1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:02,880 Speaker 1: Welcome in his VERDICTUS Center, Ted Cruz, it is nice 2 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:03,760 Speaker 1: to have you with us. 3 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:04,120 Speaker 2: Senator. 4 00:00:04,160 --> 00:00:06,520 Speaker 1: We've got a lot to talk about during this Christmas week, 5 00:00:06,640 --> 00:00:09,040 Speaker 1: and some of it is really good news. It deals 6 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:11,640 Speaker 1: with the economy. That is something that has made a 7 00:00:11,640 --> 00:00:14,880 Speaker 1: lot of people excited about going into twenty twenty six. 8 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:17,840 Speaker 3: Well, there's a lot good going on. But I want 9 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:20,600 Speaker 3: to start by just saying, Merry Christmas. And I hope 10 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:24,239 Speaker 3: that at Christmas time you're spending time with your family. 11 00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:27,280 Speaker 3: I hope you're taking time to hug your kids. I 12 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,520 Speaker 3: hope you're taking time. I hope you're having some fabulous 13 00:00:30,560 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 3: meals where you're stuffed, you have some great presence, you 14 00:00:34,080 --> 00:00:37,199 Speaker 3: have some great love. But I also want to encourage 15 00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:41,560 Speaker 3: everyone remember what Christmas time is about. Christmas Time, Yes, 16 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,760 Speaker 3: it's about family, Yes it's about coming together. But Christmas 17 00:00:44,840 --> 00:00:47,200 Speaker 3: is when we're celebrating the birth of Jesus, the birth 18 00:00:47,240 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 3: of our Savior, who came God incarnate, came to earth 19 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 3: to live as a man, to live without sin, and 20 00:00:55,200 --> 00:01:00,040 Speaker 3: then to die willingly, voluntarily, freely, to die for your sin. 21 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:01,000 Speaker 2: And my sins. 22 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 3: I don't know about you, Ben, but Christmas is my 23 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:07,880 Speaker 3: favorite time of year. I love Christmas. I love the music, 24 00:01:07,959 --> 00:01:11,119 Speaker 3: I love I love everything about it, and I love 25 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:19,040 Speaker 3: celebrating the incredible mystery and marvel that God cared so 26 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:22,320 Speaker 3: much about each of us that he was willing to 27 00:01:22,360 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 3: send his only son to die force. 28 00:01:24,520 --> 00:01:25,960 Speaker 2: Yeah. Amen to that. 29 00:01:26,040 --> 00:01:29,240 Speaker 1: I think it's really been sad over the last several years, 30 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:31,400 Speaker 1: how much people try to just get rid of the 31 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,399 Speaker 1: meaning of Christmas. I also feel like we're seeing part 32 00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:37,600 Speaker 1: of that Bell curve come back around. I was really 33 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 1: encouraged Sunday at church to see so many people coming 34 00:01:40,319 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 1: not on Christmas service, but the week of Christmas, and 35 00:01:44,200 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 1: it was there just seems to be a new awakening. 36 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 1: I saw some really cool data the other day that 37 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:53,440 Speaker 1: there are more people under the age of forty. We 38 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: had record breaking number of people that bought Bibles in 39 00:01:56,200 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 1: twenty twenty five. Some of that they actually think is 40 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:03,440 Speaker 1: because Charlie Kirk's assassination and his bold faith. Uh and 41 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:06,160 Speaker 1: and and evil. They're always is good that can come 42 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,919 Speaker 1: out of evil. But to hear that we are are 43 00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 1: having record sales and Bibles this year, that gave me 44 00:02:11,760 --> 00:02:14,800 Speaker 1: such encouragement. Especially you've got kids like I do. I 45 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:17,000 Speaker 1: worry about the future of this country. It's why we 46 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:19,519 Speaker 1: do this show. We fight for this country, we fight 47 00:02:19,600 --> 00:02:22,880 Speaker 1: for our rights, we fight for our religious freedom, and 48 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: to see that there is there seems to be this 49 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: real awakening among this younger generation that really inspires me 50 00:02:29,400 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: and and it makes me even more excited about Christmas. 51 00:02:32,520 --> 00:02:34,840 Speaker 3: Well, and listen, I will say there are a lot 52 00:02:34,840 --> 00:02:37,079 Speaker 3: of folks who listen to this show who are parents. 53 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:38,760 Speaker 3: You may be a young parent, you may have young 54 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:41,839 Speaker 3: kids at home. I'll tell you what my parents did 55 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 3: did every Christmas for me, and what I try to 56 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:45,880 Speaker 3: do with our girls is when we sit down for 57 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 3: Christmas dinner, by the way, and a Cuban household typically 58 00:02:49,680 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 3: will we'll have a Cuban celebration on Christmas Eve, uh 59 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:55,639 Speaker 3: and and then we tend to have an American Christmas 60 00:02:55,440 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 3: on Christmas Day. 61 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: So I got to know, what is the difference, what's 62 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:01,919 Speaker 1: the difference stween how rowdy is Christmas Eve? 63 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:03,600 Speaker 2: Because that sounds like it's kind of fun. 64 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 3: Yeah. So look, when I'm with the Cuban side of 65 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:09,200 Speaker 3: my family, like the tradition is is that we'll roast 66 00:03:09,240 --> 00:03:12,359 Speaker 3: a whole pig and and and that's that's that's on Notcheguena. 67 00:03:12,400 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 3: That that that that's a great tradition. This year I 68 00:03:16,160 --> 00:03:18,160 Speaker 3: was with Heidie's side of the family, so we we 69 00:03:18,160 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 3: we had a Christmas Eve dinner. But but actually her 70 00:03:21,080 --> 00:03:23,480 Speaker 3: family are all vegetarians and and so what we do 71 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 3: instead is. 72 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 2: Bad for the whole pig. 73 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 3: That would be yea, yeah, the whole the whole pig 74 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 3: idea doesn't work, and and and and so instead instead 75 00:03:30,639 --> 00:03:32,519 Speaker 3: we have fondue, which is nice. We like we like 76 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:35,080 Speaker 3: make up fondue on the on the stove, and and 77 00:03:35,080 --> 00:03:37,440 Speaker 3: and all of us like fondue, and and and dipping 78 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:39,960 Speaker 3: it in and then and then we do on Christmas 79 00:03:40,080 --> 00:03:42,400 Speaker 3: Day typically either a turkey or a ham for the 80 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:46,280 Speaker 3: carnivores there and and lots of lots of vegetarian options 81 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:49,520 Speaker 3: for for Heidie's family. But but one thing that I've 82 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 3: tried to do every year is when we're sitting down 83 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 3: on Christmas Day, just just to read from Luke chapter two, 84 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 3: uh and and to read the story of Christmas. And 85 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:00,280 Speaker 3: so so if you, if y'all indulge I want to. 86 00:04:00,280 --> 00:04:02,320 Speaker 2: Do that right now, well it go for it. 87 00:04:02,920 --> 00:04:05,080 Speaker 3: And it came to pass in those days that there 88 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 3: went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the 89 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 3: world should be taxed, And this taxing was first made 90 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:15,040 Speaker 3: when Cyrenius was governor of Syria, and all went to 91 00:04:15,040 --> 00:04:19,040 Speaker 3: be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph 92 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 3: also went up from Galilee, out of the city of 93 00:04:21,440 --> 00:04:24,839 Speaker 3: Nazareth into Judea, unto the city of David, which is 94 00:04:24,839 --> 00:04:28,480 Speaker 3: called Bethlehem, because it was of the house and lineage 95 00:04:28,760 --> 00:04:32,799 Speaker 3: of David to be taxed. With Mary, his espoused wife, 96 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:36,240 Speaker 3: being great with child, and so it was that while 97 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:38,920 Speaker 3: they were there, the days were accomplished that she should 98 00:04:38,920 --> 00:04:42,280 Speaker 3: be delivered, and she brought forth her first born son, 99 00:04:43,000 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 3: and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in 100 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:49,800 Speaker 3: a manger, because there was no room for them in 101 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:53,280 Speaker 3: the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds 102 00:04:53,279 --> 00:04:56,479 Speaker 3: abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 103 00:04:57,360 --> 00:04:59,720 Speaker 3: And lo, the Angel of the Lord came upon them, 104 00:05:00,040 --> 00:05:02,800 Speaker 3: and the glory of the Lord shone round and about them, 105 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 3: and they were sore afraid, And the Angel said, unto them, 106 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:11,840 Speaker 3: fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of 107 00:05:11,880 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 3: great joy, which shall be to all people, For unto 108 00:05:16,360 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 3: you is born this day in the city of David, 109 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:22,600 Speaker 3: a savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall 110 00:05:22,640 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 3: be a sign unto you. Ye shall find the Babe, 111 00:05:25,880 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 3: wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly 112 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:35,239 Speaker 3: there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, 113 00:05:35,520 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 3: praising God and saying glory to God in the highest 114 00:05:39,480 --> 00:05:43,760 Speaker 3: and on earth, peace and goodwill toward men. And it 115 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:46,039 Speaker 3: came to pass, as the angels were gone away from 116 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:49,360 Speaker 3: them into the heaven, the shepherd said, one to another, 117 00:05:50,080 --> 00:05:53,160 Speaker 3: let us now go even unto Bethlehem and see this 118 00:05:53,240 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 3: thing which has come to pass, which the Lord hath 119 00:05:56,400 --> 00:06:00,039 Speaker 3: made known unto us. And they came with haste and 120 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 3: found Mary and Joseph and the Babe lying in a manger. 121 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:07,359 Speaker 3: And when they had seen it, they made known abroad 122 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 3: the saying which was told them concerning the child. And 123 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 3: all they that heard it wondered at those things which 124 00:06:13,800 --> 00:06:17,120 Speaker 3: were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all 125 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 3: these things and pondered them in her heart. And the 126 00:06:20,680 --> 00:06:24,320 Speaker 3: shepherd's return, glorifying and praising God for all the things 127 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:26,960 Speaker 3: that they had heard and seen, as it was told 128 00:06:27,000 --> 00:06:31,320 Speaker 3: unto them. And you know that's obviously the story of 129 00:06:31,640 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 3: the birth of Jesus. And every year we take our 130 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:36,359 Speaker 3: kids to go to the Christmas Show and they do 131 00:06:36,440 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 3: all sorts of great great Christmas shows. This Christmas Show 132 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:45,680 Speaker 3: this year that they emphasized shepherds, in particular shepherds out 133 00:06:45,800 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 3: caring for the sheep and talking about how the shepherds 134 00:06:49,440 --> 00:06:54,680 Speaker 3: would look for the unblemished sheep, for the pure, pure 135 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,520 Speaker 3: baby sheep and set that sheep aside, and they would 136 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:01,760 Speaker 3: wrap that baby sheep in swaddling clothes, and and that 137 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 3: was to signify that this sheep was being set aside 138 00:07:05,320 --> 00:07:07,920 Speaker 3: to be used as a sacrifice at the temple. And 139 00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 3: swadling close everything about Jesus's birth from literally the moment 140 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 3: he was born, he was wrapped in the same rapping 141 00:07:15,400 --> 00:07:17,800 Speaker 3: that that that that that that a lamb would be 142 00:07:17,800 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 3: be wrapped in, or a sheep would be wrapped in 143 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 3: to show that that that that they were. He was 144 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 3: the lamb, he was the sacrifice. He was born to 145 00:07:26,560 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 3: be sacrificed for our sins, and and and and that's 146 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:34,240 Speaker 3: such an important Christmas makes no sense without Easter. Christmas 147 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:38,240 Speaker 3: in Easter are are our bookends of the life of Jesus. 148 00:07:38,240 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 3: And the life of Jesus is willingly coming to earth 149 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 3: as a man and then willingly giving his life even 150 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 3: though he had not sinned. He did not deserve death. 151 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:52,160 Speaker 3: I deserve death. You deserve death. All of us are 152 00:07:52,200 --> 00:07:55,040 Speaker 3: are fallen creatures. And so that so the Christmas time, 153 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 3: I would just say to the parents, take some time 154 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:01,560 Speaker 3: read that passage, read other passes, and just talk with 155 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:04,720 Speaker 3: your kids about what it means, because it is at 156 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 3: the end of the day. It's not about a fat 157 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:08,880 Speaker 3: man and a sleigh. It's not about presence. It's not 158 00:08:08,960 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 3: about all the food and the rest. Christmas time is 159 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:15,080 Speaker 3: celebrating the birth of Jesus, and I just want to 160 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 3: tell everyone Merry Christmas. 161 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 1: Aim into that. Merry Christmas. And I love that you 162 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:22,160 Speaker 1: read that. And I would encourage others for people that 163 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:25,000 Speaker 1: maybe miss it. What passage again was that, so they 164 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:26,160 Speaker 1: make sure they've got it. 165 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 3: That's Luke chapter two, and it's basically the first half 166 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:33,000 Speaker 3: of chapter two tells. The version appears several times in 167 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 3: the Gospels, but I like Luke Chapter two to be 168 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:36,080 Speaker 3: very concise. 169 00:08:36,400 --> 00:08:39,240 Speaker 1: Center there was a Christmas gift that was given to 170 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:40,199 Speaker 1: all Americans. 171 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:41,600 Speaker 2: It didn't matter if you're rich or poor. 172 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:43,480 Speaker 1: It didn't matter if you were black or white, or 173 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:46,719 Speaker 1: Hispanic or anything else in between. We got some new 174 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:50,320 Speaker 1: economic data and it was I tell you what, if 175 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:52,520 Speaker 1: there's anybody that had coal in their stocking, it was 176 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 1: the media. There was an article that came out by 177 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 1: the New York Times predicting the complete opposite of what 178 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,640 Speaker 1: GDP report showed. Of course, they're not going to retract it, 179 00:09:01,679 --> 00:09:03,920 Speaker 1: but they do look like idiots. And again you got 180 00:09:03,920 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 1: to ask yourself this question, are they really willing and 181 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:10,000 Speaker 1: wanting to hurt Americans? They want Americans to suffered just 182 00:09:10,040 --> 00:09:13,079 Speaker 1: so Donald Trump looks bad because that's what their reporting 183 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 1: seems to look like. 184 00:09:14,679 --> 00:09:17,640 Speaker 3: Well, listen, the news that broke just this week is 185 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 3: the economy is booming. That the latest GDP numbers show 186 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:26,840 Speaker 3: four point three percent GDP growth, which is terrific GDP growth. 187 00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,400 Speaker 3: And let me read from the Wall Street Journal, consumers 188 00:09:30,480 --> 00:09:33,560 Speaker 3: power strongest US economic growth in two years. A long 189 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 3: delayed government report shows third quarter GDP grew at an 190 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 3: annual four point three percent rate. Robust spending by US 191 00:09:42,160 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 3: consumers drove greater than expected economic expansion in the third quarter, 192 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:50,959 Speaker 3: and the strongest growth rate in two years. Gross domestic product, 193 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:53,959 Speaker 3: the value of all goods and services produced across the economy, 194 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 3: rose at a seasonally and inflationally adjusted four point three 195 00:09:58,800 --> 00:10:03,240 Speaker 3: percent annual rate from July through September, the Commerce Department 196 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:06,440 Speaker 3: said Tuesday. The report was delayed nearly two months by 197 00:10:06,480 --> 00:10:09,080 Speaker 3: the government shutdown, and looks back at the period before 198 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:13,080 Speaker 3: the shutdown was in effect. It does, however, offer a 199 00:10:13,120 --> 00:10:16,959 Speaker 3: snapshot of an economy that has managed to keep humming 200 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:20,120 Speaker 3: along for much of the year. Growth picked up from 201 00:10:20,200 --> 00:10:24,000 Speaker 3: three point eight percent in the previous corner and easily 202 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:27,559 Speaker 3: beat the three point two percent forecast among economists polled 203 00:10:27,600 --> 00:10:30,160 Speaker 3: by The Wall Street Journal. It was, by the way, 204 00:10:30,640 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 3: it's over a point higher than expectations. That's a big deal, 205 00:10:35,880 --> 00:10:38,480 Speaker 3: As the journal said, it was the strongest expansion since 206 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:42,160 Speaker 3: the third quarter of twenty twenty three. Rising consumer spending 207 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:45,800 Speaker 3: was partly driven by healthcare, including outpatient services and at 208 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 3: hospitals and nursing homes. International travel, legal services, and spending 209 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:55,559 Speaker 3: on products like personal computers and software also contributed. Artificial 210 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:59,400 Speaker 3: intelligence related spending helped too, though the pace of growth 211 00:10:59,440 --> 00:11:03,960 Speaker 3: appeared to from the second quarter. Overall business investment grows 212 00:11:03,960 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 3: slow to two point eight percent in the third quarter 213 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:09,640 Speaker 3: from seven point three percent in the prior three months. 214 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:13,880 Speaker 3: This is great news. And listen, when GDP is booming, 215 00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:17,560 Speaker 3: what that means is it means there's more jobs, it 216 00:11:17,640 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 3: means there's more productivity. It means the stock market is 217 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 3: going up. It means people four oh one k's are 218 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 3: going up. It means wages are likely to rise. And 219 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:30,200 Speaker 3: so GDP growth, it's not always immediate. Are there still 220 00:11:30,240 --> 00:11:34,400 Speaker 3: people struggling, Yes, But GDP growth is driven. And I'll 221 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:36,559 Speaker 3: tell you one of the things we're seeing is the 222 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 3: Christmas spending numbers are very, very strong, and so that's 223 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 3: one of the signs of consumer confidence that you know, 224 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 3: if you're worried, if you're scared about not being able 225 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:48,440 Speaker 3: to pay your rent or your mortgage, then you don't 226 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:52,040 Speaker 3: necessarily go out and do some big shopping for Christmas time. 227 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:55,440 Speaker 1: We see the record breaking numbers on Black Friday and 228 00:11:55,480 --> 00:11:58,240 Speaker 1: Cyber Monday. And that was as the Democrats were saying 229 00:11:58,240 --> 00:11:59,920 Speaker 1: that we were in a tail spin and this was 230 00:12:00,240 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 1: disaster of an economy and they were trying to say 231 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:05,440 Speaker 1: Donald Trump is ruining your Christmas. I'm like, well, the 232 00:12:05,520 --> 00:12:08,800 Speaker 1: data says that people, as you just mentioned, they're going 233 00:12:08,800 --> 00:12:10,960 Speaker 1: out and spinning at record numbers on Black Friday in 234 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:11,680 Speaker 1: Cyber Monday. 235 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:13,520 Speaker 2: So that tells me that someone's lying. 236 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:18,160 Speaker 3: That's exactly right. And here I want to show you. You 237 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:21,880 Speaker 3: talked about the press being dismayed, and I got to 238 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 3: say that the corporate media is utterly corrupt. They are dishonest. 239 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:29,800 Speaker 3: I just want to read to you two tweets. The 240 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:33,120 Speaker 3: first tweet is from October thirtieth, twenty twenty four. Now, now, 241 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 3: what was happening right after October thirtieth, twenty. 242 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:38,800 Speaker 2: Twenty four the election presidential There. 243 00:12:38,679 --> 00:12:41,000 Speaker 3: Was a presidential election, and who was president of October 244 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 3: twenty twenty four, at least nominally? 245 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:45,240 Speaker 1: Well, the auto pen But if you're what an actual 246 00:12:45,280 --> 00:12:46,880 Speaker 1: person with a heartbeat, we'll go with Joe Biden. 247 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:52,720 Speaker 3: Okay, So here's what ABC News tweeted tweeted October thirtieth, 248 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:56,480 Speaker 3: twenty twenty four, one week before the presidential election. Just in, 249 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:00,439 Speaker 3: the US economy grew at a robust two point eight 250 00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:04,360 Speaker 3: percent annualized rate in the third quarter, slowing slightly from 251 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:08,880 Speaker 3: the previous quarter but continuing to dispel any concern about 252 00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:12,800 Speaker 3: a possible shutdown. This report comes just ahead of the 253 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:15,200 Speaker 3: presidential election. All right, so that was a year ago. 254 00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:18,640 Speaker 3: Now that was two point eight percent. What do you 255 00:13:18,679 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 3: think ABC News said about four point three percent? 256 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:22,760 Speaker 2: What was it? 257 00:13:23,559 --> 00:13:23,640 Speaker 4: Just? 258 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:29,000 Speaker 3: In the US economy expanded more than economists expected over 259 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 3: a recent three month period, recording robust growth despite concerns 260 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:38,560 Speaker 3: about sluggish hiring and cash strap shoppers. Federal government data showed. 261 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 3: So two point eight percent is robust and fantastic, and yeay, 262 00:13:44,400 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 3: four point three percent, Well, we're really worried about sluggish 263 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 3: hiring and cash strap shoppers. And yeah, okay, I guess 264 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:53,480 Speaker 3: it is like almost twice as high. But damn it, 265 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:57,320 Speaker 3: we don't like those numbers. That is not news. And 266 00:13:57,400 --> 00:14:00,840 Speaker 3: I literally whoever wrote that tweet should be fired. Like 267 00:14:00,880 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 3: if ABC pretended to be a journalist, you'd say, okay, 268 00:14:05,040 --> 00:14:08,240 Speaker 3: go work for the DNC because you want to be 269 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:13,200 Speaker 3: a partisan parrot. That's who they are and it's why 270 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:15,640 Speaker 3: people don't trust the news. Now I want you to 271 00:14:15,679 --> 00:14:17,599 Speaker 3: listen to Kevin Hasset. Kevin Hasset is the head of 272 00:14:17,960 --> 00:14:20,360 Speaker 3: the National Economic Council in the White House. Listen to 273 00:14:20,440 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 3: Kevin talking about these recent GDP numbers. 274 00:14:23,360 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 5: No, it's a fantastic report. Four point three percent. That's 275 00:14:26,560 --> 00:14:29,760 Speaker 5: just about as good as GDP numbers get, and especially 276 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:33,960 Speaker 5: coming on the heels of the CPI report consumer Price 277 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:36,800 Speaker 5: Index report we got, which you actually showed some interesting 278 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:40,320 Speaker 5: data that consistent with this showed the quarter inflation is 279 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:42,640 Speaker 5: all the way down to one point six percent. And 280 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:45,560 Speaker 5: so I think that these numbers are showing the President 281 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 5: Trump's trade policy and his supply side policy, which is 282 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:52,920 Speaker 5: really increasing a new factory production and so on, is 283 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 5: having a big, big effect, as is his trade policy. 284 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:59,120 Speaker 5: So if we abstract from the reduction in the trade deficit, 285 00:14:59,600 --> 00:15:01,920 Speaker 5: then the four point three percent number would only be 286 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:04,880 Speaker 5: two point six percent. So Trump's trade policy is really 287 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:06,280 Speaker 5: working as well. 288 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:08,920 Speaker 1: You know, as they mentioned trade policy, because that was 289 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 1: one of the other big lies this year in twenty 290 00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:13,800 Speaker 1: twenty five, which is the shelves are gonna be empty 291 00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:16,360 Speaker 1: at Christmas. The toys you wanted for your kids were 292 00:15:16,400 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 1: going to be not on those shelves. You're not gonna 293 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:20,480 Speaker 1: be able to afford basic things. Half of the store 294 00:15:20,600 --> 00:15:23,000 Speaker 1: is gonna be gone at Walmart and Target and Costco 295 00:15:23,080 --> 00:15:23,920 Speaker 1: and Sam's Club. 296 00:15:24,440 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 2: None of that happened. 297 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:27,480 Speaker 1: And they said there was gonna be massive spikes and 298 00:15:27,560 --> 00:15:32,360 Speaker 1: prices for everything that you couldn't afford. Again, that didn't 299 00:15:32,360 --> 00:15:36,160 Speaker 1: happen either. While we collected record number of tariffs and cash. 300 00:15:36,480 --> 00:15:39,320 Speaker 1: The presence trade deals seem to actually be working and 301 00:15:39,360 --> 00:15:41,360 Speaker 1: the leverage seems to be working, and they don't want 302 00:15:41,360 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 1: to admit that this has not been a disaster. 303 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 3: Well, Listen, there's still some volatility when it comes to 304 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:49,640 Speaker 3: trade policy. And I know I'd been advocating that the 305 00:15:49,640 --> 00:15:53,520 Speaker 3: President uses trade policy as leverage to open up forward markets, 306 00:15:53,520 --> 00:15:56,680 Speaker 3: and he's been doing that that has been very, very successful. 307 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:00,560 Speaker 3: This also underscores basic supply side principles. When you cut 308 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:03,400 Speaker 3: taxes as we did, and when you repeal job killing 309 00:16:03,440 --> 00:16:07,600 Speaker 3: regulations as President Trump is doing, it results in more investments, 310 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 3: more jobs, and the economy is booming. This is basic 311 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:12,080 Speaker 3: cause and effect. 312 00:16:13,520 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 1: Senator, There's another big story that I want to get to, 313 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:17,720 Speaker 1: and that is the out of control fraud. We have 314 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:20,840 Speaker 1: now got a number and it could go higher. At 315 00:16:21,000 --> 00:16:25,800 Speaker 1: least nine billion was looted from the Minnesota medicaid programs, 316 00:16:26,200 --> 00:16:29,680 Speaker 1: plus there was welfare fraud as well. In a bombshell 317 00:16:29,720 --> 00:16:32,520 Speaker 1: report coming from the Wall Street Journal, this does not 318 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:34,720 Speaker 1: look good for the governor there and a lot of 319 00:16:34,760 --> 00:16:37,800 Speaker 1: mayors have now sent him a letter saying we are 320 00:16:37,840 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 1: in trouble and it's your fault. 321 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:44,320 Speaker 3: Look, the level of fraud we're seeing welfare medicaid fraud 322 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 3: in Minnesota is staggering. It is an order of magnitude 323 00:16:48,600 --> 00:16:53,600 Speaker 3: greater than we've seen. And here are the basic facts. 324 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:59,760 Speaker 3: Federal prosecutors alleged Thursday that Minnesota may have lost billions 325 00:16:59,760 --> 00:17:03,400 Speaker 3: of fraud in its medicaid program. The latest development in 326 00:17:03,400 --> 00:17:08,159 Speaker 3: an ongoing investigation, as much as half half fifty percent 327 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:12,400 Speaker 3: of the roughly eighteen billion dollars Minnesota has spent since 328 00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:17,240 Speaker 3: twenty eighteen on fourteen medicaid programs, particularly vulnerable to abuse, 329 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:21,440 Speaker 3: may have been siphoned off by fraudsters, according to Assistant 330 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:26,560 Speaker 3: Ussistant Attorney Joe Thompson. Thompson made the remarks as prosecutors 331 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:32,840 Speaker 3: announced additional charges in the ongoing investigation of the staggering 332 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:39,040 Speaker 3: industrial scale fraud engulfing the state. Quote, the fraud is 333 00:17:39,080 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 3: not small, It isn't isolated. The magnitude cannot be overstated. 334 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:47,080 Speaker 3: What we see in Minnesota is not a handful of 335 00:17:47,080 --> 00:17:52,520 Speaker 3: at bad actors committing crimes It's a staggering, industrial scale fraud. 336 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:57,000 Speaker 3: It's swamping Minnesota and calling into question everything we know 337 00:17:57,200 --> 00:18:04,200 Speaker 3: about our statel it half of medicaid for years. That's 338 00:18:04,200 --> 00:18:07,480 Speaker 3: in Minnesota. By the way, if you watch the corporate media, 339 00:18:07,520 --> 00:18:09,520 Speaker 3: you've seen very little about this. They don't want to 340 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,760 Speaker 3: cover this at all because it is it is the 341 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:16,480 Speaker 3: complicity of the Democrats in office. And understand, Minnesota is 342 00:18:16,520 --> 00:18:19,360 Speaker 3: a one party state. It is governed by Democrats. Democrats 343 00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:21,960 Speaker 3: are in charge. They looked the other way. Why did 344 00:18:21,960 --> 00:18:23,959 Speaker 3: they look the other way? Well, much of this fraud 345 00:18:24,280 --> 00:18:28,000 Speaker 3: was carried out by Somali's We covered the previous verdict 346 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:33,480 Speaker 3: how the single largest contributor to Al Shabab. Al Shabab 347 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:38,520 Speaker 3: is a radical Islamist terrorist organization in Somalia. The single 348 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:42,359 Speaker 3: largest contributor to al Shabab are the Minnesota taxpayers. That's 349 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:47,960 Speaker 3: the level of the theft that went on. And Democrats 350 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:51,560 Speaker 3: elected Democrats in Minnesota. They happily looked the other way. 351 00:18:51,600 --> 00:18:53,960 Speaker 3: Why because they were buying votes. And you know what 352 00:18:54,040 --> 00:18:57,239 Speaker 3: if they actually watched the taxpayer dollars and didn't let 353 00:18:57,280 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 3: the criminals steal it, well, somebody might be upset if 354 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:05,400 Speaker 3: they had even the tiniest modicum of scrutiny. It is shocking. 355 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: Well, and you know what you mentioned a moment ago, 356 00:19:07,640 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 1: and that is that the media has not been touching this. Luckily, 357 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 1: local media has CBS, for example, locally in Minnesota. They 358 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,119 Speaker 1: did a report on this that was just kind of 359 00:19:18,119 --> 00:19:20,600 Speaker 1: throwing your hands up in the air, like this is 360 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:21,800 Speaker 1: so egregious. 361 00:19:22,160 --> 00:19:24,000 Speaker 2: We need you to know. 362 00:19:24,600 --> 00:19:29,080 Speaker 1: The national media completely silent, no accountability for the governor. 363 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:31,399 Speaker 1: There are those in leadership under him. I want to 364 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:34,520 Speaker 1: play this for people. This is again the local CBS affiliate. 365 00:19:34,520 --> 00:19:36,760 Speaker 1: They're talking about the fraud crisis. Take a listen. 366 00:19:37,119 --> 00:19:41,679 Speaker 6: Minnesota's fraud crisis is growing today. Prosecutors charge more people 367 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:44,960 Speaker 6: for billing the state for social services they did not provide. 368 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:48,600 Speaker 6: The federal prosecutor says it's possible half or more of 369 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:52,320 Speaker 6: the eighteen billion dollars billed to fourteen programs since twenty 370 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:56,040 Speaker 6: eighteen is fraudulent. We have team coverage started with Joana 371 00:19:56,119 --> 00:19:59,080 Speaker 6: Kaplan with more on what we've learned about these latest charges. Jonah, 372 00:20:00,000 --> 00:20:02,560 Speaker 6: we've gone from maybe a billion dollars to possibly nine 373 00:20:02,720 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 6: billion or more. 374 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:06,800 Speaker 7: Well, we've heard from the new US attorney Frank that 375 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:09,800 Speaker 7: we're not even at the end of the beginning of 376 00:20:09,840 --> 00:20:13,000 Speaker 7: this investigation, and now we know why feeding our future 377 00:20:13,480 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 7: was just the tip of the iceberg. 378 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:19,840 Speaker 8: The fraud is not small, it isn't isolated. The magnitude 379 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:20,879 Speaker 8: cannot be overstated. 380 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:25,240 Speaker 7: Prosecutors on Thursday indicting six people, including one already charged 381 00:20:25,280 --> 00:20:28,360 Speaker 7: in another case. The five new defendants are all accused 382 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:31,960 Speaker 7: of defrauding a state program meant to provide housing assistance 383 00:20:32,040 --> 00:20:35,320 Speaker 7: to the disabled and those dealing with addiction. Two people 384 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:39,160 Speaker 7: charged aren't even from here. According to officials, Anthony Jefferson 385 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:42,960 Speaker 7: and Lester Brown came from Philadelphia to Minnesota looking for 386 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:45,560 Speaker 7: an opportunity to make money. They set up two fake 387 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:48,440 Speaker 7: companies and collected three point five million dollars. 388 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 8: This is an instance of what essentially fraud tourism. Mister 389 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:57,080 Speaker 8: Jefferson and Brown were residents of Philadelphia. We had no 390 00:20:57,119 --> 00:21:00,479 Speaker 8: connection to Minnesota except for they heard that Many Soda 391 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:04,520 Speaker 8: and its Housing Stabilization Services program was easy money. 392 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:08,080 Speaker 7: The state already cut off the housing stabilization program because 393 00:21:08,080 --> 00:21:11,520 Speaker 7: of suspected fraud, but it's one of fourteen social programs 394 00:21:11,520 --> 00:21:15,639 Speaker 7: now under federal investigation. Together, they build eighteen billion dollars 395 00:21:15,640 --> 00:21:18,600 Speaker 7: since twenty eighteen. We asked how much could have been fraud. 396 00:21:18,720 --> 00:21:22,560 Speaker 8: You know, I don't make these generalizations in a hasty way, 397 00:21:22,680 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 8: So when I say a significant mount, I'm talking in 398 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:27,320 Speaker 8: an order of half or more. But we'll see. 399 00:21:27,440 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 7: One of the new indictments accuses of fraud serve of 400 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:33,160 Speaker 7: exploiting a program to help children with autism. Court documents 401 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 7: say Abdi Najib Hasan yusef use some of the six 402 00:21:36,600 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 7: million bucks he stole to buy a freightliner semitruck. Governor Walls, 403 00:21:40,840 --> 00:21:43,919 Speaker 7: in a statement said he applauded the new indictments, saying, quote, 404 00:21:43,960 --> 00:21:46,400 Speaker 7: this is exactly the type of strong action we need 405 00:21:46,440 --> 00:21:50,760 Speaker 7: from prosecutors to ensure fraudsters are put behind bars. Frank, 406 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:53,000 Speaker 7: this is not going away anytime soon. 407 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:55,640 Speaker 2: I love the end there, Frank, this is not going 408 00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:56,960 Speaker 2: away anytime soon. 409 00:21:57,000 --> 00:21:59,600 Speaker 1: Well, if Democrats have their way and the governor this 410 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 1: will just be like a one time reporter. 411 00:22:01,359 --> 00:22:02,119 Speaker 2: Then we just move on. 412 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:04,119 Speaker 1: And hey, if it goes from nine billion to twelve 413 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:07,000 Speaker 1: billion or fifteen billion, who knows where the number could end. 414 00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:08,600 Speaker 2: And that was what they were referring to there at 415 00:22:08,640 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 2: CBS Local. 416 00:22:09,359 --> 00:22:13,160 Speaker 1: They're like, hey, we went from one billion to nine billion, 417 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:15,879 Speaker 1: and that may not be the final number. 418 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 3: Well, and Tim Waltz says he applauds the indictments. Well, 419 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:22,880 Speaker 3: my question is where was Tim Waltz. Where was the governor? 420 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:26,520 Speaker 3: He was like, where's Waldo? He was popping up everywhere 421 00:22:26,560 --> 00:22:29,240 Speaker 3: he could. He he was following Kamala Harris on the 422 00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:31,440 Speaker 3: campaign trail, but he was not actually doing his job 423 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:35,800 Speaker 3: as governor. And listen, there is a political reason. And Ben, 424 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 3: I'm going to make a prediction right now. 425 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:39,760 Speaker 1: I love it when you do this because usually you're right. 426 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 1: So pay attention to everyone. 427 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:45,520 Speaker 3: As horrific as this fraud is in Minnesota, and it 428 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:48,959 Speaker 3: is staggering, it is historically bad. I'm going to make 429 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:52,600 Speaker 3: a prediction that it is worse. That there is even 430 00:22:52,920 --> 00:22:57,800 Speaker 3: more fraud in New York, California, and Illinois. 431 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:00,760 Speaker 2: So you don't believe this is an isolated innsign to there. 432 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:02,879 Speaker 2: I follow my money, I do not. 433 00:23:03,160 --> 00:23:06,760 Speaker 3: I think in bright blue states where the Democrats control 434 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:10,800 Speaker 3: all of the levers of government, all of the machinery, 435 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:15,280 Speaker 3: I think the same incentives that cause the Democrat politicians 436 00:23:15,280 --> 00:23:19,000 Speaker 3: in Minnesota to try to buy votes by allowing people 437 00:23:19,080 --> 00:23:22,600 Speaker 3: to rob the taxpayers blind. I think those exact same 438 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 3: incentives are playing out in New York. I think those 439 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:27,560 Speaker 3: exact same incentives are playing out in Illinois. And I 440 00:23:27,560 --> 00:23:30,520 Speaker 3: think those exact same incentives are playing out in California. 441 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:34,240 Speaker 3: So I'm calling on the Trump administration to audit, audit 442 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:37,840 Speaker 3: every state, but start with the big blue states, because 443 00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:40,280 Speaker 3: I think that is where you were most likely to 444 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:44,479 Speaker 3: find find the fraud, where the pattern is the same. 445 00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:46,879 Speaker 3: And I got I gotta tell you, people like Gavin 446 00:23:46,960 --> 00:23:50,440 Speaker 3: Newsom are sweating right now. They don't want anyone looking 447 00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:56,400 Speaker 3: at the fraud in California because my the incentives are identical, 448 00:23:56,440 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 3: and I suspect you're going to see the very same 449 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:02,920 Speaker 3: pattern playing out over and over and over again. 450 00:24:03,359 --> 00:24:05,760 Speaker 1: You know you mentioned they don't want you looking. There 451 00:24:05,840 --> 00:24:08,399 Speaker 1: was a very interesting playbook. When Democrats get in trouble, 452 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:10,600 Speaker 1: they usually just start playing the race card, throwing down 453 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:13,199 Speaker 1: the race card. Tim Waltz had a press conference and 454 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:15,240 Speaker 1: he was asked about the fraud in the small community, 455 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:17,840 Speaker 1: the money going back to the terrorist organization Al Shabab, 456 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:22,920 Speaker 1: and how much just total pure corruption there was, And 457 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:26,160 Speaker 1: then he was asked about ice raids in Minnesota. He's 458 00:24:26,240 --> 00:24:28,919 Speaker 1: obviously against that. They are a welcoming state, as he 459 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:32,960 Speaker 1: describes it, they're a sanctuary state. And what Tim Waltz 460 00:24:33,000 --> 00:24:35,680 Speaker 1: had to say back it really did kind of make 461 00:24:35,720 --> 00:24:38,520 Speaker 1: me laugh because it's so predictable, and yet it's the 462 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:41,280 Speaker 1: classic playbook they've been using. You question them on anything 463 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:43,159 Speaker 1: they get wrong, they're like, oh, well, your racist, a 464 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:45,760 Speaker 1: big at, homophobes, xenophob The list goes on on, Well, 465 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:49,840 Speaker 1: now it's white supremacy if you actually enforced the law 466 00:24:49,880 --> 00:24:52,160 Speaker 1: of the land with the legal immigrants in the state. 467 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:54,760 Speaker 1: Here's how he put it, Tim Waltz in Minnesota. 468 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:58,159 Speaker 4: So this is what happens when your own federal government 469 00:24:58,200 --> 00:25:01,919 Speaker 4: wages war against you. What happens when they target communities 470 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:04,959 Speaker 4: for their own benefit. This is what happens when they scapegoat, 471 00:25:05,400 --> 00:25:07,359 Speaker 4: And this is what say happens when they no longer 472 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:09,840 Speaker 4: hide the idea of white supremacy. When you hear the 473 00:25:09,920 --> 00:25:12,440 Speaker 4: Vice President of the United States talk about now white 474 00:25:12,440 --> 00:25:15,280 Speaker 4: people won't have to apologize for being white. That's never 475 00:25:15,320 --> 00:25:17,920 Speaker 4: happened once in my whole damn life. And I think 476 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:20,680 Speaker 4: everybody in this room knows what they're doing. So we're 477 00:25:20,720 --> 00:25:23,639 Speaker 4: here today to say enough of this. We're here today 478 00:25:23,680 --> 00:25:25,840 Speaker 4: to stand that Minnesota will protect their neighbors. 479 00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:28,040 Speaker 2: Minnesota will protect their neighbors. 480 00:25:28,119 --> 00:25:31,480 Speaker 1: And this is what happened, rob blind, Yeah, and rob 481 00:25:31,520 --> 00:25:34,200 Speaker 1: them blind nine nine billion that we know of, right, 482 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:36,640 Speaker 1: And he says, we're not gonna We're know we're gonna 483 00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:39,240 Speaker 1: allow them to hide the idea of white supremacy. When 484 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:41,320 Speaker 1: you hear the Vice president, I mean, this is the 485 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:44,920 Speaker 1: classic democratic playbook. Don't look at what I'm doing. I'm 486 00:25:44,920 --> 00:25:46,200 Speaker 1: gonna yell you're a racist. 487 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:51,919 Speaker 3: Like he has literally overseen the biggest recorded fraud in 488 00:25:52,119 --> 00:25:56,680 Speaker 3: US government history. Not just a fraud on the taxpayers 489 00:25:56,720 --> 00:25:59,960 Speaker 3: that defrauded the taxpayers of Minnesota, that defrauded the taxpayer 490 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:05,280 Speaker 3: of every state, federal taxpayers, uh, but also that saw 491 00:26:05,680 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 3: the federal tax dollars diverted to illegal immigrants to Somali's 492 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:15,840 Speaker 3: who sent it to al Shabab, a radical Islamic terror organization. 493 00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:20,359 Speaker 3: So it's fraud funding Islamist terror. And and and what 494 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:25,440 Speaker 3: is Tim Waltz's response to scream white supremacy, white supremacy? 495 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:29,320 Speaker 3: At some point those talking points get a little tired, 496 00:26:29,800 --> 00:26:32,720 Speaker 3: and and and it's a clear and transport parent effort 497 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:35,760 Speaker 3: just to avoid any accountability and and and and to 498 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:38,960 Speaker 3: be avoid being held responsible for for what what he 499 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:39,840 Speaker 3: allowed to happen. 500 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:42,240 Speaker 1: All right, Ceder, I want to move to another part 501 00:26:42,240 --> 00:26:45,399 Speaker 1: of this story, and it's bigger than Minnesota. We were 502 00:26:45,400 --> 00:26:47,800 Speaker 1: talking about the fraud there, but the Wall Street Journal 503 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:49,880 Speaker 1: came out with a very interesting report and I think 504 00:26:49,920 --> 00:26:52,200 Speaker 1: it's worth as taking a moment to talk about it. 505 00:26:52,200 --> 00:26:55,320 Speaker 1: It's the biggest fraud in welfare and it just talks 506 00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:58,639 Speaker 1: about how much abuse there is in the welfare system. 507 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:03,320 Speaker 1: It's costing hundreds of billions of dollars to American taxpayers. 508 00:27:03,400 --> 00:27:06,080 Speaker 3: Well, and in particular, what it talks about is is 509 00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:09,800 Speaker 3: bogus bookkeeping that covers it up. And this is an 510 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:12,200 Speaker 3: op ed that was written by Phil Graham and John Earley. 511 00:27:12,280 --> 00:27:15,680 Speaker 3: Phil Graham was previously senator from the state of Texas. 512 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:17,680 Speaker 3: He's an economist. Phil is a good friend of mine 513 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:21,400 Speaker 3: and it's an important op ed that he wrote December 514 00:27:21,400 --> 00:27:24,360 Speaker 3: seventeenth in the Journal. It's entitled the Biggest Fraud and Welfare. 515 00:27:24,400 --> 00:27:27,440 Speaker 3: The government gives tens of thousands of dollars in benefits 516 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:31,119 Speaker 3: to the poor, which it doesn't count as income, and 517 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:33,520 Speaker 3: so this is in some ways an accounting story, and 518 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:35,800 Speaker 3: please don't go to sleep right now, particularly if you're driving. 519 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:39,680 Speaker 3: Don't go to it is an accounting story that matters. 520 00:27:40,119 --> 00:27:43,480 Speaker 3: So here's what Phil Graham wrote. Something is profoundly wrong 521 00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:46,160 Speaker 3: with the US welfare system, a problem that runs far 522 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:48,639 Speaker 3: deeper and is more dangerous than the shocking fraud in 523 00:27:48,680 --> 00:27:53,200 Speaker 3: Minnesota that has been making headlines across the past half century. 524 00:27:53,720 --> 00:27:56,080 Speaker 3: America has seen what in any other country would be 525 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:59,760 Speaker 3: considered a golden age in which lower income households have 526 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:03,720 Speaker 3: made incredible progress. Despite the end of our post war 527 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:08,320 Speaker 3: economic dominance around nineteen seventy five. The country's real per 528 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:12,919 Speaker 3: capita gross domestic product grew by one hundred and forty 529 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:17,040 Speaker 3: two percent from nineteen seventy four to twenty twenty four. 530 00:28:17,840 --> 00:28:21,320 Speaker 3: More than two thirds of US households have inflation adjusted 531 00:28:21,359 --> 00:28:24,399 Speaker 3: incomes today that would have put them in the top 532 00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:28,680 Speaker 3: one fifth of households in nineteen sixty seven. So used 533 00:28:28,680 --> 00:28:30,639 Speaker 3: to be the top one fifth of households in nineteen 534 00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:34,440 Speaker 3: sixty seven. Today, more than two thirds of US households 535 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:37,760 Speaker 3: have inflation that would put them there. Sixty two percent 536 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:40,080 Speaker 3: of all children who grew up in the poorest fifth 537 00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:43,800 Speaker 3: of all households in the seventies and eighties worked their 538 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:46,800 Speaker 3: way up to a higher income bracket as adults, some 539 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:50,480 Speaker 3: all the way up to the top quintile. Yet, even 540 00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:54,800 Speaker 3: as our economy has experienced broad based growth, real federal 541 00:28:54,840 --> 00:28:58,200 Speaker 3: welfare spending has soared by what do you think the 542 00:28:58,280 --> 00:28:58,680 Speaker 3: number is? 543 00:29:00,000 --> 00:29:01,800 Speaker 2: I guess seventy percent. 544 00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:07,240 Speaker 3: Seven hundred and sixty five percent, more than twice as 545 00:29:07,320 --> 00:29:12,800 Speaker 3: fast as total federal spending, and now costs one point 546 00:29:12,840 --> 00:29:15,640 Speaker 3: four trillion dollars annually. 547 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:16,680 Speaker 2: Incredible. 548 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:19,959 Speaker 3: We're that were that money simply to be doled out 549 00:29:19,960 --> 00:29:23,800 Speaker 3: evenly to the nineteen point eight million families the government 550 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:27,360 Speaker 3: defines as poor each household. How much you think each 551 00:29:27,360 --> 00:29:29,280 Speaker 3: household would receive a year if you just took all 552 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:32,920 Speaker 3: the welfare payments and sent a check to each household directly. 553 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:37,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I mean, I'm going to guess in the thousands. 554 00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:42,000 Speaker 3: More than seventy thousand dollars a year. 555 00:29:42,400 --> 00:29:44,600 Speaker 2: For Tell me about I mean that? I mean that. 556 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:48,000 Speaker 1: Tell me that's not a perfect example of government waste 557 00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:50,480 Speaker 1: when you could just send direct checks of seventy grand 558 00:29:50,520 --> 00:29:51,160 Speaker 1: a year to people. 559 00:29:51,760 --> 00:29:54,640 Speaker 3: The source of this dramatic mismatch is a fraud built 560 00:29:54,680 --> 00:29:59,560 Speaker 3: into how various programs determine welfare eligibility. The government doesn't 561 00:29:59,600 --> 00:30:03,640 Speaker 3: count any refundable tax credits or benefits that aren't paid 562 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:07,480 Speaker 3: in cash as income to the recipients. Some claim this 563 00:30:07,560 --> 00:30:10,600 Speaker 3: is appropriate because the beneficiaries aren't free to spend non 564 00:30:10,680 --> 00:30:13,360 Speaker 3: cash benefits on whatever they like, but that is a 565 00:30:13,400 --> 00:30:17,840 Speaker 3: specious argument, because money is fungible. Receiving Medicaid, for example, 566 00:30:17,880 --> 00:30:20,360 Speaker 3: frees up cash that would otherwise be spent on healthcare, 567 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:23,280 Speaker 3: allowing the recipients to spend the newly freed cash on 568 00:30:23,320 --> 00:30:26,480 Speaker 3: other things. Non cash benefits aren't, in the end, that 569 00:30:26,600 --> 00:30:30,000 Speaker 3: different from income, except that salaries are taxed while government 570 00:30:30,040 --> 00:30:34,040 Speaker 3: benefits aren't. And if individual welfare programs often don't even 571 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:37,640 Speaker 3: count benefits paid in cash as income for the purposes 572 00:30:37,680 --> 00:30:42,320 Speaker 3: of gauging eligibility, the government's failure to count its largess 573 00:30:42,360 --> 00:30:47,160 Speaker 3: as the recipient's income allows welfare households to blow past 574 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:50,720 Speaker 3: the income level above which a working family no longer 575 00:30:50,800 --> 00:30:54,280 Speaker 3: qualifies for government help. Take a single parent with two 576 00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:57,520 Speaker 3: school aged children who earns eleven thousand dollars annually from 577 00:30:57,520 --> 00:31:01,080 Speaker 3: part time work. The government considers this household in poverty 578 00:31:01,080 --> 00:31:03,520 Speaker 3: because its income is below twenty five thousand, two hundred 579 00:31:03,520 --> 00:31:07,280 Speaker 3: and seventy three dollars, But this family would qualify for 580 00:31:07,400 --> 00:31:12,640 Speaker 3: benefits worth fifty three thousand, one hundred and twenty eight dollars. 581 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:16,160 Speaker 3: It would receive Treasury checks of three thousand, four hundred 582 00:31:16,160 --> 00:31:19,280 Speaker 3: dollars in refundable tax credits and four thousand, four hundred 583 00:31:19,280 --> 00:31:22,440 Speaker 3: dollars in refundable earned income tax credits. Would also receive 584 00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:25,360 Speaker 3: food stamp debit cards worth nine thousand, two hundred and 585 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:28,360 Speaker 3: sixteen dollars a year, nine thousand, four hundred and seventy 586 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:31,280 Speaker 3: six dollars in housing subsidies, eight hundred and seventy seven 587 00:31:31,320 --> 00:31:34,400 Speaker 3: dollars of government payments for utility bills, sixteen thousand and 588 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:37,480 Speaker 3: thirty three dollars to fund medicaid, three thousand, one hundred 589 00:31:37,480 --> 00:31:40,240 Speaker 3: and two dollars in free meals at schools, and six thousand, 590 00:31:40,280 --> 00:31:42,680 Speaker 3: six hundred and twenty four dollars in temporary assistance for 591 00:31:42,720 --> 00:31:48,120 Speaker 3: needy families. All this puts the family's income at sixty 592 00:31:48,120 --> 00:31:50,960 Speaker 3: four thousand, one hundred and twenty eight dollars, or two 593 00:31:51,080 --> 00:31:53,800 Speaker 3: hundred and fifty four percent of the poverty level, and 594 00:31:53,800 --> 00:31:56,080 Speaker 3: look the point. Phil Graham goes on on this, But 595 00:31:56,200 --> 00:32:00,680 Speaker 3: the point is when they're measuring income, they exclude all 596 00:32:00,720 --> 00:32:03,000 Speaker 3: the welfare and benefits that are going down, and then 597 00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:05,240 Speaker 3: they measure income and said, look how poor people are 598 00:32:05,640 --> 00:32:09,360 Speaker 3: without counting the money that is going out out the door. 599 00:32:09,400 --> 00:32:12,960 Speaker 3: And by the way, this also contributes to the massive 600 00:32:12,960 --> 00:32:16,840 Speaker 3: fraud we saw in Minnesota because because the Democrats and 601 00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:20,280 Speaker 3: the federal government and state government are just focusing on 602 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:24,240 Speaker 3: shoveling cash out the door, and they're not focusing on 603 00:32:24,320 --> 00:32:28,880 Speaker 3: how do you actually ensure any accountability or even more importantly, 604 00:32:29,680 --> 00:32:33,520 Speaker 3: how do you get people off welfare. Look, one of 605 00:32:33,520 --> 00:32:38,280 Speaker 3: my favorite phrases is that the social safety net should 606 00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:41,880 Speaker 3: be a trampoline and not a hammock. And by that 607 00:32:41,920 --> 00:32:46,920 Speaker 3: what it means is, listen, many people get down on 608 00:32:46,960 --> 00:32:47,320 Speaker 3: their lock. 609 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:48,040 Speaker 2: They need help. 610 00:32:48,920 --> 00:32:52,080 Speaker 3: But the entire focus should be to get you back 611 00:32:52,120 --> 00:32:55,680 Speaker 3: on your feet. The entire focus should be to spring 612 00:32:55,760 --> 00:32:57,880 Speaker 3: you out of the safety net and get you where 613 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:01,120 Speaker 3: you're working, where you have a job, where you're providing 614 00:33:01,160 --> 00:33:04,000 Speaker 3: for your own family. You know, there's a dignity to work. 615 00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:08,240 Speaker 3: You look at families that are trapped in generational poverty, 616 00:33:08,280 --> 00:33:12,880 Speaker 3: one generation after another, after another and you lose the 617 00:33:13,560 --> 00:33:14,560 Speaker 3: self respect. 618 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:14,840 Speaker 7: You know. 619 00:33:14,920 --> 00:33:18,640 Speaker 3: One of the amazing successes of welfare reform, one of 620 00:33:18,640 --> 00:33:21,600 Speaker 3: the amazing successes of the first term of Trump that 621 00:33:21,840 --> 00:33:26,480 Speaker 3: saw over seven million people go off food stamps and 622 00:33:26,840 --> 00:33:31,080 Speaker 3: go into the workforce, is that seven million people that 623 00:33:31,440 --> 00:33:34,920 Speaker 3: get to experience the dignity of work. I mean, that's 624 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:39,120 Speaker 3: literally a single mom who comes home from her job 625 00:33:39,400 --> 00:33:42,400 Speaker 3: and is carrying two bags of groceries and puts those 626 00:33:42,440 --> 00:33:45,440 Speaker 3: groceries on the kitchen table, and she looks at her 627 00:33:45,520 --> 00:33:49,120 Speaker 3: kids and she has the self respect of knowing, Hey, 628 00:33:49,160 --> 00:33:51,640 Speaker 3: I'm providing for you and the kids look at her 629 00:33:52,040 --> 00:33:55,760 Speaker 3: and know that my mom is providing for you. Look, look, 630 00:33:55,880 --> 00:33:59,960 Speaker 3: God created mankind. I believe to work and to be productive, 631 00:34:00,160 --> 00:34:02,880 Speaker 3: to make a difference, to provide for your family. And 632 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:08,879 Speaker 3: this welfare machine that the Left is so invested in 633 00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:12,799 Speaker 3: traps people in dependency. And you're not doing anyone a 634 00:34:12,840 --> 00:34:17,960 Speaker 3: favor by making them dependent on government. Instead, you're sapping 635 00:34:18,040 --> 00:34:21,520 Speaker 3: them of the path to the American dream. 636 00:34:21,880 --> 00:34:23,520 Speaker 2: Yeah. No, you're absolutely right. 637 00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:26,359 Speaker 1: And it's almost modern day slavery, where you keep people 638 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:29,440 Speaker 1: addicted to it so that they owe you on election day, 639 00:34:29,440 --> 00:34:31,560 Speaker 1: And it seems to be what the Democrats are obsessed with. 640 00:34:31,640 --> 00:34:32,319 Speaker 2: It truly is. 641 00:34:32,960 --> 00:34:36,759 Speaker 1: It's sad, it's also shocking, and it's also predictable now 642 00:34:36,840 --> 00:34:37,800 Speaker 1: the Democratic Party. 643 00:34:38,080 --> 00:34:38,640 Speaker 2: Don't forget. 644 00:34:38,680 --> 00:34:41,440 Speaker 1: We do this show every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so 645 00:34:41,560 --> 00:34:45,000 Speaker 1: make sure you subscribe to Vertic with Tech Cruise wherever 646 00:34:45,080 --> 00:34:47,320 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts so you don't miss a single episode. 647 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:50,239 Speaker 1: You can also watch these episodes on YouTube just put 648 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:53,040 Speaker 1: in Vertic with Tech Cruise or on Facebook as well. 649 00:34:53,080 --> 00:34:54,719 Speaker 1: We have it there for you wherever you are on 650 00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:58,239 Speaker 1: social media, and please grab the episodes and share them 651 00:34:58,239 --> 00:35:00,160 Speaker 1: so other people hear the information we give you and 652 00:35:00,200 --> 00:35:02,479 Speaker 1: the center. I will see you back here next week 653 00:35:02,520 --> 00:35:05,080 Speaker 1: on this radio station and all week long on our 654 00:35:05,120 --> 00:35:05,680 Speaker 1: podcast