The Daily Signal - Evidence Is In, Rep. Mark Green Says: Democrats' Control of Presidency, Congress 'Very Bad for America'

Episode Date: June 2, 2022

What will happen if illegal immigrants continue to pour across the southern border? What should the Biden administration be doing to address soaring inflation? And what threat does China actually pose to the U.S. right now?  Over and over, Americans are witnessing the “failures of this administration,” Rep. Mark Green, R-Tenn., says.  "Obviously, Democrat control of all three—the White House, and the Senate, and the House—has devastated our country, whether it's the border, or the economy, or foreign policy," he says. The Tennessee lawmaker joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” from The Heritage Foundation’s annual Resource Bank conference to discuss the biggest issues facing America today, and what the Biden administration should be doing to address those problems.  Also on today’s show, we cover these stories: Ukrainian officials guarantee that any U.S. weapons sent to the country won't be used to conduct attacks in Russian territory. The man who shot President Ronald Reagan in 1981 is about to be freed from all remaining court oversight.  The Supreme Court issues a ruling that could affect the outcome of the cliffhanger Republican Senate primary in Pennsylvania. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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We'd love to talk, business. This is the Daily Signal podcast for Thursday, June 2nd. I'm Doug Blair. And I'm Prudgeon Allen. On today's show, we travel down to Tennessee, where Rob Luey sits down with Representative Mark Green at the Heritage Foundation's Annual Resource Bank Conference. They break down what the latest news is regarding the crisis at our southern border. Plus, they discuss what can and should be done about rising inflation and how America can

stand up against the threat of China. But before we get to Rob's conversation with Congressman Mark Green, let's hit our top news stories of the day. According to Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, Ukrainian officials have guaranteed that any U.S. weapons sent to the country would not be used to conduct attacks in Russian territory. Blinken announced those assurances from Ukraine during a Wednesday press conference in Brussels with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. Here's Blinken via CBS News. with regard to weapons systems being provided, the Ukrainians have given us assurances that they will not use these systems against targets on Russian territory. There is a strong

trust bond between Ukraine and the United States, as well as with our allies and partners. I'd also say that throughout this aggression, indeed even before, President Biden was very clear with President Putin about what the United States would do if, Russia proceeded with its aggression, including continuing to provide security systems that Ukraine needs to defend itself against the Russian aggression. On Tuesday evening, President Biden announced $700 million in military aid for Ukraine, including advanced weapon systems. That aid came with the caveat that those weapons should not be used to attack Russian territory.

The man who shot Ronald Reagan is about to be released from all restrictions. In March 1981, John Hinkley Jr. aimed a 22-cali revolver at President Ronald Reagan as he exited a hotel in Washington, D.C. Hinkley struck Reagan, puncturing a lung, which caused severe internal bleeding. Three others were also wounded in the shooting. A year later, Hinkley was found not guilty on grounds of insanity. He was hospitalized until 2006. Then he was released and allowed to live with his mother in 2016. but he has still been under multiple restrictions. Hinkley has been required to give officials access to his electronic devices and online accounts. He's also not been allowed to travel to places where someone is under secret service protection and has been required to give notice if he wants to travel more than 75 miles from his residence in Virginia. But on June 15th, all of these restrictions are being lifted. Hinkley is now 67 and his legal team, mental health professionals, and a judge,

say that he's no longer a danger to society. Hinkley's attorney, Barry Levin, says Hinkley wishes that he could undo his actions and wants to apologize to the Reagan family. As for what Hinkley is doing with himself these days, he has a YouTube channel and says he started his own record label and will be releasing an album soon. The Supreme Court has issued a decision that could severely impact the ongoing GOP Senate primary in Pennsylvania.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court blocked a third. Third Circuit Court order that allowed undated mail ballots to be counted in the ongoing primary, as long as the ballots arrived on time. Justice Samuel Alito, who handles emergency applications from the Third Circuit, wrote a two-sentence order overruling the lower court's decision. David McCormick, one of the two candidates in the GOP primary, has been attempting to get those ballots counted. Pennsylvania requires that voters fill out, date, and sign their mail-in ballots. It's a good time to be looking for a job if you need one. As of April, there are about 11.4 million job openings across America. This is a near record high, and that record high has also led to soaring job security.

According to the Labor Department, supervisors fired the fewest employees on record in April, but soaring unemployment is not helping the inflation rate. A stable labor market is one way to help curb rising inflation. Some Americans are taking advantage of all the opportunity, though, and quitting their jobs for openings that pay more. This has been especially true in the fields of leisure and hospitality. On average right now, there are 1.9 jobs available for every unemployed American. Romstein Air Base has canceled Drag Queen Story Hour at the Bases Library after uproar from lawmakers and troops. The Washington Examiner reported that a now deleted Facebook page, said the event would be hosted by drag queen Stacey Teed.

The page reportedly also had text reading, We're celebrating Pride Month at the Ramstein Library with Drag Queen Storytime. Be sure to wear your brightest and most colorful outfits. Among the outraged lawmakers demanding the event be canceled was Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio. In a letter addressed to Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall last Thursday, Rubio wrote, I urge you to immediately cancel this politically divisive event

and take appropriate disciplinary action against all involved in allowing this gross abuse of taxpayer funding to place children in a sexualized environment. Chief of Public Affairs for the 86th Air Left Wing at Romstein Lieutenant Colonel Will Powell confirmed that the event had been canceled. He added, an advertisement was posted to the base library social media page before the event had completed Ramstein's established processes for special observance coordination and approval. Now stay tuned for Rob's conversation with Congressman Mark Green as they discuss some of the biggest issues facing our country today. As conservatives, sometimes it feels like we're constantly on defense against bad ideas. Bad philosophy, revisionist history, junk science, and divisive politics. But here's something I've come to understand. When faced with bad ideas, it's not enough to just defend.

If we want to save this country, then it's time to go on offense. conservative principles are ideas that work, individual responsibility, strong local communities, and belief in the American dream. As a former college professor and current president of the Heritage Foundation, my life's mission is to learn, educate, and take action. My podcast, The Kevin Roberts Show, is my opportunity to share that journey with you. I'll be diving into the critical issues that plague our nation, having deep conversations with high-profile guests, some of whom may surprise you, and I want to ensure freedom for the next generation. Find the Kevin Roberts Show, wherever you get your podcast.

We are joined on the Daily Signal podcast today by Congressman Mark Green of Tennessee. Congressman, it's great to be here in your home state. I always like to ask, what's on the mind of your constituents these days as you meet with them and talk to them about the issues that we're confronting not only at a national level, but perhaps here in the state as well. Yeah, sure. Thanks first for having me on. And thanks for all that Heritage does.

We really appreciate you guys. you know when I travel around the district it's a it's sort of a close race between inflation and the border crisis is what's the most concerning and if I had to I mean if you pin me down without poll numbers I'd say probably the border wins out in Tennessee but yeah both of those are very important let's talk about each of those we can start with the border we have a situation where we have seen month after month the numbers go up and up it seems that this administration, despite what they might be saying publicly, is not taking the steps that it needs to to secure the border. In fact, they've undone so many of the policies of this last administration that seem to be working. What do you want our listeners to know about the situation as it's impacting people here in Tennessee? Yeah, so the issue with the border is just pure lawlessness. It's a refusal to enforce the laws to secure the border. Even with regards to Title 42, the percentages of people that they're actually turning back has decreased every month since Biden's been in office.

So not only are they not doing migrant protection protocols, the remain in Mexico stuff, despite a court order and a refusal of the Supreme Court to enjoin them. They are also not enforcing effectively Title 42. So what we're seeing is a huge percentage of people coming into the United States, staying in the United States. and now they've just released an interim final rule to change the entire asylum processing situation. They basically want to undo the DOJ part of that and give it all to DHS, which would violate not only the Constitution but the laws that have been written by Congress. So the net result is, of course, all these people pouring into the United States and with CBP addressing those individuals, and particularly the children that are unaccompancy,

company, it keeps them from doing their job at the border. And fentanyl has poured into the country. The price of fentanyl was $98 a point. That's how it sold back in January. It's now $20 something, $28, $23, somewhere in that range here in Tennessee, according to our sheriffs, which is an easy explanation to any, you know, casual observer why so many thousands of Americans more are dying to fentanyl overdose. And these tragedies are all the blood of these people all on the hands of Joe Biden and Alejandro Mayorkas. Let me ask you about fentanyl because it's an issue that I don't think it's the attention that it deserves from many media outlets. I mean, we have tragedies obviously happen in this country every day, but I mean, this is one that has taken the lives of

over 100,000 Americans in terms of drug overdoses. What can we do to raise awareness and address this problem, not only people aware of what's coming across the border, but actually helping people maybe get through and recover from some of the tragedies that they've experienced in their families. Yeah, so fentanyl, the illegal fentanyl that comes across the southern border is lacing so many other things. And I think parents need to talk to their children and make sure they know a buddy hands them a Xanax. It probably isn't a Xanax. And there's a strong chance that it's fentanyl. I interviewed a mom and we're going to be releasing this video probably next week. She had lost two teenage children.

They were at a party, took Xanax, and it poisoned everybody in the room and everyone in the room died. So this is unbelievable what's happening and it has to be addressed. So yeah, I think your point is valid. We need to educate people and that means educating the children. We really need to secure a border and stop the fentanyl from coming in. We certainly do. Let's shift to that topic of inflation. Americans across the board are suffering. They're seeing historic, in some cases, 40-year highs in inflation. It seems that despite what President Biden has said outlining in a Wall Street Journal op-ed just this week, his plan to fight inflation, it's not really making a difference. And his policies don't seem to align with what we as conservatives would necessarily prescribe as solutions. What do you hear from your constituents when it comes to the impact that they're facing when it comes to inflation. Well, obviously, when the price of food is up almost 10%, it's devastating to people who are on tight economies type budgets. And you layer into that the increase in fuel and clearly

not unrelated, right? I mean, the assault of the Biden administration on the fuel and fossil fuel industry in this country has a downstream effect on everything else. The farmer has to put diesel in its tractor. The thing that is the thing that is the thing. at most, I think, angers Tennesseans anyway is the comment that the president made about we're going through a tough transition. As if all this is intentional. I mean, they don't care about how their policies are impacting the average American, the average Tennessean. They just don't care. All they care about is worshiping the God of their green energy, green climate change stuff, and it's destroying people's lives.

you know, we're pushing back as much as we can, but, you know, inflation, the energy crisis, the supply chain crisis, all of that devastating the laws of Tennesseans. It certainly seems that they admitted, or the president himself admitted what we all suspected was the case, that they want to make this transition to a green energy situation. We at the Heritage Foundation and the Daily Signal believe that all of the above sources, but we're not yet at the point where they want to move us in that direction. So what can you, as a member of Congress, do obviously not in the majority, but what can you do to keep the pressure on maybe in hopes that they actually do open up some domestic production?

Well, I think Americans have got to start telling their stories, you know, and I'm telling their stories, you know, farmers that tell me they're not going to have any profit margin this year. you know, people who are saying they can't afford food. They can't, of course, afford baby formula because there is no baby formula. Tennessee been hit especially hard by that. And it's just, again, failures of this administration. So the more we can tell those stories, the more pressure it puts on the Biden administration. It also helps us win election in the fall.

And we need to take back the majority in the House and in the Senate. obviously Democrat control of all three, the White House and the Senate and the House has devastated our country, whether it's the border or the economy or foreign policy. You look at the debacle in Afghanistan, and that clearly was probably the point at which Vladimir Putin decided to invade Ukraine. And now that's cost tens of thousands of lives, and it's cost us billions of dollars to go in there and to try. to prevent that from happening. So all because of a failure of Joe Biden in Afghanistan. And so across the board, Democrats can control the House, Senate, and White House very bad for America. We've got to fix it. You have a piece of legislation that would address the baby formula shortage

directly. You mentioned that it's impacting Tennessee. What would your legislation do and what should Americans know about the situation that we currently find ourselves in? Yeah, the current regulations basically prevent overseas competition. And they created, I guess the true word would be oligopoly amongst four manufacturers in the U.S. The federal food aid programs buy in bulk from certain vendors, so it basically puts everybody else out of business. So we have this monopoly. And then you have one manufacturer who had a bad thing happen at their plant, whistleblower, lower, the report never got to the top of the organization. Oh, wait, there was no one at the top of the organization because the president took over a year to put somebody at the FDA in the midst

of a COVID crisis. So that failure of the administration, that failure within the FDA, the failure to go and inspect the plant in a timely fashion has resulted in the situation that we're in. So my bill would just allow the president an emergency situation to waive those stupid regulations and allow us to bring in competitively internationally manufactured up to standard baby formula. And I got a call from an Australian company that's ready to supply. They've got millions. I mean, there are many companies out there. I'm not invested in the Australian baby food, baby milk or formula industry.

This is just purely trying to answer a problem. But there are many sources out there, and it's time for the president to act. This is a crisis. We needed an operation warp speed on this, but, But unfortunately, they lack the ideation or the innovation in this administration to come up with something like that. Well, it sounds like a common sense solution to me. Thank you for your leadership on it. Let's talk about foreign policy.

You brought it up before. You have also been an outspoken critic of the Chinese Communist Party, recognizing them as a real threat to the United States. As you survey the globe, what do you want our listeners to know about some of the challenges that we face? You mentioned Afghanistan and Ukraine, obviously. But what are some of the other hotspots in the world that we should be paying attention to? Yeah, the biggest threat with China right now is, of course, there are threats to Taiwan. And it's an urgent situation because 94% of the high-end semiconductors are manufactured in Taiwan. So if we think the supply chain crisis is bad today, let China have 94% of the market share on high-end semiconductors.

We wouldn't be able to make a missile or F-35 or anything, right? cars, the backlog in cars is because of the backlog in chips. So we have to do everything within our power to deter China from going to Taiwan. And Xi has said he's going to do it. I mean, the guy said it'll happen in his lifetime. They're flying fighter jets and bombers into Taiwanese airspace left and right. So our number one imperative is to deter that. And that's why I think supporting the Ukrainians is so important.

if we block Russia, if Xi Jinping is watching, and he is, how the West has come together to support the Ukrainians, perhaps. Maybe it's a deterrent to China. But elsewhere, you know, their Belt and Road initiative is destroying economies of small developing countries, addicting them to the Chinese handout and basically taking people out of the West's orbit in their effort to undo the liberal rules-based order that was developed after World War II. so they're a threat to free markets and, you know, I mean, they're a threat militarily. In the South China Sea, I mean, we have to push back. We've talked about a lot of policy issues here.

One of the things that I know House Republicans are working on is an agenda so that voters will know when they go to the polls in November what your plan is should you be in the majority in 2023. Can you talk to us about that process and where things stand right now and some of the issues that are really animating you and your colleagues? Yeah, so Kevin McCarthy, our current minority leader and hopefully soon to be speaker, has put together seven task forces,

one of which I'm on. I'm on the China task force, but there's an economy one, there's a health care one, there's one on freedom, and just guaranteeing the freedoms of Americans that Washington, D.C. seems to be taking away these days a lot. But each of those task forces,

is tasked in its area of concentration to write the legislation that will be used in the next Congress. On top of that, on top of the task forces in the legislation, there's a commitment to America. And we're not stealing Newt's contract with America, but it's pretty close. And we're going to come up with, you know, five to eight things that we guarantee that we'll do when we're in control. And we'll be articulating that commitment to America in August. Congressman, you're somebody who has served our country. Thank you for that. We have just passed the Memorial Day holiday here this week. Any words that you want to leave us with as we wrap up today's interview about those brave men and women who are putting themselves in harms away on a daily basis? Yeah, sure, and thanks for asking that. You know, for me, it's personal. I lost friends in Afghanistan and Iraq when I served in a special operations unit. And so we were at the tip of the spear, as we would say.

and I see those faces in my mind's eye all the time, but on Memorial Day, it's obviously more important to me or more relevant. You know, I think the thing I would say is it's not just the warrior that gives his or her life, it's their families that are impacted, and we need to love on those gold star families, especially its children. You know, I mean, think about it. Who's going to walk that little girl down the aisle someday? You know, who's going to teach that young boy how to pin his kids?

boot and ear on his tuxedo. And we can't ever forget the sacrifice that those kids make. I mean, they give up their father or mother for every day of the rest of their lives. So Memorial Day is a very special day to me, and it's a very special day to most Americans, and I'm glad for that. Well, great. Well, I saw on social media that you and your wife were out and about in Tennessee commemorating the day, and so thanks again. We really enjoyed this time that we were able to spend with you. Thanks for the work that you're doing. Any closing thoughts that you want to share with our daily signal listeners about how they can follow your work and other things that might be going on in your district? Yeah, absolutely. Of course, I've got all the web pages and Twitter. I'm

really easy to find on that stuff. But, you know, really, what folks need to do is just stay engaged. This is a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. And we need everybody reading and getting good sources for their information and in the fight because the future of our country is at stake. And, you know, it's very interesting the comment that Christ made given to Caesar what is Caesar's. Well, if it's a government of the people, that means the people. The people are Caesar in a way, right?

So we have a role here as voters and as members of this great country to do our part. for our great country. And I think even from a faith standpoint, it's important that we do that. And Congressman, let me just say that when we hear stories of parents running for school board or becoming more active in their communities, it is really encouraging. So take your words to heart and encourage our listeners to follow your advice there. Congressman Mark Green of Tennessee, thanks for spending time with The Daily Signal. Yeah, thanks for having me on. Appreciate you guys. And that'll do it for today's episode. Thank you so much for listening to The Daily Signal podcast. If you haven't done so already, please be sure to subscribe to the Daily Signal podcast on your podcast listening app of choice.

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