[00:00] Speaker 1: (dramatic music plays) . Conservative? You bet. Controversial? Right again. It's time to squabble on the Jim Benson Show.

[00:31] Speaker 2: Hello, and welcome to another edition of the Jim Benson Show, conservative news and commentary addressing the issues that concern you here on the BBS Radio and Television Network. I had just finished the recording of our last show and sent it for its debut March 1 here at bbsradio.com when the U.S. began its attack on Iran February 28th. Although that show had mention of speculation the Trump Administration was about to begin the attack, nothing more was said about it. Obviously, reports and commentary about the U.S. and Israel's joint assaults on the fanatical jihadist Iranian regime have dominated the news cycles, uh, ever since, profoundly affecting world diplomacy as well as financial and oil markets. Major figures in alternative media such as Alex Jones and Tucker Carlson have been against the U.S. military action taken against Iran, fearing it will lead to another Vietnam-like military quagmire.

[01:42] Speaker 2: I haven't looked at Tucker Carlson recently, so I can't say he's still that way, but I believe that's what I've understood he's said. If I'm wrong, I apologize, but I have been watching Alex Jones frequently. And, uh, their concern, if I understand it correctly, is that this action against Iran is going to turn into a Vietnam-like military quagmire, ultimately turning the American people against Donald Trump and MAGA and enabling the globalists and communists, who control much of our media, to relaunch their Marxist revolution and retake the country as they did with the corrupt, treasonous Biden regime. And the, their opinion, uh, again this is Jones, Carlson, and others who are aligned with him, uh, in alternative media seems to be that, uh, we cannot beat the Iranian mullahs.

[02:36] Speaker 2: It's very isolationist, like, uh, I felt was the case with Marjorie Taylor Greene, the congresswoman who's a big Trump supporter and then turned against him when he engaged in some of these international actions. But you cannot just pay attention to your domestic concerns and ignore the rest of the world, so I have to disagree with all these people on that point. And, of course, their concerns are serious. There are big risks involved in what is being done here, as there were with the actions in Venezuela. However, I have to say, up to this point at least, I don't believe that will occur, I mean, that the, this will become another Vietnam quagmire. And I fully support the Trump Administration's actions so far in taking down the monstrously evil mullahs who have, in Iran, who have ruled the Iranian people with mass murder and terror for nearly half a century.

[03:36] Speaker 2: We have watched the mass demonstrations of the Iranian regime's supporters chanting, "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" all this time. We have seen many U.S. service people killed at the hands of Iran's military and their proxies. Iran has been the unquestioned world's chief sponsor of terrorism and been implicated even in the most recent attempted assassinations of President Trump. The Biden Administration, ever the faithful lackeys of communist China and its allies, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, North Korea, allow the Iranian government to sell their sanctioned oil to China at a huge discount and amass hundreds of billions of dollars in wealth to foment world Islamic jihadism and terrorism and further empower their ally China.

[04:28] Speaker 2: And Iran reportedly has embarked on an aggressive missile-building program in recent years with parts and other supplies from China and including hypersonic missiles that within the next few years would have given the Iranian government vastly larger stocks of these missiles. I don't believe President Trump has any intention of bogging the U.S. down in a land war against Iran and don't believe it will be necessary in any event, while at the same time, I acknowledge the risks involved. To better understand the Trump Administration's actions against Iran, you have to look at the broader strategy of the administration in countering the growing power and influence of China around the world. This brings us to our first video presentation today. It's titled, quote, "China Is the Biggest Loser, Missiles Given to Iran Turned to Scrap, Trump Destroys CCP's 100-Year Plan," end quote. It's from a March 6th posting on the YouTube channel China Observer.

[05:30] Speaker 2: China Observer is strongly anti-communist and is often harshly crimical- criminal of the Chinese Communist Party, or CCP, and you'll see them call the CCP a paper tiger in this video. But the CCP is nevertheless a huge threat to freedom in the world, and its military remains a huge threat also. China remains a world power and tremendous influencer, promoting slavery for the masses through world government and totalitarianism with their allies, the globalists around the world.... but I found this video's analysis of the Iranian conflict and how it's reportedly affecting the CCP incisive. The same podcast, this same podcast, the China Observer, has just posted another video, which, if I understand it correctly, reports that the Iranian regime considers China and Russia its most important allies.

[06:24] Speaker 2: This same later video, which we're not showing here, also claims China has a spy ship in the region, which is probably passing on information about US military movements to the mullahs, and that China has been considering giving the Iranian regime more enriched uranium. Now, the regime is reported to still have hundreds of kilograms of enriched uranium anyway, and also the, they're reporting that along with this, uh, would be other components sent from China for building nuclear weapons. Anyway, watch this video and see what you think.

[07:01] Speaker 3: On February 28th, the US and Israel launched a joint military operation, completely destroying Iran's air defense and missile capabi- On February 28th, the US and Israel launched a joint military operation, completely destroying Iran's air defense and missile capabilities in just a few days. The supreme leader, Khamenei, was, was killed, while nuclear facilities, revolutionary guard bases, and missile sites were bombed one by one. Iran attempted to retaliate by launching hundreds of ballistic missiles and thousands of drones, but most of these were intercepted by America's Patriot missile system, THAAD, and Israel's Iron Dome and Arrow missiles. On the surface, it appears to be a catastrophic defeat for Iran, but when we dig deeper, the real victim behind this conflict is the Chinese Communist Party. The US's actions not only targeted Iran, but also dismantled the CCP's strategic positioning in the Middle East, turning Beijing's years of investment into nothing overnight.

[07:57] Speaker 3: On March 3rd, American investigative journalist, Peter Schweizer, was interviewed on Ingram Angle. He said that Iranian missiles have China's fingerprints on them. Known for his sharp style, Schweizer cited numerous intelligence reports to reveal how the CCP, through technology transfers and component supplies, helped Iran transform from a country lacking missile technology to a missile power of the Middle East. From solid fuel propellants, precision guiding systems, engine parts, to carbon filter composites and technical guidance, it was all provided by Beijing. These include Iran's Shahed drones, and Fattah and Zolfaghar ballistic missiles. Iran initially planned to produce 5,000 by 2027, and more than 10,000 by 2030, but they were destroyed with just one move by Trump. For years, the CCP secretly sold dual-use components, smuggling us technology via third parties, helping Iran turn inaccurate rockets into precision weapons capable of hitting the center of Abu Dhabi.

[08:56] Speaker 3: And now, it's all gone to waste. The economic losses are even more shocking. The CCP's investments in Iran are massive, focusing mainly on energy and industrial projects under the Belt and Road framework. Most of these projects were financed by loans amounting to 400 billion US dollars. As a key node in the Belt and Road Initiative in the Middle East, Iran was turned into a hub connecting Europe and Asia. China built high-speed rail, ports, oil and gas pipelines. Projects like the Tehran-Qom-Isfahan high-speed rail and Chabahar port were key engineering efforts promoted by the CCP, aimed at enhancing Iran's logistics capabilities and energy export routes. But with the Iranian regime on the brink of collapse, the prospects for repaying these loans look bleak. International analysts estimate that the CCP's direct investments in Iran exceed 100 billion US dollars, most of which are in oil and gas.

[09:49] Speaker 3: If the Iranian government cannot repay, these funds will turn into bad debt, further escalating the CCP's economic pressures. What's worse, Iran and Venezuela have been the CCP's two main sources of discounted oil, making up about 20% of its oil imports. These oil transactions often use the yuan to bypass the US dollar system, forming a core pillar for the CCP's de-dollarization experiment. Trump first dealt with Venezuela diplomatically and militarily, and now he struck a heavy blow to Iran. These two cheap oil routes are now completely cut off to China. The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for global oil transportation, accounts for 20% of the world's oil. If the conflict escalates, the surge in oil prices will directly impact the CCP's energy security. In the future, if China wants to buy oil, it will have to return to the global market and settle in US dollars. This is not just an economic loss, but a strategic defeat.

[10:45] Speaker 3: The dream of de-dollarization is shattered, and the disruption of the oil supply chain will trigger both domestic inflation and an energy shortage crisis. In addition to missile technology, China's air defense system exports have also suffered a blow in this conflict. Several videos on social media show that the US launched airstrikes in Iran, destroying three HQ-9B air defense systems that China had supplied. The HQ-9B, promoted by China as a star product, was touted as a hybrid upgrade of the Patriot and S-300 systems. It was said to be capable of intercepting stealth targets, resistance interference, and a range of over 250 kilometers, and an altitude coverage of 50 kilometers. However, during the joint US-Israeli operation, these systems proved to be ineffective. The HQ-9B positions near the Natanz and Fordow nuclear facilities, as well as near Khamenei's residence, all failed to fire.

[11:37] Speaker 3: US and Israeli stealth aircraft, such as the F-35 and F-22, combined with electronic warfare and saturation attacks, easily breached Iran's air defense network. Iranian lawmakers had previously publicly stated that China would provide the HQ-9 to fill the high altitude gap, but Beijing is now desperately denying the exports. As early as 2024, Pakistan's version of the HQ-9 failed during India's Operation Sindhoor. Now, the failure of the Iranian version has further shattered China's arms sales reputation. Analysts point out that although the HQ-9B is based on Russia's S-300-It falls far short of the S-400 or Patriot systems, especially when dealing with advanced stealth targets and electronic interference. Its radar coverage may reach 360 degrees, but its success rate in intercepting multiple targets during a saturation attack is low. This failure is not just a technical issue, but a major embarrassment for China's entire military industrial complex.

[12:35] Speaker 3: Schweizer bluntly stated on the program, "Donald Trump not only reshuffled the deck, he's laid the cards out for the players, and China now has a terrible hand." It's likely that Beijing is now shaken, with rising oil prices, inflation pressure, sunk investments, and a growing black mark on their arms sales history. Even their position in the Taiwan Strait and South China Sea has weakened. Just a few weeks ago, China's JY-27 radar and surveillance systems were rendered useless when the US took military action against Venezuela. The HQ9 air defense network that China helped build for Iran failed to protect Khamenei's life. Southern hemisphere countries and potential Chinese military clients have now discovered that China's military equipment is unable to withstand Western strikes. The lightning strikes by the US and Israel not only vaporized hundreds of billions of dollars' worth of military sales with Iran, but also dealt a heavy blow to China's arms industry reputation.

[13:30] Speaker 3: At the same time, China's military is plagued by large-scale corruption and frequent failures with missile propellant modifications and launch silo malfunctions, and has gone through one internal purge after another. This raises doubts among foreign buyers about the quality and effectiveness of China's weapons. These internal and external challenges will shatter China's ambitions of becoming a global leader in weapons supplies, while also provoking ridicule from the international community. Famous Japanese author and economic commentator Watanabe Tetsuya sarcastically remarked, saying that Iran's purchase of China's most advanced radar system was actually a non-lethal, safe, and peaceful weapon.

[14:08] Speaker 3: Many netizens commented beneath the post, "Chinese radar looks like a good place to dry clothes." "Made in China, what a fine piece of work." And, "China's air defense radar didn't work in the US military strike against Venezuela either." Former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo posted on X, stating, "Anyone thinking about investing in Chinese or Russian air defense systems, Putin and Xi have once again shown their weakness when it matters." President Trump, speaking at the Davos Forum in Switzerland, mocked the ineffectiveness of Chinese and Russian weapons, saying, "They'll have to go back and redraw the blueprints." In an interview with US media, he also revealed that the US military used disruptive weapons, or discombobulators, to capture Maduro. In recent years, Chinese propaganda has continuously touted the strength of the People's Liberation Army's weapons, claiming that they even surpassed those of the US.

[15:00] Speaker 3: But Trump's comments, as well as the US military's performance in Iran and Venezuela, debunk that myth. China is now the third-largest arms exporter in the world, selling weapons to third-world countries. Regarding the impact on China's credibility in arms exports, researcher Jung Chih-tung at Taiwan's National Defense Security Research Institute stated, "What matters most in the arms market is not the manual, but in the battlefield record." When key clients fail to demonstrate the expected defense capabilities, it will inevitably shake the confidence of potential buyers. Jung Chih-tung further commented, "The problem is not with a single weapon model, but with the integration capability and the test in a real combat environment. The advantages in parameters on paper don't translate into effective interception capabilities in real combat conditions.

[15:46] Speaker 3: Combat situations act as a mirror, revealing all the problems completely." For a long time, China has been seen as Iran's most important economic backer. Around 90% of Iran's crude oil flows to China, providing crucial financial support for a country under severe sanctions. It is noteworthy that Iran has joined the BRICS and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Both are mechanisms led by China and seen as platforms challenging US influence. However, their symbolic meaning outweighs their actual economic impact. As the fires of conflict flare up in the Middle East, Beijing's attitude has drawn significant international attention. Its verbal condemnation continues, but its actions have been very limited. As a strategic partner to Iran, China should have shown stronger support at this moment. But in reality, Beijing's response has been notably restrained.

[16:37] Speaker 3: Chinese Foreign Ministry spokespersons have repeatedly emphasized that China is closely monitoring the situation, calling for an immediate cessation of military action to avoid further escalation, and urging all parties to resolve differences through dialogue. In a conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi stated that the US and Israel's actions were unacceptable and condemned the blatant assassination of a sovereign leader. However, these words remained at the rhetorical level, with China offering no substantive military assistance. Even at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council, China's efforts were limited to jointly pushing a ceasefire resolution with Russia without proposing any more aggressive measures. So here's the question: As Iran's largest financial backer, why is China only making statements and not taking action? The answer is simple.

[17:27] Speaker 3: The military strength of the United States is just too powerful, and Xi Jinping is unable to counter it. The US's stealth aircraft, electronic warfare systems, and precision-guided weapons easily breached Iran's air defense network during the conflict, making Beijing realize that recklessly getting involved on a high-tech battlefield could severely harm its own interests. More importantly, in March 2026, China is set to hold its annual Two Sessions meetings, where the official economic growth target for 2026 will be announced. Meanwhile, US President Trump's planned visit to China is another key factor making China reluctant to take risks. According to the White House's confirmation, Trump will visit China from March 31st to April 2nd, making his first return since his 2017 visit.

[18:12] Speaker 3: The focus of this summit will be on the trade truce and tariff adjustmentsUS Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng will meet in Paris mid-March to discuss potential commercial agreements, including China increasing its purchases of US soybeans and Boeing aircraft, as well as securing key minerals like rare earths. These talks are directly linked to easing the US-China trade war. And if the Iran issue escalates, Beijing fears it will disrupt this process. What really worries Beijing is the risk to its energy supply. The Trump administration has made it clear that the strikes on Iran are not just about nuclear threats, but are part of a broader strategy to weaken China's energy supply chain. International analysis believe that this energy strangulation strategy is preparing for a potential Taiwan Strait conflict.

[18:57] Speaker 3: The US Department of Defense recently released its latest China Military Power Report, which states that the CCP aims to meet its military goals by 2027, with the capability to take Taiwan by force, while also expanding its nuclear arsenal. Weakening Iran and Venezuela is part of economically draining China, and reducing its strategic advantages. Iran exports about 1.6 billion barrels of oil per day, with 90% of it going to China. Together with Venezuela, these two countries account for about 17% of China's oil imports. Furthermore, about 20% of global oil supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz. As the war escalates and transportation is interrupted, oil prices will surge. Bloomberg Economics points out that if Iran stops supplying oil, prices could rise by 20%, and prices could skyrocket to $108 per barrel. For China, the world's largest oil importer, this would have a direct impact.

[19:55] Speaker 3: Considering all the signals, Beijing's strategy on the Middle East is quite clear: maintain trade, manage risks, and avoid military involvement. It's foreseeable that on the Iran issue, Beijing will most likely continue its approach of diplomatic statements and economic dealings rather than confronting the US directly. Between great power competition and energy security, Beijing's choice is not just a calculation; it also exposes its weakness and inability. Stimson Center expert Sun Yun bluntly stated, "Currently, China will not confront the US just to support Iran." Moreover, the situation surrounding the Middle East is extremely complex. While the region holds significant strategic value for China, it is nowhere near as critical as East Asia, which lies at the core of China's interests. Iran's membership in the BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organization was meant to be a symbol of Beijing's push for a multipolar world, but its practical benefits are limited.

[20:49] Speaker 3: These mechanisms are more diplomatic platforms than sources of immediate military assistance. On the other hand, if China becomes overly involved, it could provoke dissatisfaction among Arab nations, especially Saudi Arabia and the UAE. These countries, which have massive trade volumes with China, have maintained neutrality or leaned towards the US during the Iran conflict. China did broker the 2023 reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, but now with Iran's missile strikes on Saudi oil fields and diplomatic facilities, that effort has been undone. Gulf countries are forming a consensus against Iran, making Beijing's role as a mediator increasingly awkward. While China has proposed sending special envoys to the Middle East, its actual influence remains limited, mostly symbolic rather than substantive. Beijing's weakness exposes a strategic bubble of the authoritarian axis.

[21:40] Speaker 3: The most striking realization among the people is that the CCP is merely a paper tiger, relying solely on resource exploitation and debt trap diplomacy to seize economic gains, and it neither has the will nor the capability to project hard power or to help its so-called allies. In the past, many underdeveloped countries relied on and placed their trust in the CCP, seeking political protection and military security. Now, these countries have awakened to the realization that aligning with China is largely useless. They will reassess and downgrade the geopolitical status of China's allies. This disillusionment signals an irreversible decline in China's global influence and marks the end of its ambition to lead a unified anti-Western multipolar world order.

[22:25] Speaker 2: The rest of our video presentations on today's program have to do with the critical issue of election integrity, and the grave dangers we face if we freedom-loving types are unable to institute significant election reform in our largely corrupted electoral practices here in the US. We watched in horror in 2020 as the corrupt system was shoved down our throats, the election stolen, and a globalist Communist revolution imposed on us, which nearly destroyed the country as we have known it, and would have eventually been the end of the republic and our precious individual rights and freedoms. These videos will include news and commentary on a man who I believe is still likely the front-runner for the selection by the Communist-aligned US Democratic Party's nominee for president in 2028, California's Communist Democrat, Governor Gavin Newsom.

[23:36] Speaker 2: As the supreme leader and moron-in-chief of the Democrats now dominating California's state government, Newsom, an inveterate and rabid Trump-hater, has been warning that Donald Trump and Republicans are plotting to steal the US midterm elections to prevent Democrats from taking, retaking control of Congress and reintroducing the Marxist revolution imposed on us by the Biden administration and their allies and supporters around the nation. To correctly understand what Newsom really means by these statements, you have to understand that almost everything Communists and their fellow travelers, dupes, and cheerleaders say are lies and tricks meant to confuse and disguise what they really mean.... and are up to, and also to brainwash you.

[24:29] Speaker 2: Thus, when Gavin Newsom claims Trump and Republicans are not screwing around and are working to steal the midterms, and that we could lose this country, or we could lose the country, Newsom is actually declaring that Trump and his team are working to win the midterm elections and to dismantle the Democrats' election-rigging operation that has enabled them to gain and hold political power. That's how I see it, anyway. We have played videos of former CIA agent Gary Bertson, who was mentioned prominently in the new book, Stolen Elections: The Takedown of Democracies Worldwide by Ralph Pezzullo, P-E-Z-Z-U-L-L-O, which is now available on Amazon.

[25:12] Speaker 2: (clears throat) After years of investigation, Bertson has thoroughly documented and confirmed allegations of former federal prosecutor and lawyer Sidney Powell and others that Venezuela, with assistance from Cuba and China, has for decades been employing electronic hardware and software, electronic election hardware and software for, to rig and steal elections in Venezuela, the U.S., and 70 other countries. Bertson has stated that U.S. Democratic leaders and some Republicans knew about this. Don't you think this is one big reason the Trump administration took their, its recent action against Venezuela and captured that country's dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife? And I believe this is another big reason Trump wants the Save America Act passed by Congress to require voter ID, same-day voting, and other safeguards to restore election integrity in the U.S. This is undoubtedly why the communist-aligned Democrats are so opposed to this legislation and the U.S.

[26:18] Speaker 2: actions in Venezuela and Iran, as well as blocking funding of the Department of Homeland Security to stop the mass importation, i- immigration of illegal aliens into their blue states so that they get awarded more Congressional seats in the next U.S. Census, and thus they're able, uh, better able to take over Congress again. Our second video today is from a recent podcast of Emerald Robinson's The Absolute Truth Show on Lindell TV, featuring the inter-, an interview with election integrity activist Patrick Byrne and discussing the need for a Trump executive order declaring a national emergency and using the federal government to help ensure the integrity of U.S. elections.

[27:05] Speaker 4: As those of you who are regular viewers of this show know, the geopolitical events in Latin America are directly tied with Trump's moves to take greater control and to investigate America's corrupt, let me say that again, corrupt election processes. To help us navigate this mess, we're now joined by our friend Patrick Byrne of DeepCapture.com. Patrick, look, hi, it's good to see you, sir. Um, we've been talking about the potential for this national emergency executive order for a year now, let's be honest, ever since President Trump took office. Our friend Peter Ticktin has personally advocated both publicly and privately directly to the president for such an order. Will he do it? Patrick, are you hearing that it is in the works?

[28:01] Speaker 5: Well, it i-, it was a surprise that this came out. Yeah, I started getting phone calls yesterday from New York Times and ProPublica and every, everybody, while, while everybody's on this. I, uh, I don't know if this has been leaked in order to put pressure on the president. I hope not. I was hoping this wouldn't ... Do, do we know where the leak came from or who, who is saying this? It, uh, it, was this Peter himself?

[28:27] Speaker 4: No, this was not Peter himself. This came from, this came directly to the corporate press from probably someone who is not thrilled with the idea of this and wants the pressure to be pushed, a narrative on President Trump against the federalization of the elections. And I know this because you see some of those RINO Republicans, those cowardly, scared, probably blackmailed Republicans saying, "Oh, we can't do this. We can, we've always said it's states." Sure. Okay. That's how it's supposed to be, right? But it's not how it can be if there's corrupt elections, they have to be fixed. So I feel that this is a targeted leak to try to talk the president off of doing this executive order myself.

[29:09] Speaker 5: That's exactly what it is. Uh, I haven't had a chance to talk to Peter yet. I was surprised that his name's being mentioned. It was made to look like he, he leaked this. That would surprise me. Uh, and it's not even a leak like it's been decided and it's gonna happen, the, as far as I know. But I think it is, the, you're right, it was leaked by somebody to get it out there prophylactically to make it harder for Trump to do, so everyone's gonna line up and say how crazy. It's not at all crazy. Look, it's either China's gonna be involved in our, running our next election or the, the federal government is gonna be in, running, keeping it safe. It's one or the other. It's China. We're, I've just spent three days with eight Venezuelans, 10, actually 10 Venezuelans, three of whom were involved in writing this code, and they're explaining to some very, very big cheeses in Washington how this is all true.

[30:04] Speaker 5: They're demonstrating, they demonstrate hacking it, uh, ho- how, how they can flip, you know, a- an election, everything. So there's no question that this is all foreign, the foreign, the software's Vietin- uh, Venezuelan and the hardware is Beijing, China. The important hardware, not the plastic, not the box, but the important motherboard in the computer comes out of Beijing, China. There's no way to run a secure election on this foreign junk. And Trump should federalize, uh...And as, and as an emer- as an em- national emergency, national emergency, he can do what he want and, and say we have to run this just by the same standards we teach o- we've run, n- for decades, we've helped third-world countries run their first elections as they come out of dictatorship and such. We teach them. And there's very b- we should just run an election in the US the same way.

[30:57] Speaker 5: It's a national holiday, you have to vote in person, no mail, you have to bring ID, and importantly, there's no machines, you c- ca- and you count the ballots where they're cast. The election integrity people keep forgetting, and this is maybe, this is one of the most important things besides getting rid of mail, it's you gotta count the ballots where they are cast. And there's no such thing as stopping once you begin. This is how we teach the whole world, 100 nations we've helped run elections and we teach them this. We just ignore it all domestically. Trump should use as a national emergency, call up the National Guard, "We're gonna run an election in the US just like we ran it in Iraq." Everyone's gonna dip in a blue pot, what you're gonna find is 20% of the votes in the system are fake. And they benefit both sides, more Democrats than Republicans. There's all kinds of Republicans in on this though, and you can tell who they are from who's fighting eh- election integrity.

[31:56] Speaker 2: Getting back to Gavin Newsom, our third video presentation today involves his and his fellow Democrats' efforts to disrail- derail a recently enabled California voter initiative to require voter ID and similar actions in state elections. It's from the YouTube channel Rameen's Real Talk.

[32:20] Speaker 1: So I'm at Costco the other day. I got a cart full of wine and the cashier looks at me and says, "Can I see your ID?" (laughs) I'm like, "I'm clearly old enough to drink." But fine, rules are rules. I pull out my license, she checks it, I pay for it, and I walk out the door. And they check my receipt, they check me twice just to buy some beer and some wine. And it hit me, they check your ID to buy a bottle of Cabernet, they check your ID at the airport, they check your ID to pick up a prescription, they check your ID to get into the government buildings. But to vote, (laughs) to choose the person who runs our state, nah, in California, you just walk in, until now.

[33:05] Speaker 6: Supporters of the California voter ID law say their initiative has received enough signatures to qualify for the November ballot. Proponents say they've collected 1.3 million signatures, well above the roughly 875,000 that's required.

[33:19] Speaker 1: So today, and I mean literally today, supporters of the California voter ID initiative turned in 1.35 million signatures at the Riverside County Registrar of Voters. They only needed about 875,000, they got 1.35 million. And the guy leading this, Carl DeMaio, the California State Assemblyman, just dropped a bomb on Sacramento.

[33:45] Speaker 7: This is truly an amazing day for California democracy because in a time when people have given up hope that their government is gonna be responsive to them, and that even participating in voting matters, this initiative is the turning point. This initiative is where the people rise up and say that we want a better government.

[34:08] Speaker 1: Now, here's what makes this different from every other petition you've ever heard of. This wasn't some PAC, this wasn't some billionaires writing checks, this was 18,000 volunteers, regular people like you and me going door to door setting up tables at grocery stores, downloading petitions, and collecting signatures from their neighbors. And DeMaio dropped a stat that should make every Democrat in Sacramento sweat bullets.

[34:36] Speaker 7: Of the 1.35 million signatures that we're submitting today, nearly a majority of them came from Independents and Democrat registered voters in the State of California.

[34:46] Speaker 1: So let that sink in. Nearly half the signatures came from Democrats and Independents. This isn't a Republican thing, this is not a Trump thing, this is a California thing. And that's what terrifies Sacramento because they can't use their usual playbook, screaming, "MAGA, MAGA, MAGA," and hoping people back away. So why are Democrats in Sacramento losing their minds over this? (laughs) Because they know what's on the voter rolls, and it's not pretty. So (laughs) I started digging. Remember Harneet Dhillon? She's the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights under the DOJ. She just put out an update, and the numbers, they're insane.

[35:28] Speaker 8: In the last eight months, the DOJ has reached out to all 50 states asking them to share their voter rolls with us so that we can help them comply with the Help America Vote Act, which requires states to maintain clean voter rolls. Four states complied voluntarily, we sued North Carolina early on and they are checking the voter records of 100,000 voters who were improperly enrolled on their voter rolls, and they're going to fix their problem voluntarily. Now we have 15 lawsuits pending against 14 states. That's right, California got sued twice.

[36:01] Speaker 1: California (laughs) got sued not once, twice by United States Department of Justice for refusing to share their voter rolls. Think about that. The state is so scared of what's on those rolls that they'd rather fight their federal government in court than let anyone look. And what did the DOJ find when they did look at other states?

[36:24] Speaker 8: We checked 47.5 million voter records. We found 260,000 plus-... dead people enrolled in the state's voter rolls, which is pretty concerning. They're gonna be removed with the help of the DOJ. And finally, that there are several thousand non-citizens who are enrolled to vote in federal elections.

[36:44] Speaker 1: 260,000 dead people, thousands of non-citizens, and that's just what they found so far. And California won't even let them look at our rolls. But it's not like we don't already have evidence of what's happening in California. A Judicial Watch lawsuit against LA County resulted in a settlement forcing them to clean up voter rolls. And they had to send address confirmation notices to 1.6 million inactive voters. That's just one county. And in San Joaquin County, an elected official literally, literally pled no contest to 14 felonies for registering over 70 ineligible voters. Some of them weren't even American citizens. Ha, go figure. Some didn't even live here in the United States. This isn't a conspiracy theory. It's not tinfoil hat time. This is a court record. So, now you know why they're scared. The question is, what are they gonna do about it? Well, Carl DeMaio has been tracking this, and the Democrats have a party playbook to kill this initiative before it even sees the ballots.

[37:49] Speaker 9: They're looking through every nook and cranny of our process, uh, the signatures and the text of the initiative, to see if they can come up with an excuse that, oh, it's not legal, so we're not gonna allow this on the ballot. They've done that in the past. They corruptly take things off the ballot and deprive the citizens of their citizen initiative rights.

[38:10] Speaker 1: That's trick number one, find some te- technicality and throw it out. Don't let the people vote. Trick number two, (laughs) rig the ballot title.

[38:20] Speaker 9: They plan to give us a bad ballot title. Uh, instead of it saying an initiative to require voter ID, they're gonna say, kills puppies and kittens, or something like that. Uh, it might, actually might be that bad. They did this in the past with the gas tax repeal. They changed the title from gas tax repeal to eliminates transportation projects and, uh, uh, and zeros out road repairs.

[38:44] Speaker 1: They literally did this before. The gas tax repeal that we've been talking about so much, they changed the ballot title to make it sound like you're voting to destroy roads. And trick number three. (laughs)

[38:55] Speaker 9: Is put a competing measure on the ballot so that people are confused by, well, what am I voting on? Am I voting yes on this one or no on that one? They're gonna put a phony voter ID initiative on the ballot.

[39:06] Speaker 1: A fake voter ID measure. Get this. So, you're standing in the voting booth and you got two voter ID initiatives. One real, one designed to cancel out the real one. And you don't even know which one's which. That's not democracy. That's a con job, literally. Now, here's what's wild. While California is fighting this battle at the state level, the same fight is happening in Washington, DC. On February 11th, three weeks ago, the House of Representatives passed the SAVE America Act. That's the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act. It requires proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections, and it requires (laughs) a photo ID to vote. Sound familiar? (laughs) It's basically the federal version of what California is trying to do. It passed the House 218 to 213. And guess how many Democrats voted for it. One. One single Democrat, Henry Cuellar from Texas. That's it. Every other Democrat voted no. And now, and now, it's in the Senate.

[40:11] Speaker 1: And John Thune, the Senate majority leader, has already admitted they don't have 60 votes to make it pass, which means Senate Democrats are going to filibuster it. The same people who scream about protecting democracy are gonna use a procedural trick to block the American people from having secure elections.

[40:31] Speaker 10: What are we talking about here? So, take a look here. Favor voter ID to vote. Look, I got all this polling on the screen going back since 2018. You'll notice on all of it, it's all north of 75%. 76%, 76%, 76%, 81%, and then 83% in the last year of Americans agree with Nicki Minaj. They favor photo ID to be able to vote. But even 71% of Democrats favor photo ID to vote. 85% of white people favor it. 82% of Latino. 76% of Black Americans favor it. So, the bottom line is this. Voter ID is not controversial in this country. A photo ID to vote is not controversial in this country. It is not controversial by party and it is not controversial by race.

[41:18] Speaker 1: 85%, 82%, 76%. When you have numbers like that across every single demographic and the politicians are still blocking it, you have to ask yourself, who are they protecting? Because it's not you. And here's the kicker. While Washington stalls, California, the bluest state in America, might actually pass voter ID before the feds do. (laughs) The people are going around the politicians. That's what 1.35 million signatures means. So, let me connect the dots for you. The DOJ found 260,000 dead people on voter rolls. (laughs) Thousands of non-citizens registered to vote. California got sued twice for refusing to even show their rolls. LA County had to purge 1.6 million inactive voters after a lawsuit. An elected official in San Joaquin County caught a case for registering 70 fake voters. And Sacramento's response to all of this? Fight voter ID, block it, rig the ballot title, put fake measures on the ballot to confuse people.

[42:30] Speaker 1: Meanwhile, 1.35 million Californians like you and me, well, we said, "Enough's enough."18,000 volunteers, every skin color, every religion, every party, Democrats, Republicans, Independents, all signing the same petition. I need an ID to buy beer at Costco. I need an ID to board a plane. I need an ID to pick up my prescription. But to choose the next governor of California, well, the people who control my property taxes, my gas prices, my kids' schools, no ID needed. That's not democracy. That's a joke. And here's what I'll tell you. If this passes, and I believe it will, it won't just change elections. It's gonna change California. Because once people trust that their vote actually means something, well, they're gonna show up. And once they show up, oh my God, these thin margins the Democrats have been skating by in local races, in state assembly races, in senate races, those margins disappear. This isn't just an initiative. This is a turning point. I'm Rameen.

[43:37] Speaker 1: (laughs) This is Real Talk, and if this video made you angry or crazy, good. Share it. Because the more people see this, the harder it is for Sacramento to play their dirty tricks.

[43:52] Speaker 2: Our last video presentation today is from YouTube's Matt Morse TV, and contends that a citizen journalist has discovered that California's state government has dis- has, under Kevin Newsom, has given $100 million of state taxpayer money to a radical leftist organization promoting mass illegal immigration. Now again, this is what the Democrats want, is mass illegal immigration, in violation of our s- federal laws, to bolster their populations, and in the next census, be awarded more congressional seats. Whether or not this is true, and it has to be verified I think, but the individual reporting this is claiming that this is posted on the federal, on the state government's state expenditures website. But whether or not it's true, the ongoing reckless socialist spending sprees by Newsom and the Democrats controlling state government is resulting in massive multi-billion dollar state budget deficits.

[45:07] Speaker 2: Democrats have been proposing and passing legislation to impose a six-cents-per-mile-driven mileage tax on all state residents, as well as jacking up vehicle annual registration fees and other new levies to try to close these budget gaps.

[45:26] Speaker 11: Ladies and gentlemen, California Governor Gavin Newsom has just been caught in a $100 million scandal. As it would turn out, California state tax dollars have been getting stolen from California state taxpayers, and then guess what? That money has been getting given to a far left illegal alien activist group operating on behalf of illegal aliens, protecting illegal aliens. This group is named CHIRLA, C-H-I-R-L-A, the Coalition for Human Immigrant Rights, is what it's called. In fact, we have a report coming out from independent investigative journalist named Cam Higby. Take a look at this. California governor- government has been paying protestors over $100 million. He says, "I have discovered that the state of California is using taxpayer funds to subsidize non-profit organizations," I have to laugh because it's just so sad and insane, "whose core function is to organize protests on behalf of illegal aliens." The group is called CHIRLA, C-H-I-R-L-A.

[46:40] Speaker 11: They've taken over $100 million alone in taxpayer funds according to the California state expenditure website. Absolutely insane. This is insanity. Based on their website, CHIRLA's primary function is protest-related activities and left-wing advocacy. They have been protesting and advocating since 1986 on behalf of illegal aliens and take credit for some of Governor Gavin Newsom's far left policies. They've been pushing the state far left whilst also being funded by the state. And when we say funded by the state, w- we really mean funded by hardworking California taxpayers, unbeknownst to them. I feel bad. It's terrible. CHIRLA's website and social media are flooded with photos and videos of their ranks protesting for an array of causes, such as BLM, Black Lives Matter, DACA, anti-ICE, Medicare for All, and healthcare for all. Here are photos from their website. This is BLM stuff, looks like. Th- I mean, it's just typical left-wing slop. Typical left-wing activist slop.

[48:00] Speaker 11: "Defend immigrant youth and their families." So, I've looked into CHIRLA before on my own personally. This is an illegal alien activist group. I did not know prior to today that they were getting funded by California state taxpayers to the tune of $100 million. That is insanity. On their website, CHIRLA admits that they engage in electioneering through GOTV and takes direct credit for Newsom's $175 million COVID relief aid. So, this is a very disgusting sort of loop here. CHIRLA is a far left illegal alien activist group.They are taking money from the California State Government to the tune of $100 million, then after being empowered by that money, they are going back to the government and petitioning the government in California to become even more far-left. So they're getting funded by the government, and they go back to the government and push further left, more far-left, we're going further to the left. This is insanity.

[49:08] Speaker 11: "If federal or state funds were used for electioneering," which is what we just described, "this may be a serious crime." Uh-oh. "There's no way of telling whether this occurred without looking at their books. We need to see a federal investigation right now." Cam Higby goes on to say, "Much more to come." This is just one of a dozen groups that are doing this. He's gonna continue receing in- releasing this information.

[49:39] Speaker 2: That's all for our show today. As always, we hope you found today's content of interest and value. You can watch and/or listen to a podcast of today's show when it's posted shortly here on the Jim Benson Show pages at bbsradio.com/thejimbensontshow and elsewhere on the internet, including x.com@jamesb503091977. Also on rumble.com and Apple Podcasts. While you're at it, if you visit my pages here at bbsradio.com, scroll down on my index page at bbsradio.com/thejimbensontshow page and check out our related videos section. I'm sorry, that's bbsradio.com/thejimbensontshow. Look for us again two weeks from today in this tame, same time slot with another episode of our show. Have a great rest of your day and evening.

[50:50] Speaker 12: (outro music)