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Californian policies ostensibly designed to protect environmental interests are under scrutiny as wildfires wreak havoc across Los Angeles. This episode of the podcast explores the contentious issue of water mismanagement, driven by the need to protect an endangered species, the smelt, and its devastating effects. Tune in as we delve into the catalytic role of local and national political leadership in these crises and reflect on Trump’s predictions during his interview with Joe Rogan. Republican resilience and Democratic hesitance are cast into sharp relief as Californian voters grapple with the consequences of their electoral decisions.
SPEAKER 09 :
We often wonder, is there anything that can happen to make Democrat voters stop voting Democrat? We already know that things can happen to make Republicans stop voting Republican. Thankfully, that didn't happen this past November 5th, and we won. But I wonder if... The continual warnings from President Trump that what is happening right now in Los Angeles County was going to happen, I wonder if that resonates with anybody. Here we go again. Trump was right. How many times over the last nine years have we said Trump was right? How many times since he came down that golden escalator Have we said, well, he was right again. Here he goes again. He was right. He's been sounding the alarm about these stupid environmental policies. Who cares about the smelt? You know what I want to do with the smelt? Put it on my salad for lunch today. I want to eat it. Who cares? Honestly. I want to meet one person in America who cares about the smelt. Because of the smelt, a tiny fish, an endangered species in... California, they've redirected water and dumped it into the Pacific Ocean rather than directing it into the land that desperately needs it in California. So it's dry and brittle, and it goes up when the winds move in just the right direction. And now look at a 40-square-mile swath of devastation. And a lot of it because of the smelt. I'm not kidding you. I'm dead serious. I want to talk to some—we've got a big audience here. And I'm real fired up today. I'm frustrated. I'm not happy. Look, I don't care what your politics are. I don't want your house to burn down. I don't want you to die. So far, five persons have been killed. Schools have been burned. I've been thinking about Dennis Prager, who's in the hospital out there. I don't know physically where the hospital is that he's in right now because they moved him. I'm worried about if Sue is having to evacuate with Dennis from the hospital. And Trump is saying, look, I've told you so. And Trump went on Joe Rogan's show like three months ago, three months ago, and sounded the alarm. This guy gets it right so often, and yet all they want to do is vilify and crucify and react and panic. Look, let's be honest here. These environmentalists are destroying this country. They think they're saving the country, saving the planet. Hey, you're going to give me the global warming crap? Global warming ate my homework. It isn't going to work much longer. People are tired of this. And they're ready for this guy, who is soon to be sworn in. We are days away from President Trump's inauguration. Here he was with Joe Rogan three months ago.
SPEAKER 06 :
They said, we have no water. I said, do you have a drought? No, we don't have a drought. I said, why don't you have no water? Because the water isn't allowed to flow down. It's got a natural flow from Canada all the way up north. More water than they could ever use. And in order to protect a tiny little fish... The water up north gets routed into the Pacific Ocean. Millions and millions of gallons of water gets poured. I could have water for all of that land, water for your forests. You know, your forests are dry as a bone, okay? Yeah, dangerous. That water could be routed. You know, you could have everything. Not only dangerous, billions of dollars a year they spend on forest fires. And, you know, there's a case with the environment. They're not allowed to rake their forests because... You're not allowed to touch it. And all they have to do is clean their forest, meaning rake it up, get rid of the leaves, get rid of, you know, leaves that are sitting there for five years.
SPEAKER 11 :
We'll certainly get rid of the dead fall.
SPEAKER 06 :
And get rid of the trees that have fallen.
SPEAKER 09 :
Hey, Gavin Newsom, what are you going to say about that? Hey, Karen Bass, what are you going to say about that? That was three months ago. Trump has repeatedly warned. California, of the disastrous danger that was waiting for them. And now the chickens have come home to roost. Now because they don't want to, and I want to know about the smelt. I'm dead serious. I am fascinated that there are people among us who sit around and say, I've got to worry about the smelt. What does the smelt do for humanity? What does a little fish do? I'm not trying to be a smart aleck here. Who gives a rat's rear end if the smelt becomes extinct? What purpose does the smelt serve? And you know me, I'm goofy. I don't know why I'm obsessed with the smelt. But as I'm reading about this all night last night, and this is touching close to home for us. This is not some distant, far-off problem. I just got a note from our buddy Pete Paquette in Orlando. It was forwarded to me. Apparently, Dennis Prager's longtime producer and a guy we all know, Sean McConnell, in L.A., his home was destroyed. Larry Elder and his family had to evacuate. Of course, you probably saw James Woods, the actor, last night with Laura Ingraham. His whole neighborhood wiped out. I mean, a whole bunch of people from all walks of life. And incidentally, you know, some of these folks are rich. Sean is rich in spirit. I don't think you'd call, you know, Dennis's producer rich. You know, a rich guy, a wealthy, you know, famous guy. He's, you know, known because he's Dennis's longtime producer and works closely with Carl Jackson and all of us regularly. So, you know, what is it going to take for voters to wake up? Will this be the event? So I've got two questions for you as we kick things off here for this hour of the Mike Gallagher Show. Thursday, January 9th. I'm glad you could join us. We're in the Relief Factor studios. As always, the number for you to call or text is 800-655-MIKE, 800-655-6453. Two questions. Number one, what purpose does the smelt serve a tiny fish that would lead to these Epic policies that have led to such catastrophe. That's part one. Please, if you know, if you're a smelt expert or a smelt lover, I want to meet you. 1-800-655-MIKE. And number two, the second part of my question, or the second question for you today, is this the event that will get dummies in states like California to wake up? Can it happen? Can even diehard Democrats in California say enough is enough with the Gavin Newsoms and the Karen Basses of the world? 800-655-MIKE. Tell me what you think. 14 past the hour. We've got a line open just for you. 800-655-6453. Join us.
SPEAKER 12 :
So I took my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why. He said, you look like a fine, understanding young man. I think you do. So I took off my hat. I said, imagine that. Put me working for you. Sign, sign, everywhere I sign. Locking out your scenery, breaking my mind. Do this, don't do that. Can't you read the sign?
SPEAKER 09 :
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SPEAKER 04 :
He's the happy conservative warrior. From the Relief Factor Studios, here's Mike Geller.
SPEAKER 09 :
I wonder if the voters of Los Angeles are regretting their decision to vote for Karen Bass, considering the disastrous way she's handled these wildfires. What a nightmare. Welcome in. It's a national day of mourning for former President Jimmy Carter. The funeral service underway at the Washington National Cathedral. And it's kind of fascinating to see all five living people sitting together, Barack Obama is currently engaged in what looks like a very intense and cordial conversation with Donald Trump who's sitting next to him. It's fascinating. Barack is there alone. Michelle isn't with him. The rest of them have their spouses sitting in the pew ahead of Trump. President Trump is sitting next to the... the former and future first lady. So you've got Melania on the end, then President Trump, then Barack Obama. And I've been witnessing on the closed-circuit monitors that I have here, for the last five minutes or so, Trump and Obama are going back and forth and having what looks like a very pleasant, cordial chat, like they're old buddies. Then next to Obama is Laura and George Bush. Then next to Bush is Hillary and Bill Clinton. And then the row ahead of them is Biden and Jill Biden. And then Kamala and Doug Emhoff. And Kamala does not look happy. She's had a rough week. Look, she had to certify her defeat. She had to... Throw in the towel officially. But watching Trump and Obama interact, this is one of those things, one of those eye-openers where you realize that the people who seem to be mortal enemies publicly are privately anything but. You know, it's like the old image, we long for the days of Tip O'Neill and Ronald Reagan fighting tooth and nail, and then they'd go off and have a beer together at the end of the day. So just kind of an interesting image, but again, the funeral service underway for former President Jimmy Carter at the Washington National Cathedral. Let's go back to Karen Bass and Gavin Newsom. This is fascinating. Speaking of Donald Trump, President Trump has called on Gavin Newsom to resign. He posted on Truth Social, One of the best and most beautiful parts of the United States of America is burning down to the ground. It's ashes, and Gavin Newsom should resign. This is all his fault. Now, as I watched Obama and Trump cordially interact with each other this morning, what kind of relationship is the 47th president going to have with the governor of California? What's that going to look like? What's going to happen there? How does that even work? Because Newsom is going to rely on Trump's government to provide federal aid to the victims of the California wildfires. Hard to know how that's even going to play out. Is Trump going to deny the aid? It's not the residents' fault. Even if they voted for Newsom or Karen Bass. How about this Karen Bass? So she goes off to Ghana. And I heard today that she declared a national state of emergency for Los Angeles and then got on the plane to go participate in a political event over in Ghana. Then when the fires get bad, evidently they arranged for her to get on a military transport to rush her back to L.A. What did that cost the taxpayer? And incidentally, fun fact, Karen Bass was one of those piling on with Ted Cruz when Senator Cruz took his family to Cancun when they had an ice storm in Texas. She found, they've located a tweet where she was blasting Cruz for leaving and saying we should fire all of them for failed leadership. You can't make this up. This is really, here's what Karen Bass tweeted on February 19, 2021. These are her words, at Karen Bass LA. And I quote, Ted Cruz fleeing Texas in the middle of a deadly crisis, the ice storm in Texas, is part of a larger pattern of the GOP abandoning folks in crisis. We need to build a movement to kick them all out. Oh, really? Well, Mayor Bass, how was Ghana? Did you have a nice trip? Listen to how she stood in silence. She's in a little ante room, and the door is locked. So she's trapped with a reporter from Sky News. I've never seen anything like this. The Sky News reporter just tore into her while she stood there stone-faced. She didn't say a word. Check this out.
SPEAKER 11 :
Do you owe citizens an apology for being absent while their homes were burning? Do you regret cutting the fire department budget by millions of dollars, Madam Mayor? Have you nothing to say today? Have you absolutely nothing to say to the citizens today? Elon Musk says that you're utterly incompetent. Are you considering your position? Madam Mayor, have you absolutely nothing to say to the citizens today who are dealing with this disaster? No apology for them? Do you think you should have been visiting Ghana while this was unfolding back home?
SPEAKER 09 :
Oh, my gosh. And you know what? The reason she's stuck, she's on the jet bridge. And, of course, they're going to whisk her away at LAX. And the door's locked. And she can't get out. So she's pretending to be deaf. I can't hear you. Excuse me. She's just standing there. She doesn't say anything. What's she going to say? You're bagging on Ted Cruz years ago for going to Cancun with his family in an ice storm and saying that we should fire people like Ted Cruz for that because the Republicans abandoned their constituency? Well, what did you do? Now, I also don't want to project that she's the smartest or sharpest knife in the drawer. This was a moment... She's reading remarks about what residents of Los Angeles should do. And, of course, the whole purpose is to give them a website, a URL, you know, for aid, for assistance. Evidently, her aides forgot to plug in the actual website, so they left it blank on her piece of paper. She read the actual substitution. Well, let me just play this for you. This is astounding. This is the mayor of one of America's biggest, most populous, most important cities in America, Los Angeles, California.
SPEAKER 01 :
Make no mistake, Los Angeles will rebuild stronger than ever. Right now, if you need help, emergency information, resources, and shelter is available. All of this can be found at URL.
SPEAKER 09 :
All of this can be found at URL. I mean, I'm glad they didn't put on the script, website to come, or keep blank until we know the name of the website. She'd have read that. You remember I told you how disillusioned I am when I find out that famous, important people are big dummies? That woman stood there at a podium and said, if you need help, Just go to URL. Uh-huh. Reminded me of the Ron Burgundy scene. Remember this famous scene from the movie Anchorman when the guy was so stupid and so vapid and such an imbecile, he'd read whatever was on the teleprompter in front of him. Remember this?
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, that's going to do it for all of us here at Channel 4 News. You stay classy, San Diego. I'm on Burgundy?
SPEAKER 04 :
Who typed a question mark on the teleprompter? For the last time, anything you put on that prompter, Burgundy will read.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, for the last time, anything you put on a piece of paper in front of Bass, she's going to read. My gosh. How are you feeling now, Los Angeles voters? Glad you, and incidentally, forget what a dummy she is. How about her ties to, you know, the Communist Party? You know that she called a top member of the Communist Party a friend and a mentor in a eulogy? She apparently went off to Cuba over and over and over again. She's a radical extremist and a big dummy to boot. That's a leader for you, huh? 800-655-MIKE. Welcome in. We've got a lot to cover today. 800-655-6453. Call or text. Give me your reaction to all of it. Particularly, I mean, I'm not kidding you. I saw a video clip right now. The water situation is so dire that there's a member of the Los Angeles Fire Department using a woman's handbag to try to scoop up water and throw it over into the fire to try to save a house. Now, the Los Angeles Fire Department, a couple of years ago, donated a lot of their surplus to Ukraine. How about this week? In the middle of all of this in the United States, Biden is directing $500 million more to Ukraine. Look, we've got 10 days to go. 10 days. The golden era is coming. 800-655-MIKE. 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. consultation. Call 864-644-1900, 864-644-1900, or just go to myphdweightloss.com, myphdweightloss.com.
SPEAKER 04 :
Breaking now on the Mike Gallagher Show.
SPEAKER 09 :
So the processional just commenced at Washington National Cathedral as the country says goodbye to Jimmy Carter. All five presidents, Biden and the four living former presidents and the future president, seated together. Get ready for the big controversy of Trump's visit there. First of all, I'm, again, amazed at the way Obama and Trump were deeply engaged in what looked like meaningful conversation. But where do you see the big attack that Trump's going to get? Brace yourself for this. I'm just trying to make sure you're ready for it. When the casket, when Jimmy Carter's casket and the American flag came by, all four of the other presidents, as did their wives, but Trump did not. You wait and see. Oh, see, look at that. He didn't put his hand over his heart. Even Melania had her hand over her heart, but not Trump. That's all they got. That's the best they got. And Biden's supposed to give the eulogy. Oh, my gosh. I hope he got a good night's sleep. I hope he had a nice big bowl of tapioca this morning. some oatmeal, and he's going to be ready to go. Going to be on his A game as the family of Jimmy Carter and presidents and dignitaries are all at the National Cathedral to honor him. Meanwhile, we've got people fleeing for their lives. We've got people who have lost everything. Some people have died. And how about Karen Bass? I can't get over Karen. How about that clip? How embarrassing was that? She stood there in silence as the reporter from Sky News asked her if she regrets cutting the fire department budget or being in Africa while the fires destroyed her community. And she had to stand there and take it. What did that go for, guys? A minute and a half? Two minutes? Wow. Everett is in Indianapolis, Indiana. Hi, Everett. How are you?
SPEAKER 10 :
Hey. Hi, Mike. How are you doing?
SPEAKER 09 :
I'm doing great.
SPEAKER 10 :
I love listening to you. Thank you. You inspire me. And I honestly believe that this country better never, ever let a Democrat in the office. I don't know what their purpose is. I believe they're trying to destroy our freedom and our country. And they've brainwashed a lot of American people. And may God bless our nation.
SPEAKER 03 :
Amen.
SPEAKER 10 :
And get those of them today who won't accept Jesus because Jesus is on his way. Amen. All the vital signs are here.
SPEAKER 09 :
It is. It just feels like everything's changing, Everett. And I wonder if even this event. I mean, look, Trump has been preemptive and he has been warning people, even on these fires. Wait till you hear what he told Joe Rogan three months ago. Three months ago. He's been repeatedly warning California of what they're up against because of these environmental policies and the goofy effort to save the smelt and all these environmentalists who they can't clear cut, they're not doing controlled burns. And then they're running out of water. And look at the mess they have now. But if you didn't hear Trump with Joe Rogan three months ago, you're going to hear it next because you're not going to believe this. Talk about how prescient he was. Talk about how spot on he was. Once again, Trump was right. 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 $45. $14.88 with promo code MikeG. 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 and the dryer as often as you want. You can get a classic standard MyPillow for $14.88 with promo code MikeG. A queen size, normally $69.98. You'll get it for just $18.88 with promo code MikeG. 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 04 :
He's the happy conservative warden. From the Relief Factor studios, here's Mike Deller.
SPEAKER 09 :
There's an awful lot of breaking news today. Of course, this is a national day of mourning for former President Jimmy Carter. The wildfires are wreaking havoc with Los Angeles. We've got a new sheriff in town 10 days away, and I would always, always make time for one of my favorite guests. K.T. McFarland is former Trump deputy national security advisor. She served under President Trump. And, K.T., it's great to see your face and have you back on the show because, my goodness – We got 10 more days to go. There are days when I feel like, can we hold on? I mean, Biden, with all of the executive orders on the way out the door, another $500 million to Ukraine while Los Angeles is burning. We have this horrific news. It's like a gut punch, as you put it on social media, to say that there's only 20 hostages alive left in Gaza. January 20th can't get here soon enough, my friend.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, and what's really sad is to watch President Biden just trying to destroy anything he can. to prevent Donald Trump from doing what he wants to do. If the American people have spoken instead of President Biden accepting that, what he's trying to do now is throw as many roadblocks as he can in the way of President Trump, whether it's, as you said, the aid to Ukraine, whether it's to ban fracking, whether it's to ban a lot of other things he's doing with regard to energy permits, etc. I mean, President Trump is going to turn it all around on day one. But the problem is that you have to deal with all the things that President Biden is putting into effect now.
SPEAKER 09 :
You know, Axios did a big deep dive today on Trump's ever-expansive power. I mean, he's going to start his presidency with a very loyal Republican Senate and House. As they put it at Axios, a vastly empowered MAGA-friendly media information ecosystem. Businesses are scrambling to make amends or improve cozy relationships. But on the world front, front, which you're so good at. They talk about how Trump aligned movements are disrupting long liberal foreign allies from Canada to Britain to Germany, in part because of aggressive information wars waged by Elon Musk and his supporters. Can you give me the KT McFarland take on Elon Musk's presence in this and what this looks like worldwide?
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, I think Elon Musk is the tip of the spear. He has shown what the new phenomenon is. You know, we always think of tech moguls as being liberal Democrats. No, they're not. Tech moguls have decided that Donald Trump represents American ingenuity, entrepreneurial ability, and free thinking. So that's, I think, one of the reasons that Elon Musk has been so quick to support president trump when no one else would he was out there when no one else would and then as he purchased twitter why did he do it because he wanted to have free speech and where elon musk has gone others have followed now when critics are saying well that elon musk has stirred up crazy right-wing nut to go support crazy white right-wing candidates in all these countries really you know you don't think it has anything to do with the incompetence and corruption we've seen whether it's in Canada, whether it's in Germany, whether it's in various parts of Europe, and certainly in the United States. There's a reason people across the globe have turned away from liberal, globalist policies, because they don't work. That's why I think so many people, even if they don't like Donald Trump, really like the idea of Donald Trump's policies.
SPEAKER 09 :
KT, I'm fascinated by the reaction to Trump's musing about acquiring Greenland, Canada becoming the 51st state, the Panama Canal. I watched John Fetterman say, look... Stop the hyperventilating. Greenland's pretty important to us. This week, Don Jr., along with our own Charlie Kirk from Salem, went over to Greenland. What's your take on what President Trump said this week about those big, bold moves?
SPEAKER 02 :
But Greenland especially is really essential. American presidents are trying to have an alliance with Greenland, going back to Abraham Lincoln and to World War II. Because we had military bases in Greenland, we were able to win World War II because it protected the North Atlantic. There are three really good reasons to want Greenland in some kind of an alliance defense relationship with the United States. First, it's the obvious one, the geostrategic position. It protects the North Atlantic, protects it from China, protects it from Russia. Any malingering illness that's going to come across the Atlantic is going to be protected by Greenland. Number two, Greenland has vast oil reserves, and it also has something very important, which are called critical rare earth minerals, that they're essential in any kind of modern communications, modern devices. you know everything from computers to cell phones is the chips you need that greenland has it we don't have much of it china has 70 percent of the world's rare critical um mineral supply if we can have some kind of relationship with greenland where we develop it then we're really in a very good strategic position to use to do china and then finally If the North Atlantic, if the polar ice caps are melting, the trade route possibility of going from across the Arctic, going from Asia to North America, Asia to Europe, going across the Arctic, Greenland will be the route. That's the stopping off point. And other countries realize it. China realizes it. Russia realizes it. Thank goodness Donald Trump realizes it. And to send Don Jr. over to Greenland, I mean, what a brilliant idea. The Greenlanders are very outdoorsy oriented. They're very sportsmanlike. And to send somebody who is such an embodiment of the frontier, the outdoor spirit, as Don Jr., was really brilliant. And the Greenlanders themselves have come out and said, we want some kind of a relationship with the United States. Let's start talking.
SPEAKER 09 :
Hey, KT, we always so appreciate your appearances on the show, and I want to get personal with you for just a moment. I don't do a lot of guests, so a lot of shows do. Hugh Hewitt, my friend, my colleague, there's a lot of great interview shows. I like callers. I like content. So when I find a guest and somebody who's a great, great asset to the show, could I put you on the spot, and can we make 2025 the year that you can pop on pretty regularly on the Mike Gallagher Show? Because our audience would greatly appreciate that. Are you open for that?
SPEAKER 02 :
I am so interested in doing this. I think it's going to be really important, especially because President Trump has taken so many people from our space, right? People who support President Trump, support his policies into his administration. The need for people like you and others to come out and explain to the American people what's going on is going to be even amplified. So I will be your regular date.
SPEAKER 09 :
I hope you don't mind because we learn so much from you every time you're on. And every single time we do a segment together, I'm so gratified. And I feel, you know, just a little bit more knowledgeable about what's happening, not only, you know, in places like Israel and Ukraine and the United States. And I mentioned to my producer, I'm going to put her on the spot and see if we can get her to agree to come on regularly. So let's make it a date and make 2025 the year of more KT McFarlane on The Mike Gallagher Show, okay?
SPEAKER 02 :
I'd be thrilled.
SPEAKER 09 :
Thank you. Thanks, KT. I appreciate it. Thanks for joining us. Keep fighting the good fight. KT McFarland, and I do want to have her. She was Trump's first deputy national security advisor. She also chaired the interagency deputies committee. She knows, look, and she was, I know her from Fox News, and we would visit in the green room back when I was a contributor. She was Fox News Channel's national security analyst. in about the same period of time that I was a Fox News contributor from 2010 to 2016. Before I decided no more, had a guy dump a milkshake on my head in a diner in midtown Manhattan, and I thought, I don't want to do TV anymore. And, you know, look at this. I'm like I'm in the mafia. Now that just when I thought I was out, they pulled me back in with Salem News Channel. And we're on Samsung TV Plus, 1177, Pluto, Roku, Apple TV, everywhere we go, snc.tv. So just don't dump a milkshake on me. And if you do, make it chocolate, not vanilla, huh? Speaking of milkshakes, they got a lot of them at McDonald's. I love what McDonald's is doing, saying goodbye to their DEI initiatives. That and more coming up.
SPEAKER 05 :
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SPEAKER 04 :
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 08 :
Man, I got to tell you, an asteroid could hit the Earth, and between fire coverage and around here in DFW snow coverage, I don't think anybody would know.
SPEAKER 09 :
And I'm getting on a plane after the show to go hang out in South Carolina, and they're under a winter watch warning alert. I called Joey. I said, is this a good idea? He said, it'll be an adventure. It'll be an adventure. I see. Look, this California situation is so wild. It takes a natural disaster sometimes to expose the out-of-control corruption of Democrat leadership. And, you know, look at the headlines over the Daily Beast. Oh, Trump is trying to politicize this.
SPEAKER 08 :
Republicans pounce.
SPEAKER 09 :
Republican spouse. You know, I'm old enough to remember when Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, who went to Ghana, went to Ghana. Now, understand something. A lot of people are going to think that, well, how could she have known? Do you know that she declared a state of emergency for Los Angeles before she got on the plane and went over to Ghana? So it's not like she was caught unawares. I'm old enough to remember Ted Cruz getting eviscerated for going to Cancun. Do you know who one of his attackers was for going to Cancun?
SPEAKER 08 :
Karen Bass.
SPEAKER 09 :
Karen Bass. She took to X and blasted him for going AWOL. And that was a weather event, right? What was the... It was the Icemageddon.
SPEAKER 08 :
It was when temperatures plunged to single digits and the Texas grid was failing. In the most energy-rich state in the lower 48, we don't have enough power. Go figure.
SPEAKER 09 :
Right. She tweeted... Let me read this. This was back when it was Twitter. Here we go. February 19th, 2021, at Karen Bass, L.A. Ted Cruz fleeing Texas in the middle of a deadly crisis is part of a larger pattern of the GOP abandoning folks in crisis. We need to build a movement to kick them all out.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, well.
SPEAKER 09 :
Did you see the deer in the headlights moment when she was cornered at the airport by reporters?
SPEAKER 08 :
Do you have anything to say to the people? Do you have anything to say to the public?
SPEAKER 09 :
And you know the backstory, right? The door was locked. They couldn't figure out how to unlock the door. So she was trapped like a rat. And she could just stand there. It was a horrible moment. But look, it goes to the top. Gavin Newsom, have you seen all the pronouncements that Trump was making even just three months ago on Joe Rogan's show?
SPEAKER 08 :
Seeming to foresee this lack of resources due to the impeachment. Seeming? Seeming?
SPEAKER 09 :
Oh, no, he foresaw. He did. He done foresoothed. Nostradamus did. He's on Joe Rogan three months ago saying, look, they got a problem out there. They're pumping the water into the Pacific Ocean rather than giving it to the forests. He says they're not clear cutting. They're not doing controlled burns. They're worried about the smelt. What the hell? Who cares about the smelt?
SPEAKER 01 :
This little tiny fish.
SPEAKER 09 :
Who cares about what kind of a nutcase says, let's be more concerned about the smelt than we are people now who have lost their homes. Some of them have lost their lives. And these wildfires, I mean, and there's DeSantis, I mean, DeSantis Newsome, confronted by Anderson Cooper of all people and Anderson Cooper stands there and says oh the incoming president is criticizing you and Newsom got like almost choked up and said I can't even find the words he wants to I won't respond yeah well and in that
SPEAKER 08 :
In that same burst of Q&A with Anderson Cooper, by the way, an interview that Anderson Cooper begins by saying, yeah, the fire hydrants don't have any water. So can we address that, please? And one of the one of the Gavin Newsom quotes is, well, you know, the locals, the locals are going to figure that out. Not to figure that out. The locals, which gives me a burst of fairness, a burst of fairness on a couple of things. Number one, if there's enough fire, if there's enough fire and this is just you can see it from space, literally. Mightn't the fire hydrants run out even if your area is well-managed? I don't know. Just asking.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, it's a fair question, but let's look at the environmental laws and all of these goofy, woke policies that have led to this deadly situation. That's what has to be fixed.
SPEAKER 08 :
Bad forestry management, bad water management.
SPEAKER 09 :
And you know what they do. You know where they go. Global warming. It's all climate change.
SPEAKER 08 :
Bernie Sanders said, tell Trump that global warming is real. The climate change is real. Marty, get in the DeLorean. It's like, oh, just please. The climate cult never, never misses an opportunity.
SPEAKER 09 :
They'll never miss a beat. Global. But I saw somebody post something that I thought was spot on last night. The old global warming ate my homework doesn't work anymore. It doesn't work anymore. That sucks. I mean, listen, every single politician, Mark, in California responsible for this is a catastrophic failure to prepare for this.
SPEAKER 08 :
Will there be accountability? And in fact, here's another honesty burst, another consistency burst from me. Whether it's Ted Cruz, a Republican, a Karen Bass, a Democrat. When they gave Ted Cruz, holy you know what, we're loading up into Cancun while we were all eating our neighbor's livers. because we didn't have any power in the refrigerator. God, it was terrible. So everybody gave Ted Cruz the old what for. I remember saying on this show, what, is Ted Cruz going to be climbing poles and restrapping wire? Is this a difference maker that... head that a u.s senator is not here for an ice storm so let me ask about and i guess mayor is a little closer to the bone closer to the community so it's probably different so she's in a west african nation of ghana for some you know trip of some sort you know is it does is there something magical about her you know being in la the mayor of la are you asking this question come on it's it's more than optics it's
SPEAKER 09 :
I mean, this is the mayor. This is not, you know, one of two senators in a state. I mean, I think it's fair about— Or even governor, yeah. Or governor. I mean, these are the leaders. These are the titular leaders of their cities or their counties or their states. And again, keep in mind, she didn't get caught unawares. She declared a state of emergency and then got on a plane and went to Ghana. And then, by the way, did you hear how she got back? No.
SPEAKER 1 :
No.
SPEAKER 09 :
They used a military transport, she claims. So the taxpayers had to foot the bill for her to come, not only go, I'm sure, but I'm sure she went as an official capacity to witness the swearing in of the new president of Ghana. But then they had to get a big, fancy, expensive military plane to take her back. And she was in constant communication on the phone from the plane coming from Ghana.
SPEAKER 08 :
Look, it's a catastrophe for them. Right. Will there be accountability? Will memories be short? Will memories be long enough, I should say? And will I mean, because we all sit here and we part of the messaging that we deliver is, hey, California. Hey, Democrats, you have brought this on yourselves. When will you learn? I know. And will they?
SPEAKER 09 :
It is still California. I'm reminded of New York City. Before we give up on California or New York or any of these blue, blue states and cities, do you remember when Rudy Giuliani was the mayor of New York? Remember when David Dinkins was preceding him?
SPEAKER 08 :
And they learned a lesson in New York City, didn't they?
SPEAKER 09 :
David Dinkins, and they pivoted to Rudy. Remember, George Pataki was the conservative Republican governor of New York. There's a reason for hope. It can happen. It might not happen, but maybe when people see their houses burned down and the miserable response from the left. Did you see a college professor tweeted out, James Woods' home is burning down, karma is calling? Okay. How do you do that? And put it out on social media. I mean, everybody's calling that woman out. Karen Piper. I'm going to join in. Karen Piper from Mizzou, who thinks it's wise to take to social media and mock an actor, a conservative actor, James Woods, you know, his house burning down. My gosh.
SPEAKER 04 :
Download the podcast and hear all of Mike and Mark's conversations at MikeOnline.com for the M&M experience.
Join Tony Perkins as he delves into the pressing issues facing America today. From the courageous court rulings against the Biden administration's Title IX rewrite to upcoming legislation aimed at securing our borders, we examine the legal and ideological battles that shape our nation’s future. This episode also highlights the essential role of prayer and fasting, as Dr. Ronnie Floyd provides insights on how these spiritual disciplines can transform lives and societies. Don't miss this action-packed discussion that bridges the gap between faith and governance.
SPEAKER 10 :
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 05 :
Throughout his life, he showed us what it means to be a practitioner of good works, and a good and faithful servant of God and of the people. And today, many think he was from a bygone era. But in reality, he saw well into the future.
SPEAKER 04 :
That was President Joe Biden at the National Cathedral today, where our nation's leaders paid their final respects to America's 39th president, Jimmy Carter. Good evening and welcome to Washington Watch. I'm Tony Perkins, your host. Thanks for joining us for this Thursday edition. Well, meanwhile, on the other side of the country, Southern California is ablaze, creating what many have described as an apocalyptic scene.
SPEAKER 09 :
We continue to confront a big one-level firestorm. Historic winds and extensive drought have created a perfect storm that has driven people from their homes and have taken people's homes and that has taken people's lives.
SPEAKER 04 :
That was Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass earlier today. There are currently five major wildfires with the two largest still uncontained. The Palisades fire is reported to be the most destructive in L.A. history. Franklin Graham, CEO of Samaritan's Purse, joins me later to discuss the situation and pending relief efforts. In other news, the Biden administration's efforts to redefine sex in Title IX were struck down today by U.S. District Judge Danny Reeves, who ruled that the administration had overstepped its authorities. Meg Kilgannon with FRC will be here to explain what this means for women's sports and beyond. And before leaving Washington for the weekend, the House passed legislation sanctioning the International Criminal Court for issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The measure passed with bipartisan support, 243 to 140. We're going to talk with California Congressman Doug LaMalfa later here on Washington Watch. And also Dr. Ronnie Floyd joins us, former president of the Southern Baptist Convention, to discuss the supernatural power of prayer and fasting. And frankly, I can't think of a more appropriate time to not just talk about prayer, but to actually pray. So with that in mind, mark your calendars for two upcoming prayer events, Sunday, January the 19th, Inauguration Praise and Prayer Convocation at 2 p.m. just down the street from the Family Research Council. If you plan to be in the area, I invite you to join us as we worship the Lord and pray for our nation. leading up to the presidential inauguration. Registration is free, but space is limited. So to attend, you have to register. Go to frc.org slash prayer. That's frc.org slash prayer. You can also join via the Stand Firm app if you're not able to be in D.C. And then mark your calendar for Wednesday, February the 5th, the National Gathering for Prayer and Repentance, which will be at the Bible Museum. We invite you to come and join us for that. Find out more, go to the website, TonyPerkins.com. All right, we've got a packed program, so don't go anywhere. Just a little while to go. The U.S. Senate voted to advance the Lake and Riley Act by a vote of 84 to 9. This is the first of the border bills to be advanced by the 119th Congress. Here to discuss this is Congressman Mark Alford, who serves on the House Appropriations Committee and the Small Business Committee. He represents the 4th Congressional District of Missouri. Congressman Alford, thanks for sticking around and welcome back to the program. Thank you, Tony. Good to be with you. So before we talk about some of the other wins that the Republicans scored this week, let's go over the Lake and Riley Act. The House passed that this week. Now the Senate takes it up. They advance it. Talk a little bit about what this bill would do and why it's important.
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, the reason it's important is because Joe Biden and Alejandro Mayorkas have left some 12 million illegal aliens into our great nation, compromising our security and our national security, our security here in the homeland. And because of that, last February, almost a year ago, Lakin Riley, a jogger, a student in Georgia, was killed by Jose Antonio Ibarra. He had been let out of jail three previous times by police, and yet he was not detained by ICE, not detained by anyone. No one cared that he was an illegal alien out on the streets. And he continued to perpetrate his crimes. And his last one was the rape and murder of Lakin Riley. And so now we passed Mike Collins' bill from Georgia Very proud to know him. He worked hard on this bill to get it through committee and on the House floor, and we got the votes. And in fact, we got 48 Democrats this time to vote along with us in the U.S. House of Representatives. And we'll make sure that illegal aliens who are arrested for shoplifting, burglary, theft, and what have been considered maybe minor crimes that should not lead to incarceration or deportation, repatriation of illegal aliens, We're going to make sure that happens now. They are going back after they serve their time back to their home country.
SPEAKER 04 :
Congressman Alford, there's actually several bills related to the border that were in the rules package last week that will be fast-tracked. This was the first. What other measures can we be looking forward to?
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, I think there's a whole host of them. And this is part of the president's agenda, part of the mandate that the American people said, we have got to secure our border. Some of these things are going to be talked about this weekend in Mar-a-Lago. I'm not going to be there, but I know other members of Congress are. The reconciliation package is also a big, big part of what we're going to be doing in the first 100 days. But securing our border is number one, making sure we have the funds available. And I'm on the Appropriations Committee, so I'm going to be working hard on that, that we have the funds available to build the wall, to reinstitute the Remain in Mexico policy. A new member, Brandon Gill, is introducing a Remain in Mexico policy to make sure that that gets back into play. And that basically, Tony, for the viewers who may not know, you have to stay in Mexico or your home country while you appeal or while you apply for asylum into our nation. Only about 10% of those who apply for asylum have a legitimate claim. And yet the Biden administration has let those people into our country. Most of them never show up for their hearings. It takes 10 years to have these hearings. And by the time it's all done, only 10% of them have a worthy claim. And so this is going to say you have to remain in Mexico and have that heard there before you come to our nation.
SPEAKER 04 :
That was the policy that the Trump administration put in place during their last administration, which basically shut down this flow coming into our southern border. One final question for you, Congressman Offord. You mentioned reconciliation. The president last night meeting with Republican senators to discuss reconciliation, whether reconciliation one bill or two bills. He said he was leaning toward the one bill, one big, beautiful bill. I spoke with the House Speaker this morning, and that was his preference. And it sounds like that's the direction it's going to go.
SPEAKER 07 :
I certainly hope so. Look, we've got to get this done. We don't have much time to get it done. The American people, we have to educate folks as we move along. And we've got to get people on board, not just the American people, but everyone in our conference. So if we can do that, if we can get the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that Jason Smith, our chairman of Ways and Means, wants in there. He wants one bill, by the way. If we can get that done, we can raise our debt ceiling. That doesn't mean we're going to spend up to that level, but that's going to give the President of the United States some cushion and keep the bond markets settled while we reduce spending some $2.5 trillion over the next 10 years. That's $250 billion in savings that we are going to make through various programs. And each committee is going to be charged now with finding these savings, not cutting into Social Security, and Medicare, but finding the savings where we can to hopefully within 10 years balance our budget. That's what our budget director, not our budget director, but budget chairman Jody Arrington is aiming for. We've got a lot of work to do and a short time to get there.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, that would be huge and much needed. Congressman Mark Alford, thanks so much for joining us today and have a great weekend. You too, Tony. God bless you. All right. Congressman Mark Alford of Missouri. Well, in other breaking news today, a federal district court judge struck down the Biden administration's attempt to redefine sex in the Title IX of the Civil Rights Act, a federal law designed to create equal opportunities for women in education and athletics. U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky's Northern Division ruled that the Biden administration's rewrite of Title IX would exceeded the Department of Education's authority under Title IX and violated the Constitution. So what does that mean? Well, joining us now to discuss this, Meg Kilgannon, Senior Fellow for Education Studies at FRC. She previously served in the U.S. Department of Education during the first Trump administration. Meg, thanks so much for joining us on this breaking news.
SPEAKER 16 :
Thanks for having me, Tony. It's a really great day.
SPEAKER 04 :
So you've had a chance to read through the opinion. What are we looking at here? What does this do?
SPEAKER 16 :
This basically, as they say, as the judge says at the end of the decision, vacating this rule returns the state of play to the status quo of the last 50 years. And we know that that state of play for the last 50 years has been that men are men and women are women, and we can each have our spaces, and women don't have to have men on their sports teams. So this was a really good ruling. It said that the rule, as the Biden administration had conceived it, was unconstitutional, that it compelled speech, that it overstepped the bounds that were allowed to the department in terms of writing a rule like this. And so it was a short but a really thorough ruling.
SPEAKER 04 :
The speech related to the pronoun usage, forcing teachers and others to use certain pronouns. So 26 states, previous states, had challenged this. This came as a result of about three or four states challenging this in their districts. So what's next? Does this put it to rest? Is it over? Or what will be the next step?
SPEAKER 16 :
Well, you know, today's a national day of mourning and the government is closed today. So we haven't heard anything from the Biden administration to react to this ruling. But they, I suppose, could try to appeal to the Supreme Court. I think that they don't have time to do that, obviously. And I think it would be a dangerous thing for them to do. But hopefully we will just see the rule withdrawn. And we will then go back to continuing to fight for the rights of women and girls in states where these kind of rules are being enforced at the state and local level. And sadly, that's happening in about half the country. The state of California, states like Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, they have rules similar to this Title IX rule on their books already. And so they can be... they can be changed in the future. And I think that's where our movement in the fight to protect children is gonna have to focus. We need to make sure that we are rooting this out of our own states because in plenty of red states and school districts in red states, there are policies like these and children are being harmed by them and teachers are being forced to enforce them. So we have to make sure that we're continuing to fight this ideology because it's not rooted out yet.
SPEAKER 04 :
That's the great opportunity that's here on so many fronts is under this incoming administration, we have the ability and opportunity to do some very important work that will have lasting effect. But we can't just assume it's going to happen. We have to make it happen. Meg Kilgannon, thanks so much for jumping in here at the last minute and giving us that update.
SPEAKER 16 :
Thanks, Tony.
SPEAKER 04 :
So with the Biden administration, Department of Education, on its way out, the bell is ringing on this administration. The next administration is certainly not going to defend this rule, this change. So as Meg says, it goes back to status quo. And that's what we have because the Trump campaign and the incoming administration has said, we're going back to the way it used to be when men were men and girls were girls. A novel idea. Coming up next, Franklin Graham of Samaritan's Purse joins me as we talk about what's happening in California. Don't go away. We're back after this.
SPEAKER 11 :
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 has been another year of shining the light for biblical truth in Washington, D.C. This 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 a 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 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 for another year of standing for faith, family, and freedom.
SPEAKER 15 :
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 04 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks for joining us on this Thursday. Well, much of Los Angeles County remains under a red flag warning through Friday night as firefighters continue to battle multiple major wildfires. Roughly 179,000 residents have been told to evacuate and thousands of structures have been damaged or totally destroyed in the outbreak of at least five fires that have been spreading across the Los Angeles area. Five people tragically have lost their lives so far, but officials say the death toll is likely to be higher. Firefighters work to contain the fires. Our friends at Samaritan's Purse are monitoring the situation and waiting for officials to give them the green light to go ahead and provide physical and spiritual aid to those affected. Joining me now to talk about this and more is Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan's Purse. Franklin, welcome back to the program.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you, Tony. Good to be with you.
SPEAKER 04 :
Franklin, before we jump into what's happening there on the West Coast in Los Angeles today, it was a day of mourning for the passing of former President Jimmy Carter. The state funeral was today. Your father had a close relationship with him. What should people keep in mind at moments like this?
SPEAKER 01 :
I've heard people say Jimmy Carter was a better president after he left the White House than when he was in the White House. I would disagree with that, Tony. I look at the one moment where he brought Anwar Sadat and Menachem Begin together at the White House, and they signed that peace accord, the Camp David peace accord between Egypt and Israel, which is still in effect today. This was huge. And of course, when he did leave, he was just a one-term president, but when he left, He just didn't sit around. He did things. He helped people. He had a real burden for parts of Africa that were suffering from the Guinea worm. He focused on that and tried to draw attention to get funding for it, to help relieve suffering to people. He built houses. He was an incredible emissary for our country around the world after he left the White House. And he just, one of the most positive people And I've spent quite a bit of time with him and he was always kind and gracious. A Southern gentleman, Tony.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, that was my sense as well. And I do want to just say, as you pointed out, the critical role he played in facilitating the peace between Israel and Egypt, that really is a cornerstone of peace in that region, which I think the Abraham Accords were able to build on in the last Trump administration.
SPEAKER 01 :
No question. What Jimmy Carter did opened up the door. And so we just pray that as President Trump comes next week, as he comes into office, that he'll be able to get that rolling again. And hopefully we can see some peace initiatives once again in the Middle East.
SPEAKER 04 :
All right, Franklin, let's shift gears here from the historic hurricane of Helene there in your backyard to the other side of the country just a few months later. We've got these historic fires in Los Angeles. Help us make sense of all this, and what do we need to do?
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, Samaritan's Purse, we have a ministry center in Fullerton. We keep trucks and equipment and supplies in a warehouse there. So we're ready to move once the local authorities let us go in. One of the problems you have, first of all, the fire's still raging, so we're not firefighters, and you have to just let this play out. But once it plays out, we have to wait for the local officials to give you the green light to go in. One of the problems is there could be bodies that are still in homes that were burned in the fire that they have not discovered. And they will have to canvas the area and go to home by home to make sure that they're clear. And at some point after that, they will give the green light for people like Samaritan's Purse to come in and homeowners to come back to their homes. And we will help. One of the big things that we do is sift through the ashes. These fires leave nothing behind. But there may be a mother's wedding ring or maybe a picture album, something that might've survived. And so we'll take teams of people, go in and we'll sift the ashes, looking for things of value. We've found coin collections, we've find diamond rings, we have found things in the past. And you give that back to the homeowner and just to be able to have something that survived that fire that they can hang on to. And it's very important. Now, some counties don't allow us to go back to do anything else. Many communities where we have these problems, they allow us to come and help clean off the lot, get the homeowner into a position where they can build again. And I just don't know what they'll do there in L.A., but I'm sure they'll let us come in and help sift through the ashes. And then we have, of course, chaplains. And we want to talk and pray with people that have lost everything. A lot of people are asking why. And that's a hard question to answer is why. But we want to reassure them of God's love and God cares for them. And he hasn't turned his back on them. So we'll have chaplains there helping as we have volunteers with Samaritan's Purse sifting.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, and I can't say enough positive things about Samaritan's Purse in both the ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, the chaplains, and then the hands-on volunteers. But I was just looking in the last 20 years, we've had the 10 most costly natural disasters in the history of this country. These things are growing with their frequency. I think the church has to be prepared. I think it's a sign of the times, but we need to be prepared to minister in these moments because people are open when they're hurting.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, they are. And that's when you have an opportunity to share with them God's love that he sent his son, Jesus Christ, from heaven to this earth to take our sins. And he died and he shed his blood for our sins and was buried. And on the third day, God raised him to life. And if we're willing to repent of our sins and just by faith, simply believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, we'll be saved. And this is the message that we need to share with everyone, Tony. And of course, the world's population has doubled in my lifetime, your lifetime. And so there's more people and there's gonna be more storms. And of course, everybody has a cell phone, an iPhone, takes a picture, able to send it to everyone around the world. So we see it instantly now where we didn't have that before. So I don't know if we have more frequency, but it is affecting more people because our population has doubled.
SPEAKER 04 :
Franklin, very quickly, we've got about 20 seconds left. How can people find out more about helping Samaritan's Purse?
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, go to Samaritan'sPurse.org, our website. You can check on what we're doing here in North Carolina, but also there in California, and how they can volunteer and be a part of this. We do need volunteers.
SPEAKER 04 :
All right. We will continue to check in with you as things progress there. Franklin, thanks so much for joining us today.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you, Tony.
SPEAKER 04 :
All right, folks, stick around. We're back with more after this.
SPEAKER 13 :
So if you like to think and you like to pray, FRC is the place for you.
SPEAKER 14 :
I think it is the best program out there.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, I absolutely love 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. 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 14 :
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 06 :
The throne of Jesus Christ is unchallenged. His name was never on the ballot to begin with, and it's never gonna be on the ballot. He's the King of Kings, and he's the Lord of Lords, and nothing's gonna 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 04 :
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. Welcome back to Washington Watch. You can find out more about Samaritan's Purse at tonyperkins.com. But I highly recommend that if you're going to help, help Samaritan's Purse. Help through Samaritan's Purse. Volunteer. Give money. They do a great job. Also pray. This is another example of why we're doing Operation Prayer Shield. So if you'd like to join us in praying for our country, we're extending this beyond the inauguration on January the 20th. Text SHIELD to 67742. Earlier today, the House of Representatives passed legislation to sanction the International Criminal Court and their officials, which you may recall, issued a arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense minister for their actions during Israel's war against Hamas. The illegitimate Court Counteraction Act passed by a vote of 243 to 140, with 45 Democrats joining Republicans in support of it. It now heads to the Senate where the Majority Leader John Thune says he will put it onto the floor and advance it. So what message does this send to the world and what does it tell us about what we could expect out of the 119th Congress? Here now to discuss this and more, Congressman Doug LaMalfa, who is a member of the three House committees, a member of three House committees and chairman of the Congressional Western Caucus. He represents the 1st Congressional District Congress. of California. Congressman LaMalfa, welcome back to Washington Watch.
SPEAKER 12 :
Tony, thanks so much for having me. I appreciate your covering today.
SPEAKER 04 :
First, before we jump into this topic, you're from California, very familiar with fires. In fact, it wasn't too long ago you had fires in your northern part of the state. What can you tell us about what's happening there in California?
SPEAKER 12 :
Yeah, ours is a little more seasonal up in North where we do get rain and snow and Southern California being more arid. Well, it's not a surprise that the threat is there every year. Every year you can count on the Santa Ana winds coming in and, you know, possibly affecting fire if one's occurring. And so at this time, They were extremely unfortunate in how severe it was this go around. But it's to be expected every year. And so what is our level of readiness for being able to have a chance to fight the fire or the resiliency against a fire that will happen occasionally anyhow? So are homes being built out of the right material? And is the lands around there being treated in such a way that you don't have the brush and the fuel that will carry the the fire to areas where you really don't want to burn.
SPEAKER 04 :
Is the criticism of state and local officials there justified?
SPEAKER 12 :
In fairness, yes, because the priorities have been something else. You can see how the fire department down there has been hiring DEI-type people. priorities instead of just who are the best people they can bring in. You might have seen a video from a fellow last name Corolla who tried to join the fire department, had to wait seven years merely because he was the wrong gender or color or something. That's ridiculous. And then we saw with the city there chose to downsize their fire department by about $17 million in funding. And that doesn't reflect that there's a lower fire risk in the area. And obviously we're seeing that, that the fire risk is still very high, especially with the Senate.
SPEAKER 04 :
So policy matters. The policies we adopt matter. It affects people.
SPEAKER 12 :
That's what directly affects people by what government does, yes.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yes. All right. Well, let's talk about this. Tell us about the bill voted on earlier today, the ICC that would sanction the ICC. Tell us exactly what it does and why it was important for Congress to take this up first in the 119th Congress.
SPEAKER 12 :
It sends a strong message that the disinformation that's been around Israel and and this whole battle here in Gaza was, obviously Hamas is the aggressor on that. I mean, until two October 7th ago, There really wasn't an issue like that. So they've taken this to the next level on the whole phony concept of what Palestine should be, which is more fictitious than anything. And so the whole, you know, Israel's bent over backwards for most of its existence to try and accommodate. You know, the Gaza was a kind of a land for peace deal. And they never got peace. So they were setting up rockets before the settlement was, the ink was even dry on that deal. And so... We know the source of the attack, the heinous things, the ugly things that the Hamas-related people did to those people starting on October 7. That's all on their lap. The blood is on their hands. Israel is doing what should be done. It's actually bending over backwards and maybe succumbing to world pressure, unfair pressure by UN and media and others. And I think some pretty bad handling by the Biden administration, where they should have had stronger backing by the United States from the beginning. This would probably be over a long time ago. And the hostages either released or if these guys were going to torture and murder them, as we've seen happen with some of them, the situation would have been settled and still it drags on. So now when you see with Trump coming in, they're paying more attention and it seems like there's gonna be a stronger effort to end this thing as it is. But it has to be pretty much unconditional. We can't allow Hamas to continue to doing what they're doing with that massive tunnel system. And there's a cell everywhere that they can launch rockets from and abduct people. So for the ICC to be somehow blaming Netanyahu as some kind of war criminal because he's resisting and pushing back and trying to end this. Israel has always sued for peace. It's always... And even when they do an airstrike or try and wipe these guys out where they are, they send leaflets and they send warning. Hey, we're going to do this very surgically. They don't just indiscriminately bomb everything like those rockets that they launched indiscriminately into Israel. They don't care who they kill or what it affects. So it's ridiculous that the ICC would even... Consider that. This just shows the politics of the U.N., the Security Council, and a lot of the really irresponsible world media on blaming it on Netanyahu.
SPEAKER 04 :
And it's certainly encouraging to see Congress taking this up in their first week. Doug, we're out of time. Up against the break.
SPEAKER 12 :
And thank you for joining us. This also affects American citizens, possibly. So I want to protect them, too. Thank you.
SPEAKER 04 :
All right. Have a great day. Don't go away, folks. Hello, I'm Tony Perkins, President of the 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 do you know the Bible talks about four institutions of government? Do 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 02 :
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 are 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 sage cons 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 04 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Good to have you with us on this Thursday. The website, TonyPerkins.com. Let me remind you, two prayer events coming up. January the 19th, we'll have our prayer preceding the inauguration of President Donald Trump. That'll be 2 p.m. in the afternoon. To find out more about how you can be a part of that, go to frc.org slash prayer. If you can't make it to town, you can still join us on the Stand Firm app. And then February the 5th, we have the National Gathering for Prayer and Repentance, which will be at the Museum of the Bible. I encourage you to come and be a part of that. This will be our third year. Dr. Jim Garlow will be joining me. And we'll talk more about that later. Well, speaking of prayers, we watched the devastating wildfires in Southern California continue to rage. And as I was talking with Franklin Graham earlier, it was just three months ago that we saw the historic level of destruction in the Carolinas with the Hurricane Helene. And we just look back to all the many natural disasters our nation has faced in recent years, and somebody's saying, how do we get through such challenging times? And I do, number one, I think the Lord warned us that as we move toward the end of time, we're going to see more things like this. We need to be prepared. And one of the ways we respond to this is in prayer. We do preparation. But we, just knowing that this is not unusual, that these things, I mean, it's unusual, but we've been warned that it was gonna be happening so that our peace would not be robbed from us, nor our joy. And it's interesting, throughout history, our nation's history, Christians have turned to God in prayer, asking for hope for healing and guidance during disasters. And that's needed now perhaps more than ever. But also, as we were talking earlier with Meg Kilgannon about the opportunities that we have with this incoming administration, I want to encourage you not to think we've crossed the finish line, but rather this is the starting line. And the way we affect change as believers is first in prayer, and then we walk it out. Well, with me, joining me now to talk more about this, about the power of prayer and its role in both personal and national transformation, is Dr. Ronnie Floyd, pastor emeritus of Cross Church in northwest Arkansas and author of the recently released book, The Supernatural Power of Prayer and Fasting, 12 Ways God Will Change Your Life. Dr. Floyd, welcome back to Washington Watch. Thanks so much for joining us.
SPEAKER 03 :
Thank you, Tony. Great to be with you always.
SPEAKER 04 :
So let me just ask you first off, what prompted you to write this book?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, Tony, I have been on journeys of fasting really since my collegiate days and was approached about doing it because I haven't written about it in about 14 years in a book. And so that's what it was. Plus, I felt like the moment in America and across the world where is perfect in relationship to the church stepping into this space, which is desperately needed by individual believers, as well as churches where we spend time in prayer and fasting, not only for ourselves, but also for our country.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, you headed up National Day of Prayer for a season. I mean, prayer has been fundamental to your ministry, you know, the power of that prayer. So this is not new. Is this a culmination of experiences that you've had as you've walked in prayer and fasting?
SPEAKER 03 :
I think it probably really is. God shapes our lives and God gets us ready for various things in life and preps us through the course of life. And I believe that this book really speaks clearly and soundly biblically as well as practically and spiritually, that it should inspire people to walk into those moments at a little different level with God. You know, Tony, I was thinking the other day, while the church today must always be the salt and the light, one thing the church can do that the world cannot do is to really pursue God with deep prayers and fastings over our nation and the condition of our nation. And I think in this time in America, I'm telling you, you know, it's prime time and we need to be praying for those who lead our nation.
SPEAKER 04 :
You know, many see prayer as, It's almost therapeutic. It's just so you can express yourself and you can calm down. But it's much more than that. I mean, when you look at what Jesus said in Matthew 18 about the keys of the kingdom, what we bind in heaven will be bound in earth. The actual activity is in heaven. And the way we, as you said, as believers, as followers of Christ, we have access to heaven. We are able to pray to God himself, who is the one, the Lord Jesus Christ is the one who holds the keys that opens and shuts.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, there's no question about that. And those keys are the gospel of Jesus Christ, the good news of Christ that we're able to share. And, you know, we have been given those keys because we are followers of Jesus. And we're thankful that we get to represent Him, you know, in this world to be the ambassadors we need to be. And, you know, I just, I tell you, I just really... really appeal to people today to understand where this country is today. God is giving us a moment in history for us to pray like we've never prayed, to spend time in seasons of fasting, but also just really, really, really getting involved all across our nation in every way possible to make a difference in a positive way.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, this is definitely not the time to think we can put this on autopilot. It is going to work its way out. That our responsibility ended on November the 5th. It's just beginning. Now, your book outlines the 12 ways that God will change your life through this process of prayer and fasting. In what ways? What are some of those 12 ways that God begins to change us through prayer and through fasting?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I believe that we will begin to experience the power of God in our lives. There's something mysterious and powerful about obeying the word of God. You know, most people don't know this, but, you know, there's 57 verses in the scripture with the word fast or fasting. And it's mentioned 69 times in those 57 verses, and all of them have to do with the abstinence of food. So in relationship to this, you know, it was prominent in God's Word. God only has to say it one time, and He's called us to do this. And I think it's so important that when God leads us and when we know that we are pleading with the lord that we'll do that and when we do we will experience god's power you know one of the things tony that that we think at times that when we fast and pray or or just pray we think we're going to change the mind of god and perhaps you know i don't know about all that i don't understand the divine in that manner but here's what i do know the divine will change us God will change us. Even if we go to God in the midst of prayer and fasting, pleading with God, pouring our hearts out to God over one item in our life or over several items in life or in the country or wherever we are, we can be assured when that fast is finished, if God has not met that just as we need to to see him in our minds, You know, God gives us a peace in our heart because what happens is we realign our will with God's will. And that's the power of prayer itself.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, and I mean, I don't understand it all either. The ways of God are higher than our ways. But I know Hezekiah prayed and the Lord heard his prayer and reversed the order that he had given that his life was over, that he was going to die. And he gave him additional life. time on this earth. So we know that God does hear our prayers, but you're right, we're the ones that are transformed by them. But there's also a peace, a joy. When you talk about the power of God, it's a peace and a joy. It's the ability to have the abundant life that Jesus Christ came to give us by abiding in him. It enables us to walk on the waves of the turbulent life in which we live.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes, there's no question about that, Tony. And one of the groups, obviously the most important group in that other than the church would be the family. And this book talks about how to believe God for your family in prayer and in fasting. And I think it's really important that we understand that the fight, while we think at times it's out there, It really is in us and with our family where we need to do what we need to do to minister in prayer and at times in a season of fasting for our family because we need to see our families being representatives and instruments of God all across the world.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah. If we had our families in proper alignment with God, you know what? All of a sudden, our communities would be... You know, before you know it, our whole nation would be. So it does. It does start with the family. The supernatural power of prayer and fasting, 12 ways God will change your life. Dr. Floyd, how can people get a copy of the book?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, they can get a copy on Amazon. They can get a copy on Barnes and Nobles and get a copy on Christian books or even in your local region. There's somewhere maybe that may be carrying it, but you can do it online immediately. And thank you so much for the opportunity to tell people about it.
SPEAKER 04 :
Before we wrap up here, Dr. Floyd, you know, we've been talking about it, but when you look at... Franklin Graham was on earlier with Samaritan's Purse. But you look at, and I brought this up to him, the frequency of these natural disasters. Of course, he brought the point up that we're more aware of it. But I do think that we're living in the end times described in the church or in the scripture. Now, how long are those end times? How long is it? I don't know. I don't know everything. But I think we're in that season. How do we not just survive but thrive during these times?
SPEAKER 03 :
I think keep perspective of even looking at what you just said, because I think what you said is correct. You know, what we must understand is that in this moment, in this era, for whatever reason, and God is doing something, and I don't understand it all. I wish I did understand it all. I could tell everybody I did. But what I do understand is that what you said biblically is correct. That something is going on, and that something going on is that we are nearing the time, whenever that time is. And isn't it amazing, Tony, the rapid succession of those things, of those events, of those times. Terrible circumstances. I mean, what is happening, you know, not only in the Carolinas earlier, but think about what's happening today, what you just stated about the fires. I mean, that is beyond our imagination and is absolutely heartbreaking. And so it is definitely a great time to have a perspective biblically, but also go to God about it because he's the one who can minister peace and healing and a future for everyone.
SPEAKER 04 :
And Jesus and John talked, he said, you know, I'm telling you these things so that you might have your joy, that my joy might be in you, that you won't be robbed of your joy nor of your peace. And if you think about that, he was telling them in that context, he was saying, you're gonna be hated. People are gonna be against you. Hey, but I want you to have joy. I want you to have peace. And he's warning us that these times would come. But as you say, through prayer, fasting, and abiding in him, which would be in his word. I think those three things, if we're in his word, we're praying and we're fasting, we're going to have the strength not just to survive, but literally... thrive in this environment, whatever that environment might be, because God's going to be able to use us to minister to others. And as Franklin was talking about earlier, when we come into these disasters, and you and I both have seen it, people are hurting, they're looking to make sense of all of this, and they're open to having deeper conversations about what life really means. And that's an opportunity to share the love of Jesus Christ with them, the gospel message that Christ died for them, and that they can have that abundant life. But in order to do that, we have to have our wits about us. That means we have to be prepared for these moments.
SPEAKER 03 :
Right. Yes. And Tony, you know, following the Holy Spirit and his leadership and all that is just pivotal. Just like you try to follow the Holy Spirit's leadership in every broadcast you do, every sermon you ever preach, everything you ever do with the FRC and through the FRC. And that should be our heartbeat out here with people every day. What does God want me to say? How can God use me today? And who needs to hear today? And ask God for the open doors. I really believe that when we pray, God will open those doors.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yes, He will. In fact, in Revelation 3, verse 7 and 8, He talks about, and I've talked about this a lot because it's been a verse I've been chewing on, about Jesus at the Church of Philadelphia, the door that He opened because they... They did not deny his word, nor did they deny his name. And powerful. Dr. Ronnie Floyd, always great to see you. Thanks so much for joining us, and we'll encourage people to check out The Supernatural Power of Prayer and Fasting, 12 Ways God Will Change Your Life. Thanks for being with us, and Happy New Year.
SPEAKER 03 :
Thanks, Tony. You're the same.
SPEAKER 04 :
All right, Dr. Ronnie Floyd, you can find out more about the book. Go to TonyPerkins.com or go online to Amazon, get a copy of the book. I do want to encourage you that in these times, and I think they're going to become more intense. I mean, we're seeing the evidence of that. We need to be prepared. And I would encourage you, as you increase and enhance your prayer life, that you also have a regular time of study in God's word. And if you don't have a Bible reading plan, guess what? We've got one for you. It's called Stand on the Word. And I invite you to join me every day for a devotional based upon that reading plan and get in the word. You can find out more about it by texting Bible to 67742, Bible to 67742. It is just a, it's a journey through the word of God and it will change your life. All right, folks, thanks so much for joining us today. Always great to have you as a part of Washington Watch. Until next time, I want to leave you with the encouraging words of the Apostle Paul, which we find in the Word of God in Ephesians chapter six, where he says, when you've done everything that you can do, when you've prayed and when you've prepared and when you've taken your stand, by all means, keep standing.
SPEAKER 10 :
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 this episode of the Kim Monson Show, Kim and her guest Brad Beck delve into the intricate relationship between politics, freedom, and environmental management. With engaging discussions on the power dynamics within government bureaucracies and the true meaning of altruism, listeners are invited to consider their roles in shaping societal values. This episode also ventures into personal responsibility amidst disaster preparedness, emphasizing the power of individuals to influence change amidst governmental guidance.
SPEAKER 04 :
It's the Kim Monson Show, analyzing the most important stories.
SPEAKER 10 :
I find that it takes work to get your brain around these ideas, and it takes work to engage in these conversations.
SPEAKER 04 :
The latest in politics and world affairs.
SPEAKER 10 :
With what is happening down at the Statehouse, I used to think that it was above my pay grade to read the legislation, and it's not.
SPEAKER 04 :
Today's current opinions and ideas.
SPEAKER 10 :
I see big danger in as much as we will be giving an unelected bureaucrat the power to make rules about what we inject into our bodies.
SPEAKER 04 :
Is it freedom or is it force? Let's have a conversation.
SPEAKER 10 :
Indeed, let's have a conversation. 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. Thank you to the team. That's Producer Joe, Luke, Rachel, Zach, Echo, Charlie, Mike, Teresa, and all the people here at Crawford Broadcasting. Happy Thursday, Producer Joe. Happy Thursday, Kim. And the girls were over last night, and so I had ordered the Hooters Wings special for Wednesday. Buy 20 wings, get an additional 10 for free, and that's always a real treat. And Hooters has five locations, Loveland, Aurora, Lone Tree, Westminster, and Colorado Springs. and a great place to get together with friends for lunch specials, and lots of football games this weekend as well. In studio with me is my good friend, co-founder of Liberty Toastmasters, Brad Beck, sometimes host of the show. Great to have you here.
SPEAKER 05 :
Great to be here. Good to see you, Kim. It's the first time we've seen each other this new year, so Happy New Year. Happy New Year. And Happy New You, because that's my article.
SPEAKER 10 :
I love this article. I just love it. So we're going to be talking about that in the third and fourth segment of this show. We'll be rolling that out this weekend in the newsletter. So I'd highly recommend that people sign up for our newsletter at Kim Monson. That's M-O-N-S-O-N.com. You can email me at Kim at KimMonson.com. Thank you to all of you who support us. The text line, and we do want to hear from you, is 720-605-0647. And the show broadcasts 6 to 8 a.m. Monday through Friday. The first hour is rebroadcast 1 to 2 in the afternoon. The second hour, 10 to 11 at night. This is on all KLZ platforms, KLZ 560 AM, KLZ 100.7 FM, the KLZ website, and the KLZ app. And then the shows also can be heard within about 24 hours on Spotify and iTunes and all of the streaming services. And as you know, we search for truth and clarity on this show by looking at these issues through this lens of freedom versus force, force versus freedom. If something's a good idea, you should not have to use force to implement it. And Brad, I think the list has gotten longer since the last time you were here.
SPEAKER 05 :
I'm sure it has.
SPEAKER 10 :
Yeah, and you and I have both seen this in government, where under the guise of compassion, bureaucrats, PBIs, politicians, bureaucrats, and interested parties will talk about being altruistic, about doing something good for someone else. It's a government program, but what we've learned is you can't give to someone else unless you've taken it from somebody over here, right?
SPEAKER 05 :
Exactly. And even the term altruism, most people think it's being generous. And the problem with that, the origin of that word, altruism, comes from Auguste Comte, the philosopher, and it means other-ism. And so you should sacrifice for others by the force of government. I believe in benevolence. I believe if you can, whatever way, whether your time or your treasure, help somebody, that's great. But the force of government, I'm totally against. So I've never liked that word, altruism.
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, and what happens with these government programs is those PBIs that are being so altruistic with somebody else's money, they have to make those programs work. So they have to take a cut across the top as the money goes by.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, we both have family in Southern California, and you can see that in action. The mismanagement, what's going on with the fires in Pacific Palisades and the Eaton Fire up north. And my daughter lives in the San Fernando Valley, as my brother and sister do. My father lives in Oceanside. It's just unconscionable, and it's unbelievable. I mean, I'm just getting reports all the time in Texas, and it's just devastating. And I know those areas well. I grew up in that area.
SPEAKER 10 :
You grew up there. I wanted to ask you about that. I've seen the pictures of just abandoned vehicles, people trying to get away. And that's one of the times where I think you want to make sure you have a full tank of gas. And that's where I would really not want an EV. If my EV is not charged and if there's problems with there's no electricity, again, for a safety standpoint, I would like to have my combustion engine, my freedom of mobility, my gas tank full so that I could get out of there.
SPEAKER 05 :
People need to be prepared. I went through the Northridge earthquake. I wasn't home at the time, but I was out of town on business, flew back. And thankfully, I had all the things you need to survive, you know, water, food, a place to stay. It was unbelievable. So if you've ever gone through a disaster and you're not prepared... You know, you hit that DEFCON 1 button and you just freak out. You react. If you're prepared, just like any disaster, snow, fire, rain, you know, if you have a flood, you need to be prepared. And that takes forethought. And not enough people do it. They say, oh, the government will come here. And that's what I'm hearing from officials in Southern California. Oh, we need the federal government. It's like, no, you don't. Get prepared beforehand. Yeah, they can assist at certain times, but... You know, when I hear elected representatives saying we need Washington, they have the wrong attitude.
SPEAKER 10 :
And, yeah, we each have individual responsibility. Apparently, Trump, I didn't see his speech the other day, but the girls, as I said, they were over last night and they said that he talked about water in his speech quite a bit. And there's been, I really think, water mismanagement in California. I remember years ago, I called it the Delta smelta, which was this little smelt fish that they actually were forcing farmers to send their water on down the river into the ocean and obviously making California drier, affecting our food source. Again, for this little, I call it the Delta smelta.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, there's a lot of mismanagement in the sense, just like we have here in Colorado, where we need more water storage. And because of all the environmental impact studies and all the environmentalists that are radicalized, they won't let that happen. They won't let new facilities be built. And if they are being built or expanded, it takes years and years. And so, you know, California, especially Southern California, two, three years of good rain. And then all of a sudden now they're in a deficit. And all that water that goes out to the Pacific Ocean from all those floods and rains that come in, they could have saved that somewhere. Right. And they didn't have a chance. They couldn't. And then in Central California and Sacramento Valley and up in the San Francisco area, they just let it run to the ocean. And it's unfortunate because we should be focusing on people and then the environment. Otherwise, people say we can do both. Yeah, we can, but you've got to plan for it. And my feeling is people come first.
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, and the other thing, environmentalists, they're always talking about the air, right? Air quality. Well, you take a look at these fires. The air quality is pretty crummy.
SPEAKER 05 :
It's unbelievable.
SPEAKER 10 :
So it's not really about wanting to make sure that we're taking care of air and water. And we've learned about this on the show. The environmentalists are anti-human.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 10 :
And we can coexist as humans on our earth and be good stewards of our earth. But we're learning that these environmentalists just don't like human beings. And so that's why I think that we have all of this mismanagement.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, if you focus on what the real opportunities are for success, you have to have freedom. And in freedom, you have better environmental conditions. You look at what the former Soviet Union was or Eastern Europe. They're still dealing with all the fallout from communism and socialism. And their environments are terrible. And yet you come here in the West. Our regulations, and there should be some good regulations, but not as much as there currently is. There's way too much.
SPEAKER 10 :
Right. They're trying to put these businesses, these oil and gas, coal businesses, out of business. And as we talk about it all the time, the oil, natural gas, and coal, they are abundant, reliable, efficient, and affordable. Well, they're trying to make it more expensive. Affordable products. uh power for our lives and that's all under assault so let's get next week drill baby drill right drill baby that's right the show comes to you because of our sponsors and thank you to the harris family for their goal sponsorship of the show Our word of the day, Brad, is fruition. And in the spirit of Toastmasters, we have a word of the day. Your challenge is to use it in a sentence. It's spelled F-R-U-I-T-I-O-N. It's a noun. And it's the realization of something desired or worked for. Accomplishment. Number two, it could be enjoyment derived from use or possession. And the condition of bearing fruit. And I think that so many people are excited about all the work that was done on this last election with the fruition of the inauguration that's coming up soon.
SPEAKER 05 :
It's going to be a beautiful thing. I think we're going to have a different attitude. I think businesses are going to start really flourishing or growing. see the fruits of their labor. And because of that, so many people worked hard to even look at the 75th General Assembly yesterday started. Hold your wallets. But, you know, with hard work, you get more freedom and we can't let our laurels rest. We need to be engaged all the time. So we have that fruition of success.
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, and one of the girls last night said that Trump basically got a wedge in the door for freedom, I would say. But we all each individually have a lot of work to do. Our quote of the day, I wanted to get to this, and then we're going to be talking with Drew Dix, who, one of the co-founders of the Center for American Values here in just a moment. Medal of Honor recipient. But yesterday when we were talking with Colonel Rutledge about Greenland, Drew texted me, said, well, I was in Greenland. I'm like, do you want to talk about it? Because Greenland's in the news right now, Brad. But our quote of the day is from James Madison. And he said this, and he was born in 1751, died in 1836. He was one of our founding fathers. He's known as the father of the Constitution. And he said this, there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, he was probably our shortest president, I think at 5'2", 5'2 1⁄2", but his stature was great because of his ability to write and to think and to be there during the founding of this country. So he was a giant.
SPEAKER 10 :
He was a giant. And last year I was in Virginia. I visited Monticello. in the Montpelier, just standing in his library was just so cool. It was so cool. The show comes to you because of our sponsors, and make sure that you have the proper insurance coverage. And the best way to do that is to reach out to the Roger Mangan State Farm Insurance team for a complimentary appointment. That number is 303-795-8855. Like a good neighbor, the Roger Mangan team is there.
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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 10 :
And welcome back to The Kim Monson Show. Be sure and check out our website. That is KimMonson, 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. We'll see you next time. Well, you've seen me at the very beginning because we've talked about it at Liberty Toastmasters. I had crashed and burned in front of about 1,000 people, and I'd lost my confidence. And so you've been with me for this whole journey.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, and I appreciate the opportunity to host from time to time and be a co-host when called upon. So it's been a privilege.
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, great. And we had Drew on the line, and then something happened with that. So while we're waiting to get him on the line again, Brad, okay, I've forgotten about this. It says the governor of California is also on a mission to destroy four dams if he has not already done so. So not only are they not letting us build water storage, they're destroying our water storage.
SPEAKER 05 :
It's a damn shame.
SPEAKER 10 :
Yeah, it is.
SPEAKER 05 :
It's unfortunate.
SPEAKER 10 :
It's really, really crazy.
SPEAKER 05 :
Without water, you have no growth, no opportunity for businesses to grow. Right. You need energy and water.
SPEAKER 10 :
Yeah, and food. And food. Food's a pretty good thing, too, as well. Okay, we have Drew Dix back on the line. Drew Dix is a co-founder of the Center for American Values, which is a place that I dearly love. And their website is AmericanValueCenter.org. And we want to talk with them about Greenland. But before that, they've got a great event coming up on the 23rd of January. Drew Dix, welcome to the show.
SPEAKER 07 :
Good to be here, Kim. And always good to talk to you about the center, too.
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, you do amazing work. It's nonpartisan and nonpolitical, focused on these values of honor, integrity, and patriotism. But you've got a very important event coming up on the 23rd. I am sorry to miss it, because I will be with the Colorado Union of Taxpayers. But this is regarding the USS Pueblo. And tell us just a little bit about this, Drew.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, Kim, sorry that we're going to miss you, but you're doing good work with the taxpayer deal. We need your help there. But So Bob Chica was one of the crew members of the Pueblo in January 1968 when it was captured by the North Koreans. And he has a great story, and he's going to be at the center. It's open to the public. Just ask you to call to make reservations or at least let us know, get a head count so we have room. If you can call 719-543-9502, we'd like to have you. You're really going to enjoy it, and it's a nice place on the Riverwalk to spend some time. If you have any questions, you can look up the website, AmericanValueCenter.org, and there's information about the program as well.
SPEAKER 10 :
Right, and that will start at 4 o'clock on the 23rd. And these programs, these on-value programs that you put on, Drew, They're really many times once-in-a-lifetime experiences. I've been down and had the great honor to emcee some of these events and really to rub shoulders with heroes. It's really a great opportunity, so I'd recommend that people check this out at AmericanValueCenter.org. That event is Thursday, January 23rd at 4 p.m., and it's going to be very special.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, and I think it's a good idea for parents maybe to bring their kids – to see a little bit of history about what the country went through over the years. It gives a new outlook on how things are. There's a lot going on in the country, and we need to remember the sacrifices made for all those that brought us to where we are.
SPEAKER 10 :
And absolutely. And we have a responsibility now because we do stand on the shoulders of giants. But let's shift gears, Drew, because yesterday Colonel Bill Rutledge was on. He's 96 years young. He's traveled the world. has this great interest in people and places and he'd been stationed in Greenland. And of course, Greenland is in the news because Donald Trump is saying maybe Greenland will become part of America. And you texted me and said that you had been stationed in Greenland for some time. So I thought, let's hear about your experience.
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, I'd like to add to what Colonel Rutledge, you know, he's a remarkable guy and he's done a lot of things. I guess when you're 96, and like me, I'm 80 now, so that means we've done a lot if we hadn't just sat around on our hands. But no, in between 1984 and 95, I worked on a project for the U.S. government out on the sea ice, and we would launch our project originally from Thule, which Colonel Rutledge talked about. It's an air base there. But then we moved further north to Station Nord, about 750 miles north of Thule, at the very top of Greenland, which is an air base up there manned by five Danish. Five. And they keep it open. It's part of a traditional presence for Denmark as ownership of Greenland, I guess. And what they do is not only man that airfield, which was for emergency landing for cross-polar flights, I guess, during World War II and during peacetime, but also... We used to run these projects out there, put floating ice stations from 84 to 95 because of the vulnerability of Soviet attacks on the Arctic Ocean from submarines. And the importance of it is that submarines can hide under the ice and actually fire missiles through the ice. I believe they calculated it was like a 20-minute flight from there to New York by missile. So didn't have a lot of lead time. So I was fortunate to be called in about 1984 because of the new effort that they wanted to establish these ice stations in New York. and install devices that could help track the Soviet submarine. The project originally was classified, no longer is. There's been a lot written from the government about it. But the thing that's important is President Trump realizes the importance of our national security and how strategic Greenland is. So I was kind of excited at the fact that at least he's talking about it, And because it was the Russians and the Chinese are well equipped to work in the ice up there. And the U.S. is not. We've got three old icebreakers. They got 30 or 40 of them. So we're behind the power curve. And I think the president is on something to see if he can't secure a deal with the Greenlanders or the Danes and or the Danes. So it's. But it's a remarkable place. It's so vast. And the population is so small. There's around 60,000 total people living on Greenland. And nothing above 750 miles south of Greenland and north. There's not many other than those five days. And one or two Eskimo villages... that are on the coast, and they're not totally occupied all year either. So that's pretty exciting times. He hadn't called me up to ask me what he ought to do, but I think that it's important that the people know that it's just not a matter of trying to take some land. There's a purpose behind it.
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, Drew, this is fascinating, but I have to ask you about these ice stations, or what can you tell us about that? That had to be, how many of you were in this ice station and what was that like?
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, the Soviet at the time, they had ice stations, but theirs were on floating icebergs, which were more stable. We chose to use floating ice, so we spent a lot of time searching for a multi-year ice blow, in other words, thicker than about seven feet, so we could operate on there. We concentrated in the North Pole, not just because it's the North Pole, but the ice was tighter up there, and it's constantly moving, and it has a gyration clockwise. And so we would concentrate on the North Pole area. So the station we put in and the ice we selected for that station had survivability that wouldn't crunch up and we'd lose whatever we established there. There was two of us that would spend time looking for these ice stations or the right ice for our needs. And the pole, North Pole from Station Nord was about 575 miles away, so much closer than from Alaska and other places. And that's why we would go to Greenland. But initially when we parachuted in there because there was no way to land if we didn't have the right ice. So we spent a lot of time looking to make sure we could carve a little skiway out of there so we could get an aircraft to land and pull us out of there when we were done. But initially there was two of us and then we would bring in a team of five or six additional folks. And we also did a little, brought in a few science guys, quote science, whatever they were drilling and determining what was going on up there. So we would go in and around the 21st of March, and that's when the sun comes up. And we would stay until about the first week in May, and then the ice gets a little rotten. But no, it was very, very successful program. We're not doing it now in that manner. But yeah, we had ice station Crystal is what my station was called. And so we did it for 10 years. We did it a little bit till 95 after the Cold War or the Soviets collapsed. And no, every now and then we'd encounter a Russian or a Soviet activity, but we were pretty successful in keeping our program close hold.
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, what about supplies? What did you eat during that time?
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, when we first went in, we packed two containers that weighed about 600 pounds in a survival sled that we could pull, a man sled, in case the ice broke up and we had to get out of there. So we were in pretty good shape. I mean, two guys don't eat that much. You burn a lot of calories. But then when we... We picked a nice flow. Usually they're about a mile across. They're more circular. The stronger flows are more circular because they've survived a year and the edges get knocked off. So that's how you can identify them. And there's other ways, too. And they couldn't be so thick where other flows wrapped it on top of each other and made it so thick we couldn't penetrate. So the ideal flow was about seven feet thick and about a mile across. And then after we got going, they would airdrop fuel to us because that was key to have fuel to keep warm because there's no firewood up there. And also we could bring in supplies with less fuel on board the aircraft because they would come with the supplies that we needed for our work. and we could fuel them up so they could head back, so they could carry more payload out. So they would airdrop two or three aircraft loads of fuel to us.
SPEAKER 10 :
And what kind of a structure were you in?
SPEAKER 07 :
We used tents. The first one was a pretty small tent. It was just enough for two guys. It was... For those in the military, I know what a mountain tent is. It's pretty small. And then we brought in these dome kind of tents. So usually about the first one we used was 8 by 12, and then they were in 12-foot increments. So when we got six or seven more guys, we would put up an 8 by 24. And then we put a little tent up for a little bit of a, both science work that we had to work on, some of the things that we were using. But it was interesting times. From 84 to about 91, you know, GPSs, we knew about them, and we were authorized to have one, but they were too big. And after that first Gulf War, when GPSs were used, they got these small ones, these handheld ones, So we got those, and we could tell then where we were moving because the interesting thing is after we would go back, and it was two or three days before they would come back again and the ice had moved. So sometimes they were looking for us for a couple days before they could find us. But once the GPSs came out, they can track the ice flow because the ice will move about two-tenths of a knot an hour under normal conditions. And if you get a strong blow in there, it can move 30 miles in two or three days sometimes.
SPEAKER 10 :
Wow. Boy, this is fascinating. And so really circling back on all this, Trump is really thinking strategically on this whole narrative on Greenland then.
SPEAKER 07 :
Absolutely. It's such a vast piece of real estate out there, and there's nothing on it other than Thule, Greenland. And there's also, we've heard stories about, that's where the ice cap, when people use the term ice cap, it's Greenland. The ice out on the floating ice is not an ice cap. That's just sea ice. But that ice, some of the guys, two or three of the guys that I would use to help on that ice station, after we were done in May when the ice got kind of rotten, would stay on Greenland and work with ice coring projects they'd hire out because they're pretty hardy souls, and drilling ice cores on the cap. And it's amazing how much ice is up there. and how fast that ice and snow accumulates, because I don't know, Colonel Rutledge probably knows more about this, but they found that what they call the Lost Squadron was an old squadron of aircraft that landed on the ice flow, and it was a couple hundred feet of snow covering it.
SPEAKER 06 :
Oh, my gosh.
SPEAKER 07 :
And they discovered that. Wow. And when we were up there one time, there was... Just to tell you how wild that place is, the Greenland itself, there was a slope from about 5,000 to 9,000 feet. And I guess an aircraft was flying along, and all of a sudden it started landing because it met the slope in bad weather. And we were up there, and some of our folks were able to rescue that aircraft. But if you can picture an aircraft flying at a certain altitude, and all of a sudden meets the ice because of poor visibility, and the slope of that ice gradually just was perfect landing condition. Oh, my gosh. No one was damn hurt. This was, I'd say, somewhere about 89 or 90, somewhere right in there, that happens.
SPEAKER 10 :
Wow. Well, Drew Dix, this is absolutely fascinating, and I appreciate late breaking to come on the show. And again, check out AmericanValueCenter.org. This is going to be a very important event on the 23rd, and all the information is there. Drew Dix, thank you. Thank you for, just thank you.
SPEAKER 07 :
I appreciate the work, what you're doing.
SPEAKER 10 :
Thanks, Drew Dix, and really appreciate it. This all happens because of our sponsors. One of those is Karen Levine.
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SPEAKER 15 :
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 10 :
And welcome back to The Kim Monson Show. Be sure and check out our website. That's KimMonson, 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. 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. Brad Beck, that was pretty fascinating.
SPEAKER 05 :
It was like listening to your grandfather and just wanting to hear more. Stories were amazing of Greenland.
SPEAKER 10 :
Yeah, pretty amazing. And Drew Dix is a pretty amazing guy. So I appreciate him jumping in here and letting us know about that. Let's get over here to your essay that we are broadcasting now and that we will publish this weekend. Happy New You. I love this piece.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, everybody says that, you know, on the 31st, Happy New Year, what are your resolutions? And it reminds me of the story of two beasts that meet each other at a watering hole. It's an old Aesop story. And, you know, they're in a fierce battle to have dominance and to drink first from this watering hole. And they take a quick break and look up and there's vultures circling because one of them is not going to survive. And they finally stop and look at each other and said, you know, It's better to reconcile now than to be food for those vultures. So let's take turns and go on. And I think a lot of times our resolutions are like that. We fight with ourselves internally. Oh, I'm going to lose weight. I'm going to not do certain things anymore. I'm going to have better habits. And how successful are we? We're really not because it takes more than 30 days to have something to become successful. more of a habit, and you have to start inch by inch. You can't say, I'm going to lose 50 pounds in a month. It takes time. It takes determination. It takes persistence. It takes planning, whether it's going to the gym. I mean, I belong to a gym up by my house, and all the newbies are there this week. And In about two weeks, it will be back to its normal self. It's just human nature. It's hard to be consistent with something. So you have to start off incrementally, but you've got to plan first. And I think the biggest thing you need to do is think about the end. What's the outcome you want? And then work back from that. And the funny thing is, you know, you and I know a lot of people say, I'm going to write a book one day. And I've said that many times. And people want you to write a book. Well, I don't know about that. But, you know, it's funny because I always ask people, well, how far have you written? How many pages? Well, I haven't started yet. You know, Juana is not a plan. Juana is something, a vision, and maybe in your mind. But you've got to start and have the discipline. So I know I'm not a writer. I'm not an author. But I write an essay for the Kim Monson show. And inch by inch, over time, I'll have enough to put together, hopefully, to have something. And I think people realize that it takes time, it takes effort. And just dreaming about it is one aspect, but doing it, having the discipline to do it every day. And that's the hard part.
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, it is. And so personally, I have been, I need to get up early for the show.
SPEAKER 05 :
I know, I'm here early too.
SPEAKER 10 :
Yes, I know. And well, several things. Through COVID, I've been able to kind of cheat as far as weight and exercise. There was a time, Brad, that I was about 30 pounds heavier than I am now. And it was after I got out of Up With People, we were guests every three days at somebody's home. So they just treated you great, brought out all the great food. So that second semester, we traveled south. And Pecan Pie and I had a relationship that I was wearing around. And I ended up, I didn't do the official Weight Watchers program, but I had family members that were, so I had gotten into the point of really thinking about what to eat, and I was able to take most of that weight off. Through COVID, and then I've always been pretty strong, and through COVID, I think I got weak, and I've talked about it on the show, I was having real trouble with a hip, and And I had gone to Dr. Stimson, great chiropractor, and he said, Kim, you really need to do squats. I never really had exercised, and I really didn't want to. But I've started to do that every morning. And the muscles are getting stronger and I'm getting better. And so when I decide that, oh, I don't think I want to do that, I think there is a health reason why to do it. I know that's kind of a long story, but it's been a real discipline for me to get to that point.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, it's also a mental opportunity for you. I get on the treadmill and do two miles. And either if I watch a podcast and try to educate myself on some subject I'm interested in, but it clears my mind to focus on something for a period of time. And if you do it consistently, I'm at the gym every morning when I'm in town. You know, it just becomes another habit, but you got to do it consistently and you can make all the excuses in the world and you're going to fall off, you know, the wagon, so to speak. But you got to get back on. And that's the key is, yeah, OK, you can miss a couple of days, a day here and there. But as long as you continually start again and try to be as consistent and persistent in your goals consistently. You know, the goal doesn't have to be a huge, hairy, audacious thing. It can be something very, very simple. And so if you can build those and connect those to the outcome you want, you'll get there. It's like the old story of a rabbi whose mother used to tell a story on him when he used to climb a tree. And he was the only kid in the neighborhood who could get to the top. And when his mother asked him, how come you're the only kid that doesn't fall out? The rabbi said, I don't look down. I'm always looking up. And so if you look up, you're more likely to reach your goal rather than to reflect on all the things that didn't go right and focus on what's the next step. How can I get better every day? It's continual improvement, and it's reaching excellence. It's not trying to be perfect.
SPEAKER 10 :
Right. And Joe and I talk about that all the time, particularly with live radio. There's lots of things that can't be perfect. I know. Yes, you do know. I found out. You and Susan, coach of our experience, something we never had. I think it was maybe the first time I'd given up the microphone and the phones. We had all the guests. We had everything. The outline, everything was ready to go. And then the phone lines weren't working. And we didn't have a plan B at that time because it never happened before.
SPEAKER 06 :
Right.
SPEAKER 10 :
And you basically had to talk for two hours, right?
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, I have told people that story. And it's like sitting in a closet with the lights out and talking to yourself. And thankfully, as I mentioned earlier, you have to be prepared. Life is going to throw you things. And you can either get excited and go DEFCON 1 or you can say, OK, take a deep breath and People know how prepared you are by how calm and consistent you are over time. And you just go on. You go through it. And, yeah, things are going to happen. You laugh at yourself. You laugh at the imperfections. You try to get better. And I think that's not taking yourself too seriously. But it was a great experience because I learned that, you know, you've got to always be prepared and have something for yourself.
SPEAKER 10 :
And you can do almost anything. When you can do that, you can do almost anything in preparation. I love these words that you had. And I put those in the newsletter where you said that each new year is an opportunity to reinvent, reposition, rethink, repurpose, remind, and revise your goals. And I think also part of that's always looking up. But I loved the way you put all those words together.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, as you know, in public speaking, alliteration helps people to remember. So when people have the opportunity to use words that all start with the same letter, they're more likely to have the ear connect with the words that somebody's saying. And so when you think about reinventing yourself, again, it doesn't have to be a big thing. I know when I was downsized from a job, that i was at for 23 years i had to reinvent myself i had to dig deep and go okay where do i want to go what do i want to be when i grow up how do i want to do that reposition you know for a long this time i did a lot of marketing in my job now i do sales i don't do the marketing i've always done marketing and sales together but it's a repositioning of mindset i used to work on one side of my business and then i was given the opportunity to work on both the floral side and the craft side of my industry. And then now I'm back to the floral side. So, you know, you have to reinvent, reposition, rethinking what your importance is and how you can provide value to a customer base. Same thing with politics. What's the value you bring? And do you understand that your job is to protect people's individual rights? not to give them things. I'm seeing the things that are happening in California and it's like, come save us. It's like, no, you have to be prepared yourself. You have a personal responsibility. And so anytime you can take that opportunity, do it, do it incrementally. By the time something, you know, the usual substance hits the fan, you'll be prepared. And yeah, it's not going to go perfect, But at least it's better than not having been prepared.
SPEAKER 10 :
Absolutely. And it's across everything that you do is to be able to think critically, to look at what consequences might be out there and to prepare for that. We're going to continue this discussion. Did also want to mention the USMC Memorial Foundation, which is a... nonprofit that I dearly love. Paula Sarles is doing amazing work there. And we have the official Marine Memorial here in Colorado. And with all the goofy stuff that had happened with renaming bases and mountains and all the stuff that had come out of this woke O'Biden Harris culture, We realize now it's more and more important to make sure that we have our memorials. And so what is happening with the remodel is so important. And help them make that a reality. You can do that by checking everything out and making a contribution at the USMCMemorialFoundation.org. And this all happens because of our sponsors. For everything mortgages, reach out to Lauren Levy.
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SPEAKER 03 :
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 kimmonson, M-O-N-S-O-N dot com.
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SPEAKER 10 :
Welcome back to The Kim Monson Show. Be sure and check out our website. That's 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, you should not have to force people to do it. And, Brad, during break, and we were alluding to this, is start. Make sure that you start. The journey starts with that first step. And Drew Dix had said in his life, you look back, you can accomplish things if you don't sit on your hands. And I hadn't heard that for a while, but I remember that. my grandmother would say, don't just sit around on your hands.
SPEAKER 05 :
Right. I used to have a customer, and she said, you know, when you're standing around, I can see the moss growing on your feet. Move. We'll take an inventory. Go stock a shelf. That always stuck with me. You know, you've got to have motion really to grow. And, you know, the challenge I would ask to all the listeners out there is what are you going to be – what's the outcome in five years from now? Because five years isn't going to happen. and it can go quickly and it can go very quickly we we learned that i mean it's been five years since the whole as i like to say the wuhan experience the shutdown it's been five years and so if you look back upon that what did you do how did you grow how did you invest in yourself what relationships did you build what things that you did for yourself that helped others in the long run and so start now i could relate it to our public speaking opportunities with toastmasters and how people who start today working on the goals that they want for oral communication and leadership skill development will be much improved in five years from now. But they've got to start. And whether it's our club or other clubs, invest in yourself because it's only going to make you better in those five years. Five years is too far of a horizon. Pick three years. What's the outcome you want in three years? What's it in one year horizon? And things are going to change. You know, the old story of man plans and God laughs, right? Right. Things are going to change. But how do you adapt? How do you improve? You will have setbacks. Okay, fine. Get back on that horse and move forward. Easy said, it's hard to do. Yeah.
SPEAKER 10 :
But so many people have said after Colonel Rutledge has been on the show, gosh, I hope I'm like that when I'm at 96. And then we go, but we're not like that now. So we have work to do. But he has always been very curious. He's always been really focused on improving himself. And he was a member of a couple of different Toastmasters, I think. And he wanted to make sure that you received a very special gift. Do you remember that?
SPEAKER 05 :
I do. When we had the celebration for Liberty Toastmasters North, and I was the recipient of some Toastmaster cufflinks that I treasure that were Colonel Rutledge's. So if he's listening, thank you. And it was just an honor to receive those, and I've worn them a couple times. But that's through hard work. I didn't start being a public speaker. In fact, I was in business, and I would go on the road for two, three weeks and then come home and be there for two, three weeks, four weeks, getting ready for the next trip or covering my local area. And I would feel rusty being out there on the road. And the first couple of presentations I'd make to customers and clients, I would just, oh, man, that was terrible. So I knew I had to get better at storytelling, better at coming up with solutions, giving value, and public speaking is where it's at. And learning those skill sets, the biggest thing I learned is listening. Most people come to Toastmasters for public speaking, and that's awesome. But the listening helps you improve because then you give your customers or anybody in a relationship. Now, my wife's probably listening saying, yeah, you've got to practice what you preach. But it's important to listen more effectively and actively. And then you're more likely to get success for both you, your customer, your companies, you know, all the people you're working with and for. So listening is a great skill set that's not taught in our schools.
SPEAKER 10 :
It's not taught in our schools. And I just want to re-mention Colonel Rutledge. As you can see, his lifetime of preparation, he is now sharing this wealth of knowledge, but it's because he was always working to improve. And speaking of our schools, our little school in our neighborhood, I've been so concerned. Our kids are not overall, if we look at education in Colorado, they're not learning how to read, write, write cursive, any of these things. And up on the outside of the building now, it says leadership begins here. And I thought, hmm, I actually would prefer learning, maybe. But that's one of these things is everybody wants to be a leader. And certainly in Toastmasters, we do say leadership can begin here. But it's because of these communication skills. But I thought, we don't quite have our focus right on things right now. Everybody wants to be a leader.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, and the interesting thing is knowledge is important. It's a great thing to have more information. But I think wisdom is even more important. Have the prudence to know when to use that knowledge, how to use it, and why it's important. You know, just having a bunch of facts and figures, I can throw out all kinds of crazy stuff that nobody cares about. But it's using things when they're appropriate and in the audience that you're dealing with, whether you're speaking or at work or just in a non-for-profit, you know, speaking when it's important and giving information, sharing information and hearing what other people have to say. President Trump, I hear, is a fabulous listener. He likes to hear what people have to say. Now, he doesn't maybe always follow through on certain things, but he gives people the opportunity to be heard. And I think that's what a lot of the Toastmasters experience for you and I has been fabulous.
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, and also the evaluation component I think has been, to me, maybe even more important than the speaking, being an evaluator. Maybe that's where that's connected is you really have to listen as an evaluator, and then you do have dialogue on that. But that has really been a great tool that I've learned in being an evaluator. I think that's super important.
SPEAKER 05 :
Evaluation is where you get the gold. And whether it's a review from your boss or higher-ups or it's a review from your peers and Toastmasters, one of the beautiful things about it is it's their perspective on what they saw, heard, and felt about your presentation. It's not expertise. It's just this is how you performed on that day at that time. And that's invaluable. Not enough people are honest enough with that. And it's good, critical feedback so we can grow.
SPEAKER 10 :
And love that. So Liberty Toastmasters Denver meets the first and third Saturdays of each month at Liberty North in Longmont on the second and fourth Saturdays. And love to have guests. And I am recommitted. I've not been, because of the election season and all, I've not been receiving any attendance awards. And I, for me, selfishly, to become better, I'm rededicating myself to that.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, I'm glad you weren't there because I had technical problems on my presentation on last Saturday when I was Toastmaster, and you learned the muscle through it. Maybe I'll do it again. You get to experience my mess up and learn from it.
SPEAKER 10 :
We'll learn from it. Our quote for the end of the show, and thanks for being here, Brad, is from James Madison. And I chose this because the Colorado State Legislature just went into session, said it will be a little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice. If the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read or so incoherent. that they cannot be understood. If they be repealed or revised before they are promulgated or undergo such incessant changes that no man who knows what the law is today can guess what it will be tomorrow. That's happening.
SPEAKER 05 :
Hold your wallets. The legislature's in session. You got it.
SPEAKER 10 :
So today, be grateful, read great books, think good thoughts, listen to beautiful music, communicate and listen well, live honestly and authentically, strive for high ideals 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 12 :
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 04 :
It's the Kim Monson Show, analyzing the most important stories.
SPEAKER 10 :
I find that it takes work to get your brain around these ideas, and it takes work to engage in these conversations.
SPEAKER 04 :
The latest in politics and world affairs.
SPEAKER 10 :
With what is happening down at the statehouse, I used to think that it was above my pay grade to read the legislation, and it's not.
SPEAKER 04 :
Today's current opinions and ideas.
SPEAKER 10 :
I see big danger in as much as we will be giving an unelected bureaucrat the power to make rules about what we inject into our bodies.
SPEAKER 04 :
Is it freedom or is it force? Let's have a conversation.
SPEAKER 10 :
Indeed, let's have a conversation. And 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. Thank you to the team, Producer Joe, Luke, Rachel, Zach, Echo, Charlie, Mike, Teresa, and all the people here in Crawford Broadcasting. Happy Thursday. What a first hour.
SPEAKER 14 :
amazing stuff all the way around.
SPEAKER 10 :
Yes, you and I, we're almost speechless, I think. So interesting. Drew Dix and Brad Beck has stayed for our number two. Great to have you. And again, we'll be rolling out your essay this weekend.
SPEAKER 05 :
Thank you. And it's always a pleasure. And I learn so much every time I'm here. So thanks for the opportunity.
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, that's our goal is that, because I'm learning so much as well, and we like to kick the tires on these ideas by looking at these issues through the lens of freedom versus force, force versus freedom. And force can be sneaky. You can feel it, but sometimes you can't quite put your finger on it. It can be fear, coercion. We've seen those that have used all these different things. It can be policy, this government-induced inflation. All of this is kind of sneaky.
SPEAKER 05 :
I think we're turning the corner, though. I have a feeling of hope that we haven't had in a while. You know, just the left has for so long renamed things, as you alluded to earlier. I'm looking forward to the Gulf of America.
SPEAKER 10 :
That was something that had never crossed my mind.
SPEAKER 05 :
Oh, it's so brilliant. And I think what it does is it pushes people off. It moves the Overton window. People will be talking about that and they'll be just, you know, incensed. And meanwhile, then he can start planning and doing and he being the incoming president, get his agenda done. Because we need to move forward with saving liberty and protecting individual rights. And if we don't do it now, boy, it's going to be a tough road to even try to get some of that freedom back.
SPEAKER 10 :
It really is. And so we hope that all and much of the hard work. I'm going to use the word of the day. And much of the hard work of so many people has come to fruition with this election of Donald Trump. And people, I think, are really digging deep inside themselves as well, realizing we need to step forward on that as well. So our word of the day is fruition spelled F-R-U-I-T-I-O-N. And it is the realization of something desired or worked for, an accomplishment. Or number two, enjoyment derived from use or possession. Or number three, the condition of bearing fruit. And so it's a great word of the day, and that's in the spirit of Liberty Toastmasters, Brad.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, we need to plant more trees, so in five years we'll have more fruit. And that's what we, I think, hopefully will be doing with this new administration, is planting the fruit so our posterity will have that to eat and the fruition will be, you know, we'll have more abundance.
SPEAKER 10 :
What I do see is that even though at the federal level, Trump is doing what he's going to do there, I think that those that are really pushing the Marxist agenda, they've been focused on local government, school boards, county. And of course, here in Colorado, we have... actual real Marxists that are in the state legislature. So what I see here in Colorado is we have a real challenge to really watch, get involved, change things at the metro districts, the school districts, local, county, and state government, Brad.
SPEAKER 05 :
I agree. And, you know, even though we have certain people in office or coming into office be sworn in, we have to hold them accountable, too. It's not a free ride. And we have to hold our local officials, our local representatives to account. They're our neighbors. And so if they do something that we think is wrong, show up at that town hall meeting, show up at the school board meeting, listen, and then afterwards get to know them and say, why did you vote that way? Mm-hmm. Why is that important to you? What can we do that actually preserves more freedom and liberty? And you don't have to be nasty about it, but you can ask those questions. And when people don't have those answers, you hold them to account. Right.
SPEAKER 10 :
And hopefully start to influence them because we have to realize many of these elected representatives, all they're hearing is what staff is saying, interested parties. And so we have a responsibility to become engaged as well. Trump is not our savior.
SPEAKER 09 :
No.
SPEAKER 10 :
at all, but he is doing things that look like that they're moving us towards freedom, loving America, protecting our country. When America is healthy and successful, the world is in a much better spot.
SPEAKER 05 :
When our founders put this experiment together, we're an exceptional nation in my mind because for the first time in human history, a group of people came together and recognized the universal equal natural rights of all men, not just Americans. So if somebody comes from another country, They have those same human equality, natural rights. They have the ability to pursue their happiness. And happiness, properly defined from what I've read from the Greeks and the Latin, is self-mastery. You have a chance to, as we were talking in the first hour, get better at something that you want to exceed at. And mastery and happiness are, to me, the same thing.
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, and that goes into, we were talking about the fires in Southern California. You grew up in Southern California, and Holly had said this. She texted, she said, the governor of California is on a mission to destroy four dams. So that would be water storage, if he's already done. So we referenced that in the first hour. But also said that California had had record rainfall over the last two years, and literally none of it was saved. They need to be put on notice that the government will not come and save them if they have more fires because of their mismanagement. So you talked about preparation, individual preparation, but holding our elected representatives accountable that they are also doing proper preparation for the citizenry, right?
SPEAKER 05 :
Absolutely. And there's a big old ocean right abutting. A bunch of water. And, you know, it's funny. I saw a lot of people put on X about why don't the firefighters use those super scoopers to get more water from the ocean? They were. A lot of people don't know that. But they only can fly in certain conditions. And the winds, when they're blowing 100 miles an hour, which they were, some of those mountain peaks in the Santa Monica Mountains, you can't get aircraft up there. So unfortunately, they had, to use the cliche, a perfect storm of wind, bad conditions on the ground, dryness, two years of incredible rain, growth of the underbrush, and all the mountainsides are green. But underneath, it's all dry. And that just went up like tinder. And there's no way you can do anything about it but just get out of the way.
SPEAKER 10 :
When that happens. But there's all kinds of things individually and from a government standpoint that could have been done or community standpoint maybe we should say. So, yeah, that's really important. And thank you on that, Holly. Our quote of the day is James Madison, one of our founding fathers, born in San 1751, died in 1836, known as the father of the Constitution. He said, This is what we've seen with wokeism in America, but we're getting that turned around. This all happens because of our sponsors, and Karen Levine is on the line. And I saw her last night. She's a dear friend, great sponsor of the show. And Karen Levine, when we talk about Karen Levine as an award-winning realtor, you just had something so exciting that happened. Welcome.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, apparently, I ended up the number one agent at RE-MAX Alliance Arvada for 2024, which means I had the privilege of helping more people, more buyers and sellers succeed and meet their dreams of real estate, whether that was buying or selling, relocating, moving up, moving down. So I think when you do what you love, you are blessed with good results.
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, and as you strive for excellence. When you told me that last night, and still, I just am getting chills. I'm so excited because of all of your hard work and just the way that you take care of your clients. And I had some people close to me that you just walked them through buying and selling a home. And I was able to, just a little bit from afar, just see the expertise that you have and the amazing experts that you can rely upon on staging homes and all that. And so it doesn't come by accident. that you are number one, and I so congratulate you, Karen Levine.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, thank you very much, Kim. And as I said, it is an honor and a privilege to get to help people meet those dreams. And you have a desire to have that bigger home because your family is growing, but you have a home to sell. Navigating that has its challenges, and because of the practice I've had over 35-plus years, I think I bring a good perspective and a bank of knowledge to the transaction that's very helpful and gives us success.
SPEAKER 10 :
So if people want to buy a home, sell a home, or look at a new build, what is the best way to reach Karen Levine?
SPEAKER 13 :
The best way to reach me is 303- 877-7516.
SPEAKER 10 :
And again, that's Karen Levine. And I congratulate you for all your hard work and your expertise and your striving for excellence and taking care of your clients. And congratulations. That is quite a designation. And that's pretty well worked for and well deserved.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, thank you. Thank you very much. And I'll be excited for our call next week as I am heading out this morning for the annual Economic Summit. So we'll see what the economists, both locally and nationally, have to say about the housing market for 2025.
SPEAKER 10 :
Okay. And that's Karen Levine, 303-877-7516. We'll talk next week. Sounds great. Thanks. And I'm blessed to work with amazing people. And another great sponsor is the Roger Mangan State Farm Insurance Team. He's been in business for 48 years, taking care of his clients and his family and serving his community. and they can help you with all your insurance needs. Make sure that you know what you have. As we see with all the stuff that's going on in our world, you want to know what you have. And to do that, just give them a call for a complimentary appointment. That number is 303-795-8855. Like a good neighbor, the Roger Mangan team is there.
SPEAKER 01 :
So I switched my insurance to the Roger Mangin State Farm Insurance Agency. Get this, I actually talked to Roger Mangin, 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 11 :
With the limited number of homes in the Colorado Front Range market, Karen Levine can help you achieve your home buying or selling vision. Karen has the right connections, technology, and strategies to help you buy or sell your home or to purchase a new build. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed or want someone to take the wheel, or you just need a second opinion, you can rest assured that RE-MAX Realtor Karen Levine Call Karen Levine at 303-877-7516. Karen is the trusted professional who strives for excellence. That number is 303-877-7516.
SPEAKER 15 :
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 10 :
And 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. 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 I thank the Harris family for their gold sponsorship of the show. We are beginning our seventh year of solo broadcasting. In studio with me is my friend Brad Beck, co-founder of Liberty Toastmasters. We'll be rolling out his essay this weekend. It is, let's see, what's the exact?
SPEAKER 05 :
Happy New You.
SPEAKER 10 :
Happy New You. And love that. So stay tuned for that. And again, it's because of these great sponsors, such as the Harris family, that all this happens. And I am so pleased to have on the line with me a man who I have great respect for. He is a constitutional expert. He is really been attacked by lawfare. uh since uh 2021 and that is john eastman a constitutional expert and the star of a movie a documentary the eastman dilemma uh warfare justice or warfare uh welcome john eastman thank you for having me back on your show it's uh and happy new year to you and your audience Well, good to have you. And we talked last Friday and your movie was premiered at Mar-a-Lago last Saturday. And so was that quite the affair?
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, it was already quite the affair before a surprise visit from the president and the prime minister of Italy. The designate for secretary of state, among others, decided to join us and share in some popcorn and watch the movie with us with about 500 people in the grand ballroom. It was really fun.
SPEAKER 10 :
Oh, that is so awesome, John Eastman. And I actually saw the movie yesterday. People can watch it. I've got it, madisonmediafund.org. And the girls up at the Tapas and Topics in Boulder met yesterday for lunch, and we watched the movie. Very important film, John Eastman.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, thank you. Yeah, no, the reason this group, Hollywood group, Madison Media Fund, wanted to do this movie and tell the story, they created an outfit to help push out conservative stories because Hollywood's not otherwise doing that. And this was their first one and a very important story. light shining on the lawfare that has gone on in this country for the last four years. And I think it's a compelling story. Of course, it's my story. I would. But the folks that watched it, I think, thought it was a compelling story as well. And it's not just my perspective on it. We've got leading law professors from the left, like Alan Dershowitz and Lawrence Lessig, who agree that what's been happening to me is just an outrage and an abuse of the rule of law. And I think that's a very important part of the story. Every American needs to watch this, understand what's going on, get angry about it, and help us stand up against it.
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, and John, you really... are at the forefront of this. Now, I had you on the show before that because you'd been on a national show on a regular basis talking about the Constitution. And I had a question. I was on city council regarding the Constitution and the General Welfare Clause. And so I'd reached out to you and you'd been a guest on the show. And so I knew that you knew the Constitution and really understood it. And so set this up for people that may not know your story. And Brad, if you want to jump in here as well, do you have...
SPEAKER 05 :
I was just going to say, John, good to hear your voice again and hope you and Elizabeth are doing well. And my main question to you is how do people help get your message out there besides the movie? I know you have a fund that is out there, the GoFundMe.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, not GoFundMe. They would have confiscated it.
SPEAKER 05 :
Oh, that's right. Gifts and Go. Sorry.
SPEAKER 08 :
Giftsandgo.com slash Eastman. People can go there. And that site is important for three reasons. One, they can send money to help us with these ongoing legal fights. And despite Trump's election victory in November... The state prosecutions in Georgia and Arizona, where I'm indicted, and the California bar prosecution, the longest and most expensive bar trial in history, still going on appeal. Those things are still costing a lot of money in legal fees. So if people can donate at that site to help with that ongoing fight, that would be useful. They can also send prayers, which are heartwarming. My wife and I read them. And they can also use that as a place to keep informed. I post updates there with article links that are particularly good at explaining what's going on. So all three things people should visit that site for. And with the movie coming out, I think we're going to start posting updates. Because we're going to go on the road with this movie, and there'll be private showings with me, you know, taking questions after the film at a number of places around the country. And I think we'll use that site to keep people informed of where that's going to occur as well.
SPEAKER 10 :
Okay, and givesingo.com slash Eastman is where people can get to that, correct?
SPEAKER 08 :
Yes. Yes, that's right.
SPEAKER 10 :
Okay. So set this up for us. What happened? And it really, really began on January 4th, right? And that would be January 4th, 2021?
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, my role began about a month earlier. The president called me to ask me to represent him in the Supreme Court of the United States. Texas then filed a original action in the Supreme Court against four of the swing states, and I filed a brief two days later on behalf of the president intervening in that case. The Trump electors then met because of the necessity of having those contingent votes. It showed any of the litigation or legislative actions have broken Trump's way and a determination that he had actually won the election when only legal votes were counted. So that all occurred in December. And then you roll into January and the president calls me to come meet with him and Vice President Pence. but talk about what i believed and still believe would be the president vice president's authority as president of the senate to resolve disputes uh... when there are competing slate of electors my advice in that meeting has been greatly distorted courtesy of liz cheney in the j six committee msnbc picked up on the distortion and made some defamatory remarks against me the other day i did not recommend that he simply reject Biden electors and choose Trump electors. My recommendation was that he accede to requests from hundreds of state legislators who were advising him that their elections had been conducted illegally, and they needed time now that they were coming into session to assess the impact of that illegality. And if, in fact, Biden had won, even despite the illegality, they would let him know that, and Biden would be certified. But if, in fact, Trump had won, then the consent of the governed, the cornerstone of our system of government, in order to be given effect, would have to be that Trump got certified. That's what was asked of the vice president, and he refused to even delay things to let those investigations and assessment occur.
SPEAKER 10 :
but your opinion is he could have delayed because so we are at january 4th january 6th and each state has is basically in charge of their elections and so the state legislatures had not convened and many even republican governors had refused to call special sessions so that the legislatures could take a look at what had happened regarding changes in laws and things regarding the election and so you had said you felt from the constitutional standpoint yes Mike Pence you could just delay this for a few days until these legislators could get into session correct
SPEAKER 08 :
That's right. That's exactly what the advice was. And, you know, and you're right. I mean, the state legislators, leaders had all asked their governors to call them into special session. And the governors refused. Even Republican Governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, had refused to call them into special session where this could have been dealt with on a more timely basis. throughout the month of December instead of getting up to the threshold in January. But the language of the Constitution is very clear here. The role of the Congress, the House and the Senate, is to merely be present. The language says the president of the Senate, that's the vice president, shall in the presence of the House and the Senate open all the certificates and they shall be counted. The role of the Senate and the House is to be present, to make sure that what's done is done in the public eye. But the opening, and necessarily then the judgment about which of competing slates of electors should be opened and counted, that's vested in the Vice President of the United States. And why is that so important? Well, the Founders spent the entire summer of 1787 in Philadelphia crafting a system of government based on separation of powers and checks and balances. And if you give Congress a role in deciding who the president is going to be, who the head of the other branch of government is going to be, that destroys separation of powers. It makes the president subservient to Congress. They deliberately denied any power over the choice of president to Congress. And yet Congress now, through the Electoral Count Act, has essentially asserted that it has power to decide the presidential election if there's a dispute. That is a power deliberately denied to them by our founders and by those who ratified our Constitution.
SPEAKER 10 :
Wow. And so you are then in this meeting January 6th. And what happened exactly there?
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, January 4th is the meeting. January 4th.
SPEAKER 10 :
That's right. OK. Yeah.
SPEAKER 08 :
January 4th. The president, Vice President Pence turned to me, said, do you think I have power just to reject the Biden electors? I said, it's an open question. It's never been resolved. But I think it's a weaker argument, particularly in these circumstances, given that only the Biden electors have had any certification of them. The state legislators have not acted to certify the alternate Trump electors. I said, but and therefore, even if you had that power, it would be foolish to exercise it in these circumstances. But that's why I then said, but you do, I believe, have the power and should accept these requests from the state legislators to give them a little bit more time to assess the impact of the obvious illegality that occurred in their states. I mean, you had secretaries of state just unilaterally eliminating or weakening signature verification. You had the secretary of state in Wisconsin prohibit the bipartisan teams that the law required from going into nursing homes. And nursing home turnout rates went from 25 percent to nearly 100 percent, including in memory care wings. And many of those ballots were signed and filled in in the same handwriting. So those kind of actions opened the door for fraud, and we know that fraud occurred as a result. That's just scratching the surface of all the evidence I had and that I've put into the public arena now through my California bar trial, and some of which couldn't do the whole lot of all the evidence, but some of which is featured pretty prominently in the documentary film.
SPEAKER 10 :
Wow. Okay, we're going to continue this discussion with John Eastman. Brad Beck is in studio. And all of this is so important that we understand this. And it happens because of sponsors. And for a great protein source in your diet, something that tastes very good is that Steakhouse Experience at Home from Lavaca Meat Company.
SPEAKER 14 :
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SPEAKER 01 :
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SPEAKER 02 :
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SPEAKER 10 :
And 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. Something's a good idea. You should not have to force people to do it. And the USMC Memorial Foundation is raising the money for the official Marine Memorial remodel. And that memorial is right here in Golden, Colorado. And get more information. Make it something that you're committed to do to help them this year. And that website is USMCMemorialFoundation.org. We have John Eastman on the line. He is the feature in a MadisonMediaFun.org movie, and it is The Eastman Dilemma, Lawfare or Justice. And Brad, we're here in Colorado. Brad Beck is in studio with me. co-founder of Liberty Toastmasters. And you're supportive of the Colorado Union of Taxpayers. It's an all-volunteer group. I'm the president. And I've been getting kind of my sea legs on this as far as watching all the legislation that is proposed. And last year, I saw something. And as John is talking about it, I always say that the radical activists are always playing long ball. And this was House Bill 24-1150. And it was... regarding a false slate of presidential electors and penalties. And it says a person, this is their summary, a person who knowingly enters into an agreement, including a written agreement, oral agreement, or agreement using electronic communications with one or more individuals to commit offering of a false instrument for recording or forgery, commits conspiring to commit offering a false instrument for recording or forgery. It goes on to some other things. I'm wondering if this is long ball on trying to prevent the two sets of electors that was set of the 2020 election. John, I know I'm kind of just throwing this at you, but I need to read more on this. But I'm wondering, again, I think they're making it illegal here in Colorado to set the two sets of electors. And that's a problem.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, it is. And, you know, the states of Michigan and Wisconsin and Nevada and Georgia and Arizona have all used their existing forgery statutes or impersonation of a public official statutes to bring indictments against the electors from the 2020 election, even though those electors did exactly what John Kennedy's electors did in Hawaii in 1960. Recall that Richard Nixon won the election in Hawaii in 1960, and his electors were properly certified by the governor. But there was an election challenge pending when those electors had to meet and cast their votes. And so on the chance that the election challenge would yield a victory for Kennedy instead of Nixon, the Kennedy electors met and voted as well. And their certificate said, we, the duly elected electors from the state of Hawaii, cast our votes for John Kennedy. Same exact language that the Nixon electors used, casting their votes for Richard Nixon. Everybody knew that they were contingent on the outcome of the pending litigation. Same thing occurred in 2020. There was pending litigation in each of the swing states that could have affected the outcome of the election. So the electors used the official language that they were supposed to do, cast what everybody knew were contingent votes, depending on the outcome of those litigations or legislative actions. to determine the actual winner of the election the use of those forgery statutes or impersonation statutes to go after those electors is therefore unprecedented contrary to the historical example from hawaii And to criminalize that is an outrage. What will happen is what happened in Pennsylvania and New Mexico. The electors there put into their certificate contingent language. And so everybody will do that. But there's a big question if, in fact, say Trump had won in Pennsylvania after the litigation, and those certificates get presented with contingent language, not meeting the statutory requirement, those certificates might have been rejected. So it's almost a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario. To criminalize that when everybody knows that those things were being issued contingency is an overt criminalization of political process and political opponents. That is the very definition of lawfare. And it sounds like Colorado is doubling down on wanting to support lawfare instead of getting past it and getting back to our normal adversarial system of justice, which our country has quite rightly prided itself on for centuries.
SPEAKER 10 :
Okay, so the homework for all you listeners out there is House Bill 24-1150. It's four pages long, and I think that we need to tear into this and take a look at that. Now, one other thing, because you mentioned these fake electors in these states that looks like Colorado, is trying to prevent the two sets of electors, the Democrat and the Republican electors. And you said, again, this was contingent from what I gathered from the film, it was important that both sets of electors did what they were supposed to do on the day that they were supposed to do that. If they were prevented from that, then that would prevent any use of those electors if there was a contingency. I know I'm not maybe getting it quite right, but am I close?
SPEAKER 08 :
You're very close, and it's not just me in the film talking about this. It's Larry Lessig. Larry Lessig is a very prominent, strongly left of center. professor at Harvard. He used to teach at the University of Chicago. He was actually my professor in my first year of law school and his first year of teaching. And he ran for president of the United States at one point. I mean, this is a very prominent guy who is, you know, on the lead of saying absolutely the electors have to meet. Alan Dershowitz in the film. Alan Dershowitz was on Al Gore's team in 2000 when you had the contested election down in Florida. And he points out in the film that the Gore camp had already decided that they were going to push forward with alternate electors as well in order to preserve democracy. The contingency is the election challenges have gone their way. There's nothing uncored about this. It's actually required, and I'll tell you why it's required. The one power that Congress has under the Constitution in dealing with the election of president is to set the date. for the electors to meet and vote. That's in the Constitution. And the date the Constitution requires shall be the same throughout the United States. You didn't want any rolling dates where people could shift their position depending on what happened in other states earlier in the month. The date has to be the same throughout the United States. In 1856, there was a blizzard in Wisconsin, and the electors were not able to meet on the designated day. They met the next day, cast their votes, sent them to Washington, D.C. The acting president of the Senate decided to count them. which is very important uh... on my perspective on the role of the vice president to make these decisions he decided to count them and then adjourned the joint session of congress and declared uh... james buchanan as president uh... the the house in the senate separately in their own chambers for the next three days debated whether that was proper or not a one of those wisconsin electors could be counted the thing didn't matter for the outcome of that election and they act at the ultimately tabled the discussion and kick the can down the road, where it remains to this day an open question whether electoral votes not cast on the designated day could be counted even if they are subsequently determined to be the right electoral votes. That's why people must meet on that designated day if there is any outstanding issue that might flip the results of the election. And the notion that that's somehow criminal conduct is absurd. And I think one of the most important parts of the documentary is not just me saying that, but Alan Dershowitz and Larry Lessig saying that. It shows that people from across the political spectrum have come to the same conclusion about the necessity of these electors meeting and casting their votes based on any contingencies that still remain with the results of the election.
SPEAKER 05 :
Brad Beck, this is fascinating. It is. And, John, my question to you would be, you mentioned the separation of powers earlier and the ability for us to have an emergency stop, if you will, so people understand how the Electoral College works and how the Constitution works. What can the average person who is ignorant about so many of these things, unfortunately, do? What can they do to understand these betters and have discussions with their friends and neighbors so more people get in front of this rather than the media getting in front of it and misinform us?
SPEAKER 08 :
So there are two things that are relatively easy to do. They're available online. A short version, kind of an encyclopedia version of every clause of the Constitution can be found in the Heritage Guide to the Constitution, which is available online. A little bit more in depth that shows not just the text clause by clause, but the debates in the federal convention, the debates in the ratifying convention, early debates in Congress explaining the meaning of every clause. And that can be found online at the Founders Constitution, which is a website sponsored by the University of Chicago. And every clause of the Constitution is explained there. Volume 1 of this five-volume set actually explains the political theory underlying the Constitution. philosopher Montesquieu, for example, about the importance of separation of powers. That's all outlined in essays in volume one. But then beginning volume two, they go clause by clause, and they reprint the debates in the federal convention over that clause. They reprint the debates in the ratifying conventions about that clause. And so you get a real fulsome sense of what the founders meant and the importance of sticking with that original meaning if we're going to have a constitution at all.
SPEAKER 05 :
And I would probably add to that, read the Federalist Papers, because there's a lot of information in those documents.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, and And the Founders' Constitution is a great source because for every clause, it will point you to the Federalist paper and the Anti-Federalist paper that debates those clauses at the very time the ratification is going on. Excellent.
SPEAKER 10 :
fascinating okay john eastman um first of all people can watch the movie and it is madison mediafund.org and then also help with all this at givesingo.com forward slash eastman and on the text line this came through it says i've been praying for john eastman every day and also for those who have been affected by this lawfare blessings to him and his family And, John, you and Elizabeth and your family are in my daily prayers as well.
SPEAKER 08 :
Thank you very much for that. And the prayers are heartwarming. As I said earlier, my wife and I read them. And, you know, we've been on quite a roller coaster ride. And at the low moments, those prayers are particularly heartwarming for us. So thank you all for those prayers. They help immensely.
SPEAKER 05 :
Brad? John, just keep up the good fight, and we're backing you. And I'd love to see you back here in Colorado at some point.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, I think we're going to arrange a private showing of the film at some point up in the Denver area. I will keep people apprised of when that gets organized because it will be fun not just to see the film but then have a discussion about it with me afterwards.
SPEAKER 10 :
Absolutely. And people can watch it now at MadisonMediaFund.org and then help the Eastmans by GiveSinGo.com forward slash Eastman. John Eastman, thank you so much. And you truly are a happy warrior on all of this.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, as I've told a lot of people, I'm looking forward to a future unburdened by what has been in the region past.
SPEAKER 10 :
Where have I heard that before, John Eastman? Thank you for standing for our country and thinking about the next generation. I know that you are doing this. We're doing this here as well because we feel this duty to pass on this great American idea to the next generation. So thank you.
SPEAKER 08 :
Thank you very much. And again, Happy New Year to both of you and to your entire audience.
SPEAKER 10 :
Thanks, John. Yeah, thank you. And boy, these are important discussions. And they come to you because of John Boson. If you've been injured, reach out to John Boson at Boson Law.
SPEAKER 16 :
Boson Law is a local law firm dedicated to helping injured individuals in Denver and the surrounding areas fight for the justice they deserve. Boson 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 03 :
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 kimmonson, M-O-N-S-O-N dot com.
SPEAKER 16 :
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SPEAKER 10 :
And 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 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 the Center for American Values, I just dearly love the place. It's a very special place. Have you made it down there yet?
SPEAKER 05 :
I haven't. And The date on the 23rd sounds intriguing. I'm going to try to put that on my calendar and get down there. Because, you know, just hearing the stories from the folks that experience this stuff, I had the experience of hearing the stories. commander of the USS Cole one time, the one that was attacked in Yemen. And just to hear him speak about his crew and their preparation and their drilling and how they responded by second nature to overcome the adversity of that explosion and that terrorist act is just fascinating. So, yeah, to answer your question, I'd love to get down there.
SPEAKER 10 :
Well, it would be a good day to do that. It's Thursday, January 23rd. Begins at four o'clock. It's an on values presentation regarding, it says on January 23rd, 1968, the USS Pueblo was down. This is moving back and forth between the two things. So hold on here just a second. Was captured by North Korea and its crew endured nearly a year of hardship torture. and brutality and then the speaker for this event is Robert Chica and he was a crewman there and so this is going to be super special Drew Dix said please let them know give them a call at the center and just so that they they know that you're coming and that you can get all the information by going to americanvaluecenter.org that's americanvaluecenter.org Susan Kochevar has texted me, and it looks like for sure we could go to work when she's opening the 88 Drive-In Theater, that we could do an event and show the movie on maybe on Saturday, April 19th, which is right around the corner. And Joe and I think Producer Joe and Susan are trying to figure out a way to do a Q&A with John Eastman as well. So we'll go to work on that, Brad.
SPEAKER 05 :
If you have a chance to listen to John Eastman talk about the Constitution, You should take the opportunity. He used to come up, and both he and Elizabeth, his wife, are great educators. And they would come up and often speak on various topics, but in particular the Constitution. And John knows it. He's taught it. And it's unconscionable what has happened to him and how— The community up there in CU Boulder treated them.
SPEAKER 10 :
Yeah, it really is amazing. And yes, so this came in from a listener regarding we're talking about changing gears a little bit. California, you grew up in Southern California. You have family out there.
SPEAKER 05 :
I do. And they're all safe. They're all good. But it's smoky. Some of the places I used to hang out when I was younger are gone, right on the beach, the Rio Inn and Moonshadows, great restaurants, great bars that you would look at at the ocean, and the whole Pacific Palisades, Will Rogers State Historic Park was destroyed. It's just wrenching to see what's happened. I mean, you saw what happened in North Carolina, and The response there and Lahaina. And, you know, first of all, we've got to be prepared as citizens for any eventuality, earthquake, fire, flood, to take care of ourselves. And then our non-for-profits, our churches, our synagogues are the second line, our community, our neighbors. But the last resort should be the government. I don't want the federal government coming in because it comes with strings, and it's just going to make things harder. You'll see people switch their party affiliation once they start rebuilding. The red tape they're going to have to go after because some bureaucrat's going to say, no, you can't build back the way it was. You have to come up to new standards, and it's going to be expensive, and it's going to take longer, and people are going to say, what is this all about? We've experienced that here in Boulder County.
SPEAKER 10 :
because when people wanted to rebuild, there were all these new rules and regulations. And I was talking with Karen last night, and she said something about some new potential regulation on outlets, which could increase the cost of homes. She says, when we talk about affordability, let's quit putting things in place that make things more expensive. So this listener, and again, love to hear from you, 720-605-0647. It says, people need to get out of this mindset that government is the solution. Government creates the problems. Why would you call on someone who has caused the problems? It says, these fires, they... went on to, well, basically connecting dots from some of these things, such as North Carolina, Lahaina, all of this.
SPEAKER 05 :
Some people think it's a property grab. I know. I don't know what the truth is, but at some point it's going to come out. I'm going to challenge everybody who's listening. to think about when the government shows up and gives you money it's somebody else's money it's not the government's because the government doesn't produce anything they just take and there are legitimate reasons for taxes the defense of the country our adjudication in the courts our protection locally for the police But all these other programs are our responsibility, all these other issues that come up that are part of life. When did we ever start thinking that the government was going to come to the rescue, to be the lone ranger, to protect us? That's not their job. Their job is to protect our individual rights so we can make choices to pursue our happiness. It is not to give us something. It is not to protect. find a way to make our lives better. They need to get out of the way so we can make those choices for ourselves.
SPEAKER 10 :
So what would you say to people in Southern California about being prepared and how we should be interacting with the government? I guess the first thing is the idea regarding water storage and mismanagement of forests and then going out and actually destroying dams that have water storage. This is all so, I don't know if it's incompetent or not, but it's so wrong.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, they're misdirected. They're looking at creating solutions to problems that don't exist. I'll give you an example. I just read a great article in Epoch Times over the weekend about wild horses. And, you know, they round them up, the federal government Owns way too much land out west, especially, and they round up and destroy wild horses and it costs ridiculous amounts of money. There's a gentleman there who says, why don't we use those for wild horses for brush fire mitigation, just like they do with goats and other animals because they don't eat. all the wild grasses at the root, so they're more likely to clean up fields and pastures and where cattle can do something else and goats and lambs. So they could coexist? They could go and coexist and, well, bring some of these wild horses into areas that they can, not necessarily the mountains, but there are areas where they can bring them in through canyons and clean up the brush. I mean, there's this symbiotic relationship that we think government has all the solutions. They don't. There's some common sense... solutions out there water storage is huge and we need to push back on the environmentalists and say you know what human beings are the priority yeah we want to coexist with wildlife and nature and our environment we want clean water and air and all the things that bring people to colorado by the same token if you don't have the infrastructure you don't have the water you don't have the uh pressure for the fire hydrants you know you're going to get what you get there in in uh especially Pacific Palisades, but last night a fire started in the Sunset Hills, the Hollywood Hills. You know, the sparks and flames will fly miles. And there's even some suspicion of how the outlying fire started. So it's a sad situation. We need to get this cleaned up, fixed, and then have the serious discussion about, okay, how do we go forward? How do we plan for the future? And it's not DEI hires. Not at all. There's too much of that. And we've got to be practical. We need to push back and say, let's think about this in terms of human flourishing as opposed to some objective that a special interest group has. Yeah.
SPEAKER 10 :
Well said, Brad Beck, and thank you so much, co-founder of Liberty Toastmasters. Check out Toastmasters, the national site, and just put in Liberty Toastmasters. You can get all the information. Our friend Yvonne Paez had said regarding water conservation, they're always saying conserve, conserve, but you can't conserve unless you have storage, unless you actually have water storage. So good point. Our quote for the end of the show is from James Madison, who said this. It will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice. If the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read or so incoherent that they cannot be understood, if they be repealed or revised before they are promulgated or undergo such incessant changes that no man who knows what the law is today can guess what it will be tomorrow. Colorado State Legislature is in session. So today, 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're not alone. God bless you, and God bless America.
SPEAKER 12 :
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.
In this riveting episode, we dissect a high-octane press conference from none other than President-elect Donald Trump. Amidst relentless media upheaval, Trump unveils his intention to rename the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and discusses his aspirations of acquiring Greenland for national security interests. Our host, Mike, anchors a lively discussion on these bold propositions, inviting listeners to weigh in on whether this big-picture thinking is strategically sound.
SPEAKER 15 :
He's the happy conservative warrior. From the Relief Factor Studios, here's Mike Geller.
SPEAKER 12 :
I don't know about you, but I think Gulf of America has a pretty nice ring to it. Yesterday, Donald Trump, the incoming president, the president-elect, 47 and 45, held an epic press conference at Mar-a-Lago, and the media went bonkers. Although, interestingly enough, despite him... intimating military force to conquer Greenland, despite economic pressure to make Canada our 51st state, despite calling Jack Smith a moron, and despite suggesting that we rename the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, yeah, they did react kind of badly. Wildly, but not as bad as it could have been. It's almost like they are coming to terms with the incoming Trump administration. Welcome in. Boy, do we have a lot to cover today. The governor of California has declared a state of emergency. These catastrophic fires in Los Angeles are burning uncontained. Many, many people, thousands of people have fled. They've lost their homes. It's not just the wealthy. People of all income categories are being impacted. We hope to check in with Hugh Hewitt, who is in Orange County, California. I was a guest with him yesterday on a lighter topic. He wanted to hear all about ABBA Voyage in London, and I shared that and also wanted to congratulate him on his new time slot. Because Monday, on some of our stations around the country who carry both of us, Hugh is moving from mornings to afternoons. He's going to replace Seb Gorka on the Salem lineup. And the great Chris Stegall is going to go into Hugh's slot beginning Monday. So we hope to talk to Hugh, but it's awful. I mean, it's like... apocalyptic right now in California. And we'll talk to Hugh Hewitt in about 20 minutes to find out what the latest is. Hopefully, we'll also have a way for you to help these poor people who have lost so much. More on that in just a moment. But back to yesterday's press conference. My word. I was ecstatic. I thought, we are back. We are so back. The golden era is here. I mean, and look nationally. Do you know that statewide Republicans dominate the legislatures in the country two to one over the Democrats? There's Republican control in double the amount of states of Democrat control in America. It's as if America did a collective reset and we just said enough. No more. Enough already. We're not... The Democrat way of doing things isn't working anymore. And so here's Trump yesterday making it very clear the Gulf of Mexico is in for a name change.
SPEAKER 07 :
We're going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. which has a beautiful ring that covers a lot of territory, the Gulf of America. What a beautiful name.
SPEAKER 12 :
Now, I mean, I love it. Good. I love it. I'm not going to have a problem with that. But he also talked about the need to acquire Greenland. Yesterday, Don Jr. and our own Charlie Kirk got on board Trump Force One and flew to Greenland. It's not all that terribly far, but kind of fun. I wish I could have gone along. I got a bone to pick with Charlie. Come on, Charlie. I could have carried your bags for you. I would have loved to have gone with all of you to Greenland. But yesterday, President Trump explained why the U.S. needs Greenland.
SPEAKER 07 :
We need Greenland for national security purposes. I've been told that for a long time, long before I even ran. I mean, people have been talking about it for a long time. You have approximately 45,000 people there. People really don't even know if Denmark has any legal right there. But if they do, they should give it up because we need it for national security. That's for the free world. I'm talking about protecting the free world. You look at you don't even need binoculars. You look outside. You have China ships all over the place. You have Russian ships all over the place. We're not letting that happen. We're not letting it happen. And if Denmark wants to get to a conclusion, but nobody knows if they even have any right title or interest, the people are going to probably vote for independence or to come into the United States. But if they did do that, then I would tariff Denmark at a very high level.
SPEAKER 12 :
So he was asked then, this is what the media hyperventilated about, would we use military force to acquire Greenland? Here's what he said.
SPEAKER 06 :
Can you assure the world that as you try to get control of these areas, you are not going to use military or economic coercion? No. Can you tell us a little bit about what your plan is? Are you going to negotiate a new treaty? Are you going to ask the Canadians to hold a vote? What is the strategy?
SPEAKER 07 :
I can't assure you. You're talking about Panama and Greenland. No, I can't assure you on either of those two. But I can say this. We need them for economic security.
SPEAKER 12 :
This is amazing to me. I mean, now, I want to get your reaction to it. Let me open up the phone lines, 800-655-MIKE. It's Wednesday, January the 8th. We're a week away, almost a little more than a week away from the Trump inauguration. Big things are happening. Let's dive in together to the question about whether or not it's a good idea for Trump to go big like this. And this is big. Okay? Greenland, Canada 51st state, Gulf of Mexico becomes Gulf of America. I happen to agree with the The Scott Jennings philosophy of what Trump is doing. Now, Scott Jennings is the lone conservative on CNN. He guest-hosted my show a couple months ago. He's terrific. He's a breath of fresh air. Obviously, I think he's the only guy on CNN who makes sense, but I believe that he makes sense on the issue of of Trump going big. Keep in mind, there's no re-election. This is his final term. He's served two terms. He's got no worries about political ramifications here. Here's what's... This is... Scott Jennings perfectly... captures how I feel about Trump's press conference yesterday, but I'm not sure if it's how you feel, and I want to find out. I want you to give me your genuine heartfelt reaction to him going big like this with all of these bold pronouncements days before he even gets inaugurated. Here was Scott's take on CNN.
SPEAKER 09 :
You can think small if you want to. I think Trump's thinking big, and he's thinking about U.S. interests. There are U.S. interests in Greenland. They have rare earth minerals. We already have some kind of space facility there, and it would help fortify us against the Russians. The Panama Canal is, of course, of interest when you consider the Chinese incursions and influence in this hemisphere. What Donald Trump is saying to the world is... We are not a shrinking violet anymore. We are the United States of America. We are the preeminent superpower. And reporters keep asking him to rule things out and take things off the table. And it would be the height of stupidity to do so now or to anything else before he takes office. Why would he tell the rest of the world what he may or may not do? Here's one reason.
SPEAKER 12 :
Now, isn't that the right approach? Let me find out. Let me again turn it over to you. 800-655-MIKE, 800-655-6453, 15 past the hour. Happy Wednesday. It's hump day. We've got a lot of breaking news. News out of California. These wind-fueled fires are erupting, and it's bad. It's really, really bad. Thousands of acres burned. Many, many homes lost. We'll check in with Hugh Hewitt at the bottom of the hour, who is in Orange County, California. But first, I want to check in with you. I want to find out what you think about Trump going big like this. Is it too much? Too big? Too fast? He's not even in office yet. Or do you love Trump? As Scott Jennings put it, the big picture thinking of our 47th president of the United States. Let's burn up our phone lines with your reaction to this. 800-655-MIKE, 800-655-6453. I hope you join us. I wanna 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 gotta have Equity Protect in your corner. If you own your home mortgage-free, or you got a lot of equity, you gotta 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 15 :
Mike Gallagher.
SPEAKER 12 :
We are in a golden era. Here's Florida text message, Jacksonville. I agree with Scott Jennings a thousand percent. I couldn't be more proud of President Trump and America. Here's California text message. Hey, Mike, it's Trump time. Huge moves are going to be made. But here's the other argument. And this is the flip side of it that I want you to kind of analyze with me. Let me be devil's advocate and share with you the counter argument. Oregon sent me a text. that said, look, I'm about America first. Here's the text, and I quote, hell no, what happened to MAGA and America first? We can barely take care of ourselves, let alone newly acquired nations. What the blank. So that's how Oregon received Trump's going big yesterday. And I'm not going to shoot down Oregon's argument. I get it. I'm America first, too. But can America be even greater by acquiring strategically for national security purposes? Wouldn't the whole tariffs and taxes situation change if Canada and the United States were one big continent together, a country? Anything wrong with the Gulf of America? No, I'm loving everything he's saying, and I'm not just saying that. I get it. I'm a little nervous about Canada as our 51st state, but I've also come to trust this guy. And, hey, read The Art of the Deal. Good time to get his book out. Guy's a master negotiator. And he's a big-picture visionary. Not to say he can't make mistakes. He's fallible. We all are. But I'm all on board. Let's see what you think. 800-655-MIKE. We'll start with Steve here in Florida. Hey, Steve, welcome to the Mike Gallagher Show.
SPEAKER 02 :
Great show, Mike. You're doing a terrific job there, and you're informing the people. Thank you. Great thing. Listen, I really appreciate President-elect Trump, and his ideas are tremendous. We can make Canada into the 51st state. We can reclaim the Panama Canal, which should have never been given away in the first place. to see what the hell we can rename the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of America. I love it, man. I love it all. The greatest visionary president coming into office for the second time we've ever had.
SPEAKER 12 :
Amen, amen. Thank you, Steve, and thanks for your kind words. 800-655-MIKE, one open line. And again, if you disagree, it's okay. Let me know. 800-655-MIKE. Alice in New York. Hello, Alice.
SPEAKER 08 :
Hey, hello.
SPEAKER 12 :
Hi.
SPEAKER 08 :
I'm up here where it's going to be a high of 10 degrees.
SPEAKER 12 :
I'll tell you what.
SPEAKER 08 :
Are you enjoying yourself?
SPEAKER 12 :
You need some MyPillow flannel sheets, Alice.
SPEAKER 08 :
I do.
SPEAKER 12 :
I've got to get you some flannel sheets.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, I'm a Trump supporter in the Democratic state. Yes, ma'am. We've got Queen Hunkle here. But anyway, I love Trump. I think he's got the world's attention. And I think it's time for us to laugh again over the media's nonsense and how they just buy right into it. And, you know, be it great if it happened, and even if it doesn't, it makes us laugh again, and when do we laugh?
SPEAKER 12 :
I love it. I love that so much. It's time to just be able to laugh again and smile again. And laugh them a while. Look, they're clowns. That's Sonny Hostin comparing January 6th to the Holocaust? To chattel slavery? All you have to do is laugh at a clown like that. Incidentally, some news about her. Did you see her husband has been indicted on some kind of RICO charges, some terrible crime in New York? Sonny Hostin's husband. Yikes. Yikes. Williams in Michigan. Hey, William, how are you?
SPEAKER 01 :
Good morning.
SPEAKER 12 :
Hi.
SPEAKER 01 :
I want to say, do we ever forget to remember the Alamo? I hope not. They said that so we never had to fight a border war over Texas again called Ukraine 2. Yep. It's South America like South Dakota. If we eradicate the cartels on the ocean and sink their boats and pay $5 more an hour minimum wage to further south you go in America, we don't have a border problem anymore.
SPEAKER 12 :
All righty. Thank you. Rogers in San Antonio. Hey, Roger.
SPEAKER 10 :
Hey, Mike, thanks for taking my call. You bet. Just a quick comment on the people from Oregon. People are just kind of against this. If we don't acquire Canada and Greenland, China's going to. Amen. There it is.
SPEAKER 12 :
Yes, sir. There it is. And that's his point, Roger, about this is a national security matter. There's a genius, there's a brilliance to what he said yesterday. All right, good to hear. Somebody picked him up. What happened to line two? Boy, we are having a day on the phones here, so I hope the wildfires aren't getting involved with some of our phone lines because somebody picked up line two right in the middle of that caller. But hang in there. Everybody take a breath. We'll regroup and check in with our buddy Hugh Hewitt, who's in Southern California, because this is apocalyptic, these wildfires. That and more next here on the Mike Gallagher Show. 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 PhD Weight Loss and Nutrition today to schedule your consultation. Call 864-644-1900, 864-644-1900, or just go to MyPhDWeightLoss.com, MyPhDWeightLoss.com.
SPEAKER 09 :
The Mike Gallagher Show. I think before we canonize St. Kamala here on the high holy day of January 6th, let's remember the Electoral Count Reform Act of 2022 makes it perfectly clear that the vice president has nothing but purely ministerial duties on this day. She didn't actually certify the results of the election. That's done by the voters.
SPEAKER 15 :
In the ReliefFactor.com studios, here's Mike.
SPEAKER 12 :
I love that. St. Kamala on the high holy day of January 6th. How much do you love that? It's a little bit like Justin Trudeau. He tweeted out last night on social media, oh, there's no way that Canada will become America's 51st state. And Elon Musk immediately slapped him down and said, hey, sit this one out. You're stepping down. You're not the governor of Canada anymore. Boy, this is a time to be alive. And nobody's happier than Hugh Hewitt. I mean, obviously, we're devastated by the news out of Southern California, and I want to check in with Hugh in Orange County. But on a happier note, this is a guy who just got relieved of a prison sentence for years. He has been waking up at – think about this. Hugh is often on the West Coast doing a morning drive show, which means – when I say this, it makes my teeth ache – He's on from 3 to 6 a.m. when he's in California. That's an overnight shift. So let's welcome my colleague and friend Hugh Hewitt from Orange County, California, who's got a big smile on his face. I can't hear you loud and clear. How happy are you to be bumped to afternoons next week, huh?
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, I'm glad it's next week because at least I was able to do a service to the early risers in California this morning and tell them where not to go, which is Sylmar, Pasadena, or Pacific Palisades. But you're right, I'm coming to the end of my three-hour shift, and I'm looking forward to moving to the afternoon drive in Washington, D.C. next week and following you. But I've been carrying you for years, Mike. You know, I put you on my back every morning to let you use this audience. This morning, all I can talk about You have never seen anything like this. And I doubt, although you've been in hurricanes, I think, the wind at 90 miles an hour is something new to me in Southern California. So it's going to be a very long day out here.
SPEAKER 12 :
Well, let's talk a little bit about what's happening. Over 30,000 people have been ordered to evacuate. I know we've been talking a little bit and getting reports from you, and of course I was glued to your show today as you were going through all the details. I mean, these are catastrophic fires, and a lot of people have an image, well, it's Malibu, Pacific Palisades, just a bunch of rich people, they'll be okay. There's people of all walks of life, of all income levels, who are being impacted by these catastrophic fires, correct?
SPEAKER 13 :
Correct, and although Pacific Palisades is about as Tony a district as you get, and there will be celebrities who have lost their home. My friend Leslie Marshall, who I do... Brett Baer special report with her house is gone people that you see in LA they will have lost their houses but there are fires in Glendale Glendale is not too far from KRL I mean the mothership KRL is in Glendale I'm hoping the fire stays north of the freeway up there but out in Riverside that's the working class and there's a fire there and we will do this for 24 hours Mike This is going to go for another 24 hours. What is going to be the scandal? Everyone predicted it. Everybody knew it was coming. But nobody appears to have prepared anything special. And Karen Bass, the mayor of L.A., isn't in the country. Where's she? Africa. West Africa.
SPEAKER 11 :
Okay. I don't know why L.A.
SPEAKER 13 :
may even feel obliged. She might want to come home in a hurry. Rick Caruso, if you can get the tape of him talking to Channel 11 last night, he is ballistic. He ran in the mayoral race against Dan Bass. And Rick is upset because Pacific Palisades, they've lost their water pressure. So there's no ability to fight the inferno. And if people remember the Oakland Hills fire in 1991, 300 homes destroyed. burned to the ground, 25 people dead. This is that exponentially. It's much bigger. And when the sun comes up, it's still dark in California. We don't have any pictures yet. People are going to be stunned, absolutely stunned.
SPEAKER 12 :
And, you know, Hugh, there's a debate that has already begun, and this is something President Trump has brought up in the past. Environmentalists don't want to do this clear-cutting. They want to save every tree. They want to preserve every acre. I'm of the mindset, look, people are devastated. People are without everything. I don't know that today is the day to have that debate. But do you want to put your toe in the water and talk a little bit about that? some of these environmental policies and how it can contribute to this kind of devastation and loss?
SPEAKER 13 :
Oh, absolutely. For the last 30-plus years, I've been doing broadcasts, but I've also been a practicing lawyer and law professor, and I practice land use. And the Endangered Species Act and the Clean Water Act have handcuffed the local authorities, the state authorities, and often private landowners on what they can do on their property to clear sage scrub. And sage scrub is our dominant ecosystem in Southern California. We now have trees. We got some palm trees at the beach, but it's mostly coastal sage crop. Well, that stuff burns like kindling. And if you don't clear it, your home is going to burn down. And there have been many controversies over many decades about what the environmentalists have done to retard the ability of firefighters and homeowners and landowners. to protect their property against just this sort of disaster. Now, today may be different. This is where, when you get to Pacific Palisades, people are building their houses right up to the edge of the Santa Monica Mountains, and it's inevitable that fire will come down. What's not inevitable is that the water reservoirs are low and the water pressure fails. That's human error. And this, I point out to a number of people, New York, your home, has got a blue city domination and a collapse of civil society and safety. Chicago schools and safety have collapsed. And now California's infrastructure. These are all blue areas, right? Blue New York, blue Chicago, California. They don't know how to do the basics. They spend too much time on the absurdities, and the absurdities get people killed and their homes destroyed.
SPEAKER 12 :
Visiting with Hugh Hewitt, our longtime morning host who moves to afternoons, replacing the Seb Gorka slot as Dr. G goes into the Trump administration next week. Chris Stegall takes over mornings beginning Monday. Of course, we're going to be in D.C. for the inauguration. Hugh, and you mentioned my home. That's my former home. Now I'm a Floridian. And I do want to ask you, this is a real naive question because I don't know wildfires. You guys know this in California. Here in Florida... We have hurricane shutters. We have hurricane-resistant windows. We have generators for our homes when the power goes out. Every time these wildfires occur, especially for some of these more upper-income folks in these neighborhoods, I wonder, is there not any kind of fire-resistant system that people can have in their yards, around their homes? I see people out there with garden hoses. I mean, a wildfire, sure, it's fast-moving, but it's not instantaneous. Is there no way to keep the flames off somebody's house as the flames are approaching?
SPEAKER 13 :
This is a unique event. Now, I live on a hillside, and so I've got my eye on the hillside because with 60 to 90 mile-per-hour winds, the fires in L.A. can set embers a long way, and idiots go out, firebugs go out, and they start fires. So I'll be alert. all day long and all night long. And our city is also built up in the sage scrub area. So I'll be able to learn all day long. You can do a lot, and I've done a lot, and a lot of homeowners do a lot. But if you do not clear the coastal sage scrub from mountains, and for example, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, and you get a fire there in a Santa Ana event, that is a foreseeable event. And I do believe a lot of insurers are just going to leave California. Like Florida, it's hurricane insurance. I just don't know that insurers are going to – you can't get earthquake insurance except through the state authority here because the cost of Northridge was so high. I think we're going to run into a fire problem now. This is going to be such a catastrophic hit for the insurance industry.
SPEAKER 12 :
All right. Break a leg Monday. We're excited for your move. I hope you'll at least now start to get at least close to me in our donor campaigns because this time – I mean, December, it wasn't even – that was a rout, my friend. friend that was a route we are always going to deliver you the people who have been so generous for years and now they're going to be generous to me in the afternoon tonight so i'm going to be out there for the last thing now i'm back in the game with a level playing level playing field now i'm your lead and i'll be delivering my listen if my audience goes to you i'm in big trouble so all right hugh great seeing you and keep fighting the good fight we'll talk to you All right. Take care. Hugh Hewitt joining us from Southern California. Again, over 200,000 people without fires. I mean, without power. They're calling it a worst case scenario. Mass evacuations in Los Angeles. It's awful. It is absolutely awful. Somebody just texted from Ohio. Hey, Mike, I'm wondering if now Biden will give people in California $750 apiece like Maui and the Carolinas. Now, what's FEMA going to do? Well, we've got to pray for these people right now and pray that the loss of life is nonexistent. I always say this to people who experience a property loss. Homes can be replaced. Cars can be replaced. You can't replace human beings. You can't replace your pets. You can't replace life. So hang in there. California, we're praying for you. 800-655-MIKE. Mike in Forest City, North Carolina, texts, I love Trump's big ideas. The only way to turn this country around is to make big plans. Removing everyone's gas water heater isn't going to do it. That's right, Grandpa Joe Biden. What a dumb move that is. 17 before the hour. A lot more coming up on a busy Wednesday. Stay with us.
SPEAKER 05 :
I've got to be a macho. Macho, macho man, yeah. Macho man. Macho man.
SPEAKER 12 :
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SPEAKER 15 :
He's the happy conservative warrior. From the Relief Factor Studios, here's Mike Geller.
SPEAKER 12 :
We have a ton of breaking news today and we want to welcome you in. Of course, California is under a state of emergency in Southern California. The Los Angeles firefighters are working feverishly to try to contain these blazes. More than 1,400 firefighters are trying to push them back. 30,000 people have been ordered to evacuate. Look. President Trump weighed in on these California wildfires years ago. I've got the receipts for you coming up. And it's, you know, I'm very, very reluctant to dive into politicization in the middle of such a catastrophe. But look, the grownups have to get in charge here. And we've got to turn a whole lot of things around. We've got people on Capitol Hill. and we've got a lot to uncover for you and unwind today. We've got a lot to unpack. Trump's press conference yesterday at Mar-a-Lago, boy, he's going big or going home. That's his philosophy, clearly. Let's rename the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of America. Let's acquire Greenland. Let's make Canada the 51st state. Let's get back the Panama Canal. Big, bold... And that's days before he's even inaugurated. I think Gulf of America has a pretty nice ring to it. But also in Washington, D.C., as the stands are being built to house the people who are going to be watching the inauguration, and we're going to be right there in the middle of it broadcasting from D.C. for the January 20th inauguration. Yesterday, I watched in absolute shock as 159 Democrats voted against deporting illegal immigrants who commit crimes against American citizens. I'm going to repeat that. 159 Democrats voted against the Lake and Riley Act. Yesterday was the first... official act of the U.S. Congress in 2025. The first House bill passed, not really close, it was 264 to 159, and kudos to the 48 Democrats who joined Republicans in voting for the bill that was named after murdered Georgia student Lakin Riley. What a concept to detain and deport illegals who commit crimes against American citizens. How can you be against that? 159 Democrats voted no. And this is why they lost. And look, obviously I'm glad Democrats lost. I'm glad that Republicans are in control. I'm glad Republicans now are running the show. And make no mistake, Republicans are. The GOP is dominating the states. Republicans this year are going to control the legislative process in nearly twice the number of states as Democrats. There's Republican control of 24 states to the Democrats' 15 per the Cook Political Report. And the process is split in 10 others. Republicans have the White House, the House, the Senate, the Supreme Court, most of the states. And Democrats are looking at their navel. They're gazing at their navel saying, why did we lose? How about, let's start with why you could vote against the Lake and Riley Act. John Fetterman, of all people, Senator John Fetterman, a guy who ran for office, got elected somehow, despite being practically catatonic. And I'm not saying that as a criticism of him, because right now, he's one of the few bright spots of the Democrat Party. It's like something happened to him. I could not believe the voters of Pennsylvania put him into office. But I have to admit, I'm glad they did. Because this is the kind of logic coming from this guy, the Democrat senator from Pennsylvania, yesterday on Fox News Channel.
SPEAKER 11 :
And I'd like to remind everybody that we have hundreds and hundreds of thousands of migrants here illegally that have convicted of crimes. And I don't know why. Who wants to defend to allow them to remain in our nation after that? And now if you're here illegally and you're committing crimes and those things, I don't know why anybody thinks that it's controversial that they all need to go.
SPEAKER 07 :
Do you think that this was one of, if not the biggest issue for this election?
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, I think if we can't, you know, there's 47 of us in the Senate. And if we can't pull up with with seven votes, if we can't get at least seven out of 47, if we can't, then that's the reason why we lost. That's one of them. That's one of why we lost in part. That's amazing.
SPEAKER 12 :
That's a Democrat. He gets it. These people are lost on the left. Democrats are gone. You want to know the New York Times headline? Are you ready for this? Here's the New York Times headline after the Lake and Riley Act was passed. And the Lake and Riley Act, it's simple. It would require detention of migrants who commit crimes. How can you vote against that? 149 of them did. But you want to know why they did? Because they're reading the New York Times, their holy grail. You know what their Bible said? I kid you not, this is not a made-up headline. Actual headline in the New York Times. House passes bill to deport unauthorized immigrants charged with minor crimes. That's the New York Times spin and why 149 bleeding-heart Democrats in the House yesterday voted no. well, we're deporting unauthorized immigrants. I love that use. That's a new one. Normally they use undocumented. Now the New York Times is pivoting to unauthorized. So if you come across the Rio Grande in a banana boat, you swim across the river and sneak into this country in the middle of the night, and you go wind up living in South Carolina, well, you're unauthorized. You weren't authorized to live and work and take the resources of South Carolina. You're not illegal. You're unauthorized. When you rob a bank, you're not a bank robber. You made an unauthorized use of funds. You made an unauthorized withdrawal. Withdrawal. That's all you did. My gosh. 48 Democrats joined Republicans yesterday, but 149 voted no. And that's the New York Times takeaway. House passes the bill, the Lake and Riley Act, and will deport unauthorized immigrants charged with minor crimes. Cry some more, New York Times, because the adults are in control now. Weep some more, because a lot of us find your tears... 1-800-655-MIKE. Welcome aboard. It is a breaking news Wednesday in the Relief Factor studios. I want to get your reaction to all of this. I want you to go ahead. You defend and explain. and the House of Representatives thinking it's a bad idea to detain and deport illegals who've committed crimes against the American citizenry. You go ahead and tell me. I want to hear all about the unauthorized illegals who are going to be deported for minor crimes. It's just a minor crime. You know, bumping off a 7-Eleven, hitting somebody over the head, a minor crime. Let them stay. Enjoy the benefits of South Carolina while you're here. Please, have fun. They're lost. And thank goodness the golden era is here. Thank goodness we're going to get to enjoy and relish. the Republicans in charge of America once again. 800-655-MIKE, 800-655-6453. Join us.
SPEAKER 03 :
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?
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SPEAKER 03 :
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 16 :
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SPEAKER 15 :
Mike Gallagher. Every day, Mike visits with Mark Davis. Morning host on 660 AM, The Answer in Dallas. Here's today's M&M experience.
SPEAKER 14 :
I mean, I know of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, who are the great musical musicians. Stephen Sondheim. Stephen Sondheim. Lionel Bart is the guy behind Oliver. And you've got that. And the catalyst here, the great Ron Moody is Fagin in the movie. And he was born 101 years ago today. It's his birthday. And lived a long life all the way to 2015. But food, glorious food, where is love?
SPEAKER 12 :
Consider yourself. Well, I'm more of a Mr. Bumble than I am Fagin. I play Bumble as well. I play Bumble in Dallas. That was one of my first big roles at Lyric Stage in Dallas. And the joke was, I can't do accents. And so the director, Cheryl Denson, who's one of the great theater directors in the country. She's wonderful. She's magnificent. And she would roll her eyes every time because I had to do an English accent. In fact, I was up for a part in My Fair Lady at Lyric Stage, and I know the reason I didn't get the part, because I'm getting married in the morning. That great role. I didn't get the role because I can't do an English accent. But you have to in Mr. Bumble. Yeah, please, sir. I want some more. Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER 14 :
They gave me a winding stairway without any banister, which will throw him down and feed him on cockroaches.
SPEAKER 12 :
Oh, my gosh. Well, I'm sorry. You ought to be on stage. We ought to do a production. You and I ought to do the producers. I'll be Max Bialystock.
SPEAKER 04 :
You'll be Leo Bloom. We'll do Springtime for Hitler. I'm ready. I'm ready.
SPEAKER 12 :
You would be great. You would actually be great. Have you ever done a production on stage like that?
SPEAKER 14 :
A couple of plays. I was in Calamity Jane when I was in ninth grade. There you go. We can get you out there. Which is another great work of musical theater.
SPEAKER 12 :
And you also picked up the scab a little bit about my London trip. You know, they're doing a production. Of Oliver right now on the West End. Whoa. And front row seat, Mike, couldn't get any tickets. I tried. I tried. I couldn't get seats. You? I know.
SPEAKER 14 :
Didn't you throw down any, you know, do you know who I am credit?
SPEAKER 12 :
Well, they didn't even have any, they didn't even have any like scalper tickets that, I mean, I couldn't get into that theater. It's a big hot seat.
SPEAKER 14 :
The secondary market didn't even, because we know you will shell out if you want something back.
SPEAKER 12 :
I'd have shelled out for Oliver, because I love that show.
SPEAKER 14 :
Speaking of theater, is it real life or is it political theater? As Trump goes out and says, let's do Greenland, let's do Canada, let's do the Canada. Just how much of that is real, real? My take is, does he mean it, mean it literally? I don't think so, but it's designed to make a point. Let me just hand you the baton and see what you think.
SPEAKER 12 :
Let me just ask you and our audience if you are fully capable of recognizing the golden era that we are now in. We are back. We are back. And, of course, rinse, repeat. He holds a press conference. The mainstream media, their hair catches on fire. They flip out. Oh, we're going to use military force to conquer Greenland. We're not going to conquer Greenland. We're not going to. He wants back. Good things to happen. But, you know, I watched every word and carried a lot of it on my show because a lot of it aired when I was on yesterday. And I just watched every word of it. And I thought, this is why he's the people's president. Take, for example, him railing against the water regulations and restrictions that the Biden administration has come up with. I mean, Biden, in an 11-hour effort, is trying to ban gas water heaters. Now, Trump went on, he did this funny riff about how, you know the difference between a gas heater and electric? When it's electric, you're itchy. You're itch. And when a gas heater, it's nice and warm. But he relates to people that way. And then he talked about the water regulations. Now, all these restrictions with all of this crap that the federal government has imposed upon us, Trump is like, you know what? Get the water. Get as much water as you want. Water comes from the sky. We have water. We have the resources. And then he started talking about how all the dishwashers and all of the toilets, they all have all these water restrictions. Yeah. They don't do the job. They don't get things cleaned. They don't get the job. So you know what Trump said? You know what people do with the dishwasher with the little drip, drip, drip of water in there? They run it seven times. They run it seven times. So you're using more water anyway. And that's the kind of common sense every man perspective that Trump brings to the table that makes him so wildly popular with Americans. And these elitists that are so goofy. I mean, the poll came out the other day. Five. Five percent. You know, I talked about it yesterday. Five percent of Americans think that January 6th, 2021 was a significant event. Five percent. I mean, he and look, he's going to go. He's going to look at clemency and pardon for a whole bunch of those folks as well. As well, he should, Mark. So, you know, I don't know. No, we're not going to invade Greenland. Although, did you see that Don Jr. and our Charlie Kirk? Went running off to Greenland yesterday?
SPEAKER 14 :
Did you see him in the cockpit of the plane? Yes. Shooting video out of Trump Force One as they lift off from Greenland. And he pivots it around. And there's Don Jr. going, hey, great visit.
SPEAKER 12 :
And there's flipping Charlie Kirk sitting right next to him. I got a bone to pick with Charlie. Why didn't I get to go?
SPEAKER 14 :
I'd have loved to have gone to Greenland. They got seats. Seats in that thing.
SPEAKER 12 :
There's a lot of seats on that plane. You know, Charlie, of course, just renewed his deal with Salem Media Group. We're thrilled to continue with that young man. And Salem, behind the curtain, some inside baseball news. Brad Parcell has been named Salem's chief strategy officer. Now, Brad, you remember him. He was the digital guru for Trump World, big in Trump World. He's also big. He was big with Kylie Jenner launching her big billion dollar beauty line. He helped, you know, I know Candace Owens is a controversial figure, but. He helped launch her into the stratosphere with her digital presence. And so Brad Parcell, who's really one of the best digital marketing and online strategy folks in the world, he's joining Salem as our chief strategy officer. They know who to hang with. They know the dog to follow. Monday, Chris DeGaulle starts before you and me. He replaces Hugh. Hugh moves into afternoons. Seb Gorka goes to the White House. Did you see that CBS News did a hit piece on Seb Gorka last night? Oh, what? What'd they do? Oh, they just drudged up old stuff. You know, he had a falling out the first time he was in the Trump administration, and it was with John Kelly. So make no mistake. And enough said, right? I mean, what more do you need to know? And so Kelly didn't like the Seb Gorkas and the Bannons of the world. And, you know, he was trying to be Mr. Mr. Military and kick everybody out. That was the whole backstory. I mean, Seb has told me about it on and off the air.
SPEAKER 14 :
And Kelly and Kelly was a troublemaker from day one. He went in with his own agenda, his own priorities. He thought he could leave his stamp on Trump world. And the people who thought that learned otherwise really quickly.
SPEAKER 12 :
And Seb knew it, and Kelly knew that Seb knew it, and I truly believe that Seb is right. That's why he got pushed out. Well, CBS did this whole hit piece, oh, Seb Gorka, he was pushed out the first time. And here's the great news about this. He doesn't need Senate confirmation for the position he's going to be in. He is in a very important role in counterterrorism. You know, and a key, key figure in combating and even recommending strikes and all kinds of, you know, and they'll have access to all kinds of sensitive. It's one of the highest ranking people in that world, in that sphere of counterterrorism in the country. And so we're so proud of Sebastian. You know, but there's CBS doing what CBS does. Media doing what the media does. But it's changing, Mark. It's changing. Did you see McDonald's is throwing out their DEI initiatives? Done.
SPEAKER 14 :
They're done. You bet. They're done. Trump effect. Hashtag Trump effect. Meta. Mark Zuckerberg saying we're stopping with the stupid biased fact checkers. We're going to have community notes. Let people weigh in more free speech. And he called it in his video yesterday. He said we may, as with many human systems and so many things, they're going to be mistakes. These were not mistakes. It was 1000 percent intentional. They did it for ideological reasons. They got caught. They got torched to their credit. They learned the lesson from that and are now improving their behavior. That's good. But it was not a mistake. Do not know.
SPEAKER 12 :
It wasn't. There's not. There was no accident. And look, and it's it. But we are back to this theme of a golden era. Axios this week over at Mike Allen's site. Republicans this year will control the legislative process in nearly twice the number of states as Democrats. Well, the GOP is dominating the states. I mean, 24 states for the Republicans to the Democrats, 15. And the process is split in 10 others. This is what people have had it. They're just fed up. They're fed up with. I talked to an old friend of mine. I reconnected with a buddy of mine that I haven't talked to in 30 years. And it's so strange to talk to somebody 30 years later. What you what you went up to. How's that? Three decades worked out for you. And we were kids. In fact, even 30 years ago, we only hold over friends from when we were really teenagers. And he and his wife... had to get the phone call that their precious son was in a horrific accident. An illegal immigrant pulled out in front of their son on a motorcycle, and he ultimately died of those injuries. And he said, it's got to stop. He said, she's still driving a car. She's still living where they lived. And, I mean, do you know that 159 Democrats this week voted against deporting illegals who commit crimes? Yep. Now, think about it. Let that sink in. Now, the good news is I think it was 43 or either 43 or 49 Democrats voted with the Republicans. Oh, did you catch Fetterman?
SPEAKER 14 :
Fetterman, I think, was on Special Report with Brett Baier last night or one of those Fox shows and said, listen, this is why we lose. When we can't get on the right side of common sense stuff like this, this is how we lose. That's it. Fetterman will be a Republican by 4th of July.
SPEAKER 12 :
Oh, I'm not kidding. You're not kidding. I know. No, I don't think you're far from that. But 100, and let the world know, and I'm going to be bellowing it today, 149 Democrats voted against the Lake and Riley Act. 149 Democrats think it's a bad idea to deport illegals who commit crimes in this country against American citizens. Now, what pot and then i started going on down the rabbit hole last night because i was and i'm watching this southern california situation the fourth wildfire has now flared up uh people are you know losing their homes left and right it's horrific uh we're going to try to help today on the mike gallagher show with food for the poor they've we hope to put something together in time to because there's a lot of middle class and lower income people who are it's not just hollywood stars it's And not just Malibu that's way beyond that. But it's funny, I'm trying to watch all of that and I'm covering that. And I go down the rabbit hole about what's their argument? What does a Democrat say in objecting? Do you know what the argument is?
SPEAKER 14 :
Ultimately, to go to root causes, the term of the decade. is that they don't want to do anything to impede the arrival of people from south of the border illegally because even the occasional violent criminal is rehabilitatable and absorbable into the American fabric and legalizable and naturalizable and then a reliable Democrat voter.
SPEAKER 12 :
But that's Mark Davis, the conservative talk show legend answer. What's their answer? Give me their bust. What would they say? Because that's what I was looking for last night.
SPEAKER 14 :
I thought... It's going to be BS, but it would essentially be we believe in redemption. It would be overly broad. It would be weaponized. Evil racist conservatives would overgeneralize. There'd be people unfairly ejected in this nucleus of a good idea. It would be atomized out and would adversely affect and would disproportionately affect blah, blah, blah. So that would be.
SPEAKER 12 :
You're right. You're right. In fact, you're close. The one big thing that I saw the pushback was the legislation would take teenage shoplifters who are illegals, or of course they call them, and deport them. And that would be horrible to have a teenage shoplifter deported. Really? That's their big argument. That's why they that's why they voted against it. Hey, I got a newsflash for you. If you're a teenager and you're an illegal and you shouldn't be in this country, don't shop.
SPEAKER 14 :
I was going to say, thank you. I don't get misty about speaking of no great loss and good riddance amid all this weird Canada stuff about, you know, maybe like annexing Canada, make Canada the 51st state, which we're not going to do. Some Canadian reaction was interesting, and there was some Canadian parliamentary official of some sort. I don't know what they have up there who said, well, what would you think if we just took California, Oregon and Washington state?
SPEAKER 12 :
And I thought I saw. Don't threaten me with a good time.
SPEAKER 14 :
Speaking of only half kidding. Yeah.
SPEAKER 12 :
Yeah. Go ahead.
SPEAKER 14 :
With our with our blessing, with our Republican presidents, as far as the eye can see, because the flip side of that coin, because I know you were paying attention. It was right. I guess it was right after you were on the air the day before yesterday where Kamala Harris had to. Do you join a lot of people in saying, look, she's wrong on every issue, terrible candidate, mean woman, vicious, et cetera. I have very little good to say about her. But she did step into the strike zone, take one for the team and show up to lord over her own. I'm sorry.
SPEAKER 12 :
You're a bigger man than I am.
SPEAKER 14 :
I didn't say I was doing it. I was asking.
SPEAKER 12 :
I enjoyed it way too much.
SPEAKER 14 :
And there was the moment at which the Texas electoral vote was announced and a forty four. Oh, electoral votes went to Trump and J.D. Vance, which I think was the technical moment with it got us to 270 in that with Texas states. And just listen, you hear it a lot down here and just never, ever, ever forget. If we lose Texas, we will never elect a Republican president again. It's an 80-vote swing. If you lose our 40, and everybody says, ooh, Texas is going to turn blue. And thank God that's just not happening. But we've got to make sure we stay steadfast about that.
SPEAKER 12 :
Well, we've got to stay on it. And as a texter from Dallas just pointed out, just take a gander at the cover of my favorite newspaper in America today, the New York Post. Yes. Big, bold headline, The Don Roe Doctrine. And it's got a picture of Trump with a big pointy thing on the map. Canada is crossed out, and it says his vision of the hemisphere. Canada is crossed out, 51st state. Greenland is crossed out. It says, not Greenland, our land. Gulf of Mexico is crossed out to Gulf of America.
SPEAKER 01 :
He said that, too, by the way.
SPEAKER 12 :
Gulf of America. And the Panama Canal is crossed out. Now it's the Panamaga Canal. Tremendous. I mean, golden era. Enjoy it.
SPEAKER 01 :
Savor it.
SPEAKER 12 :
And get ready for the inauguration. And we'll be in D.C. broadcasting from our nation's capital covering the 47th president's inaugural proceedings. All right. Happy Wednesday, my friend. Happy Wednesday. We're ready.
SPEAKER 15 :
Download the podcast and hear all of Mike and Mark's conversations at MikeOnline.com for the M&M experience.
Arrogance is the number one enemy of the Christian. Satan uses arrogance and you can’t afford to let him manipulate you by appealing to your arrogance. Arrogance is always identified by self-justification. Self-justification leads to self-deception which leads to self-absorption which ultimately leads to self-destruction. If you’re thinking, “Why did God have to discipline me” you’re in a bad place in life. “When arrogance comes, then comes dishonor” (Prov 11:2). Humility is the code word for respect for authority and its orientation for the grace of God. “A person’s arrogance will bring him low but a lifestyle of humility will attain honor” (Prov 23:29). When you take on this attitude of humility based on a divine viewpoint and orientation to the authority of God, humbling yourself, then God can use you. God promises that the humble believer who is grace-oriented will be promoted. “God opposes the arrogant but He gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).
Click for Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/study-arrogance-d0a88c
Study on Arrogance
Transcript of FLOT Line Episode 632 aired on October 8, 2017
Good morning and welcome to The FLOT Line, that's right, The FLOT Line. I'm your host Rick
Hughes and for the next few minutes please stay with me because it will be a short time of
motivation, some inspiration, some education and we do this without any type of manipulation.
We’re not going to ask you for any money. We’re not trying to con you into joining anything,
giving anything. I just want you to listen as I try to verify and identify how God's plan works. It
is a show about the Bible, yes, but no ranting and raving. No jumping up and down, no yelling
and screaming. Just listen, listen and learn. That's the way we grow, listen, learn, and make some
application. Sometimes people wonder about the name The FLOT Line, what does this mean? It
stands for the forward line of troops. This is a military acronym and we're using a military
analogy here, as the Bible does quite often. What I'm trying to show you is there are 10 unique
problem-solving devices. If we learn these 10 problem-solving devices taught in the Bible,
nothing new that I came up with, they’ve always been there. If you learn them and use them they
will act as a defensive perimeter inside the soul of the believer and they will stop the outside
sources of adversity before they becomes the inside source of stress. This is why we say often
that adversity is inevitable and stress is optional because adversity is in fact what circumstances
do you and stress can be what you do to yourself. Think about this. Understand how important it
is to live this marvelous, unique, supernatural life called the Christian life. It is unique. It is an
advantage that the rest of the world doesn't have because we have the amazing power of the
Word of God at our fingertips producing divine viewpoint. We have the amazing power of the
Holy Spirit in our life, giving us the ability to operate under the filling of the Spirit and not the
energy of the flesh. These are all problem-solving devices that we have like problem-solving
device #1, rebound, to address sin. We all sin. It could be a sin of the tongue such as a lie. It
could be an overt sin such as getting in an argument or a fight. It could be a mental attitude sin
such as jealousy or hatred. When we sin, 1 John 1:9 says,
“If we will confess our sin then God
will be faithful and just to forgive us and purify us from all of our wrongdoing.”
This is
something that the believer has to do on a consistent basis. Sometimes you may have to confess
seven or eight times a day and I know you're going to say, “I can't remember every sin I ever did
Rick.” I understand this. This is why it says,
“He will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
These are even the ones you don't remember. To live the Christian life, to live this marvelous life
God gives to us, to enjoy the benefits we have to be operating under the filling of the Holy Spirit
is why we spent a couple of radio classes talking about the unique spiritual life and how it
operates. If you are indeed operating under the filling of the Holy Spirit, this means that you're
dealing with sin consistently when it pops up in your life. If you are in fellowship with God you
are a spiritual Christian. If you're out of fellowship with God because of unconfessed sin in your
life you are a carnal Christian. There's another step and that’s being a mature Christian.
What is a
mature Christian?
Spiritual maturity is based on the filling of the Holy Spirit and the content
632-Study-on-Arrogance-transcript.pdf
of God's Word in your soul.
As you learn the Word of God and apply the Word of God under
the filling of the Holy Spirit, you become a mature believer. You don't want to stay a baby
believer. When you become a mature believer this is when you are dangerous to the enemy. This
is when God can count on you. This is when you begin to live the professional Christian life, the
life you should live as a Christian, and this is what we're looking for. We’re looking for those of
you that listen to the show, anywhere from California to New York, to be mature believers in
Jesus Christ. You want your life to count for God. You want to be the person that God can
depend on because you are growing to spiritual maturity. You're the kind of person that I would
like to meet. You're the person I'm talking to. I don't need anything from you, that's not it. I
would just like to encourage you to keep growing
“In the grace and the knowledge of your Lord
and your Savior Jesus Christ”
(2 Peter 3:18). It’s the most important thing you could ever do.
Now today I want to talk to you about the biggest enemy the Christian faces. I know you're
thinking it's the devil and we do operate against the world, the flesh, and the devil. I want to talk
to you about something that Satan himself got involved in. I want to talk to you about arrogance.
Arrogance is the number one enemy to the believer in time. Satan uses arrogance.
He used
it to get Eve to go for the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. He appealed to
her arrogance and she disobeyed God.
You cannot afford to let Satan manipulate you by
appealing to your arrogance.
Often we blame Satan for our sins and for our failures. We say,
“The devil made me do it.” I think there was a comedian named Flip Wilson that came up with
this statement 20 or 30 years ago but more likely it's just our failure to follow the protocol plan
of God. It's not Satan, it's our own flesh. Every one of us has a sin nature. This is why we have to
die because this sin nature will not operate in heaven. We have to get a different body. This body
is plagued, it’s infected with sin. Romans 5:12 says,
“For by one man sin came into the world,
and death by sin and now death has passed on to all for all have sinned. “The wages of sin is
death”
(Romans 6:23). Literally, it's impossible for us with our sin nature to execute the protocol
plan of God. Thus God provided for us a way to live in and follow His plan. He's given us this.
This is the Holy Spirit. This is the Bible. This is developing the mind of Christ. This is thinking
divine viewpoint. This is not operating in the energy of the flesh but in the energy of the Spirit.
The contradiction to God's plan, the major, number one contradiction and the primary reason we
fail to execute this plan and to live His purpose is this arrogance. Let me tell you how you can
spot it.
Arrogance is always identified by self-justification.
Self-justification is when someone
justifies why it's okay to disobey authority. Maybe a student would justify why it's okay to cheat.
Maybe a husband would justify why it's okay to cheat in the marriage, saying his wife is not
fulfilling his needs and so he's going to go out and find someone else. Maybe it's okay for a
politician to justify taking money.
Self-justification is the first stage of arrogance and
arrogance will destroy all of us if we let it take root in our lives.
Arrogance is identified with
self-justification. When you justify the sin and you say it's okay to do it because of this or that,
you are totally self-deceived.
Self-justification leads to self-deception.
Self-deception is you
lying to yourself, not necessarily lying to other people, but lying to yourself and convincing
632-Study-on-Arrogance-transcript.pdf
yourself that you had a right to do this, that it was okay, that God would understand. You needed
to be able to fudge a little bit on these taxes or you needed to be able to fudge a little bit on that
speed limit so you could get to work early because you were late yesterday and so you justify
why it's okay to break the law, why it's okay to break your vow, why it's okay to do anything.
This self-deception leads to self-absorption.
Sooner or later you will be totally absorbed with
yourself. This means you will be looking at only yourself, not at God. You’ll only be looking at
what you want, not what God wants. For the Christian, self-absorption always leads to self-
destruction.
Self-justification, self-deception and self-absorption lead to self-destruction.
Why? Because Hebrews 12:6 says,
“Those that He loves, He disciplines.”
Sometimes He has to
scourge us with a whip. Discipline always comes in three stages. Stage one, warning discipline.
God will warn you and you may be involved in that right now. Already God has been speaking to
you and screaming at you through circumstances that you are wrong, you're out of line, and
you're sinning. Warning discipline is there. It is best to rebound, confess the sin now rather than
go through intense discipline because that's where the pain comes in. That's when the Father has
to take us out behind the woodshed and give us an attitude adjustment. Since we have no genuine
humility, He has to take us out there and give us some enforced humility so we will mind Him as
children of His. If this doesn't work, if we react to the discipline instead of responding to the
discipline, then He may even call you home early. Proverbs 15:10 says,
“He that hates the
reproof of God shall die.”
There it is. There are many believers that have gone to heaven real
early. Maybe they should have lived a much longer life but they got out of fellowship with God.
They justified why it was okay to do what they did. They became self-absorbed with it and when
the discipline came into their life, they got angry at God. Instead of getting angry at themselves,
they get angry at God. They thought it wasn't fair.
If you are thinking, “Why did God have to
do this to me?” this is a bad place to be in your life.
The first creature who demonstrated any
arrogance in the universe in regards to God's plan was Lucifer himself. Ezekiel 28:14-17
describes his sin to us, it says this,
“You were the anointed cherub who guards and I placed you
there. You were on the holy mountain of God, and you walked in the midst of the stones of fire.
You were blameless in your ways from the day that you were created until unrighteousness
[this
is the word for arrogance]
was found in you. By the abundance of your slander
[maligning God]
they filled your inner life
[his motivation, his thought pattern, he wanted to be like God, higher
than God, wanted to run the show] w
ith violence. You sinned and therefore I
[God the Father]
have cast you out as defiled from the mountain of God, and I have excluded you, O guardian
cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; you
were vain
[that's the arrogance]
. You corrupted your wisdom because of your glamour
[that's his
arrogance]
and I cast you to the earth.”
Satan had all the beauty, he had all the authority in
heaven, he was very smart, but he was also very ambitious. He wanted to take over the throne of
God. In Isaiah 14:14 he made this statement,
“I will make myself like the most high God.”
This
thing we call arrogance is a high self-respect apart from any reality in your life. It's some form of
the real or imagined superiority that we get. Glamour and wealth and prestige are never a
632-Study-on-Arrogance-transcript.pdf
substitute for wisdom, the Bible says. It's interesting, Hollywood actors behave like they're the
smartest people in the world don't they? They act like they're qualified to tell us how we should
vote or how we should live our lives. They're just actors, they're not geniuses. Most of them
couldn’t even tell you who they are if they had to because they can't differentiate. They have an
unrealistic self-image and because of their self-righteousness they think they're better than you
because they are multimillionaires. Now they want to tell you how you should live your life.
These arrogant types often display vanity, empty pride, excessive desire to be noticed. Why do
you think they do all these award shows and why do you think they do all these talk shows?
Because they want to be noticed. They want to be in the mainline of attention. They want to keep
their careers going. They want their fans to see them and that's fine as long as you're not
arrogant, as long as you don't think you're smarter than God. This lust for attention or praise from
others is always an indication of arrogance. This supercilious authority, superiority, looking
down their noses at other people including things like jealousy, bitterness, and conceit, any type
of self-righteousness and the use of verbal sins to destroy people they don't agree with, calling
them names, slandering them, demonizing them, maligning them, and with social media today,
they do it every day. Every day some Hollywood person is slandering or maligning another
person or a politician, calling them everything you can imagine, even foul curse words. They
think they have a right to do this. Well, what happened to respect? What happened to privacy?
People need to learn to keep their noses out of other people's business and especially in politics.
It's amazing, some of these actors that think they can run down the President of the United States
regardless of who he is and they think they could do a better job? I doubt it.
Arrogance is the
only disease known to man which makes everybody sick except the person that has it.
Isn’t
that amazing? You get around an arrogant person and it doesn’t take long and they want to talk
about themselves. They want to talk about what they've done. They want to malign or slander,
run down somebody they don't like. When you get around somebody like that, cut and go. Don't
stay in their presence. You're wasting your time. They’re wasting your time talking to you. The
day is too short to hang around arrogant jerks like this.
Proverbs 11:2,
“When arrogance comes,
then comes dishonor.”
Proverbs 16:18,
“Arrogance precedes destruction and before a fall
there's going to be a lifestyle of arrogance.”
Proverbs 23:29,
“A person's arrogance will bring
him low but a lifestyle of humility will attain honor.”
Humility is a code word for respect for
authority. It’s orientation to the grace of God, this is what humility is.
When Philippians
2:5-6 says,
“Let this mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus who humbled Himself and
made Himself of no reputation,”
this is guidance for you and me.
Our concept of living the
Christian life is to take on the personality profile of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
Humility was His personality profile. These disciples walked with Him and talked with Him for
three years and they were some of the most arrogant people in the world. Let me give you some
illustrations. For example, at the Last Supper they are having the communion supper and they're
fighting over where they were going to be sitting at the table. Luke 22:24,
“And there was a
strife among them as to which one of them should be accounted the greatest,”
competitiveness.
632-Study-on-Arrogance-transcript.pdf
This goes on in the church every day. Church members fighting over who needs the attention of
the pastor, who is the greatest, who gives the most, who does this or that. Our Lord was about to
die on the cross. He was having His last supper with them and they were arguing over the seating
arrangement. Another time on the road to Capernaum after leaving the Mount of Transfiguration,
passing unseen through Galilee, Jesus Christ told them He was going to be killed and that He
would resurrect on the third day. You can read about it in Mark 9:30-31. Then in Mark 9:33-34,
listen to this,
“When they arrived in Capernaum and being in the house He asked them, ‘What
was it that you disputed among yourselves on the way?’ But they held their peace, for on the way
they had disputed
[or argued]
among themselves about who was the greatest.”
Proverbs 13:10,
“Through arrogance comes strife, but wisdom is with those who receive instruction.”
There was
jealousy and envy among the ranks of those disciples. They still thought that He was going to
bring in the kingdom and they wanted to have a high position in the kingdom but they had to
recognize their sin of arrogance. This had been brewing for a while. Remember now, most of
these guys were fishermen. I’m a fisherman so I can tell you this, often fishermen are liars and
very competitive. So our Lord had to teach them a lesson that day in Mark 9:35.
“Sitting down
Jesus called the twelve and said this, ‘Anyone who wants to be the first among you must be the
very last and the servant of all the others.’”
This is how you become first in God's kingdom, not
trying to promote yourself or take the place of honor next to the seat of Jesus, but being a
servant. John and James had an unrealistic self-image and they had to learn the hard way. In
Mark 10:35-40, listen as I read it,
“James and John, the two sons of Zebedee came up to Jesus
saying, ‘Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You.’ He said, ‘What do you want
Me to do for you?’ They said, ‘Well grant that we may sit one on Your right and one on Your left
when You come in glory.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘Do you know what you're asking? Are you
able to drink the cup that I drink or to be baptized with the baptism which I'm about to be
baptized?’ And they said, ‘We are able.’ And Jesus said, ‘Well the cup that I drink you shall drink
[that's death],
and you shall be baptized with the baptism which I'm about to be baptized
[that's
suffering]
but to sit on My right hand or My left hand, it’s not Mine to give, but it is for those
whom it has been prepared.’”
In other words God the Father made those decisions and here are
these two wonderful disciples wanting to have the place of honor when they came into the
kingdom.
If God does not promote you, you're not going to be promoted. God promises that
the humble believer who is grace-oriented will be promoted.
James 4:6,
“But He gives all the
more grace. So He says, ‘God opposes the arrogant but He gives grace to the humble.’”
When
you take on the mind of Christ as Romans 12:3 says,
“Stop thinking of yourself in terms of
arrogance beyond what you should think, but think in terms of humility as God has assigned to
each one of us a standard of thinking from His Word.”
When you take on this attitude of
humility based on divine viewpoint and orientation to the authority of God, humbling
yourself, then you're eligible to be promoted.
Then God can count on you because He knows
that you're not in it for the ego. He knows you're not in it for the attention. Peter had his own
arrogance as well. In John 13:8-10
“Peter said unto Him, ‘You are not going to wash my
632-Study-on-Arrogance-transcript.pdf
feet’
[this is the foot washing episode in John 13].
And Jesus said, ‘Well, if I wash you not, then
you have no part with Me’
[He used the Greek word
nipto
for partial cleansing of hands and
feet].
And Peter said, ‘Well, not my feet only but also my hands and my head.’ And Jesus said,
‘No, you don't need a bath
[He uses the word
louo,
you already had a bath at salvation].
You just
need to have your feet washed.’”
Peter was so arrogant. “The Son of God is not going to wash
my feet. I'm not going to let that happen.” There was a reason our Lord did this. He had to
demonstrate humility to them because they had none. In John 13:34-35,
“A new commandment I
give to you that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
Not fighting with
one another, not bickering with one another, but expressing love for one another. Simon Peter
said in John 13:36-38,
“‘Lord, where are you going?’ Jesus said, ‘Where I am going, you can't
follow Me, but you will follow Me later.’ And Peter said, ‘Well, no, I’ll lay down my life for You.’
And Jesus said, ‘Really? I’m telling you this. Before the rooster crows in the morning, you're
going to deny Me three times.’”
Old Peter had an unrealistic self-image. He thought he was
something that he wasn't and sure enough, that night as our Lord was taken captive and before
the High Court of Caiaphas, Peter did in fact deny the Lord three times. Was he still saved?
Certainly. Luke 22:60,
“Jesus came out from being persecuted and saw him, and Peter went out
and wept bitterly.”
Arrogance will destroy you. An unrealistic self-image is very destructive
and it can even cause mental illness in your life. Then there is also national arrogance.
That's where I need to go next. I need to talk to you about national arrogance. This arrogance my
friend calls artificial intelligence, that’s arrogance and ignorance put together. I hope you're
listening and you're learning. I hope you'll stick with me because this is Rick Hughes. I'm the
host of The FLOT Line and I'll be back with you next week, same time, same place
In this engaging episode of Rush to Reason, host John Rush is joined by Richard Battle to explore actionable tips for maximizing your value in any organization. As they discuss the significance of going beyond just performing your job, Richard emphasizes the importance of a lifelong learning mindset, under-promising and over-delivering, and being an encouraging figure in your team. Tune in to discover how cultivating these habits can lead to increased opportunities and resilience against professional setbacks.
SPEAKER 07 :
This is Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 14 :
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 14 :
My advice to you is to do what your parents did.
SPEAKER 04 :
Get a job, sir. 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 07 :
Are you crazy? Am I? Or am I so sane that you just blew your mind?
SPEAKER 05 :
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, we are back. Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Thanks for tuning in. Hour number two, Richard Battle joining us now. Richard, hope you had a great holiday.
SPEAKER 13 :
Good afternoon, John, and Happy New Year to you and all the KLZ listeners. I did, and I saw a politician today. It was so cold. I saw a politician with his hand in his own pocket.
SPEAKER 11 :
Oh, there we go. Good one. Good one. Yeah, and you're not near as cold as we are right now. I think right now we are a whopping 40, but it's going to be really cold tonight down in the single digits.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, y'all are tougher than we are.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, well, luckily for us, that doesn't last very long. Yes. Luckily, luckily. All right, so let's get into it. Increasing our value for success, impact, and security as we start off 2025. Great topic.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, I thought the timing would be great, and I have a daughter who graduated from graduate school last summer, and so she's in her first real-life professional job. And as I talked to her about doing it, I consistently reinforcing to her things she's doing that she's raising her own value. And so I thought it would be great to share some of those with the listeners, because the more we increase our value to an organization, company, team or family or whatever, the more rewards we'll get and the less likely we will be to be cut loose if bad times come.
SPEAKER 11 :
And by the way, some of what you and I are going to talk about through this, because I watched some videos and things through the holidays on this very topic. I don't know why sometimes things just pop up for whatever reason, Richard, but at the end of the day, we're going to talk about some things that some may not necessarily agree with. What I mean by that is there's some folks out there listening— I'm not sure how many, but listening saying, you know, why would I do that? At the end of the day, I'm not getting paid for that. So why would I do that?
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, that's a short term attitude, I think. And so I think the first thing I recognized when I got into the workplace and it helped me a lot is I realized I was my own boss and that my customers funnel money to my company and then the company would pay me. But the more I acted properly, the more rewards I would get long term. And so I think we have to be thinking long term for our entire career in what we're doing to establish a reputation and build opportunities for ourselves.
SPEAKER 11 :
And what you just said along those lines, which I know is in our notes, but I want to make sure we throw this in early, is as we, those of us that do these things, learn to do that, as you said earlier, you're now your own boss, you're setting your own destiny, and whether you're getting paid for that or not, the reality is you're making yourself more valuable to every single thing you would do in the future.
SPEAKER 13 :
That's exactly correct. And it's amazing sometimes when we're doing something above and beyond, and we don't think we're getting rewarded for it, I guarantee you we will be rewarded sometime in the future. It just may not be evident that time.
SPEAKER 11 :
Great point. All right, so let's get into it some of the way. What are some of these ways we can increase our value?
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, I think if we want to be more, we have to do more. That's the number one and the simplest thing. And so many times people will say, well, that's not my job, or they don't want to do anything above and beyond their job. And the more we do like that, it benefits us in growth, but it also demonstrates to other people that we want to be more valuable in an organization.
SPEAKER 11 :
One of the best ways to get on my bad side as an employee was to tell me something to the effect of, that's not in my job description, because nothing grinds on me worse, Richard, than that.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, exactly. And the corollary to that always is never be too big to do a small job. Because I've seen people that would say, well, that's below my pay grade. Yes. And the best people I know have at one time or another done the smallest jobs in building themselves to be the biggest leaders.
SPEAKER 11 :
Richard, I can really quick tell this story. One of the reasons, there's several, but one of the reasons I've never smoked in my entire life, and I don't belittle those that do because it's a very hard habit to break, but one of the reasons why I never smoked was because at a very early age, 11, 12 years of age, working around my family's dealership, one of the grunt jobs I had was cleaning up. After people, cigarette butts out of urinals and ashtrays and out of the cars and just everybody smoked back then. This was the 70s. So, you know, there's ashtrays everywhere and they'd be in the parking lot because people would just throw them out. And reality is I learned at an early age and sorry for those of you that do. I'm not trying to offend, but it is one of the filthiest habits you could probably ever have. And I learned that at an early age because to your point, Richard, I was doing a very, you know, menial task. It was very important to do, but it also taught me a life lesson. Don't smoke.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, yes, and most of us have had to do pretty dirty tasks in our careers, and as my grandmother taught me, a little work never hurt anybody, regardless of how bad it is sometimes, and the life lessons are what's important, not what we had to do to earn them.
SPEAKER 11 :
Absolutely. Okay, so really quick, before we move on, because I said this earlier, this we must do more, because I always taught my kids, outwork the guy next to you and you'll always have a job, but most of the time what you're going to hear back is, well, they're not paying me to do that. Why should I work any more than what I'm being paid? And again, Richard, the whole synopsis of what you and I are talking about right now is increase your own value. You'll be more successful. You'll have more impact and more security.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, exactly, and we have to convince people to look long-term, not short-term. not what you get today, but what you're building for the future. And the next step in that is being a lifelong learner and learning all the things you can as early as you can. And as I've said, smart people learn from their experience. Brilliant people learn from the experiences of others. And the example, since you were in automotive, remember back to manual transmissions and the people who didn't progress to learn how to service automatic transmissions, work themselves out of jobs because they didn't learn new skills.
SPEAKER 11 :
Very, very true, which goes to this whole be a lifelong learner. You can never stop learning.
SPEAKER 13 :
Yes. And so, and then next, be the first in the office and the last one to leave. When you're starting out, you want to show value. You don't want to be the last one there and the first one to leave. And it's noticed by management or whatever team you're on. If it's a baseball team or a Girl Scout troop or your family or whatever, if you're there early and leave late, it's always noticed.
SPEAKER 11 :
Absolutely. Next one, which I talked about this during health and wellness, is having a positive attitude, Richard. Not only does it help you in your work life, it helps you in your personal life.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, yes, and I heard that. I agree 100%. I believe you can accomplish anything positive with a negative attitude. And I've seen people in my life as well who had a negative attitude, and I don't believe they lived as long as they certainly had no happiness in their life.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right, these next two correlate exactly to what I talked about in the 3 o'clock hour as well. Give them to us.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, be a giver, not a taker. And I believe everyone's one of those two type people, and no one wants to be around takers. Everyone wants to have givers as friends, for example. And if we're a giver... it will always come back to us when people will return the favor back to us as well. And the one that goes with that is encouragement. We've talked about it before. I'm a great believer that encouragement is the greatest gift we can give anyone. It doesn't cost us anything. We can't pull a muscle. There's no calories in it, but it can change other people's lives. And when we encourage them with good words, we never know how that will impact them. and they'll remember us for doing so.
SPEAKER 11 :
One of the things I try to do, and I'm not trying to boast in this at all, so all of you listening, please, that's not why I'm saying this, but it correlates to what you're talking about, Richard. So when Charlie and I leave, typically it's late at night, and most of the regular workforce is gone, and the cleaning ladies... and in this case they're all ladies, they've now entered the building and they're starting to do their things. And one of the things that I do my very best in when leaving, and if I get a chance to see any of them face-to-face, is I thank them for what they're doing on my way out the door, because without them we don't have a clean place.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, that's exactly true, and there's nothing more fulfilling than thanking people who are not used to being thanked.
SPEAKER 11 :
And most of these people are used to getting yelled at, frankly.
SPEAKER 13 :
Exactly. And I've never had a bad experience saying thank you to somebody. Everyone always appreciates that. And it's the least we can do for the people who are the least visible in the organization.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, what's happening now on my end, I've done it long enough now where there's a few of them that I've seen over and over and over again. The minute I see them make eye contact, they start to smile. I give them a thumbs up and they automatically know what I mean.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, that's exactly right. And it's still appreciated every time because you are the exception in that situation.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right. Talk about the hard job.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, we hit it a little bit earlier, but volunteer to do the hard job. A lot of people will run for the high grass when the hard job shows up. They want to avoid it. and they're just marking their time until the check comes. But if you volunteer to do the hard job nobody else wants, it will open doors for other opportunities, more opportunities and faster opportunities for you.
SPEAKER 11 :
I like this next one because there's not a boss or an owner out there that wouldn't agree. Be low maintenance.
SPEAKER 13 :
Yes, and as I used to tell management when I would move through organizations, my number one job is to earn your trust. and then to be low-maintenance for you and be easy so that when I need something, you'll know that it's important. If you're high-maintenance and you're always needing to be managed or being maintained, then when you really need something, the person doesn't know if it's serious or not because of your high-maintenance situation.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right, these next three, fire these off because they're important as well.
SPEAKER 13 :
Under-promise, over-deliver, very simple. Perform. our duties, and then volunteer for additional work. If you're looking to do additional things, you're going to be given additional responsibilities and opportunities. And always look to benefit your team in the long run. If you're looking for short run, you're never going to be looked at for raises or promotion or long-term opportunity. But if you're looking for long-term benefit for your organization, the doors will swing open for you.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right, what is the lifeboat exercise?
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, I was with an organization for years, and management would run this exercise once a year where you would look at your employees by their job description, and you would rank them from one to X based on the thought that you would be sitting in a lifeboat, and if the lowest person had to be thrown out of the lifeboat to save everyone else, who would be that lowest person? And if the next lowest person had to be thrown out... You wanted to be the number one person because that's the person who would be first for opportunities. You never wanted to be the last person because that would be the first person to be let go in bad times.
SPEAKER 11 :
And then in closing, we'll always be the first to find another opportunity because of our performance and our reputation, really summing up everything we just got done talking about. And, folks, I cannot, you know, as an owner, I will tell you, Richard, everything here, 100%. Now, I get it. There might be some really bad managers or bosses or owners that don't recognize this, but they're the few. The majority will take everything we just said, and if you're that person, they'll take that to heart.
SPEAKER 13 :
Yes, and so that situation is no matter how good you are, sometimes things are so bad that not only fat but bone gets cut in a company, for example. And so the people who've done these things we're talking about, even if that happens to them, they're going to be the first people who find other opportunities because of their reputation and people giving them references for their great work.
SPEAKER 11 :
Sometimes even prior to the ship going down, I guess you could say.
SPEAKER 13 :
Yes, absolutely. And so there's nothing lost. If we're thinking about ourselves and our long-term lives, business as well as personal, we win when we perform at top levels.
SPEAKER 11 :
Richard, give us your website and how folks can get some of your books.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, thank you. It's richardbattle.com. All 11 books are there, and we sign all of them before shipping. And if someone wants inscriptions for gift copies... Email me, richard at richardbattle.com. We're happy to do that. We have Kindle and audio versions available at Amazon as well.
SPEAKER 11 :
Richard, I appreciate it. Looking forward to 2025.
SPEAKER 13 :
Always my pleasure. God bless America.
SPEAKER 11 :
God bless you, Richard. Have a great rest of your day. Roof Savers of Colorado coming up next. Dave Hart, and as I said earlier, you may notice some things right now, even with your roof, where it's like, I don't think that's quite right. I've got a downspout that's not quite right, or I've got icing in an area that I've never had before, or whatever the case may be. Take pictures, save those, call Dave, get him out as soon as possible to inspect, and then figure out a way to fix whatever that problem is. At Roof Savers Colorado, we are about more than roofs.
SPEAKER 01 :
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SPEAKER 10 :
putting reason into your afternoon drive. This is John Rush.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right, we are back a few minutes before Sunny Kutcher joins us, Young Americans Against Socialism, which Sunny is not far from the Palisade fires that are going on in California. She's actually sent me some spectacular imagery videos and so on of that particular area that is really getting hard hit. But she's going to talk about essentially California and a lot of the missteps that have happened and part of what's even going on there with that. So speaking of missteps, though, by governors, because that's what Sonny's going to talk about in regards to Newsom, is New York. These are some things that I did read while on vacation. I don't normally do things along those lines, but in this case, you could not not see this. It was on a lot of TV stations and so on. And that is the congestion pricing that she has now set up entering into certain areas of Manhattan. It's designed to keep people from coming in at certain times of the day. But at the end of the day, all it's really going to do is penalize people, monetarily speaking, that have to go, they have to have a vehicle. The other thing that I saw along these lines, and I don't know all of the details, so I'm going to give you kind of the broad view of this because I did not get into all of the details. Evidently, there's a lot of first responders that use their personal vehicles, not only getting to work, but sometimes on the job. meaning they need to bring those vehicles into the city. With all of this that has gone on, they're not. So now what's happening is some of the first responders, firefighters and so on, are finding themselves short on services. Because of what I just said, and again, I don't know all the details. Some of you that are out there listening, maybe you can send me an article along these lines, but I was watching an interview. Again, I don't watch a lot of TV while I'm gone, but I happened to catch an interview of, I believe it was the police chief, or sorry, the fire chief, talking about this very subject and how badly this congestive... pricing is going to hurt some of the things that i just said again i don't understand all of the details and how they do things and so on with with some of these you know personally owned vehicles but those are the byproducts or some of the byproducts that again democrats don't ever think about now supposedly this is so that again they can regulate traffic and collect money that they're going to then use to put back into roads, bridges, and so on, which, if it's like Colorado... That money's probably already being collected. It's just being diverted to other places. Guaranteed. If I were to go look at New York's budget, New York State budget, guaranteed the money's coming in already to do the very things they're now going to collect. And I think it's up to $9, if I'm not mistaken, Charlie, on a one-way trip getting into town. So depending upon when you come and go, it could be $18 a day to come and go. And that money then is going to get funneled back into some of these road bridge projects. projects, which, as I said a moment ago, I would bet my life on is already being collected in other ways, through registrations and other things that are happening, just, again, like we do in Colorado. But in Colorado, which I guarantee you is the same in New York, we take that money that's being collected and we divert it into other things. Bike lanes, crosswalks, painting pride flag in crosswalks, stupid things like that. And I'm not exaggerating here in Colorado when I say the things that we do that literally waste the money that we're collecting that should be going to road bridge projects, but it never makes it there because that's what Democrats do. And then, though, they'll be the first ones to cry, we don't have enough money. Literally. Literally. they'll be the first ones to cry out, there's not enough money. We need to tax you more. We need to raise this fee, that fee. Colorado, we're feed to death. And I'm not exaggerating when I say that. We're literally feed to death in this state to the tune of billions of dollars every year because to get around Tabor, they establish a fee. So in turn, it passes muster with Tabor. But in turn, all of us are paying billions of dollars every year for these quote-unquote fees. Joe, go ahead.
SPEAKER 12 :
John, it wouldn't be bad if it was going into roads and bridges, because that would help the people who drive cars. 100% of it's going into the subway and the MTA train system.
SPEAKER 11 :
So it's not even going to roads. And as I said a moment ago, and you're there, I'm guessing, and I'm probably correct in this, they're collecting money for roads and bridges already that's probably going somewhere else, right?
SPEAKER 12 :
Yes. And by the way, just like Denver, that is running a huge deficit, remember your self-funding RTD, New York City... The subway system and MTA, Metropolitan Transit Authority, which is the trains coming in on New York, it is just sucking money up. John, it's a huge black hole, and that's where all this money is going, into that black hole of a public transit system, because the people who run the city, including the mayor, don't want to antagonize the voters by charging them what it really costs to take a ride on the New York City subway.
SPEAKER 11 :
Got it. So we'll do congestive pricing instead and, quote-unquote, fix it.
SPEAKER 12 :
Right, and put the burden on people who own cars so we can subsidize the people who ride the subway.
SPEAKER 11 :
So did you hear me ask about how, and I saw this interview, and I should have paid more attention, but, you know, I'm on vacation, and I'm kind of half paying attention, half not. But they were interviewing, I want to say, one of the fire chiefs, talking about how a lot of the first responders will drive their personal vehicles in for whatever reason and sometimes even use those vehicles on the job. They're losing all those vehicles now because these guys aren't going to drive in.
SPEAKER 12 :
Yeah, because sometimes they'll report to a station. They say, hey, well, they need you over here at a different station, so I have to get back in the car and drive to a different station.
SPEAKER 11 :
Okay, there you go.
SPEAKER 12 :
And they typically, by the way, bring their own equipment with them, their own jacket and helmet. Right, right, right. That I get. So now when they come in, they're going to leave their stuff at one station, and they're going to take public transit in. If they need them at a different station, they're going to have to buy them a cab ride or something.
SPEAKER 11 :
Cab ride, have more equipment. I mean, bottom line, all this is going to do is add cost to what they're doing.
SPEAKER 12 :
Yep, and so far, there's been no improvement in commuting time. You know, they have the average time.
SPEAKER 11 :
That started January 1, right?
SPEAKER 12 :
January 1. Actually, it was this past Sunday.
SPEAKER 11 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 12 :
Anyways, but on Monday morning, there was no improvement in commuting time in the congestion zone.
SPEAKER 11 :
So it didn't do any good other than collect more money.
SPEAKER 12 :
That's all it did, John, collect more money.
SPEAKER 11 :
Unbelievable. Joe, I appreciate the update. Thank you for that.
SPEAKER 12 :
You're welcome.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right. Take care, sir. All right. Sonny Kutcher will be joining us here in a moment. We'll talk about some other debacles going on, by the way, in California. The downside is at least what's happening. Well, I guess it could have some ill effect and cause deaths and so on in New York, but definitely causing some issues along those lines.
SPEAKER 10 :
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SPEAKER 11 :
Gold Eagle Financial, Al Smith, who has his own program between 2 and 2.30 every Wednesday, wants to help you in the financial future. And as I said earlier, if you haven't talked to your financial planner in quite some time, call Al today. Find him at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 10 :
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SPEAKER 11 :
Michael Bailey Law, he is our mobile estate planner, and he was on also between 2.30 and 3 with his own program. Get an appointment today with Michael when it comes to getting your estate in order. Find him at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 05 :
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SPEAKER 11 :
All right, we are back. And Sunny Kutcher joining us now, as I said a moment ago, she would. Sunny, welcome. How are you?
SPEAKER 15 :
I'm hanging in there. How are you?
SPEAKER 11 :
Good. Are you staying safe?
SPEAKER 15 :
I am. I'm safe where I'm at. I am on the west side of L.A., but I am still pretty far away from these fires, these tragic fires.
SPEAKER 11 :
Okay, so before we get into some of what's even the cause of and get into some of the politics of this, which there is, just give us sort of a brief synopsis of what it's like out there on the ground.
SPEAKER 15 :
It's quite ominous, I will say. This morning, the smoke was really bad. It was coming down the coast on the west side, kind of coming down towards the airport, LAX, and videos coming out of there were just I mean, apocalyptic, but not quite apocalyptic as some of the videos I've seen firsthand videos of, you know, friends of friends who are either who live in affected areas or actually someone who's a firefighter sends videos, you know, and it is just absolutely apocalyptic. The energy on the ground is ominous. You know, I went outside early this morning to just take a walk and grab, you know, grab a coffee, kind of check out the surrounding areas. And people are, You can see it on everybody's faces. It's, you know, I think we're all trying to just stand together because this is a really tragic situation. And, you know, we're pretty close to, you know, where I'm at. So I'm sure people have friends and neighbors and community members who are being affected. Actually, a friend of mine told me that her home burned down in Pasadena. So that's going to be a fire on the other side.
SPEAKER 11 :
Oh, that's sad. Yeah. Yeah, and we've had some of those things here in Colorado. I lost a home here in fires we had several years ago. So, you know, we're not immune to this either, although what you guys have going on right now is really, really right. And by the way, Sonny, it doesn't matter whether it's one house or multiples. It's never fun for anybody to go through those situations. Although, much like Colorado—I'll throw this at you— We have some of what we have fire-wise because we don't take care of things on the front side like we should. In other words, we put money into things we shouldn't and don't put money into things that we should, i.e. forest and land management.
SPEAKER 15 :
Absolutely. This is a pattern we're seeing across states where fires are a hazard and are a risk. The corrupt bureaucrats at the top are not concerned. focused on wildfire preparedness or protecting the infrastructure from any, you know, earthquake, fire, hurricane, all of these things we've seen that we've talked about on this show, the cities that have been decimated by the hurricanes, North Carolina, Florida, all of these places, Hawaii with the fires, and now it's hitting Los Angeles.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, and again, I want to make sure that we're not trying to take anything away from what's happening or anybody that's been affected by it. But the sad part, Sonny, is I'm not saying all of this is avoidable, but I will tell you firsthand there is a lot of this that is through proper management. The problem is when we, you know, in the case of Governor Newsom, we direct water to different places. We don't allow things to be trimmed back. We don't do things necessary to make – to be more prepared, I guess is what I should say on that end of things. And then we, then we sit back and wonder why these things happen. Well, I can almost tell you why they happen.
SPEAKER 15 :
These fires happen every single year. Of course, you know, the wind is a factor. This is well known for this area and it's been happening for hundreds of years. And so these are the Santa Ana winds, but mismanagement and gross, if you want to call it negligence, I personally believe that there is a level of malintent or foul play, if you want to say. But if you want to call it mismanagement and negligence, that may be true. Ten years ago, Californians approved a ballot measure to create more water reservoirs, and not one single reservoir has been built under Newsom's leadership. That is just the tip of the iceberg to the negligence and the mismanagement, like I said, of Newsom and Mayor Bass leadership. Newsom signed off on redirecting millions of gallons of rainwater and snowmelt. You've heard people talking about this in a couple days and weeks, months actually. This has been a common controversy about California because the water is flowing right into the ocean rather than being able to flow directly down the state.
SPEAKER 11 :
My feeling on it is, to your point earlier, I think it's several factors. I do think it's just total neglect, and I think it's willful neglect. I think some of it is also to prove a point, and follow me on this one, Sonny. I think there's enough politicians, the Newsoms of the world, the Democrats, the Democrats, the Marxists of the world that have this climate change agenda that they're bound and determined to prove that one way or the other. And even if people lose life and property and so on, you know, they don't care because at the end of the day, they want to prove their point. It doesn't matter who's injured in the process. That's my thought process.
SPEAKER 15 :
They don't care at all. Their actions reflect that motive 100%. Cutting $17 million from the fire department's budget, having a fire chief who is more concerned with filling her DEI quotas and protecting the tax payers, citizens of Los Angeles who pay the highest taxes in the country, support the bloated salaries of our public officials. They don't take precautions like, you know, turning off certain power wires that... The person that appointed to the L.A. Department of Water and Power, her salary sits at a nice seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars. But she's not doing much to protect the people that are paying her to do so. And if that, you know, of course, we have all of the instances of at the federal level spending millions upon millions, if not billions of dollars to other countries while our cities burn down to the ground.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yep. Again, Sonny, I go back to I just feel like this is the left's way of poking an eye at conservatives by saying, see, climate change is real. This just proves it. Nonetheless, everything we just talked about, all of the mismanagement and just downright utter incompetency that goes along, you know, the whole DIA thing. DEI training and all the other nonsense that's going on in that particular – by the way, it's happening in other departments, not just that one. But the reality is they won't admit to any of that. They're going to come back. Trust me, when this is all said and done, this will be another let's blame climate change on what just happened.
SPEAKER 15 :
Absolutely. And to your point, they will – never let a good crisis go to waste, and of course they will use these instances to push their agenda of climate change because that offers them more control and more leverage against the American people, and I'm sick and tired of the American people being taken for fools. We are allowing the inmates to run the asylum, and there are radicals running our government, and I would absolutely call it willful negligence. They know exactly what they're doing. This has happened before. It will happen again. And now we're just seeing in the process just the absolute wreckage and devastation that is in the wake of truly pathological megalomaniacs driving the ship of our nation. And hopefully, you know, with this incoming administration, they will really help these states take control of their preparedness strategy and apparatus because we are in desperate need. And I mean, this fire is still growing. So that's not done yet. Yeah. This is ongoing. And it's just they're just absolutely hypocritical. And of course, they will blame climate change. We truly have to overhaul these policies. They've completely failed to protect the infrastructure of our country. And and they've sold us out entirely. And I'm sure you've heard the reports of, you know, the smart city, 2028, all coinciding with the 2028 Olympics. So, you know, it seems very eerily similar to the situation that happens in Maui and Lahaina in Hawaii today. earlier, or was it in 2024? And I'm not above saying that I put my... conspiracy hat on and say, you know, maybe they don't.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, I mean, maybe. And I think same thing in Hawaii. And I think that was 23. But bottom line, I don't I'm not saying that any of them started that nefariously. But what I will say, Sonny, is they will definitely take advantage of whatever has come along and they will rebuild according to the way that they see fit, not the way things were, because if they feel like they can put in a, quote, unquote, smart city or walkable city or whatever the case may be, that's definitely what they're going to do. And I've got a texter right now that I'm going back and forth with that says, oh, no, no, they've proven that they care about people. No, actually, Sonny, they have proven over and over and over and over again that they care nothing about people because if they did, they would be handling things completely different to the point where you sent me a tweet, an X post that went out about the LA mayor. She won't even answer any questions. She just got back from a trip to Ghana, and she won't even answer any questions about what's going on.
SPEAKER 15 :
No, absolutely. No accountability for the American people, for the people who just lost their entire homes and livelihoods. It's absolutely insane, and I agree. I don't even think it's that they don't care about us. We've talked about on this show that the way that America is structured as it is, you can't just have a communist dictatorship and come in, the New World Order just ushers in, and we just, oh, okay. This is a slow, gradual process, so if they are able to take advantage of of situations that occur and crises that occur, they can absolutely use that as a stepping stool to, OK, you know, clear out this area. One more opportunity for us to usher in our agenda because they have to destroy from the ground up. They have to rebuild. That is exactly what the socialist, Marxist, communist, whatever you want to call it, ideology is all about rebuilding because the way that's our freedom protects this country and the way that we have our country, you know, the infrastructure of it rather cannot allow for that.
SPEAKER 11 :
Thank you for saying that, by the way, that, that everything you just said, our complete infrastructure in this country, the way things were built, the freedom to drive to and from get on a highway, go coast to coast, our intercoastal highways, you know, our highway system, our interstates, I should say at the end of the day, Sonny, they would love to dismantle all of that because their goal is, is to never see someone leave a city.
SPEAKER 15 :
Of course. That is how they have ultimate control over human beings. That's it. We see what's happening with the disparity between these gigantic corporations that have a backdoor through the government, and that's truly what's happening. We've talked about how this is going to be a different type of communism. In fact, Lenin said that he envisioned a technocratic system a communist technocratic state of the future, and that's kind of similar to what we see. We have self-driving cars here. We have smart homes. And soon enough, but meanwhile, they can't stop a fire. So why don't you use that technology to stop the fire, right? Just make it all make sense, please.
SPEAKER 11 :
Cut the budget. And again, when it comes to fire mitigation, there are so many ways to handle the fire end of things. I'm not going to spend the rest of our time together going through that. I've done that before, even here with some of the fires that we've had locally. But no, to your point, at the end of the day, they can't build what they want with the way things currently are, so they literally have to start over from the ground up, and that's where a lot of these quote-unquote, you know, smart cities and things like that come from. You see it when redevelopment happens. You see what cities make developers actually do when it comes to building and so on. And it is all with an agenda in mind. And by the way, for those of you that maybe don't believe me, go look up Agenda 21 from the UN and tell me I'm wrong.
SPEAKER 15 :
You said it. You said it, John, and I couldn't agree more. There is an underbelly of the radical left, I should say. And honestly, it goes beyond left, right, anything you want to call it. These people want power and control, and they will stop at nothing to get it. And if we have public servants who are allowing homeless people who are mentally ill, who are addicted to drugs, and then criminal gang members rampaging through our city of L.A., and that they won't do anything about. The murders and the rapes and the horrific acts of crime that are being perpetrated on the American people, at what cost? If they're not willing to do anything about that, what makes us think that they would, A, be prepared for another fire that happens every year that goes out of control and it makes national news, or has the ability to stop the fire once it gets out of control? It's just we are... Not people are finally seeing the picture. Unfortunately, it takes these situations in order for people to see the full picture and to wake up.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, that was my next question is, you know, will this change some of the voting that goes on? Because unfortunately, in California, these people keep getting elected over and over again. A lot of that's because of the handout giveaway programs that they, you know, will foist upon the people. And that's how they buy votes. But at some point in time, Sonny, people have to wake up and realize that. Wait a minute. Just because you're offering me this while taking that away, at the end of the day, I need to quit voting for you and vote for someone else. I hope there'll be a wake-up call.
SPEAKER 15 :
You know what? I think that a lot of these people who live in these areas actually do have quite conservative values. What they are seeing, what they have seen throughout the years of this push towards the left, the LGBT agenda, the DEI, the cancel culture, all of these things, These people have been affected about it. You know, I know a lot of people, oh, this is just a rich area. You know, they'll rebuild their homes. That's not what this is about. This is about the principle of it. And part of me is saying, well, maybe they didn't vote for, you know, Kamala. So they, you know, they're they're they they you know, there's a whole conspiracy about that. I don't you know, you that can go down a whole rabbit trail. But my point only is that I think. People have been affected that actually do have the voice to say something, and people are going to hear that. They've seen what happened in North Carolina. And if you haven't noticed, celebrities were pretty quiet about the election up until the end. up or or just say nothing, basically. And so I think truthfully, these people who have been affected are going to say, wow, this is directly linked to all of these reports coming out about the failed policies of the left. And maybe they're going to be fed up enough to actually speak out. So maybe they didn't. You know, in private is one thing. Now we have to band together in public because this isn't about left or right, again, it's about policies that are failing the American people. You know, fire when it's coming, burn your house down, doesn't care who you voted for.
SPEAKER 11 :
Right.
SPEAKER 15 :
Well, and I will also add finally that there is there is an element of this, too, that's very interesting, because in, you know, recent years, California has implemented socialist style price controls to cap the insurance rates. And so that resulted in policies being canceled. Yep. and a shortage of insurance companies that are available in California because they're leaving because of the regulations. So they don't want to operate here.
SPEAKER 11 :
We've had the same issues here in Colorado, things happening right along those same lines. So, yeah, we're very familiar with what you're talking about along those lines. And, again, at the end of the day, as we start off saying, this affects the little guy more than anyone, and yet that's the person that the Democrats keep talking about, they're the most concerned about, but yet their actions prove otherwise.
SPEAKER 15 :
Absolutely. It is quite reflective. You know what they say, actions speak louder than words. These people have the ability to that their entire job is to protect us, is to do, you know, in good faith, to do their due diligence in making sure that the people of their city remain safe and well and prosperous. And, you know, California had the what is it, the third largest economy in the world, I believe.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yep.
SPEAKER 15 :
Some of these businesses, they're not going to come back. These restaurants, there's a restaurant called The Real Inn on the Pacific Coast Highway. That's not coming back. It's been there for decades. They're not going to rebuild this historic restaurant that's been owned by a couple for decades. It's just these are the things that you have to see. They're destroying small businesses, decimating small communities that are tight-knit, vibrant communities. It's just devastating. The consequences are truly devastating. And it's I mean, it's happened across the country. Right. And I think every day people are saying, where is it? Where is the next disaster going to be?
SPEAKER 11 :
Can't argue that. All right. How do folks find you, Sonny?
SPEAKER 15 :
Thank you again. I appreciate the time and to be able to share, you know, some more in-depth stories about what's going on. You know, I'm from Young Americans Against Socialism and we want to expose people. The radical left, show them that these types of policies are what wreak havoc on societies and communities and populations. Communism has killed over 100 million people. So we want to spread the word about that and how important American values are. We need to reclaim our freedom. This is how we save our country. It's truly the only way. Unfortunately, we can see, or I guess fortunately, the silver lining in these types of disasters is that people do band together and link arms and say, you know, how are we going to fix this? And we need to recover from this and communities band together to rebuild and recover. But you can find our resources at YAS.org, Young Americans Against Socialism. We put out articles. social media content, interviews with survivors of socialism and communism and create educational resources for kids and all Americans to learn about all these different topics. So we're so grateful if you are inclined to support, you know, tax deductible as always. And we thank you so much for the opportunity to share and to be a part of this community with you, John.
SPEAKER 11 :
Likewise, Sunny. Thank you very much. Stay safe. Let us know if you need anything and hopefully we'll talk next week.
SPEAKER 15 :
Talk to you soon.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right, Sonny. Take care. Have a great evening. Young Americans Against Socialism. High Five Plumbing is next. Don't forget, they've got a $75 off garbage disposal and installation, by the way. Call them today. High Five Plumbing and Electrical 877. We high five.
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SPEAKER 11 :
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SPEAKER 11 :
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SPEAKER 11 :
All right, that is about it for this particular hour. And, again, I appreciate Sonny coming on. And if you would like to support what they do in really educating young people on a lot of the things that we talk about here on a daily basis, just go to Young Americans Against Socialism and give them a little donation, if you can, that would help them out as well. And they appreciate it as well as I because they do a lot of things with young people to get – this message out that, frankly, you, I, and others of my age, anyways, struggle to do. They do that for us. We'll be back. Hour number three is next. Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 1 :
I'm a rich guy
In this episode of Rush to Reason, John Rush reflects on his recent vacation experiences and the valuable lessons learned about societal norms and parenting. From the intriguing differences observed during his travels to the crucial life lessons on improving well-being, this episode offers a fresh perspective on tackling 2025 with optimism and a healthier lifestyle. Join us for compelling discussions and thoughtful insights as we navigate Health and Wellness Wednesday together.
SPEAKER 03 :
This is Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 04 :
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 03 :
With your host, John Rush.
SPEAKER 04 :
My advice to you is to do what your parents did! Get a job, Turk!
SPEAKER 18 :
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 04 :
Are you crazy? Am I? Or am I so sane that you just blew your mind?
SPEAKER 17 :
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 18 :
I'm Hans. And I am Franz. And we just want to pop your ass.
SPEAKER 03 :
Welcome to Health and Wellness Wednesdays on Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 04 :
Fat, drunk, and stupid is no way to go through life, sir.
SPEAKER 05 :
I have what doctors call a little bit of a weight problem. I used to grab bear claws as a kid, two at a time, and I'd get them lodged right in this region here.
SPEAKER 02 :
Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot their husbands. Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place, and I don't care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.
SPEAKER 03 :
I'm sorry that I'm fat.
SPEAKER 15 :
All right, Health and Wellness Wednesday. Yes, I am back from vacation. Thanks to Andy and the crew and everybody that handled things while I was gone. Hopefully you all had a great holiday season. I heard a lot of text messages and so on from a lot of you, emails and so on as well. So thank you for all of those. Also, it's like I'm away but not because I still get a chance to talk to a lot of you on a regular basis. Anyways, if you have questions, car questions, things like that, I still get those and take care of them. as well. Somebody said, I always get this text message when I'm gone, that everything goes to crap while I'm gone, in light of what happened on New Year's Eve, which I'll talk a little bit about today. And I, you know, I don't think that's really the case. It's just what happens in our world, unfortunately. And I'll get into some of that as well. But before I get into observations from vacation, which I always start off with when I come back. And again, thanks, Andy, for handling things and some of the others from around here as well i i appreciate each and every one of you guys that helped fill in while i was gone thank you for that president jefferson this is yesterday's question of the day president jefferson hated formal affairs so much that he would often grant foreign dignitaries while wearing what the answer is pajamas And I didn't know that. I just learned something there because I didn't know that one. So today's a possible question. Answer this on our Facebook page. How many years did Jack the Baboon work on the railway system in South Africa without ever making a single mistake? How many years did Jack the Baboon work on the railway system in South Africa without ever making a single mistake? I make lots of mistakes, so the baboon's better than I, because I make mistakes constantly, even on air. Sometimes you guys can hear them, sometimes you don't know I did, but trust me, I make my fair share, so the baboon probably has me beat, I guarantee you. All right, observations from vacation. I always start off with this. Now, this is a little different vacation for us because we didn't really have any major agenda. We just went, relaxed, hung out. It had been a long, honestly, with my folks and all that we had been through with them and just the different things we went through was really more just of a go, you know, decompress, relax, and all that. So I had no agenda, but still observed things. Number one, and I say this every time I come back, parenting skills are lacking in a major way. And it seems like every time I go, it's getting worse. It's like the inmates are running the asylum. In other words, parents allow their kids to basically do whatever they want to. And that's not parenting, by the way. That's not teaching kids manners and responsibility and so on. But yeah, parenting skills are lacking. Number two, I was just talking to Charlie about this a moment ago. And this is where I do think at times, sometimes we, conservatives, but in general people, if you don't travel at all, and I highly suggest that if you can, and I get it, not everybody can or has the time or the ability or the resources to do so, but if you can, do. And I know some people just don't do it because they don't like it, but here's why I'm saying you should. It gives you new perspective on, in this case, how much goes on in our world. The amount of people, the amount of money, the amount of opinions and different things that are out there. We can get in our own little bubble at times and not really even talk outside of that bubble. And the best thing I like about vacations is because I'm a talker, as you guys know, I wouldn't be on air if I wasn't. And I talked all sorts. If somebody will talk, I'll talk. If we're waiting in line, if we're, you know, whatever. Had a nice conversation yesterday on the way back. We were sitting in a little bar-restaurant thing. I was having a glass of water, and I don't remember. We had club sandwich or something. Anyways, nice lady next to me and her husband who happened to work for Southwest Airlines. We had a nice long conversation about some of the changes coming for that airline and all sorts of different things and so on. Probably had a half-hour conversation, and that's just me. I'll pretty much talk to anyone, and I like that because I – get to learn different things and different perspectives and so on. And it's not that I wouldn't learn that anyways, but you learn it in a way that's direct from some of the people. For example, over the course of many years of traveling, I've met a lot of Canadians and have even stayed in contact with some of those folks and met some folks down in Mexico and stay in contact with them. you get differences of opinions on different things. And when Trudeau announced that he was going to resign, I immediately texted some of my Canada friends, who, by the way, were ecstatic over that, which I think most are. You don't even have to be Canadian to be ecstatic over that. But point being, I talk to a lot of different people while I'm out, which I think gives you different perspective and probably even a little different balance on things when you do. The other thing for me that it does is, in the case of one of the places we went, shows you how much money is actually out there in the world. And there is a boatload. Literally a boatload. And I'd never been to the Fort Lauderdale, Miami area, so we decided to take some time and go there. And I tried to get some things, you know, checked off the bucket list, places I've never been and so on. And I've been a lot of places but never been there. So it was one of the areas we went to. And, I mean, when you're talking about homes that are $10, $12, $15 million, and the yacht's the same amount of money parked out front, and there's not just one of those, but there's hundreds, if not thousands of those, it really gives you perspective as to the way some of the other world lives, I guess you could say. Now, what does that mean for the average person buying groceries? Well, to them, probably not much, but what it shows me is... Anytime you start hearing from people that this is going to crash and that's going to crash and the housing market's going to fail or the used car market's going to crash or, or, or, I then look at some of those things I just mentioned a moment ago and think maybe in some pockets, and I'll talk on Drive Radio Saturday, maybe on some different types of cars. But in general, no, there's still a lot of money flowing around the world and here in the U.S. So, no, I don't see anything, quote, unquote, crashing anytime soon. And some of that is just because when you travel around and look at what's out there and what people are actually doing, and granted, when they're on vacation, they're spending money and doing other things and so on. But point being, there is a lot of activity that still goes on on that end of things. And by the way, that's not what you hear on the nightly news. Ever. So that's personally why I think some folks should travel, whether you drive, fly, whatever. By the way, flying anymore isn't very glamorous. It's getting on a bus with wings. So that's not near what it used to be. Had that conversation many times. And along those lines, this is something my wife and I noticed on this last trip. We talk about kids, parenting skills, all of that. But the rudeness of people. Just in general, you know, no one Charlie anymore says, excuse me. If they bump into you accidentally, they don't say I'm sorry or things. They're just they're not polite. We have forgotten, I guess, over a couple of generations or more now. We have not taught how to be polite. I mean, I was raised where anybody older than me, and I still do this even with people that are younger than me, it's, yes, ma'am, yes, sir, no, ma'am, no, sir. You were raised the same way, Charlie. If I was speaking to an adult, especially as a child, it was always, yes, sir, no, sir, yes, ma'am, no, ma'am. And open the door for women and all those sorts of things. That's how I was raised, and that's how my dad taught me, and basically having manners, right? And reality is most people don't have those any longer. And I'm sorry to say that. The other thing I noticed on this particular trip, more so than any trips we've taken of late, cashless. A lot of places, no more cash. And some of you are going to say, oh, that's because of, you know, one world currencies and blah, blah, blah. No, honestly, I don't think that's the case. That may be part of it. But I think, frankly, the majority of that comes from dishonest employees. They don't want the cash coming in because it's easy to finagle things around and that cash goes in somebody's pocket rather than the owner of the establishment. So my feeling is, I'm sorry, I'm not looking at the nefarious end of it. I'm looking at it more as an employer, and most have gone cashless because of what I just said. not because of a one-world government and a cashless society and so on. No, they can't trust their workers any longer to make sure the money stays in the till. Lastly, for all of you Uber drivers, and this isn't directed at everybody, because some of you are really good drivers, and some of you listening are really good drivers, but in general, and I took a lot of Uber rides in the last couple of weeks, they suck at driving. And I don't know why. But they do. My gut feeling is we have a lot of people that drive for Uber because they came to this country. They're new. They've probably got a driver's license, a car. They qualify. They're willing to work that where a lot of other folks won't. And in turn, I'll just be straight up honest, they don't drive for beans. So my advice is, if you get in an Uber, pay attention, watch what's going on, be really careful, and if you're driving down the road and you see the Uber sign, stay away. Because I'm being dead honest. As a passenger and somebody that drives around them constantly, they're not the best drivers. So, all right, recap of events while I was gone. I'll get back into health and wellness as soon as we come back from this break. New Year's Eve, I don't have to get into details there, what happened in New Orleans and Las Vegas, of course. Jimmy Carter, of course, passed away. In fact, I think his funeral is at tomorrow, Charlie, I want to say. I think it's tomorrow. Trump in general, just talking about the Gulf of America, taking over the Panama Canal, Greenland. Now, some of that I'll get into today and tomorrow as well. But that's my recap of vacation. Again, thank you all so much. Andy, thank you for filling in and taking over things while I was gone. I appreciate that. And for all of you listeners that continue to text me and keep me in the loop, I appreciate that as well. We'll be right back. Up next, Hi-Fi Plumbing. And don't forget they do electrical as well, folks. And as we head down this stretch, yes, we're into the dead of winter now. It's really cold at night. If you have any problems with your pipes freezing or anything along those lines, you've got to make sure you get these guys called, get them out. The last thing you need is a broken pipe because here's what happens. They don't leak until it thaws. They won't be leaking now, but they will. So if you think you've got any kind of chance at all of having a frozen pipe, give High Five a call now. 877-WE-HIGH-5.
SPEAKER 16 :
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SPEAKER 07 :
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SPEAKER 15 :
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SPEAKER 10 :
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SPEAKER 03 :
Listen online. klzradio.com. Back to Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 15 :
All right, Health and Wellness Wednesday, and I apologize, but I always do our recap of the time I'm gone as I come back. And so to start off the new year, 2025, this is our first Health and Wellness for 2025. Yeah, I know New Year's Day was, but that was a replay show, of course, because we're not working. that day. So I've got seven ways to make a healthy, fresh start. Now remember, as you go into any type of a new habit, and this is the time of the year where gym memberships will be an all-time high. Diets, diet clubs, the fads, all of that, all-time high. People make a resolution at the end of the year, I'm going to lose weight, I'm going to get in shape, I'm going to go to the gym, and those things will be at an all-time high for about the next 60 days or so. End of February. And then everything starts to wane off. It won't be any longer. It's just the way it is because it's not a habit. It's a fad or it's something that they want to do, but they're not super serious about it. So I can't remember, Charlie, what the exact stats are on when a habit becomes a habit. In other words, when you're doing a function, when it actually becomes a habit, but it takes quite some time. Yeah, I was going to say 30 plus days. Thank you, Charlie. And some would say, well, gosh, then why don't the health clubs keep going if people are that gung-ho in January? Well, keep in mind that typically going to the gym is not a daily habit. People are typically going two to maybe five times a week max. I get it. Some go every day, but most don't. And by the way, the ones that go every day, it's a habit for them. So to form a habit, it has to be something done daily, like brushing your teeth, taking a shower, combing your hair, whatever the case. So if you're going to make it a habit, you really need to think through what is it I'm going to make it a habit of. Now, this first one, which I just happened to pull this up. I don't know who wrote this. This is coming from Abbott, A-B-B-O-T-T dot com. But I like this first one because I think at times, and I think this is also for me when I go on vacation, I do my very best to, for my own health and wellness, I don't watch much news at all. In fact, the only news I watched, which was very comical, we were trying to figure out what the weather was going to be one day in Fort Lauderdale. And we were watching the news one morning, and there was a little cold front coming through where it was going to dip down into the high 50s, like 57, which I know, cold for them, but we're looking at that like that's still short-sleeved weather. And I'm not joking. The weather person said... Be careful with the elderly and bring your pets inside. I'm not joking. And I almost, I was literally laughing out loud, busting up, thinking, lady, you don't know what cold is. Now, to them, I guess that's cold. But for us, it's not. My point is, I don't try to watch much TV or do anything while I'm gone because I try to get away from all of that. Because what I do daily, and you guys all know this, it can become very negative at times. A lot of things going on in the world, and I try to be very realistic. That's why our show is called Rush to Reason. I try to be very realistic about the approach we take on all things, topics, and so on. But this first one here goes along with what I'm talking about. Develop an attitude of gratitude. In other words, be thankful. And that's a Christian principle, even though this is not a Christian-themed article that I'm reading, by the way. But I will tell you that even non-Christians understand being thankful and having an attitude of gratitude does wonders for your overall health. Anybody that is constantly negative, number one, no one wants to be around them. Number two, I don't think they live as long. Now, I get it. Sometimes people can get old and crotchety and they live a long time, but that's not usually the way it works. In fact, I've observed in my own life that a lot of people that end up with dementia and Alzheimer's were typically people that were very negative throughout most of their life. Now, is their connection brain-wise and so on to that? I have no idea. But I do think in our world here, where we talk a lot about politics, daily events, things going on around the world and so on, you have to be really careful to not be so negative that you miss the really important things in life and what we really should be thankful for. Number two, commit to becoming more physically fit. Yep, I talked about that a moment ago, and a lot of people will make that resolution right now. Now, keep in mind, you don't have to join a gym to do this. You don't have to have a particular piece of equipment to do this. Dr. Kelly talks a lot on Thursdays about just go walk. Get a two-, three-mile walk in three to five times a week, and you don't really need to go to the gym. Now, if there's certain things you want to work on and there's certain muscle groups and so on that you want to work on and do, fine. Knock your socks off, go to the gym, do whatever you want to do as far as that goes. But you don't have to have a gym membership and own all sorts of equipment, right? to be physically fit. You can literally walk, jump rope, do some push-up sit-ups, and literally stay as physically fit as you need to without ever going to the gym and doing anything along those lines. Number three, we talk about this one a lot on this program. I've even brought lots of experts on, and I'll do that again here in 2025. But make sleep, quality sleep, a priority. We already know, I've talked about it a lot during this hour, that that is extremely important to your overall brain health. We were made, I believe, by God. To take rest every night, it rejuvenates all of the different cells and things in our body and so on, and you cannot go without sleep. Now, I also know, because we've talked about this also, some people can go on less sleep than others. But you need to know where is that number, hour-wise, for you, get that quality sleep, and do that night after night after night. This next one's interesting because I think this is important as well. Plan to strengthen social relationships. I read something yesterday talking about how when we're kids and we have friends, that's on a particular level and it's easy to make and so on, but as we get older, things change. And it's harder to keep those same friendships and the likeness of that friendship when we're kids as we become adults. And I think even for myself, as you get older, your friend group, quote unquote, shrinks. You just don't have as many. I get it. Some have a lot and some have more and some are very social. But I think what you'd have to really look at there is, you know, who's really your true friends? I'll give you an example. So my dad, he's in memory care. You guys all know that. We went through all of that this past summer and fall. And as we were going to visit him today, somebody was leaving that's a good friend of his. And I thought to myself, there's a guy that I know his schedule, I know what he does, I know where he lives, I know far he has to drive and so on, and yet in his 80s is still driving over. He's been friends with my dad all the way through high school and yet is still coming to visit my dad in memory care. That's a true friend, by the way. And side note, this guy is not a Christian. In fact, that's one of the things he and my dad have probably talked about throughout most of their life is this guy is completely the opposite of what we would call a Christian. But yet, as a friend goes, one of those people that you could always count on no matter what. And even now, to this day, where my dad's at, he goes and visits at least a couple times a week. That's a true friend, by the way. My point is a lot of people have what they call social friends. But if you end up in memory care like my dad, how many of those people are coming to see you? That will tell you who your real friends are at that point. So plan to build and strengthen those social relationships. This next one's great. Kind of goes back to number one, having an attitude of gratitude. But look for ways to brighten someone else's life. What can you do for others, giving, helping, whatever the case may be, that will brighten their life? And then number six, there's two more. Number six, this is something I do daily because of what I do here on air. I don't have a choice, but I've really done this my whole life, even though I've never been to college. Make learning a lifelong habit. Probably for me being self-employed, I haven't had any choice but to do that because you always have to be learning something new when you're self-employed or you're not going to stay in business. But make learning a lifelong habit. I'm not talking about going to school your whole life. I'm talking read, understand, follow people that are smarter than you, absorb those things that are being poured into you from others and so on. But make learning a lifelong habit. Anytime you think you know it all, you don't. And then lastly, number seven, place a priority on maintaining your health. So I will tell you that in my world, especially this last year for us, 2024, I didn't do as well in that area because of our schedule and all the things I just mentioned earlier with my folks. It was really hard to keep on track in a lot of those areas schedule-wise, but I am going to do that in 2025 and get back on it because as we get older— and Charlie and I talk about this a lot off air, the years click by faster. It's that pie getting smaller. And as we get older, Not that having great health when we're younger isn't a big deal, but it's a bigger deal as we get older. So if a lot of you that are listening that are in your late 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond, make maintaining your health, you know, put a priority, you know, put that as a high priority in your life. And what I mean by that is what do we eat? What are we doing daily? How are we exercising? How are we doing these things that we're supposed to do? And a lot of it we talk about here on Wednesdays on a weekly basis, so if you ever want ideas on that, just tune in every Wednesday from 3 to 4, and we cover it. Now, speaking of the... physical aspect, your finances are a big deal as well. So as you go down this stretch here in 2025, make sure financially you're headed the direction that you want. If you haven't met with your financial advisor in quite some time, give Al Smith a call and switch. Use him instead because you should be meeting with your financial advisor at least a couple of times a year, if not more. So call Al today, Golden Eagle Financial, 303-744-1128.
SPEAKER 12 :
Al Smith of Golden Eagle Financial is your key to ending the year on track. You need to take your required minimum distributions from your IRA investments before the end of the year. And if you have more than one, Al will help you figure out the smartest way to do that. Also, if you plan to convert all or part to Roth, it must be done by December 31st. Al can work with you to determine the ideal amount to convert tax-wise. We'll be right back. You need Al Smith of Golden Eagle Financial. Book a free consultation with Al 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 through individually licensed and appointed agents.
SPEAKER 15 :
All right, some of you may be looking for a new used car. I saw over the course of the last several days, People get in accidents. Some of the weather that we have, we've got more weather coming in tonight into tomorrow morning. Accidents, things happen. If you find yourself where, hey, this car is not repairable, I need to replace it, we have an answer for you along those lines. That's Ridgeline Auto Brokers. They've got a great selection of inventory now. If they don't have something, they can find it. And if there's something that you've been interested in, especially as you look to 2025 and say, hey, you know what, I'm going to reward myself with X. Well, let them know what that is. They can be looking for that at all the different places that they hunt for cars. And when that right car comes along, they'll give you a call. Find them at RidgelineAutoBrokers.com.
SPEAKER 17 :
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SPEAKER 15 :
All right, if you have not yet purchased Your Adventures of Jimmy and Andrew, whether it's for you to read as an adult, whether you want to pass it along to one of your kids, grandkids, whatever the case may be, do so. So I took my copy because I had gotten one from Mike and hated to give it away because it's such a very nice piece, but I gave it to my grandkids. And we did this before Christmas. And I will tell you that my oldest in this particular set of grandkids is seven. And I gave it to him, and he started reading it. And he was already through almost four chapters by the time we left that night, telling you that it's very interesting for kids. If it wasn't, he wouldn't have. If he would have thought it was just something that you throw on the coffee table and you can come back to it any time. No, no. He started reading this thing and got interested in it and just kept reading and reading and reading. That's the way this works. So if you want to help young people learn to read, which a lot of them struggle with, This is a great way to do it. So here's what I'm going to tell a lot of you. You may not have grandkids. You may not have young kids around. But I guarantee you, you know somebody. We just talked earlier about building your social circle, helping somebody else that's out there, you know, brightening their life. Okay, buy a book for somebody you know then. Buy a book for a neighbor kid. Buy a book for somebody that you might know at work that has kids. Whatever the case may be, buy a couple of copies, hand these out, brighten somebody else's life, and help them learn to read at the same time. And you can do that by going to JimmyAndAndrew.com.
SPEAKER 13 :
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 17 :
Back to Rush to Reason, presented by High Five Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Electric, where every call ends with a high five.
SPEAKER 15 :
All right, we are back. Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Health and Wellness Wednesday. Stuart Tompk, welcome back to Rush to Reason. How are you, sir? Never had a bad day in my life, John. Great to hear your voice. Always a joy having you. I appreciate it. People are going to fire things off for 2025, have resolutions and the like. And reality is there are a lot of things out there. I talked about these even just a few minutes ago, Stuart. There's a lot of things out there that we fight against. What I mean by that is in our modern, you know, food, landscape, architect, whatever you want to call it, there's a lot of junk in it that we need to get rid of.
SPEAKER 18 :
It's so true. There's toxins. There's preservatives. There's coloring that comes from coal tar. You saw the other day the Surgeon General finally after, what, is this 25,000 years, admitted that alcohol is the third leading cause of cancer?
SPEAKER 15 :
Yeah, I did see that. Yes, absolutely. Finally.
SPEAKER 18 :
Not a correlation, direct causation.
SPEAKER 15 :
Yeah, direct causation. And point being, I read something else this morning, Stuart. I was going to bring it, and I didn't. I didn't print it, but basically said something along the lines, and you and I have talked about this. before, but, you know, at one point in time, you know, we were taught that, you know, all of this food we've been used to eating, all this natural stuff was bad, you know, we need more sugar, we need more of these quick snacks and preservatives, we need to be eating all day on all that crap, and then we wonder why we've got the health that we have today.
SPEAKER 18 :
Yeah, who drove that big first food pyramid? You remember that thing, the base of your diet?
SPEAKER 15 :
Yep, sure do.
SPEAKER 18 :
Bread, pasta, and carbohydrates, a little bit of protein right at the top, and micronutrients It's big food, and it's really not their fault. I know sometimes someone recently reached out to me, and they said, hey, Stuart, stop blaming big food. Okay, fine. It's industry. It's not conspiracy. Everybody wanted cheap, energy-dense food, so they were just doing their job.
SPEAKER 15 :
Good point. Yeah, and I like the way you say that. I mean, I don't think there was anything necessarily nefarious, and I don't want to say that anybody inside of those organizations were looking at it that way. They were delivering things people wanted. Unfortunately, they were doing it and did it, and it's harmed us since.
SPEAKER 18 :
It's true, and so we're up against so much oxidative stress in the environment with things that are out of our control that that I think that's why it's very important that we're all paying such close attention to our diet now. We also have the problem with air out here. The air is horrible where I live. There's water pollution, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter in the air. And then with the fish that we eat, you know, I've spent so much of my time working in the nutrition space with omega-3, and as much as I try to convince people to eat sardines every day, The oceans are loaded with dioxins, arsenic, you know, PCBs, microplastics, radiation from Fukushima. You can't escape it.
SPEAKER 15 :
Okay, so as people start off for 2025, we've talked about your test, and it's one of the things that I think I want to highlight right now, because as people start down this path in 2025, number one, I feel like your test can be a really good baseline for them to know, okay, here's where I'm at, and here's some things I need to shore up.
SPEAKER 18 :
It's a great benchmark. If we can show you a simple at-home fingertip blood spot test, no doctor's appointment needed, that can tell you whether or not your diet is working. What do I mean by that? There's a safe zone and a danger zone. Every one of our 37 trillion cells is loaded with fat. So we can give you a proxy, a measurement of systemic inflammation. We all know that's the driving force.
SPEAKER 15 :
Okay, and you just said something, too, which, again, we were taught wrong years ago. You just said our cells are made of fat, but yet I thought fat was bad, Stuart.
SPEAKER 18 :
Yeah, fat was bad. You know, carbohydrates were good. The only thing I think we got clear is that the trans fatty acids, you know those ones that kept ding-dongs off for 50 years? Those are bad. So there are fats that make up the cell membrane. This is interesting. A hundred different fatty acids. Just go back in biology class. Imagine that little cell membrane. It's made of these fatty acids. And if you have too many saturated fats and you've got too much cholesterol, that cholesterol can crystallize. And as a result, that cell membrane becomes thick and sticky and rigid. Signals can't get in. Nutrients can't get in. And waste products can't get out. So there are good fats. There are bad fats. But not like we thought. It's the balance between the fatty acids. That's what's good or bad, not the fats by themselves.
SPEAKER 15 :
Okay, so... I understand everything you're saying, and I think most people listening do as well. Yet what they're going to ask, because I can hear them talking and yelling at their speakers, you know, they're listening in their car or wherever they're listening right now, and they're thinking, yeah, guys, this all sounds great. And I understand everything that you're saying, but how do I do this correctly and not be one of those weirdos to where I can't even go out and enjoy my life?
SPEAKER 18 :
Well, that's a great question, because if you actually did take the right amount of omega-3 with the polyphenols that are critical for them to get into the cells, you may not have to change your background diet. In fact, The Scandinavian science-based company that I work with, that was their entire argument, John. That's what got me excited to work with them. Because after almost 40 years of this, I know you can't get someone to change. They're not going to change their diet. But if you can test your omega-6-3 ratio at baseline, you go on the Mediterranean diet in a bottle, it's equal to 300 olives and 30 piles of anchovies for 120 days and retest. you probably don't have to change your background diet. And you can improve brain function, hair quality, heart function, skin elasticity, inner organs, joints and muscles. If your New Year's resolution is like mine, I'm grabbing my list here. I write them all down. improve my physical health through exercise, breathing, and better diet. I don't know a person alive that doesn't have that on their New Year's resolution.
SPEAKER 15 :
You know, most do, and I talked a moment ago about that, that everybody starts off this year gung-ho, they'll find the fad diets, they'll do this, they'll do that, which, by the way, what you and I are talking about is not some sort of a... fad diet is the core for what a lot of folks can now have a test on and determine exactly what they need to be doing moving forward. So this, folks listening, this is not any kind of a fad. This is literally giving you the baseline, as Stuart said earlier, to where do we go from here? Where do they individually go from here?
SPEAKER 18 :
And we give you detailed information based on diet. One of the things I love about this is if you take the omega-3 blood spot test and you pass, you get your $109 back. Great. If you take the test and you say, you know what, I just want to just eat fish. Great. Then eat two cans of sardines a day and stop eating Pam and Spam and Ding Dongs and chicken nuggets and hoes and Krispy Kremes. You see, it's the blood status. That's the future. It's a modifiable risk factor for many diseases. This was just published, John, since I was on your show last. Listen to this. The title of the paper is called Blood Diabetes. Omega-3 status among people living in the United States from 2000 to 2023. Brand new article. Anyone can look this up. Listen to this. Omega-3 blood status is a modifiable risk factor for many diseases. What? You can't say that about drugs.
SPEAKER 15 :
No. In other words, it's fixable.
SPEAKER 18 :
It then goes on to say public health officials should take steps to emphasize the significance of omega-3 in preserving the health of the U.S. population. We're finally taking this thing seriously. And I believe this, John. I don't know what your thoughts are on this. Ten years from now, your relationship is going to be with your AI assistant. And your AI assistant is going to say, your vitamin D levels are low. Take more vitamin D. How would you know? Test. Your A1C blood sugar is too high. Eat more fiber. Exercise more. Your omega-6-3 balance is out of whack. We have a new test coming next year, John, for leaky gut. So eventually, people are going to have at-home personalized concierge medicine cheap.
SPEAKER 15 :
By the way, I agree with everything you're saying along those lines. That's the one advantage of AI and some of what I see happening along those lines. And reality is, Stuart, I mean, this is how I see it. We want people to live a fulfilled life. We want them to be healthy. The healthier they are, the more fulfilled the life is, the better their brain function, on and on we go. The more social they are with family and friends and so on, I mean, all those things just fit together the better you feel.
SPEAKER 18 :
And we are outliving our money. I keep seeing this data, and it's incredible. It's easy to say that the standard American diet is killing us, that technology is keeping us alive, and we need to be resilient enough, healthy enough to spend time not just with our grandkids. Great grandkids.
SPEAKER 15 :
I mean, come on. Right, right. Well, and to your point, Stuart, because I'm one of those that probably – My wife was talking about this last week to somebody that we were on vacation with that, you know, I'm one of those that probably will never retire. I'll be doing something no matter what till I go to the grave. But, you know, Stuart, I would rather be doing that, even if it's, you know, I'm 80 years old. I'd rather be doing that feeling good. And, you know, again, not even having to worry about outliving your money. I mean, I want to be able to function and provide things for others and do things necessary in life to provide services and things to others as long as I'm alive, and I want to feel good doing it.
SPEAKER 18 :
I'm so happy to hear you say that. I feel the same way. You know, the Greeks said the hardest thing for a human to do was retire. and retire from what? There's so much to do. We're living in the most interesting and exciting time in the history of the world. Absolutely. And I want to be alive to see it. Here's another thing about that. If your brain is deficient in these fatty acids that I keep talking about, the brain is a supercomputer made out of fat. You're not able to unlearn to learn new things.
SPEAKER 15 :
Let me say that again. Good point.
SPEAKER 18 :
Okay. Carl Jung, when was the last time you unlearned anything? Wow. So you can learn something new. Remember, we used to think that the Earth was the center of the universe. Good deal to unlearn that, right? If you believe the Earth is the center of the universe, you're taking yourself out of the gene pool. We need the right synaptic plasticity in the brain, the right nutrients in the brain, the right fats in the brain to keep up with the changes we are living through. This is the Gutenberg press.
SPEAKER 15 :
Yeah, good point. On digital steroids. Good point. No, you're right. You are correct. And I want to be healthy enough and well enough to enjoy all that because I look at it the same way you do. We're entering in and have been in. I mean, look at what you and I have experienced in our lifetime, technologically speaking. And literally, as generations go, we have seen more and witnessed more than anyone else prior to us.
SPEAKER 18 :
Of all time. Right. And there was this interesting book one of these French postmodernists wrote years ago called... you know, capitalism and schizophrenia. And they've predicted that in order to deal with an advanced postmodern society, we would all have to be pretty much borderline schizophrenic. I don't buy into that.
SPEAKER 15 :
I don't either.
SPEAKER 18 :
I don't either. You need to have the right neuroplasticity. We hear that term all the time. The neuroplasticity, that is rate-limited and dependent on the fatty acids in the brain. There's a study they did where they deprived animals of omega-3 and then showed their brain cells, right? You know, those neurite brain cells, the brain cell connection, abstraction of the brain cell to brain cell communication when you're deficient in omega-3. A paper came out in Violent and Aggressive Behavior. Anyone look this up? The Journal of Violent and Aggressive Behavior, Omega-3. They said it was a safe, cheap, and effective way to deal with violent and aggressive behavior in all areas of society, including the prisons.
SPEAKER 15 :
Wow.
SPEAKER 18 :
Our brains are on fire. And I think that might be part of what's going on in the system. You know, our inability to communicate with each other, to share ideas. How about to change your mind or to open up your mind? And you're certainly going to have to. If Ray Kurzweil is right, the father of AI, with what we're about to see in the next 20 years, You're going to want your brain to be as healthy as possible, and you can't do it if it's on fire because it's deficient in omega-3.
SPEAKER 15 :
Can't argue that. Okay, how do folks get the test before I let you go, Stuart?
SPEAKER 18 :
TestOmega3.com. TestOmega3.com. Start testing, stop guessing, then get on the Mediterranean diet in a bottle. John, I'm so grateful for all your help in getting this message out. Test. omega3.com. This is the most important number for health and longevity that you don't know, that you will know, and we want to help you.
SPEAKER 15 :
Awesome. Stuart, it's always a joy. Wanted to have you for the first episode of the Year for Health and Wellness, and I appreciate your time. Thank you, sir. Bye-bye. You bet, Stuart. Have a great evening. And, yeah, you know, everything he said, honestly, I can't disagree with him. We've talked about this. I've taken the test, by the way, and, yes, I had some areas that I'm shoring up that I was deficient in, and he and I have had those conversations even on air along those lines. So I would highly recommend get the test. See where you're at. Where do you stand with things? What do you need to change, dietarily speaking, as you move forward in 2025? Dr. Scott Faulkner is up next. Now, he is our concierge doctor. If you're looking for a great internal medicine doctor that thinks like us, that is not beholden to big pharma or big insurance, call Scott today, 303-663-6990.
SPEAKER 11 :
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SPEAKER 15 :
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SPEAKER 15 :
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SPEAKER 15 :
All right, first health and wellness live episode of 2025. I want to close with this. There are a lot of scams. This is more of a PSA. And for a lot of you, by the way, you can be young, you can be old, somewhere in between, and these scammers are going to do everything they possibly can to get to you. They do it with phishing. Sometimes it comes as a text or through an app. They'll target all sorts of things like mobile wallets, crypto apps, and so on. Fake alerts, hey, call Chase, blah, blah, blah. I've shared some of those things even in the past on my end. And be very, very, very careful. And do not fall prey to some of these scams that are out there. Social media. A lot of people out there will literally... It's not even that they're breaking somebody's password and then breaking into their account. They're duplicating one of your friend's accounts, and then they will pretend to be that person, and then because there's a connection there, try everything they can to scam you out of whatever. So be careful. Some of them will pose as, you know, influencers, trusted brands. They're giving crypto away or they're telling you all these success stories of, you know, this person did this with crypto and that person did that with crypto and blah, blah, blah. Be careful of those. I will say it straight up, 99% of those are scams. There may be a 1%-er where somebody's actually made some money on crypto and showed some others how to do it, but the majority of those are scams. They'll even do it through group chats and things along those lines. So be really careful on those things and in those areas, and just don't fall prey to that. Lastly, fake customer support. Scammers pretend to be support agents. for popular platforms of all kinds, and they will dupe you into thinking that they're helping you when at the end of the day, they're just trying to steal your identity and your money when it's all said and done. So watch for all of those. Stay safe in 2025. And by the way, if you ever have a question on is this real or not, Text me, email me, and ask me. I've had some of you do that, and I can literally usually within a few seconds tell you this is a scam or not. That's it for this hour. We'll be back. Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 08 :
The Rich Guy.
John Rush engages in a captivating dialogue on the complex relations between the United States and China. As President-elect Trump suggests audacious proposals—such as renaming the Gulf of Mexico and annexing Greenland—John examines the strategic rationale behind these ideas. Listen in as we delve into the historical significance of the Panama Canal, discussing why Trump wants it back under American control, and what implications this has for national security and global power dynamics. Get ready for a thought-provoking episode that questions conventional views and urges critical thinking in today's fast-changing world.
SPEAKER 13 :
This is Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 03 :
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 06 :
With your host, John Rush.
SPEAKER 13 :
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 12 :
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?
SPEAKER 15 :
Or am I so sane that you just blew your mind?
SPEAKER 05 :
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 16 :
All right, I've got other things to talk about today, and if I don't get to it, I'll get to it tomorrow as well. But this article in Nine News today just caught my eye. And I don't look at a lot of local news stuff. I'll occasionally browse through it just to sort of see if there's anything major going on that made the local news. But Nine News is about as far from center as it gets. This article proves my point. And this is probably a reprint from something else. AP Science Writer. So this is a reprint out of the AP. Why more frequent cold blasts could be coming... from global warming. I'm sorry, I just have to laugh. I mean, I've lived here my whole life, as a lot of you listening have, or like Charlie have been here for a very long time, maybe not his whole life. It's still long enough to remember through all of the different winters that we've had in this Front Range area. And we are known to have, you know, Indian summer days where I remember Christmases as a kid growing up where it might be 70 degrees outside. I remember one year for Christmas. We got these Cox, made these little airplane engine. You know, you could have the Cox airplanes and so on. Well, my dad got us these little dune buggies. And they ran off a little Cox engine. And I remember one Christmas, we got those that year. And I can't remember what year it was, and I'd have to go back in pictures and look. But it was warm enough outside where I can remember my brother and I being outside playing with those things for hours on Christmas Day with no coat on. 65, 70 degrees. Now, I can also remember Christmases where there was two feet of snow and it was bitter cold. And I can remember everything in between. This whole idea that we're going to somehow have more cold blasts than what we've had in the past is absolute. This is just lunacy. And as I read through, by the way, because I did do this. As I read through the people that are reporting on this, not shockingly, and we're going to have Gregory, or sorry, we're going to have, let's see, I've got to remember who's coming on tomorrow, Power of the Future, Larry Behrens, Power of the Future tomorrow. We're going to talk a little bit about this tomorrow at 5. But interestingly enough, the people that are reporting on the very things I'm talking about that are in this article, of course, get government funding. So one of the things that I always look at when it comes to any type of a study is where's the money coming from? Who's funding this? Because I also know from talking to a number of different meteorologists over the years, weathermen and women, that most don't believe this. In fact, by and large, the weather community, those that predict weather, don't believe in this nonsense. You don't hear much from them. Most of them are censored, silenced, whatever, and or they know better than to talk about those things because if they do, they're discredited and nobody will follow them on some of the other things that they do. And I know this directly because I've talked to some of these individuals one-on-one. So point being, despite what the rest of media would want you to believe, all weathermen don't believe in this crap. A certain amount do. And they're around. I mean, Mike Nelson just retired here in town, and he was one of the biggest proponents of this nonsense. And good riddance, Mike, as far as not being on TV anymore. One of the biggest proponents of this nonsense there was. And again, most of the time, not always, but I get it. Sometimes it's a core belief because they're total Marxists themselves. But in a lot of cases, these guys believe in this stuff because they don't have a choice. If they were to somehow go against this, they lose all funding. I've interviewed many an expert in this area on this program over the years, and all will agree that if you get down to where there's no funding in a particular area, you'll get a lot more honest answers as to what's going on climate-wise. Now, do I believe in climate change? Yes, climate changes. It cycles. I've seen it in my lifetime here in Colorado. I can remember really bad winters. I can remember really mild winters. I can remember some of those recently. I can remember some of those when I was a kid. I can remember back when I was a kid. We may have a year, and this is typical for Colorado, if the wind blows a lot in the winter here in the Denver area, we're not going to have much snow. It's just the way it is. If we get good, strong, you know, those 80, 90-mile-an-hour windstorms, typically speaking, we don't get a lot of snow. On the same token, if we don't have much of that, we're typically going to probably have a little colder air and some snow. But this whole article on 9 News is talking about how these polar vortexes, they're calling them now. I don't know whatever happened to the term Arctic front that used to come down from the North Pole. But they're claiming that we're going to have more of these because of, quote-unquote, you know, climate change, global warming, whatever you want to call it. And as I was reading through this, I just had to laugh. And I did look up a few of the individuals that were on here. Of course, I already know that AccuWeather is very much funded in that way. And a lot of these folks are, by the way. In fact... There are very few, National Weather Service as well, that don't have government funding attached to them some way, somehow. NOAA, which a lot of people will go to to look and see what the forecast is for the next few days, very, of course, government-owned, very heavily funded with your tax dollars. So, of course, they can't say anything that would ever go against that climate mode, or they get discredited. Now, I bring guests on constantly that discredit this stuff on a continual basis. And so, again, when I read these things, I just have to chuckle a little bit because it's like, okay, really? Really? And they're even saying in this article, winters globally on average are 1.1 degrees warmer than 25 years ago. 1.1 degrees. Now, for all of you that are out there, I'm sure you're like me. Can you even feel 1.1 degrees? In other words, if it's 31 or 32 out, can you tell the difference? Or if it's 100 versus 101, can you tell the difference? If it's 90 versus 91, you get my drift. 1.1 degrees. That's not feelable. I know that's not the right word, but you can't feel that. It's not measurable that way. But yet these are the foundations that these particular individuals are using for all of their climate fear. They're fear-mongering because that's exactly what it is. They're trying to scare people into doing things, and it's all about money. At the end of the day, it's not about climate. It's not about saving people. It's not about any of that. It's all about cash, taking it from one pocket and putting it somewhere else. And hopefully on January 20th, as Trump is inaugurated, we start getting rid of some of this nonsense for at least four years and maybe beyond if we can continue the winning streak on the conservative side of the aisle. Flesh Law is coming up next. And when it comes to... Having yourself represented properly, whether you're looking at an insurance claim or you've got a civil suit, a criminal suit, whatever the case might be, or criminal charges, I should say, whatever the case may be, trial tested, trial ready. That is Kevin Flesch, 303-806-8886.
SPEAKER 15 :
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SPEAKER 16 :
If you're looking for a great doctor that thinks like we do, we'll hear from Dr. Kelly and Steve House tomorrow in the 3 o'clock hour. And if you want a doctor that thinks just like Dr. Kelly and is on your side when it comes to your medical care, give Dr. Scott a call today, 303-663-6990.
SPEAKER 08 :
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SPEAKER 11 :
This is Rush to Reason on KLZ 560. All right, we are back.
SPEAKER 16 :
Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. All right, President-elect Trump, who for all intents and purposes is running the country as we speak, even though he's not actually in the Oval Office. He has – and again, is some of this tongue-in-cheek? Is he really going to follow through? I don't have any idea. He's talked about changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America. I like Charlie's idea. Call it the Gulf of the Americas because back in the day, that's what it would have been. I've always just as a side note wondered, why is it the Gulf of Mexico when you really look at our shoreline? And I get it. If you look at the way they do the shoreline measurements, Mexico has a few hundred feet more than we do. But I question where those measurements start and end, because by the time you get around to the Cancun area, you're in the Caribbean Sea now. You're out of the Gulf of Mexico. So you get way down in Mexico. And I don't know how much of that they're considering. But if you look at a map and just kind of finger, you know, take your finger measurements of the map and look at it, it's like, wait a minute. I think we actually have more than they do. And I've always wondered why it was called that in the first place. And I'm not a historian. So anyways, regardless, Trump would like to change it to the Gulf of America. Now, again, is that just rhetoric, him talking? I honestly, I don't know. Donald Trump says all sorts of things. Could it happen? Yeah, I suppose it could. I don't know what that involves and how that works. I've honestly not read up on it because, frankly, if it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, it doesn't. I don't care, really, one way or the other. He's also, though, this is the interesting one. He's talking about having Greenland become a part of the United States. He wants Denmark to basically join us, take Greenland and make it a part of the United States of America for security reasons. Trump's point is if you stand on the banks of Greenland and look out, all you'll see are Chinese and Russian ships off of its shores. in that, frankly, we have a base there, but we need a lot larger presence than what we have right now if we're going to keep things in check. That's Donald Trump's point. That one I can't argue with. I also know there's lots of resources there that potentially could help us as a country. And, again, this is way above my pay grade when we start talking about taking over other territories and things along those lines. This gets into more of what I would have to have somebody come on that's an expert constitutionalist and so on and how does this actually work and so on. Now, I guess if you just write a check – and buy it much like charlie the louisiana purchase or alaska or some of the other things that we've done i suppose you buy it we own it and that's that's a possibility now what would that look like what would the cost be i haven't foggiest idea but it is it's that one is the most interesting and it's being talked about again because of a national security end of things more so than anything now the other one that's really interesting is panama Panama Canal. Trump wants it back. Now, that one, I'm a thousand percent in. I don't know why we ever gave up in the first place. I was I know Jimmy Carter. He's going to be laid to rest, I believe, either tomorrow or Friday. Is it the 9th or 10th, Charlie? Is it tomorrow or Friday? I can't remember. It's one of the two. And I've never minced any words, and I'm not trying to talk bad about somebody that's now deceased, but worst president ever. I'm not sure who's worse, him or Joe Biden. It's a toss-up. Now, the difference is, and I think it's fair for me to say this, Charlie, I think Jimmy Carter is a better person or was a better person overall than Joe Biden. The things that Jimmy Carter even did after becoming president, Habitat for Humanity, and a lot of the things that he did as a Christian, I think you could look at and say he's a much better person than Joe Biden. But still an awful president. And giving the Panama Canal away was one of the dumbest things I believe he ever did. I never could understand why we gave up something we bought and paid for. Keep in mind, if you go back and look at the history of the Panama Canal, nobody else could finish it. No one. No one on the planet. And I'm not exaggerating when I say this. No one on the planet could finish the Panama Canal. Only we could, the United States of America. And we did. And we finished it. And we owned it and operated it for a very long time. Until Jimmy Carter came along in the 80s and essentially gave it back to Panama. Which it wasn't really theirs to begin with. I mean, the land is, it's on their land, but they couldn't finish it. Wasn't it the French initially, Charlie, that wanted to start the Panama Canal, and they couldn't do it, and several other countries tried? Anyways, long story short, we finished it. We made it happen. We had the engineering skill, the manpower, and back then they fought malaria and all sorts of other things along those lines to build that thing. You know, a lot of individuals, men died, you know, doing it because of that. But in the end, we built it. And frankly, that's one that I think we should take back. Now, I will tell you this much. That's not how the Panamanians, am I saying that right, Charlie, the Panamanians? That's not how they see it. They want us to just stay far, far away from that. Well, of course they do. Because right now, what is unbeknownst to most Americans is China right now has heavily influenced what's happening in the canal. Sorry, I can't hear you. Say that louder, Charlie. Forty percent. OK, 40 percent of the construction people died. OK, wow. So 40 percent of the men that built that died. That's huge, Charlie. And it was our men. Those were Americans that did that. So, again, I'm one where I'm on Trump's side on that one. And I know a lot of the rest of the world probably wouldn't see it the same way. And maybe some Americans wouldn't. But that canal, which, by the way, is very important to the movement of goods and so on across the world. is right now being heavily influenced, if not controlled thoroughly, by the Chinese. And they are making a boatload of money off of it, by the way. So I think what Trump's looking at is, wait a minute, we should take that back. It was ours to begin with. Never should have gave it away. We need to figure out a way to take it back and run it and operate it and handle things from this point forward, again, for national security's sake. And it's always funny. The left is always the first one to say that Trump is in China's back pocket, which, again, nothing could be farther from the truth because everything Trump does pokes the eye of the Chinese. Him talking about tariffs, him talking about EVs, him talking about the Panama Canal, him talking about Greenland. I mean, all of these things literally are two fingers poking in the eyes of the Chinese and their leadership. So any lefty out there that would say, oh, Trump's just in their back pocket. Are you really that stupid? Are you that dumb? And I would ask, prove it. Show me something that would prove Trump is in China's back pocket. Because, by the way, there's a lot more proof that Biden is. Way more proof that Biden and the Biden regime has been. So it cracks me up. As usual, the left is always the first to point at something that they're doing themselves. Oh, Trump's just in China's back pocket. He's just working for the Chai comms. No, actually quite the opposite. The majority of what he does is literally angering them. making them mad. This conversation, even talking about, by the way, the Gulf of Mexico, Greenland, the Panama Canal, Canada, making it a 51st state. Yes, all of those are poking in the eyes of a lot of other foreign countries, but especially China. And here's why I believe even talking about Canada pokes them in the eye. China doesn't want to see us get any bigger. Ever. They already know we're their number one adversary, and we are. And the last thing they want to see is us get bigger. So even Trump talking about Canada is poking an eye at the Chinese, pointing a finger at them. Literally. Because, again, at the end of the day, the Chinese would love to see us shrink and not grow. Anybody out there that thinks China's on our side, yeah, think again. No, they are not. They're not even close to being on our side. They would love nothing more than to see us fail, go under. Fortunately, they've got a lot of their own problems going on at home that we talk about a lot. We'll talk about a little bit of that with Scott Garlis here in just a few minutes as well. Hi-Fi Plumbing is next. Again, don't forget about their great garbage disposal deal they've got going on right now. $75 off. 877-WE-HIGH-5.
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SPEAKER 16 :
All right, we are back. Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Scott Garlis joining us now. Scott, welcome. How are you, sir?
SPEAKER 04 :
Hey, John, I'm well. How are you? Happy New Year.
SPEAKER 16 :
Happy New Year to you as well. I noticed today that the market kind of responded in a not-so-good way to some things that President Trump said, or President-elect Trump said.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, the last couple of days, going into the end of the year, we talked about how the Fed sort of upped their guidance for inflation next year to 2.5% from 2.1% prior, but it's really not much of a change, 24 to 25, whatever. But what the governors who changed their inflation outlook cited was uncertainty related to Trump's tariff policies. Right. Ever since then, the media has really latched on to this negative inflation narrative, and I get it. So we've had some economic data came out earlier this week from the Institute for Supply Management that showed on the services sector that prices paid picked up. So that's food people. And then we also had a piece of data yesterday in the jobs market from the BLS showing that job openings increased significantly. in November versus October. So they worry that that was inflationary.
SPEAKER 16 :
Okay. Now, question for you is, I mean, first of all, I guess, what's the real numbers say? How much were those ticks up? And what are your thoughts?
SPEAKER 04 :
So I look at a couple of different indicators. First was like the BLS stuff. You know, it really wasn't inflationary. First off, that number's an estimate. It's revised multiple times before we get the real number. Secondly, what you have to do is you have to think about that number relative to the number of people that are unemployed currently. Now, in November, that number picked up. So there are more people out of work as of November than there were in October. So when you look at the ratio of job openings versus unemployed people, it said 1.1, meaning... There are 1.1 jobs available for every unemployed person. Well, that's where we were in 2019. So we're back to pre-pandemic numbers. So I look at that and I'm like, that's not really inflationary in my book.
SPEAKER 16 :
And I would agree with you. And you know my feelings on a lot of this. And I think in some cases, some of this stuff, frankly, I'm sorry, I'll just say it straight up. I think some of this stuff is in a way to sabotage Trump. And one thing I was going to ask you along those lines is there's some folks out there, even on the conservative side, talking about how there's a recession coming. The left is going to do everything they possibly can to make sure that it comes. They want to do what they can to make Trump look bad. You know, even Biden's announcement of what he did on the energy issue. front, which we'll get into in a moment as well as another tie into that. So I guess the question I have for you, do you see a recession coming?
SPEAKER 04 :
I don't. I think things are, you know, I really look at things like AI. And I just, again, I always to myself, I sort of frame AI in terms of what we saw with the sort of the dot-com boom and what that wound up doing for operating efficiencies for companies, how companies started doing more things online. And look, AI is just in its nascency. We are going to see these efficiency improvements for lots of businesses over the next couple of years as they figure it out and how it benefits their business. And we're going to see profitability improve, but we're not going to see prices take off. So that's going to be a really good thing for the economy. I think also what we're seeing is I look at this gauges I look at for inflation. What I see over the last six months, inflation is decelerating rapidly. It's basically running at an annualized pace of 0.9% right now, headline CPI. That's way below the Fed's target. So that also tells me, you know, let's say, Trump throws all these tariffs out there, he moves forward with it, puts a tariff on, you know, if he puts these 60% tariffs on China, the CBO estimated it would increase inflation by 1%, but that would basically drop off after a year, because it would be a one-time thing. So, you know, if we're running at 0.9% annualized, and we increase that by 1%, that's at 1.9%, that's still below the Fed's 2% target.
SPEAKER 16 :
Right, that's nothing.
SPEAKER 04 :
Interest rates are at 4.5%. That tells me There's a 2.5% cushion. of rate cuts that's available.
SPEAKER 16 :
Got it. And again, that's the other side that they never want to look at is if you do that with China, either one of two things will come out of that. Either they get more fair on the trade that they need to do with us and they start buying more from us and things adjust there and our economy improves, or because of that, we start doing more things at home and the same thing happens. That's the other side of the equation, Scott. They never throw in, in my opinion.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, I would agree. It's going to be a good thing for domestic companies. Another interesting thing to that angle is that the amount of trade we've done with China has dropped to just 10% from I believe it was like 15% four years ago in terms of Chinese exports. So we are less dependent on China now. than we were back when Trump started letting these tariffs.
SPEAKER 16 :
Well, and I think, and you and I have talked about this many times, reason being is because back then, a lot of those companies said, wait a minute, we don't want to be caught in this. We don't want to be caught in this again down the road. Let's move operations to other places that we don't see this coming, Taiwan, Korea, wherever, and we'll change, you know, Vietnam, we'll change some of these things around or bring it back to the U.S. even. But at the end of the day, we can do this outside of China as easily as we can inside.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, and that's right. And so what we've also talked about is how when you pick up a manufacturing base and you move it out of a country and you move it somewhere else, there's a big investment that happens with that. Exactly. And if you were to go back, it's going to be a long time. And so one of the things that's really interesting to me is, there are a lot of people wall street there's struggling to figure out why is the chinese economy doing so poorly right now well i can tell you why that is exactly why because they lost all this lost all this manufacturing business and it's not coming back And they can't figure out what levers to pull to make things better.
SPEAKER 16 :
No, Scott, I agree with you on that. Again, you and I have talked about that for the last couple of years, and the reality is they're not doing well. They're trying to figure out why. To me, it's as simple as the nose on their face. They... Didn't play ball very well under the first Trump administration. They're not going to play ball again in the second administration. I talked earlier before you came on that even some of Trump's talk right now in regards to making Canada the 51st state, the Panama Canal. Greenland and so on. I mean, at the end of the day, Scott, all of these things are and I don't think people really quite understand this. These are all poking the eye of the Chinese because China doesn't want to see us expand at all. They control the Panama Canal. They run right through Greenland and that end of things. So the reality is what Trump is really saying is, hey, China, watch out. We're coming for you. That's what he's really saying. Yes, and he's calling them out for a lot of things, and they don't like that in the least. No, they hate that because, as you know, they hate losing face.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, and China thinks they can play a long game because they only have one guy that's president. They don't go through an election cycle. Yeah, and it's a lot of games, but China has one end goal, and China wants world dominance. That's right. And I get it with what Trump is saying with stuff like Greenland. He's saying, look, there are rare earth minerals in Greenland that we could use, and they would be great in terms of national security and national defense. We don't have to go through China or be reliant on China to get these things. I said this earlier, Scott, on paper –
SPEAKER 16 :
Like the canal. I mean, it makes total sense why we ever gave the canal up in the first place is a whole nother discussion. The reality is I'm not in disagreement with either of the things he's talking about along those lines. I'm just not so I'm not sure logistically how that all works out.
SPEAKER 04 :
And, yeah, I don't imagine these things would happen, but I get where he's coming from.
SPEAKER 16 :
By the way, the way Greenland happens, that one's easy in my opinion. What's the check need to be? How much are you writing the check for at the end of the day? That's what that one comes down to.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, this is fair. Most likely, yeah.
SPEAKER 16 :
I mean, it's Denmark, controlled by Denmark at this point. I mean, the reality is it's not a huge country. They can take all the cash they could get. At the end of the day, they're not using anything out of that land. I mean, what do they have to lose? If they can get a nice fat check out of it, they win.
SPEAKER 04 :
They named it Greenland because it was full of ice, and Iceland, they gave it that name because it was so green.
SPEAKER 16 :
Well, and at one time, as you know, it was opposite anyways. We go back in time long enough, they were opposite. But bottom line... And again, I don't know what's going to happen. I don't have a crystal ball. My whole point on this was back to our whole China discussion. What the media and even the left doesn't understand, I'm not sure even some of the right does. This is Trump's posturing against China, basically telling him or telling them there's going to be a new guy in town and you're not going to get by with what you once did.
SPEAKER 04 :
Amen. And so one of the other things that happened was the Washington Post put this story out, I believe it was yesterday, saying Trump's not really intending to impose tariffs. And Trump said that's just factually wrong. I mean, if you're negotiating with anybody, why would you say that's true and give up your leverage point?
SPEAKER 16 :
You wouldn't.
SPEAKER 04 :
It doesn't make any sense. And if people look back to Trump's first time in office... That was the leverage point for him. I mean, the thing today is saying that he's going to declare an economic emergency to impose tariffs, too. And the article, it's funny, the article then, after it got people hyped up about this, went through and detailed how he did this with Mexico last time around. And Mexico, because he said Mexico is not helping us protect our border. And then Mexico said, okay, we'll stop all the people trying to come into the U.S. at the southern border of Mexico, which... You know, again, it's just Trump is using this as a leverage tool, and you're exactly right. He gets people. He does a great job of getting people very worked up by throwing these things out there, and they just blow them way out of proportion. But economically, he did very good things for this country. You know, and the tariffs on China, it wasn't people focused or focused on the inflation part of it right now. We didn't see inflation really pick up before. What happened was the Fed had to cut rates because they were worried about what might happen from a growth standpoint. Right.
SPEAKER 16 :
And by the way, they may very well have to do the same thing depending upon how things move forward, despite what they're even telling or announcing. And again, I think they're very, how should I say this? I know the Fed isn't supposed to be political, but they are. And I will tell you right now that I feel that that current makeup of the board that's there now does not want to see Trump succeed. That's just my own two cents.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, you know, what's really interesting from that end is, who is it, Barr? Is it Michael Barr is his first name? Yeah, I think that's right. So he's been the head of regulation at the Fed. He was appointed by Biden. And he tried to push Basel III on this. a country which the Obama administration even said, we're not interested in doing this. Tim Geithner shot it down because it was so onerous on banks and the capital cushion that the U.S. said, we're not interested. So, you know, he tried to bring this back, and it would have jacked the capital cushions up massively, and it would have just— It would have crippled a lot of small to medium-sized businesses. Completely. It would have killed all the excess capital that banks have to lend. In other words, the biggest banks with the most propensity to lend, they wouldn't have been able to lend. And they wouldn't have been able to lend for years because he's like, well, they can build it back up over the next couple of years. Well, what's that going to do for the economy?
SPEAKER 16 :
Right.
SPEAKER 04 :
It kills it.
SPEAKER 16 :
It strangles it right off the bat. Again, I'm one where I just don't feel like these guys that are there now really are on the side of Trump. They look at things completely different. We'll see how this all shakes out once we get to January 20th and we start moving forward. I'm with you. I think Trump, in a lot of ways, he's posturing with especially change. China, even his conversations. And I know it really ticks a lot of the Canadian folks off. I was listening to the guy in charge of, you know, Ontario and all of that. And he's all you know, he's all been out of shape at Trump's comments. And it's like, you know, do you really understand? He's not saying this directed at you. He's saying this directed at Russia and China.
SPEAKER 04 :
But that's exactly right. And in Canada, I don't think Canada is going to be the 51st state of the United States.
SPEAKER 16 :
Nah, not going to happen. Not going to happen.
SPEAKER 04 :
I think Canadians love their country, and they want to say Canada. Yeah.
SPEAKER 16 :
So you would know better than I. No, it's not going to happen, even though I think there's a lot of folks in Canada that would love to see that happen. Bottom line, it's not going to happen. And I will say, they're going to end up with a new prime minister that I think is going to get things rocking and rolling in a different direction. It's going to be a lot like the U.S. anyway, so... They'll be right in line, and that's, again, another thing that China doesn't like. Really quick, just to kind of close things out, because China's a big player worldwide. I believe what you said earlier is correct. They're looking for total world dominance, but they're struggling right now because they've got a lot of things working against them. including what I just said about Canada, including Donald Trump taking over as president of the United States, including what's happening down in Mexico because of what Trump is doing there. I mean, the reality is they're losing the battle. And I know they play the long game, but can they afford to at this point? Probably not. I mean, it's... At some point, Scott, the money runs out, right?
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, I mean, China's debt to GDP... People are barking up the tree about, oh, my God, the U.S. debt to GDP. But, you know, the government has to facilitate things, too. But China's debt to GDP is like 300-some percent. They won't tell anybody what it is because they don't want you to know.
SPEAKER 16 :
No, they don't want you to know. That's right. They're not honest.
SPEAKER 04 :
But, I mean, I think the thing people forget about, or maybe they don't, and they don't want them to be successful, but Trump was, again, very successful getting the economy going, and he looked at... things like the stock market and investments as a statement on his presidency. And Trump is going to do, if he did what he did last time, he's going to do everything he can to ensure that the economy and the stock market do well. And you know what? And for investors, I think that's a very good thing. And for people that save and they're putting their money to work in S&P 500, or right now, you know, with rates going back up, I think bonds are a great investment here. I think people that have a long-term view and put money to work now, it'll reward them handsomely down the road.
SPEAKER 16 :
Okay, so give us some specifics as to what they should be looking at.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, I would look at the Vanguard small cap ETF. VTWO, Victor Tom William Oscar, is the symbol. I would also look at something as simple as the SPDR S&P 500 ETF. SPY is the symbol. And then I would also look at something like the SPDR 20-plus year Treasury bond ETF. The ticker symbol there is TLT because as rates come down, prices will go back up. Lower rates will also help the economy, demand, and stocks.
SPEAKER 16 :
Okay. All good to know. And, again, what happens in China, and I'm not trying to be coy there, Scott, because I realize that it does affect us to a certain degree, although I guess I'll close with this. If they utterly failed, does that really have any impact on us? No. It doesn't, does it?
SPEAKER 04 :
I don't think so.
SPEAKER 16 :
I don't either. I mean, at the end of the day, yeah, to your point, there's some manufacturing and things that come out of there. But at the end of the day, if they totally collapse, which, again, isn't going to happen. Some other country will come along, bail them out, something along those lines. But at the end of the day, it will reduce their overall power, let's just say that. And that, I do believe, is coming. It's already happening.
SPEAKER 04 :
Look, I wouldn't be surprised if they collapse, if the U.S. wound up being the people who went in and bailed them out. And helped resurrect them. You know what? I hadn't thought of that.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yeah, I hadn't thought of that. Oh, you could be right. Interesting. That would be a flip-flop of what it's been in the past.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yes, very much so.
SPEAKER 16 :
Interesting. All right, Scott, how do folks find you?
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, sure. Find me on Twitter or LinkedIn, C. Scott Garlis.
SPEAKER 16 :
Awesome. Scott, as always, I appreciate you, man. Looking forward to 2025.
SPEAKER 04 :
Completely, John. Thanks so much. You bet, man.
SPEAKER 16 :
Have a great night. Appreciate you very much. And I appreciate these guys, by the way, Scott on the East Coast, because I know how late it is for him, almost 8 o'clock, and him calling in and taking time out of his family and so on. And I appreciate you guys on the East Coast and doing what you do. I mean that sincerely. Affordable Interest Mortgage is next. Kurt Rogers, speaking of rates and everything that are involved mortgage-wise, give Kurt a call today, 720-895-0500.
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All right, and speaking of all the things we just talked about with Scott, we have somebody locally that you can talk to one-on-one. That is Al Smith. He is our financial advisor. Give him a call today. Find him at klzradio.com.
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It's time to leave your safe space. This is Rush to Reason on KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 16 :
All right, that's going to wrap us up for today. And again, thank you all for listening. I appreciate Andy and everybody filling in when I was gone over the holidays. And much more in store for you tomorrow. Dr. Kelly Victory and Steve House will be joining me in Hour 1. typically do. We'll start the year off correctly with them joining us. We're going to talk about all sorts of things, including the news media burying all sorts of information when it comes to the things, by the way, that we talk about every Thursday as well. So be sure you tune in at three o'clock tomorrow. Have a great night. Be safe. If it snows in the morning, be safe in the snow as well. Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560.
Join Michael Bailey as he shares heartfelt stories of his daughter's transition to college life and ties it to the significant matter of estate planning. Discover how new experiences, both in education and life, shape our planning processes and the critical steps involved in estate planning. Whether you're familiar with legal jargon or just starting your journey, this episode offers valuable perspectives on preparing for the future and cherishing family bonds.
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Welcome to Mobile Estate Planning with your host, Michael Bailey. Over a decade ago, attorney Michael Bailey turned his attention to estate law after he recognized the unacceptable number of adults without proper end-of-life planning. Michael recognizes that many of his clients have difficulty finding the time for making a proper estate plan. That's why he became the Mobile Estate Planner. He will go to wherever you are to assist you with your estate planning, including writing wills, trusts, and giving you the information you need to avoid probate. Now, ATX, Ask the Experts, presents Mobile Estate Planning with your host, Michael Bailey.
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All right, good afternoon. Welcome to Mobile Estate Planning with Michael Bailey here on 560 KLZ, also heard on 100.7 FM or the KLZ 560 radio app. I'm glad to be back in person. The last couple of weeks were just not quite the right time to, I mean, it was actually Christmas itself and then New Year's. So those were times where I thought maybe I'd spend some time with my family instead of being here because as we're trying to do, we're trying to We'll do something besides just leaving our family alone. So, here we are, and here's what we're going to do. Now, the last couple weeks, my... daughter was home from college so I was spending more time with her and less time on the radio you know I hope everybody maybe some people miss me maybe other people just didn't even notice I was gone it's hard to tell you know perhaps I have some super loyal listeners I don't know um but it's one of those um well things that uh we've got our uh so she she was home and you know it was an interesting thing where she um just her first semester at school her uh her um The finals kind of were a little bit overwhelming. And I can understand that. That can, you know, for most college students, the first time you go off to college, you don't 100% know what to expect. And, of course, that's exactly, you know, how it should be. You've never been to college. You've never been a college student. You know, to take a college final as opposed to a high school final. Now, this is my daughter who has always been good at school and she's always had she's always done well at school and straight A's and that kind of thing. She's at school on an academic scholarship. She's taken many AP classes and she's taken AP tests that have are comprehensive in nature and things like that. So it's not like she's not familiar with the concept of how to do study and do academics, but it's a little bit different in a college setting. And her first final that she took was a Calculus II final. And she did not do as well in that final as she had hoped. It went very poorly, actually. And so she calls us and she was freaking out about it and she was very concerned and she was upset and crying and all the things that happen when you take your first final and do poorly on it. I mean, I guess the rest of us were like, yep, that's kind of what happens. You get used to it. But for her, it was a brand new experience. And so I talked with her and, you know, just like, well, you know, let's let's wait and see how it plays out. You know, there's probably I mean, if you've been the one of the top students in the class most of the time. My guess is that lots of other people didn't do particularly well on the final, which means you might have a curve there where your professor will realize that maybe they wrote a test that doesn't quite capture what they taught you or they ask you a question that was outside of what they taught you and just kind of you know didn't really capture you know what you learned in the class and so they might throw some of those questions out or just curve it and you'll be able to be okay but of course she was very concerned about this and still um and so you know for a day or two she was really worried about it And then she called again, and I was talking to her, and I said, well, here's the thing, kiddo, is that we can't do anything about that. We can't do anything about the test that's been taken and graded and done. And it was the multiple choice portion that she hadn't done great on. There's a short answer portion that still needed to be graded at that point and such things. But she... I said, but here's the thing. You have three more finals to go. You have a chemistry final, you have a biology final, and you have your University 101 final. So you have these three finals left. If you spend all of your time dwelling on how this other one didn't go well, you'll probably find yourself making silly mistakes and not doing particularly well on your next finals. Yeah. So it is unfortunate that it was your first final that didn't go particularly well or as well as you had hoped. But we also don't want to let that one final be the reason that everything else in your first semester falls apart. And so I'm like, you're allowed to be sad. You're allowed to be upset. I'm not saying, hey, get over it. But what I'm saying is at some point, you need to put that one kind of in the past, move on from it so that you can accomplish the next set of finals that you have. And so that was the last time I talked to her. And then she went through her finals. And then I was the one that picked her up from the airport. And she said, Dad, I don't know if you know this, but I really took that advice to heart. I didn't, you know, I just, you know, eventually I was just like, you know what? I've got to study for chemistry. I've got to study for biology. I can't just sit here and, you know, not pay attention to anything. So I really did that. And it was great because then I could do well in my other finals and everything worked out. And I was like, cool. I'm so excited for you. That is so awesome. It made me feel like I had done something right as a dad, which was, you know, mostly saying, yes, I've been a college student before. I know how that goes. So here's what I did. Hopefully it works for you. And it wasn't I don't think it was terrible advice to say, hey, you know, be sad about your thing, but then move on to the next final so that you're not always stuck doing, you know, being weighed down by all the things you've done in the past. But she was home for two and a half weeks, which we thought we'd have all sorts of time to do everything and get everything done that we needed to. And then suddenly it was time to take her to the airport on Monday so she could go back. She started school again yesterday. And we're like, wow, two and a half weeks seems like a long amount of time. It seems like you're going to be able to. Go to your favorite restaurants and you'll see your friends when you're home from school and you get to hang out with your family and you'll get to, you know, go to the various church concerts and things like that that are involved in Christmas. It seemed like all of these things were going to have plenty of time. And then suddenly there she was and we're like, oh, I will see you in the end of April, kiddo. because she's off to school again and you know she's doing great there and she's wonderful but it's amazing how you know it was a new experience and that new experience meant that she would not be able to necessarily you know it was a new experience for her and as a new experience she didn't know quite what to expect you know everything that she'd done for you know doing academics in high school and AP tests and stuff she thought had prepared her for everything that she needed to know for college and it was close but you know it's it's slightly different and you know I mean I I had the same experience when I went to college I had the same experience when I went to law school I'm like okay this will be Just kind of more of, and I was like, oh, this is a little bit different. In law school, we didn't get midterm tests and homework and stuff like that that we needed to turn in. It was, hey, here's a final. Show us everything that you've learned and we'll go from there. Or as we used to say, it's our chance to pool our mutual ignorance so that we could be involved. And so it was just a brand new experience for her. And she ended up getting an A in the calculus class because there was in fact a curve and all that kind of stuff. And then Her calculus teacher asked her if she would like to be a TA for the class. And so we're like, well, maybe you didn't do nearly as poorly as you thought you did. But it was kind of an interesting thing. Great to have her home. Great to see her. Great that she could spend time with our other daughter who had missed her terribly and play with her and just have good sibling relationships. But You know, just new experience. And now she's going to go back and it'll be a different experience. Second semester won't be exactly the same, but now she has more experience with it. So you are listening to Mobile Estate Planning with Michael Bailey here on 560 KLZ. Also heard on 100.7 FM or the KLZ 560 radio app. Phone number to talk to me on the air is 303-477-5600. And again, that's 303-477-5600. And my direct line is 720-394-6887. Once again, that's 720-394-6887. So my my daughter, having gone off to college and when she was applying for college, we mostly let her do the application all by herself. And then when she wanted some help with the essays, I would read through and say, well, here's a couple of suggestions. What do you think about this? But. And when she went off to college, I mean, when we took her there, she was a little bit scared. Okay, a lot scared. And, you know, a little bit unsure, a lot unsure. But we encouraged her to do all the things she needed to do after freshman orientation when she was 16. overwhelmed we took her to get some food and to just kind of rest with us and have a safe place and then we're like well kiddo now we're gonna we have to drive back to Colorado now so we'll wish you the best of luck and you know we'll see you at Thanksgiving and so her level of experience of living on her own was zero her level of experience with difficult academics was higher than that But she couldn't enter college with any more or any less experience than what she had. You know, we couldn't have gone back in time and said, oh, well, let's make sure we have you take a college class here or there. When, you know, in my high school, I had gotten a year ahead in math. So my senior year, I took a Calculus 3 class, which was not offered at the high school, but was offered at the CSU when I grew up in Fort Collins. So I would go in the morning to an 8 a.m. Calculus 3 class. Now, for those of you who have gone to college, you're thinking, 8 a.m., that is way too early for a college class. Why in the world would anybody want to go to a college class at 8 a.m.? And having been through college, I totally agree with you. But as a high school student where I was up at 5.30 in the morning and to a early morning church seminary class by 6.45 and done with that by 7.30 or 7.45, I'm like, well, I'm already up. I can be at the class and... It was one of those things where the first day of class, there were probably 35 of us in the room. Midway through the semester, there were six or seven of us who actually attended the 8 a.m. class. I was one of the stalwart ones, apparently, or at least one of the ones that woke up in time to get to an 8 a.m. class. So I had had a little bit of experience in what it was like to take a college-level class and a college-level final. And so I went off to college possibly a little bit more confident, maybe even a little bit overconfident compared to my daughter. But we all enter into college, if we go, with different levels of experience. I have some friends who they had done two years of junior college before they came to the university. Others had transferred from a different university. I have a friend who she had graduated from high school at age 16. And so she entered BYU as a freshman. at age 16 turned 17 her freshman year you know I was not that young and I thought that was a little bit it seemed like it might be a little bit too young to go to college to me you know not quite Doogie Howser MD where you enter med school at age 14 but still We all entered college or we all entered school with our level and our requisite knowledge and experience that we had. And I find that's very similar to clients who come to me for estate planning. Someone will come for estate planning and they'll say, That they've got, they have never, they've heard the word will, they've heard the will trust, they've heard the will power of attorney, they've heard the word agent, they've heard the word executor or executrix. Most people have heard executor, not executrix. One's a boy, one's a girl. So executor's a boy, executrix is a girl. But they may have heard of these words, but that's anything they've ever heard of. Those are very novice type of people. They've just not been exposed to estate planning and they often are looking for a lot of guidance on what in the heck are we supposed to do and how do we do things? Well, I have an intake worksheet that asks a whole bunch of questions about what your family situation is like. How old are your kids? How many kids do you have? What's your asset situation like? What type of assets do you have? Do you own a home? Do you own 23 rental real estate properties? Do you own zero rental real estate properties? Do you have an IRA? Do you have a 401k? Do you have an investment account that rivals Warren Buffett? So you're a multi-billionaire, you know, there's just, you know, there's different types of assets are treated different ways. So, you know, I want to know what your family situation is like, you know, Are you on your first marriage? Are you on your second or third marriage? Do you have kids from different marriages? Do you have kids at all? Those type of things help dictate what are we trying to do. Do we want to leave money to the kids? Do we not want to leave money to the kids? do we i think that it would be more beneficial you know if you're a blended marriage and you know you got married later in life so you found the love of your life when you're in your 50s but you have you each had kids from a previous relationship do you want to leave all of the combined money to all of the kids or do you want to have your money go to one set of kids and the other person's money go to a all of these situations we have to talk about. And then we have to talk about who do you trust to leave in charge of things? Who's going to be that personal representative or that executor or executrix? Who's going to be the person who is in charge of carrying out your plans and your instructions? Because those are important things to know. And do you want to have your assets be given outright to people or do you want to hold on to them for a while? I have a My 18-year-old, at this point, legally, I could give her one-third of all of the assets and do it outright and be like, okay, good luck. The 15-year-old, the state of Colorado thinks that 15 is a little bit too young to give outright assets to. And my 12-year-old, who is even younger, the state of Colorado also thinks it's not a great idea to give outright assets to a 12-year-old. So for my 12-year-old and my 15-year-old, we want to establish a... a trust so that the money can be held and used for their health, education, support and maintenance. I have the same thing for my 18 year old, because although my 18 year old would be capable of handling most everything by herself, it's probably not the best idea to just, you know, she's an 18 year old freshman who is a little bit overwhelmed by finals. well, if my wife and I die, and we put her in charge of everything, we're like, well, hey, well, why don't you drop out of college, come home, and just raise your brother and sister, and everything will be fine. That sounds great, and that sounds wonderful, and it sounds like the plot of some sort of, you know, comedy movie with all the misadventures of what's going to happen when that, you know, when mom and dad die, and An older sibling is raising the younger siblings, you know, any number of options. I mean, going all the way back to like elementary school and reading about the boxcar children and how they they lost their parents. They were orphans. So they lived in a boxcar and they found a tea set in the dump and all these kind of things. Well, I don't think that social services would be so keen on boxcar children at this point. Just, you know. It was set long before social services were really as involved in as much of a thing as they are now. But for me, I don't necessarily want my 18-year-old to have to have and shoulder that level of responsibility. It might have been different back in the 1800s when it was like, oh, well, you're going to take over the farm. Okay, cool. Well, that's what you're going to do anyway is take over the farm, so you just accelerate the time frame. Well, I don't know that my 18-year-old was ever going to take over raising her 15- and 12-year-old. So we've chosen to have a sibling and their family who would be able to raise the 15-year-old and the 12-year-old. And we chose them. They chose us. So we're both the biggest fans of absolutely nothing happening to the other couple. We're like, oh, hey, are you exercising? Are you getting enough sleep? Are you eating your vegetables? Are we doing well? You know, all those type of things, you know, because we don't want to have to do anything. We want them to live long, happy, healthy lives so that we don't have to do anything. And, you know, that's when you're picking somebody who is going to carry out your estate. You really hope it's somebody who wants you to live a long, happy, healthy life so that you don't have to do anything. So you are listening to Mobile Estate Planning with Michael Bailey here on 560 KLZ, also heard on 100.7 FM or the KLZ 560 radio app. Phone number to talk to me on the air is 303-477-5600. And again, that's 303-477-5600. And my direct line is 720-394-6887. Again, that's 720-394-6887. So my daughter off at school is kind of a novice at school. She's got a little bit of experience now. But she's going into her second semester, but then she'll go back next year and she'll be a sophomore and then she'll be a junior and then she'll be a senior and then she'll graduate and all of those milestones and steps. My 15-year-old is going to be a junior next year. And we were talking with the volleyball coach the other day and he's like, wow, you're going to be a junior. You're an upperclassman now. And she's like, whoa, how did that happen? Because she still is You know, remembering being the scared freshman going to tryouts, wondering if she was going to make a team that, you know, she made JV as a freshman and then, you know, started as a sophomore and the accolades of all state and honorable or sorry, all conference and honorable mention all state. That's what she managed to accomplish. It's like, hey, well, good for you, kiddo. You've got more experience. So some people who come to me for estate planning have more experience. They've either been involved in carrying out their parents' estate plan, or they previously put together an estate plan. I had someone who called me yesterday who they'd put together their entire estate plan with another attorney, And then just never got it signed. And then the other attorney just kind of somehow disappeared. And so they wanted to know if I could just look at it, make sure it looked all okay, and if we could get it signed. Now, that one, I said, I don't really give my stamp of approval to other people's work. If we wanted to start over, we could. But you've got everything, and the last step is just to get it signed. I'm like, you just need a notary for that. You don't necessarily need me if everything was already in place. You just need a notary to get everything signed, witness notarized, and you're good. And so I kind of talked them out of needing to work with me to do extra work, but instead... pushed them towards, why don't you go ahead and just, you know, find a notary. And I gave them some, you know, names and numbers of a couple of notaries that I know who could be able to help them just to get everything finished off. But I'm like, there's not a whole lot of need for you to pay for my services and me to redo things when you've already got it. You just didn't get it signed before the holidays. And then your other attorney disappeared, which is, I hope not to disappear. But at some point, I do hope to retire and not be practicing law. And I hope that sometime before my retirement is not, oh, look, he was on his way to his signing and he dropped dead of a heart attack. That would not be a great thing. A 95-year-old attorney hobbling down the hallway and not making it to his signing. That just doesn't seem like that's not what I want to do. If at all possible, I'd like to maybe not have that be. The end of my thing. So someone who has more experience with estate planning may not need the same level of guidance and understanding as someone who has no experience. So someone with no experience or someone who has had multiple estate plans, they might need to redo something and do something different. My client I talked to this morning said, were redoing their trust because their trust is now 25 years old and it was done under the tax rules 25 years ago. And there was lots of properties that were involved from when they used to live in Illinois and just all sorts of different things. So many things have changed. Their kids are all grown now. Whereas back when they were prior to 25 years ago, the kids were young. So there's a lot less need for saying who will raise them and a lot more need for, well, how do we address the assets that they've acquired? They've acquired a decent amount of assets, so they're worried about getting it to their kids. And the wife was adamant that it had to go to the kids and not to the spouses of the kids. So I was like, OK, we'll make sure it goes to the kids or to the grandkids and not to the spouses. You know, that was something that was super important to this particular client. I'm like, okay, cool. We can make that happen. Other people, they want their, uh, they want their, uh, assets to either go to their kids or, you know, they kind of see their, the spouses of their kids as their own kids too. So they're okay with money going to those kids. Either one is fine. And one of the levels I've found of estate planning experience that's an interesting one is the, oh, well, you know, what happens if this? And I say, well, what do you want to have happen? No, but just tell me what happens. I'm like, well, there's no one right answer. There's no one right way for everything to be done. I want to figure out what you want to do so that we can make that happen. Because they might be asking, hey, what are the default rules? And I'm like... Well, the default rules are this, but if you don't like those, then we can modify them to have what you want to have happen take place. So people will say, well, you know, what happens if my wife and I both die at the same time? You know, what happens to our money? I'm like, well, are all of your kids, both of your kids? Well, yes. Okay, cool. Then it will likely go to them. It just goes through intestate. probate and anticipate probate means to die without a will. And, you know, you have to follow the rules that the state of Colorado has laid out. And so people are like, Oh, well, you know, I don't, but you know, I just, I just don't know what those rules are. I'm like, well, instead of spending time trying to figure them out, why don't we figure out what you want to do? And then we'll write down what you want to do. And then we'll leave the land of what the default rules say. And then we can go ahead and accomplish what we want by bringing your wishes to pass. And most people agree that that's a good idea. Some people want to know all of the intestate rules. And I'm like, cool, I will print out the intestate statute. I'll hand it to you and you can read through it. They're like, well, why don't you just tell me what it is? I'm like, because it's 87 pages long and I really don't want to go through and explain 87 pages of what the statute says. It's just not what I'm super keen on doing. It just doesn't seem like it would be nearly as much fun for me. So whatever your level of experience is, whatever your level of familiarity is with estate planning, we can start from that level and get your estate plan prepared so that you can get everything done and taken care of. Because even if you think you know everything about estate planning, I mean, if you do know everything about estate planning, that's amazing. I do not. I know there's just, especially with people who have taxable estates and things like that, that's not where I play. I help people who are not ridiculously rich and have more than $27 million. I mean, if you've got more than $27 million, good for you. I do not, and most people I meet do not. But no matter what your situation is, try to get you helped out and taken care of. I guess I'm out of time for now. Talk to you next week. Thanks and bye.
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Mobile estate planning with Michael Bailey will return to ATX next Wednesday at 2.30 here on KLZ 560, AM 560, FM 100.7, and online at klzradio.com.
Join Tony Perkins as he examines the intricate balance between national security and international diplomacy. Senator Pete Ricketts shares his perspectives on strategic U.S. interests concerning the Arctic and the Panama Canal as potential areas for increased American presence and vigilance. The episode also tackles the ongoing persecution of Christians around the globe, featuring Isaac Six of Global Christian Relief, who reports on the dire circumstances in countries like Nigeria and India where religious freedom is under threat. Finally, the program concludes with insights into the power of prayer during political transitions, urging listeners to actively participate in initiatives that fuse faith with national policy.
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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.
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The Panama Canal is vital to our country. It's being operated by China. China. And we gave the Panama Canal to Panama. We didn't give it to China. And they've abused it.
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That was President Donald Trump speaking from Mar-a-Lago yesterday. Good evening and welcome to Washington Watch. I'm Tony Perkins and I want to thank you for tuning in. We begin with President Trump's bullish foreign policy statements regarding Greenland, Canada and the Panama Canal. His remarks have left some on edge. In just a moment, we'll get reaction from Nebraska Senator Pete Ricketts. Also yesterday on the program, we covered President Biden's release of al-Qaeda terrorists to Oman, a move sparking legislation aimed at preventing future releases. But the administration is pushing back.
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I think the president has been pretty clear that and what you've seen over the past few months is more detainees, you know, leaving Guantanamo Bay. I think every administration has made a concerted effort to try and get detainees out of Guantanamo Bay and slowly close that facility.
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That was Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh earlier today. So does this make America safer or does it put us at risk? We'll talk about it later. In other news, a federal judge has blocked Tennessee's efforts to protect minors from harmful pornography sites under its Protect Tennessee Minors Act. Nineteen states have adopted similar laws, but several are tied up in court, including Texas' law, which the Supreme Court will consider next week. We'll get an update from Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Scrimetti later here on Washington Watch. Plus, Nigeria is yet again labeled the most dangerous place in the world for Christians. Isaiah Sick, Senior Director of Advocacy for Global Christian Relief, will join us to discuss the findings of their 2025 Red List and what the incoming administration might be able to do to make it safer for Christians around the globe. And finally, the raging fires in Southern California serve as a reminder of our need for God's protection and intervention. That theme will be part of the inauguration praise and prayer convocation on Sunday, January the 19th, which I'll be hosting along with my good friend, Pastor Jim Garlow. Dr. Garlow joins us later to share more about that event. Well, we've got a lot to cover, so let's get started. President-elect Donald Trump is drawing a lot of attention over remarks he made regarding Greenland, Canada and the Panama Canal, all three of which he said the United States would be better off with. Now, some have brushed the remarks off as crazy talk and some have called the ideas bad. Or are they really? Here to discuss this, U.S. Senator Pete Ricketts of Nebraska, who serves on four Senate committees, including the Foreign Relations Committee. Senator Ricketts, welcome back to Washington Watch and Happy New Year. Thank you very much. Happy New Year. Thanks for having me on. Well, there's not a dull moment going to be in that we're going to have in Washington, D.C., as President-elect Donald Trump moves back to the reins of government. His comments yesterday, putting some on edge regarding Greenland, Canada and Panama Canal. Your thoughts?
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What the president is doing is thinking long term about our safety and security here in the United States. For example, the president knows that Russia and increasingly China have been involved in the Arctic and that we need to secure that northern flank. And also he knows that Canada has not been pulling its weight with regard to its defense spending. I think last year it spent 1.3% of its GDP on its defense when it's supposed to be spending 2% and committed to that years and years ago and still has not made it. So he's thinking about how can we protect our people here in the United States? Are we gonna need to put bases, for example, up in Greenland? He's thinking the same thing about the Panama Canal, the event of a conflict with Chinese Communist Party and the People's Republic of China. We're going to have problems because two Chinese companies own ports or one Chinese company owns a port on both ends of that canal. And you bet that they will try to shut that down if there's a conflict and harm us from being able to respond to anything going on in the Pacific. So the president is thinking long term about how do we keep our country safe? And we ought to be thanking him for it. And I'll tell you right now, there's a lot more people thinking about the risks that are being posed by Russia and China, for example, up in that northern Arctic area today than there were just a couple of days ago.
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I would think, Senator Ricketts, that for those that observed the first Trump administration, that they would understand that even though he makes statements such as he did yesterday that are maybe uncharacteristic of an incoming administration, there is a method. to what he is doing. And I think he is putting our adversaries on alert. He is keeping the deck kind of shuffled. But I think, as you pointed out, he is doing this with a clear mission in sight.
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Yeah, absolutely. And the other thing to remember is that, you know, Trump is a negotiator and he's a disruptor. So we shouldn't be surprised that his negotiating style is very disruptive. The negotiations for Greenland or Panama, the Panama Canal, haven't even started yet. So Trump is certainly not going to give up anything in his hand before the negotiations have even begun. And again, it's about thinking about the long term safety and security of our country. So this is something that is this at the beginning, not the end. And but it is a good sign that the president is thinking about how do we secure our nation long term.
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Now, I agree 100% on Panama Canal. We should have never given that back to Panama. We should have retained control of that. And China, as we saw during COVID, when they clamped down on personal protective equipment after they created the crisis, we know that they are – clearly an adversary, and to allow them to control such a vital waterway is unacceptable. But Greenland, is that realistic, to think that the United States could take control of Greenland?
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Well, again, it's currently Greenland is owned by Denmark. And what the president has suggested that Denmark sell us Greenland. And it would be a way for us to help secure the northeast United States by making sure we would be able to put up our military bases there. We also have Chinese ships that are there. They're dual purpose. They're supposed to be doing research. But we know that there's nothing in the Chinese Navy that is just purely civilian, right? Whether it's research ships, they've all got dual purpose, they all report to the same dictator who tells them what to do, or even private companies like the companies that own the ports down in Panama, they have to do whatever the Chinese government tells them to do, whatever the dictator Xi Jinping tells them to do, right? This is called communism. Right. They're all under one central government and they have to do what the dictator says. So we should be very concerned about what the Chinese are doing in the Arctic and what they're doing with these so-called research vessels because they're dual purpose. Just having the ports down in Panama. We know that for no other reason, the Chinese will be monitoring the traffic there and make be making intelligent decisions. you know, guesses about what would happen in times of war and being using and using that against us.
SPEAKER 05 :
With that in mind, Senator, let's let's talk about a contrast, because Donald Trump is concerned about American security, our national defense. But yesterday, the Pentagon, the Biden Pentagon, announced that it released 11 al-Qaeda linked terrorists from Guantanamo Bay. in Cuba to Oman. Now, do we have any guarantees that they won't pick up where they left off and go right back to the business they were in before, terrorism?
SPEAKER 10 :
Sadly, this is pretty standard for the Biden administration, but they don't tell us anything about what is going on. I read about this in the paper just like everybody else. There was no advance notice to us to say, hey, here's who these people are, here's what they did, here's the guarantees we have from the Omanis to make sure they'll never do it again. We have no such assurance that I know of that at least has been communicated to the US Senate with regard to why we should feel good about these detainees being released. We know they were terrorists. They've been terrorists for a long time, and we should not be letting them out. And what kind of guarantees do we have? They won't just return to their terrorist ways, We've certainly seen that in the past with previous people who have been released. They've gone back to being terrorists again. So this is something where the Biden administration has told us nothing about why we should feel good about this. And again, it's just part and parcel of why this administration has been such a failure. They just don't put the well-being of the American people first. They put their own woke agenda first.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, the track record of Oman, I think we have roughly 30 other detainees, terrorists have been transferred to Oman. They've been released without explanation. So there's no reason to believe that these would find the same freedom there in Oman to go back to the field of terrorism. Now, there are a few left there in Guantanamo Bay, and I know some of your colleagues are at least messaging, moving legislation, trying to move legislation forward that would prohibit the Biden administration from releasing any more of these terrorists from Guantanamo Bay. Is that a possibility of seeing that legislation move forward?
SPEAKER 10 :
I have not seen the legislation, so I can't speak to that legislation directly. But one of the things that I think we should all keep in mind is, look, while these people are being detained, they're not a threat to American citizens. Why you would change that status quo is beyond me. You'd have to make a pretty darn good case that, for whatever reason, you can move these people someplace else and American people are going to be safe. The Biden administration has not made that case to us on the people they just released. And we need to have better than just their word that somehow this is going to all turn out OK, because the Biden administration has shown time and time again that their appeasement first policy has put Americans at risk and made us less safe.
SPEAKER 05 :
Senator Ricketts, you've been very strong in support of Israel. And one of the pieces of legislation that the Now, Majority Leader John Thune has said he is going to be moving through a companion bill that is in the House, and that is taking action against the International Criminal Court for their efforts to actually arrest the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu. They're talking about sanctions for those individuals. I understand that may be making its way to the Senate floor this week?
SPEAKER 10 :
My understanding, that's a possibility that we might be voting on that this week. It'll either be that or the Lake and Riley Act, which is designed to make sure that Immigration and Customs Enforcement has to arrest and deport illegal immigrants who commit criminal crimes here in our country. So those are the two things that we've been told we may come up. And I do think it's important to note that this is an issue with regard to the International Criminal Court that we did not sign onto it, neither has Israel. So they really have no jurisdiction in either one of our countries. And there's a reason for that, because we don't trust them. And they're taking action against Israel while really doing nothing against Hamas, who started all this with their terrorist attack. So Tom Cotton had sent a letter to the ICC. I was one of the signatories to it. It said, if you pursue this, there will be consequences. This legislation is the consequence that the ICC will now face.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, and I think it's good because I think that is a part of the giving rise and fuel to the anti-Semitism that we see around the world. So I'm grateful that this is actually a priority of the new Republican-controlled Congress of the 119th. Senator Pete Ricketts, always great to see you. Thank you for coming on the program today. Great. Thanks again for having me on, Tony. I appreciate it. Happy New Year. All right. Happy New Year. Have a great day. All right, folks, more to be praying about. And we're going to give you more on how you can join in our prayer. But let me give you this right now. If you'd like to join the Operation Prayer Shield, where we're praying for our country and our allies, both domestically and internationally, all the issues going on, text the word SHIELD to 67742. That's SHIELD to 67742. All right, coming up next, a new law to protect children in Tennessee from online pornography was blocked from going into effect at the 11th hour by a federal judge. What was the reason? Well, we're going to talk with Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Scrimetti next here on Washington Watch. Don't go away.
SPEAKER 09 :
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 has been another year of shining the light for biblical truth in Washington, D.C. This 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 parked 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, 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. 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 Govern. Launching 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 for another year of standing for faith, family, and freedom.
SPEAKER 13 :
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 05 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Glad to have you with us. The website, TonyPerkins.com. Better yet, best way to get in touch with us is the Stand Firm app. Go to the App Store and download the Stand Firm app. That way you've got Washington Watch with you no matter where you are. A new law to protect children in Tennessee from online pornography was set to go into effect New Year's Day, but it was blocked the day before by a U.S. District Court judge. Her reasoning? It was supposedly suppressing of the free speech rights of adults. Well, the Tennessee Attorney General, Jonathan Scrametti, has asked a federal appeals court to allow the Protect Tennessee Minors Act to take effect while litigation proceeds. And he joins us now to discuss this. General Scrametti, welcome back to Washington Watch. Good to see you and Happy New Year. Happy New Year to you, too. Thanks for having me back. This is not something that Tennessee is doing in a vacuum because there's 19 states in total that have taken this step because increasingly over the last decade, we've seen pornography. In fact, many states have labeled it a health crisis because of its effect, particularly upon minors and how this industry is preying upon them. Give our viewers and listeners an understanding of what the Protect Tennessee Minors Act would do and why it's been blocked and how you're gonna fight for it in court.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, the Protect Tennessee Minors Act is intended to make sure that only adults are able to access explicit, obscene material on the internet. Right now, there's evidence all over the place of children who can access some really disturbing and horrible stuff with virtually no effort. It just pervades the internet. And so this requires age verification to access these sites. It passed unanimously. Every single member of the Tennessee General Assembly either voted for it or didn't vote. There was not one vote against. this law when it went through. And it's pretty similar to laws in Texas and Indiana and Florida, many other states that have adopted similar laws. The whole point of it is not to keep adults out. There are all sorts of privacy protections for adult information used for age verification. But protecting our kids from the psychological impact of ready access to these materials is a incredibly compelling reason for the state to do this. And the law just seeks to make sure that kids can't see what kids shouldn't see.
SPEAKER 05 :
General, you said it's pervasive. It certainly is pervasive. I would say it's pernicious. I would also say that There's evidence to suggest that it's not passive in terms of the pornography industry, that they are pursuing people to kind of catch them in their net. This is simply trying to provide, if I read the legislation right, a wall of protection that just makes sure that whoever crosses into that is, in fact, 18 years of age.
SPEAKER 01 :
Correct. And we do that all the time. There are laws protecting children from things that adults can do all over the place, buying alcohol, buying a gun, voting. There are all sorts of activities that you have to be 18 to do. This law just says that going to these obscene and explicit sites is one of those things that you need to prove your age to do. And it's consistent with laws in other states. The Supreme Court next week is hearing Texas' case. And we're optimistic that the court is going to further validate the legitimacy of these laws. But it's just common sense. There are things that kids should not be able to do, and we as adults need to protect them.
SPEAKER 05 :
So very common sense, rational argument that you've made there that you have to show an ID to get alcohol, to buy cigarettes. Why not pornography? What are the opponents saying that would separate this from alcohol or from tobacco or any other product that we protect children from?
SPEAKER 01 :
So the First Amendment is very important. It's a cornerstone of our American republic. And free speech is something that we need to protect vitally. But they read free speech very broadly. There are some opinions from way back from the Supreme Court that talked about inhibiting adult access to materials in the course of protecting children. But at the end of the day, The First Amendment does not apply to obscenity, and a lot of the material out there is obscene by definition. And if you go back and look at even the very liberal justices back in the 60s, Justice Brennan, who was perhaps the most liberal justice of all on free speech, He had no problem with limiting kids' access to pornography. He didn't see any free speech implications there. The case law seems to back us up. But there are people out there, some maybe self-servingly, who say that even trying to restrict kids' access to this material poses a grave threat to free speech and needs to be stopped. And those are the arguments that are raised against us.
SPEAKER 05 :
Now, General Scramatti, you pointed out that Texas, their law is going to be before the Supreme Court on the 15th. They'll be presenting that case. The Attorney General Ken Paxton of Texas will be there. How might the outcome of that case impact your law there in Tennessee?
SPEAKER 01 :
We're optimistic that the Supreme Court is going to say that, of course, states can require age verification. That's not a constitutional obstacle. And our hope would be that that trickles back down through the Sixth Circuit and through the trial court. to validate our law, to allow us to proceed with enforcement. Now, in any law involving speech, there may be situations that arise where there are constitutional problems. But invalidating a law on its face paints with a very, very broad brush. And there are many legitimate applications, and we would like to enforce those applications and make sure that Tennessee kids are not able to zip right onto the Internet and find these obscene materials that will have terrible impacts on them as they grow into adulthood.
SPEAKER 05 :
It's quite significant, as you pointed out earlier, that this was supported unanimously by the legislature there in Tennessee. I mean, you really have to read. That's a pretty high threshold. And I know it's a conservative Republican state, but even so, that's a pretty high threshold.
SPEAKER 01 :
It really is. It's very unusual for anything controversial to move unanimously. And here you have a very wide range of legislators, people with very different political ideas, but all of them recognize that we need to protect our kids. And it's America. You're allowed to disagree. People come at things from different directions. But this is something that we can all unite around. Our children are assailed with these negative, evil influences, and we have to take steps to protect them.
SPEAKER 05 :
And there is an abundance of evidence now to suggest that this has long-term implications for them. General Scametti, I want to thank you for joining us. Always great to see you.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you. Great to see you, too.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right. And folks coming up with the inauguration day fast approaching. How can we be praying in these days leading up to it? Well, after the break, we're going to talk about it. Don't go away.
SPEAKER 14 :
So if you like to think and you like to pray, FRC is the place for you.
SPEAKER 03 :
I think it is the best program out there.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, I've absolutely loved my experience interning at FRC. They really are making waves out in the political world and doing it from the light of the Lord. 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 03 :
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 11 :
The throne of Jesus Christ is unchallenged. His name was never on the ballot to begin with, and it's never gonna be on the ballot. He's the King of Kings, and he's the Lord of Lords, and nothing's gonna 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. This is Washington Watch. I'm Tony Perkins, your host. Good to have you with us. Hey, what does last week's terrorist attack in New Orleans and the fires raging in Southern California have in common? Well, they should both make it abundantly clear that we need God's hand to be upon this nation. In 12 days, our nation will inaugurate its 47th president, Donald Trump. That is not the finish line for us as Christians, it's the starting line. So working with Dr. Jim Garlow, I am co-hosting a special event the Sunday before the inauguration, the inauguration praise and prayer convocation. It's an opportunity to gather, celebrate God's faithfulness to our country, his mercy and his grace, and lift up our country in prayer. Joining me now to discuss this, Dr. Jim Garlow, founder and CEO of the ministry Well-Versed, who, as I mentioned, is co-sponsoring this event along with FRC. Dr. Garlow, welcome back to Washington Watch.
SPEAKER 04 :
Thank you. Good to be with you, Tony.
SPEAKER 05 :
And you are in Southern California. That's your home. Now, you're down in San Diego, a bit of a ways from the fires. But these are historic fires that are raging there in Los Angeles.
SPEAKER 04 :
Very sobering. Bring back memories. In 2013, we had 2,800 homes burned here in San Diego. In 2017, we had 1,600 homes burned. HERE IN SAN DIEGO. THERE WERE EXACT MEMORIES OF THAT. SO WE'RE EXTREMELY CONCERNED FOR WHAT'S HAPPENING IN LOS ANGELES RIGHT NOW. I DON'T KNOW, FOUR DIFFERENT FIRES OR SO THAT ARE OCCURRING AND NONE OF THEM ARE CONTAINED AT ALL.
SPEAKER 05 :
VERY SERIOUS. I think I see this as there are things that are beyond our control. Now, certain things we can do to prepare and protect, but we need God. And just as we see a new administration coming in that is certainly going to be more favorable to things we care about, we need to be praying. And that's a part of this event that we're doing on the Sunday before the inauguration is just to thank God for what he has done for but pray and intercede for our nation as we go forward. Talk a little bit about the motivation here and what we'll be doing.
SPEAKER 04 :
Tony, it's interesting. Almost everywhere I listen to or talk to, people use the same word, reprieve. We've been given a reprieve. Well, it's a two-year or a four-year reprieve, I don't know. But the church has been given a reprieve, a time to really get its act together. We're so thankful that Trump will be our new president, but Jesus is our king, our messiah, and our savior. And so for that purpose, we're coming before him to honor Jesus, to honor the Lord. We'll be praising and worshiping, and then we'll be praying for our new president in very specific areas that he literally have the mind of Christ, that he have a biblical worldview as he moves forward in all of these areas, protection over him. And then, Tony, I'm thankful you're going to be sharing, I think, a very prophetic and extremely important word about this reprieve and what the church needs to be doing at this particular time. I love your phrasing. This is not the finish line. It's the starting point. So the church has an incredible opportunity. right now that's been given us to step up in the arenas of holiness and righteousness, biblical justice and truth before a holy, righteous, and just God. So we invite people to come January 19th at 2 p.m. in the afternoon. That's a Sunday to the Greater New Hope Baptist Church on 8th Street Northwest, very close, Tony, to the FRC headquarters there. We invite them to come be a part of this important event.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, information on how folks can be a part of it.
SPEAKER 04 :
They can go to two places, wellversedworld.org, wellversedworld.org. They can sign up. There's no charge. Or they can go to the FRC. Tony, you ought to tell them exactly where on the FRC website to go. But either one of those they can go to. They can sign up. They don't need to. There it is right there, frc.org forward slash prayer. And we encourage you to come. Now, you need to sign up right away because the space is limited and we're almost at capacity. And because of the crowds and because of street closings that sometimes the Secret Service does, you know, it starts at two o'clock on Sunday afternoon. We urge you to arrive around 1245 or so, because there could be a number of crowds in the streets from other events. There's another large event going nearby. And then Secret Service may have some streets closed. So allow plenty of time to get there. We have to go through security as well to protect everyone. But we encourage you to come and worship the Lord with us, and we'll have a great celebration.
SPEAKER 05 :
And by the way, dress warmly because it's cold. And you'll be outside a lot if you're there in D.C. just kind of making your way around. So do dress warmly. Some of the folks that will be involved with this event, as you said, it's a prayer. We'll have a number of people praying as we pray over various aspects. Who are some of the other leaders that are going to be joining us?
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, Sean Fioik will be leading the worship. I already mentioned what Tony's going to be sharing, and so I think it's a word from the Lord. David Barton will be sharing just very briefly a history of presidential proclamations to pray, to fast, solemn assembly and such. And then we have everyone, Paula White, Jenny Korn, who've been involved in the last administration a great deal, a host of us, Matt Staver, Robert Tyler, Individuals praying. We're praying for Israel, Mike Evans. We have a high-level governmental official from a member of parliament in Ukraine that will be there. and some, frankly, some wounded soldiers. And I just received word this morning, Tony, I didn't have any chance to tell you this, that a member of the Knesset, Ohad Tal, was able to come. He just called me this morning, a few minutes ago, saying he was going to be able to come, and he'll be with us. He'll give an update on the hostage situation, an update from Israel. Then we'll be praying. for Israel. So there's a lot of people praying for different categories, praying for wisdom on the president. And then, Tony, if they also want to, we want to invite them to come to February 5, the event you and I are doing together, the National Gathering for Prayer and Repentance, the Museum of the Bible, and they can sign up at the same site.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, Dr. Jim Garlow, I look forward to seeing you on the 19th as we pray and kick off the administration of Donald Trump in prayer and praise. All right, folks, coming up next, a new report exposes the top offenders of Christian persecution. Hello, I'm Tony Perkins, President of the 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 do you know the Bible talks about four institutions of government? Do you know what they are? And do we have a republic or a democracy? Well, what do you say? Also, what about this saying 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 02 :
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 sage cons 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 05 :
Welcome back to Washington, Washington. Again, if you plan on being in D.C., I invite you to join us for the worship service leading up to the presidential inauguration. The registration, as Dr. Garlow said, is free, but space is limited. It's filling up very quickly. To register, just go to frc.org slash Bible. That's frc.org slash Bible. Also, if you're not able to, I'm sorry, that's prayer, frc.org slash prayer. And if you're not able to be here in D.C., you can, we'll be streaming it on the Stand Firm app, so make sure you have the Stand Firm app. Today's word is from Isaiah 55, verses one and two. Ho, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters. Why do you spend money for what is not bread and your wages for what does not satisfy? These verses remind us that salvation is free. It cannot be earned or purchased, only accepted. Yet many still chase empty things that never truly satisfy. God's invitation is universal, crossing cultural and ethnic boundaries. But notice that it's extended only to the thirsty. Unless we long for what God offers, a righteousness that restores our relationship with Him, His gift remains unopened. Jesus reiterates this in Matthew 5, verse 6, Many look elsewhere for fulfillment, yet only God meets our soul's deepest need. We must personally respond to His call. We've all heard the saying, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink. The same principle applies spiritually. God sets before us living water, but we must decide to drink. Are you thirsty for him? If so, he promises to satisfy. To find out more about our journey through the Bible, text BIBLE to 67742. That's BIBLE to 67742. Yesterday, a new annual report was released that exposes the top offenders of Christian persecution worldwide. The red list, compiled by Global Christian Relief using the Violence Incident Database, highlights the top five countries where documented killings, arrests, displacements, attacks and assaults, and abductions against Christians are most severe. and it notes some troubling trends. Joining me to unpack the new report is Isaac Six. He is the Senior Director of Advocacy for Global Christian Relief. Isaac, welcome to Washington Watch. Good to see you and a happy new year.
SPEAKER 08 :
Good to see you too. Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER 05 :
So before we jump into this list, share with what makes this list unique, Isaac.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, I'd be happy to. So a couple of years ago, Global Christian Relief identified a need when it came to reporting on Christian persecution. There are several great annual reports that come out from organizations that we cooperate with on assisting the persecuted, and those reports have their role to play. But we noted that there wasn't any reporting happening of hard, verifiable data using public sources on some of these numbers. So a lot of the We'll look at, they'll take surveys, they'll make estimates about the numbers. But we noted that when we're talking with policymakers and we're talking with leaders, they want numbers that can be verified, that can be sourced easily in public sources, and that are very hard to refute. So that's where we decided to come up with the Red List. And that's built on the violent incidents database, which is research that we've commissioned. So this is over two years of very intense research. looking at every single possible public source and report on persecution over the last couple of years and then tabulating those numbers. The second reason we did this is we also, for our own work, wanted to be able to focus and be effective on the ground. We're in these countries doing work with the persecuted church. And so we need to see what we were missing and where we need to help.
SPEAKER 05 :
So let's go through the categories. Let's start with what is obviously most concerning. That is the killing, killing of Christians. This is where we find Nigeria to be the most dangerous place in the world for Christians.
SPEAKER 08 :
That's right. We documented 9,814 killings in a two-year period. That confirms a lot of other reporting out there that Nigeria is the most dangerous place on earth for Christians where they face the most intense violence. Our number is a little lower, again, than you're going to see in some other reports because we're only using numbers that we can source from verifiable quality sources. So, but yes, Nigeria for a long time now has been one of the most dangerous places for Christians to operate. The stories coming out of Nigeria are almost unimaginable. And I think if the American church heard some of these stories on a regular basis, they would be shocked. Just one example. Go ahead.
SPEAKER 05 :
No, this is something I've been discussing for some time, going back to when I was on, you worked at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, and so we first connected there. This picture has grown increasingly dark for Christians in Nigeria. There was a ray of light during the previous Trump administration when Secretary Pompeo took our recommendation to list Nigeria as a country of particular concern. The Biden administration immediately removed it from the list when they came in, and it has only gotten worse since then in the last four years. What's it going to take to turn things around there in Nigeria?
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, it's going to take a lot. And you're absolutely right. At the very end of the Trump administration, that was the first time Nigeria was ever designated a country of particular concern, despite years of targeted killings. So, to see that designation removed, and that designation is important. It signals to these countries that the United States and others are extremely concerned about what's happening. And it can open up these countries to economic sanctions and other measures. So it's going to take a concerted, organized effort at the policy level and also at the ground level to shift the tide in Nigeria. But it's simply been unaddressed. The federal government and the state governments in Nigeria need to be put under a lot more pressure to do something about this. They probably have the resources, but they're just not prioritizing protecting Christians in the middle and northern parts of the country.
SPEAKER 05 :
So, I mean, this is... Before we move on to one of the next categories, this is one that is... for me, very problematic because these people have very little defense and their government is not helping them, basically just turning a blind eye as these Muslim radicals are killing Christians, burning their homes, their churches, attacking them. You said the church needs to become aware. What can be done to aid in the plight of our brothers and sisters there in Nigeria?
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah. Well, if you go to our website, gcrelief.org, you're going to see some of the stories and the projects that we're doing. It's a whole range. We're going in and bandaging the church. We're finding those who've lost everything. One of the stories I just wrote after we conducted an interview with one of the survivors there, and we haven't published it yet, but as a woman who was taken by Boko Haram, which is one of the primary Islamist groups there committing persecution, And with her children, several of her children and four of her sons were executed in front of her as soon as she was taken captive. And then she spent another year and a half in captivity, finally escaped and had nothing at all. So through our ministry and one of the pastors we support there who found her, we were able to provide her with a new home to live in, to be reunited with her children. We helped her start a new business and basically start her life again and get back on her feet. So, there's — but we are just a drop in the bucket compared to the need there to restore the church. At the same time, though, it's going to take political pressure as well, because a lot of these areas where Boko Haram and these other groups have come in and wiped out Christian communities, other Muslim groups have moved in and taken over their land and property. And they're not planning to give it back anytime soon.
SPEAKER 05 :
JOHN YANG All right. What other countries make that top five in terms of the killing of Christians?
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, so there's several other countries on the top five list with killing of Christians, although they are leagues away from Nigeria. They're in the hundreds in terms of what we were able to document. And again, I should clarify, there are probably more killings than what we're documenting. These are just carefully verified sources. So number two is the Democratic Republic of Congo. Number three is Mozambique. Number four is Ethiopia. And then sort of surprising, number five is Russia.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, let's talk about Russia. Now, I know that Russia has been a problem for religious freedom because my time on the commission for speaking out, they sanctioned me. I've been sanctioned by both China and Russia. But is this related to what they're doing in Ukraine, where they're the targeting of Christians in the territories in Ukraine?
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, it's actually a mix with Russia. So, in terms of the killings, a lot of the numbers we verified are the result of an Islamist insurgency in the North Caucasus, in a region called Dagestan, which borders Azerbaijan and Georgia and the Caspian Sea. And so there we see Russian Orthodox Christians and others being targeted by Islamist violence. At the same time, Russia also makes our list for arrests. And that is taking place primarily in occupied areas of eastern Ukraine, where, at the behest of Russian Orthodox leaders, evangelicals, Baptists, Pentecostals are being arrested and detained if they refuse to comply with new rules, if they continue to try to worship freely, if they don't hand over property to the Russian occupying forces, things like that. There are also some killings we've confirmed in eastern Ukraine of evangelicals by Russian forces or Russian proxy forces.
SPEAKER 05 :
Do we know what is happening to those Christians who are being arrested and detained there by Russian authorities?
SPEAKER 08 :
Yes, some of them are being sent away. Some of them are facing long term sentences. Others are released on various conditions, but they're in hiding. I heard from someone who survived or who has family members who are living essentially in an underground church type situation now, a Baptist family. And so, yeah, there's various outcomes, but it's not good for most of them. And there's really no due process for any of them when it comes to the charges that they're facing.
SPEAKER 05 :
Isaac, another country that has been on my radar in my time with the commission and one that is kind of getting a pass from many in the West just because of their growing economic power, and that is India. India has become a very difficult country for Christians.
SPEAKER 08 :
That's right. And India tops our list in terms of attacks on Christian property, targeted attacks. A lot of that is from riots that have taken place over the last couple of years in Manipur, India, where thousands of tens of thousands of Christians have been displaced and thousands of Christian buildings and churches and homes have been wiped out or destroyed. But, yes, India is a good example of why our focus on violence is so important, because the persecutors—this isn't just random violence. Persecutors use violence to drive out Christians and then to take control and capture the culture in some of these countries. So, in India, for example, this is a decade of systematic, planned, organized occupation of some Christian areas. And it's now at the point where every Every single rung of civil society and government is armed against Christian communities, impoverished Christian communities in some of these places, meaning you have no recourse. The police aren't going to help you. If you manage to get in front of a judge, the judge is biased against you. Every institution has sort of been captured over a decade in some parts of India, and that's leading to mass suppression of the church.
SPEAKER 05 :
Very similar situation in Nigeria from a standpoint of the government being against you. You have no recourse. And this is, you know, I always like to look at these issues internationally from a domestic standpoint as well, is this is why we need to make sure that we have religious freedom in this country, because this is what happens when you don't have it. We just have about four minutes left, Isaac. Let's talk a little bit about the, first off, where can people see the full report? Give us that information.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, please go to GCRelief. That's GCRelief.org. You're going to find a link to the report on the front page of our website, or you can go to the tab labeled Research at the top. There's a drop-down box. You can fill in your email address through a link there and get a full copy of the report.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, and if you didn't get that, just go to TonyPerkins.com and follow the links over. All right, let's talk about the trends that you're seeing here that are troubling.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, I think one of the big ones, and again, this is why this kind of research is important, because one of the trends we've noticed, and it's just so far outside of the public eye, but the growth of radical Islamist insurgencies in the sub-Saharan Africa, the Sahel, sub-Saharan Africa, and now deep into the southern and southeastern parts of Africa is uprooting things there. I mean, places like Mozambique, which makes our list instead several places where there's been mass displacement of Christians. These are places where only 10 years ago, Christians and Muslims generally got along peacefully. There was not as much dissension. And that whole landscape is changing. So a lot of the southern half of that continent, which there is immense mineral wealth, Places like the Congo, where 75 percent, 70 percent of global cobalt production happens, which is for all the batteries that we use for everything, these areas are riven by this conflict. So it's going to have effects across the globe. And that's why we need people in the church in America to become involved, because they can help us stand against this time.
SPEAKER 05 :
So let's talk about, in just a couple of minutes we have left, policy recommendations in terms of what the incoming administration might do to provide greater protection through influence with these foreign governments for Christians around the globe.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah. Well, the number one by far that we have been pushing for quite some time, and I know you have as well, but we need to redesignate Nigeria a country of particular Trump can do that on day one when he steps into office, and that'll signal to Nigerian authorities that it's time to pay attention to this again. And then there's further measures that we can go beyond that. They need to understand that the relationship with the United States is going to deteriorate quickly if these mass killings and attacks continue to happen. So that's first. There's others. With India, we're recommending that the next administration build relationships at the state level with leaders there. relationship with the United States is dependent on upholding certain values like religious freedom. And then we have several other recommendations. The last one I'll note is with Azerbaijan. As you know, Azerbaijan drove out 120,000 Christians in late 2023. They wiped out 1,700 years of Christian presence in an area called Nagorno-Karabakh. And so we've pushed and others are pushing Azerbaijan to reopen that corridor, allow these, give these people the right to return home, even if they're not going to relinquish the territory.
SPEAKER 05 :
A lot to be done, and it shows the influence the United States can have. We were trending in a positive direction during the last Trump administration, and all that was lost, and we've fallen back during the last four years. Isaac, I want to thank you for joining us. Appreciate the work that you do. It's very, very important work.
SPEAKER 08 :
Thank you so much for having us. We really appreciate it.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, Isaac 6. To find out more, go to the website, TonyPerkins.com, and you can follow the links over. And this is another reason to be praying. We all are affected by this, and we need to be praying for our brothers and sisters and sharing in the challenges that they have. We can use our voice to help them regain theirs. All right, we're out of time, folks. Thanks for joining me. Until next time, I leave you once again with the encouraging words of the Apostle Paul, found in Ephesians 6, where he says, when you've done everything you can do, when you've prayed, when you've prepared, and when you've taken your stand, by all means, keep standing.
SPEAKER 07 :
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.
