I'm back on the air after several weeks when I was away for family reasons. This will be a very interesting episode, because we'll be looking both forward and back.
Forward: to President Biden's visit to the Middle East, trying to pick up the pieces of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, and begging the Saudis for oil. We'll talk to Avi Jorisch, who is doing the hard work of building alliances.
Forward: to the next hearing of the January 6 Committee, which is going to weave a conspiracy theory linking President Trump to far-right groups that stormed the Capitol. The committee is manipulating evidence and has refused to consider the offer of a leader of the Oath Keepers to testify under oath -- with the proviso that he be able to testify live, so they can't manipulate his testimony and make up things about him, as they have done to others.
Backward: to my visit to South Africa, which made the same mistakes 20 years ago that America is making today: failing to invest in power generation and using government investigative bodies to eliminate political opposition.
Backward: to my old home state of Illinois, where the governor is causing for more gun control despite the abject failure of the strictest rules in a liberal community on July 4th. No law can eliminate evil or the need for vigilance.
Forward: to the 2022 midterm elections and the 2024 presidential elections -- from Iowa. Yes, I was able to make it to the Hawkeye State this week, and I interviewed two Republicans who are building towards a hoped-for red wave.
Special guests:
Zach Nunn -- Iowa legislator and candidate for Congress in IA-03
Tom Cotton -- Senator from Arkansas and possible presidential contender
Avi Jorisch -- author forging ties between Israel and its Arab neighbors
Listen: 7-10 p.m. EDT, SiriusXM 125
Call in: 866-957-2874
This is the final edition of THE AGENDA -- finished a few days early!
This week's portion elucidates some of the first laws and principles of the Torah that follow the Ten Commandments, including -- a message particularly relevant to freed slaves -- the Jewish restrictions on indentured servitude.
God also provides the basic civil laws of Jewish society, governing almost every area of life -- in this one portion! -- as well as several basic principles of faith and religious observance. Moses then ascends Sinai for 40 days.
One of the laws God gives is the law against taunting a foreigner. This is different from allowing people to enter your land illegally; it is about showing respect, however, for people from other lands and other groups.
I am reminded of the importance of this principle because of the rhetoric lately attacking Elon Musk, a fellow South African-turned-American, for his foreign roots -- often by people who favor illegal immigration, ironically.
...
Since the Palisades Fire on January 7, my posts have been fairly sparse. I have just been so busy -- fighting the fire, covering the fire, helping neighbors, and launching a new podcast, "Three Homeless Guys," with two local friends.
Things are up and down. My family is still displaced, and we haven't resolved our living situation. We are awaiting answers from the insurance company (State Farm) on what they will cover, including alternative living expenses.
There are some incredible opportunities opening up -- more on that later -- and our kids are generally doing well, though this has been hard for them as well (especially the two middle kids, who miss their friends and their house).
The emotion of it all hit me yesterday. Today I feel wrung out. But I also feel that, in a way, going through the fire has been a process of refinement, of re-casting in a new mould, to face new challenges. And to win each new day.
So much to talk about, once again, as the Trump administration continues at breakneck pace. From DOGE chewing through the federal bureaucracy, to Marco Rubio heading out on his first missions for Trump, there's so much...
Special guests:
Assemblyman Carl DeMaio -- on the L.A. fires and reforming CA insurance
Matt Boyle -- Breitbart News political editor, on DOGE and confirmations
Jamie Paige -- founder of the Westside Current, on L.A. politics and the fires
Frances Martel -- Breitbart News foreign editor, on Rubio and Russia/Ukraine
Rob Hersov -- South African commentator, on SA's fight with the White House
Tune in: SiriusXM Patriot 125, 7-10 p.m. ET, 4-7 p.m. PT
Call in: 866-957-2874
