American football player, 9th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
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6 episodes with Jack Kemp
8 episodes with Jack Kemp
5 episodes with Jack Kemp
6 episodes with Jack Kemp
2 episodes with Jack Kemp
2 episodes with Jack Kemp
2 episodes with Jack Kemp
2 episodes with Jack Kemp
2 episodes with Jack Kemp
He was physician to the late Apple founder Steve Jobs and former American politician and professional football player Jack Kemp. Dr. David Agus M.D., is a prominent oncologist and medical researcher who says that when it comes to treating cancer, there's been tremendous progress, but there's still a long way to go. In an episode of The David Rubenstein Show: Peer to Peer Conversations," Dr. Agus discussed the progress and challenges in cancer treatment, importance of early detection and how technologies like AI and stem cell therapies could transform healthcare in the future. This interview was recorded February 24 in New York. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Markets are imploding as Trump's tariff flip-flops create fear and confusion and wipe out $4 trillion on Wall StreetA sci-fi nightmare unfolds: Cortical Labs' "brain-in-a-box" fuses human neurons with AI, paving the way for DARPA and Musk to hijack your mind—think memory transplants and thought-controlled killing machines!Epstein's blackmail ghost haunts the administration, with Ukraine as the mafia's money-laundering playgroundAnd a sham "Bitcoin Reserve" exposes a taxpayer-funded Ponzi scheme hyped by Crypto Czar David Sacks.2:30 Trump's Tariff Tantrum: Chaos Crashes Markets, Wall Street Bros Cash In, and America's Farmers Face RuinTrump's rollercoaster is spiraling out of control, and it's a wild ride of chaos, greed, and betrayal! Wall Street bros are raking in millions as volatility soars, with Nancy Pelosi dropping a cool $5 million on Nvidia's dip like it's pocket change. Is this a master plan to bankrupt the nation like his casinos, or just a con man's gamble gone wrong? 20:53 Bitcoin Reserve is a Government-Sponsored Ponzi SchemeA "digital Ft Knox”? Does that mean we can't see what's in it? The shady “Digital Asset Stockpile” reeks of a public-private con job even more than the “Bitcoin Reserve”. “Crypto Czar” David Sacks is hyping Ripple, Solana, and Cardano AND saying no crypto will be purchases — when the feds DON”T EVEN OWN THEM! It's looking more and more like what Catherine Austin Fitts called it —— a taxpayer-funded "pump and dump,"54:37 LIVE audience comments 1:04:42 Epstein's Ghost Haunts Trump Administration: Pedophilia, Blackmail, and Ukraine's Dirty Money ExposedIn my interview with Catherine Austin Fitts the Trump administration's skeletons come tumbling out—Epstein's blackmail files loom large, with top officials trembling in fear. From Howard Lutnick's suspiciously cozy ties to Epstein's next-door mansion to Jack Kemp's terror-fueled breakdown amid the Franklin child trafficking coverup, the rot runs deep. Fitts drops a bombshell: Ukraine's not a war zone—it's a massive money-laundering hub tied to the Russian-Jewish mafia 1:08:41 Was X Really CyberAttacked by Ukraine? 1:11:07 Car Gadgets are LITERALLY Killing Us 1:14:30 LOL: Media Says Tech Will Evolve Us to Have Claw-like Hands 1:23:03 “Ego-nomics”: Will Trump Give Puerto Rico Independence to Save $617 BILLION? 1:27:32 LIVE audience comments 1:37:47 Brain in a Box: AI-Powered Human Brain Cells Unleash a Transhumanist Nightmare! Prepare to have your mind blown—literally! An Australian startup, Cortical Labs, has unleashed a sci-fi horror show with the world's first "biological computer," a shoebox-sized monstrosity packing hundreds of thousands of living human brain cells fused with silicon chips. Dubbed the CL-1, this Frankenstein machine runs on real neurons—think ant-sized brains in a nutrient bath—trained to play Pong and poised to "solve today's toughest challenges." From Elon Musk's transhumanist fantasies to DARPA's neurowarfare schemes, the Military Industrial Complex is racing to hack your brain, control your thoughts, and turn soldiers into mind-linked killing machines. Here's a look at the wide range of government programs around the world and what they admit achieving so far 2:06:03 Land Rich, Cash Poor: The Heartbreaking Collapse of the American Dream and a Family's Fight to SurviveThe gripping saga of Land, Rich, and Cash Poor, where Brian Reisinger unveils a century-long tale of resilience, heartbreak, and the shocking decline of the American farmer. From the rolling fields of Wisconsin to a world dominated by corporate greed and suffocating regulations, this is more than a family story—it's a chilling wake-up call echoing across the Western world. As small farms vanish at an alarming rate—45,000 a year!—and global forces conspire to choke out the little guy, Reisinger exposes the hidden crises, from tariffs to COVID, that pushed his family to the brink. Yet amid the despair, a flicker of hope emerges: a sister's bold vision, a father's quiet courage, and a rallying cry for a revolution to save our food, our heritage, and our future.If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-show Or you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to DavidKnight.gold for great deals on physical gold/silverFor 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to TrendsJournal.com and enter the code KNIGHTFor 10% off supplements and books, go to RNCstore.com and enter the code KNIGHTBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-david-knight-show--2653468/support.
Markets are imploding as Trump's tariff flip-flops create fear and confusion and wipe out $4 trillion on Wall StreetA sci-fi nightmare unfolds: Cortical Labs' "brain-in-a-box" fuses human neurons with AI, paving the way for DARPA and Musk to hijack your mind—think memory transplants and thought-controlled killing machines!Epstein's blackmail ghost haunts the administration, with Ukraine as the mafia's money-laundering playgroundAnd a sham "Bitcoin Reserve" exposes a taxpayer-funded Ponzi scheme hyped by Crypto Czar David Sacks.2:30 Trump's Tariff Tantrum: Chaos Crashes Markets, Wall Street Bros Cash In, and America's Farmers Face RuinTrump's rollercoaster is spiraling out of control, and it's a wild ride of chaos, greed, and betrayal! Wall Street bros are raking in millions as volatility soars, with Nancy Pelosi dropping a cool $5 million on Nvidia's dip like it's pocket change. Is this a master plan to bankrupt the nation like his casinos, or just a con man's gamble gone wrong? 20:53 Bitcoin Reserve is a Government-Sponsored Ponzi SchemeA "digital Ft Knox”? Does that mean we can't see what's in it? The shady “Digital Asset Stockpile” reeks of a public-private con job even more than the “Bitcoin Reserve”. “Crypto Czar” David Sacks is hyping Ripple, Solana, and Cardano AND saying no crypto will be purchases — when the feds DON”T EVEN OWN THEM! It's looking more and more like what Catherine Austin Fitts called it —— a taxpayer-funded "pump and dump,"54:37 LIVE audience comments 1:04:42 Epstein's Ghost Haunts Trump Administration: Pedophilia, Blackmail, and Ukraine's Dirty Money ExposedIn my interview with Catherine Austin Fitts the Trump administration's skeletons come tumbling out—Epstein's blackmail files loom large, with top officials trembling in fear. From Howard Lutnick's suspiciously cozy ties to Epstein's next-door mansion to Jack Kemp's terror-fueled breakdown amid the Franklin child trafficking coverup, the rot runs deep. Fitts drops a bombshell: Ukraine's not a war zone—it's a massive money-laundering hub tied to the Russian-Jewish mafia 1:08:41 Was X Really CyberAttacked by Ukraine? 1:11:07 Car Gadgets are LITERALLY Killing Us 1:14:30 LOL: Media Says Tech Will Evolve Us to Have Claw-like Hands 1:23:03 “Ego-nomics”: Will Trump Give Puerto Rico Independence to Save $617 BILLION? 1:27:32 LIVE audience comments 1:37:47 Brain in a Box: AI-Powered Human Brain Cells Unleash a Transhumanist Nightmare! Prepare to have your mind blown—literally! An Australian startup, Cortical Labs, has unleashed a sci-fi horror show with the world's first "biological computer," a shoebox-sized monstrosity packing hundreds of thousands of living human brain cells fused with silicon chips. Dubbed the CL-1, this Frankenstein machine runs on real neurons—think ant-sized brains in a nutrient bath—trained to play Pong and poised to "solve today's toughest challenges." From Elon Musk's transhumanist fantasies to DARPA's neurowarfare schemes, the Military Industrial Complex is racing to hack your brain, control your thoughts, and turn soldiers into mind-linked killing machines. Here's a look at the wide range of government programs around the world and what they admit achieving so far 2:06:03 Land Rich, Cash Poor: The Heartbreaking Collapse of the American Dream and a Family's Fight to SurviveThe gripping saga of Land, Rich, and Cash Poor, where Brian Reisinger unveils a century-long tale of resilience, heartbreak, and the shocking decline of the American farmer. From the rolling fields of Wisconsin to a world dominated by corporate greed and suffocating regulations, this is more than a family story—it's a chilling wake-up call echoing across the Western world. As small farms vanish at an alarming rate—45,000 a year!—and global forces conspire to choke out the little guy, Reisinger exposes the hidden crises, from tariffs to COVID, that pushed his family to the brink. Yet amid the despair, a flicker of hope emerges: a sister's bold vision, a father's quiet courage, and a rallying cry for a revolution to save our food, our heritage, and our future.If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-show Or you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to DavidKnight.gold for great deals on physical gold/silverFor 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to TrendsJournal.com and enter the code KNIGHTFor 10% off supplements and books, go to RNCstore.com and enter the code KNIGHTBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-david-knight-show--5282736/support.
"Whiz Kid" Vinny Lospinuso tells us why two-time AFL Championship Quarterback should be considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
POPULISM: In praise of Jack Kemp, GOP Populist. @ThadMcCotter @theamgreatness 1925 Scopes Trial, Dayton Penn.
TO WATCH ALL FLYOVER CONTENT: www.flyover.liveTO WATCH ALL FLYOVER CONTENT: www.flyover.liveCarter WrenCarter WrenTWITTER: https://x.com/carterwrenn TWITTER: https://x.com/carterwrennhttps://x.com/carterwrenn WEBSITE: https://talkingaboutpolitics.com/ WEBSITE: https://talkingaboutpolitics.com/https://talkingaboutpolitics.com/ BOOK: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Trail-of-the-Serpent/Carter-Wrenn/9781645720942 BOOK: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Trail-of-the-Serpent/Carter-Wrenn/9781645720942https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Trail-of-the-Serpent/Carter-Wrenn/9781645720942 In 1976, Carter Wrenn managed Ronald Reagan's campaign in North Carolina's Republican Presidential Primary. For twenty years, along with respected Raleigh Attorney Tom Ellis, he led Senator Jesse Helms' national political organization – leading two national independent campaigns to elect Reagan, and supporting Jack Kemp and Steve Forbes in their campaigns for President.In 1976, Carter Wrenn managed Ronald Reagan's campaign in North Carolina's Republican Presidential Primary. For twenty years, along with respected Raleigh Attorney Tom Ellis, he led Senator Jesse Helms' national politicalSend us a message... we can't reply, but we read them all!Support the show► ReAwaken America- text the word FLYOVER to 918-851-0102 (Message and data rates may apply. Terms/privacy: 40509-info.com) ► Kirk Elliott PHD - http://FlyoverGold.com ► My Pillow - https://MyPillow.com/Flyover ► ALL LINKS: https://sociatap.com/FlyoverConservatives
Caleb Smith may be the only political operative who's worked for three consecutive US House Speakers. During over a decade on Capitol Hill, he worked with Speakers Boehner, Ryan, and McCarthy. In this conversation, Caleb talks his path to politics from managing a legislative race in small-town Kentucky to working in some of the most prime real estate at the US Capitol building. He goes in-depth on his time on the Hill - being in the early wave of digital political staffers, joining Speaker Boehner's staff, strengths and weaknesses of the last 3 GOP Speakers, witnessing the rise of Trump from within the walls of the GOP establishment, starting Drive Public Affairs, and much more from a participant in some of the most important political moments of the 21st Century.IN THIS EPISODEGrowing up in Paducah, KY at an important crossroads of American politics...Why a young Caleb trekked to DC to attend the memorial for Ronald Reagan...The skill set Caleb picked up managing a motorcycle shop between campaign gigs...Caleb spends a year working for prominent pollster & focus group maven Frank Luntz...Caleb manages a winning hometown Kentucky legislative race, the lone D to R legislative flip of the cycle...Caleb comes to the Hill as a "new media director" among the digital political revolution...Caleb's first impressions of working for Speaker John Boehner...Caleb's "GOP House Conference 101" of how House Republicans operate...The GOP member Caleb describes as a "snake in the grass" (it's not Matt Gaetz)...What sold John Boehner on embracing digital politics..John Boehner meets the pope...Caleb's memories of the chaos during the Boehner to Ryan Speaker transition and why Caleb stuck it out with Ryan...The "really unpleasant" first interaction Caleb had with Paul Ryan...Caleb on the unique skill-set that made Paul Ryan an effective House leader...Being a fly on the wall of the House GOP leadership during the 2015-2016 rise of Donald Trump...Paul Ryan's immediate Election Night reaction upon Trump's surprise victory...Inside the development of the 2017 "Trump Tax Cut" bill...Paul Ryan's reaction when John McCain scuttled Obamacare Repeal...Caleb's insights into the Donald Trump and Paul Ryan working relationship...Why Ryan steps down as Speaker and why Caleb stayed with new House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy...Caleb on McCarthy's habit of being a "risk taker"...Inside the toppling of Speaker McCarthy...Could Patrick McHenry have won the Speaker's Gavel...Caleb on one of Speaker Pelosi's strongest qualities...The controversial high-profile House member Caleb believes will be a future GOP Leader...Junior members Caleb finds especially impressive...Caleb on the fundamental difference between House Republicans and House Democrats...Why Caleb started Drive Public Affairs a few months ago...AND the American Conservative Union, American University, antiquated radio addresses, Sharron Angle, The Better Way Agenda, Stephanie Bice, Kevin Brady, Tim Burchett, George HW Bush, George W. Bush, CPAC, Dave Camp, Joe Cannon, Eric Cantor, The Capitol Rotunda, Centre College, Jason Chaffetz, Michael Cloud, country clubs vs. truck stops, cults of personality, Howard Dean, debating at Oxford, dial tests, Domino's Pizza, fall guys, famous smokers, fiscal cliffs, The Freedom Caucus, Matt Gaetz, Barry Goldwater, Jeb Hensarling, French Hill, Erin Houchin, Jack Kemp, Sue Lowden, Nancy Mace, John McCain, Mark Meadows, Steve Mnuchin, mopeds, Jack Nicklaus, normalizing ideas, Ralph Norman, Rand Paul, Harry Reid, Marco Rubio, the SALT deduction, Tim Scott, sloven appearances, The Tonight Show.. & more!
Braves bats wake up in Seattle, Orlando Arcia's star turn, Mississippi Masher, FSU QB dies, Bad Deion resurfaces, stopping CFB players from opting out of bowl games, Falcons strange NFL Draft revisited, Cousins vs Penix, new Bears stadium goes down in flames, Chris Sale domination, Shohei Otani's gambling woes, being in 1st place on May 1, Mike Trout injured again, Scherzer's setback, Rockies plumb new depths, no MLB team in Monterrey please, Royals & Chiefs homeless? Bison 1 Man 0, Tommy Lee wins Kentucky Derby? the great Earl Campbell, David Beckham, Kyle Busch, Sarah Langs battle with ALS, WWI veteran tennis player, Norm Van Brocklin, Jack Kemp, Junior Seau, Bobby Unser, 1st NL homer, Hall of Famer Rube Waddell traded for a cigar, night lights, Lou Gehrig benches himself, Ted Williams joins the Marine Corps, all-Jewish lineup, Stan Musial & Nate Colbert's record, gay umpire Dave Pallone's beef with Pete Rose, Nike's Chicks Dig the Long Ball ad with Glavine and Maddux, the ballad of Jarrod Saltalamacchia, plus Pete's Tweets, This Day in Sports History, Ripley's Believe It or Not! and quotes from Elston Howard and Branch Rickey!
Prompt the First - Guadalcanal But also: The Pacific (2010)- last time did Band of Brothers, Taylor Swift — 1:12:50 in Long Pond sessions - association between Guadalcanal fighting and pandemic trauma. — Epiphany Available on Disney+ And it was in fact released IN 2020 - before vaccines were available, while effectively lockdown was still ongoing. And also - just barely related the Ahwanee was initially commissioned for the Navy in 1943. The official website said the the first men sent were veterans of Okinawa….which was two years later. Turns out the actual men sent there were from the naval hospital in Oakland CA - near San Francisco, that is - and were veterans of…Guadalcanal. Prompt the Second - Waiting on that Welfare Check From Bruce Springsteen's The River - Point Blank The P.J. O'Rourke reference can be found in the "Poverty Policy" chapter of "Parliament of Whores." I misremembered a couple of items in it, so: It came from a visit to the "loathsome and terrifying" Newark project He refers to the idea of "buying" the apartment as "the current conservative wisdom," and "Jack Kemp-style privatization" Residents would purchase their apartments, no down payment, mortgage payment no more than what they paid for rent. In response to each of his arguments, the lady responds "I'm not going for any of that." The final response calls it not a toilet but "this seven-story sewer in the sky that she lived in" and was, again and finally "I'm not going for any of that." Prompt the Third - Ruined Technology Xz exploit inserted in open source code https://twitter.com/nolman/status/1781400531745017966/photo/1 May be notable - perhaps a change in pov https://x.com/ryxcommar/status/1773082844643934543?s=46&t=h3SDrddBzjyl2UOHr9Q3xA That it's becoming a choice (kinda again, kinda) that you ca pay 150K for a junior data engineer, or 200K for a senior, getting much more experience for a nominal increase in salary.
Kent Hance served 6 years in the House from West Texas, was Chair of the Texas Railroad Commission, and had an 8-year tenure as Chancellor of the Texas Tech University System - but his most famous political accomplishment is as the only person to ever defeat George W. Bush in a political campaign. He also hosts his own podcast, The Best Storyteller in Texas, where he mines his favorite political stories and weighs in on the news of the day. In this conversation, Chancellor Kent Hance talks about his famous 1978 win over George W. Bush in an open-seat congressional...his preceding time in the Texas State Senate, his time in the House carrying landmark legislation for President Reagan, running statewide, helming a major public university system, memories of iconic political figures, and some of his best stories from 6+ decades in politics.IN THIS EPISODE...Growing up in rural West Texas...How the books his mother chose to read to him as a child led to a lifelong interest politics...A Kent Hance best-practice for avoiding troublemakers at town hall meetings...How he took on a West Texas political machine to beat a sitting State Senator in 1974...Chancellor Hance shares his memories of iconic Texas political figures John Connally, Lloyd Bentsen, and Ann Richards...Going in-depth about his good friend and former colleague, Congresswoman Charlie Wilson...How Kent Hance beat George W. Bush for Congress in an open seat race in 1978...The 1978 Hance campaign tactic that stuck with George W. Bush for 30+ years...Memories of sponsoring President Reagan's historic, controversial tax cut in the early 1980s.Highlighting a major difference in the leadership style of Presidents Reagan and Trump...Coming up short running for Senate in 1984...Demystifying what it's like serving on the Texas Railroad Commission...What led to becoming Chancellor of the Texas Tech University System...The curveball of the Texas Tech football coach he helped hire becoming now-US Senator Tommy Tuberville...AND $1.2 Billion, AT&T, Jodey Arrington, Coalter Baker, Jim Baker, bank charters, Choc Blanchard, Doc Blanchard, Laura Bush, The Committee for the Survival of a Free Congress, Barber Conable, dealmakers, Bob Dole, Ken Duberstein, Phil Gramm, hardcore Navy guys, Tommy Joe Harrison, hating Communists, Chic Hecht, Vic Henry, Bill Hobby, Lee Iacocca, Jack Kemp, LBJ, Little Britches, George Mahon, mail carriers, Wilbur Mills, Walter Mondale, the New England Journal of Medicine, Don Pease, Sam Rayburn, Walter Rogers, Dan Rostenkowski, Preston Smith, talking heads, trial lawyers, Donald Trump, Paul Weyrich, whipping the Russians, Clayton Williams, windfall profits tax...& more!
The son of a mafia boss that went undercover with the CIA & FBI against the Buffalo Family joins the show. We start with his as a child being a food thief and stories about when he learned his father was a made man, being told he was in the “Army” & meeting Rocky Marciano. Learning how the mafia-controlled congress, has ties to President, politicians, & law enforcement officials. Does he have doubt on how our country functions? After he talks about Sammy Pieri and dealing with the union, he goes into how a mobster in Danny Domino saves his life. When and how he started cooperating with the FBI and CIA. Being linked by Chicago newspapers & TV Stations to organized crime. US Attorney Dennis Vacco being crooked which made Ron's life difficult, the reasoning for the Union President & his attorney to investigate his background. Ron sets the record straight on Jack Kemp if he was mobbed up. How it all started, training and infiltrating the Russian Mafia. YES, he has met Putin and talked about it. The inside scoop of how Dan Moldea, Robert DeNiro, and Ron helped Gennadi Vasilenko get out of jail and safely to the USA. Who is more terrifying the LCN or Russian Mafia? We conclude with his true feelings for the mafia and his proudest memory.Ron Fino LinksBook Mr. Undercover: https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Undercover-Story-Operative-Ronald/dp/108788599XFollow Ron on Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/ronald.fino/ Before the Lights Links:Get Tommy a Glass of Vino: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/beforethelightsBecome a BTL Member: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/supportBefore the Lights Website: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/Please Rate & Review the show!Support the showFollow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beforethelightspodcast/Follow the show on Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/beforethelightspodcast/Follow the show on Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beforethelightspodcast?lang=enFollow Tommy on Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/tcanale3Rate & Review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/before-the-lights/id1501245041Email the host: beforethelightspod@gmail.com
Barry Goldwater Jr. grew up in politics as the son of the influential Senator and '64 GOP Presidential Nominee. He has a one-of-a-kind story of witnessing his father's political rise and then his own political career with his House tenure spanning parts of 3 decades. In this conversation, he talks his early memories in a political household, key moments in his father's career, his own political trajectory in Southern California, and the difficulties and opportunities he's found in life after leaving office. IN THIS EPISODEBorn into a political family in Phoenix, AZ…The story of Goldwater's Department Store and the rise of his father's political career…The surprise that took him to a different state and different profession than expected…The coin flip that set Barry Goldwater Sr. on a path in Republican politics…Memories of the '64 Goldwater presidential campaign…The Goldwater / JFK relationship and what a JFK vs Goldwater '64 campaign might have looked like…The story behind Senator Goldwater urging Nixon to resign at the height of Watergate…His read on Senator Goldwater's late-in-life pro-choice and pro-LGBT sentiments…Barry Goldwater Jr's first race for office in a 1969 House special election…Memories of the House of the 70s and 80s…The leadership skill he witnessed of Speaker Tip O'Neill….Barry Goldwater Jr and Ed Koch team up to pass a bipartisan Privacy Act…An important lesson learned from his mother…The story behind his race for US Senate in California in 1982…His read on Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger….How he approached being out of office for the first time in 14 years in his mid 40s…The story of being on the ballot in Louisiana as Ron Paul's VP candidate in 2008…His early thoughts on the 2024 GOP primary field…The story of Senator Goldwater's surprisingly close connection to President Clinton…Time spent around both President Reagan and Nancy Reagan…The guerilla tactic that helped Barry Goldwater Jr win his first election…The importance of a Higher Power in his life… AND apron pockets, Arizona State University, Best Always, brickbats, William F. Buckley, Burbank, John Burton, Phil Burton, cold calls, The Conscience of a Conservative, John Dean, Dwight Eisenhower, Newt Gingrich, S.I. Hayakawa, Carl Hayden, hiding in the bushes, Jewish peddlers, Lyndon Johnson, Chiang Kai-Shek, Jack Kemp, the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, Lockheed-Martin, the Mayflower, Mitch McConnell, Mike McCormack, the NAACP, Northrup-Grunman, nylon, the Pacific Coast Stock Exchange, Nancy Pelosi, raylon, John Rhodes, Hugh Scott, shenanigans, Janet Travell, Donald Trump, the Urban League, John Van De Kamp, the wild west, Mao Zedong…. & more!
Patrick Sullivan takes us through Patriots history - interweaving NFL legends such as Joe Namath, Lamar Hunt, Jack Kemp, Howie Long, Al Davis, Jack Tatum, Don Shula, and Bill Bidwill along the wayHear the innovations of his father, what was unique about the Pats playing at Fenway Park, the backstory of Schaefer Stadium, find out who initiated “The Great Flush”, how Patrick was physically assaulted by Matt Millen on the field after a game, and how his new company played a roll in Edelman's “miracle” catch in Super Bowl LI. This episode is chock-full of Untold Patriots Stories you'll wanna hear!
Join Roger in this week's Liberty + Leadership Podcast as he speaks with Randal Teague, chairman of The Fund for American Studies. Roger and Randy talk about his career journey in law and politics, while covering history, economics, international trade, and civil society. They discuss the need for a fresh approach to journalism and how America's polarization can be countered with courageous student leaders – both issues that TFAS strives to address. Randy and Roger also talk about the significance of teaching American history in high schools, his work with the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation & Museum and his pride in his four children. Randy Teague has been a member of TFAS's Board of Trustees since 1979 and was elected as chairman in 1998. Randy worked closely with one of TFAS's five founders, David R. Jones, at the time of the organization's incorporation. He served as editor of TFAS's publications in the 1970s; was a co-founder of TFAS Prague in 1993 and the founder of TFAS Greece in 1996. He also helped conceptualize the Capital Semester program in 2003. Early in his career, Randy worked for former Rep. William C. Cramer of Florida, volunteered for the Goldwater presidential campaign, worked alongside Congressman Jack Kemp during the transformative tax reduction of the 1970s and practiced law in both Boston and Washington, D.C. Randy holds a bachelor's degree from American University, and J.D. and LL.M. with honors law degrees from George Washington University. He has also been conferred two honorary doctorates in law and humanities. The Liberty + Leadership Podcast is hosted by TFAS President Roger Ream and produced by kglobal. This episode was recorded at Reason Magazine's podcast studio. If you have a comment or question for the show, please drop us an email at podcast@TFAS.org. To support TFAS and its mission, please visit TFAS.org/support. To read a full transcript of the episode, click here.Support the show
Things get Hot and Hilarious In Los Angeles when the brilliant and beloved actress Wendie Malick ("Dream On," "Just Shoot Me!" and "Hot In Cleveland") joins Phil and David for a fun and free-flowing lunch full of great stories and big laughs. Phil and Wendie explore and celebrate their brief and little-seen screen marriage in the 2012 film "Jewtopia." David discusses the pleasure of getting to know and work with Wendie thanks to the Environmental Media Association. Wendie shares her amazing journey from growing up in Buffalo, New York, her time as a Wilhelmina fashion model, working for football legend turned Congressman Jack Kemp, and finally her fantastic and enduring acting career on stage and screen. All this PLUS a totally wild story about Hunter Thompson and call-in questions from Wendie's friend and co-star -- and former "Naked Lunch" guest -- Valerie Bertinelli, as well as EMA's CEO Debbie Levin. To learn more about the work of EMA, visit https://www.green4ema.org/. To learn more about building community through food and "Somebody Feed the People," visit the Philanthropy page at philrosenthalworld.com.
Budd Bailey, is the lead columnist for the Buffalo Sports Page, which reports on sporting events in Western New York. Bailey, has written stories on football, hockey, basketball, baseball, lacrosse, college sports, running as well as written book reviews on sports topics. Budd Bailey, was the Copy Editor/Reporter with the Buffalo News from 1994-2017 and covered the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League from 2009-2017 and the won the NLL's Media Person of the Year Award in 2011. From 1994-2001 Bailey covered the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. Greg D. Tranter, along with Budd Bailey have co-written a book about the Illustrated timeline history of the NFL's Buffalo Bills. The bonds between the Buffalo Bills are deep and numerous, and they've never been as strong as they are right now. The Bills currently rank as one of the best teams in the National Football League, and they certainly are one of its most exciting teams as well. With an ardent fan base that is second to none, no wonder the most popular phrase around Western New York these days is “Go Bills!” Such loyalty has been built up during the 60-plus years that the team has played football. There have been amazing highs and discouraging lows during that time, and those moments are all brought back to life in Buffalo Bills: An Illustrated Timeline of a Storied Team. The Buffalo Bills were born as members of the American Football League in 1960, and they soon rose to become champions in 1964 and 1965. The team has had some great moments since then, including record-breaking performances and a run of four straight Super Bowl appearances in the early 1990s that may never be duplicated. Meanwhile, some of football's top players – Jack Kemp, Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Bruce Smith, Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs – have worn the Bills' uniform. Authors Greg D. Tranter and Budd Bailey have seen almost all if it, from “The Hit ‘Heard Round the World” to Damar Hamlin's “Did we win?” after waking up in a Cincinnati hospital. Their recounting of such stories fill a book that will make you want to “Shout!” The Buffalo Bills: An Illustrated Timeline of a Storied Team is available wherever books are sold. #buddbailey #buffalosportspage #gregdtranter #livewithcdp #podcast #guest #buffalonews #newseditor #columnist #buffalobills #buffalosabres #buffalobandits #author #rayzorsedge #robray #youtube #facebooklive #twitter #audio #applepodcasts #googlepodcast #spotify #spotifyforpodcasters #iheartradio #amazonmusic #tunein #stitcher #linkedin #radiopublic #breaker #pocketcasts #linkedin #overcast #barrycullenchevrolet #sponsorship #book #history #nationalfootballleague
Roger Stone is an American conservative political consultant and lobbyist. Since the 1970s, Stone has worked on the campaigns of Republican politicians, including Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Jack Kemp, Bob Dole, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump. Books by Roger Stone: The Man Who Killed Kennedy: The Case Against LBJ Nixon's Secrets: The Rise, Fall and Untold Truth about the President, Watergate, and the Pardon The Clintons' War on Women Jeb! and the Bush Crime Family The Making of the President 2016: How Donald Trump Orchestrated a Revolution Stone's Rules: How to Win at Politics, Business, and Style Website: https://stonezone.com epsteinjustice.com nickbryantnyc.com twitter : Nick__bryant
On today's show, John Helmer discusses the dangerous possibilities of a potentially lethal attack, by Ukrainian Forces, on a nuclear power plant in Ukraine that could lead to a mass casualty event. Dr Paul Craig Roberts, former Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy discusses the ongoing decline of the US Dollar. GUEST 1 OVERVIEW: John Helmer is the longest continuously serving foreign correspondent in Russia, and the only western journalist to direct his own bureau independent of single national or commercial ties. He first set up his bureau in 1989, making him today the doyen of the foreign press corps in Russia. Born and educated in Australia, then at Harvard University, Helmer has also been a professor of political science, of sociology, and of journalism, and an advisor to government heads in Australia, Greece, the United States, and Sri Lanka. Today Helmer is one of the most widely read Russian specialists in the business world for his news-breaking stories on Russian base and precious metals, diamonds, mining, shipping, insurance, food trade, and business policy. GUEST 2 OVERVIEW: Dr. Paul Craig Roberts is the recipient of the US Treasury Department's Meritorious Service Award for “his outstanding contributions to the formulation of United States economic policy.” President Reagan appointed Dr. Roberts Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and he was confirmed in office by the U.S. Senate. Together with Jack Kemp, Dr. Roberts is regarded as the co-architect of the Reagan Revolution and was credited as the primary author of the original draft of the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981. After leaving government, Dr. Roberts held the William E. Simon chair in economics at the Center for Strategic and International Studies for ten years and served on several corporate boards. In 1987 Roberts was invested into the Legion of Honour at the rank of chevalier (knight) by President of France François Mitterrand. He is also recipient of the United States Treasury's Meritorious Service Award and the International Journalism Award for Political Analysis from the Mexican Press Club. A former associate editor at The Wall Street Journal, his articles have also appeared in The New York Times and Harper's, and he is the author of more than a dozen books and a number of peer-reviewed papers. His books include The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism; How the Economy Was Lost; The Neoconservative Threat to World Order: America's Perilous War for Hegemony and The Tyranny of Good Intentions. His website is http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/ GUEST 3 OVERVIEW: IQ Al Rassooli is a scholar and author of the trilogy books Lifting the Veil: The True Faces of Muhammad and Islam and is an Iraqi who lives in exile and is a former Muslim.
This episode is brought to you by Arcade Monsters | https://www.arcademonsters.com/ | Revolution Coffee | USE PROMO CODE "LEGENDARY" FOR A DISCOUNT | https://revolutioncoffeecompany.com/ | and Luxurious Bastard Beard Co | https://luxuriousbastardco.com/ Roger Jason Stone is an American conservative political consultant and lobbyist. Since the 1970s, Stone has worked on the campaigns of Republican politicians, including Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Jack Kemp, Bob Dole, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump. As always, this show is hosted by comedian Anthony Rogers and rockstar Sean Danielsen from Smile Empty Soul.
This week on Breaking Battlegrounds, Sam and Chuck are joined by friend of the show and former Fox News executive Ken LaCorte. Ken is also the host of the Elephants in Rooms podcast. -Connect with us:www.breakingbattlegrounds.voteTwitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_BattleFacebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegroundsInstagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegroundsLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds-TranscriptionSam Stone: [00:00:11] Welcome to another episode of Breaking Battlegrounds with your host, Chuck Warren. I'm Sam Stone on the line with us today, returning guest and friend of the program, Ken Lacourt. Ken is the host of Elephant in the Room, a fantastic podcast. I highly encourage all of you to check it out. He writes about censorship, media malfeasance, which gives him lots of materials these days. Uncomfortable questions and honest insight for people curious how the world really works, which too often isn't the media these days, is it? Ken? And thank you for joining us. Welcome to the program.Ken LaCourt: [00:00:47] Oh, thanks for having me on again, guys.Chuck Warren: [00:00:48] So I want to talk about a poll that came out today by USA Today on the third party candidate. But the Republicans are elephants, Democrats are donkeys. What would be the animal ascribed to the third party movements? Anyone know you asking me that? Yeah. What should it be? What should it be? They need an animal. I mean, we've got elephants, Republicans, donkeys, Democrats. What? I don't.Sam Stone: [00:01:10] Know. Porcupine. Keep everyone the heck away.Ken LaCourt: [00:01:12] Yeah, and Porcupine used to be. Didn't that used to be a GOP thing from years and years back or.Sam Stone: [00:01:17] It was. Yeah. No. Yeah.Ken LaCourt: [00:01:19] A Whig thing. That wouldn't be too bad. You know, the problem is it'd have to be the disappearing cat. Because as much as we always see a poll out there like that and I mean, look, it's hard to, to bypass the fact that the top two nominees, the top two likely nominees right now, both have about a 33% approval rating in national national polls.Sam Stone: [00:01:41] I saw that in some polling yesterday, Chuck. And I was astounded at how much the country hates both Biden and Trump.Chuck Warren: [00:01:48] Yeah, they're done. So there's a poll that came out today by USA Today. It's done over the fifth and 9th of June and it shows 2024 national general election. Biden 34%, Trump 32, third party, 23. And then another one, Biden 33%. Desantis 26. Third party, 25. Desantis. Just people aren't familiar yet. I mean, I think his numbers are probably the same as Trump. I think he could do better. But so I looked it up and the same time in June in 1992, had Perot at 36%, George Herbert Walker Bush at 30%, and Bill Clinton at 26%. We just recycle. Well.Sam Stone: [00:02:26] Perot was, you know, as much as as much as the media glommed on. I remember that campaign pretty vividly. The media really glommed on Perot. He had a lot to say that was outside of the mainstream of both parties. I think you get a little of that with Vivek Ramaswami, but for the most part, you don't know.Chuck Warren: [00:02:44] So so, Ken, the question is, what do you think? What is the what is the ceiling for a third party candidate in the 2024 general election, do you think?Ken LaCourt: [00:02:53] I think that the the real ceiling is zero because the ceiling in running for president isn't isn't whether you can get 5 or 10% of the votes and and Perot probably got a little bit under he ran twice he probably got a little bit under 20% in 92. And neither time did he get one single vote in the Electoral College. Right. So it a third party is fun to talk about. The system is not designed for that or it's certainly not designed to have one when as we have it shaped right now. And look, the only thing Republicans and Democrats agree on is that either a Republican or a Democrat should be running the country. I mean, they have complete unanimity on that and they design all the rules to help bolster that. So I think any third party candidate, you'd have to look at who is he or she going to take votes away from as opposed to, oh, could this person get elected? It really just doesn't go beyond that.Chuck Warren: [00:03:49] Well, I see. I think Cornel West attempting to get the Green Party nomination could play some havoc in cities like Milwaukee, in Atlanta. Would you would you agree on that?Ken LaCourt: [00:04:01] Yeah. Look, if you can get I mean, look, the trick to putting a third party or having a third party person run where it helps you out is get somebody who you think would siphon votes from your opponent anywhere. So I've seen, for instance, in a in a statewide race in in Hawaii where a green candidate won, siphoned off a decent amount of votes from the Democrat, and it gave a Republican, you know, a chance to win a race in a very, very blue state. So, yeah, certainly I think in any close states, if you said, wow, here is a look, a popular libertarian will pull votes from the Republican. A popular green will pull votes from the Democrats.Chuck Warren: [00:04:43] Agree. All right. Let's talk about CNN. Cnn seems to be I know everybody likes to focus on Fox, but CNN has its own share of problems right now. Tell us a little about our audience, a little bit about that can and what's going on there and what do you foresee for CNN's future?Ken LaCourt: [00:04:59] Well, you know, CNN started this whole game. I mean, right. I mean, I worked at Fox for 20 years. I might not have had that job if it wasn't for Ted Turner and him saying, hey, I got a crazy idea. Let's go. 24 seven with news and they had a monopoly for a very long time. And of course you do well when you have a monopoly, right? We came in, MSNBC came in, and CNN kind of tried to you know, they were always leaning left, but they weren't like hard core left like they've become in the last five, five, seven, ten years, really, five, seven years. So as that as kind of Americans got a little bit more polarized as the media started getting more polarized, they found themselves in a bad position. Msnbc was was pulling in the hard core Dems, Fox News was pulling in conservatives, and they kept diminishing in the Trump years. Cnn did great. I mean, it's like, you know, people rage. Watch Donald Trump and that helps ratings. It helps money. It helps all sorts of things. I mean, you know, the Never Trumpers, you know, the professional never Trumpers out there.Ken LaCourt: [00:06:02] They're praying that he runs again. So they did okay during that. But then when he you know, then when he was off the stage, their numbers just went in the toilet. And I mean, you know, people are saying, my gosh, Fox News numbers are down after the whole Tucker thing. And they're right. But I looked at the numbers yesterday, the lowest rated original show, not repeat, but the lowest rated show on Fox News is Trace Gallagher Show because it's on at midnight, midnight Eastern, Trace Gallagher's lowest rated show beat every single hour of CNN during the day, every one of their prime time shows just, you know, it towered over all of those. So CNN has a ratings problem, but they're still making money. I mean, that's another dirty secret is is they're probably they're probably profiting a billion bucks a year even with those crappy ratings. So, you know, but look, they've become they've become like what people always accused Fox of. They've become you know, they're not fair and balanced journalists. They are hard.Sam Stone: [00:07:01] It's an ideological echo.Ken LaCourt: [00:07:02] Chamber, ideological driven thing. So the new the new guy went in and said that he had the support of David Zaslav, who is the is the chairman or CEO of Discovery, which owns that, but he's also a corporate guy who's not going to you know, these guys look out for themselves before they look out for anything else. So Chris Licht went and was told to, you know, make it more moderate. Let's go back to getting kind of both sides in. Let's not be a hard core. Let's even if it costs us a little bit of ratings and money in the meantime, let's do this. Well, he did that and tried that. Really, he did more talking about it than actually accomplishing something. And all the lefties and all the lefties at CNN, which is 90% of the staff, freaked the hell out. And how could he do this and how could he do that? And it was a drama, you know, And then he stupidly lets a, you know, a mainstream reporter walk around and follow him for two weeks with a tape recorder recording every single stupid thing he says. And that was kind of the final, don't you?Chuck Warren: [00:08:00] Don't you find don't you find that I find that interesting. He did that. And you find this with candidates a lot. They always just think they're smarter than the person following them with a tape recorder.Ken LaCourt: [00:08:09] You know, it never works. Never, never. And, you know, part of it is these people are because I just did a longer one on that. It wasn't about me, although then it turned out to be me by some scumbag reporter. And they're they're nice people. They're engaging, they're smart. You have like, good intellectual conversations with them and you think that it's going along okay, and then they get their, you know, their 50 hours of tape and say, okay, where did this guy say something that I can twist into making it look like he's a whatever ist? Or if there is these days he's a racist, he's a homophobic, he's a this, he's a that.Sam Stone: [00:08:45] Looking at it.Ken LaCourt: [00:08:46] That's what their game.Sam Stone: [00:08:47] Looking at it from the outside. I really felt like Licht and Donald Trump essentially made the same mistake, which is they didn't realize how deeply they had to clean house on day one to have any chance at all. I think he had a lot of arrogant mistakes. He clearly overestimated himself. But start right there. Well, look, it's.Chuck Warren: [00:09:05] The same problem. You know, Republicans now, their big thing is we're going to move FBI out of DC. We're going to clean up the Department of Justice. The problem is you can't clean up any of these unless you have a wholesale cleaning out of the house, because when you still leave people behind, they have their loyalties. Am I wrong on that, Ken?Ken LaCourt: [00:09:21] No, you're absolutely right. And what you it's more difficult to do in the federal government because you can't just fire everybody at the Doe. You you can only you can only affect the handful of top politically appointed jobs and everybody else is protected. Look, when the when the Murdochs took over Fox and they did this to the Wall Street Journal and they've done this, they went about very quickly in changing the corporate culture. And that's why Fox is kind of wussy these days. So what does that mean? Well, part of it is they with The Wall Street Journal, they physically moved the company. You used to have offices here. Now you have offices down the street. And that just it signals to everybody this is a different place. This is a different you know, it's all different. Well, at Fox, they did the same thing. They didn't move them physically. But like Roger Ailes office doesn't exist anymore. The entire second floor where all the executive. Fox is now a newsroom. So they just gutted it, made all of the trappings of the past gone and they and they redid it. Second thing is, is you go in and you take over. And this is why so many companies are are so woke around the world or the country at least is you take over the HR department and you get them doing different things and you get them treating treating people differently and instilling whatever values you try to bring in there. So Fox News now and this just came out is you know they've got they get pride month and and you know trans trans crossword puzzles for the employees I mean there's all sorts of just kind of like you're really going on at Fox. So they needed to change that corporate culture and said he went out and talked about doing it and then just it just it just bounced off. But look, this is a this is a guy who'd never really run anything larger than a show. So even if he kind of had good editorial chops, he probably didn't have deep management chops.Chuck Warren: [00:11:11] Well, and and again, it's one of these things and this this story as old as time. You know, he comes in, you have the owner of it, Time Warner, say, you have our support. You do what you need to do. You have our support. So he goes in, like you said, he doesn't have experience. He's fumbling through it, but he's making changes. The powers that be that stayed are hairs up on the back of their neck. And guess what? Time Warner said, Oh, no, it's just too much disruption. We can't do it. And that's why things don't change.Sam Stone: [00:11:39] He also had, to me, a fatal flaw in that he wanted, as most people do, he wanted to be liked. Yeah. And coming into that job, you can't consider that.Chuck Warren: [00:11:49] No, no. The Roger. The Roger Ailes cared if he was liked or not.Ken LaCourt: [00:11:53] They used to joke that that, you know, Republicans never get invited to parties in New York City and he just didn't care. But that's but that's really that's really important to be liked by. He wanted to be liked by Rupert Murdoch. And he was always very clear. He's like, Rupert doesn't keep me around because he really likes me. He likes me because I hit my numbers every quarter.Chuck Warren: [00:12:14] And which is which is business. Which is business, right?Ken LaCourt: [00:12:18] They look, if they really wanted to make those changes, they should have told Chris to go in, do some wholesale firings. You know, he did a couple of little shiftings. It's like we take Don Lemon and we put him in the morning show and it's like, well, you got rid of the fat kid, Brian Stelter.Chuck Warren: [00:12:32] It's like it's like the guy in the subway, red cups. I mean, he.Sam Stone: [00:12:34] Was like the easiest. Stelter was like the easiest guy in the world to fire. Folks. We're going to be coming back with more in just a moment. Breaking battlegrounds. Be sure to go to breaking battlegrounds, vote. Download all of our past episodes. You can check those out there. We're on Substack, Spotify, all the various places, Apple Podcasts, everywhere you get your podcasts, breaking battlegrounds is there. And we're back in a moment. Welcome back to Breaking battlegrounds with your host, Chuck Warren. I'm Sam Stone. Hey, folks, are you looking for a great way to earn a fantastic return on your money and actually do good by doing well for yourself? You need to check out investyrefycom that's invest the letter y then refy.com? They are taking distressed student loans. They're refinancing them. You can actually invest in what they're doing. You can earn up to a 10.25% fixed annual rate of return and you're helping a student get out of debt, get their credit back online. This is the the most basic form of capitalism. One person with a need, another person with an opportunity coming together to help each other. So check out investyrefy.com or give them a call at 888 y Refy 24 and tell them Chuck and Sam sent you.Chuck Warren: [00:13:52] Can I want to ask a question here? If you were running any Republican opponent in the primary against Donald Trump, what is the message you would be selling to people or is there a message that would even work? Do you think?Ken LaCourt: [00:14:06] That's a tough one? I actually think that the DeSantis is. I'm not sure if his delivery is as good as it needs to be for him to really rise and be a captivating and charismatic candidate. But I think the concept but but I think his overall platform is good, which is I did stuff I didn't just sit out and give a speech on here and complain about something. I actually made the government work for us. And whether that was in changing some of the education things, both in keeping keeping, you know, gay gay salutes to the flags out of third grade classes. What did that he made some changes on the on the on the one what was it the one institution that they had that was a college that they had where he changed some things around. Right.Sam Stone: [00:14:54] He's the University of South Florida, I think it was. Yeah.Ken LaCourt: [00:14:58] So I think that that's actually a good thing because, you know, a decent comeback to Trump is, you know, you set a lot of great things, but the wall ain't there. And Omarosa didn't change whatever agency she was trying to do. And you fired half of your staff and hate them all. And, you know, you have good ideas and you're solid for that. But let's start winning. And you haven't done that except for one election. And that that concept, I think, you know, Republican, you could go to Republicans and say if you really want to upset Washington, elect somebody who can not only win the next campaign, but actually institute what they believe.Chuck Warren: [00:15:36] Exactly.Ken LaCourt: [00:15:37] That's not a terrible that's not a terrible.Chuck Warren: [00:15:39] No. Yeah, the proof's in the pudding type thing. All right. Let's talk quickly here. The one thing that really put DeSantis on the map is how he handled Covid. Now, you know, Jack Kemp, Governor Kemp did the same thing, but not quite with the fanfare. Ron was a little more in-your-face about it.Sam Stone: [00:15:55] In fairness, Ron was further out front of him. He kind of broke the trail. But him and Christie Noem.Chuck Warren: [00:16:01] Yeah, Kemp Kemp will argue with that. But my point is on the so Covid really was what put him on the map in a lot of ways. And there's a new book out by the Institute for Economic Affairs in London called Title Did Lockdowns Work The Verdict on Covid restrictions? And it is a slap against the government bureaucracy, against government health organizations. The quote from the book says, When it comes to Covid, models have many things in common dubious assumptions, hair raising predictions of disaster that miss the mark and few lessons learned. The science of lockdowns is clear. The data the data is in the life saved were a drop in the bucket compared to the staggering collateral cost imposed. And they say, for example, Neil Ferguson's infamous Imperial College of London model predicted lockdowns would avoid 1.7 to 2.1 million Covid deaths. The study actually finds that it reduced Covid deaths from 4300 to 15,000. Do you think being in the news business, how do you think they should have handled it? Now I get the first two weeks, all hell is breaking loose, right? They don't know. Right. But what do you think they should have done after a month or two months in the news business and handling Covid because they just didn't know It was like a moving target all the time and they weren't honest about it.Ken LaCourt: [00:17:16] On the news side or on the government.Chuck Warren: [00:17:17] Side? Both. Let's do news first. What you're really familiar with.Ken LaCourt: [00:17:21] Well, I mean. You know, news likes to scare you. Yes. And they don't sit around in their meetings and say that say, oh, how do we how do we frighten people from going from sending their kids to school? Because there was a school shooter here. They don't talk or even think in those ways, but it just kind of has the same effect. They sit around and say, what's a what's a oh, that's a very, very interesting story. Oh, that scares me. So part of it is that baked into their model is scaring the heck out of you look. But what was so on on on this was it just got caught up in. Trump Yes. Trump No, I mean, if you tell me who you voted for, I could tell you what you think about hydroxychloroquine or any of these pills. And the media was just as bad. So I think that they brought their banner. Trump doesn't wear a mask. He's a murderer mask. You know, everybody has to have a mask. Stay home. And I think that that that politics kind of override all of that. And if somebody would have had the.Ken LaCourt: [00:18:24] The.Ken LaCourt: [00:18:26] Time and the attitude to kind of be in the center on that. But I tell you, it is hard to win in the cable news game or the or the news game in general being a a centrist. Fair and balanced type person. That's not the stuff that people share. It's not what they want to watch. They don't want to watch the news shows. They want to watch Sean Hannity or Rachel Maddow kicking the other side in the teeth. And it's easy to blame the media, but the media is reflecting what we click on and what we turn on.Chuck Warren: [00:18:56] I'm thinking I'm going to make a I have a perfect example. So I was in DC this week and met with a friend who he used to play in the NHL. He's been the national marketing person for Adidas. I mean, he's a man about town, right? And we were there for these Icahn conferences and he was just talking about how disappointed he was on the news, not being more balanced and things of that nature. And then everything he fed me was from a MoveOn.org email. I mean, everything was so extreme. But in his mind, I'm being fair and balanced. There's just these crazy people. And like, he wouldn't even acknowledge that why we have our nut jobs on the right side. The left has more than their fair share as well. Actually, there are studies that show left wing activists are basically nuts and narcissists, right? I mean, there's actually studies on it. But he just didn't want to realize that fact. And you're right. So they they sell what they think is reasonable, but it's really just feeding what they already believe or want to believe.Ken LaCourt: [00:19:55] Yeah, I mean, that's that's what we click. That's what we share. That's what we talk about with our spouses when we get home. And it's a it's a model that is is not helping us overall, but it's kind of hard to point to the bad people in it.Sam Stone: [00:20:09] Guys. I you know, I actually think it was a little more nefarious than that with Covid because you clearly have this really deep connection between the two leading news agencies from which all other news agencies get their information. The Washington Post and The New York Times, with federal high level officials at a handful of federal agencies. And I really felt like they were playing this game where they were trying on the federal end to manipulate Donald Trump and then attack him for everything they were manipulating him into doing. I mean, call me a conspiracy theorist for that, but I really think the entire Covid narrative came is what it is and was what it was because they were trying to get rid of Donald Trump.Ken LaCourt: [00:20:55] Yeah, it's hard to kind of read people's hearts at a certain point. I can say that when I sit in political meetings on the left or the right, I see more people just wrongly, How do I say I see less nefariousness and more like people convincing themselves that they are saving lives, for instance, in this debate. So I suspect when you go in there, it's like, you know, when Trump doesn't wear a mask, he's killing people. Yeah, he's a murderer. Stop this. We got to do this. So, you know, it's usually easier and it's to say, well, they're probably all, you know, Soros types. And I don't want to I don't want to act like that doesn't exist there. I usually find that I usually find that people they they fool themselves into into thinking that they're going after the greater good, even if even if they're wrong.Sam Stone: [00:21:43] And we'll be coming back with more breaking battlegrounds in just a moment here. And more from Ken Lacourt. Folks, be sure to check out his podcast, Elephant in the Room, Breaking Battlegrounds. Back with more in just a moment. Welcome back to Breaking battlegrounds with your host, Chuck Warren. I'm Sam Stone. On the line with us right now, media expert Ken LeCourt. Check him out at Elephant in the Room, his fantastic podcast.Chuck Warren: [00:22:15] Ken, UFOs, are they real?Ken LaCourt: [00:22:20] You know, I don't know. But up until two weeks ago, I would have said, yeah, look, there may be other life and there probably is other life in other planets, but but not here. And you know, every person who's talking about UFOs, you know, they don't really look like the most intelligent person. And when they've done talking about UFOs, then they tell me about, you know, the Jews brought down the Twin Towers. And I started hearing all sorts of crazy conspiracies. But some weird stuff is going on. And the biggest thing is some news that has been just really ignored in almost all the mainstream press. And it's that a fairly high level national security, defense, intelligence guy who worked on some of this stuff came out with some just crazy concept saying, eh, that the United States has multiple alien crafts in its possession and is reverse engineering and has this stuff out there. So that was the essence of his claim. And you normally just say, forget it. But this was a guy who had the, you know, a GS 15 clearance who has has serious, serious people saying you should listen to this guy because he's he's real like a general and the former head scientist at at at one of our one of our top agencies he filed a whistleblower complaint, a complaint that he actually helped write the law for for UFO whistleblowers, which they now call UAP, unidentified aerial phenomena.Ken LaCourt: [00:23:52] And you can't dismiss him as a nut. Now, maybe he just took a whole a whole lifetime of being a serious guy and having high level government security clearances and whatnot, and just decided to lie and sell some books going on, although he may go to jail if that's the case, because he's given some specific testimony to Congress and he's going back and they're they're they've announced that they'll have some House oversight hearings on this. And he alleges that basically parts of the government and private industry really, really like that. It's kept at some of these these large defense contractors have been misleading the government have been lying about how they're spending money. And that's the basis of his of his of his whistle whistleblower lawsuit. Well, not a.Sam Stone: [00:24:37] Lawsuit, Ken. One thing that made me believe him more when this came out is the admission. You know, if you go back in 2020, the Air Force admitted that they've had numerous encounters with what they identified as uaps, unidentified aerial phenomenon aircraft or some type of craft moving in ways that atmospheric flight craft cannot move. Right. And they actually put out some of those videos. And then here you have this guy coming along with testimony from a slightly different agency and angle, but it's certainly not contradictory information. So yeah, I'm putting on the tinfoil on this one.Ken LaCourt: [00:25:16] And and yeah, it's kind of weird. It's just, you know, to have your mind kind of ripped into two two directions, neither of which should be true or should be believable without with our current understanding of life. But yeah, look, NASA, NASA held a hearing two weeks ago where they showed some of that some of those footage of metal spheres that are flying through the air and doing weird things and they're like, We have these on visual, we have these on on radar, we have these on multiple sensor type of systems. So we don't think it's, you know, we think that these things are actually real and we really can't explain it. And then it puts so many past guys that you said, Oh, he was a nut, he's a nut. She's a nut into into a little bit better perspective. It makes you scratch your head.Chuck Warren: [00:26:00] There's some there's some ponytail guy in a trailer in Nevada and Northern California saying, I told everybody I was right. I told everybody I was right.Sam Stone: [00:26:07] If resurrection is real, we need someone to pull Art Bell out of the ground right now.Chuck Warren: [00:26:11] By the way, I want to bring up something funny that just cracks me up. So the S&P global to the London Stock Exchange. Tobacco companies are crushing Tesla and the ESG ratings. I mean, is this ESG the biggest joke around or what?Ken LaCourt: [00:26:27] It's a it's a scam. It's a scam, and it's from A to Z.Chuck Warren: [00:26:32] I mean I mean, the left hates Elon Musk and he's made what they want a reality efficient electric vehicles. And he has a lower rating than tobacco companies. I mean, are we that crazy?Chuck Warren: [00:26:45] I mean, those poor.Chuck Warren: [00:26:46] Guys in the trailers.Ken LaCourt: [00:26:47] Hitler was a vegan. I mean, they they've got a problem because they and I live right outside of San Francisco. You know, they love this guy. Up until about six months ago when he started doing things they didn't like. It's been funny to watch him go from from oh, my gosh. Ellen is is the ideal man, too. He's a mega nut job. It's been hilarious.Sam Stone: [00:27:08] Can we have just one minute left? Tell folks how they can stay in touch and follow and support all your great work.Ken LaCourt: [00:27:15] So best thing is YouTube. Elephants in rooms I put together. Look, I'm a huge believer that there are just so many conversations, like some of what we've had right here that you're just not supposed to have. And we should. And whether it's, you know, a lot of that is race based, a lot of that is just is is things that you're not supposed to say aloud, but it actually hurts people in the long run if you don't. So elephants in rooms Lacourt and you can find.Chuck Warren: [00:27:44] Me on there. Ken, let's get you out to Arizona. Have you in the studio?Ken LaCourt: [00:27:47] I'd love to. My daughter lives up up in Prescott, so I'd love to beat it.Chuck Warren: [00:27:50] Get on out here. Thanks a lot, buddy. All right, guys.Sam Stone: [00:28:04] Welcome back to Breaking Battlegrounds with your host, Chuck Warren and Sam Stone. We want to thank Ken Lacourt for the fantastic interview today. Really appreciate having him on there. Folks, make sure you catch up with his podcast, Elephant in the Room also, but be sure to download ours as well. Go on Substack Spotify. Go to our website Breaking battlegrounds. Upvote You can find all our past episodes there. Fantastic opportunity for you to stay informed about things that are happening in the world and the unique insights from some of our fantastic guests. While you're doing that, maybe think a little bit about your financial future and considering investing with refi. Why? Refi is a due diligence approved firm. You can earn up to a 10.25% fixed rate of return. That's right. 10.25%. Just go to investyrefy.com. That's the letter. That's invest the letter y, then refyfy.com or give them a call at 888Yrefy 24 and tell them Chuck and Sam sent you.Chuck Warren: [00:29:01] Well, what, uh, what a pleasure to have Ken on a little bit longer format today. He's always interesting and keeps up on the news and I enjoy his newsletter. It's succinct. He I think he and Eric Erickson do a fantastic job summarizing just some of the highlights of the day and, you know, provide a link to the article. And it's great.Sam Stone: [00:29:22] Reading. I think he's he's one of those sources that if you're looking for honest news in the world, it's a great place to elephant in the room is a great place to go start with, you know, the stuff that's not going to get covered on CNN or at least not be covered fairly and honestly, Chuck, I love the longer format with guests. I like having kind of a little bit more time for these interviews so we can flesh out the discussion a little.Chuck Warren: [00:29:46] Well, it's funny, when I was in DC this week, I got in yesterday, I was meeting with some communications press secretaries for congressmen, and they were excited that we do longer than five minute interviews like you do 20, 30 minutes and they call that long format. And I, I don't view it as long format, but they do.Sam Stone: [00:30:04] I got to tell you, I actually always feel rushed because there's so much good information that we're getting from our guests. I agree.Chuck Warren: [00:30:11] I mean, especially Congressman Dunn, that you had on. I mean, you could have been a whole hour with him.Sam Stone: [00:30:16] I would love to have done the whole hour with him. And that, folks, by the way, if you're listening to this on one of the Salem radio networks, call into your local station and tell them if you're getting in this on a podcast, call your local station. Tell them you want to have breaking battlegrounds on the air and tell them you want us to be on for two hours. I mean, if they're going to put us on there for two hours, we'll be here for two hours talking to you and we'll be talking to some fantastic guests doing it.Chuck Warren: [00:30:39] So a couple of topics I want to discuss that we did not discuss with Ken. Let's first talk about something regarding Arizona. There is a new measure to put an initiative on the ballot regarding public transportation Folks, What we have currently, and I think it's been around, what, a decade or two, so.Sam Stone: [00:30:54] Actually 40 years now.Chuck Warren: [00:30:56] 40 years. We have a half a cent sales tax, a half.Sam Stone: [00:30:58] A cent sales.Chuck Warren: [00:30:59] Tax to transportation, which in a lot of ways, if you're believe in federalism and state rights, you know, the state should cover their highways and their transportation. Right? And Sam, maybe I'm wrong. I know you follow this much more closely than I do. What we have is they have language they want to put on the ballot. And Katie Hobbs. Wants more for light rail.Sam Stone: [00:31:24] Basically, yeah. So, so this is really interesting. And I know folks, if you're listening out there in another state, you might think, Hey, this doesn't really apply to me. They're just talking about Arizona. But no, this is a discussion that's happening in every state and every city. Every county right now is what does the future of transportation look like? And so we've had this sales tax on the books. It's actually been it was originally put on the books in 1985, and the reasoning was for the expansion of the I-10 and I-17 corridors and for some of our rural state highways. And it did a very nice job of that. 20 years later, the tax was extended by voters. Now it's up again. Now, each time it's been put up, it's been promised to sunset at the end of its 20 year run. And obviously that's not happening. But but there's a really interesting battle going on here right now between the governor and MAG, which is the Maricopa Association of Governments, which is a very left leaning sort of overarching entity that, quite frankly, I don't think should ever been created. But the battle is entirely over, not extending the tax. Everyone has agreed to do that. The battle is over how that money gets spent. Republicans want to spend the you know, they're fine with adding buses and bus rapid transit, but they don't want to expand light rail and they don't want to do something else. That's in the MAG version very specifically. And folks, when folks when people on the left are prescribing transit these days, it's not just light rail, it's not just trains. People tend to like trains, um, for for some really bad reasons, quite frankly. But they do.Chuck Warren: [00:32:59] And if you haven't seen the Modern Family episode on trains, please look it up. Yeah.Sam Stone: [00:33:03] No, that's exactly that's exactly right. I will try to attach that on the end of this thing here if you go to our website. But, but what they don't like is road diets and.Chuck Warren: [00:33:12] And explain to people what a road diet is.Sam Stone: [00:33:14] So a road diet is a prescription that any major arteries if they are two or more travel lanes in each direction, they're going to take a lane away from the from vehicle travel in each direction and replace it with. Again, it sounds really good multimodal multi-use path, right? What that means is a bike path that's going to be empty 99% of the time and a bigger detached sidewalk that especially here in Arizona, is also going to be empty most of the time and taking away a lane of travel. So every two lane road becomes one lane in each direction. Every three lane road becomes two lanes. You're talking about a massive increase, a massive increase in traffic and time and the people doing this. One of the things I always love this, we're going to cut down the emissions because we're going to drive people out of cars. Well, they've done this in a lot of cities Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles. They have tied traffic in knots. They certainly haven't reduced emissions and they haven't gotten people out of their cars. They've just managing to make them wait idling longer air.Chuck Warren: [00:34:22] Which causes air pollution.Sam Stone: [00:34:23] Which causes pollution. Yeah.Chuck Warren: [00:34:25] I mean, or supposedly climate warming. Yeah. Well, right. I mean. I mean, is that what they say?Sam Stone: [00:34:29] Right, right. Yeah. No, this is exactly right. So it's counterproductive. The fact is that if people I mean, we did we we we worked together on an initiative to try to to roll back Phoenix's light rail expansion a few years back. Chuck And you actually commissioned some polling in that. One of the questions was, why do you support. If you support light rail, why do you support it? Do you remember what the number one answer was on that survey?Chuck Warren: [00:34:57] Other people off the road.Sam Stone: [00:34:59] Other people.Chuck Warren: [00:35:00] Not you. Other people.Sam Stone: [00:35:02] Right. Nobody answering that. That question envisioned themselves leaving their car at home and hopping on the light rail. They just hoped it would make traffic less inconvenient for them.Chuck Warren: [00:35:12] Exactly.Sam Stone: [00:35:12] Everyone had that same hope. Boy, that's some kind of fallacy right there. I mean, come on.Chuck Warren: [00:35:18] But you're going to see this more and more. And I think, folks, what you have to be aware of, based upon the fiscal calamity in D.C., more of this burden is going to be put upon the states. It is. And conservatives are going to be confronted with the fact that you're going to have to find the money within the budget for transportation and roads and things and nature, which we all need. It's part of economic development and part of safety.Sam Stone: [00:35:42] I'm not against bus and bus rapid transit expansion. Light rail is a bad solution.Chuck Warren: [00:35:47] No, I agree in that. What I'm saying is conservatives are going to have to come up with because of the fiscal problems of District of Columbia and Congress, I think more of this is going to be put on because as more and more so, the one issue that Democrats in the press during the national debt debate were unwilling to confront is so much of our national spending is mandatory. Right? So that means obviously you have less discretionary, which is transportation. More of this is going to be thrown on the states. There's there's no way around it. And folks, you're going to have to judge who your legislators are, who your city council people are yourself, but they're all going to be confronted. How do they find this extra revenue? So you're either going to have to tell them to find it from this area of government. Currently they're spending and cut it and apply it to this or they're going to have the dilemma we have. We've had 40 years now. Here are a half a cent sales tax. It's been efficient in a lot of ways. It's put, you know, it's.Sam Stone: [00:36:45] Put a lot of miles of road on the ground. It's also put a lot of miles of largely unused light rail on the ground.Chuck Warren: [00:36:51] Right? And so you're going to have to make decisions on that. And Sam, and I've always felt regarding light rail, to me, the light rail never works unless the federal government comes in and says, here's hundreds of billions of dollars and we're going to connect everything at once, because what they do is they do this piecemeal thing that makes it completely ineffective.Sam Stone: [00:37:07] Well, also, I mean, one of the one of the if you actually dig into the numbers, light rail is never going to be any kind of rail system does not work unless you have massive density. You have to have population density that does not exist.Chuck Warren: [00:37:21] It just does not work out west.Sam Stone: [00:37:22] Outside of the the East Coast.Chuck Warren: [00:37:24] New York or Chicago or something.Sam Stone: [00:37:25] To a smaller extent. San Francisco, Los Angeles.Chuck Warren: [00:37:28] You probably do Miami, but it's very limited. So anyway, pay attention to that. That's a real debate here. Katie Hobbs, you know, which you would expect from a liberal governor loves, you know, the light rail. And Republicans are like.Sam Stone: [00:37:42] Well, you know why They you know, why they love light rail. You want to know who one of the biggest donors to Democrats is? Horizontal construction. The people that build roads because they're heavily unionized. Right. Right. The union employees make sure that they kick huge amounts of money to Democrats, including at the corporate level. But then obviously, these are the people who build the light rail. If you're talking about spending $30 billion on light rail, the companies here are looking at that as a minimum. I tell you for sure, a minimum of $6 billion of profit out of that 30 billion, 20%. So if they end up giving $1 billion to Democrats to make 5 billion, they do that. And that's exactly what's funding they would probably.Chuck Warren: [00:38:29] Give to to get four. It's a pretty good deal at the end of the day. All right. Let's talk about news for in Dallas is reporting a story and the headline is Realtor Helps LGBTQ. Plus Texans Leave the State Through Rainbow Underground Railroad. There's two fallacies here. And, you know, they've interviewed some people. One, you don't need an underground railroad in America. You just pick up and leave. No one's telling you not to leave. Call U-Haul. No one's. Yeah, call U-Haul if you can find one. No one's. No one's forcing you. No one's forcing you to stay in any state. The only actually the only people forcing you to stay in the state is California who wants to apply taxes on you if you leave. So really, if you need an underground railroad, it's for Gavin Newsom and California's tax.Sam Stone: [00:39:23] Well, see, that's the other side of this truck. You can get a very cheap U-Haul in Texas. Yeah, Yeah. You get a very cheap U-Haul in Texas. As long as you're willing to drive it back to a blue state because nobody's doing that.Chuck Warren: [00:39:33] So in this article, it quotes the lifelong Texan, whose name is Paul Lewis, committed in January to begin looking for somewhere else to move. He explained how two factors solidified that decision, pointing to the growing number of Lbgtq restrictions introduced in the. Slate of session and the deadly mass shootings happening in the state. Now, the latter. Look, we talked about this. People are uncomfortable, right? And if that's something that makes you uncomfortable, that's that's what it is.Sam Stone: [00:40:00] But but let's you and I have slightly different takes on that. But we both agree that this is a big problem, a big problem in terms of the the perception.Chuck Warren: [00:40:08] It's a big problem. It's a big problem for fair. It's a big problem for fair. Right. So, okay, let's go and say that's an issue, right?Sam Stone: [00:40:14] The LGBTQ stuff. Are you kidding?Chuck Warren: [00:40:16] Let's talk about what these restrictions are. What we're simply saying is you can't mutilate mutilate a child. And and and so now this is anti LGBTQ plus legislation saying you can't do irreparable harm. That can't really be reversed.Sam Stone: [00:40:35] Which by the way, is something that every almost now every European country is running to implement these restrictions and not allow this type of, as Jamie.Chuck Warren: [00:40:43] Pointed out, socialized medicine countries are saying you can't do this to children anymore.Sam Stone: [00:40:50] Right now. And countries that are brought up by the left as avatars of left ideology are running from this as fast as they can. They see the harms. This is not going to stop in. American hospitals are making a fortune.Chuck Warren: [00:41:05] And as you said before the show, what's going to happen is you're going to see several huge civil lawsuits that may bankrupt these hospitals who have made a fortune off Covid. But again, the thing that really stuck out at me, so this is what the this is what the left does, they try to frame this. And Republicans are very bad at this. An underground railroad assumes that in secrecy you need a guide to get you out of the hands of slave owners. I mean, no one's I mean, I am sure no one in that neighborhood is saying, oh, Paul, you know, don't let the door hit you on the butt. He sounds like a jerk. And so, you know, it's just one of those things. And it's again, it's again where the Republicans and conservatives are simply failing to communicate their message and they need to stop calling it anti Lbgtq. We start saying this is pro kid legislation.Sam Stone: [00:41:55] Well, it's we're against child mutilation as a pretty straightforward position. I mean, honestly, just like.Chuck Warren: [00:42:01] Look, let kids be kids and they'll figure it out. They want change after 18. Let them do.Sam Stone: [00:42:04] It. Yeah, I don't care what anyone does as an adult. If you're making a decision in your right mind about yourself and that decision is to chop off your genitals, I think you're an idiot, folks. You can. You're an idiot with the right to be an idiot.Chuck Warren: [00:42:16] Look us up at breaking battlegrounds, dot vote or anywhere where you find your podcasts, make sure you review. Make sure you share. We've enjoyed our time with you and we hope for all the fathers out there. You have a fantastic Father's Day. Enjoy your family.Sam Stone: [00:42:30] Barbecue.Chuck Warren: [00:42:30] Something good? Yeah. Take care. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com
I start with Bruce at 12 mins and Michael at about 30 Bruce Bartlett is a longtime observer and commenter on economic and political affairs in Washington, D.C. He has written for virtually every major national publication in this area, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Politico, and many others. Read his column at and subscribe to The New Republic Bartlett's work is informed by many years in government, including service on the staffs of Congressmen Ron Paul and Jack Kemp and Senator Roger Jepsen, as executive director of the Joint Economic Committee of Congress, senior policy analyst in the Reagan White House, and deputy assistant secretary for economic policy at the Treasury Department during the George H.W. Bush administration. Bruce is the author of nine books including The New York Times best-seller, The Benefit and the Burden: Tax Reform—Why We Need It and What It Will Take (Simon & Schuster 2012). His earlier book, Impostor: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy (Doubleday 2006), was also a New York Times best-seller. Bartlett's latest book is The Truth Matters: A Citizen's Guide to Separating Facts from Lies and Stopping Fake News in Its Tracks (Ten Speed Press/Penguin Random House 2017). Bartlett often appears on television, where he is a regular on MSNBC, CNBC, CNN and other news networks. He has also appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, The Opposition with Jordan Klepper, The McLaughlin Group, Moyers and Company Most importantly he is a regular on Stand Up and my proudest achievement was creating his twitter account and encouraging him to use it. Michael A. Cohen is a regular contributor for The Boston Globe on national politics and foreign affairs. He is also the author of “American Maelstrom: The 1968 Election and the Politics of Division.” Michael has written for dozens of news outlets, including as a columnist for the Guardian and Foreign Policy and he is the US Political Correspondent for the London Observer. He previously worked as a speechwriter at the US State Department and has been a lecturer at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. Please check out and hopefully subscribe to Michael's Substack newsletter Truth and Consequences! Stand Up subscribers get a discount on Michael's new newsletter! Check out all things Jon Carroll Follow and Support Pete Coe Pete on YouTube Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page Stand Up with Pete FB page
Roger Jason Stone is an American conservative political consultant and lobbyist. Since the 1970s, Stone has worked on the campaigns of Republican politicians, including Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Jack Kemp, Bob Dole, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Yes, it's the “March Madness” edition of “A Republic, If You Can Keep It”. This year, the orgy of college basketball is joined by the madness that is Tucker Carlson and Fox News, along with the incredible productivity of the Michigan's new legislative majority in Lansing. That new Democratic majority is moving major legislation at a record-setting pace. Several huge bills have cleared the Legislature in the last few days. Among them: a nearly one-billion-dollar tax cut, mandatory background checks for all gun purchases, an expansion of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act providing basic protections for LGBTQ+ Michiganders, and a $630-million incentive package for the Ford battery plant in Marshall. Other bills moving quickly through the legislature repeal the Snyder-era attacks on unions, repeal Michigan's 1931 abortion law and enact new gun safety laws. Joining the podcast this week: longtime Republican activist Saul Anuzis. Anuzis served as Chairman of the Michigan Republican Party from 2005-2009 and was a candidate for Chairman of the Republican National Committee in 2009 and 2011. Previous positions included working with Newt Gingrich at American Solutions, Jack Kemp's 1988 Presidential campaign, Chief of Staff to MI Senate Majority Leader Dick Posthumus, Chairman of the MI Senate Republican Campaign Committee and serving on the MI House Republican Campaign Committee and most recently as a Senior Advisor to the Ted Cruz for President Campaign in the 2016 cycle. Today, Anuzis is one of the leaders in a bipartisan effort to reform the presidential election process. The United States is the only democracy in the world that makes it possible to finish second in an election… and still win. Two of the last four Presidents lost the popular vote but were elected thanks to the Electoral College. The National Popular Vote initiative would end that giant-sized quirk in our elections. =========================== This week's podcast is underwritten in part by EPIC-MRAEPIC ▪ MRA is a full service survey research firm with expertise in: • Public Opinion Surveys • Market Research Studies • Live Telephone Surveys • On-Line and Automated Surveys • Focus Group Research • Bond Proposals - Millage Campaigns • Political Campaigns & Consulting • Ballot Proposals - Issue Advocacy Research • Community - Media Relations • Issue - Image Management • Database Development & List Management =========================== Links to Stories We're Following This Week House votes to expand background checks on gun sales - Detroit Free Press Gun reform proposals receive first hearing in Michigan Legislature - WILX TV Michigan voters support lifetime firearms ban for some crimes, poll says - Detroit News Michigan Safety Survey Report - Glengariff Group MSU shooting victim's mom testifies for gun safety laws - Bridge Michigan Democrats mobilize on gun safety bills after flipping state legislatures, governor's offices - The Washington Post Democrats push Michigan gun reforms. Here's what the laws are now | Bridge Michigan Michigan House passes bills to repeal right-to-work - Detroit Free Press Tax relief restored for Michigan retirees, low-income earners- Detroit Free Press Whitmer approves $630 million to support Ford battery plant - Detroit Free Press 5 (mostly) good things to know about Michigan's progress on EVs - Bridge Michigan New Michigan scholarship seeks to fill jobs at state's EV companies - Bridge Michigan Opinion | Ford Is Leaving Tesla in the Dust - The New York Times Michigan Right-to-Work repeal advances to House - Bridge Michigan Michigan House votes to repeal 1931 abortion ban - Bridge Michigan Opinion | Joe Biden: My Plan to Extend Medicare for Another Generation - The New York Times The Programs You'd Have to Cut to Balance the Budget - The New York Times Tucker Carlson amplifies Jan. 6 lies with GOP-provided video - AP News
Hour 2: Who have thrown the most touchdown passes under each president in Bills history?
A look back at where we were exactly a year ago, and where the Republican party is today. George Bush, Jack Kemp, and 1988. What did you learn this week? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Liam Donovan, a principal at Bracewell PRG, is a regular presence on cable news, in print, and on twitter as an expert explainer of what's going on in Congress and in the Republican Party. With a background both in GOP campaign politics and government relations, Liam's expertise on the intersection of politics and policy gives him tremendous insight to distill what really matters in Washington from the rest of the Beltway din. In this conversation, we talk Liam's path to politics, his time in GOP campaigns, his shift to government relations, and get his insights into the chaos of last week's (eventual) ascent of Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker...what to expect from Congress over the next two years...and his early takes on Trump vs. DeSantis '24 & the future of the Republican Party. IN THIS EPISODELiam's upbringing as a Navy Brat who went to high school in DC…Liam's stint working in GOP politics and at the NRSC…The iconic GOP Senator Liam served as an aide to at the Senate committee…Liam's shift to government relations and lobbying…Liam's initial take on the chaotic House GOP process to anoint Kevin McCarthy as Speaker…Liam on why it was probably inevitable for McCarthy to cave to the hard-right members…Liam unpacks how McCarthy peeled off the different factions to earn the Speaker's gavel…Why the GOP center-right members never wavered for McCarthy…Liam on why there was never a real chance of a few Republicans working with Democrats to elect a coalition Speaker…Liam's thoughts on the risk McCarthy could be deposed mid-term…The Trump impact on the Speaker's race and the Trump-McCarthy relationship…Liam analyzes the CLF / Freedom Caucus “truce”…Liam's insight on what to expect on the debt ceiling…Liam's early handicapping of Trump vs DeSantis 2024…The origin story of Liam's unusual twitter profile photo…Liam shouts out one of his favorite twitter accounts… AND AOL IM, almost congresspersons, Justin Amash, beating the previous question, Bill Bennett, Joe Biden, Lauren Boebert, John Boehner, John Bolton, Bracewell PRG, Scott Brown, Al Bundy, Alex Burns, George W. Bush, the CLF, Liz Cheney, Chris Christie, John Cornyn, Tom Cotton, Eli Crane, Ted Cruz, determined rumps, David Dewhurst, discharge petitions, Empower America, John Ensign, Al Franken, the Freedom Caucus, frozen budgets, Matt Gaetz, Georgetown, getting your teeth kicked in, Bob Good, Al Gore, Maggie Haberman, Nikki Haley, Andy Harris, Orrin Hatch, hot mic moments, Amo Houghton, Wesley Hunt, Hakeem Jeffries, Jim Jordan, Jack Kemp, kissing the ring, Mike Lee, letter-writing campaigns, Morgan Luttrell, Joe Manchin, Mar-a-Lago, Jonathan Martin, max-out donors, Ted McGinley, Mark Meadows, the meaty middle, Mitch McConnell, Tim Miller, non-privileged motions, Nancy Pelosi, Scott Peters, Scott Perry, Politico Pro, Mike Pompeo, the precipice of failure, Punchbowl, Ringwiss, Mike Rogers, Chip Roy, Paul Ryan, Rick Santelli, Pete Sessions, shoe-leather lobbying, shooting down the rule, the side of chaos, Aaron Sorkin, Arlen Specter, the Sword of Damocles, Marjorie Taylor Greene, turning the screws, the Trevor Project, Truth Social, trust deficits, the Uniparty, Fred Upton, West Wing story arcs & more!
#819 - Jeffrey Lord Jeffrey Lord is a special guest on The Paul Leslie Hour! Are you here? If you're here, let me announce the very last show of 2022. Bye-bye 2022. Welcome to The Paul Leslie Hour, helping people tell their stories for more than 19 years! On this episode we're pleased and honored to welcome author, political analyst and commentator Jeffrey Lord. A man with many experiences, Jeffrey Lord was also a former aide to Ronald Reagan and Jack Kemp. You may recognize him from his days as a commentator on CNN. Dan Whispers CNN is a TV news network if you're not aware. Kidding! Kidding! These days, Jeffrey Lord is a contributing editor to The American Spectator. If you've read his columns, you know how compelling of a writer he is. Mr. Lord is top-shelf. Just keep in mind that The Paul Leslie Hour is made possible by viewers and listeners like you. No matter the amount, your contribution makes more interviews possible. Just go right here. Jeffrey Lord has been seen a lot of places on television, radio and in print. Now, let's all listen to Jeffrey Lord here on The Paul Leslie Hour. The Paul Leslie Hour is a talk show dedicated to “Helping People Tell Their Stories.” Some of the most iconic people of all time drop in to chat. Frequent topics include Arts, Entertainment and Culture.
Newt Gingrich's political rise was anything but certain — a northerner in a Southern state, a historian prone to grandiose commentary. It takes him three tries to win a seat in the House of Representatives. But even as a freshman in 1979, his aim was clear: Defeat the Permanent Democratic Majority. Steve traces Newt's origins and shows how the freshman congressman launches his first battle, with an attack on what Gingrich sees as corruption in Congress.
Nobody has a political career like JC Watts. Starting quarterback at the University of Oklahoma, NFL draft pick, several years in the Canadian Football League, the first Black statewide elected official in Oklahoma, 8 years in Congress rising to Conference Chair in the GOP leadership, and voluntarily leaving office with even greater political stardom likely in front of him. In this conversation, he talks his one-of-kind-story of a blue-collar kid from small town Eufala, OK to a high level pro athlete to a groundbreaking political figure - with one of the most unique perspectives in American politics. IN THIS EPISODEJC Watts' upbringing in rural Eufala, OK..The formative experience of playing football at the University of Oklahoma…The political roots of the Watts family…What leads him to run for office shortly after his football career ends…Lessons learned from his iconic coach Barry Switzer…Memories from early days in the House after his 1994 election…Congressman Watts talks what he learned about Native culture over the years…Inside the story of delivering the 1997 GOP Response to the State of the Union…Congressman Watts ousts John Boehner from the House GOP leadership after the '98 elections…Inside the strategic and messaging disagreements among the GOP leadership…Congressman Watts talks the intoxicating “cheer of the crowd” present in politics…The two times he most seriously considered running for office after he left the House…The letter Rosa Parks wrote to Congressman Watts…Why he left the House after 8 years…The longtime political relationship between Congressman Watts and his successor Tom Cole…Congressman Watts talks being both a Black man and a strong Republican…His thoughts on the state of the Trump-led Republican Party of 2022…The current projects that he's most excited about…AND Arkansas things, bellyachers, Sonny Bono, bootleggers, David Boren, the CFL, Julia Carson, cesspools and jacuzzis, Chattanooga, Dick Cheney, Donna Christensen, Bill Clinton, Tom Coburn, the Contract with America, the Creek Nation, Danny Davis, Tom Delay, disgruntled Democrats, dysfunctional conferences, economics 101, enterprise zones, FCA, Floyd Flake, George Floyd, Harold Ford Jr., Newt Gingrich, HBCUs, Denny Hastert, huge assignments, Jim Inhofe, Jesse Jackson, January 6th, Jack Kemp, knuckleheads, Langston University, lapel pins, Steve Largent, live bodies, Bob Livingston, Longhorn friends, Dave McCurdy, the NAACP, Don Nickles, opportunity zones, Ottawa, Pee Wee leagues, pow wows, private equity funds, pulpit experience, reading the blitz, redshirts, special sauce, The Selmon Brothers, the Sixth Sense, snowball effects, speechwriters, Mike Synar, Toronto, the United Nations, the Urban League, the USA Today, youth ministers, Zach Wamp & more!
Jeff Kemp is a former NFL quarterback who played 10 years of pro football from 1981-1991 with the Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles. He had his best season in 1984, where he led the Rams to a 10-6 record and a playoff berth. Growing up in the 1960's, Jeff Kemp watched his father Jack Kemp win multiple AFL championships as a quarterback with the Buffalo Bills. Jack Kemp was also a well known politician who went on to run for president. Jeff, post-playing career, is now a motivational speaker and author, and an ambassador for the Fatherhood CoMission. Today on the podcast, we talk to Jeff about his NFL playing career, playing with Hall of Famers Joe Montana, Eric Dickerson, Jerry Rice, Steve Largent and Reggie White, the parallels of football and faith and why Jeff knew his post-playing career calling was to go into ministry. Receive our 10-day Sports Spectrum Devotional written by professional athletes for FREE when you sign up for our Sports Spectrum Weekly Email Newsletter. Sign up here.
"Don't live life in a vacuum."A graduate of Bates College in Lewiston, Maine, Ashley captained the tennis team her senior year and graduated with a B.A. in English in 1986. A college internship in Washington D.C. led to a position as a Trip Coordinator in the Office of Presidential Advance following graduation. At the close of the Reagan Administration, Ashley was offered a position at the Department of Housing and Urban Development working in Jack Kemp's Office of Public Affairs. Ultimately, however, Ashley's sense of family duty kicked in, and she returned home to California to work in the family's fledgling wine business, marry and start a family.
On today's show we discuss the Liz Cheney's defeat in Wyoming, her future, the raid on Donald Trump, media coverage of it all and more. GUEST OVERVIEW: Jeffrey Lord is an author, columnist, former aide to Ronald Reagan and Jack Kemp. GUEST WEBSITE: https://thejeffreylord.com/
Michael's conversation with Morton Kondracke, co-author of "Jack Kemp: The Bleeding-Heart Conservative Who Changed America." Original air date 30 September 2015. The book was published on 29 September 2015.
Charlie Black is a legendary figure in Republican politics, working his first presidential campaign with Ronald Reagan in 1976 and being involved at a high level with both Presidents Bush and names like Kemp, Dole, McCain, Romney, Kasich and more. In this conversation, Charlie talks his roots in the conservative movement of the 1970s, his work as a political consultant in some of the most famous races of the era, and offers stories, insight, and lessons learned from one of the most impactful political lives of his generation.IN THIS EPISODE Charlie's roots in Wilmington North Carolina…Barry Goldwater draws Charlie to the GOP…How his early Republican activism leads to his first real campaign job with Jesse Helms first Senate race in 1972…Charlie talks the political strength of Jesse Helms that led to a 30-year Senate career, including the titanic '84 race between Helms and Democratic heavyweight Governor Jim Hunt…Charlie talks the rise of direct mail fundraising, Independent Expenditures, and the development of the conservative movement throughout the 1970s…Charlie's role running several states in the insurgent Reagan '76 primary challenge to Gerald Ford…Charlie talks the strategic decisions that led to Reagan winning the GOP nomination in 1980…Charlie goes into political consulting, working for scores of Senators, Governors, and House members…The question Ronald Reagan asked himself every morning in the White House…Charlie helps George H.W. Bush turn a 17-point deficit in 1988 into a landslide win…Charlie's longtime friendship with George W. Bush…The Charlie Black 101 on effective campaign management…Charlie talks his relationship with Lee Atwater, one of his best friends…Charlie manages Jack Kemp's 1988 Presidential campaign…Charlie on the Democratic politicians who've most impressed him…Charlie talks his work in government relations and former business partners Roger Stone and Paul Manafort…Charlie's take on how the Republican Establishment lost control of the party to the Trump wing…Charlie's best practices for crisis-communication…AND 80% friends, the ACLU, Roger Ailes, American University, John Anderson, Howard Baker, Jim Baker, Bigness, Boston Harbor, Bill Brock, Pat Buchanan, Buckley v. Valeo, the California guys, Bill Clinton, John Connolly, the Conscience of a Conservative, courtroom lawyers, Phil Crane, Michael Deaver, Terry Dolan, Kitty Dukakis, Michael Dukakis, John East, Jim Ely, Newt Gingrich, Bob Graham, the greatest Senate race ever run, Pete Hannaford, Paula Hawkins, the Hill newspaper, Willie Horton, Peter Kelly, Kemp-Roth tax cuts, Jim Lake, the League of Women Voters, C.S. Lewis, little bastards, Trent Lott, Mac Mathias, George McGovern, Ed Meese, Walter Mondale, Nashua, nativists, negative advertising, Nixon's coattails, noblesse oblige, Lyn Nofziger, Scott Pastrick, Pauley Pavillion, Ross Perot, Prime Policy Group, the RNC, Reaganites, Karl Rove, John Sears, Richard Schweiker, Bernie Shaw, Arlen Specter, Stu Spencer, Bob Strauss, Donald Trump, Tom Turnipseed, University of Florida, Richard Viguerie, Paul Volcker, Paul Weyrich, YAF, Young Republicans…& more!
In this episode of Sports the NEMO Way we bring the Buffalo Bills to the table for discussion.
Al tener una plataforma que los coloca bajo los reflectores, algunos jugadores de NFL han hecho la transición a tomar cargos públicos. En esta ocasión hablaremos de los casos de Jack Kemp, Steve Largent y Anthony Gonzalez, quienes tuvieron carreras en el campo y cargos de elección popular en Estados Unidos.
Inflation is here and recession is next....Lopez-Obrador meets Biden......The First Lady and tacos...Jack Kemp (1935-2009) ......and other stories..... Check our blog.........and follow our friend Carlos Guedes.........
Try our sponsor Aura for 14 days free - https://aura.com/pbd to see how many times your personal information was found on the dark web today. PBD Podcast Episode 166. In this episode, Patrick Bet-David is joined by Roger Stone, Ric Prado, and Adam Sosnick. To donate to the Stone Family Support Fund: https://bit.ly/3OGNpyk To purchase Ric Prado's book, Black Ops: https://amzn.to/3bBHL2w For all things Ric Prado: https://bit.ly/3OD1lJU Text: PODCAST to 310.340.1132 to get added to the distribution list About Roger: Roger Jason Stone is an American conservative political consultant and lobbyist. Since the 1970s, Stone has worked on the campaigns of Republican politicians, including Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan, Jack Kemp, Bob Dole, George W. Bush, and Donald Trump. About Ric: Enrique "Ric" Prado is a paramilitary, counter-terrorism, and special/clandestine operations specialist, with a focus on international training operations and programs. Mr. Prado is a twenty-four-year veteran of the Central Intelligence Agency where he served as an Operations Officer in six overseas posts. He was Deputy Chief of Station and "Plank Owner" of the original Bin Ladin Task Force/Issues Station under Senior Analyst, Michael Scheuer, as well as Chief of Station in a hostile Muslim country. Patrick Bet-David is the founder and CEO of Valuetainment Media. He is the author of the #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller Your Next Five Moves (Simon & Schuster) and a father of 2 boys and 2 girls. He currently resides in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. To reach the Valuetainment team you can email: booking@valuetainment.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/pbdpodcast/support
This week, we're covering Season 3, Episode 3: White Like Me, while also going on a bunch of rants about the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade (we recorded on the day it happened, and boy are we ANGRY about it). Cory feels lost in her life, Rachel goes to an Empower America conference and meets Jack Kemp, and Mohammed brings the roommates to an open mic night at his dad's club. Also, Cory upsets Mohammed's girlfriend, Stephanie, with a question about her possibly being half-white, but thankfully learns the error of her ways after a conversation with Mohammed. Other topics include Krystie's house-selling/house-buying news, Rebecca's rude awakening by a cop (literally), Krystie's recent trip to Ireland, the legacy of Jack Kemp, and, of course, the aforementioned overturning of Roe v. Wade. We cannot stress enough how important it is to do something in the wake of all of this happening–protest, donate, volunteer, vote, run for office…whatever you are capable of doing right now, do it as if your life depends on it (which, let's be real, it does at this point.) Because we're so furious about this decision, there is a LOT of swearing– moreso than usual, anyway–so maybe consider listening to this episode when sensitive ears are not present. Follow us on social media! We're @friendsamongstrangerspod on both Facebook and Instagram, and @FAS_pod on Twitter.
Dear readers,Due to the holiday weekend, this week’s schedule for Very Serious is out of order. The podcast is out today, there will be a regular issue tomorrow, and a special Fire Island edition of the Mayonnaise Clinic will be coming on Friday.One striking fact about three-term New York mayor Ed Koch’s life in the closet — the subject of a recent New York Times feature — is that he stayed in the closet long after he could plausibly claim that he needed to.An openly gay man would not have been elected mayor of New York City in 1977; once in office, he would have had good reason to fear he would not have been re-elected had he come out. Politicians simply didn't do that at the time. But in retirement, Koch had no reputation to protect from the knowledge that he was gay. In fact, coming out probably would have earned him sympathetic news coverage and softened his image at a time when his record as mayor was often criticized for reasons related to race relations and the AIDS crisis — including the specific allegation that he shied away from leadership on AIDS for fear that association with a “gay issue” would fan the (true) rumors that he was gay.One theory the Times piece considers is that, after denying his sexuality for so many years in the face of detractors like Larry Kramer who wanted him outed, Koch felt coming out would be tantamount to letting them win. But if you lie about your sexuality long enough, it can simply become hard to tell the truth. A lot of people stay in the closet for expediency, but a lot of people stay there because of their own shame, and it’s sad.And it’s sad how common the need to hide was until not very long ago.This week’s episode of the Very Serious podcast is an interview with James Kirchick, author of the new book Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington, which chronicles the powerful roles that gays (mostly gay men) played in our federal government from World War II through the Reagan administration. Just because gays couldn’t announce themselves didn't mean they weren't around — in fact, some of them arguably sublimated their sexual desires into drive that propelled them to the heights they achieved in American government.Jamie’s book describes the creation of the modern closet as an artifact of World War II, the Cold War, and the security state. Gays had long been considered disgusting, but with world war they came to be considered security threats, at risk of blackmail over their appalling secrets. As a concept, that this would be a risk makes intuitive sense, though Jamie notes the surprising difficulty American officials had when asked to identify any specific cases where gays in government were blackmailed over their sexual orientation. And besides, whatever security risk homosexuals posed was not really a product of their sexual orientation itself, but of the government’s and society’s reaction to their sexual orientation — if you let people freely admit they are gay, then there’s no shameful secret to threaten anyone over. Nonetheless, gays were vilified, investigated, and until 1995, prohibited from holding security clearances.Through the decades covered in Jamie’s book, allegations of homosexuality were wielded as political weapons — true allegations and also false ones. Jack Kemp, for example, was not gay, and he was definitely not part of a right-wing gay cabal that controlled Ronald Reagan. But that didn’t stop a cadre of Republican officials — many of them moderates — from pushing that fantastical narrative to reporters in an effort to block Reagan's nomination in 1980. That madcap story is the subject of an excerpt from Jamie’s book that you can read in Politico Magazine.The 1980s would bring in the AIDS crisis, and an aloof response to it from the Reagans, despite Nancy Reagan’s coterie of gays, ranging from her hairdresser to Merv Griffin. The AIDS crisis would also lead to the waning of the political closet as it had been established in the 1940s, with gay political figures forced out of it, often in death. The era also brought the first two openly gay congressmen who sought and attained re-election: Gerry Studds and Barney Frank, both from Massachusetts, and both far from the idealized image of a gay politician you might mold on the basis of a focus group.I encourage you to listen to the podcast and, if it intrigues you, read the book. It's dishy and full of odd stories like the one about Reagan and the alleged secret right-wing gay cabal; and of correctives to wrong things you’ve likely heard about figures such as J. Edgar Hoover, who probably was not actually a cross-dresser. The story as a whole is sad and maddening — Jamie has, for example, handwritten edits to Ronald Reagan’s draft statement about Rock Hudson’s death, removing all reference to the closeness of Hudson’s relationship to Ronald and Nancy — but also very interesting, and well worth your time.Very seriously,JoshP.S. As we’ve mentioned, the Very Serious podcast is now hosted directly on Substack, coming to you through the same series of tubes as the newsletter. We think the migration has been pretty seamless — if you already subscribed to the podcast, it should still be coming into your player of choice just like before; and if you want to sign up now, we have a button here for you to press.We are now offering episode transcripts. You can see this episode’s transcript here.Questions about the process? Technical issues with your feed? Email podcasting@substackinc.com for support. For any other inquiries, please email mayo@joshbarro.com. Get full access to Very Serious at www.joshbarro.com/subscribe
For decades, Mona Charen has been one of the most prominent authors and political commentators on the right. A speechwriter for such Republican luminaries as Nancy Reagan and Jack Kemp, she worked in the Reagan White House and has written a nationally syndicated column since 1987. But while she has held fast to the principles that made her a star in the conservative movement, she believes that Donald Trump has “utterly discredited” conservatism. She is now policy editor of The Bulwark (one of the leading lights on the Never-Trump right) and host of the Beg to Differ Podcast. Mona Charen has long been critical of leftist dogma, especially what she views as modern feminism's undermining of the family and other key supports of American society. But she was also one of the contributors to National Review's January 2016 “Against Trump” symposium, noting that Trump “represents every stereotype the left has brought forth about what conservatism is really like.” Unlike nearly all other contributors to that issue, she has consistently criticized Trump — and the hypocrisy that her erstwhile comrades in the conservative movement have shown toward Trump and other bad actors on the far-right. Today, Mona Charen is still critical of the left but believes that Trump and his movement represent a more significant existential threat to American democracy. She has moved toward moderation and demonstrated a commitment to civic dialogue and civil disagreement in her writings and podcasting. Join us as we discuss her career and efforts to articulate a realistic, reasonable, responsible conservatism.
Michael Barone, senior political analyst at the Washington examiner, is one of the most important political writers and thinkers of his time. He helped found the Almanac of American Politics in the early 70s and was the lead author for decades. He worked in politics himself, before transitioning to a role as a journalist, author, and pundit - always being an incisive and influential analyst of American politics at each stop along the way. In this conversation, we talk his roots in post-war Detroit, his time working for Democratic candidates and as a Democratic pollster, founding the Almanac, moving from left-of-center to right-of-center, and he gives his thoughts on some of the most pressing issues facing the political system and country today.IN THIS EPISODE…Michael's memories of growing up in post-war Detroit…The first election Michael remembers in detail…The up-and-coming politician Michael worked for at an important time…Michael talks his movement from liberal to conservative…Michael shares his memories of being on the scene during the momentous 1968 Chicago Democratic Convention…The off-hand comment that led to Michael's involvement in forming and writing the Almanac of American Politics…Michael talks the nuts and bolts that have gone into writing the Almanac for 40 years…Michael spends several years working with legendary Democratic pollster Peter Hart…The time when Senator Joe Biden took issue with something Michael wrote in the Almanac…Michael remembers the impact of Senator Pat Moynihan…Some of Michael's favorite political convention memories…Michael's involvement in the infamous 1980 convention fights between the forces of Jimmy Carter and Ted Kennedy…How Michael makes the jump from political consultant to an opinion writer and journalist…The 3 books that shaped Michael's political thinking…Michael's thoughts on today's political writing…Michael talks the unusual place that California holds in today's politics…Michael's take on the current state of both political parties…Michael compares today's political scene to the politics of the 1880s…Michael's current view on what demographics tell us about politics…The issue of the last decade on which Michael wishes he'd have been much more active…AND…the 1967 Detroit riots, 8 Mile Road, the UAW, US-16, the arsenal of democracy, Dan Balz, Big 3 Auto Companies, baloney and malarkey, David Broder, James Buchanan, George W. Bush, Pat Caddell, Jimmy Carter, Jerome Cavanaugh, Bill Clinton, Geoffrey Cowan, Mario Cuomo, Richard D. Daley, Duke University, Dwight Eisenhower, flotsam and jetsam, Gerald Ford, John Kenneth Galbraith, Newt Gingrich, Meg Greenfield, Martha Griffiths, Jon Grinspan, John Gunther, Lou Harris, Hubert Humphrey, Al Hunt, Jim Hunt, Harold Ickes, Jesse Jackson, John Judis, Jack Kemp, John Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, V.O. Key, Lyndon Johnson, John Lindsay, Samuel Lubell, Madison Square Garden, Walter Mondale, The Moynihan Report, Wade McCree, George McGovern, Ralph Nader, Newton's Second Law of Motion, Richard Nixon, Kirk O'Donnell, Tip O'Neill, Charles Oakman, Barack Obama, obvious impractical proposals, Nancy Pelosi, podium passes, prayers of political scientists, Franklin Pierce, David Price, Oliver Quayle, Nancy Reagan, Ronald Reagan, recessed steering columns, Nelson Rockefeller, George Romney, Tim Russert, E.E. Schattschneider, Mark Shields, superdelegates, supply side economics, John Paul Stevens, Ted Stevens Airport, Ruy Teixeria, Bob Torricelli, Donald Trump, Grant Ujifusa, Carl Wagner, George Wallace, Woodrow Wilson, Worland Wyoming, Sam Yorty, Coleman Young, & more!
In the 1960s, President Lyndon B. Johnson began the so-called War on Poverty, expanding the federal government's role in reducing poverty in the United States. At one level, this effort has been an overwhelming success: consumption poverty (the number of people who cannot afford basic goods and services) has fallen from 30 percent to 3 percent. At another level, the War on Poverty has failed, severe poverty continues to persist especially in terms of social dysfunction like unmarried births, educational failure, addiction and incarceration. The U.S. last reformed its welfare system in 1996, bringing significant new reductions to welfare dependency and child poverty. Some policymakers have begun to suggest that a new round of reform that seeks to shift public benefit programs more toward empowerment rather than maintenance of individuals and families. They hope to create opportunities for Americans by strengthening communities, increasing social capital, and spurring economic growth. On this episode of “Hardly Working”, I am joined by Paul Ryan, former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and founder of the American Idea Foundation. We discuss how Ryan reconciles his commitment to the free market with his Catholic faith, his efforts to advance evidence-based policies to fight poverty, and modern-day populism and the future of conservatism. Mentioned During the Episode: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/10/jack-kemp-legacy/410152/ (Jack Kemp) https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/chicago_school.asp (Chicago School of Economics) https://www.investopedia.com/articles/economics/09/austrian-school-of-economics.asp (Austrian School of Economics) https://www.adamsmith.org/the-theory-of-moral-sentiments (Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith) https://www.aei.org/adam-smith-seminar/ (AEI's Adam Smith Seminar) http://bowlingalone.com/ (Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam) https://www.nursefamilypartnership.org/ (Nurse-Family Partnership) http://www.rajchetty.com/ (Raj Chetty) https://americanideafoundation.com/ (American Idea Foundation) https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/M-19-23.pdf (The Evidence Act) https://www.nber.org/papers/w19843 (Study on Upward Mobility and Geographic Indicators) https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/ (Office of Management and Budget) https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/many-americans-are-getting-more-money-from-unemployment-than-they-were-from-their-jobs/ (Many Americans Make More on Unemployment)
As a student, Kasim Reed set a goal to be mayor of Atlanta by age 40 - and he made it happen.The Kasim Reed story is truly an original...motivated by a nurturing mother and demanding father, on the Board of Howard University by age 19, the youngest member of the Georgia legislature by 29, managing a successful mayoral race at 32, and winning his own mayoral campaign 8 years later after starting in last place. And 8 successful years as mayor of one of the great international cities. Fascinating to hear Mayor Reed's story - and learn from his advice and insights after a meteoric rise in politics.Podcast WebsiteTwitter: @ProPoliticsPodTwitter: @ZacMcCraryFacebook: The Pro Politics PodcastIN THIS EPISODEThe life-changing moment when a young Kasim Reed crosses paths with Mayor Andrew Young…The transformational role of Howard University in Mayor Reed's life…Mayor Maynard Jackson helps mold a young Kasim Reed as a political operative…Mayor Reed talks interning for Congressman Joseph P Kennedy II…The path to becoming both the youngest member of the GA Legislature...How the GA legislature moving from Democratic to Republican made him a better mayor…The Kasim Reed best practices for managing campaigns…Mayor Reed compares Zac to Michael Jordan (not really, but sort of…)Mayor Reed talks about the importance of Atlanta being in the “future business” …The key relationships that helped Ambassador Young land the 1996 Atlanta Olympics…How Kasim Reed became Mayor after starting the race at 3%...Mayor Reed provides advice to Democrats on how to talk about the issue of crime…Mayor Reed gives a day in the life of what it's like to be Mayor of Atlanta…Mayor Reed talks about using his political capital to get tough things done…What is Mayor Reed's Purple Squirrel Theory of Management?A great story about Willie Brown helping Mayor Reed solve a tough issue…Mayor Reed provides his recommended itinerary for getting the most out of a trip to Atlanta…ALSO...Hank Aaron, Rev Ralph Abernathy, Troy Aikman, Ivan Allen, Lawrence Ashe, Roy Barnes, President Joe Biden, Arthur Blank, Michael Bloomberg, Julian Bond, Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Tom Brady, Willie Brown, Jimmy Carter, Jim Clyburn, Pinky Cole, Sean Combs, Tommy Duncan, Shirley Franklin, Dr Wayne Frederick, Ryan Glover, Taraji P. Henson, high top fades, Michael Irvin, Jesse Jackson, Jimmy Johnson, Vernon Jordan, Jack Kemp, John Lewis, Rev Joseph Lowery, Floyd Mayweather, Mark Mason, the McNeil-Lehrer Report, Dick Parsons, Marty Payson, Mark Pitts, Carl Sanders, Frank Savage, Slutty Vegan, Emmitt Smith, Calvin Smyre, Tracy Reed, Rev C.T. Vivian, and MORE!Podcast WebsiteTwitter: @ProPoliticsPodTwitter: @ZacMcCraryFacebook: The Pro Politics Podcast
President Trump and the social media continue to bump heads. Earlier this week, both Facebook and Twitter pulled a video from his campaign's account that they claim spread false information about the coronavirus. Should social media outlets be the arbiters of truth and are their censoring decisions impacting the Presidential election? "Media Buzz" host Howard Kurtz discusses how social media companies should police their content and if they're specifically targeting the President. Polls suggest 2020 may be an uphill battle for President Trump. But could revisiting a former quarterback's playbook be the key to his reelection? Fox News senior political analyst Brit Hume discusses the state of the Presidential race and why Trump should look to former NFL star turned Congressman Jack Kemp for inspiration and come up with some bold ideas that can revolutionize the Republican Party. Commentary by Fox News Legal Analyst Gregg Jarrett. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Seth's Israel trip. Twenty Facts About Israel, written by Bill Bennett, Jeanne Kirkpatrick, and Jack Kemp. Last night's Democratic debate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Guest Bios Show Transcript Is Assisted Suicide a compassionate means of ushering the terminally ill into the next life? Or is it simply a way of pressuring those we consider a burden to take their own lives? This week on The Roys Report, I'll be talking about this issue with Wesley Smith, one the world's foremost critics of euthanasia. Also joining me will be Kimberly Kuo—who has a powerful story of how her husband's battle with cancer transformed her thinking on this issue. I really hope you can join us for The Roys Report, this Saturday morning at 11 on AM 1160 Hope for Your Life and on Sunday night at 7 on AM 560 The Answer! This Weeks Guests Wesley J. Smith ...is among the world's foremost critics of assisted suicide and utilitarian bioethics. In 2004 he was named by the National Journal as one of the nation's top expert thinkers in bioengineering for his work in bioethics. In 2008, the Human Life Foundation named him a Great Defender of Life. And just a few weeks ago, he was named to Terri Schiavo Life and Hope Network Board of Directors. His Human Exceptionalism blog, hosted by National Review Online, is one of the premier blogs dealing with human life and dignity. His latest book (2016) is the newly updated and revised edition of Culture of Death: The Age of “Do Harm” Medicine, a warning about the dangers of the modern bioethics movement. When first published it was named one of the Ten Outstanding Books of the Year and Best Health Book of the Year for 2001 (Independent Publisher Book Awards). Smith has published hundreds of articles and opinion columns nationally and internationally, including in Newsweek, New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Forbes, the Weekly Standard, National Review, The Age (Australia), The Telegraph (United Kingdom), Western Journal of Medicine, and the American Journal of Bioethics. Throughout his career in public and consumer advocacy, Smith has appeared on thousands of television and radio programs including such national shows as ABC Nightline, Good Morning America, Larry King Live, CNN Anderson Cooper 360, CNN World Report, CBS Evening News, EWTN, C-SPAN, Fox News Network, as well as nationally syndicated radio programs, including Coast to Coast, Dennis Miller, Dennis Prager, Michael Medved, and EWTN. Kimberly Kuo ...has over 25 years experience as a Communications and Marketing professional in national politics, federal government, corporations and start-ups. Her experience in politics includes time as Press Secretary for Senate Majority Leader and then presidential candidate Bob Dole and vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp. She currently serves as Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, Communications and Communities at Coca-Cola Consolidated. In addition to opinion pieces, she also writes music, poetry and children's fiction. She loves writing for and teaching young kids at Forest Hill Church in Charlotte, N.C., and her greatest joy is adventuring with her two children. Show Transcript Note: This transcript has been edited slightly for continuity. Segment 1 Welcome to The Roys Report, brought to you in part by Judson University. I am Julie Roys. And I'm so glad that you've joined me to talk about, what is admittedly a very sobering but important subject—euthanasia and assisted suicide. So what do you think about euthanasia or assisted suicide? Is this a humane way to usher those with terminal illnesses into the next life? Or, is it simply a way to pressure those that we consider a burden to take their own life? Over the past 25 years, the move to legalize assisted suicide has accelerated rapidly. In 1997, Oregon became the first state to legalize euthanasia. Today, eight states and the District of Columbia have joined Oregon's ranks. A ninth state will be added in September when a new law goes into effect in Maine. Over the years, nearly 1,500 people in Oregon have died from ingesting drugs legally prescribed by a doctor. In the state of Washington, nearly 1,400 people have done the same. But that's nothing compared to the numbers of people euthanized worldwide. In the Netherlands, for example, where assisted suicide was first made legal, more than 6,000 people die by euthanasia and assisted suicide every single year. And just about a month ago, a 17-year-old Dutch rape victim, who suffered from depression, starved herself to death after requesting euthanasia. It's unclear if the doctors played any role in her death, though my guest today argues that it really doesn't matter. He writes: “A teenager, with a terrible psychiatric condition, was allowed to make herself dead instead of receiving continued and robust treatment efforts. That's abandonment as surely as providing a lethal injection. This is where all assisted suicide or euthanasia legalization laws eventually lead. Once a society accepts killing as an acceptable way to eliminate human suffering, there is no limit as to the categories of suffering that will eventually justify eliminating the sufferer.” Well, my guest today is Wesley J. Smith, one of the world's foremost critics of assisted suicide and utilitarian bioethics. Wesley is an author and a senior fellow at The Discovery Institute's Center on Human Exceptionalism. And his Human Exceptionalism blog, which is hosted by National Review Online, is one of the premier blogs dealing with human life and dignity. His latest book is the newly updated and revised edition of Culture of Death: The Age of “Do Harm” Medicine. So Wesley, welcome to The Roys Report. I'm so glad you could join me. WESLEY J. SMITH: Well, thank you for having me and hello to your listeners. JULIE ROYS: So Wesley, you know, let's talk a little bit about this Dutch teenager who committed suicide. By all accounts, she didn't die by injection or prescribed drugs. I think it is a little bit unclear. But can you explain more why you feel that her suicide is actually the result of sort of this culture of death that assisted suicide and euthanasia contributes to? WESLEY J. SMITH: Well, absolutely. I call that an abetted suicide. And this is what I mean. Starving oneself to death is known in euthanasia parlance as VSED for Voluntary Stop Eating and Drinking. It is pushed by euthanasia and assisted suicide groups such as Compassion and Choices, which used to be more honestly named The Hemlock Society. And in fact, in the Compassion and Choices, they promote aggressively and teach people how to do it for elderly people who may not qualify for legal assisted suicide in states where it's legal, but are tired of life or just feel that their life is over and it's time to move on. So, what happened, is this teenage woman, a young woman, or late, you know, teenager, had been sexually molested when she was 11. And had been gang raped by two men when she was 14. Obviously, that caused a terrible upset in this poor thing, poor girl. But she had actually managed to make something positive out of it. She wrote a best-selling book, just as an example, to show the vitality of her life force, that tried to make something positive out of this awful experience, which she was suffering from depression, anorexia, PTSD and so forth. And at the end, she asked for the mental health officials to provide her with electro-shock therapy, which can help in treating depression. She was refused on the basis that she was too young. So she then decided I'm going to just starve myself to death, obviously having been told about this VSED situation. Now in VSED, people don't just starve and dehydrate themselves to death, generally, without a doctor's help because of the symptoms you would experience. If you don't eat, the pain and don't take water, the pain and suffering can be quite intense. So what often happens is that a doctor will palliate those symptoms – give you drugs to make, so that you don't feel them so well that actually helps you then continue on with this suicide effort, which is suicide in slow motion. What I suspect happened, and I don't know, is that doctors in the Netherlands probably put her, may have, let's put it, instead of probably, may have because there's an investigation ongoing, may have put her into an artificial coma to allow her to complete this process of ten days dehydration. That is something called “terminal sedation.” And terminal sedation isn't intended to just palliate symptoms. It is intended to make it so the person dies. And it must be distinguished—I hate to be (inaudible) but we have to be nuanced—from what is known as palliative sedation. In a situation where someone is actively dying and perhaps, they're suffering from anxiety or the pain is difficult to control, doctors' palliative experts can put patients into a sedated state that can actually be titrated up and down. The point of that isn't to kill people. The point of that, is to make it so that they live as fully as possible considering their circumstances. The point of terminal sedation isn't when somebody's dying but is to make them so that they don't eat or drink. In fact, in the Netherlands, more people die by terminal sedation than die by active euthanasia. To the point that in an article I wrote a couple of years ago, it seems that about 24% of all Dutch deaths, may be induced by doctors when you include euthanasia, assisted suicide, (euthanasia being lethal injection, assisted suicide being lethal prescription) terminal sedation and so forth. So I think if we ever learn the full truth of what happened to this 17 year old girl, we will find that doctors were certainly a part of her suicide by self-starvation and dehydration. JULIE ROYS: This is, I mean, I'm trying to wrap my head around this. I mean, one, you have a girl who is 17 years old. She's not old enough to get the treatment that she so desires but she is old enough to be killed. WESLEY J. SMITH: Julie she's not old enough to consent to a tattoo! JULIE ROYS: It's just mind boggling to me. And then you're telling me that 24% of deaths may be caused, in the Netherlands, to doctors? I mean that's like a complete violation of the Hippocratic Oath, right, is to do no harm? WESLEY J. SMITH: Oh yeah, right, of course it is. But doctors don't take the Hippocratic Oath anymore. And again emphasizing, 24% isn't the number of people lethally injected. 24% includes people who might be sedated so that they die over 2 weeks and this kind of thing. And in fact, there have been stories out of the Netherlands, the reason that doctors are turning more frequently to terminal sedation, is under the euthanasia law of the Netherlands, the doctors actually have to be present when the patient is killed. And that's what they're talking about, you know, euthanasia, you're killing the patient—you're giving them a lethal injection. But in terminal sedation, the doctor doesn't have to be present. And there have been stories out of the Netherlands about how anxiety-causing euthanasia is for the doctor, which one would expect and one would hope when you're killing people that that would be something you'd never get used to. So, when you include all of the types of induced death that can exist and I'm speaking off the top of my head, but it was about 24%. JULIE ROYS: Wow, wow. And this is supposed to be, I mean, this is what the advocates of assisted suicide and euthanasia say, they say this is the compassionate alternative. And yet, we're seeing this being used to really create a society, where if you're not, you know, deemed worthy of living, then we can encourage you, you know, maybe pressure you, maybe just not offer you the help that you need. So that you just going to usher, you know, into that next life. Not very compassionate, Wesley. WESLEY J. SMITH: Well, the Netherlands has always had a stunted hospice sector and palliative care sector because they've been allowing euthanasia since the 70's. It was formally legalized in 2002 but before that, it was decriminalized so that if a doctor followed the supposed guidelines, that are intended to protect against abuse, they would not, and they reported it to the coroner, they would not be prosecuted. But I hope your listeners understand that these supposed guidelines, to protect against abuse, are just there to assuage people's fears. They're really not designed to protect anyone. For example . . . JULIE ROYS: One second, Wesley, we have to go to break so I hate to cut you off. But we'll come back to it. We just have to take a short break. Again, Dr. Wesley Smith, a critic of assisted suicide and a senior fellow at The Discovery Institute is joining me. When I come back, I'll have another guest for whom this subject is very personal. Stay tuned. SEGMENT 2 JULIE ROYS: Well, euthanasia is increasingly becoming accepted around the world and here in the U.S. Welcome back to The Roys Report. I'm Julie Roys. And today we're talking about assisted suicide and euthanasia and the sanctity of human life. Our show today is recorded, so I can't take your calls. However, I encourage you, you can join the live conversation online by going to Facebook.com/ReachJulieRoys. Or to get to me on Twitter, use my handle @ReachJulieRoys. Also, I want to let you know that today I am giving away copies of Wesley Smith's most recent book: Culture of Death: The Age of “Do Harm” Medicine. This is a warning about the dangers of the modern bioethics movement. Great book. Great resource. So if you'd like to enter to win that book, just go to Julie.Roys.com/giveaway. Again, joining me today is Wesley Smith, a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute's Center on Human Exceptionalism. And I have another guest waiting to tell a really compelling story about how this has personally impacted her life. But Wesley, I wanted to give you a chance to sort of finish your thought, that you didn't get a chance to finish at the end of the last segment, about how these laws—they're supposed to be about compassion, they're supposed to be a last resort for suicide and euthanasia. Yet, that's really not how they're written, is it? WESLEY J. SMITH: That's correct and with regard to the 24% of Dutch deaths being induced, it's actually, as I added it up, 25%. And the people want to see how it came to that conclusion, they can go to National Review online, the corner, my article of January 21st, 2019. It will be easy to find if people are interested in how I determined that figure. In terms of, I was going to get into domestic assisted suicide advocacy. It is always sold as an issue of to be a kind of a safety valve, a last resort to prevent an agonizing death when nothing else can be done to alleviate suffering. But that's not how the laws read at all. There is no objective requirement that there be nothing else done, that can be done to alleviate suffering. In fact, if there was it would be a zero rate because there's always something that can be done to alleviate suffering. Even if it means that cognitive sedation that I discussed. So what happens is these laws say, as cited by the patient, so the patient may not have any actual symptoms at all. But if they have the diagnosis of a terminal illness, likely to cause death within 6 months, they're able to get the legal prescription. So all of the advocacy that you hear about requiring suffering isn't true because the laws are not written to so require it. JULIE ROYS: Well, thank you for that distinction. That's really helpful. I want to introduce us now to Kimberly Kuo. She's someone I became familiar with because I heard her speak at a conference and her story was so compelling that I was like man, I want people to hear this story of how through her experience. Her husband was David Kuo. He was the former Deputy Director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives under President George W. Bush. Kimberly says watching her husband live his life to the fullest, while suffering from this terminal illness, led her to advocate against assisted suicide. So Kimberly, I'm just thrilled to have you join me. Thank you so much for taking the time. KIMBERELY KUO: Oh, thank you so much, Julie. I appreciate the opportunity to share. JULIE ROYS: Yeah, well, so tell, I mean, I know your story but our listeners have never heard about it. Tell me a little bit about David and his terminal illness and how that impacted your view of this issue. KIMBERELY KUO: Sure, well, I had no view of the issue honestly before David and I's experience. So, we were in Washington D.C. many years ago. Both of us working in politics. David was 34 years old when we were driving home from a big Washington party. He was working in the White House at the time and he had a grand mal seizure while driving home. So if you don't know what that is, his eyes just rolled back in his head and his foot launched on to the gas pedal and we went flying out of control. And so, at about 4:00 in the morning, in the ER, we survived the car crash thankfully. He was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer—Glioblastoma—and that was the first time that he was given 6 months to live. As Wesley mentioned, that's about all it requires, at that moment. He could have been given lethal drugs to kill himself, saying, you know what, you only have 6 months to live. It's going to be a terrible, painful illness and way to die. And we certainly didn't take that path. Although, about 2 years after David actually died, a woman named Brittany Maynard, who I'm sure you've heard of, in California, started this whole debate, was diagnosed with the same exact same brain tumor and did set out to take the drug 6 months later. Thankfully, our story continued. David and I had only been married for 3 years at this point and so David had seizures. He had trouble walking because his left side was impaired after that point. You know, having 5 brain surgeries over the time. But about 2 years after David was given 6 months to live, we had our daughter Olivia. And because we decided we were going to live. And that's a tough decision to make in these circumstances. But you really have to decide whether you're going to wait to die or you're going to live. And 4 years after David was given that 6 months, we had my son, Aiden. So we built a family and we lived, in about, as I mentioned, David had 2 years of chemo after the kids were born. And about 6 years in, the tumor is growing again and he was given 6 months to live again. He had had radiation at this point. It looked on the MRI's like it had just blown up. They had several doctors look at it—6 months to live. And we decided to continue using new weapons at our disposal: medicine, and prayer and fasting and everything we could do. And then he, of course, lived another few years. Nine years after his first 6 months diagnosis, he was given a third diagnosis of 6 months to live. So he ended up living about 10 years which kind of proves what Wesley was saying, you know. We went through hospice for example for the last 10-11 days of David's life. And I could tell you story after story of our friends and family who came, flew in across the country over the years of taking us to doctor's appointments. And seeing miracles of David actually getting another year to live, another 2 years, another 3 years to live. We had people fasting for us around the world. And the faith that was built in our community over this time was enormous. Including the last 10 days of Aiden, Aiden that's my son, of David's life when, you know, some people would say, “okay well end it then because it's painful.” Honestly, the hospice system in America – the last 10 or 11 days of David's life were some of the least painful, the least suffering. However, he continued to influence people incredibly. He was witnessing to his ICU resident and telling him to read Mere Christianity. In the last two weeks when he was in ICU, he challenged his oncologist to start a ministry for homeless cancer patients. Because in their discussions, they realized homeless people don't have health care, how does a person with cancer be served? So she did so after his death. And so, my message to people, first of all, is this whole debate is predicated on suffering and doctors trying to predict how long you can live or how long you can suffer and what not. And no doctor we every talked to, which were the best doctors in the world: National Institutes for Health, Duke, UCLA, whatever. None of them could predict with any degree of reliability how long David would live, what his suffering would be like, any of those things. And the second thing that I found so interesting is Brittany Maynard, the poster child for this whole compassion and choices argument is that there was purpose in every day that David lived. He would speak to people; he would influence people. And there is no purposeless suffering. And you'll always having the opportunity to live fully and to influence other people. And so that's the short version of our story and I'm happy to talk about it more. But I never imagined even being in this debate until I heard some of the arguments for this. And then, of course, as a caretaker, who struggled for 10 years to take care of David, I can tell you that if you had a caretaker who was not, didn't have the best intentions or just couldn't do it anymore. It scares me greatly that caretakers can now make that decision for the patient. There's numerous examples where the patient has not given their own consent. But a caretaker who's just tired or a caretaker who might inherit money or something could make that decision for a patient. JULIE ROYS: Wow. Well we're going to have to go to break. When we come back—Kimberly, thank you so much for that story—but when we come back, let's talk about the laws in the United States. What is sort of on the front lines in this assisted suicide and euthanasia debate? Again, you're listening to The Roys Report. I'm Julie Roys. Joining me today Kimberly Kuo also Wesley Smith. We will be right back after a short break. 3rd Segment JULIE ROYS: Welcome back to The Roys Report, brought to you in part by Judson University. I'm Julie Roys. And today, we're discussing euthanasia and assisted suicide. Is this something that we should support as a compassionate solution to suffering? Or is it kind of a Trojan Horse, which really ushers in this culture of death and justifies killing anyone that we deem a burden? Our show today is recorded, so I can't take your calls. However, I encourage you to join the conversation live online right now at Facebook.com/ReachJulieRoys. Or to get to me on Twitter, use my handle @ReachJulieRoys. Also, I want to remind you that today I am giving away copies of Wesley Smith's most recent book: Culture of Death: The Age of “Do Harm” Medicine, which is a warning about the dangers of this modern bioethics movement. If you'd like to enter to win that book, just go to JulieRoys.com/giveaway. Again, joining me today is Wesley Smith, a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute's Center on Human Exceptionalism. Also joining me is Kimberly Kuo, an outspoken advocate against assisted suicide and euthanasia. And Wesley and Kimberly, I just looked this up recently, 2018 Gallup poll found that 72% of Americans support euthanasia or assisted suicide. So the view that you bring to the table is becoming more and more a minority view in this country. Wesley, why don't you speak to what's happening with these laws and kinda where the front lines is here in the United States when it comes to euthanasia and assisted suicide. And maybe, can you distinguish what's the difference between assisted suicide and euthanasia? WESLEY J. SMITH: As used in this issue's parlance, assisted suicide is when a doctor gives you a lethal prescription so that you can take an overdose of pills to kill yourself. So the last act that causes death is taken by the person who dies. In Euthanasia, as generally used, the doctor administers a lethal injection, so the last act to cause death is from the doctor. So in Netherlands, Belgium and Canada, this is three examples, that permits euthanasia, they call it “medical aid and dying,” because they love their euphemisms. They don't want people to think about what's really happening. But in those three countries you have doctors literally killing people with a lethal injection. And I always find it ironic that these are countries that are against the death penalty by lethal injection. In Belgium and the Netherlands and in Canada, sometimes euthanasia is conjoined with organ harvesting. And so that a person who would not be dead, except for being killed by a doctor, will then have their organs harvested within minutes of succumbing. In Belgium and the Netherlands, and the reason I'm bringing this up is because it shows you once you decide there are killable people, then you decide there are exploitable people. So in Belgium and the Netherlands, not yet in Canada, although it may happen someday, people who are euthanized are sometimes mentally ill. And it does not require in any of those countries a terminal illness. But in Canada, I'm sorry, in Belgium and the Netherlands, mentally ill people are euthanized. That is people who are not physically ill are experiencing the terrible anguish of mental illness, go to a hospital, are killed, they're wheeled into a surgical suite, and their organs are harvested. And then these experiences have been written up in organ transplant medical journals without an ounce or an iota of criticism. It's just stunning to consider what we're doing. And in fact in one of those cases, one of the articles, I looked it up and read it extensively, I looked deep into the heart of the data, you know what the person who was killed and harvested, you know what their mental illness was? Self-harming. So the quote treatment to self-harming was to kill and then harvested. I can't think of anything more cruel than letting people believe, who are having a terrible time getting through the night, that their deaths have greater value than their lives. JULIE ROYS: Well this is the slippery slope, isn't it? I mean it's . . . WESLEY J. SMITH: Well yes. JULIE ROYS: . . . one where you let it in, this is where it heads. WESLEY J. SMITH: It's not just a slippery slope. What I'm discussing are facts on the ground. And this is not what I project will happen. It is what is happening today. And this happens not because the Dutch or the Belgians or the Canadians, and the Canadians are our closest cultural cousins, it's not because they're worse human beings than Americans. It's because they have excepted the premise that underlies euthanasia. That killing is, that we can eliminate suffering by eliminating the sufferer. And once you accept that logical, that premise, logic will take you to places where we've gone. Some go slower than others. The United States is going much slower than the Netherlands did because there's still a robust pushback here in this country. And by the way, one of the reasons why 72% of the people told Gallup that is because they never hear the reasons for opposing it. The media has gone all-in on supporting assisted suicide. They turned Brittany Maynard into a heroine because she committed assisted suicide. CNN named her one of their “Extraordinary People” of, I think it was, 2015, because she killed herself. JULIE ROYS: Yeah, it's unbelievable. Let me . . . WESLEY J. SMITH: Yet Kimberly's husband didn't get the notice that Brittany Maynard received. And there was another young woman, named Lauren Hill, who had the same illness. She fought for life with dignity instead of quote death with dignity. And she got a little bit of notice in People Magazine because she raised money for cancer research and continued to play basketball, college basketball. 189 page, word, I'm sorry, word obituary in People. Brittany Maynard got 1,000 words in People. KIMBERLY KUO: Front cover. JULIE ROYS: Yeah. Let me throw this to Kimberly because I want to give you a chance to weigh in on this as well. I mean, we talked, you, I had you on a radio show that I had on a different network a couple years ago, you know. And we talked about that, you know. Since we've talked about this issue, New Jersey has passed assisted suicide law. Maine just passed it. It's going to go into effect in September. Are you surprised to see how rapidly this is beginning? I mean, like you said Wesley, it's a little bit slower than in Europe but are you surprised to see how it's getting root here in the United States. KIMBERLY KUO: Not really because as I said, I never thought about it and when you talk to people about it, it's not sort of a happy issue. It's not like cutting your taxes. And the arguments against it are complex. So I try to raise simple things to people, like someone has to decide who's going to die. And basically, the governments are deciding who can die now. Is that a good thing? You know, people just don't think through that and certainly I believe Christians don't because it's the exact argument that they use for abortion. The language is pro-choice. It's about women's health and freedom and doing what you want, but very similar mirrored issues. No one talks about the fact, to add on to what Wesley was saying about organ harvesting, insurance companies have huge monetary incentives not to treat cancer but to give people $50 worth of lethal drugs. And I'm a political person so if you look at the California law, what that did was help them fill a 60 million-dollar hole in health care for poor people. JULIE ROYS: All right, pause on that. We need to go to break. When we come back—I love that you brought up, Kimberly, you know, as Christians how should we think about this? You know, the arguments for abortion very similar. We're going to talk about that when we come back from break. Again, you're listening to The Roys Report. We will be right back after a short break. Segment 4 JULIE ROYS: Well, is euthanasia the answer to chronic suffering or simply a means of ushering in a culture of death? Welcome back to The Roys Report. I am Julie Roys and today we are tackling this difficult topic of euthanasia and assisted suicide. As you may know, assisted suicide is legal now in 8 states and the District of Columbia. In September, it will be legal in 9 states when a new law goes into effect in Maine. Here in Illinois, assisted suicide is not legal however in Illinois, it is legal to withhold food and fluids from a patient who is not dying otherwise. And now that Democrats have a super majority, I just wonder if this is going to be another push here in this state, to do something that is absolutely shocking. So, we'll be jumping back into that discussion in just a second. But I do want to let you know that next week, we're going to be talking about just an incredible move of God that's going on right now in Iran. Joining me will be Joel Richardson, a New York Times bestselling author and filmmaker, and an internationally recognized expert on Biblical prophecy and Islam. Joel has just produced a film on Iran telling the story of how the Iranian regime is actually losing control of the Iranian people. And it's in large part due to this sweeping movement, interestingly of women, who are following Jesus as their Messiah. I'm so excited about this show, and to have Joel who will be getting back from the Middle East shortly before the program and can report to the seeing this first hand and what's going on there. So, I really hope you'll make a point to join me next week as I talk to Joel Richardson about that. But returning to our topic today. Joining me is Wesley J. Smith of the Discovery Institute and Kimberly Kuo, an advocate against euthanasia. And Kimberly I know, for you, Scripture played this huge role in what you said. You know, initially, you didn't really have a view on euthanasia and assisted suicide but as you and your husband walked through his terminal illness, you really relied on Scripture and God began to speak to you through it. So, tell me how Scripture informed your view of this topic. KIMBERLY KUO: Well, let me run through a couple of things on that. First of all, just searching the character of God. So we definitely leaned on specific verses. But I would challenge everybody to understand the character of God because I think sometimes you can pull specific verses out of context. But one of the ones I always use in explaining the issue is Job 2. It's the first time assisted suicide, that I could find, was mentioned. And that's when Job had already lost his family, he lost his herds, and his wife came to him and says, you know what, give up just die. Now you're afflicted physically and there's something especially hard about that. So just curse God and die. And what Job says to her is, “don't be foolish.” “Don't be foolish,” you know, “we can do this, God gives us good, God will carry us through this.” So that's the first thing I would say. And then if you jump to Job 28 when God finally fires back, “You know what? Where were you when . . .?” And he goes through, “where were you when I hung the stars?” Right? We have to trust in a God that Isaiah said is far above our ways. If he gave us breath, there's purpose in the breath. If he gives you a breath today, it means you can live with that, right? And certainly 1 Cor 6:19 where he says, “your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. You were bought with a price. Honor God with your bodies.” To me, that doesn't mean until we feel like we can't anymore. You know, like I said, David's body was broken. He lost his ability to walk, he lost his ability to turn over in a bed and he still honored God as much as he could in every way that he could. And so I don't think that charge to us, to honor God with our bodies, ends. I think, you know, Julie I mentioned this in the conference, I get asked a lot this Catholic view that, you know, suicide in any way, shape or form is just an unforgiveable sin. But to me, it's the original sin to say, “you know what, I will handle this, that and the other but man when it comes to suffering physically and dying, I'm taking over. God must have made a mistake. I'm going to control this, right? I'm not going to honor God anymore. I'm just going to control this whole thing.” And I think that the fundamental, you know, unfaithful position, if we believe God is the good Father and perfect in all of His ways, then He's perfect in all of His ways and we have to submit to that. JULIE ROYS: And our suffering happens under his sovereignty. And I think interestingly, we follow a Savior who endured suffering to the end. Who said, you know, I want, Father, take this cup from me and yet He didn't bow out at that point he said okay, “this is legitimate suffering. This redemptive suffering. I'm going to do it in faithfulness to the Father.” And so what an example Jesus gave us. KIMBERLY KUO: Exactly, and he says in the end, “I will honor you, God. Right? I see what suffering is coming before me, and I hate it, please no, but, in the end, not me but you, God and I will honor you no matter what.” JULIE ROYS: Amen, it's so powerful, the example of Christ. And it helps us, you know, as we face these things. Wesley, you were saying as we were talking in the break, that this issue, you know, a lot of us think, well okay, so when our state is going to, you know, if there's a law that we're going to be considering, then we'll think about this issue. You're saying this could hit you very personally. You need to think about it now and think about what you're going to do. Tell me about that. WESLEY J. SMITH: Right and I would also point out based on what Kimberly said “compassion,” the root meaning is to suffer with. Assisted suicide isn't suffering with anybody, it's discarding. And it certainly does not reflect—and the Hippocratic oath, 500 years before Christ, understood that—it prohibits doctors from participation. But I want your listeners to consider. They may think, well, this will never affect me, will only happen if I get sick or somebody in my life gets sick and I won't have to think about it otherwise. I don't think that's true. You see in the media today a lot of promotion of what are called suicide parties. That is people who are going to commit assisted suicide or euthanasia, for example in Canada, have a party which culminates, either at the end of the party with the killing, or the party ends and then the person commits assisted suicide. It is being normalized in the popular culture. And your listeners could receive a call one day from, let's say, sister Sue. Sister Sue calls and says, “you know, Grandma has cancer. She's expected to die within six months. But she's decided it's next Tuesday. She wants you come. She wants you to be here when she takes the pills.” What do you do? If you say, “yes,” you are complicit in Grandma's suicide. You are validating Grandma that she perhaps is a burden. Maybe her fear is she's a burden. Or she's worried that she will be loved less if people see her go through the decline that can be experienced in a terminal illness. Brittany Maynard said that one of her two reasons for committing assisted suicide was she didn't want her family to have the bad memory of her going through the decline caused by the brain cancer. In other words, she put herself out of her family's misery. This is really frightening. So, if you say yes, you're complicit. You're validating and it may be the thing that pushes Grandma over the final ledge. “Well, I guess if my family says I should do it, I should do it,” right? But if you say, “no,” you could end up losing your family. For example, you say, “no.” Sister Sue says, “how dare you impose your Christianity on Grandma, on us. If you don't come and if you're not part of her—she helped put you through college, you're out of the family.” And don't think that won't happen. Christians are now facing increasing persecution for being faithful to their faith. Doctors are actually in Canada being forced to choose between euthanizing patients or getting out of health care. A court ruled in Ontario, Canada that a Christian doctor who refuses to euthanize, and refuses to procure a euthanasia doctor who will euthanize, can actually face professional discipline because of that decision not to kill. So, there's going to be—any one of your listeners could end up facing this situation. And I think pastors, if you have pastors listening to your show, they need to bone up on this so that if somebody comes into their study and says, “Pastor I've got a problem. You know they want me to come out and participate in a suicide party.” The pastors' need to be able to counsel those parishioners in order to do what's right both by Grandma and by the parishioner. JULIE ROYS: Kimberly, I am curious in your advocacy, have you talked to many pastors and, you know, if so, how did they respond about getting involved on this issue and speaking out about it? KIMBERLY KUO: Almost all said to me, even at the conference I was at where you attended Julie, is, “oh my gosh, I never thought about this.” And that's kind of what happens in these social issues and you know that. And I hate to say this but it is, you know several Republican governors and legislatures defeated these and then a Democrat came in and they were approved. So this is more of a liberal agenda item. They're organized, they are pushing this, and we're just not even paying attention. And so almost all of them have either asked me to come speak, or “what do you say?” or, “are there resources?” Nobody is thinking about this. I'm thrilled to read Wesley's book. But even among my friends, no churches or pastors are talking about this at all. And if I could just play on one thing he said there, about the word compassion. One thing I always bring up for Christians to look at. Look at Mother Teresa. She's like this icon of compassion. Even the Pope said, you know, this assisted suicide is misdirected compassion. Let's own what compassion is. She's not killing off people suffering in Calcutta. She's comforting them, staying with them, loving with them. And people like that, they understand that that's good. Well then that's the model we should be following, right? We need to understand and claim what compassion is because David and I experienced compassion. We experienced the Body of Christ. And it was certainly not anyone sleeping in a hospital bedroom with us saying you know, just get this over with, end this. It was someone sitting there, you know, bringing supplies or holding his hand. I once stayed up for 36 hours clicking a morphine clicker every 5 minutes to keep his pain under control, right? That's compassion. JULIE ROYS: And it changes you, doesn't it? KIMBERLY KUO: Oh, forever, yes and everyone around you. Yes. JULIE ROYS: The character that's formed in us, I think, as we walk with people in their suffering; it develops something in us. And yet I think we don't want to suffer even though as Christians we know, part of being a Christian is taking up your cross, following Christ, imitating him, you know. Following His example. And yet we want to just sort of get out of that process. And who likes suffering? It's tough, it's really, really tough. WESLEY J. SMITH: Obligation, if people weren't suffering, how would anybody ever provide the succor that people do? You know, when you're receiving care, you're allowing other people to plant seeds of love. If nobody was willing to receive care, how would those seeds of love ever be planted? And if you take a look back at the early church, why did the church become popular among the poor? Because the people of the early church picked up the children that were exposed on hills, took care of the elderly who were being abandoned and so forth. So, when you show that—I'll bet that the incredible love you gave your husband, Kimberly, touched more people than you will ever know on this side of eternity. Because, you know, when people claim to be Christians, I'm a little stepping outside my parameter here, but people watch to see how you act. JULIE ROYS: Yeah, they do. I hate to do this. We're running out of time. I'm going to have to bring this to a close. But Wesley I so appreciate what you said. And Kimberly, I so appreciate what you said. And I'd love to have you both back and talk about this again sometime because I feel like it's much larger than we're able to deal with in this time. But you're absolutely right, Wesley, people are watching us. And I think it's very clear in Scripture. Deuteronomy 32:39, says, “There is no god besides Me. I put to death and I bring to life. I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of My hand.” The right to life and to death is God's. That's not just my view, that's Scripture's view. Thanks so much for joining me for The Roys Report. Have a great weekend and God bless. Read more
After she and her husband David Kuo were in a car wreck late one Saturday night in 2003, Kimberly waited in the George Washington University Hospital for news of his condition. The newly married couple were at the top of their Washington careers at the time. David worked in the White House as a senior aide to President George W. Bush. Kimberly was an executive downtown having previously worked in the Senate as a top aide for Majority Leader Bob Dole. When David was finally wheeled out of the emergency room, he gave his wife a thumbs down. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor and given six months to live. Kimberly joined Jeff and Travis at the Leland House to share her family's courageous story of living life to the fullest when battling a terminal illness and why physician-assisted suicide is not the answer for such a tragedy. Guest Biography Kimberly Kuo has over 25 years experience as a Communications and Marketing professional in national politics, federal government, corporations and start-ups. Her experience in politics includes time as Press Secretary for Senate Majority Leader and then presidential candidate Bob Dole and vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp. She currently serves as Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, Communications and Communities at Coca-Cola Consolidated. In addition to opinion pieces, she also writes music, poetry and children's fiction. She loves writing for and teaching young kids at Forest Hill Church in Charlotte, N.C., and her greatest joy is adventuring with her two children. Resources from the Conversation Kimberly's Q Ideas Talk: Six Months To Live Kimberley's WORLD Magazine podcast: Cancer, marriage, and refusing to give up Kimberley's Christianity Today article: Assisted Suicide and Real Death with Dignity CC podcast: Ben Mitchell on physician-assisted suicide; Feeling the Bern on religious freedom ERLC article by Matthew Arbo: How would you counsel someone interested in assisted suicide? ERLC article by Kathryn Butler: Is physician-assisted suicide ethical? ERLC explainer by Matthew Hawkins: How to reject physician-assisted suicide David Kuo's book: Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction ERLC | Capitol Conversation Podcast
In this episode, we discuss Kyle Korver, white allies, and white privileged. We give you the context and history that you need while discussing Korver's position, Branch Rickey, Alice Marble, Jack Kemp and others. We also open with our thoughts about Tiger Woods winning the Masters.
Can we find common ground between Democrats and Republicans? And can capitalism and virtue still co-exist? Rick talks about it with Jimmy Kemp. Kemp is is President of the Jack Kemp Foundation and the son of Congressman, HUD Secretary, Vice-Presidential candidate Jack Kemp. You can call in to the show any time at (833) 711-RICK. That's (833) 711-7425.
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