The Glenn Beck Program - Brothering Big Brother 1⧸2⧸17

00:00:00.700 This is the Blaze Radio On Demand.

00:00:05.200 Individuals and businesses with tax problems, listen carefully.

00:00:08.460 If you owe over $10,000 in back taxes or have unfiled tax returns, we can help you take back control.

00:00:14.280 The IRS is the largest and most aggressive collection agency in the world,

00:00:17.920 and they can seize your bank account, garnish your paycheck, close your business, and file criminal charges.

00:00:22.940 Take control of your tax problems now by calling the experts at Tax Mediation Services at 800-600-1645.

00:00:29.000 That's 800-600-1645.

00:00:32.340 800-600-1645.

00:00:59.000 I will make you stand.

00:01:24.760 I will raise my voice.

00:01:27.140 I will hold your hand.

00:01:29.640 Because we are one.

00:01:31.560 The fusion of entertainment and enlightenment.

00:01:35.440 This is the Glenn Beck Program.

00:01:38.920 I will make you stand.

00:01:42.300 I will raise my voice.

00:01:44.540 I will hold your hand.

00:01:47.000 Because we are one.

00:01:48.840 I will beat my drum.

00:01:51.040 I have made my choice.

00:01:53.300 We will overcome.

00:01:55.720 Because we are one.

00:01:58.180 Well, Happy New Year.

00:02:19.440 Happy New Year, friends.

00:02:21.300 Mike Opelka coming to you live from the Constitutionally Protective Freedom Bunker in the woods of Delaware.

00:02:30.220 And 2017 has finally arrived, along with what appears to be a fast-moving cold trying to get me.

00:02:37.960 And I'm barely ahead of it.

00:02:39.340 So, I will venture forth with your assistance.

00:02:45.280 We have much to talk about today as we are in the new year.

00:02:48.780 And we have to push on past whatever 2016 tried to trip us with.

00:02:55.080 Tried to hit us with.

00:02:56.800 Tried to just beat us into the ground with.

00:02:59.660 Now, I'm not saying there weren't good things about 2016.

00:03:03.220 There were a couple, but you would not have to take your mittens off to count them.

00:03:08.900 And I'm happy to wave goodbye.

00:03:12.180 So, those of you who sent me nice notes over the New Year weekend, nice condolences to our family as we said goodbye to my dad this weekend.

00:03:22.160 Strangest New Year's Eve ever.

00:03:23.900 Never had a funeral on New Year's Eve.

00:03:26.160 But thank you all for caring.

00:03:28.000 Thank you for being so gracious and lovely.

00:03:31.780 Today, the show, of course, we have news to cover.

00:03:36.380 President Obama is headed back to D.C.

00:03:39.240 He wants to make sure he preserves his legacy.

00:03:42.660 I don't know if you caught that, but he's a little worried.

00:03:45.880 They gavel in the new Congress tomorrow.

00:03:48.260 And that list of things to get done by this new Congress includes repealing Obamacare and just a whole bunch of those regulations that the president put in place.

00:04:04.020 And I know Mr. Trump, President-elect Trump, with less than three weeks to go until he takes the oath, is getting ready with his pen to wipe out some of those things that President Obama put together that are putting their hands around the necks of the American capitalist system.

00:04:21.980 So we'll get to some of that.

00:04:24.340 We also have to look, since it is a new year, there are new laws.

00:04:27.600 We'll talk about the new laws that are going into effect.

00:04:32.640 And I want to look at some of the craziness in Washington, D.C.

00:04:37.200 Some of the some of the stuff inside the swamp that is going to be the target of this this incoming administration.

00:04:45.620 And we're going to use an expert on that topic as well.

00:04:48.920 Plus, you know, I don't make resolutions.

00:04:52.340 I think I mentioned this briefly on Friday.

00:04:56.700 I don't do New Year's resolutions, mostly because.

00:05:00.760 I'm like 92 percent of you.

00:05:03.520 If you make a resolution, generally you break it within a week.

00:05:09.480 And so it's it's one of those things that it's a why bother.

00:05:12.860 So why bother, folks?

00:05:14.440 Why should we now?

00:05:15.920 I will tell you this based on based on the latest the latest studies.

00:05:22.020 We are making resolutions, but they're different resolutions this year.

00:05:26.320 Brand new survey out.

00:05:27.660 And it used to be the number one resolution for the coming year was always to lose weight.

00:05:35.040 And either we've given up.

00:05:37.600 Or we've decided that maybe weight is down below the number one or two things.

00:05:44.340 And at the top of the list this year is being a better person.

00:05:48.660 And I can endorse that.

00:05:50.500 I can get on board with that.

00:05:52.360 And I thought I was doing pretty well.

00:05:56.400 But then you meet people.

00:05:58.640 You meet people who are who are out there doing incredible things.

00:06:02.280 There's a there's a young man named Ernesto, who's a veteran of the United States Army, who's about to in in an hour in Dallas.

00:06:11.300 He's about to continue his walk from Tennessee to Los Angeles in in hopes of getting attention and support of the veterans who are not getting the care and are oftentimes committing suicide.

00:06:25.620 And Ernesto, who's been on this program, is leaving from Dallas this morning.

00:06:32.000 And there are a huge group of people gathered to join him for the first two point two miles outside of the city as they draw attention to those 22 veterans per day who take their own lives.

00:06:44.160 So when you hear about people like Ernesto, who's not doing it for the money, he's just doing it to raise awareness for the brothers and sisters he fought alongside of in the army.

00:06:54.900 Then you say, OK, I got to be a little bit better this year.

00:06:59.460 So I'm working on being a little bit better this year now, losing weight and exercising more.

00:07:04.700 They're still in the top five and making more money still there in the top five.

00:07:10.420 But so is saving and being a little smarter.

00:07:13.100 So maybe we're working on a more balanced life in 2017.

00:07:17.340 And I can get behind that.

00:07:20.300 Now, do we get into New Year's Eve now?

00:07:24.900 Should we dive into some of the craziness that happened on TV?

00:07:28.740 I think so.

00:07:30.700 We're big fans of watching CNN on New Year's Eve because and this was the 10th year of the Anderson Cooper, Kathy Griffin adventure.

00:07:43.660 And I think as much fun as it is, it's become predictable.

00:07:49.820 We know Kathy's going to be kind of the crazy pecs bad boy bouncing off the walls and Anderson's going to giggle and say, no, don't do that. 0.99

00:07:57.860 But CNN seems to have found an entirely new bit of craziness.

00:08:03.340 And I don't know if you caught it.

00:08:05.880 It's on the blaze dot com.

00:08:07.140 The story's on the blaze talking about Don Lemon getting hammered.

00:08:11.340 I'm not a medical expert.

00:08:15.880 It appeared that he was drinking shots poured from a tequila bottle.

00:08:20.000 It appeared that he was drinking quite a few shots from a tequila bottle.

00:08:24.320 And over the course of a couple hours, his speech suddenly became a tad more relaxed.

00:08:31.600 And even even Miss Baldwin, Brooke Baldwin, who was the co-anchor with Lemon, said at one point, the tequila is like emitting from your pores.

00:08:43.860 I'm going to go through a little bit of this from Lemon.

00:08:46.660 Now, he first started drinking early in the night.

00:08:50.240 They had almost three hours and 15 minutes before they were supposed to count down.

00:08:57.320 And then he continued.

00:09:00.160 And less than two hours before the ball was dropping, he started pouring shots on the bar.

00:09:05.460 Well, let's sample a little bit of this.

00:09:10.980 I'm pouring.

00:09:12.060 Oh, you want some?

00:09:13.540 You do it.

00:09:14.180 You want some Cuervo?

00:09:14.920 Line them up.

00:09:15.460 Here we go.

00:09:17.240 Tequila for everybody.

00:09:18.440 We'll do one for Anderson and Kathy back.

00:09:20.740 Okay.

00:09:21.200 What are you guys doing here?

00:09:22.820 We're here for New Orleans.

00:09:24.180 Yeah.

00:09:24.460 Are you guys going to have a shot for us?

00:09:25.940 A little shot?

00:09:27.300 Brooke, are you safe?

00:09:28.160 Yeah.

00:09:28.840 Anderson, what's your shot?

00:09:30.900 So they're pouring tequila out of a bottle into shot glasses in a bar in New Orleans.

00:09:36.980 It's almost three full hours before midnight in New Orleans, two hours before midnight in New York.

00:09:43.120 And they're just lining them up on the bar.

00:09:45.200 And you can hear Don Lemon's getting a little kooky.

00:09:47.440 They're in danger.

00:09:49.220 I feel they're trying to send a signal like they're in danger.

00:09:52.540 This is for you.

00:09:53.300 They're about to be in danger with those shots.

00:09:55.220 Good lord.

00:09:55.560 This is for you.

00:09:57.320 This is for you guys.

00:09:58.380 I hope you guys are counting how many times he's doing this.

00:10:01.620 Yes.

00:10:02.160 Yes.

00:10:02.680 I'm up to 13.

00:10:03.860 I'm up to 13.

00:10:04.680 Good night.

00:10:05.060 Brooke, how was Vegas?

00:10:07.960 Oh, my God.

00:10:08.680 It was so great.

00:10:09.420 It was so great.

00:10:10.180 The reference to Vegas was about Brooke Baldwin and a bunch of CNN staffers went out for the wedding of another one of their colleagues.

00:10:18.000 But these two are drinking and talking about the drinking.

00:10:23.100 And Don Lemon looks to be getting a little loose.

00:10:27.400 His shirt is unbuttoned.

00:10:29.000 He now, a little bit later, about an hour before the ball was to come down, he talked about getting either a pierced nipple or piercing his ear live on television.

00:10:47.340 And he eventually did what many folks do when they get over served.

00:10:53.200 He started talking about his personal life a little, perhaps a little bit too publicly on on television live with with Brooke Baldwin.

00:11:03.620 I don't really do it.

00:11:05.040 I always live my life to the very fullest.

00:11:07.800 Yes, you do.

00:11:08.660 The thing is, I need a little bit more balance in work life.

00:11:12.120 I may be open to a relationship this year.

00:11:14.600 I wasn't before.

00:11:15.680 Breaking news.

00:11:16.480 Don Lemon is open to a relationship.

00:11:18.640 Yeah, well, yeah.

00:11:21.020 Actually being available to be in a relationship.

00:11:23.600 I'm a bad person to date.

00:11:26.880 I'm not selfish.

00:11:28.260 I'm not selfish.

00:11:29.280 I'll give you my last.

00:11:30.100 Are we going there right now?

00:11:30.640 But I'm very self-centered.

00:11:31.800 Yeah, yeah.

00:11:32.300 I'm not going to be as self-centered.

00:11:34.120 You're going to be less self-centered in 2017.

00:11:36.720 Yeah.

00:11:37.240 But I don't really do resolutions.

00:11:38.880 And I live my life to the fullest.

00:11:40.320 I don't care what people think about me.

00:11:41.740 I do what I want because it's my life.

00:11:43.980 So, Don Lemon, apparently the tequila makes you forget you're on television.

00:11:50.360 It's supposed to be covering the New Year's Eve event.

00:11:55.240 And he's bleeding his heart out there talking about the fact that he's ready for a relationship and he just needs to be a little bit better of a person.

00:12:04.340 And then it got weird about 20 minutes later when they came back and Brooke Baldwin and Don Lemon had brought a tattoo and piercing expert into the bar.

00:12:18.680 In the bar, not in a sterilized tattoo parlor.

00:12:22.340 Almost arrived.

00:12:25.380 Okay, tell them what's going to happen.

00:12:26.900 I'm going to get something.

00:12:29.020 So, we've invited our new friend Chris over.

00:12:32.080 This guy's got a mask and gloves on.

00:12:37.700 And the decision all night has been, should it be a tattoo or a piercing?

00:12:43.940 I mean, what are you thinking?

00:12:46.320 That people want to know what crazy, silly.

00:12:49.780 So, Lemon starts taking off his jacket and unbuttoning his shirt.

00:12:54.440 And thank God somebody had the common sense to say, no, don't do it.

00:12:58.480 Anderson Cooper was saying, no, don't do it.

00:13:01.520 Don't do it.

00:13:02.680 And the piercing guy is now holding a giant needle after swabbing Don Lemon's ear.

00:13:11.240 Don Lemon does one more big shot.

00:13:14.220 And then the piercing guy steps up to the mic.

00:13:16.840 And this happens on live TV.

00:13:19.000 Is this going to hurt?

00:13:19.620 It's not going to hurt me.

00:13:22.220 You'll be fine.

00:13:24.420 This is seriously about to happen.

00:13:26.840 Don't get blood on my jacket.

00:13:28.420 Do you need to hold my hand?

00:13:30.880 Yeah.

00:13:31.800 Oh, Lord.

00:13:33.300 Is your mother watching?

00:13:35.460 This guy is swabbing his ear.

00:13:38.000 And now the needle is coming up to the earlobe.

00:13:41.700 At least it's just his ear.

00:13:42.960 You know what I'm saying?

00:13:43.960 Here we go, bro.

00:13:45.100 Here we go.

00:13:46.360 Oh, God.

00:13:46.940 Don't get blood in the jacket.

00:13:50.800 It has to go back.

00:13:51.960 It goes back to Brooks Brothers.

00:13:54.700 Here we go.

00:13:55.460 Here's the needle.

00:13:56.260 Here's the needle.

00:13:56.900 Oh! 0.60

00:13:59.620 So CNN's New Year's Eve programming consisted of Don Lemon getting hammered.

00:14:05.540 And if you look at his eyes, you can see his eyes are almost closed now.

00:14:10.220 And he gets a needle stuck through his ear.

00:14:12.780 And it got weirder and weirder and weirder.

00:14:17.880 There were more eye rolls out of Brooke Baldwin than I think I've ever seen on a television show.

00:14:23.900 Not long after that, Lemon talked about CNN just, or 2016 being an awful year.

00:14:30.880 And CNN finally cut his mic.

00:14:34.660 However, there was a moment that occurred that I don't think a lot of people caught.

00:14:40.360 There was a moment when Don Lemon and Brooke Baldwin, right after they talked about him needing to get into a relationship,

00:14:48.360 they walked through the crowd and were just talking to people.

00:14:50.980 And Don Lemon proposed.

00:14:56.520 You love my dress.

00:14:57.940 I proposed.

00:14:58.760 Are you guys married?

00:14:59.280 Thank you.

00:14:59.900 We drank a couple months ago.

00:15:01.960 Oh! 0.60

00:15:03.380 Congratulations!

00:15:04.820 Where's the date?

00:15:06.340 September.

00:15:07.700 September.

00:15:08.720 Oh, wow.

00:15:09.300 Where are you guys from?

00:15:10.540 Utah.

00:15:11.500 Utah.

00:15:12.520 I was just in Zion.

00:15:13.680 Salt Lake City, Utah.

00:15:15.460 Brooke, will you marry me?

00:15:18.220 As Don Lemon said, Brooke, will you marry me?

00:15:21.580 The lovely couple from Utah was talking about getting married in September.

00:15:25.540 Hear it again.

00:15:27.060 This is Zion.

00:15:27.820 Salt Lake City, Utah.

00:15:29.480 Brooke, will you marry me?

00:15:32.220 CNN decided wisely to cut away to Nashville.

00:15:36.180 We never saw Don Lemon and Brooke Baldwin again that night.

00:15:42.920 They never returned.

00:15:44.020 I think CNN cut out of their central time zone feed just a little bit early.

00:15:49.620 And I don't think we've heard from Don Lemon yet on the aftermath of this.

00:15:54.240 Plus, there's no word from CNN.

00:15:55.860 Now, if Don Lemon has a problem with the alcohol and he needs to get help, then God bless him.

00:16:00.880 I hope he gets it done.

00:16:02.860 But it was one of the weirdest things I've witnessed on New Year's Eve on CNN.

00:16:07.220 And I think it topped all of the crazy Kathy Griffin, Anderson Cooper stuff, because that all seemed scripted.

00:16:14.660 This seemed totally unscripted.

00:16:17.520 Mike Opelka stepping away from the Glenn Beck Program.

00:16:19.820 When we get back, updates on the Istanbul Club attack that killed dozens.

00:16:25.580 And the gunman's still on the loose.

00:16:27.440 And you'll never guess who's taking credit for it.

00:16:29.580 That's next on the Glenn Beck Program.

00:16:31.180 We are one.

00:16:35.000 The Glenn Beck Program.

00:16:37.620 Mercury.

00:16:38.140 The Glenn Beck Program.

00:16:46.580 The Glenn Beck Program.

00:16:47.780 The Glenn Beck Program.

00:16:48.780 The Glenn Beck Program.

00:16:50.780 The Glenn Beck Program.

00:16:51.780 Individuals and businesses with tax problems, listen carefully.

00:16:54.900 If you owe over $10,000 in back taxes or have unfiled tax returns, we can help you take back control.

00:17:00.600 The IRS is the largest and most aggressive collection agency in the world.

00:17:04.400 And they can seize your bank account, garnish your paycheck, close your business, and file criminal charges.

00:17:09.420 Take control of your tax problems now by calling the experts at Tax Mediation Services at 800-600-1645.

00:17:16.360 That's 800-600-1645.

00:17:18.820 800-600-1645.

00:17:20.860 This is the Glenn Beck Program.

00:17:41.860 Micah Opelka in for Glenn Beck on the Glenn Beck Program.

00:17:45.660 Happy New Year.

00:17:46.440 Hope you and yours had a safe one.

00:17:48.400 We just played a little bit of the craziness from CNN with Don Lemon and his alcohol consumption.

00:17:56.780 And on my Twitter account, which is at StuntBrain, you can connect with us on the Twitter, at StuntBrain.

00:18:03.980 You are already reacting, noting, as James in Louisiana said, nice catch on CNN there.

00:18:12.780 I wonder if Brooke Baldwin said yes to Don Lemon. 0.94

00:18:16.480 We haven't heard.

00:18:18.400 And we did post that, but we have not heard.

00:18:21.260 Now, to flip the attitude completely, big story out of Istanbul.

00:18:29.180 The man dressed in the Santa Claus costume opening fire in a crowded nightclub.

00:18:34.120 39 people dead.

00:18:35.440 I think 24 different countries lost someone.

00:18:38.480 There are still almost 70 people wounded and some in grave condition.

00:18:44.440 And ISIS has taken credit for this.

00:18:47.560 ISIS has said, this is our work.

00:18:50.520 So, once again, the junior varsity team doing a pretty good job, it seems.

00:18:56.400 And the shooter, this is not a guy who was going in there with a suicide vest, as we've seen so often with ISIS.

00:19:04.340 They're apparently not wanting to kill themselves these days.

00:19:08.120 The guy in the Berlin attack managed to get out of Berlin and get all the way to Italy before engaging in a firefight with cops there who wanted to check his papers.

00:19:18.940 But this gunman is on the loose, and ISIS has taken the credit for it.

00:19:24.900 And now the concern is that he'll get out of Turkey and get to Syria and maybe wreak more havoc. 0.98

00:19:31.940 But it's not a good thing.

00:19:33.920 Turkey's had a very tough year.

00:19:36.100 They have had several attacks killing dozens and dozens of people.

00:19:42.080 And I just can't imagine what this country would be like if we didn't have the kind of security we had.

00:19:50.540 Look, New Year's Eve and Times Square, between a million and a half and two million people, completely secured.

00:19:57.720 No problems from what we could see, other than the biggest threat to New Year's Eve was Don Lemon's tequila consumption and Mariah Carey's microphone failures.

00:20:08.180 If that's the biggest problem, then yes, we're doing it right.

00:20:13.440 So God bless the NYPD and all the intel that's keeping us safe.

00:20:18.240 When we get back, a new year, new laws, plus a woman got in trouble for peeing on a Donald Trump golf course.

00:20:26.380 But now she's been told she can sue him.

00:20:31.920 Wait, what?

00:20:33.980 Yeah, we'll figure it out with Dr. Wendy Patrick, an attorney, next.

00:20:44.660 You're listening to the Glenn Beck Program.

00:20:49.120 Mercury.

00:20:56.380 The Glenn Beck Program.

00:21:15.420 It is the Glenn Beck Program.

00:21:19.760 Mr. Beck returns tomorrow with the full complement of characters usually heard on the show.

00:21:27.320 Pat, Stu, Jeffy, etc.

00:21:30.860 Back from their holiday break.

00:21:33.280 Tanned, rested and ready, as it were.

00:21:35.240 I can't be sure of that.

00:21:37.360 But they are back tomorrow.

00:21:38.500 And I appreciate the opportunity to be here today.

00:21:41.360 Mike Opelka from Pure Opelka, heard here on the Blaze Radio Network, five nights a week and Saturday mornings.

00:21:50.000 And if you want to join the show, too, 888-727-BECK.

00:21:55.040 888-727-2325 is the phone number here.

00:22:00.200 We are kicking off the year and talking about news, obviously.

00:22:05.960 Finally, I want to get into the case.

00:22:09.480 There's a whole bunch of fake news that we will get to later.

00:22:12.620 There was fake news about the Russians hacking a power plant.

00:22:16.720 There was fake news about Donald Trump throwing a guy off a golf course.

00:22:21.840 A big story.

00:22:23.180 But we will get to that.

00:22:25.120 First, I want to bring in a guest we had on Friday, a friend of the show,

00:22:31.160 who has talked with us on various levels about legal matters.

00:22:35.400 She's an attorney.

00:22:36.360 She's also an author.

00:22:37.500 Her name is Wendy Patrick, Dr. Wendy Patrick.

00:22:41.400 WendyPatrickPhD.com is her website.

00:22:44.120 And, Wendy, first of all, how was your New Year's?

00:22:47.400 Oh, it was tremendous.

00:22:48.700 It was wonderful.

00:22:49.460 How about you?

00:22:50.340 It was good.

00:22:50.960 It was quiet.

00:22:51.600 You know, we kind of kept it.

00:22:53.020 We watched Don Lemon get hammered.

00:22:55.900 And, you know, that's fun.

00:22:56.940 That's always good fun.

00:22:57.720 At our age, quiet is good.

00:22:59.880 Yeah, yeah.

00:23:00.920 And it's much better the next day, as it were.

00:23:04.840 That's for sure.

00:23:06.420 Yeah, that's true.

00:23:07.660 Now, Wendy, Friday we talked about the privacy issue,

00:23:11.320 and I want to get back to that with devices that listen in.

00:23:14.440 But there were a couple of stories that are out there that I thought we should talk about.

00:23:19.400 And one of them was this wacky story about Donald Trump and a woman who has been allowed to sue him,

00:23:28.660 even though it was she who urinated on his golf course.

00:23:35.280 That's right.

00:23:36.220 There's more to the story, Mike.

00:23:37.740 I know the headline really is unusual.

00:23:40.080 This is a woman that relieved herself behind a sand dune in April of 2016, okay, answering a call of nature.

00:23:47.680 And when she did so, like anybody using a public restroom, did not expect that she was going to be filmed.

00:23:54.740 Now, obviously, there is an enormous difference between using a public restroom and answering a call of nature in the midst of nature, we'll say.

00:24:01.860 Nonetheless, the issue was not whether that was appropriate, but whether or not the footage of her relieving herself could be something that goes public.

00:24:11.540 And in this case, of course, it was delivered to the police, ended up being a charge.

00:24:15.740 But this is a case that, believe it or not, is going to go forward.

00:24:19.200 Now, that doesn't necessarily mean it's ultimately going to be successful.

00:24:22.680 But the first thing we'll look at is, can these causes of action get out of the gate?

00:24:27.980 And this one can.

00:24:29.620 Hmm.

00:24:30.380 Well, it's also in another country, too, which there are different laws in different countries.

00:24:35.480 But I wonder if in America, if you're running a business and you set up security cameras and someone does something like this lady did on this golf course, 1.00

00:24:45.980 first of all, everybody should know the woman is an environmental activist, and this was kind of part of her protest. 0.98

00:24:53.100 She wanted to I want to say mark her territory, but she was essentially protesting and letting letting the Trump course know that she wasn't happy with what would have been going on. 0.93

00:25:06.920 But in America, if a security camera catches somebody doing something like this, are we able to if if it were like my business,

00:25:18.120 would I be able to be sued because I brought the video to the police and didn't tell her she was being recorded?

00:25:24.560 Well, that's you've accurately identified two of the most important issues.

00:25:28.760 First is the reasonable expectation of privacy.

00:25:31.620 If somebody in an area where they don't believe they're being recorded.

00:25:35.560 Now, that can cut both ways in public, because we all know we live in a day and age where almost everything we do is observed by someone,

00:25:43.480 but not so in the privacy of our own homes or in a public restroom.

00:25:47.840 And then the second issue you accurately bring up is, is there any kind of limitation to what an individual or the police or somebody else is able to do with this kind of footage?

00:25:58.100 Now, you say she was marking her territory and protesting. 0.99

00:26:00.960 She may have just had to go to the bathroom. 1.00

00:26:02.620 And that issue is coming up increasingly frequently.

00:26:06.320 I mean, think about an airplane when the flight attendants try to make you stay in your seats and somebody can't hold it.

00:26:11.720 There are so many occasions where this type of thing in America, which has these much different laws, might be actionable if it's a situation where, for example, you don't have control over it.

00:26:24.160 And if somebody uses that footage in a way that is embarrassing or invades your privacy.

00:26:29.860 Hmm.

00:26:30.580 There's OK.

00:26:31.220 Well, I guess this is why we see those signs everywhere that say these these premises are under constant surveillance.

00:26:39.540 I guess that's an issue, though, Mike.

00:26:41.080 Where are the signs?

00:26:42.060 There are lots of places where it's very hard to find signs that are informing the public that they're being recorded or they're being filmed or these or smile.

00:26:50.640 Oh, you're on camera.

00:26:51.760 OK, we've all seen those when we go into stores.

00:26:53.580 Those are prominently displayed, no doubt, to circumvent claims that somebody believed unreasonably that those premises and whatever they did therein was private.

00:27:03.220 Well, you know, out in your part of the world and we're talking to Dr.

00:27:06.720 Wendy Patrick, attorney, author, Wendy Patrick, phd dot com.

00:27:11.200 And Wendy's in California and in the over the weekend, there was a prank played on the people in Hollywood as someone changed the Hollywood sign to read Holly weed.

00:27:21.860 But I believe security cameras were were rolling the whole time.

00:27:25.480 And I think they've got some video of the of the perpetrators that they're looking into.

00:27:30.940 Am I wrong on that?

00:27:32.560 Well, you know, there's always video cameras.

00:27:35.340 I mean, there are satellite cameras.

00:27:37.240 There are so many different ways that law enforcement can capture your activities in a public place.

00:27:43.060 So that is one area where it is very unusual to see somebody claiming they had no idea they might be under surveillance.

00:27:50.480 I mean, think about it.

00:27:51.120 We live in a day and age where the increased surveillance is just arises, really breathes a multitude of different kinds of invasion of privacy claims and lawsuits.

00:27:59.720 So especially when people are committing a crime to thereby say, OK, I may or may not be guilty of a crime, but somehow I'm going to be able to sue you civilly.

00:28:09.040 That's a hard pill to swallow for juries.

00:28:11.360 And no doubt suits like this, should they ever get that far, are going to be viewed with suspicion.

00:28:17.060 Well, this is it's always fun for me to watch the the legal limits and the boundaries being pushed because your profession and your brothers and sisters in the legal world seem to be very creative, more creative than you're given credit for.

00:28:34.660 Now, speaking of creativity, new laws on the books for for 2017, anything, anything particular that now, again, going I'm going back to California.

00:28:46.280 You guys have new, more restrictive Second Amendment laws that went into effect on the first.

00:28:52.140 And I think you also have background checks for ammunition purchasing, which just makes me crazy.

00:28:58.020 That's right. You know, Mike, it's a great question, because every year we look at all the most interesting new laws across the nation and most people focus on ones they don't think we need.

00:29:07.400 But what we've seen in the last couple of years and as a reaction to the increase in gun violence, or at least the increase in the the news about gun violence in our social media world,

00:29:17.700 we do have background checks now mandated to buy even ammunition in California.

00:29:23.180 There's a couple other restrictions in terms of magazine size. And, you know, it's really one of the things that we'd like to say only in California.

00:29:31.640 It could set a trend for the rest of the nation. Some states are continually very permissive in their gun rules and regulations and others, no doubt, will look at what Californians done with respect to the background check for even buying ammunition.

00:29:44.980 And I wouldn't be surprised. And I wouldn't be surprised in 2018. We see more states do the same kinds of things, especially, Mike, if the trend of gun violence continues.

00:29:53.440 And we have no reason I you know, I'm an eternal optimist, but there's no evidence to suggest there's going to be a dramatic decrease in gun violence in 2017.

00:30:01.780 Well, Chicago is screwing up the curve. It's like that one kid in science class who always got an A on everything.

00:30:10.000 And, you know, we couldn't we couldn't get graded on a curve because he always got 100.

00:30:14.540 And it was you, Mike. No, no. I was the one making a fist at him.

00:30:19.680 And is there are there any other laws that stick out?

00:30:23.980 For example, I had heard there was one in Nebraska that said they had put out a notice that everybody driving in the mountains needs to be careful driving near the edge of the road in mountainous areas.

00:30:39.820 Nebraska is pretty darn flat.

00:30:41.340 You could roll a marble from the east side of Nebraska to the west side of the entire state and not have a problem.

00:30:48.060 What others are out there that are driving you crazy?

00:30:52.560 Well, you know, I hate to come back to California, but because you brought up the background check for ammunition, OK, that's that's becoming more restrictive.

00:31:00.940 There are also what some have described as a loosening of restrictions, but not really.

00:31:05.060 If you look at it more carefully, and I'll give you one example, beer at the barbershop, wine at the beauty salon.

00:31:10.640 We are now in California able to able to serve alcohol in barbershops and beauty salons.

00:31:16.880 But Mike, here is why it may not be as increasingly permissive as it sounds.

00:31:21.880 First of all, that practice has already been done in many types of businesses, not just hair salons.

00:31:26.880 But what this now does is regulate the practice, because unlike the comedy club where there's a three drink minimum, now there's a one drink maximum.

00:31:35.640 And it even regulates the size of that drink, 12 ounces of beer or six ounces of wine.

00:31:40.280 And last call, 10 p.m.

00:31:42.820 So California is instituting regulations in some circumstances like this to where it's not actually more permissive, but actually more regulating a practice that's already been in existence.

00:31:54.340 We did the same thing last year with allowing pets on restaurants with patios, again, legalizing and regulating something that had already been done.

00:32:04.220 It makes my head just start to explode.

00:32:08.900 I'm also I'm looking at a list here that someone else sent me to as well.

00:32:12.440 That's it. Now, thank God, Iowa has made it a felony if you steal more than a thousand dollars worth of grease.

00:32:19.580 Well, you know, death laws have always criminalized as felonies, stealing anything over a certain amount of money.

00:32:30.800 So I know some laws are making headlines by adding different substances and materials to that list.

00:32:35.800 But again, it's simply a reframing of what has already been a law.

00:32:40.400 But along those lines, let me give you something that is new, because a lot of people quote laws that they maybe didn't know is in existence.

00:32:47.040 And, you know, the reason we need to know about new laws is ignorance of the law is no excuse.

00:32:53.040 In other words, laws change so frequently, especially gun laws, as you mentioned.

00:32:57.040 We can't just violate the law and say, oh, my gosh, I didn't realize it changed January 2017, particularly in a social media savvy world where it's too easy to keep up to date.

00:33:06.960 So along those lines, let me give you one more that's going into effect.

00:33:10.500 That's the driving hands free means exactly that.

00:33:14.220 Now, California passed that. Obviously, there was no DWTs allowed, no driving while texting.

00:33:20.140 But now all devices have to be mounted on the dash, and they cannot even be manipulated at all except to turn it on and off.

00:33:28.260 So you've got to learn how to use your voice activation to avoid getting a ticket in California.

00:33:33.040 I have no doubt, Mike, that this is the kind of law that will spread like wildfire to the other states.

00:33:37.920 Well, now, Wendy, I'm going to have to ask you, can you hang on?

00:33:41.480 Because I want to talk about that voice activation.

00:33:44.000 And we talked about it briefly on Friday.

00:33:47.180 But I want to see where we are in this, because now you've got a state mandating you basically have to use voice activated software if you're going to use your car, your phone in your car.

00:33:58.080 And I wonder what the implications are to privacy.

00:34:02.500 And for me, it comes down to just almost almost six of the first 10 amendments.

00:34:07.740 The entire Bill of Rights is is up against this one.

00:34:10.880 Can you hang out over the break?

00:34:12.520 Sure.

00:34:13.120 All right. We'll be back with Dr. Wendy Patrick, attorney, author and friend of this show.

00:34:18.920 This show, however, today is the Glenn Beck program.

00:34:23.080 This is the Glenn Beck program.

00:34:28.080 The Glenn Beck program.

00:34:58.080 Mike Opelka filling in for my buddy Glenn Beck, who returns tomorrow.

00:35:03.020 In fact, the entire Glenn Beck program back tomorrow.

00:35:06.420 Brand new year kicking off some very exciting things.

00:35:09.660 If you follow Glenn on Twitter, he teased a book that he said you should download and at least read Chapter 11 of that book.

00:35:20.280 I did that this morning.

00:35:22.280 It was amazing.

00:35:23.900 Dr. Wendy Patrick is with us.

00:35:26.960 Doctor, we've got about about a minute and a half to discuss this.

00:35:31.560 This case that's ongoing with the listening devices and the privacy.

00:35:35.240 Is our privacy at risk because technology is always listening to us?

00:35:40.560 Oh, absolutely.

00:35:42.300 But, Mike, what's interesting about the case you mentioned, which deals with this Amazon virtual assistant, Alexa, kind of a Siri-like character that you invite into your home.

00:35:53.860 There is a catch with some of these cases.

00:35:55.800 There is no compulsion that states we have to go out and buy devices designed to record us and then, of course, provide back data.

00:36:03.260 What's the weather like?

00:36:04.480 What are the day's headlines?

00:36:06.040 What time is it?

00:36:07.140 But the problem is when people buy these devices, now law enforcement or anybody else that has standing to claim that they need the information has a vehicle to get it.

00:36:17.420 That's why we keep seeing these cases in the news, like the one you're talking about, where a virtual assistant may have witnessed a murder.

00:36:25.220 It's very scary to me, especially if it is your own voice that has been recorded and could be turned against you.

00:36:33.520 So, it just seems like it smacks right of the Fifth Amendment.

00:36:37.680 Who knows?

00:36:38.620 Who knows what's going to happen?

00:36:39.960 Well, we'll keep an eye on it, Wendy.

00:36:41.580 But I appreciate it.

00:36:43.180 Now, remember, Wendy, when driving in Nebraska on the mountain roads, stay away from the edge of the roads, my friend.

00:36:50.140 That was one of my favorite new laws, too, Mike.

00:36:52.220 Thank you.

00:36:53.080 Have a great rest of the week.

00:36:54.860 When we get back, the headlines, the news, and why Obama isn't going after North Korea.

00:37:03.520 This is the Glenn Beck Program.

00:37:15.540 Mercury.

00:37:16.260 Mercury.

00:37:33.520 I will make a stand.

00:37:50.840 I will raise my voice.

00:37:53.120 I will hold your hand.

00:37:55.580 Because we are one.

00:37:57.380 I will beat my drum.

00:37:59.580 I have made my choice.

00:38:01.600 Because we will overcome.

00:38:04.080 Because we are one.

00:38:06.180 The fusion of entertainment and enlightenment.

00:38:10.040 This is the Glenn Beck Program.

00:38:13.520 Happy New Year.

00:38:17.540 Mike Opelka sitting in for my friend Glenn Beck on the Glenn Beck Program.

00:38:22.180 Glenn will be back tomorrow.

00:38:24.800 Glenn, Pat, Stu, Jeffy, the whole crew back tomorrow.

00:38:30.000 Before I get into North Korea and the situation there that's very troubling to me,

00:38:36.500 I want to say good morning to Ben in California.

00:38:39.760 Good morning, Ben.

00:38:40.480 How are you, sir?

00:38:41.220 Good morning, sir.

00:38:41.300 Did we lose, Ben?

00:38:45.780 I can't hear Ben.

00:38:48.660 Hello, Ben.

00:38:51.460 This is Jeff.

00:38:52.500 You looking for Jeff from California?

00:38:53.920 I'll take Jeff from California.

00:38:55.500 I guess Ben's on hold somewhere else.

00:38:57.520 I'm sorry, Jeff.

00:38:58.360 How are you, sir?

00:38:59.180 Happy New Year.

00:39:00.680 Happy New Year to you, Mr. Opelka.

00:39:02.120 I was calling in today because your story last week about a police officer in California arresting somebody for being under the influence of caffeine.

00:39:10.740 It was not a police officer.

00:39:13.060 It was a member of the, I think it's like the alcohol and tobacco.

00:39:20.040 It was not a, say, a uniformed police department member from a municipality, but it was from an agency.

00:39:29.360 Gotcha.

00:39:29.800 I have suspicion that that gentleman had his own suspicions about the driver ingesting marijuana.

00:39:36.280 And that is why he couldn't do a field sobriety test and tried to do a blood test.

00:39:41.460 And once it failed negative on that, then he had to come up with some other reason, such as caffeine.

00:39:46.400 Well, you, you, you, we can only speculate, Jeff, but what happened in this case, the agent witnessed this guy driving erratically, pulled him over, breathalyzed him.

00:39:57.840 He, he had a 0.0 on the breathalyzer, still thought there was some impairment, brought him in, got the blood test.

00:40:04.500 The person was arrested, spent the night in jail, and it turned up the only thing in the blood was caffeine.

00:40:09.720 There were no illegal or legal substances that could have been being abused.

00:40:15.720 And, but it's an interesting case that the guy was still charged with driving under the influence.

00:40:21.540 So I take it you're a pro marijuana person.

00:40:25.480 Yes, absolutely.

00:40:26.500 I'm actually a commercial cannabis farmer in California.

00:40:29.440 Oh, wow.

00:40:30.000 How's business?

00:40:31.960 It is doing very well.

00:40:33.480 2017 is a breakthrough year for here in California.

00:40:35.720 Well, you know, I'm, I'm a guy who is a proponent of the medical marijuana.

00:40:41.860 I'm a guy who's seen it do wonderful things for people who need that help.

00:40:46.680 I get nervous when we think about putting it everywhere where it can be used by people who might be driving and not be using it for medical purposes.

00:40:56.640 But I'm open to talking about it, Jeff.

00:40:58.720 You know, I think that's, that's, we have to be willing to have that discussion, especially when we look at some of the other chemicals that are being thrown about.

00:41:08.340 Absolutely.

00:41:09.160 Those are all big concerns and very relevant.

00:41:12.460 Those are the reasons why legalization has to have regulations.

00:41:15.600 And once those regulations are actually fully in place, then I think it will be a lot more conducive to society and their expectations.

00:41:22.700 Well, let's talk about regulation as a, as a marijuana farmer, as a commercial marijuana farmer, how heavily regulated are you?

00:41:31.840 This is California in a new business.

00:41:34.660 What do you think?

00:41:36.820 Well, the laws here are written extremely backwards as far as the original tense of the U.S. Constitution.

00:41:43.520 And the state law is written so that the counties can supersede the state laws and inject their own interpretation of the new law.

00:41:51.860 Really?

00:41:53.340 Wow.

00:41:54.640 So basically, a lot of the, a lot of the counties have essentially banned all the, the new Proposition 64 that just went through.

00:42:01.440 So the people spoke and now it's pretty much banned everywhere.

00:42:04.680 So there's going to be a two-year lengthy process of litigation that's going to go on and eventually it will become back to legal.

00:42:10.280 But that's the case here in California.

00:42:11.860 For those of us that don't know what Proposition 64 is, what are you referring to?

00:42:17.540 Proposition 64 is a new law that just passed in California that allows the cannabis to be taxed and also allows personal use and up to six plants for personal use.

00:42:28.760 Hmm.

00:42:29.260 Okay.

00:42:30.040 So that's, so that was allowed by referendum and then overturned or negated by many local communities.

00:42:36.860 That's exactly right.

00:42:39.460 And I think the local communities are scared to get sued.

00:42:42.280 So they're, they're kind of going in, banning it, and then letting somebody lead the way, such as Humboldt County or some of the original folks that were in the scene.

00:42:49.880 And once all that gets settled, you know, I think 2019 is the projected date for a lot of this stuff to be finalized.

00:42:56.480 Interesting.

00:42:57.020 One more quick question, Jeff, before we let you go.

00:42:59.700 Where do you stand on California breaking up and splitting off?

00:43:02.740 If you're talking about the state of Jefferson, I like it.

00:43:06.100 But if you're talking about seceding from the nation, absolutely not.

00:43:08.520 It's ridiculous.

00:43:09.460 So you'd be all for the separate state of Jefferson, which I think has a more libertarian base to it, from what I've heard.

00:43:17.760 And, but not breaking up into five separate properties or just breaking off into your own country.

00:43:24.760 Yeah, that would spell disaster.

00:43:26.580 I'm sure a lot of your listeners there know California and their politics.

00:43:30.080 I don't see how that could work.

00:43:31.040 But Jefferson, however, they're much more conservative-based.

00:43:35.280 You know, if California, you're in L.A., San Diego, or San Francisco, you're very liberal.

00:43:39.120 And if you're in any of the outskirts, you don't get really a say in Sacramento anymore.

00:43:43.840 So that's what the state of Jefferson is all about, is trying to give a voice back to the rural communities and still being part of the United States.

00:43:49.540 Well, I don't know how some of my libertarian and conservatarian brothers and sisters do it out in California, but I salute you.

00:43:56.560 Jeff, thanks for joining the show.

00:43:58.000 I appreciate you.

00:43:58.800 Take care, my friend.

00:43:59.640 And, wow, up early in California.

00:44:02.620 And you are welcome to join the conversation as well.

00:44:05.380 888-727-BECK.

00:44:08.460 727-2325 is the phone number.

00:44:11.800 I was talking earlier about the news out of North Korea.

00:44:16.020 Now, let's – oh, boy, this guy, Kim Jong-un.

00:44:20.660 We know that last year alone, North Korea conducted two nuclear tests, and they have been looking at creating rockets that are big enough to launch satellites.

00:44:32.480 But at the same time, that technology will allow North Korea to create a rocket that can hold a nuclear warhead that can travel up to 5,000 kilometers or 3,000-plus miles. 0.53

00:44:49.960 Not a good thing.

00:44:52.340 Not a good thing.

00:44:53.440 Not a good thing.

00:44:53.480 And Kim Jong-un seems to rattle his little saber whenever we get a new president.

00:45:00.660 It seems to be his wicked custom.

00:45:02.540 So, while our intelligence isn't showing us that they're moving a rocket towards a launch pad that the government in Pyongyang is not imminently preparing to launch,

00:45:19.400 the leader, the latest dear leader, is saying that his country will continue to strengthen its ability based on a nuclear might to mount a preemptive attack.

00:45:33.460 Now, very carefully worded, this was his New Year half-hour speech.

00:45:38.740 By the way, same guy who last month made it illegal to worship Christmas.

00:45:46.880 Yes, well, it's been illegal to worship Christmas, but you can worship his grandmother, who they claim was born on Christmas Day.

00:45:55.460 So, North Korea, once again, preparing, telling us they're going to test an intercontinental ballistic missile,

00:46:04.400 a missile capable of traveling from one continent to another and capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, and we know they've tested him.

00:46:14.080 And what is President Obama doing?

00:46:16.880 Nothing.

00:46:18.160 He's doing nothing.

00:46:19.400 He is returning from his final vacation, the $100 million worth of vacations that we've paid for over the eight years.

00:46:28.240 He's returning from Hawaii in order to do two things.

00:46:32.520 He's going to meet with Democrats in Congress tomorrow and start plotting on how they are going to obstruct Donald Trump.

00:46:41.160 Ultimately, he's hoping to get something done to prevent the total destruction of Obamacare, because he knows that's his legacy.

00:46:53.240 But I don't know why President Obama wouldn't see this.

00:46:57.800 Well, I do know why.

00:46:58.800 I don't know why President Obama would not take action or get John Kerry involved in this to say, look, bigger problem than getting mad at Israel.

00:47:09.460 Bigger problem than what's going on with the with Netanyahu and how you've destroyed a relationship with a trusted ally.

00:47:17.940 Why shouldn't you be instead of pushing through the agenda driven U.N.

00:47:24.560 resolution?

00:47:26.400 Shouldn't we jump on North Korea and at least rally some sort of coalition instead of waiting these last 19 days, 18 days?

00:47:37.700 And letting it talk about kicking the can down the road.

00:47:42.000 So many times during the 2008 campaign, we heard Barack Obama say the the Republicans kick the can down the road.

00:47:50.740 They they just they didn't want to deal with it.

00:47:54.460 Nobody wanted to solve a problem.

00:47:55.900 They left it for the next administration.

00:47:57.760 Well, guess what's happening here?

00:47:59.380 You have an imminent threat not only to the United States, but definitely to the region. 0.90

00:48:04.200 A guy who says he's going to test an intercontinental ballistic missile who has tested nuclear warheads.

00:48:11.360 And instead of dealing with that, you are worried about making sure your legacy is not destroyed because your socialist medical health insurance program is set to be taken apart.

00:48:25.020 It's it's the most maddening thing in the news today for me that we are totally blind to North Korea.

00:48:31.300 We have enabled this guy with what we did in Iran.

00:48:38.460 We have enabled this guy.

00:48:40.320 We basically said it's OK.

00:48:42.500 You can take care of business.

00:48:43.940 Do whatever you want to do, sir.

00:48:45.220 And now that we have people finally escaping.

00:48:50.180 Getting out of North Korea and telling us they intend to have those missiles and the and the warheads ready sometime in 2017. 0.73

00:49:00.280 And what are we doing for the last three weeks?

00:49:02.540 Well, I'll tell you what President Obama is doing.

00:49:04.380 He's flying back to Washington.

00:49:05.940 As I said, he's meeting with all of the big wigs in the party.

00:49:10.060 They are now officially the party of no, as we learned from Chuck Schumer.

00:49:13.620 I'll tell you about it next break.

00:49:15.300 But he's also saying, I've got to work on my final speech.

00:49:21.120 And President Obama is has just announced that on January 10th, a week and a day from tomorrow, he'll be.

00:49:30.220 So next Wednesday, not the coming Wednesday, next Wednesday, he will be in Chicago to deliver his farewell speech.

00:49:37.240 Chicago, the city that had more gun murders last year than New York and Los Angeles combined.

00:49:52.780 Is there a greater example of the failure of Democratic leadership than my former hometown?

00:50:01.300 I don't think so.

00:50:02.620 So I do think it's fitting that President Obama is is absolutely doing nothing, apparently publicly about the North Korea announcement that they're going to test an intercontinental ballistic missile.

00:50:16.200 And he's going to visit with Congress to try and save his legacy and then fly to Chicago to have a big farewell speech because he needs to be in the city, the third largest city in the country that had more murders by gunshot than the first and the second largest city in the country combined.

00:50:41.140 It doesn't make any sense.

00:50:44.100 Thanks, President Obama.

00:50:45.480 Thanks a lot.

00:50:47.220 Stepping aside for a minute when we get back.

00:50:50.620 I know we love our pets, but I have a story that just really bothers me about.

00:50:56.840 About how much money these people spent to keep a puppy.

00:51:02.240 Alive and am I a bad person?

00:51:05.800 How much would you spend to keep a puppy alive?

00:51:09.540 We'll talk about that next on the Glenn Beck program.

00:51:14.260 Glenn Beck program.

00:51:15.480 Triple 8-7-888-727-BAC.

00:51:17.280 Mercury.

00:51:18.560 Mercury.

00:51:18.720 Mercury.

00:51:18.760 Mercury.

00:51:19.220 Mercury.

00:51:19.480 Mercury.

00:51:19.760 This is the Glenn Beck program.

00:51:24.200 This is the Glenn Beck program.

00:51:24.300 This is the Glenn Beck program.

00:51:46.260 New from Disney and Pixar, in association with the producers of Where's Waldo, comes a motion picture for our time, ripped from the headlines, especially if the only headlines you see are on HLN.

00:52:01.780 She's lost and all alone in a great big world, flushed from the headlines, trying to make it back home.

00:52:10.920 Is she in the woods?

00:52:12.160 Is she out of the woods?

00:52:14.000 Is she in a coffee house?

00:52:15.780 Is she being hacked by the KGB?

00:52:18.140 Or in the secluded underwater prison, a captive of the evil Trump fish?

00:52:22.460 Finding Hillary.

00:52:23.520 Just keep voting.

00:52:24.660 Just keep voting.

00:52:25.800 Just keep voting.

00:52:26.720 A post-apocalyptic, post-election animated classic featuring a two-dimensional candidate in a three-dimensional political world.

00:52:33.620 Finding Hillary.

00:52:34.960 Opening Friday.

00:52:36.040 Ready, gee whiz, will you get over it?

00:52:38.060 Thank you, Doc Thompson and the Morning Blaze crew for sending that over.

00:52:45.120 I hope that movie gets made.

00:52:47.100 I think it's very clever.

00:52:48.860 I love when the little Hillary fish is saying, just keep voting, just keep voting. 0.97

00:52:55.360 Mike Opelka is sitting in for Glenn Beck on the Glenn Beck program.

00:52:58.740 If you are a regular to my program, Puro Pelka, heard weeknights, 7 to 10 p.m. live on the Blaze Radio Network.

00:53:09.040 Thank you.

00:53:09.840 That's Eastern time.

00:53:11.200 If not, check us out.

00:53:13.060 We are a little different.

00:53:16.200 Yes, we do the politics, but we also do a little bit different in terms of strange stories.

00:53:22.820 But, you know, Beck does, too.

00:53:24.120 So I shouldn't say it's all that bizarre or all that different.

00:53:28.740 But I mentioned earlier that Ernesto, my buddy, is leaving from Dallas right now.

00:53:39.000 They're on their way walking from Dallas towards Arlington, 20 miles today, walking all the way from Tennessee to California to Los Angeles to draw attention to the plight of veterans.

00:53:53.080 And so I'll send out a link to my Twitter account to follow Ernesto at Nerdnesto.

00:54:01.500 But he's he's an amazing guy and he's doing things for the vets.

00:54:06.740 And so I asked some of my my friends this weekend, if we're going to talk about doing things, things for the vets, what's out there?

00:54:15.080 I'm looking for some new kind of helpful charity type things that we can do.

00:54:20.400 And a really good friend of mine from my college life said Freedom Service Dogs.

00:54:28.540 Freedom Service Dogs is a charity that takes unwanted shelter dogs.

00:54:33.440 In other words, the ones that nobody wanted to adopt.

00:54:36.500 And they train them to be service dogs to disabled vets and then also and hand them to other people.

00:54:44.340 So once all the disabled vets have been helped out with a service dog, they pass them on to other people. 1.00

00:54:51.460 How good is this charity?

00:54:54.100 My friend Carol Ann said that Robin Williams daughter selected Freedom Service Dogs as the recipient of her inheritance,

00:55:04.920 saying that her dad, Robin Williams, would have loved what they stand for.

00:55:09.480 And she's been a supporter.

00:55:11.820 We're going to reach out to them, see if we can get them on the on the phone.

00:55:16.780 And I say that because I read a story that that both made me say, oh, my gosh.

00:55:24.240 And then made me scratch my head and say, I don't know how I feel about this.

00:55:29.900 And you can tell me if I'm wrong.

00:55:32.680 There's there's a story in the New York Post about a French bulldog named Jones.

00:55:38.580 And first of all, French bulldogs, adorable dogs.

00:55:42.900 They're adorable.

00:55:45.400 But this little guy has a lot of problems.

00:55:49.700 Now, I'm a I'm a dog lover, a dog rescuer, worked on a rescue.

00:55:55.220 Our family, my wife and I worked on a rescue that brought hundreds of dogs a month from the south to the north because they were abandoned.

00:56:05.500 We were part of the underhound railroad.

00:56:09.720 So I have a very warm spot in my heart for our four footed friends.

00:56:15.700 But a couple in Brooklyn.

00:56:18.500 Has spent one hundred and fifty five thousand dollars on vet bills.

00:56:24.460 For a puppy.

00:56:26.720 A tiny puppy.

00:56:28.100 This this this dog has a lot of problems and I know they're cute.

00:56:35.600 But I just wonder.

00:56:38.880 And am I am I a bad guy?

00:56:41.660 I wonder how many service dogs we could have given to our vets.

00:56:47.020 For that hundred and fifty five thousand dollars.

00:56:49.500 I know little Jones, the French bulldog is adorable. 0.58

00:56:56.800 But I think we've got to think people first sometimes.

00:57:00.840 Michael Pelka in for Glenn Beck.

00:57:02.440 When we get back, we'll talk to my buddy Pete Kasparowicz from the Washington Examiner.

00:57:07.220 The Glenn Beck Program.

00:57:13.240 Mercury.

00:57:13.640 Mercury.

00:57:13.760 Mercury.

00:57:13.960 Mercury.

00:57:13.980 Mercury.

00:57:19.500 The Glenn Beck Program.

00:57:46.920 888-727-BECK.

00:57:50.300 Mike O'Pelka in for Glenn Beck and the Glenn Beck Program.

00:57:54.320 The full show returns tomorrow.

00:57:56.300 Glenn, Pat, Stu and yes, Jeffy as the beaver.

00:58:01.960 They are back from their holiday vacation.

00:58:04.920 I'm here, but I'll also be in at nights.

00:58:08.800 We're working on a new studio set up.

00:58:11.240 So I think it might be Wednesday night or Thursday night back live on Pure O'Pelka on the Blaze Radio Network.

00:58:17.540 Follow me on Twitter.

00:58:19.300 I will keep you posted.

00:58:21.260 My Twitter handle, at StuntBrain.

00:58:23.900 All one word.

00:58:25.000 S-T-U-N-T-B-R-A-I-N. 1.00

00:58:27.620 And if you go to theblaze.com, you can click on the button that says Channels.

00:58:31.760 And you can follow my channel and little stories will pop up in your feed.

00:58:39.360 Before we went away, I was telling you about the story of the Brooklyn couple that have a dog, a puppy who's not really well, a little Jonesy, the French bulldog, who has required $155,000 in vet bills just to keep alive.

00:58:57.280 It takes nine pills a day.

00:58:59.640 The people have to give him nine pills a day.

00:59:01.860 Antibiotics, steroids, allergy vaccines, anxiety medicine.

00:59:06.880 This dog is adorable.

00:59:10.380 But really, what are we doing here?

00:59:14.140 Am I a bad person?

00:59:15.660 Now, a lot of it's covered by pet insurance.

00:59:18.120 But I'm also wondering what we're doing here.

00:59:22.220 And I'll share more on this story.

00:59:24.500 I'll share a link.

00:59:25.380 I'm also reaching out to the people who give service dogs to our vets, Freedom Service Dogs of America.

00:59:32.440 And hopefully we'll hear from them later in the day.

00:59:34.580 But right now, my buddy from the Washington Examiner, the guy who is I don't know if he's in the swamp that they're hoping to drain.

00:59:44.500 But I think he has seen the plug that they want to pull to drain the swamp.

00:59:50.160 Pete Kasparowicz is his name.

00:59:51.760 Pete, happy New Year to you, my friend.

00:59:53.840 Happy New Year to you.

00:59:54.640 Where are you going to move to?

00:59:55.520 What country are you going to move to?

00:59:57.940 You can't be talking about dogs like that.

01:00:01.040 You're going to be run out of the whole country.

01:00:03.000 No, no, no, no.

01:00:03.920 I'm a dog rescuer.

01:00:05.780 I'm a dog rescuer, Pete.

01:00:07.920 But I just have to question the sanity.

01:00:11.000 You're putting a price on love, man.

01:00:12.860 You're gone.

01:00:13.900 You're done in this country.

01:00:16.160 All right.

01:00:16.940 Well, it's over.

01:00:18.600 Thanks for the happy news.

01:00:22.200 My mom's going to call you at least and say you're putting a price on love.

01:00:25.940 You're a horrible man, Michael Falco.

01:00:28.940 Well, to me, this is like, you know, an overmedicated person.

01:00:32.980 This dog's got to be a zombie.

01:00:34.380 He's on antidepressant medicine.

01:00:36.440 He's got antibiotics, allergy vaccines.

01:00:39.800 All that stuff is stuff you're saying.

01:00:42.440 And you better start looking at a country to live in.

01:00:45.400 All right.

01:00:45.720 I've already picked it out.

01:00:48.180 Where is it?

01:00:48.920 Are you familiar with the Free Republic of Liberland?

01:00:51.900 It is four square miles on the Danube River between Croatia and Yugoslavia.

01:01:02.280 And I happen to know the president.

01:01:04.280 I have him on speed dial.

01:01:06.080 Is that right?

01:01:06.720 Well, then you have an in.

01:01:08.100 You're going to need.

01:01:08.860 I'm telling you, my mom's going to call you right now.

01:01:10.840 You're a horrible man, Michael Falco.

01:01:12.940 You've made a big mistake early in the year.

01:01:15.780 I'm just questioning the sanity here.

01:01:18.720 You got between a family's love for their dog.

01:01:22.100 And it's just there's no coming back from that.

01:01:24.880 You're done.

01:01:25.460 You're done.

01:01:26.660 Everyone give Michael Falco a great big hand.

01:01:29.080 He had a great run.

01:01:30.980 Don't you remember these stories, though, where people like you can't say a thing about a dog like that?

01:01:35.560 People will flip out.

01:01:36.520 You must be getting tweets endlessly right now.

01:01:38.480 No, no, I'm not.

01:01:41.380 Because I also said I would rather see that money spent on taking dogs out of shelters and training them to be service dogs for our veterans.

01:01:49.740 It's the toughest thing an adult has to do is and I became an adult and probably all of us did when you take your kids to the vet and you have to decide to end the life of your pet.

01:01:59.980 It's horrible.

01:02:00.940 May 11th of this last year.

01:02:02.940 I did that.

01:02:04.340 It's horrible.

01:02:04.960 May 11th, I had to say goodbye, but I also and I also understand that somewhere between that heart and your brain, there has to be a reasonable discussion.

01:02:20.080 Well, that's what I mean.

01:02:20.880 And obviously, I'm just joking.

01:02:22.400 You have to make these calls.

01:02:23.600 It's the roughest thing.

01:02:24.720 The vets are better at it now, I think, though.

01:02:27.520 They kind of tell you, yeah, you know, I think everyone must ask the vet, if this were your pet, what would you do?

01:02:33.020 Oh, how did you know?

01:02:34.260 And they'll say, well, I think it's the only thing.

01:02:36.500 I mean, how else do you know how to judge it?

01:02:38.340 It's impossible.

01:02:39.780 And you sort of hope the vet says the right thing.

01:02:42.680 And a lot of times when the pet's in really bad shape, they'll just say, yeah, I mean, I wouldn't save this one.

01:02:46.940 It's so horrible.

01:02:47.940 It's horrible.

01:02:49.220 It's like you become a dad when you do that with a kid in the room, you know.

01:02:54.300 That's when you really become an adult because someone has to take charge there and it has to be you.

01:02:58.080 It's brutal.

01:02:58.640 So I'm just I now now we've totally bummed each other out.

01:03:03.240 And I can't wait to hear from your mother.

01:03:05.940 We always do this to each other.

01:03:07.480 I guess I do it to you all the time.

01:03:08.940 Anyway, let's start over.

01:03:09.700 Happy New Year.

01:03:10.540 Happy New Year.

01:03:11.680 Time to drain the swamp.

01:03:12.900 Have you seen the plug, though, Pete?

01:03:14.440 Have you seen the plug in the swamp that Trump is going to tie a giant chain to and yank it out?

01:03:20.720 God, I mean, if it were that easy, well, maybe no one would have done it.

01:03:24.280 But I mean, he's making I think the plug is all the guys he's bringing in, all the people he's bringing in to do it.

01:03:30.880 It's quite a bunch of people.

01:03:32.960 And I was noting, you know, even as we sort of say goodbye to the Clintons, we sort of said goodbye to a lot of the Republicans who might have come here, too.

01:03:40.660 It's like anyone who is old news is basically out.

01:03:43.200 You know, Gingrich not in and Giuliani not in and Chris Christie not in.

01:03:47.520 You have all these guys who look like they're a bunch of sort of can do business people.

01:03:51.760 And and it's the big question of the year.

01:03:53.700 What will they do?

01:03:54.560 You know, will they will they cut spending?

01:03:56.520 Will they end Obamacare?

01:03:58.200 Will they deregulate everything?

01:04:00.300 Will they have a new strategy for ISIS?

01:04:02.100 I mean, all these possible things they could do.

01:04:05.020 You know, we don't really know, but we have a sense that to me, it looks like it's shaping up to be very dramatic and very different and get ready for the press to howl about it.

01:04:12.220 Well, it certainly looks like, judging from what Chuck Schumer has been saying, that the Democrats have embraced the term that they coined for the Republicans years ago.

01:04:23.220 The party of no, that they are going to make these confirmation hearings as difficult as possible.

01:04:28.280 And they're going to really try and put the squeeze on on the incoming administration.

01:04:35.280 And maybe I think only one of Trump's announced cabinet nominees should get an easy pass.

01:04:43.800 And I think that's Mattis.

01:04:45.040 But the rest of them look like they're in for a really tough, tough run.

01:04:49.580 Well, you know what, though?

01:04:51.260 I disagree with that.

01:04:53.120 And I think that's the line the Dems are trying to sell.

01:04:56.220 And if you remember what Harry Reid did before he left is he gave the minority no voice in the Senate.

01:05:02.100 I mean, they can do little things on the edges and demand more hearing time and ask.

01:05:07.000 You know, I'd like it boils down to tough questions at a hearing, I think, because in the end, if Republicans agree, these guys are in.

01:05:13.920 Yeah, but they can't lose anybody, though.

01:05:16.460 They have to keep, you know, if you lose three, then the Democrats could make it difficult, correct?

01:05:23.260 Yeah, true.

01:05:23.840 Of course.

01:05:25.040 Of course.

01:05:25.960 But I, you know, but let's see where it goes.

01:05:28.760 It's too hard to see around that corner, I think, right now.

01:05:30.980 I think most of these guys probably get through pretty easily.

01:05:36.480 And the Dems are doing the best they can to pretend that the Senate is a place where the minority matters.

01:05:40.860 And it just doesn't matter anymore, thanks to Harry Reid.

01:05:43.780 I noticed when he started making his first cabinet picks, I sort of laughed at that because a lot of Democrats came out with press releases and said, I just can't support this nominee.

01:05:52.720 And every time I saw that, I would laugh and say, remember when that mattered?

01:05:56.140 You know, remember when you would need, you know, remember when you had to get eight Democrats, you know, to get a nominee on board or eight members of the minority?

01:06:04.380 It just doesn't matter anymore.

01:06:05.800 You know, like, go find the three Republicans saying no first, and then let's go, then we can talk about a difficult confirmation.

01:06:12.240 But until then, I'm just sort of, I'm just kind of laughing at these press releases.

01:06:16.060 We're talking to Pete Kasparowicz of the Washington Examiner.

01:06:18.880 And, Pete, you're referring, of course, to the fact that Harry Reid took out the filibuster for appointments and that all this stuff goes through pretty much without any question.

01:06:29.840 And I remember, Pete, in, I think it was 2009, I was in the Senate Progressive Press Conference that they had, and somebody asked the question, somebody from MoveOn or Air America asked the question, what happens when you're not in power?

01:06:49.460 Aren't you worried this is going to turn on you?

01:06:51.540 And I remember Harry Reid chuckling as if we're never leaving, and here we are, and it is coming, but he's gone.

01:07:01.480 I guess that's, I guess that was the conventional wisdom.

01:07:04.460 People used to write stories even six months ago, writing stuff like, can Republicans ever win again, and is this the end, and what, you know, and I think, I think, you know, what Trump did was he broke that storyline of, of, you know, the immigrant, the sort of immigrant vote, hopefully the legal immigrant vote is going to just keep sending Democrats up to Washington.

01:07:24.360 And obviously that's not, at least not true this time, and so, yeah, I talk about seeing around corners, and I don't think Democrats saw this coming, I think they just saw this, you know, they, and at least for this past election, they thought the Senate was pretty much in their hands again.

01:07:39.260 So, yeah, they, you know, it just goes to show you play nice with others, right, all the time, and because you never know how the worm's going to turn on you.

01:07:46.880 Yeah, it's, it was an amazing twist for me, and now, looking, I'm looking at a story you wrote yesterday about Sean Spicer, and talking about the fact that he was asked by John Carl, you know, will Trump keep tweeting, and he said, absolutely, he'll keep tweeting, and Pete, I felt when I was watching that interview with John Carl, that Spicer, Spicer was telling the mainstream media, you can fight all you want for your, your jobs,

01:08:15.860 but this is the new fireside chat, Twitter is the new way the president will bypass the press, and get out what he wants to get out, did you feel the same thing?

01:08:26.840 Yeah, and, and I think, I think we can all see what's coming, right, this is, this is really the democratization of media now, like, we don't need you guys, and, you know, and Trump's team has also made another subtle point, which is, and in case, and anyone who's ever watched a White House press briefing knows it to be true, that a lot of the press availability is pretty boring anyway.

01:08:44.800 You know, you know, you had, we've had Josh Earnest for the last few years, just not really answering questions, but just kind of, you know, repeating the line, the line you know already, it's not really newsy, it's, it's, it's another day, and maybe another slight variation of what they say, and you hope to make a news story, I have to edit this stuff, I know how hard it is, it's not all, it's not all needed, and it's, it's almost never new, so, um, here we have a guy who, I would have thought under Obama or Clinton, the press would be really celebrating it, a direct line to the president,

01:09:13.180 but now the media's going to make it a problem, and I think this will be the story of the year, it'll be, it'll be Trump doing what he wants, it'll be him communicating how he wants, and the press sort of left on the sideline howling and screaming and saying, this isn't right, these issues are subtle, you're doing it wrong, and I don't know if anyone's going to care anymore, I just don't see, you know, and last night, a couple nights ago, did you watch that New Year's stuff?

01:09:34.280 I don't watch this garbage, but Don Lemon got drunk or something?

01:09:39.060 Oh, yeah, he got drunk, he got his ear pierced, and he actually proposed to Brooke Baldwin.

01:09:45.360 Oh, did he?

01:09:46.220 Yeah, and then, no one's talking about that, Pete, I'm the only one who posted, I posted it on my Twitter, I pulled the video, he proposed to Brooke Baldwin, she stayed silent.

01:09:57.020 Oh, so that's, that's a to-be-determined answer, I guess.

01:09:59.620 But also, Kathy Griffin is yelling and screaming, and the media still thinks we're all entertained by this, I mean, I think most people these days are kind of going to bed and not caring about these, these, these uber celebrities that are up late, they're supposed to be shepherding us through every event, right, the New Year and a terrorist attack and inauguration day, they'll be doing it, I don't think people need to filter anymore, I think people can just run out and do what they want, and they can, if they want to know what the president's doing, they'll be able to read his tweets, and you can get this stuff direct.

01:10:29.600 So I think this is going to be the massive story of the next few years of watching the media sort of cope with that reality.

01:10:35.300 Wow, it'll be fun to watch, and as two guys that are also part of the media, I just think we got to keep pressing on and pointing out all those problems, because then people will come to us and say, well, what do you think's going to happen to the media next?

01:10:48.480 Yeah, well, I guess we'll be just, we'll be reduced to covering ourselves and how we shrink and die, I suppose, but it's not that bad, but you know, but in terms of that messaging thing, the media still has a job to do, and there's plenty of open spaces for it, which is to cover what happens.

01:11:02.480 I mean, right now, they're opining, you know, we're fact-checking every tweet from Trump and every little statement, and you can't make an off-the-cuff statement in public without getting fact-checked.

01:11:12.800 I mean, I think those are the functions of the media that go away, but the functions that say, you know, that they report to you what's going on, those are still needed.

01:11:19.080 I don't think we ditch those, and hopefully they sort of come back and become, you know, the main course as it used to be.

01:11:24.680 Well, I appreciate your perspective on it, Pete.

01:11:27.960 Pete Kasparowicz from the Washington Examiner, thank you, my friend.

01:11:31.820 Give your mother my home phone number.

01:11:34.020 She can call me and tell me I'm a despicable person as well.

01:11:36.820 No, she's going to call the radio line.

01:11:39.000 She'll be on in a few minutes, I'm sure.

01:11:40.480 She'll muscle her way through.

01:11:41.980 Fantastic.

01:11:42.880 Her and millions of others.

01:11:44.500 Thank you, Pete.

01:11:45.740 This is the Glenn Beck Program.

01:11:50.000 This is the Glenn Beck Program.

01:11:53.840 Mercury.

01:11:54.680 You're listening to the Glenn Beck Program.

01:12:20.200 Mike Opelka in for Glenn Beck today.

01:12:22.620 Glenn and the crew will be back tomorrow.

01:12:24.400 Glenn, Pat, Stu, and Jeffy.

01:12:28.260 I am happy to be here.

01:12:30.580 Thrilled to be here, as a matter of fact, and hearing from so many of you on Twitter,

01:12:34.740 at Stunt Brain, or on the request lines.

01:12:38.200 What is this, Pop Radio, Mike?

01:12:39.920 On the call-in lines, 888-727-BECK, 727-BECK-2325.

01:12:46.820 So much to get over to cover today.

01:12:51.240 I want to talk about, I have to talk about Donald Trump and the briefing coming up.

01:12:58.920 They're also, in terms of, we covered some of the new state laws and the law that warns people in Nebraska not to drive too close to the edge of the mountain roads.

01:13:06.920 Yeah, the mountains in Nebraska.

01:13:08.740 But I have to talk about the minimum wage.

01:13:12.700 19 states added to their minimum wage, increased minimum wages.

01:13:17.280 It looks like, it looks like a Tenth Amendment thing is taking place, doesn't it?

01:13:24.800 That maybe states are realizing we don't need a national minimum wage.

01:13:30.140 We need to let the Constitution do its job and let states decide what the minimum wage should be. 0.54

01:13:38.160 Because, let's face it, it's a lot different to have a job and live and work in New York than it is to live and work in Nebraska, for example.

01:13:53.880 The Glenn Beck Program.

01:13:56.880 Mercury.

01:14:00.140 The Glenn Beck Program.

01:14:30.140 I will make you stand.

01:14:32.380 I will raise my voice.

01:14:34.620 I will hold your hand.

01:14:37.060 Because we are one.

01:14:38.880 I will beat my drum.

01:14:41.100 I have made my choice.

01:14:43.360 We will overcome.

01:14:45.740 Because we are one.

01:14:47.440 The fusion of entertainment and enlightenment.

01:14:51.460 This is the Glenn Beck Program.

01:14:55.040 One more minute, Glenn Beck and the crew will return here on the Glenn Beck Program.

01:15:02.520 Michael Pelka sitting in for my friend Glenn Beck.

01:15:06.020 Happy New Year.

01:15:08.240 I was earlier speaking about New Year's resolutions and I don't make them.

01:15:14.260 But I have wishes for the New Year's.

01:15:16.520 I wish companies would stop sending endless requests for surveys after you've used their service.

01:15:29.160 You're going to hear it was fine until everything went wrong and then you'll hear from me.

01:15:35.720 That's kind of the way I'd like to look at things.

01:15:38.900 And as a company, maybe these companies could understand that.

01:15:45.060 I'm talking about one particular travel company that sells discounted fares and packages who wants to know.

01:15:54.660 They ask you one question and when you click on the question to say, yes, I had a good trip.

01:16:01.720 Or no, I didn't.

01:16:03.840 Then you're taken into a rabbit hole and you swirl down this rabbit hole where they ask you 45 other questions.

01:16:10.980 Or if you're going to take my time, at least offer me something.

01:16:15.060 If you want to know my opinion, my detailed opinion, give me, how about a little something, you know, for the effort.

01:16:23.280 Anyway, I'm not talking about Travelocity, although I am talking about Travelocity.

01:16:30.360 Because they just keep sending me so many surveys.

01:16:33.420 When it's bad, you hear.

01:16:38.660 That's generally the rule.

01:16:40.160 And I have to tell you, I think we were talking earlier on the show with Pete Kasparowicz from the Washington Examiner.

01:16:49.480 And we were, Pete and I were talking about Donald Trump and how he, Sean Spicer, has said that Mr. Trump does not intend to totally put down the Twitter.

01:17:00.440 He's going to be tweeting a whole lot more.

01:17:03.780 And I likened it to the fireside chats from FDR because I think it's Trump's way of getting around the press interpreting what he says.

01:17:16.920 They'll eventually spin his tweets anyway.

01:17:19.560 And so, as we saw with New Year's Eve, and he said his little greeting to his enemies, which I thought was pretty bizarre.

01:17:30.000 But there it is.

01:17:31.080 But Sean Spicer was on with John Carl this weekend.

01:17:37.680 And in the course of the interview, the subject came up about Trump's tweeting.

01:17:42.200 And it got interesting.

01:17:43.820 I think you'll hear what I was talking about in terms of Trump and Spicer basically telling the mainstream media it's not going to be like it was.

01:17:52.460 You know, with all due respect, I think it freaks the mainstream media out that he has this following of over 45-plus million people that follow him on social media that he can have a direct conversation.

01:18:00.520 He doesn't have to have it funneled through the media.

01:18:02.520 This is going to be a business as usual is over, as I've said before.

01:18:06.860 There's a new sheriff in town.

01:18:08.040 He's going to do things first and foremost for the American people.

01:18:10.200 So we're still going to see a lot of Twitter as president?

01:18:11.960 Absolutely, you're going to see Twitter.

01:18:13.300 Well, he had said in 60 Minutes that he was going to cut back.

01:18:16.100 You know what?

01:18:16.400 The fact of the matter is that when he tweets, he gets results.

01:18:19.080 So whether it's Twitter, holding a news conference, picking up the phone, having a meeting, he is going to make sure that he continues to fight for the American people every single day.

01:18:27.100 Bottom line, are you going to have regular White House press briefings?

01:18:30.340 Absolutely, some way.

01:18:31.860 You know, some of them will be on camera, some of them will be off.

01:18:33.760 But absolutely, we understand the importance.

01:18:35.520 So no more daily televised press briefings?

01:18:37.620 No decisions have been made, but we're looking at every single facet of government and figuring it out.

01:18:42.040 Can we do better?

01:18:42.780 We'll sit down with the White House Correspondent Center, Correspondent Association.

01:18:46.400 I've already had reporters reach out and say, hey, we've got some ideas.

01:18:49.240 This is about, we understand that we have a message to get out and successes that we want the American people to understand.

01:18:54.840 So we'll use every tool possible.

01:18:56.760 And absolutely, we'll sit down and make sure that on a daily basis, the press is informed.

01:19:00.220 And radio or presidential press conference.

01:19:01.820 Absolutely.

01:19:02.200 That said a whole lot, Sean Spicer and John Carl, talking about Donald Trump and what he intends to do.

01:19:11.780 I think this is something to watch in the future.

01:19:14.700 Trump is the guy who showed the Democrats and the Republicans how to use social media to your advantage.

01:19:22.220 He's got 45 million plus followers who will be hearing from him.

01:19:26.740 Interesting.

01:19:27.980 We'll get back to that.

01:19:29.220 And I want to talk more about what's going on.

01:19:31.860 A few folks are calling in and accusing me of some very interesting things.

01:19:37.340 Rachel in Ohio.

01:19:38.540 Rachel, you said I'm a what?

01:19:42.020 A socialist.

01:19:43.560 How do you figure I'm a socialist?

01:19:45.800 Because socialists all spend their money the same way.

01:19:49.400 They're only allowed to do certain things with them.

01:19:51.800 It has nothing to do with the dog.

01:19:54.320 No, I didn't.

01:19:55.040 I didn't.

01:19:55.680 I didn't tell them they couldn't spend that money.

01:19:58.920 But see, for you to judge them.

01:20:01.600 Yeah.

01:20:02.000 That they're not saying because they've spent this money.

01:20:05.580 It's their money.

01:20:07.440 Sure.

01:20:07.960 I just pointed out.

01:20:09.020 I didn't point out.

01:20:10.080 It's a legal thing.

01:20:10.780 I could have said it's two Teslas.

01:20:13.800 And if it were in my wallet, I would say, let's put the dog out of its misery because it's obviously not a healthy dog.

01:20:20.940 Let's get another dog. 1.00

01:20:22.060 Let's go rescue a dog and buy two Teslas.

01:20:25.420 But it's a free country.

01:20:26.540 I know.

01:20:27.080 They can spend their money however.

01:20:28.760 I'm not a socialist.

01:20:30.240 So for you to judge them.

01:20:31.520 Yeah, that's called being human.

01:20:34.120 Are we not allowed to have opinions?

01:20:35.500 The First Amendment allows me to have an opinion and allows you to disagree with it.

01:20:40.780 And the Bible says, judge not lest you be judged.

01:20:44.460 You're judging me.

01:20:45.460 That was around before.

01:20:47.120 You just judged me.

01:20:48.280 You judged me to be a socialist.

01:20:49.980 And I will be forgiven because I will ask for it.

01:20:53.860 I will be too.

01:20:56.820 But let them spend their money however.

01:20:59.340 Well, now it's interesting.

01:21:00.380 The majority of that money came from an insurance policy.

01:21:05.260 And I wonder.

01:21:06.560 That's the way it's set up.

01:21:07.980 I don't agree with insurance.

01:21:09.760 In fact, you know, our quote unquote Obamacare insurance is an insurance now because all it is is paying off the government.

01:21:16.700 That's true.

01:21:17.100 What we do is, you know, because we are up to $6,500 out of pocket.

01:21:21.120 Well, if you don't have a catastrophic issue, you're not going to spend $6,500 a year.

01:21:27.040 So that means your insurance, quote unquote, is never going to cover what you're paying for your health care.

01:21:34.360 You're absolutely right.

01:21:34.980 Absolutely right.

01:21:36.380 Thank you, Rachel.

01:21:38.440 And say hi to your governor.

01:21:40.260 He's an interesting cat.

01:21:43.760 No?

01:21:44.680 Kasich?

01:21:46.380 Oh, we're gone.

01:21:47.420 Okay.

01:21:47.920 Jan in Canada, you work with an animal rescue.

01:21:50.740 Good for you.

01:21:51.260 I appreciate that, Jan.

01:21:52.880 Yes, I do.

01:21:53.960 And I have a couple in my home at the moment that are mostly, well, actually one who is very elderly.

01:22:02.360 And I know that it's going to be coming very, very close that I'm going to have to make a decision about this, Gal.

01:22:08.820 We're kind of like a lot of small rescues.

01:22:10.800 We run on a very, very short budget.

01:22:14.320 We have to raise funds.

01:22:15.780 We have to account for the money that we take.

01:22:18.840 We have to report and show how the money is spent.

01:22:22.380 As I'm sure you know that from your own experience.

01:22:27.420 I can understand what you're saying about the fact that, well, you know, you could get a healthier animal and you could perhaps give a home to a dog or a cat, even, that wouldn't have a good home.

01:22:41.540 But on the other hand, I agree with Rachel.

01:22:43.280 I think if it's your money, I think people are getting really tired about how they should be spending their money.

01:22:49.260 If they're not taking food out of the mouths of, I don't know if they have children.

01:22:54.420 I don't know the situation.

01:22:56.020 And if they're able to pay their rent and their bills and everything like that, then I definitely think they should be allowed to spend their money any way they choose, even if it seems frivolous to some people.

01:23:06.080 You're absolutely right.

01:23:07.300 I'm just saying that for my, in my opinion, this seemed a little out there.

01:23:13.240 You know, I, I, I'm, I'm one of those guys who's saying, no, you have to make a rational decision.

01:23:18.920 And, and Pete Kasparowicz was calling me out saying, you know, you're, that's, that's love you're getting in the way of.

01:23:25.560 And I said, well, the head and the heart need to work together sometimes.

01:23:28.900 I absolutely agree with you.

01:23:30.300 I, you know, I don't think you were wrong and I don't think he was wrong.

01:23:33.280 And I, like I said, Rachel has said the same thing about if it's their money.

01:23:36.920 Now, if you're going to put yourself into debt, if you're going to have to start taking money from the government, which nobody wants to do if they can possibly avoid it, then yes.

01:23:46.820 Then you're really going down the wrong track.

01:23:49.880 If you, if you're well able to afford it and nobody else is going to be, you're not going to be able to, you know, look after your family or your children.

01:24:00.160 It's, it's a little kooky, but, you know, we have a lot, we're all supposed to be about free choice now.

01:24:07.120 Yep.

01:24:07.520 So I think possibly these people, their hearts in the right place.

01:24:13.060 And it's a, it's a good chance that this poor little dog isn't going to survive anyway.

01:24:17.520 And if they do, I hope they feel that the money was well spent, at least in the attempt to save it.

01:24:23.180 But you're absolutely right.

01:24:25.040 There are so many animals out there that do need good homes.

01:24:29.360 We hear them in the background with you.

01:24:32.720 Yeah.

01:24:34.600 I have this wobble, wag, giggle ball, and they're just having fun.

01:24:39.960 Well, you're, you're doing great work, Jan, and we appreciate you.

01:24:44.380 Canada is America's favorite suburb, I've always said.

01:24:47.800 I said we could always, Alberta and the States could possibly join together.

01:24:53.900 I'm not opposed to it.

01:24:55.360 I like the weather and the skiing.

01:24:57.080 So thank you very much.

01:24:58.300 We've got a barmy minus 20 at the moment with sunshine.

01:25:01.260 So if you're a skier, if you like the outdoors, then come aboard.

01:25:05.540 You got it.

01:25:06.240 Thanks so much, Jan.

01:25:07.380 Have a great day.

01:25:08.120 Chris in Michigan.

01:25:09.100 Maybe it's you.

01:25:09.980 Thank you.

01:25:10.540 Chris in Michigan has a comment on the puppy story.

01:25:13.260 Chris, you know, go ahead.

01:25:16.360 Am I a horrible person in your mind, too?

01:25:19.720 No.

01:25:20.360 No.

01:25:20.760 In fact, I need to see if I can get asylum.

01:25:23.520 What is this country you're moving to that you know the president?

01:25:26.320 Oh, Liberland.

01:25:28.120 Liberland.

01:25:28.520 I need asylum because I'm with you, man.

01:25:31.240 This is, you know, it's so funny because just two weeks ago, now, probably a week ago,

01:25:36.600 right before Christmas, somebody, one of my friends on Facebook put a GoFundMe page because

01:25:41.380 their dog was very, very old and was terminal.

01:25:44.660 And instead of doing, you know, what I think is the responsibility of a pet owner, you know,

01:25:50.940 you made that pet your pet, not my pet.

01:25:54.520 You made that pet your pet.

01:25:55.900 And now you're deferring your financial cost to everybody else, you know, right before Christmas.

01:26:02.600 And I'm sure they raised a few thousand dollars.

01:26:05.300 And I do agree with the two ladies that, you know, it's their money. 1.00

01:26:09.480 You could spend it on whatever you want.

01:26:11.080 But we need to put this stuff in context.

01:26:13.900 You know, this is a pet.

01:26:15.700 There isn't any dog.

01:26:16.960 We just put a Newfie down this last year, and it broke our heart.

01:26:21.620 But she had bone cancer, and there was nothing we could do about it.

01:26:25.760 And, you know, we waited until we didn't think that the pain could be managed anymore.

01:26:32.920 And we just, we had to put her down.

01:26:34.720 And it breaks our heart.

01:26:35.820 My daughter's still crying.

01:26:37.700 I can tell you where I was on May 11th when I had to make the call to say goodbye to our little Gracie

01:26:44.720 after 17 years.

01:26:48.160 So I understand it.

01:26:50.640 It tears your heart out.

01:26:52.620 But you also have to understand that, as you said, we have to, I think there's got to be a balance

01:26:59.420 between the brain and the heart.

01:27:01.280 And sometimes it's just not that easy to do.

01:27:05.920 It's just not that easy to do, Chris.

01:27:07.900 Well, Chris, April 13th is the second anniversary of the founding of Liberland.

01:27:15.000 It's Jefferson's birthday.

01:27:16.620 That's why they're doing it.

01:27:17.720 And because it's a Jeffersonian-based republic.

01:27:22.600 And there will be.

01:27:23.600 Is that a real place?

01:27:24.380 Oh, yeah.

01:27:25.020 Yeah, yeah.

01:27:26.620 Liberland.

01:27:27.320 L-I-B-E-R-L-A-N-D. 1.00

01:27:29.220 There's a libertarian state that is emerging.

01:27:36.180 And I have talked about it endlessly.

01:27:39.000 And we will talk more about it.

01:27:41.640 But I thank you for your call, Chris.

01:27:43.340 And thank you for listening to the show today.

01:27:46.560 Now, Gene in Pennsylvania, I will get to you because I want to talk about minimum wage after

01:27:53.320 the break.

01:27:54.140 And Matt in Virginia about no-kill shelters.

01:27:57.320 I've got a minute, Matt, in Virginia.

01:27:59.640 I'm a huge fan of the no-kill shelters.

01:28:01.920 We work to get rid of the gas chamber in several states.

01:28:05.880 And I know some states still have it.

01:28:08.280 So I'm with you on this.

01:28:09.840 At least I hope you're a guy who doesn't support.

01:28:13.720 No, you're not going to like my call, then.

01:28:15.660 Oh, boy.

01:28:16.200 I think it's, you talk about irrational.

01:28:18.480 I think it's irrational.

01:28:19.740 I live, the city I live in, there are feral cats in different businesses around town,

01:28:24.060 behind the Dollar General, nursing homes, all kind of things.

01:28:27.680 And if you try to get rid of those feral cats, the no-kill shelters will tell you,

01:28:32.440 trap, we'll bring them in, we'll neuter and spade them. 0.99

01:28:35.000 And then you have to re-release them where you caught them.

01:28:39.200 They take feral cats who are never going to be tame and just spread disease and kill birds

01:28:43.900 that cause all kinds of problems, just hanging around dumpsters and will not put them down.

01:28:48.600 Well, you've opened up a whole additional can of worms here, sir.

01:28:54.220 And I'm not in disagreeing with...

01:28:57.480 Can I say one more thing, quickly?

01:28:58.160 Yeah, real quick.

01:28:59.220 No-kill shelters, it's full of cats, and 70% of the dogs are pit bulls.

01:29:04.340 Or pit bulls, make me. 0.99

01:29:05.960 Yeah, but a lot of those, I'm a believer in rehabbing those dogs,

01:29:09.980 and we're going to do more on the group out in Colorado that does help those dogs pay attention for that one.

01:29:17.240 I tweeted out a link to their web page.

01:29:20.900 I'm up against a wall.

01:29:22.280 I want to come back and talk about minimum wage, and I've got to talk to Gene and PA.

01:29:26.380 That's next on the Glenn Beck Program.

01:29:28.680 The Glenn Beck Program.

01:29:31.580 Stream the show live on iHeartRadio, or listen later on SoundCloud, iTunes, Stitcher, or Google Play Music.

01:29:38.140 Mercury.

01:30:02.460 888-727-BECK.

01:30:05.120 This is the Glenn Beck Program.

01:30:09.100 Mike Opelka from Pure Opelka on the Blaze Radio Network's weeknights from 7 to 10 p.m.

01:30:15.540 Sitting in for Glenn Beck and the Glenn Beck Program.

01:30:19.520 The entire crew back tomorrow.

01:30:22.180 We were talking about a few things, including the couple in Brooklyn with $155,000 in vet bills for a sick puppy.

01:30:31.840 But I also mentioned that 19 states in America, 19 different states, raised their minimum wage effective yesterday.

01:30:42.360 For example, fast food workers in New York will see a minimum wage go to $11 in New York City, $10 in the downstate suburbs, $970 elsewhere.

01:30:55.820 Small businesses around the city will increase their minimum wage to $10.50 for city employees.

01:31:04.780 But there are states all across the country who raise their minimum wage.

01:31:09.020 I think this is a local, local deal, not a national deal.

01:31:15.280 And I don't know where she stands on it or if it's something we agree on.

01:31:21.180 But Gene in Pennsylvania has a thought on this.

01:31:24.760 And, Gene, welcome to the Glenn Beck Program.

01:31:27.880 Good morning.

01:31:28.820 Oh, Gene, a fellow.

01:31:30.260 Excuse me, Gene.

01:31:31.420 That's okay.

01:31:32.080 The minimum wage was originally created because employers were abusing employees back in the 50s and 60s when it came around.

01:31:48.820 And it was something that was designed for starter jobs.

01:31:53.080 This is where we lose sight of things.

01:31:56.000 And, of course, our government hasn't helped because they've put more people in a position where they have to take starter jobs to try to exist than should.

01:32:06.460 It was meant to be the pay-for-the-first-time job hunter.

01:32:11.720 And what you're going to find is you're going to find businesses such as McDonald's, Burger King, Wendy's, and the rest of them are going to automate their drive-thru by putting a touchscreen terminal, most likely, outside.

01:32:30.340 You'll select what you want.

01:32:32.420 When you get up to the window, they're going to put the pay machine such as you have as Home Depot and Lowe's and others that use the self-checkouts.

01:32:41.720 And you'll drive up to the window, and then you may have a human being hand you your order.

01:32:48.160 The same thing is going to go inside.

01:32:51.220 This is typical of government.

01:32:53.840 I've had hanging in my office for at least the last 35 years a sign that says,

01:33:00.520 Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies.

01:33:09.180 Gene, you are spot on.

01:33:11.040 I'm up against a hard wall.

01:33:12.640 Just want to make a quick correction.

01:33:14.680 The minimum wage from the federal point of view came into effect in 1938.

01:33:19.020 It was 25 cents an hour.

01:33:20.820 If we adjusted for inflation, it would be $4.13 an hour today.

01:33:28.480 And yet our minimum wage is nearly double that on the federal level.

01:33:34.540 So think about it.

01:33:36.040 I see it as a states' rights issue.

01:33:38.860 States should be the ones to set it.

01:33:41.220 Michael Pelka for Glenn Beck on the Glenn Beck Program.

01:33:43.600 This is the Glenn Beck Program.

01:33:52.880 Mercury.

01:33:54.640 We'll be right back.

01:34:24.640 This is the Glenn Beck Program.

01:34:55.140 And suggested you download it and read at least the 11th chapter.

01:35:00.620 I will tell you, I did that at 5 o'clock this morning, and I'm happy I did.

01:35:04.980 Now I'm going back to read the rest of the book.

01:35:07.540 It was a book that was written a long time ago and discovered just a few years ago by the son of the man who wrote it.

01:35:16.420 And there are some fascinating parallels to today.

01:35:20.760 Earlier we were talking about my questioning of a Brooklyn couple who have spent not all of their money,

01:35:32.960 but they've spent tens of thousands of dollars keeping a young puppy dog, Jones the French Bulldog, alive.

01:35:40.460 And I question the wisdom.

01:35:44.120 I'm not going to be shy about it.

01:35:46.020 I'm a guy who works with dogs, rescues dogs, has rescued dogs in the past, and will rescue dogs in the future.

01:35:54.540 And some people question my wisdom.

01:35:57.380 Marilyn's in South Dakota.

01:35:58.660 She's calling in on the puppy.

01:35:59.920 I don't know which side of the argument you're on, Marilyn, but welcome to the Glenn Beck Program.

01:36:03.540 Hi, I totally agree with you, and I love dogs.

01:36:08.820 I grew up with German Shepherds and Cocker Spaniels, and we had cats, and we've had to put dogs and cats down, and it's heartbreaking.

01:36:17.260 And pets, though, you know, I believe they're God's gift.

01:36:21.320 I mean, I call them God's jesters, and they are there for a reason, and we need to be good stewards and take care of them.

01:36:28.380 It doesn't mean we leave them freezing out in the cold, which we see some things like that in South Dakota.

01:36:32.860 But I guess my problem with all this is that money.

01:36:37.440 And, yeah, the lady said people can spend their money how they like, but I'll guarantee you the same people who have that excuse will criticize, you know, the rich corporations or whatever.

01:36:49.400 And the thing that really bothers me is that how many of these pet owners, any pet owner, I mean, even if we spend $50 a month on our pets,

01:36:58.080 how many of us actually give to human needs the same amount of money, charities?

01:37:03.260 There are a lot of people that I know who call their pets children, which I don't agree with their kids.

01:37:07.700 They're not those.

01:37:11.440 And anyway, why would they go do a GoFundMe about something like this and not pay for human-starving babies?

01:37:18.120 So I think it's a perverse form of love, if it's love.

01:37:22.420 Well, you know, it is.

01:37:24.560 You bring up a great point when people talk about their pets as their kids.

01:37:29.000 And we have for years, decades, seen humans distancing themselves from other humans.

01:37:38.060 And I think that's where a lot of this started.

01:37:40.500 It's easier to communicate with a pet than it is with a person.

01:37:43.860 A pet will give you undying love, and they typically do.

01:37:48.380 And, of course, there's a little maintenance and there's a little work to be required to make sure they're fed and healthy, et cetera.

01:37:55.400 But it's different with other people.

01:37:57.480 There's a lot more work dealing with people.

01:38:00.240 But I also think we need to teach people there's a lot more reward on pushing for human contact.

01:38:07.820 Indeed.

01:38:08.520 I'm a big fan of that.

01:38:10.300 And I certainly appreciate you weighing in.

01:38:12.340 It's a tough one.

01:38:13.200 Again, Marilyn, I'm a guy who May 11th, I know the time, the place, the date.

01:38:18.960 I had to say goodbye to our little Gracie.

01:38:21.960 And I had to make the call.

01:38:23.240 And it's not a call I ever want to have to make again, but probably will.

01:38:28.100 Because that's what life is about, and it was the right thing to do.

01:38:31.800 But thank you so much, and I hope you have a great new year, my friend.

01:38:34.520 Well, you know, I'm watching in the corner of the studio here in the free speech bunker, the constitutionally protected free speech bunker in Delaware.

01:38:48.400 I'm watching President Obama arrive back from his vacation.

01:38:52.620 And the final vacation, the hundred millionth dollar spent on President Obama's vacations.

01:39:03.100 I know a president deserves vacations.

01:39:06.720 I just want to know why all of them seem to avoid Camp David.

01:39:13.000 And if we don't want Camp David, then let's get rid of it.

01:39:18.080 Remember, Mar-a-Lago used to be the southern White House until Jimmy Carter gave it back.

01:39:24.040 And look who's in there now.

01:39:25.700 So, a little bit of irony there.

01:39:28.940 But as I'm watching Obama, I'm reminded that Valerie Jarrett said something this weekend that made me scratch my head.

01:39:37.340 Valerie Jarrett on President Obama.

01:39:39.980 The president prides himself on the fact that his administration hasn't had a scandal and that he hasn't done anything to embarrass himself.

01:39:47.020 But that's not because he's being someone other than who he is.

01:39:51.060 That's because that's who he is.

01:39:52.580 That's who they are.

01:39:53.400 And I think that's what really resonates with the American people.

01:39:57.220 Hmm.

01:39:58.420 No scandals.

01:39:59.880 No scandals in this administration.

01:40:03.500 Benghazi.

01:40:05.420 I think how Benghazi happened and was handled, a little bit of a scandal.

01:40:11.500 How about the story that we broke nationally on TheBlaze.com, the IRS targeting of conservative organizations?

01:40:18.300 Lois Lerner directed the IRS's Exempt Organizations Unit.

01:40:22.480 And admitted that the Tea Party organizations were targeted by them.

01:40:28.080 Hmm.

01:40:29.100 Not a scandal, I guess.

01:40:30.920 How about the DOJ, Obama's DOJ, seizing the Associated Press phone records, as well as phone and email records from James Rosen at Fox?

01:40:41.520 How about that?

01:40:42.760 Was that a scandal?

01:40:43.760 How about the NSA just grabbing all the data they could?

01:40:49.400 Was that a scandal?

01:40:51.960 How about Hillary's email servers?

01:40:55.920 I know, she worked in the State Department, but guess who she worked for?

01:41:00.320 Remember that river in Colorado that had that massive poisoning of it?

01:41:05.340 That's Obama's EPA.

01:41:08.160 Is that not a scandal?

01:41:10.720 They mistakenly let that happen.

01:41:14.080 Oh, and let's not forget Fast and Furious.

01:41:16.880 Was that not a scandal of this administration?

01:41:19.640 And as much as I love them, the Secret Service had a little bit of a scandal during this administration.

01:41:29.400 So for Valerie Jarrett to say that this is this is a scandal free administration, eight years that the Obama administration was in office without a scandal is about as it's about as honest as if you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor, which we all know was declared the lie of the year.

01:41:50.360 So, Valerie Jarrett, no, you don't say that.

01:41:54.720 And just because you say it and the mainstream media repeats it doesn't mean it's true.

01:42:01.520 Now, tomorrow, as I mentioned earlier, tomorrow, tomorrow we have Congress gaveling into session and we expect to see a whole lot of pomp and circumstance tomorrow.

01:42:14.620 But then the real work will get started after January 20th when the president is sworn in.

01:42:20.580 Hopefully, I'll be there in the crowd.

01:42:21.920 I think I got press credentials, but we'll find out.

01:42:24.600 Maybe we'll do a live Puro Pelka from the inauguration.

01:42:28.940 But Mr. Trump is also telling us Tuesday and Wednesday are going to be busy days for him.

01:42:34.720 Yesterday, he was not yesterday, but New Year's Eve.

01:42:37.700 He was out in front of Mar-a-Lago and held an impromptu press conference and talked a little bit about the hacking and about when he's going to be talking about the hacking and his briefing from the intelligence community.

01:42:53.660 Well, I just want them to be sure because it's a pretty serious charge.

01:42:57.740 And I want them to be sure that if you look at the weapons of mass destruction, that was a disaster.

01:43:02.740 And they were wrong.

01:43:05.160 And so I want them to be sure.

01:43:06.620 I think it's unfair if they don't know.

01:43:08.980 And I know a lot about hacking.

01:43:10.840 And hacking is a very hard thing to prove.

01:43:13.060 So it could be somebody else.

01:43:14.780 And I also know things that other people don't know.

01:43:18.620 And so they cannot be sure of the situation.

01:43:23.320 You know that other people don't know?

01:43:24.960 You'll find out on Tuesday or Wednesday.

01:43:26.660 So Mr. Trump was talking about the hacking, and I thought that was a pretty smart move to say, let's not forget the weapons of mass destruction and how everybody was damn sure that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. 0.89

01:43:43.420 And then we all know what a disaster that turned out to be in terms of the cost of precious human lives, American lives, and as well as the cost to run that war.

01:43:57.180 So I think that was a pretty smart move.

01:43:59.620 But I always get nervous when Mr. Trump says stuff like, well, I know things people don't know.

01:44:06.960 Well, that makes me think two things.

01:44:09.840 Do you think you're the smartest guy in the room because we've had that for eight years and it didn't work out really well?

01:44:17.200 Or did somebody give you some classified intelligence that you shouldn't be talking about?

01:44:23.700 Because if that's the case, you got to, Mr. Trump, you got to put that back in the bottle, put the cork in it, and sit it down.

01:44:31.840 It's just not smart.

01:44:33.220 But apparently Tuesday and Wednesday we're going to hear from the president-elect, and I hope he talks more on this because this is the main thing that the snowflakes have been chanting about for the last two weeks is the hacking, the hacking, the hacking, the hacking.

01:44:49.640 And I always say it's not a hack when somebody like Podesta responds to a phishing email and gives up his password and his ID.

01:45:02.160 That's just called keeping grandpa away from the computer.

01:45:06.740 It's a smart idea.

01:45:08.880 Michael Pelka in for Glenn.

01:45:10.200 Back when we get back, we will wrap up today's show.

01:45:14.040 I got a couple of final thoughts here for you.

01:45:16.020 No, not Tommy Lahren final thoughts.

01:45:17.800 My own final thoughts.

01:45:18.760 And have you got a snowflake in your life who needs something special to help them get through the inauguration?

01:45:30.340 I've got an answer for you, and we'll share it with you next on the Glenn Beck Program.

01:45:37.040 This is the Glenn Beck Program.

01:45:40.620 Mercury.

01:45:48.760 The Glenn Beck Program.

01:46:09.820 Mike Opelka is my name wrapping up my two-day stint sitting in on the Glenn Beck Program.

01:46:15.400 Thank you, Glenn.

01:46:16.380 Thank you, Dom.

01:46:17.180 Thank you, everybody in Dallas for supporting me and making this happen.

01:46:20.940 I appreciate it.

01:46:21.900 If you like what you heard, tune in weeknights, 7 to 10 p.m.

01:46:26.120 on the Blaze Radio Network.

01:46:27.920 And follow me on Twitter at Stunt Brain or follow me on the Blaze.

01:46:32.360 You just click on channels and my little channels down there, and you can get all kinds of fun stuff.

01:46:38.560 I got a couple of things I need to make you aware of.

01:46:43.100 We are going to be aggressively in 2017 watching for fake news.

01:46:48.780 For example, over the weekend, a lot of the mainstream media was spinning and screaming with its hair on fire saying,

01:46:55.980 Oh, my God, the Russians hacked into our power grid through a Vermont electric company.

01:47:03.320 Well, no, no, they didn't.

01:47:06.680 There was a laptop that got hit by a hacker attempt, a laptop that wasn't connected to the power grid.

01:47:16.820 And so, no, that wasn't a story.

01:47:21.000 And also the story about the guy that wrote the book about Trump 20 plus years ago that made Trump angry was playing golf at Mar-a-Lago this weekend.

01:47:29.920 And there was an initial story saying Trump had him thrown off the course and had his entire foursome thrown off the course by his security detail.

01:47:38.500 And the foursome included billionaire David Koch.

01:47:41.940 Well, David Koch said, Hold on.

01:47:44.220 No, that's fake news.

01:47:46.200 That didn't happen that way.

01:47:48.820 They asked the author to leave because he and Trump had some tension.

01:47:54.440 And Koch said, We came here as a foursome.

01:47:56.820 We'll leave as a foursome, which I think is pretty cool.

01:48:00.180 That's good loyalty.

01:48:01.580 But no, fake news again.

01:48:03.760 Let's try and pull the drama back and highlight the facts going forward in 2017.

01:48:09.360 And speaking of the facts, I think there's a young lady on the phone. 0.80

01:48:15.020 And it's not Joan.

01:48:15.880 Is it Martha from New York?

01:48:18.680 Carol from New York is on with us.

01:48:20.460 Carol, I've only got like a minute and a half left.

01:48:23.200 How are you?

01:48:23.760 Welcome to the Glenn Beck Show.

01:48:25.700 Thank you.

01:48:26.180 I was thinking about the age of the dog.

01:48:28.640 If the dog was a little puppy and these, you know, expenses were coming up, you might want to have it put to sleep.

01:48:34.740 But if it was an older dog that you've been attached to for some years, you know, it's kind of hard to.

01:48:41.320 But I also wonder how much money these people have.

01:48:45.760 And maybe they do invest in other programs with animals and people also.

01:48:50.200 Hopefully they do.

01:48:51.360 They can spend that kind on an animal.

01:48:54.060 That's all good points.

01:48:55.420 Now, most of the lion's share of the $155,000 to keep this puppy alive came from an insurance policy.

01:49:02.800 But tens of thousands came from their own pockets.

01:49:05.380 They did have to dip into their savings.

01:49:08.260 It's a horrible tragedy when you have to look at a suffering animal and try and make that decision whether or not you want to keep them or whether or not you want to have them put down.

01:49:18.760 I know because we made that decision last May.

01:49:22.940 It's very personal.

01:49:24.900 But I'm not telling these people how to spend their money.

01:49:28.220 I just question the wisdom.

01:49:29.700 And someone's going to tell me I'm cold and calloused, but there's a lot of dogs available for adoption.

01:49:36.940 And that $155,000 could have put two Teslas in the driveway and taken a lot of carbon pollution out of the air.

01:49:43.500 I'm just saying, people.

01:49:45.760 I'm just saying.

01:49:46.640 Mike Opelka is my name.

01:49:48.680 You can catch me weeknights, Monday through Friday, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the Blaze Radio Network.

01:49:54.800 And Saturday mornings from 6 to 9 a.m., plus the other stuff you'll hear me doing in and around the Blaze.

01:50:03.360 Today starts my sixth year with the Blaze.

01:50:07.900 Actually, wraps up my sixth year, starts my seventh.

01:50:11.860 Bad at math.

01:50:13.620 Mike Opelka saying thank you again.

01:50:16.000 Glenn Beck, Pat, Stu, and Jeffy as the Beaver will be here tomorrow.

01:50:21.940 Testudo, my friends.

01:50:23.580 Testudo.

01:50:24.800 This is the Glenn Beck Program.

01:50:37.840 Mercury.

01:50:38.540 Mercury.

The Glenn Beck Program - January 02, 2017

Brothering Big Brother 1⧸2⧸17

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