What's the dirty little secret Progressives always fail to point out?

December 04, 2013

Writer

Big business is constantly vilified by this administration, as you know, and the media. They’re, you know, fat cats. They’re greedy, mean. They are made to be the villain, and the knight in shining white armor is of course more public sector institutions.

Here’s the dirty little secret Progressives always fail to point out: These evil big businesses got big because they are good at what they do. Let’s contrast and compare for a moment. The U.S. Postal Service lost $15.9 billion in 2012; however, FedEx profited $2 billion. Graduation rates, how about public schools, yeah, 73% and private schools 96%.

Public housing, that is beautiful. Wow, maybe just a little patio furniture out front would really spruce that up versus the average home in America, ah, 2,000 square feet of absolutely fine living. Even areas where government has a monopoly, such as the DMV and Amtrak, they still provide a miserable experience.

So what about health insurance? Well, pre ObamaCare 85% of Americans had health insurance, and 87% were happy with their coverage. Post ObamaCare, millions are losing their plans that they liked and are forced to go through a website that doesn’t even work two months after its launch. Oh, and I know they say it’s fixed, but honestly, who believes anything they say anymore?

Notice their careful use of language this week. It works for the “vast majority” of users. Look at the “broader benefits” of ObamaCare. The “error message” is now just a queue. Don’t worry about that. So getting put in some sort of weird digital waiting line is now fixing the problem, at least according to the government.

One reporter went through the system and got the queue message at 10:00 AM. They weren’t e-mailed to say they could go back on the site until 5:00 PM, a full seven hours later. Americans don’t have the patience for this. You don’t believe me? Next time you’re at a red light, and then it turns green, just sit there and see how long it takes for someone to start road raging on you. I bet it’s less than ten seconds. Government wants you to wait seven hours.

Oh, and a special bonus, it’s great, no security was really built into the Healthcare.gov at all. It’s basically just a hacker’s paradise, especially considering you had to put in account information just to look at prices. But what is going on? This government, this is what they do. They mess things up.

Look what’s happening to small banks. They’re vanishing. New regulations, a stagnant economy, and artificially low interest rates have reduced the number of banks in America to the lowest levels since the Great Depression. You can’t even spread a little holiday cheer anymore without the government getting in the way.

One man took the last thousand bucks to his name, tossed it to a crowd of people at the Mall of America, but he was arrested for disorderly conduct, and mall officials warned others not to do the same thing and said the message that people should take away from this incident is “somebody could have gotten seriously hurt.”

An 11-year-old girl in Oregon tried to sell mistletoe from her uncle’s farm that she cut and wrapped herself but was shut down by the city because she didn’t have proper documentation. Schools that instituted zero-tolerance policies to help curb bad behavior are backing off because too many people are getting arrested. Yeah, this is a real great lesson to teach the kids, don’t worry about your actions, because our consequences aren’t really consequences. They’re just harsh sounding words.

It’s kind of like the UN. We all know how well that system has been working out. While the students committing actual crimes are getting a slap on the wrist, the students that are making paper guns and playing cowboys and Indians at recess continue to receive harsh treatment. Common sense appears not to be so common anymore.

Fortunately, there is good news to keep your head from exploding. The Pizza Hut manager who was fired after closing the store on Thanksgiving eve to give employees time with their families at Thanksgiving, he got his job back. A homeless man who found a wallet in the trashcan and tracked down the rightful owner and returned it was repaid two weeks later when a hotel owner offered him $500 and a room for a few weeks.

An Instagram account called “Tips for Jesus” has gone viral. It’s an anonymous account created by someone claiming to do the Lord’s work one tip at a time. Tips range anywhere from a few hundred bucks all the way to $10,000. These stories are food for our soul. When we see people do amazing things or be kind to one another or follow their passion, it inspires us to be better people today than we were yesterday, and it reminds us that it’s our job, not the government or anyone else’s, to pursue happiness.

Just ask the people of Venezuela. Right now they are happy, happy, happy. They handed over their individual liberties for promises of hope and happiness and equality under a socialist utopia, and now the government is punishing them with rationing energy through massive power outages. It’s been happening on and off since 2009 when Chavez scolded the citizens for using too much energy.

Don’t sit around and hope for change. Get up off the couch and go make change happen.

Who will be Kamala Harris' VP pick?

JIM WATSON / Contributor, Chris duMond / Stringer, Justin Sullivan / Staff | Getty Images

Over the weekend, President Joe Biden officially dropped out of the 2024 presidential election and put forward his endorsement behind his Vice President Kamala Harris.

Glenn recently predicted that Biden would step down due to the mountain of pressure within his party to do so. But now that we are here we are faced with an all-new line of questions, like, who will be the candidate on the Democratic ticket? Who will be their pick for vice president?

As of now, the answer to the first question seems to be Kamala Harris, who received the support of the president and several prominent democrats. It's still too early to call for certain, and Glenn doesn't think it's likely, but assuming Kamala becomes the Democrat nominee, who will her VP pick be? There are endless possible options, but there are a 5 big names that could prove beneficial to Harris' campaign:

California Gov. Gavin Newsom

Bill Pugliano / Stringer | Getty Images

Governor Newsom has spiked in popularity within his party since his taking office in 2019 due to his scathing criticisms of President Trump and other Republicans. Newsom has been a popular contender as a possible Biden replacement, and a future presidential bid seems likely.

His widespread recognition may be a boon to Kamala's ticket, but the California governor comes with a dark side. Newsom was famously nearly recalled as Governor in 2021, hanging on to his office by a narrow margin. He also faced criticism for his hypocrisy during the COVID lockdowns, attending large gatherings while the rest of his state was locked inside. There's also the issue that both Newsom and Kamala are from California, meaning that if they were to appear on the same ticket, that ticket would lack geographical balance and would potentially lead to a Constitutional issue that would force the duo to forfeit all 54 of the states' Electoral College votes.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro

Tom Williams / Contributor | Getty Images

Another prominent Democrat Governor, Josh Shapiro has also been floated as a potential VP pick. Governor Shapiro has become a viable pick due to his well-received performance as Pennslyvania's Governor. The governor has good support within the swing state due to his handling of the I-95 bridge collapse, the train derailment in East Palestine, which had effects on his state, and the assassination attempt on the former president last week. Shapiro would bring much-needed support from the swing state if he was put on the ticket.

That being said, Shapiro has little time to build nationwide name recognition before the DNC in August and the November election. This would be Shapiro's debut on the national stage, and he would find himself in the most unforgiving situation possible.

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg

FREDERIC J. BROWN / Contributor | Getty Images

Former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, and opponent of Biden during the 2020 Democratic primaries, "Mayor Pete's" name recognition might be what Kamala needs on her presidential ticket. Buttigieg rose to popularity during the 2020 election due to his youth and status as "openly gay." Buttigieg has served as the Secretary of Transportation during the Biden administration for the past four years and has formally endorsed Harris.

Nevertheless, Buttigieg has some dark spots on his resume. The East Palestine train derailment disaster has besmirched his reputation as Secretary of Transportation. And while his youth may work in his favor when compared to the other elderly members of our federal government, it also means Buttigieg lacks the experience and prestige that other politicians enjoy.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

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Yet another governor of a crucial swing state, Whitmer was elected in 2018, two years after President Trump was elected, helping secure the state for the Democrats. Whitmer is known for her strong opposition to Trump, both during his presidency and his reelection campaign. Whitmer serves as co-chair for the Biden-Harris campaign and as vice chairperson of the DNC, which gives her influence over the Democratic party, something that would come in handy as a Vice President. Gov. Whitmer also established the Fight Like Hell PAC, which is dedicated to helping Democrats get elected and to stopping Trump by any means.

On the other hand, in a statement following Biden's resignation from the election, Governor Whitmer stated that her role “will remain the same.” It is also worth noting that if she were to be chosen as Kamala's VP, that would make their ticket all-female, which may foster some "woke points," but is politically risky.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear

Lexington Herald-Leader / Contributor | Getty Images

Andy Bashear has seemingly beaten the odds twice, having been elected and reelected as the Governor of Kentucky, despite the deep-red nature of the state. Beshear, who has moderate tendencies, would be a boon to the Harris campaign as he has a track record of reaching rural, typically conservative regions where Democrats tend to struggle. He is also known for his propensity to talk about his Christian faith and willingness to work with Republicans, which are traits that might help win over moderates.

But, like Gov. Shapiro, Bashear has very little time to whip up national support and recognition. He also is unlikely to be very much help for the Harris campaign in winning over important swing states.

Five times Glenn had J.D. Vance on his show and where he stands on key issues

CHANDAN KHANNAMANDEL NGAN / Contributor | Getty Images

We finally have an answer to the long-awaited question of who Trump will pick for his running mate, and it's none other than Ohio Senator and friend of the show, J.D. Vance. At the RNC in Milwaukee, Trump officially accepted the party's nomination as the Republican candidate and announced J.D. Vance as his running mate.

Glenn has had Senator Vance on the show several times to discuss everything from DEI to the Southern Border. If you are looking to familiarize yourself with the next potential Vice President, look no further, here are five conversations Glenn had with Trump's VP pick:

Why Biden Won't Stop "Racist" Government DEI Programs, But Trump Would

How Trump’s Trials Could HELP Him in the 2024 Election

Could THIS new Senate bill DOOM a Trump presidency?

MIDTERM UPDATE: What Republicans must do to WIN BACK the Senate

'Greatest risk of a terrorist attack in 20 years': Senator SLAMS 'atrocious' Biden move

How RFK's example can help our nation in the wake of Trump's attack

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How did you feel last Saturday when you heard the news that a former president of the United States narrowly avoided an assassin's bullet by a mere few inches? Were you angry at the media for their constant demonization of Trump and his conservative contingency? Did you blame the left for curating a political climate that fostered an assassination attempt?

In his immediate reaction to the news, Glenn pointed us back to a similar moment in American history: April 4th, 1968—the day Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.

"The best speech I've ever heard given was by RFK Sr. on the day Martin Luther King was killed" - Glenn

Robert F. Kennedy, the father of current independent presidential candidate RFK Jr., was en route to Indianapolis when he heard the terrible news. His security team, expecting violent outrage across the country, asked RFK Sr. to turn around and head back to safety. But as Glenn said, RFK Sr. believed in the good in people and demanded to give his speech. He arrived in Indianapolis Park late in the day, and he addressed the crowd of predominantly black campaign supporters.

There were no riots in Indianapolis that night.

The message RFK Sr. gave that night wasn't one of vengeance, hatred, or hopelessness, but of calm and goodness. He appealed to the best in people. He called for people to set aside their differences, anger, fear, and confusion and instead express love and compassion towards one another. RFK Sr. asked for wisdom and the pursuit of justice so that we might be resolute in our unity as the country faces another difficult chapter.

What we need in this country is love and wisdom and compassion toward one another.

Glenn has made a similar plea to our nation—a plea for unity and not to lash out in fear and anger. Don't use this time to blame your friends and family who disagree with you politically for what happened or to tell them "I told you so!" Instead, reach out with compassion and grace. This is a turning point in American history. Let's turn it upward, away from hatred and violence and towards unison and compassion.

Remembering Corey Comperatore: The man who died at the Trump rally protecting his family

Allyson Comperatore | Facebook

Fortunately, President Trump walked away from his attempted assassination with very minor injuries. The bullet that wounded Trump's ear could have just as easily ended his life, and his survival is nothing short of a miracle.

Sadly, that miracle didn't extend to everyone attending Trump's ill-fated Pennsylvania rally. Three other people were shot. David Dutch and James Copenhaver, both Pennslyavia residents, are thankfully in stable condition. Corey Comperatore, however, tragically died after being shot while protecting his wife and daughter from the hail of gunfire.

“Corey died a hero."

Camperatore, a 50-year-old loving father and husband from Buffalo Township, Pennsylvania leaves behind his daughter Allyson, his wife Helen, sister Dawn, and many other friends and family. Camperatore was a man of service, having spent 43 years as part of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company and had worked his way to becoming the fire chief when he stepped down to spend more time with his daughter.

Corey Comperatore's firefighting gear outside the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company. The Washington Post / Contributor | Getty Images

Corey's friends and family have nothing but good things to say about him, and judging by their testimonies, Corey's final heroic act was consistent with how the volunteer firefighter lived his life.

According to many people who knew Compertore, he was a true patriot who loved his country. He was a fan of President Trump. Compertore was very excited to attend Saturday's rally, which he expressed in his last social media post.

Corey_Comper/X

During his speech addressing the shooting, President Biden expressed his condolences to the Comperatore family, stating that "He was a father. He was protecting his family from the bullets that were being fired.”

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