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<v Speaker 1>It's the sun they are pushing.

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<v Speaker 2>People aren't talking about a violent.

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<v Speaker 1>Rhetoric against us, but if we dare to fight back,

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<v Speaker 1>we are the violent one.

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<v Speaker 2>Fifty five KRS the talk station.

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<v Speaker 1>ATO five, the.

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<v Speaker 2>Fifty five KRCD talk station. Brian Thomas wishing everyone a

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<v Speaker 2>very happy Wednesday and welcoming to the fifty five KRC

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<v Speaker 2>Morning showman X guest Bernie Mullen. Bernie is the author

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<v Speaker 2>of the book We're going to be talking about Reimagining

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<v Speaker 2>the American Dream, among other books. A founder and chairman

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<v Speaker 2>of something called the Aspire Group, which works with partners

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<v Speaker 2>and to maximize organizational effectiveness, grow revenues and attendance along

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<v Speaker 2>the sports line. Under his guidance, they have grown into

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<v Speaker 2>a massive company generating over two hundred million dollars annually

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<v Speaker 2>revenue and has served two hundred plus brands and properties

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<v Speaker 2>across eleven countries and three continents in seventeen different sports.

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<v Speaker 2>Which is his forte internationally acclaim management, marketing consultant and author.

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<v Speaker 2>He is a chief executive and senior director at multiple organizations.

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<v Speaker 2>Welcome to the Morning Show. Go on with your resume.

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<v Speaker 2>We'd spend a whole time doing that Bernie Mullen, author

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<v Speaker 2>of Realigning America's Dream.

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<v Speaker 1>Thank you Brian for having me on. And yeah, that's

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<v Speaker 1>that's enough background.

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<v Speaker 2>Well the subtitle making it attainable for all, and you

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<v Speaker 2>talk about the erosion of the American dream and how

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of people believe the American dream is increasingly unattainable,

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of division in our country and a lot

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<v Speaker 2>of problems. Generally, the pot's being stirred by multiple forces,

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<v Speaker 2>both within and outside of our country. But let's start

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<v Speaker 2>with the concept of the American dream. How do you

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<v Speaker 2>How does Bernie Mullen define the American dream? Because I

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<v Speaker 2>imagine some people perceive the concept differently.

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<v Speaker 1>Very much. So, yeah, well I define it as you know,

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<v Speaker 1>I grew up in England, so I'm an immigrant, and

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<v Speaker 1>I had an uncle from Canada an uncle from New

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<v Speaker 1>York who both spent extensive time in England. When I

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<v Speaker 1>was a little boy, told me the dream, the dream

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<v Speaker 1>was a better life, you know. So everybody thinks it's

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<v Speaker 1>you know, own your own home and those other kind

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<v Speaker 1>of things, which I think is very much part of it.

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<v Speaker 1>But it's a better life. And so I've been here

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<v Speaker 1>fifty one years and in those fifty one years, I

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<v Speaker 1>have been able to have a better life for me

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<v Speaker 1>than I believe it would have gotten in England, and

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<v Speaker 1>for my kids and my grandkids. So I think, in

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<v Speaker 1>simplicity that's what it is. But I think in today's context, Brian,

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<v Speaker 1>it is a uniting force that brings people together, particularly immigrants,

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<v Speaker 1>but not just immigrants, every American well in a common

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<v Speaker 1>theme and.

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<v Speaker 2>A better life. You know, when I was growing up,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, one of my days and it's the old adage.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, I'm not the only family that grew up

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<v Speaker 2>in an environment where you know, Dad, mom would say

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<v Speaker 2>you are going to grow up and do better than

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<v Speaker 2>I have done. And I always perceived it as a

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<v Speaker 2>young person that that was always from an economic standpoint.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, you're gonna end up making more money than me,

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<v Speaker 2>You're going to be better off than me. And I

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<v Speaker 2>grew up in a very nice lifestyle. I'll be the

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<v Speaker 2>first person to admit, and honestly, Bernie, my drive and

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<v Speaker 2>my initiative to get a college degree, go to law school,

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<v Speaker 2>practice law, and then for the last eighteen years do

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<v Speaker 2>this was always you know, no one's going to be

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<v Speaker 2>there to take care of me. I didn't grow up

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<v Speaker 2>in a world where I was going to inherit my

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<v Speaker 2>father's job. As odd as it is that I ultimately

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<v Speaker 2>did that. I practiced law for sixteen years. But my

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<v Speaker 2>drive came from the lifestyle that I was accustomed to,

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<v Speaker 2>and I didn't want to lose it, you know what

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<v Speaker 2>I'm saying, Yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>Exactly, Yeah, you know, I grew up in very much

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<v Speaker 1>a blue collar income, subsidized house council houses he called

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<v Speaker 1>it in England. My dad worked in a local grocery

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<v Speaker 1>store and had a terrible job. You know, he carried

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<v Speaker 1>the meat in an out he cut up all the

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<v Speaker 1>bones and ground up all the fat and couldn't cut

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<v Speaker 1>up meat. I mean, eventually he went to sell life

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<v Speaker 1>insurance and so about the time I was eleven, we

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<v Speaker 1>moved to nice, middle class But to me, it was

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<v Speaker 1>it was always about maximizing your opportunity. I think one

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<v Speaker 1>of the arguments we get hung up on is everybody's equal, Well,

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<v Speaker 1>everybody's nutty. No, yeah, We're all entitled to equality, an

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<v Speaker 1>equal opportunity because we all have our differences. So, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>in the lives of the law and the state and

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<v Speaker 1>the eyes of God, you know, I believe in or

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<v Speaker 1>created the universe for anybody to believe that. Yeah, we're

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<v Speaker 1>all in titled equal opportunity to prove our differences, to

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<v Speaker 1>maximize what we've got. And my dad taught me two things.

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<v Speaker 1>Number one, hard work, elbow grief was the phrase you

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<v Speaker 1>never hear today. Yeah, you know, it was a hard worker.

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<v Speaker 1>And number two was values and integrity. Your word is

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<v Speaker 1>your bond.

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<v Speaker 2>Honestly, well, that's exactly the environment I was brought up in,

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<v Speaker 2>different economically speaking, but those, of course were the core

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<v Speaker 2>values of the family, you know, honesty, integrity, treating people,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, with dignity and respect. But you know, in

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<v Speaker 2>modern society, it's like the participation trophy. You're going to

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<v Speaker 2>get something just by showing up. And this is really

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<v Speaker 2>watered down that drive and an issue to the young

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<v Speaker 2>people used to have, you know, that sort of feeling

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<v Speaker 2>that I had. Listen, if I don't fend for myself,

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<v Speaker 2>ain't nobody going to be there to fend for me.

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<v Speaker 2>You have to use the tools that you have at

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<v Speaker 2>your disposal to your advantage. And that just seems to

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<v Speaker 2>be washed out the window on this whole idea that

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<v Speaker 2>merit no longer matters and equity must be applied to

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<v Speaker 2>everything across the board.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, well, the participation trophy yorks me more than anything else.

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<v Speaker 1>It's not American, you know. I came to America in

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<v Speaker 1>nineteen seventy three. In nineteen eighty six, I was CENIVP

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<v Speaker 1>oft the Pittsburgh Pirates, back in our battles with the

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<v Speaker 1>Cincinnati Reds and then with the Braves, and never went

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<v Speaker 1>in the National League. And to me, I grew up

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<v Speaker 1>with as one winner and the second place is first loser.

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<v Speaker 1>And you know that drives you. And we've dumbed everything

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<v Speaker 1>down in schools. With dumbing things down, We've got rid

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<v Speaker 1>of standardized tests because they're perceived to be racially biased,

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<v Speaker 1>and they may well be. And I understand that. And

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<v Speaker 1>my book, you know, is the journey of all the

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<v Speaker 1>different places I've lived in America. I've worked in three times,

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<v Speaker 1>I've worked in all four time zone, lived in three

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<v Speaker 1>or four time zones, and come to see the beauty

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<v Speaker 1>of American American values and American values is competition is

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<v Speaker 1>what made us different, what made us the greatest country

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<v Speaker 1>on Earth. I grew up in Europe. I've worked in

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<v Speaker 1>eleven countries around the world for my business, and I

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<v Speaker 1>know that we are the greatest country on earth, and yeah,

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<v Speaker 1>we've got some wartz, but then why are people dying

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<v Speaker 1>to get in here? You know, if we're that bad?

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<v Speaker 1>And we've got to stop this nasty division at the

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<v Speaker 1>political level, with the extreme right pulling in one direction,

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<v Speaker 1>extreme left pulling in the opposite direction. According to Pew Research,

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<v Speaker 1>sixty five percent of Americans are in the middle. Like me,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm fiscally conservative with a warm heart and a social conscience,

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<v Speaker 1>and I think the way they solve it and recommendations

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<v Speaker 1>in the book is to push from the bottom up

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<v Speaker 1>by making the American dream truly attainable for everybody, which

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<v Speaker 1>is all about education. I believe, hmm, an opportunity.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, and that's where I wrote the word nefarious down

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<v Speaker 2>because I do believe the dumbing down of America is

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<v Speaker 2>nefarious in intent. Children are not thought critical, skinking thinking,

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<v Speaker 2>logic and reason have been thrown out the window. And

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<v Speaker 2>whether or not you think standardized tests are right or not,

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<v Speaker 2>at least testing is being done some places, when they

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<v Speaker 2>throw out testing, they end up I don't know what

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<v Speaker 2>they even use this criteria to see if you're qualified.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, last thing I want is a doctor that

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<v Speaker 2>is an equity higher. You know, someone who hasn't shown

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<v Speaker 2>the ability in college to actually master the subject matter. No,

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<v Speaker 2>that person shouldn't be advanced in a grade level. This

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<v Speaker 2>person should be held back until they can achieve that

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<v Speaker 2>level and then move on with the skills they need

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<v Speaker 2>for the next level. This is crazy what we're doing

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<v Speaker 2>in America. It's nefarious.

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<v Speaker 1>Well it is. It is briant. When I got to

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<v Speaker 1>the Pirates, we had a fully integrated team on the field,

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<v Speaker 1>and we had two minorities. One was a clerk and

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<v Speaker 1>another one was a secretary in the entire front office.

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<v Speaker 1>And we diversified, but we diversified based upon quality, based

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<v Speaker 1>upon qualification. And you know, political correctness has its place,

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<v Speaker 1>but political correctness tends to cover up a lot of

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<v Speaker 1>people's feelings. And I think a lot of the frustration

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<v Speaker 1>and anger is COVID being stuck in a home all

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<v Speaker 1>of that length over it. And also it is the

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<v Speaker 1>political correctness that we can say what we really feel.

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<v Speaker 1>And I think that's one of the problems in the election.

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<v Speaker 1>I think one of the reasons why people like Trump

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<v Speaker 1>is that he says what he feels. One of the people,

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<v Speaker 1>one of the groups that don't like him is because

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<v Speaker 1>he says what he feels. And I'm not a Trump supporter.

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<v Speaker 1>I am right in the middle politically, and I can

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<v Speaker 1>see the craziness of the wokeness of the left. And

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<v Speaker 1>you know, the book talks about starting with preschool, free

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<v Speaker 1>preschool for everybody. It's not entitlement, it's not just minorities,

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<v Speaker 1>it's for everybody. So a kid goes into into kindergarten

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<v Speaker 1>able to read, right to basic math, be socialized the

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<v Speaker 1>success by third grade. Anybody who cannot read at third

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<v Speaker 1>grade level is five times more likely to go to jail,

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<v Speaker 1>get involved in crime, teenage, pregnancy, and all the other

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<v Speaker 1>you know, substance abuse, all the other antisocial programs. So

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<v Speaker 1>it's one hundred one hundred billion a year. It's what

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<v Speaker 1>we'll pay for, you know, the storms that are heading

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<v Speaker 1>in Florida right now. It's what we've given to Ukraine,

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<v Speaker 1>It's what we've given to Gaza in Israel. And I'm

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<v Speaker 1>saying invest that in all of our youth, every one

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<v Speaker 1>of them, and do it well. And I'm not number one.

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<v Speaker 2>I get that point, Bernie. But the problem is is

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<v Speaker 2>that the vehicle through which they're supposed to learn to

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<v Speaker 2>read has become just a mere indoctrination camp. They're not

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<v Speaker 2>being taught to read, they're not being taught mathematics. I mean,

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<v Speaker 2>if you look at the statistics in the testing scores

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<v Speaker 2>across this great land bards, I mean notably like Baltimore

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<v Speaker 2>and Chicago, they're like the low double digits of eighth

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<v Speaker 2>graders who are capable of reading at grade level. They

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<v Speaker 2>are not doing the service to our kids. So you

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<v Speaker 2>end up getting they get indoctrinated in political correctness, gender terminology,

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<v Speaker 2>then in global warming propaganda. They're not learning the critical skills.

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<v Speaker 2>So in an ideal world, I agree with you, kids

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<v Speaker 2>should be able to read by third grade. They will

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<v Speaker 2>benefit the American economy and help us be better. But

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<v Speaker 2>we're putting them in schools that don't do that.

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<v Speaker 1>Couldn't agree with you more. And the unions, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>the union position all the way through COVID. Given the

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<v Speaker 1>kids at home obviously massive it pay increases. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>what we've got to do is we've got to go

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<v Speaker 1>back to the basics. You know, I grew up in Liverpool,

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<v Speaker 1>England and get a Catholic education and they always used

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<v Speaker 1>to joke, but the nuns will teach you the three odds, yeating, writing,

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<v Speaker 1>and arithmetic. And that's what I got, and we have

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<v Speaker 1>to go back to incentive. I do that, and I

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<v Speaker 1>have many members of my family who are teachers, and

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<v Speaker 1>they say, it's not about teaching to the test. It

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<v Speaker 1>is teaching the fundamentals and the basics, which is what

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<v Speaker 1>we've got to do. And then if those kids came

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<v Speaker 1>into school being able to read and write, into basic maths,

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<v Speaker 1>then the teachers could spend more time on what we

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<v Speaker 1>want them to educate them on, unless on all the

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<v Speaker 1>other crap that is. I agree with you, that is

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<v Speaker 1>being taught in so many schools. But then the other

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<v Speaker 1>part I'm recommending in the book, Brian, is that before

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<v Speaker 1>going into high school, every kid in America goes to

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<v Speaker 1>an eight week boot camp, and that we have a

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<v Speaker 1>four year program in high school where they get paid

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<v Speaker 1>and they get paid minimum wage. So a kid can

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<v Speaker 1>come out of high school at age eighteen or twenty

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<v Speaker 1>five thousand bucks. This is a kid in the hood,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, this is everybody. If they work those four

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<v Speaker 1>years eight week boot camp on how to be an adult,

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<v Speaker 1>teaching them what it means to be an adult and

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<v Speaker 1>have responsibility. Then one summer working in a business, one

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<v Speaker 1>in a non for profit, and one in a government agency.

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<v Speaker 1>So at eighteen they decided they want to go to

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<v Speaker 1>college or not, and if they do go to college,

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<v Speaker 1>what their major would be, or get a professional degree,

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<v Speaker 1>which I think is more and more important. We need

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<v Speaker 1>plumbers and electricians as much as we need doctors, and

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<v Speaker 1>we don't need lawyers, the plenty of them, you know.

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<v Speaker 1>And that's my little bias. My middle daughter is a

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<v Speaker 1>district attorney, by the way, in Denver. That's okay, very careful.

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<v Speaker 2>I refer to myself as a recovering lawyer since I

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<v Speaker 2>no longer practice, although I do keep my license up.

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<v Speaker 2>But it's interesting you say we need to teach them

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<v Speaker 2>what it means to be an adult. And I know you, Bernie,

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<v Speaker 2>and it's family I grew up in. As I mentioned

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<v Speaker 2>earlier before, that's something my parents taught me, you know.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean, it's the erosion and disappearance of the nuclear family.

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<v Speaker 2>I think is at a core of so much of

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<v Speaker 2>what you've written about in your book, Reading America's Dream.

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<v Speaker 1>I couldn't agree with you more. Brian single biggest problem

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<v Speaker 1>we've got is minorities Black families. Seventy percent of them

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<v Speaker 1>after year high sixties at birth, seventy percent after one

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<v Speaker 1>year are in a fatherless home with single parent moms.

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<v Speaker 1>And that's why all the proceeds from the book and

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<v Speaker 1>my consulting that I do goes to the Aspire Difference Foundation.

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<v Speaker 1>We focus on single parents with preschool kids designed, and

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<v Speaker 1>the test is can they read and write and do

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<v Speaker 1>basic math when they go to grade school and start

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<v Speaker 1>kindergarten so that they've got a chance of success. And

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<v Speaker 1>that's the single biggest issue. And then what I'm recommending

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<v Speaker 1>is that if these kids do this full year program

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<v Speaker 1>so that they would have that nest egg, they would

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<v Speaker 1>have generational wealth, which is the single biggest problem in

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<v Speaker 1>so many of these poor families in America. You know,

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<v Speaker 1>my dad's soul life insurance. I got four thousand pounds

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<v Speaker 1>when he died. I put it down in a house,

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<v Speaker 1>sold a house and no mortgage, four thousand pounds house,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, in the early seventies, and sold it for

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<v Speaker 1>ten thousand pounds, brought that money, bought a house, designed,

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<v Speaker 1>and bought a house in Lawrence, Kansas. When I was

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<v Speaker 1>in grad school, and that is now I own two properties,

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<v Speaker 1>each of with her are multimillion dollar properties.

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<v Speaker 2>That's the way.

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<v Speaker 1>That's the way America works. And so I'm willing too,

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<v Speaker 1>you know, recommending free college for anybody that does the

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<v Speaker 1>four year program through high school. I've you know, I

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<v Speaker 1>learned that you earn everything if there is no free lunch.

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<v Speaker 1>We've got to stop giving them the free lunch. The

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<v Speaker 1>all of these grants that we give to people, all

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<v Speaker 1>of these welfare programs and give to people, don't teach

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<v Speaker 1>them how to work hard. They don't teach them how

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<v Speaker 1>to fish, they don't teach them how to be sustainable.

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<v Speaker 1>They are bad programs.

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<v Speaker 2>Bad programs. Read all about a reimagining America, his dream

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<v Speaker 2>making it attainable for all by my guest today, Bernie Mullen. Bernie,

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<v Speaker 2>it's been a real pleasure talking with you, and I

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<v Speaker 2>appreciate your writing the book and sharing your time with us.

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<v Speaker 2>This morning, we'll have a copy of that available at

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<v Speaker 2>link on my blog page at fifty five KRC dot com,

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<v Speaker 2>so my listeners can easily get a copy of the book.

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<v Speaker 2>Keep up the great work, Bernie, It's been a real

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<v Speaker 2>pleasure eight, twenty fifty five KRC DE Talk station Get

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<v Speaker 2>Touch with Color Electric for your residential electric needs. Family

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<v Speaker 2>own an operator since nineteen ninety nine, Andrew Cullen has

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<v Speaker 2>got a great team working for him and he's proud

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<v Speaker 2>of it. He's proud of their honest reputation. He's prout

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<v Speaker 2>of the A plus with a better business brill that

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<v Speaker 2>he and his team have earned through providing wonderful residential

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<v Speaker 2>electric work from little projects like installing an outlet to

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<v Speaker 2>rewiring your whole home or have your generator installed by

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<v Speaker 2>CULH and they did that for me. It works great,

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<v Speaker 2>ten year warranty on everything that they do for you.

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<v Speaker 2>They're wonderful folks. You can count on Cullen Electric online.

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<v Speaker 2>It's Cullen cul and Cullen Electriccincinnati dot com. The number,

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<v Speaker 2>the scheduled appointment. You can do it online or call

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<v Speaker 2>him directly and please tell them Brian said, Hi when

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<v Speaker 2>you do five one three two two seven four one

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<v Speaker 2>one two five one three two two seven four one

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<v Speaker 2>one two. This is fifty five KRC and iHeartRadio station.