In this episode of Drive Radio, John and Richard Rush dive deep into their latest test drive of the 2025 Volvo EX30, Volvo's entry-level all-electric compact SUV. They explore its performance capabilities, particularly its exhilarating acceleration from zero to sixty in just over three seconds, and talk about the car's suitability for those entering the electric vehicle market. Unlike many of its competitors, the EX30 offers thrilling performance at a price that won't break the bank.
SPEAKER 01 :
All right, that time of the week where we do car reviews. And I appreciate you all listening and all the questions that you have when it comes to new cars, used cars as well, which a lot of these will become used cars on down the road. But, Richard, what did you drive lately?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, Dad, so you and I both got a chance to drive this vehicle, which was one of the more fun ones of recent. And that's a 2025 Volvo EX30, which is their entry-level all-electric engine. I'm going to call it an SUV, Dad, because it's an SUV, but this thing is a compact SUV, right? It is not overly large, and I want to get that out of the way because some of you are going to get in and be like, man, this thing is – yes, it is tight. There's not a lot of cargo room, not a lot of space. However, Dad, you are getting a – I'm going to call it a performance EV, which a lot of them are, for less than $50,000 right at $50,000. So we drove the – twin motor performance ultra model. There's also a twin motor performance plus model. They also have a single motor variety, dad. But what I will say is this twin motor variety, where it takes you from zero to 16, about three and a half seconds. It was an absolute blast to drive. I had a lot of fun and you've driven comparable cars. You actually own comparable cars, SUVs to this. What did you think?
SPEAKER 01 :
I really enjoyed the car. A few of the things on it, Volvo, if you're listening, just maybe it's me, Richard. I'll get your opinion on this as well. A little funky on the nav, all of that end of things. The center stack, I guess you could say. They're trying to make it kind of like Tesla, and I'll just be straight up honest. It doesn't work for me. Go ahead and put the dash back in it like it should be. Give me a regular screen and call it good because it's really kind of wonky how they did that. And out of all of the car... So zero complaints, drivability, how it functions, its speed, everything else. I'm not a fan, and I know that other car companies do this. I don't like the big square credit card type key. You know, give me a fob, whatever. And I get it. They're trying to move to... you know apps and phones and so on but i think they're still and they're proving this there's a large segment of the market that still like physical things buttons fobs and so in fact a lot of manufacturers richard are moving back to having actual knobs it shows what people want volvo if you're listening change it back and i would love this car even more would i not buy this car because of it no but would i prefer it to be different yes i would
SPEAKER 02 :
Absolutely, and for folks who are listening, essentially it's like a key card, credit card type of a deal that you put next to the driver's side. I guess that would be the B-pillar, Dad, right, as you're getting in. It opens the vehicle. It did have a key fob. I'm with you, even as tech-savvy as you and I are, and I love that kind of stuff. It was just funky getting used to it. Maybe the more you do it, the easier it gets, but definitely something to get used to. Outside of that, I'm with you. The center stack itself, I would love to see it a little bit simplified, but again, it may be something that just ties in. It takes a little bit more getting used to. Outside of that, the performance of this was fantastic. About 250 to 260 miles of range, which for most people, I know 300 is a big number. or I should say the most common number. But, Dad, with it being a smaller SUV, I can understand why. I just will say this. Under $50,000, if you're looking to get into kind of the intro electric market, Dad, there's other competitors out there that are a lot more expensive than this car was, and that was something that I really liked. It was something that I was a fan of and something that would entice me to really look at this vehicle strongly because it was something that I felt like, Yeah, again, you could get in this car and have a lot of fun with it, and I think it would make sense for a lot of people.
SPEAKER 01 :
And again, that car starts at, depending on how you equip it, in the low 40s, which that might even be changing as well. Keep your eye on that, as everybody knows with some of the credits and things going away. I would say keep your eye on that because that could very well, Richard, be changing. But yeah, all in all, great car. Love the performance. Love the way it rode. Love the interior quietness. of this car. People are asking me now to get a decibel reading. I'm going to start doing that on the more of these I drive. I didn't do it on this car, but I will. But I will say, Richard, all in all, very quiet cabin. And I know I got to get things wrapped up, but I really enjoyed the car.
SPEAKER 02 :
Nope, absolutely. I would agree with you. And that was actually that's the last thing I'll say, too, is it was nice and quiet. And for a smaller, obviously electric, you would expect it to be dead. But for a smaller SUV, definitely they've done a great job on that side. So if you want to learn more about it, folks, Head to your local Volvo dealers. This is new for this year, new for 2025. Again, 2025 Volvo EX30. Check it out, and when you do that, let them know that John and Richard Rush from Drive Radio and Rush to Reason sent you.
SPEAKER 01 :
This is John Rush from Rush to Reason and Drive Radio. Thank you so much for listening. Check out more of our podcasts at RushToReason.com or Drive-Radio.com.
In this thought-provoking episode, John Rush engages with Dr. Kelly Victory and Steve House to delve into the intricate dynamics between Big Pharma and government, focusing on the recent deal between Pfizer and the White House. Join us as they explore the ramifications of bypassing traditional distribution channels and the impact on drug prices for the American public. The conversation also touches upon the roles of key figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the political strategies influencing healthcare decisions.
SPEAKER 11 :
This is Rush to Reason.
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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.
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With your host, John Rush.
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My advice to you is to do what your parents did!
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SPEAKER 13 :
Are you crazy? Am I? Or am I so sane that you just blew your mind?
SPEAKER 11 :
It's Rush to Reason with your host, John Rush, presented by Cub Creek Heating and Air Conditioning.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, we are back. Sorry, don't mean to cough in your ear there. Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Dr. Kelly Victory and Steve House with us. Dr. Kelly, how are you today?
SPEAKER 09 :
I'm doing great. Thanks for having me.
SPEAKER 03 :
Always a joy. Steve, welcome as well. Thank you for coming back this week as well. Glad to be here, guys. All right. Last week, Dr. Kelly, you weren't with us, but Steve and I covered a little bit, and then we kind of got off on a bunch of other things that we talked about last week. But we did talk about briefly the Pfizer and White House deal. You were not with us, and I know you wanted to add some things to that, so I'll let you have the floor.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, you know, I was really distressed when you talk about the – excuse me, the Pfizer deal, Albert Borla, the CEO of Pfizer, was there in the Oval Office with President Trump and Bobby Kennedy and others. And President Trump was singing his praises as a leader, as a great leader during COVID and talking about the tremendous contribution that Pfizer and Borla made to the outcome of the pandemic and on and on. And I watched the thing just appall saying, what in the world are you talking about? It was not that long ago that we all were really hardened that President Trump had posted on Twitter that he was open to and really demanding to see the data about the vaccines and that he was willing and ready to acknowledge if they weren't actually the wonder drug, the wonder intervention that he had hoped they'd be. Now, fast forward to October and all of a sudden he's hosting Albert Bourla, you know, and giving him some sort of, you know, tremendous prize. In addition to the fact that he is agreeing to 70 billion dollars worth of additional research and development of mRNA platform drugs. I found it absolutely appalling. I heard an interview yesterday or the day before with Mehmet Oz from CMS referring to Borla having been in and, quote, bending a knee to President Trump. I don't know what press conference Mehmet Oz was watching, but I sure as heck didn't see it. Albert Bourla or anybody from Big Pharma bending a knee. I think it was quite the opposite.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, and question on my part, and Steve, we didn't really get into this last week, but if they're now basically sidestepping that middleman and they're just going directly to, quote unquote, you know, the Trump Rx website, how I mean, unless I'm missing something, Dr. Kelly, they're not discounting the drugs. They're just cutting out some of the middleman markup. Am I right in my thought process?
SPEAKER 09 :
Yes, correct. They are cutting out some of the, you know, some of this is, I think, slight of hand. They're cutting out some of the middlemen, which is a big deal.
SPEAKER 03 :
I get that. I get that. Absolutely. But in this case, Pfizer's not taking a cut is my point, right?
SPEAKER 09 :
Correct. Correct. Pfizer is not going to lose a dime.
SPEAKER 03 :
Thank you.
SPEAKER 09 :
And that's the same thing with regard to the, you know, quote, most favored nation status. You know, all they are going to do, they are agreeing to sell us drugs at the same price that they sell to other countries. And so what they will do is they will decrease the cost to us and they will increase the price that they charge to some other countries. I guarantee not a dime will be lost by big pharma in all of this. It may ultimately bring down the cost of drugs somewhat for Americans, including those people on Medicare and Medicaid primarily. And I have been a huge proponent of cutting out middlemen.
SPEAKER 03 :
Right.
SPEAKER 09 :
But rest assured, big pharma is not going to take any loss.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, and Steve, we talked about, again, some of this last week, and then we got off to talking about all sorts of other things, and it was still a great hour. I'm not questioning anything of what we did there, but I think the more time we've had now to sort of look at the deal and what's happened, and even you and I talked about how the middleman gets cut out, but Dr. Kelly's correct. At the end of the day, and we didn't mention this last week, but at the end of the day, Pfizer's not losing a thing here.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, no, they're not only not losing a thing, but how is it that you can do a direct consumer program to Medicaid patients who can't afford to pay for health care? Who's paying for the drug that they're now taking direct because they're bypassing health insurance, they're bypassing the middleman? And Medicaid's a little bit different because it may be that the Medicaid program will pay for those drugs. But for everybody else, direct consumer has been going on for five or six years now. No one has claimed it's made a hell of a difference, and I don't think it will in this case. I think, you know, to Kelly's point, first of all, Pfizer didn't give anything up. Right now, at this moment, first of all, we have a major drug problem from drug manufacturing, drug safety, distribution, pricing, drug use, both illicit and prescription in this country. But there's another factor, and that is this past week, correct me if I'm wrong, but it's become fairly clear that between APAC and And the pharma companies, they're funding political campaigns around the country and driving the narrative that suits them best. And those two are two of the biggest.
SPEAKER 03 :
Dr. Kelly, and again, your thoughts on all of this. And again, Steve's right. And really, at the end of the day, what Pfizer did, and again, maybe I'm not seeing this correctly, but they sort of just secured their own future by what they did. And Steve's right. There's been a lot of direct to pay, and it'll be interesting to see how all of this ends up shaking out. But again, at the end of the day, I think to your point, they're not losing anything. The bending of the knee, I guess what we're going back to, hasn't happened.
SPEAKER 09 :
Correct. I didn't see any of that. And I'm very concerned that although and I think that Bobby Kennedy is probably feels very differently about this than the president. That's my guess. Unfortunately, I didn't. I am seeing deal making happening with the devil. here. Big Pharma has not been our friend. They have been raping Americans on the cost of drugs for decades and decades. They have produced some of the things that have created tremendous illness and suffering and disease rather than curing it. We certainly saw that with the COVID quote unquote vaccine program. We've seen it with statin drugs and other drugs that have caused more harm than good. And, you know, I don't I really am perplexed as to why the president would go down this path unless once again he's getting bad advice. We certainly saw that happen with Anthony Fauci. I don't know who's advising him on these things or what the exchange of dollars is, but I doesn't look good.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay, along those lines, and this was going to be my next question, so go to you first and we'll go to Steve. And that is my main question. Who is advising him on all of this? What are your thoughts there? And I guess the question on a lot of the issues with this direct-to-consumer drugs and so on, where is RFK Jr. in all of this?
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, as I said, unfortunately, I don't think that he has carte blanche to do what he wants. If you watched that press conference with Borla, I felt like daggers were shooting out of Bobby's eyes into the back of Borla's head. As Trump was, you know, lauding him and praising him. I don't think this is something there's no question that Robert Kennedy Jr. has fought. He's litigated against big pharma for decades. He knows them well. He certainly is not a big proponent of the vaccine programs in general. There are lots of things that I think he disagrees with the president on. But unfortunately, things don't necessarily happen on our time frame. They happen on a different time frame. And that doesn't mean that there aren't that we won't ultimately get where we need to be. I would have wanted, for example. the COVID mRNA shots to be withdrawn from the market on day one of this administration. Obviously, that hasn't happened. We have seen some significantly changed, quote, guidelines from the CDC. We've seen some significant movement in terms of exposing or demanding more research and more safety data. But things, unfortunately, in Washington work a little bit more slowly than I would like.
SPEAKER 03 :
Absolutely. Steve, your comments on that, then we'll take a quick break.
SPEAKER 13 :
I mean, clearly, look, something happened between Borla and Trump in the COVID vaccine development process, Operation Warp Speed. It may be nothing any more complex than him saying to Pfizer, look, you guys do this for me, make me look good. I'm running for reelection and I'll always take care of you. And he's trying to live up to that promise. I still I still absolutely believe. He does not want to say that the COVID vaccine didn't work. His ego is having a hell of a time with that. And so, therefore, bring Pfizer forward. You want to make Pfizer look good because there's questions about them. You do this to give them an opportunity to look good. Unfortunately, it's the wrong thing at the wrong time at the wrong price for the wrong people. It's just not the right thing to do.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yep. All right. That's a great stopping point. We'll come right back. And, again, all of you listening, if you've got a question for us, Dr. Kelly or Steve House, specifically, send me a text message, 307. 200-8222-307-2822. You hear me talk about Dr. Scott a lot. He actually filled in for me yesterday as I was out on a very important family event, which I may talk about a little bit later, but I had a great time yesterday. Thank you for giving me that time off, and Dr. Scott did a great job filling in. You can reach Dr. Scott directly, 303-663-6990.
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SPEAKER 11 :
No liberal media bias here. This is Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, we are back. Dr. Kelly Victory, Steve House. If you have ever wondered, you know, why do we talk to them every Thursday, go back through some of our podcasts and different things that we've had, you know, our recordings, I should say, that we've had for the past five years during this particular hour on Thursdays, and you'll know why we've been doing this all through COVID and since, and we've continued on. Had a great call that came in during the break. Dr. Kelly, I'll start with you, and the question is, okay, we've got Pfizer, and they're, you know, making this deal, and it's going to be direct to consumer and so on, and They're sort of being unvilified, if you would, over the vaccines and so on. And yet we've got Kenview, the maker of Tylenol, that was vilified a few weeks ago. And fact of the matter is, I don't know this personally, but. from the face value sides of things, Dr. Kelly, I would look at what Kenview does and all of their subsidiaries and what they actually make in regards to, you know, Johnson's and Listerine and Neutrogena and Tylenol and Motrin and Benadryl and Band-Aid. And I can go down the list of things that they actually are involved in as far as the manufacturing of. And no offense, these are everyday things that people use to make their life better. And yet they're vilified. What am I missing here, Dr. Kelly?
SPEAKER 09 :
No, I agree. And the real problem with the connection between, with regard to the impact on the companies and marketing, the connection between autism and acetaminophen is that acetaminophen is the drug that they were trying to implicate in potentially being a causative agent for autism. Tylenol is a manufacturer brand name in the same way that after the, you know, the, the Jonestown massacre people use the word Kool-Aid again, you know, Kool-Aid is a brand name, but these, you know, shares of Kool-Aid plummeted because it was associated with that rather than just sort of a powdered drink mix. They should never have used the word Tylenol. None of us should, we should be referring to it as acetaminophen. And there are many, many manufacturers of acetaminophen. Tylenol is a brand name, and I do think that they've taken it on the chin. Yeah, I mean, people use them interchangeably, but there are lots of companies that manufacture acetaminophen, and there are lots of products that have acetaminophen in them other than just the simple pill or that that we know as Tylenol. It's included in lots and lots, for example, of cold and flu medications made by other companies.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, and really quick, to prove your point, Dr. Kelly, Tylenol, Panadol, Excedrin, Dayquil, Fevral, and I could keep going.
SPEAKER 09 :
Exactly. Exactly. So, you know, I feel badly for this manufacturer because the name Tylenol has gotten thrown around. But people need to remember Tylenol is simply a brand name like Kool-Aid or Kleenex.
SPEAKER 04 :
Right.
SPEAKER 09 :
You know, we use it ubiquitously to refer, you know, Kleenex is a perfect example. What you really mean is tissue. Facial tissue, that's right. Facial tissue, but we use the word Kleenex all the time when that's actually a brand name.
SPEAKER 03 :
Absolutely. Steve, your thoughts on all of this? And again, I think it was a great question. I have no issues with the question. In fact, I kind of wonder the same thing. It's like, okay, wait a minute. We've got a company out there that really, for all intents and purposes, Steve, produces a lot of different things. Now, whether you agree with each particular brand and its uses and so on, that's probably up for discussion maybe even a later time. But all in all, a brand that people have come to recognize of building quality products across the board that help their everyday life, and yet they were vilified the other day.
SPEAKER 13 :
Yeah, I mean, this is part of the problem I have with drugs in America. It's so complicated that the average American, if you said, can you take Advil and Tylenol at the same time, most will say no because they think they're the same thing. Is Motrin more Tylenol or is Motrin Advil? We don't want them to advertise on TV, but there's got to be a simpler way for people to understand what they're taking, why they're taking it, and get to know, because there's so many drugs in play right now. So, yeah, you know, one company taking the hit because they're the Kleenex of acetaminophen is, you know, it's not fair to that company, but that same company published something back in 2017 or 2018 saying that if you're pregnant, we don't recommend you take any of our products.
SPEAKER 03 :
Right.
SPEAKER 13 :
So why are they ignoring the fact that they tweeted that out five, six, eight years ago?
SPEAKER 03 :
Dr. Kelly, that's a great question and one that I was wondering the same thing of.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, clearly, you know, one of the problems, as Steve points out, is that people are just uh ignorant of they are not well informed about these things i can't tell you uh how many people have confusion over the difference between an antihistamine and a decongestant and they are opposites you know and there's an appropriate time to use one and not the other Sometimes both together. As Steve said, people don't know the difference between ibuprofen and acetaminophen, which drugs contain which ones. We have many, many issues for all the hype about ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine. We have, by orders of magnitude, more overdoses on acetaminophen because people don't think to look at the back of the bottle. They say they've got a bad cold or the flu. They'll take a couple of Tylenol and then proceed to take Dayquil or NyQuil or one of the other multitude of... compound, a mixture of cold and flu medications, and they're getting more acetaminophen. They shouldn't have taken those first two pills. That's how you get toxic and end up with liver injury from acetaminophen because it's contained in so many different things. So a lot of it is what we call pharmaceutical ignorance. that people just are not well educated. And I think we should do a better job of it. If I were surgeon general, that would be a big part of what I would do. Some basic education on these simple medications that are over the counter because most of them are relatively safe, but you can get into trouble if you don't know what you're doing and you're stacking them on top of each other by taking, you know, as I said, it's very, very common with cold and flu medications that because some will contain a decongestant or an antihistamine or acetaminophen or something else that's combined in there. And then you take a second medication that contains the same thing, and there can be some overlap.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay, so here's a question for you. No, go ahead, Steve. Jump in. Go ahead.
SPEAKER 13 :
So not to toot Kelly's horn specifically, but when I watched the commercial with her and Peter, and they're talking about the fact that And even, you know, the other doctors, too, they talk about the fact that you get this kit, right? It's a kit for when you have a flu. It's a kit for the wintertime when you're sick. And you have to go through a doctor's visit to get it with them, you know, over the phone. But there's a part of me that believes that one of the best ways to lower health care costs would be for everyone to have that kit who needs it. Because in reality, instead you end up in the ED or you make a mistake and you take too much of acetaminophen or you don't take enough pain reliever because you don't think you can take Advil and Tylenol together. If everyone had a basic cold and flu kit at home, we'd have less ED visits and I think it would pay for itself many times over.
SPEAKER 03 :
So, Dr. Kelly, along those lines, there was a question. Steve really took the words out of my mouth. How do people become more aware? And by the way, is this something that the three of us need to work on? And I put something up on the website where we can make this a little bit more easy for people to really understand. Or what are your thoughts there?
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, again, I'm not here to promote my company, the wellness company, but what Steve's pointing out is correct. I think, and if you had asked me five years ago before COVID, I would have had a very different answer. But what I realized during the COVID debacle, truly, is that most people, most Americans are a lot smarter than we've given them credit for when it comes to their own health. For example... There isn't a woman out there who doesn't know when she has a bladder infection, a urinary tract infection, okay? You know. It's not subtle. If you've had one before, you know. There's zero reason that that woman should have to march herself into her doctor's office or an urgent care or, God forbid, the emergency department. incur a $1,000 plus bill plus waste hours of her time and take up a much needed hospital bed or room while she gets evaluated to say for somebody to get a urine sample and say, yep, you got a urinary tract infection. Here's your prescription for antibiotics. Number one, she's just wasted anywhere from eight to 12 hours when she could, if she had those antibiotics at home already, She could have started treating herself right then. And that's, I think, the way I'm not talking about saying that, you know, an emergency kit or having medications at home replaces your need to go to the doctor or to have a primary care physician or potentially to go to the emergency department. But so many things. are treatable, easily treatable at home with common sense and a guidebook or a telemedicine visit. And you would take the stress, the pressure off of the tertiary care centers, the emergency departments, and also have exponentially lower health care bills as a result.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay. Makes total sense. And Steve, when you say a cold kit, you know, cold care kit and Dr. Kelly, you know, the wellness company, you know, Steve, first of all, what do you mean by that? And Dr. Kelly, do you have that? And can you fill that? Steve, I'll start with you.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, I mean, frankly, I mean, a normalized, relatively broad-scale antibiotic is a good idea because, like you said, Kelly said, I know if I have a bladder infection. I know if I've got an ear infection. I mean, at least I have a pretty good idea. The beauty of it is I could call the doctor or call somebody or look something up even. And if there was enough education, I think the kid has to have at least a little bit of education. To say, look, if you have this symptom and this symptom, then feel free to try this, plus add zinc and vitamin C. And if it doesn't help you in two days, then you need to think about a different strategy. I mean, that by itself, you've already got the resources to solve the problem. They're in the kit. You've pre-qualified by talking to a doctor. You've got some education. And it's likely not going to do any harm to you. Because you wouldn't have gotten the kit in the first place if you had pre-existing conditions that would prevent you from getting it. So why not that as opposed to a rush of people in the ER at $5,000 a shot in November and December?
SPEAKER 03 :
Right. Dr. Kelly, and you know, I've talked about this in the past, and this is one of the things, one of the complaints that I have. And I understand that when you go to other countries, you have to be careful about what they offer in some of their pharmacies. I guess I should say it that way because you know what I'm talking about here, and that all of them are not created equal. I get that. Although there are some legitimate places, and you can get what you need, and you can even, in foreign countries, put together some of these kits that Steve is talking about and you're talking about. So I always have a dumb question. Why can't we do that here? I mean, why do you have to go to a second world country to get that over the counter? Why can't we do this here?
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, that's primarily, you know, that's one of the reasons why our company was founded. It was because of our experience with the COVID pandemic and the fact that for the first time in my career as a physician, we saw this egregious intrusion of everybody from politicians to pharmacists to, you know, news media people telling people what they couldn't and couldn't get. For things like ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine. I had patients who were unable to buy these things. We had entire, you know, big box chains, Walgreens, Walmart, you know, refusing to fill these prescriptions. And we said, no more. We are going to allow people to get access. to an array of prescription medications that they can have on hand. That's everything from antibiotics to antivirals, steroids for allergic reactions, medications for nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, the sorts of things you would need if you were traveling or if you were just home and didn't want to have to go to the ER or an emergency or an urgent care. And I think that we are doing that here and trying to make these things available because I don't want people fleeing to Mexico or elsewhere and getting something that perhaps isn't what they thought it was, is contaminated or tainted or not produced under the highest quality standards. So I think that really what we learned out of COVID was that we are doing a tremendous service to allow people to have these things on hand for their family. These are prescription medications that are written for the individual. They're not willy-nilly. And there's a backup, as I said, of having a telemedicine visit or a call with a practitioner if you have any questions about how to use them. I think it's been a long time coming. Interestingly, as an aside, we have now more and more states. I think we're up to 17 states that have now made ivermectin over-the-counter. which it is, by the way, in almost every country other than the United States. So after all of what people went through during covid, finally, more rational heads have prevailed. And ivermectin is slowly becoming over the counter in more and more states.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay, dumb question. Why, and I get what you're saying, you can now with your website, and there's others, of course, like it, because some of these have just sprung up over the past five years, Dr. Kelly, to your point, but all that being said... Why can't some of these like ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine, why can't a local, you know, and I get it, you don't want to probably maybe just put those things out on the shelf. And even in places like Mexico, they're not. You still got to go talk to a pharmacist and actually ask for it. It comes behind the counter and so on. But at the end of the day, why can't we do that in the U.S.? In other words, why does it have to be, you know, quote, unquote, prescribed?
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, I think the issues are multiple, but here are just a few from a clinician's perspective, independent of who controls the money and all that. One of our concerns about having ready access to antibiotics is that every time people sneeze or cough, chances are 99.9% that it is a virus. Yet people will choose to take an antibiotic because they don't know. That's how you drive antibiotic resistance. That's how you end up with tuberculosis that is resistant to almost every drug. That's how you end up with strep and staph that are MRSA, things that are resistant to antibiotics, is the inappropriate use of antibiotics. So that's one thing. Number two. We can't all of a sudden expect your average layperson to be a clinician. If you have a child, for example, a young child, a two-year-old who develops a high fever, and you say, well, I guess I should start giving him or her some amoxicillin because you must have an infection. There must be an infection, but what if that infection is meningitis? And that parent doesn't seek medical care because they think that, well, I've got my noxicillin right here. I'll just treat little Johnny at home. And the next thing you know, little Johnny's having a seizure and dying. you know, is on a ventilator in the ICU. So it's the concern about misdiagnosing and not understanding. So it's a fine line. We make these things available for adults with the idea that, you know, we are trying to guide people to treat common, easily treatable signs and symptoms and infections with medications without making them so readily available that everybody can just go in and grab an antibiotic and and start taking it for what's actually a viral infection. And the next thing you know, we have rampant antibiotic resistance.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay, so devil's advocate here. And maybe they do have this problem. I just don't know it. Does places like Mexico have the problems that you're mentioning? Because they can do what we're talking about. And literally go in over the counter and buy the same things that we're talking about. Is that a problem there or do they have no offense? I don't consider them to be smarter than Americans. I don't consider us to be smarter than them on the same token. But at the end of the day, do they have that problem there?
SPEAKER 09 :
I agree. Number one, I agree with you. They are not necessarily better educated than we are. I can't speak to whether or not they have higher incidence of antibiotic resistance. I don't know that. And it may simply be that they've been because they've been able to access these things, you know, forever. They've been able to do it that they just don't go willy nilly and take them because they're I fear that in the United States, as soon as you make something like that available, people will flock in there. But I don't know and I don't have any reason to think that they have a higher incidence, for example, of them misdiagnosing and mistreating infectious diseases in children and therefore ending up with a bad outcome. But I can't say that definitively.
SPEAKER 03 :
Okay. And again, that's... No, go ahead, Steve. Go ahead. Good question.
SPEAKER 13 :
There may be another theory at play, and I've traveled around the world, and in areas where acute care medicine is not as available as it is here, people have to learn to take care of the problems... that we so often end up in the ED for. And I think the system changes, right? So if you're in Mexico, you can't immediately get into a hospital to have somebody look at you, or you're going to wait eight or ten hours. Having access to a low-risk antibiotic when you've got a certain set of symptoms and you've got to take care of yourself and you've got to go to work the next day, in some cases it's simply because my income can't afford me to take the day off. They find ways to do that in the U.S., We don't have that same situation, and I think that's part of the problem. I think we have to have a review of pre-acute care medicine. Quite frankly, if the Surgeon General were doing the job we want the Surgeon General to do, this would be a conversation to say, look, the problem is acute care medicine and post-acute care medicine are incredibly expensive. Figure out a way to push things into practice. pre-acute care and keep them there. Some of it's what Kelly and Peter are doing. Some of it is education. Some of it is, you know, people get themselves just desiring not to deal with the hassle with the system. But I think that's part of where the problem lies.
SPEAKER 03 :
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SPEAKER 12 :
The best export we have is common sense. You're listening to Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, we are back. Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Myself, Dr. Kelly Victory, of course, with us today. Steve House with us as well. And again, we're talking about, in fact, Dr. Kelly, I'm going to go back to you. I'm one, and you know my feelings on this. We've talked about this many times in the past, but might as well hit it again. I mean, all of what we're talking about really comes down to we need a major overhaul in how we do health care in America, correct?
SPEAKER 09 :
There's no question. We need a major overhaul in so many ways. You know, first of all, let's start with things like insurance. We have perverted the concept of health care insurance. You have car insurance. You have homeowner's insurance. Those things don't pay for routine maintenance. They don't, okay? When you go to cut your lawn or paint your house, you don't employ your homeowner's insurance. When you go to rotate your tires or change the oil in your car, you don't use your car insurance. So let's start with that. People have an unrealistic expectation of insurance. We have, you know, overwhelmed our entire system because we have, let's face it, a tremendous population of people who are here illegally who are using the emergency department and urgent cares as their primary form of medical care and health care. It isn't sustainable. We have, you know, it's such corruption, fraud and graft in the pharmaceutical industry as to be truly it is crushing Americans. We have these middlemen who are jacking up the prices exponentially. They are fundamentally, you know, doing engaging in racketeering. It's a pay to play business. and they jack up the prices so that they benefit. I could go on and on. 85% of physicians are employed by some big corporation now, so they can't even make their own decisions. There's layers and layers of bureaucracy between the patient and the physician. It's really a mess. We took what was the best healthcare system in the world and have fundamentally destroyed it. Yeah.
SPEAKER 13 :
Yeah. Yeah, you know, you got to ask yourself, you got to ask yourself the question, and this is what one of the things that drives me nuts with this too, is that drug pricing is estimated to go up 12% next year in 2026. So let's get this straight. We've got increasing demand with virtually unlimited supply, not always the case with drugs. Why is the price rising? I mean, you know, they'll say, but it's not just rising a small amount, it's rising 12%. And it just rose 6.5% or 7% this year. Why is the price rising in this environment?
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, and that's a great question because I'm going to throw this back at you, Steve. Why is it rising when I can go buy an 85-inch TV for a fraction of the price of what I could even just two or three years ago?
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, partly because PBMs prevent competition. There you go. If you're not on formula, you can't compete. There you go. If Harvoni's on formula at $44,000, you can't get Maverick at $24,000 to solve the same problem. I mean, it's racketeering like Kelly said, and it's out of hand. Employers are starting to really wonder if they're going to be able to offer the same benefit packages because it costs so much.
SPEAKER 03 :
So, Kelly, you know, here's a question for you. Are they basically in turn forcing us into a, you know, complete subsidized through the taxpayer health care system where it's a single payer? And I know that's the I know that's what one side of the aisle wants to do. But is that what's being forced now?
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, that's certainly what they would like to have happen. As you said, I certainly hope it doesn't, because if you think that universal health care or government-sponsored health care is a good deal, look at what's going on in Canada and the U.K. There's a reason why any Canadian with more than 50 cents in his pocket comes to the United States for health care, because you will die up there waiting for health care before you actually get it. So it is a problem. But we've got to start fixing some of these issues. We've got to bring pharmaceutical manufacturing back to the United States. Look, right now, we are absolutely beholden to the Chinese, of all people, for most of our drugs. The president has acknowledged it, but I haven't seen anything so far start to start the needle. to return pharmaceutical manufacturing back to this country. They have got to offer significant incentives for pharmaceutical companies to start making everything from antibiotics to medications for high blood pressure and everything else here in the U.S. There is so much to be done. It's hard to know really where to start. And on top of it, we've got a population that is sicker and sicker. The one thing that Bobby Kennedy truly has... focused on, which is we have got to start, you know, driving down the disease burden. You cannot control health care costs if you don't control health.
SPEAKER 03 :
Right. Right. Good point.
SPEAKER 09 :
We cannot have 80 percent of our population with a chronic disease and expect to somehow control health care costs. It's simply it can't be done.
SPEAKER 03 :
Steve, and I'm with you, it sounds, not sounds like, we're at a point to where, like you were saying, those costs continue to increase. And I get it, labor costs have gone up, but product costs in a lot of cases, if we had the right competition, Steve, the cost to make, especially some of these drugs that have been around for a long time, the cost of those should be going down, not up, just like every other thing that we have out there does. I mean, there might be a few exceptions to that when it comes to, you know, cars and things like that, and that's a whole other discussion we maybe could get into at some point in time, because frankly, they should be coming down in price as well. Reality is they're not because of other factors. But when it comes to things like drugs, where in a lot of cases, there's not even a lot of labor involved in making them, like big screen TVs, they should be coming down in price, not going up.
SPEAKER 13 :
No, they absolutely should. But a big part of that, and I think fixing health care is tied to the same issue, which is People have to stop using as much of it. They have to stop using so many drugs. I mean, you know, when, you know, I can tell you right now, people like Ford Motor Company is a business, John, where you're familiar with Ford. Ford probably pays $900 million a year for prescription drugs for their employees' independence.
SPEAKER 04 :
Wow.
SPEAKER 13 :
Almost a billion dollars. Wow. And some of it's use, right? So the number one thing you got to do is give me something more. than a Starbucks card for good behavior. The average Medicare person goes to the emergency room once a year. So if you're 65 and older and you avoid a Medicare or you avoid an emergency room visit in a year, give them $2,500. We would save that much money easily versus an ER visit. But they don't do that. You get a $25 Starbucks card or you get something to Dunkin' Donuts. I mean, the incentive does not match the desired behavior, not even close.
SPEAKER 03 :
Dr. Kelly, your thoughts on that? And I can't disagree with what Steve is saying. And I don't know the numbers of, you know, I mean, I can only guess at what ER visits cost and what it's all said and done, what we would incentivize and help save at the end of the day. But, you know, I'm sorry to say, and this is not to poke at government, or maybe it is, government doesn't think that way, Dr. Kelly.
SPEAKER 09 :
No, listen, I ran a company for the better part of a decade that was based entirely on this premise. We work with self-insured companies, so companies like Continental Airlines and Nissan Automotives who are on the hook for all of the costs for their employees' health care. And because they're self-insured and we were able to incentivize people in the way that Steve's talking about, we would say to people, look, if you go to the fitness center three times a week on average, we will drop your health care insurance premiums by X amount. If you participate in the diabetes management program, if you show up to get your weigh-in online, once a week or once a month, if you participate in a smoking cessation program, because it's all about driving down the total cost burden. I can try to get you a better price on a chest x-ray and drive it down, but the better thing is to get people so they don't need a chest x-ray. We were able to do it in the private sector because those companies are highly incentivized And honestly, we saved Nissan Automotive millions of dollars at a single plant in Mississippi. A single plant, simply by incentivizing the right behaviors in their employees and employees' families. We have got to do this. We've got to make the right thing to do, the easy thing to do, and make it pay off for people. For example, it's not every state... allows employers to uh whatever you want to call it to to penalize smokers for example i think every state should be able to do that if you smoke you should pay more in health care premiums okay look if you drive fast and you get a bunch of speeding tickets i promise you you're going to pay more in car insurance OK, if you build your house in a floodplain, I promise you you're going to pay more for homeowners insurance. If you skydive, you're going to pay more for life insurance than I do. So why, if you smoke in a sedentary, shouldn't you pay more for health care insurance?
SPEAKER 03 :
You know, well, they would come back and say, Dr. Kelly, as you know, and Steve would know. Well, that's discriminatory, Dr. Kelly. I mean, it's not as far as I'm concerned, because we do it in a lot of other areas of life, like you just mentioned. But that's what they're going to come back and say, correct? It is absolutely discriminatory, and it needs to be.
SPEAKER 13 :
It needs to be discriminatory. That's the entire point.
SPEAKER 03 :
That's the idea, right?
SPEAKER 13 :
Yeah, the other thing about this is that if you drive up your own health insurance and you're part of a group plan at work, you make everybody else pay more, too. That's right. That's right. And it's not just you.
SPEAKER 03 :
You're correct. You're correct, Steve. Dr. Kelly, again, he's right. That's exactly what they're going to go back and say, and he's exactly right. It should be because that's the whole point of it, right?
SPEAKER 09 :
Exactly. It's discriminatory that if I get four speeding tickets, I'm going to pay more in car insurance, and it could be.
SPEAKER 03 :
Really quick, Dr. Kelly, no more than if you, and I know this, if you own a home, and you do as well, if you own a home in the mountains where there's a higher risk for fire, you're going to pay a higher premium than you are downtown where there's no trees around you, correct? Correct.
SPEAKER 09 :
correct and that's it's you know it's supposed to be a risk analysis you know you're supposed to have there's a calculation of how much risk you pose to the group and you should pay you know talk about paying your fair share you should pay your fair share because you are going to cost more um and so i think that there's so much around insurance and how we incentivize uh i will tell you i would love to bring what we did in the private sector to the public sector because it really is the way to crack that. We also brought health care closer to where people are. You know, the idea, for example, the amount of lost work time that's included because people have to leave work or take a day off from work. to go to the doctor. You take, you know, pregnancy, pregnant, you know, women who are seeing their OB once a month to get an ultrasound, it's a 20-minute, you know, it's a 20-minute appointment that ends up taking half a day.
SPEAKER 03 :
Right.
SPEAKER 09 :
Or a full day.
SPEAKER 03 :
Good point.
SPEAKER 09 :
So if you actually, you know, and so we actually brought those services to the work site so that people, we could, you know, call people and say, we're ready for you now, come on down, and they'd be back at their desk working again in 30 minutes. Mm-hmm. You know, there are programs that you can put in place. You know, we have got so many things. Your average child doesn't participate in any physical activity because they've eliminated PE from the school system. Kids take either a ride or take a bus. No kids, you know, walk to school anymore. Nobody rides their bike anymore anymore. So we are developing an entire, you know, we're now probably in our third generation of kids who are obese, have prediabetes or full blown diabetes, have sedentary lifestyles and are on the conveyor belt to a life of just relegated to a not only a lousy lifestyle, but extraordinarily expensive health care.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, I just got a text message in, by the way, that life insurance companies, Dr. Kelly and Steve, they do the exact thing we're talking about. And again, the question continues to come back, why can't we do the same thing in health care? We should, but I guess, Dr. Kelly, we refuse to. I don't have a good answer. I don't know why.
SPEAKER 13 :
Oh, there's an answer.
SPEAKER 09 :
No, go ahead, Steve.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, the answer is, I mean, when you think about how they constructed Obamacare, I mean, the theory was that if you had a pre-existing condition, you were being discriminated against when many times that pre-existing condition was a result of environmental factors and things like that. So rather than give incentive for someone to stop smoking, they made it so that no one could be penalized no matter what they did. And so the only thing was smoking cessation and age were relevant in Obamacare, but they basically set up an insurance product line that didn't incentivize good behavior and it forgave all bad behavior. Yep.
SPEAKER 09 :
And that's not insurance. And that's not insurance, by the way. Insurance is intended to cover catastrophic and unanticipated things. Think of every other form of insurance. You know, what people have gotten to expect in health care is what you would call a bumper to bumper plan in automotive insurance. speak right you know something that covers where you pay ahead some exorbitant amount of money and anything that happens to your car is covered well you can do that in health care but it's going to cost you and it people have this expectation that everything is going to be paid for from their past their annual past smear to their wellness check and it simply is not sustainable
SPEAKER 03 :
Nope, you're right. Guys, the hour goes by fast. I've got several text messages in thanking us for doing what we're doing and talking about this very subject, and the reality needs to be brought more to light. We'll continue to do that. Steve, I'll let you go first. Thank you, man, as always. Appreciate you.
SPEAKER 13 :
Good to have you back, Cal. Get as many people out there as you can to get the kit. I'm telling you, we'll see health care costs go down, and I'm not promoting your business, but it's a good idea.
SPEAKER 03 :
Amen. No, I know you can promote it all. Dr. Cal, you can promote that all you want. Amen. I totally agree with him. Absolutely.
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, I thank you for that. I appreciate it. If you go to the Wellness Company website, there's a huge range of kits. You can figure out which one's the right one for you or your family. And there's always someone available to talk to if you're not sure which way to go. I do think they're a huge value and can be a lifesaver and also keep you out of the ER.
SPEAKER 03 :
Absolutely. Dr. Kelly, again, thank you very much.
SPEAKER 09 :
Thank you.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right. Have a great rest of your day as well. And again, Wellness Company, that's where you go to get that kit that Steve was talking about and Dr. Kelly as well. Dr. Windows and Doors, speaking of saving money, do that with Windows and Doors by going direct to the source. That's what Dave Bancroft does for you. Find him at klzradio.com.
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SPEAKER 12 :
It's time to leave your safe space. This is Rush to Reason on KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 03 :
All right, wrapping up things from this first hour. Lots of you texting in and thanking us again for not only this hour, but all the hours we do with Dr. Kelly and Steve House. And once again, we are big, and so are they, on you taking care of your own health. Get that. You know, basically wrap your mind around that, where it's not somebody else's responsibility to take care of your health. It is your responsibility. The wellness company, that's something that Dr. Kelly's been a part of now for quite some time, one of the founding members of. And she's always saying, I don't want to self-promote. She can self-promote all day long. It's a great company. It's a great way for you to have things on hand, like Steve said, for you to be able to take care of your own health responsibly. rather than relying on somebody else to do that for you. And by the way, that's what Dr. Scott believes in fully as well. So we've got lots of resources here for you at Rush to Reason. So just go to the website, RushToReason.com, and you can find Dr. Kelly and all of what we talked about there as well. We'll be back with more hours coming your way. Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560.
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It's his life mission to make bad decisions. It's time for Florida Man.
SPEAKER 02 :
All right. So this was just reported in this morning. A Coral Springs, Florida man is facing domestic violence charges after he hit his father during an argument. That began when the father asked the son to remove the lady of ill repute that he had brought home. A prostitute. Lady of the night came. That's right. A hooker. Yeah. According to Coral Springs Police, officers responded to a family home where the victim told his son that he had spent the day drinking with a woman he described as a prostitute. Was she a prostitute or was she just unpaid? She did it for free. You know what I mean? Like a skank. I mean, the difference is money, in case you're wondering. So when he asked the woman to leave, she complied. But then the son became enraged, shouting threats, telling his dad he was going to beat his a-double snakes. And then they came to fisticuffs and 9-1-1. He called 9-1-1. The son hit him in the lip. He's just describing himself as visibly shaken. And the police did. And the victim's wife and daughter corroborated, etc. And so now the son was arrested. He posted two thousand dollar bond. That's sad. He sounds like he's got some problems. The son, like he didn't get beaten enough when he was a kid. Let's see. This is such a good dog. Dogs are just the best people. I just, you know, if you're like, would you rather spend your day with a very enjoyable person or a dog? I'd be like a dog. Mm hmm. So this was in Okaloosa County. A dog was deemed a hero because he alerted a deputy to his owner, a grandmother who had fallen on a sidewalk. A man called 911 frantic after his wife had not returned home from a dog walk. Body camera footage shows the man telling the deputies that responded that his wife is normally only gone 10 to 15 minutes, but she hadn't gone over an hour. Footage then cuts to the deputy driving before hearing her say, that's the dog. And they find the dog and they ask the dog, where's your mom? Go find where your mom is. And then the dog led them to the woman who was lying on the sidewalk. And the woman asked the deputy, the dog brought you over and he wouldn't leave. He kept coming back to her. He wouldn't leave her alone. He ran up to the patrol car and led them to the woman. And they call him Eeyore. The dog's name is Eeyore. And that dog is the best boy. I hope he gets tons of treats. I shouldn't say that out loud because if the TV is on. Our dog, W-I-C-K, will jailbreak the... I'm not like Hasan Piker. I'm not going to keep... I'm not, you know, a piece of scum wrapped in meat who is going to keep my dog on a little square for four hours while I rail incessantly Nepo Baby style in my compound and then zap it with a shot collar. No, no, no. My dog, he doesn't do that. He can't stay in here. Cain wants him to be a studio dog. You don't know what you're asking. An alligator walks into a bar in Florida. For real. It's Florida. What did you expect? So an alligator legit in Stewart, Florida. It was a local tiki bar in Stewart, Florida. And they got a special friend today. All the people at the bar got a little friend. It was a gator. He walked into Harlow's Hideout like he owned the place. And he didn't, you know, very dramatically. And they called officers and Florida Fish and Wildlife. They arrived on the scene. The gator was taken into custody. He was very compliant without incident. And no injuries were reported. And they say that the Gator was relocated to a, quote, more suitable venue where the only cocktails are in the swamp and the sun never sets on happy hour, end quote.
SPEAKER 03 :
Did he order Gatorade?
SPEAKER 02 :
I don't know. That's such a dad joke. If I would have seen a gator walk, and they have photos of him. He's just a little guy. He's not a huge gator. You can pick him up and carry him like a baby if you wanted to. I'm not saying I would, you know, but just saying. But if I see that in a bar, I'm not going to be scared. I'm going to be a free pet. free pet. Now I'm not dumb enough to be like in Yellowstone and walk up to a moose or do anything dumb like that. But if I see, you know, if you can eat it, you can get it. You know what I'm saying? Like if it's eatable, then it's gettable. And so I would be my pet. If you're looking to create a stable financial future, consider Noble Gold Investments. Gold and silver are tangible assets, not just numbers on the screen, with thousands of years of trust behind them. Gold IRAs let you hold real assets in tax-deferred or tax-free retirement accounts. Noble Gold is the number one ranked gold IRA company for four years running, handling over $2.5 billion in precious metal transactions. And here's what's to like about Noble Gold. Their U.S.-based team is available six days a week, providing personalized and consistent service. Pricing is clear with no hidden fees or fine print. Whether you're setting up a gold IRA or making a direct purchase, they make it simple. You even get a photo of your actual metals. Hundreds of thousands of happy customers come back and refer others because of Noble Gold's helpful, informed, and straightforward approach. Open a new IRA or cash account now and receive a free 10-ounce silver flag bar plus a silver American Eagle Proof coin. Visit noblegoldinvestments.com slash Dana. That's noblegoldinvestments.com slash Dana.
SPEAKER 08 :
More young lefties are embracing communism and actually believe it's never really been tried. Joy Reid exposes the right's dastardly secret that it wants less taxes and regulation. And a few weeks after insisting he will never drop out, New York City Mayor Eric Adams drops out. I'm Greg Karumbas, inviting you to join Jim Garrity of National Review and me each weekday for the Three Martini Lunch podcast. We'll give you the top news, some good laughs, and we'll be done in less than 30 minutes. Follow the Three Martini Lunch on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
SPEAKER 04 :
Do you think the president deserves a Nobel Peace Prize?
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, I mean, if this sticks, I think the whole point of having a Nobel Peace Prize is for ending wars and promoting peace. And I'm going to make a direct appeal to the president.
SPEAKER 02 :
I mean, I completely agree with that. Of all the things that people get nominated for when they get the Nobel Peace Prize, I mean, considering this is a pretty significant thing. Welcome back to the program. Dana Lash with you. You can listen coast to coast terrestrially. You can also watch the digital stream of the radio program, Channel 347, DirecTV, also at Rumble X, Facebook, everywhere on the Webernets. Joining me now, my good friend Dave Rubin, host of The Rubin Report. He joins us from his super swanky set. Via video. Always good to see you, Dave. This is a good thing. I mean, I mean, think about it like the birds are singing. We're agreeing with John Fetterman. You know, it's like I don't know, like rainbows and stars and kittens and sunshine. And it's just this is something good. What are Democrats going to bitch about?
SPEAKER 09 :
I kid you not, there is a bird that magically appeared in my kid's nursery about an hour ago that's still flying around their room. The window wasn't even open in the room. We're not even sure how it got there. Yeah, there is a lot of good stuff happening right now. Yes, Donald Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for this, regardless of whether this is actual peace like kumbaya, everybody's gonna love each other, or it's just that this two year, Disaster is coming to a close. The hostages will come out. The Israeli troops will withdraw. The map will likely look a little different. I'm not Pollyannish. I don't think we're gonna just magically have peace tomorrow and everyone's gonna be crossing borders and loving everybody. but Donald Trump has painted a vision for the world that is different than basically everyone has done in about 75 years in that region. And we already have evidence that it can work when you think about it differently, because we have the Abraham Accords. We already have evidence it can work differently, if you think about it differently, because he was able to move the embassy to Jerusalem and all hell didn't break loose. So I think there's every reason for optimism right now. And Dana, as I'm sure you've pointed out already on your show this morning, I mean, the fact that Bernie Sanders, Rashida Tlaib, Chuck Schumer, the laundry list of lefties who have been screaming about genocide for two years, which of course this was not a genocide, it was an active war, they have not tweeted about it, tells you all you need to know. All they have wanted to do here was destroy Israel. It had nothing to do with saving the Palestinians. The Palestinians could have all been saved on October 8th if they would have just released the hostages. So there's all goodness here. There's a lot of good signs. And I'm very bullish on maybe this can heal some of the wounds that we've been seeing on the right because the, oh, we're gonna destroy Israel crowd is looking pretty silly right now.
SPEAKER 02 :
I don't know. Maybe that Qatari money will still keep coming in. The CCP slash Qatari money. We'll see how that goes. Talking with our friend Dave Rubin. You made a great point on X just a little bit earlier this morning. And I wanted to touch on this because you were quote tweeting. about this strategy that Israel implemented and the partnership, the strategy that came from the partnership of the United States and Israel, talking about Lebanon and then Syria and Yemen. The point that you made was winning the actual war is still more important than winning the Instagram war, because there were questions of, well, is Israel going to be able to be successful if they lose the PR war? But what does it matter? I mean, can you even win a PR war if you're Israel? I mean, sometimes, you know, it seems like a rhetorical question. Clearly, they won the real one.
SPEAKER 09 :
Right, well, look, the real war is that they've been fighting a seven front war and their enemies are all basically destroyed. Ask Hezbollah, how's it going? Ask Iran, how's it going? Ask the Houthis, how's it going? Ask Hamas, how's it going? The West Bank, or Judea and Samaria is the proper term for the West Bank. I mean, that's largely been quiet. So their enemies have basically realized, boy, we just can't take these guys out. And the irony, of course, is if they would just get over it, which I do think, perhaps because of Trump is happening right now, they're gonna find an unbelievable partner in Israel that will help them literally make the desert bloom just like they did in Israel. You want drip irrigation, you want desalinization, just like Jordan, which now imports most of its water from Israel. Just get on board that the Jews are gonna have this little place the size of New Jersey, you guys still have all the oil, get over it and there is a chance for prosperity. So again, I'm not just over the top, oh my God, this is the greatest thing ever, but it is a massive, massive movement that ends a seemingly intractable problem for now and then we see what happens on the other side. Look, even the Qataris, who you're right, they've dumped a ton of money into our influencer side and Instagram and TikTok and all that stuff. They got hit by the rocket from Israel about three weeks ago, going after the Hamas leaders, which didn't quite work out. But I think they were suddenly shook. They were suddenly like, boy, we're not even that safe. So I do think some of that Qatari money might be drying up. And by the way, even Al Jazeera now has fired a bunch of their most crazed anti-Israel people. because Trump is leaning on these guys. This is the true genius of Trump.
SPEAKER 02 :
And I mean, for all of you made a good point, too, with Rashida Tlaib and these others who haven't said anything about this, because I was told reliably. We were told this in 2016 and again in 2024 that Trump is going to get us in the Middle East. It's going to kick us off into World War Three any day now. And so we're all like just waiting. Where's the World War Three at? Where's this at? We thought we were going to be fighting with Iran. That hasn't happened. And even what's crazier is that the. this rehabilitation of Syria and their leadership just because it's advantageous to us and it kind of keeps the peace in the area because in order to control brutes you need a brute and that's been working out incredibly well he hasn't gotten enough credit for that either and regardless of whether or not people love him or hate him I think that that needs to be recognized because that's this has been sound foreign policy and I want to see more of it your thoughts
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, well, it's peace through strength. I mean, it's not rocket science, right? If you show people, look, somebody is going to lead the world one way or another. And if it ain't us at this point, it basically is China. So if you believe that Western values are good, if you believe that freedom is good, That doesn't mean we have to bomb all these countries into living like us, but it does mean what Trump said when he went to Saudi Arabia about six months ago. He basically was like, look guys, we're not gonna tell you exactly how to live, but there are certain preconditions, not much, but certain conditions you're gonna have to accept if you want to enjoy the success of America, if you wanna be part of our economy and things of that nature. And I think that speech really was the beginning of the shift here where all of these countries are starting to realize, boy, we can go against America. It's just not gonna work out that well. I mean, think about it. Yemen, this tiny, ridiculous country, they could have so much success. And instead they chose, okay, every other day we're gonna fire four rockets at Israel. It's like, you're doing nothing but destroying your own people. So if you get over it, you will see that America is standing there like, hey, we'd love to partner with you and help you. We'll build some hotels for you. How about that?
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah. You're right, too. Six months ago when he went over and was speaking to Mohammed bin Salman, when he when he noted that he was going to start removing sanctions against Syria and Salman stood up and applauded because we played that clip on air and I thought that's. really significant. And then all of these other you had the Emiratis that stood up and began applauding. And then when Syria pulled their air cover over Iran, then you knew it was over after that, because Iran, the skies were then Israel's and it was done. And then you had the drones that came up. It was I mean, it was pretty spectacular. So Dave, what do you think China is thinking of when they're looking at this now?
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, I think they're realizing that America is asserting itself again. It really, in some sense, I think we'll look back like 20 years from now, and it was sort of a miracle that we survived the Biden slash auto pen for years. We did not lead in the world. We almost destroyed our own country via the open borders, which despite everything Trump has done on the positive side on that, we're still gonna have to deal with the reckoning of we don't know how many people are here and all the things that that will entail. But I think China is realizing, boy, America is asserting itself again. And I would say that perhaps as it pertains to Taiwan, they're a little maybe less bullish of going in right now because they realize who knows what Trump is going to do. And America does seem to have new alliances forming.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, that's I mean, this is huge. We're talking with our friend Dave Rubin. You can find him at Rubin Report and Rubin Report Show on X as well. entrepreneur, author, all these good things. So one last quick thing about this, because the Nobel Peace Prize, part of me is like, Trump needs to get it. He deserves it for this. Give it to him. And then the more rebellious part of me wants to just stick a finger in the air and say, you know, screw you guys. We don't need you. We don't need your validation. So I don't know where, where do you fall at this?
SPEAKER 09 :
You know, Dana, it's a little bit like when one of us writes a book and if we get on the New York Times bestseller list, right? Like we kind of know it's fraudulent. We know it's part of an institution that hates us. And yet you get the call that morning when I got the call, even though I was like, this is all garbage and it's literally made up.
SPEAKER 02 :
Oh, I missed it. I sold more than Russell Brand and he got on it and I didn't. So, you know, I'm a little sore about it.
SPEAKER 09 :
Right, exactly. They definitely don't like you. They're probably not thrilled with Russell, but every now and again, they gotta throw a bone to somebody, but it's sort of like that. So does he deserve the Nobel Peace Prize on merit? Of course. Did Barack Obama deserve it when he got it for literally doing nothing? Of course not. Would it be nice if he gets it? Yes. Is it gonna happen? I don't know, but it's like, you know what, Trump, just in this case, take the accolades of all of the sane people in the world and run with that. How about that?
SPEAKER 02 :
I want to ask you about Katie Porter because you're out in California. Yeah, she could. Are you scared that this crazy Karen could be your governor?
SPEAKER 09 :
Wait, Dana, did you just say I'm in California? I say I'm in Florida.
SPEAKER 02 :
You're in Florida now. Oh, my gosh.
SPEAKER 09 :
Please, please. That was, of all the things that people have said to me over the years on air that have offended me, that might be... I'm going to get... Dave is going to fly over here and kick my backside.
SPEAKER 02 :
That's what's going to happen. Okay, never mind. So you don't live in California. I don't care about your... I'm kidding. No, but Katie Port... Because I thought you were in California for a while and then you... No, I was. I was. I got out. So you got out in time. Thank heaven. So you don't have to worry about this. You're in Florida.
SPEAKER 09 :
I don't have to worry.
SPEAKER 02 :
I'm actually jealous. However...
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah. No. However, look, she's she's an absolutely terrible candidate. But that is what they have left.
SPEAKER 02 :
You would never talk to anyone in your staff the way she screams at people. Well, I you would never be like in my shot, you're in my shot while you have like all of this debris in the background in your kitchen.
SPEAKER 09 :
I'm known to smack my guys around, but I would never speak to them with that language.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah. You wouldn't shock your dog like Hassan Piker either.
SPEAKER 09 :
So that I know definitely that one I would definitely not do that one. I would definitely not do.
SPEAKER 02 :
She is she does she actually I keep seeing I keep seeing conflicting reports that she is a top tier Democrat and she's one of the top considerations. But also the only reason that she is even in the lead or even leading, I should say, because it's pretty competitive is because of name recognition. So there's still time to for her to like, you know, flame out.
SPEAKER 09 :
I just don't even know what the name recognition is. I mean, I've watched enough videos of her between the thing, you know, telling the employee to shut the F up, who was trying to help her, by the way, or then the interview that she sat in where she just got up because she was asked a follow-up question. I mean, she has the emotional temperament of a six-year-old, so she's sort of a perfect progressive. But look, it's up to the people of California at this point. And unfortunately, you know, about a million people have left in the four years around COVID. So good people leave. People dependent on the states stay and they keep voting the same way. So, look, whether it's Gavin Newsom doing what he's done for these last couple of years or it's just Katie Porter, like I don't sense that it would be any great change. They had chances over the years to go the other way. They seem to not choose it.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah, I agree. Hopefully they don't follow you to Florida and we don't want any more. No, we're closed. Yeah. Just put up signs and direct them to other states and pretend that that's Florida. Be like, no, Mississippi is actually just stop there.
SPEAKER 09 :
No, no. People are getting eaten by alligators here every day. It's very scary. It's humid. The mosquitoes. Please don't don't come. Really.
SPEAKER 02 :
Don't come. Don't come to Florida. Dave Rubin at Rubin Report. Always a pleasure to see you, my friend. And I can't believe I forgot that you had really I know you relocated to Florida. I don't know why that slipped my mind. But when you come to Texas, we'll go shoot some stuff and get brisket.
SPEAKER 09 :
So now that now we're talking. There you go.
SPEAKER 02 :
Good to see you, my friend. Appreciate you. It's the folks over at Florida Company, Kel-Tec, the KS7 Gen 2 shotgun. You guys are very familiar with Kel-Tec. The KS7 is one of the, the Gen 2 anyways, one of their newest ones that they have. And with the KS7 Gen 2, you got all kinds of upgrades. You got a five slot rail, accessory rail, Picatinny style. So you can add the grips, the lights, keep it flush and sleek if you want. It's a smoother pump action. So you got faster, cleaner cycling, enhanced durability. Great for home defense range days because it's a compact bullpup design. So you've got maneuverability and tight spaces, ambidextrous downward shell ejection, seven plus one capacity. And you also can do the defender package, which changes, really ups. It enhances, as they say in marketing, it's an enhancement package. You got the Vortex Crossfire Green Dot Extended Butt Pad, Magpul RVG Vertical Grip, all kinds of stuff. MSRP, by the way, for the K07 Gen 2 is just $639. So you have all of that accessibility well within reach. It's from Kel-Tec, made in America, family owned in Florida. KELTECweapons.com. It's the K07 Gen 2. Tell them Dana sent you.
SPEAKER 03 :
And now, all of the news you would probably miss. It's time for Dana's Quick Five.
SPEAKER 02 :
So in Kentucky, a man was charged with a terroristic display over a Halloween decoration. Stephen Markham, he's 58 years old. He was charged with terroristic threatening. The display featured body bags labeled with the titles of local government officials. It didn't have anybody's name in it. It just had like district judge. What's the other? Like they're just mayor. Just the titles. A local prosecutor reported the display to the police after driving past his home in Stanton, Kentucky. One of the the Powell County judge executive drove past it. He was unsettled despite the fact that he was not named on any of them. He said he knew him as he knew the guy for decades, said he was someone who can be a good person, but disagree. I'm sorry, but. I really... They seized his decorations and took it to a police station. He's being held on $5,000 bond right now. Yeah. Apparently... Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now, in order to find... And this is so this is it. This was in Kentucky that they did this. And what gets me is this is a British newspaper. The reason the British newspaper is writing about this is the examples that they give below. All of the examples at Liverpool and Manchester and another one that was in Britain. All of the other examples they give are in Britain because, you know, they're arresting people for memes and things like that. And they're trying to defend themselves. The reason they ran this in this British publication is so they can be like, look, in America. The free speech bastion of America. I feel like this guy's got a lawsuit on his hands. I really do. Really do. That's insane. NFL fines Jerry Jones $250,000 for flipping off fans. He says that it was unintentional. Do we believe that it was unintentional? He said he didn't mean to do it. He said it was in the middle of an interaction with New York Jets. Multiple fans recorded him interacting with them. And apparently he held up his middle finger before pointing at someone and waving to somebody else. And some people said he was just simply trash talking. Should he have been fined? That's stupid. I mean, it's sports. You know, smack talking is if you can't do it, then and if it hurts your feelings, please, dear heaven, stay out of sports. Please do not because it makes it fun. We enjoy this stuff. Good night. We've got a whole bunch of other stuff to get into as well. And the state could lose.
SPEAKER 01 :
Get out of my shot.
SPEAKER 06 :
It's not that it's electric vehicles. It's that if we don't meet the commitments, I need to prepare this kind of board.
SPEAKER 01 :
Okay. You also were in my shot before that. Stay out of my shot. I'm going to start again with... Holy cow.
SPEAKER 02 :
So that's Katie Porter. By the way, kudos to that staffer who not only did not take that, but was like, by the way, you're talking about EVs and you're wrong. And corrected her. And Katie Porter's response was, yeah, but you're still egging my shot. My gosh, these people are insane. They're insane. Welcome back to the program. Dana Lash with you. It was an aide who said she simply wanted to correct something that she had said about electric vehicles. This was published last evening by Politico, and it was several minutes in the conversation. So this was from, I think this was like July of 2021, which is why that staffer is wearing the face mask. And she was like in view a few minutes. She was going through some stuff in the background. Porter screamed at her while yelled at her. And then she said, well, you're wrong what you were saying there. You know, she's like, I just FYI. And so kudos to her. But oh, my gosh, this is. And by the way, was this while she was talking to Jennifer Granholm? So I'm curious, was Jennifer Granholm like connected with her at that point? Because I'm because at that point, Jennifer Granholm is already the energy secretary. Katie Porter is not. You know, I don't know. She was in Congress and I don't know why she I just can't believe she thought she could act like that to somebody and scream at somebody like that. That's insane. First off, the shot is horrible anyway. You have your refrigerator in the background. I mean, for crying out loud, there's not a blank wall that you could situate yourself in front of or something to where we don't see all the debris by your sink and everything else. The woman in the shot was the least problematic. To say nothing of Katie Porter's attitude. I mean, I'm looking at I'm sorry, but I got to get real picky about this. I'm looking at everything in the background and she's got all of this like debris, like all stacked up on her butcher block, little island. And then I mean, I can see your dish. So I can see the dish soap. I can see all of this stuff and the stuff on the fridge. I just think that that's more problematic than anything else. The staffer in the shot is the least. Kane, Juan, you guys wouldn't accept a shot like that. No. That looks hokey. Yeah. To have all of that stuff in the background. She's not in a corner. She doesn't got a wall behind her.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, it's standard to keep the background as less busy as possible so that your focus is on the content of what's being said in the video. And obviously that wasn't a concern of hers.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yeah. So I don't know. I think that's kind of the staffer's the least of my concerns. I'm really nosy. Can you just bear with me for a minute? What is that in the background? What does she have? You can tell a lot about somebody by the stuff they have. that's i see dish soap what else do i see what is this i know it doesn't matter and the people who are not watching the radio show on 347 direct tv or the in the chat at rumble watching it or like dana who cares what but like what what is that it looks like a box of just like junk that she's got a sign on and then all other she looks like a hoarder and then it's like all in the like what in the world you don't have to have like a better homes and gardens set up I don't know. I just think that that's just and for her to have that attitude and then to yell at that staffer. Katie Porter is indicative of this. I don't know how to describe it. Current level of the what what's currently happening with the Democrat Party. Where you've got I keep telling you, the ones who are who are like 50 and younger that are coming up have major issues. They all have major issues. I do not recognize them as part of my generation. They all have issues. All of them. Think of it. You've got Mandani, Mandani. You've got some of the progressives in Texas. You got the Crockett's. You got all of these. There's just I don't know. They're they are. It's like they pulled people off of the street and just staffed their party with them. They are representative of like the worst inclinations of the Democrat Party. So anyway, you have you have Katie Porter. She's struggling, by the way. She really is not having I mean, she's, you know, maybe perhaps the leading Democrat. But she's got major anger issues. She's running for governor, as you know. She's trying to replace Gavin Newsom. Have you noticed Gavin Newsom hasn't really touched her? Maybe it's just because it's a primary so far, but he's not gotten involved in it. So clearly, if she was the anointed one, they would all be behind her already. It's a pretty divided field. So she's going against Xavier Becerra. And now Xavier Becerra was AG of California. He became head of HHS under Biden-Harris. And now he's running for California governor. And then you've got the Los Angeles mayor. And then that's just on the Democrat side. And then there's like I think Steve Hilton is the Republican. He's a British guy. And then a bunch of other people no one knows. So. In California, it's the top vote-getters that, if they are the top vote-getters, they advance to the November ballot, regardless of what their party is. So she doesn't have a major lead. Her big thing is that she has name recognition because she was... a congresswoman from the burbs around L.A. So that's literally the only reason I think at this point why she's maintaining some kind of why she looks like she's in the lead in this primary. Now, I mean, these videos are really going to help with that name recognition, but not in the way that she's hopes or her staff would hope because you have the CBS thing that fell apart and then you have this her screaming this. And, um, I, I mean, and the way she handled, if I could go back to that interview that she did, the CBS interview, that is, that is, Is just first off, she didn't handle the questioning correctly because the questioning, the the question that was asked of her is, well, what do you say to the 40 percent? Because they're talking about could you get Trump voters? And the reporter had asked, well, what do you say to the 40 percent of California voters that you need to to win this race? What do you say to that 40 percent that voted for Trump? Now, she could say, well, you know, it's a one party state, so it doesn't really matter. She can't say something like that. But there was a way that she could have more gracefully handled it. And if that's the toughest question that Katie Porter has ever been asked, which I kind of think it may be, and she just failed that spectacularly. Guys, I mean, I don't know, man. I don't know. It's so bad. I mean, she could have said, well, it's, you know, technically it's like kind of a one party state or, well, you know, that's that's, you know, it's that's a tautology. So technically it's illogical. But let's listen to this real quick. Listen to how she the question and how she handled it, because the question is actually kind of illogical. Listen.
SPEAKER 01 :
So, and the question is, what do you say to the 40% of voters who voted for Trump? Oh, I'm happy to say that. It's the do you need them to win part that I don't understand. I'm happy to answer the question as you have it written and I'll answer it.
SPEAKER 04 :
And we've also asked the other candidates, do you think you need any of those 40% of California voters to win? And you're saying, no, you don't.
SPEAKER 01 :
No, I'm saying I'm going to try to win every vote I can. And what I'm saying to you is that Well, to those voters. Okay, so you... I don't want to keep doing this.
SPEAKER 02 :
I'm going to call it. Thank you. So Katie Porter... First off, you have to understand Democrats or reporters, even if you're a Democrat sometimes and they don't like you, they're going to ask you a tough question that you might not be able to answer easily. But she should have been prepared for that, especially because this question has been asked of other candidates. Either her staff didn't prepare her or she I mean, regardless, I think even if they did, she wouldn't have been able to handle it. All she would have to do is say, I would love to win every voter. You know, but historically, California is a pretty one party state. So it kind of washes out in the end. I mean, that you could have said something just as innocuous as that. And then she could have monologued a little bit and commanded the interview and taken it to a place where maybe she could have thrown her a bone with some sort of, you know, on a different issue. But she didn't do that because she's not talented. She's not talented. She's not a quick thinker. She's short tempered and she's she's intellectually stumpy. She's just not she's just not fast. And that's very evident every single time I've seen her in a back and forth. That's you know, it's pretty evident. But that's not a hard question to handle. Right. That's not a difficult question to handle at all. I mean, I've actually I can't believe I'm saying this. I can't remember what where it was. Joe Biden was doing some sort of press avail during the campaign in the lead up. And they were talking about not necessarily verbatim the blue wall, but they were talking about Michigan and some of these other states and, you know, like, you know, and going into like more redder counties. And they're like, well, what do you know? Some of these counties, you know, you might lose because they're red. What do you say to those? Do you need those voters? And Biden's like, I would love to have all those voters. And he's like, you know, and if they don't vote for me, you know, I'm still going to figure out a way to win. I mean, he's for crying out loud was barely sentient. And he was able to answer that question better than Katie Porter. I mean, it was basically the same question. just different variables. And it's not even a gotcha question. I know the reporter would love to have the soundbite where Porter or the reporter would love to have Porter saying, well, I don't need Trump voters to win. And that's ultimately what she was going for. Any Democrat that's not prepared to answer that question is a moron. And you can't tell me that the staff didn't prepare her. I mean, technically, I guess it's a possibility that they didn't. But if you're someone who's already been in Congress and you're portraying yourself as a quick thinking, seasoned, you know, political veteran. That's child's play. I mean, that was actually kind of a softball considering the level here. You're talking about the gubernatorial race and the fact that she couldn't even rise to that occasion. You don't rise to the challenge. You fall back on your skill set. And Katie Porter's skill set is being a bitch. And so she fell back on that. That's the truth of it. I mean, that's just crazy. If I was if I was advising her campaign, I would have quit. There's no way in hell. There is no way. The fact that you couldn't have answered that. And I will never forget because I remember that Biden and people were trying to say, look, you know, Trump says he doesn't need Democrats. Biden says he would love to have Republican voters. And they try to make a big thing out of it. I remember when that happened. And I just it made me think of that when watching actually the second clip and just thinking that she has an anger issue to say nothing of the fact that she dumped potatoes on her hot potatoes on her husband's head, which is really weird. But OK, she it's just not she's got a lot of she's got a lot of issues.
SPEAKER 07 :
Thanks for tuning in to today's edition of Dana Lash's Absurd Truth Podcast. If you haven't already, make sure to hit that subscribe button on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
In this riveting episode, we dive into the complexities surrounding the Hamas peace plan and the ongoing sanctions on Iran. Our discussion highlights the delicate balance of diplomacy and national security, as various actors maneuver through a maze of geopolitical tensions. We'll also touch on the emotional rollercoaster that families go through, capturing the human aspect behind these global issues.
SPEAKER 11 :
If you like true crime, you'll love the Miracle Files podcast.
SPEAKER 12 :
We share real stories with the suspense of true crime, but we'll leave you with a sense of light and hope.
SPEAKER 11 :
Like the college wrestler who fought a grizzly, the woman who was dead for nearly an hour, or the child lost in a dark mine for days. These are the kind of stories that remind us miracles are real.
SPEAKER 12 :
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SPEAKER 10 :
As you know, we have major sanctions on Iran and lots of other things. We'd like to see them be able to rebuild their country, too. So this is POTUS.
SPEAKER 16 :
He's going over this Hamas peace plan. And it's phase one. So there's a caveat to it. It's phase one of this peace plan. And it's... I don't know. I understand everybody's hesitancy about it. I get it. I really do. Because we have gone through this for years and years. I mean, I was going through... I would kind of belabor the point if I just sat here and went through and looked at all of the different times that they've gotten close to the table and all of the times that Hamas has then afterwards breached any kind of a ceasefire or anything else. And so... I get it. However, this is the closest that we've gotten in this particular situation. And I think that that that POTUS deserves a lot of credit for that because he was really driving all of this hard. And he was even pretty at one point, he was even pretty caustic towards Netanyahu. saying that, look, you know, you cannot fight the world. That's apparently what he told him in a phone call that was widely reported that he kind of raised his voice at some point because... He it's tough because Israel is in this position where they have every right to defend themselves. But you have most of the world that believe somehow they're they're the enemy. And I just it's the craziest thing I've ever seen. That's the way it is. And POTUS is trying to help them navigate that. And sometimes that means raised voices. Welcome to the show. Dana Lash with you. Now, I wrote about this last night. If you're a subscriber, you get this. Because this plan, and I've written about it before, it's the 20-point peace plan. And I'm reading it now. If you get the newsletter, you already have this. And you've already read it this morning if you're one of the subscribers that gets the daily prep. So the 20-point plan, one of those is, remember, they have to disarm. They have to release hostages. And the hostage release is the 20 remaining living hostages. And this is what I don't like. In exchange for... an asinine amount of detainees in Israel's custody. And I say detainees when really it should be terrorists, because these are people who have been apprehended in the act, in the process of committing a terror act, whether it is they're trying to stab somebody, they're trying to blow somebody up. And that's one of the reasons why they're always very widely reported when these people are taken into custody. So there is a record and people can see, oh, this person was arrested because they're a terrorist and they were taken into custody because they were trying to kill innocent people simply because they don't like who they are. So that's that's the one the only thing that I would be kind of a stickler about. The groups that they're talking about freeing, I mean, some of the people that Gaza is demanding be freed in exchange for the 20 living hostages include some of the terrorists who paraglided in to the Nova Music Festival. I'm sorry, but I think that if you were responsible... First off, I think if you were a terrorist, you should just die. But I think if you were responsible for October 7th, my only anger about this is that Israel hasn't put them to death first already. That any of these terrorists would still be living. If you're caught paragliding into a music festival to kill innocent people, sorry, I don't believe that you get a trial. I believe you get led to the head. And that's it. Right there in the field. One and done. We're going to save everybody a lot of money. We're going to save the bureaucracy, all of the process. That's just kind of how I look at it. When you're committing an act, that's an act of war. And if you want to go that way, then we're going to suspend regular protocol. If you're caught doing that, that's my only gripe, is that any of them are alive, even in custody. So I don't know. I mean, it's never worked well before. I think whenever any of these terrorists have been previously released because they go back to doing terrorist stuff. So we'll see. But I realize, you know, in a kitten, it's not a perfect world. It's not a kittens and sunshine world. They're trying to deescalate everything and then go from there. And we'll see. I don't know. I bet that's Kim. What do you think? You think this is a good deal? I feel like here we are again, reenacting the scene from a glorious bastards.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, I mean... Would you take that deal? I would. If I'm Hamas?
SPEAKER 16 :
Well, if you're Hamas, but I don't know. I mean, I just feel like they don't... How in the world is anyone... Kane, if I bust into your house and like killing members of your family, how in the world do I get to tell you, well, you have to release some of the baddies that helped me in order to get some of your family members back?
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, that's a tough one.
SPEAKER 16 :
See? That's what I'm saying. That's the problem that I have. And I just feel like it's asinine to even expect them to do that. At some point, enough is enough, right? Enough is enough at some point. I don't know. So this is one of the things—I can't get over it. This is one of the points of the 20-point peace plan. Now, of course, they also have giving up jurisdiction requirements. I shouldn't say jurisdiction, administration of the area, as well as disarming, leaving the area. We'll see. I mean, if the hostages are freed, I think that that's regardless, that's going to be viewed as a major win for Trump, regardless anything else. If the hostages are freed, that's going to look like a major win for him. And honestly, I know that a lot of people are talking about the Nobel Peace Prize. I really I just am not. You guys know how the Nobel Peace Prize came to be, right? The whole thing about the Nobel Peace Prize, Alfred Nobel, he created dynamite and he realized there was the story of how his death, his death was prematurely announced And he had read about it in the paper, you know, getting up in the morning. Somehow it came out that he was, you know, dead and he wasn't dead. But he read that, oh, the inventor of dynamite and it cost all these lives and it just sort of stuck with him. And so he ended up creating he was called the Merchant of Death. That's what they had called him. It was a French newspaper and it was like in the late 1800s. And they said, oh, my gosh, the Merchant of Death is dead. Alfred Nobel, the inventor of dynamite. And he became rich. They said he became rich because he invented ways to kill more people faster than ever before with dynamite. And he was horrified. He was reading this about himself. This is his obituary in this French paper. It mistakenly announced that he had passed. And he was just horrified. So he made... An effort to promote to promote peace afterwards because he didn't like the scathing obituary that was accusing him of profiting off of all of these death. So he said it was described by people around him as a very shocking wake up call. And he realized that he did not like public perception of him being that of a killer as opposed to a benefactor. So he really got involved in philanthropy. He created the Nobel Peace Prize as well as awards for science, etc., things like that. And the Nobel Prize. And that's how he wanted to go out. And that's why that award continues today. When we were in Oslo, we were actually outside of the headquarters for them. It was very interesting. And also interesting, the headquarters is right by a spot where the Nazis had to surrender. Excuse me, to the Norwegians after they were trying to run roughshod in the nation and then finally they were defeated. So very interesting. So my whole point is, I don't know why some people don't feel like you have to kiss the Nobel Prize committee's backside to do this, because look at the people that they've awarded a Nobel Peace Prize before. I mean, for crying out loud, Barack Obama. What did he do? Nothing. I mean, Trump should have gotten it with the Abraham Accords, but I digress. So I don't know. I just feel like seeking validation from the Nobel Committee is like seeking validation from The New York Times. Do you really need it in order for it to be considered a success? We have more, a lot more to get into as we roll towards our headlines. The folks at Relief Factor, Relief Factor is a great way. It's 100 percent drug free. A research-based formula that's designed to support healthy response to inflammation and decrease discomfort from exercise, everyday living the whole nine yards. It targets the inflammation that can keep you from doing the exercise you need and enjoying the things you love. It helps to support your body's natural inflammatory response. That's what causes aches and soreness and stiffness and discomfort. all of that stuff. And if pain has been holding you back, maybe you should find out why so many people, including people like my husband, Chris, who takes it because he has old sports injuries, make Relief Factor part of their daily routine. You can try the three-week quick start today and see how it works for you. It's super affordable, $19.95. That's only $0.95 a day, less than a cup of coffee. Don't wait. Visit relieffactor.com or call 800-4-RELIEF. Get your three-week quick start today for just $19.95. Support your body with natural anti-inflammatory power and see if relief factor is right for you. Planned Parenthood.
SPEAKER 18 :
More young lefties are embracing communism and actually believe it's never really been tried. Joy Reid exposes the right's dastardly secret that it wants less taxes and regulation. And a few weeks after insisting he will never drop out, New York City Mayor Eric Adams drops out. I'm Greg Karumbas, inviting you to join Jim Garrity of National Review and me each weekday for the Three Martini Lunch podcast. We'll give you the top news, some good laughs, and we'll be done in less than 30 minutes. Follow the Three Martini Lunch on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
SPEAKER 08 :
And now, all of the news you would probably miss. It's time for Dana's Quick Five.
SPEAKER 16 :
So this is confusing to me. A Vegas man claimed that he was attacked by a group of three people that were trying to steal his twenty six hundred dollar jackpot at a Vegas casino. Joel Gutierrez filed a negligence lawsuit against the Bellagio. They said that they did not protect him during his December 12th visit. He was playing a mummy themed slot machine. He won the jackpot prize of two thousand six hundred. But he had to wait for an attendant to process the payout. and had moved to a nearby machine to continue playing. He claimed that two men and one woman, who were named as defendants, approached it upon seeing the prize displayed, began loudly claiming they had won. He approached the group to say that that was my prize money, and they immediately got hostile and started threatening him. The group told him to leave and said it was theirs. One of them stepped forward and... got into his face. He threw a punch to protect himself. Everybody was on the ground. Security guards were not present. That's actually really bad for Bellagio. I mean, when those things go off, y'all better be having an attendant. I don't gamble, but y'all better be having an attendant right there to handle that. So he apparently, he got hit. He got physical injuries. He's seeking 15,000 in damages. So it's not crazy. You know, but yeah, that cannot happen like that. Y'all, when that thing goes off, you better be there because people have no man. People just are soulless anymore. Gene Simmons is hospitalized after a Los Angeles car crash. He apparently passed out behind the wheel of his SUV. And oh, man, I hope he's OK. I've met him once. He was very nice. 76 years old. He was on the Pacific Coast Highway Tuesday and ended up passing out. His car went veering across several lanes and then slammed into a vehicle. And he said he's doing okay right now. He's recovering at home. But apparently he lost consciousness. I don't know if he's dealing with a health issue. And speaking of health issues, Dolly Parton says she's not dead yet in a video. We'll have more on that later. Stick with us. More to come. If you're looking to create a stable financial future, consider Noble Gold Investments. Gold and silver are tangible assets, not just numbers on the screen, with thousands of years of trust behind them. Gold IRAs let you hold real assets in tax-deferred or tax-free retirement accounts. Noble Gold is the number one ranked gold IRA company for four years running, handling over $2.5 billion in precious metal transactions. And here's what's to like about Noble Gold. Their U.S.-based team is available six days a week, providing personalized and consistent service. Pricing is clear with no hidden fees or fine print. Whether you're setting up a gold IRA or making a direct purchase, they make it simple. You even get a photo of your actual metals. Hundreds of thousands of happy customers come back and refer others because of Noble Gold's helpful, informed, and straightforward approach. Open a new IRA or cash account now and receive a free 10-ounce silver flag bar plus a silver American Eagle proof coin. Visit noblegoldinvestments.com slash Dana. That's noblegoldinvestments.com slash Dana.
SPEAKER 23 :
The Dana Show podcast. Your fast, funny, and informative news companion for those always on the move. Subscribe on YouTube, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.
SPEAKER 14 :
And the state could lose. Get out of my shop.
SPEAKER 01 :
that it's electric vehicles, it's that if we don't make a commitment, it's under the Paris Climate Order.
SPEAKER 15 :
Okay, you also were in my shot before that. Stay out of my shot. I'm going to start again with... Holy cow.
SPEAKER 16 :
So that's Katie Porter. By the way, kudos to that staffer who not only did not take that, but was like, by the way, you're talking about EVs and you're wrong. And corrected her. And Katie Porter's response was, yeah, but you're still egging my shot. My gosh, these people are insane. They're insane. Welcome back to the program, Dana Lash with you. It was an aide who said she simply wanted to correct something that she had said about electric vehicles. This was published last evening by Politico, and it was several minutes in the conversation. So this was from, I think this was like July of 2021, which is why that staffer is wearing the face mask. And she was like in view a few minutes. She was going through some stuff in the background. Porter screamed at her while yelled at her. And then she said, well, you're wrong what you were saying there. You know, she's like, I just FYI. And so kudos to her. But oh, my gosh, this is. And by the way, was this while she was talking to Jennifer Granholm? So I'm curious, was Jennifer Granholm like connected with her at that point? Because I'm because at that point, Jennifer Granholm is already the energy secretary. Katie Porter is not. You know, I don't know. She was in Congress and I don't know why she I just can't believe she thought she could act like that to somebody and scream at somebody like that. That's insane. First off, the shot is horrible anyway. You have your refrigerator in the background. I mean, for crying out loud, there's not a blank wall that you could situate yourself in front of or something to where we don't see all the debris by your sink and everything else. The woman in the shot was the least problematic. To say nothing of Katie Porter's attitude. I mean, I'm looking at I'm sorry, but I got to get real picky about this. I'm looking at everything in the background and she's got all of this like debris, like all stacked up on her butcher block, little island. And then I mean, I can see your dish. So I can see the dish soap. I can see all of this stuff and the stuff on the fridge. I just think that that's more problematic than anything else. The staffer in the shot is the least. Kane, Juan, you guys wouldn't accept a shot like that. No. That looks hokey. Yeah. To have all of that stuff in the background. She's not in a corner. She doesn't got a wall behind her.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, it's standard to keep the background as less busy as possible so that your focus is on the content of what's being said in the video. And obviously that wasn't a concern of hers.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yeah. So I don't know. I think that's kind of the staffer's the least of my concerns. I'm really nosy. Can you just bear with me for a minute? What is that in the background? What does she have? You can tell a lot about somebody by the stuff they have. that's i see dish soap what else do i see what is this i know it doesn't matter and the people who are not watching the radio show on 347 direct tv or the in the chat at rumble watching it or like dana who cares what but like what what is that it looks like a box of just like junk that she's got a sign on and then all other she looks like a hoarder and then it's like all in the like what in the world you don't have to have like a better homes and gardens set up I don't know. I just think that that's just and for her to have that attitude and then to yell at that staffer. Katie Porter is indicative of this. I don't know how to describe it. Current level of the what what's currently happening with the Democrat Party. Where you've got I keep telling you, the ones who are who are like 50 and younger that are coming up have major issues. They all have major issues. I do not recognize them as part of my generation. They all have issues. All of them. Think of it. You've got Mandani, Mandani. You've got some of the progressives in Texas. You got the Crockett's. You got all of these. There's just I don't know. They're they are. It's like they pulled people off of the street and just staffed their party with them. They are representative of like the worst inclinations of the Democrat Party. So anyway, you have you have Katie Porter. She's struggling, by the way. She really is not having I mean, she's, you know, maybe perhaps the leading Democrat. But she's got major anger issues. She's running for governor, as you know. She's trying to replace Gavin Newsom. Have you noticed Gavin Newsom hasn't really touched her? Maybe it's just because it's a primary so far, but he's not gotten involved in it. So clearly, if she was the anointed one, they would all be behind her already. It's a pretty divided field. So she's going against Xavier Becerra. And now Xavier Becerra was AG of California. He became head of HHS under Biden-Harris. And now he's running for California governor. And then you've got the Los Angeles mayor. And then that's just on the Democrat side. And then there's like I think Steve Hilton is the Republican. He's a British guy. And then a bunch of other people no one knows. So in in California, it's the top. vote getters that if they are the top vote getters, they advance to the November ballot, regardless of what their party is. So she doesn't have a major lead. Her big thing is that she has name recognition because she was a congresswoman from the burbs around L.A. So that's literally the only reason I think at this point why she's maintaining some kind of why she looks like she's in the lead in this primary. Now, I mean, these videos are really going to help with that name recognition, but not in the way that she hopes or her staff would hope. Because you have the CBS thing that fell apart, and then you have this, her screaming this. And the way she handled it, if I could go back to that interview that she did, the CBS interview, that is... Is just first off, she didn't handle the questioning correctly because the questioning, the the question that was asked of her is, well, what do you say to the 40 percent? Because they're talking about could you get Trump voters? And the reporter had asked, well, what do you say to the 40 percent of California voters that you need to to win this race? What do you say to that 40 percent that voted for Trump? Now, she could say, well, you know, it's a one party state, so it doesn't really matter. She can't say something like that. But there was a way that she could have more gracefully handled it. And if that's the toughest question that Katie Porter has ever been asked, which I kind of think it may be, and she just failed that spectacularly. Guys, I mean, I don't know, man. I don't know. It's so bad. I mean, she could have said, well, it's, you know, technically it's like kind of a one party state or, well, you know, that's that's, you know, it's that's a tautology. So technically it's illogical. But let's listen to this real quick. Listen to how she the question and how she handled it, because the question is actually kind of illogical. Listen.
SPEAKER 15 :
so and the question is what do you say to the 40 of voters who voted for trump oh i'm happy to say that it's the do you need them to win part that i don't understand i'm happy to answer the question as you have it written and i'll answer it and we've also asked the other candidates do you think you need any of those 40 percent of california voters to win and you're saying no you don't no i'm saying i'm going to try to win every vote i can and what i'm saying to you is that Well, to those voters. Okay, so you... I don't want to keep doing this.
SPEAKER 16 :
I'm going to call it. Thank you. So Katie Porter... First off, you have to understand Democrats or reporters, even if you're a Democrat sometimes and they don't like you, they're going to ask you a tough question that you might not be able to answer easily. But she should have been prepared for that, especially because this question has been asked of other candidates. Either her staff didn't prepare her or she I mean, regardless, I think even if they did, she wouldn't have been able to handle it. All she would have to do is say, I would love to win every voter. You know, but historically, California is a pretty one party state. So it kind of washes out in the end. I mean, that you could have said something just as innocuous as that. And then she could have monologued a little bit and commanded the interview and taken it to a place where maybe she could have thrown her a bone with some sort of, you know, on a different issue. But she didn't do that because she's not talented. She's not talented. She's not a quick thinker. She's short tempered and she's she's intellectually stumpy. She's just not she's just not fast. And that's very evident every single time I've seen her in a back and forth. That's you know, it's pretty evident. But that's not a hard question to handle. Right. That's not a difficult question to handle at all. I mean, I've actually I can't believe I'm saying this. I can't remember what where it was. Joe Biden was doing some sort of press avail during the campaign in the lead up. to 2020. And they were talking about not necessarily verbatim the blue wall, but they were talking about Michigan and some of these other states and, you know, like, you know, and going into like more redder counties. And they're like, well, what do you know, some of these counties, you know, you might lose because they're red. What do you say to those? Do you need those voters? And Biden's like, I would love to have all those voters. And he's like, you know, and if they don't vote for me, you know, I'm still going to figure out a way to win. I mean, he's for crying out loud was barely sentient. And he was able to answer that question better than Katie Porter. I Just different variables. And it's not even a gotcha question. I know the reporter would love to have the soundbite where Porter or the reporter would love to have Porter saying, well, I don't need Trump voters to win. And that's ultimately what she was going for. Any Democrat that's not prepared to answer that question is a moron. And you can't tell me that the staff didn't prepare her. I mean, technically, I guess it's a possibility that they didn't. But if you're someone who's already been in Congress and you're portraying yourself as a quick thinking, seasoned, you know, political veteran. That's child's play. I mean, that was actually kind of a softball considering the level here. You're talking about the gubernatorial race and the fact that she couldn't even rise to that occasion. You don't rise to the challenge. You fall back on your skill set. And Katie Porter's skill set is being a bitch. And so she fell back on that. That's the truth of it. I mean, that's just crazy. If I was if I was advising her campaign, I would have quit. There's no way in hell. There is no way. The fact that you couldn't have answered that. And I will never forget because I remember that Biden and people were trying to say, look, you know, Trump says he doesn't need Democrats. Biden says he would love to have Republican voters. And they try to make a big thing out of it. I remember when that happened. And I just it made me think of that when watching actually the second clip and just thinking that she has an anger issue to say nothing of the fact that she dumped potatoes on her hot potatoes on her husband's head, which is really weird. But OK, she it's just not. She's got a lot of she's got a lot of issues. Now, does she have as many issues as Jay Jones has? That's something that we're going to discuss because he's trying to so hard stay in this race. And there were there were some internal polling that was released. Oh, yeah. She got really mad about her lighting. She's like, oh, the lights are killing. She was just really rude about it. But Jay Jones, he there was a last night. There was somebody had posted some of the latest internal polling. This is what campaigns use to refine their messaging, et cetera, et cetera. So she this this this internal polling came out about Jay Jones. And a lot of people are saying it's Spanberger who potentially released it and that there there is a building quiet pressure to get him out of the race because it's not going anywhere. And I have a feeling that there's a lot more stuff about him. That is being drip, drip, dripped out. That's I really feel that. And I feel like a lot more of it's going to be coming. And they're just sort of girding their loins about it. We're living in a time when truth feels dangerous and silence comes at a cost. Victoria was scared and desperate when she took the abortion pill at Planned Parenthood. And she immediately felt the weight of regret and even thought about ending her own life. But by God's grace, she reached out and found a pre-born network client. clinic where Truth broke through. Loving staff gave her care and helped save not only her baby's life, but her own. In a culture drowning in a sea of lies, Truth saves lives. With just $28, Preborn can provide a free ultrasound and the truth that can change lives. As abortion rises, Preborn is expanding life-affirming care to the darkest corners of our nation. A $15,000 leadership gift places ultrasound machines in women's centers, saving countless babies. So will you help them answer the call? 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SPEAKER 07 :
Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of the United States.
SPEAKER 02 :
hey natalie uh bring your camera over here i want to say something well today's october the 8th and obviously i'm here doing some commercials for the grandola opry which is why i'm dressed kind of like a country western girl but before i got started i wanted to say i know lately uh everybody thinks that i am sicker than i am do i look sick to you i'm working hard here Anyway, I wanted to put everybody's mind at ease, those of you that seem to be real concerned, which I appreciate. And I appreciate your prayers because I'm a person of faith. I can always use the prayers for anything and everything. But I want you to know that I'm okay. I've got some problems, as I mentioned, back when my husband Carl was very sick. That was for a long time. And then when he passed, I didn't take care of myself. So I let a lot of things go that I should have been taken care of. So anyway, when I got around to it, the doctor said, we need to take care of this. We need to take care of that. Nothing major, but I did have to cancel some things so I could be closer to home, closer to Vanderbilt. You know, where I'm kind of having a few treatments here and there. But I wanted you to know that I'm not dying.
SPEAKER 16 :
I love Dolly Parton. I also loved it later how she goes, and can you believe, what did she say? People put up an AI video of me and what she said, Loretta Lynn, Ariba McIntyre. And she goes, we look like we should have been buried. I about died. She's hysterical. Well, I saw because we had it like her sister was saying, you know, she needs prayers and that. And everyone's like, no, no. I mean, I really think that Dolly Parton would inspire humanity to take up arms against death itself should anything happen before we are ready to have her leave. But she's I love her and she's always been real nice and she's never gotten super political. And I just feel like her body of work and all of her goodwill means she didn't have to get super political. She does not have to qualify her associations or her political beliefs to anybody. And I kind of like that. I like that there is still a place to go and people who still offer a place to go where you can get away from the politics and it doesn't have to seep into your entertainment and doesn't have to seep into the things that you leave politics to get a break, get a break in it. I like that. She is working hard. So look at her, Dolly Parton, because I was getting real nervous. We all were.
SPEAKER 09 :
We're like, oh.
SPEAKER 16 :
And then Kane's like, I think she prerecorded it. She said October 8th. I know. It was yesterday.
SPEAKER 08 :
I could record something today and say it's October 11th and then play it October 11th. I don't think so.
SPEAKER 16 :
What in the world would that stop it?
SPEAKER 08 :
Just saying I could do it. I'm just saying I could do it.
SPEAKER 16 :
Oh, my gosh. I realize you've got a thing with old people, but, you know, Dolly's different, you know. Wait, that's not fair. Not every old person's trying to trick on you.
SPEAKER 08 :
Not everyone. That's not fair.
SPEAKER 16 :
So I'm glad that she's okay. Because who was the other one that we saw? There was... I know someone kept... Every time somebody dies now, I get... Everyone's like, well, your grandma's rule of three. And I'm like, I don't even know how that... Grandma Boots, and we called her Boots, and we have no idea why. There's no... logic to the rule of three it's just if you if someone kicks the bucket then two other people that you know celebrities etc or just pro high profile people will also that's her rule but i don't know how that applies if you know them and other people don't know them i don't know how that works and is it just like celebrities and i don't know she never i should have asked her to explain it like it's a logical thing but it is now see now you just told me somebody kane i don't know who this person was you No, I don't know this dude. I've never seen him in my... I wouldn't know him if I fell over him in my living room. You saw that picture on the right? You don't know who that is? No. Oh, okay. I don't. I don't know who... Ron Dean? Yeah. I feel bad because I don't, but I don't. All right, we got our second hour on the way. You don't want to miss. More to come. Stick with us. Our partners that bring you the program, it's our friends over at All Family Pharmacy. All Family Pharmacy is a great website. This is like your... All medication, everything repository. It really is. Anything that you need, they have at All Family Pharmacy. And All Family Pharmacy not only has your everyday medications, they also have a lot like antibiotics. They have Tamiflu. You can get things in two to four days. You can get them overnighted if you're in a pinch, which I have done. Not only did I do that when I was getting sick before Thanksgiving and And I was able to get a Z-Pak. But my son, who is at school, was getting strep throat. And before he could get in to see the doctor, I was able to get some all family pharmacy overnighted to him, some amoxicillin. And then it's funny because when he went in to the doctor, they prescribed him the same thing that we'd ordered from all family pharmacy. So you fill it out, the doctor reviews it, and then they send you your medications. They have ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine and membendazole and NAD+, everything that you need. You don't need any gatekeepers. All Family Pharmacy makes it accessible just to you. And it's so easy. You can get 10% off right now when you go through allfamilypharmacy.com slash Dana and use code Dana10. So don't wait. Visit allfamilypharmacy.com slash Dana, code Dana10 for 10% off.
SPEAKER 04 :
What's your message, final question, to the people here of the state of Illinois, the people of the city of Chicago, as this incursion by the federal government, these troops are on the streets of your state, of this city. What do you want them to do? There's a big protest scheduled for 5.30 p.m. tonight.
SPEAKER 21 :
Well, first, we've made sure that people know their rights and they know how to find out what their rights are because we don't want them picked up off the streets just because they're brown or black, just because they happen to be undocumented and have committed no crime.
SPEAKER 16 :
Okay. Well, I mean, just because he was in the store taking items off the shelves, shoving it into his pants pockets and running out of the store doesn't mean that he's like a criminal. Doesn't mean that he's gone out to commit more crimes. That's so dumb. You know, I mean, entering the country illegally is a crime. And I can't believe we keep having to say this over and over again. It's really annoying because then we can't say anything new because we have to keep going back and try to stop that from becoming a thing because the loved one stops saying it. That was J.B. Pritzker, by the way. I don't know, nor do I care who the reporter is. But J.B. Pritzker was saying, well, no, I mean, they, you know, just because they happen to be here illegally, they haven't committed a crime. What? If you're driving without a license and you get popped for it, that's illegal. if there's a million things, just because you go on to do something else after you commit an illegal act doesn't mean that the act that you committed wasn't illegal by nature of you going on and doing other things.
SPEAKER 08 :
Correct? If someone breaks into my home, that's still breaking and entering a crime.
SPEAKER 16 :
But what if they go to like Walmart after, Cain?
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, if they just walk out and didn't take anything, it's still a crime.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yeah. Sorry. And if people don't believe that, I mean, JB Pritzker, if he really believes that, I mean, just maybe, then why does he have such a secure estate? He's got the governor's mansion, and then he's got all kinds of other properties.
SPEAKER 08 :
I'm sure he locks his doors and his gates.
SPEAKER 16 :
And has security and cameras to keep unwanted guests from entering. I guess he just hates people. Why does he hate people? What if I wanted people to walk into the governor's mansion? Why does he hate people? bigot. I mean, it's the same. It works, right? That makes sense. Because the logic is consistent. It's true. Back again to the program we were just listening to, POTUS, he was holding a cabinet meeting and allowing the press to come and ask some questions before that all gets kicked off and get some insight there. And of course, we're still dealing with shutdown madness. Nobody knows what's going to happen. Nothing new. We're still dealing with shutdown madness. And Democrats, by the way, I was pulling. Let me pull this up. This was something I marked this morning. Give me five half a second. Here we go. This was from Gallup. It was released this morning and it headline Americans job ratings of six key. agencies worsen and it's a new survey that is really really bad for democrats actually in this shutdown and republicans need to kind of look at this it looks at some of these major government agencies that have really deteriorated in the past couple of years so you have fema the cia cdc FEMA, CIA, CDC, FDA, EPA, IRS, they are at the lowest points in Gallup's trend. Now, it says the decline in agency job ratings for these agencies is the greatest for FEMA. You're looking at minus 20. That's a big drop. CIA dropped 10. CDC dropped 9. FDA, EPA, they fall in 7 each. IRS down 6. Their performance ratings as excellent or good range from 25 to 31 percent. These are record lows for all but the IRS, which was one point lower in 2013. Now, why is this bad for Democrats and shutdown? Well, because no one likes these agencies and these agencies are all frozen because Democrats want to undo the cuts that were made in the one big, beautiful bill to said agencies. Democrats are fighting to give more money to agencies that have dropped, you know, anywhere from 20 to 10 points in terms of public perception or public approval literally within the past year. Is anyone in the Democrat Party paying attention to any of this stuff? If I'm looking at this, if I'm a consultant, if I'm a strategist and I'm looking at this, I'm saying, Democrats, you need to stop defending these agencies. You need to stop defending the federal workforce. People are not buying it because these people like your federal workers still getting paid, even when everyone else was forced to stay home and they weren't getting paid. There are a lot of people still, I think, underestimating the rage that people have for that still is very, very, very dangerous. Republicans need to be, you want to talk about seizing? Republicans need to be seizing on this. This is actually a huge thing. You know why? Because if these, if people loathe these agencies as much as being reflected in this polling, then guess what? That makes it a hell of a lot easier for Republicans to go out there and sell the American public on cutting government bloat, cutting the the expansion of these agencies, especially the expansion of the IRS with eighty eight thousand additional workers cutting funding. It makes the reductions in terms of expense so much easier when you're when you're messaging that to the public. And I have no idea why I we don't have Republican leaders just sailing on this right now. I mean, this is this Democrats are they need to call the Democrats bluff. You know, the only agency that actually saw an uptick and improve an approval approval. Sorry. According to this story, it's the Department of Homeland Security. Department of Homeland Security, according to this piece at Gallup, has seen a significant increase, a significant improvement in its job rating. Do you want to know by how much? Particularly amongst independents and Republicans? 59 points. So you know what? People not Christy know them. And look, I do. You know, I'm like, oh my gosh, shot her dog in a gravel pit. However... They're like, oh, she always has cameras. I saw a tweet out there last night making fun of her for always having cameras and showing her doing all of this. Well, you can argue she understands populism and she understands that in order to constantly make sure that you have that approval rating, that you got to be out there messaging this to the people every single damn day. And that's what she's doing. So maybe instead of like attacking her for it, ask why approval for her agency now has shot up by 59 percent. The folks over at Super Beats have been a really longtime supporter, like such a longtime supporter of the show. That some people are like, wait a minute, you're the Beats person. Well, yeah. And I take them and they're good. And they have a lot of other benefits that I can't say to because they didn't pay a hush money to the FDA. I don't know if I can say that or not, but I did. Anyway, the company behind it, Human, they're based in Austin, Texas. They partner with UT. They work with the Health Science Center. It's all built on real cardiovascular research around blood flow and nitric oxide. And it's all very, very science-based, like actual science, not pretend science where something pretends it's something else. And you can actually feel it working. UT athletes use Super Beats. In fact, some of your favorite teams probably use it as well. There's over 160 college and pro teams that actually use humans' products. And so, like I said, your favorite team probably does too. 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SPEAKER 08 :
And now, all of the news you would probably miss. It's time for Dana's Quick Five.
SPEAKER 16 :
So in Kentucky, a man was charged with a terroristic display over a Halloween decoration. Stephen Markham, he's 58 years old. He was charged with terroristic threatening. The display featured body bags labeled with the titles of local government officials. It didn't have anybody's name in it. It just had like district judge. What's the other? Like they're just mayor. Just the titles. A local prosecutor reported the display to the police after driving past his home in Stanton, Kentucky. One of the the Powell County judge executive drove past it. He was unsettled despite the fact that he was not named on any of them. He said he knew him as he knew the guy for decades, said he was someone who can be a good person, but disagree. I'm sorry, but. I really... They seized his decorations and took it to a police station. He's being held on $5,000 bond right now. Yeah. Apparently... Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now, in order to find... And this is... So this was in Kentucky that they did this. And what gets me is this is a British newspaper. The reason the British newspaper is writing about this is the examples that they give below. All of the examples at Liverpool and Manchester and another one that was in Britain. All of the other examples they give are in Britain because, you know, they're arresting people for memes and things like that and they're trying to defend themselves. The reason they ran this in this British publication is so they can be like, look, in America... the free speech bastion of America. I feel like this guy's got a lawsuit on his hands. I really do. Really do. That's insane. NFL fines Jerry Jones $250,000 for flipping off fans. He says that it was unintentional. Do we believe that it was unintentional? He said he didn't mean to do it. He said it was in the middle of an interaction with New York Jets. Multiple fans recorded him interacting with them, and apparently he held up his middle finger before pointing at someone and waving to somebody else. And some people said he was just simply trash talking. Should he have been fine? That's stupid. I mean, it's sports. You know, smack talking is if you can't do it, then and if it hurts your feelings, please, dear heaven, stay out of sports. Please do not because it makes it fun. We enjoy this stuff. Good night. We've got a whole bunch of other stuff to get into as well. It's the folks over at Chapter. Chapter is a great group of advisors that can help you walk through the whole Medicare annual enrollment season. And you're just getting beaten over the head with robocalls and texts and mailers. And my mom is just so, every time she gets them, I think she argues with them. And I'm like, I think they're bots. Don't don't do that. Don't don't argue with the bots because they just they'll just they'll keep they'll keep texting you. Medicare plans can change every year. So even if you like your current plan, you still have to check what's coming for 2026. And if you don't review your options, you could lose coverage that you depend on. You've got to call the partners. over at chapter it's a great medicare partner for you they can review every plan across the country to make sure that you are not overpaying they've been saving people over a thousand dollars annually and their advisors are salaried there they advocate for you not for the insurance companies and i know it can be a major hassle dealing with all of this stuff but let me promise you this takes like under 20 minutes actually does take under 20 minutes that's how quickly they can do this That's a lot more in terms of saving you time than having to deal with calls and emails and texts relentlessly from Medicare annual enrollment season. So if your current plan is still the best fit, You're all set. If not, they can help you switch. No gimmicks, no pressure, just honest advice from experts who know Medicare inside and out. It's very easy to do this. Dial pound 250 and say the words, my Medicare. It's very important. Don't risk it and work with someone you can trust. And that's chapter. Dial pound 250 and say the keywords, my Medicare.
SPEAKER 23 :
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SPEAKER 16 :
Welcome back to the program. Dana Lash with you at the bottom of this, our second hour. It feels like it's still the first hour. So yesterday I sat down with my friend Jack Carr. You might know him. He is the author of the Terminalist series. It stars Chris Pratt on Amazon Prime. In fact, actually, it's... It began as a book series, and they turned the book series into a series on Amazon. So Chris Pratt, Terminalist, that's the first season. Now, Dark Wolf is now the second season on Amazon Prime. And then, of course, Jack just came out with a new book called Cry Havoc, which takes place back in Vietnam. And we sat down yesterday and had a very in-depth discussion, including—we talked about everything, not just about his projects, but because of his military background— We also talked about drone warfare and China and a lot more. Here's a little bit of an excerpt of that. Listen. When you're thinking of future projects, because the future of warfare is changing and you and I were talking a little bit earlier about drone warfare. Are you thinking about all of that stuff in terms of like your how you're because it's changing pretty quickly. And if you write something, I mean, obviously, as you know, like 10 years from now, it's going to look so foreign compared to war fighting in Vietnam, like back in the 60s and 70s. It's going to look so different. What are your thoughts on all of that? Because the drone warfare is a terrifying, it's a terrifying thing. I think the first time we actually saw it really implemented was with Ukraine.
SPEAKER 19 :
Yep. Saw it there. I put it in True Believer. So there's a drone attack in True Believer. And we actually filmed that for the series. So that's in there. But that was in 20, that book came out in 2019. I started writing it in 2016. But what was great about this book, and I'll go back to the drone warfare in a second. is that there weren't drones to consider here. There weren't really satellites to consider. There weren't cell phones. There weren't Teslas. There weren't cameras on every corner. There wasn't facial recognition technology. You could still forge an ID, like all of those things you could do in 1968. It's a lot easier to be spookier. Exactly. I could use old school spy craft, trade craft, and not have to write a chapter and be like, oh, why didn't someone just text him and call off the attack? Yeah. You know, like, you know, I'm going to have to search for not even a quarter, like a dime or something to find a pay phone or or something here. But but so cell phones have really changed the way you write through. And we film things, too. How many times are we seeing someone just pick up a phone and have a conversation on a cell phone or to be a text? In TV and film today. And it's just because that's how we are as people as well, unfortunately. And, you know, that's something that I was talking about yesterday is that phones and communication, it used to connect us with family and friends that were far away. And now these things disconnect us from people we're sitting right next to. Yeah, it's just it's just crazy to think about.
SPEAKER 16 :
I think there's too much connection. I read a headline where it said people max out having like social interactions and friends at 150 people. And that's really putting that seems a lot. That's a lot. And they're like, yes, it was some people. It's like 50 kind of max out. There is something to be said for that.
SPEAKER 19 :
Yeah, I believe you're right. And I don't think as humans, we're meant to handle all that sort of input. But people can take advantage of it now as well. It doesn't benefit us as citizens. It doesn't make us better spouses, better mothers, fathers, citizens. It just divides us and benefits maybe political parties and, of course, the tech overlords, which is why I'm trying to push reading so much. And reading, being a reader is a new type of rebellion against the digital tyranny.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yes. Nothing replaces a tangible, actual book.
SPEAKER 19 :
Exactly. I mean, you pull out a book and start reading a book that like stands out today. Pull out a cell phone, you just blend in with everybody else. So I'm trying to get push the reading as an act of rebellion.
SPEAKER 16 :
Nice. I like that.
SPEAKER 19 :
Yeah, me too. But for this, the drone warfare, I'm so glad that I got out of the military before the drone warfare stuff really hit. It is so scary seeing those drone attacks in Ukraine in particular. And of course, different nations are using them in different ways. We saw Israel use one about a year and a half ago. Now you're in a couple months ago. where they use drones as a blocking force. So a blocking force is like, let's say, a group of rangers that comes in and blocks or contains, which are different things, but similar tactics. And then a smaller special operations force goes within that perimeter and does what they need to do in there. And Israel did it with just that smaller group of people to go into a certain target in Syria about a year and three or four months ago. And instead of having people be that blocking force, they used drones as the blocking force, which is really interesting. I hadn't heard of that being done before. And then, of course, we're seeing those drone attacks in Ukraine. You're seeing these drones hunt people down in these trenches.
SPEAKER 16 :
And with the from with Iran to build a rumble is what Mossad did within Iran was that was that was pretty spectacular. Yeah.
SPEAKER 19 :
And of course, the enemy is always learning, always adapting.
SPEAKER 16 :
And I got a little nervous because I'm like, if they're able to go into Iran. And build a drum base within Iran. Then who's to say that that could not happen in the United States? I think a CCP on farmland. I think of the little trial balloon that went over the whole country. Nobody did anything. They were just out, you know, get out there. Yeah, that's it. That's a little scary. It definitely could happen here.
SPEAKER 19 :
Sure. I mean, we're always learning. The enemy is always learning, always adapting. Typically, the enemy does it a little faster than we do because we're a gigantic bureaucracy and the enemy is is not in many cases. And when I say enemy, I mean Iran, China, Russia, North Korea, super empowered individuals, terrorist organizations. They can adapt a little faster than we can because they don't have as many constraints. We've had a technological advantage for a long time. But because of how technology has dispersed really across the world, maybe we don't have quite the advantage that we thought we did or it's leveling up. I think we still have it, but I think it's leveling up also. So someone certainly could do something similar to what Israel did in Iran right here in this country. I don't even think they need the land to do it. I think it already exists.
SPEAKER 16 :
And that's what's scary, because I hope that we have, for the lack of a better way to put it, a whole stockpile of really spooky stuff that we can use. I mean, that's where I'm totally OK with my tax dollars going. Like, I just want some super lethal, super spooky stuff, just stockpile it. Because I look at, you know, China and AI and the drones that they're making. I mean, granted, you know, it's a kind of a war of attrition with them. It doesn't matter the quality. They can just produce a million of, you know, something. But, you know, the chips manufacturing, like with Taiwan and all of this other stuff. And I look, I just feel like we are really behind the ball on this and not even really aware of it. We see it happen in Iran. We're like, oh, wow, that's pretty cool. Wow, that's really scary. Yeah. Over there. And I just feel like not enough are putting two and two together here and questioning that.
SPEAKER 19 :
Sure. No, you have to always put yourself in the enemy's shoes and ask, hey, what lessons would I take from this if I were the enemy? Okay, maybe this. Then how would I adapt? What would I do? How would I think that the United States is going to try to counter what I'm doing right here, what they are anticipating that I would take? Oh, then I'm going to do this instead. So it's a constant game of adaptation. And typically, who adapts faster than the adversary is going to end up on top.
SPEAKER 16 :
Do you think this administration is correcting some of that, that the mistakes that have been made by, you know, previously? It doesn't seem like they're trying to bring us up to speed because I think you obviously I think I trust your perspective on this more than mine. But from what you're seeing, I mean, are you pleased with, you know, the changes that have happened so far?
SPEAKER 19 :
Yeah, I think we're on the right path. And I'm not saying that the administration got the Department of War thing from me. I'm just saying that I never heard anybody talk about it until I talked about it after the Afghanistan withdrawal in 2021.
SPEAKER 16 :
I think you even talked about it on with me.
SPEAKER 19 :
We did. Yeah. So it's Department of War. And in 1947, it changes from the Department of War to the Department of Defense. Why should people know that? Precision in language reflects precision in thought. And when you have something that was called the Department of War, that has a certain connection to the vocabulary. And it means something. And you change that to the Department of Defense. Now, that means something that's a different word, war and defense. Those are different words. And words are meant to be precise. And when you defend something that is very different than going to war to crush something. And so I advocated for that back in 2021. And but it's interesting, people are saying that is now called the Department of War. But if you look at the statement from the White House, it's worded very, once again, very precisely. So they say that you can call it the Department of War. We are calling it the Department of War. But I think it really takes an act of Congress to change it moving forward to the Department of War. So those are different things. Yes. So. That bureaucracy you're talking about there.
SPEAKER 16 :
The new SecWar, I can't say SecDef anymore. I like SecWar better. The Secretary of War came out, I think this was last week, and had all the generals amassed. And the press was going crazy. Why are all of these generals going and meeting with the Secretary of War? Donald Trump's going to get us in World War III. That's kind of what they were intimating in the headlines. Then he gets them all together and he's like, all right, we got to have news.
SPEAKER 19 :
He says, you guys aren't going to be fat anymore.
SPEAKER 16 :
No more fatties. No trainees, no fatties, none of this.
SPEAKER 19 :
They thought we were here for, we're going to announce World War III and you're just telling me I need some more pushups? Yeah.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER 19 :
What a big letdown for some of those guys. They're probably like, oh, geez, I wish she was going to announce some sort of a warrior that I'm going to have to go do this PT test. You know, it's possible. It's possible. I've walked by some of those guys.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 19 :
They know who they are.
SPEAKER 16 :
Was that in your estimation? Is that a long time coming?
SPEAKER 19 :
Oh, yeah. I mean, it's a pretty big correction because we've gone so far in another direction. I mean, we look at how many admirals in general, so flag officers there were in World War II. And I won't give an exact number because I don't know it, but it was very small compared to the amount of flag officers we have today. And yes, we are a larger country today. Yes. But you are a very top-heavy organization today. It really was a profession of arms back then, and it's meant to be a profession of arms. Once again, language. But it became a career for some. And there's a difference between a career and a profession, and it's a different mindset. I would say it became a career for some of these people, which means they're just trying to climb the ladder, just trying to impress the person that's higher up on that ladder. And instead of and that's what you have to do still for evaluations and fit reps. And maybe it's gotten better. My information is a little little dated. I've been out for a moon or two now. But what really matters is that competence and and how your peers see you and the people that are below you in the chain of command see you as well. So hopefully they're looking at things a little more holistically.
SPEAKER 16 :
So that is that's an excerpt of our discussion with Jack Carr. Now, you can watch the full discussion tomorrow. What time? Yeah, it says right down there at 5 p.m. Eastern, 4 Central. I'm like, what time is what time do I do it, Kane? What time do we do? It's right underneath me. But you can watch that at 4 p.m. Central, 5 p.m. Eastern. tomorrow yeah so and you'll be able to watch the full discussion because we talked about everything from we talk about everything from the book project the stuff that he's got going on and then this so it's all very good stuff all very good stuff but you can watch that in full and you'll be able to see it tomorrow all good all good things for all good discussions we might do more of those so that was as you know that's the same set That's the same set that we have here. And we just kind of switched it out. And so we're experimenting and doing a couple of different things because sometimes we want to have longer discussions with some of our guests. But the live radio format is very different from a podcast format. And what works in radio doesn't necessarily work digitally. And what works digitally does not necessarily work radio. So you kind of have to, you know. Gotta be careful how you split that baby. It's got a very, very, very delicate thing. But it was a great discussion. And if you haven't watched Dark Wolf on Amazon, it is fantastic. It's so good. You'll love it. Terminalist was great, too. I really like I mean, I like Terminalist. I really like Dark Wolf also. I think I'm I might even prefer Dark Wolf because it was very hard to see Chris Pratt go through it. And that's all I'm going to say if you haven't watched The Terminalist. And then you get to see what he's like before he goes through it. And you're like, and that just makes you angrier. And it's getting to the point where everything starts, you know, all the dominoes start. So very good, fascinating, fascinating series. We have more on the way. We've got Florida Man coming up. It's our partners that make it possible. Our friends at Ammo Squared. You guys remember how insane it was just to get some... nine millimeter or really anything, right? During 2020 and going into 2021 and all of the lockdowns and everything else, you had sky high ammo prices and lots of regret. There's a smarter way to stay prepared. And that's with Ammo Squared. It's America's ammunition reserve, a worry-free solution where you can collect your ammo for the future and not get caught empty handed. You can choose from over 70 calibers of Set your monthly budget and then let Ammo Squared curate your supply automatically. So you set it, you forget it and you ship it when you need it. And it's secure in a climate controlled facility. So your ammo stays fresh and safe until you decide to get it delivered. There's no minimums and you don't have any hidden fees and free shipping on orders over $250. And they've got pretty much everything you can think of. Perfect for if you're trying out new calibers, if you want to top off your training rounds or just stay ready, right? Over 100,000 members are already over at Ammo Squared. It's a community with thousands of five-star reviews. So your readiness, well, that's Ammo Squared's mission. Visit AmmoSquared.com and secure your ammo supply for the future. Don't run out when it counts. Do what I do and stock up before training and restock and all of that. And after, too, to stay ready. Visit MLSquared.com. And that's squared, as you would spell it out, MLSquared. And make sure that you mention to them that you heard about it on the Dana Show.
SPEAKER 07 :
It's his life mission to make bad decisions. It's time for Florida Man.
SPEAKER 16 :
All right. So this was just reported in this morning. A Coral Springs, Florida man is facing domestic violence charges after he hit his father during an argument that began when the father asked the son to remove the lady of ill repute that he had brought home. Lady of the Night King. That's right. A hooker. Yeah. According to Coral Springs Police, officers responded to a family home where the victim told his son that he had spent the day drinking with a woman he described as a prostitute. Was she a prostitute or was she just unpaid? She did it for free. You know what I mean? Like a skank. I mean, the difference is money, in case you're wondering. So when he asked the woman to leave, she complied. But then the son became enraged, shouting threats, telling his dad he was going to beat his a-double snakes. And then they came to fisticuffs and 9-1-1. He called 9-1-1. The son hit him in the lip. He's just describing himself as visibly shaken. And the police did. And the victim's wife and daughter corroborated, etc. And so now the son was arrested. He posted two thousand dollar bond. That's sad. He sounds like he's got some problems. The son, like he didn't get beaten enough when he was a kid. Let's see. This is such a good dog. Dogs are just the best people. I just, you know, if you're like, would you rather spend your day with a very enjoyable person or a dog? I'd be like a dog. So this was in Okaloosa County. A dog was deemed a hero because he alerted a deputy to his owner, a grandmother who had fallen on a sidewalk. A man called 911 frantic after his wife had not returned home from a dog walk. Body camera footage shows the man telling the deputies that responded that his wife is normally only gone 10 to 15 minutes, but she hadn't gone over an hour. Footage then cuts to the deputy driving before hearing her say, that's the dog. And they find the dog and they ask the dog, where's your mom? Go find where your mom is. And then the dog led them to the woman who was lying on the sidewalk. And the woman asked the deputy, the dog brought you over and he wouldn't leave. He kept coming back to her. He wouldn't leave her alone. He ran up to the patrol car and led them to the woman. And they call him Eeyore. The dog's name is Eeyore. And that dog is the best boy. I hope he gets tons of treats. I shouldn't say that out loud because if the TV is on. Our dog, W-I-C-K, will jailbreak the... I'm not like Hasan Piker. I'm not going to keep... I'm not, you know, a piece of scum wrapped in meat who is going to keep my dog on a little square for four hours while I rail incessantly Nepo Baby style in my compound and then zap it with a shot collar. No, no, no. My dog, he doesn't do that. He can't stay in here. Cam wants him to be a studio dog. You don't know what you're asking. An alligator walks into a bar in Florida. For real. It's Florida. What did you expect? So an alligator legit in Stewart, Florida. It was a local tiki bar in Stewart, Florida. And they got a special friend today. All the people at the bar got a little friend. It was a gator. He walked into Harlow's Hideout like he owned the place. And he didn't, you know, very dramatically. And they called officers and Florida Fish and Wildlife. They arrived on the scene. The gator was taken into custody. He was very compliant without incident. And no injuries were reported. And they say that the Gator was relocated to a, quote, more suitable venue where the only cocktails are in the swamp and the sun never sets on happy hour, end quote.
SPEAKER 08 :
Did he order Gatorade?
SPEAKER 16 :
I don't know. That's such a dad joke. If I would have seen a gator walk, and they have photos of him. He's just a little guy. He's not a huge gator. You can pick him up and carry him like a baby if you wanted to. I'm not saying I would, you know, but just saying. But if I see that in a bar, I'm not going to be scared. I'm going to be a free pet. free pet now I'm not dumb enough to be like in Yellowstone and walk up to a moose or do anything dumb like that but if I see you know if you can yeet it you can get it you know what I'm saying like if it's yeetable then it's gettable and so I would it'd be my pet saying. We got a lot more on the way coming up. Third hour. Stick with us. Our friends at, it's the folks at Burn a Gun. Look, I have zero problem throwing lead down range. I've told you this a million times. I have zero issue using the lethal force to protect myself or my loved ones. It's just not even up for debate. But I also realize, too, that it's important to have diversity in terms of what you have for weapons. And whether it's municipal or private property restrictions, blah, blah, blah. You guys know the drill. You have different calibers. You have blades. I just think that it's smart to incorporate something when everything else is trying to disarm you so you can still have a means of defending yourself. Burn a gun shoots chemical irritant projectiles that can deter threats from up to 50 feet away. And they've got, I think it's like, what, 15 rounds in one of their cartridges. Whereas think about regular stun guns. You got regular stun guns. You got like one or two rounds. That's that's it. But with burn-a-gun, you've got a 15-round shock capacity per cartridge. There's no recoil. Everything's made right here in the U.S. of A. And it does not care about gun-free zone signs. So if you're a college student who's allowed by age of 18 to go in a foreign land and carry a full auto in defense of your country, but you can't legally carry a firearm here while living in a town and going to college in defense of yourself, burn-a-gun might be an option for you. It doesn't care about gun-free zone signs. There are zero background checks. They can be shipped right to your front door. There's no special fees. It's accessible to everybody. The CL, the compact launcher, is the best one. And it's perfect for this particular situation. Visit Burna.com slash Dana. It's the Burna CL. B-Y-R-N-A dot com slash Dana.
SPEAKER 05 :
It's a clean extension for one year. Clean extension.
SPEAKER 06 :
I voted for a tax cut bill that gave the largest tax cut to Americans in history, including, by the way, the average New Yorker getting a $4,000 tax cut. Are you against that? You're embarrassing yourself right now. Do you want to cut the standard deduction in half?
SPEAKER 05 :
Is that what you want to do?
SPEAKER 06 :
No, we voted out waste, fraud, and abuse, by the way. Tom DiNapoli, the Democratic controller of New York, pointed out that $1.2 billion were wasted.
SPEAKER 05 :
You're not going to talk to me and talk over me because you don't want to hear what I have to say. So why don't you just keep your mouth shut? Because you showed up, you showed up, you showed up, and so you voted for this one big ugly bill, a permanent extension of massive tax breaks. For your billionaire donors. So 90% of Americans... So they can get a permanent extension.
SPEAKER 06 :
90% of Americans take the standard deduction. Is that right? 90% of Americans take the standard deduction. Is that right? If you had your way, the standard deduction would have been cut in half. That would have been a massive tax increase on Americans all across the country.
SPEAKER 05 :
You support that?
SPEAKER 06 :
You're here, unfortunately, to do the bidding of your billionaire donors. The billionaire donors lifting the cap on salt. We put an income cap in place.
SPEAKER 05 :
Why are you here right now? Didn't you want all Republicans to be here? Where are the rest of your Republican followers?
SPEAKER 16 :
So I'm not even like a major Mike Lawler fan, but holy wow, man. I really... Hakeem Jeffries is just a goober. I don't know how else to put it. What? What is that, Kane? Kane's over here mad.
SPEAKER 08 :
He's worthless.
SPEAKER 16 :
You were hitting the desk. You're mad. Yes. Get it.
SPEAKER 08 :
The big, beautiful bill was passed in July. July 4th, by the way. It's a familiar date. And all we're doing is extending what has already been assigned in law.
SPEAKER 16 :
It's a current Biden-level spending. Yeah. What I think is so funny is that Republicans are all, it's still current Biden-level spending. You guys voted for this 11,000 times. By the way, just round seven. Just failed in the Senate. So still the shutdowns in effect, which I'm totally Democrats are still holding the American people hostage. Democrats are mad because they wanted more funding for my mayor. And they're trying to sit here. What is this? This is their new talking point. First off, welcome back, by the way. Dana Lash with you. Top of this third hour. Dave Rubin joins us at the bottom. Chats at Rumble. they got everybody there has the has their own shiv you gotta make your your own before you get in there and then uh we also have to you could watch the radio show channel 347 direct tv felt like i needed to say that i forgot it uh so the new talking point and i i Did I put this in Slack for you earlier? I did, right? They're trying to argue that, oh, well, Medicaid funding. Where's this at? Let me pull this up real quick because I have a million other. Oh, here it is. It's the ABC piece, ABC News piece. They're trying to say, oh, no, emergency Medicaid for illegal aliens. I don't say undocumented immigrants, just I don't like I don't say things like assault weapons or a man can be a woman or something like that. Right. Because this doesn't exist like Palestine. So they said that emergency Medicaid for illegal aliens accounts for it. Now, this is what their ABC News is. All of the Democrats are tweeting this right now. It accounts for less than one percent of state spending, according to the study at Emory University. And the problem with this is that this is based, A, on fiscal year 2022, number one. Number two, it's state-based. Number three, it doesn't get into nor does it doesn't include at all any kind of like if you go to an emergency room, that's you de facto get care regardless of an ability to pay. That's literally has been a federal law for forever. Doesn't include that. And there's a bunch of other stuff that it doesn't take into consideration. Did you note something else, too, with that? Or am I missing something? Or did I make that up?
SPEAKER 08 :
It was about the salt. The thing was, it's state spending. It's definitely 2022. But also, it's the salt cap stuff. This money is fungible. What they get from the federal government is then distributed. And they don't count it in regards to what they're getting and putting towards Medicaid and state.
SPEAKER 16 :
So let me explain it like this. So, like, say Hunter Biden wants to buy Crack Rock. Okay. What is the going rate for a crack rock?
SPEAKER 08 :
For a crack rock?
SPEAKER 16 :
Just keep it something easy.
SPEAKER 08 :
Probably a spit painting.
SPEAKER 16 :
Say $100. Okay. I have no idea. Who knows? I've never bought the crack. So crack rock. Hunter Biden has got $100. He wants to buy a crack rock. Actually, say he's got $50 and he wants to buy a $100 crack rock. And he's like, what? Am I going to do here?
SPEAKER 08 :
Huh? I don't have enough money here.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yeah. So say that he's got fifty dollars. Say Joe gives him one hundred because Hunter Biden also has to pay his rent and he's got to buy his crack rock. He's like, I can't do both of these things. You know, crack rock is one hundred dollars. My rent's like fifty or whatever. I don't know. Just making it up. So Joe Biden slips him $100. So he's able to take the money that he already has and he buys a crack rock with it. So in terms of fungibility, it's essentially just one in, one out. You just trade it out. That's all it is. I mean, it empowers you to be able to do things financially because someone gives you money that makes you more financially secure, layman's terms. So that's what we're talking about here. So they're trying to – I mean, if I was just going to be a ridiculous smartass, I would say, well, is 1% greater than 0%? Okay. Because that's still my tax dollars. And I just explained to you why the math is funny and it's actually significantly higher than that, but I digress. And we've talked about this before, state by state, the millions and billions that are actually going towards this. We've talked about it quite a bit. So, you know, this idea that... I don't know. By the way, I just saw this. Trump signed the Columbus Day Proclamation and said, we're back, Italians. I am... I'm just, it's so funny. It just cracks me up. He says, yeah, we're back, Italians. Isn't he Irish? Or no, wait, he's English, right? Scottish? Scottish. And they'll take him. New York Italians will take him because he's very he's he's got those mannerisms. He goes, we're calling it Columbus Day. We're back. Italians love the Italians here. Let me drop this in because this is going to be I like the flick when he had that taco salad the one time on. Was it Cinco de Mayo? And he was like, I love Hispanics. And everyone's like, he said he loves Hispanics. He's a racist. Insane. But this was actually from this cabinet meeting where he was sitting between Marco Rubio and Pete Hegseth. And that's funny. And then you have the people that are going, oh, Italy didn't exist as a nation during the time of Columbus. He traveled. Shut up. Columbus, shut up. You know what? Him and Americo Vespucci, they were Italians and they went and they got the favor of the Spanish court because Italy was all broken into different kingdoms. And then in the 1800s, they came together. But that's a long story. And we'll, you know, another time. But this idea, they were Italians. Americo Vespucci, interestingly enough, one of his cousins, Simonetta Vespucci, who married, well, Simonetta married his cousin there. It goes back and forth that Botticelli was secretly in love with her and had her as his muse. But then also some people say that she was just the ideal avatar for Florentine beauty back during the era. So very interesting. She was part of that family and had that connection to Botticelli. And as you know, Amerigo Vespucci technically was the first to discover America. but they didn't call it Amerigo, which I actually like that we're not Amerigos. I like Americans better. It just works. But anyway, you didn't need to know any of that, but I shared it with you anyway because it's Thursday. If you have that, play that for me because this is funny. This cracks me up. This is Trump right after what we were just talking about. Listen.
SPEAKER 10 :
In other words, we're calling it Columbus Day.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yes. That was the...
SPEAKER 10 :
Press that broke out in applause. Can you believe that? I've never seen that happen before. The press actually broke out in applause. Good. Columbus Day. We're back. Columbus Day, we're back, Italians. We love the Italians.
SPEAKER 16 :
I like how he says it, too. We love the Italians. So great. He cracks me up. Oh, man. So the... A lot of where to even go, where to go from here. So one of this. See, I had posted this up. So now we just had the seventh round failed. And I told you this was last hour. And I'm just saying it again because I think that this is important for you to know the this Gallup survey that came out. that shows American job approval or the American's approval rating of the jobs that these different agencies are doing. They had 15 agencies, and among them, they had FEMA, CIA, CDC, FDA, EPA, IRS. They're at or near the lowest points in Gallup's trend. The decline is pretty significant. So, for instance, FEMA dropped 20 points, CIA 10, CDC 9. The only one that saw an increase was Department of Homeland Security, which saw like a 50 plus some odd increase in its approval rating. 59 points, in fact. And it even beat SecWar, even beat the Department of War. They saw a plus 38 in terms of the year-to-year gain in public approval. And so I bring this up because this is messaging that I have not seen Republicans seize on. Like, look at the absolute disapproval with which Americans view these agencies. And we, the Republicans, are trying to streamline them more so they're more efficient and get rid of the bureaucracy and the bloat. And that's why we're not committing to Democrats. demands for increasing spending. We're only continuing the previously approved Democrats current level of spending. I wish that they will go out. I think that would even be more helpful to them if they wouldn't message in that particular way, because that's I mean, that's you. They have the people on their side. This is really bad for Democrats. And then where's the story that I just pulled this up? And then we're going to get into the stuff with Jay Jones here. Then you have this story. The IRS is now announcing new federal income tax brackets for 2026. And there's a lot of their people are furloughed. And I'm like, make it permanent. I don't want them doing nothing. Make it permanent. So completely unconstitutional. Now, speaking of Jay Jones, as I just mentioned, so there are a couple of polls that came out. And one of these polls that came out is one that Jay Jones is. It's like a push poll that they're running and they're trying to say that. oh, this is really great for Jay Jones. They're trying very, very hard to stay in the race. And I just, I think it's going to get more and more difficult for him as it goes because these text messages, and it's not even just the text messages, it's everything else too, are so detrimental to him. It's crazy. And it looks like This poll that came out, well, that was released yesterday evening, it's from Heart Research. This was an internal poll that was conducted from Saturday to Monday. And this is the one that Jay Jones is really desperately trying to use as a way to say, look, I'm still competitive. The Heart Research poll shows Jones only plus one over the incumbent AG, Miyares. And as you remember, Jay Jones is the Democrat nominee for attorney general for Virginia. And he was the one who in text messages was talking about shooting a Republican delegate because the Republican delegate had the audacity to say simply nice things about a recently deceased Democrat delegate. And he said very nice things and said he was praying for his family. Nothing negative. He didn't qualify anything. He just said he was a nice man. And, you know, he was sad about it. and jay jones apparently didn't like that and then told uh another lawmaker that he wanted to put a bullet in the guy's head and also kill his children in front of them he wanted the wife to watch her children die like he got graphic in these text messages and then what's more it comes out all of these other instances where jay jones had major major rage problems for real whether it was you know rage you know uh road rage or whatever so now And this was the poll that they came out with that they were kind of trying to like hang on to it. Well, there's also an interactive poll. I haven't broken any of I haven't broken these down, but it shows Jason Meares ahead of Jay Jones. And back in the beginning of October, it was 60-40 in favor of Jones. And now it's precipitously dropped in Meares' favor. And now we're looking at him being ahead by about three points at this, Meares being ahead about three points ahead. at this at this moment. So very interesting stuff that that could and you honestly, that's what you want to see. Because can you imagine somebody who gets that mad, being in the position of top cop, and having the ability to just use the authority of that office to go after you. And if you think that they won't do that, Democrats have done that to people for less. All Family Pharmacy is a family-owned business dedicated to helping you get the medications that you need when you need them the most. With over 200 essential medications, including antibiotics, antivirals, ivermectin, emergency kits, and so much more, they have you covered for everything from daily prescriptions to even biohacking support. Right now, they've lowered prices on ivermectin and minbendazole by up to 25%, starting at just $2 a capsule. Plus, save an extra 10% using code GENERAL. Each order includes a doctor's prescription, so there's no hassle or middleman. 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SPEAKER 08 :
And now, all of the news you would probably miss. It's time for Dana's Quick Five.
SPEAKER 16 :
Okay, so this is totally appropriate here. I saw a Babylon Bee headline. You want to know what the headline said? Hitler brings peace to Israel. And they had a picture of Donald Trump because the left always calls him Hitler and Nazi and everything else. I thought that was pretty funny. Well played, Babylon Bee. Well played. Let's see. Also, what we have this. OK, here we go. So only in St. Louis, Kane, it's our hometown. A feller wearing the same underwear during an alleged robbery leads to arrest. Now, this is in the east side. This is East St. Louis. This is over the river. A man's facing multiple charges because he robbed a Dave's Hot Chicken in Chesterfield over the weekend. And according to probable cause, Kane, Lisanne Whitley, he entered the restaurant on Saturday of October 4th and he was armed. He had with an armed pistol. That's how they wrote this at Yahoo News. Dear heavens.
SPEAKER 07 :
So the pistol had a pistol?
SPEAKER 16 :
With an armed pistol. Okay. They said he was wearing a ski mask, entered the manager's office, and they apparently, they got a witness description of him. They had a description of him. They had him on surveillance camera. And apparently his britches that were captured, sticking above his pants, that helped identify him and that led to him being caught.
SPEAKER 08 :
His pants were more below the britches, but yeah.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yeah. Oh, well, yeah, it was hanging low. That's right. And apparently a Disneyland guest suffers a medical emergency at the Haunted Mansion, later dies. So that actually tracks... I mean, it's Disney, but also Haunted Mansion and all that stuff. So we got more on the way. Dave Rubin joins us next. We move the folks who help make the program happen. It's Patriot Mobile, the only Christian conservative cell phone service that is out there. They want to save you money. Not only do they want to save you money, but they want to make sure that you're getting the best possible coverage so they have access to all of it, all three major networks. So you're covered wherever you are. You go and your money doesn't work against you at the ballot box. Right. A portion of your bill goes directly to fund things like folds of honor and tunnel for towers, groups that make a difference for our nation's heroes. And so you're not just paying a phone bill. You're actually standing up for those who stood up for us. And you can talk with one of their U.S. based friends. customer service team members that will make sure that you get set up. You don't have to make a store visit. You can do all of this from the comfort of your own home, right by your sofa, right at your desk, however it works for you. And so that's what you get with Patriot Mobile. You get coverage you can trust. You get affordability. It's easy to switch, and you can keep your number or your phone, upgrade, the whole thing. It's up to you. Visit patriotmobile.com slash Dana or call 972-PATRIOT to get started and use promo code Dana to get a free month of service. Veterans and first responders, you get 15% off of your bill every month. That's patriotmobile.com slash Dana, promo code Dana, 972-PATRIOT.
SPEAKER 23 :
On the go and need a quick news fix with a fun twist? Follow Dana's Absurd Truth podcast for bite-sized informative episodes, perfect for your busy schedule on Apple or wherever you get your podcast.
SPEAKER 13 :
Do you think the president deserves a Nobel Peace Prize?
SPEAKER 17 :
Well, I mean, if this sticks, I think the whole point of having a Nobel Peace Prize is for ending wars and promoting peace. And I'm going to make a direct appeal to the president.
SPEAKER 16 :
I mean, I completely agree with that. Of all the things that people get nominated for when they get the Nobel Peace Prize, I mean, considering this is a pretty significant thing. Welcome back to the program. Dana Lash with you. You can listen coast to coast terrestrially. You can also watch the digital stream of the radio program, Channel 347, DirecTV, also at Rumble X, Facebook, everywhere on the Webernets. Joining me now, my good friend Dave Rubin, host of The Rubin Report. He joins us from his super swanky set. Via video. Always good to see you, Dave. This is a good thing. I mean, I mean, think about it like the birds are singing. We're agreeing with John Fetterman. You know, it's like I don't know, like rainbows and stars and kittens and sunshine. And it's just this is something good. What are Democrats going to bitch about?
SPEAKER 20 :
I kid you not, there is a bird that magically appeared in my kid's nursery about an hour ago that's still flying around their room. The window wasn't even open in the room. We're not even sure how it got there. Yeah, there is a lot of good stuff happening right now. Yes, Donald Trump deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for this, regardless of whether this is actual peace like kumbaya, everybody's gonna love each other, or it's just that this two year, Disaster is coming to a close. The hostages will come out. The Israeli troops will withdraw. The map will likely look a little different. I'm not Pollyannish. I don't think we're gonna just magically have peace tomorrow and everyone's gonna be crossing borders and loving everybody. but Donald Trump has painted a vision for the world that is different than basically everyone has done in about 75 years in that region. And we already have evidence that it can work when you think about it differently, because we have the Abraham Accords. We already have evidence it can work differently, if you think about it differently, because he was able to move the embassy to Jerusalem and all hell didn't break loose. So I think there's every reason for optimism right now. And Dana, as I'm sure you've pointed out already on your show this morning, I mean, the fact that Bernie Sanders, Rashida Tlaib, Chuck Schumer, the laundry list of lefties who have been screaming about genocide for two years, which of course this was not a genocide, it was an active war, they have not tweeted about it, tells you all you need to know. All they have wanted to do here was destroy Israel. It had nothing to do with saving the Palestinians. The Palestinians could have all been saved on October 8th if they would have just released the hostages. So there's all goodness here. There's a lot of good signs. And I'm very bullish on maybe this can heal some of the wounds that we've been seeing on the right because the, oh, we're gonna destroy Israel crowd is looking pretty silly right now.
SPEAKER 16 :
I don't know. Maybe that Qatari money will still keep coming in. The CCP slash Qatari money. We'll see how that goes. Talking with our friend Dave Rubin. You made a great point on X just a little bit earlier this morning. And I wanted to touch on this because you were quote tweeting. about the strategy that Israel implemented and the partnership, the strategy that came from the partnership of the United States and Israel, talking about Lebanon and then Syria and Yemen. The point that you made was winning the actual war is still more important than winning the Instagram war, because there were questions of, well, is Israel going to be able to be successful if they lose the PR war? But what does it matter? I mean, can you even win a PR war if you're Israel? I mean, sometimes, you know, it seems like a rhetorical question. Clearly, they won the real one.
SPEAKER 20 :
Right, well, look, the real war is that they've been fighting a seven front war and their enemies are all basically destroyed. Ask Hezbollah, how's it going? Ask Iran, how's it going? Ask the Houthis, how's it going? Ask Hamas, how's it going? The West Bank or Judea and Samaria is the proper term for the West Bank. I mean, that's largely been quiet. So their enemies have basically realized, boy, we just can't take these guys out. And the irony of course is if they would just get over it, which I do think, perhaps because of Trump is happening right now, they're gonna find an unbelievable partner in Israel that will help them literally make the desert bloom just like they did in Israel. You want drip irrigation, you want desalinization just like Jordan, which now imports most of its water from Israel. Just get on board that the Jews are gonna have this little place the size of New Jersey. You guys still have all the oil. get over it and there is a chance for prosperity. So again, I'm not just like over the top, oh my God, this is the greatest thing ever, but it is a massive, massive movement that ends a seemingly intractable problem for now and then we see what happens on the other side. Look, even the Qataris, who you're right, they've dumped a ton of money into our influencer side and Instagram and TikTok and all that stuff. They got hit by the rocket from Israel about three weeks ago, going after the Hamas leaders, which didn't quite work out. But I think they were suddenly shook. They were suddenly like, boy, we're not even that safe. So I do think some of that Qatari money might be drying up. And by the way, even Al Jazeera now has fired a bunch of their most crazed anti-Israel people. because Trump is leaning on these guys. This is the true genius of Trump.
SPEAKER 16 :
And I mean, for all of you made a good point, too, with Rashida Tlaib and these others who haven't said anything about this, because I was told reliably. We were told this in 2016 and again in 2024 that Trump is going to get us in the Middle East. It's going to kick us off into World War Three any day now. And so we're all like just waiting. Where's the World War Three at? Where's this at? We thought we were going to be fighting with Iran. That hasn't happened. And even what's crazier is that the. this rehabilitation of Syria and their leadership just because it's advantageous to us and it kind of keeps the peace in the area because in order to control brutes you need a brute and that's been working out incredibly well he hasn't gotten enough credit for that either and regardless of whether or not people love him or hate him I think that that needs to be recognized because that's this has been sound foreign policy and I want to see more of it your thoughts
SPEAKER 20 :
Yeah, well, it's peace through strength. I mean, it's not rocket science, right? If you show people, look, somebody is going to lead the world one way or another. And if it ain't us at this point, it basically is China. So if you believe that Western values are good, if you believe that freedom is good, That doesn't mean we have to bomb all these countries into living like us, but it does mean what Trump said when he went to Saudi Arabia about six months ago. He basically was like, look guys, we're not gonna tell you exactly how to live, but there are certain preconditions, not much, but certain conditions you're gonna have to accept if you want to enjoy the success of America, if you wanna be part of our economy and things of that nature. And I think that speech really was the beginning of the shift here where all of these countries are starting to realize, boy, we can go against America. It's just not gonna work out that well. I mean, think about it. Yemen, this tiny, ridiculous country, they could have so much success. And instead they chose, okay, every other day we're gonna fire four rockets at Israel. It's like, you're doing nothing but destroying your own people. So if you get over it, you will see that America is standing there like, hey, we'd love to partner with you and help you. We'll build some hotels for you. How about that?
SPEAKER 16 :
You're right, too. Six months ago, when he went over and was speaking to Mohammed bin Salman, when he when he noted that he was going to start removing sanctions against Syria and Salman stood up and applauded because we played that clip on air. And I thought that's. Really significant. And then all of these other you had the Emiratis that stood up and began applauding. And then when Syria pulled their air cover over Iran, then you knew it was over after that, because Iran, the skies were then Israel's and it was done. And then you had the drones that came up. It was I mean, it was pretty spectacular. So, Dave, what do you think China is thinking of when they're looking at this now?
SPEAKER 20 :
Well, I think they're realizing that America is asserting itself again. It really, in some sense, I think we'll look back like 20 years from now, and it was sort of a miracle that we survived the Biden slash auto pen for years. We did not lead in the world. We almost destroyed our own country via the open borders, which despite everything Trump has done on the positive side on that, we're still gonna have to deal with the reckoning of we don't know how many people are here and all the things that that will But I think China is realizing, boy, America is asserting itself again. And I would say that perhaps as it pertains to Taiwan, they're a little maybe less bullish of going in right now because they realize who knows what Trump is going to do. And America does seem to have new alliances forming.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yeah, that's I mean, this is huge. We're talking with our friend Dave Rubin. You can find him at Rubin Report and Rubin Report Show on X as well. entrepreneur, author, all these good things. So one last quick thing about this, because the Nobel Peace Prize, part of me is like, Trump needs to get it. He deserves it for this. Give it to him. And then the more rebellious part of me wants to just stick a finger in the air and say, you know, screw you guys. We don't need you. We don't need your validation. So I don't know where, where do you fall at this?
SPEAKER 20 :
You know, Dana, it's a little bit like when one of us writes a book and if we get on the New York Times bestseller list, right? Like we kind of know it's fraudulent. We know it's part of an institution that hates us. And yet you get the call that morning when I got the call, even though I was like, this is all garbage and it's literally made up.
SPEAKER 16 :
Oh, I missed it. I sold more than Russell Brand and he got on it and I didn't. So, you know, I'm a little sore about it.
SPEAKER 20 :
Right, exactly. They definitely don't like you. They're probably not thrilled with Russell, but every now and again, they gotta throw a bone to somebody, but it's sort of like that. So does he deserve the Nobel Peace Prize on merit? Of course. Did Barack Obama deserve it when he got it for literally doing nothing? Of course not. Would it be nice if he gets it? Yes. Is it gonna happen? I don't know, but it's like, you know what, Trump, just in this case, take the accolades of all of the sane people in the world and run with that. How about that?
SPEAKER 16 :
I want to ask you about Katie Porter because you're out in California. Yeah, she could. Are you scared that this crazy Karen could be your governor?
SPEAKER 20 :
Wait, Dana, did you just say I'm in California? I say I'm in Florida.
SPEAKER 16 :
You're in Florida now. Oh my gosh.
SPEAKER 20 :
Please, please. That was, of all the things that people have said to me over the years on air that have offended me, that might be.
SPEAKER 16 :
I'm going to get, Dave is going to fly over here and kick my backside. That's what's going to happen. Okay, never mind. So you don't live in California. I don't care about your, I'm kidding. No, but Katie Port, because I thought you were in California for a while and then you. No, I was, I was. I got out. So you got out in time. Thank heaven. So you don't have to worry about this. You're in Florida.
SPEAKER 20 :
I don't have to worry. I'm actually jealous.
SPEAKER 16 :
However,
SPEAKER 20 :
Yeah. No. However, look, she's she's an absolutely terrible candidate. But that is what they have left.
SPEAKER 16 :
You would never talk to anyone in your staff the way she screams at people. Well, I you would never be like in my shot, you're in my shot while you have like all of this debris in the background in your kitchen.
SPEAKER 20 :
I'm known to smack my guys around, but I would never speak to them with that language.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yeah. You wouldn't shock your dog like Hassan Piker either.
SPEAKER 20 :
So that I know definitely that one I would definitely not do that one. I would definitely not do.
SPEAKER 16 :
She is she does she actually I keep seeing I keep seeing conflicting reports that she is a top tier Democrat and she's one of the top considerations. But also the only reason that she is even in the lead or even leading, I should say, because it's pretty competitive is because of name recognition. So there's still time to for her to like, you know, flame out.
SPEAKER 20 :
I just don't even know what the name recognition is. I mean, I've watched enough videos of her between the thing, you know, telling the employee to shut the F up, who was trying to help her, by the way, or then the interview that she sat in where she just got up because she was asked a follow-up question. I mean, she has the emotional temperament of a six-year-old, so she's sort of a perfect progressive. But look, it's up to the people of California at this point. And unfortunately, you know, about a million people have left in the four years around COVID. So good people leave. People dependent on the states stay and they keep voting the same way. So, look, whether it's Gavin Newsom doing what he's done for these last couple of years or it's just Katie Porter, like I don't sense that it would be any great change. They had chances over the years to go the other way. They seem to not choose it.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yeah, I agree. Hopefully they don't follow you to Florida and we don't want any more. No, we're closed. Yeah. Just put up signs and direct them to other states and pretend that that's Florida. Be like, no, Mississippi is actually just stop there.
SPEAKER 20 :
No, no. People are getting eaten by alligators here every day. It's very scary. It's humid. The mosquitoes. Please don't don't come. Really.
SPEAKER 16 :
Don't come. Don't come to Florida. Dave Rubin at Rubin Report. Always a pleasure to see you, my friend. And I so I can't believe I forgot that you had really I know you relocated to Florida. I don't know why that slipped my mind. But when you come to Texas, we'll go shoot some stuff and get brisket.
SPEAKER 20 :
So now that now we're talking.
SPEAKER 16 :
There you go. Good to see you, my friend. Appreciate you.
SPEAKER 23 :
Subscribe to the Dana Show podcast, because who says you can't make fun of people while staying informed on your own personal time? Subscribe on YouTube, Apple, or wherever you get your podcast.
SPEAKER 22 :
Meanwhile here, comedians are f***ing themselves. Don't say anything about Charlie Kirk. I wasn't going to say anything about, yeah, but don't say anything about Charlie. I wasn't going to say anything about Charlie Kirk, but don't. There's nothing funny about it. Oh, now you've tested me. I mean, there's... there's nothing funny about it you can't say there's nothing funny about it now there's nothing fun no don't say that because there's a comedian i'll be like i'm sure there's something funny about it the guy was shot while defending guns do you understand how i'm not even writing that as a joke as a human you have to admit that is an incongruous funny thing that happens you are there on you're like on stage you're like let me tell you why people should have guns
SPEAKER 16 :
First off, he wasn't shot while defending guns, by the way. That's a lie. He was shot while he was discussing Trans-Tifa. And how the question was about there are no trans. I mean, all of the increase in violence has been coming from the trans sector. That is verbatim what he was discussing when he was shot. And he was shot by a dude who was banging a trans, a guy who pretended to be a girl and who would dress up as a furry. So he banged a furry cosplaying trans Tifa member. So that's the accurate way to state it. That's the the real way to state it is that he got killed because of trans Tifa. I mean, it's easier if you want to slide and say, oh, it was about guns, because that means you're an intellectual coward and you can't face what actually was the motivating factor behind his his cold blooded murder. And it was the bloodthirstiness, the bloodlust of trans Tifa. That's what did it. So at least be honest about it. If you're going to act like, you know, a hard ass and you're going to get up on stage. And he's like, by the way, one of the most unfunny people ever. And I've always thought that he's he's not as mean spirited, but he's just dishonest and not funny. I just think if you're going to get up there and try to crack jokes, at least be somewhat factual. At least be honest, because is it funny that he got killed by a guy who was banging a furry? I mean, let's talk about that. What is up? Is there jokes and why Trans Tifa gets so bloodlusty? I mean, we could just Trevor Noah find that funny. I'm just curious. I mean, why doesn't he make a joke about that? Oh, it's probably why. Probably a good reason why he's not just saying maybe he's worried that he'll be marked by Trans Tifa, too. Today in Stupidity, Cain.
SPEAKER 08 :
All right, Juan, this is Cut 17. Democrat Eric Swalwell. Well, by the way, other Democrat senators are still holding the American people hostage as it relates to getting the government back open. And while the Democrats are holding us all hostage, this is what Eric Swalwell's doing. Look at this.
SPEAKER 03 :
No Kings Rally is just a couple weeks away. I have partnered with No Kings here. Check out our merch.
SPEAKER 08 :
He's merching.
SPEAKER 03 :
No Kings Rally.
SPEAKER 16 :
By the way... Ew, what is that stupid shirt? Gosh, he is so gross.
SPEAKER 08 :
Did he fart at the end there? I couldn't tell. I won't cut the audio out. But yeah, that's what he's doing. He's out there merching while Democrats are holding you guys hostage.
SPEAKER 16 :
He's trying so hard to just seem... I think he... I don't know. I don't have anything nice to say. All right, folks, I am off air tomorrow for some family stuff and then back on air with you Monday. So you can find us on Substack, Facebook and YouTube. Like and subscribe. In the meantime, have a great rest of your evening. Back with you Monday.
In this gripping episode, Mike Gallagher takes us on a journey through the monumental news of a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas, brokered by President Donald Trump. Amidst cynicism and skepticism, the world watches as hostages are freed and a potential de-escalation in the Middle East unfolds. Mike shares his elation and disbelief with listeners, questioning the entrenched narratives opposing Trump's actions and inviting various perspectives on this groundbreaking development.
SPEAKER 03 :
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SPEAKER 01 :
If you focus exactly on loving the life that you're living right now, and not the life that you think you could have had or should have had, that's the whole deal right there.
SPEAKER 03 :
Soul on Fire. Rated PG. Parental guidance suggested. Now playing. For tickets, go to soulonfiremovie.com. Soul on Fire.
SPEAKER 05 :
From the wild world of D.C. politics to America's culture clash, brace yourself for the reality check you've been waiting for. The one and only Mike Gallagher.
SPEAKER 11 :
We've been through a lot together. We've been through some good times, some challenging times, some uplifting times. This is a big day. reached a deal to free the remaining hostages in Gaza and end the Israel-Hamas war. This was a deal brokered by our president, Donald J. Trump. And honest to Pete, I don't know what the Trump haters are going to do with this big historic day. What are they going to do? if the Nobel Peace Prize Committee announces tomorrow morning by 5 a.m. Eastern that he's going to be the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Seeing the video coming from Israel right now, the tears of joy, the dancing in the streets, the jubilation after two horrible, awful years of death and carnage, The hostages are coming home, all of the hostages. And Israel will withdraw their troops to an agreed upon line as the first steps toward a strong, durable, and everlasting peace. There's a headline that almost brought me to my knees, and not because of those four words, but where they came from. Do you know today's New York Times writes, let there be peace. The world is waking up to an agreement between Israel and Hamas. I get the cynicism. I've already gotten the text message. The text line is already blowing up at 800-655-MIKE. My phone lines are already blowing up at 800-655-MIKE. I want your voice. I want your jubilation. I want your call. I want your reaction, okay? But this is... It's astounding because I have to ask a fairly cynical question. I know some of you are being cynical. Oh, we'll have to wait to see what happens. We'll believe it when we see it. We don't know. We don't what? I'm sorry, Eric, what? We'll let you know. I'm sorry, I got thrown here. We got a little bit of a, got people in my ear. Look, we're all excited here. We're all yelling. We're all jubilant. We're just thrilled. There is such reason for joy today. And when I saw that headline, let there be peace, I thought, oh my gosh, from the New York Times? Have you heard ABC? Have you heard NBC? Have you seen CNN? I mean, they're all acknowledging that this is Trump. And so you're being cynical a little bit by saying, well, let's believe it when we see it. And I respect that. You want to know what my cynicism is? How are they going to give the Nobel Peace Prize to a fascist? How are they going to continue to explain or try to convince people that President Trump is Adolf Hitler? How do you reach peace in the Middle East if you're Hitler? Boy, the Democrats and the Trump haters are having a very bad day. Check this out. ABC chief foreign correspondent Ian Pinnell. Remember, this ain't Newsmax. This isn't Salem News Channel. This isn't townhall.com. This isn't the Mike Gallagher show. This isn't Red State. I give you ABC News. Make no mistake, it looks like President Trump has actually pulled off something here that many presidents before him have failed to do. Wow. All right. So you know me. I love to celebrate with music. I love the arts. I love, and some people will roll their eyes, I don't care. I could only think of one thing to play for you. This is the, I believe it's called the Boys Choir of Harlem, the Harlem Boys Choir, and a rendition of something that I think fits perfectly as we invite you to join us at 800-655-MIKE. Let's listen together.
SPEAKER 10 :
It began with me Let there be peace on earth The peace that was meant to be With God as our Father let us walk with each other Let this be the moment now With every step I take Let this be my solemn vow To take each moment and live In peace eternally. Let there be peace on earth. And let it begin with me.
SPEAKER 11 :
That's a boys' choir of Harlem, and I wanted to share that with you. My heart is just so full of gratitude. And look, I've got to start with asking you, the deadline to announce the Nobel Peace Prize winner is tomorrow morning at 5 a.m. Eastern. How are they not going to give it to Donald Trump? Now, I asked my pal Mark Davis moments ago, That same question. And Mark's question to me, he answered with a question, how could they possibly give it to him? Because it's Donald Trump. They're not going to do that. That's Mark's wager. My belief is that they will because they have to. President Trump has struck a peace deal between Israel and Hamas, something that was unthinkable for many, many years. And then what are they going to do? If he gets the Nobel Peace Prize to his critics and his haters, Hitler got the Nobel Peace Prize. How are they going to do that? How are they going to pull this off? How can they continue their hatred narrative against the 45th and 47th president of the United States? So I'm going to ask you here in the Relief Factor studios as we kick off a Thursday, October the 9th, a little more than two years after the horrific war began that Hamas started. My question to you, will he or will he not get the Nobel Peace Prize? Tomorrow at this time, will we be talking about the Nobel Peace Prize tomorrow? Committee shunning him? Or will we be acknowledging that he got what he deserved and that's the Nobel Peace Prize? We'll know by tomorrow. Let me see what you think.
SPEAKER 04 :
Mike Gallagher.
SPEAKER 11 :
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SPEAKER 05 :
From the wild world of D.C. politics to America's culture clash, brace yourself for the reality check you've been waiting for. The one and only Mike Gallagher.
SPEAKER 11 :
This is a day that millions have prayed for. The longest and deadliest war in the century-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict may very well be about to end. The world is waking up to an agreement. between Israel and Hamas, an historic peace agreement. And there are days when it's important to watch how the mainstream Trump-hating media is covering an event like this. There are times when it matters to hear ABC's Martha Raddatz at a time like this. Because I know that a lot of people say, oh, you tune into the Mike Gallagher show. He's a Republican. He's a Trump supporter. He's biased. And there are people that, like it or not, turn to the Washington Post or the New York Times or CNN or ABC because they think they'll get maybe some more objectivity. If you believe that, and if that's how you feel, allow me to share with you ABC's Martha Raddatz on this Gaza peace deal.
SPEAKER 06 :
Tell us about the role President Trump played in bringing all of this about.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, Robin, there's no question that if this goes as planned, if we see those remaining hostages freed and Israel begin its withdrawal, it is a remarkable achievement. And President Trump most certainly deserves credit for his role. He has done this through diplomacy, pressure and the sheer force of his personality and persistence. He dispatched diplomats. Diplomats again and again made threats just in the last few days to Hamas, saying again if they did not sign the deal, all hell would break loose. And they had the bombing of Iran as an example of that. But perhaps most importantly, he pushed Benjamin Netanyahu in ways his predecessor and others have not. Robin.
SPEAKER 06 :
And what finally got the two sides to this point? And will it be able to get phase two off the ground?
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, you know, Robin, throughout this process, President Trump never wavered in his support for Israel. But when Netanyahu ignored much of what Trump was trying to accomplish by continuing to bomb over the last few months, Trump laid down the hammer with Netanyahu, essentially saying enough is enough. Trump had also told Netanyahu that he was opening indirect negotiations with the Iranians, which put even more pressure on the Israeli prime minister. Obviously, the coming days will prove whether the rest of the plan comes to fruition. But if those hostages are freed, which would leave Hamas without their major bargaining tool, this is a huge moment for Donald Trump.
SPEAKER 11 :
Someone get that lady a red MAGA hat. Pronto. And liberals and Trump haters have to see a report like that on Good Morning America and say, my world is upside down. Wait a minute. You do know tomorrow is the deadline for the Nobel Peace Prize. We'll know by 5 a.m. Eastern time tomorrow morning if the Nobel Peace Prize committee is going to nominate the only person that could be nominated, Donald J. Trump. And if and when that happens... How are the Trump haters going to explain that one away? They gave the Nobel Peace Prize to a fascist? Wow. You know, and I shouldn't be political today, but I can't help myself, I guess. I am so grateful. And mixed emotions. Can you imagine the families of people who were murdered two years ago? What they must be going through, the unimaginable grief they must be experiencing, knowing, gosh, if only, if only, if only. So it is with a heavy heart and a joyful attitude that I want to present to you the Boys Choir of Harlem. This was something as I was driving into work this morning, and I saw the headline from, of all places, the New York Times. The New York Times headline today says, Let There Be Peace. So I wanted to kick off the hour by sharing this with you. I think you'll appreciate it.
SPEAKER 10 :
Let there be peace on earth And let it begin with me Let there be peace on earth The peace that was meant to be
SPEAKER 1 :
Let us walk with each other.
SPEAKER 10 :
Let peace begin with me. Let this be the moment now. Every step I take, let this be my solemn vow. To take each moment and live each moment in peace eternally. Let
SPEAKER 11 :
Wow. All right. When there's a significant event like this, I always love talking, not to talking heads, not to authors, not to politicians, but to Americans. I hope you'll blow up my phone line, 800-655-MIKE. Light up the lines. Give me your reaction to this incredible announcement. a peace deal between Israel and Hamas. 800-655-MIKE, 800-655-6453. And of course, the inevitable question, how will he not get the Nobel Peace Prize? How can he not? They gave it to Obama before Obama even was inaugurated. They gave it to Al Gore for climate change. Climate change. This is a deal that is a breakthrough that is one of the most significant world achievements we've ever experienced. We're witnessing history together, you and me. And maybe it is a day to try to put aside political fighting, bickering, dissent, and maybe we just all... enjoy the moment together but let's find out you'll determine that mike gallagher phd weight loss has changed my life and i've got a little secret for you you know big pharma and semaglutide and the shots in the belly you've seen the story recently about the study that shows that a lot of people that are getting this are going blind you don't want to do this you want a program to lose weight that's centered around science and nutrition a proven roadmap that has helped over 8 000 clients lose weight and keep it off like me i lost 53 pounds a few years ago and i've kept it off I know what to eat and when. I know how to quiet any of the cravings I might get and finally release that unhealthy belly fat that I carried along for so long. Make the phone call that can change your life in the way it changed mine. It's called PhD Weight Loss. PhD Weight Loss, Dr. Ashley Lucas' program is brilliant. And how do I know? Well, 53 pounds later, here I am. 864-644-1900 is their number. Call and schedule your consultation. You can do this program from anywhere in America. Call 864-644-1900, 864-644-1900, or visit MyPhDWeightLoss.com.
SPEAKER 05 :
From the wild world of D.C. politics to America's culture clash, brace yourself for the reality check you've been waiting for. The one and only Mike Gallagher.
SPEAKER 11 :
mocked, denigrated Look at what we are able to share with you today. Let there be peace. Those are words from the New York Times. All over the legacy media today, NBC, ABC, CBS. How about MSNBC? You know, because tomorrow is the deadline for the announcement of the Nobel Peace Prize recipient. How can it not be President Donald J. Trump? Check out what Trump said. critic Morning Joe had to say this morning on MSNBC. Man, the leftist viewers of MSNBC must think they're down some kind of Alice in Wonderland rabbit hole.
SPEAKER 08 :
announced i think we should give him credit he gives a nobel prize or not i don't know i mean they gave a nobel prize to churchill and didn't give it to gandhi so i don't know how they figured this they also gave it to barack obama before he had actually done anything all right still ahead on morning listen to that that's al sharpton and al sharpton and joe scarborough and joe scarborough points out well they gave it to obama and he didn't do anything heck
SPEAKER 11 :
They gave it to Al Gore for climate change. Hate to break it to you. If Al Gore is a Nobel Peace Prize recipient for climate change. Well, President Trump, by this time tomorrow, will be announced as the latest recipient. I can't wait to take you back to Israel. And we can do that right now. You know I've been talking this month. October is our month to lift up the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. And I got so many compliments from... over my conversation this week with Yael Eckstein. She oversees all the ministry programs and, of course, is the face, the voice of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. I've got to believe it's a busy day for her, but shalom. We go back to Israel and see a beaming, smiling Yael Eckstein on our Salem News Channel TV screen on the wall here. Yael, what a day. What a blessing. Prayers? have been answered, and I just had to come back to you and get where you are with your heart, your head. What are you thinking today, now that the world has woken up to what appears to be a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas?
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, I woke up this morning, Mike, and the first thing that I saw when I looked out my window literally was a rainbow. And it was like, oh, hello, God, the rainbow after the storm for two years. This is what we've been praying for. We've been praying to get our people back. We're kidnapped from their beds and tortured for two years by Hamas. that the only words I have on my lips are, This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. And I've been in touch already today with Ambassador Mike Huckabee, and I've been in touch with the families of the hostages, and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is there to support them. And we are just with bated breath waiting to see. What I've been saying is... Kind of like the dry bones that come to life in the vision of Ezekiel, you know, imagining these hostages walking out of the tunnels after two years, seeing sunlight for the first time in two years and being able to walk over Israel's border and hug their family for the first time in two years. This is the vision of Ezekiel. The dry bones are coming to life here in the Holy Land. And it's all because of President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
SPEAKER 11 :
And this is not a day without some sadness. I appreciated my friend and colleague, Hugh Hewitt, who posted on X, pray for the comfort of Rachel Goldberg Polin and John Polin, the parents of Hirsch. You know, we all followed the cases of so many of these victims and these victims. hostages. Hugh says to pray for the families of the hostages who died in captivity and the families of the more than 900 IDF soldiers who died in the war after the massacre of October 7th. Their joy, Yael, for other families must be mixed with the most unimaginable sorrow today.
SPEAKER 07 :
Indeed, this is when the healing actually starts to begin, not when it ends. We've all been in our bomb shelters for the past two years with over 35,000 rockets from seven different fronts being launched at Israel the size of New Jersey. And for those families who have lost loved ones on October 7th, the hostages, the heroic soldiers, This is definitely the closing comfort of a chapter, but this is when the healing begins. This is difficult. This is hard. This is painful. And many of them, Mike, are American, just like Rachel and John Goldberg. There are other Americans who are still mourning right now. So as we mark two years since October 7th, when the world changed, when Israel changed and I would say that the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, praise God, has delivered food to the hungry, clothes to the naked, shelter to the poor. And we're not stopping now. In fact, for those families who are getting their loved ones back, the fellowship is there to provide food for the families of the hostages during their seven days of mourning when they get the bodies of the kidnapped back. The fellowship will be there to provide food for the Shiva for the mourning period to tell them Christians and Jews around the world, specifically in America, stand with you in this sadness, not just in the joy.
SPEAKER 11 :
And our audience can help provide those meals for those who are who who are going to be mourning and go through the seven days of mourning period. We are right now in the middle of our partnership with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews here on the Mike Gallagher Show, and our audience has always stepped up. They've been so generous over the years. Your gift of $25 or more will help rush these food boxes. You'll help build bomb shelters in the most vulnerable areas. You'll help provide bulletproof ambulances. You'll help donate life-saving equipment to hospitals. And that's only scratching the surface. So make no mistake, the announcement of this peace deal doesn't mean that the work by the fellowship comes to an end. In fact, in many ways, we need you more than ever. So please go to MikeOnline.com. And you'll see a banner there where you can make a secure online donation, MikeOnline.com. Or you can call in your donation, 800-613-5511. 800-613-5511. And Yael, let me close by acknowledging sort of the elephant in the room here. And this is difficult because, look, I think there's an understanding that there's a great deal of controversy and drama over support for Israel. There always is, there always has been, there always probably will be. And it's fair to say that there are some people, even on our side, even on our side of the ideological aisle perhaps, who have sort of cooled in their support for Israel during this two-year war. It's complicated for people. It's difficult. No one likes to see the devastation of Gaza. In many ways, this is the blessing that was needed, this announcement today, because, look, the United States and Israel are allies. We are aligned spiritually. We are aligned politically. It is are aligned biblically. And so I'm sure you could acknowledge, and maybe I'm wrong, maybe my perception is off, but it does seem to me that this is a blessing and a godsend considering the timing, because there were people that were starting to sort of cool a little bit and back off from their enthusiastic support of Israel. Have you seen that at the fellowship?
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, I think you make a lot of really good points. I think the first thing to recognize is when does the war end? As soon as Israel gets our hostages back. That's what this war was about the whole time. We sanctify life and we will do anything to get our people back. The second we get the people back is when the war ends. And I would tell you that also when it comes to Israel, something that I encourage everyone to remember is that Israel is a spiritual story. Israel is a biblical story. Israel represents the faith and the knowledge that God is still working in our lives, that God is still working in this world. It's not about politics. And so you could agree or disagree with Israel's politics while still standing spiritually with Israel. while still recognizing that we are called to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and continuing to believe that it's possible and that it will happen. And so I think in a world that's become very critical of Israel, I think there are those who genuinely just, God, and this is their way of getting back at God by hating his children. But then there are others who legitimately just don't agree with many of the things Israel's doing or many of Israel's policies. But I would encourage those people, Like any other country in the world, Israel is not perfect, but we have to recognize the story of Israel is spiritual, is biblical, and we stand for freedom, for sanctity of life. And those Judeo-Christian values that if we don't stand together on, we're all going to lose.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, it's a blessing to get to visit with you again today, Yael Eckstein. I am yearning to go back to the Holy Land. Perhaps, just perhaps, that will happen very soon. So thank you so very much. I'm praying for all of you, and I'm praying that our audience will bless the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews with their generous donations today. MikeOnline.com. Please, please give what you can. Yael, God bless you. Keep fighting the good fight, and we hope to see you soon. God bless you. Thank you so much. What a day. Let there be peace. And coming into work today, I was thinking, I love to turn to the arts and to music sometimes to help celebrate or commemorate an important day like today. Because this is a stunning development. And we came up with a song performed by the Boys Choir of Harlem, New York. I want to share that with you. and more coming up in the Relief Factor studios. Our number is 800-655-MIKE if you'd like to call or text. Also, Dinesh D'Souza has a powerful movie out called The Dragon's Prophecy, all about the spiritual bond of Israel. Dinesh is going to join us a little bit later this hour as well. We've got a busy hour planned for you here on The Mike Gallagher Show. You, you smile and it's okay You take my breath away Every single day it's a joy to remind you that portions of our show are sponsored by MyPillow. As you know, our friend Mike Lindell, big legal victory last week. He's been in a ton of hot water, as you know, because he believes in election integrity. Of course, due to his friendship with President Trump. Well, last week there was a $5 million vote. judgment against Mike that was overturned by the courts. Good news for MyPillow. So you keep praying for MyPillow and you keep supporting this great American company. The premium MyPillow, limited time, great price, $18.98. If you go to MyPillow.com, this pillow is a godsend. Look, I bring the MyPillow products with me when I'm on the road. Here at the hotel in Washington State, I've got the MySlippers with me. Those unbelievable slippers because I pat around in the hotel room. I don't know what's on that rug. I bring the MyPillow with me. I roll it up into the suitcase. I've even got my MyPillow loungewear. Tons of great products. If you haven't been to the site in a while, go check it out. Go to MyPillow.com. Look for the Mike Gallagher specials. Click on that box. And with anything you order, enter the promo code MikeG. You're going to save big. The slippers, the doggy beds, and the Giza dream sheets. MyPillow.com. Promo code MikeG. MyPillow.com. Promo code MikeG. Or call 800-928-6034. 800-928-6034. Like we love to sing.
SPEAKER 10 :
For the best night's sleep in the whole wide world, visit MyPillow.com.
SPEAKER 11 :
Promo code MikeG.
SPEAKER 05 :
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 12 :
It's phase one. Everybody will remind you it's phase one. So what are you thinking this morning?
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, phase one includes the hostages coming home. And that's incredible because that's, of course, that was always the goal. That was always the aim. I'm just trying to, I'm going to feel a little sorry for the Trump haters. How are they going to explain that a fascist might get the Nobel Peace Prize?
SPEAKER 12 :
Hitler got together with Israel and somehow was able to help the fascist peace.
SPEAKER 11 :
How does a dictator get the Nobel Peace Prize and come up with one of the most historic peace accomplishments ever? I mean, look, this is beyond. And I have to admit, I'm enjoying the leftist media, the mainstream media, the opposition media try to struggle with this. Look, they're all giving him credit. They are. I mean, ABC, NBC, CNN. Yes. Abby Phillips. Oh, this is a big deal. I mean, but but seriously, what does this do to their narrative? You can't be a fascist. You can't be Adolf Hitler and broker a peace deal like this. So do they ever look in the mirror and say, well, maybe we're wrong about the guy? No. Never? For most of them, the short answer is no. Next? Next? Next? There's no way. I mean, because I did look at the Daily Beast. I thought it would be funny to look at the Daily Beast. Oh, yes. Because the Daily Beast is the worst of the worst.
SPEAKER 01 :
They hate him.
SPEAKER 11 :
They hate him. So I thought, well, what are they going to write about it? You know what the answer is? Nothing. Avoid it. Act like it didn't happen.
SPEAKER 12 :
ICE is terrible. Chicago is being invaded by Trump.
SPEAKER 11 :
Let me read the actual headlines from the morning Daily Beast rundown.
SPEAKER 12 :
What's top of the news over there?
SPEAKER 11 :
Top of the news. You want to know the number one story at the Daily Beast? Clueless Donald Trump, 79, humiliated after dodging legal questions. You know what that's about. Then another one. Trump, 79. Both headlines want you to know that he's 79. In case you didn't know. Trump, 79, posted private Pam Bondi message about indicting the enemy. Headline three. I know, this is all like, this is today's news from the Daily Beast. MAGA melts down as bad bunny sits for God bless America. Okay. That's what we should. Don't sit for God bless America. Push up Pete, meaning Pete Hegseth, fat shames blue state governor. I think we know which governor that one would be.
SPEAKER 12 :
And the great quote, because J.B. Pritzker in the tough guy mantra of the moment says, if you're coming for my people, you've got to go through me. Greg Gutfeld said, nobody's going to do that. It takes too many trips. Anyway, go ahead.
SPEAKER 11 :
There was a couple of funny lines. I wanted to write Raymond Arroyo last night. I saw him with Laura Ingram, and they were doing a segment on Katie Porter, her meltdown. You've caught that doozy?
SPEAKER 12 :
You know the latest one? Of course, she's sitting down with a reporter in Sacramento, and she can't believe that there are follow-up questions. He says, I'm calling it. I'm not doing this. And she threatens to stalk off. Now, since the Internet is forever, there's video from, I want to say, 2022. She's shooting a thing via Zoom meeting for the Biden administration about some issue or another. Some staffer happens to appear in the background, and she says, get out of my blanking shot, except it's not blank. So she's just a bitter Bulgarian bee and wants to be governor of California.
SPEAKER 11 :
Raymond Arroyo had a funny line. He said, look, considering what the shot was, they should have had more staffers go in the background. Ba-dum-bum. But anyway, I mean, this is this shows you, though, how corrupt these different media outlets are. Thankfully, most of them are giving credit where credit is due.
SPEAKER 12 :
Grudgingly, though, it may be they are. You're hearing things. So one of the outlets said that it was sheerly that nobody has shown the sheer force of will that Trump has to bring this about where other presidents have failed. He has succeeded.
SPEAKER 11 :
You think President Kamala Harris would have brokered a peace deal? I mean, first of all, I don't even think she'd be inclined to do so. Do you? No. It involves effort.
SPEAKER 12 :
No, no, it involves. I mean, it's kind of funny. Does she care? Sure, in the way that someone who is not on board for Israel's cause, for somebody who is on board for the ridiculousness of a two-state solution, she is simply not ideologically or energetically equipped to have brought this about.
SPEAKER 11 :
I'm just thrilled beyond words. We have some big, big doings going on behind the scenes here at Team Gallagher. I shared with you last night what that is probably going to be. I'd put it at about 70% right now. It's looking good. We can't announce it yet, but keep your fingers crossed because we might be doing this upright. So lots to come. We've got some great, exciting things ahead, and I can't think of a better day to celebrate than with my buddy Mark Davis. As we speak, news out of Tel Aviv just announced Benjamin Netanyahu's office spokeswoman just announcing formally the peace plan has been finalized. It has indeed been finalized, Mark. And these hostages are scheduled to come home. The Israel Knesset is making some procedural votes. But I think I believe it's Monday. Can you imagine? Can you imagine?
SPEAKER 12 :
Do you know the video? Listen, not everything needs to be on video. And I hope these people, these families, have moments of privacy. But I would hope that it is very public and very visible and very demonstrable when we see these moments when these people are released from the captivity of these monsters and brought back to their loving, suffering families for moments of joy that I cannot imagine.
SPEAKER 11 :
And continue to pray, because I just got a text from Dallas, and it's a good point. When it comes to Hamas, don't count your chickens until they hatch. And that texter is right. These are scoundrels. These are bad people. They're not good faith actors. But look, I do believe that they don't want to be obliterated. I think that they've seen what has happened to Gaza. Now it gets fascinating. What happens to Gaza? What do they do with Gaza? The whole plan was always, hey, take it over, Palestinians. You want Hamas? Fine. You know, I know. I know. But now what do we do? Now, is the United States going to play a role in this?
SPEAKER 12 :
Well, by the way, the short answer is yes. I mean, they're supposed to be kind of a multinational supervisory with a lot of Arab countries, the list of Arab countries that don't want to kill us, which is lovely. And that with some heavy involvement by America, by us, U.S., by Donald Trump, there'll be some supervision of the healing and reconstruction of Gaza, which I'd be thrilled by because what a stretch of real estate that is.
SPEAKER 11 :
Do I dare kick the Charlie Kirk, Candace Owens hornet's nest right now? Are you following this online?
SPEAKER 12 :
60 seconds ago. She releases, in the depth of her dysfunction and anti-Israel venom, releases a stretch of a text chain involving Charlie and some other people in which Charlie expresses frustration. Listen, it's Turning Point USA, which is about saving America, saving souls, but it's also about money. Everybody's trying to raise money, and Turning Point takes a lot of money to run. And apparently an Israeli donor or two had said, look, Charlie, I was going to give you $2 million. And now I'm just not going to because you won't condemn Tucker Carlson. And Charlie said, look, I don't condemn anybody. I'm a big believer in everybody come in, mouth off, whatever. It's a free country. And so he'd grown frustrated with the Israeli donor community and said at one point there's a quote like he's making it real hard to be pro-Israel right now. And Candace, because she's a seething anti-Semite, said, that's it. Charlie was coming over to my side and hating Israel just like I do.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, and you summed it up better than I could. The truth is Charlie was not going to become anti-Israel. Of course not. But I will say, here we go, and I talked to somebody last night who's kind of in the middle of all this. You know what he said? Well, Candace Owens was right about the text messages because there was a lot of doubt about the authenticity of the text chain. Oh, yeah. And Andrew Colvett confirmed it was legit. absolutely so look charlie was asking questions everybody was i don't think this is what i also love about this peace plan that according to an israeli spokesman moments ago has been completely finalized people were cooling on israel there's no way around that they shouldn't be but there's no doubt even with the conservatives people were saying wait a minute so look god bless the peace president
SPEAKER 05 :
Download the podcast and hear all of Mike and Mark's conversations at MikeOnline.com for the M&M experience.
SPEAKER 11 :
That'll do it for a historic Thursday. I'm so glad to get to spend it with you. Let's do it again tomorrow, shall we? Have a terrific day. Be safe and keep fighting the good fight. I'm Mike Gallagher. God bless Israel and God bless America.
SPEAKER 13 :
Out in these parts, some folks call it radio. We call it the last campfire of the American spirit. Stoke the fire of freedom with American Ground Radio with Louis R. Avalone and Stephen Parr. American Ground Radio, planting seeds, growing freedom. Listen wherever you get your podcasts and visit our website at AmericanGroundRadio.com.
Join host John Rush as he navigates the turbulent waters of political misinformation and messaging. This episode dives into hot button issues like the increase in healthcare premiums and the misconceptions surrounding it. With expert analyses, John and his guest Joe dissect how political parties and media alter the narrative on such critical topics. Listeners will gain insights into why government policies on subsidies are misunderstood and who's really responsible for these changes. Don't miss the eye-opening discussion on why mainstream media may not be your most reliable source of political information.
SPEAKER 09 :
This is Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 10 :
You are going to shut your damn yapper and listen for a change because I got you pegged, sweetheart. You want to take the easy way out because you're scared. And you're scared because if you try and fail, there's only you to blame. Let me break this down for you. Life is scary. Get used to it. There are no magical fixes.
SPEAKER 09 :
With your host, John Rush.
SPEAKER 21 :
My advice to you is to do what your parents did.
SPEAKER 12 :
Get a job, sir. You haven't made everybody equal. You've made them the same, and there's a big difference.
SPEAKER 19 :
Let me tell you why you're here. You're here because you know something. What you know, you can't explain. But you feel it. You've felt it your entire life. That there's something wrong with the world. You don't know what it is, but it's there. It is this feeling that has brought you to me.
SPEAKER 16 :
Are you crazy? Am I? Or am I so sane that you just blew your mind?
SPEAKER 14 :
It's Rush to Reason with your host, John Rush, presented by Cub Creek Heating and Air Conditioning.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, we are back. Hour three, Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Joe, what's going on, sir?
SPEAKER 11 :
Oh, John, we've got so much to talk about and not enough time.
SPEAKER 05 :
Always the case.
SPEAKER 11 :
Hey, first thing I want to get into is the Democrats are doing a great job of spreading misinformation and making the Republicans look bad. And the Republicans, as usual, are doing a lousy job. And this is concerning the increase in health care premiums that is scheduled to happen on January 1. What they're saying is Republicans are responsible for cutting health care subsidies. Now, what happened is under the Affordable Care Act, it had built into its subsidies for people who bought their health insurance on the public exchanges.
SPEAKER 06 :
Right.
SPEAKER 11 :
So in 2021, as part of the COVID pandemic, the Republicans, excuse me, the Democrats introduced the American Rescue Plan, and that did a couple of things. Number one, it removed, there was a 400% cap. If you were earning more than 400% of the federal poverty level, you weren't eligible for any subsidy. And by the way, for a family of four, 400% was $120,000 a year. Well, the first thing they did in 2021 as part of the COVID emergency, they removed the cap so anybody could get a subsidy. And they increased the amount of government subsidy to where the government was picking up more than 90% of the total premium. But it was done through the budget reconciliation process. So they only had a two-year, 21-22. That was only supposed to be in place for two years. Then in 2022, Biden comes along with his Inflation Reduction Act, and he extended it For another two years, 23 through the end of 25, well, as of today, the government has continued those what were supposed to be temporary emergency subsidies to where the government has been picking up better than 95% of the cost of everybody's health insurance premiums who buy it. And let me give you an example. A 25-year-old guy making $28,000 a year is only paying $30 a month for his health insurance. And if the subsidies expire, as the Democrats built into their legislation, it's going to go from $30 a month to $90 a month. And they're saying, oh, the Republicans are responsible for his cost of his health insurance tripling. Well, Republicans aren't responsible for it because they didn't pass the legislation. The Democrats did. Republicans have passed no legislation to cut subsidies. It was Democrat legislation. They're the ones who put the expiration date in. And all the Republicans are saying, hey, it was your expiration date.
SPEAKER 05 :
We just didn't continue on with it, that's all.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, we assume you know what you're doing. We're not going to mess with it. But, by the way, even if it is allowed to expire, the federal government is still on average going to be picking up 80% of the cost of the health insurance for people who buy their health insurance on the exchanges, 80%. Meaning we as taxpayers are picking it up, you mean? Taxpayers are still going to continue to pick up 80%. 80.3% on average of the premiums for people who buy their health insurance on the exchanges. But they're screaming, oh, you're going to triple people's out-of-pocket costs. And we had nothing to do with it. It was a Democrat legislation. They're the ones who put the expiration date in. We're just saying, hey, it was your bill, your expiration date.
SPEAKER 05 :
So, Joe, why do you think we struggle so much? We talk about this a lot even on the roundtable. Why do we struggle so much with the messaging sides of things? Why can't we counter this better?
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, part of it, John, is that the media, the mainstream media with the exception of Fox, generally, even if we put it out there, it doesn't want to cover it.
SPEAKER 05 :
It doesn't want to publicize it. Very true.
SPEAKER 11 :
I know there have been people on Fox have made this point, but I haven't seen it anywhere else other than Fox. So I think it's kind of, you know, whistling into the wind here, John. They don't want the public to hear it.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I'll buy that, by the way. I can't disagree with that. I mean, it's very hard to fight the machine that's against you.
SPEAKER 11 :
Right.
SPEAKER 05 :
The media machine, in this case, I mean.
SPEAKER 11 :
And by the way, and the Democrats would have you believe that this tripling of out-of-pocket costs for health insurance is going to affect the vast majority of the middle class. No. If you're working for an employer, you know, Walmart, whoever, that is not going to have zero impact on your employer-subsidized health plan. Okay. It's only for that small portion of the U.S. population that buys their health insurance on the exchange. But on the topic of what the Democrats want put back in, again, the continuing resolution is just, hey, we're going to continue to fund the government at the same level it was in the Biden budget. But the Democrats have come back and said, no, no, we want more than that. We want to undo that. We want to undo a bunch of cuts that were part of the Big Beautiful Bill that was signed into legislation on the 4th of July. And Senator John Kennedy, if you have the clip, does a great job of running down some of the absurd items they want put back into the continuing resolution trying to undo the Big Beautiful Bill. Do you have that clip?
SPEAKER 05 :
Let me look here real quick. Which one, Bill's?
SPEAKER 11 :
Senator John Kennedy.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I've got that one. Give me one second. I've got them all loaded up here. Let me get the sound up. Give me one second, Charlie. And where's the play button? Here we go.
SPEAKER 16 :
We took out, and here's what they want us to put back in. We found that under President Biden, they were spending $3 million for circumcisions and vasectomies in Zambia. We took that out. The Congresswoman says, we're going to shut down government until you put that back in. We found $500,000 of American taxpayer money for electric buses in Rwanda. We found $3.6 million for pastry cooking classes and dance focus groups for male prostitutes in Haiti. I kid you not. I'm not making this up. That was in the budget under President Biden. We took it out. Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez in the socialist wing, the loon wing of the Democratic Party, says we're going to shut down government until you put it back in. I'll just read you a few more that we took out. They are demanding we put back in. $6 million for media organizations for the Palestinians. $833,000 for transgender people in Nepal. $300,000 for a pride parade in Lesotho. $882,000 for social media mentorship in Serbia. $4.2 million. We took it out. The congresswoman and the socialist wing of their party says we've got to put that back in for the open government. $4.2 million from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex people in the Western Balkans and Uganda. I could spend the rest of the afternoon.
SPEAKER 05 :
Joe, I mean, he's just, by the way, at the tip of the iceberg.
SPEAKER 11 :
Just the tip of the iceberg. That's the ridiculous stuff. He's not even getting to the stuff we just talked about, like the subsidies.
SPEAKER 06 :
Right.
SPEAKER 11 :
Now, on the other side of the coin, I think the Democrats... are in fact losing a big portion of the American public. And Bill Maher has a clip, and John, before you play this, I've got to warn you that... Yep, 205.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I'll end it. I got it.
SPEAKER 11 :
But here's Bill Maher saying he wants the Democrats to regain majorities, and he's saying, guys, you're screwing up, and here's what you need to change. So here's Bill Maher.
SPEAKER 20 :
The problem we have in America is conservatives think the liberals are insane, and they're not completely wrong, Now, I don't think most liberals are insane, but neither do they make it clear they disapprove of the ones who are. And they're cowardice in not marginalizing their own crazy.
SPEAKER 05 :
OK, I got to stop for just one second, Joe, and interject, because I will say that on our side, myself included, when we get some loon on our side and I call these people out all the time when they're on our side of the aisle, we to his point, we at least call our loons out. They don't. And he's exactly right in what he's saying.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yep, they don't call out their loons. So therefore the people just assume that the loons speak... They're all together.
SPEAKER 20 :
That's right. ...has been their downfall. I couldn't get Neil deGrasse Tyson, a genius scientist and preeminent scientific voice in the media, to agree that it was ridiculous for a scientific American and the Atlantic to be claiming that separating sports by sex doesn't make sense. Yes, it does. Actually, it makes perfect sense. And it's obvious that it does. And there's a lot of stuff like that on the left. And when conservatives see it, they say, I'm sorry, we're just not going to go along with reinventing society, often pointlessly, even if we have to cancel democracy to do it. That's what they're saying.
SPEAKER 05 :
OK, got to stop in there for one second, because, again, nobody's canceling democracy because, Joe, we don't have one.
SPEAKER 11 :
Exactly. We're a constitutional republic. The word democracy never appears even once in the Constitution.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right.
SPEAKER 20 :
They see gender is only a construct and sex is assigned at birth. And they say, we're not doing that. Transing kids by self-diagnosis with no age limit, no parental notification and no acknowledgement of social contagion. Not doing it. Asylum now covers any reason for anyone to come to America? Not doing it. Homelessness is a lifestyle. Natural immunity doesn't count anymore. Whiteness is toxic. Penises in women's prisons. Welcoming the intifada. We're not doing it. And so, folks... If we are ever going to get back to the old America, that's got to be the Democrats' part of the bargain. Stop coming up with radically new and often terrible ideas, and then in the next breath, insist there be no debate about any of it. That if you don't see it right away and go along, you're bad, stupid, and deplorable. As if you were saying, duh, two plus two equals...
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, I'll leave it at that. Two plus two equals five. It doesn't. It equals four, as you know, Joe. And by the way, Bill Maher is definitely on the left. I do believe that he wants his party to succeed, much like I want and you want our party to succeed. And I'm willing, like him, by the way, I get accused of... of, by the way, not being on our side because of the things I call out our side in doing, well, I guess you could say the same thing about Bill Maher for the left. He's definitely on the left. He just wants to see what's best for his party moving forward. I'm no different, Joe.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, he's the John Rush of the left. He's saying, look, guys, you're screwing up. Here's what you're doing wrong. This is what you need to fix, which is what you tell people on the right and what you and Andy tell people on the right. And that's all he's not. Trust me.
SPEAKER 05 :
He's a lefty. He is a lefty through and through, Joe.
SPEAKER 11 :
Right, but he's calling them out. You know, he's calling a spade a spade, and he's calling them out saying, guys— Okay, so just like our side, Joe, why don't they listen?
SPEAKER 05 :
Why don't they listen?
SPEAKER 11 :
John, I hope they don't listen to him.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, on his side, absolutely, I hope they don't listen. Yes, I hope they don't.
SPEAKER 11 :
They're doing such a great job of screwing up. I hope they completely ignore them.
SPEAKER 05 :
Which I think, Joe, because of the same reason our side doesn't listen, I don't think they will. Our side has the same problem their side has. This is where they're equal. I'm sorry to say, but those that are on the far right on our side and those that are on the far left on his side, frankly, they should form their own party because they're all loons. And frankly, Joe, they're in it for one reason, or sorry, two reasons, but they coincide. Money and power.
SPEAKER 11 :
Money and power, right. And unfortunately, the press eats it up. The press loves giving loons airtime. That's right. On both sides of the aisle, by the way. On both sides of the aisle.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yep. You want to do a little humor, John? Yeah, let's do it. I've got to have some fun every now and again, Joe.
SPEAKER 11 :
All right. Now, I don't know if this was staged or this is real, but there's a guy who claims he's a vegetarian. He's got a nose ring. He's got a man bun.
SPEAKER 05 :
I would say by looking at him, it's probably a good description.
SPEAKER 11 :
And he claims he's a vegetarian. He's recounting his first visit to a Buc-ee's. I understand you have one up at Johnson's Corners.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yes, we do.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, he's recounting his first visit to Buc-ee's. All right, here we go.
SPEAKER 03 :
Guys, I just have to tell you about this huge mistake I made. I walked into a Buc-ee's the other day. I don't know what I was thinking. I don't. I thought it was just like a gas station with snacks. But no, no. Buc-ee's is not a store. It's a meat cathedral. Everywhere you look, there's meat. You walk in, and it just hits you like smoke from the altar of brisket. There's not one vegan option. Not one. I swear. It's like they barbecued everything on Noah's Ark. Everywhere I've turned, it was smoked meat, barbecued meat, beef jerky, brisket sandwiches, chicken sandwiches. It was like meat stacked on top of meat. It's like they were building a pyramid to cholesterol. So I got brave and I asked the cashier, I said, do you have anything vegan? And without even missing a beat, you know what this girl does? She just pushes a bag of ice toward me and goes, chew on this, sweetheart. That's not even the scariest part. Want to know the scariest part? The people. Just the people. Bucky's is like Comic-Con for carnivores. I was surrounded by thousands of folks in like cargo shorts and camo crocs, just double fist and beef jerky everywhere. They were doing it like trail mix. I left shaking. I'm telling you, it's not a road trip stop. No, it is a horror movie. It's like the Texas barbecue massacre. I'm still shaking.
SPEAKER 04 :
I've got to stop it there. I don't know if that's real or not after listening to that now, Joe. I don't know. He's pretty funny.
SPEAKER 11 :
Do you have any vegan options? And she pushes a bag of ice towards me.
SPEAKER 04 :
Hilarious. By the way, that's a really good ad for Buc-ee's. They should, like, play that. Hire that guy.
SPEAKER 11 :
If anybody wants to see it, I don't know if you put it in your notes, but if anybody wants to see it, just send me an email to joe at jerseyjoe.com.
SPEAKER 05 :
I'll put it in my notes as well, so you guys will have that. But, Joe, that's hilarious.
SPEAKER 11 :
Had you seen that before, John?
SPEAKER 05 :
I have not seen that until you sent it, and that's absolutely hilarious. I mean, again, you've got to wonder, okay, was that a spoof? Was that real? Is Buc-ee's behind that? I mean, that's a great ad for Buc-ee's, by the way.
SPEAKER 11 :
It really is.
SPEAKER 05 :
And if you haven't been to a Buc-ee's, yes, they are definitely different. Are they for everybody? I mean, I don't know, Joe. I mean, to me, it's one of those things that you've got to experience at least one time. Whether you like it or not, it's still worth the experience.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, I love his description. It's a meat cathedral.
SPEAKER 05 :
And it is. It is. It is. I experienced my first one, you know, down in Texas. My brother lived down there for years. We'd go down and visit, and they have a couple of different – they have a Buc-ee's down there, and then there's another great place that's not near as big as Buc-ee's called Pracix, and they have some of the best food ever. I mean, these things are like mini – it's not even a gas station, Joe. It's pumps with a smorgasbord of whatever you want inside.
SPEAKER 11 :
They're as big as a Walmart, John, as big as a Walmart.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, it's awesome. It really is. I love it. Absolutely. Okay, before I let you go, government shutdown. I talked to a couple of different people today kind of polling when people think this thing will end. What are your thoughts?
SPEAKER 11 :
I'm thinking it's going to go at least through next weekend, not this weekend, next weekend. So far, nobody's missed a paycheck, but starting next week, people are going to miss paychecks.
SPEAKER 05 :
Then you think things will start, the hammer will start to drop?
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, yeah. Hey, John, can we squeeze one more thing in?
SPEAKER 05 :
Oh, yeah, sure. We've got plenty of time.
SPEAKER 11 :
Go for it, Joe. All right. You know, I always do the stupidest thing I've heard a week, and this is the mayor of Seattle. Here's a quote from last week.
SPEAKER 06 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 11 :
He was being interviewed about, you know, why there's so many repeat offenders on the street, and here's what he said. He said, when a man does six or seven crimes, we do not know his life story. Maybe he was just hungry. Therefore, I have zero desire to jail him. Now, here's my thought, John. If you believe he was just hungry, which is why, if you think he was just hungry, that's why he's going to, then why don't you send him to jail where he'll be fed three times a day, every day, for as long as you keep him in jail. Problem solved.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, true. You kill two birds with one stone.
SPEAKER 11 :
And along those lines about not jailing criminals, you probably didn't hear about New York City yesterday. 25-year-old guy with 17 prior arrests. Now, you're 17 with 17 prior arrests. Wow. Killed a 60-year-old guy by kicking him in the head in a subway platform. Oh, my word. And why was this guy, 25 years old, walking around on the street? And by the way, he's now a suspect in another incident where somebody else was killed about three weeks earlier. Wow. 25-year-old guy, 17 arrests, walking around free, killed the guy just by kicking him. Now, it wasn't accidental, John. When you kick somebody in the head 15 times, you're trying to kill them.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yep. Yeah, that's not accidental, Joe. You have intent to kill them in doing that.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, because he's already unconscious and you continue to kick him.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yep.
SPEAKER 11 :
You intended to kill him.
SPEAKER 05 :
That's cold-blooded murder at that point in time.
SPEAKER 11 :
Cold-blooded murder. Wow.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, and Joe, just as a side note, and I've talked about this many times, from the shutdown to some of the things we've played today, Bill Maher's right, by the way. If his side doesn't make an about face on some of the things it's doing, including even the shutdown, the person in the middle that needs to vote on, this is something I don't think even our side, their side I don't think gets it, should have played. I didn't have it queued up and ready today. But did you see the lady running for governor that did the TV interview?
SPEAKER 11 :
No, I didn't.
SPEAKER 05 :
Oh, you need to watch that. For those of you out there listening, just Google that. Lady running for governor in California. Katie Porter is her name. Thank you, Charlie. Katie Porter. Go look her up, Joe. I should have played it today, but we're running out of time. But those of you listening, go look it up. She basically sabotaged her own campaign in the on-air network interview she was doing because she basically didn't want to answer some of the questions the reporter was asking. And it was really dumb. I mean, basically what she said was she doesn't need anybody that is on the right side of the aisle voting for her to win. Basically disregarding, in that case, about 40% of voters. Yeah.
SPEAKER 11 :
And not just the Republican Party. You've got independents. Correct.
SPEAKER 05 :
And that was the point of the reporter saying, well, wait a minute. You can't win with just your own party's votes. You realize that, right? And the gal just went off the rails when she said that.
SPEAKER 11 :
Gentlemen, I'm going to have to look that up.
SPEAKER 05 :
It's worth watching, Joe, because basically she sabotaged her own campaign. And I think in the polls she was doing fairly well until this came along. And she just submarined her own campaign by basically not answering questions and admitting live on air that I don't need them to vote for me.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, of course, she may not win the primary, but it doesn't mean we're going to have a Republican governor in California.
SPEAKER 05 :
No, no, no. No, probably won't be. But, you know, reality, Joe, is at least it won't be her. Won't be her. That's good. But that just shows you. And my point is, both sides have to have those middle of the road, you know, those unaffiliated slash, you know, independent voters that, you know, both sides has to have them or they don't win.
SPEAKER 11 :
No, you're 100 percent. It's always been that way, John. And there's no nobody who ever wants to win an election at the state or federal level can ignore the unaffiliated independent voters.
SPEAKER 05 :
Unfortunately, there are hardcore lefties and hardcore righties that don't understand what I just said.
SPEAKER 11 :
And, John, unfortunately, you're right about that as well.
SPEAKER 05 :
So, anyways. Joe, as always, I appreciate it, man. Thank you. Good stuff. My pleasure, Don. All right, man. Have a great rest of your night. I appreciate you very much. Geno's Auto Service coming up next. And, again, folks, whatever your vehicle needs, full bumper-to-bumper service, Geno's is there for you. Find them at genosautoservice.com. And Geno's starts with a J.
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SPEAKER 09 :
This is Rush to Reason on KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 05 :
And we are back. Rush to Reason, Denver's afternoon rush, KLZ 560. Dr. John Lott joining us now. Dr. Lott, how are you? Welcome back to Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 17 :
Great to talk to you. Thanks again for having me on.
SPEAKER 05 :
Always a joy. I appreciate it very much. Okay, talk to us about some of this data that's out there that really not only misrepresents, but it skews things in the wrong way. And, you know, this happens on an ongoing basis. I talk about it frequently here, but give us the rundown on this.
SPEAKER 17 :
Right. Well, I mean, I've been concerned for years now about inaccuracies in the FBI crime data. I mean, I think last year in terms of the overall crime data that was used during the campaign that the FBI was engaged in election interference. But they have a report that they put out every year on active shooting cases. And over the 11 years from 2014 through 2024, The FBI claims that there was only 14 instances where a concealed carry permit holder stopped what they call an active shooting case. An active shooting case is an instance where a gun's fired in public, not part of some other type of crime like a gang fight over drug turf or a robbery, anything from one person being shot at and missed all the way up to a mass public shooting. So they claim about 4% of these attacks are stopped by civilians. We think the number is actually about 36%. Rather than 14 cases, I think there's about 202 of them. And nobody needs to take our word for it. This stems from some data, some work that I did while I was working at the Department of Justice. I was senior advisor for research and statistics there. And unfortunately, the problem has gotten worse. They claim, the FBI claims that last year, that there was not one single case in the United States where concealed carry permit holders stopped an active shooting attack. We've identified about 48% of the attacks last year were ones where civilians stopped them. And on top of that, One argument that I had when I worked at the Department of Justice was that you have to separate out those cases where civilians were legally able to carry a gun from those where they weren't, so-called gun-free zones. And the reason is you're talking about law-abiding citizens stopping these attacks, and you can't expect a law-abiding citizen to stop an attack where it's illegal for them to have a gun. And when you do that, You, in fact, find that 63% of the active shooting attacks last year were actually stopped by civilians carrying permanently concealed handguns. That's a lot different than zero.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah. And as you know, Dr. Lott, you know, they skew these numbers to your point to either make people feel more frightful or make it seem like there's a lot more school shootings than there actually are. There's a lot more mass shootings than there actually are. I mean, they really skew the numbers in favor of, of course, those folks out there that want more gun control.
SPEAKER 17 :
I mean, one of the problems with the FBI data is it's used in court cases. It's relied on constantly by the media. In the work that we did, we pointed to a number of headlines and news outlets from the New York Times and Washington Post and the Associated Press were using this 4% number. They would essentially say the rate that civilians stop active shooting cases is very rare. It's used in legislative debates, both federally and in the states. And it's used by academics in terms of doing research. And, you know, it just makes a real difference in terms of the debate. And I think the thing that's most frustrating to me is that – The FBI has been told about these problems. They were told about it when I worked there. They've acknowledged that their data isn't complete. So there are two problems. One is they've misidentified some cases. And so like there are cases where a civilian stopped an attack and the FBI unfortunately just claimed, well, it was a security guard rather than a civilian. But the vast majority of cases are ones where they've simply missed, including the case in their list of cases.
SPEAKER 05 :
A question came in from a listener on the text line. Do certain Democrat cities also not report everything that they're supposed to? In other words, do they withhold data?
SPEAKER 17 :
Well, you know, interesting. You have the Department of Justice going and trying to look at D.C. right now in terms of underreporting crime. But one of the things that you've seen in a lot of these cities which have Soros prosecutors is – I'll give you a simple example. The difference between aggravated assault and simple assault involves whether a weapon is used. And these Soros prosecutors have refused to prosecute people for weapons offenses. And so they'll downgrade it from an aggravated assault, which is a felony, to simple assault, which is a misdemeanor. But not only that is they don't want to take the full burden of downgrading these things. And so they put pressure on police officers when they're doing the reports. not to include a weapon when they're writing up the police report. And the FBI data, which goes and everybody uses to go and talk about changes in crime rates from one year to another or comparison across cities, they rely on crimes reported to the police from police reports. And they don't include simple assaults in their numbers. They just include felonies, aggravated assault, which is the main part of violent crime. And, you know, I mean, that's just one example. In New York City, I mean, in D.C. and Chicago, you have a number of reports where higher ups in police departments will put pressure on officers not to record a murder as a murder. there's cases in D.C. where police have reported that higher-ups have demanded that they, rather than recording as a murder, record it as person taken to hospital, which isn't even a crime.
SPEAKER 05 :
Right, right.
SPEAKER 17 :
So, you know, you have an officer, in that case a detective, who issued a sworn statement saying that he was ordered that by his superiors. And look, there's an even bigger problem with regard to the crime data that isn't necessarily a result of manipulation or corruption. It's just the fact that people have to realize that there's a big difference between crimes reported to police and total crimes. Only about 40% of violent crimes get reported to police. only about 30 percent of property crimes get reported to police and whether or not crimes get reported depends in large part on whether or not people think that the criminal is going to be caught and punished i see and one thing that we've seen is that you know in recent years why we may have seen a drop in the number of reported crimes uh in 2024 uh a few percent drop there We actually saw a fairly significant double-digit increase in our measure of total crimes from the Bureau of Justice Statistics. The Bureau of Justice Statistics, in order to get a handle on what's happening to total crimes, surveys about 240,000 people each year. They've been doing this for over 50 years. And, you know, we have, during the Biden administration, the numbers that just came out, most recent numbers, indicate that We had a 59% increase in total violent crime during the four years of the Biden administration. That's the largest by far. That's more than twice as large as the largest previous four-year increase in violent crime that we've ever seen.
SPEAKER 05 :
Wow. Amazing. All right. So you guys, Crime Prevention Research Center, A, how do folks find you? And is all of this information you just talked about and have uncovered, is it all there?
SPEAKER 17 :
Yes, it's all on our website. It's at crimeresearch.org, crimeresearch.org.
SPEAKER 05 :
Awesome. Well, again, it's very important. Those of you listening, please make sure you go there. Utilize this when you're having conversations with others. And, you know, A, I'm a big believer, Dr. Lott, that we've got to be on top of this. We've got to be, especially our side, we've got to be correct in the things that we say. This is fabulous information that you're giving folks, so they've got real solid information. pardon the pun, but ammunition to go out there and really set the record straight, I guess is what I should say.
SPEAKER 17 :
Well, thank you for being there, and I appreciate you helping get this information out.
SPEAKER 05 :
You're very welcome.
SPEAKER 17 :
People can go and find all the data on our website.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, I appreciate it. No, again, and for those of you listening, it's Crime Prevention Research Center. And again, Dr. Lott, I mean, your name goes without saying. I mean, I don't really have to say much about you and all the work that you've done over the years, and I appreciate all that you do.
SPEAKER 17 :
Thank you.
SPEAKER 05 :
You're very welcome. Have a great evening. some of what's going on, and you just heard him talk about that. And, yes, utilize that information as you can. Roof Savers of Colorado coming up next. Make sure you're dialed in when it comes to your roof. Extend the life of your roof through the roof regeneration that Roof Savers of Colorado can do through the Roof Max product, 303-710-6916.
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SPEAKER 09 :
The best export we have is Common Sense. You're listening to Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, as I was talking to Joe earlier about Bill Maher and him talking about his side of the aisle, the Democrats, well, I'm going to talk about something on our side. And it just drives me nuts. The amount of misinformation that gets spread and then continues to spread, and there's a thread now on X from a post by Wall Street Apes. And I guess the handle sort of tells you what you need to know, but This is total misinformation. This is involving, in this case, Toyota. So let me just read this to you. We as a society have to fiercely reject this. American, just reading this word for word, just bought a brand new 2025 Toyota. You must pay a monthly subscription fee, too. $15 a month to stream music to your screen in your own vehicle. Your own phone's Bluetooth won't work. $15 per month to use the screen on your vehicle for navigation. Your own phone's Bluetooth won't work. You can bundle Bluetooth of music and navigation from your own phone for $25 a month. Again, this is just to use your own Bluetooth from your phone. There's also a monthly subscription fee to use your own key fob to remote start your car. This can be bundled in with your music and navigation plan. $8 a month to be able to see your oil level and your tire pressure remotely. Service Connect is $8 a month, provides vehicle health reports. They are in their new vehicle physically unable to view their music or navigation from their phone on their new vehicle screen. You must pay monthly. By the way, some of this is true, so they take a little bit of what's true and then expand it in all sorts of things that are not true. We just test drove one of these, by the way, not that long ago. And you can take your phone and you can use CarPlay, you can stream your music, you can use your phone, you can do everything that you would normally do with any other system. Yes, there are features where if you want to use Toyota's own navigation system and their own music and their own XYZ, you get the drift. Yes, like OnStar with General Motors, there's a fee to do so. For example, in a GM vehicle, if you want turn-by-turn navigation where it really speaks through even the speakers to you on how to do that and you're using OnStar to perform that, yes, there's a subscription fee to make that happen. Same thing with Toyota and a lot of other brands, by the way. Nothing new there. That's been that way for a very long time. GM started it with OnStar. Other companies have picked it up, and it's very true with a lot of vehicles that are out there. No, you don't have to subscribe to Toyota to use the vehicle's quote-unquote head unit. Totally false information. Now, this is either a person that is thoroughly ignorant and hasn't read the owner's manual to even understand how to use their own vehicle, Or is just pushing propaganda? One of the two. I don't know which. Frankly, Richard just sent me this, my son, a little bit ago, so I haven't had time to even really... I was going to play the video, but I can't because I don't know what kind of language is in it. And I never play anything that I can't preview first for obvious reasons. We have the FCC out there monitoring what we do, and I can't let things go out over air that aren't cool to do. The words that can't go out, and I don't know what's in this video. So I don't know what the history is here and or what this person did. But again, this is either a person that is extremely, extremely ignorant or is pushing propaganda. Or maybe a combination of two. Maybe it's a little bit of both. I don't know. A lot of ignorant people out there on both sides of the aisle, our side included. Point being, and I see comments coming in from probably conservatives talking about how wrong this is and I'll never buy another Toyota product and on and on and on. And no, I'm not a spokesperson for Toyota. I talk about every single car the way I see it. I am not beholden to any one manufacturer and I don't look more highly upon one manufacturer than another. You guys all know that. I really speak my mind pretty clearly about all things concerning vehicles, period. And I try to set the record straight as many times as I possibly can, especially from conservatives that are ignorant when it comes to cars, including some quote-unquote car experts but are still ignorant when it comes to cars. And yes, they do exist. Just because somebody's a car journalist, by the way, it doesn't make them an expert. It means they're a car journalist, but they're not an expert. No more than a political commentator on air is an expert on politics. They're a good commentator, but it doesn't mean they're an expert when it comes to policy and politics and so on. They can comment on it. It doesn't mean they're an expert. Great examples of that in the automotive journalistic world. And I've met a lot of these people, by the way. Now, in this case, I don't know this person. I don't know the gal speaking. I've never seen her before. I wouldn't know her if I met her on the street corner. I have no idea who this person is. What I do know is... Everything that was posted in here, or the majority of what's posted, maybe not everything, but the majority of what's posted in here is false. It's just not true. And I didn't go to Toyota's website to specifically – I didn't have time because this just came as I was talking on air, as I was talking to John Lott. So I didn't have an opportunity to actually review this and go to Toyota's website and find out what their subscription services actually are and what they cost. And frankly, that's not what I even put into our reviews on the cars that we do because subscription services, by the way, can vary from car to car, what you pay for the car, what you in some cases are as a customer to them. And it's true with a lot of different services. You know, Sirius XM, for example. You get a better deal the more radios you have subscriptions on. Same is true when it comes to OnStar and things like that. The better the customer, the less money you'll spend for those services. It's true with a lot of services that are out there. So I don't talk about those things, Richard and I don't, in our reviews because at the end of the day, they can vary. And so it's not standard as to what someone pays for those quote unquote subscription services. But I just want to make sure everybody knows when it comes to a lot of the things that were started by General Motors and OnStar that a lot of the other companies out there picked up on and figured, wait a minute, here's a really good way for us to make money and still help the customer at the end of the day. Let's jump on board. They did. And it's not any different than what OnStar has been doing for years. Now, all of them, I think Toyota included, gives you basic things for free. If you have a bad accident, are they going to call 911? Yeah, and you don't have to subscribe to do that. It'll just do it for you. As long as that car can still communicate through the regular cell network, if you have a bad accident, you don't have to be a subscriber, and it will call 911 for you. That just sort of comes with the vehicle when you buy it. Now, if you want upgraded services... then you get those. Now, I don't talk about this much, but this is where a lot of the higher-end EVs will come with all of those subscription services included. So you buy a higher-end GM EV, you get all of those subscriptions for free. Lower-end EVs, you may not. And by the way, it'll tell you this on the Monroney, on the window sticker, as to what services are included with what vehicle you're actually buying. So... I just wanted to make sure that I got in front of this one because this one's going to make its rounds. So for those of you listening, when you see this post, don't forward it. Don't get on board and then be a fool at the end of the day because most of what's in here is false. Don't be gullible is my point. And just don't be stupid like this person is that posted this in the first place. So anyway, I just want to set the record straight. Let's do this. Golden Eagle Financial coming up next. And Al Smith is always there to help you when it comes to your financial future, planning for getting to retirement, staying in retirement. Golden Eagle Financial. Find them at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 15 :
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SPEAKER 05 :
All right, Kevin Flesch, when it comes to civil or criminal cases, Kevin can represent you on either side. The only thing Kevin doesn't do, by the way, is family law. Outside of that, he's there for you. We'd love to represent you as an attorney, 303-806-8886.
SPEAKER 18 :
Here's why you need personal injury attorney Kevin Flesch on your side. He understands the way the jury thinks. In the context of a personal injury case, you've been hurt by someone else's negligence. The idea is that you're going to try to recover so that you can get back to where you were just prior to that incident occurring. What that really means from a jurist's perspective is that you're going to be asking them to award you money. So when we talk about fairness, we're talking about six people that you don't know. Those six people view the evidence and make a unanimous decision that will decide what the fair value is. When you're the one who's hurt, you have a good idea of what you think it's worth. The question is, can you persuade those other individuals whom you don't know and were witnesses to believe that's what the case is worth? Kevin Flesch understands the way the jury thinks. Call now for a free consultation, 303-806-8886.
SPEAKER 05 :
And Dr. Scott, if you're looking for a great doctor, again, that thinks like we do here on KLZ, and of course, Dr. Kelly, you hear her on Thursdays with us as well, then give Scott a call today. His phone number, 303-663-6990.
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SPEAKER 09 :
It's time to leave your safe space. This is Rush to Reason on KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, something I haven't talked much about because I kind of don't need to is the whole NFL halftime show. You know, Bad Bunny, who is really a Marxist, I guess you could say, that doesn't even want to come here to perform. And just also something to take note of is... The NFL has a company they hire to handle the halftime shows, and they're the ones that make all the decisions on all of these things. That's Jay-Z's company, actually. They're the ones that do all of the promotion, figuring out who's going to be there. These people, by the way, are not paid. They typically get all sorts of... of credibility, I guess you could say, or their own advertisement from being there. So again, it's not the NFL. I do understand that the NFL probably has a final say, you know, a nod to or whatever. But I will tell you that personally speaking, I don't think the NFL really cares much one way or the other when it comes to the halftime show. They know people are going to watch the Super Bowl regardless of what the halftime show is or isn't. And at the end of the day, I don't think they frankly care. I'm just being really honest. It's sort of like a gone with the wind. They don't really give a you know what. That's my opinion. Does that keep people from watching the NFL because of it? Frankly, I don't think so either. No, I don't think it does. If Super Bowl people are going to watch one way or the other. Now, I think a lot of people, by the way, at halftime go and do other things anyway, so I don't think most people really care what the halftime show even is unless you're there at the stadium. And even then, you're going to the bathroom, you're getting food, you're doing whatever, even at the halftime itself. Most of the people in the stadium probably aren't watching it. Anyways, Turning Point USA. Charlie Kirk's organization, as you guys all are familiar with, they are going to have an alternative halftime show. Not sure exactly how it's all going to work and who's going to actually be there, but it'll be the all-American halftime show. It'll be an alternative to the regular halftime show that will be performed by the three-time Grammy Award-winning Bad Bunny. at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California. So at the end of the day, there will be an alternative. You don't have to watch Bad Bunny. You'll be able to turn and watch something else at Turning Point USA if that's something that you're interested in. And as we get closer to that, I'm sure there'll be more details that will come out, and we can talk about that further as we get closer. All right, on tomorrow's show, Friday. It's always a fun day. Have NFL picks, of course, in the second hour. And he's going to do two movie reviews this week by watching him as we speak. Soul on Fire and Tron Ares. Make sure I say that right. The new Tron movie, basically. And the movie rental hour is going to be inspirational stories. That fits a lot of different movies, by the way. So put your thinking caps on and send me what your favorite movies are. Along those lines, don't forget the text line, 307-200-8222. Guys, have a great night. We'll see you tomorrow right back here on Friday. Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560.
In this episode of Washington Watch, host Jody Heiss delves into the monumental strides made in the Middle East with the Israel-Hamas peace agreement. Joined by experts and correspondents, they explore the implications of the deal on international diplomacy and the quest for a lasting peace in the region. The episode also covers President Trump's involvement and upcoming travels to solidify the peace process. Shifting to the home front, Jody covers the ongoing government shutdown, examining the political stalemates at play and their effects on the American populace. Featuring insights from congressional members and economic analysts, listeners gain a deeper understanding of the factors contributing to the partisan tug-of-war over government funding and essential services. Furthermore, the episode addresses the Trump administration's proactive stance against drug trafficking originating from Venezuela. With perspectives from journalists and political insiders, the discussion highlights the administration's military and diplomatic strategies aimed at curbing the influence of narco-terrorists in the Western Hemisphere.
SPEAKER 02 :
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. Sitting in for Tony is today's host, Jody Heiss.
SPEAKER 18 :
Last night, we reached a momentous breakthrough in the Middle East, something that people said was never going to be done. We ended the war in Gaza and really, on a much bigger basis, created peace. And I think it's going to be a lasting peace.
SPEAKER 05 :
That was President Trump earlier today at the White House announcing the Israel-Hamas peace deal and his upcoming trip to Egypt and Israel. Welcome to this October 9th edition of Washington Watch. I'm your host Jody Heiss filling in today for Tony Perkins. Thank you so much for tuning in today. All right, coming up, it is now day nine of the Schumer shutdown and government services are straining along with Americans as Democrats blocking efforts to reopen the government. And here shortly, Georgia Congressman Andrew Clyde will join me with the latest on that issue. And the Trump administration is taking a harder line on drug trafficking, this time actually using military force. And the target? Well, narco-terrorists allegedly tied to Venezuela. Later in the program, Washington stand writer Yoey Suarez will join me to break all of that down. All right, Israel and Hamas, the big, big news. They have reached a crucial ceasefire and prisoner exchange deal. Obviously, this is an important issue for everyone around the world, but certainly also for President Trump and his strong approach to end this Gaza conflict. Hamas will be releasing all the remaining Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners while Israel begins a partial troop withdrawal. And joining me now is Washington Stand reporter Sarah Holliday. Sarah, let's begin with this big, big news. What can you tell us? Let's go with the timeline for the hostage release and some of the chances that this is going to actually be a lasting peace deal.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yes, Jerry. The agreement represents the first phase of President Trump's initiative to end the two-year conflict in Gaza. Under the deal, Hamas will release all remaining Israeli hostages, with only around 20 believed to be still alive, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Meanwhile, the deal also involves Israel partially withdrawing its troops. President Trump announced today that the hostages are expected to be released Monday or Tuesday. He also said he plans to travel to Egypt for a signing ceremony before addressing Israel's Knesset.
SPEAKER 18 :
We secured the release of all of the remaining hostages, and they should be released on Monday or Tuesday. And that'll be a day of joy. I'm going to go to Egypt, where we'll have a signing, an additional signing. We've already had a signing representing me, but we're going to have an official signing.
SPEAKER 11 :
This conflict began with Hamas terrorists' brutal 2023 attacks that killed over 1,200 Israelis and captured 251 hostages. Both sides celebrated the agreement with a truck set to enter Gaza soon. Challenges do remain, but President Trump called this a major step toward lasting peace, Jodi.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, it really is amazing. Absolutely amazing. Sarah, if I can switch gears with you now and bring you here closer to home. It is now day nine of the government shutdown. I've been there myself. Flights are being delayed all over the country. Staffing thin. Americans are certainly paying the price as the Senate Democrats continue to block efforts to reopen the government. What is the latest on this issue?
SPEAKER 11 :
Jodi, President Trump is saying that the ongoing government shutdown is actually an opportunity to make permanent cuts to bloated Democrat programs and realign spending with conservative priorities. Meanwhile, Senate Democrats once again, as you mentioned, blocked a Republican bill to reopen the government, prolonging the shutdown and its impact on everyday Americans. This is what Senate Majority Leader John Thune said on the Senate floor earlier today.
SPEAKER 03 :
If we fail to fund the government by the end of the day today, American service members will begin going without their paychecks starting tomorrow. That's right, Mr. President. If Democrats can't bring themselves to reopen the government by the end of the day, our troops, the people who protect and defend this country, will start missing their paychecks.
SPEAKER 11 :
As the shutdown drags on, the U.S. travel industry is struggling as airport staff are stretched thin, leaving travelers with no choice but to cancel plans. In addition, as Thune mentioned, our military troops won't be getting paid either. But concerning the air travel, experts are warning that delays and cancellations may only worsen over the holiday weekend, which is a direct result of Washington gridlock led by Democrat obstruction.
SPEAKER 05 :
Wow. Well, it certainly is a major roadblock in talks to reopen the government. And part of the roadblock, frankly, is the Democrats' push to try to extend all the COVID-era Obamacare subsidies which in and of themselves could fund abortion as well as gender transition surgeries and so forth. So obviously this is something we oppose a great deal, and we're going to be keeping an eye on this and reporting it. Sarah, let me throw one more at you. There was a meeting yesterday about left-wing violence that took place in the White House. What can you tell us about that?
SPEAKER 11 :
Jodi, President Trump is taking a hard stance on Antifa. He's called them a domestic terror threat. And he's also promised a forceful federal response. At a White House roundtable discussion yesterday, President Trump said law enforcement will be, quote, very threatening toward the far-left movement, which he says has long intimidated communities and targeted police. Joined by officials like FBI Director Kash Patel and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, President Trump emphasized the need to protect law and order across the country. We can't and we will not let mask terrorists burn our buildings, attack our law enforcement, intimidate our communities. Attorney General Pam Bondi went on to praise tech companies for removing anti-law enforcement apps. And she said the administration is using the full power of federal law enforcement to take on Antifa and its backers.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, thank you so much, Sarah. A lot of information you're covering, and we appreciate it a great deal. I want to go ahead now and turn our attention back to the federal government, the funding fight that's taking place. I'd like to get a congressional perspective of it all, and joining me now to discuss this and more is Congressman Andrew Clyde. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee as well as the House Budget Committee. and he represents the 9th Congressional District of my home state of Georgia. Congressman Clyde, welcome back to Washington Watch.
SPEAKER 20 :
Thank you, Jody. It's great to be with you on Washington Watch.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, listen, it's always great to talk to you as well. Before we get into the government shutdown stuff, just real quickly, I wanted to get your reaction to the deal that was struck between Israel and Hamas today. It's big news.
SPEAKER 20 :
Well, I'll tell you what, our president, Donald J. Trump, is certainly the peace president. He has been advocating for peace across the entire world in various different conflicts. And this has been a phenomenal achievement by the president right here. I think that when the hostages are released, like you said, on Monday or Tuesday, it will be an incredible victory for the president and for Israel as well. And, you know, we'll see if Hamas actually comes through with it. I believe I hope they do. I really do, because, you know, these families need closure. They need their their their family members back. And it'll be the first time I think that there will actually be peace in the Middle East, you know, since 1976 when Egypt and Israel signed their peace agreement.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I think we're all waiting on bated breath just on that very issue. Is Hamas going to actually hold up to this? We'll see and continue praying to that end. Let me come back now to the federal government, the shutdown. We're now in day nine of it all. Republicans have put forward a clean, continuing resolution, and yet the Democrats continue to vote it down. What are you seeing? What are you hearing behind the scenes there in Congress?
SPEAKER 20 :
Well, you know, as a member of the House, we have done our job. We have funded the government. And it's up to the Senate right now to do their job. And in Georgia, we have two senators, Senator Warnock and Senator Osthoff, that have consistently voted, I think now for the seventh time, to not fund the government and therefore to allow funding to lapse. You know, they're putting... Health care for illegal aliens above pay for our troops, you know, and that's simply despicable. I think Chuck Schumer said it best when he said every day gets better for Democrats. But what he forgot to say is that it gets worse for the American people. But that's exactly the way the Democrats look at it right now. And it's just it's disgusting to see. And as a result, I think that every American citizen needs to call their senators, their Democrat senators, and say, what in the world are you doing? All right? You're not helping America. You're making it worse for everyday citizens in this beautiful country.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, and I think, quite frankly, he's rather delusional, thinking that every day makes it even better for Democrats. I think he's wrong on that issue as well. You look at the polling of Democrats, they are at all-time lows in favorability across the country, and it's this very thing, it looks to me like, is the reason why. This is just horrible timing, though, for it all. Can't the Democrats just pass a clean CR rather than demanding one and a half trillion more dollars, and talk about what they want after the government reopens. Isn't that really what this is all about? Why won't they do that?
SPEAKER 20 :
Well, you know, they want to try and use this leverage of government funding to eliminate all the wins of the one big, beautiful bill. And then if you look at it in the big, beautiful bill, you have a 50 billion dollar rural hospital fund. Well, you know, a lot of Republican areas are rural. And so they're trying to to literally take away the health care of those in the rural districts as opposed to those who live in urban districts. And then you've got the win of defunding NPR within the within the rescission bill that they're trying to eliminate. So it's. It's illegal alien and their health care over American citizens and over the armed forces and their pay. And it's absolutely shameful that the Democrats would do this.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, and their proposal would fund abortion and gender transition procedures as well. I mean, there's just a host of horrible things in here. And thanks to each of you for standing firm on this. The ball is in the course of the Democrats, whether the government's going to be reopened or not. Final question for you, Congressman Clyde. The Congressional Budget Office, CBO, released their final monthly budget review for fiscal year 25, showing a $1.8 trillion increase budget deficit for the year. Your reaction to that?
SPEAKER 20 :
Yes, I read that, actually, being on the budget committee. It includes an additional $80 billion of interest payments over and above what we normally have paid. So it's an absolute testimony to how... bad the Democrats have been in the prior administration. I mean, if you looked at that, you saw a massive increase of spending for the EPA, like $23 billion for the EPA in grants that went out in November and December. And if it hadn't been for the one big, beautiful bill, which cut like $230 billion in of woke spending out of the unconstitutional Department of Education, it would have been a greater deficit than that. It'd been over $2 trillion.
SPEAKER 05 :
Right. Thank you so much, Congressman Andrew Clyde from Georgia. Always great to see you, my friend. Thank you for joining us on Washington Watch.
SPEAKER 20 :
Thank you, Jody. Great to be with you.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, coming up next, we're going to talk about the deal between Israel and Hamas. Is there light at the end of the tunnel? Stay tuned, find out.
SPEAKER 12 :
Three years ago, the Supreme Court issued its historic Dobbs decision, a ruling that overturned Roe versus Wade, which for nearly 50 years imposed abortion on demand, silencing voters and bypassing the democratic process across the country. The Dobbs decision was a huge step forward against abortion, but it didn't outright ban it. It returned the power to the people. Now, 29 states have laws on the books protecting life. However, there's a catch. Abortion numbers since Dobbs have actually gone up with an increase of 12% since 2020, climbing from 930,000 to over 1 million in each of the most recent years. So how can this be? The answer is simple, the abortion drug. Today, over 60% of US abortions involve abortion drugs, many of these without medical oversight. In 2021, the Biden administration quietly removed bare minimum longstanding safety protocols for the abortion drug that have existed for 20 years to protect women from life-threatening risks and ensuring informed consent. The Biden DOJ then declared that they would not enforce the Comstock Act, which prevents the mailing of anything that causes an abortion. This is not only illegal, but also dangerous. A study shows nearly 11% of women who take the abortion drug end up in the emergency room with serious complications. Unless the Trump administration reverses these reckless Biden-era policies, pro-life laws will remain largely symbolic. Without a full review and repeal of Mifepristone, unborn lives will remain in grave danger, and pregnant mothers will remain at risk. Let's stand for life and end this mail order abortion drug pipeline. Sign the petition urging the Trump administration to take action at frc.org slash stop chemical abortion.
SPEAKER 16 :
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory. Family Research Council invites you to join our Stand on the Word Bible reading plan as we reflect upon the life of Jesus, the Word who dwelt among us. Come with us and discover the glory of the Word. Read the Gospels and witness the life-changing story of Jesus, His life, death, and resurrection. Come read how Jesus transformed the lives of common people and how those same people transformed the known world through the power of the Holy Spirit. Come with us for 10 to 15 minutes a day and read the entire New Testament before the new year. Find our Bible reading plan in daily devotionals from Tony Perkins at frc.org slash Bible. Join us in Stand on the Word.
SPEAKER 05 :
Welcome back to Washington Watch. Good afternoon. I am Jody Heiss filling in today for Tony. Thank you so much for tuning in. All right. You've heard the news by now. Israel and Hamas have agreed to the first phase of a deal that is going to see all the hostages that have been held in Gaza released. in exchange for Palestinian prisoners. And although the Israeli government still needs to officially approve the plan before it commences, which, by the way, is something they could do very soon, President Trump told reporters today that the remaining hostages who were held by Hamas should be released by Monday or Tuesday. A day that he says, and we all agree, is going to be a great day of joy. But what all else is remaining in all of this? And are we literally, potentially about to see the end of this war? Well, joining me now to discuss this. Live from Tel Aviv is Ruthie Bloom. She's a columnist and senior contributing editor at the Jewish News Syndicate. She's also a former advisor at the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Ruthie, welcome back to Washington Watch. Great to see you.
SPEAKER 01 :
Thank you so much, Jody. It's great to be here.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, listen, thank you. I know it's late there. Thank you for staying up to giving us the latest of what's happening here. Let me begin, Ruthie, just with your overall reaction to the news when you first heard it, and what are you hearing from others there in Israel?
SPEAKER 01 :
OK, so first of all, when we first heard about the plan, that's before it was accepted, it was accepted by Israel. But as President Trump said, we're waiting for Hamas to give an answer. The other Arab countries and Turkey, et cetera, said yes. And President Trump was waiting for Hamas's answer. That was two days ago. or three days ago. I'm getting confused because, as you say, it's late at night right now. The Israeli cabinet is meeting to approve this. And Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff are here. So nobody's getting any sleep. All right. But anyway, Hamas suddenly late at night. issued a response, which basically was no, it wasn't yes. But President Trump did a clever thing. He said, oh, Hamas accepted the deal. Now we can all meet in Sharm el-Sheikh and iron it out. I mean, Hamas's answer was really anything but a yes. But this started the wheels in motion. And what we are knowing, what we now know is that the hostages are going to be returned. And the beauty of this deal is that unlike previous deals that were called peace deals, et cetera, in Israel and with the Palestinians, this one puts the onus on Hamas. It is saying you first free the hostages and then Israel will free prisoners. You first do this and then Israel will do that. In other words, treating Hamas like the defeated entity that it actually is. And this has been a big mistake of liberal American administrations and liberal Israeli ones, too, in the past, that negotiations with terrorists always sort of treated them as equals or as, you know, people that are like, OK, we're making a deal. No, this time the onus is on Hamas.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, we are all prayerful and hopeful that they're going to hold the deal and release the hostages come Monday or Tuesday. This is just phase one. Now, there are other outstanding issues that are not covered by this particular phase of the agreement. So what are some of the other needs that will be sorted out going forward?
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, from Israel's perspective, again, all the goals of the war were to have the hostages freed and to have Hamas completely disarm and ensure that Gaza is de-radicalized to the point that it no longer poses a threat to the state of Israel. So all of that is in that deal. There are other sticking points like humanitarian aid. Okay, Israel has agreed to that. They'll continue to be a flow of humanitarian aid. But Hamas has been saying, well, about disarming, maybe we'll just disarm our heavy weapons and not our light weapons or, you know. Listen, it's a terrorist group, so it's going to try any stunt that it can. The only question is, what happens if it doesn't do something? That's always the question in these deals, because believe me, peace is not going to come out of this. When the war is over, we're still going to have, when I say the war is over, I mean when Israeli troops withdraw to an agreed upon line that is drawn on a map that was agreed upon between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and the other countries. After that, the question always is, what happens when, not if, when the terrorists violate? I'm praying that this time around, especially after the trauma of October 7th, 2023, that we are going to take every, the tiniest violation with the utmost seriousness and not be worried about what the UN says if we have to go back into Gaza and kill more terrorists.
SPEAKER 05 :
President Trump is going to be traveling, at least he's saying so, to the Middle East in coming days. And he's certainly been invited to speak there at the Israeli Knesset. And in fact, the Knesset was lit up, as I understand, in red, white and blue for that expected visit. How are the people of Israel feeling about President Trump right now?
SPEAKER 01 :
They are so enamored of President Trump that you have no idea. At Hostages Square in Tel Aviv, they had somebody dressed up like Trump. They're just people wrapped in American flags and people screaming, Trump, Trump, Trump. Now, I want to tell you why that's ironic. I mean, I'm thrilled with President Trump as well, but I'd just like to say what's ironic about it. Part of the main protest, anti-government protest movement, which tried to hijack all the hostage families by turning the need to free the hostages into an anti-government protest for the past two years. These anti-government protesters tend to be on the left, if not the radical left. And to hear the leftists praising Trump to the skies and singing odes to him in order to say that Netanyahu had no role in this amazing outcome, as though Netanyahu didn't change the face of the Middle East in the last two years.
SPEAKER 05 :
Wow. Ruth and Bloom, I'll tell you, this is exciting times and times for everyone to be continuing in prayer. Again, thank you. I know it's late there. You probably would love to go to sleep, but you've got a lot of plates spinning there. So get back to work and try to get a little bit of rest. But thank you for joining us. We appreciate it.
SPEAKER 01 :
Well, again, thank you so much for having me.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right, President Trump is not only working for peace in the Middle East, he's also engaged in another war of its own, one on drugs. What are we to make of all of it? We'll unpack it right after this break. Stay tuned.
SPEAKER 14 :
Download the new StandFirm app for Apple and Android phones today. You can join a wonderful community of fellow believers. We've created a special place for you to access news from a biblical perspective. Read and listen to daily devotionals, pray for current events, and more. Share the Stand Firm app with your friends, family, and church members. And of course, stand firm wherever you go.
SPEAKER 13 :
At Family Research Council, defending the family isn't just a mission, it's our daily calling. Every team member at FRC uses their God-given talents to stand for biblical truth, protect life, and uphold religious freedom.
SPEAKER 04 :
Here at Family Research Council, we face many threats to the family, threats that have been with us for some time. Abortion, the gender ideology threat, the attacks on marriage, the attacks on parental authority, and the attacks on religious freedom. We have to promote, support, strengthen, and incentivize family growth so families take their place in society in a place of honor.
SPEAKER 19 :
I'm defending the family by working in the Center for Biblical Worldview to provide cutting edge research and resources for pastors, ministry leaders, and Christian parents.
SPEAKER 11 :
Through my work at the Washington Stand, I passionately defend what God has defined for marriage and family. I don't see the Washington Stand as just a place to talk about cultural events. It's a place to share biblical truth with the perfect outlet to advance and defend what God has defined as good, true and beautiful.
SPEAKER 10 :
Because of you, we're able to frame things in such a way that help Christians stand for truth on the things that matter most like life, faith, family and freedom. Thank you for standing with us.
SPEAKER 04 :
Thank you for your support. It is so critical to the work that we at Family Research Council are doing day to day as we support and strengthen the family. So thank you.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, good afternoon. Again, welcome back to Washington Watch. I am Jody Heiss filling in today for Tony. Thank you for joining us as well. All right. While President Trump has been striving to bring peace to the Middle East and seems to have made some enormous strides there, he's also made it clear that there's at least one war worth waging here, and that is the war on drugs. And the Trump administration is simply recognizing the decades-long efforts by the U.S. drug enforcement officials simply has not been enough. It's not accomplished what it should have accomplished. So it's been resorting, this administration, to military force to stop the narco-terrorists and particularly focusing on those coming out of Venezuela. And Democrats, not surprisingly, they're opposed to all of this. And along with them, the Venezuelan officials, I would also say, insist that they have no part in drug trafficking. So is the Trump administration right here? Well, joining me to offer some perspective in all of this is Washington's stand writer, Yogi Suarez, who was exiled from Cuba for his investigative reporting on topics that socialist governments simply don't want to have covered. Yogi, welcome to Washington Watch. It's great to have you.
SPEAKER 17 :
Thank you for the invitation. Thank you for having me.
SPEAKER 05 :
OK, so on Monday, we had some Democrats on the House Foreign Affairs Committee expressed opposition to what the Trump administration is doing and literally accused the president of pushing for a regime change in Venezuela. So what do people really need to know when it comes to this whole issue that we're watching in Venezuela?
SPEAKER 17 :
Well, the first thing to understand is that Nicolás Maduro is not the legitimate president of Venezuela. He lost in a landslide in July 2024 in the presidential elections last year down there. And he is the head of a cartel, El Cartel de los Soles, who involves high-ranking officials in his regime. and involves Maduro himself. What we have to understand is that the Cartel de los Soles operates with El Tren de Aragua, which is a terrorist organization. It was named like that by President Trump, by this administration, and also works with El Cartel de Sinaloa in order to get drugs here to the U.S. that is killing this drug thousands of Americans.
SPEAKER 05 :
Absolutely. So let me ask you this. Yesterday, Senate Democrats tried and failed, but they attempted to pass a bill to stop the U.S. military from having strikes on drug boats, if you will, off the coast of Venezuela. But you, having lived in Cuba... What do you think about the position that the Democrats are putting themselves in in opposing any stoppage of these drug boats that are coming?
SPEAKER 17 :
Well, it's sad that one of the major parties here in the U.S. is aligned, in fact, with terrorist organizations. We have seen that with the Democrat base and some Democratic officials. with Hamas and Hezbollah. But now there are some of them, let's say, are aligned with the Maduro regime, which is a terrible regime. And it's an ideological colony of Cuba. Cuba is the head of the snake down there in South America, in Latin America in general. And in Venezuela, Chavez, Hugo Chavez first, and now Maduro, has been destroying the country for decades now. It's very sad seeing the Venezuelan people. They don't have medicine. They don't have access to the basic services. There are a lot of—it's a rich country, I mean, with so much resources. And for some reason, it has the highest inflation in the world, I think, also with the Cuban inflation. So it's really sad what is happening. And it's sad that a major party here in the U.S. is aligned with these kind of regimes.
SPEAKER 05 :
It really is stunning to watch. Now, let me ask you this. We'll just go one step further in this whole discussion. The Trump administration has literally been building up military forces there in the Caribbean, now having deployed some 10,000 U.S. troops in the region, mostly in bases there in Puerto Rico. What do you make of the direction that the administration is going in?
SPEAKER 17 :
Well, the next logical step is going inland with targeted attacks to drug objectives, targets down there in Venezuela. The last weeks, we have seen the military from here, from the U.S., destroying vessels that are transporting drugs to the Caribbean area. And let me tell you something. small towns in front of the Caribbean were fisher towns with people fishing and commerce with commerce and the drug trafficking has destroyed All these towns have put these towns in danger. And I can tell you, a lot of Venezuelan people down there, they don't want this reality anymore. They want Maduro out because they recognize he is not the legitimate president, I repeat, He is the head of a terrorist organization that is not only harming them, but harming other countries in the Caribbean area specifically, and working with the worst cartels, even in Colombia and Mexico.
SPEAKER 05 :
Wow. Thank you so much, Washington stand writer, Joey Suarez. Great perspective, and we appreciate you joining us on Washington Watch. Thank you. All right. Coming up next, we are going to go from narco terrorists in Venezuela to Islamic terrorists in Nigeria and the so-called anti-fascist terrorists right here in America. So stay tuned.
SPEAKER 15 :
Family Research Council is committed to advancing faith, family, and freedom from the East Coast to the West. So FRC is going to Southern California for this year's Pray, Vote, Stand Summit, October 17th and 18th at Calvary Chapel, Chino Hills. Join us for this powerful gathering of Christians desiring cultural renewal and spiritual revival. The Pray, Vote, Stand Summit brings together Christian leaders, issue experts, and government officials for a time of prayer, inspiration, and action. Together, we will seek God's guidance for our nation and engage in meaningful discussions on the intersection of faith, government, and culture. If the spiritual foundations and the cultural walls of our nation are to be rebuilt, we all have a role to play. May we each find our place on the wall as we build for biblical truth. Jennifer, it's so exciting to be here with you today talking about our new book, Embracing God's Design.
SPEAKER 07 :
Who is actually going to benefit from reading this book in your view?
SPEAKER 09 :
There are so many different audiences that can benefit. The first one are counselors themselves, right? Because we have some material in there where we really address the gender dysphoria diagnosis and what is wrong with it. We have information for people who are wanting to go back to embracing God's design for their life.
SPEAKER 07 :
This is really magical to have the therapist and the individual who suffered come together and write about why this is happening and why we're seeing this.
SPEAKER 09 :
And we brought all of that experience to the table. We want to see people walking in the fullness of who God has called them to be and not a false identity.
SPEAKER 07 :
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SPEAKER 11 :
How should Christians think about the thorny issues shaping our culture? How should Christians address deceitful ideas like transgenderism, critical theory, or assisted suicide? How can Christians navigate raising children in a broken culture, the war on gender roles, or rebuilding our once great nation? Outstanding is a podcast from The Washington Stand dedicated to these critical conversations. Outstanding seeks to tear down what our corrupt culture lifts up with an aim to take every thought and every idea captive to the obedience of Christ. Whether policies or partisan politics, whether conflict in America or conflict abroad, join us and our guests as we examine the headlines through the lens of Scripture and explore how Christians can faithfully exalt Christ in all of life. Follow Outstanding on your favorite podcast app and look for new episodes each week.
SPEAKER 05 :
Thank you so much for joining us today. I'm Jody Heiss filling in today for Tony. Welcome back to Washington Watch. Before we conclude the program and I bring on my next guest, I want to just remind you that next week, next week is our Pray Vote Stand Summit taking place in Chino Hills, California, October 17th and 18th. It's not too late to register if you have not already done so. Again, this is a powerful, powerful event. Never before has there been a more critical time probably than right now for us to unite together to pray, vote, stand. You can learn more and register by going to prayvotestand.org. All right. Much needed attention was drawn to the persecution of Christians that has been taking place in Nigeria. And we thank U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who's been making this a top priority. He's been talking with and taking some Nigerian officials to task for the way they have seemingly ignored or even facilitated the mass, mass killing of Christians by Islamic jihadists. And while a spokesperson for Nigeria's president has certainly pushed back against Senator Cruz, calling his statements malicious and contrived lies, many have pointed to an abundance of reporting that's out there on the situation taking place in Nigeria. And also, we certainly have the previous administration under Joe Biden deciding that Nigeria is not a country of particular concern. There certainly now, at least, is a growing push to see that designation restored. And joining me now to discuss this is former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, Sam Brownback. Ambassador Brownback, welcome back to Washington Watch. Always great to see you.
SPEAKER 06 :
Hey, it's great to join you, Jody, and glad to talk about this topic. It needs to be talked about. We finally got a burst of energy around Ted Cruz and of all people, Bill Mayer, raising this issue as a key one. So I'm hopeful we're going to start to see some action taking place.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I am too. And I agree with you. It's amazing how sometimes you have issues like this that are totally swept under the rug and ignored by the legacy media. We'll just put it that way. But as you brought up Senator Cruz... You know, he has brought this to light and some in Nigeria are pushing back, saying that these are nothing but malicious, contrived lies and that Christians are not targeted in Nigeria. What, Ambassador, is your response to that?
SPEAKER 06 :
That sounds like a government press secretary doing what the Muslim president told her to or him to do and to say. The facts are very clear. They've been consistent and they've been growing. You've got a group of terrorist organizations operating in Nigeria and throughout the countries in that region, the Sahel. You've got weaponizing of a Fulani herdsman group, particularly the younger men in this group. They're going in and terrorizing, killing Christian villagers to drive them out. of the region to Islamicize the area. And this is just a full-scale onslaught, slaughter, and you're going to see a lot more of it unless their government steps in and does something, and our government should push as hard as we can to force the Nigerian government to deal with this situation.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I want to come back in just a moment to what our government can and should be doing. But as you referenced the spokesperson for the Nigerian government, he went on and said that their government is committed to ensuring that there is religious freedom. In Nigeria. And so what is your take on you brought up the Nigerian government. So what is your take on how they have been handling the persecution and literal martyrdom of thousands of Christians in that country?
SPEAKER 06 :
Either their response has been complicit with what's taking place, they're okay with it and they're turning the blind eye the other way, or they're feckless and they won't do anything about it that's going to upset some of their political base. I don't know. Either way, you've got the most dangerous place in the world to be a Christian now is in Nigeria. And you've got this robust growing church in southern and central Nigeria that some of the most dynamic Christians in the world facing the most aggressive Islamic radical militants in the north and in that center belt. And this is a historic clash. And it's spreading throughout this region. And we're going to start to feel a lot more ramifications of this as these governments in the region either topple, as some of them have, get more bought into the Chinese-Russian model, as some of them are taking place. This is going to be a huge problem for us. I've got an article coming out soon about this could be a 500 million person caliphate. throughout that middle area of Africa if we don't get busy and start addressing this situation.
SPEAKER 05 :
Wow. Yeah, when you look at it from that perspective, you realize this is a huge, huge issue. So let me ask you that. How important is it for Nigeria to be designated as a country of particular concern?
SPEAKER 06 :
Well, it's important because it can possibly get the government to do something. But we can't stop there. We're going to need to sanction them off of this unless they will actually step up and enforce their laws and ensure religious freedom for everybody. The last time the president of Nigeria was in the United States and met with President Trump in his first term, President Trump said, hey, you got to start protecting the Christians. And he went back and sent his military into the regions where they were getting attacked. and the persecution reduced substantially. That can happen again. Or, Jody, we need to start looking at ways that we can arm the Christians so that they can at least fairly fight back. And that's a conclusion I've been very hesitant to get to, but it may be the only response we can have.
SPEAKER 05 :
Wow. Okay, so you mentioned sanctions. What other steps, final question here, do you think the U.S. should be doing? Certainly designating them as a country of particular concern, sanctions. What more specific actions by our government would you like to see here?
SPEAKER 06 :
I think we need to go into the region. You've got this entire, as I say, this Sahel region. There's a number of weak governments in the region. I think we need to start cooperating with the ones that will cooperate with us and recognize that the Chinese and the Russians are all over this place already. We've got to start getting in there and start getting engaged, or we're going to have a much bigger problem on our hand that's going to be much harder to deal with. We need to be more engaged overall, economically, security-wise, and certainly with religious freedom in this region.
SPEAKER 05 :
Thank you so much, Ambassador Sam Brownback, former U.S. Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. We deeply appreciate the work you have done and very grateful for you joining us today on Washington Watch.
SPEAKER 06 :
Happy to do it, Jody. God bless you all.
SPEAKER 05 :
God bless you as well, my friend. By the way, let me just say we here at FRC, we have a related resource on this. If you'd like to find out more, you can go to FRC.org slash Nigeria CPC. And we'll also include a link to that at TonyPerkins.com. So be sure to check that out. All right. To close out the program for today, there's one more news item that I want to bring your attention to. And that is yesterday at the White House was a roundtable regarding the Antifa movement, which President Trump last month designated as a domestic terrorist organization. Joining me now to discuss this is Cully Stimson, senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation and manager of their national security law program. Cully, welcome to Washington Watch. Thank you so much for joining us.
SPEAKER 08 :
Jody, thanks for having me. Appreciate it.
SPEAKER 05 :
All right. So let's just jump right into the roundtable meeting that took place yesterday. Who was there and what do you think came out of it all?
SPEAKER 08 :
So it was really an extraordinary event, and I hope people watch it, because you had a lot of these sort of new age bloggers and sort of new age journalists, many of whom have been criticized or attacked or actually violently attacked by Antifa. You have people like Andy Ngo, who many of you know about, who was brutalized by Antifa thugs in Portland, Oregon years ago, beaten within an inch of his life. You have others who are in Seattle and other cities where Antifa reigns. And it was interesting because one gal even said, you know, I had a really bad case of TDS, Trump derangement syndrome. And she admitted to the president, to his face, that she was really an anti-Trumper. Then she started... embedding herself as a clandestine journalist with Antifa and started writing about it and realized that they are the problem, not him. And so it was an extraordinary day. And this puts a lie, Jody, to this idea that Antifa is only an idea. That is some amorphous, ambivalent, sort of cloud-based nothing group. And they're real people, really funded by dark money groups. And the Treasury Secretary is going to get to the bottom of that. The Homeland Security Secretary is going to get to the bottom of this. So I think this is just the beginning of the unraveling of this Marxist terrorist organization.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I hope you're right. I was actually in a meeting just yesterday with Andy Ngo, and hearing him talk was just shocking. It just underscores everything you're saying. Now, you are among others who are actually calling for the designation of Antifa to be a domestic terror organization. You started, but would you unpack that a little bit more for us? Why do you think so? Yeah.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah. So let's let's be clear. Designating them as a domestic terror organization is helpful in the sense that what it does is it focuses the government and the government's vast resources and the joint terrorism task forces spread around the country. to go after Antifa and Antifa adjacent organizations. But domestic terrorism is defined in federal statute, but it is not a standalone crime. I know I was a federal and local prosecutor. It is not a standalone crime like murder or rape or robbery. And so you can't be convicted of domestic terrorism. It's not a crime. But I know a little bit about terrorism because I was a deputy assistant defense secretary in charge of terrorist policy in the Bush administration. So I've been around Al Qaeda and other folks, including the 9-11 hijacker types that orchestrated the 9-11 attacks at Guantanamo. And so The similarities between the two are really interesting. They used end-to-end encrypted communications. They have very complex financing mechanisms that are hidden from public view. And so I think the fact that they're designating them as a domestic terrorism really focuses the government's resources on them finally. So I think that's the big thing, big takeaway.
SPEAKER 05 :
You know, the left, I think it's fair to say, would describe Antifa's efforts as against neo-Nazis, white supremacy and so forth. But in reality, is it fair to say that they go far beyond that?
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, they can call it anything they want. They can call it a toadstool or an upside down tree for all I care. The fact is that actions speak louder than words. And when you see where Antifa thugs and apparatchiks are carrying out their mayhem and destruction and assaults, it's against law and order. It's against federal officers. It's against the enforcement of federal immigration law. It's against police. And so what I would say is they're really against civil society and capitalism and the law and order. So, you know, I wrote a book many years ago, Jody, called Rogue Prosecutors, How Radical Soros Lawyers Are Destroying America's Communities. And I talk about Angela Davis's book, Are Prisons Obsolete? And that comes out of the prison abolitionist movement. These Antifa thugs are against law and order. They're against the capitalist society. And so they're going to go after, attack, and foment violence on the instrumentalities of a civil society. So I don't think they're going after right-wing or right-wing extremists. And there are extremists on both sides. But on the left, they're fully financed. fully resourced. I mean, I thought the president was great when he talks about how all these yard signs and all these things that they're using to arm themselves at these protests, they're all from the same place. So this is paid for, organized anarchy. And so I think the government's right to go after them.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah. So let's go there. And in the meeting I was in yesterday, this this was one of the major issues. And you just referenced the president's executive order last month calling for the funding sources behind Antifa to be investigated and disrupted and so forth. So what do we know about the funding behind Antifa?
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, I don't think we know as much as we should. And the reason we don't is because they're clandestine about it. If this was a red, white and blue personification of the First Amendment, freedom of speech and the freedom of free association, we'd all be for it. But that is exactly what it's not. This is clandestine, end-to-end encrypted, multi-layered funding that is designed to be impenetrable. And so you need Scott Besant and the terrorist financing division at Treasury. You need the resources that DOD and the agency and the FBI have at their disposal. Now that the designation has happened, that unlocks a lot of those tools. to really get to the bottom of this. So whether they run it through routers throughout the world and drop it into bank accounts in the Cayman Islands or somewhere, and then they use Bitcoin or some other thing that's harder to trace, we'll get to the bottom of it. It's just going to be a lot harder. It's not like following the money in a bank robbery or identity theft. They're very sophisticated, and they do it for a reason. They don't want to be caught.
SPEAKER 05 :
Thank you so, so much, Kelly Stimson, Senior Legal Fellow at Heritage Foundation. A fascinating conversation and one that we need to get to the bottom of. Thank you for joining us on Washington Watch. All right, friends, that wraps up this edition of Washington Watch. Hope you have a fantastic evening and we'll see you yet again tomorrow right here.
SPEAKER 02 :
Washington Watch with Tony Perkins is brought to you by Family Research Council. To support our efforts to advance faith, family, and freedom, please text GIVE to 67742. That's GIVE to 67742. Portions of the show discussing candidates are brought to you by Family Research Council Action. For more information, please visit TonyPerkins.com.
John Rush kicks off Hour 2 with guest Jim Paff from the Conservative Caucus to unpack what could be one of the most significant foreign policy moves in modern history: Donald Trump’s brokered Hamas deal. Jim argues this could rival past Nobel Peace Prize–level negotiations, crediting Trump’s leadership and Abraham Accords groundwork. John and Jim push back on the “warmonger” narrative, portraying Trump as a “peace through strength” president.
The conversation shifts to Trump’s economic prowess compared to Ronald Reagan, emphasizing his unique blend of theory and practice as a businessman-president. They break down how this affects the ongoing government shutdown and why Democrats may be overplaying their hand. Jim forecasts possible outcomes, including major reductions in federal employees, as the political standoff continues.
Later, John pivots to the debate between Matt Walsh’s alarmism on AI and his own more optimistic view. He and Scott Garlis discuss AI’s parallels to the Industrial Revolution, the shifting labor landscape, and why preparation—not panic—will determine winners and losers. They analyze Fed rate cuts, money market shifts, gold’s surge, and China’s economic maneuvering, all while warning listeners to separate scare tactics from sound analysis.
The hour also features segments with Al Smith of Golden Eagle Financial, Mile High Coin, Michael Bailey Estate Planning, Business Equipment Service, Ridgeline Auto Brokers, and Roof Savers of Colorado.
SPEAKER 13 :
This is Rush to Reason. 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. With your host, John Rush. 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 08 :
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 02 :
Are you crazy? Am I? Or am I so sane that you just blew your mind?
SPEAKER 12 :
It's Rush to Reason with your host, John Rush, presented by Cub Creek Heating and Air Conditioning.
SPEAKER 06 :
All right, Hour 2, Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Jim Paff joining us now, conservative caucus. Jim, how are you? I'm doing well. How are you doing, John? I'm doing very well. All right, lots going on, a lot to talk about. I guess first things first, let's talk about the Hamas deal that Trump is working on.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, I have to tell you, this is going to go down as one of the most historic things that any president has ever done. And, you know, it's hard, I know, for people that don't like Donald Trump to hear someone saying like that. Actually, I'm already hearing and interviews people on all sides of the aisle talking about the actual enormity of of this thing. If this goes through, if we have the release of hostages next week, it's going to be one of the most amazing efforts at international negotiations that we've ever seen.
SPEAKER 06 :
Well, and I read an article, and I put it in my notes for you today, there's those out there, of course, saying even some not-so-right-leaning organizations talking about, you know, this is Nobel Peace Prize stuff, and I don't think they're wrong in saying that.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, you did have John Fetterman saying that now he wouldn't say it on this one, which he should have. But he did say if he also pulls off the Ukraine thing, then he'll be on the front of the train to work towards getting him a Nobel Peace Prize. Listen, I think it is Nobel Peace Prize worthy. And I know it's not just his efforts. There are a lot of people involved with this. But he's the ringleader, Jim. It would not go forward without him being the lead in this charge.
SPEAKER 06 :
Well, I think I'd even go as far as to say without him in charge, I mean, I think it's a stalemate. If you don't have somebody like Trump willing to say, listen, guys, come on, knuckleheads, we've got to have some conversation here. You guys cannot continue to go down the path you're going. It's going to end in ruin for both of you. We've got to get some things taken care of here. It takes a Donald Trump to make that happen, Jim.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, yeah, no, this would not be happening without Donald Trump. He does have a great team of people, but there really has not been a president in modern history, maybe other than Ronald Reagan, who's ever thought this way about how we get to something good. And it's just it's breathtaking. It's truly breathtaking.
SPEAKER 06 :
Well, and it flies in the face of those that say he's a warmonger and all he wants is war and he wants this and he wants that. And I always laugh when that is said, Jim, because when it comes to Donald Trump, I do know him. There's a lot of things about Donald Trump he and I may not agree upon. But the one thing that I agree with him on and I feel confident that he feels the same way I do. We want less war, not more.
SPEAKER 03 :
There is no doubt he is a peace president. And he balances it perfect. He will use American force in certain areas when it's absolutely fundamentally necessary, and I think he does try to stay within constitutional bounds. That's been one of the big frustrations with presidents on both sides of the aisle since Ronald Reagan. constantly wanting to go to war, and it's just been absolutely crazy. Donald Trump's not that kind of person, but he does understand peace through strength in a real way, but he's always seeking peace. He never backs off from going to peace. That is the number one goal of everything that he's doing, and the way this deal played out is part of it, and don't forget, This is a very long effort in a sense. The Gulf War has only been going on for two years. But if the Abraham Accords efforts had not been taking place during the first administration, I also think we would not be getting to this deal because he built that relationship with the Arab states in a way that this could come to fruition in the manner it has.
SPEAKER 06 :
And to your point, Jim, I think the other thing that Donald Trump's very good at is, while a lot of people would accuse him of starting wars, no, he uses the strength that we have. And, you know, you look at Iran, for example. He uses the strengths that we have in a way that tells the other side, you know what, F-A-F-O. You know what, if you're going to go down this path, there's going to be consequences. And let me just show you just a teeny bit of how this works. And, again, that's where that strength comes in, Jim.
SPEAKER 03 :
Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. And he actually, he also gets criticism a lot from people for supposedly not being very smart or whatever.
SPEAKER 06 :
By the way, those are stupid people to say that, Jim.
SPEAKER 03 :
They really are stupid people. They have no sense of the guy. I mean, he may not use all the beautiful language about this or that thing, but he actually has a very good perspective. on world history, not just recent world history, but more broadly, and then he acts on it in a way that you get results like this. Because he does have a balance of that understanding plus the current realities and how to put that all together as he's making these happen.
SPEAKER 06 :
One of the things that he's extremely smart on, Jim, let's talk about the shutdown, because economically speaking, I think I can go as far as to say this, and I think I would be correct. A, I don't think there's ever been a president, maybe got to go way back in time, that understands economics the way President Trump does. And I mean this even over the Ronald Reagans of the world. No one understands the economy and money like Donald Trump does. So let's talk about that in relation to the shutdown.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, first of all, I would put him on par with Ronald Reagan. Ronald Reagan understood economic theory very, very well. Yeah, but really quick, Jim.
SPEAKER 06 :
But really quick, here's the difference. He understood the theory. Donald Trump knows it in practice because he's done it.
SPEAKER 03 :
Ronald Reagan never had it. That's right. That's what I was about to say. He has that extra push that he's had to work at both nationally and internationally, and he knows a lot of the players, and that also is helpful beyond just the mere knowledge of them. So you get economic policy the way he's doing it because of his deep understanding of both the principles and the practice. And that sometimes rankles your standard Austrian economics libertarians. By the way, I count myself as one of those, but I'm in support of what he's doing. But it rankles them because they get too bound up in the theory. You have to, in practice, I mean, the political reality is we're not going to ever get all that we want. So if you're not, how can you use the practical realities as a way to get as far as you can? And Donald Trump does that supremely well. Plus, you know, he really is a dealmaker. I mean, that is a very key statement. capability that frankly, probably no president, certainly no modern president has ever had, because it's a real way to, you know, take the situation, know what your principles are, know what you're trying to get to, but really to press the end of that deal. where it needs to go and to make it come together, because this is a human endeavor. As I've always said, I've said on your show before, this politics thing will be easy if I didn't have to deal with people. Well, Trump knows how to deal with people. And that that deal making capability comes in in great. It brings great positive and effective now all the time.
SPEAKER 06 :
All right. So how long do you think the shutdown lasts, by the way?
SPEAKER 03 :
I think we've got a few more weeks of it probably because Democrats haven't yet figured out that they're losing this. And the other reason it will continue on is because Donald Trump is driving how Republicans respond to this. This is another thing. We just talked about this peace deal. Well, Republicans in Congress have already caved. if Donald Trump wasn't there to give them strength. This is what I'm so excited about in this. It's not that I love going through government shutdowns, but we need these challenges to break out of the system that is so killing our economy. And I have been saying for a long time, The Republicans and I spent eight years on Capitol Hill arguing this. Republicans need to face these battles with strength and courage, recognizing it's not pretty, recognizing that there is some political risk. But the win is at the end of the game. And I will say this, that your Democrats may cave in more quickly because Donald Trump today has some huge wins. That there is overwhelming what Democrats think that they're gaining in their political strategy against him on the shutdown. And they're going to lose it.
SPEAKER 06 :
Other than the hardcore lefties that you and I both know, Jim, you never going to convince them one way or the other. You know, we're we're always evil. They're always right. By the way, they're completely wrong. They need to look in the mirror and they're the ones that are evil at the end of the day. But other than that portion, I can't. I mean, I think they're very mistaken in thinking that that middle of the road, you know, unaffiliated voter is somehow in favor of what's going on right now with the shutdown and them coming out. And, you know, Akeem Jeffries basically coming out and blaming all of that on Trump and those of us that are on the right. I mean, it's laughable, Jim. And the reality is those folks that are in the middle ground that I'm just talking about that we need, by the way, to vote on our side to win. The left is not helping themselves in that area because these people are not stupid, Jim.
SPEAKER 03 :
No, but in reference to what's going on right now, the win internationally, the win against Antifa. By the way, I don't know if you saw the reports. Antifa leaders and the funder or the leaders of the organization, they're running over to Europe to save themselves because they know they're in trouble. Antifa is going to fall like a wet rag over time. Myra's and my friend Nick Sorter, really helped break a lot of that down by going to Portland. He did a fantastic job there. And so you get those wins combined with the fact that even though you have these radical leftist AOC types who are never going to give in, The politicians are politicians. They don't want to lose. Democrats are going to find out if they continue down this path, they're going to lose. And the good news is we may have a mass reduction in federal employees. And remember, government employee growth was the highest portion of government of employee growth during the Biden administration. And we're going to get cuts to government services. Thanks to my friend Russ Vogt doing a really good job as OMB director.
SPEAKER 06 :
Jim, how do folks find you? Good stuff, by the way.
SPEAKER 03 :
Thanks. Go to theconservativecaucus.com. That's V-T-H-E, theconservativecaucus.com.
SPEAKER 06 :
Jim, as always, I appreciate it. Thanks for the updates. Okay, before I let you go, do you want to take a bet on when this thing finally comes to fruition, the shutdown?
SPEAKER 03 :
I think we have at least two more weeks.
SPEAKER 06 :
I'm sorry, I don't think we can bet on that because I'm with you. I think you and I are in agreement on that one.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, it could be longer, though. I think that Democrats are so insane they don't know when to stop.
SPEAKER 06 :
I don't think they're dumb enough to continue it on through November. Let me just say that.
SPEAKER 03 :
We're going to have to get slapped in the face to stop, honestly. I agree with you. Schumer's whole political life is on the line.
SPEAKER 06 :
And not to tarry too long, because I know you're busy, but I think this is one of those situations where Schumer thinks like you and I. He knows this is not working well for his own party, but the powers that be that are in control of the strings are saying, you keep doing it, Schumer.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, and those powers that be are AOC and the radical left. That's correct. And he sees a loss in the primary, and frankly, it's probably going to happen anyway to him. But he sees that loss coming, and everything's at stake, and he's not going to relent. And he does know how not to relent, but he's a foolish, arrogant jerk for doing so.
SPEAKER 06 :
You're right. No, you're 100% correct. Jim, again, as always, I appreciate it. Thanks for the extra time. Thanks, my friend. All right, man. Have a good night. Appreciate you very much. Jim Paff, again, that is the conservative caucus. Golden Eagle Financial coming up next. Al Smith, listen in for this interview. And if you need something from Al directly, just give him a call. Find him at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 02 :
TJ here with KLZ and Al Smith of Golden Eagle Financial. And Al, I have a question for you. I've been putting money away for a while in a savings account or maybe a couple of investment accounts. But what am I doing wrong and what can you do better than that?
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, I think a savings account is important because all the financial gurus, including myself, agree you should have three to six months savings that you have ready liquid access to. But retirement planning is a bit more long term and it's a bit more strategic. We want to take a look at the sum of money you'll need way into the future. And we want to look at how that money can last by providing you income for as long as you live.
SPEAKER 02 :
What kind of planning or strategy do you provide for folks with that that have a big savings but haven't made that next step?
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, that's a good question. If someone has a large amount in savings, one of the things I do is we have a conversation about their risk tolerance. Nobody's comfortable losing money, but having money in the market over a long period of time is, is a mechanism to accumulate wealth. And so we talk about this different levels of risk and the different products that are available. And we don't put everybody into one box, but I have an enormous assortment of financial products. And it's not that there's good ones or bad ones. It's there are some that are more appropriate for some people, but not for others.
SPEAKER 02 :
And that sounds excellent. How can folks get in touch with you for that meeting?
SPEAKER 07 :
You can reach me at 303-744-1128. And if I'm not there, it goes to voicemail, but I return my voicemails promptly. And we could have a conversation in the office. If you live a considerable distance away, we can have a long phone conversation or a Zoom call, whichever you would prefer.
SPEAKER 02 :
And as always, you can find him at klzradio.com slash money. Al, thanks so much for joining us today.
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, thank you, TJ. Thanks for the conversation.
SPEAKER 02 :
You bet.
SPEAKER 11 :
Putting reason into your afternoon drive, this is John Rush.
SPEAKER 06 :
And we are back. Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Appreciate you joining us today. And Matt Walsh, and I like Matt. I mean, he's one of those guys where, you know, I typically agree with, you know, the majority of things that Matt says. Matt's a little brash at times, and, you know, and I know I can be as well, although I'm not as brash as Matt is. Matt can be extremely brash depending upon... certain subjects. But again, for the most part, I agree with Matt, and he and I don't disagree on too many things. And this is true with a lot of folk. There's a lot of individuals out there where, you know, I may agree with, you know, 95% of what they say, but there's a 5% that I don't. And that's true with a lot of people. And I've said this before, you know, you guys that are listening that are married and have partners and so on, you don't agree on everything. Nor should you, by the way. That's how relationships work. You may find yourself in total disagreement with somebody about a particular topic. That doesn't mean you need to break fellowship with them or break your relationship or whatever the case may be. It just means you don't agree with what they're saying on a particular subject. There's a particular texter right now that I'm going back and forth on that I have distinct different views on Israel, Jews, and so on. No offense, this person's a total racist because they're anti-Israel, anti-Jew, and thinks that we as Christians now are what Scripture refers to as the Jews. That is completely false. You can try to drum up as many Scriptures as you want from whoever you want to prove that you're completely wrong. mainly because even Christ himself said, I didn't come to abolish the law. I came to fulfill the law, meaning the law didn't go away. It just changed underneath Christ. And I don't want to get into all the details of that. That's not what this particular show is all about. We don't get into those details, and I'm not going to run down that path. And frankly, I'm not going to change anybody's mind on that. And there's different beliefs along those lines and has been throughout church history. And you're not going to convince somebody that believes a particular way. And by the way, you're not going to convince me of that either. I don't care what scripture you send me. You're not going to convince me because I can send you just as many going the opposite direction. And that's an argument that's not worth having. It just is. And by the way, at the end of the day, isn't going to change anything in regards to salvation and where we're headed and so on. But it does change your belief on the Jews. And some of you that are racist. Yes, I'm calling you out. Those of you that are racist, you need to go check yourself. I'll just say it that way. You need to check yourself because the reality is you're wrong. And I'll just leave it at that. And that's not this isn't to do with Matt. I'm just saying that there's people that we disagree with at times, and that's okay. In this case, this is Matt that I'm disagreeing with. He tweeted this. I still call it tweets because it's what it is. That's where it came from. I know it's an ex-post, but it's a tweet. People say that we shouldn't worry about AI wiping out jobs. The jobs will just change, they say. But the whole point of AI is that it removes the human component entirely. And I'll go back through this and dissect this in a minute. I'm just going to read you what he said. The jobs aren't going to change. They're just going to disappear. AI will make like 10 people into trillionaires. Almost everyone else will be screwed. Mass unemployment, millions of workers rendered irrelevant all at once. That's what's going to happen. Not maybe, not might. It's going to happen. And it doesn't seem like we're doing anything at all to prepare for it. Now, this is where, again, Matt and I are going to have to agree to disagree. He's completely wrong here, by the way. Now, he's not wrong in all aspects, but he's got how this works wrong. And what I will attest this to, by the way, is this is a great example of somebody talking about a subject they have no understanding of, but yet they're now, quote, unquote, the expert. And I don't consider myself to be any kind of an expert on AI, but technologically speaking, I can tell you right now I'm more of an expert than Matt is. And only because I've been around technology ever since it really got started. And part of that was literally having a business in a technology hub, Boulder, Colorado, and learning from a lot of the folks that actually started a lot of the companies that you actually see today and are benefiting from that technology. I was fortunate enough, and I'm not bragging about this, but I was fortunate enough to be able to rub elbows with a lot of the individuals that literally started the things that you're benefiting from today. And I'm not exaggerating when I say that. I literally was able to hang around and rub elbows with, work on the vehicles and go to lunch with and really have close relationships with a lot of the individuals that were key in a lot of the technology that we have today. You know, for example, place, you know, things like Netflix. You know, I was rubbing elbows with guys that had that idea and were working on the very thing that Netflix is today, long before Netflix ever came along. And so I was able to be involved with a lot of these individuals early on and learn things, I guess is where I'm going with this, learn things that most people weren't even privy to. And was able to, you know, not only learn from them, but then apply those things to even my business and even to this day. We do all of our own IT work and things like that because I learned through the course of time and having enough influence from these individuals how to do those things on my own. So am I an expert in all these areas? No. But do I know more about it than the average? Yes. Do I know more about it than Matt Walsh does? Yes, I do. And this is where Matt's wrong. And we're going to talk to Scott Garlis here in a few minutes. And we'll even get into some of this because I'm going to ask him some of these questions. But yes, there's going to be a shift in jobs with AI. Yes, some jobs are going to be eliminated. Absolutely.
SPEAKER 1 :
100%.
SPEAKER 06 :
And much like when the automobile came along and all of those folks that were involved in the horse and buggy trade had to make decisions on, am I going to stay in this or am I going to go to work for Henry Ford or any other of the major manufacturers that were building cars at that time? And by the way, the smart ones did. They did go to work for the Henry Fords and the Buicks and the Oldsmobiles and the General Motors and on down the line we go. There was hundreds of companies back then building cars. And a lot of them went to work there. Now, there was a lot of stubborn individuals that didn't, that basically said, oh, this is a rotten way to do things. We should continue on with the horse and buggy. That should be the made mode of transportation. This whole car thing is for the birds. We shouldn't go down that path. Much like Matt Walsh is saying right here. And in turn, those guys got left behind. So my advice to folks today is if you're in a job whereby AI might replace you, you probably should be looking at, if it does, what am I doing next? Maybe you're the age where you can just retire. Maybe you're at an age where you really need that job and you need to figure out how to replace that job. Maybe you need to go take some night classes and do some different things in regards to the trades or learning a different skill or how can you be a part of AI instead of it replacing you. They're still going to need... There's still going to need to be people around. This is where I differ with Matt again. There's going to be a human touch in AI, and it's going to be making sure AI is correct. And that will happen in a lot of industries because AI will not always be correct. It will learn, and it will get better as time goes by, but it will still need that human component to make sure that, A, it's in check, quote, unquote. So you're going to see, yes, a big change in jobs and where people are at when it comes to AI. And the smart people will learn how to use that effectively and grow with it. But is it going to be a complete technology that just eliminates so many jobs that there's just mass unemployment? No, I don't see that. Sorry, I don't see that. There'll be a shift. Some people may not be doing today what they're doing and will have to do something different down the road. And remember, we've still got a lot of places in industry today where there's not enough workers. The trades being one of them. You guys hear me talk about that a lot. The trades are still in major need of workers. And you're going to see a shift. You'll see some things improve. You'll see some technologies get better. You'll see some workflows get better because of that. You'll see that instead of an office maybe needing 10 people, they might need two. Okay, so eight people are going to have to figure out something else to do. And they might get repositioned inside of the company or they may just leave. They may not have a choice. And by the way, those that are resistant to change, they'll be left out in the cold. And yes, they'll be on the unemployment line. Unfortunately, they will be. But that's what's going to happen. So I disagree with Matt. There are, in some cases, by the way, folks preparing for this. I am trying to prepare my audience for this. I talk about AI continually. I don't avoid it. I don't poo-poo it. I don't just say it needs to go away and we just need to bare our head in the sand. No, in fact, I have been one that has said, we need to be proactive with this. Especially as conservative Christians, we need to really be proactive. Is it doing what it needs to do and are we going to keep it in check? I've said over and over and over again that this has to be a time where the church especially doesn't bury its head in the sand and just say, yeah, don't go there. We did that when it came to music. We did that with Hollywood. We did it with dancing. We did it with all sorts of things, by the way. We sort of poo-pooed that, buried our head in the sand and turned our back to it and said, you should never do that. And look where that got us. We cannot do that this time. So I am the opposite of Matt Walsh. I am one that says we should embrace this. We should do every single thing we possibly can to be involved in this. We need to help shape it, control it, use it, benefit from it, and so on. I'm the opposite of Matt Walsh. So this is where he and I will differ greatly. And I get it. Not all of you as listeners agree with me in this particular topic. Some of you are on the Matt Walsh side. I'm sorry to say you are. But, you know, just trust me in this. I'm not going to be wrong. What I'm saying will happen and take place. Again, we'll talk to Scott Garlis in a few minutes and I'll get his opinions on this. But he's going to be right in line with me on this. I can almost tell you. And there's going to be a shift and people will benefit greatly from this. And no, it's not just going to be about 10 people. There'll be a lot of others that benefit from this as well. Mahi coin. Speaking of benefiting, find out exactly what your collection of whatever. Gold, by the way, is over $4,000 an ounce. It might have come down just a tad today, but it's up in that $4,000 range. Find out what those things are worth to you. And if you want to turn that into cash, he can help you do that. 720-370-3400.
SPEAKER 11 :
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SPEAKER 06 :
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SPEAKER 12 :
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SPEAKER 09 :
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SPEAKER 06 :
All right, we are back. Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Scott Garlis with us today. Scott, thanks for changing days for me, by the way. I appreciate that greatly.
SPEAKER 14 :
Oh, John, any time. My pleasure.
SPEAKER 06 :
I had a great day yesterday and had a great family event and proud of one of my sons and the accomplishments that he had. Had a great little ceremony I went to, and it was really fun. I don't want to say exactly what that was on air because we've got folks out there listening that, frankly, Scott, I'm probably not super popular with. So if somebody wants to know specifically, I guess they can ask, and I know people that would probably want to know. But in general, I won't announce what I did, but I was very proud to be where I was at yesterday.
SPEAKER 14 :
Glad you're in a happy place, and sorry that you can't share those details.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, that's all right. In this particular case, I cannot. But that's all right. Bent Pine Capital, talk to us about the... You know what? Before we get going, I had this come up a moment ago. I read something that Matt Walsh, who I normally am in total agreement with, but in this particular case, he was slamming AI, thinks it's probably the worst thing since Satan himself. It's going to do nothing but destroy lives and mass unemployment, and we're not doing anything about it. And This is where he and I will just have to agree to disagree because I look at AI completely differently, Scott.
SPEAKER 14 :
I agree with you. I mean, look, yes. Do I think there's going to be some job loss up front? I do. Yes.
SPEAKER 06 :
Well, really quick, by the way, I think there will be for those folks that aren't prepared for their job to be lost to AI. If they prepare themselves correctly, there won't be any. But you're right. Some will be caught off guard and there will be. You're absolutely right.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yes, that's correct. I mean, like, okay, so I have a friend, he works at a big bank, and we were talking about what they're doing and how they're training on the data that they've collected over all the years and reworking all their systems, and he was telling me, you know, the advantages they're seeing are incredible, and what they're doing is incredible. But, you know, he did say something like coders. You know, a few years ago, everybody was looking to hire a coder, especially in the investment world, and now he said... You know, we can do all this coding on our own. We don't need to hire hundreds or thousands of coders anymore. What we're learning is that with AI, it's more about learning how to prompt because AI can help us with a lot of code. So it just, you know, there will be transitions where it won't be obvious now, sort of like a company like I use as an example, Salesforce. Nobody ever pictured Salesforce coming about and then the internet happened and things took off and we had more of a need for a company like that and Salesforce has blown up into a humongous company. Yes, and did brick-and-mortar stores all go away after the dire predictions when the Internet took off? No, they're still around.
SPEAKER 06 :
They shifted. I mean, to your point, some did, and even today. I mean, Amazon and places like that have replaced some brick-and-mortar, although brick-and-mortar still exists in a lot of places. For example, are shopping malls what they used to be? No. And Scott, I think that was, you know, no offense, I think their future was pretty well destined out even a couple of decades ago. In some cases, they chose to embrace that and make some changes necessary. In other cases, they didn't, and those malls have died. That's what happens when you don't prepare yourself for the future.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, that's right. And I think, so I have conversations with my friends about this all the time, and we talk about how the companies that are embracing AI and figuring out how they can use it to augment their business, they're gonna be more successful than the companies that aren't. Because the companies that, to your point, the companies that aren't doing anything about it and aren't preparing, they're gonna get left behind.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yep. No, you're exactly right. Again, I look at it as, yes, there's going to be an initial shift, how people respond to it and or react and react as a negative, respond as a positive, depending upon how they respond to it will depend upon how they end up, you know, down the road. But at the end of the day, this will be great. I look at it like the Industrial Revolution. It's going to be great for productivity. Companies are going to benefit. Profit margins will actually go up. In other words, they'll figure out ways to actually make all of this work. At the end of the day, that money gets put back into the economy, R&D, and other things, and we all benefit when it's all said and done. I don't look at it as a bad thing but a good thing.
SPEAKER 14 :
I agree. And so what people will do, though, people that are against it will – they will find the worst-case scenario.
SPEAKER 04 :
Don't balk at it.
SPEAKER 14 :
Highlight them. Yeah, and especially like the isolated incidents, and that will be what they go back to all the time.
SPEAKER 06 :
And really quick, Scott, you bring up something that's really important, I think, and it's something that I think moving forward we all have to keep in the back of our minds, what you just said, because the news organizations, especially in a lot of cases, they will have some huge downsizing opportunities. With AI, my industry, media, there's going to be some huge downsizing in regards to some of that because certain people won't be needed anymore, meaning they're going to be tainted when they give stories.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, and this is true. And again, it'll be because... AI increases efficiency and allows people to do more with less. I think you're also seeing it on the guys I talked to on Wall Street in the investment world, where you're seeing this start to show up is in the analyst-type roles, the junior analysts, the entry-level spots, kids coming out of college. and so i was looking the other day at the unemployment numbers and you know the unemployment numbers for for college graduates kids age 20 to 24 they're ticking up um they're the highest they've been in a while and and i think it's things like this that could be causing that but again I just think they'll learn to retool, refigure it out, and they will do just fine.
SPEAKER 06 :
Well, and it's going to be a big – it's already happening – it's going to be a big boost for trades, which, by the way, we've drastically needed a shift in the trades for the past couple of decades. I mean, Scott, when you look out into the trades, and for those of you listening, you probably know this if you're in the trades, but most trades – are full of, I'm sorry to say, Scott, old guys like myself. In other words, the old guys are getting older. They haven't been replaced with new guys. They're hanging on longer, not because they, in some cases, need the money, but because the company needs them to be around because otherwise there's nobody to do the job, Scott. And that's slowly starting to change and pivot where you're seeing new kids now coming into the trades because it's so lucrative for them to do so.
SPEAKER 14 :
a good buddy of mine i ride with a lot on the weekends the week morning weekday mornings whenever i can his kids like 21 he's been in the uh the heating hvac business for a couple years now and the guy said he cannot believe how much money his son's already making yeah because of exactly that there is a dearth of young people and there's a there is a ton of opportunity for a guy like that that just wants to buckle down and look I don't think AI is coming in to replace HVAC guys or plumbers or electricians, car repair guys.
SPEAKER 06 :
No, no, where it's coming, where AI is coming in those industries, for all of you listening, Scott, you know this, but the scheduling of things, the ordering. Yeah. of certain things, maybe the order and how you do things, the writing of the job tickets and invoices and, you know, what parts are better than another and what are certain trends. Yeah, those are going to be things, Scott, that AI helps in the trades. But you are correct. There is, as of right now, and I don't see this any time in the future, there is no robot to fix your car.
SPEAKER 14 :
No, and so, again, I'll just elaborate a little more. I was listening to a recent interview with some of the OpenAI guys, and one of the things they were talking about, like in the biotech industry in particular, where they see a huge advantage as they're combing through all this data is just on all the paperwork and the filing that needs to be done. They said normally with people, they forget about the deadlines or when they have to file things or how long it takes, and they're like, With applying AI to these processes, as soon as a biotech company has a breakthrough and advancement, we can immediately be on top of it, have the paperwork lined up, ready to go, and we can cut months and man hours and all sorts of cost savings out of that process. So think about it, if you're a biotech company that's burning through tons of cash, that saves more money for you to invest in your research moving forward, and maybe it makes it quicker for you to get to the finish line and start becoming profitable.
SPEAKER 06 :
There you go. Great example. So again, I am not a Matt Walsh. I don't look at AI the way that he and a lot of others do. I look at it completely different. Maybe I'm the one that's being misled, Scott, but I really don't think so. I live and breathe and live in the world that you and I are talking about, and I just don't see it the way a lot of these guys are predicting. Fair enough. All right. Talk to us about the Fed rate cuts and what's likely to come.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, so one of the things we did not get last week with the current shutdown is the BLS labor market, sort of the hiring numbers.
SPEAKER 06 :
Right.
SPEAKER 14 :
So all the proprietary data I look at, this index I put together, it looks like hiring slowed down again this past month. Okay. The ADP numbers we saw, I believe it was like last Wednesday, they were negative again. The prior numbers were revised lower. It's just, yeah, so... again, the Fed probably needs to do more to support the labor market. And we have a number of guys speak this week, one in particular, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York chairman or president, John Williams. He's also the vice chair of the Federal Open Market Committee, New York Fed chair always is. But he said, he came out and said exactly that. He said, look, we need to cut rates more to support the labor market. So if we go through and look at the makeup of the Voting committee right now, it's eight of the 12 voters are all dovish, meaning they're inclined to cut rates. So we're probably going to see another rate cut at the end of this month would be my yes.
SPEAKER 06 :
How much do you think?
SPEAKER 14 :
I think they're going to go another 25 basis points. They could do more.
SPEAKER 06 :
And then we skip November and there's one in December, right?
SPEAKER 14 :
One in December, yeah. And the market right now is pricing in a December rate cut as well, and then another, I believe, in March. Okay.
SPEAKER 06 :
All right. Now, that one's going to be interesting because you're going to see basically a Fed chair overhaul at that. Well, not March, but by March you're going to know what's happening in April, correct?
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, yeah, that's exactly right.
SPEAKER 06 :
Okay. All right. No, this is good stuff. Okay, so given all of this, what are some of the upsides? What are some of the things we should be looking at?
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, so one of the concurrent things going on here is, so as the Fed keeps cutting rates, you know, we were just talking about potentially three rate cuts over the next six months.
SPEAKER 04 :
Right.
SPEAKER 14 :
That's going to drop the interest payment on money market funds by another 75 basis points potentially. So they've gone from, they were like 5-ish, 5.2%, maybe 16, 18 months ago. They're down to like 3.9% now. We could be looking at close to 3% in the next six months, potentially. So, you know, that's getting closer and closer to inflation. Now, in the meantime, back when the pandemic first happened, I want to say the amount of money in the money market funds was around $4 trillion. That has exploded to $7.3 trillion, I believe is where the number is now. That's a lot of money in a short period of time. It took from, like, I think the records go back to 1970 to 2020 to get to 4.2, and in five years, we've doubled it.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER 14 :
So to me, when I think about that, I mean, if you see that payout go down from, say, 5.2 to 3.0, your interest payments just got cut in half.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, yeah, good point.
SPEAKER 14 :
To me, I mean, I think what you're going to see is you're going to see a lot of that money start to come out of the money markets. It's not going to completely leave it, but they're probably going to start looking for a better payout somewhere else, especially as that interest payment gets closer to the inflation rate. And I would expect that they're going to go back to the equity markets.
SPEAKER 06 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 14 :
So I think that will continue to power stocks even higher.
SPEAKER 06 :
Had a lot of questions coming in of late in regards to gold and sort of the run-on. And is this an indicator that things are really going to get awful moving forward? There's some folks out there saying that that's exactly what's going to happen. I'm also not... just me, Scott, I'm also not in that camp. I mean, gold does all sorts of things at different times for various reasons. Mainly it's based upon what people think the economy might do in the investing gold. And of course it's supply and demand. So the more than invest in the price automatically starts to go up. As you know, I see it being that more than I do anything else.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah. I mean, I think it's not only the scarcity value, but you also have a China is a big buyer of gold. Yeah. And so what, One of the things I've been reading about is China is trying to buy more gold to get away from the dollar because they're having a trade standoff with the U.S. Okay. And they're trying to pitch it to other countries like, hey, you should start storing gold with us. Look at all the gold we have here. And they're trying to make a case of why the yuan should become a more important currency. China has been fighting for this for years.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yep.
SPEAKER 14 :
And one of the arguments I might throw back against that, so we've heard this a ton since April. So the April data from the Treasury showed that there was a dip in U.S. Treasury purchases. Actually, it wasn't a dip. They were sold. The number dropped. The total value dropped. And a big part of that was China sold Treasury bonds. And sort of, you know, China's using it as a financial weapon, too, to try to drive yields up to make things more painful for people in the U.S. But so that story hasn't left the media. They keep talking about how, oh, my God. Foreigners are evacuating us assets. Nobody wants to own them anymore, blah, blah, blah. Well, I think we touched on this last time, but if you look at the trend, the most recent treasury data, which goes through, goes through July, we have touched new records over the last two months in terms of total, total foreign dollars invested in us treasury securities. I think it's the number was 9.2 million. Uh, I'm sorry, $9.2 trillion through July. And it's because other countries, not China. buying our debt again and I just think to your point of there's some out there in the mainstream broadcast media that are just they're trying to scare people and because they're they're losing viewership and they're they're trying to get more and they're trying to be more scare tactic and it's hurting them more I agree but it's they're trying to tell people something's going on in stock.
SPEAKER 06 :
And I agree with you. And I had a texter, again, asking that very question and, you know, what's going on. And, you know, you look at some of these guys that are out there that have podcasts and so on, and they talk about gold and, you know, the investment, you know, portion of and where it's going to go and so on. And one thing I'm always quick to remind everybody of is those persons that are selling those commodities, be careful when you listen to them because they're always going to be skewed in that direction because it's how they make money, Scott.
SPEAKER 14 :
That's exactly right.
SPEAKER 06 :
Sorry, I don't know how else to say it. It's how they make money.
SPEAKER 14 :
No, that's exactly right. I was going to say the same thing. Like, just look at who you're taking this information from. And if they're trying to sell you a gold letter, then, hey, yeah, of course they are.
SPEAKER 06 :
Absolutely, yeah. And, you know, it's like the preparedness. You know, I do a show on Fridays, 2 to 3 o'clock. We talk about preparedness stuff and so on. And, again, I do that in a little bit different slant than probably most quote-unquote preppers would do. But even those... prepper organizations and or websites or whatever. Of course, they're going to want to tell you how bad things are. Scott, they want you to buy their whatever, their food, their their storage, their this, their that. I mean, yeah, all those guys want to tell you the end of the world's coming tomorrow because they want to say something. And I'm not saying that you shouldn't be prepared in some of those areas and take note of some of those things. But, you know, do you need to go all in? And I would say, no, be very careful about what you're doing along those lines, because while the sky might be dropping, it's not falling.
SPEAKER 14 :
Exactly. And gold has had a monster tear. And, you know, God bless all the guys who have been saying, hey, gold's going to keep running. I get it. But I agree with you. Right. I don't think going all in on any one thing is ever a great idea. Now, look, can you be super successful doing that? You can, and you can be really lucky, but this is why I believe you should be diversified in your asset mix, in your portfolio, in your investing strategies. Now, if you're going all in on a sole proprietorship business that you own, yes, you totally should. But in terms of investing, you should have a mix of gold, you should have some Bitcoin in there, you should have dividend-paying stocks, you should have bonds. And that way, you've got a good basket that can navigate you through all sorts of environments, good and bad.
SPEAKER 06 :
Great point. All right. Ben Pine Capital. How do folks find you, Scott?
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, sure. LinkedIn, Twitter, or Substack, C. Scott Garlis.
SPEAKER 06 :
Scott, always a joy, and I tell people this constantly, you know, you and I have been talking long before COVID. Frankly, there's not too many things that collectively we've been wrong on, and I'm not trying to toot our own horn, but we look at things pretty reasonably, rationally, I guess you could say, and we don't go off on these tangents on any one thing, and I think that shows, and I think you've got a great track record.
SPEAKER 14 :
I'm right there with you. I feel the same about you, John. I enjoy the conversations every week.
SPEAKER 06 :
Well, I appreciate it, Scott. You hang in there. We'll talk to you again next week. Thanks for your time. Have a great night. Again, Scott Garlis. And again, I'm very fond of Scott, mainly because he thinks a lot like we do. And I said this to a texter just a moment ago. Since even before COVID, all the way through COVID, and everything we talked about with interest rate hikes and so on, you know what? He hasn't really missed the mark yet. So if you really want to follow somebody that's really true to what's going on, he's a guy you can get a lot of advice from, and I mean that sincerely. Cub Creek Heat and Air Conditioning. Speaking of HVAC, like we were talking to Scott about, get that furnace tune-up special right now. Go to klzradio.com.
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SPEAKER 06 :
Now back to Rush to Reason on KLZ 560. All right, we are back just kind of closing things out here for this particular hour, which there was news today coming out of the Guardian. It's been in other places as well. But the IRS is furloughing nearly half of its workforce due to the government shutdown. Now, I don't know exactly what that means. Or, you know, if you're in the middle of an audit or whatever, I have no idea what that actually means at the end of the day. But about 34,000 workers died. inside of the IRS are being furloughed until, of course, the government shutdown is ended and so on. I don't know exactly what this, again, does for those of you listening. My gut feeling is if you've got some things that you've been working on, those might get tabled for a little bit until things actually come back to uh to normality and again i i don't know so this is something that you'll have to do some research on on your own i just want to let you guys know that that's out there there will be backlogs and backlogs and delays and so on so you'll have to kind of figure some of that out on your own if that in fact is you and you've got some things going on with them as we speak but i want to throw that in as sort of a psa here before we end this particular hour all right one more hour coming your way rush to reason denver's afternoon rush klz 560.
SPEAKER 1 :
Thank you.
SPEAKER 13 :
I'm a rich guy
In this episode, Bill Gunderson and Barry Kite delve into the highs and lows of the current stock market, exploring new highs in the S&P 500 and NASDAQ, and cautioning against a top-heavy market. They discuss the challenges financial analysts face as they navigate an environment marked by AI speculation and fears of a bubble. The conversation is rounded off with insights into capital gains strategies and a peek at the latest trends in biotech and quantum computing stocks.
SPEAKER 01 :
He's been seen on CNBC, the Fox News Channel, and the Fox Business Channel. His articles can be found on MarketWatch, Seeking Alpha, TheStreet.com, and many other places. He's the author of the weekly Best Stocks Now newsletter and the inventor of the Best Stocks Now app. He's president of Gundersen Capital Management. Here is professional money manager Bill Gundersen.
SPEAKER 04 :
And welcome to the Wednesday, Thursday already, the Thursday edition of the Best Stocks Now show with professional money manager Bill Gunderson, president of Gunderson Capital Management in a rainy Charleston, South Carolina here today. And I'm here with Barry Kite, our chartered financial analyst. And a little bit of a mixed open to the market. We saw new highs yesterday in the S&P 500 and the NASDAQ. They're both giving up just a little bit back here so far with the S&P down 11 points, 6,742. But as I said, it hit a new high yesterday. NASDAQ is down 28 after hitting a new all-time high yesterday. It's at 23,015. The Dow is the index that is leading the way in the green today. It's up 49 points. 46,650, and it's trading very near its all-time high. The 10-year, very quiet here today. It's at 4.13, very little movement there. Gold is actually pulling back a little bit today. I haven't said that in a long time. It's only at $4,064 right now after hitting a new all-time high yesterday. And silver, which has been on fire, closing in on $50 per ounce, it also hit a new all-time high. It's at $4,873 today, however, down a half a percent. And our friends over at Bitcoin have got a little rally going on, up $276,000 to $123,000. So welcome to today's show. Best Stocks Now show with professional money manager Bill Gunderson, president of Gunderson Capital Management. And I'm here with Barry Kite, our chartered financial analyst. I'm seeing flood warnings, Barry, in Charleston in effect until 3 p.m. You know, we're the only place that it doesn't necessarily need to rain for a flood to happen because we right now have a king tide going on, which is an extremely high tide. I'm looking out at my dock, and I can see we're at a very high water mark. As high as it gets right now here in this neck of the woods. You've got to wonder the same thing about the market. Is this an omen? Jamie Dimon's warning today, the International Monetary Fund of all people. Our warning today about an AI double. Meanwhile, life goes on. All-time highs hit yesterday. And I still say you have to take it one day at a time. And you have to take it one stock at a time. And that's why I spend so much time going through each one of my holdings on an everyday basis. Because I feel like the market is definitely top-heavy here. Just look, it's like Bob Dylan said, you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. It's all you got to do is walk outside and you can feel the wind blowing. And that's all I got to do is every week when I publish my newsletter, a big part of that newsletter is taking a walk down the valuations avenue in the back alleys of Wall Street and looking at price to cash flow, price to sales, price to earnings on the major indexes. And as you have seen in recent editions of the newsletter, we're hitting some all-time highs, just like we're hitting here on the tides in Charleston today, which will flood downtown for sure. Our downtown, we don't call it the low country without any reason. Right, right. It's the low country. And guess what?
SPEAKER 03 :
It's kind of cool out there, though.
SPEAKER 04 :
It feels great. It's also chilly for us. And it's also filling all those nooks and crannies and tributaries that don't normally see water. And we're also seeing that in the market right now that I talked about yesterday. You know, I would say yesterday I saw a lot, you know, the creeks that were filling up yesterday were the gene editing stocks. Okay, so that's as far out on the spectrum as you can get, right? And, you know, I know ARK Funds has a lot of those gene editing stocks. There was a merger in that industry with one being taken out by one, I think, Novo Nordisk bought one of them. That's as far out as you can get. And I would just say when the tide starts to recede at some point here, that's where the most vulnerable areas of the market are. Biotechs, quantum computing, digital asset companies, companies that have built their model, their business model on having a cache of saloona, tokens or some other kind of digital currencies. They really have no other business strategy other than that. So basically they're a proxy. That's all they are for the underlying digital currency that they buy. So those are going to be some very, very vulnerable areas of the market, the rocket ship stocks, the space exploration stocks. The rocket ship stocks. Right, rockets to the moon. Okay, but anyways, the NASDAQ had a huge day yesterday, finished at an all-time high of 23,043. Was that the high-level mark? Well, I just assume when we hit new highs, I always draw that on my chart, a little line, say, was this the top for this current run in the market that we've had since April of this year, April the 8th. The S&P checks in at an all-time high yesterday. The Dow, however, is very close to it, not quite there. Gold was up 1.5% yesterday, hit an all-time high of 4,063. And on and on and on, round and round she goes. Where it stops, nobody knows. But we are getting some sobering warnings out there today that we'll go through. And we've also got one big firm, who I do not give a lot of credence to, saying we're in the early innings of this bull market. I don't know how anybody with the right mind can make that statement. This has been going on since 2009. Are we in the early innings of a bull market? I don't know about what this company is saying. We'll get to that in a bit. Well, let's begin with the top-down approach here. U.S. budget deficit narrows slightly. At least they've put the finger in the dike, right? It's not growing anymore. The budget deficit right now for 2025 is $1.8 trillion. In other words, we've spent $1.8 trillion more than we took in. It's narrowing a little bit. at least it's moving in the right direction. It's narrowing 4% from the prior fiscal year's deficit. And I would just say that you're not really counting in. There's going to be some big capital gains taxes paid this year. There's going to be some big receipts coming in early next year. Especially if the market starts to quiver between now and the end of the year, you're going to see some profit taking. And Barry, that always brings up the subject, is it better to lock in a big profit and pay the capital gain than losing that profit and not having the capital gain to pay at the end of the year? Okay, for me, that's an easy, easy decision to make. I would rather have what's behind door A, door number one, than door number two. And people that are exposed to short-term capital gains, you know, your only answer to that is their stocks have to be held in an IRA or a Roth to avoid capital gains. Or you have to have capital losses to offset those gains, and it has to be like for like. You can't offset a real estate loss. to offset capital gains in the stock market. You have to offset capital gains in the stock market with capital losses in the stock market if you have any that you're carrying forward. The third choice is not to make any sell, not to incur a capital gain, and watch your capital gain disappear when an eventual market correction comes along. Those are the three doors. Those are the three choices you have. You can't create a S-corp. You can't do any kind of trickery. There's no way around capital gains. Even though we dream about it, there aren't.
SPEAKER 03 :
And it's the old adage, right? We get bad news and good news, right? The bad news, obviously, we've got some tax liability, but the good news is, right? You've got some tax liability. You've got some tax liability.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yes, I mean, income, that means you made money, okay? All right, now the other factor on this budget deficit, I don't think that it really is counting much in the way of the tariffs yet. which are on full bloom right now coming in every month. So hopefully we'll continue to see that deficit narrow. Please, God, please let it continue to narrow. We cannot continue to add $2 trillion to our debt every year, year after year after year. Okay, when we come back, man, I'll tell you what, our military employees are getting very nervous, including my son-in-law at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina. Will there be a paycheck next Tuesday? I think Friday's the deadline for them to end this government shutdown. I'm going to give you the latest on that in a bit. And some Fed governors on more Fed cuts weighing in today. We'll be right back.
SPEAKER 05 :
And welcome back here to the second quarter of today's Best Docs Now show.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, the biggest hang-up on this government shutdown, and we've got a lot of federal employees that listen to our show, Barry. We have a lot of military that listens to our show. I have a lot of people that I'm associated with these days that are in the nuclear program, in the Navy here in Charleston. I've got family in the military. My son-in-law over at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina. The biggest hang-up seems to be the ACA subsidies for Obamacare. And Trump did update his position yesterday. He's not going to back down on that. He says we'll discuss that after the government shutdown ends. So that's really the key sticking point right now. And I'm getting text messages from my son. What do you know about the government shutdown? When is it going to end? Well, there's a little bit of nervousness out there right now. It doesn't seem to be impacting the markets at all. But when it impacts the paycheck, it's not like our military is living high on the hog. making a ton of money uh... they need those paychecks so anyways hopefully by the end of this week something will be uh... resolved okay uh... and on over across i'd i think it's a big deal uh... we'll just do this real quickly but for israel and hamas to agree to a ceasefire for israel to get the twenty living hostages back that's quite an accomplishment that's quite an achievement In the meantime, China tightens the export rules for crucial rare earths and related technology. Okay, so here we go again. And that seems to be their biggest hammer that they have on their side of the negotiation table. The announcement from the Ministry of Commerce clarifies and expands sweeping controls announced in April, which has caused massive shortages around the world and the rarer stocks here in America. I know MP is up 7% today. I know Critical Minerals, CRML, is up big today, 10% or 11%. And I imagine some of the others are also up. But anyways, this is happening. This is posturing, Barry. Guess who's getting together later this month? Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping.
SPEAKER 03 :
I wonder where we're at. Do we have a location yet?
SPEAKER 04 :
I haven't heard the location. I'm sure it's probably been announced by now. Not going to be Alaska this time, I would imagine. No, that's a long flight from Washington, D.C. It's a short little jaunt for Putin. But you'll have to look that up offline here and see if you can find that. But they will be meeting later this month. And Rare Earth on their side of the table and NVIDIA chips, I guess, on our side of the table. A couple of big negotiation points. Powell spoke, didn't say anything about policy at a Fed event. But I did see that another one of them, I'm trying to get to that.
SPEAKER 03 :
Government shutdown, do they get paid? I mean, I was trying to think, does the Fed get paid? I mean, do the senators or House folks get paid? Oh, they get paid, sure.
SPEAKER 04 :
Sure, but not the military guy.
SPEAKER 03 :
I was trying to figure that out.
SPEAKER 04 :
Schumer's going to get a paycheck, and Johnson's going to get a paycheck. They're the last ones to not get paid. But in the meantime, the little guy does not get paid. And that was one of the Republicans were floating a bill to say, hey, none of us get paid. if we don't come to an agreement here. So anyways, retail sales down, cooled slightly in September. I wouldn't worry too much about that. It's the New York Fed's Williams. He backs more rate cuts due to heightened labor market risk. I'm all for more rate cuts. but we don't want to bring inflation back you know we kind of go silver kind of gets lost in all of this gold hoopla silver is eyeing a historic fifty dollars an ounce mark fifty dollars an ounce it was not that long ago that it was in the high 20s as investors pile into precious metals And I think that precious metals are being seen as the safe haven in all of these perceived bubbles that are out there right now. That seems to me to be the area, the flight to safety, which it always is. I mean, when it comes down to it, precious metals are tangible. I have my doubts about cryptocurrency being tangible assets that you can sink your teeth into, that you can hold in your hand, right, like you can a box of silver coins or gold cougar rands, etc. Market concentration rises, but Goldman, okay, now there's about four or five macro outlooks out there that I want to go through here with you today. Goldman sees no repeat of the 1990s tech bubble. they cautioned that while valuations are elevated, they do not currently match the extremes seen during private market bubbles. According to the bank's analysis, the median 24-month forward price-to-earnings ratio across the seven companies, these are the big seven, stand at 27x or 26x when excluding Tesla, which carries a significantly higher multiple than its peers. So they've got to take Tesla out, number one, out of the top seven. And they're looking at the largest seven companies during the peak of the late 90s tech bubble and saying we're not there yet. Well, I said the same thing. We're not at 30 yet, but we're at 27. We're not very far from 30. So in my eyes, I remember back in 2000, I remember a lot of similar types of analysis being made and excuses being made. And I would say the word is rationalizing. So in other words, Goldman is kind of rationalizing away. Well, we're taking Tesla out. Okay, all right. So now there's only six companies. And Goldman is basically looking at the concentration, the companies that are... most heavily concentrated and they're naming those six companies and they're saying when you compare the valuation of those six we're not where the valuation of the top six were back in I don't know that that's the fairest of comparisons I think you have to look at the whole index myself because we've spread out to a lot of companies beyond just those fabulous seven And we are very close to where we were back. And you can't just look at forward P.E. ratio. What about the price to sales? We've exceeded that in the year 2000. What about price to cash flow? We're hitting a new high there, Goldman Sachs. And what about price to book value? We're also hitting a new high on the S&P and the NASDAQ indexes. I think you also have to take that into account also. So I think to just kind of brush aside the forward P.E. ratio on the top six stocks is a little bit short-sighted and maybe a little bit rationalizing the current ratios we're at right now. We'll come back with a couple other takes on this whole matter. This is Bill Gunderson. Thank you for tuning in to today's Best Stocks Now, Best Inverse Funds Now show. Now, back to the second half of the show. Thank you. And welcome back here to the second half of today's Best Docs Now show. It sounds like Korea, South Korea, is where they're going to meet. They're going to have a big Asia meeting. powwow over there in late october four weeks uh... and uh... they will be meeting on the sidelines in korea south korea by the way we're not uh... at kim jong-un's house uh... so that uh... is going to happen and of course uh... china is posturing for that uh... already limiting those rare earth minerals okay here we go again Now, one last thing from Goldman Sachs on the sunny side of the street. They're probably more optimistic. There's one other one too that's very optimistic. Goldman Sachs does not believe that we're in a bubble yet. It says, while it appears we're not in a bubble yet, high levels of market concentration, I would probably put AI in that boat, and increased competition in the AI space suggest investors should continue to focus on diversification. Well, I would say diversifying in other areas beside AI stocks. But having said that, Barry. If the market were to go, all right, I mean, it went in 08 and 09. It went down 53%, S&P 500. 2000, it went down 79% NASDAQ. It pretty much takes everything with it. I mean, I don't care if you're diversified in drug stocks and insurance stocks. They go, too. So I can see how that would soften the blow on the downside, right, by being diversified. If you had all your eggs in the AI basket, the areas that went up the most are the most vulnerable. There's just no question about that.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, and that's why I think it's the most valuable. When you mentioned, you know, as you've been sending out charts, you know, what are the first, and some of our internal discussions, you know, what goes first, right? I mean, you know, years ago, right, it was always, you know, biotech, right? Because, you know, biotech was the most risky space. I mean, you either, drug either gets approved or the company goes to zero, right? And then... Of course, now we've got all these other, as you've mentioned, quantum. Rocket ships. Small nukes, right? Small nukes. So those are the spots. I mean, I think it's key that you're pointing out, hey, if you're in these names, you've had a great experience up to this point, but keep a tight leash on them.
SPEAKER 04 :
Now, the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, declared on a speech Wednesday about the uncertainty that is out there right now, and she did call out an AI bubble. So she disagrees with Goldman Sachs' take that there is no bubble, but there is danger, Goldman Sachs says. She's talking here, this is the one that stood out to me. She says another danger sign is the climbing amount of public debt. Now, Barry, I got another email yesterday from one of these institutions that's putting together private debt programs. I'm going to read the email in the last quarter of the show about this new fund that they're putting together of private debt, and it's going to yield over 10%. That would be the last thing I would be buying. I can't imagine anything. It's just how stupid I see Wall Street, just like back in the year 08 and 09 with the mortgage debt that they were packaging and selling. But anyways, the International Monetary Fund, which they don't normally warn on market conditions, Now, Jamie Dimon, he pretty much is always fairly pessimistic. But Jamie Dimon says the U.S. stock market could be headed for a serious correction, okay, within the next six months to two years. He really pinned that down, didn't he? Next six months to two years. Well, Jamie, can you be a little bit more specific than that, okay? uh at least we're at least we're good until the end of the year i guess according to meanwhile though they also probably have a lot of six month price targets right uh you know named at jp morgan so well and they're also packaging private debt uh tranches to uh to to sell to their uh their people to their clients and private company uh tranches that they're They're packaging together this stuff as fast. I don't know if JP Morgan's in on it. I know that Franklin Funds is in on it because I heard the CEO talking about how this is the hottest ticket on Wall Street today, private debt and private stocks available to the general public. In other words, shift the burden and the risk away from you guys, right, and shift it to the little guy holding this toxic waste. Anyways, NVIDIA chief Jensen Wang, and that's one of the reasons why you had the new high in the market yesterday. He says there's no bubble. But does Jensen Wang, doesn't he have a bit of a conflict of interest, Barry? He's heavily invested. His company is heavily invested in a lot of these private AI companies. And he differentiates the current surge in investment and valuation in the industry compared to the dot-com bubble in 2000, which seems to be the one we are most looking to right now.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, I mean, the one big difference, I think, is that, you know, what it is, is they're essentially kind of building an ecosystem, right? I mean, they are, you know, he's making investments in these other companies that are obviously likely going to use, you know, in some form or fashion, NVIDIA chips to, you know, kind of make their way and do what they're doing on the AI front, whether it's healthcare or any other field. self-driving, all kinds of different things that they've invested in. But you do hear this thing where it's kind of almost like a circular revenue, right? I buy it from here. It's sestuous. I invest here, right? Yes. And I think you can kind of play that out. I think the real key is I think they're really kind of building an ecosystem, which an ecosystem is circular to a certain extent.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, okay, I mean, he makes the argument that there's very little comparison to the year 2000 because he said all the Internet companies combined back then were worth $30 to $40 billion, which is nothing in today's standards, right? He said increasing investments in hyperscalers and other infrastructure companies are growing naturally as a part of the half-trillion-dollar capacity build-out. According to Wang, hyperscaling is already a $2.5 trillion business with the capital expenditure of about $500 billion. But I still look at the multiples. Theirs were the common denominator. Between the Internet companies back then and the hyperscalers today, to me, the common denominator that you use are price to sales, price to cash flow. Because I heard the same argument during the Internet boom, the dot-com boom. You can't look at the P.E. ratios today like we used to look at P.E. ratios. We're in a whole new paradigm. Well, you know what? 30 times earnings is still 30 times earnings. It takes 30 years to get your investment back, whether it's a hyperscaler or whether it's a dot-com company. So that's the way I look at it. I look at a common denominator. He doesn't. Now, here's the company that's saying that we're in the early innings of this bull market. This is the most outrageous claim of all. This is according to Carson Group. This is a company I know a little bit about. They're out of Omaha, Nebraska, and they're buying up companies like myself like crazy, like hotcakes right now. They say that we are in Carson Group remains upbeat, arguing that the current bull market is still in its early stages. Viewed through the historical lens, man, I have a hard time with that assessment. They say the bull market is almost three years old. I would argue it began in 08 and 09 when the S&P hit 660, and now we're at 6,600. We're up, how many fold is that, tenfold since then? And earnings have been going up. This is not a three-year-old bull market, Carson Group. It's much longer than that. And I would argue against your assessment that we're in the early innings. We'll see if we're in the early. Only time will tell. If we're in the early innings of it, that means we've got, what, 20 more years? A long ways to go. Okay, the stock has been rebounding, and I wanted to get your take on this. I think this is a positive. Netflix was under some pressure because of the boycott called by Elon Musk and other tech giants on some of the agendas they apparently are pushing over their Netflix. They're going to bring video games to the TV screen in their latest push beyond streaming. I see that as a bullish development. You mull on that during the break when we come back. But I'm seeing some constructive movement in Netflix stock to the upside once again because it's still an earnings powerhouse. We'll be right back. And welcome back here to the final segment of this Best Docs Now show on this Thursday, October 9th. Yeah, the biggest question right now, is this a bubble? Is this not a bubble? Is it going to pop? When's it going to pop? How much further can it go? It depends on who you listen to, number one. Number two, it depends on the stock and the sector also. There's some massive bubbles out there in certain areas of the market, and I take it one stock at a time. And I look at all my holdings on a daily basis, and sometimes here recently we cut one that had done very well. We cut that position in half. Goldman Sachs was the name, and now we own half of what we own, and we locked in a big profit on the half that we own. And the other half may go soon. It just depends. I watch each one, and I draw lines in the sand. I think the market is much, much more manageable when you break it down into smaller pieces than just making a blanket call. The markets in the bubble sell everything. I mean, that's what amateurs do, right? And amateurs also say that we're in the early innings of this current bull market. That is just not... I don't like that thinking at all. I don't know how you can say that when this has been going up since 08 and 09. But that's just me. I mean, you have to choose your own gurus. You have to choose your own gurus wisely. What about playing games on Netflix? Is that a thing? I mean...
SPEAKER 03 :
I've never seen the kids do it, but, I mean, it sounds like they've got the infrastructure. It's a great idea. Right? I mean, like, you know, they play games. I guess you've got to hook it up to the Internet is the key, right?
SPEAKER 04 :
Everybody's got the Internet these days.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, I guess in terms of the information coming through, because I know they've had problems, you know, bandwidth problems with live events. Right. Right, and things. But to me, it would be great. You wouldn't be filling up with, our kids don't have a disc anymore. The program is downloaded onto the system. In this case, I guess you would have the game is coming from. Right. Netflix, you don't have it on your system. So my guess is I'm not an expert on bandwidth. My guess is you may need more bandwidth and better connectivity. Most of that's probably going to be on Netflix and figuring it out. But to me, it makes perfect sense.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, while we were in the Silicon Valley, we met with a couple who she has worked for Microsoft for years in the Xbox. Right. Remember that? I mean, it would be interesting to get her take on is this a threat? to PlayStation, Nintendo? Is it a threat to Sony? Is it a threat to Microsoft's Xbox? So anyway, something to think about.
SPEAKER 03 :
But I don't think... And most of the money is in the games, so it'd be interesting to see how that would... I know Xbox has been...
SPEAKER 04 :
talking about doing this for an extended period of time but it's just you know a subscription yeah closest they've came to is you know downloading the games onto your system instead of having a disc if you but i would make the argument that the stock netflix is not in the bubble for instance okay so it goes stock by stock all right i mean their stocks still have fairly low uh pay ratios and fairly low pe ratios including Jensen Wang stock Nvidia which I don't think Nvidia is in a bubble but I look at the downstream which we've been talking about the further the hinterlands the little streams that have filled up with money and private placements and convertible debt offerings and this and that and they're storing uh tokens and making monetizing tokens and whatnot that there's where your bubbles are right now something about tokens tokens are up like 50x yeah that's ridiculous can i can i buy a loaf of bread with a token no Alibaba signs AI cloud deal with NBA China. Okay, that's good. I mean, Alibaba's trading at still not even over 20 times earnings, really, but it is in a communist country. All right. A carotherapeutic sores on 5.2 billion acquisition deal with Novo Nordisk. Now, I believe there's bubbles in the gene therapy especially because that is really out there on the frontier. There's only been a couple of near hits really in the CRISPRs of the world. And you followed that for a long time. For a long time, yes. You still haven't seen much of a payoff. Not much coming from it, but a lot of money thrown at it. And Kathy Woods has backed up the truck, right, or the Cybertruck. and loaded up in that area. Orsted's cutting 25% of their jobs in America. Well, yeah, there's been a strategic shift away from solar and wind. And Orsted, obviously, is a European company. They're going to focus all their efforts on Europe, which is still pretty much all in on the wind. And the question is, is the answer blowing in the wind, my friend? And I'm not so sure it can run a data center is the problem. Now, here's another sign of a bubble. Wisdom Tree rolls out a quantum computing fund. Okay, right at the top. A lot of times that's the sign of a top when they say, okay, now we'll start. They should have started this a year ago. Iran is another one that I see as bubblicious, I-R-E-N. They price $875 million in convertible debt offering. Would you buy convertible debt on Iran, I-R-E-N, which I watch every day. It's one of the hottest stocks in the entire market. It's out of Australia. But when they can just do an offering like that and it gets gobbled up, $875 million of convertible bonds debt?
SPEAKER 03 :
On a stock like Iran, theirs were... Which could be dilutive, which is dilutive because those bonds could potentially be converted into equity, which is dilution.
SPEAKER 04 :
And it could never be able to be converted if it doesn't meet the... Right. The risk you're taking there is unbelievably high. It's extreme. And we'll close with this. I got a cute little picture I'm going to put in the newsletter this week. DoorDash partners with Serve Robotics for autonomous robot deliveries. I'm wondering when my lunch will be here. It shows this little cute little thing going down the street saying robot delivery coming from DoorDash. And, of course, this works on a sidewalk in Los Angeles, but obviously in areas where we live, Barry, I don't know how well it's going to work.
SPEAKER 03 :
It looks like it's from Star Wars.
SPEAKER 04 :
It does. It looks like R2-D2 delivering your submarine sandwich. Okay, to get in touch with us, to set up an appointment, are you in harm's way? I don't know. 855-611-BEST, 855-611-BEST to set up an appointment with us. or to get a free trial, four weeks, the whole enchilada, the newsletter, the app, everything, go to GundersenCapital.com. That's GundersenCapital.com. Have a great day, everybody.
SPEAKER 02 :
This show is not a solicitation to buy or sell any securities. Bill Gunderson or clients of Gunderson Capital Management may have long or short positions in stocks mentioned during the show. Past performance is not indicative of future performance. Gunderson Capital Management is a fee-based registered investment advisory firm. All accounts are held at Charles Schwab. Schwab is a member of SIPC and FINRA.
Amidst pressing issues, Jacqueline Stapp discusses the burgeoning fentanyl crisis affecting communities across America. The conversation sheds light on how fentanyl, a lethal drug, is not just confined to urban centers but is seeping into suburban areas, posing a significant threat to young adults. Hear personal stories and gain insight into ongoing campaigns to combat the crisis, including President Trump's initiatives to save lives. Additionally, explore how the government's response to the crisis highlights broader issues of public health and safety.
SPEAKER 06 :
Breaking news today on Seculo with all the latest on the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal.
SPEAKER 08 :
Keeping you informed and engaged, now more than ever, this is Seculo. We want to hear from you. Share and post your comments or call 1-800-684-3110.
SPEAKER 06 :
And now your host, Jordan Sekulow. Hey, welcome to Sekulow. This is Jordan Sekulow. As you can tell, I am at a different office right now, not in the studio, but we thought we had to come to you today with the breaking news from yesterday evening. It was in a key meeting. President Trump was in a meeting unrelated to Israel and Hamas or Gaza, and this deal that we've been discussing, of course, on the broadcast about Israel withdrawing, the IDF withdrawing from Gaza. Hamas demilitarizing, giving up control of governance of Gaza and allowing basically a team primarily of Arab nation peacekeepers to join in on the fight to do what the IDF was doing to secure Gaza for the Palestinian people that live there. And so instead of having the IDF do that. Well, yesterday in a meeting, there was this meeting and all of a sudden you see Secretary of State Marco Rubio. I think we have the photo we can put up on the screen for folks. You see Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the meeting. He whispers into the president's ear. And what we now know is that the president was told, as he said, that we are very close to phase one of the peace deal being signed and agreed upon by both Hamas and the state of Israel, and that he's got to be ready to go with a statement. And then not soon after that, President Trump did issue a statement on Truth Social about the deal itself. And in that statement, which we're putting up on the screen, and I think it's very key for all of us to, again, kind of, take this in for what it is and also realize it hasn't happened yet. But the statement says that they have agreed to phase one. Phase one is the IDF withdrawal of Gaza. the new international force going in. And then of course, part of that deal is that all hostages, both the bodies of those who were killed by Hamas and those who are still living. Now, Israel estimates that they still believe there are 20 living hostages. Hamas has not totally confirmed that. They haven't told in any statement said, no, it's going to be less than that. What's unique there too is that two of those 20 are individuals that we represented. We brought their brother. They are twins. We brought their brother to Washington, D.C. not long after the October 7th attacks that winter to meet with members of Congress and meet with our team. And I've got to thank Speaker Johnson again for setting up those meetings. They met with the top Democrats as well to bring attention to what happened on October 7th. And from, again, none of us wanted to be here two years later. for those twin brothers to return home. So there's that hope that they do remain alive and that they will return home. The other two clients that we represented in that manner, unfortunately, their loved ones were killed by Hamas and were executed by Hamas. So if that number is 20, it would be an unbelievable moment, obviously, for those families who have waited so long with so little information and for the Middle East itself. So we're going to talk about the ramifications of that. That's why I came to you live today right from outside of our studio, kind of a grassroots-y way to make sure we broke down all the information for you so that you're prepared for what may happen this weekend between Israel and Hamas and the Arab nations. I just think about if this deal moves forward, this is the most significant, I think, peace effort in the Middle East that we've seen in decades and would solve what has been a problem, a serious problem for the state of Israel and its Arab neighbors as well. The Palestinian issue, if you want to call it that. for the first time to say that we're going to move forward peacefully to negotiate what this looks like in the future with a governing body made up of a number of individuals, but not including Hamas. I mean, so, you know, it's hard to even imagine getting there, you know, two months ago. So we are going to, my dad's going to be joining us. We're going to be breaking it down for you. Share this with your friends and family. Pray. because no one has been released yet, and the piece has only been in place for a few hours at this point, but it is historic if we get there, and that's why we're joining you today on Sec. Welcome back to Sekulow, folks. We're joined by my dad, Jay Sekulow. This, again, as you see, I'm not in our normal studio, but I wanted to make sure you heard it from us directly, some analysis of what just broke yesterday evening between Israel, Hamas, the Arab world, the United States, which has been brokering this deal to, one, get to a ceasefire, between Israel and Hamas. Second, for Hamas to give up governance of the Gaza Strip, the return of the hostages. Israel believes 20 of those hostages are still living. Hamas hasn't said exactly that that's the number, but we hope and pray that it is that number and that they will ultimately return bodies as well. So this will be a first step. We'll see from Hamas if they can meet what they have agreed to. And I want to make that clear. Hamas has agreed to this. Now, until any of that happens, again, we have to be praying that it does. We've represented these families. One of those families, the brother of the twin brothers that Israel believes are still alive. Again, you can understand how they're feeling right now. One, that Israel has continued to confirm that they believe that they are living. And two, that they may be returned home over the weekend or at least early next week. I want to bring my dad right into the discussion, Jay Sekulow, our chief counsel. And dad, I mean, that's kind of point one, is that this would be... ultimately maybe the most historic peace deal in history if it goes through, in the Middle East, if it goes through the way that it is planned to. But even if phase one works, I mean, we haven't seen anything like this since the foundation of Israel. There's been consistent fighting and terror attacks and war since 1948.
SPEAKER 09 :
No, this is very encouraging. First of all, it would bring regional stability, not just to Israel and including Gaza and the West Bank, but it would bring regional stability to the Middle East. And that's very important for the rest of the world. You have to put this also in a context. Iran has been significantly degraded. over the last nine months because of President Trump's orders directly in our US military degrading their nuclear capacity. So you have that also happening simultaneously. We had the introduction of the first phase, what I call it, of the Abraham Accords. I think you're going to see this open up other countries to sign those accords in the very near future. You could already see that the regional players, including the Arab countries, are looking forward to this actually happening, because it will take pressure off of all of them. Of course, our initial and primary concern has been the hostages, because as lawyers, we were retained by those families, a number of the families, to represent their interests before international tribunals, which we did. You mentioned in the first segment, we did it in Washington, we've done it at the UN, we've done it at the European in the legislative chambers in Europe, including the European Parliament and the Council of Europe. So we have made an international effort here. And I think what you're about to see, and look, it's The details here are the key. It's not now what's been written. That's been executed. It is the implementation of this. Will we actually see the release of the hostages? And Jordan, as you just pointed out, are there 20? Are there 30? Are there five? We don't have a specific number. Israel's intelligence thinks there's upwards of 20. I hope and pray that's the case. I hope and pray there's more. But this is a very positive development. And I think you could see a radical change in the entire region.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, I mean, we know we were with Leron Berman and his twin brothers, Gali and Ziv Berman, who Israel, throughout the conflict, throughout these two years, and their photos are on the screen now, and he joined us in Washington, D.C., Israel has believed and put it out the message they believe that those twin brothers are still alive. And that would be a miracle, but it would also be, I think, something that, again, people weren't expecting this to even be the case anymore, that this could actually come to a close. The way that Prime Minister Netanyahu actually said that this will not be over and we will not stop until every hostage is returned. And with the decimation of Hamas, the decimation of much of the Gaza Strip, a lot of pressure on Israel because of their response. But, Dad, ultimately, if Hamas demilitarizes and returns the bodies and those living hostages, Israel did exactly what it said it would do. Well, that's exactly right.
SPEAKER 09 :
And look, I mean, this has been a very trying time for the entire region. Gaza's been devastated. And, of course, the atrocities that Hamas did. And you're negotiating with terrorists. So you're signing deals with terrorists. We've got to realize that. But there's a long-term play here of regional stability with the way that it's envisioned that Gaza will be redeveloped. And I think that with the leadership of Hamas, it's also been degraded and significantly eliminated that they had no choice here. If the military action of Israel had not been taken, this deal would never have happened. If the president was not a president, Trump did not successfully order the U.S. military to strike those Iran nuclear facilities. This would not have happened. So it took a culmination of months of efforts here to do this.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, I mean, you realize that Hamas was cut off from its allies. Iran no longer had the capability after those attacks to keep supplying them weapons. Most of their leadership has been taken out, even when they announced new leaders. The same for Hezbollah. So Hezbollah was not able to go in and assist Hamas as they usually would. And other radical groups, I mean, their leadership is just decimated. We're not even sure who exactly is claiming to be the head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip right now. Usually they've got their entire face covered when they do any kind of media reports. They have some other political leaders, but most of them also have been taken out as well during this conflict. And I think, you know, Dad, it could rewrite history because we were getting to a point where the world was saying, you know what, this is too much from Israel. This is too much destruction, too much war. But as you just said, If this didn't all happen the way it happened, Israel would not be even thinking about right now any living hostages being returned, the bodies of those who were deceased, unfortunately, but those bodies being returned, and Hamas demilitarizing and allowing an international force, really a regional force of mostly Arab nation militaries to go in and secure the Gaza Strip instead of the Israelis having to do it. I mean... You think about that, hindsight's 20-20, but then you put it all together and realize everything that Israel did, including weathering this criticism and storm and questions about, did they go too far? Was it too aggressive in their response? Like you said, they wouldn't be here today, and they wouldn't be here today if the U.S. hadn't taken those aggressive steps on Iran as well. So we neutralized every single one of Hamas's partners. We made it clear that if you are a leader of Hamas, and Israel made it clear, even outside the Gaza Strip, that you were not safe. And so Ismail Hanei is no more. And their leadership that was inside the Gaza Strip, was totally taken out so they say you know that uh they're willing to give up governance they're willing to demilitarize and that i think if that does happen it's because they basically already have given up they can't govern anymore and they can't uh they have they have very little military weaponry left i think their capacity as a both a paramilitary organization as and as uh
SPEAKER 09 :
functioning governments is gone. That has also been degraded and decimated. They don't have the capacity to cover. So I want to say something to some of the naysayers out there that were questioning President Trump on this and including conservatives, by the way, and well-known ones. and also those that were taking this kind of anti-Israel stance and they were doing too much. We would not be here today, first of all, if Hamas didn't start these atrocities, number one. Number two, we would not be here today unless the military action of the United States and the military action of Israel in the region had not taken place. So without those two, nothing happens. Now you've got Hamas coming to the table, giving up governance, which they're not capable of doing because they have no choice. They're not doing this because they want to. They're doing this because they have no choice. So, you know, there's vital American interests at play here in the Middle East. considering Iran was threatening to cut off the Strait of Hormuz, which would have removed, I think, 65 percent of the oil and gas transports in the region and also to the rest of the world. So this end result is very positive.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, I just want to play this flashback really quick for folks. This is November 7th, a month after the October 7th attacks. We brought those families of the hostages we represented to Capitol Hill. This is Speaker of the House Mike Johnson two years ago.
SPEAKER 01 :
We want to thank these families again for their courage and their willingness to share your harrowing stories. And I will say again and reiterate once more, we will stand against these atrocities, and we will stand with Israel, and we'll stand with each of you and your families. We'll be praying for you, and we'll be taking action because that's what we're going to do here. That's what it's called for. I know that your time is short and you have to leave. I want to thank Jay and Jordan Sekulow of the American Center for Law and Justice for helping facilitate the visit today. I know you have a tight itinerary, so we'll allow you all to step off the stage, if you will.
SPEAKER 06 :
So folks, again, that just underscores how long at the ACLJ we've been working towards this kind of moment, knowing that it was an uphill battle anytime you're dealing with a terrorist organization. But I think it's a great reminder of why you support the work of the ACLJ. It's not only the work that we do in the United States, but the work that we do around the world. As you know, Jeff Balaban runs the ACLJ Jerusalem office. We need your support. Donate today. at ACLJ.org.
SPEAKER 05 :
Welcome back to Secula. We are going to be taking your calls in the next segment, 1-800-684-3110. Like I said, we have a packed show. We're going to pivot right now to a segment that I've been looking forward to having our guest on. I mean, it's obviously been a very chaotic few weeks, so things have really obviously taken an interesting turn in this country. But there is one thing that is very important to me personally, something that I believe every family has been affected from right now, and that, of course, is is the leading cause of death in America right now from the ages of 1845. And that, of course, is the fentanyl crisis that has been happening. And Jacqueline Stapp is joining us because there's a wild stat. But Jacqueline, you have been a part of this new campaign that I think is very important. It was one that when President Trump started really talking about this crisis, I was encouraged. It obviously comes after a lot of us have experienced personal loss from this, but at least steps are being made.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes, thank you for having me. This is a very serious crisis, and our president could not turn away from this very big issue of children dying. And as you just said, between the ages of 18 to 45, this is a leading cause of death. And on day one of his presidency, he had a mission to save American lives. He could not turn away of these mothers coming to him crying of, you know, I found my son dead in the bedroom. Um, you know, these kids often don't know that these are counterfeit pills. You know, this is often accidental overdoses. Um, you know, taking these, these pills, they think are a Xanax or an Adderall and, um, you know, laced with grains of fentanyl and instantly they die. They stop breathing and die.
SPEAKER 05 :
Why was it important for you to join this and how did that happen as well? Because I think it's, um, It's great that this commission is happening, that this whole campaign is happening. You're out there, I've seen you on the road doing this because it is so important. But why is it, is it personal to you? I know you have kids, you have people that are dealing with a lot of situations where it's just... It's really tough. You walk around some of these major cities and you see half the ads are, you know, make sure to test your drugs. You know, like they're promoting things like this. And sadly now that's become the norm. But hopefully what you are all doing is going to be reversing the course completely.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes, I'm a mother of three. Any parent wants to make sure your kids go off to child. I think I read somewhere that they have these actual test kits. They're giving kids at colleges, some of the parents were sending their kids off to college, giving them a test kit to check for fentanyl in their drugs. And you're hearing about this so often, And any parent wants to make sure your kid goes to school and gets an education, is not going to accidentally overdose. I've had friends and family pass away. I've had parents telling me I had to resuscitate my son in the front yard as he's vomiting. And it's just these horrific stories. And it's happening too frequently. And President Trump, under his amazing leadership, is doing exactly what he said he was going to do, control the border, Hold these drug dealers accountable. But this campaign is intended to spread awareness to the dangers of to these children, the dangers of fentanyl and how easy it is to to open. overdose. What you think you're taking is not. No drugs are good for you. But these drug dealers have really gotten very shrewd and clever with ways of getting this cheap drug out into the street. So he's working really hard. There's still a lot of work to do. But if we could just start talking about it in the schools and churches, everyone knows about the opioid crisis and knows someone directly or indirectly that's been affected by it or has passed away from it.
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, and I think that's maybe one of the big misconceptions that are out there is that a lot of people have heard about how lethal fentanyl is, but they still kind of think of it maybe as something that happens in a big city. Yeah. And similar to like the heroin crisis where, yes, I understand that these very powerful drugs exist and in that people can overdose from that, but that it's not affecting what high schoolers may experiment with or do things that they shouldn't be doing. They're not realizing that this crisis is affecting suburban high schoolers and people in college. It's not in the seedy underbelly of the urban centers of our country. It affects everyone and can affect everyone lethally.
SPEAKER 02 :
Yes, that's right. And exactly what you said. It's not that stereotypical person you see on the side of the streets that's struggling. Yes, they matter. But these are children that are going to these house parties or buying a pill from a friend. They don't intend to take their lives. This is accidental and they don't know. And, you know, also. On social media, there's these new ways on Snapchat. These kids are learning this type of secret code word and languages where they're buying pills from these dealers on the social media. And so we've got to put a stop to this. These lives matter. And our president is really trying to tackle this issue. It takes a village and there's a lot involved in this. And we're grateful for this privately funded multimillion dollar campaign, Make America Fentanyl Free. And, you know, there's resources on the website, but we've got a lot of work to do. And I thank you guys for helping us get the message out there.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, whatever you need from us, we're all on board because this is very important to us specifically. And we've talked privately about that. And this is something that I really want to make sure that our audience gets behind, understands the seriousness of it. And it's not, Will, as you said, just an issue that's happening, like you said, in sort of downtown areas, happening with the unhoused homeless population. This is happening online. everywhere like you said the number one cause of death and it can be easily stopped maybe not easily but with people like you involved it can i have to say also the ad campaign that's running is phenomenal uh the ads if you haven't seen them they are incredibly powerful maybe we can pull one up and show one a little bit later uh this week on the broadcast because or next week because they really are um hitting home for a lot of people. So, Jacqueline, I just want to say thank you. We'll make sure we link everything to promote this campaign. This is one of those moments, Will, where I'm excited when we have President Trump taking action on something that we've known for years was a problem. That's right.
SPEAKER 07 :
This is something that has been talked about, but I feel like the action One, to explain to the people of our country about how it can affect them personally has been lost. There was that disconnect. But this is kind of a new way to, one, reach the people as well as make everyone aware, whether it be grandparents all the way down to people that are in school, be able to understand the real dangers of this. And while we are doing things on the border to try and stop it coming in this country, we also know how much is already here and how real that danger is. That's right.
SPEAKER 05 :
Go check out those ads. Check out all the great content. Jacqueline, I believe it's just at MakeAmericaFentanylFree.com is where you can find everything.
SPEAKER 02 :
Thank you.
SPEAKER 05 :
Thank you so much. Yeah, but we'll make sure we get that out there. Hey, when we get back, we do have a second half hour coming up on our broadcast. I want to make sure you're joining us for that. If you don't get us on your local station, find us broadcasting always on ACLJ.org, on YouTube, on Rumble. We are there broadcasting to millions of people each and every week. Be a part of that team there. Again, the easiest way is to go to ACLJ.org or download the ACLJ app. We are live Monday through Friday from noon to 1 p.m. Eastern time. You can work your way back from there. You can figure it out, whatever time zone you're in. And, of course, you can watch us or listen to us later on, however you get your podcasts, however you get your video content. We're there. You can follow us on all the social media platforms. But why me? The most important thing, and we're going to take some of these in the next segment, is we want to hear from you. We just heard from Jacqueline Stapp, who was part of President Trump's Make America Fit and All Free campaign. We're going to hear from Rick Grinnell coming up, head of the Kennedy Center, former ambassador to Germany, former director of national intelligence, currently also serving. And of course, we're going to hear from former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. No other show has this kind of expertise, has people who have been through it or are currently living it. And that only happens because people like you support this broadcast and support not only the media operation, but the legal operation of the ACLJ. So I encourage you. We only have a minute break here to make a donation of any kind at ACLJ.org. Stand up today. We couldn't need you more. We need you right now.
SPEAKER 08 :
Keeping you informed and engaged now more than ever. This is Sekulow. We want to hear from you. Share and post your comments or call 1-800-684-3110. And now your host, Logan Sekulow.
SPEAKER 05 :
Welcome to Sekulow today. We appreciate it. Always get your comments in. You can do that on our YouTube live streams. You can do that on Rumble or however else you watch the broadcast. Great different ways you can always interact with our team here. Today on the show, I wanted to give a little bit of a look back. It's an encore presentation kind of show. And these are important to me because I think when you do something daily, like the way we do here at the ACLJ, There's incredible guests, incredible content that comes on sometimes because it's daily. They come and go. You miss it. You don't get to see or learn or get the information from these incredible guests. So throughout this show, you're going to see some great content that we have produced over the last couple of weeks. Great guests. We're going to cover so many different topics, Will. Topics that you need to be informed about and make sure that you're always staying engaged with us. That's what we do here at the ACLJ. We want to give you a really broad scope. The work here at the ACLJ when it comes to our legal work, the scope is still now pretty wide. Of course, it's First Amendment, freedom of speech, religious liberties. Those are core topics. But that can almost fit into almost any topic that's going around the world right now.
SPEAKER 07 :
That's right. And when you see a show like this, we're able to showcase not only the talent that we have that come onto the show and give that great analysis, but also how it weaves in with all the great legal work that we're doing, whether it be in D.C., around the country or even around the world. The ACLJ has a presence and a mission, and it's something that we conduct every single day. And so when you get to hear this and you hear how all these pieces fit together over several weeks of content, it really makes an impression about how large the organization is, how impactful we can be. But also, when there is something that rises in the news, there is an angle for the ACLJ many times to be involved, to give expert analysis on, and that's what we continue and strive to do every day.
SPEAKER 05 :
And Jordan, that's what's really going on even in our DC offices. We're expanding those as well because a lot of the topics that we do here at the ACLJ, they've now grown and expanded to really cover almost every arm and facet of what's going on in Washington, DC.
SPEAKER 06 :
That's right. So we've opened up really... significantly increasing our footprint when it comes to government affairs and policy so as well as the legal side and of course the attorneys are able to assist with the policy because it's law making but then you're also able to bring in these policy experts who know how to put into legislative text know how to read through and we've launched ACLJ Action the C4 that can be more politically engaged it can do even more on Capitol Hill on the causes we care about and also brings us into new issues And so it puts the ACLJ stamp on more issues than ever before. So I would say while we are still focused on our core mission, we are able to, especially in these years like the Trump administration, expand the work that we are doing. And that's because of all of our supporters. And you'll learn about that through this broadcast today because it's not just the kind of top three issues you think about.
SPEAKER 07 :
There's a lot more. And Jordan, one thing I even want to bring up as you mentioned that, that Senator Hagerty, when he was on the broadcast a few days ago, mentioned that when they found out about that spying program, one of the first people he called was you. Yeah. Because that is what the ACLJ is able to provide, whether it be elected members of Congress who we've represented on briefs before the Supreme Court for decades, whether it be they need advice to know how they should proceed or being looking at the expertise of the ACLJ. Whether it be a sitting U.S. Senator, a sitting president, or whether it be all the way down to someone who their faith or their rights are being violated by their local public school, the ACLJ is there to fight for those people.
SPEAKER 05 :
That's right. I want to give you this opportunity right now before we head into break. Get your comments in, obviously. We always have comments open. Even when we do some of these best of shows, comments are open. You can always know that there's someone on the ACLJ team monitoring those, reading those comments. So make sure you do that if you're watching online. Keep that conversation going. But I really want to encourage you to become a supporter of the ACLJ. If you hear this show, if you watch this show, whether that is on radio, whether that is on YouTube or Rumble or however you may get it on the Salem News Channel, no, we're not getting paid by the major sponsors that you're hearing on those networks. A lot of that goes to the network. So we encourage you to become a member of the ACLJ. We call it ACLJ Champion. So do that today. That is at ACLJ.org. You can scan the QR code that's on your screen if you're watching right now to become a champion. That is a monthly donor. Do that today or give a one-time gift at ACLJ.org. Again, that's at ACLJ.org. We'll be right back with more on Seculo. Welcome back to Sekulow, packed back half of the show. Rick Grinnell's joining us right now. Rick, obviously we're in the middle, or middle of day two, I guess, of government shutdown. And look, we've been talking a lot. The first half hour, really, up until right now has been all about Israel, the holy days, of course, this attack that happened in Manchester. But I did want to pivot because last night I got a text even from you that we are in the middle of this government shutdown. We actually spent a good portion of the last segment talking about the arts and how the arts have majorly made a comeback at the Kennedy Center. There's been a bit of a change of tone, even coming from the mainstream media. You have seen, you were on CBS to announce, I loved that, on CBS this morning, announcing honors, and that cast of people on the couch was like, man, I've been wanting George Strain in this forever. They were so glowingly excited. Obviously, it's on their network. They're not going to like, But, you know, when there's the words President Trump involved, you never know what they're going to say. And they seemed largely very excited about this. And now you even have other content returning. You people who have been going after you, been going after the Kennedy Center say, well, you know what? We got to give it to Ambassador Grinnell when he is able to pull off some pretty big wins.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yeah, we were pretty excited over the last, I'd say, two or three weeks. We've had some really big wins. We're bringing back the Vienna Philharmonic, which hasn't been in Washington, D.C. at the Kennedy Center in 14 years. And we brought them back. We're bringing Sugart Ballet. You know, they haven't been here in decades. We're bringing in the Glenn Miller Orchestra. And then this past weekend, we had the gala, the Kennedy Center Gala, Black Tie, big fundraiser for the National Symphony. And we almost tripled the amount that we've raised, literally breaking every fundraising record we've had for years. the gala and had 50% of the crowd brand new people. So I think that people are beginning to say, you know, when you do big common sense programming, as President Trump wanted us to do, you're going to get big support. And we're finding that whether it's Les Mis or the Sound of Music, which is on till Sunday, we're just bringing back the big common sense programming. And I think it's really popular. This is what you're looking at right there is the Library of Congress. The young von Trapp singers who sing every night at the Kennedy Center utilized the foyer there and the acoustics. And so the kids got together and sang a little rendition. And it's glorious. I mean, it's really beautiful, especially in that room with all those acoustics.
SPEAKER 05 :
Absolutely. And I'm so thrilled that you're doing this. And I'm also thrilled that the arts are thriving. Like you said, when you do programming that can reach the masses, all of a sudden they show up, as you said. I think that's something that shouldn't be pooh-poohed or laughed at or anything. And look at the content. It's not like you're bringing in things that anyone should be. This is what's coming to a lot of major cities, a lot of major theaters. And of course, the Kennedy Center should be providing that great content. Now, this does come at an interesting time. You're in the process of redoing the Kennedy Center, spending time raising money for it as well. But we are in the middle now of day two of this government shutdown. You've lived through these shutdowns before. I think we spent about an hour yesterday, Jordan and I, just breaking down, people, what this looks like. Because I think a lot of people who have never been... They've been through a government shutdown. They maybe just never knew they went through a government shutdown because they were not politically attuned to what was happening. And a lot of us over the last eight years, you could say 10 years, got a little bit more attention being paid to what was going on in the news. I even received texts from people who, you know what, maybe last time they were in their early 20s and now they're in their mid 30s and they're going, what does this mean? What does this mean? As someone who's lived through it, I want to give you that opportunity as well.
SPEAKER 03 :
Well, newsflash, it's like a government shutdown every weekend, right? The government is shut down all weekend. Sometimes if you're looking at the Senate, it's usually a three or four day weekend every weekend. And so I don't think that this is gonna be missed very much if it doesn't go on for that long. But one of the things I saw Bernie Moreno, my friend from Ohio, talk about how members of Congress, both the House and the Senate, should not get pay And what we're talking about is back pay once all of this is settled. You know, this is the kind of trickery that the government does, is that government bureaucrats are furloughed. They don't have to show up to work because it's a shutdown, but they all get their money back when this is done. So we at the Kennedy Center, we have a small portion of our staff, which is federal bureaucrats. bureaucrats, and that's federal employees who work on the Kennedy Center as a monument because it's a monument to John F. Kennedy. So a small portion of our individuals are federal employees. I've told them, we're just going to keep paying you. We'll figure out the pay, but you got to show up to work because I know what's going to happen.
SPEAKER 05 :
and a week or two they're going to figure it out and then they want me to pay everybody back pay after they didn't show up so i just said show up we're going to keep paying you we're going to figure it out but no one at the kennedy center is going to be furloughed that's good to hear that the furloughs but we do know this affects people and like we said and you brought up is for the mass majority of people they're not feeling the effects of this yet they aren't going to feel the effects of it likely it'll get done before they do now obviously there is a group of people who Their jobs have been furloughed. And President Trump this morning even kind of put out a statement going, well, this does give me the opportunity. And I think, look, this has been a bit of what people voted for with President Trump is to look at these departments and go, OK, what is actually necessary? What are we doing here? Have we over bloated a lot of these departments now? I'm not for anyone losing their job. I think we need to be very clear about that, especially in these really tough times for a lot of people. But if the door opens, you're able to go, OK, now let's see who's really doing what needs to be done. It gives that opportunity to President Trump and his team to start making those cuts.
SPEAKER 03 :
Look, I view it slightly a little bit differently in that the American taxpayers have a group of people, public servants, who work for them. And if we need to constantly right-size the government and make sure we don't need that many public servants, then they go find work somewhere else. I don't feel bad about that at all because the reality is we've got a lot of people working really hard and the federal government and the state government and the local government is taking a lot of money. If it's not producing, then I would say let's right-size the government, not feel bad about it. We haven't done this in decades. We keep adding people. I can tell you just from my little perch at the Kennedy Center, We had massive numbers of people in different departments that hadn't been looked at. We have rooms that haven't been touched since 1973 inside the Kennedy Center. No revamping. And it's just outrageous that leaders allow themselves to just sit in seats and let things happen. completely unfold without taking hold and asking the tough questions. So I hope our politicians in Washington are constantly saying, and cabinet officials are saying, what are we doing? Is this the appropriate number of people? And when you let people go, thank you for your service. This is all of our tax dollars. Let's not feel bad about it.
SPEAKER 05 :
Maybe that's a good point. And I think that maybe I don't feel bad. We had a couple of callers call in that were like, you know, I'm President Trump's one of the biggest supporters. However, I'm furloughed right now and I'm nervous. And I get that. I get that understanding of being like, I'm nervous for my job. But you are right. It's a country where there are a lot of opportunities where people who are qualified for these jobs can go find other places of employment. You're right. Sadly, it had to come to this point. It wasn't that you had someone minding the shop, if you will, making sure that we were staying on track, that we weren't overbloating these things. Like I said, you had rooms in the Kennedy Center that haven't been touched since the 70s. I think people would be appalled by that when it comes to what their funding is going to.
SPEAKER 03 :
Look, I don't think our forefathers ever envisioned that Washington, D.C. would be a city that is untouched by the economy or layoffs. It's supposed to be the capital city. It was supposed to be a city that you were never really from. You went there for a short period of time and then you went home. That was the whole vision. And now we have Washington, D.C. as a big, bustling city that never gets budget cuts. And so that wasn't the vision. to have a permanent bureaucracy, people who work for the federal government for 25 years. I think we've got to move a lot of these agencies outside of Washington, move them to the rest of the country, have different types of people who have the headquarters. I'm talking about the headquarters not being in Washington, D.C., and moving them outside. I think that would really benefit all of the taxpayers, and we need to make decisions for all of America.
SPEAKER 05 :
That's not just so you don't have to spend less time in D.C. I feel like that's the you're like, we got to move these departments out of here. Why? Because Rick is like, oh, we got you muted.
SPEAKER 03 :
Hold on. Go ahead. Manhattan Beach would be a great place to put one of those agencies. Fantastic.
SPEAKER 05 :
And Nashville, too. Yeah, absolutely. We'll take it. We'll take all the people coming in. Rick, thanks for joining us today. I am really excited about what you're doing with the Kennedy Center. Of course, that's something, the arts is near and dear to my art, so it's always nice to have that connection. But I am very excited for new programming and for the... the tone to finally come down a little bit. People were going after you, were going after what was happening there, but I think they're at least even seeing the writing on the wall that you may have had a couple people say, we're not doing this, but for the mass majority of the people and mass majority of performers, they want to be involved in what you're doing at the Kennedy Center.
SPEAKER 03 :
We got like 20 seconds, but go ahead. Look, I appreciate that. It's a testament to all of the individuals at the Kennedy Center who are trying to get big, beautiful programming, things that are popular, the people that want to come see. Everyone is welcomed. Everyone should be coming.
SPEAKER 05 :
Awesome. Thanks, Rick, for joining us. When we get back, I want to hear from you, whether you want to respond to what Rick had to say about the shutdown or... the arts but of course we're going to continue our conversation about the attack in Manchester the synagogue the high holy days here that we are right now your support of Israel maybe the rights move away from supporting Israel what do you think is cause of that do you believe any of it's true give me a call 1-800-684-3110 now's the time to call in 1-800-684-3110 got a few lines open give us a call right now support the work of the ACLJ by the way you're not going to hear this kind of show anywhere else by going to ACLJ.org and making a donation today.
SPEAKER 07 :
Welcome back to Seculo. Now we're going to go to our Washington, D.C. studios where Jordan sat down yesterday afternoon with Senator Bill Hagerty from Tennessee. Let's take a listen.
SPEAKER 06 :
We're in our Washington, D.C. studio. I'm with Senator Bill Hagerty of Tennessee. We're both Tennesseans. And Senator, something you've been working on for months has been the safety of our cities. And This has been a discussion President Trump has been having about Washington, D.C., our capital city. Now we've talked about places like Chicago. We've talked about Los Angeles and New York. But there are cities in our home state as well, the city of Memphis, which is getting some attention now. And I wanted you to talk about kind of the efforts to make Memphis safe again for its residents and for those visitors, too.
SPEAKER 04 :
It's also a problem that's challenged Memphis and West Tennessee since I was a kid. To just share a very personal story. When I was 14 years old, my godfather was assigned his first ministry in Memphis. His son was my age. I was invited over during the summertime. I'm from Gallatin, Tennessee, a small town in middle Tennessee. And I was invited over to spend a week or so in the summer ministry. And my parents ultimately decided that they were concerned for my safety, and they did not let me go. You roll forward. I recruited, when I was Commerce Secretary of Tennessee, a major employer to come to the state. The average salaries ranged from $90,000 to $120,000 per job. Okay. And this was over a decade ago. The CEO called me and he asked if I could get him crime statistics for Tennessee that suppressed Memphis. So this is an issue that has been going on and it's been troubling us. We've been trying to attack it in different ways. And many of my predecessors and colleagues have worked on this. But through the pandemic, we've seen it step up dramatically. Yes. And during the pandemic, Shelby County schools basically did away with truancy requirements. They've yet to reinstate them. You've got a lot of kids that have been out of school for years now. And you've got some very hardened gangs, hardened criminals there that are running these younger boys, basically, and committing heinous crimes, which has resulted in Memphis attaining a very unenviable place on the roster of crime. And that is, on a per capita basis, one of the highest crime rate cities in America. The time has come to do something about it. Immediately after the 2024 election, I began talking with the mayor of Memphis and also with the sheriff of Shelby County and with a number of leaders there in Memphis, Tennessee. They definitely want to see something done. They do. And my view was that we're in a position to actually bring federal resources to bear to help. Our decision was to work quietively, but very, you know, very much work together to try to leverage federal resources to see if we could make a difference. And my hat's off to Pam Bondi and Kash Patel, who, as they went through the confirmation process, you know, and the Senate has to confirm members and the FBI director. They both agreed with me that they would prioritize Memphis, and they absolutely have. Last Friday, we just finished the first major phase of this federal effort. We more than trebled the number of FBI agents in Memphis that started in late July, and it took a while to plan all of this. But again, we've done this in collaboration with the Memphis Police Department and with the-
SPEAKER 06 :
Has there been good support there from the local leaders in Memphis, from the mayor, from the police department?
SPEAKER 04 :
At the ground level, I couldn't ask for better collaboration. The FBI has done a great job working together with the police department, with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. We've added DEA resources to this effort as well. But this initial effort resulted in 500 arrests, Jordan. And you understand this process better than most, over 105 federal indictments already. And that number is going to grow as these cases are worked up. Again, the effort just came to an end. The initial effort just came to an end on Friday. President Trump has been supportive of this all along. When he saw the initial success, he said, let's make every resource available from a federal level. Because what I want to see happen, Jordan, is I want these hardened criminals, these gangsters out of our state. To do that, we need to charge them federally. So the Memorandum of Understanding that came out explicitly names the agencies that will be involved. And it's every three-letter agency that you know. That includes HUD. That includes the IRS. You think about these criminals that have illicit income.
SPEAKER 06 :
Sure.
SPEAKER 04 :
The same as Al Capone. Right. We can get them on IRS federal charges. If you think about criminals that are utilizing HUD facilities or SNAP benefits, you just sort of go down the list.
SPEAKER 06 :
You're talking about cleaning up a city completely.
SPEAKER 04 :
We're talking about cleaning it up. And federal charges means they're not in the Shelby County Jail near Memphis. They're in Leavenworth, and they're there for a long time because federal charges are very different. You don't have the same lenient bail situation, and certainly you don't have the same lenient parole situation that you do at a state level, at a local level.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, I mean, Memphis has a professional basketball team, and I've heard from former players who said they would tell new recruits not to play in Memphis because of the crime. I mean, we've heard that on a lot of the NBA podcasts. And, of course, if we can turn that around quickly— You know, that can change in a matter of weeks, it looks like.
SPEAKER 04 :
Of the many resources that are coming to bear, one of those is the National Guard. Governor Bill Lee of Tennessee, at President Trump's request, is going to deploy the National Guard to Memphis. I think that has caused a lot of consternation. And I think from sort of the business class in Memphis worried about what does that do to the city's reputation? Can we recruit people here? I think a lot of politicians... are going to call this an invasion. They just watch what Gavin Newsom is saying or what Governor Pritzker is saying in Illinois, and they're copying that. But at the end of the day, when these resources come in, and I've talked extensively with the mayor about how you might deploy the National Guard. He's talked with me about urban blight. It affects every major urban city, but it's an issue in Memphis. The National Guard can help with that. They're not there for law enforcement, but they're there to support the entire effort. And I think the neighborhoods, just as they have in Washington, D.C., will welcome the presence. I think the most important thing is that as we come in and we put heavy up on law enforcement there, I'm talking about DEA, ATF, the FBI again, as we heavy up the law enforcement and we really take a major step to clean out the hardest core criminals here. incumbent upon me as a member of the Appropriations Committee in the Senate and on the governor. We're going to look for the federal aid and the federal resources, I should say, and the state-level resources that Memphis needs to sustain this in the long term. Because Memphis has been historically short when it comes to law enforcement resources. They've had recruitment difficulties because of a local elected DA that George Soros got behind with $600,000 and put into office, who then proceeded to basically not try people and let them go. That has been demoralizing to the local police. That's going to change, and we're going to make certain. The governor and I have spoken about this extensively, and the mayor has been very clear with us. He's actually given me a list of what he needs. That's great. The resource requirements are significant, and we're going to do everything that we can to put those resources in place long-term so that Memphis is sustained as the safest place Hopefully the safest, certainly one of the safest cities in America.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah. I mean, Tennessee is becoming such a dynamic state. You don't want Memphis to be left behind with, you've got cities like Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, all kind of moving forward. I mean, you keep going through the list. Memphis isn't on that list right now because of the crime. If Memphis is on that list, I mean, the state becomes that much more dynamic.
SPEAKER 04 :
I pose the question to one of the new industries coming in, the folks running XAI. That's the big hyperscaler that's in Memphis. It's a huge investment that's coming in, $70 billion thereabouts that's coming in, and a lot of other companies that are interested in being part of that ecosystem. And the management of XAI said, in response to the notion of having, for example, National Guard resources there in Memphis, would that be a deterrent to those companies that are thinking about coming? And the response was, no, everybody knows there's been an issue. This actually shows that you care about it. You're doing something to fix it. And that is absolutely the truth. And I have to compliment local leadership who've been willing to work alongside us. I certainly compliment the governor who's been willing to put the resources to bear. And you know, and you've got to pledge for me that I'll continue to work my heart out with my colleagues in the Congress, David Kustov, Congressman Cohen from Memphis, certainly Senator Blackburn. We're all working together. Thank you. Thank you, Senator.
SPEAKER 07 :
Thank you so much. To support the ACLJ, go to ACLJ.org.
