RUSH: It’s making me revise my thinking just a little bit. One thing is for sure. The Drive-By Media is populated with people who are not just biased and bigoted and prejudicial. It’s obvious that they are also the victims of an absolutely pathetic education system. I think we have to now conclude, after what we saw yesterday in the White House, that some of these people are just idiots.

They’re just ignorant. They just don’t know anything. They have not been taught truth. They have not been taught history. They’ve not been taught fact, which is one thing, but then this smug, arrogant condescension that you get from them thinking they know everything is more than you can handle.

Greetings, my friends. Great to have you. Gonna illustrate exactly what I’m talking about here. Wish I didn’t have to do this. This is such a teachable moment. This little episode here is a microcosm of why we are paralyzed in this country into a state where we can’t get back to our greatness. Where we cannot return to the portion of our history where we were triumphant and rejoicing and positive and moving forward.

We have had people for so many generations dumbed down, literally dumbed down, who are now in positions of awesome and extreme power with influence over others, that we’re paralyzed. And, if we’re not paralyzed, we are backtracking and moving backwards. We are actually regressing, I should say, from magnificent progress that we as a nation and a culture and society have taken over hundreds of years.

Now, what I’m talking about is yesterday’s rollout of the legal immigration bill by Senators Cotton and Perdue, which was followed by a press briefing in the White House by Stephen Miller, who is a senior adviser to the president. Stephen Miller is from Santa Monica. He was educated I believe at Duke. He has worked for Jeff Sessions. He’s in his thirties and he’s brilliant. He is literally brilliant.

He is one of the — if not the — best spokesmen that the Trump administration can roll out to make the case for whatever policy positions they’re trying to advance. He can make the case ideologically. He can make the case in common sense, and he did so yesterday. The chore fell to Stephen Miller yesterday to conduct a briefing at the daily White House press briefing on the details of the immigration bill, legal immigration bill, which has not been revised since 1965.

Stephen Miller did one thing: He simply recited common sense. This is a common sense immigration bill. If there was ever a piece of common sense legislation, this is it. That term is thrown around by politicians ’cause it polls well, common sense climate change, common sense energy policy, common sense whatever. It polls well. It focus groups well.

In this case, what Stephen Miller did was nothing more than common sense, and yet it was interpreted — it went right over their heads, the White House press corps, not just Jim Acosta and Glenn Thrush. It went over all of their heads because they didn’t understand what he was talking about, either because of the fog of hatred they have for Trump and his administration, or they are just ignorant.

But regardless, it’s simply common sense. We have gone for decades now with no immigration plan. Now we have one. It’s a common sense immigration plan that has proven to work. It’s the same one in Canada, same thing in New Zealand and Australia. One aspect of the plan is merit-based entry into the country. You heard it explained yesterday. You get in based on merit. It’s a point system. You get in on your ability to speak English, and you get in on your ability to hold a job and work a job and produce an income.

People come here to get educated. What’s happening now, we educate them and once they have their degrees, we send them home. What this bill does will allow them to stay and work, they will enter the U.S. workforce, and they will become taxpayers. This plan is about legal education. It allows educated people who want to become Americans to stay and become Americans. It was nothing but common sense. It went over the heads of the media because their prejudicial bias did not permit them to even understand this was about legal immigration.

They got sidetracked into the racial components they believe are governing illegal immigration, the racism and so forth that they believe is why Trump wants to build a wall, because the nation is racist. The people that want to end illegal immigration, according to these idiots, are racists and bigots. They couldn’t see they are way clear to understand that illegal immigration wasn’t being talked about.

Now, I know what some of you are saying, “Rush, they’re not stupid. They knew exactly what they were doing.” No. I agree they’re biased, and I agree that they exist in a world of pure, sheer, raw hatred for anything they don’t agree with, but I do believe they’re also ignorant. I think they’re dumb as skunks. I don’t think they’ve been educated. They haven’t the ability to hear and listen to common sense and understand what it is. I’m gonna demo all of this. The first thing I’m gonna do — by the way, as a preview, this all manifests itself into the most embarrassing display of misunderstanding of the Statue of Liberty that you’ve ever heard.

Members of the media, Jim Acosta of CNN and Glenn Thrush, formerly Politico, now the New York Times, and all of them actually think the Statue of Liberty is the symbol of immigration. And they believe the Emma Lazarus poem that is on the pedestal is the equivalent of immigration policy in the United States. They’re not the only ones.

There are a number of Americans who’ve been taught that, that the Constitution has nothing to do with immigration. The Declaration of Independence has nothing to do with it. It’s the Statue of Liberty. And there is complete and total ignorance about it. And I maintain it’s because they have not been taught the truth. And even if they have been taught the truth, they have rejected it in favor of what their political biases happen to be as their political biases relate to their narrative and the agenda.

First I want to start with Stephen Miller. I want to show you how this guy is just good, folks. He’s simply good. He needs to be doing more of these. The first time he went public as a spokesman for Trump was on This Week with Stephanopoulos. And he just made mincemeat of Stephanopoulos. I forgot the topic. It might have been immigration, but it was a core issue, a core belief issue for all of us, and he just made mincemeat. Stephanopoulos was reduced to asking the same question four and five times.

No matter how Miller answered it, it wasn’t what Stephanopoulos wanted to hear. Stephanopoulos ended up mischaracterizing what Stephen Miller was saying. Stephen Miller was unflappable. He didn’t lose his temper. He smiled. It appeared that Miller knew he was talking with somebody who didn’t know what he was talking about and remained composed and polite as opposed to those dealing with him such as Jim Acosta, Glenn Thrush yesterday.

The first thing, as I say, I’ve got some sound bites here from the daily press briefing, Stephen Miller explaining the new immigration law, legal immigration law to replace what’s been on the books since 1965.

MILLER: Every year we issue a million green cards to foreign nationals from all the countries of the world, but we do so without regard on whether that applicant has demonstrated the skill that can add to the U.S. economy, whether they can pay their own way or be reliant on welfare, or whether they’ll displace or take a job from an American worker. And as a result of this policy, in place now for many years, we’ve seen significant reductions in wages for blue-collar workers, massive displacement of African-American and Hispanic workers, as well as the displacement of immigrant workers from previous years who oftentimes compete directly against new arrivals who are being paid even less.

So it’s a policy that’s actually exacerbated wealth inequality in the country in a pretty significant way. At the same time, it’s cost taxpayers enormously because roughly half of immigrant headed households in the United States receive some type of welfare benefit. Which I know is a fact that many people might consider astonishing, but it’s not surprising when you have an immigration system that doesn’t look at questions like skill level or self-sufficiency.

RUSH: No. The immigration system in America today has been misrepresented, misunderstood to mean: “Anybody who wants to come can come. The world is filled with oppression and tyranny, and we are your destination. If you don’t want to stay where you are, you’re free to come here — and our job and our duty is to accept you no matter what. And the more downtrodden you are, the better. And the poorer you are, the better.” It is a total bastardization.

And, folks, I’m telling you now: This entire little episode illustrates so much of what is wrong throughout our civics, political, public policy debates. It illustrates just how paralyzed we are by the virtue of ignorance, stupidity, mal-education, and political bias all combined into one. We are literally paralyzed from progress. We are paralyzed from advancing as a society, advancing as a culture because so many of the dominantly influential people in our country are actual idiots who don’t even have the ability to understand common sense when they hear it.

If it doesn’t comport to their political narrative and agenda, they consider it “controversial” (and racist and bigoted) and they proceed on that basis, and it just shuts down everything. In the process, they are helping to further this nation along down a negative-regressive path that will ultimately only benefit one group of people, and that’s the Democrat Party, whose success and acquisition of power depends on more and more Americans being stupid, dumb, ignorant, and helpless. Here’s the next Stephen Miller bite, once again. He explains how chain migration works. Nothing but common sense here.

MILLER: It eliminates so-called chain migration. So right now, what does “chain migration” mean? It means that if you come into the United States on a green card — and just so we’re all clear: A green card gives the recipient lifetime work authorization, the ability to bring in their family members. It gives them a fast track to U.S. citizenship, and with that all the benefits that come with being an American citizen.

And so, the individuals right now who are receiving green cards, they can bring in, say, an elderly relative who can immediately go on to public assistance if they about unable to support themselves financially. And then that person can bring in a relative who could bring in a relative who can bring in a relative. And that’s why they call it “chain migration.” And over years, that has massively deskilled the migrant flow into America and produced all of those effects I’m talking about. So we’re proposing to limit family-based migration to spouses and minor children.

RUSH: Common sense! It’s nothing more than common sense for the preservation of our culture, the preservation of our country, the preservation and growth of our economy. And yet Jim Acosta and Glenn Thrush — and everybody in the press corps and practically every other Democrat — hears this and the only reaction they have is, “No compassion! No compassion for the less fortunate! No compassion for the victims of the world!”

And don’t forget these people think that most of the so-called victims in the world are in that state because the United States has not been compassionate or fair enough when there have been Republican presidents or Republican Congresses. The United States, in these people’s perverted minds, is responsible for all the destitution and all the poverty and all the victimization around the world and it is our responsibility to let all of these people in precisely because it’s our fault they exist as they do.

They don’t see the United States as a way out, as a way up. They see the United States as a collection pool, if you will. There is no attempt to improve these people’s lot in life. They love accepting the destitute and keeping them destitute because that empowers the Democrat Party and all of the left to continue to grow government, to fix these so-called problems. It’s just common sense to want to have great people in your country if you are responsible, if you have the choice.

If your policy is immigration, you’re gonna have a finite number, and you want the best people you can get. It’s no different than when you’re hiring for a company. It’s no different than when you’re assembling a group that has a task that you want to achieve. You want the best people. This is considered discriminatory by these idiots on the left, in the Democrat Party and the media. I do mean to use the word “idiot.” I know it’s a combination of many things.

But, folks, they’re just not educated. But they think they are, and they are smug and arrogant about what they don’t know. And while Miller is going through all this, they are seething, and they can’t wait. They can’t wait to attack him, which they did, which is coming up. But I still have a couple more Stephen Miller bites. This is the next one explaining the points-based system, the merit-based system. It’s so evil and so racist that even Canada uses it!

MILLER: Australia has a points-based system, Canada has a points-based system, and what will this system look at? It will look at: Does the applicant speak English? Can they support themselves and their families financially? Do they have a skill that will add to the U.S. economy? Are they being paid a high wage? The last part’s very important because it will help prevent displacement of U.S. workers.

So if a company, let’s say, they’re offering three times the median wage. That person will get more points on their application than if they’re being offered two times the median wage or one times the median wage. So all of a sudden you’re putting upward pressure on wages instead of downward pressure and you’re making it very hard to use immigrant labor to substitute for American workers because by prioritizing higher-paid workers, you basically end the practice, more or less, of being able to seek out permanent residents to come in at lower pay. And so that’s a major, historic change to U.S. immigration policy.

RUSH: That sailed right over their heads. If they got past their rage and anger at that, it sailed right over their heads. No comprehension. In fact, I would venture to say that most of them didn’t even try to understand this. Had they tried, they wouldn’t have been able to. They have no education in critical thinking or common sense or common sense perception. None of it. They just seethe when they hear this stuff because it’s all creating knee-jerk reactions: “Racist, sexist, bigot, homophobe! Racist, sexist, bigot! Racist!” It’s paralyzing us, folks, as a country. We are in a state of paralyses. These people are retarding our progress.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: Immigration, ladies and gentlemen, is not an entitlement. Yet that’s how it is treated by the Democrats, by the Drive-By Media. That’s how it’s considered. It’s no different than Medicaid, no different than Medicare, and its purpose is to benefit the victims of the evil United States. That is not what immigration is, but that’s what it has become — and as such, common sense about it is totally missed. I’ve gotta squeeze the last Stephen Miller bite in right now. Hit it! Hit it. Three… two… one… Go! Number four. Hit it. If you don’t hit it we’re not gonna have time. (interruption)

Okay, the computer froze, which always happens at the moment of truth. Stephen Miller said, “Over time you would cut net migration in half, which polling shows is supported overwhelmingly by the American people in a very large number.” This is why Trump got elected. This is it, folks. Miller says, “I would conclude by saying this is what President Trump campaigned on. He talked about it throughout the campaign. It’s a major promise to the American people to push for merit-based immigration reform that protects American workers, American taxpayers — protects the American economy — and prioritizes the needs of our citizens, our residents, and our workers. It’s pro-America immigration.”

That’s what it is, and that’s what they don’t get.

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

RUSH: Here is Ileana in Wonton, New York. Great to have you. How are you doing?

CALLER: Hello, Rush. Thank you for taking my call. It is an honor to speak with you.

RUSH: I appreciate that. Thank you.

CALLER: I’m calling regarding the immigration legislation that Senators Cotton and Perdue are sponsoring and they spoke about yesterday. I emigrated from Sydney, Australia, 45 years ago with my parents and my sisters. At that time we were required to be sponsored by an American family member. We had to be vetted, and we had to be vaccinated.

It was a tremendous honor for us to have the opportunity to come to the United States. And once my parents and my sisters and I arrived here, my aunt had to provide housing and support, financial support, until my parents were able to be employed and to be able to be self-sufficient, which they were employed within two weeks of arriving.

RUSH: Exactly right. This has been standard operating procedure in this country.

CALLER: Exactly.

RUSH: And we’ve lost track of the reason why. This legislation ought not even be necessary.

CALLER: Exactly.

RUSH: This legislation really just buttresses what already is existing law that hasn’t been enforced and has sort of been bastardized —

CALLER: Exactly.

RUSH: — as your call illustrated.

CALLER: Exactly.

RUSH: How long ago did you come, 45 years?

CALLER: In 1972.

RUSH: 1972. Yeah.

CALLER: I was 11 years old.

RUSH: Yeah, 11 years old. Do you still try to watch Australian TV?

CALLER: No, I don’t. (laughing)

RUSH: Oh, man you’re missing a great show. Do you have Netflix?

CALLER: Yes.

RUSH: All right. You need to search for a show called Rake, R-a-k-e.

CALLER: Okay.

RUSH: It stars, I think his name Richard Roxburgh. He’s an Australian actor. It’s a great cast.

CALLER: Okay.

RUSH: It’s a legal comedy/drama. This guy is a down and out lawyer who is in love with a prostitute, and he represents the dregs of society. He’s got a very close circle of friends, and they’re all — it’s really good. It has a mixture of humor, human interest, disappointment, sadness, drama in every episode. Every episode is about an hour long. There’s four seasons so far.

CALLER: Okay.

RUSH: Season five I think is not available yet, but it’s aired in Australia. It’s R-a-k-e. And it will make — don’t misunderstand — it will make you feel like you’re home, even though you haven’t been there since you were 11 years old.

CALLER: That’s right. Yeah. But I am proud to be an American and I am very proud of our president. And we are part of the forgotten men and women, so he has our support.

RUSH: Will he continue to get your support?

CALLER: Yes. The Republicans in Congress don’t have our support anymore.

RUSH: Yeah, that’s all well and good, but the problem is Trump needs ’em. He cannot do legislation by himself.

CALLER: I understand that.

RUSH: This episode yesterday with Stephen Miller and Jim Acosta — and, by the way, Glenn Thrush was almost as bad. Glenn Thrush of the New York Times, for example, asked for evidence of everything Miller was saying about numbers of immigrants, English speaking. And Miller fired it right back at him and Thrush acted like he didn’t hear it. He kept asking for evidence even after it was given and presented.

CALLER: I know. I know.

RUSH: The point is that this — I can’t say this enough, folks. This is a microcosm of how and why our entire country is paralyzed and unable to move forward. Something as common sense as this can get destroyed with the usual shibboleths of racism and sexism and bigotry, no compassion or what have you. It’s paralyzing us to the benefit of leftists who want this country to be in squalor and want it to stall out in their effort to transform it.

They are totally at home with the United States in decline, because, in their perverted view, we deserve to be in decline because our superpower status was undeserved, because we achieved it on the backs of whoever. It’s frustrating as all get out to me. I’m glad you called, Ileana. Thank you so much.