Three Things You Need to Know - November 15, 2017

November 15, 2017

WRITER

Death of the individual mandate.

Susan had a decision to make.

She could buy healthcare for her and her husband or not.

It was a difficult decision because both options would hurt them financially.

She calculated that she would have to spend more than $12,000, including premiums of nearly $500 a month and a $6,850 deductible, to get anything beyond preventive benefits from the cheapest exchange plan available to her through the Affordable Care Act.

That was a great deal more than paying the $1500 penalty.

So, Susan decided to take a chance and not buy healthcare. Instead, she would pay for her family’s doctor’s visits out of pocket and if something catastrophic were to happen, she said: “I feel like it’s better just to die.”

It may be a little dramatic, but Susan’s situation is not unique. In 2016, 6.5 million Americans, in order to comply with the individual mandate in Obamacare, decided to just pay the penalty instead of buying healthcare.

The individual mandate has been an unconstitutional nightmare since it was signed into law.

But today there is hope that we can forget this whole mandate fever dream for good.

The Senate Republicans have added the repeal of the individual mandate to their tax reform plan.

It’s definitely a step in the right direction.

Stopping unconstitutional laws and not starting them is a good rule of thumb for this administration.

Roy Moore Update

How many more hits can Roy Moore absorb before he drops out of his Senate race?

Last night, the RNC withdrew its financial support of Moore’s campaign.

Also, yesterday Paul Ryan called for Moore to withdraw from the race and Mitch McConnell said if elected, Moore will face an immediate Ethics Committee investigation – yes, the Senate actually has one of those.

Moore tweeted that “the fight has just begun” and that McConnell’s days as Senate majority leader are numbered. He used the catchy hashtag “DitchMitch.”

Moore’s wife, Kayla, has been using Facebook to try to defend her man. She shared a story yesterday claiming the “Olde Hickory Restaurant,” where one of the alleged sexual assaults by Roy took place, did not exist. A few minutes of research in an old-fashioned establishment called the town library, however, confirmed that the restaurant did in fact exist.

Mrs. Moore also shared a letter signed by 53 pastors urging people to vote for Roy. The letter praises Moore for things like “his immovable convictions for Biblical principles.” That’s good, right? Yeah, except that letter was written in August. And Mrs. Moore’s re-post left out the date, implying that this endorsement is current. So far, three pastors have said they’d like their names removed from the letter.

Despite this circus, Moore still leads his Democratic opponent, Doug Jones, by 6 points.

The fact that Moore is still ahead tells us exactly what’s wrong with our politics. And it’s not that Moore is guilty, yet still in the race because we don’t know that he’s guilty for a fact. I believe these women’s stories, but we don’t know for certain he actually did those things. Our problem is a total lack of consistency – on the Left and the Right. Listen to what Jake Tapper said about this on CNN…

Thank you! Finally. Was it that hard for someone on the Left to admit this? In the 1990s, Bill Clinton’s accusers described events that had happened within the previous 10-20 years. Roy Moore’s accusers are talking about things that happened 40 years ago. Why then, have the Moore allegations received nearly instant acceptance, even though the allegations are twice as old? Again, I find the Moore accusers believable. But we must be consistent on both sides of the aisle. If we don’t, we are lying, and we lose all credibility.

Is this the end of Robert Mugabe?

This is not a military takeover. I repeat, this is not a military takeover.

That was what Zimbabwe Defense Forces announced yesterday when their military vehicles and more than 100 troops crowded the capital and at least three explosions were set off.

Mugabe’ army explained that they were, “only targeting criminals around Mugabe who are committing crimes that are causing social and economic suffering in the country in order to bring them to justice.”

Sure…sounds a lot like a military takeover to me.

The turmoil within Mugabe’s army comes after the 93-year-old dictator fired his deputy and longtime ally last week, who had the military’s support.

That deputy was next in line to run the country in the event of Mugabe’s death when he was swiftly dismissed and the ancient dictator appointed his wife Grace to that role instead.

That move is usually a big no-no within unstable dictatorships. That’s like “Dictator 101.” You can’t willy-nilly appoint your wife to the next highest position at the last minute and screw over your friends and not expect repercussions.

For 37 years, Mugabe has ruled supreme without a whisper of a military coup. But it looks like that is about to change, finally.

Maybe this will be a good thing. I have to imagine anyone overthrowing Mugabe will do a better job for Zimbabwe. But I could be wrong.

A spokesman for the Zimbabwe Defense Forces announced that "As soon as we accomplish our mission we expect the situation to return to normalcy.”

The problem is, the people of Zimbabwe have never known normalcy. And whatever the Zimbabwe Defense Force’s idea of normal is—it’s nowhere close to the normal we know.

MORE 3 THINGS

Glenn Beck's 'No King but Christ' merch: Will faith STOP the chaos?

On Saturday, June 14, 2025 (President Trump's 79th birthday), the "No Kings" protest—a noisy spectacle orchestrated by progressive heavyweights like Randi Weingarten and her union cronies—will take place in Washington, D.C.

Thousands will chant "no thrones, no crowns, no king," claiming to fend off authoritarianism and corruption.

But let’s cut through the noise. The protesters' grievances—rigged courts, deported citizens, slashed services—are a house of cards. Zero Americans have been deported, Federal services are still bloated, and if anyone is rigging the courts, it's the Left. So why rally now, especially with riots already flaring in L.A.?

Chaos isn’t a side effect here—it’s the plan.

This is not about liberty; it's a power grab dressed up as resistance. The "No Kings" crowd wants you to buy their script: government’s the enemy—unless they’re the ones running it. It's the identical script from 2020: same groups, same tactics, same goal, different name.

But Glenn is flipping the script. He's dropping a new "No Kings but Christ" merch line, just in time for the protest. Merch that proclaims one truth: no earthly ruler owns us; only Christ does. It’s a bold, faith-rooted rejection of this secular circus.

Why should you care? Because this won’t just be a rally—it’ll be a symptom. Distrust in institutions is sky-high, and rightly so, but the "No Kings" answer is a hollow shout into the void. Glenn’s merch begs the question: if you’re ditching kings, who’s really in charge? Get yours and wear the answer proudly.

Truth unleashed: 95% say media’s excuses for anti-Semitism are a LIE

ELI IMADALI / Contributor | Getty Images

Glenn asked for YOUR take on the rising tide of anti-Semitism, and you delivered. After the Boulder attack, you made it clear: this isn’t just a news story—it’s a crisis the elites are dodging.

Your verdict is unmistakable: 96% of you see anti-Semitism as a growing threat in the U.S., brushing aside the establishment’s weak excuses. The spin does not fool you—95% say the media is deliberately downplaying the issue, hiding a cultural rot that’s all too real. And the government’s response? A whopping 95% of you call it a disgraceful failure, leaving communities exposed.

Your voices shatter the silence. Why should we trust narratives that dismiss your concerns? With 97% of you warning that anti-Semitism will surge in the years ahead, you’re demanding action and accountability. This is your stand for truth.

You spoke, and Glenn listened. Your bold response sends a message to those who’d rather ignore the problem. Keep raising your voice at Glennbeck.com—your input drives the fight for justice. Take part in the next poll and continue shaping the conversation.

Want to make your voice heard? Check out more polls HERE.

JPMorgan Chase CEO issues dire warning about America's prosperity

Win McNamee / Staff | Getty Images

Jamie Dimon has a grim forecast for America — and it’s not a recession. He sees a fragile nation drifting into crisis while its leaders fight over TikTok.

Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase — one of the most powerful financial institutions on earth — issued a warning the other day. But it wasn’t about interest rates, crypto, or monetary policy.

Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum in California, Dimon pivoted from economic talking points to something far more urgent: the fragile state of America’s physical preparedness.

We are living in a moment of stunning fragility — culturally, economically, and militarily. It means we can no longer afford to confuse digital distractions with real resilience.

“We shouldn’t be stockpiling Bitcoin,” Dimon said. “We should be stockpiling guns, tanks, planes, drones, and rare earths. We know we need to do it. It’s not a mystery.”

He cited internal Pentagon assessments showing that if war were to break out in the South China Sea, the United States has only enough precision-guided missiles for seven days of sustained conflict.

Seven days — that’s the gap between deterrence and desperation.

This wasn’t a forecast about inflation or a hedge against market volatility. It was a blunt assessment from a man whose words typically move markets.

“America is the global hegemon,” Dimon continued, “and the free world wants us to be strong.” But he warned that Americans have been lulled into “a false sense of security,” made complacent by years of peacetime prosperity, outsourcing, and digital convenience:

We need to build a permanent, long-term, realistic strategy for the future of America — economic growth, fiscal policy, industrial policy, foreign policy. We need to educate our citizens. We need to take control of our economic destiny.

This isn’t a partisan appeal — it’s a sobering wake-up call. Because our economy and military readiness are not separate issues. They are deeply intertwined.

Dimon isn’t alone in raising concerns. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt has warned that China has already overtaken the U.S. in key defense technologies — hypersonic missiles, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence to mention a few. Retired military leaders continue to highlight our shrinking shipyards and dwindling defense manufacturing base.

Even the dollar, once assumed untouchable, is under pressure as BRICS nations work to undermine its global dominance. Dimon, notably, has said this effort could succeed if the U.S. continues down its current path.

So what does this all mean?

Christopher Furlong / Staff | Getty Images

It means we are living in a moment of stunning fragility — culturally, economically, and militarily. It means we can no longer afford to confuse digital distractions with real resilience.

It means the future belongs to nations that understand something we’ve forgotten: Strength isn’t built on slogans or algorithms. It’s built on steel, energy, sovereignty, and trust.

And at the core of that trust is you, the citizen. Not the influencer. Not the bureaucrat. Not the lobbyist. At the core is the ordinary man or woman who understands that freedom, safety, and prosperity require more than passive consumption. They require courage, clarity, and conviction.

We need to stop assuming someone else will fix it. The next crisis — whether military, economic, or cyber — will not politely pause for our political dysfunction to sort itself out. It will demand leadership, unity, and grit.

And that begins with looking reality in the eye. We need to stop talking about things that don’t matter and cut to the chase: The U.S. is in a dangerously fragile position, and it’s time to rebuild and refortify — from the inside out.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

James J. Hill’s railroad triumph: Why private enterprise ALWAYS wins

Heritage Images / Contributor | Getty Images

On radio last week, Glenn discussed California’s bullet train project, which is a complete and total joke. Billions of dollars, decades in the making, and what do they have?

A hopeless boondoggle that’s become the poster child for government waste. Politicians just leaf-blowing your tax dollars into a black hole.

Rewind to the late 1800s, to a man named James J. Hill and his Great Northern Railroad – the polar opposite of California’s embarrassment. His story is about American grit, private enterprise, and it’s proof that when you keep the government’s hands off, you can get real results.

James J. Hill didn’t just build a railroad; he built a legacy that shames every federally funded train wreck of his era.

Picture this: it’s the 1870s, and railroads are the arteries of America’s growth. But most transcontinental lines, like the Union Pacific and Central Pacific, are swimming in federal cash through massive loans and land grants. They would get up to 20 square miles of land PER MILE of track, plus loans of $16,000 to $48,000 per mile, depending on the terrain. Naturally, those railroads were bloated, mismanaged, and built as fast as possible to grab the government subsidies. Since they got a pile of federal cash for every mile they completed, they often picked less efficient routes. The cheap and fast construction also meant the tracks were in constant disrepair and had to be re-laid. By the Financial Panic of 1893, they were bankrupt, bleeding money, and begging for bailouts.

Enter James J. Hill. This guy was different. He didn’t want Uncle Sam’s handouts. He spent three years researching the bankrupt St. Paul and Pacific Railroad, ensuring it could be profitable with strategic expansion. In 1878, Hill and his investment partners bought the SP&P with their own money. No federal loans, except for a single small land grant in Minnesota, that they needed to connect their line to the Canadian Pacific Railroad. Hill carefully used profits from this line to fund further expansion, avoiding excessive debt.

By 1893, the Great Northern Railroad stretched from Minnesota all the way to Seattle, built almost entirely with private capital. Why did Hill’s Great Northern become the gold standard? First, efficiency. Hill was obsessive. He scouted routes himself, picking paths like Marias Pass – the lowest crossing of the Rockies – saving millions of dollars by avoiding tunnels. His tracks had low grades, minimal curves, and were built to last.

Universal History Archive / Contributor | Getty Images

Second, Hill didn’t just build tracks; he built an economy. He attracted settlers by offering cheap fares, free seeds for their farms, and even programs that taught them better farming techniques. He invested in timber, ensuring that freight kept rolling. The result? His railroad always had plenty of customers, cargo, and cash flow. The federally funded lines, on the other hand, often ran through barren land, chasing land grants, not profits.

When the Panic of 1893 hit, the Great Northern line withstood the storm – it was one of only two Western railways NOT to go bankrupt.

Hill reinvested profits, kept debt low, and outmaneuvered the government’s new rate controls that crippled his competitors. By 1901, he controlled the Northern Pacific and Burlington lines, creating an empire that still exists today, part of a merger in the 1990s that created the BNSF Railway. That is the power of private enterprise – no government bloat, just hard work and vision.

James J. Hill’s Great Northern Railroad proves what happens when you let markets, not bureaucrats, drive progress. Hill’s legacy reinforces a vital truth: keep the government out, and let builders build. That’s the American way.

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