Summary of "Big Free Speech Victory, plus IRS GROWING by 30K, Biden's War on Cars & SPLC Defends ANTIFA Terrorism AND Supplies Biden's Radical Judges" – The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson

Release Date: April 17, 2023
Host: Ben Ferguson
Guest: Senator Ted Cruz

1. Major Free Speech Victory: Texas Bar and Stanford Law School

Key Discussion: The episode begins with a discussion between Ben Ferguson and Senator Ted Cruz about a significant free speech victory stemming from the actions taken against Stanford Law School's administration and students following the disruption of Judge Kyle Duncan's speech.

Notable Points:

• Senator Cruz highlights the inappropriate treatment of Judge Duncan at Stanford Law School, where students aggressively silenced his speech using profanities and disruptions.
• The associate dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) sided with the disruptive students instead of enforcing the school's free speech policy.
• Cruz applauds Stanford for placing the dean on leave, describing it as a "big deal" and a hard-won victory for free speech and decorum.

Notable Quotes:

• [00:35] Senator Ted Cruz: “Stanford stepped forward, condemned what the dean did, said it violated their policy and put her on leave. That's a big deal. That is a victory.”
• [07:42] Senator Cris: “You don’t have the right to shout down and silence another speaker. That is directly antithetical to free speech.”

2. Texas State Bar’s New Ethical Standards

Key Discussion: Senator Cruz elaborates on his efforts to influence the Texas State Bar to incorporate questions regarding incivility and past behavior related to free speech into the bar application process.

Notable Points:

• Cruz sent a letter to Chief Justice Nathan Hecht urging the inclusion of questions that probe applicants' involvement in the harassment of Judge Duncan.
• Chief Justice Hecht responded positively, committing to add these questions to assess the character and fitness of prospective attorneys.

Notable Quotes:

• [06:43] Senator Ted Cruz: “If there are Stanford students in that room who were screaming and cursing and thinking that you can behave as a hooligan, as an antifa rioter, ... this has got to make them think twice.”
• [23:05] Ben Ferguson: “I would say 75 plus percent. Easy.”
• [22:57] Senator Ted Cruz: “In the 2022 cycle, 100% of its PAC funding went to Democrats.”

3. IRS Expansion and Its Implications

Key Discussion: The conversation shifts to the IRS’s planned expansion, funded by an $80 billion allocation, and the implications of hiring an additional 30,000 employees.

Notable Points:

• Senator Cruz criticizes the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act, labeling it as ineffective in reducing inflation while increasing governmental overreach.
• He points out the discrepancy between the IRS's claimed purpose of enhancing taxpayer services and the actual allocation of funds predominantly towards tax enforcement.
• Concerns are raised about the potential for increased IRS harassment targeting political adversaries of the Biden administration.

Notable Quotes:

• [15:08] Senator Ted Cruz: “For every $1 that is being spent on, quote, taxpayer services, $14 is being spent on new IRS enforcement, $45.6 billion is going to tax enforcement, while 3.18 billion is going to taxpayer services.”
• [21:00] Senator Ted Cruz: “COVID ... you may be even slightly more pessimistic than the IRS should be.”

4. Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and Judicial Nominations

Key Discussion: The episode examines the Southern Poverty Law Center's (SPLC) defense of a lawyer implicated in antifa terrorism and its role in federal judicial nominations.

Notable Points:

• Senator Cruz condemns the SPLC for defending Thomas Webb Jurgens, charged with antifa-related terrorism, and accuses the organization of hypocrisy.
• He scrutinizes the Biden administration's nomination of SPLC director Nancy Abudu to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, expressing concerns about her qualifications and ideological leanings.
• Cruz argues that such nominations undermine the judiciary's integrity and reflects a partisan bias in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which he claims has consistently approved Biden's judicial nominees without opposition.

Notable Quotes:

• [26:21] Senator Ted Cruz: “The SPLC is a radical left-wing organization. It is virulently hateful and it is hard, hard left.”
• [30:15] Senator Ted Cruz: “The number is zero. Not a single Democrat has voted against a single Biden judge in the Senate Judiciary Committee.”
• [31:07] Senator Ted Cruz: “They rubber stamp every left wing radical, one after the other after the other.”

5. Biden’s EPA Policies and the Future of Electric Vehicles

Key Discussion: The final segment delves into the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed stringent pollution standards for vehicles and the broader impact on the automotive industry and consumers.

Notable Points:

• Senator Cruz criticizes EPA Administrator Michael Regan's announcement of the strongest-ever federal pollution technology standards for cars and trucks, labeling it as a radical and economically damaging policy.
• He highlights the increased dependency on critical minerals like copper and lithium, much of which is processed in China, raising concerns about national security and economic independence.
• Cruz warns that these policies will drive up vehicle costs, harm the auto industry, exacerbate inflation, and strengthen China’s economic position.

Notable Quotes:

• [36:56] EPA Administrator Michael Regan: “That's why today I'm pleased to announce that EPA is proposing the strongest ever federal pollution technology standards for both cars and trucks.”
• [37:26] Senator Ted Cruz: “This is going to drive up your costs. And by the way, if you're skeptical, ... Does that sound sustainable? Hello, $100,000 pickups. This is the Joe Biden Green New Deal.”
• [43:32] Ben Ferguson: “...drive up your costs and make it unaffordable for you to provide for your family.”

Concluding Insights:

Throughout the episode, Senator Ted Cruz provides a critical perspective on current Democratic policies, emphasizing concerns over free speech infringements, governmental overreach through the IRS, the politicization of judicial nominations, and economically burdensome environmental regulations. The discussion underscores a broader narrative of defending conservative values and challenging liberal agendas purportedly undermining American institutions and individual freedoms.

This comprehensive analysis offers listeners a deep dive into pivotal political issues, reinforced by direct quotes and timestamps from the conversation, ensuring clarity and context for those who haven’t tuned into the episode.