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Glenn Beck

Budget Bill Houses Bad Surprises; Jamie Lynn Spears Pregnant

Aired December 19, 2007 - 19:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GLENN BECK, HOST (voice-over): Tonight, more proof our politicians just aren`t listening. Funding for the border fence, slashed in the dark of night on Capitol Hill.

Plus, Britney Spears`s 16-year-old kid sister is having a baby. Now more than ever, family values in this nation are under fire.

And the real America. A double-amputee Iraqi vet gets an early Christmas gift he`ll never forget. And neither will you.

All this and more, tonight.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BECK: Well, hello, America. I don`t want to talk down to you at all, but how do you make a budget at your house? It`s like -- it`s like it happens at my house. I mean, we generally take our income and then all of our expenses and then we try to find some way to make that income number higher than the expense number. Right? Is that too difficult to understand?

Here`s "The Point" tonight. Yes, Virginia, in Washington yes, it is too difficult to understand. And here`s how I got there.

The one thing that I learned about Washington is that, apparently, words mean different things there than they do at our houses. We all know the government can`t balance a budget, but it never ceases to amaze me what they do with that money that they don`t really have.

There are $700,000 that have been set aside now for -- get this -- a bike path. I`m assuming that it`s made out of diamonds? And that`s just the beginning of the pork. We`ll get to more of that coming up in "The Real Story" in about a half an hour. It will make blood shoot out of your eyes.

But first, I want to concentrate on how this disaster of a budget actually affects our security, particularly on the border. In 2006, remember, we all passed a law that guaranteed 700 miles of double fence to be built in specific locations on the Mexican border.

But buried in this 3,500-page budget is language that changes that requirement of the law. No longer will we need to use double fencing. I don`t know. Now it will be just, quote, "the best fencing for the situation". Whatever the hell that means.

The change also gets rid of the requirement for the fence to be built in locations that were previously approved, places like Laredo, Texas.

Tell me this won`t be a nightmare. Fence construction will be prohibited until homeland security meets with one, the Interior Department; two, the Agricultural Department; three, local governments; and four, property owners. Oh, and five, Indian tribes. Why? To, quote, "reduce the impact of the fencing".

Isn`t that the point of having a fence? To have an impact?

America, here`s what you need to know tonight. The fence will have an impact on our security. And that`s something Washington doesn`t really seem to be interested in. Why else would Congress reportedly find $10 million to provide emergency assistance to the attorneys of illegal aliens, while at the same time cut the White House request, like, $77 million for homeland security`s domestic nuclear detection office?

I guess the point we set by defeating amnesty has been once again lost in translation.

New York Representative Peter King sponsored the Secure Fence Act.

Congressman, I`ve got to tell you. This is just another example of how our country is being hijacked in the cover of darkness. Agree or disagree?

REP. PETER KING (D), NEW YORK: I absolutely agree. This was a midnight massacre. It was absolutely disgraceful.

BECK: So when you have something that`s put into this Bill that says the Department of Homeland Security has to meet with the Interior Department, the Agriculture Department, the local governments, the Indian tribes, the property owners, there`s no way this fence is ever going to be built.

KING: No, I think as a practical matter we`re going to see maybe -- maybe half the fence built, and this was what it was intended to be by the people who sabotaged it. And it`s absolutely disgraceful.

BECK: So name names. Who is sabotaging this? They`re wildly out of step with the American people, and it`s not a Republican thing. It`s -- it`s both sides of the aisle. Who is doing it and why?

KING: I would -- the main culprits, if you will, are the Democratic leaders who put it in the final package, because they control what`s in the final package. But to be bipartisan about it, it was also where Republican senators from states along the border, specifically Senator Hutchinson from Texas, who did not want to have these -- this fence going through the property of people who live along the border. And this was so strong-sided (ph) and so wrong.

And by the way, if they felt that way, then let`s have a full vote on it. But last year, the overwhelming majority of the House and Senate voted for a 700-mile fence. That fence -- and that law was signed by the president of the United States in a White House signing ceremony.

So if they want to change that, they shouldn`t sneak it into a 3,000- page Bill involving hundreds of billions of dollars in unrelated matters.

BECK: Congressman, I have to tell you, this is -- to the average American, I believe they look at this and they say these guys are either on the take with the special interests or it is such arrogance that the people in Washington are looking at us little peons and saying, "Oh, well, I know better than they do."

Either way, whichever one of those is true, it ends with pitchforks and torches. I don`t know how many times -- I feel like -- honestly, I feel like Jefferson writing the Declaration of Independence. We keep asking for remedy, and you keep injuring us.

How many more times do you think you have in Congress before people say enough?

KING: Well, I can speak for myself. I was totally opposed to what happened here. I`ve spoken out against it. I may be one of the only ones against it, but I`m speaking out as strongly as I can. And I`m going to keep this going for as long as I have to.

BECK: Congressman, I want you to know: I don`t mean to paint you with such a broad brush here, because you are a guy on the right side of this issue, but am I reading this wrong? I don`t think there`s much -- I don`t think there`s too many more injuries ahead of us before the American people say enough with you guys.

KING: I think you`re right, and again, this is such a major issue. This is the defining issue in the country today. And yet, you have a classic case of the Congress in the dark of night subverting the will of the American people.

Again, that wasn`t splitting the difference and shaving something. This was absolutely reversing what was done last year and supported by the overwhelming majority of the American people.

I don`t know how many times I can say and you can say this is wrong. And we should really, you know -- as of now, let`s declare war. I mean, this is wrong. This is a political war against what went on and against businesses as usual.

BECK: On both sides. On both sides.

KING: It`s an abuse of the American people.

BECK: It is. Congressman, thank you very much and have a great and safe holiday.

KING: You too. Thank you very much.

BECK: All right. Let me talk to California congressman and Republican presidential candidate, friend of the program, Duncan Hunter.

How are you, sir?

REP. DUNCAN HUNTER (R-CA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Great to talk to you, Glenn. How`s it going?

BECK: I`ve been better. You know, the double-layer fence has been your battle cry from the very beginning, when you got it done in San Diego, it was a miracle. When you got it done in Washington, I told you that day, it ain`t going to happen and you said yes, it will. Now explain to me, sir, the human consequences on eliminating this fence.

HUNTER: Well, let me tell you, and this Bill that is going to be voted on today eliminates the mandate for the double-border fence. It says on page 23 that the secretary of homeland security doesn`t really have to build any fence if he doesn`t want to.

And it takes away the mandates that I had for Laredo, for Arizona. We were fencing the entire state of Arizona by May 30, as you know, of next year. So this thing guts the double-border fence.

BECK: OK.

HUNTER: Absolutely guts it. It`s good news for the drug pushers, good news for the smugglers, bad news for America.

BECK: I mean, you know, why worry about Laredo? There`s only 21 missing Americans in Laredo. Why worry about those people?

Sir, name names for me. Tell me who -- let`s start developing a list on the people who are doing this in the cover of night. Who is standing in the way of the American people getting what they`re demanding?

HUNTER: Well -- well, first the Democrat leadership. But Nancy Pelosi has said she never liked the border fence from the start, so I have to believe that this thing did not pass without the support of Nancy Pelosi.

Secondly, I think that the -- I think that the senators from the border state -- and I had 400 miles of double-border fence mandated for the state of Texas. Now there`s not a single inch mandated for the state of Texas. Homeland security could build fence in Texas, but the double-border fence, the 400 miles all the way from Laredo to Brownsville, is not mandated.

And I see, I think the Texas senators watered that down, and I think that the Democrat leadership on the -- on the House of Representatives side went along with that.

I think that the president does not want to have fencing in the state of Texas. And I think Mr. Chertoff, who was head of homeland security, never wanted to have the double-border fence in the state of Texas or Arizona or New Mexico, for that matter. I think you`ll see some single fence going up. It will be much less effective.

BECK: In -- in the last year we have had 1,000 attacks on our border guards. That is an increase of 38 percent. You`ve got to ask yourself, why not? Why not? I was in -- where was I? I was in Charleston, South Carolina, last weekend at a border guard recruitment camp. Nobody -- nobody was there.

And when I walked up, I wasn`t surprised. Why would you do that job? You`re being sold out every step of the way.

HUNTER: And Glenn, that`s why that double fence was so effective. Because, when you had the two fences with 150-foot-wide Border Patrol road in between, that was a -- that gave us a margin of safety for the Border Patrolmen. It kept the guys on the other side, the smugglers from being able to throw rocks at them, from being able to shoot at them, from being able to cause diversions in moving people across with drugs or cross in another areas.

BECK: Congressman, thank you very much.

This is a -- this is a perfect example of why I say there is something far bigger going on than -- on our borders than what you`re hearing about. I`ve asked these two gentlemen to name names. They won`t. You know what? I will. I do.

In my new book, "An Inconvenient Book," read chapter 22. It`s the chapter called "Illegal Immigration: Behind the Lies." I name names. Ultimately, decide what to believe yourself, but you owe it to yourself and your country to read at least the other side of the story. You can read it in the book store. I don`t care if you even buy the book. Read the last chapter. "Inconvenient Book." It`s in stores now. You can order your copy online at GlennBeck.com.

BECK: Coming up, Britney`s 16-year-old sister Jamie Lynn announces she`s 12 weeks pregnant. Who would have seen that coming? Oh, I don`t know. How about everybody? Can we finally seal off the Spears family and tell them no more children for you? Coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Our economy is in trouble, big trouble. Nobody on mainstream media will tell you that. But some of us are, you know, stacking our gold bars next to our macaroni and cheese in our fallout shelter. But I`m not a freak. Others are going to have their heads explode when the economy goes bust because they didn`t see it coming.

By the way, speaking of exploding heads, who better to ask about all of that than "Mad Money`s" Jim Cramer? You do not want to miss him tonight in "The Real Story." It`s coming up.

But first, this time of year, of course, brings to mind this story. It`s a story of a young, unmarried woman, teenager really, who suddenly, quite unexpectedly, found herself with child. If we were only talking about the Virgin Mary, but no, no, we`re talking about Britney Spears`s 16- year-old sister, Jamie Lynn.

Jamie Lynn Spears, the star of a show on the children`s network Nickelodeon, has confirmed now that she`s 12 weeks pregnant. Oh, good for you. You go, girl. The father of her child is her boyfriend of two years, and they said in the paper today that it was, quote, "a shock to both of them".

Really? That`s weird. That`s usually what happens when you put those two parts together. But don`t worry. They`re good church-going people. They met at church, I hear.

Whether it`s a pregnant teen or Jamie Lynn or the custody of her no- show rehab relapse sister Britney Spears, there seems to be a disconnect between the values that most of us believe are important and the actions of our public figures and in some cases our own families.

A recent "USA Today"/Gallup poll shows a full 75 percent of voters say that family values are extremely or very important to them. But we`re not really hearing anything about them on the campaign trail. According to "USA Today," the exception of that rule is Mitt Romney, who talks about the return of family values in his stump speeches.

The issue has, however, taken more of a back seat to immediate concerns like immigration, the war, and the economy. Not necessarily wrong, but are we really going to be this short-sighted to think that if we don`t at least acknowledge the problem our families are falling apart we`re going to kind of have a bigger problem on fixing it?

Joining me now, Bill Myer. He is a psychologist with Focus on the Family; and senior fellow with the Family Research Council, Ken Blackwell.

Bill, let me start with you. I am so sick and tired of hearing people say, "Well, I`m not a role model. I`m not a role model." Or my other favorite -- that comes from celebrities. The parents, my favorite, and that is, you know, "My kids, they know the difference. We watch -- sure, we watch `The Sopranos.` Or sure we watch, you know, this on MTV and what`s the where the girl had to decide yesterday whether she was going to hook up with a boy or a girl? Oh, but they understand the difference." No, they don`t. Isn`t the proof in the pudding?

BILL MYER, PSYCHOLOGIST, FOCUS ON THE FAMILY: It is, Glenn. You know, the average American home have the TV on 49 hours a week. The average American parent spends about 39 minutes a week in meaningful conversation with their kids.

So yes, obviously, the media has a huge impact on our kids, on their behavior, on their attitudes, on their morality. And if we are not being really deliberate and proactive in trying to counteract some of those toxic messages, our kids are going to end up in really dire straits.

BECK: Ken, we have -- we have entered into a place where the only message about family that our kids are getting is, I think, how to make one. Although she was surprised that she was pregnant.

The messages are not out there. They`re not out there on mainstream media. I mean, you watch any mainstream show, and it is an assault on the family over and over and over again. Now we can`t even get this from politicians, because most of the Republican politicians ain`t living a family lifestyle.

KEN BLACKWELL, FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL: The fact is that we have a society that talks one way but behaves another. And until we start having an adult model for these young people, we`re going to see an escalation in out-of-wedlock births like we`ve witnessed in the last reporting period. From 2005 to 2006 out-of-wedlock births increased 8 percent.

BECK: OK.

BLACKWELL: And that`s a real problem.

BECK: OK. The -- Bill. You talking about modeling. MTV just did a study and said who is your hero? Who are you modeling after? Who are you watching? Who is a role model for you?

MTV`s research shows it`s Mom and Dad, yet Mom and Dad are so busy doing their own thing that they just think they can buy their kids with stuff or bigger TVs. And so the role model isn`t even showing up.

MYER: Well, you know, that MTV research was both encouraging and discouraging. Encouraging and because three quarters of the kids said, "Yes, Mom and Dad are my role models. They`re my heroes. I want a close relationship with them."

A lot of parents and teens may not buy that. They think, you know, my kids don`t want anything to do with me. They`re all interested in spending time with their peers. But kids want a solid, deep relationship with their parents.

However, if those parents are not available to them and they`re not providing them with a great model of what it means to be a person of character and integrity and have strong moral values and explain the difference between right and wrong and what it means to live in a pure and noble way, where are the kids going to turn? They`re going to turn right back to MTV and those same rappers who are giving them a completely different message.

BECK: You know, I`d like both of you guys to comment on this. I really believe that we`re living in really perilous times, and I think moms and dads and especially moms are Sarah Connor, you know, from the old "Terminator." We`ve got to put the armor on our kids and -- and teach them how to live the right way, because there`s just real trouble in store for them.

What`s missing? What do we have to do to either wake parents up or get the kids to listen?

BLACKWELL: This may sound like an over-simplification, but when we start talking about thinking well, in this country, we put an emphasis on doing things right as opposed to doing the right thing. And I really think we have to understand that families, intact families, the nurturing of our children, are -- that`s a foundational issue.

And we must get back to protecting that family and demonstrating through our behavior as adults to our kids, that doing things -- doing the right thing matters.

BECK: OK. Guys, thank you very much.

By the way, just the American audience, please go out and buy yourself a book by John Huntsman. It`s called "Winners Never Cheat." It is so simple, but never ever heard anymore. It`s been on the market for a couple of years. It is so worth your time to read. "Winners Never Cheat."

Coming up, the author of "The Christmas Box," Richard Paul Evans, joins me to discuss the real meaning of Christmas as told in his new book, "The Gift."

And an update to Jake and Vanessa`s story: a special thank you to a man who gave so much for our country.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Well, one week from today it will all be over. The presents will be gone; the plates of cookies will be eaten; and then the cookies that my wife hid in -- on the top shelf of the cabinet will also be gone, but I digress.

The point is, we`re going to be left with a lot of used wrapping paper and likely some good presents and some crummy presents. But before it`s too late, try to remember -- try in this society to remember the real meaning of the Christmas season.

"The Gift" is the latest book from Richard Paul Evans. It comes with a very important message. There is no hurt that -- so great that love cannot heal it. And I read this, I think, in September. And I have to tell you, get this for Christmas. It`s fantastic.

How are you, sir?

RICHARD PAUL EVANS, AUTHOR, "THE GIFT": Good, thank you.

BECK: You know, truth just screams. And I don`t know -- tell me how much of this is true. You say in the beginning -- you say, and I don`t want to reveal too much, but I can reveal that one of the characters has Tourette`s. And I don`t think I ever read anything like this before. And you say it was based on you. Is that...

EVANS: I have Tourette`s Syndrome.

BECK: You have Tourette`s?

EVANS: I do, yes.

BECK: What is that like to live with?

EVANS: You know, I wasn`t actually diagnosed until I was 40. I just thought I was weird. You know, certain impulses I have to -- I talk about the tree (ph) in there, the ticks. I had a tremendous amount of ticks when I was younger. My -- the need to touch sharp objects. And this -- this is the scary one. The impulse to spit in the face of famous people.

BECK: Exactly.

EVANS: I was actually in the Oval Office, and this isn`t a political statement, but I was actually with Bill Clinton. And that was the strongest impulse. I had to either bite my tongue to...

BECK: Well, a lot of Americans felt that way. But -- so you wrote "The Christmas Box." You`ve sold 14 million books worldwide.

EVANS: Yes.

BECK: This -- I don`t mean this offensive -- to be offensive at all, I read "The Christmas Box." I think it`s very good. This just was fantastic. If you like "The Christmas Box," you`ll love this. And I`ve passed it. It`s one of those books you can take and you`ll read and you`ll love it. And then you`ll pass it to somebody else in your family. And then before you know it, everybody in the family has read it because they`ve passed it around. It`s great.

You have a hard time getting this published? Is that true?

EVANS: I had a hard time getting it written. The problem was, I came off a really hard year. I lost my mother last year. My father was diagnosed with a chronic illness. And just between all the family and everything coming down, I didn`t know if I could get the book off.

And finally, the book itself was a gift, because all of a sudden, it started coming to me. I was writing so fast. At one period, I wrote 32 hours straight. And I collapsed when I finished the book. And the thing that was strange is I thought no one will like this.

BECK: Well, it is -- this is why I heard that you had a hard time getting it published, because it doesn`t have your typical ending. And it`s just not -- and it`s just not a story I`ve read before. And I can imagine people who, you know, know better than us would read it and go, "Oh, I don`t think so." But the average person will love it.

EVANS: It exploded. My sales are way up.

BECK: That`s great. And you`re going to be with us on Christmas Eve?

EVANS: Christmas Eve, yes.

BECK: Christmas Eve, we`re going to spend an hour with Richard. And we`ll talk. I think it`s going to make some of the suits upstairs in this building a little uncomfortable. We`re going to talk a little bit about the real meaning of Christmas. That`s coming up on Christmas Eve. Don`t miss it.

Now, coming up next, a look into America, the 2008 version. Does our economy bounce back or continue to spiral out of control? And will the new year bring a cutback in political pork? Well, it`s the Christmas season. We can always hope for a miracle. That`s tonight`s "Real Story." It`s next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Well, welcome to "The Real Story."

Everybody is always coming up with some complicated reason as to why our economy is facing tough times, but the real story is you don`t need to be an economist to figure it out. It`s our politicians. They are spending money like the Spears sisters in a pharmacy, as long as the pharmacy is not selling birth control.

And here`s what I mean. I want to use my home state of Connecticut as an example.

In 1991, the Constitution state -- oh, the irony there -- faced a deficit of spending $7.8 billion. They could have cut a number of big bloated government programs to shrink the gap, but, no, no, no. The political geniuses running the state at the time decided instead to institute a state income tax.

In 2008, that income tax, which, of course, has been raised over the years several times, is projected to bring in $7.6 billion to the state. Well, since that alone is almost enough money to cover all state spending from 1991, you`d think that, oh, my gosh, when you add property taxes, sales tax, corporate tax, death tax, cigarette tax -- let`s see, Indian gaming revenue, gasoline tax, Connecticut must be storing billions of dollars away for a rainy day, right? Not so much.

In 2008, Connecticut`s spending budget? $18.3 billion. That`s up 135 percent in 17 years. The more these clowns get, the more they spend.

And that`s not just Connecticut, that`s everywhere. And it`s why I believe we must finally face the music.

Unfortunately, not a message you`re going to hear very often because everybody has a stake in the game and nobody wants you to hear the truth. Well, I have no stake, unless you consider me not wanting to see Americans in bread lines as having an agenda.

Former Federal Reserve chairman Alan Greenspan says now the odds of a recession next year are about 50 percent. And while I`m not an aging economist who helped ignite these problems, I am a thinker. I believe the odds are probably a little better than that now.

Jim Cramer is the author of "Stay Mad for Life," the host of "Mad Money" on CNBC.

Jim, you are one of my favorite people because you generally say what you mean and mean what you say.

You say the Fed needs to cut more. I`ve got to tell you, what a horrible idea that would be, because there`s no fiscal responsibility. Everybody will take that money and they will, you know, borrow more than they can afford. I mean, it`s the cycle.

JIM CRAMER, HOST, "MAD MONEY": Well, I don`t necessarily want them to borrow more than they can afford. I just prefer not to have, frankly, a lot of banks go under. And I think that is exactly what will happen if banks can`t make more profitability.

It`s a terrible situation. Alan Greenspan propagated it by recommending two in 28 mortgages. Bernanke said absolutely nothing. It`s the Fed`s creation. We do need the Fed to help us out.

Look, I don`t want a bailout, but I am telling you right now that you will be writing $500 billion worth of checks if the Fed doesn`t get involved. And I`m just trying to forestall that. That`s all I care about.

BECK: I`ve got to tell you, first of all, thank you for saying this. I can`t tell you -- and I bet you are in the same place. I`ve got people at the highest levels talking to me off the air and saying, real trouble, but then they`ll go on the air and they`ll say, oh, everything is great, don`t worry about it. Go back off the air and I`ll say, why didn`t you say anything? Well, I can`t say that.

Nobody is telling the American people the truth.

CRAMER: The fundamentals are not sound. Now, that said, let me just point out, employment is great in this country, and corporate profits are great.

We have one part of the economy, I just want to just cordon it off with just housing. If we just cordon it off 18 months from now, I am pretty sure, Glenn, that we will be in a position where housing doesn`t cause a problem anymore. We just don`t want a recession.

BECK: OK. But wait a minute. You`re a guy who said that Mexico is going to be better off than we are in the future.

CRAMER: Well, Mexico is much more -- they`re much more thrifty. Their government spends much less than ours. They don`t like to borrow.

BECK: Listen to what you -- the statement is Mexico will be better off than we are.

CRAMER: Well, Colombia and Brazil are much better than us. I am keeping a close eye on Peru. I think that they have a better handle on fiscal responsibility than us. And the Canadians are a paragon.

We are just an outlier in this world right now. We have no thrift both personally and as a government.

BECK: So how do you -- how do we not collapse on our own weight? I mean, I`ve got to tell you, Jim -- and tell me I`m wrong -- I have taken a lot of my investments and I have moved them out of the United States and invested in...

CRAMER: Thank heaven you have. That`s what I have been recommending.

BECK: Because somebody has to be here with some money once this dam thing collapses.

CRAMER: Well, look, Morgan Stanley got in big trouble. So they go to a government handout. Who is it, our government? No, it`s the Chinese.

Oh, well that`s great. I want Morgan Stanley to be owned by the communists.

I`ve got to tell you, we are a country that has to get it together soon because what I see is an indebtedness to two forces in the world that I don`t think either you or I want to be indebted to -- forces in the Middle East and forces in communist China. Excuse me for calling them communist China.

BECK: No, good for you.

Help me out on this...

CRAMER: Sure.

BECK: ... because most people, and me included, I don`t know that much about the economy and I listen to all these people who have stakes in it and they don`t want to tell you the truth. Tell me something -- what`s a sign that we should look for that should tell the average person, uh-oh, that`s not good?

CRAMER: I think what you want to see, if you see -- we have -- every first Friday of every month we see employment. If you start seeing high unemployment in this country, then I`ve got to tell you something, that`s - - and then you`re starting to talk about buying New Zealand and Australian currency. If we see high unemployment in this kind of environment, we`re in trouble.

BECK: Give me a number. High unemployment, what`s high unemployment to you?

CRAMER: If we start seeing, let`s say, 150,000 people lose their jobs per month, which is entirely possible if we keep up this path, then I`m going to come to you and be one of those doom and gloomers. I am not a doom and gloomer now.

BECK: I know you`re not.

CRAMER: Only for 10 percent of housing. The housing economy I`m doomed. The rest of the country I`m thrilled about.

BECK: OK. Jim, thanks a lot and we`ll talk to you again.

CRAMER: Thank you.

BECK: Now, you would be hard-pressed to find a better example of how insane the spending in Washington has become than the roughly $555 billion spending bill that passed the Senate yesterday. Combined with a previously-signed defense spending bill, we now have our first trillion with a "T," trillion-dollar budget in our history.

Oh, George Washington and the founding fathers would be so proud.

Sure, the president did get some of the Iraqi funding that he wanted, but the real story is that if he signs this bill, he is selling the soul of our nation right down into the crapper. There are reportedly 9,000 earmarks in this bill.

Here to tell us about some of the more offensive ones is Stephen Moore, senior economic writer for "The Wall Street Journal" and the editorial page.

And I`ve got to tell you, Stephen, your editorial today in "The Wall Street Journal" was fantastic.

I want to start with the olive fruit fly research in France that we are now paying for.

STEPHEN MOORE, "WALL STREET JOURNAL": Yes. Well, Merry Christmas, Glenn.

BECK: Thank you.

MOORE: Santa Claus came a little early on Capitol Hill as Congress played the role of Santa Claus. You mentioned 9,000 of these projects. And, you know, the reason we couldn`t put an exact number on it is I have been trying to count all the projects in this bill -- you know, it`s a 3,400-page piece of legislation. I talked to the folks at the White House. They don`t know how many of these projects there are in there, but we know the price tag is well over $10 billion for earmarks.

And don`t forget, Glenn, last year, when the Democrats ran for Congress, didn`t they say they were going to clean up the swamp and end the earmarks?

BECK: Well, I mean, here`s the thing. If you remember right, Nancy Pelosi said that these were -- the way that the Republicans were just pushing these earmarks through in the middle of the night and not giving anybody any time to read them was -- what did she call them -- martial law rules.

MOORE: Exactly.

BECK: Isn`t this exactly what happened? We had 24 hours to read this.

MOORE: It is -- 3,400-page bill. It was given to the members of Congress on a Sunday night, and less than 24 hours later, Glenn, they were voting on it. Now, I would submit to you -- this is just a guess, I haven`t polled the members of Congress -- but I would guess that less than about five percent of them actually know what is in the bill they voted for.

BECK: That`s unbelievable. I told you earlier if you were watching the program, they took the border fence out because we couldn`t afford that.

MOORE: Yes.

BECK: But we do have a bike trail in Minnesota for $700 million (sic)?

MOORE: Yes. Here`s the -- here`s the problem with these earmark projects, and the bike trail in Minnesota is a good example of it.

You know, when you are spending money on these kinds of ridiculous projects like bike trails, gee, didn`t they just have a bridge collapse in Minnesota?

BECK: Yes.

MOORE: Maybe if they spent more money on bridges and roads, we wouldn`t have the infrastructure crumbling in this country.

BECK: OK. I saw -- I thought it was $700 million. It`s $700,000.

MOORE: Seven hundred thousand, right.

BECK: That`s a deal.

MOORE: Yes.

BECK: I mean, you know, think of the money we just saved.

MOORE: Well, you know, I`m from Chicago. We`re getting money for the Lincoln Park Zoo. I`m a big fan of zoos, but shouldn`t the people of Illinois and Chicago be paying for that, not taxpayers all over the country?

BECK: How about this one, the Post Office Museum in downtown Las Vegas? First of all, if I`m going to Vegas, I am not going to the Post Office Museum. And if you`ve been in a post office, the whole thing is a museum as it is.

MOORE: Yes. And then, of course, there`s rodent control in Alaska. There`s a Wild Turkey Museum in Kentucky. I mean, it just goes on and on. We could spend the whole show talking about this, but it`s an example, Glenn, of why the president needs a line item veto so he can go through these bills with a black pen and strike them out.

BECK: No. You know what? I may not be a chief writer for "The Wall Street Journal" editorial page, but I am a thinker. This is why the president needs a spine.

All right, Stephen.

That`s "The Real Story" tonight.

Coming up, we continue to follow the story of two real Americans. These people are amazing, Iraq war veteran Jake Seizular and his wife, Vanessa.

You`re going to love this story. Don`t miss it. It`s next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Well, time now for "The Real America," brought to you this evening by CSX.

I told you a story of an amputee soldier quite a while back. In fact, I first introduced you to Jake Kesler (ph) and his wife Vanessa almost a year and a half ago. That was just months after he lost both of his legs in Iraq.

From that moment on, Jake`s life and his wife`s, Vanessa, never the same. But since then, the two have overcome extraordinary obstacles so Jake could get back to living a full and active life.

Well, Jake, we found out last time he was on this program, had one big goal left, and that was to get back on a motorcycle. He has skied. He has done everything -- rock climbing. This guy is amazing.

Well, after I met with him just over the summer, I was so amazed by him, I decided to plot behind his back. I went on the radio program and I asked America to help him out.

Well, we found one unbelievably generous man in Michigan. He answered the call. He is building Jake a customized motorcycle. Tonight you will see the next phase in this story, the beginning stages of that bike and a new and powerful friendship.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BECK (voice over): Our star starts on a lonely stretch of highway in the frozen Michigan countryside aptly called Divinity Highway. It makes sense because today you can`t help but feel a higher power as you watch these two meet for the very first time.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wow! It is so good to see you. Oh, my God!

BECK: Jake Kesler (ph) and his wife Vanessa have traveled far from their home in Bethesda, Maryland, to meet this man, Bill Hattan (ph). He`s volunteered to build Jake the motorcycle of his dreams.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are not as good-looking in person though.

(LAUGHTER)

BECK: Bill heard my call to America this summer, when I asked my radio audience if someone, anyone could help Jake ride again.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was a calling. You know, I don`t know if it was spiritual or just the lining of the stars.

BECK: Bill owns his custom bike shop called Cool City Customs. The fact that Bill offered this kind of generosity to a complete stranger is extraordinary enough. But even more remarkable, Bill completely understands what Jake is going through because he, too, is a double amputee.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When are I read about Jake`s story, it touched my heart to the core. And I could also relate because of my bilateral amputation.

BECK: Bill used to be a highway construction consultant, but on August 9, 2002, his life changed dramatically forever.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A motorist took the shoulder about 80 miles an hour and hit us. And it killed my coworker instantly. It also catapulted me 65 feet in the air.

BECK: He was in a coma for 65 days. His pelvis was broken in 15 different places, and he went through 63 different surgeries. And in 2004, they amputated both of his legs. It was devastating.

But just like Jake, Bill never lost hope.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When I was in the hospital, a good friend of mine came in and put on the foot of my bed "Ride to live, live to ride" sticker. And I looked at that, and that was -- like instilled into me that I wanted to get back on my bike. So when Jake said that in his interview, it really touched me.

BECK: And you better believe it touched Jake, too. As a matter of fact, it blew him away.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s remarkable that he called and he`s doing this for us. He understands where I`m at and what I have gone through.

BECK: And today, for the first time, Jake will see the beginning stages of the motorcycle of his dreams.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Here`s the start of it right here.

BECK: As Jake and Vanessa look at the bike, the incredible reality of the entire situation begins to sink in.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Basically, you took what was in his head and created it. So this is it. It`s spectacular.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is it what you...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It`s awesome. Yes, it`s great.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It`s beautiful.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I almost couldn`t say anything. I mean, just trying to take it all in. You know? It`s exactly what I would, you know, have always wanted. He`s doing a fantastic job.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We went ahead and put a pingle (ph) shifter on it, so now all you will have to do to shift is there will be a button up here.

BECK: Bill designed the motorcycle with special one-of-a-kind modification so Jake can control the bike with his hands.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To put the kick stand down, you just turn it like that.

BECK: Jake is like a kid on Christmas Day. And for Vanessa, it`s a deeply emotional moment, because this bike represents a crucial next step in Jake`s recovery.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is part of what is going to help him heal. Bill has assisted me in trying to take care of my husband. You know? Trying to help him see his wishes and dreams fulfilled and help him figure out those pieces of himself that he lost in Iraq. This motorcycle is one of those things.

BECK: It`s a profound moment. And Jake`s father, Arden (ph), made the trip here to be a part of it.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is something he dreamt of, and it`s nice that it`s going to happen.

BECK: The guys who work in the shop have also gathered around to witness this day. These are the men doing the work and carefully, thoughtfully building Jake`s bike from scratch.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I appreciate what all these guys are doing for us, and it doesn`t seem like much to repay him, but that`s -- you know, it helps, I guess.

BECK: They recognize the sacrifice Jake has made for his country. It`s a sacrifice that, for Vanessa, despite her happiness, has made this one bittersweet day.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: From the minute that he got hit, he became in my charge, in my care. And having to release that is very scary. You know?

When I`m taking care of him, I know he is OK. When he`s off doing his own thing, going 100 miles an hour, not so much.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t do 100 miles an hour.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Don`t start.

BECK: Despite her fears, Vanessa, Jake and Bill all know that this is one of those pivot points, a defining moment in their life.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can`t wait until he turns that motorcycle on for the first time.

BECK: And the powerful hand that guided them to this place, this small hardworking bike shop in a faraway town in Michigan, has inspired a deep and long lasting friendship.

BECK: For sure, Bill and I will be friends forever.

BECK: Two men with similar injuries and a determination to live life to its fullest, regardless of the obstacles put in their way.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: To see the smile on Jake`s face when he gets on his bike and goes for a ride, that to me is going to be the most ultimate experience.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BECK: The Christmas spirit is alive and well.

That`s tonight`s "Real America," sponsored by CSX, "How Tomorrow Moves."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: I don`t know how you know if you are in the Christmas spirit, but my way is -- well, when I start planning out different ways to end my life if I hear "The 12 Days of Christmas" one more time, but maybe that`s just me.

I know it is going to be a merry Christmas for many thanks to our government. In a story that largely got no notice last week, President Bush pardoned 29 people in the traditional end-of-year pardon parade. Among them was a 64-year-old retiree named William Charles Jordan Jr. of Pennsylvania.

He was pardoned for his role in a Super Bowl gambling ring 10 years ago. He told the media that he sought out the pardon because he didn`t want his grandchildren to know that he was a felon.

But hang on. Let me repeat that. He told the media that he didn`t want his grandchildren to find out. OK?

Also pardoned was an Arkansas man convicted of marijuana charges, a Florida man convicted of cocaine charges, a Georgia man who stole government property, and even a man from Tallahassee who was making illegal moonshine. Maybe someone should explain to him that alcohol is currently legal. I`m just saying.

But also let`s not forget about the 19,500 in prison now on charges related to crack cocaine who are now able to seek shorter sentences due to a change in the U.S. sentencing laws.

But somehow in the midst of all of this, our government couldn`t find the time to pardon two border agents who I believe are our first political prisoners. You`ve heard me talk about them over and over again, agents Ramos and Compean. They`re somehow or another -- they`re in prison on the word of a frequent drug smuggler, a member of a cartel.

We covered how awfully their case was handled by prosecutor Johnny Sutton and I`m not going to rehash the case for you again today, but isn`t it amazing that we -- maybe pardoning and commuting the sentences of drug dealers, drug users, drug smugglers by the thousands, and two men who are just trying to stop the flow of drugs, illegal immigrants, and possibly terrorists into this country are sitting in prison tonight.

It`s Christmastime. I can think of no better present to the families of agents Compean and Ramos and to the rest of America, along with the rest of the border guards, than to commute the sentences of these two men or pardon them completely. President Bush isn`t expected to issue anymore pardons this year, but I, for one, believe in Christmas miracles. Maybe we can get one from time to time out of Washington.

I sincerely hope the president reconsiders.

From New York, goodnight, America, and Merry Christmas.

END