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Glenn's Show Prep

Is Scott Turner the man to lead the GOP into a new era?

December 08, 2014
Radio Clips

The Glenn Beck Program

This morning on radio, Glenn was joined by Scott Turner. Turner is a former NFL player for the Redskins, the Broncos and the Chargers and is currently a Texas state representative, running for Speaker of the House against Joe Strauss.

Glenn strongly believes that Turner could be the man to lead the GOP to a new era. Glenn described Turner as "a good Christian man who really truly is, I think the leader for the future. And would be tremendous to have as our Speaker of the House."

When discussing why Turner considers it so important to be on the record promising to be accountable for all his promises he said:

"We go to our constituents when we're trying to be elected and telling our constituents who we are, what we're about, and our conservative values and principles. And so I think that when you vote on — I know when you vote, you have an opportunity to say, hey, this is who I am. This is — I'm going to do it what I said I'm gonna do and I'm gonna vote. I'm going to put my name on it and be accountable for everything I do in this House as your elected representative and your servant leader. So I think it's vitally important that myself and all 150 of our members take that vote."

Watch to see Glenn and Turner tackle some hard hitting topics such as the ongoing protests, homeschooling and the progressive movement.

GLENN: We have to have Scott Turner on. He was in the NFL. He played for the Redskins. What a racist. Played for the Redskins, the Broncos, the Chargers. His name is Scott Turner. He's a Texas state representative and he's actually now running for Speaker of the House against Joe Strauss, who Joe Strauss is a complete and total fraud. He is a rhino, entirely a rhino. And I think Scott Turner is the guy to lead the state and the GOP into just a new unbelievable era. And that election happens on January 13th. But Scott is here. Hi, Scott, how are you?

TURNER: Hi, Glenn, how are you doing, brother? Thanks for having me.

GLENN: You bet. Can I take you to the NFL and tell me what you thought about "I can't breathe" —

PAT: "Hands Up Don't Shoot" demonstrations and all this stuff.

GLENN: All these things happening in the NFL?

TURNER: Yeah, you know, and obviously these guys are — you know, demonstrating their right to express themselves. But you know, as you were saying before, it would be great to be informed on really what happened and really what's going on, because an informed people is a more powerful people. And as far as these guys raising their hands and all these slogans and that that and the other, I'm not in agreement with it. I wouldn't do it. Obviously they have the right to do it. But I think that as an NFL player, the stakes for us are higher to be role models and examples and also to be educated and informed in order so we can educate and inform other people. And I think that Ben watson, the tight end for the New Orleans Saints, if you saw what he wrote in his description on Facebook, I think was a great illustration or a great example of yes, you could be confused, you can be frustrated, and you can be embarrassed, but also he brought it down to say, you know what, it's not a skin problem. It's a sin problem. And the gospel is the answer. And it deals directly with the character of our society and the walls of our society. That's what we really need to be concentrating on.

GLENN: So let's talk about the state of the union and the state of our state.

TURNER: Yes.

GLENN: We're in real trouble.

TURNER: We are.

GLENN: And the — I for one, Scott, I mean, you know, obviously people notice when people are black and white, et cetera, et cetera, but for the most part, I think my generation, I'm 50. I think my generation doesn't really see color and I know the 30-something and 20-somethings definitely don't see color. Yet we're going in the opposite direction as a nation.

TURNER: Right.

GLENN: How do we fix this, Scott?

TURNER: Well, you know, again, I think — and that's a great question. But I think people that have been given a platform such as yourself and me and others that we have to come out and be bold in our convictions and encourage society and encourage people in our sphere of influence to educate themselves, to get to know people who don't look like you, and also not to believe everything that you read or see in the media, because the media's job is to make stuff the same as it is not.

You know, perception is everything. And it's the cruelest form of reality. But people need to continue to not only educate themselves but deal with people that don't look like

them. If you're a white guy, go talk to a black guy and vice-versa. Whatever your culture or skin color may be. But I think guys like you and I and others who have these tremendous platforms we need to step out and be the greatest examples of what we can. It doesn't matter what your skin color is. It's the content of your character. And also being careful of believing everything that the media says because the media has a huge part in spinning this and making the hype of what it really is not.

GLENN: Talking to Scott Turner, a former player for the Redskins, Broncos, Chargers, now state Texas representative. And running for Speaker of the House. And Tea Party favorite. He's 42 years old. The Dallas County GOP just endorsed him for speaker of the House, among other Republican groups, which I think is phenomenal. Here we are looking at Texas, becoming another California. And they are working in the mountain west, Idaho, Montana is under attack, Colorado is — is another California. And they're trying to do this here in Texas. How serious — I don't see Texans really understanding how bad this is. Can you explain how bad this is in Texas?

TURNER: Yeah, you're talking about the proving movement in Texas. The Progressive movement —

GLENN: Yeah.

TURNER: You know what, Glenn, it's kind of a blessing and a curse in Texas that we're very fortunate and we're doing good here in job, economically, job creation. And a lot of times, you know, people can become complacent and say, that will never happen here, that will never happen to me. But the reality of it is is there is a great movement, you know, to turn Texas, not just blue but to make Texas like other states in our country. And that's why I've been shouting from the rooftops and I know you have and others, that listen, the reality of it is that we're doing fine right now but we are under attack from people who don't believe like us, that want to turn Texas into a liberal, Progressive state. And so I would implore people to pay attention. To get active and to get activated in their communities and making sure that Texas remains not just the most conservative and red state, but the Lone Star State that doesn't look like California or Oregon or some of these other states.

GLENN: I have to tell you, we — you know, we went out to vote and Pat and I both had to vote against a Republican who was running for school board. She doesn't believe in school choice. She doesn't believe in home-schooling. She doesn't believe in vouchers. I mean, you know, she was —

PAT: A citizen of the world type.

GLENN: Right.

TURNER: Is she from Texas?

GLENN: Yeah, she's from Texas.

PAT: Yeah.

GLENN: I mean, and she's a Republican.

TURNER: Right.

GLENN: People don't understand that the Republicans in some -- in some places and in some cases are just as bad.

TURNER: Right.

GLENN: And they're hiding in our system.

TURNER: Yeah, and you know what, Glenn, there's a lot of smoke and mirrors going on. If you guys recall back about 10 years ago when Washington had — the Republicans had the house, the Senate, and the presidency, and there was really no monumental legislation that was passed for the betterment of our country to speak of. Well, Texas, if we can, paints the same picture. We're kind of in a similar situation, where we have a new governor a new lieutenant governor, a new AG, new comptroller, AG commissioner, a 98-member majority, Republican majority in the House and eight new conservative members in the Senate. So we're primed, you know, to do monumental things and have monumental legislation here in Texas but there is an establishment guard of the Republican party that doesn't want to rock the boat. They want everything to be complacent and they think the status quo is good enough and that's like guys like me running for speaker, being in the house, are challenging the status quo and challenging the complacency.

GLENN: Why is it important for you to be speaker?

TURNER: As I was saying, Glenn, legislation, like school choice, to give kids — we got 300,000 kids in Texas that are in school districts that are underperforming but we're more concerned with the institution of education than we are with the children. But we talk about a skilled and qualified workforce. Well, school choice legislation dies in committee and dies in calendar under our unity leader or our current leadership. You've got stuff like comprehensive border security taking away the magnets for people to come here illegally, like implementing e-verifying, getting rid of sanctuary cities. When those things die in calendar, they don't come to the floor. So you have to have leadership that's bold and courageous to make those decisions and make this type of legislation to the floor for debate and the vote because Texans are calling for it. Those are the things that are going to secure our state, for the posterity of our state and prosperity of our state. But you have to have leadership that's willing to go against the political fray and bring things to the floor.

GLENN: That was part of the floor, Joe Strauss, with Common Core. He was not allowing certain things to be brought to the floor that would have stopped some of the things that were going on.

TURNER: Right.

PAT: Tell us —

TURNER: I'm sorry.

PAT: Tell us some of the other differences between you and Joe Strauss, Scott.

TURNER: Okay. Well, one, obviously is, you know, and if you look at my voting record and you look at what I've been able to do in the House, you know, I believe that I'm a true conservative leader and a leader, a servant leader that has the heart and the ear of the people in the forefront. And you know, I came into the House to make a difference, not just in my district, but in our state. And the way you make that difference is by standing on your principles and your convictions and not being one who can be bought or sold out, you know, to the special interests or to the lobby or what have you. And I think that separates the speaker and I, you know what, I'm conservative. You know, I don't just talk about it but I have a record of being conservative. And I have a servant's heart as far as leadership, whereby it's not about one man, it's not about the speaker, but it's about the team of people, you know. There's a lot of talent and skill in the House that can be utilized to decentralize the power whereby we can serve our constituents and our state better. So I think those are some of the most notable differences that we have. And to, you know -- I like to come from a business approach and not from a political approach. And running the House efficiently going forward.

GLENN: Scott, would you be the first black Speaker of the House in Texas?

TURNER: Yes, sir, I believe so.

GLENN: A conservative, a Tea Party conservative.

PAT: Uh-huh.

GLENN: I mean, again, and — I don't know anybody who knows Scott, who looks at him and says, he's a black man, maybe we should — he's not. He's a good Christian man who really truly is I think the leader for the future. And would be tremendous to have as our Speaker of the House. I'm going to give you the audience a number here. I want you to call your state rep if you live in Texas at 512-463-0063. 512-463-0063. Dan Patrick running the Senate and you tell your — you tell your state rep that you think Scott Turner should be the next Speaker of the House. 512-463-0063. What are the odds, Scott? How does this work here?

TURNER: Well, you know, we'll vote on January the 13th. That's the first day of session. And myself and other members are calling for a record vote on the House floor. And that will be the first vote that we take where you vote on the rules and then you vote on how you will vote for the speaker. And then we take the vote for who's going to be the next leader of the House. And I think that's very important, Glenn, because to me, it's liberation. You know, there's no more hiding. There's no more smoke and mirrors. They're accountability for every member. We have to vote anyway. That's what we do. We vote on legislation. We take input from our constituents so this is the same.

GLENN: Why is it important that it's on the record for you?

TURNER: I think it's important because one, it's accountability. You know, and you know, we go to our constituents when we're trying to be elected and telling our constituents who we are, what we're about, and our conservative values and principles. And so I think that when you vote on — I know when you vote, you have an opportunity to say, hey, this is who I am. This is — I'm going to do it what I said I'm gonna do and I'm gonna vote. I'm going to put my name on it and be accountable for everything I do in this House as your elected representative and your servant leader. So I think it's vitally important that myself and all 150 of our members take that vote.

GLENN: Great." Scott Turner. Thank you very much. Good luck.

TURNER: I appreciate that.

GLENN: You bet. Bye-bye. I think this guy is exceptional and if you live in Texas, please call your state rep and tell them to vote for Scott Turner at 972-224-6795. And tell everybody you know. I have met with him several times off the air over the last year and a half. And I think he is truly exceptional. David Barton introduced me to him. He is a -- his soul is in really good shape. He is unafraid. He's young. He has no secret baggage. He doesn't care. He doesn't care. He's exactly what Texas needs as Speaker of the House. Scott Turner, 512-463-0063.

4 signs that PROVE Americans are hitting rock bottom

Spencer Platt / Staff | Getty Images

As we approach the presidential election in November, many Americans are facing dire economic straits.

Glenn has shown time and time again that Bidenomics is a sham, and more Americans than ever are suffering as a result. Still, Biden and his cronies continue to insist that the economy is booming despite the mounting evidence to the contrary. But who is Biden fooling? Since the beginning of the year, gas has gone up an average of 40 cents a gallon nationwide, with some states seeing as much as a 60-cent per gallon increase. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Foreclosures and bankruptcies are on the rise, evictions are surging, and America is experiencing a record amount of homelessness. We can't survive another Biden term.

Americans across the country are hitting rock bottom, and here are four stats that PROVE it:

Evictions

John Moore / Staff | Getty Images

Across the country, people are being evicted from their homes and apartments. Between 2021 and 2023, evictions increased by 78.6 percent. With inflation driving up prices and employers struggling to raise wages to compensate, rent is taking up an increasingly larger percentage of people's paychecks. Many Americans are having to choose between buying groceries and paying rent.

Foreclosures

Justin Sullivan / Staff | Getty Images

Renters aren't the only ones struggling to make their monthly payments, foreclosures are on the rise. This February saw a 5 percent increase in foreclosures from last year and a 10 percent increase from January. More and more Americans are losing their homes and businesses.

Bankruptcies

Chris Hondros / Staff | Getty Images

High interest rates and inflation have driven bankruptcies through the roof. Total filings have risen 13 percent and business bankruptcies rose 30 percent in 2023. It's getting harder and harder for businesses to stay afloat, and with California's new law requiring most restaurants to pay all employees a minimum of $20 an hour, you can expect that number to keep climbing.

Homelessness

FREDERIC J. BROWN / Contributor | Getty Images

The result of all of these issues is that it is getting harder and harder for Americans to afford the basic necessities. January of 2023 saw a record-breaking 650,000+ homeless Americans, a 12 percent jump from the previous year. More Americans have hit rock bottom than ever before.

Stop blaming Gen Z for the problems WE created

Editor's note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

I want to talk to Generation Z. I’ve seen some clips of you complaining about your 9-to-5 jobs on social media and how life is really hard right now. To be honest, my first reaction was, “Suck it up, buttercup. This is what life is really like.” In a sense, that’s true. But in another sense, I think you’re getting a bad rap. You are facing unique problems that my generation didn’t face — problems that my generation had a hand in creating.

But I also think you don’t understand the cause of these problems.

I would hate to be in your position. When I was your age, we didn’t have to deal with any of the challenges you’re facing. In one sense, your life has been tough. At the same time, compared to previous generations, your life has been very easy. Everybody was rushing to save you, to protect you. You were coddled, which makes your life harder now.

You’ve grown up with social media and the definition of narcissism: somebody gazing into the pond looking at themselves all the time. I don't mean this as an offense, and I am not just including you in this. We’ve become a culture of narcissists. It’s all about “me, me, me, me.”

If you end up thinking more collectivism is the solution, then you haven't done enough homework.

You’ve been in territory that my generation never had to enter. You’ve already navigated a landscape that we didn't have to, where nothing is true, and you can’t trust anybody. I wouldn’t trust anybody either if I were in your position. But I do know a few things to be true and a couple of things I can trust.

First, life is worth it. Life is tough, but it is worth it in the end.

Second, life is not about stuff. As a guy who is kind of a pack rat, I can tell you that none of that stuff will create happiness in your life. In fact, I think your generation has a better handle on happiness in some ways than anybody in mine. You’re starting to realize that pharmaceuticals may not be as good as natural solutions in a lot of situations, that the huge house may not be as satisfying as just having a smaller house, that living your life instead of having to work all the time may be a better way to live.

I want to talk to those of you who feel like it’s not worth even trying to go to work because you’ll never get anywhere. You work 40 hours a week or more, and you still can't afford a place to live. You’re still living with your parents. You can’t afford food. I think you're right to feel frustrated because the problems you're facing weren't always the case.

I blame a lot of the current problems we’re facing today on the hippies. That may be wrong, but I hate hippies. Hippies have been screwing things up since the 1960s. While on their socialist march, they have become everything that they said they were against: lying, greedy politicians. They just won’t let go of their power even though their time has passed.

These are the people who have come up with policies that make you feel like this is the way the world is. I hope I can convince you that it doesn’t have to be this way. This isn’t the way our country has always been. We don’t have to keep these people in power. Actions have consequences. Votes have consequences. These people allow crime, looters, squatters, riots, and somebody needs to pay for that.

You say you can’t afford health care. I understand. Since Obamacare passed, the cost of individual health insurance has doubled. You need to remember that politicians promised that if we passed this massive health care overhaul, it would mean a savings of $2,500 per family. You're in school. You must know that $2,500 savings is not the same as an 80% increase. Moreover, the cost of hospital stays is up 210%. I understand when you say you can't afford health care at these costs. Who could afford health care? Who could afford insurance?

The generation coming of age is right to feel frustrated.This mess — with high costs and a massive debt burden — was not of their making.

Iwant to talk to Generation Z. I’ve seen some clips of you complaining about your 9-to-5 jobs on social media and how life is really hard right now. To be honest, my first reaction was, “Suck it up, buttercup. This is what life is really like.” In a sense, that’s true. But in another sense, I think you’re getting a bad rap. You are facing unique problems that my generation didn’t face — problems that my generation had a hand in creating.

But I also think you don’t understand the cause of these problems.

If you end up thinking more collectivism is the solution, then you haven't done enough homework.

I would hate to be in your position. When I was your age, we didn’t have to deal with any of the challenges you’re facing. In one sense, your life has been tough. At the same time, compared to previous generations, your life has been very easy. Everybody was rushing to save you, to protect you. You were coddled, which makes your life harder now.

You’ve grown up with social media and the definition of narcissism: somebody gazing into the pond looking at themselves all the time. I don't mean this as an offense, and I am not just including you in this. We’ve become a culture of narcissists. It’s all about “me, me, me, me.”

You’ve been in territory that my generation never had to enter. You’ve already navigated a landscape that we didn't have to, where nothing is true, and you can’t trust anybody. I wouldn’t trust anybody either if I were in your position. But I do know a few things to be true and a couple of things I can trust.

First, life is worth it. ≈

Second, life is not about stuff. As a guy who is kind of a pack rat, I can tell you that none of that stuff will create happiness in your life. In fact, I think your generation has a better handle on happiness in some ways than anybody in mine. You’re starting to realize that pharmaceuticals may not be as good as natural solutions in a lot of situations, that the huge house may not be as satisfying as just having a smaller house, that living your life instead of having to work all the time may be a better way to live.

I want to talk to those of you who feel like it’s not worth even trying to go to work because you’ll never get anywhere. You work 40 hours a week or more, and you still can't afford a place to live. You’re still living with your parents. You can’t afford food. I think you're right to feel frustrated because the problems you're facing weren't always the case.

I blame a lot of the current problems we’re facing today on the hippies. That may be wrong, but I hate hippies. Hippies have been screwing things up since the 1960s. While on their socialist march, they have become everything that they said they were against: lying, greedy politicians. ≈

These are the people who have come up with policies that make you feel like this is the way the world is. I hope I can convince you that it doesn’t have to be this way. This isn’t the way our country has always been. We don’t have to keep these people in power. Actions have consequences. Votes have consequences. These people allow crime, looters, squatters, riots, and somebody needs to pay for that.

If you end up thinking more collectivism is the solution, then you haven't done enough homework.

You say you can’t afford health care. I understand. Since Obamacare passed, the cost of individual health insurance has doubled. You need to remember that politicians promised that if we passed this massive health care overhaul, it would mean a savings of $2,500 per family. You're in school. You must know that $2,500 savings is not the same as an 80% increase. Moreover, the cost of hospital stays is up 210%. I understand when you say you can't afford health care at these costs. Who could afford health care? Who could afford insurance?

You are also starting your life with thousands of dollars in debt. Your parents didn't have that burden. People used to be able to work their way through college and graduate debt-free. Others were able to get jobs that quickly paid off their debt. You can't do that now. Once the government said that they were going to guarantee all student loans, university costs skyrocketed, and it hasn't stopped. You can thank the progressive President Lyndon B. Johnson for that.

The people who created this mess cannot fix it. But it can be fixed.

You are also starting your life with thousands of dollars in debt. Your parents didn't have that burden. People used to be able to work their way through college and graduate debt-free. Others were able to get jobs that quickly paid off their debt. You can't do that now. Once the government said that they were going to guarantee all student loans, university costs skyrocketed, and it hasn't stopped. You can thank the progressive President Lyndon B. Johnson for that.

Once the government said that they were going to guarantee everybody’s college tuition, universities found out that they could just charge more because the government would give you virtually any amount in your loan. And they have been charging more and more ever since. In 1965, the average college tuition was $450 a year. Adjusted to inflation, that's $4,000 a year. You're currently paying an average of $26,000 a year as opposed to the inflation-adjusted $4,000.

What happened? The answer is always the same: government regulations. Gas is up. Why? Government regulations. Can't afford a house? Well, that's due to several things. Many of them revolve around the fed and our national debt. But the simple answer is the same: government regulations.

Moreover, the U.S. government has run a staggering national debt. We have been concerned about it forever, but the people in power haven't been listening to your mom and dad and people like me. A lot of other people just thought, "Oh, well. We could get away with it. We're the United States of America, after all. Somehow or another, it will all work out."

People like me have been saying, "No. We can't pass this on to our children." You're now seeing what we have passed on. When you say that the adults are responsible for creating this world of problems, in some ways, you’re right. We were lied to, and as many people do, they want to believe the lie because it makes them feel better.

There are big lies being pushed in your generation as well. You're being told that a man is a woman and a woman is a man. At the same time, you’re being told that gender doesn't even exist at all. It makes us feel better to go along with the lie because we don't want to hurt anyone's feelings.

My generation believed the same kind of lie about our national debt. We were told that we could spend all this money on subsidized programs because it would provide you, our children, with a better life. Some people warned, "Wait, how will they pay this off? This will cost them." We didn't want to believe them. The lie sounded better, and it was easier to believe that than the truth. We never saw the consequences, and even if we did, they were always way out in the future. Nobody wanted to listen to the doomsday people saying, "No. It's going to come faster than you think."

And that time is right now. Our government now is printing $1 trillion every 100 days. That's never been done before. We have more debt than any country has ever had in the history of the world. But we’re not alone. Every country is doing this. They’re going into debt like we’ve never seen before, and we’re all about to pay for that. It’s going to make your life even harder.

There are Democrats and Republicans who still believe in spending all kinds of money and getting us involved in every global conflict. Then there are constitutional conservatives who believe that we should conserve the things that have worked and throw out the things that don’t and follow our Constitution and Bill of Rights. You haven't really learned about those most likely. But you should. All of our problems are caused by the government and the people who feel they can bypass the Constitution. That's what this election is really all about.

You might say, “I don’t really care. I don’t like either of the political parties.” I know a lot of people who don’t like either of them, but one is going to try to cut the size of this government and one is going to spend us into collapse.

The people who created this mess cannot fix it. But it can be fixed. You need to learn enough about the truth, about why this has happened to us, and about how our Constitution lasted longer than any other Constitution in the world. The average is 17 years. This thing has lasted hundreds of years. Why? How? And why is it falling apart today? That's what you should dedicate some of your time to figuring out today.

You can complain about the way things are. I complain. Everybody complains. But don't wallow there. Learn what caused this. And if you end up thinking more collectivism is the solution, then you haven't done enough homework. They always end the same way, and that's exactly where we're headed right now. We can either repeat the dreadful past of nations that have tried it before us, or we can choose freedom, liberty, and prosperity. The ball is in our court.

Government's SECRET crackdown on preppers threatens YOUR right to grow food

Glenn recently had Representative Thomas Massie on his show to sound the alarm about an important yet often overlooked issue affecting what we eat. Whether you're trying to be prepared to weather a catastrophe or just trying to keep food on the table without resorting to eating bugs, it's more important now than ever to source local food. Unnoticed by most, our right to eat home-grown or locally-sourced foods is under attack. The government doesn't just want a say in what you eat; they want you vulnerable and dependent on their system, and they are massively overstepping their bounds to ensure your compliance with their goals.

How did the attack on your food begin?

Government overreach on food can be traced back to 1938 under the autocratic eye of FDR with the Supreme Court case "Wickard v. Filburn." The case was pretty straightforward, but the results were devastating. The case began with the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938, which sought to control national food prices by placing limitations on how many crops farmers could grow in a season.

Filburn was one such farmer, who was allotted 11.1 acres of wheat to plant and harvest annually. Filburn planted and harvested 23 acres, arguing that the extra acres were not headed for the market, but were used for personal consumption. After being penalized for over-harvesting, he fought his case all the way up to the Supreme Court, arguing that Congress did not have the authority to regulate crops that never left his farm.

Unfortunately for Filburn (and the rest of us), the Supreme Court didn't agree. They ruled that the mere existence of that extra wheat—whether it left Filburn's farm or not—had an effect on the national value of wheat. Congress assumed the power to regulate just about anything that could be roped under the umbrella of "interstate commerce."

Under the precedent set by Wickard v. Filburn, Congress might bar you from growing tomatoes in your backyard, because it could affect national tomato prices. This was a major blow to our right to feed ourselves, and that right has been eroding ever since.

How is our right to feed ourselves under attack today?

Last June, the Virginia Department of Agriculture shut down Golden Valley Farms, a small Amish farm owned and operated by Samuel B. Fisher in Farmville, Virginia. Golden Valley Farms had started out selling dairy products, primarily, and processed some meat for personal consumption. However, by popular demand, Fisher began selling meat.

Fisher initially hauled his animals to a USDA processing plant, paid to have them processed, and then hauled them back. This process was time-consuming and costly, and Fisher's customers didn't want the meat processed by the plant. A survey done on Golden Valley Farms customers found that an overwhelming 92 percent preferred meat processed by Fisher. So naturally, Fisher began to process more and more meat for his customers.

Moreover, COVID shut down the USDA plant, which made it impossible for Fisher to process the animals by the USDA anyway, though the demand for meat was greater than ever. Fisher made the call to process 100 percent of his animals himself and didn't look back. That was until June when the Virginia Department of Agriculture caught wind of Fisher's operation and shut it down. The VDA seized all of Fisher's products, and he wasn't allowed to process, sell, or even eat his meat. Then they loaded it up in a truck and left it at the dump to rot.

Nobody ever got sick from eating meat from Golden Valley Farms. This was NOT about "health and safety." This was about control. The fact is that informed adults were not allowed to make a simple transaction without the government sticking its slimy fingers into Fisher's business and claiming it was somehow for "our benefit." But it's not for "our benefit." It's so they can regulate and control what we buy and what we eat, and they cannot stand it when we operate outside of their influence.

What comes next?

Where does this end? With so much of our ability to feed ourselves already eroded, is it too late? Is it going to get worse? Before long, will it be illegal to eat eggs from your chickens or pick vegetables from your garden without getting government clearance first? Fortunately, a solution is already in the works.

Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie recently told Glenn about a new constitutional amendment designed to limit government overreach regarding food production. The proposed amendment reads as follows:

And Congress shall make no law, regulating the production and distribution of food products, which do not move across state lines.

The amendment is still on the drawing board and has not been formally introduced to Congress yet. But this is where you come in. Call your representative and tell them to support Massie's amendment and take a stand for your right to provide sustenance for you and your family.

If we can build skyscrapers, we can rebuild bridges

Kevin Dietsch / Staff | Getty Images

Editor's note: This article was originally published on TheBlaze.com.

I am sick and tired of hearing about our limitations. The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge this week is an amazing hero story of the cops and first responders who saved an untold number of lives by doing exactly the right thing quickly. But I’m really tired of hearing about how long it’s going to take us to recover from this catastrophe and how bad it’s going to be.


The immediate impact for Americans regarding this bridge collapse seems dire. If you're waiting for a new car to come in from overseas, prepare to wait longer. The Port of Baltimore stands as the nation’s leading import-export site for cars and trucks. It’s also the leading nexus for sugar and gypsum, which is used in fertilizer, drywall, and plaster. A record 52.3 million tons of foreign cargo was transported through Baltimore just last year.

To expect more from our leaders is rational. But to expect the most from ourselves is essential.

The bustling port is now cut off after the 1.6-mile-long bridge crumbled and fell into the river early Tuesday, blocking the only shipping lane into the port.

The officials have said the timeline for rebuilding the bridge will be years. The Port of Baltimore creates more than 15,300 jobs, with another 140,000 jobs linked to the activity at the port. This is a major disaster and will continue to cause significant problems on the East Coast for U.S. importers and exporters.

The bridge collapse means it will not be possible to get to the container terminals or a range of the other port terminals in Baltimore. Maryland Secretary of Transportation Paul J. Wiedefeld told reporters on Tuesday that vessel traffic in the port would be suspended until further notice but noted the port is still open to trucks.

Michael Mezzacappa, an attorney and expert on property damage cases in the shipping industry, told the New York Post that the collapse will have a major impact on shipping and traffic routes in the East Coast for the foreseeable future. “It’s not going to get fixed any time soon,” Mezzacappa said. “It’s going to take a lot longer than anyone expects. This is going to be a major problem for the Northeast.”

Remember the American spirit

I am absolutely sick to death of all of these stories that say things like that. Have we forgotten who we are? Have we forgotten what we’ve done?

Let me remind you of the American spirit, a spirit so potent and so vibrant that it has scaled towering mountains, mountains nobody thought they could cross.

It’s the spirit that constructed marvels of engineering. Have you ever been to the Hoover Dam? Have you seen the New York City skyline? The skyscraper was invented here for a reason. Here we are on the threshold of tomorrow, and none of us knows what is going to happen. But I'm getting the impression that we’ve been so beaten down that we believe we’re not going to make it tomorrow.

Have we forgotten who our ancestors are and what they did? If you look through our history even briefly, you will see a group of people who never take no for an answer. You will see a people who can do anything.


I want to stop just briefly in 1930. The Great Depression had its icy grip on us. It was a time that felt like a flickering candle in the vast darkness just barely holding on. Yet, it was in this crucible of adversity that Americans did great things.

The Empire State Building rose. It wasn’t just a structure of steel and stone. It was a beacon, a beacon of hope and American resilience and ingenuity. The way that thing was built — no one has ever seen anything like it before and since. In a record-shattering one year and 45 days, an army of workers, as many as 3,400 men on certain days, transformed this audacious vision into a cowering reality.

If you look through our history even briefly, you will see a group of people who never take no for an answer.

The Empire State Building wasn’t constructed. It was conjured into existence with a symphony of clanging metal and roaring machines and the inexhaustible spirit of its builders. The men perched on steel girders that were being flown in by giant cranes whispered tales about how they could still feel the warmth of the freshly poured metal beneath them. That beam was still warm, even though it was poured in Pittsburgh, put on a train, then put on a boat, then on a truck, then hauled up into the air.

They could fill the warmth because we moved that fast. It was a feverish pace of construction. It seemed to defy the laws of time and physics.

For a long time, it was the tallest building in the world — an architectural achievement. It was also a declaration to the world that America was a land where the impossible became possible, that we are a people of determination, innovation, with a relentless will to succeed.

These aren't merely historical footnotes. They are blazing torches illuminating our path forward. They remind us that when we're faced with adversity, we don't just endure it. We overcome it. We don’t wait for history to chart our course. We write it with the sweat of our brow and the strength of our backs. That’s who we are. Have we forgotten that?

What are we waiting for?

We find ourselves at another crossroads faced with the challenges that threaten to dim the bright future that we all dream for our nation, for our children. The spirit that built the Empire State Building, laid down miles of railroads, cut through the Rocky Mountains, and sent astronauts to the moon is still inside of every heart of every American, somewhere.

Awaken that spirit. Scale new mountains. It's not just rock and earth. Scale the mountains of innovation. Build. Not just physical structures but a future that upholds the spirit of adventure, hard work, and ingenuity. Stop tearing everything down. Let's start building.

Why are we waiting? If this isn't a national emergency, I don't know what it is.

And I don't just mean the bridge. I mean all of it. You might say, “Well, our government has to lead.” Really? Does it? Maybe that’s our problem. America is led by its values and principles that are found in the souls of those who still remember who we are and who we serve. Americans lead the way. The government always follows.

You might say again, "Well, we can’t act without the government." Nonsense! Where are the bridge builders who will stand up today and say, “I'll get it done!” As soon as that happens, you’ll see who is leading and who is stalling. The government is the one that stalls the engine out. To expect more from our leaders is rational. But to expect the most from ourselves is essential.

There is nothing we can't achieve when we all stand together, united by our dreams, and driven by the will to see them fulfilled. Don't listen to anybody else who tells you differently.