Welcome to the Todd Starn Show, sponsored by Legacy Precious Metals. There's never been a better time to invest in precious metals. Visit LegacyPM Investments dot com. That's legacypminvestments dot com. Live from the Liberty University Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, it's common sense conservative commentary from Todd Starnes.
That's right. I love this American. Wherever you're listening across this, the greatest nation God ever blessed, welcome to our one of a Thursday edition of the Todd Starn Show, streaming coast to coast. all over the place at ToddStarnes.com and aired on more than 100 outstanding radio stations across the country. Hello, fellow Patriots.
I'm Jeff Stein coming to you from the free state of Iowa and my home base at News Talk 1540 KXCL in Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. The 50,000 watt blowtorch scorching Middle America with accurate news and reasonable views. It is my privilege as always to be here behind the microphone to talk to Starnes Nation. As you probably know, Todd is out there on the left coast doing great battle with a bunch of tremendous young people. It's the Young America's Foundation.
High school conference at the Reagan Ranch. And if you go to yaf.org, their website, and click on the events, well, there's Mr. Starnes' picture right there as one of the speakers at this event.
So it gives us a chance to have a coast-to-coast conversation on whatever is on your mind. And we have some excellent guests as well. Big shoes to fill for me, not only filling in for Todd, but yesterday you had the Hall of Famer Harry Hurley here from New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
So I am daunted, but not deterred. Here's how you can contribute to the success of this national radio program. Call toll-free. Starnes Media will pay for it. It's 844-747-8868.
That's 844-747-8868. Grace will take your call and let me know you're there, and then we can connect with you from our broadcast position inside the Liberty University studio. Coming up in just about ten minutes, we'll talk with US Senator Marcia Blackburn from the Volunteer State of Tennessee. We'll get her thoughts on current events. Senator Blackburn coming up in just a few moments.
Setting the table for the rest of this program. Hope you're with us either live or with the podcast. Which you can get at the Toddcast section of ToddStarns.com after the show airs. In our next hour we will speak with the New York Times bestselling author and presidential historian Craig Shirley. You know of his work chronicling the Reagan Administration.
Well, he's gone back a little further for a brand new book called April nineteen forty five, The Hinge of History. Talk about quite an appropriate topic as we now are on the edge of another, let's hope not, let's pray not, another world war. We'll talk with historian Craig Shirley about his new book, April 1945. That is in our next hour. Hour number three of the program, the former acting director of ICE, Tom Homan, will be along to talk about.
open borders in some areas and closed borders in others, and the hypocrisy of all that and what it means to our safety. Tom Homan in hour number three, along with Deborah Flora, she is the producer and writer. Of a wonderful piece, a wonderful documentary called Whose Children Are They? And the answer is they're our children. But some in government and some who have an agenda don't think you should have a role to play in your kids' education, and we'll talk about that.
Before the end of hour number three, with Deborah Flora. Once again, 844-747-8868. That's how you can join the program today. Normally, if you go either to the live stream at ToddStarnes.com. Or afterwards you get the podcast, you know that there is a Yeah.
For each day's program. And that is something that the host typically comes up with. And so Miss Grace asked if I come up with a title. And so I thought We should tie it in because this is the start of the official run of the NCAA. men's basketball tournament.
The women play as well, and we've got NIT and any other acronym you can name.
So, this is a time when our nation's college basketball players start their quest for a national championship. while at the same time President Biden keeps throwing up airballs. when it comes to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
So that's why we're titling today's edition of the program Biden Shoots and Misses on Ukraine. And you need only look at his behavior yesterday to see that. You have the President of Ukraine. Speaking before a joint session of Congress, masterful in terms of how he played everyone, for his advantage, and I say that with admiration. Not with criticism.
If that's not clear, I'll get back to it a little later on. But what happens then? The U.S. president comes out and says, oh, yes. Much more aid.
We're going to send you a lot more money. But in typical Biden administration fashion. He included in this big amount that he trotted out Money that had already been allocated and announced. It was not all new money.
Now, as a taxpayer, you know, I like a little bit of fiscal conservatism. Actually, as a taxpayer, I like a lot of. Uh fiscal restraint. But it's just flat out deceptive. To round up to a big number, By including money that had already been allocated.
No different than when he's talking about cutting spending. when he includes in it money that Expired, the authoration the authorization for which expired. Nope, we're going to count that. As if we did something. You did absolutely nothing.
This administration is big. On the sound byte, And the Don't believe what your eyes are showing you. What's the old saying? Who are you going to believe me or your lion eyes?
Well, every time they get to the podium, they're lying. Because we know that there's something very different going on. We can see it, it is demonstrably provable. And if you're still not sold on that, How about the spin that this is all Putin's fault, all the inflation? All of the gas issues, all of the supply chain at various times, this administration has blamed Vladimir Putin for all of that.
Gas prices were already double what they were when Biden took over. before the invasion. Supply chain was a problem. before the invasion. Inflation was the worst in more than two decades, or two generations, four decades.
Before Putin invaded. Is it worse now? Yeah. But for them to say, well, this is Putin's fault, you go talk to Vlad about why you're paying more to fill up your minivan. That's just flat out false.
And the more they say it, And the more the individuals Who are In the lap dog, formerly mainstream media, the more they parrot it. The more ludicrous it seems, you know better, we know better. Yet this is still the drumbeat that we get from this administration and their willing accomplices in the media. Who I be. Just absolutely embarrassing.
And we're going to keep talking about it because that is the way we make sure. that they don't get away with it. Why not call 844-747-8868 now? Line up on the phone. Joe, hang on.
We've got Senator Blackburn coming up in our next segment. Then we'll get to your calls once again: 844-747-8868. Jeff Stein, proud to be filling in for Todd today. Thanks to all of you for being along. This is the Todd Starn Show.
About to back up and bring it is Todd Starnes. Friends, last year your dollar lost a ton of value. Inflation rose by almost 7% in just one month towards the end of the year. That means in 30 days, your dollar became 93 cents. Inflation is a silent killer.
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Legacy Precious Metals is the company I trust for investing in gold and silver. You have to take the threat seriously, friends. Oil prices are rising. We have supply chain issues. All of this is going to compound our inflation problems.
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Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today. Mr. Starnes is very busy when he's not here. For example, today he's speaking to students at the West Coast Baptist College in Los Angeles. And then he'll be speaking to teenagers at the Young America Foundation Conference at the Reagan Ranch.
So, as I've said before when I've had the privilege of filling in, this is a tremendous opportunity, this radio program and the digital properties, for Todd to spread his common sense conservatism. But sometimes you've got to take the message directly to the people, and that's why he is in California. Taking care of business there, it's my privilege to be with you right here. Whether you are at ToddStarns.com for the livestream, maybe you're on the Getter machine. How about that?
Todd is there at Todd Starnes. I'm at getter and Twitter and Parlor and Instagram at Iowa Politics. That's IOWA at Iowa Politics. Follow me on those socials. That's getter and parlor and Twitter and Instagram and my website where you can then link and subscribe to my daily podcasts.
I do three different ones. My website is totallyiowa.com. That's totallyiowaiowa.com. CBS News is reporting that a Russian artillery strike hit a community center and a school, killing 21 people. That's according to a Ukrainian mayor.
Just amazing, staggering stuff. and what are we actually doing about it? We look forward to hearing your thoughts during this hour. Connect with us so we can put you on the air from the Liberty University studio. It's 844-747-8868.
That's 844-747-8868. Scheduled to speak with Tennessee U.S. Senator Marcia Blackburn, and she's going to join us now via the Patriot Mobile Newsmaker line. Senator Jeff Stein, filling in for Todd, thanks for joining us on the program. How are you on this Thursday?
I am doing well. Thanks for having me on. I was just reading news about another atrocity committed by Russians in the Ukraine.
So here we are as we're speaking, midday on Thursday, from your position as a U.S. Senator. Your thoughts regarding this whole thing?
Well, it is an atrocity, and Putin is committing war crimes every single day. This is an. unprovoked attack, he is killing Innocent civilians, he is killing children, this indiscriminate bombing that he is carrying out on Ukraine. Zelensky was wonderful when he talked with us yesterday. He is a portrait.
encourage And the way he is defending his country, the way he's standing up. The way he is seeking to protect his people and to allow their country to continue to exist.
Now, think about that. They are fighting for their very existence.
So it is vitally important that we get to Ukraine what they need. to carry out the defense of their country. I spoke on my radio program in Iowa earlier this week with one of your Senate colleagues, Senator Charles Grassley. I asked him where the line was where the U. S.
should commit troops to Ukraine. Do you have a line? Obviously, we pray it never happens, but is there a line that Putin just cannot cross in your mind? What we need to do is realize that American troops do not need to be on the ground in Ukraine. This is why it is important.
That we give Ukraine the firepower that they need. And it's why it is important that NATO step up, which they are doing like they have never done before. They are standing up. and they are supporting Ukraine in this effort. Ukraine is a neighbor country.
for them. But getting the MIGs, getting drums, getting javelins and stingers and switchblade drones over to Ukraine is something that should be done every we should be aggressively carrying this out. Senator Grassley suggested to me that if it gets to where Putin is using chemical weapons, biological warfare. Uh nuclear, heaven forbid, that's where we just have to say enough's enough. Is that consistent with your views?
We need to make certain that that never happens. And if you give the firepower and the air power that Ukraine is asking for, they will be able to create their own no fly zone. What we have to realize is that Ukraine and the free world have to win this fight. and we have to make certain that Putin is going to lose this fight. U.S.
Senator Marcia Blackburn of the great state of Tennessee joining us on the Todd Starn show, Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today as you talk to your constituents. Are they feeling the real burden of this Biden inflation? It's not Putin inflation, it's Biden inflation. What tell us about how bad things are that you're hearing, because I think it's important for the country to hear real live examples. About that, it is important.
In Tennessee, here's a great example. I was up on the plateau, which is the area in the center of the state. kind of there in the foothills. It is the area where it's right up on the Kentucky border, and a director of schools. In one of the counties, were showing me the fuel bill.
for their school buses. for the year and their fuel costs Since September, on a monthly basis, that number has doubled. And this is a small county. It is a county that has a We call them intimacy. A disadvantaged County economically, and they're saying, you know what, we can hardly pay the bills.
And then the county mayor Marcia. It's not even only the school system, it is also the sheriff's department, it is EMS. It is the maintenance department, the roads department. He said, We've run through him. February, they ran through.
their transportation fuel budget for the entire year. And Where who's going to have to pay for that? It is going to be taxpayers. That's why inflation is a tax. And it's the cruelest tax because it hits people.
Worse if your income is lower, quite obviously. That's such an excellent point. I know how much I'm paying directly, but I'm going to be paying for the school districts and law enforcement as well. I saw a senator in Politico today, and I don't have reason to doubt at least this item from them. Nashville is one of the two finalists to host the GOP Convention in 2024.
If that's the case, that's got to make you feel pretty proud. Of course, and we think Nashville is where they're going to want to be. Why there is opposed to Milwaukee?
Okay, so I mean, it's a tremendous place, but why there as opposed to Milwaukee? This is your pitch for the Chamber of Commerce, Senator. Yes, Nashville is a convention town, and with any convention, logistics. are a number one. And you have So many hotels.
That are in close proximity to the stadium, to the arena. to the convention center. And when you've got those thousands, tens of thousands of hotel rooms. within about a twenty minute range. That is where you want to be.
Senator, thank you so much for taking time, breaking away from the busy Senate schedule to talk to folks on the Todd Starn Show. Privilege for me. Thanks so much, and have an excellent day. Got it. Thank you.
Senator Marcia Blackburn, US Senator from the State of Tennessee. RNC Conventions, GOP Convention 2024, Nashville or Milwaukee? Who you got, as they say? Coming up, your calls. And who we got?
How about Joe? He's got some thoughts from George, and we'll get to that after we take our break. 844-747-8868. That's 844-747-8868. Did I mention that Senator Blackburn joined us on the Patriot Mobile Newsmaker line?
If I didn't, that would explain why it was such a clear call, right? Patriot Mobile Newsmaker Live. More of the show coming up. Jaff Stein in for Todd. This is the Todd Starn Show.
Well, our good friend Mike Lindell is back at it again. Hello, everybody. I'm Todd Starge. Mike Lindell not only created the best pillow, but now he's created the best towel in the world. That's right, Mike Lindell found the best towel company right here in the USA.
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Use the promo code STARNS. Welcome back, friends. Todd Starn Show continues on this Thursday. I'm Jeff Stein, filling in for Todd. Coming to you from the Liberty University studio, as always.
It's 844-747-8868. That's how you can join the conversation. And that is the number that Joe from Ella J, Georgia used to call in. Joe, wonderful to talk to you again. How are you, sir?
Jeff, we love your show. Love Todd's show. He's great, and I'm excited about his new book coming out. And I'm certainly going to buy a copy. I'm real excited.
I'm down here in Sea Island, Georgia, which happens to be the home of. of former Senator David Perdue, who's got a very exciting race. Going against incumbent Governor Brian Kemp. And the big news is that Donald Trump, former President Trump, is coming to Georgia a week from Saturday to campaign for David Perdue. And I believe that the Trump visit will put David Perdue over the top and that David Perdue will defeat incumbent Governor Brian Kemp.
And I'm a strong David Perdue supporter. He's a great taxpayer and small business champion.
So I'm very excited to be on. Todd stars a great show saying that because, and also, by the way, you've got a great screener. Grace is one of the finest screeners in talk show history, as I'm sure you realize. But anyway, I'm excited, and I'm honored to talk to you, Jeff, and Todd is a great. I love his talk show, and I've called a lot of talk shows, but Todd has one of the best in history and So it's an honor to talk to you and keep up the good work you're doing.
And if ever come to Iowa, I'll call your show.
Well, you just come up and visit. You're welcome here any time.
Now, should I assume that you're busy on the day of the Trump visit? You won't be anywhere near that, right? No, I'm down here at Sea Island, and I'm going to be here for two weeks. We have a lot of, I have a home here. I live in LA, but I have a home in Sea Island, and we've got a lot of family coming.
So, unfortunately, I'm not going to be able to be there for the Event. But I'm fired up and I'm telling everybody to vote for David. And so I'll be there in spirit. And gosh, you know, it's going to be such a huge crowd. Anytime he has a rally, it's, you know, it's unbelievable.
And I'm sure the one in Georgia will be a huge success for David. But come down to see us sometime in Georgia, my friends. Here, I thought I was being a smarty pant saying, oh, there's no way you'd be there. And then you do have a conflict. I thought, sure, you'd be there.
Well, let me ask you quickly.
Well, ordinarily, I would be, but I thought you had a lot of family down here on the family visit.
So, you know, you got to always put your family first. But I think, I'll tell you how fired up I'm about David Perdue. Not only would I vote for him for governor of Georgia, I'd vote for David Perdue to be president of the United States. That's how much I believe in David Offrey Perdue.
Well, I do believe he's a good man and deserving of support. Let me ask you briefly: do you have any concerns? Because certain incumbents were involved in some of these deals on elections in the past that nobody knew about. Do you have any concerns about whether you're going to have a fair count there in Georgia?
Well, I do think they've made the legislature has made some changes.
So, yeah, I feel very confident that this will be a good election in Georgia. And so, no, I'm not concerned. Of course, you know, you got to always watch for those things. But I think that because of the problems in 2020, I think Georgia and every other state is Is wanting to make sure that everything's that we have no fraud involved.
So, yeah, I feel. I feel very good about it, and so I just can't wait to get to the post to vote for David Perdue. Thank you so much for calling and supporting this show as you do, Joe. I appreciate it. You have an excellent afternoon, all right?
Thank you, Jeff. You're doing a great job. Thank you. You're very kind. You know, the praise that he gave Grace for call screening.
Let's face it, he got through. Of course, he thinks. No, I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding. I have told Todd this privately, and he backs it up.
What a great team assembled Around Starnes Media and the flagship at the Mighty 990 in Memphis. I've had the great privilege of filling in for Todd since he began the National Talk Show over at Brand X. And those folks were fine too, but the team that he has built right there in the Mid-South, Great people, wonderful for me to work with, and I appreciate it greatly. And I'm glad that Joe recognizes that as well. 844-747-8868 is the number.
844-747-8868. So last week I had a couple of speaking engagements, actually, three, in a couple of days.
So I took a trip to southwest Iowa. Again, I live in the northeast corner of the state. Took the drive. It was about a four, four and a half. Hour car ride to the first stop and then a couple of hours to the next one and did an overnight and then spoke to some folks again before coming home.
Great people, wonderful conversations, really enjoy it.
Well, here was the problem. I was packing for this overnight trip. And I thought, all right. Should I take My pillow along. Not just my pillow.
My My pillow. And I did not. I was in the car, it was a car trip. And I don't have the My Pillow Travel Pillow. But I swear by the my pillow that's on my bed.
And I thought to myself, nah, you know. It's just one night. Friends, I felt it the next morning. They had nice big fluffy pillows, and my head hit the pillow, and I like to have suffocated because it just sank down. It was just a I got through the night, but I was really happy to come home and grab my pillow.
And I can't tell you how many towels I went through. If this is getting too personal, just somebody let me know. But here's the thing: I go to this hotel. You know, you're going to take a shower, clean up, go do your business. And I was just using all of these towels.
I'm one guy, the maid probably went through and said, how did he go through four bath towels? Three hand towels.
Well, the reason is. The towels you get a lot of these places just aren't very good. I mean, I picked it up and I thought, okay, this is nice. But they've been used so much they don't absorb, so you have to use multiple towels. How is that helping anything?
Well, of course Mike Lindell at my pillow. figured out how towels should be made. Yes, they feel good. But the technology that they have proprietary technology right here in this country They create towels that actually do work. And if you've seen the demonstration that he does on television pouring the liquid, I mean, that's what you're used to seeing in things like hotel towels or the cheaper towels that you buy.
The My Pillow Brand towels, that is the gold standard. They come with the MyPillow 60-day money-back guarantee. And here is a deal. They're soft yet absorbent, made with USA cotton. Thank you very much.
A six-piece set.
So two bath towels. Two hand towels, two washclaws. All right, here's your good little starter set for your bathroom.
Okay. That set usually is $109.99. Are you kidding me? $39.99? $39.99 for that six-piece My Pillow Towel Set.
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For this and all of the great radio specials, it's 1-800-839-8506. But whatever you do, When you do business with my pillow. Make sure you use the promo code STARDS. 844-747-8868 is how you can reach us on this Coast to Coast Todd Starnes program. I mentioned in the opening segment before we talked with Senator Blackburn.
that this is The time that Joe Biden is throwing up airballs while your favorite college players are throwing up three-point shots and moving along. in the college basketball tournament. There were some great examples of those. Airballs yesterday, and I'll talk about those after our upcoming break. But I'd like to hear what you think.
We don't normally do this, but every day on my radio show back in Iowa, we now do a poll question of the day. And often it has to do with things in our local area. But here's one that I think you're going to want to weigh in on. I want to know what your interest level is in these basketball tournaments. And I put four different options up there.
I'll tell you where you can go to vote in a moment. One of the options is: hey, I'm all in, I'll watch until my eyes glaze over. Second option is I don't like all the wokeness, but I'll still watch my local teams. Another option is I'm not going to watch any of this college basketball until they drop the woke sayings and words from the floor and uniforms. By the way, that's where I fall.
I'm not watching any of it. As long as we've got slogans and sayings that support things that don't really mean what these poor kids who are wearing it think they mean. Yeah, I'm not watching it. Or you're not watching because you never watch.
So here's what you do. Go to kxel.com. That's my station's website, kxel.com. And right there on the main page, there will be a place where you can click and weigh in on the KXEL poll question of the day, which we're now introducing to the national audience. Let's find out what you think of the NCAA tournament and the wokeness that pervades so much of these sports nowadays.
Like to hear your views on it. Again, my radio station website, kxl.com, and click on the poll link. And if you're looking for an app for your phone and you have not yet downloaded, The KWAM radio app, you're missing out. The Mid-South Conservative Blowtorch, not only this programme, the Todd Starn Show, but all manner of tremendous programmes, Sebastian Gorka and Larry Elder, and so many more.
So just go to whatever app store or Google Play or whatever magic you use to get an app on your phone, and you're downloading the KWAM radio app, that's the flagship of this program, the Mighty 990, in Memphis. We'll take your calls after this break. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd. Thanks for being along on this edition of the Todd Starn Show. Yeah.
Triggering microaggressions from coast to coast. It's Todd Starnes. Welcome back, friends. This is the Todd Starn Show. I'm Jeff Stein, filling in for Todd.
Coming to you from my home base here in Iowa, Todd is on the road doing some speaking events out in California to young people. Always good to spread the common sense conservatism face to face. And uh he'll be back uh I'll be here again tomorrow.
So I guess he's back Monday, or I don't know when he's back. I'm here today, I'm here tomorrow, and and that's all I can worry about. I can barely take care of myself, much less uh figure out what Todd Starnes is doing. Such a busy schedule. And yes, new book coming out later this year, as one of our callers noted.
We're going to look forward to that. In the meantime, How about a copy of our daily biscuit, Devotions With Adrawal? You can pick that up at ToddStarns. com. You've heard a lot about paper shortages and folks who can't get their books printed.
Todd was ahead of the curve and got plenty of copies of Our Daily Biscuit printed, but. You want to get it while you can, so go to ToddStarnes.com. And click on the store button to get your copy of our daily biscuit.
Now, I did not have a biscuit today. But um I did have bagels.
Now, that's not a reflection of different parts of the country, I don't think, because as I told you, I'm from Iowa. But I was on the road last week a couple of days, as I mentioned in the last segment, and It happened to fall right around the time of my birthday. And so I didn't I wasn't here, so I didn't bring treats. And I thought, oh, you know, I should probably bring some treats.
So I went and got the thirteen pack of bagels and copious amounts of cream cheese and set it on the table. In the kitchen area of the radio station.
Now, one thing that you folks have to know about people in radio. And if Kyle and Grace want to weigh in, please feel free. But if you put forth free food on a table. at a radio station. It will be gone.
Before you turn back around, I literally set the box of bagels down, opened up the cream cheese, put the little plastic knives in there that are really halfway worthless, but it's better than using your finger. And then I went back to my office to send an email. That said, hey everybody, I brought treats, they're in the kitchen area. By the time I got back the vultures had descended, And it looked Like, with apologies to Real War Zones, it looked like a war zone. Am I overstating it, guys?
No, and Jeff, I can confirm. Like, the other day, we had this great local company, Wolf River Popcorn Company. They brought us a variety of different popcorn flavors. And we had like three giant bags. But I swear, in the span of maybe 48 hours, Pretty much all of those bags were empty.
And it was, it's kind of incredible. When something comes to the office like that, you have to take your stash and hide it, or other people will eat it. Before you even realize what's going on, there's no question. You have to do that. And because again, The vultures descend.
It's just scary. And then people, you know, walking down the halls, you know, like they just found treasure. It was embarrassing to see. I'm glad to be hunkered down here. We've got a couple of minutes before the break.
So let's go to 844-747-8868. Our friend Gene here in my state of Iowa. Thanks for calling the Todd Star and Show. Jeff Stein here. Gene, how are you today?
Oh, I guess I'm doing okay. I'm ready to go back to work. All right, sir? If this weather will break, I'm ready to go back to work. What do you do?
Remind me that. I haul cement powder for Benton over there in Cedar Falls. Oh, okay, sure.
So you've got to have decent weather. Yeah, today's a rainy, dreary day here in the state. All right, talk to me about basketball before we get out of here for the break at the top of the hour. I'd not I don't pay a lot of attention to, you know, if it's a special game, I would, but. I I would have no inclination to to turn the T V on and and uh watch anything that's got all that kind of woke crap going on.
So anyway. Hey, I got a real quick question for you, though.
Okay. I just was sitting here thinking about it. Yes, sir. What do you think about that om omnimus bill that got passed or got signed yesterday?
Well supported by R. Hansen. are draftly and are earned. Yeah, both of Iowa's U.S. Senators and a Republican member of Congress supported.
Here's the thing that I really don't like, and the fact is that they folded in the Violence Against Women Act into that omnibus spending bill. And there are all manner of limitations on the Second Amendment in there.
So again, it's just a matter of let's shove as much as we can into this thing.
So then people say they feel forced to vote for it. and horrible public policy is the result. What are your thoughts?
Well, that's exactly what I was talking about. That's that's the main point I was bringing up where I mentioned that. Do you think people know that? Do you think, Gene, that people know that there were limitations on the Second Amendment in the so-called spending bill? I don't think anybody knows them.
They don't realize that they co-opt their local. Um law enforcement to become an arm of the ATF. That's right. That's right, they specifically say, in essence, deputize the local law enforcement to the to enforce these federal gun restrictions. That is hardly a spending bill.
Gene, thank you so much for calling in. We're up against the break, but I'm so glad you called in right from down the road in Cedar Falls, Iowa, that area. And again, if you are interested in weighing in on my station's poll question, Grace was kind enough to put a link up there on the show blog at ToddStarns.com. All right, we've got a break coming up for the top of the hour news in many of your locations. And then when we come back on the other side, The bestselling author Craig Shirley will be along to talk about his new book, Called April 1945.
I've got to see if there are any bagels left in my studio kitchen. Jeff Stein, Todd Starn Show. Live from the Liberty University Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, it's America's favorite gun toton Bible-clinging deplorable American. Sam. That's why I love this American.
Todd Starnes. Wherever you're listening across this, the greatest nation God ever blessed, welcome to the second hour of the Thursday edition of the Todd Starnes Radio Program, coast to coast on more than 100 outstanding radio stations, and streaming live at ToddStarnes.com. Hello, fellow Patriots. I'm Jeff Stein, speaking to you from the free state of Iowa and my home base at News Talk 1540 KXCL in Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, the 50,000-watt blowtorch scorching Middle America with accurate news and reasonable views. And it is my privilege to be filling in for Todd today and tomorrow.
Todd is out on the left coast. He's speaking to students at the West Coast Baptist College in Los Angeles, then making his way to Santa Barbara to talk to teens at the Young Americas Foundation conference that's at the Reagan Ranch.
So the common sense conservative message that he typically brings you through this microphone, he's taking it to the people one-to-one. especially young people. And that's such an important group to get the message out to.
So while he's out doing that good work, I'm here with you, and it is a privilege to be in the Liberty University studio. Let us know what you think about whatever we've been talking about today or whatever's on your mind at 844-747-8868. 844-747-8868. We'll get to your calls in the next segment. But joining us now on the Patriot Mobile newsmaker line is Presidential Historian, best-selling author Craig Shirley.
You may be familiar with any one or all four of his best-selling biographies of President Reagan. His brand new book is called April 1945: The Hinge of History. Craig Shirley joins us now. Mr. Shirley, Jeff Stein, filling in for Todd.
Thanks for being on the program today. How are you, sir? I'm fine, Jeff. How are you? Very good, and it's always good to talk to you.
I've had the privilege a few times. And I'm intrigued by what led you to this particular topic, the April 1945 time period in World War II.
Well, you know, it it seemed like it was a good companion. to my previous book, December 1941. It was kind of the Alpha and Omega of World War II. The first stirrings. of the war and the last ashes being stirred around by the war.
And so many things happened in this month. But wh what the real genesis of this was Something I retained from my childhood. I remember. growing up and every Sunday after church, we went over to my grandmother's house. And she had a big pot roaster or turkey or something like that.
And around the table were grandparents and aunts and uncle and uncles and parents. And I was a little shy. Shaver then. and invariably the conversation would turn to the war. as in my grandfather might say, well, I bought that DeSoto before the war, but I didn't sell it to after the war.
Both my grandmothers were Rosie the Riveters, My parents, they were involved in the war from the state side. My mother had Victory Gardens as a child. And my father was a Boy Scout. And they used to the Federal Government used Boy Scouts to distribute promotional posters to uh Churches and bars and restaurants, you know, loose lips. other oth other promotional posters.
all around the country. Both my grandmothers, I mentioned, were deeply both rosy the riveters. One was a bomb inspector. And I never got a chance to ask her, Did you do it like Wiley Coyote with a hammer on a bomber? And my other one, my other grandmother, was a machine gun inspector.
She would stay. stand in one place. machine gun would come down the conveyor belt, she'd pick it up, fire it, At a target, set it down, and the next one would come along, she'd pick that up then. And fire that one. And of course, my uncle made the ag ultimate sacrifice.
He was shot down and killed in the Pacific on his twentieth birthday in January of nineteen forty five.
So my but my family was not unique. I'm sure your family was deeply involved in World War two. All families were. There was what was called the war effort. and everybody was involved on the civilian side and not just the military, But j on the civilian side as well.
And they participated in brownouts and blackouts and air range si sirens and rubber drives and metal drives and paper drives and scrap drives and Everybody contributed to the war effort.
Well, you're right. My father was in what was then the Army Air Corps, the predecessor of the Air Force. And as he liked to say, he was stationed at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and nobody ever got past Myrtle Beach. But you go where you're sent. Yeah, and his brother, my uncle, fought in England.
So April 1945, you know, we talk about certain pivotal events. Obviously, VE Day, dropping of the atomic bomb later, et cetera. But those events didn't happen in a vacuum. And that's why I find it interesting. You've really crystallized one month.
What was so important about that month in terms of turning the tide to the ultimate resolution? Yeah, Jeff. Every day was a big block letter day in the newspapers. It was it was so unusual. Afdiar dies.
which was in itself was earth shattering. because he was only 63 years old. But he smoked himself and probably drank himself to death. Although he wasn't an alcoholic or anything like that, but he had hi what Eleanor called his five C's. Every afternoon, yeah, oh, Manhattan or an old fashioned, or several of them.
And he he smoked way too much. He smoked two or three packs a day of Biltilis Lucky Strike cigarettes. But he had a good appetite, but being confined to a wheelchair had to take its toll on the man. Plus the stress of managing a far flung war, four sons in the service, a demanding although also also admirable wife. And supply and being part of the big three.
And Churchill, although he got along great with, He got along less well with Stallen, as of course did everybody. Uh he was a pain in the neck uh at at Yalta and later at Potsdam. Uh and it so it so all these things combined um to his untimely death. And at the end at the end at the at the time, He was in essence President of the World. You know, flags when he passed away, flags in Moscow flew at half staff.
But he was, you know, our government, yours and my government, we were supplying not only the American fighting soldier. on Sailor and airmen. We are also supplying the British soldier, the Soviet soldier with food and armaments. To anything we could do to prosecute the war against Nazi Germany and against the Empire of Japan. Uh so he was in essence the president of the world.
It was earth-shattering. I remember my mother Is 89 now and God bless her. She's still alive. But she was a little girl she was born in 1932. And the only President she ever knew was Franklin Roosevelt when she was fourteen, fifteen years old.
And she, like other school children, thought we only had three presidents. George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt.
So this was earth-shattering, and she didn't even understand the presidential succession role, how Truman would become president.
So Anyway, um i is th it was simply earth shattering uh when he passed away. And of course, then then Hitler uh commits suicide. And then Mussolini is taken down by the mob. Auschwitz is discovered, Buchenwald is discovered, Um the fight for Okinawa is raging. Uh the the uh the uh atomic bomb is being developed in Oak Ridge in Trinity, New Mexico.
So every day There is giant history happening In America. It just so happens that it just happens to be April 1945.
So I chose that for obvious reasons. But I didn't focus so much on the war in Europe or the war in Japan, although that's part of the story. But on the what was happening in America. the the cultural shifts that were happening in America, the politics, the economy, the sacrifice, everything that Americans were going through, I tried to include in this book. The book is called April 1945, The Hinge of History.
Craig Shirley, the author. He joins us on the Todd Starn show. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd Today. I'm struck by your comment that Roosevelt was president of the world. I think it's such a great characterization, and I compare it with the modern day.
Because back then, and I've done some historical work with regard to radio broadcasts of the time. You didn't have television, you certainly didn't have the social media, et cetera, you didn't have Zoom meetings and everything like you have today. I mean, it really did fall upon. That individual, the person in that role, if they could handle it. to really be the Singular figure that people looked up to.
I you don't have that comparison today is my point. You don't, but you you also Um you don't have a President with the force of personality like Franklin Roosevelt. I mean, Joe Biden, let's face it, is the munchkin compared to Franklin Roosevelt. He'll he'll be a one termer and he'll go down in history as one of our worst presidents. Uh whereas Uh I I subscribe to the philosophy or the the political theories of the author.
John Patrick Diggins, who in many ways was the historian of the left. Through all the 50s and 60s, she wrote books about the civil rights movement and about the women's movement, about the environmental movement, things like that. His last book, He was a professor at Berkeley and actually did battle with Reagan during the free speech movement in the 60s. His last book was called Ronald Reagan, Fate, Freedom and the Making of History. And in this book, This formerly left-wing professor says that Reagan Franklin Roosevelt, Abraham Lincoln and George Washington are our four greatest presidents.
Because they saved or freed many, many people. And that seems to be a very good criteria for judging the the success or failure of an of an American president. That is so stark in contrast with what we have now in our remaining oh, sixty or ninety seconds. What's the reaction been to the book since it's been out now not quite even a month, I guess? It it I don't deserve it, but it's been almost universally That it feels very good, you know, to uh I I worked on it for four years.
I loved every second of it. I I love writing anyway. But and I love American history.
So the the reaction has been very good so far, Jeff. Thank you. And I guess I'll ask then finally, and you've alluded to it, but. Are there parallels that with what you see today? And your study of the Second World War.
Are there parallels that cause Craig Shirley to be concerned? Yes. Putin is not Adolf Hitler. Um Here's stripping out sections of Ukraine. Are reminiscent of Hitler stripping out sections of Czechoslovakia, claiming that they were more Germanic in culture than they were Czech in culture.
Uh and also excuse me American public opinion was very much divided before december seventh, nineteen forty one. And American public opinion right now is very divided on how far and how much we're going to aid Ukraine freedom fighters. Although we have a history of helping freedom fighters, we've done it. especially under Reagan with the nicaro with the contras. with the Musha Adin, with the Velveta Revolution in Czechoslovakia.
With other freedom movements.
So I think we ought to view it in that context and aid them without. committing ourselves militarily aiding the Ukraine people as much as possible. with our laments Money, material. Humanitarian aid.
So there are You know, uh Santiana is right. You know, George Santiano, the famous Har Harvard professor, who said that You know, about history, we study history so as not to repeat it, but also to. Twain is right too, is that history doesn't repeat itself, but it is a faint echo of itself. the faint tracings of of of echoes of nineteen forty five and our present time. Also, just mere fact that we're now a totally isol uh internationalist country.
are almost internationalist country, and that was an outcropping of World War two, whereas before we were isolationist. Craig Shirley, your work is so wonderful. I am a huge fan. I thank you so much for taking the time to talk with us today, but more importantly, thank you for the new book, April 1945, The Hinge of History. My pleasure, Jeff.
Thank you so much. This was fun. It was indeed Craig Shirley joining us on the Todd Starn show. And the new book is April 1945, as he noted sort of the bookend to. The book that he did previously called December 1941, biographer of President Reagan, Speaker Gingrich, so many other things.
Craig Shirley joining us on the Todd Starn Show, and again, the book, April 1945. He joined us on the Patriot Mobile newsmaker line. Patriot Mobile And the website is PatriotMobile.com. Talk to you more about them a little later on in this hour. Right now, pick up whatever phone you have and call 844-747-8868 and join this coast-to-coast conversation.
Jeff Stein, filling in for Todd. Thanks for being along on the Todd Starn Show. You're listening to Todd Starnes. Um Mm. Um Oh.
Welcome back to the Todd Starn Show Coast to Coast. And streaming live at ToddStarns.com. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today. Craig Shirley. Does it get any better than that guy?
Holy cow, again. And what a wide variety of works. We mentioned the four biographies of Reagan. Biography of Newt Gingrich, biography of George Washington's mother, for goodness sakes And then these two books, these bookend books, December nineteen forty one and the brand new one, April nineteen forty five, The Hinge of History and What Great Perspective comparing where we are in society now, With where we were with the Second World War. It's really easy to say, oh, we're on the cusp of World War III.
Well, let's just look at history. And let's look at how things are either progressing or regressing. Craig Shirley, the book, april nineteen forty five. 844-747-8868 is how you can join this conversation here in the Liberty University studio. Plenty of time for your calls this hour and a full list of guests in our next hour, including the former acting director of ICE, Heritage Visiting Fellow Tom Holman.
And the producer and writer of a really neat documentary called Whose Children Are They? She is Deborah Flora. You may know her work from a variety of other things. And the short answer is: there are children, not. bureaucrats in government or school.
We'll talk with her coming up in our next hour as well. That conversation I had a few minutes ago with Craig Shirley was on the Patriot Mobile newsmaker line. Patriot Mobile, of course, is America's only Christian conservative wireless carrier. And now, more than ever, it's important to support companies and organizations that share our values and act on it. There was a time not all that long ago that people kind of tiptoed around certain topics.
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It's Patriot Mobile. That's PatriotMobile.com. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd. Your calls on the other side of this break. This is the Todd Starn Show.
Welcome back to the Todd Starn Show, Jeff Stein filling in for Todd. Halfway through the program on this Thursday, March 17th, 844-747-8868 is the number to call so that you can join this conversation, which comes to you as always from the Liberty University studio. Bob is using that number, eight four four seven four seven eighty eight sixty eight to call in from Moorhead City, N Carolina. Bob listening on the talk station. Thanks so much for taking the time.
Jeff Stein in for Todd. What's on your mind today, Bob? Hey Jeff. Yeah. all the talking heads on on T V are ringing our hands about the the Iranian deal and they're wondering why are we doing this?
Everybody ought to know that it's not a stretch to say Obama's pulling the strings behind Biden. He wants this third term. He said he did. Uh And you got to remember, Obama did this when he was in office. Uh and don't forget, Valerie Jarrett's.
Very interesting. are still in the hierarchy in Iran as far as I know. And she is the best buds To the Obamas for many years. And so Biden is just doing what Obama wants him to do. Everybody's questioning why we're doing it.
That's exactly why we're doing it. We're going to give it to him again. And to make your point even stronger, you know, it's not even Biden, it's everyone telling Biden what to do in that administration. I mean, there's no question that if you elected Joe Biden, I have my doubts, but let's just go with if America elected Joe Biden, he was Barack Obama's vice president for eight years. Why in the world would we not think it was the third Obama term?
It just makes too much logical sense. We're getting what. they promised we would have, right? Absolutely. One final point.
Yes. We're confiscating and wrapping up all this Russian oligarchs' money and ships and all the Russian bank accounts and all that stuff. I think we're out to hold all that stuff until the Ukrainian deal is over and Russia is defeated. then we sell all that stuff and give it to your Ukraine to rebuild our country.
Well, now that's an idea. It's going to take decades to rebuild. I mean, the destruction is just amazing. But if you think about it, when have we ever done things like that? I mean, did we take the Iraqi oil?
No. All of these things. I mean, do you have any confidence that the folks who are in charge now will actually take your very good advice?
Well, they they they don't we're not going to take it for us. We would take it to rebuild uh Ukraine that Russia destroyed. Yeah, well, I still, do you really think they'll even do that? I need for sad. That's the sad part.
He's giving Russia in the Iran deal. changed uh for a ten billion dollar contract to build a nuclear power plant in Iran as part of this deal. Yeah. You know, this is just crazy.
Well, you've you've really hit upon it, Bob. You're absolutely right. And thank you for listening to the Todd Starn show there on the talk station in North Carolina. And thank you for calling in to eight four four seven four seven eighty eight sixty eight. And, you know, I remember, and I want to talk to Ed in Georgia in just a moment, but I remember back.
When Hillary ran in 20 sixteen. It's amazing. I'm having a devil of a time keeping dates straight today. This is 2022, right? All right.
So the 2016 election is when Hillary wanted to be the nominee and lost. Thank you very much to Donald Trump. And because I'm in Iowa, we get the opportunity to talk to a lot of these people who are running for president. And so Hillary Clinton was on my program here in Iowa. And The thing that was so odd about it There were a number of things, but keep in mind she was.
You know, Secretary of State in the Obama administration. And my question simply was. Uh in essence, what is different About your presidency from the prior eight years. It was just simply a matter of: is this going to be stay the course or is it going to be something different? And the reason why I found her answer so interesting was It was a neutral question.
What's going to be different about you as president than? the current president, which was Obama. And she said, I'm not running to be anyone's third term, not my husband, not President Obama's. And I thought, Who in the devil brought your husband into this?
So you want to talk about this functional in-your-head kind of relationships. Instead, she just immediately. I'm not going to be anyone's third term.
Okay, what are you then? you know, differentiate it. But instead she brought her husband into the mix. And it's like I don't I was telegraphing it through the phone line. It is just very odd.
Just very odd. Ed, you're listening to this program in Georgia on WDUN. Thank you so much for calling the Todd Star and Show. Schaunstein filling in for Todd. What's on your mind today?
talk about what's happening in Ukraine and our gas price. I consider myself I consider myself an independent voter and I've been doing a lot of reading and a lot of research on what's been going on. And I realized that There has been a lot of misinformation going on when it comes to uh oil production in this country. A lot of people don't know this, but we became energy efficient under Barack Obama. Yeah.
And did the oil export. in this country. All right.
People are blaming this oil, the rise in oil prices on Democrats. But we became, like I said, energy efficient under Barack Obama. You know, then Now I'm reading that. We're producing more oil now than we ever did under Donald Trump. We're exporting record amount of oil.
So for people to blame the energy crisis on Democrats, I have to call that out and just say it's completely false. And when it comes to Vladimir Putin, One person Called him out, I think, five, six years ago, and her name was Hillary Cliff. Hillary Clinton called this maniac a killer. All right, and there was a big controversy. Republicans were criticizing her, calling her all the names in the book for For calling Putin a killer.
I haven't I mean, what's happening now is that Donald Trump has emboldened This psychopath to do what he's doing now by praising him for the last four years. All right? They want to blame what we did in Afghanistan by removing the troops out of Afghanistan. That's what Republicans have been saying. This is because we Biden's fiasco in Afghanistan.
Let me tell you something. That has nothing to do with what's going on in Ukraine. Because the world So Power. Of the United States when they went into Afghanistan, how they crushed the Taliban, all right? We gave the people of Afghanistan an opportunity for freedom Days fail.
All right.
We won't go babysit Afghanistan We gave them eighty billion dollars of equipment to fight off the Taliban, and the people of Afghanistan did not take that opportunity to fight for their freedom like the people of Ukraine are doing now against Russia. Ed, those are very strong thoughts. No, those are excellent thoughts. And it's an interesting perspective. I've made some notes and I've got some things to say about it, but I'll do it after we take this break.
844-747-8868. Ed with a lot of interesting thoughts. I'll respond to them after we take this break. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd. This is the Todd Starn Show.
It's the Todd Starns Radio Show. Thanks for being with us on this Thursday edition of the Todd Starn Show. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today. 844-747-8868 is how you can join this conversation coming to you from the Liberty University studio. Ed in Georgia had some interesting thoughts in the last segment, and the connections weren't perfect, and so that's why I did not respond to him directly.
And I apologize for that. That was a technical thing as opposed to anything else.
So let me make some comments now. You may have your own thoughts, and please do call with them. One of the things that Ed talked about is that that Putin was emboldened by Trump praising him for four years. And it has nothing to do with the withdrawal from Afghanistan during the Biden administration. All right, I don't know very much about all of this in terms of what's said on the world stage publicly, what's said behind the scenes, etc.
Here's what I know. Vladimir Putin did not move Into Crimea Until Obama was president. Vladimir Putin did not move into Ukraine until Joe Biden. was president.
So, in terms of the role of the Trump administration, In all of this. We were not Having to deal with dictators taking over other countries, we were not in war. during the Trump administration.
Now, if that means publicly praising someone. In order to get what you want and say things behind the scenes to suggest, don't mess with us.
Okay. Again, I'm just going with results. And we weren't on the cusp of World War III when Trump was president. I'm just saying. As far as the energy situation, I think the facts bear out.
That we were independent. When this administration started, and that now we are begging people like, Of all places, Venezuela And Iran were begging them. For oil. That doesn't seem right. But beyond that, the emphasis of this administration has been clean energy, quote unquote.
Well, the problem with that is we're not there at this point. If you want to say we need to get to certain goals. That's 10, 15, 20 years down the road. You want to work toward that, that's fine, but we need to have our homes heated now. We need gas in our cars now.
And the idea that so many of the things that are said, I did say this on my program the other day. And I think it makes sense. The only thing that those on the left and the right can agree on these days. Other than this stupid idea about daylight saving time. Just put that aside.
That's not worthy of conversation.
Some parts of the country, the sun won't be up until 8:30 in the morning. Get out of here. That is idiotic. In any case, the only thing those on the left and right can agree on is we need to be energy independent, so we're not held hostage. by people like Iran, Venezuela, whomever.
We need to be energy independent. Here's the difference. They come about it from very different ways.
Some say, then let's get the fuel to people that need it. If it means drilling, then let's drill. We can do these things. That's how we're independent. Those on the left say, let's just have electric cars and let's put solar panels everywhere and windmills everywhere, and there you go, now we're energy independent.
Well, okay. We have the same goal because we can't be held hostage by these other nations. How we get there is very different. And because of the fact that the current administration has this idea that we need to be energy independent with new sources And we're not ramped up to that point yet. That's what's causing the problem now.
You have to have a transition if, in fact, you believe in all of this Green New Deal stuff. You have to have a transition period. We don't. Their idea that you can just be in your ivory tower and say this is the way it's going to be, it isn't. Just like when I was here last month filling in for Todd, Another privilege to speak with you in SARS Nation.
And one of the callers said, Well, why can't you just turn these pipelines back on? It's not that easy. You had to shut them down. You let go your staff.
Now they just sit there. This was the, you know, let's cut down on these pipelines and whatever the Biden administration wanted to do.
Well, you cannot just flip a switch and everything comes back on. It takes time to ramp up.
So there's a theoretical world. And there's reality world. And in reality world, Things are much different. The sky is still blue, the grass is still green. But it isn't just theory.
It's hard reality. 8447-47-8868. I'm so glad Ed did call in with. What some of you may find to be a contrary view, because that's the whole point of a program like this. Let's have a conversation and be respectful about it.
And if you disagree, you disagree. But at least you're smarter for having the conversation.
Well, this is an awkward transition. Smarter is not exactly what I would say about this piece of audio, which I've not heard, but I'm told it is going to pay off. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the President of the United States today. Go. I may be Irish, but I am not stupid.
I married Dominik Jacopa's daughter. Oh yeah.
Okay. This is the part where On the internet. On the Twitter machine or the Getter machine, people would start posting clips of people shaking their heads saying, What? You know, the cartoon character that just kind of shakes its head wildly. What?
Play that again, Kyle, would you please? Or it may take a while to re-rack.
Well, the quote. Is Joe Biden wearing a green necktie, probably with shamrocks, and he's got greenery hanging out of his suit coat? Fucking Get a pocket square, okay? Plants are not pocket squares, Mr. President.
His quote is: I may be Irish, but I'm not stupid. What what? But it's not a surprise, by the way. Remember in 2019 when then candidate Joe Biden Was in my state of Iowa, and he said poor kids are just as bright and talented as white kids. Remember that?
Poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids. Once again, ladies and gentlemen. Eighty one million votes. Let's go to the phones: 844-747-8868. TP is calling in from Georgia.
Hey, thanks for calling. What's on your mind today? I just want to go along with what you're saying and add something to it about the green energy that they're trying to ram down everybody's throat. What I feel the Republican side has not done well Is they have not pounded at home what it takes to create these batteries, where the resources are coming from, the amount of energy and fossil fuels it takes to mine that stuff, and then what it will take to manage it. Over time, these batteries, when they catch a fire, you cannot hardly put them out.
Secondly, the resources it takes to come up with all of this stuff. is overwhelming. And so the average American with their income less than 70,000 a year is never going to be able to afford. electric car as they market it right now. And I really haven't It to loop it all back into what I've said before when I called in, Until they put term limits in office, you have people that get in power in Washington that are all of a sudden smarter than everybody else.
They're not the common people anymore. They live a previous lifestyle. They ride in limousines and chauffeurs and live in two separate homes. The average American would never go to Washington. and try to ramrod electric power down everybody's throat because like you said, the transition period is nowhere close.
No workloads. No, that's right. And such excellent points, especially on the batteries, TP. I appreciate it. We're up against the brakes, I have to let you go.
But I'm so glad you made that point. Again, theory? And reality. theory and reality.
Some of you are calling in saying I should have taken the caller Ed to task on things. And as I mentioned, we are having a little connection issue, and so I did not have the opportunity to engage with him in dialogue. And hopefully, during this segment, we've kind of responded to a number of those things. Hey, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates. Should you care?
We'll talk about it with Heather Zumaraga coming up after the top of the next hour. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd. Thanks for being along. Another hour coming up of the Todd Starn Show. Live from the Liberty University Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, it's America's conservative blowtorch.
That's it! That's right. I love this American. Todd storms. Wherever you're listening across this, the greatest nation God ever blessed, welcome to our number three of a Thursday edition of the Todd Starnes Radio Program, coast to coast of more than 100 outstanding radio stations and streaming live at ToddStarnes.com.
Hello, fellow Patriots. This is Jeff Stein coming to you from the free state of Iowa and my home base at Todd Starnes Affiliate, News Talk 1540, KXCL, Cedar Rapids, and Waterloo, the 50,000-watt blowtorch, scorching Middle America, with accurate news and reasonable views. Lots of guests to get to from the Liberty University studio this hour, but hopefully we'll have time for your calls as well.
So place the call. Starnes Media will pick up the tab at 844-747-8868, 844-747-8868. We'll try to get to some of your calls in the next segment. But joining us now on the Patriot Mobile Newsmaker line is Heather Zumaraga. She is a financial analyst.
You've seen her on Newsmax. You've seen her on Fox Business. She is a contributor both places. She is also the author of The Man's Guide to Corporate Culture. Heather Zumaraga, Jeff Stein, filling in for Todd.
Thanks for joining us on The Starring Show. How are you? Hey, Jeff, I'm good. I may be Irish, but I'm not stupid, right? Happy St.
Patrick's Day. Yeah, heavens, heavens. I had a green necktie on, and I want to take it off and throw it away after all of that. All right.
You've been kind enough to come on my program in Iowa. I think it's the first time that you've been on this program, the Todd Starn Show. Let's talk, first of all, about the action taken by the Federal Reserve yesterday and why anyone listening in Starnes Nation should care. Right.
Well, marking an end to a historic wave of stimulus that was enacted when COVID began, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates one quarter of one percent. And if you're thinking, well, why does this matter? They're going to continue to raise interest rates. They signaled about six more interest rate hikes this year. And that impacts everything from your mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, student loans, savings accounts, C Ds.
If any of us have any money saved right now with a bank, you're lucky if you get a half of 1 percent. And you can blame the Federal Reserve for that.
So while the ten-year Treasury, which is that benchmark, that all of these other loans that you may have, they really look to movements on the tenure to determine how much they're going to charge you as a consumer. And the tenure has headed a little bit higher, 2.17 percent, but still nowhere keeping up in pace with Inflation, they're 40-year highs. This is the thing that I tell people, if you did not get an eight percent raise at your job last year, you're losing ground, and I don't know too many people who got eight percent raises. No, they didn't. And that's the problem.
So you may feel richer. Let's say you got a maybe a five percent wage gain. For most Americans, if you see your check go up by that, it's actually a net negative when you factor in the cost of goods and services.
So when you go to the grocery store and your grocery bill's off the charts, when you go to the gas pump, I mean my goodness.
So if inflation's running at seven percent to eight percent, And let's say your wages, which this is accurate for most Americans on average, have risen about 5% over the past year. It's a net negative. You can't just look at it by itself. You have to look at the price of goods and services that you're buying. And then at the end of the day, your take home pay, and when you factor in taxes as well, you really don't have that much left.
And that's why inflation has become the top political threat, I think, to Biden and congressional Democrats as the midterms draw closer. Speaking with Heather Zumaraga on the Todd Starn show, Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today. HeatherZumaraga.com is the website. She's on the Twitter machine at HeatherZuma. All right, so the Fed was taking certain steps.
in the first two years, shall we say, of COVID, to try to counteract the ill effects of that.
Well, now inflation's a big deal.
So now we're talking about increasing the rate They meet, what, seven times this year? Are we going to see an increase? All of the things staying pretty much the same, are we going to see an increase each and every time? And might it be more than a quarter point? I had heard somebody say they might have done a half point this week, but it was only a quarter.
What do you think? Right.
Well, it should be. I mean, I would argue that they are what's called behind the curve, meaning they should have raised interest rates a lot sooner. Most Americans, I think in general, we can all agree we want to get past or we are past this COVID pandemic, and so we shouldn't be operating on crises emergency measurements from the Fed and the government near zero percent interest rates.
So, yes, seven interest rate hikes for this year, but if you look back to two thousand four to two thousand six period, the Federal Reserve actually raised rates 17 times.
So, seven sounds like a lot, but they are doing it like baby steps, a quarter point at a time. And hopefully, that will get them caught up because the problem is, if you're at home and you're wondering, well, who cares if interest rates are near zero outside of your obvious savings interest, you can't get anything. If you're saving money or putting your money under the cash under the mattress, it's not a good investment. And the reason is, it encourages risk-taking.
So people, retirees and baby boomers, are forced to. turn to the stock market and say maybe even cryptocurrencies and put their money in volatile asset classes because you have nowhere else to hide.
So I mean, that's a very big and dangerous problem when you're encouraging excess risk taking, which was the cause of the two thousand eight housing collapse when banks and borrowers were leveraging and taking out more loans than they could afford and all piling into the housing market.
Well, that's such a smart reference point. And you don't want to take your money and stuff it into one of Mike Lindell's pillow toppers. I mean, you know, that's not helpful at all. All right.
So now you brought something up that I did want to ask you about if we were able to have you join us, and I'm so glad that you did. All right, I hear people say that the stock market, quote unquote, the stock market is still doing very well because there's no other game in town. And then I hear others say, well, there's the whole crypto world and now you've got Biden trying to get in the middle of that. I mean, this is a difficult thing for people who either are of a certain age to where they don't have decades to recover from losses. This is this is just a difficult thing for people to know what to do with their money, provided they still have some with inflation.
You're right. Aside from stuffing it in your pillowcase, I mean, I don't advise investing in Bitcoin or cryptos unless you have, let's say, five percent or ten percent of disposable income that perhaps you're still working, you're not retired, and you can withstand the types of volatility in those asset classes. The whole appeal to Bitcoin is that it's not regulated by a central bank, for example, or the government, and that there is a finite amount.
So unlike the printed dollars in the U. S., our federal debt and deficits going up every single day, Bitcoin has a finite amount. And that is the appeal. But it's not a good place to be if you're counting on that money tomorrow to live off of.
So I think you continue to stay well diversified in the stock market. You can't just hold cash when there's massive inflation. If and when interest rates head higher, you move out of stocks into bonds so that you get a better return on your savings. And the way it looks right now, interest rates are headed a lot higher. I mean, the story always used to be stocks go up, bonds go down, vice versa, but that hasn't been as true in the last few years, has it?
No, it hasn't. If you can believe it or not, despite all the Ukraine, Russia geopolitical tensions, the Federal Reserve raising rates, inflation at forty year highs, the stock market is having its best week in twenty twenty two. It's having the best week this year. And I really think that's because there is no alternative. There's no place else to go.
And you couple that with inflation. There's excess liquidity out there. You can blame the Fed. You can blame Congress for printing all this trillions of dollars in stimulus. I hope they get some of that back and go after the people that abused the policies under Paycheck Protection Program, for example, that PPP program.
But there's just too much liquidity out there. And so until that liquidity has some place to go, the stock market continues to head higher. Exit question for Heather Zumaraga here on the Todd Star and show Jeff Stein filling in for Todd. usually when there is an economic issue.
Alright, like you mentioned earlier, 2008.
Well then there can be economic measures taken to counteract that. The Fed can get involved, you know, etc. But we had the economic downturn initially because of COVID. Are economic and it's complicated now by Russia and Ukraine, obviously, and a change in administration and all of that, but can the traditional economic measures like the Fed getting involved, is that going to be adequate? Or if we're just relying on the Fed to fix things, is that a false sense of security?
It is a false sense of security. But the reason I'm stressing the importance of the Federal Reserve's move to raise interest rates yesterday is because they've kept it near zero and lowered it versus letting it do what it should do. The I guess a normal interest rate is usually GDP plus inflation, so it would be significantly higher than it is right now. And so that's why that's step one is let's have the Fed stop buying bonds. There's no rational argument.
If you can believe it or not, they're still buying mortgage backed securities. Has anyone tried to buy a home or a rent lately, the prices are sky high. It's out of control.
So we don't need that market that area of the market or that industry being propped up. But you're right, it won't be enough. And unless we get spending under control with the federal government, that's also a big problem. Although we put a pause on passing some of these like Build Back Better stimulus programs, it's still not enough. Like I said, there's excess liquidity.
And the problem that would be worse than inflation, Jeff, is that The pattern is similar to the stagflation dynamic that made the economy of the 1970s miserable for so many Americans. And what happens is you have unemployment, which goes up.
So people lose their jobs, the economy slows down, but yet the price of goods and services is still sky high. And that's a bigger problem to have than inflation. And of course, that's called stagflation. I think the U.S. economy is growing steady enough.
Right this moment, but a year from now, or even six months from now, could another recession be on the horizon? Yes, perhaps. And with higher inflation, that's a very dangerous dynamic in play. Oh, that is great analysis, but frightening at the same time. Heather Zumuraga, thank you so much for the excellent insight and taking time to talk with us today.
I appreciate it greatly. We'll talk again soon. Thanks, Jeff. You got it. Heather Zumaraga, financial analyst, contributor on Newsmax and Fox Business.
Her website is heatherzumaraga.com. That's where you can get her book, The Man's Guide to Corporate Culture. Follow her on the Twitter machine as well at HeatherZuma. 8447-47-8868 is our number. We, of course, spoke with Heather Zumaraga on the Patriot Mobile newsmaker line.
We'd love to hear your reaction to anything you've heard so far. We'll take calls in the next segment. Tom Holman about immigration at the bottom of the hour. Deborah Flora, a documentary producer, about children, parents, and school districts, all still to come on a full Third hour of the Todd Starn Show. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd.
Thanks for being along on the fun fest today. This is the Todd Starn Show. Uh From the front lines of the Culture War, it's Todd Starns. Thanks for being along on this Thursday edition of the Todd Starn Show. Coming to you from the Liberty University Studio.
Jeff Stein filling in for Todd 844-747-8868 is the number that Patty used to call in from North Carolina. Patty, thanks for taking the time. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd. How are you today? I'm good.
How are you, sir? I'm doing very well.
Now, I want to set something up before I let you talk, and that's because people come in and out of the program. Last hour, we had a caller by the name of Ed, and he took issue with a number of things that some folks have thought with regard to energy, Mr. Trump, and Mr. Putin, etc. And you'd like to respond to that.
So that's the setup. The floor is yours, Patty.
Okay. Well, first of all, That's misinformation. I was paid $1.87 under Trump in North Carolina.
Now I'm paying four hundred thirty three. For gas. Yeah. Okay. Now, as far as Hillary Clinton Putin a murderer?
What about Has anybody forgotten about Benghazi?
Well, they all forgot about it. They've all forgotten about it. They all forget about you know what and not only that, I cannot believe that Jake Alexander is still on the T V. Who are you talking about? On the T V I'm talking about when Hillary It's just like the the whole gas thing and I it just drives me crazy.
When you hear these these i these these people that are so far off saying Everything's Trump's fault in the beginning. I don't care. It could be from 30 years from now. It's Trump's fault. Joe Biden doesn't get nothing.
He the guy yesterday, he finally calls Putin a war criminal. Really? My God, we know he's A war criminal. You have to be under a rock not to know that. He did Crimea.
He did Crimea. He did Georgia. And my God, we know he's a war criminal. But these people, how come they're still that he's still going to go through in Iran, he's going to do the the Iran deal, and guess who's involved with that? Cool.
Well, yeah, they're negotiating it. And and your point about the war criminal, first of all, A breaking news alert, quote unquote. The Secretary of State of this country now has called Putin a war criminal. Once again, thanks for catching up. But it was so ridiculous yesterday where a reporter from Fox, Jackie Heinrich, asked Biden if Putin was a war criminal.
He looked her in the eye, he said no, walked away. Then obviously they said, You must not have heard her right.
So he comes back and he said, Wait, did you ask me about Putin? And then she repeated it. And then he said, Yes, he's a war criminal. He had no idea. I mean, what are you doing responding to questions you didn't hear?
And if you did hear it and somebody had to correct you, you're the blasted president of the United States. You don't have AIDS correct you. It's just absolutely ridiculous. He doesn't even know where he's at. I'm sorry.
You know what? It's embarrassing. I don't even. I watched them. I watched Tony.
I watched the Blinken. This guy couldn't. They're all off the. I'm just saying. It's embarrassing.
And, you know, for that gentleman to say that we were in the gas dependent under Obama and Hillary Clinton. My God, Hillary Clinton. I mean How? How long do we have to hear about Russian collusion? She likes.
She's a liar. She's a liar. Mingro's here. come from Is she's a liar? And they're all going to go.
I'm telling you, if we take over the House and they're saying these spineless Republicans, and I'm saying it right now, and I'm a conservative, but I'm going to tell you something. These spineless Republicans. because the Democrats, I got to say one thing for the You know, you might might say, Oh, they're they're they're They're crazy, they're bad, but they stick together. They do. They do.
You can't you can't get any light between them. Patty, I gotta take it. They stick together. The rhino the rhinos of what we got and and everybody's stabbing each other in the back. If y you know what?
We gotta wake up because if we don't wake up, They're going to just keep on going and going and going. Yep, you're right, Patty. I got to take a break. What a great call. Thank you, Patty, for calling in from North Carolina.
I just love to hear different points of view. Because then the truth comes to the top. Even if somebody else was wrong, you fix it, you make the correction. This is why these shows are so great. Stick around, Jeff Stein in for Todd.
This is the Todd Starn Show. Welcome back to the Todd Starn Show. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today. Todd is speaking to young people at various locations on the West Coast. He'll be back here Monday.
My privilege to be with you here today and tomorrow. Joining us now on the Patriot Mobile Newsmaker line is Tom Holman. Mr. Holman is former acting director of ICE, currently a Heritage Foundation Visiting Fellow. Been my great privilege to speak to him on my program here in Iowa in the past.
Mr. Holman? Jeff Stein in for Todd. Thanks for joining us on the Starn Show today. How are you, sir?
I'm doing fine. How are you doing? I'm doing very well.
So I don't pay much attention to what presidents say in State of the Union messages, but this was a real whopper. Joe Biden saying he wants to secure our border. The numbers from the most recent report certainly. Certainly don't match up, do they? No, it isn't insult.
It's an insult to every man and woman that wears that green uniform, a uniform I wore back in the day. That's how I started. to say we need to secure the border. Look, he he inherited the most secure border this country has ever had under President Trump. And he systematically dismantled it within weeks.
and we ended up with historic illegal immigration crisis.
So he didn't say to secure the border when he, in fact, unsecured the border, first president. In our history, every came in office and unsecured the board. I worked for six done with Ronald Reagan. Every one of them had some idea how to secure the board, some more than others. But no president ever unsecured a border until Joe Biden became president.
It hardly is the thing that even people who may have voted for him would have expected, especially given the consequences of just having this wide open flow of people from God knows where coming up on our southern border. What are some of the true atrocities that should concern every American, the repercussions of this?
Well, that first of all, the doctors are off borders. They did their own study. 31% of the women. That make that journey get sexually assaulted by the cartels. Children are dying.
Cartels are making billions of dollars on the fentanyl and heroin trafficking across the border. And look, when you create an immigration crisis like Joe Biden did, a humanitarian crisis, Almost 50%, 45% to 50% of the board patrols pulled off the line into processing centers to process people because you're overcrowding the facilities. When they do that, tap the boards and encourage it. And it's not a coincidence. during a year of historic illegal migration.
We have historic Overdose deaths from fentanyl. And the DEA is on, they're on record saying 95% of the fentanyl is coming across the southwest border. Of course it is. The border's half guarded. Let me give you two examples people don't so you can really put this to to to to bed.
I when we had the fifteen thousand Haitians under the bridge in Del Rio, They pulled every agent in the sector in there to process these people from under the bridge. It spent 224 miles of border. were unprotected for weeks. Not a single border patrol agent Within 224 miles of border. Same thing happening in Yuma.
So look, the border is porous. Half the agents are taking off the line. Every detail agent from the northern border they send down there is sent to the processing center, not to the national security duty on the border. And this isn't accident. This isn't mismanagement.
This isn't incompetence. This is by design by this administration. This is open borders. It could not be this much incompetence. It's clearly by design, as you note, and the hypocrisy with regard to the physical health of people in this country, you've noted that we have these silly mask rules for airplanes, but yet we have no way to stop the flow of all manner of disease coming in to our southern states.
No, and you're right. COVID just is just the latest, greatest, right? When I was a director, we're catching people with T V, right? And we had one guy we had customer remember, he had a strain of T V That was unrecognizable, untreatable. No known drug could treat this strain.
So we worked with the CDC, Texas Department of Public Health. try to come up with some sort of cocktail to treat this man.
Now what if he would have gotten to the American public?
So T B, measles, chick I had to shut down facilities because of measles and chicken pox. I mean, COVID is just the latest. What's really irritating about COVID, though, is this administration knowingly Knowingly, release COVID-prosed people, put them on buses and airplanes. But you and me got a mask up and that the country is pre virtually shut down and So we had all these requirements and they want everybody to get back.
Meanwhile, they're not testing and vaccinating migrants coming across the border. Let me tell you the latest, it's going to shock you. You know who the U. S. government is vaccinating and testing?
Those they returned to Mexico on the Return to Mexico program. They're testing and vaccinating those posts because Mexico demanded it.
So it seems like this government is more concerned about the health and safety of. Of the people of Mexico than they are about the United States. That is a fact, and it is highly disturbing. Mexico doesn't want those people back unless they've been tested and vaccinated, and you'd think the policy of this country would be even stronger. Let me ask you, Tom Holman, former acting ICE Director.
What's the morale of people who wear that uniform as you so proudly did? The morale is non-existent. Look, these men and women, I admire them so much because they're still going out there every day. putting that uniform on, putting their lives on the line, with all the drug trafficking going on, all the all the guns being tra trafficked, all the violence you see, especially in Mexico right now, these are brave men and women who they bet they feel abandoned by the President. They feel abandoned by their own secretary because he still doesn't admit the borders out of control.
The president, in his first speech as president, said that the last administration let children. starved to death on the banks of the Rio Grande River and did nothing about it. What an insult to men and women put their lives online every day. They had over 8,000 slaves last year. They saved 8,000 lives.
These men and women need to be honored. They're patriots for the finest 1% this country has. And this President and this Secretary have turned their back on them. That's why you see these leaked tapes to town hall meetings. Where the secretary and the chief patrolies go out there and they talk to these guys, and they're frustrated.
They're letting it go. And since they got no chief and no secretary and no president, they're leaking videos to the American people. That's the only way they can speak out to the American people. What's really going on? All they're looking for is some answers.
When the Secretary of Homeland Security meets with the Border Patrol sector, they want to know what's the strategy here, what's the plan here to secure this border? But they don't hear any of that. All they hear is either you accept the policies of administration or resign. It's terrible. There is no morale left in the Border Patrol.
But like I say, they're still out there defending this nation as best they can. They're very difficult. situation.
Well, God bless them for doing that in our final 60 seconds. This is rotten from the head, quite obviously, but what's the first thing if you had the power you would do to try to bring some order to this? I already see. Look, I've had meetings with President Trump. I told him he comes back, I'll come back.
And the next thing, first thing we'll do is reestablish the Trump policies that resulted in. In a 40-year low illegal immigration. Illegal migration was down 83%. How many women didn't get raped when it's down that much? How many billions of dollars did Carsel does not make?
How many children did not die? How many U.S. citizen children didn't die of overdose drugs when the border is secure like it was?
So what we would put the truck policy back in place tomorrow, and we secure the border in a week. Tom Holman, I am privileged to have the conversation with you once again, and I hope that you are back in charge as soon as possible. Thank you for the time, sir. Transcribed me. Tom Holman, former acting ICE Director.
He's now a visiting fellow with the Heritage Foundation. Just amazing, amazing stuff. All right, he joined us on the Patriot Mobile news line here on the Todd Starnes radio program. I am very happy that I get to talk to you about this organization. I haven't had the chance to talk to you one-on-one about this group before.
Obviously, Todd has, and we're talking about AMAC. That's the Association of Mature American Citizens. This is the organization that stands up for you and the future of America. Very clear agenda, not one that kind of subverts what we believe. AMAC is the conservative voice for mature Americans.
They do stand up for the causes that you and I and all freedom-loving Americans share. By joining AMAC, you'll combine efforts with more than 2.3 million members that share your values. You'll get exclusive benefits like discount on travel, cell phone plans, and more. Here's what you do, please: AMAC.us slash starns. That's amac.us slash starns, and join or renew your membership to AMAC today.
For just $16 a year, you can. Be a member, it is high time. And that last interview just made the point. We need to protect faith, family, and freedom. You can do that by joining AMAC, amac.us/slash starnes, and take a real stand for yourself and for America.
Break time now, back on the other side, Jeff Stein filling in. This is the Todd Starn Show. It is Radio Free America. Todd Starnes. Welcome back.
Final segment of this Thursday edition of the Todd Starring Show. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today. If you go to this website, WhoseChildrenAreThey.com, you'll get information about a new documentary entitled, Whose Children Are They?, exposing the hidden agenda in America's schools. And joining us now on the Patriot Mobile newsmaker line is the producer and writer of Whose Children Are They, Deborah Flora. Ms.
Flora, Jeff Stein filling in for Todd. Thanks for being with us on the program today. Jeff, it's great to be here.
Alright, tell us about this documentary. These are some brave folks who stood up in front of a camera and told it like it is. Tell us about it. You got it, absolutely. We have been working on this documentary for two years, over eighty interviews, over one hundred and twenty hours of footage all over the country.
And there are brave teachers, there are empowered parents, Courageous students and frontline experts. And what we have decided to do here is we've created a comprehensive expose of what's really going on in our public school system and what we can do about it. Because too often in the headlines, you hear one story about CRT, or maybe a separate story about explicit over-sexualized sex education, or maybe something else about gender fluidity in kindergarten. But the reality is they're all connected, and we wanted to make that clear so this movement, this parent uprising, can actually reach the critical mass so that real change occurs. This is the sort of thing that I think surprises those of us who don't have children.
We don't really know what's going on in some of the schools, but I dare say many parents didn't know the extent of it until COVID when all of a sudden everybody was hunkered down at home, especially in some of these larger cities. Did you find that there was a great deal of surprise? Perhaps even you were a bit surprised by the depth of this?
Well, definitely. That's why it's been occurring really, is because parents, grandparents, concerned citizens did not know that's been by design because so much of it's been hidden. Jeff, I actually started Parents United America as an advocate for parental rights and the innocence of children about three years ago when I found out what was in the comprehensive sex ed. And I worked to help introduce Said curriculum transparency legislation. But a lot of people weren't even aware of that.
It was finally during COVID when parents were home because they were busy, you know, they're working, all of that. But when they were home and they ended up seeing online what their children were being taught, and that's when really the sleeping giant was completely awakened. And that's why you saw last summer so many people testifying at their school boards. I was one in Douglas County, Colorado, where we flipped our school board because finally parents saw firsthand that which was being hidden from them. That was primarily CRT, but that's what we wanted to show people.
connecting the dots that this is happening in many areas of our public education. And ultimately, the teachers' unions and their ideological partners are the ones who are pushing it and trying to shut parents out. Deborah Flora is producer and writer of Whose Children Are They. The website could not be simpler, WhoseChildrenAreThey.com. She's joining us on the Todd Starn Show, Jeff Stein filling in for Todd.
I love this because not only do you explain it, you show the trailers, etc., but there are tools so that people who are interested in this topic can actually take some action and spread this message. Talk about that, please. Oh, absolutely. I mean, the point of this is certainly to bring it into awareness, but then also to galvanize people to take action. Because that's really what we feel like this movement needed was to drag it all into the light, get people to that point where things do change.
So yes, this is more than a movie, it is a movement. And there's So much that everyone can do. Teachers can learn how they can stop being bullied by the teachers' unions and have a mass union exit. Parents find out how that they can flip their school boards. Find out if your school board candidates are backed by the teachers' unions.
If they are, then that's who they're serving, not the students and the parents. Can support legislation where the tax dollars follow the student and not the system. And most of all, find out what is actually being taught. There's a lot of different options in education now. And while we want to make sure that we do truly reform our public education system, this will empower.
parents to make the best decision for their individual students. Once again, that's really an interesting point, and I want to dig into the weeds just a moment on this dollars following the students, because I think, again, so many folks just aren't aware. They say, well, we can put our child in a different school, take them out of the public schools, but if you can get a state legislature. to pass a law like they're talking about doing in my home state of Iowa where dollars follow students, that's going to have the huge impact because these monolithic school districts are all about power and money, so this is going to hit them where they live. It will indeed.
I mean, the reality is there's been a monopoly with the government-run schools, and wonderful people who are home schooling or put their children in private school if they're able to. What happens is they end up paying twice. They're paying taxes for a failing public school system while also having to pay or educate their children themselves. That's just not right. It's not something where the government should be dictating that there's only one option.
And honestly, the thing the situation of this is it benefits most Underprivileged or challenged families, if there's a single parent or inner city or minority or those who are struggling financially, this benefits them the most because frequently it's in these urban centers where the schools are failing the most. And yet, those are also the parents who have the least resources frequently to make a different decision for their child.
So every argument against this is a straw man argument. And by the way, studies have shown that where there is school choice, there is also an increase in the pay for teachers in public schools because competition just naturally breeds a better education, more desire for those who are working, et cetera.
So it benefits everyone. Oh, heavens, not making people work and actually compete and be better. We can't have that. WhosechildrenArethay.com is the website. Whose children are they is the documentary.
30 seconds for Deborah Flora, producer and writer of Whose Children Are They? How can people get this in front of like-minded people and make some change? Yes, absolutely. Thank you so much for asking, Jeff.
Well, we did premiere nationwide this past Monday in theaters, over 760 theaters around the country. And then we are going to be moving into a premium paid streaming platform here shortly. But the way you find out about it, go to whoschildrenarethey.com. That's whoschildrenarethe.com. Sign up for the update, and you'll be one of the first to know when you can view it.
But by the way, you can also right now during this window, set up a special screening at either your church or community center or school.
So there's many ways to see this documentary. That is what has to happen. People have to get involved. Deborah Flora, thanks for joining us on the Patriot Mobile newsmaker line. And best of luck, thanks so much for this work.
Whose children are they? I appreciate your time today and this documentary. Thank you so very much. I really appreciate it, Jeff. Deborah Flora joining us on the Liberty uh from the university's All right, let's try an English sentence this time.
She was joining us on the Patriot. I almost got through three hours today without a complete meltdown. Oh, I'm sorry. She joined us on the Patriot Mobile newsmaker line. We are speaking to you from the Liberty University studio.
And if this last 30 seconds didn't foul the whole deal up, I'll be back here tomorrow filling in for Todd. Mr. Starnes is talking to young people, high school students, college students on the West Coast in California, spreading his message of common sense conservatism one-to-one with that important new generation. And for those of us, again, I pay taxes for schools. I need to know what's going on in them.
That's why WhoseChildrenAreThey.com is a great website to go through with a message that should be spread all over the place. All right, Grace has already got a great guest list for tomorrow. Thank you, Grace. Thank you, Kyle. Thank you, Mr.
Starnes, for giving me the opportunity. Most importantly, thanks to all of you for listening. Jeff Stein, in for Todd on the Todd Starn Show.