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Glenn Schools CNN: Why America is a REPUBLIC, Not a Democracy

CNN recently asked Trump supporters about America’s “democracy” and were terrified to discover that they believed we’re not a democracy, but a republic. Well, sorry CNN, but that’s true, no matter what the “experts” claim. Glenn breaks it all down for them and explains why our Founders chose to combine the principles of a republic and a democracy to create the system we have now…or do we? Glenn explains how our system of unelected, faceless bureaucrats is the real danger, not Trump supporters…

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: I have some -- some breaking news from CNN. We apparently are not a republic.

Now, I want you to listen to the -- please, I haven't said this in a long time. But just about everything pisses me off so much, and I can't believe it, that I've kind of have given up on my head not exploding.

But I guarantee you, your head will explode on this CNN clip.

So please, wrap your head tightly in duct tape. It will explode.

But at least you will have all the pieces that way, when you walk in, they will be like, oh, another head explosion.

And you will have all the pieces, so they can stitch you back together.

But your head will explode on this. Here's the latest from CNN.

VOICE: President Biden's House's re-election campaign is a fight to preserve democracy. If you ask some Trump supporters, the former president is not a threat to democracy, because the United States is not a democracy.

VOICE: Obviously, there's a lot of criticisms of Trump, that he is bad for democracy. That he's bad for American democracy.

VOICE: We are a republic. We are not a democracy.

VOICE: We are a republic, we're not a democracy.

VOICE: One thing we've been hearing at Trump rallies like this over the past few months. Is that America isn't really a democracy.

VOICE: America is not a democracy. It's a republic. .

VOICE: Look, it's not a democracy. Democracy is actually not as good as you think it is.

VOICE: America is a democracy. It was founded as a democracy.

VOICE: Here's the expert.

VOICE: I've had heard a lot of conspiracy theories, I hear a lot of things out on the road. But to hear Americans, people who describe themselves as patriots, say that America is not a democracy. That stopped me in my tracks.

GLENN: Right.

VOICE: You were hearing people say America is not a democracy because there are people around Trump who want them to be saying that. Who have planted that narrative.

GLENN: Okay. They've been planting that narrative. Continue on. Please. Play some more if there's more. Oh, you have to get to the end. See if you can get to the rest of it. Where they go back and talk to people and they're saying, you're wrong. We're not a republic.

And they make this into a giant scandal.

We are a republic!

And to the republic, for which it stands! Okay?

Here's the problem, people don't understand what the difference is between a democracy.

We are a democracy, on voting day.

One man. One vote.

You go in. And you use the democratic principle of one man, one vote.

And you democratically elect people to their position.

But what you're not doing is voting on every single law.

You are voting for a representative.

That representative represents you in the republic. A republic has people -- understands that people can't understand every single issue and be voting on every single issue. A republic also understands that a democracy is bad. A -- democracy-only country will every time. Because all you need is to whip enough people into a frenzy. Schedule a vote. They'll vote, the way you want them to vote. It will bring you things like the Patriot Act, when something bad happens, people will be like, we've got to stop all those Japanese! Let's put them into a camp!

Okay? You have a republic to slow the process down and give reason a chance. Can you imagine this country voting on every single issue? When they don't even know the difference between a republic and a democracy? And when you have media, that is going to experts -- so-called experts. And telling us, that we're -- we're not a republic!

A lot of time was spent with the Founders trying to find the best system. They ruled democracy out, because they always fail.

So they took the democratic principle, which is one man, one vote. Used that to select representatives.

We are a representative republic. And that you have to be able to explain that to people.

You have to understand, look, democracy is a very important part of our republic. But it is not what we are.

We are a democratic republic. So we vote for the people to represent us. Why is the democracy part so important?

Well, the democracy part is really important because what was the war in heaven, all about?

If you go back and you read your Scriptures and you look at the war in heaven, what was it about?

It was about Satan saying, I'll cleanse all of them. You don't need anything, but me. I'll go down, and I will tell everyone, what they're supposed to do and keep them from sinning.

I'll keep them safe, and they won't make any decisions on their own. I'll tell them they can only do these things. Then Jesus stood up and said, no. They must have freedom of choice.

And so, I will go down, and atone for all of their mistakes.

So the very first thing, in the -- the very first argument, in all of the Scriptures, the first argument was over free choice.

Do I have someone make all the decisions to keep me safe, and free from all harm?

Or do I have a savior, that will rebalance things and make sure that you're clean enough?

Because no one can be clean enough!

No one will ever be perfect on earth!

Unless, Satan would say, somebody tells them exactly what they can and cannot do.

Well, that is a misunderstanding of human nature. That is a misunderstanding of God's nature.

So one man, one vote. Yes! Very important.

But then take human nature into account!

Human nature is to just go with their feelings. That's a bad idea. So the whole Constitution is written, to restrain the government, so they cannot make every decision for you, like they're trying to.

This is when people say, government thinks it's God.

Government is their God.

Yes, it is!

Because they want it to make all of the decisions for you. Does that sound like the plan of Jesus? Or the plan of Satan?

So you elect the representatives. They answer to you.

This is why they're the one that holds the purse.

Congress is supposed to be the only one that can initiate pending.

But these people who claim they're for democracy, are just spending it in any way.

It doesn't matter. They hold the purse. They're the closest to you. They're elected every two years.

Why? Because you need to be able to tell your representative, no! That's not what we want. That's why every bill of spending, everything, needs to start with Congress! But what happened to Congress? Why isn't Congress doing everything?

Well, they'll say it's because of the Republicans and the Democrats. No. It's because no one in Washington wants it to work that way! They want to be able to issue dictates! Dictate. Dictate. That's the root word of something else. Oh! A dictator.

They want to issue either an executive order, which is part of the American republic, but they were never meant to be used like this.

All the things that are going through executive order now, are the responsibility of Congress and the Senate!

They were never -- we were never to be ruled by faceless bureaucrats, that no one elected. You want to talk about back to democracy, the EPA.

The ATF. The -- the housing people. The -- the Fed! All of these things, that you never elected. You never elected any of those people. And it's okay if they are hired to be in there to make the system work. But instead, they're making the rules, which become laws.

Only Congress can make laws. But we don't do that anymore. That's why we have to restore the republic. Democracy is happening. And democracy is very important.

But we have to restore the republic. Because the republic part of our democratic republic is broken!

Oh. These -- the -- the lies and the lies from not only the media, but the so-called experts, when are we going to stop listening to these experts?

Well, I'll tell you. I'll tell you. Because the rest of that CNN report, went on. And went back to the people who said, we're a republic. Not a democracy.

And then they couldn't understand. They couldn't define what a republic was.

Well, you're of no help.

You're of no help. That's why we have the experts.

Don't claim something, if you don't -- all knowledge. All information. Everything you believe must be yours.

And it must be purchased at the price, that apparently is too high for somebody -- some people to pay. Most Americans to pay. The price you have for your opinion, is it is your opinion, that you have done some sort of research, you've done some sort of thinking on this. And you haven't taken it from a boob like me, and just, oh, yeah. He said it. And it sounded really good. So we are a republic not a democracy. You can't take what I have spent my lifetime learning and studying, you can't take it from me.

It must be your own. It's like a testimony of God. If you don't have a testimony, that is yours. If you are feasting on somebody else's, you're doomed.

Okay?

It won't work. It will break down. And people will say, well, wait a minute. What about this or this or this.

If you haven't thought of that, then you don't really have a testimony. If you haven't thought -- when I say, well, what is the difference between a republic and a democracy?

If you can't explain that, how do you think can't kids are going to explain it? How do you think you can possibly defend the United States of America?

If we don't know what our rights are, if we don't know why they were established.

See, this is -- give me. Give me a minute.

I'll come back in just a second.

First, let me take a minute here. A break. And tell you about the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.

On June 8th, in a daring daytime raid, Israeli security forces rescued four hostages, held by Hamas terrorists in Gaza.

Some were being held in the homes of Palestinian citizens. A man named Aaron Zamora. Commander of the police special counterterrorism unit.

He was killed during the time rescue. Israel's ground campaign against Hamas continues. Even as Hezbollah is attacking them from the north.

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has a pledge that they are asking Christians to take.

To stand with their Jewish brothers and centers. To never be silent. The first step in this, is to know why the Jewish people, and why Israel, even exists!

Why does Israel exist?

If you don't know the answer to that, then you're of no help.

Israel exists for one reason, this is just one reason. And that is so they can defend themselves!

Because everywhere Jews go, they end up being the scapegoat. And they can't defend themselves. Because the country will say, well, they're dangerous.

We need to disarm them. Well, no, no, no. We'll protect you.

Then they never do. At least if they have a homeland, they can defend themselves. Anyway, the pledge is to ask you to say, I understand never again. I understand never again is now. At all times. I understand what is happening in the world, and the evil that is happening.

And I, as a Christian, pledge to the Jews all around the world, by neighbors in Israel, everywhere. I will stand with you.

Will you sign this pledge? Go to SupportIFCJ.org. That's SupportIFCJ.org.

And take a stand today. Ten-second station ID.
(music)
Now, let me ask you something: Why would people who say one man, one vote, is so important. Be the leaders on stealing votes.

Why would somebody who really, truly believes in democracy, also at the same time be saying, it's about the collective.

Why?

If you believe in the principle of democracy.

That's the individual, having a voice.

And we have that here in America.

That's part one of our republic. The individual has a voice.

Now, why does the individual have a voice? Because, again, back to the war in heaven. Christ said, I will atone for all of them.

Individually, it wasn't collective, we must. We can't earn it as an individual.

We can't earn it as a collective. But it was personal. An individual to each of us.

Okay. That's where we get all men are created equal. They are created spiritually equal. It doesn't mean they're born in equal families with equal opportunities. Or they'll have equal outcomes.

It means we all are the same in the spirit.

That -- that spark of life is the same in all of us.

And we all have the same rights, no matter what station you were born in. No matter who you are. You still have the same basic human right.

The Gnostics tried to make this into a 1 percent kind of deal. The Gnostics were like, well, not everybody is safe. I mean, those who know. They will be safe.

But not everybody.

This is why we're supposed to treat everyone equally.

This is why we're supposed to treat people like our brothers and sisters.

Because we literally are spiritual brothers and sisters of each other. And if we can get to a point to where we can see the spiritual spark in every human being, even when we meet them.

Even when we don't like them. Even if -- even if they're trying to destroy us. They are still that person! They're still a human being. My brother or sister.

This is why trials are supposed to be done. Justice is blind. Because you're not supposed to look at the R or the D, after their name. You're not supposed to look for the Trump or the Biden. You're supposed to look at the lay, and the claim of the breaking of the law. And the facts. And that's it!

With democracies, you get a mob.

And in the end, you always get the collective. Both of those are evil!

THE GLENN BECK PODCAST

Are Epstein's "Blackmail Videos" Being Used for Leverage RIGHT NOW?

What was Jeffrey Epstein's operation all about. If he was at the center of a massive blackmail operation to compromise those in positions of power, who is in possession of that information now? Glenn Beck and ATF Whistleblower John Dodson analyze the details of this situation and give their thoughts on what is the most likely reality surrounding Epstein.

Watch Glenn Beck's FULL Interview with ATF Whistleblower John Dodson HERE

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WARNING: How America Elects a Socialist President in 2028 | Glenn TV | Ep 444

The rise of Zohran Mamdani, the 33-year-old socialist who just won the Democratic primary for mayor, is not just a political earthquake shaking New York City — it’s a warning for the rest of America. Backed by Bernie Sanders, AOC, and the Democratic Socialists of America, Mamdani promises free everything, to tax the rich, and to dismantle capitalism. There’s nothing new about this tired strategy, but the media is propping him up as a new political genius. And with Democrat leaders lining up behind him, it’s clear: This radicalism isn’t fringe anymore. It’s the Democratic Party’s future. Mamdani’s rise is part of a larger movement that’s rewriting America’s values. Glenn Beck explains how New York is the prototype for the Left’s socialist makeover of America. Victor Davis Hanson, senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Standford, gives a terrifying prediction on Mamdani’s mayoral race chances and warns the revolution is coming for mainstream Democrats. He also dives into MAGA’s frustration with the Trump administration's handling of the Epstein files.

RADIO

Did CLOUD SEEDING cause the Texas floods?

Did cloud seeding cause the 4th of July Texas floods? Rainmaker founder and CEO Augustus Doricko, who has been blamed for the flooding, joins Glenn Beck to make the case that it’s impossible for his July 2nd operation to have caused the disaster.

RADIO

INSIDE Trump’s soul: How a bullet changed his heart forever

“I have a new purpose,” then-candidate Donald Trump told reporter Salena Zito after surviving the assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. Salena joins Glenn Beck to reveal what Trump told her about God, his purpose in life, and why he really said, “Fight! Fight! Fight!”, as she details in her new book, “Butler: The Untold Story of the Near Assassination of Donald Trump and the Fight for America's Heartland”.

Transcript

Below is a rush transcript that may contain errors

GLENN: Salena, congratulations on your book. It is so good.

Just started reading it. Or listening to it, last night.

And I wish you would have -- I wish you would have read it. But, you know, the lady you have reading it is really good.

I just enjoy the way you tell stories.

The writing of this is the best explanation on who Trump supporters are. That I think I've ever read, from anybody.

It's really good.

And the description of your experience there at the edge of the stage with Donald Trump is pretty remarkable as well. Welcome to the program.

SALENA: Thank you, Glenn. Thank you so much for having me.

You know, I was thinking about this, as I was ready to come on. You and I have been along for this ride forever. For what?

Since 2006? 2005?

Like 20 years, right?

GLENN: Yeah. Yeah.

SALENA: And I've been chronicling the American people for probably ten more years, before that. And it's really remarkable to me, as watching how this coalition has grown. Right?

And watching how people have the -- have become more aspirational.

And that's -- and that is what the conservative populist coalition is, right?

It is the aspirations of many, but the celebration of the individual.

And chronicling them, yeah. Has been -- has been, a great honor.

GLENN: You know, I was thinking about this yesterday, when -- when Elon Musk said he was starting another party.

And somebody asked me, well, isn't he doing what the Tea Party tried to do?

No. The Tea Party was not going to start a new party.

It was to -- you know, it was to coerce and convince the Republican Party to do the right thing. And it worked in many ways. It didn't accomplish what we hoped.

But it did accomplish a lot of things.

Donald Trump is a result of the Tea Party.

I truly believe that. And a lot of the people that were -- right?

Were with Donald Trump, are the people that were with the Tea Party.


SALENA: That's absolutely right.

So that was the inception.

So American politics has always had movements, that have been just outside of a party. Or within a party.

That galvanize and broaden the coalition. Right? They don't take away. Or walk away, and become another party.

If anything, if there is a third party out there, it's almost a Republican Party.

Because it has changed in so many viable and meaningful ways. And the Tea Party didn't go away. It strengthened and broadened the Republican Party. Because these weren't just Republicans that became part of this party.

It was independents. It was Democrats.

And just unhappy with the establishment Republicans. And unhappy with Democrats.

And that -- that movement is what we -- what I see today.

What I see every day. What I saw that day, in butler, when I showed I happen at that rally.

As I do, so many rallies, you know, throughout my career. And that one was riveting and changed everything.

GLENN: You made a great case in the opening chapter. You talk about how things were going for Donald Trump.

And how this moment really did change everything for Donald Trump.

Changed the trajectory, changed the mood.

I mean, Elon Musk was not on the Trump train, until this.

SALENA: Yeah.

GLENN: Moment. What do I -- what changed? How -- how did that work?

And -- and I contend, that we would have much more profound change, had the media actually done their job and reported this the way it really was. Pragmatism

SALENA: You know, and people will find this in the book. I'm laying on the ground with an agent on top of me.

I'm 4 feet away from the president.

And there's -- there's notices coming up on my phone. Saying, he was hit by broken glass.

And to this take, that remains part of this sibling culture, in American politics.

Because reporters were -- were so anxious to -- to right what they believed happened.

As opposed to what happened.

And it's been a continual frustration of mine, as a reporter, who is on the ground, all the time.

And I'll tell you, what changed in that moment.

And I say a nuance, and I believe nuance is dead in American journalism.

But it was a nuance and it was a powerful conversation, that I had with President Trump, the next day. He called me the next morning.

But it's a powerful conversation I had with him, just two weeks ago.

When he made this decision to say, fight, fight, fight.

People have put in their heads, why they think he said it. But he told me why he said that. And he said, Salena, in that moment, I was not Donald Trump the man. I was a former president. I was quite possibly going to be president again.

And I had an obligation to the country, and to the office that I have served in, to project strength. To project resolve.

To project that we will not be defeated.

And it's sort of like a symbolic eagle, that is always -- you know, that symbol that we look at, when we think about our country.

He said, that's why I said that. I didn't want the people behind me panicking. I didn't want the people watching, panicking.

I had to show strength. And it's that nuance -- that I think people really picked up on.

And galvanized people.

GLENN: So he told me, when he was laying down on the stage.

And you can hear him. Let me get up. Let me get up.

I've got to get up.

He told me, as I was laying on the stage. I asked him, what were you thinking? What was going through your head? Now, Salena, I don't know about you.

But with me. It would be like, how do I get off the stage? My first was survival.

He said, what was going on through his mind was, you're not pathetic. This is pathetic.

You're not afraid. Get up.

Get up.

And so is that what informed his fight, fight, fight, of that by the time that he's standing up, he's thinking, I'm a symbol? Or do you think he was thinking, I'm a symbol, this looks pathetic. It makes you look weak.

Stand up. How do you think that actually happened?

SALENA: He thinks, and we just talked about this weeks ago. He -- you know, and this is something that he's really thought about.

Right? You know, he's gone over and over and over. And also, purpose and God. Right? These are things that have lingered with him.

You know, he -- he thought, yes.

He did think, it was pathetic that he was on the ground. But he wasn't thinking about, I'm Donald Trump. It's pathetic.

He's thinking, my country is symbolically on the ground. I need to get up, and I need to show that my country is strong.

That our country is resolute.

And I need people to see that.

We can't go on looking like pathetic.

Right?

And I think that then goes to that image of Biden.

GLENN: You have been with so many presidents.

How many presidents do you think that you've personally been with, would have thought that and reacted that way?

SALENA: Probably only Reagan. Reagan would have. Reagan probably would have thought that.

And if you remember how he was out like standing outside.

You know, waving out the window. Right?

After he was shot.

GLENN: At the hospital, right.

SALENA: Had he not been knocked out, unconscious, you know, he probably would have done the same thing.

Because he was someone who deeply believed in American exceptionalism.

And American exceptionalism does not go lay on the ground.

GLENN: And the symbol.

Right. The symbol of the presidency.

SALENA: Yeah. Absolutely. And I think that affects him today.

GLENN: So let me go back to God.

Because you talked to him the next day. And your book Butler.

He calls you up.

I love the fact that your parents would be ashamed of you. On what you said to him.

The language you used. That you just have to read the book.

It's just a great part.

But he calls you the next morning. And wants to know if you're okay.

And you -- you then start talking to him, about God.

And I was -- I was thinking about this, as I was listening to it. You know, Lincoln said, I wasn't -- I wasn't a Christian.

Even though, he was.

I wasn't a Christian, when I was elected. I wasn't a Christian when my son died.

I became a Christian at Gettysburg.

Is -- is -- I mean, I believe Donald Trump always believes in God, et cetera, et cetera.

Do you think there was a real profound change at Butler with him?


SALENA: Absolutely. You know, he called me seven times that day. Seven times, the take after seven.

GLENN: Crazy.

SALENA: Talked about. And I think he was looking for someone that he knew, that was there. And to try to sort it out.

Right? And I let him do most of the talking. I didn't pressure him.

At all. I believed that he was having -- you know, he was struggling. And he needed to just talk. And I believed my purpose was to listen.

Right? I know other reporters would have handled it differently. And that's okay. That's not the kind of reporter that I am.

And I myself was having my own like, why didn't I die?

Right?

Because it went right over my head.

And -- and so I -- he had the conversation about God.

He's funny. I thought it was the biggest mosquito in the world that hit me.

But he had talked profoundly about purpose. You know, and God.

And how God was in that moment.

It --

GLENN: I love the way you -- in the book, I love the way you said that as he's kind of working it out in his own he head.

He was like, you know, I -- I -- I always knew that there was some sort of, you know -- that God was present.

He said, but now that this has happened.

I look back at all of the trials.

All of the tribulations. Literally, the trials.

All of the things that have happened. And he's like, I realized God was there the whole time.

SALENA: Yes. He does. And it's fascinating to have been that witness to history, to have those conversations with him. Because I'm telling you. And y'all know, I can talk. I didn't say much of anything.

I just -- I just listened. I felt that was my purpose, in that moment.

To give him that space, to work it out.

I'm someone that is, you know, believes in God.

I'm Catholic. I followed my faith.

And -- and so, I thought, well, this is why God put me here. Right?

And to -- to have that -- to hear him talk about purpose, to hear him say, Salena. Why did I put a chart down?

I'm like, sir. I don't know. I thought you were Ross Perot for a second.

He never has a chart. And he laughed. And then he said, why did I put that chart down?

By that term, I never turned my head away from people at the rally. That's true.

That relationship is very transactional. It's very -- they feed off of each other.

It's a very emotive moment when you attend a rally. Because he has a way of talking at a rally. That you believe that you are seeing.

And he said, and I never turn my head away.

I never turn my head away.

Why did I turn my head away?

I don't remember consciously thinking about turning my head away. And then he says to me, that was God, wasn't it?

Yes, sir. It was. It was God.

And he said, that's -- that's why I have a new purpose.

And so, Glenn. I think it's important, when you look at the breadth of what has happened, since he was sworn in.

You see that purpose, every day.

He doesn't let up.

He continues going.

And it brings back to the beginning of the book.

Where you find out, that there was another president that was shot at in Butler.

And that was George Washington. And how different the country would have been, had he died in that moment.

And now think about how different the country would be, had President Trump died in that moment. There would be --

GLENN: We're talking to -- we're talking to Salena Zito. About her new book called Butler. The assassination attempt on President Trump. And it is riveting.

And, you know, it is so good. I wish the press would read it. Because it really explains who we are, who Trump supporters are. Who are, you know, red staters. It is so good at that. She's the best at that.