2.17.25 Legal Docket on police use of force, Moneybeat on tariffs and government efficiency, and History Book on two men exonerated for murder

Summary

The World and Everything in It – Episode 2.17.25 Summary

Release Date: February 17, 2025

Introduction

In this episode of The World and Everything in It, WORLD Radio delves into three significant topics: a pivotal Supreme Court case on police use of force, economic discussions surrounding tariffs and government efficiency, and a profound historical revelation regarding the exoneration of two men wrongfully convicted for the murder of Malcolm X. Hosted by Mary Reichard and Nick Eichert, the episode offers in-depth analysis, expert interviews, and poignant narratives that shed light on pressing societal issues.

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Legal Docket: Supreme Court's Ruling on Police Use of Force

The episode opens with a compelling exploration of a landmark Supreme Court case addressing the complexities of police use of force. The central issue revolves around whether courts should evaluate police actions based solely on the officer's perceived threat at the moment force is used or consider the broader context leading up to that moment.

Key Highlights:

• Case Background: Sergeant Roberto Felix, a 20-year veteran officer, fatally shot Ashton Barnes during a traffic stop on the Sam Houston Tollway in Houston, Texas. The incident, captured partially on dash cam, raises questions about the reasonableness of Felix's actions under the Fourth Amendment.

• Moment of Threat Doctrine: Lower courts applied the "moment of threat" doctrine, assessing the reasonableness of Felix's perception of imminent danger at the exact moment force was used (00:05). This standard is not uniformly adopted across federal appeals courts, with only four out of twelve adhering to it.

• Arguments and Perspectives:

  • Prosecution (Ashton's Family): Argues that the context leading up to the shooting is crucial. "When an officer creates a dangerous situation, he should not be able to then use that danger to justify deadly force" (10:32). Ashton's mother emphasizes the need for a holistic analysis of the incident.

  • Defense (Officer Felix): Maintains that at the moment of threat, Felix reasonably believed his life was in danger while clinging to the fleeing suspect's vehicle. "He reasonably believed that his life was in imminent danger" (00:05).

  • Supreme Court Justices' Deliberations: Justices grappled with defining "unreasonable." Justice Brett Kavanaugh questioned the reasonableness of Felix's actions to jump onto the car's side, while Justice Samuel Alito highlighted the dual meanings of "reasonable" in legal versus layman's terms (12:34).

• Qualified Immunity: The doctrine protects officers from lawsuits unless they violate clearly established constitutional rights. Lawyer Ben Field from the Institute for Justice suggests that the Supreme Court may remand the case to lower courts to apply the "totality of the circumstances" standard, overcoming the limitations of the "moment of threat" doctrine (14:40).

• Notable Quotes:

  • Ashton's Lawyer, Nathaniel Zelensky: "We need to balance the state's interest to enforce law with the individual's interests not to be harmed" (12:13).
  • Justice Samuel Alito: "The Court has to decide whether there... [unreasonable] has a particular meaning when..." (12:34).

Conclusion: The Supreme Court case is poised to set a national standard for evaluating police use of force, potentially moving away from the fragmented "moment of threat" doctrine towards a more comprehensive "totality of the circumstances" approach. This decision holds profound implications for law enforcement accountability and individual rights across the United States.

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Moneybeat: Navigating Tariffs, Tax Policy, and Government Efficiency

Segment Overview: In the Moneybeat segment, financial analyst David Bonson joins hosts Nick Eichert and Justice to dissect recent economic policies and their impact on the markets and the broader economy.

Key Topics:

1. Tariff Strategies:

   • Administration's Approach: Instead of imposing new tariffs, President Trump directed federal agencies to study reciprocal tariffs, a move that initially eased market tensions but introduced uncertainty.
   • Strategic Uncertainty: Bonson explains that "there is to some degree both things going on, a kind of policy or strategy of uncertainty" (17:56). This approach aims to leverage negotiations but risks shifting economic leverage if uncertainty hampers economic activity.

2. Tax Policy:

   • House Republicans' Framework: A proposed $4.5 trillion tax cut package with mandatory $2 trillion in spending cuts is under discussion. However, concerns linger about whether this package is sufficient and politically feasible (19:16).
   • Potential Extensions: The package may extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts and introduce modifications like a no tax on tips and an increased state and local tax deduction. However, key components such as eliminating taxes on overtime wages and Social Security remain unaddressed.

3. Government Restructuring and Efficiency:

   • Department of Government Efficiency (Doge): The administration's push for rapid government restructuring faces criticism for inaccuracies in agency spending claims, with figures like Elon Musk questioning the feasibility and honesty of Doge's reports (21:46).
   • Challenges Identified by Bonson: While Doge may succeed in removing underperforming employees, systemic budget reductions require legislative action. Bonson warns of the "fire hose" effect, where the rapid pace of reforms overwhelms the public and diminishes the impact of significant changes (22:37).

4. Market Outlook:

   • Current Trends: Despite volatility, the stock market remains up for the year, driven by strong earnings growth. However, concerns about valuations and bond yields introduce uncertainty (24:05).
   • Future Projections: Bonson anticipates continued market performance dependent on whether positive economic indicators are already priced in and the stabilization of bond yields (25:57).

Notable Quotes:

• David Bonson: "The uncertainty provides a little bit of leverage to try to negotiate better deals" (17:56).
• Mark Mellinger: "The media is sort of covering it that way, you know, on purpose" (23:05).
• Ben Field, Institute for Justice: "Qualified immunity is... doing double duty here because the Fourth Amendment test looks into reasonableness" (15:06).

Conclusion: The Moneybeat segment underscores the delicate balance between strategic economic policies and their tangible outcomes. While initiatives like tariff studies and tax reforms aim to bolster economic growth, their success hinges on clear implementation and legislative support. Meanwhile, government efficiency efforts must navigate both political and practical challenges to achieve meaningful reform.

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History Book: Exoneration of Two Men Wrongly Convicted for Malcolm X’s Murder

Segment Overview: The History Book segment offers a poignant recounting of the wrongful conviction and eventual exoneration of Mohammed Abdul Aziz and Khalil Islam, who were implicated in the 1965 assassination of civil rights leader Malcolm X.

Narrative Highlights:

• The Assassination of Malcolm X:

  • On February 21, 1965, Malcolm X was fatally shot at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City during a public address. Amidst chaos, two suspects, Thomas Hagan and two others, were apprehended. Hagan confessed, implicating Aziz and Islam, despite their alibis (30:09).

• Wrongful Conviction:

  • Aziz and Islam, both members of the Nation of Islam and critics of Malcolm X, were convicted based on flawed evidence and coerced testimonies. They spent over five decades in prison, maintaining their innocence throughout (31:27).

• Exoneration:

  • A thorough investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney in 2021 revealed that the FBI and NYPD withheld exculpatory evidence, undermining the integrity of the original trial. This led to the exoneration of Aziz and Islam, with the FBI releasing documents that confirmed their non-involvement (31:44).

• Impact and Reactions:

  • While Aziz has been officially cleared posthumously for Islam, the FBI has yet to issue a formal apology. Malcolm X’s family responded by filing a lawsuit seeking $100 million in damages against the FBI, CIA, and NYPD for their role in the wrongful convictions (32:24).

• Personal Accounts:

  • Aziz, reflecting on his exoneration, stated, "Good name is worth better than fine gold" (32:06), highlighting the profound personal and familial impact of the injustice.

Notable Quotes:

• Mary Reichard: "I saw people crawling on the floor. I knew they had shot my husband" (27:02).
• Thomas Hagan (Confession): “I and four other men were the real killers” (30:18).
• Aziz at 83: “I never lost it. Good name is worth better than fine gold” (32:06).

Conclusion: The exoneration of Mohammed Abdul Aziz and Khalil Islam serves as a stark reminder of the fallibility of the justice system, especially during turbulent political climates. This revelation not only restores the men's legacies but also calls for greater accountability and transparency within law enforcement and governmental agencies to prevent such miscarriages of justice in the future.

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Closing Remarks

This episode of The World and Everything in It masterfully intertwines legal, economic, and historical narratives, offering listeners a comprehensive understanding of each topic's depth and implications. From the Supreme Court's potential shift in evaluating police conduct to the intricate dynamics of current economic policies and the rectification of historical injustices, WORLD Radio continues to provide insightful and impactful journalism grounded in objective truth.

Stay Tuned: Tomorrow’s episode promises further engagement with ongoing global dialogues, including updates on President Trump and President Putin’s talks to end the war in Ukraine, featuring expert opinions and personal stories from those affected by the conflict.

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This summary is based on the transcript provided and encapsulates the key discussions, insights, and conclusions from Episode 2.17.25 of The World and Everything in It. For a more immersive experience, listeners are encouraged to tune into the full episode on Apple Podcasts.

Transcript

[Mary Reichard]

Good morning. The case of a young man shot to death during a traffic check is at the Supreme Court. Do the seconds leading up to that moment matter or only the officer's perceived threat? At the moment Sergeant Felix used force, he was clinging to the side of a fleeing suspect's car and Felix reasonably believed that his life was in imminent danger.

[Nick Eichert]

Also today, the Monday Money beat. David Bonson standing by. We'll talk trade, taxes and more. And later, the this week, a political assassination.

[Mary Reichard]

I saw people crawling on the floor. I knew they had shot my husband. It's Monday, February 17th. This is the world and everything in it. From listener supported World Radio. I'm Mary Reinkert.

[Nick Eichert]

And I'm Nick Icar. Good morning.

[Mary Reichard]

Now news with Mark Mellinger.

[Mark Mellinger]

Top leaders in the Trump administration will be engaging Russian officials in direct talks this week aimed at ending Russia's war with Ukraine. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading the US Delegation in Saudi Arabia where the talks will be happening. This comes on the heels of President Trump's phone call with Russian leader Vladimir Putin last week, after which Trump said the two men agreed to have their teams start negotiations immediately. When it comes to where Putin's stands on the war, Trump says, I think.

[Justice]

He wants to end it and they want to end it fast.

[Mark Mellinger]

Trump also says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will be involved in the talks, but did not elaborate. Ukraine's ambassador to the US Oksana Markarova tells Fox if President Trump will be able to convince them, let's use this.

[David Bonson]

Word to stop this war, God bless him, we all will work together with President Trump and with all administration to do.

[Mark Mellinger]

Zelensky has said in the past he won't accept negotiations about ending the war that don't involve his country. A Ukrainian delegation is in Saudi Arabia to pave the way for a potential Zelensky visit. French President Emmanuel Macron is convening leaders from top European countries in Paris today for what he is calling an emergency working meeting to discuss next steps for Ukraine. Some European allies are concerned they could be sidelined from the US Direct talks with Russia on ending the war in Ukraine. White House National Security adviser Mike Waltz says that is not the case.

[Justice]

I have to push back on this.

[Mark Mellinger]

Any notion that they aren't being consultant? They absolutely are.

[Justice]

And at the end of the day, though, this is going to be under.

[Nick Eichert]

President Trump's leadership that we get this.

[Justice]

War to an end.

[Mark Mellinger]

The US has said it sees this week's talks with Russia in Saudi Arabia as early stage negotiations. And who ends up at the table could change. The White House also says President Trump has spoken recently with Zelensky and Macron, and he'll be talking to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer this week. Secretary of State Marco Rubio offered a show of solidarity with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Sunday. It came during Rubio's first trip to Israel in his new role. While the two leaders celebrated Hamas release of three more hostages over the weekend, they issued a united call for all the hostages from the war in Gaza to come home. And Rubio endorsed Israel's goal in the war to end Hamas as long as.

[Justice]

It stands as a force that can govern or as a force that can.

[Mary Reichard]

Administer, or as a force that can.

[Mark Mellinger]

Threaten by use of violence, peace becomes impossible.

[Mary Reichard]

They must be eliminated. It must be eradicated.

[Mark Mellinger]

Rubio and Netanyahu also discussed President Trump's plan to remove Palestinians from Gaza so the region can be redevelop developed. Netanyahu says he's moving forward with that plan, calling it the only viable plan to enable a different future. At least nine people are dead after severe weather hammered the southeast US over the weekend. Eight of those fatalities came in Kentucky, where heavy rain brought massive flooding. Kentucky governor Andy Beshear so many of.

[Nick Eichert]

These fatalities were due to attempts to drive through water and through moving water.

[Mark Mellinger]

Beshear also says emergency crews carried out at least 1000 rescues of people stranded by the flooding. President Trump has approved a disaster declaration for Kentucky. The storms also toppled trees and caused power outages in several other states, including Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama, where Officials confirmed an EF1 tornado touched down. Rwanda backed rebels are now occupying a second major city in central Africa's Democratic Republic of the Congo, or drc. The rebels took Bukavu, a city of more than a million people, with little resistance from Congo's government. Sunday, African Union leader Bancole Adeoay says.

[Mary Reichard]

We are all very, very concerned about an open regional war over eastern drc.

[Mark Mellinger]

Eastern Congo has trillions of dollars in mineral wealth that's critical for powering much of the world's technology. More than 100 armed groups have been fighting for control of it. That fighting has displaced more than 6 million people and created the world's largest humanitarian crisis. Iran has launched a new crackdown on Christianity and as World's Travis Kerger explains, there are calls for the White house to respond. Two professing Christians in their 60s who were recently pardoned by the Iranian government have been rearrested. That According to Article 18, a United Kingdom based NGO that tracks religious persecution in Iran. Nasser Navard, Gul Dapa and Joseph Shahbazian have both served a combined six years of their ten year prison sentences. Their leadership of house churches led the Iranian government to charge them with actions against national security. Gul De Pa was released in October of 2022 and Shabazyan was freed in September. But According to Article 18, both men were rearrested the morning of February 6 and taken to Tehran's notorious Evin prison. Several other professing Christians in Tehran were also arrested at this time. The reason for their arrests is unclear. Some activists are calling on the Trump administration to take punitive actions against the Iranian government unless it recognizes the religious freedom of Iran's Christian minority. For World I'm Travis Kercher. And I'm Mark Mellinger. Straight ahead, legal standards for police actions, plus tariff strategies and government efficiency in the Monday money beat. This is the world and everything in it.

[Nick Eichert]

It's the world and everything in it for the 17th day of February, 2025. We're so glad you've joined us today. Good morning. I'm Nick Eichert.

[Mary Reichard]

And I'm Mary Reich. Now for legal docket. April 28, 2016. 20 minutes before 3:00 on a Thursday afternoon, 20 year veteran officer Roberto Felix patrols the busy Sam Houston Tollway in Houston, Texas.

[Nick Eichert]

Audio from the dash cam video is difficult to distinguish because of the enormous road noise. Officer Felix pulls over a 24 year old driver named Ashton Barnes. The policeman suspects Barnes is responsible for unpaid tolls.

[Mary Reichard]

The officer asks Barnes to produce a license and proof of insurance. Barnes says he doesn't have them, but looks around the car to search for them.

[Justice]

Don't go digging around.

[Nick Eichert]

Don't dig around.

[Mary Reichard]

Don't dig around.

[Mark Mellinger]

Don't dig around.

[Nick Eichert]

The car door opens, the brake lights appear and at that moment the officer draws his weapon and steps up onto the door sill. As the car lurches forward, the officer carried along.

[Mary Reichard]

Two shots fired. Barnes bleeds to death in the driver's seat. There's no video of what happened inside the car, only outside.

[Nick Eichert]

Barnes parents are heartbroken. The audio from Fox 26, Houston.

[Mark Mellinger]

Ashton was very loving. I can't tell the weather.

[Mary Reichard]

Never thought I would go through anything like this.

[Mark Mellinger]

Days I drive and cry.

[Nick Eichert]

His parents sued, pointing to the words of the Fourth Amendment, alleging the officer took away their son's freedom from unreasonable search and seizure. But lower courts ruled. For Officer Felix, the standard they used was what's known as the moment of threat doctrine. That's the standard. Some parts of the country use now, including Houston. It means judges evaluate how reasonable the officer's actions are in the exact moment he felt threatened.

[Mary Reichard]

Let's review the dash cam. The door opens, the brake lights flash on, meaning it's likely Ashton Barnes is stepping on the brakes to put the car in gear. The brake lights go off, the car accelerates. Officer Felix standing on the door sill, out in the open traffic whizzing by both directions.

[Nick Eichert]

So how do you evaluate the next few seconds? Should courts consider only the moment of threat, or do they take into account whether Felix put himself in danger? Four of the 12 federal appeals courts apply the moment of threat doctrine, including the Fifth Circuit, which decided the Felix case. Eight others reject it, favoring a broader totality of the circumstances approach.

[Mark Mellinger]

We'll hear argument first this morning in.

[Justice]

Case 2312 39, Barnes vs. Felix.

[Mary Reichard]

Taking the case to the Supreme Court, Ashton's mother says what led up to the shooting has to be on the table. Context matters. She argues that when an officer creates a dangerous situation, he should not be able to then use that danger to justify deadly force. Her lawyer, Nathaniel Zelensky, referred to a lower court ruling.

[Nick Eichert]

The question before this court is how.

[Mark Mellinger]

To determine whether Ashton's Fourth Amendment rights were violated. As Judge Higamatham underscored in his concurrence.

[Nick Eichert]

The facts show that Officer Felix acted unreasonably. But this is a court of review, not of first view. The court should rule for petitioner on.

[Justice]

The sole question presented and remand for.

[Mark Mellinger]

The lower courts to apply the correct.

[Mary Reichard]

Constitutional standard, the correct standard being totality of the circumstances. But for Officer Felix. Lawyer Charles McLeod defended the analysis of the lower court. At the moment Sergeant Felix used force, he was clinging to the side of a fleeing suspect's car, and Felix reasonably believed that his life was in imminent danger. That conclusion should end this case. Petitioner's contrary argument attacks strawman. Let me be very clear. We are defending the decision below and the moment of threat doctrine as it actually exists. The core premise of that doctrine is that an officer doesn't lose his right to defend himself just because he made a mistake at an earlier point in time.

[Nick Eichert]

During oral argument, the justices grappled with these competing perspectives. When the lawyer for the family made the point that courts ought not limit their analysis to a split second, Justice Brett Kavanaugh returned to that traffic stop, but he backed up a few seconds in the deadly timeline.

[Mark Mellinger]

Was it reasonable for the officer to jump on the side of the car?

[Nick Eichert]

So Zelensky going on to argue this was exactly the kind of issue lower courts ought to be able to consider. But under the current doctrine, in some jurisdictions they can't. Justice Samuel Alito raised another concern.

[Mary Reichard]

So unreasonable has a particular meaning when.

[Justice]

The Court has to decide whether there.

[Mary Reichard]

Was a Fourth Amendment violation.

[Nick Eichert]

But in lay speech, unreasonable could go.

[Mary Reichard]

To whether the action was prudent, whether.

[Mark Mellinger]

It was a violation of best police.

[Justice]

Practices or the practices of a particular police department.

[Mark Mellinger]

Those are not necessarily the same thing. In fact, it seems that they're probably different.

[Mary Reichard]

So you are eliding these two different meanings of reasonable. Now, maybe that's, maybe that's sound, maybe that's unsound, Zelensky replied. We need to balance the state's interest to enforce law with the individual's interests not to be harmed. Moment of threat analysis does not permit that kind of balancing. But what about totality of circumstances? How far does that standard go? Chief Justice John Roberts how broad is.

[Mark Mellinger]

The totality of circumstances under your view?

[Mary Reichard]

Do you get to put in this is the training record of the officer.

[Justice]

And looking at D minuses in all.

[Mark Mellinger]

The excessive force parts of it? Is that part of the totality as you view it?

[Mary Reichard]

No, you, Honor, we don't view that as relevant. Those sorts of policies and procedures do not inform the reasonableness question that is being asked by the Fourth Amendment.

[Nick Eichert]

But an unusual thing happened as this case got to the Supreme Court. Felix's legal team abandoned the moment of threat doctrine that won them the case so far. They went ahead and shifted their argument and now embrace a totality of circumstances analysis. So both sides now argue for the same standard. But that's still not the end of the case. Disagree on how the standard applies.

[Mary Reichard]

Justice Neil Gorsuch raised an even bigger question.

[Nick Eichert]

We've always said reasonableness is a totality of the circumstances and a common law. These are all questions for the jury. And you also have layered on top of the Fourth Amendment qualified immunity to protect the officers in these cases. Why would we. Why would we start creating a new jurisprudence of exceptional circumstances?

[Mary Reichard]

Qualified immunity is a whole other can of worms. That doctrine protects police officers from lawsuits unless they violate what are understood to be clearly established constitutional rights. What's clear, what's established, it's complicated. I called up lawyer Ben Field with the Institute for Justice. That's a firm that's worked on the problem of qualified immunity, leaving people without recourse when police violate their rights.

[Justice]

But I think that one thing that this shows is that at least in.

[Mary Reichard]

Fourth Amendment cases like this, qualified immunity.

[Justice]

Is kind of doing is doing double.

[Mary Reichard]

Duty here because the Fourth Amendment test looks into reasonableness. And so that's already very, very deferential to officers. Field thinks justices will send the case back to lower court to apply the totality of the circumstances standard to the facts of this case. I think that's right, given that both sides now agree on the standard. But it's going to come down to how it applies.

[Justice]

Thank you, counsel. The case is submitted.

[Mary Reichard]

This case is not just about one police officer and one suspect. It's about how courts analyze police shootings nationwide. There is no uniform standard and the court is likely finally to provide one. And that's this week's legal docket.

[Mark Mellinger]

Additional support comes from Covenant College in.

[Nick Eichert]

Georgia, providing an uncompromising biblical education where.

[Mark Mellinger]

Students explore calling and career more at covenant. Edu World from Pensacola Christian College Academic Excellence Biblical Worldview Affordable Cost go pcci Edu World and from Ridge Haven Camp and Retreat centers in Brevard, North Carolina and Cono, Iowa camp and year round retreat [e-mail].

[Mary Reichard]

Coming up next on THE WORLD and everything in it, the Monday MONEY beat.

[Nick Eichert]

All right. It's time now to talk business markets and the economy with financial analyst and advisor David Bonson. David heads up the wealth management firm the Bonson Group, and he is here now. David, good morning.

[Justice]

Well, good morning, Nick. Good to be with you.

[Nick Eichert]

So last week, David, the president made headlines with an announcement on tariffs, but instead of imposing new ones, he directed, directed federal agencies to study reciprocal tariffs. Markets reacted positively, seemingly relieved. No immediate action was taken. But overall, there seems to be some confusion around the administration's trade policy. Is this kind of uncertainty an intentional negotiating strategy, do you think, or does it reflect a lack of clear direction?

[Justice]

Well, I think that there is to some degree both things going on, a kind of policy or strategy of uncertainty. And to the extent that some of the objectives involve negotiating around other policy objectives, then that's sort of intentional. The uncertainty provides a little bit of leverage to try to negotiate better deals. I think that what happens in terms of some of the trade situations is that if the uncertainty grows to a point that it's hurting economic activity, then it moves the leverage from the US to the counterparty. It makes us much more anxious to get a deal done than the other party. And that's probably what the economic team has to avoid. But yeah, I think that there's no question that right now there is a lot of uncertainty and there's just as we've talked about in recent weeks, there's a little bit of confusion as to what exactly some of the policy objectives may be. What I don't think is confusion is that the president wants to use the threat of tariffs and that the president has not shown he actually wants to use tariffs.

[Nick Eichert]

All right, David. Well, let's turn to tax policy. House Republicans have settled on a framework that includes a four and a half trillion dollar tax cut package with required spending cuts. What is the latest on that and what hurdles remain?

[Justice]

Well, there was good, I think, progress made last week, at least in terms of their ability to get out of Budget, Finance Committee, the framework of a package whereby assuming the whole House passes it, they do have a vision for a one bill approach and the dollar amount they've settled on is 4.5 trillion. However, that requires 2 trillion of spending cuts to the mandatory spending category, which would likely mean some form of reform or kind of changing around of how certain Medicaid and Medicare things are funded or certain growth expectations are perhaps taken back, things like that. And for every dollar they don't cut of that 2 trillion that comes off of the 4 1/2 trillion of available tax cuts. So there's sort of two concerns out there. Well, really there's three concerns. The first is are they going to be able to get this through the House and get it reconciled at conference with the Senate? Because if that falls apart politically, then they likely go forward with a two bill approach that the Senate is pushing. But assuming they thread the needle and get this done politically, Nick, the concern is will they come up with those spending cuts? Will they be able to do that? And then is even the 4.5 trillion large enough? It basically leaves enough room to extend the Trump tax cuts from 2017 and maybe pass the no tax on tips, a little bit of salt cap, increase the state and local tax deduction, but certainly doesn't come close to leaving enough room for no tax on overtime wages, no tax on Social Security, some of the other business tax reductions. So House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith was critical that the four and a half trillion won't be enough and the 4.5 trillion isn't even guaranteed. So there's still more wood to chop here for sure, not the least of which is whether or not they're going to even get this through the House.

[Nick Eichert]

All right, David. The administration has really been pushing hard for and moving fast on government restructuring and efficiency reforms, of course, with the Department of Government Efficiency leading the charge. But in recent days, Doge has faced some criticism for inaccuracies in some of its claims about Agency spending. Elon Musk took some of that criticism and he said, you know, nobody's going to bat a thousand or words to that effect. But all this does raise some questions about whether the rapid fire approach is actually delivering results or just generating headlines. And now some bad headlines. Do you see these efforts leading to meaningful reform or is there a risk of spreading too thin and losing focus?

[Justice]

Well, there are definitely gonna be some things that they accomplish. And I think that when you find government employees who are not performing, not going to work, and they quit or leave or you force them out, then that accomplishes something. But trying to drive a more efficient process from the people who work for government is different than actually reducing line items in the budget. And there's nothing Doge' doing to basically add back into the budget. You know, we've committed to spend 100 billion and now we no longer need to spend 100 billion for Congress to remove that. It would take exactly that, an act of Congress. But I do think that they are shining a light in certain things that are inefficient. One of the risks when you take a kind of we got to blow it up type approach and go after 5, 10 things a day is it is sort of like drinking through a fire hose for people to process what's going on, but also to kind of then appreciate some of the things that get done. And in trying to do too much too quickly, you do run the risk of none of it really resonating. So I think that they'll be better off to really focus on three big victories and hit those points home. It feels a little bit chaotic right now, and people can say, well, that's because the way the media is covering it, but the media is sort of covering it that way, you know, on purpose. So it's up to them to message it in a way that offers clarity.

[Nick Eichert]

All right, David, before we go, we've not talked markets in a few weeks and we've seen a fair amount of market volatility a month into this quarter, but stocks are still up overall. What is driving that and what's your outlook going forward?

[Justice]

Yeah, it's been an interesting start to the first quarter in markets and the markets have had a fair amount of volatility, but what they haven't really had is significant downward pressure. Markets are up on the year even where some of the big tech and so called magnificent seven names have not been leading the way. Other aspects of the market are still doing quite well, but nothing is really breaking out per se. But I think that the earnings results of first quarter are going to show, you know, about 11% profit growth year over year, about 5% revenue growth. So there's no question that that kind of economic activity that is evidenced in both top line sales and in bottom line profits has gone. Well. I will continue to reiterate as much as I have to. The bigger question is not really company performance fundamentals as valuation. It's just are some of these good things already priced in and perhaps priced in and then some? That's the big question in markets. Bond yields were all over the place a little bit here this last week and I think the 10 year bond yield becomes a big question for both valuations in the stock market, but also some sort of indication of where growth and inflation expectations lie. So there's a little bit of volatility there in the bond yield and by the way, uncertainty about tariffs and uncertainty about what our tax reform is going to be that is connected to some of the volatility in the bond market as well.

[Nick Eichert]

All right, David Bonson, founder, managing partner and chief investment officer of the Bonson Group, David Reitz at Dividend Cafe and regularly for World Opinions. David, thanks. I hope you have a great week.

[Justice]

Thanks so much, Nick.

[Nick Eichert]

Today is Monday, February 17th. Good morning. This is the world and everything in it from Listener supported World Radio. I'm Nick Iker.

[Mary Reichard]

And I'm Mary Reichard. Time now for the World History book. It was 60 years ago that a controversial civil rights activist was gunned down in front of a crowd. The suspected killers were quickly arrested, but many people did not see what they thought they saw that day. And only recently, a fresh look at the evidence uncovered the truth. World's Emma Purley has the story.

[Nick Eichert]

I was sitting in the front row. I heard a rumbling behind me.

[Mary Reichard]

My next impression, it'll happen very rapidly.

[Mark Mellinger]

As you can understand, is of a gunshot.

[David Bonson]

That witness has just seen a murder. As he tells his story to AP News, a crowd gathers around him, their mouths open in shock. They're waiting to hear the fate of Malcolm X.

[Nick Eichert]

And I saw Malcolm had his hand up. He said, stay cool, stay calm, or something like that.

[Mary Reichard]

And just then the gunfire went off. I turned around quickly and the next thing I saw was Malcolm falling back in a dead frame.

[David Bonson]

For months, Malcolm has been saying that someone is after him. After all, he spent years in controversial activism around the country, including in the heart of the segregated South. Unlike Martin Luther King Jr. Who promotes nonviolent protests, Malcolm believes violence may be a necessary tool to end racism. Malcolm is a devout Muslim, and for more than a decade, he was part of the Nation of Islam, an organization that blended black nationalism and the teachings of Islamic Audio here from a 1963 interview with Malcolm at UC Berkeley.

[Mark Mellinger]

As Muslims, we believe that separation is the best way and the only sensible way, not integration.

[Mary Reichard]

But on the other hand, when we.

[Mark Mellinger]

See our people being brutalized by white bigots, white racists, we think that they.

[Mary Reichard]

Are foolish to allow themselves to be.

[Mark Mellinger]

Beaten and brutalized and do nothing whatsoever to protect themselves. They should have the right to defend themselves against any attack made against them by anyone.

[David Bonson]

But in 1964, Malcolm becomes disillusioned with the Nation of Islam after its leader admits to molesting young girls. So he splits from it and publicly denounces the organization as a racist pseudo religion. Malcolm knows now that he's made the wrong people angry. So it's no wonder that his life may be in even more danger. Then it happens. Malcolm and his family escape attempted murder on Valentine's Day 1965. Someone firebombs their house. Thankfully, no one is hurt, but they wouldn't be safe for long. A week later, on February 21, Malcolm arrives at the Audubon Ballroom in New York City to give an address. His four daughters and wife Betty sit in the front row. She has twin babies on the way. Just as Malcolm takes the stage, the gunfire begins. Betty immediately throws herself over her children. Audio courtesy of a CNN special Report.

[Mary Reichard]

I heard shots and I saw people crawling on the floor. I saw. And so I got down too. Then when I was looking out and I saw someone look in amazement to the front, I knew they had shot my husband.

[David Bonson]

In the frenzy, the gunmen joined the crowd, stampeding towards the exits. Audio here from a Smithsonian Channel documentary.

[Mary Reichard]

Almost immediately after the shooting, New York.

[Nick Eichert]

City police apprehended two suspects. One identified by police is 22 year old Thomas Hagan.

[Mark Mellinger]

He was caught outside the building, was shot in the thigh by one of Malcolm's bodyguards, and then beaten by anybody who could reach him with fist or foot.

[David Bonson]

Malcolm is taken across the street to the hospital where he's pronounced dead. He was shot 21 times. Of the two apprehended, the wounded suspect, Thomas Hagan, is the most likely culprit. He has a gun and he's an outspoken member of the Nation of Islam. Critical of Malcolm X. Eyewitnesses give the police enough evidence to arrest two other men, Mohammed Abdul Aziz and Khalil Islam, who also belong to the Nation of Islam. The police figure it's an open and shut case and yet only Hagan actually confesses to the murder, saying that Aziz and Islam weren't involved at all. In fact, Hagan insists that he and four other men were the real killers. But a 1966 trial finds Hagan, Aziz and Islam guilty. Even though Aziz and Islam have alibis and the eyewitness testimony is sketchy, they're locked away 20 years to life. Aziz and Islam maintain their innocence. They're paroled in the late 1980s. Then in 2021, new evidence corroborates their claims. From Good Morning America.

[Mary Reichard]

Two of the men convicted in his killing are set to be exonerated. The stunning development comes after a nearly two year long investigation by the Manhattan District attorney concluded that the FBI and NYPD withheld evidence that might have proved their innocence decades ago.

[David Bonson]

The FBI releases documents that prove Aziz and Islam had no connection to the murder. After all, the news is too little too late for Islam, who passed away in 2009. But 83 year old Aziz finally gets his name cleared after 55 years. He spoke with ABC News in 2022.

[Mary Reichard]

You've gotten your good name back.

[Mark Mellinger]

Well, I never lost it.

[Mary Reichard]

Other people did what they did with it, but I never lost my name. Good name is worth is better than fine gold.

[Mark Mellinger]

So this name is gold. Better than gold.

[David Bonson]

The FBI files revealed how nine undercover agents who were witnesses to the murder withheld evidence of the real attacker's identity. The Manhattan District Attorney formally apologized to Aziz's, Islam's and Malcolm's families for the miscarriage of justice. But the FBI has so far refused to do the same. Malcolm's family filed a lawsuit last year against the FBI, CIA and NYPD seeking $100 million in damages. That's this week's world history book. I'm Emma Perley.

[Nick Eichert]

Tomorrow, President Trump and Russian President Putin continue their talks on ending the war in Ukraine. We will talk with a couple of experts about the likelihood of success and how are Ukrainians feeling about it. We'll hear from people who fled the conflict. That and more tomorrow. I'm Nick Eichert.

[Mary Reichard]

And I'm Mary Reichert. The world and everything in it comes to you from World Radio. World's mission is biblically objective journalism that informs, educates and inspires. Jesus said no one after lighting a lamp, covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known and come to light. Take care then. How you hear for to the one who has more will be given, and from the one who has not even what he thinks that he has will be taken away. Verses 16 through 18 of Luke chapter 8 go now in grace and peace.