end up dead, oh well, not on us.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, you know, good luck to you. And so the entire thing stinks so bad. It is so outrageous that I keep trying to come up with analogies to make people understand just how bad this is. I wouldn't buy a car seat that said on the outside, if this product fails and your child is maimed or mortally injured, you have no recourse. OK, you would expect to be able to sue. You would expect that has gone through safety testing before it is brought to market. If you feed your child or you feed your family a food product, you know, that that has metal particles in it or God knows what else. You expect some request. You expect quality there to be some accountability for the quality. These shots have none of that behind it. And if they did, then great. Then take away the liability protection and let's have at it.
SPEAKER 03 :
The point being, Steve, is we didn't. And one last thing I want to layer on to what Dr. Kelly just said. On top of all of that, we're still pushing them, Steve.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, we are, because it still goes back to what we talked about last week. It's the best business model ever made. Because you basically have forced governments to pay list price for a drug that is untested so that people will stop being afraid of a virus that they shouldn't be afraid of. They should take normal action to, quite frankly... We would have been way better off, even if Pfizer and Moderna wanted to make money, if they gave 100% placebos, no vaccine at all. They put a bunch of shots in people's arms, and people believed that they were getting a vaccine. They would have healed normally from the virus. We would have given a bunch of people vitamin D. Yeah, there would have been some losses because people die from the flu, and that's the same kind of scenario. We would be far better off if they gave 100% placebos than create this vaccine.
SPEAKER 03 :
Absolutely. Dr. Kelly, along those lines, and not to shift gears completely, but I think this correlates to what we're talking about, and that is, you brought it up earlier, the nomination confirmation of RFK Jr. What do you anticipate? I mean, we've seen some of the things that have already happened on the stand with the likes of Pam Bondi and others. And by the way, some of these... Senators are absolute knuckleheads. I cannot say it any other way than that. They're dumb as rocks, literally. So my question, Dr. Kelly, is when RFK Jr. gets on the stand, who, by the way, is much, much smarter than the vast majority. There's a few really good, smart senators, don't get me wrong, but the vast majority of them are dumb as rocks. He's going to eat their lunch.
SPEAKER 14 :
I think so, too. And I'm not where it's going to be a very contentious hearing in the same way that some of what we're talking about is going to come up.
SPEAKER 03 :
Right.
SPEAKER 14 :
Correct. And because the people on the left, unfortunately, cannot help themselves and they have to go down a path of questioning that has nothing to do with the job for which the person has been nominated. We saw that happen with the headset. That's right. Half of the questioning, if not more, that was coming from the left side. was aimed at nothing more than trying to humiliate him, to try to embarrass his wife, to try to make it uncomfortable in hopes that his wife would stand up and leave in tears and he would say, I can't do this. It's unconscionable and it has nothing to do with the job for which he was being nominated. They will do the same with Robert Kennedy Jr. I guarantee his previous marital affairs are, And indiscretions will all come up and they have nothing to do with anything.
SPEAKER 03 :
And on top of that, they'll throw things out like, so you believe we shouldn't have vaccines at all. You know that question's coming out, Dr. Kelly.
SPEAKER 14 :
Correct. They will try to tar and feather him as an anti-vaccine zealot, which is something that I say nothing could be further from the truth. He is simply advocated for transparency and for full and adequate testing. He is pro safety, pro data, pro science. And those are things that have been missing. He furthermore is going to be a real disruptor. He is going to expose the fraud, corruption and conflicts of interest that are rife within our government. And that includes HHS itself, CDC, FDA, NIH. The idea that people like Anthony Fauci and others own parts of patents.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yep.
SPEAKER 14 :
on drugs and therapeutics, for which they make money when they recommend that all Americans are forced to take something. These are things that are going to be very uncomfortable. There are people on both sides of the aisle, Republican and Democrat, who have been feathering their nests for decades with money from big pharma, and that has got to come to a stop. So do I think he'll be successful? Absolutely. Will he weather the contentious Questioning?
SPEAKER 1 :
100%.
SPEAKER 14 :
He's smarter than all of them put together. But he is, I believe, truly, even though he and I don't agree on everything, I believe he's exactly what we need at the helm.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, Steve, and by the way, I can't disagree with anything Dr. Kelly said. But, you know, you and I both know that some of the questions that are going to get thrown his way, A, to Kelly's point, are going to have nothing to do with the job. But on top of that, they are going to try to back him into a corner. And if there's anybody, not that some of the folks that have already been up there aren't really sharp, but he's not going to be backed into a corner.
SPEAKER 05 :
No, I mean, look, they'll ask him questions and not let him answer, that's for sure. But here's what I expect based on a conversation I had today. Someone's going to say to him, you know, Mr. Kennedy, doesn't your thought process on high fructose corn syrup put all hospitals in America at risk? And he's going to say, what do you mean? And they're going to say, well, you know, if you get rid of high fructose corn syrup in the American diet, people won't need to go to the hospital anymore and they'll have a risk of closings. Are you really going to be the guy that closes American hospitals? It'll be something stupid like that.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yep, absolutely will be. I have no doubt, Steve, that's what's going to happen. Dr. Kelly, you and I both know that some of these – and by the way, for all of you listening, some of these senators are going to be prepped with some of these questions because, frankly, they're not smart enough to come up with these things on their own. I'm being awfully kind, Dr. Kelly, when I say that because reality is they're not that smart. They're not even smart enough to think of some of these questions. Somebody's probing them or priming them. Big Pharma, for example – is priming them with some of these questions. Am I wrong?
SPEAKER 14 :
No, that's absolutely right. And even the people, the staffers who prepare the questions for these idiot Congress people, even they are getting their talking points from the mainstream media. The New York Times posts an article. Absolutely, purposely trying to paint Robert Kennedy Jr. as anti-vaccine, saying that he wants to, quote, revoke the polio vaccine. And he has a lawsuit to pull the polio vaccine. That is preposterous. He, Bobby Kennedy. filed a lawsuit to recommend that one of the six polio vaccines be removed from the market until such time as it went through adequate safety testing. There were five others. There are five others that are available. But one of them that was confirmed or allowed to get on the schedule in 1990 went through three days. Three days, 72 hours of safety testing. The only testing they did was up to 72 hours after injection and then they called it a wrap and said this is safe. Now in what alternate universe is three days worth of testing for something you were going to inject into a child. So Bobby Kennedy tries to do this, but the New York Times comes out there and says, oh, Bobby Kennedy wants to bring polio back to America. I mean, it's those sorts of incendiary headlines that It's so disingenuous. It's so dishonest. And I expect the hearing to be full of that.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yep. I cannot disagree with you. All right. We'll talk more about that, guys. Don't go anywhere. We'll come right back. Dr. Kelly Victory, Steve House with us during this hour. High-five plumbing and electrical. And, again, get things dialed in prior to this weekend. Storm coming in possibly as early as tomorrow, midday even. So be prepared. Be ready. Give them a call today, 877-WE-HIGH-5.
SPEAKER 12 :
High Five Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electric can install a tankless water heater as soon as today. Tankless water heaters are preferred to tank heaters because they heat the water as you use it, meaning you'll never run out of hot water again. Tankless water heaters also save you money on energy costs because you're not constantly heating up that big tank. And because they are so efficient, you will save more money in the long run. High Five customers also enjoy tankless heaters because they take up less physical space in your utility closet or laundry room. These tankless heaters can even add to your home's resale value. In addition to all these benefits, you can receive incentives and rebates of up to $3,200 from Uncle Sam so it pays for itself. Find out more about tankless water heaters on the klzradio.com advertisers page and get in touch with Hi-5 for answers to your home questions today.
SPEAKER 04 :
My ceiling is raining because the bathtub just ain't draining. Go Hi-5 with it. Go Hi-5 with it.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, Golden Eagle Financial. Talked to Al yesterday. He's with me on our program here, and he wants to make sure that you're dialed in when it comes to your financial future, life insurance, things along those lines. Call Al today. Find him at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 09 :
waiting to invest in your retirement can cost you exponentially but al smith of golden eagle financial can help get you started investing now when you invest early your money has more time to grow as the interest you earn begins to generate its own interest over the years al smith knows that even a small delay can lead to a dramatic difference in the total amount accumulated and every day you wait means you're missing even more opportunity Starting to save even a few years earlier could mean the difference of hundreds of thousands by the time you enter retirement, even if the same amount is contributed annually. The longer you wait, the more you miss out on the compounding effect of time, making it much harder to catch up. Let Al Smith of Golden Eagle Financial help you today by contacting him on the klzradio.com advertisers page. Investment advisory services offered through Brookstone Capital Management LLC, a 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 to individually licensed and appointed agents.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, make sure that furnace is ready to go as well. Give Cub Creek a call. Find them at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 13 :
Cub Creek heating and AC is honest and fair. Hunter of Cub Creek always says he just wants to be able to sleep at night. That's why they don't pay their tax based on commission so they avoid incentivizing things like upselling or creating problems that would cost you money. Hunter is thorough and honest. When they come to help with your heating and AC, they start by cleaning your system first because it's not possible to get good readings on a system that's dirty, and they want to avoid charging you for unnecessary things. Cub Creek Techs will test your system, determine several options, and present those to you so you can make an educated decision and choose a path forward. That sort of honesty shouldn't be revolutionary, but unfortunately it is, which is what keeps Hunter of Rheem Certified Pro Partners Cub Creek Heating and AC in business. Find out more about Cub Creek on the klzradio.com advertisers page for a free consultation.
SPEAKER 15 :
Back to Rush to Reason, presented by High Five Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electric, where every call ends with a high five.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, we are back. Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Dr. Kelly Victory and Steve House with us. Okay, Dr. Kelly, I'll start with you. Once RFK Jr. is confirmed, which, by the way, I'm with you, I think he will be. He's going to go through all of the nonsense that we just talked about a moment ago, but I think in the end he'll get confirmed. What do you anticipate him doing first?
SPEAKER 14 :
I think a couple things will be top priority to him. Number one, I think he will address this issue of advertising on television. I think that's going to be one of his first things. Second, I think he's going to address the foods. He's going to really look at the foods that we are making available online. through our tax-subsidized food programs, meaning specifically breakfast and school lunch programs. And I think he's really going to crack down on what they're able to provide. And I'm a huge supporter of that. You have to look at it and say that we are the only country where the people whose health care we subsidize, primarily low-income people, are also the most obese. We provide for the people. We're on the hook for their health care, and then we give them foods that cause illness, that drive obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and those sorts of things. So I think he will look at the subsidies for foods that we provide in our schools and via the food stand, the EBT program, those sorts of things. I think he will quietly and be more slow and balanced in his approach to to the issues around vaccines i think he will address vaccine mandates and hopefully be on the bandwagon to eliminate all vaccine mandates the idea that anyone should be forced to take a particular therapeutic vaccine or other you know medical treatment and i think he will do that very quickly but i don't think he's going to come right out of the box and start saying we're going to ban this vaccine or remove expect you know vaccine from the market I think he will address mandates first and then work backwards to which are the safe ones and which aren't.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay. Steve, you want to chime in on that? I can't disagree with anything Dr. Kelly said, and I know RFK Jr. is sharp enough that he will be strategic in the things that he does.
SPEAKER 05 :
I absolutely agree with Kelly. I think the one thing that I would do if I could, if I were him too, is I would look at the subsidy program, paid by health insurers for vaccines to be given to patients via doctors. I mean, I think doctors need to get paid for office visits and occasionally need to give a vaccine, but You know, we've heard and seen that some physicians are paid just a tremendous amount of money to make sure that patients all get vaccinated. And I think that's the wrong kind of incentive. I think there ought to be more of a, you know, what's necessary. Kelly was the one during the COVID who said, you know, risk assess yourself, risk assess your child. Do you need to give a Tdap to a two-month-old, right? I mean, and figure out how to change that. I think the incentive is wrong as well. No, and I agree with all that. Go ahead.
SPEAKER 14 :
The other thing I can tell you, because I spoke with him personally about this, is that he said that if he, this was back when he was running for president, he said that were he elected as president, and I think he'll do the same thing at HHS, that he would call the editors of all of the major medical journals, the Lancet, BMJ, American Journal of Medicine, all of these into his office. and say either you eliminate your cozy relationship with big pharma, you stop taking money from the pharmaceutical companies for your journal, or he's going to bring a RICO case against them, a racketeering case, because he is aware that it is the ownership, frankly, and that's what it is, that big pharma... owns the medical journals and therefore the only articles the only studies quote-unquote that get published are the ones that come to the conclusion that the pharmaceutical company paid for it to come to in other words it's junk science you know doctors have nowhere it's rigged Yeah, we don't have anywhere to turn to get legitimate, honest science, because everything you read, every quote study, actually is propaganda paid for by the pharmaceutical companies. And Bobby Kennedy, I believe, will address that very quickly.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I sure, I mean, I agree with you. I think he will as well. Like I said a moment ago, I think he's going to be very calculated in the things that he does. He's not a dumb man by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, Dr. Kelly, correct me if I'm wrong, but looking back on some of the previous administrations and so on, will he not be one of the smartest people in that role that we've had yet?
SPEAKER 14 :
Oh, I think by a long shot, and I have been very, very open about it. I've written a number of op-eds about the idea that If nothing else, Robert Kennedy Jr. is an unconventional choice for HHS, John, and that's exactly why we need him. Because conventional picks, in addition to being dumb as a box of hammers, have led us and delivered us to the abysmal state of ill health where we find ourselves today. You know, 80% of American adults have at least one chronic illness for which they take medications. 80%. 50% have more than two. One out of every three school children is either diabetic or pre-diabetic. We have rates of autism, obesity, diabetes, hypertension that are through the roof. And that's what conventional picks have brought us. So I would say, yes, he is not only smart, he brings a very different approach to it. He's an attorney. He's made a lifelong, you know, he's had a lifelong relationship commitment to the health and wellness of children. And again, he and I do not agree on a lot of things. I prefer the carrot approach versus the stick approach. I'm not big on, quote, banning certain foods, for example, or banning additives. I believe it's more powerful to say, you know, look, Kellogg's, you can put whatever the heck you want in your breakfast cereal, have at it, but you aren't eligible to participate in the school breakfast program. So you can put whatever you want.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, great point.
SPEAKER 14 :
But we are not going to allow breakfast cereal that have more than blank percent of sugar or that include artificial colorings or include artificial this. So I think that is a way more powerful way to do it rather than banning things. But that's a stylistic difference. Directionally, I believe that he is spot on.
SPEAKER 03 :
Steve, you want to add to that? You're familiar with this end of things and even the admin side of things as much as anybody.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I mean, you know, I would like to see Bobby Kennedy really literally say regarding the vaccine schedules and everything we're talking about that it's time to take a step back and take a look at it. I mean, why don't we investigate it a little bit? I mean, there's so much that we accept and we put up with that we've never really gotten, you know, the play on. I mean, autism and the vaccines. I mean, we know there's some stuff out there about it. The journals are a waste of time because of the incentive of the pharma companies, as Kelly was talking about. We need to take a step back. We will do less damage by slowing down than we will by going at the same pace.
SPEAKER 03 :
Agreed. Charlie had a question he just texted, which is a good question. Dr. Kelly, I'll start with you. What kind of kickbacks and freebies do local doctors get from pharmaceutical companies? I mean, I know about some of the trips and different things along those lines. But, you know, for those listening, what do these you know, what are these doctors actually in hospitals even what do they end up with?
SPEAKER 14 :
Well, it used to be that they've cracked down on that a lot. Used to be when I was training, you know, you got a lot of freebies. You'd get invited to steak dinners and golf outings and get, you know, tickets to the to the football game or whatever that they've cut down on. So they found, as all things. you know, a workaround. So now, for example, during COVID, doctors, many doctors made hundreds of thousands of dollars in incentives, but they got paid instead through the insurance companies. The pharmaceutical company pays the insurance company, and the insurance company pays it to the doctor. So they say, Dr. Smith, if you get 50% of your patient population vaccinated for COVID, we'll give you a kicker of $100 a patient. If you get 80%, we'll give you a kicker of $200 per patient. And it got paid through the insurance companies. So they simply have found a workaround rather than the pharmaceutical companies paying it directly to the doctor. they pay it to the insurance company and the insurance company pays it through the back door so it's the same thing you know and your average internist for example makes somewhere in the range of 180 to 200 000 a year during covid many of them were making 500 600 000 a year they more than tripled their their income during those years simply by giving COVID and pushing COVID vaccines. And that is unconscionable.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yep. Really quick, Steve, again, not a lot of time left, but when we look at some of these other folks, by the way, that going through the confirmation process right now, and again, some of these senators show their real colors when all of this is said and done, I believe, because some of them really have no clue how some of this stuff even works and what some of the job duties of that particular individual are when it's all said and done. And I know it's hard to say what Trump's first day will be like. We've got a few minutes left here. What do you anticipate Donald Trump doing day one?
SPEAKER 05 :
Probably like 80 or 90 executive orders. He'll start with the border. He'll deal with... I mean, look, Bobby probably can do some of the stuff he wants to do, but Trump probably has to do executive orders on some of it as well. I mean, it's a combination of things, but he's going to do all kinds of things related to the border, I think related to anything he can economically. He's going to undo... a bunch of stuff biden did from you know drilling to the relationship with iran to climate change i mean it's going to be i read an article today i didn't read the whole thing but it just called it a shock and awe this will be a shock and awe first day in office um he may go from you know noon before you know before he gives a speech he gets sworn in at noon um and then he eventually goes out and signs all these orders um because he takes he takes you know office effectively the moment it becomes January 20th. So I don't know whether it'll be 80 or 90. I think there's an over-under in Vegas on that, so we'll have to see what happens.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, and again, I don't have any large predictions other than I think some of the energy stuff that we're going through, some of what Joe Biden's tried to even lay upon Donald Trump and that administration as he's leaving and, quote, unquote, his legacy, which is not a legacy. They're just trying to sabotage the Trump administration is all they're doing. So, yeah, to your point, Steve, I think there'll be lots of things that get done on Tuesday to try to undo some of the things the past administration did, how much of that actually – can be done legally. That'll be another question, of course, that we'll get into. One last question I have for you, Steve, before we move on. Actually, before we close out. How many lawsuits do you think the left will throw, or do you think it'll be less than the last time around with Donald Trump?
SPEAKER 05 :
Oh, my God. I mean, you know, first of all, Trump's smarter. I mean, he knows how things work in Washington now. He's better at it. So I'm not so sure how many lawsuits will get thrown at him, but I'm sure everything they dislike. And I mean, frankly, with what's going on, I mean, you know, this first two years, he's got enough power that he can almost dismantle the entire left party. agenda. They already know he did a lot of that with the Supreme Court and some of the other stuff he put in play, but he can address health care. I mean, that's a big one, right? I mean, because not only is Bobby in charge of health, he's in charge of health care. There's a lot of things he can do. I think there'll be hundreds of lawsuits against the decisions he makes. But that's not atypical. I think that happens a lot.
SPEAKER 03 :
Got it. All right. I'll let you go, Steve. I'll let you go first. Appreciate you as well, always. Thank you. All right, man. Dr. Kelly, you as well. Thank you always. I appreciate it very much. And I guess when we talk next week, we'll have a few days under our belt with Donald Trump, and we'll see exactly what happens.
SPEAKER 14 :
We will. We will. I'm looking forward to Monday night.
SPEAKER 03 :
Awesome.
SPEAKER 14 :
We'll talk next Thursday.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, Dr. Kelly, have a great evening. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. Veteran Windows and Doors, 35% off windows, 45% off entry doors, free labor. Find him at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 10 :
Veteran Windows and Doors never uses gimmicky high-pressure salespeople. In fact, when you work with veterans, you get the owner, Dave Bancroft. Dave will never try to manipulate you or use silly tricks upselling you. Big window companies will show you a heat lamp test that is supposed to impress you. But what does that really tell you about your windows? Other companies omit the pertinent information, and just because the window and door says Provia, it does not mean their products are engineered for Colorado or even anywhere in the U.S. Dave prefers to be the last window and door company you meet with, so he can give you all the information the others fail to reveal. Like the U-Factor, efficiency ratings, and even if it's Energy Star certified. And of course, don't forget the tax rebates many people didn't know they could receive. Just talk to any of Veterans' previous clients, and they will be the first to tell you. Get your high-quality windows and doors without all the gimmicks. Reach Veteran Windows and Doors by going to klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, reverse mortgages. Some of you may find them very handy as you get older, 62 years of age and above, and you might even have family members that might benefit from that as well. Talk to Bruce today. Find out how that would work for you. 303-467-7821.
SPEAKER 09 :
Reverse mortgage expert Bruce Simmons has seen it all. So many people think the unexpected can't happen to them until it does. Life can change fast, really fast. Then you need that money now. Home modifications, a new accessible stairway, medical expenses you weren't anticipating, and it all costs much more than you would have expected. upgrading your home now to help with a medical emergency can even increase your home's property value and over time with a reverse mortgage if you add a line of credit that balance increases too bruce can help you plan for the unpredictable and he can help you build that line of credit in case an emergency arises having access to that money is very powerful and can be a lifesaver bruce knows having a line of credit will help you weather life storms connect with our reverse mortgage expert bruce simmons today at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 03 :
Ridgeline Auto Brokers, if you're looking for a new used car, we've got you covered. Talk to Josh today, by the way, the owner of, and they've got a good selection. And if there's something they don't have, they'll look for it for you as well. Ridgelineautobrokers.com.
SPEAKER 06 :
Are you in the market for a reliable car, truck, or SUV that won't break the bank? Does your vehicle need high quality auto repair? Then look no further. Ridgeline Auto Brokers and Legacy Auto Repair specialize in quality used cars that cost between $15,000 and $25,000, making them a great option for first-time drivers or anyone looking for a great deal. At Ridgeline, we pride ourselves on providing a transparent and hassle-free free car buying experience. That's why we never charge any dealer fees. Plus, all of our vehicles are inspected by our team of ASE certified technicians. You can trust that the car you're buying is in excellent condition. And remember, we can also service your vehicle after the sale. At Ridgeline, we can take your current vehicle on trade, and we also offer competitive financing options for vehicle purchases and also for vehicle repairs. Ridgeline now has two locations, one in Boulder and now a second location in Fort Collins located at 1101 North College Avenue. Both locations offer full-service auto repair and a host of off-road accessories. Check out all their services at RidgelineAutobrokers.com. Ridgeline, the smart way to buy or service or accessorize your car, truck, or SUV.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, Adventures of Jimmy and Andrew. It's a great book by Mike Goldstein that helps young kids learn how to read. As I keep saying, if you know of a young child, just buy them a copy or two. Use code KLZ, get 10% off. You buy two books or more, you get a free hat. That's Adventures of Jimmy and Andrew. Go to jimmyandandrew.com.
SPEAKER 08 :
American Stonehenge by Mike Goldstein is more than just a children's book. It's a way to connect with the children in your life and encourage them to read to you and for themselves. When Mike Goldstein started writing American Stonehenge, he went after a specific problem. Children today don't think for themselves, and test scores nationwide show that. American Stonehenge is gorgeously put together, so it'll draw their attention. It's filled with action. The prose flows as smooth as sand through an hourglass. And it's historically accurate from the stories and the illustrations. But it's also a portal to quality time with children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. It's a way to connect with them while tacitly teaching them the importance of critical thought and giving them a break from scrolling in their free time. Find American Stonehenge on klzradio.com and bring your family together this holiday season.
SPEAKER 13 :
It's time to leave your safe space. This is Rush to Reason on KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, we've got more hours coming your way. And, you know, back to Dr. Kelly and Steve's point. Yes, we are all anxiously awaiting not only Monday, but then the official first full day in office on Tuesday to see what comes of some of the things that we've even talked about here this past hour. And don't forget, if you have a question for Dr. Kelly or Steve off air, even text me and I'll get that answered for you. 307-282-22. We'll be right back. This is Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 1 :
Bye. I'm a rich guy.
Join John Rush as he dives into the dramatic shifts in California's political landscape following devastating wildfires. With guest Elizabeth Mitchell, the episode explores the ineffectiveness of Democratic leaders, the economic hurdles faced by fire victims, and their calls for accountability. Discover how John Fetterman's surprising political moves are shaking up the status quo and what his approach means for bipartisan governance. Plus, don't miss the intriguing discussion on the culture shift represented by today's emerging trend in baby names.
SPEAKER 11 :
This is Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 12 :
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 04 :
With your host, John Rush.
SPEAKER 05 :
My advice to you is to do what your parents did. Get a job first. You haven't made everybody equal. You've made them the same, and there's a big difference.
SPEAKER 09 :
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 12 :
Are you crazy? Am I? Or am I so sane that you just blew your mind?
SPEAKER 06 :
It's Rush to Reason with your host, John Rush. Presented by High Five Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electric. Where every call ends with a high five.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right, and we are back. Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Hour number two is upon us. We have our special guest joining us right now, Elizabeth Mitchell joining us. Elizabeth, welcome back. How are you?
SPEAKER 07 :
Thank you. I'm doing great.
SPEAKER 11 :
Always a joy having you. Daily Signal. All right. Talk about your last article. Incompetent L.A. wildfire victims call on Gavin Newsom and Mayor Bass to resign.
SPEAKER 07 :
I just got back from L.A. a few days ago, and we were interviewing victims of the fires, people who have lost their homes entirely or have had to evacuate their houses entirely. and don't know when they're going to get back and are concerned about looting in their houses. And these people are fed up with the Democrat leaders of California. They had some very strong words for Newsom and Bass saying that they should resign, get recalled, or worse even. And these people clearly are looking for a change. And even if these people are Democrats, it seems like they are sick and tired of the way Democrats have been running their state.
SPEAKER 11 :
You are answering one of the very first questions that I was going to ask, and I've seen some other things out on the Internet, social media, and so on, verifying, by the way, exactly what you're talking about. But it's always nice to hear from folks that had literally been there and talked to these individuals one-on-one. So a question I have is, given all of that, And given where they're at now, and by the way, I've gone through a wildfire here in Colorado, lost a home myself, so I know a little bit about what some of these folks are going through, and it's never an easy thing, and my heart does go out to them. On the same token, Elizabeth, the... grief and what they're going through right now is the tip of the iceberg. Wait till they start going through all of the insurance things and the rebuilding if they decide, and, and, and, and, and. And I will tell you that it's a very lengthy, long process. And these folks have only just begun to be, you know, they've only just begun this journey that they're going to go through now when it comes to what they've lost.
SPEAKER 07 :
You're totally right. And I'm so sorry you've experienced this because it sounds like it was just so hard for all these people. And you're right. That's the tip of the iceberg in that a lot of these people lost their insurance coverage because California talked up how much insurance companies can charge. So they have to build these homes. The price of rebuilding has gotten so high in California. Maybe these homes were 30 years old and it wasn't that expensive of a home. But now building a home would cost around a million dollars where it used to be an affordable home. And so These people with no insurance are in a really bad position. Additionally, California has all sorts of environmental laws that create a lot of bureaucratic red tape about rebuilding, so these people have some serious hurdles to overcome if they want to be back in a home on their property once again.
SPEAKER 11 :
So a question I've got ultimately is, with everything that's gone on, knowing they are just at the beginning phases of what they're going to now experience, do you see, and I realize it's not all of California, and California's a big place with millions upon millions of people living there, voters and so on. Although I've got to believe and correct me if I'm wrong, that some of what these folks are going through will have a ripple effect voting wise on down the road. Or am I wrong in that?
SPEAKER 07 :
I think you're definitely right. People are noticing the just. just myriads of failures from their Democratic leaders. They're seeing that Mayor Bass was in Ghana during wildfire season. They're seeing that she couldn't answer reporters' questions about what was going on. They're seeing that she and Newsom both cut the state fire budget. And they're seeing that their homes could not be saved, even though they knew these fires were coming days in advance because there wasn't enough water, wasn't enough manpower, all sorts of different things. So all these things, I think, just might inspire people to look for a change in California.
SPEAKER 11 :
Even some of the initial calls, you know, the fire chief, you know, wasn't, you know, how should I say, holding back certain personnel, equipment, trucks, and so on. I'm not sure why. I haven't read the why. I just know that some of those things happened. And, again, these are things where, wait a minute, this is failed leadership from the get-go. They're more worried about having people. you know, DEI training and a woke agenda than they are actually taking care of business and making sure people's homes and property is protected best possible. And the reality, Elizabeth, is they didn't do that. And yeah, I for one think that, you know, as time goes by, and I could be wrong, maybe this is just a little blip on the radar, but I don't think so. You look at, you know, failed policy after failed policy after failed policy, and now people are directly affected by these failed policies. They've got to start thinking that at the ballot box.
SPEAKER 07 :
Definitely. One man I spoke to who said he was a Democrat said he felt like the C-team is running the show. And I think that's really a widespread view. I actually published a news story today showing that the adjutant general, which is the chief administrative officer of the state military, got rid of the state's wildfire fighting unit that was made up of volunteers who would jump into action if there was a need for extra manpower. And because they didn't have Team Blaze and Team Shield, the evacuation, the traffic on the roads during evacuation was just a mess, and there just weren't enough firefighters, weren't enough fire engines to put out the fires. I think there's just failure after failure, and the more time passes, the more reports we're going to see that are going to cause people to look for change.
SPEAKER 11 :
I think you're right. And the point earlier of some of these people talking about how Mayor Bass couldn't answer questions, I mean, I'm not trying to be mean here, Elizabeth, but... literally has to be one of the least intelligent people I've ever seen as far as an interview goes ever, literally had no idea what to say, did her best to pivot off of one thing to the next, and flat out could not answer one-on-one questions.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, absolutely. I think we can all remember that very memorable video of Mayor Bass where she's just being asked questions and she's just completely silent. She didn't have anything to say to the people who elected her and whom she failed.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yep, you're 100% correct. I mean, again, I do think that this will have an impact, how large of an impact, and this is what, you know, I don't want to wish any more, how should I say, devastation upon California. But unfortunately, Elizabeth, when you run things the way they've run for this long, and I don't have a crystal ball and I can't predict, but there's bound to be other things that happen. Because when you're more worried about homelessness and illegal immigration and allowing people just to roll into the state willy-nilly, these are the things that start to happen because you're paying attention to the wrong things.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yes, all this money is going to homelessness, dealing with all the crime that they have. And meanwhile, the laws are not harsh enough on these things. And it's very likely that, you know, illegal immigrants, we know one was arrested for trying to start a fire, one of these fires. And we know that homeless people often start fires in California. So that's likely the fact that they've been so soft on homelessness and crime is probably a big reason why this has happened at all.
SPEAKER 11 :
Question that, and again, this is hypothetical, but with a new administration coming into the White House on Monday, first full day in office Tuesday, will that have any bearing and impact upon states like California? In other words, will the feds come in and say, you know what, we may help you rebuild, may, and there's strings attached. So the reality is, you know, we're going to help you guys, but you're going to have to make changes in these other areas or you're not getting a nickel. You think some of that may happen?
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, I think Speaker Johnson said there's going to be contingents on federal money for rebuilding. And so it's clear that these people really need help who have lost their homes, lost everything, don't have insurance. But this is potentially an opportunity for the Trump administration, Republicans in government to turn California around back to the beautiful state it used to be.
SPEAKER 11 :
I hope you're right. Elizabeth Mitchell again, Daily Signal, as always. Thank you for joining us. It's a joy to have you all the time. And we will see how next week goes, by the way.
SPEAKER 07 :
Thank you so much.
SPEAKER 11 :
Thank you very much. I appreciate it. And up first in this particular hour, Hi-Fi plumbing and electrical. And I know I've talked about this all week and sound like a broken record with the storm that's coming in. And some are probably thinking, John, we get cold weather over here. Yeah, we do. I understand that. We do. And I'm a native. I understand that. And I'm not trying to hype anything up by any way, shape or form, but want people to also be prepared. And as I said on Monday, we have a lot of partners here. High five being one of them that can help you with some of these things where if there's something you can't do yourself and you really don't know what to do to be prepared, even give them a call and they're there to help. 877-WE-HIGH-5.
SPEAKER 05 :
High Five Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electric is ready to help you upgrade your living space in the new year. High Five has great discounts on modern conveniences like touchless faucets and outdoor kitchens, but they also have amazing deals on those ordinary things you use most often. For a limited time, High Five will give you $75 off a new garbage disposal and installation. to make sure that next year yours will keep up with the holiday traffic. Tanked water heaters are currently $200 off, and you can get an incredible $500 off a tankless water system installation. These are just a couple of the great savings that the licensed and insured techs at Hi-5 have ready for you to take advantage of. Reach out to High Five today and ask about your specific needs, and they'll walk you through the best way to make it happen without breaking the bank. Whether it's the everyday necessities or high-tech convenient add-ons that you're after. Find High Five on the KLZRadio.com advertiser's page.
SPEAKER 13 :
Call High Five with it. Call High Five with it.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right, Kurt Rogers, who, yes, will be with us here in about 40 minutes or so. We're going to talk about mortgage rates, housing industry, is it a time to buy, all of that. We'll get into that with Kurt at 5 o'clock. In the meantime, his direct line, 720-895-0500.
SPEAKER 08 :
Do you have more month than money? The cost of everything is going up, except your income. How about some relief? Take AIM, Affordable Interest Mortgage, 720-895-0500. Do you have a great rate on your first mortgage, but household debt is swallowing the rest? Rates are falling. Lower your monthly debt $700 to $1,100 a month. Call AIM, 720-895-0500. When you lower your household debt $700 to $1,100 a month, you are still able to pay off your home in the same time frame, sometimes even faster. Let our 23 years of experience help save you money. Remember, saving interest is money in your pocket. Take AIM, 720-895-0500. Tired of paying high interest rate on your credit card debt? Think about it. Bill's paid, money in the bank, less stress. Affordable Interest Mortgage, 720-895-0500. Give yourself a raise and keep more of your money. That's 720-895-0500, where it's all about you.
SPEAKER 11 :
regulated by door and mls 217 147 equal credit lender all right we've got a great book i know i talk about it a lot but it's true it'll help young people learn how to read mike goldstein has a real passion to help the literacy literacy problem we have in america right now and he wrote this book in a way to help fix that you can be a part of this just go to jimmyandandrew.com buy two books or more and get a free hat and don't forget to use promo code klz to get 10 off
SPEAKER 15 :
Reading is fundamental to understanding the world, and that's why author Mike Goldstein wrote American Stonehenge. This breathtakingly beautiful book was written in order to bring parents and grandparents together with their children to enjoy stories while they learn to read. The book follows a boy and his immortal telepathic dog, with whom he communicates as they travel through time to learn about the dog's experiences through history. The book is historically accurate, including the illustrations, so you and your little one will learn something about the history of God's beloved Earth. The time that you spend with your children laughing and enjoying this beautifully written book will be something you treasure for a lifetime. Learn more about American Stonehenge and the adventures of Jimmy and Andrew by going to klzradio.com slash read and flip through a free preview of the beautiful prose and illustrations. That's klzradio.com slash read to learn more.
SPEAKER 03 :
Putting reason into your afternoon drive, this is John Rush.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right, question of the day. We've had lots going on up until this point, so I've got a minute here to do this. Yesterday's question of the day, what is the type of rigid airship, what is the name, I should say, of the type of rigid airship named after the German inventor that was first flown commercially in 1910, carried tens of thousands of fare-paying passengers before World War I? The answer to that is the Zeppelin, the Zeppelin. and we all know why that ended and they didn't use those types of ships any longer but that's a whole nother story for a different day today's impossible question which two months of the year are named after mortal men which two months of the year are named after mortal men charlie any ideas he's thinking Charlie said December and January, and I'll give you guys all a hint. That's incorrect. So think again. So answer that on our social media Facebook page. All right. A lot of you, and I didn't, mainly because I don't know that I could have. I've watched enough of Joe Biden. Over the past four years, literally, and this is not being braggadocious, but I've watched every single televised speech he's had for the past four years because I feel like it's my job to do so. I did not watch last night. Didn't care to, didn't think it made any difference one way or the other. I figured I would come back in, you know, the next morning, which I did, and catch some of the highlights and or lowlights. I figured that he would get up there and, you know, be braggadocious about all the things that he's done and where the country's at. And, you know, he's going to leave it in good hands and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And I'm not wrong in what I was anticipating because that's exactly what he did. Even taking credit for what's happening over in Israel right now. Which we all know, and I think even the left knows, he's had nothing to do with. But he's going to take credit for it anyways. So I went ahead and just went out and looked up a just brief sort of highlights of what Biden said last night that I'll run through. He celebrated the Gaza ceasefire deal, which, as I said a moment ago, had nothing, absolutely nothing to him. In fact, there's some stories out there that will tell you that Israel itself said all they really did was get in the way. Nothing really started happening until Trump entered the picture. I'm paraphrasing, but that's essentially what Netanyahu and others in Israel have said. And I'm not wrong in that. You can go out and find what I just said, and that's very factual. So the Biden administration did nothing but get in the way. And of course, we all know, and I've talked about this before, we've talked about it on the roundtable as well. I truly believe that the Biden administration's on the side of Hamas and Iran and not the side of Israel anyways. That's why it's all muddied up. And once they got out of the way and Trump actually got involved in Hamas, I really, truly believe, listen to the actual threats that Donald Trump gave, knowing that the minute he becomes president, you better have business taken care of or else. And guess what? They're going to have it taken care of because they're signing and doing things right now, even though it's not, you know, everything completely worked out. They're signing things and getting it handled, I believe, as we speak. I think it's already a done deal. He went on, Biden did, to tout job creation and other successes. And as I've said many, many times, when you look at what we were doing pre-COVID, you look at what happened during COVID, any jobs that have now come back since COVID are not job creation, it's job replacement. And those are not one and the same. Job creation is where you create new industries and new excitement in areas and people hire and expand and do all sorts of things. And that's called job creation. Job replacement is where companies just get back to where they were prior to COVID. And essentially, that's what's happened. I know there's been some new jobs in some areas and so on, AI especially. And no, that wasn't around prior to 2020. But you cannot attribute AI to Joe Biden. If you do, you're a nut job. This administration has had nothing to do with that at all. So a few of the areas where there has been some job creation, it is not because of this administration. It's in spite of this administration. And I mean that sincerely. So, no, Joe, you had nothing to do with job creation at all. And they say, you know, other successes. I can't think of too many successes, if any, this administration has. He then warned of the oligarchy that threatens democracy. This is coming from a president that pardoned his own son through the future, making sure that he will not be prosecuted in any way, shape, or form because of the close ties he and, by the way, Joe himself have had with China. And don't forget that Joe gave George Soros an award just recently. And I can't think of any... I mean, you think oligarch put George Soros' picture right next to that definition, and there you are. And we gave him an award. I say we. Our country gave him an award. Joe did. I mean, the nerve of whoever wrote this speech... to have Joe Biden talking about oligarchies threatening democracy when the Biden crime family is probably one of the largest, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that, nor am I saying anything that can't be proven. This is definitely the Biden crime family. The question I keep asking, I talked about this on the podcast this week, is will Joe, because he's got until Monday, so he still has three days left, When does he pardon himself, or will he? Because remember, he's in the thick of this as well. It's been proven that he was involved in a lot of the meetings that Hunter had. And remember, he was the big guy. There's photos, thank you Charlie, photos of him meeting with a lot of these folks that, by the way, Hunter could very well be charged criminally on, won't be now because he's pardoned. So those of you that are on the left, how in the world you could be proud of or happy with the Biden crime family is, I guess, because you're snowed and you're as out there as he is. I don't know any other way to say it. You have no comprehension of what really goes on. He also called for a constitutional amendment, making sure that no president is immune from crimes he or she commits while in office. I think if I were he, I would be really careful of wanting that because that may very well be those three fingers pointing back at you. Probably should be careful, Joe, on that one as to what you're wishing when it's all said and done. What's that old saying, be careful what you wish for? He then went on to say, may you all be keepers or keeper of the flame. In other words, let's keep the United States moving forward. There's nothing beyond our capacity that we can't do together. And, you know, yeah, okay, I get it. And that's what you would say leaving office. I would love to know, as a side note, what Jill thinks of all of this. Now, as I predicted... and have said now for a while, because there was a lot of talk on our side of the aisle that Kamala would still end up being president, Joe would step down, they would make sure that there was at least a black female president before they leave. None of that has happened. I don't anticipate it happening. It's not going to happen. Barring some huge disaster that would happen tomorrow, Saturday, or Sunday, it's not going to happen. And I said all along it wasn't going to happen because of the utter disdain that Jill has for Kamala. And I'm not wrong. By the way, that's been very well known for a while. Now, really quick, not having anything to do with Jill and Joe, or maybe it does, you haven't seen Michelle Obama at anything of late. She didn't go to the funeral of Jimmy Carter. She's not going to go to the inauguration. There's rumors, and again, they're just rumors. I don't know if anybody can prove this or not, but there's rumors that her and Barack are not getting along and there might be talk of divorce. Now, I am not saying that because I have no idea. But there's definitely talk around it. And where some of the talk is coming from is body language experts watching the two of them together and reading the tea leaves, if you would, And now, I will say this, I wouldn't be shocked if that were to happen. That would not shock me. I wouldn't wish that on anybody, by the way, but I wouldn't be shocked if that doesn't happen. I mean, I get it. She does not like Donald Trump. Okay, fine. There's a lot of things that, when you're in the political world, you don't like, but you still go and do anyways. And my feeling is, yes, there is definitely something going on, or she would have gone. In other words, I don't think that it's Donald Trump alone keeping her away from the funeral and the inauguration. I think it's a riff between her and her husband. And again, I'm not spreading rumors. Some of this is out there on the Internet. You can go read this for yourself. I'm not the only one saying that. Again, body language experts are saying the same thing. That, by the way, will be its own interesting conversation, I guess you could say, if in fact that happens, because what do they both do then? That'll be really interesting. Does she go off and do something on her own, politically speaking? Does Barack just sort of ride off into the sunset? You know, what happens next for both of them? That'll be a conversation in and of itself. And we'll see how that, you know, how that plays out here in the coming weeks and months. Golden Eagle Financial is next. By the way, Al Smith wants to help you with your future finances. Getting to retirement, staying in retirement, and I say all the time, if you haven't seen your own financial advisor in a while, talk to Al Smith today. Give him a call. Find him at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 10 :
Putting off planning for your retirement another year can cost you tens of thousands. But Golden Eagle Financial can get you back on track to maximize your retirement now. Al Smith of Golden Eagle Financial is a retirement advisor who gets to know you from the very onset. What are your dreams for retirement? What do you want to do when the work is done? Many people want to give back or volunteer or donate time or money. Others might like to travel or learn a new skill. And Al Smith can help make all of these dreams a reality. Whether your dream is giving back to other groups or people, traveling the world, or taking up a new hobby, Al will make sure you're prepared for the road ahead without financial concerns. He's a man who has years of experience and can help you make your retirement dreams come true. Contact Al Smith of Golden Eagle Financial on the klzradio.com advertisers page. Investment advisory services offered through Brookstone Capital Management LLC, a 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 to individually licensed and appointed agents.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right, again, weather coming in this weekend. Make sure your furnace is in order. If you have any problems at all, give Cub Creek a call. Find them at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 04 :
Cub Creek Heating and AC are your go-to for a second opinion any time you need to get HVAC work done at your home. Rheem Certified Pro Partners Cub Creek Heating and AC are used to people calling them after they received another bid that was too high. Hunter prides himself on his honesty and will guarantee that you receive a fair quote with your service. Hunter will also be there to evaluate your issues, and he'll explain clearly exactly what he finds so you're educated in what the problem is. He can even give you an accurate estimate of how long your current system will last. And if Cub Creek can't come in lower than your first quote, he'll tell you that too. Hunter has a genuine interest in making sure that you don't get taken advantage of. So if you need work done on your heating or AC, call Cub Creek before you sign for that job with another company. You can find Cub Creek on the klzradio.com advertisers page.
SPEAKER 14 :
Is your office ready for a new copier? Business Equipment Service has you covered. Whether you're a small business or a large corporation, Business Equipment Service has current model Konica Minolta and Canon copiers on sale right now. Our models have very minimal usage at a fraction of the cost of buying new. We stand behind our equipment with a 90-day parts and labor warranty, as well as a one-year or 100,000-page performance warranty. giving you the reliability you need to keep things running smoothly. Right now, get free delivery and installation when you mention this ad. Why choose us? Aside from saving thousands on high-performance copiers, we have lease options starting at $100 per month, we service and supply what we sell, we offer full service maintenance plans, fast on-site service, and remote support. For over 20 years, Business Equipment Service has helped hundreds of Colorado businesses find affordable, reliable office solutions. Visit us at besofcolorado.com or call 303-825-5664.
SPEAKER 06 :
Back to Rush to Reason, presented by Hi-5 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electric, where every call ends with a high five.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right, shifting gears, something that, this one, I'll admit, and I've said this before, I am continually shocked by John Fetterman. And I'll be the first to admit it. I mean, I talked about him in the past when he was running for office. And, you know, what a slob. And how in the world does this guy even get elected? And, and, and. And yes, I'll admit, I said all those things. And I'm in a way eating my words. I never thought that I would see John Fetterman do some of the things that he has done, politically speaking, including now taking a lot of flack from his own party for sitting down and having a face-to-face meeting with Donald Trump prior to him coming into office. And he is taking heat from his own. A lot of heat, by the way. To the point where he has basically responded and said, Hey, guys, time out. I'm the senator from Pennsylvania. And I don't just represent Democrats in Pennsylvania. I represent all of Pennsylvania. I'm paraphrasing, but Charlie, I'm not far off on what he said. He basically said, I am the senator from Pennsylvania and I represent all. So, yes, if I can sit down and find some common ground and figure out where Donald Trump is coming from and he and I can agree on a few things, then, yes, I'm going to go sit down and have a conversation because at the end of the day, if that benefits Pennsylvania, that's what I'm going to do. And by the way, hurrah. Yes, John, that's how this is supposed to work. I'll give him kudos where kudos are due. And I would not. I'm being straight up honest. I would not have predicted that at all. I'm shocked. And he continually shocks me with things that he does. And I will say this, though, in prediction. If his party continues to treat him the way that they are, don't be shocked if he becomes an independent or a Republican. In the next four years. And I don't know, I think he's got, I think he's just been elected, so I think he's got another four or five years left, Charlie, does he not? Maybe even six total. He just came into office, so he's only been there a year, right? So I think he's got five years left, if I'm saying that right, Charlie, I believe. At any rate. If his party, which they're bound to do, continues to badger him about the things that he does in relation to, you know, Trump and the conservative side of the aisle and so on, if they continue to badger him like they are, don't be shocked if he changes sides or becomes independent. In that one, that one I will predict. Because he seems to me now, and I wouldn't have said this before, but he seems to me now to where he's not beholding anybody. He's looking out for the best interest of Pennsylvania. He doesn't care what the rest of the people say. In fact, I quoted it correctly. I am a senator for all Pennsylvanians, he said. That's what he wrote on X. And he took a lot of heat for accepting an invitation to visit Trump at Mar-a-Lago from his own party. And he did say, if I can find some common ground and deliver results for everybody, and he said, because nobody is my gatekeeper, I'll meet with anyone to secure some wins, including President Trump. Good for him, by the way. So the left, and Andy and I will talk more about this on Tuesday, but they just continue to have misstep after misstep after misstep, and this is another example of that. Dumb on their part for doing this to them, you know, to him. Now, on the same token, Trump won Pennsylvania. And I think Fetterman's even said that before. Hey, you know, majority of Pennsylvanians voted for Trump. Why would I not sit down and talk to the guy? It's evident that our state voted for him. Why would I not sit down and have a conversation? So, again, good for him. I'm shocked. I think a lot of you maybe are as well, because I would not have anticipated that coming from him. In fact, there for a while, because of his health situations that he had going on, I think everybody kind of wondered, was he even going to be himself when it was all said and done? He had some brain stuff that went on, right, Charlie? Am I remembering back correctly? Yeah, had a stroke and some brain things that went on and so on with that, of course. And what I've learned even since then when it comes to strokes is you're never the same after the other parts of your brain will overcome the part of your brain that's been damaged by the stroke. That's right. Yeah, thank you, Charlie. He had to have closed captioning in his debate because of some of that. And you know what? Hats off to the guy. Good job, John. And again, it doesn't matter what side of the aisle they're on. I'll give credit where credit's due. So good job on that. And, you know, I'm sorry that you're taking heat from your own party for doing what you think is best for your own state. Okay. This is more fun, or maybe weird. I don't know which. Charlie sent me this before the show. And I had not seen this. But there's an article on HuffPost.com. about the aggressive baby name trend that, frankly, I think is, I'll just say it straight up, it's weird. Now, some of the names, I'll admit, aren't bad. In fact, some of the boy names are kind of cool. But there's this trend where parents are giving their kids quote-unquote aggressive names. Now, I understand aggressive is in the eye of the beholder. And some of these names I wouldn't think, personally, I don't think of these as being aggressive. But some are. Some of them are weapon-inspired, by the way. Like Blade. And Cannon. Now, for example, Remington, Colt, Ruger, and Winchester, those are also names people are naming their kids. Now, I think, frankly, just side note, I think Remington's a cool name, just personally. I also know it's the name of a gun manufacturer. Colt, same thing. I always thought Colt was a pretty cool name. Didn't name any of my kids that, but thought that's a pretty cool name. Arson, Cutter, and Dagger. Oh, yeah, and then there's Trigger, too. Thank you, Charlie. Trigger. I mean, these are weird names. Now, I had, not long ago until he passed, we had a neighbor dog. His name was Ruger, which I thought was a pretty cool name for a dog, but I'm not sure I'd name my kid that. But they are, and there's a trend now. I mean, we're not talking thousands upon thousands of names like some of the more common names that are out there and become very popular at times. And I have... One of those, so does Charlie. I mean, we both have, in our era, probably about as common a names as you could ever find. Am I right, Charlie? I mean, Charlie and John and Mark and Luke and, you know, some of those names are pretty common. You know, back in my day, you'd always run into some other kid that was in class that had the same name that was, you know, with my first name, that was not uncommon. Now, it's very uncommon today. And you, Charlie, same thing. Probably don't run into too many Charlies under the age of about 50 or so, I'm thinking. And there's not too many Johns under that same age as well. We're kind of unique as far as that goes. I guess people got tired of our name. I don't know. Now, why are parents drawn to these kinds of names? Experts say there's various factors. There's a certain set of parents that believe weapon-inspired names have a renegade spirit, which has been a rising theme among today's trendy baby names. Maverick ranks higher than ever. Cowboy names like Dutton, Stetson, and Boone are also climbing the charts. Many parents may be thinking of weapon names in the same way as the cowboy related ones. It's easy to imagine Boone and Wesson or Shooter and Stetson being brothers. I suppose. Another potential influence is that many weapon related names resemble or in fact are surnames as well. Now that's a whole different approach. Last names as first names are a stylish category for baby names, with English surnames most likely to be adopted as given names. Popular last names as first names include Carter, Parker, Hunter. Itself is somewhat aggressive, which matches names like Shooter, Trigger, Dagger. Similarly, Wesson sounds a lot like Weston, which has recently ranked among the SSA's top 100 baby names for boys. For some parents, the appeal of such names may also be tied up in conservative values around gender or guns. And yeah, that I can understand. And probably some of this is these are parents that want to make sure that their kids are about as anti-woke as it will ever be. So, you know, name your kid Remington after a firearm company, and you're basically sending a message that my kid's not woke and won't be raised in a woke home. And, you know, by the way, that may be very well what some of these parents are thinking. And if they are, you know, more power to them. So babynames.com founder Jennifer Moss believes some parents are drawn to weapons names for their sons because they feel threatened, some of what I just said a moment ago, by recent cultural shifts towards broader acceptance of gender identities and expressions outside of the traditional gender binary. Assigning these overly violent names, and I'll put quotes around that because I don't think any of these are violent. They're a little out there, but I wouldn't call them violent, might be a reaction to the fear that their son might have less than masculine traits. So the parents assign a dictionary word name that has been traditionally associated with aggression or strength, hoping to instill those characteristics into their male offspring. Well, one thing I can tell this particular individual is... The men and women that are naming their kids this, there won't be any problem with their kids being a sissy. Because they won't be raised that way. And I know I can go down the whole rabbit hole of is it nature, nurture, all of that. I will tell you, though, in my opinion, when a man's man raises kids, they become men's men as well. That's how it works. Trust me. Been there, done that. You can go look at any of my boys and know that a man's man raised them. Because my dad, thank you, Charlie, because my dad was a man's man that raised me. So it just got passed down from generation to generation. So, yes, my dad taught us boys how to be hunters, fishermen, live off the land, all of that, fix cars, fix this, fix that, do this, do that. Yeah, that's where my background was. That's what I learned. And that was a big deal to my dad. I've all told you the story of when my brother was, oh, I want to say six or seven. Something around there. Might have been turning six. Just had one of my grandsons that turned six, and so I kind of remember that era. Anyways, my cousin... had a baby doll. And my cousin and he were very close in age. And my cousin listens to the show, so you may very well be listening and remember this story. But... And a female cousin. Because my brother and I were... On my mom's side of the family, my brother and I were the only two boys. We had all-girl cousins. Still to this day, all-girl cousins. And since my brother passed, I'm it. I'm it, surrounded by a ton of girl cousins. And so... My brother... watching my cousin carry around a baby doll, kept asking my dad, because he wanted to be included and be like her, kept asking my dad for a baby for Christmas. And he was dead set on having a baby for Christmas. And finally, got to the point, you know how things stick in your mind from when you're a kid? This one will never leave my mind. I'll never forget the day my brother was asking, I think we were at dinner, And my dad, in a very loud, forceful voice, said, you are not going to have a baby. Boys don't play with dolls, and no son of mine is going to own a baby. And it was that simple. And it was over after that. My brother never once again ever asked for a baby doll after that. My dad was such a man's man that we had GI Joes as kids, my brother and I. And we asked for I don't know how long to get GI Joes for Christmas one year. And I think it was only because of my mom that we ended up with GI Joes because my dad considered them dolls. And his boys were not going to play with dolls, period. And that's how my dad raised us. And my brother and I both were men's men. My brother didn't have any boys. I did, but I raised my boys to be men's men as well because the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. All right, Paul Leuenberger, my agent, wants to help you with all of your insurance needs. Whatever you have going on, please give Paul a call. He's a broker. He'll shop what's best for you. 303-662-0789.
SPEAKER 02 :
Looking for top-notch home, auto, classic car, and business insurance? Look no further than Paul Leuenberger. Paul is now an insurance broker with access to industry leaders like Hartford, Travelers, Safeco, Liberty Mutual, Nationwide, Allstate, AIG, Chubb, Pure, Berkeley, Grundy, and Hagerty. Paul has you covered. Paul is also proud to continue his work with American National for all non-property insurance needs as well. Paul Leuenberger now serves Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona, Nevada, and Texas with more states on the way. Paul's mission is simple, to connect you with the right coverage at the best value. Are you ready to protect what matters most? Call Paul Leuenberger today at 303-662-0789. That's 303-662-0789. All right, Michael Bailey, he is our mobile estate planner.
SPEAKER 11 :
Make sure you're dialed in when it comes to your estate plan. Call Michael today. Get on his schedule. Find him at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 06 :
A dirty little secret in estate planning is that you can do it yourself. But Michael Bailey will put it together for you faster, cheaper and much better. There are lots of self-help programs that will ask you questions to get a basic idea of your needs. But if you don't understand the question or the why, you may answer incorrectly. Michael knows the right questions to ask for your specific situation. Put aside just 56 minutes for a session with Michael Bailey, the mobile estate planner. That's all it takes to get a better, cheaper, and faster result that won't leave your family guessing. 56 minutes. Find Michael at klzradio.com slash estate today.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right, Ridgeline Auto Brokers, where if you're looking for a new used car, they would love to take care of you. And if you want a car that they don't have, they will do their very best to make sure that they can find that car for you as well. Find them at RidgelineAutoBrokers.com.
SPEAKER 06 :
Are you in the market for a reliable car that won't break the bank? DriveRadio's sponsor, Ridgeline Auto Brokers, specializes in quality used cars that cost between $15,000 to $25,000, making them a great option for first-time drivers or anyone looking for a good deal. They pride themselves on providing a transparent and hassle-free car buying experience. That's why at Ridgeline, they never charge a dealer fee. Plus, all vehicles are inspected by Legacy Automotive, a Colorado select member and sponsor of Drive Radio. For a limited time, they are offering first-time customers the first oil change for only $1. Every car comes with a 30-day warranty, with the option to purchase a service contract. And at Ridgeline Auto Brokers, there are competitive financing options to fit your budget. If you cannot make it to the dealership in person, there are videos of all Ridgeline cars for sale on their website at RidgelineAutoBrokers.com. Call today at 303-442-4141 to schedule a test drive or visit RidgelineAutoBrokers.com. Ridgeline Auto Brokers, the smartest way to buy a car.
SPEAKER 03 :
Now back to Rush to Reason on KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right, got a few minutes left of this hour, and Charlie wanted me to go ahead and look up the Donald Trump side of the meeting with Fetterman as well, which I went and did. So President-elect Trump reportedly came away impressed with John Fetterman after a quote-unquote fascinating meeting with the Pennsylvania Democrat at the Republicans' Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida this past weekend. He's a common sense person, Trump told the Washington Examiner of Mr. Fetterman. He's not a liberal or conservative. He's just a common sense person, which is beautiful. This is Trump's words, not anybody else's. They discussed U.S. Steel, whose sale to Japan's largest steelmaker, Nippon, was blocked by the Biden administration, support for Israel, and a stronger border. They also discussed the possible benefits of Greenland becoming part of the U.S., something Trump has claimed would be strategically advantageous. Mr. Federman joked with reporters asking about their meeting last week that he demanded to become Pope of Greenland. So he's got a sense of humor as well. Trump said he really was impressive, and I'm glad I got to speak to him. He believed initially that Mr. Fetterman was very liberal. He loves Pennsylvania. He loves our country. We had a great meeting. He was very impressive. His wife was with him, and she was really fantastic, too. So there's the other side of the story as well coming from Donald Trump. So, again, everything that—again, I'm eating my words— I really, for the longest time, thought John Fetterman was just some slob buffoon that became senator and would not amount to much of anything. And I've said that on air, so I'm eating my words, because that's not at all who he is. Now, did he have some, you know, enlightenment along the way at some point? Because his history, by the way, in politics isn't this. And you can go look up his history if you don't understand what I'm saying there. So he definitely has had some sort of a turn of events at some point and has come to some sort of a realization that we need to do X, Y, and Z for Pennsylvania because, trust me, he is not the same John Fetterman that he was several years ago. That I do know. But you know what? Good for him. I'm glad he and Donald Trump had a good meeting. He will be, in my opinion, again, I don't have a crystal ball, but my feeling on John Fetterman is he's going to vote in the Senate with how he feels it benefits America the best, and of course the state of Pennsylvania, and he doesn't care what his party thinks. He's already taken tons of heat from his party already and just sort of Don't want to be crude here, but he sort of just throws the middle finger back to him and doesn't care and does his own thing, which good for him, by the way. And as I said in the last segment there, the Democrat Party is not helping themselves when it comes to some of these things. They should be sitting down with John Fetterman like Trump did. asking the same types of questions, saying, hey, what's really going on here, and what did you meet with Trump about, and how did things go? No, that's not how that party works, because it's full of Marxists, and that's not how Marxists works. And I think John's also realizing, John Fetterman is realizing, what his party really is made up of, and the fact that they're not necessarily looking out for the best interests of America and or Pennsylvania, they're only looking out for their own best interests. So anyways, that was the side that Trump said in the meeting that he had. And again, hats off to John Fetterman. I think that's absolutely fantastic. And my prediction earlier of will he stay a Democrat forever? Don't be surprised if that doesn't change. in the not-too-distant future. So Roof Savers of Colorado coming up, and I know I say it a lot, but hey, even between storms like today with 60 degrees, Dave can do a lot when it comes to your roofing needs in between these storms, and even if you find something during a storm that you need to get taken care of, Dave is there to help you with that as well. And as I always say, if you notice a problem, take a picture, so that no matter what happens on down the road with melting and so on, Dave can take care of that even after the fact. So give Dave a call today, 303-710-6916.
SPEAKER 01 :
Have you recently received a letter saying that your roof is no longer covered under your insurance due to its age? The insurance industry is changing the face of roof replacements, but we want to ensure that you can keep your roof alive and out of the landfills. With over 4 million square feet treated every week, We here at Roof Savers Colorado strive to maximize the life of your residential or flat roof. Up to 90% of older or damaged roofs do not require a full replacement. Extreme weather conditions here in Colorado lead to the drying, cracking, and granule loss that slowly kills your roof. Dave and his team are here to save it. With the rejuvenation treatment, we can put critical oils that bind your roof together back into the asphalt shingles, adding up to 15 years of life to your existing roof. And it's 100% people, pet, and plant friendly. For your commercial or flat roof needs, we provide a silicone-based coating with up to 95% UV reflectivity and a 50-year ponding warranty. Call the Roof Savers team today to set a free roof inspection at 303-710-6916 or go to roofsaversco.com.
SPEAKER 04 :
This isn't rage radio. This is real, relatable radio. Back to Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right, we're wrapping up hour number two. Don't forget hour three. Kurt Rogers' Affordable Interest Mortgage is going to be with me. And we always have a good time and talk about all sorts of things that involve everything from mortgages to the housing market. And for 2025, really kind of looking at, don't have a crystal ball, but where are things headed? What's it going to look like under a Trump administration and so on? And for a lot of you listening, your home is your largest investment. And a lot of you get concerned, as you should, with where are things headed, what are mortgage rates going to do, what are things going to look like as we go through 2025. And again, not that I or Kurt have a crystal ball, but together we'll spitball a few things back and forth and kind of get an idea of what things are going to look like in the year ahead. We weren't too far off, by the way, with our predictions last year, so we'll see how things go with our first meeting of 2025. We'll be right back. Don't go anywhere. Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 1 :
I'm a rich guy.
Join John Rush in a compelling conversation that touches on the nuances of market dynamics and personal finance. This installment features expert analysis on what might influence mortgage rates in the coming months, the influence of the bond market, and how these elements interact with broader economic indicators like inflation and unemployment rates. With practical advice from industry expert Kurt Rogers, uncover the strategies homeowners can employ to maximize returns on their biggest investment, their homes. Additionally, John breaks down the complexities of seasonal changes and home maintenance with practical advice. He addresses Colorado's unique weather challenges and offers actionable solutions to safeguard homes against the elements. Whether you're adjusting to a new environment or a seasoned local, these insights can keep your property safe and efficient. Plus, learn why savvy real estate decisions matter more than ever with an update on potential tax-free gains from property sales.
SPEAKER 04 :
This is Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 05 :
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 07 :
With your host, John Rush.
SPEAKER 18 :
My advice to you is to do what your parents did! Get a job, Turk! You haven't made everybody equal. You've made them the same, and there's a big difference.
SPEAKER 10 :
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 05 :
Are you crazy? Am I? Or am I so sane that you just blew your mind?
SPEAKER 06 :
It's Rush to Reason with your host, John Rush. Presented by High Five Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electric, where every call ends with a high five.
SPEAKER 03 :
And we are back. Hour number three, Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Kurt Rogers joining me now, Affordable Interest Mortgage. Kurt, how are you?
SPEAKER 20 :
I'm doing fine on this beautifully warm day before the freeze. And the sun's still up a little bit. Yeah.
SPEAKER 03 :
And it's past five.
SPEAKER 20 :
It's past five, yeah.
SPEAKER 03 :
So we'll take it. Keep going. We'll take it. Yeah, and, again, not trying to be depressing or anything along those lines. But, yeah, we've got some cold weather coming in over the weekend, most likely some snow as well. And I've tried to prep everybody along those lines as much as I can, Curt. And, again, it's Colorado. These things happen. This is normal. Yeah, and for all you old-timers, natives – You get it. I'm not really talking to all of you, but we've got transplants and people that maybe haven't lived here for a super long time that maybe haven't experienced some of these things. So you need to make sure that you've got yourself prepared and dialed in and warm clothing and got things taken care of at home. And the last thing you want is problems when it's cold out.
SPEAKER 17 :
Make sure all your faucets outside are definitely shut down.
SPEAKER 03 :
And if you've got some outside walls where there's some plumbing on an outside wall, wouldn't it be a bad idea, especially overnight, to open up your cabinet doors and let some of that heat in to kind of keep those pipes and things warm? It doesn't hurt anything at all to do so. No, it doesn't. And especially those, again, if you've got a wall, an outside wall where it's going to be colder than an interior wall, wouldn't be a bad idea to do that.
SPEAKER 17 :
We actually do that. Our main sink is exterior wall. And, I mean, it's only got like three, four inches of insulation. So what we do is give it a slow drip.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yep. Doesn't hurt anything at all.
SPEAKER 17 :
I have no problem filling up a bucket of water.
SPEAKER 03 :
That's right. So those of you listening, those are some things that you can do, and it will help out immensely along those lines. All right. Talking about homes and mortgages and so on, and Kurt, again, we don't have a crystal ball, although our first meeting of 2024 and kind of looking down the road in 2024 and what things we're going to do and so on, I think the only thing that we may have been a little bit off on is I felt like Once the election was over, because I really felt like we'd have a change of power at that point. And I did feel like early in 2024 that when that happened, we see some things open up real estate market wise as we entered into the latter part of the year. And that did not happen like I thought it would.
SPEAKER 17 :
I think that's a six-month delay.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 17 :
With where the economy was and some of the things that Trump has talked about with tariffs and things he's going to do, it's made the market a little uneasy. Inflation numbers are coming down. You can't argue with those. The unemployment numbers that you keep hearing that one minute is this, one minute is that, they're fictitious and they're going to start to unfold. But once he gets in and he starts the movement, it's going to settle. I just think we're six months off.
SPEAKER 03 :
And you know what? I can't argue that. I really felt like people's confidence would change once the election was over. But to your point, still a lot of uncertainty around, you know, what's happening in Israel, what's happening in Ukraine with Russia and things along those lines. And I just think that a lot of people are like, OK, let's see what happens once he's actually in office and they'll change some of their thinking and perspectives and so on. And that's my thought.
SPEAKER 17 :
Well, we talked about Israel and Afghanistan, and we said once he gets here, they're going to stop. Well, before he got there, he's taking care of Israel. Right. I do not feel it will be much longer before Afghanistan goes away.
SPEAKER 03 :
Ukraine, you mean.
SPEAKER 17 :
Oh, I'm sorry. Ukraine goes away.
SPEAKER 03 :
Agree.
SPEAKER 17 :
I agree. Those are going to be settled quickly.
SPEAKER 03 :
I agree. Okay, so when it comes to the mortgage, and this is another thing where there's a lot of confusion, I think, at times. Some folks really understand the correlation. They get it, but a lot don't. Explain the correlation between the bond market and mortgages and what people should be looking for if they're looking to see what rates are going to do.
SPEAKER 17 :
The bond market is determined by the 10-year Treasury bill, which affects the mortgage rates. That's why they call them mortgage-backed securities. Okay. And whatever the bond market is, like right now it's 4.7. So if you want to have an idea what a 30-year mortgage is, you're going to take about 2.5 to 2.75 and add that on top of whatever the bond market is. That's going to be your what we call par rate. That margin is what the banks make. And that's how they pay for everything. So that's how you're going to see that. That was all indications with inflation and unemployment going in the direction. That was going to drop back down into under four to three, three and a half, which is where we talked about rates being five and a half to six. Right. That's not happening. Not going to happen.
SPEAKER 20 :
Now, it should have. It should have. But it hasn't.
SPEAKER 17 :
But when the feds lower the rates, they're lowering short-term loans because that's what the banks get paid the difference, which is 3.25 is what the banks make because the feds' fund rate is 1.75. So when you add that together, that gives you your prime rate. And that's what the banks loan money, the government loans money to the banks for. So short-terms, car loans, home equity lines of credit, credit cards. Now, the credit cards, people aren't moving on that at all. I've seen as high as 29.
SPEAKER 03 :
I've seen 32, 33.
SPEAKER 17 :
And I'm like, yeah.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah. It's crazy. Yeah. And they're making a boatload of money on that.
SPEAKER 17 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 03 :
And by the way, some of their returns are saying so.
SPEAKER 17 :
CFPB just is suing CFPB, who is Capital One.
SPEAKER 03 :
And their profits are doing extremely well, and a lot of that's because those interest rates on those credit cards are just making them bank right now. Yes, it is. So anyways, that's a side note. But for those of you that are always wondering, okay, what are the rates going to do, you know, so on and so forth, just watch. that bond rate and if you see those start to tick down and there's a lot of and we talk about this with other guests and so on you know during the week and there's a lot of factors that come into play as to cons you know as to the confidence in the market and so on as to what those do i predict and i don't think i'm going to be wrong here let trump get in office Let him do a few things, not only on the energy side, but some other things that he'll be doing day one. And I think within 30 days, I don't think I'm exaggerating here, watch for those bond rates to start dropping ever so slightly once he's in about 30 days.
SPEAKER 17 :
I don't disagree with that. They have been going up lately except for today. With the PPI numbers that came out, and they were lower then, and the CPI numbers came out, the stock market's changed a little bit, and that 10-year bond started going down today, and we got a little bit of reprieve. I think we're going to see it vacillate a little bit for a week, two, and then it's going to consistently go. Once the stock market gets comfortable with this direction, it's going.
SPEAKER 03 :
I think you're right. We'll see. Next time Kurt's on in February, we'll have conversation along these lines and see how accurate things are. But I would anticipate some changes along those lines. All right, we're going to take a break. We'll come back. We'll talk about a few more of these things. Not only that, but when should you look at refinancing? Again, some of you may be looking at all of that wondering, hey, I do need to make a move. What's my timing going to be like when it comes to some of that? We'll help you with some of that as well. Geno's Auto Service, again, cold weekend coming up. Make sure your vehicle's ready to go as well, not only your house but your vehicle. Also, genosautoservice.com. Don't forget, Geno starts with a J.
SPEAKER 13 :
Take advantage of Geno's alignment and tire rotation special. Snow and pothole season is upon us. Save $30 on an alignment and tire rotation now through the end of the month. Have you ever noticed how your tires have a way of finding holes in the pavement? Now is a great time to get your car aligned and your tires rotated. With consistent alignments every 5,000 miles, your vehicle will get better gas mileage and longer tire life. Geno's is celebrating 42 years in business, serving Colorado families in Littleton. We back up our work with Napa's nationwide 36-month, 36,000 miles peace of mind warranty. We invite you to check out all our Google reviews. We offer loaner vehicles so you can drop your car off and pick up when ready. Save $30 on an alignment and tire rotation. Give us a call or go online to schedule an appointment. Geno's is AAA approved and located at Bowles and Platt Canyon. Stop in or visit us online at genosautoservice.com.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, veteran windows and doors, 35% off windows, 45% entry doors, free labor as well. Talk to Dave today. Find him at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 12 :
Veteran Windows and Doors never uses gimmicky high-pressure salespeople. In fact, when you work with veterans, you get the owner, Dave Bancroft. Dave will never try to manipulate you or use silly tricks upselling you. Big window companies will show you a heat lamp test that is supposed to impress you. But what does that really tell you about your windows? Other companies omit the pertinent information, and just because the window and door says Provia, it does not mean their products are engineered for Colorado or even anywhere in the U.S. Dave prefers to be the last window and door company you meet with, so he can give you all the information the others fail to reveal. Like the U-Factor, efficiency ratings, and even if it's Energy Star certified. And of course, don't forget the tax rebates many people didn't know they could receive. Just talk to any of Veterans' previous clients, and they will be the first to tell you. Get your high-quality windows and doors without all the gimmicks. Reach Veteran Windows and Doors by going to klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, and roofing is a big deal. In fact, if you're getting ready to sell a home, have the roof inspected. Getting ready to buy a home, have the roof inspected. Dave Hart can do all of that for you, including your commercial building as well. Call him today, 303-710-6916.
SPEAKER 01 :
You work hard to keep a roof over the heads of you and your loved ones. The last thing you need is to be worrying about the condition of that roof. That's where we come in. At Roof Savers Colorado, we pride ourselves in helping homeowners like you get a new roof without all the worry. Deductibles are skyrocketing, and since it's illegal to waive those fees, the financial burden of upgrading your damaged roof can seem overwhelming. But here at Roof Savers, we offer both financing options and referral fees to offset some of those upfront costs. Already filed a claim with your insurance? We are happy to utilize those insurance proceeds to get your roof the replacement it needs and your home stronger protection from hail. With over 23 years of roofing experience, Dave and his team are ready to help. Call us today at 303-710-6916 or go to RoofSaverCO.com to set up your free inspection. That's 303-710-6916 or go to RoofSaverCEO.com and stop worrying about your roof today.
SPEAKER 08 :
This is Rush to Reason on KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 03 :
And we are back, Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Myself, Kurt Rogers, Affordable Interest Mortgage. If you want to call Kurt directly, 720-895-0500. That's Kurt's number. You can call him directly, ask questions, really, anytime. Just find out, hey, I'm thinking of doing X, Y, and Z. Kurt's a great resource and can help you with those things. For example, some of the things we're going to talk about right now is, Kurt, there's people out there that have probably been waiting, thinking, you know, I need to make a move. You know, we want to do X, Y, Z. We also don't want to do it when interest rates are where they are now. But on the same token, we don't want to miss the window of opportunity on the buying side because it is a buyer's market right now. So there's a lot of people, I think, out there just on the fence trying to decide. what to do and really have no real idea what they should do because they keep hearing everybody around them well you know don't get rid of your you know three and a half percent mortgage you have right now because that'll kill you if you do you'll never have it again well true but you'll also have a different house and have different set of circumstances and and and and and and that should be in my opinion uh the leading cause of why you would do things not the current rate you have
SPEAKER 17 :
You're talking about somebody refinancing?
SPEAKER 03 :
No, I mean moving. They're looking to make a lateral move or a move up or maybe even downsize and make a move down.
SPEAKER 17 :
If you're looking at buying a house and you're holding off now because of where rates are, I understand that thinking. But some questions, some basic questions you need to ask, to me, you ask yourself, where do I think they're going to move to? So if the rates right now were 7%, where do I think in a year from now, because I don't like 7%, where are they going to be? Well, 6%, 6.25%. Okay, what's the difference between 7% and 6.25 on a half million dollars? It's 248 bucks. I've got a customer right in the process of doing that, and I just showed these numbers to him. So that $248 is what they're going to save, but they're going to wait a year to get it. Homes are appreciating year after year, according to the 2024 statistics, 4.76%. Okay. So in a half-million-dollar house, that's about $23,000. That's in a slow market because right now there's a 45-day supply of homes. Okay. The funny thing about that, of the homes that are selling, 15% of them are selling for over sticker. So people think that everything's being discounted because of rates. That's not true. 37, 30% of them are being negotiated. And what that means that the seller is giving you concessions or lowering the price to get the home to go away. 50% of them are just as normal, normal deal. So we're not losing depreciation in our homes. Well, if the rate at seven is slow people down, when the rate goes to six and a quarter, what do you think is going to happen? The market's going to go up. Now all of a sudden, the homes are going to be worth more. And as they become worth more, that half a million dollar house at 6% now costs you $530,000. So you're going to spend $30,000 more to buy it to save $248,000 a month.
SPEAKER 03 :
Which it comes down enough and you feel like you want to refi or refi.
SPEAKER 17 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 03 :
Right?
SPEAKER 17 :
It works. Run the numbers. What do the numbers tell you that works for you? Use yours. That's what I say. What do you think it's going to go down to? It's not going to go back to three to four. Especially not in 12 months.
SPEAKER 03 :
No. In fact... Not saying we'll never see them again because you never want to say never. I learned that quick. I don't know what's coming down the path down the road. On the same token, this is, you know, Kurt and I talk about this a lot during this particular hour we do once a month. A lot of people look at rate like people look at buying a car on payments and what is the payment versus what is the overall deal give them when it's all said and done. And I had a conversation with a business owner just yesterday. We were talking about some of these same things. And I am one, whether it be buying a business, selling a business, buying a house, buying a commercial building, whatever the case may be. To me, it's not all about price. It's the deal itself. In other words, what am I getting out of this? When it's all said and done, how's it structured? You know, how's it going to work when it's all done cash flow wise and so on? And to me, Kurt, those are the more important things than in this case, what's my rate?
SPEAKER 17 :
Well, see, that's a business owner. What's my net? I'm going to invest this. I'm going to pay this. What am I getting back for it? I don't care what the rate is to get me there. What's that dollar figure I'm paying? Instead of focusing on rate, focus on mortgages, how much interest am I paying? When I combine my interest on car loans and I combine them on credit cards and a house.
SPEAKER 03 :
Across the board, right.
SPEAKER 17 :
Across the board, I'm paying way too much money in the interest going out, which is affecting me. I could pay a higher rate and save more money.
SPEAKER 03 :
And as I've said numerous times in the past, and this is something that I'll make sure I explain again because I always get a comment on this. This is one of those topics, and whenever I say this, I usually get some questions on or a, hey, I never knew that because nobody's ever explained that. And even though I've explained this particular thing, I mean, we haven't heard on now for nine years plus, and I've explained this since then because it hasn't changed. Right. The one thing that most people don't take advantage of enough, if you ask me. Now, I understand that at some point in time, you may get to where you're in your quote-unquote forever home. Okay, fine. If that's you, I'm not talking to you. But for a lot of other people, you're going to move periodically for whatever reason. And the way the IRS rules are, and it's an incentive to get people to buy and sell homes, is if you're single filing single, you can have up to a $250,000 gain. Profit. within primary residence within two years you gotta be in the home two years it's gotta be a primary residence but once those two things are met so I've lived there two years as my primary residence if I have a capital gain on the home in other words if I paid 500 I sold it for 650 And I made $150,000. There's no capital gains on that.
SPEAKER 01 :
It's tax-free.
SPEAKER 03 :
No taxes due. Single. That's single. If you're a couple, it's up to $500,000. Yes. So you can make up to $500,000 tax-free every two years on your primary residence. No capital gains owed. Where this got messed up years ago is there was a lot of misconceptions, even from accountants, where they would say, well, yeah, that's all fine and dandy if you buy a more expensive home. That has nothing to do with it. You don't even have to buy another home. That is irrelevant. It's the sale and capital gain on your primary residence after that two-year time frame is met. That's all it is. It has nothing to do with what you do with the money thereafter. You don't have to buy a more expensive home. You don't have to buy another home, period, if you don't want to. If you just want to cash out and go to the retirement community, you can do so. The other misconception was, well, I can only get that one time after I'm 65. That has nothing to do with it either. There's no age limit on this, young or old. And my point is a lot of people forget that you've got that freebie on the capital gains side. that if you look at buying and selling the right homes in the right areas at the right time the rate has nothing to do with it kurt because you're going to make enough money on the end of it that i just said because if you you you don't do it because you think the rate's a half point too high you miss out on that opportunity you miss out on the opportunity that i just said take 250 000 at 20 capital gains that's a whole lot it's a huge number that's a large amount of money you're losing that's right now It's also why, and nothing against these individuals because I think they've learned something most people don't know, it's why most high-end homebuilders have their own home they live in, and they sell it every two to three years. Why do you think they do that? It's not their forever home, even though they built it. And a lot of people think, well, man, you built this custom home for you and your wife and your family and so on, but yet now you're selling it. Well, they're selling it because of what I just said. If they could do everything at cost... and they have an opportunity to make up to $500,000 tax-free, why wouldn't they? And I've known builder after builder after builder over the years, and at first, and I learned this, by the way, a long time ago, that's the advantage of having auto repair shops, is you meet a lot of people. And I had a guy way back in the day where he would build a custom home and he would live in it for about two to three years and then he would sell it. And so one day he's in my shop and, you know, and he was kind of a gruff guy, by the way. He wasn't one of these guys that was, you know, all warm and fuzzy. He was kind of a gruff guy, but also a guy that knew money really well. And I watched him closely. And so one day he was in and we started having some conversation. I said, OK, so I got to ask. Why do you move every two to three years when you've built these? You know, I knew where these homes were.
SPEAKER 02 :
Nice homes.
SPEAKER 03 :
You drive by them, and they were gorgeous, beautiful homes. And I would say, you know, why are you selling these every two to three years? He explained to me what I just got done explaining to you, Kurt, and a light bulb in my head went off, and I'm like, oh, man, no one's ever told me that. And it's why he, as a developer, would build his own home and sell every two to three years because he had a... Think about that. If you did that every two years, you can make $250,000 a year tax-free. The example you used at $500,000 to $650,000. Let's say it takes three years to make $150,000.
SPEAKER 17 :
If you could put... money into a stock and make $150,000 on it in three years and not have to pay any taxes on it, would you do that?
SPEAKER 03 :
Most would.
SPEAKER 17 :
Absolutely.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 17 :
I'm going to put in $200,000, I'm going to make $150,000, I'm in. It's the same thing with a house.
SPEAKER 03 :
The difference is... People look at the stock market, well, sometimes emotionally, but most of the time you just look at it unemotionally and here's an investment I'm going to make money on. The problem with homes, Kurt, and this is my opinion and what I've seen over the years is, and this is one thing he taught me as well, the one thing he said was, John, if you're going to do this, there's one catch. Don't get attached. Yeah, you can't think emotionally and you can't look at this home as your forever home and you can't be emotionally attached to it, because if you do, you'll never sell and you won't take advantage of the things that I'm teaching you here. You can take advantage of. So hold on loosely, realizing that this may not be your forever home, but if you're going to do it to make money, here's how you do it.
SPEAKER 17 :
There'll come a time where you'll quit. You may.
SPEAKER 03 :
That's right. And he did, by the way. He was one of those where it got to a point where he's like, okay, I'm done. I don't need to do this anymore. Just pay cash for it. Just leave it alone. Don't care. I've made enough money. I'm good. But he's the one that taught me that, and I'm talking, Kurt, 30-plus years ago, That this is how you can do this and roll that money either into the next one and the next one and the next one. Or you can cash out or do whatever. Bottom line, do whatever you want to because you've got the ability and there's no rule saying you've got to buy a more expensive home. You can cash out tax-free up to this dollar figure depending upon your tax status and away you go.
SPEAKER 17 :
You bring up a good point with that. Like you said, you must live in the home two years. Right. Two of the last five. Right. So if you rented it or if you own it and you want to rent it for a year and then do it, you still get it because you have to live in it two of the last five.
SPEAKER 03 :
Your primary residence, that's all you got to do. That's it. That's it. And again, a lot of the reason why people don't do this is because you get emotionally attached and it comes down to, well, you know, I love where the kids go to school and it's convenient on this and that and so on. And my question always back is, OK, do you want to get to where you can retire someday? And I'm talking to guys like Al Smith from Golden Eagle Financial. You know, do you want to get to that point someday? is that not your goal and if it is then what are you doing to try to achieve that your home can be a great way to make that happen is my point especially as they appreciate it you know anywhere from in the colorado market that we've been in for the last you know 30 years kurt absolutely absolutely you can make that money pretty quick yeah where again a one or two point difference on the mortgage with everything i'm just talking about becomes irrelevant yeah but 248 a month Looking at everything I just said.
SPEAKER 17 :
And you're walking over thousands to save the $240,000.
SPEAKER 03 :
In some cases, tens or hundreds of thousands.
SPEAKER 17 :
There's some loan programs out that even make that program even better for you, especially now.
SPEAKER 03 :
We'll talk about that in a moment. We'll come back and do that. High-five plumbing and electrical. Again, as we head into this storm this weekend, coming in tomorrow afternoon, make sure you're dialed in with your home. High-five can do that for you. Even if you have problems during the storm, give them a call, 877-WE-HIGH-FIVE.
SPEAKER 04 :
I-5 Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electric can install a tankless water heater as soon as today. Tankless water heaters are preferred to tank heaters because they heat the water as you use it, meaning you'll never run out of hot water again. Tankless water heaters also save you money on energy costs because you're not constantly heating up that big tank. And because they are so efficient, you will save more money in the long run. High Five customers also enjoy tankless heaters because they take up less physical space in your utility closet or laundry room. These tankless heaters can even add to your home's resale value. In addition to all these benefits, you can receive incentives and rebates of up to $3,200 from Uncle Sam, so it pays for itself. Find out more about tankless water heaters on the klzradio.com advertisers page and get in touch with High Five for answers to your home questions today.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right. Insurance is a big deal. We talk a lot about it with the fires that have happened in California. Make sure you're properly insured. Talk to group insurance analysts today. That's e-gia.com.
SPEAKER 09 :
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 Linegro 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 03 :
All right, Cub Creek, where if you've got furnace problems this weekend as well, please keep them handy as far as a... Somebody to call or if you need something, and you can do that by going to klzradio.com. Get that number written down. Have that in your phone because if you have any issues at all, Hunter needs to be your first call. Cub Creek Heating and Air. Find them at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 07 :
Cub Creek Heating and AC are your go-to for a second opinion any time you need to get HVAC work done at your home. Rheem Certified Pro Partners Cub Creek Heating and AC are used to people calling them after they received another bid that was too high. Hunter prides himself on his honesty and will guarantee that you receive a fair quote with your service. Hunter will also be there to evaluate your issues, and he'll explain clearly exactly what he finds so you're educated in what the problem is. He can even give you an accurate estimate of how long your current system will last. And if Cub Creek can't come in lower than your first quote, he'll tell you that too. Hunter has a genuine interest in making sure that you don't get taken advantage of. So if you need work done on your heating or AC, call Cub Creek before you sign for that job with another company. You can find Cub Creek on the KLZRadio.com advertisers page.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, Kevin Flesch, if you need help civilly speaking or criminally speaking, Kevin is my attorney, by the way. He'd love to help you out as well. Give Kevin a call today, 303-806-8886.
SPEAKER 12 :
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 06 :
Back to Lush to Reason, presented by High Five Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electric, where every call ends with a high five.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, we are back. Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Kurt Rogers with us, Affordable Interest Mortgage. Kurt, one thing we don't ever talk much about, and people have aspirations. I'm not one of these, by the way. As much as I would love to build a custom home and do everything the way you want versus the way somebody else wanted, I've just never had the time or patience or wherewithal to go through all of that. You know, go find the lot. Get an architect. Figure out what home you want to build. Go through all the rigmarole of doing it. Be on site every day while they're building it. It's a lot of effort that has to go into it. Now, with that being said, just because I don't want to do it doesn't mean somebody out there listening doesn't want to. And for a lot of people, it's a dream. It is that last kind of forever home thing we were just talking about a moment ago. They've done well. They've been able to accomplish the things they want to do. And they want to build their last home and retire in that and live in it. until they die kind of a thing. How does that work if they decide that they want to go out and make that happen? Walk us through the steps in making that happen.
SPEAKER 17 :
They want to just buy their forever home.
SPEAKER 03 :
Build it. They want to start from scratch. They want to go buy a lot and build one.
SPEAKER 17 :
Okay. My first recommendation is there's two processes. First, go buy the land.
SPEAKER 19 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 17 :
If you buy the land and the house being built at the same time, the bank's going to loan you roughly 80%, 90% of the two numbers combined.
SPEAKER 19 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 17 :
So let's say the house is $700,000 and the land's $300,000. Okay. They're going to give you 80% of a million dollars. You're good. So $800,000. So now you turn around and you go out and buy the land first for $300,000. Then you have the house done at $700,000. So when you take that loan to the lender, they're going to put the two together and value the two together because you own the land first.
SPEAKER 03 :
Because it's free and clear and you already own it.
SPEAKER 17 :
At $1.2 million, they'll loan you $1 million. So technically, you get 100% financing. If you own the land first, you're getting a construction of perm loan on the property that you already own. And it gives you basically your down payment for the land. It takes care of everything for you.
SPEAKER 03 :
Now, walk us through how the construction loan end of things works, because in some cases it may take a full year or longer to even get everything built out. How does that part of it work?
SPEAKER 17 :
Normally what happens when you're putting a construction to perm loan together, you're going to get a line item from the builder as to what it is. The lender's going to verify who the builder is, that they're legitimate, they've got insurance to cover it. They're going to give them a time frame of how long it's going to take. The lender will, in most cases, add six months to that, sometimes 12 if you need it.
SPEAKER 03 :
So if it's a 12-month deal that the builder says, the bank says, no, it's 18. It's 18.
SPEAKER 17 :
They'll go to as much as 18. So let's say you're borrowing the $700,000. and you've all approved for it, what's going to happen, they're going to say at the beginning, the builder's going to come up and say, I need $100,000 to pour to the basement.
SPEAKER 03 :
Get the foundation and everything in.
SPEAKER 17 :
So the lender's going to give you $100,000, and your payment is calculated on that $100,000.
SPEAKER 03 :
Whatever's outstanding.
SPEAKER 17 :
Whatever the rate is, interest only.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 17 :
So that's the payment you're making on the property as it goes along.
SPEAKER 03 :
So you're going to be able to cash flow that plus whatever else you've got going on with your current home.
SPEAKER 17 :
That's correct.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 17 :
And as that goes on, that keeps continuing to go forward. So you take 100, then you come back, take another 100 for this. And at each level... They're called draws, right? They're called draws.
SPEAKER 19 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 17 :
And at each level, as you go through these... the lender's going to have it inspected to make sure that that portion's done to go forward.
SPEAKER 03 :
Before they give you any more money.
SPEAKER 17 :
Right.
SPEAKER 03 :
So, you know, we're going to go through the foundation part, and then we're going to frame it and make sure that everything's got the roof and so on, and that's another stage. And then we do electrical or plumbing or whatever. And every stage where we're writing big checks, they come in to make sure things are handled.
SPEAKER 17 :
That's correct.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 17 :
So as that process goes forward, those payments are accumulating. Then at the end of that, you have what's known as the takeout loan. That will normally start at about 45 to 60 days prior to completion.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay. That's going to be the loan that ultimately pays everything off and we make a mortgage payment. Correct. Okay.
SPEAKER 17 :
Because you don't want to get a permanent loan at the beginning of a construction, a permanent loan.
SPEAKER 03 :
Too many variables, right?
SPEAKER 17 :
Way too many variables. You're locking in yourself when you shouldn't do that.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 17 :
All the lenders that do construction to perms, they will override everything by 10%. So if you tell them $700,000, they're going to give you a loan for $770,000. Okay. Because they know overrides are coming.
SPEAKER 03 :
The contingencies and so on are there. They know they're coming. Got it. Okay.
SPEAKER 17 :
So that's how the process works.
SPEAKER 03 :
So in that whole process, and I'm guessing it comes down to you, your finances and timing, when do you sell your home? In that scenario.
SPEAKER 17 :
Most people that I have found that do this, they may in turn as they start, some will just decide to rent, sell the home, take the cash and move forward.
SPEAKER 19 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 17 :
If they rent their house out, they're collecting rent for their house so they don't have that debt so they qualify for more.
SPEAKER 19 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 17 :
That's what some people will do. Okay. The other people will just decide that they'll put it up for sale 60 days to give themselves room. Okay. With the time saying, we want to close on this date because that's when my house is going to be done.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay, and that's where things can get a little tricky, right? Because the builder has to make sure they actually get done in time, and you're selling your home, and you're going to move out, yet you need a place to go, and, and, and. We call it the two-step. This is where some people go live with relatives for a little while.
SPEAKER 17 :
It's the country two-step.
SPEAKER 03 :
Am I right? That's it. In some cases.
SPEAKER 17 :
Move in with someone.
SPEAKER 03 :
You need to move in with mom and dad for a month while your house is getting finished because it was supposed to be done a month ago, and now it's not.
SPEAKER 17 :
Well, my son did that. He moved to Tomball, Texas, and the house wasn't finished, so he lived in an Airbnb for the last 30 days before it could get finished.
SPEAKER 03 :
There are ways around that. There are ways around it. You just got to figure out how to get your stuff stored and handled and so on.
SPEAKER 17 :
Put it in one of those big trailers.
SPEAKER 03 :
Whatever they're called. He was fine. Pots. Yeah, thank you, the pots. So there's ways to work all of that, but... Now, how does the qualifying of all of that work? So if there's somebody out there listening thinking, you know, that doesn't sound like a bad deal. Maybe I will work this out to where over the next year I'll build a house because by the time the house is done, the rates may actually come down, which, by the way, they may get you permanent financing at a lot less rate. How does the qualifying of all of that work?
SPEAKER 17 :
In most cases, they're going to count both payments against you. So your ratios need to be... You got to have all your ducks in a row. You got to have all your ducks in a row.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 17 :
Now, a lot of banks will look at the payment that you're making on that. It won't count that because they own the land. They're already leveraged on the whole project.
SPEAKER 19 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 17 :
That's why they're giving you 80% of because they know the future value of the home.
SPEAKER 19 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 17 :
Oh, you have to qualify for both. I was going to say, so there's... It's like a customer going out to buy a new build. They're driving an area and there's these new builds over here. They have to qualify for both unless they qualify for, by the time it's finished and my first payments are due on this new house, I got to sell this one.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay. So they can force you to rent or sell the house. A little dance that has to go on with some of this.
SPEAKER 17 :
Yeah, it's two-step, we call it.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay. Okay. So for some of you listening, there are options on that. And keep in mind, we're at a point in time right now to where for you it would work. And again, one thing you have to remember, this is the one thing that I don't think a lot of people do think through. And you can see different testimonials on this and so on. And I've got even family members that I know have done this before. You have to have time, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that. Yes, I know you're going to hire a general contractor. Yes, I know they say they're going to be on site every day making sure everything's all dialed in for you. But believe me, you're going to want to look at that home site, if not daily, every other day. To make sure that everything is going the way that you wanted it to go and nobody has made any mistakes. Nobody's read a plan wrong. Because keep in mind, you designed the home. You got together with an architect and an engineer and you had all that stuff dialed in. So you know it inside and out. The guy framing it, by the way, doesn't.
SPEAKER 04 :
Correct.
SPEAKER 03 :
The guy running the electrical doesn't. The guy doing the plumbing doesn't. You do. They don't. Meaning, Kurt, as you know, you pretty much have to be maybe not on site the entire day while they're all working, but you better be rolling in and checking on what's going on periodically or something's going to probably get screwed up. And that's nothing against the GCs. It's just how it is.
SPEAKER 17 :
Not at all. I grew up in the construction business as a laborer with my dad who had a company. So when I had my first home built, I learned something really quick. In the morning, I'd drive by, say hi to the guys working. I'd set two six-packs of beer down. At night at 4.30, I'd come by and I'd have another two six-packs. And I'd just have conversation with them.
SPEAKER 19 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 17 :
When I had questions, they were more than likely to answer my questions. They were very friendly. Makes sense. When I wanted to make alterations and say, what about, they said, we got it. Okay. So I was able to help get the house more in my line. And all I did was bring my couple six-pack of beer. Point being, though, you had to. I treated them with respect.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, and point being, though, you still went by.
SPEAKER 17 :
Yeah, I went by every day. I wanted to see it.
SPEAKER 20 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 17 :
Because I wanted to see it.
SPEAKER 03 :
But my point on that is, for people that have ever thought of building homes, just my advice. make sure you have enough spare time to do the things that Kurt and I just mentioned, because if you don't, I hate to say this, something's going to happen. You're not going to be happy. There's going to be a lot of finger pointing that goes on as to why something turned out the way that it did. And ultimately you're going to be left holding the bag because you weren't there to check on what's going on. And yeah, you might be able to fix it and take care of it, but that's a headache you don't want.
SPEAKER 17 :
Well, when you walk in a house that's just been framed, you can see gaps in the studs on the floor and bad studs in the wall. You get to see that. Once they put up the plaster, you're done. The drywall, you're done. So going by is very important. How are they hanging that door? How's that window looking? Did the concrete be broke underneath?
SPEAKER 03 :
There's things you get to see. That's right. And, again, this is nothing against the general contractors out there and so on. You may be one of them listening, and some of you may be listening, shaking your head or nodding your head, agreeing with us, realizing that, yeah, there's something about the homeowner being by and looking at things because they know exactly what they want versus all of us interpreting a set of plans and communication and so on and knowing what we want. Now, I also will say this. Let me throw this in. Also, don't be that person that makes a change every day. No. Nobody wants that. No. They're going to hate you.
SPEAKER 17 :
No. I actually had a customer who was having one done, and because he went by, he kept looking at lot lines and where things was. And he told me, he says, you're pouring this slab into their property. It shouldn't be this far.
SPEAKER 19 :
That's not correct.
SPEAKER 17 :
And after a week, they finally came back and said they realized, and they had the whole layout of the house off by four inches. They shifted it. So he had to make some alterations, but he caught it early enough to where it wasn't a problem.
SPEAKER 03 :
I had a track house getting built once on a track house. Yeah. Did that, and it was a major ordeal to get all of that dialed back in and straightened out because in my case, they didn't re-pour the foundation and everything. They went and adjusted the lot lines, which meant they had to go back through city-county approval and all sorts of things to get that changed around, and it was a major hassle. And when I first looked at it, they looked at me like, oh, no, that can't be. I'm like, it's off. I can look at the pins. I can run a string right now and tell you that it's off.
SPEAKER 17 :
I got a tape measure.
SPEAKER 03 :
I know how that works. Sure enough, and the point being, if you've ever thought of doing that, and Kirk can help you through this whole process, as you can tell, he's familiar with how all of this works, and he can help you with that. Just make sure you've got enough time set aside to where you can make all that happen. Somebody, somebody in the family, you, spouse, somebody has to be able to be going by there on a daily basis.
SPEAKER 17 :
Let them know that you care about what they're doing to your house.
SPEAKER 03 :
If you can do that, great, more power to you. All right, let's close out with self-employed, given it's this time of the year where folks are going to be looking at doing taxes and year-end stuff and all of that. And this is where, again, there's another quote-unquote dance that goes on when it comes to being self-employed and what you do tax-wise, what you pay versus what you write off and so on. And there's a line there. To where, you know, the accountant will tell you, yeah, write all this stuff off, you know, depreciate all these things off and don't owe any taxes. Well, that may be great. Might be legal, all fine and dandy. But now you go to get with Kurt to try to do something on a mortgage and you might have just taken yourself out of the running for that. Am I right, Kurt?
SPEAKER 17 :
Yeah, what I'm about to say is that I agree with, but this is how lenders look at it. They're a risk-based lender, so they're looking at what past history has done. When you're filling out your taxes as self-employed, they're going to look at basically the first page, the bottom line is what you're going to pay taxes on. The lower that number is, that's your income. That's what they look at. There are some exceptions to that rule. You may have in there depreciation that you're writing down, depending on how you're doing it. But the depreciation you can add back in as income. You may have a major expense. You may have had to go out and buy a $30,000 machine to help you through the year. That can get put back in. But if you're just doing your taxes the normal way, what that line is on the first page is what they're going to count as income. They don't care you made $800,000 and your net's 50. They're going to give you 50. Right. Now, in that $800,000, are you paying yourself for salary? We have a mutual customer. His company makes money, but he pays himself for salary. So I get that.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, you can take that and add that in. Absolutely.
SPEAKER 17 :
And I get to add that back in, plus his depreciation, plus the fact that his company is paying for some of his vehicles, for his health care. Those are things that can be added back. I get to add them back in. They don't get charged against you. But knowing those things before you get out there, if you're wanting to buy a house and it's an $800,000, $900,000 house, you better start wanting to make $100,000, $150,000 to qualify on that bottom line.
SPEAKER 03 :
Right. If not, you probably are not going to get it done.
SPEAKER 17 :
And if you don't, there's alternatives to it, but they then become a higher risk to the bank, which means the rate goes up, which means the payment goes up.
SPEAKER 03 :
They're not as friendly of a loan. Let's say it that way.
SPEAKER 17 :
Is that right? Yeah, there's a lot more paperwork and issues with those.
SPEAKER 03 :
And those of you that are self-employed, you know some of what we're talking about. Here's another little tip for you as well. Some of you that may be thinking about being self-employed, which, by the way, is great. I coach other businesses. I've been self-employed since I was very young. I enjoy it. I don't think I could work for anybody else. I enjoy that aspect of things. But what I will tell you, and I've consulted others on this, if there's anything you've thought of doing mortgage-wise especially, not car alone, but mortgage-wise, and you're thinking about starting a business, Get all of your mortgage stuff handled now while you're a W-2 employee because otherwise you're waiting at least two years to do anything on a mortgage being self-employed, meaning that you're not doing anything. If you've thought about moving or anything along those lines, when you pull the trigger, become self-employed and no longer have W-2 income, It's a two-year process before you can apply for anything. Am I right, Kurt?
SPEAKER 17 :
You are correct. One of the other things I know is coming this year because the last couple of years has been very profitable for self-employed. They are going to look at your gross on the last two years. And they're going to average them out. They're going to look at your net. They're going to look at your expenses. If you've had a depreciation or a decline in income of over 20%, you've almost made it impossible because the way the lenders look at it, this isn't me, the way the lenders look at it is that your business is declining. You may not be in business anymore. We're not going to loan you money. They just will just turn you down. They don't care.
SPEAKER 03 :
My suggestion for those of you that are self-employed, if you're thinking about doing anything mortgage-wise in the next 12 to 24 months, yes, and I'll explain what I mean by that quickly, even 12 to 24 months because they go back X amount of years on these things. So my point is if you're looking at doing anything, before you do your taxes, have a sit-down conversation with Kurt on hair. Here's where we're going to have to be to make all of this work, and then take that information to your accountant saying, this is what I need to make sure I can get done tax-wise to make sure I qualify for the things I need to do in the next 12 to 18 months.
SPEAKER 17 :
You give me the practice copy of the tax return, and I'll say this is what it shows. This will only allow you to have this much payment.
SPEAKER 03 :
And my point is you may need to slow some things down depreciation wise or whatever to make everything work out at the end of the day to make Kurt be able to get you qualified. That's my point.
SPEAKER 17 :
There are loans available, but your best loan.
SPEAKER 03 :
There you go.
SPEAKER 17 :
That's what this works for. There's other ways as self-employed to get it, but you're going to pay a higher rate to make that happen.
SPEAKER 03 :
Disclaimers.
SPEAKER 17 :
NMLS 217147 regulated by door equal credit lender.
SPEAKER 03 :
Kurt, love you. Appreciate it. 720-895-0500 is how you get a hold of Kurt. Dr. Scott's our doctor. He's mine. He'd love to help you and have you as his patient. Give Dr. Scott a call today, and he'll take great care of you. 303-663-6990.
SPEAKER 15 :
Are you tired of crisis care and instead want true health care? Do you want to improve your overall fitness and beauty? Do you have a chronic medical condition that no one has taken the time to understand? Are you trying to meet a health or weight goal? Or maybe you're just looking for a great doctor who thinks the way you do. Dr. Scott is a board certified internal medicine specialist, bringing decades of experience and expertise to the table. Dr. Scott is a true advocate of the latest advancements in health care. That's why he uses umbilical derived stem cells, which have been clinically proven to be the most potent stem cells available. Worried about being lost in the crowd of impersonal health care? Fear not. Dr. Scott is a big picture doctor, not beholden to big pharma or big insurance like some other providers. He takes the time to understand your unique needs and will customize your health care to fit you, your body, and your lifestyle. Reach your full potential and achieve your goals. Call Dr. Scott today at 303-663-6990 or visit him online at castlerockregenerativehealth.com or find him at rushtoreason.com. Dr. Scott Faulkner and Castle Rock Regenerative Health Care is your path to a healthier tomorrow.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, don't forget jimmyandandrew.com. That's the place to buy the book, Adventures of Jimmy and Andrew, 10% off, use code KLZ.
SPEAKER 14 :
American Stonehenge by Mike Goldstein is more than just a children's book. It's a way to connect with the children in your life and encourage them to read to you and for themselves. When Mike Goldstein started writing American Stonehenge, he went after a specific problem. Children today don't think for themselves, and test scores nationwide show that. American Stonehenge is gorgeously put together, so it'll draw their attention. It's filled with action. The prose flows as smooth as sand through an hourglass. And it's historically accurate from the stories and the illustrations. But it's also a portal to quality time with children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. It's a way to connect with them while tacitly teaching them the importance of critical thought and giving them a break from scrolling in their free time. Find American Stonehenge on klzradio.com and bring your family together this holiday season.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, Al Smith, we've talked a lot about houses, mortgages, things like that. Make sure all that is dialed in when it comes to your future financial plans, and Al can help you with all of that. Al Smith, Golden Eagle Financial, klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 11 :
waiting to invest in your retirement can cost you exponentially but al smith of golden eagle financial can help get you started investing now when you invest early your money has more time to grow as the interest you earn begins to generate its own interest over the years al smith knows that even a small delay can lead to a dramatic difference in the total amount accumulated and every day you wait means you're missing even more opportunity Starting to save even a few years earlier could mean the difference of hundreds of thousands by the time you enter retirement, even if the same amount is contributed annually. The longer you wait, the more you miss out on the compounding effect of time, making it much harder to catch up. Let Al Smith of Golden Eagle Financial help you today by contacting him on the klzradio.com advertisers page. Investment advisory services offered through Brookstone Capital Management LLC, a 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 to individually licensed and appointed agents.
SPEAKER 16 :
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 08 :
It's time to leave your safe space. This is Rush to Reason on KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, got about a minute or so left here of today's program. And again, reminding you all of the snow and the cold weather coming in this weekend. Make sure you've got everything all dialed in. Of course, we're still going to be on air tomorrow live. I'll be here live Saturday morning as well. Rest assured, I never have any problems getting around. So we'll be here on Saturday morning as well to help out with anything that might come up. And don't forget all of the different partners we have when it comes to the cold weather stuff, whether it's your car, your home, whatever it is, we've got you covered there as well. So don't forget, you can go right to klzradio.com and find all of our partners there, or rushtoreason.com and also find them there. One last thing on Kurt, by the way, 720-895-0500. I cannot stress enough, those of you that are self-employed, and or thinking about being self-employed. I will tell you right now, straight up, I have dealt with a lot of different mortgage brokers over the years. Again, I've been self-employed since 1986, and I will tell you that of all of the individuals I have used over all of those years, nobody comes close to understanding how that side of it works outside of Kurt and I mean that sincerely known him now for 10 plus years and he is the guy when it comes to self-employed individuals and there's a lot of brokerages you know brokers out there like Kurt that frankly will not even talk to you if you're self-employed. So please keep that number handy if you're self-employed and Kurt's there to help you with all of your mortgage needs. 720-895-0500. This is Rush to Reason. Guys, be safe. Have a great night. KLZ 560.
Join us as we explore the anticipated political shift in Washington and the implications for the US-Israel relationship. Our discussion covers the roles of different players in the new administration and their potential impact on the region's stability. With a focus on faith, leadership, and community efforts, we highlight the unwavering commitment to supporting Israel amid global challenges and upcoming transitions.
SPEAKER 16 :
He's the happy conservative warrior. From the Relief Factor Studios, here's Mike Dillard.
SPEAKER 03 :
It's always very difficult to put yourself in the shoes of people who have loved ones who are held hostage by terrorists. It's always impossible to try to imagine the anguish that these families of the Gaza hostages are experiencing. I cannot even begin to try to comprehend what they're going through. Last night, Joe Biden... painted a very grim vision of America in his so-called farewell address, desperately trying to take credit for the potential ceasefire. There's still – look, until those hostages are home, there's a lot of work to be done. But it seems – that there is reason for cautious optimism that there's going to be a ceasefire and the hostages are finally going to come home. You know, last night I was talking to the team about who would be great to get an Israeli perspective. on what's happening over there. And Yael Eckstein came to mind. And one of the great blessings of my life has been to get to know her and work with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You've seen their commercials. I'm sure you've heard me talk about them. And I so appreciate Yael and this great, great organization, rushing supplies, taking care of people in Israel in a way that no other organization can. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, a coalition of people coming together to bless the Holy Land. So what an honor it is to welcome back the great Yael Eckstein to the Mike Gallagher Show, who is about to board for back to go back to Israel, right, Yael?
SPEAKER 12 :
Yes, good morning, Shalom, and thank you so much for having me, Mike.
SPEAKER 03 :
Great to have you back. And last time I saw you, we were having lunch at a nice little cafe in, were we in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem?
SPEAKER 12 :
Jerusalem, yeah, yeah. I still have that picture on my desk.
SPEAKER 03 :
I've got that picture on my desk, too, in fact. It's funny you should say that. Yael, let's get, first of all, the reaction of people right now in Israel to this news. I know there's a lot of trepidation. Bibi is saying, look, we're negotiating with terrorists here. They're pulling some last-minute shenanigans. Are people cautiously optimistic, too, or are they skeptical? What are the people of Israel saying about this potential deal?
SPEAKER 12 :
I think the people of Israel and maybe the whole world who cherishes life and values freedom are holding two polar opposite emotions. On one hand, we are waiting with bated breath to see those hostages walk over the border from the baby Bebas brothers, those beautiful redhead kids, one year old and three year old who were stolen from their bed over 15 months ago. to see them back in Israel. We don't know if they're dead or alive, but to get closure on that, to bring them home. Just last week, Hamas released a sign of life video of a hostage 19-year-old girl named Liri, and she was wearing a dog collar around her neck. Can you imagine her parents seeing that? For 15 months, she's been abused, raped, being treated like a dog, that on one hand, we need to get these hostages home. And we'll do it at a very, very difficult price because we value life and we look at life as holy and sacred. Every life is worth anything in order to just free them. But on the other hand, when you're freeing terrorists with blood on their hand in order to get back your children, it's a very difficult compromise. We're releasing killers and terrorists, and we know that they go on, Mike, to do terror once again. The head and mastermind of October 7th, the IS Noir, he wasn't in an Israeli jail. He was released in a hostage exchange, and he went on to October 7th. So it's very difficult. But I think the second we will see those hostages' faces, every single person who values life, who cherishes freedom, will be crying tears of joy.
SPEAKER 03 :
In a couple of days, we're taking the show to Washington, D.C. for the 47th president's inauguration. There's a new sheriff in town. I think Israel is going to be treated a lot differently by the Trump administration than the Biden administration. Of course, I don't want to bring into the political battles here, but I do want to share with you what the likely incoming secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, said about the way the Trump administration will support Hamas.
SPEAKER 09 :
I am a Christian and I robustly support the state of Israel and its existential defense and the way America comes alongside them is a great. Thank you.
SPEAKER 11 :
Because another one, another protester, and I think this one was a member of Code Pink, which, by the way, is a Chinese communist front group these days, said that you support Israel's war in Gaza. I support Israel's existential war in Gaza. I assume like me and President Trump, you support that war as well, don't you?
SPEAKER 09 :
Senator, I do. I support Israel destroying and killing every last member of Hamas.
SPEAKER 03 :
You know, Yael, a lot of people just don't seem to understand the existential threat that Israel continually faces. I've always wondered how do you negotiate with people who want to obliterate you? You know, Israel doesn't want to kill anybody. Israel wants to be left alone.
SPEAKER 12 :
Israel is the size of New Jersey with 10 million citizens, and we are being attacked on seven fronts, all of them sponsored by Iran. And they're on our border. And so we have, of course, Hamas in the Gaza Strip. We have Hezbollah in Lebanon. We're being attacked by Syria. We're being attacked by Iran directly, by, of course, the Houthis in Yemen. It is the grace of God that Israel is still standing right now. But we are in a war for our survival. And so even after we get the hostages back, God willing, may it be very soon and may they be in good health. Amen. But even after we get them back, we have to make sure exactly what the Trump administration is already saying. Now, Hamas and other terror groups cannot rearm and we cannot allow another situation like we saw leading up to October 7th, that Israel is surrounded by Iranian proxies who want to wipe Israel off the map. And then in a snap of a finger, God forbid, they could do it. So it's very encouraging to see the moral clarity, may I say, of the administration coming in. And I also want to stress that in the previous administration, they have done some incredible things for Israel as well. Israel is America's ally, and we are there to protect American values, to protect American troops that are based in the Middle East. And the threat that Israel is facing right now on Israel's soil is a threat that if we don't fight it in Israel, it will get to American soil, just like what we saw happen on New Year's Eve, 15 innocent people killed by an ISIS sympathizer. We're fighting this war together, and it is so inspiring, calming, nice to see that the administration realizes that.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, nobody brings Christians and Jews together, and frankly the United States and Israel together, better than the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. You are a blessing, and I cannot stress enough how— Honored and blessed, I feel, to be a part of advocating for you. I hope everybody goes to ifcj.org because this is an organization that deserves our support. I love this. I love the work you do, Yael. You know that. And your team is second to none. And look, I'm excited. I can't spill the beans yet. But suffice to say, we're working behind the scenes feverishly right now because it's my goal. to bring the Mike Gallagher show back to Israel, back to the Holy Land on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks in October. And I think we're going to have an opportunity to not only be there on behalf of the IFCJ, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, but also bring a group of listeners with us. And I'm thrilled to tell everybody to keep your heads up on that. Yael, more to come. It's great seeing you. I know you had to make some time for us before you board your plane for Israel. Safe travels, shalom, and keep fighting the good fight.
SPEAKER 12 :
Thank you so much, my friend. And until you get there on October 7th, where you could feed the hungry, clothe the naked and shelter the poor, we will be there on your behalf, on behalf of millions of Christians and Jews in America who say, I stand with Israel. I'm going to bless Israel and the Jewish people, be the watchman on the walls. And it is our greatest honor at the fellowship to be your voice on the ground. And I can't wait to greet you there.
SPEAKER 03 :
And you can do it. Everyone can get involved. IFCJ.com, IFCJ, excuse me, IFCJ.org, IFCJ.org. Thanks, Yael. Hey, I know the phrase next year Jerusalem, maybe this year Jerusalem, okay?
SPEAKER 12 :
Amen. Can't wait.
SPEAKER 03 :
Thanks, Yael. Yael Eckstein from the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. More coming up. We've got a lot to, look, I got, I didn't want to get angry at Joe Biden last night, but I couldn't help myself. And boy, am I proud of Pam Bondi. We'll get your take on all of it coming up.
SPEAKER 16 :
One big tragedy.
SPEAKER 03 :
I want to welcome some brand new partners to the Mike Gallagher Show, like Equity Protect. And this is a big, big deal. Your home's title is often the most valuable thing you own. Next generation criminal technology is more advanced than ever. I've been an identity theft victim. It is no fun. You got to have Equity Protect in your corner. If you own your home mortgage-free or you got a lot of equity, you got to have Equity Protect so that scammers do not steal your equity or title. For a limited time, Equity Protect is offering you a tremendous deal, 30% off your first year, giving you one year of protection for less than $12 a month. Just go to equityprotect.com. Use the discount code Mike30. That's equityprotect.com. Use the promo code Mike30. Once you have Equity Protect, you don't need to check. Trust the team at Equity Protect. Go to equityprotect.com and use the promo code Mike30.
SPEAKER 16 :
He's the happy conservative warrior. From the Relief Factor Studios, here's Mike Geller.
SPEAKER 03 :
There's honestly nothing you could do to me to ruin my good mood. I can't believe how great things are going right now. I mean, we're four days away from a brand new Washington, D.C. And it's going to be wild because it's going to be different. Big time. When I watched Pam Bondi... swat away, pesky little pencil neck Adam Schiff, when I saw Pete Hegseth standing up to stolen valor Blumenthal, when I witnessed Marco Rubio and his confirmation hearing testimony, I realized this is a whole different ballgame from 2016. Look, let's be real for a minute. 2016, you had a guy who was the long shot of long shots. A guy who came down the golden escalator promising to secure our borders, to restore love of country and law and order, and respect to the United States of America. That was 2016. This is going to sound disrespectful, You know me well enough to know that this isn't how I mean it. But he didn't know what he was doing. That was the Mr. Smith goes to Washington story. You think he knew Washington, D.C.? I think even in some of his more candid moments, President Trump admits that. He didn't know. He didn't know the swamp. He didn't know the deep state. Well, he knows them now. And the people he is selecting are stellar. They're loyal. They're America first. They are duty bound to America's sovereignty. And it is a whole different ballgame. I can't even burden you or me with listening to Grandpa Joe's farewell address last night. It was bitter. It was pitiful. I think it was Chris Stegall, our new morning guy on a lot of stations around the country, who said there was a real risk of a dentures emergency. Chris was afraid his teeth were going to pop out halfway through the speech. I mean, it was awful. Mumbling. There were allegations that it wasn't even live because they don't trust him to give a live address. But, you know, we're almost done. Karine Jean-Pierre, she's up there crying yesterday. Oh, it's been an honor of a lifetime. Horrible. Binders is gone. Four days away. We got a whole new cast of characters and a level of leadership that this country craves. Craves. This Pam Bondi? For an attorney general, do you want to know what kind of attorney general we're going to have in the United States of America? Bye-bye, Merrick Garland.
SPEAKER 01 :
Hello, Pam Bondi. Do you have the independence to say that? Do you have the gravitas, the stature, the intestinal fortitude to say, Donald Trump, you lost the 2020 election? Can you tell us that here today?
SPEAKER 02 :
Senator, what I can tell you is I will never play politics. You're trying to engage me in a gotcha. I won't do it. I won't play politics with any ongoing investigation like you did leaking your colleague Devin Nunes' memo. Senator Hirono, I wish you had met with me. Had you met with me, we could have discussed many things and gotten to know you.
SPEAKER 01 :
I am listening to you now. Could you respond?
SPEAKER 02 :
to the question. Yeah, you were the only one who refused to meet with me, Senator. But what we would have discussed is that it is the job of the Attorney General to follow the law.
SPEAKER 13 :
I'm very happy to listen to your responses. It would not be appropriate for a prosecutor to start with a name and look for a crime. It's a prosecutor's job to start with a crime and look for a name, correct?
SPEAKER 02 :
Senator, I think that is the whole problem with the weaponization that we have seen the last four years and what's been happening to Donald Trump. They targeted Donald Trump. They went after him. Actually, starting back in 2016, they targeted his campaign. They have launched countless investigations against him. That will not be the case if I am attorney general. Going after parents at a school board meeting has got to stop. For practicing your religion, sending informants in to Catholic churches must stop. If confirmed, I will do everything in my power, and it will be my great responsibility to make America safe again.
SPEAKER 03 :
Wow. How about that for an attorney general? Look, when Sheldon Whitehouse from Rhode Island said, you would agree it's not the role of a prosecutor? to identify an individual and then find a crime, I swear I almost fell right off the couch and rolled around on the floor laughing hysterically for 15 minutes considering what they did to Donald Trump. And I was praying she would say that, and she did. Oh, you mean what they did to Trump? You mean when Alvin Bragg and Fannie Willis and Merrick Garland and Jack Smith, all of these scoundrels, you mean the way they said, let's stop Trump? That's our guy. Now let's find a crime. Let's find some crackpot magazine columnist claimed that 100 years ago he groped her in a dressing room in a New York City department store. Yeah, let's do that. Let's find some business records that... were miscategorized or whatever, if it was a crime, it would have been a misdemeanor. It expired because of the statute of limitations. But now let's turn that into 34 felonies and get a bunch of New York stooge jurors to find him guilty. Well, let's get a bunch of New York City Trump haters to go in there and say, yeah, guilty of all 34 counts. Is that what you mean, Sheldon Whitehouse? My gosh, these people have nerve. He had that question prepared in advance. Like nobody would be watching. Nobody would notice. Wait a minute. You've got the audacity to say that? You agree it's a bad idea to have a prosecutor identify a... Can you isolate that when we come back, Christian? I want that little blip of that... clown Sheldon Whitehouse having the gall, the nerve, the temerity to say to Pam Bondi, now it's a bad idea for prosecutors to identify a person and then try to find the crime. I couldn't believe it. My whole apartment building shook when I screamed at that moment. I could not believe my eyes, my ears. Like Kurt Schlichter says, these Democrats have no bottom. There's no low they won't go. 800-655-MIKE. I am so happy. Gosh, I'm in such a good mood right now. And we've got great things coming in 2025. And, of course, this weekend we're off to Washington, D.C. Look, it's going to be cold, bitter cold. I'm a little worried about people who are going to be at the inauguration Monday. Joey Hudson and Peg Hudson and Phil Boyce and Diana and I, we're going to go to a couple of the inaugural balls. We've been invited to the South Carolina ball, and I can't wait. You going to be there? You've got to make time for us. I want to see you in person. Wait till you see my tux. I picked out a real tux tie. Now, I don't know how to tie it. Joey knows how to tie it. So he'll have to tie the tie for me. But I got a tie and a cummerbund from M.H. Frank in Clemson over the weekend where I shop. I try to get as many clothes as I can. I could spend days in that place and get lost. And one of the greatest men's clothing stores in America. It's right in downtown Clemson, South Carolina, M.H. Frank. And my buddy Jay always takes care of me. I love that place. And they had a cummerbund and tux tie. It's a black and white checked tie and cummerbund. And I got a great looking tuxedo with a red pocket square, a MAGA red pocket square. Got to have some red. And I got it all ready to go. Now I've got boots. I've got thermal socks. It's going to be 13 degrees outside. I mean, when people file into the inauguration on the steps of the Capitol Monday morning, it's going to be about 13, 14 degrees above zero. Hope it's not going to be windy, but look, we're going to bring it all to you. We might shiver a little bit. Well, look, announcer, narrator voice, I'll be in a warm, cozy studio. Joey's going to be out with the peeps. Well, I've got to anchor, you know. I've got to be in climate-controlled conditions. But that's going to be fun. So join us Monday, our inauguration coverage. We're going to carry it all, too, during the Mike Gallagher show. If you carry my show. Wherever you are in the country, Stations, we'll carry every bit of it on our show up until the moment Trump is inaugurated, kind of depending on what the time zone is. And I know we're on different time zones, but believe me, Stations, you know when I'm on. Don't worry. If we're on when the inauguration ceremony is on, we'll carry it all for you here on the Mike Gallagher Show. You won't miss a word. In the meantime, how happy are you right now? How encouraged are you? How thrilled are you with the likes of Pam Bondi and Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth, RFK Jr., Cash Patel? They might not all get confirmed, but I'll bet most of them will. Maybe all of them. Let me see what you think. 800-655-MIKE, 800-655-6453. Welcome in and join us. There's no better time than right now to call my friends at PhD Weight Loss and Nutrition to start your journey to a healthier you. As I hear from you about how PhD Weight Loss and Nutrition has changed your life, I know that each one of us has had our own reasons for starting. I started my journey because I gained enough weight and was ready to make a change. I sat down with Dr. Ashley Lucas, and like they say, the rest was history. I lost 53 pounds, and I've kept it off. We all have different reasons for starting. Maybe you got a discouraging diagnosis from your doctor. You needed to make a lifestyle change. One grandmother I talked to couldn't chase her toddler grandson and was afraid he might get hurt in her care. Another gentleman had lower back and hip pain which forced him to give up golf. He wanted his life back. You want your life back? Do what I did. Start the PhD journey. Make 2024 your year to say goodbye and let go of all those unwanted pounds. Call 864-644-1900, 864-644-1900, or just go to MyPhDWeightLoss.com, MyPhDWeightLoss.com. Mike Gallagher. I've been thinking a lot about Rush Limbaugh. His birthday would have been the other day. Roberta from Arkansas said, Rush must be smiling down from heaven. He always said they won't stop. Well, we've stopped them in their tracks. Shane in the upstate of South Carolina writes, Trump told Rush, Rush shared the story that Trump told him he thought that politics was a game and when he won, everyone would work with him. He was very surprised that the left went after him during his first term the way they did. Speaking of South Carolina, another text, Heidi and I will be there frozen. South Carolina. Hey, if you're going to be at the South Carolina ball, give me a call. I want to hear all about it because it's going to be at the Smithsonian. And we've got actually two inaugural balls that we're going to attend. And I'll do my best to take you with me here on the show in my new tux and cummerbund. Red Pocket Square. We're going to go to the Turning Point USA ball, Charlie Kirk's ball. That's going to be quite the shindig. And we think that the – I think the South Carolina ball – Joey hasn't told me yet. He was going to double-check this. But I think the South Carolina ball at the Smithsonian is at 7. And then the Turning Point USA ball starts at 8. So we're going to be quite the – it's like going to the big shindigs Gallagher and company just kind of tooling around. Frigid Washington, D.C. Those are the balls are Sunday night. And then, of course, the inauguration Monday. We are four days away from our great national nightmare coming to an end. Tracy's in Colorado Springs. How are you feeling, Tracy? Pretty good?
SPEAKER 17 :
I'm feeling great. Thank you. Me too. Me too.
SPEAKER 03 :
Let's talk a little bit about the saying goodbye to Biden and company, huh?
SPEAKER 17 :
Yes, sir. You know, today is the farewell to the commander-in-chief's party. Oh, is he having a party? Yeah, they're having a farewell to the commander-in-chief. It's going to be like a wake. It's going to be like a funeral. Yeah, and I have their theme song. Yes. And their theme song should be... Na, na, na, na. Na, na, na, na. Hey, hey, hey.
SPEAKER 03 :
You know, Eric, we need to come up with bumper music. I just got a text. Funny that guy said that. Thank you, sir, very much. It's a text from Washington State. Mike, you have the absolute best bumper music ever. Second to none. Love your show. Thanks, Washington. Eric, of course, has got a big... Picks the bumper music. Eric, come over here for a second. Let me get the operations manager, Eric Hansen, to the table. Because Monday from Washington, D.C., And look, Eric, I'm heartbroken that I won't be out in the 19-degree weather with Joey and Peg and Phil and Diana. Look, I hate that I'm going to have to sacrifice and be inside a warm studio. I'm sure it's killing you. It is. It's awful. But somebody's got to do it. Somebody's got to hold down the fort. But I'll be anchoring. We'll be at our bureau in D.C., actually in northern Virginia, right across the river. Right. But Joey's going to be broadcasting. In fact, let's get Joey on the show tomorrow, and it is Joey Hudson's birthday, so happy birthday, my brother from another mother. My business manager and director of our foundation, Joey Hudson, is enjoying a birthday today. Eric, what bumper... We've got to come up with a bunch of... Like, shouldn't we play a bunch of... Goodbye songs on Monday or should we be more positive and optimistic and do welcoming shows?
SPEAKER 14 :
If anything, we should be playing hello songs. We don't need to remember Joe Biden at all. We can just say hello. You know, good times are here.
SPEAKER 03 :
But doesn't it feel good to say goodbye?
SPEAKER 14 :
Well, it's certainly I certainly there's no way it could get any worse. So, I mean, it's it's very, very good to have Trump coming in. And, you know, Biden's got I think we got to play maybe a mix.
SPEAKER 03 :
Let's do a mix. Let's do a mix of goodbye songs. Bye bye, Democrats. Bye bye, Trump haters. And hello, Mr. Trump. Let's let President Trump. Let's come up with a list. We'll do it. Here's a text from North Carolina. Mike, just say it. Come out and say it. You're going to be balling. Sunday night. Yeah, I'm going to be balling. I'm going to go to all the inaugural balls that I know to. Christmas means giving, and for my money, Christmas means MyPillow. Make it a MyPillow Christmas for somebody on your list because the Christmas extravaganza is well underway. Because a big box retailer canceled an order, Mike Lindell has thousands of MyPillows to move. Well, he wants to pass the savings on to you, so check out this offer. You can order a standard classic MyPillow, and it's normally $49.98 for just $50. 1488 with promo code mike g limit of 10 this is the pillow that started it all the pillow that never goes flat stays nice and cool all through the night you can throw it in the washer in the dryer as often as you want you can get a classic standard my pillow for 1488 with promo code mike g a queen size normally 69.98 you'll get it for just 1888 with promo code mike g or a king size Normally $79.98. You can order it for $19.88 apiece. Limit $10, please, during Mike's incredible Christmas extravaganza from MyPillow.com. Look, if you haven't been to the site in a while, you can get all your Christmas shopping done by going to MyPillow.com. Look for the Mike Gallagher Specials Square. Click on that box, and then with any order you place, enter the promo code MikeG, and you'll save big. MyPillow.com. Promo code MikeG. MyPillow.com. Promo code MikeG. or call 800-928-6034, 800-928-6034. It's the Christmas extravaganza sale going on right now at MyPillow.
SPEAKER 16 :
Mike Gallagher. Every day, Mike visits with Mark Davis, morning host on 660 AM, The Answer in Dallas. Here's today's Eminem experience.
SPEAKER 03 :
Hey, how about a scam? And I love listening to you, and I heard you say, oh, Lord, when Grandpa Joe, who... Our new morning host before you, Chris DeGaulle, captured it perfectly. There was a big concern that his teeth were going to fall out of his head any moment last night. I mean, it was bad. Mumbles and mumbling and stammering. And it sounded like he did have a denture malfunction. But he did the crap about, all I wanted for the people to pay the fair share. You know... I get so mad at that because I would love once and for all for somebody to tell me what that means. Please. And no one can ever define it. Give me a number. Well, give me a number. Because here's what I'll give you some numbers because I got my tax returns out for the last 10 years. Here we go. Now, look, I'm blessed. And this is part of the problem. You and I are blessed. We don't exactly make money. no violin music for us eating dog food we make a good living but by the way that's baked into the cake for these leftists because that's their point too they say look mark davis mike gallagher these guys make a lot of money so they can afford to pay a lot more than they're paying all right what how much more than 51 of my income am i supposed to give to the government mark when i left new york Now, admittedly, that's New York, because I'm paying city, state, and federal taxes.
SPEAKER 1 :
51%.
SPEAKER 03 :
Now, you're telling me that me giving more than half of my income to the government isn't my fair share, Mark? I come to Texas, I mean, Texas, Florida, to get away from that, no more city or state, it's still 50%. close to 40. I mean, you know, I looked at my tax returns for the last 10 years. I mean, again, cry no tears for me. That's right. But if a seven-figure tax burden is not my fair share, I paid seven figures. I'm in the seven figures here over the last decade of what I've paid in taxes. I mean, I'm not kidding you. It's unbelievable how much tax... And look, I keep saying, well... 50% of what I make is still better than most, and I know that, and I'm blessed. But what's my fair share of that, Mark?
SPEAKER 05 :
That's exactly it.
SPEAKER 1 :
80%?
SPEAKER 05 :
They'll never... Listen, this is why the Beatles and the Stones started to do business in America, because in England they had like a...
SPEAKER 03 :
80 90 tax burden is that what biden wants is that what the democrats want of course it is great great so so i've worked in this business 45 years i've achieved a certain level of success and i'm supposed to be taxed so that i earn you know what an insurance agent earns Because the insurance agent ain't paying 80%. That's the thing that gets me. But that's all it's about with these people. The Bidens of the world, the Democrats, the loony leftists of the world see the world this way. We're the bad guys because we're financially successful, and we've got to be cut down to size. That's their worldview, Mark. There's no way around that. And meanwhile, and my gosh, yesterday, Pam Bondi, holy moly, she's strong, tough. So wonderful. She took on, I mean, Adam Schiff, at one point she said, look, you were censored by Congress for asking questions like this.
SPEAKER 05 :
Little pencil neck. And the other California Senator, Alex Padilla, she said, I'm not going to be bullied by you. Just super. Before we go to her, one last thing on Biden, and it's a big one, but we can probably cover in 30 seconds. The always kind, always gracious Harold Ford Jr. was on my list of my favorite Democrats. He's on the five and did some of the post Biden comments. He has said I think he's just being gracious to that history will be kinder to Biden than his current approval ratings might be. And I thought about that, by the way, which I think the only Truman was worse coming out in 1952. Why? Why in the world would they be? Was history kinder to Carter? Not really. Until Biden, he was America's worst president ever. In 20 years long enough. Yeah, go ahead. In 2050 years, what can they say were the Biden achievements? Thank you. And how will they be spun better? I mean, well, how and if anything, Trump 2.0 is going to make the Biden years maybe not look worse. But as Reagan did to the Carter years, the Trump years are going to show, hey, this is actually how you do it. Well, watching watching it.
SPEAKER 03 :
Watching Biden's desperation in trying to claim credit for the Hamas terrorist hostage ceasefire deal is fascinating. He's frantically trying to. In fact, at the beginning of the speech last night, they obviously inserted that because it was a last-minute development. Is there anyone that doesn't think Trump's emergence and ascension is the reason this happened? Look, Biden had 15 months to get a deal done. And you're telling me five days before the inauguration? Look, even Bibi, everybody's acknowledging it's the Trump effect. Now, having said that, I get it. Biden is the sitting president. And if the deal is going to happen this week or this weekend before, okay. Well, we'll see. Now there's some questions about it. You know, now there's Bibi is saying that the Hamas is pulling some shenanigans. Oh, color me shocked. What?
SPEAKER 05 :
Hamas? Not honest brokers? They're not Boy Scouts?
SPEAKER 03 :
The terrorists aren't being honorable? No. Tell them no. You say it isn't so. But look, we've got to pray for these people. There's a couple of dozen people still. I think most of them are dead. I hate to say that. I don't want to be disrespectful, but these scoundrels, these monsters are awful. But, you know, for Biden to try to... I get trying to grab the credit, but there was a level of desperation to it that I found really, really. But Pam Bondi. And, you know, when I see Richard Blumenthal up there, I still can't get over stolen valor Blumenthal grilling Pete Hegseth. That's astounding to me. How does he get to be on the arm? How does a stolen valor culprit get to be on the Armed Services Committee, Mark? How could you be on that august committee when you've lied about serving your country in Vietnam?
SPEAKER 05 :
The voters keep putting you there, and then a Democrat-run Senate gives you a position of power.
SPEAKER 03 :
I don't know of any more. We've got a new sheriff in town, and we're bundled up. We're ready to go.
SPEAKER 05 :
In fact, we're—go ahead. Before we leave the hostage thing, and we all pray for that to work, I've given this to listeners. I want to give it to you. It is a documentary called We Will Dance Again. I don't know if you heard me talking about it. Oh, yeah, no, you have. It is remarkable. It is survivors of and their cell phone video of those attacks. It puts you in that festival grounds for that attack.
SPEAKER 03 :
In fact, today on the show, we're going to visit with Yael Eckstein, who's the president and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. And I got a pretty big announcement to make. And I'll share it with you because you're my buddy. And this is my family here, 660 AM The Answer. We're headed back to Israel this year. We're going to go back to the Holy Land on the anniversary of October the 7th. And are you ready for this? Even better, we're going to give people who want to come with me the opportunity to join me. We're going to open this up to our audience. We're going to have a fairly small exclusive group of listeners who are able to come and join us in Jerusalem in October.
SPEAKER 16 :
Download the podcast and hear all of Mike and Mark's conversations at MikeOnline.com for the M&M experience.
SPEAKER 03 :
Portions of our show are brought to you by M. Dean Owens CPA. And look, as we get ready to go to Washington, we are shaking off Biden's dreadful speech last night about the people not paying their fair share. You need the best CPA in the business. You want a financial planner. a team that specializes in helping you and your business reduce your tax burden and build financial and tax plans aligned with your goals and values. Well, I've gotten to know Dean Owens, CPA. He's amazing. Accounting Today has ranked Dean among the nation's top 150 CPA financial advisors for the last three consecutive years. It's no surprise to me because I know all about his integrity, his faith in God, and the conservative values that we all hold dear. Don't wait. I want you to take control of your financial future. I want you to have a true leader in tax and financial strategy in your corner. That's Dean Owen. Give him a call, 270-554-0720. 270-554-0720. That's 270-554-0720. Or if you prefer, you can just go to OwenCPA.com. That's OwenCPA.com. OwenCPA.com. Let someone who shares your faith and values help you secure the future you deserve.
SPEAKER 07 :
I don't really like working. I'm going to need a priority parking space. I only work remotely. How are your safe spaces? Can I bring my dog to work? Will your company protect me against microaggressions? You're triggering me. Is this interview almost over?
SPEAKER 08 :
You don't run a daycare. You run a business. So why use high-priced recruitment agencies who charge you up to 40% of an employee's first year salary? So they're focused on getting you the costly talent, not the best fit. Which means you get more of this.
SPEAKER 07 :
What's your policy on paying employees to attend protests? I demand eight weeks of vacation. I need at least 12 weeks of paid vacation. I'm going to need a lot of mental health days. Do you have a game room? My pronouns are Zs and Zs.
SPEAKER 08 :
Isn't it time you hired grown-ups? Call RedBalloon.Work and skip those high-priced recruitment agencies. Call 833-880-0600 for a free consultation. That's 833-880-0600 for a free consultation. RedBalloon.org.
SPEAKER 03 :
Hey, how about a scam? And I loved listening to you, and I heard you say, oh, Lord, when Grandpa Joe, who our new morning host before you, Chris DeGaulle, captured it perfectly, there was a big concern that his teeth were going to fall out of his head any moment last night. I mean, it was bad. Mumbles and mumbling and stammering, and it sounded like he did have a denture malfunction, but he did the crap about, all I wanted for the people to pay the fair share. You know, I get so mad at that because I would love once and for all for somebody to tell me what that means. Please. And no one can ever define it. Give me a number. Well, give me a number. I'll give you some numbers because I got my tax returns out for the last 10 years. Here we go. Now, look, I'm blessed. And this is part of the problem. You and I are blessed. We don't exactly make minimum. wage no violin music for us eating dog food we make a good living but by the way that's baked into the cake for these leftists because that's their point too they say look mark davis mike gallagher these guys make a lot of money so they can afford to pay a lot more than they're paying all right what how much more than 51 of my income am i supposed to give to the government mark when i left new york Now, admittedly, that's New York, because I'm paying city, state, and federal taxes.
SPEAKER 1 :
51%.
SPEAKER 03 :
Now, you're telling me that me giving more than half of my income to the government isn't my fair share, Mark? I come to Texas, I mean, Texas, Florida, to get away from that, no more city or state, it's still... close to 40. I mean, you know, I looked at my tax returns for the last 10 years. I mean, again, cry no tears for me. That's right. But if a seven-figure tax burden is not my fair share, I paid seven figures. I'm in the seven figures here over the last decade of what I've paid in taxes. I mean, I'm not kidding you. It's unbelievable how much tax... And look, I keep saying, well... 50% of what I make is still better than most, and I know that, and I'm blessed. But what's my fair share of that, Mark?
SPEAKER 05 :
That's exactly it.
SPEAKER 1 :
80%?
SPEAKER 05 :
Listen, this is why the Beatles and the Stones started to do business in America, because in England they had like a... 80, 90% tax burden. Is that what Biden wants? Is that what the Democrats want?
SPEAKER 03 :
Of course it is. Great, great. Of course it is. So I've worked in this business 45 years. I've achieved a certain level of success. And I'm supposed to be taxed so that I earn, you know, what an insurance agent earns. because the insurance agent ain't paying 80%. That's the thing that gets me, but that's all it's about with these people. The Bidens of the world, the Democrats, the loony leftists of the world see the world this way. We're the bad guys because we're financially successful, and we've got to be cut down to size. That's just, that's their worldview, Mark. There's no way around that. And meanwhile, and my gosh, yesterday, Pam Bondi, holy moly, she's strong, tough. She took on, I mean, Adam Schiff, at one point she said, look, you were censored by Congress for asking questions like this.
SPEAKER 05 :
Little pencil neck. The other California Senator, Alex Padilla, she said, I'm not going to be bullied by you. Just super. Before we go to her, one last thing on Biden, and it's a big one, but we can probably cover in 30 seconds. The always kind, always gracious Harold Ford Jr. was on my list of my favorite Democrats. He's on the five and did some of the post Biden comments. He has said I think he's just being gracious to that history will be kinder to Biden than his current approval ratings might be. And I thought about that, by the way, which is rough. Yeah, I think the only Truman was worse coming out in 1952. Why? Why in the world would they be? Was history kinder to Carter? Not really. Until Biden, he was America's worst president ever.
SPEAKER 03 :
In 20 years long enough.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, go ahead. In 2050 years, what can they say were the Biden achievements? Thank you. And how will they be spun better? I mean, and if anything, Trump 2.0 is going to make the Biden years maybe not look worse, but as Reagan did to the Carter years, the Trump years are going to show, hey, this is actually how you do it.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, watching... Watching Biden's desperation in trying to claim credit for the Hamas terrorist hostage ceasefire deal is fascinating. He's frantically trying to—in fact, at the beginning of the speech last night, they obviously inserted that because it was a last-minute development. Is there anyone that doesn't think Trump's emergence and ascension is the reason this happened? Look, Biden had 15 months to get a deal done. Yeah. And you're telling me five days before the inauguration? Look, even Bibi, everybody's acknowledging it's the Trump effect. Now, having said that, I get it. Biden is the sitting president. And if the deal is going to happen this week or this weekend before, okay. Well, we'll see. Now there's some questions about it. You know, now there's Bibi is saying that the Hamas is pulling some shenanigans. Oh, color me shocked. What?
SPEAKER 05 :
Hamas? Not honest brokers? They're not Boy Scouts?
SPEAKER 03 :
The terrorists aren't being honorable? No. Tell them no. You'd say it isn't so. But look, we've got to pray for these people. There's a couple of dozen people still. I think most of them are dead. I hate to say that. I don't want to be disrespectful, but these scoundrels, these monsters are awful. But for Biden to try to— I get trying to grab the credit, but there was a level of desperation to it that I found really, really. But Pam Bondi. And, you know, when I see Richard Blumenthal up there, I still can't get over Stolen Valor Blumenthal grilling Pete Hegseth. That's astounding to me. How does he get to be on the Armed Services Committee, Mark? How could you be on that august committee when you've lied about serving your country in Vietnam?
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, the voters keep putting you there, and then a Democrat-run Senate gives you a position of power. Nice.
SPEAKER 03 :
No, I don't know of any more. We got a new sheriff in town and we're bundled up.
SPEAKER 05 :
We're ready to go. In fact, we're... Go ahead. Before we leave the hostage thing, and we all pray for that to work, I've given this to listeners. I want to give it to you. It is a documentary called We Will Dance Again. I don't know if you heard me talking about it. Oh, yeah. No, you have. It is remarkable. It is survivors of and their cell phone video of... those attacks, it puts you in that festival grounds for that attack.
SPEAKER 03 :
In fact, today on the show, we're going to visit with Yael Eckstein, who's the president and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. And I got a pretty big announcement to make, and I'll share it with you because you're my buddy and this is my family here, 660 AM The Answer. We're headed back to Israel this year. We're going to go back to the Holy Land on the anniversary of October the 7th. And you ready for this? Even better? We're going to give people who want to come with me the opportunity to join me. We're going to open this up to our audience. We're going to have a fairly small exclusive group of listeners who are able to come and join us in Jerusalem in October. Wow.
SPEAKER 16 :
Download the podcast and hear all of Mike and Mark's conversations at MikeOnline.com for the M&M experience.
Join us as we dissect the intriguing developments surrounding Tik-Tok and its potential ban in the U.S. Learn about the discussions that hover over the social media giant and its implications on user privacy, content control, and tech domain influence. We'll hear firsthand the emotional responses from Gen Z and the significance of tech regulation in shaping future online communications. In a contrasting narrative, we address disturbing news in media as we detail the arrest of Washington Post cartoonist Darren Bell. Grappling with issues of media ethics and legal consequences, we navigate this somber story affecting newsrooms and public trust. From tech debates to shocking media scandals, this episode provides deep context and draws from current affairs shaping our digital lives. It's an episode packed with insights on saving precious data privacy and ensuring ethical media narratives.
SPEAKER 01 :
My dad works in B2B marketing. He came by my school for career day and said he was a big ROAS man. Then he told everyone how much he loved calculating his return on ad spend. My friends still laugh at me to this day.
SPEAKER 07 :
Not everyone gets B2B, but with LinkedIn, you'll be able to reach people who do. Get $100 credit on your next ad campaign. Go to LinkedIn.com slash results to claim your credit. That's LinkedIn.com slash results. Terms and conditions apply. LinkedIn, the place to be, to be.
SPEAKER 08 :
Dana Lash's Absurd Truth Podcast, sponsored by Kel-Tec.
SPEAKER 05 :
It's his life mission to make bad decisions. It's time for Florida Man.
SPEAKER 03 :
This is funny. A Florida man who built a it's called a spite house. And there are tons of these around the country. He built the spite house that towers over his neighbors and he's loving it. So it's this real skinny, narrow house. And he was apparently fighting with everybody else on the street. It's like the skinniest little lot you could ever see. The developer refused to sell the awkwardly sized lot to persistent neighbors. And he's 51 years old. He purchased it. This strip of land is six hundred nineteen thousand dollars. It's a strip of land. Strip.
SPEAKER 1 :
690.
SPEAKER 03 :
That's just the land. And the neighbors were really trying to buy it. He was refusing. And now he built this little skinny house. It's what it's called, the skinny house. It has two bedrooms. I don't know why we're showing this because this has nothing to do with this guy. But... juan throws up like a random florida thug ready for the next one i love it the guy the guy who got the property uh i can't for the land at 619 000 so now it holds two bedrooms two and a half baths it is literally as wide as like a single car garage right And you see the strip of land. So Juan's showing it to you on the side over here. And you can see the pool is another neighbor. The two pools are other neighbors. Either side of that white fence is his strip. And that little strip is $619,000 just for the land. So he wanted a 15-foot wide home. City officials wouldn't do it. So he scaled it down to 10 feet in width. And it's 19 feet tall. And it literally cast shadows over the neighbors that had fought the construction of it. He says he loves his house. They did a really nice job. I got to say, like, I wasn't quite sure. The yard is like just garbage. It's just like a little postage stamp. But, you know, he was actually able to make it work. So good for him. He he persevered. A Florida cop detains a man for wearing a mask in public while exercising. And OK, now we can throw it up. This is he's who exercises dress like this. terrorists. Yeah. So they were like, okay, stop it. It's not COVID epidemic anymore. Quit. Pull the mask down. Partners that help bring you the program. It's our friends over at Caltech. I'm going to be broadcasting from their booth actually at SHOT Show next week, which is a private industry event. But that's usually when they come out with Kel-Tec. That's usually when they come out with all their new stuff. And they are coming out with some new stuff. And we're going to be talking about it. But this is a great Florida-based company. It's actually a great American story. And they make and innovate some really awesome things. I mean, whether it's the P11, the P32, the P15, the lightest, thinnest double stack 9mm on the market. the fold-and-a-half carbine family of sub-2Ks, the P-50, the bullpup performance of the RDB, everything quality made right here in the U.S. of A. And again, I'll be broadcasting next week from their booth at SHOT Show. So check out keltecweapons.com. Sign up for the newsletter so you can be the first to know everything. Follow them on social media. That's Innovation Performance and Keltec, K-E-L-T-E-C, weapons.com. Tell them Dana sent you.
SPEAKER 04 :
Altice and Optimum have dramatically raised their prices. Now they've dropped MSG networks and the Knicks, Rangers, Devils, and Islanders. Charging you so much more and giving you less? Not optimal. Drop Optimum today. Call 844-4-KEEP-MSG or visit keepmsg.com.
SPEAKER 08 :
Superman derives his power from the yellow sun. DC politicians get their power by giving handouts. In 1913, the tax code was 400 pages long. Today, it's 75,000. This is how politicians derive their power. Check out the Watchdog on Wall Street podcast on Apple, Spotify, wherever you get your podcasts.
SPEAKER 03 :
So the Washington Post, this is the other thing I wanted to talk about. They had a cartoonist who got arrested because he's a child pervert. This dude, his name is Darren Bell, D-A-R-R-I-N. He's won a Pulitzer Prize. He's a real jerk. I mean, he's... He's drawn stuff like going after Trump, going after conservatives, going after Republicans, not in a nice way either. I mean, I'm trying to just like trying to figure out the best way to put it. He's just the stuff that he draws is just crude. And I gave you guys there's one example that's in because he's on X. And he was basically saying that Republicans were groomers and parents are groomers and all this stuff. And he's done cartoons where he's called people who voted for Trump terrorists, things like that. So it's no surprise that the guy who's on staff at The Washington Post is arrested for having child prawn on his computer, which is I think these people should be put to death. I think if you're a child and I don't I don't buy the capital L, you know, argument that I hear from some people about these pedophiles. where it's like oh well they just had videos on there they didn't hurt anyone no they they are you stupid they absolutely did there are kids that are that this guy creates a revenue stream for the people who make this horrid stuff so yes he's culpable i'll put all of them to death pedophiles should be immediately put to death Go ahead. Give him his little trial. Make it fast. You arrest him. You find it on their computer. I mean, come on. He's downloaded this stuff. He is part of the revenue stream that keeps these these groomers doing this. Yes. Have his trial the next day. The next day, put him to death. I don't think Darren Bell, Darren Bell's this this crime of child pornography is you are incompatible with life on Earth. He shouldn't be housed in a prison paid for by taxpayers. Get rid of him. Just my thought on it. Capital punishment for pedophiles. Rapists and pedophiles, capital punishment. Like, boom. No appeals. Go. I'm done with it. This is horrific. And this guy, like he had a cartoon of Trump groping Lady Liberty. I mean, the stuff that he has is super sexual in nature. It's weird. Like the cartoons that he writes... are very sexualized. The cartoons that he draws are very sexualized. Super far left. Yeah, and he's got, I mean, possession of child pornography. So now Darren Bell is in prison. He's held on $1 million bond right now. And over at the Washington Post, he drew a picture of an ICE agent about to stab a child in the neck. Yeah, that's how. So he's been arrested. Sacramento Valley Internet crimes against children. Detectives conducted an investigation. I'm reading their statement. They got a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. He had it on his computer and apparently he uploaded. He had 18 files. And they said that a total of 134 videos they found that he owned. Was he? I'm curious. Did he help make it? The videos? Good question. So this is horrible. So now he's in prison. Washington Post. Great job, Washington Post. What's their slogan? Democracy dies in darkness or something like that? Yeah. So you know how the media likes to do guilt by association? You can totally do that here. Yep. Dems the rules, Cain. That's right. So this pederast, the pederast post, maybe we should just call him that instead. The pederast post with this guy. Just horrible. They had a... All these staffers, they have a decline... because of this, the layoffs, they had reporters leave for other outlets. I think some people are mad about Bezos owning it. They put together this like little petition signed by 400 employees where they wanted to meet with Bezos and they want to expand and they want him to step in. Basically, they want more money is what this is meaning. Washington Post wants more cash. And they debuted a new mission statement. So it was democracy dies in darkness. Now it's riveting storytelling for all of America. No joke. What does that have to do? It should be just the facts. That's what your mantra should be. Just the facts. That's it. Not riveting storytelling for all of America. They just changed their slogan like three years ago or four years ago. Now they're changing it again. Maybe everyone will forget that they had a pedophile cartoonist on staff who won awards for his work with the Washington Post. Maybe by changing this, people will forget. You think that'll work? Yeah, I don't think so. I don't think that that's necessarily, I don't think that that's going to be the thing that does it. The media, I really don't think that the media, legacy media, and we've been saying this forever, doesn't have the influence that it used to. And I don't think that it has the reach that it used to have. And I think that includes some cable news stuff as well. I don't think that they all have the reach that they used to have. Even back during the Tea Party days, and that was some time ago, they don't have that reach anymore. And Musk has been saying something that Andrew Breitbart said like 15 years ago, like you are the media now, the citizen journalist and Musk is saying it too. That's true. And it goes only so far as these entities don't have all of these suppressive algorithms cracking down on you. We're going to talk next week. We're going to have on Andrew Bailey, who's the AG of Missouri. He did something very interesting. He, I'm going to bring, I'm going to bring up his statement on it. He's filed suit because, you know, he's trying to do as much as he can in his position as a G to take up slack, I guess, for lack of representation or action from the current administration. And he had said that he's issuing a rule requiring big tech to guarantee algorithmic choice for social media users. Americans should control the content they consume on social media, not big tech oligarchs. Let the best algorithm win. He adds that social media companies are supposed to provide a space where users can share views, content and ideas like facilitating, right? He goes, instead, they've manipulated consumer social media feeds for their own purposes, exercised monopoly control over content moderation. He's invoking his authority, he writes, under consumer protection law to ensure big tech companies are transparent about the algorithms that they use and consumers. And offer consumers the option to select alternatives. And he says with this rule, Missouri becomes the first state in the nation to enshrine transparency and accountability for big tech into law at this scale. And he goes, big tech companies who run afoul of this regulation will be held accountable. And Elon Musk responded to it and said, good idea. He said that. There should not be any selection chosen by default, and any option should not favor their content moderator over those of third parties. He has some rules here. This is a very interesting move because this is following all of this debate about Section 230 of the Federal Communications Act. So this is an interesting move. Because it establishes immediately that they are not merely facilitators of discussion. They are active in editorializing by way of algorithm. Algorithm is a form of editing. And there have already been Supreme Court cases that are saying that if you're simply a facilitator, you are not responsible so long as you're doing everything you can with regards to terms of service. You're a facilitator. Like message board like back in the 90s that that formulated that case. So he's he's basically forcing them to redefine. Now, if they if they're forced to define who they are within the state of Missouri for operation, then that sets a precedent. For a future to 35 because you cannot be an editorializing entity and not follow the same rules that newspapers follow and news organizations, etc, etc. So this is a very and this is a 40 chess move. It's very interesting. We're going to be talking to him next week about this. We got to move that we've got headlines coming up. With everything going on in the world right now, the economy, conflicts, the open border, spiraling national debt, the devastating inflation, it's critical that you have a plan for diversifying and protecting your savings. And that's why so many, including myself, have turned to precious metals like gold and silver to help protect our savings. And I partnered with the top rated precious metals company Goldco to make that happen. It's a great company with a great reputation and they could not have made the process any easier. And right now, Gold Co. is offering a free gold and silver kit that will show you how precious metals can help protect and diversify your savings. And for my audience, they're offering up to a 10% instant match in bonus silver on qualified orders. All you have to do is visit danalikesgold.com to get started today. GoldCo has helped thousands of Americans place over $3 billion in gold and silver, and they can help you as well. Join thousands who trust GoldCo. Visit danalikesgold.com.
SPEAKER 06 :
Hey, this is Todd Herman, host of the Todd Herman Show. They call me the Emerald City Exile. There are Republicans with the assigned roles of being the so-called controlled opposition. They're there to slow President Trump down on anything to do with harming pharma, which would come through RFK Jr., because let's just admit it's not going to come through President Trump. Check out the Todd Herman Show every day on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
SPEAKER 05 :
And now, all of the news you would probably miss. It's time for Dana's Quick Five.
SPEAKER 03 :
I'm living my brat life today. I don't know why, but I feel real brat. I hate the English language right now. Anyway, so everything's going to be tinged with that. I'm setting you up for this headline real quick because it's not on my list. Nancy Pelosi is going to skip the Trump inauguration ceremony. And so is Michelle Obama. Now, I was told stuff like this is ignorant, sexist, racist, bigoted, whatever, xenophobic. So that rule stands. It stands. I'm not letting it go. So you guys are all ignorant. How dare you skip? I guess you hate America. You're spitting on the graves of our dead patriotic forefathers. You hate everything about you. Hate Eagles. You hate baseball. You hate apple pie. Show up. You don't get any passes. The rules stems to rules. Oh, here's a sports ball headline. I don't even know what this means. Oh, well, I know who Jerry Jones is because it's required before you're allowed to come to Texas. So he is looking to hire Deion Sanders. Really? I know who Deion Sanders is. Do I get a cookie for that? I know that guy.
SPEAKER 02 :
I am impressed.
SPEAKER 03 :
Only because he was in a lot of advertising when I was a kid. That's why I know Deion Sanders. He had some really good sponsorship deals. So anyway, could there be a Deion Sanders? Is it going to matter? No.
SPEAKER 08 :
There's a conspiracy theory behind this that he's going to draft his son Shador anyway for it to be quarterback.
SPEAKER 03 :
But is he like that good? Can he carry the team?
SPEAKER 08 :
Absolutely.
SPEAKER 03 :
Oh, OK, then let it happen. You know, maybe I can wear like some Dallas Cowboys stuff and not get, you know, defecated on by everybody else who follows some other team in the league. All right. PlayStation is adding smell to its games. I would imagine a game lobby smells like dirty feet, urine and stale Doritos. So maybe that's what they're adding into this. That smell from a game lobby. Yeah, I don't know why. I mean, do you really want to be able to smell your way through the horrible title called The Last of Us? Really? Is that something you want to do? All of the things like I don't know, maybe they could have things to be more streamlined or work without glitches or things like that, you know, but no, it's going to be smell. They're adding the smells. Is it going to make you play better? No, no. It actually might make you play worse, but they're adding smells. The budget deficit rose in December. Yay, government spending. Let's just spend us all into forever servitude and death. It's now 40% higher than it was a year ago. But I was told that that old crusty man is leaving the new president a wonderful economy. Tell that to everybody. He's got to lock up everything from tampons to deodorants in their local Target. People were stumped because somebody is leaving tomatoes on a bridge in Ireland in a bizarre trend and they can't figure out why. Because apparently they don't have things called cameras in Dublin and they can't figure out how to find out why. Also, let's see here. uh gofundme it's also turning into a national archive of la wildfire horror stories it's kind of sad tiktok is preparing for u.s shutdown from sunday i am not on tiktok i try i used to be like some years ago i was on social media a lot and then i just realized how much i hated looking like an influencer and so now it it is i don't even share a lot of personal stuff and i think that's been like that since the parkland days but um I don't know. It's just, it's weird. So I don't do, I feel like I should probably like go back and do more stuff on social, which I probably will. I'm getting there. I'm getting there. But I've never done TikTok. And I just, because it's like another platform that you're going to have another password and a whole other thing to monitor. And nobody's got time for that. But now it may not matter because they're going to, it's going to be US users from Sunday. They're not going to be, they're going to be shut out because unless the Supreme Court moves to block it, you're going to have a ban on it. Do you think that ban's going to go through? I don't know if SCOTUS is going to block it. Now, there was one. Lorraine gave me the actual name of the app. There's no way I'm pronouncing this. There's no way. It's entirely made of consonants.
SPEAKER 05 :
Xiaohongshu? No, it's not. Xiaohongshu? I think that's how you'd pronounce it.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, they call it Red Note. And it's supposed to translate, she says, into Little Red Book. Like, you know, Mao Zedong's Little Red Book. Remember? So, say it again.
SPEAKER 05 :
Xiao Hongshu?
SPEAKER 03 :
I feel like right now I'm in Mighty Boosh and I'm just going to like hold up my voice recorder, you know, like when Pocket Cup, you know, like things like that. Like Gorilla.
SPEAKER 05 :
Xiao Hongshu.
SPEAKER 03 :
Xiao Hongshu.
SPEAKER 05 :
Xiao Hongshu.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay. So anytime I want to call, I'm going to point to you and you just say it.
SPEAKER 05 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 03 :
So like it's called Red Note, but it means...
SPEAKER 05 :
Xiao Hongshu.
SPEAKER 03 :
That's right, which translates to Little Red Book. It's Chinese-owned, though. Why are so many people excited about, we're going to go to this. It's not Chinese-owned. It's Chinese-owned. If it's an app that you can get on and be annoying, it's Chinese. TikTok is. If it's a bad preachy singer, they're from Canada, like Elena Spurs. dana you're so mean oh okay so someone was sorry i'm i don't mean to like give you whiplash but apparently some singer i don't know the singer a listener named adrian was like well the third one is peter forrest the original singer for 24 7 spies with a z i think he's for him so that's his third i don't know that guy so he doesn't count for me yeah It doesn't count for us, I don't think. So the third slot of death is still open if you've got a death pool going with Bob Uecker and now, sadly, David Lynch. But back to the red note thing. Why are people so hell-bent on getting on it? Why do they have to have a substitute for TikTok? Why can't you just exist? People are freaking out. They're freaking out. You're making money off of something that somebody else owns. You can't make money unless you have someone else's product. That's weird to me because you're not self-sufficient as much as these people pretend they are. They're not.
SPEAKER 08 :
Watching these Gen Z girls kind of freak out on TikTok in the last few days because I am on it is pretty fun to watch. How much are they freaking out? Oh, my gosh. Screaming at Supreme Court justices on their feet. It's insane.
SPEAKER 03 :
Wow. Wow. Yeah, that's something else. That is something else. Yeah, I don't know. I could never.
SPEAKER 05 :
I thought we went down this road legally like a year ago or something.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, well, this is – well, it had to go through the courts. It's one of those things that was like working its – yeah, it was working its way through the courts. But I mean it could be – that would be amazing actually. I get weird when the government defends or when the government wants to come in and deplatform or shut stuff down. But – I don't know. This is not like just an app. It's a great psyop. It's very Sun Tzu to have an app that can be used by partisans and bots to drive division. And then you, because of your algorithm, amplify only the worst and most divisive, hateful stuff purposefully. That's a great way to destabilize. It's a long game, but it's a great game because you don't have to expend the resources or the lives without firing a single shot. So I think if you look at it more through a NATSEC lens, I think that kind of makes some sense. But that's one of the things that the Supreme Court is going to have to determine. So we'll see. But yeah, it's called Red. I'm not going to get on it. I'm not getting on it. You're not on it. You're not on TikTok game, right?
SPEAKER 05 :
I've never been on TikTok.
SPEAKER 03 :
Juan, you're not on TikTok, are you? Nope. I don't know why I even asked. Juan's like, that's communist and I'm not a part of it.
SPEAKER 05 :
My youngest son is on it.
SPEAKER 03 :
He's not getting on that commie trash.
SPEAKER 05 :
He says he agrees. He's still on it because a lot of his friends are on it. And they share a lot of that content. But he agrees. He's like, it's completely useless.
SPEAKER 03 :
What was the thing before TikTok? That everybody was on. Vine. That's right. Vine. I was on Vine. But I haven't used it for like 10 years. It's been a while.
SPEAKER 05 :
I mean, that short video idea, that's the meme video. That's where that all was born, I guess.
SPEAKER 03 :
I don't know. But I just, I'm not on it. I'm not going to get on it.
SPEAKER 08 :
Thanks for tuning in to today's edition of Dana Lash's Absurd Truth Podcast. If you haven't already, make sure to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
