1 00:00:04,879 --> 00:00:07,160 Speaker 1: What's going on? Thank you so much for listening to 2 00:00:07,200 --> 00:00:09,640 this podcast. It is heard live every day from noon 3 00:00:09,679 --> 00:00:12,480 to three on WBT Radio in Charlotte. And if you 4 00:00:12,560 --> 00:00:16,719 want exclusive content like invitations to events, the weekly live stream, 5 00:00:16,760 --> 00:00:19,239 my daily show prep with all the links, become a patron, 6 00:00:19,320 --> 00:00:22,600 go to dpeakclendershow dot com. Make sure you hit the 7 00:00:22,640 --> 00:00:25,160 subscribe button, get every episode for free, write to your 8 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:27,719 smartphone or tablet, and again, thank you so much for 9 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:31,719 your support. Political capital. I remember the first time I 10 00:00:31,760 --> 00:00:37,520 heard this term political capital. George W. Bush said it 11 00:00:37,719 --> 00:00:41,000 after he won re election and he said, We're going 12 00:00:41,079 --> 00:00:47,320 to try to reform social security. Outrage ensued, but he 13 00:00:47,439 --> 00:00:51,240 said at that original press conference where he talked about it, 14 00:00:51,359 --> 00:00:54,640 he said that he had some political capital and he 15 00:00:54,679 --> 00:00:57,560 intended to spend it. What was he talking about, Well, 16 00:00:57,600 --> 00:01:01,880 he had won the popular vote, right he had, if 17 00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:06,239 I recall correctly, he had won reelection against John F. Kerry, 18 00:01:06,719 --> 00:01:11,480 who I believe served in Vietnam I think, and John Edwards. 19 00:01:11,599 --> 00:01:15,439 He had beaten them to win reelection in two thousand 20 00:01:15,439 --> 00:01:19,959 and four, and he had amassed this political capital. And 21 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:21,799 that was the first time I had heard that term. 22 00:01:23,480 --> 00:01:27,719 But that's what jd. Vance is sort of referencing, but 23 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:30,719 not by the same name. But he's saying that you 24 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:36,519 have a mandate from the citizens. When you run a campaign, 25 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:39,599 you say these are the things I'm going to do. 26 00:01:40,359 --> 00:01:43,079 They then vote for you to do those things. That's 27 00:01:43,079 --> 00:01:48,719 what gives you the power in a democracy. That's the point. 28 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:53,040 If you are going to not do the things that 29 00:01:53,079 --> 00:01:59,359 the citizens want, you create the instability because the people 30 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:03,000 are demands something that you're not giving them. This just 31 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:08,240 came across three minutes ago from Legal insurrection dot com. 32 00:02:08,919 --> 00:02:14,960 They've got the results of a Marquette pull and Donald 33 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:21,159 Trump has broad support on multiple issues. We're talking sixty 34 00:02:21,199 --> 00:02:25,280 percent really across the board, plus or minus one or 35 00:02:25,319 --> 00:02:32,120 two points here. But for example, sixty three percent favor 36 00:02:32,879 --> 00:02:38,520 government's recognition of only two sexes sixty three percent. Sixty 37 00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:42,960 percent want the deporting of immigrants who are here illegally, 38 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:48,199 sixty percent want to expand oil and gas production. Fifty 39 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:53,360 nine percent support the declaration of an emergency at the 40 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:58,599 southern border. So these are things that the American public wants. 41 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:03,080 Trump promise to do these things, and he is now 42 00:03:03,120 --> 00:03:07,280 simply trying to fulfill his campaign promises. He will not 43 00:03:07,360 --> 00:03:11,000 be punished for that. He will be celebrated for it. 44 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:17,120 And when you have this class of quote unquote elites, 45 00:03:19,039 --> 00:03:21,319 which at some point now that's turning into a slur. 46 00:03:21,439 --> 00:03:25,159 I'm not sure they're aware of it. But when you 47 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:30,000 think you know better than all of these other people, 48 00:03:30,039 --> 00:03:33,199 these hundreds of millions of people, but you know better 49 00:03:33,240 --> 00:03:36,759 because you're the expert, but they don't want what you 50 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:41,000 are doing. They don't want what you're selling, but they 51 00:03:41,039 --> 00:03:43,159 don't know what's good for them. I'm not so sure 52 00:03:43,159 --> 00:03:46,960 about that. I think maybe maybe they do. You get 53 00:03:47,039 --> 00:03:50,120 enough people that have a similar view of something, I 54 00:03:50,120 --> 00:03:52,199 would say they probably do have a pretty good idea 55 00:03:52,199 --> 00:03:59,439 of what they want. You have to at least ask them. 56 00:03:59,479 --> 00:04:02,080 And in your it's the same thing. And that's what jd. 57 00:04:02,199 --> 00:04:06,520 Vance references when he's talking about the migration problem, the 58 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:11,120 illegal immigration problem in Europe. Your citizens do not want 59 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:14,719 this anymore, if they ever did initially. This is why 60 00:04:14,840 --> 00:04:20,480 astroturfing never succeeds in the long term. These are you know, 61 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:28,879 whatever gains. So astroturfing is the fake grassroots, right, So 62 00:04:28,959 --> 00:04:31,959 a grassroots movement like the Tea Party, for example, that 63 00:04:32,040 --> 00:04:38,680 was a grassroots movement inside the Republican Party that has 64 00:04:38,800 --> 00:04:41,680 legs that will be built to last because those are 65 00:04:41,759 --> 00:04:45,360 actual people with actual beliefs that turn out they're not 66 00:04:45,399 --> 00:04:49,279 politically engaged, but then they become engaged over a particular issue, 67 00:04:49,560 --> 00:04:53,360 as the Tea partiers did, and that is a there 68 00:04:53,399 --> 00:04:59,360 is a difference there than the astroturfing through these NGOs, 69 00:04:59,519 --> 00:05:07,279 these government funded or foundation funded entities, these activist groups 70 00:05:07,279 --> 00:05:10,560 that turn out in the streets and you know, handcuff 71 00:05:10,639 --> 00:05:13,759 themselves to you know, famous works of art and throw 72 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:17,439 paint on them and scream at people and set up 73 00:05:17,480 --> 00:05:24,120 tentifadas everywhere. Like that is not built to last because 74 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:29,959 it's not real. It's AstroTurf. You think it's going to last, 75 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:33,120 You think it's going to be the superior product. Look, 76 00:05:33,160 --> 00:05:35,639 it's fake. It won't wither, it won't die, you won't whatever. Yeah, 77 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:39,800 I'm yeah. The grass is actually better, like the natural 78 00:05:39,800 --> 00:05:46,480 grassroots that's actually more durable than the astroturfing. So he's 79 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:51,439 talking about having a mandate from your citizens to govern. Okay, 80 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:56,040 you need the mandates from your people. If you want 81 00:05:56,079 --> 00:06:03,040 to enjoy competitive economics, affordable energy, and secure supply chains. 82 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:05,839 Speaker 2: You cannot win a democratic mandate by censoring your opponents 83 00:06:06,000 --> 00:06:08,959 or putting them in jail, whether that's the leader of 84 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:12,399 the opposition, a humble Christian praying in her own home, 85 00:06:12,959 --> 00:06:15,199 or a journalist trying to report the news. 86 00:06:16,439 --> 00:06:17,519 Speaker 3: Nor can you win one. 87 00:06:17,399 --> 00:06:21,600 Speaker 2: By disregarding your basic electorate on questions like who gets 88 00:06:21,600 --> 00:06:24,879 to be a part of our shared society, and of 89 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:28,560 all the pressings challenges that the nations represented your face, 90 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:35,439 I believe there is nothing more urgent than mass migration. Today, 91 00:06:36,199 --> 00:06:39,040 almost one in five people living in this country moved 92 00:06:39,079 --> 00:06:39,879 here from abroad. 93 00:06:39,959 --> 00:06:41,600 Speaker 3: That is, of course, an all time high. 94 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 2: Is a similar number, by the way, in the United States, 95 00:06:44,199 --> 00:06:46,920 also an all time high. The number of immigrants who 96 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:51,360 entered the EU from non EU countries doubled between twenty 97 00:06:51,439 --> 00:06:54,399 twenty one and twenty twenty two alone, and of course 98 00:06:54,399 --> 00:06:57,759 it's gotten much higher since. And we know this situation. 99 00:06:57,959 --> 00:07:02,360 It didn't materialize in a vacuum. It's the result of 100 00:07:02,399 --> 00:07:06,920 a series of conscious decisions made by politicians all over 101 00:07:06,920 --> 00:07:10,879 the continent and others across the world over the span 102 00:07:11,079 --> 00:07:11,680 of a decade. 103 00:07:11,839 --> 00:07:17,439 Speaker 1: Right, it's been intentional. It is absolutely intentional, and your 104 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:20,839 citizens do not want it and that's why you are 105 00:07:20,839 --> 00:07:25,120 seeing the blowback. Right. The blowback is coming in the 106 00:07:25,160 --> 00:07:28,639 form of these quote unquote right wing depending on which 107 00:07:28,639 --> 00:07:30,839 country you're in, but they're coming from these quote right 108 00:07:30,879 --> 00:07:35,759 wing populist movements. And when you keep banning them or 109 00:07:35,800 --> 00:07:39,199 you try to suppress their speech, you don't invite them 110 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:44,680 to participate in the conference, for example, you're actually amplifying 111 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:48,519 their grievances. And people then start saying, well, wait a minute, 112 00:07:49,079 --> 00:07:52,279 how come these guys are getting shut out? I happen 113 00:07:52,360 --> 00:07:54,920 to agree. I think it's gotten out of control. I 114 00:07:54,959 --> 00:07:57,839 know somebody who got attacked by some you know, Assi 115 00:07:57,959 --> 00:08:01,600 Lee or something. Right, you end up creating more of 116 00:08:01,639 --> 00:08:03,959 the thing that you're trying to stamp out. It's like 117 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:08,720 the the tighter you clench the fist, the more slips 118 00:08:08,759 --> 00:08:14,639 through your fingers. That's what he's warning them about. And 119 00:08:14,959 --> 00:08:18,639 just the day before, so Thursday, the day before this 120 00:08:18,959 --> 00:08:23,240 Friday conference, there was a terrorist attack in the very 121 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:26,959 city where they held the conference, in Munich. 122 00:08:27,199 --> 00:08:31,920 Speaker 2: How many times must we suffer these appalling setbacks before 123 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:36,320 we change course and take our shared civilization in a 124 00:08:36,360 --> 00:08:41,000 new direction. No voter on this continent went to the 125 00:08:41,039 --> 00:08:45,960 ballot box to open the floodgates to millions of unvetted immigrants. 126 00:08:46,559 --> 00:08:48,000 Speaker 3: But you know what they did vote for. 127 00:08:48,759 --> 00:08:51,960 Speaker 2: In England, they voted for Brexit, and agree or disagree, 128 00:08:52,240 --> 00:08:54,720 they voted for it, and more and more all over 129 00:08:54,759 --> 00:08:57,720 Europe they're voting for political leaders who promised to put 130 00:08:57,759 --> 00:08:59,799 an end to out of control migration. 131 00:09:01,039 --> 00:09:01,200 Speaker 3: Now. 132 00:09:01,200 --> 00:09:03,399 Speaker 2: I happen to agree with a lot of these concerns, 133 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:05,600 but you don't have to agree with me. I just 134 00:09:05,639 --> 00:09:09,480 think that people care about their homes, they care about 135 00:09:09,480 --> 00:09:12,759 their dreams, they care about their safety and their capacity 136 00:09:12,799 --> 00:09:17,039 to provide for themselves and their children, and they're smart. 137 00:09:17,639 --> 00:09:19,559 I think this is one of the most important things 138 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:21,039 I've learned in my brief. 139 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:21,759 Speaker 3: Time in politics. 140 00:09:22,159 --> 00:09:25,639 Speaker 2: Contrary to what you might hear a couple mountains over 141 00:09:25,639 --> 00:09:28,679 in Davos, the citizens of all of our nations don't 142 00:09:28,720 --> 00:09:33,240 generally think of themselves as educated animals or as interchangeable 143 00:09:33,279 --> 00:09:37,519 cogs of a global economy. And it's hardly surprising that 144 00:09:37,559 --> 00:09:39,399 they don't want to be shuffled about. 145 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 3: Or relentlessly ignored by their leaders. 146 00:09:42,320 --> 00:09:45,879 Speaker 2: And it is the business of democracy to adjudicate these 147 00:09:45,919 --> 00:09:50,600 big questions at the ballot box. I believe that dismissing people, 148 00:09:50,759 --> 00:09:55,159 dismissing their concerns, or worse yet, shutting down media, shutting 149 00:09:55,159 --> 00:09:59,559 down elections, or shutting people out of the political process 150 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:04,879 protects nothing. In fact, it is the most surefire way 151 00:10:05,039 --> 00:10:07,559 to destroy democracy. 152 00:10:07,639 --> 00:10:13,360 Speaker 1: They're sore losers, right, They're sore losers. They're like, oh, 153 00:10:13,399 --> 00:10:15,159 this is the way forward, this is the way to 154 00:10:15,200 --> 00:10:17,720 do it. And then when the people say, well, actually no, 155 00:10:17,840 --> 00:10:20,480 we don't want to go that way, well, you don't 156 00:10:20,519 --> 00:10:23,399 know what you're talking about. It's for democracy. I have 157 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:27,159 to protect democracy, so shut up. Like that's the argument 158 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:30,120 that this German guy is going to make after jd 159 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:34,639 Vance speaks it's crazy. Here's a great idea. How about 160 00:10:34,679 --> 00:10:37,919 making an escape to a really special and secluded getaway 161 00:10:37,919 --> 00:10:40,360 in western North Carolina. Just a quick drive up the 162 00:10:40,399 --> 00:10:43,679 mountain and Cabins of Asheville is your connection. Whether you're 163 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:46,559 celebrating an anniversary, a honeymoon, maybe you want to plan 164 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:49,320 a memorable proposal, or get family and friends together for 165 00:10:49,360 --> 00:10:52,559 a big old reunion, Cabins of Asheville has the ideal 166 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:55,159 spot for you where you can reconnect with your loved 167 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:58,240 ones and the things that truly matter. Nestled within the 168 00:10:58,279 --> 00:11:01,720 breath taking fourteen thousand eight makers of the Pisga National Forest. 169 00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:04,759 Their cabins offer a serene escape in the heart of 170 00:11:04,799 --> 00:11:07,759 the Blue Ridge Mountains, centrally located between Asheville and the 171 00:11:07,919 --> 00:11:10,679 entrance of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It's the 172 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:14,799 perfect balance of seclusion and proximity to all the local 173 00:11:14,799 --> 00:11:19,440 attractions with hot tubs, fireplaces, air conditioning, smart TVs, Wi 174 00:11:19,480 --> 00:11:22,840 Fi grills, outdoor tables and your own private covered porch. 175 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:27,159 Choose from thirteen cabins, six cottages, two villas, and a 176 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:31,240 great lodge with eleven king sized bedrooms. Cabins of Ashville 177 00:11:31,279 --> 00:11:34,519 has the ideal spot for you for any occasion, and 178 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:38,000 they have pet friendly accommodations. Call or text eight two 179 00:11:38,039 --> 00:11:41,440 eight three six seven seventy sixty eight or check out 180 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:44,240 all there is to offer at Cabins Ofashville dot com 181 00:11:44,279 --> 00:11:48,039 and make memories that'll last a lifetime. So jd Vance 182 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:52,679 goes in front of the European the Munich Security Conference, 183 00:11:52,759 --> 00:11:58,320 I believe it was in Munich, and he talks about uh, 184 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:01,679 you know, having a from your voters, having you know, 185 00:12:01,799 --> 00:12:05,200 listening to the things that they want. That's the strength 186 00:12:05,279 --> 00:12:09,759 of a democracy for all you defenders of it, and 187 00:12:09,759 --> 00:12:12,080 he said, look, you know, I get it. You know, 188 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:14,879 people have different ideas than you, and you want to 189 00:12:14,879 --> 00:12:16,840 do one thing and they want to do something else. 190 00:12:18,240 --> 00:12:18,320 Speaker 4: That. 191 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 1: But if you win an election, if you're the elected leadership, 192 00:12:22,159 --> 00:12:24,720 and your citizens want to do something that you don't 193 00:12:24,720 --> 00:12:28,360 want to do, then like you need to listen to 194 00:12:28,440 --> 00:12:31,360 your citizens, or else you no longer have a mandate. 195 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:38,559 And then he pointed out, look, if America can survive 196 00:12:38,879 --> 00:12:44,720 a decade of scolding from Greta Thunberg, then Europe can 197 00:12:44,759 --> 00:12:47,320 survive a few months of Elon Musk, he said, which 198 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:50,679 I've always a pretty good line. And then he says, 199 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:56,600 no democracy will survive if the people have their concerns, aspirations, 200 00:12:56,679 --> 00:13:02,759 their opinions, and they're pleased. Foref if they are told 201 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:07,840 that these things are invalid right, or they are even 202 00:13:07,960 --> 00:13:13,600 unworthy of even being considered, your democracy will not survive. 203 00:13:13,919 --> 00:13:17,799 Speaker 2: Democracy rests on the sacred principle that the voice of 204 00:13:17,840 --> 00:13:23,559 the people matters. There's no room for firewalls. You either 205 00:13:23,639 --> 00:13:29,679 uphold the principle or you don't. Europeans, the people have 206 00:13:29,759 --> 00:13:34,679 a voice. European leaders have a choice and my strong 207 00:13:34,799 --> 00:13:38,000 belief is that we do not need to be afraid 208 00:13:38,159 --> 00:13:41,679 of the future. You can embrace what your people tell you, 209 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:46,159 even when it's surprising, even when you don't agree, and 210 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,200 if you do so, you can face the future with 211 00:13:48,279 --> 00:13:52,120 certainty and with confidence, knowing that the nation stands behind 212 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:52,799 each of you. 213 00:13:53,519 --> 00:13:57,039 Speaker 3: And that, to me is the great magic of democracy. 214 00:13:57,039 --> 00:14:00,759 Speaker 2: It's not in these stone buildings or beautiful hotel It's 215 00:14:00,799 --> 00:14:03,240 not even in the great institutions that we have built 216 00:14:03,240 --> 00:14:08,480 together as a shared society. To believe in democracy is 217 00:14:08,519 --> 00:14:12,879 to understand that each of our citizens has wisdom and 218 00:14:13,039 --> 00:14:15,879 has a voice, and if we refuse to listen to 219 00:14:15,919 --> 00:14:20,960 that voice, even our most successful fights will secure very little. 220 00:14:21,639 --> 00:14:24,039 Speaker 1: Right, What is he like? What is the purpose of 221 00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:28,440 all of this? He is issuing them a warning, a 222 00:14:28,480 --> 00:14:31,600 warning that it seems like the American people have heeded 223 00:14:32,360 --> 00:14:37,159 with this last election, the support that ran through the 224 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:42,279 numbers of the favorability of these things that Trump is 225 00:14:42,320 --> 00:14:45,919 doing sixty percent to prove. I would like it to 226 00:14:45,919 --> 00:14:49,919 be higher, and maybe it will go higher, that's possible. 227 00:14:52,279 --> 00:14:57,320 But he's telling them something that really shouldn't even have 228 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:02,120 to be said, but apparently does. Right to return to 229 00:15:02,559 --> 00:15:07,519 the principles upon which this society, the civilization was founded, 230 00:15:08,639 --> 00:15:14,679 and you're not going to preserve this thing by ignoring 231 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:21,679 or you know, being in direct opposition to these fundamental principles. 232 00:15:23,159 --> 00:15:25,559 And it's just to listen to your people. I mean, 233 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:28,000 how absurd is this really when you think, step back 234 00:15:28,039 --> 00:15:30,320 and think for a moment, how absurd it must be 235 00:15:30,679 --> 00:15:36,639 to have to tell people in leadership, political leadership that 236 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:40,840 claim to be the defenders of the democracy that that 237 00:15:40,879 --> 00:15:44,320 means you have to listen to your people. I don't 238 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:47,279 know what you think this whole democracy thing is, but 239 00:15:47,399 --> 00:15:49,600 it means listening to the will of the people as 240 00:15:49,639 --> 00:15:54,440 expressed at the ballot box and not suppressing them when 241 00:15:54,440 --> 00:15:58,159 they tell you they think you're doing it wrong, because 242 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:03,320 the people are telling you you're doing it wrong. And 243 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:08,039 then the guy from Germany got up there, Boris Pistorius. 244 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:11,000 We'll take a listen to Boris. Well, actually we'll hear 245 00:16:11,039 --> 00:16:14,080 a translator. All right. I hope you had a happy 246 00:16:14,120 --> 00:16:16,799 holiday season. But tell me if something like this happened 247 00:16:16,799 --> 00:16:19,720 at your house, your family and friends are gathered around, 248 00:16:19,759 --> 00:16:23,879 maybe y'all are in the living room, you're laughing, swapping stories, reminiscing, 249 00:16:23,919 --> 00:16:27,879 and then somebody says, hey, Dad, remember those old VHS tapes? 250 00:16:28,000 --> 00:16:30,559 Did you ever get them transferred? And then the room 251 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:34,399 gets all quiet. All eyes are on Dad, who says, oh, 252 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:36,480 you know, well, I've been meaning too, but I just 253 00:16:36,559 --> 00:16:39,519 having gotten around to it. Look, don't let those priceless 254 00:16:39,559 --> 00:16:42,480 memories sit in a box for another year. All right. 255 00:16:42,559 --> 00:16:45,440 Create a Video has been helping families in the Charlotte 256 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:49,279 area preserve their history since nineteen ninety seven. Simply bring 257 00:16:49,279 --> 00:16:52,200 in your old camp quarter tapes and Creative Video will 258 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:55,639 transfer them to a USB flash drive for just fourteen 259 00:16:55,720 --> 00:16:58,159 ninety five per tape. You have a big collection, They've 260 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:01,000 got a discount for you. And next year, instead of 261 00:17:01,080 --> 00:17:05,480 talking about those memories, imagine gathering the family to watch 262 00:17:05,559 --> 00:17:08,720 them together. Talk about a memorable gift. So do what 263 00:17:08,799 --> 00:17:12,200 I did. Trust the experts at Create a Video, conveniently 264 00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:14,599 located in Mint Hill right off I four eighty five 265 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:19,519 and online at create avideo dot com. Let me get 266 00:17:19,559 --> 00:17:24,119 to a couple of messages. This is from Kevin. He says, Pete, 267 00:17:24,160 --> 00:17:27,920 I was listening to NPR over the weekend, and they 268 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:30,440 of course put a slant on it, saying that somehow 269 00:17:30,559 --> 00:17:34,759 JD Vance was supporting right wing ideology, extremism, et cetera. 270 00:17:35,400 --> 00:17:38,559 And then I listened to his speech and he said basically, 271 00:17:38,799 --> 00:17:43,319 free speech and listen to all sides. NPR feeding the 272 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:48,920 lefties what they want to hear. Yeah, it I've become 273 00:17:50,880 --> 00:17:56,720 just so disappointed in NPR over the last twenty years. 274 00:17:57,319 --> 00:18:01,359 It just gets worse and worse, my goodness. I mean, 275 00:18:01,519 --> 00:18:06,359 every single story has the same slant. Every I mean 276 00:18:06,359 --> 00:18:09,200 there's a show where it's like, we welcome your participation 277 00:18:09,559 --> 00:18:11,839 and then you basically have to either call and leave 278 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:15,759 a voicemail, which they of course will then screen out, 279 00:18:15,880 --> 00:18:18,200 so it says, you know, they're only going to put 280 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:21,519 on the air a voicemail from somebody that has something 281 00:18:21,559 --> 00:18:24,839 that they want to hear, or you can send them 282 00:18:24,839 --> 00:18:30,000 an email and they'll read your email if it comports 283 00:18:30,039 --> 00:18:34,440 with what they want to say, the narrative they're trying 284 00:18:34,480 --> 00:18:40,799 to advance. It's very obvious. And every single show, every report, 285 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:45,519 it's all filtered through every kind of you know, social 286 00:18:45,799 --> 00:18:51,359 justice matrix. Oh my gosh, it's just exhausting, and it's like, oh, 287 00:18:51,400 --> 00:18:55,160 something happened, but how did it impact you know, this 288 00:18:55,960 --> 00:19:00,440 indigenous lesbian trans person whatever. It's like, oh my gosh, real, Like, 289 00:19:00,599 --> 00:19:03,519 that's it can't just be about the thing that happened. 290 00:19:03,559 --> 00:19:07,920 It's always got to be through this prism. So but 291 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:12,920 what you've just described there is is on brand for NPR. 292 00:19:13,839 --> 00:19:16,319 They're going to frame it a certain way to make 293 00:19:16,359 --> 00:19:21,160 their audience believe that they are correct in whatever notions 294 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:23,839 they have of JD. Vance. You listen to what Vance 295 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:28,839 says in this speech, and it is very clear that 296 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:32,240 he's saying you need to listen to your citizens when 297 00:19:32,279 --> 00:19:35,200 they are telling you things. But see the NPR crowd 298 00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:38,200 and these European leaders, they don't want to hear what 299 00:19:38,319 --> 00:19:42,160 JD or the citizens are saying, so they have to 300 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:45,759 reject what Vance is saying, and they can't argue on 301 00:19:45,839 --> 00:19:48,720 the merits. So they're going to say, oh, well, he's 302 00:19:48,839 --> 00:19:51,720 just trying to be a right winger or something like that. 303 00:19:51,720 --> 00:20:00,920 That's it's so juvenile. It is anti intellectual. Listen to 304 00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:06,000 what he is saying and then combat his arguments intellectually 305 00:20:06,039 --> 00:20:10,200 and logically, but they cannot do so because he is 306 00:20:10,240 --> 00:20:14,039 simply saying the thing that he thought everybody agreed that 307 00:20:14,119 --> 00:20:17,599 the point of a democracy is for the people to 308 00:20:17,720 --> 00:20:21,240 elect leaders that will then do the things that the 309 00:20:21,279 --> 00:20:24,039 people want them to do. And you know, when in 310 00:20:24,079 --> 00:20:27,839 the course of human events that the bonds between the 311 00:20:27,839 --> 00:20:30,440 government and the people have been severed because the government 312 00:20:30,559 --> 00:20:32,839 is not listening to the people, the people have a 313 00:20:32,920 --> 00:20:39,200 right to throw off that government. That's the point of 314 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:43,480 all of it. Otherwise, just go get yourself a king Europe. 315 00:20:43,559 --> 00:20:45,359 Just go back to the way you guys used to 316 00:20:45,359 --> 00:20:47,559 do it, if that's what you wanted to want to do. 317 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:50,839 In fact, hang on, I think I saw Yeah, I 318 00:20:50,839 --> 00:20:53,400 have a message here from Chip. Chip says, as far 319 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:55,559 as I know, the US is the only country ever 320 00:20:55,599 --> 00:20:59,279 founded on an idea. A monarch or a pope seems 321 00:20:59,279 --> 00:21:02,160 to be the default position in Europe. Therefore, is it 322 00:21:02,200 --> 00:21:05,759 any surprise that you see what's happening in Europe? By 323 00:21:05,759 --> 00:21:08,480 the way, would you point out the difference between misinformation 324 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:14,279 and disinformation? Well, uh, well, disinformation is the easy thing. 325 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:18,599 So like when I'm talking, for example, I'm bringing you 326 00:21:18,680 --> 00:21:28,480 disinformation versus that information. No, I'm kidding. Misinformation. Misinformation is 327 00:21:28,519 --> 00:21:33,400 when information is not married, otherwise that would be missus information. No, 328 00:21:33,559 --> 00:21:36,839 that's not true either. Misinformation is basically when you're spreading 329 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:41,000 stuff that you don't know is false, right. It really 330 00:21:41,039 --> 00:21:45,160 it goes to intent. Right. So if you are like, 331 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:47,720 oh my gosh, I heard this story, and you start 332 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:50,839 spreading the story around, but you don't know that the 333 00:21:50,880 --> 00:21:54,400 story is not true. You're just spreading it because you 334 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:57,160 know for the likes and the clicks or whatever, or 335 00:21:57,200 --> 00:21:59,759 you like, uh, it's crazy too good to check, and 336 00:21:59,799 --> 00:22:01,880 so you don't check it and you just share it. 337 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:09,680 It's misinformation. It's not true. Now. Disinformation is when the information, 338 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:14,480 the lie is intentional and there is a purpose behind it. 339 00:22:14,559 --> 00:22:20,640 So there's a it's deliberately misleading so as to affect 340 00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:24,079 people's opinions. It's not done as to, oh my mistake, 341 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:26,599 I made an error, you can make a correction whatever. 342 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:33,160 That would be misinformation. Disinformation is when you purposefully lie 343 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:35,400 about something and get other people to spread it. See, 344 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:37,680 so like if I made up a lie, I would 345 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:42,599 be engaged in disinformation. But if you heard that lie 346 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:47,000 and you thought it was true and then you promulgated, 347 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:52,119 you would be spreading misinformation. You would be misinforming. I 348 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:57,240 would be disinforming. I hope that makes sense. Another email, 349 00:22:58,599 --> 00:23:01,799 This is from Susan, is there a difference between a 350 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:07,559 democratic republic or a constitutional republic? Like, Look, I know 351 00:23:07,599 --> 00:23:09,240 a lot of people get hung up on this stuff, 352 00:23:09,279 --> 00:23:13,559 on these terms. I understand why, Okay, But honestly, like, 353 00:23:13,599 --> 00:23:17,400 if you go and look up like the founders, they 354 00:23:18,319 --> 00:23:21,599 oftentimes use these terms interchangeably because what they were talking 355 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:27,359 about was a comparison between the monarchy and a government 356 00:23:27,400 --> 00:23:30,960 of the people, by the people for the people, a democracy, right, 357 00:23:31,039 --> 00:23:33,599 And they come from different routes. So like democracy is 358 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:39,319 from Greek, that means rule by the people, right. Republic 359 00:23:39,599 --> 00:23:45,000 comes from Latin and that means public good or public 360 00:23:45,000 --> 00:23:49,960 affair that was used in Rome ancient Rome to mean 361 00:23:50,319 --> 00:23:54,640 the state or the country with reference to the Roman republic. 362 00:23:54,680 --> 00:23:56,799 And so you know, if you look up the dictionary 363 00:23:57,799 --> 00:24:02,240 definitions here, like they are very very similar, and people 364 00:24:02,319 --> 00:24:05,039 use them interchangeably. But I understand why people get upset 365 00:24:05,079 --> 00:24:07,319 when it's like, because I mean, democracy is you know, 366 00:24:07,359 --> 00:24:10,720 three wolves in a lamb voting on dinner. That's why. Like, 367 00:24:10,759 --> 00:24:14,400 the republic is the system that you create and you 368 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:20,240 democratically elect people to then represent the voters in the 369 00:24:20,319 --> 00:24:26,680 republican system. Does that makes sense? Yeah, I don't know 370 00:24:26,720 --> 00:24:29,279 if I've described it well enough. But like I but 371 00:24:29,359 --> 00:24:31,680 I know people it trips a lot of people's trigger 372 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:36,880 when they hear democracy versus republic, constitutional republic, right, the 373 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:41,599 constitutional republic, like republic is a system. Constitutional means that 374 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:44,359 we have a set of laws rules, and that's why 375 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:47,119 that's how the system is governed is by these rules. 376 00:24:47,160 --> 00:24:51,319 Because you could, like the Islamic state in Iran, that's 377 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:55,240 a republic too. Do you think they've got the same 378 00:24:55,240 --> 00:24:59,480 thing we do. No, No, they do not, because you 379 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:02,720 can all say representative republic. All right, if you're listening 380 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:04,319 to this show, you know I try to keep up 381 00:25:04,319 --> 00:25:06,119 with all sorts of current events, and I know you 382 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:08,640 do too, And you've probably heard me say get your 383 00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:12,519 news from multiple sources. Why well, because it's how you 384 00:25:12,599 --> 00:25:15,559 detect media bias, which is why I've been so impressed 385 00:25:15,559 --> 00:25:19,319 with ground News. It's an app and it's a website, 386 00:25:19,400 --> 00:25:21,799 and it combines news from around the world in one 387 00:25:21,839 --> 00:25:25,319 place so you can compare coverage and verify information. You 388 00:25:25,319 --> 00:25:28,880 can check it out at check dot ground, dot news 389 00:25:29,359 --> 00:25:32,480 slash pete. I put the link in the podcast description too. 390 00:25:32,839 --> 00:25:35,160 I started using ground News a few months ago and 391 00:25:35,319 --> 00:25:37,920 more recently chose to work with them as an affiliate 392 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:41,240 because it lets me see clearly how stories get covered 393 00:25:41,319 --> 00:25:44,240 and by whom. The blind spot feature shows you which 394 00:25:44,279 --> 00:25:47,160 stories get ignored by the left and the right. See 395 00:25:47,160 --> 00:25:52,240 for yourself. Check dot Ground, dot news slash pete. Subscribe 396 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:55,079 through that link and you'll get fifteen percent off any subscription. 397 00:25:55,440 --> 00:25:58,200 I use the Vantage plan to get unlimited access to 398 00:25:58,279 --> 00:26:01,720 every feature your subscription, and then not only helps my podcast, 399 00:26:01,759 --> 00:26:04,079 but it also supports Ground News as they make the 400 00:26:04,160 --> 00:26:09,720 media landscape more transparent. This is from wall builders dot com. 401 00:26:10,799 --> 00:26:13,359 The former government entrusted to us by our founders was 402 00:26:13,359 --> 00:26:18,920 a republic, not a democracy. The founders had so a okay, 403 00:26:19,079 --> 00:26:22,440 so again like a system. A republic is a system. 404 00:26:22,640 --> 00:26:28,319 The constitutional republic is a system, but we employ democracy, 405 00:26:29,400 --> 00:26:32,400 the will of the voters, the people right to elect 406 00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:39,119 the representatives to the constitutional representative republic. Right, that's the idea. 407 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:41,680 So one is a mechanism and one is the system. 408 00:26:42,119 --> 00:26:45,759 Because without that republic as the system, you would just 409 00:26:45,799 --> 00:26:48,720 have pure democracy, or is the founders called it mobocracy. 410 00:26:49,279 --> 00:26:51,480 That's the three wolves and a land voting on dinner. 411 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:55,279 And you don't want that because it will burn itself out, 412 00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:00,720 So I think that one's a mechanism on a system. 413 00:27:00,839 --> 00:27:05,279 I hope that makes sense. That was in answer to 414 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:11,240 I think it was Susie who asked me. Mike writes 415 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:14,400 into Pete at thepetecleanershow dot com. I too, have been 416 00:27:14,400 --> 00:27:17,559 so disappointed in NPR over the past fifteen years. I 417 00:27:17,559 --> 00:27:21,720 think a publicly supported network such as NPR should be 418 00:27:21,759 --> 00:27:24,640 the station where we get an unbiased news report. I 419 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:26,920 have my charities that I donate money to, and other 420 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:29,480 than my charities, I get a little stingy. However, I 421 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:32,160 would donate to any organization whose purpose was to stop 422 00:27:32,200 --> 00:27:38,319 the FEDS from giving money to NPR. Well. I don't 423 00:27:38,359 --> 00:27:42,039 know if Doge is taking donations, but I think they 424 00:27:42,079 --> 00:27:45,240 may be. They're looking at him, or the FCC is 425 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:48,079 looking at him. I forget who let me play this 426 00:27:48,119 --> 00:27:49,720 because I said I would, and you know me, I'm 427 00:27:49,759 --> 00:27:54,039 all about paying off the teases. Here is the German 428 00:27:54,079 --> 00:27:59,480 Defense Minister, through an interpreter, Boris Pistorius, who took umbradge 429 00:28:00,039 --> 00:28:04,559 what's the German word for umbridge, Probably something with way 430 00:28:04,599 --> 00:28:06,519 too many consonants and not enough that outs. 431 00:28:06,599 --> 00:28:07,319 Speaker 3: But he. 432 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:14,359 Speaker 1: Got up there at the Munich Security Conference and had 433 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:18,200 a response to JD Vance's earlier speech. 434 00:28:18,599 --> 00:28:22,759 Speaker 4: I cannot just ignore what we heard before. I cannot 435 00:28:23,160 --> 00:28:27,319 not comment on the speech we heard by the US 436 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:32,640 Vice president. We fight for your right to be against us. 437 00:28:34,160 --> 00:28:37,440 That is the motto, one of the mottos of the Bundespher, 438 00:28:37,759 --> 00:28:43,400 and it stands for our democracy, this democracy that was 439 00:28:43,559 --> 00:28:46,720 just called into question by the Hughes Vice President, and 440 00:28:46,839 --> 00:28:49,559 not just the German democracy, but Europe as a whole. 441 00:28:50,759 --> 00:28:53,960 He spoke of the annulment of democracy, and if I 442 00:28:54,039 --> 00:28:58,920 understood him correctly, he compares the condition of Europe with 443 00:28:59,039 --> 00:29:04,119 the condition that prevails in some auto authoritarian regimes. Ladies 444 00:29:04,119 --> 00:29:06,240 and gentlemen, this is not acceptable. 445 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:09,240 Speaker 1: Listen to this applause. 446 00:29:10,279 --> 00:29:10,640 Speaker 3: That's it. 447 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:18,880 Speaker 1: It's not acceptable, not accepted. I always feel like they're 448 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:23,319 still flabbing. It's not intile. I feel like you should 449 00:29:23,319 --> 00:29:26,400 read like the German lines in that voice. 450 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:26,599 Speaker 4: You know. 451 00:29:28,119 --> 00:29:30,440 Speaker 1: That's kind of the point, dude, Like you saying it's 452 00:29:30,480 --> 00:29:33,599 not acceptable, it is acceptable. He's telling you something you 453 00:29:33,640 --> 00:29:36,480 don't want to hear, but that doesn't make it unacceptable. 454 00:29:37,119 --> 00:29:42,079 He's identifying a problem, he says. A vociferous minority in 455 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:46,519 their countries will not automatically be right and they cannot 456 00:29:46,559 --> 00:29:48,400 decide what truth is. 457 00:29:48,680 --> 00:29:52,400 Speaker 4: It does not mean that anyone can say anything. And 458 00:29:52,519 --> 00:29:55,880 democracy must be able to defend itself against extremists that 459 00:29:55,920 --> 00:29:59,160 try to destroy it. I am puppy to live in 460 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:04,279 Europe where this democracy is defended every day against its 461 00:30:04,359 --> 00:30:15,759 internal and external enemies. Definitely, and therefore I would like 462 00:30:15,839 --> 00:30:21,240 to explicitly contradict and oppose the impression that Vice President 463 00:30:21,400 --> 00:30:27,599 Vance suggested. He that our democracies oppressed and silence minorities. 464 00:30:29,319 --> 00:30:32,920 We not only know against whom we defend our countries, 465 00:30:32,960 --> 00:30:36,119 but also what we defend it for. It's for democracy, 466 00:30:36,359 --> 00:30:39,519 for freedom of opinion, for the rule of law, and 467 00:30:39,559 --> 00:30:41,480 the dignity of each and everyone. 468 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:47,279 Speaker 1: Ladies and chapmen, hm oh, but were the true democracy 469 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:51,400 must defend itself. That's what he said. What is he 470 00:30:51,519 --> 00:30:54,279 talking about? And what did JD. Vance talk about? He's 471 00:30:54,319 --> 00:31:01,880 talking about censorship. You guys are censoring opposition voices. And 472 00:31:01,920 --> 00:31:05,039 this is why NPR frames it has Oh he's defending 473 00:31:05,079 --> 00:31:06,559 the far right or whatever. 474 00:31:07,559 --> 00:31:08,000 Speaker 3: He's not. 475 00:31:08,400 --> 00:31:14,000 Speaker 1: He's saying, you cannot you should not suppress dissenting voices 476 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:17,799 in your own society. You will not have a political 477 00:31:17,839 --> 00:31:20,480 mandate to govern if you do so. That's not what 478 00:31:20,519 --> 00:31:25,279 democracy is, right. You have to allow people to have 479 00:31:25,400 --> 00:31:29,960 their voices heard in the public square. But in Europe 480 00:31:30,079 --> 00:31:34,640 they believe, well, we can censor this stuff if it's offensive. 481 00:31:34,880 --> 00:31:37,079 We can censor this stuff if we believe that it 482 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:42,920 is a threat to the democracy. Yeah, and then the 483 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:46,000 world's stupidest reporter, Margaret Brennan, she weighs in on all 484 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:47,200 of this and it is stupid. 485 00:31:48,759 --> 00:31:49,119 Speaker 3: All right. 486 00:31:49,160 --> 00:31:51,519 Speaker 1: That'll do it for this episode. Thank you so much 487 00:31:51,519 --> 00:31:53,599 for listening. I could not do the show without your 488 00:31:53,640 --> 00:31:56,400 support and the support of the businesses that advertise on 489 00:31:56,440 --> 00:31:59,160 the podcast, so if you'd like, please support them too 490 00:31:59,240 --> 00:32:00,920 and tell them you heard it here. You can also 491 00:32:00,960 --> 00:32:03,559 become a patron at my Patreon page or go to 492 00:32:03,720 --> 00:32:07,400 thepetecleanershow dot com. Again, thank you so much for listening, 493 00:32:07,519 --> 00:32:10,160 and don't break anything while I'm gone.