‘Not on my watch’: Meet an American hero running for U.S. Senate in Nebraska

February 26, 2014

The Glenn Beck Program

As the midterm elections draw nearer, Glenn is focused on highlighting promising candidates from around the country. On radio this morning, Shane Osborn, the former Nebraska state treasurer who is running the U.S. Senate seat vacated by retiring Senator Mike Johanns (R-NE), joined Glenn to discuss his military service, his campaign, and what he believes are the most important issues facing the country.

“I want to introduce you to a guy who's not on the [program] for this particular reason, but I find it amazing because this was a time in 2001 where everybody was, I think, on the same page for a minute there. We were like wow, look at the evil Chinese empire as they force one of our planes down and then steal all of the stuff in it,” Glenn said. “If you remember right, the guys on that plane were real heroes. I mean they dismantled everything they could, tried to destroy as much as they could before the Chinese got onto the plane and it was quite an ordeal. The lieutenant that was on that plane is Shane Osborn. He's now running for the U.S. Senate in Nebraska, and he's with us now.”

As a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy, Shane and his 23-person crew came into the national consciousness in April 2001 when a Chinese fighter jet struck the aircraft Shane was piloting mid-flight. The engines, nose, and wing of the plane were severely damaged as the plane nosedived. After managing to land the aircraft safely, Shane and his crew were taken into Chinese custody. Shane was separated from his crew and spent the next 12 days under intense interrogation before being released.

“I always tell people: What does being a good Navy pilot have to do with being a good U.S. Senator? Not a lot. But at least you know I don’t give up,” Shane explained. “When you are 26-years-old, and you’re in charge of your crew and you are taken off at gunpoint and kept awake for almost seven straight days you find out what you are made of, and how important your faith is to you, and you put your crew first. And that’s what we did.”

After retiring from the Navy in 2005, Shane served as Nebraska state treasurer from 2007 to 2011. In relation to his Senate run, Shane has already been endorsed by FreedomWorks, and he has been touted as a strong conservative voice. Glenn couldn’t help but wonder, however, why Shane would choose to go to Washington.

“You have been tied to a chair by the Chinese. What are you crazy – this is going to be worse,” Glenn joked. “Why would you go to Washington?”

“We have a saying in the Navy that many men and women have given their lives for: Not on my watch. That's why I'm running," Shane explained. "That's why I extended my tour later that year when September 11th occurred and flew some of the initial combat mission information Afghanistan. When I got out of the Navy in 2005, I ran as a state treasurer in Nebraska. I want to give back. This country is worth it."

“I grew up raised by a single mom, who worked three jobs, ran the veterans home, and those veterans taught me the true meaning of service and self," he continued. "I'm keeping promise that I may to the lord when I was sitting in China. We have to fight for your country. The least we could do is have people in Washington that will put the country first like our men and women in uniform do every single day. That's the least we can expect.”

There are countless problems facing the country today, but Glenn asked Shane to prioritize his top three concerns. The debt, energy independence, and veteran affairs topped the list.

Debt

First and foremost is the debt. It’s unsustainable. When I was state treasurer, I cut government. I shrunk my budget 12%. I reduced debt 28%. How many candidates have you ever interviewed could you that they shrunk government? I’ve done it. And I know it's tougher down there in Washington DC, but Nebraskans and Americans realize we have to live within your means. It’s the only way we can leave this country better off than we received it.

Energy Independence

Number two, as I travel around our state of Nebraska – I put on over 40,000 miles – and I can tell you: It is the regulators that are killing this economy. It's even worse than the tax code, which needs to be fixed. If we could get the regulators out of the way an work towards North American energy independence, the millions of jobs, the infrastructure, the diversified energy portfolio we have here, it would be a huge boom to our economy.

Veterans

My third point is keeping our promise to veterans. We are not doing it. We are chewing our men and women up, sending them on four or five deployments. I formed the foundation here the Nebraska that helps fund PTSD clinics.

Back in 2009, I led the rallies against Obamacare. I was saying the same things then that I am saying now: It's failing miserably. We are all seeing it. That's why he's delaying the business mandate. It will crumble under its own weight. And what they want in the end game is government-run socialized medicine. If you want to see how that works, we don't feed to go to Europe, we don't need to go to Canada. Just go to the local VA. It’s the largest healthcare system in our country, and it's completely government-run.

Our veterans are dying every day because they can't get access to healthcare. They keep throwing more money at the VA. It doesn’t work. Guys and gals coming back, it is taking them 12 to 24 months just to get processed through. And if we treat veterans this way with government run healthcare, how do you think they are going to treat the average citizen?

“I appreciate your willingness to run and willingness to serve,” Glenn concluded. “I wish you the best of luck.”

You can learn more about Shane’s campaign HERE.

What happens if Trump wins from prison?

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If Donald Trump is sentenced to prison time, it will be the first time in American history that a former president and active presidential candidate is thrown behind bars. Nobody knows for sure what exactly will happen.

With the election only a few months away, the left is working overtime to come up with any means of beating Trump, including tying him up in court or even throwing him in jail. Glenn recently had former U.S. DoJ Assistant Attorney General and Center for Renewing America senior fellow Jeff Clark on his show to discuss the recent resurrection of the classified documents case against Trump and what that could mean for the upcoming election. Clark explains that despite the immunity ruling from the Supreme Court this summer, he thinks there is a decent chance of a prison sentence.

What would that even look like if it happened? This is a completely unprecedented series of events and virtually every step is filled with potential unknowns. Would the Secret Service protect him in prison? What if he won from his jail cell? How would the American people respond? While no one can be certain for sure, here's what Glenn and Jeff Clark speculate might happen:

Jail time

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Can they even put a former president in prison? Jeff Clark seemed to think they can, and he brought up that New York County District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, had been talking with the New York jail system about making accommodations for Trump and the Secret Service assigned to protect him. Clark said he believes that if they sentence him before the election, Trump could be made to serve out his sentence until his inauguration, assuming he wins. After his inauguration, Clark said Trump's imprisonment would have to be suspended or canceled, as his constitutional duty as president would preempt the conviction by New York State.

House arrest

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Another possibility is that Trump could be placed under house arrest instead of imprisoned. This would make more sense from a security standpoint—it would be easier to protect Trump in his own home versus in prison. But, this would deny the Left the satisfaction of actually locking Trump behind bars, so it seems less likely. Either in prison or under house arrest, the effect is the same, Trump would be kept off the campaign trail during the most crucial leg of the election. It doesn't matter which way you spin it—this seems like election interference. Glenn even floated the idea of campaigning on behalf of Trump to help combat the injustice.

Public outrage

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It is clear to many Americans that this whole charade is little more than a thinly-veiled attempt to keep Trump out of office by any means necessary. If this attempt at lawfare succeeds, and Trump is thrown in jail, the American people likely will not have it. Any doubt that America has become a Banana Republic will be put to rest. How will anyone trust in any sort of official proceedings or elections ever again? One can only imagine what the reaction will be. If the past is any indication, it's unlikely to be peaceful.

POLL: What topics do YOU want Trump and Harris to debate?

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Does Kamala Harris stand a chance against Donald Trump in a debate?

Next week, during the second presidential debate, we will find out. The debate is scheduled for September 10th and will be hosted by ABC anchors David Muir and Linsey Davis. This will be the second presidential debate, but the first for VP Kamala Harris, and will feature the same rules as the first debate. The rules are: no notes, no chairs, no live audience, and the debater's microphone will only be turned on when it is his or her turn to speak.

This will be the first time Trump and Harris clash face-to-face, and the outcome could have a massive effect on the outcome of the election. Trump has been preparing by ramping up his campaign schedule. He plans to hold multiple rallies and speak at several events across the next several days. He wants to be prepared to face any question that might come his way, and meeting and interacting with both voters and the press seems to be Trump's preferred preparation approach.

With the multitude of issues plaguing our nation, there are a lot of potential topics that could be brought up. From the economy to the ongoing "lawfare" being waged against the former president, what topics do YOU want Harris and Trump to debate?

The economy (and why the Biden-Harris administration hasn't fixed it yet)

The Southern Border crisis (and Kamala's performance as border czar)

Climate change (and how Trump pulled out of the Paris Agreement)

The "lawfare" being waged against Trump (and what Trump would do if he were thrown in prison)

Voting and election security (and how to deal with the possibility that illegal immigrants are voting)

3 ways the Constitution foils progressive authoritarianism

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This is why it is important to understand our history.

Over the weekend, the New York Times published a controversial article claiming the Constitution is a danger to the country and a threat to democracy. To those who have taken a high school American government class or have followed Glenn for a while, this claim might seem incongruent with reality. That's because Jennifer Szalai, the author the piece, isn't thinking of the Constitution as it was intended to be—a restraint on government to protect individual rights—but instead as a roadblock that is hindering the installation of a progressive oligarchy.

Glenn recently covered this unbelievable article during his show and revealed the telling critiques Szalai made of our founding document. She called it an "anti-democratic" document and argued it is flawed because Donald Trump used it to become president (sort of like how every other president achieved their office). From here, Szalai went off the deep end and made some suggestions to "fix" the Constitution, including breaking California and other blue states away from the union to create a coastal progressive utopia.

Here are three of the "flaws" Szalai pointed out in the Constitution that interfere with the Left's authoritarian dreams:

1. The Electoral College

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The New York Times article brought up the fact that in 2016 President Trump lost the popular vote but won the Electoral College, and thus won the election. This, as Szalai pointed out, is not democratic. Strictly speaking, she is right. But as Glenn has pointed out time and time again, America is not a democracy! The Founding Fathers did not want the president to be decided by a simple majority of 51 percent of the population. The Electoral College is designed to provide minority groups with a voice, giving them a say in the presidential election. Without the Electoral College, a simple majority would dominate elections and America would fall under the tyranny of the masses.

2. The Supreme Court

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President Biden and other progressives have thrown around the idea of reforming the Supreme Court simply because it has made a few rulings they disagree with. Glenn points out that when a country decides to start monkeying around with their high courts, it is usually a sign they are becoming a banana republic. Szalai complained that Trump was allowed to appoint three justices. Two of them were confirmed by senators representing just 44 percent of the population, and they overturned Roe v. Wade. All of this is Constitutional by Szalai's admission, and because she disagreed with it, she argued the whole document should be scrapped.

3. Republicanism

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To clarify, were not talking about the Republican Party Republicanism, but instead the form of government made up of a collection of elected representatives who govern on the behalf of their constituents. This seems to be a repeat sticking point for liberals, who insist conservatives and Donald Trump are out to destroy "democracy" (a system of government that never existed in America). This mix-up explains Szalai's nonsensical interpretation of how the Constitution functions. She criticized the Constitution as "anti-democratic" and a threat to American democracy. If the Constitution is the nation's framework, and if it is "anti-democratic" then how is it a threat to American democracy? This paradox is easily avoided with the understanding that America isn't a democracy, and it never has been.

Kamala Harris' first interview as nominee: Three SHOCKING policy flips

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On Thursday, Kamala Harris gave her first interview since Joe Biden stepped down from the race, and it quickly becameclear why she waited so long.

Harris struggled to keep her story straight as CNN's Dana Bash questioned her about recent comments she had made that contradicted her previous policy statements. She kept on repeating that her "values haven't changed," but it is difficult to see how that can be true alongside her radical shift in policy. Either her values have changed or she is lying about her change in policy to win votes. You decide which seems more likely.

During the interview, Harris doubled down on her policy flip on fracking, the border, and even her use of the race card. Here are her top three flip-flops from the interview:

Fracking

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In 2019, during the 2020 presidential election, Harris pledged her full support behind a federal ban on fracking during a town hall event. But, during the DNC and again in this recent interview, Harris insisted that she is now opposed to the idea. The idea of banning fracking has been floated for a while now due to environmental concerns surrounding the controversial oil drilling method. Bans on fracking are opposed by many conservatives as it would greatly limit the production of oil in America, thus driving up gas prices across the nation. It seems Harris took this stance to win over moderates and to keep gas prices down, but who knows how she will behave once in office?

Border

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In her 2020 presidential bid, Harris was all for decriminalizing the border, but now she is singing a different tune. Harris claimed she is determined to secure the border—as if like she had always been a stalwart defender of the southern states. Despite this policy reversal, Harris claimed her values have not changed, which is hard to reconcile. The interviewer even offered Kamala a graceful out by suggesting she had learned more about the situation during her VP tenure, but Kamala insisted she had not changed.

Race

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When asked to respond to Trump's comments regarding the sudden emergence of Kamala's black ancestry Kamala simply answered "Same old tired playbook, next question" instead of jumping on the opportunity to play the race card as one might expect. While skipping the critical race theory lecture was refreshing, it came as a shock coming from the candidate representing the "everything is racist" party. Was this just a way to deflect the question back on Trump, or have the Democrats decided the race card isn't working anymore?

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