Robert F. Kennedy Jr. won applause at the Libertarian Party’s national convention when he criticized government lockdowns and deficit spending and said the United States should not police the world.
It made me want to interview him. This month, I did just that.
He had some wise words to say about America’s growing debt:
“President Trump said he was going to balance the budget, but he (increased more debt) than every president in U.S. history – $8 trillion. President Biden is now on track to beat him.”
It’s great to hear candidates actually talk about our debt.
“When the debt is this big … you have to make significant cuts, and that’s what I’m going to do,” he said.
But looking at his campaign promises, I don’t think so.
He promised to provide “affordable” housing through a federal program that supported 3 percent mortgages.
“Imagine you had a rich uncle willing to co-sign your mortgage!” his campaign ad gushed. “I want to make Uncle Sam a rich uncle!”
I pointed out that such a giveaway would not reduce our debt.
“This is not a giveaway,” Kennedy replied. “Every dollar I spend as president will be used to build our economy.”
This is complete government bullshit, like another one of his claims: “For every million dollars we spend on child care, 22 jobs are created!”
Give me a break.
When I asked him about specific cuts, Kennedy said: “I would cut military spending in half…to about $500 billion…We are not the world’s policeman.”
“Stop sending money to Ukraine?” I asked.
“Negotiate peace,” Kennedy replied. “Biden never spoke to Putin about this, which is criminal.”
He never answered whether he would donate to Ukraine. He did answer questions about Israel.
“Yes, of course we should,”
“[Since] You don’t want to cut this expense, what? meeting You cut it?
“Israel’s spending is quite small,” he replied. “I will pick the most wasteful programs, put them all into one bill, then send them to Congress and vote them up and down.”
Of course, Congress would simply vote no.
Kennedy’s proposed cuts will do little to slow our path to bankruptcy. Especially since he also wants activists to pretend that new spending will reduce climate change.
At a concert a few years ago, he slandered “crisis” skeptics like me who believe we can adapt to climate change, screaming at the audience, “Next time you see John Stossel and [others]…These flat-earthers, these corporate sycophants—they’re lying to you. This is treason and we need to start treating them as traitors now!
Now, sitting next to him, I asked, “Do you want to execute me for treason?”
“This statement,” he responded, “is not the statement I’m making today…Climate exists. I think it’s human-caused climate change. But I don’t insist that other people believe that. I’m free to argue. The market, then the lowest cost supplier should prevail in the market… We should end all subsidies and let the market decide.
This sounds great: “Let the market decide.”
But wait, Kennedy made money from solar farms backed by government-guaranteed loans. He “relyed on his connections in the Obama administration to secure $1.6 billion in loan guarantees,” wrote New York Times.
“why would you Receive government subsidies?
“If you’re creating a new industry,” he responded, “you’re competing with the Chinese. You want the United States to own a piece of that industry.”
I guess that means his government will subsidize every industry the left likes.
However, when a wind farm company proposed building a wind farm near his home, he objected.
“It seems so hypocritical,” I said.
“We are wiping out right whales in the North Atlantic with these wind farms!” he replied.
I thought he was more honest a few years ago when he complained about “turbines… visible from Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard… Nantucket…”[They] Will steal the stars and the night view.
Kennedy was once a Democrat, but now Democrats are suing to keep him off the ballot. Former Clinton Labor Secretary Robert Reich called him a “dangerous lunatic.”
Kennedy complained that Reich wouldn’t argue with him.
“No one will,” he said. “They won’t let me appear on any of their networks.”
Well, obviously, I will.
I especially want to discuss vaccines with him.
In a future column, Stossel TV will be releasing more from our hour-long discussion.
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