No thank you. We have now been to do schools. This is the third stop on the fall. Verdict live tour in partnership with young men. This foundation, special thanks to the low family we started out. On governor walkers, home turf of Wisconsin We moved on where we were supposed to be out of college campus, that didn't work out. They don't like us up there, but we still. We still made that point guesswork We then moved on Senator to your home turf of Texas. We are now on my home turf. This very popish place here, a southern Baptist and a Catholic and a cactus

walk onto a university campus. This is vertical. Ted crews is really terrific to be here, a Catholic University of Amerika. You know why came from the land of freedom in Texas, and I landed here, and I gotta tell you I was. I was pretty shocked because there is. Mask mandate in place every single person in Washington DC needs to wear a mask the presence of the United States, to have their rights. only if he's out at a restaurant Paoli around with rich people than then the mast mandate, doesnt work at eighty in it and to be fair, he didn't know there was a camera most importantly you didn't know about this is a very tricky virus. You you wanna camera on you, my god, you need. Sixteen men the camera no problem at all. I have to say

he's pretty audacious right now we, talking about this vaccine mandate, the mask mandates that that is actually shutting downs segments of our economy and, amid all of this with such hubris with no shame at all the president, and wife walk into this restaurant, the Europe did tailors, mask everyone else. There is mask, but the rules Apply to him by the way you know that is the same. Restaurant are actually the sister restaurant of. If you member couple of years ago, Heidi and I were going out to dinner in D C, and this group of Antigua protesters surrounded us yelled at a set up following us out of the restaurant exact same rest, the Joe Biden is walking around without mask You know to bite and credit, though I think we need to give him credit he, unlike transportation secretary has ostensible even showing up for work over the past two months, but the interpretation secretary amid the worst supply chain crisis, certainly of my lifetime. He is

on two months going on three months of paternity leave,. you know, I have to say this. This story actually pisses me off number one people or walk on eggshells around the store yeah they're like nervous about oh well, it's honey, leave you're, not supposed to say anything bad about life. You know we're really we're we're woke were sensitive and yet these days that I really can't societies camp outside Senator at it. Like ok, our country, it is over two hundred years old pretty sure. Pete Buddha judge is the first and only cabinet secretary, the history of our country to take maternity leave. Yes, evidence, you know not just

ok stay home be a few days with the kid be a week with a kid, but today amounts and counting, and he said he won't. He won't stop. You want back to work even with them? Jane crisis. I suppose the only thing you have recommended. Is that problem if Buddha Judge, were doing his job. Crisis would be worse. I have to assume this story actually encapsulates the lot of the things that are infuriating number one bona judge doesn't show up to work for two months number: two, they keep it grit. They don't tell anyone, there's no public announcement, there's no he's a cabinet member beer. member you gotta responsibility to show up to work number three. It was fascinating. None of the press reports on Is there any reporter at the department transportation? Who sixty days in would say you know who we are unseen and sixty days,

that Secretary Guy Disease, he still work here and and it's ok you might say the Secretary transportation doesn't show up to work, and it's like a tree falling in the woods who noticed youths who cares right, but it happens to be right in the middle of a transfer asian crisis. That is impacting the whole country, now. Listen, I'm not an economist. So I would like to hear your thoughts is as a law makers, someone who sees this up close I have been reliably informed that history, Eric inflation and in his supply chain crisis is one, a high class problem? That's what the White House Chief of staff said and to its act. really a good thing. That's what Jen Saki at the White House and people to judge have both said in the last few days. There is an arrogance to this end. All of these themes are connected together. The arrogance is there

This administration wants to implement policies on working people on the little people that they themselves don't follow, and When you look at something like inflation for the White House Chief of staff or on clean tweeted out that it that it then it's it's a high class problem in full. Last I checked buying food is not a high class prob, The last I check rent isn't a high class problem. Gas is of a high class problem diapers or a high class problem. You know it's ease. Just sit back and say: oh, what difference does it make as inflation is going up and up and up but listen and I gotta say we're we're with. mostly college students by the way love the Astro shirt. Awesome shirt by the way, a nineteen when the Castro's play the nationals I die. I went to one of the games here in D C.

Behind home plate was the loan or ensure It is a city of red that was a weird series or the away team on every game, so I was literally surrounded by nationals. Fans I'm wearing asked rose. It is a miracle I didn't get. My ask I'm seeing a theme here that restaurant in DC with Anti fire and then you're the orange irritated at the game. It had nothing to do with politics, it was all baseball, Weaver winning- and so I was forty loud. The boxes about it, but look The double standard it'll for all of in college, for the last twenty years we ve lived in this sort of weird holiday from history because inflation hasn't really exist. We ve inflation, one in two percent for about twenty years now. I'll tell you, I remember the nineteen seventy, so I was born in seventy. I was a kid, in the seventies- and I mean I remember when we had double digit inflation- remember when you had

home loans, home mortgage loans of twenty one and twenty two percent, that's massive and the about inflation, we're up at about five or six percent. Now so were several times higher than what's historically been true tat you really gets hit by that are seniors fear a senior year on a fixed income, and suddenly all your expenses are gonna write, rent food, gas tilities everything your pay in foreign, so the income doesn't move and the outflow goes There's an irony where the White House Chief of staff, in the whole Biden apparatus now is trying pretend that inflation and supply chain issues are a high class problem. Actually, the opposite is true. These issues disproportionately affect poor people. yeah, you know at historically speaking, wealthier people can just make they tend to make more money, even as inflation goes up, but also basic goods gas

eating your home food mean that will disproportionately affects people on on smaller incomes, but it's the speaking of gas, is that it's the gas lighting. That's going on now we're being told that up is down in black and white and right is left and meanwhile, by the way we were debating. But Alternatively, you for our transportation secretary and let me be clear about something because, like you- and I are both fathers, you back your ear, new, for I am do you know? Baby is always get applause, and again we hear her being Ghana, so you know, I remember when, when our girls were born, so our girls are thirteen and ten Catherine about turn eleven and listen. I'm maternity leave is also piety took for maternity leave. It was wonderful with a new born so Girls were born ten and thirteen years, but I have to admit ten and thirteen ago. I've never heard of paternal.

Ten months ago, I've never heard of the two readings we didn't talk about. It wasn't like we made a conscious decision not to talk about, and it was ok. She was care and I love my girls, but we just it wasn't a thing. So now it's a thing and that's fine jobs rather than that that can be fine but but being in the cabinet, is different. But, like you, have a responsibility not to disappear. here from the job for two months and years, but it's not that damned hard to pick up a zoom in them in the in the middle of in the middle of a pandemic. You couldn't you can be on the job at home and an end its something that that that there is a view that this is not a problem. We can do what we want and it's the same double standards that apply the logical and meanwhile, if you zoom out- and you look at the GEO political picture here,

we're sitting around debating whether cabinet secretary should just disappear for family time. For more than two months, we are debating whether awoke generals in the military ought to be of sending critical race theory. Texts to the troops must look. It's not like. There's anything important, demonic notice I mean it's not like the chinese or testing hypersonic, sir anything yeah. That's the thing I just read about so our greatest geopolitical foe is test, weapons that are blowing us away. That we didn't know where possible at the moment and meanwhile were twiddling our thumbs. So look hyper. You look at an a ballistic missile that you that goes up in the air. Goes up into the atmosphere, comes down away. A missile defence system takes about, I need you put in we're warhead on the the. of an icy be em, and you can our missile defence systems are designed to try to take them out hypersonic. is very dangerous because in what China tested as something that goes up on a rocket but

Then very loan of the atmosphere goes about five times the speed of sound and his the orbit. The earth is able to steer suddenly missile defence done work that well and they were sing it with the ability to put nuclear warhead on the front end of it. It also means one of the potentials so our missile defence is all keyed on missiles. Coming over the north pole, look a lot of it was with the Soviet Union, where naturally the north pole, is the shortest distance there with China. Also, the North pole is the most natural, so you ve got in. A big missile defence batteries was a problem with hypersonic, as they can now come over. The south pole come over this potentially that acknowledging would let him come over the South pole where we don't have the same missile defence, southern border or for that matter, our southern border, the Rio Grande they could just given cartel invariably against by the easiest way, is the most direct way for Closer than the South pole and endless and hyper so, x

knowledge is moving forward where developing them, our enemies are developing them but I gotta say: reading the stories by the administration repeatedly said, we were shocked. We were started. We had no idea, they had this technology it reminded me of the disaster Afghanistan, where they said we were shocked. We were astonished. We had no idea. The Taliban were bad guys, If only someone had told us, and maybe they should be shocked, a little less light like if they work com, training on on putting out cartoon recruiting ads. Very mean we can be focused on our hands You want to kill us right, you know it You look at the current crop of leadership, whether it's in the agencies or its in the White House or wherever or its than in the joint Chiefs of staff. It's pretty depressing when you look at the future, America. Now, when you look at the young people, especially the ones assembled here, it gives you a little more hope should. Should we get to their quest

that's what I'm here for the actual gray and our friend lives wheeler to moderate and open discussion? Where are you taking all of your questions so make sure that you line up if disagree with her all them, not all of their tough. Please we don't want. We don't need to hear that I just no match for the role of the EU. If you start with with linear algebra, I'm gonna make the graduate answer that that's great, I you know, I mostly studied being dance theory underwater basket waving in all the top majors a year or so, but we can only do we'll. Take it too. Let us seek an answer. Those, but you know if you make that promise, we may demand orbits. Would you see you this senator? I hope when he said that a Catholic, a senator and attacked us we're coming outta campers that I hope you weren't talking about me wings? You are not the correct, as you are the second Catholic. Actually, we brought reinforcements show it.

Some precisely I guess do we know the rules of the questions we know it. some questions as one question not to not three not to part, not three part. One question make its distinct so that we can get to as many questions as possible. If you disagree with the senator, if you disagree with Michael our producers will due to the front of the line, because that's why we're here we are also going to while everyone gets lined up. I want to talk to you for just a second about verdict, plus it's a portal for access to Senator TED. Was where not just tonight, but every knights of not every night but frequently we will get together and do question and answer even submit questions on through that Porto its verdict with TED proves dot com. Slash plus, you probably have little card that your seat. When you sat down there's a promo code on that card, I think the promo code, alive. You will get a month free trial to verdict plus, if you use that promo code, so that's verdict would tankers that calm, slash plus and promo code is low,

and while everyone is lining up, were actually to take our first question directly from verdict plus there's some great questions have already been. already been submitted. So this first passions, nurse erected? Obviously, at you it's from an iraqi war veteran and he says, as we all know, there have been over one hundred sixty thousand migrants released into the country since March. With that being said, why are we still processing k, one fiance visas? Why punish those who work do integration the legal way at look. I think it's a very good question, my veal and immigration I, but I've always summarised and forwards legal good, illegal, bad. I think there's a right way to come to this country. The right way is to stand in line to follow the rules and come here legally and envy on, say, visas have been one of the long and traditional ways of doing this in one of the strange things about how the bided ministration has handled

duration is on the southern border. We have an open border. We ve had over one point: three million people cross it legally, just since binds become president, but at the same they shut the border down illegal commerce. It's it's a very strange combination. Where where that there are not allowing so, you have mexican citizens, for example, who routinely would come up taxes they go shopping that go go out to dinner, they would come. There is a heavy traffic back and forth that as a legal commerce back and forth. The bottom illustration that all down so so? It is a bizarre if you're, coming with our tell to break the law? They're fine with it. If you're actually coming legally to drive the economy there. Not. I think that, backwards and we oughta be prioritizing doing it the right way, but do you think senator I mean to the viewers question: is it incompetence from the Biden Administration or to add to quote your colleague Marco Rubio from the campaign, you know, does Biden

know exactly what he's doing. Let's dispel with eviction that he doesn't know what he's doing ammunition. Is this intentional? So I think the open borders, our intention and its because its two things, one Biden and and Harris is set finally made promises to the radical left in the Democratic Party that they would have open borders that they wouldn't enforced the board the law. and so far they have been willing to to renege on those those promises. But second, I think, more broadly, they view unlimited illegal immigration as as future democratic vote. I think this is a crass political decision. I gotta tell you terrific. I've spent a lot of time at the border, the the who are coming in or being brought in by traffickers. There being abused, is. It takes your breath away to see what's happening.

You know. On the legal side, I dont have a good answer fort, so why, for example, they shut down legal commerce across the bridge. Is, I don't know it does, make any sense. I do you know I actually I've called for them to open it up there. France have called for an open it up, but they don't do, and I have never been able to get its a good answer as to why it's interesting to. I think, to note that the binding administration trying to prevent the media from covering this they try to prevent. the drones that were showing footage in Del Rio? I mean you are actually the first one in your cell phone down there, to show the american people what was happening because clearly the button administration knows that what's happening, is it just arbitrarily happening that is happening as a direct result of their political choices? Does beg the question whether its being done or for what intention it is being done since they know that their choices are causing the problem? You are right. Are you guys ready? So when you step up to the MIKE, introduce yourself first and then

You can address your question to the senator, to Michael or to me. What's your name my name's Nick. I'm a senior history major here. It's EU aid for the record. The history department rocks here I love it here is so senator. I want to ask you about freedom. You talk a lot about freedom. We talk a lot about liberty, but, with all respect I haven't heard you talk a lot about throughout your career. What is the purpose of human freedom so want to ask you tonight what is the purpose of human freedom and is it the ultimate virtue? Is human beings that we should seek or there is something more while. So let me say you have just demonstrated your first statement, which is the history department rocks that that that is.

a grade and and profound question and we're starting with Dep, look the end of the day, I think every human yearns for meaning yearns for a purpose larger than ourselves a purpose larger than then our lives That is a purpose that that for billions for for the time of manatee has been filled for many with faith. As for me, I'm a christian and- and my faith is a very important part of who I am but I think when it comes to freedom there there's a different role If your assessing how am I gonna live my life than there is a question of water, the governmental policies that should be in place an end, You know. If you look at the founding of our country, we were founded by people fleeing religious oppression and coming to a

lace were where we could live according to phase and and and worship God and live, live our lives according to our face, according to our conscience, and so from a governmental perspective. I think government should not have its finger on scale one way or the other we should protect. rules that allow everyone to do, go and seek seek whatever faith, questions whatever faith journey in and by the way, look, I'm a christian but but all of us have had a faith journey. I was raised as a Christian. I had a period when I was in school, where I will, I was probably fairly described as an agnostic. My had doubts which, which a lot of young people certainly do actually Heidi, had a similar. questioning her faith when she was in school. I think that's a very common part of life, I think we ought to have. legal rules in place that protect the ability of each of us to try to

so the ultimate question to try to answer? What is our purpose? I can tell you thing. I point out a lot directly when I talk to young people, as I say, look think about what people will say, your fuel. Blue MECCA, but but but when you're dead and buried What are they gonna say and nobody is going to remember how big of a flat screen tv you had. But he's gotta. Remember if you had a fancy car- and I mean that material possessions in life? Look, you need enough money too. To have food and shelter and and provide for your family, but the only thing anyone ever talks about it. A few Are the lives that you touched or the people whose lives were made better because you live? Are the people who inspired or the people you helped are. The people whose whose world was bettered because of your effort, and, and so I think, that's a big pile

of having a higher purpose is making a positive difference. in your home in your family and your neighborhood in your community and your state in your country, and I think Each of us is on a journey to figure that out, it's also worth remembering Align from Saint Paul. When we're trying to make. So what are we really mean by freedom? Saint Paul says the things that I want to do I don't do and the things that I don't want to do I do now is is he just speaking gibberish is or what is that even mean? Well, what what he's describing is the difference between his appetite is based desires and his high rational will, and we all know I mean the clearest example of this. I guess I'll be a drug addict right who, at the very base, appetite level, wants to shoot up a bunch of drugs. but at the higher level he does he wants to quit. He wants to be in control of himself and have freedom. You know that Founding fathers described this distinction as one between liberty and licentiousness and

You know we all use to understand, not just conservatives. Everybody in this country used to understand that, and I think recently we ve kind of redefined liberty as this idea just doing whatever you want, you know no matter how how base that is, and you know that the founding fathers warned that this would would be the end of liberty. This is why, when John Adams says that the constitution is built for a moral and religious people and its not fit to the government of any other he's, not he's not bible, thumping John Adams the Bible thumper, and it is not being superstitious he's describing this this complex fact of human freedom and I mean, I think, that's what you're speaking to Senator. I suspect that's what the question is getting at that. If we, if we want self government, if we want to keep the project of the republic going, we need to be able first to govern ourselves, and in recent years we ve had trouble doing and on the question.

licentiousness, for what it's worth the brownies here were provided by the state of cholera. I think to if I may interjected, I think too, as Catholics and ask questions. We should record is that freedom as protected by the government is a vehicle for us to make the right decision. It allows us, as Christians and ass Catholics to choose virtue to choose Christ. It almost mirrors the choice that Christ gives us, you know gives giving us free will we can choose him or we can choose to reject him and that's why it's incumbent on us, as both Catholics and Christians, but also political activists, to defend freedom in as many aspects of life as we can, because it allows us to be as Christians and Catholics closer to God by making those decisions. So it's also a vehicle that mirrors our faith. I think like you

I once your name hi, I'm Jane Edwards, so I actually have a question regarding immigration. I am a history major here, a Catholic University and my question for the immigration is for legal immigration because it is often on a case. Case basis. Will you actively seek to fund immigration, courts and lawyers? So it's great question. The answer, at least on the court's side, is yes and- and I can tell you so back a couple years ago, your member, when, when suddenly the news was dominated with the phrase kids in cages and aunt em it was said over and over again look I was very concerned then, and now about the kids in cages.

And and- and I actually introduce legislation to address it in particular, you had a phenomenon. So if you go back to the history of where this came from, why is it that their kids in cages, the initial cages were built by Barack Obama and where and what happened? If you go back to my numbers or if you go back to, I believe it's twenty third in the number of unaccompanied children that came to the? U S in that year was I believe six thousand shortly thereafter as one Obama announced Dhaka, which was the executive amnesty for people who came illegally to the country S. Children now, if you announce amnesty for people who come as kids, create a massive incentive for people to come as kids and the very

next year the number of unaccompanied children that came illegally to this country went from six thousand all the way up to ninety three thousand. It was a massive explosion and so the first time I saw the kids in cages wasn't twenty fourteen. They were in Texas Broccoli. Most present they weren't Lackland AIR Force Base and they build them because the numbers the massive numbers were coming in as a spawns to the executive, amnesty and actually the border patrol interviewed, the kids said. Why are you coming and and kids said over and over again they said because we get a better missile, which is if we come, we get to say it's very difficult to get the press to cover all of the kids that we're in cages that kid's by the way we're being physically assaulted, sexually assaulted the traffic is that a bringing in our are bad bad, guys fast forward. The trump present

see then suddenly, the kids in cages that were still there. That became a maid ratio and we saw a new phenomenon which was family units coming over, and that was a different, form of migration, and what drove that is something called Flores, sofa or, as was a law suit, that the Obama administration and settled it's a settlement that they entered into in the ninth circuit, provided a strict time limit On how long a child could be kept in detention if they came illegally and the Obama Ministration agreed to it. It was entered into as a consent decree by the federal court under floor as what it then became the case Was that if an adult came with a child. All of them would be released within the time limits of Florence, and so it would Worse them all to be released and we started to see a phenomenon that was a terrible phenomenon.

where adults who are showing up with kids, that we're not their kids, so they would present. There's, a family unit and border patrol do a dna test and a very significant percentage of them were completely unrelated to the kids, In fact, we were saying a horrific nominal on us Children being read it out that if you you're a single adult man who want come to the United States. If you brought a kid that kid and was a get out of jail free card well light of all that I introduce legislation and I tried a team up with a Democrat, so I spent Oprah twenty hours negotiating with Diane Feinstein and trying to say Diane. Ok, look! not have family separation. I agree emphatically. Family should stay together that, if you have a mom and dad and kids. They should all stay together. You know no one wants to see the kid separated from the family, but the answer can't be so release everybody because that creates

more illegal immigration, so the bill I introduced kept families together, it created safe, secure family detention facilities where you would, we would the family all together and then it funded. If I remember correctly, I think it was fun. Five hundred new immigration judges to provide for x Guided hearing so that, if you have a fan, presenting a claim of asylum, presenting a credible fear of persecution that you have the court's right, there do adjudicated right, then get a swift, and certain if they meet the legal standard they stay and if they dont made them no standard you put on a plane and sent him home, and so on this legislation. You can read the bill and it was Christine negotiating with Diane. When she and I would talk- we actually had quite a bit of agreement and she, was when we talk about what was happening at the border and what she was disturbed by it,

I have to say her staff, I think, was far too the left to where she was and actually democratic leadership they sent Dick Durban. Tibet Sickly monitor Diane, because I didn't want her to greet anything with me when it not being able to get by partisan agreement. So I filed by bill, but no Democrat Going together, I said: look we can end family separation right here. we can also fund the immigration in courts to resolve these claims, there was no democratic appetite to do that. Thank you. all right for those watching online. Those watching the event live streaming on you to make sure you subscribe to the Americas Foundation, you two page and bring that bell. I'm Talkin you, those who are watching on my right now before we got here

and I do not take another question from verdict plus a little bit of a saucy question about big tack, and I am very interested to hear your answer actually, and this is the user name of this end of it. That was very funny to its real truth: captors, We love the real truth. Gales says he asks she has got to see. My apologies, of course, This is what you asked. Is it a coincidence that Facebook shut down the same day that France's how when that's the Facebook whistleblower that testify in Congress blew the whistle on them? Or am I just crazy? You know, I have to admit. I thought the same thing and in that day, tweeted out, a gift of of facebook headquarters running through the hallways going shredded. I don't know, but it was, it sure, was an interesting rinkitink. You know if bill, the last few years have taught us anything. I think it's that the difference between a

I'm crazy conspiracy, theory and the truth is about six to twelve months, you know. That would be the big distinction. So, whereas here's my follow up question, that what I have it on good authority. It came from Russia to begin with, Here is a job for the internet, censorship that isn't it. I didn't get it on good authority. I got it from the Hillary Clinton. Has anyone. We call em out for some structure, and so we got a balance that out a lot about what? Let's get to your question? What's your name hi my name's alley, trust I'm a double major here in philosophy, prolong history I have thank you. I have a question about immigration regarding that humanitarian crisis at the border. What are you or what would you do regarding all the abuse and sexual assault going on in the border right now, at those

I'm kidding cages. Look at it so what is happening now the border a lot of times it represented Texas, nine years in the Senate, going down the border, something I do frequently. I've never seen it remotely this bad and it's worth noting in it when you ask what can we do about it? Sometimes when, when the press ass that question what they mean is, there is no way to solve, but I'm not suggesting that's what do you mean by it? But that's what the press means when they ask it, and we know that's actually not true because last year, with the lowest rate of illegal immigration in forty five years, so what we were doing a year ago. was working, what were we doing a year ago? Well, the best way to understand how we got into this crisis now is the first week Joe Biden was in office. He made three decisions on immigration that had ass of consequences. First thing he did ass, he immediately halted construction of the wall, and so

Down the wall there there, portions of it there are built there are big beautiful wall, someone might say, and then on January, twenty, as they literally drop their tools. You see rebar that just rusting that that down on the ground, you see bulldozers that are just park and they we are paying tractors, millions of dollars not to build the wall. That was step number ones. Number two is the. Why did ministration reinstated? Catherine release catch release was the policy. Apprehend someone. You give him a court date sometime in the future. You let him go say: hey, please, show up at court. The vast majority of them are never seen again. Catching release doesn't work. If you want to secure border, you can't have catch her release. The third decision in this was probably the most significant. Was that the job

and ended. The remain in Mexico policy now remain in Mexico was an agreement that President Trump negotiated with the government of Mexico and Mexico agreed that people crossing legally under the United in into Mexico typically from central, South America, would remain in Mexico, where the? U S asylum case was cases were proceeding. remained in Mexico proved to be an rentable success and its what news, I mentioned a moment ago. We had, the lowest rate of illegal immigration last year in forty five years, because of remain in Mexico? Our government working cooperatively with the government of Mexico, On day, one Biden toward that appear in the pieces, and we have today I a strain of illegal immigration in twenty one years and then let me take a minute to talk about so.

What is happening you a few weeks I was down south Texas- did a bunch, a round tables and sat down with law enforcement and sheriffs rancher ranch owners and farmers and local elected officials. So the ranchers. I remember there were two to two different ranchers, both women, who described almost the exact same thing. They said they don't. Wow, their teenage kids to go out on their property without an armed fire they're, just so many traffickers crossing their property on a daily is is that it's not safe for their kids to be out there and they were met they were ticked off? You know How is my country not? allowing the these criminal cartels just to ignore the law with impunity. we also heard from from law enforcement, who described so so many of the illegal immigrants who come across their wearing a cup colored wristband and the color

sponsored across the border. You have to pay the cartels you can't if you're in Mexico Don't across the? U S, if you try swim on your own they'll kill you the card. Else, have a total monopoly and you pay them anywhere between three and eight thousand dollars and what happens people come across as typically they they get potent stash houses just north of the the stash houses are really violent, dangerous places therein physical assaults there. There are a lot of rapes that happen in these staff trousers and often they will extort thousands more One sure there, and so the color coded wristbands correspond and how many thousands of dollars you paid and how many you? Oh now, what happens next many of these folks then go turn themselves in. The border patrol and the bind ministration sends them two cities throughout the country. So you may think

you know, maybe you're from New York or allay or Chicago or major from DC. You may think gosh, I'm not on the border. This is not a problem that impacts me. Well, there are hundreds, Thousands of illegal immigrants at the bite ministration is sending to every city across the country, and you get for example, teenage boys that arrive here in DC, who owe the cartel several thousands of dollars, and so working for the cartels and they have to pay it off. Member the cartoons they know who their families are and of Europe, a teenage boy- and you are, for thousand dollars. If you don't pay that off, they will kill your mother. They'll kill your sister, and so you now have all of these many of more teenagers working for the drug cartels every city across the country

you also tragically have particularly with teenage girls. Many of them were put into forced prostitution, and it is horrific, so that the prostitution houses that cartels have set up are like an old plantation there People ledger of every expense, so they charge you for your room. They charge for your board, they charge you for utilities. They they charge you for every different fact. I was told the cost for the scissors too. cut the ankle, monitor bracelet off your ankle was thirty dollars. They I urge you thirty dollars to cut the bracelet off, and so, if you can imagine a fifteen year old girl from from Honduras and Nicaragua, Guatemala who who came north because she wanted to come to them honestly and she wanted to live free. She was inspired by America and, a few months later,

She is living in Hell, enforced prostitution in in an establishment one by the drug cartels. This is horrific and it and it's one of the things that frustrates me politically. When we talk but it is that the defenders of this policy say there being humane and compassionate there's nothing. humane about what is happening to these people. I think the answer x, it is reversed. The three decisions Joe Biden made, which is return to building the border wall, end catch and release and reinstate the remaining Mexico policy, and we know that work because it worked last year dramatically well, but right now, Joe Biden calmly Harris want to do. There was an incredible statistic: it came out a few years ago. It was actually reported in the the post left wing outlet. It was relying on data from fusion and amnesty international that sixty to eighty four

and of women and girls who cross the border illegally, are raped or otherwise sexually assaulted. On the journey senator to your point there are politicians in this country, and I am not going to both sides and its politicians on the left overwhelmingly on the left, who are incentivize in people to do this and incentivize in this perilous violent journey, because they think they can score some votes out of it, and indeed, in some cases, cheap labour, but mostly its votes, and if you are doing

If you are opposing a border wall, if your opposing border enforcement, if you're doing all the things that the left is doing in this country. As far as I'm concerned, you ve got blood on your hands and it's it's not going to be solved, as both sides question it is. The left needs to grow a conscience and look at the numbers and look at the reality of what's happening and cut it out yet and Michael, I think, to its especially pertinent, being at Catholic University that sometimes the leadership in the church misunderstands the church doctrine on compassion, nine humanitarianism and teachers instead, social justice, because we know big ugly, were taught to welcome the traveller, welcome the stranger and that the charter, sometimes the leadership on the church teacher, is that this is equal to an open borders policy. Speak to why this is correct, will you you have a right to a country, there's nothing in Catherine, the Catholic Doctrine saying that you'd you dont have a right to have your own country or the patriotism is wrong or that enforcing the law is wrong. Actually the civil authority has instituted with me

priority of God, and the Saint Paul writes about this. You see this throughout the Bible and the love of God. He's an extension of the love of one's own family. It's perfectly natural, and it's perfectly right. So we want to be here kind and very welcoming we do all of these things. We do in private charity and we do it at the national level too. But this does not mean tearing down borders that actually can have a very negative content because, by the way, if you erase the borders of this country, you are racing, the national identity itself, and then, where is it exactly that the people are fleeing to its an incoherent action? Unless I thank you raise a good question and it adds a couple of things on that point number one. I will say that that charities and churches, but in particular catholic charities and South Texas, does an incredible job carrying for these

Children caring for these women who are abused that that there is the Rio Grande Valley, sister, Norma, hoo, hoo hoo leads that effort, and I know her. She is their constantly. She worked tirelessly, and you know these children who are going through unspeakable horrors. It's not the kids fault and an end, and we should certainly show these children in these people, love and compassion. But the real love and compassion would be not to create a legal system that incentivize is hundreds of thousands

where millions of people to be brutalized by these cartels- and you know it is absolutely true that that the catholic church in and in the Bible teach to welcome the traveller. But often what is missed. There is no country on the face of the planet that welcomes more immigrants than the United States of America. We are the most generous and welcoming can free in the history of the world and in fact, the countries that that lecture us on how dare you secure your borders? They dont let people I mean it's utter and complete hypocrisy where a country built by look my dad came as a neighbour

from Q by I love that we are a melting pot and in it and we are built by people seeking freedom, we should keep that, but but simply having a lawless system, where innocent people are abused by vicious criminal cartels. That's not compassionate, that is being wilfully blind to the hurry. the crimes that are being carried out as a result of failed government policies. I think that's, I think, that's correct, and it's it's the right thing to do to now to note which side of the iron those policies are being carried out. Thank you for your question are well worth That's Gregor working up the next question that card that I mentioned before. That's on your seat that has that promo code make sure to visit verdict with ten crews, dot com, slash shop. You can see this hats that sitting very comfortably back here on the cat ass. We have some fun

hullo cactus merge. That's now, foresail you get ten percent off that March by using that promo code live. If you get a verdict with ten cruised outcome, slash legislative say, that's very issue. Risk of the correct is worrying, with respect to sort it just a sort of settling in applauded, and I don't know if I'm supposed to mentioned tonight that the cap is beat both of your thing. As onto that, I'm not surprised, I'm not surprised. We have a face guessed, but the cat, this is the real story. I shall yeah that's exactly right. All right, ironically, thereby send us introduce yourself. cloudy I'm SAM and are working professional, but senator crews is actually one of your interns back in college downsides than the icy grant over there. So they grant. I don't have your where's. Maybe, and my unless obviously work both you're all of us are part of a mystical body of Christ. I feel like I've already

you guys, are ready rats where I know you for so. My question is: do both Michael and Senator crews endless as well? If you like, surrounding the definition of liberty, liberty is a word, that's kind of you a buzzword on the right, but is also used by many on the right to justify and perhaps even passively allowed, the cultivation of very vicious acts. So I was wondering if Michael and Senator crews, if you could both give your own definition of the word liberty and maybe compare and contrast as something tells me, my not perfectly agree on the definition sure I'll I'll borrow. My definition of liberty, from Lord Active Winston Churchill famously said that if, if you dont have a good education, you should just quote really smart people. So awkward like allows all so Lord ACT and points out that liberty is not viable. Ready to do whatever you want to do, but rather the right to do what you ought to do and

we touched on this a little bit earlier when we talked about how liberty and licentiousness are not the same thing about had a rational will exists to mediate between the appetite, the base, passion and the divine will and it's what separates us from from the east. So I guess the example I would use to bring all about down to earth is education. The point of education is to make us free right. That's why we call it liberal education. We call the liberal arts, so the whole point of it is to make us free and when you are free, you are not being coerced right. That's I think, that's right the basic thing we would all say about freedom, but the irony. or the the complication is that in order to attain this freedom, you need to be coerced by your teachers by the exam is by the grades. I mean you, your coerced for two of yours. Thirteen year old fifteen depends on how much schooling you're going to go through by the time that this

when a strain is over with free college and breaking it's gonna be thirty five years. So it's a lot of coercion, but but it does serve a purpose. You do actually have to train your will, and this is a difficult process and when people in college. Sometimes that makes mistakes they let their appetites run away with them. It's not so good. The George double which famously said when I was young and irresponsible, I was young and irresponsible, but the idea that you want to mature and grow up, and so I think we have this mistaken conception of liberty. That really comes Freud. We have this kind of steam engine idea of liberty, which, which is that I've got all of these appetites and desires, and if I don't engaging, even the base ones, even the one, the naughty ones that I'm not supposed to do. If I dont let off a little steam every once in a while and I'm just gonna explode. This is different from Say, Aristotle's, understanding of behaviour of vice and virtue, and the catholic understanding and my own understanding, which is that, when you practice

the virtues which our habits they get a little bit easier. This is a fall in world were also involves, we're gonna stumble. There were probably not going to act perfectly in this world. In fact, I know that we're not, but it is going to become easier. The more you practice these virtues, and the same is true of the vices, and I say this with a great deal of experience when you practice the vices, it's kind of hard to do at the first couple of times and in its easier and easier and then its harder to stop and this I think it would be the description of addiction and so any coherent understanding of liberty. I think, has to take into account virtue. It certainly did for the founding fathers and it has for statesmen. For all time you mentioned, MR Bali body of Christ. Christ says in the gospels, the man who sins is a slave to sin, and we just know that to be true and our own lives anyone who's ever since knows there is that that is the case, and so I think I we with you, I think, sometimes I'm just in recent decades. We ve taken a more shallow view of liberty and liberties

shallow thing. To quote Ronald Reagan: that's not passed in the bloody reminder as its one generation away from being lost, which is it's so important to educate people in freedom. That's what why half is trying to do. That's part of the purpose of this podcast and while the the left, I think once to really suppress our freedom by appealing to all of our vices senator Crews- and I talked about this on on the prairie- you bookshop- we talk to a brave new world and the conquering the people by cultivating vice. I think we need to recognise that have true freedom. We have to have some idea of what good, so that was amazingly, erudite and and well thought out answer Do you know I will say that the number one Michael talked about practising vices? and I will note that after the last verdict, we did a Texas. I am that you and the entire team came back to my house in Houston and we practise vice,

till about three. In the morning three very expensive, scotch and cigars and and I'll say you, you know, you're practice makes perfect. I guess there's nothing. This is that keep working on a little bit, in order to be fair, the body is a temple in the Temple needs sense. Ok, so I'm gonna defend so Two things I find interesting in your question. As you said, you guys may disagree on their son and I think that was insightful because I listened to what Michael said I thought it was, Quite learn it, and yet I didn't really agree with it an end. You know I would There's a distinction, it may be the catholic protestant distinction. I would say I have a more libertarian bet,

than Michael. I would say most be. I think Attila, the Junta has a more libertarian better, isn't look when you ask what liberty is. Liberty is the right to make your own choices in your own life, to think to speak too, to the right to add, as John Locke put it, life, liberty and and property, The labour day, one of the famous formulations of liberty, is my right to swing swing. My fist ends at the Tipp of your look knows you have a right to do whatever you wish with your life. You don't have a right to impinge on the liberties of others. You don't have right to impinge on the rights of others. There, some in the philosophical work, old or legal world, that a positive and a distinction between negative liberties and positive deliberately negative liberties, are essentially leave me alone. Don't silence my speech dont, prevent me from practising

faith, don't take away my right to keep and bear arms. Those are negative liberties, positive celebrities in their typically folks and the left that are advocating this. are a liberty to have health are at liberty to have housing a liberty to have an end there entitlement that is free, and as a liberty, I view liberty is the former and not the latter. Liberty is the right to be left alone now. What Michael said about the right to do? As you ought look, I yet I think you ought to do as you are too that's what ought means the power of technology, but I also think you have every right not to do as you out, and so, if you want exercise your free will, be a slots or a drunkard

two fritter away your life. You have a right to do that now. I would hope you wouldn't. I would encourage you not to but it is within the realm, the realm of choice for you to make it so. in the legal world and and and I'll shift to law, there's a big debate and constitutional law, Sometimes viewed as a debate between Scully and Thomas and an end, it is where there, the law protects net, whether the constitution protects natural rights and, in my view, is that the constitution amidst the power of government in their a host of things. So, for example, school choice, is an issue. I am deeply passionate about. I've spent too five years of my life fighting for school choice as because I believe in school choice. I don't think you should have judges mandating school choice, even though it would help

kids enormously, because I don't think we should be reading ended the constant ocean a mandate for our own personal policy choices so when it comes, So what liberty is, I would say, I have a capacious framing of it, and I would leave in terms of urging the the virtuous life of is a very aristotelian call on your part. I think that's a great that is a great calling for pastors and priests and motivational speakers and anyone seeking to teachers. Anyone seeking to help people find are calling in life, but at this- in time we shouldn't foresaid and by the way, a natural area. This is playing out as vaccine mandates where you have government trying to force people to make a health care decision.

I've been vaccinated eyes, I believe in vaccines. I encourage people to get the vaccine I also believe you have individual liberty and the right not to get the vaccine if you choose not to and you're an adult and make your own choices and and and will say in response to that. I did tweet out there. Tag your body, your choice and the left lost their mark, they just they don't know you're not allowed to say that I'm like. Why are you telling people? They got a stick, a damn shot in the arm

I think Liberty should have a lot of flexibility and a lot of ruminant, including the liberty, to make stupid decisions because, to be honest, we learn more by mistakes anyway, and you have the right to do some things to right and I think it matters to what liberties in relation to use. If you're talking about liberty in a community airline, banana culture or liberty in you're in a church group, that's difference, you know the cultural stigma that might be on certain actions versus whether its legal and we know you know many politicians or abusive. We know people in power like to exercise that power, and so we have to. We have two, I think, take them or libertarian view on liberty to allow us to make the choice to be wholly because that's what liberties should be for conservatives and christian conservatives is the ability for us to choose that virtue that you're talking about because, like it's like personal charity, verses welfare right, you know if you are forced by the government to give money

It does nothing for you, you're not giving of your own free will you're not giving up your heart verses when you know you're giving by your own choice. That is an act of charity that benefits both you as the giver and the recipients of that's all. I mean more libertarian on liberty to to make sure that you are right to live your life, whereas the founder say life Liberty, the pursuit of happiness, which obviously means property, which means the extension of person. The fruits of your labour is protected, because that allows us the right. You make the right choices. Will you know what, while I may disagree with with that particular libertarian view? I will point out, due to the senators point on are staying out late and smoking cigars and- and you know, having with scotch and things like that, we burn the and burn and burning the evidence. I will say I have all relied on the competitiveness of libertarians. When I myself am an eminent arguments, diagnoses and I went home and fed my baby divergence. Thinking together. Thank you for your question. I appreciate it

our I. This is gonna, be the final question, but for everybody who I appreciate getting in line, if you didn't get a chance to ask your question, you can go to verdict with TED crews, dot, com, slash plus, and you can submit your questions there unlike us, senator crews, and I will be taking questions on a fairly regular basis from those who are part of that community. So high. What's your name, other modem is Peter actually work here in the EU, in the area. I have a question for you Senator, for MR knows: why does it not like you work better to work across the aisles with with people that have a platonic idea of the way that the world works verses us as a as an recitation view? We have. We both have that they might be of use in here, but it doesn't seem like you work well across the EU.

enough to do meaningful changes so painter that that again is a very learned question and I will say, Catholic University is coming through. Powerfully, in many ways the failure of both parties to work across the aisle is is a symptom of a broader phenomenon, this playing out in our society and cold. Which is that we're getting more and more polarized and tribal ized anatomize than I think social media contributes to that powerfully? You don't you it used to be that that we had a marginalizing institutions and our lives that that we might be a Republican. We might be a Democrat, and yet we went to work with some one of the opposite party. We went to church with someone.

the opposite party, our kids played together on the playground and innate it's hard to believe someone's the devil if your sharing a burger backyard barbecue today We're so separated that the right listens to right wing news. The left listens to left wing on social media of someone disagrees with you just unfriendly. They disappear and wind up in these feedback loops, where we. Only here views we agree with and we think that's the only thing We began this. This podcast got a couple of questions that immigration. If you watch Fox news NEWS Max R, o n, you know about the immigration crisis. If you watch CNN it does exist it simply. There is no immigration Christ

That is a really harmful dynamic. How does it play out in ink on Capitol Hill in the Senate at least here. Here's an encouraging thing. by and large the senators get along pretty well there's. Very little direct personal incivility, one to the other, which is good. There's more of that the House, the houses more bear knuckle place and and people can be nastier to each other very little of it and in the Senate number of Democrats I get along very well we booker- and I are friends care stingy elaborate and I are friends actually three different democratic candidates for President Corey Kyrgyzstan and Amy Clover, Char all campaigned and This is a laugh line and the democratic primary hack. I can even work. TED

Ok, ok, apparently I'm! U Fine Democrats, somehow of legally there are. And there is some by partisan cooperation. So, let's take, for example, cares Jellyband here, I have worked in a number of matters together. We started work being together. My first year in the Senate were both on centred on services Committee and she's been, really heroic in leading the fight to shame. How the military handles rape and sexual assault there has been a long. Persistent problem in the military are far too many instances of sexual assault and victims of assault being aid to come forward and report and what care still had been advocating moving the decision and the prosecution of sexual assault.

the direct chain of command, rather than the commanding officer making. That decision moving the decision to a professional career military prosecutor and then that's a change, Other other countries, our allies, the United Kingdom, has done that Israel down there and at its seen significant impact meant in terms of preventing us all cares. made those arguments actually went into. We were having a hearing in a mark up I went in with an open mind. I listen to the arguments she made, thought they were. persuasive- and I teamed up with her and so Eight years we ve been working side by side, she's been leading the democratic efforts. I've been leading the republican efforts. I think we're likely to finally win that victory this year. I think we're right on the cusp of victory.

That was an example where we were able gradually to build by partisan support the problem more broadly, because the electorate is polarized. Let's take right now. Oh the Bernie Sanders budget or getting ready to vote on the Bernie Sanders budget. It's a five point, five trillion dollar budget. It is massive in size it as trillions of dollars and tax increases, and the congressional demo it's a decided. They want to use route power to ram it through. So there are no Democrats talking Republicans about. this they don't intend to get a single republican vote in the house. They don't intend to get a single republican vote and send it right now. There trying to pound the living daylights out of Joe Mansion and Cares and cinema

to loan democratic hole. Doubts in the Senate to get them to to submit their talking to an echo amber that is amplifying the extremes, and To be honest, the right is to that ends up producing far less cooperation and common ground? I think we can move beyond this I don t- I am in turn the polarization and fighting we ve had, I am short term pessimistic and I'm long term optimistic short term. I think that the democratic leadership in congress- and this admitted Asian are really radical right now that that I think and in many ways- that's an outgrowth of the trunk presidency- is the left hate. tromp so much that that it radicalized them than and that's being reflected in policy after policy after palace

I don't see a whole lot of common ground right now. Is there trying to ran through the Bernie Sanders budget? You're not gonna, get Republicans going along with that. I do think, however, going forward. There is the potential for common ground, particularly if we demonize or vilify each other. So this is a nasty business. I mean you get insulted you get. I mean they go after your family. The you have. Your kids it is. It is brutal and by the way like I'm on Twitter, I read cement every nasty thing people say I am about to enter there a lot of money. You get an end by the funny ones I enjoy like if someone just as if you like, all that's, that's very clever, let's go Brandon, What

I try and I hope others try not to engage in nasty personal slanders. I mean, even as we discussed thing here all disagree on policy Splain, why a policy decision, I think, is a bad idea and endless we'll tell a joke, so I mean it. Does the fact that you know you don't have to talk you, got a ruler and asserted somewhere. I mean you, gotta have some fun, but what I fear criticising, I think, it's better to have a light touch and a smile rather than you know. The typical political attack add is this: you know super deep voice. My opponent the kitten tat, Sir

twenty. I add sound scary. So on changes to bring this back republic from democracy, it say using the it can hold a microphone us saying: phasing out the phasing out the positive human rights that the federal government does to increase. Say like a you, be I phasing The rest are the positive human rights that the federal government does doing that and restructure the to restructure the Irish to be to do a attacks on the velocity of money and that's it

So I think those are creative ideas. I think those are when it comes to the IRS I've long advocated abolishing the IRS, and simply having a simple flat tax and by the way, to understand the dangers of an we didn't get into it. But. the elements of the Bernie Sanders Budget right now is requiring your bank to their report to the IRS. Every single transaction you make of six hundred dollars or bore an annual. talk about big brother monitoring, that that is a terrifying thing and and I'll say you know that I will characterized that is all that just monitoring big money, rich people, look where the Room of college kids, Every one of you that has an apartment if you're in DC your pay and more than six hundred bucks and rent. Unless you got.

Forty two roommates, that I am very sceptical, a government power and I think, the more you can protect liberty against government power against governments, spying against government control. The better, though, your ideas that get a lot of residence. I think when you talk to people and its frankly, it's one of the purposes of this part cast is it is that we try. to engage in substance on issues. It was well knows. My wife, Heidi listens to the broadcast in it and if, if she thinks we get to die, I d give we're suddenly like pounding that able and and repeating republican talking points, she'll call Michael or may answer that suck it

you know it's never compliments. When the number comes up. I don't think I am right through sometime little say. Michael was really good time, but you know frankly, I appreciate the honesty because you do want to make sure that your engaging with real issues- you're, not just draw Manning the other side, you're, not increasingly its we're not even speaking the same language. Very. We can't even agree on the definition of man and woman these days, so it can be difficult to communicate with the other side and you wanna be engaging with the best arguments that they have. but there is another side to it, comes from Ronald Reagan. famously asked his strategy on the Soviet Union and the cold war, and they, waiting for some three hour lecture on the cold war, and he said strategy, a simple we win and they lose is there is there are some element here of so we re then let me suggest I mean look. You view invoke. Ragged and Reagan has been my my political hero, my whole life,

you look like you're going back a little further than I am you look at Reagan and lets take Reagan came in in in nineteen like to daddy, came in and eighty one you know in Washington, there's a little bit of a folklore witches that reg and Tipp O Neill, it was the democratic speaker. The house they were old, Irish Paul's and they sit around and they have a drink in the yacht get up and they were friends and they reached common ground, and That's usually told in contradistinction to the horrible crass, as so bees we have today That was always a bit of a rose, colored glasses telling back in red. Would Tipp O Neill said about Ronald Reagan I mean here, loaded on him bear knuckles, and so let's for example, the Reagan tat? so Reagan pass major tax cuts and eighty one eighty six. He came back with major tax simplification, but

Some of them were overwhelmingly by partisan. How did they get get done? The way they got done is Reagan made the case to the american people and he directly went to the american people said: if we cut taxes, we need to get the economy moving under Jimmy Carter was stagnant. If we cut taxes on on families in small businesses and job creators, we're going to get jobs back at the economy movie and what happened Was he persuaded millions of Americans who proceeded to pick up the phone and call them, Christmas, call their congress, women and a bunch of dammit Brad of Council members both to cross over and and and and voted for the tax cuts, because it was overwhelmingly popular with the people, and I think the most powerful tool in all of politics is the bully pulpit. The presidency is the ability. Ronald Reagan would go.

Tv Eddie wasn't mean about it and, in fact, baby. This is a good thing did too, because we ve got a little bit long, but but but a good story to wrap up one of my favorite Reagan stories. He was doing a press conference, so buncher report were there and one of the reporters with SAM Donaldson, SAM Donaldson was the kind of tough ABC reporters can mean. And an end Donaldson goes, Mr President, must president. you have blamed the problems in this country on everybody. Few blame them on Tipp, O Neil. You blame them on Democrats in Congress. You blame them on everybody else, but you are present in the United States. Don't you bear any of the responsibility for the problems we have in this country and Reagan smiled and leaned forward with a twinkle in his eye, and he said

Well, SAM, yes, yes, I do. I bear considerable responsibility, because for many years I was a Democrat, ladies and gentlemen. On that note, I want to thank our Friendly's wheeler hosted the wheelers you can bring to your answers with young American Foundation had an overt why I've got an idea. Is I want to thank Senator bruise, and I mostly want to thank all of you. Thank you for being here. This is worded pretend.