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- [00:05]
Narrator/Announcer
Every week, Hillsdale College president Larry Arne joins Hugh Hewitt to discuss great books, great men and great ideas. This is Hillsdale Dialogues, part of the Hillsdale College Podcast Network. More episodes at Podcast Hillsdale. Edu or wherever you find your audio.
- [00:34]
Hugh Hewitt
Morning Glory and Evening Grace America. I'm Hugh Hewlett. That music means it's time for the Hillsdale Dialogue. On this Good Friday, I'm pleased to welcome Dr. Larry Arn, President of Hillsdale College. Back with me, Dr. Arn, in advance, a happy Easter to you. I assume you're gonna have a glorious celebration on the campus chapel.
- [00:52]
Dr. Larry Arnn
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. It's Easter's fun in a college. Lots of music when you get past Lent. Yeah, we had a. We had a Passion Tide concert here the other night, and it was simply world class. We have a sacred music choir, and it's. It's conducted by a man named Tim McDonnell, who's maybe one of the best in the world. And the thing was just transformative. It was just lovely to watch.
- [01:17]
Hugh Hewitt
I envy you that chapel, that setting and that music. Dr. Arnold, we got a lot to cover today. We're not going to touch on the Florida State shooting. It takes at least 96 hours for people to have facts straight. But I want to begin by asking. We're coming up on the 100 days mark. We won't talk again until after it's passed, except about Churchill. Next week we'll be back into his early life. I'm curious what you think about the exercise of the 100 days.
- [01:44]
Dr. Larry Arnn
Well, I never saw so much energy and purpose. It comes very fast. Critics of it. There are two bunches that I noticed. One. One bunch just hates what he's doing and hates him. Another bunch thinks it's all too reckless and chaotic and he's doing too much. And I don't know. I think that there's a plan and I am excited to watch it. I don't know if it'll be successful or not. Nobody can. But the plan is he wants to get the government under control and he wants to get the expense out of it. So much expense, at least. He wants to settle some wars and he wants to adjust the terms of trade all over the world, and those are the main things he's working on. And he's been saying that since what? Well, it actually goes back before his political career, but at least in a political career since 2015.
- [02:42]
Hugh Hewitt
I want to begin by talking about the one big thing he opened up on this week, which was Harvard and before that, Columbia. But then he came back at Harvard hard yesterday or two days ago on Wednesday and said, well, maybe you should lose your tax exemption. And when he said that, Lawrence Tribe, Lawrence Summer, former President of Harvard, former Secretary of the treasury, posted, any self respecting treasury secretary would resign rather than have a department be complicit in the weaponization of the IRS against a political adversary of the President. Harvard will endure and it is far, far from perfect. But if this directive is not withdrawn, the administration will have taken another substantial step away from the rule of law and democracy. For the benefit of our viewers, Dr. Arn, Harvard has been found guilty of discrimination on the basis of race in admissions in 2023 by the Supreme Court. And we have all seen with our eyes systemic antisemitism throughout the campus, which to my mind has not been remedied, much less even confronted, as the people who engaged in at least one of those acts got their degrees and have been somewhat honored around campus. So I think Harvard's in big trouble. And when the Department of Education, a couple other agencies send you six pages of suggestions on how you might get right and you say off with you, a high handed dismissal, what'd you make of that exchange and what do you think's gonna happen?
- [04:07]
Dr. Larry Arnn
I don't know what Trump is thinking any better than anybody except him, but there's a pattern. He's a fighter. And when he's in a negotiation and somebody's fighting, he ups the ante. He's also capable of withdrawing. He does that too. So where he is right now is that he told them they need to do some things and they said they won't and they're going to go to court. That's what they'll do. About the tax exemption thing, I looked it up this morning. I hope it doesn't come to that. I don't think it will, but there's a procedure for that and there's a law governing it. And so he's got to apply to the irs. I read in one paper this morning that he's done that and he can't order them to do that. Well, he can order them to do it, but they don't have to do it. They have to process and they have to find out a bunch of stuff and investigate and make a ruling and it's appealable. So there's a whole lot of steps and the President can't take them unilaterally. And I think that's good. I mean, we did see the weaponization of the IRS in the Obama years and you don't want that. Right. That's a bad thing. But having said that, Harvard has violated federal law and they're getting $2.2 billion a year from the federal government. And you know, a great resolution would be they should not take the money. That's a good thing, but it's a lot of money. I read one place, you know, the man at Martin, the great Martin diamond used to say it, who taught at Claremont McKenna College, used to say, the finances of this college are too complicated for my simple Jewish mind. But. And the finances of Harvard are like that for me. I don't know them, I haven't studied them, but it might be a third of the revenues coming from the government. And that's a lot of money, by the way.
- [06:05]
Hugh Hewitt
You say 2.2 billion. I've seen that number. I've also seen 9.2 billion. And I've also seen. Whatever it is, it's a point of leverage for the federal government to say, we're not going to subsidize a college that is engaged in systemic discriminatory practices. Number two, they can pull the tax exemption. And I have a bit of a disagreement with you because the IRS is part of the executive branch and if the president tells them to do it, I think they have to do it. But there is a procedure set up that you're not allowed to do that. But. So he'd have to overrule the law and say that law actually contradicts my Article 2 authority because you work for me. And then the third thing is just the ability of the Department of Homeland Security to poll their ability to have foreign students. Something I discovered just yesterday is that the Department of Homeland Security gives letters to colleges that say, you may admit these students with these visas and they don't have to get that letter. And that's a lot of money for Harvard. So it seems to me what their acting president did. Again, I've got the Original letter to Dr. Garber from Department of Education, a couple other agencies that ask him for governance and leadership reforms, merit based hiring reform, merit based admissions reform, international admissions reform, viewpoint diversity and admissions and hiring, reforming programs with egregious records of antisemitism or other bias, discontinuation of dei, student discipline reform and accountability, whistleblower reporting and protections, transparency and monitoring. It's really quite a long letter to which less than 72 hours later, the acting president of Harvard sends this letter out which says, the promise of American higher education, which I thought laughably high handed. And he said, we have informed the administration through our legal counsel, we will not accept their proposed agreement. So it's a dismissal of a demand letter. I really don't know what you do here.
- [08:06]
Dr. Larry Arnn
Well, the big weapon has been used, right? They're waiting for a lot of money from the government. They're not going to get it for time being at least. And so, you know, that's. And, you know, I think that's right. I think, you know, you know, there's a Supreme Court killer, two big Supreme Court cases, and we're involved in both of them. And both of them. And what they say is if you take the money, you're subject to rules.
- [08:36]
Hugh Hewitt
Yes.
- [08:36]
Dr. Larry Arnn
And so there's their weapon. Right. And Harvard has got a lot of endowment. They're rich, but they appear to have a lot of expenses, too. And so they would have to restructure themselves in important ways to do without the money. But I stand as proof that that can be done. And so, you know, that'd be an honest way to go.
- [08:59]
Hugh Hewitt
And you could also reform admissions and hiring and encourage viewpoint diversity. When I was there, there was genuine viewpoint diversity. You can have Harvey Mansfield and Judith Sklar on the same faculty, teaching the same subjects. You're going to get viewpoint diversity. And it was throughout the university. Moreover, it was very welcoming of open debate. It was 1970, so we had every presidential candidate imagining coming across campus. But the Financial Times this morning has this headline, can Harvard hold out against Donald Trump? The assault on America's most venerable university is at the center of the White House culture war. I don't think it's at the center of the White House culture war. I think it's at the center of whether or not we're a republic of laws that everyone's got to obey.
- [09:46]
Dr. Larry Arnn
If you know about colleges, you will have respect for Harvard. They are our oldest college and they are very elite. And there are some things that they are really great at. But I do think they have lost their way according to their own principles.
- [09:58]
Hugh Hewitt
Hold on a second. I want to come back to what they lost their way on with Dr. Orne. Don't go anywhere, America. On this Good Friday, Dr. Larry Orn is with me. All things hillsdale@hillsdale.edu. stay tuned.
- [10:11]
Hillsdale College Announcer
Hillsdale College is a small Christian classical liberal arts college that operates independently of government funding. And we want you or your son or daughter to apply. At Hillsdale, students grow in heart and mind by studying timeless truths in a supportive community dedicated to the highest things. Hillsdale College costs significantly less than other nationally ranked private liberal arts colleges. And receives regular recognition as a best value, and nearly all students receive financial aid. Our robust core curriculum, vibrant student life, and 8 to 1 student to faculty ratio make for an education like no other. For more information or to fill out an application, visit Hillsdale. Edu Info. That's Hillsdale. Edu Info.
- [11:07]
Narrator/Announcer
Hey there, It's Scott Bertram, host of the Radio Free Hillsdale Hour. Anniversaries play a key role in this week's episode. We start with Mark Moyer, William P. Harris, chair of Military history at Hillsdale College. We discuss the legacy and the lessons learned from the Vietnam War 50 years after the fall of Saigon. Meanwhile, the Great Gatsby turns 100 this year. Benedict Whelan from our English department joins us to discuss the themes in that book. And Julianne Hillock, founding principal at Pozho Academy in New Mexico, talks to us about the unique challenges of running a school in a remote part of the country, plus being honored by the Hillsdale College Alumni Association. All that this week on the Radio Free Hillsdale Hour. Find it at podcast hillsdale. Edu or wherever you get your audio.
- [12:06]
Hugh Hewitt
Welcome back, America. I'm Hugh Hewitt. Dr. Larry Arn is my guest. The Hillsdale dialogue underway. All things hillsdalesdale.com all of these dialogues can be found at hughforhillsdale.com Every now and then, we take a break from our book. Our book right now is My Early Life by Winston Churchill. We'll be back to that next week. And it's a fabulous couple of chapters coming up, so don't miss that. But we're catching up on Donald Trump's first 100 days. As we went to break. Dr. Arn, you said Harvard has lost its way. I think it lost its way probably 15 or 20 years ago. And I have my own theory. But why do you think they've gone off the path?
- [12:42]
Dr. Larry Arnn
Well, the motto of Harvard is Veritas. But much of their faculty calls into the question the idea of the truth. Yeah, that there's some objective thing to be seeking. The old understanding of that was it's hard to find the truth. That's one reason why higher education is important, because people get good at looking for it. And so there's a lot, you know, I mean, I just read a great article this morning about a book about the decline of the study of history. And some of our foremost historians today say that there is no objective pursuit of the facts about the past. Well, then what is history, then? And what is a university if it purports to teach it? So that's where They've lost their way. And I think, you know, another thing that goes on, you know, I object to the whole structure of the way we fund education today because it locates authority a long way from the student. And it means, you know, if Harvard's got a 6 billion, you know, $6 billion budget, I read this morning, I don't know if it's true, and they get 2.2 billion a year from the government. Well, the government is an interesting kind of donor because it publishes hundreds of pages of detailed rules that you have to abide to get that money. Harvard is already living under that. It's just now that they've encountered some rules that they really don't like. And so that means that in your operation of your college, if you have that money, you've got your students in front of them in front of you, you're supposed to try to teach them, you're supposed to try to help them grow. But then you've got this other thing over here, and it's a bunch of rules made by people who are not teachers. And it just looks to me it's just terribly distorting of the whole phenomenon. It's also centralized, right? The rules are the same everywhere in the country. And, you know, if you take the money and I. So that, you know, I would decentralize all of that, and I would then let colleges make their way according to whether they're able to please their customers or not. And that would. That would be a lot more variety in colleges without all that. So I. I even think it would be good for Harvard if they just stop taking the money. Well, then if they actually want, you know, that'd be good. And then. Then they would be left with this, see, because they have to get the money somewhere and to control their cost, too. But they're in Harvard. Jewish students have been assailed and spat on and dirty Jew called out stuff, you know, a lot in recent months.
- [15:38]
Hugh Hewitt
From the river to the sea Palestine will be free As a call for genocide.
- [15:41]
Dr. Larry Arnn
Yes, that's right. But I mean, you know, direct individual threats.
- [15:47]
Hugh Hewitt
Yes, Right. We got them on film.
- [15:49]
Dr. Larry Arnn
People who are supposed to be colleagues of yours in a partnership, which is what the word college means, see? So if they want to do that, they should be prepared to proclaim it to the world. And if they didn't have all that money from the government, they might have to do that. And of course, they don't say they do that, because that's indecent, but they do it. They permit it. At least they have done extensively. And that court case about race preferences, that's a very dramatic thing you mentioned. Right?
- [16:25]
Hugh Hewitt
It's just positive. They were discovered to have discriminated against Asian American applicants because they were Asian American. And the Supreme Court said you may not do that anymore. And they said you have to read it closely. What they said is we'll get a workaround. Talk to us in your essay about who you are and we'll work around this. I don't think they have any intention of complying with non discrimination, Dr. Arndt, because that would mean merit based and.
- [16:55]
Dr. Larry Arnn
You know, there's a limit on, I don't understand the governance of Harvard either. But who actually has the power to make the decision to comply or not to comply? Larry Summers, who you mentioned, who's irate about all this, he got fired because a bunch of faculty members resented something he said. And you know, I'm told that the board of Harvard, there are two, I think boards. The board of Harvard gets discrete budgets from each of the separate colleges. And that means, I've read this, that they don't go through the president. And so who's responsible here? Who could actually comply with this demand from the Trump administration? It may be that they're incapable, it may be that they're digging in their heels because they can't make it happen.
- [17:47]
Hugh Hewitt
You know, that reminds this week Donald Trump asked about Iran and the negotiations said, I think they're tapping us along. They want to talk to us, but they don't know how to talk to us. And I thought he's onto something there. It's been 49 years since we engaged in any serious discussions, negotiations. Cuz the Kerry negotiation wasn't serious with the fanatics and they don't know how to do it. And I don't think Harvard knows how to comply. They may be Gulliver tied down by federal money and 1000 different faculty resolutions and 20 different departments or 50 different departments. But you began by saying something I want to go back to. They used to have a core curriculum. Wasn't much of a core by the time I graduated, but there's nothing left now. And Columbia, which is also in trouble, used to have a world famous core curriculum. Hillsdale still does have a core curriculum. I think the first step back for some of these universities is to insist that freshmen take a core curriculum and maybe sophomores and that core curriculum be about facts, not opinions, but facts. And Wilfred Maclay's book, I just finished my semester teaching con law in the first and fourteenth Amendment and I used Wilfred Maclay because my students didn't know any basic American history. It's a fine book about facts.
- [19:05]
Dr. Larry Arnn
Oh, yeah, yeah. And you know it like the reason a core, what a core curriculum does is it identifies things that the college stands for, every student to learn. And those are of two kinds. Those things they do all concern facts, but they concern highest things that human beings can know. That means it requires a statement. What are those highest things that human beings can know? You know, in any proper core curriculum, William Shakespeare would be in it. Right. But now he's a racist to a lot of people and probably a lot of people who teach at Harvard. And so they don't have an agreement on ultimate things beyond this, by the way. They do have an agreement that, you know, the modern academy sort of has this idea it's now an exercise in power. Our job is to reinvent the future, to guide the society to work upon it. And that's, you know, that's in John.
- [20:07]
Hugh Hewitt
Produce, ACTIVIST I'll be right back with Dr. Arne. In the meantime, Hillsdale Edu want to get an application of a real college that teaches you to do real things. Hillsdale Edu, you youngsters. I'll be right back with Dr. Ahn. Stay tuned. Welcome back, America. I'm Hugh Hewitt. Dr. Larry Aharn is my guest. We're looking back at President Trump's almost first 100 days. And we began by looking at, I think, a very important initiative to rein in higher education's extravagant excesses. I want to move Dr. Arn to the courts and the president, because there have been many collisions between the two. Supreme Court has sided with the president on at least three of these cases. On one of them, they didn't tell him to do anything. They encouraged him to facilitate the return of one illegal immigrant who had been sent contrary to a standing order to El Salvador. But that wasn't really a command. Now it develops every day, new details, etc. But I don't think the courts are going to try and do the impossible, which is deny the executive his powers. What do you think is going to happen?
- [21:18]
Dr. Larry Arnn
Well, I hope they don't. If they do that, then you're back in the decision that Lincoln faced with the Dred Scott decision. If the courts basically say the president cannot execute the laws which he takes an oath to do, then, you know, but I don't think the court will do that. You can see what a majority, a 5, 4 majority would be that might give him such an order. And it involves two of the members who are supposed to be somewhat conservative. But I don't think they will, and I hope they don't very much.
- [21:54]
Hugh Hewitt
I don't think they will either.
- [21:57]
Dr. Larry Arnn
You know, if, let's say that we can predict with fair accuracy that the sun is going to come up in the morning, we can state with fair certainty that Donald Trump was elected to get control of the border. And he's been talking about it since his first days in politics in 2015. And so the people have voted that that can happen. And as long as he proceeds lawfully, then that's his job. And in giving the execution of the laws, his judgment is terribly important because execution of the laws is a kind of thing. If you actually want to control a border that has been just simply disappeared for four years, if you want to do that, you've got to get some people down there and they've got to react to the conditions on the ground. It's essentially an executive action. And then he promised to deport a bunch of people and he's working on it. And he has deported a bunch of. A bunch of them. And how you round them up and get them to go, that's, you know, that's Congress can't do that.
- [23:06]
Hugh Hewitt
The court only said one thing, Trump versus jgg. That's the Venezuelans and El Salvadorans who were transported from Texas to El Salvador. In that, the court said from the date of this order forward, it is clear that anyone who's going to be deported is entitled to notice. And a hearing, adequate notice in a hearing, that's minimum due process doesn't guarantee you anything. It's sort of like the base level for even an illegal immigrant who's a criminal. Before you throw them out, they get notice they're about to be thrown out. And an opportunity to be heard. Not specific as to what the opportunity to be heard is. Habeas was usually brought in a district court and that that district court cannot be court shopped. It's in the district where the body rests. It's where that prisoner is. I thought it was a fine order. I thought it did the constitutional thing. Habeas is part of our tradition. And it rebuked the district court that had taken jurisdiction where it shouldn't have taken. I like that result, Dr. Arndt.
- [24:06]
Dr. Larry Arnn
Yeah, yeah. It, you know, the model is that the courts try individual cases in the, you know, so some people, you know, Trump is deporting hundreds of thousands and talking about millions. They'll probably make mistakes. And so is it in fact, a citizen who's being sent away. So, yeah, there should be a hearing and they should be expeditious. So because look, millions of people are in this country unlawfully. There's got to be a mechanism for undoing that because otherwise, if there's no border, there's no country and there's no citizen body who can give their consent to the government over them. And then you've got a lawless government, which we've had a lot of in this country.
- [25:04]
Hugh Hewitt
We had a lot under President Biden, we had a lot under President Obama. And fixing that, especially the consequences of an open border, is a monumental task. We'll come back next, talk about President Trump's first initiatives in international ordering or reordering, because they are many insignificant. Most importantly, what's going on with Iran? Don't go anywhere. Dr. Arne will be right back.
- [25:31]
Narrator/Announcer
On the new episode of the Larry Arn Show, Hillsdale College President Larry P. Arn sits down with pastor, professor and author Kevin DeYoung for a one on one conversation. A lot of political theory has to start, you know, as a Christian with Jesus saying, give me the coin whose face is on Caesar's. Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God's the things that are God's. Well, that gives some kind of, to use our language, separation of churches. It says that it's not identical. And it says not just that you need to give taxes to Caesar because Caesar has a certain realm, but in saying render to God the things that are gods, it says Caesar doesn't have doesn't have everything. Caesar doesn't have control over your life. Listen to this exclusive interview with Kevin DeYoung right now, only available on the Larry Arn Show. Find it on the Hillsdale College Podcast Network at Podcast Hillsdale. Edu Also at Apple podcasts Spotify and YouTube and subscribe to receive new episodes delivered right to your device. That's Podcast Hillsdale. Edu hey there, it's Scott Bertram, host of the Radio Free Hillsdale Hour. Anniversaries play a key role in this week's episode. We start with Mark Moyer, William P. Harris, chair of Military history at Hillsdale College. We discuss the legacy and the lessons learned from the Vietnam War 50 years after the fall of Saigon. Meanwhile, the Great Gatsby turns 100 this year. Benedict Whelan from our English department joins us to discuss the themes in that book. And Julianne Hillock, founding principal at Hojo Academy in New Mexico, talks to us about the unique challenges of running a school in a remote part of the country, plus being honored by the Hillsdale College Alumni Association. All that this week on the radio. Free Hillsdale Hour. Find it at podcast hillsdale. Edu, or wherever you get your audio.
- [27:50]
Hugh Hewitt
Welcome back, America. Hugh Hewitt with Dr. Larry Orn. The Hillsdale dialogue is underway. All things Hillsdale at Hillsdale. Edu. Lots of great courses, free, absolutely free. You can sign up for free for their monthly News speech Digest in Primus. If you want to listen to our hundreds of Hillsdale dialogues on subjects under the sun, they're all collected@hughforhillsdale.com Dr. Arn Two days before we sit down, New York Times publishes a big expose about what allegedly Trump and Netanyahu said to each other about Netanyahu wanted to attack Iran's nuclear sites. And Trump said, not right now. And Tulsi Gabbard's over here and Vice President Vance is over there and other people over here. And I don't believe a word of it because I just don't, I don't trust the New York Times on this stuff. But it is clear that Trump, I do trust what the president has said. He said there will be bombing if they don't come to the table and make a deal. And I believe him. Do you think Iran believes him?
- [28:51]
Dr. Larry Arnn
I think they should. You see, I mean, surely everyone understands by now Donald Trump is not a reticent man. You know, I mean, does anybody remember isis? Because he destroyed them.
- [29:10]
Hugh Hewitt
Yep.
- [29:11]
Dr. Larry Arnn
Said he would. And he did. And, and he did bomb them to smithereens. It's true. So I would think that they, they should be worried, very worried. And there's been some adjustments. Right. Israel is in better shape now than it was two years ago. Hamas is on its heels. Alas, they're still alive. And so they've got reason to be worried, those guys. And if I were they, I would be.
- [29:42]
Hugh Hewitt
Now, with that in mind, I mentioned to you that I would foreshadow a bit of what's ahead in the Winston Churchill book. Three chapters down the road, he writes these Let us learn our lessons. Never believe any war will be smooth and easy or that anyone who embarks on the strange voyage can measure the tides and hurricanes. He will encounter the statesman. And Churchill capitalizes that who yields to war fever must realize that once the signal is given, he is no longer the master of policy, but the slave of unforeseeable and uncontrollable events. How does that, I mean, this is Churchill at 50, after World War I, before World War II. How does that figure into the assessment of our standoff with Iran.
- [30:25]
Dr. Larry Arnn
Well, you only go to war when you must, right? And so the judgment. And see, they're being deliberate about it, right? They didn't go get them, right? Now, the judgment he has to make is, do I have to do this? And, you know, Iran having a nuclear weapon would be a bad thing. So he has to make that judgment. And. And then, you know, you also have to say, and see this. This is what Churchill was, by the way. It's. So I wrote a letter to the Daily Telegraph. I don't know if they'll print it, but they're talking about conservatives who are turning on Winston Churchill and those who are making a mistake. But we have not understood properly that Winston Churchill was very reluctant about war. He was also very good at it. And so those two things go together, right? I mean, The Germans, in 1914, they went to war, they attacked Belgium to start, and they had a treaty not to do that. Belgium meant anything to them. And the Kaiser permitted that. And that was the last significant order he ever gave in his life. And after the war was over, he wasn't Kaiser anymore. And so Churchill is very aware of those things, and we should be, too. So we should only go to war if there's not a choice. And we should restrict our war aims, too. We've made mistakes, in my opinion, you know, trying to build democracy in countries that have never known them, and we've spent a lot of money and a lot of time trying to do that. We still haven't got that done. And so it's a calculation and it's a hard one, and one should be reluctant about it.
- [32:12]
Hugh Hewitt
I think that. I think he is, in fact, reluctant. I also think he's being very careful both to make sure there is great clarity about who the good guys are and the bad guys, the white hats and the black hats. He's got Zelensky to come to the table and put everything on the table. Putin hadn't come to the table yet. So we know who's got the black hat there. We already knew that. But he has set it up so that no one can deny he tried to get a deal. And he set it up so that Iran has a chance to avoid the Stealth bombers in the sky. I mean, we can demolish all of that stuff. And I think this is prudent. I think he's being very prudent with both of those actors. Do you?
- [32:51]
Dr. Larry Arnn
I do. And see, I. Well, let's put it this way. I never believed Trump said in the campaign two things, that one of them's been disproved. He said the war wouldn't have happened if he had been the president. And of course, you can't know that he wasn't. And he said that he could make a deal quickly. I never believed that. But as a statement of his intentions, he certainly got right on it. And he's been trying and see it takes two to make a deal. And some people think, some people have thought through this Ukraine war that Russia is ever nearing the point of collapse and it's near now. And some people think they've been strengthening through the war. If the second is true, then it's going to be very hard to make a deal if the truth is in the middle. It's going to be complicated to make a deal if they're near collapse. I think he'd probably have his deal already. And so in other words, they did this as an act of policy and they'll do what seems in their interest.
- [33:57]
Hugh Hewitt
We have to wait. We have to wait and watch. I'll be right back with Dr. Arn. Don't go anywhere. One more segment.
- [34:04]
Narrator/Announcer
This show is a part of the Hillsdale College Podcast Network. If you like what you hear, please subscribe to your favorite. You'll get brand new episodes of all your favorite shows sent right to your device and you'll help us know that you're out there listening. Never miss another episode by going to Podcast Hillsdale. Edu Hill Subscribe. That's Podcast Hillsdale. Edu subscribe or click the Follow or Subscribe button on Apple podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. Hey there, it's Scott Bertram, host of the Radio Free Hillsdale Hour. Anniversaries play a key role in this week's episode. We start with Mark Moyer, William P. Harris, chair of Military history at Hillsdale College. We discuss and the lessons learned from the Vietnam War 50 years after the fall of Saigon. Meanwhile, the Great Gatsby turns 100 this year. Benedict Whelan from our English department joins us to discuss the themes in that book. And Julianne Hillock, founding principal at hojo Academy in New Mexico, talks to us about the unique challenges of running a school in a remote part of the country, plus being honored by the Hillsdale College Alumni Association. All that this week on the Radio Free Hillsdale Hour. Find it at Podcast Hillsdale. Edu or wherever you get your audio.
- [35:46]
Hugh Hewitt
Welcome back, America. On this Good Friday, Dr. Arn and I join in wishing you a happy Easter and a blessed Good Friday. I want to cover two more things in two and a half minutes. Dr. Arnold, you mentioned the trade policy early on. I happen to be of the opinion that exceeds the President's authority under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. But we'll find out. We'll get to that in the end. In the meantime, the market will deal with it. But then there's also this magnificent thing taking shape on the Hill that no one's noticing that the Republicans actually didn't shoot themselves in the foot. Mike Johnson turns out to be mild mannered Superman. He comes up, you know, he looks like Clark Kent in front of the cameras, but he's got Donald Trump behind him with a superpower. They got a deal on the budget. I think they'll get a deal on reconciliation. That's the big win of the hundred days.
- [36:32]
Dr. Larry Arnn
Yeah, well, the Republican Party has changed a lot since the day Donald Trump came down the elevator and it's less divided, it's got a thin majority and it seems to be able to use it. And Mike Johnson is, you know, Superman was only strong when he took his glasses off. Mike seems to be pretty good with them on.
- [36:59]
Hugh Hewitt
And I think Trump is helping him. I think that Senator Thune, Spiggar, Johnson, their leadership teams, they meet a lot with, we don't know, a lot. Contrary to everyone else who's reading Trump's mind, I resist the effort, the temptation to try and attribute to Trump thoughts that are my own. But all I watch is the results. And the first results are where I would, you know, we're 100 days into a 1431 day term. There's a lot more Trump coming. Dr. Oren, are you optimistic about it?
- [37:29]
Dr. Larry Arnn
Oh yeah, I'm very, I believe I can read Donald Trump's mind. All you have to do is listen to what he says at the moment of action. Up until that moment, Lord knows. And, and you know, he does tend to explain things as he does when he does them. So I, but yeah, he wants. What, what do they want to do? I mean, Scott Besant, who's very impressive to me. Yes. And, and put, put together things, he's saying with what Elon Musk is saying, we're generating debt at, at a horrific rate, a frightening rate. And so what's their plan? Their plan is get a trillion dollars out of the budget, get growth going again and then it'll, the first thing is stop it from getting worse and then start growing our way out of it and continuing to control the expenses of the government, which has just not been a subject of interest to the rulers of our nation for a long.
- [38:30]
Hugh Hewitt
Time, but it is to Donald Trump.
- [38:32]
Dr. Larry Arnn
We got to do that.
- [38:33]
Hugh Hewitt
I think you're right about that. And that will be a significant part of the next 1341 days, plus a couple since we did the 100 days early. Dr. Larry Ahren, thank you.
- [38:47]
Narrator/Announcer
Thanks for listening to the Hillsdale Dialogues, part of the Hillsdale College Podcast Network. More episodes at Podcast Hillsdale. Edu or wherever you find your audio. For more information about Hillsdale College, head to Hillsdale.
- [39:04]
Hugh Hewitt
Eduardo.