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TERMS OF USE | PRIVACY POLICY

Live

Glenn's Show Prep

Morning Brief 2022-07-18

July 18, 2022
Chris Brady

TOP OF HOUR 3
GUEST: Megan Fox
TOPIC: Questions remain unanswered in rape of 10-year-old abortion patient.

CB, RR, JB, SK, BM

Domestic News...

Good guy with a gun takes out mass shooter who killed three in mall massacre
Four people were killed and two were wounded in a mass shooting at a shopping mall just south of Indianapolis Sunday evening, which ended when an armed good Samaritan took out the gunman.

Good guy with a gun takes out bad guy with a knife
A man who allegedly held a knife to a gas station clerk’s neck in Missouri was shot and killed Saturday morning by an armed store customer.

Houston cop thwarts possible mass shooting by bum-rushing heavily armed man
The incident took place in February, but Sgt. Kendrick Simpo is just now speaking about how he may have prevented a massacre.

Mom Shot At By Man Killed By Police Crashes Protest: ‘Is He Not A Bad Guy?’
A rally for a Minnesota man killed by police took a dramatic turn Saturday when the mom he had shot at hours before he was fatally shot crashed the protest to call Andrew ‘Tekle’ Sundberg “a bad guy.”

New report finds nearly 400 officers at Uvalde school shooting, blames all agencies for 'lackadaisical approach'
An investigative committee from the Texas House of Representatives released a 77-page report regarding the police response to the Uvalde shooting on Sunday.

New San Francisco DA makes wave of firings. Progressives call it 'terrifying.'
Brooke Jenkins fired 15 people in her office on Friday. It comes in the first week after Jenkins was appointed to her role by Mayor London Breed following the recall of Chesa Boudin.

SFPD Seizes $200,000 of Allegedly Stolen CVS and Walgreens-Looking Items From SF Man’s Home
What looks to be a brazen stolen goods fencing operation, with items that sure appear straight lifted from shelves, was allegedly netting one man $500,000 a year as he just resold the stolen loot online.

Pennsylvania Outlaws Zuckbucks Ahead Of Midterm Elections
Pennsylvania has officially banned public officials from accepting and using funds from nongovernmental entities to conduct elections.

Lawsuit accuses DOJ of hiding records about bias in Hunter Biden and Durham probes
More than a year after Protecting the People's Trust filed a FOIA request for records relating to potential conflicts of interest, the department has yet to inform the watchdog whether it will comply.

Prominent Pro-Abortion Group Appears To Be Front For Radical Revolutionary Communists
A prominent pro-abortion activist group downplaying its association with the Revolutionary Communist Party shares significant infrastructure and leadership with the radical outfit’s other offshoot groups.

Woman Awakens From Two-Year Coma After Hatchet Attack, Names Her Assailant
She awoke and pointed her finger at the man who allegedly did it: Her own brother.

Orlando Amusement Park Forced To Pause ‘Insensitive’ Shooting Gallery Game
Users on social media blasted the game as insensitive in the wake of several mass shootings across the country.

Politics...

Poll: More Americans Plan on Voting for Republican Candidates in November
Americans are more likely to vote for a generic Republican congressional candidate than a Democrat, according to a Fox News poll released on Sunday.

Poll: More Trump Voters in Red States Say Secession Would Make Things Better
Red-state Donald Trump voters are now more likely to say they’d be personally “better off” (33%) than “worse off” (29%) if their state seceded from the U.S. and “became an independent country,” according to a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll.

Manchin says he won't support climate, tax provisions in sweeping Democratic bill
The West Virginian previously supported having both provisions in the package

Trump suffers huge fundraising dip, falls below DeSantis for 2022
The new numbers mark the first time Trump has raised less than $50 million in any six-month period since leaving the White House, and they put him below DeSantis, who raised about $45 million in the first half of this year, records show.

Newsom to DeSantis: ‘Stop Being a Bully, Stop Belittling People’
“He’s going after the gays, going after people, othering people across the spectrum, going after vulnerable minorities. I can’t take it.”

Newsom Calls on Democrats to ‘Wake Up’ to the ‘Ruthlessness of the Republican Party’
"You see what’s happening to all the progress we’ve made in the 21st century, all of the rights that we in many ways have taken for granted that have been afforded since the sixties are being rolled back in real time."

Stacey Abrams' blockbuster fundraising driven by out-of-state money
Abrams' campaign and leadership committee have reported receiving about $7 million from Georgia donors, or just over 14% of the nearly $50 million they've combined to raise this cycle.

Nancy Pelosi’s Husband Buys Millions In Chip Stocks Right Before Vote On Massive Chip Subsidy
Pelosi’s husband Paul bought up to $5 million in stock of a computer chip company ahead of a vote on a bill next week that would hand billions in subsidies to boost chip manufacturing.

Economy...

Bidenomics: Nearly half of small businesses fear shutting down amid elevated inflation
The small business network Alignable released the survey, which found that “47% of small business owners … say their businesses are at risk of closing by fall 2022, unless economic conditions improve significantly.”

Condition of economy 'terrible' as inflation hits fresh 40-year high: Investment expert
Many fault the White House for the economic woes. 55% say the Biden admin has made the economy worse, and more voters blame Biden (31%) for gas prices than think Russia (20%) or oil companies (14%) are responsible.

BlackRock Profit Falls 22%
The firm’s assets under management decreased to $8.5 trillion, from $9.6 trillion in the first quarter

Border...

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser says illegals along the border are "being tricked" onto buses to capital
Bowser says she has "called on the federal government to work across state lines to prevent people from really being tricked into getting on buses" headed to the nation's capital from Texas and Arizona.

Attorneys general from 19 states file brief with Supreme Court to stop DHS immigration policy
The group of 19 is led by Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich

GOP senators decry human smuggling cartels' shocking sexual abuse of migrant women
According to an Amnesty International report, about 60% of the women and girls who make the trek to the U.S.-Mexico border are raped.

WAR News... 

Germany Hopes to Outrace a Russian Gas Cutoff and Bone Cold Winter
Europe’s largest economy and key energy hub still depends on gas supplies now ensnared in conflict. Here’s how Germany is preparing and what is at stake.

Politico: Republicans wince as their Ukrainian-born colleague thrashes Zelenskyy
House Republicans gave Ukraine-born Rep. Victoria Spartz a coveted platform to speak out against Russia’s war. They’re coming to regret that.

MonkeyVID-19...

Thousands report unusual menstruation patterns after COVID-19 vaccination
Survey aims to document breakthrough bleeding and heavier-than-usual periods post vaccine.

W.H.O. Activates Monkeypox Emergency Panel as Case Numbers Soar
The U.N. subsidiary health agency is now aware of 9,200 cases in 63 countries at the last update issued Tuesday.

New York City Opens Mass Vaccination Sites to Combat Monkeypox Outbreak
NYC now has three mass vaccination sites set up to combat the growing monkeypox outbreak in its five boroughs.

Window to control monkeypox 'starting to close,' former FDA chief says
Scott Gottlieb says the window for controlling the spread of monkeypox is "starting to close" as cities across the country are struggling to vaccinate people against the virus.

Australia spent $2 billion on COVID camps that will likely never be used
Instead of admitting that the facilities were a vast waste of taxpayers' money, Australian politicians are now trying to find creative ways to utilize the facilities.

Commie Update...

Rescue-Fund Idea Floated In China To Stop Mortgage Crisis
Last week, housing ministry officials met with financial regulators and major Chinese banks to discuss lending matters.

Entertainment...

Ricky Martin slapped with restraining order after breakup with his nephew
A Spanish newspaper reported that Martin, 50, and Sanchez, 21, recently dated for seven months, during which time, Martin subjected Sanchez to abuse.

Dirty Dancing star Jennifer Grey shouts her abortion: ‘I wouldn’t have my life’ without it'
Grey repeated a false claim that thousands of women died from botched abortions every year before the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling.

Jennifer Lopez announces marriage to Ben Affleck in surprise wedding
Lopez shared an intimate look at her Las Vegas wedding as she announced her marriage to Ben Affleck on Sunday afternoon.

Media...

Taxpayer-funded NPR Launches ‘Disinformation’ Reporting Team Ahead of Elections
NPR is launching a “disinformation” reporting team, prompting mockery online by those who pointed out the liberal network’s long, sordid history of suppressing information it did not want the public to hear.

NY Mag column declares ‘death’ of ‘Democrats’ domestic ambitions:’ A ‘catastrophe’ with ‘a thousand fathers’
Jonathan Chait called the result of Democrat-controlled government 'a failure'

Canada...

"Canada is communist": Joe Rogan bashes Trudeau as a 'dictator' over pandemic response
Rogan admitted that he liked Trudeau before the pandemic ... And during the pandemic, I’m like, 'Oh, you’re a f***ing dictator.'

Europe...

Spanish farmers join the Dutch, Italian, and other Europeans farmers protesting restrictive green policies
The world cannot survive without farmers. These policies are destroying the continent and these protests will hopefully serve as a wake-up call for Europe.

Woke dance school drops ballet from auditions as it is ‘white’ and ‘elitist’
A top British dance school has dropped ballet from its auditions after branding it an 'elitist art form', built around 'white European ideas and body shapes'.

American singer quits Italian opera over blackface
"I cannot in good conscience associate myself with an institution which continues this practice."

Middle East...

Biden ends Saudi Arabia visit with no oil deal
Biden will conclude his visit to Saudi Arabia without striking a deal to boost oil supplies amid an international energy crunch and rising gas prices at home.

Biden Claims He Confronted Saudi Crown Prince Over Murder, Top Saudi Official Pushes Back
Biden previously pledged while running for president that he wanted to treat Saudi Arabia like a “pariah” state.

Top Iranian Official: We’re Capable of Making a Nuclear Bomb
Iran is technically capable of making a nuclear bomb, a senior aide to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said Sunday, adding that the country would target “deep into” Israel if need be.

IDF chief Kohavi warns Israel might be required to act against Iran
In a clear warning to Iran, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Aviv Kohavi said that the military is preparing for the possibility that it would have to act against Iran's nuclear program.

Environment...

Four U.S. Natural Gas Facilities Destroyed in Two Weeks
Several fires and explosions have hit the energy industry as the United States is battling a national energy crisis.

Tesla Asks Texans To Limit Charging Cars During Heat Wave As Wind Power Slows
“The grid operator recommends to avoid charging during peak hours between 3pm and 8pm, if possible, to help statewide efforts to manage demand,” the alert added.

LGBTQIA2S+...

Photo: Two Biden Officials Represent America At French Ambassador's Bastille Day Celebration
Remember to clear your browser cache after clicking this link... you've been warned.

Biden’s Energy Dept Drag Queen Gets Top Secret ‘Q Clearance’ Alongside Six-Figure Government Salary
A FOIA request filed by The National Pulse reveals Sam Brinton’s taxpayer funded salary of $178,063, placing him amongst the top one percent of other federal salaries.

University of Pennsylvania nominates Lia Thomas for NCAA 'Woman of the Year'
The male athlete was nominated for the NCAA award, which recognizes female student-athletes.

Judge blocks Biden admin's transgender school bathroom rule, athletes
Biden's policy would allow boys to hang out in girls bathrooms and locker rooms.

"Openly queer teacher" admits to socially transitioning 3rd grade students
"I wear a bi flag watch band and bi flag bracelets. In my classroom I keep a rainbow flag," and adds, "my kids know what it means."

Transgender Felon Transferred From Women’s Prison After Impregnating Two Inmates
Officials moved 27-year-old Demi Minor to a prison for young adults. Minor, who is currently serving a 30-year sentence for manslaughter.

Education...

DeSantis' education message is winning in battleground states, teacher union poll finds
Florida’s governor was bitterly criticized on the left and in the media for his education policies and rhetoric, but battleground voters appear to favor much of what he's been saying and doing.

Technology...

Human-Like Robots Perceived as Having Mental States
New research suggests that when robots appear to engage with people and display human-like emotions, people might perceive them as capable of “thinking.” In other words, they are believed to be acting on their own beliefs and desires instead of just their programs.

Travel...

Airfares are finally starting to cool as peak summer travel season fades
Fares were one of the few categories to decline at a time when consumer prices rose at the fastest clip in more than four decades.

A can of Coca-Cola for $13? Prices are rising on one of Europe’s most popular islands
Though Spain is generally considered a reasonably priced travel destination, the Spanish island of Ibiza has long been known as a place for living the high life.

Sports...

NASCAR's Bobby East stabbed to death at California gas station, suspect later shot and killed by SWAT team
On July 13 police officers responded to emergency calls reporting a stabbing at a gas station about 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

Florida Gators QB Anthony Richardson distancing from 'AR-15' nickname, branding
Richardson said that he will no longer use 'AR-15' as part of his personal brand because he doesn't want to be associated with the semi-automatic rifle by the same name, which has been used in mass shootings.

Animals...

Dog names are racist, according to scholars
Academics recently applauded a study purporting showing that dogs with “White” names resulted in shorter adoption times compared to “Black” names.

07-18-2006 - Glenn's brownout weekend during NYC heatwave... The lovely smell of NYC... Woman claims to be a descendant of Jesus... Senate OKs stem cell research bill...

07-18-2007 - Senate Dems demand Bush cut and run from Iraq... Glenn's night at the Opera, and father/daughter date... Michael Vick indicted on dog fighting charges...

URGENT: FIVE steps to CONTROL AI before it's too late!

MANAURE QUINTERO / Contributor | Getty Images

By now, many of us are familiar with AI and its potential benefits and threats. However, unless you're a tech tycoon, it can feel like you have little influence over the future of artificial intelligence.

For years, Glenn has warned about the dangers of rapidly developing AI technologies that have taken the world by storm.

He acknowledges their significant benefits but emphasizes the need to establish proper boundaries and ethics now, while we still have control. But since most people aren’t Silicon Valley tech leaders making the decisions, how can they help keep AI in check?

Recently, Glenn interviewed Tristan Harris, a tech ethicist deeply concerned about the potential harm of unchecked AI, to discuss its societal implications. Harris highlighted a concerning new piece of legislation proposed by Texas Senator Ted Cruz. This legislation proposes a state-level moratorium on AI regulation, meaning only the federal government could regulate AI. Harris noted that there’s currently no Federal plan for regulating AI. Until the federal government establishes a plan, tech companies would have nearly free rein with their AI. And we all know how slowly the federal government moves.

This is where you come in. Tristan Harris shared with Glenn the top five actions you should urge your representatives to take regarding AI, including opposing the moratorium until a concrete plan is in place. Now is your chance to influence the future of AI. Contact your senator and congressman today and share these five crucial steps they must take to keep AI in check:

Ban engagement-optimized AI companions for kids

Create legislation that will prevent AI from being designed to maximize addiction, sexualization, flattery, and attachment disorders, and to protect young people’s mental health and ability to form real-life friendships.

Establish basic liability laws

Companies need to be held accountable when their products cause real-world harm.

Pass increased whistleblower protections

Protect concerned technologists working inside the AI labs from facing untenable pressures and threats that prevent them from warning the public when the AI rollout is unsafe or crosses dangerous red lines.

Prevent AI from having legal rights

Enact laws so AIs don’t have protected speech or have their own bank accounts, making sure our legal system works for human interests over AI interests.

Oppose the state moratorium on AI 

Call your congressman or Senator Cruz’s office, and demand they oppose the state moratorium on AI without a plan for how we will set guardrails for this technology.

Glenn: Only Trump dared to deliver on decades of empty promises

Tasos Katopodis / Stringer | Getty Images

The Islamic regime has been killing Americans since 1979. Now Trump’s response proves we’re no longer playing defense — we’re finally hitting back.

The United States has taken direct military action against Iran’s nuclear program. Whatever you think of the strike, it’s over. It’s happened. And now, we have to predict what happens next. I want to help you understand the gravity of this situation: what happened, what it means, and what might come next. To that end, we need to begin with a little history.

Since 1979, Iran has been at war with us — even if we refused to call it that.

We are either on the verge of a remarkable strategic victory or a devastating global escalation. Time will tell.

It began with the hostage crisis, when 66 Americans were seized and 52 were held for over a year by the radical Islamic regime. Four years later, 17 more Americans were murdered in the U.S. Embassy bombing in Beirut, followed by 241 Marines in the Beirut barracks bombing.

Then came the Khobar Towers bombing in 1996, which killed 19 more U.S. airmen. Iran had its fingerprints all over it.

In Iraq and Afghanistan, Iranian-backed proxies killed hundreds of American soldiers. From 2001 to 2020 in Afghanistan and 2003 to 2011 in Iraq, Iran supplied IEDs and tactical support.

The Iranians have plotted assassinations and kidnappings on U.S. soil — in 2011, 2021, and again in 2024 — and yet we’ve never really responded.

The precedent for U.S. retaliation has always been present, but no president has chosen to pull the trigger until this past weekend. President Donald Trump struck decisively. And what our military pulled off this weekend was nothing short of extraordinary.

Operation Midnight Hammer

The strike was reportedly called Operation Midnight Hammer. It involved as many as 175 U.S. aircraft, including 12 B-2 stealth bombers — out of just 19 in our entire arsenal. Those bombers are among the most complex machines in the world, and they were kept mission-ready by some of the finest mechanics on the planet.

USAF / Handout | Getty Images

To throw off Iranian radar and intelligence, some bombers flew west toward Guam — classic misdirection. The rest flew east, toward the real targets.

As the B-2s approached Iranian airspace, U.S. submarines launched dozens of Tomahawk missiles at Iran’s fortified nuclear facilities. Minutes later, the bombers dropped 14 MOPs — massive ordnance penetrators — each designed to drill deep into the earth and destroy underground bunkers. These bombs are the size of an F-16 and cost millions of dollars apiece. They are so accurate, I’ve been told they can hit the top of a soda can from 15,000 feet.

They were built for this mission — and we’ve been rehearsing this run for 15 years.

If the satellite imagery is accurate — and if what my sources tell me is true — the targeted nuclear sites were utterly destroyed. We’ll likely rely on the Israelis to confirm that on the ground.

This was a master class in strategy, execution, and deterrence. And it proved that only the United States could carry out a strike like this. I am very proud of our military, what we are capable of doing, and what we can accomplish.

What comes next

We don’t yet know how Iran will respond, but many of the possibilities are troubling. The Iranians could target U.S. forces across the Middle East. On Monday, Tehran launched 20 missiles at U.S. bases in Qatar, Syria, and Kuwait, to no effect. God forbid, they could also unleash Hezbollah or other terrorist proxies to strike here at home — and they just might.

Iran has also threatened to shut down the Strait of Hormuz — the artery through which nearly a fifth of the world’s oil flows. On Sunday, Iran’s parliament voted to begin the process. If the Supreme Council and the ayatollah give the go-ahead, we could see oil prices spike to $150 or even $200 a barrel.

That would be catastrophic.

The 2008 financial collapse was pushed over the edge when oil hit $130. Western economies — including ours — simply cannot sustain oil above $120 for long. If this conflict escalates and the Strait is closed, the global economy could unravel.

The strike also raises questions about regime stability. Will it spark an uprising, or will the Islamic regime respond with a brutal crackdown on dissidents?

Early signs aren’t hopeful. Reports suggest hundreds of arrests over the weekend and at least one dissident executed on charges of spying for Israel. The regime’s infamous morality police, the Gasht-e Ershad, are back on the streets. Every phone, every vehicle — monitored. The U.S. embassy in Qatar issued a shelter-in-place warning for Americans.

Russia and China both condemned the strike. On Monday, a senior Iranian official flew to Moscow to meet with Vladimir Putin. That meeting should alarm anyone paying attention. Their alliance continues to deepen — and that’s a serious concern.

Now we pray

We are either on the verge of a remarkable strategic victory or a devastating global escalation. Time will tell. But either way, President Trump didn’t start this. He inherited it — and he took decisive action.

The difference is, he did what they all said they would do. He didn’t send pallets of cash in the dead of night. He didn’t sign another failed treaty.

He acted. Now, we pray. For peace, for wisdom, and for the strength to meet whatever comes next.


This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Globalize the Intifada? Why Mamdani’s plan spells DOOM for America

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

If New Yorkers hand City Hall to Zohran Mamdani, they’re not voting for change. They’re opening the door to an alliance of socialism, Islamism, and chaos.

It only took 25 years for New York City to go from the resilient, flag-waving pride following the 9/11 attacks to a political fever dream. To quote Michael Malice, “I'm old enough to remember when New Yorkers endured 9/11 instead of voting for it.”

Malice is talking about Zohran Mamdani, a Democratic Socialist assemblyman from Queens now eyeing the mayor’s office. Mamdani, a 33-year-old state representative emerging from relative political obscurity, is now receiving substantial funding for his mayoral campaign from the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

CAIR has a long and concerning history, including being born out of the Muslim Brotherhood and named an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terror funding case. Why would the group have dropped $100,000 into a PAC backing Mamdani’s campaign?

Mamdani blends political Islam with Marxist economics — two ideologies that have left tens of millions dead in the 20th century alone.

Perhaps CAIR has a vested interest in Mamdani’s call to “globalize the intifada.” That’s not a call for peaceful protest. Intifada refers to historic uprisings of Muslims against what they call the “Israeli occupation of Palestine.” Suicide bombings and street violence are part of the playbook. So when Mamdani says he wants to “globalize” that, who exactly is the enemy in this global scenario? Because it sure sounds like he's saying America is the new Israel, and anyone who supports Western democracy is the new Zionist.

Mamdani tried to clean up his language by citing the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, which once used “intifada” in an Arabic-language article to describe the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. So now he’s comparing Palestinians to Jewish victims of the Nazis? If that doesn’t twist your stomach into knots, you’re not paying attention.

If you’re “globalizing” an intifada, and positioning Israel — and now America — as the Nazis, that’s not a cry for human rights. That’s a call for chaos and violence.

Rising Islamism

But hey, this is New York. Faculty members at Columbia University — where Mamdani’s own father once worked — signed a letter defending students who supported Hamas after October 7. They also contributed to Mamdani’s mayoral campaign. And his father? He blamed Ronald Reagan and the religious right for inspiring Islamic terrorism, as if the roots of 9/11 grew in Washington, not the caves of Tora Bora.

Bloomberg / Contributor | Getty Images

This isn’t about Islam as a faith. We should distinguish between Islam and Islamism. Islam is a religion followed peacefully by millions. Islamism is something entirely different — an ideology that seeks to merge mosque and state, impose Sharia law, and destroy secular liberal democracies from within. Islamism isn’t about prayer and fasting. It’s about power.

Criticizing Islamism is not Islamophobia. It is not an attack on peaceful Muslims. In fact, Muslims are often its first victims.

Islamism is misogynistic, theocratic, violent, and supremacist. It’s hostile to free speech, religious pluralism, gay rights, secularism — even to moderate Muslims. Yet somehow, the progressive left — the same left that claims to fight for feminism, LGBTQ rights, and free expression — finds itself defending candidates like Mamdani. You can’t make this stuff up.

Blending the worst ideologies

And if that weren’t enough, Mamdani also identifies as a Democratic Socialist. He blends political Islam with Marxist economics — two ideologies that have left tens of millions dead in the 20th century alone. But don’t worry, New York. I’m sure this time socialism will totally work. Just like it always didn’t.

If you’re a business owner, a parent, a person who’s saved anything, or just someone who values sanity: Get out. I’m serious. If Mamdani becomes mayor, as seems likely, then New York City will become a case study in what happens when you marry ideological extremism with political power. And it won’t be pretty.

This is about more than one mayoral race. It’s about the future of Western liberalism. It’s about drawing a bright line between faith and fanaticism, between healthy pluralism and authoritarian dogma.

Call out radicalism

We must call out political Islam the same way we call out white nationalism or any other supremacist ideology. When someone chants “globalize the intifada,” that should send a chill down your spine — whether you’re Jewish, Christian, Muslim, atheist, or anything in between.

The left may try to shame you into silence with words like “Islamophobia,” but the record is worn out. The grooves are shallow. The American people see what’s happening. And we’re not buying it.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

How private stewardship could REVIVE America’s wild

Jonathan Newton / Contributor | Getty Images

The left’s idea of stewardship involves bulldozing bison and barring access. Lee’s vision puts conservation back in the hands of the people.

The media wants you to believe that Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) is trying to bulldoze Yellowstone and turn national parks into strip malls — that he’s calling for a reckless fire sale of America’s natural beauty to line developers’ pockets. That narrative is dishonest. It’s fearmongering, and, by the way, it’s wrong.

Here’s what’s really happening.

Private stewardship works. It’s local. It’s accountable. It’s incentivized.

The federal government currently owns 640 million acres of land — nearly 28% of all land in the United States. To put that into perspective, that’s more territory than France, Germany, Poland, and the United Kingdom combined.

Most of this land is west of the Mississippi River. That’s not a coincidence. In the American West, federal ownership isn’t just a bureaucratic technicality — it’s a stranglehold. States are suffocated. Locals are treated as tenants. Opportunities are choked off.

Meanwhile, people living east of the Mississippi — in places like Kentucky, Georgia, or Pennsylvania — might not even realize how little land their own states truly control. But the same policies that are plaguing the West could come for them next.

Lee isn’t proposing to auction off Yellowstone or pave over Yosemite. He’s talking about 3 million acres — that’s less than half of 1% of the federal estate. And this land isn’t your family’s favorite hiking trail. It’s remote, hard to access, and often mismanaged.

Failed management

Why was it mismanaged in the first place? Because the federal government is a terrible landlord.

Consider Yellowstone again. It’s home to the last remaining herd of genetically pure American bison — animals that haven’t been crossbred with cattle. Ranchers, myself included, would love the chance to help restore these majestic creatures on private land. But the federal government won’t allow it.

So what do they do when the herd gets too big?

They kill them. Bulldoze them into mass graves. That’s not conservation. That’s bureaucratic malpractice.

And don’t even get me started on bald eagles — majestic symbols of American freedom and a federally protected endangered species, now regularly slaughtered by wind turbines. I have pictures of piles of dead bald eagles. Where’s the outrage?

Biden’s federal land-grab

Some argue that states can’t afford to manage this land themselves. But if the states can’t afford it, how can Washington? We’re $35 trillion in debt. Entitlements are strained, infrastructure is crumbling, and the Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, and National Park Service are billions of dollars behind in basic maintenance. Roads, firebreaks, and trails are falling apart.

The Biden administration quietly embraced something called the “30 by 30” initiative, a plan to lock up 30% of all U.S. land and water under federal “conservation” by 2030. The real goal is 50% by 2050.

That entails half of the country being taken away from you, controlled not by the people who live there but by technocrats in D.C.

You think that won’t affect your ability to hunt, fish, graze cattle, or cut timber? Think again. It won’t be conservatives who stop you from building a cabin, raising cattle, or teaching your grandkids how to shoot a rifle. It’ll be the same radical environmentalists who treat land as sacred — unless it’s your truck, your deer stand, or your back yard.

Land as collateral

Moreover, the U.S. Treasury is considering putting federally owned land on the national balance sheet, listing your parks, forests, and hunting grounds as collateral.

What happens if America defaults on its debt?

David McNew / Stringer | Getty Images

Do you think our creditors won’t come calling? Imagine explaining to your kids that the lake you used to fish in is now under foreign ownership, that the forest you hunted in belongs to China.

This is not hypothetical. This is the logical conclusion of treating land like a piggy bank.

The American way

There’s a better way — and it’s the American way.

Let the people who live near the land steward it. Let ranchers, farmers, sportsmen, and local conservationists do what they’ve done for generations.

Did you know that 75% of America’s wetlands are on private land? Or that the most successful wildlife recoveries — whitetail deer, ducks, wild turkeys — didn’t come from Washington but from partnerships between private landowners and groups like Ducks Unlimited?

Private stewardship works. It’s local. It’s accountable. It’s incentivized. When you break it, you fix it. When you profit from the land, you protect it.

This is not about selling out. It’s about buying in — to freedom, to responsibility, to the principle of constitutional self-governance.

So when you hear the pundits cry foul over 3 million acres of federal land, remember: We don’t need Washington to protect our land. We need Washington to get out of the way.

Because this isn’t just about land. It’s about liberty. And once liberty is lost, it doesn’t come back easily.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.