1 00:00:01,040 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: Welcome. It is Verdict with Ted Cruz. We can review 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:05,960 Speaker 1: Ben Ferguson with you. And here are the three big 3 00:00:05,960 --> 00:00:08,160 Speaker 1: stories that you may have missed that we talked about 4 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:12,319 Speaker 1: this week. First up, major negotiations with Iran and it 5 00:00:12,360 --> 00:00:15,720 Speaker 1: could be the difference between war and peace. So what 6 00:00:15,760 --> 00:00:17,639 Speaker 1: it's Senator Cruz have to say about it. I'll have 7 00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:20,320 Speaker 1: that for you in just a moment. Also, there is 8 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:23,439 Speaker 1: a program that has been introduced. Senator Ted Cruz is 9 00:00:23,520 --> 00:00:26,639 Speaker 1: the brainchild behind it and it could change every newborn 10 00:00:26,800 --> 00:00:29,880 Speaker 1: child's financial future in this country. 11 00:00:30,080 --> 00:00:32,960 Speaker 2: We'll have that for you as well. And finally, who 12 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:34,080 Speaker 2: was running America? 13 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 1: Now the media admitting that Joe Biden was not really 14 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:40,000 Speaker 1: the president of the United States of America, So who 15 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: was calling the shots and who was using the auto pen? 16 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:47,479 Speaker 1: It's the weekend review and it starts right now. I 17 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 1: want to talk about what we also some big news 18 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: that deals with the issue of Iran. You went on 19 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:55,120 Speaker 1: Life livert in levent our good friend Mark Levin show, 20 00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 1: and we're talking about Iran right now and what they 21 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: are actively trying to do. 22 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 2: Fill us in on that for a second. 23 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:07,800 Speaker 3: Well, right now, they're ongoing negotiation going on with the 24 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:13,399 Speaker 3: nation of Iran and the Iyahtola is a theocratic lunatic. 25 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:19,720 Speaker 3: He regularly regularly leads mobs chanting death to America and 26 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:22,720 Speaker 3: death to Israel. And by the way, if history teaches 27 00:01:22,840 --> 00:01:26,440 Speaker 3: us anything, it's that if somebody tells you they want 28 00:01:26,480 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 3: to kill you, believe them. Yeah, And when it comes 29 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:33,759 Speaker 3: to Iran, I'll tell you there are some voices in 30 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:38,679 Speaker 3: Washington and the Administration that are pushing for another Iran deal. 31 00:01:38,720 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 3: They really want an Iran deal. And basically they went 32 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 3: on time. 33 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:44,400 Speaker 1: Why did I got to ask, Because there's some of 34 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 1: you listening, They're gonna say the same thing I'm saying 35 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:47,880 Speaker 1: right now is why on earth would you want an 36 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:49,960 Speaker 1: i Ran deal if you know that they cheated on 37 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:50,720 Speaker 1: the last deal. 38 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 3: So look, I don't know. I'm not Sigmund Freud. I'm 39 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:56,720 Speaker 3: not their psychoanalysts. I just know they're advocating for it. 40 00:01:56,800 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 3: If you look at the Obama Iran nuclear Deal, the 41 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:05,480 Speaker 3: elements of it, it lifted international sanctions, it allowed Iran 42 00:02:05,600 --> 00:02:09,040 Speaker 3: to sell oil on the global market, and it allowed 43 00:02:09,040 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 3: Iran to have its nuclear program continue unmolested. There are 44 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 3: voices within the administration, and by the way, I led 45 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 3: the charge to pull out of that disastrous deal, and 46 00:02:20,639 --> 00:02:23,480 Speaker 3: President Trump did exactly that. He did the right thing. 47 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:27,720 Speaker 3: It was the single most important decision, national security decision 48 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 3: of his first term to pull out of the disastrous 49 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:35,240 Speaker 3: Obama Iran nuclear deal. And right now there's a battle 50 00:02:35,280 --> 00:02:37,840 Speaker 3: within the administration. But I agree with the red line 51 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:40,600 Speaker 3: that President Trump has drawn, and he has said that 52 00:02:40,800 --> 00:02:47,840 Speaker 3: any deal must include full dismantlement, dismantling the centrifuges, shutting 53 00:02:47,919 --> 00:02:52,120 Speaker 3: them down, that anything short of that is unacceptable. 54 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 2: When you look at that deal. 55 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:57,280 Speaker 1: And I want to play part of what you said 56 00:02:57,400 --> 00:03:01,480 Speaker 1: on Marklevin's show because it is more background just on 57 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:04,280 Speaker 1: how crazy the ITOLI is in Iran and how big 58 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:06,440 Speaker 1: of a threat it is and why you shouldn't trust him. 59 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:07,040 Speaker 2: Take a listen. 60 00:03:07,960 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 4: It's my understanding that the vast majority Republicans in the 61 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:16,560 Speaker 4: Senate in the House are saying Iran must dismantle its 62 00:03:16,639 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 4: nuclear program. It's not a joke. You know what it 63 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:23,960 Speaker 4: means when people talk about a civil or civilian nuclear program, 64 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,760 Speaker 4: We're not going to be fooled. They must dismantle their program. 65 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:30,920 Speaker 5: Is that what you understand that that is exactly right 66 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:33,320 Speaker 5: and I got to say, Mark, there's a real contrast 67 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:37,200 Speaker 5: between the strength that President Trump has shown with respect 68 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:40,680 Speaker 5: to Iran and the weakness and appeasement that Joe Biden 69 00:03:40,720 --> 00:03:44,200 Speaker 5: showed for four years the first term President Trump took 70 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:49,160 Speaker 5: on Iran directly pulled out of the disastrous Obama Iran 71 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:53,840 Speaker 5: nuclear Deal, He ended the civilian nuclear waivers, he ended 72 00:03:53,880 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 5: the oil waivers, and the result maximum pressure put the 73 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:03,800 Speaker 5: Iranian economy into freefall. Their oil sales fell from a 74 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 5: million barrels a day of oil down all the way 75 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:10,200 Speaker 5: down to three hundred thousand barrels of oil. When Joe 76 00:04:10,240 --> 00:04:13,559 Speaker 5: Biden came into office, the Iranian economy was in shambles 77 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:17,520 Speaker 5: and the Iotola and the Mullahs were teetering and near collapse. 78 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:22,719 Speaker 5: But sadly, Biden reversed everything he did complete appeasement. He 79 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:27,160 Speaker 5: stopped enforcing the oil sanctions and as a result, the 80 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:31,280 Speaker 5: Iatola's oil sales skyrocketed from three hundred thousand barrels a 81 00:04:31,360 --> 00:04:34,599 Speaker 5: day to two million barrels a day. 82 00:04:34,839 --> 00:04:36,600 Speaker 3: That's one hundred billion dollars that. 83 00:04:36,600 --> 00:04:41,040 Speaker 5: Joe Biden the Democrats gave the Iatola, and the Iatola 84 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:44,080 Speaker 5: is using it to fund the RGC to attack and 85 00:04:44,160 --> 00:04:47,840 Speaker 5: kill Americans. The IATOLA is using that to fund Hamas 86 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,520 Speaker 5: and Hezbola in a very real sense. Joe Biden and 87 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 5: the money he gave the Iyatola funded October seventh. Now 88 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:57,839 Speaker 5: that Donald Trump is back in office, he's drawn a 89 00:04:57,880 --> 00:05:03,320 Speaker 5: clear red line it ran must dismantle their nuclear capacity. 90 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 5: They must shut down their centrifuge, as it is the 91 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 5: only thing that is verifiable is full dismantlement. And I 92 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:13,560 Speaker 5: have every confidence the president is going to hold that line. 93 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 4: I do, But I don't have any confidence in the Iranians, 94 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 4: who lie and cheat and still and murder. Yes, and 95 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:27,440 Speaker 4: so the question is, how can we expect a regime 96 00:05:27,480 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 4: that does all those things? It is not abided by anything, 97 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:33,720 Speaker 4: it's agreed to anything it has promised over the course 98 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 4: of the last fifteen years. So here we are at 99 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 4: the eleventh hour. Here we are at the eleventh hour 100 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:42,120 Speaker 4: trying to deal with this. How can we trust them? 101 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 4: Or better put, we're not going to trust them. How 102 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 4: do we make sure that they do what we tell 103 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 4: them they must do? 104 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:51,880 Speaker 5: Well, listen, we can't trust them because we know that 105 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 5: they lie, and they lie over and over and over again. 106 00:05:54,600 --> 00:05:59,719 Speaker 5: It's worth noting the IATOLA right now today is actively trying. 107 00:05:59,400 --> 00:06:00,359 Speaker 2: To murder Donald J. 108 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 5: Trump has hired hitmen trying to murder the President of 109 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,880 Speaker 5: the United States. The IYATOLA is also actively trying to 110 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 5: murder the former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the 111 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:13,520 Speaker 5: former National Security Advisor John Bolton. They have hired hitmen 112 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:17,760 Speaker 5: that are targeting former senior US officials and the sitting 113 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 5: president of the United States. These are not people who 114 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:24,400 Speaker 5: can be trusted, which is why the objective must be 115 00:06:24,640 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 5: full dismantlement must be the centrifugeas disassembled, destroyed, taken out. 116 00:06:31,000 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 5: And as President Trump said recently, we can do that 117 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:38,919 Speaker 5: either nicely or not so nicely. Nicely if they agree 118 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:41,840 Speaker 5: and we go in and dismantle them ourselves, or not 119 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 5: so nicely is if Iran refuses to negotiate. We have 120 00:06:46,680 --> 00:06:50,719 Speaker 5: the capability to take out these nuclear facilities. And I 121 00:06:50,800 --> 00:06:52,720 Speaker 5: got to say, Mark, you and I have talked about this. 122 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:53,480 Speaker 6: Listen. 123 00:06:53,560 --> 00:06:57,040 Speaker 5: There are some voices in the Trump administration that are 124 00:06:57,080 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 5: on the isolationist wing of foreign policy that say, let's 125 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:05,679 Speaker 5: not worry about Iran, Let's not do anything about Iran. 126 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:08,960 Speaker 5: And listen, I am someone who is very reluctant to 127 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:12,160 Speaker 5: use military force. But Iran is trying to build nuclear 128 00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:15,080 Speaker 5: weapons because Iran wants to be able to threaten to 129 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:17,840 Speaker 5: use nuclear weapons, and they might even use them. And 130 00:07:17,880 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 5: I believe a nuclear Iran is an unacceptable threat of 131 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:26,000 Speaker 5: seeing an atomic bomb detonated in the skies of New 132 00:07:26,080 --> 00:07:29,600 Speaker 5: York or the skies of Los Angeles, And so our 133 00:07:29,680 --> 00:07:32,280 Speaker 5: commander in chief, President Trump, I don't think he is 134 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:35,600 Speaker 5: going to allow that risk. We are going to demand 135 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 5: the centrifuges, the nuclear capability be dismantled, and they either 136 00:07:40,360 --> 00:07:44,000 Speaker 5: do so willingly or they'll be dismantled unwillingly. 137 00:07:44,840 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 1: It doesn't seem to be any gray area here from you, 138 00:07:48,760 --> 00:07:51,040 Speaker 1: I willvin there and the President. It seems to be 139 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:53,880 Speaker 1: y'all are all in lockstep on the same thing here. 140 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:55,720 Speaker 1: You cannot trust Iran at all. 141 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:59,520 Speaker 3: Well, and you asked what by do people oppose this 142 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 3: the rhetoric they use as they say, Well, if you're 143 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 3: standing up to Iran, you're a warmonger. And let me 144 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:10,440 Speaker 3: be clear, as I mentioned to Mark Levin, I have 145 00:08:10,560 --> 00:08:14,320 Speaker 3: consistently been very reluctant to use military force. You know, 146 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 3: you go back to twenty sixteen the presidential race. You 147 00:08:17,480 --> 00:08:21,320 Speaker 3: had seventeen Republicans running for president that year, set ran 148 00:08:21,400 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 3: policide because Rand's views are unique. 149 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:25,600 Speaker 2: In the Senate. 150 00:08:26,080 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 3: Of the remaining sixteen, there were only two of us 151 00:08:28,480 --> 00:08:33,280 Speaker 3: on that stage who believed and said the Iraq War 152 00:08:33,440 --> 00:08:36,800 Speaker 3: was a mistake. Donald Trump and me. Both of us 153 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 3: said the Iraq War was absolutely a mistake. I believe 154 00:08:39,920 --> 00:08:43,160 Speaker 3: it was a mistake because you had a dictator, a 155 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:47,320 Speaker 3: cruel dictator, Saddam Hussein, who was killing terrorists. We came 156 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:50,400 Speaker 3: in and we toppled that dictator, and the result was 157 00:08:50,480 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 3: the terrorist took over and they began killing Americans. That 158 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 3: did not help America. Toppling a dictator and putting the 159 00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 3: terrorists in charge was a mistake. By the way, made 160 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:04,160 Speaker 3: the same mistake in Libya, where you had Kadafi, another 161 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:07,800 Speaker 3: very cruel dictator, but he was killing terrorists. We came 162 00:09:07,840 --> 00:09:09,679 Speaker 3: in and toppled him, and the terrorists took over and 163 00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:13,080 Speaker 3: they began killing Americans. I think that's a bad trade off. 164 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:19,080 Speaker 3: So when I say that we need to focus on 165 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 3: American national security, it doesn't mean we should invade other countries. 166 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:27,760 Speaker 3: It doesn't mean we should send the Marines. It means 167 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:31,319 Speaker 3: we should look at serious, real threats to our national security. 168 00:09:31,600 --> 00:09:35,800 Speaker 3: And I think the single most acute threat we face, 169 00:09:35,880 --> 00:09:39,560 Speaker 3: the urgent threat we face right now, is a nuclear 170 00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 3: Iran because you've got a theocratic lunatic who has said 171 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 3: he wants to murder us and by the way, we 172 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:51,720 Speaker 3: know that he's willing to hire hitmen to try to 173 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 3: murder the president already. And if he had nuclear weapons, 174 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:57,600 Speaker 3: I think the odds are unacceptably high he would use them. 175 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 3: And so in the first term, what I advocate catered for, 176 00:10:00,679 --> 00:10:05,479 Speaker 3: and what President Trump agreed with was maximum pressure, using sanctions, 177 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:10,720 Speaker 3: cut cutting off their financial system. Their economy went into 178 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:15,319 Speaker 3: free fall. Because President's Trump stood up against the iotolin 179 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:19,280 Speaker 3: it was incredibly effective until Joe Biden undermined it by 180 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:23,320 Speaker 3: embracing appeasement. That was a massive mistake, and I hope 181 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:26,920 Speaker 3: and believe President Trump is turning that around right now now. 182 00:10:26,920 --> 00:10:29,160 Speaker 1: If you want to hear the rest of this conversation, 183 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:31,720 Speaker 1: you can go back and listen to the full podcast 184 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:33,040 Speaker 1: from earlier this week. 185 00:10:33,440 --> 00:10:34,880 Speaker 2: Now onto story number two. 186 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:38,360 Speaker 3: So Ben, let me ask you something. Yeah, are you 187 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:39,560 Speaker 3: excited listening to this? 188 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: I am because cause I am no, I am, and 189 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:44,920 Speaker 1: I think this is something that we've been missing. You know, 190 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:48,000 Speaker 1: you remember when I was working with the Bush administration, 191 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:50,800 Speaker 1: it was on Social Security Form because it was just 192 00:10:51,000 --> 00:10:54,880 Speaker 1: a Ponzi scheme in essence, where I was like, what 193 00:10:54,920 --> 00:10:57,640 Speaker 1: are we doing? How are we not giving people more 194 00:10:58,080 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 1: with investing? And this is one of those things that 195 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:04,559 Speaker 1: for me, is about financial freedom, and it allows people 196 00:11:04,600 --> 00:11:07,040 Speaker 1: a chance to succeed in the greatest country in the 197 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 1: world and do it in a way that is just 198 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 1: so smart. And I can't imagine what this is going 199 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:18,840 Speaker 1: to do for single moms, for people that are working 200 00:11:18,920 --> 00:11:22,200 Speaker 1: nine to five jobs, two jobs, working hourly jobs. They say, 201 00:11:22,600 --> 00:11:25,480 Speaker 1: now I feel like even I can give my kids 202 00:11:25,559 --> 00:11:26,959 Speaker 1: a better life. 203 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:28,800 Speaker 2: Because that's ultimately I think what every parent wants. 204 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:31,360 Speaker 1: They want to give their chance, their kid a chance 205 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:34,560 Speaker 1: to a better life than they live. And this is 206 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 1: an example of starting literally at day one of their 207 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,040 Speaker 1: birth saying we've got you and dagg, now let's go 208 00:11:40,120 --> 00:11:40,839 Speaker 1: and build on it. 209 00:11:41,160 --> 00:11:43,360 Speaker 3: So Ben, one of the things Brad was describing that 210 00:11:43,400 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 3: has me really excited is the accelerator that is built 211 00:11:47,240 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 3: into it. So seating every account with a thousand dollars 212 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 3: is valuable. By the way, there are three point seven 213 00:11:53,720 --> 00:11:58,280 Speaker 3: million babies born every year, and so one thousand dollars 214 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 3: for three point seven million aby, he's a three point 215 00:12:00,920 --> 00:12:02,439 Speaker 3: seven billion dollars a year. 216 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:03,480 Speaker 2: That means this. 217 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 3: Will cost thirty seven billion dollars over ten years. This 218 00:12:07,360 --> 00:12:09,600 Speaker 3: is a four to five trillion dollar tax cut. So 219 00:12:09,640 --> 00:12:13,000 Speaker 3: thirty seven billion dollars is a relatively small piece. But 220 00:12:13,240 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 3: you want to talk about how it transforms America. That 221 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:20,480 Speaker 3: seed money is important. Even more important is simply creating 222 00:12:20,520 --> 00:12:25,200 Speaker 3: the account. As Brad noticed, you know, two thirds of 223 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:28,280 Speaker 3: Americans will not have an investment account, will not be 224 00:12:28,360 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 3: invested in the market. And we're creating a world where 225 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 3: every child, every single child, from gazillionaire kids to a 226 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:40,959 Speaker 3: homeless kid on the street is suddenly has an account 227 00:12:41,160 --> 00:12:45,000 Speaker 3: invested the market. That is transformative. But then the accelerator. 228 00:12:45,400 --> 00:12:47,880 Speaker 3: So what Brad has worked for several years is he's 229 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 3: brought together world class ceo some of the most prominent 230 00:12:52,080 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 3: CEOs in the country. He mentioned Michael Dell. That was 231 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:58,200 Speaker 3: not theoretical. Michael is Michael is a good friend of mine. 232 00:12:58,200 --> 00:13:01,920 Speaker 3: He's a Texan, incredible entrepreneur worth over one hundred billion dollars. 233 00:13:02,880 --> 00:13:06,360 Speaker 3: Michael is the chairman of the CEO Council for Invest America, 234 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:09,679 Speaker 3: so Michael is leaning in heart. He's committed Dell Computers. 235 00:13:10,920 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 3: When this passes, Dell will help fund the accounts for 236 00:13:16,160 --> 00:13:17,400 Speaker 3: the kids of their employees. 237 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:18,280 Speaker 2: That's powerful. 238 00:13:18,720 --> 00:13:21,720 Speaker 3: But as Brad said, also Michael is quite interested on 239 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:26,040 Speaker 3: the philanthropic side in supporting not just the accounts for 240 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:28,960 Speaker 3: the children of his employees, but more broadly having a 241 00:13:28,960 --> 00:13:32,160 Speaker 3: bigger impact. I think we will see think for a second, 242 00:13:32,360 --> 00:13:35,560 Speaker 3: Ben about four oh one k's. Remember when we were kids, 243 00:13:35,559 --> 00:13:40,320 Speaker 3: four O one k's didn't exist. Now, just about every 244 00:13:40,360 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 3: every job at a big company, it's part of the plan. 245 00:13:43,960 --> 00:13:46,480 Speaker 3: It's part of the plan, and the employer matches four 246 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 3: A one K contributions makes their own contributions. It's a 247 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:54,839 Speaker 3: really attractive employee benefit. And what I like about this 248 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:58,319 Speaker 3: is the accelerator component that I think you will end 249 00:13:58,400 --> 00:14:03,360 Speaker 3: up having re wealth creation that changes. Look an eighteen 250 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:06,680 Speaker 3: year old kid who's got a single mom, who's not 251 00:14:06,840 --> 00:14:10,559 Speaker 3: coming from money, who's living in a rough environments suddenly 252 00:14:10,559 --> 00:14:13,880 Speaker 3: got a couple one hundred thousand dollars invested in the 253 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 3: stock market. That changes their whole life. This is this 254 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:20,560 Speaker 3: is life changing, and. 255 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:24,080 Speaker 1: Well this also seems I go back to the trickle 256 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:27,120 Speaker 1: down effect, and you know, it's like four to one k's. 257 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 1: You remember when it was your grandparents and your parents 258 00:14:29,960 --> 00:14:31,760 Speaker 1: when you go to get your first job, your first 259 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:33,840 Speaker 1: real job, Like, do they have a four to one k? 260 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 1: It's not the twenty one to twenty three year old 261 00:14:37,120 --> 00:14:40,480 Speaker 1: that's asking that question, it's the parents and grandparents. I 262 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:42,840 Speaker 1: remember when I got my first other. They do they match? 263 00:14:42,880 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 1: Where do they match? They have a four to one k? 264 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:49,200 Speaker 1: Imagine if you get that started in the mindset at 265 00:14:49,280 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 1: age literally zero, that can transform an entire nation. 266 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:55,800 Speaker 3: So, Brad, let me ask you something. How did you 267 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:58,840 Speaker 3: get involved in this to begin with? Because you were 268 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 3: passionate and working on this. I got involved with you 269 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:04,160 Speaker 3: about a year ago, but you were passionate, involved in 270 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 3: this long before that. What was the kernel of the 271 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:07,840 Speaker 3: idea that started this? 272 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:12,479 Speaker 7: Well, you know, you'll appreciate the senator as a dad yourself, 273 00:15:13,440 --> 00:15:15,840 Speaker 7: but you know I have two boys, Lincoln and Jack, 274 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:19,280 Speaker 7: and they're sixteen and fourteen. 275 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:22,000 Speaker 6: And one of the things we talk about a lot 276 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 6: when we sit around the dinner table is when we 277 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 6: see problems don't complain about them, right, have a bias 278 00:15:29,800 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 6: to action, have a bias to action, do something about it, 279 00:15:33,920 --> 00:15:37,200 Speaker 6: don't just sit around and complain. And so, coming out 280 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:42,840 Speaker 6: of COVID, I was showing them the investment accounts I 281 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 6: set up when they were born, yep. And we're talking 282 00:15:45,320 --> 00:15:48,240 Speaker 6: about the power of compounding, and we were showing they 283 00:15:48,240 --> 00:15:51,120 Speaker 6: were talking about the stocks that they owned, and I 284 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:53,800 Speaker 6: could see their excitement and they said, Dad, when are 285 00:15:53,800 --> 00:15:56,360 Speaker 6: we going to be able to, you know, have some 286 00:15:56,440 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 6: control over what we're investing in. We want to learn more. 287 00:16:00,280 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 6: Will you set up a Robinhood account for course, et cetera. 288 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:07,080 Speaker 6: And then we started talking about the wealth gap and 289 00:16:07,120 --> 00:16:09,920 Speaker 6: we started you know, my son Lincoln brought me something 290 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:13,160 Speaker 6: you know that was the headline and it said ninety 291 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:15,720 Speaker 6: three percent of stocks are owned by the wealthiest ten 292 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 6: percent of Americans. Yeah, and he said, Dad, I feel 293 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,840 Speaker 6: I feel like, you know, I'm I'm glad you set 294 00:16:21,840 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 6: this up for me when I was a kid, but 295 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:27,160 Speaker 6: I kind of feel guilty, like, what, why can't everybody 296 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 6: you know have this this uh, you know, same benefit. 297 00:16:31,880 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 6: And and I said, you know, we got to fix this. 298 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:36,520 Speaker 6: And so he said to me, what are you going 299 00:16:36,560 --> 00:16:38,520 Speaker 6: to do about it? And I turned to him and 300 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:40,120 Speaker 6: I said, no, what are we going. 301 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:40,720 Speaker 8: To do about it? 302 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:43,240 Speaker 6: And we made a commitment as a family that we're 303 00:16:43,240 --> 00:16:45,840 Speaker 6: going to do something about this. Yep. And you know, 304 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:48,920 Speaker 6: it's been been one of the best parts of the journey. 305 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 6: We set up a five oh one c three uh 306 00:16:51,680 --> 00:16:57,400 Speaker 6: calling Best America and we literally, you know, just started uh, 307 00:16:57,480 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 6: you know, making the calls. And it was lining up 308 00:17:01,880 --> 00:17:05,240 Speaker 6: light minded thinkers in the private sector and lining up 309 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:09,679 Speaker 6: light minded folks in Washington. And you and I have 310 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:12,640 Speaker 6: talked about this. You know. I had the good fortune 311 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:15,800 Speaker 6: when I was returning from studying overseas in nineteen ninety 312 00:17:15,920 --> 00:17:19,360 Speaker 6: ninety one to show up in Washington and go work 313 00:17:19,359 --> 00:17:23,359 Speaker 6: for the late and great Senator from Indiana, Richard Lueger. 314 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:28,440 Speaker 6: Luber was a Rhodes scholar. He was a mayor of Indianapolis, 315 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:31,919 Speaker 6: became a long serving senator, credible senator and at the 316 00:17:31,960 --> 00:17:36,399 Speaker 6: time he was working on denuclearizing the nuclear stockpiles coming 317 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:41,399 Speaker 6: out of the Cold War with Sam Nunn. And let's 318 00:17:41,400 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 6: just say later in life, I went on to have 319 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:47,040 Speaker 6: some success. And when I saw the Senator in those 320 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:49,639 Speaker 6: later years, he said to me you know, don't waste it. 321 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 6: You know, remember those days, remember those runs around the 322 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:56,199 Speaker 6: wall in the mall in Washington, and make sure you 323 00:17:56,280 --> 00:17:58,760 Speaker 6: do something that matters. And so as a family, we 324 00:17:58,800 --> 00:18:00,840 Speaker 6: want to do something that mattered. And I will say 325 00:18:01,320 --> 00:18:04,760 Speaker 6: in the House, in the Senate, you know, you know, 326 00:18:04,880 --> 00:18:08,560 Speaker 6: in the White House, and in a broad bipartisan way, 327 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:10,800 Speaker 6: and that was something that was really important to me. 328 00:18:12,320 --> 00:18:15,960 Speaker 6: We've had incredible support, and I said, I've never seen 329 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:19,320 Speaker 6: an idea with a better product market fit. Everybody I 330 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:23,160 Speaker 6: talked to in the private sector in Washington was intrigued 331 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 6: by the idea. But I remember we were speaking with 332 00:18:27,359 --> 00:18:30,040 Speaker 6: then Speaker McCarthy in the House. Lincoln was in the 333 00:18:30,080 --> 00:18:33,040 Speaker 6: meeting with me. We had an incredible meeting with the 334 00:18:33,080 --> 00:18:35,320 Speaker 6: Speaker and we walked out and I said to him, 335 00:18:35,520 --> 00:18:39,000 Speaker 6: as we're looking at the rotunda in the House, I said, 336 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:42,239 Speaker 6: every single good idea in America has started with a 337 00:18:42,280 --> 00:18:46,920 Speaker 6: conversation just like that. Right, as an entrepreneur in Silica Valley, 338 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:51,200 Speaker 6: nothing happened in Zilica Valley. Right, not Google, not open Ai, 339 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:55,080 Speaker 6: not Facebook. Right without a conversation on the back of 340 00:18:55,119 --> 00:18:57,840 Speaker 6: a napkin that starts as an idea and so I 341 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:00,440 Speaker 6: had started a few companies in the valley. I knew 342 00:19:00,440 --> 00:19:04,159 Speaker 6: something about starting things, and we just got started and 343 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:06,800 Speaker 6: the snowball started rolling. And here we are three and 344 00:19:06,800 --> 00:19:10,000 Speaker 6: a half years later, and I think we're on the precipice. 345 00:19:10,600 --> 00:19:13,359 Speaker 6: I think your great leadership, the great leadership in the 346 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 6: House and the White House of making this happen. And 347 00:19:17,520 --> 00:19:19,120 Speaker 6: I agree with you. I think we're going to look 348 00:19:19,119 --> 00:19:21,959 Speaker 6: back in ten or twenty years and this is going 349 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:24,119 Speaker 6: to be a massive legacy of this moment. 350 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:26,440 Speaker 1: You just said a word a moment ago, the word 351 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:29,399 Speaker 1: and it's become a bad word now. Is bipartisanate like 352 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:31,639 Speaker 1: never happens anymore. So I'm going to ask both of 353 00:19:31,680 --> 00:19:35,919 Speaker 1: you this, is there a chance that this can be 354 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:39,120 Speaker 1: such a great idea that it is in fact by 355 00:19:39,400 --> 00:19:42,919 Speaker 1: partisan and that Democrats and Republicans can work together like 356 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:45,880 Speaker 1: they used to twenty thirty years ago. When there are 357 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:50,119 Speaker 1: nonpartisan ideas that are just great ideas that are great 358 00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:51,320 Speaker 1: for all Americans. 359 00:19:51,359 --> 00:19:52,000 Speaker 2: And this one, by the. 360 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:54,240 Speaker 1: Way, I would actually argue with skewmore to helping those 361 00:19:54,280 --> 00:19:56,720 Speaker 1: that are poor in this country look than anyone. 362 00:19:56,520 --> 00:20:00,199 Speaker 3: Else, unquestionably, And I'll give you some positive signs on 363 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:04,919 Speaker 3: this one. There are significant overlaps between this idea and 364 00:20:04,960 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 3: an idea that Corey Booker had called baby bonds, and 365 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:10,800 Speaker 3: his idea was to create bonds and create a savings 366 00:20:10,840 --> 00:20:13,840 Speaker 3: account for every baby born in America, and when he 367 00:20:13,840 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 3: was running for president, a campaign on that, and Corey's 368 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:19,400 Speaker 3: a friend of mine, Brad knows Corey well. I will 369 00:20:19,440 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 3: say this is different from Corey's baby bonds because I 370 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:25,720 Speaker 3: was not a supporter of just the baby bonds of 371 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:30,159 Speaker 3: an investment account that is accruing interest. What really sold 372 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:34,359 Speaker 3: me on this was making a generation of capitalists. Was 373 00:20:34,400 --> 00:20:37,600 Speaker 3: the fact that this money is not just a savings account, 374 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:40,600 Speaker 3: which is easy for Democrats to support, but rather it 375 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:43,640 Speaker 3: is investing in the equity markets. It is making children 376 00:20:44,200 --> 00:20:47,320 Speaker 3: owners of the major companies in America, and that to 377 00:20:47,400 --> 00:20:51,320 Speaker 3: me was really exciting. That being said, I think there's 378 00:20:51,359 --> 00:20:54,359 Speaker 3: a good chance that we will get Democrats to support this. 379 00:20:54,440 --> 00:20:58,440 Speaker 3: I'll say Dick Durbin, who is the Democrat whip and 380 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:01,159 Speaker 3: very liberal senator, although I've served with him on the 381 00:21:01,200 --> 00:21:04,240 Speaker 3: Judiciary Committee for thirteen years. Dick Durbin, in a press 382 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:08,960 Speaker 3: story today, actually praise this idea, and it's common about 383 00:21:09,000 --> 00:21:11,639 Speaker 3: me that Dick is wicked smart. But we said about 384 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:14,440 Speaker 3: me as he said, well, a stop clock is right 385 00:21:14,480 --> 00:21:18,320 Speaker 3: twice a day. And I actually ran into Dick in 386 00:21:18,359 --> 00:21:22,199 Speaker 3: the wall in the hallway and I said, Dick, you 387 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 3: praised me in the press. He said it must have 388 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 3: been a mistake. And I reminded him of the quote 389 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:28,680 Speaker 3: and he laughed, and I said, Dick, it's a good 390 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 3: thing you're retiring. They might primary in the Democrat primary 391 00:21:31,840 --> 00:21:35,000 Speaker 3: for saying something nice about me. And I'll tell you 392 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:37,879 Speaker 3: there was another Democrat senator, a freshman, it was newly elected, 393 00:21:37,880 --> 00:21:40,199 Speaker 3: who came and approached me and said, I really like 394 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:42,440 Speaker 3: this idea. This is interesting. And I said, well, look, 395 00:21:42,960 --> 00:21:46,520 Speaker 3: so no Democrat is going to vote for the reconciliation bill. 396 00:21:46,560 --> 00:21:48,840 Speaker 3: That's going to be a pure party line bill. So 397 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:52,200 Speaker 3: the actual bill that passes this no Democrat will vote for. 398 00:21:52,800 --> 00:21:55,520 Speaker 3: But what I told this this Democrat freshman, I said, well, 399 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 3: co sponsor my invest America bill, so you can make 400 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:01,359 Speaker 3: clear you supported. I think we've got a decent chance 401 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,320 Speaker 3: of getting Democrats on board. Brad did a good job 402 00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:08,159 Speaker 3: of talking to them, and I will tell you a 403 00:22:08,200 --> 00:22:10,480 Speaker 3: couple of things. So Brad was describing all the time 404 00:22:10,480 --> 00:22:14,320 Speaker 3: and energy he put in, and he said, quite modestly, 405 00:22:14,359 --> 00:22:16,880 Speaker 3: he said, well, I've had some success in business. Ben 406 00:22:17,000 --> 00:22:20,680 Speaker 3: Let me be clear, Brad is a billionaire. Like he's 407 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 3: got a crap ton of money, and he could sit 408 00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:25,840 Speaker 3: back and play golf all day long and never need 409 00:22:25,880 --> 00:22:28,160 Speaker 3: to work again, and he'd be fine, and his kids 410 00:22:28,200 --> 00:22:30,919 Speaker 3: would be fine, and his grandkids would be fine. But 411 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:33,240 Speaker 3: he's not doing that. A He's got a ton of energy, 412 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:37,600 Speaker 3: but he has poured so much time and energy and money. 413 00:22:37,760 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 3: So I will tell you the way this got done 414 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 3: is he was relentless. He was talking to everybody in 415 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:45,200 Speaker 3: the House. Why is this in the House bill? Because 416 00:22:45,240 --> 00:22:47,960 Speaker 3: Brad was talking repeatedly to Jason Smith, the Chairman of 417 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 3: Ways and Means. He was talking repeatedly to Mike Johnson, 418 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:52,400 Speaker 3: the Speaker of the House. By the way, I was too. 419 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:54,480 Speaker 3: I was talking to both of them. They're both good friends. 420 00:22:54,880 --> 00:22:58,800 Speaker 3: He was talking repeatedly to me and other senators. I 421 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:01,320 Speaker 3: sat down with Brad this week with Mike Crapo, the 422 00:23:01,400 --> 00:23:04,600 Speaker 3: chairman of the Finance Committee, who's drafting the tax portion 423 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:07,240 Speaker 3: of the reconciliation of the Senate. He's been talking in 424 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:09,280 Speaker 3: the White House to Kevin Hasset, who runs the National 425 00:23:09,320 --> 00:23:11,879 Speaker 3: Economic Council, over and over and over again, he's been 426 00:23:11,920 --> 00:23:14,760 Speaker 3: talking to the President. It is been that relentless. And 427 00:23:14,840 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 3: by the way, President Trump weighed in directly with the 428 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:22,119 Speaker 3: Speaker of the House and said, I like this idea included. 429 00:23:22,200 --> 00:23:24,600 Speaker 3: How did this idea get like like a lot of 430 00:23:24,640 --> 00:23:28,440 Speaker 3: the press is shocked, why is this in the House bill? 431 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:31,760 Speaker 3: A big part of the reason is the President weighed 432 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:34,800 Speaker 3: in and said, I really like this idea, and so 433 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 3: the House included it. That wouldn't have happened without Brad's 434 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:42,320 Speaker 3: efforts and my efforts making the case to the House, 435 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:44,480 Speaker 3: to the Senate and to the White House. And I 436 00:23:44,480 --> 00:23:48,399 Speaker 3: think we will get this done and it will have 437 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:51,920 Speaker 3: an impact when all three of us are dead and 438 00:23:51,960 --> 00:23:53,520 Speaker 3: buried as before. 439 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:55,600 Speaker 1: If you want to hear the rest of this conversation 440 00:23:55,880 --> 00:23:58,199 Speaker 1: on this topic, you can go back and dow the 441 00:23:58,400 --> 00:24:00,920 Speaker 1: podcast from early this week to hear the entire thing. 442 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 1: I want to get back to the big story number 443 00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:05,160 Speaker 1: three of the week. 444 00:24:05,240 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 2: You may have missed. 445 00:24:06,600 --> 00:24:10,879 Speaker 1: Is there going to be any oversight slash investigation? Should 446 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:13,560 Speaker 1: there be from Congress? And I know that's a weird question, 447 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:15,639 Speaker 1: because there's somebody like, look, we want let's move on. 448 00:24:16,040 --> 00:24:18,920 Speaker 1: But like I do, actually, as an American citizen, want 449 00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:20,840 Speaker 1: to know who is running the United States of America 450 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:23,000 Speaker 1: that was elected by no one. 451 00:24:24,040 --> 00:24:25,760 Speaker 2: I want to know who was calling the shots. 452 00:24:25,760 --> 00:24:27,960 Speaker 1: It was elected by no one, because whether I win 453 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:30,800 Speaker 1: or lose an election, my vote should not be canceled 454 00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:33,359 Speaker 1: out by by some sort of dictator or tyrant within 455 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:36,160 Speaker 1: an administration that no one knows who's running a government. 456 00:24:36,359 --> 00:24:38,359 Speaker 3: And by the way, there's a related question to that 457 00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:41,280 Speaker 3: Ben which as we see the stories that apparently a 458 00:24:41,320 --> 00:24:44,639 Speaker 3: substantial number of official things that Biden signed were signed 459 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 3: by the auto pen. 460 00:24:45,560 --> 00:24:47,760 Speaker 2: So was he even making the decision to sign them, right? 461 00:24:47,800 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 3: And he didn't even seem to know like some of 462 00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:52,199 Speaker 3: the pardons. And I actually think you'll have this litigated. 463 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:55,640 Speaker 3: I don't not aware of any courts that's ever decided 464 00:24:55,760 --> 00:24:59,000 Speaker 3: is is a pardon? Does a pardon have to actually 465 00:24:59,080 --> 00:25:01,879 Speaker 3: be signed by the pres So, look, every elected official 466 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:04,239 Speaker 3: has an autopen. I have an autopen. And so for 467 00:25:04,359 --> 00:25:07,560 Speaker 3: things like constituent correspondence, if you write into your senator, 468 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:09,680 Speaker 3: you'll you'll get a response back, and we try to 469 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:12,119 Speaker 3: respond substantively in the autop pen will sign it, and 470 00:25:12,160 --> 00:25:14,600 Speaker 3: I get millions of those letters, so I couldn't physically 471 00:25:14,640 --> 00:25:15,199 Speaker 3: sign them all. 472 00:25:15,480 --> 00:25:17,040 Speaker 2: All I'm thinking about right now is how where that 473 00:25:17,040 --> 00:25:19,040 Speaker 2: autopen is and how much fun I could happen keep going. 474 00:25:19,359 --> 00:25:23,679 Speaker 3: But look, it's fine for if something like correspondence. 475 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:24,520 Speaker 2: A birthday wish. 476 00:25:24,560 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 3: But the question is for something that has legal force 477 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:29,639 Speaker 3: of law. And I actually want to know did they 478 00:25:29,760 --> 00:25:32,240 Speaker 3: use the autopen to sign any legislation, because it's not 479 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:35,800 Speaker 3: clear to be legislation that the president didn't sign has 480 00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 3: legal force. The autopen is not the commander in chief 481 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:40,399 Speaker 3: and the chief judges. 482 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 1: For example, if he did an autopen, which means I'm 483 00:25:43,680 --> 00:25:46,479 Speaker 1: truly convinced that he didn't know what was going on. 484 00:25:46,680 --> 00:25:49,520 Speaker 2: He didn't know who's appointing. He probably didn't know who's pardoning. 485 00:25:49,840 --> 00:25:53,320 Speaker 3: And if that happening, the parties are where it'll be litigated. 486 00:25:52,920 --> 00:25:55,840 Speaker 2: Okay, and that will Why is that so different? 487 00:25:56,040 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 3: Because look, it's it's interesting like a pardon under the Constitution, 488 00:25:59,880 --> 00:26:02,199 Speaker 3: all you have to have is a document from the 489 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:06,400 Speaker 3: president that said, you know, I I pardoned Ben Ferguson 490 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:09,399 Speaker 3: and and and suddenly, actually, only if it's a federal offense, 491 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:09,760 Speaker 3: so he can't. 492 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:14,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, the per I take, the abuse I take, but. 493 00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:18,600 Speaker 3: It literally there's no pomp and circumstance. It doesn't have 494 00:26:18,720 --> 00:26:21,000 Speaker 3: to have gold leaf on the paper. It doesn't have 495 00:26:21,080 --> 00:26:23,560 Speaker 3: to be an official. It's just a piece of paper 496 00:26:23,760 --> 00:26:26,280 Speaker 3: with a signature, with those words and his signature, that 497 00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:29,679 Speaker 3: is legally a pardon. But if you don't actually have 498 00:26:29,760 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 3: a signature, Listen, I've been in the oval dozens of times, 499 00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:36,760 Speaker 3: probably more when when President Trump is signing things and 500 00:26:37,040 --> 00:26:40,439 Speaker 3: pulls out he actually so have you seen the president sign. 501 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:42,080 Speaker 2: Okay, yeah, I've got like I've got one of the 502 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 2: big sharpie. 503 00:26:44,920 --> 00:26:47,560 Speaker 3: Like most presidents use like a sharpie to have a 504 00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:50,800 Speaker 3: signing pen. But but President Trump's it's a marker that's 505 00:26:50,800 --> 00:26:53,879 Speaker 3: probably what ten inches long, and maybe. 506 00:26:53,760 --> 00:26:56,680 Speaker 2: It's gold like gold is signature and like an inch. 507 00:26:56,480 --> 00:27:00,000 Speaker 3: In diameter, like it's it is massive. But he signed 508 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:02,200 Speaker 3: one after the other after the other after the other, 509 00:27:02,600 --> 00:27:06,000 Speaker 3: because that's what gives it legal force of law. If 510 00:27:06,040 --> 00:27:08,679 Speaker 3: you have a president that's mentally incompetent and you have 511 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:14,120 Speaker 3: staffers running thing, it makes you wonder. Doctor Fauci's pardon. 512 00:27:14,720 --> 00:27:15,560 Speaker 2: Is chine it? 513 00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:16,119 Speaker 6: I don't know. 514 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, And if it's the auto pen, which I'm sure 515 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:21,040 Speaker 2: they can figure that out, it will be. 516 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:24,240 Speaker 3: It's an interesting question, you know. I'll say a few 517 00:27:24,240 --> 00:27:28,720 Speaker 3: more of these quotes from the cabinet members. The cabinet 518 00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:33,840 Speaker 3: members in this book described said. One said quote, the 519 00:27:33,840 --> 00:27:36,200 Speaker 3: staff did him wrong. If you were with him every 520 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:38,359 Speaker 3: day and you knew this was going to be a problem, 521 00:27:38,400 --> 00:27:41,000 Speaker 3: why didn't you go to him and say something. Another 522 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:44,400 Speaker 3: said quote, access dropped off considerably in twenty twenty four, 523 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:47,960 Speaker 3: and I didn't interact with him as much. A third 524 00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:51,199 Speaker 3: said quote, Yes, the president is making the decisions, but 525 00:27:51,240 --> 00:27:53,840 Speaker 3: if the inner circle is shaping them in such a way, 526 00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:57,160 Speaker 3: is it really a decision? And here was another cabinet secretary. 527 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:00,080 Speaker 3: I don't think he has dementia. But the thing thing 528 00:28:00,200 --> 00:28:02,080 Speaker 3: is he's an old man. The president can give you 529 00:28:02,119 --> 00:28:04,359 Speaker 3: four to six good hours a day. When he got tired, 530 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:07,439 Speaker 3: sloppy isn't the right word, but his guard was down. 531 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:09,800 Speaker 3: That would be the commander in chief of the United States. 532 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:11,680 Speaker 1: I want to go back to the last quote, Sata, 533 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:15,639 Speaker 1: that you just said about the people around the president. 534 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:19,120 Speaker 1: Now that it's over, now that everybody knows the kign 535 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:21,880 Speaker 1: of decline, Now that the books are being written. They're 536 00:28:21,920 --> 00:28:24,080 Speaker 1: telling you they may have only gotten four hours a 537 00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:26,879 Speaker 1: day out of the President United atspiragra. That is maybe 538 00:28:26,920 --> 00:28:29,320 Speaker 1: one of the most shocking statements I've ever heard about 539 00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:29,919 Speaker 1: any president. 540 00:28:30,040 --> 00:28:30,240 Speaker 6: Yet. 541 00:28:30,240 --> 00:28:34,440 Speaker 3: Look, it's he was not mentally capable to do the job. 542 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:36,280 Speaker 3: They knew it, and they lied about it. And by 543 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:39,480 Speaker 3: the way, Jake Tapper's whole premise that gosh, little old 544 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:42,440 Speaker 3: me Jake was deceived. They just didn't tell me the truth. 545 00:28:42,520 --> 00:28:46,680 Speaker 3: I just didn't know. Well, Jake, if you listened to Verdict, 546 00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:49,320 Speaker 3: we were telling you the facts, and we were telling 547 00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:51,080 Speaker 3: you the facts early on here. I want you to 548 00:28:51,120 --> 00:28:53,640 Speaker 3: go back to January of twenty twenty four. I want 549 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:55,640 Speaker 3: you to listen to a segment of Enemy in the 550 00:28:55,680 --> 00:29:00,680 Speaker 3: podcast back in January of twenty four talking about Biden's deterioration. 551 00:29:00,760 --> 00:29:01,320 Speaker 3: Give a listen. 552 00:29:02,040 --> 00:29:05,480 Speaker 5: You and I and kind of anyone with eyes and 553 00:29:05,600 --> 00:29:08,920 Speaker 5: common sense have been observing for a long time that 554 00:29:09,040 --> 00:29:13,880 Speaker 5: Joe Biden's cognitive decline is massive. But it's easy for 555 00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:17,920 Speaker 5: some observers to dismiss that and say, you know, these 556 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:20,800 Speaker 5: guys are biased, they're partisans, they don't like Biden. So 557 00:29:20,880 --> 00:29:26,960 Speaker 5: what they're saying is not true. In this instance, the 558 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:31,479 Speaker 5: people speaking are the Biden Department of Justice and not 559 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:34,520 Speaker 5: any department of justice. This is a department of Justice 560 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:38,240 Speaker 5: that has proven itself the most politicized and partisan department 561 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:43,800 Speaker 5: of justice in history, and they have argued so for example. 562 00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:45,440 Speaker 3: I'm going to read you a paragraph from the report. 563 00:29:46,520 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 3: In his interview with our office, mister Biden's memory was worse. 564 00:29:51,960 --> 00:29:56,720 Speaker 3: He did not remember when he was vice president, forgetting 565 00:29:56,800 --> 00:29:59,040 Speaker 3: on the first day of the interview when his term 566 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:03,200 Speaker 3: ended quote if it was twenty thirteen, when did I 567 00:30:03,240 --> 00:30:06,920 Speaker 3: stop being vice president? And forgetting on the second day 568 00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:11,080 Speaker 3: of the interview when his term began quote in two 569 00:30:11,160 --> 00:30:16,000 Speaker 3: thousand and nine, am I still vice president? He did 570 00:30:16,040 --> 00:30:21,720 Speaker 3: not remember even within several years when his son Bo died, 571 00:30:22,840 --> 00:30:28,000 Speaker 3: and his memory appeared hazy when describing the Afghanistan debate 572 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:32,280 Speaker 3: that was once so important to him, among other things, 573 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:37,480 Speaker 3: he mistakenly said he quote had a real difference of 574 00:30:37,560 --> 00:30:43,840 Speaker 3: opinion with General Carl Aitkinberry, when in fact Aitkinberry was 575 00:30:43,880 --> 00:30:49,320 Speaker 3: an ally whom mister Biden cited approvingly in his thanksgiving 576 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:50,760 Speaker 3: memo to President Obama. 577 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:55,760 Speaker 5: All of that was authored by the Biden Department of Justice. 578 00:30:55,800 --> 00:30:59,760 Speaker 5: And when they are describing the sitting president as a 579 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:05,440 Speaker 5: well meaning elderly man with a poor memory, the natural 580 00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:08,640 Speaker 5: question for anyone to say is, holy crap. If he's 581 00:31:08,680 --> 00:31:12,080 Speaker 5: not competent to stand trial, why is he the commander 582 00:31:12,120 --> 00:31:15,280 Speaker 5: in chief with the authority to send our sons and 583 00:31:15,360 --> 00:31:18,800 Speaker 5: daughters into harm's way? Why does he have access to 584 00:31:18,880 --> 00:31:22,800 Speaker 5: the nuclear codes? Understand the description here They say, you 585 00:31:22,840 --> 00:31:25,640 Speaker 5: couldn't charge him with a crime because he's not aware 586 00:31:25,680 --> 00:31:29,560 Speaker 5: of enough to have the requisite mental intent. And yet 587 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:34,680 Speaker 5: Joe Biden tonight, if he's so desired, could literally exterminate 588 00:31:34,840 --> 00:31:38,520 Speaker 5: humanity from the face of the planet. As commander in chief, 589 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:42,560 Speaker 5: if he gave the order launch the nuclear weapons now, 590 00:31:44,000 --> 00:31:48,840 Speaker 5: unless the military refused to obey the commander in chief, 591 00:31:49,280 --> 00:31:52,880 Speaker 5: Joe Biden could exterminate every life on this planet. And 592 00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:57,040 Speaker 5: if he's not mentally competent to stand trial, that is terrifying. 593 00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:00,040 Speaker 5: So that was a year and a half ago, a 594 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:02,440 Speaker 5: year and a half ago on this podcast, And understand 595 00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:05,760 Speaker 5: the entire basis of Tapper's book is he couldn't possibly 596 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:08,600 Speaker 5: know about known about this mental decline. The Department of 597 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:11,000 Speaker 5: Justice in this would be the Biden Department of Justice 598 00:32:11,080 --> 00:32:14,320 Speaker 5: went into court. So the Robert Herr Report, Remember they 599 00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:16,240 Speaker 5: did not prosecute Biden. 600 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:17,800 Speaker 2: And where was that? I wonder do you remember the 601 00:32:17,800 --> 00:32:19,040 Speaker 2: timeframe on that. 602 00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:20,440 Speaker 3: That was early twenty four. 603 00:32:20,520 --> 00:32:23,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, we covered it a lot, and that with them 604 00:32:23,520 --> 00:32:24,920 Speaker 2: interviewing him in twenty three. 605 00:32:25,560 --> 00:32:28,440 Speaker 1: So in twenty three when they were interviewing Joe Biden, 606 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:32,520 Speaker 1: they then in twenty four told America he's so bad 607 00:32:32,560 --> 00:32:34,480 Speaker 1: off we can't even charge him with anything. 608 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:37,880 Speaker 3: So they concluded if they charged him, he would be 609 00:32:37,960 --> 00:32:42,320 Speaker 3: found not competent to be convicted. That is a stunning. Look, 610 00:32:42,320 --> 00:32:44,480 Speaker 3: there's a standard. There are people that are not competent 611 00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:46,920 Speaker 3: to be tried. If you have dementia, if you're like 612 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:50,360 Speaker 3: mentally ill, that you're not able that The legal standard 613 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:53,200 Speaker 3: is you have to form what's called mensraa, which is intent. 614 00:32:53,720 --> 00:32:56,080 Speaker 3: And they said, well, he's so old and senile, we 615 00:32:56,200 --> 00:32:58,600 Speaker 3: can't charge him. So that's why they said, oh, yeah, 616 00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:01,840 Speaker 3: he clearly violated the law to felony. Remember he kept 617 00:33:01,880 --> 00:33:05,920 Speaker 3: classified materials everywhere including his garage next to his antique car. 618 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:07,440 Speaker 2: Not a joke, that's real. 619 00:33:08,040 --> 00:33:11,280 Speaker 3: And they said he was guilty of that, but they 620 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:13,360 Speaker 3: couldn't charge him because he was incompetent to Centrial. I 621 00:33:13,400 --> 00:33:16,920 Speaker 3: want you to listen in twenty twenty three to me 622 00:33:17,040 --> 00:33:21,600 Speaker 3: laying out his mental decline and MSNBC Morning Joe making 623 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:22,720 Speaker 3: fun of me for it gives. 624 00:33:22,560 --> 00:33:25,280 Speaker 2: Us like one of their big intros. May fourth, twenty 625 00:33:25,400 --> 00:33:26,200 Speaker 2: twenty three. 626 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:32,920 Speaker 5: Twenty eleven, when Republicans in the House stood strong on 627 00:33:32,960 --> 00:33:36,000 Speaker 5: the death ceiling again because Democrats had had majority of 628 00:33:36,000 --> 00:33:39,960 Speaker 5: the Congress for two years, had passed trillions in irresponsible spending, 629 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:43,280 Speaker 5: and Republicans stood strong and said, we will not raise 630 00:33:43,320 --> 00:33:46,360 Speaker 5: the death ceiling without serious fiscal reform. 631 00:33:46,400 --> 00:33:48,680 Speaker 2: What happened then? 632 00:33:48,800 --> 00:33:52,640 Speaker 5: Vice President Joe Biden came and negotiated a deal, a 633 00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:56,320 Speaker 5: deal called the Budget Control Act. Vice President Biden sat 634 00:33:56,400 --> 00:34:02,160 Speaker 5: down with House Republicans and reached a meaningful compromise. President 635 00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:05,640 Speaker 5: Joe Biden needs to do the same thing, and I'll say, sadly, 636 00:34:06,880 --> 00:34:11,799 Speaker 5: the reason he hasn't so far, I believe is because 637 00:34:12,160 --> 00:34:14,200 Speaker 5: his mental faculties are too diminished. 638 00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:18,160 Speaker 2: Right now, you know, I know, hold on, hold on, 639 00:34:18,200 --> 00:34:18,600 Speaker 2: hold on. 640 00:34:19,560 --> 00:34:23,160 Speaker 9: He has such a point, his mental faculties are so 641 00:34:23,280 --> 00:34:29,520 Speaker 9: diminished that he passed more bipartisan signed more bipartisan legislation, 642 00:34:29,640 --> 00:34:30,920 Speaker 9: but he was doing it. 643 00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:38,080 Speaker 8: Last year than any president since LBJ. My god, if 644 00:34:38,080 --> 00:34:40,760 Speaker 8: he were his coaching as he had been in twenty eleven, 645 00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:44,040 Speaker 8: but he could have been like you could have gone 646 00:34:44,120 --> 00:34:45,040 Speaker 8: back to FDR. 647 00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:48,840 Speaker 5: What else he did without without apparently realizing what he 648 00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:49,279 Speaker 5: was doing. 649 00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:55,320 Speaker 2: He like, held NATO together to fight aggression in Ukraine. 650 00:34:55,440 --> 00:34:59,960 Speaker 9: And my god, I know he only increased eight hundre 651 00:35:00,040 --> 00:35:02,200 Speaker 9: and miles border NATO with. 652 00:35:03,120 --> 00:35:05,479 Speaker 3: Russia exactly, but I guess he you know, he thought 653 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:07,080 Speaker 3: he was happen. 654 00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:09,239 Speaker 9: You know, it reminds me of Ronald Reagan when he 655 00:35:09,360 --> 00:35:12,600 Speaker 9: was speaking at Harvard a eurek in college grad and 656 00:35:12,640 --> 00:35:14,880 Speaker 9: he's sitting there talking to the grads and he's making 657 00:35:14,920 --> 00:35:17,440 Speaker 9: fun of his education. At the end, he goes, you know, 658 00:35:17,600 --> 00:35:20,840 Speaker 9: sometimes I just sit here with a presidential seal in 659 00:35:20,880 --> 00:35:23,640 Speaker 9: front of him, and I wonder what I could have 660 00:35:23,719 --> 00:35:24,440 Speaker 9: been with a. 661 00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:32,440 Speaker 1: Good get go back and read David, go back and 662 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:35,200 Speaker 1: read Reagan. He says, By golly, I mean, I love this. 663 00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:36,600 Speaker 1: And by the way, we do know who was doing 664 00:35:36,680 --> 00:35:38,399 Speaker 1: it now. It was either an autopin or a bunch 665 00:35:38,400 --> 00:35:39,239 Speaker 1: of old staffers. 666 00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:42,719 Speaker 3: So I'm curious that I may have missed this. But 667 00:35:42,840 --> 00:35:45,800 Speaker 3: as Joe Scarborough apologized for lying to America. 668 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:48,680 Speaker 2: No, he's probably writing a book about the decline of 669 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:49,320 Speaker 2: Joe Biden. 670 00:35:49,360 --> 00:35:53,719 Speaker 3: Howka apologized, has MSNBC as NBC. If any of them apologized, 671 00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:57,400 Speaker 3: they knew he was mentally diminished and they covered it 672 00:35:57,480 --> 00:36:00,920 Speaker 3: up because they were partisans and they supported his agenda. 673 00:36:01,440 --> 00:36:03,400 Speaker 3: To heck with whether we had a competent commander in 674 00:36:03,440 --> 00:36:03,920 Speaker 3: chief or not. 675 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:07,680 Speaker 1: As always, thank you for listening to Verdict with senter 676 00:36:07,760 --> 00:36:10,200 Speaker 1: Ted Cruz Ben Ferguson with you don't forget to deal 677 00:36:10,280 --> 00:36:12,480 Speaker 1: with my podcast and you can listen to my podcast 678 00:36:12,560 --> 00:36:14,520 Speaker 1: every other day you're not listening to Verdict or each 679 00:36:14,600 --> 00:36:17,040 Speaker 1: day when you listen to Verdict. Afterwards, I'd love to 680 00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:20,160 Speaker 1: have you as a listener to again the Ben Ferguson podcasts, 681 00:36:20,160 --> 00:36:22,600 Speaker 1: and we will see you back here on Monday morning.