Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let's start with some really exciting news. And I'm probably
the first place that you've actually heard this information, which
tells you just how much the media actually hates conservatives
and the values that we represent and the bills and
the policies that we get passed. Now, you would think
(00:20):
that if you turned on the news, you would hear
exactly what I'm about to tell you, because this is
amazing news for all Americans. Like, not just rich people
or middle class or only Republicans. This is for everyone.
Almost every US tax filer, we have now learned, got
(00:40):
a cut this year. That's right, coming to eighty two
billion dollars in relief the Treasury Department has announced. Now,
if you are in the media, you would think that
would be a lead story, right, Like, that doesn't get
any better than that. You have almost everybody that does
their taxes and they're getting relief. Why would you not
(01:01):
want to celebrate that moment, Because if you're in the media,
that means nearly every person who watches your show that
filed taxes received a tax cut, and eighty two billion
dollars in relief is something you should be excited about.
In fact, the data released on Tuesday show that ninety
seven percent of tax filers scored a cut courtesy of
(01:24):
the One Big Beautiful Bill Act that was passed last year.
And that explains exactly why they don't want to celebrate
this moment, because that means that the One Big Beautiful
Bill actually work for the American people instead of working
to take more of your money, which is exactly what
the Democratic Party wants to do. Now. Without the new law,
(01:46):
those taxpayers would have been hit with a ready, a
five trillion dollar tax hike. Now, let's just go back
to that number again. Without the new law, taxpayers would
have been hit with a five trillion dollar tax hike
from the expiration of Trump's landmark twenty seventeen law that
slash payments to the irs, according to the Treasury Department.
(02:07):
The Treasury Secretary Scott Bessen sounded a triumphant note on
the outcome, saying, under President Trump, our federal tax code
and system reflects the American people's mandate to reject policies
that punish success with tax hikes and embrace those that
restore fairness, reward work, respect hard earned paychecks, and reignite
(02:29):
the American dream. The Treasury officials said filers making between
one hundred thousand to two hundred thousand who tapped the
new brakes pocket on an average cut topping one two
hundred and fifty dollars now, while those with the incomes
between fifteen one hundred thousand grab more than eight hundred
and fifteen dollars on average. I want to just take
(02:51):
a moment and talk to you a little bit about
what's happening in Israel right now. When you hear about
Israel in the news, it's easy to think of headlines politics,
or another far away, But for families in Israel and
Jews around the world, this is incredibly personal. Anti Semitic
attacks in the Holy Land and across the globe are
happening right now. Elderly Holocaust survivors who endure so much
(03:14):
already again fear for their lives. Jewish families are praying
for the freedom to worship in safety, and in moments
like these, your voice matters, because your voice can remind
them that they're not alone. The International Fellowship of Christians
and Jews and inviting you to leave a personal prayer
or message of encouragement that will be delivered directly to
(03:36):
someone in Israel who needs hope right now, not filtered
through the media, not lost online, but personally delivered. A
simple prayer, a few heartfelt words they can lift the
spirit of someone facing fear, uncertainty, and isolation. This is
more than support. This is standing with Israel when it
matters the most. Go to PREYIFCJ dot org. That prey
(04:00):
pr ay IFCJ dot org and you can submit your
prayer today. That's prey if CJ dot org. Now what's
even cooler than the data I just gave you, is
this the president who really pushed hard for no tax
on tips. We now know just how many American workers
(04:21):
that affected, and how many of them put more money
in their pocket than ever before while going to work.
It is now more than seven and a half million
hard working Americans. They were able to claim the no
tax on tips break, a key promise from the President's campaign.
Another reason why the media does not want to talk
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about this story. We also know that it wiped an
average of about seven thousand dollars off their taxable income
on average, some even more than that. Now we also
know that over twenty nine million filers deducted no tax
on overtime pay. Say that again, twenty nine million tax
(05:03):
filers deducted no tax on overtime. Now, these are really
hard working Americans that say, I'm going to work longer
than forty hours in a week, I'm going to work
harder than I've ever worked for my family. I'm going
to put my head down and make ends meet and
try to better myself. And so here we are, twenty
(05:24):
nine million filers, we're able to get the no tax
on overtime deduction. Here's what it did. In reality, it
trimmed an average of thirty one hundred dollars from their bills.
Three quarters earned under one hundred thousand dollars. So if
you think this is helping out the rich guy, you're wrong.
Ninety six percent also made below two hundred thousand, again,
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meaning these are really hard working people working longer than
forty hours in a week, and they deserve to keep
more of their hard earned money. Another reason why you
notice the media not touching this subject. Now, the doubled
standard deduction simplify life. We also have learned for one
hundred and twenty seven million tax filers, that is the
equivalent of ninety percent of all returns filed in this country.
(06:10):
Treasury officials believe the relief will swell further as stragglers
with extensions file their taxes as well. Now, all of
this data arrives as Americans feel the first full impact
of the sweeping tax cut overhaul that Republicans got through
Congress last year. The legislation included bigger breaks for seniors
(06:30):
and families, incentives to buy American made automobiles, and the
setting up of the Trump accounts that will fundamentally change
this country with young people. The simple savings plans created
by Trump's new tax law was simple. It aimed to
help families put away more of their own money for
their kids' futures. Now, Treasury Department said Tuesday that more
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than five point five million Trump accounts have already been open,
and one point four million kids eligible for the pilot
one thousand dollar contributions have been opened. Eighty six percent,
they say, are tied to families that are earning less
than two hundred thousand dollars a year, which is exactly
what the Trump accounts were designed to do. We also
(07:16):
know that the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a
massive domestic policy package. It was crammed with Trump's second
term priorities, and it's working. The House and Senate passed
it in July of last year, with every Democrat and
two Republicans saying no to it. The Senate majority leader
John Thune South Dakota Republicans steered it through the upper
(07:36):
chamber on July one. Trump signed that into law on
July fourth. Now what's amazing is if you look at
the numbers and you look at the growth effects, especially
to lower marginal tax rates on working class Americans. This
allows them to have more for savings, more for investments,
and more for them to be able to buy and
(07:57):
expand their small businesses if they are growing them. We
also know that this information that we have from Treasury
estimates that all of this legislation often called the OBBBA,
is increasing GDP by one point two percent in twenty
twenty six, one point four percent they expect in twenty
(08:18):
twenty seven, and one point five percent in twenty twenty eight.
That is incredible. So almost every US tax filer got
a cut this year, coming in an eighty two billion
in relief. That is something that every American should celebrate.
And when if you look at what the Democrats wanted
to do, that is where the real story is, and
(08:40):
that is what so many Americans should also be terrified of,
is what Democrats say they'll do if they get back
control and power. They wanted you to pay a five
trillion dollar tax hike this tax season. That was their plan. Instead,
the Republican and said, no, Americans deserve more of their money,
(09:03):
while Democrats said, we want to take another five trillion
from the average American. Now, I hope you'll take everything
I just told you, and I hope you'll share it
wherever you can, because I promise you what I just
told you is not going to be reported on by
the media, and they're not going to talk about just
how much money the Democratic Party wanted to take from
(09:24):
you either, because most Americans, when they hear that the
Democrats wanted five trillion more of your dollars in this
last tax year, they would say that's insane. Well, that's
exactly what their plan was, and that is what they
voted for. Every Democrat said no to giving you more
of your money back. So if you want to know
what the midterms are about, this is it right here.
(09:46):
And I promise you the president and other conservatives should
be running on this issue. There's an old saying in
politics that when your campaign is having a great week,
you stay home and you talk to voters. But when
your campaign is facing really tough questions like we're seeing
in Maine by Platner, well apparently you end up spending
a lot of time talking to party leaders not in
(10:08):
the state where you're running. That's exactly where the main
Democratic Senate candidate, Graham Platner finds himself as we speak.
He traveled to DC and why to try to save everything,
meeting with Democratic centers and donors and party officials as
his campaign attempts to navigate a growing list of major
(10:29):
controversies that have dominated the headlines in Maine and really
all over the country now. According to multiple reports, the
trip includes meetings with Senate Democrats and fundraising events as
party leaders weigh both the political risks and political realities
surrounding his candidacy. Now, the timing couldn't be more significant either.
(10:50):
Democrats view Maine as one of the most important Senate
battlegrounds in the country. They truly believe they should win
this easily against Susan Collins. And how important is it.
We're literally talking about the control of the Senate could
very well come down to a handful of races, and
Maine sits near the top of that list. That reality
is now creating an uncomfortable situation for many Democrats who
(11:15):
have major concerns about Platner, but also recognize that abandoning
their nominee could hand Republicans the victory. And that's why
they're not willing to kick them to the curb just yet.
Now the challenge is clear in DC tonight. The headlines
aren't going away now. Over the past several months, Platner
(11:35):
has faced scrutiny over old social media posts, past comments,
a controversial tattoo that is tied to the Nazis and
the SS you know, things like that, and it's become
a national story. But the most recent reports involving sexually
explicit text messages that were sent right after he got married,
that didn't help either. Those stories have generated intense attention
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and raise question from Democratic donors about the viability of
their candidate and the general election. Now, even some Democratic
senators have acknowledged publicly that they have quote concerns and
they're looking for answers. Are they really, of course not.
Others are just defending Platner at all costs, saying that
(12:19):
he's the best man for the job. But here's the
political party, and the reality of it is kicking in.
Despite all of this, Democrats, well, they seem to be
leaning towards We're going to rally behind him, We're going
to take pictures with him, We're going to give them
the money he needs, and we brought him to Washington
to save him. Now, his primary opponent is the main governor,
(12:42):
Janet Mills. She suspended her campaign months ago after trailing
badly in the polls and bad fundraising. Since then, much
of the Democratic establishment has moved towards supporting Platner, even
if some of them are doing it well with major reservations.
Because this is how radical the Democratic Party has become.
And that's why this trip to Washington matters so much.
(13:04):
It's not just about the fundraising anymore, and it's not
just about the donor meetings. It's actually about reassurance to
the party and then to the other donors, and then
in theory, to the voters in Maine. Party leaders they
want to know whether or not there are any more
surprises coming. That's part of what the meetings are about
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and of course Platterns are going to say, there's nothing
else out there. You need to know about everything's there.
They want to know whether the campaign can withstand months
of opposition research. They want to know whether Platner can
survive the scrutiny that comes with being one of the
most closely watched Senate candidates in America. And for Democrats,
let's be clear, they're extremely nervous. Some Democratic Senaters that's
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been reported have essentially said what many in Washington are
already thinking. They may have concerns, but they still need
to win the seat. The political calculation is straightforward. If
Platinum remains a nominee Democrats, they believe they're likely to
unite behind him, regardless of any discomfort with the controversies.
It doesn't matter that he has a Nazi tattoo. It
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doesn't matter about the things of his wife. It doesn't
matter about the text messages, it doesn't matter about the
disparage and comments towards veterans. Right, none of it matters.
And if you want to know all the controversies, go
back and grab the podcast where you laid out the
top fourteen things that has been a problem for Platners
so far, and we expect that list to grow. Now,
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what makes a story even bigger than the candidacy is
this is now becoming a test of how much scandal
modern political parties are willing to tolerate when major electoral
stakes are involved. For years, politicians from both parties argued
that certain controversies, when in essence, automatically disqualify a candidate. Yeah,
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I guess what. That's not happening anymore. What we're now
seeing is the Democratic Party saying we'll stick with you
if we think you're the best person. And look, if
you're Platiner, you've got to be encouraged. Because the Democratic
Party literally covered up the cognitive decline of Joe Biden.
They lied to the faces of every American voter, They
lied to his own staff in the White House saying
(15:13):
he was totally fine. They lied on Capitol Hill, they
lied on the Sunday shows, and they did everything they
could until that debate, and when Joe Biden had the
most disastrous debate and political history on stage against Donald Trump.
That is only when Democrats said we need an exit ramp.
So if you're grand Platner right now, you got to
(15:33):
be thinking to yourself, I'm gonna be okay. If they'll
defend Joe Biden, they're going to defend me, and hey,
at least I don't have a cognitive decline, So surely
they can get over all of this. And there's a
very good chance the Democrats will say yes to this candidate.
And they don't really care about the Nazi tattoo. They
don't care about any of the stuff going on in
(15:55):
his personal life. They don't care about him attacking the
military because, let's be honest, they don't really love the
military at all. This is where the Democratic Party is.
One thing is for sure. If they stick with Platner,
get ready for even more extreme and radical candidates to
come all over the country because it will inspire them
to run based on what they just witnessed. You may
(16:18):
know that June is the month of pride. We have
been told that you must celebrate Pride month and if
you don't, then you are a bigot. You are anti
LGBTQIA plus plus and whatever they've decided to change it into. Now, well,
there does seem to be a changing in this story.
(16:42):
After years of companies bowing down to the woke, radical
left and just saying you tell us what we need
to celebrate, will do it, Will paint whatever rainbows you
want us to paint, will celebrate with special logos and
emails and Pride literally paraphernalia in the front of our stores.
(17:03):
We now may be seeing a course correction. NFL is
a great place to start. The social media accounts, for
the first time in years, passed on celebrating the first
day of Pride Month. They had been one of the
lookest organizations with pressure from the LGBTQI plus community, but
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now the National Football League's official social media accounts looked
on a pass when it came to celebrating the first
day of Pride Month June first. Yes, it's a month
long recognition that we have in this country and in
many parts of the world. Now, I also want you
to think about in comparing contrast other incredible days that
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don't get even a week. They get a day. You
look get Veterans Day, you look at Memorial Day, you
look at Labor Day, you look at any other thing
like Christmas. There's just a day. It is not a month.
But Pride Month has to be an entire month. Well,
a lapse is not exactly surprising. While most of its
teams and I'm referring to the NFL have gone in
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the past all in for Pride Month, the league itself
has not mentioned it since twenty twenty three, when it
launched its Football Is For Everyone campaign. This is coming
from the New York Post now. Still, the league did
issue a statement to press reassuring its support for LGBT community,
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saying this Pride Month is recognized throughout June and the
NFL will continue to highlight and amplify Pride related content,
community and initiatives and celebrations taking place across the league.
The NFL went on to say, throughout the month, we
look forward to opportunities to showcase the work of the
NFL our clubs, players, partners, and community organizations supporting LGBTQ
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plus communities. Now, last year, twelve NFL teams failed as
the liberal media put it to mention Pride Month as
June kicked off. By the way, that was by accident.
So far this month, only nine teams have not posted
a celebratory message for Pride Month, many of them taking
so much eat over last year. Now those teams right
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now include the New York Jets, the Pittsburgh Steelers, the
Cleveland Browns, the Cincinnati Bengals, the Tennessee Titans, the Kansas
City Chiefs, the Las Vegasa Against Raiders, the Dallas Cowboys,
and the New Orleans Saints. Obviously that could change, but
if you look at what the NFL is doing here, yes,
they're clearly trying to play politics. You could even argue
to try to play both sides of this. But what
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we are seeing is a month seems to be a
moment now that people are saying, really, we need an
entire month to celebrate this, and if you don't do it,
then what happens, Well, maybe not as much as we
thought in the past. We also know that some of
the pride excitement may be dying down. Another example of
(19:55):
that is Phoenix. Phoenix Pride, which is a prominent organzation
behind Arizona's largest LGBTQ plus gathering, announced on the eve
of Pride Month that it is now filed for bankruptcy.
The filing, submitted Thursday in the US Bankruptcy Court in
the District of Arizona showed that Phoenix Pride was seeking
(20:17):
Chapter eleven bankruptcy protection, allowing time they say to continue
operations while restructuring its debt under court supervision. The Tucson
Sentinel is reporting the organization's board of directors said in
a press release that the decision was not made quote
lightly rising. They said, operational costs, economic uncertainty, shifts in
sponsorship again, ships in sponsorship and fundraising, partly due to
(20:43):
the current political climate and administration, and increasing demand on
nonprofit organizations have created circumstances we can no longer navigate alone.
Like many Pride organizations and LGBTQ plus nonprofits across the country,
Phoenix Pride is faced mounting financial pressures that threaten our
long term sustainability. Now you look at what they just
(21:04):
said in that statement, and what they're telling you is
is they're not the only Pride organization in the country
that's struggling right now. The local publication also noted that
the Phoenix Pride financial woes come just months after Tucson
Pride shut down, fallowing years of financial strain, and, of course,
as they described it, leadership problems. They say the sequence
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of events raises new questions about the sustainability of some
of the state's largest LGBTQ plus organizations, as they navigate
what they describe as rising costs, budget issues, internal struggles,
and then even community trust. Phoenix Pride said, filing Chapter
eleven gives the organization the opportunity to reorganize its finances
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while continuing to operate. Now, you put all this into perspective,
and here's what it really boils down to. These Pride
organizations were able to blackmail, in essence, corporations and donors
to give to them, and if they didn't, then they
were going to out them and say they are anti LGBTQ. Plus,
(22:09):
now what we're seeing is maybe many of these organizations
are more willing to say, hey, we're not going to
be held hostage and we're not going to put our
money towards Pride Month the way that you guys expect
us to in the past. There is also the politics
of this, which is also very very very interesting, which
brings me to another story. Now, if you want to
(22:32):
understand just how much the culture and political landscape of
America's changed, then you really need to look at what's
happening right now in Arkansas. The Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee
Sanders officially proclaimed June is Fidelity Month. Encouraging people in
Arkansas to focus on fidelity to God, family, community, and country.
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And her proclamation, Sanders pointed to America's founding principles of faith, liberty,
and patriotism and encourage residents to renew their commitment to
those values. Now, notice she's saying, We're going to have
a month for family, a month for God, a month
for community, a month for country. What an amazing idea
and proclamations specifically highlight the importance of commitment to face,
(23:18):
strong families, civic responsibility, and moral virtue. It argues that
cultivating fidelity to God, family, community, and country will contribute
to a healthy and stable society. Now, clearly this is
a one point eighty when it comes to what Pride
Month actually is. And let's be honest, this is about
much more than a proclamation. What Arkansas is doing is
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reflecting a much broader trend happening across the country. Many Americans,
putting it bluntly, have grown tired of having every institution
in their lives become politicized. They want schools focused on education.
They want businesses focus on serving customers. They want sports
franchises focus on competition, and increasingly they want government leaders
(24:00):
focus on strengthening families and our communities and also faith
based institutions rather than engaging in cultural war symbolism. And
that's why Sara Huckabee Sanders as the governor of Arkansas
and having this proclamation is generating so much attention. She
essentially is saying that instead of dedicating June to identity politics,
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Arkansas will dedicate June to what she've views as the
foundational institutions that hold society together, faith, family, community, and country. Now,
whether you agree or disagree with what the message is here,
there's no question it represents a dramatic shift from where
America was just a few years ago, and Arkansas isn't alone.
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Other Republican led states are promoting similar themes. Tennessee, where
I was born, they have highlighted the importance of the
nuclear family, while several governors have emphasized traditional family structures
and faith based values as alternatives to the cultural message
typically associated with Pride Month. The larger story here isn't
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simply about Pride Month. It's about a growing movement among
millions of Americans who feel that the country drifted too
far away from the values that built strong communities in
the first place. They believe strong families matter, they believe
faith matters, they believe patriotism matters, and they believe that
those values deserve public celebration too, and shouldn't be hidden
(25:27):
any longer. Governor Sanders' message is essentially an invitation for
Arkansas to spend June strengthening their marriages, spending time with
their children, serving their communities, and attending church, and reflecting
on the responsibility as citizens in the great State of
Arkansas and in the United States of America. And to supporters,
let me just say this, this is a refreshing change.
(25:50):
Of course, critics are going to lose their minds. It's
a political statement aimed directly at Pride month. They're going
to say that your bigots or racists or homophobes or
whatever else they want to call you, but regardless of
where you stand, there is one thing that's undeniable. June
in twenty twenty six looks very different than June and
twenty twenty. Corporate enthusiasm has cooled, the political momentum has shifted,
(26:14):
and in states like Arkansas and Tennessee, leaders are openly
championing an alternative vision centered on faith, family, and traditional values.
Now you put this into perspective with it what President
Trump is now doing. We're approaching the incredible two hundred
and fiftieth birthday of the greatest country in the world,
and what we're witnessing is a major cultural debate unfolding
(26:38):
in real time, something that President Trump clearly wanted. One
vision emphasizes identity and self expression. The other emphasizes duty, commitment, faith,
and family. And if Arkansas is any indication, many Americans
are increasingly choosing the latter. And that's why this year's
Pride Month story isn't just about Pride. It's about a
(27:01):
country that is reassessing its priorities, rediscovering our roots, and
asking a fundamental question, what value should define the next
chapter of the American story. We'll keep following this story.
I can promise you that we've got a lot more
that's going to happen the days ahead. So make sure
you don't forget. Grab our podcast, the Ben Ferguson Podcast
(27:22):
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