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Sean Hannity
This is an iHeart podcast. Hello it is Ryan. And we could all use an extra bright spot in our day, couldn't we? Just to make up for things like sitting in traffic, doing the dishes, counting your steps. You know, all the mundane stuff. That is why I'm such a big fan of Chumba Casino. Chumba Casino has all your favorite social casino style games that you can play for free, anytime, anywhere with daily bonuses. So sign up now@chumbacasino.com that's chumbacasino.com no purchase necessary.
Kurt Couchman
VGW Group void web prohibited by law 21 + terms and conditions apply hey.
Sean Hannity
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Kurt Couchman
This medal is for the men who went down that day on Medal of.
Sean Hannity
Honor Stories of courage. You'll hear about these heroes and what their stories tell us about the nature of bravery. Listen to Medal of Honor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast where we're coming to.
Kurt Couchman
Your city.
Sean Hannity
Gonna play our guitars and sing you a country. And if you want a little bang in your yin yang, come along.
Kurt Couchman
I don't think that we should have billionaires because frankly, it is so much money in a moment of such inequality.
Sean Hannity
This isn't just about Mr. Mamdani as an individual. This is about the message that the people of New York City are trying to send to our party.
Kurt Couchman
What do you think the message is?
Sean Hannity
People want to be able to afford to dream and they want a government that bets on them.
Kurt Couchman
Freedom is back in style. Welcome to the revolution.
Sean Hannity
The new Sean Hannity show. More behind the scenes information on breaking news and more bold, inspired SOL for America, our two Sean Hannity show toll free. It is 800-941-Sean, if you want to be a part of the program. All right, so with the one big beautiful bill being passed in the Senate now, it will go to the House. Plans now as of today are that it will be debated and voted on hopefully tomorrow and hopefully passed. And there's more good in it. But as I said both on radio yesterday, on TV last night, there are a lot of provisions, policies I don't like and there's a lot more cutting that I want to see. And I think that, but with that said, this legislation, you know, the, it'll be the largest tax cut in American history and Democrats will be voting for the largest tax increase in American history. The bill also eliminates taxes on tips and overtime. 88% of seniors will not pay taxes on Social Security as a result of this bill. There is a misnomer and a myth. Oh, these tax cuts, we can't afford them, we've got to pay for them. Which is the argument that some of my friends make. And I'm like, no, you're wrong. Because Reagan cut taxes from 70 to 28%. The top marginal rate and revenues to the federal government actually doubled the bill, not perfectly, but it eliminates, you know, it tackles waste, fraud and abuse. And Medicaid creates a new work requirement for able bodied Americans. You know, just to fact check it, there's been a lot of demagoguery going on and thank God most Americans, unlike me, were asleep last night. You know, oh, only the wealthy benefit from the, from the tax cuts. Well, we're going to introduce you to Kurt Couchman, a senior fellow in fiscal policy for Americans for Prosperity. And he points out it doesn't make it true. Cuz they say it. The 2017 tax cuts and Jobs act helped all Americans, not just a fortunate few. It lowered taxes across every income level and simplified, you know, filing by doubling the standard deduction and adjusting it annually for inflation. The bill cuts Medicaid for people who rely on it. That's another lie. The reforms to Medicaid and the one big beautiful bill aren't about cuts. They're focused on fixing a broken system to better serve the people that need it most. And you know, and putting in work requirements for able bodied people. You know, I thought, you know, it is the reform that has been necessary for a long time. The idea that Medicaid and Medicare, you get the same service, you literally pay nine times more in some cases for the exact same medical procedure if you're getting Medicare versus Medicaid, it's insane. And the idea that tax cuts somehow. Oh no, it's going to explode the deficit. Well, no, hopefully it's not going to explode the deficit because again, Reagan doubled revenues by cutting taxes and that's what happens every time you cut taxes. But Trump's first three years in office, when he cut taxes, it created record low after record low unemployment for every American. For African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, women in the workplace, African American youth unemployment. That would be inclusive. That would be one that's helping working men and women. Democrats voted against what they want to keep taxing tips to the maximum level and tax overtime to the maximum level and not incentivize people to work harder. That's insane. And this is a great first step. I want to see other things. I didn't like the salt deduction and the bill, but on measure it's having been up all night, we did not have the votes by 8am this morning because I was up talking to senators all night. They did not have the votes as of 8am this morning. And then people say, well, you know, this is unfortunately the way the swamp works, but it is the most conservative bill I've seen in my lifetime. Kurt Couchman with U.S. senior fellow, fiscal Policy at Americans for Prosperity. How are you, sir?
Kurt Couchman
Hey, Sean, I'm doing well. That was all very well said and I'm glad to be with you today.
Sean Hannity
All right. You have studied all of this and you know, a lot of the demagoguery that we heard is like the typical, you know, language that we hear every two and four years during elections that Republicans are racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic. They want dirty air and water and they want grandma and grandpa to eat dog and cat food before Donald Trump throws them over a cliff in a wheelchair. And when they say, and they were out there saying this only benefits the wealthy, that's a lie. When they said this bill cuts Medicaid for the people who rely on it, that's a lie. That it will explode the deficit. You point out all three of those are major lies.
Kurt Couchman
Yeah, that's absolutely true. The tax cuts in this bill build on the 2017 tax cuts. And those have benefited all Americans, sometimes directly through your personal income taxes, but also through making investments more profitable and more investment going into the economy increases our productivity and also our wages. There are provisions in this that will improve health care for all Americans. It will shift resources from the inefficient low value green energy nonsense into the energy resources that will make electricity cheaper for all Americans and drive manufacturing and innovation all across the country.
Sean Hannity
Well, there's other things that the President's doing that will benefit the economy also. It seems to have gone unnoticed by most in the legacy media, but nobody really pays attention to them anymore anyway. But I think it's a big deal that the President has made this push and it's part of this bill to push America towards energy dominance. Not only will that make us an energy rich country and result in a lot of revenues that we're really not planning on, but similarly create high paying career jobs in the energy sector. The President was able to secure through his trade policy and tariff policy, over $10 trillion in manufacturing commitments for the next four years and in critical national security areas like pharmaceuticals and semiconductor chips, but also auto manufacturing. That's a big win again for American workers and that's high paying career jobs and they won't be competing with Biden Harris illegals that are being deported every day.
Kurt Couchman
Yeah, there are a lot of things going on right now. The administration is doing many, many different things that are good for the country, good for growth. This bill also includes a lot, and it's not the only effort to restrain spending and get the spending and the debt under control. We had a full year continuing resolution that reduced appropriations compared to the economy. President Trump has requested rescissions, which is canceling appropriated spending. That's wasteful. That we don't need. The House has passed that. It's sitting in the Senate. That should be the next thing they take up and pass, cut wasteful spending. There's more rescissions, requests coming. There are savings the Trump administration could do on its own just by changing some of the regulations for some of these programs. And then there's fixing the whole system. You know, the federal budget system is totally dysfunctional and broken. It's amazing that we can get the good things that we're getting this year, given that. But imagine if we had a functional budget system, like all the incredible things that Congress could actually deliver along with President Trump for the American people.
Sean Hannity
Let me ask you about this. I know that there are some congressmen and maybe justifiably so, and I understand it. But on the other hand, it is what it is that are frustrated. They weren't up all night talking to senators as I was. And I'm just telling you, I'm giving you, you know how the sausage is made. We did not have the votes at 8am this morning. And then finally push came to shove and it was like, okay, finally they got the last vote that they needed. I'm not going to get into personality. So the changes that were made, correct me if I'm wrong. This bill in the Senate, which never in my lifetime can I think of another instance where this happened, saves more money than the House bill. And some Republican congressmen are upset that any changes were made. But the problem is the Senate has this parliamentarian and this process called reconciliation, which caused them to have to make some changes. Not really much different, in my view, from what the House passed.
Kurt Couchman
Yeah, there are a lot of great savings in the House passed version. There are a lot of great savings in the Senate passed version. There have been so many changes that we're still digesting what they've all been. And of course, we need to wait for the scorekeepers to come out and say how much each provision saves or costs or whatever. But there's a lot of really good, important things in there. You touched on the border security and the other defense pieces. One of the things that's really important about that is that avoided having to make a deal with the Democrats when we did the full year continuing resolution earlier in the year, that would have been crazy expensive. And so we were able to get those resources where they were needed without having to make a deal. There are a lot of things that will have dynamic effects. There are expansions in health savings accounts and direct primary care that will help to transform our health care system over the coming years and decades. And of course, there's just so much more that needs to be done. We do have too much spending, but there are narrow margins in the House and the Senate. And so this was probably the best that could have been agreed to under these circumstances. And it's also important to compare that to what would have happened if these tax cuts had to be extended in a bipartisan deal at the end of the year. A lot of the great reforms that we're seeing would be totally impossible. There'd be no way you could get rid of the Biden green energy stuff. You couldn't make the substantive changes to health care. You couldn't overhaul the student loan program. You couldn't expand the provisions that will lead to more investments that make Americans better off. So passing or not passing this bill would end up being, would end up leading to a far worse deal because it would have to be done with Democrats and on every dimension, whether it's fiscal or the policies or anything else, it would be inferior to what is currently on the table. And going to the House.
Sean Hannity
No, I totally agree with you. And again, there are opportunities and I'm not going to count on it. I'm not going to be naive because I've followed this process for far too long. But there's a window of opportunity here to get all these good things in the bill, from border security and deportation money and defense spending that is desperately needed for the next generation of weaponry to energy issues to tax cuts that are permanent, to really looking out for working men and women in the service industry. And it just, it has a lot of good things in there. The energy sector is another one. Those are things that are desperately needed. I'll take those as a win now and hopefully they'll come back and do even more.
Kurt Couchman
That's right. Take the win. Keep coming back. And there's just a lot more work to do. But this is something that is right there, ready to go. So let's do it right now and then let's keep working at it. I mean, Congress is not, you know, we've done the one thing and now we're done. No, no, there's a lot more on the agenda that will need to be done in the coming months and years.
Sean Hannity
I totally agree with all of that. We appreciate your time. Anyway, Kurt Couchman, Senior Fellow, Fiscal Policy, Americans for Prosperity thank you, sir.
Kurt Couchman
Thanks for having me, Sean. Good to be with you. Hey, Matt Gaetz here. Listen, if you've been wanting to get your hands on Ivermectin, mebenzadol or hydroxychloroquine, now's your chance to celebrate Independence Day. All Family Pharmacy just launched their biggest sale ever. Buy one, get one Free on these essential meds. Ivermectin, Hydroxychloroquine, Mebenzadol. That means if you order 30 capsules, they'll send you 30 more for free. You want 90, you get 90 more completely free. No catch, no insurance, no extra steps required. And it's with the doctor's prescription included. This is the kind of access most pharmacies stopped offering a long time ago. But All Family Pharmacy is doing things.
Sean Hannity
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Kurt Couchman
Course, affordable and giving you the freedom to choose. They believe everyone should have access to the meds they want in their cabinet without gatekeepers getting in the way. So if you've been meaning to stock.
Sean Hannity
Up, now's the time. This is buy one get one free.
Kurt Couchman
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Sean Hannity
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Kurt Couchman
Thank you, Sean, for taking my calls. My first time I've ever gotten on. I'm just concerned about the increased deficit. I hear up to 4 trillion. And the spending cuts are delayed after supposedly after Trump's second term.
Sean Hannity
But no, that's not actually true because the spending cuts are ongoing with Doge and they're trying to weed out in every department. And Doge has not stopped since Elon Musk left. Always fraud, abuse and corruption. And, you know, last week, for example, they, they came up with billions of dollars in discoveries. I mean, it's insane.
Kurt Couchman
Well, concerns me, from what my reading is that Social Security will be cut by 23% for everybody.
Sean Hannity
And who told you that that's not true? 88% of seniors. No, they're not getting cuts. They're getting increases. And they won't pay taxes on Social Security.
Kurt Couchman
Well, now they're talking eight years down the future. It'll be.
Sean Hannity
I'm asking a question. Where did you hear this? Who's telling you this?
Kurt Couchman
Wall Street Journal. And check it out, the New York Times. Both of them said the same thing. 23.
Sean Hannity
Well, the new York Times isn't worth the paper it's printed on, number one. Number two, I agree with that.
Kurt Couchman
I agree with that.
Sean Hannity
But, yeah, you know, look, there is an assumption, and I think this is where a lot of people make mistakes, is that when you cut taxes, and I think you would agree cutting taxes on hardworking Americans is a good thing, right? I believe that eliminating tax on tips and social and overtime, or at least reducing them greatly, I think that's a good thing. Would you agree with that?
Kurt Couchman
Yes, yes.
Sean Hannity
And making the tax cut permanent, that's a good thing rather than the largest tax increase in history, which would happen if this bill expired.
Kurt Couchman
My biggest concern is increasing the debt is another $4 trillion.
Sean Hannity
But here's, here's, you're right. And I see the numbers like you do. Let me tell you what's not factored in. Tell me what happened when Reagan dropped the top marginal rate from 70 to 28%. What happened to revenues to the federal government while he was president? Do you know?
Kurt Couchman
Yeah, they increased.
Sean Hannity
No, they didn't increase. They doubled.
Kurt Couchman
Okay, well.
Sean Hannity
And, and and we ended up with 21 million new jobs and the longest period of peacetime economic growth in history. When Trump first implemented the tax cuts in 2017, what happened to the economy? We had three incredible years with record low after record low unemployment because of all the money that was being invested, because it was saved. And then that results in more revenues to the government. The problem is they take in more money and then Congress spends more money. Now there's more that they can do. But to not take the tax cuts and to not take the money invested in securing our border, getting rid of criminal illegals, not putting reforms in Medicaid, etcetera, Not bringing out the next generation of weaponry and investing in defense and energy dominance, I think would be a mistake. The opportunity would be missed. And I would just tell you, having been up all night, that this is the best they were going to get out of the Senate warrior calls on the other side. All right, let's get to our busy telephones. Kelly, in my free state of Florida, Alligator Alcatraz. The big Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis were there today. It was great. What's going on? How are you, Kelly?
Kurt Couchman
Hey, I'm doing great up here in the red of, the red of Fort Myers. Anyways, I just wanted to call.
Sean Hannity
I love Fort Myers. I know you guys got whacked, right? Really hard, as has the city come back after that hurricane wiped out a.
Kurt Couchman
Lot of the coastal areas, A lot of it, surprisingly. Yes. It's taken. It's going on two years now, but the downtown area is back up and running. A lot of businesses are going on.
Sean Hannity
I'm glad to hear that. I really am. The people in Fort Myers are great.
Kurt Couchman
Yes. So just called Sit There, say, hey. Your show was great on Saturday night. I enjoyed it.
Sean Hannity
Thank you.
Kurt Couchman
I. I sat two rows behind this wonderful bombshell Blonde, I think her name.
Sean Hannity
I wonder who.
Kurt Couchman
But yeah, it was. It was an excellent show. It's a shame they have people on the east coast. Couldn't see it. But, you know, Saturday now we're gonna re.
Sean Hannity
We're rescheduling that. We're gonna. We'll probably do it because a lot of people go away for the summer. We'll probably do it in the early fall, but we're definitely doing it. Just had unforeseen circumstances. Life happens, unfortunately. And I feel bad that people were, you know, I just feel. I never want to let anybody down ever.
Kurt Couchman
Right.
Sean Hannity
We're doing it. We're definitely going to do it.
Kurt Couchman
Great. Yeah. And, you know, hey, maybe next time down here in Fort Myers. I'll tell you this. Red of red and, and you'll handle. You probably won't have the two protesters which were sitting out there Saturday night. Hey, you had it.
Sean Hannity
Oh, there were two protesters outside. Yeah.
Kurt Couchman
You had two protesters.
Sean Hannity
We had the one liberal inside. I kept, kept going at him until he finally said, all right, I give up. I'm a conservative. I agree with you.
Kurt Couchman
That was funny. But yes, excellent, excellent show. And I hope that poor guy got his jacket back from Jimmy after Jimmy mogged him for it.
Sean Hannity
That's probably Jimmy's. Jimmy is a pro. And look, I did my level best on the comedy side and had fun doing it and love being around great Americans like you that make the country great every day.
Kurt Couchman
Hey, you're very welcome.
Sean Hannity
What a beautiful. What a beautiful hall. Ruth Eckerd hall was beautiful. Packed to the brim. It wasn't an empty seat in the house. It was great.
Kurt Couchman
No.
Sean Hannity
All right, my friend. God bless you. Appreciate it. All right, this is going to be interesting. Mac in Texas, a Marxist Mandani supporter. What's up, Mac? Tell me why you support the Marxist and global intifada and there shouldn't be any billionaires and we should take over the means of production. I've got a new cut we're going to play on TV tonight. Apparently wants to buy up large parcels of land and have community, you know, communes for people.
Kurt Couchman
Hello, sir. The. The reason I called in is I think you were being way too hard on him because he, at least he comes out and he tells you what he is. He tells you that he's a socialist, communist, anti Semite, anti capitalist guy and too many rhinos in the Republican Party that they don't. You don't know who they are until they get elected and then they screw up the works. I am not a supporter of Zoran Momdonnie. I just, I just, I do admire him for coming straight out and saying what he is.
Sean Hannity
Yeah, but he really doesn't come straight out. I mean, he had three opportunities over the weekend to condemn. Like, for example, if I asked you, Mackinto, Texas, do you condemn racism?
Kurt Couchman
Yes, I do. Of course.
Sean Hannity
Of course you do. If I asked you, do you condemn anti Semitism?
Kurt Couchman
Yes, I do. But also here in America.
Sean Hannity
Well, he was given three opportunities to do so. And based on some of his other previous remarks and events that he attended, I think it's pretty obvious where he stands. And that makes him, as far as I'm concerned, you know, a guy that is radicalized and extreme to the maximum level and you're just applauding his honesty. But then, you know, here's the danger we have as a country is that this is what the Democratic Party as a whole now has evolved into. That scares me.
Kurt Couchman
That is true. There are a lot of anti Semites in the Democratic Party. That's why he doesn't denounce it. Those people are voting for him.
Sean Hannity
And well, that's the bigger picture. I'm trying to get people to understand. His party is now run by Mamdani Marxist Mondami. It's run by aoc, Jasmine Crockett, the Squad, Grandpa Bernie, Pocahontas. And there's a reason why you don't hear from Hakeem Jeffries or Chucky Schumer is because they're scared to death of their own base. And where they would previously in a past life, they would have condemned it outright. The party now is just owned by the radicals, which maybe is a good thing. The American people see it. We learned a lot about Kamala Harris. You know, in the last election we saw Joe Biden leave wide open borders and then lie to us, lie about his cognitive state, lie about the economy. And we see with, you know, Kamala Harris, she wants taxpayer funded sex change operations for illegals. You know, her running mate wanted taxpayer funded education, college education for illegals. Also wanted to put tampons in boys bathrooms and schools and grammar schools and also supports gender affirming care without parental consent. That is the party on top of the Marxism and statism and radicalism, the party that tolerated no problem tolerating violence against Elon Musk, the party that remained silent in the summer of 2020 in the case of Kamala, didn't just remain silent. She stood in solidarity with the rioters. And the party that you know is tolerating virulent anti Semitism. And I just think as long as the American people are fully aware of who they are and how bad they've gotten, you know, I don't think I've done a good enough job. I've got, we've got to, we've got to spread the word because we have a midterm coming up in 18 months and you may think that's a long way away. It's going to be here in a blink of an eye and we'll be doing our election countdown in six months and this is going to be probably the most important midterm in our life. Otherwise we're going to spend the two, the two years after the 26 election. You know, dealing with impeachment. Impeachment, impeachment. Not good. Anyway, my friend, appreciate the call. Todd, Louisiana, next on the Sean Hannity Show. What's up, Todd?
Kurt Couchman
Good afternoon, John. I was just like watching the whole debate thing and Schumer and the fact that he just sits there and lies and lies and lies. If a Republican had done that, I mean, you would have helped him run a model out of Washington. But Schumer sits there for telling the lies about Biden for four years, basically. And then they comes back and it gets caught in a bald face lie. And they ask him about it. He says, well, we're just ready to move on now.
Sean Hannity
They don't tell you the truth. I mean, that's the bottom line. And if you want to know why the Democratic Party, this is an amazing thing. They're like scratching their heads and they have no idea why they lost the last election. And I just ran through a series of reasons why. They're the party of woke elites. We saw this on display in the Senate. They claim to be the party of working men and women. Then why did they vote for the largest tax hike in American history? Why wouldn't they vote to cut taxes on working men and women? No tax on tips, no tax on overtime. Why wouldn't they vote for those things? Why did they leave the border wide open and lie to us? Why do they support or champion the rights of men to play women's sports rather than protect women? You know, why are they the party that's against energy dominance but they're perfectly fine with us importing energy? I mean, it's the lifeblood of the world's economy. Why are they the party that depleted our Defense Department and put us in a hole that we have to now dig ourselves out of a gap of vulnerability that like when Reagan was president, I mean, it's on every one of these issues, they're radical and they're wrong and they just care about wokeness and getting pronouns and gender affirming care and all these other issues. And they're not focused on the people, the vast, overwhelming 99% of Americans that just want a better life for themselves and their children. Yeah, Pretty spectacular. Yeah. What?
Kurt Couchman
And on the border, they're coming out and they're saying, oh, Trump is against border security because he didn't want to go. He didn't. He told everybody to vote against her boondoggle of a bill. And then he's already proven it that they were lying, that they were not even trying to secure the border. They were Just gaslighting the American public. And, and I just, I'm just thankful that we got places to go to listen to somebody that actually makes sense. I mean, every now and then you have to give an Econ 101 lesson to some of your listeners, which I don't understand, but.
Sean Hannity
Oh, I mean, for example, you know, we shouldn't have billionaires. Think about that.
Kurt Couchman
Yeah.
Sean Hannity
Now, if you really look at this, anybody that I don't know, people that inherited money in their life, I really don't. But I have met millionaires and I have met billionaires in my life. And in every case, they earned it the old fashioned way. You know, they worked their ass off, number one. Number two, they were, they were providing goods and services that people wanted, needed and desired and that they freely paid for them. And I would argue the world is better off because we now have computers and phones at our disposal at all times. And I think we're better off that Elon Musk is doing all of his work. I don't care about his politics, about the big beautiful bill and the idea. I never got a job from a poor person when I worked in restaurants. Poor people can't afford to go to a restaurant. It just can't. And so the people that are paying my salary at a point when I needed that job to pay my rent, I'm glad they came. I'm glad they had the money to buy and leave me a tip if I did a good job. When I did construction, I was not hired by poor people. I got hired by people that could afford my services and, you know, my entire radio and TV career, I got hired by people that own radio and TV stations. And I'm very grateful to all of them. And I don't hate them that they're successful. And the American Dreams was supposed to believe in freedom. They don't believe in freedom. We're pro choice, except we want to tell you what car to drive, what stove you can or cannot use, what refrigerator and freezer you cannot and cannot use, what washer and dryer you cannot and cannot use, and what straw you can and cannot use. Give me a break. All right, quick break. Right back to our phones, our toll free numbers. 800-941. Sean, if you want to be a part of the program, right back to our busy phones. 800-941. Shawn, if you want to be a part of the program, David in Arizona, have about a minute and 20 seconds. It's all yours. Hi.
Kurt Couchman
Hey, Sean. Thanks for taking my call. Appreciate it.
Sean Hannity
Thank you.
Kurt Couchman
I Just was thinking about the left, how they are, with how they were so against us sending bombs over to Iran and taking care of what needed to be taken care of. And then after it was said and done, how now they are complaining that the bombs weren't big enough, that they didn't destroy enough of what we went over there to destroy. They just can't figure out what they want to do. The left, they, they are so lost, that whole Democratic Party.
Sean Hannity
Look, I could tell you right now, this is what they are. And in spite of them, in spite of everything they threw at Trump, the media was ignored, Democrats were ignored, and the American people saw through it. And the American people have embraced the cause of American greatness again. And we saw that on display with foreign policy and taking out Iran's nukes. A very dangerous, bold decision by the president. Incredible, you know, professionalism of the greatest military on earth. You know, he's doing the same thing with the borders, the same thing with the economy, same thing with law and order, same thing with our Defense Department, same thing with energy. These are all big, big ideas and he's implementing them. And the most conservative agenda I've seen in my lifetime. There was a poll out today that Republican voters now give Trump a higher approval rating than they did Reagan. I mean, you know, 63% rating among Republican voters as of Tuesday. Fake news. CNN reported this. Anyway, I appreciate the call, my friend. 800-941-Sean, if you want to be a part of the program. Oh, our friend Chris Hahn is going to join us. This is going to be interesting. Chucky Schumer's protege. Hey America, it's your friend Sean Hannity. I've been a gun owner and I've carried a gun all my adult life. But it is crucial to recognize that according to law enforcement statistics, 99% of all altercations do not require lethal force. Introducing burner. It's the less lethal self defense option. Burner is legal in all 50 states. You don't need a background check. You don't need to permit. There's no waiting period. I personally own several of them. Go to byrna.com hannity you'll also get 10% off any purchase. Burner. Where safety meets responsibility and preparation meets peace of mind. Did you know using your browser in incognito mode doesn't actually protect your privacy? Take back your Privacy with IPVanish VPN. Just one tap and all your data, passwords, communications, browsing history and more will be instantly protected. Ipvanish makes you virtually invisible online. Use Ipvanish on all your dev anytime you go online, at home, and especially on public wi fi. Get IPVANISH now for 70% off a yearly plan with this exclusive offer@ipvanish.com Audio the Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in the United States. Recipients have done the improbable, the unexpected, showing immense bravery and sacrifice in the name of something much bigger than themselves.
Kurt Couchman
This medal is for the man who went down that day.
Sean Hannity
On Medal of Honor Stories of Courage, you'll hear about these heroes and what their stories tell us about the nature of bravery. Listen to Medal of Honor on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. This is an iHeart podcast.
Episode: BONUS: Sean Hannity - Debunking The Myths
Release Date: July 5, 2025
In this special bonus episode of "Verdict with Ted Cruz," the focus shifts from Senator Ted Cruz to a compelling conversation with renowned media personality Sean Hannity. Hosted by Premiere Networks, this episode delves deep into the most pressing political and economic issues of the day, aiming to debunk prevailing myths and provide a clear-eyed analysis of legislative developments.
At the heart of the discussion is the "Big Beautiful Bill," a landmark piece of legislation recently passed by the Senate and poised for a vote in the House. Sean Hannity meticulously breaks down the bill's key components, emphasizing its significance as the largest tax cut in American history.
Tax Cuts and Economic Impact
Hannity asserts, “This legislation will be the largest tax cut in American history, while Democrats will vote for the largest tax increase in history” (07:15). He counters common misconceptions by highlighting historical precedents, notably President Reagan’s tax reduction from a 70% to a 28% top marginal rate, which resulted in doubled federal revenues despite the reduced rates.
Medicaid Reforms
Addressing concerns about Medicaid, Hannity clarifies that the bill isn’t merely about cuts but "fixing a broken system to better serve the people that need it most" (09:00). He explains the introduction of work requirements for able-bodied individuals, aiming to streamline Medicaid and eliminate inefficiencies.
Energy Dominance and Economic Growth
The bill also focuses on energy dominance, promoting the shift from "inefficient low-value green energy nonsense" to more traditional energy resources. Hannity underscores this move as essential for making electricity cheaper and fostering manufacturing and innovation across the nation (09:30).
Kurt Couchman, Senior Fellow in Fiscal Policy at Americans for Prosperity, joins Hannity to reinforce the bill's benefits and dispel prevalent myths.
Comprehensive Benefits Across Income Levels
Couchman emphasizes that the tax cuts benefit "all Americans, not just a fortunate few," citing improvements in personal income taxes, investment profitability, and simplified filing processes through doubled standard deductions (08:08).
Addressing Deficit Concerns
When concerns about the bill increasing the deficit by $4 trillion arise, Couchman acknowledges the apprehensions but points out that historical tax cuts, such as those under Reagan and Trump, ultimately led to increased revenues through economic growth and higher productivity (22:04).
Healthcare and Economic Reforms
The bill's provisions for health savings accounts and direct primary care are highlighted as transformative steps for the healthcare system, along with reallocating resources to more efficient energy solutions (08:45).
Hannity and Couchman delve into the successes of past administrations to illustrate the positive outcomes of tax cuts and deregulation.
Reagan’s Legacy
Hannity references Reagan's tax policies, noting the significant job creation and economic growth that followed, challenging the narrative that tax cuts only benefit the wealthy (22:57).
Trump’s Economic Achievements
Similarly, the discussion touches on President Trump's tax cuts in 2017, which Hannity praises for fostering record low unemployment rates and broad economic prosperity across diverse demographics (23:01).
Throughout the episode, Sean Hannity fields calls from concerned citizens, providing a platform for listeners to voice their questions and apprehensions.
Defending Social Security
A caller from Alabama raises fears about potential cuts to Social Security. Hannity swiftly rebuts, stating, “88% of seniors will not pay taxes on Social Security as a result of this bill” (21:37), reassuring listeners about the bill's protective measures for retirees.
Clarifying Deficit Impact
Another listener expresses worries about the $4 trillion deficit increase. Hannity responds by highlighting historic precedents where tax cuts led to revenue growth, thereby mitigating deficit concerns over time (22:41).
Real-World Testimonials
Testimonials from individuals like Cody in Alabama and Kelly in Florida illustrate the bill's positive impact on local communities, emphasizing improved economic conditions and resilience in the face of challenges such as natural disasters (24:12).
A significant portion of the conversation involves a critical analysis of the Democratic Party's current trajectory and media portrayals.
Misrepresentation by Democrats
Hannity accuses Democrats of spreading "demagoguery" and perpetuating myths about tax cuts and economic policies. He contends that Democrats are misrepresenting the bill as a tool for the wealthy, whereas it actually benefits a broad spectrum of Americans (07:15).
Media Bias and Fact-Checking
The hosts discuss the role of mainstream media in distorting facts, with Hannity dismissing sources like the New York Times as unreliable and emphasizing the importance of seeking accurate information from credible outlets (21:48).
Party Polarization and Radicalism
Hannity laments the Democratic Party's shift towards radicalism, accusing it of embracing Marxist ideologies and neglecting the needs of the majority of Americans who seek economic stability and growth (28:00).
In concluding the episode, Hannity and Couchman reaffirm their commitment to advancing conservative policies and economic reforms.
Optimism for Legislative Success
Despite challenges, there is a shared optimism about the potential for the Big Beautiful Bill to pass in the House and effect meaningful change (15:28). The hosts stress the necessity of continued efforts to address spending, debt, and policy inefficiencies.
Call to Action
Encouraging listeners to stay informed and engaged, Hannity underscores the importance of understanding and supporting policies that promote "freedom," "economic growth," and "national security" as foundational to America's prosperity (35:59).
“This legislation will be the largest tax cut in American history, while Democrats will vote for the largest tax increase in history” — Sean Hannity (07:15)
“People want to be able to afford to dream and they want a government that bets on them” — Sean Hannity (03:20)
“The tax cuts in this bill build on the 2017 tax cuts. And those have benefited all Americans, not just a fortunate few” — Kurt Couchman (08:45)
“88% of seniors will not pay taxes on Social Security as a result of this bill” — Sean Hannity (21:37)
“The party now is just owned by the radicals, which maybe is a good thing. The American people see it” — Sean Hannity (28:34)
This bonus episode of "Verdict with Ted Cruz" featuring Sean Hannity provides an in-depth exploration of the Big Beautiful Bill, its economic implications, and the broader political landscape. By addressing myths, presenting historical context, and engaging with public concerns, Hannity and Couchman offer listeners a robust analysis aimed at fostering informed and proactive engagement in contemporary political discourse.
Note: The timestamps in the quotes correspond to their appearance in the provided transcript and serve as reference points for the discussed topics.