1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:00,600 Speaker 1: Welcome. 2 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:03,800 Speaker 2: It is Verdict with Ted Cruz Week in Review Ben 3 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 2: Ferguson with you, and here are some of the big 4 00:00:05,640 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 2: stories that you may have missed as you were celebrating 5 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:11,880 Speaker 2: Christmas with your family and your friends. First up, Wall 6 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:15,800 Speaker 2: Street Journal is now reporting there's massive fraud in the 7 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:19,400 Speaker 2: US government, Like we didn't see that coming, but they're 8 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:22,840 Speaker 2: even admitting now it's worse and you could ever imagine. 9 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: We'll have the details of that for you in just 10 00:00:25,600 --> 00:00:26,080 Speaker 1: a moment. 11 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 2: Also, Minnesota fraud costing taxpayers billions of dollars. 12 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:32,840 Speaker 1: And what we're. 13 00:00:32,720 --> 00:00:35,880 Speaker 2: Also being told is the fraud, well, it's not going 14 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:39,599 Speaker 2: away anytime soon, so how do we stop it. We'll 15 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:43,199 Speaker 2: explain that as well. And finally, the media and the 16 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 2: liberals got it wrong. Economic data looking great for the 17 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 2: GDP report, and the media is now downplaying it, trying 18 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 2: to act like it never even happen. It's the Week 19 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 2: in Review and it starts right now, all right, So 20 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 2: I want to move to another part of the story, 21 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 2: and it's bigger than Minnesota. We were talking about the 22 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 2: fraud there, but the Wall Street Journal came out with 23 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 2: a very interesting report and I think it's worth as 24 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:10,320 Speaker 2: taking a moment to talk about it. It's the biggest 25 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 2: fraud in welfare and it just talks about how much 26 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:17,839 Speaker 2: abuse there is in the welfare system. It's costing hundreds 27 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 2: of billions of dollars to American taxpayers. 28 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:23,480 Speaker 3: Well, and in particular what it talks about is is 29 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 3: bogus bookkeeping that covers it up. And this is an 30 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 3: op ed that was written by Phil Graham and John Earley. 31 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 3: Phil Graham was previously senator from the state of Texas. 32 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:35,080 Speaker 3: He's an economist. Phil is a good friend of mine, 33 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 3: and it's an important op ed that he wrote December 34 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:41,760 Speaker 3: seventeenth in the Journal. It's entitled the Biggest Fraud in Welfare. 35 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:44,839 Speaker 3: The government gives tens of thousands of dollars in benefits 36 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 3: to the poor, which it doesn't count as income. And 37 00:01:48,600 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 3: so this is in some ways an accounting story. And 38 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:53,200 Speaker 3: please don't go to sleep right now, particularly if you're driving. 39 00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:57,080 Speaker 3: Don't go to it is an accounting story that matters. 40 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:00,880 Speaker 3: So here's what Phil Graham wrote. Something is profoundly wrong 41 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 3: with the US welfare system, a problem that runs far 42 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:06,040 Speaker 3: deeper and is more dangerous than the shocking fraud in 43 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:10,640 Speaker 3: Minnesota that has been making headlines. Across the past half century, 44 00:02:11,120 --> 00:02:13,480 Speaker 3: America has seen what in any other country would be 45 00:02:13,480 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 3: considered a golden age, in which lower income households have 46 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:21,119 Speaker 3: made incredible progress. Despite the end of our post war 47 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 3: economic dominance around nineteen seventy five, the country's real per 48 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 3: capita gross domestic product grew by one hundred and forty 49 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 3: two percent from nineteen seventy four to twenty twenty four. 50 00:02:35,240 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 3: More than two thirds of US households have inflation adjusted 51 00:02:38,760 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 3: incomes today that would have put them in the top 52 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:46,080 Speaker 3: one fifth of households in nineteen sixty seven. So used 53 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 3: to be the top one fifth of households in nineteen 54 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:51,840 Speaker 3: sixty seven. Today, more than two thirds of US households 55 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 3: have inflation that would put them there. Sixty two percent 56 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 3: of all children who grew up in the poorest fifth 57 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 3: of all households in the seventies and eighties worked their 58 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 3: way up to a higher income bracket as adults, some 59 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,880 Speaker 3: all the way up to the top quintile. Yet, even 60 00:03:07,919 --> 00:03:12,200 Speaker 3: as our economy has experienced broad based growth, real federal 61 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 3: welfare spending has soared by what do you think the 62 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:16,160 Speaker 3: number is. 63 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:19,200 Speaker 1: I'm going to guess seventy percent. 64 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 3: Seven hundred and sixty five percent, more than twice as 65 00:03:24,720 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 3: fast as total federal spending, and now costs one point 66 00:03:30,240 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 3: four trillion dollars Annuallyble We're that were that money simply 67 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 3: to be doled out evenly to the nineteen point eight 68 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 3: million families the government defines as poor each household. How 69 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 3: much you think each household would receive a year if 70 00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:48,360 Speaker 3: you just took all the welfare payments and sent a 71 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:50,320 Speaker 3: check to each household directly? 72 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 1: Yeah? Yeah, I mean, I'm going to guess in the thousands. 73 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:59,119 Speaker 3: More than seventy thousand dollars a year. 74 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 2: Tell me about me, I mean, tell me that's not 75 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 2: a perfect example of government waste when you could just 76 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:08,560 Speaker 2: send direct checks of seventy grand a year to people. 77 00:04:09,160 --> 00:04:12,000 Speaker 3: The source of this dramatic mismatch is a fraud built 78 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 3: into how various programs determine welfare eligibility. The government doesn't 79 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:21,039 Speaker 3: count any refundable tax credits or benefits that aren't paid 80 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 3: in cash as income to the recipients. Some claim this 81 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:28,000 Speaker 3: is appropriate because the beneficiaries aren't free to spend non 82 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:30,760 Speaker 3: cash benefits on whatever they like, But that is a 83 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:35,240 Speaker 3: specious argument, because money is fungible receiving Medicaid, for example, 84 00:04:35,279 --> 00:04:37,760 Speaker 3: freeze up cash that would otherwise be spent on healthcare, 85 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 3: allowing the recipients to spend the newly freed cash on 86 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:43,880 Speaker 3: other things. Non Cash benefits aren't, in the end that 87 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:47,400 Speaker 3: different from income, except that salaries are taxed while government 88 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 3: benefits aren't, and if individual welfare programs often don't even 89 00:04:51,480 --> 00:04:55,040 Speaker 3: count benefits paid in cash as income for the purposes 90 00:04:55,080 --> 00:04:59,680 Speaker 3: of gauging eligibility, the government's failure to count its largess 91 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:04,559 Speaker 3: as the recipient's income allows welfare households to blow past 92 00:05:04,640 --> 00:05:08,119 Speaker 3: the income level above which a working family no longer 93 00:05:08,200 --> 00:05:11,680 Speaker 3: qualifies for government help. Take a single parent with two 94 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:14,920 Speaker 3: school aged children who earns eleven thousand dollars annually from 95 00:05:14,920 --> 00:05:18,479 Speaker 3: part time work. The government considers this household in poverty 96 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:20,920 Speaker 3: because its income is below twenty five thousand, two hundred 97 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 3: and seventy three dollars, But this family would qualify for 98 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 3: benefits worth fifty three thousand, one hundred and twenty eight dollars. 99 00:05:30,640 --> 00:05:33,559 Speaker 3: It would receive Treasury checks of three thousand, four hundred 100 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:36,680 Speaker 3: dollars in refundable tax credits and four thousand, four hundred 101 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:39,839 Speaker 3: dollars in refundable earned income tax credits, would also receive 102 00:05:39,920 --> 00:05:42,760 Speaker 3: food stamp debit cards worth nine thousand, two hundred and 103 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 3: sixteen dollars a year, nine thousand, four hundred and seventy 104 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:48,720 Speaker 3: six dollars in housing subsidies, eight hundred and seventy seven 105 00:05:48,720 --> 00:05:51,800 Speaker 3: dollars of government payments for utility bills, sixteen thousand and 106 00:05:51,800 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 3: thirty three dollars to fund Medicaid, three thousand, one hundred 107 00:05:54,880 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 3: and two dollars in free meals at schools, and six thousand, 108 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 3: six hundred and twenty four dollars in temporary assistants needy families. 109 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:06,279 Speaker 3: All this puts the family's income at sixty four thousand, 110 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:08,840 Speaker 3: one hundred and twenty eight dollars, or two hundred and 111 00:06:08,920 --> 00:06:11,479 Speaker 3: fifty four percent of the poverty level. And look, the 112 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 3: point Phil Graham goes on on this, But the point 113 00:06:14,200 --> 00:06:18,720 Speaker 3: is when they're measuring income, they exclude all the welfare 114 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:20,839 Speaker 3: and benefits that are going down, and then they measure 115 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 3: income and said, look how poor people are without counting 116 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:26,920 Speaker 3: the money that is going out out the door. And 117 00:06:26,960 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 3: by the way, this also contributes to the massive fraud 118 00:06:30,760 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 3: we saw in Minnesota because because the Democrats, and the 119 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:38,280 Speaker 3: federal government and state government are just focusing on shoveling 120 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:41,920 Speaker 3: cash out the door, and they're not focusing on how 121 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 3: do you how do you actually ensure any accountability or 122 00:06:45,120 --> 00:06:50,320 Speaker 3: even more importantly, how do you get people off welfare. Look, 123 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 3: one of my favorite phrases is that the social safety 124 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:58,280 Speaker 3: net should be a trampoline and not a hammock. And 125 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:02,520 Speaker 3: by that what it means is is, listen, many people 126 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:06,719 Speaker 3: get down on their luck. They need help. But the 127 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 3: entire focus should be to get you back on your feet. 128 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 3: The entire focus should be to spring you out of 129 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:16,040 Speaker 3: the safety net and get you where you're working, where 130 00:07:16,080 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 3: you have a job, where you're providing for your own family. 131 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:23,040 Speaker 3: You know, there's a dignity to work. You look at 132 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:26,720 Speaker 3: families that are trapped in generational poverty one generation after 133 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 3: another after another, and you lose the self respect. 134 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:32,240 Speaker 4: You know. 135 00:07:32,320 --> 00:07:36,040 Speaker 3: One of the amazing successes of welfare reform, one of 136 00:07:36,040 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 3: the amazing successes of the first term of Trump that 137 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 3: saw over seven million people go off food stamps and 138 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:48,480 Speaker 3: go into the workforce, is that seven million people that 139 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 3: get to experience the dignity of work. I mean, that's 140 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 3: literally a single mom who comes home from her job 141 00:07:56,800 --> 00:07:59,720 Speaker 3: and is carrying two bags of groceries and puts those 142 00:07:59,760 --> 00:08:02,760 Speaker 3: growth trees on the kitchen table, and she looks at 143 00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:06,520 Speaker 3: her kids and she has the self respect of knowing, Hey, 144 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:09,040 Speaker 3: I'm providing for you, and the kids look at her 145 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 3: and know that my mom is providing for you. Look, look, 146 00:08:13,280 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 3: God created mankind. I believe to work and to be 147 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:19,560 Speaker 3: productive and to make a difference, to provide for your family. 148 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:26,080 Speaker 3: And this welfare machine that the Left is so invested 149 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:30,040 Speaker 3: in traps people in dependency. And you're not doing anyone 150 00:08:30,080 --> 00:08:34,680 Speaker 3: a favor by making them dependent on government. Instead, you're 151 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:38,959 Speaker 3: sapping them of the path to the American dream. 152 00:08:39,280 --> 00:08:41,719 Speaker 2: Now, if you want to hear the rest of this conversation, 153 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:44,320 Speaker 2: you can go back and listen to the full podcast 154 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:48,840 Speaker 2: from earlier this week. Now onto story number two. Senator, 155 00:08:48,880 --> 00:08:50,440 Speaker 2: There's another big story that I want to get to, 156 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:52,719 Speaker 2: and that is the out of control fraud. We have 157 00:08:52,840 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 2: now got a number, and it could go higher. At 158 00:08:56,000 --> 00:09:00,800 Speaker 2: least nine billion was looted from the Minnesota medicaid programs. 159 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:03,720 Speaker 1: Plus there was welfare fraud as well. 160 00:09:03,760 --> 00:09:06,560 Speaker 2: In a bombshell report coming from the Wall Street Journal, 161 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 2: This does not look good for the governor there, and 162 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:11,959 Speaker 2: a lot of mayors have now sent him a letter 163 00:09:12,080 --> 00:09:14,280 Speaker 2: saying we are in trouble and it's your fault. 164 00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:19,319 Speaker 3: Look, the level of fraud we're seeing welfare medicaid fraud 165 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 3: in Minnesota is staggering. It is an order of magnitude 166 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 3: greater than we've seen. And here are the basic facts. 167 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:34,840 Speaker 3: Federal prosecutors alleged Thursday that Minnesota may have lost billions 168 00:09:34,840 --> 00:09:37,880 Speaker 3: of dollars to fraud in its medicaid program. The latest 169 00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:42,360 Speaker 3: development in an ongoing investigation, as much as half, half 170 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:46,840 Speaker 3: fifty percent of the roughly eighteen billion dollars Minnesota has 171 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:51,680 Speaker 3: spent since twenty eighteen on fourteen medicaid programs, particularly vulnerable 172 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:55,800 Speaker 3: to abuse, may have been siphoned off by fraudsters, according 173 00:09:55,800 --> 00:10:00,439 Speaker 3: to Assistant US Assistant Attorney Joe Thompson, and made the 174 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:04,599 Speaker 3: remarks as prosecutors announced to additional charges in the ongoing 175 00:10:04,640 --> 00:10:13,120 Speaker 3: investigation of the staggering industrial scale fraud engulfing the state. Quote, 176 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:17,360 Speaker 3: the fraud is not small, It isn't isolated. The magnitude 177 00:10:17,440 --> 00:10:21,440 Speaker 3: cannot be overstated. What we see in Minnesota is not 178 00:10:21,480 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 3: a handful of a bad actors committing crimes. It's a staggering, 179 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:30,600 Speaker 3: industrial scale fraud. It's swamping Minnesota and calling into question 180 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 3: everything we know about our state, the level of it. 181 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:40,800 Speaker 3: Half of medicaid for years, that's in Minnesota. By the way, 182 00:10:40,840 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 3: if you watch the corporate media, you've seen very little 183 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:46,000 Speaker 3: about this. They don't want to cover this at all 184 00:10:46,640 --> 00:10:50,160 Speaker 3: because it is the complicity of the Democrats in office. 185 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:52,720 Speaker 3: And understand, Minnesota is a one party state. It is 186 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:56,000 Speaker 3: governed by Democrats. Democrats are in charge. They looked the 187 00:10:56,080 --> 00:10:58,079 Speaker 3: other way. Why did they look the other way? Well, 188 00:10:58,160 --> 00:11:01,320 Speaker 3: much of this fraud was carried out Somali's We covered 189 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:07,720 Speaker 3: the previous verdict how the single largest contributor to al Shabab. 190 00:11:07,800 --> 00:11:12,559 Speaker 3: Al Shabab is a radical Islamist terrorist organization in Somalia. 191 00:11:13,040 --> 00:11:17,079 Speaker 3: The single largest contributor to al Shabab are the Minnesota taxpayers. 192 00:11:17,120 --> 00:11:20,800 Speaker 3: That's the level of the of the the theft that 193 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:25,640 Speaker 3: went on and Democrats elected Democrats in Minnesota. They happily 194 00:11:25,679 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 3: look the other way. Why because they were buying votes. 195 00:11:28,440 --> 00:11:31,240 Speaker 3: And you know what if they actually watched the taxpayer 196 00:11:31,320 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 3: dollars and didn't let the criminals steal it, Well, somebody 197 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 3: might be upset if they if they had even the 198 00:11:36,480 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 3: tiniest modicum of scrutiny. It is shocking. 199 00:11:40,960 --> 00:11:42,640 Speaker 2: Well, and you know what you mentioned like a moment ago, 200 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:45,080 Speaker 2: and that is that the media has not been touching this. Luckily, 201 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:50,520 Speaker 2: local media has CBS, for example, locally UH in Minnesota. 202 00:11:50,640 --> 00:11:53,000 Speaker 2: They did a report on this that was just kind 203 00:11:53,040 --> 00:11:55,360 Speaker 2: of throwing their hands up in the air, like this 204 00:11:55,559 --> 00:11:59,840 Speaker 2: is so egregious. We need you to know the now, 205 00:12:00,000 --> 00:12:04,520 Speaker 2: social media completely silent, no accountability for the governor. There 206 00:12:04,520 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 2: are those in leadership under him. I want to play 207 00:12:06,679 --> 00:12:09,559 Speaker 2: this for people. This is again the local CBS affiliate. 208 00:12:09,559 --> 00:12:11,760 Speaker 2: They're talking about the fraud crisis. Take a listen. 209 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:17,360 Speaker 5: Minnesota's fraud crisis is growing today. Prosecutors charge more people 210 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,640 Speaker 5: for billing the state for social services they did not provide. 211 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:24,280 Speaker 5: The federal prosecutor says it's possible half or more of 212 00:12:24,320 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 5: the eighteen billion dollars billed to fourteen programs since twenty 213 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:31,680 Speaker 5: eighteen is fraudulent. We have team coverage started with Jona 214 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:34,720 Speaker 5: Kaplan with more on what we've learned about these latest charges. Jonah, 215 00:12:34,840 --> 00:12:37,840 Speaker 5: So we've gone from maybe a billion dollars to possibly 216 00:12:37,960 --> 00:12:40,199 Speaker 5: nine billion or more well. 217 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 6: We've heard from the new US Attorney, Frank that we're 218 00:12:42,800 --> 00:12:46,359 Speaker 6: not even at the end of the beginning of this investigation, 219 00:12:46,480 --> 00:12:49,360 Speaker 6: and now we know why Feeding our Future was just 220 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:50,400 Speaker 6: the tip of the iceberg. 221 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 7: The fraud is not small, it isn't isolated. The manitude 222 00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:57,360 Speaker 7: cannot be overstated. 223 00:12:57,640 --> 00:13:01,720 Speaker 6: Prosecutors on Thursday indicting six people, including one already charged 224 00:13:01,760 --> 00:13:04,880 Speaker 6: in another case. The five new defendants are all accused 225 00:13:04,880 --> 00:13:08,440 Speaker 6: of defrauding a state program meant to provide housing assistance 226 00:13:08,520 --> 00:13:11,839 Speaker 6: to the disabled and those dealing with addiction. Two people 227 00:13:11,920 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 6: charged aren't even from here. According to officials, Anthony Jefferson 228 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:19,440 Speaker 6: and Lester Brown came from Philadelphia to Minnesota looking for 229 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 6: an opportunity to make money. They set up two fake 230 00:13:22,120 --> 00:13:24,959 Speaker 6: companies and collected three point five million dollars. 231 00:13:25,160 --> 00:13:30,560 Speaker 7: This is an instance of what essentially fraud tourism. Mister 232 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:34,440 Speaker 7: Jefferson and Brown were residents of Philadelphia. We had no 233 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:38,240 Speaker 7: connection to Minnesota except for they heard that Minnesota and 234 00:13:38,280 --> 00:13:41,840 Speaker 7: its Housing Stabilization Services program was easy money. 235 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 6: The state already cut off the housing stabilization program because 236 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:48,840 Speaker 6: of suspected fraud, but it's one of fourteen social programs 237 00:13:48,880 --> 00:13:52,920 Speaker 6: now under federal investigation. Together, they built eighteen billion dollars 238 00:13:52,960 --> 00:13:55,920 Speaker 6: since twenty eighteen. We asked how much could have been fraud. 239 00:13:56,080 --> 00:13:59,840 Speaker 7: You know, I don't make these generalizations in a hasty way. 240 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:02,560 Speaker 7: So when I say a significant a mount, I'm talking 241 00:14:02,600 --> 00:14:04,640 Speaker 7: in an order of half or more. But we'll see. 242 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:06,880 Speaker 6: One of the new indictments accuses of fraud ser of 243 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:10,520 Speaker 6: exploiting a program to help children with autism. Court documents 244 00:14:10,520 --> 00:14:13,840 Speaker 6: say Abd Najib Hasan yusef use some of the six 245 00:14:13,920 --> 00:14:17,160 Speaker 6: million bucks he stole to buy a freightliner semi truck. 246 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:22,200 Speaker 6: Governor Walls, in a statement said he applauded the new indictments, saying, quote, 247 00:14:22,240 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 6: this is exactly the type of strong action we need 248 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 6: from prosecutors to ensure fraudsters are put behind bars. Frank, 249 00:14:29,160 --> 00:14:31,240 Speaker 6: this is not going away anytime soon. 250 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:34,200 Speaker 2: That I love the end there, Frank, this is not 251 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:37,520 Speaker 2: going away anytime soon. Well, if Democrats have their way 252 00:14:37,800 --> 00:14:39,640 Speaker 2: and the governor this will just be like a one 253 00:14:39,680 --> 00:14:40,240 Speaker 2: time reporter. 254 00:14:40,320 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 1: Then we just move on. 255 00:14:41,200 --> 00:14:43,080 Speaker 2: And hey, if it goes from nine billion to twelve 256 00:14:43,120 --> 00:14:45,960 Speaker 2: billion or fifteen billion, who knows where the number could end. 257 00:14:46,000 --> 00:14:47,560 Speaker 2: And that was what they were referring to there at 258 00:14:47,600 --> 00:14:50,520 Speaker 2: CBS Local, They're like, hey, we went from one billion 259 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:54,840 Speaker 2: to nine billion, and that may not be the final number. 260 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 3: Well, and Tim Waltz says he applauds the indictments. Well, 261 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 3: my question is where was Tim Waltz. Where was the governor? 262 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:05,480 Speaker 3: He was like, where's Waldo? He was popping up everywhere 263 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:08,920 Speaker 3: he could. He was following Kamala Harris on the campaign trail, 264 00:15:08,960 --> 00:15:11,040 Speaker 3: but he was not actually doing his job as governor. 265 00:15:11,280 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 3: And listen, there is a political reason. And Ben, I'm 266 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 3: going to make a prediction right now. 267 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:18,720 Speaker 1: I love it when you do this because usually you're right. 268 00:15:18,800 --> 00:15:20,080 Speaker 1: So pay attention to everyone. 269 00:15:20,960 --> 00:15:24,480 Speaker 3: As horrific as this fraud is in Minnesota, and it 270 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:27,920 Speaker 3: is staggering, it is historically bad. I'm going to make 271 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:31,560 Speaker 3: a prediction that it is worse, that there is even 272 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:36,800 Speaker 3: more fraud in New York, California, and Illinois. 273 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 1: So you don't believe this is an isolated instant to 274 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 1: the I followed my money, I do not. 275 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:45,720 Speaker 3: I think in bright blue states where the Democrats control 276 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:49,760 Speaker 3: all of the levers of government, all of the machinery, 277 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:54,239 Speaker 3: I think the same incentives that cause the Democrat politicians 278 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:57,960 Speaker 3: in Minnesota to try to buy votes by allowing people 279 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:01,560 Speaker 3: to rob the taxpayers blind. I think those exact same 280 00:16:01,600 --> 00:16:03,760 Speaker 3: incentives are playing out in New York. I think those 281 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:06,520 Speaker 3: exact same incentives are playing out in Illinois. And I 282 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 3: think those exact same incentives are playing out in California. 283 00:16:09,560 --> 00:16:13,200 Speaker 3: So I'm calling on the Trump administration to audit, audit 284 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:16,800 Speaker 3: every state, but start with the big blue states, because 285 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:19,240 Speaker 3: I think that is where you were most likely to 286 00:16:19,400 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 3: find find the fraud, where the pattern is the same. 287 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:25,840 Speaker 3: And I gotta I gotta tell you, people like Gavin 288 00:16:25,920 --> 00:16:29,400 Speaker 3: Newsom are sweating right now. They don't want anyone looking 289 00:16:29,440 --> 00:16:35,320 Speaker 3: at the fraud in California because my the incentives are identical, 290 00:16:35,400 --> 00:16:38,960 Speaker 3: and I suspect you're going to see the very same 291 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:41,880 Speaker 3: pattern playing out over and over and over again. 292 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:44,720 Speaker 2: You know you mentioned they don't want you looking. There 293 00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:47,360 Speaker 2: was a very interesting playbook. When Democrats get in trouble, 294 00:16:47,360 --> 00:16:49,560 Speaker 2: they usually just start playing the race card, throwing down 295 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:52,160 Speaker 2: the race card. Tim Malts had a press conference and 296 00:16:52,200 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 2: he was asked about the fraud in this my community, 297 00:16:54,240 --> 00:16:56,800 Speaker 2: the money going back to the terrorist organization Al Shabab, 298 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:01,160 Speaker 2: and how much just just total pure corruption. There was 299 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:04,800 Speaker 2: and then he was asked about ice raids in Minnesota. 300 00:17:04,880 --> 00:17:06,320 Speaker 1: He's obviously against that. 301 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:09,080 Speaker 2: They are a welcoming state, as he describes it, they're 302 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:12,480 Speaker 2: a sanctuary state. And what Tim Waltz had to say 303 00:17:12,520 --> 00:17:15,440 Speaker 2: back it really did kind of make me laugh because 304 00:17:15,480 --> 00:17:18,640 Speaker 2: it's so predictable, and yet it's the classic playbook they've 305 00:17:18,640 --> 00:17:20,720 Speaker 2: been using. You question them on anything they get wrong, 306 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:22,920 Speaker 2: they're like, oh, well, your racist, a big at, homophobes, 307 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 2: enephob the list goes on't on, well, now it's white 308 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 2: supremacy if you actually enforce the law of the land 309 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:31,760 Speaker 2: with the legal immigrants in the state. Here's how he 310 00:17:31,800 --> 00:17:33,480 Speaker 2: put it, Tim Waltz in Minnesota. 311 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:38,040 Speaker 4: So this is what happens when your own federal government 312 00:17:38,080 --> 00:17:40,800 Speaker 4: wages war against you. This is what happens when they 313 00:17:40,840 --> 00:17:43,919 Speaker 4: target communities for their own benefit. This is what happens 314 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 4: when they scapegoat, And this is what say happens when 315 00:17:46,600 --> 00:17:49,400 Speaker 4: they no longer hide the idea of white supremacy. When 316 00:17:49,400 --> 00:17:51,200 Speaker 4: you hear the Vice President of the United States talk 317 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:54,480 Speaker 4: about now white people won't have to apologize for being white. 318 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:57,480 Speaker 4: That's never happened once in my whole damn life. And 319 00:17:57,560 --> 00:17:59,760 Speaker 4: I think everybody in this room knows what they're doing. 320 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 4: So we're here today to say enough of this. We're 321 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:05,720 Speaker 4: here today to stand that Minnesota will protect their neighbors. 322 00:18:06,119 --> 00:18:09,480 Speaker 2: Minnesota will protect their neighbors. And this is what happened. 323 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,480 Speaker 2: Robbed them blind, Yeah, and rob them blind nine nine 324 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 2: billion that we know of right, And he says, we're 325 00:18:15,080 --> 00:18:17,600 Speaker 2: not gonna We're know we're gonna allow them to hide 326 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:19,920 Speaker 2: the idea of white supremacy. When you hear the Vice president, 327 00:18:19,920 --> 00:18:22,840 Speaker 2: I mean, this is the classic democratic playbook. 328 00:18:22,880 --> 00:18:25,360 Speaker 1: Don't look at what I'm doing. I'm gonna yell you're 329 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:25,960 Speaker 1: a racist. 330 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:31,679 Speaker 3: Like he has literally overseen the biggest recorded fraud in 331 00:18:31,920 --> 00:18:36,440 Speaker 3: US government history, not just a fraud on the taxpayers 332 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:39,960 Speaker 3: that defrauded the taxpayers of Minnesota, that defrauded the taxpayers 333 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:45,480 Speaker 3: of every state, federal taxpayers, but also that saw the 334 00:18:46,040 --> 00:18:50,760 Speaker 3: federal tax dollars diverted to illegal immigrants to Somali's who 335 00:18:51,000 --> 00:18:55,640 Speaker 3: sent it to Al Shabab, a radical Islamic terror organization. 336 00:18:55,840 --> 00:19:00,800 Speaker 3: So it's fraud funding Islamist terror. And what is Tim 337 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:06,520 Speaker 3: Waltz's response to scream white supremacy, white supremacy. At some 338 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:10,520 Speaker 3: point those talking points get a little tired, and it's 339 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:13,440 Speaker 3: a clear and transport parent effort just to avoid any 340 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 3: accountability and to be avoid being held responsible for what 341 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:19,639 Speaker 3: he allowed to happen. 342 00:19:20,040 --> 00:19:21,960 Speaker 2: As before, if you want to hear the rest of 343 00:19:22,000 --> 00:19:24,879 Speaker 2: this conversation on this topic, you can go back and 344 00:19:24,960 --> 00:19:27,399 Speaker 2: dow the podcasts from earlier this week to hear the 345 00:19:27,560 --> 00:19:30,960 Speaker 2: entire thing. I want to get back to the big 346 00:19:31,119 --> 00:19:34,200 Speaker 2: story number three of the week. You may have missed center. 347 00:19:34,240 --> 00:19:37,639 Speaker 2: There was a Christmas gift that was given to all Americans. 348 00:19:37,680 --> 00:19:39,440 Speaker 2: It didn't matter if you're rich or poor. It didn't 349 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:41,560 Speaker 2: matter if you were black or white, or Hispanic or 350 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:45,479 Speaker 2: anything else in between. We got some new economic data 351 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:46,720 Speaker 2: and it was. 352 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:47,639 Speaker 1: I tell you what. 353 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 2: If there's anybody that had colon their stocking, it was 354 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:52,760 Speaker 2: the media. There was an article that came out by 355 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:55,840 Speaker 2: the New York Times predicting the complete opposite of what 356 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:59,119 Speaker 2: GDP report showed. Of course, they're not going to retract it, 357 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:01,360 Speaker 2: but they do look like idiots. And again you got 358 00:20:01,400 --> 00:20:04,399 Speaker 2: to ask yourself this question, are they really willing and 359 00:20:04,560 --> 00:20:07,480 Speaker 2: wanting to hurt Americans? They want Americans to suffered just 360 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:10,560 Speaker 2: so Donald Trump looks bad, because that's what their reporting 361 00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:11,400 Speaker 2: seems to look. 362 00:20:11,320 --> 00:20:14,919 Speaker 3: Like well, listen, the news that broke just this week 363 00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:18,600 Speaker 3: is the economy is booming. That the latest GDP numbers 364 00:20:19,000 --> 00:20:23,320 Speaker 3: show four point three percent GDP growth, which is terrific 365 00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:26,600 Speaker 3: GDP growth. And let me read from the Wall Street Journal, 366 00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:30,760 Speaker 3: consumers power strongest US economic growth in two years. A 367 00:20:30,800 --> 00:20:34,760 Speaker 3: long delayed government report shows third quarter GDP grew at 368 00:20:34,800 --> 00:20:39,240 Speaker 3: an annual four point three percent rate. Robust spending by 369 00:20:39,359 --> 00:20:42,879 Speaker 3: US consumers drove greater than expected economic expansion in the 370 00:20:42,880 --> 00:20:46,720 Speaker 3: third quarter and the strongest growth rate in two years. 371 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:50,000 Speaker 3: Gross domestic product, the value of all goods and services 372 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:54,639 Speaker 3: produced across the economy, rose at a seasonally and inflationally 373 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:59,760 Speaker 3: adjusted four point three percent annual rate from July through September, 374 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 3: the Commers Department said Tuesday. The report was delayed nearly 375 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:05,719 Speaker 3: two months by the government shutdown and looks back at 376 00:21:05,720 --> 00:21:09,640 Speaker 3: the period before the shutdown was in effect. It does, however, 377 00:21:10,119 --> 00:21:13,840 Speaker 3: offer a snapshot of an economy that has managed to 378 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:17,200 Speaker 3: keep humming along for much of the year. Growth picked 379 00:21:17,280 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 3: up from three point eight percent in the previous corner 380 00:21:20,560 --> 00:21:24,120 Speaker 3: and easily beat the three point two percent forecast among 381 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:27,280 Speaker 3: economists polled by The Wall Street Journal. It was by 382 00:21:27,359 --> 00:21:32,240 Speaker 3: the way, it's over a point higher than expectations. That's 383 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 3: a big deal. As the journal said, it was the 384 00:21:34,640 --> 00:21:37,720 Speaker 3: strongest expansion since the third quarter of twenty twenty three. 385 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:42,080 Speaker 3: Rising consumer spending was partly driven by healthcare, including outpatient 386 00:21:42,119 --> 00:21:47,080 Speaker 3: services and at hospitals and nursing homes. International travel, legal services, 387 00:21:47,080 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 3: and spending on products like personal computers and software also contributed. 388 00:21:52,480 --> 00:21:56,560 Speaker 3: Artificial intelligence related spending helped too, though the pace of 389 00:21:56,600 --> 00:22:00,520 Speaker 3: growth appeared to cool from the second quarter. Overall business 390 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:02,960 Speaker 3: investment grows slow to two point eight percent in the 391 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:06,399 Speaker 3: third quarter from seven point three percent in the prior 392 00:22:06,480 --> 00:22:10,520 Speaker 3: three months. This is great news. And listen, when GDP 393 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:14,560 Speaker 3: is booming, what that means is it means there's more jobs. 394 00:22:14,960 --> 00:22:18,359 Speaker 3: It means there's more productivity. It means the stock market 395 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:20,720 Speaker 3: is going up. It means people four oh one k's 396 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:23,639 Speaker 3: are going up. It means wages are likely to rise. 397 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:27,400 Speaker 3: And so GDP growth, it's not always immediate. Are there 398 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:31,679 Speaker 3: still people struggling, Yes, But GDP growth is driven And 399 00:22:31,720 --> 00:22:33,800 Speaker 3: I'll tell you one of the things we're seeing is 400 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:37,639 Speaker 3: the Christmas spending numbers are very, very strong, and so 401 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,480 Speaker 3: that's one of the signs of consumer confidence that you know, 402 00:22:40,520 --> 00:22:43,200 Speaker 3: if you're worried, if you're scared about not being able 403 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:45,920 Speaker 3: to pay your rent or your mortgage, then you don't 404 00:22:45,920 --> 00:22:49,520 Speaker 3: necessarily go out and do some big shopping for Christmas time. 405 00:22:49,800 --> 00:22:52,879 Speaker 2: We sell the record breaking numbers on Black Friday and 406 00:22:52,960 --> 00:22:55,720 Speaker 2: Cyber Monday. And that was as the Democrats are saying 407 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:57,440 Speaker 2: that we were in a tail spin and this was 408 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:00,000 Speaker 2: a disaster of an economy, and they were trying to 409 00:23:00,080 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 2: say Donald Trump is ruining your Christmas. 410 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:04,720 Speaker 1: I'm like, well, the data says that people, as. 411 00:23:04,600 --> 00:23:07,280 Speaker 2: You just mentioned, they're going out and spinning at record 412 00:23:07,359 --> 00:23:09,159 Speaker 2: numbers on Black Friday in Cyber Monday. 413 00:23:09,240 --> 00:23:11,000 Speaker 1: So that tells me that someone's lying. 414 00:23:12,800 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 3: That's exactly right. And here I want to show you. 415 00:23:15,560 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 3: You talked about the press being dismayed, and I got 416 00:23:19,320 --> 00:23:22,800 Speaker 3: to say that the corporate media is utterly corrupt. They 417 00:23:22,840 --> 00:23:25,840 Speaker 3: are dishonest. I just want to read to you two tweets. 418 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:30,600 Speaker 3: The first tweet is from October thirtieth, twenty twenty four. Now, now, 419 00:23:30,600 --> 00:23:33,440 Speaker 3: what was happening right after October thirtieth, twenty. 420 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:36,280 Speaker 1: Twenty four the election presidential There. 421 00:23:36,160 --> 00:23:38,480 Speaker 3: Was a presidential election, and who was president oft October 422 00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:40,240 Speaker 3: twenty twenty four, at least nominally. 423 00:23:40,280 --> 00:23:42,719 Speaker 2: Well, the auto pen but if you're what an actual 424 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:44,359 Speaker 2: person with a heartbeat, we'll go with Joe Biden. 425 00:23:44,760 --> 00:23:50,200 Speaker 3: Okay, So here's what ABC News tweeted tweeted October thirtieth, 426 00:23:50,200 --> 00:23:53,960 Speaker 3: twenty twenty four, one week before the presidential election. Just in, 427 00:23:54,600 --> 00:23:57,800 Speaker 3: the US economy grew at a robust two point eight 428 00:23:57,880 --> 00:24:01,800 Speaker 3: percent annualized rate in the third quarter, slowing slightly from 429 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:06,359 Speaker 3: the previous quarter, but continuing to dispel any concern about 430 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:10,280 Speaker 3: a possible shutdown. This report comes just ahead of the 431 00:24:10,280 --> 00:24:12,720 Speaker 3: presidential election. All right, so that was a year ago. 432 00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:16,119 Speaker 3: Now that was two point eight percent. What do you 433 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 3: think ABC News said about four point three percent? 434 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:21,479 Speaker 1: What was it? 435 00:24:23,080 --> 00:24:28,280 Speaker 3: Just in, the US economy expanded more than economists expected 436 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:33,000 Speaker 3: over a recent three month period, recording robust growth despite 437 00:24:33,119 --> 00:24:37,360 Speaker 3: concerns about sluggish hiring and cash strap shoppers. Federal government 438 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:42,960 Speaker 3: data showed, So two point eight percent is robust and fantastic, 439 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:46,520 Speaker 3: And yeay, four point three percent, Well, we're really worried 440 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:49,399 Speaker 3: about sluggish hiring and cash strap shoppers. And yeah, okay, 441 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:52,000 Speaker 3: I guess it is like almost twice as high, But 442 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:56,120 Speaker 3: damn it. We don't like those numbers. That is not news. 443 00:24:56,680 --> 00:25:00,120 Speaker 3: And I literally whoever wrote that tweet should be fire. 444 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:03,879 Speaker 3: Like if ABC pretended to be a journalist, you'd say, Okay, 445 00:25:04,520 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 3: go work for the DNC, because you want to be 446 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:12,680 Speaker 3: a partisan parrot. That's who they are and it's why 447 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:15,159 Speaker 3: people don't trust the news. Now, I want you to 448 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:17,119 Speaker 3: listen to Kevin Hasset. Kevin Hasset is the head of 449 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:19,879 Speaker 3: the National Economic Council in the White House. Listen to 450 00:25:19,960 --> 00:25:22,760 Speaker 3: Kevin talking about these recent GDP numbers. 451 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:25,920 Speaker 8: No, it's a fantastic report. Four point three percent. That's 452 00:25:26,119 --> 00:25:29,320 Speaker 8: just about as good as GDP numbers get, and especially 453 00:25:29,440 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 8: coming on the heels of the CPI report consumer Price 454 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:36,399 Speaker 8: Index report we got, which you actually showed some interesting 455 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:39,879 Speaker 8: data that's consistent with this, showed that quarter inflation is 456 00:25:39,880 --> 00:25:42,199 Speaker 8: all the way down to one point six percent. And 457 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:45,119 Speaker 8: so I think that these numbers are showing the President 458 00:25:45,160 --> 00:25:49,080 Speaker 8: Trump's trade policy and his supply side policy, which is 459 00:25:49,160 --> 00:25:52,760 Speaker 8: really increasing new factory production and so on, is having 460 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:55,399 Speaker 8: a big, big effect, as is his trade policy. So 461 00:25:55,520 --> 00:25:58,680 Speaker 8: if we abstract from the reduction of the trade deficit, 462 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:01,680 Speaker 8: then the four three percent number would only be two 463 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:04,720 Speaker 8: point six percent. So Trump's trade policy is really working 464 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:05,520 Speaker 8: as well. 465 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:08,159 Speaker 2: You know, as they mentioned trade policy, because that was 466 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:10,399 Speaker 2: one of the other big lies this year in twenty 467 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:13,040 Speaker 2: twenty five, which is the shelves are gonna be empty 468 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 2: at Christmas, the toys you wanted for your kids were 469 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:17,720 Speaker 2: gonna be note on those shelves. You're not gonna be 470 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:19,840 Speaker 2: able to afford basic things. Half of the store is 471 00:26:19,880 --> 00:26:22,439 Speaker 2: gonna be gone at Walmart and Target and Costco and 472 00:26:22,480 --> 00:26:23,160 Speaker 2: Sam's Club. 473 00:26:23,680 --> 00:26:24,520 Speaker 1: None of that happened. 474 00:26:24,560 --> 00:26:26,720 Speaker 2: And they said there was gonna be massive spikes and 475 00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:29,840 Speaker 2: prices for everything that you couldn't afford. 476 00:26:30,280 --> 00:26:32,120 Speaker 1: Again, that didn't happen either. 477 00:26:32,160 --> 00:26:35,840 Speaker 2: While we collected record number of tariffs and cash, the 478 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:38,639 Speaker 2: presence trade deals seem to actually be working and the 479 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:40,639 Speaker 2: leverage seems to be working, and they don't want to 480 00:26:40,640 --> 00:26:42,240 Speaker 2: admit that this has not been a disaster. 481 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:45,560 Speaker 3: Well, listen, there's still some volatility when it comes to 482 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:48,720 Speaker 3: trade policy, and I you know, I'd been advocating that 483 00:26:48,800 --> 00:26:52,040 Speaker 3: the president uses trade policy as leverage to open up 484 00:26:52,040 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 3: forward markets, and he's been doing that that has been very, 485 00:26:55,119 --> 00:26:59,200 Speaker 3: very successful. This also underscores basic supply side principles that 486 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:01,560 Speaker 3: when you cut tack as we did, and when you 487 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:05,399 Speaker 3: repeal job killing regulations as President Trump is doing, it 488 00:27:05,480 --> 00:27:09,040 Speaker 3: results in more investments, more jobs, and the economy is booming. 489 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:11,240 Speaker 3: This is basic cause and effect. 490 00:27:11,400 --> 00:27:14,720 Speaker 2: As always, thank you for listening to Verdict with Center, 491 00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:17,200 Speaker 2: Ted Cruz Ben Ferguson with you don't forget to deal 492 00:27:17,280 --> 00:27:19,520 Speaker 2: with my podcast and you can listen to my podcasts 493 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:21,480 Speaker 2: every other day you're not listening to Verdict or each 494 00:27:21,560 --> 00:27:24,000 Speaker 2: day when you listen to Verdict. Afterwards, I'd love to 495 00:27:24,040 --> 00:27:26,600 Speaker 2: have you as a listener to again the Ben Ferguson 496 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:29,639 Speaker 2: podcasts and we will see you back here on Monday morning.