How's That Economic Equality Working Out, Obama?

Biker, gun enthusiast, former bull rider and radio talk show host Mike Broomhead filled in for Glenn on The Glenn Beck Program today, Wednesday, December 28.

Read below or listen to the full segment from Hour 2 for answers to these questions:

• What has consumer confidence soaring at a 15-year high?

• Does Mike have a celebrity crush?

• How does the US appear to the world after the UN vote?

• How's that economic equality working out, Obama?

• Does the EPA realize fires destroy wildlife habitat?

Listen to this segment from The Glenn Beck Program:

Below is a rush transcript of this segment, it might contain errors:

MIKE: This is the Glenn Beck Program. My name is Mike Broomhead. Phoenix, Arizona, in for Glenn today and tomorrow. Happy New Year. Merry Christmas. Thanks for making the Glenn Beck Program a part of your day. So much going on around the world. This hour, focusing a little bit more on economy, a CNN story lamenting the fact that the rich are getting richer, which they always do, and saying the poor are actually getting poorer.

It's going to be a fascinating conversation because -- and this isn't to be critical of the outgoing president, but we do know that Barack Obama's policies -- this is about Americanism. It has nothing to do with Republican/Democrat. This is just about what's best for us as a nation. And the American voters vote largely with their wallets. There are people that are card-carrying Democrats that will vote Republican. They are not party loyalists, and vice-versa. Based on what they believe is going to be best for them in the next four years, when they look at the policies of a president.

Because we're looking at right now consumer confidence at a 15-year high. Now, Donald Trump taking all the credit in the world for that, which maybe to some degree he should because I think it's also about more -- it is more about the fact that the economic policies of this administration are on their way out.

Why confidence is going up. There are many people that were supportive, remain supportive of Barack Obama. But also see that what he wanted to do, whether they believe it was the right thing or not, he has it.

What the Obama administration wanted to accomplish largely economically, has been an abysmal failure, whether it's Obamacare or -- especially Obamacare. With what it's going to cost the American people.

When you take that much discretionary income out of the American economy, you are going to do huge damage to the American economy. Obviously, the two senators in Arizona, John McCain and Jeff Flake.

Senator Flake's office put out a table earlier this year of what Obamacare costs are ballooning into in 2017, just for our state.

And it was in some cases 120, 130 percent increases in premium costs. There is a big county called Pinal County in Arizona, where there was only going to be one health care provider. There were none, until one said they would provide. And there are people on average paying a lot more money for health insurance -- we're not talking deductibles or copays. Just premium costs. More money for their family than they pay on average for their mortgage. Not going to survive that way. Just not going to survive that way.

So the American people vote with their wallet. They don't vote by race or gender or sexual orientation. There are social issues that carry people, especially in a primary process. I am adamantly and proudly pro-life. I'll defend that position on any level with anyone. And when I look at candidates. I want candidates that are pro-life. That to me can be a deal breaker in voting for somebody.

But largely Americans vote with their wallets. So this hour, a little bit more of a focus on that and this disparity. The inequality as they call it in this story between the rich and the poor, the haves and the have-nots in America, and why that might be.

And then also a conversation -- I mentioned my admiration for Mike Rowe and somebody I hope someday to be able to have a conversation with. I'm not -- I don't get starstruck. It's not about meeting a star and getting a picture with them. I'd love to have a conversation with Mike Rowe about his career path and why he has decided and he has made a great career out of speaking for the working man, you know, with the shows like The Deadliest Catch, which is one of my favorite shows on television where you are admiring the hard work and the dangerous things that people do to make a living and how they can make a really good living, but work in ways that many people couldn't even fathom, couldn't even tolerate, and yet there are people that do this every single day of their lives for a living and kind of honoring them and the way they do that and exposing the great work. And it shows and the American people love it. Because it's one of the most popular shows on television and has been for a long time. And the spin-off shows that have come from that. And so I would love to be able to talk with him about that.

But he was asked about the job market in America and what our problems are. He gave a great answer. I think in this hour, it would be a great time to discuss where we should be and where we can be going in this country, with -- there's a class of people. There is a working class of people that could be doing great things and making a great living, given an opportunity.

So that will discuss. Some of the headlines if you're kind of jumping back in the car, getting back in the real world from vacation time. The Israelis say they've got ironclad proof that the US was behind the UN resolution that made the new West Bank settlements illegal in the eyes of the UN. The US abstained from that vote, which is ridiculous on its face. But the Israelis believe they have proof that America was behind the resolution.

If that's true, can you imagine what that does to US/Israeli relations? We talk so much in this country about propaganda. Everything he do -- we can't -- we can't talk about limiting or more scrutiny on refugees because that's being used as a recruiting tool by our enemy. We can't do these things -- we're not going to say, fundamentalist Islamic terrorism, because by using that phrase, it emboldens our enemies. And they use it as propaganda to recruit against us. And everything is about appearance.

Well, how does it appear to the world when Israel's greatest ally, the United States, goes against them behind their back and abstains from this vote? You tell me what the appearances are around the world. You tell me about the Palestinians and what they want to do with Israel. You tell me about the Iranians who have in the Iranian Constitution, that they will destroy the Zionist state. Their Constitution dictates that they destroy Israel. What do you think it does to those nations in emboldening them when the fiercest ally of the Israelis, the Americans, are going behind their back?

So you want to talk about propaganda. You want to talk about recruiting tools. You want to talk about appearances. How does that appear to our allies? How does it appear to the Israelis first, but then to the rest of the world?

John Kerry -- in the last hour we talked about this -- giving his final speech in the Middle East, with a backdrop of what's happening in Israel. I don't know what he could possibly say. What has he accomplished in the Middle East? The only thing he has done is the nuclear deal with the Iranians, that has the rest of our allies in the region terrified and angry. What could he possibly have to say in this speech?

Actress Carrie Fisher dies. Singer George Michael dies. Big stories all over the internet and Twitter. I'm not -- I'm going to get a lot of people angry. I'm not a big Star Wars fan. So I wasn't struck by the death of Carrie Fisher like a lot of people were. You know, I'm a Star Wars generation. But I'm not a big fan of the movie. So it's not that big of a deal to me in the celebrity of things. George Michael passing. You know, again, why do people get so enamored with celebrities? That's just part of life, and that's how it is. When people of -- you know, notable people pass away, these things happen. So it doesn't mean I'm not sad for her family or his family, it's just, it's not as big a deal to me as it has been to a lot of others.

There was a China aircraft carrier that made its way into the Pacific. They were doing some maneuvers. Again, flexing their muscle in that region of the world. President Obama is working on ways, whether it's through economic sanctions or political sanctions, against the Russians for tampering our elections.

Just some of the headlines of what's been going on in the world. This hour, we talk about economic inequality in America, which was supposed to be fixed under this president and his tax plan and his redistribution of wealth ideas and taxing the rich to help the poor, which never has worked before. It certainly isn't working right now. And why, if that was the solution to the problem, is the consumer confidence higher now than it's been in 15 years?

I've got two answers to that question, which we'll get to here in just a few moments. Again, if you want to reach out to me via social media, on Twitter, I'm @BroomheadShow. On Instagram, MikeBroomhead, all one word. And Facebook: The Mike Broomhead Fan Page on Facebook. Would love to interact with you on all those social media platforms. I'll be back here in a few moments to talk about the economy of the United States. My name is Mike Broomhead. And this is the Glenn Beck Program.

[break]

MIKE: So they say consumer confidence is at a 15-year high. But the inequality between the haves and the have-nots in America is getting wider. The gap between the two. The rich and the poor. The middle class is shrinking. I believe all of that's true. There's two answers to both of these issues: One on the consumer confidence side of things, I believe the policy changes that are coming -- with any president coming in -- I'm not taking anything away from what Donald Trump is doing about job creation and the comments he's made about jobs coming here and saving jobs and, you know, 15 billion-dollar investment from foreign companies and other companies that are staying here now. I'm not taking away anything.

So for the Trump supporters that are listening, this is not about taking anything away from Donald Trump. But the policies of this current administration have been so restrictive to business. Taxation, yes. But how about regulation?

There's a word for any business owner of any size: It's called compliance. Ask a business owner -- you want to see someone perplexed that owns a business. You ask them which would help your company be more profitable? Lower taxes or less regulation? I guarantee you it's not as easy as you would think. The average person would say, "Lower my taxes. Let me keep more of my profits." Obviously that makes a lot of sense for businesses.

But what they spend on compliance. What they spend on just trying to make sure they can -- in the construction business, MSDS, which is material safety data sheets. You've got to keep a log of the things that you have on a job site that would be dangerous in case there were a fire so the fire department has them. You could have a small job site. You know what it's like for compliance?

The risk management companies in this country that make a ton of money because of these ridiculous, even the risk management companies will tell you, government regulation has gotten to be so oppressive to businesses.

You know, the largest ponderosa pine forest in the country is located in the state of Arizona. People picture us as being a desert. When you realize the forest fires that have decimated our area, from the Rodeo-Chediski Fire, back to the Yarnell Hill Fire, where those firefighters, the Yarnell firefighters were killed, the hotshots.

And you're talking about forests where they can't go in and fight the fires. They can't get equipment in to fight those fires, because EPA regulations say you can't thin the forest. You're going to damage the habitat for the wildlife.

Well, what happens when you have a fire that destroys the habitat for the wildlife? Oh, and destroys the wildlife too.

Compliance. So the inequality keeps getting uglier according to this CNN story. The rich and money-making machines. Today, the mega wealthy, the top one percent, earn an average of $1.3 million a year. More than three times as much in the '80s. They only made 428,000 on average in the 1980s. But they are saying now that the bottom 50 percent of American population, an average of $16,000 in pretax income in 1980 hasn't changed much.

If you want an increase -- and I'm in favor of people making more money in this country. I think that it's the lifeblood. I think wealthy business owners love it when they have wealthy people living around them. If you own a restaurant, you want people with the discretionary income to eat at your restaurant. Come into your store. If you sell furniture, you want to sell high-end furniture. You want people to be able to afford new furniture in their homes. New cars.

It's ridiculous to think that the average American business owner doesn't want to pay their employees. But a business owner has the responsibility -- they are tied to the bottom line. Oh, incidentally, the employees get paid first.

Business owners don't get a check until the employees get a check. You've heard the old clichés: You know, I've signed both sides of the check, front and back. I've been the same thing. I've been a small business owner. It's not easy, and it keeps you up at nights. You want what's best for your employees, but you are a slave to the bottom line.

At the end of the day, at the end of the week, at the end of the month, at the end of the year, you have got to make sure that bottom line is covered, that your employees are paid, you're paying your vendors, you're paying your taxes, you're meeting the compliance issues that the federal and the state and local governments have.

So why is consumer confidence at a 15-year high if the disparity between rich and poor has never been bigger? The answer is this administration and its policies are on the way out.

We could talk about Obamacare and how it's terrifying everybody, even the people that believed in it. Now, the Republicans are talked about something called universal access, which I think will be a great thing. But solving a problem by deregulation, first of all, by inviting more people to the party is a much better way of doing things. Shared risk. It's just like automobile insurance.

And I always -- the detractors always say, it's not a perfect analogy. Nothing is a perfect analogy.

But in this regard, it works. If you own a car that's 15 or 20 years old and it's not worth a whole lot of money, you have basic coverage, which in some places is called PIP and liability. Personal injury protection and liability insurance. So if you damage somebody else's vehicle, it's covered by your insurance. If you injure other people in an accident, their medical bills are covered by your insurance.

Your car is not covered. You don't have theft. You don't have fire. You don't have vandalism. You don't have glass coverage. Because the car is old and not worth anything. So you pay a minimal amount to make sure you're covered, if you damage somebody else's property or you hurt somebody in an accident.

If not, you've gotten to be my age and you've accumulated some stuff and you drive a newer vehicle. You not only have full coverage, but you jack your limits. You jack your liability on those things. You know, I have 100,000, 300,000 coverage on my vehicle, if I hurt somebody. God forbid. Or damage somebody else's vehicle.

Full glass coverage. I have all towing. I have everything else. I pay a lot of money for insurance because I want to be covered. But the full gamut is there. And there's a ton of insurance companies out there, and they share the risk with bad drivers that have tickets or accidents or claims. Shared risk by the insurance companies. Lower premiums because they're fighting for people's businesses. You can do the same thing for health insurance. But aside from the solution of Obamacare is the problem with Obamacare, what it's going to do with the discretionary income of Americans. Consumer confidence is up because that's one of the things that's going to change.

With Donald Trump telling business owners we're going to lower the corporate tax rate, let you keep more of your money, put a moratorium on regulation, and make it easier for American businesses to produce in America. Sound simple, not as easy as it sounds, but moving in that direction right now, with the prospect of that happening is making consumer confidence rise.

If the Congress is able to work with the president and they come up with a good billion that is what they would call budget neutral or fiscally neutral, where it's not going to cost more in taxes, where it's actually going to bring more tax dollars in. If they're able to pull that off, you will see consumer confidence rise. You'll see wages rise.

We won't need a falsely inflated 15-dollar an hour minimum wage. By the way, in the Pacific Northwest, where the $15 an hour minimum wage has been implemented in those cities. Have you seen what they're going to do there? They're going to automate fast food restaurants. You'll now go to a kiosk to place your order. Somebody will cook it and bring it to you. All those front-end jobs where they take your order, gone.

There's your $15 an hour minimum wage fallout. They're going to eliminate the jobs. So we don't need to falsely inflate wages. There will be jobs available.

So I don't know why we don't see that. It's not about rich versus poor. It really should never be. We've turned it into that.

In the next segment, Mike Rowe was talking about American job markets and why it's suffering in some industries and what he believes is the cause of the problem. And I think his answer was a brilliant one. And it's something I have agreed with, but I haven't been able to articulate it as well as Mike Rowe has in this story. And, by the way, I got this from TheBlaze.com. If you want to go over to TheBlaze.com, you can see this story and Mike Rowe's answer to the economy.

We'll talk about this in a few moments. Because there is a segment of our society that I believe -- I've come from it, that is the backbone of the American economy. And it's underserved. And a way we can serve this community where they can really be a part of a thriving economy. And this is the way to bolster the middle class. I believe the answer is there. We'll talk about that here in the next segment of the show. I'm Mike Broomhead. This is the Glenn Beck Program.

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MIKE: My name is Mike Broomhead. I'm in for Glenn today and tomorrow. Thanks for joining me. I'm in Phoenix, Arizona. On Twitter, I'm @BroomheadShow. I love the interaction with people so far. Only one negative -- one hater. But I even -- I even like the disagreement. So @BroomheadShow on Twitter. The Mike Broomhead Show Fan Page on Facebook.

Or if you're an Instagram user and you want to see some of my blurry pictures that I'm famous for, MikeBroomhead, all one word on Instagram is where you can find me there as well.

I mentioned earlier -- we were talking economy mostly this hour and what's happening in America with consumer confidence being higher. And what we always are talking about is the disparity, the haves and the have-nots. And it's turned into politics in America. And it never should be that way.

You know, I talked about the Communist Manifesto on the show way too much, about the bourgeoisie and the proletariat and the emiseration of the proletariat, where if people don't know how bad they have it, let's go ahead and tell them how bad they have it. And it's almost the platform for the Democrat Party as of late. And it shouldn't be that way, nor was it intended to be that way. And we can lament how the two parties have gone in different directions and left a lot of people behind collectively.

But when you look at America, most people that I know don't want anything handed to them. They want to earn everything they own. And when you look at a government that largely is saying we're going to give free college and we're going to give you this and we're going to give you that, well, nothing is free, someone is paying for it.

And if you think you're going to get free college when you're 18 to 22 and not pay for everybody else's college from when you're 22 to 62, you're crazy. That's what's going to happen.

But Mike Rowe was being asked about the American job market. And it's a story I got from TheBlaze.com.

And his show, Dirty Jobs, where he goes around the country at some of the hardest working jobs that there are and difficult and just backbreaking disgusting -- and sometimes -- work. And he said along the way he would see "help wanted" signs. He wanted to know what was going on. He was talking with Tucker Carlson.

And one of the reasons he gives is he said maybe one of the barriers are the people guiding them in schools at the secondary level. Liberal arts and poetry majors. He said, "Not that there's anything wrong with that, but they don't see the dignity in welding maybe. Is that part of the problem? Because in North Dakota, there's a young man who is a welder who is now making $140,000 a year as a welder."

He said, "We're also spoiled in that wonderful way that any advance in society becomes when they flip the switch and they don't pause for a second and say, "Holy crap, I can't believe the lights came on again." We are not properly gobsmacked by the reality of the civilization we live in. Consequently, the people who are on the front lines of those jobs are by and large transparent. In fact, he said, when you pay attention to big chunks of people who are typically ignored, interesting things happen.

So I've mentioned, I think he's one of the most interesting people because he's tapped into something that I have believed for a long time. And he's done it in a way that I could never do. He's articulated the working man, not as a hero, but as an example.

And it's just how things are. In our society, the underserved population is the category I fit into. Maybe that's why I feel so much -- so passionately about this.

Had it not been for the trades, I would have fallen through the cracks. I was very intelligent, but not a good student. I lacked discipline. I still do. But I lack discipline.

I was fortunate. I took a job as an apprentice electrician for the sole purpose that it paid a little bit more money than the other job I was working. I just saw it as another job.

Within two months, I saw it as my career path at 18 years old. And it served me to the point where I was management, then I was -- I had my own company with a partner. Then I had my own company.

And I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. I saw a way to use my hands and my brain and make a living for myself and my family. Trade schools should be a huge focus for the American government. The NEA and secondary education and college, I wish -- my biggest regret, by the way -- I know this is going to be contradictory. My biggest regret in life now is that I don't have a college degree. What I wouldn't do for an American history degree.

And I know I can go back to school. But that's my regret, that I didn't have the discipline to do the coursework. I'll put my knowledge of American history up with a history major in many regards because I'm self-educated. But I didn't have the discipline to do the coursework to get the certificate and the diploma. And I wish I had.

But Mike Rowe is tapping into something in our society that's largely underserved. And that is, we see, you know, the Carrie Fisher's of the world. Nothing wrong with idolizing somebody that was in such an iconic movie series like Star Wars.

But at the same time, the working class of America really is the middle class. There are jobs out there. And there are people that are really driving this economy because of what they're doing.

Small business owners -- not the large business owners that we hear so much about. But the small business owners that are employing ten and 20 people, or even less than that.

And when you look at that, he's right. They're largely transparent. When you think about, you know, when the lights believe on -- which really struck home with me because I was an electrical contractor. When, you know, there are people -- the building that I'm in right now in Phoenix, Arizona, is being remodeled. They're remodeling our offices.

And so I'm ducking my head around on the construction side of what's going on because I miss it. I miss the feeling that happens at the end of the day when you look at -- for the electricians out there, when you look at a panel that you're wiring or you're running conduit somewhere and you see it, and you think you can see what your hands have created, at the end of the day. I miss that, as much as I love what I do right now.

But there's an underserved part of our population that will drive this economy in the years to come. When Donald Trump went into those states that he flipped, when he was in Florida and he was -- you know, especially when he was in Pennsylvania and he was in Michigan and he was in Wisconsin, when he was telling people, "We're going to keep these factories open. We're going to get the ones that are closed reopened. We're going to give you your jobs back." People weren't looking for a handout. People weren't looking for a minimum wage increase. They were looking for a job. They want their career back.

I know what it's like to have a 5-gallon bucket of tools in the back of a pickup truck and go and do a day's work for somebody and be proud of what you've done.

It's funny. Now that I'm doing what I do, I speak at a lot of events. Or I'm invited to attend a lot of events in ballrooms at beautiful resorts here in Arizona, all over the place. You know what's funny, is when I walk into these places now as a guest, I walk past the electrical work I did on the lights outside or the fountain that I worked on. It makes me laugh to myself. I'm the same person I was then, except now I'm in a suit and a tie walking into the ballroom, instead of a bucket of tools in the back entrance, fixing something so you never see me.

So the CNN story we talked about at the beginning of the hour and the disparity between the have and the have-nots in this country. It's not about limiting what the haves get. We should really be happy that the wealthy in this country have become wealthier, that the successful people have learned how to become even more successful than they ever dreamed of. What are we doing to serve -- and what I mean by serve is not hand anybody that's not making a decent living money or a job.

What are we doing to create an opportunity?

You take somebody that's in the fast food industry, that's working away or in retail, that's working away -- they're working very hard.

But give them an opportunity at a career, whether it's a trade like I was in. Whether you're an electrician, plumber, HVAC, or a welder, and show them the honor and dignity in a job like that. But not just honor and dignity, but a nice living.

You can provide for your family and be proud of the work you do. I think that's Americanism. The wealthy getting wealthier. Good for them. I'm happy -- everybody wants to work for someone that's wealthy. I know I do. I want my check to cash on Friday. I don't ever want to worry that my paycheck is going to bounce. So I don't care how wealthy my boss is.

But when I work hard, Christmas bonus, pay raises, paid vacation, benefit package, and be able to do a job that my family respects, that I can look at myself in the mirror. I think what Americanism is. And Mike Rowe -- nobody paints that picture better than Mike Rowe has. He's done it with dirty jobs. He's done it -- you know, the deadliest catch shows. And the spin-offs from that have just been -- I love that show.

That's the underserved part of our society. The young men and women in high school right now that may not be going to college. And if they do, they're going to get a business degree and barely squeak by and then wonder why they're saddled with student loans. And what did that degree do for them? They could go to a trade school. They could learn a skill that in a couple of years, they are making a nice living, and they're not saddled with such a student loan debt. And they're out contributing to society. And they've got careers that they can lean on, as opposed to just a job.

Not everybody has to be a superstar or a millionaire. There's a lot of people that are happy making a really nice comfortable living, knowing they -- proud they can feed their families on their own without assistance from the government.

So more on this I think before we finish up the hour. Social media users, if you want to reach out, I'd love to hear -- if you're part of that working class I'm talking about, I'd love to hear your story. On Twitter, I'm @BroomheadShow. The Mike Broomhead Show, Facebook page. If you want to reach out to me there. I'd love to hear your story. It really is a great story.

And we'll talk more about the American economy and what is going to bolster that middle class. And I think it is that working class part of America.

And in the next hour, California changing its gun laws, just like the president of the United States tried to do that here in the US. So the gun sales over the last eight years have skyrocketed.

Well, what do you think is happening in California? We'll talk specifically about that from another Blaze.com story in the next hour. So we'll do all that here in a few minutes. Close out this one, and then jump into hour number three in a few minutes. I'm Mike Broomhead. And this is the Glenn Beck Program.

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MIKE: All right. Mike Broomhead in for Glenn Beck today and tomorrow. Before we get into the next hour where we're going to talk about the California -- which have caused gun sales to skyrocket. It's a Blaze.com story. If you want to go and read up on it at TheBlaze.com, before we get to it in the next hour.

Wrapping this hour up with the conversation about the economy and training and giving people an opportunity at success, and success changes for people.

I'm very fortunate. I'm blessed. You know, I was raised by a single mom. I've mentioned this before. And we were raised with very little. So I've been on that side of it. And I was happy, although I wished I had had more.

Now I'm in a career. I've got more than I ever dreamed I would have. I'm no less or more happy because of the things I've accumulated. It's just different.

Success for me was always the ability to take care of myself. And I think for most Americans, that's what we want. We don't want to be cared for. We don't want -- and I'm not -- when people are in need, it should be available to them. We should be a benevolent society. And we are.

But people don't want to be cared for, for their entire lives. They want to be able to care for themselves. They want to feel like they can do that. Giving people an opportunity is what we do as Americans.

Keeping jobs here -- you want to know why people are largely becoming more optimistic about a Trump presidency, it's because he is saying he is going to keep jobs here. And there is proof now that those things are beginning to happen.

Will we stop with the class warfare? Will we stop with the rich versus poor? The haves versus the have-nots? We've got to stop.

There are greedy poor people, and there are greedy rich people. There are kind and giving poor people, and there are kind and giving wealthy people. It's human nature on both sides. And your economic status has nothing to do with what kind of person you are. And political parties have divided haves and have-nots for political purposes way too long.

If your job is insured or is more likely to remain because the government reduces regulation and taxes on your boss, what do you care if your boss gets richer?

And the nice thing about these things is as the job market becomes more competitive, if you don't believe your boss is paying you what your job is worth, there is going to be more opportunity out there for you, when other businesses are opening or expanding. There will be -- that's how things work.

Falsely inflating the minimum wage will do nothing for the economy. The poor working class person that's working at minimum wage level, if it goes up to $15 an hour, their lifestyle does not change because the basics of keeping them sustained will also increase in cost, where their lifestyle won't change. And a wealthy person will eat the increase in the costs that go with an increased minimum wage. What's left of the middle class? Who pays the price?

You know, if restaurant food goes up by, you know, 10 percent, I'm in a place right now financially, I can eat the 10 percent. I'm still going to the restaurant. I may complain about it, but I'm still going. Middle class family, maybe not.

We should be thinking about what's best, instead of what's going to hammer the people we don't like. We got to stop with the class warfare. I just think it's damaging to us as people. And it's damaging to our economy as well.

So I am hopefully optimistic going into next year. And the inauguration. We'll see if economically any of these things continue to go in that direction.

Coming up in the next hour, California's gun sales are skyrocketing right now because the changes in their gun laws that are getting ready to go into effect.

Sound familiar? Sounds like the last eight years nationally to me. That coming up in the next hour. My name is Mike Broomhead. I'm in for Glenn Beck on the Glenn Beck Program.

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Featured Image: US president Barack Obama, daughters Malia (L) and Sasha (2nd R) and First Lady Michelle Obama return to The White House in Washington DC, January 3, 2016 after vacationing in Hawaii. (Photo Credit: CHRIS KLEPONIS/AFP/Getty Images)

Top THREE reasons we NEED the Panama Canal

Justin Sullivan / Staff | Getty Images

Is Trump seriously planning a military conquest of the Panama Canal?

In the weeks leading up to the inauguration, Donald Trump launched the Panama Canal into the national spotlight. The canal is one of the most important passages in the world, and its continued operation has been critical for both the U.S. military and economy since its construction.

Since America relinquished sovereignty of the canal, China has asserted its authority in the region. The Chinese Communist Party has been growing its influence in Panama and neighboring Latin American countries, convincing them to join their "Belt and Road Initiative," an effort to poise China as the main economic power in developing nations across the world. Panama in particular is quickly becoming a Chinese puppet state. There are currently over 200,000 Chinese living in Panama, a Chinese company runs two of the canal's five major ports, and another Chinese company provides telecommunication service for a large portion of the canal. The government of Panama has even gone as far as cutting diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

It's clear that the Panama Canal is under serious threat of falling into Chinese hands, but President Trump doesn't intend to let them move in. Here are the top three reasons we need the Panama Canal:

1. The canal was built by the U.S.

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Without the United States, neither Panama nor the Panama Canal would exist. In 1903, after Colombia refused to allow the U.S. to build a canal across the isthmus of Panama, President Teddy Roosevelt devised a controversial plan. He supported a Panamanian independence movement, which swiftly overthrew the local Colombian government. Meanwhile, he stationed a U.S. warship off the coast, preventing Colombia from sending military forces to retake Panama.

The moment Panama declared its independence, the U.S. recognized it and struck a deal with the new government: the U.S. would control the Canal Zone, while Panama would receive $10 million and an annual payment of $250,000. Construction of the canal took over a decade, cost $375 million, and resulted in thousands of American casualties, making it the most expensive U.S. construction project of its time.

Fast forward to 1964 when tensions between the U.S. and Panama over the canal erupted into a riot. President Lyndon B. Johnson decided it was time to transfer control of the canal to Panama. However, this proved more complicated than expected. In 1968, General Omar Torrijos, a known ally of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro, seized control of Panama in a coup. Negotiations over the Canal stalled, as many Americans opposed giving such an important asset to a controversial figure. It wasn’t until 1999, following the deployment of 27,000 U.S. troops to facilitate yet another change in power, that the Canal was officially handed over to Panama.

2. The canal is vital for the U.S. economy

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The U.S. relies heavily on the Panama Canal for commercial shipping. Between 13 and 14 thousand ships use the Panama Canal every year, which is roughly 40 percent of the global cargo ship traffic. Additionally, 72 percent of ships traversing the canal are either heading toward or leaving a U.S. port.

The time ships save using the Panama Canal reduces shipping costs massively. For example, when the canal first opened in 1922, it was estimated that a ship’s journey from Oregon to the UK, was shortened by 42 percent, reducing costs by 31 percent. If the Panama Canal was blocked or destroyed, or if American merchant vessels were denied passage, the effects on the U.S. economy would be tremendous.

3. The canal is a key defense point for the U.S. military

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Similarly, the canal is key to the U.S. military and national security. The canal shaves off approximately 8,000 miles of the voyage between the Pacific and the Atlantic. If U.S. Navy ships were denied access in a time of crisis, the extra time required to bypass the canal would be disastrous. Conversely, if the U.S. can keep the Panama Canal from being used by foreign aggressors, it would provide a massive advantage in future conflicts.

A foreign enemy could easily exploit the canal's current vulnerability. This was proven in 2021 when a cargo ship accidentally blocked the Suez Canal for a week, paralyzing global trade. Imagine China intentionally sabotaging the Panama Canal, considering it controls ports on both ends, owns a bridge that spans the Canal, provides its telecom services, and has the second-largest fleet of ships using the route.

TOP 5 takeaways from JD Vance's 'Face the Nation' interview

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After an eventful first week in office, JD Vance wrapped the week up with a bang of an interview on "Face the Nation."

Last weekend, Vice President Vance joined "Face the Nation" host Margaret Brennan, who drilled Vance on everything from the economy to immigration. Vance clapped back with polite yet cutting responses, and he defended Trump against some of her more accusatory queries.

If there was any lingering doubt that JD Vance wasn't vice presidential (or presidential) material, they have just been blown away. Here are the major takeaways from his electricinterview on Sunday:

1. J.D. Vance defends Trump's cabinet picks

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Brennan opened the interview with a barrage of questions that brought up concerns surrounding some of Trump's cabinet picks, specifically Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard.

Brennan began by questioning how effective Pete Hegseth could be as Secretary of Defence, given that he was confirmed with a tie in the Senate that VP Vance broke. Vance responded with a quick breakdown of all of the issues the military is currently facing. Vance argued that Hegseth's unpopularity in the Senate results from his being a disruptor.

Brennan also attacked Tulsi Gabbard, calling her unfit for the title of "Director of National Intelligence." Vance defended Gabbard, citing her formidable resume and strong character. Vance also discussed the corruption of our intelligence services, which out-of-control bureaucrats have weaponized against the interests of the American people. He expressed his belief that Gabbard would be the right person to reign in the corruption and return the National Intelligence Service to its intended purpose.

2. J.D. Vance explains how Trump's economic policies will lower consumer prices

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Brennan pushed Vance on the economy, specifically questioning when prices for consumer goods would begin to fall. Vance explained that within the plethora of executive orders issued by Trump during his first week in office, many were aimed at bringing more jobs back into America, which will raise wages and lower prices. Other orders will boost energy production, which will reduce energy costs and decrease the costs of goods.

3. J.D. Vance sheds light on needed FEMA reforms

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Brennan drilled Vance on President Trump's proposed FEMA reforms, specifically regarding Trump's suggestion to send states a percentage of federal disaster relief funds so that they can quickly distribute aid rather than wait on federal action. While Brennen argued that FEMA has specialists and resources that states would not have access to, leaving people without aid, Vance argued that recent disasters, like Hurricane Helene, have proven that FEMA's current bureaucratic red tape deprived Americans of immediate aid when they needed it most.

4. J.D. Vance defends Trump's mass deportations

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Vance defended Trump's decision to allow ICE to conduct raids into churches and schools against Brennen's criticisms, arguing that law enforcement should remove a dangerous criminal from a school or church, regardless of their immigration status. He also advocated for Trump's proposed changes to birthright citizenship to prevent illegal immigrants from abusing the constitutional amendment by having "anchor babies" on U.S. soil.

Vance also took a hard stance supporting Trump suspension of admitting Afghan refugees. Brennan argued that Afghan refugees were going through a thorough vetting process and were now being abandoned by the U.S. However, Vance cited the foiled terrorist attack in Oklahoma City during Trump's 2024 campaign that was orchestrated by an Afghan refugee, who was allegedly vetted by federal agents. The vetting process is clearly flawed, and it was a prudent decision to halt the admission of these refugees until further notice.

5. J.D. Vance insists that Trump will still reign in Big Tech

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To wrap up the interview, Brennan questioned the Trump administration's stance on Big Tech given the attendance of the industry's biggest names at Trump's inauguration, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew. Vance assured Brennan that Trump is still resolved to curb the power and influence of Big Tech.

Top THREE reasons the U.S. NEEDS Greenland

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Are Trump's repeated promises to claim Greenland for the U.S. just belligerent imperialism or a deft move to secure the future of America?

During his patriotic inaugural address, President Trump reiterated his campaign promise to expand American territories, including securing U.S. control over Greenland. This is not a new idea despite what the mainstream media may claim.

The idea of buying Greenland was originally introduced by progressive hero Woodrow Wilson in 1917 as an attempt to secure the homeland as America was gearing up to enter the First World War. The second attempt came after World War II when President Truman tried to buy the island from Denmark in another attempt to shore up national security, this time against the Soviets. Since then, Trump floated the idea in 2019, which was met with much the same ridicule as now.

The truth is that the acquisition of Greenland represents far more than just an outlet for repressed imperialist desires. It would be one of America's best investments in a long time, which is why we've been eyeballing it for so long. Here are three reasons the U.S. needs Greenland:

Strategic Military Position

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For the majority of the 20th century, Europe was the region from which a foreign attack on American soil could be launched: the Germans for the first half of the century, and the Russians for the second half. On both occasions, Greenland stood between our foreign enemies and the United States.

After the World War II, America was the official military defender of Greenland, per an agreement with Denmark. Under this agreement, the U.S. built Pituffik Air Force Base, a remote base 750 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Due to its location, approximately halfway between D.C. and Moscow, the Pentagon still views Pituffik as a vital component of America's nuclear defense.

The U.S. also built a secret base within the ice cap known as Camp Century. Camp Century was part scientific outpost, part nuclear-tipped ballistic missile silo built in the ice to withstand a direct atomic strike. The nearly two miles of icy tunnels were powered by a nuclear reactor and were designed to survive a nuclear first strike, and return fire. Although abandoned in 1967, Camp Century still symbolizes the strategic importance of Greenland for U.S. security.

Untapped Resources

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While Greenland's population is a mere 56,000, the island has a total landmass nearly three times the size of Texas. According to a 2009 geological assessment, a whopping 30 percent of the Earth's undiscovered natural gas, and 13 percent of its undiscovered oil is locked away beneath Greenland's icy ground. There are also untapped deposits of valuable rare earth metals including copper, graphite, and lithium.

Neither Greenland nor Denmark have any real plans to tap into this immense wealth trapped beneath the ice, but it could prove crucial for ending the West's dependency on China. China has the global market cornered on rare earth minerals- including America. We acquire 72 percent of our rare earth mineral imports from China, making us entirely dependent on them for the manufacturing of many essential goods. Tapping Greenland's natural resources would help free America, and the West, from China's yolk.

Polar Silk Road

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In 2018 China launched an ambitious project that aimed to cut the travel time of cargo vessels between its ports and European markets in half. China, in collaboration with Russia, plans on developing new shipping routes through the Arctic Ocean. This bold new strategy, dubbed the "Polar Silk Road," has been made possible thanks to new tech, including a fleet of Russian, nuclear-powered icebreakers, the latest of which is capable of breaking through nearly 10 feet of ice.

With clear waterways from eastern China and Northern Europe, it won't be long before the first cargo ships brave the frigid sea and China looks to the next leg of the journey: the Northwest Passage. The Northwest Passage is the area of sea between Canada and the North Pole that would be an optimal shipping route between America's East Coast and Asia if it wasn't frozen over most of the year. But with new technology, we may be able to overcome the challenges of the ice and open the passage to commercial traffic, and Greenland is positioned directly on the passage's easternmost mouth.

Greenland would quickly become a key location along the Northwestern Passage, acting as a sentinel of the east, with the ability to control traffic through the trade route. If China or Russia were to take control of Greenland, they would dominate the Northwestern Passage, along with the rest of the new northern trade routes.

Is Romania squashing its own 'Trump' candidate?

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This week the streets of Bucharest, the capital of Romania, erupted in protest after the Constitutional Courts annulled the recent first round of the presidential election after the "far-right" candidate won.

The government is lying to you. If you have been listening to Glenn for a long time you already know that, and you also know that if you try to call attention to the lies you get labeled a conspiracy theorist or "far-right." This is not only true in America but across the world. Politicians cheat, steal, and grab power, then lie about all of it. This is the root of countless issues across every government on the planet, and recently Romania has become the latest example of this unfortunate phenomenon.

But what is really happening in Romania? Was this an actual attempt to stamp out someone who would shed light on lies and corruption? Or did the Romanian government put a stop to a genuine bad actor?

The Election

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On December 6th, 2024, the Romanian Constitutional Court canceled the second round of the presidential election amid claims of Russian interference. The second round of the election would have seen right-wing candidate, Calin Georgescu face off against pro-European centrist Elena Lasconi.

The trouble surrounds Georgescu, who stands accused of using Russian aid to run an unprecedented social media campaign that helped him win an election pollsters claimed he stood no chance of winning. Georgescu's rapid rise in popularity on social media does raise some eyebrows, and to add to the suspicion he declared he had zero campaign spending. On the other hand, Georgescu's supporters claim that his quick rise to stardom and underdog victory is due to the growing resentment for the ever-out-of-touch political elite.

Georgescu's Platform

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Georgescu rose to prominence on a platform many of his detractors have labeled "far-right," "pro-Russian," and "populist" (sound familiar?). His positions include supporting Romanian farmers, increasing Romanian self-reliance, and increasing local energy production. Georgescu has been lauded for his message of hope and vision for the future and his dedication to truth, freedom, and sovereignty.

Georgescu is also a vocal Christian and a supporter of the Romanian Orthodox Church. He has questioned the climate change and COVID-19 narrative as well as NATO and the war in Ukraine, which is how he earned his "Pro-Russian" monicker. Georgescu promised to respect and honor its obligations to the EU and NATO, but only to the extent that they respect Romania and its interests.

What Happens Next?

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After Georgescu's unexpected victory, the Romanian Constitutional Courts annulled the election's first round and scheduled it to restart on May 4th. As of now, it is unclear whether Georgescu will be allowed to participate in the new election. This act by the Constitutional Courts triggered mass protests in the capital, Bucharest, and has caused many Romainians to question the state of democracy within their country.

Many of the protesters are calling what happened a coup and are demanding the election be allowed to continue to the second round. They are also calling for the resignation of current President Klaus Iohannis, who has maintained power thanks to the incomplete elections. Georgescu has officially challenged the court's decision and even made a complaint to the European Court of Human Rights, but it is unclear if his appeal will make any difference.