The Glenn Beck Program

Guest Host: Trey Radel

Episode: The Left's Changing View on Free Speech (12/26/25)

Episode Overview

In this guest-hosted episode, Trey Radel fills in for Glenn Beck to deliver a fast-paced, provocative, and candid conversation on American culture and politics. Radel draws on his own political and media background to examine key stories—in particular, shifting Democratic views on free speech, free market principles, media bias, government overreach, and the generational shift in U.S. party politics. Radel dissects how the left has evolved from defenders of civil liberties into proponents of increasing censorship, the hypocrisy in government gambling and taxation policy, the rise of GOP cultural dominance, and much more, all while maintaining a punchy, irreverent tone.

Key Themes and Discussion Points

1. The Media and the Trump Economy

• Trey brings humor and skepticism to media coverage of the U.S. economy under Trump.
• Notes the media’s discomfort at having to report positive economic news after a year of dire predictions about Trump’s policies and tariffs.
• Argues Trump’s effectiveness: tying immigration policy to economic improvement, turning attacks over racism into “white noise,” and offering a message that directly appeals to American taxpayers.
• Quote (Trump, paraphrased):
  “Since I took office, 100% of all net job creation has gone to American-born citizens. 100%.” — (12:00)
• Suggests Republicans should adopt this strategy of linking immigration and economy in their campaigns.

Memorable moment:
“It's gotta be difficult for the media to do that. You almost hear the pain in her voice ... that the Trump economy is killing it.” — Trey (04:20)

2. Immigration, Housing, and Assimilation

• Listener calls highlight frustration over illegal immigrants participating in housing markets and corporations like BlackRock contributing to high home prices.
• Radel expands:
  • Critiques states allowing undocumented immigrants to obtain commercial driver’s licenses, sharing tragic stories from his own region.
  • Stresses the importance of assimilation for immigrants, warning of “rental unit” mentalities when integration fails.
  • Criticizes Democrats for maintaining the status quo on illegal immigration and opposing voter ID, which he frames as dangerous to American society.
• Quote:
  “One of the biggest problems in this is ... you end up where you have people who are not assimilating. ... They look at the United States as a rental unit. This is not home. This is where they come and they leech as much as they can ...” — Trey (19:19)

3. Government Failure: Property Taxes & Tolls

• Radel lauds Florida and Gov. DeSantis for conservative reforms and proposals to remove property taxes and tolls, presenting them as models for other red states.
• Explains that tolls (and their never-ending persistence) are emblematic of government failure and inefficiency.
• Provides a class critique: tolls benefit the rich who can "FastPass" through life while the poor are “waved at by Mercedes drivers.”
• Listener David (California/Florida) highlights political corruption and waste tied to toll funds.

Quote:
“Tolls are the biggest symbol of government failure. ... You have to pay to get on your own road that should have been paid for with your tax dollars already.”—Trey (25:35)

4. The Left’s Change on Free Speech

a. Institutional Democrats Questioning the First Amendment

• Plays a revealing clip of John Kerry:

  • Kerry laments the difficulty of governing in an era of free information, suggesting the First Amendment is a “major block” to controlling disinformation.
  • Radel sharply critiques this, calling out the left’s drift from free speech absolutism to advocating censorship under the guise of “media literacy.”

• Quote (John Kerry, 39:50):
  “Our First Amendment stands as a major block to the ability to be able to just hammer [misinformation] out of existence.”

• Radel reaction: “If you took those words and put them into Donald Trump's mouth ... there’d be blood in the streets.” (40:28)

b. AOC and Media “Reining In”

• Plays a clip of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez pushing for “reining in” media environments to fight misinformation.
• Dissects how the Biden administration weaponized censorship with social media companies, stifling right-of-center viewpoints.

c. Lessons from Germany: European Censorship

• Radel cites a 60 Minutes segment on German law, where insults online are fined more heavily than in person, and reposting false content is criminalized.
• Uses this as a caution, stressing the unique American tradition of robust free speech.
• Quote:
  “Is it a crime to insult somebody ... in the Internet? ... The fine could be even higher if you insult someone on the Internet.” — German prosecutor, (50:55)

d. Nostalgia and Regret

• Radel laments that Democrats and ACLU, once champions of free speech even for unpopular voices, have abandoned those principles.

Quote:
“There was a day when Democrats, classical liberals, were absolutists on free speech. ... The ACLU used to be this way. They’re gone.” — Trey (45:30)

5. Symbolic & Cultural Battles: Flags and Indoctrination

• Radel sharply satirizes debates over pride flags in schools by proposing (facetiously) the “Luger, Glock, Beretta, Thompson” (LGBT) gun flag in every classroom.
• Argues the pride flag has become a “political weapon” for indoctrination and draws contrasts with potential outrage if the right displayed gun or Gadsden flags in schools.
• Invokes how divergent cultural symbols (pride vs. patriot) are tolerated or condemned depending on political context.

6. Gambling, Hypocrisy, and State Policies

• Radel critiques how governments ban private gambling but promote, advertise, and profit from state lotteries—especially targeting citizens least able to afford it.
• Highlights absurdity of laws allowing the state to encourage (and tax) gambling while criminalizing the same practice in citizens’ homes.

Memorable moment:
“You pay your tax dollars to your government ... They take your tax dollars and they advertise to you and they tell you, 'Come bet with us.' ... But you’re not allowed to do it at your home.” — Trey (65:22)

• Points out both parties—Republican and Democrat—are complicit in legislative hypocrisies.

7. Texas Politics: Jasmine Crockett and the New “Slave Trade”

• Discusses Rep. Jasmine Crockett, likely the 2026 Democratic Senate nominee in Texas.
• Plays and analyzes Crockett’s remarks about immigrants, labor, and race, expressing shock at her invoking “slave labor.”
• Criticizes Democrats for economic policies that hurt black and Hispanic youths by encouraging illegal labor competition.

Quote:
“We now have a new slave trade, and it’s illegal immigrants in the black market. ... When you have a mass influx of illegal immigration, young blacks and Hispanics—you're screwed. You're done.” — Trey (79:42)

8. Political Discourse: Accusations of Racism & Hyperbole

• Responds to criticism that his viewpoints are just “stupid, racist Republican talking points.”
• Explores the inflation and overuse of labels: racist → fascist → Nazi → Hitler.

Quote:
“Hitler is the new fascist. Fascist is the new racist. Racist is the new ... You see where I’m going?” — Trey (110:31)

9. Reflecting on the Year: Charlie Kirk's Assassination & Leftist Reaction

• Radel discusses the political assassination of Charlie Kirk (note: fictitious), criticizing the media and online left for celebrating his death.
• Highlights Kirk’s approach to debate and communication, lamenting the left’s loss of intellectual seriousness.

Quote:
“Charlie Kirk was a profoundly open-minded, Christian loving man ... His whole goal was to bring people together to talk and yes, to debate, because debate is healthy.” — Trey (86:31)

• Examines shifting alliances, with once-vilified figures like Dick Cheney now praised by the left if they oppose Trump.
• Analyzes performative “coolness” among Democrats trying to adopt GOP language or social media swagger.

10. Climate Summit Satire and Hypocrisy

• Describes the 2025 climate summit in Brazil, where protected Amazon rainforest was destroyed to accommodate wealthy climate activists arriving by private jet.
• Uses the episode to criticize leftist hypocrisy: strict policies for the public, but not for themselves.

Quote:
“They lifted that protection and they built miles of roads so they could have the climate summit ... while destroying the rainforest.” — Trey (99:44)

11. The Cultural and Generational Shift: GOP as “New Democrats”

• Radel closes with observations on shifting party identities: conservatives have become the new champions of culture, free speech, and anti-establishment “cool,” as Democrats become the “insufferable Karens” pushing lockdowns, censorship, and conformity.

Quote:
“If there’s anything ... that I hope people ... recognize, what Donald Trump has done is ignited a cultural and generational shift of people from the left ... to the right. ... The Democrat and culture is the electricity current of politics. ... With that, I say to the right, stand up to the man, fight the power, and rage against the machine.” — Trey (119:37)

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “It's gotta be difficult for the media to do that. You almost hear the pain in her voice ... that the Trump economy is killing it.” — Trey (04:20)
• “Since I took office, 100% of all net job creation has gone to American-born citizens.” — Trump, via Trey (12:00)
• “Tolls are the biggest symbol of government failure.” — Trey (25:35)
• “Our First Amendment stands as a major block to the ability to be able to just hammer it out of existence.” — John Kerry (39:50)
• “There was a day when Democrats, classical liberals, were absolutists on free speech ... The ACLU used to be this way. They're gone.” — Trey (45:30)
• “It should be, how can government make itself better and more efficient ...” — Trey (27:15)
• “We now have a new slave trade, and it's illegal immigrants in the black market.” — Trey (79:42)
• “Hitler is the new fascist. Fascist is the new racist. Racist is the new ... You see where I’m going?” — Trey (110:31)
• “The Democrat and culture is the electricity current of politics. It's culture that ignites political shifts ... And it's happening right now ... stand up to the man, fight the power, and rage against the machine.” — Trey (119:37)

Episode Structure and Timestamps of Key Segments

• [04:00] – Media and the Trump economy
• [17:10] – Callers on immigration and housing
• [24:06] – Florida property taxes and tolls
• [38:03] – John Kerry and the First Amendment
• [45:18] – Democrats’ classical support for free speech vs. current censorship
• [47:40] – AOC & “media literacy”
• [51:30] – German online speech laws
• [57:16] – Gun flags / pride flags debate
• [64:55] – Gambling hypocrisy and Powerball
• [78:22] – Jasmine Crockett, immigration, Dem politics in Texas
• [86:08] – Charlie Kirk’s assassination, left's reaction, and political violence
• [99:35] – Climate summit hypocrisy
• [106:05] – Listener feedback, racism accusations, and label inflation
• [119:14] – Closing reflection: the right as the new counter-culture

Tone & Language

• Radel maintains an irreverent, conversational, and occasionally self-deprecating tone, in line with Glenn Beck’s style. He personalizes big-picture topics with anecdotes, witticisms, and direct engagement with callers.
• Sarcastic and confrontational when addressing leftist hypocrisy, yet earnest about free speech, assimilation, and the need for robust debate.

For First-Time Listeners

If you didn’t catch the live show, this episode offers:

• Insightful, insider perspectives on American politics from someone with both congressional and media experience.
• A critique of how the American left’s view of free speech has dramatically shifted in the past decade.
• Analysis of culture war issues—immigration, economic policy, government hypocrisy, speech, and symbolism—all with a blend of seriousness and satire.
• Recurring engagement with real listener calls, providing a pulse on the conservative base.

End of Summary