Verdict with Ted Cruz - Bonus： Sean Hannity with Senator Kennedy Unfiltered - October 3rd, Hour 2

00:00:00.000 This is an iHeart Podcast.

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00:00:04.460 All right, thanks, Scott Shannon.

00:00:05.860 Hour two, Sean Hannity Show.

00:00:07.500 Here's our toll-free telephone number

00:00:09.040 if you want to be a part of the program

00:00:10.280 is 800-941-SEAN if you want to join us.

00:00:14.060 Obviously, the government shutdown

00:00:15.980 is now front and center.

00:00:19.220 The big lie has been exposed

00:00:21.420 and that is the Democrats,

00:00:23.440 oh no, we don't want to fund

00:00:24.620 health care for illegal immigrants.

00:00:27.660 They've all been lying.

00:00:29.000 They know they've been lying.

00:00:30.280 We've gone over it exhaustively on the program.

00:00:33.240 The fact that the leaders in name only,

00:00:37.440 Chuckie Schumer in the House

00:00:38.800 and Hakeem Jeffries,

00:00:40.320 I'm sorry, Chuckie Schumer in the Senate,

00:00:41.780 Hakeem Jeffries in the House

00:00:42.980 are so beholden to the radical left of their party,

00:00:47.620 they are afraid, scared to death

00:00:50.240 to ever take them on and do the right thing

00:00:52.320 or stand by their very publicly stated positions

00:00:56.040 in the case of Schumer that's gone on for decades.

00:00:59.000 So the Schumer shutdown continues.

00:01:01.520 I can't think of any person better to talk about this

00:01:04.800 and much more is our friend,

00:01:07.280 Louisiana Senator John Kennedy.

00:01:09.100 By the way, he has a new book out next week.

00:01:11.820 This book is hilarious.

00:01:14.020 You're going to love this book.

00:01:16.440 He's probably one of the funniest guys I've ever met 1.00

00:01:18.780 and it's had a test negative for stupid. 1.00

00:01:24.300 You know, always be yourself unless you suck. 1.00

00:01:27.500 I say this gently. 1.00

00:01:28.960 This is why the aliens won't talk to us.

00:01:32.020 If you trust government,

00:01:34.180 you obviously failed history class.

00:01:36.920 I believe that our country was founded by geniuses, 1.00

00:01:41.100 but it's being run by idiots. 1.00

00:01:43.260 Always follow your heart, 1.00

00:01:46.200 but take your brain with you.

00:01:48.680 And I'm going to go through some more in a minute,

00:01:50.480 but our friend Senator John Kennedy is with us.

00:01:53.140 Senator, how are you, my friend?

00:01:55.680 I'm well, Sean.

00:01:57.320 Thanks for mentioning my book.

00:01:58.720 It'll be out Tuesday.

00:02:00.100 It's not a policy book per se.

00:02:03.160 It's a story book.

00:02:04.340 Uh, and I'm, I talk about policy through the stories.

00:02:08.060 Many of them are funny.

00:02:09.680 Some are bizarre and all of them are true.

00:02:13.060 And, uh, that's the best part.

00:02:16.080 Look, um, the melodrama continues on the shutdown. 1.00

00:02:21.360 Um, I think it was mama Gump who said stupid is as stupid does. 1.00

00:02:26.840 This is also pointless. 1.00

00:02:28.380 Uh, we have asked, we, the Republicans have asked to extend the status quo,

00:02:35.240 the current budget for seven more weeks.

00:02:38.360 So we can continue to talk about a permanent one, no strings attached,

00:02:43.440 no conditions.

00:02:44.220 Just give us seven more weeks to continue to negotiate.

00:02:49.860 And it's called, uh, it's called the CR.

00:02:52.100 And that is, you fund the government at current levels and Democrats,

00:02:56.680 you know, for years have always pushed that.

00:02:59.560 And now, and try to blame Republicans.

00:03:02.660 And now they're demanding 1.5 trillion,

00:03:06.160 including monies for healthcare for illegals for a seven week extension.

00:03:11.160 And, and, and, in return for them agreeing to just to our quick request,

00:03:17.500 we just extend the status quo status quo for seven weeks.

00:03:21.200 They are demanding that we agree to make the federal government 1.5 trillion dollars bigger.

00:03:30.120 Give them 1.5 trillion dollars.

00:03:33.520 Now I'm not going to vote for that. 0.99

00:03:35.160 Uh, my mother didn't raise a fool. 0.98

00:03:37.880 And if she did, it was one of my brothers. 0.99

00:03:40.340 There's no way.

00:03:42.980 If they cut it in half, I wouldn't vote for that.

00:03:46.060 But, uh, they're just not serious.

00:03:49.180 And we're going to sit here until, uh, until they come to their senses.

00:03:53.860 I don't want it.

00:03:55.360 But, uh, in the meantime, President Trump and Russ Boat are just going to continue

00:03:59.520 to reduce the size of government.

00:04:02.820 Senator, I could play every prominent Democrat, but more importantly,

00:04:07.660 the person I can play the most over the years, you know, speaking out so passionately

00:04:15.220 against government shutdowns is the minority leader from New York, Chuckie Schumer.

00:04:22.620 And, uh, I think there's a very logical reason why Chuck Schumer has turned on a dime.

00:04:29.980 I think Chuck Schumer sees that his political grip on power is evaporating.

00:04:37.560 And if he doesn't give in to this radical wing of his party, your friend AOC and others,

00:04:41.940 that he is going to be out.

00:04:44.260 And he's likely going to be out as leader of the Democrats anyway.

00:04:47.400 But, uh, if she runs against him, she's going to clobber him in New York. 0.96

00:04:52.320 Well, some shutdowns are policy-based.

00:04:56.100 This is not one of them.

00:04:57.340 This is based on politics.

00:04:59.000 Um, the Loon wing, the Bolshevik wing, the Hamas wing, the socialist wing, 0.75

00:05:07.280 whatever you want to call it, of the Republican Party, uh, is in ascendancy.

00:05:12.040 They're now in charge.

00:05:14.080 Chuck, Senator Schumer, wants them to love him, or at least like him.

00:05:20.220 They don't, and they never will.

00:05:23.080 And, uh, the person really in charge is Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez.

00:05:28.100 She's about to elect a socialist mayor of New York.

00:05:34.300 Mr. Mondani is going to win that race.

00:05:38.000 And, uh, her wing of the party is clearly calling the shots.

00:05:42.160 And all Chuck's doing is, uh, trying to make them love him.

00:05:46.860 And they will never love him unless he just does everything they want.

00:05:50.800 Well, you know, it's kind of, you know, I love having you on both radio and TV because,

00:05:57.580 and I don't know if you plan out a lot of the comments that you make, but you, you have

00:06:02.740 this, this folksy Louisiana down home way of just kind of laying people out with simple,

00:06:09.960 basic, fundamental truth.

00:06:11.000 And as Ben Franklin once said, the sting in any rebuke is the truth.

00:06:16.160 And you seem to get under the skin pretty well, but you expose the truth.

00:06:20.900 And that's a big part of your book.

00:06:22.760 I mean, I, I, if you trust government, you failed history class.

00:06:26.560 I love it. 1.00

00:06:27.200 I believe our country was founded by geniuses, but it's being run by idiots. 1.00

00:06:31.200 I mean, you put all of this in a book and it's not fiction. 1.00

00:06:36.020 This is real life.

00:06:37.440 Explain the daily experiences that you have there. 1.00

00:06:40.400 The book is called how to test negative for stupid. 1.00

00:06:43.760 Uh, it shows that gender is mighty weapon. 1.00

00:06:47.460 Um, I do say what I think that's my right.

00:06:50.160 It is an American.

00:06:51.140 I don't get nearly enough credit, Sean, for the things I don't say.

00:06:55.880 Uh, I do bite my, my tongue sometimes, but, uh, I hope, uh,

00:07:01.200 if you know what, want to know what the Senate is really like on the inside,

00:07:05.220 if you know what, want to know what president Trump is really like to work with

00:07:09.900 president Biden, Chuck Grassley, Bernie Sanders, president, she,

00:07:15.260 I talk about my meeting with president, she in China. 1.00

00:07:18.840 Um, I hope you'll take a look at the book, how to test negative for stupid. 0.99

00:07:23.960 Um, it, it comes out Tuesday. 0.98

00:07:26.400 Hopefully we'll be out of the shutdown then, but I'm not going to give in.

00:07:30.640 I don't care what the others do.

00:07:33.020 Uh, I'm, I'm just like a Missouri mule on this.

00:07:35.920 I'm sitting my butt down in the mud and I'm not budging.

00:07:39.600 And if the Democrats want to come to their senses, they can, if they don't,

00:07:44.760 then I'm, I'm happy as a clam at high tide.

00:07:48.260 They can just keep this thing shut down.

00:07:51.280 Let me talk a little bit.

00:07:52.800 I've never asked you this question.

00:07:54.200 And I, and, and I find you fascinating because you come on the program and I,

00:07:59.420 I asked you one time, I said, does this all, is this all extemporaneous?

00:08:03.480 So do you think these things out ahead of time?

00:08:05.740 Like comments that you,

00:08:06.800 you make and comments now that you put in your book, 1.00

00:08:09.920 how to test negative or stupid. 0.99

00:08:11.920 And by the way, it's on amazon.com, 0.99

00:08:14.940 Hannity.com as of Tuesday and bookstores all around the country.

00:08:18.800 Um, does this come out in the moment?

00:08:22.180 Is this extemporaneous or do you spend a lot of time thinking about it?

00:08:26.460 Five minutes before an interview,

00:08:28.240 I stopped and I really start thinking about how I'm going to answer the questions,

00:08:34.880 whatever they might, may, might, they may, might be.

00:08:38.460 Look, I wrote this book at my dining room table with a handheld dictaphone and a blue,

00:08:43.620 a blue pen.

00:08:45.500 And, uh, uh, this is the way I talk in public and the way I talk in private.

00:08:51.360 This is the way I think, uh, writing is painful for me, but God blessed me with a good memory.

00:08:57.720 And when I, uh, read a clever turn of phrase, I will remember it.

00:09:02.680 Uh, I don't know why, but that's just the way the good Lord made me.

00:09:05.860 Um, and, um, I don't have a joke writer.

00:09:08.780 I don't have anybody who writes my speeches,

00:09:10.940 so I can't blame this stuff on anybody else.

00:09:14.420 Um, it is what I mean.

00:09:16.260 I, I, I'd want all the credit in the world.

00:09:18.280 I wish my brain worked like yours.

00:09:20.200 I love it.

00:09:21.580 Well, uh, not everybody agrees with Sean.

00:09:24.560 A guy wrote on the social media.

00:09:27.760 He said, Kennedy, I hate you. 0.92

00:09:29.460 You remind me of my second wife. 0.63

00:09:31.280 I thought that was, I thought that let me go over a couple of more of your sayings here.

00:09:38.260 Um, you said, always follow your heart, but take your brain with you.

00:09:41.980 Uh, I'm not going to bubble wrap it.

00:09:44.040 The water in Washington, DC won't clear up until you get the pigs out of the Creek. 0.53

00:09:49.980 Uh, I have the right to remain silent, but not the ability.

00:09:53.560 Common sense is illegal in Washington, DC.

00:09:56.140 I know I've seen it firsthand.

00:09:58.580 I'll get one more.

00:09:59.720 I believe that we're going to have, you know, uh, we're going to get some new conspiracy theories.

00:10:05.520 All the old ones have turned out to be true.

00:10:08.820 Wow.

00:10:09.480 Very funny.

00:10:10.540 I'll tell you a 15 second story.

00:10:12.860 I almost got the center sent to reform school.

00:10:15.820 One time I was asked about, uh, to compare Schumer and McConnell.

00:10:19.940 And I said, here's what you need to know.

00:10:21.860 They have a lot in common.

00:10:23.160 Each is smart.

00:10:24.640 Each is tenacious.

00:10:26.140 And each could probably lose his place during sex to reform school without, you know, this,

00:10:34.300 this is what makes you special and unique, you know, usually in the upper chamber, most,

00:10:40.040 uh, most senators don't have the courage to speak their mind.

00:10:42.700 I do have a question though.

00:10:44.580 When you talk to your democratic colleagues, what are those conversations like?

00:10:50.180 I mean, are there some that you get along with some that you have fun with some that you go out to

00:10:54.400 dinner with some that you argue with?

00:10:56.920 I mean, what are those relationships like?

00:10:59.740 I get along with all of them.

00:11:01.780 Probably maybe a third of them where their politics on the sleeve in the words, they're

00:11:08.140 just self-righteous.

00:11:09.320 They know they're right and they're angry, um, to varying degrees if you don't agree with

00:11:14.640 them.

00:11:15.360 Uh, another of them, uh, another group, um, you know, they're willing to listen.

00:11:20.600 And then you've got another group to say they're willing to listen, but they're going to do what

00:11:24.760 they're told.

00:11:25.360 And right now what they're told to do is being dictated by the, uh, the socialist wing of

00:11:32.240 the party.

00:11:32.700 They're scared.

00:11:33.880 They really are.

00:11:35.060 You sense they're scared.

00:11:36.480 Quick break, right back.

00:11:37.420 More with our favorite Senator from Louisiana.

00:11:40.120 John Kennedy is with us.

00:11:41.700 All right.

00:11:42.200 We continue Senator John Kennedy of the great state of Louisiana.

00:11:45.920 He has a new book out. 1.00

00:11:47.120 It's called how to test negative for stupid. 0.99

00:11:50.300 Anyway, it's on Hannity.com, Amazon.com. 0.98

00:11:53.040 It'll be in bookstores all around the country on Tuesday.

00:11:56.720 You want to get a copy.

00:11:57.640 It's a great book.

00:11:58.600 It's funny.

00:11:59.180 You're going to laugh and you're going to ask yourself, why didn't I think of that?

00:12:02.080 Well, the Democrats realize this is going very badly for them, that this is, there's

00:12:06.820 a backlash against this Schumer shutdown.

00:12:09.460 Oh, they do know, but, but, but as long as their base is satisfied for the moment and

00:12:15.600 by the base, I mean the socialist wing of the party, uh, they, they feel like they can

00:12:21.220 take the pain to hell with the country and the American people. 0.78

00:12:25.160 I mean, I'm sorry.

00:12:26.340 That's what this is all about.

00:12:28.040 It's not about policy and, and they're going to destroy.

00:12:32.840 I believe in a two party system.

00:12:34.400 They're going to destroy the democratic party.

00:12:36.960 If someone doesn't stand up to these folks and, and, uh, and, and say, all of you people 0.99

00:12:43.300 on the left who took a hard left and kept driving, you folks are crazy as a bed bug and 0.99

00:12:49.180 we're not going to follow you anymore. 0.98

00:12:51.400 The only one that seems to be willing to do that is John Fetterman.

00:12:55.340 And as a poll came out today that shows Democrats in Pennsylvania don't like them like 60% are

00:13:01.460 against them.

00:13:02.020 Yeah, but if you look at Fetterman's poll numbers overall with all the voters, he's got

00:13:07.700 a 60% approval rating.

00:13:10.360 Yeah, you're right.

00:13:11.080 You're right.

00:13:11.740 Yeah. 0.87

00:13:11.860 But Democrats, you know, they seem to be embracing crazy.

00:13:15.040 I mean, look at Zoran, Kami, Marxist, Mom, Donnie.

00:13:18.060 It looks like he's going to win.

00:13:19.060 I mean, I mean, did you ever think that we would elect a mayor of New York City, which

00:13:26.560 has the largest Jewish population in the United States, one of the largest in the world, who,

00:13:33.480 uh, who does not like Jewish people?

00:13:35.840 He sided with Hamas and the global antifada wouldn't condemn it forever. 0.75

00:13:40.880 Yeah, I mean, I'm like, you know, I'm like, gosh, what has happened to our country?

00:13:49.380 What's what's happened in New York City?

00:13:51.360 But it's true.

00:13:52.140 And that's what's that's what's driving this train, Sean.

00:13:55.420 Well, I got to tell you, it's been a pleasure to get to know you.

00:13:58.660 The book is phenomenal.

00:14:00.460 I'm telling you, you're going to laugh.

00:14:02.640 You're going to wish you thought of everything that he wrote in this book. 1.00

00:14:06.040 Uh, it's called how to test negative for stupid. 0.99

00:14:09.420 We have a link on Hannity dot com. 0.99

00:14:11.780 It's on Amazon dot com.

00:14:13.260 As of Tuesday, it's going to be in bookstores all around the country.

00:14:16.720 Uh, the one and only Senator John Kennedy from the great state of Louisiana.

00:14:21.020 Senator, we appreciate you.

00:14:22.900 Thanks for fighting the good fight every day.

00:14:24.960 And, uh, good luck with the book.

00:14:26.560 We appreciate your time.

00:14:27.980 Thank you, Sean.

00:14:29.020 Thanks so much.

00:14:30.320 Canadian women are looking for more, more of themselves, their businesses, their elected 0.99

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00:16:33.340 All right, let's get to our busy, busy telephones, shall we?

00:16:39.100 Let's say hi to Karen is in Nashville, Tennessee, Music City.

00:16:43.880 What's up, Karen?

00:16:44.760 How are you?

00:16:46.060 Hello, Sean.

00:16:46.900 I'm doing well.

00:16:48.000 Second generation listener here in Tennessee conservative and was hoping you could clarify

00:16:54.600 some things for me regarding the health care marketplace and some concerns I have.

00:16:59.280 You bet.

00:17:00.140 I'm glad to.

00:17:00.820 I love our friends in Nashville is a cool city.

00:17:03.060 Do you go to Music Row much or no?

00:17:06.580 Well, it's a crazy place down there.

00:17:09.300 And I think the locals find themselves down there more often when visitors are in town,

00:17:13.860 right?

00:17:15.400 Yeah, because you got to take, you know, when your friends come, oh, let's go to Music

00:17:20.000 Row.

00:17:20.660 Let's go to Music Row.

00:17:22.340 It's sort of like if you live in Orlando.

00:17:24.500 Let's go to Disney. 0.98

00:17:25.360 You want to shoot yourself. 1.00

00:17:27.800 Exactly. 0.99

00:17:28.400 And Nashville is such a great place.

00:17:29.560 It's a killer town.

00:17:30.420 We've got so much going on here that, you know, Broadway is just a part of it.

00:17:34.780 So for us locals, we there's a lot of other good things to do and say.

00:17:38.140 So just just a percentage of the good stuff.

00:17:42.140 Well, I love it.

00:17:43.240 Nashville.

00:17:43.680 I live 90 miles south of you in Huntsville, Alabama.

00:17:47.500 Actually, it was Athens, Alabama, just down Highway 65 and used to go up to Nashville, Gaylord

00:17:53.280 all the time.

00:17:54.780 I actually once even got to host the Grand Ole Opry.

00:17:57.620 How cool is that?

00:17:59.100 Oh, wonderful.

00:18:00.100 Yeah, I've heard you in your show mentioning that in the past.

00:18:02.680 Of course, you know, Huntsville is quite a city now up and coming now as well, especially

00:18:06.140 with the Nassau stuff, more stuff heading there and whatnot.

00:18:09.700 But yeah, you definitely were here at a different day and age.

00:18:12.700 But to have that opportunity is a wonderful thing.

00:18:14.640 So kudos to you on that.

00:18:17.620 Well, thank you.

00:18:18.640 So what's on your mind today, this Friday?

00:18:21.920 Yeah.

00:18:22.320 So so bear with me.

00:18:23.680 I'm kind of angry on this.

00:18:24.900 My time to to take in information and discern what's going on in the world is usually in

00:18:29.880 rush hour traffic, listening to talk radio, you know, coming back and forth to work.

00:18:33.840 So if I misrepresent the information, you know, you will certainly not offend my sensibilities,

00:18:38.760 clarifying some things for me.

00:18:40.180 But I just want to I don't mind.

00:18:42.160 By the way, I want to add one thing.

00:18:43.680 There was a great friend of mine who is a talk show host, Bill Valentine, who I miss

00:18:49.580 dearly.

00:18:50.260 And I do stay in touch with his brother and get updates on his family.

00:18:54.160 He was a great guy.

00:18:54.960 I don't know if you remember, Phil.

00:18:56.620 I remember him well.

00:18:58.020 And that was quite a tragedy.

00:18:59.700 But yes, I do.

00:19:01.940 Anyway, I didn't mean to interrupt.

00:19:03.460 Go ahead.

00:19:04.600 No, no worries.

00:19:05.720 So quickly, briefly, I know you've got plenty of other callers.

00:19:09.280 My scenario is 2020.

00:19:11.560 I had a business of 20 years.

00:19:13.060 Unfortunately, I had to make the tough decision to close the door, sold off what I could and

00:19:16.960 and moved on to bigger, better things in my life.

00:19:19.660 And at that time, I found myself without without health insurance for myself and my two children,

00:19:24.500 single parent.

00:19:25.720 So I found myself on the marketplace and not knowing what was what I, you know, just put my

00:19:31.180 head down and eat through it.

00:19:32.540 And it turned out to be, I hate to say it, a good experience.

00:19:35.800 I saved a considerable amount of money on what I was accustomed to paying monthly.

00:19:41.100 And I loved the leverage I had at getting on to what I thought seemed like a simple platform

00:19:46.340 in my collective experience to get on there and identify, you know, what plans are best

00:19:52.400 suited to my children, what our needs are, so we can refine, you know, what I'm shopping

00:19:56.420 for and ultimately get the best health insurance or health care for my children at the best cost.

00:20:03.000 And it felt like I had a little leverage over health insurance that I don't normally have,

00:20:07.120 you know, a mother experience through business vicariously or through an employer.

00:20:10.980 So got on then and understood how the how the program was intended to work.

00:20:15.800 And until I kind of got on my feet and moved forward, I had tax credits.

00:20:19.000 And then as my salary would increase respectfully, those tax credits would decrease, which certainly

00:20:25.100 sounds more than fair.

00:20:26.520 And then ultimately, you know, you can phase out of that.

00:20:29.300 So as time has gone by, I was blessed to get a job with a previous customer of mine and

00:20:35.320 have been with them for four years now.

00:20:36.700 And as my salary has grown, I've seen the corresponding tax credits decrease, which is great.

00:20:41.920 All good on board with that.

00:20:43.240 And then now I'm kind of on the cusp where I really necessarily like this last year, I

00:20:49.240 actually contributed more above and beyond my my tax and sent more monies in for the for

00:20:54.560 the disparity and making up tax credits that because my earnings were increased.

00:20:57.860 So my findings so far have been wonderful.

00:21:00.880 The business I'm with, the small business I'm with, I guess that's an important thing

00:21:04.320 to signify small businesses.

00:21:06.180 We all know it's much more difficult to acquire, you know, price breaks, you know, at a smaller,

00:21:12.500 smaller company is a larger company.

00:21:14.300 But for me and my children, I went through vicariously to the company.

00:21:19.100 My my cost was, I mean, significant, almost 80 percent higher.

00:21:23.920 So if the health place marketplace goes away, you know, obviously I have some severe concerns.

00:21:29.460 I've tried to educate myself a little bit lately on this and reading what I could.

00:21:34.400 And I saw that people that are making the income I'm making on the platform, if this

00:21:39.900 goes away, you know, our policies will up about 104 percent, it says, are equivalent of

00:21:45.180 around 75, 11,500 a year.

00:21:47.600 So, you know, as a single parent, that's concerning, right?

00:21:52.180 So, you know, what's frustrating to me, because you're describing a dilemma that many, many

00:21:57.320 people listening to us right now are going through.

00:22:00.180 And like you, I went through a long period in my early adult life.

00:22:05.160 I didn't have health insurance.

00:22:06.280 I couldn't afford health insurance.

00:22:07.920 It was not a priority in my life.

00:22:09.560 There are so many new, innovative, creative ways that people can get covered and do it

00:22:19.020 way more cheaply.

00:22:21.020 Like we have our friend, Dr.

00:22:22.520 Josh Humber, Atlas MD.

00:22:24.360 It's now national.

00:22:25.880 And, you know, and that's a health care cooperative.

00:22:28.620 And when he started this in Wichita, you paid 50 bucks a month, unlimited appointments with

00:22:33.840 doctors.

00:22:34.500 They took care of everything except major issues like cancer, heart attack, stroke, things

00:22:41.440 like that.

00:22:41.800 Although they would start, you know, if you went into the office, they would offer emergency

00:22:45.680 care immediately.

00:22:47.240 Unlimited visits, 50 bucks for an adult, 10 bucks for a kid per month.

00:22:50.560 That's how they started.

00:22:51.800 And then you'd leave.

00:22:52.920 He would negotiate with pharmaceutical companies and you'd pay 90, 95 percent less than others.

00:22:58.460 And it was just brilliant.

00:23:00.380 Now, he incorporates telemedicine in this.

00:23:03.140 Uh, then we, so you have health care cooperatives, you have telemedicine, uh, then if you, if

00:23:09.860 you have a plan like that, that takes care of your, of your day to day needs where, you

00:23:15.420 know, they'll do stitches, they'll take care of broken arms, you know, you get x-rays if

00:23:19.240 you need it, whatever it is.

00:23:20.660 And then you get a catastrophic plan, which is relatively inexpensive.

00:23:25.420 The higher the deductible, the better in the, for the God forbid moment, cancer, heart attack,

00:23:32.140 stroke, bad accident.

00:23:34.260 Um, that is relatively inexpensive, relatively.

00:23:37.660 I'm not saying anything's cheap today.

00:23:39.740 And, but the, but you could do so much better.

00:23:43.120 There are so many better ways, innovative ways.

00:23:46.120 And we're not used in technology yet to, to innovate our healthcare system and save a fortune.

00:23:52.620 And it sounds like you did that on your own before it was fashionable.

00:23:56.380 Good for you.

00:23:57.080 Well, I appreciate you saying that.

00:24:00.180 And, and I appreciate you, you know, referencing some other ways that possibly some other pursuits

00:24:04.800 or avenues of address I can take.

00:24:06.380 I think that's one thing, you know, when you're, when you're working 50, 60 hour weeks and,

00:24:10.120 you know, life, we all have busy days, right?

00:24:12.080 So I think it was the attraction probably of, uh, the convenience of it for me.

00:24:16.340 It was all in one user-friendly place.

00:24:18.220 I wasn't having to do the legwork and track this information down and find it, not opposed to

00:24:22.840 it at all.

00:24:23.240 And I'm not saying after this conversation, it's not going to be something I think I am

00:24:26.880 interested in.

00:24:27.380 I certainly will, it will seek the alternatives and see what is best for, for my children

00:24:31.500 and I, uh, the one thing I did want to ask you though, that's twofold question and I'll

00:24:36.160 get out of your hair. 0.96

00:24:36.960 I appreciate your time.

00:24:38.640 When I, when I do have an opportunity to watch the news or whatnot, you know, I, I see the,

00:24:43.140 my fellow Republicans are, you know, you know, kind of packaging this as it's all, you know,

00:24:49.940 all is encompassed by the use of undocumented illegals using as a conduit to health

00:24:56.600 insurance or healthcare rather.

00:24:58.100 And I now understand it really is more pertaining to that one line item where the Medicaid benefit,

00:25:04.440 you know, uh, reimburses hospitals for emergency visits.

00:25:07.000 And I totally agree with the Republicans on, on our use of taxpayer money.

00:25:12.680 I do not agree.

00:25:13.600 It should go to, to illegal, uh, undocumented, uh, illegal.

00:25:17.060 So I, I'm not proposing that at all.

00:25:19.920 But what frustrates me is, is our inability, uh, to effectively work together so that we

00:25:27.840 don't dismantle a program that was serving 24 million Americans from what I understand

00:25:33.840 somewhat effectively.

00:25:35.060 It's kind of like cutting your nose off to spite your face so that we can eliminate, uh,

00:25:40.340 illegal use of this.

00:25:41.440 I would think as, as sophisticated as we are today, that we could develop some type of

00:25:46.580 platform that eliminates that type of, you know, illegal use of the, of the platform.

00:25:51.260 If it is just even this Medicare, do you think they'll be able to isolate the Medicare aspect

00:25:55.040 of it from, from the rest and possibly keep what we have moving forward or maybe, maybe

00:25:59.220 take it and improve upon it and, and, and, uh, take it as our own and put our own sample

00:26:04.980 of approval on it?

00:26:05.800 Look, I think that we're going to work through this, but the one thing we cannot afford is

00:26:12.400 what the Democrats are demanding here.

00:26:14.520 I mean, they're trying to hold the country hostage to give people that didn't respect

00:26:19.060 our laws, borders, and sovereignty, uh, access to taxpayer funded healthcare.

00:26:25.000 We can't afford it.

00:26:26.560 I mean, I'd like to be able to pay for healthcare for the whole world, but we can't, you know,

00:26:31.560 everybody has their responsibility in this and, you know, the fact that they are willing

00:26:37.160 to push it this far is pretty amazing because again, it's another 80, 20, 90, 10 issue.

00:26:45.380 Anyway, I got to run Karen.

00:26:46.940 Appreciate you calling Nashville.

00:26:48.480 God bless you.

00:26:49.460 And, uh, 800-941-SHAWN is our number.

00:26:51.980 If you want to be a part of the program, all right, let's get back to our busy phones.

00:26:56.740 800-941-SHAWN, our number.

00:26:59.100 We check out the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Steve is there.

00:27:03.740 Steve, I need to warn you.

00:27:05.520 Linda is a neighbor of yours.

00:27:07.580 You just don't know it.

00:27:08.880 Be careful.

00:27:09.700 If you go to school board meetings, she may show up.

00:27:13.280 I appreciate that.

00:27:14.660 I, it's a real privilege to speak with you, Sean, and, uh, appreciate you giving me the

00:27:18.380 opportunity.

00:27:20.120 What's going on?

00:27:21.080 It's my pleasure.

00:27:21.980 I'm calling as regards to the accountability of the Iowa school board.

00:27:25.960 Uh, I'm a general contractor and we do a lot of work in schools all the time.

00:27:30.440 And the state law here in PA requires that we submit three separate background checks

00:27:35.080 to be approved by the school prior to us stepping foot on the school grounds.

00:27:40.060 It's a state police criminal background check, a child abuse background check, and a federal

00:27:46.340 background check, which includes, uh, requiring fingerprint.

00:27:49.720 So not only for us contractors, but any subcontractor we hire, any volunteers that show up to the school

00:27:56.500 or even the, uh, applications that are sent to the school, we all must submit these clearances.

00:28:02.140 And I don't know what the, uh, laws are in Iowa, but I can't believe that the board would

00:28:07.780 have a person for such a prestigious position would hire a person without doing their due diligence.

00:28:13.340 I mean, do you think this is just gross incompetence or, or willful negligence?

00:28:20.180 I, I, I, probably a combination.

00:28:22.960 I mean, it's unbelievable to me, you know, and you know, this person even forged their,

00:28:28.700 their, uh, credentials.

00:28:31.560 Uh, you know, the idea that this person had this, this background and they didn't catch it.

00:28:36.680 Uh, it's unforgivable to me.

00:28:38.520 Somebody has got to be held accountable for this.

00:28:41.100 And it's really unreal.

00:28:42.220 I don't know why they're not looking at, you know, I don't know if they can bring charges

00:28:46.680 against the school board or, or why they would keep their positions as well.

00:28:50.200 I mean, we're talking about the, you know, the safety of our kids, you know, we, as parents,

00:28:55.940 we put our trust in these individuals to do their job and protect our children.

00:28:59.600 And, you know, some of these school districts, you just can't, can't count on them to do that,

00:29:04.600 to put the interest of your child ahead of their own.

00:29:07.600 It's pretty remarkable.

00:29:08.880 Just like, you know, the idea that you have so many state governments, you know, Tim Walls

00:29:14.760 and, and California gender affirming care without, without parental consent, what they

00:29:20.860 think they know better than we parents.

00:29:22.560 They don't believe in parental rights.

00:29:24.180 They think they're smarter than us.

00:29:26.340 It's so frustrating.

00:29:27.460 Uh, but I can tell you that, you know, as a parent, you've got to be involved in every

00:29:33.400 aspect of your kid's life.

00:29:34.700 You got to pay attention.

00:29:35.600 I probably didn't pay as much attention as I should have when my kids were younger.

00:29:40.480 And, uh, but thankfully, you know, they turned out okay.

00:29:44.160 Uh, all right, my friend, appreciate you.

00:29:46.060 800-941-SHAWN.

00:29:47.700 Have a great weekend.

00:29:48.580 If you want to be a part of the program, this is an iHeart podcast.

00:29:52.840 Guaranteed human.

00:29:53.520 Guaranteed human.

Verdict with Ted Cruz - October 04, 2025

Bonus： Sean Hannity with Senator Kennedy Unfiltered - October 3rd, Hour 2

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