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>> Welcome to today's Issues, offering a Christian response to the issues of the day. Here's your host, Tim Wildmon, president of the American Family Association.

>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, welcome everybody, to Today's Issues on the American Family Radio Network. Thanks for listening to AFR. Today is Wednesday, November 12, 2025. And, joining me, I'm Tim Wildmon. I don't know if the announcer, I think the announcer said that. Joining me in studio is Ed, Vitagliano. Good morning, Brother Ed.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Good morning, Tim.

>> Tim Wildmon: Wesley Wildmon.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Glad to be here.

>> Tim Wildmon: And Fred Jackson.

>> Fred Jackson: Hello there.

>> Tim Wildmon: so it's four of us. As I said, we're going to split the brain power up 25% a piece of. Yep.

>> Wesley Wildmon: And we're prepared for that.

>> Tim Wildmon: And we're prepared for that.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, well, I just use 25 of my brain power every day, so.

>> Tim Wildmon: Well, you got to conserve it. So you spend all your brain power.

>> Wesley Wildmon: You spend 25 of your brain a hundred percent of the time.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Wesley Wildmon: You like I did that?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Exactly. I like that.

>> Tim Wildmon: That sounds like something you tell your little baseball players, you coach Wesley. 25 of your effort, 100 of the time. Who's with me seven days a week. Seven days a week.

American Family Radio is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year

All right, Tim, Ed, Wesley and Fred. We're here and we're going to talk about what's happening in our country and in our world, as much as we can, and offer a biblical perspective on that biblical worldview perspective. That's why we're here. That's what makes us different. Hopefully we can do that. That's what our goal is. and of course, American Family radio. We're here 247 providing, good Bible teaching and, news and information that will, help you become a good Christian citizen in this here country. And by the way, we were having a reading this morning of a, letter we're sending out to our supporters which noted that, upcoming is our 250th anniversary as a country.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, 1776. 250 years. 20. 26 is the 250th.

>> Tim Wildmon: I can't wait this year. I hope it's an amazing year because I have some of my fondest memories as a child. Was the, You're from Canada, Fred. Why are you laughing at me?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Because he.

>> Tim Wildmon: I'm about to share something very patriotic, and you're, like, laughing at me.

>> Fred Jackson: I thought you were going to say I was there 250 years ago.

>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, well, no, I wouldn't.

>> Wesley Wildmon: He's losing a little bit, but not that many.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, I don't think I'm stepping that bad. Yeah. I remember talking to George Washington when.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I was a kid.

>> Fred Jackson: Right.

>> Tim Wildmon: I gave him a piece of my mind. Anyway, so, m. What I was going to say was, some of my fondest memories as a child of being 13 years old. That's a child. It's a teenager. And, celebrating the bicentennial.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Oh.

>> Tim Wildmon: You know, remember that?

>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah, you've mentioned that, but I don't.

>> Tim Wildmon: Well, it was. It was a. It was a great year, for me. Yeah. For Americans. I remember everybody had, you know, your swim trunks were red, white and blue. Your, you know, you had T. shirts that celebrated the bicentennial.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And it was the year I graduated from high school.

>> Tim Wildmon: 76.

>> Ed Vitagliano: 76. I was a 76 graduate.

>> Fred Jackson: Oh.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. So anyway, like you care. What. What's your. What's your. What's your.

>> Fred Jackson: What?

>> Tim Wildmon: You. You know what I'm talking about. A lot of patriotism. Everybody. Everybody was. Was, a patriot.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: And it was, such a wonderful time to be a.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Both parties, right?

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. Both parties.

>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Nobody was calling for the overthrow of the foundational ideas of our country.

>> Tim Wildmon: no. Democrats and Republicans had differences, obviously, on how to govern. But there was no question. I didn't say Jimmy Carter's communist.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Tim Wildmon: He was just,

>> Wesley Wildmon: Or he didn't self identify as a communist either.

>> Tim Wildmon: No, he didn't.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Mom.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Donnie.

>> Tim Wildmon: Right. I mean, the Democrat Party's just gone so far left. But back in. I don't know when you would say, but when that changed necessarily. It was kind of gradual, but, everybody was. Democrats and Republicans alike were the main. Loved America and were patriotic.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. One of the. I shouldn't say the main. One of the main fault lines between Republicans and Democrats. They all loved America. Founding principles was guns are butter. That was the way I remember in economics class. do you spend more on military or do you spend more on providing social services?

AFA is working on a 250 year anniversary video about America

That was kind of the. The. One of the. I say one of the main fault lines Republicans wanted to spend more for. On military like Ronald Reagan to keep up with the Soviet Union. And Democrats said no, that's. We already spend too much. But they both, both parties loved America.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: At least like.

>> Wesley Wildmon: I'm sorry, go ahead.

>> Ed Vitagliano: No, I was gonna say, like Wesley said, as far as we know, you know, they did.

>> Tim Wildmon: So you gotta ask m. Another question about.

>> Wesley Wildmon: No, I was going to share a little inside baseball with her. Today's issues audience here.

>> Tim Wildmon: Go.

>> Wesley Wildmon: But they can't, they can't share it with anybody else.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. Okay. All right. Just between us.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Just between us. We are working on a 250 year anniversary of our country video, with a, couple of the bartons and Steve McDowell, Rick Greene, Walker Wildmon and a few others. And so we're working on coordinating that. So I mentioned that to give you a inside baseball, but also so you could pray for the idea, as it's coming together and we'll Release that in 2026 and we'll have more information as we get, past New Year's. But we're working on something. So when you listen to us and you financially support the work we do. Yeah, we're gonna.

>> Tim Wildmon: You mean David and Tim, Barton from Wall Builders.

>> Wesley Wildmon: That's right. Yes, sir.

>> Tim Wildmon: Stephen McDowell from the Providence.

>> Wesley Wildmon: And Rick Greene.

>> Tim Wildmon: Rick Greene.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Walker Wildmon.

>> Tim Wildmon: Walker Wildmon.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Yep.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And also, you have a commercial.

>> Wesley Wildmon: In there, dad Wildmon.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Because he was there in 17.

>> Tim Wildmon: When is the meeting? Because I didn't get an invitation.

>> Wesley Wildmon: So.

>> Tim Wildmon: So we.

>> Wesley Wildmon: We've got a couple AI, audios of you that we're going to slip in.

>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, AI, audios of me.

>> Wesley Wildmon: And we're going to tell you what we want you to say. No, I'm just kidding. Now, we can include you if you'd like to be included. Fred, would you like me included? Ed, would you like to be included?

>> Tim Wildmon: No, we can't give a trophy with everybody. I just thought m. Maybe as president of the ministry, I would be of value to the, to the film.

>> Wesley Wildmon: By the way, the idea is not complete, so if the audience prays hard enough, maybe you'll come to mind. Okay.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I've. I've reached the stage of life and also my career here at AFA because in February I will have been here 30 years that, when you say, do you want to be in the film? I go, nope.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Nope.

>> Ed Vitagliano: For one thing, we've all these people you named, including Tim.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: These are people that our listeners and supporters want to hear from. Their experts on all this.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I would just be another pretty face and.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah, who needs that?

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, you're often confused with Brad Pitt.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Actually, more usually confused with Robert Redford after he passed away.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: Oh, okay.

>> Tim Wildmon: Bada boom. Okay.

Ed insulted his hockey team. It was unnecessary. Let's move on

So, anyway, I just say all that for the last seven minutes to say I'm looking so forward to celebrating our 250th, birthday here in the U.S. when is Canada's, 200th or whatever. What's coming up next?

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, well, we were 100 years old in 1967 when you guys were talking. 67 was the big year for us. 100 years.

>> Tim Wildmon: So 150 or 160 now, right? Coming up on it.

>> Fred Jackson: Coming up on it. Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: Well, yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And 67. Wait, this is another, date that. It wasn't that the last time the Toronto Maple Leafs won the Stanley Cup.

>> Tim Wildmon: For those who don't know, what Ed just did right there was he kicked Fred in the Canadian groin. is what he did right there. Because he insulted his. He insulted his, maybe worse than that. Insulted his hockey team.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, it's not technically his hockey.

>> Fred Jackson: No, Chicago's my hockey team.

>> Ed Vitagliano: But anyway, it was a. It was a slight against a team that. My team, the box.

>> Tim Wildmon: And it was despite. It was. It was unnecessary.

>> Ed Vitagliano: It was unnecessary. And I don't think we're allowed to say what you said on the air about.

>> Tim Wildmon: Say it again.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Where I.

>> Tim Wildmon: Well, okay, I shouldn't have said that. I apologize. I apologize. Do I need to apologize again or just move on? We're good. Let's move on.

The House is expected to vote on a bill to end the shutdown tonight

All right, Fred, what's your first story?

>> Fred Jackson: Well, supposedly at 8 o' clock tonight, Central time, the House will vote on that bill that supposedly I'm gonna be watching will end the shutdown.

>> Tim Wildmon: C Span, here I come.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, and there are a lot of stories surrounding this, you know, House Majority Leader Atau, Ember. He says the shutdown has caused needless pain because what's on the table right now, what's going to be voted on tonight, pretty well was offered way back on September 19th. Cut to.

>> Tom Ember: We're going to reopen the government, as soon as, these, Democrats in the House give us the chance to vote on it, it'll get done. In the meantime, it's very sad. I mean, 40 days plus they shut down this government. And for what? For, for absolutely nothing except to hurt the American people. it's the exact same CR that we passed back on September 19th. The only difference is you now have a new date of the end of January. And then they added the three appropriations bills that were basically ready to go back in September.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: Who was that, gentlemen?

>> Fred Jackson: Tom Ember. He is the House Majority Whip.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay, gotcha.

>> Fred Jackson: Yep.

>> Tim Wildmon: So that'll be voted on tonight, and then passed and the President will sign it tomorrow.

>> Fred Jackson: that is the plan. Now I'm sure the Democrats are going to try to come up with some kind of delay tactics in all of this, because House Minority Leader Hakeem, Jeffries, he says there will be no vote unless there are Obamacare tax credits. Got four.

>> Hakeem Jeffries: House Democrats will strongly oppose any legislation that does not decisively address the Republican health care crisis. We want to reopen the government. We'll continue to stand by our hard working federal employees and civil servants, but we have a responsibility to make sure that we extend the Affordable Care Net act tax credits.

>> Tim Wildmon: I'm confused.

>> Fred Jackson: All right, we're going to try to straighten that out.

>> Tim Wildmon: Tim, you know what I'm confused about?

>> Fred Jackson: What are you confused about?

>> Tim Wildmon: How this. That was the leader of the Democrats.

>> Fred Jackson: That's correct.

>> Tim Wildmon: He's saying we're not voting for this. He's. Yes. Okay. And I would say it doesn't matter because the Republicans have enough votes on their own, even though their margins. Very slight.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: To pass it without your votes. Am I right?

>> Fred Jackson: Heck yes. Team Jeffries is just being the leader and trying to put a happy face, I guess on.

>> Tim Wildmon: He's a happy face guy. Yeah, he really is. But you know, Jeffries makes. Cracks me up every time I hear him.

>> Fred Jackson: A lot of people are, are confused about the whole Obamacare credits thing. And basically what the Democrats, want to do is continue the subsidies that were put in place when Joe Biden was president. There was Covid. Extra money was being given to people because they were out of work. So they want to continue this. so we have Vic Roy, who's from the foundation for Research on, equal Opportunity. He says Obamacare is overcharging right now. The young and healthy to take care of the elderly and the sick. Cut to 10. Pardon me.

>> Dr. Mehmet Oz: Tell me what went wrong with Obamacare. The bottom line is it's the regulations. Obamacare created a nationwide one size fits all set of regulations for that kind of insurance that you were mentioning that people buy on their own, outside of their employer, outside of the government. And the two things that Obamacare did that broke the insurance market were one, it overcharged healthy people that needed insurance to help fund the cost of insurance for sick people and overcharged young people to help fund the Cost of insurance for sick people. So young people paid double, triple, quadruple what they were paying before. And healthy people paid double, triple, quadruple what they paid before. And so those were the people who were particularly harmed by Obamacare, who dropped out of the market, who can't find affordable coverage unless they get those subsidies. And the end result is, if only sicker and older people buy insurance, the price of insurance for everybody goes through the roof.

>> Tim Wildmon: okay, so that was a good explanation. It was good what he's talking about there. But, I mean, that's, that's kind.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Of true about all insurance.

>> Tim Wildmon: That's what I was thinking.

>> Ed Vitagliano: It's kind of true about all insurance that, that you create a pool of money. An insurance company with all of its customers creates a pool of money, and that pool of money is used to pay out claims. So you have to have enough healthy people in that pool who aren't drawing out for, because they're not getting sick in order to keep funding the health care for sick people so that the company can make a, profit and stay in business. Okay. That's a very basic way of understanding how insurance works. So what Obamacare did is create a way for people who don't have insurance provided by work to try to get insurance. But it's got to work the same way. You've got to have young people and healthy people funding it through the insurance companies so that they don't go out of business. And, we all know that if you go into a hospital emergency room back when we had unlimited illegal immigration, they were filled and the hospital was.

>> Tim Wildmon: Those people are still here.

>> Ed Vitagliano: They were providing free health care for people who weren't paying anything. And so the rest of us, our bills were exaggeratedly high to cover the hospital so they could take care of those people for free. It's a very complex system. But the Democrats. I think this explanation was just very helpful that you were charging incredibly high premiums for people who don't actually need to use the insurance to cover the people who do.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

What is an Obamacare subsidy? Does anybody here know?

Well, all right, so m. I was like 30 seconds from eyes glazing over. But. But you, you finished just on time.

>> Ed Vitagliano: My eyes were glazing over while I was speaking.

>> Tim Wildmon: I. Well, anyway, let me ask you one other question. if I can belabor the point, because most people say, I don't want to belabor the point, but I'm going to belabor it. Let's do it right here. when they say, oh, when that, like, what is an Obamacare subsidy? What Is that exactly. Is that money that comes. That goes to individuals directly to help pay for Obamacare insurance, or does that go to companies? What is an Obamacare or does that go to states? What is an Obamacare subsidy? Does anybody here know?

>> Fred Jackson: the aim of it is to reduce the cost of insurance for individuals.

>> Tim Wildmon: But what is it? Is it federal tax dollars?

>> Fred Jackson: Oh, it's federal tax dollars.

>> Tim Wildmon: It's federal money.

>> Fred Jackson: Absolutely.

>> Tim Wildmon: It's real money. Yes. That the federal government is doling out. Is that what this is?

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. That's what a subsidy means.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes. Okay, here's another.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And it goes to insurance companies. Yes. So if you're an individual who wants to go through Obamacare to get insurance, you go to Company X.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And you have the subsidies so you can, you can kick in that extra money to what. And add it to what you're going to provide.

>> Tim Wildmon: So that's been. That kind of subsidy has been going on since COVID It was done in the name of helping people get through Covid financially. Right?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: And now it's supposed to term out the legal limit. It's supposed to expire.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: And the Democrats are, they're holding out, saying, no, we want to continue with the subsidies. Is that right?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Wesley Wildmon: And he looked at me.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, I'm not. I don't see any answers in your eyes.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah, go ahead.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I was going to say one. One additional thing to remember is that insurance companies are free to do the following. They find out that Congress is kicking in federal tax dollars to create subsidies. So then they are legally allowed to raise the rate, raise the premiums. Yes. Because they're going to be getting free money from the government.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And so everyone else complains because rates go up.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: You know, I think you're going to find more and more people interested in this Christian Share type, of approach. Now, we have traditional insurance here.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: But, we've looked into that, though. We've looked into that. And there may be a time in the future when we swap over. but I'm just saying that is. That's growing. That, you know what I'm saying? That, that, that approach. That's right.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Medicare.

>> Tim Wildmon: Medicare.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Where you, where you advertise them on it?

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. It's great organization. And, but anyway, I think that will continue to grow.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah. Christian care ministry, Medicare.

>> Tim Wildmon: Because health insurance is health, insurance, you know, goes up and the cost of health care goes up every year. And health, health care is not like any other kind of insurance.

Kamala Harris: Democrats let in 15 million illegal immigrants in four years

All Right. You're talking about, life, okay. You're talking about health, you're talking about your well being. and so you can't, you know, you can't. Nobody wants to say, well, you can't have a kidney transplant, sir, because you don't have any money.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Tim Wildmon: So just go home and die. I mean, who does that, you know? So it's. Whereas you could say, well, sorry, sir, you don't have the money for your car insurance, so you just go home and don't drive. Okay? Well, you can deal with that, you know what I'm saying? Right. but you can't. The other I'm talking about is even, even people here who are here illegally. I, Okay, I'm as, I'm a deport people who are here illegally guy, because we have to have legal immigration, we have to have law and order or we don't have a country. But if you're going to ask Tim, there's a child who's five, years old who's got tuberculosis or whatever, or breaks their leg, and they're there from there, he's here illegally. Do, you want to yes or no on helping him, with this sickness or ailment? I would say yes.

>> Ed Vitagliano: You got to say, yeah, you're.

>> Tim Wildmon: You don't have a heart.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Tim Wildmon: You know what I'm saying? So, but at the same time of me saying, yeah, you got to help, you got to help people who are in need, physically at the same time, guess what? Your charity has to be paid for. Yep.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: That's a, that's a reality also.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Tim Wildmon: So does that make sense?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. And so there's nothing wrong with saying, okay, absolutely, take care of the kid. Broke. Broke his arm.

>> Tim Wildmon: Right.

>> Ed Vitagliano: But we don't need so many people here getting health care who can't pay because that affects the cost for everybody else. So we're going to firm up the border.

>> Fred Jackson: Yep.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And we're going to deport people. They may go to the room before they get out.

>> Tim Wildmon: But what America. I don't want to belabor. I'm going to belabor a belabored point here. Can I belabor?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Absolutely.

>> Tim Wildmon: I'll double down on my behavior.

>> Wesley Wildmon: You got eight, seven, six, and I glazed over.

>> Tim Wildmon: I'll just say this. And I'm not saying anything. Most people that you're listening don't already agree with what Joe Biden and the Democrats did for four years by doing away with our border was abominable.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: And.

>> Tim Wildmon: And, ah. And is going to hurt our country for a long, long time.

>> Tim Wildmon: Because we've got. They say 15 million people came in here. Who knows, maybe more in four years. Just nobody vetted them. We're hearing now all the time about people being caught who are here illegally, who are criminals. Right. But just people who aren't criminals, but just poured into our country without any kind of law and order or without going through the process of illegal immigration. And now we are supposed to absorb the social services for all these people. you know what I'm saying? And if you don't do it, you're. You don't have a heart or you're inhumane. But what Joe Biden did by letting all these people come in, I still, of course, the Democrats want these folks to become legal. That's why you'll often hear a pathway to citizenship so that they can then vote Democrat from here till forever. Yeah. That's what their goal is. I hope that doesn't happen. I don't think it will. But that was their goal when they let 15 million people in here.

>> Wesley Wildmon: And those are the people that they let in. Just in those four years. There were already millions of people that were here illegally anyways. They came in, during the previous administration.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yes, but Biden said, y' all come. In fact, you remember I mentioned this before, you remember the Democrat debate.

>> Tim Wildmon: And it was in Miami. It was during 2016. No, no, 20. 20. 20. And remember the Democrats had their primary.

>> Fred Jackson: Uh-huh.

>> Tim Wildmon: And Kamala Harris was in it, Joe Biden was in it, Bernie Sanders was in it. And the commentator said, raise your hand if you want to pay for insurance for anybody who comes here illegally. Now, they didn't phrase it like that. They would have said something about here, raise your hand if you want America to cover health insurance for undocumented, people.

M. Bennett: Obamacare was step one to get socialized medical care

That's probably how they would have put it. And every one of them raised their hands.

>> Fred Jackson: That's right.

>> Tim Wildmon: And you're going like you're incentivizing people to come here from all over the world, just pour into our country, and we're supposed to take care of them by you raising your hand, saying.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: We.

>> Tim Wildmon: Should pay for their health needs.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Fred Jackson: Because that's the ultimate agenda of Obamacare.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Fred Jackson: It was step one to get socialized medical care.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. One day we're going to have, we're going to have socialized medicine, probably, or some form of it. People would argue Obamacare already is. But then you're going to have people who want to pay for close country club membership. Yeah. You know what I'm saying? Pay for health care.

>> Wesley Wildmon: An even bigger gap on either side.

>> Tim Wildmon: Above and beyond what you can get through just, general insurance or not having insurance. We'll be back in a couple of minutes and I promise not to, belabor the belaboring. Laughter Ah, no more belaboring for me. This show. Okay? No more.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Say amen.

>> Tim Wildmon: All right, M. We'll be back momentarily.

Preborn network clinics help women choose life through a free ultrasound

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>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: This is today's issues. Email your comments to commentsfr.net Past broadcasts of today's issues are available for listening and viewing in the [email protected] now back to more of today's issues.

We talked Obamacare subsidies, government shutdown, ending insurance votes

>> Tim Wildmon: Ladies and gentlemen, if you missed the last half hour of today's issues, I'd go back and listen to it again. It was riveting radio, if I do say so myself. We talked government shutdown, ending insurance votes. We talked insurance. We talked Obamacare subsidies. Subsidies alone are worth listening to us talk about.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Absolutely.

>> Tim Wildmon: You won't have that.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: Just.

>> Ed Vitagliano: You won't have to take your melatonin. before you go, go, go to sleep at night. If you just listen to that segment.

>> Tim Wildmon: I thought that has something to do with your skin color.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That's melanin.

>> Tim Wildmon: Oh, I've been taking the wrong thing.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: Yeah, you have.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, I've noticed I've.

>> Tim Wildmon: That haven't helped me speak better at all.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I'VE noticed the yellow shade. You've been taking the wrong kind of feeling.

>> Tim Wildmon: I've been getting whiter. Know what the problem is? So, so anyway, we wanted to wrap this story we had in all seriousness. We've been talking about health insurance and also the Democrats and Republicans have been arguing about continuing Obamacare subsidies that started during COVID to help Americans who were struggling economically as, as typical of Democrats, they want to continue with welfare programs and to. And increase them into eternity. That's how, that's basically their platform. and so they've been arguing over that Republicans and Democrats.

11 million people who have Obamacare never use it, according to Dr. Oz

But anyway, you wanted to play one other clip before we get to our guest, having relative to this issue.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes. Dr. Mehmet Oz. I think most of our audience very familiar with him. He now holds the title of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. He's the administrator there.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Obviously he was a wizard for many years.

>> Tim Wildmon: Come on, Ed, can we get serious for a minute? It's up to me. Keep this show on track. Go ahead. I apologize.

>> Fred Jackson: Now he says the government, the taxpayers of America could save a lot of money because there are apparently, according to Dr. Oz, 11 million people who have Obamacare, but they never use it. Cut 11.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: Today it's over 11 million people who have Obamacare never use their policies. They don't buy medications with it, they don't see doctors and use it, which means they often don't know they have it. And yet we're still stuck with the bill. The president doesn't want that anymore.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, that's the issue here is that the government is subsidizing people, getting insurance companies, giving millions billions of dollars to insurance companies for people who don't even need it or use it.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. And the insurance companies are racking up this extra money from the government.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Ed Vitagliano: With you know, increasing their profits, which I guess if someone, if someone offers you free money.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Guess what most people say. Oh, okay.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, I'll take it.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. All right. You're listening to today's issues on American Family Radio. Dr. Oz, he's in charge of what, what's his title?

>> Fred Jackson: His title is Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

>> Tim Wildmon: All right, we appreciate, appreciate that Fred, giving us that information.

American Family association has known for its Christmas buttons for 20 years

you're listening to today's issues on the American Family Radio Network. Well, here we are a middle of November, so before you know it, it'll be Christmas.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: And.

>> Tim Wildmon: One of the things that American Family association, the parent ministry here of AFR has been known for for 20 years are our Christmas buttons that, And we have a brand new one here that we're going to talk about. our Christmas buttons. You. You might have seen them. People wearing Christmas buttons. Something. And it would always have something to do with, you know, with the real reason for the season, as they say. And, so we're going to talk about that right now and tell you how you can get your 20, 25 Christmas buttons. And Ed has his own, and Fred has it on. I'm about to put mine on. But, joining us in studio is our number one ambassador for our Christmas buttons, Brother Jerry Lawson, who is the, senior pastor of Enon Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Ackerman, Mississippi.

Tell us about the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination

Good morning, Brother Jerry.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: Good morning, sir.

>> Tim Wildmon: Did I get the church right?

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: Yes, sir, you did.

>> Tim Wildmon: Now, I've asked you this before, and I'm familiar with Cumberland Presbyterian, churches. What is that a what. Where. Tell us about the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: Well, it, had its beginning in 1810. Great revival. And, we, were kind of separated from the Presbyterian Church. There were several theological issues.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: And, so anyway, today we have about a thousand churches, one seminary and one college.

>> Tim Wildmon: Where's that?

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: Well, the College is in McKenzie, Tennessee. Bethel College and in Memphis. Theological Seminary is in Memphis.

>> Tim Wildmon: Gotcha. Well, we have a lot of supporters who attend Cumberland Presbyterian churches. And I know they're very theologically conservative, and sound. But, so you serve the church. Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Ackerman, Mississippi. Now, you're here every year, and you don't age, brother. By the way, I just want to compliment you. I don't know what. Melanoma or what. What are you.

>> Ed Vitagliano: No.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: What.

>> Tim Wildmon: Do you know what?

>> Ed Vitagliano: That's. That's cancer. Okay, so there's melatonin, there's melanin, and then there's melanoma.

>> Tim Wildmon: You see, Jerry, I have to deal with the splitting hair stuff. Well, with.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: As long as you're not wearing glass, I will not change.

Many big box stores used to ban Merry Christmas, which offended many

>> Tim Wildmon: All right, for those who don't know, tell us a little bit of the story of how you got to be our number one Christmas, button guy.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: If you go back 20 years ago, they were having a war on Christmas. Many people were allowed to say happy holidays.

>> Tim Wildmon: Right.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: but, as far as saying Merry Christmas, that was offensive in a lot of the big box stores. And, there were some people that started a campaign, about the fact that, you couldn't say merry Christmas. And, so anyway, when your dad started coming out with the buttons. I was kind of incensed down at a particular store. And, I said, merry Christmas. And the lady looked at me and pointed her finger and said, shh, don't say that in here.

>> Tim Wildmon: And I thought, what is this in Mississippi?

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah. Or deep red state.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: Not far from my community down there, in Ackerman. And, so the Lord just, laid on my heart and he showed me the buttons and all. And I said, I think the Lord's led me into this. And, I'm going to start getting these buttons and passing them out. And I think the first year I passed out maybe about 50 buttons. And last year was 2,500 buttons. And, so we've done passed out 500 this year.

>> Tim Wildmon: Amen. Well, we at American Family association, and, thanks to Jerry and thousands and thousands of people maybe listening to me right now have distributed these buttons across america the last 20 plus years. And the purpose is to keep Christ in Christmas in our country because there are people, as Jerry's talking about in this, this war on Christmas, which many people mocked and said isn't real. Oh, yeah, it was real. I remember I was on with, Bill O'Reilly on his television show about this, and he was helpful. Bill O'Reilly on Fox News and getting combating, this. But there are a lot of people, the secular progressives, I call them the God haters, they want to do away with our Christian heritage. and one of the ways they wanted to do that is to change, the phrase Merry Christmas, the specialness of the Christmas season that we love in America, to do away with that and change it to just a generic.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Holiday, as if people were going to stores to buy holiday gifts. They were going to buy Christmas gifts.

>> Tim Wildmon: And that was one of the things that we pointed out, is that all these stores who say, no, our employees are not allowed to say Merry Christmas, as you say, Ed. then why do you think those people are in your stores?

>> Wesley Wildmon: Right.

>> Tim Wildmon: They're not buying Kwanzaa gifts. They're buying Christmas gifts. So you're a hypocrite if you're a corporation who tells people, don't commemorate, don't mention the name of the very reason that people are buying stuff in our stores.

>> Wesley Wildmon: They weren't buying holiday trees. They were buying Christmas trees.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And we all know that we had a local, chain of stores, Home Improvement. I won't mention the name because this does go back 20 years that started selling holiday trees.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Oh, they did.

>> Ed Vitagliano: They actually had a sign, holiday trees.

>> Tim Wildmon: But do you know. You know Lowe's that we went. Did I slip?

>> Ed Vitagliano: No.

>> Tim Wildmon: Anyway, sir, okay, this is 20 plus years ago, and it was Lowe's.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: And Lowe's announced that they were going with holiday trees, and they had always called them Christmas trees.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Tim Wildmon: And then Randy Sharp, who works here at afa, and Buddy Smith got on this project. Two of our employees who were communicating with Lowe's, and, I think Randy may have gone and personally met with them. I think so. And with Lowe's, I'm talking about. And you know what? To Lowe's credit, they changed immediately. They said, you know what?

>> Wesley Wildmon: You're right.

>> Tim Wildmon: You're right. And they've always been Christmas trees. And we're not switching over to holiday trees. We're going to go back to saying Christmas trees. So we won that one.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: So.

>> Wesley Wildmon: So, bringing this full circle now that we would say, AFA would say, @ this point, by and large, we've won that, fight. We also, if you look at these, it says on the Christmas button this year, it says Jesus, our joy for all eternity. And it's got a picture of the nativity scene, with Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus. And, that's what it includes there. So this image m. Now becomes, a form of a gospel track, because you can wear them and share them, as we say. And I know doctor, Jerry Lawson has some. At least he's a doctor. Nope. Sorry. No, brother.

>> Tim Wildmon: Well, you're going to give him some kind of honorary doctorate here for today's.

Jerry Lawson wants people to order Christmas buttons so they can give them away

>> Wesley Wildmon: Issues, for how many buttons he's given out.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. Give him an honorary doctor.

>> Wesley Wildmon: That's right, brother.

>> Tim Wildmon: Some kind of resolution, brother.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Jerry Lawson, you have at least one story you could share with us about.

>> Ed Vitagliano: About how.

>> Wesley Wildmon: How you wear them and share them and how impact.

>> Tim Wildmon: Hey, before he does that, can I tell people how to order these?

>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah, do. Do so.

>> Tim Wildmon: Okay. And, Jerry, they do want you to share. He's got. He's got a hundred stories. So how long?

>> Wesley Wildmon: Yeah, that's right.

>> Tim Wildmon: 1. And they're all good, brother. Tell you that. do we have this on our Facebook page? So Brent Creely's putting this on our Facebook page for today's issues, but that is how. you can look at the buttons and order the buttons. Ed, if people want to order said buttons that we're talking about here, which say they've got the nativity scene, and in big and bold, is the word Jesus.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: And underneath, as Wesley said, it says, our joy for all eternity. It's a Beautiful Christmas button this year. they all are, every year. But how can people order these? Because now's the time of the year to, now's the time to order them so that we can get them to people before Thanksgiving even, and they can wear them and give them away in December.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And by the way, that is what we are encouraging. That's why they're packaged in sets of 10. You say, well, I can't wear 10 buttons at a time. No, you wear one. And then when someone comes up and says, hey, I love that button, you give it to them. And then you can talk about the Lord Jesus. Like, Wesley said, it's a great opportunity for begin, for starting a conversation with someone about the Lord. that can easily move into a witnessing, kind of situation. So you can get them two ways. You can order online. You can go to our resource center. Here's the web address. Resources.aca.net resources.afa.net or by calling this number, 877-927-4917.

>> Tim Wildmon: Where does that call?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Give that again. I, I that calls the re.

>> Tim Wildmon: The ladies Upstairs Resource center for English Hit one.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I, I, I, I don't know.

>> Wesley Wildmon: I'm sorry about that.

>> Tim Wildmon: That, that's not, I think it's probably a lot of Southern English on that number if it's upstairs here.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, we know a couple of ladies up there that you get, but you'll.

>> Tim Wildmon: Be able to understand them.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, 877-927-4917 again. Or go to resources.afa.net so, brother or Dr. Jerry Lawson, why don't you share one of those stories you've got? You've been coming to, AFA every year at this time, doing devotion for us, and you always have great stories. What story sticks out this morning?

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: Well, I mean, I've been blessed to be a blessing. And my wife and I grow the peaches. She makes peach pies, and she makes one of the best Southern peach pies you'll ever have. And, this past week, I was taking a meal to shut in. And, when I went into the house, there was one of these in home health care workers, this black lady. And she kept looking at my button. And of course, I like to wear a shirt with a pocket and have a button with a magnet behind it where I can just pop it off and hand it to him. And it kind of startles them when I take it off like that. But, she said, I'd like to have one of those buttons. And I said, well, if you talk to Jesus about it. She said, well, no. I said, well, he knows you wanted one, so I'm gonna give it to you. And she, looked at it, she hugged me, she gave me a kiss. My wife doesn't know about that. But anyway, she did exactly what I, I wanted her to do. And she said, Sunday, when I go to church, I'm gonna tell our elders and deacons to order us some buttons. Said we all need to be wearing them in the church. And I thought that's great. had an eight year old girl come up to me Sunday at church and I would wondered if she'd lost her button because she'd been wearing it. I want you to know back, I've been wearing the Linton buttons or Easter buttons, but then in August I went into a department store and they had Christmas decorations. So I said, I'm going home and I'm going to get one of Christmas buttons and I'm going to start wearing it.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: And anyway, this young lady, she said, and I asked her about her button. She said, brother Jerry, I do what you do. I gave it away. Can I have another one? She got another one.

>> Fred Jackson: Yes.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: And but I agree you need to have a button, but you need to have some in your pocket like I've had here today to pass out to people, at the AFA center.

Ed: It's free shipping. You do two ways online and phone

>> Tim Wildmon: All right. Well, they come in packaged, in up 10.

>> Ed Vitagliano: It's free shipping.

>> Tim Wildmon: Free shipping. And how do they order, Ed?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, and we do by the way, you can order several packs. I don't know off the top of my head with these, costs, but it's not that much. So you can give away as many as you can. Here's the way to order. You do two ways online. You go to our resource center and the web address is resources.aca.net resources.aca.net or call this number 8779-274917-77927-4917. And can I share something embarrassing about myself?

>> Wesley Wildmon: Please do.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

Brother Don Lawson founded AFA Christmas buttons 20 years ago

Okay. So when Brother Don first started this, doing this 20 years ago, my dad.

>> Tim Wildmon: Your dad founder of this ministry?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yep. He, came into, my office and Rusty Benson, we were working on the magazine at that time and he said, I have an idea and I want to see what you guys think about it. I'm thinking of doing Christmas buttons. And ah, he said, and he gave us the whole idea what we're discussing here. He said, what do you Guys, think about that. So I said I was being very honest. I said, brother Don, I haven't seen anyone wear a button since 1972 during the election. I said, I don't think anybody's gonna. Anybody's gonna want these. I don't remember what Rusty said, but your dad, when he had a vision to do something, he said, okay, well, I'm gonna do it. I think we distributed a, Million. Yeah, a million buttons that year. So I tell that story because I am frequently wrong.

>> Tim Wildmon: Ah, you wanna make plans for the future, don't come to Ed. That's basically what we learned.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Don't ask me who what to buy st same m way your dad was. Had this amazing gift, I always say, to see around corners and to understand where things were going culturally and what to do about it. And he. And. And this. This buttons is an odd answer to the war against Christmas, but it's the perfect answer.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And it turned out to be the perfect answer.

>> Tim Wildmon: Amen. All right, listen, thank you so much, Jerry, for driving up that honorary.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Doctorate in the mail at any time.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: Willing come framed.

>> Tim Wildmon: Yeah, yeah, we'll get it to you. Frame Jerry.

>> Wesley Wildmon: As many as buttons he's giving away.

>> Tim Wildmon: He deserves it.

>> Ed Vitagliano: He does.

>> Tim Wildmon: All right. Thank you. That's brother Jerry Lawson from, Ackerman, Mississippi. He's the pastor there at Enon Cumberland Presbyterian Church and has given out more AFA Christmas buttons than anybody in the world, I would. I would dare say. And they're. They're not our buttons. They don't promote us. They promote Jesus Christ and being the reason for the season, as they say.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And by the way, I do. Brent Creeley, our producer, just, texted me.

Fred: Can people look at the Christmas button before they order them

so for these packs of Christmas buttons, here's a Suggested donation for one pack of 10 buttons. $15. The more you get, the more drops. 2 to 4 packs, $10, 5 to 9 packs, $8, 10 plus packs, $5 a pack.

>> Tim Wildmon: Can people go and look at the button before they order them?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, they go to the resource.

>> Tim Wildmon: Some people do that, you know, they want to say, I want to know what they look like before I order them.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Absolutely. If you go to resources.aca.net you will be able to. When you click through, you will be.

>> Tim Wildmon: Able to get that real slow again.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes. It's about when you. When you, go there. There's a banner at the top of this website.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Can't miss it.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And. And it. It will rotate with a number of different products, one of which is the button. Okay. And so here's the website address resources.aca.net resources. That's R E S O U R c e s resources.aca.net and if you go, you will find, our, our joy for all eternity Christmas buttons. And you just click.

>> Tim Wildmon: Amen.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That.

>> Tim Wildmon: And, people need to order these because, it's time. Because we got plenty of time now to get them to people before Thanksgiving even so that during the month of December you can wear them and give them away. It's a great way to witness.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, it is.

>> Tim Wildmon: I mean, the Bible tells us we should share, the hope that is within us and no better time of the year than Christmas to do that with, people. And so the buttons are a great conversation starter.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes.

>> Tim Wildmon: Right, right. All right, Fred, what's our next story?

Fred Hare says air traffic control is still safe to fly despite shutdown

>> Fred Jackson: Well, one of the, fallouts from the government shutdown. A lot of people are familiar with this has been airplane, traffic. Lots of cancellations, lots of delays out there. And if, if the House does vote to approve this, bill that's now been passed by the Senate, don't expect that problem to go away overnight. You're still going to see lots of delays. we have a very complicated air traffic system in this country. I often mention to people if you go to Flight Aware, which, is an app that you can get for your phone and you can look at the air traffic around this country, it is amazing that we have air traffic controllers and a system that keeps it all very straight. So right now, what has happened as of yesterday, the Transportation Secretary, Duffy, they are reducing it incrementally because we got air traffic controllers who are not showing up for work because they're not getting paid during this shutdown. and if the delays continue, it'll go to 10%. So we're getting closer to that busy, travel season, and it's getting very difficult. But, Kyle Bailey, who is the former FAA safety team rep, says it's still safe to fly because the safety of the plane has always been in the hands of the pilot. Cut. Cut number six.

>> Hakeem Jeffries: It is 100% safe to fly right now, like it is always. the pilots have a complete situational awareness around their airplane and with what's going on now, they realize they have to be on their game all the time and completely aware of what's going on in the airplane and around the airplane at all times, especially, in the highly congested airspace like we see in these major metro areas like New York City, Dallas, Los Angeles. the good news Here is, it seems like their traffic controllers are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with possibly the shutdown coming to an end, either late today or tomorrow. And the attendance figures are coming up a little bit for those air traffic controllers. So we're a little bit of a good news right there.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah. And, the point he's trying to make there is very simple. They're only going to allow as many planes as the existing air traffic control system as we're in right now can handle. All right? So you don't have to worry about planes running into each other. But what you do have to worry about right now, if you got a reservation for a flight in the next 24 hours or so, you may get contacted by your airline saying, we're not doing it. you're canceling your flight or delaying your flight. So, you know, it's for safety, that's going on right now. Why you have all these cancellations or you have delays, but they are promising, to get it back. Hey, listen, these air traffic controllers have a very, very intense job. Imagine being an air traffic controller around Atlanta or Chicago or New York, New York. You got two big airports. Well, actually, you got three. Newark, you got Kennedy, and you got LaGuardia in there. I have so much respect for these guys, these air traffic controllers.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And you're former military pilot yourself. You, you pay attention to these things. You showed us during our story meeting this morning. You follow on the app.

>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.

>> Ed Vitagliano: On certain apps about incoming flights. Outgoing. It is. It looks like spaghetti straight strands.

>> Fred Jackson: It does on that screen. It's amazing that we don't have more accidents, but it's because of the professionals that run the system, both in the cockpit and in that tower.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.

>> Tim Wildmon: I had a really good friend. we haven't talked in a while, though, but, who was the air traffic control? A air traffic controller at Chicago o'. Hare.

>> Fred Jackson: Oh, boy.

>> Tim Wildmon: Can you imagine that pressure on them?

>> Wesley Wildmon: No.

>> Tim Wildmon: I mean, that's one of the most, the largest, busiest airports in the world.

>> Ed Vitagliano: And that's why, Fred, you said retirement.

>> Fred Jackson: Age for late 50s, I believe.

>> Ed Vitagliano: Late 50s, because, they just can't handle the stress beyond that.

>> Fred Jackson: Yep.

>> Ed Vitagliano: I can relate to that.

>> Tim Wildmon: Can you?

>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.

>> Tim Wildmon: Your life's like being an air traffic controller.

>> Wesley Wildmon: Pretty face.

>> Ed Vitagliano: That's right.

>> Tim Wildmon: We'll be back momentarily. Stay with us. The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of.

>> Bro. Jerry Lawson: The American Family association or American Family Radio.

Tim, Ed and Wesley talk with Fred on top news headlines of the day. Also, Jerry Lawson joins the program to discuss the AFA Christmas Buttons.