1 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: On this episode of Newts World, I'm joined by members 2 00:00:06,760 --> 00:00:11,000 Speaker 1: of my Inner Circle Club for a fascinating conversation about 3 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: a wide range of issues and topics on their minds. 4 00:00:14,360 --> 00:00:17,520 Speaker 1: We hold these regular video conference calls so that we 5 00:00:17,520 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: can have an honest discussion about what is happening in 6 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: America today. I find it extraordinarily helpful to me personally 7 00:00:25,120 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: and helping think through the issues that are facing us. 8 00:00:27,960 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 1: So I hope you'll find this episode of Newts World informative. 9 00:00:31,600 --> 00:00:33,519 Speaker 1: And if you'd like to become a member of my 10 00:00:33,560 --> 00:00:36,599 Speaker 1: Inner Circle Club, please go to newts Inner Circle dot 11 00:00:36,680 --> 00:00:43,839 Speaker 1: com and sign up for a one or two year membership. Today, 12 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,199 Speaker 1: I want to thank all of you for belonging to 13 00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:52,840 Speaker 1: the Inner Circle and giving us this chance to share 14 00:00:52,920 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: ideas and talk about what's going on. I have to 15 00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 1: tell you that it has been a wild couple of weeks. 16 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: Close than I spend a good time watching those fifteen ballots, 17 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:04,319 Speaker 1: and any of you who watched one or more of 18 00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 1: them know when you have to go through a person 19 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:11,160 Speaker 1: by person roll call in the house, it takes a 20 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,160 Speaker 1: good while. In the old days, that was seen as 21 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:17,520 Speaker 1: an advantage because people could get on the floor they 22 00:01:17,520 --> 00:01:20,080 Speaker 1: could chat with each other, they could cut deals, they 23 00:01:20,120 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 1: could discuss legislation, and then the modern efficiency set in 24 00:01:24,800 --> 00:01:28,200 Speaker 1: and nowadays you have fifteen and five minute votes when 25 00:01:28,200 --> 00:01:30,039 Speaker 1: you just go in and you got a card, you 26 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 1: put it in a receiver, you send your vote signal, 27 00:01:33,440 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 1: and then the next person follows you. And it's amazing 28 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 1: how fast it is. But it does mean you don't 29 00:01:38,400 --> 00:01:40,560 Speaker 1: have as much time with each other, and you have 30 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:42,959 Speaker 1: more time with your staff and more time with visitors 31 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 1: back in your offices. So it's a very different system. 32 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 1: I personally did not like the way that the dissidents 33 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 1: try to use their numbers to blackmail the rest of 34 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 1: the conference. I liked almost everything they wanted to achieve, 35 00:01:57,640 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: and I thought what they were trying to do made sense. 36 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 1: I thought the way they were trying to do it 37 00:02:02,280 --> 00:02:06,120 Speaker 1: it was a very dangerous precedent because once you established 38 00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,799 Speaker 1: the principle that when you have a very narrow majority, 39 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:12,840 Speaker 1: McCarthy has a four vote majority, Pelosi had a four 40 00:02:12,919 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: vote majority and two thousand Denny Hastert had a five 41 00:02:16,600 --> 00:02:19,600 Speaker 1: vote majority. When you have that narrow majority, if the 42 00:02:19,639 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: principle is that any five or six people can blackmail 43 00:02:22,720 --> 00:02:25,840 Speaker 1: the whole rest of the conference, it's an invitation to chaos. 44 00:02:26,280 --> 00:02:29,400 Speaker 1: If I wrote early on a newsletter which you can 45 00:02:29,440 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 1: get at Kingwere sixty, where I said, the choices really 46 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 1: were Kevin or chaos. And as you saw, vote after 47 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 1: vote after vote, his two hundred plus were sold. They 48 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,720 Speaker 1: weren't leaving, they weren't going anywhere, and ultimately that wore 49 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:47,320 Speaker 1: down I think the resistance, and they listened to each 50 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:51,000 Speaker 1: other and they figured out that really broke into two groups. 51 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:55,360 Speaker 1: There was a policy group that was about sixteen of 52 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: the twenty people who were dissidents, and then there are 53 00:02:57,840 --> 00:03:01,000 Speaker 1: about four of them who just didn't like it, didn't 54 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:02,959 Speaker 1: matter what the policy was. They were not going to 55 00:03:03,040 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 1: vote for Kevin McCarthy for speaker. But the other sixteen 56 00:03:06,560 --> 00:03:11,280 Speaker 1: actually had serious policy and procedural issues. Those got met 57 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:13,840 Speaker 1: and as a result, at the end they finally get 58 00:03:13,880 --> 00:03:17,080 Speaker 1: everything worked out. If you have not seen it, I 59 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:20,800 Speaker 1: strongly urge you to take a look at and literally 60 00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 1: watch it rather than read it. The speech that McCarthy gave, 61 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:28,000 Speaker 1: it's about one fifteen in the morning or one thirty 62 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:31,320 Speaker 1: in the morning on Saturday. So it's unfortunate because most 63 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 1: of the country wasn't watching at that stage. It's a 64 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 1: remarkably good speech, and towards the end he talks about 65 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:41,440 Speaker 1: Lincoln and something which I'd never thought about, which is 66 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 1: that Lincoln in his one term actually had a desk 67 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:48,880 Speaker 1: in the Old House Chamber. And then McCarthy likes to 68 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 1: go to where Lincoln's desk was and just think about, 69 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 1: here's this one term congressman who ultimately saved the Union 70 00:03:56,480 --> 00:04:00,800 Speaker 1: and defend the Constitution, and he's right there, Flord. I 71 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: think it was a very touching part of the speech. 72 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: And then Anyone and talked about very famous painting of 73 00:04:07,120 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 1: Washington crossing the Delaware painted by a German artist, really 74 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: inaccurate technically, but McCarthy walked through all of it. So 75 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: I talked today to his press secretary because I was 76 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,239 Speaker 1: writing a newsletter which will come out called The American Speaker. 77 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:25,120 Speaker 1: And it turned out those two sections were not in 78 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:28,240 Speaker 1: the original transcript, because I got an early transcript and 79 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 1: I went through it, and the two things I wanted 80 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 1: to write about weren't there. And so I called his 81 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 1: press sector. I said, you know what is going on here? 82 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 1: And he said, well, actually McCarthy just winged those things 83 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:42,080 Speaker 1: when you see the speech, you'll see that only does 84 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 1: he have a command of the facts, but you'll see 85 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:49,040 Speaker 1: the emotion, the patriotism, the sense of commitment that those 86 00:04:49,040 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 1: two stories led to. And I thought it was very telling. 87 00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:54,919 Speaker 1: I've always liked Kevin, but it made me feel really 88 00:04:54,960 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 1: good that he's approaching this with the right tone to 89 00:04:58,480 --> 00:05:02,279 Speaker 1: be an American speaker and to deal with issues very 90 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:05,800 Speaker 1: very patient, as you could see fifteen ballots sitting right 91 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:08,599 Speaker 1: there on the floor, smiling and waiting, chatting with folks, 92 00:05:08,600 --> 00:05:11,320 Speaker 1: including people who are just a total pain in the neck. 93 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 1: But he got it. That is the nature of a 94 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:17,440 Speaker 1: free society. And I told him my Democratic friends, they're 95 00:05:17,440 --> 00:05:21,039 Speaker 1: in shock because they're used to a dictatorship. They use 96 00:05:21,160 --> 00:05:25,599 Speaker 1: everybody trooping in voting as Nancy once having no particular opinions, 97 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:27,839 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden, you have a genuine free 98 00:05:27,880 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 1: society where people are actually being out in the open. Now. 99 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: I think that Kim Jeffreys and the Democrats are going 100 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:38,839 Speaker 1: to do everything they can to make it impossible to 101 00:05:38,839 --> 00:05:41,440 Speaker 1: sustain an open house. I think they're going to figure 102 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 1: out every gimmick, every negative amendment, every embarrassing procedure, and 103 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:48,479 Speaker 1: that's their right, and I think that the Republicans have 104 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:51,839 Speaker 1: to decide that they're going to make freedom work. They're 105 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:55,320 Speaker 1: going to make openness work, They're going to make transparency work, 106 00:05:55,600 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 1: and let people see the two teams. I think if 107 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:02,800 Speaker 1: the Republicans focus on big ideas, big issues, big solutions, 108 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:06,440 Speaker 1: they'll do just fine, and that will reach the country. 109 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:10,040 Speaker 1: Despite the news media and despite the Democrats, it was 110 00:06:10,200 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 1: exactly as McCarthy had promised. They voted on repealing the 111 00:06:14,600 --> 00:06:18,239 Speaker 1: eighty seven thousand IRS agents. That may not go anywhere, 112 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 1: but it sets the right standard and also puts all 113 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 1: the Democrats on the line as having said they wanted 114 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: eighty seven thousand more IRS agents, and I think that 115 00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 1: that's a significant step towards the two and twenty four election. 116 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:36,160 Speaker 1: In addition, I just saw an article a few minutes ago. 117 00:06:36,520 --> 00:06:41,119 Speaker 1: McCarthy apparently is going to take Swawwell and Schiff off 118 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:45,240 Speaker 1: of their committees. Pelosi started down this line. She was 119 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: warned at the time it is a very dangerous precedent 120 00:06:49,000 --> 00:06:52,400 Speaker 1: to allow the majority to decide who serves them what committees. 121 00:06:52,720 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 1: But having made that precedent, I think what Kevin McCarthy's 122 00:06:55,920 --> 00:06:59,080 Speaker 1: going to do is exactly right, and several very good 123 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 1: talks with people about moving towards a balanced budget. As 124 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:05,479 Speaker 1: all of you probably remember, while I was Speaker, we 125 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: had four consecutive balanced budgets. We were actually talking at 126 00:07:08,920 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 1: one point about paying off the US debt. It is 127 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 1: possible to continue in that direction, and I think that 128 00:07:15,120 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 1: there's a really serious commitment by the House. Republicans suit 129 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:22,840 Speaker 1: and a minimum have a plan to get to a 130 00:07:22,880 --> 00:07:25,640 Speaker 1: balance budget within ten years. We set out to do 131 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:28,000 Speaker 1: it in seven. We actually ended up balancing the budget 132 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 1: in four. It's a huge, complicated project, but it is doable, 133 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: particularly if you go back to economic growth and to 134 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:38,400 Speaker 1: seeing if you can get more things happening. I want 135 00:07:38,400 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 1: to say one thing about what will be one of 136 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 1: the most controversial parts of that. I am willing to 137 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:47,440 Speaker 1: be very pro defense. My dad spent twenty seven years 138 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 1: in the Army. I grew up on military basis. I 139 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 1: have served in a variety of national defense roles over 140 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 1: the course of my career. But I think the Pentagon 141 00:07:58,280 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 1: is like any other bureaucracy. It's too big, it's too 142 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 1: paper bound, it's too bureaucratic, it has huge zones of waste. 143 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,680 Speaker 1: It has rules and regulations that make no sense. So 144 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:12,520 Speaker 1: I'm not automatically for giving them more money. I am 145 00:08:12,560 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 1: for a thorough and complete overhaul of a Pentagon, and 146 00:08:16,320 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 1: I think that that should be part of any budget process. 147 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:22,720 Speaker 1: I don't think we should automatically salute if it's an uniform, 148 00:08:22,760 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 1: if it's wasteful. I don't think we automatically give the 149 00:08:26,280 --> 00:08:29,720 Speaker 1: enormous number of civilian employees a pass and not even 150 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 1: look critically at what they're doing. And that'll be one 151 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:34,920 Speaker 1: of the big arguments on the right between those who 152 00:08:34,920 --> 00:08:37,440 Speaker 1: want to just give more money to the Pentagon and 153 00:08:37,559 --> 00:08:40,000 Speaker 1: those who want to reform it and get it to 154 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:42,760 Speaker 1: be more effective. So that's a topic you'll see coming 155 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:46,040 Speaker 1: up again and again. Finally, we will have a huge 156 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: debate over raising the debt ceiling. The fact is we 157 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,400 Speaker 1: have no choice except to raise the debt ceiling the 158 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:55,520 Speaker 1: way the law works. If we don't pass and increase 159 00:08:55,600 --> 00:08:58,120 Speaker 1: the debt ceiling, it will revert back to a much 160 00:08:58,160 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 1: lower number which is sustainable, and we will find that 161 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:05,560 Speaker 1: we're in grave risk of default and a defaults the 162 00:09:05,559 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 1: equivalent of nuclear war. The impact on the world if 163 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 1: the United States government defaulted and could not pay its 164 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: bonds would be unbelievable. It would cause chaos worldwide. It 165 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:20,160 Speaker 1: would throw the economy into a huge tail spin. It 166 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:22,600 Speaker 1: would end the United States as a place you can 167 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: safely put your money. And remember, one of the reasons 168 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 1: we grow so much is if you're a Venezuelan or 169 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 1: a Cuban, or a Russian, or a Ukrainian, you name it, 170 00:09:31,440 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 1: the United States is a lot safer place to put 171 00:09:33,640 --> 00:09:35,960 Speaker 1: your money. And so we have a huge amount of 172 00:09:36,000 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 1: capital that flows into the US, whether it's to be 173 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 1: invested or to buy property or whatever. If we suddenly 174 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 1: became as unstable as some of these other countries, and 175 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:49,079 Speaker 1: if the dollar became as uncertain as some of these 176 00:09:49,080 --> 00:09:52,079 Speaker 1: other currencies, we would suffer a real long term loss. 177 00:09:52,360 --> 00:09:55,480 Speaker 1: So we will at some point raise the debt ceiling. 178 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:57,760 Speaker 1: But the question is can we do it in a 179 00:09:57,800 --> 00:10:01,720 Speaker 1: way that conservatives get the kind of reforms they want. 180 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:05,079 Speaker 1: And I think that that's a very legitimate debate. It's 181 00:10:05,160 --> 00:10:09,080 Speaker 1: one that should start right now. The legislative branch takes 182 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:12,480 Speaker 1: several months to communicate, the White House can communicate in 183 00:10:12,480 --> 00:10:15,560 Speaker 1: one week. Because the difference in how much media pays attention, 184 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 1: so I'm hoping that the new House Republicans will start 185 00:10:19,600 --> 00:10:22,559 Speaker 1: focusing literally the week after next when they come back. 186 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 1: They have a one week off. When they come back, 187 00:10:24,520 --> 00:10:28,320 Speaker 1: I hope they'll start focusing on a strategy to pass 188 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 1: the debt ceiling with major reforms moving us in the 189 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:34,560 Speaker 1: direction of a balanced budget. A lot to talk about, 190 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:37,360 Speaker 1: a lot of things going on. I was deeply saddened 191 00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 1: Sunday night when the Packers lost. I was extraordinarily happy 192 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:44,319 Speaker 1: last night when the Bulldogs won in the University of 193 00:10:44,320 --> 00:10:47,640 Speaker 1: Georgia once again was the number one team in the country. 194 00:10:47,920 --> 00:10:50,280 Speaker 1: And so we'll see where we go from here. But 195 00:10:50,640 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 1: delighted of this chance to report to you. You made 196 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 1: the comment about how the Democrats say so tied together. 197 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:15,080 Speaker 1: What is it that causes them to do that? I 198 00:11:15,160 --> 00:11:17,680 Speaker 1: think true things. One is, I think they're a culture 199 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:22,800 Speaker 1: of community. Solidarity goes back, in part to the labor unions. 200 00:11:23,200 --> 00:11:25,839 Speaker 1: It goes back to the mindset of the left. I mean, 201 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:29,679 Speaker 1: communism bandoned you together, period and to deviate from it 202 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 1: was to risk being killed. So there's a deep tradition 203 00:11:32,640 --> 00:11:38,640 Speaker 1: on the left of solidarity seeing themselves as constantly under threat. Second, 204 00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 1: if you are in any way breaking from their pattern, 205 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:46,160 Speaker 1: they'll try to beat you in the primary immediately. And 206 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 1: in fact, a moderate Democrat was defeated an incomment was 207 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:53,800 Speaker 1: defeated in Oregon by precisely that kind of mindset. So 208 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:56,680 Speaker 1: they're faced in a sense both with the psychology of 209 00:11:56,720 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 1: being together. Think of them as muskox if you will, 210 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:03,600 Speaker 1: And they also have a genuine fear if they stray 211 00:12:03,679 --> 00:12:07,800 Speaker 1: from the herd, that they'll get defeated. Afternoon, mister Speaker 212 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:12,520 Speaker 1: whilcome from Fairfax. Given the state of the economy, mounting 213 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:19,080 Speaker 1: national debt, and diminished civility within Congress, word is modernizing 214 00:12:19,160 --> 00:12:25,040 Speaker 1: and protecting the nationwide electrical grid fit into congressional priorities 215 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:28,200 Speaker 1: not as high as it should. I have testified a 216 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:32,320 Speaker 1: couple of years ago an electromagnetic pulse is an enormous danger. 217 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:36,079 Speaker 1: We are not prepared to deal with an electromagnetic pulse, 218 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:39,760 Speaker 1: and for I have testified in favor of really fundamentally 219 00:12:39,760 --> 00:12:44,720 Speaker 1: redeveloping our whole electrical system and our telephone system to 220 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:48,680 Speaker 1: be able to withstand an electromagnetic pulse attack. I think 221 00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:51,240 Speaker 1: that we would be shocked how much we would be 222 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:54,000 Speaker 1: hurt if such an attack occurred, and there are a 223 00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:56,320 Speaker 1: number of countries now that have the technology to do that. 224 00:12:56,679 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 1: So I think it's one of the real chinks in 225 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:01,600 Speaker 1: armor of it you have is the electric companies don't 226 00:13:01,600 --> 00:13:04,320 Speaker 1: want to put up the money. The Defense Department doesn't 227 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:06,320 Speaker 1: want to put up the money. We haven't figured out 228 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:08,760 Speaker 1: a way to get it built as fast as we should. 229 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:12,920 Speaker 1: At a minimum, all new electrical construction ought to be 230 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 1: hardened against the mp at texts, there'd be sort of 231 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:19,480 Speaker 1: a minimum step in the right direction, Speaker. Before you 232 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:22,520 Speaker 1: were elected Speaker, you had the contract with American There 233 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:25,520 Speaker 1: were books printed on it. Even before the election. This 234 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:29,240 Speaker 1: time it seemed like they had something like something contract 235 00:13:29,280 --> 00:13:32,439 Speaker 1: with something. You never heard them say anything about it. 236 00:13:32,760 --> 00:13:35,600 Speaker 1: And before you were elected, Speakers, I recall you and 237 00:13:35,679 --> 00:13:38,679 Speaker 1: others had what they call special orders on c SPAN 238 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:42,719 Speaker 1: where you instructed people. They talked to each other and well, 239 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:44,600 Speaker 1: now I'm the gentleman, what do you think of this? 240 00:13:45,120 --> 00:13:48,920 Speaker 1: And I remember thinking this is great. Why don't mister 241 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 1: speaker my opinion, Why don't they do things like that 242 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:56,320 Speaker 1: like they really meet it. Well, I think the actual 243 00:13:56,360 --> 00:14:00,319 Speaker 1: commitment to America, which you can see at Command into 244 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:03,480 Speaker 1: America DOT com It's pretty impressive intellectually. It has about 245 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:08,200 Speaker 1: one hundred and fifty specific positive policy ideas developed by 246 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:11,440 Speaker 1: the House Republican Conference, not by the leadership, not by 247 00:14:11,480 --> 00:14:13,960 Speaker 1: the staff, but by working groups of members. It was 248 00:14:13,960 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 1: a very serious effort to move in the right direction. 249 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:20,360 Speaker 1: We deliberately limited the contract to ten items because we 250 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:24,800 Speaker 1: didn't think that the communication system could carry more than ten. Now, 251 00:14:24,800 --> 00:14:27,080 Speaker 1: we had a number of secondary issues, like cleaning up 252 00:14:27,080 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 1: the House and changing certain rules, but the core of 253 00:14:30,360 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 1: the contract was ten really big ideas, and they were big. 254 00:14:33,440 --> 00:14:37,040 Speaker 1: They were like balancing the budget or reforming welfare. I 255 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 1: think that in that sense, they probably could have done 256 00:14:39,760 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 1: a better job, but I thought that they were positive, 257 00:14:43,080 --> 00:14:45,400 Speaker 1: they were moving in the right direction. And I agree 258 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:47,360 Speaker 1: with you. You know, I don't know if it's because 259 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,040 Speaker 1: we used to be in the minority and therefore we 260 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 1: had spare time, but we used one minute speeches and 261 00:14:53,640 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 1: special orders on a tremendous scale, and I don't think 262 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:00,360 Speaker 1: anybody since then has done anything like the same. And 263 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:04,320 Speaker 1: I would actually encourage the House Republicans to develop some 264 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:07,480 Speaker 1: kind of rotation and have two or three special orders 265 00:15:07,480 --> 00:15:10,640 Speaker 1: every night explaining at an issue level in a very 266 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:14,440 Speaker 1: positive way, not partisan, not anti democrat, but what are 267 00:15:14,440 --> 00:15:16,760 Speaker 1: they trying to do for America and what are they 268 00:15:16,760 --> 00:15:19,320 Speaker 1: trying to do that they believe the American people want done. 269 00:15:19,440 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 1: I think there will be a very healthy development. Hi, 270 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:26,920 Speaker 1: mister Speaker, this is Debbie Cook from Cincinnati, Ohio. I 271 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 1: am just wondering is there any way to watch debates 272 00:15:30,320 --> 00:15:33,600 Speaker 1: in the Congress in real time? And how could one 273 00:15:33,680 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 1: make that happen? Well, I mean you can always watch 274 00:15:36,880 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 1: C spens, C SPAN covers I think C SPAN one 275 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: covers the House and c SPEND two covers the Senate, 276 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 1: and when they're in session, they're live. I think you 277 00:15:46,600 --> 00:15:48,480 Speaker 1: can in fact watch the House if you want to. 278 00:15:48,960 --> 00:15:51,320 Speaker 1: And of course we developed when I was a speaker. 279 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 1: The very second day I was speaker, we turned on 280 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 1: the Thomas system and that carries all of the House information. 281 00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:00,760 Speaker 1: So every bill should be on the Thomas system, and 282 00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:02,360 Speaker 1: you should be able to track down the things you 283 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:06,120 Speaker 1: want to learn. They're really amazingly powerful tools, and they're 284 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:09,720 Speaker 1: designed to make the legislative process open for every American. 285 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:27,920 Speaker 1: We have some presubmitted questions that I'll read you. The 286 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:31,360 Speaker 1: first comes from Marietta, who asked isn't it good to 287 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:34,160 Speaker 1: hold out for concessions when you have the power to 288 00:16:34,200 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 1: do so? Why didn't the eighty percent want these concessions? Also, look, 289 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:43,280 Speaker 1: I think that it's dangerous to set the principle inside 290 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:46,640 Speaker 1: your own party of holding out for concessions. Remember when 291 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 1: Andy Biggs ran against McCarthy for leader, it was eighty 292 00:16:50,520 --> 00:16:53,880 Speaker 1: five percent for McCarthy. When they got to the floor 293 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:57,200 Speaker 1: and began voting to nominate the speaker, it was ninety 294 00:16:57,280 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 1: percent for McCarthy on every single vote. More than ten 295 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:05,280 Speaker 1: percent voted against McCarthy. So you have ten percent holding 296 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:08,720 Speaker 1: up the entire conference and ultimately holding up the Congress 297 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:12,160 Speaker 1: and the American people. Obviously, you have every right to negotiate, 298 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:15,399 Speaker 1: and I think in a sense, given the way that 299 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:20,080 Speaker 1: Pelosi ran a dictatorship, there's probably something pretty healthy about 300 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: seeing what an open Congress is like. And I think 301 00:17:22,880 --> 00:17:24,359 Speaker 1: over the next couple of months it will be interesting 302 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:27,800 Speaker 1: to watch because with open rules, an open debate, open 303 00:17:27,840 --> 00:17:31,040 Speaker 1: opportunity to amend how the next couple of months evolved. 304 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 1: Because it's very hard work, it's much easier to run 305 00:17:34,640 --> 00:17:38,280 Speaker 1: a closed system like Pelosi, where a handful of leaders 306 00:17:38,320 --> 00:17:41,000 Speaker 1: make all the decisions. Everybody else's job is to say yes. 307 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:44,280 Speaker 1: When you start running an open system where everybody can 308 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:47,919 Speaker 1: have ideas, everybody can have amendments, everybody can try to 309 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:50,840 Speaker 1: get what they want, that's a much more complicated world. 310 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:55,639 Speaker 1: The next question was written in from Pat Cunningham. Pat asks, 311 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:59,639 Speaker 1: is there any Democrat representative who is nervous enough about 312 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:02,479 Speaker 1: the laws of power that they might be encouraged to 313 00:18:02,560 --> 00:18:07,239 Speaker 1: jump ship? I honestly don't know. When we became a majority, 314 00:18:07,359 --> 00:18:10,679 Speaker 1: we had a bigger majority than McCarthy has. We ultimately 315 00:18:10,760 --> 00:18:15,159 Speaker 1: recruited six Democrats to switch parties, and it's possible that 316 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:17,919 Speaker 1: one or two of the more conservative Democrats might do that. 317 00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:21,320 Speaker 1: But the Democratic Party has become so much more liberal, 318 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:25,399 Speaker 1: and frankly, at this narrower margin, they can imagine that 319 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:27,840 Speaker 1: they're going to get back in power in twenty twenty four, 320 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:30,400 Speaker 1: so they might be tempted to hold out and see 321 00:18:30,440 --> 00:18:32,679 Speaker 1: if they couldn't win the next round. I think if 322 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 1: they lose two times, you may see a little bit 323 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 1: more of that. Or if the Republicans get their act 324 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:40,760 Speaker 1: together and they best just to be too unpleasant to 325 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:42,879 Speaker 1: be in Congress, you might see a large number of 326 00:18:42,960 --> 00:18:47,320 Speaker 1: Democrats retiring before the next election. Jeremy says, I work 327 00:18:47,359 --> 00:18:50,840 Speaker 1: in the healthcare industry and saw that Harvard Medical School 328 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:56,680 Speaker 1: offers courses about healthcare for lgpt QIA plus infants. How 329 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:59,480 Speaker 1: can I help fight against the woke agenda being pushed 330 00:18:59,560 --> 00:19:02,600 Speaker 1: right now? Well, and call it out everywhere you see it. 331 00:19:02,960 --> 00:19:05,359 Speaker 1: You want to talk radio, write letters to the editor, 332 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:08,720 Speaker 1: indicate that you're not going to support organizations that engage 333 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:12,080 Speaker 1: in that kind of woke behavior. Disney just took a 334 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:16,399 Speaker 1: tremendous economic hit because the American people repudiated the degree 335 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:18,919 Speaker 1: to which their CEO wanted to be woke. So you 336 00:19:18,960 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 1: can have an impact. And our final question comes from Grace. 337 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:26,199 Speaker 1: Grace is a college student who says she wants to 338 00:19:26,240 --> 00:19:29,840 Speaker 1: be involved in politics. Do you have any book recommendations 339 00:19:29,920 --> 00:19:32,399 Speaker 1: that she can read to educate herself as much as 340 00:19:32,440 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 1: possible to prepare for the future. First of all, I'm 341 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:37,440 Speaker 1: delighted you want to do that. I would urge you 342 00:19:37,720 --> 00:19:40,480 Speaker 1: to find campaigns to be involved in. You're going to 343 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:43,040 Speaker 1: have a presidential race coming up, probably in your state 344 00:19:43,040 --> 00:19:46,880 Speaker 1: of center race. Now politics is so complicated that actually 345 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:49,600 Speaker 1: doing it is very helpful, So find a couple of 346 00:19:49,680 --> 00:19:52,320 Speaker 1: races you can be involved, and that'll help. Read every 347 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:55,920 Speaker 1: biography you can read about politicians, see what their life 348 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:59,639 Speaker 1: is like, how they responded, people like Lincoln in particular, 349 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 1: or Amazing, or Franklin Delano or Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan. Then 350 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,840 Speaker 1: I would say, from my background, this may surprise you. 351 00:20:07,119 --> 00:20:10,920 Speaker 1: There's a little book written in the eighteen seventies called 352 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:14,280 Speaker 1: Plunkett of Tammany Hall. Plunkett was a member of the 353 00:20:14,320 --> 00:20:17,440 Speaker 1: Tammany machine. He was an old time politician and late 354 00:20:17,480 --> 00:20:20,760 Speaker 1: in his life he talked to our newspaper reporter and 355 00:20:20,840 --> 00:20:23,040 Speaker 1: told him how the machine really worked. It's one of 356 00:20:23,040 --> 00:20:26,159 Speaker 1: the most amazing books about politics. I've ever read. And 357 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 1: then for my generation, I started with the very first 358 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:31,520 Speaker 1: theater or White book on the Making of the President 359 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 1: in nineteen sixty, and I would recommend reading that whole series. 360 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:38,600 Speaker 1: White was a brilliant reporter. He had covered the Chinese 361 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:42,680 Speaker 1: Civil War, he'd covered World War Two. He was extraordinarily knowledgeable. 362 00:20:42,920 --> 00:20:45,360 Speaker 1: He was very close to President John F. Kennedy, who 363 00:20:45,400 --> 00:20:48,720 Speaker 1: suggested him, why don't you write about the campaign. You'd 364 00:20:48,800 --> 00:20:52,280 Speaker 1: learn an amazing amount reading that, and I think you'd 365 00:20:52,280 --> 00:20:53,960 Speaker 1: find a great deal about it. And then I have 366 00:20:53,960 --> 00:20:57,040 Speaker 1: a new book that'll come out this coming summer called 367 00:20:57,119 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 1: March to the Majority, where Joe Gaylord and I describe 368 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:03,159 Speaker 1: how we created and grew the party that won the 369 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:06,320 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety four campaign. You might find that useful. Also, 370 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:09,119 Speaker 1: let me thank all of you for being involved tonight. 371 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:11,880 Speaker 1: We're going to continue to have these kind of get togethers. 372 00:21:12,160 --> 00:21:14,280 Speaker 1: Think about the range of questions we had this evening. 373 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:17,399 Speaker 1: It's very very useful to remind me of issues I 374 00:21:17,480 --> 00:21:19,280 Speaker 1: might or might not have at the top of my list. 375 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:21,639 Speaker 1: And so you know, I encourage you and if you 376 00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:24,240 Speaker 1: have friends who you think would enjoy being part of this, 377 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 1: please urge them to come and join us, saying go 378 00:21:26,520 --> 00:21:29,440 Speaker 1: to Gingwis Street sixty and join the Inner Circle, and 379 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:35,040 Speaker 1: I hope you have a wonderful day. Thank you for listening, 380 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:37,520 Speaker 1: and thank you to members of my Inner Circle club. 381 00:21:38,080 --> 00:21:40,359 Speaker 1: And if you'd like to become a member, please go 382 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:43,439 Speaker 1: to newts Inner Circle dot com and sign up for 383 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:46,560 Speaker 1: a one or two year membership Today. NEWTS World is 384 00:21:46,560 --> 00:21:51,080 Speaker 1: produced by Gingwish Street sixty and iHeartMedia. Our executive producer 385 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 1: is Guardsi Sloan. Our producer is Rebecca Howe and our 386 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 1: researcher is Rachel Peterson. Our work for the show was 387 00:21:59,680 --> 00:22:03,280 Speaker 1: created by Steve Penley. Special thanks to the team at 388 00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 1: Gingwish three sixty. If you've been enjoying Newtsworld, I hope 389 00:22:06,840 --> 00:22:09,520 Speaker 1: you'll go to Apple Podcast and both rate us with 390 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:12,960 Speaker 1: five stars and give us a review so others can 391 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:16,800 Speaker 1: learn what it's all about. Right now, listeners of Newtsworld 392 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:20,920 Speaker 1: can sign up for my three free weekly columns at 393 00:22:20,960 --> 00:22:25,320 Speaker 1: Gingwish three sixty dot com slash newsletter. I'm Newt Gingrich. 394 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:26,760 Speaker 1: This is Newtsworld.