🎙️ The fellas discuss how billions in COVID-era funding vanished through fraud in Minnesota. We walk through how the slush funds were set up, why there was almost no oversight, and how state leadership dodged responsibility while taxpayers got fleeced. We also break down the absurd defenses that Tim Walz continues to offer up. This was not some paperwork error—it was an invitation to steal. 💪 Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer is cleaning up unemployment insurance fraud, cracking down on abuse of worker programs, and restoring trust in systems that are supposed to help people. We also get into her work to create apprenticeships and trade skills for Americans. Plus her thoughts on why the American worker is being boxed out by policies that reward shortcuts instead of effort. 🐘 Another major announcement from the Office of Personnel Management on a new effort to bring early-career technical talent into government. We talk with Scott Kupor about merit-based hiring, ditching credential gatekeeping, and why rebuilding state capacity starts with trusting people who can actually do the work. Our Sponsors: ➢Beverage America believes in the promise that makes this nation great. Learn more at http://wedeliverforamerica.org/ ➢Unleash American energy to be bigger and better than ever before, because when America builds, America wins. https://permittingreformnow.org/ ➢John Deere is investing billions in American factories and launching new tools to help customers repair their machines: https://www.deere.com/ ➢We can create a space where girls can connect and thrive. Get involved today at https://empowerourfuturecoalition.com/ 00:00 — Why emergency slush funds created a fraud playground 05:52 — Tim Walz refuses to protest his citizens 10:15 — What real oversight would have caught immediately 12:23 — US Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer 17:07 — Apprenticeships, trade skills, and rebuilding worker pride 22:46 — Protecting American labor 33:30 — AI, workforce training, and staying competitive 52:14 — FBI stops a far-left terror plot before New Year’s Eve 58:00 — Overseas attacks and the cost of ignoring extremism 1:08:01 — OPM Director Scott Kupor 1:25:23 — Variety Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices