Guests – Stephen Mundt, Brian Reisinger

Remembering Hulk Hogan: A True American Patriot

It's a gorgeous day in Tucson with temperatures starting in the 70s this morning, though it'll climb to 99 or 100 degrees later. Yesterday brought sad news as wrestling legend Hulk Hogan passed away from cardiac arrest at age 71.

Joining the show today is retired General Steven Mundt to reflect on Hogan's impact. Both Kathleen and Steve witnessed Hogan's powerful speech at the Republican National Convention in July 2024, a moment that showcased his authentic patriotism and love for America.

"From the time I started growing up, Hulk Hogan has been a role model for so many people in so many ways," Steve reflects. "It's not just about wrestling and his multiple WWE titles. It goes far beyond that."

Hulk Hogan was truly larger than life - standing 6'7" and weighing 260 pounds - yet in his wrestling days, he often played the underdog against even larger opponents. His famous victory over Andre the Giant cemented his status as a cultural icon.

"He never was too busy to stop and take pictures or shake the hand of a youngster," Steve notes. "Then we saw him continue to grow throughout his career. He was one of the first people to come out and talk about steroids not being a good thing."

Kathleen, who attended the 2024 Republican National Convention, recalls the special moment when Hogan addressed the crowd: "I was stage right, and President Trump was on the same level that I was, just two boxes over. Trump had the band-aid on his ear as it had been just four or five days since the assassination attempt."

What struck Kathleen most was the genuine friendship between Hogan and Trump. "During this interchange, you could physically see the affinity these men had for each other. At the very end of the speech, Donald Trump blew kisses to Hulk, and Hulk pointed his finger back at him. Their relationship and friendship meant a lot to both of them - it wasn't contrived or staged, just authentic friendship."

Hogan delivered an inspiring speech that electrified the crowd, culminating in him ripping off his shirt to reveal a "Trump 2024" shirt underneath. "He was entertaining but inspiring, and the crowd just ate it up," Kathleen remembers.

Steve emphasizes what made Hogan special: "The authenticity of the man shined through. He would not profess values he didn't believe in. That's why America loved him - he was who he was, there was no veneer or acting."

"He was comfortable in his skin," Kathleen adds. "He knew who he was, what he was doing, and he used it for good. Sometimes people build up their egos and it becomes about them, but he was always a very generous performer who was giving back."

Hogan's death hit especially hard because he had lived to see Trump's victory and inauguration. As Steve notes, "He got to see the first six months of a president who has done more in six months than any president I can study in history."

Accountability in Government: The Epstein Case and Justice

The conversation shifts to current events, specifically the release of previously classified information and whether former officials should be held accountable for potential lawbreaking.

"Just because you've worked in an administration or in government does not mean you're above the law," Steve asserts. "What I want to be careful of is that we don't ignore certain privileges people have, like executive privilege."

The discussion turns to the Jeffrey Epstein case, with Steve expressing frustration at the lack of transparency: "The American people have a right to know. For years they have demanded to know what happened. When you look at the facts - how Epstein got this special plea deal, how they lost footage in the jail cell when he was in there... well, the system rebooted, the guards were sleeping..."

Kathleen points out the concerning lack of investigation into Ghislaine Maxwell: "Isn't it amazing, if true, that nobody previously had gone and talked to her? They put her in jail, but nobody went and asked what she knows or what she's willing to tell."

"I think she knows everything," Kathleen continues. "She was a key part. I don't think the last administration wanted to know what she knew. There's a bunch of powerful people around the world and throughout our government that don't want people to know what she knows."

Regarding Epstein's death, Kathleen expresses strong doubts about the official story: "According to everything I've heard medically, how he was hung or that he hung himself couldn't have happened with the way the bones broke."

Steve emphasizes the importance of following facts rather than narratives: "We will let the facts and truth lead us to the answer. Many people, particularly on the opposite side of the aisle, don't want those facts to lead us anywhere - they want to make and create their own narrative."

Both agree that equal justice under law is essential. "There's this elitist class that thinks their job is to tell everyone else what they need to be doing, but they're not held accountable to the same standard," Kathleen observes. "We need to restore integrity and that line in our society to uphold our Constitution, our rule of law, and make there be equal justice."

Hunter Biden and Public Discourse

The conversation touches on Hunter Biden's recent podcast appearance, with both expressing concern about his language and claims.

"If I had spoken on public television like that, my mother would have come and washed my mouth out with soap," Steve remarks about Hunter's frequent use of profanity. "When you have to resort to that kind of profanity, it shows you have very little understanding, comprehension, and ability to speak in the English language."

Kathleen agrees: "It's not intellectual to swear. Sometimes for dramatic effect, but that word - we were never allowed to use that word growing up. If you used that word, you were in deep trouble."

National Security Concerns: China and Defense

The discussion pivots to national security matters, particularly concerning China's infiltration of U.S. systems.

"Across the Department of Defense, we have lost in many ways the cutting edge lead that we had," Steve explains. "You can look at hypersonics and those kinds of weapons and missile systems. Everybody says, 'Look how far advanced the Russians and Chinese are.' But let's make sure we understand we're not comparing apples to apples."

Steve elaborates: "They have produced missiles at a greater rate than we have, but the difference is our missiles will go to a 10-digit grid coordinate when it hits the target. That's precision. Theirs goes to the general vicinity."

The conversation then turns to cybersecurity concerns: "The CCB just got into all our systems, including our nuclear systems. Microsoft is sorry? They did all this work for the Defense Department in China? I'm dying to hear the report on that - who was doing the validation and testing on the system?"

Kathleen points out: "It would be like Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein saying they didn't know they were children. There's just a credibility gap. You knew you were doing it, you were doing it for money and power."

She continues: "Even if they didn't do that, it goes back to the fact that they hired cheap labor in a country that is in competition with the United States on a major level. It's not like we haven't known for the last 10-15 years that China is our adversary."

Foreign Policy: Macron's Palestinian State Recognition

President Trump, on his way to Scotland to meet with British and Scottish officials, responded to French President Emmanuel Macron's plan to recognize a Palestinian state. Trump's reaction was notably measured, saying "What he says doesn't matter. He's a good guy, I like him, but that statement doesn't carry weight."

Steve analyzes the situation: "Macron is the leader of an independent nation of France, and he can come out with any opinion he wants. If you look at France, the mass immigration they've had, the size of the Muslim population in Paris which is greater than 50% - he's playing to a base."

"If he wants to do that, by all means, stand up and say whatever you want to say," Steve continues. "But at the end of the day, the United States isn't going in on that plan, and Israel's not going in on that plan. I guarantee you there's a lot of other countries that aren't going to go in on that plan."

Trade Tensions with Canada

The conversation shifts to international trade, specifically tensions with Canada over tariffs.

"Everybody else has come to the table right now on these tariffs. Everybody else is figuring it out," Steve explains. "There are some people out there saying the economy is going to crash and unemployment is going to go crazy because of the tariffs. Oddly enough, all those wizards in economics are wrong."

Steve points out that Trump's tariff strategy hasn't caused massive inflation as predicted: "What Trump has done has not caused massive inflation. There are prices of foods and things that have gone up, but we had an issue with eggs because we had bird flu, and that's been fixed."

He continues: "You've got all these countries, including the EU, coming to the table to make deals that will put money back into our budget. It's going to flip the trade imbalance, which is so bad for us in so many ways."

The situation with Canada remains problematic: "Canada cannot get in their head that there's an imbalance. They want it only one way. Literally, the one country from the tip of South America all the way up to the Canadian-US border that may not have new trade agreements with the United States could be Canada."

Steve notes the potential impact on Canada: "This guy is a socialist, and he makes no bones about being a socialist. But the preponderance of Canadians - like 92% - live within a hundred miles of the border. Whose lives are going to be impacted?"

Kathleen agrees: "Canada can't afford to ignore the US. We've had great relations, but I think for the most part politically we haven't been aligned for a while. But I think it's a fight that they can't win."

She adds: "Trump has shown he's willing to wait it out. He's willing to say he's going to do one thing and then come back at it from a different direction and negotiate. He's doing that with China. Ultimately, President Trump is putting America first."

Preserving America's Values for Future Generations

The conversation turns to concerns about younger generations and the importance of preserving American values.

"These young entitled narcissistic young people who think that everything should be given to them and they don't need to work for anything - we've got to flip that script," Kathleen states. "Social media has been raising our kids for the last 10-20 years. We've got to change that, intercede, and teach civics."

Steve agrees: "We haven't taught it in our schools, and we haven't told people what they need to do to be productive citizens of this country. I've got a member of my family going to graduate from high school and will not pass math."

Kathleen shares her personal experience: "When I was 17, I came to Tucson, Arizona, put myself through college with scholarships and grants. I left college with no debt because I paid for it as I went and worked while I went to college. I bought my first home at 24 when interest rates were 17% - got a 13% or 15% fixed mortgage and thought I was doing great."

She expresses pride in passing these values to her children: "All seven kids went to college, all seven kids are married, and our kids have a work ethic too. Occasionally if we have to help out, we help out, but our kids are all self-sufficient."

Both emphasize the importance of transferring wisdom to younger generations. "That generation is aging and dying, and if we don't start to transfer that wisdom and knowledge to the next generation, then shame on us," Kathleen declares. "Make America Great Again is not hate speech - it's about understanding the greatness of this nation that was bestowed to us by God."

Steve concludes with historical perspective: "As Franklin said when we first founded this country, 'We have a democracy if we can keep it.' As Reagan said, 'We are one generation away at all times from losing what we hold dear.' We're right there if we're not willing to protect it."

The Disappearing American Farmer

Brian Reisinger, author of "Land Rich Cash Poor: My Family's Hope and the Untold History of the Disappearing American Farmer," joins the show to discuss the challenges facing American agriculture.

The conversation begins with foreign influence on American farmland. Brian explains: "It's absolutely crucial and touches on so many issues. There are foreign adversaries trying to get their hands on our farmland. There are foreign adversaries and allies alike who have been screwing the American farmer for a very long time with unfair trade practices."

He continues: "The task is finding a way to put family farms first in our trade deals and in our other national relations that pertain to agriculture and our food supply."

When asked if the Trump administration is advocating for farm families, Brian responds: "A lot of President Trump's support came from rural areas and farm communities. The administration is attuned to it and is drawing a line. For farmers, they're caught between cross-cutting political winds."

Brian elaborates: "They benefit from a harder line being drawn and tougher trade deals with more fair markets. They also can be affected when negotiations spin out of control and there is foreign retaliation. It's a delicate balance - it's possible for both sides of the political spectrum to get it wrong."

Foreign Ownership and Food Security

The conversation turns to national security concerns related to foreign ownership of farmland.

"Agro-terrorism is a serious problem," Brian warns. "In addition to entities like the Chinese Communist Party trying to get their hands on our farmland, we have people trying to harm Americans in a wide variety of ways. Our food security and food supply really do tie to our national security."

He provides alarming statistics: "The Chinese Communist Party or entities that ultimately tie back to it own north of 300,000 acres of American farmland - close to military bases too."

"The Chinese are very patient," Brian explains. "In the short term, being close to military bases is obviously destabilizing from an actual security standpoint. Over the long term, the Chinese are happy to slowly increase their holdings in America and also be able to destabilize our food supply."

Brian sees family farms as the best defense: "The best guard against it is actually to help solve the problems of the disappearing American farmer. We're losing farms at 45,000 per year on average for a century. If we can stop that, we'll have more farms - millions of small families holding on to our land rather than large corporations."

He contrasts corporate versus family ownership: "For a large corporation to turn around and sell to another company that has ties to the Chinese - that's easier to do because they just have to satisfy their shareholders. A family farmer who's had something in their family for generations? Try going up onto the porch of a guy like my dad and saying, 'Hey, we're the Chinese Communist Party, we'd like to buy the farm that your great-grandfather started in the Great Depression.'"

The Scale of Farm Loss and Hope for Recovery

Brian shares concerning statistics about farm loss: "We've lost 70% of our farms - more than 6 million farms. After losing millions of farms, we still have nearly 2 million farms left, and 96% are family farms."

He explains how farmers are adapting: "These are families working two or three jobs in addition to farming. It used to be a farm could support a family. Nowadays, they're working a factory shift, pouring concrete, working a construction site, and farming."

Brian sees opportunity: "What if we could change this so that small family farms are growing entrepreneurial ventures again? Imagine what they could accomplish for our country and our food supply."

Dairy Farming Challenges

The conversation turns to the particular struggles of dairy farmers. Brian confirms Kathleen's observation about dairy farms disappearing at an alarming rate.

"It's been happening in Arizona, California, and my native Wisconsin," he explains. "Other industries like chicken and pork consolidated decades earlier. For dairy, we're beginning to see that consolidation take root after dairy was a source of small and medium-sized family farms for many decades."

Brian provides perspective on the scale of change: "The year my dad bought the farm from my grandpa, the average size of a dairy herd was about 80 cows. We were 50, so we were on the small end of average. Now that average of 80 is more than 1,200 cows. It has changed exponentially."

Food Security and Trade Imbalance

A concerning trend emerges regarding America's food independence.

"At the end of the Biden administration, beginning of the Trump administration, the projected agricultural deficit was 42.5 billion dollars," Brian reveals. "We were importing 42.5 billion dollars more in food than we were exporting."

He emphasizes the danger: "We're getting it backwards. We're wiping out our domestic food supply and depending more and more on other countries to feed us. That almost reads like a doomsday movie script."

Brian believes priorities should be different: "We should be reversing that. We should be sustaining the family farms that can provide our domestic food supply, and then we should sell our excess abroad."

When asked what foods America is importing, Brian explains: "It really should be kiwis and bananas - things we can't grow ourselves. But the reality is we're importing asparagus, tomatoes, dairy - all kinds of things we can grow here."

He provides an example of unfair trade practices: "Michigan asparagus farmers are renowned for their asparagus. They sell into foreign countries that don't allow them to sell during those countries' prime seasons, but America doesn't win with those countries in return. American asparagus farmers can only sell into certain foreign countries at certain times of year, but those countries get to sell to America all year round."

Advocating for Farmers

When asked who advocates for American farmers in Congress, Brian responds: "I think farmers' voices are really growing right now. Farm families are our best advocates, and they're doing it through their various organizations - whether it's the Farm Bureau or other organizations."

He continues: "The very best advocate is those farm families getting engaged in their local chapters of the Farm Bureau, National Farmers Organization, Wisconsin Farmers Union - all of those organizations. Just getting involved, getting engaged."

Regulatory and Market Challenges

The conversation turns to the complex challenges farmers face from regulation and market pressures.

"For farmers, it's unfortunately a 'both/and,'" Brian explains. "We have regulations from the federal government that have for a long time placed large burdens on farms. There's been too much government. Sometimes those regulations are aimed at the big players, but wherever they're aimed, it is not only the large operations but the medium and small farms that pay the most for it."

He elaborates: "The small farms and medium farms don't have the ability to shake the policy. They don't have armies of accountants and lawyers to help them navigate. They don't have money stored up to absorb the cost, so they're wiped out."

Brian also identifies market challenges: "There's a lot of farms trapped in what I'll call kind of semi-broken markets. They're selling old crops and products they've done for a very long time - it's the only option they have. They know where to go with this crop or product, and it needs to be raised with certain types of pesticides and herbicides to meet market demand."

The solution, he suggests, is consumer-driven: "If we have more consumers who care about where their food comes from taking a step toward the American farmer - buying from a local farmer or farmers market or grocery that carries local goods - that creates more entrepreneurial opportunity."

The Farm Bill and Policy Solutions

The discussion addresses the Agricultural Improvement Act, known as the farm bill, which was extended through September 30, 2025.

Brian explains the current situation: "Congress has traditionally been very bad at passing the farm legislation it needs to. Where we're at right now is heading into what should be negotiations between the two parties to figure out a path forward on a long-term farm bill."

He emphasizes the importance of passing a farm bill regardless of political views: "Whether you like the government's role in agriculture or not, we need to pass a farm bill. Even farmers who want nothing to do with the government - if they're going to get a loan from a bank to put in their spring planting, those banks need to know what kind of industry they're operating in."

Brian advocates for bipartisan cooperation: "We should have a bipartisan family farm moonshot to figure out what's working and what isn't. If there's a way to slim things down, we can remove the stuff that isn't working, pass the stuff that is, and allow the American family farmer to have some stability."

When asked what happens if the farm bill isn't passed, Brian warns: "If they don't pass anything, crucial parts of the farm bill include laws that will go back to 1930s Depression-era laws passed by FDR and the New Deal. Government spending and programs to rework farming will go off the charts."

Brian's Family Farm Experience

Brian shares his personal story: "We're fourth generation. My sister's working to take it over from my dad. We're doing okay, but it is very tough for us like for other family farms. My dad made the choice to sell our dairy herd - we've been dairy farmers for more than a hundred years."

He explains their diversification strategy: "We sold the dairy herd because we would either have had to get way bigger or diversify. So we decided to diversify before we risked losing everything. We're raising dairy cows for other herds, raising beef for consumers, and raising cash crops."

Despite these changes, challenges remain: "We're diversified and still operating, doing all we can, but each one of those business lines is tight. We're always looking for what's that next crop, what's that next product that's going to allow us to continue to move toward where the American consumer is."

A Vision for American Agriculture

The conversation concludes with Brian's vision for addressing farm policy.

"If I could wave a magic wand, we would have Congress roll up their sleeves and work through which programs are working and not, which are contradictory, and which are prone to abuse and favoritism," he states.

Brian believes the path forward requires less government direction: "We need to stop believing that government is going to direct where the opportunity comes from. We need to begin letting the farmer and the consumer find the way forward on what food is needed in our country."

He sees entrepreneurship as key to solving multiple problems: "If we can have our family farms be growing entrepreneurial ventures again, it fixes so many problems. Right now, we're moving toward bigger farms and cheaper labor. That relentless push is wiping out farms and making it not as good of an economic opportunity for our young people."

Brian's final message emphasizes the resilience of farm families: "My dad, at the tender age of eight, stepped up when his father broke his back. He started doing the work of a grown man and never stopped. That work got down into his blood and bones. If he's not on the back of a tractor right now, you can bet he's running on his two new knee replacements to get onto a tractor. That kind of resilience is what every farm family has. If we can harness that resilience of the American farm family, we can accomplish all these things for the American people."