Pete Peterson joins Allen Jackson to discuss current events.
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Allen Jackson NOW | Allen Jackson: Fraud Crackdown | Allen Jackson Now | April 27, 2026
- Well, good evening and welcome to nashville.
- 00:00:05.197 --> 00:00:07.165
- I'm alan jackson with april 15th bearing down on taxpayers.
- 00:00:07.165 --> 00:00:11.236
- Government fraud and stealing has become
- 00:00:11.236 --> 00:00:13.205
- A conversation piece at the watercooler this week.
- 00:00:13.205 --> 00:00:16.208
- Translation the money we're paying in taxes
- 00:00:16.208 --> 00:00:18.944
- Is being stolen by others, and it's a massive amount.
- 00:00:18.944 --> 00:00:22.714
- Somewhere between a quarter and a half $1 trillion each year.
- 00:00:22.714 --> 00:00:27.018
- Imagine how
- 00:00:27.352 --> 00:00:28.453
- Much bigger your refund would be if there was no fraud,
- 00:00:28.453 --> 00:00:31.723
- Or how much lower the $39 trillion
- 00:00:31.723 --> 00:00:34.159
- Federal deficit would be if the thieves weren't
- 00:00:34.159 --> 00:00:36.962
- Reaching into your pocket and taking your money.
- 00:00:36.962 --> 00:00:40.198
- Defrauding the government is hardly new,
- 00:00:40.198 --> 00:00:42.734
- But the amount being stolen is record breaking.
- 00:00:42.734 --> 00:00:45.937
- When an independent reporter
- 00:00:45.937 --> 00:00:47.172
- Shot video of this sign the learing center.
- 00:00:47.172 --> 00:00:50.575
- Well, it triggered a national movement
- 00:00:50.575 --> 00:00:52.077
- To look more deeply at the extent of the fraud,
- 00:00:52.077 --> 00:00:54.746
- Not just in minnesota, but every other state
- 00:00:54.746 --> 00:00:57.115
- Where it's been clear the stealing is rampant.
- 00:00:57.115 --> 00:01:00.318
- Investigators just busted a massive california fraud ring
- 00:01:00.318 --> 00:01:03.955
- Where a fake hospice office was set up
- 00:01:03.955 --> 00:01:06.658
- And stole $50 million from the government.
- 00:01:06.658 --> 00:01:09.528
- That was just one office, one group of people doing it.
- 00:01:09.528 --> 00:01:12.664
- California's
- 00:01:12.998 --> 00:01:14.166
- Fraud could easily total hundreds of millions of dollars.
- 00:01:14.166 --> 00:01:17.502
- Well, president trump says that the numbers are so large
- 00:01:17.502 --> 00:01:20.305
- That if successful,
- 00:01:20.305 --> 00:01:21.673
- We would literally be able to balance the american budget.
- 00:01:21.673 --> 00:01:24.943
- Listen to his comment.
- 00:01:24.943 --> 00:01:26.444
- This is the kind of corruption that shreds the fabric of a
- 00:01:26.444 --> 00:01:30.015
- Nation, and we are working on it like you wouldn't believe.
- 00:01:30.015 --> 00:01:33.151
- So tonight, orville started four months ago.
- 00:01:33.151 --> 00:01:36.755
- I am officially announcing the war on fraud to be
- 00:01:36.755 --> 00:01:40.559
- Led by our great vice president, j.d.
- 00:01:40.559 --> 00:01:43.495
- Vance.
- 00:01:43.495 --> 00:01:45.030
- So instead of the constant
- 00:01:45.597 --> 00:01:47.065
- Arguing about spending in washington,
- 00:01:47.065 --> 00:01:49.434
- The focus should be on recovering
- 00:01:49.434 --> 00:01:51.536
- And saving the money that we all pay in our taxes.
- 00:01:51.536 --> 00:01:55.340
- You know, fraud is happening in several states,
- 00:01:55.340 --> 00:01:57.943
- But we can't be at peace with hundreds
- 00:01:57.943 --> 00:01:59.778
- Of billions of dollars being stolen.
- 00:01:59.778 --> 00:02:02.314
- We have to make a change.
- 00:02:02.314 --> 00:02:04.149
- We need to reframe our expectations.
- 00:02:04.149 --> 00:02:06.518
- And it isn't just about making america great again.
- 00:02:06.518 --> 00:02:09.487
- It's about restoring integrity again.
- 00:02:09.487 --> 00:02:12.224
- You see, integrity matters.
- 00:02:12.224 --> 00:02:13.892
- Character still matters.
- 00:02:13.892 --> 00:02:15.727
- Statesmanship should matter to all of us.
- 00:02:15.727 --> 00:02:19.264
- Our elected officials must be able to make decisions
- 00:02:19.264 --> 00:02:22.000
- For the good of the state ahead of themselves.
- 00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:25.170
- Accountability has been lacking across the board
- 00:02:25.170 --> 00:02:27.539
- With our elected officials.
- 00:02:27.539 --> 00:02:29.174
- Many of them,
- 00:02:29.174 --> 00:02:30.008
- When they got those appointments,
- 00:02:30.008 --> 00:02:31.243
- Spent decades in washington
- 00:02:31.243 --> 00:02:32.744
- Without any other jobs or means of employment.
- 00:02:32.744 --> 00:02:35.513
- It's somehow they find themselves
- 00:02:35.513 --> 00:02:37.249
- To have accumulated tremendous resources and personal wealth.
- 00:02:37.249 --> 00:02:41.486
- If we have a member of congress whose net worth increase is $30
- 00:02:41.486 --> 00:02:44.489
- Million per year,
- 00:02:44.489 --> 00:02:46.291
- That should not be all right with us,
- 00:02:46.291 --> 00:02:47.926
- Especially if their state is at
- 00:02:47.926 --> 00:02:49.327
- The center of multiple high profile cases of fraud.
- 00:02:49.327 --> 00:02:52.697
- And i'm so grateful
- 00:02:53.164 --> 00:02:54.399
- That this administration is boldly saying fraud is not okay,
- 00:02:54.399 --> 00:02:57.902
- And they're taking some real action
- 00:02:57.902 --> 00:02:59.204
- To stop our taxpayer dollars from being stolen.
- 00:02:59.204 --> 00:03:02.274
- I'm also grateful that president trump is working
- 00:03:02.274 --> 00:03:04.709
- Hard to reestablish and rent re-orient us to our heroes.
- 00:03:04.709 --> 00:03:10.148
- Are we saw this exemplified over the weekend,
- 00:03:10.148 --> 00:03:13.151
- A massive undertaking
- 00:03:13.151 --> 00:03:14.319
- To rescue a weapon system officer, a highly respected
- 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:17.422
- Airman who had crashed deep behind enemy lines in iran.
- 00:03:17.422 --> 00:03:20.725
- In total, the u.s.
- 00:03:21.159 --> 00:03:22.360
- Sent in more than 150 aircraft and several different teams.
- 00:03:22.360 --> 00:03:25.997
- Navy seals, air force special operations, army
- 00:03:25.997 --> 00:03:28.933
- Special operations, aviation search,
- 00:03:28.933 --> 00:03:31.703
- Search and rescue, combat medics.
- 00:03:31.703 --> 00:03:33.505
- They all took in the rescue operation,
- 00:03:33.505 --> 00:03:35.607
- Taking on heavy enemy fire to save one life.
- 00:03:35.607 --> 00:03:39.377
- Well, that airman showed the kind of courage you can't fake.
- 00:03:39.377 --> 00:03:42.614
- He was wounded, isolated, deep inside enemy territory.
- 00:03:42.614 --> 00:03:46.951
- He reportedly hiked up a 7000ft mountain ridgeline,
- 00:03:46.951 --> 00:03:50.522
- Hid in a crevice while waiting for rescue.
- 00:03:50.522 --> 00:03:53.525
- Well, during that time, he used emergency communications
- 00:03:53.525 --> 00:03:56.061
- Equipment to help direct u.s.
- 00:03:56.061 --> 00:03:57.395
- Airstrikes against advancing iranian forces.
- 00:03:57.395 --> 00:04:00.465
- I felt like a script that even hollywood
- 00:04:00.465 --> 00:04:02.200
- Would have a difficult time coming up with
- 00:04:02.200 --> 00:04:04.836
- Was the rescue unfolded over easter weekend.
- 00:04:04.836 --> 00:04:07.172
- The pilot radioed a brief message to help u.s.
- 00:04:07.172 --> 00:04:09.874
- Forces identify him.
- 00:04:09.874 --> 00:04:11.543
- God is good, was his message.
- 00:04:11.543 --> 00:04:14.112
- That man is a hero.
- 00:04:14.112 --> 00:04:16.114
- The rescue forces showed
- 00:04:16.114 --> 00:04:17.382
- America still produces men who run towards danger.
- 00:04:17.382 --> 00:04:21.353
- Trump's response projected a commander in chief mindset
- 00:04:21.353 --> 00:04:24.622
- To stay at his command post, even over a holiday weekend.
- 00:04:24.622 --> 00:04:28.093
- He treated it
- 00:04:28.460 --> 00:04:29.627
- Like it was his national duty to rescue this one life.
- 00:04:29.627 --> 00:04:32.430
- You know, once upon a time,
- 00:04:33.031 --> 00:04:34.232
- Hollywood cranked out movies
- 00:04:34.232 --> 00:04:35.667
- That made heroes of military victories.
- 00:04:35.667 --> 00:04:38.002
- There's a whole genre of movies.
- 00:04:38.002 --> 00:04:39.704
- We call them westerns,
- 00:04:39.704 --> 00:04:41.272
- And the typical pattern in those
- 00:04:41.272 --> 00:04:42.674
- Movies was the bad guy loses and the good guy wins.
- 00:04:42.674 --> 00:04:45.710
- Entertainment has changed dramatically
- 00:04:46.544 --> 00:04:48.213
- In the last 30 years. a lot of things have changed.
- 00:04:48.213 --> 00:04:50.982
- Now, hollywood wants to portray heroes as superheroes.
- 00:04:50.982 --> 00:04:54.018
- They wear spandex clothes, and if you put a dark streak
- 00:04:54.018 --> 00:04:57.322
- In their character, it's even better.
- 00:04:57.322 --> 00:05:00.091
- Well, real heroes, they don't have superpowers.
- 00:05:00.091 --> 00:05:02.460
- They're real people doing real things.
- 00:05:02.460 --> 00:05:04.963
- They're in homes, neighborhoods,
- 00:05:04.963 --> 00:05:06.664
- Hospitals, churches and fire stations.
- 00:05:06.664 --> 00:05:09.834
- A parent waking up early, working hard
- 00:05:09.834 --> 00:05:11.703
- And raising children with love and discipline.
- 00:05:11.703 --> 00:05:13.905
- Showing love and respect to their spouse.
- 00:05:13.905 --> 00:05:16.241
- That's a hero.
- 00:05:16.241 --> 00:05:17.742
- The father staying present, protecting,
- 00:05:17.742 --> 00:05:19.878
- Providing, and leading his family is heroic.
- 00:05:19.878 --> 00:05:23.314
- A police officer running towards danger.
- 00:05:23.314 --> 00:05:25.884
- That's heroic.
- 00:05:25.884 --> 00:05:27.118
- A soldier willing to lay down his life for others is heroic.
- 00:05:27.118 --> 00:05:31.089
- The backbone of america is ordinary people
- 00:05:31.089 --> 00:05:33.892
- Doing extraordinary things when it matters most.
- 00:05:33.892 --> 00:05:36.928
- I like the navy seals motto.
- 00:05:37.529 --> 00:05:39.130
- The only easy day.
- 00:05:39.130 --> 00:05:40.632
- That was yesterday.
- 00:05:40.632 --> 00:05:42.133
- We're going to have to get over easy if we want to go from
- 00:05:42.133 --> 00:05:44.502
- Where we are as a culture to excellence.
- 00:05:44.502 --> 00:05:47.505
- Let's ask god to grow us, to mold us and to train us.
- 00:05:47.505 --> 00:05:51.309
- So we're ready for what's ahead.
- 00:05:51.309 --> 00:05:53.878
- Well, in a moment, we'll talk about the california fraud
- 00:05:53.878 --> 00:05:56.381
- And other current issues
- 00:05:56.381 --> 00:05:57.816
- With the dean of pepperdine school of public policy,
- 00:05:57.816 --> 00:06:00.885
- Pete peterson.
- 00:06:01.219 --> 00:06:02.620
- I'll be right back.
- 00:06:02.620 --> 00:06:09.005
- I'll be right back.
- 00:06:09.005 --> 00:06:14.767
- Well.
- 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:15.434
- Welcome back.
- 00:06:15.434 --> 00:06:16.635
- You know, i hope that by now, a large percentage of you
- 00:06:16.635 --> 00:06:18.337
- Have received your refund from the treasury department.
- 00:06:18.337 --> 00:06:21.240
- Some of the tax rules were changed
- 00:06:21.240 --> 00:06:22.741
- Last year,
- 00:06:22.741 --> 00:06:23.976
- And a lot of people are supposed to be getting a bigger refund,
- 00:06:23.976 --> 00:06:26.645
- Or at least writing a smaller check
- 00:06:26.645 --> 00:06:28.314
- If more is due by the 15th.
- 00:06:28.314 --> 00:06:30.683
- Imagine how much more would remain in your wallet
- 00:06:30.683 --> 00:06:33.152
- If the national debt was not so high.
- 00:06:33.152 --> 00:06:35.754
- Interest alone on the debt will total $1 trillion this year.
- 00:06:35.754 --> 00:06:39.892
- No, trying to pay it down is like running in place
- 00:06:39.892 --> 00:06:42.127
- As the total debt approaches $39 trillion.
- 00:06:42.127 --> 00:06:46.031
- Well, joining us to help bring clarity to
- 00:06:46.031 --> 00:06:47.900
- This is our good friend
- 00:06:47.900 --> 00:06:49.168
- From malibu, pepperdine, dean of the school of public policy.
- 00:06:49.168 --> 00:06:52.905
- Pete peterson, welcome back.
- 00:06:52.905 --> 00:06:54.373
- Great to be with you out for a lot of years now.
- 00:06:55.341 --> 00:06:58.377
- The government just look the other way.
- 00:06:58.377 --> 00:07:00.112
- When the issue of fraud came up, just like a store
- 00:07:00.112 --> 00:07:03.215
- That has to write off what they lose was shoplifting.
- 00:07:03.215 --> 00:07:06.285
- But president trump was a businessman
- 00:07:06.285 --> 00:07:08.254
- Before he went into politics.
- 00:07:08.254 --> 00:07:09.822
- And he's been shocked to see the extent of the fraud.
- 00:07:09.822 --> 00:07:12.691
- J.d. vance is now the fraud czar, looking for savings
- 00:07:12.691 --> 00:07:16.161
- That could now be spent on, among other things,
- 00:07:16.161 --> 00:07:18.597
- Rebuilding our military after the war with iran.
- 00:07:18.597 --> 00:07:21.433
- It's a good idea to have this going on
- 00:07:21.433 --> 00:07:23.002
- At the highest level now.
- 00:07:23.002 --> 00:07:24.803
- Am i correct in that assessment?
- 00:07:24.803 --> 00:07:27.940
- Absolutely, alan.
- 00:07:27.940 --> 00:07:29.108
- I think it's worth pointing out, and we're certainly seeing
- 00:07:29.108 --> 00:07:32.278
- Some of this in california, that
- 00:07:32.278 --> 00:07:35.314
- We really experienced a sea change in federal
- 00:07:35.314 --> 00:07:37.950
- Spending with covid.
- 00:07:37.950 --> 00:07:39.184
- Obviously, it drove us
- 00:07:39.184 --> 00:07:41.287
- Through the biden administration
- 00:07:41.287 --> 00:07:42.688
- Into record high inflation rates.
- 00:07:42.688 --> 00:07:45.257
- But one of the things we haven't really accounted for
- 00:07:45.257 --> 00:07:47.826
- Were the trillions of dollars put through,
- 00:07:47.826 --> 00:07:51.630
- Public programs that have obviously now
- 00:07:51.630 --> 00:07:54.700
- We're now discovering
- 00:07:54.700 --> 00:07:56.201
- How much fraud, there has been in those programs.
- 00:07:56.201 --> 00:07:59.672
- And so much of the fraud
- 00:07:59.672 --> 00:08:01.340
- That we're seeing, whether it's minnesota
- 00:08:01.340 --> 00:08:03.008
- Or certainly here in california now or around the country,
- 00:08:03.008 --> 00:08:06.946
- Really results from the trillions of dollars,
- 00:08:06.946 --> 00:08:10.716
- We spent
- 00:08:10.983 --> 00:08:12.117
- During the biden administration that in many instances,
- 00:08:12.117 --> 00:08:14.620
- Went unaccounted for.
- 00:08:14.620 --> 00:08:15.921
- You know, the early look in the fraud in minnesota and now
- 00:08:17.056 --> 00:08:19.425
- California has already shown some pretty massive stealing.
- 00:08:19.425 --> 00:08:22.895
- Just today,
- 00:08:23.228 --> 00:08:24.263
- The acting attorney general, todd blanch, said
- 00:08:24.263 --> 00:08:25.931
- That there
- 00:08:25.931 --> 00:08:27.066
- Are currently 8000 cases of stealing being investigated
- 00:08:27.066 --> 00:08:29.969
- And prosecuted,
- 00:08:29.969 --> 00:08:31.170
- Just a fraction of what's going to be uncovered.
- 00:08:31.170 --> 00:08:33.372
- Do you have any idea if the departments involved,
- 00:08:33.372 --> 00:08:35.541
- The ones that approved and hand out money,
- 00:08:35.541 --> 00:08:37.676
- Just didn't know
- 00:08:37.676 --> 00:08:38.944
- About the scale of this, or did they just look the other way?
- 00:08:38.944 --> 00:08:42.047
- You know that that remains to be seen.
- 00:08:42.047 --> 00:08:44.316
- What we do know,
- 00:08:44.316 --> 00:08:45.451
- At least here in california, is that this is a story,
- 00:08:45.451 --> 00:08:48.954
- That goes back
- 00:08:49.288 --> 00:08:50.322
- A few years again, and you can kind of peg it to,
- 00:08:50.322 --> 00:08:53.792
- All the trillions that were spent
- 00:08:53.792 --> 00:08:55.361
- During the biden administration,
- 00:08:55.361 --> 00:08:57.830
- In response
- 00:08:58.163 --> 00:08:59.198
- To what they thought was, necessary for covid.
- 00:08:59.198 --> 00:09:02.801
- The biggest story
- 00:09:02.801 --> 00:09:04.203
- That we saw a few years ago, and this was certainly,
- 00:09:04.203 --> 00:09:07.606
- Under, governor gavin newsom's watch, was,
- 00:09:07.606 --> 00:09:11.477
- The employment department that issued
- 00:09:12.311 --> 00:09:15.547
- Checks for unemployment here in the state.
- 00:09:15.547 --> 00:09:18.651
- And we learned very quickly,
- 00:09:18.651 --> 00:09:21.286
- About, 3 or 4 years ago that we have lost
- 00:09:21.286 --> 00:09:24.423
- Track of between 25 and $30 billion in public funds.
- 00:09:24.423 --> 00:09:29.995
- That was really just the first story.
- 00:09:29.995 --> 00:09:31.697
- And obviously now
- 00:09:31.697 --> 00:09:32.798
- We're seeing it bleed into other federal programs,
- 00:09:32.798 --> 00:09:36.101
- Like medi-cal,
- 00:09:36.435 --> 00:09:38.637
- And, a number of others related to hospice care
- 00:09:38.637 --> 00:09:42.808
- And food stamps, the snap program and the list goes on.
- 00:09:42.808 --> 00:09:46.445
- And on.
- 00:09:46.445 --> 00:09:48.180
- Well, i have a question about iran and the us.
- 00:09:48.180 --> 00:09:51.150
- A fox news poll show that most people support
- 00:09:51.150 --> 00:09:53.686
- What the president
- 00:09:53.686 --> 00:09:54.720
- Is doing to shut down iran's nuclear ambitions
- 00:09:54.720 --> 00:09:57.523
- And the terrorism that they've been spreading.
- 00:09:57.523 --> 00:09:59.925
- But it also showed that
- 00:09:59.925 --> 00:10:01.093
- A lot of people aren't
- 00:10:01.093 --> 00:10:02.161
- Even paying attention to the wars play by play.
- 00:10:02.161 --> 00:10:04.997
- Why do you think that is?
- 00:10:04.997 --> 00:10:07.533
- Well, i think it's a mixture of factors.
- 00:10:08.333 --> 00:10:11.036
- One is that,
- 00:10:11.036 --> 00:10:12.905
- As it stands today, we have not put boots on the ground.
- 00:10:12.905 --> 00:10:16.542
- And i think for a lot of americans, that's a
- 00:10:16.542 --> 00:10:19.611
- That's a hinge point in focusing on
- 00:10:19.611 --> 00:10:22.414
- American engagement around the world as it stands.
- 00:10:22.414 --> 00:10:26.552
- Many of the videos that we're all watching are videos
- 00:10:26.552 --> 00:10:29.955
- Of american drop bombs being dropped or, certainly,
- 00:10:29.955 --> 00:10:33.859
- Israeli forces also engaged in that fight.
- 00:10:33.859 --> 00:10:36.929
- If it did become the case that american,
- 00:10:36.929 --> 00:10:39.865
- Forces, went on the ground and actually invaded.
- 00:10:39.865 --> 00:10:43.435
- I think you would definitely see an increased
- 00:10:43.435 --> 00:10:46.672
- Interest level on the part of most americans.
- 00:10:46.672 --> 00:10:49.742
- I think there's also a feeling that, a certain sense
- 00:10:49.742 --> 00:10:53.946
- Of of trust and appreciation for american military leadership
- 00:10:53.946 --> 00:10:58.684
- That we frankly, have not seen, for a number of years.
- 00:10:58.684 --> 00:11:02.588
- When you see what saw
- 00:11:03.088 --> 00:11:04.289
- What happened in venezuela with the operation, with maduro,
- 00:11:04.289 --> 00:11:07.326
- When you see the beginnings of this operation in taking out,
- 00:11:07.326 --> 00:11:10.829
- Iranian leadership, these are,
- 00:11:11.430 --> 00:11:14.733
- Incredible,
- 00:11:15.067 --> 00:11:16.802
- Examples of both american courage,
- 00:11:16.802 --> 00:11:19.905
- Technology and firepower, on display.
- 00:11:19.905 --> 00:11:23.609
- And i think there's, there's, frankly, increased trust,
- 00:11:23.609 --> 00:11:26.812
- That we're seeing there on the part of many americans.
- 00:11:26.812 --> 00:11:30.482
- Well, let's shift to the job market.
- 00:11:30.482 --> 00:11:32.117
- The latest jobs report showed a lot of people found work.
- 00:11:32.117 --> 00:11:34.853
- In the most recent month, 170,000 plus jobs were added.
- 00:11:34.853 --> 00:11:39.191
- What are you seeing among your graduating students?
- 00:11:39.191 --> 00:11:42.961
- Well, it's an interesting time at the policy school.
- 00:11:42.961 --> 00:11:45.964
- You know, washington, d.
- 00:11:45.964 --> 00:11:46.999
- Even though we're based out here in malibu,
- 00:11:46.999 --> 00:11:48.667
- We do have,
- 00:11:48.667 --> 00:11:50.035
- Operations and classes that we offer
- 00:11:50.035 --> 00:11:51.870
- In washington, d.c., and we certainly send
- 00:11:51.870 --> 00:11:53.672
- A number of our students
- 00:11:53.672 --> 00:11:54.773
- Are currently working in the administration.
- 00:11:54.773 --> 00:11:57.709
- But one of the
- 00:11:57.709 --> 00:11:58.811
- Interesting elements that came out of the jobs report
- 00:11:58.811 --> 00:12:01.647
- Is that one of the one of the sectors
- 00:12:01.647 --> 00:12:04.716
- Not driving job growth was federal employment.
- 00:12:04.716 --> 00:12:08.620
- There's a lot of public sector or private
- 00:12:09.454 --> 00:12:11.757
- Sector business employment that's that's really driving
- 00:12:11.757 --> 00:12:15.160
- These numbers.
- 00:12:15.160 --> 00:12:16.261
- And i think that's that's really encouraging.
- 00:12:16.261 --> 00:12:18.730
- I think in many ways,
- 00:12:18.730 --> 00:12:20.732
- Through the efforts of the trump administration,
- 00:12:20.732 --> 00:12:23.202
- Especially in the first year with doge and,
- 00:12:23.202 --> 00:12:26.071
- Making government more efficient and effective,
- 00:12:26.071 --> 00:12:28.340
- We've seen a reduction overall in the federal workforce.
- 00:12:28.340 --> 00:12:32.611
- So when you see the numbers that we're seeing,
- 00:12:33.512 --> 00:12:35.347
- Which, again, are very positive, certainly beyond what
- 00:12:35.347 --> 00:12:38.617
- Many economists estimated to know
- 00:12:38.617 --> 00:12:41.253
- That that is not being driven by government hiring,
- 00:12:41.253 --> 00:12:44.423
- But by private
- 00:12:44.756 --> 00:12:45.924
- Sector hiring, that, that that's a real encouragement.
- 00:12:45.924 --> 00:12:48.894
- Well, there's some other good news
- 00:12:49.661 --> 00:12:50.896
- For the students and others.
- 00:12:50.896 --> 00:12:52.531
- It's a report from mit has found that the early signs are that
- 00:12:52.531 --> 00:12:55.667
- I it won't replace as many workers as feared.
- 00:12:55.667 --> 00:12:58.804
- The biggest reason
- 00:12:58.804 --> 00:13:00.072
- It's still less expensive to pay a human being
- 00:13:00.072 --> 00:13:02.307
- Than to install and maintain what it costs to use ai.
- 00:13:02.307 --> 00:13:05.844
- That's even more true for small businesses.
- 00:13:05.844 --> 00:13:08.547
- That said, is the ai corporate adoption had an effect on
- 00:13:08.547 --> 00:13:11.283
- What students are majoring in now.
- 00:13:11.283 --> 00:13:14.486
- Well, certainly here at the policy school,
- 00:13:14.486 --> 00:13:16.655
- We've been considering the impact of
- 00:13:16.655 --> 00:13:19.892
- Ai across a variety of different factors.
- 00:13:19.892 --> 00:13:23.161
- We've created new coursework that is looking at the use of ai
- 00:13:23.161 --> 00:13:27.633
- In local and state government,
- 00:13:27.633 --> 00:13:30.202
- As well as the federal government.
- 00:13:30.202 --> 00:13:32.170
- And i think in that we are going to see maybe not necessarily
- 00:13:32.170 --> 00:13:36.241
- A reduction in workforce, but an increase in efficiency.
- 00:13:36.241 --> 00:13:40.245
- And back to the earlier point about the,
- 00:13:40.245 --> 00:13:43.315
- The reduction in federal
- 00:13:43.849 --> 00:13:45.517
- Workforce numbers, i think we're going to continue to see,
- 00:13:45.517 --> 00:13:49.588
- Improved efficiency in government, at all levels.
- 00:13:49.588 --> 00:13:53.692
- Largely due to technology.
- 00:13:53.692 --> 00:13:55.160
- And certainly ai is going to be a major, driver of that.
- 00:13:55.160 --> 00:13:59.197
- Well, i think we could all celebrate
- 00:13:59.965 --> 00:14:01.266
- More efficient government.
- 00:14:01.266 --> 00:14:03.302
- We need to take a short break.
- 00:14:03.302 --> 00:14:04.469
- Could you stay for another segment?
- 00:14:04.469 --> 00:14:06.838
- For sure.
- 00:14:06.838 --> 00:14:07.773
- During the break?
- 00:14:07.773 --> 00:14:08.674
- Take a moment to log on to aj now.com.
- 00:14:08.674 --> 00:14:11.043
- Send me an email.
- 00:14:11.043 --> 00:14:12.277
- As you can see on the screen, it's easy to see how to do it.
- 00:14:12.277 --> 00:14:15.447
- I'll be right back.
- 00:14:15.447 --> 00:14:22.008
- I'll be right back.
- 00:14:22.008 --> 00:14:27.360
- We're back now with pete peterson.
- 00:14:28.094 --> 00:14:29.862
- He's the dean of pepperdine school of public policy
- 00:14:29.862 --> 00:14:33.833
- Because of the squeeze on oil through the strait of hormuz.
- 00:14:33.833 --> 00:14:36.536
- Gas prices are averaging over $4 now
- 00:14:36.536 --> 00:14:39.639
- And even higher in california since governor newsom issued
- 00:14:39.639 --> 00:14:42.542
- The executive order to phase out all oil drilling by 2045.
- 00:14:42.542 --> 00:14:47.080
- Here's how he put it. a couple of years ago,
- 00:14:47.080 --> 00:14:49.048
- When we lay out markers, we achieved them.
- 00:14:49.916 --> 00:14:53.219
- And so we have laid out ambitious markers 20, 45,
- 00:14:53.219 --> 00:14:57.056
- Not just 100% renewables, as it relates to our electricity
- 00:14:57.056 --> 00:15:00.727
- Grid, but carbon free future in the state of california.
- 00:15:00.727 --> 00:15:04.998
- Does he have much support for this?
- 00:15:05.798 --> 00:15:07.433
- With budgets so tight?
- 00:15:07.433 --> 00:15:10.937
- Allen.
- 00:15:11.137 --> 00:15:11.704
- It doesn't appear so.
- 00:15:11.704 --> 00:15:13.506
- We're seeing gas prices well over $6 a gallon.
- 00:15:13.506 --> 00:15:16.442
- I just filled up yesterday and it was about 650 a gallon.
- 00:15:16.442 --> 00:15:19.912
- And, this as as california likes
- 00:15:20.546 --> 00:15:24.384
- To think of itself as really the state
- 00:15:24.384 --> 00:15:26.552
- That supports the middle class.
- 00:15:26.552 --> 00:15:28.187
- And and those aspiring to rise into the middle class.
- 00:15:28.187 --> 00:15:31.524
- But really, what we're seeing
- 00:15:31.524 --> 00:15:32.925
- With these energy prices that are really only do,
- 00:15:32.925 --> 00:15:37.263
- To california policy and the policies of this governor
- 00:15:37.263 --> 00:15:40.666
- Is that it's driving the middle
- 00:15:40.666 --> 00:15:42.201
- Class and lower middle class out of this state
- 00:15:42.201 --> 00:15:45.204
- At all levels and including the energy sector,
- 00:15:45.204 --> 00:15:48.341
- Whether it's gas or home heating or electricity.
- 00:15:48.341 --> 00:15:51.477
- California is unnecessarily more expensive
- 00:15:51.477 --> 00:15:54.947
- Than just about any other state.
- 00:15:54.947 --> 00:15:57.450
- And when you think about where
- 00:15:57.450 --> 00:15:58.584
- People are leaving, they're coming
- 00:15:58.584 --> 00:15:59.919
- To you, allen in nashville, they're coming out to,
- 00:15:59.919 --> 00:16:03.089
- Texas and florida and arizona.
- 00:16:03.689 --> 00:16:06.526
- These are states that are have, frankly, much more
- 00:16:06.526 --> 00:16:09.262
- Rational policies around energy and environmental policy,
- 00:16:09.262 --> 00:16:13.900
- That can sustain and support a thriving middle class.
- 00:16:13.900 --> 00:16:17.070
- We just do not have that here in california right now.
- 00:16:17.070 --> 00:16:21.040
- Well, i'd like to get your thoughts on another
- 00:16:21.941 --> 00:16:23.743
- Simmering issue.
- 00:16:23.743 --> 00:16:24.944
- It's the voter id debate.
- 00:16:24.944 --> 00:16:26.813
- You know, all the polls show it's
- 00:16:26.813 --> 00:16:28.081
- Even more than an 8020 issue throughout the country.
- 00:16:28.081 --> 00:16:31.350
- They want their vote to count
- 00:16:31.350 --> 00:16:32.752
- And not the votes of people who are here illegally.
- 00:16:32.752 --> 00:16:35.555
- Do you think most people understand
- 00:16:35.555 --> 00:16:37.056
- That this was part of the open border strategy
- 00:16:37.056 --> 00:16:39.192
- That the democrats designed to grow their ranks?
- 00:16:39.192 --> 00:16:42.862
- Well, one of the, classes that we had here
- 00:16:43.763 --> 00:16:46.699
- The other day is we we laid out a bunch of, voter integrity
- 00:16:46.699 --> 00:16:51.437
- Measures and asked them, where they thought
- 00:16:51.437 --> 00:16:55.675
- These measures came from, whether it's voter id or,
- 00:16:55.675 --> 00:16:58.911
- Reducing or at least,
- 00:16:59.412 --> 00:17:01.414
- Making it more difficult to vote absentee or vote by mail.
- 00:17:01.414 --> 00:17:05.218
- And frankly, all of these measures are in
- 00:17:05.218 --> 00:17:08.554
- European countries.
- 00:17:08.554 --> 00:17:10.523
- And many of our students were shocked that countries like
- 00:17:10.523 --> 00:17:14.494
- That, they think as being so, they think are being so
- 00:17:14.494 --> 00:17:16.996
- Progressive, like, you know, france or italy or, the uk.
- 00:17:16.996 --> 00:17:22.835
- I mean, we could go on.
- 00:17:22.835 --> 00:17:24.737
- We are in america, truly the outlier
- 00:17:24.737 --> 00:17:27.773
- When it comes to issues that that can open themselves
- 00:17:27.773 --> 00:17:31.711
- Up to true voter integrity,
- 00:17:31.711 --> 00:17:34.747
- Vote integrity, questions.
- 00:17:34.747 --> 00:17:37.483
- And in that, i think what the administration is doing.
- 00:17:37.483 --> 00:17:40.887
- And again, this goes back to a point we were discussing
- 00:17:40.887 --> 00:17:43.089
- Before, allen, is just how incredibly powerful,
- 00:17:43.089 --> 00:17:47.860
- That covid era was on a variety of policies.
- 00:17:47.860 --> 00:17:51.030
- We were talking about the federal spending
- 00:17:51.030 --> 00:17:52.765
- That went out of control.
- 00:17:52.765 --> 00:17:54.500
- But a lot of these voter integrity policies, like moving
- 00:17:54.500 --> 00:17:57.803
- Towards all vote by mail, a lot of these things,
- 00:17:57.803 --> 00:18:01.407
- Came online in various states because of covid.
- 00:18:01.407 --> 00:18:04.644
- And as with so many policies that were put in place
- 00:18:04.644 --> 00:18:07.580
- That are so hyper
- 00:18:07.580 --> 00:18:08.781
- Progressive during covid, we've never truly unwound them.
- 00:18:08.781 --> 00:18:12.685
- We've never gone back to the status quo before covid.
- 00:18:12.685 --> 00:18:16.189
- And i think what this president
- 00:18:16.189 --> 00:18:18.057
- Is trying to do across
- 00:18:18.057 --> 00:18:19.392
- An array of measures, whether it's spending
- 00:18:19.392 --> 00:18:21.661
- Or ballot integrity measures, is just to understand,
- 00:18:21.661 --> 00:18:25.031
- Yeah, we may have done these things
- 00:18:25.031 --> 00:18:26.599
- During a time of global crisis with covid,
- 00:18:26.599 --> 00:18:29.802
- But we need to return to a time,
- 00:18:29.802 --> 00:18:33.406
- That that understands that we're no longer under that threat.
- 00:18:33.406 --> 00:18:37.376
- It's ironic to me that in that covid
- 00:18:38.177 --> 00:18:40.112
- Season, while they shouted at us, follow the science,
- 00:18:40.112 --> 00:18:43.382
- We really ignored science and we practice lawlessness.
- 00:18:43.382 --> 00:18:46.752
- But do you think it takes
- 00:18:47.320 --> 00:18:48.287
- To bring a reset back to us in a broad way?
- 00:18:48.287 --> 00:18:51.591
- Well, i really think that the trump
- 00:18:52.391 --> 00:18:53.893
- Administration is in some ways a response
- 00:18:53.893 --> 00:18:57.029
- To the overregulation, overspending of,
- 00:18:57.029 --> 00:19:02.001
- The biden administration and certainly more broadly,
- 00:19:02.001 --> 00:19:05.271
- The, the democrat,
- 00:19:05.271 --> 00:19:07.640
- The democratic party in the country.
- 00:19:07.640 --> 00:19:10.509
- You know, we did see a time here during covid
- 00:19:10.509 --> 00:19:12.845
- When even our own governor newsom was,
- 00:19:12.845 --> 00:19:16.449
- Put forward to be recalled, how he managed to survive that.
- 00:19:16.449 --> 00:19:20.319
- But it showed that even in a blue state like california,
- 00:19:20.319 --> 00:19:23.923
- That if the government goes
- 00:19:23.923 --> 00:19:25.224
- Too far on an array of measures, whether it's shutdowns
- 00:19:25.224 --> 00:19:28.527
- Or overspending or these ballot measure issues,
- 00:19:28.527 --> 00:19:32.164
- Voters will respond.
- 00:19:32.632 --> 00:19:34.433
- And i think in in many ways, when we look back at the history
- 00:19:34.433 --> 00:19:38.337
- Of that 2024
- 00:19:38.671 --> 00:19:39.972
- Election, in a lot of ways, i think it was a response to,
- 00:19:39.972 --> 00:19:44.176
- The biden administration's dramatic oversteps during covid.
- 00:19:44.176 --> 00:19:48.247
- Yeah.
- 00:19:48.247 --> 00:19:49.315
- Well, one last question before we run out of time.
- 00:19:49.315 --> 00:19:51.384
- The four astronauts have now officially traveled farther
- 00:19:51.384 --> 00:19:54.220
- From earth than anyone before them.
- 00:19:54.220 --> 00:19:56.088
- It's the first step towards getting back on the moon.
- 00:19:56.088 --> 00:19:58.824
- A lot of people believe that we never should have
- 00:19:58.824 --> 00:20:00.826
- Stopped the space program. but now that it's back.
- 00:20:00.826 --> 00:20:03.596
- What's the reaction out west?
- 00:20:03.596 --> 00:20:05.398
- Well, we're so excited that they're going to be landing,
- 00:20:06.532 --> 00:20:09.535
- The end of this week just off the coast of san diego.
- 00:20:09.535 --> 00:20:12.738
- I hope we're not going to
- 00:20:13.306 --> 00:20:14.407
- Force them to pay any taxes after they land here.
- 00:20:14.407 --> 00:20:17.376
- On our shores.
- 00:20:17.376 --> 00:20:18.577
- I'm sure they're going to want
- 00:20:18.577 --> 00:20:19.478
- To get back to their home state very soon.
- 00:20:19.478 --> 00:20:22.048
- But that being said, you know, just up
- 00:20:22.048 --> 00:20:24.817
- The street here, we have vandenberg air force base.
- 00:20:24.817 --> 00:20:27.853
- Elon musk and and, the work that he's doing in
- 00:20:27.853 --> 00:20:31.590
- Launching rockets and satellites.
- 00:20:31.590 --> 00:20:33.125
- We just had some liftoff just last night.
- 00:20:33.125 --> 00:20:36.295
- Spacex is doing incredible work here in the state.
- 00:20:36.295 --> 00:20:40.266
- I just wish that the the kind of entrepreneurial spirit
- 00:20:40.266 --> 00:20:44.503
- That created some of these companies could be brought into,
- 00:20:44.503 --> 00:20:48.474
- Our public policies, especially to make it easier
- 00:20:48.474 --> 00:20:51.243
- For future space companies, to grow here.
- 00:20:51.243 --> 00:20:54.647
- Because, frankly, what we're seeing
- 00:20:54.647 --> 00:20:56.582
- Over and over and over again
- 00:20:56.582 --> 00:20:58.050
- Are great companies that are starting here.
- 00:20:58.050 --> 00:21:00.686
- And they get to a certain part, and they just can't
- 00:21:00.686 --> 00:21:02.521
- Take the overregulation and the cost of living anymore,
- 00:21:02.521 --> 00:21:05.591
- And then they move out of state.
- 00:21:05.591 --> 00:21:08.327
- So if we could just bring that ingenuity back to our public
- 00:21:08.327 --> 00:21:11.063
- Policies here in the state, we'd be a lot better off.
- 00:21:11.063 --> 00:21:14.834
- Well, pete peterson, thank
- 00:21:15.401 --> 00:21:16.702
- You for sharing your insights with us today.
- 00:21:16.702 --> 00:21:18.571
- We very much enjoy having you on.
- 00:21:18.571 --> 00:21:21.440
- So good to be with you all.
- 00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:23.242
- In a moment, the feedback part of the show, it's your emails.
- 00:21:23.242 --> 00:21:26.245
- I'll be right back.
- 00:21:26.245 --> 00:21:32.007
- I'll be right back.
- 00:21:32.007 --> 00:21:37.490
- Thank you for taking the time to send us your emails
- 00:21:38.524 --> 00:21:40.826
- There always a highlight on the program.
- 00:21:40.826 --> 00:21:42.995
- Wanda from florida wrote,
- 00:21:42.995 --> 00:21:44.397
- I was under the impression that you had to have an id
- 00:21:44.397 --> 00:21:46.665
- On your person when you left your property.
- 00:21:46.665 --> 00:21:48.567
- It's a federal law.
- 00:21:48.567 --> 00:21:50.236
- Well, if that's the case, then what's the big deal
- 00:21:50.236 --> 00:21:51.937
- About presenting an id to vote?
- 00:21:51.937 --> 00:21:53.939
- You have to prove who you are when you're in public.
- 00:21:53.939 --> 00:21:56.142
- Why not? when you go to vote?
- 00:21:56.142 --> 00:21:58.511
- Wanda, i don't know about having to have an id on your person
- 00:21:58.511 --> 00:22:01.313
- As federal law. i live in tennessee.
- 00:22:01.313 --> 00:22:03.315
- We're just happy to have shoes when we leave the property.
- 00:22:03.315 --> 00:22:06.552
- In all seriousness,
- 00:22:07.019 --> 00:22:08.721
- It's just common sense that you need id to vote.
- 00:22:08.721 --> 00:22:11.323
- And trying to suspend that makes us understand
- 00:22:11.323 --> 00:22:14.026
- That the people that don't want
- 00:22:14.026 --> 00:22:15.261
- Voter id are up to something that's not for the common good.
- 00:22:15.261 --> 00:22:18.564
- Thank you for spending a few minutes with us today.
- 00:22:18.564 --> 00:22:20.499
- God's moving in the earth and we get to be a part.
- 00:22:20.499 --> 00:22:23.202
- God bless you.
- 00:22:23.202 --> 00:22:23.202
