Three Things You Need to Know - January 8, 2018

January 08, 2018

WRITER

Bannon's Ghost Writing Debut

After reading Michael Wolff’s new book, I’m posthumously giving it a working title. Hell hath no FIRE AND FURY like a Steve Bannon scorned. “Fire and Fury” must have been easier to fit on the binding. They say the Devil’s greatest accomplishment was convincing the world he doesn’t exist, but Wolff rivals this in convincing his readers that this book actually about Trump rather than his real pro… I mean AN-tagonist.

Oh there’s plenty of juicy Trump details to chew on during this 300+ page bomb dropping bonanza. I’m sure some of it is true, A LOT is just rumor, but - make no mistake - this is not a book about Trump. The description of the book on the front cover, “Inside The Trump White House” is merely the vehicle used to highlight the real focus of this narrative… Steve Bannon.

I say NARRATIVE, because that’s primarily what you’re getting here. You get 5 parts confirmation of what we already knew about Trump. YES, his election caught everyone by surprise… apparently even his own campaign. YES, Trump and his team had close to ZERO POLITICAL EXPERIENCE and stumbled their way through the first nine months. This is all confirmation of what we already knew. You also get 5 parts rumor and tabloid-level gossip. Did Trump REALLY not want to win and rather just use his candidacy as a launching point for a new TV network? Is his marriage with Melania THAT bad? Does Trump REALLY try and bed all his friends’ wives? We’ll probably never know. That sure didn’t stop Wolff from publishing it though.

Regardless, the other 90% of the book was all Bannon narrative. Trump’s picture on the cover was equivalent to bookstore clickbait. Bannon and his agenda was constant throughout the entire book. According to Wolff, Steve was the only one in the administration that was smart, well read, and had a plan. Even things that could be considered as critical of Bannon, were nothing that he wouldn’t readily and wholeheartedly admit about himself anyway.

For Bannon, Fire and Fury was about launching his next phase. To separate and distinguish between Trumpism and Bannonism. This was the last paragraph:

“The disruption had just begun.

Trump, in Bannon’s view, was a chapter, or even a detour, in the Trump revolution, which had always been about weaknesses in the two major parties. The Trump presidency—however long it lasted—had created the opening that would provide the true outsiders their opportunity. Trump was just the beginning.”

Buckle up ladies and gentlemen. The next few years might be a wild ride.

Time Is Up Golden Globes

Justin Timberlake, Reese Witherspoon, Natalie Portman, and mostly everyone at the Golden Globes last night, all wore the same thing: lapel pins with the words “Time’s Up” on them.

They wore the pins to show their support for all those who have experienced sexual misconduct, especially in the entertainment industry.

How very brave of these celebrities to compromise the integrity of their designer outfits with a lapel pin!

Give me a break.

It’s just another empty gesture by the Hollywood elite.

They tried to make a meaningless, indulgent award show into something more than just a meaningless, indulgent award show and failed miserably.

If Hollywood was genuine in their interest to stop sexual assault, they would have stayed home.

They should be embarrassed to attend the Golden Globes after all the years they condoned the actions of their peers and never uttered a word.

But they can’t turn a chance to celebrate themselves down.

And when the host, Seth Meyers, joked about Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey’s demise, they boo-ed him.

They gave Kirk Douglas a standing ovation and special award even though he has long been rumored to have raped actress Natalie Wood when she was 16 years old.

Meryl Streep couldn’t say one bad thing about Weinstein all night, only vaguely referencing him by telling Ryan Seacrest, “I think that people are aware now of a power imbalance and it’s led to abuse and we want to fix that.”

How courageous!

It just goes to show that Hollywood has apparently not learned its lesson. They can dress in black and wear lapel pins, but that’s not adequate contrition for their sin of silence.

“Time’s Up” on your hypocrisy, Hollywood.

Fire and Fury

“Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House” by Michael Wolff. You may have heard of it. Judging by the media coverage about it over the weekend, it was the only thing that mattered in the entire world.

So much for changing the narrative in 2018.

A book like “Fire and Fury” is business as usual. Dozens of books like this are written about every president while they’re in office. It wouldn’t even really be newsworthy except that the President heaped attention on it. And that’s a problem the President needs to fix.

Here is the simple solution for a President who so obviously wants to be liked: he must accept the fact that at least half the country will never like him. Just stop griping about books like “Fire and Fury,” because there will be a new book just like it every few weeks for the next three years.

The President tweets as if this is a winnable game. It’s not. He can’t control what the critics say, but he can control how he responds. So, he should just focus on his job. Show that he cares more about the country than criticism about him.

Americans are sick of the daily grind of this war on the president. The President won’t be able to stop the media war against him, but he could certainly stop throwing gas on the fire with every tweet.

A year into the Trump presidency, you would think this incessant game of he said/media said would have died down. But we’re stuck in the same annoying loop.

So what if this annoying game doesn’t stop in 2018? What do we do? You and I have a choice to make about today and about this new year – are we going to be part of the solution or part of the problem?

Making America Great Again has unfortunately become a punchline, but shouldn’t that really be the goal of every American, regardless of politics? It’s our job to build a better country in spite of the politicians and media. What can you do to make your home great again? Your neighborhood? Your community? How can you serve a fellow American today?

Less focus on the President, the media, and your side winning. Less focus on ourselves. More focus on serving others. That is what matters most.

MORE 3 THINGS

'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?

NurPhoto / Contributor | Getty Images

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?

Glenn's Show Prep

Three Things You Need to Know - January 8, 2018

Bannon's Ghost Writing Debut

Time Is Up Golden Globes

Fire and Fury

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

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.

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

Picking up his torch

Two turning points, decades apart

A time for courage

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

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

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

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

From Muhammad to Marx

Gifts from God, not the state

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

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?

Do you think the Gen Z support for Trump is an opportunity for conservatives to win them over with anti-establishment reforms that preserve liberty?