Guests - Congressman Eli Crane, Tevi Troy, Dave Smith, Chad Heinrich

Representative Eli Crane: Border Security Successes and Congressional Priorities

Representative Eli Crane, serving Arizona's second congressional district, reports significant progress on border security under the Trump administration. "President Trump is doing a phenomenal job. We're down 95% in border crossings," Crane notes. The administration has also secured the extradition of approximately 30 cartel bosses and convinced Mexico to deploy 10,000 troops to help secure the border.

Congressional funding remains a priority, with Crane explaining, "We're working on border funding right now. Trump has been very clear with both houses of Congress that he needs that package to be robust." A recent vote on the Senate reconciliation package represents progress toward this goal, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Speaker Mike Johnson publicly committed to fiscal conservatism.

Regarding the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Crane clarifies that while mandatory spending cuts are proceeding, "DOGE is completely separate from that. What we're talking about right now with this reconciliation process is mandatory spending, and what DOGE does is really discretionary."

National Security and Deportation Efforts

Looking ahead to deportation operations, Crane acknowledges that public opinion will play a crucial role in their success. "I think a lot of that's going to have to do with the appetite and the thick skin of the people in this country," he explains. While most Americans currently support deporting criminals, rapists, murderers, and gang members, Crane anticipates resistance as deportations extend to non-violent illegal immigrants.

"You're going to see an all-out blitzkrieg from the mainstream media trying to turn the tide and peel the heartstrings of your average American citizen," Crane warns. "We'll see how tough American citizens are, how much they really believe that if you came into this country illegally, you should be deported."

Tariffs and Trade Policy

The congressman strongly supports President Trump's trade and tariff policies despite significant opposition. "You're seeing tremendous political pressure applied to the president," Crane observes. "I think he's done an amazing job. Many of our leaders here in the U.S. have known for decades that we've had a massive trade imbalance with other countries who have been ripping us off."

Crane credits Trump with having "enough courage, fortitude, and wisdom to rebalance the trade agreements" while treating "the United States of America like a premium market" and preventing the hollowing out of the middle class. He notes the president has faced immense pressure following stock market fluctuations, with criticism from mainstream media outlets that Crane claims are "funded by the Chinese Communist Party," referencing reporting by Natalie Winters.

Chinese Communist Party Influence

Addressing recent revelations about GNC stores operating on 85 military bases under Chinese ownership, Crane attributes this vulnerability to America's longstanding emphasis on free trade without necessary protections. "We've really championed free trade for a very long time," Crane explains. "When you champion that and don't add some of the things that Donald Trump has brought to the forefront of this conversation—not just free trade, but fair trade, and I would even say wise trade—you have to throw some extra elements on top."

Crane emphasizes that when dealing with adversaries like the CCP, "who have a completely different agenda than Western culture," additional safeguards are necessary. He points out that "the Chinese Communist Party has trillions of dollars of assets within the United States" and that despite partisan divisions in Washington, "one thing that Democrats and Republicans agree upon is that the Chinese Communist Party is becoming more of a threat every day."

Constituent Service and Legislative Priorities

Representing Arizona's second congressional district—the largest congressional district geographically in the country—Crane balances national priorities with local needs. Among his district-focused initiatives is the Pleasant Valley Veterans Retreat in Gila County, which Crane describes as "the first veteran retreat center of its type in Northern Arizona."

Crane highlights that this project "doesn't cost taxpayers any money. It's just a land conveyance between the Forest Service and the county." The retreat is already operational and available to veterans seeking to enjoy "amazing weather and beauty outside."

Other priorities include a water settlement between the Navajo, Hopi, and San Juan Southern Paiute tribes, and a cemetery extension bill for constituents. Crane emphasizes that serving his district remains "an honor" despite the challenges of Washington politics.

Navigating Economic Shifts: From Tariffs to Government Reform

Fiscal Conservatism and Strategic Discomfort

Author and analyst Tevi Troy offers perspective on President Trump's recent tariff announcements and the subsequent market reactions. Troy suggests that while it's true many countries don't treat the United States fairly in international trade—particularly China—the administration's approach wasn't necessarily part of a calculated strategy.

"Trump announced tariffs, the pressure became unsustainable, and he pulls back," Troy observes. "It is helpful that a bunch of countries said, 'We will cooperate and negotiate better deals.' And then Trump was able to say, 'Those countries that said we're going to negotiate, you guys get the break. And the countries that said we're going to continue to fight you, you don't get the break.'"

Troy believes that successful outcomes often emerge from pragmatic responses to rapidly developing situations rather than elaborate conspiracies or grand plans.

Government Spending and Bureaucratic Reform

On the issue of federal spending, Troy criticizes the government's budgeting approach: "The way they budget is so crazy. If they spend this amount next year and spend a little less than that, that's a massive government cut. It's not a cut."

Troy argues that the $37 trillion national debt is "not only unsustainable but could be the financial wreck of the Republic someday." He advocates for reducing government size and bureaucracy, challenging the notion that cutting government jobs necessarily means cutting essential services.

"Sometimes if you cut somebody who is an impediment to the private sector doing something, then actually you're unleashing something new," Troy explains. He cites the Department of Education as an example where regulations attached to federal grants force schools to hire administrators to manage compliance, resulting in "more administrators than teachers."

Troy extends this critique to the Department of Defense, noting, "There are 800,000 civilian employees at the Department of Defense. Some of them do good stuff, but some contribute to the problem where China gets $20 more procurement than we get for every $20." This inefficiency means American defense spending yields less value compared to China's more cost-effective approach.

External Pressure as a Catalyst for Change

Troy draws on his experience with multiple presidential transitions to explain why reform is difficult. "The cabinet secretaries get in there, they say they're going to make changes, and then the career employees say, 'Well, you can't make this change. You can't make that change.' And they end up not making changes."

This resistance to reform is why Troy sees potential value in external forces like DOGE: "Sometimes an outside force can lead to positive impacts, can actually effect a change by forcing it and highlighting the things that have to be changed."

The CEO-President Dynamic

In discussing his book "The Power and the Money: The Epic Clashes Between Commanders and Chiefs and Titans of Industry," Troy examines the unique relationship between business leaders and presidents. He notes that with Trump, "This is the first time we have a CEO president who's also dealing with CEOs himself."

Troy explains that presidents and CEOs share what he calls "the loneliness of leadership." Both occupy positions with "no peers within the organization" where "everybody wants something from you." This shared experience creates a natural affinity that may explain Trump's preference for having business leaders around him.

NFIB's Fight for Small Business in Arizona

Business Personal Property Tax Reform

Chad Heinrich, State Director for the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) in Arizona, is advocating for an increase in the business personal property tax exemption. This tax affects equipment inside businesses—from manufacturing machinery to office equipment.

"We want to raise that exemption up to what would be a half a million dollars," Heinrich explains. This change would exempt small businesses with less equipment from both tax liability and complicated reporting requirements.

Heinrich highlights the burden this tax places on small business owners: "The Department of Revenue has its own guide that's posted online for the tax collectors in all the counties. And that guide is over 40 pages long." For small business owners juggling various regulations, "the time isn't worth the amount of money that the government is getting from this tax."

Lawsuit Transparency Initiative

NFIB is also pushing for transparency in litigation financing—arrangements where investors fund lawsuits in exchange for a portion of potential settlements or judgments. "These guys will come behind the scenes and really put all the money that you need into your lawsuit because they want a payday," Heinrich explains.

The proposed legislation would require disclosure of these financing arrangements, ensuring defendants know when a "$10 billion hedge fund" might be backing a lawsuit against them. Heinrich argues this transparency benefits plaintiffs as well, as it prevents situations where financiers might influence litigation strategy against the plaintiff's wishes.

Credit Card Swipe Fee Relief

Small businesses also face challenges with credit card processing fees charged on sales tax amounts. "We're being charged a swipe fee by the credit card company to collect that sales tax," Heinrich notes. NFIB proposed legislation to exempt the sales tax portion of transactions from these fees, allowing businesses to pay processing fees only on the actual purchase amount.

Despite the modest nature of this proposal, Heinrich reports, "The big banks came out in droves and killed that idea here at the state house."

Economic Impact of Small Business Tax Policies

At the federal level, NFIB is advocating for making permanent the 20% small business deduction established in 2018. "Congress holds in its hand a weapon of mass destruction for small businesses right now," Heinrich warns. "If this 20% small business deduction goes away... it will be in effect a tax increase of almost $4 billion on Arizona."

NFIB research indicates that making this deduction permanent would increase Arizona's gross domestic product by $1.4 billion and create 26,000 jobs annually for the first ten years. Conversely, allowing it to expire would cost the state those economic benefits.

Heinrich reports recent progress in Washington: "In the past week... we've actually had key votes on pieces of those agreements to make sure that a spot is within the budget negotiations for the 20% deduction."

Beneficial Ownership Reporting Relief

NFIB has achieved a significant victory regarding the Corporate Transparency Act's beneficial ownership reporting requirements. Heinrich announces, "Just recently, toward the end of March, the Treasury Department and specifically the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network did issue a new regulation to exempt all U.S. small businesses and U.S. persons from this reporting requirement."

This exemption relieves small business owners from having to submit sensitive personal information—including passport copies—to a federal database with limited privacy protections. Heinrich notes that NFIB continues to pursue litigation challenging the law and advocating for its full repeal in Congress.

Tucson's Public Transportation Challenges

The Tucson City Council is facing decisions about the city's struggling bus system, which has been operating fare-free. With federal funding uncertain, officials are studying potential fare reinstatement.

The system's ridership has narrowed to what local commentator Dave Smith describes as "a very narrow and uncomfortable group of people." Smith, drawing on his experience as a former police officer, observes that the buses have become "the modern mall for the homeless" — offering air conditioning in summer and heating in winter.

"We need homeless shelters, but we just don't need it to be our bus system. They shouldn't be one in the same," Winn notes.

Smith criticizes what he characterizes as inadequate fiscal oversight from local government, particularly the Tucson City Council, which he describes as "the most immature city council in the United States that I've ever seen."

With federal funding being examined more carefully, both local government bodies—the Tucson City Council and Pima County Board of Supervisors—will need to reassess spending priorities and service models. Smith suggests these challenges reflect broader issues of accountability in local governance: "What have you done with millions and millions of dollars? I mean, tens of millions? It's amazing."