Are They Starting To Listen?

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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 Ride. Wherever you're listening across this, the greatest nation God ever blessed, welcome to our one of a Thursday edition of the Todd Starnes Show, coast to coast on more than 100 outstanding radio stations and streaming live at ToddStarnes.com. Hello, fellow Patriots.

Jeff Stein from News Talk 1540 KXCL in Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, Iowa, filling in for Todd again today. We're crossing our fingers that Todd will get sprung from the hospital soon and will be back as early as Monday. But it's my privilege to be with you today for the next three hours. If you were listening yesterday, you heard Todd call in, sounding great, and so back on the mend and hopefully again back behind the microphone on Monday. But we get to have a coast-to-coast conversation today, and I always appreciate that opportunity to be here in the Liberty University studio.

Give us a call if you would. Plenty of time for your calls in this hour, in particular, at 844-747-8868. Same number as always. It's 844-747-8868. Coming up on the program today, we are scheduled to speak with Governor Scott Walker, return guest to the program.

He's president of the Young Americas Foundation. Obviously, he knows a lot about presidential politics, having been a candidate for president, and his home state. Of Wisconsin. They've got a pretty important Supreme Court election coming up. Governor Scott Walker leads off our second hour, one hour from now.

I'll also introduce you during the next hour of the program to the new Attorney General of the State of Iowa. Her name is Brenna Bird. She is a Republican who unseated a 40-year Democrat incumbent. And already you can tell the difference in terms of tone and aggressiveness coming from that office. And I want you to hear.

Her, because it's inspirational for states around the country. We've talked for a long time about how Secretary of State positions are so important because they control elections. They are very important. But how about the Attorney General's Office? They're the ones that will file suit against a federal government that encroaches on your rights.

They're the ones who will defend pieces of legislation in court. And you have to make sure you have everybody on the same page. She'll tell her story of how she is now in office and what she is doing. That's coming up at the bottom of our second hour. Papa John of Papa John's Pizza Fame joins us in the third hour and will also speak in hour number three with one of the authors of a book entitled Taxes Have Consequences: An Income Tax History of the United States.

It's published by that great Post Hill Press. Imprint. Brian Domitrovic is one of the authors. The economist Arthur Laffer is another. And I was interested in having these folks on the program because I happened upon a book event that they had done that was being carried on C-SPEN.

The three authors were there, and it was just fascinating. And it is the material we need to rebut those who say our financial problems in this country would be solved if we. Increase taxes on business and tax the rich, by the way, whatever that means.

Well, they have done research. and can show you How that is nothing more than a political talking point and actually destructive to the economy. Brian Domitrovic. One of the authors of Taxes Have Consequences coming up in our number three of this program. Again, 844-747-8868.

Give us a call and let's hear what's on your mind.

So much that's in the news. One of the things that happened today in Washington. Is the U. S. House passed an energy bill?

What's interesting about that, to a large degree, is the fact that. four Democrat members of the House. crossed over. and joined Republicans. Yes, House Republicans lost a vote, but the thing passed in the House with four Democrat votes.

That, by the way, is called a bipartisan piece of legislation. by those in the know.

Now be really honest with you. I don't know that four Democrats crossing over is really, quote, bipartisan when you have 200 in the chamber. But if the now formerly mainstream media wants to say that the moment one Republican crosses over, it's now a hugely bipartisan bill, well, then I suppose what's good for them is good for us.

So, four Democrats. Joined the Republicans in the House. and have passed this energy bill.

Now the way that the Washington Post phrases this Uh the Republican led House at least they said led If you've listened to me on this program before, you know that I care about words. And often entities like the Associated Press would say the Republican-controlled House. as opposed to Republican led. because they're trying to get this little stuff in your mind. By the way, my radio station just dumped the Associated Press.

I was tired of it. It was tired of all the bias. Back to the point, though. The Republican-led House passed a sprawling energy bill that would increase oil drilling and roll back parts of President Biden's climate agenda with an aim of lowering gas prices before next year's elections. The Post article goes on The bill has no chance in the Senate, and Biden has vowed to veto it if it ever reaches his desk.

Then they point out that the House now is adjourning for a two week recess Easter coming up, of course. The standoff continues over the debt limit. The Senate will be going into a recess. Biden has no public events on his schedule today, but he is touting new measures related to electric vehicles because, of course, that's the be-all and end-all of everything. And Kamala Harris is still on another continent.

All right, so here's what I find interesting. Those four Democrats did not have to cross over. Bill still would have passed. What do you think? These Democrats who have to run for reelection, what do you think is going through their minds at this point?

As they see Biden and his administration flailing and being, frankly, inconsistent. Look at that bill. that originated in the house passed With, I think, a few Democrat votes, passed in the Senate. The bill that would have softened criminal penalties in the District of Columbia. Biden signed that bill.

that prevented the softening of the criminal penalties in the district. Oh, did that make the House Democrats mad But Biden's worried about himself. or whoever's pulling the strings on the marionette known as Joe Biden. 2024 is coming up. Can't be soft on crime.

Because they know it's a weak spot for them, given these big city mayors who have absolutely no problem with crime increasing by double-digit factors in their cities.

So Biden let that one slip through. All of these House members left out to dry. Then there was the bill. that would have indicated that investors The people who control your funds. the people to whom you are owed what is known as a fiduciary duty.

In other words, they have to invest in the way that is most appropriate to maximize. the investment to get you the biggest return. most safely.

Well, ESG rules That the progressives want say, you know what? Maybe maximizing profits isn't. the best way to go with an investment vehicle. Maybe we should let these people invest. For other reasons.

because of how woke the entity is. In other words, what the Biden people wanted, what the Democrats wanted, the progressives. They wanted you to look at your investment statement, your retirement fund, something perhaps you cannot control. Because of the fact that it was put in by your employer, your estate employee, etc., whatever it is. And you cannot manage the investment.

They wanted to say it was all right for your investment to not grow. to its maximum level, So long as the people doing the investing had their hearts in the right place. That passed In a bipartisan way. In the House and the Senate, Yet Joe Biden chose that bill The one advocating ESG as being a-okay, He chose that bill for his first presidential veto. Two years in.

So now you have this energy bill. Because I don't know about you, but I'm paying a dollar more a gallon for gas. Then when Joe Biden took over. We already know that inflation in this country. Is still four times more than when Donald Trump left office.

It was as high as six times more.

So it's still horrible, just not as bad as it was last year. Oh, great. That's the margin for success? That's how we measure these things? Oh, yeah, it's still horrible, but.

Not as bad as it. was That's like starting the fire. And then putting it out in part of the house and saying, well, at least the fire's out. In the bedrooms? No, you started the fire Biden and all the spending, that started the inflation fire.

So you now have this idea of the House wanting a broader energy bill dead on arrival in the Senate. That's what experts like the Washington Post will tell you. Chuck Schumer probably says he won't bring it up either. There are other bills that have passed the House that Schumer is not even going to have a conversation about it. At 5149 majority You know, that's pretty powerful.

Which it really isn't 51.49. I'll come back to that in the next segment. I'll make myself a note to remind you about how fragile that. Democrat majority is in the Senate.

So now they're all on recess. Here's the point of the whole thing. At a time when more and more Democrats are crossing over. To join Republicans to actually get things done that will help the American people.

Now there's this break. How many lawmakers are going to hear from constituents? In a peaceful civil way, at community meetings or whatever it is. This is the time they're supposed to be home meeting with constituents in the district. Or in the State.

How many voters are going to say to some of these Democrats, this is ridiculous what you people are doing? How many Democrats may come back from Washington scratching their heads and saying, you know, I've been here in the swamp. And everybody in the swamp says that these bills have no chance. But people back home want them. Gosh, I don't know what to do It's a really powerful thing.

we the voters talking to our representatives. And I would suggest to you that the ESG bill passing in a bipartisan way was one example. I will suggest to you that this energy bill coming out of the House with Democrat support is another example. of how maybe, maybe, And I'm only holding my fingers apart just a little bit, my thumb and my forefinger. Maybe there's a little hope.

that these members of Congress These swamp monsters are actually going to be listening to the American people. and it won't simply be. What the marionette Joe Biden and the strings that are pulled to control him, what they say they want. Could be really fascinating going forward because. We've got an election coming up sooner than later.

We have to hold on to that. And we have to worry about election impropriety. But Right now. You have to let your lawmaker, even if you think they're on your side, bolster that. It's calls, it's emails, it's civil conversations at meetings.

All of this is civil. It's easy for them to dismiss. You know, somebody's screaming and yelling a crackpot. Like somebody on the radio. No, you want to be more civil than people on the radio.

You want to send a polite email, make a polite call. You want them to know how you stand, even if you think your member of Congress or Senator is with you. Because how in the world will they know Because the other side's going to be active. You need to be active too. Be active on these phone lines.

How about that? 844-747-8868. When we come back, I'll take your calls and I'll also tell you why that Senate majority is really, really not a majority. All that coming up, Jeff Stein filling in for Todd. Thanks for being along in this edition of the Todd Starn Show.

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Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today from the Liberty University Studio. Todd hopes to be back on Monday. Steve Gell will make the trip across Tennessee to be in the flagship studios in Memphis for this program tomorrow. And by the way, I know when you hear Toby Keith do the music at the top of the show, and the big voice guy says, Here's Todd Starrings, and then you hear it's some guy from Iowa. You're like, ow.

I mean, when I was growing up, I would stay up late at night, and watch The Tonight Show. With Johnny Carson. He was also from Iowa, and so there was a little kinship even for young me, and so I'd watch the monologue and then see who the first guest was before toddling off to bed. And so you'd you'd hear the music and it Was building, and then Ed McMahon would say, It's from New York or later from Hollywood, it's the Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson, and you're ready to hear the guest list, and then you hear Ed say, Johnny's guest host tonight is and you just say wow That's not what I wanted.

Well, I understand. I'm right there with you. And as soon as Todd can get back here, hopefully Monday, we'll all be much better off. 844-747-8868. So, in short, I understand your disappointment, but we will do the best we can, and we have tremendous guests to help carry the load in our next two hours.

I want to remind people of something with regard to this Senate majority. 5149 is what they always say. With the idea that the vice president is the tiebreaker. According to the Constitution, the Vice President is the tiebreaker on a tie vote. Keep in mind, there are 49 Republican U.

S. Senators. There are only forty-eight Democrat US Senators. There are more Republicans than there are Democrats. In terms of party affiliation, card carrying, designation.

49 Republicans, 48 Democrats. There are three who are independents, Now obviously Kirsten Sinemo was a Democrat. Bernie Sanders, depending on whether he's running for president or not, can be a Democrat.

So the idea is that those three independents. Will side with, not necessarily caucus with in all cases, but side with the Democrats. That's how you get fifty one forty-nine. I think it's important for us to remember the fragile nature of the coalition that they have. Because for example If one of the declared Democrats Moves to the Republican side.

And again, this presumes that Republicans hold on to all their votes, and there are enough swamp monsters there that that may not happen. But how did the ESG bill get passed, the anti-ESG bill? 'Cause Joe Manchin said this is stupid. I'm not gonna I'm not gonna support Progressive investing against people's will. You want to go do it on your own?

Fine. but not have it thrown down somebody's throat.

Well, now that flips the balance again. It is really helpful to remember that this Senate is forty nine Republican, forty eight Democrat and three Independent. It is that close and don't let them tell you any differently. Your calls after the break at 844-747-8868. Thanks for being along on this Thursday.

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MyPellow 2.0 temperature regulating technology is 100% made in the USA and comes with a 10-year warranty and a 60-day money-back guarantee. Just go to mypello.com/slash starns. That's mypello.com/slash starnes for the buy one, get one free. Welcome back to the Todd Starns Show. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today.

Listen on the radio all across the country. The stream is at ToddSterns.com. Or if you like to keep it in the palm of your hand, download the app for the flagship radio station, the Mighty 990 KWAM, the station that Todd owns and operates in Memphis. You just go to wherever you get your apps, right? The Google Store or the, I don't know, the Five and Dime, wherever you get your apps, okay?

And just search for KWAM, download it, and you can hear this program and all the great Mid-South Conservative programming on the KWAM radio app. We're coming to you from the Liberty University studio. We have guests coming up in subsequent hours: Governor Scott Walker, Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, Papa John from Papa John's Pizza Fame, and Brian Domitrovic, co-author of a book called Taxes Have Consequences. They'll all join us on the Patriot Mobile newsmaker line. And Patriot Mobile, this is such a great country.

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That's patriotmobile dot com slash Todd or call nine seventy two Patriot again nine seventy two Patriot. I was looking during the break. At some of the reaction to that bill passed by the U. S. House today on energy.

Four Democrats voted for it. Prior to the final Passage of the bill, there were some amendments.

Now again, this is called the Lower Energy Costs Act. And one of the amendments would limit Chinese or other foreign nations from purchasing American farmland that is used for energy development.

Now we're talking about ethanol and biodiesel production here. 407 members of Congress voted. 407 members of the House voted in favor of this amendment. To block foreign purchase of farm ground. one hundred eighty four Democrats voted in favor.

So, when I was talking to you in the first segment today about You know, we might get some bipartisan stuff if these people are running scared in their reelection attempt. Think this is an example. How many people out there are concerned about China? How many people are concerned that China would be purchasing our food processing plants, which they already have done? Purchasing parts of America of American farm ground used to feed the world.

They own that ground and what is produced from it. That is as powerful a weapon as any bomb. And if they control parts of our farm ground that could be used for energy purposes through biodiesel and biofuels, again, should we allow the CCP to be buying up literally parts of America.

Well, 184 Democrats thought there should be limits on that as part of this energy bill. Damn. I was here, uh, what?

Well, last week of December and then some in January as well. The the House speaker thing was was bubbling around. And I told you then that I was not a big fan. Of Kevin McCarthy. I just did not think that he had the the solid principles.

that it took. In other words, his goal was to become speaker, it was not to act as speaker. I just didn't think he had the same reasons for wanting the gavel as some others. I will say based upon How things were handled today. Maybe he's rising to it.

I hope I've always hoped I was wrong. If he's going to have the gavel, then by gosh, let's get to it. He was asked at the Press Gaggle after the bill passed, before everybody scatters for two weeks. He was asked about This controversial energy bill. And his response was, quoting now.

We had a bipartisan vote here, so what's controversial? Unquote. Bravo, mister Speaker. This is something I ranted about in another context a while ago. I keep hearing formerly mainstream news media coverage of various bills by talking about this controversial piece of legislation.

That's code. That's code for Democrats don't like it. If a Republican proposes it, It's controversial. If a Democrat proposes it, Well, that's common sense legislation right there. What does controversial mean?

If it is something that a large majority of people think is a good idea. Is it really controversial? And recall what I said in the first segment, and I'm sure Speaker McCarthy was listening to this program in his office before he made the statements to the press. I'm sure that's right. Where they talk about bipartisan votes, when one Republican crosses over for a Democrat piece of legislation, oh, it's a bipartisan bill.

They don't like to say that when it's the other way.

So you had four House Democrats cross over. to vote with Republicans on the Lower Energy Costs Act. But the Formerly mainstream media. Says it's a controversial piece of legislation, and they're not going to say that it's bipartisan. Because it doesn't fit their narrative.

It's only controversial. if Republicans propose it. as opposed to Democrats. I tell you these things. Because We, many of us, grew up just to believe what we heard.

read or saw in the media. We believe it. Because we didn't have reason to think otherwise. We now have ample evidence to show, quote, otherwise. And so we have to up our game, folks.

We have to be much more wary of use of subtle words, inflections, etcetera. Just go with the straight facts. Get information from multiple sources. It's the best way to go. 844-747-8868 is the phone number.

That's how you can reach us in the Liberty University studio. And that is the number that Anna called to call in from Georgia, listening to the program on the Great Starnes affiliate, WDUN. Anna, thanks for calling in. Jeff Stein here. How are you?

I'm doing it. Jeff. I hope you're doing well. You sound you sound formidable and I just wanted to say something. I I was born in fifty one, right after the Second World War, so I'm gonna I've been kicking the r the kicking the can down the road a long time.

And I thought about this when you were talking about the amendment with the Chinese. This is just a shit. Damn. things to even consider. But can you imagine what it was like back in the forty four to forty seven even before then, 1939, when the Third Reich was taking over the world, Can you imagine them even suggesting that they would want to buy any land no matter where it was in the United States of America?

That would have been some kind of an insane suggestion. You know, I I I can't believe that that would be okay with anybody, irregardless. of where our representatives, what side of the aisle they're sitting on, They they need to be looking at each other saying, Oh, hello. I don't think so, not today. We're not doing that.

Because we're allowing the energy and I'm sorry, that's the name. Then the name is the enemy. They're trying to get through to us. They're trying to find out our culture. They even tried to placed one of their companies over there in Ohio several years ago, and it just didn't work out.

You know, you're right. You're right on when you say, you know, Uh this is not a good idea. It just isn't Just for vanity.

Well, first of all, Anna, you sound pretty formidable yourself, if I may say. You're very kind to call in. But this is the tell me what you think about this. This is the hook on it. If I own a piece of ground and I want to sell it to someone, I really don't want government telling me who I can sell it to in one respect.

But if it means The security of our nation is at stake? At that point, I think government needs to step in. Sh Yes, um, they should step in because they're of buying for the people. That's what our government is. It's not of, by, and for the politicians.

We place them there. They're a little confused. about their priorities. And I see crews and I see Bobert and I see all these other people just really coming out now, the Republicans just really coming out. You know, when I hear, because I listen to Todd every day, when I hear people say, well, you know, the Republicans got to do more.

Oh, they're doing it good. They're getting out there and they're doing it and they're telling people. And they're questioning the motives of our politicians. And I'm I'm just I'm just really jazzed about that whole thing because for a long time we didn't do that. But the government, I'm a real estate appraiser.

And uh I live I live in North Georgia. And all I could show advocacy to is my work. I can't have the government tell me what to do, although they do have like HUD and USDA. have um re requirements that you know just to protect people But that's all the government should be there for is to protect us. And if there's if they want to sell Government, if they want to sell any land, private or government, to a known enemy.

They're not representing us the way they should. How's the market holding up down there given the rise in interest rates?

Well, I'm just going to back right now from a final inspection that I did. And I'm holding my own. I'm an independent fee appraiser, which most of us are. Um And it seems to be okay. It's not too bad.

I mean, people are very Americans are very creative. And so a lot of them are buying cash. They're they're taking their money and they're buying it they're buying homes and they're putting it in a real property. But, you know, it would be better if if we had you know, we went a long time, Jeff, without um without money for uh uh without paying for money. And uh in the long run.

It hurts in the long run. Having to pay for this, though. I am so glad you called, Anna. I appreciate it greatly. Thanks for listening to the program, and thanks for calling in.

You have yourself a great afternoon. You keep up. Thanks. All right, Anna, calling in from Georgia on the Todd Starn show. What a great call.

And again, see, that just shows you we have people out there in this audience. You know this, but I like to point it out. good hard-working people. And the politicians need to hear from you. As you call in on the show, they do hear from you.

And we're starting to see a little more life out there. And again, respectful, fact based conversation, But this is no time to sit back, 'cause the other side isn't going to. Sit back. You can depend on that. More of your calls after this break.

It's 844-747-8868. That's the number to call on this coast-to-coast conversation. Jeff Stein filling in. Thanks for being along on the Todd Stern Show. Welcome back to the Todd Starn Show.

Jeff Stein here for Todd today. We're hoping Todd is back on Monday. Steve Gill will be behind this microphone tomorrow from the Liberty University studio. Coming up in our next hour, just after the top of the hour, Governor Scott Walker of Young America's Foundation will join us. Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, also next hour, to talk about how important it is for Republicans to hold Attorney General seats across the country.

She flipped a long-time Democrat seat from blue to red last November. That's in our next hour. There are a couple of things that I have over the course of time. Thought to myself. I don't want to say that they're principles or guiding principles necessarily, but it just seems to me that the number one goal of a politician is to get elected.

The number two goal is to get re-elected. And I would suggest to you, friends, in Starns Nation, that if you Use those as the guiding principles. It explains an awful lot of behavior. The number one goal is to get elected, the number two goal is to get re-elected. Why is it?

That you saw Biden in the last six months go against some of the progressive ideas. Criminal sentencing reform in DC, for example. Talking about opening up some drilling. Whatever happened to those declarative. No, no, no, there will not be any more drilling, the angry old man said as he looked for his afternoon tapioca from the nurse.

I mean, it's.

Okay. It's not a surprise. And it appears that some of these Democrats are starting to listen. And by the way, there are plenty of Republicans who don't listen either. And so, as they're out on this Easter break or spring holiday or paid vacation, whatever they call it.

Oh, it's work time in the district. Yeah, that's it. Whatever it is. Try to understand that they just want to get reelected because they love the job and they love the power.

So How that translates to action today may not mean that's how they're going to be in three years. Once they're. Safe. From The danger of being thrown out of office. I'm just saying we need to understand their key motive.

Do they want to help we the people? I would like to think they do. Do they want to help themselves first?

Well, aren't we all kind of looking out for ourselves to some degree? I'd say politicians far more. There is another principle that I've thought about and developed all over time, and that is When there is a primary Each side Campaigns to the extreme. because you have no independents involved, generally in a primary, you have the most partisan individuals.

So Democrats run to the left to get the nomination, Republicans run to the right to get the nomination, and then after the nomination is secured, they sprint to the middle To be more appealing to a broad cross-section of voters.

So, when you hear some of these campaign promises. Whether it's in a primary or general election, I think what you have to do is say, all right, are you going to hold true to that? The entire way through? Or are you going to be one of those that changes his or her mind or views? to be what you really are.

as opposed to what you say you are. We may. Interesting. because you know what their goal is. My goal is to have you come back for hour number two.

I'm Jeff Stein, filling in for Todd. This is the Todd Starn Show. Live from the Liberty University Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, it's America's conservative blowtorch. That's right. I love this American ride.

Oh, it's star. Wherever you're listening across this, the greatest nation God ever blessed, welcome to our number two of a Thursday edition of the Todd Starnes radio program, Coast to Coast, on more than 100 tremendous radio stations and streaming live at ToddStarnes.com. Hello, fellow Patriots. I'm Jeff Stein, filling in for Todd today. We're looking for Todd perhaps to be back behind the microphone as early as Monday.

Good to be along with you from my home base, Iowa's home for the Todd Starnes Show. That's News Talk 1540 KXCL in Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, Iowa, the 50,000-watt blowtorch, scorching Middle America with accurate news and reasonable views. Coming to you from, as always, the Liberty University studio, give us a call, please. Continue this coast-to-coast conversation at 844-747-8868. 844-747-8868.

We'll take your calls in the next segment. But joining us now on the Patriot Mobile newsmaker line is the former governor of the state of Wisconsin, currently president of Young America's Foundation, Scott Walker. Governor Walker, Jeff Stein in Iowa for Todd. How are you, sir? Hey, Jeff, great to be with you.

Before I was in Wisconsin, I grew up just north of there for about seven years. I was in third grade in Plainfield, Iowa.

So you can always go into Waterloo to go to the happy chef. in town there. Pretty cool stuff. I had forgotten that. The last time you and I connected on this program, you did tell me because I live down the road from Plainfield in Denver.

So, yeah, we're this is old home week.

Well, you certainly knew your way around the state of Iowa when you ran for president. What are some of these people who are considering the 2024 run? What are they going through now, say, what, 10, 11 months before the Caucasus?

Well, right now, as you know, in Iowa, New Hampshire, I'd throw in South Atlanta, Nevada, but particularly in Iowa, New Hampshire. Uh and sometimes some of the elites out in Washington and New York, like To mock the early caucus in primary states. But as I saw firsthand, both as a candidate and many times as a governor and just as a voter in the Midwest. I've seen that folks in Iowa and in New Hampshire in particular, those two states take it very seriously. And so you got to be there.

You got to people want to kick the tires. They want to ask questions. Yeah, you can't fake it. And uh th that's where it's really, really incumbent for people who are serious about this. to get there and not just be raising money to put ads up, but to actually talk to people about things that matter.

And right now, rightfully so, Donald Trump, President Trump is the frontrunner, deserving the right to do that based upon his record of just wildly of wonderful accomplishments during his four years as president. But it ultimately won't be up to me or any other pundit. It's going to be up to the voters. And so whether it's him, Nikki Haley, maybe other people like Ron DeSantis. Mike Bompeo, Mike Pence, who knows who else might get in, but there's a lot of great candidates, but it'll ultimately be up to the voters.

Well, to that point, there's a group in Iowa called the Faith and Freedom Coalition. They have an annual spring event, and they invited no fewer than 20 individuals. To come and speak, all of whom have at least kicked the tires or declared a candidacy or used to run for president in a past cycle. I mean, that just shows the depth of the bench on the Republican side, does it not? Oh, there really is.

You listen I mentioned just a few names. You could throw others up there. Other governors, Greg Gabbitt, Chris Sununu, people like Tim Scott. There's just a lot of real I mean, compare that to the lack of a bitch. On the other side, I mean, Joe Biden's a joke.

Kamala Harris is a bigger joke. You look at Gavin Newsom kicking around the idea. I mean, this guy, if you if you want to look at failure, you look at California. I mean, this is I love the Babylon B when they put up his picture in the in the background that says he's U-Haul's number one salesman of the month, move people out of California. Their track record is abysmal failure.

Uh but we can't take it for granted. I mean, the fact and there's anyone who doubts Just because they look at the incompetence of Joe Biden, that this isn't going to be a tough election. They'd only look at Pennsylvania and say, how did they elect John Fetterman?

Well, there's just. particularly amongst younger people. It's why I met Young America's Foundation. 18 to 29 year olds Put John Fetterman in the United States Senate. Over 70% of them in that state voted for him as incompetent as he is.

And they're very well in these battleground space. Could be the difference. come twenty twenty four in the presidential election.

So we cannot take anything for granted. Young America's Foundation is online at YAF.org. Governor Scott Walker is President of YAF. He joins us on the Todd Starn show, Jeff Stein Filling In.

So, in your home state of Wisconsin, I've been seeing a lot of social media posts about a Supreme Court election coming up. What's the story on that? Yeah, it is the most expensive in state's history. It's probably. Going to be the most expensive in the history of the country for Supreme Court races in states that have them.

You've got two diametrically opposed candidates. One, Justice Dan Kayley, who I pointed to the bench back in 2016. This guy is like a scalia on the state Supreme Court. He's brilliant. He is a judicial conservative.

Why I stress that is he's not a conservative activist. He's someone who understands, as he rightly should, that the jo the role of the judiciary is to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law, and no more, no less, versus someone.

Someone who's, we've seen liberals before, but we've never seen a candidate be so outspoken in their radical activism out there. A Milwaukee County district, former district attorney's office member, that member, that's the DA's office. that let the uh the guy who r ran down to Waukesha County, they they let this guy out in low cash bail and he killed all those people in the Christmas parade. She comes out of that office, she's now a judge in Milwaukee County. Janet Protosevic, I call her no job Janet.

She is someone who's got a horrific record. I'm not putting violent criminals, people who rape children, people who've raped even a guy raped his own aunt, just horrible, horrible criminals. She's soft on when it comes to sentencing. But this woman had gotten millions of dollars from George Soros and people on the left and and West Coast and East Coast. And they're pouring dollars into this state Because if all the things are at stake, and she's flat out said she's going to repeal our reform.

We're pushing back. It went from a big gap To now, where Kelly's just down by about two points. But Tuesday is going to be the key not only for Wisconsin. But arguably, if it comes to redistricting, it could affect who the next speaker is. This is one of the things, and it's sort of a theme by accident in this hour of the program, given the guest list, but.

It is so important, is it not, at so many different levels to make sure that in essence business is being taken care of. Because for example, when there was concern about elections, all of a sudden, we focused on who the Secretary of State is. And the Democrats did that, and it worked pretty well for them. And now there's an increased focus on states' attorney generals, attorneys general, to make sure that an out-of-control administration half a continent away is kept in check. I mean, this is just very important at all levels.

You cannot just simply take for granted many of these seats anymore and assume that, say, well, there's a Republican governor, everything will be okay. 100% right. I mean, even at your local school board, a friend of mine likes to say that it's more important what happens in your house in your community than what happens in the White House. Obviously, the White House that occupant is incredibly important. But if you worry about your kids and your grandkids and their education, you got to put the right people on the school board.

You got to put the right people in the state legislature to give families educational opportunities. And when it comes to states like mine in Wisconsin, where they elect members of the court, Members of the judiciary, you definitely got to be involved. It can't just be the name that's the most familiar out there because of yard size. Do your due diligence, do the research. In this case, in Wisconsin.

Like I said, it could have national implications. She wants to throw out The legislative and congressional boundaries that were drawn by the legislature, people actually elected by the people. and instead put in uh her own map and She aligns with the radicals out there. You know, they could do classic gerrymandering where they put little slivers. one of the big cities out to the suburbs of rhohar is.

and potentially put as many as three seats currently held by Republicans at risk in the next election and that in a closed cycle. could be the difference in the twenty twenty four election per speaker. There's a website, justicedanielkelly.com, just as you might expect it would be spelled, justicedanielkelly.com. I say that to the national audience because there's a button on there where you can contribute financially if you're so inclined, and it might be something you want to consider this weekend as we speak with Governor Scott Walker, President of Young America's Foundation, YAF, on the Todd Starn Show. You know, I it used to be.

Governor, on the college campuses. And I went to school at the University of Iowa. It's pretty much a liberal hotbed. You know, Madison, you had the same situation there. If someone who did not fit the left wing narrative came to speak on campus.

There might be some pickets outside. There might be some protests. There might be complaints about how public dollars are being spent from a speakers bureau. But it's nothing like today. Where these folks try to stifle free speech, Through all means, whether it is physical violence, bomb threats, et cetera.

I really am concerned about the future of free speech. At places where, by definition, we want to have voices expressed. Yeah, free speech is something guaranteed in our Constitution. It's a right given to us by God, but defined in the U.S. Constitution.

It's why, when we go to court, we always win in these instances, but we shouldn't have to go to court because of all places. A college campus should be where it's revered. Yet today, in most college campuses, public and private institutions alike. It is under attack. If you are anybody right of Stalin, Your voice is stifled on campus, whether you're a speaker, whether you're trying to put together the organization, whether you're just a student trying to hear them.

I mean, for goodness sakes, we're in court right now. over a case at a state institution in New York State over a guy named Art Laffer, a good down Tennessean. He used to be from California, Ronald Reagan's advisor. He's eighty one. He's the most jovial guy.

I just love listening to his passion about free enterprise. And yet a bunch of radicals literally grabbed the mic out of his hand when he took the stage, and instead of taking them out, the police escorted Dr. Laffer out. This shows you how completely insane. We saw it at Stanford Law School a few weeks ago.

I've actually spoken to that campus enough to deal with protesters, although. I got to tell you, I got a little experience with 100,000 protesters in my state capitol, but in each of these instances, you know, whether it's Ben Shapiro, Matt Wallace, Katie Pavlich. We get more speakers. On the conserve side on campus, and any other organization in the country, we are constantly fighting. the administration, even with signed contracts.

To get our speakers to a point where they can be heard. But we, I always tell kids. If you're under attack, YAF's got your back, yaf.org. We will go to court, we will take it to the last mile. To get things done because we are not going to be stifled, and it's just ridiculous.

We have to go to court over this. YAF.org. And over on the right-hand side, nice little red square that says support the cause. You can click there to do just that. Mr.

Laffer is the author, one of three authors of a new book called Taxes Have Consequences. We'll speak with one of his co-authors at the bottom of the next hour. Governor, as we've been talking. My wife and I used to love that happy chef in Waterloo as well. I hate to tell you this.

There's a bank there now. I'm not sure that's progress. I'm not sure at all that that's progress. When I was a kid, I used to love going front, push the little button, and the happy chef guy would talk to you. It's pretty cool stuff.

Oh, the kids today don't know what they missed. Governor Scott Walker of YAF Young America's Foundation, great pleasure to talk to you, sir. Have a great afternoon. Thank you. Keep fighting for freedom.

Absolutely. YAF.org is the website for Young America's Foundation. Actually, as I was talking to the Governor, I I looked up. To see when did the happy chef go away? It's been 10 years, and there's a depressing picture on this webpage of a crane knocking it down to put a bank there.

Like I said, that's not progress, people. We need cracker barrels, we need happy chefs.

Well, it's a rant for another time. Join in on that rant if you'd like. 844-747-8868. That's how you can reach us. We'll take your calls in the next segment.

Jeff Stein in for Todd, and this is the Todd Stern Show. Welcome back to the Todd Starn Show. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd from the Liberty University Studio. Wallace is listening to the program on North Georgia's News Talk. He's called in today to talk about Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas was before Congress yesterday, Wallace.

Thanks for calling. What did you think about that testimony?

Well, mister Catz, thanks for filling in. You always do a great job whenever you're there. I hope Todd's better real soon. We're thinking Todd'll be back on Monday. What else is on your mind here?

Alright, so I would love to be the person or have someone ask the question to mister Majorkis and all those like-minded. Sir. People are breaking down your door. Their arm. There is more than one of them, and they got things.

that can take you down and your family. On your table. You got a cell phone. You got peace shooters, you got spitwads, you got a slingshot, a bow and arrow, you got a pistol, a revolver, and you got a semi-automatic rifle. which one are you going to pick up first?

And here's the second statement, the follow-up statement. Don't tell me What I can have Tell me what the threat is, and I'll tell you what I need because I and every person on this planet has the right to defend himself. And his family and and his belongings. That's innate, that comes from the Creator, and it's enshrined and protected by the Second Amendment.

So mister Majorcus and all of those crazies, What you gonna pick up? while you're waiting for the law enforcement to show up if they do. What? But it's different, isn't it, Wallace? They're part of the elite class, and so they have protection.

They have all of this, right? I hear what you're saying. I hear what you're saying. But don't call yourself a public servant if you ain't going to serve the public who's paying your salary. You're a self-servant, and you're getting on my last good nerve, Mr.

Majorcas. And Mr. Biden, and if anybody, you know, let's ask this question: you want to talk about. Domestic terrorism. Uh look in the mirror, Mr.

Majarchus. There you go. You're the domestic terrorist and all of those people who are invading the privacy and the homes at five thirty in the morning of good law abiding citizens who haven't been convicted of anything and ain't even been accused of anything yet. They've just been invaded with So-called law enforcement. Those law enforcement agents need to look in the mirror every night when they go to bed and say, did I do what I swore what my sworn duty is or not?

And if you ain't doing it, you need to go somewhere else and find a different line of work. Excellent thoughts, Wallace. Thanks for calling in from North Georgia today, listening to WDUN. And what Wallace is talking about just exposes the double standard of these things, right? Because if you phrase it like most Americans would, like he just did, all right.

Mr. or Ms. Big Shot Washington official who wants to talk in doublespeak? What if it's your family? What if it's your home?

Are you content to say Well, I can't imagine someone's bursting into my home. The government said the border was secure. No, you're going to take care of your family. Public servants Are in positions to take care of us. And when they do not take care of us due to incompetence or due to malicious intent, then they must peaceably be moved from office.

They need to either leave or there's an impeachment process. Simple as that. Voting is an important thing. We'll talk about why when we come back. Thanks for being along.

Jeff Stein, in for Todd. This is the Todd Starn Show. Welcome back to the Todd Stern Show from the Liberty University Studio Coast to Coast. I'm Jeff Stein filling in for Todd. Then, good luck, Todd.

We'll be back on Monday. We'll take your calls in the next segment at 844-747-8868. I'll say that again for you: 844-747-8868. I want to tell you about a situation that we had in my home state of Iowa. and a Republican governor, You had a Republican House, a Republican Senate, and a Democrat as Attorney General.

This caused no end of issues. in terms of enforcing state law. surviving challenges or defending challenges to state law, suing a presidential administration and the federal government.

Well, last November, Iowa voters Turned away a reelection bid by a forty-year Democrat incumbent. and instead elected Republican Brenna Byrd as Attorney General for the State of Iowa. And Iowa Attorney General Byrd joins us on the Patriot Mobile newsmaker line. Thanks so much for taking the time. How are you today?

Oh, doing great, thanks.

So, the situation that I outlined I think was pretty accurate, pretty neutral, but it even got to the point where there was going to be legislation to require the Attorney General to get permission from the governor to do things, et cetera. It really was a mess. Talk about how important it is to have a Republican in your role now as opposed to the past 40-plus years. Yeah.

Well, it had gotten so bad that my predecessor, the longtime Liberal Democrat, was constantly suing the Trump administration in ways that were not consistent with what Iowans wanted. But then when we had the Biden administration, he would refuse to stand up for Iowa.

So one of the things that I did on my first day in office was to join those lawsuits. We always should have joined the vaccine mandates. We joined lawsuits to stop them. Biden's student debt cancellation. We joined that lawsuit.

And we have worked on a number of other lawsuits since then to stand up to the federal government and hold the Biden administration in check. And it goes even beyond some of those things. It has to do with just defending laws passed by the state legislature, which I thought was the job of the Attorney General, irrespective of parties. I thought that was part of the job to be the state's lawyer.

Well, that's right. And that was what the problem was. My predecessor just wasn't doing that job anymore and had refused to continue defending our state's heartbeat law.

So when I was elected, that was another law that we made it clear to our Supreme Court that the full force of the Attorney General's office will come behind defense as our pro-life heartbeat law in Iowa. Brenna Bird is the Attorney General for the State of Iowa Republican, joining us on the Todd Starn show. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today. Obviously when someone Takes over an elective office, and it's a change in party. And we should note your predecessor had been in it two different times with a four-year gap, which was also filled by a Democrat.

So, again, we're nearly a half-century of Democrats in the Attorney General's office. That's got to be a sea change not only for the operation of the office, but how that plays out in terms of. Assisting prosecutors and law enforcement throughout states if you want to take care of crime. Oh, it's a huge sea change because the big change we have made is that we back the blue in our office. We support our law enforcement, our prosecutors, our local county attorneys.

We are there for them. We are supporting them and helping to enforce the law. And we also stand up for crime victims, too. It's really hard when someone goes through a situation where they're a crime victim. And it's important that we support our law enforcement right now, given everything that they are going through.

And I'll just say it, the national media's hostility towards law enforcement. I believe that our law enforcement are heroes with a good heart. You were a county prosecutor before you became Attorney General. You had also worked in the Capitol as an attorney for prior administrations. What's the political mood these days in terms of trying to get things done?

Is it as adversarial as some in the national media would claim? Or do you find there are still enough good people out there in the heartland to take care of business the way it should be done?

Well, I do believe we have good people here and people are working on it. It doesn't make it easy, though. It's never easy to get something done, it seems like. But as we are working forward in Iowa, we have gotten some great things done. We have school choice in Iowa done.

We have a number of major things that have been able to happen in our state. And the process is kind of messy sometimes, but I feel like in Iowa, we're moving in the right direction.

Well, and once again, as I recall, once uh COVID hit, This state of Iowa was the first one to really open up, especially with regard to schools. We have summer high school baseball and softball, and our kids were playing when all of these other schools just kept shut down with mass for up to a year and a half or more after that, and you're a mother. I mean, you've seen how the actions of government can greatly impact positively and negatively the next generation. Oh, it really does. And it was I'm so glad that our governor made it clear that our schools and our legislator made it clear too, would be open for business and that kids would be able to learn in the classroom.

It sure makes a big difference. And I'm the mom of a six year old kindergartner, so I know how important it is for little kids especially to be in person. They certainly can't learn over Zoom or through T V or through videos. Kids need to be together with other kids and in the classroom in order to learn. I wanted to have you on the program because I thought it was a great example of voter impact.

And the preface for this is: you know, at some point in the past, Democrats didn't like how elections turned out, so they started working to elect secretaries of state because they're the ones in charge of elections. And we see what a mess that has become. In other words, their plan worked.

Well, it's not just the governor's office, it's not just secretary of state. You're the state's lawyer. And so, this is another really important seat. for the voters to pay close attention to. Do you find as you connect with people across the country, people are starting to figure out just how important the role is in terms of charting a course for the future?

I think people are because they are understanding that when we have an out of control administration in Washington, D.C., the last line of defense is your state attorney general. And so we work together across other states, other like-minded AGs and stand up to the federal government. People are starting to understand the key role of that office. in I'll just say it, enforcing the law and constitution on the federal government. I never thought it would come to this, but they need to follow the same rules as everybody else.

And the state AG office, that's the one that can force them to do it.

Now, I know there are some, and we had it here in the state of Iowa, where you are an office holder, where I work, where we both are born and raised. We had a situation where. When the Attorney General doesn't want to act in court Well then the state's got to go pay somebody else to do it. And that just becomes even more of a burden for taxpayers as well. Oh, it really does.

I mean, it's a mess when the Attorney General's office is dysfunctional and not doing the job. It's an important role these days because it seems like most of the laws our legislature passes, given that the liberal interest groups can't defeat them in the legislature in Iowa, they instead wait till the law passes and then take it to court.

So the defense in court is just as important as what the legislature is doing. And we want to make sure we have the best lawyers in our office working hard to defend and uphold our laws. Have you had the opportunity to connect with other? attorneys general from around the country who might be similarly situated. In other words, is there a good network of new office holders who are working together to try to craft some unification with regard to some of these lawsuits?

Yes, that's been one of the neat things about getting elected is getting to meet some of the other people that were elected that have the same concerns and passion and ideas that I do and being able to work together with them. It's really pretty amazing. It woke up a lot of people to realize what was going on, and we've seen some great engagement.

So I work with AGs in the Midwest, but also in other parts of the country that understand just how important it is that we follow our laws and constitution and stand up for what's right. I know you won't breach any confidences, so I'm not expecting you to with this question, but let me ask you finally, in taking over the office, in being elected to the office and assuming the duties, What's been the biggest surprise to you in terms of the situation you inherited, shall we say?

Well, I think one of the biggest surprises is just how entrenched some parts of bureaucracy are. And so we just work hard every day to make sure that we are working to serve people, that we are focused on the Constitution and on upholding our laws and just constantly stay focused on that. It's not possible to change something overnight, but I also think things don't change unless you push pretty hard on it.

So that's been a big role that we have had, just making sure that we're riding that ship and getting it turned around in the right direction. That's such an important point because we talk about the swamp monsters in D.C.

Well, every state, municipality, school board, or school district, I suppose everybody's got their little corners of the swamp, and it takes more than just wishing to change things. Attorney General Brenna Bird of the state of Iowa, again, belated congratulations on the election, flipping the longtime blue seat to red. Thank you for your work and your advocacy, and thanks for joining us on the National Todd Starn Show today. Yeah, thank you. Brenna Bird, she is the Iowa Attorney General, and I will just tell you from where I sit here in that state, it's very different.

You've got an attorney general who is defending the laws of the state. You've got an attorney general who is not afraid to take on an administration in Washington in concert with what the American people or what the people of the state wanted. As opposed to things being at odds.

So let that, if you will, be an introduction to how important all of these offices are. we sometimes ignore If it's not the governor.

Well, we already know what happened when Democrats took over Secretary of State offices across the country. A mess. We already know that if you have an attorney general who is in concert with the will of the people you're going to get much more done.

So let that be an example for other states, maybe where you live, to encourage some good people to take care of business the way it should be done. 844-747-8868. That's how you can reach us in the Liberty University studio. We'll take your calls in the next segment. In the next hour, Papa John will be along just after the news at the top of the hour.

And coming up in about 45 minutes, one of the authors of the book Taxes Have Consequences, Brian Domitrovic, will join us here on the program. Join us on that line: 844-747-8868. Your calls next. Jeff Stein in for Todd, and this is the Todd Starn Show. Once again, Kyle taking care of the best bumper music in radio.

Welcome back. Todd Starn Show from the Liberty University Studio. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd. 844-747-8868. Hurry up.

Call right now. Dylan will take your call and we'll try to fit you in before the top of the next hour in hour number three today. Papa John will be along to talk about how small businesses, and he certainly knows how to be successful in business. Thank you very much. Just think pizza if that helps you.

How it is that small businesses are Trying to cope. In this Biden economy. That's coming up just after the top of the hour. And at the bottom of the next hour, one of the authors of Taxes Have Consequences: an Income Tax History of the United States. His name is Brian Dometrovic.

And I tell you, I mentioned this previously today. I saw the three authors, one of them is Art Laffer as well, talk about the book in a book event that was being broadcast on C-SPAN. I mean, this is fascinating data. I mean, the next time somebody says, let's increase the corporate tax rate, or let's tax the rich more, this is the antidote. This is the rebuttal.

This book, Taxes Have Consequences, is on the Post Hill Press label.

Well, one thing that I like to do is get a good night's sleep. It doesn't happen very often. It's either the phone goes off because the radio station I work for went off the air and I've got to go fix something, or it might be that I stayed up too late working or staring at my phone, or then the cats want to be fed. I mean, it's tough. You get awakened in the middle of the night, and then how do you act to sleep?

I can tell you my world changed hugely. when my wife bought My Pillow. I said, don't, you know, I'm just a miserable person who can't get good sleep. Didn't matter what pillow we tried. And she said, Well, why don't you try this?

You know, it's on TV all the time, there must be something to it. Just an amazing change. And occasionally, I have to go on the road and be gone overnight. And if I don't bring it along, And I know I need to get one of the travel pillows, but I mean, I want the original thing here, right? If I don't bring it along, I have a problem.

I can't sleep. And my pillow has been so phenomenal. Over this 20-year period of time, how could it get any better?

Well, it's better because now. The MyPillow 2.0 has this new technology. Not only do you still have the patented adjustable fill from the original.

Now a brand new fabric. temperature regulating thread. You've heard of cool is the other side of the pillow, that slogan goes out the door. This pillow stays cool regardless. The new MyPillow 2.0, and I tell you, the My Pillow lets me, when I get interrupted, go back to sleep immediately.

That's the cool thing for me. Wow.

Well, MyPillow 2.0 temperature regulating technology, 100% USA made, 10-year warranty, 60-day money-back guarantee. Buy one, get one free. Are you kidding me with promo code STARNS? Go to mypillow.com, click on the Radio Listener Square, buy one, get one free, but you have to enter promo code STARNS. Or if you like, call 800-839-8506.

Get your MyPillow 2.0 now. It's a two-for-one deal with promo code STARNS. Muff is calling in from Tennessee. He is listening on the flagship, the Mighty 990. I got about, I'm sorry, Murph.

I didn't read that correctly. Murph, talk to me about taxes, please. Yes, sir. you know, little blurb there that's gonna interview fly they wrote a book called and taxes have consequences. What you might find this interesting.

All right. Quote from former President Calvin Coolidge. High taxation affects the prosperity of the country. borne ultimately by the consumer. Second quote from T.

Roosevelt. to preach hatred of the rich As such, misleads and inflames to madness Honest. Men. Why we want to tax people that are successful. because sooner or later, it all comes out of our pocket.

One buddy shape before you tell us. Learned the Wall Street Journal the other day that I think it's California. No, it's New York. Trying to pay for all these refugees, they're going to start taxing Netflix. And that flicks flat out said.

We'll pass it on to the consumer. Of course, of course. Hey Murph, thanks so much for that. I appreciate it greatly. I'm up against the top of the hour.

Murph calling in from Tennessee, listening to KWAM the flagship. And Murph is exactly right about this because if you know anything about business, if costs go up for electricity, for wages, for taxes, the company is not going to cut its profit margin. It's going to increase the product cost, and you're getting hit for it. How do they not understand this?

Well, I need to take a breath after that. Hey, thanks for being along. Hour three coming up. Jeff Stein in for Todd. This is the Todd Starring Show.

Live from the Liberty University Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, it's America's favorite cunt totem Bible-clinging, deplorable American. That's us, that's right. I love this American ride. Todd Starns. Wherever you're listening across this, the greatest nation God ever blessed, welcome to our three of a Thursday edition of the Todd Starnes Radio Program.

Coast to coast on more than 100 tremendous radio stations and streaming live at ToddStarnes.com. Hello, fellow patriots, Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today. I'm coming to you from my home base, Iowa's home for Todd Starnes News Talk 1540, KXCL in Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. The 50,000-watt blowtorch scorching Middle America with accurate news and reasonable views. Hopefully, Todd will be back on Monday.

His recovery continues very well. You heard him on the program yesterday, and he's targeting Monday as the day to be back. In the air chair, Steve Gill will be in the flagship studios in Memphis to host this program tomorrow. 844-747-8868 is how you can join the Coast to Coast Conversation here in the Liberty University studio. We'll take your Calls in the next segment, but joining us now on the Patriot Mobile Newsmaker line is Papa John Schnodder.

Mr. Schnodder, of course, the founder of Papa John's Pizza has a tremendous website, by the way, PapaJohnSchnoder.com. Papa, good to talk to you. Jeff Stein here, InforTod. How are you?

Hey, Jeff, thanks for having me. I appreciated the time I got to talk to you on this program maybe a year ago or so. In addition to what I do at the radio station, I host a syndicated radio program on business. And that's why I love to talk to people like you who had an idea, who persevered, and became successful. But this current climate with this administration and Democrats in charge, with these threats of corporate taxes, et cetera, that just has a chilling effect on entrepreneurship and business, does it not?

Well, I was so blessed. I found some early that I love to do and uh making pieces and I found something I was pretty good at at running the business, but I had Reaganami. I started Papa Johns in 84. That was Ronald Reagan. And he was pro entrepreneurship.

He was pro small business. And that was a tremendous tailwind that I had that we don't have today. My heart goes out to the small business owner because when you got administration That is really anti-small business, and of course, small business is 60% of the new jobs. You make something that's very difficult. What I mean by that is nine out of ten small businesses fail And then when you have an administration that continually puts headwinds in place, it really makes it tough on a small business owner to get up and get going.

But remember, Jeff, all big businesses started out as small businesses.

So we've got to protect that entrepreneurial spirit in this country. Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. And now you've got the situation where. They came up with this 87,000 IRS agents that they wanted to add.

And at first, they said it was simply going to keep pace, or this was just going to allow them to clear a backlog.

Well, now there's information that's been made public that they're coming for everybody. They're coming for the person who's least able to resist. And that, again, has just got to. Stifle any interest people would have in striking out on their own. I mean, the threat of that is just huge.

Yes, to start a small business, you have to have somewhat conservative values. in that money doesn't grow in trees, arithmetic's down in the Common sense. et cetera.

So Um If you're a conservative and you're successful and you have a voice, you're going to get attacked. Bye. We'll go back to Reagan. We'll hit that nail one more time. Reagan said the nine most dangerous words in the English language is: I'm from the government and I'm here to help.

For some reason, the lecture. The government is the answer. when in fact big government is actually the problem. if we would shrink government, shrink the amount of regulations, and let entrepreneurs and America do what we do best, which is America works when America works. we would solve a lot of our problems.

But I hear though those eighty seven thousand armed IRS agents are going to start looking at waitresses' tips and that kind of thing.

So they're going to hurt the folks that wake up every day and make this country great, and that in itself breaks my heart. He was the founder of Papa John's Pizza, Papa John Schnodder. He's joining us live on the Todd Starn show, Jeff Stein, filling in for Todd today. You do a lot of work talking to businesses, talking to people around the country. You're obviously a well-known philanthropist.

And so when you're saying, These things about what businesses are fearing. I mean, this is not you just sitting there and coming up with this. You're hearing this from the ground level, correct, when you go around the country?

Well, we'll take my company that has my namesake and that I found it. We built Papa John on the mindset of a small business owner. We knew if that one and two store operator made money. in the five, ten, fifteen, twenty, thirty plus store operators were profitable. And when I stepped down four years ago, and I've been very vocal with the board of directors and Rob Lentz, the CEO.

that we became Papa John's five thousand stores By thinking one store at a time, we were America's largest independent pizzeria. We flanked Domino's speed, P-Sub variety, Little Caesar's price. We flanked it with quality. And your point of differentiation, your strategy is the key to everything. And what's happened with us is we've lost that small business mindset We've lost our authenticity.

We've lost our passion for quality. and we're closing stores, and our stock has gone from one forty down to seventy. And so it doesn't matter if you're a big business or small business, Um if you if you don't think small where the rubber meets the road, sooner or later you're going to get yourself in trouble. This is one of the things that it's hard unless you have been, I'll say, in the trenches. But again, your story is so.

Unique, but it's also common among entrepreneurs. You had an idea, you started small, you took care of business, and you still looked at it, no matter how many stories or franchises there were, you looked at it as the core product of dealing with each individual customer. And when it becomes more about the sterility of a balance sheet, You just don't have the competitive advantage, do you, in the marketplace?

Well, when you have a category as crowded as pizza, that's hyper-competitive. with four big players. You have 40% of the market that's controlled by independent pizzerias, which have a passion for quality. They have to. five percent frozen pizza, you have to have a point of differentiation.

And at Papa John's, our point of differentiation with authenticity was quality. And Back to bad. comprises two things, the quality of the ingredients and then how you put those together. We lost both. Last four years, and I've been very vocal with my board and Papa John's and with the CEO.

They changed the recipe. and we no longer make the pizza the way we made it that got us to store five thousand.

So, all big business started out as a small business. Small business entrepreneurs. Whether they're right or wrong, they think they figured out a better mousetrap, more innovation, more technology, a faster, better, smoother. uh more efficient way It's those ideas, the entrepreneur spirit, new innovations, new ideas that makes America America. And we've lost that mindset of Papa John's, and we've commoditized our brand.

We've lost our point of differentiation, and we're You know, $95 a share, I told all my friends you need to short that stock because you're sitting on a keg of dynamite. As we said here today, the stock 75, 80 bucks. I still think we're sitting on the keg of dynamite. And until we get back to our winning ways of people, Papa, people are a priority one always. quality, making a better pizza.

Better ingredients make a better pizza and put it together right and get back to our fundamentals. I think we're going to continually have a very painful, dark cloud over Papa John. That's such a sad thing, not only for your loyal customer base, but and you've been public about this, but I mean, it's. You know, this is your baby, and look what they're doing to it. That's got to hurt a lot.

Well, it hurts a lot, but what really hurts me is what they've done to the employees. I mean, they completely abandoned Louisville, Kentucky. And laid off, you know, within the last uh they laid off hundreds of people. They've destroyed hundreds of people's lives and families. with their antics.

Just the last four weeks, two board members have resigned, eight executives have left. They've hurt a lot of human beings that put in ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty five years to make Papa John's great, and they left him on the street.

So that part breaks my heart. The part that I was trying to help out the last two or three years was the franchisees because I love my franchisees, and a lot of them are dear friends. And they've now got themselves in a situation where they're going to have financial problems and probably going to have to close doors. Bad bad. really breaks my heart.

So what's the answer? What's the answer broadly for business? What's the answer in a micro level to turn your the company you founded and you're still a shareholder of to turn that back around?

Well, we had two fundamental principles at store number one. Take care of your people, Papa, people are probably one always. and make a superior quality pizza. We have to get back to that. That takes quality Jeff takes time and costs money.

This is not going to be an easy fix. You can get the marketing back on strategy. You can get the distribution arm back on the task. But to get folks to show up in this labor market and to be accountable, be responsible to fix the customer experience, I call it demonstrable values. that's going to be the key component.

But it's not going to be a one-week or one-month fix. This thing is this is like a drug addict. They're going to have to hit rock bottom before they get help. And they're on their way down. Thing is spiraling.

As a stock holder, you're sitting on a keg of dynamite. And until they hit rock bottom and realized They got to get back to the winning ways of what made Papa John's a winner. They're going to continue to struggle. Once they realize that and they wake up to the reality of hitting rock bottom, Then you've got a shot at getting back to quality and people, which is going to cost time and money. First thing you have to do when you go back in is give the managers and stores raises.

You're just gonna have to you're gonna have to pay people to To make a superior quality pizza. You're going to have to go back to measuring the quality of pizza. They gave up the measuring system. And most importantly, you're going to have to go back to your principles of: okay, let's make this a win-win. Let's have a collaborative alliance, let's have mutual respect, let's have kindness, let's have thoughtfulness, let's have integrity, let's have dignity, let's have values that our framers, when they design the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, Put in place.

So that there was some moral ethical. principal values the supporting the infrastructure of capitalism. It is such a great story of how the company came to be. And the force of your personality and your advocacy for the product in those commercials all this time. And that's why, first of all, your voice matters as we talk about these issues broadly.

But secondly, I really hope that everything you've just described for the company you founded comes about. Thanks so much, Mr. Schnodder, for being with us on the Todd Starnes program. Hope we can talk again soon. Thank you, Jeff.

Have a great day. Thank you. You do the same. Papa John. Papa John Schnoder.com is the website.

And again, what a fascinating story and spot on with regard to the needs of small business these days. All right, it is 844-747-8868. We need to take a break, but first I want to refer you to ToddStarnes.com. And this is just another example of why that is a tremendous news source. The Starnes Media Group Newswire posting at ToddStarnes.com that hundreds of left-wing gun control protesters stormed the Tennessee State Capitol today.

There's clashes with law enforcement. They are shouting threats at lawmakers. At least one person detained in a clash with law enforcement. This crowd. Of Gun control protesters.

They want gun control. They were trying to force themselves into a hallway. where a lawmaker was just trying to go to the bathroom for crying out loud. I wonder. as one of the lawmakers asked.

I wonder if the left will actually call this an insurrection. Because when you look at the videos that you see, It sure looks like it. But one person's insurrection is another person's peaceful protest, apparently. Again, updated information throughout the day at ToddStarnes.com. Take your calls after this break.

Jeff Stein in for Todd, and this is the Todd Starnes Show. Bear Yeah. Welcome back to the Todd Starn Show from the Liberty University studio. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today. 844-747-8868 is how you can join this coast-to-coast conversation.

Coming up after the bottom of the hour, we will speak with one of the authors of a book entitled Taxes Have Consequences: An Income Tax History of the United States. It was released last fall, but it is something that is really important for you to know as you now see what the Biden administration plan is: up taxes on corporations, businesses, up taxes on people they consider rich, etc. There are three authors of that book. One of them is the economist Arthur Laffer, one is Gene Cairns Sinkfield, and the third author of the book is Brian Domitrovic, and Mr. Domitrovic, Dr.

Domitrovic, will join us just after the bottom of the hour. I saw these folks on TV talking about the book, and again, it just lays out the rebuttal. It is the definitive history of the effect of the income tax on our economy. And it doesn't have to be this way. It wasn't always this way.

But what I love about what we're going to hear coming up. is how They have gone through to show that, for example, what the Democrats are promoting right now, this tax the rich, tax businesses, it is only going to lead to lower revenue levels into the Federal Treasury, and it will wind up Hurting the lowest wage earners or those who have the least means to be able to handle it, because even if the tax is not on them, as pointed out by a caller just before this hour, If a company is taxed more, they're going to pass that on to you. They're not going to pay the tax, you're going to pay the tax. And yet these people just can't figure it out.

Well, we want you to have the information so you can have a good conversation with people, and that's why we'll hear from doctor Brian Domitrovic coming up. in just a few minutes. I want to tell you I think I have time to tell you this little story.

So I went into a clothing store. To buy a sport coat. That's it. I mean, I don't like to look good, but I hate to shop, and I'm pretty thrifty. And, you know, the coat's worn out.

It's probably been 25 years. I don't know. Anyway, so I go in. And I say, well, I think I'm a 40 regular. At least I used to be, but I'm older and fatter now.

You know, I mean, sand shifts, as they say.

So they put a coat on me and they said, well, this should work just fine. And I said, well, it seems really short.

Well, we can let the sleeves out. I said, Well, the sleeves aren't the problem. The problem is that it just seems to be short and it's kind of tight up through the arms. And the clerk, desperate to make a sale, said, Oh, no, it is just tailor-made for you. And I'm looking in the mirror and it's like, No, it looks like I have outgrown You know, it's like I was twelve and I outgrew my good suit kind of thing.

So I said, no, it just doesn't feel right. I'm not interested. Laid it down. Started to look at other things, and then I said, Okay, I'll come back another time. Thank you.

It was a very nice exchange. And then he says, The clerk says, Well, this is 75% off. And I said, Yeah. And he said, Well, that means it's $40. You could take this home for $40.

And that was where I just looked at him and said, And yet it still wouldn't fit, would it? It must be hard to work on commission. That's all I can think of. Come on back after this break. We'll talk about taxes have consequences.

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 from the Liberty University Studio, 844-747-8868. That is how you can connect with us.

We'll take your calls in the final segment of this Thursday edition of the program. Number again is 844-747-8868. Let's see if I can find. There it is. Steve Gill will be making the trip from, I guess, Nashville over to Memphis to be in the studio tomorrow to fill in for Todd.

Todd is hoping to be back on Monday. Your continued thoughts and prayers appreciated as he continues making his recovery. And it's been a privilege to fill in, as so many folks have here while Todd has been out, but coming back very soon. Joining us now on the Patriot Mobile newsmaker line is Dr. Brian Domitrovic.

Dr. Dometrovic is one of the three authors of a book entitled Taxes Have Consequences: An Income Tax History of the United States. Thanks for joining the Todd Starn Show. Jeff Stein here, filling in for Todd. How are you, sir?

I'm fine. Thanks for having me, Jeff. I saw a program on C-SPAN that had you and Dr. Laffer and Dr. Cairns Singfield.

It was done in Washington at the time the book came out, and I was just fascinated by the conversation and the data that you have in this.

So taxes have consequences. Not what the Democrats are saying, though. Give us some straight information about the impact of some of this income taxation on the economy. The income tax started in this country in nineteen thirteen and has a bureaucracy that has saved every single tax return since then.

So we don't want for data at all about what the effect of the income tax has been in terms of revenues and in terms of economic performance. And what Arthur Laffer and Jeannie Singfield and I discovered in Taxis have consequences is that every single time income tax rates have gone up in this country. The rich have sheltered their income, and because of that, the poor have done worse. And every time tax rates have been cut in this country, the rich have Thrown their income into real economic activity, paid the lion's share of the nation's tax bill. And then the poor and the middle class have done great.

And we found that time and again from nineteen thirteen to the present. One of the things, Dr. Dometrovic, that I really found interesting was this is not just speculation, this is not just theory, you've got the numbers to show cause and effect on this, correct? Absolutely, but the IRS has been making a publication called Statistics of Income, which is a huge collection of all the data from all the tax returns. they have since the year 1915, every year since 1915.

So we know who were the highest earners and how much they paid and at what tax rate. And we know we can correlate that to the economic effects that year.

So there's no question. I mean, we have the data is the data sets are just remarkable. And the lesson is just clear in every case. When you raise tax rates, especially at the top in a progressive income tax rate system, the incentive for those with money to shelter their income becomes so valuable that, that is exactly what they do. And the devastating effect is on the real side of the economy because the rich pull their money out of real investments into tax shelters.

And they Tax revenue from the rich goes way down, so everyone else has to pick up the tax bill, and then the capital application towards the economy of the rich goes way down, and then nobody has a job. I wonder, since this is so clearly stated. Why it is that certain aspects of society just keep doubling down on this, tax the rich, pay their fair share. They just go keep going back to the well. Is it simply And this is beyond the scope of the study.

Is it simply an attempt for power? And if they say it often enough, maybe somebody will believe it?

Well, we do know that there is a very strong current of democratic wisdom, of the electorate's wisdom, towards willing tax cuts into action. I mean, in the 1920s, things got very bad by the end of the teens. In the 1920s, there were just the public demanded huge tax cuts, and that's what happened. The rich picked up the whole tax bill of the country because rates went down by two-thirds. And yeah, the roaring twenties.

In the 1940s, right after World War II, just a completely comprehensive demand for lower tax rates while the government was stalling. And Truman vetoed it three times. But Congress said, look, we've got to cut them. Because the public's demanding it, John F. Kennedy in the 1960s, Reagan in the 1980s.

So it is true that all Washington insiders kind of want to coax that top rate up. But the public has shown at every generational juncture we have to have low tax rates, especially at the top for the good of this country. One of the things that I found interesting in what you said today, when the rates are low, the quote-unquote rich don't want to go through the hassle of a shelter, in essence, and they feel confident that they can invest. There is a kind of a tipping point, right? I mean, it's no different than I suppose if I go to a store, and I told a story before the break about going shopping for an article of clothing.

There's a price level at which I say, no, I'm not going to buy that, or yes, it's worth it. Same thing here. If I'm going to be potentially losing X amount of my money because of high taxes, I'm going to do everything I can to pull back and hold on to what I have. That just seems instinctive. Absolutely.

And when you're talking about a progressive system, the more money you make, the higher the rate you face on that further money. That means that the incentive only increases to shelter your money the more money you make.

So when you have a progressive tax system and then you still raise taxes on top of that, like in 1932, all of FDR's stuff. then that means that the richer have remarkable incentive to pull their money out of their normal investments and put them into shelters.

So if you had a flat tax and you just raised it, the effect would be muted. But we don't have a flat tax. We the rich have to pay the highest rates.

Well, those are the people with the most money, the most incentive and the most ability to avoid those rates through sheltering. And that's why it's essential to be very careful about not keeping those rates high, because that absolutely kills the economy and forces everyone else to pay the tax revenue. Taxes Have Consequences, and Income Tax History of the United States is the name of the book. One of the authors is Dr. Brian Dometrovic, and he joins us on the Todd Starn Show.

You know, I used to teach college students. That was one of my former lives. And when I would, and they were not economists, you know, this was a group of communicators, journalists. And I would say to them: try to explain the inequities of this progressive tax system. That when you made more, it's one thing to say if you made more, you paid more.

But when I would explain to them, you're not just paying more, you're paying a higher percentage on top of the dollar amount. They would look at you like, well, that doesn't seem fair. And I just wonder how it is that, again, we've been able to have this system perpetuated when most people would simply say, well, it's not fair that you have to pay a higher percentage to be successful. Higher amount, fine, but higher percentage, but yet that's what many people just kind of just buy into, I guess. Yeah.

It is not fair. Clearly, a fair system would be however much money you make, everyone pays the same rate. But the kind of nasty thing, the kind of crucial thing about it is the rich are actually the people who care in a way the least. because they have the most options. Oh, my tax rate used to be 25%, now it's 63%.

Well, I can easily hire somebody to figure out how to put in a tax shelter, and I'll take a little bit of a hit. You're right, because it won't be as an efficient investment. But I can handle that. But the little guy can't handle the rich persons getting taxed because then that means the tax shelter is eliminating the richest taxes, so the lower and middle classes have to start paying all the taxes, and the richest capital is not producing jobs anymore because it's in a shelter.

So it's actually the rich people that care the least because they have the most options by virtue of being rich. When you raise taxes on the rich, the people who get killed in terms of having to pay taxes and not having jobs are those who are not rich.

So the book came out last fall. I'm a little late to the party learning of it just after the first of the year. What's been the reaction to the publication of the book? I suggest it's a great thing to offer as rebuttal for those who are misguided and make arguments about tax the rich, et cetera, et cetera. But what's the reaction been?

Yeah, well, we're in an interesting Amazon category, and taxes have consequences. We're in the Amazon.com category for books of income inequality. And so Yeah. And that is what we're talking about here. I guess, yeah.

We have been very gratified to always be, chronically since September when it came out, right above, usually number one in that category, right above Thomas Piketty's Capital of the 21st Century and now Bernie Sanders' It's Okay to Be Angry About Capitalism.

So those two arguments Books for high taxes on the rich have been very good footstools for us. I mean, we're usually just kind of outselling them in that. on that income inequality category. I'm looking at it right now. Number one bestseller in the category of income inequality.

Well, it is true, but not what they had in mind, probably when they set that up. You're absolutely right. All right, so someone listening to this program lastly. I I always want to give a listener a takeaway.

So, what can they do to affect change? Knowing what they've just learned from you, hopefully, getting a copy of the book as well, but knowing that information, what's an average American to do to help? Write the situation. Yeah.

Well, in your own personal affairs, being very tax conscious is important. We still have high tax rates in the United States, moderately high tax rates.

So in your own personal affairs, you have to be aware of that. especially if you're ambitious. If you're Jeff Bezos, I mean, why did he move to Washington State to found his business in nineteen ninety four from New York? They had a zero income tax in Washington State. That's literally why.

It's also why Bill Gates moved. back to Washington from from New Mexico. I would say in the larger electoral political realm, we have to be completely clear that the Reagan Revolution knew what was up. That is, if you tax the richest people, the producers, the people who allocate capital in this country, you will have a capital and employment shortage.

So we have to overcome our fears. of lowering the taxes on the rich if we want the American dream at large. Two. Make its comeback.

So well said. Dr. Dometrovic, thank you so much for taking the time. Thank you for you and your colleagues writing the book, but thank you for taking the time to explain this to us today about taxes have consequences. Have a good afternoon, sir.

Thank you, Chip. Brian Domitrovic. He is the. One of the three authors. Of Taxes Have Consequences and Income Tax History of the United States.

And yes, it's a number one Amazon bestseller. In the category of income inequality. I find that just fascinating. Again, the data. That's how you rebut talking points, real live data.

Uh And he joined us on the Patriot Mobile Newsmaker line. Hope you join us by calling 844-747-8868. Another segment left. Time for your calls at 844-747-8868. I'm Jeff Stein, filling in for Todd, and this is the Todd Starn Show.

Welcome back to the Todd Starnes Show. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd Today from the Liberty University studio. About 30 minutes ago on this program, we told you to go to ToddStarnes.com and click on the story about insurrectionists at the Tennessee State Capitol. I've had a chance to look at the video. And joining us now on the Patriot Mobile Newsmaker line, I am so pleased to talk with the host of this program, Todd Starnes.

Mr. Starnes, how are you doing, sir? Jeff, doing much, much better and being released from the hospital today. Looking forward to Monday being back in the anchor chair. But of course, you've done a tremendous job.

Phil again, during my absence this week, and I just can't thank you enough.

Well, it is always a privilege. And so, folks in Memphis, if you see a man in a hospital gown clutching an IV stand on a street corner, pick him up and give him a ride home for crying out loud. But, you know, looking at this video at ToddSterns.com, it's labeled Tennessee State Capitol. It sure is reminiscent of something else that some on the left like to call an insurrection. I have a feeling they're going to be more charitable with this protest.

Uh you know what? It's worse than 9-11, isn't it, Jeff? Stein. Isn't that what they told us about J six? That's it, yes, yes.

I mean, that's what they said. Uh no it This is pretty shocking that something like this could play out in Nashville. But people may not be aware that national Yeah. been overrun. by the Hollywood leftist by New York liberals.

It really has become sort of a Berkeley of the South. Because of the influx of liberals, especially in the arts and entertainment community. And just to give you an idea of how powerful these people are, they've literally flipped country music, and that's why you're seeing so many country music stars going woke now. And as I recall, wasn't it the city council there that didn't want to support an action to have the RNC 2024 convention in that city? I mean, who turns that down?

Yeah, that's right.

Well, a liberal city council does. And what's interesting about Tennessee, Jeff, we have a supermajority of Republicans who control state government, which is why there is such violence right now up at the state capitol. And of course the video shows The protesters, the Insurrectionists trying to storm into the chamber.

Meanwhile, you have a couple of leftist lawmakers, some of whom are from the Memphis area. who have taken over the House chamber. using bullhorns from the rostrum. You know, I say that every single one of those people should be arrested. They should be shot.

and we need our very own version of the DC Gulag. And those people need to pay a price. I mean, they are rising up against their duly elected government. The Democrats have told us over and over and over again, Liz Cheney and her ilk have told us over and over and over again, that this is a matter of national security.

So I say lock them up. Go to ToddSterns.com, and if you went to that site earlier, keep refreshing because there's more stuff being added all the time, more videos, more quotes about this. It is just striking. That the advocacy of violence by the left, I mean, now there's supposed to be, was it what, tomorrow, this Trans Day of Vengeance? I mean, can you imagine a Republican Day of Vengeance?

Holy cow. I mean, the double standard has never been worse, and it's dangerous.

Well, I really think to truly understand how the left feels about true Christians, and I don't believe Joe Biden to be a true Christian. Uh he is in violation of his own churches. most deeply held religious beliefs. But this man when asked About these beautiful Christian children who were slaughtered by this transgender terrorist. His response was to tell a joke the first time.

The second time, he told another joke. And he'd laughed. He chuckled. Th this is a man. who seems like to be okay with the transgender terrorists going out.

There and Mowing down. These Christians no matter what Yeah. But I think it's a reminder that we have to take the threat seriously. We need to be aware, we need to be alert. And we need to understand that there are people in this country who are determined to silence people of faith.

And beyond silencing people of faith, they want you to bow down and worship at their agenda. And Jeff, what I find very interesting is over the past day or so, now we're starting to the L, B, and G part of the alphabet community want to divorce the rest of the alphabet community.

Well, the President tweeted out wishes for a speedy recovery for the Pope, so I guess that puts him back in good graces. But no, I mean, quite seriously, and we've only got a short time, as you know, about 30 seconds. I think this was the sixth trial. Trans individual who committed a mass shooting this year? That's where the issue is.

It's not the weapon, it has to do with the mental health of these people who have been steered down the wrong path. And Jeff, not just the mental health, but also the medications, the drugs that they have to take to make these these really unnatural transitions. Again, they're not the people that God created them to be. And this is all very well documented. Yeah, and we'll be talking, I'm sure, more about this tomorrow and next week on the program.

I cannot tell you how good it is to close the program by hearing your voice, my friend. Continue following directions so you can be back on Monday. Will do. Thanks a lot, Champ. All right.

Thank you, Grace. Thank you, Dylan. Thank you, Kyle. Steve Dill is here tomorrow. Most of all, thank you, America.

I'm Jeff Stein. It has been another rare privilege to talk to you here on the Todd Star.