Who Built That? Michelle Malkin shares incredible stories of American ingenuity

May 18, 2015

Writer

Michelle Malkin teamed up with Glenn and Mercury Ink for a new book: ‘Who Built That: Awe-Inspiring Stories of American Tinkerpreneurs’. She joined Glenn on the radio show Monday to talk about some of her favorite stories from the book and what she learned while putting it together.

Below is a transcript of this interview:

GLENN: So today, we're not just going to whine about it. We actually have a solution. And it actually started with a charity. Back in 2010, this program asked Michelle Malkin if she would donate something to -- what was it, for the Restoring Honor event, I think it was. She said, yes, I'll do a charity fundraiser and I'll take people on a train ride in Colorado. And we mocked it. We were like, oh, that's good. Michelle all by herself with strangers on a train.

PAT: A hike or something.

GLENN: Come into the woods with me. It was not a good idea. But it was that that gave birth to what we're about to announce, and she's about to release tomorrow. Michelle Malkin is here with us now. Hello, Michelle.

MICHELLE: Hi, Glenn.

GLENN: How are you?

MICHELLE: Good. How are you doing?

GLENN: It's been a very long journey for this.

MICHELLE: Yes. It's been like a train ride up Pikes Peak.

GLENN: You took a train ride up to Pikes Peak. Then I think a year later or two years later, we were doing the big deal that weekend at Dallas Cowboys Stadium for Restoring Love, and you had come in for a Freedom Works event at the American Airlines Arena. And you and I spent some time backstage, and we started talking about entrepreneurs and people who did build that.

MICHELLE: Yeah, we totally geeked out. And I think we discussed everything from, you know, the tinkering penchant to the teaching of math in this country and, of course, a lot of that was the groundwork for the work that we've done together on Common Core. And I think that this book is absolutely an extension of those conversations and, you know, you've had a pivotal role in all of this. And it kind of underscores one of the themes of the book, which is the magic and the miracle of the voluntary exchanges of ideas and goods and services that happened in this country every single day without the hand of government. Without a federal department of innovation or an innovation czar or somebody telling us what we should invest our money in. And, you know, whether it's something as mundane as a book or a bottle cap or a roll of toilet paper, these things happen not because somebody decides in Washington that they're going to happen, but because people want them and need them. And we have a free market system that has served us extremely well. So for the president who keyed up the launch of this book perfectly with his remarks last week that you just highlighted, thanks Obama. For him to have such scorn and open contempt for this country, I couldn't stand it anymore. And that's what drove this book. Of course -- of course, in a capitalist system, we want to make money. Everybody who is an inventor or builder wants to make money. But do you think that's the ultimate driver? That's the engine? No. It's this insatiable need and drive to make something in the world and fix it and tinker with it all your entire life. And so, you know, I have these tinkerpreneurs in the book who, yeah, they came up with one thing and then another. And they had hundreds and hundreds of patents. And they worked themselves until they couldn't work anymore. And you certainly can't say that of the golfer-in-chief on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

GLENN: Okay. So now the name of the book is Who Built That. And you cover everybody. I want to cover a couple of chapters. I want to start with something that I didn't expect to find in the book, which I found strangely fascinating. I, Toilet Paper.

[laughter]

MICHELLE: Yes. Well, you know, I talked about how -- I think that we take for granted especially in the 21st century internet age, the mundane things that we absolutely need. And I picked toilet paper for a number of reasons. When you look at a place like Venezuela, and I think the shortage of toilet paper there is so ultimately symbolic because they can't even make that. What does that say about the absence of a free market, the absence of choice, the absence of the ability to profit off of things? And toilet paper is one of those products that encompasses hundreds and hundreds of different kinds of entrepreneurs. And so I trace the history of toilet paperback to the Founding Fathers, and if you love history, if you love tinkering, you're going to love the book, because you're going to learn so many things about how the voluntary cooperation of even some of the Founding Fathers play into the chapter as well. I wrote in the voice of a roll of toilet paper because I was inspired by one of my favorite all-time essays that is such a great learning tool, especially for elementary school kids. Was written by Leonard Read, who was a Libertarian economist who wrote the very, very famous essay I, Pencil to illustrate this example of how the concentric circles of individuals pursuing their own self-interests produced something like a pencil, something that no government bureaucrat could ever order with an executive order.

GLENN: Right. I have to tell you. I'd hate to harp on the toilet paper part, but I was shocked what I learned about toilet paper. I was shocked that, you know, Poor Richard's Almanac was really kind of the first toilet paper. That's why they have a hole in it, so you could hang it there. That they were using that. Sears & Roebuck, the catalog was toilet paper. I had no idea that it was -- I mean, really, Michelle, why did it take us so long before we went, hey, how about soft paper?

MICHELLE: Yeah. Well, you know, one of the things that was interesting to me in the history of it was the kinds of things that entrepreneurs had to overcome. And with regard to toilet paper it was really considered one of those things you couldn't talk about in public. And so I traced the history of that and, of course, the company that -- one of the many, many companies that I highlighted, which, of course, people are most familiar with is the Scott brothers. And these guys started out in Pennsylvania as sellers of butcher paper. Which, yeah, is not as nice as the Charmin for sure.

GLENN: No. No. And it's amazing that the guys who started it are still really doing it. You learn all the -- anyway, I don't mean to focus on that.

You also talk about the bridge builders here in America. The guy who came up with the -- how the bottle cap was started. You tell my favorite story of Westinghouse and Tesla. What is the thing that you connected with the most?

MICHELLE: Well, the very first chapter is one of the my favorite chapters. And I think it will be a favorite chapter of a lot of your readers and listeners as well because it deals with a product that I'm sure many of your listeners are familiar with. The Maglite flashlight. I got to go out to Ontario, California, and visit the headquarters of Anthony Maglica's Maglite Company. And, you know, this guy really is literally the torch bearer of the American dream. You know, he's your prototypical immigrant with absolutely nothing and expected nothing. Felt entitled to nothing but the opportunity to try. He came here with $120 and 20 English words that he knew. And he never gave up. And, you know, I mentioned the vacationer-in-chief in Washington. This guy is 84 years old. He still goes to his factory every day at five or 6 o'clock in the morning. He's the last one to leave. He hasn't had a vacation in ten years. Yes, he's made hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars. But that's not what drives him. It's the ability to be able to come here with nothing, make something of himself, make something that people want, and then never stop improving it. And, you know, there are so many things that he told me in my visit that I think are very -- that have a lot of resonance for public policy and politics today. You know, I don't care if you're a Democrat or a Republican, if you were running for president, don't you dare say that you have ever created a job. Because you have not. It's people like Anthony Maglica and all of the tinkerpreneurs that I talk about in the book who are the real heroes. And there used to be a time in the 18 and it 19th century when these were the guys that were the rockstars of public life. And I'd love to get back to that place, and that's why I wrote the book.

GLENN: I'll tell you, Michelle, I was just out in Silicon Valley, and I don't know why we're not focusing -- you know, back at the turn of the last century, we had Tesla, Edison, all of these great minds that were changing the world. Well, that's happening again in Silicon Valley. And one of the big names that jumps off the page is -- what's his name from Tesla?

MICHELLE: Elon Musk.

GLENN: Elon Musk. How is Elon Musk not the -- the Tesla or the Edison of our day? These guys -- we don't know these guys. Why is that? And how do we get back there?

MICHELLE: Well, I think a lot of it, of course, is you have the dominance of DC-centric and New York City-centric media outlets and I think the Hollywood cultural left. And they've always demonized business owners and entrepreneurs and people who are on the cutting edge. And, you know, this circles back to what Obama was saying last week that you highlighted. I mean, you have somebody who has insisted that he's, quote, unquote, the president of America, and yet he goes to Georgetown University, he goes to, you know, the elite circles of academia. And what does he do? Well, he indulges the same progressive impulse to wealth shame. That's the phenomenon that I identify in the introduction of the book. Come for the Obama bashing and progressive bashing in the book, and stay for the history.

[laughter]

You know, the idea that economic achievement is random. Like it's the Powerball lottery. And that your lot in life can never be improved, of course, that's what they want to do. This is -- you know, chapter and verse number one and the end -- the beginning, the end, and the middle for the Obama gospel of government dependency. So, of course, what they do is denigrate the very people that offer some hope and inspiration, to people who want to lift themselves up. What is the history of this country? The history of this country has always been about social mobility. Social mobility is anathema to the progressive agenda.

GLENN: Michelle Malkin, the name of the book is Who Built That. It's in stores tomorrow, isn't it?

MICHELLE: Uh-huh.

GLENN: I know you can go to GlennBeck.com/Malkin and order your copy today. It will be at your house by tomorrow. But grab this book. And she said, this does take apart the progressive ideology. It takes apart the things that the president is building and saying. But more importantly, it's good. It's not just the problem, it's the solution. We have to look at -- inside of ourselves and find that entrepreneur and start holding -- if it's not you. Because there are people that work on the lines -- you know, there are people who are actually building the Tesla car. Not all of us can be Elon Musk. That's okay. But we're all part of this. And get your kids excited. Get yourself excited again about the American spirit. Who Built That is the name of the book. Awe-Inspiring Stories of America's Tinkerpreneurs. Michelle Malkin. Available in bookstores everywhere and at GlennBeck.com/Malkin.

Michelle, as always, good to talk to you.

MICHELLE: You too. Take care, Glenn.

GLENN: Thank you. Buh-bye.

5 videos that reveal the WOKE GARBAGE being taught to our kids

School today is not like it used to be...

Glenn recently covered how our medical schools have been taken over by gender-affirming, anti-racist, woke garbage, and unfortunately, it doesn't stop there. Education at all levels has been compromised by progressive ideology. From high-level university academics to grade school, American children are constantly being bombarded by the latest backward propaganda from the left. Luckily, in the age of Zoom classes and smartphones, it's harder for teachers to get away their agenda in secret. Here are five videos that show just how corrupt schools really are:

Woke teacher vandalizes pro-life display

Professor Shellyne Rodriguez, an art professor at Hunter College in New York, was caught on camera having a violent argument with a group of pro-life students who were tabling on campus. Rodriguez was later fired from her position after threatening a reporter from the New York Post, who was looking into this incident, with a machete.

Woke professor argues with student after he called police heroes

An unnamed professor from Cypress College was captured having a heated discussion with a student over Zoom. The professor verbally attacked the student, who had given a presentation on "cancel culture" and his support of law enforcement. The university later confirmed that the professor was put on leave after the incident.

Professor goes on Anti-Trump rant

Professor Olga Perez Stable Cox was filmed by a student going on an anti-Trump rant during her human-sexuality class at Orange Coast College. This rant included Professor Cox describing Trump's election as "an act of terrorism”. The student who filmed this outburst was suspended for an entire semester along with several other punishments, including a three-page apology essay to Professor Cox explaining his actions. Orange Coast College continues to defend Professor Cox, citing the student code of conduct.

Unhinged teacher caught on video going on left-wing political rant

Lehi High School teacher Leah Kinyon was filmed amid a wild, left-wing rant during a chemistry class. Kinyon made several politically charged remarks, which included encouraging students to get vaccinated and calling President Trump a "literal moron." Despite her claims that the school admins "don't give a crap" about her delusional ramblings, a statement from Lehi High School reveals that she "is no longer an employee of Alpine School District."

Far-left Berkeley law professor melts down when a Senator asks her if men can get pregnant

During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Berkeley Law Professor Khiara M. Bridges was asked by Missouri Senator Josh Hawley to clarify earlier statements involving "people with a capacity for pregnancy." The senator's line of questioning is met with a long-winded, frantic rant accusing the senator of being transphobic. When Sen. Hawley tries to clarify further, Professor Bridges makes the outrageous claim that such a line of questioning somehow leads to trans suicides.

Woke ideology trumps medicine in America's top 5 medical schools

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Progressive ideology has infected our most prestigious medical schools and is seeping into our medical system.

As Glenn covered in his latest TV special, "diversity, equity and inclusion" (DEI), and leftist rhetoric have overtaken science and medicine as the focus of medical schools across the nation. The next generation of doctors and nurses is being force-fed DEI and "anti-racist" nonsense at the expense of slipping standards. This has led to a decline in people's trust in the medical industry and for good reason. Woke ideology has already been the driving force behind at least one medical malpractice case, and more are undoubtedly on the way.

All of this is being spearheaded by universities, which have integrated DEI practices into the fabric of their programs. Our top medical schools now require students and staff to participate in mandatory DEI and "anti-racist" classes and training and are adjusting the standards to reflect this new shift in focus. Here are 5 statements from the top American medical schools that show that medicine is no longer their primary focus:

Harvard Medical School

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Taken from the Harvard University "Unconscious bias" resource page:

“As members of HMS, we each have a responsibility to create an inclusive community that values all individuals. Barriers to inclusion may include assumptions we make about others that guide our interactions. Recognizing our Unconscious Bias is a critical step in developing a culture of equity and inclusion within HMS and in our partnerships with other communities.”

The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

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Pulled from the JHM Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity blog:

“One-hour live, virtual unconscious bias training ... [w]ill be required at all Johns Hopkins Health System (JHHS) entities for managers and above; hospital nurse leaders; credentialed providers (such as physician assistants and nurse practitioners); and for school of medicine faculty and trainees (including residents, fellows, medical and graduate students, and research postdocs), as well as those at a manager level or above.”

Stanford University School of Medicine

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Found on the Stanford Medicine Commission on Justice and Equity page:

“The Commission on Justice and Equity—composed of external and internal leaders, experts, and advocates—represents an institution-wide, collaborative effort to dismantle systemic racism and discrimination within our own community and beyond.”

Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

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Taken from the Penn Medicine Commitment to Inclusion, Equity, and Antiracism site:

“We openly acknowledge the role of structural forces of oppression as primary drivers of the disparate health outcomes. We believe that working to reverse the underrepresentation of historically excluded groups is critical in achieving equitable health outcomes. While this is an ongoing journey for our program, here are some of the tangible steps we have taken to achieve an inclusive culture”

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons

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Pulled from the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Diversity, Equity, Inclusivity, Justice, and Anti-Racism page:

"Courses are being revised to be more inclusive and informed by the key principle of race as a social construct and a social determinant of health. We are training faculty that Anti-Racism is not an add-on to a course. Anti-Racism is a pedagogy - a manner of teaching, designing courses, and measuring learning outcomes. We make sure that the classroom environment is inclusive by holding space for respectful conversation and ensuring that we address any “classroom ruptures”– a disorienting dilemma or situation when a bias or microaggression that may occur, providing real time opportunities for professional development, learning, and growth. Racist actions and remarks are never tolerated at Columbia University and will be dealt with following established protocols."

Critical theory destroys truth and justice

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

Critical theory once stood out as the absurd progressive notion that it is. Now, its maxims are becoming an integral part of ordinary political discourse. The more you repeat a lie, the more you will believe it, and this is the very dangerous place in which we find ourselves today.

Take this critical theory maxim as an example: If we desire justice, we must sometimes champion what may appear superficially as injustice. It's a necessary evil, if you will, the necessity of “controlled injustice.”

By using truth through fabrication and controlled injustice for justice, we’ll save the republic. We’ll be acting in a noble way.

This definition of justice is defined by the “oppressed,” not the “oppressor.” It is the greatest happiness for the greatest number. To achieve this justice, however, we need to endorse acts on occasion that, while seemingly unjust, serve a higher purpose. It will ensure the stability and the unity of our republic, and this may manifest in ways that seem contradictory to our values. But these are the necessary shadows to cast light on “true justice.”

And isn’t that what we are all after, anyway?

Here’s another critical theory maxim: Sometimes we find the truth through fabrication. Our pursuit of truth sometimes requires a strategic use of falsehoods. The truth is a construct that has been shaped and tailored to promote the well-being of the collective.

We sometimes need to accept and propagate lies designed by "the system” — not the old system, but the system that we’re now using to replace the old to get more justice through injustice and more truth through fabrication.

We’re engaging in a higher form of honesty. When we fabricate, it’s for the right reason. We are reaching up to the heavens fighting for a higher sort of honesty. To fortify the truth, we occasionally must weave a tapestry of lies. Each thread, essential for the greater picture, will ultimately define our understanding and ensure our unity under this infallible wisdom.

The election is coming up. Does this maxim sound familiar? Many think it is imperative that we secure our republic through election control to maintain our republic. Sometimes, we might need to take actions that by traditional standards might be questionable.

The act of securing elections requires cheating. It's not mere deception. It is a noble act of safeguarding our way of life. We're on the verge of losing this democracy, and without deception, we will lose it.

To ensure it doesn't fall into the hands of those we know will destroy it, we may have to make a few fabrications. We're fabricating stories to be able to control or secure the republic through our elections. By using truth through fabrication and controlled injustice for justice, we'll save the republic. Therefore, we'll be acting in a noble way. Stealing an election from those who wish to harm our society is truly an act of valor and an essential measure to protect our values and ensure the continuation of our just society.

If we desire justice, we must sometimes champion what may appear superficially as injustice.

I know it's a paradox of honor through dishonor. But in this context, by embracing the dishonor, we achieve the highest form of honor, ensuring the stability and the continuation of our great republic.

Let this be heard, far and wide, as a great call to patriotic action. As we advance, let each of us, citizens of this great and honorable republic, consider these principles. Not as abstract or paradoxical but as practical guides to daily life. Embrace the necessity of controlled injustice, the utility of lies, the duty to secure our electoral process, and the honor and apparent dishonor. These are not merely strategies for survival. They are prerequisites for our prosperity.

We all have to remember that justice is what our leaders define, that truth is what our party tells us. Our republic stands strong on the values of injustice for justice, honor through dishonor, and the fabrication of truths. To deviate from this path is to jeopardize the very fabric of our society. Strength through unity; unity through strength.

We've heard this nonsense for so long. But now, this nonsense is becoming an instituted reality, and we are entering perilous times. Don't be fooled by the narratives you will hear during the march to November. Never let someone convince you that the ends justify the means, that a little bit of injustice is needed to achieve a broader, collective vision of justice, that truth sometimes requires fabricated lies and narratives. If we do, justice will cease to be justice, truth will cease to be truth, and our republic will be lost.

Top 5 MOST EVIL taxes the government extorts from you

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"In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes." -Ben Franklin

The injustice of taxation has been a core issue for Americans since the very beginning of our country, and it's a problem we have yet to resolve. This belief was recently reignited in many Americans earlier this month on tax day when the numbers were crunched and it was discovered that the government was somehow owed even more hard-earned money. As Glenn recently discussed on his show, it's getting to be impossible for most Americans to afford to live comfortably, inflation is rising, and our politicians keep getting richer.

The taxpayer's burden is heavier than ever.

The government is not above some real low blows either. While taxes are a necessary evil, some taxes stretch the definition of "necessary" and emphasize the "evil." Here are the top five most despicable taxes that are designed to line the IRS coffers at your expense:

Income Tax

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"It would be a hard government that should tax its people one-tenth part of their income." -Ben Franklin

On February 24th, 2024 we hit a very unfortunate milestone, the 101st anniversary of the 16th Amendment, which authorized federal income tax. Where does the government get the right to steal directly out of your paycheck?

Death Taxes

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"Now my advice for those who die, Declare the pennies on your eyes" -George Harrison

Not even in death can you escape the cold pursuit of the tax collector. It's not good enough that you have to pay taxes on everything you buy and every penny you make your entire life. Now the feds want a nice slice, based on the entire value of your estate, that can be as much as 40 percent. Then the state government gets to stick their slimy fingers all over whatever remains before your family is left with the crumbs. It's practically grave-robbery.

Payroll

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"The power to tax is the power to destroy." -John Marshall

What's that? The nice chunk of your paycheck the government nabs before you can even get it to the bank wasn't enough? What if the government taxed your employer just for paying you? In essence, you make less than what your agreed pay rate is and it costs your employer more! Absolutely abominable.

Social Security

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"We don't have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven't taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much." -Ronald Reagan

Everyone knows the collapse of Social Security is imminent. It has limped along for years, only sustained by a torrent of tax dollars and the desperate actions of politicians. For decades, people have unwillingly forked over money into the system they will never see again.

FICA

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"What at first was plunder assumed the softer name of revenue." -Thomas Paine

FICA is the payroll equivalent of Social Security. Your employer has to match however much you pay. It means it costs your employer even more to pay you—again, you'll NEVER see that money. At this point, are you even working for yourself, or are you just here to generate money for the government to frivolously throw away?