1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: I want grant dispensation for any talkbacks today to try 2 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:05,200 Speaker 1: to get me to chase a squirrel or to comment 3 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:08,840 Speaker 1: on anything I'm doing, because well, we're just we're just 4 00:00:08,840 --> 00:00:12,360 Speaker 1: not getting it done today. I try my best. Just 5 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:21,680 Speaker 1: bear with me. Jason Crowe, Slot Nick Mark Kelly. Who 6 00:00:21,720 --> 00:00:24,919 Speaker 1: are the others? I forget all the yahoos that made 7 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: that video encouraging or directing the military to not follow 8 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 1: unlawful orders continue to appear on all of the Sunday 9 00:00:34,800 --> 00:00:38,560 Speaker 1: talk shows. I watched Jason Crowe do his little tap 10 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:41,400 Speaker 1: dance about a bazillion times over the weekend, and of 11 00:00:41,400 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 1: course he was on the Sunday shows. He was even 12 00:00:43,880 --> 00:00:47,600 Speaker 1: on some local some of the local news programs. But 13 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:51,000 Speaker 1: they continue and continue and continue to try to rationalize 14 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: because I think just blew up in their face and 15 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 1: they didn't expect it to blow up the way it did. 16 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: But when you when you go out and you say 17 00:00:58,520 --> 00:01:01,680 Speaker 1: the things that they said, that you have an obligation 18 00:01:01,880 --> 00:01:05,280 Speaker 1: not to follow an order that is illegal, but you 19 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:09,640 Speaker 1: give no example, You just say generically, hey, you shouldn't 20 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:14,960 Speaker 1: follow any order that's illegal. You really set up a 21 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 1: bad situation. And by a bad situation, I mean exactly 22 00:01:18,959 --> 00:01:25,040 Speaker 1: what General Jack Keane said on Fox News this morning. Well, 23 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 1: I guess it would help. This is just the way 24 00:01:31,520 --> 00:01:36,120 Speaker 1: the whole day's gone. It's a Monday before holiday, and nobody, 25 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:37,640 Speaker 1: none of us know what we're doing. 26 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 2: You about another issue we're tracking closely over the weekend. 27 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 2: Democratic Senator Alissa Slopkin said she essentially stands. 28 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:49,600 Speaker 3: By the pr. 29 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:51,920 Speaker 2: Video she put out with some of her Democratic colleagues, 30 00:01:52,040 --> 00:01:56,360 Speaker 2: telling service members that if they feel military orders from 31 00:01:56,400 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 2: the commander in chief are illegal for words, they don't 32 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 2: have to follow them. 33 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 3: Take a listen to what she said yesterday. Do you 34 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:08,000 Speaker 3: believe President Trump has issued any illegal orders? 35 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 2: To my knowledge, I am not aware of things that 36 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:14,640 Speaker 2: are illegal, but certainly there are some legal gymnastics that 37 00:02:14,680 --> 00:02:15,280 Speaker 2: are going on. 38 00:02:15,200 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 1: With these Caribbean strikes. 39 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:16,840 Speaker 4: Quick. 40 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: Oh now, let's keep that in mind, the Caribbean strikes, 41 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:21,560 Speaker 1: because I'm going to get to that in a minute. 42 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:24,120 Speaker 1: But notice that no, you know, no, we just made 43 00:02:24,160 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: the video just to remind it'd be like me, who 44 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:31,400 Speaker 1: has been known to occasionally exceed the speed limit, although 45 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 1: I've been really good for the past three or four years, 46 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:37,320 Speaker 1: to get out and lecture you about Hey, it's illegal 47 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:42,880 Speaker 1: to speed. Okay, we all know that. And if you're 48 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:45,959 Speaker 1: a member of the military, you know that you have 49 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 1: an obligation to follow the constitution and if there is 50 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 1: a I went you this in depth last week that 51 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:56,280 Speaker 1: if there is an egregious example, an egregious order, like 52 00:02:56,280 --> 00:02:59,239 Speaker 1: you've been ordered to shoot civilians, you have a right 53 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: to run that up your train of command. But they 54 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: didn't give any examples. And again when asked yesterday on ABC, 55 00:03:10,160 --> 00:03:11,359 Speaker 1: she couldn't give an example. 56 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:14,640 Speaker 3: Couldn't few have done a video saying just what you 57 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:17,679 Speaker 3: just said, if you are asked to do something for us. 58 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 2: It was just a statement widely, right, we say, very quickly, 59 00:03:21,200 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 2: And he was. 60 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 1: Just a statement made widely because we are infected with 61 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:28,480 Speaker 1: Trump's arrangement syndrome, and we hadn't gotten enough attention. So 62 00:03:28,520 --> 00:03:30,160 Speaker 1: we thought we would do it, and we thought we 63 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 1: you know, everybody would applaud us for doing it, and 64 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:35,040 Speaker 1: instead we got a bunch of poop in our faces. 65 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:36,480 Speaker 1: And now we're trying to figure out a way out 66 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:40,240 Speaker 1: of it. So I'm back on again, because again, all 67 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:43,800 Speaker 1: publicity is good publicity, right, So now we're back on 68 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: the Sunday shows talking about it because we can keep 69 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,120 Speaker 1: talking about it because now we don't care what the 70 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:51,720 Speaker 1: rest of the country says or things about us. Now 71 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 1: we're just playing to our base, right to. 72 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 3: All the folks who come to us. 73 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:57,800 Speaker 2: This is the process. Go to your jag officer, ask 74 00:03:57,920 --> 00:03:59,840 Speaker 2: them for explanation for time. 75 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:02,640 Speaker 1: Now she's going to give the explanation of the procedure. 76 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:07,840 Speaker 1: Why didn't you do that earlier? Oh didn't have time 77 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:11,200 Speaker 1: or you didn't expect this blowback cover for their view 78 00:04:11,240 --> 00:04:11,720 Speaker 1: on things. 79 00:04:13,640 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 2: Sure, I don't have to tell you, but there is 80 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 2: great risk in telling service members that they are the 81 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:26,600 Speaker 2: arbiters of what military commands are legal and which are 82 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:28,200 Speaker 2: not legal. Isn't there? 83 00:04:30,400 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean this is pretty outrageous. I don't have 84 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:35,200 Speaker 4: a frame of reference for it. Whatso web he's an irresponsible, 85 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,600 Speaker 4: reckless of political leaders. And I normally don't go after 86 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:40,600 Speaker 4: the political leaders in our country, but. 87 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:41,599 Speaker 1: They deserve it now. 88 00:04:42,360 --> 00:04:47,159 Speaker 4: They are absolutely underlining the military chain of command and 89 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:50,479 Speaker 4: what do they think our soldiers are And they're insulting 90 00:04:51,040 --> 00:04:54,159 Speaker 4: the intelligence of our soldiers and their moral commitment to 91 00:04:54,200 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 4: serve the nation by making these outrageous statements. And then, 92 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:02,440 Speaker 4: when pressed by a journalist. Name one illegal order that 93 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 4: you think has been issued. They can't find that there 94 00:05:05,839 --> 00:05:09,359 Speaker 4: is none. What is the purpose of doing this? What 95 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:12,800 Speaker 4: are they trying to accomplish? The last time the United 96 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:17,279 Speaker 4: States declared war, We've only declared war five times in 97 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:18,360 Speaker 4: the history of the nation. 98 00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:20,440 Speaker 1: The last time was. 99 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 4: World War Two, and presidents have acted since that time. 100 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,240 Speaker 4: I've been given it powers they have authorized to take 101 00:05:28,440 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 4: action against those who they believe are presenting a security 102 00:05:32,760 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 4: risk to the United States of America. These politicians should 103 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:41,640 Speaker 4: stand down and deal with the events in front of them, 104 00:05:41,880 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 4: as opposed to undermining the chain of command. If they 105 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:49,160 Speaker 4: want to criticize President Trump's policy decisions, certainly that's up 106 00:05:49,200 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 4: for grabs. 107 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:51,799 Speaker 1: I have done some of that here. 108 00:05:52,320 --> 00:05:56,680 Speaker 4: But to do something like this, it's disgraceful, and they 109 00:05:56,720 --> 00:05:59,520 Speaker 4: insult the officers that they're holding. To be quite frank 110 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:00,479 Speaker 4: about them. 111 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:02,279 Speaker 2: Enjoy asking him to take on that risk. 112 00:06:02,400 --> 00:06:07,799 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think General Kane had it exactly right. Jason 113 00:06:07,800 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 1: Crow and the rest of them need to stand down. Frankly, 114 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:12,920 Speaker 1: I think they need to apologize. But I'm not one 115 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 1: for normally asking people to apologize, because I'd rather them 116 00:06:15,880 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 1: just wallow around in their stupidity. So let them wallow 117 00:06:19,680 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 1: around in their stupidity. But I want you to think 118 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:26,600 Speaker 1: about those five times that General Kane refers to that 119 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:29,000 Speaker 1: we've declared war, the most recent being World War Two. 120 00:06:30,040 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 1: You know what this is really about, don't you. This 121 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: is about blowing up drug running boats, either in the 122 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: Gulf of America or the Caribbean. Gee. I wonder if 123 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:46,800 Speaker 1: we've ever done anything like that before. So I broke open, 124 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:49,039 Speaker 1: you know, I cracked open the old history books again, 125 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:54,359 Speaker 1: and I found a guy named Tommy Jefferson. Have you 126 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:59,360 Speaker 1: ever heard of them? Yeah, the second Commander in chief 127 00:06:59,480 --> 00:07:03,120 Speaker 1: of the States of America. He's got this really nice 128 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,919 Speaker 1: memorial and in fact, they had his full name, Thomas Jefferson. 129 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 1: His decision to send the US military to combat the 130 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 1: Barbary pirates, represents one of America's earliest assertions. In fact, 131 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 1: the best I can say, it would be the earliest 132 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:26,080 Speaker 1: assertion of our naval power against international threats. In the 133 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:33,440 Speaker 1: early nineteenth century, piracy by the Barbary States, which included Morocco, Algiers, Tunis, 134 00:07:33,440 --> 00:07:39,640 Speaker 1: and Tripoli, oh maybe Tripoli from the halls of Montezuma 135 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 1: to the shores of Oh yeah, Triple Lee endangered American 136 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 1: merchant shipping in the Mediterranean was under attack. As both 137 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:55,000 Speaker 1: a diplomat and a president, Thomas Jefferson rejected ongoing tribute 138 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:58,800 Speaker 1: payments bribes if you will, that European nations paid for 139 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 1: protection in Dad. Jefferson opted to use military force when 140 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:08,240 Speaker 1: Tripoli demanded even greater bribes and declared war on the 141 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: United States. Now notice Tripleli declared war on US, we 142 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 1: did not declare war on them. So under Jefferson's direction, 143 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 1: the Navy was deployed to blockade Triplele and defend American interests. 144 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:26,280 Speaker 1: The force included frigates and schooners, with orders both to 145 00:08:26,360 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 1: protect ships and to engage openly with the pirates if necessary. 146 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:35,959 Speaker 1: Now importantly, Jefferson recognized the constitutional limitations on presidential war powers, 147 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 1: so while he sent naval squadrons for protective action, he 148 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:46,520 Speaker 1: saw congressional action for offensive operations, emphasizing adherence to constitutional boundaries. Ultimately, 149 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 1: military pressure and diplomacy led to American victories and treaties 150 00:08:51,679 --> 00:08:55,800 Speaker 1: that ended up diminishing the pirates' threats, ending regular ransom payments, 151 00:08:55,800 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 1: and freeing US merchant vessels from all this extortion. So 152 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:05,679 Speaker 1: let's compare the barbary pirates versus modern anti drug piracy. 153 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 1: You'll see that. Oh, it's all pretty similar. And in 154 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:15,280 Speaker 1: addition to that, we have intervening between Thomas Jefferson and 155 00:09:15,360 --> 00:09:20,680 Speaker 1: Donald Trump the War Powers Act, which authorizes the President 156 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 1: to take those actions that are necessary to defend the 157 00:09:23,559 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: national security the United States short of declaring war against 158 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 1: some you know, nation state. So Jefferson versus the barbary pirates, 159 00:09:32,520 --> 00:09:39,079 Speaker 1: we faced non state actors. Pirates threats undermining our commerce. 160 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 1: Drug boats, drug gains are transnational criminal organizations. Oh it 161 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:52,960 Speaker 1: sounds like the pirates. The piracy posed a national security 162 00:09:53,040 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 1: risk and hostage taking. The drug trafficking involves narco terrorism, 163 00:10:01,800 --> 00:10:08,440 Speaker 1: criminal funding, public health risks, and does also involve human trafficking. 164 00:10:09,559 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 1: See so far this that all the same all the way. 165 00:10:16,080 --> 00:10:20,439 Speaker 1: But Jason Crow and the others don't understand our history. Now, 166 00:10:20,520 --> 00:10:24,960 Speaker 1: Jefferson saw congressionals approval for military escalation, keeping with the 167 00:10:25,200 --> 00:10:30,599 Speaker 1: legal boundaries at that time. Now, modern strikes, these strikes 168 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:36,839 Speaker 1: operate under evolving and enduring and continuing Authorization for Use 169 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 1: of Military Forces off AUMFS and sometimes invite you know, 170 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:47,800 Speaker 1: controversy because well it's considered by people like Mark Kelly 171 00:10:47,880 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 1: or Jason Crowe to be executive unilateralism. Yet hm, isn't 172 00:10:54,440 --> 00:10:58,440 Speaker 1: that what the War Powers Act authorizes? Oh, by the way, 173 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:03,559 Speaker 1: it does. Go back to the pirates. The naval forces 174 00:11:03,559 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 1: were used to blockade ports, pursue, subdue the pirates, to capture, destroy, 175 00:11:11,160 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 1: kill the pirates. What are we doing. We're deploying warships, aircraft, 176 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:19,040 Speaker 1: special forces to locate and destroy the drug running boats. 177 00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 1: Same thing we're doing to the pirates. What was the 178 00:11:23,160 --> 00:11:27,040 Speaker 1: goal of the Bari pirates crusade? To end ransom payments, 179 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:31,840 Speaker 1: to secure trade, to protect citizens, and to demonstrate the 180 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:35,520 Speaker 1: resolve of the United States and our military to defend 181 00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 1: our own self interests. The goal in attacking the drug 182 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 1: running boats, oh to stop illegal drugs, to dismantle trafficking networks, 183 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:51,400 Speaker 1: and to deter future maritime crime. Seems like a perfectly 184 00:11:51,440 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 1: good use of the United States military. Go back to 185 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:58,680 Speaker 1: the pirates. For a moment, they operated under international law 186 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:04,280 Speaker 1: and was seen as legitimate maritime defenses. Now today this 187 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 1: does risk some escalation with Venezuela, but and there will 188 00:12:09,200 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 1: be unintended civilian casualties. Although I haven't heard of any 189 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:17,520 Speaker 1: yet unless you consider the the unless you consider the 190 00:12:17,520 --> 00:12:20,520 Speaker 1: the drug dealers that are running the boats to be 191 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:28,199 Speaker 1: somehow innocent. All right, we're doing the same thing here now. Interestingly, 192 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:31,960 Speaker 1: and I'm sure, although I didn't really dig into it 193 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:36,959 Speaker 1: that much, I'm sure that there was probably some although 194 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:40,959 Speaker 1: it certainly wasn't Europe, but I'm sure there were some countries, 195 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: particularly the Northern African countries, that looked of what Thomas 196 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:52,600 Speaker 1: Jefferson was doing and probably lodged some diplomatic objection to it. Today, oh, 197 00:12:53,160 --> 00:12:56,480 Speaker 1: we get diplomatic objections to virtually everything that we do, 198 00:12:57,280 --> 00:13:00,319 Speaker 1: because we can do nothing right according to most of 199 00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:03,199 Speaker 1: the tyrannical despots that run too many of the countries 200 00:13:03,240 --> 00:13:07,839 Speaker 1: in this world. So both missions involved military engagement at 201 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:12,080 Speaker 1: sea the counter actors who threatened our national security interests. 202 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:17,080 Speaker 1: Jefferson's approach, yeah, you might say it was a measured 203 00:13:17,080 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 1: balance of forced diplomacy and accountability. He refused to pay 204 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:24,680 Speaker 1: the extortion in the bribes. He did seek the time 205 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:28,840 Speaker 1: legal authority for defensive and offensive actions, so that did 206 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:33,720 Speaker 1: set a precedent for armed intervention against nonstate threats. Now, 207 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 1: the modern is also grounded in legalities and that is 208 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:43,199 Speaker 1: under the War Powers Act. The justification late rests on 209 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:47,960 Speaker 1: claims of narco terrorism imminent threats. Now, of course the 210 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:52,720 Speaker 1: critics are out there warning about due process. Wait a minute, 211 00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 1: you're not on American soil. You're in international waters. You're 212 00:13:56,200 --> 00:14:01,439 Speaker 1: not entitled to due process. The first, second, fourth, fifth 213 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:06,080 Speaker 1: amendments don't apply to you in international waters. And besides, 214 00:14:06,160 --> 00:14:12,440 Speaker 1: you're engaged in international, transactional, transnational terrorist terrorist activities. So 215 00:14:12,880 --> 00:14:17,320 Speaker 1: Jefferson's use of the military against pirates I believe established 216 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:21,479 Speaker 1: the legitimacy the president and the constitutional adherence in protecting 217 00:14:21,760 --> 00:14:27,440 Speaker 1: our national interest against criminal threats at see, and contemporary 218 00:14:27,560 --> 00:14:31,080 Speaker 1: use of military force against these drug running vessels follows it. 219 00:14:31,160 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 1: Similar logic now, granted, is much more complex today, You've 220 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 1: got a much more complex international and legal environment. And 221 00:14:40,200 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 1: you can if you wanted to, Oh, you could if 222 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:46,880 Speaker 1: you if you wanted to question the proportionality or maybe 223 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:53,960 Speaker 1: even the unintended consequences. Both cases, though, underscore the perennial 224 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:58,680 Speaker 1: tension between our national security needs and the power of 225 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: the executive. But here both actually operated under the powers 226 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:12,680 Speaker 1: given to the president under the Constitution. Interestingly, when Jefferson 227 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:18,560 Speaker 1: underwent his attempts to stop the Barbary pirates. Domestic political 228 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:23,680 Speaker 1: reactions to his campaign was also mixed, but eventually evolved 229 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:27,600 Speaker 1: toward broad support as the events unfolded. At the outset. 230 00:15:27,680 --> 00:15:30,360 Speaker 1: Guess what, some members of Congress and the public question 231 00:15:30,400 --> 00:15:34,680 Speaker 1: both the necessity and the constitutionality of Jefferson's unilateral decision 232 00:15:34,960 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 1: to send naval forces before seeking explicit congressional authorization. But 233 00:15:40,600 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 1: the piracy posed an acute threat to the United States commerce. 234 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 1: And if you look, if you read what most historians 235 00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 1: talk about, the Barbary pirates threatened our national honor. That 236 00:15:57,040 --> 00:16:00,520 Speaker 1: is the phrase I found in historical reference is over 237 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 1: and over. Is that Jefferson felt that our national honor 238 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:08,720 Speaker 1: was at stake and the pirates were just running roughshod 239 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:13,880 Speaker 1: over the newly founded United States of America. Isn't that 240 00:16:14,000 --> 00:16:16,880 Speaker 1: exactly what the cartails are doing when they think they 241 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:19,840 Speaker 1: can just willing, nearly operate and just bring all of 242 00:16:19,880 --> 00:16:23,000 Speaker 1: that poison into the country. Isn't that a disgrace to 243 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:26,040 Speaker 1: our national honor? And so Trump has stood up just 244 00:16:26,120 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 1: like Jefferson did, and said, you know, I'm not going 245 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 1: to come up with this anymore. The pirates, he posed 246 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:34,520 Speaker 1: an acute threat to the United States commerce, to our 247 00:16:34,600 --> 00:16:42,680 Speaker 1: national honor, such as the declaration of war by Tripoli 248 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:47,400 Speaker 1: against US and the attacks on American ships. They've done 249 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 1: the same thing here. They have in essence, declared war 250 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 1: on the United States. So after this initial hesitancy and 251 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 1: Jefferson did, Jefferson really molded over. He was really worried 252 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:06,480 Speaker 1: about taking such strong But once he did, here's the difference. Now. 253 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:10,160 Speaker 1: I think that Trump's got pretty strong congressional backing today 254 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:13,680 Speaker 1: for what he's doing. It's the whiners like Jason Crow 255 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 1: and Mark Kelly and the others who are bitching and 256 00:17:16,119 --> 00:17:23,280 Speaker 1: moaning about it. But Jefferson got congressional I wouldn't say approval, 257 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:25,440 Speaker 1: he got, and I don't mean approval in the sense 258 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:28,359 Speaker 1: that they had a vote. I mean Congress stood up 259 00:17:28,400 --> 00:17:33,639 Speaker 1: and said, yo, you go, man, you go. So, despite 260 00:17:33,680 --> 00:17:37,960 Speaker 1: the overall positive reaction, some Federalist opponent that was the 261 00:17:37,960 --> 00:17:42,240 Speaker 1: party at the time, the Federals use very specific disappointments 262 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:45,159 Speaker 1: like you know, let's get a piece deal with Triple E, 263 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:50,000 Speaker 1: and you know, let's look at these incidents involving American operatives, 264 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:54,119 Speaker 1: and they all they used that just to question Jefferson's 265 00:17:54,160 --> 00:17:57,919 Speaker 1: decision making and the degree of the triumph that he achieved. 266 00:17:58,480 --> 00:18:04,240 Speaker 1: Oh so they started questioning Jefferson for doing the things 267 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:08,920 Speaker 1: that he was doing. Yet somehow it's made it ends 268 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:11,680 Speaker 1: of the Marine Corps him about one of the great 269 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:14,920 Speaker 1: things that the country's done. And it was another example 270 00:18:14,960 --> 00:18:18,879 Speaker 1: of how we established American primacy on the seas and 271 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:21,320 Speaker 1: said that in terms of the Navy, we are going 272 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:24,880 Speaker 1: to use the Navy to protect our national security interests. 273 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:29,560 Speaker 1: But today Democrats like Jason Crow and Mark Kelly are 274 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:33,440 Speaker 1: so hyperpartisan that they can't see that what Trump's doing 275 00:18:33,600 --> 00:18:36,760 Speaker 1: is oh, actually trying to protect our national security and 276 00:18:36,800 --> 00:18:42,119 Speaker 1: our national interests. So Jefferson faced the same kind of 277 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 1: bull crap that Jason Crow. Obvious, Jason Crow should be 278 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:48,720 Speaker 1: proud of himself. He's just like the old federalists that 279 00:18:48,800 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 1: opposed everything that Thomas Jefferson was doing. Those days are 280 00:18:52,640 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 1: long gone. To Shay Trump, go get him. I don't 281 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:05,000 Speaker 1: have anything extra to give today. I just don't have 282 00:19:05,240 --> 00:19:10,840 Speaker 1: anything at all to do. I'm out of extra abstecut today. 283 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:18,359 Speaker 1: It's just it's just one of those days. I've tried 284 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: to explain how difficult it is to reduce government spending. 285 00:19:27,320 --> 00:19:30,480 Speaker 1: And I've always given personal examples of where I tried 286 00:19:30,520 --> 00:19:37,719 Speaker 1: to accomplish that. The most glaring example was initihows how 287 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:41,959 Speaker 1: nai even stupid I was, or maybe still am, well, 288 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 1: when I first went to work for the for the president. 289 00:19:46,840 --> 00:19:49,440 Speaker 1: You know, I'm going through stuff and things are coming 290 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:52,240 Speaker 1: across my desk like a fire hose, and they're just 291 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:55,000 Speaker 1: you know, all these programmed people are coming in explaining 292 00:19:55,119 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 1: to me what their program is and what it does. 293 00:19:57,240 --> 00:20:00,679 Speaker 1: Blah blah blah blah blah. It's just it's just incessant, 294 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:04,680 Speaker 1: just truly drinking from a fire hose, trying to understand 295 00:20:05,040 --> 00:20:12,280 Speaker 1: what one of the smaller agencies in DC does. And 296 00:20:12,359 --> 00:20:17,159 Speaker 1: at one point, I'm at a I'm with Jeb Bush 297 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:20,880 Speaker 1: on one of my first disaster trips, and we're down 298 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:27,639 Speaker 1: in Florida and we go buy a distribution center. And 299 00:20:27,720 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 1: the purpose of the distribution center was to provide people 300 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:38,000 Speaker 1: a place to come and get registered for FEMA AID. 301 00:20:38,920 --> 00:20:41,879 Speaker 1: In addition to that, they could also go through and 302 00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:46,320 Speaker 1: we had Boy Scouts and some you know, unfortunately the 303 00:20:46,359 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 1: American Red Cross and other NGOs that would help distribute 304 00:20:52,680 --> 00:20:59,840 Speaker 1: some things like bottled water and bags of ice, and so, 305 00:21:00,040 --> 00:21:01,720 Speaker 1: yeah and I are talking and we're watching all of 306 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:05,679 Speaker 1: this take place, and I asked Jeb a simple question, 307 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:10,199 Speaker 1: like why do we give out to every car that 308 00:21:10,400 --> 00:21:13,160 Speaker 1: drives through this. I mean, you can eat a park 309 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:15,320 Speaker 1: if you're going inside, or if all you were doing 310 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:18,119 Speaker 1: was just picking up some bottled water and ice, you 311 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:21,280 Speaker 1: could just drive through, you know, flip your trunk open, 312 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:23,680 Speaker 1: or they just opened the back door and they'd slide 313 00:21:23,720 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 1: a couple of cases of bottled water and then they 314 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:29,359 Speaker 1: put two bags of ice in. And I turned to 315 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:33,280 Speaker 1: Jib and I just said, why what's the ice for? 316 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 1: I mean, because I get the water, because we've told 317 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:41,879 Speaker 1: people not to drink the water. You know, some of 318 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:44,920 Speaker 1: the water treatment plants were down, and so I understood 319 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:48,360 Speaker 1: that we were distributing on behalf of American taxpayers all 320 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:51,560 Speaker 1: of this water. But why are we doing the ice. 321 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:54,720 Speaker 1: I don't get the ice because whatever these people have 322 00:21:54,760 --> 00:21:56,919 Speaker 1: in their refrigerator is spoiled and the ice is not 323 00:21:56,960 --> 00:21:59,000 Speaker 1: going to keep it. Blah blah blah blah blah. And 324 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:03,440 Speaker 1: Jib Kevin I had a very good relationship and we 325 00:22:03,440 --> 00:22:05,520 Speaker 1: were pretty much, you know, I'm a smart ass, he's 326 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: a smart ass, and so we were pretty much just 327 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:11,679 Speaker 1: be smart asses to each other. And he goes, well, 328 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:16,239 Speaker 1: so Bubback can keep his burgers and broughts cool. And 329 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:18,480 Speaker 1: I thought he was joking, and I said, what do 330 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:21,280 Speaker 1: you mean, keep their burgers and broughts cool. And he goes, well, 331 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:22,800 Speaker 1: they'll take them back and they'll have an ice shift. 332 00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:24,359 Speaker 1: And I have some burgers and broughts in there, and 333 00:22:24,400 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 1: they'll dump the ice in there. And I said, why 334 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:29,080 Speaker 1: are we paying for that? He said, I don't know. 335 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:32,200 Speaker 1: You always have, always have. So I started digging into 336 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:35,960 Speaker 1: and found out that we spend tens of millions of 337 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:39,760 Speaker 1: dollars to provide ice. And of course then I want 338 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:43,080 Speaker 1: to know what's the origin of this program. The origin 339 00:22:43,119 --> 00:22:45,720 Speaker 1: of the program started back in nineteen seventy nine. He 340 00:22:45,800 --> 00:22:50,280 Speaker 1: got fat freaking old when it was determined that we 341 00:22:50,320 --> 00:22:54,440 Speaker 1: would provide ice to hospitals so that women who were 342 00:22:54,520 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 1: lactating breastfeeding, or that people who had diabe and they 343 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:04,440 Speaker 1: were taking insulin, and for the hospitals themselves in order 344 00:23:04,480 --> 00:23:08,479 Speaker 1: to keep medications, vials of medication like insulin or anything 345 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:11,399 Speaker 1: else that needed to be cooled, and if the power 346 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:15,160 Speaker 1: was out, that ice was provided in huge quantities, so 347 00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:17,520 Speaker 1: that lac tady mothers could bring their breast milk and 348 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:21,120 Speaker 1: keep it cooled, and people who were taking insulin could 349 00:23:21,119 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 1: bring that put it in a pack with their name 350 00:23:23,160 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 1: on it, and we would keep you know, the hospitals 351 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:28,439 Speaker 1: would maintain that those pharmaceuticals that needed to be chilled. 352 00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:32,680 Speaker 1: And oh, that's that's that's a legitimate reason. But then 353 00:23:32,720 --> 00:23:34,719 Speaker 1: it grew and it grew and it grew and it 354 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:38,800 Speaker 1: grew to the point where in that first disaster back 355 00:23:39,040 --> 00:23:41,159 Speaker 1: in two thousand and one, down in Florida two thousand 356 00:23:41,160 --> 00:23:43,159 Speaker 1: and two, I learned that, oh no, now we just 357 00:23:43,200 --> 00:23:45,000 Speaker 1: give everybody two bags of ice, whether they need it 358 00:23:45,119 --> 00:23:46,679 Speaker 1: or not, and so maybe they can just you know, 359 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:48,080 Speaker 1: put it in their ice chest and keep their beer 360 00:23:48,240 --> 00:23:50,639 Speaker 1: cool or keep their bots cool or whatever. And I thought, what, 361 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:53,680 Speaker 1: it's gotta stop, gotta stop. So then I started digging 362 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:55,480 Speaker 1: in trying to find out how much money it costs, 363 00:23:55,680 --> 00:23:58,960 Speaker 1: and it was literally tens of millions of dollars. We 364 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:04,160 Speaker 1: would track with trucking companies that had reefer trucks, refrigerator 365 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:09,560 Speaker 1: you know, refrigerator trucks, and they would pack those with 366 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 1: ice and then drive those into a disaster zone, and 367 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:14,600 Speaker 1: we would distribute the ice. So you can imagine it's 368 00:24:14,600 --> 00:24:16,000 Speaker 1: the cost of a bag of ice that you might 369 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:18,120 Speaker 1: go to the convenience store and pay what I don't 370 00:24:18,160 --> 00:24:20,200 Speaker 1: want it is a dollar a bag or something. Now, 371 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:22,560 Speaker 1: it was probably costing the taxpayers two or three dollars 372 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:24,639 Speaker 1: a bag by the time you put in all of 373 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 1: the costs associated with the you know, the contracting, the purchase, 374 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:31,760 Speaker 1: the distribution, everything, it was costing for these three, four 375 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:33,879 Speaker 1: or five dollars a bag. So I said stop it. 376 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:38,320 Speaker 1: And I went to Congress and I found a couple 377 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:41,119 Speaker 1: of people and you know that were on my oversight committees, 378 00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:43,399 Speaker 1: and I sat down with their staffers in some of 379 00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:46,200 Speaker 1: the members themselves and said I want to quit providing ice. 380 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:49,320 Speaker 1: And to a key, I didn't make any difference whether 381 00:24:49,359 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 1: they were Republican or a Democrat, because I went to 382 00:24:51,359 --> 00:24:53,639 Speaker 1: both sides of the aisle trying to stop this program 383 00:24:53,800 --> 00:24:56,639 Speaker 1: and they would not stop it. I can't, well, we 384 00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 1: can't take that away now people depend on that ice. 385 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:02,360 Speaker 1: I would, and I would engage in real debate with him, 386 00:25:02,400 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 1: like do you know what they use it for? Can 387 00:25:04,800 --> 00:25:06,879 Speaker 1: you really tell me what your constituents are using the 388 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:11,240 Speaker 1: ice for no but they needed because the power's out. Okay, 389 00:25:11,520 --> 00:25:14,440 Speaker 1: what to make an ice pack to keep themselves cool? 390 00:25:15,359 --> 00:25:18,040 Speaker 1: It's not a taxpayer responsibility. Well I don't care, Michael, 391 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:20,399 Speaker 1: I'm not going to do it. So I thought, okay, 392 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:22,680 Speaker 1: well I'll go to the White House. I'll try to 393 00:25:22,680 --> 00:25:24,879 Speaker 1: get the director. You know, Mitch Daniels, who with the 394 00:25:24,920 --> 00:25:27,520 Speaker 1: director at the time, with the director of omb I'll 395 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:30,040 Speaker 1: get him because he was known as the Knife. He 396 00:25:30,160 --> 00:25:32,520 Speaker 1: loved to cut programs that couldn't get him to do it. 397 00:25:32,960 --> 00:25:34,720 Speaker 1: Now you may think, well, Michael, at some point, don't 398 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:38,320 Speaker 1: you realize that if you are, if you're the only 399 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:39,920 Speaker 1: one that wants to cut it and everybody else wants 400 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:42,359 Speaker 1: to keep it, maybe you're wrong. Oh don't think I 401 00:25:42,359 --> 00:25:45,480 Speaker 1: didn't think that a thousand times. I tried to figure 402 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:47,520 Speaker 1: out every way in my mind I could justify it, 403 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:51,160 Speaker 1: and there was no justification other than it's what we've 404 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:56,719 Speaker 1: always done and now people come to expect it. Wow. 405 00:25:58,200 --> 00:26:01,000 Speaker 1: So I never got it cut, and to this day 406 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:04,400 Speaker 1: we still spend that money. What's the point in all 407 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:11,159 Speaker 1: of that? Huh? Member doge, Member doge, This one of 408 00:26:11,160 --> 00:26:12,240 Speaker 1: all on. 409 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:16,840 Speaker 5: Custs overall over the weekend, President Trump said that Elon. 410 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:18,320 Speaker 3: Musk was a training rack. 411 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:22,040 Speaker 5: Are there, given this current viewpoint, are there concerns within 412 00:26:22,080 --> 00:26:24,000 Speaker 5: the White House or from the President himself over the 413 00:26:24,040 --> 00:26:27,639 Speaker 5: cuts that happened under a Musk while he was advising DOGE, 414 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:28,440 Speaker 5: including the. 415 00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:29,439 Speaker 1: National Leather Service. 416 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:32,240 Speaker 6: I think I've already addressed that, Kristen, And what I 417 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:35,520 Speaker 6: can tell you is that these offices were fully staffed. 418 00:26:35,680 --> 00:26:39,720 Speaker 6: The San Angelo office was fully staffed with twelve forecast meteorologists. 419 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:41,680 Speaker 6: There were no vacancies the sand. 420 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:43,359 Speaker 1: They were talking about the Texas floods and whether or 421 00:26:43,400 --> 00:26:49,160 Speaker 1: not DOGE staff cuts affected the forecast, which it obviously 422 00:26:49,200 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 1: did not. But the point is, here's CNN's asking Caroline Levitt, oh, 423 00:26:57,119 --> 00:26:59,720 Speaker 1: is the President concerned because Elon Musk must be a 424 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:05,760 Speaker 1: train wreck? Well, guess what, everybody, The train is now dead. 425 00:27:07,160 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 1: The Department of Government Efficiency has been dissolved eight months 426 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:16,600 Speaker 1: ahead of its planned eighteen month agenda. Yesterday, Scott Kapoor, 427 00:27:16,800 --> 00:27:19,680 Speaker 1: who's the director of the Office of Personnel Management OPM, 428 00:27:20,400 --> 00:27:23,719 Speaker 1: is quoted as saying that those quote does not exist 429 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:27,199 Speaker 1: close quote anymore and will no longer operate as a 430 00:27:27,280 --> 00:27:33,440 Speaker 1: centralized entity. Now copor. Subsequently, he clarified his remarks. How 431 00:27:33,520 --> 00:27:35,879 Speaker 1: he probably got some blowback from Trump or somebody in 432 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:39,280 Speaker 1: the White House because he clarified his remarks by trying 433 00:27:39,320 --> 00:27:43,359 Speaker 1: to emphasize that the agency's mission is being taken up 434 00:27:43,400 --> 00:27:47,200 Speaker 1: by the Office of Personnel Management and its efforts decentralized 435 00:27:47,200 --> 00:27:51,440 Speaker 1: across the federal government. What the hell does that mean? 436 00:27:52,119 --> 00:28:03,040 Speaker 1: Being decentralized across the federal government. I'll explain next. You 437 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:07,159 Speaker 1: said GJ was the second Commander in Chief of the 438 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:09,720 Speaker 1: United States of America. That is not true. Is the 439 00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:15,440 Speaker 1: second commander in chief? Giants was the third? Yeah, you're right. 440 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:22,680 Speaker 1: I don't know why I said that. Excuse me. Yeah, 441 00:28:22,680 --> 00:28:24,639 Speaker 1: it's a good catch. That was a very good catch. 442 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:29,199 Speaker 1: So back to this whole lot doze in I story. 443 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:33,040 Speaker 1: It's a great example of how we can talk and 444 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:37,480 Speaker 1: talk and talk and talk about getting things downsized in Washington, 445 00:28:37,560 --> 00:28:42,080 Speaker 1: d C. And it's never going to happen when they 446 00:28:42,120 --> 00:28:45,240 Speaker 1: say that they're going to decentralize those the Department of 447 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:51,120 Speaker 1: Government Deficiency across the federal government. No, I mean, that 448 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:54,160 Speaker 1: may be what they're doing, but those will no longer 449 00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:58,200 Speaker 1: continue to act as a centralized clearing House to really 450 00:28:58,240 --> 00:29:02,680 Speaker 1: have somebody, one person in charge. If I were to 451 00:29:02,720 --> 00:29:05,360 Speaker 1: ask you who's in charge of reducing the size of 452 00:29:05,400 --> 00:29:08,600 Speaker 1: the federal government, Well, it can't be five hundred and 453 00:29:08,600 --> 00:29:13,400 Speaker 1: thirty five members of Congress because they can't they yeah, 454 00:29:13,720 --> 00:29:15,959 Speaker 1: I can't use that phrase, but they can do squad. 455 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:19,400 Speaker 1: The President of the United States, well, he's got a 456 00:29:19,400 --> 00:29:21,960 Speaker 1: few other things on this plate, so he can tell 457 00:29:22,040 --> 00:29:24,160 Speaker 1: them to go do stuff. So then it falls on 458 00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:26,600 Speaker 1: the cabinet secretaries. Well, they have a you know, they've 459 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:30,320 Speaker 1: got a boatload of stuff to do too. Now, when 460 00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:35,160 Speaker 1: the Director of Office of Personnel Management clarifies his remarks, 461 00:29:35,640 --> 00:29:39,640 Speaker 1: you know that maybe he stepped in it. Here's what 462 00:29:39,680 --> 00:29:44,720 Speaker 1: he said or wrote on x formerly Twitter quote. The 463 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:48,800 Speaker 1: truth is DOGE may not have centralized leadership under US 464 00:29:48,920 --> 00:29:55,440 Speaker 1: DOGE Service, but the principles of DOGE remain alive and well. Deregulation, 465 00:29:55,840 --> 00:30:01,360 Speaker 1: eliminating fraud, wasting abuse, reshaping the federal workforce, making efficiency 466 00:30:01,400 --> 00:30:06,320 Speaker 1: a first class citizen, et cetera, and any ads quote 467 00:30:06,800 --> 00:30:10,520 Speaker 1: those catalyze these changes. The agencies, along with the US 468 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:13,719 Speaker 1: Office of Personnel Management and the Office of Management and Budget, 469 00:30:13,960 --> 00:30:18,560 Speaker 1: will institutionalize them with an exclamation point means, Oh, he's 470 00:30:18,640 --> 00:30:22,440 Speaker 1: really serious and he's really excited, which means to me, 471 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:24,200 Speaker 1: you're lying through your teeth. 472 00:30:25,120 --> 00:30:25,280 Speaker 4: Now. 473 00:30:25,360 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 1: Those was originally established trying to maximize productivity, reduce wasteful spending, 474 00:30:33,520 --> 00:30:38,320 Speaker 1: and eliminate fraud in federal outlays in federal spending. Over 475 00:30:38,360 --> 00:30:43,720 Speaker 1: its ten month existence, the department reported terminating thirteen thousand, 476 00:30:43,840 --> 00:30:48,360 Speaker 1: four hundred and forty contracts, fifteen thousand, eight hundred eighty 477 00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:52,800 Speaker 1: seven grants, two hundred and sixty four leases. But I 478 00:30:52,840 --> 00:30:58,600 Speaker 1: would note those figures themselves were often inflated. For example, 479 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:02,440 Speaker 1: there was one misrep presentation of an eight million dollar 480 00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:06,520 Speaker 1: contract as an eight billion dollar contract. Eh, you know, 481 00:31:06,680 --> 00:31:09,920 Speaker 1: million billion? Who really cares? Now, let's go to Musk 482 00:31:10,000 --> 00:31:12,600 Speaker 1: for a moment. Who served as the frontman for those. 483 00:31:13,280 --> 00:31:17,480 Speaker 1: He initially predicted the department could save two trillion dollars. 484 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:22,520 Speaker 1: He then later downsize. He revised his estimate downward to 485 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:27,520 Speaker 1: one trillion dollars. By November of this year, those claimed 486 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:33,800 Speaker 1: two hundred and fourteen billion dollars in savings. You know 487 00:31:33,840 --> 00:31:38,680 Speaker 1: what that is. That's the equivalent of one thousand, three 488 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:44,560 Speaker 1: hundred and twenty nine dollars and nineteen cents per taxpayer. Yeah, 489 00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:49,479 Speaker 1: so they saved you thirteen hundred dollars, which you're not 490 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:54,160 Speaker 1: going to see because they may have saved two. Let's 491 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:56,840 Speaker 1: just save for a moment that they actually saved two 492 00:31:56,880 --> 00:32:01,840 Speaker 1: hundred fourteen billion dollars in savings. While they're over here saving, 493 00:32:02,720 --> 00:32:06,840 Speaker 1: Congress and the other bureaucrats are over here increasing they're spending. 494 00:32:08,240 --> 00:32:11,240 Speaker 1: But then there was an independent analysis done. It found 495 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:15,360 Speaker 1: that DOGE had overstated its savings by as much as 496 00:32:15,440 --> 00:32:20,440 Speaker 1: ninety seven percent in some cases. And analysis publishis passed 497 00:32:20,520 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 1: August could only verify thirty two point seven billion of 498 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:29,560 Speaker 1: the fifty two point eight billion in federal contracts that 499 00:32:29,640 --> 00:32:32,720 Speaker 1: the Musk led effort claims to have cut. It found 500 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:35,920 Speaker 1: that the actual government savings were closer to a comparatively 501 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:42,080 Speaker 1: paltry one point four billion dollars. I haven't done the calculations, 502 00:32:42,280 --> 00:32:44,520 Speaker 1: but that's probably what we'll be spending about I don't 503 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:48,120 Speaker 1: know ten minutes or less. It was reported back in 504 00:32:48,200 --> 00:32:52,720 Speaker 1: July that DOJ's supposed drastic cuts the federal workforce amounted 505 00:32:52,720 --> 00:32:55,680 Speaker 1: to about one percent of the government. Now that's a 506 00:32:55,680 --> 00:33:00,640 Speaker 1: far cry from what Musk had promised, because left those 507 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:02,920 Speaker 1: at the end of May, citing the rule that did 508 00:33:03,200 --> 00:33:06,280 Speaker 1: actually limit his special government employee status to one hundred 509 00:33:06,280 --> 00:33:08,959 Speaker 1: and thirty days. He admitted that those did not live 510 00:33:09,040 --> 00:33:12,840 Speaker 1: up to his ambitions, stating quote, I think we've been effective, 511 00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:16,920 Speaker 1: but not as effective as I'd like. It's never going 512 00:33:16,960 --> 00:33:19,840 Speaker 1: to be as effective as you like, because you've always 513 00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:23,960 Speaker 1: got all these interests working against you. It's only going 514 00:33:24,040 --> 00:33:29,320 Speaker 1: to take probably, yeah, some sort of financial collapse to 515 00:33:29,440 --> 00:33:32,480 Speaker 1: actually reduce the size of the federal government. Yeah, in 516 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:33,240 Speaker 1: that wonderful