Kicking the Tires, But Coming Back Home

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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. Wherever you're listening across this, the greatest nation God ever blessed, welcome to our number one of a Wednesday edition of the Todd Starnes Radio Program, coast to coast on more than 140 outstanding radio stations and streaming live at ToddStarnes.com. Hello, fellow patriots.

I'm Jeff Stein, filling in for Todd Today. I'll tell you why in a moment. I'm coming to you from my home base, and Iowa's home, to the Todd Starnes Show. News Talk 1540 KXEL in Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, Iowa, the 50,000-watt blowtorch, scorching Middle America with accurate news and reasonable views. Good to be with you again.

Liberty University Studio is our location, and we invite you to join this coast-to-coast conversation by using the same number as always: 844-747-8868. That's 844-747-8868. Guests on the program, as always. Join us via the Patriot Mobile newsmaker line, and we have quite a list, including not one but two presidential candidates. I'll tell you who's going to be on the program in a moment.

Let me first tell you why I'm here. I ha I live a very sedentary life. I sit around a lot.

Now, when we had a dog, I'd walk the dog a couple of times a day and get a little exercise, but basically, I sit around a lot because I find that physical fitness. It just doesn't end well for me. And I'm afraid for our friend Todd it's the same way because he took a little tumble yesterday after the program and fractured his ankle. But fear not, all is well. Think good thoughts, say a few prayers, but he's up and around and off getting some X rays, I guess, to see just what he did to himself this time.

So Todd has fractured his ankle, not his vocal cords. And that means he should be back here with you behind the Liberty University Studio microphone tomorrow. In fact, he'll be filling in for Chris Salcedo on Newsmax on the TV box this afternoon at 4 o'clock Eastern, 3 o'clock Central.

So, how do you like that? Talk about getting back on the horse and ride.

So, Todd is away from the radio today, should be back tomorrow. He'll be on Newsmax this afternoon, and we wish him all the best. I tell you. Just sit in a chair. I mean, it's worked for me.

he said, knocking wood and everything else he could find. I have been really knocking wood and uh saying all sorts of chants that the Republicans in Congress actually do what they said they were going to do, which is get a budget done. They said it was going to be in regular order. That dog has hunted because we are down to the last few weeks before the end of this fiscal year. And coming up at the bottom of this hour, Representative Ralph Norman, the South Carolina Republican and member of the House Freedom Caucus, will join us to talk about the budget issue, what went off the rails, what can be done, Is it a good idea or a bad idea to force a shutdown?

What happened to all the promise? that we were given going in. Representative Ralph Norman, friend of the program. joins us in just a little more than twenty minutes. Coming up at the top of hour number two, we'll speak with Republican Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

When I first met him and sat down for a radio and T V interview with him here in Iowa, it was May. It was going into Memorial Day weekend. And people had sorta heard of this guy, but he wasn't uh jumping up to the top of anyone's list.

Well, lo and behold, first uh Republican debate He was at the center, right next to Ron DeSantis, both, of course, a long way away from Donald Trump. But the Ramaswamy campaign is drawing a lot of fire, which shows that he must be resonating with a lot of folks, that the Uniparty swamp monsters don't like that. Vivek Ramaswamy joins us to lead off hour number two. Hour number three, we'll speak with another Republican presidential candidate. His name is E.W.

Jackson. He's also the author of a book entitled Sweet Land of Liberty. And so it'll be my first experience talking with Mr. Jackson. That is live here on the radio in hour number three.

And also in our third hour today, we'll speak with the lead pastor of the Chase Oaks Church. His name is Jeff Jones, and he is the author of a fascinating book, Rebranding Christianity: When the World's Most Important Brand Loses Its Way. One of the things that we talk about a lot, or I talk about a lot, with people on the radio is: how did we get to this point? It is one thing to identify that things are in the ditch, off the rails, off course, use whatever phrase you like. But how did we get here?

Because in order to Get things back on track, you kind of need to know. how it went bad. And that's sort of the focus here of this. How did we get to this point? And how do we restore it?

Chase Oak Church lead pastor Jeff Jones with us at the bottom of our number three. But in and around all of that, I look forward to your comments. They're the best ones that I'll hear today. And that comes on the phone at 844-747-8868. It's 844-747-8868.

Now, I have the privilege of sitting behind this microphone and talking to you, Starnes Nation, on an occasional basis. Never take that for granted. And you know, therefore, if you've heard me before, that here I am in the state of Iowa, first in the nation caucus state. And when I come on the program and talk to Todd, We often talk about the other campaigns, and then he typically ends by saying, This is still Trump's, isn't it? And my answer consistently is, yes.

And I still believe that. But this is a time when folks are doing a bit of shopping. And that's not necessarily a bad thing, and I'll tell you why. Because my basic thesis is: the more voices we hear, the better. on virtually any issue.

The more voices we hear, the better. Because if we Hear all of these different voices. There are a lot of great ideas out there. That we just wouldn't know about if we don't listen. to those who supposedly never have a chance.

We talked on this program. Todd was kind enough to have me on last week, and we talked about an event that my radio station, KXEL, had, where we had various presidential candidates in attendance for our listeners to visit with and share a nice picnic lunch with. And some of them We were near the bottom of poles, but they would make their pitch, and then I would hear listeners. On their way back to get another roast pork loin sandwich, they'd say something like, Boy, that's so-and-so. That was really interesting, what he said about X, Y, or Z.

The whole point is to keep people thinking. And it is not my place to say who's going to win or who's not going to win because I don't trust polls, I don't care what polls say. And I especially don't care about national polls, and I've told you this before. Until we start electing a president by national popular vote, and I pray we never do. But I don't care that there's a new CNN poll that says nationally this candidate has this percent, that candidate has the other percent.

You give me state by state polls.

so that we can figure out what the electoral college outcome is, then I'm interested. The rest of it is just diversion and a waste of time, quite honestly. But back to the broader point. you need to hear all voices. Because not only do folks have good ideas, But it also helps you solidify your own choice.

And this is the example that I came up with. I've been driving a certain brand of automobile. for a period of decades. And I don't know, maybe twenty years ago, I'd been driving this certain brand of automobile for about ten years, and it was time to get a new car. And I thought about just going back and getting another one of whatever it was I was driving.

But then I thought, well, let's see what else is out there.

So I test drove. I think three different brands. The actual dealership that I trusted had a variety of brands like they do today. There's a lot of consolidation. And frankly, I have to tell you, cars never meant a lot to me because my family was in the car business in our small town in Iowa.

They sold Dodge, Chrysler and Plymouth products. in the the company started in the 40s ran until the eighties. And so for me, cars were just there. I didn't have any great fascination with them, etc. But I thought, all right, you know, instead of driving this one brand, let me try these others.

And each one of the others just didn't measure up. In other words, there was really nothing wrong with the car I was driving. That model, that brand, seemed to be really good. But even though I was Satisfied with it, You kind of needed to take some others out on a test drive and just see what's out there. And then I came back and bought another model of the same car that I'd been driving.

And I have stuck with that model. other than color. Um ever since. What's the point of the story? The point of the story is, even when you're satisfied with something, when you have the opportunity, you look around, you sample, you test drive.

Because maybe you would have found something better, Or maybe it makes you even more convinced that your original choice. was not only just fine, but preferable. And that's what I see. In early Caucus in primary states, like my state of Iowa, and our friends over in New Hampshire with the first in the nation primary. I find that some of these cable news channels love to find TRUMP VOTERS Whether they were general election voters, whether they were supportive in the nomination process.

They love to find these people, and at the bottom of the screen, it'll say, you know, Bob and Bessie Sherman. Voted for Trump in 2020, now open or something. And these people say what actually is true.

Well, we like Trump, we support Trump, we think he's great, but we're looking around. Because that's what people do in the early states. That's our job. Our job is to listen to all candidates. And then make a decision that winnows down the field for the rest of the nation.

It's not designed to be a one-and-done sort of a thing. My bingo card now has 15 Republicans running for president. It was sixteen.

Now it's fifteen. I don't know how many will still be there on january fifteenth by the time of the Iowa Caucasus, but I can tell you That It'll be fewer after the Iowa caucuses than before. Maybe there will be five or six. Who move on? That's the point.

But you have to listen to all sides. in order to solidify your choice.

So Bob and Bessie, in my example, made up their names. But it could be anybody. They say, well, we really like all these things about Trump, but we're looking around.

Well, guess what? People keep looking around, and what happens to Trump's lead in the polls, which, yes, are unreliable? Keeps going up. When Governor DeSantis started, and by the way, the race is far from over. Governor DeSantis started and he was Right in the field at 20, 24 percent.

Now he's at fifteen, thirteen, twelve depends on the poll. It's almost like he peaked. when he started running. People were interested in the idea. And then the more they heard, the comparisons they make, they say, you know what, I like the original article just fine.

So this is the process we're going through. We're kind of kicking tires. We're shopping? But it doesn't mean that we're not going to go back to the original and in fact so far Every person who's kind of climbed up in the poles. Because people are shopping.

Then number forty-five still does not only well but Unprecedented numbers.

So this is part of the process. We need to hear all voices. We need to shop. And then we're going to be even more convinced about whatever our choice is. And that's the position.

that any political party needs to be in. Look over at the Democrat side. They have absolutely. No tolerance for a fight. 20-30% of voters, some higher levels in New Hampshire and South Carolina.

say they want Bobby Kennedy. Why? Because he's not Joe Biden. Do you think that's a unified party? Going into 2024?

So, as far as I'm concerned, I say bring on the conversation. Let's hear all voices. Let's kick some tires. Because if they do go back, these shoppers to their original choice, they're going to be even more convinced they were right. And that's going to lead to a stronger campaign.

I'm interested in your thoughts at 844-747-8868. That's 844-747-8868. Back with more from the Liberty University studio in a moment. I'm Jeff Stein filling in for Todd. Thanks for being along on this edition of the Todd Starn Show.

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Welcome back to the Liberty University studio and the Todd Starn Show. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today on this Wednesday. Todd should be back tomorrow. We do know this afternoon he'll be on Newsmax, 4 o'clock Eastern 3 Central, filling in for Chris Salcedo. That's on the Newsmax TV box and newsmaxtv.com.

844-747-8868 is how you can join this conversation. Congressman Ralph Norman scheduled to join us in just a little more than five minutes. College football is huge, you know that. And this week, here in my state of Iowa, the big intrastate game. The University of Iowa of the Big Ten takes on Iowa State of the Big Twelve.

They meet in Ames, and there's a lot of tailgating going on. And as you might imagine, just a few months before the presidential caucus, we have three presidential candidates who will be showing up. Asa Hutchinson has announced he's going to make it to the game. Vivek Ramaswamy, who is our guest in the next hour, will be traveling around Iowa making campaign appearances, and one of them will be at a tailgate at the game. And President Donald Trump has announced that he would be attending as well.

And for Trump, it's a bit of a good luck charm. Of course, he did not win the 2016 Iowa caucuses, but his strong showing here led him to the nomination and ultimately the presidency.

Well, in the fall of 2015, he went to the Iowa-Iowa State game in Ames and walk the sidelines and wave to fans, and so he's going to do it again. and I can only imagine the ovation. They're going to bring in 63,000 people. And so when we look to see Is this Trump country or not? The fact that he knows where to show up Suggest the relationship with the common person, the voter, you and me.

That a lot of these swamp monsters of the Uniparty just don't get. You remember when the presidential limousine acted as a pace car? the daytone of 500. Oh, my goodness Talk about knowing your audience. Talk about making an entrance.

It's different. It's different when you are the President or a former President and you have all the security, et cetera, that you might not have had when you were a candidate going to a number of appearances a day. Logistically, it is very different. I can just only imagine the sound. That might be the loudest cheer of the day when Donald Trump walks the sidelines.

of Jack Trice Stadium in Ames. When the Iowa Iowa State game takes place this coming Saturday. You don't see others who are risking that. Not very many. I mean, Hutchinson's going to be around.

Ramaswamy is going to be around. He's made some news today with regard to pardoning J6 defendants, and we'll talk with him about that in a little more than a half hour when he joins us on the Patriot Mobile newsmaker line. Yeah. Trump comes in, takes all the air out of the room. Yes, people are shopping.

But they come back home. That's been. How this has gone so far? And there is nothing that we're seeing so far to suggest that it's any different. But we'll find out.

That's something to watch for as you look at your news headlines over the weekend. Look to see what kind of an ovation Trump got in the state of Iowa. After the ball game. College football, right?

Well, he was at championship games. He was at Army-Navy games. Again, he gets it. He gets it. And the professional politicians can't figure it out because wait for it.

They don't get it. We will get with Congressman Ralph Norman after this break. Jeff Stein, in for Todd. Thanks for being along on the Todd Starn Show. MyPillow is celebrating its 20-year anniversary with over 80 million MyPillows sold.

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Promo code STARNS. Mm. Welcome back to the Liberty University studio with the Todd Starn Show. I'm Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today. 844-747-8868 is how you can join us.

I'll say that again: 844-747-8868. Congressman Ralph Norman of South Carolina is scheduled to join us in this segment. And once he calls into the studio in Memphis, we'll put him right on the radio. It is of some concern that Congress is back in session now, came back after the August recess. in essence, six weeks or so off, District work period quote unquote.

But how close are we to Having any sort of spending bills, much less a full budget, passed by the end of the fiscal year on September 30th. It is a dim, dim situation.

Now there's talks of about a government shutdown. which again is such a fallacy Because it only affects things that the formerly mainstream media focus on, like school kids who can't go to the Washington Monument, and it's all the Republicans' fault, etc., etc. People are still going to get paid. We've never not paid employees, even if they were furloughed for a period of time, three days, a week, a month. They wind up getting back pay.

It's sorta like a free vacation. I mean, I'm not you know, I don't know what good a shutdown does. Unless it can force some issues, and I'm all in favor of forcing some issues. Because we have a spending problem in Washington. And we have elected a Republican majority in the House, albeit the scantest of majorities.

But these folks said we're going to go back to the days of regular order. A budget well in advance, no continuing resolution, etcetera, etcetera. We're now to the point that if all is lost, They're going to push for a continuing resolution just to kick the can down the road to, I don't know what, December? Let's again kick it down the road to Thanksgiving or Christmas.

So that we can engage in more bad policy with lawmakers who are hurrying to get home for the holiday. and making bad decisions. You know, there are a lot of times at a state level. Where when they want to Get home for a break and they want to adjourn for the year. They just pull an all-nighter.

You know, it's one of these things where you go to bed in the legislature's meeting, and then you wake up in the morning and they adjourned at 3 a.m. Having completed all business, I would love to see something where they say, I'm sorry, after 7 o'clock at night. No more business. no more laws being passed. because I don't know that they're doing their best work at that situation.

Right, you're in the middle of the night, you got your hand on your car keys because you want to get out of there, you're liable to agree to anything. And that is part of the problem that has led us to this situation where we don't trust government. and where government has given us every reason not to trust it. I understand the Senate has a Democrat majority, quote unquote. It really isn't, it's 47 Republicans.

I'm sorry, forty Nine Republicans and forty-seven Democrats. You get the idea. All of a sudden, my public school education failed me. But I know we have divided chambers: Democrats in the Senate, Republicans in the House, a bare majority in the House, but still. Things need to be taken care of.

And joining us now on the Patriot Mobile Newsmaker line to make some sense of all of this is the Congressman from the Fifth District of South Carolina, Representative Ralph Norman. Representative Norman, Jeff Stein, filling in for Todd today. Good to talk to you again, sir. How are you? Great to be with you, Jeff.

So what's the situation? You all just got back from the August recess and the fiscal year ends september thirtieth. This is not exactly what you all were hoping for, certainly not a number of you who have been vocal on this topic. Jeff, the only word I know to describe it is insanity. It's it's pure insanity.

We go back next week. And a lot of us are more than frustrated that You know, we typically stay out in the month of August. And the month of August should have been used for handling the most critical area Um Of the survival of our country, which is our economic security. Cuts have got to be a part of that. You can't continue the insanity, and it just hasn't happened.

And so there's a growing number of us that are just going to insist on some basic uh things like Well spending levels at 1.47 pre-COVID numbers. rescissions not being a part of plussing up any of the eleven approach bills. border security, wokeness in the military, And to not even have the discussion among our caucus members is unacceptable. American people deserve better than this. Especially when the leaders of the Republicans in the House promised regular order.

This is no different than anything that we've seen in the past, is it? Or am I missing something obvious? It sure doesn't feel different. No. I mean, it's the playbook that Paul Ryan used and others And the Republicans, you know, when we voted in January and had agreements in place For a conservative speaker to do basic things, that just is not happening.

And But to call for a CR And you keep hearing that they're tying the impeachment hearings to that, which is, again, insane. You don't do that. Um And and try to link the two. Yeah. us to go along I say us, the group that the twenty and I think that are growing to support a budget that's You can't spend the way we've been spending and expecting any difference in the outcome.

Um it's not normal. It should not have happened and we should have decided this. We should have had the regular order with twelve approach bills, at least the top line numbers. In the books. It just has not happened.

Well, where did the failure come in? Because I have talked to others on my program, filling in for Todd, but on my program back here where I am in Iowa. You know, why wasn't this done sooner? And I wind up hearing everything from: well, you know, the Senate's in Democrat hands, and we only have a five-vote majority in the House, et cetera, et cetera. I just hear a lot of.

I don't want to say excuses, but things that don't seem tied to why could the caucus not get its act together? And again, maybe I'm missing something. And some of you have been very consistent in your Position on all of this, but how is it that it wasn't delivered back in April when promised? The very few conversations we've had when it comes to budget issues, we can pass a lot of messaging bills. in Congress.

But the very few calls or discussions we have had have been: well, we can't get 218. The Senate won't approve it.

Well, you know, we've got three branches of government. If the House is going to cede everything to the Senate, why don't we just do away with the House of Representatives? Let the Senate control it. No, we've got to take. Bold steps we've got to, and we have as far as the Freedom Caucus, and a growing number of us, but.

Leadership just hasn't bought into it. It's not important and it's not something they want to face the lobbyists over because I get that every dollar that's spent in Washington, DC has got an advocate for it. But it's time to say no, and now is going to be that time. Unfortunately, I think we will have a shutdown. Um More fortunately, either way you you But And that's the only level we have right now.

and is our vote. And just like we did with Speaker, we're not going to sit back and watch this country continue on a spending frenzy. And we'll see what happens. Congressman Ralph Norman joining us on the Todd Starn show. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today.

Congressman Norman from the 5th District of South Carolina on the Patriot Mobile Newsmaker line.

So You're on record as I'm reading this, and You're not going to vote for a continuing resolution unless you get something that you want, or what's the position that you're taking, and how many are with you on it? Our Freedom Caucus and others. have taken the position that the spending has got to be kept at the pre pre-COVID level of 1.47. not the Pelosi one six, one seven trillion as she and Chuck Schumer have proposed. We have got to have some type of enforceable border security.

This country is hemorrhaging on those coming into this country illegally and taking part of uh wrecking every city and count city and town that they're being placed in. Wokeness in the military, have line item funds cut that are woke. or Green New Deal. And that's the basics of what and no rescissions. The recision doctor could be going to pay in the debt now.

Yeah, Jeff, I All this to say, this is a bare minimum. We're not even touching the interest on the debt. which will exceed the military budget of eight hundred thirty billion dollars per year. in the next I would argue the next twelve months, fourteen months. Bo You know, they're just not leadership just doesn't prioritize this, and that's not what we thought we were getting in January.

This was going to be a priority. And I told a reporter the other day, you know, McCarthy didn't have the 218 when he started, but he sure got him. Where's the resolve? To get the 218 for the financial solvency of this country. It's just not fair.

I think it may be in the future, but we'll see.

Well, some of us and I've never met the Speaker nor talked to him, so I only know what I see from afar, but I have said on this program and elsewhere that it seemed to me that Speaker McCarthy's goal was to get to be Speaker. it was not necessarily a plan of action. And those are two very different things. And I'm not suggesting you think that. It's my opinion.

But you posted on your website. I mean this is what makes this maddening. Yeah. They're jumping up and down and hollering over the fact that You want to restore funding levels to what they were two fiscal years ago. Two years ago, you just want to roll it back to what it was two years ago, and people are screaming as if you cut off their right arm.

Yeah, let them scream. uh the there's c the the average businessman, the average family is screaming about sky-high gas prices. They're screaming about Every five. from supply line shortages to Eggs to you name it going up, and everybody is not happy. And I would argue the reason the President's approval rating is so low is because of what people see on the street and on mainstream mainstream uh towns all across this country.

And family budgets can't do this. And so, all we're saying is, let's as a beginning step on this long stairway of. financial sanity, do this. And bo we have got a treasure of things to cut that I think if you did a poll the American people you would see that they agreed with not funding laws in other countries. or not funding FBI expansions or not funding 185,000 IRS agents.

Um So, you know, it's insanity what's going on, Jeff. And the only way you put the brakes on. I'll put the brakes on and let the let the chips fall where they may, which there's a number of us that are willing to do it. How many actually when we get into the fight, I don't know, but it doesn't really matter. Uh uh our core group's gonna do it.

One of the things that is striking to me is how the horse trading gets done. And how I'm hearing things about, well, if you want money for Maui, as an example, then we're going to have to tie it to Ukraine. And I'm just trying to figure out what in the blazes those two things have to do with one another other than Politics in a corrupt system is normal. And that's just what you deal with every day, is it not? I mean, they're probably going to come to you and say, all right, we need to get your vote, so what do you need for it?

And none of it has to do with uh serving the American people and cutting money. It boils down to two things, leverage. They think leverage through the public like funding for the poor people in Maui who it's a horrific uh fire that they had. Yes. Um uh funding that and then they think uh you know, if they have a particular pet project in the state that the objector who is not voting for it is needing.

all that comes into play. But what about the American people? What about the financial solvents of the country? That's what we're up against. And None of the other makes sense.

And it's really an insult to even consider that at this stage with where we are. With an economy that's been derailed, with an open border, with crime, all the things that you know of, Jeff, but it's. It's a late date to All of a sudden, make this a priority, and we're going to do what we can to stop it, and that will be shutting down the economy if it comes to that. Let me ask you finally in our remaining minute or so What do you think is going to happen between now and september thirtieth? I think you'll hear a lot of uh Media with the hair on fire.

I think you have a lot of the pundits, just like you did on the speaker vote, the world's coming to an end.

Well, it's not. We're trying to save the country. And so Uh He's not going to get the votes unless something drastically changes, and he agrees. Yeah. to something that we can verify, not words, verify.

Republicans have a small majority, but that's okay. We you play the cards, you're dealt. And I think you're going to see a lot of bickering and a lot of unhappiness and But that's uh people are unhappy w with the direction of the country now.

So That's kind of what we're facing. But it A And we we'll go back next week and then the fun will start. Keep up the good fight. I have no doubt that you will, Congressman, but I think everybody listening to the sound of your voice is solidly behind you, so keep up the good fight.

Well, thank you. We've got a Republic to save. Absolutely, sir. Thanks so much for the time. Congressman Ralph Norman, Fifth District of South Carolina, and he joined us on the Patriot Mobile newsmaker line.

Well, he's going to hold the line. What do you think? Is that a good plan, a bad plan?

Now he had posted on the Twitter machine now called A couple of posts that I want to read very quickly before we go to the break. He wrote yesterday, the middle of a six week vacation oops, sorry, district work period is probably not the best time to call for a CR. Hashtag optics. Yeah, absolutely right. And then he wrote this, and this is this is pivotal to me.

If a temporary shutdown is more concerning to you than our $2 trillion deficit and $33 trillion national debt, I'd politely suggest you're part of the problem. Ooh, amen to that. Congressman Ralph Norman, thanks so much for the time on the Patriot Mobile Newsmaker line. What do you think? Join us, eight four four, seven four seven eighty eight sixty eight, back in the Liberty University studio in a moment.

Jeff Stein filling in for Todd. This is the Todd Starn Show. When I grow up, I want to work for a woke company like super woke. When I grow up, when I grow up, I want to be hired based on what I look like rather than my skills. I want to be judged by my political beliefs.

I want to get promoted based on my chromosomes. When I grow up, I want to be offended by my co-workers and walk around the office on eggshells and have my words policed by HR. Words like grandfather, peanut gallery, long time no see, no can-do. When I grow up, I want to be obsessed with emotional safety and do workplace sensitivity training all day long. When I grow up, I want to climb the corporate ladder just by following the crowd.

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Welcome back to the Todd Star Show. Jeff Stein in for Todd Cumberli University Studio. I've got just one minute, so let's go to the phone. Sally, you're calling in from North Carolina Listening on WSIC. What worries you about the government shutting down?

Uh Good afternoon, sir. Yes, I'm worried. I live off Social Security. And I'm wondering if there is a shutdown, will I still be getting my Social Security checks? Yes.

That's absolutely a lock. You will continue to get your Social Security check. And this is one of the things that is aggravating because those who want to demonize the issue scare people who are on fixed incomes. No, you will get your check. There will be no interruption.

That's all I needed, thank God. Thank God for you, sir. Oh, well, thank you for calling in. But this makes the point. Oh, bless you, Sally.

That makes the whole point, though, folks. You've got these folks on the one side threatening. Again, remember the ads? We're going to push Graham off a cliff. Come on.

The the the idea of scaring good American citizens.

So that these people with a twisted sense of power and control can maintain their power and control? It's repugnant. It's disgusting. And there is a great example right there. Of how the folks on the left are not above scaring people to get their way.

Just frightening. Hey, thanks for being along for this hour. Vivek Ramaswamy. When we come back after news, I'm Jeff Stein. This is the Todd Starr and Show.

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I love this American. Todd Starns. Wherever you're listening across this, the greatest nation God ever blessed, welcome to hour two of a Wednesday edition of the Todd Starns Radio Program, Coast to Coast, to more than 140 patriotic radio stations across the country. And streaming live at ToddStarnes.com. Hello, fellow Patriots.

I'm Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today. He should be back in the Liberty University studio tomorrow. You can catch Todd today filling in for Chris Salcedo on Newsmax TV for Eastern 3 Central. My privilege to be with you today. Let's start this hour by going right to the Patriot Mobile Newsmaker line, where we welcome Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

Mr. Ramaswamy, Jeff Stein in Iowa, filling in for Todd. Thanks for coming on the program today. Jeff, good to talk to you again. How are you?

I am well. You were kind enough to be in Iowa for our radio station event just a few weeks ago. And I told the audience last hour when you and I sat next to one another in a TV studio around Memorial Day week, and you were the guy who had some interesting ideas. But again, the polling was where it normally is for a new candidate.

Now you're center stage for presidential debates. Talk about what you have heard from voters as you have gone on the campaign trail and what message is resonating with them. Look, I think that one of the things that I've realized is that we in the conservative movement for a long time We have been running from something. from the left wing vision. for our country, but we need to start running to something.

To our own vision of what it actually means to be an American. That's how we win. And so yes, as the young person in this race, as somebody who is a millennial, Member of the next generation, I understand how to fill that vacuum of purpose and meaning. in the heart of a young generation with Our own affirmative answer to not just race, gender, sexuality, and climate. But instead, I want us talking more about the value of each individual.

The family. the nation. And God. That is what we're running to. And I believe that with a clear agenda that I've delivered here with great clarity on how we will shut down the administrative state, how exactly that'll help us grow the economy.

how we will declare independence from communist China. How I'm going to keep us out of World War III. and most importantly, reviving national pride. I think people across this country are hungry for those solutions. hungry for specifics.

That's what we're giving them, and that's what's driving this campaign upward, Jeff. Thevake2024.com is the website. Let's identify some of those things that separate you from other candidates in the Republican race.

Well, one of the things that is different is that I'm an independent patriot who speaks the truth, not part of the super PAC. class. I'm not bought and paid for. Unlike most politicians in both political parties, The reality is we have a corrupt and broken political system. I'm a businessman.

I'm an outsider. I didn't grow up in the DC swamp or in the world of partisan politics. I've built multiple multibillion dollar businesses. My parents came to this country with almost no money. In a single generation, I've gone on to live the full arc of the American dream.

Did it while marrying my wife, Apurva, who herself, as a successful surgeon, lived her version of the American dream. raising our two sons, following our faith in God. Yes, that's the American dream. And so I have personally lived that Outside of politics. That also gives me the independence and the latitude to say I don't I didn't go around and ask a bunch of donors.

with a hat in hand, ringing a tin can asking for permission to run. That's the way politics works today, and that's not the fault of the other politicians. It's the fault of a broken system.

So when it comes to speaking the truth on difficult issues, Like, for example, acknowledging the way the climate change agenda is a hoax. the ways in which electric vehicle subsidies should not actually be used to tilt the scales of the market. shutting down the Department of Education, declaring independence from China. These are things that I can say that are difficult for other candidates. to say if their donors stop them from speaking the truth.

And the sad truth, Jeff, is that's how politics works today, but that's not the game I'm playing. And I think one of the things that's different about me is, yes, that I am independent of that political corruption. But I'm also a member of a different generation that can reach young Americans. to make values like faith. And patriotism and hard work and family.

cool again, actually, for the next generation. We have over one hundred thousand donors to this campaign. 40% of them are first time ever donors to the GOP of any kind. Many of them are of a younger generation. That's a good thing.

That's how we're going to win this election in a landslide, leaving no state behind. No city left behind. No American left behind. a multiethnic working class coalition that actually delivers a Reagan nineteen eighty style landslide. That's what I'm uniquely positioned to do in this race.

If you're not selling ball caps that say making patriotism cool again by the end of the day, sir, that's a missed opportunity. Vivek Ramaswamy joining us on the Todd Starnes program, Jeff Stein in for Todd. I know we only have about another two or three minutes, but your campaign issued a news release today. The headline: Vivek Ramaswamy commits to pardon all peaceful January 6 protesters. Tell me about that plan, please.

Well, peaceful is the key part of that because we do have a constitutional right to express ourselves in this country. First Amendment rights. And the reality is we have two tiers of justice that have applied for the last several years in this country. One for Antifa or Black Lives Matter or BLM, rioters who burned cities across this country, who went unprosecuted. others for just being present on the Capitol grounds on january sixth, twenty twenty one.

many of whom were there engaging in peaceful protest. who have now been ensnared by federal terrorism investigations. I think that's wrong. And I think one of the things I'm looking to do as the U.S. President is to lead this nation forward.

To reunite this country, all Americans, not just some Americans, all Americans. But in order to do that, we're going to have to put the past behind us. And one of the ways that I'm signaling that we're going to reunite this country is that anyone who's been a victim of a politically motivated persecution through prosecution. They're going to get a pardon, and that's going to be what we use to move this nation forward. rebuild trust And the truth is, Jeff, I don't think we have to be a nation in decline.

I think we can still yet be a nation in our ascent. Maybe the early stages of our ascent, I hope. And I think that I want to still be able to look my two sons and their generation in the eye. and say the United States of America is still that country where no matter who you are or where your parents came from or what your skin color is or what your political beliefs are, you can still get ahead in this country with your own hard work, your own commitment, your own dedication, and that you know what, you are also free to speak your mind at every step of the way. That's the American dream.

That's what we're running to. And I think that's what we're going to need to revive in order to save this great nation. And that is what I am up for the task of doing. as the next President. Less than sixty seconds left with the vaik Ramaswamy.

What's your message to those who have supported President Trump in the past since he is still in this race?

Well, look, my message is I think he was an excellent president, and I respect him immensely, and I'm the only other candidate in this race willing to say it expressly. But we need to unite this country to take our agenda forward to the next level. The America First agenda doesn't belong to one man. It doesn't belong to Trump. It doesn't belong to me.

It belongs to you, to us, to the people. And so the question is: who can take that agenda further?

Now I think that's me. I'm young. I have fresh legs. I'm able to reach young Americans. inspire and unite Americans, even outside the Republican Party, around our America First agenda.

That will allow me to go further in sealing the border, further in shutting down the administrative state. And I will take Trump as my advisor and mentor in the White House in that first year when I'm in office. But I am best positioned to reunite this country and take that agenda forward. And so if you're like me and we're a big Trump fan and supporter and still are a fan, Still, going with me is going to be the best way we're going to lead this nation forward. And I think that's what this is all about.

Vivate2024.com is the website, Safe Travels in My State of Iowa, later this week, and we'll talk again soon, sir. Thanks for the time today. Thank you, Jeff. I appreciate it. Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy joining us on the Patriot Mobile newsmaker line.

We'll just have to see if he and Donald Trump find each other in the parking lot of the Iowa Estate Game Saturday. They're both attending. I'm not sure Aza Hutchinson will be moving toward that to make it a trio, but in any case, you've heard Mr. Trump speak well of Mr. Ramaswamy and vice versa.

And the news that the Ramaswamy campaign noted today, again, a commitment to pardon all peaceful January 6th protesters. Vivek Ramaswamy, and he joined us live on the Patriot Mobile Newsmaker line. 844-747-8868. Love to get your reaction to what you just heard. What do you think about Mr.

Ramaswamy or some of the other candidates in the race? Last hour I talked about the idea that folks in the early states, like Iowa, New Hampshire, etc., we do a little bit of shopping. And sometimes we go back to the original model, and sometimes we go somewhere else, but we take a good look at everybody and listen to all voices. What do you think about what you just heard? 844-747-8868.

That's how you can join this coast-to-coast conversation in the Liberty University studio. We'll speak with another presidential candidate. He is the author of a book entitled Sweet Land of Liberty. E.W. Jackson is his name, and that's coming up at the beginning of the next hour.

Short break now. Your call's on the other side. Jeff Stein in for Todd, and this is the Todd Starn Show. Experiences are what people love most about travel. With Viator, you can browse and book tours and activities so incredible you'll want to tell your friends.

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Welcome back to the Liberty University studio and the Todd Starn Show, Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today, 844-747-8868. Todd is away today. He should be back in this place tomorrow in the Liberty University studio. He will still be filling in for Chris Salcedo on Newsmax TV this afternoon. That's 4 Eastern, 3 Central.

If you don't live in the Eastern or Central time zones, do your own math. The reason he's not here today is he fractured his ankle yesterday. All is well. As well as it can be with a fractured ankle. He went to get some x-rays.

So that's why I'm sitting here, and it's a privilege to do so. I hate the reason for it, but it's a privilege to be here to talk with you.

So, thoughts and prayers and good wishes for Todd and his fractured ankle, but he should be back because, again, it's an ankle and not a fractured vocal cord, and so he should be able to be back with you tomorrow. Again, my privilege to be with you here today. What do you think of Vivek Ramaswamy?

Now, there are a lot of folks who are starting to tee off on him because of supposedly contradictory views, et cetera, et cetera. I do note that in his messaging, as he just spoke to us, he talked about the. Um Climate hoax. climate change hoax Perhaps to be very clear in distinguishing what he may have said at other times, perhaps not as artfully. But the mere fact I mean the the guy is brilliant He is not afraid to come to a state like Iowa and say, I don't think ethanol producers should get subsidies.

But I also don't think oil producers should get subsidies.

Okay. He's straight up and telling people things that he thinks they need to hear. And this goes back to my broader point. And this is why I am not going to get invited to the RNC's Christmas party. Not that I would go in a million years.

But I think that the RNC has made such a mess out of this debate situation. They are putting their thumb on the scale. To drive out voices they don't want to hear.

Now, you might say, how can you possibly have a debate with 16 candidates? Yes, logistically that's that's trouble. But they did a horrendous job with eight. at the recent national debate. And there's nothing to suggest it's going to be any better than one that they're going to do near the end of this month.

Why not actually have conversations where you can hear about issues? That's a much better format than a game show. And in fact, I mean, we are so far away. From The Nixon Kennedy Debates. Here's Howard K.

Smith sitting at a little office desk and there are two podiums to the side. That was your backdrop. That was your set.

Well, at this most recent debate, you have Fox News flying a drone into the basketball arena. And they were so caught up on that they missed the national anthem. It's their event, and they still screwed that up, but you've got all the lights and the whiz-bang, etc. It was all a game show. You know, I mean the only thing that those poor candidates didn't have was a little button for them to ring in first.

It's just not a good vehicle. for getting your message across. And it doesn't serve anyone well except for the RNC and its continued stranglehold on power.

So again, from my perspective, let's hear from people and let's hear from them in a setting where we actually can best determine Who should be the next leader of the free world? not the one who has the correct answer on Final Jeopardy. But yet that's the system that we have. And I don't see it changing anytime soon. And by the way, the Democrats are no better.

Democrats are actually worse. They interfered with the caucus process in Iowa and Nevada four years ago. Democrats ignore the fact that there is a bona fide challenger scoring 20, 30, and more percent in polls. In places like New Hampshire and South Carolina, I'm speaking, of course, of Bobby Kennedy, junior. Nope, as far as they're concerned, it's Uncle Joe all the way.

All the way to the federal prison, all the way to election fraud, all the way to, I don't know what. All the way to December when he steps aside and Michelle Obama decides to run? I don't know. There are crazy things out there. Which is more frightening?

That would be a great poll question. Which is more frightening, President Harris or the other President Obama? Ponder that while I remind you that I got a really good night's sleep last night because I have my pillow 2.0. and my pillow per kale sheets. And it was such a change maybe ten years ago.

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Did not know how in the world it could get better, but obviously it has. Mike Lindell, MyPillow, and MyPillow 2.0. I literally earlier this year was thinking, you know, it's been 10 years, this thing holds up well in the wash and everything, but maybe it's time to get something new. And lo and behold, I A whole new product came out. It had it the original had everything you could have wanted, and now twenty years later, new technology.

That makes it even better. You see the MyPillow 2.0 has the patented adjustable fill of the original MyPillow, but now has a brand new fabric that is made with a temperature regulating thread. You've heard of the phrase the co as cool as the other side of the pillow? Both sides. Totally cool.

The My Pillow two point O is the softest, the smoothest, and yes, the coolest pillow you'll ever know. And and I I was not one of those in the middle that I would flip the pillow over to find a cool side. but I noticed right away, with this pillow, it was indeed cooler. when I readjusted in the middle of the night. Maybe more information than you need to know, but the bottom line is the thing really works and they're not paying me to say it.

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Why not do it right now on this break? We'll come back with more on the other side. I'm Jeff Stein, filling in for Todd. Thanks for being along on the Todd Starn Show. Hi, this is Jay Seculo.

You've spoken, and we've heard you loud and clear. That's why this month we're doing something big. We're proud to announce our brand new ACLJ Life and Liberty Drive. Our legal teams will be focusing on the issues that you've told us matter the most to you: life. and religious liberty.

This month, we're redoubling our efforts to beat back the radical left's attacks on your constitutional religious freedoms and to defend the sanctity of human life. Life and liberty are the cornerstones of our great nation, but they're not guaranteed when the values we hold dear are under attack from within. It's up to all of us to take a stand or risk losing them forever. This is not just a call to fund our legal battles. This is your moment to get in the fight.

Every tax-deductible gift you give will be doubled, dollar for dollar, through the ACLJ Life and Liberty Drive. And help us fight to literally save lives. Go to aclj.org right now and join us in the fight. Welcome back to the Liberty University Studio and the Todd Starn Show. Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today.

844-747-8868 is how you can reach us. 844-747. If you were with us last hour, and if not, where the heck were you? And if not, well, you can listen to the podcast after the show is over. Go to ToddStarnes.com and click on the Toddcast Podcast link.

Give them a little time to upload the show, but later this afternoon and tonight, you can listen to it, download it, share it with your friends. The Toddcast Podcast at ToddStarnes.com. But we spoke in the last hour with House Freedom Caucus member South Carolina Republican Representative Ralph Norman, and there are just Lines in the sand is basically how I'm interpreting it. He says, He, the Freedom Caucus, and some others. Are feeling like they just don't have any leverage in this out-of-control federal spending, and all they want to do is to have it be at the levels.

that were in effect two years ago. The rollback is only to where we were two years ago. And you hear people just howling it. They can't believe that it would be such a terrible thing.

Well again. Try balancing your household budget the way Congress does.

Well, you wouldn't last very long. And they shouldn't either. The problem with the government shutdown, which is what happens if we don't get a continuing resolution, I mean, I've given up on the actual spending resolutions being passed, so much for regular orders, so much for all the promises made. By the party now in power in the House. But if they don't get a continuing resolution, By the end of September when the fiscal year runs out.

Then there's a government shutdown. which is really not a government shutdown.

So many aspects of the government stay up and running. People who are at government jobs who are told to go home because they're quote non-essential. They wind up getting paid. Ultimately, And I'm sorry, but when you work for government, you sorta know this is going to happen because of how horribly dysfunctional. Government is.

So you can't tell me you're not surprised it'd be no different than a labor union worker Who all of a sudden said, Gosh, I never dreamed we'd go on strike. That's always a possibility. But at the end of the last hour, a woman called and said she's on Social Security and is worried a government shutdown would mean she wouldn't get her check.

Okay, first, yes, you will get your check. Because that's not something that's funded every year. I'm not going to get into all the details, but you're going to get your Social Security and you're going to get it on time. But This has become demonizing. Look at these horrible Republicans shutting down the government and everything will be shut down.

Well, very little of it will be quote unquote shut down, and it's not going to impact things like your Social Security. But that's the fear that they're trying to drive into the conversation. Yes, we need help for Maui, but we're only going to give it to you if you spend a gazillion dollars on. Ukraine. or on green energy, or on whatever.

I, for one, am really sick and tired of the hostage-taking. Like, we're holding one party hostage. You're not going to get what you want unless we get what we want. Whatever happened to doing what's right for the American people, I know.

Some of you just fell off your chair laughing. Don't break your ankle, okay, as you hit the ground. But the point is, I'm just so tired of this. Uniparty Swamp that we keep talking about, and all the things that they do. And it does not serve.

The American people. I don't know how many Republican members of Congress I spoke to early this year. Who promised? Oh, absolutely, we're going to get back to regular order. By the way, regular order is the process by which.

budget bills are handled. That's what it means. And it's regular order for a reason. It's the process. What we've been dealing with under both parties' quote-unquote leadership over the past decade, that is the exception.

Not getting your work done in time, not passing a budget, having a continuing resolution that expires near Christmas so then people make very bad decisions late at night and then leave town before anybody hears about it. That's not the norm. That's not how it's supposed to be. Regular order is where you pass bills through the committee process and you have it done in time. And they swore, by gosh, you'll see our budget in April.

Well, what happened? The Biden White House submitted its budget first.

Okay, not necessarily a problem. Where's the Republican one? Where's the counter? Where are the bills? And again, and this is something that Congressman Norman pointed out.

Quite accurately. Yes, the Senate is in quote unquote Democrat control. And I apologize for the brain spasm an hour ago when I couldn't recall the numbers off the top of my head. 49 Republicans in the U.S. Senate.

Forty-eight Democrats and three who are independent. Qual and court independent. They caucus with the Democrats, and that's how they get the 51-49 Democrat majority. The bottom line is it's it's split in the Senate. With the nod toward the Democrats, barely a Republican majority.

So What is wrong with the Republicans in the House saying you elected us to do a job? We're going to pass a budget. Here it is. And if the Senate rejects it, I guess that's on the Senate. I guess that's on the Democrats.

But instead of that, they're doing the old, well, we're just not exactly sure about what we should pass because we need to get it through the Senate. If you won't wait, till the last minute this would not be an issue. Today, as I'm looking at the calendar, September 6th, the government fiscal year ends September 30th, September 6th to September 30th. It's not a surprise and it's not new. It comes up on the calendar at the same time every year.

There is no excuse For those Republicans to be all full of regular order in the January and February months. Then, when April came, they said, Oh, we're working on it. Then May came and oh, we'll get there. And here we are. with this August recess, The district work period.

Where no doubt they're getting an earful. And there must be something in the flights that enter Washington, D.C. airspace. The flights that come in from Reasonable places. Like where you're living.

Members of Congress are full of what they heard from their constituents. They get on the plane and then they enter Washington, D. C. airspace, and it must be like their brains just are scrubbed. Because they forget all about what they were told at the county fair and the state fair and the rotary club meeting and anywhere else that they happen to be.

They forget all about what they were told by constituents. They get back to Washington, and it's back to the comfortable swamp and business as usual. And I really hope personally that Congressman Norman and the Freedom Caucus and others, as he phrases it, I hope they hold firm on this. And I hope they get their messaging straight if there is a government shutdown. Because the spinmeisters In the swamp and In the White House, in particular, also the Senate.

They're going to spend this as a Republican shutdown, and seniors are going to have to eat cat food. Those are the lucky ones. The others are going to be thrown off a cliff. It's all false. It's all fear-mongering.

It's all inappropriate. But it's all they know because the number one goal of any politician is to get elected, the number two goal is to get re-elected. That's what these swamp monsters have in common. the UNA party has in common getting themselves reelected. Maintaining their power.

Nowhere in that equation.

Nowhere. Is there anything about serving the people? It's just not there. That's how broken this system is. It also shows why they are so.

determined to not let you have an opportunity to vote for Donald Trump. Because when he got into office, he upset their comfort level. And that's people on both sides.

Now, I'm not saying. This if you're a Trump supporter, not a supporter. I'm an independent. I don't vote in partisan primaries. I vote in general elections.

But I'm a registered independent. And as I've told my audience in Iowa multiple times, we are the first in the nation. caucus state, I don't make endorsements of candidates, period, because it would be really silly. My job is to bring as many voices to the table as possible so the audience can make their determination. If I come out early and I endorse someone, Well, I'm not going to get the others to come on, because it looks like a rigged game.

That's not my role. I'm right here in the thick of it, and I'm trying to deliver information to my audience. Others have a different view, and they do endorse candidates, and that's great. Different mission. Uh But where I sit I don't endorse anyone.

And so again, the whole point of it is I want them to hear as many voices as possible. But it's so clear. That there are so many who don't want you to have the chance to vote for Donald Trump. because of what he did to their level of comfort the last time. And what he is bound and determined to do to their level of comfort.

their level of comfort, again this time. 844-747-8868. 844-747-8868. That's how you can reach us here in the Liberty University studio.

Next hour, presidential candidate E.W. Jackson. Also, next hour, the lead pastor of Chase Oaks Church, Jeff Jones, on his book, Rebranding Christianity when the World's Most Important Brand Loses Its Way. All that still to come along with your calls. Short break now.

We're back on the other side. I'm Jeff Stein, filling in for Todd today, and this is the Todd Starn Show. Lots of channels. Nothing to watch, especially if you're searching for the truth. It's time to interrupt your regularly scheduled programs with something actually worth watching.

Salem News Channel. Straightforward, unfiltered, with in-depth insight and analysis from the greatest collection of conservative minds like Hugh Hewitt, Mike Gallagher, Sebastian Gorka, and more. Find truth. Watch 24-7 on SNC.tv and on LocalNow channel 525. Welcome back to the Todd Starn Show, Liberty University Studio.

Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today. He should be back tomorrow, but you can catch him before then on Newsmax 4 Eastern 3 Central. 844-747-8868 is how you can join this coast to coast conversation. That's 844-747-8868. Guests of the Todd Starnes Radio Program appear on the Patriot Mobile Newsmaker 9.

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Of course, ToddStarnes.com is where you go to get all sorts of news and information and watch the live stream and download the podcast later for this program. Todd is on the social media, primarily at Todd Starnes. On Instagram and threads. It's at Todd Starns FNC, but you'll be able to find it easy enough. You can find me, Jeff Stein, you can find me at totallyiowa.com.

I am on the socials at Iowa Politics, at IOWA Politics. That is the social media form formerly known as Twitter or X. X uh we we had tweets, right, from Twitter. What what do you X's? Did I did I post an Xer?

I don't know. Anyway. TwitterX, I'm not on the Facebook, I have enough vices, I don't need Facebook, but also Twitter, Instagram, Gitter, Threads, and Truth Social, all at Iowapolitics, IOWA, and the station website is kxcl.com. I am on the air weekday mornings right before Todd, if you're interested in sampling what we offer here. I saw this story, and I don't know what to make about it.

But it's going to drive those on the left absolutely. Crazy, and for that reason, I love the story. Yeah. CBS News reporting. And it comes from AP, I believe.

Debate over the name of Washington's NFL team is starting all over again. The Washington football team in the NFL, opening weekend in the NFL, right? The opening night is tomorrow night, I think.

Well, of course they were known for ninety years as the Redskins. and then they changed their name to Washington Football Team. Because I don't know how you could have offended anyone with that. And then they decided to switch to the name Commanders. Which again, what's short for commanders?

Commies Did no one figure out that the nickname for commanders would be Commies? And I don't think we want the football team in our nation's capital known as the commies.

Well, now you have new owners. And they have been using the R word. Redskins The name you're not supposed to use. New owners talking about how they remember the history of the team then known as the Redskins? or referring to them as the Then Redskins?

Or the coach earlier this year Talking about a visitor And how much of a Redskins Commanders fan he is. The fact that they're actually using the R word in public. That's interesting. This is the ownership group that Magic Johnson is a part of, and I believe he even said at the time they bought the team. Everything is up for conversation.

including the name. There are a number of Native American groups who would love to have the old name return. The Native American Guardians Association. is apparently a group, and there's a fellow by the name of Billy Diekman who's quoted in this AP story. They've started a petition to bring back the old name of Redskins, contending that the term refers to a native blood root ceremony for warriors and not a reference to skin color.

He says it is a status symbol, not about ethnicity. mister Diekman is a member of the Kiowa tribe. in Oklahoma.

So given how dreadful the football team has been on the field. the last few years. Even when it was still the Redskins. And then the WFT. Era Washington football team, and now the commies.

Well, all right, where is this going to go? It sort of seems like they need a fresh start. They also talked about moving to another city. I don't know. What do you think, Memphis?

Would you take the commanders and rebrand them? I'm just going to throw that out there, see what Mr. Starnes thinks about that. Our number three of this fine program coming up. Hope you're around for it from the Liberty University studio.

I'm Jeff Stein, filling in for Todd. Thanks for being along in this edition of the Todd Starn Show. What do millions of Americans and four U.S. presidents have in common? They all get a better night's sleep in bull and branch sheets.

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I love this American. Todd Starn. Slogger. Wherever you're listening across this, the greatest nation, God ever blessed, welcome to hour three of a Wednesday edition of the Todd Starnes Radio Program. Coast to coast of more than 140 outstanding radio stations and streaming live at ToddStarnes.com.

Hello, fellow Patriots. I'm Jeff Stein, filling in for Todd today. As we mentioned earlier, Todd broke his ankle yesterday, was getting some x-rays and some medical care today, which meant he could not be behind the microphone in the Liberty University studio. He should be right back here where he belongs tomorrow. And if you can't wait, I suppose, even if you can, but you need to watch Newsmax.

4 o'clock Eastern, 3 o'clock Central, Todd will be filling in for Chris Salcedo, bum, ankle, and all, on Newsmax TV. And that is coming up in just a couple of hours as I'm speaking to you live. I'm coming to you from my home base, the 50,000-watt Blowtorch News Talk 1540 KXCL in Cedar Rapids and Waterloo, Iowa, Iowa's home to the Todd Starnes radio program. Good to have you along. 844-747-8868 is how you can join this coast-to-coast conversation.

We'll take your calls in the next segment. But joining us now on the Patriot Mobile Newsmaker line is Bishop E.W. Jackson. He is a presidential candidate, E.W. JacksonforPresident.com.

And his most recent book, which came out earlier this year, Sweet Land of Liberty: Reflections of a Patriot Descended from Slaves. Bishop Jackson, Jeff. In Iowa, filling in for Todd. How are you today, sir? I am doing great.

Thank you all so much for having me. I know you're going to be just down the street from me in Waterloo, Iowa, later this month, and I hope to have you in the studio here for my local program. But tell the audience, with all that you've accomplished, and it's a long list, Why run for President of the United States as a Republican in 2024?

Well, it's very simple. I love this country. I think it's one of the greatest gifts and blessings God has ever given to man. And I really believe that our country is at the precipice of being lost. And while I realize that all the Republican candidates, except one, are long shots.

I think this is one of the most important discussions we're going to have about the future of our country. And I'm focused on coming back to faith in God, to family as He ordained it, and coming back to the Constitution as our founding fathers designed it. I think we get these fundamentals straight. I think the rest we can work out. but these fundamentals are under siege, and I think in the future of our country, therefore, is under siege.

You wore the uniform of the U. S. Marines. Thank you for your service so that some of us did not have to.

So obviously service to your nation was a big part of your life. Service to your parishioners. What can you bring as President that will help get the nation back to the foundation it should have? A reporter asked me one time when I was running in Virginia, what did I think was so important about the Trump candidacy? And I said, well, one of the things is that he is restoring a sense of patriotism and love of country.

And the reporter said, no, no, I mean something real. And I thought, wow, that's indicative of where we are in terms of the divided nature of our country. I I one of the things I bring and my book suggests this Is this sense that America is being slandered as a racist country, a white supremacist country, an unjust country? I was born into foster care, raised in foster care for 10 years. I was a juvenile delinquent.

I mean, I had all the negative things going against me that one could imagine. But what held me back was not race. What held me back was a broken family and the streets that were teaching me. And what I want to be able to say to this country is, this is still the land of the opportunity. This is still the land where somebody like me can do something productive with your life, make something of yourself.

But if we're going to turn this into some sort of socialist, secularist collectivist totalitarian culture, we're going to rob the next generations of that opportunity. And I think I'm just poised to be able to make that case in a way that I don't think any of the other candidates can. E.W. Jackson for President.com is the website. Bishop Jackson joins us on the Todd Starn Show, Jeff Stein filling in for Todd today.

And again, his most recent book, Sweet Land of Liberty. As President, You're going to be asked to do more than restore a sense of patriotism, which, frankly, as you note, I think that is going to take care of an awful lot right there. But what do you do to help the people you talk with on a daily basis feel more comfortable that they're going to be able to put food on the table? The economy, I don't care what the administration says, I see real people every day, and the economy's a mess. I would do an immediate regulatory audit of every regulation that the Biden administration has passed.

and undo them. And I would begin, by the way, with the onerous regulations on our energy industry, because one of the first jobs I see as the next President is to restore energy independence and to make us a net energy exporter rather than importer. That's going to take a lot of the economic pressure off the American people. And then you stop the profligate spending. You know, the Constitution provided a system of limited government, but really the Democrat Party, and to some extent, frankly, Republicans act like the government can do whatever it wants to do, spend as much money as it wants, and the American people just have to grin and bear it.

But that's not the nature of the government that was created. We've got to come back to paying as we go, not borrowing from China and other nations around the world to finance everything the government wants to do. It can't do everything. It's got to stop trying to do everything and turn things over to families and private organizations and churches and let us take care of ourselves rather than the government trying to be God. But the whole point of some of these folks who want to take America down a very different road is they want to separate them from their faith, from their organized religion, from church.

That's a very serious threat that I trust you see on a regular basis. It seems to be one of their key points toward dividing the nation and maintaining this perverse sort of control. A dear friend of mine, his church is under investigation right now because of something he said from the pulpit. Not something he did, not something the church did, not money the church invested, but for his speech behind the pulpit. You are absolutely right.

I mean, we've got to restore the vigor and the power of the First Amendment. You know, I've said I will defend, you know, Voltaire's old maximum. I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. I mean, that used to be the way we as Americans thought. I may not like what you have to say.

I may not agree with it, but you've got a right to say it. And then I've got a right to debate you and refute your ideas. And in the marketplace of ideas, the best ideas will ultimately emerge. The opposite, the alternative is, again, a totalitarian, authoritarian state where you're told, no, no, no, no, you can't say certain things because we find those things to be misinformation, disinformation, hate speech, whatever label we put on it.

Well, that's not the country that our founding fathers bequeathed to us, and that's not the country I want to bequeath to my grandchildren. Bishop E.W. Jackson is our guest on the Todd Starn show. He is a Republican candidate for president. E.W.

Jackson4President.com is the website. What is your Position with regard to some of these international issues primarily. U. S. support for Ukraine and how concerned are you about Russia and China getting a little too cozy, and now North Korea is joining in on that little threesome?

Well, look, I have advisers on both sides of this issue, and I've listened to the arguments. I think we've got to come out of Ukraine. I think we've got to stop spending billions of dollars of the American taxpayers' money to try to prop up a government that is clearly corrupt My understanding is from people who know that Zelensky is really himself a dictator, that he is limiting free speech, he is closing up media institutions. That is not the kind of government that we should be spending billions of dollars trying to prop up. And then we need to go back and rethink our relationship with Russia because the last thing we need is Russia and China teaming up.

Look, they are inherent enemies. They don't like