1 00:00:01,160 --> 00:00:01,599 Speaker 1: Welcome. 2 00:00:01,680 --> 00:00:05,320 Speaker 2: It is Verdict with Center Ted Cruz Ben Ferguson with you, Senator, 3 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:08,640 Speaker 2: You're back in Washington, d C. My, oh my, how 4 00:00:08,720 --> 00:00:10,799 Speaker 2: things have changed since the last time you were in 5 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 2: DC before election Day. 6 00:00:13,280 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 3: Well, I've been back in d C the entire week. 7 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:18,079 Speaker 3: I'm actually back in Texas right now, you and I 8 00:00:18,120 --> 00:00:20,439 Speaker 3: are talking. It's eleven o'clock Thursday night. I just got 9 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 3: back to Texas this evening. But this was the first 10 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:26,119 Speaker 3: week back in d C since the election, and I 11 00:00:26,160 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 3: got to say, it's a remarkable time that there is 12 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:34,640 Speaker 3: an enormous energy, There's an enormous enthusiasm, and the people 13 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:37,880 Speaker 3: are really excited. People are excited about President Trump coming 14 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:39,720 Speaker 3: back in the White House. People are excited about the 15 00:00:39,760 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 3: new administration. People are excited about a Republican Senate and 16 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 3: a Republican House. And it's interesting you look at the Democrats. 17 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 3: The Democrats are shell shocked. They're just that they have 18 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 3: a difficult time believing what has happened, and they're just 19 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:59,960 Speaker 3: kind of looking around like, you know, Okay, wow, We're 20 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 3: in a whole new world. And so it was a 21 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 3: really good week. It was a consequential week. We got back, 22 00:01:08,800 --> 00:01:12,560 Speaker 3: we had. The very first thing we did is dove 23 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:15,680 Speaker 3: into leadership elections for the new majority leader, and the 24 00:01:16,120 --> 00:01:20,760 Speaker 3: very first majority leader was elected in eighteen years and 25 00:01:21,160 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 3: so on the podcast today, I'm going to bring inside 26 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:26,319 Speaker 3: of that that I'm going to tell you about what's 27 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:28,480 Speaker 3: going on in the Senate. We're going to break all 28 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:30,200 Speaker 3: of that down. We're also going to break down a 29 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:35,800 Speaker 3: major terrorist arrest that happened. And you're in my hometown, Houston, Texas, 30 00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:36,840 Speaker 3: so we're going to talk about all that. 31 00:01:37,280 --> 00:01:39,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, big show for sure. Let me tell you about 32 00:01:39,800 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 2: AMO Squared real quick. If you're like me and you 33 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:43,960 Speaker 2: want to know you have AMO when you need it, 34 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 2: and if you've ever gone through that stress of not 35 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:50,040 Speaker 2: being able to find AMMO, maybe it's a certain caliber 36 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 2: that's hard to find. And then when COVID happened, you 37 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 2: couldn't get anything, and when you did find it, you 38 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:57,360 Speaker 2: were paying five, six, seven x over what you used 39 00:01:57,400 --> 00:01:59,640 Speaker 2: to pay. Well, a lot of people learn from that. 40 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 2: I'm one of them, and now i know I've got AMMO. 41 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:06,320 Speaker 2: No matter what. AMO Squared is pretty amazing. It's an 42 00:02:06,360 --> 00:02:10,639 Speaker 2: automated approach to purchasing AMO on any budget. It's simple. 43 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,600 Speaker 2: You pick your calibers, you set your budget, That budget 44 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,880 Speaker 2: can change anytime, and then you select the shipping trigger 45 00:02:16,919 --> 00:02:20,120 Speaker 2: and that's it. Your AMO grows over time. And here's 46 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:22,800 Speaker 2: the other thing I love. 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You can literally exchange your 56 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 2: AMO squared inventory from one caliber to another in seconds 57 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:55,400 Speaker 2: with just a few clicks. And there is no minimum 58 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 2: to buy, no memberships needed, no extra fees. So I 59 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 2: want to give you some free a m O right 60 00:03:01,040 --> 00:03:04,400 Speaker 2: now in your account. Sign up at amos squared dot 61 00:03:04,440 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 2: com slash ben. That's amosquared dot com slash ben, and 62 00:03:10,520 --> 00:03:13,880 Speaker 2: you're gonna get free AMO in your account today. Amosquared 63 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:17,480 Speaker 2: dot com slash Ben So Senator, let's talk about you 64 00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 2: mentioned it in the opening there, the mood you've gone 65 00:03:21,440 --> 00:03:25,519 Speaker 2: back to Washington and been from the majority to the minority. 66 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:29,359 Speaker 1: It's not fun. Yeah, But when you lose the White House. 67 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:33,520 Speaker 2: You lose this, you lose the the Senate, and you 68 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:35,360 Speaker 2: thought you might be able to pick up the House 69 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 2: Democrats and you don't get that either. And the Republicans 70 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:43,440 Speaker 2: have a very secure apparatus around you. That's a really 71 00:03:43,560 --> 00:03:46,080 Speaker 2: bad day for Democrats when they go back to Washington. 72 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 4: Yeah. 73 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 3: And I can tell you in the Senate at least 74 00:03:48,320 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 3: the Senate Democrats were walking around just shell shocked that 75 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 3: they were not expecting what happened on election Day. 76 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 4: And and and it's it's tough. 77 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: Now. 78 00:03:56,680 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 3: I've been there. I've been there when we had the 79 00:03:58,400 --> 00:04:02,200 Speaker 3: majority and lost it, and that's sucks. But but this 80 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 3: this was just a thumping across the board. We also 81 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:08,120 Speaker 3: had this week, uh, this week is the orientation for 82 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:11,880 Speaker 3: newly elected senators. So we had Jim Justice for West Virginia. 83 00:04:11,920 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 4: He was there. 84 00:04:12,640 --> 00:04:16,120 Speaker 3: We we had Tim Sheehey from Montana, he was there. 85 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 3: We had Bernie Moreno from Ohio, he was there. And 86 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 3: we had Dave McCormick from Pennsylvania. 87 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:21,720 Speaker 4: He was there. 88 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:25,479 Speaker 3: So we've got four new Republican senators, all of whom 89 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 3: were there, and and that that that that's what flipped 90 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:30,120 Speaker 3: the Senate. So it was good to see them. They 91 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:32,200 Speaker 3: were excited to be there. And then they're starting the 92 00:04:32,200 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 3: whole process of orientation. I will tell you, the Senate's 93 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:38,640 Speaker 3: an interesting place. So you get elected, and you show 94 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 3: up and you and you have a week of orientation 95 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:42,840 Speaker 3: and you do all these different little sessions where they 96 00:04:42,839 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 3: talk about the ethics rules, they talk about all all 97 00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:48,720 Speaker 3: the ways it operates, they talk about staffing up your office, 98 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 3: and and you're put in a little basement office as 99 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:57,160 Speaker 3: a newly elected senator elect and and you know, it's 100 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:00,240 Speaker 3: it's kind of an interesting place because the Senate, there 101 00:05:00,279 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 3: are one hundred senator offices. 102 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:03,560 Speaker 4: There are one hundred senators. 103 00:05:04,160 --> 00:05:07,400 Speaker 3: You would think it would be fairly quick and efficient 104 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:11,839 Speaker 3: to assign each one of the senators the senator offices. Well, 105 00:05:11,839 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 3: this is an aspect where I mean, there are a 106 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:16,200 Speaker 3: lot of ways in which the US Senate is not 107 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:18,279 Speaker 3: even like a high school. It's like a junior high. 108 00:05:18,440 --> 00:05:22,000 Speaker 3: It's basically mean girls. And one of the ways is 109 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:26,640 Speaker 3: the new senators basically get hazed, where you get stuck 110 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 3: down in a tiny basement office for several months. And 111 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,479 Speaker 3: mind you, there are fully empty Senate offices. Once we 112 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:36,920 Speaker 3: get to January and the old guys have left, they're 113 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:40,719 Speaker 3: fully empty Senate offices, but it takes several months to 114 00:05:40,839 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 3: assign them. And so the new guys are there, they're 115 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:47,200 Speaker 3: kind of looking around, they're sort of blinking, starry eyed, 116 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 3: and I remember it, well, you're like, holy crap, what 117 00:05:50,240 --> 00:05:53,760 Speaker 3: am I doing here? And you go to the initial 118 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:56,080 Speaker 3: lunches and one of the first things you have to 119 00:05:56,120 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 3: do as a senator is you have to decide, okay, 120 00:05:59,800 --> 00:06:02,479 Speaker 3: what committees do I want to be on? And so 121 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 3: you send a formal letter to the to the leader 122 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:08,280 Speaker 3: of your party saying, here are the committees I want 123 00:06:08,279 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 3: to be on, and each senator actually senators, it's a 124 00:06:13,240 --> 00:06:15,680 Speaker 3: it's a lot better the committee asignment process, and the 125 00:06:15,720 --> 00:06:18,920 Speaker 3: Senate is much much better than the House. The way 126 00:06:18,960 --> 00:06:24,280 Speaker 3: it operates is that every newly elected senator is guaranteed 127 00:06:24,440 --> 00:06:30,080 Speaker 3: to what are called A committees and one B committee, 128 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 3: and you can with some regularity beyond even a fourth 129 00:06:34,520 --> 00:06:37,279 Speaker 3: or a fifth committee as well. So The A committees 130 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:43,160 Speaker 3: are the major committees that have the broadest jurisdiction. The 131 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:47,960 Speaker 3: B committees are less consequential committees. They have less authority. 132 00:06:48,720 --> 00:06:53,080 Speaker 3: And the way it works is you can accrue seniority 133 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 3: on two A committees and one B committee. So for me, 134 00:06:58,520 --> 00:07:02,799 Speaker 3: my two A committees are the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, 135 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:06,600 Speaker 3: and Transportation and the Senate Judiciary Committee. And so when 136 00:07:06,640 --> 00:07:09,080 Speaker 3: I first got elected in twenty twelve, as I have 137 00:07:09,160 --> 00:07:11,640 Speaker 3: brand new baby senator, I sent in a letter and said, okay, 138 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 3: here are the two A committees. I want Commerce and 139 00:07:14,360 --> 00:07:15,960 Speaker 3: I want Judiciary. 140 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:17,040 Speaker 4: And my B. 141 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 3: Committee is the Rules Committee, and so I have seniority 142 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:24,040 Speaker 3: on the Rules Committee as well. Now you can also 143 00:07:24,200 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 3: with some frequency get a third A committee and the 144 00:07:28,560 --> 00:07:32,760 Speaker 3: third A committee you're on, but you don't accruse seniority, 145 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 3: so you're not climbing up the ranks. You're not in 146 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:38,480 Speaker 3: the line to be a chairman. So my third A 147 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:40,760 Speaker 3: committee for the first six years in the Senate was 148 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:43,440 Speaker 3: the Senate Armed Services Committee. So I was on Senate 149 00:07:43,520 --> 00:07:45,920 Speaker 3: Armed Services, a great committee. I enjoyed it very much. 150 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 3: And then I shifted over to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. 151 00:07:50,240 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 3: Foreign Relations is my third A committee, so I don't 152 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 3: recruse seniority. So I will never be Chairman of Foreign 153 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:57,600 Speaker 3: Relations because I have no seniority on the committee and 154 00:07:57,640 --> 00:08:01,160 Speaker 3: you're only allowed to accrue on two a's and one b. 155 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 3: But because I chose Judiciary and Commerce, that's why in 156 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 3: this new Senate I will be the chairman of the 157 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 3: Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, because I crude 158 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 3: enough seniority that I am now the most senior Republican 159 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:18,480 Speaker 3: on the Commerce Committee. 160 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 4: And by the. 161 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:22,560 Speaker 3: Way, that is a huge damn deal. The Commerce Committee 162 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 3: has jurisdiction. 163 00:08:24,120 --> 00:08:25,280 Speaker 2: And that's what was going to ask you, is is 164 00:08:25,600 --> 00:08:28,240 Speaker 2: people ask they say, Okay, they see chairmanship, and they're like, 165 00:08:28,320 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 2: does that mean more TV time? Does that mean that 166 00:08:31,520 --> 00:08:34,319 Speaker 2: you're a spokesman in the sense for the committee or 167 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:36,120 Speaker 2: does that mean you actually have power? 168 00:08:36,200 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 1: So explain what that looks like. 169 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:42,520 Speaker 3: It is massive and transformation, and I'll confess I didn't 170 00:08:42,559 --> 00:08:46,079 Speaker 3: fully understand that until all right, So for the last 171 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:49,199 Speaker 3: two years, I've been the ranking member on the Senate 172 00:08:49,240 --> 00:08:51,719 Speaker 3: Commerce Committee. Now, now what does it mean to be 173 00:08:51,760 --> 00:08:53,880 Speaker 3: the ranking member? You're the senior Republican, but you're in 174 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:57,920 Speaker 3: the minority. That is a massive shift. So the last 175 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:00,960 Speaker 3: two years have been enormously consequential. And I'm about to 176 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:03,319 Speaker 3: be the chairman of the Commerce Committee cause we're in 177 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:05,680 Speaker 3: the majority now. Now what does it mean when you're 178 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 3: and the Commerce Committee is an a committee? It is 179 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:13,040 Speaker 3: a major committee. So when you become the ranking member, 180 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:15,079 Speaker 3: which I did two years ago, of the Commerce Committee, 181 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:18,960 Speaker 3: one of the consequences is your budget goes up dramatically. 182 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:22,079 Speaker 3: So to give a sense, as a Senator from a 183 00:09:22,160 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 3: large state, a state like Texas, I had for the 184 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:28,760 Speaker 3: first ten years in the Senate about sixty five staff members. 185 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:31,880 Speaker 3: So I have roughly thirty to thirty five in DC 186 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 3: and thirty to thirty five in Texas. So that's the divide. 187 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:40,520 Speaker 3: You have about half in d C. They're your policy staff, 188 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,160 Speaker 3: your communications staff, your administrative staff. 189 00:09:43,960 --> 00:09:45,600 Speaker 4: That's in DC. And then in Texas. 190 00:09:45,640 --> 00:09:48,080 Speaker 3: I've got regional offices all over the state in the 191 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:51,840 Speaker 3: major cities, and I've got constituent Service teams in Texas 192 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 3: that help thirty million Texans. 193 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:55,520 Speaker 4: So if you're a. 194 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 3: Veteran and you're dealing with the VA and you've got issues, 195 00:09:57,640 --> 00:09:59,720 Speaker 3: you call into my Constituent Service team and we help 196 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 3: help veterans, We help seniors with Social Security, We help 197 00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:04,920 Speaker 3: people whose passports have expired. 198 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:06,520 Speaker 4: We get people who are, like you. 199 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:09,360 Speaker 3: Know, getting ready to take a family vacation in tomorrow 200 00:10:09,600 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 3: and they realize, oh crap, my passport's expired, and we 201 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 3: helped them get a passport. So we you as a senator, 202 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:18,960 Speaker 3: and you get a little bit larger budget, a little 203 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:21,720 Speaker 3: bit larger staff if you're a large state. In Texas 204 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 3: obviously is a large state. So for ten years, I had, 205 00:10:25,880 --> 00:10:28,200 Speaker 3: like I said, between sixty and sixty five staff members. 206 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:32,200 Speaker 3: When I became the ranking member of the Commerce Committee, 207 00:10:32,240 --> 00:10:36,080 Speaker 3: my staff expanded by about a third, so I have 208 00:10:36,200 --> 00:10:38,160 Speaker 3: roughly one hundred staff members now. So I have I 209 00:10:38,160 --> 00:10:41,400 Speaker 3: think thirty eight staff members on the Commerce Committee. So 210 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:46,520 Speaker 3: it dramatically changes your effectiveness because I mean literally, my 211 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 3: DC staff more than doubled. And what it means is 212 00:10:50,320 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 3: that I've got staff members now for every subcommittee on 213 00:10:54,720 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 3: the Commerce Committee. So for example, I've got on my 214 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 3: team a railroad lawyer who is an expert in the 215 00:11:03,840 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 3: law concerning railroads. I've got an expert on aviation because look, 216 00:11:08,679 --> 00:11:11,880 Speaker 3: the Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over aviation. It has curisdiction 217 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:16,360 Speaker 3: over communications, it has jurisdiction over railroads, it has jurisdiction 218 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:20,680 Speaker 3: over space, it has jurisdiction over just a vast array. 219 00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:24,439 Speaker 3: And I will say it is a force multiplier. When 220 00:11:24,480 --> 00:11:27,760 Speaker 3: you have that team, you're able to. 221 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 4: Engage on. 222 00:11:30,880 --> 00:11:34,080 Speaker 3: I would say five x or ten x as many 223 00:11:34,120 --> 00:11:37,080 Speaker 3: issues because every other member of the Commerce Committee. When 224 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 3: I was on the Commerce Committee for ten years, I 225 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 3: had like one or two staffers that were on Commerce. 226 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 3: If you have one or two staffers versus thirty eight, 227 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:49,240 Speaker 3: it just limits how deep you can dive into issues, 228 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:51,720 Speaker 3: how many things you can engage in. When you've got 229 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:54,480 Speaker 3: an expanded team, you can engage in oversight, you can 230 00:11:54,520 --> 00:11:58,120 Speaker 3: put out reports. You just have the ability to drive 231 00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:00,400 Speaker 3: much more of an agenda. There's a second aspect of it, 232 00:12:01,760 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 3: which is when bills are being attached to other moving vehicles. So, 233 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:11,160 Speaker 3: for example, you have something like the National Defense Authorization Act. 234 00:12:11,200 --> 00:12:13,320 Speaker 4: The NDAA passes every year. 235 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:19,640 Speaker 3: It authorizes our entire military. It's a hugely consequential bill 236 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:24,560 Speaker 3: because it passes every year. It is often basically a 237 00:12:24,640 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 3: Christmas tree where you will get dozens or even hundreds 238 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 3: of other bills attached to it that have nothing to 239 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:34,320 Speaker 3: do with defense, and it's just a moving vehicle that 240 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:35,520 Speaker 3: people attach their bills. 241 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:37,360 Speaker 4: Now, the way the center out. 242 00:12:37,280 --> 00:12:39,400 Speaker 2: With the pork is that where the pork gets pulled 243 00:12:39,400 --> 00:12:44,480 Speaker 2: in it, it's. 244 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:46,679 Speaker 3: Actually not really about pork. That pork happens more in 245 00:12:46,679 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 3: an appropriation's bill and an omnibus bill, which is doing spending. 246 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 3: But this is just a vehicle for different bills that 247 00:12:55,240 --> 00:13:00,839 Speaker 3: that are often good and reasonable ideas, and different people 248 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 3: will attach them to a moving vehicle. But the way 249 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:11,200 Speaker 3: the Senate operates is any bill that is within the 250 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:16,839 Speaker 3: Commerce Committee jurisdiction cannot be attached to the NDAA or 251 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:20,880 Speaker 3: to anything else without the sign off of the chairman, 252 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:24,560 Speaker 3: who's been Maria Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington, for the last. 253 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:27,480 Speaker 4: Two years, and the sign off of the ranking member. 254 00:13:27,559 --> 00:13:30,720 Speaker 3: So I have an absolute veto if any other Senator 255 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 3: has any bill within our jurisdiction that they want to 256 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 3: attach to a moving vehicle, they cannot do so without 257 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:43,319 Speaker 3: my sign off. That gives an enormous amount of leverage. 258 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:46,040 Speaker 3: And so the last two years, like I passed a 259 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 3: ton of legislation because frankly, I use that leverage to say, hey, 260 00:13:50,960 --> 00:13:53,280 Speaker 3: that's great. You want your bill to move. I want 261 00:13:53,320 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 3: you to agree to my bill on this. I want 262 00:13:54,800 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 3: you to agree to doing this. And so it gives 263 00:13:56,960 --> 00:14:01,480 Speaker 3: you the ability because you can show anything down within 264 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 3: the jurisdiction of your committee. It gives you the ability 265 00:14:04,679 --> 00:14:10,080 Speaker 3: to negotiate some major victories for Texas, some major free 266 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:14,200 Speaker 3: market victories, some major victories for job creation. And so 267 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:17,440 Speaker 3: that was a huge shift. And I will say when 268 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:23,000 Speaker 3: you become the chairman, I okay. I've only been the 269 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:25,360 Speaker 3: incoming chairman for a couple of days, so I don't 270 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:28,280 Speaker 3: really know. I will have much more of an assessment 271 00:14:28,360 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 3: of that six months from now, but I think it 272 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:35,400 Speaker 3: is five x, if not ten x more consequential. 273 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:39,920 Speaker 2: So the question is for everybody listening, is okay, what 274 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 2: will get done because of this? 275 00:14:41,680 --> 00:14:41,880 Speaker 1: Right? 276 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:44,640 Speaker 2: This is part of the payoff of the election getting 277 00:14:45,000 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 2: the Senate to be in the majority of the Republicans. 278 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:51,080 Speaker 2: So paint the picture for people to understand not only 279 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:53,680 Speaker 2: is this yes, powerful, but what does this now mean 280 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 2: that we can get done that Maybe in the last 281 00:14:56,680 --> 00:14:59,200 Speaker 2: Congress there was no chance in how of certain things 282 00:14:59,200 --> 00:15:00,120 Speaker 2: getting done. 283 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:03,440 Speaker 3: So look, my number one priority in the Senate is jobs. 284 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:06,600 Speaker 3: I'm focused on jobs, jobs, jobs, economic growth. I want 285 00:15:06,640 --> 00:15:08,920 Speaker 3: more jobs. I want more jobs in Texas. I want 286 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:11,520 Speaker 3: more opportunity in Texas. I want higher wages in Texas. 287 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 3: If you want jobs, the two most effective levers to 288 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:20,440 Speaker 3: produce jobs are tax reform and regulatory reform. That every 289 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:23,480 Speaker 3: time you reduce taxes, you simplify the tax code, You 290 00:15:23,600 --> 00:15:27,720 Speaker 3: reduce and repeal job killing regulations, small businesses expand, and 291 00:15:27,760 --> 00:15:31,440 Speaker 3: you get more jobs. The Commerce Committee, as I said, 292 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 3: has jurisdiction over forty percent of the US economy. So 293 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 3: if you care about jobs, there are very few positions 294 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:43,520 Speaker 3: in Washington that have greater leverage, greater ability to impact 295 00:15:43,840 --> 00:15:47,240 Speaker 3: jobs in the state of Texas than chairmen of the 296 00:15:47,240 --> 00:15:51,600 Speaker 3: Senate Commerce Committee. And so what will get done? So, 297 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 3: for example, one of my big priorities is going to 298 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 3: be spectrum. So right now, there's an enormous amount of 299 00:15:57,040 --> 00:16:01,320 Speaker 3: spectrum that the government owns and controls kifa off the market. 300 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 3: I want to move it to the private sector. Why 301 00:16:04,760 --> 00:16:08,400 Speaker 3: because when you move spectrum to the private sector, it 302 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:12,760 Speaker 3: creates tens or even hundreds of thousands of jobs, and 303 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:17,880 Speaker 3: it unleashes tens or hundreds of billions of dollars of investment. 304 00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:22,600 Speaker 3: That spectrum enables five G enables expanding wireless, enables new 305 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:24,000 Speaker 3: technology apps. 306 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 4: That is, if you. 307 00:16:25,640 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 3: Care about jobs, opening up spectrum for the private sector, 308 00:16:29,360 --> 00:16:31,520 Speaker 3: and the way the government does it, it has an 309 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 3: auction for the spectrum, so you free up at an 310 00:16:34,280 --> 00:16:37,200 Speaker 3: area of spectrum, and then you have a public auction 311 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:41,240 Speaker 3: and companies pay billions of dollars to the federal government 312 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,320 Speaker 3: to acquire a portion of spectrum and then to market 313 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:47,120 Speaker 3: something to consumers, and so it ends up being a 314 00:16:47,440 --> 00:16:52,280 Speaker 3: massive area of investment and expansion of jobs. That's going 315 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:54,960 Speaker 3: to be a huge priority. Another huge priority for me 316 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 3: is artificial intelligence. The Democrats want to regulate the hell 317 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 3: out of artificial intellig leigence. They want to create essentially 318 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:08,359 Speaker 3: a European style prior approval system where any innovation in 319 00:17:08,440 --> 00:17:10,520 Speaker 3: AI you got to go to the federal government first. 320 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:11,959 Speaker 4: That's a terrible idea. 321 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:15,760 Speaker 3: It's an idea that is almost perfectly designed to ensure 322 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:19,600 Speaker 3: that America loses the battle for AI and and we 323 00:17:19,680 --> 00:17:21,760 Speaker 3: fall behind the rest of the world. Well, as chairman 324 00:17:21,760 --> 00:17:23,600 Speaker 3: of the Commerce Committee, I'm not going to let that happen. 325 00:17:24,080 --> 00:17:27,560 Speaker 3: I want to maintain a very light touch regulatory environment 326 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:30,840 Speaker 3: where innovation is driven from the private sector. Because I 327 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 3: think AI, and we'll talk about this more. We'll we'll 328 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:36,879 Speaker 3: have additional podcasts that go deeper into AI. But I 329 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:39,600 Speaker 3: think AI has a potential and in fact, I think 330 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:45,040 Speaker 3: it will be the same sort of transformational technology that 331 00:17:45,119 --> 00:17:47,640 Speaker 3: the development of the Internet was twenty five years ago. 332 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:50,640 Speaker 3: And in fact, several months ago, I wrote an op 333 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 3: ed with with Phil Graham, former Senator from Texas, and 334 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:56,680 Speaker 3: I did something that would surprise some people, but Phil 335 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 3: and I together we praised a Democrat president and we 336 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:05,119 Speaker 3: praised Bill Clinton. So Bill Clinton was president during the 337 00:18:05,160 --> 00:18:08,880 Speaker 3: really formation of the Internet, and Bill Clinton signed an 338 00:18:08,880 --> 00:18:14,000 Speaker 3: executive order that was a very light touch regulatory footprint 339 00:18:14,640 --> 00:18:17,240 Speaker 3: on the Internet and the growth of it, and it 340 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:24,160 Speaker 3: allowed private companies to develop and innovate and the consequence 341 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:28,520 Speaker 3: of that, so it's actually striking. In nineteen ninety three, 342 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:31,560 Speaker 3: the economy of the United States of America was almost 343 00:18:31,640 --> 00:18:35,840 Speaker 3: exactly the same size as the economy of the European Union. 344 00:18:38,119 --> 00:18:41,879 Speaker 3: The EU took a dramatically different approach. They took a 345 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 3: prior approval approach where they said, Okay, our government has 346 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:49,080 Speaker 3: to approve whatever you're doing on the Internet. Now fast 347 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:54,040 Speaker 3: forward thirty years, what are the consequences. Today, the American 348 00:18:54,119 --> 00:19:00,280 Speaker 3: economy is fifty percent larger than the EU, So we 349 00:19:00,320 --> 00:19:03,399 Speaker 3: went from essentially one hundred percent to one hundred and 350 00:19:03,440 --> 00:19:08,200 Speaker 3: fifty percent. The biggest driver of that is the rise 351 00:19:08,240 --> 00:19:11,040 Speaker 3: of technology. You look at the Internet. Virtually every major 352 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:13,480 Speaker 3: big tech company in the world is headquartered in the 353 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:17,240 Speaker 3: United States and is driving massive job creation. Now, big 354 00:19:17,280 --> 00:19:19,560 Speaker 3: tech also has abuses, and I focused on that a lot, 355 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:20,680 Speaker 3: and that's going to be a big focus of the 356 00:19:20,680 --> 00:19:24,439 Speaker 3: Commerce Committee as well. But that job creation, that wealth creation, 357 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:30,280 Speaker 3: that innovation is hugely consequential. What Biden did he entered 358 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:35,360 Speaker 3: an EO an executive order on AI that basically modeled 359 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:36,640 Speaker 3: what the European Union did. 360 00:19:36,840 --> 00:19:38,680 Speaker 4: It was a heavy. 361 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 3: Handed government prior approval mechanism that I think if that 362 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:46,840 Speaker 3: stayed the law, it would seed leadership to the rest 363 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:49,520 Speaker 3: of the world and we would fall behind China and 364 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 3: the rest of the world in the development of AI. 365 00:19:51,880 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 3: I think that'd be catastrophic because AI is going to 366 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:58,159 Speaker 3: be every bit as transformative at technology as the Internet was. 367 00:19:58,200 --> 00:20:01,639 Speaker 3: And I want America to leave at battle. And so 368 00:20:01,800 --> 00:20:06,360 Speaker 3: that is a big, big consequence for the Commerce Committee. 369 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:08,639 Speaker 3: To other areas, I'll mention they're going to be huge priorities. 370 00:20:09,119 --> 00:20:09,479 Speaker 4: Energy. 371 00:20:10,359 --> 00:20:14,639 Speaker 3: Energy is massively important. You want to reduce inflation. Energy 372 00:20:14,680 --> 00:20:16,920 Speaker 3: as an input to just about every aspect of inflation. 373 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 3: You want jobs. America is the energy superpower of the world. 374 00:20:21,400 --> 00:20:25,640 Speaker 3: We need to be energy dominant. And Donald Trump that's 375 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:27,480 Speaker 3: a huge priority for him, and that's going to be 376 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:30,640 Speaker 3: a huge priority for me as chairman of the Commerce Committee. 377 00:20:30,600 --> 00:20:33,960 Speaker 3: And I'll say one other topic, and we'll talk about 378 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 3: this also in a subsequent podcast, but sports and college athletics. 379 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:42,119 Speaker 3: You and I both love college sports. Right now, the 380 00:20:42,160 --> 00:20:47,640 Speaker 3: current world of college sports is the wild West, name 381 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:51,960 Speaker 3: image and likeness, open transfer portals. It is I think 382 00:20:52,119 --> 00:20:57,360 Speaker 3: endangering the future and viability of college athletics. I think 383 00:20:57,359 --> 00:21:00,520 Speaker 3: Congress needs to step in and legislate. When the Democrats 384 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:02,760 Speaker 3: were in the majority, it just wasn't a priority for them. 385 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:05,520 Speaker 3: It will be a priority. We are going to address it. 386 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:09,520 Speaker 3: As chairman. I can convene hearings. I'm in charge of 387 00:21:09,560 --> 00:21:13,159 Speaker 3: every hearing the Commerce Committee has. I invite the witnesses 388 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:16,640 Speaker 3: for the hearings. I can call up markups. I can 389 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:19,200 Speaker 3: decide what bills get marked up. And what bills don't 390 00:21:19,680 --> 00:21:22,720 Speaker 3: and it gives you the ability to drive an agenda 391 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:24,679 Speaker 3: that is just qualitatively different. 392 00:21:25,359 --> 00:21:28,359 Speaker 2: That's going to be a very interesting topic, especially my 393 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:32,159 Speaker 2: ears per cup as a former college athlete, because there 394 00:21:32,200 --> 00:21:35,000 Speaker 2: does have to be a happy medium. But you're right, 395 00:21:35,119 --> 00:21:37,119 Speaker 2: it has become the wild West. So how do we 396 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:40,400 Speaker 2: make it where you also are protecting the athletes and 397 00:21:40,520 --> 00:21:43,159 Speaker 2: sports the integrity of the game. And that's going to 398 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:45,679 Speaker 2: be something very fun to watch as we continue this 399 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:48,879 Speaker 2: next year. I also want to ask you about the 400 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:52,959 Speaker 2: Senate election, because my, oh my, did that blow up 401 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,399 Speaker 2: on social media? And before we get to that, I 402 00:21:55,440 --> 00:21:57,040 Speaker 2: want to tell you real quick about my friends ever 403 00:21:57,040 --> 00:21:59,840 Speaker 2: at Blackout Coffee. If you're like me, you start your 404 00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:02,439 Speaker 2: warning off with a cup of coffee. Why settle for 405 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:05,399 Speaker 2: an average cup of coffee? Or why settle for a 406 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:08,640 Speaker 2: woke liberal cup of coffee. Now, when I said woke 407 00:22:08,720 --> 00:22:10,879 Speaker 2: and liberal, you probably thought of a couple of different 408 00:22:10,880 --> 00:22:14,560 Speaker 2: coffee brands. The coffee space is filled with woke companies 409 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 2: that are huge donors and supporters to Democrats. If you 410 00:22:19,560 --> 00:22:22,879 Speaker 2: don't want to have your coffee push that agenda, you 411 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:26,439 Speaker 2: need to check out Blackout Coffee. Blackout Coffee is not, 412 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:31,080 Speaker 2: by the way, average coffee. It is premium coffee. They 413 00:22:31,359 --> 00:22:36,040 Speaker 2: accept no compromise on taste or quality. If you want 414 00:22:36,040 --> 00:22:37,919 Speaker 2: to have the best cup of coffee your life, you 415 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 2: need to go right now, and I'm going to save 416 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:42,800 Speaker 2: you money. To try Blackout Coffee. Go to Blackoutcoffee dot com, 417 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 2: slash verting. It's Blackoutcoffee dot com slash vertict. 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Be awake 427 00:23:17,800 --> 00:23:21,280 Speaker 2: every day, not woke, but awake. Blackoutcoffee dot com slash 428 00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:24,159 Speaker 2: verdict promo code Verdict. So let's deal with the Senate 429 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:27,159 Speaker 2: vote real quick. I got angry when I get angry, 430 00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:29,920 Speaker 2: I tweeted in all caps because there was a list 431 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:33,800 Speaker 2: that was put out and this list was such a 432 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:36,680 Speaker 2: joke because it had so many things that were wrong. 433 00:23:36,760 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 2: It had Thune voting for cornin. The list was, as 434 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:41,800 Speaker 2: I said. 435 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:41,960 Speaker 1: A lie. 436 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:44,800 Speaker 2: I thought it was a lie to divide the Republican Party. 437 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:48,600 Speaker 2: It was a lie to get Republicans to go after 438 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:52,440 Speaker 2: one another. It wasn't an an accurate list. There was 439 00:23:52,480 --> 00:23:54,320 Speaker 2: a lot of them that were accurate, but that was 440 00:23:54,440 --> 00:23:57,920 Speaker 2: like captain obvious accuracy, like of course this person was 441 00:23:57,920 --> 00:23:58,720 Speaker 2: going to vote for this. 442 00:23:58,640 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 1: One at X, Y, and Z. 443 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:02,560 Speaker 2: But the list itself, when you got down to it, 444 00:24:02,720 --> 00:24:04,520 Speaker 2: was a list that I think was just put out 445 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:09,080 Speaker 2: there to rile up an anger Conservatives feeling like, oh, 446 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:12,480 Speaker 2: they're already getting screwed after this election day, and they're 447 00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:15,600 Speaker 2: not listening to conservative voters. They're not listening to Magat supporters, 448 00:24:15,640 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 2: they're not listening to Trump supporters. And at the end 449 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:20,119 Speaker 2: of the day, it was a lie and it was 450 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:22,560 Speaker 2: done just to divide, and it made me furious. 451 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:23,240 Speaker 1: Your reaction. 452 00:24:24,119 --> 00:24:27,040 Speaker 2: All right, So let's get into the Senate vote for 453 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:30,480 Speaker 2: who was going to be the majority leader. And this 454 00:24:30,680 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 2: was a vote that really, I think took up a 455 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:38,200 Speaker 2: lot of oxygen on social media and there were a 456 00:24:38,240 --> 00:24:40,080 Speaker 2: lot of people that had a lot of opinions about it. 457 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:44,480 Speaker 2: So let's just talk about what actually happened and how 458 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:48,399 Speaker 2: the debate went. And people were saying, it isn't even fair. 459 00:24:49,040 --> 00:24:51,280 Speaker 2: Is that a fair assessment? I don't think so. From 460 00:24:51,280 --> 00:24:53,679 Speaker 2: what I saw, I want you to tell to everybody 461 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:54,880 Speaker 2: how this went down. 462 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:55,520 Speaker 4: Sure. 463 00:24:55,720 --> 00:24:58,600 Speaker 3: So there were three candidates who were running for Majority leader, 464 00:24:58,600 --> 00:24:59,919 Speaker 3: and this is the first time we've had a maj 465 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:02,760 Speaker 3: already a leader election in eighteen years. That was when 466 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:06,600 Speaker 3: Mitch McConnell was elected eighteen years ago. We had a 467 00:25:07,080 --> 00:25:10,680 Speaker 3: contestant and a new leader elected this week. The three 468 00:25:10,680 --> 00:25:15,520 Speaker 3: candidates were John Thune. John Thune is the current Republican Whip, 469 00:25:15,600 --> 00:25:21,000 Speaker 3: so the number two official he was running. John Cornyan 470 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:24,240 Speaker 3: was running, my fellow Texas Senator who was the previous 471 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:28,159 Speaker 3: Republican whip. He had been the whip before Thun, and 472 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:31,960 Speaker 3: the Republican Conference has term limits in place, so John 473 00:25:32,040 --> 00:25:34,640 Speaker 3: Cornyn spent six years as the whip and after six 474 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:36,320 Speaker 3: years he had to step down his whip, so he 475 00:25:36,359 --> 00:25:38,840 Speaker 3: was whipped for six years and then Thune was is 476 00:25:38,880 --> 00:25:42,040 Speaker 3: the current whip and he's so the two of them 477 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:44,880 Speaker 3: were running. And then the third candidate running was Rick Scott. 478 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:50,120 Speaker 3: Rick Scott, Senator from Florida. And it was a very 479 00:25:50,160 --> 00:25:54,360 Speaker 3: contested election. A lot of the Trump Maga world got 480 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:57,360 Speaker 3: behind Rick Scott, got very vocally behind Rick Scott. 481 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:02,119 Speaker 4: I supported Rick Scott. I publicly supported Rick Scott. 482 00:26:02,840 --> 00:26:06,359 Speaker 3: And and I will tell you that the dynamics of 483 00:26:06,400 --> 00:26:09,479 Speaker 3: the election. So, so the way it works it is 484 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:13,119 Speaker 3: you go into the election happens in the old Senate Chamber. 485 00:26:13,880 --> 00:26:16,120 Speaker 3: So the old Senate Chamber is where the Senate used 486 00:26:16,160 --> 00:26:19,520 Speaker 3: to meet before the current Senate Chamber was built. It's 487 00:26:19,520 --> 00:26:23,040 Speaker 3: a much smaller room. It's a historic room. It's where 488 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:25,959 Speaker 3: many of the great lions of the Senate, like like 489 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:31,600 Speaker 3: met and debated. And so so that's where we always 490 00:26:31,600 --> 00:26:33,560 Speaker 3: have our leader elections. And you're in there, and it's 491 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:36,880 Speaker 3: it's it's senators are in there, and and what happens 492 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:41,200 Speaker 3: is you have each of the three nominees. There are 493 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:44,240 Speaker 3: nominating speeches. There's a senator who stands up and nominates 494 00:26:44,240 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 3: one of the three people. There's a second senator who 495 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:49,639 Speaker 3: stands up and gives a seconding speech, and then the 496 00:26:49,680 --> 00:26:52,760 Speaker 3: person who's being nominated gives a speech. And so for 497 00:26:52,840 --> 00:26:56,639 Speaker 3: each of the three you had those speeches and it 498 00:26:56,680 --> 00:26:59,560 Speaker 3: took quite a while, I mean the speeches senators. Senators 499 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:02,040 Speaker 3: are not known for their brevity, uh so they were 500 00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:05,160 Speaker 3: pretty long winded speeches. And then we had a few 501 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:09,040 Speaker 3: questions and Senator to ask several questions. On Tuesday night 502 00:27:09,160 --> 00:27:12,719 Speaker 3: before the vote, we also had a forum that that 503 00:27:12,760 --> 00:27:15,840 Speaker 3: where we asked vigorous questions of all three of the candidates. 504 00:27:17,359 --> 00:27:20,560 Speaker 3: And then you vote. You vote, and it's by secret ballot. 505 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:24,440 Speaker 3: They hand out these little little cards and you check 506 00:27:24,880 --> 00:27:28,359 Speaker 3: you checked either Thun, Cornn or Scott. So I checked Scott. 507 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:28,879 Speaker 4: I voted. 508 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:34,239 Speaker 3: And the way it works is that everyone votes and 509 00:27:34,280 --> 00:27:36,919 Speaker 3: you have to get a majority to be elected, but 510 00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:41,480 Speaker 3: whoever is third gets eliminated. So we had the first 511 00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 3: vote and on the first vote, Rick Scott was third, 512 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:47,199 Speaker 3: and so Rick Scott was eliminated. And then there was 513 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:50,399 Speaker 3: a second round of balloting just between Thun and Cornyn, 514 00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:53,760 Speaker 3: and on the second round of balloting, Thun won, and 515 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:55,520 Speaker 3: so Thune is now the majority leader. 516 00:27:56,200 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 2: Now, so what is that What is the purpose of 517 00:27:59,119 --> 00:28:01,800 Speaker 2: the secret ballot is that just so people can vote 518 00:28:01,840 --> 00:28:04,760 Speaker 2: their conscience and there's not so much you know, hoop a. 519 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:07,480 Speaker 2: Is it to keep it more efficient? What's or is 520 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:09,320 Speaker 2: it just tradition? What's behind that? 521 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:10,040 Speaker 4: Look? 522 00:28:10,119 --> 00:28:11,879 Speaker 3: Some of it is because you've got to work with 523 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:15,040 Speaker 3: these people. Remember the senate's a small place. There are 524 00:28:15,080 --> 00:28:20,080 Speaker 3: fifty three of us, and so you know, if you're 525 00:28:20,240 --> 00:28:24,760 Speaker 3: voting against the person who's your leader, that is a 526 00:28:24,920 --> 00:28:28,240 Speaker 3: small and awkward dynamic. So I would have liked the 527 00:28:29,280 --> 00:28:32,440 Speaker 3: ballot to be public. I would have absolutely supported making 528 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:35,600 Speaker 3: it public. It's why I announced that I was voting 529 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:38,640 Speaker 3: for Rick Scott, because I wanted to tell the voters. 530 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:41,640 Speaker 3: But most of the Senators don't, so I don't know. 531 00:28:41,360 --> 00:28:43,320 Speaker 3: I know some of the centers, some of the senators 532 00:28:43,360 --> 00:28:45,720 Speaker 3: chose to say who they were voting for. But I'd 533 00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:47,560 Speaker 3: say at least half the senators I have no idea 534 00:28:47,600 --> 00:28:50,720 Speaker 3: how they voted. They didn't say, they haven't publicly said. 535 00:28:51,360 --> 00:28:53,959 Speaker 3: And there is a dynamic when you're dealing with a 536 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:57,040 Speaker 3: small enough group of people that you've got to after 537 00:28:57,120 --> 00:28:59,000 Speaker 3: the election, you've got to turn around and work not 538 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:02,920 Speaker 3: just with whoever won, but whoever lost. So I think 539 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:05,600 Speaker 3: that's some of the history, it's always, to the best 540 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 3: of my knowledge, it has always been a secret ballot. 541 00:29:10,320 --> 00:29:13,880 Speaker 3: And because of that dynamic, and the other Senate leadership 542 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:20,840 Speaker 3: votes are secret ballot as well. And look two years ago, 543 00:29:20,920 --> 00:29:24,880 Speaker 3: in twenty twenty two, we had the first contested leadership 544 00:29:24,920 --> 00:29:30,240 Speaker 3: ballot in sixteen years and two years ago, Rick Scott 545 00:29:30,920 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 3: challenged Mitch McConnell, and I was the point of the spear. 546 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:37,840 Speaker 3: So the beginning of that battle two years ago, the 547 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:40,680 Speaker 3: very first thing that happened as I stood up and 548 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:44,880 Speaker 3: I made a motion to delay the election for a month, 549 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:47,280 Speaker 3: so we were voting two years. 550 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:49,000 Speaker 1: We did a great show on this. 551 00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:51,680 Speaker 2: It's all coming back to me now that you can 552 00:29:51,760 --> 00:29:54,080 Speaker 2: go back and listen to, because I think, if I'm 553 00:29:54,080 --> 00:29:56,120 Speaker 2: not mistaken, we didn't like it two in the morning 554 00:29:57,040 --> 00:29:59,120 Speaker 2: after the voting had taken place, and you'd come out 555 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:01,640 Speaker 2: and told this story. I would encourage everybody if you 556 00:30:01,680 --> 00:30:04,080 Speaker 2: want to go back and listen to this episode. Like 557 00:30:04,080 --> 00:30:05,720 Speaker 2: you said, it's like two years ago, and it was. 558 00:30:06,040 --> 00:30:07,880 Speaker 2: It was a big fight then, and like you said, 559 00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:09,840 Speaker 2: you were the one leading that the tip of the 560 00:30:09,840 --> 00:30:10,400 Speaker 2: spear on it. 561 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 3: Yep, And it was two years ago. It is always 562 00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:16,960 Speaker 3: the week after the election. Now, by the way, Republican 563 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:20,719 Speaker 3: leadership does that because the people who vote are the 564 00:30:20,760 --> 00:30:23,040 Speaker 3: senators who will be the senators for the next two years. 565 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:25,400 Speaker 3: So the brand new baby senators who were just elected 566 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:29,320 Speaker 3: they vote. The senators who are retiring or leading the 567 00:30:29,360 --> 00:30:34,560 Speaker 3: Senate they don't vote. And part of the reason they 568 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:38,920 Speaker 3: do that is because they want the brand new baby 569 00:30:38,960 --> 00:30:42,200 Speaker 3: senators not to know what they're doing, to be just 570 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:44,120 Speaker 3: in their basement office, not to know where the men's 571 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:47,800 Speaker 3: room is, and they don't want newly elected senators to 572 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:51,640 Speaker 3: rock the vote. It's designed. It's actually a pretty cynical thing. 573 00:30:51,680 --> 00:30:55,040 Speaker 3: It's designed not to not to challenge the status quo. 574 00:30:55,680 --> 00:30:59,920 Speaker 3: So two years ago I made a motion, Look, two 575 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:03,280 Speaker 3: should have been a fantastic election for Republicans. We should 576 00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:05,120 Speaker 3: have won the Senate. We should have we should have 577 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:06,960 Speaker 3: grown our majority in the House. It should have been 578 00:31:06,960 --> 00:31:10,560 Speaker 3: a fantastic election. And it was a lousy election. And 579 00:31:10,920 --> 00:31:12,920 Speaker 3: I stood up and said, listen, we ought to delay 580 00:31:12,920 --> 00:31:15,960 Speaker 3: this vote by a month, and we ought to spend 581 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:18,440 Speaker 3: the month next month talking about why we got our 582 00:31:18,440 --> 00:31:22,640 Speaker 3: asses kicked, like what's going wrong? And I turned to 583 00:31:22,680 --> 00:31:24,920 Speaker 3: Mitch McConnell i said Listen, for the last two years, 584 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:27,200 Speaker 3: we had a handful of Republicans team up with the 585 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:32,080 Speaker 3: Democrats to pass the Democrats' priorities. Now, maybe that's a 586 00:31:32,080 --> 00:31:34,480 Speaker 3: good idea. Someone here can make the argument why that's 587 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:36,400 Speaker 3: a good idea. I think it's dumb as hell. But 588 00:31:36,440 --> 00:31:38,080 Speaker 3: if you want to make the argument it's a good idea. 589 00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:39,400 Speaker 3: We ought to talk about it. What I could tell 590 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:43,160 Speaker 3: you that is objectively true is the Democrats never do that. 591 00:31:43,960 --> 00:31:46,040 Speaker 3: Like when we had Trump was president, we had a 592 00:31:46,080 --> 00:31:49,120 Speaker 3: Republican Senate, Republican House. There was not a single bill 593 00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:52,360 Speaker 3: we passed that consisted of all the Republicans and a 594 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:55,760 Speaker 3: handful of Democrats joining us. They opposed everything, and by 595 00:31:55,800 --> 00:31:57,240 Speaker 3: the way, for the next two years, I think they 596 00:31:57,280 --> 00:32:00,440 Speaker 3: will as well. So I said, look, we ought to debate. 597 00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:03,600 Speaker 3: Whatever we did didn't work. We had are debated, and 598 00:32:03,640 --> 00:32:05,760 Speaker 3: so I laid out. I gave a forty five minute speech. 599 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:08,120 Speaker 3: I looked at Mitch McConnell and I said, tell me, 600 00:32:08,200 --> 00:32:11,800 Speaker 3: over the next two years, what are you willing to 601 00:32:11,880 --> 00:32:14,120 Speaker 3: fight over? I said, listen, you and I may disagree. 602 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:16,920 Speaker 3: There are a lot of things I think we should 603 00:32:16,960 --> 00:32:20,480 Speaker 3: fight over. They're not for you, but is there anything. 604 00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:22,920 Speaker 3: Is there one thing you're willing to fight on over 605 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:25,600 Speaker 3: the next two years. By the way, Mitch refused to 606 00:32:25,600 --> 00:32:28,600 Speaker 3: answer that question. We ended up after I made the 607 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:31,840 Speaker 3: motion to delay the vote. I ended up getting sixteen 608 00:32:31,920 --> 00:32:34,200 Speaker 3: votes for that motion. I needed twenty five, so we 609 00:32:34,240 --> 00:32:38,000 Speaker 3: had forty nine Republicans, so I needed twenty five for 610 00:32:38,040 --> 00:32:42,720 Speaker 3: a majority, So I fell nine votes short. Those sixteen 611 00:32:42,800 --> 00:32:45,520 Speaker 3: votes were the first votes ever cast against Mitch McConnell, 612 00:32:45,560 --> 00:32:46,960 Speaker 3: and that was very consequential. 613 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:51,200 Speaker 4: After that, Rick Scott. 614 00:32:50,720 --> 00:32:55,600 Speaker 3: Because I failed to delay the election, Rick Scott ran 615 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:56,280 Speaker 3: against Mitch. 616 00:32:56,360 --> 00:32:57,160 Speaker 4: I voted for Rick. 617 00:32:57,200 --> 00:33:00,440 Speaker 3: I was quite vocal about it, and Rick got ten votes, 618 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:02,320 Speaker 3: and so that's what happened. 619 00:33:02,360 --> 00:33:03,200 Speaker 4: I was one of those ten. 620 00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:08,160 Speaker 3: By the way, after the votes, Mitch McConnell exacted retribution 621 00:33:09,040 --> 00:33:11,920 Speaker 3: on the senators who opposed him. So, for example, the 622 00:33:11,920 --> 00:33:16,000 Speaker 3: Commerce Committee, both Rick Scott and Mike Lee used to 623 00:33:16,080 --> 00:33:18,360 Speaker 3: be on the Commerce Committee, and Mitch McConnell uses his 624 00:33:18,480 --> 00:33:22,360 Speaker 3: authority as the GOP leader to throw them both off 625 00:33:22,400 --> 00:33:26,200 Speaker 3: the Commerce Committee. Eric Schmidt from Missouri, who also voted 626 00:33:26,200 --> 00:33:29,440 Speaker 3: against Mitch. Eric Schmidt wanted to be on Judiciary, and 627 00:33:29,480 --> 00:33:32,960 Speaker 3: Mitch used his authority to orchestrate blocking him from being 628 00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:37,000 Speaker 3: on Judiciary. So there was there was there were real 629 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:42,920 Speaker 3: punitive measures that were implemented attacking the people that dared 630 00:33:42,960 --> 00:33:47,880 Speaker 3: stand up to McConnell. So this time around, Rick Scott 631 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:49,840 Speaker 3: did better than he did two years ago. Two years 632 00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:52,320 Speaker 3: ago he got ten votes. This time he got thirteen votes, 633 00:33:52,360 --> 00:33:54,840 Speaker 3: so we picked up three more votes. I don't know 634 00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:58,480 Speaker 3: who those three more votes were. I was one of 635 00:33:58,480 --> 00:34:01,200 Speaker 3: those thirteen, as i'd been one of the ten. But 636 00:34:01,600 --> 00:34:05,960 Speaker 3: Rick did not prevail, and then then ultimately Thune prevailed 637 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:06,840 Speaker 3: on the second ballot. 638 00:34:06,920 --> 00:34:09,360 Speaker 4: So Thune will be the majority leader going forward. 639 00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:13,080 Speaker 2: So let's talk about Thune for just a second. What 640 00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:15,600 Speaker 2: do people need to know about him that maybe they 641 00:34:15,600 --> 00:34:16,000 Speaker 2: don't know. 642 00:34:16,840 --> 00:34:20,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, listen, I like John Thune. I've worked with him. 643 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:22,440 Speaker 3: I've worked with Thune, I've worked with Corn and I've 644 00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:24,359 Speaker 3: worked with Rick Scott. I mean, the Senate is a 645 00:34:24,400 --> 00:34:27,560 Speaker 3: small place. It's a collegial place. If you want to 646 00:34:27,600 --> 00:34:31,120 Speaker 3: actually accomplish anything, you've got to deal with and work 647 00:34:31,160 --> 00:34:34,120 Speaker 3: cooperatively with your colleagues. John Thune is from South Dakota. 648 00:34:35,360 --> 00:34:38,600 Speaker 3: You know, he's a tall, good looking college athlete. He 649 00:34:38,719 --> 00:34:42,879 Speaker 3: was a college basketball player. You know thuone and I, 650 00:34:43,400 --> 00:34:48,840 Speaker 3: you know, used to He works out every morning in 651 00:34:48,880 --> 00:34:52,160 Speaker 3: the gym and he's he's very fit. I would work 652 00:34:52,200 --> 00:34:54,080 Speaker 3: out at the same time he was, and it was 653 00:34:54,160 --> 00:34:56,680 Speaker 3: kind of embarrassing because he would lift a lot more 654 00:34:56,680 --> 00:34:57,120 Speaker 3: weight than I. 655 00:34:57,120 --> 00:34:59,200 Speaker 4: Could lift, and he would he would be like pumping 656 00:34:59,239 --> 00:35:01,960 Speaker 4: iron and it's sort of humbling to watch. 657 00:35:01,760 --> 00:35:04,319 Speaker 3: Thune because he's just, you know, he's a he's a 658 00:35:04,360 --> 00:35:06,960 Speaker 3: man in his early sixties who's in really good shape. 659 00:35:08,239 --> 00:35:09,000 Speaker 4: Look Thune. 660 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:15,120 Speaker 3: I was not surprised thun one, because he's very well 661 00:35:15,280 --> 00:35:19,560 Speaker 3: liked by his colleagues. Thune is affable, he's a good guy. 662 00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:23,760 Speaker 3: He's just he's not a jerk. He's not he's everyone 663 00:35:23,960 --> 00:35:27,360 Speaker 3: likes him. It's just I mentioned before, the Senate is 664 00:35:27,360 --> 00:35:31,200 Speaker 3: a little bit like a junior high. You know, Thune 665 00:35:31,320 --> 00:35:35,960 Speaker 3: would win the class president election. It's and and a 666 00:35:35,960 --> 00:35:39,120 Speaker 3: lot of it is the kind of small, little personal 667 00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:41,640 Speaker 3: dynamics that play out on that. But but as I said, 668 00:35:41,680 --> 00:35:44,640 Speaker 3: I was not surprised thun One. I will say a 669 00:35:44,680 --> 00:35:47,640 Speaker 3: lot of the Trump world was was freaking out, saying, oh, 670 00:35:47,680 --> 00:35:50,560 Speaker 3: thun hates Donald Trump and he's going to oppose everything 671 00:35:50,600 --> 00:35:51,160 Speaker 3: Trump wants. 672 00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:51,440 Speaker 1: To do. 673 00:35:51,880 --> 00:35:56,520 Speaker 3: I think those concerns were overstated. Listen, John Thune is 674 00:35:56,560 --> 00:36:01,400 Speaker 3: majority leader in every Senator is excite that we have 675 00:36:01,480 --> 00:36:04,680 Speaker 3: a Republican White House, Republican Senate, Republican House, and we 676 00:36:04,719 --> 00:36:09,920 Speaker 3: are really focused on delivering results and delivering on our 677 00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:13,239 Speaker 3: promises to the voters. And so I think Thune as 678 00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:16,759 Speaker 3: leader is going to focus on working very closely with 679 00:36:16,840 --> 00:36:22,279 Speaker 3: President Trump to confirm his cabinet appointments to move forward. Now, 680 00:36:22,320 --> 00:36:25,000 Speaker 3: it doesn't necessarily mean that the Senate is going to 681 00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:28,080 Speaker 3: be a rubber stamp for one hundred percent of everything 682 00:36:28,160 --> 00:36:31,319 Speaker 3: that comes from the White House. And it's not the 683 00:36:31,360 --> 00:36:33,719 Speaker 3: Senate's job to be a rubber stamp for everything that 684 00:36:33,719 --> 00:36:36,760 Speaker 3: comes from the White House. Under the Constitution, the Senate 685 00:36:36,840 --> 00:36:40,520 Speaker 3: is supposed to have a role, a role of on nominations, 686 00:36:40,520 --> 00:36:43,480 Speaker 3: advice and consent, a role of check and balance. But 687 00:36:43,960 --> 00:36:46,480 Speaker 3: I can tell you that the sort of folks and 688 00:36:46,840 --> 00:36:50,920 Speaker 3: I had multiple calls from Trump's team very worried, Okay, 689 00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:53,520 Speaker 3: is Thon going to fight us in everything we're doing? 690 00:36:53,560 --> 00:36:55,800 Speaker 4: And I was like, Okay, I no. 691 00:36:56,040 --> 00:37:02,200 Speaker 3: I I. So today I had an hour long meeting 692 00:37:03,040 --> 00:37:05,560 Speaker 3: uh with with Thun as the new majority leader, and 693 00:37:05,560 --> 00:37:09,120 Speaker 3: with all the committee chairs and the entire meeting was 694 00:37:09,200 --> 00:37:12,000 Speaker 3: talking about, Okay, how are we going to move forward 695 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:15,800 Speaker 3: with with with tax reform, with extending the Trump tax cuts, 696 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:20,400 Speaker 3: with with with regulatory reform, with unleashing energy, with securing 697 00:37:20,440 --> 00:37:22,960 Speaker 3: the border. How are we going to move the legislative 698 00:37:22,960 --> 00:37:28,080 Speaker 3: agenda so we can deliver big, big wins uh in 699 00:37:28,080 --> 00:37:28,840 Speaker 3: in in. 700 00:37:28,880 --> 00:37:29,560 Speaker 4: The next year. 701 00:37:29,680 --> 00:37:32,400 Speaker 3: And and that was that was the focus from Thune 702 00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:37,799 Speaker 3: and every committee chairman. So so I I think I understand. Look, 703 00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:40,200 Speaker 3: I voted for Rick Scott because I think Rick was 704 00:37:40,239 --> 00:37:44,080 Speaker 3: offering the greatest change, But at the end of the day, 705 00:37:44,120 --> 00:37:45,640 Speaker 3: to prevail, you've got to be able to get a 706 00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:48,040 Speaker 3: majority of the Republican senators, and Rick did not. 707 00:37:49,520 --> 00:37:52,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, great point, And I love that you you explained 708 00:37:52,520 --> 00:37:54,000 Speaker 2: it the way that you did, because there were so 709 00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:56,399 Speaker 2: many people that had questions and want to know how 710 00:37:56,400 --> 00:37:58,160 Speaker 2: it went down and what happened. And I hope that 711 00:37:58,280 --> 00:38:01,560 Speaker 2: answered a lot of those questions. If you've got a daughter, 712 00:38:01,680 --> 00:38:04,799 Speaker 2: if you've got a granddaughter, you've got a son, a grandson. 713 00:38:05,320 --> 00:38:08,319 Speaker 2: Maybe they're eighteen, but they're not twenty one. Maybe they're 714 00:38:08,440 --> 00:38:11,000 Speaker 2: at school right now and they can't have a firearm, 715 00:38:11,360 --> 00:38:13,439 Speaker 2: but you want to know they can protect themselves. Maybe 716 00:38:13,440 --> 00:38:16,279 Speaker 2: you have a wife, or a mother in law or 717 00:38:16,320 --> 00:38:18,520 Speaker 2: a sister in law, and you say, I want them 718 00:38:18,520 --> 00:38:20,399 Speaker 2: to be able to have something to protect themselves more 719 00:38:20,440 --> 00:38:23,840 Speaker 2: than just pepper spray. Well, maybe they don't feel comfortable 720 00:38:23,880 --> 00:38:26,480 Speaker 2: carrying a firearm yet, or maybe they can't carry a 721 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:30,720 Speaker 2: firearm where they work. That is where a company comes 722 00:38:30,760 --> 00:38:34,520 Speaker 2: in that can help you tremendously. It is called Berna. 723 00:38:35,160 --> 00:38:41,200 Speaker 2: Berna is not only an incredible less lethal pistol launcher, 724 00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:44,279 Speaker 2: but it can actually save two lives when it's used. 725 00:38:44,320 --> 00:38:47,879 Speaker 2: It's a great compliment to owning a firearm. Now I've 726 00:38:47,920 --> 00:38:49,719 Speaker 2: had to use a firearm to save my life. I 727 00:38:49,760 --> 00:38:51,600 Speaker 2: had to pull the trigger, and I can tell you 728 00:38:52,120 --> 00:38:54,279 Speaker 2: knowing that you can protect in your fend yourself is 729 00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:56,879 Speaker 2: so important and that's why I have bought these for 730 00:38:57,040 --> 00:38:58,480 Speaker 2: so many of my family members. 731 00:38:58,800 --> 00:39:01,000 Speaker 1: It is legal in all fifty states. 732 00:39:01,480 --> 00:39:04,680 Speaker 2: There are no permits or background checks needed, and like 733 00:39:04,719 --> 00:39:07,239 Speaker 2: I said, not only do I own these, but my 734 00:39:07,400 --> 00:39:11,520 Speaker 2: family has them as well. Burna is designed for easy 735 00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:14,640 Speaker 2: use by all age groups eighteen older. It is a 736 00:39:14,719 --> 00:39:18,840 Speaker 2: launcher that has powerful deterrence like tear gas and kinetic 737 00:39:18,920 --> 00:39:23,600 Speaker 2: rounds with a sixty foot range, putting much more distance 738 00:39:23,640 --> 00:39:27,040 Speaker 2: between you and a threat than tear gas or pepper 739 00:39:27,120 --> 00:39:30,799 Speaker 2: spray or a taser. And that's why I love the 740 00:39:30,800 --> 00:39:34,480 Speaker 2: Burner launcher. One shot can incapacitate attackers from up to 741 00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:37,640 Speaker 2: forty minutes, and it's used by government agencies as well 742 00:39:37,719 --> 00:39:41,240 Speaker 2: and law enforcement around the country. Over a half million 743 00:39:41,320 --> 00:39:44,760 Speaker 2: units have been sold and they have more than fourteen thousand, 744 00:39:45,040 --> 00:39:48,040 Speaker 2: four and a half star reviews. Now you need to 745 00:39:48,080 --> 00:39:50,600 Speaker 2: see the videos and once you see it, you'll understand 746 00:39:50,640 --> 00:39:53,160 Speaker 2: why I have this, and I'm a huge advocate for them. 747 00:39:53,600 --> 00:39:58,279 Speaker 2: Go to burna dot com slash verdict. Not only will 748 00:39:58,280 --> 00:40:00,719 Speaker 2: you get to see what this launcher do and this 749 00:40:00,920 --> 00:40:03,480 Speaker 2: it's amazing, but you're also gonna get teen percent off 750 00:40:03,480 --> 00:40:08,239 Speaker 2: your purchase. That's by RNA dot com slash verdict for 751 00:40:08,360 --> 00:40:15,000 Speaker 2: ten percent off b y r NA dot com slash verdict. Finally, Senator, 752 00:40:15,239 --> 00:40:17,960 Speaker 2: there was some news, and I'm glad that this is 753 00:40:18,040 --> 00:40:21,480 Speaker 2: a successful story in the sense that we got a terrorist, 754 00:40:21,920 --> 00:40:25,600 Speaker 2: but it's also a very concerning story coming out of 755 00:40:25,640 --> 00:40:31,080 Speaker 2: Houston of a man planning a attack, an ISIS style attack, 756 00:40:31,200 --> 00:40:34,040 Speaker 2: and the FBI's arrested a man for direct ties to 757 00:40:34,120 --> 00:40:35,640 Speaker 2: ISIS and a terror plot. 758 00:40:36,480 --> 00:40:38,920 Speaker 3: Well, that's right, it was a very disturbing story. A 759 00:40:39,360 --> 00:40:45,640 Speaker 3: texasman was arrested on Thursday after he attempted to support 760 00:40:45,680 --> 00:40:49,719 Speaker 3: ISIS and plan a terrorist attack on American soil. And 761 00:40:50,000 --> 00:40:53,640 Speaker 3: all of this happened in Houston, Texas. So twenty eight 762 00:40:53,719 --> 00:40:56,880 Speaker 3: year old by the name of a Nas Sayid, and 763 00:40:56,920 --> 00:40:59,239 Speaker 3: he was searching for ways to commit violent acts on 764 00:40:59,320 --> 00:41:03,080 Speaker 3: behalf of the Islamic State in Houston. He's been charged 765 00:41:04,239 --> 00:41:07,640 Speaker 3: with attempting to provide material support to a terrorist group. 766 00:41:08,440 --> 00:41:08,640 Speaker 4: Uh. 767 00:41:08,680 --> 00:41:13,320 Speaker 3: He was arrested as an apartment complex, and he said 768 00:41:13,520 --> 00:41:18,080 Speaker 3: while he while while in custody, he admitted to researching 769 00:41:18,120 --> 00:41:21,040 Speaker 3: how to conduct an attack on local military recruiting centers. 770 00:41:21,480 --> 00:41:24,360 Speaker 3: He offered his home as a sanctuary for ISIS operatives. 771 00:41:24,760 --> 00:41:27,160 Speaker 3: He bragged that he would commit a nine to eleven 772 00:41:27,239 --> 00:41:30,000 Speaker 3: style attack if he had the resources. And he was 773 00:41:30,040 --> 00:41:34,440 Speaker 3: attempting to produce ISIS propaganda and and and that this 774 00:41:34,640 --> 00:41:38,560 Speaker 3: is a very dangerous world and and and I will 775 00:41:38,600 --> 00:41:41,600 Speaker 3: say it has gotten only more dangerous after four years 776 00:41:41,640 --> 00:41:45,160 Speaker 3: of weakness from Joe Biden, Kamala Harrison, the White House. 777 00:41:45,880 --> 00:41:49,120 Speaker 3: I am glad that that that this alleged terrorist was arrested, 778 00:41:49,160 --> 00:41:52,160 Speaker 3: that that a terrorist attack was stopped, and I think 779 00:41:52,160 --> 00:41:55,680 Speaker 3: it is critically important going forward that we be vigorous. 780 00:41:55,760 --> 00:41:58,200 Speaker 3: I I am deeply worried. We've talked a lot of 781 00:41:58,239 --> 00:42:02,120 Speaker 3: this podcast about my belief that we are at a 782 00:42:02,120 --> 00:42:05,759 Speaker 3: greater risk of a major terrorist attack today than we've 783 00:42:05,760 --> 00:42:09,880 Speaker 3: been any time since nine to eleven, and that this 784 00:42:10,000 --> 00:42:11,959 Speaker 3: arrest this week just underscores that risk. 785 00:42:13,040 --> 00:42:14,759 Speaker 2: Yeah, and this is the reason why it was such 786 00:42:14,760 --> 00:42:18,440 Speaker 2: an election your issue. And again, this is good news 787 00:42:18,719 --> 00:42:21,000 Speaker 2: that the person was caught, but it's also concerning to 788 00:42:21,000 --> 00:42:24,320 Speaker 2: see this happening after an Afghan man in Oklahoma ploted 789 00:42:24,320 --> 00:42:26,960 Speaker 2: an election day tarror attack in the US on behalf 790 00:42:26,960 --> 00:42:29,160 Speaker 2: of ice as the Justice Department saying that as well. 791 00:42:29,239 --> 00:42:31,960 Speaker 2: So we're seeing more of these headlines. Let's hope we 792 00:42:32,080 --> 00:42:34,960 Speaker 2: keep getting them before they're able to act. Don't forget 793 00:42:34,960 --> 00:42:37,719 Speaker 2: we do this show Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Hit that 794 00:42:37,760 --> 00:42:41,680 Speaker 2: subscriber auto download button so you do not miss an episode, 795 00:42:42,120 --> 00:42:45,000 Speaker 2: and also grab my podcast on those in between days, 796 00:42:45,040 --> 00:42:47,600 Speaker 2: the Ben Ferguson Podcasts. I'll keep you updated on the 797 00:42:47,680 --> 00:42:50,239 Speaker 2: latest breaking news there as well, and the Senator. I 798 00:42:50,239 --> 00:42:53,680 Speaker 2: will see you back here on Saturday for our week 799 00:42:53,920 --> 00:42:54,760 Speaker 2: in review.