WEBVTT - Rep. Crane - Never Stop Fighting the Swamp 0:00:11.697 --> 0:00:14.977 You're listening to The Buck Sexton Show podcast, make sure 0:00:14.977 --> 0:00:17.977 you subscribe to the podcast on the iHeartRadio app or 0:00:18.017 --> 0:00:21.137 wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, everybody, welcome to the 0:00:21.177 --> 0:00:26.177 Buck Sexton Show. This episode, we have Congressman Eli Crane 0:00:26.257 --> 0:00:30.137 with this now. He represents the second Congressional district out 0:00:30.177 --> 0:00:35.017 in Arizona. He's also a former Navy seal. Honored to 0:00:35.057 --> 0:00:37.937 speak me to Congressman, I was there when you were 0:00:37.977 --> 0:00:39.977 just before being a congress but I knew you were 0:00:39.977 --> 0:00:42.137 gonna win. So I feel good about that prediction. Now, 0:00:42.137 --> 0:00:42.857 thanks for being with. 0:00:42.857 --> 0:00:46.217 Us, Thanks Buck, and thanks for having me on while 0:00:46.217 --> 0:00:47.777 I was campaigning. Man, I appreciate it. 0:00:48.017 --> 0:00:50.417 Yeah, absolutely well. And I had had a feeling about 0:00:50.417 --> 0:00:53.337 that one. It was one of the few, one of 0:00:53.377 --> 0:00:56.057 the few elections in twenty twenty two that I was 0:00:56.897 --> 0:00:59.617 invested in, and that weren't the way I wanted to 0:00:59.817 --> 0:01:02.737 So it's like you de said this in Florida. You know, 0:01:02.777 --> 0:01:06.057 there were some others that Anna Paulina she did well. 0:01:06.097 --> 0:01:08.377 I know you know her, your colleague in Congress, but 0:01:08.417 --> 0:01:11.897 there were certainly some close even in Arizona. And I 0:01:11.937 --> 0:01:13.737 could actually ask you about that, if that's cool. In 0:01:13.737 --> 0:01:16.577 a little bit. But let's let's start with this. As 0:01:16.617 --> 0:01:18.817 I'm sitting here talking to you, there's all these headlines 0:01:19.377 --> 0:01:23.577 about the debt ceiling and how if we default, it's 0:01:23.617 --> 0:01:26.137 going to be dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria, 0:01:26.177 --> 0:01:29.457 Horrible things are gonna happen. Can you just square away, like, 0:01:30.097 --> 0:01:32.657 how many months has this negotiation been going on? What 0:01:32.697 --> 0:01:35.817 have Republicans done? What are Republicans asking for? Because it 0:01:35.857 --> 0:01:37.177 hasn't really gotten much attention. 0:01:39.017 --> 0:01:41.577 Yeah, so this has been going on for a long time, Buck, 0:01:41.657 --> 0:01:44.177 and you know, it's it's interesting and it's kind of 0:01:44.217 --> 0:01:47.737 pretty cool. I think that Republicans actually passed a bill 0:01:47.777 --> 0:01:50.937 out of the House. I know, most people didn't think 0:01:50.977 --> 0:01:54.417 that we'd be able to do that, especially when you have, 0:01:54.737 --> 0:01:59.337 you know, a pretty staunch group of conservatives that you know, 0:02:00.697 --> 0:02:03.417 did test raising the debt sailing, spending more money that 0:02:03.457 --> 0:02:05.897 we don't have. You know, many of you know it 0:02:05.977 --> 0:02:08.777 is the Freedom Caucus. There's some folks outside the Freedom 0:02:08.817 --> 0:02:14.737 Caucus that are very fiscally responsible as well, and so 0:02:14.857 --> 0:02:16.897 it was pretty it was pretty interesting that we were 0:02:16.937 --> 0:02:19.857 able to pass that. And when I look the reason 0:02:19.897 --> 0:02:22.177 that I voted for it, I was one of the 0:02:23.257 --> 0:02:25.137 You know, some people might say I was the swing 0:02:25.217 --> 0:02:27.097 vote on that one. I think I was the last 0:02:27.097 --> 0:02:30.057 guy to actually vote for it. Time had expired. I 0:02:30.097 --> 0:02:32.857 was putting my voting card in and I was sweating bullets, man, 0:02:32.897 --> 0:02:35.897 because I felt so torn. I know that we'll never 0:02:36.017 --> 0:02:38.817 turn this country around by continuing to spend money that 0:02:38.857 --> 0:02:41.977 we don't have, and so going into it that whole 0:02:42.057 --> 0:02:44.017 week and leading up to it, I was a pretty 0:02:44.017 --> 0:02:48.697 hard note. And then you know, I kept talking to 0:02:48.857 --> 0:02:50.937 other members in the Freedom Caucus and they were basically 0:02:50.977 --> 0:02:53.817 telling me, Eli, nothing, nothing even close to this, has 0:02:53.857 --> 0:02:57.297 ever come to the House floor. We've never had, you know, 0:02:57.377 --> 0:03:00.537 the chance to pass something with this this many heavy 0:03:00.577 --> 0:03:03.457 cuts in it, solid cuts that go after woke and 0:03:03.537 --> 0:03:08.497 weaponize spending of the federal government. And also the thing 0:03:08.537 --> 0:03:10.617 that really put me over the edge to vote for it, 0:03:10.657 --> 0:03:14.297 Buck was, you know, folks in my district. We did 0:03:14.377 --> 0:03:18.577 some pulling and some surveying. The night before and the 0:03:18.617 --> 0:03:21.377 morning of after, I was on a town hall call, 0:03:21.497 --> 0:03:24.777 and you know, the vast majority, like ninety percent of 0:03:24.817 --> 0:03:26.617 the people that I was talking to on the town 0:03:26.657 --> 0:03:30.017 hall wanted me to support the debt ceiling cuts. Once 0:03:30.057 --> 0:03:31.977 I told them what was in it, you know, what 0:03:32.017 --> 0:03:35.537 the pros, what the cons were, and that really surprised me. 0:03:35.657 --> 0:03:37.577 I did not think the folks in my district would 0:03:37.577 --> 0:03:40.097 want me to vote for it, but the vast majority 0:03:40.097 --> 0:03:43.617 on that call did so then we did. I thought, well, 0:03:43.737 --> 0:03:45.777 maybe we should cast a wider net and see if 0:03:45.817 --> 0:03:50.337 this sentiment is larger in my district, and so we 0:03:50.377 --> 0:03:52.377 did that the next day, and I think we had 0:03:52.417 --> 0:03:55.297 close to five hundred respondents, and I think the I 0:03:55.297 --> 0:03:58.257 think it was seventy nine point six percent of people 0:03:58.937 --> 0:04:02.017 that responded asked me to vote for it, knowing what 0:04:02.057 --> 0:04:04.817 we were getting with it, And you know, Buck, I swore, 0:04:05.897 --> 0:04:08.137 you know, even though that's not the way I was leaning. 0:04:08.177 --> 0:04:09.817 I swore that if I did come up here in 0:04:09.857 --> 0:04:12.057 the people Arizona sent me to represent them, that I 0:04:12.097 --> 0:04:15.297 wouldn't be a representative that just comes up here, here's 0:04:15.337 --> 0:04:17.337 what they have to say, and then then I vote 0:04:17.377 --> 0:04:21.817 the complete opposite way, you know. And so their voice 0:04:22.017 --> 0:04:23.857 and what they want means a lot to me. And 0:04:23.897 --> 0:04:25.657 that was one of those times, and I'm sure there'll 0:04:25.657 --> 0:04:28.297 be other times in the future where what my gut 0:04:28.337 --> 0:04:30.977 and my instinct are telling me and what they want 0:04:31.497 --> 0:04:33.577 you know, are two different things, and so that as 0:04:33.617 --> 0:04:36.777 a representative who actually wants to represent your people, that's 0:04:36.777 --> 0:04:38.497 a pretty tough tough spot. 0:04:39.537 --> 0:04:43.737 So Converso, what do the Republicans want cut, you know, 0:04:43.817 --> 0:04:46.937 in this deal? What are they seeking? What? What kind 0:04:46.977 --> 0:04:50.977 of numbers, either as a percentage or an overall figure. 0:04:52.057 --> 0:04:55.617 What what would be a you know, in your mind, 0:04:55.657 --> 0:05:00.257 an acceptable outcome here, assuming that there's some negotiation on 0:05:00.297 --> 0:05:03.377 the part of the Democrats. After the House Republicans have 0:05:03.377 --> 0:05:06.377 already passed the continued funding. 0:05:07.937 --> 0:05:10.417 Well, like I said, you know, that would it's hard 0:05:10.417 --> 0:05:12.897 for me to even get to there on that one. 0:05:12.977 --> 0:05:15.417 So I don't want to see anything come back that's 0:05:15.417 --> 0:05:17.897 weaker than what we've already passed in the House. But 0:05:17.977 --> 0:05:20.617 the things that we're looking for, Buck, we definitely want 0:05:20.657 --> 0:05:23.417 to pump the brakes on the federal spending up here. 0:05:23.617 --> 0:05:27.857 So we wanted to cut back spending to twenty two 0:05:28.217 --> 0:05:32.697 non defense discretionary spending levels. Some of the things that 0:05:32.737 --> 0:05:35.257 we were going after, as you probably know, Buck, we 0:05:35.297 --> 0:05:38.977 were going after the money for the doubling of the IRS, 0:05:39.057 --> 0:05:42.177 the eighty seven thousand new IRS agents. We wanted to 0:05:42.297 --> 0:05:45.857 snatch that money and really try to protect the American 0:05:45.897 --> 0:05:48.977 people from that. We went after the Green New Deal 0:05:49.057 --> 0:05:52.177 or the Inflation Reduction Act as they changed the name 0:05:52.257 --> 0:05:54.577 of it, and after some of those funds. We went 0:05:54.617 --> 0:05:58.937 after some of the COVID recession funds, funds that were 0:05:59.657 --> 0:06:02.577 put out there from the federal government to localities, states 0:06:02.577 --> 0:06:05.737 and communities that haven't been spent yet and are just 0:06:05.817 --> 0:06:07.897 you know, sitting in a fund. We went We were 0:06:07.897 --> 0:06:10.537 trying to closs some of that back. We also after 0:06:10.577 --> 0:06:15.897 the college bailout deal that you know, put Americans up 0:06:15.937 --> 0:06:19.217 in a complete rage because you know that they don't 0:06:19.217 --> 0:06:22.977 believe and they quite frankly shouldn't have to pay to 0:06:23.057 --> 0:06:25.817 bail out folks that have taken you know, college loans. 0:06:25.857 --> 0:06:27.937 And so those are some of the things that we 0:06:27.977 --> 0:06:30.857 went after. As you can tell, those pull pretty well 0:06:30.857 --> 0:06:34.537 with the American people. And like I said, you know, 0:06:34.777 --> 0:06:36.377 here's the deal, buck, You know the deal. If you 0:06:36.697 --> 0:06:38.817 up here in this town, if you go after anything, 0:06:38.817 --> 0:06:41.857 if you try and cut anything, you'll be they will 0:06:41.897 --> 0:06:44.097 find ways to demonize you. One of the ways they 0:06:44.177 --> 0:06:46.297 tried to demonize us was saying that we were going 0:06:46.337 --> 0:06:51.737 after veteran disabilities. Matter of fact, the Secretary of Veterans 0:06:51.817 --> 0:06:57.377 Affairs himself, you know, allowed that that organization, that institution 0:06:57.497 --> 0:06:59.417 to put out a memo saying that we were going 0:06:59.497 --> 0:07:03.617 to cut veteran benefits by twenty two And it was 0:07:03.697 --> 0:07:07.817 crazy because we never Republicans never said anything like that 0:07:08.857 --> 0:07:12.257 at all. And so, you know, it's been it's been interesting, 0:07:12.377 --> 0:07:15.857 you know, getting you know, some experience with just a 0:07:15.937 --> 0:07:18.257 machine up here, how it works, and if you try 0:07:18.297 --> 0:07:23.617 and start making changes, uh, you know, the slander and 0:07:23.657 --> 0:07:26.817 the lies that the swamp will start to generate to 0:07:26.857 --> 0:07:27.617 protect itself. 0:07:29.177 --> 0:07:33.777 How has Speaker McCarthy done up to this point? I 0:07:33.857 --> 0:07:36.657 mean you were you were involved, if I recall correctly, 0:07:37.017 --> 0:07:41.177 in making sure that it would be a different speakership 0:07:41.257 --> 0:07:43.417 than what some would have expected, right, I mean, you 0:07:43.457 --> 0:07:46.537 were part of the group that weren't just willing to say, 0:07:46.577 --> 0:07:49.817 oh yeah, sure, whoever the whoever the system wants, we're 0:07:49.817 --> 0:07:52.417 gonna we're going to just put forward and that there 0:07:52.417 --> 0:07:54.377 was discussion. There were discussions, and there when there were 0:07:54.377 --> 0:07:59.137 concessions made. From what I understand, the Speaker's numbers in 0:07:59.217 --> 0:08:03.017 terms of favorables among Republicans has gone up pretty considerably. 0:08:03.577 --> 0:08:05.817 Almost six months. You know, here we are into the year. 0:08:06.337 --> 0:08:09.417 So how how would you assess how the Speaker's been 0:08:09.457 --> 0:08:11.697 and some of the that, you know, what has surprised 0:08:11.737 --> 0:08:13.257 you on the positive side. 0:08:14.617 --> 0:08:16.897 You know, I want to call balls and strikes, Buck. 0:08:16.977 --> 0:08:20.257 I think everybody knows that. You know, I didn't vote 0:08:20.257 --> 0:08:23.057 for Kevin McCarthy for fifteen rounds. I was one of 0:08:23.097 --> 0:08:26.537 the final four left at the end of that, and 0:08:26.577 --> 0:08:28.297 I still didn't vote for him at the end of it. 0:08:29.057 --> 0:08:31.697 But I got to give him credit. I've I've told 0:08:31.737 --> 0:08:34.417 other people and I'll tell you, tell you and your audience. 0:08:34.457 --> 0:08:36.937 I think he's doing a really good job. That being said, 0:08:36.977 --> 0:08:40.217 I will point out the fact that he's incentiveized to 0:08:40.257 --> 0:08:43.057 do a very good job because there are there are 0:08:43.097 --> 0:08:47.657 some you know, Republicans and some Conservatives that you know, 0:08:48.497 --> 0:08:52.297 we will we will hold the speaker accountable for deals 0:08:52.297 --> 0:08:56.137 that he's made, you know, with the Conservative group so 0:08:56.177 --> 0:08:58.057 that he could become speaker. And I'm going to tell 0:08:58.057 --> 0:09:01.737 you something, Buck, that job that he has, you know, 0:09:01.857 --> 0:09:04.577 I wish I wouldn't wish that on anybody, you know, 0:09:04.857 --> 0:09:07.857 I know, nobody, nobody else in the party really wanted it. 0:09:08.377 --> 0:09:10.897 And I think he's done a really good job. And 0:09:11.617 --> 0:09:15.617 you know, I pray for his success because it's important 0:09:15.657 --> 0:09:17.257 to the country that he does do a good job. 0:09:18.017 --> 0:09:20.537 Yeah, sometimes the job that has the big office just 0:09:20.577 --> 0:09:22.937 means that the cage you're in is a little bigger, 0:09:22.977 --> 0:09:25.017 you know what I mean. It's not always It's not 0:09:25.057 --> 0:09:27.577 always all it's cracked up to be. People feel like, oh, 0:09:27.657 --> 0:09:30.337 the speaker is so much power. I'm sure there's a 0:09:30.657 --> 0:09:32.537 there's a lot of that that people really say. I 0:09:32.537 --> 0:09:36.297 want to talk to you about Ukraine, the GOP position 0:09:36.417 --> 0:09:39.457 on it and what we should do about it. Obviously, 0:09:39.457 --> 0:09:41.817 you're a former Navy seal, you're a guy who saw combat. 0:09:41.897 --> 0:09:44.057 Let's let's talk about that. We come back in a second. 0:09:44.337 --> 0:09:46.057 For everyone watching at home, I want to say, please 0:09:46.097 --> 0:09:48.617 subscribe to the YouTube channel. If you've made it this far. 0:09:48.697 --> 0:09:51.897 Really appreciate you hanging out with us, but subscribe, and 0:09:52.057 --> 0:09:55.177 that way you'll see more of these deep dive interviews 0:09:55.177 --> 0:09:57.337 that we're going to be putting out on the channel. 0:09:57.457 --> 0:10:01.977 So click the subscribe button. They're on the screen. And also, 0:10:02.097 --> 0:10:04.217 I'm a big believer in getting a great night sleep. 0:10:04.217 --> 0:10:06.577 I think it's really important. And now you've got to 0:10:06.617 --> 0:10:08.857 check out the mypill at two point. Oh, I mean 0:10:08.857 --> 0:10:10.857 you're thinking yourself, I've already got pillows, Buck, you don't 0:10:10.857 --> 0:10:12.817 have the MyPillow two point oh. Yet you need it 0:10:13.057 --> 0:10:14.737 all right. The My Pillow two point oh has the 0:10:14.777 --> 0:10:17.897 patented adjustable fill of the original MyPillow, but now has 0:10:17.937 --> 0:10:21.257 brand new exclusive fabric made with temperature regulating thread. Terry 0:10:21.257 --> 0:10:22.777 and I have these on our bed here at home. 0:10:23.257 --> 0:10:25.217 They're just so comfortable. I mean, the MyPillow is amazing. 0:10:25.257 --> 0:10:27.057 I obviously built a company, but the two point oh 0:10:27.217 --> 0:10:29.137 just refines it a little bit more. It's just that 0:10:29.257 --> 0:10:32.257 little extra something to make you sleep just a little better, 0:10:32.297 --> 0:10:34.617 feel a little more comfortable at night. The MyPillow two 0:10:34.657 --> 0:10:36.337 point oh is a buy one, get one free for 0:10:36.337 --> 0:10:39.297 a limited time with promo code Buck. It's made with, 0:10:39.337 --> 0:10:42.217 like I said, temperature regulating technology and all one hundred 0:10:42.217 --> 0:10:45.297 percent made in the USA. Plus, the MyPillow two point 0:10:45.337 --> 0:10:47.297 oh comes with a ten year warranty and a sixty 0:10:47.377 --> 0:10:49.977 day money back guarantee. Go to my pillow dot com, 0:10:50.017 --> 0:10:52.937 click on the radio listener special square for this buy one, 0:10:53.057 --> 0:10:55.257 get one free offer on the MyPillow two point oh 0:10:55.337 --> 0:10:57.457 and enter promo code Buck when you go to my 0:10:57.577 --> 0:10:59.297 pillow dot com get your promo co I would get 0:10:59.337 --> 0:11:03.857 your my pillow. Two point. Oh, Congressman, how are we 0:11:03.937 --> 0:11:10.737 doing in terms of policy and support to Ukraine? Do 0:11:10.777 --> 0:11:13.817 you think that the Biden administration is going too far? 0:11:13.897 --> 0:11:15.817 The provision of F sixteen's has gotten a lot of 0:11:15.857 --> 0:11:18.897 attention recently. How worried are you that we could be 0:11:19.097 --> 0:11:22.057 drawn even further into this and perhaps even see the 0:11:22.137 --> 0:11:24.817 spark of a broader conflagration. I don't want to say 0:11:24.817 --> 0:11:27.137 world War three, but that's what people talk about. 0:11:28.537 --> 0:11:31.497 I've been worried about it from the beginning, Buck, I've 0:11:31.497 --> 0:11:34.737 been very outspoken about it from the beginning for multiple reasons. 0:11:35.297 --> 0:11:38.137 I know our own conference is divided on this issue. 0:11:38.257 --> 0:11:42.217 I acknowledge that, you know, I understand the arguments on 0:11:42.257 --> 0:11:44.217 the other side. But the reason that I've been worried 0:11:44.217 --> 0:11:46.817 about it and outspoken about it from the beginning are 0:11:47.257 --> 0:11:50.377 one because, first of all, we can't afford it here. 0:11:50.417 --> 0:11:54.177 We are having debt limit talks, We're reaching our debt 0:11:54.177 --> 0:11:58.297 limit in the United States of America, and we continue 0:11:58.337 --> 0:12:03.177 to send tens of billions. How many hundred billion or 0:12:03.577 --> 0:12:06.977 so plus is it now that we've sent over to Ukraine? Buck, 0:12:07.017 --> 0:12:09.017 I don't even know what the figure is at this 0:12:09.137 --> 0:12:13.137 point it's way too much money, you know, So one 0:12:13.177 --> 0:12:16.337 we can't afford it. Two we're escalating, uh, you know, 0:12:16.377 --> 0:12:21.417 a possible conflict with Russia, you know, which could become 0:12:21.537 --> 0:12:24.457 very bad, very quickly. That doesn't even that's just Russia 0:12:24.497 --> 0:12:28.497 by themselves, not to even mention some of their allies 0:12:28.897 --> 0:12:32.017 that are you know, some pretty serious actors around the 0:12:32.017 --> 0:12:36.697 world that could cause some some serious damage to a 0:12:36.737 --> 0:12:40.457 Western alliance if we're even able to form one, you know. So, 0:12:40.577 --> 0:12:43.017 I think that this has been this has been something 0:12:43.057 --> 0:12:46.657 that many of us have been you know, kind of 0:12:46.697 --> 0:12:50.217 canary in the mind shaft on just calling it out 0:12:50.217 --> 0:12:52.777 from the beginning, because we are concerned about the escalation. 0:12:52.857 --> 0:12:55.657 We're concerned about spending money that that we don't have, 0:12:55.817 --> 0:13:00.777 spending you know, our resources, our ammunition, et cetera, that 0:13:00.897 --> 0:13:04.617 we might need for another conflict, for a real ally. 0:13:04.857 --> 0:13:07.257 It has been an ally of ours for a very long, 0:13:07.617 --> 0:13:08.257 very long time. 0:13:08.417 --> 0:13:10.377 Do you think there's a there's a greater will There 0:13:10.417 --> 0:13:15.897 are veterans like you right who understand that what warfare 0:13:16.457 --> 0:13:20.897 is like, what it entails, what the losses are that 0:13:20.977 --> 0:13:23.617 come from war, even a war that you're you know, 0:13:23.817 --> 0:13:28.377 winning in a national sense. The destruction and loss of 0:13:28.457 --> 0:13:31.457 life and loss of many of your best people in 0:13:31.497 --> 0:13:34.697 a country is something that comes along with that. Are 0:13:35.617 --> 0:13:38.177 we at a place now where we can have more 0:13:38.177 --> 0:13:41.857 honest conversations, you think than before about whether or not 0:13:42.017 --> 0:13:45.057 this is a war that we should be fighting? Or 0:13:45.137 --> 0:13:49.497 is there still this overriding sense of if you oppose 0:13:50.137 --> 0:13:54.177 the establishment on the need for this war, you're unpatriotic 0:13:54.377 --> 0:13:56.577 or you're not. Do you know what I mean? You 0:13:56.617 --> 0:13:59.257 think because of a Rock and Afghanistan we're able to 0:13:59.297 --> 0:14:01.537 have a more honest talk or is that? Is that 0:14:01.617 --> 0:14:05.337 a little bit to giving too much credit to the 0:14:05.657 --> 0:14:08.537 honesty and the dialogue over warfare these days? 0:14:10.537 --> 0:14:12.817 You know, I give a lot of credit and I 0:14:12.897 --> 0:14:14.977 know a lot some people disagree with this, but I 0:14:15.017 --> 0:14:17.897 give a lot of credit to former President Donald Trump 0:14:18.017 --> 0:14:22.577 and just his America First agenda because, quite frankly, Buck, 0:14:22.817 --> 0:14:25.537 I think he caused many of us, including myself, to 0:14:25.697 --> 0:14:30.577 really rethink some of our foreign policy views. He made 0:14:30.657 --> 0:14:33.937 many of us ask is this the best thing for America? 0:14:34.017 --> 0:14:36.937 Is this the best thing for American citizens? Should should 0:14:36.937 --> 0:14:39.897 we be involved in this? How much? How much money 0:14:39.897 --> 0:14:42.777 should NATO be spending should they be solving their own 0:14:43.297 --> 0:14:45.777 problems over in Europe or should we continue to try 0:14:45.777 --> 0:14:49.217 and be the world police. And so I've always felt 0:14:49.257 --> 0:14:52.057 like we can have we can and we should be 0:14:52.057 --> 0:14:55.337 able to have a you know, serious, real conversation about this. 0:14:56.657 --> 0:14:58.897 I know some of my colleagues tend to be, you know, 0:14:58.977 --> 0:15:04.177 much more hawkish when it comes to national security and 0:15:05.217 --> 0:15:07.297 a lot of these a lot of these foreign wars. 0:15:07.337 --> 0:15:10.257 But I mean, like you mentioned, Buck, we're coming off 0:15:10.257 --> 0:15:13.377 the heels of you know, two decades of wars, you know, 0:15:14.417 --> 0:15:18.657 a bunch of veteran issues. Again, We're thirty two trillion 0:15:18.657 --> 0:15:21.657 dollars in debt. We're voting on our debt ceiling right now. 0:15:21.857 --> 0:15:23.857 And when you look at some of the other hotspots 0:15:23.897 --> 0:15:27.817 around the world, with folks that I would argue have 0:15:27.897 --> 0:15:30.617 been allies to the US for far longer than Ukraine, 0:15:30.697 --> 0:15:34.417 like Taiwan and even Israel, I think that, you know, 0:15:35.417 --> 0:15:37.617 I'm concerned that we're not going to have the resources 0:15:37.697 --> 0:15:40.657 necessary to help out you know, some of our some 0:15:40.737 --> 0:15:44.577 of our real friends. You know, if if if they 0:15:44.657 --> 0:15:47.337 get attacked, do you think. 0:15:47.177 --> 0:15:49.857 That we would even under the Biden administration, Let's just 0:15:49.897 --> 0:15:52.897 put it that way. If China invaded Taiwan. Do you 0:15:52.937 --> 0:15:55.017 think that we would take military action or would we 0:15:55.537 --> 0:16:00.017 meeting with the Biden White House, do a lot of 0:16:00.057 --> 0:16:03.417 diplomatic resolutions and angry letters, But how do you think 0:16:03.457 --> 0:16:04.257 they would respond. 0:16:05.377 --> 0:16:07.897 I don't think that we would do anything. Buck. I 0:16:07.977 --> 0:16:12.417 believe that this uh, this administration has been co opted 0:16:12.457 --> 0:16:15.817 and corrupted by the CCP. I just came from a 0:16:15.817 --> 0:16:18.817 Homeland Security Committee hearing where we were talking to an 0:16:18.817 --> 0:16:22.057 individual from the FBI about this very thing, you know, 0:16:22.097 --> 0:16:24.737 and you've got to ask, why is a why is 0:16:24.777 --> 0:16:27.577 a Chinese by balloon allowed to fly over the United 0:16:27.577 --> 0:16:30.137 States for a week. Why do they have you know, 0:16:30.217 --> 0:16:33.537 police stations here. Why are they able to buy up 0:16:33.537 --> 0:16:37.137 farmland near some of our military institutions. Why do they 0:16:37.137 --> 0:16:41.097 have some of the education you know, facilities like the 0:16:41.097 --> 0:16:43.577 Confucius Institutes here in the United States. And I know 0:16:43.617 --> 0:16:45.297 a lot of some of this stuff has been going on, 0:16:45.537 --> 0:16:48.617 you know, before President Biden. But when now when you 0:16:48.617 --> 0:16:50.657 look at some of the investigations that are coming out 0:16:50.697 --> 0:16:55.537 of Oversight and Judiciary where they're showing literally showing the 0:16:55.657 --> 0:16:59.937 receipts and they're talking to you know, telling the American people, Hey, 0:16:59.937 --> 0:17:04.097 We've seen these receipts in the treasury of you know, uh, 0:17:04.377 --> 0:17:08.377 businesses groups tied to the CCP sending money to the 0:17:08.377 --> 0:17:12.137 Biden family, you know, and not just not just the Chinese, 0:17:12.137 --> 0:17:14.937 but other countries as well, to the tune of millions 0:17:14.937 --> 0:17:19.497 of dollars. I think that's called elite captured Buck, And 0:17:19.577 --> 0:17:21.337 I think you know, I think you know a little 0:17:21.377 --> 0:17:25.297 bit about that. And often nations and work, we're not 0:17:25.377 --> 0:17:28.097 above it. We'll do it. We'll do it ourselves. Any 0:17:28.217 --> 0:17:30.977 nation out there trying to gain an advantage on another 0:17:31.097 --> 0:17:37.057 nation will look to co opt and corrupt high ranking officials, family, 0:17:37.177 --> 0:17:41.057 family members, et cetera. And uh, I don't know what else. 0:17:41.177 --> 0:17:42.657 I don't know what else to say about it. I 0:17:42.697 --> 0:17:45.057 don't know how how you could not look at what's 0:17:45.097 --> 0:17:49.217 going on with Hunter Biden, the Biden family, the dealings 0:17:49.257 --> 0:17:52.497 that they've had with other countries for years now, the 0:17:52.497 --> 0:17:56.337 fact that they don't have any business businesses whatsoever. One 0:17:56.337 --> 0:17:58.737 of my colleagues in the hearing, you know, Buck, made 0:17:58.897 --> 0:18:01.417 a comparison to the Trump family and you know, their 0:18:01.457 --> 0:18:03.777 their family dealings overseas, and I said, you know, one 0:18:03.777 --> 0:18:07.657 of the big differences between the Biden and Trump business 0:18:07.657 --> 0:18:12.337 dealings overseas is the Trumps actually have businesses. They own hotels, resorts, 0:18:12.497 --> 0:18:16.097 et cetera, you know, et cetera, and the Biden family doesn't. 0:18:16.297 --> 0:18:18.657 They don't have any businesses. They have a bunch of 0:18:18.697 --> 0:18:22.737 shell companies, a bunch of LLC's that they've set up, 0:18:23.057 --> 0:18:26.657 and it really appears they've done that to launder money. 0:18:26.937 --> 0:18:29.537 What were they selling. It's an excellent it's such an 0:18:29.577 --> 0:18:32.017 excellent point you bring up. You know, if you're operating 0:18:32.017 --> 0:18:36.137 a hotel, your people come in, go, they stay overnight, 0:18:36.257 --> 0:18:39.297 They you know, buy a cheeseburger or something, a couple 0:18:39.337 --> 0:18:41.817 of pints of beer, they go on about their business. 0:18:42.137 --> 0:18:46.417 That's the Trump version of international business. The Biden family 0:18:46.537 --> 0:18:48.897 version is pay me a lot of money so that 0:18:48.937 --> 0:18:50.817 I can get you close to my dad who's running 0:18:50.857 --> 0:18:54.017 US foreign policy in Ukraine, for example, under the Biden 0:18:54.097 --> 0:18:57.257 I mean, under the Obama administration. Right. So, what do 0:18:57.297 --> 0:19:00.657 you say to constituents, though, Eli, when they come up 0:19:00.697 --> 0:19:03.297 to you and they say, Congressman Crane, how can I 0:19:03.337 --> 0:19:06.937 trust the FBI and the irs? Given all the whistleblower 0:19:07.017 --> 0:19:09.577 information that's come out and all the information we already 0:19:09.617 --> 0:19:12.537 know from the laptop and everywhere else about Biden family 0:19:12.577 --> 0:19:14.817 corruption and nothing is done. Like, what can you say 0:19:14.817 --> 0:19:15.657 to them? 0:19:16.377 --> 0:19:18.497 You know, it's really hard, Buck, And that's not what 0:19:18.617 --> 0:19:21.137 they asked me. They asked me why I'm not doing more. 0:19:21.857 --> 0:19:25.137 It's sad because then I have to tell them, you know, hey, 0:19:24.937 --> 0:19:29.057 we have we have powers and authorities in Congress, but 0:19:29.097 --> 0:19:32.937 throwing people in jail isn't one of them. And so, 0:19:33.297 --> 0:19:35.537 you know, the people of this country, Buck, as you know, 0:19:35.577 --> 0:19:39.737 they're so disenfranchised. They can't believe what they're seeing going 0:19:39.737 --> 0:19:42.097 on in their country. You know, if I'm sitting up 0:19:42.137 --> 0:19:45.817 here talking about our commander in chief and his family's 0:19:45.977 --> 0:19:49.777 business dealings with the Chinese Communist Party and other states, 0:19:49.817 --> 0:19:52.337 and I don't do that lightly. There was never a 0:19:52.377 --> 0:19:55.617 time as a young boy where I one ever wanted 0:19:55.657 --> 0:19:58.897 to run for Congress, let alone wanted to see the 0:19:58.937 --> 0:20:02.257 country that I love and have fought for become what 0:20:02.297 --> 0:20:05.697 it is today. And you know, it really concerns me 0:20:05.737 --> 0:20:09.537 as a father and just the trajectory that we're on 0:20:10.217 --> 0:20:14.417 and how partisan things have become to where we'll have 0:20:14.657 --> 0:20:17.857 you know, there's one set of standards for people that 0:20:18.137 --> 0:20:19.737 you know, vote the way I do and there's a 0:20:19.817 --> 0:20:23.177 completely set of standards for the folks that vote the 0:20:23.257 --> 0:20:26.297 completely opposite way, and justice is supposed to be blind. 0:20:26.817 --> 0:20:30.497 And I know we have you know, there's a nefarious 0:20:30.537 --> 0:20:33.777 activity on both sides of the aisle. But at some point, Buck, 0:20:33.857 --> 0:20:37.657 you have to ask yourself, what is Hunter Biden still 0:20:37.697 --> 0:20:43.537 doing walking the streets? Is Joe Biden going to be impeached? 0:20:43.697 --> 0:20:46.977 Because as secretary of my work is going to be impeached. 0:20:47.417 --> 0:20:50.657 I mean, it's just it's bizarre to me that this 0:20:50.897 --> 0:20:54.777 dystopian land that we live in and the constituents that 0:20:54.817 --> 0:20:59.177 I represent their their heartbroken. And that's what I think. 0:20:59.177 --> 0:21:01.257 That's one of the only reasons that they sent me, Buck, 0:21:01.337 --> 0:21:05.657 because they thought, hey, maybe this guy who has never 0:21:05.697 --> 0:21:08.617 been in politics, who usually wears a ball cap, maybe 0:21:08.657 --> 0:21:11.457 he'll actually fight for us. And you know, that's what 0:21:11.497 --> 0:21:14.137 I'm trying to do up here. You know, I'm learning 0:21:14.177 --> 0:21:16.337 every day, but that's what I'm trying to do. 0:21:16.417 --> 0:21:20.177 Man, Well, we appreciate that. And this is I knew 0:21:20.217 --> 0:21:22.177 that about you even when you were running, which is 0:21:22.177 --> 0:21:25.537 why we were doing our best on radio to try 0:21:25.577 --> 0:21:28.177 to help pull you over the finish line. And I 0:21:28.217 --> 0:21:30.977