Rick Green [00:00:07] Welcome to the intersection of faith and culture. This is the WallBuilders Show. We appreciate you joining us today. Be sure and visit our websites at wallbuilders.com and wallbuilders.show. I'm Rick Green here with David Barton and Tim Barton. And of course you have the deadline from last night guys that well, we have a two-week ceasefire. So, this is, this is a really interesting development. We were kind of speculating on yesterday's program. What's going to happen? What's gonna happen? Well, here we are. We got a two weeks ceasefire, it looks like that's going to be good economically opening up the straights, but what does this mean? You know, does this mean like we've agreed to not bomb anything? What, what, what happens for two weeks? 

David Barton [00:00:41] I mean, it's a ceasefire in the sense that they made enough progress that Trump is willing to give them some more grace. Had they dug their heels in and not done anything, not made any progress, he would say, nothing's, nothing is happening. We're going to make something happen. So, I think there are enough yielding on their part. Now publicly what they're, what they are saying publicly is still hard line. You know, we're not going to back down to this, but I think there was enough in the negotiations that he would back down because he has not shown any proclivity. to not keep his word when he puts a threat out there, which is what makes this threat such a big deal. 

Tim Barton [00:01:17] Yeah. And it's one of the things too, that has made Trump so different than any president in our lifetime, is when Trump says he's going to take out a bad guy, he takes out the bad guy. And you know, guys, even going back to like what happened in Venezuela, when, when, if you are a bad-guy leader somewhere in the world, you have a reason to be fearful at night when you go to bed, if you are challenging or threatening Donald Trump. And one of things too guys that struck me as interesting is, is not only did the U S agree to this Israel agreed to it as well. Because there were other times that America agreed to stop some of the bombing and Israel kept going after it. And so, the fact that they recognize too, there, there is something happening right now that is worth the conversation. And you know, Rick, you and I were on Flashpoint last night and one of the things that struck me about this is it, it reminds me a little bit of maybe even Japan from World War II, where Harry Truman's like, look, you guys need to stop. You had nothing else left. And they essentially say, well, you know, maybe we'll stop killing you, but we're keeping our military. We're keeping all the slaves and all the land and all these things. And they're like, drop the bomb and the bomb goes off. And then they're back to the negotiation table and they say, okay, well we'll, we will give up some of the land or, or some of the slaves we took, but we are keeping our military and Truman's like, nope, drop the bomb. And ultimately once they had gone through enough devastation, they were willing to come back to table. And I think the only reason that President Trump would at this point say, okay, let's have a conversation. He did post on social media yesterday that they had done enough damage that he doesn't feel bad stopping now because any, all the threats they were concerned with ultimately now we're gone. And then, of course, you have people like Tucker Carlson that would be out there saying, well, why in the world would he keep going if they have no capability? And then right at this point, he's just Trump's being evil and blah, blah, blah, right, it's not to derail too much. And Tucker Carlson, who seems far more a defender of Islam than America at this point. But one of the things that's worth noting is when you study history, it's one thing to have military superiority and to have won every battle along the way, but if you don't break the will and the spirit of the enemy that is fighting against you, then ultimately, they're just going to rebuild and come back against you. And you might've won the day, but you're not going to win the war. And I think this is part of what Donald Trump is recognizing is that they need to actually come and surrender and once they surrender, then we will be done. And guys, it would not surprise me if, just like what happened in Japan after World War II, if America showed up and said, hey, let's help rebuild this thing. Because the American people, and I think most of our American leadership, they're not anti the Persians, the Iranian people, that that's not what the narrative is. It's this regime. And even though there's 90 plus million people in Iran, it's estimated that maybe 10 to 20 million of them are these radicals. Well, that is a significant percentage of the population number one, but number two, that is an indication that there's still a lot of really bad intentioned, ill-intentioned people that would want to do harm to America, or again, funding terrorism around the world. And so, there's a reason that Donald Trump is pushing to, to want to bring them the table of surrender and this peace deal, as we know right now, is there are 10 terms of this peace that he's looking for, and if they I don't agree to those 10 terms. Then they're willing to go back and it's also, Dad, to your point a little ironic that the Iranian leaders, they've posted that this doesn't mean the war is over, we're just taking a little pause for two weeks. And it again it's a little humorous, I chuckle a little bit when you're on the losing side and you're like, well, we're not giving up yet Well, you better give up pretty soon or there won't be anybody left to give up because all these bad guys are going to be gone. So, I think there's a lot of moving pieces with this, but it does strike me as having some parallels with what Harry Truman was dealing with to some extent in Japan before finally getting the ultimate surrender of Japan. I think that's part of what Trump is dealing with. Again, not a perfect parallel, but I think some similarities with what Trump was dealing with in Iran right now.

David Barton [00:05:37] And if I can build on that Japanese analogy for just a little bit I think there's something interesting here because going back to Japan for those that have not studied World War II and probably, I don't know by Christmas time we'll have the book out on World War II, we'll see. But we spent a lot of time on the atomic bomb because the last two generations really don't understand what happened particularly in light of the way that's been mis portrayed as an American travesty that was done. But the Japanese motto before the war ended, Japanese had lost every major battle in the Pacific, the circle around their island got smaller and smaller and smaller until they had nothing left in the Pacific except their own home island. And their motto was the glorious death of the 100 million. So, there's 100 million, well actually about 70 million, but they said 100 million and it was a glorious death, we're all going to die in suicide rather than to give up, we will not give up. And that's why Truman was, I mean, they're just killing allies like crazy, killing themselves. They've lost the war and they won't quit. They just keep creating death and death and death. And so, they were willing to do the death of the hundred million until they felt the pain of that, that atomic explosion. And they go, oh, hey, that wasn't what death was supposed to feel like. And then you feel that twice and you go, hey wait a minute, let's talk about this. This is not what we were expecting. And I think it's the same way with these radical Islam, you know, all the glory of death until you start feeling the pain and then you kind of rethink it a little bit. And that kind of is the pressure that they're under right now. They're gonna keep saying the same thing like Japan kept saying, the glorious death of 100 million we'll never give up, but I think they're getting their backs to the wall and it's not feeling good for them. 

Tim Barton [00:07:25] And Dad, again, one of the reasons it's important that Donald Trump is pushing for this surrender, is because there's also historic examples where America won every battle and yet somehow to some extent lost the war. You go to Vietnam, right? Where we won every battle along the way and yet somehow, we're the ones that would draw and retreat. And so, they felt like they won. And I think Donald Trump was smart enough to go, you know what? We're not letting these Iranian terrorists. Who have been doing evil really targeting and attacking America for 47 years We're not letting them at this point feel like they get the victory They're going to unequivocally surrender and agree to these 10 terms of the peace deal or we're going to remove every one of these whether it's 10 to 20 million terrorists that are in Iran, we're getting rid of them. And it will be interesting to see at some point if Some of these Iranian, these Persian individuals that are still there if they will finally rise up and throw off this oppressive regime to some, to some extent, because we know that, well, I don't know that we know there's all kinds of polling and that a lot of it's just estimated at this point because, who's doing accurate polling in Iran? We don't know, but it does seem there's indications that a significant portion of Iran is not supportive of this regime at all. But if they don't rise up, America's not looking to have some new territory. Join the United States. This is not what America is trying to do but ultimately if Donald Trump can get them to come to the place where they are willing to surrender agree to these ten Items on the peace deal, I think at that point he'd be very happy to move forward. And it not only would benefit America, it would benefit ultimately the rest of the world except maybe not for Russia and China and some of the people who've been benefiting from Iran in some negative ways, but ultimately, I think it's a good deal. And guys I know we have to get that to our friend Tim Mooney and just a little bit getting into some, um, politics and, uh, elections in general. But this is certainly something that as, as more information comes out, we will have more conversations about it. But right now, one of the things that to me and Rick and Dad, obviously you guys weigh in on this, but to me, I still believe that Donald Trump has, has earned the right from what he has done showing he's not a war hungry, bloodthirsty president. And as, as much as he's worked to navigate and negotiate peace with so many wars and so many nations, what's happening now, we don't have the intelligence he has, but even from the little intelligence we have, it certainly makes sense what he is doing. And I think it still warrants support up to this point. What do you guys think? 

Rick Green [00:10:05] Yeah, man, I think that that that trust that that we all lost in our institutions and our leaders for so much of the last, you know, five or six years has been restored in so many ways with the way the President has handled this, the way Pete Hegseth has handled it. I mean, it's I think it's been really good for our patriotism. And, and a lot of it will depend on, of course, how it does get wrapped up. But David, if I could, before we go to the break, you had mentioned the book on World War II is coming out and a lot of our listeners may not know you mean your- y'all's book. So, you'll have a- Is this a, an installment of the American Story, or is this a separate book? Tell us a little bit more about that before we go to the break, just to make sure everybody's clear. 

David Barton [00:10:39] Yeah, the American Story is really kind of a series that we've got going on. The first one was The Beginnings and it went kind of from Columbus through the Constitutional Convention, picked a little bit up of slavery and civil war just ‘cause that was the middle of 1619 project. But then the second one really covered the presidents and then the one that is, is just soon to come out is kind of the same tone. We tell the story, but it's of the 56 signers of declaration. And then we got one covering World War II that will be coming later this year. 

Tim Barton [00:11:10] Well, and specifically to add to that point, the first two installments, The American Story: the Beginnings, and then The American Story: Building the Republic. Those are part of ultimately will be, we think a four-volume series of kind of chronological history. But then we're doing deep dives of certain topics or certain people. So, like the 56 signers, we did a deep dive on those guys. And the World War II book has been basically written for a year. And maybe not a year, but at least six months, seven or eight months. We had a couple weeks left and then I convinced you not necessarily to your liking. I was like, Dad, if we don't do the 56 Signers, it's not going to be done in time. And you were like, we only have a couple of weeks left. And I was, like, and we have to do this one now. So a little bit to maybe your chagrin. But thank you for your grace and willingness to allow us to shift and transition to make sure we had the 56 Signers done. We think that's going to come out probably the beginning of June. 

Rick Green [00:12:10] Yes, you mean done in time for the 250th. Yeah.  

Tim Barton [00:12:14] Yes. The 56 Signers, we want it to be done in time for this summer, and it's a short bio on each one of those, but big picture, we're hoping to do a four-volume chronological history set, and then we're gonna have maybe six or eight spin-off of like, as we're mentioning now, there's one on World War II, which covers some of the heroes, highlights some of major stories, and just like we always do, the really big God moment in some of those battles and in some people's lives, that really highlight the role that faith has played from the beginning the formation of our nation even up into present time. And so, the 56 Signers we're calling it Lives, Fortunes and Sacred Honor from the end of the Declaration that will, Lord willing, be out in June, and then we'll give the next couple weeks needed to finish the World War II book. Then we'll send it to the printers and then, God willing, it'll be out before Christmas, so it can be a stocking stuffer for somebody for Christmas. But yes, that will be coming up hopefully soon. 

Rick Green [00:13:14] Well, I love the fact that y'all are coming out with it now for the 250th. And then of course the World War II one as well, but the whole series, everybody recommended to you wallbuilders.com. So much discussion about what kids need to be learning. What we all need to learning. Well, that's what these books are all about the American Story. Check it out at wallbuilder.com quick break. We'll be back in just a second with Tim Mooney. He's from Morning in America. They're working on all kinds of ballot measures across the country. And this guy's been involved in, you know, both on big organization side of policy, also working for members of the Senate and governors and U.S. Representatives. Very involved in these different things over the years. And he's got an incredible win record, 37 wins out of 43 efforts. We call that a great batting average, like unrealistic batting, average pretty incredible. All right, quick break. We'll be right back. You're listening to The WallBuilders Show. 

Rick Green [00:15:05] Welcome back to The WallBuilders Show. Thanks for staying with us. Tim Mooney with us for Morning in America, working on ballot initiatives all over the country. Tim, thanks for coming on. 

Tim Mooney [00:15:13] Great to be with you. 

Rick Green [00:15:15] Busy year, man, busy year. So, ballot initiatives this year, what do you think are the most important ones? 

Tim Mooney [00:15:25] Well, the protecting girl sports is by far the way we think the most important one. We're actively doing this by ballot measure in Maine and Colorado. Both of those two places we've qualified for the ballot already. And also, Arizona by legislative referral. We're through the House, through the Senate committee, waiting for final passage in the Senate to put that on the ballot in Arizona. And then finally, we're busy gathering the signatures necessary in Nevada. And that effort for girls’ sports is being led by Governor Joe Lombardo, terrific help. And his gubernatorial opponent, the attorney general, Aaron Ford, by contrast, used taxpayer monies from his attorney general office to intervene in an Arizona lawsuit to try to force men in girls' locker rooms and showers and on their sports teams. What a difference. 

Rick Green [00:16:23] Well, and you in Nevada, obviously it's got in Nevada. It's got to be a, I go out there a lot and they always tell me don't say Nevada, say Nevada anyway, gotta be a winning issue there. In Colorado and Maine, like what's your, what's your take there as far as these are blue states. They've had horrible legislation. Are the people just fed up with the insanity and you think the initiatives, you know, can help even restore those states because it's going to get a lot of grassroots people involved? 

Tim Mooney [00:16:48] Yeah, 100%. And here's what we're seeing, Rick. We first polled this in Colorado, blue Colorado last year in March. So almost exactly a year ago. And we did it for three ballot measures for girls sports, to prohibit irreversible sex change surgeries on minors, and a penalty of life in prison, no parole if you buy or sell a minor child for sex. We had done that ballot measure two years earlier in Arizona it won in every legislative district. Here's what we found on the girls' sports. We were, have huge support amongst Republicans in the 90s. Strong support amongst independents in the 70s. But in Colorado a year ago, we were two to one negative with Democrats. We did our poll in October in Maine, and we were about 40/ 60 with Democrats, still high support Republicans and independents. When we did the poll in February in Arizona the number then was 57 to 17 amongst Democrats They've come back to us and now last week a poll in Nevada, we're at 70% even amongst Democrats. So, the Democrats, the rank-and-file Democrats, have returned to sanity. The elected Democrats completely insane. 

Rick Green [00:18:13] And they don't seem to back off, right? Like that like that, you know, they got to have the same polling, right? They got to see this in their research. 

Tim Mooney [00:18:21] Absolutely in their research, in Arizona where we're working our way through the legislative process to get this to the ballot, every Democrat has voted no against protecting girls’ sports. We have not had a single elected or candidate Democrat support girls’ sports anywhere in the country while the voting Democrats are coming our way. Janet Mills in Maine might be the poster child of what's wrong. Taking on the President on this issue coming up against our ballot measure, while Susan Collins US senator for Maine- Republican, signed the petition. So, this is a cutting issue It tells you everything you need to know between the two parties and the two philosophies. They want to continue to pretend that guys can play on girls’ sports and our side was to desperately protect girls' sports so that they have their safety their dignity their opportunity and you don't have a guy walking into a girl's shower. What is so complicated about that? 

Rick Green [00:19:27] Am I wrong, Tim and almost being glad that they can't see reason? Because doesn't, I mean, you've, you won dozens of ballot initiatives work for some of the biggest people in politics. I mean doesn't this bode well for 10, 12, 15 years of us being able to move people to the right side of these issues, if the leaders on the Democrat side just will not back off of these losing issues for them?

Tim Mooney [00:19:52] I don't get it except that their base is so loud and so crazy that they just don't feel like they can move. But you know what? If you stand with the majority of voters, you do better in electoral politics. 

Rick Green [00:20:08] Imagine that! That's right. That's right. Well, hey, I I. 

Tim Mooney [00:20:12] Not that complicated. 

Rick Green [00:20:13] Yeah, and I'm excited about this in in these in these states that, you know, we've been losing for so long. I mean this could this could be a turning point could be could be really good for us this year. Even with the midterm chaos and up in the air as far as where it goes for congress in terms of turning those states around over the next, you know decade, this could, be a big part of it. So, thank you for leading these efforts and being a part of them. By the way, I love, I was reading your, your bio and I love the end of it. I I'm going to actually steal some of this from you. Mooney mostly skipped classes at both Pepperdine University and Harvard. He lives in cave Creek, Arizona, a small drinkin' town with a cowboy problem, bro, that is probably the best close to a bio I've ever read. 

Tim Mooney [00:20:54] Well, it's honest, my friend. It's honest. Hey, one more thing. Look, one important thing about winning these kind of issues, girls sports, prohibiting sex change surgery for minors, and life in prison for child sex trafficking, when we win these battle measures in these blue states, it isn't simply about changing the law, it is about showing that the culture is on our side so that we can once and for all put these ideas to the dustbin of history. 

Rick Green [00:21:27] Well said, well said, spot on, man. Tim, thank you. Let's get you back soon. Appreciate you. 

Tim Mooney [00:21:32] Thank you, pal, have a good day. 

Rick Green [00:21:34] Stay with us, folks. We'll be right back with David and Tim Barton. 

Rick Green [00:22:43] Welcome back to the WallBuilders Show. Thanks for staying with us. Thanks to Tim Mooney for joining us as well. Guys, I didn't realize there were so many ballot initiatives this time around and in states where we have key elections happening as well, which is really important. 

Tim Barton [00:22:56] Well, let me add a little addendum as we're going. What the audience does not know is my dad's computer failed. In the middle of this, and he had all these notes he was taking about these states where there are ballot measures and things going on. So, you know, for those listening, you can just pray grace for my dad right now. You know, the frustration of technology and the worst irony is he reached out to our IT guy at WallBuilders who's on vacation this week. And he was like, I am so sorry. I can't come down and solve your computer issues at the moment. Next week I can solve it. And not to digress, but we would have had some really good commentary from my dad. It's still going to be great. I, it's going to great. It's going be the best ever. Rick, if you can help me with the Donald Trump voice. I have none. I'm making the hand motions right now that people can't see cause I'm on radio. 

Rick Green [00:23:47] It's gonna be great. That's the best I can do. But what they also don't know that you and I know is how much your dad loves the data and loves these ballot initiatives and being able to dive into all of them. So, David, we're feeling your pain, man. I'll do Bill Clinton. How about that? I feel your pain there. How's that? 

David Barton [00:24:05] There may be less pain to fill this election in the sense that I really think that several of these blue states are going to have good initiatives that pass it's going to, it's gonna kind of repudiate the legislature, repudiate what their congressional delegations are doing. And I think that Colorado, you're going to see some really good pro-family stuff pass in the state. I think Maine is likely to pass something really good. I think Nevada. Those are all states, I think that are going to move in a good direction with the people, although they're not nearly as conservative as the red states and they're not red states on these issues I think the tide has shifted in a lot of ways. And I'll just throw out on these ballot initiatives. If you get ticked with your state legislators and you get ticked, with how they make policy, don't say anything bad if you don't go vote in these initiatives, cause you are the state legislators here. This is the time you get to be the legislator and you get to make the policy and you can't throw this on the back of the governor and you can’t throw it on the back of the house or the senate. When it comes to a ballot initiative, you are the legislators. So do not sit this out. This is way too important. 

Tim Barton [00:25:12] Well Dad, one of the things I totally agree with you. One of the other things I think is going to make it even stronger in the future. Cause I think there there's a tide turning. It's the wave is kind of shifting a little bit, but if we could ever get the SAVE Act through the Senate, right. If you can get to where you're only having us citizens and legal voter IDs voting, I also think that's going to make a difference in some of these blue areas where they're allowing at times illegal immigrants to vote in some of those elections that that certainly could sway it. And a contrary direction to what you're suggesting, but I agree. I think some of what we are seeing with some of what we've been calling this revival, ultimately, maybe an awakening and a reformation, I think there is a shift happening in culture. And I do think if we have integrity of elections, then we will see this very clearly and even if the SAVE Act goes to the Senate, it won't necessarily impact the midterms right now, but it will be a good indication and another good shift in the right direction. 

Rick Green [00:26:09] Yeah. And these, and these initiatives are like 80/ 20 issues. So it's really smart. We're much more strategic here. These aren't like abortion initiatives that are 50/50 and going to be a knockdown, drag out, these are initiatives that're going to be on like getting guys out of girl sports and that kind of stuff. I mean, man, that could really help down, well, I guess be up ballot from an initiative, but can really help to get people out to vote and move the middle of the road voters our direction. So could be very, very good for us this year. All right out of time for today folks tomorrow Foundations of Freedom Thursday don't want to miss that send your questions to radio@wallbuilders.com and then of course Friday we'll have some good news for you. Thanks for listening to the WallBuilders Show.