[00:00:04] Broadcasting live from atop the Rocky Mountains, the crossroads of the West, you are listening to the Liberty Roundtable Radio Talk Show. Congress's failure, thank heavens is liberty's gain, big brother, he's everywhere baby. The only way to protect the American people? Dismantle the surveillance state.
[00:00:30] A republic or an empire? That's the question. I went to Braver Angels, had a fantastic time. How about you? Happy to have you along, my fellow Americans. I'm Sam Bushman with hard-hitting news, the network refused to use, and it all starts now. Ladies and gentlemen, I went to the Braver Angels conference in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, over the last weekend. Man, it was tremendous. BraverAngels.org to learn more about what they do.
[00:00:57] They try to bring the red and the blue together in meaningful conversations, set aside some of the political differences, and learn about one another. It's all about the humanity, people. It's all about trying to find ways to hold on to your own views, but yet to be dignified, to be accepting, to be understanding, to build bridges. What a tremendous organization, BraverAngels.org.
[00:01:21] Myself and Zach Gillis will break down in an episode later on this week exact details of how our event went and everything else. It was tremendous. Anyway, enough of that. Lowell Nelson, CampaignForLiberty.org is with me. Welcome to the broadcast, sir. You just got back from a great family event, right? Sure did, Sam. Family reunion on the mountains of Wyoming.
[00:01:41] We got rained on a little bit, but had a lot of sunshine as well and played games and, you know, just talked and visited and cooked and ate food. Of course, food is a great way to bring people together and talk and communicate, doing this, what you said just a moment ago, communicate with each other and talk and uplift and help each other, you know, through life. We're grateful for the rain because we need the water and we've got to put out the fires, sir.
[00:02:11] Our prayers are with those around the world suffering in Utah and Colorado primarily with fires, suffering in, let's see, where's the huge earthquake? Venezuela? Yeah, I don't know, but I do know the fires would be less horrendous if they allowed timber and lumberjacks to harvest mature timber.
[00:02:35] You know, that's one of the reasons forest fires get so bad nowadays is because they've locked up all the timber and so it's difficult for lumberjacks to go harvest mature timber. And if they don't harvest it in time, then it decays and becomes a tinderbox, you know. Yeah, if you haven't heard, ladies and gentlemen, last weekend, two very powerful earthquakes struck northern Venezuela. It was actually June 24th, so it was a bit ago, I guess. I shouldn't say last weekend.
[00:03:05] It was a little before that, but magnitude 7.2. Then a magnitude 7.5. The hardest hit areas were just crazy. Venezuela, parts of Caracas, thousands of buildings completely damaged or destroyed. Well over 1,000 fatalities, thousands and thousands of people injured.
[00:03:32] Anyway, there were also other notable earthquakes recently. Magnitude 6.9 off the coast of Japan on June 24th. Magnitude 5.6 in California on June 24th. So anyway, all I'm telling you is there's been a lot of earthquake activities going on recently, Lowell, and our prayers are with the folks regarding the fires and the earthquakes and everything else. Remember, we want to turn to God and pray. We need rain. We need fires to be put out.
[00:04:00] We need a little less shaking going on. Anyway, our prayers are with all those folks, Lowell. Absolutely, Sam. And it makes me grateful that we have, so far anyway, not been subject to big earthquakes here along the Wasatch Front. As you know, we live on a fault, the Wasatch Fault. And one of these days, the earthquake is going to hit here big time. And we're all praying that it won't happen.
[00:04:29] But chances are it will at some point. So it's good to be prepared for that event. Our prayers are that if it does and when it does, that we basically take an appropriate precautions to prepare for that as well. There are a lot of earthquakes going on, politically speaking, around the world and especially in the United States as well. Ron Paul writes an incredible article over at LewRockwell.com. He wrote it about a week ago, but we've been super busy and Lowell's been out of town. I've been out of town.
[00:04:57] And we had a little bit of Internet issues last week. And so we didn't get together. But these things are just as relevant today as they were a week ago, Lowell. And we're basically talking about Ron Paul's incredible column, Congress's failure is liberty's gain. He is talking about the FISA Section 702. Sam, Congress fails to approve its extension of that particular section. Now, this is a couple weeks ago when Congress failed to extend that thing.
[00:05:24] So at this point, it has lapsed, even though the court orders made pursuant to FISA Section 702 when it was in effect will still be enforced through early 2027. Right? So they've got a slowdown period. Anyway, Section 702 is the section that authorizes warrantless surveillance of foreign citizens.
[00:05:46] But this has been interpreted, as you well know, by the FISA court to allow U.S. intelligence agencies to tap conversations between a U.S. citizen and a foreign target of Section 072 surveillance. And the intelligence agencies can then conduct warrantless surveillance of Americans who communicate with that foreign target.
[00:06:10] So anytime you make a phone call to your buddy in Germany or in Portugal or Spain or England or whatever, the intelligence agencies are listening in because they serve – well, anytime you make a phone call, anywhere probably, they're listening in. Whether it's a telephone conversation, a text message, a social media post, whatever, they are listening, they are recording. And they've been doing this for decades, folks.
[00:06:40] It's nothing new. But the part that's new is that Congress usually renews the Section 702 every single year. But they didn't do it this time yet. So Dr. Paul has another warning for us. Quote, an additional threat to privacy is contained in Section 622 of this year's Intelligence Authorization Act.
[00:07:02] This new provision requires the President to share with Israel intelligence related to cybersecurity threats, terrorism, sanctions, evasion, plans and intentions of state and non-state actors, adversarial technology, proliferation, missile threats, unmanned and aerial systems, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, air and space domain awareness, and other aerial threats. End of quote.
[00:07:30] So this is – and Ron Paul goes into how stupid this is, requiring the President to share intelligence with a foreign government. He says this is unprecedented and arguably violates the President's constitutional authority as commander-in-chief. Well, Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton, he's a sponsor of the bill. He's a hawk, as you may know. He loves giving this power to the President. But it is totally unconstitutional.
[00:07:59] And here's the kicker. Quote, there's nothing in Section 622 prohibiting U.S. intelligence agencies from giving Israel intelligence information regarding American citizens collected via warrantless wiretapping. End of quote. So, you know, we've been talking about the fact that they can do everything they can on you, phone calls, texts, and social media posts and so forth.
[00:08:24] Well, now this Section 622 gives the intelligence agencies authority to convey that, share that intelligence with Israel. In other words, big brother, who is already capturing your conversations, will be sharing them with Israel, the very regime that has been murdering people in Gaza and getting us, the U.S., to bomb Iran. Well, Israel has a very broad definition of Semitism, as you may know.
[00:08:53] It is mere criticism of Israel, right? That's what they'd be calling me and Sam and probably you, anti-Semitic. Yet, I have nothing against the Jews or the Jewish people or the people who live in Israel. They are children of God, just like you and me. And I love all of God's creations. But you better watch out if you criticize the Israeli government, because they will call you anti-Semitic, Sam.
[00:09:21] Well, Dr. Paul concludes his call this way, quote, The only way liberty is to dismantle the surveillance state and stop trading real liberty for phantom security. True security, he says, comes from replacing militarism and authoritarianism with liberty and peace, end of quote. Sam?
[00:09:46] You know, it's hard for me to disagree with Ron Paul ever, because the guy is just constitutional. He always spends time researching things. He's a perfect blend, in my opinion, between a libertarian and a constitutional conservative and a Republican. I know that sounds very weird, but in a lot of ways, that's how I am as well. That's where, you know, when they try to do the red and blue, I guess I lean red in a way.
[00:10:13] But yet, a lot of the libertarian views, a lot of the independent views that I stand with are the same ones that Ron Paul stand with. And, you know, Big Brother, he's already capturing everything. He has no authority to do so right now. And I personally think anybody who doesn't stand against this and make it a big focus should be removed. The only way to protect the American people is to dismantle the state. When we get back, I want to talk about a republic or an empire.
[00:10:42] Andrew Napolitano's column over at LewRockwell.com. Because it really relates to this very same topic, if you will. Right? Yeah. How much authority does the state have? We'll talk about it with Lowell Nelson, CampaignForLiberty.org. Scott Bradley here. Most Americans are painfully aware that the nation is on the wrong track and in dire straits. Unfortunately, most political pundits only nibble around the edges when they claim to address the issues.
[00:11:11] Even worse, many of the so-called solutions are simply rewarmed servings of what got us into the mess we currently face. And the politicians think we're so gullible and naive that we'll buy their lies that they have reformed and now understand where they led us astray. Unfortunately, the truth of the matter is that they simply wish to continue to hold power. The solution to America's challenges is found in returning to the timeless principles found in the United States Constitution.
[00:11:39] My book and lecture series will reawaken in Americans an understanding and love of the principles which made this nation the freest, most prosperous, happiest, and most respected nation on earth. Visit topreservethenation.com and order my book and lectures to begin the restoration of this great nation. Get ready to be part of something incredible. We're breaking barriers and delivering the powerful stories that mainstream media won't touch.
[00:12:09] Your support is what fuels our mission to revolutionize journalism and bring you the truth. Join our passionate community of changemakers by donating at libertynewsradio.com today. Together, we're creating the future of news. Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen.
[00:12:36] Hi, this is Lowell Nelson riding shotgun this morning here on Liberty Roundtable Live with Sam Bushman, your host. This great column by Andrew Napolitano, A Republic or an Empire? Question mark. This is, you know, Sam, I've been canvassing three different precincts this month, you know, prior to the June primary here in Utah, stumping for the best candidates in our county's primary elections.
[00:13:01] And I have seen more U.S. flags flying than in any previous year, right? And this warms my heart, of course. I believe more people are displaying the flag this year because this year marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence there in July of 1776, right? 250 years from then is now. This next month, of course, will be exactly 250 years.
[00:13:28] So Judge Andrew Napolitano writes his column last week about that declaration saying this, The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776, embraces two value sets. The first is natural rights and the second is limited government. Now, I'd say that he embraces more than just two, but these are the two he's talking about in his column. He says,
[00:14:02] In other words, we have no natural rights. Our government is not limited. Now, that's his claim, and I do agree to a certain point. Most of us still have many of our natural rights, though. And in certain communities, government does, in fact, limit itself the way it's supposed to. I do believe this is more true in rural America than it is in urban cities here in America.
[00:14:32] But nevertheless, you know, in my hometown where I grew up in Salmon, Idaho, they still, you know, enjoy a great deal of the natural rights and liberties and so forth. But if you live in a big urban place like here along the Wasatch Front, then, yeah, government doesn't limit itself the way it should. And many of our natural rights are ignored. Well, the reality is our natural rights, really, we need to refer to them as God-given inalienable rights.
[00:15:01] Government only obtains its authority from us. So if government has authority that violates our rights, my question is, where did that government get the authority? So Andrew Napolitano is right on a reality point of view in terms of a pure factual point of view that every one of our rights seems to be meddled with and tampered with. And it's getting worse. So when we say we're a republic or an empire, sadly, we've become both.
[00:15:25] And so we also need to realize that when he makes these claims at some point, and this is one thing an attorney and a judge like Napolitano should know, when you make these claims in totality like that and when it's only partly true, you lose a lot of credibility because people go, no, I don't see it that way. Well, now you've kind of lost your point of the argument. And so I love what Andrew Napolitano has to say, but I would give that a little bit of a warning, Lowell. Yes, and I totally agree.
[00:15:54] And that's why I agreed with him only to a point, but not completely. But then he makes a really keen observation. And this is what I want to emphasize here. After he describes the blessed ideals in the Declaration, he says this, quote, Then along came war, the great scourge of natural rights and limited government, end of quote.
[00:16:17] And that is just right as rain because war, you know, that's when you lose your inalienable God-given rights, and that's when you lose limited government because government goes way beyond its constitutional boundaries when it pursues war. And, of course, you and I both know that our fiat monetary system facilitates war. That's the real evil here, even though Napolitano didn't mention that in his column.
[00:16:45] I'm saying that this fiat monetary system is what enables our government to do what it does in war, and therefore we lose our rights and we lose limited government. What does he say about it? Well, he says the never-declared war with France in the 1790s spawned the Alien and Sedition Acts, which punished speech critical of the government.
[00:17:10] So this is the very first incarnation of Section 702 of FISA, basically, was the Alien and Sedition Acts in the 1790s, signed into law by John Adams. Well, and then he mentions the arrest of journalists without charge or trial during the Civil War. In other words, he's talking about war. Every time we have war, we lose our rights and we lose limited government. This happened during the Civil War when Lincoln suspended habeas corpus, for example.
[00:17:40] It's one of the many ways he violated the Constitution. And he mentions the incarceration of Americans in concentration camps, one of them right here in central Utah, by the way, during the World War II, right, when Japanese Americans were incarcerated in a concentration camp. They lost their natural rights. They lost their, you know, limited government. And then, of course, he mentions the war on terror,
[00:18:08] which spawned the Patriot Act and warrantless spying. So he, in other words, this is what I mean by he's got solid points to make. He's right in its factual, scientific or whatever you want to, intellectual reality. But we lose credibility, though, because the average person in a small town says, that doesn't happen to me. Or, you know, I can walk down the street and I have my day-to-day rights. And so it doesn't appear that way. So we've got to be very careful from a credibility point of view that we kind of back the question.
[00:18:37] And the question that he asks in the article, I think, really articulates my point, which is this. Which form of government are we celebrating next month? And I would say 4-2-50. What are we celebrating? Are we celebrating an empire or a constitutional republic? I celebrate a constitutional republic and I warn against empire. And I think that the points that he makes need to be seriously considered. And we, the people, need to guard against such law. Absolutely.
[00:19:07] Right, Sam. And I would ask you, how would you describe our, you know, our government today, right? I mean, it's supposed to be a republic. And yet it has the trappings, many of the trappings of an empire because of its activities. And so I do like your approach. Let's celebrate the ideal, what we were meant to be,
[00:19:29] but also recognize that we were dangerously close to becoming the empire that we once fled from and celebrate our secession from 250 years ago. And the real is not the ideal now. And it's up to us, we the people, to educate ourselves and then do our very best to make the real become closer to the ideal. And you do that by finding those who serve you. We're not a democracy. We're a constitutional republic.
[00:19:56] So we need to elect those who believe as we do and will hold the ideal as their standard and move the real towards that ideal. But people are worried on 250, justifiably so. What does the next 250 look like? America at 250. Why have so many people lost faith in America? This is an incredible article written by Brian C. How do you say it? Junek? Or Junek? Junek maybe? I don't know.
[00:20:26] Okay, Junek. Anyway, it's a fair question, though, about, hey, you know, what's it going to look like? And, you know, hey, why have we lost faith? We've lost faith because we don't understand the republic for the most part, and we don't hold those accountable. What is it going to look like? All those are fair questions, Lowell. They really are good questions. I mean, you've got pollsters always polling the American people, right, just finding out how they're feeling about stuff.
[00:20:52] And they're the ones who came up with the idea that, you know, more and more people are saying that, you know, this isn't the greatest place on earth at this point. But, you know, I believe it still is. I really do. He suggests this, quote, End of quote.
[00:21:23] Yeah, of course it wasn't perfect, but it was special, right? He writes that millions crossed oceans to get here. Others risk prison or death, escaping communist regimes to reach American shores, end of quote. And you and I both know people who have done that, Sam, from Cuba and from China and, you know, from these communist regimes around the world. We've got a lot of people in America today who have escaped these regimes, and thankfully so.
[00:21:50] And they're the ones, many of them are warning us that we're becoming, you know, communistic and Marxist in the way our government behaves itself. And they're some of the strongest advocates for liberty among us, and thank goodness for them, reminding us that, you know, what we have here and that we're getting, you know, we're losing it if we don't take an interest in politics,
[00:22:15] we don't take an interest in civic affairs, so we just need to be better at doing that. More of us need to be involved, get our neighbors up to speed, you know, teach them about the real America, the republic in which we lived and were intended to live. But countries don't remain great by accident, ladies and gentlemen.
[00:22:38] They remain great because each generation chooses to preserve the principles that created their success. Let's do the same. And believe it or not, this is our culture. We've got to hold on to our culture. And people around the world have been lied to about America, and they're coming here and saying, this place is awesome, Lowell. That's right. Well, we need to step up.
[00:23:02] We need to be grateful for the freedom and liberty that we have and just work to preserve it. That's the bottom line. We've got to do more that way. The author concludes saying this, countries, oh, yeah, you just read that. Yeah, that's exactly right. We don't remain great by accident. We just have to teach every upcoming generation the principles that created our past success. It's a great column.
[00:23:30] It's a timeless column, one that we should review, you know, year after year, decade after decade. But we need to end on a happy note here, Sam. And so I just want to highlight the fact that Japan, the fans from Japan, they were caught cleaning up the World Cup stadium after soccer matches during the FIFA World Cup.
[00:23:56] And so having spent a couple years in Tokyo, I was very pleased to see this article described what the fans of Japan's soccer team did after their match with the Netherlands. And ended in a choo-choo tie, but they cleaned up after themselves, Sam. We need to learn to do the same, ladies and gentlemen. It's all about principles. And sometimes other countries get it more than we do, especially protection of the elderly and especially how they behave in society. Thank you so much, Flo. We'll talk soon.
[00:24:26] We'll do it, Sam. Thank you. Happy Fourth of July to you and your family, my friend. All right. I'm Sam Bushman, ladies and gentlemen. This is the one and only Liberty Roundtable Live. God Save the Republic of the United States of America. Lowell Nelson, CampaignForLiberty.org.