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Guaranteed Human support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index with AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc, SEC Registered Advisor. Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete Disclosures available@public.com Are you trying to
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get weight loss support through telehealth? But it feels overwhelming and rushed? Check out orderlymeds.com now. Orderlymeds.com was built to be different. Here you connect with real doctors who take the time to understand your goals, review your eligibility and guide you through a plan that's right for you. Orderly Meds provides access to proven GLP1 medications like semaglutide and Tirzepatide, including both name brand options and personalized compound versions when appropriate. So you have choices backed by clinical oversight, not guesswork. It's a simpler, more supportive telehealth experience designed around people who want clarity, care and confidence in their weight loss journey. And your medication is delivered directly to your home in discreet packaging so your experience stays private from start to finish. Do your research, ask the right questions, then visit orderlymeds.com podcast for an exclusive offer. Again, that's orderlymeds.com podcast. Individual results may vary. Not medical advice, eligibility required. See Cite for details.
Martha Stewart
Ever wonder how to make hosting look effortless? Here's a secret. When prepping for cooking and baking, get ahead of the mess with new Reynolds Kitchens Countertop prep paper. Just lightly wet the counter so the paper grips. Lay it down and drips and spills stay on the paper, not on your counter. Cleanup is as simple as lifting it away to Reveal clean counters. Effortless. It is thanks to Reynolds Kitchens Countertop prep paper. Wet it, set it, prep it, done. Available in the Reynolds wrap aisle at Walmart, Target, Amazon and Costco.
Bethenny Frankel
This is Bethany Frankel from Just be with Bethenny Frankel. Let me be blunt. Most dog food is junk. It just is. And I'm not feeding junk to Biggie and Smalls. That is why they eat just food for dogs. It's real, 100% human grade food with ingredients I actually recognize, not mystery pellets pretending to be healthy. And once I switched, the difference was obvious. Better digestion, better skin, more energy. Dogs who actually feel good instead of just surviving dinner. Here's the thing. You care about quality. You make an intentional choice to be healthy. So why are you gambling with your dog's health? So let's think about our furry babies. Go to justfood for dogs.com right now and get 50% off your first box. No code. Just try it. Because once you see the difference, you're not going back.
Jack Armstrong
Broadcasting live from the Abraham Lincoln Radio studio at the George Washington Broadcast Center,
Joe Getty
Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty.
Jack Armstrong
Armstrong and Getty.
Joe Getty
And now here's Armstrong and Getty.
Jack Armstrong
So our next guest started calling into the radio show when he was practically a child. And we called him Tim the lawyer. And he was a lawyer. And he would call in and correct us when we were wrong or help us out when we didn't understand something like that. And he was a fan favorite. And that was many, many years ago. And his more grown up name, his full name is Tim Sandifer. He's actually vice president of legal affairs at the Goldwater Institute. He's an adjunct scholar, whatever that is, with the Cato Institute. And he writes books including this new book proclaiming Liberty. John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence by Timothy Sandifer. I hold a signed copy in my hand. I started listening to it last week. I got the audio version. Tim, welcome to the Armstrong and Getty Show.
Joe Getty
Thanks for having this old, worn out old man on your show.
Jack Armstrong
Jack, how old were you when you started calling in? You had to be young.
Joe Getty
Well, yeah. Well, it must have been 20 or 25 years ago or something like that. So I was in my mid to late 20s.
Jack Armstrong
Wow, cool. I'm listening to your book. Do you consider listening to books counting as reading it?
Joe Getty
Oh, yes, definitely. Otherwise I would have to say that I'd read half as many books as I actually have.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, I know some people don't count it that way. I actually feel like I Retain information. Better hearing it than reading it. I know different people's brains are different on that, but I started listening different
Joe Getty
kinds of books, too. You know, long, long fiction books like. Like the. The great classics like Victor Hugo or Charles Dickens. I would probably never get through those on paper. I'd much prefer. And they were actually written with the intention to be read out loud when they were originally published in the 19th century. So I think there's nothing wrong with it. However, if you listen to the audio of my book, you're missing out on 100 pages of some of the finest footnotes.
Jack Armstrong
Not to get distracted, but I'm halfway through Ulysses for the second time.
Joe Getty
Oh, poor thing.
Jack Armstrong
It's awesome. It's my favorite thing I ever read.
Joe Getty
Why would you. Why would you do that to yourself?
Jack Armstrong
It took my whole life to get to where I could read it, though. I started it, like, 10 times throughout my life and got, like, a chapter in and thought, this is ridiculous and a waste of time. Somehow. Somehow I reached the point by like, training my brain through harder and harder literature that I now can fully enjoy it, and it's the greatest thing ever. Anyway, I don't want to get off on that. So. Coming up, on July 4th, it will be the 250th anniversary of, you know, the signing of the Declaration. No, not this. We signed it on January. We voted for it on July 2, because I know John Adams thought that would be the date that would be remembered throughout history. They voted for independence on July 2, 1776. They signed it on the 4th of July. You've got this book out this year in this year where we're all taking a look at the founding, proclaiming liberty. What's it all about, Tim?
Joe Getty
I wanted to tell the story of the origins of the Declaration of Independence. And that includes a lot of things that are frequently left out. For example, in the 17th century in colonial America, there was a rebellion against Great Britain that a lot of people don't talk about. 100 years before the Declaration of Independence, Britain went through. Or England at the time, went through civil war. And that civil war had effects in colonial America. And in fact, the King of England created a dictatorship in the New England states and put a single dictator named Edmund Andros in charge of what he called the Dominion of New England, who imposed taxes without legislative consent and all this sort of thing. And Massachusetts settlers rose up and overthrew him. And people don't know about that story. I also wanted to talk about the.
Jack Armstrong
I don't know that story. And I've read a lot of founding stuff, so that's really interesting.
Joe Getty
And I wanted to talk about what specific things Parliament was doing to the Americans that ticked them off. I wanted to go through the Declaration, clause by clause, and say what each of these grievances specifically refers to, because I think a lot of people don't know when they read the Declaration, what exactly is being discussed when the Declaration says, like, he has refused his assent to laws that are wholesome and necessary, what laws were they? So I go through each of them and talk about that, and I want to put the whole story in a narrative story and in telling it not like facts and dates, but telling, like about Jefferson and Adams and their friendship and how they grew together through the summer of 1776.
Jack Armstrong
So that's fantastic. I wish I said earlier on, if you heard me say this, I wish I'd have had you as my 8th grade history teacher or any of my grades. It's amazing how many teachers you know, and you're doing your best, can take such an exciting story and make it so dry. Yeah, because. Because the whole founding story, it's a. It's really a miracle that it turned out the way it did.
Joe Getty
Isn't really is. There are so many moments when things could have all gone wrong and just almost by accident or by. Because, you know, the slowness of communications back then was a big factor. So, for example, you know, by the time the British finally got around to sending a commission to negotiate with the American colonists, that commission did not arrive until 10 days after independence had already been declared. And so all these little things that could have changed the outcome, that just didn't. It's really remarkable when you go through that list. Yeah. It is unfortunate that history teachers sometimes make the story boring, which is really remarkable because it's such an exciting story. And I was very lucky that I. My history teachers, for the most part, really were good about talking about these things in a way that really made you think, what would I have done if I had lived back then? And I think that's really the key to understanding and appreciating this history.
Jack Armstrong
Ah, that's a good way to look at it. Man, there's so many different directions I could go with this. I know you're such a big fan of the Declaration of Independence. Where does it rank as our founding documents?
Joe Getty
Well, that is one of the arguments I make in the book. So if you ask most lawyers today, unfortunately, most lawyers would say that the Declaration of Independence really isn't a law. In fact, Justice Barrett, when she was going through her confirmation hearings, was directly asked about this. And she said, the Declaration of Independence is not law. And that's completely wrong. Of course the Declaration of Independence is law. It's part of our constitutional documents. There are four of what they call organic laws of the United States. That's the Articles of Confederation, the Constitution, the Northwest Ordinance, which organized the territories in the Northwest United States, and the Declaration of Independence. And I think it's important for lawyers particularly, and judges to appreciate that the Declaration isn't just a statement of rhetoric. It creates a rule about how American government ought to operate, and that is to respect the rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and the classical liberal political philosophy that informed the writing of the Constitution. And unfortunately, lots of lawyers and judges today shrug at that. And they don't care about those principles or they don't think that they're binding, or they think that they're just matters of opinion. It's not a matter of opinion. It is a fact, fact of the world. That all men are created equal, that they are endowed with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. These are not just statements. These are as true as the idea that two molecules of hydrogen and one molecule of oxygen, I mean, atom makes a molecule of water, absolutely a verifiable fact about existence.
Jack Armstrong
I don't want to get off on why some of those scholars or teachers might want to downgrade the Declaration of Independence because they want to. Because they're neo Marxists who want to destroy the country. We won't get off on that. What did the Founders mean by pursuit of happiness?
Joe Getty
Well, they meant a lot, a lot of different things. But the most important thing that's often neglected today is economic freedom. The Founders, by pursuit of happiness, they meant your right to put your skills and knowledge to work, to provide for yourself and your family and to build up as fortune if you want to, to care for your economic circumstances. They understood that a lot of people came to America with nothing to their name. A lot of colonists had arrived here with nothing, and they had put their. Their skills to work and built up businesses to provide for themselves and their families or farms or whatever. That's the foremost thing that Thomas Jefferson means when he uses that phrase, pursuit of happiness. A month before the Declaration of Independence, the Virginia Declaration of Rights had been published. The very first Bill of Rights in the world. And it says every person has a right to pursue and obtain happiness and safety, to acquire property for that purpose. And that's what they're referring to. Unfortunately, a lot of pseudo scholars say, well, the founders didn't believe in property. That's why they took out the word property and said pursuit of happiness instead. That's nonsense, of course. The founders believed in the essential importance of property rights. But the pursuit of happiness is how people who don't have property acquire it. Right. It's freedom of opportunity. That's what they meant by pursuit of happiness.
Jack Armstrong
That's. I want to talk about that specifically. First, I got to tell you about Simply Safe. We'll be back with Tim. Simply Safe is. It's right there in the name SimpliSafe. It's simple to set up. It's a. It's a. It's a home protection system. It's a security system. It's simple to order, it's simple to set up, and it's simple to use. And all those things need to happen for you to actually have a security system that you're going to use at your home. Because I don't know if you've had one or seen them before, that they're so complicated, you just never go around to. Or they always went off accidentally because of this or that. SimpliSafe is fantastic. You go to the website, you set it up, you customize it for your home, you ordered it gets there fast. Could take 30 minutes to set up like it did for me. The sensors and the cameras and all the different sort of stuff. If you need help, they've got help available to set the thing up, but you can set it up on your own. And then you've got this amazing protection that 5 million people like me use. And there are no contracts or anything like that. It's not that expensive. They earn your business every single day, and you'll keep using it like I do. We trust SimpliSafe. Our listeners will get 50% off a new system right now when you sign up for professional monitoring. And your first month is free, by the way, by visiting simplisafe.com Armstrong that's half off@simplisafe.com Armstrong there's no safe like SimpliSafe. The whole pursuit of happiness thing and equal opportunity, what. Where were the founders on equal outcomes, which seems to be such, you know, a big thing in modern America, that there are. If there are people that have more than others, then clearly we've got some sort of systemic problem.
Joe Getty
They were very firmly against that idea. You know, it's funny that this idea gets floated around today as if it's some new modern idea that nobody's ever thought of before. But the founders are very familiar with this idea. Plato had written about it thousands of years before. And the founders founding fathers found it disgusting and very dangerous. You know, if you redistribute property rights because you think that you're going to make everybody everybody else's friend, the result is actually going to be disaster. Nobody's going to care for their property. People are not going to put their efforts, their best efforts into. Into their work. And they're going to resort to politics, which is to say coercion, instead of negotiation and bargaining and exchange. So Jefferson believed that there were certain existing laws about private property at the time that were obstructions to economic freedom, and he wanted to get rid of those. And so sometimes you'll read things that they write about, how it's important to create better opportunity for the poor and things, but that was how they wanted to do it. They wanted to get the roadblocks out of the way. But the idea of equal outcomes, they were very familiar with it and they rejected it as contrary to the fundamental rights they were fighting for. The right to pursue happiness means that if I go out and I work hard and I develop a fortune, or if my father goes out and works hard and leaves me a fortune, then I have the right to those things. Nobody has the right to take them away. You know, the other day, what's her name, that socialist congresswoman from New York whose name I can never remember. Aoc she was saying. Yeah. She was like, well, you can't earn a billion dollars. It's impossible to earn a billion dollars with. Well, I didn't earn my lungs and my liver and my heart either, but they belong to me. And you sure as hell better not think that you have a right to them because you need them or something. Absolutely not. Of course not. They're mine because I didn't hurt anybody to acquire them. And so that was the view of the founding Fathers. As long as you didn't commit a crime or something, then that property is yours and nobod the right to take it from you. And if they try to, you're setting the rules up for violent civil war.
Jack Armstrong
The book is Proclaiming Liberty. If you want to learn more about this from Tim Sandford. Tim, can you stick around for a while?
Joe Getty
Yeah.
Jack Armstrong
Because I got a question. I've been wanting to ask you about this, all this kind of stuff and a few other things that will fit in with the news of the day around this issue and our Founding Fathers all on the way. Stay right here.
Gary Dietrich
Armstrong and Gettysburg.
Jack Armstrong
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Public Investing Sponsor
Armstrong Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public, you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index. With AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year, you can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc. SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete disclosures available at public.com disclosures lost
Sponsor Announcer
support through telehealth, but it feels overwhelming and rushed. Check out orderlymeds.com now. Orderlymeds.com was built to be different. Here you connect with real doctors who take the time to understand your goals, review your eligibility and guide you through a plan that's right for you. Orderly Meds provides access to proven GLP1 medications like semaglutide and Tirzepatide, including both name brand options and personalized compound versions when appropriate. So you have choices backed by clinical oversight, not guesswork. It's a simpler, more supportive telehealth experience designed around people who want clarity, care and confidence in their weight loss journey. And your medication is delivered directly to your home in discreet packaging so your experience stays private from start to finish. Do your research, ask the right questions, then visit orderlymeds.com podcast for an exclusive offer. Again, that's orderlymeds.com podcast. Individual results may vary. Not medical advice eligibility required. See Cite for details.
Martha Stewart
This is Martha Stewart from the Martha Stewart Podcast. Ever wonder how to make hosting look effortless? Here's a secret Getting ahead of the Mess with New Reynolds Kitchens Countertop Prep Paper Just lightly wet the counter beforehand so the paper grips and stays in place. Then lay down the Reynolds Kitchens countertop prep paper so drips and spills stay on the paper, not all over your kitchen counter. You can roll out dough, prep a party spread, or cook alongside family. When you're done, cleanup is as simple as lifting the paper and revealing that clean counter underneath. Effortless. You can use it for cooking and baking, prep and even crafting, especially when you need extra working space. Because when the mess is already handled, you can focus on what matters the food, the people, and the moment. It may look effortless, but now you know. It's Reynolds Kitchens Countertop Prep Paper. Take a tip from me. Wet it, set it, prep it. Done. Make it easy. Make it with Reynolds Kitchens Countertop Prep Paper available now in the Reynolds Wrap aisle and Walmart, Target, Amazon and Costco.
Jack Armstrong
I downloaded the audio version of Proclaiming Liberty. Maybe you want to get the paper version if that's what you're into. Or you read on Kindle or whatever you do. Proclaiming Liberty by our friend Timothy Sandifer, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and the Declaration of Independence. Tim is joining us today. So Tim, I was talking to a super smart friend of mine years ago into all this sort of stuff like we are. And I remember we were having the classic conversation of if the founders were, you know, if you dug them up and could reanimate them or something and they were alive today, what would they have to say? And his thought was he thinks the first thing they would say oh my God, it worked. What do you think?
Joe Getty
Yeah, well that's not a bad answer. Jefferson, I don't think would have said that. Jefferson was confident that it would work and he believed in. He had confidence in change. He thought people would go wrong and make a lot of mistakes, but that eventually they would realize their errors and that there was really no better option than to trust the people of the country to run the country themselves. Because you can't come up with a system that is going to protect the people from themselves. That's a futile undertaking. John Adams, he was a little bit more cynical about things, and he was very worried that certain forces would undermine the American constitutional system. And, you know, it's. It's so impossible to really compare their vision with ours because there's been so much change that it's like there's an old saying, the past is another country. And so that's really the way to think about it. However, I do think they would be. The one thing that they feared most of all is that Americans would get so rich and so comfortable that they would see where you're going, cease to care about the principles that underlie the system, and that they would care more about their next fried chicken meal than about whether or not Iran gets a nuclear weapon. That sort of thing. Was really concerned because that's what had destroyed Rome, and they were afraid that something like that would happen here.
Jack Armstrong
Well, that seems to ring true. Doesn't their next Netflix special or whatever? I was watching, watching the president meeting with Chi yesterday in Tiananmen Square there in front of the Great hall, and they got giant portrait of Mao up there. I mean, the fact that doesn't get more remarked upon to me is amazing. If. If our experiment doesn't continue to work, the whole world could end up like Communist China so easily.
Joe Getty
Yeah, there's no. There's nothing. We have been given no guarantees that the civilizations of Egypt and Rome were not also given.
Jack Armstrong
Right. Yeah. It's absolutely amazing. And that's why I think books like yours, proclaiming liberty are so important. I know 4th of July is one of your favorite holidays. Are you enjoying taking in all the stuff leading up to it?
Joe Getty
Oh, yes, absolutely. So my wife and I have this little tradition where we spend July 4th in a different state every year. And so this state, we're gonna spend the whole week in Charlottesville in Thomas Jolsen's hometown.
Jack Armstrong
Awesome.
Joe Getty
And hang out, hang out with Mr. Jefferson himself.
Jack Armstrong
Jefferson, your favorite founding father?
Joe Getty
Oh, yes. Jefferson is, with all due respect to my wife, my favorite person who has ever lived in history. And I told. I said this in front of her a while back, and she smiled and nodded and said, me too. So.
Sponsor Announcer
Wow.
Gary Dietrich
Wow.
Jack Armstrong
That's why you two are together, right? Of course. The Me too. I like him better than you also, so we're even. That is fantastic. That is a funny note and a great way to end. That's really great. Tim Sandifer the book is Proclaiming Liberty. You can listen to it, you can read it in paper, you can read it on Kindle or however you do it. Thanks, Tim. Appreciate your time today.
Joe Getty
Thank you, Jack.
Jack Armstrong
That is really funny. You get two lawyers who are super into personal freedom and and property rights and all that sort of stuff, and they each look in each other's eyes and say, my favorite person who's ever lived is Thomas Jefferson. Me too. It's great. Wow. If you missed any of that if you just joined it get our podcast or any Segment Armstrong and Getty on Demand we're going to check in on the world of politics, current politics, and how things are going with one of our favorite political analysts, Gary Dietrich, coming up in just a little bit. That'll be a good conversation too. We're expected to hear from our news person who I believe may have had a baby. I don't know. She'll have to announce that or not later in the program, so I hope you can stick around for that again. If you miss a segment, get the podcast Armstrong and Getty on Demand
Joe Getty
Armstrong
Public Investing Sponsor
and Getty Support for the show comes from Public, the investing platform for those who take it seriously. On Public you can build a multi asset portfolio of stocks, bonds, options, crypto and now generated assets which allow you to turn any idea into an investable index. With AI. It all starts with your prompt. From renewable energy companies with high free cash flow to semiconductor suppliers growing revenue over 20% year over year. You can literally type any prompt and put the AI to work. It screens thousands of stocks, builds a one of a kind index and lets you back test it against the S&P 500. Then you can invest in a few clicks. Generated assets are like ETFs with infinite possibilities, completely customizable and based on your thesis, not someone else's. Go to public.com podcast and earn an uncapped 1% bonus when you transfer your portfolio. That's public.com podcast paid for by Public Investing Brokerage Services by Open to the Public Investing Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC Advisory Services by Public Advisors llc SEC Registered Advisor Generated Assets is an interactive analysis tool. Output is for informational purposes only and is not an investment recommendation or advice. Complete Disclosures available at public.comDisclosures Are you
Sponsor Announcer
trying to get weight loss support through telehealth, but it feels overwhelming and rushed. Check out orderlymeds.com now. Orderlymeds.com was built to be different. Here you connect with real doctors who take the time to understand your goals, review your eligibility, and guide you through a plan that's right for you. Orderly Meds provides access to proven GLP1 medications like semaglutide and Tirzepatide, including both name brand options and personalized compound versions when appropriate. So you have choices backed by clinical oversight, not guesswork. It's a simpler, more supportive telehealth experience designed around people who want clarity, care and confidence in their weight loss journey. And your medication is delivered directly to your home in discreet packaging so your experience stays private from start to finish. Do your research, ask the right questions, then visit orderlymeds.com podcast for an exclusive offer. Again, that's orderlymeds.com podcast. Individual results may vary. Not medical advice. Eligibility required. See Cite for details.
Martha Stewart
This is Martha Stewart from the Martha Stewart Podcast. Ever wonder how to make hosting look effortless? Here's a secret when prepping for cooking and baking, get ahead of the mess with new Reynolds Kitchens countertop prep paper. Just lightly wet the counter so the paper grips. Lay it down and drips and spills stay on the paper, not on your counter. Cleanup is as simple as lifting it away to reveal clean counters. Effortless it is thanks to Reynolds Kitchen's countertop prep paper. Wet it, set it, prep it, done. Available in the Reynolds Wrap aisle at Walmart, Target, Amazon and Costco.
Bethenny Frankel
This is Bethany Frankel from Just Be with Bethenny Frankel. Let me be blunt. Most dog food is junk. It just is. And I'm not feeding junk to Biggie and Smalls. That is why they eat just food for dogs. It's real, 100% human grade food with ingredients I actually recognize, not mystery pellets pretending to be healthy. And once I switched, the difference was obvious. Better digestion, better skin, more energy. Dogs who actually feel good instead of just surviving dinner. Here's the thing. You care about quality. You make an intentional choice to be healthy. So why are you gambling with your dog's health? So let's think about our furry babies. Go to justfood for dogs.com right now and get 50% off your first box. No code. Just try it. Because once you see the difference, you're not going back.
Jack Armstrong
The Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, handing out porn machines to prisoners in the state of California, paid for by taxpayers, as reported yesterday. And we brought that story to you at the cost of $2,000 per tablet, much more than if you'd had gone straight to Best Buy anyway. And that they get to use them to look at porn. He pushed back on that hard yesterday. So. Well, if the, the governor pushed back on that story hard. So we'll have to update you on that a little bit later in the program. Joining us right now to talk about some politics of whatever pops into our mind, Gary Dietrich, who's been joining the Armstrong and Getty show for many, many years. He's a CBS television and iHeartRadio political analyst. How are you today, Gary?
Gary Dietrich
Hey, Jack. I'm doing great, my friend. Yeah, well, no lack of things in the political world these days, eh?
Jack Armstrong
God, I'd say we were having the discussion yesterday, Joe and I, on how just talking about like the national mood where you see all these wrong direction numbers for the country and the economy and all that sort of stuff. It might just come down to when things are expensive, they want somebody different. I mean, you know, political, you went to Harvard and political analysts and political scientists and all the complicated this and that, who's got the best ads and who's got the most money in the bank for buying ads and who's got the endorsements and all these complicated things we talk about, it might just come down to if things are too expensive, they vote for a different person.
Gary Dietrich
You know, Jack, you're amazingly astute given the fact that back in 92 four words defined that presidential campaign. As you'll now remember, it's the economy, stupid.
Jack Armstrong
Right, right, right.
Gary Dietrich
And that is that has continued to ring so true that it's now practically, you know, taped above every campaign headquarters door. I mean, and that's where right now the President and the GOP find themselves in a real conundrum, you know, over this, over the, and inflation numbers again, going up a little bit. Of course we know, you know, the Iran war, gas prices that lead to all kinds of other, as you know, inflationary pressures. And that's the challenge right now on a national perspective because people are feeling it. They were already feeling it as you know, going into 24 that was supposed to be relieved in 25 by the Trump administration. Numbers were ticking down, but as they go back up, people ain't happy.
Public Investing Sponsor
Yeah.
Jack Armstrong
And you know, they, Trump brought some of this on himself by insinuating that he could make prices go down, which is not the way inflation works. You could stop the prices for going up more, but you can't make the price of bacon go back to what it was in 2020?
Gary Dietrich
Well, yeah, I mean, that is part of the problem is that while inflation has cooled, as you know, it doesn't mean that a loaf of bread now costs a dollar less than it did a year ago. And the challenge for the Trump administration, Jack, has been pretty came in with that, you know, really heavy emphasis on price reduction. Then suddenly, you know, decided that tariffs were the most important thing. And a lot of people are scratching their heads saying, well, this is going to add to the inflation numbers, which it only did mildly, you know, and that has cooled off. But then the Iran war has ticked those back up. So it is, you know, it's kind of a race against the clock, Jack. I mean, you know, five months till the November midterms and those could be heavily influenced by what people are paying when they go to that gas bump.
Jack Armstrong
Well, histor likely the other party wins in the midterm. So let's just assume that happens. Democrats take the House, we're going to have impeachments, aren't we?
Gary Dietrich
Do we want to start talking about the I word already? But you're absolutely right.
Jack Armstrong
I think we're going to be in the midst of it and it's going to be the biggest story in America, unfortunately, you know, starting next January.
Gary Dietrich
Well, the thing, it won't just be impeachment, Jack, it'll be all kinds of investigations. Right? I mean there'll be House committees investigating everything, including, yes, you know, the Trump administration effect on the price of bread. And that's, that's a challenge. So the question of course becomes how, how big that margin is going to be. I mean, all the redistricting shenanigans that have gone on in the last six to 12 months, as you know, are going to impact that. They're going to impact it by the way, for a number of election cycles to come. We could see some pretty wild swings, particularly in control of the House of Representatives as a result of all the things we don't have time to go into today. But the recent SCOTUS decision, the Virginia decision, the census is going to, the census is going to come and have new districts redrawn. So we could see some pretty wild politics, Jack, in the next couple of cycles.
Jack Armstrong
Speaking of swings in wild politics, you are a California based pundit, as our show is based in California. And I don't know if you've noticed the difference in San Francisco over the last year or two since the new mayor came in. I mean, it went from a bum every five feet in a lot of the nice shopping districts of San Francisco to you can't find a bum because of policy changes. People finally got fed up in San Francisco. Is that happening in Los Angeles? Is the Spencer Pratt guy running as a Republican gonna be the mayor of la? Because people have had enough.
Gary Dietrich
Yeah, you know, that's an outstanding question, Jack. Okay, here's what we know for sure. I mean you look at people's, you know, state moving in the wrong direction, city moving the wrong direction, nation moving in the wrong direction kind of poll numbers and you let off with it excellent fashion at the top of the show, Jack. You know, the electorate ain't happy. It doesn't really matter where you go. And that's true in la. And Mayor Karen Bass, the incumbent, she has got a fight on her hands because people are upset. I mean of course the fires in la, their view is she was, you know, largely involved in some of that problem and hasn't really addressed it very well. The homelessness issue in LA continues to be very huge. I mean, I mean budget issues, the fire department budget, I mean, so this is where Spencer Pratt has gotten traction and you know, it's remarkable to think about that. People say, well, there's no way he could get elected. And then of course they have to drop names like, oh, I don't know, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Donald Trump and say, you know, weird things happen when people have had enough.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, I think the better comparison is Donald Trump. Cuz Pratt kind of has that breaking all the rules, I'm gonna do all kinds of crazy stuff and no negative stories seem to stick to him in the same way that Trump seems to have.
Gary Dietrich
Well, that's true. But you know, you also got to remember Arnold Schwarzenegger was walking around with a broom in his hand on the stage saying it's time to clean out in California. He had his own personal peccadillas, you know, and stuff that came out. People didn't care. They were, they'd had enough with these so called professional politicians and ousted him. So this again in California is another one of these top two primaries. So there'll be, there's three main candidates. If nobody gets 50% or more, which it looks very likely is going to happen, nobody's going to get that majority. It's going to be a runoff in November and we'll see what happens.
Jack Armstrong
Hey, just because it's on my mind. Before we had you on, we were talking founding father stuff with our friend Tim Sandifer in his new book and we're coming up on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and all that sort of stuff. You have any favorite founding books or TV shows or documentaries or anything like that? As a guy who's been studying government
Gary Dietrich
his whole life, well, I'll tell you, I love that. I love that John Adams TV series, if you remember.
Jack Armstrong
That was really good.
Gary Dietrich
I mean, I think to me, Jack, you know, stepping back from all the stuff we get involved in on a week to week basis politically stepping back, I really hope, and I'm trusting, just putting my trust in the fact that this is gonna maybe not a full reset, but people stepping back and saying, you know what? We are darn lucky to live in the longest standing democracy in human history with all its warts, all the bad stuff, right? Founding Fathers got a lot of it right. And I have told people many times over the years, you know, that, hey, listen, I think they got it right in putting a lot of faith in the fact that people will eventually figure it out. We don't want a king, we don't want a monarchy. We want to govern ourselves. I don't know, call me an idealist, but I still think we got a long way to go in a democracy that so far, so far has survived two and a half centuries.
Jack Armstrong
Well, Gary Dietrich, let me punch a hole in your optimism in just a moment. First, I know, first I need to tell people about trust and will, which is just plain a good idea. I personally, I get off the top of my head, think of three families I know that were torn apart when mom or dad died. And then who gets the house, who gets the money? Who gets the camper? Why, why do you get half? When I've been taken care of mom in the last years of her life and you live in another state and, and there was no trust or will, so they had to fight that out in the courts. And then, you know, the state steps in and they make decisions you might not like. It is a mess and it rips families apart. And you can avoid that for your kids or brothers and sisters or whatever by going to trust and will. Trust and will. They've got a platform that makes it easy to create your will or trust online. It's fast and as little as 30 minutes. You can create a will that lets you document your wishes, guardians, asset distribution, healthcare planning, all that trust and will. Affordable estate plans, priceless peace of mind. Go to trustandwill.com Armstrong and get 20 off. That's trustandwill.com Armstrong get your 20 off. Trustinwill.com Armstrong I don't know what your experience is, but I still have school age kids and, and then the public school, they don't learn any of this stuff, man. They just don't teach this stuff at all.
Gary Dietrich
Well, I mean, you know, my kids are now, they've gone through the public school system alone's now in a public university that I don't know, Jack, you happen to live very, very close to. So, so I, you know, there's been so much discussion about the direction of higher education. One thing you do know for sure, Jack, and this is really interesting, you know, I hear you guys talk about this occasionally and that is the plethora of variety of opportunities that people have. I mean in the past it was just assumed you're going to go to a four year public college or whatever, maybe you get into Harvard, maybe you don't. But now there's so many online courses, so many other things. My son is remarkable in the amount of knowledge that he has, Jack, that comes not one bit from a university course. He just spends a lot of time online sourcing all kinds of stuff. And I am sometimes astounded at the amount of economic and political knowledge that he has. This simply came from time he spent worthy time on his phone.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah, there's no doubt about it. But it is troubling to me. I mean you, you can, I, I loved your little rant about self governance being better than this and that and all that, but man, if they're not teaching it in schools, that is not, is not going to land with the kids any. Anyhow, that's a different topic. When, when Trump leaves the scene. I don't think we've talked to you about this. When Trump leaves the scene, which, God, we're only a year and a half into his term, we got a while. But when Trump leaves the scene, what do you think it's going to look like?
Gary Dietrich
Well, Jack, I'll tell you this may, this, these questions may come a lot sooner than later. They're going to come anyway. Okay. I mean, after the midterm election, you know this. Trump is officially a lame duck, right? He already is officially. Now he can't.
Jack Armstrong
As, as, as we all know though, a lot of the rules of politics have not applied to Donald Trump.
Gary Dietrich
Yeah, well, people still say, well, he's gonna run for a third time. He's not gonna run.
Jack Armstrong
No, no, no, I don't think that, I don't mean like that. I just mean that, you know, historically you become a lame duck, you have no power, you know, Trump might be different.
Gary Dietrich
No, you're absolutely right. That's gonna be the main question, Jack, is going after the midterms. The day after these midterms, the presidential race in 28 starts. I mean, unofficially, semi, officially, everybody's gonna be out there. Republicans, yeah. Yes. Rubio. Yes. Vance. Yes. Maybe others. DeSantis, whatever. And then a massive amount, as you know, of Democrats. So the question's going to be how much pressure does Donald Trump try to put on the scale? How much thumb pressure does he put on that scale for 28, and how much of it is going to remain? How much do Senate candidates, House candidates. Yes. Presidential candidates view that? And how much do Democrats. Democrats continue to run against him as their main campaign issue?
Jack Armstrong
Oh, that's a good angle. I hadn't heard anybody bring that up. There's not only the. How much sway does he still have over the Republican Party? We, we saw how he, you know, he threatened those, the dudes in Indiana and got his way. How much sway does he have over the Republican Party? But how much sway does he have with the Democrats? How long can they continue to run on being against Trump? You're right. Because maybe that doesn't have legs anymore.
Gary Dietrich
Yeah. Because here's my biggest question, Jack. You know, we've had past presidents that have gone out on a campaign trail and been very effective witness. And Obama. Right. That have campaigned for many cycles after their president and had a lot of impact. And people that have even said, like during the Biden administration. Well, the real power behind the throne, you know, the person that if you really want to get going and invite your campaign rally, you got to get Barack and. Or Michelle there. And I wonder if that's going to be Trump's legend, that for cycles to come, he's gonna stay very visibly involved and be a real political power.
Jack Armstrong
Yeah. Biggest difference being Barack Obama was 50 when people were saying that, and Trump will be 83 or something like that.
Gary Dietrich
Well, there's that. But the Trump plane still got plenty of gas in it.
Jack Armstrong
Quick question before we run out of time here. The worst presidential candidate for a major party in US History, Kamala Harris, is she going to be on the scene again?
Gary Dietrich
Okay, well, I get that question. A lot of fact. I got it on CBS last night. The thing about it is this. Nobody really knows. I mean, please do it. Saying it's looking like, Jack, she's probably in the race. Probably. And that could make for very interesting politics running a third time. Oh, boy. I mean, it's gonna get messy, especially related to her fellow Californian, Gavin Newsom,
Jack Armstrong
Trump will be a lame duck. She's a lame O. That's the way that works. Gary Dietrich, CBS television and iHeartRadio political analyst. Thank you for your time Gary.
Joe Getty
Of course.
Gary Dietrich
Jack will talk to you soon.
Jack Armstrong
Oh my God. Who is advising Kamala Harris? Has there ever been anybody less self aware in human history than Kamala Harris? The way she's perceived by most people including her own crowd. Wow, that is wild. All right, we got more on the way. Stay here.
Joe Getty
Armstrong and Getty.
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Martha Stewart
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Bethenny Frankel
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Jack Armstrong
Pizza pie is becoming very popular, especially
Gary Dietrich
down in the States.
Jack Armstrong
There are some restaurants that even specialize in it.
Joe Getty
Now we'll just place our dough in the pan.
Jack Armstrong
Next ingredient is your spice. And this is an Italian herb, oregano.
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Jack Armstrong
Next, our final topping is the cheese.
Joe Getty
And this is the most important ingredient
Jack Armstrong
in your pizza pie. First, I think I'll use some mushroom. Second topping, we'll use pepperoni. The men really go for this. That was a 1957 Canadian television show with pizza being introduced to Canada for the first time. Stupid, stupid Canadians. Did they even have electricity in the 50s? Okay, I didn't know pizza didn't show up in Canada until the 50s. When were they eating the meat? Moose meat. They hadn't had nothing but moose meat up until that point.
Gary Dietrich
Point.
Jack Armstrong
Um, the NFL schedule came out and if you're a big time NFL fan and you got a team that you love, you check the schedule Right away to see, you know, who you play at home and away and what games you might go to and all that sort of stuff. It was announced that the there will be a Thanksgiving evening game for the first time ever. I've always wondered why there wasn't. You got a couple of games during the day while people are eating and stuff like that, but nothing on that night. Well, for the first time ever, and I would guess for the the rest of all humanity, there will always be a an evening game. It's going to be the Rams hosting the packers couple of super bowl possible title contenders it in Los Angeles at Sofi Stadium. So cool. It's on Netflix though. So you gotta have Netflix or you don't get to watch a game. Which I don't like that at all. That's sucky. Like I was wanting to watch the Lakers and I couldn't figure out where to find the Lakers game. It was on Prime Audio.
Joe Getty
Is that right?
Jack Armstrong
Amazon? I had the same problem I was looking for and I have prime but I didn't exactly know how to get to prime and watch the game so I just held it. It's an experiment all these leagues are running on whether on how much we're willing to how much effort we're willing to put in to try to figure out where to find a game. Back when it just used to be so easy that there's always on cbs, NBC, tnt, whatever sport you're talking about. Anywho. Oh, I don't want to do that topic. That is way too heavy. Oh I do want to get to this later. This is, this is a tease. I'll get to this later. There's a study that came out on how much your brain can recover by putting away your smartphone for just two weeks. Significant improvements in mental health, your ability to sustain attention, which I think we've all recognized in the smartphone era. Even those who did not fully comply with the two weeks like cheated a little bit, got modest improvements in just psychological well being, being happier. Almost everybody reported and what does this mean? You would think that this would be like the lead story. Almost everybody who put away their smartphone for two weeks reported being significantly happier at the end of that two weeks than they were before. And then I'm sure they went back to looking at their smartphone all day long every day like I do and you do and everybody else does. Isn't that amazing that we don't do what is good for us? Anywho, I'll get into the more the background on that study a little bit later. Super interesting. 90% of participants experienced a benefit. It felt like their lives were improved. Two weeks of putting away their smartphone, including the people that cheated. So just even some makes your life better. That's wild. There's a new documentary out about October 7, the Hamas's brutality against Israel. I don't know if I'm going to get to that today. I read the whole thing last night. It is the most awful, depraved, depressing thing I think I've ever heard in my life. People should be aware of it, but I don't know that I'm in the mood for today. We're gonna let you know what a non profit actually means. What does nonprofit mean when you hear about a non profit? Not always, but a lot of the times it's a full on scan, it's Monday laund money laundering and fraud a lot of the time. We'll talk about that in coming hours. A lot on the way. If you miss a segment, get the podcast Armstrong and Getty on Demand
Joe Getty
Armstrong
Gary Dietrich
and Getty
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Martha Stewart
Ever wonder how to make hosting look effortless? Here's a secret. When prepping for cooking and baking, get ahead of the mess with new Reynolds Kitchens countertop prep paper. Just lightly wet the counter so the paper grips. Lay it down and drips and spills stay on the paper, not on your counter. Cleanup is as simple as lifting it away to reveal clean counters. Effortless it is thanks to Reynolds Kitchens Countertop Prep Paper. Wet it, set it, prep it, Done. Available in the Reynolds Wrap aisle at Walmart, Target, Amazon and Costco.
Bethenny Frankel
This is Bethenny Frankel from Just Be with Bethenny Frankel. Let me be blunt. Most dog food is junk. It just is. And I'm not feeding junk to Biggie and Smalls. That is why they eat just food for dogs. Dogs. It's real, 100% human grade food with ingredients I actually recognize. Not mystery pellets pretending to be healthy. And once I switched, the difference was obvious. Better digestion, better skin more energy. Dogs who actually feel good instead of just surviving dinner. Here's the thing. You care about quality. You make an intentional choice to be healthy. So why are you gambling with your dog's health? So let's think about our furry babies. Go to justfoodfordogs.com right now and get 50% off your first box. No code. Just try it. Because once you see the difference, you're not going back.
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Jack Armstrong
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Bethenny Frankel
I got it.
Gary Dietrich
No, I got it.
Jack Armstrong
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Bethenny Frankel
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Jack Armstrong
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Bethenny Frankel
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Jack Armstrong
Rock, paper, scissors.
Bethenny Frankel
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Gary Dietrich
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Jack Armstrong
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Episode: “A Verifiable Fact of Our Existence”
Date: May 14, 2026
Host: iHeartPodcasts
Guests: Timothy Sandefur (Goldwater Institute, Author), Gary Dietrich (CBS/iHeart Political Analyst)
This episode centers on America's founding principles, the meaning of the Declaration of Independence, and the relevance of these ideas today. Jack Armstrong and Joe Getty interview Timothy Sandefur, legal scholar and author of Proclaiming Liberty: John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and the Declaration of Independence. They discuss forgotten historical context, the founding fathers’ intentions, and how those lessons intersect with modern debates about rights, equality, and governance. The show closes with California/US political commentary from Gary Dietrich, covering current moods, elections, and civic education.
[03:57 – 16:46, resumes at 21:22]
[21:22 – 24:38]
[24:11 – 25:20]
[29:47 – 44:08]
For more:
Listen to the full episode, including the full conversation with Timothy Sandefur and political analysis from Gary Dietrich, via Armstrong & Getty On Demand.