AFA Action takes attacks on the family seriously. The enemies of the family constantly employ new tactics
>> Ed Vitagliano: AFA Action takes attacks on the family seriously. The enemies of the family constantly employ new tactics to try to sneak past our radar. They know if we stand together, their evil plans will fail. Your gift to AFA Action allows us to stay vigilant against their onslaught. And if you give this month, you'll receive access to the Cultural Institute video When youn Faith Is Illegal by Frank harbor on AFA Stream. As our thanks, you can make your gift [email protected].
Welcome to today's issues. American Family Radio. Christmas is just about upon us
>> Fred Jackson: Welcome to today's issues. Join us for the next hour as.
>> Ed Vitagliano: We offer a Christian response to the.
>> Fred Jackson: Issues of the day. Here's your host, Ed Mantagliano.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And welcome to Today's Issues. It is Monday, December 8th. Christmas is just about upon us. I am joined in studio by Fred Jackson. Good morning, Fred.
>> Fred Jackson: Good morning, Ed.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And then Chris Woodward, news reporter extraordinaire. Thank you. American Family Radio. Good morning.
>> Chris Woodward: Thank you. Your check is in the mail.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Okay. Okay. I will be.
>> Chris Woodward: Due to the volume of mail, it may not get there until Boxing Day.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Until I, until I forget. do want to say hi to the Egberts, Angberts, Angerts. I'm sorry I messed that up. Who are visiting from West Point. I don't have the husband's name, but I do have Maddie, Sylvie, JD And Lott are visiting. They are big listeners. And you know what, Fred? They like today's Issues.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah, it's, absolutely amazing. Smart people, if they were telling me they listen religiously.
>> Ed Vitagliano: All right.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah. And, that's very faithful.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, that's, that is. And so they are getting a tour around the building and you can, if you'd like to, take a tour of, American Family Association, American Family Radio, just Simply go to afa.net and the, there is a drop down menu, where it says more and if you go all the way down says visits, there's a little form you have to fill out and make sure you're not running from the FBI. but then, and we, and we do want to make sure that there are folks here you probably don't want to visit on a Friday afternoon. A lot of folks usually are, heading out the door. but we do love to see, our listeners, people who support American Family Association, American Family Radio. And so the Angerts are here visiting. We're thrilled to have them. So thank you. All right, Chris, nothing much happening, I assume.
>> Chris Woodward: No, back to you.
>> Ed Vitagliano: All right, well, thank you, thank you for that.
An illegal immigrant is accused of stabbing a man on a Charlotte commuter train
what's first?
>> Chris Woodward: Well, yes, our top story right now on afn.net the headline is illegal alien due in court Monday after latest violent incident. 30, 3 year old Oscar Solorzano is due to appear in a Charlotte court today in connection with a stabbing on a Charlotte commuter train Friday afternoon. This incident, of course, came just a few months after that Ukrainian refugee was stabbed in the neck and killed. this situation here in Charlotte on Friday critically injured a man. but Sol Lorzano, the suspect has been charged with attempted first degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon and other crimes. And authorities say that he has a long rap sheet. He's also in this country illegally. I've got some audio here from a criminal, defense attorney turned Fox News contributor by the name of Josh Ritter, who said the system is to blame here.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Clip 1 It's a complete breakdown in the system. I mean, the prosecutors and law enforcement in that community should, be tasked with protecting that community, and obviously they're not. You've got a person who not only should have been deported and should have been cooperating with federal authorities to make sure that that's taking place, but you've got a person who likely should have been locked up even far before then if he's got this lengthy criminal history. And now again, we're in this type of situation where we saw a few short weeks ago in this same community where somebody who never should have been out, was out and was able to commit a, great violent crime. Luckily, in this case, the victim happened to have survived. But that doesn't make it any worse. nevertheless, you know, Fred, I don't know where this winds up, in terms of what's going to happen in this country, but you increasingly have two complete views of, how America should operate. And on the left, I don't even call them liberals anymore. On the wacky left, they believe Americans are expendable. Yeah.
>> Fred Jackson: Ah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And it doesn't matter how many of them die or are assaulted, as long as we have, opened our arms to receive refugees and illegal immigrants into this country, regardless of what they do once they get here or what they did before they got here. We do know places like Venezuela, others during the Biden administration allowed people to flood. They emptied their prisons. Yeah, they're mental institutions and their jails and let people come into our country and they're doing what criminals do. I obviously think that people can be rehabilitated, but it's not our job to rehabilitate the criminals from other countries. I just don't know where this ends up. I mean, when you have these blue cities and blue states that just don't care about the price of average Americans who. Who are supposed to be here, the price that they pay at the hands of people who are here illegally.
>> Fred Jackson: You know, if this issue of illegal immigration was to go to trial, the Democratic Party would be found guilty. Because every time these stories, like this latest one out, of Charlotte, it is the Democratic Party that's involved. It was a Democrat president, Joe Biden, who opened the floodgates to allow millions to enter this country illegally. It is, it seems consistently.
Chris Bell: Charlotte incident points to Democratic Party problem on two fronts
And let's talk about the Charlotte case. Charlotte, has Democratic leadership, and when ice, agents were in there a few weeks ago, they had Operation Charlotte, I think that's what they called it. there was resistance. You know, the Democratic leadership was saying, this is terrible. What's going on here? Well, this incident, on this train, this commuter train in Charlotte on the weekend points to, once again, on two fronts. We have a legal system many times that lets the bad guys go. The incident a few months ago where that young lady from Ukraine was killed, Reina Zarutska. Yeah. Stabbed and killed. The guy that's been charged in that case was in and out of the legal system in North Carolina, I think, more than a dozen times at least, over the years. and, this incident, this guy was deported, I think, at least once, maybe twice, and then came back in again. You know, I'm looking at NewSong Orleans. We have ICE agents down there now. They are arresting at least just in the first few days they've been there. and again, the Democratic leadership of the city is resisting this, but they've arrested at least a couple of dozen bad guys. Not only are they in the country illegally, but they've committed crimes. So what Joe Biden did, some people say he committed treason. He. He has allowed the enemies of this country to come in and. And do harm to our people. So, as I say, there is a. A Democratic Party problem here. If the mainstream media was being honest, they would be nailing the Democratic Party every day for these problems. But it's so sad. I hope the young man who was stabbed, that he survives. He's in critical condition is the last, thing that I heard. Last condition. But I hope. But I hope the American people are learning that there is a price to pay for liberalism, whether it's, you know, socialist, ah, economic policy, or in this case, immigration. This country is paying an awfully heavy price for what Joe Biden did to our southern border.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, and I do remember in the late 60s and, into the 70s, leading in part to the election of Ronald Reagan In 1980, the Democratic Party became known for siding with criminals as opposed to victims. Yeah, just became kind of a part of what people thought about when they thought about the Democratic Party and, I don't know, whatever. You know, 45 years later, the Democratic Party is back in that kind of position where they are defending the quote, unquote rights of people here illegally and the rights of people who commit heinous crimes. I mean, the crime, most of our people saw this four months ago or so when Arena Zarutska, who is fleeing Ukraine and the violence there, comes over here only to be stabbed, in, in the neck on a, on a train, on a subway. And the suspect in that case to Carlos Brown, has been charged with first degree murder. But who on the left is standing up for this young Zaruska girl? Yeah, they're all defending, Now, I don't think that the suspect in that case was, decarlos. Brown was illegal, but he had a long rap sheet.
>> Fred Jackson: He sure did.
>> Ed Vitagliano: What are these people doing out? Yeah, I mean, to me, if we have to build more prisons to keep violent criminals in, then we should do it. Yeah, they should not be let out back on the street. And more and more we hear about judges letting people go, you know, small amounts of, you know, bond, and they go back out and they commit more crimes. All right, Chris. It's a Monday morning. That'S pretty grim, but that's the kind of thing that we wind up talking about on Monday mornings because a lot of this stuff happens over the weekend.
Rep. Ilhan Omar has weighed in on Somali fraud involving federal funds
>> Chris Woodward: Well, sticking with the crime news for just a moment, Representative Ilhan Omar has weighed in on the Somali fraud in Minnesota, which some news outlets would tell you may have exceeded a billion dollars where Somali immigrants were defrauding, the federal government and taxpayers. Ilhana Omar, says that it's not the criminals who were to blame here, rather the FBI.
>> Fred Jackson: Clip 2 if there was a linkage.
>> Ed Vitagliano: In that, the money that they had.
>> Fred Jackson: Stolen, going to terrorism, then that is a failure of the FBI and our, court system in not figuring that out and basically, charging them.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I, just. I don't like, I don't like my hair being on fire every single day. But she just said what we were talking about. She m. Is not blaming the people who committed the crimes. She is. She's saying they shouldn't even be charged. It's the FBI's fault. If the FBI didn't catch you, you're off the hook is what she's saying. And you shouldn't be held account. I just don't know what to say about that kind of thing. And I know that's my job is to say something about it, but it's just. It's just hard to comprehend people who will excuse that amount of not just stealing money, not just committing fraud, but sending it to terrorist groups.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I mean, is it. Why isn't this a bipartisan issue? The outrage should be on both sides of the aisle.
>> Fred Jackson: Isn't it amazing she made that comment one of the weekend talk shows. It's amazing to me that she feels comfortable enough going on a show like that and saying, hey, it's not our fault, not the fault of the Somali community. Those bad FBI agents, they should have picked up on this, you know, the gallery of her to be able to do that. But she feels comfortable doing it because she knows, for the most part, the mainstream media is not going to challenge her. I mean, that the host of that program said, she put up her hand and said, wait a minute, wait a minute. The FBI didn't commit a crime here.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Fred Jackson: It is the more than 70 people from the Somali community that have been arrested so far. By the way, they were talking about this on Fox and Friends this morning. Perhaps Ilhan Omar is responding this way because people associated with her election campaign are, among those who have been arrested in connection with this scheme. And just in case there are some folks who don't know what we're talking about. The scheme, the scheme is hundreds of millions of dollars, perhaps a billion dollars of your taxpayer money. Folks have been abused by various agencies, a lot of them connected with the Somali community in Minneapolis, of taking Covid funds, for instance, to feed people. There's one case, there's one case there in Minnesota where an agency was set up to feed a community, and they got federal money to feed 6,000 meals. All right? But there are only 2,500 people in the community. All right? So, this is the kind of stuff that was going on. The money was just being handed out. Just, just, just like water just poured out there. And there were people in these communities that took advantage of that, just setting up. We talked about last week, one of the false agencies that was set up was to help, autistic kids. Not one autistic kid was helped.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Fred Jackson: And the main issue being, dealt with here is that some of this money reportedly has gone from the Somali. Somali community there in Minneapolis. To terrorist groups in Somalia.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, listen to your point, Fred. and I don't know who was conducting this, interview, but of Ilhan Omar.
>> Chris Woodward: It was on cbs.
>> Ed Vitagliano: It was on cbs. At the very least, if you are a reporter with any degree of integrity, when you have Ilhan Omar in Congress. Okay. Saying something outrageous like that, the very least you should say, well, Congresswoman, Omar, can you at least decry and say it is that what was done was criminal and we need to find who did it, Even if you think the FBI should have caught them sooner. Okay, can you at least say, please, Madam Congresswoman, that this is criminal conduct and should never have happened? And yes, the FBI needs to get better catching these people, but can you at least say that? I guarantee she would have sidestepped it.
>> Fred Jackson: Mm.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Because she should have said it without prompting.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And that's why I say this should be a bipartisan issue. This is American tax dollars going to fraud and to help, prop up, terrorist organizations. I don't know why both parties aren't outraged and calling for the heads of those. And then after you do that, both political parties can argue about whether the FBI was doing its job under the Biden administration. but at least take care of the first things first. Yeah, but the. The left. And the Democratic Party is completely absent without leave on this issue.
Zoran Mamdani says New Yorkers have rights when facing ICE agents
>> Chris Woodward: While your hair is on fire, I'll go ahead and mention this one because, it may now be in fuego. NewSong York City mayoral elect. Ah. Zoran Mamdani is spelling out immigrants rights when facing ICE agents in a video he posted on Sunday. He's reminding NewSong Yorkers about their rights when it comes to interacting with federal immigration agents or ICE members. according to Mamdani, we can all stand up to ICE if we know our rights. Clip 10. We can all stand up.
>> Ed Vitagliano: To ICE if you know your rights. ICE is legally allowed to lie to.
>> Chris Woodward: You, but you have the right to remain silent.
>> Ed Vitagliano: if you're being detained, you may.
>> Chris Woodward: Always ask, am I free to go?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Repeatedly until they answer you.
>> Chris Woodward: You are legally allowed to film ICE.
>> Ed Vitagliano: As long as you do not interfere with an arrest.
>> Chris Woodward: NewSong Yorkers have a constitutional right to protest.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And when I'm mayor, we will protect that right. I will fight each and every day to protect, support, and celebrate our immigrant brothers and sisters. Our immigrant brothers and sisters. Well, you know what? If you're here legally, welcome. Welcome to America. We have laws and policies in place to allow in a certain number of immigrants every year for a variety of purposes. Sometimes that stay is limited, sometimes you can stay longer than that and you get a visa and you can work and you do all, you know, welcome. But that's not who we're talking about. And Mamdani knows it. But he's conflating those two, Fred, legal and illegal, so that people who welcome legal immigrants might be enticed to outrage over what ICE is doing with illegal immigrants. and, all the things that he said are our rights. We all have when interacting with law enforcement.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Whether it's city, state or federal. Yeah. Okay. but I've seen videos of people who are handcuffed while they're squirming and arguing and fighting because they will not provide, an id. And then when they do provide it, I just saw one over the weekend. When they do provide it, and if they're here legally, they're let go.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And I, I, listen, this is a perfect example of the Democratic Party moving further and further to the left on this issue. I don't think the majority of people in this country support that. But they also have other things on their dance card, the Democratic Party, that they are going to be promoting as we come to the midterms. And they're not going to be talking a lot about illegal immigrants and what they do to regular Americans on a regular basis.
>> Fred Jackson: You know, even has a legal immigrant. I came into this country as an immigrant, most people know, almost 30 years ago.
>> Chris Woodward: I've seen the documents.
>> Fred Jackson: You've seen the documents. but my father in law, who lived here in the United States had to, give an oath basically, that I would never be a burden of the state. Right. That if I became unemployed at some point, that he would have to look after me.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Fred Jackson: That, that was part of getting that green card.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Fred Jackson: That I had to provide that guarantee what Democrats are now saying. So we're moving beyond legal immigrants. They're now saying, you know, these people come into the country, ah, poor them. we ought to help them. Translate. Help them. We ought to dump all kinds of money on them.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Fred Jackson: Free medical care, education, housing, all of these things. We should provide it. Here's what I would say to, these Democratic mayors who are like Mamdani there. Okay, you want to do that? NewSong York, NewSong York, you voted for this guy. This is his policy. Not a cent from the federal government, not a cent should go. Because we also know, we talked about fraud there, in Minneapolis. We also know there's fraud going on to the 10th degree with regards to SNAP food programs right across the country. that's. You know, the Trump administration is looking in on that. This has become such a scandal, the way that the American taxpayer is being forced to pay for those who have broken into this country. Well, I mean, they've broken into it.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, we don't have poor people of our own.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: I, mean, all this money that is going to those who are here illegally. And, folks, listen, we've said on this show countless times, we understand the impulse of people in bad situations to try to get to America. I understand that. I don't. Listen, if I was a father, a husband and a father with a family, and we were suffering in Honduras or some other place in Venezuela, I would try to get my family to America. I would try to get for a better life. We understand that. We have. We have rules for doing that, if you want to try to get a better life. But all this money going to pay for all the needs that Fred just listed there, for illegals that could be going to our own poor.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And to your point, Fred, it's an excellent point. If NewSong York City wants to vote for Momdani and do these kinds of things, then you spend your money. I don't want to do it. I don't want my tax money going to Washington, D.C. then being funneled to NewSong York City to take care of people here illegally who are allowed in here, clearly on the part of the Democratic Party and the Biden administration to become, voters for the Democratic Party. That was the plan all along. Everybody knows that.
American Family Radio Network focuses on news that brightens your heart
All right. we, have more to talk about, folks. And listen, it's. It's December. There's some cold weather. That should help. If your hair is on fire right now like ours is. These kinds of things are outrages. we do have other things we talk about here at American Family Association, American Family Radio. Things that are brighter and more cheerful and give you a warm feeling in your heart. We just rarely discuss them on this show. We're just kidding. we do have some good news stuff every once in a while, but you are listening to today's issues on the American Family Radio Network. And, we're gonna take a short break, and when we come back, Chris Woodward will bring some more stories that are of interest to you, happening here and abroad. Hope you'll join us.
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Fred Jackson and Chris Woodward discuss President Trump's proposed tariffs
>> Fred Jackson: More of today's issues.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And welcome back, everybody. Ed Vitagliano sitting in for Tim Wildmon today, joined in studio by Fred Jackson and Chris Woodward. All right, Chris, it's gonna be hard to beat that first segment in terms of irritation. The irritation factor.
>> Chris Woodward: Yes.
>> Ed Vitagliano: what else you got?
>> Chris Woodward: Well, let's take a minute just from crime, and talk about maybe some, extra cash. And I say that because President Trump has said several times now, that he's thinking about, giving some of the money back from tariffs and other things to the American people. Now, how this doesn't make our inflation problem bad again, I don't know because I've asked that of several people and I get several answers. nonetheless, President Trump is of the opinion, that we may actually, give some of the money that we've been, bringing in from tariff revenue to the American people. Some people, politicians, namely, want to pay off the national debt or pay it down. But, President Trump told reporters at the Kennedy center that, he's still thinking about Americans getting a cut.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Clip 5 I also think that, you know, we're making so much money with tariffs that we'll also be able to make a nice dividend to middle income people. We're talking about middle income and lower income people. We're not talking about dividends to rich people. If we go the other tariff route, and there are other routes we can go, but it won't give you the same pure national security as this one. This one is swift and very powerful. Now, before I turn to Fred here, what's that last part? What was he talking about? This is swift and powerful. What, talking about tariffs? Yeah, more like a round of.
>> Chris Woodward: Basically an executive order saying, hey, give. Give the American people some of the here.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Oh, okay.
Fred Rothenberg: Americans are having trouble keeping up with inflation
All right. Well, Fred, listen, this is, this gets a little tricky because I know a lot of our listeners, have been having, I'm just guessing because almost all Americans are having a hard time keeping, up with inflation. High cost of groceries hasn't really come down that much. the Trump administration has mentioned a thing here or two. Eggs are down and fuel is down. But overall, I think Americans are still getting hit in the budget, you know, with how much everything costs. prices escalated during COVID and during the fallout, to all that money that was pumped into the economy in terms of prices going up. And it really hasn't come m down. So what gets tricky, what I mean by it gets tricky is when President Trump says, we're going to send $2,000 to. I don't know, Chris, is that every family or every, Every individual.
>> Chris Woodward: It would be people of a certain income.
>> Ed Vitagliano: But is it every individual or per family?
>> Chris Woodward: That's the way it's been, per family. All right, I believe I'll double check.
>> Ed Vitagliano: So that, that. There are a lot of people listening saying, well, I could use it. Yeah, I could use it, and no one's going to turn it down. And what the fallout and what the consequences are for the economy, People say, well, we could use some money. We're hurting, and it's the tariffs and, yeah, we want a dividend. And if you, if you ask them, they're, they're, they're holding the check and you're saying, well, but if everyone gets the check, then six months from now or a year from now, prices are going to rise another 7% or 3% or what would you do? There's a lot of Americans are going to say, I'll take the check. And so I'm not an economist. I'm not sure how much this could drive up inflation or what the consequences will be. But if President Trump says to Americans, middle income and lower income, here's your check, they're going to take it.
>> Fred Jackson: The Democratic Party has made it known that their big issue coming up on the election year next year, the midterms, is going to be this issue. And you've heard the word affordability.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yep. All right, that's the buzzword.
>> Fred Jackson: That is the buzzword. And I feel for folks, because this is not an exaggeration at all, but I feel for folks, especially Chris's generation, young, man sitting here who, you know, if you live in certain places, larger, larger cities in particular, you cannot buy your first home.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Fred Jackson: I, mean, housing prices have just gone through the roof. You mentioned grocery prices. So. The Democrats are going to hone in on this. So, people are saying, okay, how do the Republicans respond to that? Because whether you're a Republican or Democrat, you know, your grocery bill has gone up, right? So something has to be done about that. It's not only perhaps getting a dividend from the tariffs, which I think most people will appreciate. but there's also. Remember back the, 24 election where President, candidate Trump at that time was talking about programs, you know, no tax on tips.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right?
>> Fred Jackson: Those kinds of things. Those are the kinds of things that don't cost the government anything. yes, you can say some revenue, but that's going to help immediately. It's going to help that. Waiter, waitress, whatever the case may be, there's going to be a, reduction in the taxation for seniors.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Fred Jackson: We have a expanding senior population in this country. so the Republican Party is going to have to find some way to respond to the Democrat strategy of saying, look what has happened to you, America. things that, the normal things that Americans took for granted, housing, groceries and that sort of thing, you can't afford anymore. So the Republicans have to come up with some way. You know, I have some sympathy for the argument, well, why not take the dividends from the tariffs and pay down the debt for this country? Because that's what's driving inflation. so something has to be done about that. But, you know, Trump is a business guy. He, may be looking at this, and he's got some pretty sharp business people around him. This may be the way not only for an election year, but, you know, it's. Ronald Reagan said, you know, it's. How did he put that there? Was that saying, the government is here to help you.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Those are the. Worst. The scariest words you can hear is, we're from the government, we're here to help.
>> Fred Jackson: yeah, I'm all for the government backing away and for people, because when the government backs away, hopefully it takes some of these big government programs that are costing so much, removing some of those to bring us back to that point where, it eventually leads to more affordable housing. what is. I Think. Correct me if I'm wrong. Chris DeSantis was talk. Governor DeSantis of Florida is now talking about. Is it, property taxes?
>> Chris Woodward: Property taxes, Basically, you shouldn't be taxed on something you own.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes. So I like what I'm hearing in that the government is backing away from taxation. there are several what states now that don't tax your income.
>> Chris Woodward: We're getting there in Mississippi. We're phasing ours out.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, you compete with states that don't do.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes, I think that is a wonderful idea. If you can take that pressure away, that's going to help average Americans. And that's where I think fiscal policy has to go.
>> Chris Woodward: You go ahead.
>> Ed Vitagliano: No, go ahead.
Fred Kaiser: Is this individuals or families? It could actually be both
>> Chris Woodward: Well, you asked me a minute ago, is this individuals or families? It could actually be both. I'm looking at the payment structure and this is just a tentative thing. It's not set in stone. the amount frequently mentioned as a one time payment of at least $2,000 per person. This means a family of four would be eligible for up to $8,000, assuming they meet the income requirements. What's the income requirement? some people are, talking about setting a certain limit, somewhere between 75,000 and $150,000.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, so that's what's getting, kicked around, Fred. I would also add. And here's part, here's part of the insanity, of where a lot of young people are. And I'm like you, Fred. I'm very sympathetic to what young people are going through. But I know from my own youth and I'm sure before me, I don't go that far back. But there were colleges around when I was young. Everyone told me, and everybody since you go to college, get a degree in something marketable, and when you graduate from college, you can get out and get you a good job and get started on that American dream. Well, when the government took up, the project of guaranteeing loans and grants and all that kind of thing, what did most colleges and universities did do? They expanded their departments and they expanded their teaching, faculty and they expanded their administrative staff and they raised the prices, of going to college. So that in a lot of colleges, even state schools, you can graduate with $200,000 worth of debt. And elite schools, it's even higher than that. These poor young people getting out of school can't find jobs and that interest keeps clicking away on what they own and they are feeling despair.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And I. Am very sympathetic. But I look at college and universe colleges and universities and say, well, you have to take some of the blame for this. You know, you've got all these dei, degrees that you're handing out. These young people taking this stuff. They're not going to get a job in this. No, but you're raising price. So I'm not sure what the answer is. I hope it's just not a generalized collapse across all economic levels. But we're in very, we're in very, I think everyone feels, the insecurity of being in these unchartered waters, wondering what the future holds. And a lot of these young people who are biting on this message of affordability, I don't blame them for it, but the Democratic Party is being very savvy and ignoring their own part to play in the affordability crisis, and blaming it all on Republicans. But it's both, frankly, it's both political parties.
>> Fred Jackson: Well, and don't be tricked by the affordability tactic that the Democrats are going to take when they talk about dealing with affordability. I can guarantee they're talking about bigger government programs.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes. And more money.
>> Fred Jackson: And more money. So you know, just be so careful folks, because you know, the salesmanship is all geared towards. We're here to help you. As I've said before, once they've got you, that open palm of help becomes a fist, because you end up having to pay for these programs somewhere.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, and, and the money that is the, the government money that is going into these expanded programs comes out of, and drains the private sector.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Of funds. We've been talking about Mamdani's, Zoran Mamdani's promise to open government funded grocery stores.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, that is going to, that is going to undercut regular grocery stores. But the debt in this country that is expanding, it's just skyrocketing. that debt is going to threaten the financial existence of our country because soon the interest on that exploding debt is going to consume all government money.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes.
>> Ed Vitagliano: They're not, there's not going to be Social Security, there's not going to be snap, there's not going to be military spending. And what governments traditionally have had to do to deal with the paying the interest on their own debt is they have to they have to lower the value of the money. And then you have inflation going out of control. And for the promise of these government programs, what we were just talking about $2,000 a person. How tempting does that feel? folks, when you're listening, you're going, yeah, I could Use that. Well, if you have the Democratic Party promising young people all these expanded government programs, we're going to cancel your college debt. We're going to do this, we're going to do that. How hard do you think it's going to be for them to say no to that? So when people feel like their own lives are no longer in their own control and they can't, they can't, they're not in charge of their own destiny, they will look to someone else to provide the help. And big government is always there, until they run out of other people's money, as the saying goes. All right, Chris, anything to add to that or we move on, huh?
Fred Bessant: Democrats created scarcity, whether it was in energy
>> Chris Woodward: Let's move on here. let's keep it with the economy for just a moment here.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Absolutely.
>> Chris Woodward: some people and their news outlets, would want you to believe that the economy is not in good shape right now. We're not spending as much as we normally would, or we thought we would at Christmas, all these kinds of things. But the Trump administration says things are going well right now. Things will actually be better in the coming, months. Don't take my word for it. Here's the treasury secretary in clip 9.
>> Ed Vitagliano: The economy has been better than we thought. We've had the 4.4percent GDP growth in a couple of quarters. We're going to finish the year despite the schumer shutdown with 3% real GDP growth. Democrats created scarcity, whether it was in energy or overregulation, that we are now seeing, this affordability problem. And I think next year we're going to move on to prosperity.
>> Chris Woodward: That would be interesting if things actually did kind of line up and really start clicking next year, because obviously the midterm elections are going to be kicking off. you're going to have primaries going on in the late spring. so if things are starting to go well, Republicans in theory would say, see, we told you we would do this. Give us another term.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You know, Fred, there is, and this is part of the problem with government control of everything. There is something to be said. That was Scott Besant.
>> Chris Woodward: Scott Bessant.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Okay, when you talk about artificial scarcity, I've read this goes back several years, that if the US Would create one more oil refinery, would build one more oil refinery in this nation, gasoline prices would come down substantially. They don't do it. I don't know whether it's the, the oil companies wanting the prices to stay up, I don't know. But, also you look at nuclear power plants if, if you could somehow fast track those. You could drop energy prices. And you talk about energy prices and gasoline prices coming down. That has an effect on the rest of the economy. Now, I'm not an economically savvy person. I have no degrees. I mean, I took, I think I had to take a year of economics in college, just like a lot of other people with a liberal arts degree. But I'm not an economist. But it does seem sometimes that government policy keeps prices artificially inflated. You know, what we saw here with, RFK Jr. With him talking about the fact that Americans pay exorbitant prices for pharmaceuticals. The companies making and selling the same drugs in Europe for a fraction of the cost charging Americans.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Exorbitant amounts of money for that very same product. You go, well, why? Well, they must be allowed by congressional laws and regulations to drain the money from the wallets of Americans so they can keep their prices low in Europe. And that's why President Trump's America, first policy, has been so effective in communicating that Americans just need to see the fruit of it.
>> Fred Jackson: Well, like you, I'm not an economist, but I did take at least a 100 level course.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Fred Jackson: and it goes back to, you know, the basic supply and demand. and this kind of ties together with how we started the show today with regards to immigration because of the millions of people that Joe Biden allowed into the country that put greater pressure on a limited supply, whether it's housing, food, medical care, all of those sorts of things, which drives the prices up more and more. And I think. There'S also an issue with expectation. America is the land of promise. It really is, which is one of the reasons so many people want to come to this country. it's a place of great opportunity. But, you know, we have to be careful on immigration because if we overload the system, it creates higher prices and everybody is affected by that. So we have to think about those things.
There is an expectation problem today that I want it right now
But then there is this issue of expectation. you know, when I was growing up, and yes, I grew up in Canada, but I think similar experiences here in the United States, we didn't have the expectation that a lot of younger, folks have today, that you start. One of my jobs was working in a cemetery, you know, to earn some money to, to keep up the cemetery.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Fred Jackson: and you start small, worked at a radio station where you're on the air for six hours a day and, and you're paid a certain amount of money. But, you know, our family didn't have our first car until mom and dad had had three kids. Yeah, we used buses. There is a, I think there is an expectation problem today that I want it right now. These kids coming out of university, I want that house right now. people, you know, maybe you have to rent for a while before you get, get to that point. Maybe you don't buy. And I'm starting to sound a little bit like Dave Ramsey here. maybe you don't buy the new car, you buy the used, a decent used car. So I think there has to be a meeting, all right. So that you get the supply and demand under control, but also the expectation under control that, has a young person. I may have to work for 10 years at a lower salary rate before I get to that point where I can afford a house. Yeah, I was 43 years old before we, we bought our first house. which today, many times they wanted a 23. They wanted a 23. So there has to be, I think, a meeting of this supply and demand thing. and then the expectation that I can't, I can't buy the brand new car right now coming out of university.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Right.
>> Fred Jackson: I'm going to have to wait and I'll try to make it with the clunker, as we used to call it, you know, on that. And I can't afford the 3,000 square foot house right now. I'm gonna have to settle for the 1800 square foot house. So expectation plays a lot into this. so I just think there has to be a coming together of that.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah, I absolutely agree. I mean there are a lot of moving parts to this, all these issues. that I, I'm not, I'm not smart enough to solve. Here's my worry though. The people we send to Washington D.C. to solve it.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Ah, all right. My fear is that their number one job, as I've said, is in their minds, is to get reelected.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And so, many of them, I won't say all of them, many of them appear to make compromises with what they told their constituents or compromises with their responsibility to do what's best for their constituents, runs headlong into that reality. If I want to get reelected, I need X number of dollars coming. And a lot of times it comes from big companies, big corporations. And then the rest of my party, I'm saying this to both political parties, says, well, you better play play ball or we will not support your reelection. And so I may not be smart enough to solve it, but the people send to DC Who I hope are smart enough to solve it. Sometimes I wonder where their first loyalty lies. So I don't want to point paint with too broad a brush. That's why I didn't say all of them. but they're supposed to be doing what's best for us and not what's best for them in their future.
John Lennon was shot and killed in New York City on December 8, 1980
All right, all right, Chris. I would.
>> Chris Woodward: I like to bring these kinds of things up from time to time because this happened before I was born. And I'm just curious where a young Ed Vitagliano was on this day in 1980. for those not familiar with today's date, a famous event that happened on this day. John Lennon was shot and killed in NewSong York City, December 8, 1980. Mark David Chapman, of course, was the gunman.
>> Ed Vitagliano: So where was I?
>> Chris Woodward: Yes, where was I?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Wasn't in NewSong York City. All right, so what month was it in 1980?
>> Chris Woodward: today, on this day in history.
>> Ed Vitagliano: In 1980, December of 1980, I was at Bible college. in fact. Okay, just a little story. So I met my wife at a Bible college in Dallas, Texas. We were dating, in February of the following year, I asked her to marry me. And on February 14th. What a romantic guy. But here during Christmas, during the Christmas season, she went home to Mississippi. I went home to NewSong Mexico, where my family had moved, during the break. And I took all my Christmas presents back to the mall. I was a Bible college student. I didn't have any money that my family had gotten me. I took them all back to the mall, exchanged them for cash, and bought my wife a Christmas present, my girlfriend, a Christmas present.
>> Fred Jackson: And all the ladies listening right now.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Are going, oh, yeah, well, listen. And still, 44 years later, still, in love with Diane. but that's what I did. So I was at Bible college and, took it all back. And what's funny, I got her a nice little pendant. Nobody cares about this, but I'm hosting the show, so I'm just going to finish this. Yeah, this beautiful little pendant. And it got lost somewhere, and we looked for. I know where we lost it. We just never could find it. But anyway, the marriage seemed to have, had legs. So it survived even though we couldn't, find the pendant.
>> Chris Woodward: Fred had, tons of experience playing, Beatles records, as a Canadian DJ.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. Where were you, in 1980?
>> Fred Jackson: Well, Susie and I had just been married, less than a year. So at this time, December 1980. but, we had come. We met at Bible school, similar experience. we lived in a very old single wide trailer, for a while, and our fridge was usually 80% empty. But you know what you can get by on? Eggs.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Fred Jackson: And, and, and canned meat.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Do you have your fair share of spam?
>> Fred Jackson: Spam. that's right. Fry it up with. With cheap, ketchup. And it's wonderful. You know, it's. It's good to have those experiences. You know, we call them war stories. Yeah. Don't we? Yeah, we, call them war stories. But I tell you what, it goes back to what I was saying about expectation.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Fred Jackson: You know, you're living on what, what God has provided your income, and it's amazing what you can do instead of going to government program. Yeah. that you have the expectation. All right. Things are kind of tough right now. but you know, the Lord's going to provide. And this is where, you know, God's promises do come in. As Christians, God has promised to meet our needs. And you know what?
If you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, he promises to take care of you
He met our needs.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Fred Jackson: You know, not always. it wasn't going to the restaurant three times a week.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah.
>> Fred Jackson: you just, you just live with that, expectation. God's going to meet our needs. but we're not going to go out and get ourselves in debt because we want to live beyond where we are right now. And, But God always met our needs. We did not go hungry. I, drove an old 75 Ford Pinto. Oh, at that time. Yeah. The one that you touch the back, it blows up. You remember those?
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yes, but no, I don't.
>> Chris Woodward: I don't remember.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Well, listen, my wife and I, our dates consisted of going to the mall and eating at McDonald's. Yeah, that's where those were. Our, Our dates. Hey, let me just. Let's just. We. 60 seconds.
>> Fred Jackson: Okay.
>> Ed Vitagliano: You mentioned God.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes.
>> Ed Vitagliano: For a lot of young people, that's who's missing.
>> Fred Jackson: Yeah.
>> Ed Vitagliano: In their lives. And it does lead to despair, doesn't it?
>> Fred Jackson: It does.
>> Ed Vitagliano: If you don't have somebody that you know you can count on.
>> Fred Jackson: Yes.
>> Ed Vitagliano: The Almighty.
>> Fred Jackson: Amen. You know, and his promises.
>> Ed Vitagliano: Yeah. And his promises.
>> Fred Jackson: Y.
>> Ed Vitagliano: And folks, this is. That's not just to, to, you know, provide drugs, to, provide opiate, as, Karl Marx said. The opiate of the masses. It is the truth that if you put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, he promises to take care of you. You may have to look the other way when it's the new car for the old clunker, but God will get you through through. And that gives you a peace that passes all understanding. All right, folks, take a five minute break. For news. We shall return.
>> Fred Jackson: The views and opinions expressed in this broadcast may not necessarily reflect those of the American Family association or American Family Radio.
