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EXTENDED VERSION OF COFFEE WITH THE CANDIDATES, WE’RE JOINED BY FLORIDA GOVERNOR, REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE RON DESANTIS AND WITH A PANEL OF UNDECIDED REPUBLICAN POTENTIAL CAUCUS GOERS RIGHT HERE IN DALLAS COUNTY WHO HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR GOVERNOR DESANTIS. TIM, WE’RE GOING TO START WITH YOU. YOU HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE NATIONAL DEBT. YEAH, WITH THE NATIONAL DEBT HIGHER THAN EVER BEFORE AT OVER $33 TRILLION, WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS TO GET SPENDING UNDER CONTROL AND START GOING THE OTHER DIRECTION? AND THEN MY FOLLOW UP IS A NATIONAL BALANCED BUDGET. EVEN POSSIBLE BASED ON THE CURRENT SITUATION WE ARE IN? I THINK IT IS POSSIBLE. I THINK IF YOU LOOK WHAT CONGRESS DOES, I MEAN, THEY JACKED UP SPENDING DURING COVID AND THEY’VE KIND OF JUST LOCKED IN A HIGHER LEVEL OF SPENDING. I MEAN, THEY REALLY FIRST OF ALL, THE COVID STUFF WAS AN OVERREACTION. IT WAS A MISTAKE. IT’S DRIVEN, DRIVEN INFLATION THROUGH THE ROOF. BUT BUT TO NOT GO BACK AND PARE BACK IS A HUGE MISTAKE. YOU’VE GOT TO BE WILLING TO VETO THE SPENDING. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS FOR THE BUDGET, THE MOST PRESSING THING RIGHT NOW IS GETTING INTEREST RATES AND INFLATION LOW BECAUSE THE INTEREST ON THE DEBT IS BALLOONING BECAUSE THE SERVICE, THE DEBT YOU’RE SERVICING AT HIGHER INTEREST RATES NOW AND THAT’S GOING TO END UP BEING $1 TRILLION A YEAR ON THE CURRENT COURSE, WHICH IS MORE THAN OUR DEFENSE BUDGET. SO IF YOU GET IT BACK DOWN TO WHERE THE RATES ARE LOWER, YOU’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO SERVICE THE DEBT IN A MORE MANAGEABLE WAY. THAT WILL TAKE A HUGE CHUNK OUT OF WHAT WE’RE SPENDING EVERY YEAR. YES, YOU’VE GOT TO WORK WITH CONGRESS TO DO ALL THE OTHER STUFF TO. BUT BUT THAT IS LIKE THE NUMBER ONE PROBLEM THAT IS BALLOONING AND THAT’S JUST NOT SUSTAINABLE FOR OUR COUNTRY. A QUICK QUESTION ON THAT. YOU TALK ABOUT WHEN YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT THE SOUTHERN BORDER, A LOT OF TIMES YOU TALK ABOUT INCREASING OR USING THE MILITARY TO DEAL WITH THAT AND TALKING ABOUT THE DEFENSE BUDGET. HOW DO YOU INCREASE SPENDING ON AMERICA’S DEFENSE BASE WITHOUT RAISING THAT NATIONAL DEBT AS WELL? WHERE DO YOU CUT? WELL, PART OF IT I’M GOING TO REVERSE ALL OF THE BIDEN NONSENSE, WHICH IS LIKE A 1.7 TRILLION. IF YOU LOOK WHAT HE DID THROUGH THE BUDGET RECONCILIATION, HE’S DONE SO THAT GIVES US AN ABILITY TO LOCK IN THE TAX RATES, REDUCE, REDUCE THE DEFICIT. DO THE SCHOOL CHOICE, WHICH IS BUDGET DOES, AND THEN DO OUR MILITARY WHAT WE NEED. BUT I WOULD ALSO SAY OUR MILITARY, A LOT OF THE MONEY, LIKE WE HAVE A MASSIVE BUREAUCRACY IN THE PENTAGON. I WANT TO SLASH THAT. THERE’S SO MUCH BLOAT AND WASTE THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WAR FIGHTING. SO YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT A POTENTIAL DRAMATIC REDUCTION IN THE NUMBER OF CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES AT THE PENTAGON. DRAMATIC REDUCTION IN SOME POTENTIALLY FLAG AND GENERAL OFFICERS, DEPENDING ON WHERE WE ARE, WE’RE GOING TO GET RID OF ALL THE NON-ESSENTIAL STUFF IN THE MILITARY. I MEAN, YOU HAVE A LOT OF WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE MILITARY. THEY’RE FOCUSED ON DNI. THEY’RE FOCUSED ON THINGS LIKE GENDER, IDEOLOGY. THAT IS NOT WHAT THE MILITARY’S MISSION IS. SO YOU’RE GOING TO SEE SOME CHANGES THERE. SO, YES, I’M GOING TO WANT SOME HARD POWER BECAUSE WE NEED TO CHECK CHINA. WE NEED TO DO SOME OF THAT STUFF. I DON’T THINK THE BORDER IS GOING TO BE VERY EXPENSIVE AT ALL. I THINK THAT’LL BE THAT’LL BE RELATIVELY EASY. BUT WE ARE NOT JUST GOING TO ADD ON TOP. WE ARE GOING TO TAKE FROM SOME OF THE STUFF IN THERE BECAUSE IT’S A IT’S THE BIGGEST BUREAUCRACY I’M GOING TO ACTUALLY AUDIT THE PENTAGON THAT’S NEVER BEEN AUDITED BEFORE. I’M GOING TO DO THAT. I’M GOING TO START IT ON DAY ONE. WE’RE GOING TO AUDIT THE PENTAGON IN AND YOU’RE GOING TO SEE SOME SOME CHANGES THERE. GOVERNOR, THANK YOU. WE’RE GOING TO GO TO CHAD NEXT WITH A QUESTION ABOUT THE SUPPLY CHAIN. YEAH, THE PANDEMIC EXPOSED OUR VULNERABILITY TO AN INTERNATIONAL SUPPLY CHAIN. HOW DO WE INCREASE AMERICAN MANUFACTURING COMPETITIVENESS WITH LESSER REGULATED FOREIGN COUNTRIES SO. WELL, ONE, I THINK YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SOME POLICIES THAT ARE GOING TO INCENTIVIZE RESHORING SOME OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN BECAUSE WE’VE SEEN WHAT’S HAPPENED WITH CHINA HAVING SUCH AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF INFLUENCE OVER INTERNATIONAL SUPPLY CHAINS. THAT IS NOT A GOOD PLACE FOR US TO BE IN AS A COUNTRY. AND SO WE WILL DO THAT. AND THAT’S GOING TO INVOLVE SOME DIFFERENT TYPES OF LEVERS THAT YOU PULL. IF YOU LOOK DOMESTICALLY, WHAT BIDEN WANTS TO DO WITH THE GREEN NEW DEAL, THAT MAKES IT HARDER FOR AMERICAN MANUFACTURING TO COMPETE BECAUSE THEY’RE GOING TO RAISE COSTS ON EVERYTHING. AND YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO GO TO CHINA TO GET WHAT SOME OF THE BATTERIES FOR SOLAR. WHY WOULD WE WANT TO DO THAT? SO ENERGY AND EXPANDING OUR ENERGY HERE OR LOWERING THOSE PRICES THAT IS GOING TO HELP US BE ABLE TO MANUFACTURE BETTER. THE OTHER THING WE GOT TO DO IS, IS INVEST IN MORE SKILLED LABOR. I DON’T BELIEVE THAT EVERYONE HAS TO GO TO A FOUR YEAR BRICK AND IVY COLLEGE. I MEAN, IT WORKS FOR SOME. WE’VE GOT SOME GREAT UNIVERSITIES, BUT IS NOT THE ONLY PATHWAY TO SUCCESS IN FLORIDA. WE’RE IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS WITH SOME OF THE WORKFORCE. WE’RE GRADUATING KIDS THAT HAVE CERTIFICATES IN AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE, WELDING, ALL THESE THINGS. THEY’RE GETTING GOOD JOBS. AND SO THESE ARE HONORABLE PROFESSIONS. YOU’RE NOT ANY BETTER THAN SOMEONE BECAUSE YOU WENT TO COLLEGE AND THEY DIDN’T. IN FACT, HOW ABOUT ALL THESE KIDS THAT GO TO COLLEGE? THEY GET A DEGREE IN ZOMBIE STUDIES AND THERE ARE $100,000 IN DEBT. THAT’S NOT A GREAT PATHWAY, WHEREAS SOME OF THESE OTHER KIDS. BUT I DO THINK PART OF WHAT YOU DO TO EXPAND, MANUFACTURE CUSHING, YOU GOT TO HAVE A GOOD BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT, LOW COST, BUT THAT SKILLED LABOR IS IMPORTANT AND WE’VE NOT DONE A GOOD JOB OF GIVING PATHWAYS TO PEOPLE. THE MORE MORE PATHWAYS YOU HAVE, THESE BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO SOME OF THE STUFF THAT’S REALLY, REALLY IMPORTANT. OUR NEXT QUESTION IS GOING TO COME FROM JADE ON THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY. YEAH. DO YOU BELIEVE THAT BIG PHARMA HAS TOO MUCH POWER IN OUR COUNTRY? AND IF SO, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO CHANGE THAT 100%? I MEAN, IT’S UNBELIEVABLE WHEN YOU SEE THE FDA APPROVING A COVID SHOT ON AN EMERGENCY BASIS FOR SIX MONTH OLD BABIES. READ THE DATA ON THAT. THERE WAS NO DATA TO SHOW THAT THAT WAS BENEFICIAL. ALL THEY DID IT, I THINK, BECAUSE THE FDA, WHO DO THOSE PEOPLE GO WORK FOR WHEN THEY’RE DONE AT THE FDA, 95% GO TO WORK FOR BIG PHARMA. SO YOU HAVE THIS REVOLVING DOOR WHERE THE AGENCIES HAVE BEEN CAPTURED BY THE INDUSTRY AND ARE EFFECTIVELY SERVING THE INDUSTRY RATHER THAN SERVING THE PUBLIC. SO WE’RE GOING TO GO IN AND DRAIN THE WHOLE MEDICAL SWAMP BECAUSE IF YOU LOOK AT COVID, THEY WERE WRONG ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF THE VIRUS. THEY WERE EITHER WRONG OR THEY LIED ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF THE VIRUS, ABOUT LOCKDOWNS, ABOUT SCHOOL CLOSURES, ABOUT FORCED MASKING, ABOUT THE EFFICACY OF THE SHOTS, STOPPING INFECTION. ON AND ON YOU GO. ALMOST ANYTHING THAT CAME UP THE ELITES WERE WRONG. THE BUREAUCRATS WERE WRONG. AND SO WE’RE GOING TO BRING A RECKONING TO ALL THESE AGENCIES CDC, FDA, NIH, THEY ARE NOT SERVING THIS COUNTRY WELL. AND WE NEED TO HAVE SOME ACCOUNTABILITY, BECAUSE IF WE DON’T, THEY’RE GOING TO DO IT AGAIN. AND I THINK THEIR SUBSERVIENCE TO PHARMA IS A BIG PART OF THAT. AND I THINK THE WAY PHARMA HAS DISTORTED MEDICAL DELIVERY OF MEDICAL SERVICES AND THE PRACTICE OF MEDICINE IS IS ABSOLUTELY THERE. I SAW IT DURING COVID, THE WAY PEOPLE WERE BEHAVING WITH THIS STUFF. SO WE’VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO THERE. AND I THINK I’M THE ONLY ONE THAT HAS THE THE ABILITY OR THE WILLINGNESS TO GO AND REALLY MAKE THE BIG CHANGES IN THOSE AGENCIES. BECAUSE THE THING IS, YOU KNOW, FIVE YEARS AGO, IF WE WERE SITTING HERE AND YOU BROUGHT UP AN AGENCY LIKE THE IRS, OF COURSE, I WOULDN’T HAVE LIKED THAT, RIGHT. AS A CONSERVATIVE. BUT IF YOU SAID CDC OR NIH, I WOULD HAVE HAD CONFIDENCE IN THEM. AND MAYBE THAT WAS MISGUIDED. MAYBE I JUST DIDN’T KNOW. BUT NOW ANYTHING COMING OUT OF THE CDC, I IMMEDIATELY TAKE A GRAIN OF SALT. THE FDA TAKE IT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. THEY HAVE FAILED THIS COUNTRY AND WE NEED ACCOUNTABILITY. TALKING ABOUT HEALTH MAY BE A DIFFERENT SIDE OF OF HEALTH. TIM HAS A QUESTION FOR YOU ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH IN AMERICA. YEAH, MENTAL HEALTH HAS BECOME A BIG ISSUE IN AMERICA THAT I’M SURE YOU’VE SEEN FIRSTHAND WITH YOUR BACKGROUND IN THE MILITARY. WHAT KIND OF WHAT KIND OF PLAN DO YOU HAVE TO GET? VETERANS THE HELP THEY NEED? WELL, I THINK IT’S A REALLY IMPORTANT ISSUE. I SAW THIS WHEN I WAS IN IRAQ WHERE WE HAD SOME OF THESE GUYS THAT HAD BEEN DEPLOYED 4 OR 5 TIMES IN THE COURSE OF LIKE 4 OR 5 YEARS. AND THAT’S JUST NOT A NORMAL THING TO BE DONE. SO, YES, WE UNFORTUNATELY HAD PEOPLE KILLED IN ACTION, HAD MANY MORE WOUNDED IN ACTION. OUR TROOPS AND THEIR HEROES. AND WE’VE ALWAYS RECOGNIZED THAT. BUT I DON’T THINK WE DID A GOOD JOB OF RECOGNIZING THAT PEOPLE CAME BACK WITH INVISIBLE SCARS FROM FROM THE WAR. AND THAT IS A LOT OF THE POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS. IT’S DRIVEN A LOT OF VETERANS SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND SUICIDES. THE VA JUST HAS NOT DONE A GOOD JOB WITH THIS. AND SO WE JUST HAVE TO UNDERSTAND, THIS IS A BIG BUREAUCRACY. I DON’T KNOW THAT YOU COULD EVER GET THIS BUREAUCRACY TO WORK IN WAYS THAT ARE GOING TO DO JUSTICE TO THE VETERANS. SO WE’RE GOING TO DO WE’RE GOING TO TAKE A MODEL WE DID IN FLORIDA. YOU GO INTO THE VA, WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A PORTAL WHERE EVERY VETERAN’S CHARITY CAN LINK IN BUSINESSES, VOLUNTEERS, NONPROFITS. AND SO IF A VETERAN HAS AN ISSUE WITH, SAY, MENTAL HEALTH, IT GOES IN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE VA OFFERS, BUT YOU’RE GOING TO IMMEDIATELY HAVE LIKE IF YOU’RE HERE IN IOWA, YOU HAVE AN ORGANIZATION THAT HELPS VETERANS COPE WITH POST TRAUMATIC STRESS. THEY’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO COME AND THEY’RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND BECAUSE WHAT I’VE FOUND IS THE VETERAN WHEN I LEFT ACTIVE DUTY, THEY GIVE YOU LIKE A PACKET OF LIKE BENEFITS AND IT’S ALL BUREAUCRACY LIKE YOU CAN’T MAKE SENSE OF IT. SO THERE’S HELP OUT THERE. WE NEED TO LINK THE VETERAN TO ALL THE HELP THAT’S OUT THERE AND MENTAL HEALTH IS A BIG PART. FOR EXAMPLE, IN FLORIDA, I’VE GOT I’VE GOT GROUPS THESE THESE CHARITIES, THEY TRAIN SERVICE DOGS TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH VETERANS AND HELP THEM COPE WITH POST TRAUMATIC STRESS. WHEN YOU WHEN YOU LINK THEM BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, YOU CAN PUMP SOMEONE WITH DRUGS ALL DAY LONG, THAT’S NOT A SOLUTION FOR MOST OF THESE GUYS. THE VETERANS THAT HAVE THE SERVICE DOGS, THE SUICIDE RATE PLUMMETS. IT’S CLOSE TO ZERO, NOT ZERO, BUT IT’S CLOSE TO ZERO. WELL, LET’S DO THAT. AND IT’S EVEN BEYOND THAT. YOU COULD HAVE VOLUNTEERS THAT ARE PLUGGED INTO THE PORTAL. SO IF A VETERAN HAS ISSUES, IT MAY JUST BE A NEIGHBOR SHOWING UP SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT, I CARE ABOUT YOU. WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP YOU? AND JUST SPENDING TIME WITH THE VETERAN, THERE’S SO MUCH GOODWILL OUT THERE AND SO MUCH ENERGY AND PEOPLE WANTING TO HELP OUR VETERANS IS WE’VE GOT TO USE GOVERNMENT, NOT TO SOLVE EVERY PROBLEM, WHICH IT CAN’T DO, BUT TO LINK THE VETERAN TO ALL THE RESOURCES THAT ARE OUT THERE. AND I THINK MENTAL HEALTH IS IS AT THE TOP OF THAT LIST IN OUR TELEVISED BROADCAST, WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FARMING AND YOUR PLANS ON ON HELPING FAMILY FARMS. CHAD HAS A QUESTION ABOUT FARMING. YEAH, THERE’S A TREND OF CORPORATE OWNERSHIP OF AGRICULTURAL FARMLAND. MANY OF THESE CORPORATIONS ARE FOREIGN ENTITIES. HOW DO YOU ALLOW FAMILY FARMS TO CONTINUE TO THRIVE AMID THIS THREAT? WELL, ONE I THINK WE MENTIONED ON THE BROADCAST THAT THERE SHOULD NOT BE A DEATH TAX FOR FOR FAMILY FARMS. I MEAN, I WANT FAMILY FARMS TO BE ABLE TO PASS THE LAND DOWN, PASS THE FARM DOWN AND KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY. I THINK IT’S VERY IMPORTANT. AND YOU FORCE TO SELL IT ADDS TO THE CORPORATIZATION. AN AND THAT’S NOT WHAT WE WANT TO DO. HAVE GOVERNMENT FORCING THAT WE BAN CHINA FOR EXAMPLE, IN OTHER COUNTRIES OF CONCERN FROM BUYING ANY LAND IN OUR STATE, BUT PARTICULARLY THE FARMLAND. I THINK WE NEED TO DO THAT NATIONALLY. I DON’T WANT CHINA IN IOWA GOBBLING UP FARMLAND. I THINK THAT’S A NATIONAL SECURITY RISK. I THINK OUR FOOD SUPPLY AND FOOD SECURITY IS AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. SO THIS SHOULD BE AMERICAN DRIVEN. AND THE MORE WE HAVE FAMILY FARMS LEADING THE WAY, THE EASIER IT’S GOING TO BE BECAUSE THESE CORPORATIONS, THEY HAVE INVESTORS FROM DIFFERENT PLACES. YOU KNOW, CHINA IS INVOLVED IN SOME OF THIS STUFF THAT’S NOT A GOOD ROAD FOR US TO GO. BUT I’D ALSO SAY BIG GOVERNMENT. IT DRIVES MORE OF THE CORPORATIZATION BECAUSE THE BIGGER CORPORATIONS, THEY CAN DEAL WITH THE RULES AND THE REGULATIONS. THE BURDENS OF THE BUREAUCRACY ON THE SMALLER FARMS THAT CRUSHES THESE SMALLER THINGS. SO GETTING GOVERNMENT OFF THE BACK, EPA, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, ALL THE NONSENSE THAT PEOPLE HAVE TO DEAL WITH, WE’RE GOING TO GET THAT OFF YOUR BACK AND WE’RE GOING TO LET YOU DO YOUR JOB. OUR NEXT QUESTION IS GOING TO COME FROM TIM ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA. YEAH, AS A PARENT, I’M CONCERNED WITH SOCIAL MEDIA’S NEGATIVE IMPACT ON CHILDREN. AS A PARENT YOURSELF, HOW DO WE KEEP OUR CHILDREN SAFE WITH IT NOW BEING AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR EVERYDAY LIVES? I’LL TELL YOU, WE HAVE SIX, FIVE AND THREE, AND WE HAVE NOT GIVEN THEM ANY SOCIAL MEDIA, BUT OUR KIDS CAN JUST GRAB MY WIFE’S PHONE OR MY AND THEY JUST KNOW HOW TO GET ON AND START DOING ALL THIS STUFF. I MEAN, I’LL WALK INTO THE LIVING ROOM AND MY MY SON IS FIVE AND HE’S JUST ASKING SIRI ABOUT FOOTBALL SCORES AND STUFF LIKE THAT. AND HE ASKS ABOUT EVERY SINGLE NFL GAME EVERY SATURDAY OR EVERY SUNDAY AND ALL THE COLLEGE GAMES ON SATURDAY. SO BUT I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK AT THINGS LIKE TIKTOK AND STUFF AND THE OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA, IT IS NOT GOOD TO HAVE KIDS BURIED IN THIS STUFF FOR HOURS AND HOURS A DAY. AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO EMPOWER PARENTS TO BE ABLE TO HAVE MORE TOOLS AT THEIR DISPOSAL, ALL TO BE ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS WHERE THEY CAN MAKE SURE THEIR KIDS ARE PROTECTED FROM SOME OF THAT STUFF. YOU KNOW, AS PARENTS LIKE MY MY WIFE ALWAYS JOKES THAT OUR KIDS WHEN THEY’RE OLD ENOUGH, THEY ARE NOT GETTING A SMARTPHONE, THEY’RE GETTING A FLIP PHONE. SO IF THEY NEED TO GET TO THE PARENTS, THEY CAN FLIP IT UP AND THEY CAN CALL. BUT WE DO NOT WANT THEM ON THAT ALL THE TIME. AND I THINK SO IT’S INTERESTING. I DID A TEACHERS BILL OF RIGHTS IN FLORIDA THAT WE WORKED THE LEGISLATURE ON, AND I AND I WHEN I WHEN I ANNOUNCED IT, I SAID, YOU KNOW, WHAT’S WRONG WITH GOING TO CLASS, PUTTING YOUR PHONE IN A CUBBY, SITTING IN CLASS AND ACTUALLY DOING IT AND, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE LEFT MEDIA WAS SAYING, OH, THAT’S A FASCIST THING, ALL THIS STUFF. AND I’M LIKE, GIVE ME A BREAK. SO WE DID IT. ONE OF OUR MOST LIBERAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA, ORANGE COUNTY, THEY SAID NO PHONES. AND NOW THEY’RE REPORTING LIKE KIDS ARE LEARNING AGAIN. AND ALL THIS STUFF. SO I THINK IN TERMS OF LIKE THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS, I DON’T THINK THEY SHOULD BE ON THEIR PHONES AT ALL. AND WHETHER THAT MEANS PUT IT IN A CUBBY, YOU CAN USE IT AT RECESS OR JUST NOT ALLOW IT ON AT ALL. AND THAT’S NOT A FEDERAL DECISION. BUT THAT IS CLEARLY GOING IN A BETTER DIRECTION. AND TO HAVE THEM BURIED IN THESE THINGS IS NOT GOOD. I ALSO WANT KIDS TO BE INTERACTING. YOU KNOW, WHEN I WAS A KID, WE WERE OUTSIDE AND WE WERE OUT PLAYING BASEBALL, PLAYING FOOTBALL, DOING ALL THIS STUFF. AND YES, WE HAD VIDEO GAMES AND STUFF, SO IT WASN’T LIKE WE NEVER DID ANYTHING ELECTRONIC, BUT TO LIVE AND DIE ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT IS NOT HEALTHY FOR FOR THIS COUNTRY. AND WE WILL WE WILL EMPOWER OUR PARENTS TO THE EXTENT WE CAN CONSISTENT WITH THE LAW AND THE CONSTITUTION FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEIR KIDS ARE HAVING PRODUCTIVE CHILDHOODS. WHEN YOU WERE ON THE DEBATE STAGE, THERE WAS A TALK AROUND TIKTOK AND WHETHER OR NOT IF YOU WERE PRESIDENT, YOU WOULD WANT TO BAN IT. PRESIDENT TRUMP, WHEN HE WAS IN OFFICE, S HAD TALKED ABOUT BANNING TIKTOK BUT DIDN’T ACTUALLY DO A BAN. THERE’S BEEN TALK ABOUT IT IN CONGRESS. DO YOU THINK THAT’S POSSIBLE FROM A FEDERAL YOU KNOW, CAN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT BAN TIKTOK AND WOULD YOU WANT TO DO THAT? I THINK YOU COULD, YEAH. AND I SAID I SAID I THINK IT SHOULD BE BECAUSE YOU DO IT. WELL, I THINK YOU’D PROBABLY NEED LEGISLATION. I DON’T THINK YOU CAN DO IT THROUGH EXECUTIVE ORDER. I THINK YOU’D PROBABLY NEED LEGISLATION. AND BUT THE ISSUE IS, IS IF YOU COMPARE TIKTOK IN AMERICA VERSUS TIKTOK IN CHINA, IT’S WHOLESOME. IN CHINA, IT’S STUFF THAT’S ACTUALLY NOT BAD FOR KIDS HERE. CHINA IS IS PUTTING POISON INTO THE BLOODSTREAM HERE TO GO TO GO AFTER OUR YOUTH. THERE’S NO QUESTION THAT THEY’RE DOING THAT. THEY’RE ALSO TAKING THE THE DATA AND THEY’RE MINING THE DATA OF OUR OWN PEOPLE. THIS IS A HOSTILE COUNTRY. SO I THINK THIS IS THIS IS A UNIQUE SITUATION, ASHTON, WHERE THERE ARE NATIONAL REALLY SERIOUS NATIONAL SECURITY RISKS. CHINA IS AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE’S A LOT OF PROBLEMS IN THE WORLD. I MEAN, WE SEE HAMAS AND ISRAEL. WE TALKED ABOUT THE WAR, EUROPE. BUT CHINA IS REALLY THE ONLY PEER COMPETITOR THAT WE HAVE. IT’S THE MOST SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO AMERICA’S WAY OF LIFE BECAUSE THEY HAVE AN ECONOMY THAT ALMOST RIVALS OURS. THEY HAVE A MILITARY THAT ALMOST RIVALS US. YOU KNOW, DURING THE COLD WAR, SOVIET UNION’S ECONOMY WAS A FRACTION OF OUR ECONOMY. EVEN DURING WORLD WAR TWO, THE AXIS POWERS ECONOMY WAS WAS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE ALLIED POWERS ECONOMY. CHINA IS IN IT. THEY MEAN BUSINESS. THEY WANT TO BE THE DOMINANT POWER IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. THEY WANT TO BE ABLE TO DOMINATE, PARTICULARLY THE PACIFIC AND THE THE ECONOMY AND THE PACIFIC AND WITH THE SHIPPING. AND IF THEY’RE ABLE TO DO THAT, THEY’RE GOING TO IMPOSE THEIR WORLDVIEW AS A COST OF DOING BUSINESS. SOCIAL CREDIT SCORES, INTERNET POLICING, ALL THESE OTHER THINGS. SO THEY HAVE A VERY SOPHISTICATED VIEW OF HOW TO GET THERE. SO THINGS LIKE TIKTOK, THEY GO FOR EXAMPLE, WITH THE FARMLAND. THEY THEY SET UP THINGS IN UNIVERSITIES CALLED CONFUCIUS INSTITUTES, WHICH SPREAD CCP PROPAGANDA. I ELIMINATED THAT IN FLORIDA. BUT YOU HAVE IT IN OTHER STATES, SO THEY USE WHATEVER CREVICE THEY CAN DO TO IMPOSE THEIR WILL. THEY ARE DOING THAT AND THEY’VE BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE. SO WE JUST HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT. WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT ISSUE AND WE SHOULD TAKE ACTION ACCORDINGLY. AND I THINK THERE’LL BE A LOT OF PLACES IN CONGRESS NOW, CONGRESS BEING WHAT IT IS AS THIS DEBATE HAS UNFOLDED, SOME PEOPLE HAVE PUT OUT LEGISLATION WHICH IS LIKE WAY, WAY OVERBOARD. I DON’T WANT TO GO OVERBOARD. I DON’T WANT A GOVERNMENT REGULATING THINGS THAT YOU’RE DOING IN AMERICA. I THINK IT NEEDS TO BE FOCUSED ON SOMETHING THAT’S A FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE THREAT TO THIS COUNTRY. THANK YOU, JADE HAS OUR NEXT QUESTION ABOUT ELECTION INTEGRITY. YEAH, I WAS JUST WONDERING WHAT YOU WOULD DO AS PRESIDENT TO RESTORE FAITH IN OUR ELECTION INTEGRITY. WELL, ONE, I CAN BE HERE FROM FLORIDA, SHOW WHAT WE DID. I MEAN, WE WE WERE LAUGHING STOCK WITH ELECTIONS 20 YEARS AGO WITH THE 2000 HANGING CHAD, MY ELECTION IN 18. YOU HAD PROBLEMS. I CAME IN, I REMOVED THE SUPERVISORS FROM PALM BEACH COUNTY IN BROWARD, DOWN IN SOUTH FLORIDA. WE ENACTED REFORMS TO BAN BALLOT HARVESTING, TO BAN THE USE OF ZUCKER BUCKS, MAKE SURE THERE’S UNIVERSAL VOTER ID AND NO MASS MAILING OF BALLOTS. AND THEN WE HAVE EVEN HAVE AN ELECTION CRIMES TASK FORCE IN STATE GOVERNMENT THAT PROSECUTE ITS PEOPLE, VIOLATE ELECTION CRIME. SO SO THAT’S THE MODEL. IT’S GOING TO BE STATE DRIVEN. IT’S NOT GOING TO BE NECESSARILY DONE THROUGH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BUT WE WILL USE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE WHO ARE VIOLATING ELECTION LAW AND COMMITTING SOME TYPE OF ELECTION FRAUD. WE’RE GOING TO BE VERY AGGRESSIVE AT THAT. AND WHAT’S HAPPENED IN FLORIDA, THE FACT THAT PEOPLE KNOW IF YOU VOTE IN TWO DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS, IF YOU’RE AN ILLEGAL ALIEN, IF YOU’RE A CONVICTED RAPIST OR SOMETHING, AND YOU’RE INELIGIBLE TO VOTE, IF YOU VOTE IN FLORIDA, WE WILL IDENTIFY AND WE ARE GOING TO BRING A CASE. AND THAT’S CAUSED, I THINK, THE PROBLEMS TO GO DOWN. BECAUSE IF PEOPLE KNOW THAT THERE’S A POTENTIAL RISK TO THEM, THEY’RE NOT GOING TO WANT TO MESS WITH IT. THE REASON WHY PEOPLE DO IT IN SOME OF THESE STATES IS BECAUSE THERE’S NO PENALTY FOR DOING IT. SO. SO WHY NOT, RIGHT. THAT’S GOING TO CHANGE. AND WE WILL HAVE THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT INVOLVED ENSURING THAT OUR ELECTIONS HAVE INTEGRITY. AND WE ONLY HAVE A FEW MINUTES LEFT. TIM HAS A QUESTION FOR YOU ABOUT TAXES. MY EXPERIENCE AS A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER IS THAT THE CURRENT TAX SYSTEM HAS BECOME SO COMPLEX AND INEFFICIENT THAT IT BOGS DOWN A LOT OF OUR TIME AND RESOURCES. WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO TO HELP SIMPLIFY THE CURRENT TAX SYSTEM SO WE CAN FOCUS MORE ON THINGS THAT HELP BUILD OUR CORE BUSINESS? I THINK IT SHOULD BE LIKE A SINGLE RATE. I MEAN, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO IT ON A POSTCARD. I MEAN, WHY ARE WE DOING ALL THIS STUFF? IT’S A HUGE DRAG ON THE ECONOMY. I THINK THE CHALLENGES ARE IS THAT EVERY PAGE OF THE CODE HAS A CONSTITUENCY. IT DIDN’T JUST GET THERE THROUGH OSMOSIS LIKE SO. SO WHEN YOU’RE FIGHTING ON THAT, ALL THE LOBBYISTS COME AND THEY ALL TRY TO DEFEND THEIR TURF. SO I THINK THAT’S PART OF THE REASON WHY IT IS WHERE IT IS. BUT YES, WE SHOULD JUST HAVE SINGLE RATE. YOU SHOULD JUST KNOW WHAT IT’S GOING TO BE. AND YOU SHOULD NOT EVEN NEED TO HIRE ANYBODY TO DO YOUR TAXES. YOU SHOULD JUST BE ABLE TO DO IT. I JUST AS A WAGE EARNER, AS GOVERNOR, I JUST GET A SALARY, WHATEVER. I HAVE SOMEONE DO MY TAXES BECAUSE I DON’T I CANNOT UNDERSTAND THIS TAX CODE AND I DON’T WANT TO DO ANYTHING WHERE I’M COMMITTING SOME TYPE OF INFRACTION. SO WE. HI. MY WIFE AND I HIRE PEOPLE TO DO IT. YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE TO DO THAT AS AN AMERICAN. IT SHOULD BE SIMPLE. IT SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT. WELL, WE ONLY HAVE TIME FOR ONE LAST QUESTION. IT’S ALL GOING TO COME DOWN TO CHAD, WHO HAS ONE LAST. THIS IS GOING TO BE THE MOST DIFFICULT QUESTION TO GET ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. SO YOUR SENIOR YEAR AT YALE, WHERE DID YOU BAT IN THE ORDER THIRD AND WHAT WAS YOUR BATTING AVERAGE? THEY SAY 336. I MEAN, I DON’T I DON’T EVEN REMEMBER. SO BUT IT WAS, YOU KNOW, IT WAS IT WAS INTERESTING. I WILL SAY THIS. I THREW OUT THE FIRST PITCH A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO AT A LITTLE LEAGUE GAME AND SOMEONE MY LITTLE LEAGUE TEAM WENT TO THE LITTLE LEAGUE WORLD SERIES IN WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA, AND SOMEONE LOOKED UP THE STATS AND I DIDN’T EVEN REMEMBER THIS. BUT THE SECOND GAME WE WERE IN WILLIAMSPORT THOUGHT I PITCHED, STRUCK OUT 12 PEOPLE, GOT FOUR HITS, ONE HOME RUN, SEVEN RBI. SO I ACTUALLY HIT A HOME RUN AT THE WILLIAMSPORT STADIUM, WHICH WAS REALLY, REALLY NEAT TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT I DID THAT SO THAT SO I NOW REMEMBER WHAT I WHAT I DID IN THAT GAME IN WILLIAMSPORT. WELL, WONDERFUL. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THAT’S ACTUALLY ALL THE TIME THAT WE HAVE FOR OUR EXTENDED EDITION OF COFFEE WITH THE CANDIDATES FOR GOVERNOR. OUR PANEL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US.