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Join Dana Lash in a spirited examination of recent moves by the Texas government to restrict THC products, sparking a widespread debate about personal freedom and state interference. Dana navigates these choppy political waters, offering insights into the implications for Texans, especially considering the potential for federal changes in THC regulation. Through lively commentary and personal anecdotes, she questions the portrayal of THC as a danger to children and links it to greater themes of partisan politics and government control.
SPEAKER 20 :
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SPEAKER 10 :
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SPEAKER 23 :
Welcome back to the program, your lovable retired goth, Dana Lash, in a Christmas-played Here, back at the top of this third hour, you can find the discussion over a rumble. You can also find us on YouTube and find us on X as well. Channel 347, DirecTV, the best of in the podcast. So all good things. So a few, I got to tell you, and we've been watching all of this stuff. As it pertains to the we were talking about Doge a little bit ago and a lot of these cabinet picks, et cetera, et cetera. And I saw I had I saw this story last night and I'm trying to wrap my mind around it. And I got aggravated. I always get mad at people who think that politics began the day that they signed up for an X account. Because some of us have been out here busting our edible snakes for quite some time, pushing it back against rhinoism, right? And you always get these drive-bys who are like, oh, I can't believe people think that Republicans are... you know, like the party of small government or whatever. And I'm like, you know, broad first off, you know, drop the drunk bridesmaid act. I get that you, you know, when you created your ex account, you think that all politics began that the day that you became self-aware. But some of us have been out here doing the heavy lifting while you could sit here and go and get your overfilled face done and your ratty ass extensions. And you could try to like talk platitudes about it on X. Stop. I get so aggravated over this stuff. Stop it. A lot of people out there have been doing the heavy lifting. A lot of you out there have been doing the heavy lifting, pushing back, calling your lawmakers, holding everybody accountable. And we're not going to be judged by people who just opened a drive by account and all of a sudden want to weigh in like, you know, they're the generals of the movement. Stop it. We're not doing it. And I specifically got aggravated over this one post that I saw from Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick of Texas. So he he posted this. Did you see this, King? This is going to be up your alley. It's in Slack. He said it's a major legislative initiative to ban all THC. Thousands of stores have opened to sell all types of dangerous products with unlimited THC. And these stores even target your children is what he's saying. Let me read it first off. Oh, don't roll your eyes. I don't care if you're I'm not Tommy Chong. Okay. I'm no Tommy Chong, but I know government overreach when I see it. That's what this is about. Today, it's about whatever the hell THC. Tomorrow, it's guns. You don't know. So he had this... He wants to ban all THC. Thousands of stores have opened to sell all types of dangerous products. What? Wait, there's more. He's talking about this... Representative Tracy King, this bill, blah, blah, blah. Part of the bill allowed for the commercialization of hemp, which might include unremovable, non-intoxicating trace amounts of Delta 9 THC. Quote, dangerously, retailers exploited the agriculture law to sell life-threatening, unregulated forms of THC to the public and made them easily accessible. They sold them to adults, and they targeted Texas children, exposed them to dangerous levels of THC. I mean, they keep saying the word dangerous, and then they use the word life-threatening levels in another sentence. I'm sorry, excuse me? Okay, again, I'm no Tommy Chong here, but I'm pretty sure that you would have to have all the THC on earth In order for it to be considered dangerous. Am I correct? I was talking to some of my more pot minded associates about this. Some of these. So, yes, maybe we know people in California. I don't partake in any of this. But they get so into the like, what am I thinking of the artisanal marijuana? It is hysterical how it is not a reality show. I do not know. If you've ever tried to see hippies turn into bougie entrepreneurs, it's the funniest thing I've ever seen in my life. God love it. But anyway, Kane, don't they include a tiny amount? I mean, it's not like they're tripping acid.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, no, it's not unlimited. It's definitely limited. There's only so much.
SPEAKER 23 :
I mean, you can regulate it. From what I understand, it's already Texas law that it's regulated.
SPEAKER 09 :
It is regulated. So that's a lie.
SPEAKER 23 :
Dan Patrick published a lie. I'm so surprised.
SPEAKER 09 :
He's talking about the THC that they've, in the lab, removed a molecule so that it isn't the illegal THC-9 on the federal level. So he's talking about the THCs that have had the molecules removed so that they're a different THC from the THC-9, and he's saying that those are dangerous. So it's a little bit different because this is sort of a laboratory thing that's created for these vapes and the consumption for people. So I don't know. He's technically not lying, though.
SPEAKER 23 :
I don't want to sound like Joe Rogan talking about this stuff. And that's not an insult, but I'm just not a pot person. I'm not, I'm not, but I just am like, this is big government. This is big government.
SPEAKER 09 :
Oh, without a doubt it is. Oh, without a doubt. It absolutely is.
SPEAKER 23 :
So the same government that was like, y'all better get these shots. Now it was like, no, you can't have gummies. Right. Same, same people. Right. And we are to listen to them. Why?
SPEAKER 08 :
I can't sell you on that.
SPEAKER 23 :
No means no, Texas government.
SPEAKER 08 :
That's not what AOC says.
SPEAKER 23 :
I mean, okay, because you guys think it's funny that I know so little about football. Wait until you hear me talk about marijuana. This is Kane's other favorite. Because what did I tell you yesterday? How did I say it yesterday? I was like, well, doesn't THC, doesn't that just make you like fat because of munchies and suspicious?
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, it was suspicious and fat? That's what you said.
SPEAKER 23 :
Yeah, doesn't it just make you suspicious and fat?
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah. I'm like, what? What do you mean? Paranoid? Yes. And get the munchies?
SPEAKER 23 :
Yes. Because isn't that like the common... thing is like you're always paranoid and so we there are a couple people i know who actually work in this industry like i was saying and uh both of them are veterans and one of them we just met but we know uh somebody that does this it's like a lot of veterans use it especially to help manage ptsd because they don't want to be hooked on big pharma stuff they don't want to have to take like these like you know psychotropic drugs and all of this and They just need, you know, and it helps them to relax at night or whatever. I don't have any problem with that. I don't know why anybody, mind your business. I don't know. I mean, for crying out loud, it's a gummy. And they put, from what I understand, like a tiny percentage of whatever in it. It's not like people are going out there, you know, tripping beans and acting like Beta or Rourke, breaking and entering and drunk driving. Nobody's doing that.
SPEAKER 09 :
I know, and it's this kind of work by the government that actually has us putting our names on lists when we want to get pseudofed for our nose running or something. Yeah. That's what big government, this is what will end up happening.
SPEAKER 23 :
Someone was saying that it was similar to taking melatonin. Yeah. I was reading that in the comments. I take like 10 milligrams. Sometimes I'll take 20 of melatonin. I'm actually trying to take less because I get so groggy. I'm so groggy in the morning. But I take 10 milligrams of melatonin a night. I'm definitely not out there being dangerous. on 10 milligrams of melatonin. If what I have been told and what I've read, that it is similar in terms of like relaxing it, which is why a lot of veterans take it and they take it at night.
SPEAKER 09 :
Do you get suspicious in fat? No, I don't. Okay.
SPEAKER 23 :
I don't get suspicious in fat. No, that's because it doesn't have the pot in it. It's not just melatonin, like the fast dissolve melatonin tablet, right? Right. I mean, I'm just saying, why is this an issue that they're focusing on in Texas? No, I get that people can walk and chew gum at the same time. But out of nowhere, let's go after the THC. And from what I'm understanding, it's a tiny... I don't want the government involved in anything else. No, Texas should be shrinking government, not expanding it. This is just big government. And I don't care if you're a pot person or not. It doesn't matter. It's irrelevant. I mean, this is a variable. What have I always told you? In all of these instances, guns are a variable. Pot is a variable. Look at all of this. It's the same formula. They just switch out the variables. That's it. That's it.
SPEAKER 09 :
I wonder if on a federal level, the fact that they're talking about changing the schedule of it.
SPEAKER 23 :
I think they're trying to nationalize all regulation of it to create an industry for themselves that they can monopolize.
SPEAKER 09 :
I wonder if this is just Texas' response to that potential. I have no idea, though.
SPEAKER 23 :
I don't think so. That's not how I look at it. I mean, if I'm wrong, I'm wrong. I mean, I like being correct on issues. I'm not, you know, I'm not a petty partisan. But to me, from when I was reading this, like, why do you need to ban it? They're not trying to... They just want to ban everything. Why do you need to ban it? And sorry, they're not targeting the kids. They're not. That sounds like a gun grabber argument. Oh, you're marketing these guns to kids. No one is selling... THC to kids. Have you seen these stores? No offense to anyone, but I'm going to be very honest. Okay. You know what do they look like? Do you want to, you know what they look like? They look like, oh gosh, you're going to, they look like white trash boomer places. I'm sorry, but they do. It's like, they're so uncool looking. They are so uncool. They're uncool. Kids don't want to go to an uncool place. It's not like they're sticking Barney out front or whatever the hell furry. They're not sticking that stuff out front. You know, come on, stop it. Stop it. I'm not making nobody get mad because I'll print out your email and I will, I will roll over it with my mini segue that I got six years ago on Amazon for mother's day. And then I'll take it to the range and shoot Buckeye through it or birdshot through it. So stop it. But you know what I mean? They look like adult places. It doesn't look cool. They don't look cool. Kids are not going to go to a place that doesn't look cool. I seriously take issue with the whole marketing to the kids thing. That's what big government always says with stuff that it wants to ban. Oh my gosh. It's going after the kids. Wait, the same government that's going after the kids trying to cut their genitals off and flip their genders against the wishes of their parents? Suddenly this government's all worried about the kids? Oh, what? The same government that lost hundreds of thousands of kids that it allowed to come across the border illegally. Suddenly that same government, oh my goodness, we can't have these cannabis stores targeting the kids. Just can't have it, Cain. Can't have these cannabis stores going after the kids, no.
SPEAKER 09 :
I've seen the ingredients list on like Fruit Loops. They're allowing some pretty poisonous stuff. to our kids eat it right in front of the TV.
SPEAKER 23 :
They literally use a bird to advertise it to the kids.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yes, directly to the kids.
SPEAKER 23 :
Come eat our cancer cereal, kids. Full of cancer. Yeah, I'm not really going to pay attention to the government. So out of all the, and you know what? Lieutenant Governor Patrick has come on the show before. Can we have, let's bring him on again to talk about that. He's going to be like, oh my gosh. We get along with him so well, even when he's so wrong. We're so nice because he's very genteel. But I'm just like the same guy. Is anybody else fed up with the government telling you what you can and can't do, especially after, I don't know, the whole Wu flu drama? Yeah. That's what it seems like. I'm just done with it. The same government that was doing all this stuff. That was shilling out books about oral sex to your kids in elementary school. The same government. Oh, we don't like these. These stores are targeting the kids. No, they're not. You are. Stop. We got more on the way.
SPEAKER 04 :
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SPEAKER 09 :
And now, all of the news you would probably miss. It's time for Dana's Quick Five.
SPEAKER 23 :
Oh, man. I just remembered it's time to watch Nightmare Before Christmas. Deadly Nightshade. Movie actress dies at a Mexican spiritual retreat after consuming deadly monkey frog potion. What gave you the idea that this might be deadly? Anything that's a monkey frog potion already sounds like it's going to be deadly. Why do people do this? I don't think you need to say movie actress, but they did. This strange potion, they said, dates back to the Inca period. It's meant to cause uncontrollable diarrhea and vomiting for consumers, which supposedly acts as a cleanse. So, Marcela Rodriguez, she apparently decided that she was going to do this and it didn't work out well for her. It's 40 times stronger than morphine. Oh, my gosh. Why? Who would who's like, you know, well, you're going to basically leak out of everything to death. That's how it's going to work for you. Who wants to go? OK, let's do that. No, it was in Durango, northern Mexico. I mean, it literally took hours to kill her. They're doing an autopsy, but pretty much have an idea of how that happened. It's going to say that's horrible. An officer uses a child. An officer uses a child's bicycle chasing down a felony suspect. And there's body cam footage and it's actually hysterical. He was not near a squad car. He used a little kid's bicycle to go after the felon. He commandeered a kid's bike to continue the pursuit, said the department in its paperwork. And it was a bright lime green bike, too, which is funny. They got him. He got him. He caught the suspect, charged him with felony theft. The guy also had three other outstanding warrants. And they said the suspect might have had a scooter, but Officer Tarr had determination and a kid's bike. Yeah, he thought he was going to get away on a motorized scooter, but it wasn't going to happen. Not with Officer Tarr. He was on it. I mean, and kudos to the kid who let him take the bike. Juan's showing you the footage right now. He grabs the kid's bike, and he's like, here we go. Here we go. We're going after him. I mean, this actually makes me want to now ride a bicycle. Right? Remember how fun this was back in the day? Oh, yeah. This was fun. By the way, this is what Peloton should have had. Peloton should have had, like, revisiting your childhood by riding your, instead of the stupid stuff that they had. They favored us. Yeah, going through the neighborhood. Let's see here. Oh, the worst time to shoplift. Here's an idea. If you're shopping with a cop, don't steal while you're doing it. And they did this as a Walmart event, their annual shop with a cop. And someone who was shopping with a cop decided to steal from the Walmart. Didn't work out well for him. Stick with us. We got more in store.
SPEAKER 04 :
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SPEAKER 21 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Florin Decor East Brunswick. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. Clear communication is key to a successful renovation. Keep the customer informed at every stage of the project, addressing any concerns or questions promptly to maintain trust and satisfaction. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice, brought to you by Florin Decor East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 18 :
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SPEAKER 25 :
So I will leave this chamber with a sense of achievement. But in truth, I will also leave with the recognition that I did not achieve everything I'd hoped. Among other things, the scourge of partisan politics has frustrated repeated efforts to stabilize our national debt.
SPEAKER 23 :
Oh, boy, bye. Welcome back to the program. Dana Lash with you. Bottom of this first hour. That's Mitt Romney, who's saying that he's oh, he's leaving. He says that, I love how he said, a country's character is a reflection of its elected officials and we must be voice of unity and virtue. Little known, but very true fact. This was back during the 2012 presidential election. And I was one of the token conservatives at CNN. And when I would go on, One of my biggest criticisms, because obviously the hot topic of debate was, this was Obamacare, and it was about Obamacare, and it was also about how really... Republicans made it difficult to argue against Obamacare because the Republican Party nominee for the election that year was Mitt Romney, who, when he was governor of Massachusetts, literally created Obamacare first and introduced, backed it and introduced it zealously into the state. And I was very critical of that. And I was not hyperbolic. I was very honest. It was just the facts. And I talked about all the things that Romney did leading up to the introduction of it to the state legislature, the passage of it, how he repeatedly defended it. And that made his campaign livid. So the Romney campaign, and I also... was still a radio host at the time too. So I was on CNN as a contributor and I was still hosting this program. And the Romney campaign, they refused to come on my radio program. That was first and foremost. They would not come on the radio program. And then I found out later, well, actually it was still at the time I found out through one of the people who work with the contributors that he was demanding, his campaign was demanding that I be pulled from air or that I only go on air with a Romney surrogate because they were saying that it was, I can't remember the exact wording, but they were very, they were very vociferously angry or critical of my criticisms of Romney. his tenure as governor of Massachusetts and his introduction of Obamacare and the problem that created for Republicans, because that was one of the things that Obama and Democrats always cited as why, you know, this is going to pass and why it should, because Republicans did it first. And the, so he tried to get me pushed out at CNN. Absolute fact, try to get me pushed out at CNN. And he, Then when CNN was like, no, we're not going to get rid of her. I've had Republicans and Democrats try to get me fired from CNN. It's a trip. And then his campaign demanded that, well, at the very least, I should be put on only with a Romney surrogate. And to CNN's credit, well, I mean, they probably liked the infighting. They said, no, we're not going to do that either. So they listened to Media Matters more than they listened to Mitt Romney at the time. So I kind of I've given you that full disclosure because that has that has fueled my dislike of him as a as a politician to be a little bit hotter than my dislike of most politicians. And there's a personal aspect to it because this guy literally tried to get me booted from a network because I was critical, accurately so, of his moderate record. And yes, I did have Mitt Romney actual flip flops that said Mitt Romney on them, which I wore. But that's beside the point. He puts this veneer of religious family man on, but he is just as dirty as all the other politicians. Just because he can put on... I just remember when Jesus would tell his disciples, when you're fasting, don't make a show of it like the Pharisees do. You don't need to put on all the robes and the ash and do all the... He told his disciples, you don't need to do that. Don't be performative. Do it from the heart. And it just reminded me of that because... There are a lot of and he's one of them, a lot of politicians that really hide behind this veneer that they've constructed. But they're just as dirty as everybody else. Just as dirty, just as underhanded, just as petty and mean spirited as everybody else. So that's kind of I mean, I'm glad to see him go because he's he has been an anchor on the neck of conservatism. And that's an accurate statement. And I have not in any point changed my position on his moderate record. And he never got into the White House. He never got me booted from CNN. And now he's leaving the Senate. And I'm still here. So. I'm fine with being consistent. And I will add, I caught a lot of hell from Republicans back in 2012 for that. I lost a lot of friends. And that's when I first really saw that just because someone's on your side politically doesn't mean they really are. And not every R after every name is the same shade of red. So I bring that up because I think consistency is important. And consistency is a great tool to Of refuting any kind of accusation of hypocrisy or changing. I mean, it's it's consistency is key. And the reason I bring this up. is because of this stuff with Joni Ernst, like we were talking about. And this has to do with the Hegseth stuff and, you know, this palace intrigue. I think that Trump could end all of the palace intrigue by saying, I stand behind my nominee, this is my nominee, and I want him to sec def and let's make this happen. His statement fell short of that. And you guys all know it. Nobody's saying it, but you guys all know it. I don't like to see him put through the grinder like that unnecessarily. I don't want a nominee to get that so badly dinged up before the confirmation process that the confirmation process is nothing more than just chiseling in the epitaph in the stone. I don't want to see that. And I also don't like to see the infighting that it creates by lack of a strong, distinct personal endorsement. So now we're seeing and Joni Ernst is a moderate. She's not a demon, but she's a moderate. Right. She's a moderate that I think can be pressed to be more conservative. I have different grades for different politicians. She's always been kind to me, so I don't have any personal dislike of her. There's no personal animus here. But she's a moderate on certain things. There's things I definitely absolutely do not agree with her on. She says she's not waging an all-out campaign against Hegseth. I don't care enough to, like... I don't have... I'm not going to spend any capital on anybody saying that they did or didn't. But what I do think is interesting is that yesterday, I saw a lot of people criticizing her for... for her previous positions being weak on certain aspects of gun control, which I've criticized her for too. But I did find it interesting that the same people that were criticizing Ernst for her gun control positions are the exact literal same sacks of meat that were excusing Pam Bondi's gun control. So Pam Bondi, who is being nominated for AG, is a huge gun control supporter. And I reject the defense that, well, Pam Bondi only was supporting it because it was after the legislature passed it. And as AG, she has to defend Florida's law. Okay, don't sit here and be like, oh, it's just my job. I got to do it because we've heard that before throughout the years, particularly 1930s Germany, number one. But number two. She's on record before it even came out of committee in the state legislature of pushing red flag law, of pushing waiting periods, of pushing increasing the age requirement to purchase and even more. She's on record both in written word and on video using her own mouth to talk positively about these issues. So when I talk about consistency, I don't take any of these people seriously who are criticizing one candidate who is wrong on gun control, but excusing the other one politician wrong on gun control, but excusing the nominee for AG for also being wrong on gun control in an even worse manner. Even further than the other candidate. You've got to have consistency. Otherwise, do you know what happens? You can fool people some of the time, but you're not going to be able to keep it up. Because people are dumb. At some point, they pop their head up from their work or from running the kids here and there or whatever it is. And they start looking around like, wait a minute, this doesn't make sense. How are you? It's bad here, but it's okay here. It should disqualify. So Joni Ernst's position on gun control should disqualify any complaints that she has about Pete Hegseth. But Pam Bondi's positions on gun control qualify her for the position of AG. How does that work? You see what I mean? Consistency is key. And people are going to wake up and realize, and then a lot of people are going to start losing a lot of influence. It makes zero sense to spend your personal political capital by doing stupid stuff like this. And I will say, and I know people don't want to hear it, you got to have strong leadership and you have to have a strong voice come out and say, this is my nominee. Reject him at your own peril. that's all that needs to be done. In fact, I think if Trump came out with that statement, do you honestly think that any Senator is going to stand up and be like, okay, well, I still oppose him. No, no, they're not because it's going to put all those people in the weird position of having to make their base happy while also trying to kind of moderate their position to be more, uh, more mainline Republican and not so much Trump Republican. It puts them in a difficult position, which they need to be put in. So by not doing it the way that it needs to be done, you're also letting these people off the hook. That's doing it 40 chest style. This is just he hasn't made a decision yet. And it's a it's a statement that was not a strong statement. And it was uncharacteristic. I don't think he's made up his mind. And I think it's because the factions are fighting it out. And I mean, the good news is that we've got a lot of good people that we can. I mean, we're not Democrats for crying out loud. Our only options aren't that dude from the Penguin from Gotham, J.B. Pritzker and Gavin Newsom, which, by the way, you guys know that Democrats are getting ready to pitch them, right? You know that they're going. Pritzker's already made it clear he wants to run. Not kidding you. Pritzker's going to run. Newsom's going to run. You're going to have Big Gretch. Big Gretch is going to get in. Poot Booty Juice still thinks that he's the chosen one. He believes that he is the golden Bob the Builder and that he can come out and he's still going to run. He's got to make that bank. He doesn't have an administration position in January anymore. How is he going to grift, guys? He's going to actually have to get a job. Like in the private sector, a job. Good night. These people don't like to work. You know that. They want to be on glorified welfare, which is what an elected office truly is. So... What is he going to do? These are the stooges. They're going to run. So we're not like Democrats. We have a little room to say, you know what? I want a little more from you. I want a little more boldness from you. I don't want no statement that leaves lots of daylight in places. I want something definitive and hardcore. I want a statement that kicks people's teeth in. That's what I want. That ends the palace intrigue that puts everybody in line and he can do it. He just got to make up his mind. He needs to make up his mind what he wants to do. But again, there's no bad news scenario in this. So don't be led to believe that everything has got to be burned into the ash war. If I were a Democrat, I would want you to believe that so you undercut your greatest strength. But since I'm not, I don't want us to do that. We're not Democrats. We don't have, like, no choices. Gosh, can you imagine being a Democrat? Those are your choices. Imagine, America. You're a Democrat. I guess all we have is Newsom and Pritzker and Big Gretch. And then Amy Klobuchar comes in and throws a comb at somebody. I don't know. That's who you have. Who else do they got? They don't got anybody. Seriously? He'll go out and pretend to have another baby and chest feed for like the first, even if he were elected, the first half, you know, his first half term. Good night.
SPEAKER 21 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. After completing the renovation, follow up with the customer to ensure their satisfaction and address any remaining concerns. Provide maintenance tips and guidance to help them preserve the results of the renovation for years to come. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany.
SPEAKER 18 :
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SPEAKER 21 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Florin Decor East Brunswick. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. Prioritize quality craftsmanship and materials to deliver results that exceed the customer's expectations. Attention to detail and superior workmanship will leave a lasting impression and ensure customer satisfaction. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice brought to you by Floor & Decor East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 18 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and job lock quantities of Schluter, Mapei, Ladecrete, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 09 :
Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of the United States.
SPEAKER 03 :
There's a little bit of controversy about that podcast, because you didn't. Do you know about this?
SPEAKER 06 :
No, what?
SPEAKER 03 :
Because in D.C., this interview happened in D.C.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 03 :
In a hotel.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, not in a hotel. It was like a random house.
SPEAKER 03 :
It was like a random house. But apparently, you can tell me, they spent, the Harris campaign spent like $100,000. I did see that. You know about this? It's hilarious. To build the studio.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, that's not true.
SPEAKER 03 :
Not true. To make it look like it was the studio that you used in L.A.,
SPEAKER 06 :
My studio that is gorgeous in Los Angeles doesn't even cost six figures. So I don't know how cardboard walls could cost six figures.
SPEAKER 03 :
But do you think they did that? I mean, you saw it.
SPEAKER 06 :
Absolutely not. With love to them. Oh my God, it was gorgeous. But like, it wasn't that nice. It wasn't like gorgeous marble. Like, no, that was not six figures. Why was it allowed to happen?
SPEAKER 23 :
First off, Oh my gosh. We, so our set, my set is not, and she's talking about, this is a podcast. I was talking about Kamala Harris. They, the interview that she did, they created this fake set and that's six figures on it. My studio. So behind me is not just a television. It is a giant Florida ceiling, led wall. It is legit. It is super not cheap. It's not six figures. I have my tactical walls loaded up with all my actual real Kel-Tec guns. And also not six figures. I have a custom huge desk with a four and a half foot wide gamer screen. Custom mic. Everything custom, custom. A super bougie, like, you know, ergonomical chair that also props me up. And full lighting rig, total pro build out, pro cameras. Like these are like the cameras that you would find at Fox or ABC or CNN. That's why I don't look dim or hazy. Nobody in podcasting has better cameras than we do for our simulcast. Literally nobody in the business in podcasting or doing digital shorts has the kind of cameras I do. Not six figures. When do they not money launder? That's the question. This was money laundering. Stick with us. Second hour coming up.
SPEAKER 21 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. After completing the renovation, follow up with the customer to ensure their satisfaction and address any remaining concerns. Provide maintenance tips and guidance to help them preserve the results of the renovation for years to come. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice brought to you by floor and decor Parsippany.
SPEAKER 18 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and jaw-block quantities of Schluter, Mapei, Ladecrete, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in Parsippany.
SPEAKER 21 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. Prioritize quality craftsmanship and materials to deliver results that exceed the customer's expectations. Attention to detail and superior workmanship will leave a lasting impression and ensure customer satisfaction. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany.
SPEAKER 18 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and job lock quantities of Schluter, Mapei, Ladecrete, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in Parsippany.
SPEAKER 10 :
Last night at the Patriot Awards, I think we got a clip, he was doing the Trump dance. And I'm sure you've seen that evolve over the last... As you look right there, how do you describe your husband's dance moves?
SPEAKER 26 :
Oh, this is very special and unique dance. And I think a lot of people are copying it and everybody has fun with it.
SPEAKER 10 :
Is this how you dance?
SPEAKER 26 :
No.
SPEAKER 10 :
Which part of the Trump dance, did you give him any tips? Like in the beginning it was low and then it was up high and now there's a golf swing. No, he's coming along his own. Have you ever done the Trump dance? You are Mrs. Trump.
SPEAKER 26 :
I did not.
SPEAKER 23 :
That is hysterical. It's like he's got string. it cracks me up the first time that i saw him do it i think it was back during his first term when he's campaigning for his first term and he did kind of a little thing and nobody really noticed it i think well i think people talked about it and they laughed about it and then he kind of started every time he'd get happy he'd do it it was funny welcome back to the show i just like the dance because it's hysterical what was the video that um It was SNL where he was redoing that video. Oh, my gosh. Who was the guy who was on Nickelodeon but acts like he comes from the life of Hard Knocks, school of Hard Knocks? Steve, who am I thinking of?
SPEAKER 03 :
He did a sketch on SNL where he recreated Drake in Hotline Bling.
SPEAKER 23 :
Thank you. Yes, he recreated that video, Hotline Bling. That's right, right, right, right, right. That's what he did. He did that video. And it was funny because that's when he really got into it. And that, I think, really is when it was officially born. And he was doing his Trump dance with his string, his invisible string. This just cracks me up. So welcome back. It's Friday. He was doing it to YMCA. I was reading this story about... Victor Willis, the YMCA singer who says that he's he supports Trump using the song because it brings joy to the American people. He did an interview about it. And he says he has no problem with it being used. But he said he will sue outlets who call it a gay anthem. He said he supports Trump using it to bring joy to the American people. He goes, I decided to allow the president-elect's continued use of YMCA because he seems to genuinely, genuinely like the song. And so many other artists were stopping him from using their music. And he goes, if you were to ask me today if the village people would perform at the inauguration, I would probably say no because we'd be concerned about endorsement. He goes, however... Because he's done so much for YMCA. He goes, the song's actually gone back to number one. It's still number one today. He goes, so if he were to ask the village people to perform it live for him, we'd have to seriously consider it. But he goes, the song was never gay. And I'm going to sue people who say it's a gay anthem. I am dying. He goes, come January. And then he drops it. He goes, come January 2025, my wife and I, we're going to start suing each and every news organization that falsely says it's a gay anthem. I mean, he like went right into it. It's hysterical. This guy cracks me up. But, you know, he's like, he's having fun with it. I always hate when people say that, like these artists that go out, like, how dare you use my music? The way it works is they have to license their music. That's how they make more money off of their songs. If they license it for different use, like you can get different licenses, like for public use. There's different categories.
SPEAKER 09 :
Publishing for actual production, for score, you know what I mean? There's all kinds of different ways that you can attach your name to it. But it's ultimately about ownership of your own music. So by doing that, you're licensing. You now have the license to decide where that song goes. And if you put it in the public domain and allow it to be purchased... That's just what happened.
SPEAKER 23 :
Right. It's like similar to what if you're Nike and you're selling shoes. Somebody buys your Nike shoes, they can wear them.
SPEAKER 09 :
Right.
SPEAKER 23 :
I mean, or you're licensing your logo out for certain. Yeah, I mean, that's. Right. So once they do that, you know, it's. Yeah, I mean, you can't say for him, but not for him. That's not how the licensing works. And that's ASCAP. So you have your ASCAP, BMI ASCAP. Yeah.
SPEAKER 08 :
And CSAC.
SPEAKER 23 :
So I always get mad when I see these musicians go out and say, he can't use our music anymore. Why'd you license it then? I think they do that as a way to get more attention for themselves. So good on this guy. Good on the YMCA guy. It's a joyful song. It's a very joyful song, you know, I got to say. So now I saw this story over, first of all, I think this was over at Red State. So you know how every president gets a presidential library? Okay, well, apparently Biden, I don't know how that's going to work with him. Apparently donors are withholding their contributions because they're livid that he pardoned Hunter. They said it was a, quote, abrupt, clumsy pardon of his son, end quote. And so they're tightening their grip on their wallets. Yep. A couple of different outlets are reporting this, including Axios. You know, that bastion of conservatism. There's an article over at Axios saying, talking about what's happening behind the curtain. And they're saying, you know, 82-year-old Biden will limp away from the limelight, widely disliked by the public, loathed by many Democrats who blame him for the twin sins of selfishness, running again and pardoning Hunter. And apparently, and Politico mentioned this in another piece, some of Biden's own family are shocked at the vitriol being shown to him by their fellow Democrats. They said that they thought that there would be blowback, but not what was described as a, quote, wicked backlash because they are so damn blind and tone deaf. Now you can see why Biden makes stupid decisions because he's surrounded by stupid people. They're shocked that that would get the backlash that it would, especially from other Democrats. You're shocked? Give him the pain and tension then. So then the, I mean, he could have, he could have pardoned, you know what, if he would have pardoned Trump and his son Hunter, would that have helped? With other Democrats though? Would that have made Democrats angrier? It would have given him cover for, In that it was not so much personal for him, right? Maybe. I don't know.
SPEAKER 09 :
But I think all of the stuff for Trump will have to happen after he's president. So they still have to wait four years.
SPEAKER 23 :
I mean, Biden said his son didn't do anything wrong. Well, then why do you got to pardon him? For all a blanket pardon for all this stuff. Why do you got to pardon him then if he did nothing wrong? We had a thing up about that on Instagram, on my account. We put it up going over. Remember how, not just him, but like the Hakeem Jeffries, everybody was saying, oh no, Hunter did nothing wrong. Biden said Hunter did nothing wrong. Well, then now here we are. But they said that as a result of this, these people, because that's where your library comes from, people donate, et cetera. And it looks like, Democrats are not, they don't want to donate to his library. It might be a bookmobile. They said that most Democrats, a YouGov poll, which is kind of a lefty thing, that 64% of Democrats approve the pardon. 64%. That was a reversal of earlier sentiment. But it's 64% of people that they had described as like Democrats, not even likely voters, registered voters, things like that. However, the other percentage, because the way that they did their polling, it's like, you know, do you approve, strongly approve, strongly? This was just approve. The strongly approve was a small percentage. But everyone else was strongly disapprove. And the other thing that they're so angry about is the fact that he left so long. Now, when they asked separately whether or not Democrats felt that he that they were angry that he stayed in the race too long, like 70 percent of them were angry that he had that they disapproved of how long he's like strongly disapproved of how long he stayed in the race. So they're angry at him because he pardoned his son and they're doubly angry at him because he waited so long to get out of the race. And it made it doubly impossible for Democrats. I felt like they didn't want to waste a good candidate on a fool's errand by using their good candidate to replace Biden. But this is Democrats' own fault. They built Joe Biden. Joe Biden was always a jackass. He really was. Is. One of the meanest people. When I was growing up, and I wasn't really aware of politics like in the 80s. I was in elementary school. And I wasn't really aware. I think the first time I ever saw Biden was on TV during the Clarence Thomas thing. And I remember feeling bad as a kid in a family of Democrats in southern Missouri for Clarence Thomas, because Joe Biden in his line of questioning, he was so ignorant to him. And I was a little I was a little kid in elementary school watching this. And it was on, and I just remember playing around the house, and it was on the television. And I remember thinking, this guy is so mean. This old man is so mean. He was an old man even then. He's so mean. And that's the first time that I ever really saw him. And then as I grew up and, you know, you go through his, just become more aware of politics and you study history. I found out how ignorant he was with Reagan and in different hearings like that. I would see him on TV over and over again. And he was always mad and hateful about something. He was always like super, super ignorant about something. And just a really not a nice guy. And I say this because Democrats built him. They really did. They built him. And they only have themselves to blame. They can sit here and try to brush it off and accuse everybody else of this stuff. But ultimately, they're the ones who built him. They made Joe Biden who he is today. So I feel like... I don't feel bad for them about any of this, Cain. I don't feel bad about any of this. Audio, audio some by five. Senator Fetterman says that the he says that Hunter was deserves a pardon because it was politically motivated. I disagree on this. Listen.
SPEAKER 27 :
Well, I think it's undeniable that the case against Hunter Biden was really politically motivated. But I also think it's true that the trial in New York for Trump, that was political as well, too. And in both cases, I think a pardon is appropriate. And I really think collectively, you know, America's confidence in these kinds of institutions have been damaged by these kinds of cases.
SPEAKER 23 :
The thing, the Hunter Biden case, the pardon wasn't just for one thing. You it was for his tax issues in California, which he's guilt. I mean, for crying out loud, that was that had nothing to do with politics. The family was switching money around to their different shell companies and the amounts that they were moving triggered. the banks to investigate. So that had nothing to do with politics. That's standard operating procedure. The gun charge, that's not politically motivated. You know what's been politically motivated is stripping FFLs of their licenses over grammatical errors because you're looking for any way possible to shut down retailers. That's politically motivated. So you can't just say that the whole, all of the things that Hunter Biden is being charged with, they're not even remotely all the same. They didn't even start remotely all at the same time. Oh my gosh, like the bank thing, that was like even before the laptop. That's how shady this family is. So, no, it wasn't political. It was not all political prosecutions. None of it was with Hunter, really. It really wasn't. The New York thing to take an expired misdemeanor and attach a mystery charge to it to falsify its elevation to a federal charge is asinine. That is political.
SPEAKER 21 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. After completing the renovation, follow up with the customer to ensure their satisfaction and address any remaining concerns. Provide maintenance tips and guidance to help them preserve the results of the renovation for years to come. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany.
SPEAKER 18 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and jaw-block quantities of Schluter, Mapei, Ladecrete, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in Parsippany.
SPEAKER 21 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Florin Decor East Brunswick. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. After completing the renovation, follow up with the customer to ensure their satisfaction and address any remaining concerns. Provide maintenance tips and guidance to help them preserve the results of the renovation for years to come. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice brought to you by floor and decor East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 18 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and job lot quantities of Schluter, Mapei, Ladecrete, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 09 :
And now, all of the news you would probably miss. It's time for Dana's Quick Five.
SPEAKER 23 :
So apparently two Delta flight attendants failed a breathalyzer test right before an international flight. Do they have to take breathalyzers before they... Yeah.
SPEAKER 11 :
Really?
SPEAKER 23 :
I mean, they're not flying the plane. They got pulled after failing a breathalyzer in Amsterdam on Friday. They were randomly tested by Dutch authorities before a flight to JFK, and a female intendant had a .02, so it was seven times over the legal limit. Honestly, can I be real? Yeah, .02. Like, what's their limit there?
SPEAKER 09 :
.08 is the legal limit, so she's under the legal limit?
SPEAKER 23 :
They said that the female flight attendant showed blood alcohol seven times over the legal limit. Oh, and a male flight attendant failed by .02. Oh, gotcha.
SPEAKER 11 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 23 :
So honestly, like I like a lot of flight attendants, but some of them probably need to be drunk to offer better service. So I don't know if I'm some of them need to chill out. You know what I mean? So I feel like I don't know if I'm for this. I'm just saying I got to be honest. So let's see. Scammers are using bogus QR codes on parking meters. Yeah, I believe that. Why would anybody do that, though? Like, don't just don't just scan stuff and do. But the FBI said that they're hijacking QR codes. They're placing stickers with codes they create on top of the real QR code. And then that directs you to phishing websites where people can steal personal or financial information. Just be careful about this stuff. Right. OK. Just be very always double check. Make sure it's not a sticker over a sticker. Stick with us.
SPEAKER 21 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Florin Decor East Brunswick. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. After completing the renovation, follow up with the customer to ensure their satisfaction and address any remaining concerns. Provide maintenance tips and guidance to help them preserve the results of the renovation for years to come. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice brought to you by floor and decor East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 18 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and job lock quantities of Schluter, Mapei, Ladecrete, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 21 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Florin Decor East Brunswick. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. Prioritize quality craftsmanship and materials to deliver results that exceed the customer's expectations. Attention to detail and superior workmanship will leave a lasting impression and ensure customer satisfaction. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice brought to you by Floor & Decor East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 18 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and job lot quantities of Schluter, Mapei, Ladecrete, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 05 :
True in every respect, but on page 195 of the CAS report it says, there is no evidence that gender affirmative treatments reduce suicide.
SPEAKER 22 :
What I think that is referring to is there is no evidence in the studies that this treatment reduces completed suicide. And the reason for that is completed suicide, thankfully and admittedly, is rare. And we're talking about a very small population of individuals with studies that don't necessarily have completed suicides within them. However, there are multiple studies long-term longitudinal studies that do show that there is a reduction in suicidality, which I think is a positive outcome to this treatment.
SPEAKER 23 :
So this is the ACLU's attorney, the trans attorney, who was trying to present as an argument for her case that gender—I hate this phrase— I'm not saying gender affirmative, the experimental surgeries and the chemical castrations and the puberty blockers and the hormones and all of this stuff, the elective mastectomies, all of it, that it reduces suicide. That was what they were trying to argue in the beginning. And now when they have to actually provide any something substantial to support their their argument, they are unable to, and they have to, I mean, they have to relent and acknowledge that there's no evidence in these studies that it reduces suicide. Cain keeps going back to suicidality. Yeah, you like that word?
SPEAKER 09 :
I mean, it's everything. It's like, but people think about it, though, is the thing. People think about suicide. So that's why we need these surgeries, because people think about suicide.
SPEAKER 23 :
I mean, being suicidal, and then that's a very different, what they're trying to, I mean, that's a Ma Bailey.
SPEAKER 11 :
Exactly.
SPEAKER 23 :
That doesn't make any sense. That's so stupid. I mean you're either – I mean there's a medical evaluation for that. And literally there's criteria already established to determine whether or not someone is suicidal clearly. This is just them trying to shore up this losing argument. They're not going to – it doesn't look like the court is going to lean their way. But we'll see. Just –
SPEAKER 09 :
Other countries have done the studies and they realize that there's no future in this path that's good for humanity.
SPEAKER 23 :
That's why they're banned in Europe.
SPEAKER 09 :
Exactly right. And they know that this is the end game here, but they're trying to play the drama up. The media is trying to do that now with this SCOTUS situation.
SPEAKER 23 :
Now, Lorraine made note of this. I didn't. Someone else did. Because I had this thought that I wasn't going to say anything because I thought I was the only one. No, Lorraine just came out with it in Slack. Lorraine's going to learn real quick. She goes, the lawyer's name is Chase Strangeo, LOL, aka Chasing Strange. I am dead. I am dead. It sounds like a very fancy way of saying, I mean, you could say Chasing Strange. That's just, you know, or Chasing Strangeo. Strangio. Chasing the Strangio. I don't know. Gosh, it's so... You guys know what that means. No, I'm not going to explain it. Don't Google it. Do not. I feel like they're doing it when I say to not, Cain.
SPEAKER 09 :
But that can't be... Is that the real name? Yeah, that's what her name is. That can't be real.
SPEAKER 23 :
Chase Strangio.
SPEAKER 09 :
That cannot be real. So there's nothing real about this person.
SPEAKER 23 :
That's like someone's name... being no don't do it you're gonna do it aren't you don't do it don't do it well you know like if their first name was michael okay no i know what you mean and i get it and his parents are the hunt family oh man what just saying it's like a joke almost like jokey like that right yeah it is Chase Strangio. What a name. Like, of all the names you could... For real, like, if you're going to change all that about yourself, maybe don't make your name Chasing Strange. It's like Chasing Amy, but not. Right? You all right over there? Yeah. I don't know, man. I blame Lorraine for that one.
SPEAKER 09 :
It's all her, man. They even have a real lawyer?
SPEAKER 23 :
Is she a real lawyer? She has... She's a lawyer. She's with the ACLU, whatever that means.
SPEAKER 09 :
But is the she part the lawyer or is the he part the lawyer? Nah, she's a lawyer. Did she take the bar or did he take the bar?
SPEAKER 23 :
I mean, does it matter?
SPEAKER 09 :
I thought it did.
SPEAKER 23 :
I don't know. But still, that's the argument that they're having. That's the Supreme Court. Like I said, I still feel like SCOTUS, especially with some of the questioning, it feels like they're leaning towards... not, I mean, in favor of Tennessee. That's what it sounds like. But, you know, I'm still, we'll see. It's a All right, we've got – I'm looking at some – there's like a bunch of odds and ends stuff. Like I've got Doge stuff. We've been talking about the cabinet nominees and this thing with SecDef, which I think we're not going to know until Trump actually just comes out and says, hey, guys, I'm either going to stand behind my nominee or I feel like maybe – Maybe we need to have somebody else because there's been a lot of rumors about DeSantis and all this. So we'll see. But I will say that one of the other moves, and I'm going to go to Doge just because I like saying it. One of the other things that we've seen is this department. I was actually shocked at this. So Luke Rosiak, who does really good work and he's done stuff with Daily Caller, etc. He had said in this in his examination of the federal workforce, I did not know it was this much. He had said that 94 percent of the feds of the federal government still works from home. The EPA had poisonous water in its own headquarters because it was sitting in the pipes stagnant from disuse. USDA inspectors claim that they inspect food facilities for safety issues from home. It's 2024. 94% of them still work from home. What in the world? He noted that that the Social Security Administration just spent $120 million renovating its massive headquarters. But the building is 91% unused. And Biden just signed an agreement giving them, all the way through the Trump administration, I mean, to be able to continue using this building, even though Biden used his 2022 speech to say workers have to come back to the office and be productive. At the VA, their website states that you can break away from the traditional nine to 540 hour work week. One third of calls to one mental health hotline for veterans went unanswered. This is unreal. Unreal. So apparently now. It looks like this might be one of the first things Doge cuts. It might be one of the very first things that they cut. When you look at how before the pandemic, apparently it was only 3% of the federal workforce that worked from home or teleworked or whatever before the pandemic, 3%, like barely 3%. Now they said 6% report in person on a full-time basis. One-third entirely are remote. The government spends $16 billion a year to operate all of its buildings, the properties that it puts all this stuff in, right? And so even knowing that, even knowing that, They only have an occupancy rate of 12%.
SPEAKER 1 :
12%.
SPEAKER 23 :
Even GSA, and that's the General Services Administration, that's the entity that manages federal real estate. They work from home. Their base in Missouri came. Unbelievable. Like the EPA. That's how Luke Rosiak noted that they had dangerous bacteria in their water, according to an audit, because the water was left in the pipes stagnant from disuse. But yet they have the unions, which I don't think public sector unions absolutely have no place in American society. Private unions are one thing. I don't have an issue with private unions. Public unions, where the government gets to sit at the table with big fat cat public unions, funded by the taxpayer bosses and taxpayers are told that we don't get to have a say in it oh hell no and a lot of them taxpayers are private unions too private working private sector unions does that sound like it's fair hell no it doesn't and but you have the public unions that are demanding full individual workstations for each employee being maintained in the event that they're used Those rare occasions. So now it looks like because one of the things Musk has said is that if people don't want to come into work, then they can go find another job. I agree. But you know what? What's more? If it's shown that we don't need all this, then why do we have it? If we don't need all these employees, why do we have them? I think we need to eliminate a lot of these offices entirely. Social Security Administration, give everybody money back. Stop government spending. Take it all down to Article 1, Section 8. Return money to the people. Eliminate it. Eliminate Department of Education. Eliminate Social Security Administration. Eliminate DHS. I mean, I could go on, on and on and on. But it requires an austerity that most people, including Republicans, don't have the spine to endure. This congressman says it's absurd to get rid of the Department of Education. Listen.
SPEAKER 14 :
I've got many examples where CBO has absolutely failed to adequately assess the cost. I think with the issue of getting rid of the Department of Education, for example, they claim it would cost millions and millions and millions of dollars to get rid of an agency. That makes no sense at all. You're getting rid of an agency that costs us $80 billion a year, and yet it's supposed to cost us more money if we get rid of it?
SPEAKER 23 :
That just is absurd. It's not going to cost you more money if you get rid of it. Do you realize the amount of spending that we do per student in some of these states where you have the worst academic performances? What the states spend per student actually exceeds about 90% of private school tuition per student. When I was in Ohio for an event, I think it was they were telling us that they spent over $13,000. I think it was over $13,000. Let me check my notes. The spending... student per student in Ohio. Oh, sorry, I was under. It's over $15,000 per student. In fact, the approximate average is $15,427 per pupil. And that's in Ohio. In some states, it's higher. Illinois, it's higher. California, it's higher. New York, it's higher. I was at an event, and I was talking with a family. They have three kids, and their kids are in private Christian school. And their private tuition per student was cheaper than what they spend public school per pupil. Now, I homeschooled my kids, and then they went to a Christian school. And we spent less per pupil than what the state of Texas spent, spends per pupil. We spent less on their per student tuition than what the state, that's unreal. My point in telling you this is that when you talk about school choice, what you're talking about is allowing all that money that you're paying into these schools that are not performing, a department of education that has been failing your kids ultimately since its inception, and allowing you to choose a better education for your kids. People who argue against school choice, they don't want your kids better educated. They want you to be as uneducated as they can make you. They don't want your children to, they don't want them, they don't believe in upward economic mobility. And they use this as a weapon against it. That is what this is. They don't want you choosing a better school for your child. These people who want to deny you the right of what to do with the money you work for and the child that you are raising. Now you can see why this is such a common denominator issue for so many. Republicans need to be louder and louder and louder about this.
SPEAKER 21 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Florin Decor East Brunswick. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. After completing the renovation, follow up with the customer to ensure their satisfaction and address any remaining concerns. Provide maintenance tips and guidance to help them preserve the results of the renovation for years to come. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice brought to you by floor and decor East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 18 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and job lock quantities of Schluter, Mapei, Ladecrete, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 21 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. Clear communication is key to a successful renovation. Keep the customer informed at every stage of the project, addressing any concerns or questions promptly to maintain trust and satisfaction. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany.
SPEAKER 18 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and job lock quantities of Schluter, Mapei, LATICRETE, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in Parsippany.
SPEAKER 09 :
It's his life mission to make bad decisions. It's time for Florida Man.
SPEAKER 23 :
Jeez, straws, axes. So, this Florida man, a saw-swinging Florida man, struck a guy during a wrong-way driving argument. Boy, oh boy. Yeah. Yeah. So this Fort Myers, Lee County Sheriff's Office, an argument over a wrong way driving landed one man in jail and another left with life, non-life-threatening injuries. Rolando Ruiz Alonzo. Too many names, Rolando. He was the primary aggressor in the altercation. And according to police, the old dude began swinging a... Was it a saw or not? A saw-like tool toward a victim as the argument escalated and the victim was struck. And then he also used a piece of ceramic pottery as a weapon. He was charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Uh, I guess he, I mean, he was driving the wrong way and got called that. I don't know, but good heavens. Like there's how many people have saws and machetes there? Like it's like people just go to their trucks and get them. Here's our, here's my machete. Okay. Here's my saw. A Florida man who was accused of murder was captured after TikTok revealed his whereabouts. People overshare. He shot and killed his girlfriend in front of her two children while they were at a cemetery of all places. St. Petersburg police were searching for him for three and a half years. No success. And then a video of a local news story was shared on TikTok. He was in Mexico and it showed him in Mexico and they were able to get him. So now he's been charged with first degree murder and two counts of child abuse. They just happened to get him. So, wow. They just happened to see him in the background of this news story. He was in Mexico. Not really hiding out too well, I guess. We have our third hour on the way and the latest with just all the latest. Stick with us.
SPEAKER 21 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Florin Decor East Brunswick. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. After completing the renovation, follow up with the customer to ensure their satisfaction and address any remaining concerns. Provide maintenance tips and guidance to help them preserve the results of the renovation for years to come. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice brought to you by floor and decor East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 18 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and job lock quantities of Schluter, Mapei, LATICRETE, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 21 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. After completing the renovation, follow up with the customer to ensure their satisfaction and address any remaining concerns. Provide maintenance tips and guidance to help them preserve the results of the renovation for years to come. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice brought to you by floor and decor Parsippany.
SPEAKER 18 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and job lock quantities of Schluter, Mapei, Ladecrete, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in Parsippany.
SPEAKER 23 :
Welcome back. Top of the third hour. Dana Lash with you. Find us over at Substack as well. Chapter and verse. And you can also check us out on Rumble, Channel 347, DirecTV, all that good stuff. I want to show you this video. Imagine you are in the grocery store. And in this instance, it's a Walmart superstore. And you witness this in front of you as captured in video.
SPEAKER 11 :
Watch.
SPEAKER 23 :
It's this little girl. Who is the annoying broad who's going, you don't know what she's been through. Shut up. Tell me that you don't have kids without telling me you don't have kids. This woman, you don't know what she's, what the hell, why does anyone care what, it's not about what she's been through. It's about what she's doing right now, her illegal criminal behavior in the store right now. That's the issue. Where are her parents at? Everyone's like, don't touch her. Don't do this. This enables this behavior. You're not doing this kid a favor. Where's this kid's parents at? Why is she doing stuff like this in a store? You know, she's feeding off of all that. All those people who are going, don't touch her, don't touch her. She's feeding off all of that. And that's part of the reason why she keeps going. Everybody's watching me. Look what I can do. But this one woman who's got to be there, anytime anybody tries to intercede, that lady gets involved. Just shut up, you and your bell-bottom yoga pants, and walk right back into the bread aisle where you came from. Good night. I'd have beat my kid's ass if they'd done something like this in a store. So what do you do in this situation? What would you have done, Cain? You're in a super Walmart, Cain, or any of you out there. You come across this right in front of you. You're just trying to shop, you know, get your foodstuffs. What do you do?
SPEAKER 09 :
Wait, are we saying if that's my kid or if that's just a random?
SPEAKER 23 :
Oh, if that's just what you see. Everyone's like, don't touch her. She's throwing stuff. She's throwing glass.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, it becomes dangerous at that point.
SPEAKER 23 :
Yeah. What if she throws a glass bottle at your head?
SPEAKER 09 :
Well, not only that, but what if she's walking around on top of said,
SPEAKER 23 :
Mm hmm.
SPEAKER 09 :
Glass.
SPEAKER 23 :
What liability is that creating for the store if anybody slips and falls on any of the stuff that she's thrown and breaking in the floor?
SPEAKER 09 :
Not to mention the actual loss of the products themselves.
SPEAKER 23 :
Right. Finally, there's a man who goes over and intervenes, but then you got busy body, rowdy woman who comes over there.
SPEAKER 09 :
just shut up I don't know like instinctually you'd want to grab the kid by the arm and pull him away from there and give them a nice physical you know like oh a little jarring it's like oh what is this what's going on here not an abuse not any sort of you know litigatable pain or suffering this is literally just a little jolt that's what you're doing here is not what you need to be doing plus now it's dangerous and so what I know for sure I would have said something to that woman
SPEAKER 23 :
Oh, yeah, I would have said something to her, too.
SPEAKER 09 :
Without a doubt.
SPEAKER 23 :
Oh, yeah, completely. I mean, you don't know what she's going through. That's not validation. That's not justification to destroy stuff and put other people in danger in a store.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, you don't want to put hands on someone else's kid. You don't put hands on anybody else. You don't want to do that. The fact that she's putting people in that position is a problem.
SPEAKER 23 :
I think if people don't want their kids to get their ass beat from throwing around wine bottles in a store, then maybe they ought to do it themselves before other people will. That's kind of how I look at it. Because I'm going to tell you what, your kid throws a wine bottle at me, I will beat your kid's ass. I will be the parent that you failed to be. Absolutely. And then I will sue you. for everything I can think of and I will run you into deficit by occupying you in warfare as punishment for not parenting your child and then your child will be taken and given to somebody who can raise your child better so there's a whole process I I mean that doesn't help the kid by oh don't touch her encouraging this behavior people are afraid to parent anymore Isn't that wild? At one point, does anybody in that video go, where are her mom and dad? I mean, where are her parents? I mean, she comes off as an entitled brat. It doesn't look like she's on hard times or nothing. She's dressed nice. It looks like she's clean and fed. You know, I don't know. But they're like, oh, you don't know what she's going through. You can't intervene. That's not justification for any of it. A lot of people go through a lot of hard stuff. And I think it's insulting and it's weak to blame your circumstances for acting like that in public. There's no excuse for it. There's none. Absolutely none. You don't just get to destroy stuff in a store. And I don't know where her I kept trying to look and see. I don't know. I couldn't identify whether or not she had a parent there in the store. I mean, how would your mom just be or your dad just be watching you do this stuff? I don't know. But that's, you know, don't don't touch her. Oh, you don't know what she's been through. Well, what about all the other people there that are just trying to shop? What about what they've been through? You know, they've all been through stuff, too. They don't want to be subjected to this stuff. They don't want to have stuff thrown at them. They don't want to watch this kid. I mean, what, you're giving them room to destroy store product and throw around bottles of juice? It's crazy. I mean, I don't know. They... This is the kid knows that she was that she's pushing boundaries in this video, clearly, which is why she's she's doing it. And all these people that are standing there like don't do anything. She knows that she's got the upper hand because everyone's terrified to do anything. And then what happens when she's allowed to destroy this stuff as a kid? What happens when she turns 18 and she tries this? Huh? Who gets the blame then? for her going to jail for property destruction or assault or something of that nature, then who gets the blame? You know, it could have been prevented. I mean, I don't know. The woman who's like, don't touch her, don't touch her. She's part of the problem, too. She also needs to have her A-double-snakes beat. She's part of the problem, also. This kid needs to be in a juvie ward. I mean, the worker's standing there doing nothing. You know, nothing. All the workers that are just sitting there looking at her. The man steps in and finally restrains her. The man. You got all these do nothing women standing there. And then the man has to step in and restrain the child. And then you got that mouthy broad that comes in. Shut up. Now who's going to pay for all the destruction? Who's going to pay for that? Who pays extra for cleaning up the broken glass? I mean, that's entitlement. You're destroying something that other people are expected to clean up while pretending that you're the victim. Man, this kid's already been failed clearly by their parents. This kid's just a bad kid. She's a bad kid. And then the woman who was like, don't touch her. Is she paying for all this? I didn't see that broad running her mouth. I didn't see her getting down on her hands and knees to clean up the mess that this kid was making. Did you? I didn't see her getting down. I didn't see her taking out her purse to get some money out of her wallet to pay for everything that was destroyed.
SPEAKER 09 :
And what's even more upsetting is that now it's completely reversed. They'll call the cops on parents that are actually implementing discipline and won't on parents who let their kids do what we just saw in that video.
SPEAKER 23 :
I never acted out in a store like this because my mother would have murdered me. And my kids didn't do this. My kids only acted up one time in public. One time. That's all it took. And I did the one, two, three count. And I think they remember it to this day. Because the youngest was being real... The oldest was being real... Wasn't listening too well, being kind of dangerous, climbing up and jumping up too high. And I'm like, he's going to break his legs off. Wasn't listening. And then kept running around because the playground we were at, it was separated by a really low stone wall. And you could just climb right over it and go out into the road. Youngest kept trying to go on the other side of the wall. I'm like, you have a whole playground over here. Why are you attracted to the street? Stop it. And I told him once, I was like, I'm going to give you a count. This is one. And I tell you again, and you don't come in. When I get to three, that's it. We're going. It's like, whatever. didn't listen again, gave him a warning, counted. I said, one, still didn't come back over the wall. Wanted to go and play in the street. Two, got to three, went, picked him up, screaming, hollering. It was like I was murdering him or skinning a cat or something. Got him and his younger brother in the car and we left. That was the, oh my gosh, it was just like, you know, a bomb went off, a bomb of screaming and shrieking. But it was the only time I ever had to count. And I was able to use the one, two, three thing literally up until they were like 16. So actually, I probably could still do it today. Come to think of it, because not only did I put him in a car, but I whooped his ass right there, whooped him, put him in the car. Let's go. Oh, my gosh. It's about to follow through. I literally never had to do it again. Ever. It was a magical thing. I'm like, one? That was it. Everyone was like, oh my gosh, she's at one. Stopped. This kid? Jeez. This is part of the problem. I still, can I just, I'm going to move on, but the other thing that gets me are the workers. They're women, too. I've noticed it. There's the there's only one what there's there's one man who's kind of comes up towards the end, but he's holding something. He was shopping and then a dad. You could tell that's a dad. The dad comes, but not her dad. It is a dad comes in immediately when she's throwing glass and he stops her. Kids like this who do not get their behavior corrected become problems for society. They grew up to be Hunter Biden. That's what happens. They grow up to be Hunter Biden. Speaking of which, have you guys seen the Bidens? Have you seen the Christmas decorations that Jill Biden put up? They didn't have big fanfare about it this time, did they? Let me pull this link up. So, yeah. So apparently it was Jill Biden that was the one who was convincing the family about to convincing Joe to do the pardon, to pardon Hunter. And she apparently, I was reading a story yesterday, she led the family campaign to pressure him to do it. Although I really don't think that, to me, it seems like I don't really think that they needed a lot of pressure, right? That's something that I don't really think they needed a lot of pressure on. But in addition, when I was reading this piece, let me pull this story up. My link is broken. Did you guys see their Christmas decorations? They were circus decorations. They were, it's being described as fitting, her Christmas decorations. One of them is a literal actual circus, like in the room. And pull this up. I mean, it is like a literal circus decorations. The last holiday, the last Christmas they're having at the White House, they have circus decorations. I can't think of anything more fitting than this. Right? They did circus decorations. I don't know, man. I mean... It is, yeah, it looks intentional, doesn't it? And it also is kind of just tacky. I don't like it. I like the more traditional stuff. I don't like this kind of stuff. But I just want to say, I don't think that they do this. Remember, they're not doing the stockings on the fireplace like they were.
SPEAKER 09 :
Do you think merry-go-rounds when you think Christmas?
SPEAKER 23 :
Yeah, I don't know. And why is the tree in the bars? It's like jailed in the circus merry-go-round. I don't understand this. If you're looking at the simulcast on Channel 347 or X or Rumble, if you're looking at Juan showing you, that's part of the decorations. Why does it look like the Christmas tree is prisoner in a merry-go-round? Why? Why? Isn't that weird? I'm not trying to be picky. See, they got mad at Melania Trump. Her decorations were great. She would not have done some like jumbled up mess like that.
SPEAKER 24 :
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SPEAKER 09 :
And now, all of the news you would probably miss. It's time for Dana's Quick Five.
SPEAKER 23 :
So in Ohio, I told you the Ohio woman who was charged with killing and eating a cat because that was happening, she did plead guilty to one felony count of animal cruelty. She did plead guilty. So that story was true. I just want everyone to know that. Gay couples are rushing to marry and have kids before Trump's inauguration. Why? This is so stupid. Why? Like he literally never did anything to, why? Yeah, and he didn't. Look, that's one of the reasons why some of the evangelical sect got mad at him over some of this stuff. You know what? You're going to have a crappy wedding, and you're going to have a horrible reception, and you're going to have bad music and a bad DJ because you're rushing because you're a turd. Stop it. So stupid. Nobody cares. Do what you're going to do in your private life and leave the rest of us the hell alone. Right? Some of us got baking to do and I'm high on Augmentin right now. The antibiotic. I have to tell people this because people are like, you seem really cheery today. No, I don't. I'm spacey. Now I feel like I got to be meaner. I feel like everybody thinks I'm nice today and it's just, I don't know. Harvey Weinstein was rushed to the hospital over... Doesn't he have like... What did he have? Leukemia. That's right. Blood cancer. Does anybody care? No. Let's see. A man suffered a chemical burn that lasted for months after squeezing limes. Hold up. Hold up. Wait a minute. They... I did not know this. You could actually do this with limes. This guy, it took him two hands, two days for everything to go back to normal. Lime juice and sunlight. So he had squeezed a dozen limes. He went to an outdoor soccer game and didn't apply sunscreen. And then when he came back, he had a rash all over his hands exactly where the lime juice was. And they were saying that it was phytophotodermatitis. It was in the New England Journal of Medicine. And that a number of plants... It might not be toxic right when you're working with it, but when you combine that with the UV light, then it can become that. I actually have heard of this before. That's why, but they were saying sweet orange, lemon, lime, carrots, celery even. Crazy. We have a lot more on the way. Stick with us. That's crazy. Celery?
SPEAKER 19 :
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SPEAKER 23 :
Back to the program, Dana Lesh here with you and we are uh Of course, you know, here discussing all of the latest cabinet picks, everything else with POTUS and POTUS Elect. And then we were kind of questioning where POTATUS is. Not quite sure where he went. I don't know what's happening there. We'll see. A couple of things. I got some audio I wanted to put out here. This is... This is wild. Audio Soundbite 15. Eric... Adams, the New York City mayor, he says, well, he's been very, very critical over the illegal alien crisis in New York. And he had some things to say about it. He dared the left even to cancel him yesterday. He also added this, audio soundbite 15.
SPEAKER 02 :
The long-term impact of what we did to this city is going to, you're going to see it materialize in administrations in the future. They hurt the future of New York City. And when people hear me say $6.4 billion, they may say, okay, it's just a billion here, a billion there. No, we didn't invest in seniors the way we should have and young people the way we should have. We're not going out to get these chronic absentee students the way we should have. the crimes that we witnessed, this impacted our city and people don't seem to understand why were you fighting so hard for this? Because I reflected on that 11 year old boy that was denied and I went into government to stop these 11 year old boys and I came up with a plan to do so and the federal government made me take $6.4 billion out of providing these services that we should, we all should be angry at what happened to our city. under this administration.
SPEAKER 23 :
Oh, it was that last point there. They're going to get him. He's not going to be invited for any more Democrat fundraisers after that. I don't see how that happens. But he's not wrong. Here's the thing. And I keep seeing this because I'm just sort of watching some of the stuff at play and looking at things like Democrats going into 28 and all this stuff. there's going to be a huge problem. They still have a big problem. They haven't done a proper actual post-mortem of why they lost. It's obvious to us why they lost. It's not obvious to the left why they lost. Now, by the left, I mean people in D.C., Because Eric Adams seems to kind of get it. And I don't agree with him on hardly anything. But on this, you know, it's not incorrect. That's not what you're hearing from Democrats in D.C. Democrats in D.C. don't think that anything's wrong. They think the economy's great. If you listen to their soundbites. that economy's great, there's no issue at the border. What they're, I guess, living or experiencing is miles wide, inches deep in terms of the depth that they're willing to explore it. It's so different from what we're living. But then you've got governors and you've got mayors like Eric Adams who are saying things that he's not, what he's saying isn't Republican stuff. I mean, what he's saying is what anybody would say if they had a brain and eyes. They can see exactly what's happening. They know what's going on here. They can see the crime. They can see the unfettered thousands that are being brought illegally across the border and being sent to New York because it's a sanctuary city. They see the crimes committed illegally. by unvetted individuals who were just allowed to enter. No way of checking any kind of criminal record. People are done with it. They're fed up. This is reflected in the language and the positions of local and state lawmakers. But then it seems to end there. Nationally, federally, in D.C., totally different story. They're not going to be able to win another election until they fix that schism. It's a difference of, and I said this earlier, when your ideology meets reality. Reality requires sober observance. Reality requires practicality. Reality requires policy. like actual workable policy, not just simply denial. Until they figure this out, this is going to be a problem that they have for quite some time. We may never see another Democrat victory in our generation again. They're saying two different things. They're saying two different things. It's why in some states you had, like in blue wall states, If you went back and looked, some of the state lawmakers who were running for re-election were Democrats and they did well. But then the people voted for Trump for president. Don't you think that's interesting? You had Democrats that didn't turn out. The turnout for us this last election was actually pretty much almost the same as it was in 2020. Republicans didn't have a banger year for turnout. There wasn't any kind of exorbitant record-setting turnout because Republicans are good like that. But what you did have was record-setting lack of turnout for Democrats. No enthusiasm. They were giving nothing concrete to rally around. And a lot of them, a lot of Democrats that did turn out, they changed their affiliation and they voted for Republicans because they felt that the messaging that they were hearing, the policy proposals that they were reading were more in line with what they wanted and what they needed to happen than what they had previously believed with Democrats. This is going to be a problem for Democrats until they can get this. They've got to figure out how to reconcile these two very different things here. So did you hear about, I didn't know that there was luxury cannabis. I mean, I guess you can have artisanal weed. You can have artisanal anything, right? But what makes it artisanal? I mean, it doesn't get much more artisanal than growing in the sequoias with Bigfoots, right? I mean, I don't know. Jay-Z had apparently a luxury cannabis company, which is funny to me. And it struggled to sell $50 joints. I'm sorry. Was it? Now, I don't know how. Don't make fun of me. Shut up. Does it come in like a carton like cigarettes? Do you get like a bunch of the joints or is it just like one carton?
SPEAKER 09 :
No, I mean, I guess you can buy several, but they don't come in packs like cigarettes. There is a company that does them, and they make them look like cigarettes, but they're actually... Or do people make their own? Yeah, no, people mostly roll their own, but they sell them in pre-rolls.
SPEAKER 23 :
Sorry, do you do like a grape leaf, like with cigars, or is it just like cigarette paper? I'm curious. Yeah, it's cigarette paper. Okay, so were these, I guess, pre-rolled? Right. Luxury joints. $50 again, not knowing. I only know like the hysterical stuff that I've ever seen with Cheech and Chong. I mean, I'm assuming they're like that, but $50 for one of them. How much does that get you? What is, what are we talking about here?
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah. Cheech and Chong is shockingly real life. Oh, that's real life.
SPEAKER 23 :
So you get one joint for $50. No, no. That's what it says here. $50 for one of his luxury joints.
SPEAKER 09 :
I get that was their effort, but it didn't work out, obviously.
SPEAKER 23 :
Yeah, they lost half a billion dollars since they launched. How do you lose money on weed? If you do it stupid?
SPEAKER 09 :
Make it really expensive.
SPEAKER 23 :
This is like one of the dumbest things I've ever seen in my life. They act like they're like, oh, Sean Carter's a great businessman. Maybe, but not with this because I'm not even in the pot. And I could have told you you're selling one little joint for $50. Are you stupid? It's the luxury joint. What is it like? Do California condors talon roll it? Like, how does that work? Are there gold flakes that you smoke? What is it? Apparently, California has a tough legal pot market. I didn't know that either. It's wild. I love that everybody has to deal with bureaucracy. Like nobody, even the sin industries. I love it. They said that none of the retailers across California and Arizona, they don't stock Jay-Z's buds or joints on their online menus. Yeah. And they had, oh my gosh, this is Kamala level crazy, $575 million that they launched with. And now they're in trouble. They said that Jay-Z's monogram products are overpriced and underwhelming. Wow. And see, you never really get rid of the criminal element. They say California's legal weed sector has been stymied by complex rules, high taxes, competitions from black market traders, wildfires, sliding prices. A lot of people have been pushed into insolvency. But they said that it was mind-boggling the amount of money that was pushed for this. I could have told you immediately that probably not going to work. You're talking about luxury pot. People are broke. Everybody is broke. And the people who are going to be doing this are probably not going to be like the Jay-Z rich level people. They're going to be people who think that smoking this makes them Jay-Z rich level. And now they can't afford it because everybody's broke because of the president Jay-Z endorsed. And his administration. So I can't say that I feel sorry for him. I don't. I just think it's funny. Like, who thought that? You know what? We're in a time of, it's a lockdown. Let's launch a luxury cannabis company and charge people $50 per joint. What else can you make luxury? Like artisanal weed. Are you going to do artisanal kefir, Cain? It's pretty artisanal. I don't know how much more artisanal you can make it.
SPEAKER 09 :
It's pretty artisanal on its own. I don't know. Glass bottles preserved from Quaker. I have no idea what you could do with it.
SPEAKER 23 :
Yeah, that sounds... During a time of inflation, I just don't think that luxury stuff, especially starting any kind of luxury line, is going to make it take off. Gen Z, here's a story. Gen Z is killing the Christmas party. People are sober curious. Band-aid is banned. And everybody goes home early. Golly, this generation sucks. This is horrible. I don't want to party with these people. Yeah, I know, right? Who dookied in their Wheaties? Jiminy. They even know what those are. They said mistletoe is a firm no-no. Apparently, mistletoe sales have plummeted. I didn't even know.
SPEAKER 09 :
I've seen that.
SPEAKER 23 :
So stupid. They said that going to bed early is in. Gifting olive oil instead of alcohol. Shut up. Hot chocolate. And then out, band-aid, mistletoe, and alcohol. I mean... I don't know. I just don't know. Christmas parties, I don't care if somebody drinks or not. But if you're gifting, if you're giving olive oil, man, you better be knowing you're cooking. Don't just grab some cheap old olive oil because it's just stupid. Cain just gave me a serious look.
SPEAKER 09 :
That's a real thing. No plastic bottles. No plastic bottles.
SPEAKER 23 :
Yeah, you don't keep it on a plastic bottle either. I don't know. Isn't this the generation or is it millennials that got upset over baby, it's cold outside?
SPEAKER 09 :
I think it was millennials.
SPEAKER 23 :
Yeah, they ruin everything. These people ruin everything. Yeah, now they're like, oh, here we are hanging out and just, you know, no mistletoe. Band-Aid's part of it. You got to make fun of Band-Aid. That's the whole point of it. You play it and you make fun of the fact that all these celebrities got together and apparently Michael Jackson was weirded out. It's weird. It's funny. You make fun of it. Jiminy. Everybody stop being so serious.
SPEAKER 16 :
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SPEAKER 23 :
I read this story about how Hunter Biden apparently, isn't that interesting? He celebrated the pardon, his dad's pardon of himself. He celebrated it by watching a movie of himself. Well, what? So this is New York Post. He celebrated this unprecedented pardon from Daddy Joe by watching a movie about himself. Okay, what? It was a private screening of a documentary. Remember the sugar brother, Kevin Morris, the guy who facilitated everything by buying his horrible paintings? So he was the guy who apparently financed this documentary about him. And I guess he was at watching a screener of that. the day that the pardon came out. So, and he was very, he was very happy. He's this, apparently a source said he's had a huge weight was lifted off and he's had to carry since his dad got elected. I mean, his dad wasn't the one making you do all the gross things that you were doing, but okay. I mean, it, can you imagine being his kids and seeing this stuff about your dad in the press? It's just heinous, heinous. So yeah, they said that, you know, people were attacking me and they were attacking me because of my father. Or because you were a deadbeat nepo. I mean, that's kind of like, you know, really what we're looking at, but whatever. So he, I guess that, I don't know if it's ever going to be released. I don't know. So we'll, but yeah, that's how he spent, that's how he celebrated.
SPEAKER 09 :
So in 2020, Biden was adamant that Hunter's laptop was misinformation, wasn't real, and then recently now has pardoned him for all the crimes listed in the laptop.
SPEAKER 23 :
Yeah, so the laptop isn't real, but he got a pardon for all the stuff that he did in the laptop. So that's... The difference. Yeah, it's D different. There you are. That does it for us, at least for that portion. Of course, we're going to watch everything with the Penny case and then there's the Supreme Court as well. Any kind of cabinet changes, we'll have that covered tomorrow. Make sure you catch us at Substack Chapter and Verse as well. To date in stupidity, Cain.
SPEAKER 09 :
All right, looks like the medical treatment for transgenders conversation was happening with SCOTUS, and Sotomayor had a response to a question when it was asked, how many minors have to have their bodies irreparably harmed for unproven benefits? And I don't know about you, Dana. When I've taken aspirin, I don't have irreparable harm, but this is what her response was. Let's listen.
SPEAKER 07 :
cannot eliminate the risk of detransitioners. So it becomes a pure exercise of weighing benefits versus risk. And the question of how many minors have to have their bodies irreparably harmed for unproven benefits is one that is best left... I'm sorry, Counselor.
SPEAKER 12 :
Every medical treatment has a risk. What? Even taking aspirin. Oh, my Lord. Okay.
SPEAKER 23 :
It's just like the train. So just like lopping off your schlong. Same thing, Dana. Just like it. Yeah, it's just like it. That's, you know, you guys didn't know that. All right. That does it for us today. I hope you all have a great rest of your evening. Make sure you find it. Find us on Substack, Chapter and Verse, as well as Facebook, YouTube, like and subscribe. I'll be back on Monday tomorrow.
SPEAKER 15 :
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On today's special Christmas program, we feature inspiring conversations about faith, miracles, and redemption from our limited series, Profiles in Leadership. Randy Weber, U.S. Representative for the 14th District of Texas, Josh Brecheen, U.S.
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 16 :
Merry Christmas. Thank you so much for joining this very, very special edition of Washington Watch. I'm your host, Jody Heiss, a senior vice president here at the Family Research Council and president of FRC Action. We are so thrilled to have you join us. And let me just say, all of us here at FRC are deeply, deeply thankful for each and every single one of you, our viewers and our listeners. We hope that today has been for you. A HOPEFUL DAY FILLED WITH HOPE, JOY, PEACE, AND LOVE AS WE ALL CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST. AND WE ARE REMINDED THAT THE WORD TELLS US THAT UNTO US A CHILD IS BORN, A SON IS GIVEN, AND THE GOVERNMENT SHALL BE UPON HIS SHOULDERS AND HIS NAME SHALL BE CALLED WONDERFUL COUNSELOR, MIGHTY GOD, EVERLASTING FATHER, PRINCE OF PEACE. ISAIAH 9-6. HOW AWESOME THAT IS. AGAIN, MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU. AND FOR THIS SPECIAL EDITION, WE'RE GOING TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME INTERVIEWS THAT TONY HAD WITH FOUR DIFFERENT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. THIS IS ALL PART OF OUR PROFILES IN LEADERSHIP SERIES THAT YOU CAN FIND, BY THE WAY, AT FRC'S STAND FIRM APP. If you don't have the app, we encourage you to get it, and I'll share with you how you can do that a little bit later in the program. But these interviews go beyond the policies and politics and all the news of the day. They dive into the hearts of these different lawmakers and the faith that drives them. Featured today will be Texas Congressman Randy Weber. Oklahoma Congressman Jasper Keene and Kevin Hearn and Florida Congressman Greg Stubbe. And each of them have a unique story to share on how God guided them to where they are today. And we're happy to bring them to you today as maybe a little gift from us to you. But if you miss any portion of today, again, you can catch this program, this edition at TonyPerkins.com. WE'RE NOT ONLY THIS, BUT ALL. MANY, MANY PAST EDITIONS AND TONS OF RESOURCES, SO AGAIN, BE SURE TO BOOKMARK THAT WEBPAGE, TONYPERKINS.COM. ALSO, AS WE CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF JESUS CHRIST HERE AT FRC, WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN US AS WE CONTINUE SHINING THE LIGHT OF BIBLICAL TRUTH RIGHT HERE IN WASHINGTON, D.C., AND ACROSS THE NATION. AND THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON, EVERY DOLLAR YOU GIVE IS DOUBLED THROUGH A GENEROUS, LIMITED TIME CHALLENGE MATCH THAT WE HAVE. ALL OF THIS HELPING US TO DEFEND FAITH, FAMILY, AND FREEDOM IN THE COMING YEAR. AND TOGETHER, WE CAN ALL STAND FOR THESE BIBLICAL VALUES AND PROCLAIM THE ONLY TRUE SOURCE OF HOPE FOR AMERICA. If you'd like to give and join us, you can do so by texting the word LIGHT to 67742. And let's do it. Let's shine the light of Christmas, the light of Christ together as we enter a new year. All right, let's jump into our first interview today. This is when Tony sat down with Congressman Randy Weber, who serves the 14th Congressional District of Texas.
SPEAKER 09 :
we begin with the story of how congressman weber came to faith in christ and it is an awesome awesome story here's how tony got that part of the conversation started let's talk a little bit about that faith now you you and i have interacted quite a bit and and i know that you are a man of deep abiding faith i've seen it in your prayers Let's talk about that encounter that you had with God, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Let's talk about that.
SPEAKER 14 :
Okay. Well, I grew up in the sixties, child of the sixties, flower power, drugs. I was into drugs, very, I was deeply into drugs. I was actually selling drugs. I was a small town drug dealer selling marijuana by the lid. We'd buy pounds at a time. We'd sell lids. Well, now you'd just be in business. Now I'd be in business, I know. LSD, uppers and downers. I mean, I was really your basic booger head. Well, I was living with a girl. We were selling drugs out of her apartment. And a friend of mine named Jeff Wilson used to come by and buy marijuana from us. He came by one night and he knocked on the door and he said, Randy, I got something I want you to try. I thought it was some kind of new drug or something. He said, I want you to go to church with me. And I said, Jeff Wilson, you have lost your mind. I grew up in a family. They went to church twice a year, whether we did it or not, you know, you know, right. And, but my girlfriend wanted to go to church. So we went there to a church that was on fire, taking people in off the street and their own homes, get them off of drugs of prior homosexuals, prior drug addicts. So as I said, maybe the marriage in shambles, prior alcoholics down on their luck out of a job. They really loved Jesus and it showed. It really showed. There was a guy there, a second guy named Jeff Cawthorn with a real deep voice that was kind of praying for us and loving on us. Long story short, my girlfriend got saved and kicked me out of her apartment. And so where'd that leave you? I started searching. I was going to play search because I knew there was something more powerful here than me. And I was working as a welder's helper in a construction facility. And so I started playing church. I quit smoking, drinking, cussing, telling bad jokes. Although my kids today say, dad, you still tell some pretty bad jokes. I said, I'm talking about dirty, not the bad. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And so long story short, my girlfriend was at my mom's house. I moved back in with my parents on July 2nd, 1973. I was born the first time, July 2nd, 1953. Reborn July 2nd, 1973. But anyway, I got home. My girlfriend was there with my mom cooking me a birthday dinner. The guys at the chemical plant, when I quit smoking and drinking and cussing and all that, they were merciless on me. Man, they were tough on me. You can just imagine. So they convinced me to go out to the bar. It's my birthday, Weber. Come on, go to the bar, which I did. back to smoking drinking cussing telling bad jokes things i hadn't done in four months i was playing church those four months tony so i get on my mom gives me a living first i didn't even own a bible first bible gave me a living bible i'm walking down the hall from the kitchen to my bedroom and the lord says to me read ephesians 5. I didn't know if Ephesians, I didn't know where Ephesians was, Old Testament or New Testament. So what did I do? Go to the table of contents. It's in the Old, New Testament. I didn't know if Ephesians had five chapters. It's got six. Paul writes a living Bible that's come to our attention that some of you have fallen, I'm paraphrasing, but fallen back into your own ways. And it talks about dirty stories, coarse jokes. These are not for you. And later on in Ephesians it says, Arise, O sleeper, and Christ will give you life. Man, I got down on my knees and I said, Lord, you're talking directly to me. Please come into my life and be my personal savior. I went down on my knees on the way to hell, died in the wool center, got up a child of the king. I walked down the hallway into where my girlfriend, my mother was, and she said, you've been crying. I said, I just got saved. She goes, wow, the phone rings in the kitchen. Now, that was the house was built in 72, so it was orange for my countertops. It was the phone like this. Oh, absolutely. And it was Jeff Cawthorn, deep voice. He said, Randy? I said, yeah, Jeff. Just calling to tell you how glad I am you just got saved. I spun around to my girlfriend, I said, This is Jeff on the phone. He knows I just got saved. Did you call him? And she said, Jeff, Jeff, who was Jeff, Jeff Cawthon or Jeff Wilson? I said, no, this is Jeff Cawthon. He knows he just got saved. She said, well, praise the Lord. Tony, God put a stamp on my life. You'll never doubt. You'll never forget. That's how I came to be a child of the King and the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER 09 :
When that's part of the foundation that you bring to this place, the nation's capital, I have to say this from my observation of you, Randy, is that that sensitivity and that tenderness from that moment back in 1973 is still there.
SPEAKER 14 :
Yeah, it is. He who is forgiven much, loves much. And to whom much is given, much is required. I never forget that.
SPEAKER 09 :
There's a radical transformation of your life.
SPEAKER 14 :
man was it out of a life of drugs well quite frankly being a child of the world and the devil if you will to being a child of the king the most high god so how does that influence you today as a member of congress as you said only 288 from texas have served in this capacity if i have the numbers right yeah so how does that influence you today Well, I think our nation, as I said earlier, was ordained by God. We should be a nation of Christian values and principles, and we should walk by those ordinances and principles and, quite frankly, the Ten Commandments in the only one true holy book, and that's the Bible. And that's how we should walk, that's how we should govern, and that's how we should actually treat each other, too.
SPEAKER 09 :
You have a sense of confidence because you've seen the work of God in your own life, so you know this is real. Oh, yeah. So when there's this great attack that we see on faith, this effort to try to suppress Christianity in the public space, I mean, what we've been talking about here, people would say, well, that's Christian nationalism, that you would bring your faith to this place. How do you respond to that?
SPEAKER 14 :
Well, actually, it's Christian rationalism. the only way i can rational this is that if i had not gotten jesus christ as my savior i would still be i might not even be here quite frankly because two of my friends died of drug overdoses one died in prison another one died after he got out of prison So I would say it's Christian rationalism. That is, this is a God-ordained country. And the reason it is, what was it, Alexander de Tocqueville said, the reason America is great is because America is good. And it's because we're based on God's holy word. It's just that simple. Christian rationalism, we'll coin a new phrase.
SPEAKER 09 :
I like that. Because if you think about it, it is the only rational explanation for a life transformed, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. As he said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me. You're not alone up here. There are other Bible-believing, God-fearing Christians that it's kind of the untold story of Washington, D.C. Not a lot of people see that. We need to be more vocal about our faith.
SPEAKER 14 :
Jesus said, anyone who's ashamed of me before men, of him will I be ashamed of my Father who is in heaven. Jesus Christ paid much way to have a price for me, for me to ever be ashamed of him.
SPEAKER 09 :
But when they see, when people, people watching this program hear your testimony, they see you, you've been at our annual gathering for the day of repentance, prayer and repentance that we've done the last two years at the Museum of the Bible. You've prayed openly as a member of Congress. People see that and they take hope in that because if a leader can be bold in their faith, they can as well.
SPEAKER 14 :
I would hope that they take great hope in that, and that they would stand up for Jesus Christ, stand up for God Almighty, and say, you know what? There's a right way and a wrong way to do things, and we need to get back on the path of the right way. And what did you just quote, John 14, 6? I'm the way, the truth, and the life. And I'm going to paraphrase, and no country can make this happen without me.
SPEAKER 16 :
Well, that was Texas Congressman Randy Weber during an exclusive sit-down interview that's part of our Profiles in Leadership series that you can find on FRC's Stand Firm app. This is a special Christmas Day edition of Washington Watch, and we are going to encourage you, if you've not already done so, you want to be sure to have our Stand Firm app as we enter into a new year. You will find so much valuable information there from News of the Day from a biblical perspective to Washington Watch, a host of different things that you will be able to find to help your walk with the Lord and how to look at our world from a biblical perspective. If you don't yet have it, you can go to your favorite Apple Store, Google Play, or wherever, or you can simply text the word APP, A-P-P, to 67742. You'll definitely want to... DO SO. NOW, WE'VE GOT MORE INTERVIEWS COMING YOUR WAY. NOT ONLY CONGRESSMAN WEBBER, BUT MORE COMING YOUR WAY RIGHT AFTER THE BREAK. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE JOSH PERKINE. SO STAY TUNED. MUCH MORE OF WASHINGTON WATCH ON THIS SPECIAL CHRISTMAS DAY EDITION COMING YOUR WAY RIGHT AFTER THE BREAK.
SPEAKER 12 :
During these challenging times for our nation, Family Research Council continues to serve as a watchman on the wall for faith, family, and freedom. And together, thanks to your support, we're making an eternal impact. 2024 has been another year of shining the light for biblical truth in Washington, D.C. This fall, over 1,000 spiritually active, governance-engaged conservatives gathered for the Pray, Vote, Stand Summit. to pray for our nation and ensure that the issues impacting sage cons were understood and advanced. Washington Watch with Tony Perkins marked a major milestone this year, its 900th episode, and added the Washington Watch News Desk, a new production that presents the top news each day from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand published 2,000 articles of news, commentary, and podcasts in 2024, garnering over 5 million views. FRC's outlet for news and commentary continues to pursue the truth on the issues that matter most to you and your family. And with the launch of the Stand Firm app, you can listen to, watch, and read our content in one simple place. Pray for current issues, stay rooted in the scriptures, and engage the political sphere with a community of believers on our new platform. In 2024, FRC shaped public policy and culture, organizing the National Gathering for Prayer and Repentance, where members of Congress and Christian leaders came together to seek God's intervention in America. In May, FRC called upon believers to pray for and stand with Israel by dedicating a portion of their worship services to pray for Israel's peace, prosperity, and protection. With Pray, Vote, Stand Decision 2024, FRC and Real Life Network led a powerful evening of election night coverage to analyze the election results and pray that our nation would turn back to God. We also filmed a transformative educational course, God and Government, Launching in January 2025, this series will explore the biblical and historical foundations of our government, empowering you to stand confidently in your role as a citizen of heaven and earth. Family Research Council thanks you for partnering with us for another year of standing for faith, family, and freedom.
SPEAKER 05 :
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SPEAKER 16 :
Merry Christmas. Welcome back to this special Christmas Day edition of Washington Watch. I'm your host, Jody Heiss. So glad to have you joining us today. Today, as you have probably already seen, we're sharing some excerpts from some exclusive interviews that Tony had with some members of Congress. You can find these interviews on FRC's Stand Firm app. THE WHOLE THING IS CALLED DEFENDING THE FAITH, PROFILES IN LEADERSHIP. AND AS I SAID, IT FEATURES SOME SIT-DOWN INTERVIEWS WITH SOME OF OUR NATION'S LEADERS. AND ALL OF THESE GO BEYOND POLICIES AND POLITICS. IT GOES RIGHT TO THE HEART OF THESE INDIVIDUALS' FAITH. IF, AGAIN, YOU DO NOT HAVE OUR STAND FIRM APP, THIS IS SOMETHING YOU DEFINITELY WANT TO HAVE. YOU CAN GO TO THE APPLE STORE, GOOGLE PLAY, OR YOU CAN SIMPLY THAT'S RIGHT. THAT'S RIGHT. APP TO 67742. ALL RIGHT. THIS NEXT SEGMENT IS GOING TO FEATURE TONY'S INTERVIEW WITH OKLAHOMA CONGRESSMAN JOSH PERKINE WHO TALKED ABOUT WHY CHRISTIANS SHOULD HAVE A ROLE IN GOVERNMENT AND HOW HE WENT FROM THE PATH OF A LAWYER TO THAT OF BEING A AND IT ALL STARTED WITH A CHANCE CONVERSATION THAT HE HAD WHILE WORKING AT HIS FAMILY'S RANCH WAITING TO GET INTO LAW SCHOOL. HERE'S HOW CONGRESSMAN
SPEAKER 09 :
Let's talk about what led Josh to want to run for Congress and come up here where, I mean, there's a lot of weighty issues, but there's a lot of political division and bickering that's going on.
SPEAKER 11 :
Well, a lot of decisions I was starting to make as a young man had come to a real depth in my faith. I was in prayer in college, Oklahoma State University, and really trying to figure out those next steps, typical of most freshman, sophomore, who've got most of those basics knocked out, but you've got to start figuring out what the major's going to be. And man, the word law would just illuminate off the pages when I read my Bible. And so much so that I just was really convinced that I was supposed to be a lawyer. And so I applied at the height of when 9-11 occurred. I had the LSAT score, the GPA, etc. to get me into OU. I had a scholarship that I was going to transfer. But they put me on a waiting list because it was a historic year for OU. I was put on this waiting list. It never occurred. My family had started a faith-based ranching program. My father trained cutting horses professionally. My mother and father were very active in ministry, and they had started kind of converting the ranch into a ministry for young men who had alcohol, drug addictions. And so I prayerfully felt led to, in this limbo season, stay there until I got a reply, basically, from what was going to happen on law school. Long story short, I remained doing that for a couple of years. My flesh was screaming, but I knew I wasn't supposed to be doing anything else. And I was, in addition to the cutting horse program, started a heavy equipment business with my father. I was unloading a dozer. A guy jumps on the dozer. I had had a member of Congress reach out to me. And I was telling him about this. It just happened to be a Democrat member of Congress. And he said, man, there's a guy by the name of Tom Coburn that's going to come to this particular meeting in a few weeks. I want you to come with me. And so I met Tom Coburn running for the United States Senate. And it wasn't long before I was working for Tom Coburn. I helped him get elected along with many others that were part of the staff and then became full-time staff with him. And really cut my teeth on a good man who was biblically accurate, constitutionally sound. And then a few years later I found myself making law. So it's amazing what we know in part and know in part.
SPEAKER 09 :
In a small world, because Tom Coburn, when I came to the Family Research Council 21 years ago, he was on the board. And of course, we also share in common, I grew up in Oklahoma, of course, the other side of the state, I'm up in the northern part of the state, you're in the southern part of the state. Let's go back a little bit to that encounter, your first encounter with the Lord that brought you into a relationship. Tell us about that.
SPEAKER 11 :
Look, I was young. You know, I grew up in a Baptist Methodist combo churching, you know, mother and father, one of each. And depending on what year we were in, what type of church. But I grew up with good parents who, you know, taught me to get in the Bible, picture Bibles. If any parents watching and not doing a good job of getting your kids early in life in a picture Bible and then not only Bible studies, man, our culture's losing out because that's a lost practice. But I remember just having an encounter at a young age and I had my share of sin, but I've walked with the Lord. There was a hunger for the word that developed early in my life.
SPEAKER 09 :
So Josh, a lot of people would say, as a Christian, You're talking about politics. That's a dirty business. I mean, things are said about you. You have to get involved in issues that just are not consistent with what they would say would be our faith. How do you respond to that?
SPEAKER 11 :
Our founders, you know, there's a great quote that's used a lot. I think Charlie Kirk has probably made it famous, John Adams' quote that says that our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It's wholly inadequate to the government of any other. I encourage people to go look further. That writing was to the Massachusetts militia by the second president. And he actually starts it off by saying, we have no government armed with power capable of continuing with human passions unbridled by religion and morality. And being somebody who grew up in the cutting horse industry, I like any time the word our founders used, bridle. And then he goes on to say that avarice, which means extreme greed, ambition, and revenge, will break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Then he finishes with that our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. So, you know, it clicks with me that if you want to maintain liberty, then you have to have self-governance. And self-governance is the only way our founders saw true liberty being maintained, a limited government. What we see now is that what was started by limited 18 enumerated powers in Article I, Section 8, the vacuum of government is starting to fill and we're becoming a lawless society because we're not self-governing like we used to.
SPEAKER 09 :
And government cannot be big enough.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 09 :
to restrain what individuals will not keep themselves from doing. The government was created to get the outliers, not to constrain the entire population.
SPEAKER 16 :
That was Oklahoma Congressman Josh Perkin during an exclusive Sit Down interview that's part of the new Profiles in Leadership series that you can find on our Stand Firm app. And you're tuning in to this very special edition of Washington Watch. Also, as we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, I want to again encourage you to join Family Research Council in shining the light of biblical truth across our country, as well as right here in Washington, D.C. And if you give to FRC between now and December 31st, your gift will be doubled. WHAT A BLESSING THAT IS. YOU CAN JOIN US AND DOUBLE YOUR GIVING EFFORTS BY SIMPLY TEXTING THE WORD LIGHT TO 67742. THAT'S LIGHT TO 67742. ALL RIGHT. AFTER THE BREAK, WE'LL SHARE TONY'S INTERVIEW WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF THE REPUBLICAN STUDY COMMITTEE. THAT'S OKLAHOMA CONGRESSMAN KEVIN HEARN. SO MUCH MORE COMING YOUR WAY HERE ON WASHINGTON WATCH IN THIS SPECIAL EDITION.
SPEAKER 04 :
So if you like to think and you like to pray, FRC is the place for you.
SPEAKER 03 :
I think it is the best program out there.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, I've absolutely loved my experience interning at FRC.
SPEAKER 04 :
They really are making waves out in the political world and doing it from the light of the Lord. It's really humbling for me as a college student who has been involved in the life movement for only a couple of years to be able to witness it alongside of some of the people who have spent their entire lives fighting. A huge thing that sets FRC's internship apart from others is they're looking for what they can pour into you instead of what they can get out of you.
SPEAKER 03 :
I have talked to so many of my friends who have interned other places and they're responding to emails or taking phone calls and doing things like that, but here we get real hands-on experience and get to talk to important people and do important things that we get to see the impact of.
SPEAKER 07 :
The throne of Jesus Christ is unchallenged. His name was never on the ballot to begin with, and it's never gonna be on the ballot. He's the King of Kings, and He's the Lord of Lords, and nothing's gonna change that. And so our mission stays the same, preach the gospel, make disciples, get ready for heaven. In the meantime, that we're to advance the concerns of the kingdom of God here on earth.
SPEAKER 09 :
America has entered a critical and vulnerable period from now until January the 20th. Join Family Research Council for Operation Prayer Shield, a 10-week prayer initiative for our nation. From now until January 20th, our country faces global challenges, a transition of leadership, and a lame duck session of Congress. This season calls for heightened spiritual vigilance, discernment, and prayer. Text the word SHIELD to 67742 to join us. You'll have access to prayer points, scripture, prayer calls. Text SHIELD to 67742. Unite with us and pray for our nation.
SPEAKER 16 :
Merry Christmas and welcome back to this very special edition of Washington Watch. I am your host today, Jody Heiss. Glad to have you with us. And if you're just tuning in now, today we've been sharing some excerpts from an exclusive series on FRC's Stand Firm app. It's called Defending the Faith, Profiles in Leadership. The series features some exclusive sit-down interviews that Tony has had with some of our nation's leaders. And all these interviews go far, far beyond simply policies and politics. So you'll want to be sure to view all of these in full. And the only way to do so is by having our Stand Firm app. We encourage you to take that and utilize it, not only for this series, but much, much more. This is a platform that serves as a state-of-the-art digital community. It's a place where followers of Christ can connect, grow, receive encouragement, stay up to date on news from a biblical worldview, and just simply be empowered to defend the faith. So again, you can get the Stand Firm app by going to your app store or Google Play or wherever, but you can also simply text the word app TO 67742, AND WE CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO DO THAT AND JOIN US ALL IN 2025. WELL, THIS NEXT SEGMENT FEATURES TONY'S INTERVIEW WITH OKLAHOMA CONGRESSMAN KEVIN HEARN. KEVIN CHAIRS THE CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN STUDY COMMITTEE IN THE HALLS OF CONGRESS, AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CLIP, CONGRESSMAN HERN SHARED WHY HE CAME TO WASHINGTON AFTER A VERY SUCCESSFUL CAREER AS A BUSINESSMAN. HE ALSO SHARED HIS FAITH JOURNEY.
SPEAKER 09 :
So let's talk about business. Very successful businessman. Not to trump a competitor, but I started in Oklahoma. You actually represent the area that I grew up in, the Tulsa area. I grew up in Cleveland. I worked at Sonic. You ended up two dozen chains, two dozen stores of McDonald's. Very successful businessman. You left that to come here. Why?
SPEAKER 15 :
Well, you know, I look at America being a place that, you know, I grew up very poor. You and I were talking about before we started this about my dad being in the military. I was a product of a military life, a broken family from that. My dad went to Vietnam for three times. My mother, who had myself and my younger brother, 18 months younger than I. I had a sister that passed away about a year and a half before I was born from spina bifida. And my mother was young and she said, you know, I need to go back to work. your dad and I were from, which was Arkansas. She went back, married a guy that didn't really like to work much, first generation welfare, and we lived in extraordinary poverty. I didn't have any running water, no indoor plumbing until I was in the eighth grade. My mother went on to have three more children with him, one of which, the first, my older sister, still to this day, still alive, has spina bifida. Her daughter has spina bifida in a wheelchair. So we've lived this, you know, very difficult life. But I think, you know, life's about a binary choice. You can either continue to live like that or you can get out and start the grind of life where you're going out and you're facing the adversities of everyday life. And we didn't have any money. I would actually skip school to go work at a sawmill so I could make gas money. I made $12 a day. A whole lot of money. Bought a lot of gas then. I did. Yeah. But, you know, that's really why I ran it. and ultimately was to really protect this opportunity we have. No guarantees, but protect the opportunity.
SPEAKER 09 :
But that's a part of who you are. I mean, I spent my summers in Oklahoma working in the oil field as a roustabout. You couldn't do that today at 16 or 17 years old. Are we depriving our kids of those difficult experiences that actually build the character and drive them forward?
SPEAKER 15 :
Well, I believe so. I've been criticized a lot by several members up here because I do think hard work is good for you. Working at the sawmill, getting hot, working at 115.
SPEAKER 09 :
Oklahoma gets pretty hot. Well, Arkansas gets hot.
SPEAKER 15 :
Yeah, a lot of hay, and we picked a lot of cherries in California. We'd leave school a week early to go pick cherries up and down the coast of California. And I do think it makes you appreciate other things when you see that kind of hard work when you're young.
SPEAKER 09 :
But there's more to Kevin Hearn than hard work and growing up in poverty. You discovered an element of richness that is intangible in terms of dollars and cents, your faith journey. Let's talk about that.
SPEAKER 15 :
You know, I think a lot of people, you know, coming from the Midwest, the Bible bell, if you will, will say, I grew up in church and, you know, I, uh, you know, my parents took me to church and I went to Sunday school and all that being, you know, a product, uh, Protestant Baptist, uh, believer. But I think, you know, when you look at my life, uh, as I mentioned, uh, the very impoverished life, we didn't go to church. We didn't, we didn't talk about use God in a way that you would talk about it as a Christian and. You know, I went through a divorce. I thought that I could do anything that was invincible. And at 31 years old, I realized that I wasn't invincible. God led a special person to me who's sitting here with us today in this room, but led me to Christ at 31 years old. And I always tell people this story. She asked me, she says, do you know God? And she says, I'm not going to go out with you until you can answer these three questions. This was a 31-year-old guy. I was a guy who knew everything. I'd been through all kinds of adversity in life. And she said, do you know God? I said, no, it's God. She was thinking big G. I was thinking little g. And she said, well, are you a Christian? I said, man, I'm getting a little uncomfortable here. And then she asked me if I was saved. And I said, I have to get back with you. So that's how it started out. And, you know, about three months later at Antioch Baptist Church in Conway, Arkansas, you know, by myself, you know, I felt like Pastor Horton was talking directly to me and, you know, I was led to Christ. And that changed my life forever. I was at rock bottom. And everything we have today is from that moment.
SPEAKER 16 :
That was Oklahoma Congressman Kevin Hearn during an exclusive sit-down interview that's part of the Profiles in Leadership series. You can find that series on our Stand Firm app. You're tuning in today to a very special edition of Washington Watch. Again, if you don't have the Stand Firm app, you can go to your favorite app store, Google Play, or simply text the word APP to 67742. All right. After the break, more coming your way. And this time, an interview that Tony had with Florida Congressman Greg Stubbe. That includes an amazing story that you don't want to miss. So don't go away. We'll be back.
SPEAKER 09 :
Hello, I'm Tony Perkins, President of Family Research Council here in Washington, D.C. Behind me is one of the most recognizable buildings in all the world, the U.S. Capitol. What does it stand for? Well, most people say government. But do you know the Bible talks about four institutions of government? Do you know what they are? And do we have a republic or a democracy? Well, what do you say? Also, what about this thing, separation of church and state? Does that mean Christians shouldn't be involved in government? Guess what? We address those issues and more in our new God and Government course. I invite you to join us to see what the historical record and the Bible has to say about government. Join us for God and Government.
SPEAKER 10 :
Let's not be discouraged. Don't lose heart. Don't lose the faith. Stand now strong because the Lord has given us the great privilege of living in a time when our choices matter, when our lives matter, when our courage matters. So let's stand together and save this great country. God bless the United States of America.
SPEAKER 13 :
The American Republic has a freedom like no other. It has roots in the scriptures far more than any other heritage. And if we as followers of Jesus and conservatives don't defend it, who will?
SPEAKER 01 :
Neutrality is not an option. There are many Christians who believe that if we just keep our heads down, if we just don't say the wrong thing, that somehow we will come out of this unscathed. You're naive if you think that, because what they want from us is not our silence. What they want from us is our submission.
SPEAKER 08 :
Part of the dilemma of Christianity in our generation is that we've relied a little too much on human wisdom and human reasoning, human strength, human resource, and we've relied too little on the power of God and God's ability to open doors that we can't open and do things that we couldn't even hope to begin to do.
SPEAKER 06 :
This may not be an easy task, But we are living in a moment of challenge, but also a great opportunity. And we know always that we are not alone, that His Spirit empowers us and protects us. and that he could do the unimaginable. Dobbs, after all, was never supposed to have it.
SPEAKER 09 :
Father, we thank you. You have entrusted us with this moment in history, and I pray that we would be found faithful, and that as a result of our faithfulness to you, that thousands, millions would come into the kingdom as they would experience the forgiveness of sin and the new life that is found only in Jesus Christ. Amen.
SPEAKER 16 :
Merry Christmas. Welcome back to this special Christmas edition of Washington Watch. I'm your host, Jody Heiss. Glad to have you with us today. Today, we've been sharing some excerpts from an exclusive interview series on FRC's Stand Firm app. It's the only place you can find this series. It's called Defending the Faith, Profiles in Leadership. This series features exclusive sit-down interviews that Tony has had with some of our nation's leaders. You want to see all of these in their full. And the only way you can do that is by watching it on our Stand Firm app. If you don't have it, go to the App Store or Google Play, wherever you get your apps. You can also simply text the word APP to 67742. All right, this final segment features Tony's interview with Florida Congressman Greg Stubbe. He shares his faith journey and how it's shaped, really, by a miraculous recovery from a life-threatening accident. Incredible story. Here's a preview of that interview.
SPEAKER 17 :
let's start with your faith journey because that plays a role in why you are here yeah um and it plays a role as to the steps it took to get here we were very prayerful when the seat was opened i was in the state senate at the time we were in the middle of session and tom rooney announced that he wasn't going to run for re-election And my wife and I started praying about what we should do. Because, you know, a congressional seat, once it's open, because there's no term limits, you never know when it's going to be open again. You have to kind of seize that opportunity if you're going to do it. And we got many confirmation through Scripture. My wife was just doing her daily verse, and we got confirmation after confirmation. That's the direction the Lord wanted us to go. So within a week, we made a decision announced. I had like two or three months before qualifying. And that certainly charted the path for us. And throughout the campaign, I wasn't the Washington DC establishment pick. We were out-fundraised. We were outgunned by the different people in Washington that were supporting my opponent. And every time it was we needed something, checks showed up at the door. There was an outside group that that got involved for me and helped tremendously. And so God made the resources available that I needed to put in place and had set it all up. I had such a hard Senate primary. And the majority of the Senate district was in the new congressional district. So I had knocked on 20,000 doors just two years before I ran for Congress, which again, we didn't know that it was setting the stage for us to run for Congress and it worked out.
SPEAKER 09 :
You had to develop that ability to walk by faith and to be able to sense the voice of the Lord leading the Holy Spirit. Talk about your experience of coming to know the Lord.
SPEAKER 17 :
Well, I grew up in a Methodist religious household. My grandfather on my mom's side was a Methodist minister. So I grew up in the church. But obviously growing up in the church is different than our faith walk. And I'd say about five years ago, my wife and I went through some challenges in our marriage, which has really strengthened our spiritual walk. We had found a church actually through Senator Rick Scott because he was in an event in my district. We went to a Southern Baptist church before we were at the church we were at now, which gave us a biblical foundation for where we were and what we were doing. And everything was kind of charted before we got there. My wife will tell you the same thing that. Like we didn't realize the steps that we were taking that was building our faith. I would say I've always I would always probably identify myself as a Christian, even in high school and college. But I wouldn't say that my spirituality and faith and relationship with the Holy Spirit hasn't gotten as strong as it has in the last five or six years. And that was through what we went through politically and then what we went through personally. So I would say I've been a Christian growing up. I would say I received my salvation probably as I started my political steps and being involved in a Baptist church. And then I would say made Jesus my Lord and Savior like the last five or six years.
SPEAKER 09 :
When you've integrated that quite well, I've watched you and you went through a situation a year, two years ago. I lose track of time. You had an accident. And that seems to have strengthened your faith even more.
SPEAKER 17 :
I could spend an hour, 30 minutes talking about the miracles that were involved in me getting knocked off a ladder. A very high ladder. Yeah, I was 25, 30 feet up with a 20-inch bar chainsaw in my hand, cutting a limb on our property. And the limb snatched free, hit the ladder. I went up into the air, fell straight to the ground. God had an Amazon driver at the very exact moment in time that that happened in our front driveway. That Amazon driver had been fasting for a week. The Holy Spirit told him to fast. He didn't know why. So fast forward a week later, he's standing in front of my property, hadn't had anything to eat in a week. and is there at the exact moment in time that he has to be there to witness it. He choreographs getting me in an ambulance on the way to the ER before my wife even knows what's going on. It's being reported in mainstream media because the local news was monitoring the 911 calls. It was being reported in the national media that Congressman Stubbe was in the ICU and my wife had no idea what was going on. And so the Lord's hand was all over that from miracle upon miracle. There was even a gentleman who prayed over his name's Woody, prayed over Woody before he came to our house, which set the time up perfectly for him to be there. So there was... I mean, these were very serious injuries. Yeah, I had a significant concussion. I still don't remember probably about 48 hours worth of time. I don't remember being on that part of the property. I don't remember the ER. I don't remember the ICU. I remember going into surgery on my pelvis. So I had a significant concussion. I tore the ligaments in my neck. I punctured my lung pretty significantly and I broke my pelvis. And then the healing power after that of the wraparound of prayer from people all across the country. I was getting little letters from... from people in a church in, I think it was in New York, from people in Iowa who had heard about the accident and were praying for me. And four months later, after having all of those injuries, I was pitching for the Republicans on the baseball field in the congressional baseball game. So not just the miracles of being there.
SPEAKER 09 :
I think you had a home run too, didn't you?
SPEAKER 17 :
That was a couple of years ago. Oh, okay, all right. I almost hit one out again this year, but I was like a foot short. And you're 100%? Yep, 100%. Jen, my wife will tell you that I'm stronger now than I was before the fall. that has to be the hand of god 100 yeah there's and if you look at medical statistics it's kind of interesting a fall from 11 feet or higher results in death or paralysis like 90 of the time it's like a medical statistic in the medical insurance world and i was easily over 25 feet straight to the ground with a chainsaw in my hand so there's there's no other reason why i'm here today
SPEAKER 09 :
Let's talk about how that new spiritual strength has met a greater political challenge. Even at the beginning of this last year when the Republicans gained the majority and there was a You know, a long process of trying to determine who the speaker was going to be. There came a moment where members went to the House floor, just a small group, you were among them, to pray. Your prayer life has taken on a new depth.
SPEAKER 17 :
Yeah, and there was some prophecy going on that day that none of us really knew because if you look at the picture, and we didn't even know that there was press on the floor because we weren't in session at that time. The prayer caucus just said, hey, anybody that wants to come and pray for what's going on, let's meet on the House floor. And ironically, there were seven of us, which is the number of perfection in the Bible and completion. And as I'm praying, my hand is outstretched and I'm praying over the speakership, over the house chamber and over the leader of the house. And my hand is facing Mike Johnson, which is kind of interesting, given less than a year later, he's the speaker of the house who joined us that day. But yeah. very intentional and deliberate about prayer life. And we know that we're in a spiritual battle and we have to wage war in the spirit realm up here. Just as important as praying at home. I think it's probably more important. um to be involved in prayer life and asking god to intervene in what's going on in our country because everybody can see the darkness around what's happening from transgender stuff to 66 million children have been aborted in our country to the complete loss of biblical values and the teaching of god in our schools And I believe we're in a pivotal spiritual place in our country where we need leaders who are willing to put selfish ambitions aside and focus on what God wants them to do.
SPEAKER 09 :
prayer is essential i mean that's the lord taught his followers how to pray we're challenged to pray pray without ceasing paul says but there's more than just prayer i mean james says faith without works is dead you have also displayed an element of of courage and boldness i recall this has been a few years back you went to the house floor quoted scripture. You mentioned the transgender issue. That issue has continued to stay at the forefront. You led out on the women's sports bill to protect women's sports. But on the House floor, you quoted scripture regarding what the Bible has to say about men wearing women's clothing. And you got a very interesting response from the Democratic congressman from New York, Jerry Nadler.
SPEAKER 17 :
Yeah, again, that's why our prayer life is important and being in the Word is important. I had read the day before that exact passage in Tony Evans' Commentary Bible, because that's just what I was reading that year. And I thought, okay, this is definitely something I need to say on the floor. And I elicited some... interesting response from the Democrats, which tells you a lot about where they are.
SPEAKER 09 :
I don't have the quote verbatim, but Jerry Nadler, after you left the floor, said, Mr. Stubbe, God has nothing to do with what this Congress does.
SPEAKER 17 :
Right. And I wish, the way that the rules work on the floor, I couldn't respond to him, but I wish I could have, because all I would have said is, right above us, above the rostrum, says in God we trust. So to say that we should not infuse our biblical values, I mean, our country was founded upon Christian Judeo values. And to move away from that, I think that's why you're seeing the darkness and the challenges and the things that we're seeing in our country.
SPEAKER 09 :
So you served in the army. I mentioned that earlier. You were in Iraq. You were a JAG officer, but you also helped kind of track down some of the bad guys there. There's this effort to drive Christians away from the source of their strength. And you mentioned this is a spiritual battle. We're in a spiritual battle. But this whole issue of what you just described, if MSNBC, one of their commentators were to be sitting in here, would be saying, well, that's Christian nationalism, all designed to suppress our engagement.
SPEAKER 17 :
yeah the mainstream media and it's really the enemy is is trying i mean jesus foretold about these things um the word the bible says that christians will be persecuted that jesus's followers will be persecuted and we're seeing that play out in real time in our lifetime right here in the united states and they're using these terminologies to try to pigeonhole you as, oh, you're just a Christian nationalist and making it a derogatory term, which is like their attempt to make MAGA a derogatory term, like making America great again is suddenly a bad thing for our country. And it's kind of interesting to see that, and it does, I don't, it doesn't bother me. We just had a hearing not too long ago in Ways and Means, and I quoted Isaiah where I feel like we're living in the times foretold in Isaiah where evil is good and good is evil. And we were discussing pregnancy centers and this attack and the demonization of pregnancy centers that are just trying to help women to have babies and not go to abortion clinics. And it's just fascinating how the mainstream media uses these terms to try to pigeonhole certain people. And it's just, again, we're not fighting against flesh and blood.
SPEAKER 09 :
How do we respond to that? Because, you know, it's one thing people say, well, you're a member of Congress. You're a leader. You know how to handle this. But The instruction of Scripture is not just for leaders. It's for followers of Christ. How should Christians across this country respond to this effort that would suppress their public display of their faith and their engagement in being salt and light?
SPEAKER 17 :
Well, we're told that the sword of our spirit is the word of God. And I believe wholeheartedly that you combat, especially in the spiritual realm, with the word of God. And it's irrebukable. It's God's word. it can fight the battles for you. And I think just encouraging people not to lose sight of that and to not be scared of what people will say about you. I mean, just look at my Facebook page or my Twitter page, and you can see horrible things that people say about me all the time.
SPEAKER 09 :
Yeah, I tell the kids, don't Google me.
SPEAKER 17 :
Yeah, don't look at the comments on posts. It's fascinating. I lead a men's group in my church, and they'll be like, how do you deal with that? I'm like, I don't read it. I don't pay attention to it. Those things don't matter. And I focus on what I feel like God has put me up here to do and what I want to work on.
SPEAKER 09 :
But that means you have to be listening to him, which means you have to be in his word. So it goes back to what you said. As Christians, we need to be in the word of God.
SPEAKER 17 :
I read a Bible a year. This year I'm reading the New King James Version, which I really like that translation. And I think this year I have five devotionals. So every day I spend, I don't know, 20 or 30 minutes, usually in the morning, especially I need to do that up here and giving myself time up here to do that.
SPEAKER 09 :
It's a source of encouragement, strength, but it also helps put things into perspective, which let me ask you this question with that in mind. What gives you hope about, I mean, when you look at all of these issues, I mean, you talked about the transgender issue. We've had the redefinition of marriage, 66 million unborn children that have been murdered. And we have an administration that wants to do even more of that. How do you find hope in the midst of that?
SPEAKER 17 :
Well, God, the Holy Spirit, the word of God gives me hope that our country was founded on Christian and Judeo principles. And the majority of Americans believe that. And the majority of Americans support that. And I think the majority is going to speak up in November and hopefully redirect our country back to the direction that God wants our country to go and not the direction that has been going.
SPEAKER 16 :
THAT WAS FLORIDA CONGRESSMAN GREG STUBEY DURING AN EXCLUSIVE SIT-DOWN INTERVIEW THAT HE HAD WITH TONY PRIOR TO ELECTION DAY. AND YOU'RE TUNING IN TO A VERY SPECIAL EDITION OF WASHINGTON WATCH. OF COURSE, WE ALL KNOW NOW THAT VOTERS DID INDEED SPEAK UP IN NOVEMBER. AND WHILE WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THAT, WE ARE MINDFUL THAT OUR ULTIMATE HOPE IS NOT IN WASHINGTON, D.C., BUT IN JESUS CHRIST, WHOSE BIRTH WE CELEBRATE TODAY. He indeed is our Redeemer, our Savior, our Lord, and it's in Him that we trust. Well, that's all the time we have for today. Hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas. And tune again tomorrow for Washington Watch.
SPEAKER 02 :
Washington Watch with Tony Perkins is brought to you by Family Research Council and is entirely listener supported. Portions of the show discussing candidates are brought to you by Family Research Council Action. For more information on anything you heard today or to find out how you can partner with us in our ongoing efforts to promote faith, family and freedom, visit TonyPerkins.com.
In this heartwarming Christmas edition of the National Crawford Roundtable Podcast, hosts Neil Boron and John Rush delve into the roots of our holiday traditions. Have you ever wondered where Santa Claus origins stem from or the meaning behind these cherished customs? This episode takes you on a journey across time, exploring the myths versus the realities, and how the commercialization of Christmas impacts its true significance. Join the roundtable discussion as they dissect the stories of St. Nicholas and how they've transformed our celebrations today.
SPEAKER 02 :
Welcome to the National Crawford Roundtable podcast, a view of culture, current events, and politics through a biblical lens brought to you by Preborn, saving babies and souls. Join us in the fight to save babies from abortion. Your gift provides a free ultrasound for a mother in need. 80% of the time she will choose life. Visit CrawfordMediaGroup.net and click on the Preborn logo to donate to save babies now. and by SunPower LED light therapy devices. Bring light to your pain. Visit CrawfordMediaGroup.net and click on the SunPower LED logo to get out of pain and improve your overall wellness. And now, here are your hosts, Neil Boron, Bob Duco, and John Rush.
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, good to have you back with us for another edition of the National Crawford Roundtable Podcast, and Merry Christmas. Good to have you with us on our Christmas edition of the program. Now, we're definitely recording this a couple days in advance, so it's not officially Christmas Day as we're talking about this, but we're putting our minds right there in the middle of Christmas. My name is Neil Boron, the host of Neil Boron Live on WDCX Radio in Buffalo, New York, and Bob Duco of The Bob Duco Show in Detroit, Michigan, will not be with us today. He's enjoying Christmas with his family. John Rush, host of Rush to Reason on KLZ in Denver, joins me here. John, it's amazing. I just want to say thank you live here on the podcast. Just went outside, and in the driveway, there was a big, gorgeous, brand-new Tesla with a red bow on it. It said, from John and Elon.
SPEAKER 04 :
I just want to... Merry Christmas.
SPEAKER 07 :
Thanks, man.
SPEAKER 04 :
Ho, ho, ho.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, exactly. It was so nice of you and Elon to team up on that. There we go. That's incredible. Anyway, so I don't know. We're going to talk about all things Christmas today and try to make some sense of this crazy holiday that we so desperately are grateful for in the sense that God sent his son Jesus. On the other hand, the commercialization and everything of Christmas just kind of leaves a scratch in our heads. But
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I think it gets worse every year too, Neil. I mean, to your point a moment ago, it's a great time of the year. For some, it's a very joyous time. For others, depending upon what's happened in their own family, sometimes there's deaths and things like that that happen around this time of the year. For some, it's a very joyous time. And yet, Neil, for others, it's not. It's a very sad time for some.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, it sure is. It's a hard time because, you know, we think of friends and loved ones, you're right. So, you know, I want to start maybe by just looking a little bit at the history of Christmas as we know it, not as the Bible portrays it per se, because the Bible doesn't really talk about it. Anything related to Christmas trees or opening presents, etc. There's a different story there. We'll get to that in a minute. But how we celebrate Christmas here in North America, especially, and in other parts of the world, it's similar, I think. But I was doing a little bit of research. Now, this is usually Bob's domain. Bob is the apologist, man. He just digs into everything. about, you know, paganism roots and all that stuff. But there was literally a person named St. Nicholas, and he was a living person during the years 2070 AD to 343 AD. That's a long time ago. He was a Christian bishop of Greek origin, officially, I guess, during the time, basically, of the Roman Empire. But anyway, two specific stories about about him that they feel really actually launched Christmas. I was not familiar with these, John. So if you get a second, you know, let me just throw this out because this is a lot to swallow here. But St. Nicholas, of course, was considered to be a saint in the church and inspired this modern day idea of Santa Claus, which we'll get to a little bit later. But um the legends at least or the stories that associate with the name saint nicholas say this in a better known tale three young girls were saved from a life of prostitution when young bishop nicholas secretly delivered three bags of gold to their indebted father which could be used for their dowries that was one story of where saint nicholas burst on the scene you know showed up basically on the radar screen for people the second story is a little easier to hear but you know you can kind of draw a bit more of a direct line from the modern santa claus and the love for children apparently this saint nicholas individual bishop nicholas maybe at the time entered an inn whose keeper had just murdered three boys and pickled their dismembered bodies in basement barrels the bishop not only sensed the crime but resurrected the victims as well Wow. Okay. Merry Christmas. Yeah, Merry Christmas. Somehow, in some way, I mean, this is, you know, I read this off the internet. This is legit. This is 100%. But somehow that person became like this chubby guy dressed in red who traveled the world in a single night, you know, to give gifts to all kids. And people would leave milk and cookies and the whole thing. But anyway, that's kind of the secular version of how Christmas happened. Good Lord. I... I kind of like, I just want to sort of distance myself from all that. I don't know how you feel about it.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, that last story you just said, I would definitely want to distance from. I mean, that just sort of puts a whole damper on the whole thought process about Christmas in the first place.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, well, anyway, there was a guy named St. Nicholas, and he is sort of the person behind the idea of Santa Claus. Now, we also want to make it known at the beginning of the podcast, I think I just want to flat out say this, nobody on this podcast believes Santa Claus is what Christmas is about.
SPEAKER 04 :
No.
SPEAKER 07 :
So we're ultimately going to talk about Jesus here. But John, you grew up in a very similar setting to me.
SPEAKER 04 :
Mm-hmm.
SPEAKER 07 :
Grew up in very legalistic kind of upbringing.
SPEAKER 04 :
Very much so.
SPEAKER 07 :
And I remember being told you can't celebrate Halloween or have anything to do with Halloween. And the Christmas trees were sometimes referred to as pagan bushes. We did have a Christmas tree in our family, and I think most people in our church did. Okay, but some people really went off the rails about it.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, no, to your point, Neil, I mean, I grew up around some folks that just thought that thing was, you know, to your point a moment ago, I mean, it was pagan, you couldn't have it, it was a form of quote-unquote worship. I mean, we never viewed it that way. We'll get into some of that today with maybe some of the, you know, family traditions and things that, you know. happened throughout the years. But I knew from a very, very early age that, number one, the Santa Claus guy, I mean, it didn't take me very many years. And I've got a story to tell along those lines we'll talk about in the podcast if we have time today, Neil. But it didn't take me very long to figure out as a young boy that this thing is, yeah, there's no such thing. And of course, we were taught even even with all those that were out there with Santa Claus and all of that. I mean, I grew up in the church, to your point, very legalistic, but still that message of Christmas, what it really meant, the birth of Christ, God's Son coming down, born of a virgin, which, again, we'll get into as well. But all those things, yes, Neil, I was raised with all of that as well.
SPEAKER 07 :
And I remember, very similar in my situation, but I remember, you know, I was born in 1960, but the 60s were an age of, you know, if I see furniture from the 60s, I go, that's from the 1960s. You can just recognize it.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yep, you can see it.
SPEAKER 07 :
Okay. Well, Christmas trees were kind of the same. Ours was a silver tree, almost made of silver tinsel kind of thing. It had red and green balls that hung on it, and then a red, green, and yellow light. It was just a light, but it had like a little thing, a circular... It turned. Yeah, a cellophane thing that turned or whatever. And so then you got the three different colors shining on the tree. It was like so 1960s. But I have to say, even in that setting, probably because of my upbringing, growing up in church and hearing about the birth of Jesus, I don't even remember once... thinking that somehow Santa Claus was the answer. He was the guy to focus on. I always thought of Jesus, and I knew that the world... And it wasn't like I was overly spiritual. I was just a little kid celebrating. And my friends talked about Santa Claus, and I'd heard of him, and I sometimes probably joked about him. In fact, I remember one year, my sister and I left cookies and milk on the table rang a bell in the middle of the night yelled ho ho ho and ran back to bed to see if we could trick my mom into thinking he was real but it didn't work man but you know i mean some people john literally went to the to the stage of saying well you know the exact same letters are in the word santa as in satan right and ultimately you know this is just a tool of the devil i don't know i mean was it was it just foolishness on the part of people or do you think this was really a demonic plot I don't know. In some ways, the devil would do anything to deceive people, but I don't know.
SPEAKER 05 :
And I don't know that I would go towards the demonic, although I think there's times that, you know, in some situations that may very well be the case. And I think, you know, as we get through this podcast today, Neil, we can talk about really the, let's face it, it's the, and it's not all Coca-Cola's fault, but Coca-Cola did a lot to promote, you know, Santa Claus. They were trying to figure out how to sell Coke all year long because their sales dropped off tremendously during the winter months, of course, because it was a summer soft drink back then. And they were really trying to do everything they possibly could. And I mean, is that the reason Santa Claus is red? Maybe partially. I mean, the reality is, yes, Coke did a lot to commercialize not only, you know, Santa Claus, but Christmas at the same time. So, you know, was that demonic or was it just, you know, these guys, you know, trying to keep the company alive and make more money? I mean, I don't know, Neil.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, I don't know, like a marketing opportunity. Correct. So on the one hand, really honest, I mean, this is a, help me, Lord, with this, but okay, Jesus said, if you're not for me, you're against me. So in one sense, you're either a believer or you're totally lost. And Jesus said, you know, that he died for his enemies, right? He died knowing that we were sinners in Romans 5, 8. He demonstrated his love for us. In verse 10, it says he died while we were enemies of God. So in one sense, He knew that we were enemies of God and totally lost when he died for us. So, like, there's all that. But on the other hand, I don't know, it feels to me like sometimes just simple foolishness. We get off track and we need to be brought back to the reality of what's going on.
SPEAKER 05 :
Balance. Yeah. Balance. And we can talk about that today. In my opinion, Neil, it all comes down to balance.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, 100%. And, you know, let me just tell you, before we even go on here for a minute, how grateful I am that we get a chance to talk about truth here on this program because of our sponsors. And one of the new sponsors of the National Crawford Roundtable is SunPowerLED.com. Now, recent report, you know, congressional report comes out, and it says basically, for everything people got canceled for on the internet, or most things people got canceled for on the internet, you know, like saying that that social distancing was foolish or that vaccine mandates were not necessary, etc. All these things that people could cancel for were actually true. Like that people who were labeled conspiracy theorists were not conspiracy theorists. And now the medical science is showing us that COVID, in that sense, was a joke. Now, it was real and it killed some people. My own parents, at least my mom, for sure lost her life due to that. But, you know, the bottom line is there are other ways to deal with things besides what big pharma and big government have to tell us. And one of them is what's called red light therapy from a wonderful believer in Christ, a guy named Tom Kerber, the developer of SunPowerLED.com. SunPower LED is something you want to check out because it takes the very light waves that God himself created, takes a certain frequency of that wave, and then hones it in on cells in the human body using a light wand, basically, to excite those cells, wake them up, and cause them to do what the cells were created to do, and that's to heal the human body. so if the reduction of pain and swelling and the promotion of healing in our body is possible because of the very light god himself created then i want to know about that and you can learn about it by going to crawfordmediagroup.net and click on sunpowerled.com you weren't dreaming things during covid you were being sold a bill of goods the bottom line is big pharma wants to keep you on medication when in fact there are many ways to heal your body and sun power led can help
SPEAKER 05 :
click on uh the sun power led logo at crawfordmediagroup.net john we could like i said we couldn't do this without the support of our sponsors including pre-born which you know you talked a moment ago about you know the narrative around certain things uh in in regards to uh you know the therapy you just mentioned a moment ago and what most people would say you know on a regular basis well the same thing applies to And the unborn, Neil, the reality is the narrative from the left is, oh, it's just a clump of cells. It's not a real baby until it's actually delivered out of the womb. Nothing could be farther from the truth. And the more technology we get, the more we're able to see what's inside of us. the belly of mom, you know, inside of the womb, we soon realize that that development happens very, very, very quickly. It is not just a clump of cells. It turns into a baby that you literally can see in a matter of weeks. And that baby starts doing things inside of the womb that it does outside of the womb, by the way, Neil, as you would know. So point being, pre-born is out there helping these young moms. Expected moms trying to figure out a what to do be trying to help them in their life Not only through what I just mentioned a moment ago about the ultrasound images But literally being a positivity in their life in some cases is very traumatic These young girls or women are trying to figure out exactly what to do. Sometimes the dads involved sometimes not and But Preborn is there to help these young ladies, and most of the time it's young. Ladies figure out exactly what to do next, giving them education and information through these ultrasound images, which, by the way, those of you listening, can help provide your monthly donation. If you can do it reoccurring, that's even better, or a one-time gift to buy an actual ultrasound machine, $15,000. Some of you that are doing a little better or you're looking for the end-of-year tax deduction sides of things, you can do that as well. But I encourage you guys to change the narrative, get the information out to these young women when it comes to what's really going inside of the womb. And you can do that by going to CrawfordMediaGroup.net and support Preborn.
SPEAKER 07 :
Amen. Thank you for Preborn. Yeah, all of this available at CrawfordMediaGroup.net. So we were talking about Santa and, you know, sort of the genesis of the whole idea of Santa Claus. We were talking about ultimately Christmas and the whole genesis of Santa Claus, per se. And, you know, over the years in certain circles in Christianity, people have been warned to avoid everything related to Christmas. Don't celebrate. You know, that's a pagan bush, that Christmas tree you got there in your living room. Whatever, for whatever reason, I mean, I never felt like that was... my chance to worship Satan. I only thought about Jesus at Christmastime and wasn't really fully aware of how all that fit in. One other thing, however, I think if there was anything that came out of this was the idea that good gets rewarded. John, I've done a lot of, you know, door-to-door evangelism even, and there's a major Christmas, I'm sorry, a Christian music festival that happens every year in our area called Kingdom Bound. It happens at Six Flags nearby, and, you know, there's tens of thousands of people there, and we would do what we call flap-to-flap evangelism, literally going tent-to-tent asking people questions like, hey, what are you doing here? How did you come here? Are you enjoying yourself? And then ask the question, by the way, what do you think it takes to be kingdom bound, which is the name of the festival? And sometimes they would say, kingdom about what do you mean well like to get to heaven what do you think it takes to get to heaven they go oh well well i mean you know you got to be a good person whatever and you know that's not the gospel that is not what the word of god says yeah it's by grace that we're saved through faith it's not of ourselves okay so ephesians 2 is clear on that but the point is it would be immediately clear that the idea of good getting rewarded is false. And John, that's a big part of, I don't want to belabor this, we're going to turn the corner here right now, but just final thing, you know, the idea that good gets rewarded, that's part and parcel with the story of Santa Claus. That has nothing to do with the Christmas story of Jesus.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, he knows if you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake. That's the whole message of Santa Claus, right, Neil?
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah. I just wonder how much I'd have to pay to actually sing that line. Please, John.
SPEAKER 05 :
You bring up a great point, Neil. I mean, the reality is, as with anything... And we talk about this in politics. We do that pretty much on a weekly basis, what one side does versus the other. And the reality is the world, Satan, I guess you could say, and maybe this is where he comes into play with all of this, Neil. I'm not saying that Christmas in and of itself and Santa Claus and all of that is demonic in any way, but... he does take and twist, it's what he did in the garden from day one, he twists what the real message is into something that he feels he can get across to us as humans and therefore draw us to him, rather us being drawn to God himself. And that's been the history of it from day one.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, no doubt about it. And, you know, deception is a big part of what the enemy does. He wants to keep us focused on everything that is not true and is not real. And yet the Word of God is a very different story about Christmas. And this is where we're turning the corner. By the way, I did a... uh interview recently on my program with a pastor named robbie simons he's a daily uh bible teacher on our station and he's the pastor of a church in oakville ontario called hope bible church but he recently wrote a book called god with us 25 advent devotionals on the glory of the incarnation because john the real story i mean it's powerful by the way i recommend it for anybody who wants to read it but the real story of christmas is that god put skin on and came to earth to rescue us from sin god literally entered our mess and died in our place and you know there's no good friday there's no easter without the incarnation meaning that god came here to earth and think about it the king of kings born in a feeding trough who would have ever thought that john if you were writing a story would anybody even believe it if you said yeah the greatest the most powerful being in the world the creator of all things the preeminent God of the universe put skin on and was born in a feeding trough with animals in a lowly manger amongst shepherds, the lowest of the low, in order to come to earth to rescue human beings from their sin. That doesn't even make sense, but it's so far off the beaten path that if you actually look at it and you say, if God did this, then I want to know him, I want to worship him. And ultimately, isn't that the Christmas message?
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I mean, to your point, would anybody sane write the story that way? No. I mean, people that write books and so on, Neil, in most cases, no, they wouldn't. Now that we've heard the Christmas story, they might, but before that, no, nobody would write a story along those lines. You would want a quote-unquote prince coming into a palace, not into a feeding trough in a lowly, stinky, nasty, disgusting manger. You know, we... we kind of modernize that thing and make it look really quaint and neat and the stars up above and it's all clean and there's hay everywhere. No, it was a disgusting, filthy, let's face it, feces-ridden area where Christ was born. And yet, because of that, this is how I see it, Neal, showing everybody out there, no matter where you come from in life, no matter what your quote-unquote classification is, God can meet you right where you're at because guess what? He sent his son in that particular setting to save the world.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, and whether it's Christmas Day or some other day, you know, immediately following Christmas, you're listening to this, and who knows, maybe driving in your car on a lonely interstate, and you're wondering if there is a God and if He loves you. And I want to speak directly to you to say, yes, there is, and yes, He does. He knows you. He died for you. He came to earth for the very purpose of rescuing you from the situation that you're in. He wants a relationship with you, and that's the story of Christmas. I want to focus for a second real quick on Philippians 2.6, because It says, though he, which is Jesus, though Jesus was by nature God, he did not consider equality with God as a prize to be displayed, but he emptied himself. In some cases it says he humbled himself in other versions of the Bible, but he emptied himself by taking the nature of a servant when he was born in human likeness and his appearance was like that of any other man. um god of all the universe came to earth put skin on for one reason to rescue us from sin and i want to say one more thing real quick get your feedback um you know why did god do this and i think it's because adam and eve you know in the garden thought they could be like god that they didn't need god and they believed the lie of the the enemy satan and they said yeah human beings really don't need god we could be just like you i mean we're just as powerful we could do this well god had to show them they couldn't And so gave them the law, and through the law ultimately proved that it was impossible. You know, Romans 8, 3 says, for what the law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did. Sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh as an offering for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh. Galatians 4 says, but when the fullness of time came, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law. In other words, Jesus came to earth to do what mankind couldn't do. God gave us 10 commandments, and in like five minutes, we were melting down our gold and forming calves to worship, right? John, we're sinners, and our proclivity is to sin. It's what human beings do. We needed somebody to rescue us from our inability to save ourselves, and we needed to see that we needed Jesus. What a beautiful story that God entered the picture to rescue us in person.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, it's the, literally, Christmas is the beginning of the redemption that every one of us can have. You know, history says, Scripture is full of, and the only way that we could come to God, and Christ says this Himself, of course, and now after Him is through Christ Himself. Before that, of course, as you said a moment ago, Neil, it was a law. There was all sorts of rules and regulations. Sacrifices had to be, you know, done just right. And depending upon your, again, classification in life, depending upon the sacrifice, it was even acceptable. All sorts of rules and regulations around all that. Then Christ comes along and says, we're throwing all that out the window. I will become the ultimate sacrifice. My blood on the cross. ultimately in the blood that I'm shedding for you is all that it will take. And by the way, all you have to do now is believe on me, believe in me, and that's the way to the Father. And at the end of the day, God made it very simple for salvation to happen after. Which, by the way, Neil, things to be thankful for, that I was born after Christ came, not prior, because prior would have not been fun.
SPEAKER 07 :
yeah it wouldn't have been good for any of us and thank god that jesus did this um john you know i'm thinking of the person driving along in the car right now listening to this they're kind of on their own and they're thinking i've never been able to to live right i've never been able to do the right thing ultimately you know it in your heart and the holy spirit of god reveals that to us that we actually need help, we need a savior, we need somebody to help us with this situation we're in. And how precious that God saw that, and in spite of our sin, came and said, I'm going to step into this equation for you. I'm going to do this for you. And so he came to earth, ultimately lived the perfect life none of us could live. and then died in our place shed his own blood and when he did he was the perfect lamb of god who took away the sins of the world he he made it possible for us to be restored in our relationship with god and honestly i mean that takes us back to the reality john there's no greater gift ever given than when god sent his only son he gave his son as a gift to mankind so that we could have hope in a future like i'd be i'd be lost without it 100 amen yeah so praise god we've got a lot to talk about in the second half of the round table but i just want to talk again real quick here about sunpower led the owner of that group tom kerber is a personal friend he's a wonderful man of god and he's a huge proponent of what's called photobiomodulation or light therapy all right everyone's seen you know the woman the opera singer who can sing a particular note she hits that note and holds it for a minute and the champagne glass explodes why because the resonance of that particular audio wavelength is what can shatter that glass well if you find the right light wavelength you can actually uh excite the cells in your body the mitochondria energize the cells to do what cells were created to do you know if a baby you never taught the baby anything six months old cuts its finger by accident you could sit there for three weeks if you had the time and watch that thing heal right before your eyes how is that possible because god put that in the human body well when the cells are doing what they're supposed to do then you can reduce pain and swelling. You can deal with stuff like migraines and arthritis, and you can experience healing in your body, and it's possible. So how do you get that light in there? Well, SunPowerLED. Check it out. Light therapy or what's called photobiomodulation from SunPowerLED. They're one of our sponsors, and you can find them at CrawfordMediaGroup.net. Just click on it. Find out how to reduce pain and swelling and promote healing in your body with no surgical intervention, no pharmaceuticals, Just the Light God Himself Created, all at CrawfordMediaGroup.net. And John Preborn is a major sponsor of ours as well.
SPEAKER 05 :
Awesome. Yeah, appreciate them very much. We wouldn't be doing what we're doing without them. And for those of you looking at the end of the year, especially a lot of you business owners where you're looking at the end of the year, you're looking at some of your pre, you know, sort of figuring on taxes and where you're at and, you know, how do I, you know, what do I do to reduce some of my liability? Well, a charitable donation, of course, comes right off the top. helps you immensely when it comes to what I just mentioned a moment ago. And we have got an organization that can help you with that. That is Preborn. And they are out there helping moms, helping babies, helping babies, moms, families, I should say, because we know that down the road, after these ladies have an abortion, Neil, it can affect the entire family negatively on down the road. So Preborn is there literally to help the entire family. They're saving babies' lives. You hear Bob talk about it all the time. In a lot of cases, they are saving mom's life, not physically, but spiritually as at the same time by the very means neil you and i've been talking about when it comes to christmas so that is pre-born folks i cannot stress highly enough that you know what we need to change the narrative when it comes to the whole abortion sides of things it's very evil it's very wrong the left you know sort of dignifies that and there's no dignity in having an abortion At the end of the day, somebody's life has been taken, and it's the life of the baby. Help pre-borns save babies' lives today. Go to CrawfordMediaGroup.net. And as I always say, guys, put your money where your mouth is.
SPEAKER 07 :
100%. But, John, let me just jump on that and say my wife is a head nurse at a pregnancy care center here in the Buffalo area, statewide pregnancy care center. They've got offices across the state. But right here in the Buffalo area, she's regularly doing ultrasounds, just like you're describing. And the women who see their baby overwhelmingly choose life because they realize it is not a block of tissue. So, yeah, support pre-born. Go to CrawfordMediaGroup.net. That's CrawfordMediaGroup.net. Well, Merry Christmas, everybody. It's the Christmas edition of the National Crawford Roundtable. My name is Neil Boron. John Rush is with me. And if you're at a station where you only hear the first half of the podcast, go to CrawfordMediaGroup.net. Listen to the whole thing. The second half is coming up right after this.
SPEAKER 02 :
This is a Crawford Media Group production.
SPEAKER 07 :
All right, welcome back. The second half of the National Crawford Roundtable podcast, our Christmas edition with just John Rush and me, John Rush, host of Rush to Reason on KLZ in Denver. My name is Neil Boron, host of Neil Boron Live on WDCX Radio in Buffalo, New York. Bob Duco, somewhere in the universe, probably vacationing in Tahiti or something, I'm not sure, but I hope he's enjoying his Christmas vacation. He's not with us today. He's the host of the Bob Duco Show on WMUZ in Detroit, Michigan. So, John, we've been talking about Christmas, a little bit about the secular history of it. We're talking about the biblical meaning and reality of what Christmas is all about. And I wanted to kind of shift in a direction of talking about the church today and how we deal with the issue of the true Christmas story. Because some people, you know, I mean, there's even songs written about it. We should be celebrating Christmas all year round and keep the Christmas message front and central. Well, what we talked about just a few minutes ago was Christmas that Christmas is ultimately not in any way whatsoever about a guy named Santa Claus, it's about the God of the universe coming to earth to rescue us. And since Christmas is essentially ground zero for the Gospel message in some fashion, Don't we have to find a way to better communicate that this thing we celebrate once a year is really important to our understanding every day of the year?
SPEAKER 05 :
And I think, you know, to your point earlier, Neil, one of the things as you were talking through all of that, that I just don't think we, you know, collectively as a church do well enough is, number one, you know, man's depravity. You know, we have an original sin nature. We're all depraved. We would do what we want to do, not what God wants to do. And the Christmas story, and then, of course, what happens on Easter ties right into it. You can't have Easter without Christmas. It all ties together. But this whole idea that man needs a Savior, we need a go-between between us and God. You know, the thing that we don't do well enough at, Neal, because people get this idea that somehow, someway, we are quote-unquote good enough. Well, we're not. Folks forget, and the church doesn't do a very good job of this, God can't look on sin. Now, he knows about it, but we cannot be in his presence in our sinful nature. It doesn't work that way. That's why God cast Adam and Eve out of the garden. He can't stand nor tolerate sin, nor does he. So in turn, before Christmas, before Christ, as you said earlier, Neil, we had all these rules and regulations and so on to where at that time only certain individuals that had done certain things, could even hear and speak to God and have that direct connection. When Christ came and did what he did through his birth, the death, and resurrection, we now have this constant community with God, or the commune with God, I should say, the ability to talk and fellowship with him that, frankly, the folks before Christ never had the opportunity to do. And by the way, Neil, we don't do a good enough job of explaining that to folks, because I think a lot of people feel like, oh you know i'm a good person if i say a little prayer today you know i'll be okay well no because no offense until you actually say the prayer that says i'm accepting christ into my life as lord and savior he's not hearing you at all yeah uh isaiah 59 2 says that that you know our sins have made a separation between us and god so he's turned his face away from us and he does not hear
SPEAKER 07 :
And the fact is that for somebody who is in Christ, the Holy Spirit of God takes up residence within us, never leaves us, never forsakes us. And so, you know, communion with God and having relationship with God is ultimately what Christianity is about. If you think of, is it Matthew 7, where, you know, Jesus is saying like, hey, like you cast out demons in my name, you perform marvelous works in my name. But then he says, depart from me. I never knew you. What does he mean by relationship, right? And so, I mean, it is literally possible for us to have a relationship with God because of what Jesus did, and that's the story of Christmas.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, thank you, Neil. That is the story of Christmas, that we really, again, as a community of believers, don't do well enough at communicating that, and I think because in one way, Neil, telling someone that they're depraved and they have no access to God is somewhat negative, and it is. But on the same token, it's reality, and Scripture is very clear on that. I mean, the reality is we cannot come before God without having that ultimate Christ sacrifice in our lives, His blood covering us, that then allows us to have that communion with Him, because without that, it can't exist. And we're afraid to say that because we might hurt someone's feelings.
SPEAKER 07 :
yeah well we don't care about that here on the national crawford round you know we don't seriously because we care about you enough to tell you the truth and john you mentioned you know the sin issue just a second ago i kind of think that even for those of us who come to faith in christ we need to keep sin or at least the fact that we were slaves to sin front and center and the reason i say that is because even after coming to faith in christ we still sin and sure absolutely none of us are perfect no not one When we present a picture that, you know, that God can't have anything to do with sin, it's like, but we're believers and we don't ever sin. And while, yes, we do. And when we present anything less than that, when people find out that we're struggling with some form of addiction, sometimes it's a substance, sometimes it's porn. Good Lord, I did a conversation on air the other day on my program about like 85 percent. The numbers have gone up since since COVID, you know, people being addicted to porn in the church and outside the church. And it's like 85% of men in the church have looked at porn in the last 30 days. Like, okay, so we got a real problem. Well, let's be honest about it. Because the God of the universe who came to rescue us is not only big enough to save us from sin in the first place, but to help us choose life rather than sin right here and right now because we're in relationship with him. So it's both, really. It isn't just coming to faith in Christ one time so we can be holier than thou, John. It's we have an advocate. We've got somebody walking with us in this present world. And again, I'm thinking of you as you listen to this on Christmas Day or somewhere around the Christmas holiday. You're thinking about what does this all mean? Well, it means that you have an advocate. You've got somebody with you in your situation right now to walk with you, to lead you, to help you live life and freedom from sin, because you're in a relationship with God Almighty. John, to me, that's way beyond just going to church ritualistically and worshiping God once a week.
SPEAKER 05 :
That's a daily advocate. Absolutely, yeah. It's something that, as Christians, you know, and those of you that maybe are listening, Neil said earlier, you're not a believer. Maybe you... don't know what we're talking about. All this seems foreign, and you've known Christians because, yes, Neil, we all sin and come short, and it's because of that presence of Christ in our lives and that relationship we have, the grace that's there and abounds, and we could do an entire podcast on grace, and yes, does grace get abused? It does, but it's still there, and the reality is we're able to still continue on and have that fellowship. Now we're supposed to take care of those sins in our life, and that's a whole other Again, I don't want to get deep into the spiritual end of things. That's a whole other conversation that we could have, Neal. But bottom line, yes, we are supposed to abstain from wanting to have a daily relationship with him. Does it mean that we're going to be perfect? No, but it is something, Neal, that we should be striving for and living in that life of Christ on a daily basis. Now, do all of us fall short, myself included? I would be the first one to tell you that, yes, in fact, Neal, I fall short all the time.
SPEAKER 07 :
All right, I'm going to big time admission. You ready for this, John? True story. I'm wrestling with my eating habits to make sure that I'm taking care of myself.
SPEAKER 05 :
You and me both.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yesterday, pumped some gas. The receipt didn't print out on the outdoor pump. Had to go inside. Can I get a receipt for pump number three?
SPEAKER 04 :
There's a temptation.
SPEAKER 07 :
While I'm standing there, I'm looking at the Baby Ruth candy bar. Yep. And John, I should have asked Jesus for help, and I only thought of it later, but honestly, I mean, that could seem so trivial to anybody, but the reality is God has given us power over sin. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead, for crying out loud, is available to help me say no to a baby Ruth candy bar. And that's what you're describing, and I just wanted to bring it up to say, if you're listening to this right now, you're not alone in the fact that that sometimes you make poor decisions. We make them all the time, but we're learning.
SPEAKER 05 :
I want to dovetail on that. I was talking to this to somebody the other day because, and this is not to brag by any means, but I've never been an individual that's had any kind of an addiction. I don't have a drug addiction, an alcohol addiction, even a porn addiction. It's just something that I guess because of how I was raised and No offense, Neil, I don't have a lot of spare time given the schedule that I keep, so the reality is I don't have a lot of time for that. But the one area that, yes, I do in fact struggle with and, yes, I do sin in is I love to eat. There isn't a food on this planet that I will not eat. It is something that I struggle with daily. it is no different than somebody struggling with you know porn or sex or any other addictions i am addicted to food and i struggle with that on a daily basis yeah and what's hard is you don't need my point is that is no different than any of the other addictions i just mentioned by the way i'm in the same category well it isn't different but it i think in one way it's harder john and the reason i say this because it's everywhere
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, yeah, but you also you don't need LSD or cocaine. No, that's right.
SPEAKER 04 :
But you know, that's right. You know, good point. You do need to eat food. And great point.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yes, it's. And yet, I mean, the idea that it's an addiction or that could be an addiction or a problem, that's no different. But the idea that you you actually have to engage with this at some point in your life is a problem.
SPEAKER 05 :
Very true.
SPEAKER 07 :
And anyway, we got a lot to talk about in one.
SPEAKER 05 :
And let me jump in because pre-born, you know, we just talked about some different things along those lines. And I know, again, I said this last half hour. You know, the end of the season tax thing, which, again, I'm helping a lot of my clients with, and they're looking at ways to reduce their liability. And one of those easy ways to do it is to find a great charity that you can donate some money to. You know, I hope, first of all, it's your local church. But for a lot of folks, Neil, they're wanting to do something extra. They're wanting to make a difference in others' lives. And not that the local church isn't doing it, but they want something else that they literally can put their, quote, unquote, signature on and say, yes, I helped church. do that, you know, with Christ and God blessing my business, I want to do something very specific for someone else. And that's where pre-born comes in for you guys that are business owners. And Andrew, maybe you just had a really great year. You got a big bonus this year, whatever the case may be, and you want to make a difference in the lives of others right now, ultrasound machine, buy one for pre-born. We talk all the time about what those machines do. Neil, you talked about it last half hour in regards to what your wife does. The reality is showing mom's What's going on inside of their womb with that ultrasound machine and one single donation of $15,000 will actually make that happen. So for a lot of you that are listening, again, you're trying to figure out what do I do here towards the end of the year? And yes, this is Christmas Day that this is playing on. You still have time to make that donation happen by the end of the year and still get that on your taxes. Just go to CrawfordMediaGroup.net, look for pre-born, contact them through that link and find out exactly what you can do to help them acquire a ultrasound machine. And Neil, that will save multiple, multiple ongoing babies' lives after the fact that you do that.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, sometimes when you give to things, you wonder, is my giving going to make a difference? You're actually saving lives.
SPEAKER 05 :
And for years down the road, this will make a difference.
SPEAKER 07 :
Hallelujah. Entire families will exist. Ministries will ultimately exist because of all this. Yeah, and by the way, there's, you know, one thing I think we learned through the last election cycle was how much distrust there was for the nation's media. And people were like... like we've been lied to man i mean and i think even going back to covet people felt like the government wasn't necessarily telling the truth and so when um the mention was made that rfk jr potentially would lead the secretary of health and human services that he was going to come in and kind of blow up the system that was telling us that all you need is pills man just take more pills vaccines and pills Well, guess what? Big Pharma has a vested financial interest in vaccines and pills, and if they can keep you on those things for the rest of your life, they make money for the rest of their lives. Well, are the pills that you're taking really actually making you healthy? Are you getting better? Or are you kind of spinning your wheels health-wise but continuing trying to manage situations with all these medications and then often taking more medications to deal with the effects of the current medications you're on? Well, bottom line is there is an alternative, and it's called light therapy or photobiomodulation. Can you imagine literally taking the very light God himself created, and use a particular unit a handheld unit or other you know units that are available larger ones for instance to cover the entire chest or whatever but actually use a light unit to shoot the very wavelength of light you need to excite the cells in your body to do what they were created to do and that's reduce pain and swelling and promote healing and i'll just say that when i had covid in 2021 and i couldn't breathe i mean i could take a deep breath Somebody would say, like, take a deep breath. And I would, and my fingertips were blue. Why? Because I was only at 79% oxygen saturation, and I needed literally to go to the hospital. But the EMTs were saying, please don't go. You'll be sitting in a hallway. Nobody's going to deal with you. The hospitals are overrun right now. If you're OK, stay at home and try to deal with this here. Well, I used light therapy from SunPower LED. It healed my lungs in a matter of like 7 to 10 days. I completely turned around and I could breathe again. I was back to 98, 99% oxygen saturation. If you want to learn about all of what light therapy can do, go to SunPowerLED at CrawfordMediaGroup.net. Sun, like S-U-N in the sky. SunPowerLED at CrawfordMediaGroup.net and check it out for yourselves. Man, we've had an interesting conversation today. One more thing before we change gears and talk about some lighter stuff. But we were talking about what the church maybe can do to do a better job of telling the true Christmas story all year round. And I want to throw something out here, John. It seems to me that, you know, we talked about, like, maybe really the issue of transparency, that transparency matters. if we struggle with sin we should say that we should let people know that jesus is not only our savior he's the one who's helping us to become the people god created us to be but i think we need that from our leaders too and how many times have we read the christian post or something else to see about another leader falling and having issues with sin and whatever shouldn't humility amongst our leaders shouldn't humility amongst the church in general and the idea of servanthood be a part of like the major message of what we are
SPEAKER 05 :
Absolutely, Neil, and again, people, this is where I think the church sometimes makes mistakes. They feel like they can't be quote-unquote offensive, and yet if you do it in the right way with what you just said a moment ago, being totally transparent, the reality is as other people see that, oh, these guys have the same type of struggles that I have, and yet they figured out a way to overcome these. I mean, that in and of itself, Neil, is extremely, extremely powerful, and And again, I'm not criticizing every church. Some churches do a great job of what we're talking about. I'm talking church in general. Put an air quote around it. Catholic, Protestant, doesn't matter. Just in general. I just don't think we do a really good job at some of this because unfortunately, and this is probably a future podcast, we have become too woke and we're too afraid to hurt people's feelings. And in turn, we don't get the right message out.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, and it's so pervasive. And I'm not trying to pick on anybody in particular. I'm just saying, like, the message of the King of Kings being born in a manger. And you talked about interaction with fecal matter. I mean, come on, we're talking about a barn here, ultimately. King of the universe was born in a barn in a manger.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, I highly doubt, for everybody listening really quick, because this is what you don't see in the pictures, I highly doubt if you read scripture and you know what the innkeeper actually said, Neil, I highly doubt that he went out there and cleaned the actual stable before he said, you guys can go out there and hang out and sleep and deliver your baby in it.
SPEAKER 04 :
I highly doubt that happened. It's been approved by the Radisson Hotels and the Hampton Inns.
SPEAKER 05 :
You know, I mean, we sanitize some of this stuff. And I have a manger scene in my front yard. And, you know, I can't make it look like that was. I wish I could. And I would if I could. But at the end of the day, we sanitize those things to... In a lot of ways, you know, we make it look really clean and neat and cute and look at the cute baby Jesus and so on. And I'm not saying he wasn't, but, you know, to your point, Neil, earlier, we forget what that environment would have looked at. And then you've got these lowly of low, you know, really at that point in time, sort of the outcast of the world shepherds that show up. These guys are sheep herders, if you would. In fact, we even sanitize that by calling them shepherds. But really, they're sheep herders, which were... Stinky, smelly, they lived out among the sheep. These weren't the cleanest of individuals either. I'm here to tell you, you would have needed a little bit of Vicks underneath your nose to hang out in the manger that night.
SPEAKER 07 :
Exactly. And honestly, that scenario you just described is the picture of our lives. So why would we present it any different?
SPEAKER 04 :
Exactly. I mean, we're laughing, but it's so true, Neal.
SPEAKER 07 :
If anyone in the body of Christ would ever try to say, look, as Christians, we are immune from this kind of stuff. We're leaders. We're prosperous. We don't have problems. No, Jesus came to rescue us in the midst of our mess. We live in a mess, and Jesus is our answer, not any way that we live our lives or any title we hold or anything like that. I mean, ultimately, that's who Jesus is. So let's focus on that this Christmas. All right.
SPEAKER 05 :
And the fulfillment of prophecy and the things that he did and Again, as we talked earlier, the ability to bring abundant life to each and every one of us. And believe me, folks, I don't think any of you really understand and recognize, and you can see it throughout Scripture, Neal, Old Testament versus New. Not saying they weren't happy in the Old Testament, but there's just no way they could have had the same joy then that we have now because they didn't have Christ in their lives.
SPEAKER 04 :
That's right.
SPEAKER 07 :
you're 100 all right so let me uh let me switch gears here and ask you about little johnny rush all right all right okay back in the day when i say the word christmas john seriously what comes to mind like anyone something you got a picture in your head tell me about that picture
SPEAKER 05 :
At Christmas and around our house, my dad and mom, bless them, my mom since has passed here just recently. My dad's in memory care, so I wish he would be able to listen to this, but he can't because his memory just isn't of that. He's just not sound mind where he can do these things, Neil. But the way they raised us and made Christmas so special, not only with us knowing about the birth of Christ, but the way we did presents and so on, we were kind of a weird family. My folks didn't wrap presents. They would put the presents under the tree after all of us.
SPEAKER 04 :
Really?
SPEAKER 05 :
Had gone to bed. And then, of course, we'd want to get up super early to go out and see exactly what we had gotten and what my mom and dad had gotten us and so on. And it was just a beautiful time. And it was a tradition in our home at that time where that's what my folks did. And I don't know where that tradition for them came from. Most people wrap presents for their kids. But my folks never did. We kind of knew. And we didn't have a lot. We didn't grow up in any kind of a wealthy home at all. I mean, we were talking one, maybe two gifts for each one of us kids. And that was... About it and my folks made huge and looking back now. I Know the huge sacrifice they made Very thankful.
SPEAKER 07 :
Hallelujah Hallelujah, I can relate to that John my mom grew up in a home in northern, Canada I mean she's Canadian so isn't it weird that God put me at a radio station that covers? But I mean she was born in a home that had a dirt floor and my mom was born sometimes and yeah sometimes the windshield would be 40 below zero they'd have to you know start the fire just to be able to survive inside the home but uh and my dad you know grew up in a poor home of polish immigrants and a whole thing just so grateful for the simplicity of the love that was shared in that setting man i understand your tears because i've i've lived that and you know my favorite christmas memory really is not about any specific thing other than the idea that christmas eve for whatever reason was more important than christmas day and i think it was the anticipation the idea of what was coming and it wasn't all about the gifts it was about the whole experience you know we would gather together and sing christmas songs usually having gone to church but then coming home and we would all exchange one present that night we'd all give each other one present we were that family we could do that so you were that family yeah man you know but whatever we did that on christmas eve and the next day was very for whatever reason anti-climatic and there's something about the darkness and the sparkling lights and sometimes there was snow falling outside the window and whatever right right i don't know it was a very precious time of just enjoying the grateful gifts we'd been given and a lot of them weren't fancy i mean i i think the the most important thing i ever got was a goalie stick one year for hockey and I wasn't, you know, much of a hockey player, but I, I've got a story along those lines really quick.
SPEAKER 05 :
Cause we, we talk a lot about the whole, you know, transgender end of things. And I was raised by a man's man. And I can remember, uh, you probably do as well, Neil, when GI Joe became a really big deal in my brother and I, you know, we wanted GI Joe, we wanted the tank. We wanted the little trailer that went with the tank. And I can remember my folks probably didn't know this, but I can remember listening to some of the, uh, conversations that were happening in the evenings after we had gone to bed. You lived in a house where the walls weren't super thick, if you know what I mean. And, you know, we could hear all sorts of things. And I was a I was a pretty, you know, how should I say I paid attention as a young child pretty well. And I can remember my dad sort of having these arguments with my mom that you know my boys are not going to play with dolls and he looked at gi joe as a doll again i was raised by a man's man and there was a big big arguments among him and my mom about us having gi joes because they were like a barbie doll and he did not want us playing with dolls i don't know somehow my mom must have convinced him that we'd still grow up and be you know the kind of men that we ended up being anyways despite having gi joe but for the longest time my dad resisted gi joe
SPEAKER 07 :
know what's so funny john like he was thought of in my world as a man's man i mean he was like this military hero right gi joe and everything guys would play with him the only question we all had was about the hinge in the wrist you know what i'm saying right the hinge of the wrist that was the one thing right not sure about that anyways in a way though it just cut you know again it showed how
SPEAKER 05 :
You know, again, my dad did a great job with especially us boys, you know, teaching us how to be men, how to hunt, how to fish, how to survive, you know, all sorts of circumstances in the wilderness and so on, which, again, I'm very thankful that he taught me all those things. And for him, you know, it was a big deal for us boys to grow up to be men and not cowards.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 07 :
Amen for that.
SPEAKER 05 :
Something we've forgotten today, Neal.
SPEAKER 07 :
And on top of it all, just because you're saying that, I just want to thank God for parents that lived below the poverty level in some cases or whatever. They didn't have great means, but they showed us love in the process.
SPEAKER 05 :
They sacrificed, Neil.
SPEAKER 07 :
Sacrificed. It made all the difference in the world, and it made the reality of the sacrifice Jesus made in our half all the more meaningful on our behalf.
SPEAKER 05 :
Speaking of sacrifice, folks, Preborn, which again, great organization. And yes, for a lot of you listening that maybe you don't make a lot of extra money, but you still want to have that ability to leave a legacy. And you can do that by giving to Preborn any, and I mean this, folks, any donation will help Preborn because as we stack those donations on top of one another, they save babies' lives. They help make those ultrasounds happen. You hear us talk about them every single week. Bob does just such a beautiful job of explaining prenatal you know, pre-born and what they do and the way they handle mom and the family and showing mom, you know, pictures of the baby and what that means. And then in a lot of cases, you know, bringing mom to the Lord, some of what we've talked about during this entire podcast, Neal, you know, pre-born just does such a wonderful job of that. They are literally... saving lives, not just baby's life, but in a lot of cases, mom's life, a family's life, you know, plural, if you would, at the end of the day. And again, for those of you listening, whether you can give a big donation or a little donation, it doesn't matter. All of it will go into helping save babies' lives. You can help out pre-born by going to CrawfordMediaGroup.net.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, it's an excellent site because you can support the podcast and literally support organizations that are changing lives physically, emotionally, and spiritually. And CrawfordMediaGroup.net is where you want to be. Our other brand new sponsor is SunPowerLED. John, I'm sorry, I was going to say Tom Kerber is the founder of SunPowerLED. He's a friend, and he's been involved in all kinds of ministry and other things over the years. He's a wonderful believer, and John, seriously, if he was on Gilligan's Island, the series would have had to end because they would have gotten off the island. He's an amazing inventor, and he's been involved in the study of light waves and what they can accomplish and how they can actually penetrate the skin without burning your skin, without causing any problem, but literally promote healing in your body. Why is that? Because the cells in your body are often compromised for a variety of reasons. And when the mitochondria in your cells wake up, Your cell starts to do what a cell was created to do, and that's reduce pain and swelling and promote healing. Like if you're struggling with arthritis or some kind of an injury, if you've got migraine headaches, if you have problems with your skin or other things, light therapy could be the answer you're looking for. And it is the one thing Big Pharma really honestly doesn't want you to know about. Light therapy has been used to heal so many different things. You can learn all about it on a free webinar that happens every Tuesday night by going to sunpowerled.com. And literally just put your, I think you put your email address in and you're in. You can ask questions. You can learn about the power of light to heal the human body. And by the way, it's the light that God himself created. Learn about it at sunpowerled.com. That's sunpowerled.com. All right. Well, we got about a minute left here, John, real quick. I think probably realistically, I mean, I love the movie Deck the Halls, but It's a Wonderful Life probably has to be my favorite movie of all time. What about you?
SPEAKER 05 :
We watched the other night, and I know it's sort of sacrilegious, but Christmas Vacation is still one of the funniest movies of all time. It's just so hilarious. I know it's one of Bob's favorites as well, so I can say that.
SPEAKER 07 :
Chevy Chase, man, it's so good. On the heels of vacation comes Christmas Vacation. It's just so good, right? That's the one you're talking about?
SPEAKER 05 :
Yes, Christmas Vacation.
SPEAKER 07 :
Absolutely love it. Anyway, John, thanks for all you do. And I just got to say, you know, if I'm thankful for anything this Christmas, it's iron sharpens iron. You guys have taught me so much, and I'm just grateful for you. I'm grateful for our Savior and that we get to talk about biblical truth every week.
SPEAKER 05 :
Amen. I feel the same way, Neil. You guys are such a joy to be with on a weekly basis. I've learned so much. We've figured out in the last five-plus years that it's amazing time has flown by that fast. Yeah.
SPEAKER 07 :
Amen. Well, have a Merry Christmas, everybody. Thanks for listening to our Christmas edition of the National Crawford Roundtable.
SPEAKER 02 :
You've been listening to the National Crawford Roundtable podcast, a view of today's culture through a biblical lens, brought to you by Preborn, saving babies and souls. Join us in the fight to save babies from abortion. Your gift provides a free ultrasound for a mother in need. 80% of the time she will choose life. Visit CrawfordMediaGroup.net and click on their logo to donate. And by SunPower LED light therapy devices. Bring light to your pain. Visit CrawfordMediaGroup.net and click on the SunPower LED logo to get out of pain and improve your overall wellness. You can download this podcast from Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and more from your local Crawford Media Group stations website or at CrawfordMediaGroup.net. And please give this podcast a five-star rating on your Apple app. Look for the notification on your app for when the next weekly edition of the National Crawford Roundtable podcast is ready for you to download. This is a Crawford Media Group production.
The objective of Bible study is to acquire wisdom. Knowledge produces wisdom and wisdom makes an impact in the devil’s world. Satan will attack your thinking through the lures of his world. Satan can neutralize you by recapturing your thoughts, you’ll take your mind off of Christ and put your mind on people and circumstances. “Do not love the world, do not love the things of the world” (1 John 2:15). People and circumstances won’t make you happy. Your thoughts should be on Christ. “Cast down all imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and then bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor 10:5). There is an angelic conflict and you’re in the middle of it. You must learn God’s plan for your life. Come to understand what God expects of you and how He has equipped you to live a fantastic life in this conflict.
Click for Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/unique-life-436f48
Our Unique Life – Part 4
Transcript of FLOT Line Episode 619 aired on July 9, 2017
Good morning and welcome to the FLOT Line. I'm your host Rick Hughes and for the next few
minutes I would give you an invitation to stay with me. It’s going to be a little bit of time, just
thirty minutes, motivation, some inspiration, some education. And you know we do this without
any type of manipulation. We’re not trying to raise money. We’re not trying to sell you anything.
We’re not asking you to join up, fess it up, give it up. All I'm really asking you to do is listen up.
Listen to me as I explain God's wonderful, phenomenal problem-solving devices. Let me show
you how if you can establish a FLOT line in your soul then you can stop the outside sources of
adversity before they ever become the inside sources of stress. Because adversity, we all know
that's inevitable and stress well, not everybody knows this, but stress is optional. And the reason
is
adversity is what circumstances do to you and stress, well that's what you do to yourself.
So the FLOT Line is an invisible protective barrier made up of wonderful problem-solving
devices found in the Bible. Ten of them at least. And if you learn them and use them, then you
can have this most phenomenal life. You have phenomenal assets. If you are a believer in Jesus
Christ, if you've accepted Him as your Savior, you must develop a FLOT line. You must know
these problem-solving devices for your spiritual life to be effective. Because you have assets
available for you to use in time. As long as you're in the arena of contention, which is called the
devil's world, as long as you're here, as long as you’re logging time down here, then these assets
are always available to you. And it starts off with the first asset is the Bible, the canon of
Scripture. God gave you a Bible and that's an amazing asset. Some of you own more than one
Bible. Let me remind you that the Scriptures were written in Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic and
there's so many different types of Bibles out there today - it’s the number one selling book in the
world. I mean, if you're a lonely hearts club, they’ve got a Bible for that. If you're a tree hugger,
they’ve got a Bible for that. If you're a fisherman, they’ve got a Bible for that. If you're single,
they’ve got a Bible for that. The single Bible, the fishing Bible, the hunting Bible. It's all about
selling Bibles because it's a moneymaking machine. We don't sell anything here but I
recommend you have a Bible. And, most of all,
I recommend that you sit under a well-
qualified pastor that can teach you the Bible from those original languages out of the Greek
and out of the Hebrew.
You might not know this, for example, if the Bible says that you’re to
love me, there are in the Greek New Testament four different Greek words for love. That only
translates into English in one word - love. But in the Greek it could be
agapao, phileo, stocheo,
erao
and the pastor has to tell you which love it is. When I say, do you, do we, do you, I said it
three times, well in Romans 7:15 there are three different words for do, three different Greek
words. So knowing the languages is critical. And so you have a Bible, you have a pastor, your
Bible is a textbook, not a novel, it’s designed to be taught to you. You also have the filling of the
Holy Spirit which is a phenomenal asset because Jesus Christ our Lord said when He went away
He would send His Spirit and He would be your mentor or your tutor and He would help you.
And then you have also your individual spiritual gift. Your gift that God gave you when you got
1
619-Our-Unique-Life-p4-transcript.pdf
saved is where you fit into the body of Christ. You didn’t earn it. You didn't deserve it but it's an
asset. And the Bible says in 1 Corinthians 12:11,
“But one and the same Spirit works all these
things distributing to each one individually as He wills.”
Some people have the gift of giving,
some people have the gift of helps, some people have the gift of mercy, some people have the
gift of administration, some people have the gift of evangelist, some people have the gift of
pastor-teacher. There are several different gifts: giving (Romans 12:6), helps (1 Corinthians
12:28), mercy (Romans 12:8), gift of administration (Romans 12:8), gift of service (Romans
12:7). All of these spiritual gifts are the basis for the team concept in God's royal family. It's
where you play on the team. And the quarterback is not any more important than the tight end,
the tight end is not any more important than the linebacker or the fullback or the tackle. You are
just as important as the pastor. Your job on the team is to re-present Jesus Christ. So that pastor is
a grace asset for you. A well-qualified pastor and overseer, the Bible calls him. Peter told the
pastors to,
“Shepherd the flock of God, the ones that are among you, serving as overseers and
not by compulsion, but willingly, and never for any dishonest gain.”
That word overseer is a
compound word,
episkopeo
is the word and it means to fully look over, to fully watch. And so
your pastor has responsibility by God to watch over the direction administration of your local
church. So that's important for you to understand that. It’s important for you to know that that's
one of your assets - a well-qualified pastor - and his job is to keep a watch on things, make sure
they go right. You know, God inspects our human thoughts and evaluates our progress as
believers. It even tells us that in Revelation 2:23,
“I am the One that searches the minds and the
hearts and I will give to each of you according to your production.”
So we have all these
amazing promises associated with the assets that He gives us. And if we think divine viewpoint,
if we think God's Word, not human viewpoint, but divine viewpoint, then we have an amazing
lifestyle. Just let me show it to you. When the Bible says,
“Let this mind be in you that was also
in Christ Jesus,”
when the Bible says,
“Stop thinking in terms of arrogance beyond what you
should think, but think in terms of humility as God has assigned to each one of us a standard of
thinking from His Word.”
When those things like that are there, this is what it means.
In Isaiah
26:3,
“I will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee because he trusts in
Thee.”
That’s the faith-rest drill, problem-solving device number three, trusting in God in
spite of the difficulties, in spite of the circumstances.
So there's one, having perfect peace,
that’s a relaxed mental attitude, that's being able to close your eyes at night not worried, not
afraid, not shaken, not shivering. In Psalm 119:165,
“Those who love Your Law have great peace
and nothing causes them to stumble.”
Now this is not the peace that comes from being saved,
that’s a different peace. Romans 5:1-2 says,
“We have been justified by faith and we have peace
with God through our faith in Jesus Christ.”
But this is beyond that. This is a living faith, not a
justification type faith. And so Paul talked about it in Philippians he said,
“Be anxious for
nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known to God
[and then here it comes, ready, listen]
and the peace of God, which
surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and mind through Jesus Christ.”
Guard your
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heart and mind, what does that mean? Well, it means you have a mind (m.i.n.d.) that's called in
the Greek New Testament your
nous
and that's like the left side, that’s where all the information
comes in. And then you have a heart
kardia
in the Greek
kardia.
We get the English word,
cardiology. And this is where all the information is stored. So we get knowledge in the mind and
it’s called
gnosis
. But if we cycle it by faith into the heart then the Greek Bible calls it
epignosis
or
epi
being full, full knowledge. Full knowledge is wisdom.
The objective of Bible study is to
acquire wisdom.
Knowledge produces wisdom and wisdom makes an impact in the devil’s
world. So there's never any need for you to worry yourself sick since any mental attitude sin such
as worry, anxiety, those sort of things eventually overflow into the body. I mean it's not
uncommon for people to have skin rashes and hypertension, high blood pressure, ulcers, other
disorders from the overflow or pressure from the mind to the body. This is a promise - you don't
have to have that sort of stuff. You can live with an unbelievable peace the world does not have.
That's a divine promise from God. And we must understand that promise and utilize that promise
because it will guard you. Because Satan, if he's going to attack something, he attacks the way
you think. You live your spiritual life in your brain, you know, in your soul. That's where you
live it. It plays itself out in your actions.
Satan attacks your thinking
. Let me just take one brief
minute, okay, maybe more than a minute. But let me show you how he can neutralize you. If you
allow Satan he can neutralize you as a believer to where you have no impact, no impact in your
community, no impact in your family, no impact at all. And this is how he'll do it.
Number one
Satan can neutralize you by recapturing your thoughts, you’ll take your mind off of Christ
and put your mind on people and circumstances.
In the Bible, Paul warns about this in 2
Corinthians 11:3,
“I fear lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve
[or neutralized her, he
compromised her]
as the serpent deceived Eve by means of his craftiness, so your minds
[there it
is]
so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that's in Christ Jesus.”
The single-
mindedness that’s in Christ Jesus. This is what Satan tries to do, to corrupt your thoughts, to
corrupt your thinking, to create doubt, to create animosity, to create hatred, to create
implacability, to create guilt. These are all things that attack your mind. This is not the way God
intended for you to live. God said in 2 Corinthians 10:5 through Paul,
“Cast down all
imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and then bring
into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”
Every thought, every motive, every
attention, every desire into obedience to the intentions of Jesus Christ, that’s what He
wants you to do with your life.
But Satan is always there, always trying to neutralize you by
recapturing your thoughts and then he will seek to reclaim your affections. And by that he will
take you away from the things that are the most important. If you let him recapture your
thoughts, you'll lose your affections. What do I mean by that? Well, 1 John 2:15 tells you, warns
you,
“Do not love the world, do not love the things in the world. If any man loves the world
[the
cosmos diabolicus
we call it]
then the love of the Father is not in him.”
Losing your affection is
you turning away from loving God and associating with the details in life and looking to
people or circumstances to make you happy.
And so some people fall in love with money.
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619-Our-Unique-Life-p4-transcript.pdf
Some people fall in love with drugs. Some people fall in love with alcohol. Some people fall in
love with another person and they put God aside. Don't you think for one minute Satan can’t
bring you the love of your life if you will in fact walk away from the plan of God. I've seen it
happen. I've seen several people that were advancing spiritually and were growing and they fell
in love. And that was the end of that. Quit going to church, quit taking in God's Word, quit
dealing with the Scriptures and began to deal with the person they fell in love with. And there’s
nothing wrong with falling in love. God has the right person for you. But if it's the right person
they are going to assist you in your spiritual growth not distract you. Another thing Satan will try
to do is redirect your focus to get you to look away from God's Word, away from the cross. In 2
Corinthians 4:18 we are warned,
“While we look not at the things which are seen
[this is your
focus]
but we look at the things which are seen not. For the things which are seen are just
temporary but the things which are seen not are the eternal things.”
So that's our objective -
keep our mind on the plan. We look forward, not back, not to what's going to make me
happy today. We look forward to the objective, those things that are eternal.
So if you stay
filled with the Holy Spirit, if you grow spiritually and become a mature believer you are building
up eventual rewards in eternity where you will hear your Father say, ‘Well done, good job, proud
of you, My good and My faithful servant.’ Unfortunately, some people are going to get there and
the Lord will say, ‘Have a seat and we'll get to you in a few years.’ That doesn’t mean He doesn't
love you. That doesn't mean you're not in heaven. That doesn't mean you don't have eternal life.
It just means you didn't fulfill His plan. And so he's busy over there blessing those other people
that did while you wait your turn to get up there to hear what went on in your life. Now no sins
are going to be shown you. There’s no movie projector in heaven showing you all the sins you
did. That's not true. Your sins were all paid for at the cross. But what will be evaluated is your
production and this is described in 1 Corinthians 3:11-16. Did you manufacture wood, hay and
stubble or did you manufacture gold, silver and precious stones? You’re to keep your focus on
this, keep your focus on Christ. Not looking at the things that are seen but the things that are seen
not. Not only will Satan try to redirect your focus, he will refine or, excuse me, try to redefine
your values. To get you to redefine what's valuable to you. So if I ask you a question, what's the
most valuable thing in your life right now? Here's what Matthew says, Matthew 6:19,
“Lay not
up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt and where thieves
break in and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust
doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break in and steal.”
There you go. So your values must
be in heaven. If you’re going to lay up some rewards, it must be in heaven.
And then Satan's
going to seek to get you to reorder your priorities; to put other things in front of God.
Matthew 6:33 says,
“If you will seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness
[that’s first,
priority number one]
and all of these things
[talked about in the preceding verses]
they will be
added to you.”
That's logistical support. So God has a plan for your life and that's how Satan will
try to interrupt it in those ways. If you didn't get all that, write to me, I'll send you this message
and you can listen to it again. Now another asset that you have as a believer in Jesus Christ, you
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619-Our-Unique-Life-p4-transcript.pdf
are now a member of the royal priesthood. You yourself are. First Peter 2:9,
“But you also are a
chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may
proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of the darkness and into His marvelous light.”
So now you're a priest.
You’re a believer priest, and as a believer priest you are guaranteed
divine protection in the devil's world.
We’re given that in 1 John 4:4,
“You are of God, little
children, and you have overcome them, because greater is the One in you than the one that's in
the world.”
So you’re a believer priest, you have divine protection. Job 5:19 says you don’t even
have to worry about when you die. Eliphaz, the friend of Job, taught him a Bible class because
he thought Job was being disciplined by God for what he did wrong and it wasn't true. This is
what Eliphaz said,
“He will deliver you in six troubles, yes, even in seven no evil will touch you.
In famine He will redeem you from death and war from the power of the sword. You will be hid
from the scourge of the tongue, and neither shall you be afraid of destruction when it comes. At
destruction and famine you can laugh and neither should you be afraid of the beast of the earth.
For you shall be in league with the stones of the field and the beasts of the field should be at
peace with you. And you will know that your tabernacles shall be at peace and you will visit your
habitation and shall not sin. And thou shalt know also that your seed shall be great in thine
offspring as the grass of the earth. And you will come to your grave in a full age like as a shock
of corn cometh in the season. We've searched it, this is true, hear it, it's good.”
Recently I did a
funeral for a wonderful person up in the Tennessee area. A mature believer, a wonderful mature
believer, impactful in her community and in her family. You cannot believe what her life did. The
historical impact that she left behind, the invisible impact she had in her community, the family
impact, the blessing by association. And God took her at the right time. Now someone might
have said she should have lived longer.
God takes us at the right time. Only He knows the
time and the manner and the place of our departure.
And if we’re mature believers, if we’re
growing in the grace and the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we’re redeeming
our time, we don’t even have to worry about it. He’ll handle it. He knows the time, He knows the
place and He knows how it’ll happen. So in our case, just keep driving on. Keep your eyes on the
objective. Okay? Another great asset we have, I'm talking about a phenomenal asset, is the power
of intercessory prayer. Intercessory prayer. A client nation like America, we have no hope
without intercessory prayer by believers, by you, for those that are in control, for the president,
for the Congress, for the executive and judicial branch of the government - they need prayer. The
military needs prayer. Prayer, intercessory prayer. This is all taught in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 where
Paul said,
"First of all, I urge that entreaties and prayers and petitions and thanksgiving be made
on behalf of all men and for kings and all who have authority
[why? why should they do that?
listen to the rest of the verse]
so that
[this is a purpose clause]
we may lead a tranquil and quiet
life in all godliness and dignity.”
We have the ability to approach the throne of God and pray for
government, pray for our leaders. Paul was requesting prayers be made for the salvation of the
people and for the government. Sometimes I'll look up commentaries, information other people
have written. Walvoord and Zuck wrote in
The Bible Knowledge Commentary
about this, they
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619-Our-Unique-Life-p4-transcript.pdf
said, “Having recently been released from his Roman imprisonment Paul was greatly aware of
the deteriorating political atmosphere and thus he urged prayer for the salvation of all men but
especially rulers so that the stable non-interfering environment of the previous days might be
recovered.” Non-interfering where the government doesn't stick its nose into the middle of
religion and try to dictate policy such as they've done today. I mean, it's a crime today to display
the Ten Commandments in the courthouse. Can you believe we are that far gone? It's ridiculous.
A friend of mine, a wonderful friend of mine who is a pastor said this, “In America, everything
good today has become evil and everything evil has now become good.” That’s true if you take a
look at our country, if you take a look at history, if you take a look at what's going on the very
things that were detestable twenty or thirty years ago are accepted and widely promoted today.
And if you stand against it, well they’ve got a lot of names to call you. So if there's one thing that
we do not have in American politics, it’s tranquility. We don't have quiet lives. We are assaulted
every day by media bullies that seek to impose their agenda on the masses, trying to tell the
masses who's right and who's wrong and what you should believe and what you shouldn’t
believe. I think we need to go back to news twice a day; thirty minutes in the morning, thirty
minutes in the evening and kick the rest of them off the air. Then we would be a little better off I
believe. Paul said, entreaties and prayers and intercession and thanksgiving, supplication,
entreaties, requests, requesting prayers. Prayers,
proseuchomai
is the word for prayer. There are
prayers of appreciation, prayers of adoration of God. You can do that. There's nothing wrong
with thanking God for who He is and what He is. Prayers of intercession where the Greek word
enteuxis
means we petition God on behalf of another person.
Prayers of thanksgiving, like
eucharistia,
the Greek word where we express our attitude of appreciation for all that God
has done.
Yes, we have incredible, phenomenal assets as believers in Jesus Christ. But if you
don't know them, you’re not going to use them. And if you don't use them, you're never going to
glorify God in time and you’re never going to re-present Jesus Christ to your generation. It’s not
going to happen. You know, there's protocol involved in the plan of God, which means a right
thing has to be done in a right way. Therefore it's critically important that we learn His Word and
we learn to do it right. You know, just like a coach, you may have some guy come out for the
team (basketball, football, baseball) and he's phenomenal or she's phenomenal. Have all the
attributes of greatness and stability but not a team player. Well a coach can’t put that person in
the game because they won't learn the plays, they won't run the plays, they just want to be a ball
hog or ball shot, they will shoot the ball every time they get it and the coach is going to put them
on the bench. And this is the way God works. We are a team and we all have to learn our position
on the team and there's no hotshots here.
We don't make the rules up as we go along, we play
by God's rules and those rules are called protocol, and protocol demands that right things
be done in a right way.
And that starts with salvation - faith alone in Christ alone; and it moves
into the spiritual life where we are mandated to be filled with the Spirit and we’re mandated to
grow in grace; and it moves into how we identify with other people - where the Bible says be
kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving, on down the line; and then into eternity. We’re to
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619-Our-Unique-Life-p4-transcript.pdf
keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus Christ and focus on what's coming not what we're involved in
now but what we will see. There’s a protocol plan of God. It's not just go to church and sing a
few songs and clap, clap, clap, go home - it's much more than that.
There is an angelic conflict
going on and you're in the middle of it. This is a war. You must learn God's plan for your
life. You must come to understand what God expects out of you and how God has equipped
you and then you can live in the middle of this conflict the most fantastic, happy, peaceful,
relaxed life the world has ever seen.
Everybody else around you will be falling apart and you’ll
be having a great time because you know Who's in control and you know how to let Him run the
show. I hope you're listening. I hope you're learning. I hope you're paying attention. I am Rick
Hughes the host of the FLOT Line. I'll see you next week, same time, same place. Thank you
Kamala Harris is telling her allies to keep her political options open. A Texas father who tried for years to stop his ex-wife from allowing his pre-teen child, who now identifies as 'Luna,' to be chemically castrated has been dealt a blow in California court. Dana explains how the US is setting their military up for failure including outdated technology, low morale and high costs due to too much government bureaucracy. Major companies including Walmart, Ford and John Deere announce they are ENDING their DEI policies. Dana still isn’t over Jaguar’s new woke ad and pink EV car. Kamala Harris’ Campaign is $20 Million in debt. Comcast will spin-off its news networks like MSNBC due to lack of viewership. Alec Bladwin says Americans are “uninformed about reality” because they don’t watch cable news. Do people still celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas?
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SPEAKER 20 :
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SPEAKER 15 :
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SPEAKER 21 :
Welcome back to the program. You're truly a retired little Christmas loving guy. I accidentally started World War III on X because I asked a question about cranberries. Actually, I didn't ask a question. I said that sliced canned cranberry is the only cranberry worth having on the table. Guys, if we have a civil war, it's not going to be over the stuff you think it's going to be about. It's going to be between the sliced cranberry people and the I made it from scratch cranberry people. It's really where it's going to be. That's going to be, it's going to be World War III over that. And then we're going to have to divide into like two nations, right? Sliced cranberry on one flag and on the other flag, whatever the hell they call that Hippie granola with the cranberries in it. I don't know. It's weird. It's weird. It is. You know, it's right. I feel like deer would love it. So I'm just going to let that sit there. Let's go on. Let's move on. I got something funny for you guys. Want to hear a joke? I've got a really funny joke. Okay. So here's my joke. Kamala Harris is telling her advisors and allies to keep her political options open. It's the best joke I've heard. Like this year. It's the best joke I've heard. I mean, this is what her insiders are saying. They're saying that she's telling people, keep my options open. I don't know if she's thinking about running for governor. Really? I don't think she would be popular as governor in California. And I don't know. I mean, if she doesn't run for governor... I don't know, because it's going to be a pretty open race, and I don't know who they have that they're preparing to do it. I don't know, because the Senate seats are set. I mean, they're going to be filled by, I mean, you got Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, so the Senate seats are set. I don't know. I don't know. I mean, it looks like, I feel like she, I guess, what, she thinks she can go for governor? Really? Yeah. Her party doesn't like her. They're going to go back to not liking her. But apparently they're saying keep her. She wants to keep her instructions open. And apparently she hasn't ruled out a 2028 run. Oh, Gavin Newsom will mow her down for that. Oh, my gosh. Hair gel. Oh, yeah. He's going to mow her down for that. No way that man is not going to run. He's preparing to run. He's like whole everything is him preparing to run. That's what he's doing. So, no, that's like, of course, he's going to. Can you imagine? Who's going to give her another billion to blow through? Right? Blow being an operative word. Who's going to give her the... What? Be careful. I was talking about because of the wind. Just be careful. With not... With getting blown away? So, I don't know what... I don't know what she's going to spend. Because what was it? Like 1 point... What was it? 1.2, 1.3 billion that she blew through? Something insane. Right? Yeah. I... So I don't.
SPEAKER 06 :
She still owes some 20 something million.
SPEAKER 21 :
That's right. She's in debt 20 million. Why is she even considering unless she's considering running because she wants to raise money to pay off her debt. And that's like probably the only thing that. Right. That's what I'm thinking. I don't know. Just saying it just seems because otherwise I don't see what there's no benefit to her. There's no benefit. This is an insane story, and I wanted to touch on this. I think I had it earlier in my rundown, but I wanted to bring this up. Have you guys heard about this case with Jeff Younger? This is one of the wildest cases, I think, that, I don't know. He's a Texas dad, actually. Wasn't he in, like, Capel? Not too far from us. So this dad, him and his wife got divorced. His name is Jeff Younger. His wife is Ann Gorgoulis. And they had, they have a 12-year-old son that they got, he got, he was going to get granted a full custody of his 12-year-old son. And he wanted to, well, the ex-wife is. She was just granted that in California court this past week. He has twins. twin boys and one of the boys apparently is from what they talked about in court the the 12 year old boy would dress as a boy and do boy stuff at his dad's house and then when he was with his mom it was like his mom was like pushing this stuff on him and so the mom insisted that the 12 year old uh be transitioned because he's the mom decided that the son was transgender And the 12 year old, they wanted to put him, she wanted to put him on hormone blockers and all of this stuff. Chemical castration essentially is what she wants to do to him. And the dad had been fighting this for quite a long time, a couple of years. They'd been fighting with him for a while. And so then she moved from Texas to California and she's raising the 12 year old boy. And again, he's a twin. So there's two boys. She's raising him as a girl. She's been claiming that he is a girl since, I mean, for several years now. And when the dad, Jeff Younger, asked his son, you know, do you think that you're a girl? And he goes, like, what do you, you know, what do you think? And he was in the beginning when they were in court, it was like he, the son said he wanted to be a boy. And it was like he would only dress up when he was visiting, when he was at his mom's house and being with the mom. And so his ex-wife was wanting to do all of this hormone stuff. And a court ruled that she could not seek transitioning treatment of their son previously. And she acknowledged the order. And then the Supreme Court of Texas ruled in December that she lacked the legal authority to consent to such therapy. But she's been pushing this this entire time. And... Now, he said she was transitioning him when he was two, and the records support that. She put him in a gender clinic when he was five, and then she relocated to California so she could basically be in a better position to fight to have him transitioned. And then in 21, excuse me, the judge in California gave her full custody over the 12-year-old boy. including his medical care. But they said that the control did not extend to the hormone suppression therapy and the puberty blockers and the reassignment surgery. They said the boy's dad had to sign off on that. Well, the mom didn't like that. And they kept they were they were pushing it. And now he lost all parental rights over him. And I read because I think that they did IVF. And apparently that's not even her biological child. Because they I think she had like a donor. I read a story where they had one of the reports. It was in Texas media. Yeah. So I don't know. That's what I the whole this isn't an insane story to me for a number of different reasons. The California judge was the one who who granted the mom all authority. And the dad was, you know, he was a super involved dad. And then they had like an acrimonious divorce. And then the mom's doing this. It makes me wonder if she's not doing it to get at the dad. I don't know. But he says that, I mean, he was supposed to have supervised supervision. or supervised, sorry, visitation. He said that he sends letters and stuff to his sons, but his ex-wife is not required to make sure that they receive them. But now she's been released. She's free to go and seek the experimental surgery and chemically castrate him and all this stuff, which is wild. I don't know. Of course, she has her medical picture where she's wearing a cross necklace, which even the devil can quote scripture. But it's so sad to me. This kid's 12 years old. She's been brainwashing this kid since he was a toddler. Before he even understands concrete concepts or abstract concepts, she's pushing this stuff on him. To me, I feel like that that's a form of abuse. I can't believe courtrooms don't see that, especially when it involves a mom and a dad that are not on the same page. Wouldn't you want to err on the side of caution? as opposed to just giving the mom the green light for chemical castration and then experimental surgery. I just feel like you would, you would want to err on the side of caution with us. That just blows the mind that that's not what's happening here. So that's, I mean, it's just so sad. It just, it makes, cause it's just so sad. And, uh, I wrote they had they got divorced and then apparently it sounds like she's just like she had she purchased all girl toys for the for the son. So when he was at his mom's house, he's playing with girl toys. He's got girl clothes. It really sounds like she was put. I mean, you're two years old. This is this is entirely an adult concept that they're transposing onto kids and then saying that the kids are actually choosing it because they feel like they have some greater purpose to help this child affirm who they think they are. It's abusive. It's incredibly abusive. I feel so bad for this dad. I mean, what I'm curious is to where some of the Texas leadership is on this. And a lot of I was told by a friend that some of the churches in the in our area, but since he's in Capel, that's that's considered part of DFW, Dallas, Fort Worth. And. There were apparently like churches that are afraid to speak out on this or help the dad because they don't want to lose any kind of tax exempt status. I think a lot of things, a lot of things need to happen here. But I'm just curious as to why I never saw. I mean, this is feels like something Ken Paxton should be. I know. I think Ken Paxton has mentioned this before. But a lot of these other lawmakers out there, where are they? Where's some of these lawmakers with us? I mean, I can't. Can you imagine not being able to really have any kind of parental control over your child? And you know that they're going to be chemically castrated and it's not something they've ever had the freedom to come to a decision that they chose. They didn't have the freedom to choose it. It was pushed on them from toddlerhood. It's so abusive. Speaking of like related to this. So remember, they've been trying to cancel JK Rowling for I don't know how long now. How long they've been trying to cancel this woman. I mean, years now, ever since she spoke up in favor of. Sanity in favor of women protecting women's spaces and on sports teams and stuff. They've been trying to cancel her something fierce. So HBO has been forced into defending her because the the woke scolds were demanding that she be removed from her own Harry Potter TV series. That seems a little. Yeah, maybe not. That seems a little much. So HBO, to their credit, they're actually standing by her. That's kind of impressive. Because they had not, that was not something previously that I thought that they would, I mean, it's because it's Disney. Because they've got the Disney, they have the Disney Harry Potter theme park. Apparently her name's on it. HBO. I guess everybody's standing, or she has blank you money and she can't be canceled. And Blinky Power. Because she's like a factory of stories. Yeah, they said that because they still have her name up on the stuff at Disney. They haven't taken her name off that. And HBO said that they're not taking her name off of the series. Because people were upset that she stuck up for women.
SPEAKER 1 :
Hmm.
SPEAKER 21 :
Interesting. Is it maybe that that pendulum is... Swinging the other way. All right, as we move. Our partners over at Preborn. This is such a great organization. And if you are unfamiliar with pre-born, let me tell you, this is a great ministry that meets with women who are facing unplanned pregnancies. And they assist these mothers in their choice of life. They introduce these mothers to their babies through ultrasounds that you help provide. And when a mother hears her infant's heartbeat, And sees the infant on the ultrasound that baby's chance that life doubles there have been numerous studies on this and pre-born helps make that possible That's what your money goes to they have right now matching grants. So your donation is doubled. It goes twice as far Every dollar you contribute that's what it goes to it puts ultrasound machines in women's clinics it helps to partner with women who have chose have chosen life and And they help them with maternity and things like diapers and all kinds of stuff. So these women feel less alone. And I think that's such a great thing to do as an affirmation of life. And pre-born cannot do it without you. Every donation counts. So you could, I mean, for $28, you can actually get an ultrasound for a woman like today. for $28. If you wanted to go big, if you can go big, $5,000, $10,000, $15,000, you can actually put ultrasound machines in clinics. It's an amazing thing what they do. And they have such an excellent rating with like every measure of, you know, charitable... uh grade possible like they they they're just so above board they're so transparent and you know where your money goes and they i mean because you see it they like send you emails and videos and all kinds of stuff it's awesome it's very simple to donate pound 250 hashtag for you gen zers Pound 250 and say the keyword baby. It's so easy to donate. You can also visit preborn.com slash Dana and donate online. Every dollar counts. Pound 250, say the keyword baby or donate securely at preborn.com slash Dana.
SPEAKER 01 :
This is an ad by BetterHelp. What's your perfect night? Is it curling up on the couch for a cozy, peaceful night in? Therapy can feel a bit like that. Your comfort place where you replenish your energy. With BetterHelp, get matched with a therapist based on your needs entirely online. It's convenient and suited to your schedule. Find comfort this season with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com today to get 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P dot com.
SPEAKER 02 :
This is an ad by BetterHelp. What's your perfect night? Is it curling up on the couch for a cozy, peaceful night in? Therapy can feel a bit like that. Your comfort place where you replenish your energy. With BetterHelp, get matched with a therapist based on your needs, entirely online. It's convenient and suited to your schedule. Find comfort this season with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com to learn more and save 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P, dot com.
SPEAKER 06 :
And now, all of the news you would probably miss. It's time for Dana's Quick Five.
SPEAKER 21 :
Okay, let's see here. So first, well, we told you the story. Harris is telling her advisors that... they need to kind of keep her options open for her, whether it's maybe going for governor or going for Senate, something to that effect. This is crazy. Editorial four in 10 Chicago public school teachers were chronically absent last year. Their median salary is $95,000. Four in 10. Four in 10 were absent. And that Last year, the median salary is $95,000. I know, I'm without words. I don't quite... That's 21% more than teachers make in the suburbs. Yep. The median pay there is $78,000. These teachers are making $95,000. And CPS in Cook County Chicago Public Schools pays its teachers more than any other large school district in the nation.
SPEAKER 06 :
It just proves throwing more money at it doesn't fix it.
SPEAKER 21 :
Completely. Totally not at all. It does not fix it at all. A unique cemetery says grieving relatives must pay for VIP passes to visit graves. This has to... So this is in Britain. It's in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent. And it's like in a... It's a... I mean, it doesn't look like it's anything but a normal cemetery. It costs $5 to visit a grave or a cremation plot, $10 to visit the Rose Garden. And they're not going to come out and force with this. Well, it'll be in January. And they have electric gates, so you have to have a VIP pass. Yeah.
SPEAKER 05 :
But if I paid to have them buried there, that's me paying to visit whenever.
SPEAKER 21 :
I don't know if you get the VIP pass, if you pay to do that, have them. I don't know. But I mean, I don't know of anybody who like goes and acts unless it's like a veterans cemetery. People you don't know.
SPEAKER 06 :
This reminds me of like in-game purchasing.
SPEAKER 21 :
It's in-game purchasing. You can pay to have some of them buried here, but you have to pay for the access of getting to them. Yes. So this is, okay, speaking of dead stuff. Oh, gosh. A Colorado funeral homeowner was accused of letting 190 bodies decay. And they pled guilty to corpse abuse. That's... Oh, my gosh. Apparently, they began storing their bodies in a decrepit building near Colorado Springs in 2019. And they gave families dry concrete in place of cremated remains. So somebody probably has like grandma in a jar on their mantle and it's not grandma. It's just concrete. Yeah. So they're in a lot of trouble. John and Carrie Halford. It's called the Return to Nature Funeral Home. They begin storing the bodies in this, and then they would give families the dry concrete. They just had the discovery last year that this was happening. They apparently spent extravagantly. They did laser body sculpting, fancy cars, luxury items, all that stuff. They pled guilty to fraud. That is insane. Stick with us. We've got a lot more on the way. And our partners... The non-firearm firearm, the folks over at Burn-A-Gun. This is an interesting product because it's a self-defense tool, right? And I always tell people, you know, I carry... Always, and there's very rare exceptions when I don't, and I have zero issue with using lethal force to protect myself and my loved ones. That said, there are times, and I have friends who have to live this, where you're required to go somewhere, maybe it's for work or whatever, where it's a gun-free zone, which I know is the dumbest phrase ever, but that's the reality. I had a friend who lives in Washington, D.C., The nature of their work means that they have to go into some places that do not allow firearms, even though they have one of the very difficult to get in D.C. licenses to carry. So my friend went out and got Berna's most popular model, the Berna SD. It has five rounds, so that's already greater than the average stun gun, which is just one or two. And the Berna SD, it shoots chemical irritant projectiles that can disable threats from up to 50 feet away. And they have different models. But the Burna SD, that's the one that I have the greatest familiarity with. And that's the one that I know I have at least just in the past like few months, I have six friends that have gotten them. And they all live in places like Chicago and New York. And they mostly work in like media. And then I have one that works in law in New York. And they have to go their job, they got to feed their families. And so they carry a Burna SD. And then when they get back to their car, they have their firearm. But that's one of the things that they got to do to protect themselves. Burna is helping you diversify your array of self-defense weapons. And you can get 10% off their most popular model, actually 10% off your whole purchase, at Burna.com slash Dana. It's B-Y-R-N-A, Burna.com slash Dana. Doesn't care about gun-free zone signs, no background check, legal in all 50 states, ships right to your door. Burna.com slash Dana for 10% off.
SPEAKER 02 :
This is an ad by BetterHelp. What's your perfect night? Maybe you're settled at home alone or with loved ones, covered in blankets, about to watch your favorite show. It's cozy, it's calm, and you're ready for a perfect night in. Therapy can feel a bit like that. A place for comfort. A time when you replenish your energy and take care of yourself. And hey, you can even do it without leaving that same cozy couch. This season is the perfect time to give therapy a try, right from the comfort of home. With BetterHelp, get matched with a tailored therapist based on your needs and preferences, entirely online. Designed to be convenient, flexible, and suited to your schedule. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a therapist and switch therapists at any time for no additional charge. Find comfort this season with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com to learn more and save 10% off your first month. That's BetterHelp, H-E-L-P, dot com.
SPEAKER 16 :
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SPEAKER 21 :
Welcome back to the program. Dana Lash here with you. And we are at the bottom of this first hour. Welcome back to the program. We're going to get into these picks and all this stuff here coming up. I wanted to remark on this. I thought this was fascinating. So I noticed over the weekend and I had retweeted it because I had asked a question about it. Elon Musk. had tweeted this video out. Let me pull this up. It's this, it's all of these, it's like drones that are getting into formation. It's really interesting. And it's this video and it's showing, you know, all the stuff that drones, because drones, drones are actually terrifying when you think about it, right? Especially when you're using them in warfare, because without I mean, you would have to essentially use an EMP. Right. To take unless there's like something that's a little bit more siloed in terms of affecting, you know, this this particular like squadron of drones. Juan showing you on the simulcast right now, this video that Musk had put out there. And, you know, it's it's terrifying because they don't even actually make like a lot of sound. Right. And we can joke and be like, oh, yeah, you can use them for skeet shooting and all that. Yeah. But, you know, also like in warfare, it's yeah, it's not as it's not actually it would. I mean, I don't know how you defend against it. I'm sure that smart people have answers, but warfare is changing. And one of the other things that's changing, too, is or needs to is the way that we approach it. And so I was talking to some folks about this over the weekend and, and I've heard a lot, like so many from my friends who've served and, and obviously, you know, reading about the difficulties with the people who are, who the war fighters who have war fighting experience and aren't pencil, pencil pushers who are trying to tell the people who are pencil pushers or who are maybe in the, you know, civilians and, you know, not in their sector, trying to get them to understand the agility that the budget requires. And I bring this up because There's this, what is it? It's the Great Eagle, right? That's like one of the drones that were, it's like a British, isn't it a British? It's like a British drone. And it's like, I think one of the ones that we've been using, it's the MQ-1C. And this is, it's an unmanned aircraft system, right? I think it's a British thing. And it's one of the ones that we use. And it's, I mean, it looks hardcore, but they're getting shot out of the sky like you wouldn't believe by the Houthis. And because now Houthis can get apparently they're a lot more affordable now, the surface to air missiles. It's also, by the way, things are also a lot, a lot more affordable for terrorists like the Houthis and Hamas and Hezbollah. When you unfreeze a lot of Iranian assets, including the cash that were part of the sanctions that we had frozen, that Biden-Harris unfrozen, they were able to... Amazing how they started getting all this stuff after that happened. It just blows the mind, right? I'm sure it's a crazy coincidence. Sure. So... We talking with some of these folks when our when we go out and we do these acquisitions of whether it's jets, whether it's drones or whatever, the bureaucracy and getting this done, getting the contract done. And usually it's some congressman that goes out and wins it for their district. And so they're very proprietary about it. And they're bringing a big trophy home for their district. And that helps them get reelected. There's so many tentacles in this stuff. so when they make these these acquisitions and they get this uh get get this stuff you're talking about building something with the tech and parts of today maybe it's deliverable in eight to ten years and by that time it's already outmoded by the time it's delivered by the time the contract is realized or fulfilled it's already outmoded and in the meantime you know you have these other entities and people that are geopolitical opponents that are not having to deal with that much bureaucracy and doing all that stuff. And they're able to kind of be faster and more agile in terms of responding and progressing with these sorts of, with this sorts of weaponry. And my mind was blown when I heard the price tag. You're talking about billions and billions of dollars. Just recently, they cut this program. They had a contract out with this particular type of jet. It was like a $22 billion contract. And they ended up canceling it. The Army did because it was not going to be deliverable, I think, until 2033. They had started it already a few years ago. And by the time it was going to be delivered, a lot of the software and everything else is going to be outmoded. I'm not kidding you. And I'm looking at these drones in this video that Musk put up and it there's no I don't know who's writing these contracts or in our in our government or our military. Why would you not have? And maybe this is me not knowing about military acquisition of this stuff. But my civilian brain is going, why would you not have a caveat that in order for this contract to be considered legit or fulfilled and not voided is if you are keeping up with the technology and any latest hardware or anything like that so that it is, by the time it's delivered, the latest. Shouldn't that also be part of the job? I mean, it's just what you would think. It's wild, wild to me. So... I don't know. I was looking at this, and there was a huge debate about it last night because Musk had already talked about the F-35. I mean, it's still an advanced fighter jet, but I'm telling you, the necessity of progression is calling. I mean, with drones and F-35, I mean, there's a lot of stuff that goes into this. And it's difficult for our warfighters to be able to make these calls because they're drowning in these legacy defense contracts that tie us to stuff that's outmoded by the time it's fulfilled. And then we are watching, you know, our geopolitical foes not have to deal with that level of bureaucracy. And people go, yeah, well, that's because they're communists or they're dictators and they don't have to go. Don't pretend that this bureaucracy is like something that's a feature of a system that's representing the people. It's bureaucracy because it's war ink legacy contracts. It's all these defense contractors that are trying to get their hands in the pie. That's exactly what it is. I mean, it was amazing listening to some of the price tags on some of this stuff. You want to talk about things that could be cut? I'm all for, and I think really having our defense is our federal government's sole job. All of this other stuff is stuff that we have grown apathetic. We've been gluttoned on the legacy of other people. I mean, we've coasted on what the founders have built for us for quite a long time. That's how amazing their efforts were. We've coasted on it for a while. And we're gluttons. And it's great to be a glutton of freedom. But you also have to put in as much to it in terms of protecting it and exercising it and practicing it and defending it as you do exercising it as well. I mean, it's incredibly important because now we have all of this stuff that the federal government does. And it's like defense spending is like falling. And I don't believe all defense spending is the sacred cow either. Don't mistake me. But when I'm paying an ungodly amount to the IRS in taxes every quarter and you guys would have a stroke and die, I could hire a ton of people. We'd have our brand new studio. But I have to give an ungodly amount in taxes to the federal government. So. There's think about it. When you are just article one, section eight, people are going to be right. You're going to be running a budget surplus. You take all of your spending down to what you're federally allowed to spend it on. And then you go through you go through these legacy defense contracts. If this is not going to be up to snuff and it's not going to be actual, it's going to be anachronistic by the time it's fulfilled, then no piss off. You're not going to have this. We're going to change this. We're going to have actual good contracts that require people to To fulfill something that is as technologically advanced as our geopolitical foes the day that it's delivered. Or better. And we have the ability to do it. And so all of that stuff has to happen. All of that stuff has to happen. I was having a conversation with some folks in the military about recruitment. And, you know, on this as well, because I'm looking at all this tech, I'm looking at the hardware, looking at all these things. And, you know, my comment, and I'm a very, very forthright person. Like, excuse me, but I don't know why we're talking about all this other, you know, why we're dealing with recruitment when we haven't dealt with the big issues right now that is stymie recruitment. Because, you know, you have young males out there that are fighting age that are looking at dudes in dresses with lipstick on and fake boobs and they got medals on their jackets and they're in skirts. And then you've got, you know, the 13 service members that were abandoned in Afghanistan and sent to their deaths by an absolutely bungled op group. Like, there's numerous examples that we could give, and that's something that young adult males see, and they are like, well, wait a minute, because why would they join something like that that doesn't have the best interest of the operation as its priority? I'm not talking about the military nannying young men that are going into it and acting like, we're going to make sure nothing happens to you. You know that's part of the threat or risk when you go into the military. Something could happen. But when you don't have a clear – you don't have a clear objective and you have mission creep and operational failure and just dumbassery, why would you expect any young adult male to want to enlist and participate in that when they don't have the confidence in their leadership because the leadership hasn't demonstrated it? So that was a question that I had asked. It was very interesting. But this is – This is one of the things that just blows my mind with our military, like with the food acquisition. Do you know one of the reasons that the food is so expensive for our military? Remember when I was telling you about one of the problems that the federal government created for itself in building those electric charging stations all over the country and how it was they actually had it baked into their regulations that they had to purchase X amount of materials and have X amount of the construction be done by DEI businesses that checked all the DEI stuff. Like you could be a Mexican business owner, but if you didn't have any females on your staff, you're not going to be considered. you could be a lesbian business owner. But if you didn't have a translator on your staff, you couldn't be considered. I mean, that's how crazy it was. You have to have a multitude of boxes to check. That's why none of them got built. And that's according to Department of Transportation employees themselves. The same thing, literally, with food acquisition by military. So if you have the army that wants to buy a bunch of chickens and the military is the big, and I didn't realize this, they're the biggest purchasers of chickens, right? You want to go to Purdue and you want to buy a bunch of chickens? Ah, ah. They don't check all the DEI boxes. You better find a one-armed, half-blind lesbian who identifies as a man. You better go find her and buy your birds from her. Also, she hopefully better have a translator on staff. I'm not kidding you. So you've got these people that will buy chickens from Purdue. They'll check all the DEI boxes and upsell it to the military. So we're paying taxpayers more for... for these birds than what we would normally pay because we're blocked from just buying it from the damn source. That is one of the things that's making it hellscape for our military members and just acquiring food. It is crazy. What in the world? They need to go in there with a machete. Cut all this nonsense. We should be, you know what? Our war fighters should be eating. I'm paying my taxes. The one thing I want my federal government to do is have a kick-ass force of lethality. That is what I want. I want them eating the best beef. I want them all on testosterone. I want them to have whatever they want to have. Have the best chicken. Whatever you need, boys and ladies. You got it. That's what, because when they go out there to do what they do, I want them to do it the best that they can do it and be the best that they can be. and bring it home. That's it. Go out there, minimal loss of life, minimal loss of resources. Just go out there, fist in the air, all pedal, no brakes, and then come back home. But you can't do that with this bureaucracy. We are setting them up for failure with all of this bureaucracy. I mean, it's enraging. Absolutely enraging. ReadyWise is always ready, even if you're not. And they have great premium survival food. It's delicious. And it's also going to make sure that you've got all your calories, you've got your healthy carbs, all the stuff that you need to get you through whatever it is you're going through, whether it's a natural disaster, a government-made one, who knows. But ReadyWise is there, and you know the chain of command for your food from start to finish. It's a U.S. plant, U.S. ingredients. It ships out from this plant, and you know exactly where your food's coming from, and you're supporting U.S. agriculture and U.S. jobs. Perfect for emergencies, camping trips, all of it. 25-year shelf life, too. Visit ReadyWise.com. Use promo code Dana20 at checkout for 20% off your entire purchase. That's ReadyWise.com. Promo code Dana20 for 20% off.
SPEAKER 13 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. Clear communication is key to a successful renovation. Keep the customer informed at every stage of the project, addressing any concerns or questions promptly to maintain trust and satisfaction. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany.
SPEAKER 11 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and job lock quantities of Schluter, Mapei, LATICRETE, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in Parsippany.
SPEAKER 13 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. Keep the work area clean and organized throughout the renovation process to create a positive impression and minimize stress for the customer. Regularly clean up debris and dust to maintain a safe and comfortable living environment. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany.
SPEAKER 11 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and job lock quantities of Schluter, Mapei, LATICRETE, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in Parsippany.
SPEAKER 04 :
Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of the United States.
SPEAKER 01 :
So she hit a car.
SPEAKER 21 :
And is having a breakdown. She's a Kamala voter. Apparently she's got Kamala stuck on her car. Oh my gosh. This is what happens when you don't teach people how to deal with emotions. I think so much of it, by the way, like when she's, she's not like super, she's like pretending to be upset because she thinks that that woman's going to leave her alone if she acts like a nut job. When you do that, I want to press harder. And this woman was like, no, you hit my car. I'm not. You know, what do you mean have a heart? Why don't why didn't you have a heart? And does she not know? Maybe that woman's broke, too. Maybe that woman can't afford to fix her car. I mean, she would have to fix her car out of her pocket. And apparently it was like bad. I don't know. Like she's uninsured, didn't have insurance. You can't. I don't know. I find that fascinating because those are all the people that tell you you have to have insurance to even own a firearm. But yet that chick didn't even have insurance to drive a car. She was punching it. Doesn't it, didn't it sound like performative though? Like she didn't really.
SPEAKER 06 :
All of the left whining is performative.
SPEAKER 21 :
All of it. I, it's, it's, I don't know. It's wild. That's these, this is what happens when you teach people how to not, Like, how to not deal with emotion. And she is... So this chick has no idea how to deal with anything. Does she act like that over... Golly. Can you imagine having to rely on her in an emergency?
SPEAKER 1 :
Jeez.
SPEAKER 21 :
I can't. All right. So coming up, this is what we got. We got to talk about this Surgeon General nominee because... Yeah, we have to have we got to have this conversation. We're also going to get into get some culture stuff for you as well. But we got the cab stuff we got. Oh, HBO has to defend JK Rowling now. I really do feel like things are kind of resetting a bit. It does sort of feel that way. So we're going to get into that. We've got the case of this father who just lost his kids because he would not affirm one of his elementary school sons. Well, the wife, the ex-wife claimed that the boy and he's their twins, that one of the twins wanted to be a girl, except really, no, we're going to talk about all of that. That's a crazy case that started in Texas. Stick with us. We've got a lot more in store. Second hour on the way. Preborn. This is an organization that does one of the things that I've been talking about for a long time. Everybody talks about pro-life and it's real easy to talk about it. And it's easy to just, you know, post something online about it. And in some instances, you know, it's great, too, when you are at these if you go to these clinics and you're talking to women, you're counseling women who may be really in their heart, haven't made up their mind. But what happens after, too? So Preborn does all of this. Preborn Ministries is a great organization. And right now, as the year ends, your tax deductible donation is literally the difference between life and death. So they they put ultrasound machines in needy women's clinics. They make it possible for women as they're determining whether or not they're going to be able to handle an unplanned pregnancy. They make it possible for these women to see their babies in ultrasounds and hear their heartbeat. And when that happens, studies have shown that a child's chance at life doubles. And then in addition to that, they don't stop there. They go beyond. They partner with these women up until the toddler years. And they make sure that they have what they need for maternity care. And things like diapers and car seats, you know, they they they fill in the gap where a rotten government has encouraged society to fail. And I think that's incredibly important that they do that. And you can help them and you can save a life this Christmas. It starts at just twenty eight dollars, a larger donation of five, ten or fifteen thousand. That can be used to save countless babies and you have your donation doubled with a special matching grant this year also. It's simple and easy to donate. You just dial pound 250 and say the keyword baby. You can also visit preborn.com slash Dana to donate online. And this is an organization that has made massive changes in the hearts and minds of many women and helped protect many families right as they were getting started. So you can help them continue that mission with a tax-deductible donation. They're a highly rated organization, so you know that your money is going exactly where they say it is. Simple and easy to donate. Pound 250, keyword baby, preborn.com slash Dana.
SPEAKER 13 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. Clear communication is key to a successful renovation. Keep the customer informed at every stage of the project, addressing any concerns or questions promptly to maintain trust and satisfaction. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany.
SPEAKER 11 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and jaw-block quantities of Schluter, Mapei, LATICRETE, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in Parsippany.
SPEAKER 13 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Florin Decor East Brunswick. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. Keep the work area clean and organized throughout the renovation process to create a positive impression and minimize stress for the customer. Regularly clean up debris and dust to maintain a safe and comfortable living environment. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice brought to you by Floor & Decor East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 11 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and job lot quantities of Schluter, Mapei, Ladecrete, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 17 :
Not only am I not interested in your opinion, I'm not even going to call you by your name. You're 23 years old. I don't really give a what you think. And let me tell you another huge error, huge error is when people said campaigns need to reflect progressive values. No, they don't.
SPEAKER 21 :
James Carville, maybe some of those young staffers should listen to him. He's a hoot, dude. He is one of the funniest people. He was also, when I was the token conservative at CNN, like back in 2012, he was the nicest person there. He was so nice and so kind. He and his wife were wonderful. I know you probably wouldn't think that, but he is. He is. He just doesn't like these dumb staffers that go in and they want to act like they know more than he does about this stuff. Carvel actually used to win elections. Now they don't anymore. Now these people don't anymore. Welcome back to the program. Dana Lash with you. Oh my goodness. Make sure to catch us on the chats at Rumble. You can find us on X as well, terrestrially across the country, channel 347, direct TV. So yeah, I'm just, it's pretty, they need to listen to him, but he's mad. He's just done. I made mention earlier about the pendulum maybe perhaps swinging the other way. I wanted to play Audio Soundbite 9 for you because this is the CEO of Walmart. They are rolling back their DEI policies, believe it or not. And they're just the latest U.S. company to do this. Listen to this.
SPEAKER 12 :
First, let me say, like many companies all across the United States, we've been on a journey and we continue to be on a journey. What we're trying to do is to ensure that every customer, every associate feels welcome here to shop and to feel like they belong. That term belong, we've been talking about belonging now, For almost two years, early 2023, we started talking about belonging. And we're going to continue to make the best decisions we can that makes everyone, our customers, our associates, feel like this is an environment they can shop in.
SPEAKER 21 :
So this is me as CEO. I don't give a rat's ass about belonging. Just buy our stuff. End scene. That's it. That's the quote. That's it. You sell things. You don't have to affirm anything for anyone. Can you imagine someone going to a Walmart and looking at the products? I don't know. I'm looking at these bags of dog and cat food and I just don't know if they affirm how I choose to get it on in my private life. I just don't know. I just don't feel like it's affirming me because it's a product. It's a product. It doesn't have to affirm you, Cynthia. It does not have to affirm anything. You're making a purchase. That's it. I hate this. They said that they've removed some product like chest binders for kids. I can't even believe that was the thing that they had or had to take out. They're not going to extend the racial equity center, which I don't even know what that is. And it launched in 2020. They're going to ditch the terms in Kane and Juan, who are basically white adjacent. They hate these terms. They bristle if you say Latinx. They don't even want the letters D and E and I at all together. No more. And they're going to focus on the term belonging. Why do you have to focus on any term? I feel like, you know, Elmo, when he gets real excited or Kermit the Frog when he's dancing for Christmas and he just gets really excited. I feel like that. Why does there have to be any term? Why do you have to? Who did this? I mean, I get it. They're getting away from it. But do you have to give someone the crutch of a term? Right. You see what I mean? Why do you have to have a belonging? What? What? What's about belonging? You know who belongs here? Anyone who's got money to buy your products. What? Belonging. What? That's how that works. I didn't know that, did you? Why are you here at the Walmart? That's what the Walmart greeter should ask. Excuse me, why are you here? I might buy some of your stuff. Okay, you belong. Right? That's how that works. So what gets me is so now they have John Deere, Ford, other companies. The Caterpillar Company? Caterpillar. Cain? Yeah. What do the Caterpillar people do again?
SPEAKER 06 :
The heavy construction equipment. Oh, heavy construction equipment.
SPEAKER 21 :
Yeah. Why do they have to have DEI stuff?
SPEAKER 06 :
That is a great question. I think we know the answer is they don't. They don't need it.
SPEAKER 21 :
I mean, who was like, well, let's see. Here at Caterpillar, we make big, heavy construction equipment. We got to start using these phrases, Latinx, and start doing all this stuff. I feel like if you're focusing on that, then you're not focusing on making your stuff. So they're doing DEI changes. They're requiring that all corporate training be oriented to focus on business operate because it wasn't before. What? That's amazing to me. Yeah. So they're bringing in an external speaker to talk to the Caterpillar employees, the Caterpillar people. And now they got to have approval from senior VPs who make sure speakers are vetted, etc., etc., They must have had some humdingers before if they got to go through all that. I just, it's amazing to me that everything, like Coors and Ford, they ended their participation in the, and this is a long one, Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index. What is that, Dana? What is the Human Rights Campaign Corporate Equality Index? Yes. Well, that is the annual survey and report used to measure quote policies, practices, and benefits pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, LBGTQ plus employees. I don't even know what any of that means. All I heard was blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. That's all I heard. Actually, I heard, I understood myself just then better than I did with us. Yeah. Yeah. The, uh, I guess that's like the behavioral thing. Have you seen that? They have their criteria. It's a roadmap and benchmarking tool for businesses. And I guess they give you a score. You get points. Inclusive benefits. Things like that. Apparently you get alphabet benefits. I don't even know what that means. What are alphabet benefits do you get? Support an inclusive culture. 25 points possible. What about shutting up and not being annoying? How many points do you get for that? I'm wondering. Corporate social responsibility. This kind of goes on to, you know, the stuff that we talked about, like why is it that out of all of the charging stations that we had, how much was it, $7 billion, something like that, allocated to spend on it, and we only got two of them built? And that's because they, and this is a true thing, you had to give your, the government could only consider contracts from, businesses that i guess had one of these like a specific score and they checked all of these identity politic boxes so well if you're like a regular lesbian and you are up against a one-armed lesbian then guess what the one-armed lesbian is going to get the contract and you're not if you're a lesbian and you're up against a dude who says that he's a woman guess what the lesbian loses it's the dude who says he's a woman why because he checks a bigger identity politic box than you do See, like that's the stuff. And then you had to have like translators and have all this stuff in your business that have nothing to do with your business. You're literally building a charging station. Why do you have to put on like community events? You're a company that builds charging stations. Companies don't need to put on community. You need to demonstrate your social responsibility. You need to STFU. No, this is so dumb. Golly, belonging. How many times did he say that word in that clip? There's a few. Yeah, there's a few times. I mean, it was almost like a call to action, right? Good night. I don't know. But so you got General Motors or no Ford. That's the other one that's there. They're dropping out. Oh, speaking of car companies. So the New York Times is claiming that automakers want Trump to keep EV mandates. But apparently that's not true. New York Times were in this story saying, oh, yes. They're having a coordinated lobbying push to convince POTUS elect to maintain all these climate rules, forcing these EV purchases. But apparently that's not exactly true, according to the Free Beacon. Because Stellantis said that, yeah, we're not pushing for any of this stuff. They completely contradicted the New York Times report. And the New York Times said that Stellantis was actually going to lobby the Trump administration to keep these mandates. And Stellantis said, that's a lie. Stellantis told Free Beacon, we absolutely are not doing that. That is a lie. They said, we are not amongst the lobbyists and all these people from these car companies, if there is one, that's pushing for this. No one's buying the damn things. If you want an EV, you know, to fart around with, fine. Nobody cares. But don't force all of us to get EVs. They're ugly cars. They're ugly, ugly, ugly. Golly, they're so ugly. It kills my soul. Oh my gosh. I see them and it's like everything about modernity that I hate. Soulless design. They all look like those Eva bots from Wall-E. They all look like that. They all look the same, right? It's some Stepford Wife stuff. Everybody's got their Stepford Live EV. It's one of the reasons why I like, oddly enough, the Cybertruck, because it's a giant middle finger. It's literally shaped like a child's imagination. And it's brutalist, and it's kind of ugly, and completely ridiculous. And is it aerodynamic? I think there's questions. But it's so ridiculous, it actually... mocks modernity in a way doesn't it at least that's my interpretation of it right it goes a lot deeper than a banana duct tape to a wall just saying nobody's buying these cars though And I just, whenever I would have to get, if I had to take my car to the shop and I would have to get, they always try to give you an EV. Oh man, and I'm a brat. They know when I'm coming through the door, like, oh my gosh, do not give this woman an EV loaner because she hates them and she will complain for every second that she's in this office. Oh my gosh. Because I can't stand them. I can't. It's weird, Kane. I'm just saying. I don't really care about any of this stuff. Oil and gas is renewable. It's renewable and it's great. It's a great, plentiful, affordable energy. And the United States, without the convincing of federal mandates, we've already been coming up and pioneering it. clean, environmentally, more environmentally respectful extraction methods before anybody else ever did. Before anybody in government thought of it, we were already doing it. You know why? Because we like to maintain the business, right? You know that if you're just damaging the earth and you're not taking care of stuff and you're just, you know, sloppy extraction, all this stuff, you're not going to have much to work with in the future. And so it's all about prolonging and it's about making sure that you have an industry and you're not just destroying everything to the point where you can't have one anymore. They did that. They didn't have to have the government pressure them to do that. The government comes in and acts like it scored something. Oh, look, we're going to pressure these people to do exactly what they're already doing. Well, I mean, some of the stuff actually makes it to where your cars are more fuel inefficient. which is a whole other issue. But nobody wants, people are one of these EVs. Still ain't just like, we ain't lobbying for nothing. We're not doing nothing. Our partners over at Black Rifle Coffee, the Freedom Roast, a new roast for Black Rifle Coffee, just in time for Christmas as well. And you can check it out over at blackriflecoffee.com where you can also sign up for the coffee club. And get free shipping, automated orders, the whole nine yards. Now, with this company, I mean, they make great coffees. They have Just Black, Silencer Smooth, all kinds of stuff. The Freedom Roast available on ground, whole bean, 12-count rounds as well. And you can save 20%, not just on Freedom Roast, but all the roasts that they have. It's so smooth, full of flavor. The best roast out there. Veteran-owned, veteran-operated. And they hire active duty and retired military as well. And they celebrate America and our military history with everything that they do. Get your freedom on with the Freedom Roast from BlackRifleCoffee.com. And check out the other top shelf roasts like the Just Black and Silence or Smooth. Whatever it is you decide, you get 20% off using code Dana. 20% off with code Dana at BlackRifleCoffee.com.
SPEAKER 13 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. Clear communication is key to a successful renovation. Keep the customer informed at every stage of the project, addressing any concerns or questions promptly to maintain trust and satisfaction. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany.
SPEAKER 11 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and job lock quantities of Schluter, Mapei, LATICRETE, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in Parsippany.
SPEAKER 13 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. Before starting any renovation project, take the time to plan meticulously. Assess the customer's needs, budget, and timeline to ensure a smooth and successful renovation process. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany.
SPEAKER 11 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and jaw-block quantities of Schluter, Mapei, Ladecrete, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in Parsippany.
SPEAKER 06 :
And now, all of the news you would probably miss. It's time for Dana's Quick Five.
SPEAKER 21 :
Chinese Pizza Hut launches deep-fried frog pizza. I could go my whole life without this story. It's their... It's China's Pizza Hut franchise. They're literally serving deep-fried frogs on their pizzas. The, um... And there's also photos of it. I don't want to look at it. Oh, no. They said it's for a limited time. It's just a specialized pizza. And it has a red sauce base, parsley, and a whole fried bullfrog on top. And then two halves of a hard-boiled egg with black olives appear as the eyes of the frog. That's absolutely nasty. Oh, no. That's so gross. That's so nasty.
SPEAKER 06 :
So, yeah, that's... Look, I like frog legs. Don't get me wrong. I think frog legs are good.
SPEAKER 21 :
But I don't like that. And then you put eggs in it.
SPEAKER 06 :
Put a whole bullfrog on my pizza? No.
SPEAKER 07 :
Uh-oh.
SPEAKER 21 :
No, that's okay. A South Carolina town's entire police force has resigned. They're looking at... It's the... It's PD town's entire police force. Hmm. Yeah, the PD PD. The entire all the PD PDs, they resigned. The police chief, Bob Hale, broke his silence on Thursday saying he was resigning after a year of taking over. They said the town councils created a hostile work environment. They made significant cuts to their funding. They're having trouble doing their jobs because they can't get resources. And they said that like one guy was on his way to a call and his and he said his car just stopped, broke down and it doesn't work anymore. they're not they have no resources and they've Wow just okay it's the PD PD you know take care of them the how the happiest people spend their weekends they treat them like vacations you've got to learn how to and this is one of the reasons why you don't really see me that often on social media over the weekend I make a conscious effort to choose not to do it because you don't want to get burned out right nobody wants to get burned out especially if you do it you know every day and you've done it every day for 20 years and It is true. To treat your weekends as much as you can. Have a vacation mindset on the weekend or on your days off. Have a vacation mindset. Do not do work. Usually everyone likes to rush through all this task that they have through the week to get done and they do on the weekend. I think you need to actually partition those out all throughout the week so that your whole day off isn't that. Because I think it is incredibly important. It is. Let's see this. A guy was charged with stealing a shopping cart of Red Bull leading O'Fallon Cane police on a 120 mile per hour pursuit. Red Bull gives you wings, but not a pass. That's the difference. Stick with us. We've got more in store. The folks over at Burn a Gun. This is an interesting product because it's a self-defense tool, right? And I always tell people, you know, I carry... Always, and there's very rare exceptions when I don't, and I have zero issue with using lethal force to protect myself and my loved ones. That said, there are times, and I have friends who have to live this, where you're required to go somewhere, maybe it's for work or whatever, where it's a gun-free zone, which I know is the dumbest phrase ever, but that's the reality. I had a friend who lives in Washington, D.C., The nature of their work means that they have to go into some places that do not allow firearms, even though they have one of the very difficult to get in D.C. licenses to carry. So my friend went out and got Berna's most popular model, the Berna SD. It has five rounds, so that's already greater than the average stun gun, which is just one or two. And the Berna SD, it shoots chemical irritant projectiles that can disable threats from up to 50 feet away. And they have different models. But the Berna SD, that's the one that I have the greatest familiarity with. And that's the one that I know I have at least just in the past like few months, I have six friends that have gotten them. And they all live in places like Chicago and New York. And they mostly work in like media. And then I have one that works in law in New York. And they have to get their job. They got to feed their families. And so they carry a Burna SD. And then when they get back to their car, they have their firearm, you know, but that's one of the things that they got to do to protect themselves. Burna is helping you diversify your array of self-defense weapons. And you can get 10% off their most popular model, actually 10% off your whole purchase at Burna.com slash Dana. It's B-Y-R-N-A, Burna.com slash Dana. Doesn't care about gun-free zone signs, no background check, legal in all 50 states, ships right to your door. Burna.com slash Dana for 10% off.
SPEAKER 13 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. Clear communication is key to a successful renovation. Keep the customer informed at every stage of the project, addressing any concerns or questions promptly to maintain trust and satisfaction. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany.
SPEAKER 11 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and job lock quantities of Schluter, Mapei, LATICRETE, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in Parsippany.
SPEAKER 13 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. Keep the work area clean and organized throughout the renovation process to create a positive impression and minimize stress for the customer. Regularly clean up debris and dust to maintain a safe and comfortable living environment. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice brought to you by Flor & Decor Parsippany.
SPEAKER 11 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and job lock quantities of Schluter, Mapei, LATICRETE, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in Parsippany.
SPEAKER 21 :
Welcome back to the program. You can also find us the chats at Rumble, right? And then we're over at X as well. Kane was telling me about there was a what do they have protests that broke out at the lighting of the Rockefeller tree, the tree in New York. Why were people protesting at a tree lighting? Were they protesting the tree?
SPEAKER 06 :
I think they were protesting the delivery of the tree.
SPEAKER 21 :
Are they all the anti-Semite terrorists, the pro-Hamas terrorists? Because usually those are the people. If there's an awkward protest somewhere, like the timing seems really bad, it's usually them. Yeah.
SPEAKER 06 :
I actually am dropping this in Slack right now so you can see the video. This was over the Thanksgiving weekend.
SPEAKER 21 :
We don't want no Christmas tree. Okay, well, then nobody cares. What do you think people are going to go, oh, those anti-Semite terrorists over there, they don't like our tree. Guess we're going to have to take it down. Oh, no.
SPEAKER 06 :
Aren't they being tree-phobic?
SPEAKER 21 :
They are being tree-phobic. Look at them all out there, picnic blankets and everything. It's almost, and then the one guy with the Russian fuzzy hat. And they got some Orthodox out there.
SPEAKER 06 :
It turns out they did it last year, too.
SPEAKER 21 :
They've done it every year. I don't know why it's such a hot thing to protest the tree.
SPEAKER 06 :
Didn't they burn it down?
SPEAKER 21 :
Yeah, the one guy tried.
SPEAKER 06 :
Was that last year or the year before last?
SPEAKER 21 :
One of them, I don't know.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, it was recently. It all starts merging together. They went as far as burning down a 30-foot tree or something.
SPEAKER 21 :
They're like, end U.S. funding of... I agree, we should not fund terror, which is why all aid to Gaza should stop. It's the same... Good heavens. They're mad about the tree. You know, if you're going to protest anything, protest that hideous Jaguar car. Can we talk about this for a moment? I'm not over it. I really want, I want like the romantic era, like Mopar, all of that to come back. I want cars to look like cool cars and not dumb. All the EVs out there look the same. with the exception, excuse me, of the Cybertruck, which is supposed to be brutalist. So Jaguar, you know, right on top of their great, I don't know what you call that, the ad campaign that they had, that hideous thing that they did, where you didn't even know what it was about, if it was about a car. So they came out with the pink car. I don't know. It's a design vision concept. It was leaked ahead of its official release at Miami Art Week. per the Telegraph. The car, it's a Jaguar type 00 concept. And it demonstrates the company's desire to strike through convention. It looks like a stupid, completely not aerodynamic vehicle, right? They said that it's not going to be loved by everyone because it's fearlessly creative. That's what they said, that people aren't going to love it. And the reason that those people won't love it isn't because it looks like a giant pink brick. And it's dumb. But it's because that they are... What they're trying to do is just simply break through conversation. And that's ultimately... That's what they're doing. It looks bad. They said, oh, it's controversial because it's so... Fearlessly creative was what they literally said. I'm reading their statement. This is a taste of things to come. Well, then it looks like taste is going to be like... Feces. This is horrible. And then they had a hot pink. They had a blue model, like pastel colored. This looks so dumb. This couldn't clear a speed bump either. Kane, this is horrible. This is a horrible car. This is not aerodynamic. I'm sorry. It's clunky, chunky, and dumb.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, that's fearless. I would probably request a little fear next time. Yeah. Their next idea.
SPEAKER 21 :
That car's not hot. It's an ugly car. It's just a bad looking car.
SPEAKER 06 :
Like I wouldn't even buy that as a toy on like, remember the Toys R Us? Yeah.
SPEAKER 21 :
Why would you change a heritage brand like this? What do you think Jaguar before this? What did you think of?
SPEAKER 06 :
Oh, just luxurious, sleek, chill.
SPEAKER 21 :
Top hats.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 21 :
Smoking jackets.
SPEAKER 06 :
Sure. All of them.
SPEAKER 21 :
English countryside.
SPEAKER 06 :
Gentlemanly.
SPEAKER 21 :
Yeah. Yeah. Gentlemanly. That's, you know, the genteel nation. That's what I think everybody thought. This, I don't, I mean, they basically use Comic Sans as a font. And then they have this hideous pink block. I mean, it's bad. So they have them. I guess they made two concepts of it. It just looks bad. It's just so cringe. People were taking photos by it, but it just doesn't look very good. This is not a car I would drive. Steve, did you see these cars? Is this a car you would drive?
SPEAKER 12 :
I wouldn't necessarily drive a Jaguar that looked like that. I don't hate Jaguar.
SPEAKER 21 :
I know. It's like, why do they hate themselves? That's what this is. This is what you make if you hate yourself. And that color. If you were a chick and a dude drove up to pick you up in that car, no, bye. Oh yeah, I'm not gonna lie. Chicks view that stuff as are you a provider or not? It is a measure of if you are a provider or not. Just like men can look at women and be like, are you gonna be a lady or not? Like, are you gonna be someone that I can, I mean, like it's give or take. This is, the story's old. Everybody knows this. You'd pull up in a car like that I'm going to think that you work at Victoria's Secrets or that you sell that makeup. What's that makeup that they all sell and they get that pink car? Mary Kay. That's a Mary Kay car. Jaguar went full Mary Kay with this edition.
SPEAKER 06 :
I almost said Avon.
SPEAKER 21 :
No, it's the Mary Kay pink, isn't it? I'm positive. It's like that Edward Scissorhands kind of thing where Diane Weiss would go out and sell makeup.
SPEAKER 06 :
In a car, that pink.
SPEAKER 21 :
Yeah, but I can't remember. Yeah, you get a pink Cadillac to the top. A Mary Kay car is a pink Cadillac that Mary Kay awards to its top performing independent beauty consultants and sales directors. Oh, so it's the Mary Kay car. Yeah, that's exactly what this is. I don't know what the blue one is, but yeah, that's all.
SPEAKER 06 :
You just don't like fearless creativity. That's your problem.
SPEAKER 21 :
No, this thing is fugly.
SPEAKER 06 :
I had my hand over the dump button.
SPEAKER 21 :
It's a real word now. What if you were a woman driving it, though?
SPEAKER 12 :
Would that be okay?
SPEAKER 21 :
If you're a nana. Okay. If you're a grandmother on her way to the tea room to go and meet with the other dars there, then that's fine. Go ahead and you can.
SPEAKER 06 :
Most women in my life that I've known ever were better and more frugal spenders. Yeah.
SPEAKER 21 :
What does this have to do with this Mary Kay monstrosity? That's an insult to Mary Kay, by the way. for me to call it that. I feel like I'm insulting the hard-working entrepreneurs that made Mary Kay possible.
SPEAKER 06 :
But why try so hard to get away from the gentlemanly, kind of manly image that was Jaguar, like 007, James Bond-y type masculinity? Why are they making that kind of masculinity toxic? I don't understand.
SPEAKER 21 :
Well, yeah, it's not toxic. I don't even think they understand the toxicity is saying that gentlemanliness or chivalry is somehow toxic. This is like a feminist nightmare. I feel like I'm looking at a tampon commercial and not a Jaguar vehicle. We're going to drive this, right?
SPEAKER 06 :
I thought it was a Skittles commercial when I first saw it without the sound.
SPEAKER 21 :
It's the Mary Kay car. They went full Mary Kay. It's sad because they had such a great brand. I mean, you that I don't know what they were. I guess they were struggling because then it's on you that you're marketing. You have such a great like you had a great brand. You weren't able to message it to market it. And you do this instead. Mary Kay already did it, like I said. A couple of other things. So the Hunter Biden case. Hmm. Isn't that nice? Hunter Biden can pretty much do, I guess, just about anything. And then he gets... He just gets a complete, you know, pat on the back and sent on his way. Isn't it? How interesting. The other... What gets me, though... is just how lax and how wide-sweeping the language was for this. And I wasn't the first or even the second person to point some of this out. You know, the language in the pardon itself. And Biden was asked about the pardon, audio soundbite 11, listen to this, because remember he had said he wasn't going to do it, listen. Claire McCaskill, audio sound by 12, said that she was mad that Joe Biden pardoned Hunter Biden because now she says this is giving ammunition to Republicans. Listen.
SPEAKER 23 :
Do I understand Joe Biden's pardon? Yes, completely. I get it. It's completely understandable. But the both sides folks out there have just gotten some really powerful ammunition. And for that reason, I hate it.
SPEAKER 21 :
So it gives ammunition to Republicans. That's why you don't like it. You don't like it because he lied to your party again. Of course, you knew it. But and also it just protected the family's cartel-esque grifting operations. They all knew it, just like they knew that he was just not going to be able to last through an election cycle. Democrats deserve all this and more. You knew this. I told you this was going to happen. But where does it stop? Audio Sunday 13. Jamal Bowman brings up this question. I mean, the fact that Hunter Biden's pardoned, but yet, you know, you've got people that are sitting in Rikers, like one of our friends sitting in Rikers right now. Totally innocent man. Listen to this. This is 13.
SPEAKER 08 :
Don't stop at Hunter Biden. Thank you. Pardon the 40 people who are on death row right now to get them off of death row. Number one. Number two, pardon the 3000 people who are in federal jail for trumped up marijuana charges. Pardon them as well so they can get back to their communities and contribute to their economies.
SPEAKER 21 :
Yeah, I don't think we're just going to start pardoning randomly people on death row like violent murderers and things like that. That's really you're going to deny justice to the people that they had murdered. And their families. That's so stupid. Jamal Bowman is not the brightest. He's not the brightest bulb in the box. I don't even think he works. I think it's already a broken filament within his head. But no. If you're going to... That Hunter Biden gets it, and then you have the elderly women who were sent to jail because they were praying outside of an abortion clinic, and they were told that they were obstructing because they were praying outside. There's one elderly woman who's been sent to, what, 18 months in jail, prison time? They have to go to jail, but Hunter Biden... on gun charges, drug charges, tax evasion, all kinds of stuff. He's going to get just a widespread pardon, a wide birth excuse for everything. Yeah, Democrats... They made this themselves.
SPEAKER 13 :
It's going to haunt them. Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Florin Decor East Brunswick. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. Keep the work area clean and organized throughout the renovation process. to create a positive impression and minimize stress for the customer. Regularly clean up debris and dust to maintain a safe and comfortable living environment. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice. Brought to you by Floor & Decor East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 11 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and job lock quantities of Schluter, Mapei, Ladecrete, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 13 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Florin Decor East Brunswick. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. After completing the renovation, follow up with the customer to ensure their satisfaction and address any remaining concerns. Provide maintenance tips and guidance to help them preserve the results of the renovation for years to come. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice brought to you by floor and decor East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 11 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and job lock quantities of Schluter, Mapei, Ladecrete, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 04 :
It's his life mission to make bad decisions. It's time for Florida Man.
SPEAKER 21 :
I'm just trying to figure out what one... Well, let's do this one. All right, so... This happened on Thanksgiving morning. And in this house, they carve more than just the turkey. Yeah. I'm... This is in Pensacola. A Florida man stabbed his ex-wife's new husband on Thanksgiving morning in Escambia County. Gregory Grant, 72, was charged with attempted homicide. They said that the Grant, the guy who was, I guess, the perpetrator, was homeless, currently living with his ex-wife and her new husband, stabbed the new husband in the upper abdomen during an argument. the victim was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. And, yeah, they apparently had gotten into an argument, and I don't know. And the guy who was stabbed said, I was trying to be a nice guy and help out a homeless person, and this is the appreciation I get. Yeah, I mean, again, the knives go in the turkey, not each other. That's how that works. A Central Florida man... Lied about, he lied about his identity and he was arrested because he said he forgot who he was when he got caught lying about his identity. This is Polk County Sheriff's Office, where this feller, this, he was arrested. And then when he was originally detained, he lied about his identity, slipped up while trying to keep it going. And 54, he's 54 now. Wow. Wow. Wow.
SPEAKER 06 :
Wait, could he be lying about that too? I mean, he's lying about it.
SPEAKER 21 :
He's got to be lying about being 54. Anyway, Richard Hallmark of Winter Haven. That totally sounds like a Christmas movie from Hallmark. Bad one. They found a backpack in his car that had meth, all kinds of stuff in it. He said, no, that backpack is my brother's, Robert Hallmark. I don't believe his last name. I'm surprised he didn't go, of the Hallmark family. And... I can't deal with it. So according to Polk County Sheriff's Office, Pro Boxer George Foreman famously had five. This is an article had five sons with the same name. And then there were the brothers from the TV series New Heart. So it wasn't out of question that they could be. There could be brothers who were both named Robert Hallmark.
SPEAKER 06 :
This is my brother, Robert. My brother. Yeah. OK.
SPEAKER 21 :
And then finally, Richard admitted to the sergeant that his name was Richard and not Robert. And he lied about it because he had a warrant out for his arrest. And the violation that was given in terms of violation for probation was, quote, conspiracy to deliver meth. He looks like it. I think meth ages you, right? That's methed up. Like you get real methed up on meth. Yeah, I think so. Let's see here. This. No, I'm not doing that one. That's disgusting. Oh. Yeah, I don't know. Yeah. I can't read this one, although it's really good. A woman drove her SUV into her baby daddy and a woman that he was in the middle of coitus with, right? Okay. A Broward woman who drove her SUV into her child's father and the woman that he was getting an owl with is facing battery charges. Like, no, I mean, he was in the act of doing it. Maybe she couldn't see because her eyelashes were so ridiculous. It looks like she just grabbed caterpillars and spiders' legs and glued them to her upper lash line. Why? Stop it. That's not natural. You're not supposed to look like one of them yaks that have the... It's not how it's supposed to look. She was arrested, in case you were wondering. Our third hour is on the way. We have a lot still to get to, including pics, Hunter, so much more culture. Stick with us.
SPEAKER 13 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Florin Decor East Brunswick. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. After completing the renovation, follow up with the customer to ensure their satisfaction and address any remaining concerns. Provide maintenance tips and guidance to help them preserve the results of the renovation for years to come. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice brought to you by floor and decor East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 11 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and job lock quantities of Schluter, Mapei, LATICRETE, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in East Brunswick.
SPEAKER 13 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. Prioritize quality craftsmanship and materials to deliver results that exceed the customer's expectations. Attention to detail and superior workmanship will leave a lasting impression and ensure customer satisfaction. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice brought to you by Florin Decor Parsippany.
SPEAKER 11 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and jaw-block quantities of Schluter, Mapei, Ladecrete, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in Parsippany.
SPEAKER 21 :
Welcome back to the program. Dana Lashley with you, your retired goth curmudgeon. And we're at the top of our second hour this Friday, getting you all set up. We've been talking about concerns I got with the AG pick. I'd love to have her on and we can talk about it, you know, and if she wants to clarify stuff, there'd be, you know, I'm totally about that. I just, I want to impress on people the seriousness of a pick like this. This is one of the serious ones. So, you know, it has to be taken, obviously, as such. So we'll see. We'll see if we can get her on. Usually when it comes to 2A stuff, it's very difficult if it's an elected official that maybe has been on the wrong side of the Second Amendment to come onto the program because they don't want to. Kane, isn't that correct? They go from sending us everything that they do and asking for airtime all the time to, oh, no, suddenly they just, oh, no, on that issue, what? No, what? No, I can't. They hide. It's wild. And then I have to run them down and raise a fit on social media. And then you guys pressure them, and then they come on. That's how you guys got Cornyn to come back. Cornyn had been on the show before, but then with the red flag bill, oh, I was livid. And he didn't want to come on. And I said something about it on social media. And you all are like relentless. You guys were like, no, you're going to go on or something. Because you guys wanted to hear what he had to say. He wasn't talking to anybody about this stuff. And it came on and we had a big old debate about it. But it's important, I think. You need to have these clarifications. And I'm all about hearing people explain to me their processes. But until they do so, I have to, you know, I go by what I see and what the record is. So speaking of record, we got a record of an election yesterday. Two weeks ago. And have you seen the fundraiser? I asked yesterday, where's Kamala Harris? I asked yesterday, where is she? She's trying to raise money. Now what they're saying is that she's raising money for a recount. But you guys know it's not. She's $20 million in the hole. She's $20 million in debt. They raised a billion dollars to, how did she spend? 1.2, I don't know. I don't know. Yeah. How much did Beyonce get to show up? Yeah, and Oprah got some. Yeah, they get paid. So now they're pushing for a recount. And they're sending out these emails. And they're pushing for a recount. And that's it's just the last gasp of the Harris Victory Fund. That is a joint fundraising committee that she's authorized with the DNC and other state parties. And apparently they're they're kind of the deadline to request a recount in Wisconsin's already. That's the closest state. Trump won that by less than one percent. That's already done. And that was Tuesday of this week, I think. And then Nevada, it's like 14 days after. And Pennsylvania, that has to be 20 days after the election. The fact that they haven't even, they're not going to do this. This is her trying to raise money to pay off the $20 million. That's what this is. She's trying to raise money to pay this off. Because she broke. She's broke. And here's the thing. The FEC, they will allow candidates to go out there and raise money for a recount even if they have no intention of actually filing for a recount. Oh, Kane, tis true. Tis true. Yep. Mm-hmm. Of course it is. It's total BS. Yeah. That's what they... And so they're trying to raise funds for future political battles rather than recounts in other areas. That's so shady. That is so shady. So, yeah, that's a problem. But that's a Democrat problem. They can go out and they can fleece their voters. I'm completely fine with that. Completely fine with it. They can go. They can fleece their people. And Democrats will be fine with that. They don't mind it. I don't know. Now, we're going to be talking about some of the media stuff because we have Brendan Carr who's going to be on later in this program. And he's going to be joining us to talk about, he's actually, we got A.G. Ken Paxton coming up, and then we've got Brendan Carr, who's going to be joining us in our third hour for this, you know, because he's going to be the new commissioner of the FCC, as he should be. But it is interesting, because remember, Comcast is doing a spinoff. They're altering their business model, and they're separating their cable network programming for to to offer so they can offer up something else and make some deals so new york post has this piece msnbc staffers are in a panic because nbc parent comcast is doing a spin-off channel and it may change its name they also cut rachel maddow's pay not a lot it's i mean it sounds like a lot to us it's a lot of money to me from 30 million to 25 million Oh, she's only getting $25 million. So sad, Kane. How's this even happen? So sad. And yeah, they have staff that are fearing layoffs. So it looks like they're going to do a spinoff, like a spinoff show or spinoff network because they've got all kinds of... It's just wild that this is how they're doing it. And some are wondering... Is it a coincidence after watching the election that they've decided to do this? Because you have a free market cable regulator, as New York Post had noted, who's nominated as chair of the FCC. It's Brennan Carr. And then you have MSNBC changing its business model. I mean, Comcast said they're breaking up into two different things. So you're going to have MSNBC, CNBC, and then I guess they're doing a more deal-friendly spinoff. Very interesting. I don't know. But it does seem like it's not just a coincidence, right? I don't believe in coincidences in D.C., do you, Cain? No.
SPEAKER 06 :
I think some of this has to do with them transitioning to digital. I think a lot of this is they realize that they cannot afford all the stuff that they're doing because the return on that investment is nothing now compared to digital.
SPEAKER 21 :
I don't know how they're paying people $25 and $30 million when that's not supported by their ads, their business model. I don't get it. It's real weird. It doesn't make any sense. Right. I don't know. I'm just saying, you know, it doesn't make any sense. So that's something I want to bring up with Brendan Carr. Like, I wonder, like, what do you think of this? Very interesting. So we'll see. This is one regulatory agency where they needed Carr. They needed Carr running this. So they said that they're going to be charging fewer people at Comcast, charging fewer people to use their traditional cable lines for connectivity. And that's getting into it's getting into all of that. So I don't know. It's also 5G, too. So it's not just there. The thought is that it's not just Comcast cable that's going to see a reduced profit margin because I mean, obviously, you know, cut cords. But it's also a 5G issue that's contributing to that, which is interesting. So we shall see. But I do find that, you know, they're having to make these these big changes. They're having to make these big changes. It's necessary to do so. Also, a couple of other things, a couple of things, because we've got Kim Paxton is going to be coming up. And then, of course, we're going to talk to Brendan Carr later on in the program about all of this. Speaking of MSNBC, I got to share with you this ridiculous headline that they have. I read the, and I've seen all the debate over it. MSNBC had a headline where they were writing about the Jose Ibarra, the murderer, the murderer, the guy who killed Lake and Riley. And the headline was, he never stood a chance. The murderer, they said the guilt of Lake and Riley's, excuse me, the guilt of talking about Lake and Riley's killer, they changed their headline. But Twitter never forgets, or X never forgets. Social media never forgets. And it said that Jose Ibarra never stood a chance. Wow. So, I understand the... I think the rage is completely justified. This is a stupid headline. It is. It's a it's a dumb. This is a dumb. It's a dumb headline. Lake and Riley's killer never stood a chance. The outcome of this trial was never in doubt. I mean, yeah, that's that's bad. And some people were trying to defend the writer saying, well, they didn't choose the headline. That's irrelevant. And in some instances, first off, that presupposes – you're begging the question by saying that it's less offensive because the writer doesn't – you don't even know whether or not the writer chooses the headline. You're assuming that it is less offensive because – you're saying that it's less offensive because you're assuming that the writer didn't write the headline. You have no idea what the writer did or didn't do, number one. Not every digital entity works like that. Number two, this is – this is just a bad, you know, what MSNBC could have said, uh, that the way that the procedural analysis, and when you look at the bench trial versus jury trials and all of this stuff and evidence and, and that, you know, uh, It could be a boring story on policy and procedure with regards to, you know, the comparison of bench versus jury. But that doesn't get attention and it renders the article really boring and everyone wants to click on it. So part of me wonders if they didn't if they put up this headline just for the outrage of it, not because they agree with it, but because of the outrage of it. I don't know. It's still regardless. I don't care what reason what the reason is. It's stupid. It is absolutely stupid. You have every right to be outraged over this. Because I saw some people actually it's shameful. You don't have to defend this. It's bad. I mean, is it a clickbait headline? Yes. Is it heinous? Yes. It's all bad. So I don't know what they're saying. Oh, well, he entered the country illegally. And they, you know, for the outcome of the trial was never in doubt. The verdict was going to be guilty. And for defense, it was a hopeless case. I mean, they really try to make this guy sound almost sympathetic. But you know what? That's what happens when you're a murderer who. has an overabundance of evidence against him in an open and shut case, has already confessed, already said he did it. It's kind of, yeah, the verdict is pretty obvious. You don't need a clickbait headline, MSNBC. No wonder they're freaking out. No wonder they're having to cut salaries because this is garbage. However much you hate the media, it's not enough. It really isn't. We have headlines on the way.
SPEAKER 13 :
Welcome to Pro Tips for the Pros, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany. In this series, we'll explore essential advice for professional contractors to deliver outstanding renovation results. Let's dive in. Before starting any renovation project, take the time to plan meticulously. Assess the customer's needs, budget, and timeline to ensure a smooth and successful renovation process. Thank you for joining us for this pro tip on planning thorough renovations. Stay tuned for more expert advice, brought to you by Floor & Decor Parsippany.
SPEAKER 11 :
A lot of people tolerate ordinary. Ordinary bathrooms, kitchens, entryways. Well, not on your watch. If you're a pro, you've got a new partner in town. Floor & Decor. From tile to wood to stone, Floor & Decor has more styles and jaw-block quantities of Schluter, Mapei, Ladecrete, and other brands pros trust. Come see a whole new way to wow with Floor & Decor. Now open in Parsippany.
SPEAKER 10 :
Over the last 75 years, over 10,000 chemicals have been introduced to our food supply, yet the EU only allows 300 food additives. But at Thrive Market, we bring our members the highest quality brands and restrict more than 1,000 ingredients found at conventional grocery stores. Making the switch is easy with our Healthy Swaps scanner, which finds better versions of all your favorite pantries, snacking, and home essentials without the added junk, dyes, and fillers. Plus, it's all delivered straight to your door. So if you're looking to shop at a grocery store that actually cares about your health, go to thrivemarket.com slash podcast and you'll get 30% off your first order and a free gift.
SPEAKER 06 :
And now, all of the news you would probably miss. It's time for Dana's Quick Five.
SPEAKER 21 :
So this was like a crazy case. This is the Conor McGregor case. So apparently they found him guilty. of a woman who said that she was brutally raped and battered in her Dublin hotel penthouse. She got $250,000. She was awarded by a civil court in Ireland today. She said it was a December 9th, 2018 assault. It left her heavily bruised. He shook his head. It was a jury of eight women and four men. They returned the verdict after deliberating for six hours. And he testified that he never forced her to do anything. I mean, basically, he was saying that he just cheated on his wife, you know, or which is just a horrible, uh, but, uh, he, and she was with him. D was with him in court, but yeah, they found him guilty. And, um, he's in the civil case. And so, which is, so he's, they're demanding that he pays up. That's according to the associated press. Uh, Elon Musk's neural link has been greenlit for its first brain chip trial outside of the United States. And, um, It's this brain computer interface startup. It's already received approval from Health Canada to begin recruitment for its first clinical trial in the country. And we'll see. But it's a big, they said it's a significant milestone in the quest to develop technology that enables individuals with paralysis to control external devices using only their thoughts. Which is wild. That's crazy. Also, Christmas tree shortage. 80,000 are apparently destroyed by floods and the industry is not going to recover for about 15 years, they're assuming. That's, I mean, goodness, it's Hurricane Helene. It tore through a North Carolina farm in September, uprooted 80,000 trees, ruined a family's legacy, and apparently other farms are suffering similar catastrophes. And they said they're going to strip everything back, take it down to the dirt and start all over. They said it's millions of dollars and many years. It's just awful. And again, that's just one of many, many of these tree farms. around uh the Appalachian region where that was really hardest hit by uh the hurricane and all the fallout from it but uh gosh there they said that you know some of the trees are rotted at their cores now because of the flooding and all of that it's just so it's gonna trees are gonna be expensive a mysterious orb zooming past New York City accident was accidentally caught on film by a local news chopper I'm just gonna say it looks like aliens it's right what do you think it is Could it be a glare in the glass? Probably not. I think it's going to be the most ridiculous explanations, usually a truthful one. I'm just saying it might be. Ellen DeGeneres has moved to Great Britain, says she's never coming back to the United States. Nobody cares. And Brazil's, this is wild, Brazil's former president Bolsonaro and his aides have been indicted for an alleged 2022 coup attempt now. He was banned last year from running for office for eight years.
SPEAKER 10 :
Over the last 75 years, over 10,000 chemicals have been introduced to our food supply. Yet the EU only allows 300 food additives. But at Thrive Market, we bring our members the highest quality brands and restrict more than 1,000 ingredients found at conventional grocery stores. Making the switch is easy with our Healthy Swaps scanner, which finds better versions of all your favorite pantries, snacking, and home essentials without the added junk, dyes, and fillers. Plus, it's all delivered straight to your door. So if you're looking to shop at a grocery store that actually cares about your health, go to thrivemarket.com slash podcast and you'll get 30% off your first order and a free gift.
SPEAKER 22 :
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SPEAKER 21 :
Most people, if they had shot and killed a woman, they'd probably, I don't know, maybe go to ground for a little while, maybe forever, not run their mouths about stuff. But if you're Alec Baldwin, Audio Soundbite 8, instead, you're going to do this.
SPEAKER 09 :
You might not learn from the news. Television news in the United States is a business. They have to make money. And again, not to go into great detail about that, but there's a hole, there's a vacuum. There is a gap, if you will, in information for Americans. Americans are very uninformed about reality, what's really going on.
SPEAKER 21 :
So we're uninformed about reality. What does that mean? He's in Turin, Italy, and he's saying that Americans are uninformed. We're stupid about reality. What is he talking about? What do you mean, what reality? We all got some questions. What is he talking about? What?
SPEAKER 06 :
The election? The election of Trump.
SPEAKER 21 :
I mean, he can be mad about it, but that doesn't mean that people are uneducated.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yes, I agree with you there. But he clearly believes what he's saying.
SPEAKER 21 :
I mean, he hasn't changed. And shooting and killing that woman on the set of his film Rust, of which he was executive producer and also culpable, he hasn't changed. He's still a hothead. He still has a bad temper. He's still completely irrational, reckless. Nothing's changed with him at all whatsoever. I can't stand these celebrities that are like this. Like, for instance, Audio Soundbite 11. I don't normally play anything from The View, but there's this. Eyes rolling.
SPEAKER 03 :
I think what we're all saying is we're going to sit and watch. We're going to wait and see because we can't do anything else except... I'm not going to wait and see. I mean, this guy's told us he's a retribution. What are you going to do? What are you doing? There's nothing to be done until you know what you're fighting. It's pissing in the wind doesn't help. You just get away. What I'm saying is I have no false expectations that at 78, he's going to all of a sudden turn into a human being.
SPEAKER 21 :
I love the nipple baby on the corner that likes to pretend that she wasn't a big butt kisser for a White House role. And she never, her dad does World Night Daily. She would never be on that show if her dad did not do World Night Daily and wasn't like a digital publisher. I mean, absolute nepo baby. And the only reason, she really tries to obscure her history in butt kissing to get a job in the last administration. This is the difference between loyalty and submission. Oh, she'll submit, but she's not, you know, there's no loyalty. She'll submit, but there's no loyalty. And then she turns around and goes on The View and does what she does. So I don't know. I, I, do they do any, what else do they do on that show? Why do people watch that show? I've never understood it. I've guest hosted it. I've never understood. My favorite was when, and Barbara Walters was still alive. So it was a bit ago. And it was Jenny McCarthy. I was on with her. I sat right next to her and she was amazing. She was very supportive and encouraging. She didn't hang out with the other women either. I got the sense that they didn't like her. People give her a bad rep because of her MTV days or whatever, but she was actually the nicest and most common sense person that was on that show. She legit was. And she was super kind. But Barbara Walters was like, so tell me, do you like shooting guns? And they're playing behind me on the big screen. Me literally shooting every gun I own. Well, most of them. Like rifles, pistol, everything. And I'm like, yeah, I guess a little bit. And they're like, what do you mean? What kind of question is that? But, you know, it was interesting. I pushed back. I was very polite, but I pushed back when I needed to. They just could not understand me. And when I said, oh, when they asked me, well, when did you actually become more conservative? And I said, oh, the more educated I got. Oh, my gosh. The whole audience gasped. And the women there went, oh, what? And I could tell they were going to go, do you mean that we're stupid? And I was like, well, I just think we're on different intellectual tracks. They were trying to figure out if I was insulting them. I was, but I was doing it in a nice way. But it was just, I don't know. I don't know what, and the issue is like they, who watches the television shows that they have the actors on to talk about? The only thing I watch is if Taylor Sheridan makes it or if it's about baking or history and that's it. I don't really watch anything else. I don't even watch Hallmark Christmas stuff anymore, really. I do enjoy looking at all the new titles because they're all the same, right? Have you guys started your Hallmark Christmas stuff? No. Have you played any Christmas music, Kane? No. So that's the thing. So when we roll back here after Thanksgiving, do we immediately start with the Christmas music? Should I have my trees in the background? Do we go full on happy birthday Jesus immediately? Like, what do we do?
SPEAKER 06 :
There are stations across the country that started right after Halloween playing Christmas music.
SPEAKER 21 :
No one does the 12 days of Christmas anymore. Why?
SPEAKER 06 :
You mean the song or?
SPEAKER 21 :
Like the practice.
SPEAKER 06 :
What's the 12 days of Christmas?
SPEAKER 21 :
Well, 12 days of Christmas you celebrate and that's like your holiday period. And it's from the birth and then after you're celebrating the birth. We just celebrate up to the moment of the birth and then we're like, okay, we're done. You see what I mean?
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, I hear you.
SPEAKER 21 :
Why can't we go back to that? I mean, back to like Tudor times, I guess.
SPEAKER 06 :
More days of celebration? Okay, twist my arm.
SPEAKER 21 :
Well, I mean, just be a little bit more realistic about the lead up. You know what I mean? Like, I don't need to be seeing the Christmas trees out in September.
SPEAKER 06 :
Is each day like a small gift, like Hanukkah? Like, how does it work? Like, every day is a small gift?
SPEAKER 21 :
Yeah, like, that's why they had the 12 Days of Christmas song.
SPEAKER 06 :
Are there any dreidels?
SPEAKER 21 :
Well, I mean, that's a... I mean, I guess if you want to be, there can be. But that's, you know, dreidel, dreidel, dreidel.
SPEAKER 06 :
I remember those Advent calendars, though. I remember as a kid.
SPEAKER 21 :
Yeah. But it should be... I mean, that's how it was. I mean, it used to actually be... 12 days of Christmas, but now you've had holiday creep, right? So it used to be all like, you know, sometime in December you'll do it. And then, and I think that had to do with art with fake trees and then artificial trees looking really nice and going onto the market. And so people didn't have to go get real trees anymore because didn't it seem like your Christmas stuff was limited to how long your tree would live? Yeah. So now you've got artificial trees. It doesn't matter, right? Doesn't matter. But it's the birth of Christ and then the coming of the Magi. And that's the three wise men. So that's the 12 days of Christmas. So it starts with the birth of Christ and it's supposed to end with the coming of the Magi. And the... And it begins on the 25th, and it's supposed to run up until, what, the 6th? And then you've got the four weeks preceding Christmas. That's Advent. Some of it, I think, is brushed off as Catholicism, but that's not how it was always. It wasn't always like that. I mean, even during, you know, Henry VIII's time, and he was all of this. I mean, they, so I don't know. They, I just like the idea of 12 days of. Yeah, me too. Because you lead up to, oh, she had her baby. All right, we're done.
SPEAKER 06 :
Is it like ham every day or every other day is turkey?
SPEAKER 21 :
Sure. And then you would have, I don't know if you get the Lords of Leaping and Ladies Dancing and all that stuff, but that's how it went traditionally. Anyway, my whole point of bringing this up is I haven't really put, we have our lights up, but we haven't really put anything else up, but that's going to change. That's going to start changing beginning this week immediately because the Christmas stuff has got to go up. I'm just ready. I think everybody's ready. It was a really weird political cycle. Everybody's ready for it. But the Hallmark stuff, I'm telling you, it's the person who owns a snow globe factory and she comes, the girl comes in from out of town and she meets the snow globe factory owner and he's a really nice guy and do sparks fly? I don't know. Watch this Christmas movie. And these people have like completely ridiculous jobs. I literally watched one where the dad, I'm not, I swear to you, hands to sky. The dude carved toys. He was like a literal woodcarver of toys. And he had this big two-story craftsman style house in the Northeast. I'm like, dude, you would not have that kind of, you're not making that salary carving, hand carving toys. And it's just you and your little workshop. Shut up. It looks like someone went and staged it as part of a Santa's elf village for photo ops for families near the PetSmart. Stop it. And yeah, she and she assumes her dad's workshop and the house and all this. And I'm to believe that I'm to believe that. Right. No, that will not abide. All right. We've got some other serious stuff here, too. I'm sorry. I don't mean to spend so much time on all of that. But, you know, we also get some of this audio out of the way. although Steve says they should make a Hallmark movie about the villages. The villages. What would they call that? America's friendliest hotel.
SPEAKER 06 :
They would call that Not All Old People Are Innocent. That's what they would call it.
SPEAKER 21 :
I know you think that old people aren't innocent. We're not here to talk about that. Oh, my gosh. Gosh, what do I want to do? I want to end the show on a happy note, and I don't want to be like, Now, back to hell! Here's Audio Soundbite 4, where Venezuelan gang members are recruiting kids in illegal alien shelters. Let's go ahead and actually play it.
SPEAKER 19 :
Well, growing concern among the NYPD over Venezuelan gang activity across the city. Police believe some gang members are recruiting children living in migrant shelters.
SPEAKER 22 :
As Jennifer Bissrom reports, the gang has blended in with asylum seekers who began arriving here in 2022.
SPEAKER 21 :
It's kind of funny how you don't know when you're not demanding, you know, people's documents and all this other stuff. It's kind of crazy. I don't know who's a gang member and who's like the innocent. Well, I mean, nobody's innocent if you're breaking into the country and entering illegally. But just saying, you know, what is that? That's shocking to people. They're reporting this like this is new and shocking. It's not new, but it's shocking that you think it is. This is what people have been talking about this whole time. And anytime they brought it up, you called them like bigots and xenophobes and everything else. And it's been going on this whole time. Kane, you're dying. What? What?
SPEAKER 06 :
It's just weird. So they insist on not just background checks, because we have background checks to buy firearms here, but they want universal background checks for actual American citizens who are law-abiding, but they don't care about background checks of people they don't know from other countries coming here illegally?
SPEAKER 21 :
Yeah, apparently not. What? That's not happening. That's not correct, sir. Yes. Doesn't make any sense at all. It's not supposed to. Not supposed to.
SPEAKER 10 :
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SPEAKER 14 :
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SPEAKER 21 :
Is there really any better intro than this? This song by GNR, Guns N' Roses. Is there really any? Nay, I don't think there is. Really don't. Welcome back to the program. This is how I would have come into Thanksgiving, by the way. Just start, you know, kicking that solo and then immediately just start ripping apart the turkey, right? Oh, here it comes. The whole band's getting ready for it. It's going to go crazy. telling you what. This is the way to do it. Way to do it. You know, holidays used to be a lot more relaxed and nothing used to not all be. Everybody would stress out over politics and all that stuff. I think that like the greatest generation had no patience for that. My grandparents did not allow that. You're going to get hit by a wooden spoon if you start acting up. If you start making a fuss, as my grandmother would say, if you start, if you're starting to make a fuss, if you're fixing a fuss, you're going to get slapped with a wooden spoon. A woman did not play. I've seen many people hit in her kitchen with wooden spoons. And I feel like they just now, it's like everybody's got a preen. Like, here's my political beliefs and I hope we can get along. You can get along if you want to get along. I also think it's a creation of media. Media creates it as a way to further just haunt you, even when you try to get away from them. So some of the things that we've touched on. So Israel and Hezbollah there, they've got a ceasefire now. Netanyahu already announced it. And apparently Biden's going to be I guess he's going to be speaking on it here shortly. But it is the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. And then they're going to start kind of peeling back their respective forces. And that's so that'll be and that's, of course, in southern Lebanon, northern Israel. And so we have this. We also have MSNBC says that it was unaware of Harris's campaign contributions to Al Sharpton's nonprofit. But they won't say whether or not they're taking action. Really? Oh, they were unaware that he got a half a million dollars before she did a softball interview with him. Half a million dollars. How much did she give to Oprah? She gave it to Harpo, but it was to Oprah. Yeah. So that's... And then, let's see. We got the transgender bathroom thing situated. I think Nancy Mace can stop talking about the transgender bathroom stuff now. Kane's like, yeah. I mean, I get that she's wanting attention and wants to seem like she's being very rebellious, but they already solved the issue. They came out with the rule, and they're like, it's done. And she's still like... Okay, we get it. You realize there's some other serious stuff happening in the House that could also use your attention. If you want to act up over some, act up over some of these other pieces of legislation. That was solved by a simple rule change. That's all they did. And one and done. Now let's look at some of this other stuff that's in the House right now. There's some important legislation there. Let's maybe get on some of that. I don't know. I get a little try too hard from that one. Does that mean to say, yo, you all are thinking it. Stop it. Y'all are thinking it. It's a little try too hard. Just, you know, just I kind of get that. I get that impression. So anyway, that's, you know, and then, of course, the couple other things. Let's see. We've got we were talking about the DEI Walmart rolling that back. Very good. Oh, and then care. Guys remember care? The Council on American Islamic Relations. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They were once linked to Hamas. They have to reveal their donors. They're being forced to reveal where they get their money from because an ex-employee blew the whistle and said, oh, they're accepting foreign funding. And they have to, this is what happens in defamation suits. So CARE, this was after a defamation suit it filed against a former employee to shut them up. It backfired. So see, when you file – when you're filing a defamation suit, you're opened up to discovery. So now they have to reveal all their sources of funding. They thought they would file a defamation suit against this former employee, and now they've – Now they've got to open up their books and now you've got to find out where all their... I'm sure we're going to be surprised. I'm sure it's nothing that we've ever suspected. Right, Cain? Probably going to be total things that we just... We are going to be shocked, I'm sure. Said nobody ever. All right, today in stupidity, Cain.
SPEAKER 06 :
All right, Juan, this is cut to Dan Goldman is a Democrat. So typically I don't really have to say much more than that for you to get a gauge as to where he is intellectually. Cut to is Dan Goldman offering the only possible explanation for this particular action. Listen to this.
SPEAKER 18 :
I think it is a shame for justice in this country. It establishes that Donald Trump is above the law. The Supreme Court put him above the law in that opinion that Paula just mentioned. But now he appears to escape full accountability
SPEAKER 06 :
for what were crimes charged by them not getting their drummed up charges any validity is now trump being above the law right so this is what the left will tell you maybe even at thanksgiving dinner don't fall for it don't fall for it folks i hope you have a wonderful and blessed thanksgiving we are grateful for all of you and that we get to join you every single day and hang out god bless i will be back on here next monday
SPEAKER 20 :
Lights are going up. Snow is falling down. There's a feeling of goodwill around town. It could only mean one thing. McRib is here. People throwing parties. Ugly sweaters everywhere. Stockings hung up by the chimney with care. McRib is here.
SPEAKER 15 :
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SPEAKER 10 :
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This Christmas Eve, Washington Watch takes you to the Middle East with compelling insights from Washington, D.C. and beyond. Jody Heiss hosts a heartfelt discussion on the present-day challenges faced by Israel as Tony Perkins shares firsthand experiences from Jerusalem. With Chris Mitchell, explore the changing dynamics in Syria and the hopeful undertones for the future. As the holiday season approaches, reflect on the deeper meaning of Christmas and the ongoing hope and resilience that bind communities of faith across borders.
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 08 :
GOOD AFTERNOON AND WELCOME TO THIS CHRISTMAS EVE EDITION OF WASHINGTON WATCH. I'M JODY HEISS, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT HERE AT THE FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL AND PRESIDENT OF FRC ACTION. IT IS AN HONOR, INDEED, AS ALWAYS, TO BE FILLING IN FOR TONY AND SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU WITH US ON THIS CHRISTMAS EVE AS WELL. WE'VE GOT A LOT COMING YOUR WAY ON THE PROGRAM TODAY. OF COURSE, IT'S CHRISTMAS AROUND THE WORLD. IN BETHLEHEM OVER 2,000 YEARS AGO IN THE HOLY LAND. AND YET THE HOLY LAND TODAY REMAINS A CENTER OF POLITICAL TURMOIL BOTH DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. ISRAEL HAS BEEN AT WAR NOW FOR MORE THAN 14 MONTHS. AND AS WE NOW FIX OUR EYES ON OUR HEARTS ARE ALSO WITH THOSE IN THE MIDDLE EAST WHERE THE SITUATION HAS BEEN CHANGING SO MUCH FOR THE PEOPLE IN THAT REGION. SO ON THIS SPECIAL EDITION, I'LL HAVE A COUPLE OF GUESTS JOINING ME FROM JERUSALEM. Chris Mitchell, Middle East Bureau Chief for CBN News, will join me to talk about how this Advent season and the last have been different for the people in Israel and the Middle East as a whole. And how can we here be praying for our brothers and sisters in the Middle East? And then I'll be sharing with you a discussion I had with FRC president and, of course, the main host of Washington Watch, Tony Perkins, who joined me from Israel last week. So what was he hearing while on the ground there? And how should our leaders here in the United States be standing with our closest ally in the Middle East? All that will be coming up shortly. And then to close out the program, I'll be joined by Dr. Jay Johnston, National Prayer Director and the Chaplain here at the Family Research Council. And we'll be talking about how the Christmas season uniquely provides opportunities for discipleship and for connecting people to the truth. How can Christ followers right now make the most of this time? And how should that be carried out throughout the year? So we've got a great program lined up for you. And if by chance you miss any portion of it, again, always keep in mind that you can catch it by going to our website, TonyPerkins.com, where, of course, not only this edition of Washington Watch, but past editions also are available online. AS WELL AS TONS OF RESOURCES. SO BE SURE TO BOOKMARK THAT WEB PAGE. AND THEN LET ME JUST SAY THIS AS WELL BEFORE WE JUMP INTO IT. FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL INVITES YOU TO JOIN US AS OUR COMMITMENT IS TO CONTINUE SHINING THE LIGHT OF BIBLICAL TRUTH IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND BEYOND. AND DURING THESE DANGEROUS DAYS IN WHICH WE'RE LIVING, FRC LITERALLY IS SERVING AS A TYPE OF WATCHMAN ON THE WALL. We're here protecting faith and family and freedom from all sorts of attacks coming from every direction. And thanks to a $1.5 million challenge match right now. Every dollar you give to FRC between now and December 31st, every dollar will be doubled. Folks, let that sink in. This enables you to double your impact. So we're asking you to come alongside FRC. Stand with us, enabling us to continue being a prophetic voice for biblical truth. You can join us by texting the word LIGHT, L-I-G-H-T, to 67742. So together, let's make an eternal impact. Let's continue being the light that God intends us to be. All right. As I mentioned earlier, FRC president and the main host of Washington Watch, Tony Perkins, was in Israel last week. And while there, he joined me to talk about his latest trip and what he heard there on the ground. Here's that interview. Tony, thanks so much for joining us today. And Merry Christmas from Israel.
SPEAKER 06 :
Well, thank you, Jody. Merry Christmas, and thanks for filling in for me. I'm actually, for those watching, I am standing just outside of the walls of Jerusalem. In fact, you can see the city of Jerusalem behind me, and to my left, you can't see it, but over in the distance is the little town of Bethlehem, where Jesus was born a little over 2,000 years ago.
SPEAKER 08 :
That's amazing. Well, Tony, I know you've got a lot of meetings, a lot of things that have been taking place for you there in Israel. But while you're on the ground, what are you hearing? What are you seeing? What's the mood like there?
SPEAKER 06 :
With Jody, there's a real sense of optimism on a couple of things. One is I met with various leaders in the Israeli government and some of the military leaders. I met with the president of Israel, Isaac Herzog, and some in the foreign policy, foreign administration, foreign ministry leaders. And there's optimism and it's even on the streets. Number one, because of the elections in the United States and the Trump administration coming into power, is that given what they did last time in supporting with Israel, there's a great optimism, especially with the backdrop of the Biden administration, that they're going to have a friend once again in the White House. And then, secondly, Jody, the tables have turned since I was here in March of this year, where Israel kind of had their—they were up against the ropes, so to speak. Now we see this ring that Iran had of proxies around them, Hezbollah, Hamas, And even the Houthis in Yemen have been pounded by Israel. And then, of course, Iran, they're now kind of teetering. It's changed tremendously. And so there's a sense of optimism there, as well as, you know, by the time people hear this, as we're pre-recording it, the hostages may have been released, at least some of them. That deal is very close to happening.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah, that's what I wanted to ask specifically, the ceasefire and the hostage release. I know Trump, as you mentioned him and the attitude that he is bringing to the table there, he's been very strong saying that there's going to be tremendous consequences if the hostages are not released before he's inaugurated. So I'm assuming that really has brought a sense of optimism to Israel, but also a little fear and trembling to the terrorists.
SPEAKER 06 :
Right. You know, I've thought about that. What I have made that statement, because he's drawing a very bright line, which means he has to follow through on that. What does that look like? I'm not sure anybody really knows. And I think that's the fear and trembling that it creates that fear and trembling because nobody really knows what that means. But they know that he is not traditional in the way he deals with these issues and generally what he says he does. And so there has been a lot of movement during this week. We've been in Israel and the officials that we've talked to, they've been very tight lipped about the hostage situation, not wanting to to say anything, go on the record about anything. And so that suggests to me that they're very close to reaching some type of a deal that would bring this chapter to a close, bringing some of, if not all the hostages home immediately or over a staged process.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, it's been 14 months that I'm sure it's just been unimaginable for Israel and the people living there, which, of course, Israel has been a safe harbor for the Jewish community for a long time and for many others, for that matter. How has that changed? Have you seen—I know it's been 14 months that it's changed drastically, but how is it right now?
SPEAKER 06 :
It's interesting, Jody, because and this is one of the things that that I've noticed having as it had been here in March, is that the nation hasn't forgotten. They haven't moved on. It's not like, OK, well, that was last year. That was 14 months ago. The nation has drawn closer together now. There is laser focus on these hostages. You cannot go anywhere and not see posters or billboards or signs saying, bring them home. And they keep a list. They have pictures of all the hostages that remain. I was at Hostage Square during my time here in Tel Aviv. I met with some of the hostage families. And so there's a focus that continues to be on these families, encouraging them, standing with them and saying, we are going to bring these hostages home.
SPEAKER 08 :
I can only imagine what kind of national celebration that is going to spark when those hostages are finally released. It's got to be, it may end up being a national holiday of sorts. I can't imagine the joy that is going to be exhibited when that happens.
SPEAKER 06 :
When you consider since 1948, when Israel became a state, you know, they've had wars, six state wars. They've had short periods. They've never had this long of a conflict with this many different nations that they've been focused on, where literally, you know, the world was betting against Israel, pushing against Israel, and Israel has completely completely turned the tables to where now other nations are trembling and fearful of what Israel may do. And I do think you're right. I think when those Israelis and others, there's others and just Israelis, others being held hostage, when they come home, I think you're going to see a grand celebration.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, as we enter into this last few days before Christmas and by the time this airs following it, what is the biggest prayer need as you are out and about with people there and with the leaders in Israel? How can we be most targeted and specific in praying for Israel right now?
SPEAKER 06 :
You know, Jody, first, I think we need to understand the importance of Israel and what took place here and what it means to us as Christians. As I said at the beginning, just a stone's throw from where I'm at, Bethlehem, where Jesus was born. The fact that this is a place where so much of what we, almost everything we read in the Bible is found here in Judea and Samaria. And we need to be praying for the peace of this land as Psalm 122 encourages us to do or tells us to do. We need to be praying for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. I don't know of another individual in the entire world that has as much weight upon his shoulder and decisions that are such consequential decisions that affect literally the entire world, Western civilization. and praying for their peace, praying for the fulfillment of God's word and for continued revelation of God's power on their behalf and the spiritual awakening that is taking place here in Israel. Continue to pray that the Holy Spirit would move in a powerful, profound way as the word of God is fulfilled here in this land in Israel.
SPEAKER 08 :
Tony, I want to thank you so much for joining us. Thank you specifically for that direct. avenue for us to be praying. And we have, of course, our viewers, our listeners all over the country right now. You've heard some very specific ways that we can pray. And I want to encourage every single one of you today to take time to take these words that we've heard from Tony and specifically pray for the prime minister, for Israel, for the peace of Jerusalem, for wisdom, for spiritual awakening. Let's be very specific as we pray. Tony, I know you've got a lot to do. Again, I want to thank you for joining us. You've got a busy schedule. Merry, Merry Christmas to you and Luana and the family. Safe travels home. Look forward to seeing you soon.
SPEAKER 06 :
All right, Jody, Merry Christmas to you as well. And Merry Christmas to all of our Washington Watch viewers and listeners. Great.
SPEAKER 08 :
Thank you so much. Well, that was my interview last week with Tony, who joined me from Jerusalem. And after the break, I'll be joined by another guest from Jerusalem, CBN Middle East Bureau Chief Chris Mitchell. So don't go away. We'll be right back.
SPEAKER 11 :
During these challenging times for our nation, Family Research Council continues to serve as a watchman on the wall for faith, family, and freedom. And together, thanks to your support, we're making an eternal impact. 2024 has been another year of shining the light for biblical truth in Washington, D.C. This fall, over 1,000 spiritually active, governance-engaged conservatives gathered for the Pray, Vote, Stand Summit. to pray for our nation and ensure that the issues impacting sage cons were understood and advanced. Washington Watch with Tony Perkins marked a major milestone this year, its 900th episode, and added the Washington Watch News Desk, a new production that presents the top news each day from a biblical worldview. The Washington Stand published 2,000 articles of news, commentary, and podcasts in 2024, garnering over 5 million views. FRC's outlet for news and commentary continues to pursue the truth on the issues that matter most to you and your family. And with the launch of the Stand Firm app, you can listen to, watch, and read our content in one simple place. Pray for current issues, stay rooted in the scriptures, and engage the political sphere with a community of believers on our new platform. In 2024, FRC shaped public policy and culture, organizing the National Gathering for Prayer and Repentance, where members of Congress and Christian leaders came together to seek God's intervention in America. In May, FRC called upon believers to pray for and stand with Israel by dedicating a portion of their worship services to pray for Israel's peace, prosperity, and protection. With Pray, Vote, Stand Decision 2024, FRC and Real Life Network led a powerful evening of election night coverage to analyze the election results and pray that our nation would turn back to God. We also filmed a transformative educational course, God and Government, Launching in January 2025, this series will explore the biblical and historical foundations of our government, empowering you to stand confidently in your role as a citizen of heaven and earth. Family Research Council thanks you for partnering with us for another year of standing for faith, family, and freedom.
SPEAKER 04 :
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SPEAKER 08 :
WELL, MERRY CHRISTMAS. WELCOME BACK TO WASHINGTON TO WATCH. I'M JODY HEISS FILLING IN TODAY FOR TONY. SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU. AND OF COURSE CHRISTMAS WAS VERY DIFFERENT LAST YEAR IN THE HOLY LAND FOLLOWING THE VICIOUS ATTACKS BY HAMAS AGAINST ISRAEL ON OCTOBER 7TH. AND TODAY IS MORE THAN 14 MONTHS OF THE WAR. AND HOW IS THE MOOD NOW IN ISRAEL THIS ADVENT SEASON? FOR THE ISRAELI CITIZENS DURING THESE CHALLENGING TIMES. JOINING ME NOW TO DISCUSS THIS IS MIDDLE EAST BUREAU CHIEF FOR CBN NEWS AND DEAR FRIEND OF WASHINGTON WATCH, CHRIS MITCHELL. CHRIS, WELCOME BACK TO THE PROGRAM. ALWAYS AN HONOR TO HAVE YOU.
SPEAKER 14 :
IT'S GREAT TO BE WITH YOU,
SPEAKER 08 :
WELL, THANK YOU. I CAN'T THINK OF A BETTER PLACE FOR MERRY CHRISTMAS WISHES TO BE COMING FROM, AND I APPRECIATE THAT A GREAT DEAL. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AS WELL. WELL, WE ARE PRE-TAPING THIS, SO THERE MAY HAVE BEEN SOME ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENTS BETWEEN NOW AND CHRISTMAS EVE, BUT LET'S JUST START, IF YOU CAN, CHRIS, WITH GIVING US THE LATEST IN TERMS OF THE CURRENT SITUATION THERE IN ISRAEL.
SPEAKER 14 :
Well, Jody, the current situation has changed so dramatically in just the last few weeks with the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, the takeover by many rebel groups within just about two weeks or less than that. Just remarkable changes. And the changes just keep coming, Jody, whether it was the degrading of Hamas in the Gaza Strip or the way that Hezbollah really disintegrated for the last three or four months. Just these changes have been remarkable, historic changes, biblical changes, it seems. And it's really hard to keep up sometimes. But we know that the Middle East is developing, shaking, moving and just dramatic and powerful ways. A reminder to be keeping praying for the peace of Jerusalem and all the peoples here in the lands.
SPEAKER 08 :
Absolutely. And yeah, the change is unbelievable. And we're all just deeply grateful for it. You've just been a special and powerful voice in keeping us up to speed as to what's happening. Just in terms of Christmas, Chris, I'm just curious, you've been there in Israel for quite a while now. How has this Advent season been compared to last year and even the years before October 7th?
SPEAKER 14 :
Well, you mentioned 14 months and counting. I would say that many of the people here in Israel are weary of the war. It's very, very difficult to continue what's going on. And it's almost affected every single Israeli person here in the land, whether it's a son or daughter or cousin, brother that's in combat and has been fighting, whether in Gaza or up in the north against Hezbollah. But I also say that there is just a remarkable resilience of the Israeli people here. And so this Advent season, obviously, it's the Christians here in the land that are marking the birth of Jesus Christ. And I would say it's, you know, for many people, regardless of whatever your faith is, a very, very hard time to go through, a very wearying time. But, you know, as believers in Jesus, we have the hope. and that we can look to and remember the birth of Jesus, which is actually just about five miles behind me where I'm standing right now, Jody. So 2,000 years ago, that's where the angels said the good news of glad tidings, for unto you is born a Savior who is Christ the Lord.
SPEAKER 08 :
AMEN. AND WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SO MANY CHANGES TAKING PLACE AROUND THE WORLD AND SPECIFICALLY NOW IN ISRAEL, THE ENTIRE WORLD CHANGED 2,000 YEARS AGO. AND THANK GOD IT CONTINUES TO THIS DAY THROUGH HIS GRACE AND MERCY. AND SO THANK YOU FOR THAT REMINDER. BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT JUST I'M CURIOUS YOUR TAKE ON CHRISTIANS IN SYRIA AND ELSEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE EAST. OF COURSE WITH THE FALL OF THE BRUTAL HASSAD REGIME, I'M CURIOUS HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED AND WHAT'S THE SITUATION LIKE FOR OTHER CHRISTIANS IN SYRIA AND OTHER PLACES?
SPEAKER 14 :
That's a very, very important issue, Jody. And I think people, Christians around the world and the United States in particular, I think need to be aware of what's happening to our brothers and sisters inside Syria. Now, they lived under the Assad regime. It wasn't the best of circumstances by far. But what's happened right now is that the groups that have taken over, which one is called HTS, the other is SNA, but both jihadi groups sponsored and backed by Turkey, and they want to implement Sharia law inside Syria. Now, what that means for Christians is that they would basically be second-class citizens, and there could be varying degrees of what Sharia law looks like, but it would be a restriction of their faith, their livelihood, perhaps. They might have to pay what's called the jizza tax for non-Muslims. So it's a very, very important time to be praying for our brothers and sisters, and also a time to be talking to leaders who have influence and policymakers. People that I've talked to, Jody, that we've been reporting on, are saying a lot of this comes from President Erdogan in Turkey and Turkey They hope and pray that he could be stopped. Now, I'll explain just a little bit what's happening in the western part of Syria that's really been taken over by HDS. The eastern part is under threat as well. In northeast Syria, over the last number of years, there's been an autonomous region where they have set up a democratic form of government. where Christians, Yazidis, Kurds, and Arabs all working together. Now, that is under a threat by what's this group called SNA. And that as well, people need to pray that they could be restrained so that this really beacon of hope and freedom and democracy in the Middle East could be preserved from these Turkish-backed groups.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, Chris, I do want to keep you, if you can, over the break and come back and continue this discussion. But it's not just the believers there that are going to experience massive changes. In fact, I understand many of them have already fled. But what are some of the implications of a new Syrian government for Israel, as well as the rest of the Middle East, but Israel in particular?
SPEAKER 14 :
Well, it really poses a threat to them. And that's why, in fact, even today, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Mount Hermon. Mount Hermon is a geographical barrier between Lebanon, Syria and Israel. And now Israel, because of all this chaos in the last few months, has taken over the strategic Syrian part of Mount Hermon, as well as a buffer zone between this new HDS jihadi group that wants to implement Sharia law in Israel. So long term, it does represent a possible very serious threat to Israel. They have stated they want to come here and take over Jerusalem. So that's where their goals are eventually. In the meantime, Israel has been destroying as much as 80 percent or more of the Besar al-Sham military infrastructure. They started right when the rebels took over, and they have continued to do so, so that these strategic weapons don't fall into the hands of this jihadist group.
SPEAKER 08 :
Well, keep that thought. We'll come back after the break. We're going to continue our conversation with Chris Mitchell. So don't go anywhere. We'll be back in just a moment.
SPEAKER 03 :
So if you like to think and you like to pray, FRC is the place for you.
SPEAKER 16 :
I think it is the best program out there.
SPEAKER 12 :
Yeah, I've absolutely loved my experience interning at FRC.
SPEAKER 16 :
They really are making waves out in the political world and doing it from the light of the Lord.
SPEAKER 03 :
It's really humbling for me as a college student who has been involved in the life movement for only a couple of years to be able to witness it alongside of some of the people who have spent their entire lives fighting. A huge thing that sets FRC's internship apart from others is they are looking for what they can pour into you instead of what they can get out of you.
SPEAKER 16 :
I have talked to so many of my friends who have interned other places and they're responding to emails or taking phone calls and doing things like that, but here we get real hands-on experience and get to talk to important people and do important things that we get to see the impact of.
SPEAKER 15 :
The throne of Jesus Christ is unchallenged. His name was never on the ballot to begin with, and it's never gonna be on the ballot. He's the King of Kings, and He's the Lord of Lords, and nothing's gonna change that. And so our mission stays the same, preach the gospel, make disciples, get ready for heaven. In the meantime, that we're to advance the concerns of the kingdom of God here on earth.
SPEAKER 06 :
america has entered a critical and vulnerable period from now until january the 20th join family research council for operation prayer shield a 10-week prayer initiative for our nation from now until january 20th our country faces global challenges a transition of leadership and a lame duck session of congress This season calls for heightened spiritual vigilance, discernment, and prayer. Text the word SHIELD to 67742 to join us. You'll have access to prayer points, scripture, prayer calls. Text SHIELD to 67742. Unite with us and pray for our nation.
SPEAKER 08 :
MERRY CHRISTMAS. AGAIN, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY ON WASHINGTON WATCH. I'M JODY HEIST. FILLING IN TODAY FOR TONY. AND WE'RE CONTINUING NOW OUR DISCUSSION WITH CHRIS MITCHELL. HE'S THE MIDDLE EAST BUREAU CHIEF FOR CBN NEWS. HE IS JOINING US FROM JERUSALEM. CHRIS, THANKS AGAIN FOR STAYING WITH US OVER THE BREAK. WE APPRECIATE IT. Iran, let's talk about them. For a long time, they've been a threat to Israel. How has the war affected them right now? It looks like it's been pretty significant.
SPEAKER 14 :
Jody, who would have known after October 7, Hamas, a group funded and helped by Iran, and Hezbollah funded and helped by Iran as well, both of these groups have basically been decimated. And Iran itself is under threat. The reason for that is right now, on October 26, Israel launched an attack against Iran's facilities, and they hit much of their air defenses. In addition to that, Israel has already hit out most of the air defenses inside Syria. So it seems like there's a window of opportunity and almost a safe path for any Israeli action against Iran's nuclear facilities. We don't know if that might happen in this window between where we're talking now and January 20th, when President Trump is inaugurated. But it does seem like an opportune time for Israel to go ahead and destroy what has been the existential threat hanging over the Jewish state for decades, which is Iran's nuclear facilities and the potential to have a nuclear arsenal.
SPEAKER 08 :
YEAH, THAT HAS LONG BEEN A MAJOR THREAT. AND I AGREE. I MEAN, IT LOOKS LIKE IF THERE'S EVER A TIME TO DO SO, IT WOULD BE NOW. AND THEN WE HAVE ON THIS SIDE OVER HERE, PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP, OF COURSE, HE HAS PROMISED TO BE THE MOST PRO-ISRAEL PRESIDENT IN HISTORY. AND AT LEAST FROM MY ESTIMATION, HE CERTAINLY WAS OR AT LEAST ONE OF THE TOP IN HIS FIRST TERM. I THINK IT'S AN HONOR OF A LIFETIME FOR ME PERSONALLY TO BE THERE WHEN THE EMBASSY MOVED TO JERUSALEM, AND THAT WAS ALL PRESIDENT TRUMP PUSHING THAT. SO WHAT DO YOU THINK ISRAEL IS HOPING FOR WITH THE NEW TRUMP ADMINISTRATION, BE IT THE FIRST 100 DAYS OR BEYOND?
SPEAKER 14 :
Well, I would think right now, Jody, I think the first thing would be to help Israel either allow Israel, give them the green light to go ahead and attack Iran's nuclear facilities or actually help the U.S., I mean Israel, and that the U.S. would cooperate with them to go ahead and destroy that. Now, that could lead, possibly, and I think... That's what maybe the Mullahs are concerned about right now in Tehran, to an overthrow of the Iranian regime. Because as we have talked before, many of the people, probably 80, 90 percent of Iranians despise the regime, and they would love to see it overthrown after decades of oppression against the public. So I think that's one thing. The other thing, Jody, is that they want to see working together. Over the last 14 months since October 7th, many Israelis have felt that the Biden administration really was an obstacle to Israel's war against Hamas and really a seven-front war and also trying to undermine the Netanyahu government. So I think there's going to be a huge change come January 20th. We've already seen it right now, just in the last day or two. Benjamin Netanyahu and President Trump have also had a conversation, which Trump described as a very good conversation. And he's looking forward to a good situation in the Middle East, possibly an expansion of the Abraham Accords, and then possibly eliminating Iran as an existential threat to the Jewish people.
SPEAKER 08 :
WELL, THAT'S EVERYTHING YOU SAY THERE RESONATES. YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TWO VERY, VERY STRONG LEADERS BETWEEN NETANYAHU AND TRUMP, AND THEY'RE ON THE SAME PAGE. SO I CAN ONLY IMAGINE THE SENSE OF FEAR AND TREMBLING FROM THOSE ENEMIES OF ISRAEL IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THERE. THEY'VE GOT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE CLOCK IS TICKING, IT WOULD SEEM, FOR THEIR CONTINUED CONTROL AND HARASSMENT AND Now, we're all thinking as we wrap up, Chris, here at Christmastime, we're thinking and praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ in the Middle East, for Israel as a whole. What would you say to Americans here? How can we be praying for them as we celebrate Christmas?
SPEAKER 14 :
Pray for their protection. Pray that there'd be a godly policy that would really push back the forces of darkness, whether that's Turkish-backed militias or the mullahs in Tehran that would protect the Jewish people. They're remarkably resilient after 14, 15 months of being at war. But pray for comfort. It says in Isaiah 40, comfort, comfort ye me people. And also, you know, Psalm 126, verse 6, pray for the peace of Jerusalem. And Isaiah 62 that says, he has put watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem, to give him no praise till he makes Jerusalem a praise in all the earth. And that ultimate praise will come, Jody, when our Savior comes back here to Jerusalem to rule and reign. And many people here in the Middle East would say, come, Lord Jesus.
SPEAKER 08 :
And we would join that. And he is indeed coming. And real quickly, Chris, how about you, your family, your team at CBN? How can we be praying for you?
SPEAKER 14 :
Well, pray for protection, pray for anointing, pray that God would give us the wisdom of all the stories he wants us to report. We feel like maybe we're watchmen on the walls and that we can report what's happening, whether it's Washington Watch or our program Jerusalem Dateline, what's happening here so people could be informed, educated, and so people can pray.
SPEAKER 08 :
WELL, WE CANNOT FULLY EXPRESS TO YOU THE DEEP GRATITUDE AND APPRECIATION THAT WE HAVE FOR YOUR FAITHFUL WITNESS, YOUR FAITHFUL PRESENCE THERE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND YOUR COMING ON KEEPING US INFORMED. GOD BLESS YOU, CHRIS, MITCHELL, ALL OF YOU AT CBN, OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE LORD THERE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND ISRAEL AS A WHOLE.
SPEAKER 14 :
Merry Christmas, Jody. And I just want to say we have a great team here in our bureau. They're doing a great job.
SPEAKER 08 :
All right, friends, after the break, Pastor Jay Johnson will be joining us. You don't want to miss it. Stay tuned. We'll be right back.
SPEAKER 06 :
Hello, I'm Tony Perkins, President of the Family Research Council here in Washington, D.C. Behind me is one of the most recognizable buildings in all the world, the U.S. Capitol. What does it stand for? Well, most people say government. But do you know the Bible talks about four institutions of government? Do you know what they are? And do we have a republic or a democracy? Well, what do you say? Also, what about this thing, separation of church and state? Does that mean Christians shouldn't be involved in government? Guess what? We address those issues and more in our new God and Government course. I invite you to join us to see what the historical record and the Bible has to say about government. Join us for God and Government.
SPEAKER 10 :
Let's not be discouraged. Don't lose heart. Don't lose the faith. Stand now strong because the Lord has given us the great privilege of living in a time when our choices matter, when our lives matter, when our courage matters. So let's stand together and save this great country. God bless the United States of America.
SPEAKER 09 :
The American Republic has a freedom like no other. It has roots in the scriptures far more than any other heritage. And if we as followers of Jesus and conservatives don't defend it, who will?
SPEAKER 01 :
Neutrality is not an option. There are many Christians who believe that if we just keep our heads down, if we just don't say the wrong thing, that somehow we will come out of this unscathed. You're naive if you think that, because what they want from us is not our silence. What they want from us is our submission.
SPEAKER 13 :
Part of the dilemma of Christianity in our generation is that we've relied a little too much on human wisdom and human reasoning, human strength, human resource, and we've relied too little on the power of God and God's ability to open doors that we can't open and do things that we couldn't even hope to begin to do.
SPEAKER 05 :
This may not be an easy task, But we are living in a moment of challenge, but also a great opportunity. And we know always that we are not alone, that His Spirit empowers us and protects us. and that he could do the unimaginable. Dobbs, after all, was never supposed to happen.
SPEAKER 06 :
Father, we thank you. You have entrusted us with this moment in history, and I pray that we would be found faithful, and that as a result of our faithfulness to you, that thousands, millions would come into the kingdom as they would experience the forgiveness of sin and the new life that is found only in Jesus Christ. Amen.
SPEAKER 08 :
Merry Christmas. Welcome back to Washington Watch. I'm Jody Heiss filling in today for Tony and so honored to have you joining us as well. All right, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, I hope you'll join Family Research Council in shining the light of biblical truth right here in Washington, D.C. and across the nation. This Christmas season, every dollar you give will be doubled exponentially. YES, IT WILL BE DOUBLED AS THROUGH A GENEROUS LIMITED TIME CHALLENGE MATCH. AND ALL OF THAT IS HELPING US TO DEFEND FAITH, FAMILY AND FREEDOM IN THIS COMING YEAR. AND SO TOGETHER, AS WE ALL JOIN FORCES TOGETHER, WE CAN STAND FOR BIBLICAL VALUES AND PROCLAIM THE ONLY TRUE SOURCE OF HOPE FOR AMERICA, AND THAT IS JESUS CHRIST. So if you'd like to join us and give, you can do so by texting the word LIGHT to 67742. And together, we can shine the light of truth this Christmas and beyond. And speaking of Christmas... Three out of four Americans agree that people have forgotten the real meaning of Christmas. Perhaps that's why this clip from a Charlie Brown Christmas shared by Family Research Council on social media, it's attracted millions of people.
SPEAKER 12 :
I guess I really don't know what Christmas is all about. Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about? Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about. Lights, please. And there were in the same country shepherds, abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them. And they were sore afraid, and the angel said unto them, Fear not. For behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you. Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men. THIS IS ALL ABOUT CHARLIE BROWN.
SPEAKER 08 :
AMEN TO THAT. WOW. LITERALLY, WE'VE HAD MILLIONS OF PEOPLE DOWNLOAD THAT AND WATCH IT OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS. I MEAN, LOOK, WE ALL RECOGNIZE YOU WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND SUCH A CLEAR PRESENTATION OF WHAT CHRISTMAS IS REALLY ALL ABOUT ON THE BIG TV NETWORKS TODAY. BUT WHETHER THEY AIR IT OR NOT, perhaps more so now than ever. And here to discuss why is Dr. Jay Johnson. He's a national prayer director and chaplain here at FRC. Pastor Jay, welcome back to the program. Always great to have you, my friend.
SPEAKER 07 :
Thank you. IT'S A GREAT IDEA. IT'S A GREAT IDEA. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AS WELL.
SPEAKER 08 :
MERRY CHRISTMAS, JAY. I LOVE THAT CLIP. I REMEMBER AS A CHILD WATCHING THAT. IN FACT, OUR WHOLE FAMILY USED TO WATCH CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS EVERY SINGLE YEAR AND THERE WAS UTTER SILENCE WHEN IT CAME TO THAT PART EVERY SINGLE YEAR. WHAT DO YOU TAKE OF THE VIRAL
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, one, it probably brings those that are older great memories, but I think it's also a great reminder of people seeking truth and hope. And that clip just encourages people. It's one of those clips that... You know, you feel great about it, you know, and so it's an exciting clip. And I think that's just it demonstrates, again, also the hunger I believe people have right now for for truth, for something bigger than them.
SPEAKER 08 :
Absolutely. I think you and I had a conversation a couple of weeks ago with how the Bible now has jumped in sales some 22%. People are, as you just said, looking for truth. And they are, fortunately, many of them, going back to God's Word to find that truth. Don't you think that perhaps the Christmas season And particularly the season that we're having now with all the issues we're facing in our country and around the world, that somehow this uniquely opens the doors, opportunities for further Bible study, for actual discipleship and connecting people to the truth of God's word in a special way.
SPEAKER 07 :
I really do, Jody. I just really sense there is just a tremendous hunger of people. And I think with all of the things happening in the world, things that are happening in the U.S., You know, there's heartache, unfortunately, almost on every corner, but there's also hope at every corner as well. And I think those of us who know Christ can point people at those corners to the hope that they can find in Christ in the midst of despair. And so I do believe that people are just longing right now for something bigger than themselves. And the time's right. With everything that's happening, right now is the time to get people engaged in Bible study, you know, in prayer groups. And, you know, it's just that great time. I've mentioned in the past to you and to others, and it just happened recently. Last week, I walked in a couple of places there in D.C., and there were people just sitting at tables opening with their Bibles open. And I was just so encouraged. These are public places. And whether it's in your home or in a public place, in your church, connect group, whatever it may be, right now is just a great time to open God's Word. And I do want to just take a moment here. On Christmas Day, a great opportunity to not only join Family Research Council and stand on the word Bible study moving into 2025, but on Christmas Day, you may not have been on the journey with us, but I would just encourage you, open your Bible with your family. to Luke chapter two, read the verses beginning in verse one, before you do anything else with your family and let the word of God speak. Let the hope that is in Christ. Christ is the one who reigns on the throne today, but you're gonna read about his birth account. And there's so much hope there, so much encouragement. And that's the way you can begin with your family. Start on Christmas Day and then every day after, maybe it's a verse, maybe it's the several verses or chapter, even with Stand on the Word. But I just encourage you to start and Christmas Day is a great time by opening your Bible to Luke chapter two. Now that's not the place where we are with Stand on the Word for that particular day, but it's a great place to start if you've not been on the journey.
SPEAKER 08 :
IT'S A GREAT, GREAT WORD. AND I'M REALLY GLAD YOU BROUGHT UP HOPE. WE ARE LIVING AT A TIME IN HISTORY THAT SO MANY PEOPLE SEEM TO HAVE LOST HOPE. THERE'S SO MUCH TURMOIL, SO MUCH BROKENNESS, SO MUCH ANXIETY AND UNCERTAINTY IN OUR WORLD, And for you, someone with such a pastor's heart that you have, and I love praying with you. I love hearing you pray. I love being with you when you pray, Pastor Jay. But you pour your heart out for our country and for believers around the world. But during this time of hope, WHAT IS THE PRAYER? WHAT IS THE HEART PRAYER FOR OUR COUNTRY AND OUR WORLD DURING THIS TIME OF TURMOIL?
SPEAKER 07 :
I THINK IT'S REALLY, IT'S A SIMPLE PRAYER AND IT'S AN UMBLE PRAYER. AND SIMPLY, GOD, I NEED YOU. I NEED YOU IN MY LIFE MORE THAN I NEED ANYTHING ELSE. AND I WOULD JUST ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO ARE LONGING FOR HOPE EARLIER TODAY I WAS PRAYING WITH A FAMILY THAT REACHED OUT TO US HERE AT FRC AND JUST HEARTBREAKING OVER WHAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH. But I just encourage them to call upon the name of the Lord. And that's what I would encourage all who are watching or listening. Just simply cry out to the Lord. Say, God, I need you more than anything else in my life. And just begin establishing that relationship with God every single day of your life.
SPEAKER 08 :
THAT'S A GREAT WORD. GREAT WORD. YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS ALSO, THE CONVERSATION IS RIPE TO CALL ON THAT SAME THING FOR CHURCHES. SO MANY PEOPLE EXPERIENCING SO MANY THINGS ARE RAGING WITHIN THE HEARTS OF SO MANY PEOPLE AND THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY ALSO FOR THE CHURCH TO RESPOND, FOR CHRISTIANS TO RESPOND TO THEIR NEIGHBORS. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THE BODY OF CHRIST AS WE ENTER INTO A NEW YEAR?
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, I would just say to the pastors that are listening, just know that there's people praying for you. I love the local church, and I love being a part of the local church. And I am a pastor. I have a pastor's heart. I love pastors. And I would just say, too, don't grow weary in the midst of well-doing. But let people share ministry with you. Get involved. Get them involved with you. And now is the best time for the church to arise and to reach the community for Christ. one person at a time, one neighborhood at a time, one city at a time. Just get out there and begin sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. And I would just encourage you too, Pastor, and Bible study leaders, get involved in Bible study, daily Bible study. Don't let it be a Sunday to And the next Sunday, daily in that. And again, I'm going to just mention Stand on the Word, which is a good opportunity for people to engage in the Bible and to study. But there's others out there. So whatever works best for you. But I would just encourage you to do this. Read the Bible. Think about what you just read. Pray it. start living it and get out and share it because as you do that the word of the lord is going to come alive the church is going to come alive and right now is the best opportunity for those of us who are followers of christ to get out and tell a world that is desperately looking for hope, looking for something that we can tell them about the one who's come for all mankind and who loves us dearly.
SPEAKER 08 :
Great word. And what you're talking about there, Pastor Jay, is life. Life is found in Christ. And let me just say, if those who are listening and watching right now are not familiar with or are not part of the Stand on the Word Bible study that we have each day, they can get it, simply go into the App Store or text the word APP, A-P-P, text APP, TO 67742 AND JOIN US. GREAT TIME TO JOIN US IN THE NEW YEAR. PASTOR JAY, LET ME ASK YOU THIS BECAUSE WE'VE HAD THIS CONVERSATION BEFORE AND I LOVE YOUR TAKE ON IT. WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE PRO-LIFE MOVEMENT, OF COURSE THERE'S BEEN A LOT THIS PAST YEAR ON THAT. NO DOUBT THERE'S GOING TO BE CONTINUED BATTLES IN THE YEARS TO COME. BUT OUR BATTLE FOR LIFE IS NOT JUST FOR LIFE IN THE WOMB. WE'RE BATTLING FOR LIFE AT EVERY STAGE. And many of us need to open our eyes a little bit wider to that reality. Explain your heart on that issue.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, I long stand for life and value the very life in the womb and grateful for every mom that carries that baby. But I also know there's a fight. There's a fight for life when that baby's born and not everything's right. I've been in the NICU units. I've been in the pediatric care units when a family's surrounding. But there's also the fight for the mom that got pregnant without a partner. And now that child's 3, 5, 7, 10, 15. Are we as the church ready to walk with that mom through all of that child's life? Are we ready to value the end of life, not to see the growth of assisted suicide, but to walk? with people wherever they are in life and to value them just as God values us. He loves us dearly. And we are in a battle here in America for all of life. There's too many shootings on the street. There's too much bullying in the school. There's too much fragmentation in the home. There's too much bickering in the church house. We all need to just come together and begin recognizing that we all have a purpose, and God has a plan and a purpose for us, and that we can value life and fight for every life, whatever the circumstances are. We just need to get in there and begin walking with people wherever they are, whatever they're facing day in and day out. It's not easy. It's dirty. It's hard. It's not contained to one place. But I can tell you this, walking with people is the best opportunity we have to demonstrate the love of Christ. And so I just encourage folks as well. There's so much in my heart about this. I'm just not fully aware to go with it all, Jody. But I just know that we got to get people around just looking at every life and knowing that that we can't see the life taken on a street by a gunshot or somebody just running somebody over in a vehicle is just, All the lives matter. The little guy out on a soccer field that may not be the most talented, his life matters. We can encourage him on. At every place, there's a place for us to plug into life. And so I just encourage people to join in wherever that is and just show love to one another. Let's start right there.
SPEAKER 08 :
Great, great work. Thank you, Dr. J. Johnson. Deeply appreciate you, National Prayer Director and Chaplain here at the Family Research Council. Merry Christmas to you, your dear family, and we look forward to working with you, sharing the light of Christ in 2025. Friends, that wraps up this edition of Washington Watch. Merry, Merry Christmas to each of you. God bless you.
SPEAKER 02 :
Washington Watch with Tony Perkins is brought to you by Family Research Council and is entirely listener supported. Portions of the show discussing candidates are brought to you by Family Research Council Action. For more information on anything you heard today or to find out how you can partner with us in our ongoing efforts to promote faith, family and freedom, visit TonyPerkins.com.
Join Bill Gunderson as he takes listeners through the financial landscape in this spirited end-of-year episode. Discussions cover the surprising strength of the airline industry, market expectations for 2025, and how tech giants like Amazon and NVIDIA continue to maintain their competitive edges. Rumble's potential to carve out a niche against established players like YouTube is also explored, alongside new market entries such as Tras Pharmaceutical making waves with antiviral innovations.
SPEAKER 05 :
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 Gunderson Capital Management. Here is professional money manager Bill Gunderson.
SPEAKER 07 :
And welcome to the Tuesday, the hardest working guys in the industry doing a live show on Christmas Eve morning. And we are live here on this December 24th. And I'll tell you what, looks like the market has got a little present wrapped up under the tree right now. We'll see if it can last during the day. But right now you've got the Dow up. ah the dow is up 94 points to 43,001 of course it's been to 45,000 we've seen a few thousand points shaved off the dow since the trump election the s&p 500 is up 30 right now that puts it back above 6,000 puts it at 6,004 that'd be a nice little stocking stuffer but the big one here the nasdaq uh 19,917 up 152 on the day and all of these indexes are near their highs for the year it's always good to close off a year knock on wood we've got seven days to go at the highs the Russell 2000 not participating today. It's down a couple of points. Interest rates have been moving higher here recently. In fact, interest rates are closing in on their 52-week high, which is not a good thing. And the market's good.
SPEAKER 06 :
It's pretty interesting that you've got that and the market. Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER 07 :
We're at 4.62 on the 10-year high. 4.70 is the 52-week high. So welcome to today's Best Stocks Now show with professional money manager Bill Gunderson, president of Gunderson Capital Management, on this Christmas Eve. I think Christmas Eve actually is my favorite day of the year. You know, Christmas is like, eh, you know, it's the buffet.
SPEAKER 06 :
A little free-for-all sometimes, yeah.
SPEAKER 07 :
I like the anticipation and just the magic in the air and everything like that. My least favorite day is the day after Christmas when it's trash day and you've got all the boxes and the wrappers and everybody's headed home and everybody's sick and full. Taking stuff back. Yeah, it doesn't fit. This doesn't look right. Okay, anyways, but we're here on this Christmas Eve and As always, we've got a lot of best stocks now to talk about here today. There's always something happening, although this is a slow time in the market. There's not any companies reporting earnings. There's not a lot of mergers and acquisitions this time of year. Not a lot of breakthroughs and this and that. But there's still plenty to talk about. as always in the markets. And we are having a good day. I don't know why. Interest rates are going up. I think that's the most notable chart there. We're at 4.63. The high for the year is 4.70. And I would not want to see the 10-year break above that 4.70 area and head towards 5%. That would not be good. I mean, that's restrictive on the economy for sure. And I mean, even though the Fed has been cutting rates, cutting rates, we just got another 25 on top of a 50. And it has done not a thing to the bond market. The market has taken it right back up despite the Fed's rate cuts.
SPEAKER 06 :
Well, and it does put a lid on valuations, right? You've been talking about us being at elevated P.E. ratios, and as interest rates go up, there's kind of less conviction in that higher P.E. ratio because theoretically it should go the other direction when rates are high.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yes, but we will take this rally. Yeah. Yale Hirsch had a theory. He died a couple years ago, but he wrote the Stock Traders' Almanac. His theory was if you don't get that Christmas rally, look for a bad year coming the following year. Anyways, I don't know if it holds true. I like statistics. I'm a statistics kind of guy, but it just seems to be that no two years are alike. I understand maybe 60% of the time, 65% of the time, but I still think every year is very, very unique. The sell in May and go away and all this kind of thing, I think it depends upon the year and upon the conditions at the time. Well, we had a little gain in the markets yesterday. The Dow was up 67%. The NASDAQ was up yesterday 192 points. Pretty good day, actually, despite the 10-year rising by 7 basis points to 4.60%. And as I said, the high for the year is 4.70. Higher for longer. That is one of the topics that's in the news today. Does higher for longer, meaning higher interest rates for a longer period of time, which is one of the surprises for 2024 for me was how stubborn interest rates were yesterday. despite the cuts by the Fed. What if the Fed hadn't done those cuts? Where would we be? I don't know. Maybe we would be right where we're at anyways. I thought NVIDIA had a really good day today. It is following through today. NVIDIA has kind of been dead in the water here for several months. Now you've got a constructive chart on it. It's hitting 141. We haven't seen it up at that level for about a month or so. And it continues to trade in a sideways band right now between 132 and 152. And we're kind of right in the middle of that band at 141. I still like NVIDIA from a valuation point of view. I think it has a lot of upside potential. I don't think it's done by any stretch of the imagination. And we continue to own NVIDIA in our premier growth portfolio. It's one of just 18 stocks there. We own it in our dividend and growth portfolio because it does pay a little dividend. It's only one of about 17 stocks in that portfolio. Just giving you an idea of how special a company has to be to make it into our portfolios. We're very strict. And it's also in our ultra-growth portfolio where we first initiated a position a long time ago in NVIDIA. And I like that chart on NVIDIA.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, it's interesting. You've talked about it kind of just almost being forgotten to a certain extent. And if you look at the volume chart, you can see how excited. You can see the volume in the first half of the year versus the volume in that name in the second half of the year. It's pretty striking. It's almost like everybody already owns it. And so they're maybe just holding it and not trading much shares.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, everybody who could own it already owns it. If you're getting in now, I still don't think it's too late myself. Now, this would be the fourth day of up movement on decent volume in NVIDIA, which it has not had in a long time. So there seems to be a little bit of interest there. coming back into NVIDIA.
SPEAKER 06 :
And a 47 forward multiple seems palatable. I mean, look at the earnings growth figures. I mean, I've seen some pretty elevated PE ratios as of late, and 47 doesn't sound as bad.
SPEAKER 07 :
I haven't seen anybody come along with the competitive chip. Probably will come out of China. I mean, I'm sure they're reverse engineering it while we're speaking here today, trying to figured out, but AMD doesn't seem to have an answer. The one that seemed to have the answer was Amazon that came up with an AI chip, and that's helping Amazon also. So anyways, look, tomorrow the market's going to be closed, obviously, Christmas Day. Closing at 1 o'clock today. And closing at 1 o'clock today, just before the grandkids hit. You know, I'm glad I'm going to get everything done, and then I hear that pitter-patter. Coming up to Grandpa's door, knock on the door, and there they are. Okay, we'll have a lot. We'll have a crew here. I've got the train set ready and ready to play all day once we get through this trading until 1 o'clock. I play until 1 o'clock. Then the real work begins when the grandkids get here. Okay, Rumble was up 81% yesterday. And, yes, an investment by Tether, which is the stable Bitcoin. Right? That's the one, or a stable crypto. That's backed by U.S. dollars somehow. I'm not quite sure how that works. But I like that better than being backed by nothing, which Bitcoin is backed by nothing other than supply and demand. and rumble is rumbling again today it's up 11 so i have to look into rumble i honestly i know some people that are strictly on rumble won't go near youtube uh maybe i've got to do both but that's one of my goals for uh before the year begins is to get my youtube channel back up and running and Maybe run it on Rumble, too. That's right. They're on my list of things to do before the end of the year. Wow. How would you like to get to the airport this morning and hear that all American Airlines flights have been grounded due to a technical issue? Oh, man, can you imagine? They weren't able to scan as you get on the plane. The scanning system was down. Luckily, they got it fixed. But the carrier issued a statement on social media site X. We're currently experiencing a technical issue with all American flights. The good news is they've got it fixed. We'll be right back. And welcome back here to the second quarter of today's Best Stocks Now show. Well, this ground stop this morning of American Airlines brought back some memories. 2022 when Southwest experienced a major technical outage that caused widespread disruption to holiday travel for more than a week. when their computer system went down. You know, the airlines have had an unusually good year, however. I'm not a fan of owning airline stocks, but American and Delta and Alaska and Allegiant all have very strong stock patterns. And they had a very profitable year. You know, fuel prices have remained relatively low. I think people are flying more than ever. And it's pretty rare to not get on a full plane these days. But they've had a good year. It's just not an area of the market that I like are the airline stocks. Okay, so we mentioned Rumble and Tether and that's a good chart. Now the question is, you know, once somebody gets a foothold like YouTube and of course Google got a foothold in the search business. And NVIDIA's got a foothold in the AI business. And Microsoft seems to have a foothold in the chat GPT AI for consumer, retail people business. Can Rumble carve out, you know, go up against YouTube? You know, it's hard to follow all of these different social media sites. So I'd have a hard time myself investing in Rumble. I'd have to take a look. I don't know what the stats are, how many people are on Rumble versus how many people are on YouTube. And how many people are on both. Yeah, I mean, that's pretty much what determines how much the company's worth because the advertisers are going to spend where the eyeballs are. And I'd have to look. Maybe you can just AI that thing, chat GPT, how many users. I would imagine that the users on YouTube are 10 to 1, maybe even more than that, versus the users on Rumble. But like I say, I have a hard time investing in Rumble.
SPEAKER 06 :
Especially after an 81% yesterday. Yeah. But maybe having that tether money behind them helps out anyways. Okay, now, here's the coal in your stocking here today.
SPEAKER 07 :
There's always some bad news coming from somewhere, but this is a little scary. Pakistan's a little bit of an unstable nation. They've had some changes. They've had some revolutions. They've had some coups recently. And a nuclear nation too, right? Yeah, and they're working on a long-range missile that could hit us. So let's be nice to Pakistan, all right? The Biden administration said Pakistan is building a long-range ballistic missile that could provide the nuclear-armed country with the ability to strike the United States. So there's one more thing to think about as you lay your head on your pillow at night. things to worry about uh... we've got uh... this not this this to me is that proof in the pudding that you've got to be a stock picker in today's marketplace if you look at the s&p five hundred equal weight the equal weight s&p five hundred was up eleven is up eleven point seven percent year-to-date The S&P by weight is up 25.3%. So that's a big difference. Now, I would just say the equal weight is like owning Procter & Gamble and Kimberly-Clark and IBM and AT&T and Verizon and all of those. What makes the difference in that the S&P cap weighted being up 25.3? Well, it's having the big winners. It's having Tesla. It's having NVIDIA. It's having Palantir. It's having the big winners in the market. And I call them best stocks now. Without those best stocks now and those dominant performers, it makes a huge difference. We've had some portfolios transferred to us here recently. They've been pretty bad. I would call them stinkers probably. I mean below soggy, below soggy. It's amazing to me that a lot of brokers are still using mutual funds. which it's almost impossible for a mutual fund to beat even the indexes because they're spread so thin, and they have to own so many stocks, and they don't time the market at all, and they're pretty much spread way out. Expenses are high. I don't get it.
SPEAKER 06 :
It's hard to, yeah, they can't capitalize on their best ideas because it's all watered down because, you know, a lot of these large funds, you know, if they owned what they wanted to own, they would own too much of it and it would be, you know, regulators wouldn't allow them to hold, you know, 25% of Microsoft or what have you. So it's just, you know, as they've attracted money over the years, they've, you know, basically watered down their strategies because they only have so many places to go. Yeah.
SPEAKER 07 :
Now, okay, and this really shows up when you take a look at the top five NASDAQ performers in 2024, and I'm proud to say that we currently own four out of five, and one we own for the better part of the year. The number one performer in the NASDAQ 100, believe it or not, is App Lovin'. Which we found using the app. And we've caught almost the entire run in app loving. It's up 755% year to date. We cut it in half once because it became about 20% of our emerging growth portfolio. That portfolio is up about just over 50% this year, and a lot of that's because we had a big winner like App Lovin' in that portfolio. The number two performing stock in the NASDAQ this year is NVIDIA, which obviously we've owned all year long. It's up 172% in 2024, and I don't think it's done yet. Number three is Broadcom, and most of that happened here in the last couple of weeks. Broadcom's up 97.8% year to date. Number four is Constellation Energy, which is Three Mile Island. which is the one that made the deal with Microsoft to sell energy for the next 20 years to power their data centers. And number five, and of course, Constellation's up 94.2. That's really helped our dividend and growth portfolio. When most people own the traditional utilities, okay, Dominion, whatever, Edison, just your traditional utilities, no. We own Vistra and Constellation, which have a heavy link to this, all of a sudden, this rebound in nuclear energy. Constellation up 94.2%. That's number four. And number five is Netflix up 86.7%. And by the way, tomorrow, Christmas Day, guess where the football games are going to be? They're going to be streamed live on Netflix, which is a big gamble by Netflix. Their boxing match didn't work out so good with Tyson because it kept buffering and all this kind of... I think Tyson was buffering, too. But tomorrow, your football games will be on Netflix. That's how big Netflix has become. We'll be right back. This is Bill Gunderson. Thank you for tuning in to today's Best Stocks Now, Best Inverse Funds Now show. I put several hours of research in during the wee hours of the morning each day to bring you the very best cutting-edge stories that I can. To get two free weeks of my newsletter, go to GundersonCapital.com. To talk to us about our fee-based only money management services, call us at 855-611-BEST. Now, back to the second half of the show.
SPEAKER 02 :
And welcome back here to the second half of today's Best Stocks Now show. The rally, let's see, has the rally collapsed? No, okay, not yet. The NASDAQ is still up.
SPEAKER 07 :
It's going to quiet down now as the day goes on. But it's up 166. That's pretty good. The Dow's up 160. That's pretty good. We're having a really good day here today, up three-quarters of a percent so far. And I would like to mention that, you know, Barry, as we talk about individual companies that have phenomenal growth, which we like to invest in, Our business is up about 45. We probably have about 45% growth this year, year over year. Same crew, you know. That's pretty good. And so, you know, I've got to mention the names here. Of course, Barry Kite, who talks to most of the folks, you know, when they ask for information about us and want to. talk about their portfolio or whatnot. Of course, he's a chartered financial analyst and a certified financial planner. Jennifer Green, who is our chief operating officer, she works out of north of Atlanta, up near Tennessee. What's the town? Chattanooga. And she's a big Georgia Bulldog fan. I mean, go Bulldogs. And, of course, they're alive. They're very much alive. Are they one of the four?
SPEAKER 06 :
Oh, yeah. They're one of the four. They'll be in the game this weekend.
SPEAKER 07 :
She keeps the ship from rocking too much, right? Keeps the steady ship going. And, of course, out west in Scottsdale, we've got Edie, who's been with us for quite some time. And a lot of times, she'll be the first person you talk to. Your first person you talk to is good old Edie. about how did you like the newsletter, blah, blah, blah. Would you like to set up an appointment with Barry? This kind of thing. And then if you decide to open an account with us, we've got Sandy McManus out there in the Phoenix area who's a big hockey fan. She's from Michigan. When we visited Michigan, I sent them to the Detroit Red Wings game.
SPEAKER 02 :
I couldn't go.
SPEAKER 07 :
It's past my bedtime, 830. I got to get ready to get ready for the show the next day. But we went and saw the Red Wings. I don't know if Sandy got kicked out of the game. Did she make it?
SPEAKER 06 :
Was she thrown out? Detroit basically put it on the Penguins the whole time. Okay, good. She was happy.
SPEAKER 07 :
Was she throwing rubber chickens on the ice again?
SPEAKER 06 :
There were some squid thrown on the ice from the Red Wings.
SPEAKER 07 :
And she hated to see the Phoenix Coyotes leave for Salt Lake City. But I sent her to the last game. in phoenix for her it was on her birthday or something like and then of course we have new addition jeff fairly new jeff webster who's really getting his uh learning the business very quickly of course he's got a whole career in the tech industry so he fits right in and in sales and everything uh and then ed dayer who is my brother-in-law out in san diego california vista california he takes care of anybody that's having an issue with their subscription I can't open my newsletter, blah, blah, blah, this and that. He keeps all the subscribers happy. Our subscription business, so look, I tried, number one, 80, 90% of our business is managing money for other people, fee-based only in the five or six, I can't remember, is it five, six portfolios that I manage, okay? But we have a large, large worldwide audience of do-it-yourselfers that I feel like, you know what, I'm going to help them out too. Most of them don't have $100,000, which is our minimum to open an account. And they manage their own money. And so I have this subscription thing, which is pretty intense. I mean, you compare it with what Kramer does. Go ahead. Take a free trial of Jim Cramer's offering and compare it with what I'm doing on a daily basis. I know because I've tried out Cramer's. For me, it was absolutely useless. But that's just me, okay? I try to teach. I try to give examples. I try to make people money if I can, you know. I do everything I can. I lay it on the field every single day. So I have to give hats off to my crew. This time of year. And we're geared up. We're ready for 2025. So is, let's see.
SPEAKER 06 :
And it's been interesting, too, you know, since the, you know, and we certainly appreciate you, too, Bill. It's been certainly a big part of that. But in terms of just since the election, right, I mean, talking to folks, it's just, you know, there's a bit of optimism. And, you know, you're seeing it in certain parts of the market. And I'm certainly looking forward to 2025. And it's been a great 2024.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, so one of my jobs is to worry, and I do worry about the valuation because a lot of growth that they're expecting from Trump has been built into the market already. So we have to kind of tiptoe, and we have to be careful, and we always have to watch in the rearview mirror about these valuations. Now, Citigroup spotlights their optimism for the S&P. This is one of the lower values. uh... target prices however there at sixty five hundred uh... we're almost there i mean we're at six thousand now so what would that be uh... five hundred points on six hundred not very good uh... as far as upside potential uh... but most of the firms are around seven thousand And, of course, the earnings estimates for next year are somewhere in the $270 range. Compare that with 2009, which was $60. This year is about $240, somewhere in there. So the earnings beat, the earnings growth continues to, and that's what drives valuations of companies higher more than anything. Now the multiple is the second part of that and we're more worried about the multiple than we are the earnings. At some point it will come to an end and earnings will start to flatten out and the S&P and the whole thing will go into another bear market and we always have to be vigilant looking ahead. The market is looking ahead by one to two years. Okay, so Citi lays out their $6,500 target price number one. Their top picks for the year, Meta. I would agree with that. I think Meta is still a very good buy at its current level. You may not like Zuckerbucks, but do you like earnings? The earnings train continues. They're expected to make $25 per share next year. They also like Amazon. Believe it or not, Amazon is still one of our biggest holdings. It still makes sense from a valuation point of view. Now they've got an AI chip, which makes it even that much more powerful. Amazon is getting ready to break out again to a new all-time high. at 2.4 trillion dollars and city groups third one they mentioned is one that i gave up on way too soon door dash door dash is a disruptor even though it's a simple business someone pulling up in front of your house and leaving a sack on your front door it's not exactly high tech but i do believe that with robo taxi out there and with what was that yesterday the google wing lowering your dinner? I want to see this. I want to see that happen. That's going to happen in Dallas, Texas.
SPEAKER 06 :
Probably not a good time to test that out in New Jersey, so I'm sure Texas is probably a better test market at this point.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, and I don't know. Yeah, I mean, well, we'll see. But DoorDash is definitely, I agree with DoorDash. I would be looking to get back into it. Citigroup also likes Reddit. And Zillow, okay, I'm not a fan of Zillow because I think that the housing market is going to have another rough year. The housing stocks, that's definitely come to an end, the high interest rates, etc., now uh what else do they mention well zillow and reddit you know my problem with reddit is there's no profit there there i know it's it's got to be a uh a what do you call these meme stocks it's got to be a meme stock for sure because that's where meme came from and reddit is now valued at 31 billion dollars And what are their sales here at Reddit? I can't fault, they got about a billion dollars, a little over a billion dollars.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, one new line for them, and this is what's kind of driven that price, is that they've got a lot of information, right, in terms of things that have been typed into Reddit for a long time now. And they're selling that to AI models, and AI models are picking it apart and using it to train their models, essentially. So that's one of their new lines of revenue. Yeah. Yeah, I don't think they haven't had any actual earnings, have they?
SPEAKER 07 :
No, not yet. Now, they're expected to make in 2025 76 cents per share. And with the stock trading at 176, I mean, that's a very, very, very rich 200 times earnings, 250 times earnings, something like that. But it's the ultimate meme stock, RDDT. We do not own it. We'll be right back to talk about the biotech of the day that is exploding to the upside. We'll be right back.
SPEAKER 1 :
Thank you.
SPEAKER 07 :
And welcome back here to the final segment of today's Best Stocks Now show. Well, almost every day a stock pops up on the radar that has something new and it's not in the database, and we add it to the database. I remember the day not too long ago, maybe a month ago, when we started first talking about the quantum stocks. Man, those things have really taken off since then. They're still out there on the horizon, though. They are long-term in nature, which is going to make them very, very vulnerable. To invest in them at this point in time is a little on the iffy side. To invest in them short-term, maybe a month or two, or whatever the case may be, they are very volatile.
SPEAKER 06 :
And each of them have their own set of execution risks, right? Yeah. It's not unlike, you know, it's almost I think of it as the biotech of technology, right, in terms of AI with the, you know, we've been hearing the term quantum for decades. an extended period of time, but it's one of those kind of elusive things in terms of when's it going to be here, who's going to be the leader in the space. So it's certainly a high-risk, high-reward there.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, of all of them. I mean, there's a few, QBTS, and I think Rigetti looks like the real deal. But we'll see. Okay, today's new entry into the database is Tras Pharmaceutical, T-R-A-W, which is working on bird flu. Okay, they're an antiviral kind of a company. They're very small, but yesterday it had a huge day. Tras was up, let's see, I think 87%. Let me find that story. Yeah, there it is, 260% Monday morning. After the company announced progress in developing its influenza treatment, Tivo Zaxvir Marboxyl for the treatment of H5N1 bird flu. I don't want to wake up with that. But anyways, the drug developer has seen some good progress in this, T-R-A-W. So it is now on my watch list. Okay, and now what I want to do is look underneath the surface of the market at what is really, because it's a pretty good day, believe it or not. There's no, everybody's buying today. It doesn't seem like there's a lot of sellers out there. And we're going to take a look real quickly here at where the leadership in the market is. We'll look at the Dow first, which I expected a really, really quiet day in the market. You know, I would say there's not any real big winners. Apple's up in the Dow. Visa's up. Amazon is the winner, up 1.6%. In the Dow, as it relates to the S&P 500, SMCI is up 8.8%. But Tesla, which we own, is up 4.7% today. Man, that's another huge day for Tesla. Palantir, which is becoming a monster, is up 3.2% today. Broadcom is up 2.2% today. Those are your winners in the S&P 500. On the downside, who's under pressure today? Anybody? Yeah, I'm sure there's some. Okay, let's see. I can't seem to sort. There it is. Okay, yeah, no, nothing of note there, really. Okay, now we're going to look at the... We're going to look at the NASDAQ because the NASDAQ is really having a good day here today. And the winners in the NASDAQ, I'm sure, are, you know, I was going to say that the biggest loser in the NASDAQ this year, I forgot to mention that, was Intel. Intel was down 60%. No wonder the CEO, who obviously is a devout Christian, was asking for prayers and fasting. for the employees at Intel, which has fallen on some pretty hard times. Tesla's the biggest winner in the NASDAQ today, up 4.6%. And that's helping us drive the bus here. And let's see, anything else? Let's look at the Granite shares real fast. I was back there. You don't want to be short Tesla 2X today, down 9.5%. That's the wrong side of that trade. But two times long super microcomputer, now that takes some real, that's a volatile deal. It's up 17.4. Two times long Tesla is up 5.9. And two times long Palantir, which I did a quick trade on last week in the trading, the incubator trading portfolio. It's up 5.9% or 5.2% today on those one-stock ETFs, which are juiced 2 to 1. And there are some that are inverse, okay? And then one other one here that I think there's a couple of these nuclear stocks. I really like the chart on Nano Nuclear Energy, NNE. which we have a small position in in the incubator portfolio. That's another one that's way out there on the horizon. And that's a very good chart right now. We own it in the incubator portfolio. And the other one I like still is Oklo, O-K-L-O, which seems to have some pretty good connections and some pretty big people sniffing around, making deals, letters of intent, etc., etc., So those are a couple out there on the horizon and, you know, good for a little bit of speculative trading activity. in these kinds of stocks. Well, okay, we'll be open until 1 o'clock today. If you'd like to call us, make an appointment. We'll be working on Thursday and on Friday and, you know, and then the following week to set up an appointment with us to talk to us, 855-611-BEST, 855-611-BEST. We must be doing something right to grow by, 45% over the last 12 months. But you have to determine that for yourself by having a conversation with us. And, you know, if you're a do-it-yourselfer and are looking for some help and guidance, I'm in the market every day broadcasting from my boat. Not my boat, but my desk. I'm like a fishing guide, and I'm telling you where the fish are biting, what color is the best. And when the tide changes, I also let you know that also. And I try to teach. I teach. I'm a player coach, I guess. You can sign up for four free weeks. Four weeks. by going to GundersonCapital.com. GundersonCapital.com. Have a great day, everybody. Merry Christmas.
SPEAKER 04 :
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.
This week's episode of Rush to Reason sheds light on the current state of the NFL as host Andy Pate and guest Richard Rush engage in lively debates. Discover their insights on AFC and NFC dynamics, defense strategies, and quarterback performances. Will Denver’s defense be enough to carry them into the playoffs? Can the Bengals and Chiefs maintain their momentum? Tune in to uncover the expert predictions and strategic insights that could determine the rest of the football season.
SPEAKER 16 :
This is Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 13 :
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 15 :
With your host, John Rush.
SPEAKER 13 :
My advice to you is to do what your parents did. Get a job first. You haven't made everybody equal. You've made them the same and there's a big difference.
SPEAKER 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 12 :
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 High Five Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling, where every call ends with a high five.
SPEAKER 09 :
Actually, it's Andy Pate, party of choice.
SPEAKER 04 :
And welcome to hour number two here on Rush to Reason. I'm Andy Pate filling in for John Rush along with Mr. Todd Watkins. You having fun?
SPEAKER 05 :
Oh, yes.
SPEAKER 04 :
Okay, on the line right now we have Richard Rush. Richard, um... I would think that for Christmas you want a playoff berth. Am I right?
SPEAKER 16 :
You know, Andy, it would be great. And if this were any, you know, at the start of the year, Andy, if you told me that the Broncos had an opportunity to get into the playoffs at Christmas time, I would say, oh, my, this is a resounding success. But it feels like if we don't, the season's kind of a failure, which is funny how things turn.
SPEAKER 04 :
I think you're going to the playoffs. I really do. And there's two reasons, Richard. First of all, your quarterback is no longer a rookie. It's time to toss the R word because, first of all, I don't think people understand how much football he played in college. This kid came in seasoned. Yeah, he came in seasoned. And secondly, we're not in week two, week three anymore. He has seen a lot. I think he's ready to go. He's highly intelligent, very highly intelligent. Basically, we're dealing with a young Drew Brees here. And right. And by the end of his first year, Drew Brees was pretty wicked.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yes. Yes, he was. And he obviously was coming into his own, Andy, although he didn't fully blossom until later. But I'm with you, Andy, and my hope is that he continues. He maintains this kind of upward trajectory. You know, he's had a few dips here and there, which is not to be unexpected of a rookie by any stretch of the imagination. I just hope he keeps it up, Andy. But, man, we have got a tall task this week with the old, I'll just say it, old Joey Burrow is on one of those heaters that he gets on, Andy.
SPEAKER 04 :
He is on a heater, but come on now. Denver is, Denver has a whole team. Okay, because the other thing that I was going to say is that you guys have a top five defense. Your defense gets after it. Now, I understand last week you ran into a quarterback who just had one of those ridiculous days. And that's going to happen. Where he was making throws that, let's face it, very few mortals ever make. And he was just making them. That happens. You can't do anything about it. You just shake it off and move on. But all around, Denver's defense has been locked down for most of the year. Cincinnati has no defense. I mean, literally. I don't think they even run anybody out on the field. I think they just let you walk down the field. They have no defense whatsoever. Their running game is average. All they've got is Joe Burrow. Is that going to be enough against a total balanced team like Denver? I don't think so.
SPEAKER 16 :
Well, I'm with you, Andy. I don't think it's necessarily enough either. I guess that's my hope is I think that he's going to come back to earth. It is supposedly supposed to be a little bit more of a, well, how do you say it's supposed to be more of a, well, there's broadcasting weather, Andy. I'll just say that. And so to me, it's a situation of I feel like Maybe that can equalize it a little bit, and then maybe we can just score a few more points than them, hold on, because, again, their defense is not going to stop our offense. So maybe we can shorten the game and make it a little bit better that way, Andy.
SPEAKER 04 :
Richard, you and I, a couple old guys could walk out. Well, I'm old. You and I, a couple guys could walk out there playing catch and move down the field on Cincy's defense. We would do okay. I totally agree with you. They are wretched. I mean, between them and Atlanta, I don't know who has the worst defense. It is really, I mean, it's kind of fun to watch their games because it's like watching a video game. Just score, score, score. Here's what I think. If there's any weather at all, Denver's going to blow them out because physical teams win in weather.
SPEAKER 16 :
I don't disagree with you. I got a question for you, though, based on it. Jordan Love, they've got a chance to not get the division but get one of those top seats.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, we'd have to have a few things break our way. I don't expect that. Because, you know, you need some very good teams to lose who just aren't losing. I mean, Minnesota is not losing games. Philadelphia lost one game.
SPEAKER 16 :
You are correct there. They're not losing any, but they're coming on, and maybe they're coming on at the right time. And that NFC, though, Andy, well, I guess it'll be interesting with Jalen Hurts, how that ends up coming together, because he's now hurt. How bad? How bad is he hurt? Well, it's a concussion, so that remains to be seen.
SPEAKER 04 :
OK, OK. Well, golly gee, you know, I don't know. I will say this. Jordan Love right now is playing as well as any quarterback in the league right now. Now, he hasn't had that good of a year. You know, he's had the year two of starting kind of thing where people haven't figured out and it took him a while to come on. Also, he was injured for a while, but he right now he's red hot. Is that going to be enough? I don't know. I don't think Green Bay has that great of a defense. I love my team, but honestly, I look at Detroit. Once they get a few defenders back, I think they're unbeatable.
SPEAKER 16 :
Andy, the only thing for Detroit that worries me, and I know we're kind of jumping around here, but that's okay. The thing about Detroit that worries me, in all honesty, is are they going to get enough to come back? You saw, obviously, they did well against Chicago. Ben Johnson, their offensive coordinator, is in his bag, but no offense, Andy, that dude's auditioning for the Bears shot, basically. I mean, that's really what he's doing. And so then you get into, because he's getting interviewed for that job, which goes back into successive teams that have their coordinators interviewed, all sorts of things, right? But neither here nor there. My thing for not only the Lions, Andy, and just the team as a whole, but is... The NFC, I feel like there's a lot of flawed teams. And you can argue the same thing with the AFC, although we'll get to Buffalo here in a second.
SPEAKER 04 :
I think the AFC's top teams are much more flawed than the NFC's top teams. Really? Oh, yes. I think Detroit's the best team in the NFL, hands down, once they're healthy on defense.
SPEAKER 16 :
Even with their, well, that's the question, but how healthy are they able to get?
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, they're going to get several guys back. They've been holding them off because they know how good they are and they can win without them. That's why they're arresting them. And Philadelphia, yeah, they had a hiccup against Washington. But first of all, Washington's a very good team. And secondly, even really good teams have a hiccup, but Philadelphia has been killing people. I believe that when Philadelphia and Detroit play in the NFC Championship game, that's the Super Bowl. I don't think anyone in the AFC is in that level.
SPEAKER 16 :
You're not a Sam Darnold believer.
SPEAKER 04 :
Oh, boy. You know, I do believe Minnesota's the third best team, and I think they could give a run at those guys. By the way, if Minnesota were in the AFC, I'd be picking Minnesota. That's how good I think the NFC top teams are versus the AFC. I am not impressed with the AFC. I think the AFC right now is the best football player, and he's playing quarterback for the Bills. Yeah. I'm sorry. I just think overall he is the guy. I mean, he's Elway-esque. He's a dude. He's a dude. But I don't think they have a total team that can go up. I think Detroit would kill Buffalo, frankly.
SPEAKER 16 :
Andy, it pains me to say this. It feels like this is the year where the Chiefs, for example, or mainly the example, are flawed. And the teams should be able to get them. They should take advantage of this year. But it's like these teams can't get out of their own way to take advantage, right? You know, poor Detroit, I get how I would have argued, would have taken them down, no questions asked, nothing. But then now they're hurt, so they're going to be battling injuries. And the Eagles, again, I think are flocks. I think they've got their own internal problems there in the Bills. Yeah, they've got Superman. Although, Andy, I compared it like this. And, again, I know I'm scatterbrained for a second. I compared Josh Allen for the Bills this year to Mahomes for the Chiefs a few years ago. Remember when Mahomes just... and he kind of did it this year, but he was flicking balls behind his back and left-handed throws against the Bronx. It just felt like no matter what you did, you could not stop the dude. That's how it feels with Josh Allen this year. No matter what you do, you're not going to stop him.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, it doesn't matter, though, because I guarantee you, Buffalo's defense is not going to stop Detroit's offense once.
SPEAKER 16 :
Well, they did it last week, though.
SPEAKER 04 :
I think when it matters, I don't know that Detroit will punt. I'm sorry, but there's just such a talent differential there. Detroit is so talented when they're healthy.
SPEAKER 16 :
The only thing I care about in the upcoming playoffs, and regardless of my Broncos make it or not, As long as the Chiefs lose, I do not care who wins the Super Bowl.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, let me tell you something. My first team that I am picking to beat the Chiefs in the playoffs is Denver. I think Denver is a very well-constructed team for the playoffs. Defense wins when the temperature gets colder. And quarterbacks really don't like getting hit. And you guys have the best, the number one sacking defense in the league. I'm telling you what, that is fast defenses. Come on, man. You saw what you guys did for years. With your ferocious defense. And when the playoffs came, you started just running people over. Denver could win the AFC. I think the AFC is that level. I'm not saying Denver will. I'm going to give it to Buffalo. I'm going to give them the edge in the AFC. But I'm not that impressed with anybody. I don't think Denver could be in the top three in the NFC.
SPEAKER 16 :
And I would agree with you there. I just think the Broncos... We're a year ahead of schedule, Andy, right? This is where we were supposed to be next year. And so anything that happens is gravy, but I'm still greedy. And, yes, greedy at Christmas time. My apologies. Lord Jesus, baby. You know, six-pound, eight-ounce baby Jesus. If you would forgive me, that would be great.
SPEAKER 04 :
You're still that little kid on Santa's lap who won't shut up for a half hour.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yes. Yes. And I won't shut up because I want to. I don't care if it's this week or next. I mean, I prefer this week so I can enjoy my week 18 for the NFL. But, man, Andy, if you can go in and beat Cincinnati, even though they're not technically a winning team yet, if you can go in and beat Cincinnati, especially right now where they're getting hot, you can beat a lot of teams. Now, I also think the Broncos still have a shot because Cincinnati has to play Pittsburgh. At Pittsburgh, their last game of the season, and that could very well be for the division. at that point in time. And so I think that there's a good chance that – because as long as Cincinnati loses one, and same with Miami, the Broncos will be in no matter what happens. But, yeah, I'd like to go in winning one, beating a winning team. That would make me feel a little bit better.
SPEAKER 04 :
Right now I feel – and let's take a break here in a moment. We'll come back and do picks. But right now I feel in the AFC the third most dangerous team after Buffalo and the Chiefs – come on now, they've been there – is the Broncos. That's who I have third in the AFC right now.
SPEAKER 16 :
I hope you're right, although I will say Baltimore, if Lamar and the Ravens play like they did this past weekend against the Steelers, if they play that way... Let's put them third.
SPEAKER 04 :
That's a good point, because you're right. Lamar's really been playing well.
SPEAKER 16 :
But his biggest red flag, Andy, is playoffs, right? He doesn't do what he does in the regular season, the playoffs. And so I guess it shall remain to be seen until it happens. So it'll be exciting. Andy, last two weeks of the NFL season is arguably the best time of the year in football.
SPEAKER 04 :
Okay, tell you what, when we come back from break, let's go lightning fast. We've got all 16 games. First up is Bruce Simmons with American Liberty Mortgage. If you're 62 or older, call Bruce Simmons, and he'll show how a reverse mortgage makes your home investment pay off right now. That's 303-467-7821.
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SPEAKER 03 :
No need.
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SPEAKER 15 :
Don, we now are ugly sweaters. This is Rush to Reason on KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 04 :
And welcome back to Rush to Reason. Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Andy Pate filling in for John Rush on the line. We got Richard Rush. Richard, let's do some games. You ready? Let's do it. All right, let's cue it up right away. The Chiefs are a three-point favorite on the road at the Steelers. I know you're rooting for those Chiefs. You love them. Are you doing the tomahawk chop?
SPEAKER 16 :
I am rooting again this week, Andy, because if they beat the Steelers, the Steelers have more to play for in week 18, and the Chiefs have less to play for because if they win, no matter what happens with Buffalo, the Chiefs will lock up the number one seed for week 18. So, and besides the point, I think that the Steelers are sort of struggling a little bit right now, which is not typical of a Mike Tomlin team, Andy, but typical of Russell Wilson of the past two years that I saw firsthand. So, I'm going to go the Chiefs here, Andy. I think it'll be a competitive game because Mike Tomlin and the Steelers will keep it competitive. But I don't think that the Steelers will get the Chiefs. Although, Andy, this will be the longest game even out of the play of the Broncos. It'll be interesting because Russell Wilson could get the Broncos over twice because if he beats the Chiefs, that means the Chiefs have more to play for in Week 18 where they could then knock the Broncos out of the playoffs. And how sick and twisted would that be?
SPEAKER 04 :
That would be pretty sick and twisted. I'm going to take the Chiefs as well, Richard, because honestly, I think the Steelers' defense carried that team for so long this season, they're worn out. I've been watching them. They look like their legs are going. I don't think the Steelers' defense is what it was earlier in the season. I'll take the Chiefs next game. The Ravens are favored by five at the Texans. You know, the way the Texans are playing, is that enough?
SPEAKER 16 :
Um, no, because they, and they just lost Tank Dell. They're going to bring on, and the Ravens need this win, Andy. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, now again, I think that the Ravens, or maybe the Texans are coming on kind of the end of the year, but I think D'Amico Ryans is realizing how hard it is in your sophomore season to coach and C.J. Stroud. So, yeah, I'm going to go with the Ravens here, Andy, at least by five, yes.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, I agree. D'Amico's still a great coach, but he's going to get overwhelmed by the Ravens. I'll take the Ravens next game. Seahawks, who have really had a hard go lately, they are favored by three and a half at the Bears.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yeah, Andy, they have, but Geno's back. The Bears are terrible. They really need to just lose as many games to get more weapons for Caleb Williams, but the biggest weapon he needs is a new coach, which he'll get in the offseason. I'm going to go with the Seahawks, Andy.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, I would say new coach and a couple offensive linemen. I don't think he would get too upset at those either. I'll take the Seahawks. Next game, the Chargers. The Chargers, who survived your Broncos, are favored by 5.5 at the Patriots. That seems a little low.
SPEAKER 16 :
It does, Andy, although the Patriots played the Bills the toughest last weekend and the Chargers with Harbaugh. They feel like they sort of play up and down at times. So I'm not going to pick the Patriots by any means. I think the Chargers will get them. But it may be closer than the limited Charger fans that are out there would like.
SPEAKER 04 :
Okay, the Broncos are on the road. I'm agreeing. I take the Chargers. The Broncos are on the road at Joe Burrell because that's all the Bengals have is one player. And so the Broncos are three-and-a-half-point underdogs, which surprises me. Who do you pick?
SPEAKER 16 :
They are, Andy, which tells you actually they're closer than you think because on a neutral field, it would almost be a pick-em. But I'm going to go with the Bengals here, Andy, mainly for two reasons because I think the Bengals will get them. Joe Burrow and Jamar Chase are just really good, Andy, and the Broncos are still a young team. I'm hoping by picking against my team, they come back and say, see, Richard, we can do this. So, you know, twofold.
SPEAKER 04 :
Okay, I disagree. I think the Broncos have one of the only players in the league you can put one-on-one on Jamar Chase, and that's going to make the Bengals have to actually earn it on offense, and the Bengals have no defense. I think the Broncos score well into the 30s and win this game. Next game, Cardinals are on the road at the Rams. Rams favored by 5.5.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yeah, Andy, the Cardinals don't have anything to play for. The Rams, I think, locked up a playoff. They're just playing for seeding now. But, man, they look – Matt Stafford looks old. He may very well retire after the end of the season, Andy. I'm going to go with the Cardinals as an upset, to be honest with you. I like it. I don't feel confident about that. Just I think you and I may agree on too many of the other games. So I'm going to go Cardinals.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, I'll take the Rams. Just I don't like either team right now. Okay, Jets are at the Bills. Bills favored by 10. Don't waste our time. Go.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yeah, Bills. It'll be the Bills. They're fighting for that top seed.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, okay, next game, the Raiders are at the Saints. Saints favored by one and a half. I don't like either team.
SPEAKER 16 :
Who's the Raiders at Saints?
SPEAKER 04 :
Saints.
SPEAKER 16 :
Yeah, both teams are terrible. Raiders shot themselves in the foot last week, but I'm going to go with the momentum, Andy. Give me the Raiders on the road.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, you know what? I'm actually agreeing. I'm going to take the upset as well. Raiders, next game. We've got eight left. Colts are favored by eight at the Giants.
SPEAKER 16 :
Giants are terrible, Andy. Going for Shador Sanders may be much to the chagrin of John from Cheyenne. But, yeah, I'm going to go with the Colts here, Andy. even though you don't know which Anthony Richardson version you're going to get. But yeah, the Colts.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, I'll take the Colts. Next game, the Cowboys are on the road at the Eagles. Eagles still have something to play for. They're favored by 9.5.
SPEAKER 16 :
They do. Cowboys will make a competitive Andy just because that's who they are right now, which is surprising to say. But I'm going to go with the Eagles.
SPEAKER 04 :
Okay, Panthers on the road at the Buccaneers. Bucs favored by eight.
SPEAKER 16 :
Panthers looking better, Andy.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 16 :
I'm actually going to take the – well, I'm not going to take the upset because the Buccaneers need to win in order to be in competition for the division. But I think this game's close. I actually like the Panthers' chances, and Bryce Young I really like as well. But I'll go with the Bucs at home.
SPEAKER 04 :
I think he's got a nice future. I do. But they gave up too much to get him. I'll take the Bucs as well. Next game. Yuck. The Titans are playing the Jaguars. Jaguars are favored by a half point.
SPEAKER 16 :
Two terrible teams, Andy. Flip of the coin. I'll go Tennessee. Mason Rudolph pulls them in at the end.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah. Actually, I'm going to take the Titans as well. Next game. Dolphins favored by six and a half over the lowly Browns.
SPEAKER 16 :
Andy, I need the Dolphins to lose to make me feel better about stuff at that point. I don't know if it's going to happen. The Browns are playing for draft picks, so I'll go with the Dolphins here, although I don't like either team.
SPEAKER 04 :
Right. Okay, my Packers, this is weird. They're going into Minnesota. Minnesota's only favored by one and a half points.
SPEAKER 16 :
Interesting, Andy. I'm not confident in the Vikings. I know that they've played well. I just am not confident. I'm going to take your Packers. You may not. I'm going to take your Packers here.
SPEAKER 04 :
I'll take the Vikings. They're at home. They're a better team overall. Yes, we have the better quarterback. It will not matter. Next game, the Falcons are on the road at the Commanders. Commanders only favored by four.
SPEAKER 16 :
Interesting, Andy, especially with this last week. Jayden Daniels, after his big games, he typically has a letdown. This may be it, but I just think that, I'll be honest, I think that Dan Quinn's going to cook up something for Michael Penix that he hasn't seen before. So I'm going to go with the Falcons here, or sorry, with the Commanders, Andy, at home.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, I'll take the Commanders as well. Okay, last game, interesting game. The Lions, still with a bunch of guys out on defense, favored by three and a half, going into San Fran.
SPEAKER 16 :
San Fran's eliminated, Andy. I would not surprise me if those dudes started hanging it up. They've got a real problem there, and the Lions obviously need to win to maintain that number one seed advantage because they cannot lock it up because, believe it or not, the Vikings can actually take that number one seed, Andy, depending on how the rest of the season plays out. But I'm going to go with the Lions.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, I'll take the Lions as well. That is all the games. Hey, Richard, really quick, if I was right, then you get a playoff spot, so I'm your Santa Claus.
SPEAKER 16 :
You will be my Santa Claus, Andy, and trust me, you will receive a very nice text message from me on Saturday if that is to happen.
SPEAKER 1 :
All right.
SPEAKER 04 :
Richard Rush, thanks again for joining us. We'll talk to you next week.
SPEAKER 16 :
Thanks, buddy. See you, man.
SPEAKER 04 :
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SPEAKER 15 :
Thank you for welcoming us into your home. This is Rush to Reason on KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 04 :
And welcome back to Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Andy Pate filling in for John Rush, along with the great Todd Watkins. You having a good time, sir?
SPEAKER 05 :
Oh, yes, yes.
SPEAKER 04 :
Okay, let's talk about the big four. Now, the big four are, in my opinion... Donald Trump, J.D. Vance, Elon Musk, Vivek Ramaswamy.
SPEAKER 05 :
And that is a big four, isn't it?
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, yeah. And what I mean is this. Remember last time Donald Trump swept into Washington, he was a newbie, and he was appointing people because, let's face it, the insider said, hey, you really need this person, you really need that person. And he didn't really know who to go with, and some of them turned on him, some were fine, some were not. It was kind of a mix. But basically... Trump was kind of alone. He was a rebel on his own going into Washington.
SPEAKER 05 :
A true maverick. A true maverick. A true political maverick. And I got to watch that his first four years, his first administration from the kind of maybe not the front row pew, but definitely somewhere near the choir. Yeah, what were you doing? You were working for him. I was an assistant chief with the U.S. Border Patrol.
SPEAKER 01 :
Right.
SPEAKER 05 :
So I belonged to our headquarters, our national headquarters. And as I was saying on the break, I mean, if I had to guess his first administration, I would say because of all of the lawfare and the obstruction from the Obama deep state, it's real. Right. He wielded, I would say, maybe half of the actual power and authority that the executive has. Right.
SPEAKER 04 :
I agree. But we have to keep in mind, though, all their lawfare just helped elect him. Right, exactly. And so, you know, I'm not sure the Democrats are going to have the same appetite to do lawfare, lawfare, lawfare, lawfare, hold him back, hold him back, hold him back, hold him back. Because if they do that, the voters have shown this time they will churn on them.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yep. So – and I've got to believe that the first – that first administration, he learned. He learned where to step, where not to step. And I think he hopefully learned what – What affronts from the other side he has to actually address or listen to and what others he can just completely disregard.
SPEAKER 04 :
He is so much smoother this time. You know, that press conference he did last week was so smooth, calm, presidential, in control. Yep. He knew when to answer a question. He knew when not to. He even looked at a reporter at one point and says, how can I answer that question? If I say yes, it's this. If I say no, it's that. He said, I'm not going to tell Iran what we're going to do. You know, it was just he is on his game right now. Now, I want to play really quick here a clip from Megyn Kelly. And she was talking to Steve Bannon. And she was talking about how the media is trying to divide Trump and Elon Musk. And so what the Democrats are trying to do is they're trying to come out and say President Musk is in charge.
SPEAKER 05 :
Right. All they've got is ridicule and vitriol, and I think we're smart enough to see that that's all it is. These are the mean girls on the playing ground.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, they're losing their strut, and it's starting to happen. Okay, listen to Megan here. This is pretty interesting.
SPEAKER 01 :
So here's what happened first. It was Pramala Jayapal, a member of the squad, who tweeted out, it's not clear who's in charge. She's got a picture of Elon at the Resolute desk. And it's not President-elect Donald Trump. Shadow President Elon Musk spent all day railing against Republicans' CR, succeeded in killing the bill, and then Trump decided to follow his lead. Then somebody retweets this and says, for awareness, note the language here. It's very intentional strategy. The goal is to weaken Trump and Elon by fomenting tensions between them, by jabbing Trump about not being the alpha. The idea is to provoke him, to sideline Elon and to fray the relationship. And Elon retweeted that saying, that is exactly the goal. The political and legacy media puppets all got their new instructions yesterday and are now parroting the same message to drive a wedge between Donald Trump and me. They will fail.
SPEAKER 04 :
OK, they will fail. Now, first of all, Todd, correct me if I'm wrong. I thought Donald Trump was a dictator. I thought that he was a king. I thought he was coming in as a dictator and a king who was going to override and overwhelm everything. I thought everybody in the Republican Party nationwide is nothing but a puppet. And Donald Trump was pulling the strings. Remember, because Donald Trump, you know, he'll come out and say, look, if you don't tell the line, we're going to primary you. All right. We're going to we're going to be tough on you. And he wants Republicans to kind of toe the line. I thought that he was an absolute fascist. OK, so now all of a sudden that changed. Wait a minute. He is not even in office yet. He's not even in office yet. That's that's a month away. And we're being told now somebody else is president.
SPEAKER 05 :
Well, they've got to get a head start, right? That's how far behind they are because Biden hurt them. The Biden administration was such an abject disaster that now they have to start this much further ahead before even the new guy gets in. But isn't the president – I mean, yeah, we want Trump. We want the mandate, right? Hey, it's going to be great. But part of his job is not to – Like you said, he's not a dictator. No, he hires really smart people to advise all these specialized areas of what to do. That's the mark of a good leader, not to be the smartest guy in the room, but to hire the smartest guys on all these different issues to advise you and steer your administration.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, two things. First of all, what do you think of people who immediately change their message the moment it's not working? It's dictator Trump, dictator Trump, dictator Trump. Oh, Elon's in charge. We don't know who's president right now. Elon's in charge. If they have to keep changing. Right away, because they're there. What do you think of them? Doesn't it just sound like they're lying? They don't even believe themselves.
SPEAKER 05 :
Right.
SPEAKER 04 :
So you see now here's what we saw in Trump when he did that press conference. I wish I could play it, but it just takes too long. OK, I saw boardroom Trump. Boardroom Trump is a guy who doesn't mind deferring to this person or that person. Boardroom Trump is the calm, confident Trump. You see, what we saw too much over his first administration was lashback Trump.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yep.
SPEAKER 04 :
Emotional Trump. Angry Trump. Vengeful Trump. Right? Now, they're trying to get him to be vengeful. They're saying... Are you going to try to get these people, if anybody votes against you on your nominees, and he was asked this, if anybody votes against you on your nominees, are you going to make sure that they are primaried? He said, no. He says, all we ask, they can vote against my nominees. He says, all we ask is that they be fair in their questions and that they don't just vote against them out of some vengeful reason, but just give all the nominees a fair vote. chance that's all he asked he is coming off as boardroom trump as calm confident uh gracious smart he doesn't have to overrun everybody and then somebody who is a good ceo what does he do he empowers his lieutenants like that's why you have musk that's why you have them so i think now that he's won this election
SPEAKER 05 :
We should see less of the stark partisan Trump. And I think what you just described is good governance Trump.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yes. He's more powerful now. These people who worry about, oh, my gosh, we're seeing too much of Vance. We're seeing too much of Elon. We're seeing too much of Vivek. Folks. Turn the channel. That's because Donald Trump is confident. Okay. If he wasn't confident, if he had low self-image, if he was worried, if it was all ego Trump, remember the left always tells us big ego, big ego. Yep. Really? If he has such a big ego, why is he letting those three run out there making statements all over the place?
SPEAKER 05 :
Because he made good hires.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 05 :
That's what that is. That's exactly what you want to see.
SPEAKER 04 :
Donald Trump does not have as big an ego as people think. I'm going to say it right now. Donald Trump's ego is not that big.
SPEAKER 05 :
It might not be.
SPEAKER 04 :
He doesn't mind sharing the stage. In fact, he kind of enjoys it.
SPEAKER 05 :
Again, I think this is what he learned from that freshman term in office is this is how you get to good governance is you bring in the experts. to drive your policies. He's vision and intent. And then you get your lieutenants to execute it. And that's what you're going to see from Vivek.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, wouldn't you agree? Donald Trump is a visionary. Yes. There's no question. He's a visionary. Okay. You know what he's lousy at? He's a lousy debater. Yeah. OK, he is. He is. It's not his thing. I don't care. I don't want a debater in chief. I want to I want a president. I want a commander. Right. He is a visionary. And so what he does is he gets these guys. Here's the here's the big problem that the left has with the other three. OK, with Vance Vivek and Elon, all of them can rip you to pieces in a debate. All of them. Elon surprises me. I didn't think he'd be that good at this. He is. OK. And Elon also owns the biggest platform in the world.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah. Right. All right. Which we never had before. Bought it from the left.
SPEAKER 04 :
I think Trump is sitting back and enjoying this. I think he's having a ball. He's not being he doesn't have less power. He has comfortable power. Well, he's happy.
SPEAKER 05 :
He likes these guys. He expanded his power. He expanded it. Because he's got his lieutenants out, you know, conquering the political world, conquering the world of American government at this point.
SPEAKER 04 :
And they are shredding people. And let's toss Tom Homan in there as well. Oh, yeah. These four guys. Okay. I threw in Tom.
SPEAKER 05 :
Yeah, because we're subtracting Trump.
SPEAKER 04 :
I'm putting four under Trump. Okay. These four guys, Vivek, Elon, Vance, and Holman, they are... They are a wrecking ball to the media. They are a wrecking ball to the left. They are tearing people apart out there in debates. Every time they go in on CNN or anywhere else, they are so at ease. They just go in and win. And Trump has got to be – his only weakness is debate. So he sends these four out and they're crushing people.
SPEAKER 05 :
And they're going to try and goad Trump into doing something New York – Street brawl type thing where he's going to say something that's embarrassing that'll give him a clip. He doesn't have to. Nope, doesn't have to. Old Trump would have. Yeah, but he learned from this also. You can't say, well, this is not what the American people want. Oh, but it is. Yes, it is. Resoundingly so. Look at the numbers from November. Tell me what the American people want. And they want the Trump mandate. And that really angers the left.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, Todd, tell me this and then we'll go to break here. What do you think? How do you think it's going to go for mayors and governors unless they are in deep, deep, deep, deep, deep blue territory? How's it going to go for them to fight against Tom Holman and the deportation plans, especially the early ones where they're really going after the criminals, the dangerous ones?
SPEAKER 05 :
It's called 8 U.S.C.
SPEAKER 1 :
1324.
SPEAKER 05 :
Okay. That is the federal statute that covers alien smuggling, which we charged profusely in the field as a Border Patrol agent, but it also covers harboring, inciting,
SPEAKER 04 :
Oh, I know they're going to lose by the law. I understand that, but I'm talking PR. How's it going to go in the press for the, you know, how's it going to go in the, well, forget the press, but in the public consciousness, the approval ratings, how are those things going to go for people who try to fight Tom Holman, really, who try to fight Trump's big four?
SPEAKER 05 :
It shouldn't go well for them. And I guess, like you said, and if it's, you know, deepest, darkest Portland or Seattle or San Francisco, something like that. But the thing is, they are... treacherously close to criminal charges if they resist this.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yes, they are. Okay, tell you what, when we come back, I actually, I was going to talk about something else. I was going to talk, well, we can talk a little bit about Matt Gaetz when we come back, but I also want to talk about Tulsi Gabbard. I want to talk about going into the intelligence. The DNI. Well, not just Tulsi, but all of them who are going to go in and clean out the FBI.
SPEAKER 05 :
Oh, so that's Cash, Cash Patel.
SPEAKER 04 :
Cash Patel, Tulsi, all of these people who are going to go, because it's not just the FBI, it's the entire intelligence network.
SPEAKER 03 :
The 17 agencies.
SPEAKER 04 :
Because when they go in, Todd, they're going to have to clean out the deep state, and the deep state hates them. Let's talk about that when we come back. All right. Up next is Ridgeline Auto Brokers. Hey, when you're looking at used cars, you want good selection and the best inspections. Ridgeline has both, and you can find both locations at klzradio.com.
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SPEAKER 15 :
Wishing you holidays filled with fun and laughter. Thanks for listening to Rush to Reason on KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 04 :
And welcome back to Rush to Reason. Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Andy Pate filling in for John Rush along with Todd Watkins. Todd, one thing really quick. Because I want to get to the deep state. But first, Matt Gaetz, the House Ethics Committee report just dropped. They made it public, which I kind of wonder about if that sets a bad precedent going forward. But setting that aside, we don't have time, okay? Right. It looks awful. It looks really damning. And what they're saying is they have all kinds of witnesses who just flat out say – This guy took a bunch of money from, I mean, gave a bunch of money to many women for sex. And it was clear the women were interviewed. It was for sex that he was doing this. He took, this started in 2017, went through like 2020, I think. And he was doing a lot of drugs apparently during that time. This is what's being alleged. Okay. Okay. I'm an innocent till proven guilty guy, so I'm not going to say he's guilty of any of this. And by the way, no charges have been brought. All right. So my first question is, why didn't anybody bring charges if you have such great evidence? But setting that aside, isn't it kind of in poor taste with all of this? Because this has all been hovering over him anyway. Isn't it in very poor taste for the Colorado Republican Party to have him as a keynote speaker in a major assembly like they did? I mean, it's not a good image. And I mean, the guy, when they had him as a keynote speaker, he had just cost us three seats in the House with his, let's face it, ill-conceived speech. mutiny that he had and it's so funny because now all they do is complain about coups and mutinies right which is hilarious they think a coup and a mutiny is the worst thing in the world but they praise matt gates for doing it and matt gates cost us three seats in the house and mccarthy's gone now okay and it's done us no good right anyway really quick just give me a you know 20 seconds what are your thoughts on matt gates
SPEAKER 05 :
I hope it's not true. I mean, of course, right? You don't want to see somebody who is, you know, that emblematic of the cause that we find ourselves working towards. You know, he was a big face, a prominent face of MAGA America first. And to have that sort of thing, you know, if it's true... I mean, it's a terrible mark. It looks really, really bad.
SPEAKER 04 :
It does look bad.
SPEAKER 05 :
And I know that the state GOP and several county GOPs had him as a keynote speaker at some significant events.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, Lincoln Day and so forth.
SPEAKER 05 :
Lincoln Day, yeah. And you wonder, did you not know that that was happening when you did that? It never came up, I can tell you that.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, all I can say is this, innocent until proven guilty. He's a brilliant guy, a tremendous litigator up on the Hill. But he has also been somebody who's made a lot of enemies, and that's another reason why you can't buy everything you hear. Why? Because there's so many enemies who are up in these, who are running these investigations.
SPEAKER 05 :
It's the skullduggery thing.
SPEAKER 04 :
Yeah, yeah. I don't know. All I know is this. That's a guy who had too much of a cloud over his head. I don't think it was a wise appointment by Trump to begin with when he had Pam Bondi sitting right there, who's so wonderful. Look, I'm sorry, but it's not like he didn't have a deep bench. He didn't have to take chances like that. He didn't have a chance. Whatever. He's gone. Okay, we got about three minutes here. Sure. Deep state. How is Trump going to be able to root out some of the deep state? And I'm talking especially in terms of FBI, the intelligence agencies, and law enforcement.
SPEAKER 05 :
Go. So the deep state that we're talking about is not the tinfoil hat, fever dream, deep state, shadow government. We're talking about long-term control. Not presidential appointments, but career hires. Yep. Bureaucrats, GS, SES level government employees. Set in cement. Oh, yeah. It's nearly impossible to get rid of a government employee. So... What you see happening, and I saw this when I was working in headquarters. You have a lot of Obama appointments or hires and appointments that turned into career hires. Then you had Trump who didn't get rid of them. And then God knows how many more came in under Biden. And this goes to Elon Musk and the Doge effort, right, to thin some of this out.
SPEAKER 04 :
So they can't just go in and wield the axe and fire all these people? Not really. Why not?
SPEAKER 05 :
Title V. Explain that.
SPEAKER 04 :
You've got 30 seconds.
SPEAKER 05 :
So they're protected. Once you've become vested, you can't just fire.
SPEAKER 04 :
Then how do you get rid of them?
SPEAKER 05 :
For cause. But what I would do, if I was Elon and Vivek, in order to kind of neutralize the impact of the deep state on some of these initiatives, because you'll never see where they're blocking you, where they're stumbling, because it goes within the bureaucracies of each of these different agencies, is reassignments.
SPEAKER 04 :
reassign especially move everybody around where they don't want to be well or to where they're not handling some of these so they can be at that outpost in alaska right yeah they're the doorman okay so so what we will so what you're saying is they're going to see a bunch of people who they know are obamaites and bidenites and they're going to reassign them yeah you don't fire them you just put them someplace else put them where they don't want to be yeah kind of like in office space the closet in the basement yeah yeah they can ask for their red swing line you know
SPEAKER 05 :
Wow. Do you think it'll work? I know you can do that. I know.
SPEAKER 04 :
You think that they will dig in and say, no, I'll stay forever and just wait for the next Democrat to put me where I belong? Or do you think they'll give up? Or do you think it'll be a mix?
SPEAKER 05 :
A little bit. I'm sure if they're retirement eligible, maybe they pull the plug at that point. But yeah, you just, I mean, some of these would be kind of career killers too. Wow.
SPEAKER 04 :
Well, this is going to be fun. I'm looking forward to Doge, the bulldozer, as I call it. And I'm looking forward to the big four, actually the big five with Tom Holman, whipping through Washington. I think Washington is as afraid right now as they have ever been.
SPEAKER 05 :
I hope so. They should be.
SPEAKER 04 :
I think they're terrified. I think a lot of them are going to be out of work. What do you think?
SPEAKER 05 :
I would start with the attorneys in each, every one of those departments and agencies. Reassign them. Oh, yes.
SPEAKER 04 :
Wonderful. Good idea. Okay, folks, that's it for our number two. Thank you, Todd Watkins. In our three, we're going to be joined by Jersey Joe for all things crazy on the national political stage. Until then, keep it right here on Rushed Reason, KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 13 :
I'm a rich guy.
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SPEAKER 05 :
This is Rush to Reason.
SPEAKER 16 :
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 15 :
With your host, John Rush.
SPEAKER 11 :
My advice to you is to do what your parents did. Get a job, sir. You haven't made everybody equal. You've made them the same, and there's a big difference.
SPEAKER 02 :
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 05 :
It's Rush to Reason with your host, John Rush. Presented by High Five Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling, where every call ends with a high five.
SPEAKER 04 :
Filling in is Andy Pate, party of choice. And I'm your host, Andy Pate, filling in for John Rush.
SPEAKER 06 :
John's taking a couple weeks off here. Well-deserved, very well-deserved. He works hard. You guys have absolutely no idea what a workaholic John Rush is. It's amazing. So, John, wherever you are, I hope you're enjoying yourself. I am joined today by Mr. Todd Watkins of the... Go ahead.
SPEAKER 07 :
El Paso County Republican Party.
SPEAKER 06 :
The El Paso County Republican Party. You're still allowed... On the El Paso County Republican Party. Sort of. Is the El Paso County Republican Party kind of a microcosm of the state party?
SPEAKER 1 :
100%.
SPEAKER 06 :
Just this incredible division.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 06 :
You know, folks, we're going to be talking later on this hour and much of this hour about the Colorado Republican Party. I know people are going to be like, oh, no, I don't want to hear about Colorado Republican Party. I want to hear about Trump. Yeah, that's coming. Okay. And by the way, I'm so excited about Trump.
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, we all should be, right?
SPEAKER 06 :
Oh, my gosh. It's beautiful.
SPEAKER 07 :
Everybody who thought he was, you know, wrong, orange man bad the first four years, all it took was four years of, you know. Orange man gone. Right. Orange man gone.
SPEAKER 06 :
I like that.
SPEAKER 07 :
I'm going to keep using that to realize, oh, wait a minute. Maybe we do need law and order in this country.
SPEAKER 06 :
Oh, yes. And by the way, law and order is gone. We got another example of that today. Now, I know this is a little heavy, but folks, I'm coming in hot. I am coming in mad. All right. And that is at Joe Biden. Now, look, I know it's not him doing it. He doesn't do anything now. It's all the people who are pulling the strings and running things. He's a puppet. At this point, he's a vegetable, basically, at least in terms of governing.
SPEAKER 07 :
He was for the four years. He was pretty much. It was weekend at Bernie's for four years.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, pretty much it was. And look, today, what do they call it? Commuted the sentences of 37 out of the 44. Federal death row inmates. And now they have life in prison.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 06 :
And, folks, we could go through and give a bunch of examples. We don't have time here. Let me just give one, though. Little Lexus Roberts, she was only 12 years old when she watched Thomas Sanders murder, kill her mother. Now, here's the problem. That made her a witness. So Sanders then... did the same to her and murdered her okay 12 year old girl just slaughtered them both and by the way these weren't quick kills okay folks I'm not going to go into any details but the man is a savage the man is a monster Okay, now my question is, why is this person still alive? They should be dead. I am all for the death penalty, folks. Obviously just in extreme cases. These are extreme cases!
SPEAKER 07 :
It kind of takes extreme actions to get put on death row anymore these days. I mean, horse thieves don't get hanged any longer. It takes abominable murders to get that kind of sentence.
SPEAKER 06 :
Right. And also in all these cases, the evidence was overwhelming. It's not like the Hollywood movies where, you know, this poor person, this poor guy gets sent up the river when there's not good evidence. No, no, no, folks. In every single one of these cases, the evidence is overwhelming. They were guilty, guilty, guilty. They had done it and we knew they had done it. And now he is going to give them life in prison. And I just want to deal really quickly here with a couple of the. I'm just going to say what the left will say. You know, their protests against capital punishment.
SPEAKER 07 :
Right.
SPEAKER 06 :
All right. One is that they say this lowers us to their level. You're killing. You're killing just like they're killing. You're a killer just like they're a killer. How can you be that? No, no, no. You see, until I kill an innocent mom. and then kill her innocent 12-year-old whose only crime was witnessing me killing her mom? Until I do those things, no, I am not the same as the person pulling the switch to end this murderer's life. These people who killed, they chose to kill innocent victims. They did not choose to end the life of savages and monsters who killed other people.
SPEAKER 07 :
Well, also, the murderers generally don't go through probable cause findings and proof beyond a reasonable doubt.
SPEAKER 06 :
Right.
SPEAKER 07 :
You know, 39 different reviews of the case and appeals.
SPEAKER 06 :
So you're telling me, you know, that, what's his name here? Thomas Sanders didn't first... have lexus roberts and her mom go through a whole court system to make sure that they deserved to be slaughtered by his hand correct oh and then there was no appeals process either oh well you know that's slightly different here's another one they say well they've just been given life in prison they've been given life in prison that's enough really i got news for you their victims aren't given life in anywhere Their victims are dead. Their victims are gone. Here's another one. They say, well, it's not that much of a deterrent. First of all, I think it is a deterrent.
SPEAKER 07 :
It could be more of a deterrent if it was used more judiciously than it is now. Now it's a joke. It takes 20, 25, 30 years.
SPEAKER 06 :
Exactly. The problem is not the punishment. It's not applied well. The problem is the system. Because they know, my gosh, I could get off. I could have it stretched out. I could have it dragged out by lawyers. I can have the system wielded in my favor to where I avoid that punishment for decades on end. Folks, that's why it's not nearly as much of a deterrent. What if they knew? Okay, once you are really found guilty, guilty, guilty, and we're not talking self-defense. We're not talking anything that's even borderline. We're talking you are a savage murderer.
SPEAKER 07 :
Cold-blooded murder.
SPEAKER 06 :
We're talking rare cases. We're talking like the guy from Guatemala who just burned a woman alive on a New York subway. Yeah. She woke up on fire and he watched her and watched her burn. The man should already be dead in my view.
SPEAKER 07 :
And I don't believe New York has a death penalty anymore. I believe that was it was abolished.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah. Well, you know, they need one. OK. If any place. Let me ask you something, Todd. Why? And at this point, I'm not just looking at the fact, you know, the death penalty versus not death penalty. I'm looking at the entire system that keeps these people on alive on endless appeals for on death row forever. Okay. Why? What? What? Why are the American taxpayers who bust their tails every day to make enough money to live by the rules and pay for their kids to go to school and pay for their mortgage and pay for food that's skyrocketing in price because of our president and pay for all these things in life so that they can survive and they work so hard and they save up to where maybe they could take a vacation, right? These people who use their money this way, why are those American taxpayers having to pay one red cent to house, clothe, feed, and guard these monsters when they could simply be ended?
SPEAKER 07 :
A couple of reasons. Why? I would argue. First of all, there's the sensible conscientious part, where as a nation of laws, and a nation of laws, we want to be a nation of laws. We are. That is properly... And legally applied. I know I just used... Yeah, I'm all for that, but it doesn't have to take 20 years after someone's already been found guilty. No, you're right. I agree with you there. But there is this... a burdensome task that we placed on ourselves, I think, as a government, as a people, to ensure that we're doing the right thing in the right way. So that's why there are so many appeals. But you're right.
SPEAKER 06 :
There shouldn't be this many appeals.
SPEAKER 07 :
It shouldn't, because this is the left coming in, wanting to, you know, hug and forgive everybody and try to derail that.
SPEAKER 06 :
Todd, I'm in favor of the appeal process. Don't get me wrong. I think a review. But it needs to be reviewed. You can go to a higher court. You can have it reviewed. You can have the evidence reviewed. But at some point, once it's done, it's done and that's it. Death row should be a very short walk. This is ridiculous.
SPEAKER 07 :
Even in Texas. There is an automatic appeal. So the judge sentences someone to a death sentence. It goes right to an automatic appeal, and everything is reviewed. And I'm with you on that.
SPEAKER 01 :
There you go.
SPEAKER 07 :
You done did it. Sounds good. Yeah, I want to make for sure, for sure. Especially today with the type of technology that there is in crime scene analysis, in forensics. They're pretty much... Dern sure that the person that they've convicted is the person who did it.
SPEAKER 06 :
Right. You see, I'm not looking for quick, clumsy, reckless justice. All right. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. But I'm talking move the process along because right now we've we've got the opposite. They're dragging it out just so they can have no justice. They're dragging it out just so they can. And why are they dragging out all the people who are in favor of dragging it out? are people who oppose the death penalty, period. Right. Okay. These are not people who support the death penalty. They just want to make for sure, for sure, for sure, for sure, for sure. No. The people who drag these things out for decades on end.
SPEAKER 07 :
They're trying to make it untenable so that it's repealed. Right. Yes.
SPEAKER 06 :
In other words, they are denying justice to the families of those who were slaughtered by these savages.
SPEAKER 07 :
I think you could make a case that they're actually taking advantage of the fact that our criminal justice system is generally composed to protect the rights of the accused so that somebody who is accused is not falsely, wrongly, maliciously, vindictively accused.
SPEAKER 06 :
To a degree, that's fine. But we've gone way past that degree.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, it gets exploited, right? Right. So that the criminal's rights matter far greater than the person who is harmed.
SPEAKER 06 :
Exactly. I have no problem with the appeals process, the basic appeals process, and make them for sure, for sure. I love that. I'm for that. I want that, okay? Yeah. But it's being abused, as you said. It is. It's being abused, and now people who deserve justice are going to watch while their kids... There were a number of these people who murdered children. Their children will never grow up. They're dead, okay? And these guys get to live... For life. On our tax dollars. On the tax dime of the American taxpayer who are already busting their tails just to survive every day. And they have to keep these monsters alive. It is despicable. I've had it.
SPEAKER 07 :
There's also something else to consider with these commutations. And if somebody out in radio land knows... the answer definitively i believe in the federal system if somebody is given a life sentence because that's what this is we're commuting a death sentence to a sentence of life in prison i believe they get a in a a parole hearing after x number of years i believe it's there's not an option to deny them a parole oh i thought you could have without possibility of parole it's Some states have that. A lot of states have. There's no such thing as without parole.
SPEAKER 06 :
Personally, I don't care.
SPEAKER 07 :
They do get a parole hearing.
SPEAKER 06 :
Personally, I don't care. They should be dead. OK, you're right.
SPEAKER 07 :
But just note that they they could come up on a parole hearing in five, six, 10 years and get out.
SPEAKER 06 :
I want all 37 of those, including the last three. There are three who weren't given this deal. One of them is one of the Tsarnaev brothers with the Boston Boston bombing. Here's what I believe. They should all have life sentences and very short life sentences. OK, they should all be dead. OK, these have all gone through the process. They've gone through the appeals process. They've gone through it all. We know they're guilty. We know they did it. These are monsters. We should not be paying them. They should not get one more meal on the back of the American taxpayer who they killed.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 06 :
OK, that's my thinking. Sorry, folks, coming in a little hot, but I'm mad. I'm mad because how dare he do what he just did? This is proof once again. And one last message for all you who voted for Joe Biden or vote for Democrats. You are accessories to what just happened. This does not happen. And this has not happened. The memory of these children does not get shamed like it just was if it weren't for your vote. You made this possible. We have a lawless president who is also selling off parts of the wall so we can be further invaded. Look, we have a lawless presidency, and you made it happen. If you voted for this man even once, you're an accessory, and you need to apologize to America. You need to apologize because it is going to take a lot of work for Trump to help us make it back from this, and it'll take more than four years. Okay, let's take a break. When we come back, we're going to talk to Natalie Tennant, who is going to be on the line, and we're going to talk about the Colorado GOP and some of the funny things they've been up to because it is getting really scary. Up next is someone who's not scary at all. That's Golden Eagle Financial. Prepare your financial future by maximizing your present with Al Smith. No one does it better, so call Al at 303-744-1128, or you can find him at klzradio.com.
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SPEAKER 15 :
A little more sparkle, a little less stress. This year at Christmas, we wish you the best. Happy holidays from Rush to Reason on KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 06 :
And welcome back to Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560. Andy Pate filling in for John Rush. Not always happy during the holidays. Not when President Biden lets a lot of really bad people off death row. I am here with Todd Watkins on the line right now. We've got Natalie Tennant. Natalie, how are you today? Hi, Andy. Hi, Todd. How are you guys doing? Hey, Natalie. I'm good. We are doing well. Natalie, you held a meeting, you terrible person. I mean, does that make you a criminal? I'm just asking. You held a meeting online. And what was your meeting about? Because this is really important. A lot of people are wondering, well, what are you talking about, Andy? Here's what I'm talking about. Hope Scheppelman, vice chair of the Republican Party here in Colorado, actually attended your meeting. And she came out a couple of days ago and put out a video, which I found hilarious, that basically you could tell was highly scripted. It was written by probably a group of people. And it basically said that you people are endangering the lives of the leadership of the Colorado GOP. Is that what you're doing, Natalie? Do we need to – well, wait, Natalie, what I want to ask is, do we need to call Joe Biden and see if he can, you know, get your sentence reduced?
SPEAKER 13 :
Get me pardoned?
SPEAKER 06 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 13 :
Listen. What happened at the meeting? A lot of good things as far as I knew. I attended. I was present. So I just don't – I don't know where to go with this anymore because while I was on hold, I was trolling through Facebook, and here she is waving the white flag again wishing me a Merry Christmas. Like, huh? I don't understand it because she's, like, flip-flopped so much that I don't know when to take her seriously. So, yes, we held a – they keep calling it a town hall because the handle for it was Colorado Town Hall. And Never Surrender was a co-host to that, which is me. And what I did was I reached out to Steve Peck, who is Douglas County Chair, because there was a lot of controversy about one of the commissioners, Laura, stepping down to fill the vacancy. We have to have a vacancy meeting. So I went direct to the source. Hey, Steve, I've met him over all this controversy stuff. And I said, this doesn't make sense to me because of the way that it happens in Weld County. The county chair doesn't choose. We have a county council. So I wanted to understand process. So I reached out to him. He said he was going to do a video. And I said, hey, let's do a Twitter space. Because there was so much controversy back and forth. Like he did this. He did that. This was this. This is that. No, he's lying. She's lying. And that's all that keeps happening.
SPEAKER 06 :
Just so people get an idea what the meeting is about. Basically, they had an election for Douglas County Commissioner. There are three commissioners in Douglas County. Two are already in place. They are a Republican. The third one who was also a Republican was leaving the position. That was Laura Thomas. And so they held an election, you know, on election night. And the Republican won one handily. It's Douglas County.
SPEAKER 01 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 06 :
One handily. And through, I don't want to get into the reasons why, but Laura decided to step down early before the end of her term. And so that meant that we had to fill her seat. And the question was, well, could the county chair, which I didn't even know the county chair had that power. In Douglas County, they do?
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 06 :
That's fine.
SPEAKER 07 :
It has to do with the composition of the Board of Commissioners. Got it. So the three commissioners in Douglas County are at large. They don't have districts. Right. They're not geographically limited. So therefore, the Douglas County Republican Party Central Committee would act as the vacancy committee committee.
SPEAKER 06 :
for a vacancy with the commissioners hence this the chair okay that's fine yeah and steve peck's the chair so the idea was and i'm just going to kind of cut through a bunch of it here really quick natalie because i just want to get to you know you guys wishing death upon the leadership of the republican party which which is hilarious um and no you did not um So basically, the idea was supposed to be like within 10 days or whatever, he was supposed to appoint the guy who won the election to jump in and start early to fill Laura's seat. About four weeks early. Right. But to do this, he would have had to call a meeting of the full committee during the holidays. Yes. And here's the real here's here's why that would have been really stupid, folks. Why would you first of all, you got to get a quorum together from people who are already traveling over the holidays. Secondly, you don't have to do it. You can just go to the governor and say, hey, can you just appoint the guy now and put him in place? And let's say the guy and the governor does what they call a gentleman's agreement. Right. And the governor says, yeah, sure, I'll put him in. And the governor happens to be Jared Polis. Now, even if Jared Polis, let's say that he had gone back in his word and put a Democrat in the position, wouldn't have mattered, folks, because first of all, the Republican would have been in within a month anyway. It's over the holidays. There's no business. And by the way, that person is still outnumbered by the other two Republican commissioners. They couldn't have done anything. There is no way Polis could have put some Democrat in the position and caused any harm in any way, shape or form.
SPEAKER 07 :
Right. So the quorum that yes, you're right. The chair would have to establish a quorum and state statute requires that the quorum for a vacancy for a county commissioner seat is 50 percent of the whole body. So, right. It's not it's not just one of those. Hey, whoever shows up is the quorum. They had to get half half of them had to show up for it.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, they said. Yeah. OK. And now this is the hilarious part. Hope comes out and she says two basic things. Number one, that you guys were endangering their lives. And I'm sorry, that's so ludicrous. Folks. She's retracting that now, by the way. But go ahead.
SPEAKER 13 :
Well, of course she's retracting it because she lied. She never named me. She's saying that I was never named. I was named. Dave Williams named me on a podcast. He named me in an email.
SPEAKER 06 :
And he named me, too. And by the way, I'm hurt that he didn't name me. I'll name you.
SPEAKER 07 :
I just want you to know. And Andy Pate.
SPEAKER 06 :
Thank you. Now I've been named. Why am I never included on these things? I mean, look, here's the bottom line. None of the resistances I'm going to call you guys against Dave Williams and Hope Shepelman, none of you have ever... threatened them with their with any violence ever you've never called for any threats of violence you've never supported any threats of violence the one guy who brought some threats of violence you guys didn't even know him he was simply invited to come on the call okay he was invited to come on the call because he had cured some ballots who cares and it didn't happen during the call and it didn't happen it didn't even happen during the call it happened after the fact
SPEAKER 13 :
Right, Natalie? Yes. The call was perfect. It was a perfect call. Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER 06 :
By the way, Natalie, I hear Hope was on her best behavior as well.
SPEAKER 07 :
Apologizing for stuff.
SPEAKER 13 :
I was shocked. Great.
SPEAKER 06 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 13 :
I reached out to her via Facebook message and I said, thank you for that. I thanked her for it because I mean what I say. And I did. And I thought this could be a good pivot. Maybe Hope has seen, you know, I'd like to think she's her own individual and she is not puppeted by Dave and co. But that's my opinion. And I just... I scratch my head because I have a Facebook group. I try to be involved. I've gotten involved locally. I've helped candidates get elected. What have you done? What have you done but cause disruption? They're disruptors. And like this thing with Steve Peck in Douglas County, yes, he did not follow the procedure. But for what reason? Like, do we not do that? Are we not smart Republicans? Do we not think, why should we waste more money?
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, well, the bottom line, it would have taken time and money to get together a quorum, which you didn't need, because the governor could simply appoint the guy, and it wouldn't make any difference. You're getting the same guy. And even if the governor reneged on his agreement and put in a Democrat, the Democrat would have been powerless for a month. It would have meant no difference. Steve Peck was absolutely right in what he did in not calling the meeting. But let's take a step further here, Natalie, because then. Hope, in her statement, I forget how she put it. But in so many words, she said that you guys had given that Steve Peck, by allowing the governor to be so magnanimous as to appoint a Republican who had already won easily in a Republican district and give him a month early to be on there. I'm sorry, it's hard not to laugh. She indicated that this was going to help Jared Polis with his national ambitions. This was going to be such an incredible bipartisan act of Jared Polis because he seeded a Republican who had won a month early because his predecessor stepped down, that this was something that Jared Polis could tout as being so bipartisan of him that it would actually help him nationally in other words get the white house in other words steve peck helped jared polis win the white house it's it's a magnificent calculus there pardon me for just a moment may i i mean that's crazy oh yes yes yes i get i i just want to tell jd vance i'm sorry 2028 you got no chance
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, because it's Jared all the way because he seeded Van Winkle early.
SPEAKER 06 :
He seeded Kevin Van Winkle a month early. Look, you know, and wait a minute. I just got a call here. It's in my ear here. Donald Trump is stepping down. He's not going to be president. He understands it's a foregone conclusion. He's already lost all power. Steve Peck is insured that Jared Polis, now, by this incredible bipartisan act of seating a guy a whole month early who already won his election. that Steve Peck has already given the White House to Jared Polis. So, Natalie, why do you love Jared Polis so much? Why do you want to help him get the White House?
SPEAKER 13 :
Hey, I've been on every recall of him, and I've done my best to expose him, so not a fan at all. The thing that aggravates me the most, Andy, is that the call was good. In the call, the space was to talk to Steve Peck. He had, I think, the secretary may have been on. I could be messing that up. But somebody else from Douglas County spoke in how the process worked. The attorneys were called. You know, it was very detailed. I gave the platform. Britt and I gave the platform for us to have the conversation about that. Then at some point after Steve spoke, somebody had said Hope was on the call. And I was kind of shocked. I didn't see her pop on. So I saw that she was there. I welcomed her on to speak if she wanted to. She opened the door, dang it. Like, she opened the door because she waved that little metaphorical white flag and all the things. Go listen. You don't have to take my word for it.
SPEAKER 06 :
From everything I've heard, Natalie, it was a very conciliatory tone that she had. And by the way, nobody was aggressive. From what I heard, it was just a very friendly tone overall.
SPEAKER 13 :
It was. And I was very proud of the call getting off of it. Very proud of it. And I thought, you know, I spoke with some others after the call. I got a lot of feedback about the call. I mean, we had almost 200 people tune in. The analytics of it were great. And that's because they made it turn into a bad thing. There's nothing bad about that call. And I will stand on that. And if you doubt it and haven't listened to it, shame on you then. Because if you want the truth, go listen to the call, form your own opinion.
SPEAKER 08 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 13 :
And now here we are. It's it's what did we go through over the summer? Was it Betsy Freedom? Like, I feel like this is a 2.0 in a sense, not saying there are there is a police report filed because I am named in this. I reached out to get information. They've been in communication with me. So I'm taking this seriously because what you're talking about, the guy who who threatened the leadership.
SPEAKER 08 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, yeah. But here's the thing. OK, some nutcase threat who comes on your call because you put out a very wide. I was invited on this thing, too. You put out a huge invitation to tons of people. A number of people came on. He was one of them. He asked a couple of questions on there. There were no threats on there. Later on, he makes these ridiculous threats against the state party, which, by the way, are legit threats. I believe he should have had the cops called on him. He did. There you go. OK, Chavez, I think his name is.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, whatever. OK, so done. Yeah. But here's the thing. What the state party is trying to use this for, Natalie, now is to say any criticism of them endangers them. And by that by that measurement, virtually all political speech. could be labeled as dangerous. That's right.
SPEAKER 07 :
Am I right, Todd? And who does that sound like?
SPEAKER 06 :
That sounds like Joe Biden. That sounds like the Democrats.
SPEAKER 07 :
The squad and everybody else.
SPEAKER 06 :
Absolutely. That sounds exactly like the Democrats. It's the Saul Linsky tactics. Yeah, these are Saul Linsky tactics, right? You demonize all criticism of the left as dangerous to the left and say that you're promoting. Look at how long they milked January 6th. And the way they did now, they're trying to milk one threat from one nutcase guy. That's right. The exact same way. Go ahead.
SPEAKER 07 :
So let me let me pull that thread for a moment. Go ahead. So in in as much as we are accused of inciting violence, let me tell you who actually did incite violence from this incident. Who? Dave, Hope, the CLGOP.
SPEAKER 06 :
Okay, and how did they do it?
SPEAKER 07 :
So within days of them saying, coming out publicly, very publicly, blasting emails to an email list.
SPEAKER 06 :
They were saying that you guys were endangering their lives. Yes, exactly.
SPEAKER 07 :
So I'm at the gym two days in a row. This female woman, El Paso County, she's part of the, you know, Dave and Vicki, very supportive of them. Sure. Vicki is the chairwoman of the El Paso County Republican Party. That's a whole other show, by the way.
SPEAKER 08 :
Right.
SPEAKER 07 :
But she comes up to me and she says, I just want to tell you to stop speaking out against the Colorado GOP. You're going to get people killed. She would not leave me alone. But it's... What I want to highlight in this, it wasn't stop bad-mouthing, stop maligning, stop brutalizing, anything like that. Her words were very – it resonated with me. Stop speaking out. In other words, do not exercise your right to political speech.
SPEAKER 06 :
Your First Amendment right. Right. Basically, they are trying to cancel out the First Amendment. Yes. Guys, we've got to take a break. We'll come right back because, Natalie, when we come back, I want to talk about it in case people are wondering, well, why are you guys trying so hard to remove these leaders of the state party? I just want to remind people in really quick bullet points just some of the things they've done, and I'm going to turn it over to Natalie. We're talking to Natalie Tennant here on Rush to Reason. Up next is... High Five Plumbing, the holiday season means plumbing emergencies. So you need quality you can trust and a number you can remember. To get both, call High Five at 877-WE-HIGH-FIVE.
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SPEAKER 15 :
One sure sign that you're getting older is how Santa seems to look better each year. Merry Christmas from Rush to Reason on KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 06 :
And welcome back to Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560, Andy Pate, filling in for John Rush, along with Todd Watkins. Todd, you having a good time?
SPEAKER 07 :
I am.
SPEAKER 06 :
This is great. Well, good. On the line, we've got Natalie Tennant. Natalie, are you having a good time?
SPEAKER 13 :
Absolutely.
SPEAKER 06 :
In the presence of great people. I consider you both friends. Oh, thank you so much. Okay. For those who are, maybe you're listening from Wyoming or around the state, or maybe you're just passing through, it's the holiday season, and you're wondering, why is this such a big deal? Guys, well, this stuff happens all over the place. I got news for you. No, it doesn't. And what I'm going to do is list off in bullet point fashion very quickly. So listen close, everybody. Listen close. I'm going to show you why what's being done with the Colorado Republican Party by its current leadership is totally unprecedented. It's not being done in the other 50 states, 49 states. You know what I mean? Well, Canada. They're going to be a new state. I need Panama Canal soon, too. You know what I mean. But it's not being done anywhere else, folks. This is unique. And it's not only unique to Colorado. It's unique to our party history here. This is all stuff that has never been done by leadership of the Colorado Republican Party before. Here we go. And all of it is designed from the moment he took office. Dave Williams has wanted to alienate huge members. Of the Republican Party here in Colorado. Divide, attack, alienate, all unprecedented. Here we go. Number one, his first action was attacking his predecessor, Christie Burton Brown, and having his team do the same in meetings all over the state. Todd, is that true?
SPEAKER 07 :
That is absolutely true.
SPEAKER 06 :
Okay, number two, Dave and the state central committee threw out neutrality for party leadership. That means party leadership stays out of the primaries. They say, look, we're not going to endorse some primaries. That's a good thing. They shouldn't. He threw that out. Then, after taking huge money from presidential candidates like Nikki Haley, like Donald Trump, like Ron DeSantis, like Chris Christie. Yeah, like all these people. After taking huge money from presidential candidates, the state party endorsed against several of them and refused to return their money.
SPEAKER 07 :
That's right. It was $40,000 apiece.
SPEAKER 06 :
I know, $40,000 apiece. So they're saying our fundraising has been much better. Well, yeah, you just squeezed all these national candidates and then you endorsed against them and didn't get back the money. Next.
SPEAKER 07 :
That's the first time that the state party has done that, is required a ballot fee from the candidates, by the way, for the primary.
SPEAKER 06 :
Right. Okay. Next, if anyone opposed this dividing of our party, Dave claimed they were opposing the new MAGA direction for the GOP. He offered no evidence connecting these things. Todd, is that correct?
SPEAKER 08 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 06 :
That is exactly what he said. So if anybody said, look, you... You took their money and then endorsed against them and wouldn't give the money back. He said, you're against MAGA. That was his response. Next, Dave was the first state chair to run for office in a contested primary. This means he actually ran against fellow Republicans while holding the power of being their state chair. To call this a conflict of interest is an understatement of historic proportion.
SPEAKER 07 :
And that is where I began my journey to try to remove him.
SPEAKER 06 :
This is where you get because you used to be his his supporter. Next, Dave and his team endorsed 18 Republicans in contested primaries using the petition process as their excuse. More on that in a minute. Even with state party support, they lost 14 of these races badly. In other words, they endorsed a bunch of terrible candidates who would have killed us in the general election. Is this true? Yes. OK, next, Dave and his team. Natalie, I'll ask you on the next few. Dave and his team weaponized all state party resources against fellow Republicans in these races. OK, so they didn't just endorse them. and doors against them, they weaponized their resources, meaning that Republican candidates for the first time ever in Colorado had to waste time and money running against their own party before ever getting to run against the Democrats. And this was done with email mailers, newspapers, online activism, et cetera. Natalie, am I exaggerating any of that? Not even close. Not even close. And by the way, notice how every single one of these things, you're alienating a bunch of Republicans. Nikki Haley had supporters. You just alienated them. Ron DeSantis had supporters. You see where I'm going with this. Okay, next. Dave put out his God hates flags email. which is a thinly veiled slur. Okay, it is. It's thinly, and everybody knew it. And he called on Republicans to burn pride flags, which means burn other people's property. If anyone protested these actions, Dave claimed they supported grooming kids.
SPEAKER 07 :
And Dave... Am I exaggerating? No, and furthermore, Dave defended that, saying that he was following... He wanted to go to heaven, and he was walking in the way of Jesus. Hey, my degree— He shrouded himself in religion to defend that, by the way, on stage.
SPEAKER 06 :
Look, I'm a born-again Christian with a degree in the ministry, but I got news for Dave. The GOP isn't a church, okay? Sorry, you can't treat it like that. Okay, next one.
SPEAKER 13 :
Natalie, I'm going to throw this. Hold on, though. You're missing an important part here. They've circled back to that because Trump's speech at Turning Point. recently speaking about transgender and the alphabet squad. If you listen to how Trump speaks about that, that's MAGA. We are all against that. We've never claimed that we're not. We're all in these little groups fighting this for our children, right? That's the whole thing is our children. And now they're still trying to compare. Literally, there's posts out there of them trying to compare what Dave did to Trump's speech the other day.
SPEAKER 06 :
Not even close. Natalie, not one single critic of Dave's has ever supported the grooming of kids. Not one, and yet he claimed everybody who was criticizing him for this supported the grooming of kids. Okay, next one. Here we go. There aren't many left. Next, Dave and his team helped launch Rhino Watch, a hit site, and they helped launch it from State Party HQ. I got to throw this one to you, Todd, because you were actually there. I was there. For the first time ever, the State Party helped form a hit site solely designed to attack and divide fellow Republicans. Rhino Watch is the militant online arm of the COGOP. You were there. Did this happen?
SPEAKER 07 :
Oh, absolutely did. Chuck Boniwell and Julie Hayden run that.
SPEAKER 06 :
Right. And so they helped run. And by the way, they gave them the state party email.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER 06 :
They didn't have to pay for it, and they gave them full approval to use it, which, by the way, is incredibly valuable. They allowed a hit site to attack all their opponents within the party email. And they promoted this from the state party headquarters. Okay, next one coming to you, Natalie. In September of 2023, Dave attempted to convert all non-votes into yes votes for his agenda. Okay, totally unprecedented. In other words, if anybody couldn't make it to a meeting, he would convert their non-votes into yes votes for his agenda. Is this true?
SPEAKER 07 :
Yes.
SPEAKER 13 :
The feedback that I've gotten on this, and I spoke with many that attended that call and were present on that, that it was a voice call. It was a voice count as far as I'm understanding. And then Dave just struck the gavel and called it what it was. But the feedback that I'm getting from people present on that call is that the majority was not for that.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, well, actually, he even campaigned for it to be, those votes to be converted to yes. Okay, just a couple more here. Dave appointed Ron Hanks to lead a committee. Now, Ron Hanks had just left our party in 2022 after losing his primary for the Senate seat, and then Ron called on his supporters to vote against the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate. So Dave literally rewarded a traitor to our party by giving him the headship of a committee. anything?
SPEAKER 13 :
You are absolutely not. And that happened last December. And that is when it started for me with Dave, is the Dominion machines and his contact and communication with Dominion and other machines that he was going to use machines for assembly. He removed Lori Kutinelli from that committee, as well as Peg Cage. And I just don't understand that. And that's when all sirens went off for me, because if they're going to remove those two women who have fought so hard in regards to election integrity and exposing truth on that. I mean, they campaign blown up machines. I think it was a fax machine, though. But they touted on that. That is fax.
SPEAKER 06 :
And that's where it started for me was last December. Got to run on the last two because we're running behind here. Next, the Colorado GOP bragged about advancing a few seats in this last election, but in truth, they lost about 60% of the national red wave for Trump in 2024. You want evidence? Here it is. It's the numbers. Donald Trump, in his gap between him and the Democrat, improved by 6.2% from 2020 to 2024 nationally. Here in Colorado, we only improved by 2.5%. We lost 3.7% of the national red wave. That's almost 60% of the national red wave we didn't get. That's bad. Now, one last thing, and this is huge. Dave appointed Matt Arnold to lead an anti-corruption committee, which is a hit squad designed for one purpose, lawfare. OK, that's what Matt Arnold does. I know Matt. I knew him in the past. We actually get along quite well for the most part. But he does lawfare. He launches constant lawsuits against people to wear them down. Now, to launch against Dave's critics, that's what this is going to do. This team will do oppo research on anyone running in a district against Dave's allies. And that's what's coming up. Now, let's take a break. OK, when we come back, I'm going to let Natalie finish up. You ready, Natalie? I am ready. Okay, up next is Cub Creek Heating and Air. When you need help on your heater, beware of coupons with crazy offers. Those are just hooks so they can get in your house and discover all kinds of extra work. Cub Creek has great prices, and they don't upsell you to death. Give them a call at 303-656-5467.
SPEAKER 14 :
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SPEAKER 06 :
Okay, we've got kids' books here. Hey, kids learn best when family's read together. And now you can get 10% off The Adventures of Jimmy and Andrew with the promo code KLZ. Look for American Stonehenge at klzradio.com.
SPEAKER 03 :
Reading is fundamental to understanding the world, and that's why author Mike Goldstein wrote American Stonehenge. This breathtakingly beautiful book was written in order to bring parents and grandparents together with their children to enjoy stories while they learn to read. The book follows a boy and his immortal telepathic dog, with whom he communicates as they travel through time to learn about the dog's experiences through history. The book is historically accurate, including the illustrations, so you and your little one will learn something about the history of God's beloved Earth. The time that you spend with your children laughing and enjoying this beautifully written book will be something you treasure for a lifetime. Learn more about American Stonehenge and the adventures of Jimmy and Andrew by going to klzradio.com slash read and flip through a free preview of the beautiful prose and illustrations. That's klzradio.com slash read to learn more.
SPEAKER 05 :
Are you in the market for a reliable car that won't break the bank? DriveRadio's sponsor, Ridgeline Auto Brokers, specializes in quality used cars that cost between $15,000 to $25,000, making them a great option for first-time drivers or anyone looking for a good deal. They pride themselves on providing a transparent and hassle-free car buying experience. That's why at Ridgeline, they never charge a dealer fee. Plus, all vehicles are inspected by Legacy Automotive, a Colorado Select member and sponsor of Drive Radio. For a limited time, they are offering first-time customers the first oil change for only $1. Every car comes with a 30-day warranty, with the option to purchase a service contract. And at Ridgeline Auto Brokers, there are competitive financing options to fit your budget. If you cannot make it to the dealership in person, there are videos of all Ridgeline cars for sale on their website at RidgelineAutoBrokers.com. Call today at 303-442-4141 to schedule a test drive or visit RidgelineAutoBrokers.com. Ridgeline Auto Brokers, the smartest way to buy a car.
SPEAKER 14 :
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SPEAKER 15 :
Christmas, it's the only time of year in which one can sit in front of a dead tree and eat candy out of socks. Happy holidays from Rush to Reason on KLZ 560.
SPEAKER 06 :
And welcome back to Rush to Reason, Denver's Afternoon Rush, KLZ 560, Natalie Tennant on the line. Natalie, I just want to let you know something really quick. Dave Williams is going to use this anti-corruption committee exactly as Joe Biden uses the FBI. And all of your backgrounds are going to be Mar-a-Lago. I just want to know, do you guys understand this? Are you ready? You got, you got 20 seconds.
SPEAKER 13 :
Let's dance because I have my first amendment right for the bylaws for the constitution. I am entitled to speak out against him because he is the so-called leader of the Republican party. And I don't think he's doing his job. I will continue and I will speak the truth regardless of what they throw at me. Um, I'm not stopping. Never surrender means never. And I'm not stopping on this.
SPEAKER 06 :
All right, Natalie Tennant, thanks for joining us. And you are right. Okay, folks, that's it for our number one. And now we're number two. Richard Rush is going to join us for sports and NFL picks. And we're talking more Trump in 2025. Until then, keep it right here on Rush to Reason, KLZ 560.
God’s unique gift to you is eternal life received by believing in His uniquely born Son, Jesus Christ. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Eph 2:8). The gifts are just beginning once you come into the family of God by faith alone in Christ alone. You can now approach God in prayer through the filling of the Holy Spirit. The canon of Scripture is another grace gift. God gives you His recorded Word, the Bible, for instruction on navigating the devil’s world. The Bible is a textbook designed to be taught by a pastor-teacher, not for you to teach yourself.
Click for Full Transcript: https://rhem.pub/gods-gifts-821069
od’s Gifts to You
Transcript of FLOT Line Episode 1009 aired on December 22, 2024
Good morning and welcome to The FLOT Line. I’m your host Rick Hughes and for the next few
minutes, stick around for just about 30 minutes of motivation, inspiration, education and as we
say, no manipulation. I will give you information that will help you verify and identify the plan
of God for your life. Remember, God gave you two ends. One to sit with and one to think with.
Success will depend on which one you use. Heads you win. Tails you lose. The FLOT Line
comes to you every Sunday compliments of the grace of God. We study the 10 unique problem-
solving devices that make up the FLOT line of your soul, the forward line of troops. These 10
unique problem-solving devices were taught by my pastor many years ago to me. With his
permission we relay this information to you, so hang in there with me and learn about the FLOT
line. Learn what God has done for you in your life and what's available for you, the assets you
have. Before we get started I want to let you know we have signed our new contracts and we
now press on into the year 2025. We will still air the show in all 50 states as well as in the
Philippines and will continue to podcast the show on various podcast platforms. You can also
hear any show on our website. In the coming months we will be looking for new areas to play the
show so that we can have a maximum impact across our nation. The FLOT Line radio show is
our gift to you, compliments of God's amazing grace provisions. There is a special gift God has
placed under your tree today. It would be so sad if you fail to open your gift. Romans 6:23 says,
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Under your tree today is a special gift from God, the gift of eternal life. Ephesians 2:8 says,
“For
by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
There it is again. The wonderful gift that God has given you is eternal life compliments of the
Lord Jesus Christ and His work on the cross. In the New Testament the Greek word for gift is
charisma
which is from the root word
charis
. It’s the Greek equivalent of the word grace in the
English. God's amazing gift to all members of the human race is given freely simply because He
loves us. Isn’t this wonderful? In 2 Peter 3:9,
“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some
count slowness, but is patient toward you
[He is longsuffering toward us]
, not wishing for any to
perish but for all to come to repentance.”
He gives it freely wanting each one of us to have this
gift. The word I want to key in on is repentance. When we hear this word repentance, we tend to
think there's something we’ve got to do before we can get the gift of eternal life, but this isn’t
what the word repentance means. The word in the Greek language of the New Testament means
to change your mind, not change the way you act. It essentially means you have been an
unbeliever as the Bible calls you and now you become a believer. Paul said it best in Acts
16:30-31,
“And after he brought them out, he said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They said,
‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you
will be saved, you and your household.’”
This is the word
repent. He had been an unbeliever and he became a believer. In this instance Paul and Silas had
been in prison for preaching the gospel. While they were praying and singing, the other prisoners
1009-Gods-Gifts-to-You-transcript.pdf
were listening, an earthquake occurred that caused the prison doors to open and all the chains
that bound them to fall off. The Roman jailer knew what would happen to him if his prisoners
escaped so he considered suicide, taking his own life. He was totally amazed when Paul said,
“Do yourself no harm, we are all here” (Acts 16:25-28). Is it possible that you are currently
chained and imprisoned to some particular sin in your life? I want you to know that God's
gracious gift to you this morning can break these chains and set you free. Isaiah's message
proclaims this in Isaiah 61:1,
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has
anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to
proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to prisoners.”
Again, are you chained to a particular
sin in your life? The gospel will open the chains and free you. The forgiveness of our sins and the
promise of eternal life was motivated by one simple act. It is best expressed by our Lord in John
3:16,
“For God so loved the world
[He loved you and He loved me in spite of who we are and
what we’ve done, He loved us.]
that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in
Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
It’s wonderful to know this. Maybe no one else loves
you, but I assure you that God does. You may be in a situation right now where you are
incarcerated and you think no one loves you, no one cares about you. This may be true in your
facility but I assure you God knows who you are. He knows where you are and He loves you. He
loves you dearly, so much so that He sent His uniquely born Son to die for you. In spite of the
mistakes we've committed, in spite of the sins we’ve committed, God loves us and has a gift for
us. This particular gift, the gift of eternal life, is greater than any gift we could ever receive from
any individual. James 1:17 says,
“Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above,
coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.”
Under your tree this morning is the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior.
You have a personal invitation from God to receive your gift today. John 1:12 says,
“But as
many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who
believe in His name.”
It doesn’t say to those who repent. It says to those who believe in His
name. You’ve been an unbeliever and you become a believer. Can you believe salvation is this
simple? You don't have to repent of your sin and promise God you’re never going to sin again,
you’re going to turn away from your sin and you’re so sorry that you did it. You can say these
things but this isn’t what saves you. What saves you is the finished work of Jesus Christ on the
cross. He did it already. Do you believe He’s the anointed Son of God? Do you believe He died
for you? Are you willing to express your faith and tell God the Father this? If you've never
received the gift of eternal life, I ask you to let me help you open your present. How can I do
this? I can lead you in a prayer as you ask God to save you. You can pray it along with me right
now, silently or out loud, whatever you want to do. If you’ve never done this before, if you're not
saved, have never received your gift, then pray these words with me today. “Heavenly Father, I
believe Jesus is Your anointed Son and that He died on the cross to pay for my sins. I ask You to
save me and give me eternal life. Thank you for hearing my prayer.” This is a simple prayer you
just prayed, a simple act of faith. You told God the Father that you believe Jesus Christ is His
1009-Gods-Gifts-to-You-transcript.pdf
anointed Son and He paid for your sins. You might think it didn’t work since you didn't feel
anything. “Nothing happened,” you say, “I didn't feel anything.” That's the way I was when I
accepted Christ. I didn't feel anything. I simply prayed a prayer with a friend. I got on my knees
in a home I had never been to before. I didn’t feel anything. It doesn’t have anything to do with
feelings. It has to do with facts and faith. Listen to Romans 10:13,
“For whoever will call on the
name of the Lord will be saved.”
Did you just do this? Did you just call on God to save you?
This is exactly what the verse says. You don't have to worry about it. You don't have to doubt it.
The gift of eternal life was given to you compliments of the grace of God and the finished work
of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. What a wonderful gift this is and no one is ever going to
take it away from you, I promise. Did you just pray, “Heavenly Father I believe Jesus is your
Son. He died on the cross to pay for my sins. I ask You to save me.” Would God lie to you about
this? When the Bible says,
“Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved,”
it means
He wouldn’t lie to you. In 1 John 5:13-15,
“These things I have written to you who believe in the
name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence
which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
[Is it
God’s will that we be saved? Absolutely.]
And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask,
we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him.”
These verses guarantee that
God heard your prayer and heard my prayer. Many years ago when I prayed, God heard my
prayer and He just heard your prayer, regardless of what we did, regardless of how we felt,
regardless of physically what took place. You didn't see any angels. You didn’t hear any harps but
you by faith asked God to save you and you told God you believed in the Lord Jesus Christ. Now
listen to what our Lord Jesus Christ said for you. Here’s His gift to you, listen carefully. Now
that you are His child, Hebrews 13:5,
“I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.”
He's
not going to bail out on you when you fail. I have failed so many times I can’t keep up with them
and yet He's never forsaken me. He's never left me. He’s never abandoned me, and the same for
you. When you asked Him to save you, when you committed to God the Father that you believe
that Jesus Christ is His anointed Son, He gave you eternal life. He gave you this gift. John
10:28-30 goes on to say,
“And I give eternal life to them
[the gift]
, and they will never perish;
and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater
than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
This is your guarantee. No one is going to come and take your gift away from you. He will not
leave you. He's not going to bail on you and no one can snatch it away from you. I read it to you,
listen again.
“I give eternal life to them and they will never perish; and no one is able to snatch
them out of My hand.”
No one is going to take it away. Not even Satan himself can take it away.
You see, by a simple act of faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ through His death,
His burial, and thank God for His resurrection, we now have been born again and start a new life.
2 Corinthians 5:17 clearly says,
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old
things passed away; behold, new things have come.”
You have a new life today. You were born
again, born again spiritually, not physically. You’re the same person physically. You look just the
1009-Gods-Gifts-to-You-transcript.pdf
same physically but internally you have been born again. Your soul has been born again. Your
spirit has been born again. You have a spiritual birthday. You have a body. You have a soul,
mentality, volition, emotion and consciousness. You had a dead human spirit. You were dead to
God. You were spiritually dead. When you are born again, you are made spiritually alive. You are
now alive spiritually. You are a new person. You are a spiritual being and God's gift to you does
not stop at this. Your salvation today is not the end of the gift, but rather those gifts that He has
for you will continue daily for the rest of your life, I promise you. In Matthew 7:11,
“If you then,
being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is
in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!”
This is not the end of the gifts. The gifts are
just beginning once you come into the family of God by faith alone in Christ alone. You now
have the ability to approach God's throne in prayer and you now have the ability to request things
for yourself and even intercede for others who have needs. In 1 John 5:14,
“This is the
confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears
us.”
You did ask Him to save you and this was His will. He heard you. Now you can pray and go
right to the throne of God. You don’t have to go through a priest. You are a priest. You are a
believer-priest and you have God the Holy Spirit living inside of you. What a wonderful thing
this is. But let me caution you about something. This gift of prayer that God bestows upon you,
the ability to go straight to His throne, requires you to follow some instructions. Often gifts at
Christmas have to be put together and they come with instructions. With the gift of prayer, there
are some instructions. Psalm 66:18,
“If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear.”
This means that you cannot pray with sin in your life. If you have unconfessed sin in your life,
your prayer will not be answered. You must learn how to deal with your sin which we teach on
The FLOT Line as rebound, problem-solving device #1. When we sin, if we go to God and admit
our sin per 1 John 1:9, He is faithful and just to forgive us and purify us from all wrongdoing.
You're going to sin. I didn't think I'd ever sin again after I became a Christian. It took about one
day, and I did, and I learned how to confess my sin. 1 John 1:9,
“If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
This is
what a Christian has to do when he fails. If you want God to answer your prayer, to pay attention
to your prayer, then you can't go to God with sin in your life because He won’t hear it. You have
to come to God through the filling of the Holy Spirit. This is another gift He has given to you. He
has given you the gift of eternal life through Christ Jesus. He has given you the gift of prayer, but
it requires you to follow instructions. He has given you the gift of the indwelling of God the
Holy Spirit who now lives in you. John 14:26,
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father
will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said
to you.”
The Holy Spirit lives in you. This also requires you to follow some instructions. If you
want the Holy Spirit to work in your life, there are instructions to do this. In Ephesians 5:18,
“Be
filled with the
[Holy]
Spirit.”
This is the instruction. The Holy Spirit indwells you but He doesn't
necessarily fill you. As a Christian you are indwelt by God the Holy Spirit but it’s possible this
morning you are not filled with the Holy Spirit. What keeps you from being filled with the Holy
1009-Gods-Gifts-to-You-transcript.pdf
Spirit? The sins you commit quench the Holy Spirit and grieve the Holy Spirit. They have to be
confessed. You say, “I can't keep up with every sin I’ve ever done.” I know that, neither can I.
Again, the verse says,
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness,”
even the ones you don't remember. If you're going
to have fellowship with God through the Holy Spirit, you must be filled with the Holy Spirit. You
are indwelt by the Holy Spirit at salvation. You are sealed by the Holy Spirit at salvation, no one
can take you out of the Father’s hand. But when you sin, you quench the Spirit, you grieve the
Spirit and you have to reclaim the filling of the Spirit by dealing with this sin by confessing it to
God. It’s like you said, “Okay Holy Spirit, move out of the way. I’m going to let my sin nature
run the show for a while.” Your sin nature is always going to be there. It’s always going to be a
part of your life until you die, until you get out of this earthly body and get a new body, a
resurrection body. It won’t have a sin nature. Thank goodness for that. But now the battle is
always going to be there. Paul said it best when he said,
“For what I am doing, I do not
understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate”
(Romans 7:15). This is the sin nature. The gift of the Holy Spirit requires us to be filled with the
Holy Spirit so we can access His power. A benefit of being filled with the Holy Spirit is the gift
of prayer is operational. If you're not filled with the Holy Spirit, you can pray until you are blue
in the face and there’s not going to be any response. There’s not going to be an answer because
you have quenched and grieved the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:26 says the Holy Spirit intercedes for
us. If He is not interceding for you, then God the Father is not hearing it. You have the gift of
prayer, what a wonderful gift. You have the gift of the indwelling of God the Holy Spirit with
instructions, be filled with the Holy Spirit. Prayer has instructions, to not do it with sin in your
life. Another wonderful gift from God that He has given to us is the canon of Scripture called the
Bible. God gave us the Bible, recorded instructions of how to navigate our way through the
devil’s world. In 2 Timothy 3:15,
“And that from childhood you have known the sacred writings
which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ
Jesus.”
This was Paul writing to Timothy telling him that the holy Scripture will help him
navigate through life. This is for you too. I don’t know if you have a Bible but you need a Bible
because it is God's gift to you. It is the recorded Word of God to you. The canon of Scripture is
yours and all your instructions are here for how to navigate your way through the devil’s world.
In Hebrews 4:12 it goes on to say,
“For the Word of God is living and active and sharper than
any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit and both joints and
marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”
It says,
“The Word of God
is living and active
[powerful]
.”
Matthew 24:35 says,
“My words will not pass away,”
they will
live forever. Your Bible is the Word of God to you. This is how you hear God speaking to you.
This is how you navigate yourself through the devil’s world, by reading, studying and learning
Scripture so understand this. The Bible is not a novel, it's a textbook. I warn you to be aware of
those people who distort the Bible for their own advantage because they are out there by the
thousands. I’ve never been so nauseated in my life looking at social media and seeing people
1009-Gods-Gifts-to-You-transcript.pdf
trying to communicate the Word of God and they don’t do it accurately. They come up with the
goofiest, craziest, weirdest stuff you’ve ever seen in your life. The Bible is not a novel. I’m glad
you read it but it's a textbook. It’s not designed for you to teach yourself. It’s designed to be
taught to you by someone who has the gift of pastor-teacher. John said in Revelation 22:18-19,
“I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book, if anyone adds to them,
God will add to him the plagues which are
written in this book; and if anyone takes away from
the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from
the holy city, which are written in this book.”
You better be careful, don't distort the Word of
God. The greatest challenge I face and the greatest challenge any preacher faces is to get it
accurate and correct, not misrepresent God. It is terrible to misrepresent God. It’s why 2 Timothy
2:15 says to the communicator,
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman
who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the Word of truth.”
If you can accurately
handle it, you can wrongly handle it. It’s all grace. The free gift of God is under the tree this
morning, the gift of eternal life. You don’t have to repent to get it. You have to believe to get it.
You have to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. I read you the Scripture
verse,
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His uniquely born Son, that whoever believes
in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”
You won’t find the repent stuff around in those
times when the Lord Jesus Christ was speaking to Nicodemus. He didn’t say, “You’ve got to
repent of all your sins Nicodemus.” You may change your mind about your sins, hopefully you
will. Once you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ there is a new way to live. There’s the filling of
the Holy Spirit. You don't have to let the sin nature contaminate, contain or condemn you any
longer. You now have a new way to live and it’s through the power of the Word of God to help
you navigate through the devil’s world. It’s through the gift of prayer that God has given to you
that you can go directly to His throne and talk to Him directly yourself. You don’t have to let
someone else talk to Him for you. You have the gift of Scripture. The Holy Spirit, Scripture and
prayer are three wonderful gifts that God has given to you. They are yours to use. Christmas is a
wonderful time of year. We all enjoy getting gifts and we enjoy giving gifts. The greatest gift of
all is the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. I’ll read Romans 6:23 to you one more time,
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Ephesians 2:8-9,
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it
is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Have you opened your
present? Have you received your gift? If not, I hope you will. I led you in prayer this morning. If
you prayed with me and you asked God to save you, get in touch with me. Go to my website and
let me know. Send me a note. Write me a letter because I want to send you a book that will help
you. It’s called
A Crash Course In Christianity
. It will explain exactly what happened to you. I
thank you for listening to me this morning. I hope you will open the gift that I told you about. I
hope you will receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. Until next week, this is your host
Rick Hughes saying thank you for listening to The FLOT Line
