Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Ellesus fly, Hey America, and for formation.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Is wrong.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
This is Columbia's Morning News with Gary David and Christopher
Thompson on one O three point five FM and five
sixty AM w VOC.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Welcome in there, we go all right, thank you, I'm talking. Sorry,
nothing's happening over here. Yeah, I go away for a
couple of days of producer. We gets to turn my
button on.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Producer at your mic off for some reason because you
haven't been around for a while.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
I guess not. Well, I'm back. Somebody can send a
note to the producer. Okay, I'll tell him good morning.
And is sixteen after six It is Tuesday. It is
the very first day of July. Well, welcome back. It's
going to be back. Just take a couple of days off,
get away, and you've already forgotten. It happens in a hurry,
doesn't it. Wow. No, Sorry, we just briefly turned your
(01:07):
system off. But you're you're ready to go. Well, part
of me is some of my automation in here is
not looking good this morning. But I don't know what
y'all do to while I was gone. Man, nobody went
in your room while you were gone. Well good because
you know. I'm a stickler for that. I know. Nobody
goes in my room. Nobody, that's not true. Well, it's
(01:27):
going to be back with you short week here, especially
for me. Huh. Yeah, how about that July fourth coming
up Friday, big July fourth weekend? Fireworks abound because like it,
we've already had them Saturday, right, they had the fireworks
out of Lake Murray this past Saturday night, I think
they did. Yeah. Yeah, it was the biggest, one of
the biggest shows around.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
So now you never hear a whole lot about it anymore,
not like you used to. Yeah, I mean I didn't
even know they were having it the week before fourth
of July.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Well, that kind of caught me off guard too, but
they usually do they do that before the especially of
July fourth, on a weekend, they do that ahead of time.
So anyway, it's a big show there. I spent some
time down in the low Country over the weekend. The
sun was intense and the food was fantastic. And the
traffic on twenty six yesterday is always ridiculous. What's the
(02:13):
deal with twenty six heading back? I don't care. I
thought Monday afternoon, you know, midday, No big deal. Forget
about it. Everyone's always on vacation.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I guess they are once you hit ninety five in
the summertime forget it.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Yeah, yeah, all right, Well it's going to be back
and well we get some things to catch up on,
some things to do, some new news being made, So
let's get right out of the rundown, the big stories,
the hot topics. For the first a July normally a
time that's well in the space. It kind of slow
when it comes to news, you know, as we getting
the dog days of summer, we're already there. But a
couple things to mention here at home. The fact that
(02:49):
the governor apparently is told state agencies now, if you
want to spend money, if you want to enter a
spending request, you got to let his office know about it.
This exactly what it was actually issued a number of
days ago. As the state ends their fiscal year and
starts a new one, governor's crackdown on a new spending
(03:12):
request here, okay, a version of doge Well, you kind
of get that feeling, don't you. And again, you know,
we're in a state, as you all know where the
governor is. We have a weak form of governorship here.
That's not saying that Master's weak, because it's just the
way it's set up. State House controls a little bit
(03:33):
of everything. Now, if true, this would be interesting. H
Fitz News reporting yesterday that Paul Danz, who's the former
director of the Heritage Foundation's Project twenty twenty five that
we've heard so much about, is reportedly considering challenging Lindsey
Graham in the primary next year.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Well, a lot of names being thrown out, Yeah, there
are aren't there. This would would would be rather interesting.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Now apparently he's reportedly he's got to some five million
dollars committed. If he decides to do so, well, I'm
not his name recognition wouldn't wouldn't do much around here, No,
it would not. He'd have to spend a whole bunch
of money. Of course, it's been rumored for a couple
of weeks now, rumored he actually has a website up
that Andre Bauer is considering taking on Lindsey Graham as well.
(04:32):
Sot Graham may face some of the stiffest primary competitions.
I don't know. He had John Warren last time around,
didn't he Or No, No, that's been almost six years,
that's not true anyway. Well, the governor's race here, will
Ralph Norman get in? He, in an interview with the
(04:52):
Queens City News, says he'll announce whether or not he
plans to run on July twenty seventh, which I would
take that to me that means he's gonna run. You
don't put a specific date out there, right, I'll tell
you whether or I'm running on July twenty seventh. M okay, Now, Norman, Well, again,
(05:13):
for folks who who follow politics in this state, well known,
But for others who don't, yeah, he's got a you know,
name recognition problem and parts that aren't called the upstate
certainly right now, it's just as Alan Wilson and Josh
Kimberl is the only two that have so far announced
nothing out of Nancy Mace yet.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Huh no, wow, Yeah, we speculated on that a little
bit yesterday while you were out interesting. Just am not
all that convinced that she's going to run now.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
I'm not either. Now. Kimberl, who launched his bid last
week last Friday, picking up the endorsement from two lawmakers,
it'd be expected he's in this Senate. Wilson last week,
as you probably know, picked up the endorsement of three
sheriffs in Nancy Mace's district, Okay, including one who Mace
(06:03):
is since the last election, has taken credit for getting
him elected, and that was the Charleston County sheriff. But
he says, Alan Wilson's his guy. Now up on Capitol Hill,
it's the vote, oh rama. They've been going at it
since yesterday and they continue to go at it. July
fourth is just three days away, and that, of course
(06:23):
is when Trump and the Republicans one of the big
beautiful bill done. Now is this in trouble in the Senate?
Once I tell you this, you may well think it is. Apparently,
and this according to John Thune, the ability of the
Senate to pass the Big Beautiful Bill right now is
hinging on one Senator Lisa Markowski.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Well, that's that's the only margin they have left. That's it,
because there's it with Tillis out and ran Paul out,
that's it.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
And Tillus is out and gonna be out run for
reelection of course the senator from North Carolina. Yeah, this
is it. It all hinges on Lisa Murkowski. That should
scare the You know what at of it right there? Huh. Now,
the President meantime saying that if this thing doesn't happen,
and if those Trump tax cuts aren't extended, then we'll
be looking at a whopping sixty eight percent tax increase.
(07:18):
So we got a lot to talk about on the
big beautiful bill as they continue the vote rama, going
through amendment by amendment, trying to get this thing done,
hoping for a final vote sometime today on the sended floor. Meantime,
if that happens and if the Republicans are able to
pass it, it's not going to be an easy get
through on the House because in particular, the fiscal hawks
(07:39):
and others don't like what they see coming out of
the Senate. So the chances of this thing getting there
by July fourth, well, it's gonna be tough. Elon must
Meantime says if this thing does pass, he thinks we
need a new political party.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Well, I think he needs to hold his fire until
he sees what passes. I mean, how can you how
can you pass judgment on that?
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Right now?
Speaker 2 (08:02):
They're still working on cuts. Yeah, I understand this frustration.
I'm frustrated too, but I mean they're still working on
making some cuts that will pass Muster with especially some
of the fiscal hawks.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Yeah, that's going to have to happen or it's not
gonna get back through the House, all right. So we'll
be covering that for you this morning. The Big DOJ
crackdown on the multi milli a billion billion dollar healthcare
fraud scheme. Oh yes, And Brian Kolberger taking a plea
deal out in Idaho and apparently taking the families, the
(08:36):
victims' families by surprise. Yeah, they are not not happy.
All right. Let's see, we got that. We got a
lot more coming up here on this. It is the
Tuesday morning edition of Columbia's Morning News. That is fabulous
to have you with us talking.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
About You's gotta keep talking the good job, the stuff
that matters.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
I think I've been listening to y'all in the eighteen
year plus. Right.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
We'ent on three point five FM an five w VOC.
This is Columbia's Morning News with Gary David and Christopher
Thompson on one O three point five FM and five
sixty am w VOC.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
He appreciate you being here. It's good to be back
with you here on the Tuesday morning July the first.
It is six forty one. I am Gary David Christopher Thompson,
who has been with you. Thanks for a handling things
while I was on Man'm pretty sure happy to do it.
July fourth weekend coming up. Yeah. Time to be patriotic,
let's hope, So, time to be proud to be an American.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Speaking of speaking, next year is the two fifty right, Yeah, yeah,
of the American Revolution. We're we're just a year younger
than the US Army. Yeah, we had to get that
thing done first. You should get the other thing done right, right, Yeah,
two hundred and fifty.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
So next year will be a big celebration, yes, but
every year should be a big celebration. It ought to
be unless you're a Democrat and a liberal. So we've
got a couple of things here. The Free America anti
Trump protest taking place nationwide this weekend. Free America. Wow.
(10:18):
This is being organized by Women's March. Oh they're back.
But these are the folks who launched back in twenty
seventeen because they were outraged at Trump won in twenty sixteen.
So Women's March is urging people to either host or
join community events. They say they'll gather across the country
(10:40):
on porches and town Oh. Okay, this is gonna be
kind of a grassroots thing, all right, So just get
together with some friends of yours and just belly ache
all July fourth weekend because Kamala har is lost.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
It's fine as long as you don't bother me. Yeah, really,
not on my porch. Are you gonna cook out while
you belly ach? I wonder you're gonna do that.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Okay, So the other events playing at least one hundred
and seventy so this won't be like we saw for
the No Kings protest. This will be you know, you
may notice a neighbor who's holding a little you know,
front porch or backyard protest, you know, drive by and honking,
say hey, what are you doing now? Gallup. Just releasing
(11:22):
a survey the show's fewer Democrats are extremely are very
proud of to be Americans than at any point in
the last twenty five years. Thirty six percent of Democrats
say they are beyond moderately proud of their country. Okay,
so they're either extremely or very proud. So thirty six percent,
we give them props. Last year, at this time it
(11:47):
was sixty two percent. Okay, so let's think about this
for just a second. So last year, Joe Biden in
the White House and getting ready to take a big
free fall, sixty two percent of Democrats were proud to
be an American. Well, you know what, that's not saying
(12:12):
a whole lot. You know, that's just just over half
of your with a Democrat in the White House, just
over half of Democrats were proud to be Americans. Wow.
And the idea that would drop from sixty two percent
to thirty six percent a year later, just because Donald
Trump won? Did that seriously change your pride level in America?
(12:34):
I mean, really, these surveys come out and I don't know,
but there it is just thirty six percent. And look
what happened here. Democrats current level of pride their lowest
level since twenty twenty. Okay, twenty twenty, who was in office,
(12:58):
Donald Trump? Forty two just forty two percent Democrats. You
elect Joe Biden, it jumps up to sixty two percent,
but well after that it stayed just above fifty percent
through the rest of his term. The last time Democrats,
(13:21):
well under Barack Obama, that's the last time that more
than eighty percent of Democrats were either extremely or very
proud to be Americans. Well, you'll hang around here for
I mean, your pride in your country should supersede politics.
So let's talk about Republicans for a second here, Okay.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
I mean, there's a difference between pride and being happy
or being satisfied with the way things are going. You
don't have to like everything that's going on right to
be proud to be an American?
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Right, Okay, you don't. For example, in this latest Gallop survey,
eighty five percent of Republicans were very or extremely proud
to be Americans. Guess what they were about that same
number when Joe Biden was in office. Throughout the Biden presidency,
(14:12):
Republicans national pride stayed in the eighty to ninety percent range.
So again, for Democrats, it depends on who who's the president.
For Republicans, it doesn't matter. And that's that's the way
it ought to be. Okay. Obviously, Republicans for four years
(14:33):
weren't weren't proud to have Joe Biden in the White House.
They weren't happy about it. I mean, think of all
the things that transpired that four year period. Think about
all the wokeness, think about the the the the the
new green scam, think about all sorts of things, the catering,
the cow telling to the slimmest of of the month
(14:55):
of a population group in this country. Yet still between
eighty and ninety percent of Republicans were proud to be American.
Because you know what, that's got more to do than
just what's happening right now or we'll happen for the
next three or four years. Who the person is, the
White House, whatever, it's still America, and Republicans, regardless of
(15:17):
the leader, continue to have pride in being Americans. This survey,
by the way, also found that younger Americans are less
likely to be proud of the country. Yeah, and I
guess that shouldn't be a big surprise because they've been
brought up by a system. Now, I mean, once they
got out of the house, got to school, or wherever
(15:40):
they were being force fed this, you know, this ideology
that America is not a great land. Gen Z is
the only group that they're very or extremely proud to
(16:04):
be American forty one percent. Actually, the younger you get
or the older you get, of course, it goes up. Yeah,
So gen Z at forty one millennials, fifty eight percent
Gen X seventy five baby boom, seventy five percent of
baby boomers. I should say seventy one Gen X thirty
five baby boomers. So yeah, the older you get, the
(16:25):
more proud you are. Unless you're a Democrat, you're not
happy with anything. I guess, Well, this should not be
any great surprise. I don't guess. So overall the numbers
are this a record low. Fifty eight percent of US
adults say they're extremely proud or very proud to be
an American. And that's because, you know, Democrats just to
(16:49):
go with whomever's in the White House. That's just wrong, man.
I'm sorry, that's just wrong. And here's the kicker again.
If it were Kamala Harris sitting at sixteen hundred Pensylvania
Avenue and not Donald Trump, just based on the history
of the last four years or so, Republicans would still
be proud of this country.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
I mean, we had a lot of issues with what
happened the last four years, but it didn't make me
like my country less.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Right, No, you didn't like the party in power, but
then the country is still the country. I sure. Sec didn't say, well,
I'm moving to Canada, right, okay? Well, happy July fourth.
For those of you who are proud to be Americans.
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
You're listening to Columbia's Morning News on one oh three
point five FM on five sixty am WVOC. Once again,
here's Gary David and Christopher Thompson.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Good morning. It's just about fifteen minutes down after seven o'clock.
It is Tuesday, July first, and now watching the big
beautiful Bill in the Senate, where the latest, uh just
a in the last less than an hour is that
the Vice President has shown up amid the ongoing voter
(18:08):
on this has been long since yesterday now in the Senate,
and he may be the vote needed to break a
tie or to maybe a broker a final deal to
get a few reluctant to Republicans to vote yes on
the final version of that Chad Pergram over at Fox
(18:30):
says they are right now short on votes. Well even
get a chance to cast a ti dry breaking vote
or not? Can they even get to fifty in order
for him to cast a tie breaking vote? So had
no vote yet. Advance thinks that's going to happen today.
(18:56):
The big beautiful bill. I don't know life support.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
Well, it depends, I mean, ultimately, it depends on what
finally makes it through. When it makes it through. If
it makes it.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
Through, John Foon can only afford three no votes. Three
no votes and Vans can break the tie. Of course,
we already know there are definitely two no votes, and
it's all hinging on Lisa Murkowski right now. Well, if
(19:31):
there are four no votes, then Vance can just go
back to go back home, because he won't there will
be no tie breaking vote cast. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
I was hard line about this because I wanted Republicans
to be hard line about this, and I wish more
of them had been. I wish this bill was a
lot more about our economic future and less about just
spin to spin spend. But you know, ultimately you have
to pass the tax cuts.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
Yeah, the President warning I don't know if these numbers
are correct or not, but saying that if the tax
cuts aren't extended, then you'll be looking at a sixty
eight percent tax increase. Now I'm wondering this if this
thing doesn't make it Okay, by the way, we're just
(20:22):
talking about trying to get the Senate to cast a
you know, to do a final vote on this thing
and whether or not it gets out of the Senate
or not. But guess what it gets out of the Senate,
it goes back to the House. And well, not just
the hard lines, the hard line conservatives, but even some
modern Republicans in the House are are not happy with
(20:46):
the way the Senate bill is advancing and what's taking
place over there in the other chamber. At least six
moderate House republicansported to be planning to vote no on
the Senate bill in its current form. Now there are
changes that have happened since the last reporting on these
(21:08):
six moderate House Republicans, but we know that the quote
unquote hard line conservatives, they are hard lines because they
want to they want to quit spending all this money,
and the Senate plan is is not going to get
it done for them. Uh. July fourth is Friday. That
(21:31):
was kind of the self imposed deadline to get this
thing done by I don't I don't know, Yeah, I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
Yeah, And it's not the Republicans don't want to spend money.
They don't want to spend any more money we don't have, right,
I mean, that's that's the issue with this bill and
that was you know, I know this bill has caused
another big rift between Trump and Elon Musk. Musk has
a point, you know that that was the that was
the point of Doge finding wasteful spending, gunning it. And
(21:59):
it just appears that, you know, for every bit of
wasteful spending we find, we find new ways to spend money.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
Yeah, pretty much. Wow, Okay, there's so much in this thing.
These are omnibus spending packages. They are never easy to
get done to begin with. But in this climate, and
thankfully with a growing number of Republicans that are saying,
(22:25):
we've got to stop the madness here. If this thing doesn't,
if this thing doesn't doesn't, if this is a no
go here, don't you have to at least come back
and if nothing else, put forth a bill to extend
the Trump tax cuts. Don't you have to do that?
Speaker 2 (22:43):
I guess if you're a Republican, you've got to get
that done, right. I don't know that you would think
every Republican would be on board with that. But can
you do that without raising the debt ceiling too?
Speaker 1 (22:56):
I don't know. If this fails, I don't know what
the process is. I don't know Here's what I do know.
Here's what we all know that if this fails, if
the Republicans don't at least extend the Trump tax cuts,
then right about the time we start thinking about, you know,
voting in twenty twenty six. Well, I guess fortunately for
(23:16):
the Republicans, and a lot of people aren't going to
realize it because these tax bills expired at the end
of this year, So it wouldn't be until we file
taxes in what twenty twenty seven, right, that we realize
what just happened.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Yeah, well, I think at that point you'll see a
lot more Republicans whose names you don't recognize, because every
one of these guys will get primaried saying you raised taxes. Now,
for the Democrats, that's not a big issue, no, But
for Republicans, that's a sign of death. I mean, you
might as well just be signing your death certificate. You
are not going to get re elected. Ain't going to
(23:51):
happen if you're the Republican who you know, raised taxes
that much on Americans.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Some of the minutia here, some of the things that
are inside this bill, just a couple of examples here.
I want to mention. Democrats made a move last night
to block the GOP effort to strip illegal immigrants of
taxpayer funded benefits that's in the bill. The Senate voted
(24:29):
fifty six forty four on the amendment that would have
reduced federal Medicaid payments to states who offer health care
to illegal immigrants charged or convicted of serious crimes, not
any illegal immigrant, those charged or convicted of serious crimes.
Four Senate Democrats bucked their party and voted along the Republicans.
(24:50):
But thanks to the Senate parliamentarian, this one had to
be one of these amendments that reached a sixty sixty
vote threshold, and it did not. So the effort by
Republicans to strip illegal immigrants charged are convicted of serious
crimes from getting taxpayer funded benefits doesn't make it unbelievable.
(25:18):
Hard to believe that would be controversial, but it is. Yeah.
But on the flip side, the parliamentarian ruling on a
ban on federal funding for planned parenthood can stay in
that bill, and it looks like maybe, just maybe, the
GOP is on the cusp of a breakthrough, you know,
(25:41):
an effort that's been gone for years to strip federal
funding from Planned Parenthood.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
And you were out over the weekend, but every Friday
we had that news that, of course the Supreme courted
rule that the state doesn't have to throw any dollars
their way.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Yeah. So it's a bad couple of days for playing parenthood,
and thank the Lord for that. It may get worse
for them here. So latest, the Vice President made his
way over to the Senate chambers, where he presides he
may be needed to cast a tie breaking vote or
(26:23):
maybe not. If there are three no's three Republicans know,
and Murkowski it hinges on her whether there's three. But
if there's four, this thing's done, and I can't tell
you it in his current form, even if it gets
through the Senate gets back to the House, I don't
see any way with the opposition of the House to
(26:44):
this Senate version of this, I don't see why he
gets done by Friday. By July fourth, I'm not sure
he gets done at all.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
You're listening to Columbia's Morning News on one oh three
point five FM and five sixty AM WV. Once again,
here's Gary David and Christopher Thompson.
Speaker 1 (27:03):
Fifteen minutes half eay o'clock. It is Tuesday. It is
the first day of the month of July. Rushing through
this thing, man, more thing? Tell you Gary David glad
to be back after a couple of days away. Christopher Thompson,
who's been here the whole time in my stead, Thank
you for that, my friend. You're welcome.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
And it does feel like we're rushing through things, doesn't
it doesn't it though?
Speaker 1 (27:21):
Huh July first already? Yeah, and we had to after
the day two more days to work this week. Sweet.
I didn't realize that when I decided to take my
four day weekend this past weekend. Oh that was fortuitous. Yeah,
it works out great for you, Yes, it does well.
School is starting in about a month. See, that's just
crazy man. Yeah, yeah, wow, Okay, Well, keeping an eye
(27:44):
on the big beautiful bill. Is it in trouble in
the Senate? Talked about that earlier. Well, the Vice Presdent
has been over there now for a couple hours. He
could cast a tie breaking vote, but he might have
heard Fox mention a little while ago that it's more
expecting he's over there to try to, you know, twist
a few arms and the Republican ranks to try to
get enough Republican votes to give this thing passed, can
(28:08):
only lose well four I guess three that it can
cast tie breaking vote. Four done over expecting a vote
sometime today. But then it goes back to the House.
It doesn't not they're very happy with the way the
Senate is what they've done of this thing. So July
fourth deadline, we'll see. Keep me an eye on it. Okay. Trump,
(28:32):
by the way, is not staying in town for all this.
He is hopping on inter Force one. He's heading down
to Alligator Alcatraz for the opening that of Florida today.
Alligator Alcatraz, all right now here back at home. The governor,
posting curry reporting, has told agency heads in our state
(28:53):
that they must report directly back to his office if
anybody of a state House attempts to influence how departments
spend money allocated for a one time purpose to their budgets.
This executive order that was issued last week actually apparently
(29:13):
is designed to ensure transparency around the state House decision
to grow some agency budgets. So far, nobody in the
state House has made a call or center letter or
an email, according to the governor spokesperson, but they've been
warned alert the governor's office when lawmakers make spending requests. Okay,
(29:39):
is this is this a doze type thing here? Remember
this year no ear marks. Right, that was a good start.
It was a very good start. Actually, that was eliminated
in this year's budget by Senate to bill writers, this
(30:00):
is not something that's without precedent. The governor has h well, actually,
starting a couple of years ago, required that these lawmakers
submit a formal written application to his office when applying
for one time here marked dollars. But this order goes
(30:23):
a step further again requiring state agencies to report directly
to the Governor's office anytime a lawmaker contacts them purporting
to demand, instruct requests, suggest or encourage, and the agency
spend money they received in a certain way, which should
never happen anyway.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
Right, Well, this is we talked about this a little
bit while you were out because this is a problem
that not only Columbia, but a lot of cities have
run into. You know, all this all this money related
to COVID is running out. Yes, and that was all
essentially one time money. It was a lot of it,
(31:04):
a lot of it, but it was one time here
it is. Use it how you want to, but it's
got to be used in a certain way and by
a certain date. And all too often cities, states, they
get used to these one time dollars. And what happens
once a one time dollar expenditure goes into that budget, Well,
then you've got to figure out how to pay for
it the next year, right, and then it's no longer
(31:25):
a one time thing.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
And how ridiculous is it to take, you know, a
one time dollar and put it into a budget moving forward? Well,
you're on It's that's ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
You're essentially telling people, Okay, you're telegraphing your next move.
You're saying, all right, I want you to support this
next time and make it a permanent part of the budget.
So I'm going to pay for it this year, and
then I'm going to make you figure out how to
pay for it next year.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
So that's like you winning the lottery and putting that
in your household budget for next year too. Yeah, I'm
gonna keep making that money. Oh well, then go to
your workplace tell your boss, hey, listen, I put the
lottery winnings into my budgets. Now you dont have to
pay me that moving forward doesn't work that well. No,
unless you're in government, at least you get you get
a shot at trying and maybe you succeed. Okay, well
(32:08):
doze like you know, we could certainly use little doze
like this around here. And by the way, this is
a this is going to be a recurring theme here
in this governor's race. We've heard both Alan Wilson and
Senator Holly Kimball rather I'm sorry, I'm thinking Josh Holly.
(32:30):
He's on Capitol Hill. He's not from around here, Josh Kimberrel.
See there's a name recognition problem right there, right the
upstate state senator that they have both mentioned again, you know,
cutting back on spending, you know, really taking a look
at what dollars are going out. Now Kimbrel who announced
(32:54):
this last Friday when I was out right he had
his well family picnic. He'd already announced he was going
to do it. It was Saturday. Is this Saturday? Oh yeah, yeah,
it was Saturday. He's gotten the endorsement from two lawmakers.
Last week we found out that Alan Wilson had gotten
(33:17):
the endorsement of three sheriffs down in the Low Country.
By the way, Sheriff's and Nancy Mason's backyard. So you
said you talked about this while I was out about
is Nancy May's gonna run or not? I mean, I
get the feeling more and more that she isn't. Kind
of seems that way. I mean, last thing we heard
from her was a couple of weeks back when she
(33:38):
told a podcast that or a podcast might have been
an online news interview, that she might be forced into
the race. And we haven't heard anything really about that
since then.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
And she, I mean, she had all the momentum going
in you know, a couple of months ago. She was
the only one people were talking about when she was
keeping herself in the spotlight. But now it's I mean,
she's kind of faded to the background. And I don't
know how you recapture that momentum at this point.
Speaker 1 (34:07):
Yeah, I don't know, because everything out of Nancy Mace's
mouth the last couple of months has been about you know,
sex stuff, you don't know, how bad guys are, stuff
and such, And there's probably there's some truth to some of.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
That, certainly, we don't know how much truth. I mean,
she's got other issues. It's it's how she got elected
in the first place down in the I mean in
the state House, and then in the in the first
congressional district. But still it's yeah, that's been her main focus,
and it's not going to get her elected governor.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
No, not at all.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
And I'm again, I'm not convinced that she's gorunning at
this point.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
The lieutenant governor expected to enter the race. Don't know
when that's going to be. I don't know. I just
I don't see that going well. I don't know that.
And this is the problem with lieutenant governor's period. It's
not a high profile job, right, it's not.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
I mean, unless you screw something up, chances are there's
not a whole lot of attension being paid to you,
rather than you're standing in the background in most of
those pictures.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Those photo ops always, oh drives my wife crazy. Why
she's always standing back behind the governor. That's the way
we do it around here.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
She's a smart woman, an extremely shrewd business world. Yes,
I don't you know, I don't know what she's accomplished
in that office that I don't know what any lieutenant
governor's accomplished. And then that includes Henry the guy who's
got the governor's right in the governor's.
Speaker 1 (35:26):
Office right now? Oh yeah, what did what did he do?
But all right, and you know you could ask the question.
I mean, it had not been again for Trump Tabbin
Nikki Haley to join his administration, whether or not Hendryman
Master ever would have been governor. It's just it's a
tough office to excel out of. Right, Yeah, but what
about Ralph Norman telling a Queen City News interview he'll
(35:52):
announce whether or not he plans to run on July
twenty seventh. Okay, I'm gonna take that as he's going
to tell us on July twenty seventh that he's going
to run. You would think, so, yeah, you don't make
an announcement like that. It didn't come up with a July
twenty seventh, a specific date that you've circled the calendar
to say I'm not going to run. But again, even
(36:13):
though you know, you listen to you know, stations like
this one, programs like this one. You you know all
well who Ralph Norman is. But consider the fact that
you're really the minority because a lot of folks around
the state, if they're not in that district. They don't
pay attention to it. If Ralph Norman is not their congressman,
they don't know who he is. So he's got a
(36:33):
bit of a name recognition problem too moving forward. But
he may have the best conservative credentials of anybody in
the race. Yeah, got bona fide conservative cresentiual was no doubt, right. Well,
I really thought that, and I agree with you that
if Nancy Mays was going to get in, she'd he
got in. I thought she was going to pull it,
you know, once the news came out to a week
(36:55):
or two back that Allan Wilson was going to announce,
and that he announced last Monday, that she'd maybe try
to jump in before then. Well that's been over a
week ago since he officially announced, And mum's the word
from Mace. Your morning news, getting ready for work and
all day in fault and check in throughout the day.
Speaker 3 (37:17):
One on three point five FM and five sixty am
w VOC. This is Columbia's Morning News with Gary David
and Christopher Thompson. On one on three point five FM
and five sixty am w VOC.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
It is eight forty one. Good morning. Our final thoughts
for Tuesday July. First, the DOJ announcing sweeping charges yesterday
against more than three hundred defendants alleging they misled patients
into paying for and sometimes receiving medical care they did
not need. Oh my goodness, two cases from right here
(37:56):
in South Carolina. As a matter of fact, this is
the biggest takedown of healthcare fraud in history. Alan Wilson
AHG announcing these two cases part of that takedown yesterday morning.
These crimes have combined fourteen point six billion dollars and
(38:21):
alleged false billings and over fifteen million pills will illegally
diverted controlled substances. And this happens.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
And this is why when you hear the argument going
on right now on the Senate floor about, oh, Republicans
want to take away medicaid from those who need it most.
They're trying to eliminate fraud. And there is so much
of between the fraud.
Speaker 1 (38:43):
And the waste.
Speaker 2 (38:44):
Oh yes, and you know it's again, it's not just fraud,
it's the waste too. And it's the you know, dollars
that are being matched and then multiplied by states and
the federal you know, the Feds just doling out money
after money after money.
Speaker 1 (39:02):
Yeah, I mean it makes you wonder, Okay, is anybody
really anybody really watching this stuff? I mean it's individuals, companies, practices.
Just I got to tell you, you know, I mean
my experience, not with me personally, with family members. I
wonder sometimes is that really necessary? You know, is that
(39:22):
test really necessary? Probably all had that, you know, wonderful
time to time. But now we're talking here. This is
this is just a Medicare and medicaid scams. Wow, kickbacks, bribes,
(39:43):
unnecessary treatments. This is one of those things I think
we all know, have known for years has been going on, right,
but we always thought we had the money to just
pay pay our way right through it.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
Yeah, well, you know, just kind of look the other way. Well,
that goes on. But we're doing good things here too.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
Well, we're talking about private health insurance programs and taxpayer
funded programs. Fourteen point six billion dollars. Okay, good, Now,
hopefully moving forward, we've got a little oversight going on
here to rue this stuff out as it happened, so
this problem doesn't grow into that kind of dollar amount ever. Again, surprise, well,
(40:27):
plea bargain. Brian Koberger, the suspect and the killing of
those four students in Moscow, Idaho, agreeing to a plea
deal that will keep him off death row but will
keep him in prison for the rest of his life.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
So did the state just were they worried they didn't
have enough to convict? Is that why they agreed to
this plea deal?
Speaker 1 (40:52):
I don't know, but the families of the victims are furious.
Speaker 2 (40:55):
And they say they were caught completely unaware, yeah right,
that they did get an inkling that a plea bargain
was being talked about until this past weekend, and then
it all came together really quickly. And they've already faced
a lot of hurdles, you know. I mean, this trial
got moved around, it was inconvenient for them to be there, and.
Speaker 1 (41:14):
It's just this has been a mess. The did he
Comb's trial has gone to the jury and what two
hours of deliberations? I already had questions. I don't know.
I have really not been following this because I intentionally
chose not to.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
I tuned out after a while, but I mean I've
I've kind of kept up with it enough to know
that I don't know that. I mean, he's a bad guy.
And he did some bad things. But I don't know
that the government proved its case well with.
Speaker 1 (41:41):
What little I've been paying attention to it. I'm on
the same the same mind you're talking about sex trafficking
and racketeering. I don't know from what again, what little
I've you know, learned about that trial that they did
prove any of that actually happened.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
He was violent with women, he did drugs with women,
but I don't know if they got there or not.
Speaker 1 (42:06):
Well, And just the defense, I guess the argument's Ben
Walls was consensual. Oh yeah, I didn't want to take
that many showers on a day basically, you know.
Speaker 2 (42:18):
I mean, yeah, it was tough to take at times.
Definitely not somebody you'd want to be around your family.
Speaker 1 (42:27):
No Ice and multiple members of the administration slamming CNN
for giving favorable coverage to a new app that allows
users to upload media of immigration operations in order to
warn others within a five byle radius. Yeah, this was
(42:48):
an app created after the anti Rice anti Ice round
his riots in Los Angeles and at a time when
violence against federal agents is dramatically on the upswing. And
CNN just did a glowing story on this app.
Speaker 2 (43:06):
Really, I don't know if it would have been glowing.
It certainly wouldn't have. But I probably would have mentioned
it if I had seen that story, just because I mean,
I would have been appalled. So I don't necessarily blame
them for mentioning it. But if they gave a glowing
endorsement of it, then that's another story.
Speaker 1 (43:28):
Yeah. Todd Lyons, the acting ICE director, said that the
network was being reckless. So like an advertising such a
app will only make the current operational environment more dangerous
for federal agents, and it will. Then there's the lunacy
of John Cusack, who is anti Israel, who's anti Trump,
(43:54):
And on a post on X last Friday, did you
talk about this yesterday? No? This is the actor. Yeah,
the actor John Cusack okay posted that Iran should get
a nuclear weapon so it can deter the US and
Israel's aggression in the Middle East. Wow. Wow, dude went
way off the edge. Iran will surely rush to get
(44:17):
a nuclear weapon, and they should get one, he wrote,
It's the only way to deter US and Israel from
bombing every country in the Middle East. Uh yeah, Now again,
this is this is a guy who's made some pretty
outlandish posts about Israel the past. Yeah, there you go.
(44:45):
I give you John.
Speaker 2 (44:45):
Cusack again, an actor, an actor, been in some good stuff,
but still an actor.
Speaker 1 (44:52):
Still an actor, Okay, an actor? And how is it?
How expensive is it as a senior to live in
California these days? Well, Sharon Lane has moved on board
the Villa vill Odyssey cruise ship. Yeah, she became a
(45:16):
resident middle part of last month. This is a new
residential ship that travels around the world. It's set sail
last September. And you can actually buy a cabin. Well,
you can buy it for fifteen years. Prices started one
hundred and twenty nine thousand dollars for an inside state room.
(45:37):
There are monthly fees of three thousand bucks for a
single occupancy. If you've got nobody with you, that's additional.
It's not cheap, but she says she's saving money versus
trying to live in California as a senior. She's seventy seven.
I mean, a fun way to see the world.
Speaker 2 (45:58):
If you wouldn't get too claustrophobic from being on that
ship for days at a time, Yeah, I'd.
Speaker 1 (46:04):
Have to go, I'd have to buy the outside state room.
The inside state would drive me, drive me crazy. Oh,
this is not the first time we've heard of this. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (46:12):
No, there's cruise ships who are finding ways to make
money by using some of their rooms almost like apartments.
But if you've seen Poop Cruise on Netflix and I
think it just debuted last week, that you may think
twice about being on a cruise ship for that long.
Speaker 1 (46:32):
I'll just think twice about watching that program.
Ellesus fly, Hey America, and for formation.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Is wrong.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
This is Columbia's Morning News with Gary David and Christopher
Thompson on one O three point five FM and five
sixty AM w VOC.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Welcome in there, we go all right, thank you, I'm talking. Sorry,
nothing's happening over here. Yeah, I go away for a
couple of days of producer. We gets to turn my
button on.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Producer at your mic off for some reason because you
haven't been around for a while.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
I guess not. Well, I'm back. Somebody can send a
note to the producer. Okay, I'll tell him good morning.
And is sixteen after six It is Tuesday. It is
the very first day of July. Well, welcome back. It's
going to be back. Just take a couple of days off,
get away, and you've already forgotten. It happens in a hurry,
doesn't it. Wow. No, Sorry, we just briefly turned your
(01:07):
system off. But you're you're ready to go. Well, part
of me is some of my automation in here is
not looking good this morning. But I don't know what
y'all do to while I was gone. Man, nobody went
in your room while you were gone. Well good because
you know. I'm a stickler for that. I know. Nobody
goes in my room. Nobody, that's not true. Well, it's
(01:27):
going to be back with you short week here, especially
for me. Huh. Yeah, how about that July fourth coming
up Friday, big July fourth weekend? Fireworks abound because like it,
we've already had them Saturday, right, they had the fireworks
out of Lake Murray this past Saturday night, I think
they did. Yeah. Yeah, it was the biggest, one of
the biggest shows around.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
So now you never hear a whole lot about it anymore,
not like you used to. Yeah, I mean I didn't
even know they were having it the week before fourth
of July.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Well, that kind of caught me off guard too, but
they usually do they do that before the especially of
July fourth, on a weekend, they do that ahead of time.
So anyway, it's a big show there. I spent some
time down in the low Country over the weekend. The
sun was intense and the food was fantastic. And the
traffic on twenty six yesterday is always ridiculous. What's the
(02:13):
deal with twenty six heading back? I don't care. I
thought Monday afternoon, you know, midday, No big deal. Forget
about it. Everyone's always on vacation.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I guess they are once you hit ninety five in
the summertime forget it.
Speaker 1 (02:25):
Yeah, yeah, all right, Well it's going to be back
and well we get some things to catch up on,
some things to do, some new news being made, So
let's get right out of the rundown, the big stories,
the hot topics. For the first a July normally a
time that's well in the space. It kind of slow
when it comes to news, you know, as we getting
the dog days of summer, we're already there. But a
couple things to mention here at home. The fact that
(02:49):
the governor apparently is told state agencies now, if you
want to spend money, if you want to enter a
spending request, you got to let his office know about it.
This exactly what it was actually issued a number of
days ago. As the state ends their fiscal year and
starts a new one, governor's crackdown on a new spending
(03:12):
request here, okay, a version of doge Well, you kind
of get that feeling, don't you. And again, you know,
we're in a state, as you all know where the
governor is. We have a weak form of governorship here.
That's not saying that Master's weak, because it's just the
way it's set up. State House controls a little bit
(03:33):
of everything. Now, if true, this would be interesting. H
Fitz News reporting yesterday that Paul Danz, who's the former
director of the Heritage Foundation's Project twenty twenty five that
we've heard so much about, is reportedly considering challenging Lindsey
Graham in the primary next year.
Speaker 2 (03:55):
Well, a lot of names being thrown out, Yeah, there
are aren't there. This would would would be rather interesting.
Speaker 1 (04:08):
Now apparently he's reportedly he's got to some five million
dollars committed. If he decides to do so, well, I'm
not his name recognition wouldn't wouldn't do much around here, No,
it would not. He'd have to spend a whole bunch
of money. Of course, it's been rumored for a couple
of weeks now, rumored he actually has a website up
that Andre Bauer is considering taking on Lindsey Graham as well.
(04:32):
Sot Graham may face some of the stiffest primary competitions.
I don't know. He had John Warren last time around,
didn't he Or No, No, that's been almost six years,
that's not true anyway. Well, the governor's race here, will
Ralph Norman get in? He, in an interview with the
(04:52):
Queens City News, says he'll announce whether or not he
plans to run on July twenty seventh, which I would
take that to me that means he's gonna run. You
don't put a specific date out there, right, I'll tell
you whether or I'm running on July twenty seventh. M okay, Now, Norman, Well, again,
(05:13):
for folks who who follow politics in this state, well known,
But for others who don't, yeah, he's got a you know,
name recognition problem and parts that aren't called the upstate
certainly right now, it's just as Alan Wilson and Josh
Kimberl is the only two that have so far announced
nothing out of Nancy Mace yet.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Huh no, wow, Yeah, we speculated on that a little
bit yesterday while you were out interesting. Just am not
all that convinced that she's going to run now.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
I'm not either. Now. Kimberl, who launched his bid last
week last Friday, picking up the endorsement from two lawmakers,
it'd be expected he's in this Senate. Wilson last week,
as you probably know, picked up the endorsement of three
sheriffs in Nancy Mace's district, Okay, including one who Mace
(06:03):
is since the last election, has taken credit for getting
him elected, and that was the Charleston County sheriff. But
he says, Alan Wilson's his guy. Now up on Capitol Hill,
it's the vote, oh rama. They've been going at it
since yesterday and they continue to go at it. July
fourth is just three days away, and that, of course
(06:23):
is when Trump and the Republicans one of the big
beautiful bill done. Now is this in trouble in the Senate?
Once I tell you this, you may well think it is. Apparently,
and this according to John Thune, the ability of the
Senate to pass the Big Beautiful Bill right now is
hinging on one Senator Lisa Markowski.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Well, that's that's the only margin they have left. That's it,
because there's it with Tillis out and ran Paul out,
that's it.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
And Tillus is out and gonna be out run for
reelection of course the senator from North Carolina. Yeah, this
is it. It all hinges on Lisa Murkowski. That should
scare the You know what at of it right there? Huh. Now,
the President meantime saying that if this thing doesn't happen,
and if those Trump tax cuts aren't extended, then we'll
be looking at a whopping sixty eight percent tax increase.
(07:18):
So we got a lot to talk about on the
big beautiful bill as they continue the vote rama, going
through amendment by amendment, trying to get this thing done,
hoping for a final vote sometime today on the sended floor. Meantime,
if that happens and if the Republicans are able to
pass it, it's not going to be an easy get
through on the House because in particular, the fiscal hawks
(07:39):
and others don't like what they see coming out of
the Senate. So the chances of this thing getting there
by July fourth, well, it's gonna be tough. Elon must
Meantime says if this thing does pass, he thinks we
need a new political party.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Well, I think he needs to hold his fire until
he sees what passes. I mean, how can you how
can you pass judgment on that?
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Right now?
Speaker 2 (08:02):
They're still working on cuts. Yeah, I understand this frustration.
I'm frustrated too, but I mean they're still working on
making some cuts that will pass Muster with especially some
of the fiscal hawks.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Yeah, that's going to have to happen or it's not
gonna get back through the House, all right. So we'll
be covering that for you this morning. The Big DOJ
crackdown on the multi milli a billion billion dollar healthcare
fraud scheme. Oh yes, And Brian Kolberger taking a plea
deal out in Idaho and apparently taking the families, the
(08:36):
victims' families by surprise. Yeah, they are not not happy.
All right. Let's see, we got that. We got a
lot more coming up here on this. It is the
Tuesday morning edition of Columbia's Morning News. That is fabulous
to have you with us talking.
Speaker 3 (08:51):
About You's gotta keep talking the good job, the stuff
that matters.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
I think I've been listening to y'all in the eighteen
year plus. Right.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
We'ent on three point five FM an five w VOC.
This is Columbia's Morning News with Gary David and Christopher
Thompson on one O three point five FM and five
sixty am w VOC.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
He appreciate you being here. It's good to be back
with you here on the Tuesday morning July the first.
It is six forty one. I am Gary David Christopher Thompson,
who has been with you. Thanks for a handling things
while I was on Man'm pretty sure happy to do it.
July fourth weekend coming up. Yeah. Time to be patriotic,
let's hope, So, time to be proud to be an American.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Speaking of speaking, next year is the two fifty right, Yeah, yeah,
of the American Revolution. We're we're just a year younger
than the US Army. Yeah, we had to get that
thing done first. You should get the other thing done right, right, Yeah,
two hundred and fifty.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
So next year will be a big celebration, yes, but
every year should be a big celebration. It ought to
be unless you're a Democrat and a liberal. So we've
got a couple of things here. The Free America anti
Trump protest taking place nationwide this weekend. Free America. Wow.
(10:18):
This is being organized by Women's March. Oh they're back.
But these are the folks who launched back in twenty
seventeen because they were outraged at Trump won in twenty sixteen.
So Women's March is urging people to either host or
join community events. They say they'll gather across the country
(10:40):
on porches and town Oh. Okay, this is gonna be
kind of a grassroots thing, all right, So just get
together with some friends of yours and just belly ache
all July fourth weekend because Kamala har is lost.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
It's fine as long as you don't bother me. Yeah, really,
not on my porch. Are you gonna cook out while
you belly ach? I wonder you're gonna do that.
Speaker 1 (11:00):
Okay, So the other events playing at least one hundred
and seventy so this won't be like we saw for
the No Kings protest. This will be you know, you
may notice a neighbor who's holding a little you know,
front porch or backyard protest, you know, drive by and honking,
say hey, what are you doing now? Gallup. Just releasing
(11:22):
a survey the show's fewer Democrats are extremely are very
proud of to be Americans than at any point in
the last twenty five years. Thirty six percent of Democrats
say they are beyond moderately proud of their country. Okay,
so they're either extremely or very proud. So thirty six percent,
we give them props. Last year, at this time it
(11:47):
was sixty two percent. Okay, so let's think about this
for just a second. So last year, Joe Biden in
the White House and getting ready to take a big
free fall, sixty two percent of Democrats were proud to
be an American. Well, you know what, that's not saying
(12:12):
a whole lot. You know, that's just just over half
of your with a Democrat in the White House, just
over half of Democrats were proud to be Americans. Wow.
And the idea that would drop from sixty two percent
to thirty six percent a year later, just because Donald
Trump won? Did that seriously change your pride level in America?
(12:34):
I mean, really, these surveys come out and I don't know,
but there it is just thirty six percent. And look
what happened here. Democrats current level of pride their lowest
level since twenty twenty. Okay, twenty twenty, who was in office,
(12:58):
Donald Trump? Forty two just forty two percent Democrats. You
elect Joe Biden, it jumps up to sixty two percent,
but well after that it stayed just above fifty percent
through the rest of his term. The last time Democrats,
(13:21):
well under Barack Obama, that's the last time that more
than eighty percent of Democrats were either extremely or very
proud to be Americans. Well, you'll hang around here for
I mean, your pride in your country should supersede politics.
So let's talk about Republicans for a second here, Okay.
Speaker 2 (13:39):
I mean, there's a difference between pride and being happy
or being satisfied with the way things are going. You
don't have to like everything that's going on right to
be proud to be an American?
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Right, Okay, you don't. For example, in this latest Gallop survey,
eighty five percent of Republicans were very or extremely proud
to be Americans. Guess what they were about that same
number when Joe Biden was in office. Throughout the Biden presidency,
(14:12):
Republicans national pride stayed in the eighty to ninety percent range.
So again, for Democrats, it depends on who who's the president.
For Republicans, it doesn't matter. And that's that's the way
it ought to be. Okay. Obviously, Republicans for four years
(14:33):
weren't weren't proud to have Joe Biden in the White House.
They weren't happy about it. I mean, think of all
the things that transpired that four year period. Think about
all the wokeness, think about the the the the the
new green scam, think about all sorts of things, the catering,
the cow telling to the slimmest of of the month
(14:55):
of a population group in this country. Yet still between
eighty and ninety percent of Republicans were proud to be American.
Because you know what, that's got more to do than
just what's happening right now or we'll happen for the
next three or four years. Who the person is, the
White House, whatever, it's still America, and Republicans, regardless of
(15:17):
the leader, continue to have pride in being Americans. This survey,
by the way, also found that younger Americans are less
likely to be proud of the country. Yeah, and I
guess that shouldn't be a big surprise because they've been
brought up by a system. Now, I mean, once they
got out of the house, got to school, or wherever
(15:40):
they were being force fed this, you know, this ideology
that America is not a great land. Gen Z is
the only group that they're very or extremely proud to
(16:04):
be American forty one percent. Actually, the younger you get
or the older you get, of course, it goes up. Yeah,
So gen Z at forty one millennials, fifty eight percent
Gen X seventy five baby boom, seventy five percent of
baby boomers. I should say seventy one Gen X thirty
five baby boomers. So yeah, the older you get, the
(16:25):
more proud you are. Unless you're a Democrat, you're not
happy with anything. I guess, Well, this should not be
any great surprise. I don't guess. So overall the numbers
are this a record low. Fifty eight percent of US
adults say they're extremely proud or very proud to be
an American. And that's because, you know, Democrats just to
(16:49):
go with whomever's in the White House. That's just wrong, man.
I'm sorry, that's just wrong. And here's the kicker again.
If it were Kamala Harris sitting at sixteen hundred Pensylvania
Avenue and not Donald Trump, just based on the history
of the last four years or so, Republicans would still
be proud of this country.
Speaker 2 (17:10):
I mean, we had a lot of issues with what
happened the last four years, but it didn't make me
like my country less.
Speaker 1 (17:16):
Right, No, you didn't like the party in power, but
then the country is still the country. I sure. Sec didn't say, well,
I'm moving to Canada, right, okay? Well, happy July fourth.
For those of you who are proud to be Americans.
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
You're listening to Columbia's Morning News on one oh three
point five FM on five sixty am WVOC. Once again,
here's Gary David and Christopher Thompson.
Speaker 1 (17:47):
Good morning. It's just about fifteen minutes down after seven o'clock.
It is Tuesday, July first, and now watching the big
beautiful Bill in the Senate, where the latest, uh just
a in the last less than an hour is that
the Vice President has shown up amid the ongoing voter
(18:08):
on this has been long since yesterday now in the Senate,
and he may be the vote needed to break a
tie or to maybe a broker a final deal to
get a few reluctant to Republicans to vote yes on
the final version of that Chad Pergram over at Fox
(18:30):
says they are right now short on votes. Well even
get a chance to cast a ti dry breaking vote
or not? Can they even get to fifty in order
for him to cast a tie breaking vote? So had
no vote yet. Advance thinks that's going to happen today.
(18:56):
The big beautiful bill. I don't know life support.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
Well, it depends, I mean, ultimately, it depends on what
finally makes it through. When it makes it through. If
it makes it.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
Through, John Foon can only afford three no votes. Three
no votes and Vans can break the tie. Of course,
we already know there are definitely two no votes, and
it's all hinging on Lisa Murkowski right now. Well, if
(19:31):
there are four no votes, then Vance can just go
back to go back home, because he won't there will
be no tie breaking vote cast. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:40):
I was hard line about this because I wanted Republicans
to be hard line about this, and I wish more
of them had been. I wish this bill was a
lot more about our economic future and less about just
spin to spin spend. But you know, ultimately you have
to pass the tax cuts.
Speaker 1 (20:01):
Yeah, the President warning I don't know if these numbers
are correct or not, but saying that if the tax
cuts aren't extended, then you'll be looking at a sixty
eight percent tax increase. Now I'm wondering this if this
thing doesn't make it Okay, by the way, we're just
(20:22):
talking about trying to get the Senate to cast a
you know, to do a final vote on this thing
and whether or not it gets out of the Senate
or not. But guess what it gets out of the Senate,
it goes back to the House. And well, not just
the hard lines, the hard line conservatives, but even some
modern Republicans in the House are are not happy with
(20:46):
the way the Senate bill is advancing and what's taking
place over there in the other chamber. At least six
moderate House republicansported to be planning to vote no on
the Senate bill in its current form. Now there are
changes that have happened since the last reporting on these
(21:08):
six moderate House Republicans, but we know that the quote
unquote hard line conservatives, they are hard lines because they
want to they want to quit spending all this money,
and the Senate plan is is not going to get
it done for them. Uh. July fourth is Friday. That
(21:31):
was kind of the self imposed deadline to get this
thing done by I don't I don't know, Yeah, I
don't know.
Speaker 2 (21:38):
Yeah, And it's not the Republicans don't want to spend money.
They don't want to spend any more money we don't have, right,
I mean, that's that's the issue with this bill and
that was you know, I know this bill has caused
another big rift between Trump and Elon Musk. Musk has
a point, you know that that was the that was
the point of Doge finding wasteful spending, gunning it. And
(21:59):
it just appears that, you know, for every bit of
wasteful spending we find, we find new ways to spend money.
Speaker 1 (22:05):
Yeah, pretty much. Wow, Okay, there's so much in this thing.
These are omnibus spending packages. They are never easy to
get done to begin with. But in this climate, and
thankfully with a growing number of Republicans that are saying,
(22:25):
we've got to stop the madness here. If this thing doesn't,
if this thing doesn't doesn't, if this is a no
go here, don't you have to at least come back
and if nothing else, put forth a bill to extend
the Trump tax cuts. Don't you have to do that?
Speaker 2 (22:43):
I guess if you're a Republican, you've got to get
that done, right. I don't know that you would think
every Republican would be on board with that. But can
you do that without raising the debt ceiling too?
Speaker 1 (22:56):
I don't know. If this fails, I don't know what
the process is. I don't know Here's what I do know.
Here's what we all know that if this fails, if
the Republicans don't at least extend the Trump tax cuts,
then right about the time we start thinking about, you know,
voting in twenty twenty six. Well, I guess fortunately for
(23:16):
the Republicans, and a lot of people aren't going to
realize it because these tax bills expired at the end
of this year, So it wouldn't be until we file
taxes in what twenty twenty seven, right, that we realize
what just happened.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
Yeah, well, I think at that point you'll see a
lot more Republicans whose names you don't recognize, because every
one of these guys will get primaried saying you raised taxes. Now,
for the Democrats, that's not a big issue, no, But
for Republicans, that's a sign of death. I mean, you
might as well just be signing your death certificate. You
are not going to get re elected. Ain't going to
(23:51):
happen if you're the Republican who you know, raised taxes
that much on Americans.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
Some of the minutia here, some of the things that
are inside this bill, just a couple of examples here.
I want to mention. Democrats made a move last night
to block the GOP effort to strip illegal immigrants of
taxpayer funded benefits that's in the bill. The Senate voted
(24:29):
fifty six forty four on the amendment that would have
reduced federal Medicaid payments to states who offer health care
to illegal immigrants charged or convicted of serious crimes, not
any illegal immigrant, those charged or convicted of serious crimes.
Four Senate Democrats bucked their party and voted along the Republicans.
(24:50):
But thanks to the Senate parliamentarian, this one had to
be one of these amendments that reached a sixty sixty
vote threshold, and it did not. So the effort by
Republicans to strip illegal immigrants charged are convicted of serious
crimes from getting taxpayer funded benefits doesn't make it unbelievable.
(25:18):
Hard to believe that would be controversial, but it is. Yeah.
But on the flip side, the parliamentarian ruling on a
ban on federal funding for planned parenthood can stay in
that bill, and it looks like maybe, just maybe, the
GOP is on the cusp of a breakthrough, you know,
(25:41):
an effort that's been gone for years to strip federal
funding from Planned Parenthood.
Speaker 2 (25:47):
And you were out over the weekend, but every Friday
we had that news that, of course the Supreme courted
rule that the state doesn't have to throw any dollars
their way.
Speaker 1 (25:58):
Yeah. So it's a bad couple of days for playing parenthood,
and thank the Lord for that. It may get worse
for them here. So latest, the Vice President made his
way over to the Senate chambers, where he presides he
may be needed to cast a tie breaking vote or
(26:23):
maybe not. If there are three no's three Republicans know,
and Murkowski it hinges on her whether there's three. But
if there's four, this thing's done, and I can't tell
you it in his current form, even if it gets
through the Senate gets back to the House, I don't
see any way with the opposition of the House to
(26:44):
this Senate version of this, I don't see why he
gets done by Friday. By July fourth, I'm not sure
he gets done at all.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
You're listening to Columbia's Morning News on one oh three
point five FM and five sixty AM WV. Once again,
here's Gary David and Christopher Thompson.
Speaker 1 (27:03):
Fifteen minutes half eay o'clock. It is Tuesday. It is
the first day of the month of July. Rushing through
this thing, man, more thing? Tell you Gary David glad
to be back after a couple of days away. Christopher Thompson,
who's been here the whole time in my stead, Thank
you for that, my friend. You're welcome.
Speaker 2 (27:18):
And it does feel like we're rushing through things, doesn't
it doesn't it though?
Speaker 1 (27:21):
Huh July first already? Yeah, and we had to after
the day two more days to work this week. Sweet.
I didn't realize that when I decided to take my
four day weekend this past weekend. Oh that was fortuitous. Yeah,
it works out great for you, Yes, it does well.
School is starting in about a month. See, that's just
crazy man. Yeah, yeah, wow, Okay, Well, keeping an eye
(27:44):
on the big beautiful bill. Is it in trouble in
the Senate? Talked about that earlier. Well, the Vice Presdent
has been over there now for a couple hours. He
could cast a tie breaking vote, but he might have
heard Fox mention a little while ago that it's more
expecting he's over there to try to, you know, twist
a few arms and the Republican ranks to try to
get enough Republican votes to give this thing passed, can
(28:08):
only lose well four I guess three that it can
cast tie breaking vote. Four done over expecting a vote
sometime today. But then it goes back to the House.
It doesn't not they're very happy with the way the
Senate is what they've done of this thing. So July
fourth deadline, we'll see. Keep me an eye on it. Okay. Trump,
(28:32):
by the way, is not staying in town for all this.
He is hopping on inter Force one. He's heading down
to Alligator Alcatraz for the opening that of Florida today.
Alligator Alcatraz, all right now here back at home. The governor,
posting curry reporting, has told agency heads in our state
(28:53):
that they must report directly back to his office if
anybody of a state House attempts to influence how departments
spend money allocated for a one time purpose to their budgets.
This executive order that was issued last week actually apparently
(29:13):
is designed to ensure transparency around the state House decision
to grow some agency budgets. So far, nobody in the
state House has made a call or center letter or
an email, according to the governor spokesperson, but they've been
warned alert the governor's office when lawmakers make spending requests. Okay,
(29:39):
is this is this a doze type thing here? Remember
this year no ear marks. Right, that was a good start.
It was a very good start. Actually, that was eliminated
in this year's budget by Senate to bill writers, this
(30:00):
is not something that's without precedent. The governor has h well, actually,
starting a couple of years ago, required that these lawmakers
submit a formal written application to his office when applying
for one time here marked dollars. But this order goes
(30:23):
a step further again requiring state agencies to report directly
to the Governor's office anytime a lawmaker contacts them purporting
to demand, instruct requests, suggest or encourage, and the agency
spend money they received in a certain way, which should
never happen anyway.
Speaker 2 (30:43):
Right, Well, this is we talked about this a little
bit while you were out because this is a problem
that not only Columbia, but a lot of cities have
run into. You know, all this all this money related
to COVID is running out. Yes, and that was all
essentially one time money. It was a lot of it,
(31:04):
a lot of it, but it was one time here
it is. Use it how you want to, but it's
got to be used in a certain way and by
a certain date. And all too often cities, states, they
get used to these one time dollars. And what happens
once a one time dollar expenditure goes into that budget, Well,
then you've got to figure out how to pay for
it the next year, right, and then it's no longer
(31:25):
a one time thing.
Speaker 1 (31:27):
And how ridiculous is it to take, you know, a
one time dollar and put it into a budget moving forward? Well,
you're on It's that's ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (31:34):
You're essentially telling people, Okay, you're telegraphing your next move.
You're saying, all right, I want you to support this
next time and make it a permanent part of the budget.
So I'm going to pay for it this year, and
then I'm going to make you figure out how to
pay for it next year.
Speaker 1 (31:45):
So that's like you winning the lottery and putting that
in your household budget for next year too. Yeah, I'm
gonna keep making that money. Oh well, then go to
your workplace tell your boss, hey, listen, I put the
lottery winnings into my budgets. Now you dont have to
pay me that moving forward doesn't work that well. No,
unless you're in government, at least you get you get
a shot at trying and maybe you succeed. Okay, well
(32:08):
doze like you know, we could certainly use little doze
like this around here. And by the way, this is
a this is going to be a recurring theme here
in this governor's race. We've heard both Alan Wilson and
Senator Holly Kimball rather I'm sorry, I'm thinking Josh Holly.
(32:30):
He's on Capitol Hill. He's not from around here, Josh Kimberrel.
See there's a name recognition problem right there, right the
upstate state senator that they have both mentioned again, you know,
cutting back on spending, you know, really taking a look
at what dollars are going out. Now Kimbrel who announced
(32:54):
this last Friday when I was out right he had
his well family picnic. He'd already announced he was going
to do it. It was Saturday. Is this Saturday? Oh yeah, yeah,
it was Saturday. He's gotten the endorsement from two lawmakers.
Last week we found out that Alan Wilson had gotten
(33:17):
the endorsement of three sheriffs down in the Low Country.
By the way, Sheriff's and Nancy Mason's backyard. So you
said you talked about this while I was out about
is Nancy May's gonna run or not? I mean, I
get the feeling more and more that she isn't. Kind
of seems that way. I mean, last thing we heard
from her was a couple of weeks back when she
(33:38):
told a podcast that or a podcast might have been
an online news interview, that she might be forced into
the race. And we haven't heard anything really about that
since then.
Speaker 2 (33:50):
And she, I mean, she had all the momentum going
in you know, a couple of months ago. She was
the only one people were talking about when she was
keeping herself in the spotlight. But now it's I mean,
she's kind of faded to the background. And I don't
know how you recapture that momentum at this point.
Speaker 1 (34:07):
Yeah, I don't know, because everything out of Nancy Mace's
mouth the last couple of months has been about you know,
sex stuff, you don't know, how bad guys are, stuff
and such, And there's probably there's some truth to some of.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
That, certainly, we don't know how much truth. I mean,
she's got other issues. It's it's how she got elected
in the first place down in the I mean in
the state House, and then in the in the first
congressional district. But still it's yeah, that's been her main focus,
and it's not going to get her elected governor.
Speaker 1 (34:35):
No, not at all.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
And I'm again, I'm not convinced that she's gorunning at
this point.
Speaker 1 (34:40):
The lieutenant governor expected to enter the race. Don't know
when that's going to be. I don't know. I just
I don't see that going well. I don't know that.
And this is the problem with lieutenant governor's period. It's
not a high profile job, right, it's not.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
I mean, unless you screw something up, chances are there's
not a whole lot of attension being paid to you,
rather than you're standing in the background in most of
those pictures.
Speaker 1 (35:03):
Those photo ops always, oh drives my wife crazy. Why
she's always standing back behind the governor. That's the way
we do it around here.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
She's a smart woman, an extremely shrewd business world. Yes,
I don't you know, I don't know what she's accomplished
in that office that I don't know what any lieutenant
governor's accomplished. And then that includes Henry the guy who's
got the governor's right in the governor's.
Speaker 1 (35:26):
Office right now? Oh yeah, what did what did he do?
But all right, and you know you could ask the question.
I mean, it had not been again for Trump Tabbin
Nikki Haley to join his administration, whether or not Hendryman
Master ever would have been governor. It's just it's a
tough office to excel out of. Right, Yeah, but what
about Ralph Norman telling a Queen City News interview he'll
(35:52):
announce whether or not he plans to run on July
twenty seventh. Okay, I'm gonna take that as he's going
to tell us on July twenty seventh that he's going
to run. You would think, so, yeah, you don't make
an announcement like that. It didn't come up with a July
twenty seventh, a specific date that you've circled the calendar
to say I'm not going to run. But again, even
(36:13):
though you know, you listen to you know, stations like
this one, programs like this one. You you know all
well who Ralph Norman is. But consider the fact that
you're really the minority because a lot of folks around
the state, if they're not in that district. They don't
pay attention to it. If Ralph Norman is not their congressman,
they don't know who he is. So he's got a
(36:33):
bit of a name recognition problem too moving forward. But
he may have the best conservative credentials of anybody in
the race. Yeah, got bona fide conservative cresentiual was no doubt, right. Well,
I really thought that, and I agree with you that
if Nancy Mays was going to get in, she'd he
got in. I thought she was going to pull it,
you know, once the news came out to a week
(36:55):
or two back that Allan Wilson was going to announce,
and that he announced last Monday, that she'd maybe try
to jump in before then. Well that's been over a
week ago since he officially announced, And mum's the word
from Mace. Your morning news, getting ready for work and
all day in fault and check in throughout the day.
Speaker 3 (37:17):
One on three point five FM and five sixty am
w VOC. This is Columbia's Morning News with Gary David
and Christopher Thompson. On one on three point five FM
and five sixty am w VOC.
Speaker 1 (37:34):
It is eight forty one. Good morning. Our final thoughts
for Tuesday July. First, the DOJ announcing sweeping charges yesterday
against more than three hundred defendants alleging they misled patients
into paying for and sometimes receiving medical care they did
not need. Oh my goodness, two cases from right here
(37:56):
in South Carolina. As a matter of fact, this is
the biggest takedown of healthcare fraud in history. Alan Wilson
AHG announcing these two cases part of that takedown yesterday morning.
These crimes have combined fourteen point six billion dollars and
(38:21):
alleged false billings and over fifteen million pills will illegally
diverted controlled substances. And this happens.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
And this is why when you hear the argument going
on right now on the Senate floor about, oh, Republicans
want to take away medicaid from those who need it most.
They're trying to eliminate fraud. And there is so much
of between the fraud.
Speaker 1 (38:43):
And the waste.
Speaker 2 (38:44):
Oh yes, and you know it's again, it's not just fraud,
it's the waste too. And it's the you know, dollars
that are being matched and then multiplied by states and
the federal you know, the Feds just doling out money
after money after money.
Speaker 1 (39:02):
Yeah, I mean it makes you wonder, Okay, is anybody
really anybody really watching this stuff? I mean it's individuals, companies, practices.
Just I got to tell you, you know, I mean
my experience, not with me personally, with family members. I
wonder sometimes is that really necessary? You know, is that
(39:22):
test really necessary? Probably all had that, you know, wonderful
time to time. But now we're talking here. This is
this is just a Medicare and medicaid scams. Wow, kickbacks, bribes,
(39:43):
unnecessary treatments. This is one of those things I think
we all know, have known for years has been going on, right,
but we always thought we had the money to just
pay pay our way right through it.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
Yeah, well, you know, just kind of look the other way. Well,
that goes on. But we're doing good things here too.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
Well, we're talking about private health insurance programs and taxpayer
funded programs. Fourteen point six billion dollars. Okay, good, Now,
hopefully moving forward, we've got a little oversight going on
here to rue this stuff out as it happened, so
this problem doesn't grow into that kind of dollar amount ever. Again, surprise, well,
(40:27):
plea bargain. Brian Koberger, the suspect and the killing of
those four students in Moscow, Idaho, agreeing to a plea
deal that will keep him off death row but will
keep him in prison for the rest of his life.
Speaker 2 (40:44):
So did the state just were they worried they didn't
have enough to convict? Is that why they agreed to
this plea deal?
Speaker 1 (40:52):
I don't know, but the families of the victims are furious.
Speaker 2 (40:55):
And they say they were caught completely unaware, yeah right,
that they did get an inkling that a plea bargain
was being talked about until this past weekend, and then
it all came together really quickly. And they've already faced
a lot of hurdles, you know. I mean, this trial
got moved around, it was inconvenient for them to be there, and.
Speaker 1 (41:14):
It's just this has been a mess. The did he
Comb's trial has gone to the jury and what two
hours of deliberations? I already had questions. I don't know.
I have really not been following this because I intentionally
chose not to.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
I tuned out after a while, but I mean I've
I've kind of kept up with it enough to know
that I don't know that. I mean, he's a bad guy.
And he did some bad things. But I don't know
that the government proved its case well with.
Speaker 1 (41:41):
What little I've been paying attention to it. I'm on
the same the same mind you're talking about sex trafficking
and racketeering. I don't know from what again, what little
I've you know, learned about that trial that they did
prove any of that actually happened.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
He was violent with women, he did drugs with women,
but I don't know if they got there or not.
Speaker 1 (42:06):
Well, And just the defense, I guess the argument's Ben
Walls was consensual. Oh yeah, I didn't want to take
that many showers on a day basically, you know.
Speaker 2 (42:18):
I mean, yeah, it was tough to take at times.
Definitely not somebody you'd want to be around your family.
Speaker 1 (42:27):
No Ice and multiple members of the administration slamming CNN
for giving favorable coverage to a new app that allows
users to upload media of immigration operations in order to
warn others within a five byle radius. Yeah, this was
(42:48):
an app created after the anti Rice anti Ice round
his riots in Los Angeles and at a time when
violence against federal agents is dramatically on the upswing. And
CNN just did a glowing story on this app.
Speaker 2 (43:06):
Really, I don't know if it would have been glowing.
It certainly wouldn't have. But I probably would have mentioned
it if I had seen that story, just because I mean,
I would have been appalled. So I don't necessarily blame
them for mentioning it. But if they gave a glowing
endorsement of it, then that's another story.
Speaker 1 (43:28):
Yeah. Todd Lyons, the acting ICE director, said that the
network was being reckless. So like an advertising such a
app will only make the current operational environment more dangerous
for federal agents, and it will. Then there's the lunacy
of John Cusack, who is anti Israel, who's anti Trump,
(43:54):
And on a post on X last Friday, did you
talk about this yesterday? No? This is the actor. Yeah,
the actor John Cusack okay posted that Iran should get
a nuclear weapon so it can deter the US and
Israel's aggression in the Middle East. Wow. Wow, dude went
way off the edge. Iran will surely rush to get
(44:17):
a nuclear weapon, and they should get one, he wrote,
It's the only way to deter US and Israel from
bombing every country in the Middle East. Uh yeah, Now again,
this is this is a guy who's made some pretty
outlandish posts about Israel the past. Yeah, there you go.
(44:45):
I give you John.
Speaker 2 (44:45):
Cusack again, an actor, an actor, been in some good stuff,
but still an actor.
Speaker 1 (44:52):
Still an actor, Okay, an actor? And how is it?
How expensive is it as a senior to live in
California these days? Well, Sharon Lane has moved on board
the Villa vill Odyssey cruise ship. Yeah, she became a
(45:16):
resident middle part of last month. This is a new
residential ship that travels around the world. It's set sail
last September. And you can actually buy a cabin. Well,
you can buy it for fifteen years. Prices started one
hundred and twenty nine thousand dollars for an inside state room.
(45:37):
There are monthly fees of three thousand bucks for a
single occupancy. If you've got nobody with you, that's additional.
It's not cheap, but she says she's saving money versus
trying to live in California as a senior. She's seventy seven.
I mean, a fun way to see the world.
Speaker 2 (45:58):
If you wouldn't get too claustrophobic from being on that
ship for days at a time, Yeah, I'd.
Speaker 1 (46:04):
Have to go, I'd have to buy the outside state room.
The inside state would drive me, drive me crazy. Oh,
this is not the first time we've heard of this. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (46:12):
No, there's cruise ships who are finding ways to make
money by using some of their rooms almost like apartments.
But if you've seen Poop Cruise on Netflix and I
think it just debuted last week, that you may think
twice about being on a cruise ship for that long.
Speaker 1 (46:32):
I'll just think twice about watching that program.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.