February 11, 2025 • 41 mins
There is ongoing controversary over the Trump Administration’s plan to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). On Trump’s first day in office, he implemented a 90-day freeze on foreign assistance. There have been allegations about some of the USAID spending. Dan broke down the facts and heard your take on how much the U.S. should be involved in foreign aid.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
It's nice size.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Undellianzy Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Okay, I'm sure that all of you in the last
three weeks have heard about all of the executive orders
that President Trump has signed. Many of those executive orders
were intended to overturn executive orders signed by former President Biden.
Some of the executive orders were very much welcomed by
(00:31):
his his most significant supporters, and certainly very much in
the forefront is the whole question of Elon Musk's role.
And there was an extraordinary news conference that was held
(00:52):
late this afternoon where Elon Musk was standing in the
Oval office while Donald Trump was sitting behind the resolute desk.
And Elon Musk took questions for about thirty minutes. And
clearly he's a pretty smart guy, and he mentioned some
things that caught my ear. I don't know how accurate
(01:13):
they are, but he talked about there were some people
who were receiving so security benefits who have to be
long dead because they were born one hundred and fifty
years ago. Now, I don't know if he was speaking metaphorically,
if he was speaking precisely accurately, but it would be
very interesting to find out if there is anyone who
(01:35):
was born one hundred and fifty years ago, which would
put them back into the nineteenth century. But that sort
of is a kind of sets the table for our conversation.
One of the areas that Donald Trump has been criticized
in most roundly by Democrats is his efforts to diminish,
(02:02):
if not eliminate, the amount of money that we spend
as a country with USAID, us ai D, the US
Agency for International Development, and well, just let me give
you a little quick advance. This is a congresswoman from Connecticut,
(02:24):
Rosa de Laura. She's an MSNBC. She's very much concerned
about these cutbacks. Rob, I should have given your heads
up on this. I want you to go for me
to cut number fifteen from today's cut list. Cut fifteen, please, Rob.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
We are not only relying on the courts as normal
eyes and pointed out the courts the American people, I
would have the Congress will not let this succeed, and
the courts are important and we will be.
Speaker 5 (02:59):
In the House.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
While we do not have standing to sue, we are
working with the organizations that are bringing suit. We will
file amicus briefs so we will use the courts are
critically important in this area.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
She continued in cut again. Just to give you a
sense of this, she continue and cut fifteen A.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Please Rob, it's USA, it's education. They're going to go
to medicaid. And it is about the effect of what
happens in the lives of American people, of middle class families,
of working families, of what is going to happen to
their ability to be able to survive both economically and
(03:42):
to be able to have a future going forward.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Now, the other point of view has been expressed by
Secretive State Marco Rubio. This is a quote from the
new Secretary of State. Cut sixteen A.
Speaker 6 (03:59):
By the way, you know, we issued a waiver which
allowed all these life saving programs to continue. And obviously,
you know there's any time you have a pause or
some hiccups about how to restart the payment programs. But
all that's going to get taken care of you very quickly,
and those programs will continue. We're not walking away from
fourign aid. We are walking away from foreign aid. That's dumb,
that's stupid, that wastes the American taxpayer money. We're just
(04:21):
not going to continue to.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Do those So that sort of sets the two sides
of the argument. Now, what happened, I guess was last
week the Press secretary at the White House listed about
a dozen examples, similarly outrageous examples, and the Washington posted
some fact checking on it. And I think what happens
(04:44):
is that the Trump administration makes the mistake of not
having their information together. And I don't know where they
pull this information, but a lot of it had some
substance to it. So this is the Washington Post fact checker, okay,
And these were some of the claims that were made.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Uh, And.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Let's let's hit them, okay. The administration, the Trump administration
said this was the lists that were presented by the
Trump administration one point five million dollars to advance diversity, equity,
and inclusion in Serbia's workplaces and business communities. Now, my
question would be, why are we involved in Serbia's workplaces
(05:34):
and business communities? And I think that's a legitimate criticism
that the Trump administration would have here. One point five
million dollars, of course is not a lot of money,
but it's it's significant. Nonetheless, Uh, and I have no
idea what what would be diverse, diverse, or equitable or
(05:55):
inclusive in Serbia. Washington Post, this is mostly accurate. USAID
provided one point five million to a group called groupa Izagi,
which focuses on creating opportunities for young LGBTQ people. Lgt
LGBTQ people face discrimination, so one area of focus was
(06:18):
insuring people ensuring acceptance of Belgrade Pride, an annual event
annual parade that previously was canceled after threts of violence.
The twenty twenty four parade was peaceful. The government is
discussing legislation on same sex partnerships again.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Is that our role? I don't really think so. Then.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
The administration also said seventy thousand dollars for production of
a Dei musical in Ireland. The Post characterized this as wrong.
It says this is wrong. This was a State department grant,
not USAID. Twenty twenty two, the US ambassador hosted an
event featuring Grammy winning OK duo Francesco Teresi and Rhonnan Gittons,
(07:04):
along with other Irish and American musicians. Two point five
million dollars for electric vehicles for Vietnam.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
This is wrong. This was for more than electric vehicles.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
USAID launched a two point five million dollar fund that
provide upwards of one hundred thousand dollars to organizations with
promising new products, business models, with financing models in de
Nang or Ho Chi Minh cities.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
The fund was.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Part of a larger effort to bring green energy to
a country that's one of the world's fastest growing per
capita greenhouse gas admitters. Again, that's a policy I guess
that the Biden administration believed in, but I think the
Trump administration is more than justified to point that out.
(07:51):
Here's one forty seven thousand dollars for transgender opera in Colombia. Again,
the Washing Post says this is wrong. USAID did not
fund this. The White House appears to be referring to
a twenty five thousand dollars State Department grant to Univasadad
de los Andes in Bogata to stage and opera as
one composed by Laura Kaminski, an American. The rest of
(08:13):
the money came from other sources. According to Wanna Montsalva,
the lead actress in the Columbian performances, what are we
doing spending money and thirty two thousand dollars for a
transgender comic book in Peru.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
This is wrong.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
USA did not fund this. It was not specifically transgender. Instead,
the grant says the State Department provided thirty two thousand
dollars under the guys of public diplomacy to Peru's Education
department to cover expenses to produce a tailor made comic
book featuring an LGBTQ plus hero to address social and
mental health issues. The Post article goes on, and the
(08:52):
point is well, two million dollars for sex changes and
lgbt activist i me in Guatemala. The Post says this
is misleading, as it suggests USA arranged for sex chases
for sex changes. The three year grant to a Guatemalan
(09:12):
lgbt Q t i Q plus organization was to strengthen
transled organizations to deliver gender affirming healthcare.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Et cetera. The point is that this is this is legitimate.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Policies of one administration versus the other. Now, you may
support those policies, but when the Trump administration says we're
going to stop those policies, how do you keep them going.
I don't know. It just seems to me that when
a new administration comes in policies are going to change,
(09:57):
and I think that the Trump administration would be advised
to basically get their act together so they are not criticized,
find the abuses that they perceive exist, and make sure
that you're accurate citing the amount of money, citing what
(10:20):
the money was to be used, what the money was
to be used for, and citing the agency that provided
the money. That's pretty simple. It just is so interesting
in my mind that there is this.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Fight going on over this.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
If Elon Musk can find substantial savings and can find
fraud and waste in Social Security and find out that
there are somehow people's identities who are long since dead,
this is what he claimed today. But again, you don't
make those claims off the top of your head. You
(11:02):
make those claims backed up by evidence and by you know, support.
And that's what's going on once again the Trump administration,
in its efforts to change things, some of the things which.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Need to be changed, Do it right, Do it right?
That's that is.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
The frustration that that I have as someone who looks
at the Trump administration and so, okay, this, these are
things we should not be spending taxpayer money on. Maybe
there's small amounts of money, a few million dollars here,
a few million dollars there, but that eventually adds them
in some real money. And also, if they are policy
(11:50):
positions that Trump supporters he was elected president, disagrees with,
they should change, just as if there's a Democratic president
who gets elected at some point, then the Republicans are
on the other side of the field. They can criticize,
but they can't change. That's my position. I'd love to
know what yours is. Six one seven, four ten thirty
(12:13):
six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. If you're
going to advocate for change, if you're going to try
to make the case to the American people that these
are excesses, philosophical excesses that have no legitimate purpose or function,
make the case, but make the case correctly, make it effectively,
(12:35):
and make it accurately.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
We'll be back on Nightside right after this.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
Nightside Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
All right, let's go to a phone call six one seven,
four to ten thirty. Again, this is an interesting issue
to me.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
It is a political issue at this point. Uh.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
It was fascinating to watch elon Musk hold Forth today
in the Oval Office. It's it's really I think we're
gonna have a lot to talk about in the weeks ahead.
Jose in Belmont, Joe, next time, first off this hour,
night side, Joe, thanks for calling in, go right ahead.
Speaker 7 (13:19):
You're welcome. Dan. What do you think Elon musk Is
five greatest weaknesses?
Speaker 1 (13:26):
I don't know Elon Musk enough to know that. I
really don't know.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
What do you think his five weaknesses are?
Speaker 7 (13:34):
Well, some people, I mean some people say he's a genius,
but I would think he is a genius.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
I think he is a genius because you know, there's
not too many people who have been able to accomplish
in the other times when he's already accomplished.
Speaker 7 (13:51):
But I don't want to be taken down the road
and fools by him. I would like some of your
callers to criticize and so we could find out what
is we are.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Well. I don't know that he I mean, I don't
know what he has. I have no idea, you know.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
All I know is that that he's what the wealthiest
person in the world, which probably means he's not the
dumbest person in the world. He's probably pretty smart. He's
he's a guy that that that sends some rocket ships
into space and and brings them back to be reused.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
That's pretty good. So yeah, but.
Speaker 7 (14:30):
Dan, no man has one hundred percent of the truth,
not even me or you.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Well, you don't need one hundred percent of the truth.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
I think that that all of us oftentimes look at
issues and it's our interpretation of what the truth is.
You know, I might walk out today and say, it's
an absolutely beautiful day. The snow is in the ground,
the trees are sparkling, and you might look at me
and say, what are you talking about. It's it's tend
(14:59):
to it's a brutally cold day.
Speaker 7 (15:03):
So but say, but what I'm saying by that is,
you know, one hundred percent of the truth is you
know that we're all human and we can make mistakes,
and so conn of Elon Musk.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
I think you're right, Joe. We'll see what We'll see
how he does appreciate you, Carl, thank you very much.
Let me go next to Scott in Newton. Scott, go
right ahead. I think we're in. It was in a
deep philosophical discussion there with Joe and I hope you
can bring it back to the to the topic at hand.
Speaker 8 (15:34):
Yes, I can.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Dan.
Speaker 8 (15:37):
You know I've been calling you off and on at
different subjects that you have, But you know, I just
I feel like, you know, Eli must to go back
to what he was saying. He's looking at what he
gets for information and he's going through it. I mean,
I don't see that he has anything to gain from it,
but he's trying to help get this country back on track.
(15:57):
And you know, he's a very smart man. And I
also heard Erny Fox say one time, if I'm the smartest,
if I'm the smartest guy in the room, then you
know there's a problem, you know what I mean. And
that's why darl was looking for other people to help.
And Rama swear me I love saying his name, and
you know Ramaswami, right, I love saying my name. Those
(16:21):
guys are trying to get us back on track to
where we used to be, and Biden has just trash
baged this country and walked away. And I just I
feel like Trump is probably gonna go down as one
of the greatest presidents we ever had or have.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
And you know it's a little early, it's a little
early to tell, but yeah. I mean he has an opportunity.
He will see what happens. I mean today he had
the the King of Jordan in the in the Oval
office after his visit up here to the State House yesterday.
(17:00):
There's there's just so much stuff to talk about, and
I just what I want to try to do is
try to figure this out as best we can.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
But I think that eventually most Americans are reasonable people.
Speaker 7 (17:16):
You know.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
There's there's all sorts of stuff here that that I'm
looking at. I I'm trying to figure out what is accurate.
So when we talk about these these different reports about
giving this to this country to do this or that
country to do that, I just wanted to be nailed
(17:39):
down because I think that if we lose, if we
lose the conversation here, we'll we'll never be able to
straighten things out here. There's one here that talks about
a USA spending twenty million dollars on a new sesame
street show in Iraq. I don't know why we're spending
(18:02):
a twenty.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Yeah, yeah, I don't know. It's great.
Speaker 8 (18:11):
And it's just like I don't know, fifty million dollars
for condoms. I write, how many condoms was fifty million
buy You know what, It's just ridiculous money going out
the door that doesn't need to happen, and there's a
lot of it.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
But but I want what I'm trying to say is
I just want to make sure that what we're talking
about is reality.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Do you remember.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
There was a I always use this as an example,
the great George Plimpton. Do you know who George Plimpton was?
He was a sports writer and all that, so he
was able to work with I think it was Sports
Illustrated magazine and he did a piece about a picture
(18:56):
who no one had ever heard of, put him on
the cover.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
It was it was.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
It was a prank about I think that the name
they gave the picture was Sid Finch and he could
throw the ball like one hundred and ten miles in
irony strike.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
That I heard that, you remember?
Speaker 3 (19:12):
And it was a put on? I okay, but everybody
knew it was. Everyone laughed at it because it was.
Some people fell for it, some people didn't. It was
kind of it was a put on. Well, we're not
talking about putting putting put ons here. Let's find out
where the waste is if it exists, and let's find
out why you spent on and let's be accurate about it.
(19:34):
The government, the Trump administration has the responsibility to be accurate.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
That's all I'm saying.
Speaker 8 (19:41):
Yeah, I agree completely, but like, where where would the
lie come from? They're coming from a lie because like
you know that they're giving money the countries and they
give it to them and they don't know where it's going,
how they're going to trace the money. But they're just
looking at the checks that are going out and I go,
what's this?
Speaker 7 (19:59):
You know?
Speaker 8 (19:59):
Uh, it's just it's so incredible the things that are
going on. And every day you see something else new
with Trump, like he got that guy back from Russia.
And the day before Sat he told, you know, the
Gaza that you know, they got un till Saturday at
twelve o'clock.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
And that's what we probably the the the ultimatum to
Hamas that by Saturday at noontime. I assume he means
our time. Maybe he means some asster's time.
Speaker 8 (20:28):
I don't know, Oh, get Saturday anyway, you know?
Speaker 1 (20:32):
Right, No, no, no, no, I'm with you. I'm with you.
And what I'm saying is that's okay. Now he's he's he's.
Speaker 3 (20:38):
One of those he's he did one of those things
where if this doesn't happen, this will happen. So he's
kind of back himself into a corner. But yeah, yeah,
who supports someone. We'll see what happens. We'll probably talk
about that tomorrow night, to be really honest with you, right,
But like his comments about taking over Gaza, he's he
(20:59):
started to kind of backslide on that a little bit,
but then today say no, he says we're taking over.
We're not buying it, We're gonna We're gonna take it.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
You know. Uh, I don't know how.
Speaker 9 (21:09):
I don't know how it does anything.
Speaker 7 (21:11):
For sure.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
I don't know how he's gonna do it. Uh unless
I don't know.
Speaker 8 (21:19):
I mean, it's so incredible all the things that are
going on.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
I'm saying, well, he's got he's got twenty balls in
the air or fifty balls in the air. And I
hope that that I hope he can back up what
he says.
Speaker 8 (21:33):
That's all, you know.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
We'll tell. All right, Scott, keep calling the show.
Speaker 8 (21:39):
I appreciate the audience, Boston loved to everyone, all right.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
I like that, Thanks Scott, that's a positive. Thank you. Much.
Talk to you soon. Take a break. News at the
bottom of the arrow. Let's keep it rolling.
Speaker 6 (21:51):
Here.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
The only line that is opening six, one, seven nine.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
You're on night Side with Dan on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
All right, let's get to the phones. We've got full
lines here. Interest people, interest. Let's go from to Jamie
and Worcester. Jamie and Worcester, you're next on Nightsig right,
hear me, Dan, I can hear you find Jamie? What's
on your mind?
Speaker 10 (22:18):
Well, I don't well the whole hate but.
Speaker 11 (22:22):
Elon Musk and all he's doing. Isn't he not getting
paid for this?
Speaker 3 (22:29):
I don't think he has to get paid. I think
I think he's he's okay.
Speaker 7 (22:32):
Financial Yeah, I don't think Trump.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
By the way, I don't think Trump accepts a salary
as president. I believe that various groups and organizations. Yeah,
so that would be surprised. It would surprise me if
if if Musk was being paid.
Speaker 10 (22:51):
To be honest with you, so this is just all
a volunteer thing on muskcot He's just doing it for
the So if he's not getting here's a lot money
for it, then let's mean he really has a concern
for help in the country.
Speaker 11 (23:03):
I mean, that's my perspective.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
I would hope, I would hope he does, and I
would hope you're right on it. And I just hope
that whatever the trumpet, you know, the Trump administration may
have the best intentions, I just want to make sure
that they they implement those intentions intelligently, because if they
(23:28):
make mistakes, the story will will no longer be the
good intentions or the intentions, it will be the mistakes made.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
And that's all. That's really what I'm trying to say.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
And if you're going to put out a list of
let's say, dumb donations to various and sundry groups, make
sure that make sure you got your facts straight, be accurate,
you know, be professional. Don't allow people to nitpick and
say you wrong on this and you're wrong, and that
that's all I'm saying. Just you know, be professional, do
(24:05):
it right, take your time.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
That's all right.
Speaker 9 (24:08):
No, I agree with that.
Speaker 11 (24:09):
And also he has to make all the decisions himself.
He's got a super team, and he hired like the
little avengers you know that are working with him, that
are giving him information. So I don't think he's making
all these decisions himself. He's got help around him.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
You know, well, well today, well the help to him
you're talking about here, I believe is Elon Musk, because
he's the one who I believe hired this group of
young people who have had access to government files. According
to Musk today, and I don't have the SoundBite, but
I but I did hear him, and I listened to
(24:47):
it a second time. He said that they have found
some people who are getting Social Security checks who theoretically
are one hundred and fifty years old. What he means
by that is, you know, well, if that's true, if
that's true, if someone has continued to receive Social Security
checks for their their great great great grandmother who died
(25:09):
in you know, nineteen eighty one, that person, whoever's getting
that money, that person should be indicted.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
That's fraud in the government. And that yeah, go ahead,
go ahead. I'm sorry.
Speaker 11 (25:24):
What do you think about Trump saying today he's gonna
get rid of the penny?
Speaker 3 (25:29):
I think that makes sense. I mean, I think there's
a lot of pennies in circulation. Uh, and I think
it costs. I think is it two cents to make
a penny.
Speaker 12 (25:41):
To make a penny?
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Three cents to make a pen.
Speaker 7 (25:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 11 (25:46):
Yeah, so he announced that he wants stop production of pennies.
So yeah, it will be non existent in a few months.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Well, there won't be any new pennies, but maybe the
retailers will make everything end with a nickel. So in
other words, you won't have selling candy bars for ninety
nine cents. They'll either charge a dollar or ninety or
ninety five cents.
Speaker 8 (26:13):
Right, tickles my vacation.
Speaker 1 (26:15):
Put you got it right?
Speaker 3 (26:17):
I'm with you, right, Thanks Jamie, Thanks God, Gladen, thanks me,
great call, appreciate it. Let me go to Scott and Quincy. Scott,
appreciate you. Holding on you next on nights that Scott.
Speaker 9 (26:30):
A great show there, Dan. You know, one of your
callers asked about what was Elon Muss's weakness, and one
of the things we do know about him, like myself,
he is on the autism spectrum, supposedly has ass Berger's syndrome.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
I don't consider that a week, I don't consider that
a weakness.
Speaker 9 (26:54):
Well, one of the things about that is you randomly
say and do stuff that you really were at later,
like some of his outbursts, some of some of the
things that have really stirred up public eye. Are some
of the crazy things that he said or tweeted, you know,
give me an example.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
Yeah, give me an example if you could, because I'm
unfamiliar with with what you're referring to.
Speaker 9 (27:20):
Well, you know, so I can't give you a specific example.
But he's well known for his crazy and outlandish things
that he's tweeted. He got in trouble a few years
ago tweeting something out about one of his companies that
created a huge, huge movement in the stock market, and
(27:42):
then took it back and things swung back. I think
he got in trouble for that. If you recalled.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
Again, I'm not suggesting for a second that you're you're
very accurate.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
I'm not. I just don't know. And it was if
if if, if, if.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
Must let's say, must tweet it out that he was
visited recently by a family of Martians who stayed at
his home. Uh, and they were from the planet zipped on.
I would think that's pretty weird. But but I don't
know that it is.
Speaker 9 (28:16):
Level but moving but moving on, but moving on. You know.
The whole thing with the US, the whole thing with
usaid UH to me, a government agency that's solely created
to give away taxpayer money and supports the whole bureaucratic
(28:37):
infrastructure whose job it is to give away our money
to other countries, many of which hate US. Is what
what would you call it? Prima fasse evidence that it's
a waste, waste and an abuse of taxpayer money in
a lot of ways.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
I think, well, I would believe that, and you and
you would believe that, but there would be other people
who would say, hey, there there are ways. I think
that USA defends itself and said that for many years
they had used money to combat Russian propaganda uh in
Eastern Europe.
Speaker 13 (29:12):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (29:13):
Now again, you know whether or not we should be
in that business at all, I think is a threshold question.
And then the question if you get past as a
yes there, to what extent do you want to be in?
You need there's some questions that need to I think
what happened is that you get to work for US
(29:34):
A I. D. And then you have a pet project
and you think to yourself, oh, it'd be great to
to to send let let's let's say Gilbert and Sullivan
operas over you know, to to whatever you know, or
to to export you know, stories about baseball. I would
be saying, let's export baseball to Europe. Let's because that's
(29:57):
my interest. But when you start getting into areas where
you're using taxpayer money for a political cause, that is
separate and apart from what the policy is of the
country at any given point. I mean, right now, things
are changing a little bit because of the election of Trump,
(30:18):
and it has to be respected and recognized.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
It's the Biden world is over. It's now Trump.
Speaker 9 (30:24):
World, right. But the big picture thing here I believe
is that the government is too big, spending way too
much money, and the debt ceiling keeps going up and up,
and we're literally going to bankrupt ourselves. And if we
don't turn things around, you know.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
We're probably right now.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
We look look right now, I think our gross national product.
I think we've probably produced like thirty trillion dollars a
year and we're already we have a debt of thirty
seve and trillion. How are we ever going to pay
it back?
Speaker 1 (31:01):
I don't know. Scott, appreciate you follow somebody luck. I'm
with you. Good luck.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
Let's I hope they're successful in what they do. But again,
let's uh, let's let's let's talk about it here on
night side and give everybody an opportunity to weigh in. Thanks, Thanks, Scott,
I agree, got.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
Take a very quick break.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
I'm gonna try to get everybody in. I will Ian
uh uh, Matt, I lean, Jim paul Is just we've
got full lines. We get everybody in. We're gonna have
to pick the pace up. That's all I'm asking you
to do.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Right after the break, Now back to Dan Way live
from the Window World, Nice Side Studios. I'm WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
All right, let's try to get everybody, and there's going
to be tight. I'm going to ask everyone to be
very direct in in San Antonio and.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
Go right ahead.
Speaker 5 (31:55):
Hi, Janne, nice to hear your voice. So I have
a story, a personal story concerning social security that I
want to tell you about it.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
I was a very young girl, and I just asked
you if I'm.
Speaker 13 (32:11):
Getting there, go ahead.
Speaker 14 (32:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (32:15):
I was a very young girl in not even twenty
when a friend of a friend asked me to cat
to deposit a social Security check in my bank accountant
and give them the cash. Well, I was very naive,
so I did it and uhurs. Not hours later, a
(32:38):
few hours later, I had the police at my door
telling me that that social Security check that I deposited
was illegitimate from a dead person's grandmother.
Speaker 1 (32:53):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (32:55):
And that's what they asked, and I could have got
into a lot of trouble. And so they were still
getting a social Security check from their dead grandmother.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
How long ago was this in?
Speaker 5 (33:10):
A good forty years ago? More than forty years ago.
Speaker 3 (33:13):
So the point is that this, this sort of fraud
then you would argue, has been going on for a while.
Speaker 9 (33:20):
Oh yeah, and it is.
Speaker 5 (33:22):
It's real. It's what I'm trying to say as well.
It happened to me personally.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
You will thank you, thank you very much. That's a
great story, and you got it in in a minute
and a half and I really appreciated that. Particularly tonight
I got packed lines.
Speaker 5 (33:36):
Okay, okay, takes its very much.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
Matt. You got to be quick for me, Matt, go right.
Speaker 15 (33:42):
Ahead, Hey man, I'm gonna be real quick first off,
very quickly. Elren Mosk and anything with Aspergers or offism
has nothing at all to do with his actions. That
is an ignorant comment. And I will not enjoy hearing
that that aside.
Speaker 3 (34:02):
Right, and I have you know that I called the
caller up on that because I know you.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
I agree with you absolutely, thank.
Speaker 9 (34:10):
You, thank you.
Speaker 15 (34:11):
The only other point, thank you. The only other point
is that we have right now a new administration has
new ideas and new ideas for how we want to
administrate law, and we want to pass different formats. I
think there are many different ways with each individual who
(34:34):
is going to be confirmed, and I think this can
be very key. And I think the unknown is what
we have to have to hold on to. I think,
guess what's the most important thing, And that's what I've
been end with that holding on.
Speaker 3 (34:46):
With you totally and and and when when there's another
Democratic president, things will change.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
And again.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
Is that looks as President Obama once said, elections have consequences.
Speaker 15 (35:02):
Absolutely, I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (35:05):
Thank you much. Let's keep rolling. You're going to go
to Eileen and Cambridge. Eileen, want to get you in
a couple more in goo right ahead.
Speaker 1 (35:10):
Eileen.
Speaker 16 (35:13):
Hi, I think that you mentioned that problems in America
should be the focus of where the budget funds go.
And I happen to be living in Cambridge right now,
and I'm very aware of the homeless population here and
(35:37):
before we send money for Sesame Street in a Rock
and the other things that we're sending money abroad for.
I think we need to look at home where we
need to take care of people right here in America.
And the idea that Social Security payments are going to
(36:02):
people who've been dead for hundreds of years, that's that's horrific.
Speaker 3 (36:08):
And Musk was quoted as saying that people who would
have would be one hundred and fifty years old, so
meaning somebody who would have been born in eighteen seventy
five obviously has long since passed. So let's see what
they find. Let's give him a chance to do whatever
they want to try to do fair enough.
Speaker 16 (36:27):
Absolutely absolutely, I'm all in favor of this.
Speaker 5 (36:31):
Okay, thanks, they talked.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
Soon, have a great night. Let me go to Jim
in Kansas City. Jim, you got to be quick for me, buddy,
I got two behind you.
Speaker 14 (36:38):
Go ahead, Jim, Yeah, I'll be quick. I wish I
would have called during the Karen ry two hours of
Karen Reid. Hey, look at two things. First of all,
I am absolutely sure that what Elon Musk is doing
is way beneath him. But he's just doing It's a
big favor. And there's an old saying you could lead
(36:59):
a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
He is trying to lead us to the facts that
we need to straighten out our budget and our spending
in this country. And we're going to get a very
brief four year chance here to to see those facts
and see the error of our ways and straighten ourselves out.
(37:20):
And if we don't do it, we're just going to
go bankrupt. And I mean to the extent that people
are able to bite the bullet and work and you know, uh,
you know, kind of tightened down on their spending, we
might do it, okay, but I think things are going
to go back to the way they were back in
the sixties, where you know, you just didn't have that
(37:41):
we have right now. Anyway, I think.
Speaker 1 (37:45):
Malely have a two year window, never mind a four
your window, because he's a congression a right.
Speaker 14 (37:49):
I gotta go bye bye.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
All right, thank you. I have a great one.
Speaker 3 (37:52):
Let me go real quickly, going to get to in
Joe and Revere and Paul will be next.
Speaker 14 (37:57):
Go ahead, Joe, hey, Dan, how you doing?
Speaker 13 (38:01):
Just quickly? I'd like to know what you think I've
heard that Trump has been putting these tax things into place,
so like for imputs so he can get rid of
the federal income tax. And I wanted to know, like
what you know or thought about that any other things
(38:21):
that would open.
Speaker 3 (38:22):
Up the whole conversation about in place of a federal
income tax, graduated federal income text as we have now,
you would either have to.
Speaker 13 (38:31):
My question is are these tariffs to try to take
care of that?
Speaker 3 (38:35):
No, tariffs won't take care of that because tariff's are
going to be temporary. If you're going to get rid
of the income tax, you'd go to a value added
tax and or a combination with the flat tax.
Speaker 13 (38:45):
My other question was what do you think he could
be doing better right now? I know a lot of
the country is in favor of what he's been doing.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
I think he could be slowing down a little bit
right now and basically doing things more thoroughly.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
That's all that.
Speaker 13 (38:59):
Yeah, he's going on fair enough.
Speaker 1 (39:02):
Thanks Joe, Thank you much. All right, let's keep rolling
you how much would he got, Paul? Would he get
two minutes? Okay, we got time.
Speaker 3 (39:08):
For Paul, Paul and Monson Monson Massachusetts. Hi, Paul, how
are you?
Speaker 12 (39:13):
Thanks?
Speaker 6 (39:14):
Dan.
Speaker 12 (39:15):
They can't go slowly destroying with the wrecking ball as
quickly as possible. That's you know, and you say that,
you know, you want to see them go about this
in a smarter way. Those are these are planned features,
These are not These are not bugs. Okay, these are these,
these are these are these are not bugs. So they
(39:38):
can't point to a single example. This is such a
dog and pony show, you know, with Aylon Musk standing
behind Trump looking, you know, looking like, oh, none of
the rules apply to me. You know this theman is
investigating worth, investigating Musk in so many different ways, environmental violation,
(40:00):
labor violations. But then they're doing away with all the
inspectors in general whose job it is to root out waste,
fraud and abuse without the thirty day required explanation of
why they're doing this. People need to understand, okay, that
the plan is the sets and balances that come from
(40:21):
three co equal branches of government. Know that is the
plan is to do away with that. Okay, it's the
oligarchy all the way. Okay, we were doing this isn't
what they want.
Speaker 3 (40:37):
Well, I don't want to cut you off, but I'm
out of time. I wish you called early. Please call early.
We'll have a much longer conversation. Okay, thanks, I appreciate it.
Done for the night, Rob, great job, Marina, Thank you
very much to all the callers, all the listeners. I
will say, as always, all dogs, all cats, all pets,
they all go to heaven. That's why Pal Charlie Rayes,
(40:58):
who passed fifty years ago this very month, that's where
all your pets are our past. They loved you and
you love them. I do believe you'll see them again.
Hope to see you in tomorrow night or night side.
It will be on Facebook. Nice out with Dan ray
In a couple of minutes. Join us there, see you
tomorrow night. Everybody, have a great Wednesday.
It's nice size.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Undellianzy Boston's News Radio.
Speaker 3 (00:06):
Okay, I'm sure that all of you in the last
three weeks have heard about all of the executive orders
that President Trump has signed. Many of those executive orders
were intended to overturn executive orders signed by former President Biden.
Some of the executive orders were very much welcomed by
(00:31):
his his most significant supporters, and certainly very much in
the forefront is the whole question of Elon Musk's role.
And there was an extraordinary news conference that was held
(00:52):
late this afternoon where Elon Musk was standing in the
Oval office while Donald Trump was sitting behind the resolute desk.
And Elon Musk took questions for about thirty minutes. And
clearly he's a pretty smart guy, and he mentioned some
things that caught my ear. I don't know how accurate
(01:13):
they are, but he talked about there were some people
who were receiving so security benefits who have to be
long dead because they were born one hundred and fifty
years ago. Now, I don't know if he was speaking metaphorically,
if he was speaking precisely accurately, but it would be
very interesting to find out if there is anyone who
(01:35):
was born one hundred and fifty years ago, which would
put them back into the nineteenth century. But that sort
of is a kind of sets the table for our conversation.
One of the areas that Donald Trump has been criticized
in most roundly by Democrats is his efforts to diminish,
(02:02):
if not eliminate, the amount of money that we spend
as a country with USAID, us ai D, the US
Agency for International Development, and well, just let me give
you a little quick advance. This is a congresswoman from Connecticut,
(02:24):
Rosa de Laura. She's an MSNBC. She's very much concerned
about these cutbacks. Rob, I should have given your heads
up on this. I want you to go for me
to cut number fifteen from today's cut list. Cut fifteen, please, Rob.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
We are not only relying on the courts as normal
eyes and pointed out the courts the American people, I
would have the Congress will not let this succeed, and
the courts are important and we will be.
Speaker 5 (02:59):
In the House.
Speaker 4 (03:00):
While we do not have standing to sue, we are
working with the organizations that are bringing suit. We will
file amicus briefs so we will use the courts are
critically important in this area.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
She continued in cut again. Just to give you a
sense of this, she continue and cut fifteen A.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Please Rob, it's USA, it's education. They're going to go
to medicaid. And it is about the effect of what
happens in the lives of American people, of middle class families,
of working families, of what is going to happen to
their ability to be able to survive both economically and
(03:42):
to be able to have a future going forward.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Now, the other point of view has been expressed by
Secretive State Marco Rubio. This is a quote from the
new Secretary of State. Cut sixteen A.
Speaker 6 (03:59):
By the way, you know, we issued a waiver which
allowed all these life saving programs to continue. And obviously,
you know there's any time you have a pause or
some hiccups about how to restart the payment programs. But
all that's going to get taken care of you very quickly,
and those programs will continue. We're not walking away from
fourign aid. We are walking away from foreign aid. That's dumb,
that's stupid, that wastes the American taxpayer money. We're just
(04:21):
not going to continue to.
Speaker 3 (04:22):
Do those So that sort of sets the two sides
of the argument. Now, what happened, I guess was last
week the Press secretary at the White House listed about
a dozen examples, similarly outrageous examples, and the Washington posted
some fact checking on it. And I think what happens
(04:44):
is that the Trump administration makes the mistake of not
having their information together. And I don't know where they
pull this information, but a lot of it had some
substance to it. So this is the Washington Post fact checker, okay,
And these were some of the claims that were made.
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Uh, And.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
Let's let's hit them, okay. The administration, the Trump administration
said this was the lists that were presented by the
Trump administration one point five million dollars to advance diversity, equity,
and inclusion in Serbia's workplaces and business communities. Now, my
question would be, why are we involved in Serbia's workplaces
(05:34):
and business communities? And I think that's a legitimate criticism
that the Trump administration would have here. One point five
million dollars, of course is not a lot of money,
but it's it's significant. Nonetheless, Uh, and I have no
idea what what would be diverse, diverse, or equitable or
(05:55):
inclusive in Serbia. Washington Post, this is mostly accurate. USAID
provided one point five million to a group called groupa Izagi,
which focuses on creating opportunities for young LGBTQ people. Lgt
LGBTQ people face discrimination, so one area of focus was
(06:18):
insuring people ensuring acceptance of Belgrade Pride, an annual event
annual parade that previously was canceled after threts of violence.
The twenty twenty four parade was peaceful. The government is
discussing legislation on same sex partnerships again.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Is that our role? I don't really think so. Then.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
The administration also said seventy thousand dollars for production of
a Dei musical in Ireland. The Post characterized this as wrong.
It says this is wrong. This was a State department grant,
not USAID. Twenty twenty two, the US ambassador hosted an
event featuring Grammy winning OK duo Francesco Teresi and Rhonnan Gittons,
(07:04):
along with other Irish and American musicians. Two point five
million dollars for electric vehicles for Vietnam.
Speaker 1 (07:12):
This is wrong. This was for more than electric vehicles.
Speaker 3 (07:16):
USAID launched a two point five million dollar fund that
provide upwards of one hundred thousand dollars to organizations with
promising new products, business models, with financing models in de
Nang or Ho Chi Minh cities.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
The fund was.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Part of a larger effort to bring green energy to
a country that's one of the world's fastest growing per
capita greenhouse gas admitters. Again, that's a policy I guess
that the Biden administration believed in, but I think the
Trump administration is more than justified to point that out.
(07:51):
Here's one forty seven thousand dollars for transgender opera in Colombia. Again,
the Washing Post says this is wrong. USAID did not
fund this. The White House appears to be referring to
a twenty five thousand dollars State Department grant to Univasadad
de los Andes in Bogata to stage and opera as
one composed by Laura Kaminski, an American. The rest of
(08:13):
the money came from other sources. According to Wanna Montsalva,
the lead actress in the Columbian performances, what are we
doing spending money and thirty two thousand dollars for a
transgender comic book in Peru.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
This is wrong.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
USA did not fund this. It was not specifically transgender. Instead,
the grant says the State Department provided thirty two thousand
dollars under the guys of public diplomacy to Peru's Education
department to cover expenses to produce a tailor made comic
book featuring an LGBTQ plus hero to address social and
mental health issues. The Post article goes on, and the
(08:52):
point is well, two million dollars for sex changes and
lgbt activist i me in Guatemala. The Post says this
is misleading, as it suggests USA arranged for sex chases
for sex changes. The three year grant to a Guatemalan
(09:12):
lgbt Q t i Q plus organization was to strengthen
transled organizations to deliver gender affirming healthcare.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
Et cetera. The point is that this is this is legitimate.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
Policies of one administration versus the other. Now, you may
support those policies, but when the Trump administration says we're
going to stop those policies, how do you keep them going.
I don't know. It just seems to me that when
a new administration comes in policies are going to change,
(09:57):
and I think that the Trump administration would be advised
to basically get their act together so they are not criticized,
find the abuses that they perceive exist, and make sure
that you're accurate citing the amount of money, citing what
(10:20):
the money was to be used, what the money was
to be used for, and citing the agency that provided
the money. That's pretty simple. It just is so interesting
in my mind that there is this.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
Fight going on over this.
Speaker 3 (10:40):
If Elon Musk can find substantial savings and can find
fraud and waste in Social Security and find out that
there are somehow people's identities who are long since dead,
this is what he claimed today. But again, you don't
make those claims off the top of your head. You
(11:02):
make those claims backed up by evidence and by you know, support.
And that's what's going on once again the Trump administration,
in its efforts to change things, some of the things which.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Need to be changed, Do it right, Do it right?
That's that is.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
The frustration that that I have as someone who looks
at the Trump administration and so, okay, this, these are
things we should not be spending taxpayer money on. Maybe
there's small amounts of money, a few million dollars here,
a few million dollars there, but that eventually adds them
in some real money. And also, if they are policy
(11:50):
positions that Trump supporters he was elected president, disagrees with,
they should change, just as if there's a Democratic president
who gets elected at some point, then the Republicans are
on the other side of the field. They can criticize,
but they can't change. That's my position. I'd love to
know what yours is. Six one seven, four ten thirty
(12:13):
six one seven, nine three one ten thirty. If you're
going to advocate for change, if you're going to try
to make the case to the American people that these
are excesses, philosophical excesses that have no legitimate purpose or function,
make the case, but make the case correctly, make it effectively,
(12:35):
and make it accurately.
Speaker 1 (12:37):
We'll be back on Nightside right after this.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
Nightside Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 3 (12:47):
All right, let's go to a phone call six one seven,
four to ten thirty. Again, this is an interesting issue
to me.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
It is a political issue at this point. Uh.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
It was fascinating to watch elon Musk hold Forth today
in the Oval Office. It's it's really I think we're
gonna have a lot to talk about in the weeks ahead.
Jose in Belmont, Joe, next time, first off this hour,
night side, Joe, thanks for calling in, go right ahead.
Speaker 7 (13:19):
You're welcome. Dan. What do you think Elon musk Is
five greatest weaknesses?
Speaker 1 (13:26):
I don't know Elon Musk enough to know that. I
really don't know.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
What do you think his five weaknesses are?
Speaker 7 (13:34):
Well, some people, I mean some people say he's a genius,
but I would think he is a genius.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
I think he is a genius because you know, there's
not too many people who have been able to accomplish
in the other times when he's already accomplished.
Speaker 7 (13:51):
But I don't want to be taken down the road
and fools by him. I would like some of your
callers to criticize and so we could find out what
is we are.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
Well. I don't know that he I mean, I don't
know what he has. I have no idea, you know.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
All I know is that that he's what the wealthiest
person in the world, which probably means he's not the
dumbest person in the world. He's probably pretty smart. He's
he's a guy that that that sends some rocket ships
into space and and brings them back to be reused.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
That's pretty good. So yeah, but.
Speaker 7 (14:30):
Dan, no man has one hundred percent of the truth,
not even me or you.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Well, you don't need one hundred percent of the truth.
Speaker 3 (14:39):
I think that that all of us oftentimes look at
issues and it's our interpretation of what the truth is.
You know, I might walk out today and say, it's
an absolutely beautiful day. The snow is in the ground,
the trees are sparkling, and you might look at me
and say, what are you talking about. It's it's tend
(14:59):
to it's a brutally cold day.
Speaker 7 (15:03):
So but say, but what I'm saying by that is,
you know, one hundred percent of the truth is you
know that we're all human and we can make mistakes,
and so conn of Elon Musk.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
I think you're right, Joe. We'll see what We'll see
how he does appreciate you, Carl, thank you very much.
Let me go next to Scott in Newton. Scott, go
right ahead. I think we're in. It was in a
deep philosophical discussion there with Joe and I hope you
can bring it back to the to the topic at hand.
Speaker 8 (15:34):
Yes, I can.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
Dan.
Speaker 8 (15:37):
You know I've been calling you off and on at
different subjects that you have, But you know, I just
I feel like, you know, Eli must to go back
to what he was saying. He's looking at what he
gets for information and he's going through it. I mean,
I don't see that he has anything to gain from it,
but he's trying to help get this country back on track.
(15:57):
And you know, he's a very smart man. And I
also heard Erny Fox say one time, if I'm the smartest,
if I'm the smartest guy in the room, then you
know there's a problem, you know what I mean. And
that's why darl was looking for other people to help.
And Rama swear me I love saying his name, and
you know Ramaswami, right, I love saying my name. Those
(16:21):
guys are trying to get us back on track to
where we used to be, and Biden has just trash
baged this country and walked away. And I just I
feel like Trump is probably gonna go down as one
of the greatest presidents we ever had or have.
Speaker 3 (16:36):
And you know it's a little early, it's a little
early to tell, but yeah. I mean he has an opportunity.
He will see what happens. I mean today he had
the the King of Jordan in the in the Oval
office after his visit up here to the State House yesterday.
(17:00):
There's there's just so much stuff to talk about, and
I just what I want to try to do is
try to figure this out as best we can.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
But I think that eventually most Americans are reasonable people.
Speaker 7 (17:16):
You know.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
There's there's all sorts of stuff here that that I'm
looking at. I I'm trying to figure out what is accurate.
So when we talk about these these different reports about
giving this to this country to do this or that
country to do that, I just wanted to be nailed
(17:39):
down because I think that if we lose, if we
lose the conversation here, we'll we'll never be able to
straighten things out here. There's one here that talks about
a USA spending twenty million dollars on a new sesame
street show in Iraq. I don't know why we're spending
(18:02):
a twenty.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
Yeah, yeah, I don't know. It's great.
Speaker 8 (18:11):
And it's just like I don't know, fifty million dollars
for condoms. I write, how many condoms was fifty million
buy You know what, It's just ridiculous money going out
the door that doesn't need to happen, and there's a
lot of it.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
But but I want what I'm trying to say is
I just want to make sure that what we're talking
about is reality.
Speaker 1 (18:32):
Do you remember.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
There was a I always use this as an example,
the great George Plimpton. Do you know who George Plimpton was?
He was a sports writer and all that, so he
was able to work with I think it was Sports
Illustrated magazine and he did a piece about a picture
(18:56):
who no one had ever heard of, put him on
the cover.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
It was it was.
Speaker 3 (19:00):
It was a prank about I think that the name
they gave the picture was Sid Finch and he could
throw the ball like one hundred and ten miles in
irony strike.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
That I heard that, you remember?
Speaker 3 (19:12):
And it was a put on? I okay, but everybody
knew it was. Everyone laughed at it because it was.
Some people fell for it, some people didn't. It was
kind of it was a put on. Well, we're not
talking about putting putting put ons here. Let's find out
where the waste is if it exists, and let's find
out why you spent on and let's be accurate about it.
(19:34):
The government, the Trump administration has the responsibility to be accurate.
Speaker 1 (19:39):
That's all I'm saying.
Speaker 8 (19:41):
Yeah, I agree completely, but like, where where would the
lie come from? They're coming from a lie because like
you know that they're giving money the countries and they
give it to them and they don't know where it's going,
how they're going to trace the money. But they're just
looking at the checks that are going out and I go,
what's this?
Speaker 7 (19:59):
You know?
Speaker 8 (19:59):
Uh, it's just it's so incredible the things that are
going on. And every day you see something else new
with Trump, like he got that guy back from Russia.
And the day before Sat he told, you know, the
Gaza that you know, they got un till Saturday at
twelve o'clock.
Speaker 3 (20:15):
And that's what we probably the the the ultimatum to
Hamas that by Saturday at noontime. I assume he means
our time. Maybe he means some asster's time.
Speaker 8 (20:28):
I don't know, Oh, get Saturday anyway, you know?
Speaker 1 (20:32):
Right, No, no, no, no, I'm with you. I'm with you.
And what I'm saying is that's okay. Now he's he's he's.
Speaker 3 (20:38):
One of those he's he did one of those things
where if this doesn't happen, this will happen. So he's
kind of back himself into a corner. But yeah, yeah,
who supports someone. We'll see what happens. We'll probably talk
about that tomorrow night, to be really honest with you, right,
But like his comments about taking over Gaza, he's he
(20:59):
started to kind of backslide on that a little bit,
but then today say no, he says we're taking over.
We're not buying it, We're gonna We're gonna take it.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
You know. Uh, I don't know how.
Speaker 9 (21:09):
I don't know how it does anything.
Speaker 7 (21:11):
For sure.
Speaker 1 (21:13):
I don't know how he's gonna do it. Uh unless
I don't know.
Speaker 8 (21:19):
I mean, it's so incredible all the things that are
going on.
Speaker 3 (21:23):
I'm saying, well, he's got he's got twenty balls in
the air or fifty balls in the air. And I
hope that that I hope he can back up what
he says.
Speaker 8 (21:33):
That's all, you know.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
We'll tell. All right, Scott, keep calling the show.
Speaker 8 (21:39):
I appreciate the audience, Boston loved to everyone, all right.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
I like that, Thanks Scott, that's a positive. Thank you. Much.
Talk to you soon. Take a break. News at the
bottom of the arrow. Let's keep it rolling.
Speaker 6 (21:51):
Here.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
The only line that is opening six, one, seven nine.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
You're on night Side with Dan on Boston's news radio.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
All right, let's get to the phones. We've got full
lines here. Interest people, interest. Let's go from to Jamie
and Worcester. Jamie and Worcester, you're next on Nightsig right,
hear me, Dan, I can hear you find Jamie? What's
on your mind?
Speaker 10 (22:18):
Well, I don't well the whole hate but.
Speaker 11 (22:22):
Elon Musk and all he's doing. Isn't he not getting
paid for this?
Speaker 3 (22:29):
I don't think he has to get paid. I think
I think he's he's okay.
Speaker 7 (22:32):
Financial Yeah, I don't think Trump.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
By the way, I don't think Trump accepts a salary
as president. I believe that various groups and organizations. Yeah,
so that would be surprised. It would surprise me if
if if Musk was being paid.
Speaker 10 (22:51):
To be honest with you, so this is just all
a volunteer thing on muskcot He's just doing it for
the So if he's not getting here's a lot money
for it, then let's mean he really has a concern
for help in the country.
Speaker 11 (23:03):
I mean, that's my perspective.
Speaker 3 (23:06):
I would hope, I would hope he does, and I
would hope you're right on it. And I just hope
that whatever the trumpet, you know, the Trump administration may
have the best intentions, I just want to make sure
that they they implement those intentions intelligently, because if they
(23:28):
make mistakes, the story will will no longer be the
good intentions or the intentions, it will be the mistakes made.
Speaker 1 (23:38):
And that's all. That's really what I'm trying to say.
Speaker 3 (23:42):
And if you're going to put out a list of
let's say, dumb donations to various and sundry groups, make
sure that make sure you got your facts straight, be accurate,
you know, be professional. Don't allow people to nitpick and
say you wrong on this and you're wrong, and that
that's all I'm saying. Just you know, be professional, do
(24:05):
it right, take your time.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
That's all right.
Speaker 9 (24:08):
No, I agree with that.
Speaker 11 (24:09):
And also he has to make all the decisions himself.
He's got a super team, and he hired like the
little avengers you know that are working with him, that
are giving him information. So I don't think he's making
all these decisions himself. He's got help around him.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
You know, well, well today, well the help to him
you're talking about here, I believe is Elon Musk, because
he's the one who I believe hired this group of
young people who have had access to government files. According
to Musk today, and I don't have the SoundBite, but
I but I did hear him, and I listened to
(24:47):
it a second time. He said that they have found
some people who are getting Social Security checks who theoretically
are one hundred and fifty years old. What he means
by that is, you know, well, if that's true, if
that's true, if someone has continued to receive Social Security
checks for their their great great great grandmother who died
(25:09):
in you know, nineteen eighty one, that person, whoever's getting
that money, that person should be indicted.
Speaker 1 (25:16):
That's fraud in the government. And that yeah, go ahead,
go ahead. I'm sorry.
Speaker 11 (25:24):
What do you think about Trump saying today he's gonna
get rid of the penny?
Speaker 3 (25:29):
I think that makes sense. I mean, I think there's
a lot of pennies in circulation. Uh, and I think
it costs. I think is it two cents to make
a penny.
Speaker 12 (25:41):
To make a penny?
Speaker 1 (25:42):
Three cents to make a pen.
Speaker 7 (25:45):
Yeah.
Speaker 11 (25:46):
Yeah, so he announced that he wants stop production of pennies.
So yeah, it will be non existent in a few months.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Well, there won't be any new pennies, but maybe the
retailers will make everything end with a nickel. So in
other words, you won't have selling candy bars for ninety
nine cents. They'll either charge a dollar or ninety or
ninety five cents.
Speaker 8 (26:13):
Right, tickles my vacation.
Speaker 1 (26:15):
Put you got it right?
Speaker 3 (26:17):
I'm with you, right, Thanks Jamie, Thanks God, Gladen, thanks me,
great call, appreciate it. Let me go to Scott and Quincy. Scott,
appreciate you. Holding on you next on nights that Scott.
Speaker 9 (26:30):
A great show there, Dan. You know, one of your
callers asked about what was Elon Muss's weakness, and one
of the things we do know about him, like myself,
he is on the autism spectrum, supposedly has ass Berger's syndrome.
Speaker 3 (26:49):
I don't consider that a week, I don't consider that
a weakness.
Speaker 9 (26:54):
Well, one of the things about that is you randomly
say and do stuff that you really were at later,
like some of his outbursts, some of some of the
things that have really stirred up public eye. Are some
of the crazy things that he said or tweeted, you know,
give me an example.
Speaker 3 (27:14):
Yeah, give me an example if you could, because I'm
unfamiliar with with what you're referring to.
Speaker 9 (27:20):
Well, you know, so I can't give you a specific example.
But he's well known for his crazy and outlandish things
that he's tweeted. He got in trouble a few years
ago tweeting something out about one of his companies that
created a huge, huge movement in the stock market, and
(27:42):
then took it back and things swung back. I think
he got in trouble for that. If you recalled.
Speaker 3 (27:49):
Again, I'm not suggesting for a second that you're you're
very accurate.
Speaker 1 (27:55):
I'm not. I just don't know. And it was if
if if, if, if.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
Must let's say, must tweet it out that he was
visited recently by a family of Martians who stayed at
his home. Uh, and they were from the planet zipped on.
I would think that's pretty weird. But but I don't
know that it is.
Speaker 9 (28:16):
Level but moving but moving on, but moving on. You know.
The whole thing with the US, the whole thing with
usaid UH to me, a government agency that's solely created
to give away taxpayer money and supports the whole bureaucratic
(28:37):
infrastructure whose job it is to give away our money
to other countries, many of which hate US. Is what
what would you call it? Prima fasse evidence that it's
a waste, waste and an abuse of taxpayer money in
a lot of ways.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
I think, well, I would believe that, and you and
you would believe that, but there would be other people
who would say, hey, there there are ways. I think
that USA defends itself and said that for many years
they had used money to combat Russian propaganda uh in
Eastern Europe.
Speaker 13 (29:12):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (29:13):
Now again, you know whether or not we should be
in that business at all, I think is a threshold question.
And then the question if you get past as a
yes there, to what extent do you want to be in?
You need there's some questions that need to I think
what happened is that you get to work for US
(29:34):
A I. D. And then you have a pet project
and you think to yourself, oh, it'd be great to
to to send let let's let's say Gilbert and Sullivan
operas over you know, to to whatever you know, or
to to export you know, stories about baseball. I would
be saying, let's export baseball to Europe. Let's because that's
(29:57):
my interest. But when you start getting into areas where
you're using taxpayer money for a political cause, that is
separate and apart from what the policy is of the
country at any given point. I mean, right now, things
are changing a little bit because of the election of Trump,
(30:18):
and it has to be respected and recognized.
Speaker 1 (30:21):
It's the Biden world is over. It's now Trump.
Speaker 9 (30:24):
World, right. But the big picture thing here I believe
is that the government is too big, spending way too
much money, and the debt ceiling keeps going up and up,
and we're literally going to bankrupt ourselves. And if we
don't turn things around, you know.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
We're probably right now.
Speaker 3 (30:46):
We look look right now, I think our gross national product.
I think we've probably produced like thirty trillion dollars a
year and we're already we have a debt of thirty
seve and trillion. How are we ever going to pay
it back?
Speaker 1 (31:01):
I don't know. Scott, appreciate you follow somebody luck. I'm
with you. Good luck.
Speaker 3 (31:08):
Let's I hope they're successful in what they do. But again,
let's uh, let's let's let's talk about it here on
night side and give everybody an opportunity to weigh in. Thanks, Thanks, Scott,
I agree, got.
Speaker 1 (31:23):
Take a very quick break.
Speaker 3 (31:24):
I'm gonna try to get everybody in. I will Ian
uh uh, Matt, I lean, Jim paul Is just we've
got full lines. We get everybody in. We're gonna have
to pick the pace up. That's all I'm asking you
to do.
Speaker 2 (31:37):
Right after the break, Now back to Dan Way live
from the Window World, Nice Side Studios. I'm WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 3 (31:47):
All right, let's try to get everybody, and there's going
to be tight. I'm going to ask everyone to be
very direct in in San Antonio and.
Speaker 1 (31:54):
Go right ahead.
Speaker 5 (31:55):
Hi, Janne, nice to hear your voice. So I have
a story, a personal story concerning social security that I
want to tell you about it.
Speaker 1 (32:08):
I was a very young girl, and I just asked
you if I'm.
Speaker 13 (32:11):
Getting there, go ahead.
Speaker 14 (32:13):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (32:15):
I was a very young girl in not even twenty
when a friend of a friend asked me to cat
to deposit a social Security check in my bank accountant
and give them the cash. Well, I was very naive,
so I did it and uhurs. Not hours later, a
(32:38):
few hours later, I had the police at my door
telling me that that social Security check that I deposited
was illegitimate from a dead person's grandmother.
Speaker 1 (32:53):
Wow.
Speaker 5 (32:55):
And that's what they asked, and I could have got
into a lot of trouble. And so they were still
getting a social Security check from their dead grandmother.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
How long ago was this in?
Speaker 5 (33:10):
A good forty years ago? More than forty years ago.
Speaker 3 (33:13):
So the point is that this, this sort of fraud
then you would argue, has been going on for a while.
Speaker 9 (33:20):
Oh yeah, and it is.
Speaker 5 (33:22):
It's real. It's what I'm trying to say as well.
It happened to me personally.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
You will thank you, thank you very much. That's a
great story, and you got it in in a minute
and a half and I really appreciated that. Particularly tonight
I got packed lines.
Speaker 5 (33:36):
Okay, okay, takes its very much.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
Matt. You got to be quick for me, Matt, go right.
Speaker 15 (33:42):
Ahead, Hey man, I'm gonna be real quick first off,
very quickly. Elren Mosk and anything with Aspergers or offism
has nothing at all to do with his actions. That
is an ignorant comment. And I will not enjoy hearing
that that aside.
Speaker 3 (34:02):
Right, and I have you know that I called the
caller up on that because I know you.
Speaker 1 (34:08):
I agree with you absolutely, thank.
Speaker 9 (34:10):
You, thank you.
Speaker 15 (34:11):
The only other point, thank you. The only other point
is that we have right now a new administration has
new ideas and new ideas for how we want to
administrate law, and we want to pass different formats. I
think there are many different ways with each individual who
(34:34):
is going to be confirmed, and I think this can
be very key. And I think the unknown is what
we have to have to hold on to. I think,
guess what's the most important thing, And that's what I've
been end with that holding on.
Speaker 3 (34:46):
With you totally and and and when when there's another
Democratic president, things will change.
Speaker 1 (34:52):
And again.
Speaker 3 (34:56):
Is that looks as President Obama once said, elections have consequences.
Speaker 15 (35:02):
Absolutely, I appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (35:05):
Thank you much. Let's keep rolling. You're going to go
to Eileen and Cambridge. Eileen, want to get you in
a couple more in goo right ahead.
Speaker 1 (35:10):
Eileen.
Speaker 16 (35:13):
Hi, I think that you mentioned that problems in America
should be the focus of where the budget funds go.
And I happen to be living in Cambridge right now,
and I'm very aware of the homeless population here and
(35:37):
before we send money for Sesame Street in a Rock
and the other things that we're sending money abroad for.
I think we need to look at home where we
need to take care of people right here in America.
And the idea that Social Security payments are going to
(36:02):
people who've been dead for hundreds of years, that's that's horrific.
Speaker 3 (36:08):
And Musk was quoted as saying that people who would
have would be one hundred and fifty years old, so
meaning somebody who would have been born in eighteen seventy
five obviously has long since passed. So let's see what
they find. Let's give him a chance to do whatever
they want to try to do fair enough.
Speaker 16 (36:27):
Absolutely absolutely, I'm all in favor of this.
Speaker 5 (36:31):
Okay, thanks, they talked.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
Soon, have a great night. Let me go to Jim
in Kansas City. Jim, you got to be quick for me, buddy,
I got two behind you.
Speaker 14 (36:38):
Go ahead, Jim, Yeah, I'll be quick. I wish I
would have called during the Karen ry two hours of
Karen Reid. Hey, look at two things. First of all,
I am absolutely sure that what Elon Musk is doing
is way beneath him. But he's just doing It's a
big favor. And there's an old saying you could lead
(36:59):
a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
He is trying to lead us to the facts that
we need to straighten out our budget and our spending
in this country. And we're going to get a very
brief four year chance here to to see those facts
and see the error of our ways and straighten ourselves out.
(37:20):
And if we don't do it, we're just going to
go bankrupt. And I mean to the extent that people
are able to bite the bullet and work and you know, uh,
you know, kind of tightened down on their spending, we
might do it, okay, but I think things are going
to go back to the way they were back in
the sixties, where you know, you just didn't have that
(37:41):
we have right now. Anyway, I think.
Speaker 1 (37:45):
Malely have a two year window, never mind a four
your window, because he's a congression a right.
Speaker 14 (37:49):
I gotta go bye bye.
Speaker 1 (37:51):
All right, thank you. I have a great one.
Speaker 3 (37:52):
Let me go real quickly, going to get to in
Joe and Revere and Paul will be next.
Speaker 14 (37:57):
Go ahead, Joe, hey, Dan, how you doing?
Speaker 13 (38:01):
Just quickly? I'd like to know what you think I've
heard that Trump has been putting these tax things into place,
so like for imputs so he can get rid of
the federal income tax. And I wanted to know, like
what you know or thought about that any other things
(38:21):
that would open.
Speaker 3 (38:22):
Up the whole conversation about in place of a federal
income tax, graduated federal income text as we have now,
you would either have to.
Speaker 13 (38:31):
My question is are these tariffs to try to take
care of that?
Speaker 3 (38:35):
No, tariffs won't take care of that because tariff's are
going to be temporary. If you're going to get rid
of the income tax, you'd go to a value added
tax and or a combination with the flat tax.
Speaker 13 (38:45):
My other question was what do you think he could
be doing better right now? I know a lot of
the country is in favor of what he's been doing.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
I think he could be slowing down a little bit
right now and basically doing things more thoroughly.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
That's all that.
Speaker 13 (38:59):
Yeah, he's going on fair enough.
Speaker 1 (39:02):
Thanks Joe, Thank you much. All right, let's keep rolling
you how much would he got, Paul? Would he get
two minutes? Okay, we got time.
Speaker 3 (39:08):
For Paul, Paul and Monson Monson Massachusetts. Hi, Paul, how
are you?
Speaker 12 (39:13):
Thanks?
Speaker 6 (39:14):
Dan.
Speaker 12 (39:15):
They can't go slowly destroying with the wrecking ball as
quickly as possible. That's you know, and you say that,
you know, you want to see them go about this
in a smarter way. Those are these are planned features,
These are not These are not bugs. Okay, these are these,
these are these are these are not bugs. So they
(39:38):
can't point to a single example. This is such a
dog and pony show, you know, with Aylon Musk standing
behind Trump looking, you know, looking like, oh, none of
the rules apply to me. You know this theman is
investigating worth, investigating Musk in so many different ways, environmental violation,
(40:00):
labor violations. But then they're doing away with all the
inspectors in general whose job it is to root out waste,
fraud and abuse without the thirty day required explanation of
why they're doing this. People need to understand, okay, that
the plan is the sets and balances that come from
(40:21):
three co equal branches of government. Know that is the
plan is to do away with that. Okay, it's the
oligarchy all the way. Okay, we were doing this isn't
what they want.
Speaker 3 (40:37):
Well, I don't want to cut you off, but I'm
out of time. I wish you called early. Please call early.
We'll have a much longer conversation. Okay, thanks, I appreciate it.
Done for the night, Rob, great job, Marina, Thank you
very much to all the callers, all the listeners. I
will say, as always, all dogs, all cats, all pets,
they all go to heaven. That's why Pal Charlie Rayes,
(40:58):
who passed fifty years ago this very month, that's where
all your pets are our past. They loved you and
you love them. I do believe you'll see them again.
Hope to see you in tomorrow night or night side.
It will be on Facebook. Nice out with Dan ray
In a couple of minutes. Join us there, see you
tomorrow night. Everybody, have a great Wednesday.
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