1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: Welcome back to a Numbers game with Ryan Gerduski. Thank 2 00:00:03,400 --> 00:00:06,200 Speaker 1: you guys for being here. It is December eighth, twenty 3 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:09,479 Speaker 1: twenty five, just seventeen days till Christmas. I hope you 4 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: are all having a very healthy and happy holiday season 5 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:16,840 Speaker 1: and getting prepared for whatever holiday you're celebrating. I have 6 00:00:16,920 --> 00:00:20,200 Speaker 1: done zero Christmas shopping whatsoever so far, so I'll be 7 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:23,640 Speaker 1: in a full blown panic by next week. Anyway, before 8 00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:26,119 Speaker 1: I get into the topic of the day, I want 9 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 1: to talk to the young men who are listening, or 10 00:00:29,840 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 1: to parents who have young sons or nephews and they're 11 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:37,040 Speaker 1: looking for a job and a place. It is a 12 00:00:37,159 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 1: very rough time in America to sit there and find 13 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 1: a job, especially for a young person. I talk to 14 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:46,120 Speaker 1: young people all the time. I came across a story 15 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:48,800 Speaker 1: over my feet and I was flabbergasted bite and I 16 00:00:48,800 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 1: wanted to sit there and share it with you guys. 17 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: The US is facing a shortage of a merchant marines. 18 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:57,200 Speaker 1: Now what is a merchant marine. There're civilians who operate 19 00:00:57,280 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 1: commercial ships, transporting cargo and passengers globally, handling navigation, maintenance, 20 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:06,800 Speaker 1: and providing services crucial for trade and military support. The 21 00:01:06,959 --> 00:01:11,480 Speaker 1: government is desperate to find new merchant marines. According to 22 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 1: the New York Times, only eight hundred and ten people 23 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: graduated coastal Guard qualifications to work on vessels last year. 24 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:20,440 Speaker 1: You may say, Ryan, I never thought about this, Why 25 00:01:20,480 --> 00:01:22,960 Speaker 1: would I want this job? Salaries are well into the 26 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:26,199 Speaker 1: six figures for the Military Sealift Command, which was taken 27 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 1: out of regular service last year because the lack of 28 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:32,000 Speaker 1: civilians to work on these boats. The salary was two 29 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 1: hundred and twenty thousand dollars a year for first officers, 30 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:40,760 Speaker 1: along with a seventy one thousand dollars signing bonus and 31 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:44,559 Speaker 1: six months of paid leave offshore. Now, it is tough 32 00:01:44,640 --> 00:01:46,480 Speaker 1: work when you're on the boat. It's a lot of 33 00:01:46,880 --> 00:01:50,280 Speaker 1: long hours, you know, tough days, but six months, you know, 34 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: paid leave, two hundred. 35 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 2: Thousand dollars a year. 36 00:01:53,520 --> 00:01:55,000 Speaker 1: I think for a lot of young men who are 37 00:01:55,040 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 1: sitting there or maybe listening to the show where your 38 00:01:57,200 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 1: mom or dad and you're like, what could my kid do? 39 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:02,280 Speaker 1: I just think that this might be a good way 40 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:04,360 Speaker 1: just to give it a shot. Look at this, especially 41 00:02:04,360 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: if you're young and you know you want something to 42 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:08,239 Speaker 1: start in the economy where you can provide for a 43 00:02:08,320 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: family buy a house. One day, I thought I would 44 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:12,120 Speaker 1: share because I know a lot of people out there 45 00:02:12,160 --> 00:02:15,040 Speaker 1: are really confused and are looking for something. And pay 46 00:02:15,080 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 1: two hundred grand a year not a not a bad job. 47 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,000 Speaker 1: So anyway, let's get to politics now. So a story 48 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 1: broke back on November nineteenth by City Journal, the writers 49 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:27,200 Speaker 1: Christopher Rufo and Ryan Wroter store of Somalians living in Minnesota. 50 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: Dozens of Somalians created a billion dollar plus welfare fraud scheme, 51 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:34,519 Speaker 1: one of the largest in the nation's history, and millions 52 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: of these dollars ended up in the hands of the 53 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:40,240 Speaker 1: terrorist group Al Shabab back in Somalia. Now, if you 54 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:42,959 Speaker 1: guys remember your history, Minnesota's and Somalia had one of 55 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:46,920 Speaker 1: the largest recruiting groups in the entire country. We're trying 56 00:02:46,919 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 1: to join ices back in twenty eleven to twenty sixteen. 57 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 1: The story got moderate play when it's broken by the 58 00:02:52,960 --> 00:02:56,079 Speaker 1: City Journal in Manhattan Institute, but by the New York 59 00:02:56,120 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: Times got a hold of the story, it received widespread attention. 60 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 1: According to the Time quote, over the last five years, 61 00:03:02,400 --> 00:03:05,040 Speaker 1: law enforcement officials say fraud took root in pockets of 62 00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:09,560 Speaker 1: Minnesota Somalian Daysporia as scores of individuals made fortunes by 63 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 1: setting up companies that build state agencies for millions of 64 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:16,400 Speaker 1: dollars worth of social services that were never provided. End quote. 65 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 1: Now this story comes just a year after it turned 66 00:03:18,720 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: out that the Somalian community in Minnesota had another widespread 67 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:24,880 Speaker 1: fraud case back when during COVID, where they were receiving 68 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 1: federal funds to feed hungry children, and it turned out 69 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 1: that none of the children even existed. The money was 70 00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:34,320 Speaker 1: completely being stolen. One of those ringleaders was a woman 71 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 1: named Ayun Akbar, who received the quote Refugee of the 72 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 1: Year award from Tim Wolfs Governor Tim Wolts Minnesota, Kamala 73 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:47,320 Speaker 1: Harris's former running mate. Yes, Minnesota has so many refugees, 74 00:03:47,560 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 1: and they need to constantly promote this idea of how 75 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: wonderful they are. They give a Refugee of the Year award. Then, 76 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 1: of course this story normally came out. But we had 77 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:00,640 Speaker 1: the shooting of the National guardsmen by the Afghan national 78 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:04,080 Speaker 1: in DC and what follow was Trump's immigration moratorium for 79 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 1: more than a dozen countries, including Somalia. Trump being Trump, 80 00:04:08,800 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: used some spicy language about Somalians. He said quote the 81 00:04:13,200 --> 00:04:15,800 Speaker 1: Somalia stinks and we don't want them in our country. 82 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:18,599 Speaker 1: End quote. Now, this led to Governor Tim Wold saying 83 00:04:18,640 --> 00:04:21,160 Speaker 1: how wonderful the Somalis were in Minnesota, how they are 84 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:22,440 Speaker 1: pillars of the community. 85 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 2: You know. 86 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: One local reporter was weeping on camera basically reading the 87 00:04:27,360 --> 00:04:29,840 Speaker 1: statement out loud. The New York Times has published op 88 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: Bez talked about how you know white Westerners who multi 89 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:38,400 Speaker 1: generational Minnesotas look up to the Somalian communities as real 90 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:43,080 Speaker 1: beacons of pride, that they are part of their community. KSTP, 91 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:46,800 Speaker 1: which is a Minnesota website Minnesota News website, wrote a 92 00:04:46,839 --> 00:04:50,480 Speaker 1: piece called Somali Minnesota's generated at least five hundred million 93 00:04:50,560 --> 00:04:53,440 Speaker 1: dollars in income annually and pay about sixty seven million 94 00:04:53,480 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 1: dollars in state and local taxes. Well, this is why 95 00:04:58,160 --> 00:05:02,160 Speaker 1: people hate the media. There are fifty four thousand Somali 96 00:05:02,200 --> 00:05:06,160 Speaker 1: adults living in Minnesota. That means the average Somalia adults 97 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:09,880 Speaker 1: makes nine thousand dollars a year according to what you're 98 00:05:10,200 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 1: what you're putting out there, of course that would be true. 99 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:17,279 Speaker 1: Only a third of Somalians in Minnesota are not even working, 100 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,039 Speaker 1: so it's probably close to twenty thousand dollars years of 101 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,159 Speaker 1: those who are actually even in the labor participation force, 102 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:27,239 Speaker 1: and that means about per person, they're paying one thousand, 103 00:05:27,320 --> 00:05:31,320 Speaker 1: two hundred and fifty dollars in taxes per year. Somalian 104 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:37,080 Speaker 1: immigrants send three hundred million dollars a year back to Somalia, 105 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 1: So they're sending five times more money to Somalia than 106 00:05:41,279 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 1: they are to the tax coffers in Minnesota, and that's 107 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:48,520 Speaker 1: considered a fair trade to the liberal media. They stole 108 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:51,920 Speaker 1: more money from the federal government in the last few years, 109 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:55,360 Speaker 1: and they will contribute over the next decade in local 110 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:58,600 Speaker 1: and state taxes. These people are idiots. I wish I mean, 111 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:01,200 Speaker 1: part of me says says, they don't know what they're 112 00:06:01,200 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 1: writing about. But I genuinely think that they write this 113 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 1: in a way to make sure that the general public 114 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:11,920 Speaker 1: doesn't know how bad certain pop pockets and populations are 115 00:06:11,960 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 1: when it comes to contributing to the overall national wealth 116 00:06:15,839 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: and knowledge just GDP, but GDP per capital, the wealth 117 00:06:19,520 --> 00:06:23,040 Speaker 1: of the country, the tax dollars, how many per capita 118 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:27,480 Speaker 1: joined the military, all of these indicators. They're lying. They're 119 00:06:27,520 --> 00:06:30,800 Speaker 1: completely lying. And the fact that any dysphoria in our 120 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 1: country is contributing more to a foreign government than to 121 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: our own local and state speaks Volumes. 122 00:06:37,279 --> 00:06:40,920 Speaker 2: This is why people hate the media. They gin up the. 123 00:06:40,880 --> 00:06:44,080 Speaker 1: Story to build sympathy when anyone with a brain cell 124 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:47,040 Speaker 1: can do a calculation and say, wow, that's crazy and 125 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:48,440 Speaker 1: impoverished group of people. 126 00:06:48,680 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 2: Why do we import so many of them? And that's 127 00:06:51,520 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 2: what our immigration system does. They regularly imports poverty so 128 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:00,160 Speaker 2: naturally as it is the case to whenever anyone and 129 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:03,720 Speaker 2: criticize has anything to do with immigration, any group within immigrants, 130 00:07:03,880 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 2: liberals have to sit there and scream from the rooftops. 131 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 2: We are a nation of immigrants. We can't survive without immigrants. 132 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:11,680 Speaker 2: Immigrants built this country, and all the slogans from the 133 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:16,760 Speaker 2: seventies and eighties that only a population that truly incapable 134 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 2: of actually thinking about what they're saying would actually utter 135 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:24,480 Speaker 2: out loud. They try to make people, especially college educated people, 136 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:27,840 Speaker 2: ironically feel that the most patriotic thing that they could 137 00:07:27,840 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 2: do is important millions of third worlders with no link 138 00:07:31,400 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 2: to this country, and then insists that they built it 139 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 2: over the success of ancestors that have been here for 140 00:07:36,840 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 2: generations and the worst part of this ritualistic practice where 141 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 2: people whose you know, whose ancestors are responsible for seventy 142 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 2: five percent of all the technological and medical advancements of 143 00:07:48,360 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 2: the entire world are is that you know, they're comparing 144 00:07:51,920 --> 00:07:54,800 Speaker 2: them to people who never built a railroad system. I mean, 145 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 2: that's the truth. 146 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: If when you look at most of what Somalia not 147 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: only has contributed to the world, but some allies own 148 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 1: interior construction, their own bridges and tunnels and rail stations. 149 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 1: The one I think that they have is most of 150 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:08,920 Speaker 1: them are built by the Italians in the nineties. Very 151 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:12,480 Speaker 1: little was actually contribute or the Chinese recently. But aside 152 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 1: from the Chinese and the Italians, not much was contrue 153 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:17,280 Speaker 1: to actually buy some audience to build their own country. 154 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 1: And yet they claim they built ours. Of course, Well, 155 00:08:21,320 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: here's the thing about immigrants. They are Immigrants are not 156 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 1: a bag of oranges, right, You don't have to take 157 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 1: them all because you want one or two. Some immigrant 158 00:08:30,040 --> 00:08:33,320 Speaker 1: groups do incredibly well in this country. They're prosperous, they 159 00:08:33,320 --> 00:08:36,480 Speaker 1: have low crime rates. They add some into some needed 160 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:39,280 Speaker 1: fields like medicine and technology, and then others do not. 161 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 1: You know, when so often you sit there, and you 162 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 1: hear about immigrants founding billion dollar businesses? Do you know 163 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:53,920 Speaker 1: how few countries those immigrants come from. Twenty five immigrants 164 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: from Israel have gone on to found a billion dollar 165 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:59,319 Speaker 1: business in the US, twenty one from China, eighteen from 166 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:02,840 Speaker 1: Ukraine's seventeen from Canada. And I want to guess how 167 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:05,800 Speaker 1: many immigrants from Somalia founded a billion dollar business in 168 00:09:05,800 --> 00:09:10,120 Speaker 1: the US. What about Mexican immigrants? Let's take a huge population, 169 00:09:10,240 --> 00:09:12,680 Speaker 1: the largest actually of any amigrant group. How many Mexican 170 00:09:12,679 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: immigrants you think founded a billion dollar business in the US. 171 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:20,480 Speaker 1: What about all of Central America whole region? The answer 172 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:22,800 Speaker 1: for that question is actually too And both of them 173 00:09:22,840 --> 00:09:27,520 Speaker 1: were Taiwanese immigrants whose parents moved to Honduras sorry Guatemala 174 00:09:27,559 --> 00:09:29,560 Speaker 1: before moving to the United States. But they were both 175 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 1: Taiwanese ethnics. So despite the US taking in over fifteen 176 00:09:34,480 --> 00:09:38,840 Speaker 1: million people from Mexico and Central America, none aside from Taiwan, 177 00:09:38,880 --> 00:09:42,200 Speaker 1: those two Taiwanese immigrants have founded a billion dollar business 178 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:45,800 Speaker 1: in the US. One out of every six thousand immigrants 179 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 1: from Israel has founded a billion dollar business. You have 180 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 1: a better chance of getting struck by lightning twice than 181 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:55,360 Speaker 1: you do of having Mexican and Central American immigrants in 182 00:09:55,400 --> 00:10:00,320 Speaker 1: this country founding billion dollar unicorn businesses, and yet we 183 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:03,319 Speaker 1: insist that we must stick in endless supplies because they 184 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:06,400 Speaker 1: could do anything, even though there's no evidence that they will. 185 00:10:07,080 --> 00:10:10,040 Speaker 1: Going back to Somalians, the average Somali immigrant has a 186 00:10:10,080 --> 00:10:14,920 Speaker 1: net lifetime fiscal impact of negative three hundred thousand dollars 187 00:10:14,960 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: per immigrant. A Somali refugee not legal immigrant, but refugee 188 00:10:19,120 --> 00:10:21,679 Speaker 1: is negative four hundred thousand dollars over the course of 189 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:24,640 Speaker 1: their lifetime, and even when you get to second generation, 190 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 1: the net positive impact is about one hundred thousand dollars. 191 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:31,440 Speaker 1: So you need two to three generations to pay for 192 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 1: the first generation of immigrants and four generations three to 193 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:38,400 Speaker 1: four generations to pay for the refugee. Does that make 194 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 1: any sense. Somali immigrants also one of the highest crime 195 00:10:41,640 --> 00:10:44,800 Speaker 1: rates in the United States. According to the American Community Survey, 196 00:10:44,880 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 1: Somali immigrants have a higher incarceration rate than any class 197 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:53,079 Speaker 1: of illegal immigrants, legal immigrants, and every race and ethnicity 198 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:56,040 Speaker 1: in America, aside from American Blacks, who have one of 199 00:10:56,040 --> 00:10:59,440 Speaker 1: the highest incarceration rates in the entire world, and according 200 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:02,080 Speaker 1: to the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, over the course of 201 00:11:02,080 --> 00:11:05,920 Speaker 1: two decades from two thousand to twenty eighteen, despite intense 202 00:11:06,000 --> 00:11:10,720 Speaker 1: amount of visib financial both private and public resources to 203 00:11:10,840 --> 00:11:16,520 Speaker 1: help build and grow the Somali community in Minnesota, Somalian 204 00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:19,839 Speaker 1: median household income went from twenty two thousand dollars a 205 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:23,120 Speaker 1: year in the year two thousand. This is household income 206 00:11:23,520 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: twenty two thousand dollars a year in two thousand to 207 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:29,520 Speaker 1: twenty five thousand dollars a year in twenty eighteen, and 208 00:11:29,559 --> 00:11:33,240 Speaker 1: that's with an increasing workforce participation. High school graduations went 209 00:11:33,280 --> 00:11:37,359 Speaker 1: from fifty four percent to fifty seven percent, with billions 210 00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:39,600 Speaker 1: being spent to encourage them to stay in high school 211 00:11:39,720 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 1: high school, not college high school. And the poverty rate 212 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:46,079 Speaker 1: still looms close to fifty percent, although it is down 213 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:48,720 Speaker 1: from sixty three percent in the year two thousand. So, 214 00:11:48,920 --> 00:11:52,880 Speaker 1: once again, why are we not allowed to talk about 215 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:56,439 Speaker 1: immigrant groups accurately? Why are we not allowed to lay 216 00:11:56,559 --> 00:11:59,959 Speaker 1: out the numbers and say here's where immigrant groups perform 217 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 1: on crime, welfare, dependency, poverty, education, social mobility, social capital. 218 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:11,280 Speaker 1: This is not a net benefit to our country, even 219 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 1: if a few occasionally open up a decent ethnic restaurant 220 00:12:14,880 --> 00:12:19,880 Speaker 1: that does not justify bringing in tens of thousands of people. 221 00:12:20,320 --> 00:12:24,160 Speaker 1: And by keeping Americans in the dark on the actual statistics, 222 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:27,360 Speaker 1: lumping all immigrants into the same quote unquote bag of 223 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:30,080 Speaker 1: oranges that I allude to earlier, it allows the American 224 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:33,520 Speaker 1: tax dollar to be ripped taxpayer to be ripped off 225 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:35,720 Speaker 1: by these groups that have no reason to be in 226 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:39,400 Speaker 1: our country. It luves the most successful immigrants with the 227 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:42,080 Speaker 1: least successful and says you must take all of them. 228 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:44,720 Speaker 1: There is absolutely no difference, and if you see a difference, 229 00:12:44,880 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 1: it is a racial issue for you. Let's have an 230 00:12:48,240 --> 00:12:51,080 Speaker 1: honest discussion based on the data. This is not about 231 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:53,160 Speaker 1: hating some Allians. I don't hate some Allians. I don't 232 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: even really I don't think I don't know a Somalian. 233 00:12:55,720 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 1: But I love America. And Minnesota was once one of 234 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 1: the highest, you know, social trust states in the country. 235 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 1: It was a thriving, you know state. It was a 236 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:08,720 Speaker 1: state that you know, rose from the Golden Girls came 237 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:11,480 Speaker 1: from where it was Norwetic Norwegian. They had a social 238 00:13:11,559 --> 00:13:15,079 Speaker 1: welfare program that had high levels of trust and enormously 239 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:17,319 Speaker 1: people paying into the system. That they had done back 240 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 1: in Scandinavia, back when their parents and grandparents come to 241 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:24,160 Speaker 1: the state. It is being abused and ripped off, and 242 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 1: that culture that build those systems will fall apart because 243 00:13:28,679 --> 00:13:30,840 Speaker 1: no one trusts each other, because you have brought in 244 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:35,679 Speaker 1: communities of people with immense low social trust that sit 245 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:39,080 Speaker 1: there and use the system to scam Americans. Importing tens 246 00:13:39,080 --> 00:13:43,200 Speaker 1: of thousand Somalians was not the smartest move. And only 247 00:13:43,280 --> 00:13:46,240 Speaker 1: now can we sit there and have a conversation and say, one, 248 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:48,800 Speaker 1: how do we deal with those here who shouldn't be here, 249 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 1: who probably scammed even get in the country, And two 250 00:13:51,720 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 1: like maybe somebody member of Congress and married her own brother, 251 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:57,320 Speaker 1: And two how do we sit there and work to 252 00:13:57,360 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 1: make sure that this does not happen with future immigrant groups, 253 00:14:00,960 --> 00:14:03,040 Speaker 1: because there's a lot more of them that have not 254 00:14:03,120 --> 00:14:04,800 Speaker 1: yet made it to the United States that would love 255 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 1: to get here. Up next with me on this podcast 256 00:14:07,240 --> 00:14:09,880 Speaker 1: is the man who broke that story on the Somalian 257 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:11,520 Speaker 1: welfare fraud that's coming up. 258 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:12,320 Speaker 2: Stay tuned. 259 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 1: Ryan Thorpe is an investigative journalist at THEM Manhattan Institute 260 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 1: and the man who helped break the story in the 261 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 1: Somalian refugees and the massive welfare fraud. Ryan, thank you 262 00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:27,000 Speaker 1: for being on to pleasure to join. So now, Ryan, 263 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 1: for those who just read, you know, it's very funny 264 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 1: a lot of times in conservative media because we'll break 265 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:34,400 Speaker 1: a story and then the New York Times will follow 266 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:36,640 Speaker 1: three weeks later and they get more attention. But for 267 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:38,560 Speaker 1: those who just followed, like the New York Times story, 268 00:14:38,560 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 1: they may not have known exactly how this worked. How 269 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 1: did these dozens of Somalian refugees, you know, use the 270 00:14:47,920 --> 00:14:50,280 Speaker 1: system to steal you know, a billion dollars, more than 271 00:14:50,280 --> 00:14:50,960 Speaker 1: a billion dollars. 272 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:53,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, what I would say about the fraud rings that 273 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:55,920 Speaker 2: have been exposed to date is they kind of followed 274 00:14:55,960 --> 00:14:59,320 Speaker 2: a fairly similar script. So they were targeting a range 275 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 2: of government welfare programs in the state. These programs almost 276 00:15:03,080 --> 00:15:08,480 Speaker 2: seemed specifically designed in order to facilitate fraud in some ways. 277 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:13,400 Speaker 2: We're talking about very low barriers for reimbursements or to 278 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:16,200 Speaker 2: get access to the funds. In the first place. They 279 00:15:16,200 --> 00:15:19,800 Speaker 2: were simply you know, inflating costs, saying that they were 280 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:23,600 Speaker 2: providing services that they had no intention of ever providing. 281 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 2: And then what we saw was a real kind of 282 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:28,560 Speaker 2: perfect storm of conditions in the state of Minnesota that 283 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:31,200 Speaker 2: allowed this to go on for so long. So you 284 00:15:31,280 --> 00:15:35,560 Speaker 2: had a very insular, kind of clan based tribal Somali 285 00:15:35,560 --> 00:15:38,520 Speaker 2: community in the state. You had some of the most 286 00:15:38,560 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 2: generous welfare programs in the country. You had a progressive 287 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:45,920 Speaker 2: political class that was kind of terrifraud terrified of pointing 288 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:48,920 Speaker 2: out what was going on and fearful of being accused 289 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:52,600 Speaker 2: of racism. And the smallies are also a sizable voting 290 00:15:52,640 --> 00:15:54,480 Speaker 2: block in that state as well, So there were real 291 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 2: political calculations at play here that allowed this situation to 292 00:15:58,000 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 2: get so bad. 293 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:01,240 Speaker 1: I think it's such a key well, I mean, that 294 00:16:01,320 --> 00:16:04,840 Speaker 1: was a really easy and thorough breakdown, but that's such 295 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 1: a key thing of a key component of the fear 296 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 1: of both political correctness and political retribution that has really 297 00:16:14,960 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 1: enabled I mean, it's it's very true in the Somali community, 298 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:19,760 Speaker 1: but it's also true in other communities in this country, 299 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:24,480 Speaker 1: in pockets where small demographics have huge weights in voting 300 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: and other things. How much of a role do you 301 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:31,280 Speaker 1: think that Tim Waltz personally played in both enabling the 302 00:16:31,320 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 1: situation and really kind of crushing down any kind of 303 00:16:35,240 --> 00:16:38,400 Speaker 1: descent against against the Somalian community. 304 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 2: Well, what I would point to is that there are 305 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:46,440 Speaker 2: whistleblowers within the state government in Minnesota who work at DHS, 306 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 2: and they've been trying to raise alarm bells, both internally 307 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:53,560 Speaker 2: and externally for quite some time. And you know, these 308 00:16:53,600 --> 00:16:56,440 Speaker 2: are hundreds of employees who have seen from the inside 309 00:16:56,480 --> 00:16:58,640 Speaker 2: what is going on and have tried to, you know, 310 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 2: do what's right and to put to it. And they 311 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:05,400 Speaker 2: really point to timwalt as the individual who's primarily responsible here. 312 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:09,960 Speaker 2: They have signaled that they're fearful of retribution, and we've 313 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:13,840 Speaker 2: also seen official reports that have been released that have 314 00:17:14,080 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 2: pointed to a number of failures of the Waltz government. So, 315 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:20,439 Speaker 2: I mean, look, he's the governor. In some sense, the 316 00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:22,760 Speaker 2: buck stops with him. We're talking about more than a 317 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:26,359 Speaker 2: billion dollars that have been defrauded from taxpayers under his 318 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:32,000 Speaker 2: watch in a handful of years. Here. Responsibility is somewhat inescapable. 319 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:33,560 Speaker 1: For him, and I think it's important to remember it 320 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:36,479 Speaker 1: wasn't over a billion over twenty years, or a billion 321 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:38,359 Speaker 1: over a decade. Even it was a billion over a 322 00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:42,159 Speaker 1: very very short period of time in a state that's not. 323 00:17:42,320 --> 00:17:44,160 Speaker 1: I mean, Minnesota is not a small state, but it's 324 00:17:44,800 --> 00:17:47,640 Speaker 1: not Texas, it's not California or Florida or New York. 325 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:50,520 Speaker 1: It's not this giant monolith of the state. It is 326 00:17:50,600 --> 00:17:53,119 Speaker 1: a reasonably small state when it comes to this. What 327 00:17:54,760 --> 00:17:59,639 Speaker 1: the reaction to this story is interesting because it follows 328 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:02,199 Speaker 1: and I don't know if you have I'm sure you 329 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:04,600 Speaker 1: have heard about it, but the Somalian case with food 330 00:18:05,359 --> 00:18:09,520 Speaker 1: food and welfare payments for food for children during COVID. 331 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:12,680 Speaker 2: Are you aware of that story? Absolutely? Yeah, I mean 332 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:15,280 Speaker 2: that was kind of I think the first large scale 333 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:18,640 Speaker 2: fraud ring that we, you know, authorities recognized like this 334 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:21,600 Speaker 2: is a huge problem. And then since then we've seen 335 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:25,320 Speaker 2: other fraud rings that have followed a very similar script. Yeah. 336 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:28,720 Speaker 1: So in that case, they a bunch of dozens I 337 00:18:28,720 --> 00:18:31,520 Speaker 1: think fifty nine Smolians was the exact number of we're 338 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 1: saying that they were paying for food during COVID with 339 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:38,119 Speaker 1: COVID welfare payments towards hungry children, and the children didn't exist, 340 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:41,040 Speaker 1: the food program didn't exist. They were just banking on everything. 341 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:44,240 Speaker 1: And one of the women who were the lead, I 342 00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:47,520 Speaker 1: guess ring leaders, the entire organization actually was a there's 343 00:18:47,560 --> 00:18:50,600 Speaker 1: an award in Minnesota called Refugee of the Year Award. 344 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:51,480 Speaker 1: Are you aware of that? 345 00:18:51,960 --> 00:18:52,679 Speaker 2: I haven't heard this. 346 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 1: The woman who got the award that like the year prior, 347 00:18:56,560 --> 00:18:58,280 Speaker 1: was the one who was the ring leader of this 348 00:18:58,359 --> 00:18:58,960 Speaker 1: program to. 349 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 2: Rob tack e payers. 350 00:19:00,960 --> 00:19:04,800 Speaker 1: This isn't just a Somalian issue, obviously, where you see 351 00:19:04,920 --> 00:19:08,120 Speaker 1: rings of this, but it seems like it's an ethnic 352 00:19:08,480 --> 00:19:12,280 Speaker 1: enclave issue where you have very very specific groups of 353 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:16,560 Speaker 1: people who are not assimilated to a broader culture and 354 00:19:17,040 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 1: really have immense voting power in Somali. I think it's 355 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:23,320 Speaker 1: fifty six thousand or fifty eight thousand registered to vote 356 00:19:23,320 --> 00:19:26,480 Speaker 1: in that state specifically, and that's immense when it's not 357 00:19:26,480 --> 00:19:29,520 Speaker 1: not a terribly big state. What do you think that 358 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:34,480 Speaker 1: this opens the door for further investigations into that specific community, 359 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:36,680 Speaker 1: especially considering we've seen two in one year. 360 00:19:38,160 --> 00:19:42,040 Speaker 2: Certainly, I mean, what prosecutors have made quite clear is 361 00:19:42,040 --> 00:19:44,920 Speaker 2: like we're scratching the surface in terms of the true 362 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:48,280 Speaker 2: scope of this fraud. So I'm quite comfortable saying that, 363 00:19:48,359 --> 00:19:50,439 Speaker 2: you know, we're talking about billions of dollars year, but 364 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:52,960 Speaker 2: in terms of the total dollar figure like that still 365 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:55,919 Speaker 2: remains unclear at this point. The US Attorney's Office has 366 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:58,720 Speaker 2: been doing great work in that state, but I think 367 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:01,160 Speaker 2: that they were undermanned a well in terms of having 368 00:20:01,240 --> 00:20:04,800 Speaker 2: enough resources to dedicate to this problem. Given the sheer 369 00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 2: scope that we're talking about, I think that there's more 370 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:11,320 Speaker 2: to learn in terms of the true scope of the fraud. 371 00:20:11,359 --> 00:20:14,719 Speaker 2: And then I think there's some serious questions about state authorities. 372 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:17,680 Speaker 2: What did they do, when did they figure things out? 373 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:20,720 Speaker 2: What was the response? What was the lack of the response? 374 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 2: So I think that those are two avenues that we 375 00:20:22,920 --> 00:20:25,600 Speaker 2: need to keep digging into. Now. 376 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:28,840 Speaker 1: I know, I mean a lot of people who support 377 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:31,560 Speaker 1: a progressive welfare state are well intentioned, you know, it's 378 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:33,520 Speaker 1: not like they are. They do believe that they are 379 00:20:33,560 --> 00:20:36,320 Speaker 1: helping the pores of the poor. What could they have 380 00:20:36,560 --> 00:20:39,399 Speaker 1: done different? Was it just political agness or was it 381 00:20:39,560 --> 00:20:43,000 Speaker 1: complete moulthfeasans of a welfare program that wasn't you know, 382 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 1: wasn't capable of possibly working. 383 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:47,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I think that's a great question. Look, 384 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:50,960 Speaker 2: we can have a policy debate on how best do 385 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:54,440 Speaker 2: we try to help people in our communities that are struggling, Certainly, 386 00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:57,119 Speaker 2: and I do think that many of these programs that 387 00:20:57,160 --> 00:21:00,359 Speaker 2: were defrauded. You know, you can understand the good intentions them. 388 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:03,359 Speaker 2: We're talking about feeding hungry children, We're talking about trying 389 00:21:03,400 --> 00:21:07,240 Speaker 2: to get autism therapy for young kids who are autistic. 390 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 2: We're talking about trying to get like the mentally ill 391 00:21:10,119 --> 00:21:13,720 Speaker 2: and people who are homeless or struggling with addiction into 392 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:16,720 Speaker 2: housing so they can try and get back on their feet. Right. 393 00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:20,919 Speaker 2: But with these programs like they were designed specifically with 394 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:25,480 Speaker 2: such a low barrier to entry, such a few requirements 395 00:21:25,520 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 2: in terms of reimbursements that when I was looking at it, 396 00:21:29,400 --> 00:21:30,800 Speaker 2: some of them jumped out of me. It's like, Okay, 397 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:34,040 Speaker 2: if you were to design a government program to facilitate fraud, 398 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:37,439 Speaker 2: it would probably look a lot like this one in Minnesota. 399 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:39,199 Speaker 2: I also think that you know, look, this is a 400 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:43,200 Speaker 2: long standing problem. It also ramps up in the pandemic. 401 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:46,240 Speaker 2: So COVID hits this thing that's been festering and kind 402 00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:48,280 Speaker 2: of allowed to grow for a number of years. Well, 403 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:50,640 Speaker 2: now we've got more money flying out the door than ever. 404 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:54,919 Speaker 2: We've got progressive political establishment saying like this is an 405 00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:57,640 Speaker 2: emergency situation that we're in. We need to get money 406 00:21:57,640 --> 00:21:59,560 Speaker 2: into the hands of people who need it will figure 407 00:21:59,560 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 2: out the tales as we go. So that really allowed 408 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:07,240 Speaker 2: this problem to accelerate. I think, you know, law enforcement 409 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:09,760 Speaker 2: sources I've spoken to have said, we're playing whack a 410 00:22:09,800 --> 00:22:11,760 Speaker 2: mole on this side of the fence, right, We're trying 411 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:14,040 Speaker 2: to wrap up these fraud rings, but we really there 412 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:16,119 Speaker 2: isn't a law enforcement solution here. We have to kind 413 00:22:16,119 --> 00:22:18,160 Speaker 2: of go back to the drawing board from a policy 414 00:22:18,240 --> 00:22:20,760 Speaker 2: standpoint and try and stem the tide of it. So 415 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:24,000 Speaker 2: even for supporters of a progressive welfare state, I think 416 00:22:24,080 --> 00:22:26,679 Speaker 2: that they are going to have to have those conversations 417 00:22:26,920 --> 00:22:30,200 Speaker 2: and think, Okay, if we want to continue to fund 418 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:32,359 Speaker 2: programs of this nature, how can we do it with 419 00:22:32,560 --> 00:22:35,720 Speaker 2: you know, a bit more program integrity. 420 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 1: And the craziest I mean, think about this from to 421 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:41,840 Speaker 1: just think about the sentence, because it was true they 422 00:22:41,880 --> 00:22:46,359 Speaker 1: defrauded money for autistic children and it ended up in 423 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:52,280 Speaker 1: the hands of a terrorist organization in Somalia that abuses children. 424 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:56,280 Speaker 1: It is for our right wing perspective, you could not 425 00:22:56,480 --> 00:22:59,119 Speaker 1: write that any better in that kind of a headline. 426 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:02,879 Speaker 1: How much of this money of American tax dollar money 427 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:05,320 Speaker 1: ended up in the hands of terrorists? 428 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:08,760 Speaker 2: Do we even know it's very difficult to say. So 429 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:10,920 Speaker 2: a couple of things that I think are really important 430 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 2: to highlight on this. There was some confusion about the 431 00:23:14,680 --> 00:23:17,199 Speaker 2: claim that we made in our article. I thought we 432 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:19,840 Speaker 2: were quite clear, but some people seemed confused. So we 433 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 2: weren't alleging that these fraud rings had specifically targeted government 434 00:23:24,119 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 2: programs defrauded them for the express purpose of fundraising for 435 00:23:27,880 --> 00:23:32,000 Speaker 2: Al Shabab. It was more inadvertent than that. So we 436 00:23:32,040 --> 00:23:35,280 Speaker 2: know that millions of dollars have been sent back, have 437 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:38,000 Speaker 2: been sent abroad, They've gone through whole wall of networks, 438 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:40,640 Speaker 2: They've landed in Somalia, in areas of that country where 439 00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:43,600 Speaker 2: Al Chabalb is in control. You know, everyone I've spoken to, 440 00:23:43,640 --> 00:23:47,919 Speaker 2: from FBI to different criminal investigators who have looked at this, 441 00:23:48,040 --> 00:23:50,239 Speaker 2: you know, serious people who are well placed and have 442 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:53,199 Speaker 2: a certain degree of expertise here. They have indicated that 443 00:23:53,359 --> 00:23:56,240 Speaker 2: absolutely Al SCHIBALV is getting a cut of this money 444 00:23:56,280 --> 00:23:59,239 Speaker 2: as it's moving through their territory. So that is the 445 00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:03,439 Speaker 2: mechanism by which stolen tax dollars have ended up in 446 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:06,879 Speaker 2: their coffers. In terms of putting a true dollar figure 447 00:24:07,000 --> 00:24:08,960 Speaker 2: on it, you know that remains up in the air 448 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:10,840 Speaker 2: and the investigators I speak to you say, it is 449 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:14,640 Speaker 2: incredibly difficult to track this money because it doesn't operate 450 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:17,240 Speaker 2: the same way that a traditional kind of western banking 451 00:24:17,280 --> 00:24:22,439 Speaker 2: sector were, so almost by design, it becomes nearly impossible 452 00:24:22,520 --> 00:24:24,880 Speaker 2: to try and figure out. Okay, just how much are 453 00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:27,560 Speaker 2: we talking about here? But you know, whether or not 454 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,600 Speaker 2: it's millions, tens of millions, hundreds of million. Look, the 455 00:24:30,600 --> 00:24:33,280 Speaker 2: fact that it's happening at all is a serious problem, 456 00:24:33,440 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 2: and we need to figure out how to make sure 457 00:24:35,640 --> 00:24:36,440 Speaker 2: that that stops. 458 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:39,679 Speaker 1: Well one, and this is kind of my last question. 459 00:24:39,880 --> 00:24:42,800 Speaker 1: How I mean, when I did the story on the 460 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:44,760 Speaker 1: Lincoln Project, it was kind of ignored to the New 461 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:46,359 Speaker 1: York Times, and then all of a sudden it was 462 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:50,119 Speaker 1: basically destroyed the in our organization. You guys broke the 463 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:52,679 Speaker 1: story out, and you know, it was you and Chris Rufo, 464 00:24:52,760 --> 00:24:56,439 Speaker 1: and immediately it was right wing, you know, right winger 465 00:24:56,560 --> 00:24:58,160 Speaker 1: saying this thing, and a the New York Times set 466 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:00,239 Speaker 1: it, and then all of a sudden, I was serious. What 467 00:25:00,320 --> 00:25:04,160 Speaker 1: has the what has the reaction from Democrats been, because 468 00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:06,360 Speaker 1: now they're saying it's just about Trump andrant him being 469 00:25:06,359 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 1: anti immigrant, But there this is a truth, this is 470 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:13,240 Speaker 1: a true issue, and has Tim Wltz that he's going 471 00:25:13,280 --> 00:25:17,119 Speaker 1: to reform all these welfare programs. Well, I note that 472 00:25:17,359 --> 00:25:20,760 Speaker 1: funding for a number of programs has stopped. But I 473 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:25,080 Speaker 1: think we've seen high profile Democrats attempt to deflect. So one, yes, 474 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:28,200 Speaker 1: people will simply point to Trump some of the comments 475 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:30,760 Speaker 1: that he's made and try and make that the central focus. 476 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:34,879 Speaker 1: We've also seen, you know, accusations of racism, you know, 477 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:39,399 Speaker 1: essentially directed towards myself and my my co author, Christopher Ruffo. 478 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:42,000 Speaker 1: I mean, look, people can say what they want. The 479 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 1: first question is is it true? 480 00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:46,160 Speaker 2: Like, we have to follow the facts where they lead, 481 00:25:46,200 --> 00:25:48,000 Speaker 2: and we have to confront them as we as they 482 00:25:48,040 --> 00:25:50,480 Speaker 2: are not how we would like them to be. And 483 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:52,680 Speaker 2: the facts in this case are that it is true. 484 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:57,240 Speaker 2: It's it's happening. So I would think among more serious 485 00:25:57,320 --> 00:25:59,720 Speaker 2: minded Democrats they realize, hey, we have a we have 486 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:01,359 Speaker 2: a seri problem on your hands, and we're going to 487 00:26:01,440 --> 00:26:03,639 Speaker 2: have to do something about it. But there's been a 488 00:26:03,640 --> 00:26:04,880 Speaker 2: lot of deflection to date. 489 00:26:05,280 --> 00:26:07,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, and you know, it's so fun. Have you ever 490 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:09,320 Speaker 1: heard of the Killer King Hospital Los Angeles? Ever? Hear 491 00:26:09,359 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 1: the story? There was a hospital in La that was. 492 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:14,760 Speaker 1: I mean, people would go in for a fender bender 493 00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:17,600 Speaker 1: and like end up being killed by the hospital staff. 494 00:26:17,640 --> 00:26:19,960 Speaker 1: They were hiring criminals who were selling They were selling 495 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:22,480 Speaker 1: like peanuts and popcorn in the hallways of the hospital. 496 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:25,919 Speaker 1: It was insane. And every time this hospital came up 497 00:26:25,960 --> 00:26:30,960 Speaker 1: for an investigation and it was reported ten sounds of mouthfeasons, 498 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 1: they would Maxine Waters would say, you're all racist for 499 00:26:33,880 --> 00:26:36,080 Speaker 1: sitting there and it's claiming that this is a huge problem. 500 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:40,680 Speaker 1: They always use racism as a deflection for mass corruption 501 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:43,840 Speaker 1: in various pockets of this country. But it is so 502 00:26:43,880 --> 00:26:46,920 Speaker 1: important to say it when it's there because it destroys 503 00:26:47,359 --> 00:26:50,600 Speaker 1: social trust, especially in a state like Minnesota, which historically had 504 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:54,680 Speaker 1: huge levels of social trust, not as much anymore. Ryan, 505 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:56,560 Speaker 1: Where can people go to read more of your work 506 00:26:56,600 --> 00:26:58,960 Speaker 1: and what you're doing coming up next? You have a 507 00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:02,960 Speaker 1: lot of very the investigative journal of stuff. So you 508 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:05,440 Speaker 1: can read my work at City Journal, which is a 509 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:10,199 Speaker 1: cityd journal dot org. That's where all my work is 510 00:27:10,200 --> 00:27:12,800 Speaker 1: published these days. And then you can also follow me 511 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:16,600 Speaker 1: on x at RK Underscore Thorpe your stuff at City Journal, 512 00:27:16,600 --> 00:27:18,840 Speaker 1: which is which is run by the Manhattan Institute. So 513 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:22,200 Speaker 1: That's why some Manhattan instated earlier is fantastic. Really worth 514 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:24,760 Speaker 1: reading your stuff. Thank you so much for doing this podcast, Ryan, 515 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:30,000 Speaker 1: it was great joining you. Now it's time for Asking 516 00:27:30,040 --> 00:27:31,399 Speaker 1: Me Anything. If you want to be part of the 517 00:27:31,440 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 1: Ask Me Anything segment, email me Ryan at numbers Game 518 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:37,560 Speaker 1: podcast dot com. That's Ryan at numbers Game podcast dot com. 519 00:27:37,560 --> 00:27:39,040 Speaker 1: I have a bunch of questions to get to before 520 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:41,160 Speaker 1: the end of the year, so I'm very excited. This 521 00:27:41,240 --> 00:27:45,200 Speaker 1: question comes from Derek. He says Ryan loved the show. 522 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:48,280 Speaker 1: Two quick questions. The first on whether the border wall 523 00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:51,359 Speaker 1: is actually being built. I know BBB had fund set aside, 524 00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:53,600 Speaker 1: but I'm curious what the actual progress is. The second 525 00:27:53,680 --> 00:27:56,200 Speaker 1: question is the city of European politics. I remember reading 526 00:27:56,240 --> 00:27:58,840 Speaker 1: your article in The American Conservative last year at Georgia 527 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:01,800 Speaker 1: Maloney and how well she's navigating the tyrope of Italian 528 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:05,399 Speaker 1: and EU politics moving forward a conservative papuas agenda. Is 529 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:07,640 Speaker 1: that's still the case and is there a momentum across 530 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:12,080 Speaker 1: Europe for populous anti migrant leaders ranging from Rupert Low 531 00:28:12,160 --> 00:28:15,919 Speaker 1: and Nigel Farage to Jordan Bardella and the AfD. Derek 532 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:20,679 Speaker 1: Great questions. First, on the border wall, DHS awarded a 533 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:23,600 Speaker 1: contract just a few weeks ago for twenty seven miles 534 00:28:23,640 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 1: of new wall in Arizona. Secretary Christine nom has had 535 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:32,000 Speaker 1: five waivers signed for border wall construction to try to 536 00:28:32,040 --> 00:28:35,360 Speaker 1: continue to continue the construction of it. What it seems 537 00:28:35,400 --> 00:28:38,480 Speaker 1: like to me, based upon reading what's going on in Texas, California, 538 00:28:38,480 --> 00:28:41,880 Speaker 1: and Arizona, is that they're trying to finish the parts 539 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 1: of the wall that they had the money for, they 540 00:28:44,600 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 1: were contracted for that President Biden stopped construction on. So 541 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:51,960 Speaker 1: I'm seeing twenty seven miles over in Arizona, and I'm 542 00:28:52,000 --> 00:28:55,920 Speaker 1: seeing several about one hundred miles between Texas and California 543 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:58,640 Speaker 1: of trying to finish those repairs. That's what I'm seeing 544 00:28:58,680 --> 00:29:01,240 Speaker 1: so far. Hopefully they continued pushing forward on it, but 545 00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:03,680 Speaker 1: I'm seeing that's what I'm seeing as far as that goes. 546 00:29:03,800 --> 00:29:06,760 Speaker 1: When it comes to Georgia, Maloney, if those who didn't 547 00:29:06,800 --> 00:29:11,040 Speaker 1: read the article, Italy has a very strange political system. 548 00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:13,840 Speaker 1: So because they were part of fascist Italy back in 549 00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:16,600 Speaker 1: the forties, they create a system where the president is 550 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:19,640 Speaker 1: not elected, but he's voted on by both senators and 551 00:29:19,800 --> 00:29:22,120 Speaker 1: members of certain social class. 552 00:29:22,280 --> 00:29:24,000 Speaker 2: In Italy, but not by the people. 553 00:29:24,360 --> 00:29:28,640 Speaker 1: And the president has the ability to take over the 554 00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: government from the prime minister. So Georgia Maloney is the 555 00:29:31,720 --> 00:29:35,480 Speaker 1: prime minister, and if the President feels like she has 556 00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:38,960 Speaker 1: taken the government into a direction that is not beneficial 557 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:42,160 Speaker 1: for Italy for any purposes, he can dismiss her government, 558 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:45,400 Speaker 1: take it over and appoint bankers or whoever he wants. 559 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 2: To fill all the roles. 560 00:29:47,120 --> 00:29:49,640 Speaker 1: That's why Italy is in part why Italy has never 561 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:52,440 Speaker 1: managed to do a lot with their government, a lot 562 00:29:52,520 --> 00:29:53,600 Speaker 1: with reforms. 563 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:54,400 Speaker 2: That is why. 564 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:56,920 Speaker 1: Georgia Maloney has not been able to do a lot 565 00:29:57,000 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 1: on popular stuff. I will say border crossings are down substantially. 566 00:30:01,640 --> 00:30:05,280 Speaker 1: She has increased legal immigration, but Italy's population is falling 567 00:30:05,680 --> 00:30:09,440 Speaker 1: by unbelievable numbers, both because of Italian citizens leaving the 568 00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:12,800 Speaker 1: country because it's so poor, but also because of their 569 00:30:12,960 --> 00:30:17,120 Speaker 1: extraordinarily low birth rates in the country. And they've been 570 00:30:17,200 --> 00:30:19,560 Speaker 1: unable to do that anything about that so far. I 571 00:30:19,640 --> 00:30:22,200 Speaker 1: know they've tried policy, you know, policy proposals, but it 572 00:30:22,240 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 1: hasn't worked. Ultimately, I would sit there and say that 573 00:30:25,080 --> 00:30:27,920 Speaker 1: Georgia Maloney's trying to pass this constitutional amendment for several 574 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:31,800 Speaker 1: years now, which would effectively neutralize the role of the 575 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:35,120 Speaker 1: president and make it incapable for the president to take 576 00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:38,000 Speaker 1: out the Prime Minister on their own will based on 577 00:30:38,080 --> 00:30:42,480 Speaker 1: you know, if they're quote unquote beneficial to the EU 578 00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:45,120 Speaker 1: is what they're really saying, let me say beneficial to Italy. 579 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:48,880 Speaker 1: If that goes through, then the ball will be in 580 00:30:48,920 --> 00:30:51,560 Speaker 1: Maloney's court to really go you know, ham and do 581 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:54,520 Speaker 1: whatever she wants. Italy's elections are not next year, but 582 00:30:54,560 --> 00:30:57,120 Speaker 1: I think that the year after, so she's said to 583 00:30:57,120 --> 00:31:01,360 Speaker 1: probably grow her majority and she's working. I think she's 584 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:03,239 Speaker 1: working very very well from a Tyrope as far as 585 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:05,880 Speaker 1: other leaders go, yeah, next year only has I think 586 00:31:05,920 --> 00:31:09,800 Speaker 1: the Portuguese presidential elections, and there's the Hungarian parliamentary elections. 587 00:31:09,800 --> 00:31:11,800 Speaker 1: There's a lot of local ones, but as far as 588 00:31:11,920 --> 00:31:16,160 Speaker 1: major national ones, unless someone's government collapses, which could always happen, 589 00:31:16,800 --> 00:31:18,959 Speaker 1: but unless that happens, and those are the only major 590 00:31:19,040 --> 00:31:21,800 Speaker 1: ones that are happening throughout Europe. But if you look 591 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:25,240 Speaker 1: at the polls in Portugal, is Schega party is pulling 592 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:27,800 Speaker 1: number one or number two for president, depending on the polls. 593 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:30,560 Speaker 1: Over in France, Jordan Bardella is not only winning the 594 00:31:30,560 --> 00:31:34,040 Speaker 1: first round, but the second round of the presidential elections 595 00:31:34,280 --> 00:31:36,920 Speaker 1: under the National Rally of Populist National Rally AfD is 596 00:31:36,960 --> 00:31:39,400 Speaker 1: pulling in first and Najel Faraj is pulling in first 597 00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:42,080 Speaker 1: as well, although let's see Rupert Lowe is able to 598 00:31:42,080 --> 00:31:43,880 Speaker 1: sit there and take some support away from him with 599 00:31:43,920 --> 00:31:46,280 Speaker 1: his own party. But yeah, populist parties are still a 600 00:31:46,320 --> 00:31:48,640 Speaker 1: rising all across Europe. Even in Denmark, where there is 601 00:31:48,680 --> 00:31:51,160 Speaker 1: an election coming up next year, the Danish People's parties 602 00:31:51,440 --> 00:31:55,600 Speaker 1: increasing substantially. They're pulling, they're running on remedigation. In Sweden, 603 00:31:55,960 --> 00:31:59,400 Speaker 1: the center right and nationalist government is likely going to 604 00:31:59,440 --> 00:32:02,280 Speaker 1: lose them just because it's very very tight thing. They 605 00:32:02,320 --> 00:32:06,040 Speaker 1: have a three c majority, so it's interesting. But overall 606 00:32:06,080 --> 00:32:09,600 Speaker 1: the trajectory is very very clear towards national populism throughout Europe. 607 00:32:09,640 --> 00:32:12,280 Speaker 1: That's a great question, Derek. I really hope that I 608 00:32:12,360 --> 00:32:15,000 Speaker 1: answered it, okay, last question of the show. My name 609 00:32:15,040 --> 00:32:17,560 Speaker 1: is Tristan. I live in Delray, Flora. You're incredibly based 610 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:20,800 Speaker 1: in your opinions. Thank you, Tristan. Of course, you've been 611 00:32:20,800 --> 00:32:22,520 Speaker 1: talking a lot about data centers and they're a major 612 00:32:22,520 --> 00:32:25,520 Speaker 1: issue in Virginia. Living in Florida, are electricy costs is 613 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:27,760 Speaker 1: rather seasonal, high in the summer and lower in the winter, 614 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:30,360 Speaker 1: of course because of air conditioning. I was curious how 615 00:32:30,440 --> 00:32:32,880 Speaker 1: data centers were being handled around here, and I am 616 00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:35,480 Speaker 1: pleasantly surprised to see that the utility companies essentially have 617 00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:39,520 Speaker 1: increased pricing structures for new lows of fifteen megawatts and 618 00:32:39,640 --> 00:32:41,920 Speaker 1: large Essentially there's no tax breaks and data centers are 619 00:32:41,960 --> 00:32:44,400 Speaker 1: paying their full price. Would you say that Florida model 620 00:32:44,520 --> 00:32:48,440 Speaker 1: is the most politically smart in terms of protecting residents? 621 00:32:48,520 --> 00:32:50,560 Speaker 1: If not, is there another state that's handling it well? 622 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:54,800 Speaker 1: So this is a great question. Ron Desantas, who is 623 00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:58,480 Speaker 1: a really, I mean phenomenal governor, just phenomenal. He really 624 00:32:58,520 --> 00:33:01,760 Speaker 1: has done a lot, and he has a robust AI 625 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:05,280 Speaker 1: regulation bill called the AI Bill of Rights. A big 626 00:33:05,440 --> 00:33:08,640 Speaker 1: part of it is data center proposals. It says, quote 627 00:33:08,680 --> 00:33:11,760 Speaker 1: data center proposals will protect consumers from footing the Bill 628 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:15,680 Speaker 1: of AI data centers. The proposal will protect ratepayers, prohibit 629 00:33:15,760 --> 00:33:19,120 Speaker 1: utilities from changing in Florida residents more to support hyper 630 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:22,880 Speaker 1: skilled data center development, to protect taxpayers, no taxpayer substies 631 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:26,120 Speaker 1: for big tech, protect local control, protect Florida water and 632 00:33:26,280 --> 00:33:29,880 Speaker 1: protect Florida and for the natural sites in Florida, I 633 00:33:29,880 --> 00:33:33,800 Speaker 1: guess the waterways and the national parks and whatever. So 634 00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:36,200 Speaker 1: from what I could sit there and see, I did 635 00:33:36,240 --> 00:33:39,640 Speaker 1: a little bit of research. DeSantis probably, I mean, he 636 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:43,160 Speaker 1: prohibited utilities from charging customers for more electricity, gas, or 637 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:46,760 Speaker 1: water to hyper scale data center development. He is the 638 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:50,000 Speaker 1: only governor who did this, which is so smart, allowing 639 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:53,480 Speaker 1: local governments prohibit data centers from developing construction when it 640 00:33:53,520 --> 00:33:56,760 Speaker 1: comes to saying there and jacking up the rates for customers. 641 00:33:56,840 --> 00:33:59,640 Speaker 1: I mean, I read law after law after law, and 642 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:02,320 Speaker 1: Disanta's is on top of us more than anybody else. 643 00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:05,800 Speaker 1: As far as other states go, legislation has been proposed 644 00:34:05,800 --> 00:34:07,960 Speaker 1: in California, it has yet to pass. The New York 645 00:34:07,960 --> 00:34:10,799 Speaker 1: State has proposed a bill where data centers would be 646 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:13,799 Speaker 1: charged for any grid facility upgrades that they need because 647 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:17,480 Speaker 1: of the increased uses. And in Virginia there is an 648 00:34:17,600 --> 00:34:22,440 Speaker 1: energy law firm that is proposing somewhat similar, but it 649 00:34:22,480 --> 00:34:25,800 Speaker 1: is they're just proposing studies. Basically, they're still the study phase. 650 00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:28,600 Speaker 1: So yeah, you're right, Santas. I actually did not know 651 00:34:28,680 --> 00:34:31,920 Speaker 1: before researching that Disantas had done so much protect consumers 652 00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:35,279 Speaker 1: on electricity prices, and he's done what seems like a 653 00:34:35,320 --> 00:34:39,120 Speaker 1: phenomenal job, and he is, as usual with his entire governorship, 654 00:34:39,280 --> 00:34:42,040 Speaker 1: far and away above every other governor in the country. 655 00:34:42,680 --> 00:34:44,520 Speaker 1: That's what happens when you elect a very smart person. 656 00:34:44,840 --> 00:34:47,279 Speaker 1: So yeah, that's that's what I have. You guys have 657 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:49,480 Speaker 1: it the best. I wish I could report. Oh no, 658 00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:51,960 Speaker 1: all these other states they've done just as much, but 659 00:34:52,040 --> 00:34:54,880 Speaker 1: it is not the truth. Dissanta's is far and away 660 00:34:55,200 --> 00:34:56,879 Speaker 1: ahead on the issue and ahead on the curve, which 661 00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:58,759 Speaker 1: is why importing for the next voting for the next 662 00:34:58,760 --> 00:35:01,919 Speaker 1: governor of Florida is very, very very important to find 663 00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:05,080 Speaker 1: somebody who can keep up what he is doing. That's 664 00:35:05,120 --> 00:35:08,160 Speaker 1: the show for today. On Thursday's episode is the very 665 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:11,600 Speaker 1: fun episode. I'm having my gen Z staff come and 666 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:16,480 Speaker 1: do pop culture history and news interviews for what happened 667 00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:20,040 Speaker 1: to Gen xers and millennials. So it's millennial movies, TV music, 668 00:35:20,160 --> 00:35:22,719 Speaker 1: news stories to see how much they know about the 669 00:35:22,760 --> 00:35:25,680 Speaker 1: world that existed before them. It's going to be a 670 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:28,120 Speaker 1: lot of fun. Tune in, stay tuned, and I will 671 00:35:28,120 --> 00:35:29,280 Speaker 1: see you guys on Thursday.