WEBVTT 1 00:00:22.120 --> 00:00:26.199 And Hello, Hi, how are you welcome to the Big 2 00:00:26.239 --> 00:00:31.239 Podcast on this Friday. Today's the thirty first day of October, 3 00:00:31.239 --> 00:00:35.640 Happy Halloween, on the year of Our Lord, twenty twenty five. 4 00:00:35.719 --> 00:00:36.880 My name is Tom Sullivan. 5 00:00:37.560 --> 00:00:38.759 So so so. 6 00:00:40.280 --> 00:00:42.560 We've got a lot to go over today. We just 7 00:00:42.600 --> 00:00:48.640 got word as we are recording this podcast today that 8 00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:55.159 the government, there's been two judges with this afternoon, one 9 00:00:55.240 --> 00:00:58.520 federal judge in Rhode Island and another federal judge almost 10 00:00:58.560 --> 00:01:04.120 simultaneously in Boston, so they're both New England, have blocked 11 00:01:04.120 --> 00:01:10.599 the Trump administration from stopping Snap benefits footstamp benefits during 12 00:01:10.599 --> 00:01:14.799 the government shutdown. So this all was supposed to come 13 00:01:14.840 --> 00:01:19.480 to a screeching halt tonight tomorrow. Those on SNAP were 14 00:01:19.519 --> 00:01:23.159 not going to be able to use there wouldn't be 15 00:01:23.239 --> 00:01:27.840 any funds on their cards. Now I don't personally know 16 00:01:27.959 --> 00:01:35.200 how those cards get loaded. The foodstamps. That terminology came 17 00:01:35.239 --> 00:01:38.519 because when the program first started many years ago, they 18 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:42.519 actually had a book of stamps, and depending upon how 19 00:01:42.599 --> 00:01:46.000 much the bill was at the cashier, they peeled off 20 00:01:46.040 --> 00:01:49.480 a number of stamps. But it led to a lot 21 00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:56.840 of people feeling shame, guilt, whatever, some sort of negative 22 00:01:56.879 --> 00:02:02.560 feeling because they everybody stand in line. That was before 23 00:02:02.599 --> 00:02:08.039 they had the checkout automatic checkout things, but the kiosk uh, 24 00:02:08.199 --> 00:02:11.520 so everybody would see that, Oh, that's the person that's 25 00:02:11.560 --> 00:02:15.199 on food stamps. So they changed it to a card 26 00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:18.159 that looks like a credit card. I don't know how 27 00:02:18.199 --> 00:02:21.719 they load those. I don't know. With these judges, like 28 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:26.879 I said, two of them this afternoon almost simultaneously said yeah, 29 00:02:26.919 --> 00:02:31.560 you've got to You've got a fund that those food stamps, 30 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:36.000 the SNAP benefits. Uh. And what the judge said, This 31 00:02:36.120 --> 00:02:40.840 one judge out of Rhode Island named Judge Jack McConnell, 32 00:02:42.120 --> 00:02:48.840 said that, uh. The he said the administration must use 33 00:02:50.039 --> 00:02:55.360 a six billion dollar contingency fund already set aside by 34 00:02:55.439 --> 00:02:59.360 Congress to continue using SNAP benefits. Now, these funds, the 35 00:02:59.479 --> 00:03:03.360 six billion dollars, are apparently at the United States Department 36 00:03:03.400 --> 00:03:09.879 of Agriculture USDA. Now, yesterday the Secretary of Agriculture said 37 00:03:09.919 --> 00:03:14.280 we can't legally use those. Well, this one judge today said, yeah, 38 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:19.159 well yes you can. But here's the problem. The contingency 39 00:03:19.240 --> 00:03:23.360 fund has six billion dollars in it sounds like a 40 00:03:23.400 --> 00:03:27.960 lot of money, but the SNAP program takes almost nine 41 00:03:28.280 --> 00:03:33.360 billion per month, so they can't. I don't know how 42 00:03:33.360 --> 00:03:35.280 they do this. If they if they load them once 43 00:03:35.360 --> 00:03:38.759 a month, I think so, but they don't have enough 44 00:03:38.800 --> 00:03:41.919 to load everything. They have six billion, but they cost 45 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:44.879 nine billion, so they I don't know what they're going 46 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:47.599 to do, and I don't know whether the federal government 47 00:03:47.680 --> 00:03:50.560 is going to appeal this or not. But that is 48 00:03:50.599 --> 00:03:55.759 the ruling that has come out, So that brings up 49 00:03:55.759 --> 00:03:58.439 the other question too. These are two judges, federal judges 50 00:03:58.479 --> 00:04:02.120 in federal districts New England, one in Massachusetts, one in 51 00:04:02.599 --> 00:04:06.599 Rhode Island. You know, they were judge shopping on this 52 00:04:06.759 --> 00:04:10.039 because that part of the country is very, very liberal, 53 00:04:10.120 --> 00:04:13.719 Rhode Island and Boston, of course, so you knew they 54 00:04:13.759 --> 00:04:17.800 were going to get a favorable ruling on this. So 55 00:04:18.079 --> 00:04:20.519 now the question is who's running the country. And I 56 00:04:20.759 --> 00:04:24.680 thought that the Supreme Court admonished federal judges and said 57 00:04:25.360 --> 00:04:30.560 you can decide federal law for your district, but not 58 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:34.519 for the nation. That's not your role. But both of 59 00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:38.319 these judges have made rulings that basically apply to the 60 00:04:38.480 --> 00:04:41.480 entire country, the forty two million people that are on 61 00:04:41.560 --> 00:04:46.360 SNAP benefits, not just the people that live in Massachusetts 62 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:49.319 or the people that live in Rhode Island. So again 63 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:51.399 it goes back to who is running the country. Is 64 00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:54.319 it the judges or is it Congress. Congress is the 65 00:04:54.360 --> 00:04:57.399 one who set these funds aside, put them in the 66 00:04:57.439 --> 00:05:02.000 executive branch, and the executive branch said it wasn't legal 67 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:05.160 to use. Judges said, yes you can. But again, the 68 00:05:05.240 --> 00:05:09.439 problem is they have a six billion dollar fund contingency fund, 69 00:05:09.480 --> 00:05:11.920 and that will be completely wiped out and then some 70 00:05:12.399 --> 00:05:14.519 because it takes nine billion dollars to do it. So 71 00:05:14.680 --> 00:05:19.079 we've got that. We've also well, let's let's get into 72 00:05:19.199 --> 00:05:23.759 this whole thing about pick up from where we left yesterday. 73 00:05:24.759 --> 00:05:29.600 President had come back from his Asian trip, and it 74 00:05:29.800 --> 00:05:35.000 was fascinating to hear the analysis because the president, who 75 00:05:35.240 --> 00:05:38.759 always the way he thinks, the way he works, the 76 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:42.600 way he speaks is always everything's the greatest, the best, 77 00:05:43.480 --> 00:05:46.800 head on and on. And that's good. I'm glad to 78 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:49.639 see the man as super positive. The problem is with 79 00:05:49.720 --> 00:05:53.920 a lot of people that know about the relationship with China, 80 00:05:54.639 --> 00:05:58.040 said no, China has got a different message saying it 81 00:05:58.079 --> 00:06:01.360 wasn't all that great. So there's still a lot to 82 00:06:01.519 --> 00:06:08.360 work out. Two things about the talks with China. One 83 00:06:08.399 --> 00:06:12.399 of them is about Taiwan. The other one is about 84 00:06:12.519 --> 00:06:15.920 the President said we're going to start nuclear testing again. 85 00:06:17.079 --> 00:06:20.439 General Keen weighs in on both. Let's start with his 86 00:06:20.560 --> 00:06:25.720 reaction regarding the fact that nothing was said about Taiwan. 87 00:06:26.240 --> 00:06:28.120 Yeah, there's no doubt about it. I really would have 88 00:06:28.240 --> 00:06:31.079 liked that to be on the agenda. Maybe it was 89 00:06:31.120 --> 00:06:32.920 on the agenda. I don't know who was talked about. 90 00:06:32.959 --> 00:06:34.759 I think if it was that any progress would have 91 00:06:34.759 --> 00:06:38.360 been made there, we would know about it. I really 92 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:43.360 do think that China clearly matters in sustaining Russia. Not 93 00:06:43.519 --> 00:06:46.480 just what do oil, but that's primary, but they provide 94 00:06:46.519 --> 00:06:49.560 everything short of a weapon system to them to keep 95 00:06:49.560 --> 00:06:53.839 them moving. They are their number one supplier in keeping 96 00:06:53.879 --> 00:06:57.639 Putin in the war and compensating for the short falls 97 00:06:57.639 --> 00:07:00.600 he has in his defense industrial base. And we're going 98 00:07:00.680 --> 00:07:03.360 to have to deal with China when it pertains to 99 00:07:03.439 --> 00:07:05.319 support for Russia at some point here. 100 00:07:05.759 --> 00:07:08.480 So I'm curious as to why Taiwan was not on 101 00:07:08.839 --> 00:07:13.480 the agenda. Wasn't even discussed about the nuclear testing. This 102 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:17.319 is something that was brought up by President Trump just 103 00:07:17.439 --> 00:07:22.000 before the meeting with President she and his delegation in 104 00:07:22.120 --> 00:07:22.839 South Korea. 105 00:07:23.800 --> 00:07:26.680 You know, I can only speculate here, but it's been 106 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:29.160 known for a number of years. I mean, the three 107 00:07:29.160 --> 00:07:33.639 countries that are testing openly nuclear weapons in India, Pakistan, 108 00:07:33.680 --> 00:07:37.879 and North Korea. We have suspected for years, and I 109 00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:40.560 likely Trump took a briefing before he went on this 110 00:07:40.680 --> 00:07:46.680 trip that China and Russia have been secretly testing nuclear warheads, 111 00:07:47.240 --> 00:07:51.560 and likely the President has a pretty good fidelity on 112 00:07:51.639 --> 00:07:55.120 what that is, if that actually has been taking place, 113 00:07:55.160 --> 00:07:58.560 and that may have been on his mind knowing that reality. 114 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:02.000 I'm only speculating as to why he wants to resume 115 00:08:02.040 --> 00:08:05.240 that testing, because he wants to shut them down. This 116 00:08:05.319 --> 00:08:08.439 isn't He doesn't want to escalate, as you well know. 117 00:08:08.519 --> 00:08:10.839 He wants to reduce the number of nuclear weapons we 118 00:08:10.879 --> 00:08:13.399 have while China is expanding it, trying to catch us 119 00:08:13.399 --> 00:08:15.800 and go past us. He would like to get into 120 00:08:15.839 --> 00:08:19.000 a deal with China, Russia in the United States sitting 121 00:08:19.040 --> 00:08:21.839 down around a table and let's reduce the number of 122 00:08:21.959 --> 00:08:26.399 nuclear weapons. Russia's increasing theirs because they've got tactical nuclear 123 00:08:26.399 --> 00:08:30.639 weapons now because they broke part with the IMF treaty. 124 00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:33.960 The Reagan established, and she is on the march with 125 00:08:34.279 --> 00:08:37.840 modernized nuclear weapons and his desires to go right past 126 00:08:37.840 --> 00:08:40.519 what Russia and the United States have. And when you're 127 00:08:40.519 --> 00:08:42.639 looking at the you got to look at the both 128 00:08:42.679 --> 00:08:46.000 of them as being adversaries of ours and combine their 129 00:08:46.399 --> 00:08:49.720 nuclear weapons together is the issue for the United States 130 00:08:49.759 --> 00:08:52.279 and dealing with this, And there's no wonder the President 131 00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:55.320 wants to sit down and have a discussion on bringing 132 00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:58.240 this all down to something that's far more reasonable. 133 00:08:58.919 --> 00:09:03.679 Fascinating because if Russia and China are both increasing their 134 00:09:03.799 --> 00:09:08.000 nuclear weapon capability and President Trump wants to reduce them, 135 00:09:08.879 --> 00:09:11.519 something's got to give. Here's what the President actually said 136 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:13.039 about nuke testing. 137 00:09:13.120 --> 00:09:15.679 Things I discussed with President put in the other It 138 00:09:15.720 --> 00:09:19.360 wasn't just that, it was also other things. And I 139 00:09:19.399 --> 00:09:23.720 think the denuclearization is a very it's a big game. 140 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:26.919 But Russia is willing to do it, and I think 141 00:09:27.000 --> 00:09:29.519 China is going to be willing to do it now. 142 00:09:29.960 --> 00:09:33.840 That statement by President Trump, that's from a comment that 143 00:09:33.879 --> 00:09:37.679 he made two months ago. So why he wants to 144 00:09:37.720 --> 00:09:41.840 start nuclear testing again? And the question is what kind 145 00:09:41.879 --> 00:09:47.440 of nuclear testing? Admiral Stravitees had this comment about it. 146 00:09:48.159 --> 00:09:51.559 I don't think related. You know three different things. Here, 147 00:09:51.919 --> 00:09:55.519 a nuclear weapon, everyone knows what that is, goes off, 148 00:09:55.679 --> 00:10:02.919 mushroom cloud, Nagasaki, Hiroshima, devastating. There is nuclear power, which 149 00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:10.600 is electricity generated by nuclear capability. That's benign generally and 150 00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:14.919 is part of what Putin has been talking about. Nuclear 151 00:10:15.399 --> 00:10:21.879 powered torpedoes, nuclear powered cruise missiles. Third thing nuclear testing, 152 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:24.919 That is detonating a nuclear weapon. 153 00:10:25.000 --> 00:10:25.759 You're correct. 154 00:10:26.039 --> 00:10:30.279 The United States hasn't done that since the early nineteen nineties. 155 00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:33.440 Neither has Russia, neither has China. I hope we can 156 00:10:33.480 --> 00:10:37.320 avoid that. The only country that's done a nuclear test 157 00:10:37.600 --> 00:10:42.679 detonating a nuclear weapon of late is North Korea. I 158 00:10:42.720 --> 00:10:45.960 think it's unlikely to happen, and I think President Trump 159 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:51.039 probably conflated nuclear power because Putin was talking about all 160 00:10:51.080 --> 00:10:55.360 of his new nuclear powered weapons. So President Trump kind 161 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:58.799 of converted that to we're going to do nuclear testing 162 00:10:58.879 --> 00:11:01.240 to keep up with them, to show them we're strong. 163 00:11:01.559 --> 00:11:04.440 I'm all for showing them we're strong. I'm not for 164 00:11:04.600 --> 00:11:07.679 nuclear testing, and I doubt the President actually is either 165 00:11:08.360 --> 00:11:09.399 do we need to. 166 00:11:09.399 --> 00:11:11.720 Show them that we're strong or do they know that 167 00:11:11.759 --> 00:11:12.360 we're strong. 168 00:11:13.519 --> 00:11:16.120 I think a bit of both. They're certainly aware that 169 00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:19.039 we have the pre eminent military force in the world. 170 00:11:19.080 --> 00:11:22.759 Our budget is triple that of China, it's four times 171 00:11:22.799 --> 00:11:26.039 maybe five times that of Russia. And it's a highly 172 00:11:26.120 --> 00:11:30.000 blooded armed force because of twenty years in the Forever Wars, 173 00:11:30.000 --> 00:11:33.639 a lot of combat experience. They know all that. On 174 00:11:33.679 --> 00:11:37.399 the other hand, or yes, we have to continually demonstrate 175 00:11:37.440 --> 00:11:41.000 to our opponents that we have that capability. Hopefully you 176 00:11:41.080 --> 00:11:45.320 do it without nuclear testing, without actually attacking other countries. 177 00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:49.039 You do it in tests and exercises, working with your allies. 178 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:53.679 When necessary, use actual force, like the President did against Iran. 179 00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:55.519 What do these tests look like? 180 00:11:57.080 --> 00:11:59.480 It is if you were going to do one. You 181 00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:04.759 could do an underground version, that's what North Korea ostensibly did. 182 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:07.919 You can do it above ground, but it creates a 183 00:12:08.120 --> 00:12:14.600 messy radiation cloud. Obviously, you do it in remote test sites, 184 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:19.360 and I think these days the propensity to go find 185 00:12:19.399 --> 00:12:21.840 a place where you can detonate a nuclear weapon is 186 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:26.879 quite low, so I wouldn't overstress this as a realistic 187 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:28.960 possibility at this point. Fortunate. 188 00:12:29.559 --> 00:12:32.360 How do you think the relationship between President Trump and 189 00:12:32.799 --> 00:12:36.240 President Putin is emerging or shifting? 190 00:12:36.799 --> 00:12:39.639 It is, and I think it is shifting to the 191 00:12:39.679 --> 00:12:43.799 detriment of President Putin. And that's because President Trump has 192 00:12:44.159 --> 00:12:47.519 reached out on a number of occasions, including the red 193 00:12:47.559 --> 00:12:50.360 carpet ride he gave him up in Alaska at the 194 00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:54.919 Computative Summit a few weeks ago. Really, and all that 195 00:12:55.320 --> 00:12:59.120 seems to look like disrespect to President Trump because Putin 196 00:12:59.200 --> 00:13:03.159 is not shifting his position at all. He's continuing maximalist 197 00:13:03.240 --> 00:13:06.759 demands in Ukraine. And I think President Trump is beginning 198 00:13:06.799 --> 00:13:10.639 to see that President Putin is indeed an extremely malevolent 199 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:12.600 actor in the international system. 200 00:13:13.080 --> 00:13:19.120 Beren Sadler, who is with the Heritage Foundation former in 201 00:13:19.159 --> 00:13:22.840 the navyes focused on nuclear submarines. His reaction to all 202 00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:23.440 this nukta. 203 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:25.399 Yes, I mean this has been in the works for 204 00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:26.240 several years. 205 00:13:26.279 --> 00:13:28.480 The fact that the President chose to announce and to 206 00:13:28.519 --> 00:13:31.759 really publicly commit to this just before he met with 207 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:34.519 President Chuging Pain is certainly not something to be missed 208 00:13:34.799 --> 00:13:37.519 for the strategic and the messaging significance of that. But 209 00:13:37.960 --> 00:13:40.840 you could start seeing testing, scaled underground testing in the 210 00:13:40.919 --> 00:13:44.240 very near future. Whether or not we're prepared as another question, 211 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:46.679 but we definitely need to do this. 212 00:13:46.799 --> 00:13:47.960 It's long overdue. 213 00:13:48.120 --> 00:13:51.120 Nuclear weapons do go bad, kind of like bread, but 214 00:13:51.240 --> 00:13:54.679 we do need to test how the fundamentals are changing 215 00:13:54.720 --> 00:13:58.120 over time. You do that with digital kind of simulations, 216 00:13:58.240 --> 00:14:01.080 but those are only so good based on years old data. 217 00:14:01.159 --> 00:14:03.720 So the testing is critical to continue to have high 218 00:14:03.799 --> 00:14:07.000 confidence and the viability of our nuclear deterrence that we 219 00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:07.720 rely on. 220 00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:10.879 So back to the point that Russia and China are 221 00:14:10.919 --> 00:14:15.559 both expanding their nuclear capabilities, what do you make of that? 222 00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:20.559 Well, clearly the Russians and the Chinese have no intent 223 00:14:20.679 --> 00:14:24.159 to backing down on their decades long expansion and modernization 224 00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:26.799 of their nuclear weapon arsenal. The Chinese just a few 225 00:14:26.840 --> 00:14:30.759 years ago triple the size of their intercontinental ballistic missile arsenal, 226 00:14:31.320 --> 00:14:34.120 and so there's no real pressure for them to actually 227 00:14:34.120 --> 00:14:37.320 rein it in unless they're confronted with a strong American 228 00:14:37.440 --> 00:14:41.720 nuclear deterrent. And I think the President realizes that. Putin 229 00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:45.039 also understands the President's desire to get rid of these 230 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:47.600 very dangerous weapons, and that's why he's dangled it out 231 00:14:47.639 --> 00:14:50.720 several times as a way to try to forestall Harsher 232 00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:53.159 actions against his war in Ukraine. 233 00:14:53.799 --> 00:14:56.440 So, while we're keeping an eye on China and Russia 234 00:14:56.519 --> 00:14:59.679 and trying to figure out why the president isn't being 235 00:14:59.679 --> 00:15:04.039 tough on China and talking about Taiwan and Russia and 236 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:08.120 about the oil. But he hasn't, So we move on. 237 00:15:08.200 --> 00:15:11.840 There was an interesting tweet that came out from cash 238 00:15:11.840 --> 00:15:15.879 Pateel earlier this morning. It says the FBI stopped a 239 00:15:15.960 --> 00:15:21.480 potential terrorist attack in Michigan before it could unfold. Thanks 240 00:15:21.480 --> 00:15:25.000 to swift action and coordination with our partners, a violent 241 00:15:25.159 --> 00:15:29.840 plot tied to international terrorism was disrupted. This is what 242 00:15:30.000 --> 00:15:35.519 defending the homeland looks like. Vigilance saves lives. So what 243 00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:38.559 was this all about? We didn't know. All we know 244 00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:42.080 is that he put out this tweet and then later 245 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:46.240 the FBI announced that they arrested multiple people in Michigan. 246 00:15:46.279 --> 00:15:50.000 I believe the number turned out to be five. So 247 00:15:50.519 --> 00:15:54.840 it what was this all about? What was going on? 248 00:15:54.919 --> 00:15:58.320 John Miller, former NYPD guy, chimes in. 249 00:15:58.600 --> 00:16:01.320 Well, the FBI swept out out from the Detroit Field 250 00:16:01.399 --> 00:16:05.639 office last night and through this morning, taking people into custody, 251 00:16:05.720 --> 00:16:12.480 executing search warrants, and doing subpoenas for phones, computers, and 252 00:16:12.519 --> 00:16:16.519 other material. This all relates to an investigation that started 253 00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:21.200 months ago into people who were communicating online with each 254 00:16:21.240 --> 00:16:26.679 other here in the United States in the Detroit area Dearborn, Michigan, Inkster, Michigan, 255 00:16:27.039 --> 00:16:30.799 but also talking to people overseas possibly connected to ISIS. 256 00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:34.759 The discussions were geared towards should they do an ISIS 257 00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:39.200 inspired plot here in the United States. The what that 258 00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:42.519 plot was, the when that plot would be, what the 259 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:47.159 target would be was unclear as they discussed various options 260 00:16:47.200 --> 00:16:51.320 in terms of timing. But this week when a group 261 00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:54.399 of those men that were being monitored went to a 262 00:16:54.559 --> 00:16:59.480 shooting range with AK forty sevens and other weapons, fired 263 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:05.000 a large number of rounds of ammunition practice tactical high 264 00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:09.960 speed reloads, and in the discussions it was picked up 265 00:17:10.039 --> 00:17:13.359 a reference to what we are told was Pumpkin Day, 266 00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:18.319 a possible reference to Halloween. The FBI went into the 267 00:17:18.359 --> 00:17:24.160 mode of do we have the correct controlling features around 268 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:28.200 this group in terms of monitoring, physical surveillance, electronic surveillance, 269 00:17:28.599 --> 00:17:30.720 so that if a plot spun up quickly, we could 270 00:17:30.720 --> 00:17:34.200 stop it in time, because now intent has been established, 271 00:17:34.200 --> 00:17:37.240 but capability has increased by the trip to the shooting range, 272 00:17:37.400 --> 00:17:40.839 and the decision was made to take it down now 273 00:17:41.279 --> 00:17:44.519 and sort through who to charge, who to charge with 274 00:17:44.559 --> 00:17:48.119 what based on the evidence they've gathered over these many weeks. 275 00:17:51.960 --> 00:17:55.039 Which is an interesting dilemma for law enforcement because if 276 00:17:55.079 --> 00:17:58.799 they have a bid on a person or a group 277 00:17:58.799 --> 00:18:03.200 of people that are taught about doing terrorist activities, you 278 00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:09.519 can't arrest people for their thoughts or their social media 279 00:18:10.359 --> 00:18:14.960 communication per se. But you also can't wait until they 280 00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:18.200 actually kill somebody. So how do you go in and 281 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:21.680 stop a terrorist attack before the attack takes place. There 282 00:18:21.720 --> 00:18:29.119 was a guy whose family called law enforcement in the Atlanta, 283 00:18:29.160 --> 00:18:32.400 Georgia area. This was a week or two ago, and 284 00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:35.200 the guy was making all kinds of claims of wanting 285 00:18:35.240 --> 00:18:38.680 to shoot up people in the airport. And sure enough, 286 00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:42.160 he shows up in front of the Atlanta Airport illegally, 287 00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:45.400 parks his truck at the where you drop off passengers, 288 00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:50.240 walks into the airport and is looking around. Now, they 289 00:18:50.279 --> 00:18:54.039 had the beat on this guy, and yet he didn't 290 00:18:54.039 --> 00:18:57.519 have any arms on him. He was just looking around 291 00:18:57.720 --> 00:19:00.880 or was he? Because in his illegal lee park kruk, 292 00:19:01.720 --> 00:19:06.000 it was loaded with high powered ammunition and guns which 293 00:19:06.079 --> 00:19:11.680 are legal to carry apparently in Georgia. So Juliet KM, 294 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:15.000 who was also former FBI, weighs in more on this 295 00:19:15.559 --> 00:19:17.240 story today out of Michigan. 296 00:19:19.960 --> 00:19:23.720 It's typical for this administration and this FBI director. I 297 00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:26.480 think we were all sort of adjusting to it because 298 00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:31.720 he'll announce something. Sometimes he announces it not quite before 299 00:19:31.759 --> 00:19:34.759 it's done, and then we don't know what the details are. 300 00:19:34.839 --> 00:19:37.920 So when we read the FBI director saying a terrorist 301 00:19:37.960 --> 00:19:42.000 attack has been thwarted, that makes it sound like, you know, 302 00:19:43.079 --> 00:19:45.799 this was very imminent, as John says, we don't have 303 00:19:46.039 --> 00:19:50.240 that yet. It also is just it's it's just as 304 00:19:50.599 --> 00:19:53.160 it's a way that this director is that is not 305 00:19:53.400 --> 00:19:57.119 necessarily good for law enforcement. You don't want to get 306 00:19:57.200 --> 00:20:00.640 too far ahead about what the claims are. But you're 307 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:05.599 also the investigation is ongoing. As John luted, this isn't 308 00:20:05.640 --> 00:20:09.279 Dearborn Michigan. It is the high Arab and Muslim American 309 00:20:09.319 --> 00:20:12.720 community and the highest in the United States. Anybody knows 310 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:16.839 that community knows about Dearborn. What are those connections that 311 00:20:17.240 --> 00:20:22.240 those young adults and some of them not even adults 312 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:26.720 yet under eighteenth had to people abroad? Who were those 313 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:29.599 people and where are those people right now? If they 314 00:20:29.640 --> 00:20:34.359 were planning something serious? And then is the group bigger? 315 00:20:34.519 --> 00:20:38.680 So that's why this tactic of Patel I've been critical 316 00:20:38.720 --> 00:20:42.799 of before this and even will being now, And I 317 00:20:42.839 --> 00:20:44.839 want to just alert to one thing. There is a 318 00:20:45.079 --> 00:20:52.079 statement by the Dearborn Police Department about the FBI, and 319 00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:54.759 it seemed, at least in my reading of it, that 320 00:20:54.799 --> 00:21:00.000 there wasn't much connectivity between those two law enforcement. Asians 321 00:21:00.200 --> 00:21:02.640 you've seen this in the past, the FBI will sort 322 00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:05.240 of come in and sort of bypass normal protocols of 323 00:21:05.640 --> 00:21:09.160 Joint Terrorism task Forces law enforcement. So that just means 324 00:21:09.160 --> 00:21:12.000 a lot of people have to adapt because I don't 325 00:21:12.039 --> 00:21:14.079 think it's going to stop well. 326 00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:16.880 That disconnects sometimes between local law enforcement and the FBI 327 00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:18.920 has been around for as long as I can remember, 328 00:21:19.640 --> 00:21:22.359 so it's nothing new. But they were talking about basically cash. 329 00:21:22.359 --> 00:21:25.440 Betel is quick to send out a tweet about the 330 00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:28.119 fact that they're up to something. So we still don't 331 00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:30.680 have all the details, but there was something brewing and 332 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:33.000 they jumped on it. We don't know if it was 333 00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:37.519 actually just some people talking big on social media or 334 00:21:37.559 --> 00:21:44.519 whether they were really going to go kill people. Politics 335 00:21:44.759 --> 00:21:49.160 twenty twenty eight. So here we are with the twenty 336 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:54.279 twenty five election on Tuesday, and living in New York, 337 00:21:54.359 --> 00:21:59.279 I got to tell you every single act is about 338 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:03.119 the mayor's race here in New York, and also, since 339 00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:06.359 they're in the same media market, is the governor's race 340 00:22:06.359 --> 00:22:08.440 in New Jersey. I'm sure for those of you in 341 00:22:08.519 --> 00:22:12.759 Virginia you're getting inundated with ads for your governor's race 342 00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:16.519 and attorney general's race and so forth. But it's what 343 00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:22.440 happens is after Tuesday that really kind of starts the 344 00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:27.640 treadmill into a higher shifting into a higher gear, because 345 00:22:27.680 --> 00:22:30.160 that's going to start for then the midterms. We don't 346 00:22:30.200 --> 00:22:32.319 let up, do we we come act you with the 347 00:22:32.359 --> 00:22:36.400 two twenty five twenty twenty five elections. The minute that's over, 348 00:22:36.759 --> 00:22:40.039 everybody's looking at the race for twenty twenty six in 349 00:22:40.079 --> 00:22:43.920 the midterms. The other big race I don't want to 350 00:22:43.960 --> 00:22:48.839 take away from is it's not a race. It's a proposition. 351 00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:53.799 In California, it's called Proposition fifty and what it was 352 00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:56.359 put on the ballot by the governor and the legislature 353 00:22:56.759 --> 00:23:00.960 to basically say to the people of California, we wanted 354 00:23:00.960 --> 00:23:04.880 to take back the power to draw the legislative congressional 355 00:23:04.960 --> 00:23:07.319 maps for the state of California because we're going to 356 00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:12.839 try and squeeze five more Democrats out of the congressional 357 00:23:12.880 --> 00:23:18.519 districts because Texas is attempting to squeeze five more Republicans. 358 00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:21.640 I saw a study of all the states that are 359 00:23:21.640 --> 00:23:25.160 trying to do redistricting, and it turns out to where 360 00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:28.480 there's about half of them are pro Democrat, about half 361 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:31.640 of them are pro Republican, and the net is maybe 362 00:23:32.440 --> 00:23:37.400 two or three seats different if they're all successful and 363 00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:41.519 they're redistricting. But I got a nice email from Sharon, 364 00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:45.960 the public health nurse. She lives in Tennessee, and she 365 00:23:46.119 --> 00:23:49.559 used to live in California, and we've talked before when 366 00:23:50.079 --> 00:23:52.480 I was doing the radio show. But she sends me 367 00:23:52.519 --> 00:23:55.400 this email. It was about a week ago and with 368 00:23:55.519 --> 00:23:59.160 some photos, and she says California election is a subject 369 00:23:59.559 --> 00:24:04.720 another example of incompetency. Question mark, ballot stuffing. Question mark. 370 00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:08.200 I'm not sure. As I reported to you last year, 371 00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:13.519 our daughter, a registered Democrat, has received California ballots and 372 00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:18.960 election info since we moved to Tennessee five years ago, 373 00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:23.839 even though she has never lived here or with us, 374 00:24:24.160 --> 00:24:28.279 nor used this address for anything. She lives in North 375 00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:32.880 Carolina and she has registered in her state of residence, 376 00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:38.759 but she continues to get election material from California. However, 377 00:24:38.839 --> 00:24:43.680 our two sons, nor my husband, nor myself registered Republicans 378 00:24:43.680 --> 00:24:48.599 and Independents, have ever received any election material from California. 379 00:24:49.000 --> 00:24:54.680 I find this both interesting and concerning. Be well, Nurse Sharon. 380 00:24:55.720 --> 00:24:58.039 I do too, Sharon, and thank you. She sent me 381 00:24:58.240 --> 00:25:02.480 photos of what she got in the mail. And there 382 00:25:02.519 --> 00:25:07.920 it is a statewide special election November fourth, twenty twenty five, 383 00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:13.640 from the California Secretary of State. And there's the ballot 384 00:25:13.880 --> 00:25:16.640 that's got to open it up and do all that. 385 00:25:16.720 --> 00:25:21.319 But I mean, this is why is the registered Democrat 386 00:25:21.440 --> 00:25:25.559 in her family getting a ballot the Democrats, but the 387 00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:29.119 Republicans and the independence in her family are not. And 388 00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:33.559 they don't live in California and they haven't for five years, 389 00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:38.359 which is why people say, oh, Tom, oh Tom. But 390 00:25:38.480 --> 00:25:41.279 I look at this and go, this is why I 391 00:25:41.400 --> 00:25:44.359 don't like mail in ballots. I want you to show 392 00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:49.519 up and present yourself on election day. I know it's 393 00:25:49.559 --> 00:25:54.720 old school, but I'm thank you, Sharon. I'm glad you 394 00:25:55.160 --> 00:25:59.759 sent that to me. So we've got what's going to 395 00:25:59.759 --> 00:26:02.720 happen and after Tuesday, and oh, by the way, back 396 00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:08.279 to Proposition fifty in California. If this passes, it will 397 00:26:08.319 --> 00:26:14.319 give Gavin Newsom a big edge up in the race 398 00:26:14.400 --> 00:26:20.559 to be the Democrat nominee in twenty twenty eight. I 399 00:26:20.599 --> 00:26:23.680 know the midterms have to come next in twenty twenty six, 400 00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:27.279 but they're all trying to position themselves for who's going 401 00:26:27.319 --> 00:26:30.160