1 00:00:01,760 --> 00:00:04,439 Speaker 1: Everyone's going to do well in this country because of tariffs. 2 00:00:04,720 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: We have seven trillion dollars of investment already and that's 3 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 1: coming in. I think for two reasons. It's coming because 4 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 1: of an election that people liked, and it's coming in 5 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:16,760 Speaker 1: because of tariffs. I could name eight right now already 6 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:19,239 Speaker 1: auto plants that are either starting or about ready to 7 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:23,239 Speaker 1: start construction. The non union workers in the automobile industry, 8 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:24,360 Speaker 1: they love Trump. 9 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:28,440 Speaker 2: You're listening to the forty seven Morning Update with Ben Ferguson. 10 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:30,840 Speaker 3: Good Wednesday morning. Ben Ferguson with you, and it's so 11 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:33,000 Speaker 3: nice to have you on the forty seven Morning Up day. 12 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 3: When we started this podcast, the goal was to take 13 00:00:36,040 --> 00:00:38,560 Speaker 3: you behind the scenes of what's happening at the White House, 14 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 3: giving you the three big stories of the day. But 15 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:43,159 Speaker 3: we also told you we're going to give you access 16 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 3: directly the White House. Well, today's show is a perfect 17 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:49,600 Speaker 3: example of that. I spent the day at the White 18 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:54,120 Speaker 3: House talking to different cabinet secretaries and advisors to the 19 00:00:54,120 --> 00:00:57,120 Speaker 3: President of United States of America about the first one 20 00:00:57,240 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 3: hundred days at the White House. 21 00:00:59,400 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 2: We're going to tell you that for you now. 22 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:05,080 Speaker 3: First you're gonna hear from the woman who's in charge 23 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 3: of education, Lenna McMahon, is talking about why she's shutting 24 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:13,480 Speaker 3: down the Department of Education at the Presence Directive and 25 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 3: how important it could be to changing education all over 26 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:19,560 Speaker 3: the country. And then we're going to talk with one 27 00:01:19,560 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 3: of the advisors at the White House about what's happening 28 00:01:22,760 --> 00:01:26,120 Speaker 3: with tariffs as well and some other big issues with 29 00:01:26,200 --> 00:01:29,319 Speaker 3: one hundred day mark. So it's the forty seven Morning 30 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 3: Update from the White House and it starts right now 31 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:35,280 Speaker 3: story number one sitting in front of me as a 32 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:40,040 Speaker 3: woman that has taken on an almost impossible task. I 33 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 3: was so excited when I heard this name, Linda McMahon. 34 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 3: And if you don't know the history of Linda, you 35 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:49,000 Speaker 3: need to google it because she has done some amazing 36 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 3: things in her career. And you get this job, You 37 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 3: get a phone call to become the United States Secretary 38 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 3: of Education. How did this even come about? How is 39 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 3: the phone call that you received from the presid I 40 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:02,440 Speaker 3: got to know the backstory real quick because I think 41 00:02:02,480 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 3: it's so fascinating. 42 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 4: Well, good morning, and thank you very much for having 43 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,800 Speaker 4: me ben it. Well, you may or may not recall, 44 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:12,679 Speaker 4: but I was the co chair of the transition committee 45 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:15,359 Speaker 4: for the President. So we were putting in place all 46 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:19,000 Speaker 4: of the different cabinet secretaries, etc. And you know, I'm 47 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:22,919 Speaker 4: working on everybody else's department. And the President talks to 48 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:24,520 Speaker 4: me and he says, look, he says, I've got the 49 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:27,600 Speaker 4: perfect place for you. And I said, oh, okay, what 50 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:30,960 Speaker 4: are you thinking? He said, Department of Education. I said, well, 51 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,000 Speaker 4: you realize that my background is not, you know, in 52 00:02:34,080 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 4: the world of education. Although I got my certificate to 53 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 4: teach and I was prepared to teach French. I also 54 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:42,920 Speaker 4: served on the Connecticut State Board of Education, and then 55 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:46,440 Speaker 4: I've been on the board of trustees at Sacred Heart 56 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:49,320 Speaker 4: University for sixteen years. I said, so I do have 57 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 4: education background. And he said, look, here's what I want 58 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:54,200 Speaker 4: to do with the Department of Education. I want to 59 00:02:54,240 --> 00:02:57,000 Speaker 4: shut it down. And so I laughed. I laughed, and 60 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,960 Speaker 4: I said, so in other words, excuse me, I said, so, 61 00:03:01,000 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 4: in other words, you want me to preside over my 62 00:03:02,919 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 4: own demise. And he laughed out loud and he said yep. 63 00:03:06,120 --> 00:03:08,840 Speaker 4: He said, I do want you to do that. He said, 64 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 4: and here's what I need, he said, Rather than have 65 00:03:11,240 --> 00:03:13,360 Speaker 4: an educator in place to do this, what I really 66 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 4: need is a business person. I need an executive. I 67 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:18,639 Speaker 4: need a leader who knows how to manage and can 68 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 4: handle this. He said, we need to return education to 69 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:25,679 Speaker 4: the States. He said, I want to take the bureaucracy 70 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 4: out of education and as much money as worth saving 71 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:31,040 Speaker 4: and doing that, I want to make sure that the 72 00:03:31,080 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 4: states can maximize that money and have the programs that 73 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:39,840 Speaker 4: they need in place. So he said, so I need 74 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:42,000 Speaker 4: you to come on board and do that, and I 75 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 4: do that. Yes, II Captain, I'm ready to go. 76 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:47,960 Speaker 3: So you get here and you get this new job, 77 00:03:48,040 --> 00:03:51,200 Speaker 3: and it's an incredible job, and you're putting yourself out 78 00:03:51,240 --> 00:03:54,880 Speaker 3: of business, which is also like a weird mentality to have. 79 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:57,720 Speaker 3: What was the biggest waste of tax dollars that you've 80 00:03:57,760 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 3: uncovered at DOGE And let's start there. 81 00:04:02,040 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 4: Well, I can tell you know they First of all, 82 00:04:04,840 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 4: let me say I welcomed the DOGE group that came 83 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:09,440 Speaker 4: in and has been looking at a lot of the 84 00:04:09,440 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 4: wasteful spending that has been going on. I think one 85 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:13,880 Speaker 4: of the things that jumped out at me was that 86 00:04:13,920 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 4: we had about six hundred million dollars that we were 87 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:22,720 Speaker 4: spending on teacher training programs. Now that's so. Now that sounds, 88 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:26,160 Speaker 4: you know, incredibly like a good amount of money to 89 00:04:26,240 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 4: be spending or on a good thing to train our teachers. 90 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:32,520 Speaker 4: But what we really were finding was that most of 91 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:37,280 Speaker 4: the programs at that point were really focused on DEI training, yeah, 92 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:40,520 Speaker 4: and not on what you would typically be looking at, 93 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 4: you know, for teacher training. And so we took back 94 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,360 Speaker 4: that money and we shut down that kind of training program. 95 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 4: So that was one that just jumped out at me. 96 00:04:49,279 --> 00:04:51,480 Speaker 3: So is it fair to say the Department of Education? 97 00:04:51,839 --> 00:04:55,479 Speaker 3: And I have a sister, she's in an innercy school 98 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:57,640 Speaker 3: and she's doing the best that she can. My mom 99 00:04:57,720 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 3: was a teacher, my aunt was a prince. Like I 100 00:05:00,960 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 3: come from that world. But what is sad to me 101 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:06,880 Speaker 3: is it seems like the Department of Education has basically 102 00:05:06,880 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 3: decided we're going to indoctrinate kids instead of educate kids, 103 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:11,280 Speaker 3: and we're going to do it in a way with 104 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:13,839 Speaker 3: your using taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate them and what we 105 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:16,720 Speaker 3: believe in instead of reading, writing, and arithmetic. How far 106 00:05:16,760 --> 00:05:18,799 Speaker 3: off am I on that from a national standpoint? 107 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:21,640 Speaker 4: You know, far off on that at all? And what 108 00:05:21,680 --> 00:05:24,159 Speaker 4: we have really seen, I mean, think about this ben 109 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:27,880 Speaker 4: The Department of Education was established in nineteen eighty and 110 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:31,120 Speaker 4: since that time, we have spent over three trillion dollars 111 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 4: in education, and our performance scores have continued to go down. 112 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:38,599 Speaker 4: And you know, I don't I don't say there haven't 113 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:40,360 Speaker 4: been things that have been tried. I mean, the Bush 114 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:45,839 Speaker 4: administration tried no child life behind. Yeah, Barack Obama tried 115 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 4: race to the top. But we're failing in the mission 116 00:05:50,839 --> 00:05:53,839 Speaker 4: of teaching our our students. And I think the reason 117 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:56,520 Speaker 4: for that is we have gotten away from basics. We've 118 00:05:56,600 --> 00:06:00,920 Speaker 4: gotten away from teaching reading and teaching arithmetic. And so 119 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:03,480 Speaker 4: what we're finding in schools that are showing improvement in 120 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:07,080 Speaker 4: scores is that they have returned to the science of reading, 121 00:06:07,160 --> 00:06:13,320 Speaker 4: teaching phonics, teaching repetitive you know, just memorization like in 122 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 4: mathematics for your times table and things like that, and 123 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:20,280 Speaker 4: then building upon that base. You know, up through third 124 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,800 Speaker 4: grade you are learning to read, and after third grade 125 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 4: you're reading to learn. And if you can't read, you're 126 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:28,720 Speaker 4: not going to be able to learn. So we found 127 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:31,559 Speaker 4: that a lot of the fall off, if you will, 128 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 4: in education is because we're not teaching the basics, and 129 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 4: so a little return to that basics is great Now 130 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:39,720 Speaker 4: a lot of other things that can be introduced that 131 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 4: can be helpful, like AI yes, because they're at how far. 132 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:46,599 Speaker 3: Behind are we own technology? Oh my gosh, because it 133 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:49,840 Speaker 3: seems like we're back twenty years ago and all of 134 00:06:49,880 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 3: a sudden, now are thirty years ago in technology and 135 00:06:53,040 --> 00:06:55,279 Speaker 3: we're having these kids go out in the world. I 136 00:06:55,360 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 3: laughed the other day I was talking to a group 137 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:01,040 Speaker 3: of students and the students said that it their high school, 138 00:07:01,560 --> 00:07:07,280 Speaker 3: they were still teaching them to do photography and develop film. 139 00:07:07,320 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 3: And You're like, for what reason that doesn't happen anymore? 140 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:12,640 Speaker 4: You're not going to use Is that going to be 141 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 4: Is that going to be their major when they go 142 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 4: off right a career path that they want to be on. 143 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:18,160 Speaker 4: If it's a career path they want to be on 144 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 4: them all for that However. 145 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 3: It's digital now, pictures are digital. They like the teacher 146 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:24,720 Speaker 3: has been there and said, well, this is how we've 147 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:26,920 Speaker 3: always done it. That was a response to students. I'm like, 148 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:30,040 Speaker 3: we're paying that salary to someone who's literally saying I 149 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:31,080 Speaker 3: refuse to move forward. 150 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:33,680 Speaker 4: Yeah, And I just think that just goes to the 151 00:07:33,720 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 4: bigger problem of how I think education is not in 152 00:07:36,960 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 4: touch with the communities. It's not in touch with the 153 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 4: industries that we need. And that's what we need to 154 00:07:41,760 --> 00:07:45,640 Speaker 4: make sure of that we are educating our students for 155 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 4: you know, for their for their livelihood. What you know, 156 00:07:50,080 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 4: what what does industry need? What does the community need? 157 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:56,720 Speaker 4: You'll hear most universities say that we want to make 158 00:07:56,760 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 4: sure we can keep students in the community when we're 159 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:03,240 Speaker 4: when we're training them. But if you don't understand what 160 00:08:03,320 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 4: the community, what industry, what business needs, or what technology needs, 161 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 4: et cetera, you can't construct the proper curriculum to fill 162 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 4: that need, and you'll find we won't be successful. 163 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:18,679 Speaker 3: Next story number two, we're live here at the White House, 164 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 3: and I guess with me now is May Melman, senior 165 00:08:21,720 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 3: policy strategist at the White House and a unique perspective 166 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:30,240 Speaker 3: because she was in forty five in that administration, you're 167 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 3: now in forty seven. We were talking before the show 168 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:34,599 Speaker 3: and I just let's just start with this because I 169 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:38,320 Speaker 3: think it's so cool. This White House is running at 170 00:08:38,360 --> 00:08:41,920 Speaker 3: a different pace than it did with the first time around. 171 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 3: Part of that was learning government. I think part of 172 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:46,280 Speaker 3: it's having a team. This time that seems to be 173 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:50,360 Speaker 3: working as a team and just seems like everyone wants 174 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:53,120 Speaker 3: to win and is getting along. The leaks were not 175 00:08:53,200 --> 00:08:56,319 Speaker 3: seeing like we did last time. It seems like everybody's 176 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:59,040 Speaker 3: a team player. This is really fun to watch on 177 00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 3: the outside. I was the Bush administration and it was 178 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:03,880 Speaker 3: in the second and from four to oho eight, and 179 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:05,680 Speaker 3: it was just a different type of team than we 180 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:08,680 Speaker 3: had in the first part. You got to enjoy watching 181 00:09:08,880 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 3: the past and now the president. How cool was that 182 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:11,760 Speaker 3: for you? 183 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:12,199 Speaker 2: Yeah? 184 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 5: I used to be jealous of what the Bush people 185 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:18,800 Speaker 5: had in the sense that they still did reunions and 186 00:09:18,840 --> 00:09:22,840 Speaker 5: they all hung out with each other and they you know, 187 00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:26,560 Speaker 5: we had our criticisms, certainly, but it felt like they 188 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 5: were all very unified. And I think during Trump one 189 00:09:29,240 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 5: point zero people very much got along. It was friendly. 190 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:35,000 Speaker 5: But people had come from different places. So you had 191 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 5: people who were campaign people, you had people who were 192 00:09:38,120 --> 00:09:42,040 Speaker 5: RNC people, You had people who were either longtime friends 193 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 5: of the family, these sort you know, everyone kind of 194 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:47,440 Speaker 5: had their own different background. But now there is such 195 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:49,200 Speaker 5: a thing as Trump World, and there are people who 196 00:09:49,240 --> 00:09:52,280 Speaker 5: have been here and those they've had relationships and they've 197 00:09:52,840 --> 00:09:55,320 Speaker 5: had ups and downs, with each other, and so it 198 00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 5: is easier to have everybody rowing in the same direction. 199 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:02,160 Speaker 5: And I've had strange experiences that I never had during 200 00:10:02,160 --> 00:10:03,920 Speaker 5: the first time. So during the first time, I was 201 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 5: also writing a lot of executive orders, helping push a 202 00:10:06,880 --> 00:10:09,199 Speaker 5: lot of policies, and I would have to follow up 203 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,480 Speaker 5: and follow up and follow up, and nothing would happen 204 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:15,440 Speaker 5: at the speed and the pace and the level that 205 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:18,079 Speaker 5: I wanted it to. Now, if I write something that's 206 00:10:18,200 --> 00:10:20,960 Speaker 5: very nuanced, I'm careful, Okay, we're not trying to do this. 207 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:23,880 Speaker 5: People will just do it at the one hundred out 208 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:26,280 Speaker 5: of ten, even though we just needed ten out of ten. 209 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:30,240 Speaker 5: That's okay. So the excitement people have been planning, people 210 00:10:30,320 --> 00:10:34,200 Speaker 5: are ready to go, and it does feel very different, 211 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:36,520 Speaker 5: even though it is actually a lot of the same people. 212 00:10:36,559 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 5: I'm working with a lot of the same people, but 213 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:39,880 Speaker 5: it's just different this time. 214 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 3: So let's talk about where we are one hundred days in. 215 00:10:42,920 --> 00:10:46,360 Speaker 3: You're here, your senior pology strategists. I think one of 216 00:10:46,440 --> 00:10:48,520 Speaker 3: the big things that people we are witnessing right now 217 00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 3: they're concerned about is the law fare. There is very 218 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 3: clear a movement by the left, by the Democrats to 219 00:10:56,559 --> 00:11:00,440 Speaker 3: use the court system, and activist judges their allies, they know, 220 00:11:00,679 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 3: are quickly on their team, making sure they're filing things 221 00:11:04,040 --> 00:11:06,240 Speaker 3: in certain courts where they know it'll give them a 222 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 3: favorable opinion, which is against this White House and trying 223 00:11:09,520 --> 00:11:11,920 Speaker 3: to stop the president. Fie law Fair. You guys are 224 00:11:11,920 --> 00:11:13,920 Speaker 3: fighting back. You work with Jason Miller. You guys are 225 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:17,480 Speaker 3: out there hardcore going against this. Where are we now 226 00:11:17,520 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 3: and how big of a roadblock is this going to 227 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:22,720 Speaker 3: be for Trump's agenda getting actually done? 228 00:11:22,880 --> 00:11:23,040 Speaker 1: Well? 229 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 5: The Democrats have no political strategy, they have no political leader, 230 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:30,080 Speaker 5: they have no north star. So all they have is 231 00:11:30,120 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 5: know and the place you go for no is the courts. 232 00:11:33,520 --> 00:11:35,720 Speaker 5: And so that's where all the money has been. That's 233 00:11:35,760 --> 00:11:38,360 Speaker 5: where the excitement is, that's where the investment is. Is 234 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:41,680 Speaker 5: just no, there's some protests, there's blowing up tesla's, but 235 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:44,199 Speaker 5: mostly it's in the courts. And I think the judges 236 00:11:44,200 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 5: are very excited. These are activists, these are longtime Democrat donors, partisans, 237 00:11:49,960 --> 00:11:52,680 Speaker 5: you know, they're part of the movement. They're excited to 238 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:56,160 Speaker 5: actually be the leaders of the left right now. And so, yeah, 239 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 5: it is a problem. I'm a lawyer for four years 240 00:11:58,640 --> 00:12:01,200 Speaker 5: when I was not in the White House, I was 241 00:12:01,240 --> 00:12:04,120 Speaker 5: bringing lawsuits and the judges that we would get, even 242 00:12:04,120 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 5: if we were in conservative areas of the country with 243 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:10,040 Speaker 5: very conservative judges, these were measured approaches. I'll just take 244 00:12:10,080 --> 00:12:13,679 Speaker 5: Title nine for example. Twenty six states brought lawsuits and 245 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:16,760 Speaker 5: I think eight different jurisdictions to challenge Biden's rewrite of 246 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 5: Title nine. Each one of those judges, every single one, 247 00:12:20,800 --> 00:12:23,920 Speaker 5: issued an injunction that was just narrowed to the parties 248 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 5: that had brought the suits. So there never was a 249 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 5: nationwide injunction, even with twenty six states in eight different lawsuits. 250 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:30,120 Speaker 2: Wow. 251 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:35,480 Speaker 5: Compare that to here, where you just have any sort 252 00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:39,520 Speaker 5: of group. It's not states bringing these is just random people, 253 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:44,679 Speaker 5: random activists, bringing these lawsuits and getting nationwide injunctions at 254 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:48,440 Speaker 5: the tro stage, the temporary restraining order stage, which is 255 00:12:48,440 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 5: not even assessment of the merits of whether you're right 256 00:12:50,720 --> 00:12:52,840 Speaker 5: or wrong. It's just, Hey, I'm the judge, and I 257 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:56,080 Speaker 5: feel like doing this nationwide thing based not even on 258 00:12:56,120 --> 00:12:59,559 Speaker 5: the merits. I want to freeze the Trump administration from 259 00:12:59,559 --> 00:13:03,240 Speaker 5: doing anything. So this law fair is a serious, serious problem. 260 00:13:03,320 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 5: In my opinion, I think that it violates the job 261 00:13:06,480 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 5: of the judiciary, which is to say what the law is, 262 00:13:09,000 --> 00:13:11,920 Speaker 5: not to become the policymaker. So I think there's been 263 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 5: some calls for impeachment and things like that. You know, 264 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 5: Congress should absolutely impeach judges who are not doing their jobs. However, 265 00:13:19,679 --> 00:13:21,520 Speaker 5: that's just not going to be the solution. The solution, 266 00:13:21,679 --> 00:13:24,160 Speaker 5: I think is going to be a reshaping of what 267 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:27,080 Speaker 5: it means to have judicial power, whether that's coming from 268 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:29,520 Speaker 5: the Supreme Court, whether that's coming from Congress, or whether 269 00:13:29,559 --> 00:13:31,839 Speaker 5: that's coming from the administration, just saying you know what, 270 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:36,680 Speaker 5: if you are actually stepping into the executive branch's power, 271 00:13:37,160 --> 00:13:38,800 Speaker 5: we're not going to abide by it. And so I 272 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:41,439 Speaker 5: think these judges are really playing with fire. But they 273 00:13:41,480 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 5: know it, and they want it, and they want to 274 00:13:43,360 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 5: pick this fight because they feel the leadership of the 275 00:13:46,400 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 5: Democratic Party right now. 276 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 3: Let's talk about trade, and that is a big issue 277 00:13:51,080 --> 00:13:54,640 Speaker 3: that is I think top of mind for virtually every American. 278 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:57,320 Speaker 3: I have dear friends that knew I was going to 279 00:13:57,320 --> 00:13:59,240 Speaker 3: be here today and I was like, they're dealing with this, 280 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:03,120 Speaker 3: and they've got companies that are American companies, startups from 281 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:06,439 Speaker 3: their garage that are now being affected because of this 282 00:14:06,559 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 3: trade war with China. They're very concerned about what they've built. 283 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 3: Where are we with this master plan from the President? 284 00:14:14,559 --> 00:14:17,319 Speaker 3: It seems to me saying, Hey, I want to get 285 00:14:17,320 --> 00:14:20,200 Speaker 3: great deals done with a lot of countries so that 286 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:25,480 Speaker 3: we have much less dependence on China. This is about 287 00:14:25,520 --> 00:14:28,680 Speaker 3: reducing China's influence in the world, especially when it comes 288 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:31,280 Speaker 3: to trade. Are we moving forward and when are we 289 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:34,360 Speaker 3: going to start getting deals announced to calm the markets 290 00:14:34,400 --> 00:14:38,000 Speaker 3: but also the people that have businesses and how long 291 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:39,600 Speaker 3: are they going to have to deal with this? Because 292 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 3: we saw yesterday this is a good sign. President was 293 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:44,840 Speaker 3: meeting with top companies. They're meeting with Lows and Home 294 00:14:44,880 --> 00:14:48,880 Speaker 3: Depot and Walmart and Target about this trade war. That 295 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:51,080 Speaker 3: could be good news, but also could be bad news 296 00:14:51,120 --> 00:14:53,360 Speaker 3: depending on who you read and what you're being told. 297 00:14:53,600 --> 00:14:55,840 Speaker 3: We know the media wants us to be miserable. They 298 00:14:55,880 --> 00:14:58,360 Speaker 3: want to be fear mongering. They want this inflation issues 299 00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:00,680 Speaker 3: to happen. They want this to be a Trump disaster. 300 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:02,120 Speaker 3: I don't see it that way though. 301 00:15:02,560 --> 00:15:02,760 Speaker 1: Yeah. 302 00:15:02,760 --> 00:15:05,120 Speaker 5: I think the President's heart is where actually a lot 303 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:08,960 Speaker 5: of Americans' hearts are, which is that we want to 304 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 5: be supply chain independent, we want to be able to 305 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:15,960 Speaker 5: make our pharmaceuticals at home. We don't want to be 306 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 5: reliant on a country who is threatening to us. And 307 00:15:21,520 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 5: yet I think the President also is a very practical person. 308 00:15:24,720 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 5: He's a business person, he is a listener, and you 309 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:30,640 Speaker 5: can see even from the changes to the original announcement 310 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:34,240 Speaker 5: of reciprocal tariffs, that he wants to be in it 311 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:40,640 Speaker 5: with allies to shore up our manufacturing against people who 312 00:15:40,680 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 5: do not have our best interests, including China. So while 313 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:47,840 Speaker 5: I can't give a timeline for when you would see 314 00:15:47,880 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 5: an exact announcement, I can say that the White House 315 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:54,640 Speaker 5: is in listening mode and we have been hearing from 316 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 5: people changes and those changes have already been implemented, whether 317 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 5: whether it has to do with lower tariffs on certain 318 00:16:04,240 --> 00:16:07,840 Speaker 5: electronics that we simply can't make we can't on shore quickly. 319 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 5: And then I think also part of the national security. 320 00:16:11,600 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 3: Right, This is when I've asked, and I've had leaders 321 00:16:14,560 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 3: call me and they're like, Ben, what is he doing? 322 00:16:16,040 --> 00:16:17,560 Speaker 3: Why is he doing this? And say, look, you got 323 00:16:17,600 --> 00:16:20,960 Speaker 3: to look at this from two views. One is national security, 324 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:23,120 Speaker 3: and if you bring enough of that back to the US, 325 00:16:23,200 --> 00:16:24,440 Speaker 3: you don't have to be the leader in the world, 326 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:26,240 Speaker 3: but you need to have enough from a national security 327 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:28,240 Speaker 3: standpoint that if something happens somewhere else in the world, 328 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:30,320 Speaker 3: you're still good. And that's part of what the president, 329 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 3: I think learn from COVID. 330 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:35,640 Speaker 5: Yeah, and so from a national security standpoint, I think 331 00:16:35,640 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 5: the nation is pretty strong and we feel good there. 332 00:16:39,400 --> 00:16:42,920 Speaker 5: And so really it is focusing on small businesses and 333 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:46,040 Speaker 5: the impact, and it is alarming actually how tightly our 334 00:16:46,040 --> 00:16:49,600 Speaker 5: supply chains and how quickly they are connected to China, which, 335 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:52,080 Speaker 5: of course, you know something that we all know, which 336 00:16:52,080 --> 00:16:55,440 Speaker 5: is why the whole action exists to begin with. But 337 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:59,720 Speaker 5: nobody wants to harm American small businesses. What we want 338 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:04,400 Speaker 5: is is for China and the United States to find 339 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:08,639 Speaker 5: a resolution and then of course to eventually work toward 340 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:12,960 Speaker 5: a trade policy that is going to be best for 341 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:16,000 Speaker 5: our national security, best for our economy. And you know, 342 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:19,400 Speaker 5: as President Trump is going to be income tax replacement. 343 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:26,240 Speaker 5: And it's a complicated thing, but no president has really 344 00:17:26,320 --> 00:17:30,080 Speaker 5: taken this on seriously. And year by year by year 345 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:35,680 Speaker 5: by year, we become more reliant, less safe, less secure, 346 00:17:36,520 --> 00:17:40,040 Speaker 5: less independent, And it almost doesn't matter whether you have 347 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:43,720 Speaker 5: a southern border or what the if the threat is 348 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:47,960 Speaker 5: coming in from your nation's dependence. That said, I think, 349 00:17:48,359 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 5: as you noted, the President is in complete listening mode, 350 00:17:51,119 --> 00:17:53,960 Speaker 5: so there is a need to make sure that our 351 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:57,080 Speaker 5: small businesses and our large businesses, and our supply chains 352 00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:59,120 Speaker 5: and our consumers are all accounted for. 353 00:17:59,320 --> 00:18:01,439 Speaker 2: Thank you for listen litening to the forty seven Morning 354 00:18:01,520 --> 00:18:05,439 Speaker 2: Update with Ben Ferguson. Please make sure you hit subscribe 355 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:09,000 Speaker 2: wherever you're listening to this podcast right now and for 356 00:18:09,119 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 2: more in depth news, also subscribe to the Ben Ferguson 357 00:18:12,520 --> 00:18:15,160 Speaker 2: podcast and we will see you back here tomorrow.