← The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Tudor Dixon Podcast: Democratic Disarray with the Ruthless Podcast
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- [00:00]
Tudor Dixon
Step into the world of power, loyalty and luck.
- [00:04]
John Ashbrook
I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse.
- [00:06]
Tudor Dixon
With family. Cannolis and spins mean everything.
- [00:10]
John Ashbrook
Now you want to get mixed up in the family business? Introducing the godfather@champacasino.com test your luck in.
- [00:17]
Tudor Dixon
The shadowy world of the Godfather slot.
- [00:20]
John Ashbrook
Someday, I will call upon you to do a service for me. Play the Godfather now@Champacasino.com Welcome to the family.
- [00:26]
Tudor Dixon
No purchase necessary VGW Group void We're prohibited by law 21 + terms and.
- [00:30]
Michael Duncan
Conditions apply for some of Personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves. Loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrivent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thrivent, where money means more. Connect with us@thrivent.com hey, Clay, if there.
- [01:02]
Clay Travis
Was a summer camp for critical thinking, we'd be the chief counselors.
- [01:06]
Buck Sexton
Those jelly heads in June would be intellectual warriors by August.
- [01:10]
Clay Travis
Be a lot of fun, too. Some Bill and Ted's excellent adventure references.
- [01:14]
Buck Sexton
Thrown in this podcast like a daily dose of that. Minus the campfires, archery and pranking. The girls.
- [01:20]
Clay Travis
The bonafide boot camp for critical thinking. You can get in on it for free at the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast. Just search our names. Clay and Bach. Listen and subscribe.
- [01:31]
Tudor Dixon
Welcome to the Tutor Dixon Podcast. Today I am joined by the crew of the Ruthless podcast. We've got John Ashbrook and Michael Duncan with us here. They are both founding partners of Calvary, a consulting firm based in D.C. so even though we. I'm going to call you, like, recovering consultants because I feel like you're all so fun, which doesn't. Doesn't jive.
- [01:57]
John Ashbrook
Yeah. Yeah. Well, the show is therapy for us. To be honest with you, it's so much more fun than consulting.
- [02:03]
Unknown
Yeah. You know, the show, I think it works for one reason, and that is I think we're the only people in D.C. who don't take themselves too seriously. You know, I think a lot of people who try to start a podcast in politics based out of Washington, D.C. feel like in every episode they gotta prove how smart they are.
- [02:23]
John Ashbrook
Right.
- [02:23]
Unknown
And it's like, that's annoying.
- [02:27]
Tudor Dixon
I mean, I don't think that's just in the podcast world in dc, honestly. Oh, yeah. As you look at what's happening in D.C. with Democrats right now, I think that's kind of their go to is who. Who can appear to look like they have a message and that they are smart and it's not working for anybody right now. Oddly enough, AOC is like the standout in that crowd, which seems very odd.
- [02:51]
John Ashbrook
It's very, very odd. I mean, they don't. They really don't have a leader other than George Soros that I'm aware of. I mean, their party is in shambles. And it's great to see, to be honest with you. It's like, it's one of the best things of the year that I didn't totally expect. But, man, is it just the icing on the cake for everything good that Trump is doing here.
- [03:10]
Tudor Dixon
I think for years we've said that that side of the aisle has been really out of touch with the average American person. And there was nothing better than Chuck Schumer on the View talking about this, because the. I think that many Americans still believe that the American dream is attainable. And because of that, many Americans are entrepreneurs and start their own businesses or have dreams of starting their own businesses. And we as Americans feel like, you know, hands off my business. This is something that we suffer with every day in Michigan now, they've come in with this, like, minimum wage that you have to have at restaurants. And the restaurant owners are going, why isn't it okay for me to say to my employees, you make as much money as you want. You determine your wage. But I thought this was beautiful, what Chuck Schumer said yesterday. So I want to play it for you, because this is exactly what people hate. This is why they voted against them. But here's Chuck Schumer on the View.
- [04:06]
Chuck Schumer
And you know what their attitude is? I made my money all by myself. How dare your government take my money from me? I don't want to pay taxes. Or, I built my company with my bare hands. How dare your government tell me how I should treat my customers. My. The land and water that I own or my employees. They hate government. Government's a barrier to people. A barrier to stop them from doing things. They want to destroy it. We are not letting them do it, and we're united.
- [04:36]
Tudor Dixon
I mean, he's not wrong. People feel that way, like, don't take my stuff. He just thinks that they're jerks for thinking that.
- [04:44]
Unknown
Yeah. You know, what's really shocking about Chuck Schumer is, you know, he failed to placate his liberal base and shut down the government, ultimately passed that CR out of the Senate. The backlash that he got. Forced him to cancel his book tour. What does it say about the state of the Democrat Party and the media that he does that and then he goes to the View as his safe place to go, you know, shake down the American taxpayer. I mean, this guy acts like a tough guy. He couldn't handle a book tour.
- [05:18]
Tudor Dixon
But wait a minute. They just watched Donald Trump win the election after getting shot and no cancellations. I mean, this guy gets shot and he goes to a rally the next day. Check. Schumer is afraid of his own party because it's not his. It's not us that he's afraid of going out to the book tour and seeing. He's afraid of his own party that he can't go after. I mean, he hasn't seen what people voted for. People voted for the guy that gets shot and stands up and goes, keep fighting.
- [05:45]
John Ashbrook
Right? No, that's exactly right. And Democrats like we were talking about, they. They are absolutely in disarray and they hate him. And especially for what he did last week where he had this bizarre move saying that he was going to shut down the government, and then he. And then he didn't do it. And he got so much flack from his own party, like you're talking about. And it hasn't stopped. There are all these questions about will they keep him as their leader and who could be the next leader, and is AOC going to primary him in New York?
- [06:17]
Unknown
I don't.
- [06:17]
John Ashbrook
Schumer really doesn't have much to push back with. I mean, what he was doing on the View certainly didn't help his case.
- [06:24]
Unknown
Well, he doesn't know how to talk to the American taxpayer or the American voter. It's like this Democrat obsession with criticizing Doge. You know, they're like, we must protect these opaque NGOs who are taking our taxpayer money. It's like most of the American people are perfectly fine with slashing budgets for unaccountable bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. you know, and so, like, if they want to know why their message is landing flat with the American people, it's that. Is that they've somehow made Elon Musk, this guy who rescues astronauts from outer space and wants to make the government more efficient. The bad guy.
- [06:58]
Tudor Dixon
Right, right. I know, but I watched this, and I think it's funny because even if you look at polling, I mean, if you look at polling in Michigan, what it's telling us is that the most important issue to people is finances and making sure government's not corrupt and spending wastefully, that is that's what people are concerned about. They like what they see. But see, to me, the Democrats, what's happened to them is the mainstream media has always been their communications arm. They actually never had to have a message. They just let those people test for them, and they were like, okay, this is going well. It's good to attack the other side. It's good to have government weaponization. That's going well for us. Their ratings are still good. They figured out that the mainstream media has failed, and now they're flailing. They have no idea what to talk about.
- [07:47]
John Ashbrook
Yeah, you're exactly right, Tudor. And we talk about this on our show all the time in that in our previous careers as consultants, we would always just be so frustrated by media bias. And everybody writes the stories for Democrats. The lead, the headline. Everything is framed up to make Democrats look like the heroes. But what it created over time was a soft political party who did was completely out of touch with regular people because they were only in touch with the media. And so I think that they. They don't know how to act because, like you, the media has done their work for them, and they. They just don't even know what to do. And I. I think they're going to be in the wilderness for a while here.
- [08:26]
Tudor Dixon
Yeah. But you know who does have a genuine message? It is aoc. I mean, that's just. That is what her strength is. She has that IT factor where she goes out and she tells people exactly how she feels and she believes it. It's like her policies may be radical, they may be progressive, but she is all in. It comes from the heart. She's not practiced it. She didn't have somebody tell her to go out and say this. She's not. Gretchen Whitmer puts out a video of herself as a potato and talks about giving money to schools. AOC sits at her kitchen table while she's making something in the crock pot, and she's like, so anyway, you guys, we've got to help people and get them, you know, save these illegal migrants. It doesn't matter if they've murdered someone. They're people, too. And people buy it. You know, they're like, she believes it. I love her.
- [09:13]
Unknown
Yeah. I mean, people put a premium on authenticity. You know, people are saying that the 2024 election was the podcast election. And I think that's the reason why. It's like, people would rather their politicians talk like real people, be authentic, I don't know, speak from the heart, then have prepackaged talking points. That some consultant came up with that is approved for a 30 second ad.
- [09:38]
Tudor Dixon
Right, exactly. But that's what you have. I think that's what you saw. Obviously, Kamala Harris was like a gift from God. I mean, how could anybody be as bad as Kamala Harris? So. And then. But you think that you're like, wow, this is so bad. They have to put a Josh Shapiro out there, someone to kind of balance the insanity. But they didn't. They picked Tim Walls. And then Tim. And. And then I think this is funny because I see Gavin Newsom launches this podcast. So to your point of trying to be normal, he launches a podcast. And every day he comes in, you know, he's just like, he's always dressed like that villain from a movie where you' chick thinks he's hot and then he ends up being the murderer, you know, and he comes in with his hair slicked back and he's supposed to be really normal. And, and I give him credit. He started having Republican influencers on. And I, I could see the, the play there. Like, oh, I'm going to show them I'm a moderate. Then he has Tim Walls on. And this is what Tim Wall says, which I love because he's such a geek. This.
- [10:38]
John Ashbrook
I fight it.
- [10:40]
Tudor Dixon
And, well, this, this next.
- [10:41]
John Ashbrook
I could kick most of their ass. I do want to do. I know I can run them, but I don't know if we're going to fall.
- [10:48]
Clay Travis
Want to.
- [10:48]
John Ashbrook
Okay, we challenge you to a, to a, you know, a WWE fight here type of thing.
- [10:53]
Unknown
It's unbelievable.
- [10:55]
Tudor Dixon
You can totally see him in the playhouse in third grade saying that to his buddies, but he still looks like he's in the playhouse in third grade.
- [11:02]
Unknown
Well, Tim Walsh, I mean, I don't think he could kick a soccer ball without needing a hip replacement. I mean, this guy's not kicking anyone's ass. And to your point on Gavin Newsome, the guy does look like a comic book villain. He looks like Willem Dafoe playing the Green Goblin in Spider man with that slick back hair. I mean, the guy is just too slick. And that's the other thing about this. They have an authenticity gap, right? Nobody thinks Tim Walsh is actually going to kick anyone's ass. So stop talking that way. Like, like you're some sort of tough guy, you know, and like Gavin Newsome, you are slimy. You know, like, this idea that you had all these conservatives on your podcast because you're actually secretly a moderate is like, no one's going to buy that, you know, and so, like, that's ultimately their. Their biggest problem is that authenticity gap.
- [11:45]
Tudor Dixon
Right. I mean, I do say that I think that he is dangerous. When I look at all of these people, I think there are two people that are dangerous in the Democrat Party, and that's because they have this weird charm that people are attracted to. And he does have a weird charm that I see people when he's in person, I see people completely attracted to him. It's like a firefly to the blue light or something. He is like, they're all kind of swarming around him. But it's the same with Gretchen Whitmer. I mean, I've. I've heard people say, you know, in meetings that she's just very charming. The problem is they do these videos and they look like complete fools. And I do wonder if that has hurt their brand so significantly that you saw, I mean, the week that you had Kamala Harris out there not going to the Al Smith dinner, and then at the same time, you've got Gretchen Whitmer giving the Dorito communion. That was a moment where everybody said, what in the world is happening? These are not serious people. And we are now at a time that is a very serious time. We need very serious people. You saw collapse around the world. We saw what was happening with Israel. We saw what was happening with Ukraine. But their argument on these things is also bizarre to me because you've got Donald Trump going in and saying, okay, we're going to stop the war in Ukraine. People are after him about the fact that, like, what do you mean, you're just going to give this to Putin? Well, what did the American people want on the progressive side? Do they want to send troops there and say, we're going to get every inch of your border back to you, or do they want the killing to stop? And that was what Zelensky said he wanted. And then when it came down to, okay, we're going to stop the killing, we'll end the war, it's like suddenly, oh, you love Putin. But what is the answer if the answer is not to stop the war?
- [13:36]
John Ashbrook
Yeah. I mean, this is, case in point, why the Democrats brand is in shambles. They take positions on issues make no sense to normal people. And you look at the issues that they've taken positions on, like, like men and women's sports. You know, that's an 8020 issue in our country. And they're going to the mat so LeBron James can play in the WNBA. It makes no sense. It has nothing to do with the two issues that you pointed out that people are most concerned about their personal finances and whether the government is corrupt and spending their money inefficiently or in a wrong way. And Democrats time and time again, I mean, look at, look at what some of these left wing judges are doing to try stop the President from making common sense decisions in our government that he wants to cut spending. The judges are like, oh no, I'm sorry, our constitution says you do have to fund trans surgeries in sub Saharan Africa. That's right there in Article 2. You know it like it makes no sense. And that yet Democrats are taking these positions over and over again simply because Trump is doing it and they think that's good politics and man are they so wrong.
- [14:42]
Tudor Dixon
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- [15:58]
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- [16:23]
Tudor Dixon
No purchase necessary. VGW Group void where prohibited by law 21 + terms and conditions apply.
- [16:28]
Unknown
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- [17:28]
Michael Duncan
Today for some of us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves. Loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrivent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thrivent, where money means more. Connect with us@thrivent.com the best way to.
- [18:01]
Buck Sexton
Understand all sides of an issue is to know all sides of an issue.
- [18:06]
Clay Travis
Can't get that in the mainstream media. Which is why you. You gotta listen to some Clay and Buck for another point of view.
- [18:12]
Buck Sexton
Buck, why are you going third person?
- [18:14]
Clay Travis
Because, Clay, I think this ad is running in places that might not exactly align with all of our politics or even know who we are.
- [18:20]
Buck Sexton
It's impossible. But even if it's true, I bet if they did listen, they'd end up agreeing with us on at least one issue, even if they secretly want it mitted.
- [18:30]
Clay Travis
Well, the only way they're gonna find out is if they download the Klay Travis and Buck Sexton show podcast on the iHeartRadio app or wherever they get their pods.
- [18:38]
Buck Sexton
We're easy to find. Unlike your wife at Costco, Clay, you speak the truth.
- [18:43]
Clay Travis
But we're already losing people.
- [18:44]
Buck Sexton
I think I gained one or two just now.
- [18:46]
Clay Travis
In case you haven't noticed, we like to have a lot of fun as well as talk about what's going on in the world.
- [18:50]
Buck Sexton
Come hang with us today and every day at Clay and buck. Download the iHeartRadio app, search out those names. Clay, Travis, Buck Sexton, and come hang.
- [19:00]
Tudor Dixon
Interesting part to me is to watch them go after young girls. I mean, I think just yesterday we saw one of these Democrat politicians, a local politician, go after these young girls who said, we. We have to go to the bathroom with a boy in our school. Oh, no, you don't. Don't lie. And it's like, wait, what happened to believe all women? You know, they're the party. They're the party of women, but they're really not. I mean, the way they have treated women over the past four years has been horrendous. I mean, even to the point where you had one guy that was literally in government stealing our suitcases. Like you can even trust them to go to the airport. It was ridiculous.
- [19:38]
John Ashbrook
Exactly. Right. And then they were trying to say JD Was the weird one.
- [19:41]
Unknown
Yeah.
- [19:41]
John Ashbrook
I mean, the whole Dorito picture that Gretchen Whitmer did, it was on the heels of them trying to say JD Was the weird one. And then he did the debate with Tim Walls, and he turned out to be the most normal person people have seen in politics in a generation. And Democrats were showing people who they were at the same time, and they were telling them lies about JD I.
- [20:02]
Unknown
Hope they keep doing it. They're flailing right now. They can't find a message. They have no leader. And I hope they use every gimmick in the book because they look ridiculous.
- [20:09]
Tudor Dixon
They can't. I think there are a few of them that are really good at avoiding the media. If you watch what they're doing, these folks that are lining up, like the Pritzkers and the Whitmers and the Newsoms and Shapiro, all these guys that are lining up to run in 2028, I mean, even Pete Buttigieg, look, he hasn't come out and talked to the media much. He goes to very safe media, and then he doesn't talk. I mean, I don't even think he's ever talked to anyone locally here in Michigan because, you know, he is now a Michigander. He moved here, what, four years ago so that he could become famous off of our swing state. We know exactly what he's doing here, but he hasn't talked to any of the local media. It's just not their thing because they have these failures on the record. I mean, he has massive failures when it comes to the Department of Transportation. But Gretchen Whitmer, the state is in shambles. We're the 41st state in almost every category. Education is a wreck. Infrastructure is a disaster. Her one promise was to fix the roads. Infrastructure is a disaster. We have not added any new headquarters to the state, and there's no jobs. And yet she can get away with it. I will say the Democrats get away with it because if they do not talk about their failure, no one else does.
- [21:25]
John Ashbrook
Well, I think what we've learned here is that Democrats can get away with it up to a point, because the people are fed up with everything that they're doing. And I know this is your podcast and we are the guests and we're. And you're the one asking the questions, but you did make some news this week, you know, and we were talking about the Dem bench and how terrible some of these people, like Mayor Petar and others, but the Republican bench is very, very good. And you made some news that you are thinking about maybe running for statewide office. And I just wonder if you could talk a little bit more about that, because what we need are people like you out there. And is there a chance that you'd have a decision by this summer, maybe?
- [22:06]
Tudor Dixon
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, we're looking at this because obviously I ran for governor two, two, three years ago now. And in that time, the reason that I was motivated to do that the first time was really coming from a small family business. We had a foundry in Michigan, and foundries are tough businesses, but so essential. And I think we're seeing that now more than ever. As you start to see these tariffs that Donald Trump is putting on, people are just completely freaking out about it. It's funny because my husband was talking to a friend of his, and his friend was like, you know, they're going to put this big tariff on aluminum, and this is going to screw us all. And then his buddy who brings in aluminum, he was like, you know, actually, I think that the smelters are going to start up here in the United States. And the progressive friend, he goes, who wants to do that? And I thought this is so interesting because you have. You have no concept of, first of all, what it is to have a small business that is a key, critical business to national security. Because if you're making metal, which very few companies are making metal these days, there's not even any metallurgical degrees. There's just about four universities that have a metallurgical degree in the United States today.
- [23:21]
John Ashbrook
Wild, to me, shocking.
- [23:23]
Tudor Dixon
It's a total national security disaster. One that Donald Trump understands. And it's Hard to explain to people. And so when you see somebody on the progressive side say, oh, gosh, who wants to be in an aluminum factory? Who wants to be in a steel factory? Well, a lot of people, actually, especially in the state of Michigan, and we have just been crushed by regulations, we've been crushed by these new environmental agencies that she's put. That Wimmer has put into place. And so when I look at this, I. I went, okay, I. All of those feelings are still there. I want to save Main Street. I want to bring back education. I want to give our kids the best possible future. But Michigan is an amazing state that most people don't realize. We've got beaches, you can ski, you can go camping. I mean, the. The Upper Peninsula is absolutely stunning. What we have in Michigan should not be lost because of ridiculous progressive policies. But you go through a race like that in 22, and it was a brutal race because we've got abortion on the ballot, we've got all of these issues. And I had a lot of people say to me, there's no way you can't do it. Like, you'll never be able to come back from that. And I will tell you, I had one guy come to me, and he was like, you know what? Something tells me that God is on your side in this. And I said, you know what? We'll look at some polls, we'll look at some numbers, because it's really not a decision I make alone. It's a decision I make with the people of Michigan. And the numbers came back, and it was overwhelming for someone who has not run an ad in this state in three years. I look at myself next to the two folks in the state of Michigan who have been running millions of dollars worth of ads. I mean, we're talking about over these two people. It's $125 million worth of ads that have run in the past two years, and I still beat them by a point. And I think, okay, so the people of Michigan and I are making a decision together, and it looks like I'd like to be somehow serving them in the future.
- [25:19]
John Ashbrook
Yeah, and the poll I saw was done by Tony Fabrizio, of course, President Trump's pollster, who knows something about measuring the electorate in a state like Michigan that he won.
- [25:28]
Unknown
Yeah, I mean, I. Look, all of those are better reasons to run for statewide office in Michigan than Mayor Pete, who, like, vacations in Traverse City once and decides he wants to be a Michigander. I mean, look, I get it. I've played.
- [25:41]
Tudor Dixon
I told you. It's beautiful.
- [25:42]
Unknown
I played putt putt up there at Pirates Cove. I've gone to Mackinac and I've got the fudge there and been on the bicycles. It's beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. And you know, Michigan is beautiful.
- [25:53]
Tudor Dixon
Michigan is beautiful. And I think that we've kind of been a driver for small business and farming for many, many years. And people really believed that Debbie Stabenow was that champion for the farm bill. And the farm bill didn't get passed. As you've heard from Brooke Rollins, the secretary of ag. She's come out and said the fact that it didn't get passed, our farmers are in grave danger right now. We have. We have a problem in government where we are not taking care of our most critical industries. And if you cannot, I mean, you look at this, there are a really. There's nothing more critical than food.
- [26:28]
Unknown
Right.
- [26:29]
Tudor Dixon
We've got to make sure that we have food security. Food security is national security. But also factories. You know, manufacturing is critical. And I think too many people take that for granted. They're like, oh, you know, I got this product. I don't care if it came from China. And. And I was in that boat of knowing what it was like to have China take away your business. And we had companies that came to us and they were like, we need you to start double digit. You bring. You have part of the order. You bring part of the order in from China. Working with China is such a disaster for the Americans. No one knows that better than me because here we are as Americans making a phenomenal product, making sure everything is to spec, making sure everything is exactly what we need. And these parts come in from China and we're supposed to inspect them in our plant. And they were crap. They were total crap. They weren't. They. They lie, they tell you they meet the spec. And then ultimately what happened is they pirated the part and the company went, oh, wow. Now we don't even have our part. And this is like, these are experiences that I don't think that many people have. But when you really know what it is to do international business like this and how these comp. Or these countries that are our adversaries are destroying American businesses for a reason. Because they believe that they can take over. I mean, they don't believe in globalization. China wants to take over. Right?
- [27:50]
Unknown
Right.
- [27:50]
Tudor Dixon
So it's like globalization. We will all be called China, and that's not what we want.
- [27:55]
Unknown
I hope, hope that Covid opened a lot of people's eyes to this. The issues with supply chains that are overly reliant on China. Because you're right, not everybody has the experience of like, oh, well, China actually dumps its steel into Vietnam and uses this workaround to get into the United States to undermine American manufacturing. Like, most people don't know that, but they know when the grocery store shelves are empty because of COVID And so I just hope people start to think about, you know, how the global economy is overly reliant on China. And if we could just build some more capacity here in the United States. So we control our own destiny, so we protect our national security.
- [28:36]
Tudor Dixon
Let's take a quick commercial break. We'll continue next on the Tudor Dixon Podcast.
- [28:41]
Unknown
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- [29:42]
Michael Duncan
For some of us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves, loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrivent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thrivent, where money means more. Connect with us@thrivent.com the best way to.
- [30:14]
Buck Sexton
Understand all sides of an issue is to know all sides of an issue.
- [30:18]
Clay Travis
Issue can't get that in the mainstream media. Which is why you've got to listen to some Clay and buck for another point of view.
- [30:25]
Buck Sexton
Buck, why are you going third person?
- [30:26]
Clay Travis
Because, Clay, I think this ad is running in places that might not exactly align with all of our politics or even know who we are.
- [30:33]
Buck Sexton
It's impossible. But if it's true. I bet if they did listen, they'd end up agreeing with us on at least one issue, even if they secretly want admitted.
- [30:43]
Clay Travis
Well, the only way they're going to find out is if they download the Clay, Travis and Buck Sexton show podcast on the iHeartRadio app or wherever they get their pods.
- [30:51]
Buck Sexton
We're easy to find. Unlike your wife at Costco, Clay, you speak the truth.
- [30:55]
Clay Travis
But we're already losing people.
- [30:57]
Buck Sexton
I think I gained one or two just now.
- [30:59]
Clay Travis
In case you haven't noticed, we like to have a lot of fun as well as talk about what's going on in the world.
- [31:03]
Buck Sexton
Come hang with us today and every day at Clay and buck. Download the iHeartRadio app. Search out those names. Clay, Travis, Buck, Sarah Sexton, and come hang.
- [31:13]
Tudor Dixon
So what is your take on this attack on President Trump over these tariffs? Because I think that, I mean, you talked about the pandemic. It was beyond just people not getting their pelotons, which I remember that was a big deal. But you also aren't getting amoxicillin. You know, your, your prescriptions. We were shocked, I think, to find out how many prescriptions were made in China, but it wasn't. It's not just China. You know, we talk about China a lot, but we had the experience of both struggles with Canada and Mexico. And I know Donald Trump did a lot to change that with the USMCA, but it doesn't necessarily motivate, always these large OEMs to make sure they keep their product in the United States. And I remember we had a product that we made in Michigan. We made it, it was for John Deere. We had another product that was made for Peterbilt, Kenworth, these, you know, mammoth companies in the United States. But as soon as the economic downturn came, they moved their massive products for Peter built in Kenworth to China, and then John Deere moved their product line to Mexico. And Mexico was. I mean, it just destroyed us having one of our biggest products go to Mexico. And there was no deterrent. It was such a benefit to them to go to Mexico. And it destroyed us here in Michigan.
- [32:32]
John Ashbrook
Yeah, I think on the tariff issue, I think the way the media frames it is a little bit misleading because they don't educate people on the fact that a lot of other countries have existing tariffs already against the United States.
- [32:46]
Tudor Dixon
Yes.
- [32:47]
John Ashbrook
And what President Trump is doing is proposing reciprocal tariffs on these countries on other products like that basically have been harmed over the past several years. The media never wrote about that. They never talked about that. The other thing that I think about the President Trump's tariff policy, that does not get enough play is the reactions from these countries when he does threaten a tariff, people jump. Like what happened in Mexico, for example. Very early on, he threatened a tariff. They said, okay, well, we're going to stop these caravans from coming in, and there you go. I mean, he's using them as a tool for American power, which is something that we've always had available to us but never had a leader with the backbone to actually execute on it. And what President Trump is doing might seem uncomfortable to the people in the media. It is very, very important for our country.
- [33:41]
Unknown
I think the hardest thing with these tariffs, if Donald Trump is successful, is, you know, companies need long Runway to plan. You know, if you're talking about moving a factory back in the United States or something like that, we're not really going to see the benefits, I think, from a capacity standpoint and industry, like manufacturing for a couple years. And so, like, that is the hardest component to trying to actually change something when it comes to, you know, trade deficits is like businesses need to know what the rules of the road are going to be in order to plan for that sort of thing. And so I think that's going to be the toughest hurdle to climb.
- [34:18]
Tudor Dixon
Right. And I think that's why he's going to have to have people on the ground explaining this, because you say that, and I see some of these big organizations, big companies saying, well, we'll wait it out. You know, he's there for four years, we'll wait it out. We'll just charge the customers more. And I think that is a fear that people have. But I also think that a lot of these companies realize that their security is not there as. As much as it used to be, because I think they saw that through Covid, too. I mean, we used to make parts for military vehicles. The military vehicle couldn't be fully assembled until some of those parts came in from China. But, I mean, many of them came in from France or other countries as well. And there is a. There's just a national security implication of not having the ability to manufacture all of this at home. You know, it used to be that we at least had just a second source overseas. There was still a source here, or you had at least a second source in the United States, and that's gone by the wayside. I think that people are afraid that these prices will go up, but these companies will start to say, you know what? This is the political Climate, people like this, we have to start a second source here. And that's when you start to see manufacturing flourish again.
- [35:30]
John Ashbrook
Yeah, it has to flourish. I mean, the data point that you read off, I actually wasn't aware that there were so few colleges with metallurgical science degrees. Think about every single college in this country has an English degree, a degree in gender studies, a degree in political science. Like all of these things do nothing for building up the American industrial base. It might help to advance the amount of bullshit in the air, but it actually doesn't produce things. You know, in this country we used to make things and we can do it again. And people, people, regular Americans, where I'm from the Midwest, I'm from Ohio, Michael's from Indiana, also from Michigan, people like to make things. They like to start their own companies. They like to have, you know, the feeling of accomplishment that comes with building something. And, and you just can't do that with an English degree the way you can with an engineering degree or something in metallurgical studies. And so many of these left wingers who go to these Ivy League schools, they look down on people who go to trade schools. But I like more and more and more I'm of the mind that a trade school degree is more valuable than an Ivy League diploma. It just is. And if we build this, rebuild this country in the way that it used to be, those people, those people are going to thrive. I mean, I think about the guys I know who are electricians, right? If you know an electrical contractor, they are flourishing. And maybe they went to a trade school. I have one buddy went to a trade school and now he's an electrical contractor. And I went to a four year school and got a four year degree. He is killing it, it because there's so much demand for people who can actually produce something. And here I'm just like a podcaster talking into a microphone. I'm not building something. This guy is actually building something of value. And I just think that we need to retrain our minds and our society to go back to making things as of great value, right?
- [37:37]
Tudor Dixon
I mean, I think even making things is a great value for your emotional state. You know, everybody talks about this mental health crisis we're having. When I came out of college, I came out and my dad's friend, his son came out with a financial degree, I came out with a psych degree. And they were like, what are you going to do? You're not making anything. And then when I went to work at the foundry and I really got to spend time in the shop and learn how we were making everything and talk to the customers every single day. It's like there is a massive amount of pride in that. And, John, I'll just end it on this. You said something earlier. You said, it's American power. And you love that. And I love that. That, that, that thought is like, okay, that's where we need to be, because we need to be the strongest country in the world. The leftists, that's like, gosh, you just shot their puppy in front of them. The thought of American power. How could you say those words?
- [38:27]
John Ashbrook
We're not allowed.
- [38:28]
Unknown
Yeah, America's not allowed to be good. Not in their eyes.
- [38:32]
Tudor Dixon
Yes. How dare you? How dare you. But I do. I so appreciate having you on today. We could probably talk for another hour. John Ashburn, Michael Duncan from the Ruthless podcast. I so appreciate it. Thank you for being here.
- [38:44]
John Ashbrook
Thank you.
- [38:44]
Unknown
Thanks for having us.
- [38:45]
Tudor Dixon
Absolutely. And thank you all for joining us on the Tutor Dixon podcast. For this episode and others, go to tutordixonpodcast.com, the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts and join us next time. Have a blessed day.
- [39:04]
Unknown
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- [39:29]
Tudor Dixon
Now.
- [39:29]
Unknown
Call Star Star gut to get $50 off a full body intelligence test. That's Star Star 488. To receive a link to the offer.
- [39:35]
Michael Duncan
For some of us, personal finances aren't just personal. They include a lot more people than ourselves, loved ones, neighbors, the communities we call home, and the causes we hold in our hearts. At Thrivent, we help plan your financial picture with the bigger picture in mind. Because even though our business is helping guide your finances, our ambition is to make it mean so much more. Thrivent, where money means more. Connect with us@thrivent.com hey, Clay, if there.
- [40:06]
Clay Travis
Was a summer camp for critical thinking, we'd be the chief counselors.
- [40:10]
Buck Sexton
Those jelly heads in June would be intellectual warriors by August.
- [40:14]
Clay Travis
Be a lot of fun too. Some Bill and Ted's excellent adventure references.
- [40:18]
Buck Sexton
Thrown in this podcast like a daily dose of that, minus the campfires, archery and pranking the girls.
- [40:24]
Clay Travis
The Bonafide boot camp for critical thinking. You can get in on it for free at the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast. Just search our names. Play and Bach. Listen and subscribe.