Rep. Louie Gohmert might be the last member of Congress on Glenn's radio show

October 23, 2015

Editor

Towards the end of his radio program Friday, Glenn spoke with Rep Louie Gohmert to discuss the Speaker of the House situation.

Right away, Glenn told Gohmert, "you may be our last guest from Congress ever on this show."

Gohmert seemed to share Glenn's frustration with the conservative members of Congress who are now lining up to support Paul Ryan as Speaker of the House.

"You understand what a rare person it is that will give up power like Washington did," Gohmert said.

Speaking of Daniel Webster, who Glenn did his homework on and endorsed, Gohmert added, "He has shown, he can give up power of his own and get it back to the members."

Listen to the dialogue or read the transcript below.

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

GLENN: We're just stalling -- Louie is on now. Let's go to Louie. Hello, Louie, how are you?

LOUIE: Well, as far as I know, but I'll take Gary Cooper for 100.

GLENN: All right. So, Louie, we're debating right now, you may be our last guest from Congress ever on this show.

LOUIE: Oh, no.

GLENN: Seriously.

LOUIE: Somebody around here has got to keep up the hope.

GLENN: Well, it's not us. It's not us. I am -- I just had Barry Loudermilk -- what do you think of Barry Loudermilk?

LOUIE: I like him. I like him a lot.

GLENN: Okay. Well, that doesn't work out well then for what I'm about to tell you. Because I was mad as hell, and I had him earlier this broadcast. And we had very cross --

LOUIE: Is he falling in line to support Paul Ryan?

GLENN: Yes, he has. Yes, he has.

LOUIE: Okay.

GLENN: And he told us because Paul has told him he's going to do the right thing this time. And he didn't know -- the first time when it was Daniel Webster, he didn't know who Daniel Webster was. And this time when it was Daniel Webster, he didn't even know who it was. He had to Google him.

PAT: So...

LOUIE: Okay.

GLENN: But he's voting for Paul Ryan because he has a grandchild, so it's for the children.

LOUIE: Wow, okay. Okay. Well, and that would be a reason that I would especially stay with my pledge to support Dan. I mean, you know. You've studied this stuff. And even back when you were on Fox and you had your blackboard and you were doing all this, Glenn. You understand what a rare person it is that will give up power like Washington did.

GLENN: Yes.

LOUIE: And you told us stories of that man. So, yeah, you know, Dan doesn't have the voting record that -- that I do or Thomas Massie that just walked in my office here. But he has shown, he can -- he can give up power of his own and get it back to the members. And, really, if we did that in this Congress, where we know two-thirds to three-fourths represent very conservative districts, but for years now, since -- actually since Tom DeLay was thrown out because he got indicted, we elected John Boehner as our leader. And we -- it has been nine years of marginalizing the two-thirds to three-fourths of our conference that was very conservative, and getting them to march to the tune of the moderates. And so I thought this was a real opportunity. And I didn't just think it. It is. It has been. And here we go. We're --

GLENN: Yeah, we've blown it again.

LOUIE: And this goes back. And Steve King told me before, God, you remember so many of these details. And I don't know. But it -- but going back to 2006 -- yeah, you told me I got 12 minutes. All right. I'll get this in.

Back in 2006, Bush had been pushing -- I'm a freshman. Bush was pushing to reform Social Security, and nobody was ready to jump on board, or not enough people for what he wanted to do. But I was talking to guys, and I felt like we had a movement going forward. I was excited. How about if we just do an initial reform by putting real money in the Social Security lockbox? And Al Gore there. But, anyway, because since the 1930s, as you know, they have immediately spent Social Security money as it went into the trust fund. There's never been anything to talk about. Nothing, but nonnegotiable IOUs. So how about if you put real money in there, made some kind of interest-bearing bonds, and we could be growing interest on that money instead of growing nothing and spending as it comes in.

And I got excited. A lot of guys were getting excited. Yeah, this could be -- we could probably get Democrats to vote for this. And so I went to the guy -- this was back in early 2006, that -- you know, so many of us have respect for on financial issues. I said, "Paul, what about if we, you know, put real money in Social Security. I think we got enough people to do it. I think we can get Democrat votes." He said, "Louie, we could never do that." And I said, "Why not?" I was shocked.

He said, "Well, because if we put real money in the Social Security trust fund, we end up buying bonds and securities, and we end up playing into the security market. We could never ever under any circumstances allow the government to do that."

And so imagine my surprise when two years later, I'm hearing my friend Paul down there in the well of the House telling people that we have to do the Wall Street bailout. We've got to do TARP because only the federal government has enough money and wherewithal to buy these mortgage-backed securities and hold them until they had value. I'm going, "Gosh, I wish that guy had been around back in 2006. We could have started reform on Social Security."

And I just knew TARP was so wrong. And it opened -- you know, I liked George W. Bush, but I think that was a bigger mistake than Iraq because it opened this door to everything Obama has done.

GLENN: Oh, yeah.

LOUIE: No way Obama gets $900 billion in January if Bush doesn't get 700 billion back in October. It opened the door to all kinds of calamities.

And, also, there's also a reason Louie Gutierrez is a big fan of Paul's because of similar positions on amnesty. And some of the guys around here say, if we do an amnesty, we're done. Texas goes blue. You know, things go blue. And it's lost. Because people, as you've been trying to educate, you have to understand about the responsibilities before you're allowed to vote. And when you bring them in and say, "Here. Learn how to get benefits," you're not ready to vote yet. So, anyway --

GLENN: So, Louie.

LOUIE: One other point though. This is so critical to me. It's a big issue to me.

GLENN: Well, you're the last congressman we'll ever have on this show. So go ahead. Go out in style.

LOUIE: Okay. Well, in the late '70s, Democrats and Republicans all agreed, if DC were ever going to have a full voting US representative, you have to amend the Constitution. They got it passed through Congress with two-thirds. Didn't get three-fourths of the states to ratify it. And so it didn't become an amendment.

So when we're in the minority in like '07, the Democrats bring a bill to amend the Constitution legislatively. And my friend and the guy I respect, Paul Ryan, supported it. He voted for it. And I'm telling you, there's just too many mistakes like that that are so foundational.

GLENN: They're not mistakes. Look, the G.O.P. has signed itself over to the -- to the Mitt Romneys of the world. And -- and, you know, that's -- that's where they're going. They're just going to ignore the people on the street that believe that we should return to a constitutional government. A constitutional republic. And do the things that the people want to do. I'm convinced that people like Paul Ryan -- I don't know Paul himself. But people like him. The G.O.P. kind of guys. They despise the average person that votes G.O.P. They just don't -- they think we're stupid. They don't agree with us. And, you know, you just don't know. You know, when you have somebody like Barry Loudermilk who comes on and says, "We have to return to the basic values. And I will go. And I need leadership. And I will vote against John Boehner." And then he votes for John Boehner. It's just, "Well, things have changed. I didn't understand. I'm more enlightened now that I'm here." That's ridiculous.

LOUIE: I don't know. But I can tell you though there is a remnant. Hey, Thomas, say hi to Glenn Beck.

THOMAS: How you doing, Glenn? This is Thomas Massie.

GLENN: Hey, Thomas.

LOUIE: Even though he went to MIT, he's a hero of mine. He's a smart guy.

GLENN: Thomas was on the show with us yesterday.

LOUIE: I just love him.

GLENN: Tom, I have to tell you, we have two people -- this is going out in style. You two are the last congressmen and senators we're ever going to have on this show. Because I can't do it anymore. I can't do it anymore. And I don't think the American people can do it anymore. We're sitting here. We're in here pitching for you. We want to help you.

LOUIE: Yeah, you have been.

GLENN: But every time the people call, they do things, it ends up that friends of yours betray us. And it's like --

LOUIE: Well...

GLENN: Where do we go, Tom? Where do we go, Thomas?

THOMAS: Look, apathy is the enemy. Don't let apathy get to you. Don't let it get to the listeners.

GLENN: It's not apathy. It's betrayal. Over and over and over again. It's just betrayal.

THOMAS: I know it's so tough. So many people put their faith in other men and women who have let them down. But there are a few of us up here who are not giving up. I guarantee you.

LOUIE: Well, I got to tell you, Glenn, we've been a little flippant here. But I know you're crushed. And I can tell you, I'm lower than a snake's belly in a wagon rut.

(laughter)

LOUIE: This is not a happy time for me right now. I mean, you know...

PAT: Yeah.

GLENN: You know what, because there are -- I know there is a handful of guys who are really, really great. You two are two of them. I trust you. I can't believe those words are coming out of my mouth after the past few days, but I trust you two. And you guys have never let us down. And you guys are way out on the limb. You know, maybe what I would like to do is, I would like to sit down with the -- whoever it is -- and I want -- I want to know their name. And I want to look them in the eye and I want to know, "We're going to the wall. We're never going to sit down. We're never going to shut up." And maybe we just make this, you know, a caucus, if you will. And we know exactly who those guys are. And those are the only people that we're supporting. Because I can't take it anymore. I can't take the betrayal anymore.

LOUIE: Well, I understand that.

THOMAS: Keep this in mind, Glenn. The establishment here is terrified. They're actually scared.

GLENN: They have a strange way of showing it.

THOMAS: Well, Speaker Boehner is gone. Kevin McCarthy is not moving up. Eric Cantor HEP lost. These are three of their top generals who lost in the last 18 months.

GLENN: Right, but they just replaced him with Paul Ryan who will be stronger than any of those guys.

THOMAS: We will -- we will see. I mean, I hope he succeeds. I'm not hoping --

GLENN: Right. Right.

THOMAS: If he wins, I mean, we still have a race. There's still an election. I'm still for the Daniel Webster. But even if he should prevail, you know, we want him to succeed.

GLENN: Right. I get that. And I said to Barry Loudermilk today, we had him on the show. And he did not have a pleasant appearance on the program.

THOMAS: Oh, I'm sorry.

GLENN: I'm just mad as hell. But, you know, I said to him, I said, "Look, Barry, I appreciate the fact that you came on, you took the heat. And you add to stood here. He's the only one. We called all of them. None of them would come on. He actually did. And he stated his case. And I said, "Look, I'll be the first to say, thank God, you were right, but what do you -- what evidence do you have?" This happens this way every single time. And then we always say, "Well, I trusted him that time."

LOUIE: As an old history major with four years in the Army, you know, are destined to repeat it. When somebody has a long history, not just once -- and I'll tell you, John voted for the Wall Street bailout and he immediately after said, "I am so sorry. Worst vote of my life. I never should have done that." Well, I can respect a guy that at least acknowledged that. You know, I liked Romney, but he would never admit that Romneycare was a disaster. That would have helped.

GLENN: I know.

LOUIE: But anyway --

GLENN: Hang on. Louie, I have to -- I'm sorry. I have a network break. And I appreciate it.

LOUIE: I know how that goes.

GLENN: And thank you guys for actually having a spine and standing. If you can get me a list of names. I would love to put that on and broadcast so everybody knows who these people are who actually are standing. Because I ain't going to forget the names that didn't.

LOUIE: Our spines are stout, but we might need you to prop up our dead stout bodies.

GLENN: Thank you so much. I appreciate it. God bless you. Buh-bye.

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

PHILL MAGAKOE / Contributor | Getty Images

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE

The critical difference: Rights from the Creator, not the state

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

When politicians claim that rights flow from the state, they pave the way for tyranny.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) recently delivered a lecture that should alarm every American. During a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, he argued that believing rights come from a Creator rather than government is the same belief held by Iran’s theocratic regime.

Kaine claimed that the principles underpinning Iran’s dictatorship — the same regime that persecutes Sunnis, Jews, Christians, and other minorities — are also the principles enshrined in our Declaration of Independence.

In America, rights belong to the individual. In Iran, rights serve the state.

That claim exposes either a profound misunderstanding or a reckless indifference to America’s founding. Rights do not come from government. They never did. They come from the Creator, as the Declaration of Independence proclaims without qualification. Jefferson didn’t hedge. Rights are unalienable — built into every human being.

This foundation stands worlds apart from Iran. Its leaders invoke God but grant rights only through clerical interpretation. Freedom of speech, property, religion, and even life itself depend on obedience to the ruling clerics. Step outside their dictates, and those so-called rights vanish.

This is not a trivial difference. It is the essence of liberty versus tyranny. In America, rights belong to the individual. The government’s role is to secure them, not define them. In Iran, rights serve the state. They empower rulers, not the people.

From Muhammad to Marx

The same confusion applies to Marxist regimes. The Soviet Union’s constitutions promised citizens rights — work, health care, education, freedom of speech — but always with fine print. If you spoke out against the party, those rights evaporated. If you practiced religion openly, you were charged with treason. Property and voting were allowed as long as they were filtered and controlled by the state — and could be revoked at any moment. Rights were conditional, granted through obedience.

Kaine seems to be advocating a similar approach — whether consciously or not. By claiming that natural rights are somehow comparable to sharia law, he ignores the critical distinction between inherent rights and conditional privileges. He dismisses the very principle that made America a beacon of freedom.

Jefferson and the founders understood this clearly. “We are endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights,” they wrote. No government, no cleric, no king can revoke them. They exist by virtue of humanity itself. The government exists to protect them, not ration them.

This is not a theological quibble. It is the entire basis of our government. Confuse the source of rights, and tyranny hides behind piety or ideology. The people are disempowered. Clerics, bureaucrats, or politicians become arbiters of what rights citizens may enjoy.

John Greim / Contributor | Getty Images

Gifts from God, not the state

Kaine’s statement reflects either a profound ignorance of this principle or an ideological bias that favors state power over individual liberty. Either way, Americans must recognize the danger. Understanding the origin of rights is not academic — it is the difference between freedom and submission, between the American experiment and theocratic or totalitarian rule.

Rights are not gifts from the state. They are gifts from God, secured by reason, protected by law, and defended by the people. Every American must understand this. Because when rights come from government instead of the Creator, freedom disappears.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

POLL: Is Gen Z’s anger over housing driving them toward socialism?

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A recent poll conducted by Justin Haskins, a long-time friend of the show, has uncovered alarming trends among young Americans aged 18-39, revealing a generation grappling with deep frustrations over economic hardships, housing affordability, and a perceived rigged system that favors the wealthy, corporations, and older generations. While nearly half of these likely voters approve of President Trump, seeing him as an anti-establishment figure, over 70% support nationalizing major industries, such as healthcare, energy, and big tech, to promote "equity." Shockingly, 53% want a democratic socialist to win the 2028 presidential election, including a third of Trump voters and conservatives in this age group. Many cite skyrocketing housing costs, unfair taxation on the middle class, and a sense of being "stuck" or in crisis as driving forces, with 62% believing the economy is tilted against them and 55% backing laws to confiscate "excess wealth" like second homes or luxury items to help first-time buyers.

This blend of Trump support and socialist leanings suggests a volatile mix: admiration for disruptors who challenge the status quo, coupled with a desire for radical redistribution to address personal struggles. Yet, it raises profound questions about the roots of this discontent—Is it a failure of education on history's lessons about socialism's failures? Media indoctrination? Or genuine systemic barriers? And what does it portend for the nation’s trajectory—greater division, a shift toward authoritarian policies, or an opportunity for renewal through timeless values like hard work and individual responsibility?

Glenn wants to know what YOU think: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from? What does it mean for the future of America? Make your voice heard in the poll below:

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism comes from perceived economic frustrations like unaffordable housing and a rigged system favoring the wealthy and corporations?

Do you believe the Gen Z support for socialism, including many Trump supporters, is due to a lack of education about the historical failures of socialist systems?

Do you think that these poll results indicate a growing generational divide that could lead to more political instability and authoritarian tendencies in America's future?

Do you think that this poll implies that America's long-term stability relies on older generations teaching Gen Z and younger to prioritize self-reliance, free-market ideals, and personal accountability?

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