Morning Brief 2024-04-18

TOP OF HOUR 2
GUEST: Mora Namdar
TOPIC: What Israel's response should be to Iran's unprecedented attack.

TOP OF HOUR 3
GUEST: Bill Cloud
TOPIC: How should a believer respond to biblical prophecy?


News...

Glenn Beck: In fabrication we trust — the paradox plaguing our elections
Critical theory nonsense is becoming an instituted reality, and we are entering perilous times. Don't be fooled by the narratives you will hear on the march to November.

GB Poll: Do you think the government should spy on US citizens?
Do you think the U.S. government should be able to spy on U.S. citizens without a warrant? What if an American citizen is in contact with a potential terror threat?

Oral Argument In J6 SCOTUS Case Lays Bare DOJ’s Partisan Lawfare
The solicitor general’s argument painted a picture of the Biden administration enlarging or contracting statutory language to serve political purposes.

Biden Opposes Bill That Would Keep Cops And Feds From Buying Your Data
The Fourth Amendment Is Not for Sale Act would prevent law enforcement and intelligence agencies from purchasing data that they would otherwise need a warrant to obtain.

Steve Baker: A citizen’s guide to FBI ‘knock and talks’
When federal agents appear at the door, the most prudent response is to say, “Talk to my lawyer.” Just ask Zack Bonfilio.

911 outages reported in parts of 4 states
Authorities in South Dakota, Texas, Nebraska, and Nevada announced outages in multiple cities, but details about what was causing the outages weren’t immediately available.

Number of vacant NYC storefronts has nearly doubled since the pandemic
Only 6% of Big Apple storefronts sat empty in 2019, compared to nearly 11.2% this year, statistics from the city Department of Finance show.

Woman sentenced to 50 years for stealing baby from woman’s womb, killing mother in Chicago
This is a horrific story, but it also involves two of the dumbest criminals ever.

Banana Republic...

Trump’s ‘Peers’ On NY Jury Get News From The Propagandists At Google, TikTok, New York Times
The seven jurors selected so far largely get their news from the same left-wing media that has spent years disparaging Trump.

Prosecutor: California DA Dropped Bombshell Election Data Case Because It Might Help Trump
A lead prosecutor has filed a complaint alleging that the Soros-backed L.A. D.A. George Gascon dropped criminal charges against the CEO of election software company Konnech due to political concerns and then retaliated against the prosecutor for objecting to the dismissal.

Politics...

Biden claims his uncle was eaten by cannibals in World War II
“He flew single-engine planes, reconnaissance flights over New Guinea. He had volunteered because someone couldn’t make it. He got shot down in an area where there were a lot of cannibals in New Guinea at the time. They never recovered his body."

AP headline: Biden is off on details of his uncle’s WWII death as he calls Trump unfit to lead the military
That's how the AP choose to handle Biden claiming his uncle was eaten by cannibals.

White House staffers refer to Trump as ‘Hitler Pig’: Report
A Trump campaign adviser ridiculed the report arguing that the nickname is more of a reflection of the White House staffers who use it.

Biden picks up the cost for sandwiches at gas station
Trump made a surprise visit to a Chik-fil-A in Atlanta on April 11, where he ordered 30 milkshakes and chicken for the people in the store as well as for his staff. Biden attempted to make a similar moment ... with gas station sandwiches.

The bodega visit was Donald Trump at his finest
“I have never voted, because I’ve been working, but this time I will,” Maad Ahmed, the owner of the bodega, told the New York Post. “We need Donald Trump back in the White House because he’s a strong guy.” Polling suggests there are millions of people like Ahmed.

Inside The Late-Night Parties Where Hawaii Politicians Raked In Money
After the state passed a law barring government contractors from donating to politicians, fundraising parties showed just how completely the reform effort failed.

Michigan Democrats regain full control of state government for first time in 40 years
Nearly everyone who has common sense has fled the state.

Yet Another Biden Judicial Pick Has Ties to a Left-Wing, Anti-Cop Group
Brian Murphy served on the board of a group that pushed to free inmates because of "structural racism."

Democrat former mayor arrested for allegedly violating probation orders in child sex abuse case
A former mayor of a Portland suburb has been arrested for allegedly violating a probation over his child sex crime conviction. He was sentenced to six months in jail last year for downloading hundreds of photos of child pornography.

Economy...

Wall Street pushes out rate-cut expectations, sees risk they don’t start until March 2025
Bank of America economists said there is a “real risk” that the Fed won’t cut until March 2025 “at the earliest,” though for now they’re still going with a December forecast.

Immigration...

Chuck Schumer, Democrats dismiss Mayorkas impeachment without trial
"We are not saying, 'Don’t come.' We are saying, 'Don’t come now because we will be able to deliver a safe and orderly process to them as quickly as possible.'"

More than 1,000 illegal aliens rush to NYC’s City Hall over false promises of work visas, green cards: Report
"The majority are single men and mainly French speaking. They told me they are here to ask the city for more assistance and the ability to work."

African 'newcomers' tell New York City Council they don't like the free food or shelter they've been given, demand better
"And they give us two months to stay at the shelter and then you have to go out again with your luggage and your kids and find another place. It’s very difficult."

WAR News...

Biden Admin Confirms Afghan Suicide Bomber Was Freed From Prison Abandoned During US Withdrawal
The Biden administration on Monday confirmed that the Afghan suicide bomber who killed more than a dozen U.S. service members at the Kabul airport in 2021 had been freed from a prison abandoned during the U.S. military's withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Chuck Schumer brags to senators about Mike Johnson giving Dems everything they wanted on Ukraine, foreign aid: Report
Jack Posobiec said he heard from a senior Republican official that Schumer "was just on the Senate floor bragging to other members about Speaker Johnson giving Democrats everything they wanted in the Ukraine and foreign aid packages."

B-52s Land At Civilian Airport To Test Their Ability To Operate From Unfamiliar Airfields
“When it comes to nuclear war, all bets are off and we need to be prepared to adapt to the current situation,” said Lt. Col. Jared Patterson, 20th BS commander, in a public release.

Israel...

PM shelved preapproved plans for immediate Iran reprisal after Biden call — report
Biden again proves to be Iran's best friend.

Israel said unlikely to strike Iran before end of Passover
The Jewish holiday begins Monday evening and runs through April 30. The network also quotes Israeli sources saying Israel twice readied for and then dropped plans to strike Iran this past week, in response to the Islamic Republic’s missile and drone attack early Sunday.

Biden confuses Israeli city with Rafah in Gaza in his latest gaffe
“And I made it clear to Israelis — don’t move on Haifa,” he added, apparently meaning to say Rafah.

Anti-Israel protesters tried to keep Biden up at night with ‘Genocide Joe’ chants
President Joe Biden may be a little bleary-eyed after spending Tuesday night in his former hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania. For three hours, a group of about six anti-Israel protesters chanted with a loudspeaker outside of his hotel.

Iran renews violent hijab crackdown
Videos from Iran showed women struggling as "Morality Police" officers tried to shove them into vans in widespread arrests.

Google fires 28 employees involved in sit-in protest over $1.2B Israel contract
Google vice president of global security Chris Rackow said their “behavior was unacceptable, extremely disruptive, and made co-workers feel threatened.”

Ukraine-Russia...

Ukraine May Have Just Crossed Putin's Nuclear Red Line
Ukrainian drones reportedly targeted a radio engineering center some 360 miles from the Ukrainian border. The site is an over-the-horizon radar station, which forms part of Russia's early-warning network for aerospace attacks.

Europe...

Swiss Vote to Ban Swastika in Crackdown on Extremist Symbols
The cabinet must now draft legislation that makes it illegal to wear, publicly display, or spread racist, violent, or extremist symbols. The ban would extend to propaganda materials, gestures, slogans, and flags.

Prince Harry officially renounces British residency, lists US as his ‘new country’ on documents
Comes amid deportation fears over past drug use.

South America...

Ecuador introduces 3-day workweek as it launches investigation into energy shortages
Experts point to a drought, triggered by the El Niño weather phenomenon, with Ecuador and other Andean nations heavily reliant on hydroelectric dams harnessing mountain water runoff.

Brazilian woman wheels elderly man’s corpse into bank to cosign a loan for her
“Uncle, are you listening? You need to sign [the loan contract]. If you don’t sign, there’s no way, because I can’t sign for you,” Nunes says in the video, while thrusting a pen between his limp fingers and instructing him to hold it “hard.”

Entertainment...

Brian Cox Bashes Joaquin Phoenix In Savage Talk
Classically trained Shakespearean actor Brian Cox ripped Phoenix’s performance in "Napoleon," saying it was "a truly terrible performance by Joaquin Phoenix. It really is appalling. I don’t know what he was thinking. I think it’s totally his fault and I don’t think Ridley Scott helps him.”

Media...

NPR Chief Bragged About Taking Censorship Orders From Feds As Head Of Wikipedia
Maher, who previously served as CEO of Wikipedia, said she “took a very active approach to disinformation,” based on “conversations with government” through 2020.

NPR CEO Said ‘Reverence For The Truth’ May Be ‘Distraction’ In Resurfaced TED Talk
“Perhaps for our most tricky disagreements, seeking the truth and seeking to convince others of the truth might not be the right place to start. In fact, our reverence for the truth might be a distraction that’s getting in the way of finding common ground and getting things done.”

NY Times: NPR Editor Who Accused Broadcaster of Liberal Bias Resigns
Many journalists at NPR pushed back against the essay, including the “Morning Edition” host Steve Inskeep, who said on the newsletter platform Substack that Mr. Berliner failed to “engage anyone who had a different point of view.”

Politico: The Real Reason NPR Squashed Uri Berliner
It doesn’t require a Ph.D. in game theory to see that Berliner, who was born in 1956 and now qualifies for Medicare, got what he wanted. Surely a book contract and speaking engagements will follow.

Jerusalem Post: Jewish NPR editor resigns after criticizing network for bias on Israel coverage
Berliner insisted that at NPR there is an "unspoken consensus" about which stories should be covered and how they should be framed.

Jeffrey Toobin exposes himself to criticism after calling Justice Thomas a 'disgrace'
The compulsive self-stimulator castigated Clarence Thomas on Tuesday for daring to question the Biden Department of Justice's uneven application of the law.

LGBTQIA2S+...

Federal judge blasts colleagues for overturning law banning boys from girls' sports: 'Turns Title IX on its head'
In 2021, West Virginia passed the Save Women's Sports Act, becoming one of the first states in the United States to protect the fairness of sports.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs vetoes bill that would have codified biological sex, not gender, into law
The bill would have maintained single-sex areas "to ensure girls' and women's protection and privacy in those spaces, while not changing current law or creating new restrictions on anyone’s legal rights."

Education...

Utah students walk out to protest furries
So, as a student, you have to not only put up with racist teachers preaching hate for white students and boys roaming the girls' locker rooms, but now you also have to deal with furries.

DeSantis signs law mandating K-12 instruction on evils of communism
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) signed legislation requiring age-appropriate instruction in public schools about the history and tactics of communism, while also establishing new institutes to promote democracy and free markets, in an effort to counter "apologists for communism in our society."

Health...

Ozempic use appears to be changing people’s personalities — experts think they know why
Ozempic and other popular treatments like Wegovy have an impact on dopamine levels, which are responsible for a range of functions. Along with impacting our emotional and physical drive for food, the brain chemical impacts feelings of reward, pleasure, motivation, and movement.

Religion...

Pew: 61% of Catholics think abortion should be legal
Pew Research found that Catholics who attend mass on a weekly basis are much less likely to support abortion: only 34%. Catholics who attend mass on a monthly basis or never, on the other hand, are much more likely to support abortion: 68%.

Technology...

Video: Boston Dynamics unveils its newest robot
The dystopian future of science fiction is confirmed.

YouTube removes Timcast IRL episodes featuring Joe Rogan, Alex Jones, Michael Malice 3 years after air date
Pool said YouTube claimed the episodes promoted QAnon conspiracy theories as well as medical misinformation.

Travel...

Boeing whistleblower: ‘They are putting out defective airplanes’
Boeing’s already battered reputation took another hit at two Senate committee hearings Wednesday on Capitol Hill, with witnesses questioning how the company builds airplanes and the safety of those planes.

US tourist receives $143K bill from T-Mobile after 3-week overseas trip
Over the course of the three-week trip, he and his wife were charged roaming fees, which averaged more than $6,000 a day.

Sports...

Aaron Rodgers responds to hit pieces from 'establishment' that sees him as 'dangerous'
"They’re terrified of people that think for themselves, that aren’t controlled. I’m not beholden to anybody. I have a contract. I can get cut at any point. I have very few sponsors now ... I think for myself. I speak for myself. And that’s dangerous to an establishment that wants more power, control, and obedience."

OJ Simpson has been cremated, no public memorial planned, estate lawyer says
Simpson’s ashes will be given to his children “to do with as they please, according to the wishes of their father.”

NCAA approves new transfer rule allowing immediate eligibility
Previously, the NCAA's one-time transfer rule allowed athletes to play immediately at the first school they transferred to but they then had to sit out a year if they transferred again — or apply to the NCAA for a waiver to compete immediately.

Toronto Raptors' Jontay Porter banned from NBA for life after disclosing info to bettor for $1.1 million bet
The NBA issued a press release about the 24-year-old, detailing how a league investigation found that the player violated league rules by disclosing confidential information to sports bettors.

April 18, 2011 - Glenn is back from his comedy tour... The history of tax cuts... National Steal from Work Day... Obama raising taxes out of fairness?... What leftist propaganda is your kid listening to?... Why are we burning our food for fuel?...

Are Gen Z's socialist sympathies a threat to America's future?

NurPhoto / Contributor | Getty Images

In a republic forged on the anvil of liberty and self-reliance, where generations have fought to preserve free markets against the siren song of tyranny, Gen Z's alarming embrace of socialism amid housing crises and economic despair has sparked urgent alarm. But in a recent poll, Glenn asked the tough questions: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from—and what does it mean for America's future? Glenn asked, and you answered—hundreds weighed in on this volatile mix of youthful frustration and ideological peril.

The results paint a stark picture of distrust in the system. A whopping 79% of you affirm that Gen Z's socialist sympathies stem from real economic gripes, like sky-high housing costs and a rigged game tilted toward the elite and corporations—defying the argument that it's just youthful naivety. Even more telling, 97% believe this trend arises from a glaring educational void on socialism's bloody historical track record, where failed regimes have crushed freedoms under the boot of big government. And 97% see these poll findings as a harbinger of deepening generational rifts, potentially fueling political chaos and authoritarian overreach if left unchecked.

Your verdict underscores a moral imperative: America's soul hangs on reclaiming timeless values like self-reliance and liberty. This feedback amplifies your concerns, sending a clear message to the powers that be.

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

Without civic action, America faces collapse

JEFF KOWALSKY / Contributor | Getty Images

Every vote, jury duty, and act of engagement is civics in action, not theory. The republic survives only when citizens embrace responsibility.

I slept through high school civics class. I memorized the three branches of government, promptly forgot them, and never thought of that word again. Civics seemed abstract, disconnected from real life. And yet, it is critical to maintaining our republic.

Civics is not a class. It is a responsibility. A set of habits, disciplines, and values that make a country possible. Without it, no country survives.

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Civics happens every time you speak freely, worship openly, question your government, serve on a jury, or cast a ballot. It’s not a theory or just another entry in a textbook. It’s action — the acts we perform every day to be a positive force in society.

Many of us recoil at “civic responsibility.” “I pay my taxes. I follow the law. I do my civic duty.” That’s not civics. That’s a scam, in my opinion.

Taking up the torch

The founders knew a republic could never run on autopilot. And yet, that’s exactly what we do now. We assume it will work, then complain when it doesn’t. Meanwhile, the people steering the country are driving it straight into a mountain — and they know it.

Our founders gave us tools: separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, elections. But they also warned us: It won’t work unless we are educated, engaged, and moral.

Are we educated, engaged, and moral? Most Americans cannot even define a republic, never mind “keep one,” as Benjamin Franklin urged us to do after the Constitutional Convention.

We fought and died for the republic. Gaining it was the easy part. Keeping it is hard. And keeping it is done through civics.

Start small and local

In our homes, civics means teaching our children the Constitution, our history, and that liberty is not license — it is the space to do what is right. In our communities, civics means volunteering, showing up, knowing your sheriff, attending school board meetings, and understanding the laws you live under. When necessary, it means challenging them.

How involved are you in your local community? Most people would admit: not really.

Civics is learned in practice. And it starts small. Be honest in your business dealings. Speak respectfully in disagreement. Vote in every election, not just the presidential ones. Model citizenship for your children. Liberty is passed down by teaching and example.

Samuel Corum / Stringer | Getty Images

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Start with yourself. Study the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and state laws. Study, act, serve, question, and teach. Only then can we hope to save the republic. The next election will not fix us. The nation will rise or fall based on how each of us lives civics every day.

Civics isn’t a class. It’s the way we protect freedom, empower our communities, and pass down liberty to the next generation.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

'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 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