1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: One hundred days into his administration, President Biden has finally 2 00:00:04,240 --> 00:00:07,840 Speaker 1: addressed a joint session of Congress sword of with a 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:11,480 Speaker 1: State of the Union address. Sword of the room was 4 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:15,000 Speaker 1: largely empty. There were lots of masks, people going in 5 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:17,720 Speaker 1: and out. We will cover all of that. Senator Cruz 6 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:24,320 Speaker 1: rather was there in the room, Senator any reports. Senator 7 00:00:30,880 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 1: Welcome back to Verdict with Ted Cruz. I'm Michael Knowles. 8 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:38,880 Speaker 1: I have often been called boring but radical, and Senator 9 00:00:38,880 --> 00:00:41,080 Speaker 1: I guess you've been getting a lot of that these days. 10 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 1: You had the finest moment of the night. I'm sort 11 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: of damning with faint praise because that State of the 12 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 1: Union address was unbearable to watch, and I could I 13 00:00:51,560 --> 00:00:54,480 Speaker 1: really empathized with you in the room because the TV 14 00:00:54,640 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: cameras caught you front and center dozing off during the speech. Well, look, 15 00:00:59,480 --> 00:01:02,760 Speaker 1: the whole thing was sixty three minutes. I'm amazed that 16 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:06,319 Speaker 1: I didn't sleep more during the speech. I mean, I 17 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:10,320 Speaker 1: mean it was so. It was actually on this podcast 18 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:14,039 Speaker 1: about a month two months ago, that we actually coined 19 00:01:14,080 --> 00:01:16,919 Speaker 1: the three word summary for the Biden administration of boring 20 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:21,720 Speaker 1: but radical. It was on Verdict, and that prediction had 21 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:24,040 Speaker 1: proven right, and in fact, going into the State of 22 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:27,319 Speaker 1: the Union, I did a bunch of preview interviews where 23 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:29,760 Speaker 1: reporters say, okay, well, what's tonight going to be? And 24 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: I said, it's going to be boring but radical. I 25 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:36,320 Speaker 1: didn't realize just how true that was, so like in 26 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: both directions, in both the boring side and the radicals. 27 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:43,679 Speaker 1: The radical didn't surprise me. It was I was trying 28 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:47,840 Speaker 1: to stay awake and it you know, actually one of 29 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: the reasons why it was so boring. So there's a 30 00:01:50,880 --> 00:01:53,720 Speaker 1: weird aspect of State of the Unions. And actually you 31 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: and I talked about this last Date of the Union, 32 00:01:57,160 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: which is there's kind of a game Republicans Democrats play. 33 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:04,680 Speaker 1: If it's your party, you're pop it up like pop 34 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:08,080 Speaker 1: goes the weasel on every sentence, like yeay, yeay, yeay. 35 00:02:08,400 --> 00:02:12,040 Speaker 1: And what's interesting is if you're in the out of 36 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:15,800 Speaker 1: power party, So if you're a Democrat when Trump's president, 37 00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 1: if you're a Republican, what Obama Biden's president. A State 38 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:22,360 Speaker 1: of the Union is often kind of a complicated thing 39 00:02:22,360 --> 00:02:25,120 Speaker 1: because you're listening to each sentence and try to evaluate 40 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 1: do I clap, do I not clap? Do I stand 41 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 1: do I not stand? And you know, look, the Supreme 42 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:33,679 Speaker 1: Court justice is the generals. They kind of clap and 43 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:36,079 Speaker 1: stand for nothing other than the beginning of the speech, 44 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:40,440 Speaker 1: and occasionally America is good, and then there's sort of 45 00:02:40,440 --> 00:02:44,959 Speaker 1: statements in between. This was bizarre. It is the only 46 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:46,800 Speaker 1: this is the now the ninth State of the Union, 47 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:50,040 Speaker 1: or that kind of speech that I've been to. There 48 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:54,240 Speaker 1: was virtually nothing for any Republican to clap at. I mean, 49 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:58,519 Speaker 1: it was strange. There were whole swaths of I don't know, 50 00:02:58,600 --> 00:03:02,000 Speaker 1: seem like ten fifteen minutes where we're just sitting there 51 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:05,920 Speaker 1: and every word out of Biden's mouth is directed only 52 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:09,799 Speaker 1: to Democrats, and it's only Democrats clapping, and he wasn't 53 00:03:09,840 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 1: even throwing like a tiny fig leaf trying to trying 54 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:15,639 Speaker 1: to bring anyone together, trying And that's part of why 55 00:03:16,480 --> 00:03:19,600 Speaker 1: I nodded off and and and you know, helped the 56 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:24,000 Speaker 1: Internet go crazy last night. So in terms of the 57 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:28,079 Speaker 1: big takeaways for people who like you, were nodding off, 58 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:30,640 Speaker 1: not not in the Capitol but in their own homes, 59 00:03:31,800 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 1: what are we supposed to make of this? Because I 60 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:41,320 Speaker 1: almost wish that Biden were more overtly radical, that he 61 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 1: were more exciting because he would be calling more people's 62 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:46,440 Speaker 1: attention to what he's trying to do. So what is 63 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 1: he trying to do? What is going to get done? 64 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:51,800 Speaker 1: And do Republicans have any hope? Well, Michael, your point 65 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:55,520 Speaker 1: is really important that that the boring is by design. 66 00:03:56,440 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 1: It's a mask, it's a facade. It's designed to hide 67 00:04:00,320 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: just how extreme the policies are that are being implemented 68 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 1: by the way. Interestingly enough, I also saw screenshots of 69 00:04:07,160 --> 00:04:11,040 Speaker 1: at different points Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi both nodding off, 70 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:16,840 Speaker 1: and I guess Met Romney was also filmed nodding off. 71 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 1: And so I I saw Met on the floor today 72 00:04:19,080 --> 00:04:21,080 Speaker 1: and I said, mett Man, you and I apparently need 73 00:04:21,080 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: to get more sleep, and and he laughed and said, 74 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: I wasn't sleeping. I was looking at my phone. It's like, oh, yeah, me, 75 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: I was sleeping. Yeah, I was genuinely like I was 76 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 1: nodding off. And you know, but look, if you look 77 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:44,479 Speaker 1: at what this administration has done, the hard partisan nature 78 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:47,919 Speaker 1: of it is remarkable. They start with a so called 79 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:51,559 Speaker 1: COVID relief bill, get zero Republican votes in the House, 80 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:55,320 Speaker 1: zero Republicans in the Senate. That's actually hard to do. 81 00:04:55,360 --> 00:04:58,360 Speaker 1: I mean, last year we did five COVID relief bills 82 00:04:58,400 --> 00:05:01,880 Speaker 1: that were overwhelmingly bipartisan. I mean, they made the decision 83 00:05:01,920 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 1: they didn't want any Republicans. They wanted a hard partisan bill. Infrastructure, 84 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:10,000 Speaker 1: they're they're two point six trillion dollar infrastructure bill as 85 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:13,840 Speaker 1: written will get zero Republicans. And again, which is hard 86 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:15,360 Speaker 1: to do because there are a lot of Republicans that 87 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:19,279 Speaker 1: care about infrastructure. But Biden's bill, five percent of the 88 00:05:19,279 --> 00:05:22,479 Speaker 1: bill is Rosen Bridges. I mean, it really is absurd. 89 00:05:23,360 --> 00:05:27,400 Speaker 1: And you know, everything on Earth they're going to tax. 90 00:05:27,520 --> 00:05:29,920 Speaker 1: Every tax is going up. I mean, that's there. We're 91 00:05:29,920 --> 00:05:33,520 Speaker 1: looking at trillions and trillions and trillions in new taxes. 92 00:05:33,920 --> 00:05:37,040 Speaker 1: The brazenness of it. You know, you think about the 93 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:40,480 Speaker 1: speech last night, not a word about the crisis of 94 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: the border that his policies have created. By the way, 95 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:45,599 Speaker 1: in the midst of the speech, I don't I don't 96 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:47,280 Speaker 1: know how much of this made it on TV. But 97 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:50,800 Speaker 1: Lauren Boebert, who's, you know, a new freshman House member 98 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:53,160 Speaker 1: and someone I like and helped get elected and support 99 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:56,800 Speaker 1: and she's a fireball. But but midway through the speech, 100 00:05:56,880 --> 00:06:01,640 Speaker 1: she pulled out of her bag a a reflective emergency blanket. 101 00:06:03,080 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: Uh like, like the children are wrapped in in in 102 00:06:06,440 --> 00:06:09,120 Speaker 1: the cages on the border, and she wrapped herself up 103 00:06:09,440 --> 00:06:12,479 Speaker 1: in the reflective emergency blanket. I gotta tell you, Kevin 104 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:15,280 Speaker 1: McCarthy is sitting in front of her and turns and 105 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:21,239 Speaker 1: just glares with dagger eyes. I was doubled over laughing. 106 00:06:22,200 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 1: But but it was an interesting sort of quiet protest 107 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:30,160 Speaker 1: of the hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants that that 108 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 1: Biden is ignoring and the crisis that he's created, that 109 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:37,000 Speaker 1: that he's ignoring, you know, not a word about the 110 00:06:37,040 --> 00:06:40,760 Speaker 1: massive debt, not a word about you know, not a 111 00:06:40,839 --> 00:06:45,840 Speaker 1: word of graciousness to President Trump and Operation Warped Speed. 112 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:50,400 Speaker 1: I mean, he just crowed about the vaccines without acknowledging 113 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:53,039 Speaker 1: that he laughed at Trump when when he said that 114 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: we would have a vaccine by the end of the year. 115 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 1: And that's of course exactly what they did. So I 116 00:06:57,760 --> 00:07:01,279 Speaker 1: thought the substance and so of it. If you actually 117 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:07,640 Speaker 1: hired an actor to give the identical speech but in 118 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 1: an angry partisan tone, yeah, people would have been shocked. 119 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:15,840 Speaker 1: I mean, it really is. It's almost a theatrical thing 120 00:07:15,840 --> 00:07:20,960 Speaker 1: of having these you know, soporific tones, which which as 121 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:23,960 Speaker 1: you know, being being a yalily. Soporific is an underused term, 122 00:07:24,520 --> 00:07:28,080 Speaker 1: but but it literally means putting people to sleep, and 123 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:31,880 Speaker 1: last night that was a literal use of the word. Yeah. 124 00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: You know, this has been Biden's great advantage, certainly in 125 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:39,320 Speaker 1: the last several years, which is, if you just read 126 00:07:39,360 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 1: the text of the speech last night, that would have, 127 00:07:41,720 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 1: I think put a lot of Republicans on their guard. 128 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:47,200 Speaker 1: If Kamala Harris, for instance, gave that speech, I think 129 00:07:47,200 --> 00:07:48,800 Speaker 1: it would have put a lot a lot of people 130 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:52,760 Speaker 1: in defensive But because it's it's Biden, it lulls everyone 131 00:07:52,960 --> 00:07:57,240 Speaker 1: into this false sense of security. There was, however, one 132 00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:01,520 Speaker 1: moment I noticed of quasi almost bipartisanship, and it was 133 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 1: the moment when Joe Biden began to take ownership of 134 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:11,440 Speaker 1: a major Trump policy, or at least a presumptive Trump policy, 135 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 1: which was getting out of Afghanistan. And was very curious 136 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:20,120 Speaker 1: was in that room the Democrats applauded, the Republicans weren't applauding. 137 00:08:20,560 --> 00:08:24,280 Speaker 1: With a couple of exceptions, Yeah, when President Biden said 138 00:08:24,280 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 1: We're going to pull out of Afghanistan. There were that 139 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:30,720 Speaker 1: I saw only two Republicans who applauded. I applauded, and 140 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 1: Mike Lely applauded, and the rest of our side of 141 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:38,040 Speaker 1: the aisle sat there, stone faced, just looking at him. 142 00:08:38,080 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 1: And I think that's unfortunate, because I think this is 143 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:43,440 Speaker 1: an area where President Trump was right and he was 144 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:47,800 Speaker 1: leaning in to end the endless wars that we've been 145 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:51,440 Speaker 1: in Afghanistan. It's been twenty years, and it's time to 146 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:53,680 Speaker 1: bring our sons and daughters home. That doesn't mean we 147 00:08:53,800 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 1: stop killing terrorists and defending our nation, but we don't 148 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 1: need to be on the front lines of a battle 149 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 1: front for generations. And you're now literally having having soldiers 150 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:10,880 Speaker 1: serving on a front that their parents served on, and 151 00:09:10,880 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: and that that that's a pretty strong sign that we've 152 00:09:13,400 --> 00:09:18,200 Speaker 1: been there too long. Yeah, this issue is one that 153 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 1: I think shows the way that the GOP, you know, 154 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:24,120 Speaker 1: is kind of transforming from the way that it once 155 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:26,640 Speaker 1: was and the way that Biden is transforming. Let's not 156 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:29,800 Speaker 1: forget the decision to restart the war in Afghanistan to 157 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:32,559 Speaker 1: really surged the troops there. That was an Obama Biden 158 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:35,719 Speaker 1: decision back when when President Obama came into office. But 159 00:09:35,720 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 1: but other than that one brief moment, it did seem 160 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 1: extraordinarily divisive. And then there was the visual fact that 161 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:45,559 Speaker 1: you had the masks in the room, you had Joe Biden, 162 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 1: who was very much pushing this idea of public health 163 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:52,360 Speaker 1: crisis and we're not allowed to go back to normal, 164 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:57,760 Speaker 1: and everything about it just felt so eerie. When when 165 00:09:57,840 --> 00:09:59,640 Speaker 1: are we going to be able to get back to normal? 166 00:10:00,000 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 1: How are we going to be able to push this 167 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:04,679 Speaker 1: unified government to get us back to Look, I thought 168 00:10:04,760 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 1: there was an enormous amount of political theater now and 169 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,440 Speaker 1: listen State of the Union. There's always political theater. But 170 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:15,080 Speaker 1: when it comes to COVID and masks, every person in 171 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:18,880 Speaker 1: that room has been vaccinated, and we're also spread out, 172 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 1: so we were far away from each other. I actually 173 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:23,800 Speaker 1: think it's idiotic that anyone was wearing a mask. And 174 00:10:24,160 --> 00:10:26,680 Speaker 1: there was a little moment at the beginning of the speech. 175 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:29,120 Speaker 1: I don't know if you saw when Biden goes up there, 176 00:10:29,160 --> 00:10:31,200 Speaker 1: he walks up at his mask, because of course he does, 177 00:10:31,920 --> 00:10:34,959 Speaker 1: and then he turns and looks to Nancy Pelosi and 178 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:39,320 Speaker 1: ask permission before he removes his mask. It may have 179 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 1: been the most beta moment for a US president in history, 180 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:47,000 Speaker 1: and it was just pitiful. And look, I gotta tell you, 181 00:10:47,120 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 1: I was conflicted on what to do. So for I 182 00:10:50,360 --> 00:10:53,400 Speaker 1: think three weeks now, I have not been wearing a 183 00:10:53,440 --> 00:10:57,040 Speaker 1: mask on the Senate floor. And you've made a big 184 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:59,120 Speaker 1: point about this. There have been reporters who have said, 185 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:01,200 Speaker 1: please put a mask, and you've said, you're more than 186 00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:03,719 Speaker 1: welcome to walk away from me. But I've been inoculated. Hey, 187 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:06,720 Speaker 1: you know, and listen, I'm not a zealot on mask issues. 188 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:09,400 Speaker 1: I wore a mask for a year on the Senate floor. 189 00:11:09,440 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 1: This is a dangerous disease. I thought, take reasonable precautions 190 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:18,280 Speaker 1: makes sense. But in the Senate it's every person or 191 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:25,960 Speaker 1: virtually every person has been vaccinated, and it doesn't make it. 192 00:11:26,000 --> 00:11:29,199 Speaker 1: I believe in vaccines, and so it's interesting. I just 193 00:11:29,679 --> 00:11:32,000 Speaker 1: so Rand Paul has not worn a mask throughout. He 194 00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:35,320 Speaker 1: was kind of the loan in the heat of the pandemic. 195 00:11:35,360 --> 00:11:37,160 Speaker 1: Now he got the disease. So he said, look, I 196 00:11:37,200 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 1: got the disease. I have have antibodies, which is reasonable. 197 00:11:40,240 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 1: But Rand was the only one of a hundred that 198 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:44,200 Speaker 1: wasn't wearing a mask for months and months and months, 199 00:11:45,040 --> 00:11:49,040 Speaker 1: and then after everyone got vaccinated, and you know, Michael, 200 00:11:49,080 --> 00:11:52,800 Speaker 1: you'll remember I actually delayed getting vaccinated, so they offered 201 00:11:52,880 --> 00:11:57,120 Speaker 1: us the vaccines I think early January, and I didn't 202 00:11:57,160 --> 00:12:00,880 Speaker 1: think it was right for members of cong to cutting line. 203 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:05,040 Speaker 1: I mean, I'm relatively young, relatively healthy. I get that. 204 00:12:05,120 --> 00:12:07,240 Speaker 1: A whipper snapper like you doesn't think I'm that young. 205 00:12:07,280 --> 00:12:10,480 Speaker 1: But but you know, you know, compared to my colleagues 206 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:12,720 Speaker 1: in the Senate, I'm still in short shorts and wearing 207 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:15,880 Speaker 1: a beanie. It's true. And you remember when the polio 208 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:18,439 Speaker 1: vaccine came out, so you're you know, you're well acquainted 209 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:22,040 Speaker 1: with all these vaccines, and so you know, I said, 210 00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 1: all right, I'm gonna wait and let seniors get the vaccine. 211 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:27,560 Speaker 1: I'm gonna let first responders get the vaccine. It's not 212 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:30,320 Speaker 1: right for me to cutting line. And I did that 213 00:12:30,440 --> 00:12:32,920 Speaker 1: until about March. And at March there had been tens 214 00:12:32,960 --> 00:12:35,440 Speaker 1: of millions of vaccines. The people who were at highest 215 00:12:35,559 --> 00:12:38,320 Speaker 1: risk had had the opportunity to get the vaccine. And 216 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:40,079 Speaker 1: then I said, okay, I'll get it. So I've gotten 217 00:12:40,120 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 1: it now. And so a couple of weeks ago, I 218 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 1: just stopped wearing the mask, So what's funny? Two three 219 00:12:45,880 --> 00:12:48,960 Speaker 1: days I stopped wearing the mask walk on the Senate floor, 220 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 1: and nobody notices, Like I was doing it for two 221 00:12:51,640 --> 00:12:55,440 Speaker 1: three days, and it was just a nothing burger. And 222 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:59,439 Speaker 1: then finally one reporter for CNN like sticks a camera 223 00:12:59,480 --> 00:13:01,000 Speaker 1: in my face and it's like, wait, wait, you're not 224 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 1: wearing a mask. Where are you not wearing a mask? 225 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 1: And I said, because we're all vaccinated, And actually this 226 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:08,960 Speaker 1: reporter says, well, I'm not vaccinated. I'm like, well, that's 227 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:14,640 Speaker 1: your choice, Like and the elevation, the elevator closed, and 228 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:18,160 Speaker 1: I remember thinking like, Okay, if you're choosing not to 229 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:21,000 Speaker 1: get a vaccine, you can do that, But what right 230 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:22,880 Speaker 1: do you have to insist that the rest of us 231 00:13:22,920 --> 00:13:26,199 Speaker 1: must wear masks because you've chosen not to get a vaccine. 232 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:29,400 Speaker 1: You don't have a right like it is available to you. 233 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 1: And and so I have not been wearing it for 234 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:36,679 Speaker 1: two three weeks. I did wear my mask last night, 235 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:40,679 Speaker 1: and I sort of struggled with the question. But Pelosi 236 00:13:40,840 --> 00:13:47,679 Speaker 1: is running this, you know, military installation. Do you know 237 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:51,760 Speaker 1: that she is finding house members, finding them if they 238 00:13:51,760 --> 00:13:54,560 Speaker 1: don't wear a mask on the floor, and she is 239 00:13:54,600 --> 00:13:59,000 Speaker 1: insisting that House members go through metal detectors, and as 240 00:13:59,040 --> 00:14:02,520 Speaker 1: idiotic as it is, is because she's afraid some Republican 241 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:05,199 Speaker 1: is going to be packing heat. It's the dumbest thing 242 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:08,839 Speaker 1: I've ever heard. And thankfully the Senate is not that idiotic. 243 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:10,959 Speaker 1: And they actually they took down metal detectors or whatever, 244 00:14:10,960 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 1: because like when I walked in, we didn't go through 245 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 1: metal detectors, but I went ahead and wore the mask 246 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:18,360 Speaker 1: on the house floor because that's sort of what they're 247 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:21,520 Speaker 1: doing there. But but but I felt pretty sheepish for 248 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:26,000 Speaker 1: doing so because it was all theatrics. There is something 249 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:30,040 Speaker 1: deferential and conservative about saying, well, I'm in this chamber 250 00:14:30,080 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 1: now it's being run by this crazy lady, so I 251 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:35,440 Speaker 1: guess I'll follow the rules. But that's exactly what I 252 00:14:35,560 --> 00:14:40,160 Speaker 1: was doing. Yeah, and it is really nice to see 253 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:43,400 Speaker 1: that you've taken this very sensible approach, I think from 254 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:46,280 Speaker 1: the beginning. And I don't think that people on either 255 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 1: side can call you reckless about the masks or particularly zealousy. 256 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 1: They can, but well they certainly will regardless. The only 257 00:14:55,400 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 1: question is now there are so many layers to this question, 258 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 1: and I think and a lot of conservatives are very confused. 259 00:15:02,200 --> 00:15:05,920 Speaker 1: What do we do here? It's not just I recognize 260 00:15:05,960 --> 00:15:08,280 Speaker 1: the pun of many layers to the masks, but you 261 00:15:08,320 --> 00:15:09,960 Speaker 1: do You have some people who say we need to 262 00:15:09,960 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 1: wear three masks. There's some people who say just where 263 00:15:12,600 --> 00:15:14,480 Speaker 1: one mask is fine. Some people are saying you don't 264 00:15:14,480 --> 00:15:16,960 Speaker 1: need to wear a mask. Some people are saying everyone 265 00:15:16,960 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 1: needs to get vaccinated. Some people are saying you need 266 00:15:18,840 --> 00:15:21,320 Speaker 1: a vaccine passport. Some people are saying, ban it at 267 00:15:21,360 --> 00:15:23,800 Speaker 1: the government level, ban it at the private level. What 268 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:29,480 Speaker 1: is the conservative, sensible American way to approach this issue? So, 269 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 1: I think a vaccine passport is a terrible idea, and 270 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 1: I have been vocal and outspoken saying the government shouldn't 271 00:15:35,360 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 1: require it. It It would be horrific if the government did it. 272 00:15:38,240 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 1: And I don't think private businesses should. So I don't 273 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 1: think airlines should. I don't think I don't think private 274 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 1: businesses should. I'm someone who believes in vaccines. I think 275 00:15:47,480 --> 00:15:51,120 Speaker 1: vaccines are a good thing. I've gotten the COVID vaccine, 276 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 1: Heide's gotten the vaccine, My parents have both gotten at 277 00:15:53,880 --> 00:15:57,640 Speaker 1: Heide's parents have gotten it, and I'm encouraging people to 278 00:15:57,640 --> 00:15:59,240 Speaker 1: get it. I'd like to see as many people as 279 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 1: possible get it. But I also believe in individual liberty, 280 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:05,080 Speaker 1: and if you don't want to get it, that's your choice. 281 00:16:05,120 --> 00:16:07,760 Speaker 1: And there are some people who've got health issues for 282 00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:10,120 Speaker 1: whom it may not make sense to get it, and 283 00:16:10,160 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 1: so I think each person should evaluate whether it makes 284 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 1: sense in your circumstances. But you know, I think the 285 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:22,560 Speaker 1: CDC is actually doing real damage with the arbitrariness of 286 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:27,840 Speaker 1: their their rules. So for example, even after people get vaccinated, 287 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 1: they're still idiotically saying, oh, well, we're wear masks here 288 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:33,960 Speaker 1: and there and everywhere, and it's like, well, wait a second. 289 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:36,920 Speaker 1: If we want people to get vaccinated, one of the 290 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 1: best ways to do so is make clear once you 291 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 1: get vaccinating and take the damn mask off. I mean, 292 00:16:41,520 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 1: I mean that. I think CDC's dragging their feet on 293 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:52,920 Speaker 1: that is very possibly disincentivizing millions of people from getting vaccines. 294 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: And you know, this week they put out the guidance 295 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:57,640 Speaker 1: of Okay, now you don't need to wear a mask 296 00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:01,480 Speaker 1: when you're outside if you've been vaccinated. It's like, well, okay, 297 00:17:01,520 --> 00:17:04,359 Speaker 1: only morons we're doing that, Like like that, thank you, 298 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:06,440 Speaker 1: and like do I need a mask when I'm taking 299 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:11,800 Speaker 1: a shower, like like you haven't clarified that point. Although 300 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:17,959 Speaker 1: did you see Michael, a track coach in Massachusetts, was 301 00:17:18,119 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: fired because he wouldn't make his kids wear masks while 302 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:26,400 Speaker 1: running cross country track outside. He didn't want his students 303 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 1: to collapse in the woods and fall fall down on 304 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:32,400 Speaker 1: a rock. It. You know, there's so much of this 305 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:35,919 Speaker 1: mass stuff that is just petty totalitarianism. It is we 306 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:38,959 Speaker 1: can control you, and we want to control you, and 307 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:41,840 Speaker 1: that's what we're doing. Well, the rules keep changing, but 308 00:17:41,840 --> 00:17:44,600 Speaker 1: it's not really about the rules themselves. I find it's about, 309 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:47,920 Speaker 1: as you say here, the imposition of the rule. Who 310 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:51,080 Speaker 1: gets to impose their will on others? I want to 311 00:17:51,080 --> 00:17:53,000 Speaker 1: go back to something you said though, that I think 312 00:17:53,080 --> 00:17:57,359 Speaker 1: is extraordinarily important. On the question of the vaccine passport. 313 00:17:58,560 --> 00:18:01,080 Speaker 1: A number of governors have been divided on this because 314 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:02,720 Speaker 1: a lot of it's taking place at the state level. 315 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:06,359 Speaker 1: Some are saying we will not have any mandates from 316 00:18:06,400 --> 00:18:10,240 Speaker 1: the government on the vaccine passport. Others are saying, we 317 00:18:10,280 --> 00:18:14,320 Speaker 1: will not permit private businesses to force you to show 318 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:17,080 Speaker 1: your medical history when you come into the bar, or 319 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:19,160 Speaker 1: when you try to go on an airline or something 320 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:21,959 Speaker 1: to that effect well, and you're seeing employers that are 321 00:18:22,400 --> 00:18:25,560 Speaker 1: firing employees for not getting the vaccines, which I think 322 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:30,119 Speaker 1: is terrible. I think that that is deeply, deeply troubling 323 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:33,800 Speaker 1: and shouldn't be allowed. This ties in with something that 324 00:18:33,920 --> 00:18:37,000 Speaker 1: you published yesterday in the Wall Street Journal, and you 325 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 1: did not tell me that this was coming out. It's 326 00:18:39,280 --> 00:18:40,840 Speaker 1: not like I got advanced notice. I just saw the 327 00:18:41,040 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 1: alert in the journal, and I basically stood up and 328 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:47,439 Speaker 1: cheered when I saw this op ed because it's something 329 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:51,440 Speaker 1: that conservatives just don't get except for very few who 330 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 1: are pretty rock ribbed. You said that the era of 331 00:18:55,400 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 1: conservatives shilling for private companies corporations that hate our values 332 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:04,160 Speaker 1: and are opposing our country and are opposing even voter 333 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:07,640 Speaker 1: integrity measures. Ye, that time is over. And you said 334 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 1: that you will not accept corporate pack money in your campaigns. 335 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:14,600 Speaker 1: So that's right. I mean, look, we've we've all been 336 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:20,199 Speaker 1: watching the rise of the woke corporations and these big businesses, 337 00:19:20,200 --> 00:19:24,720 Speaker 1: these Fortune five hundred companies where the CEOs have essentially 338 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:28,840 Speaker 1: decided they're going to be the political enforcers for the 339 00:19:28,960 --> 00:19:31,199 Speaker 1: radical left. They're going to be the muscle for the 340 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:34,720 Speaker 1: Democratic Party and we've seen, whether it's Coca Cola or 341 00:19:34,760 --> 00:19:41,080 Speaker 1: Delta Airlines demogoguing on the Georgia voter integrity law, or 342 00:19:41,160 --> 00:19:45,720 Speaker 1: companies demagoguing on the Texas voter integrity law. And obviously 343 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:48,159 Speaker 1: Major League Baseball yanking the All Star Game out of 344 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:52,320 Speaker 1: Atlanta and moving to lilywhite Denver instead, which which which 345 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:57,920 Speaker 1: just totally beclowns at Atlanta's fifty one percent black, Denver 346 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:03,000 Speaker 1: is nine percent black. So they are so racially woke 347 00:20:03,760 --> 00:20:05,640 Speaker 1: that they're going to take one hundred million dollars out 348 00:20:05,640 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 1: of the pockets of a bunch of African American small 349 00:20:08,080 --> 00:20:12,480 Speaker 1: business owners and move it to a bunch of wealthy 350 00:20:12,480 --> 00:20:16,040 Speaker 1: white people in Denver, like it's weird. Also worth pointing 351 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 1: out that Georgia they left because of the voter integrity law. 352 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:23,439 Speaker 1: Colorado has relatively strict voter laws. It's it's not a 353 00:20:23,480 --> 00:20:26,880 Speaker 1: clear cut issue over which has the more lenient voter laws. 354 00:20:26,880 --> 00:20:30,640 Speaker 1: So the dynamic that's playing out in the Fortune five 355 00:20:30,720 --> 00:20:34,800 Speaker 1: hundred big business is not conservative. They are not our friends. 356 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:38,840 Speaker 1: Many of them are just risk averse and scared, and 357 00:20:39,200 --> 00:20:44,320 Speaker 1: the liberal mob comes after them and they mobilize their employees. 358 00:20:44,320 --> 00:20:47,560 Speaker 1: They mobilize their shareholders, they mobilize the press, and these 359 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:51,640 Speaker 1: CEOs are more than willing to just cave in and 360 00:20:51,760 --> 00:20:55,000 Speaker 1: give the mob whatever they want. And it's really dangerous. 361 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:58,239 Speaker 1: And so what I announced this week is is that 362 00:20:58,280 --> 00:21:01,800 Speaker 1: I am no longer going to accept any corporate pack checks, 363 00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:05,679 Speaker 1: that corporate packs, I won't take their money. And to 364 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:08,320 Speaker 1: give a sense of the magnitude of that, so I've 365 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:10,720 Speaker 1: been in the Senate nine years. Over those nine years, 366 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 1: I've gotten about two point six million dollars in campaign 367 00:21:14,040 --> 00:21:18,240 Speaker 1: contributions from corporate packs. Now I've raised well over one 368 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:20,639 Speaker 1: hundred million dollars during that time, and so that's not 369 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:24,280 Speaker 1: it's not the lion's share of the money that I've raised, 370 00:21:24,320 --> 00:21:26,840 Speaker 1: but it is you know, two point seven million dollars 371 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:30,240 Speaker 1: ain't nothing. And I just decided enough is enough. If 372 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:36,439 Speaker 1: you guys are going to be actively fighting the American people, 373 00:21:36,680 --> 00:21:40,360 Speaker 1: tearing down America, tearing down freedom, I don't want you're 374 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 1: stinking money. And I've called on other other Republicans to 375 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 1: do the same, and I think it's a powerful thing. 376 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 1: And listen, you and I have talked about before. Corporate 377 00:21:51,320 --> 00:21:55,359 Speaker 1: welfare has always been garbage and Republicans have been too 378 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:58,960 Speaker 1: willing to engage in that where big companies come and say, 379 00:21:58,960 --> 00:22:01,439 Speaker 1: give us a subsidy of US corporate welfare, give us 380 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:04,360 Speaker 1: a band date. And I've been fighting against that from 381 00:22:04,440 --> 00:22:08,240 Speaker 1: day one. A lot of other Republicans get sucked in. 382 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 1: So the Export Import Bank, which which serves as essentially 383 00:22:13,119 --> 00:22:17,520 Speaker 1: a giant subsidy for Boeing, a massive corporate welfare scam. 384 00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 1: I've fought against the XM Bank for the entire time 385 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:22,480 Speaker 1: I've been in the Senate, but a whole lot of 386 00:22:22,480 --> 00:22:26,240 Speaker 1: Republicans are eager to carry Boeing's water on that. Major 387 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:31,240 Speaker 1: League Baseball, major League Baseball has a unique exemption from 388 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:36,359 Speaker 1: the antitrust laws that no other sports league has, and 389 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:40,399 Speaker 1: so in response to moving the All Star Game, I 390 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:43,680 Speaker 1: joined with Mike Lee. We introduced legislation to revoke Major 391 00:22:43,720 --> 00:22:47,520 Speaker 1: League Baseball's exemption from the antitrust laws. And I think 392 00:22:47,560 --> 00:22:50,960 Speaker 1: these two should be tied together, which is no corporate 393 00:22:50,960 --> 00:22:53,919 Speaker 1: welfare and no more money from big companies. And I 394 00:22:53,920 --> 00:22:57,359 Speaker 1: think that if other Republicans follow suit, that will be 395 00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:01,720 Speaker 1: a real improvement. I hear this all the time from 396 00:23:01,720 --> 00:23:04,720 Speaker 1: conservatives writing in I'm not talking about elected people. I'm 397 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:08,600 Speaker 1: not talking about Beltway staffers or anything, but just conservatives 398 00:23:08,600 --> 00:23:13,280 Speaker 1: around the country. They say these Republicans are such shills. 399 00:23:13,280 --> 00:23:15,920 Speaker 1: Even the ones who will call out the woke corporations, 400 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:19,560 Speaker 1: they're totally in their pockets. They'll still accept a lot 401 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,560 Speaker 1: of money. I think it is such a great move. 402 00:23:22,560 --> 00:23:25,399 Speaker 1: It said in such a strong message, and it shows 403 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:27,320 Speaker 1: what we all know to be true that there is 404 00:23:27,359 --> 00:23:32,640 Speaker 1: nothing conservative about letting these giant, woke corporations totally undermine 405 00:23:32,680 --> 00:23:35,439 Speaker 1: the American way of life, and that you're not going 406 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:38,600 Speaker 1: to accept their money to do it. Well, big business 407 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:42,400 Speaker 1: gets in bed with big government. Big business likes big government. 408 00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:46,920 Speaker 1: Big business uses government regulations to crush their enemies, to 409 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:50,320 Speaker 1: crush their competition. I think we should be the party 410 00:23:50,320 --> 00:23:51,879 Speaker 1: of the little guy. I think we should be the 411 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:56,840 Speaker 1: party of the entrepreneurs, of the disruptors. The giant companies 412 00:23:57,560 --> 00:24:01,520 Speaker 1: don't need our help, and frankly, the policies they pushed 413 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:06,440 Speaker 1: for are almost uniformly terrible. You know, I was encouraged, 414 00:24:06,520 --> 00:24:11,600 Speaker 1: so I put this op ed out Thursday morning, and 415 00:24:11,960 --> 00:24:15,240 Speaker 1: within a few hours one of my colleagues, Josh Holley, 416 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:18,040 Speaker 1: had already put out on Twitter that he was gonna 417 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:21,639 Speaker 1: follow follow my lead and likewise turned down corporate packs. 418 00:24:22,359 --> 00:24:24,240 Speaker 1: I think that's going to increase the pressure on a 419 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:26,920 Speaker 1: lot of other Republicans to go down the same road. 420 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:30,479 Speaker 1: And if that happens, that's a good thing. I love that. 421 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:33,399 Speaker 1: You know. There was a line in Joe Biden's speech 422 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:38,840 Speaker 1: which was it was totally regurgitated left wing talking points 423 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:41,119 Speaker 1: where he said, you know, the ninety nine percent and 424 00:24:41,160 --> 00:24:43,520 Speaker 1: the one percent, and we've got to make the rich 425 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:46,000 Speaker 1: pay their fair share, even though they already pay virtually 426 00:24:46,000 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 1: all of the taxes. And it was this classic class 427 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:52,520 Speaker 1: warfare sort of stuff. But then I remembered the rich 428 00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:58,440 Speaker 1: and especially corporations voted for Biden, donated to Biden. That 429 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:01,880 Speaker 1: is this I idea that the Democrats are the party 430 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:05,080 Speaker 1: of the working man, and the Republicans are these plutocrats 431 00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:07,159 Speaker 1: with their fancy cigars. I mean, I might have the 432 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:09,879 Speaker 1: fancy cigars, but the idea that we're all rich uncle pennybags, 433 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:13,280 Speaker 1: it's just not what's going on in the parties. And 434 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:15,879 Speaker 1: I can say this, I've spoken multiple cigars with you. 435 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:18,080 Speaker 1: I've never once seen you use one hundred dollar bill 436 00:25:18,119 --> 00:25:19,920 Speaker 1: to light it. And I think you're too chio not 437 00:25:20,160 --> 00:25:22,800 Speaker 1: to do that, which is good. I would advise against 438 00:25:22,840 --> 00:25:26,680 Speaker 1: that fiscal conservative. It'll look you look at the Fortune 439 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:32,000 Speaker 1: one hundred. There are only a handful of CEOs and 440 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:35,560 Speaker 1: the Fortune one hundred who could be remotely characterized as 441 00:25:35,680 --> 00:25:39,919 Speaker 1: right of center. They're almost all Democrats. And that is 442 00:25:40,200 --> 00:25:44,600 Speaker 1: the ethos a big business. Because big business does great 443 00:25:44,680 --> 00:25:49,840 Speaker 1: under the Democrats. They're quite happy with this massive expansion 444 00:25:49,920 --> 00:25:55,320 Speaker 1: of spending and regulations and even taxes. The giant companies 445 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:57,920 Speaker 1: think if you tax everyone, you'll drive the little guys 446 00:25:57,920 --> 00:26:00,400 Speaker 1: out of business, and the big guys will be just fine. 447 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:08,200 Speaker 1: And that's that's bad, right of course. Barry Goldwater put 448 00:26:08,240 --> 00:26:10,360 Speaker 1: it very well in Conscience of a Conservative. He said, 449 00:26:10,600 --> 00:26:14,359 Speaker 1: conservatives need to make war on all monopolies. We need 450 00:26:14,400 --> 00:26:17,600 Speaker 1: to make war on all unlimited power, all of this 451 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:20,679 Speaker 1: unchecked power. And anyway, I don't mean to lay it 452 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 1: on too thick here, but I was just so pleased 453 00:26:23,359 --> 00:26:25,359 Speaker 1: to see that up ed. I hope that all the 454 00:26:25,400 --> 00:26:29,280 Speaker 1: other Republicans feel the pressure. It's absolutely the right direction 455 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 1: for the party. And you know, we've got a lot 456 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:36,280 Speaker 1: of questions in from our wonderful listeners, all of whom 457 00:26:36,440 --> 00:26:39,240 Speaker 1: are they're so great they subscribe, they leave a five 458 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:43,280 Speaker 1: star review on the Apple podcasts, they go to all 459 00:26:43,320 --> 00:26:45,880 Speaker 1: the different platforms, So we really really appreciate that. And 460 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:48,000 Speaker 1: we are not going to get to a single one 461 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:50,960 Speaker 1: of those mail bag questions right now because I want 462 00:26:50,960 --> 00:26:54,160 Speaker 1: to spend most, if not all, of our next episode 463 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:57,240 Speaker 1: on Verdict getting to our listeners in the mail bag. 464 00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:00,320 Speaker 1: So please be sure to send those questions in and 465 00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:03,080 Speaker 1: while you're at it, maybe you subscribe, maybe you'll leave 466 00:27:03,119 --> 00:27:04,800 Speaker 1: a five star off you, maybe you sent it around 467 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:06,840 Speaker 1: to your friends, and we will get into all of 468 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:11,720 Speaker 1: those questions asap. Senator, I'm Michael Knowles. This is Verdict 469 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:23,840 Speaker 1: with Ted Cruz. This episode of Verdict with Ted Cruz 470 00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:27,000 Speaker 1: is being brought to you by Jobs, Freedom and Security Pack, 471 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:32,000 Speaker 1: a political action committee dedicated to supporting conservative causes, organizations, 472 00:27:32,040 --> 00:27:35,639 Speaker 1: and candidates across the country. In twenty twenty two, Jobs, 473 00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:39,160 Speaker 1: Freedom and Security Pack plans to donate to conservative candidates 474 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:43,040 Speaker 1: running for Congress and help the Republican Party across the nation.