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Glenn's Show Prep

Glenn Talks With Evan McMullin About Taking the Lead in Utah

October 20, 2016
Lori Hanes

Writer

Independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin joined Glenn on radio Thursday to talk about his recent surge in Utah. Unheard of less than three months ago, the momentum in McMullin's campaign has been astonishing.

"You have now pulled ahead of both candidates in one state. And if you saw the polls in the others, you may be doing the same in a couple of others, at least in the Mountain West. That changes the dynamic of everything," Glenn said to McMullin.

RELATED: How Evan McMullin Could Win Utah and the Presidency

Encouraged by the traction his campaign is experiencing, McMullin talked with Glenn about a return to principled leadership and why he's running for president.

Read below or watch the clip for answers to these questions:

• Does Evan McMullin know what partial-birth abortion is?

• How is McMullin polling in Idaho?

• What is McMullin's vision for the Supreme Court?

• What are McMullin's 13 Principles for New American Leadership?

• Is McMullin building a new conservative movement?

Below is a rush transcript of this segment, it might contain errors:

GLENN: Evan McMullin is on the phone. EvanMcMullin.com. Running for president.

Evan, what's the problem with partial-birth abortion?

EVAN: Well, it's a violation of our basic inalienable right to life. I mean, you know, it's sad that we even have to make that defense in this day and age. But, look, these are lives, and they have a right to them. And we have an obligation to protect them.

GLENN: Now, I'm going to play Hillary Clinton, and she responds, "Well, I know women who have had to have this because of the life of the mother, and you think don't like moms." How do you respond?

EVAN: Well, look, first of all, I think those kinds of scenarios are extremely, extremely rare. So it's a bit of a -- you know, it's a bit of a cop-out, I think, to make that defense. In most cases, that's not at all the case.

PAT: They were common in the 1800s, Evan. They were common in the 1800s.

EVAN: Yeah, right.

GLENN: So partial-birth abortion, to save the life of the mother.

EVAN: Yeah. It's -- first of all, it's illegal I think in the vast majority of states across the country. Most Americans are even opposed to partial-birth abortions, if not -- I mean, the vast majority are.

PAT: It's illegal in most of the world, actually.

EVAN: Yeah, most of the world too. I mean, you look at both of these candidates, both of these candidates have been supportive of late-term abortions. Forget about partial-birth abortions. Late-term abortions in the past. Donald Trump only became pro-life when he decided to run for president as a part of the -- through the Republican primary.

Mindy Finn and I are the only pro-life candidates running for president and vice president this year. And it's deeply -- well, I guess Pence is pro-life as well. But I'm the only presidential candidate who is pro-life -- truly pro-life in this race.

GLENN: Evan, a new poll has come out. Three months ago, you know, nobody knew who you were. Now, at least in Utah, you are beating Hillary. Last week, you were not. This week, you were beating Hillary and Donald Trump.

EVAN: That's right.

GLENN: And you're beating by four points?

PAT: Yeah, 31-27.

EVAN: Yeah, I'm over Donald Trump by four points. And Hillary by more than that. You know, it's one poll and we've got a lot of work to do. And there's a few weeks left. We're very encouraged by our progress, by our momentum. We see it in the polls. We see it in our online engagement. We feel it in our events. But we're hoping that it will spill over into other states in the Mountain West, and beyond. Even though there are only a few weeks left, we think we can advance this momentum pretty far.

PAT: Evan, if you were to talk about the importance of Supreme Court justices, what is the first thing you would identify as -- as the cause of that importance? Why is the Supreme Court justice so important right now?

EVAN: Well, we need Supreme Court justices who will enforce the Constitution, who will -- who will take it as it's written. That's what we need: Originalists. You know, the one thing that I heard last night from Hillary Clinton is that she thought our justices needed to --

PAT: Originalists.

EVAN: -- quote, represent us.

PAT: Right.

EVAN: And I thought, "My goodness, this is a woman who does not understand what the court is there to do." As I said it, it's there to enforce the Constitution. It's actually precisely not there to represent us. That's the point.

STU: Yeah.

PAT: One of the Supreme Court justices --

(cuts out online and on the app)

PAT: -- what you would identify as the cause of that.

(Cuts out online and on the app) (music)

VOICE: We apologize for this disruption in our regular programming. Thanks for your patience. We'll return to our scheduled show, as soon as we can.

(music)

GLENN: -- you believe your campaign is working and what it stands for.

But are there other states that you're also doing well in?

EVAN: Yes. Well -- so as you mentioned, we're doing very well in Utah. There are not a lot of polls in Idaho unfortunately, because it's just been a very, very -- you know, it's gone Republican.

But so has Utah. But a few weeks ago, we saw polls in Idaho that had us at about the same place we were in Utah. And we're seeing a lot of momentum there online, as well as at our events. And so I think what's happening there is similar to what's happening in Utah. We just haven't been able to quantify it yet.

STU: Yeah, we should point out, as a message to pollsters out there -- I mean, if Evan McMullin is on the ballot in your state, he needs to be included in these polls. I mean, these guys are polling states and leaving "other" as one of the options. And "other" is mysteriously getting 11 percent in the poll. I mean, it would follow logically to believe that a lot of that is going to Evan McMullin. He's been making great gains. I mean, the idea that you're leaving him out at this point, you know, Evan, I think it's just --

GLENN: When you called us three months ago, we were like, "Okay. I don't know who you are. And this is not going to work. I mean, this is crazy."

(chuckling)

GLENN: But now -- you have now pulled ahead of both candidates in one state.

EVAN: Yeah.

GLENN: And if you saw the polls in the others, you may be doing the same in a couple of others, at least in the Mountain West. That changes the dynamic of everything.

PAT: Uh-huh.

GLENN: Of everything.

EVAN: Yeah, sure. Absolutely.

GLENN: Can you give me the --

EVAN: But, you know, these pollsters, they've got their established plans, and their established plans are competitors. And so, you know, there's a reason why I think many of us are leaving us off. I'm trying to understand it myself.

But look, where they do include us, we register. And we're very excited about that. And we know that we have a great deal of support out there that's growing very quickly. So, you know, we hope that they'll start including us. When they do, they tend to register our support. And in a place like the Mountain West, it's significant. So hopefully we'll see more out of Utah -- or, more out of Idaho.

GLENN: Can you give me any of the items of what you stand for? It was a list on your website. I don't remember what it was called.

EVAN: Yeah, yeah. We released -- Glenn, we released a document called Principles for New American Leadership. And it's just 13 principles that we think are basic for uniting the conservative movement and for drawing in to our side people who are conservatives, but tend to vote on the Democratic side. I'm talking about a lot of people in the Hispanic community, people think -- especially in the African-American community, there are a lot of people who are actually conservative, but they vote Democratic because they don't think they're welcome in the Republican Party.

So what are those principles? Some of the first ones are simply that all of us, all men and women are created equal, that we have a right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That's the first thing. The second thing is that we have an inspired Constitution that needs to be respected for how it was written, not how some people wish it were.

The other thing is that we need to have, as the Constitution lays out, a separation of powers, that's both vertical and horizontal. Meaning, the balance of powers between the federal branches, as well as the empowerment of the states, beyond those powers that are explicitly listed in the Constitution for the federal government. These are the types of things.

Another thing is that we need honest and wise leaders because, even though we have an inspired Constitution, Glenn, it doesn't matter if our leaders don't respect it and if they are not wise and honest. We must -- absolutely must have honest and wise leaders. If we don't, our Constitution will be trampled upon, and it won't mean much.

And then the last thing maybe I'll mention her -- and I'm going through the top five points. The last point is that we need a new era of civic engagement. All of us. We cannot trust our leaders anymore, Glenn. And that's why Mindy and I have gotten into this race. Because we couldn't trust them to do the right thing anymore. We -- all Americans have to step up. We need to recruit honest and wise leaders and promote them into office and be educated -- well-educated on the issues and drive this thing forward.

GLENN: What message do you hope that the American people get, the media gets, the two-party system, the Republicans get? What message do you hope that you are sending, you know, the day after the election?

EVAN: Well, we're building a new conservative movement. And that's what -- that's what we're doing.

So, yes, there's a chance that we can block Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, if the race is very close. Right now, Hillary Clinton is absolutely dominating Donald Trump in the electoral college. So it doesn't look like it's going to be a close race.

So what we're building is a new conservative movement that will be dedicated to the principles that I've just described, and others that we believe will unite conservatives. True conservatives, by the way. True conservatives. And also appeal to people who aren't conservative, but who haven't felt welcome in the Republican Party in the past.

That is the kind of leadership that this country leads. That will create a powerful conservative movement in this country that is electorally viable, unlike the type of conservatism -- if you can even call it that -- that Donald Trump has offered the American people. And I wouldn't call it conservatism, to be clear.

But that's the kind of leadership, that's the kind of movement we need in this country, to be powerful and prosperous and to unify us as well.

PAT: If only there was a place where people could go to help your campaign, to donate or volunteer service.

GLENN: Oh, my gosh, we're back to that.

JEFFY: Right.

PAT: Man, if they --

GLENN: I didn't think we would hear this for four more years.

PAT: I didn't either. If only there was a place --

(chuckling)

EVAN: There is.

PAT: Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh.

JEFFY: What?

EVAN: I know you're surprised by that. And guess what, it's a website, and it's called EvanMcMullin.com.

GLENN: I don't know what that is.

PAT: EvanMcMullin.com. Now, that's with an I at the end of McMullin, right? Instead of an E? Kind of counterintuitive --

EVAN: That's right. That's right. Ends in I-N.

PAT: Now, also, I know you're doing well in both Utah and Idaho, but as a BYU grad, do you have a prediction for BYU/Boise State tonight?

EVAN: Oh, yeah. Well, I'm going to go with the Cougs, of course. Go Cougs!

PAT: He's going to win Utah.

GLENN: All right. Good. I'm glad we have that.

PAT: He's going to win Utah.

GLENN: You guys got to bring Jell-O dishes and share those.

EVAN: Oh, yeah. I'll be eating a lot of Jell-O tonight. You know it.

GLENN: All right. Evan, thanks a lot. I appreciate it. EvanMcMullin.com.

STU: That's the only reason you wanted him on, Pat. Wasn't it?

PAT: That's it. Yeah.

Featured Image: Screenshot from The Glenn Beck Program

EXCLUSIVE: Tech Ethicist reveals 5 ways to control AI NOW

MANAURE QUINTERO / Contributor | Getty Images

By now, many of us are familiar with AI and its potential benefits and threats. However, unless you're a tech tycoon, it can feel like you have little influence over the future of artificial intelligence.

For years, Glenn has warned about the dangers of rapidly developing AI technologies that have taken the world by storm.

He acknowledges their significant benefits but emphasizes the need to establish proper boundaries and ethics now, while we still have control. But since most people aren’t Silicon Valley tech leaders making the decisions, how can they help keep AI in check?

Recently, Glenn interviewed Tristan Harris, a tech ethicist deeply concerned about the potential harm of unchecked AI, to discuss its societal implications. Harris highlighted a concerning new piece of legislation proposed by Texas Senator Ted Cruz. This legislation proposes a state-level moratorium on AI regulation, meaning only the federal government could regulate AI. Harris noted that there’s currently no Federal plan for regulating AI. Until the federal government establishes a plan, tech companies would have nearly free rein with their AI. And we all know how slowly the federal government moves.

This is where you come in. Tristan Harris shared with Glenn the top five actions you should urge your representatives to take regarding AI, including opposing the moratorium until a concrete plan is in place. Now is your chance to influence the future of AI. Contact your senator and congressman today and share these five crucial steps they must take to keep AI in check:

Ban engagement-optimized AI companions for kids

Create legislation that will prevent AI from being designed to maximize addiction, sexualization, flattery, and attachment disorders, and to protect young people’s mental health and ability to form real-life friendships.

Establish basic liability laws

Companies need to be held accountable when their products cause real-world harm.

Pass increased whistleblower protections

Protect concerned technologists working inside the AI labs from facing untenable pressures and threats that prevent them from warning the public when the AI rollout is unsafe or crosses dangerous red lines.

Prevent AI from having legal rights

Enact laws so AIs don’t have protected speech or have their own bank accounts, making sure our legal system works for human interests over AI interests.

Oppose the state moratorium on AI 

Call your congressman or Senator Cruz’s office, and demand they oppose the state moratorium on AI without a plan for how we will set guardrails for this technology.

Glenn: Only Trump dared to deliver on decades of empty promises

Tasos Katopodis / Stringer | Getty Images

The Islamic regime has been killing Americans since 1979. Now Trump’s response proves we’re no longer playing defense — we’re finally hitting back.

The United States has taken direct military action against Iran’s nuclear program. Whatever you think of the strike, it’s over. It’s happened. And now, we have to predict what happens next. I want to help you understand the gravity of this situation: what happened, what it means, and what might come next. To that end, we need to begin with a little history.

Since 1979, Iran has been at war with us — even if we refused to call it that.

We are either on the verge of a remarkable strategic victory or a devastating global escalation. Time will tell.

It began with the hostage crisis, when 66 Americans were seized and 52 were held for over a year by the radical Islamic regime. Four years later, 17 more Americans were murdered in the U.S. Embassy bombing in Beirut, followed by 241 Marines in the Beirut barracks bombing.

Then came the Khobar Towers bombing in 1996, which killed 19 more U.S. airmen. Iran had its fingerprints all over it.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, Iranian-backed proxies killed hundreds of American soldiers. From 2001 to 2020 in Afghanistan and 2003 to 2011 in Iraq, Iran supplied IEDs and tactical support.

The Iranians have plotted assassinations and kidnappings on U.S. soil — in 2011, 2021, and again in 2024 — and yet we’ve never really responded.

The precedent for U.S. retaliation has always been present, but no president has chosen to pull the trigger until this past weekend. President Donald Trump struck decisively. And what our military pulled off this weekend was nothing short of extraordinary.

Operation Midnight Hammer

The strike was reportedly called Operation Midnight Hammer. It involved as many as 175 U.S. aircraft, including 12 B-2 stealth bombers — out of just 19 in our entire arsenal. Those bombers are among the most complex machines in the world, and they were kept mission-ready by some of the finest mechanics on the planet.

USAF / Handout | Getty Images

To throw off Iranian radar and intelligence, some bombers flew west toward Guam — classic misdirection. The rest flew east, toward the real targets.

As the B-2s approached Iranian airspace, U.S. submarines launched dozens of Tomahawk missiles at Iran’s fortified nuclear facilities. Minutes later, the bombers dropped 14 MOPs — massive ordnance penetrators — each designed to drill deep into the earth and destroy underground bunkers. These bombs are the size of an F-16 and cost millions of dollars apiece. They are so accurate, I’ve been told they can hit the top of a soda can from 15,000 feet.

They were built for this mission — and we’ve been rehearsing this run for 15 years.

If the satellite imagery is accurate — and if what my sources tell me is true — the targeted nuclear sites were utterly destroyed. We’ll likely rely on the Israelis to confirm that on the ground.

This was a master class in strategy, execution, and deterrence. And it proved that only the United States could carry out a strike like this. I am very proud of our military, what we are capable of doing, and what we can accomplish.

What comes next

We don’t yet know how Iran will respond, but many of the possibilities are troubling. The Iranians could target U.S. forces across the Middle East. On Monday, Tehran launched 20 missiles at U.S. bases in Qatar, Syria, and Kuwait, to no effect. God forbid, they could also unleash Hezbollah or other terrorist proxies to strike here at home — and they just might.

Iran has also threatened to shut down the Strait of Hormuz — the artery through which nearly a fifth of the world’s oil flows. On Sunday, Iran’s parliament voted to begin the process. If the Supreme Council and the ayatollah give the go-ahead, we could see oil prices spike to $150 or even $200 a barrel.

That would be catastrophic.

The 2008 financial collapse was pushed over the edge when oil hit $130. Western economies — including ours — simply cannot sustain oil above $120 for long. If this conflict escalates and the Strait is closed, the global economy could unravel.

The strike also raises questions about regime stability. Will it spark an uprising, or will the Islamic regime respond with a brutal crackdown on dissidents?

Early signs aren’t hopeful. Reports suggest hundreds of arrests over the weekend and at least one dissident executed on charges of spying for Israel. The regime’s infamous morality police, the Gasht-e Ershad, are back on the streets. Every phone, every vehicle — monitored. The U.S. embassy in Qatar issued a shelter-in-place warning for Americans.

Russia and China both condemned the strike. On Monday, a senior Iranian official flew to Moscow to meet with Vladimir Putin. That meeting should alarm anyone paying attention. Their alliance continues to deepen — and that’s a serious concern.

Now we pray

We are either on the verge of a remarkable strategic victory or a devastating global escalation. Time will tell. But either way, President Trump didn’t start this. He inherited it — and he took decisive action.

The difference is, he did what they all said they would do. He didn’t send pallets of cash in the dead of night. He didn’t sign another failed treaty.

He acted. Now, we pray. For peace, for wisdom, and for the strength to meet whatever comes next.


This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Globalize the Intifada? Why Mamdani’s plan spells DOOM for America

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

If New Yorkers hand City Hall to Zohran Mamdani, they’re not voting for change. They’re opening the door to an alliance of socialism, Islamism, and chaos.

It only took 25 years for New York City to go from the resilient, flag-waving pride following the 9/11 attacks to a political fever dream. To quote Michael Malice, “I'm old enough to remember when New Yorkers endured 9/11 instead of voting for it.”

Malice is talking about Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist assemblyman from Queens now eyeing the mayor’s office. Mamdani, a 33-year-old state representative emerging from relative political obscurity, is now receiving substantial funding for his mayoral campaign from the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

CAIR has a long and concerning history, including being born out of the Muslim Brotherhood and named an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terror funding case. Why would the group have dropped $100,000 into a PAC backing Mamdani’s campaign?

Mamdani blends political Islam with Marxist economics — two ideologies that have left tens of millions dead in the 20th century alone.

Perhaps CAIR has a vested interest in Mamdani’s call to “globalize the intifada.” That’s not a call for peaceful protest. Intifada refers to historic uprisings of Muslims against what they call the “Israeli occupation of Palestine.” Suicide bombings and street violence are part of the playbook. So when Mamdani says he wants to “globalize” that, who exactly is the enemy in this global scenario? Because it sure sounds like he's saying America is the new Israel, and anyone who supports Western democracy is the new Zionist.

Mamdani tried to clean up his language by citing the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, which once used “intifada” in an Arabic-language article to describe the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. So now he’s comparing Palestinians to Jewish victims of the Nazis? If that doesn’t twist your stomach into knots, you’re not paying attention.

If you’re “globalizing” an intifada, and positioning Israel — and now America — as the Nazis, that’s not a cry for human rights. That’s a call for chaos and violence.

Rising Islamism

But hey, this is New York. Faculty members at Columbia University — where Mamdani’s own father once worked — signed a letter defending students who supported Hamas after October 7. They also contributed to Mamdani’s mayoral campaign. And his father? He blamed Ronald Reagan and the religious right for inspiring Islamic terrorism, as if the roots of 9/11 grew in Washington, not the caves of Tora Bora.

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

This isn’t about Islam as a faith. We should distinguish between Islam and Islamism. Islam is a religion followed peacefully by millions. Islamism is something entirely different — an ideology that seeks to merge mosque and state, impose Sharia law, and destroy secular liberal democracies from within. Islamism isn’t about prayer and fasting. It’s about power.

Criticizing Islamism is not Islamophobia. It is not an attack on peaceful Muslims. In fact, Muslims are often its first victims.

Islamism is misogynistic, theocratic, violent, and supremacist. It’s hostile to free speech, religious pluralism, gay rights, secularism — even to moderate Muslims. Yet somehow, the progressive left — the same left that claims to fight for feminism, LGBTQ rights, and free expression — finds itself defending candidates like Mamdani. You can’t make this stuff up.

Blending the worst ideologies

And if that weren’t enough, Mamdani also identifies as a Democratic Socialist. He blends political Islam with Marxist economics — two ideologies that have left tens of millions dead in the 20th century alone. But don’t worry, New York. I’m sure this time socialism will totally work. Just like it always didn’t.

If you’re a business owner, a parent, a person who’s saved anything, or just someone who values sanity: Get out. I’m serious. If Mamdani becomes mayor, as seems likely, then New York City will become a case study in what happens when you marry ideological extremism with political power. And it won’t be pretty.

This is about more than one mayoral race. It’s about the future of Western liberalism. It’s about drawing a bright line between faith and fanaticism, between healthy pluralism and authoritarian dogma.

Call out radicalism

We must call out political Islam the same way we call out white nationalism or any other supremacist ideology. When someone chants “globalize the intifada,” that should send a chill down your spine — whether you’re Jewish, Christian, Muslim, atheist, or anything in between.

The left may try to shame you into silence with words like “Islamophobia,” but the record is worn out. The grooves are shallow. The American people see what’s happening. And we’re not buying it.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Could China OWN our National Parks?

Jonathan Newton / Contributor | Getty Images

The left’s idea of stewardship involves bulldozing bison and barring access. Lee’s vision puts conservation back in the hands of the people.

The media wants you to believe that Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) is trying to bulldoze Yellowstone and turn national parks into strip malls — that he’s calling for a reckless fire sale of America’s natural beauty to line developers’ pockets. That narrative is dishonest. It’s fearmongering, and, by the way, it’s wrong.

Here’s what’s really happening.

Private stewardship works. It’s local. It’s accountable. It’s incentivized.

The federal government currently owns 640 million acres of land — nearly 28% of all land in the United States. To put that into perspective, that’s more territory than France, Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom combined.

Most of this land is west of the Mississippi River. That’s not a coincidence. In the American West, federal ownership isn’t just a bureaucratic technicality — it’s a stranglehold. States are suffocated. Locals are treated as tenants. Opportunities are choked off.

Meanwhile, people living east of the Mississippi — in places like Kentucky, Georgia, or Pennsylvania — might not even realize how little land their own states truly control. But the same policies that are plaguing the West could come for them next.

Lee isn’t proposing to auction off Yellowstone or pave over Yosemite. He’s talking about 3 million acres — that’s less than half of 1% of the federal estate. And this land isn’t your family’s favorite hiking trail. It’s remote, hard to access, and often mismanaged.

Failed management

Why was it mismanaged in the first place? Because the federal government is a terrible landlord.

Consider Yellowstone again. It’s home to the last remaining herd of genetically pure American bison — animals that haven’t been crossbred with cattle. Ranchers, myself included, would love the chance to help restore these majestic creatures on private land. But the federal government won’t allow it.

So what do they do when the herd gets too big?

They kill them. Bulldoze them into mass graves. That’s not conservation. That’s bureaucratic malpractice.

And don’t even get me started on bald eagles — majestic symbols of American freedom and a federally protected endangered species, now regularly slaughtered by wind turbines. I have pictures of piles of dead bald eagles. Where’s the outrage?

Biden’s federal land-grab

Some argue that states can’t afford to manage this land themselves. But if the states can’t afford it, how can Washington? We’re $35 trillion in debt. Entitlements are strained, infrastructure is crumbling, and the Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, and National Park Service are billions of dollars behind in basic maintenance. Roads, firebreaks, and trails are falling apart.

The Biden administration quietly embraced something called the “30 by 30” initiative, a plan to lock up 30% of all U.S. land and water under federal “conservation” by 2030. The real goal is 50% by 2050.

That entails half of the country being taken away from you, controlled not by the people who live there but by technocrats in D.C.

You think that won’t affect your ability to hunt, fish, graze cattle, or cut timber? Think again. It won’t be conservatives who stop you from building a cabin, raising cattle, or teaching your grandkids how to shoot a rifle. It’ll be the same radical environmentalists who treat land as sacred — unless it’s your truck, your deer stand, or your back yard.

Land as collateral

Moreover, the U.S. Treasury is considering putting federally owned land on the national balance sheet, listing your parks, forests, and hunting grounds as collateral.

What happens if America defaults on its debt?

David McNew / Stringer | Getty Images

Do you think our creditors won’t come calling? Imagine explaining to your kids that the lake you used to fish in is now under foreign ownership, that the forest you hunted in belongs to China.

This is not hypothetical. This is the logical conclusion of treating land like a piggy bank.

The American way

There’s a better way — and it’s the American way.

Let the people who live near the land steward it. Let ranchers, farmers, sportsmen, and local conservationists do what they’ve done for generations.

Did you know that 75% of America’s wetlands are on private land? Or that the most successful wildlife recoveries — whitetail deer, ducks, wild turkeys — didn’t come from Washington but from partnerships between private landowners and groups like Ducks Unlimited?

Private stewardship works. It’s local. It’s accountable. It’s incentivized. When you break it, you fix it. When you profit from the land, you protect it.

This is not about selling out. It’s about buying in — to freedom, to responsibility, to the principle of constitutional self-governance.

So when you hear the pundits cry foul over 3 million acres of federal land, remember: We don’t need Washington to protect our land. We need Washington to get out of the way.

Because this isn’t just about land. It’s about liberty. And once liberty is lost, it doesn’t come back easily.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.