Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
The “fire hose” of all podcasts produced by The Heartland Institute, a national free-market think tank.
This is the Heartland Daily Podcast. The other day, Donald Kendall, director of the Socialism Research Center at the Heartland Institute, joined the Sean Thompson show to talk about the European Union's new ESG scheme. The corporate sustainability due diligence directive would mandate a whole host of ESG like guidelines on businesses and industries in the EU. More importantly, because of the way the legislation was crafted, businesses both large and small here in the United States would also be subject to the mandates. This is pretty troubling.
Jim Lakely:Have a listen.
Announcer:From the streets of Melrose Park to the trading floor of the Merc, he's fought for every dollar he's ever earned. And now, with personal liberty and our system of capitalism under assault in America, he's here to seize back our rights from the government with a cigar in one hand and a copy of the declaration of independence in the other. He's Shawn Thompson, and this is the Shawn Thompson Show.
Shaun Thompson:He's the deputy director of Heartland's Socialism Research Center since 2023. He's the host of Heartland's In the Tank podcast. He's also been a host on Heartland's stopping socialism TV. He's been a contributor to 2 of Glenn Beck's books. He's been a friend of mine on the show for years now, and I love having him on every time.
Shaun Thompson:He's Donald Kendall. Donald, how are you?
Donald Kendal:You know, I'm doing, I'm doing pretty good considering the subject matter that we're gonna be talking about. But, you know, I'm hanging in there.
Shaun Thompson:Well, I'll tell you, every time I have you on, we talk about difficult subject matter. In fact, it was you that talked about the people's willingness to cheat in an election. And I was thinking about you earlier today when I was watching, MSNBC, Microsoft, NBC. They were talking about Ed Martin who, was appointed to the RNC, and they were slandering him because he was part of the stop the steal campaign. And they kept making it seem so remote that people would think not 81,000,000 morons were dumb enough to vote for Joe Biden.
Shaun Thompson:I mean, it's still something that it's fascinating when you watch the innuendo and the intimidation to buy the lies of the government. And it reminds me of everything you fight you you warn us about. This is the concept of propaganda and socialism, normalizing servitude. I mean, that's really what we're up against, isn't it?
Donald Kendal:No. Absolutely. And and you know, as much as I do or probably anyone listening to this, the show that as soon as the narrative is crafted, no matter what evidence comes out to the contrary contrary of that, it's not in these people's, ability to just say, you know what? We were wrong. No.
Donald Kendal:They have to stick to the narrative, time and time again, no matter what news comes out to the contrary. And I think another example of that is something I was just talking about on the on the podcast yesterday was this lab leak theory, with the coronavirus. It's just like, again, all these reports come out. Like, nope. Narrative.
Donald Kendal:It was from the wet market. Someone was eating bat soup.
Shaun Thompson:And it's amazing because we as as human beings and I think this is really particularly a problem of of of winners in a society. We wanna solve the problem. Right? So we'll almost forget the origins of the problem and then work on the solution. And that's a fatal flaw because you forget how how offended you should be that we've been victims of all of this this orchestrated, this deliberate failure, collapse, fear mongering, and fraud to bring us to this position knowing that we'll work on solving it rather than ripping it out.
Shaun Thompson:And nobody, or no no entity describes that more than this European socialism we're constantly faced with, constantly dragged down. It used to be we we were opposite. We rejected these ideas. I think we're very similar to the European socialism that's collapsing in Europe and we're ignoring. Correct?
Donald Kendal:Yeah. Yeah. It always just kinda seems like they're just a few steps ahead. You know, we can kind of look at that whole continent as just a canary in the coal mine when it comes to us. But it just seems like, you know, when it comes to some of these things that that canary that that the alarm that might come from the canary dropping dead in the coal mine might be a little bit, too short of notice for, you know, how quickly some of this stuff is moving here.
Donald Kendal:But you're referencing, this this issue that I think is gonna be increasingly more important, in the next, I don't know, several months, if not, year or so. So people should start wrapping their head around this right now. So I've been on your show a handful of times over the past, I don't know, years, I guess, talking about ESG, the scheme that's advocated by the latest last place with, like, the World Economic Forum. I I assume that most of the people listening to this, show are familiar with ESG, at this point, but basically a corporate social scorecard system that forces companies to adhere to metrics that champion a whole host of different social justice causes from diversity, equity, and inclusion to climate change, the eradication of reliable energy sources, and failure to adhere to the ESG metrics results in these businesses losing access to capital loans, other banking services. It could result in them, being politically disfavored when it comes to government contracts, stimulus projects, bailouts, or any other things that
Shaun Thompson:could go to the pandemic. It's forcing companies and businesses to accept the lie of the eco Nazi. That's really what it is. Right? Buy the scams and, you know, it's it's just it's it's it's really a a fascistic tool in that in the quiver.
Shaun Thompson:Right?
Donald Kendal:Right. And I've always said, I'm sure I've said it on your show before, that at best, ESG is the biggest crony system ever devised by man, and at worst, it's a fascist system that governments and the ruling class could use to control the economy and society by extension. So and again, I've I've talked about this on your show before and there has been pushback across, you know, a whole number of, different levels, you know, some states taking actions, some investment firms kinda pulling out of this stuff. Seems like weekly, the, the veneer of ESG is kind of wearing. Even even from, like, the Klaus Schwab's and the the Larry thinks of the world that kinda wanna run away from this politicized term.
Donald Kendal:But that's in America. What's happening in Europe now is this new thing. So in Europe, they have an ESG like system that's called the corporate sustainability due diligence directive. Around around our, office, we just call it the EU's ESG system. But, this is this was just after a long political battle that they almost lost.
Donald Kendal:They got this passed. So now they have this established by law in in the European Union. It'll go into effect. It'll be, like, worked into the actual laws or whatever in the next couple of months. It'll be phased in over the next couple of years.
Donald Kendal:But the difference between this, and what I've been railing against on your show for the last couple of years is that, you know, there's massive levels of coercion, in the United States version of it. But in the u e, the EU, it's flat out mandated. This is just by law. You have to do this sort of stuff. And, and then, you know, like, you might hear this and say, whatever.
Donald Kendal:Europe is Europe. You know, we fought a war 250 years ago so that we don't have to care about what happens in Europe. But the problem is that the way that this law is written is that it's gonna have massive influence over the way that business is done here in the United States and basically around the world. Because you know how crafty these people are when they Well when they do these laws. Right?
Jim Lakely:Before we get to the rest of this podcast, I wanted to let you know about 2 fantastic live podcasts Heartland produces every week. We'd love for you to join us every Thursday at 1 PM EST, noon CST live for our flagship in the tank podcast. You can watch on the stopping socialism TV channel on YouTube where you can participate in the show in the chat with other fans and also ask questions that we'll address on the air and put up on the screen. And every Friday, also at 1 PM EST and noon CST, you can go to Heartland's main YouTube channel. Just search for the Heartland Institute on YouTube for the new Climate Realism Show.
Jim Lakely:Heartland's climate team of Anthony Watts, Sterling Burnett, and Linnea Lukin cover the crazy climate news of the week, debunk mainstream media myths about the so called climate crisis, dig into energy policy, and much more. The show often features guests that include some of the leading climate scientists and energy policy experts anywhere in the world. There is no show like it, so become regular live viewers of both of these programs if you are interested in smart, lively, fun, and interactive conversations. We hope to see you there every Thursday Friday afternoons at 1 PM Eastern and Noon Central at the stopping socialism TV and the Heartless Stute channels on YouTube. Oh, yeah.
Jim Lakely:We're also on Rumble. See you there.
Shaun Thompson:Well, what's infuriating me is that we just covered the story of Joe Manchin who who was instrumental in passing that bull dung law of the backdoor cap and trade. And he had Janet Yellen on in the committee hearing, and he caught her manipulating the bill as already it was abusive. They made it more abusive because this is the problem with these laws. There are thousands of pages written with ambiguity, but, however, it cedes power from the representatives to the bureaucrat whores like Janet Yellen. And once it's in their fat little hands, it's over with.
Shaun Thompson:They could do what they want with it. And the people are victims over and over, and the 1,000,000 of dollars are stolen, and the businesses go out of business. And by the time you figure out what happened, it's too late. Right?
Donald Kendal:Right. No. Yeah. And and you're actually kind of explaining, or describing how this law kind of came into being. I I just I mentioned how there was kind of a big, political fight over there in in in Europe over all of this.
Donald Kendal:And it almost went down in flames. But the last minute, they made some tweaks to the language, and they made the threshold for businesses that would be affected a little bit higher. So that way, you know, less, smaller businesses would be affected by this. But the devil is in the details with all of this. So, yes, there's gonna be the the mass the bigger corporations are gonna be affected.
Donald Kendal:But it's all of the companies that are upstream and downstream in the supply chain or the chain of activities of these corporations are also gonna be held to the same standard. So you could just be a 2 bit operation that is doing some sort of business with one of these European Union companies, and you're gonna be on the hook for these same sort of standards. And not only that, but American businesses established headquarters here in the United States that have an operation in the European Union will also be affected by this. So we're talking Amazon, Apple, Google, Ford, McDonald's, basically, any company that you've heard of is gonna be affected by this. And again, also, their upstream and downstream chain of activity supply chain.
Donald Kendal:So you might just be a, a potato farmer in Idaho that's selling potatoes to McDonald's, so that they can make their fries. And since McDonald's is doing business in the European Union and are now affected by these laws, you as a potato farmer in Idaho are gonna be affected by these laws. So that's how insidious this whole thing is, and we're looking right down the barrel of the gun of this.
Shaun Thompson:Well, what's so aggravating is that, number 1, the premise of what they're what they're telling us is a lie. The entire premise of what oil is and what natural gas, and the the denial that it is organic, and the the reality is the government knows that that's why they blew up Nord Stream 2. That's why they continue to fund wars. I mean, after all, if they really wanted to stop the biggest so called polluter, they'd shut down all the militaries, wouldn't they?
Donald Kendal:Oh, sure.
Shaun Thompson:I mean, this is something that gets lost in the argument. You're gonna shut down McDonald's or you're gonna you're gonna bother some mom and pop restaurant, and you're gonna charge fees to throw out garbage that all goes to the same place. But the reality is what this government has done under Joe Biden in just foreign policy, just the just the the warfare omission of their so called pollutants, that's enough to kill the earth 3 times over by their fraud flawed science. Why do we always give up the premise of the argument of everything you've concluded is built on wrong? Everything.
Shaun Thompson:Every Oh,
Donald Kendal:it's fair.
Shaun Thompson:Schematic you have. And it's your it's you. I I I mean, Heartland Institute, you've published over and over and over again how the bastardization of c02 and all the rest of it. But for some reason, they keep building on the lie, and we don't tear it down. So I'm wondering, have you come to the conclusion that these companies should just stop sending things, stop, in in in really being involved in capitalism with Europe?
Shaun Thompson:If you're gonna do this, how about this? There is no Amazon in Europe. Just shut it down. Why doesn't Bezos just go offensive?
Donald Kendal:Yeah. Well, you know, I I I would probably I'd wager to guess that if I were to go on Amazon's, main websites and go through their about us section. There's gonna be all sorts of passages talking about how they care so much for the planet and social responsibility of adhering to these same sorts of things. So, I I'm not entirely sure that they would do that, but you're absolutely right that, these companies are basically seeding some level of sovereignty to to, you know, kowtow to these mandates that are that are being passed by supranational governments on the other side of the world. And and what this really does this is this might be the most insidious part of this whole thing, if that's even possible.
Donald Kendal:But, thing? It's basically oh, yeah. Absolutely.
Shaun Thompson:It's Spectre. It's Spectre, and I'm not James Bond anymore. Go ahead.
Donald Kendal:Right. But this, this basically opens, this opens the door to every every, like, business because the globalization of all of this stuff, The intermingling of all these different firms across the world, like I said, throughout the supply chain and all of that. Basically puts everyone at the discretion of these bureaucrats, in the in the European Union to level out these penalties that could be as high as 5% of their revenue, if they're found in violation of any of these things. Right? So you're these these companies, like I said, from the from the potato farmer in Idaho all the way up to Amazon, everyone is gonna be liable to these these different mandates.
Donald Kendal:But you might think, like, well, that's that's that's gonna be hard to enforce. How are they gonna enforce that? That's the genius of it. Right? Because it's just selective enforcement.
Donald Kendal:They get to choose who they want to pursue with some of these things because you know that, you know, what's up to, upstream and downstream of a lot of these, big corporations around the world is China. And do you think the European Union is ever gonna suggest levying fines against some firms from China? I doubt it.
Shaun Thompson:Well, what's amazing
Donald Kendal:all very subjective, and it's all just, you know, at the discretion of these bureaucrats.
Shaun Thompson:I think what we need to focus on is the fact that these bureaucracies and these agencies are incentivized to fine businesses and fine American companies and to bankrupt them. And and and the other part that goes unmentioned is they keep a portion of the fine. The EPA keeps 50% of every fine. They just put it in their budget. So you've got a government entity that is that is in the business of extorting and and giving you a penalty.
Shaun Thompson:They don't care if you stop polluting to their definition. You just have to pay to pollute. And that's something that always gets lost. And I'm wondering, isn't it time for us to really go at the core of the argument itself and educate the people? Because these kids today that are brought up in these indoctrination camps that are called school, they don't realize that all of their metrics and all of their and all of their schemes are based on record keeping from 18/80.
Shaun Thompson:The we this country and the world has only kept weather patterns and temperature records from 18/80. The earth is 1,000,000,000 of years old. We just glaze over the fact that the fundamental foundation of their fraud science is just that fraud. They have no schematic. They have no real data.
Shaun Thompson:If you inputted this in a system of of computing, if you gave it to AI, they wouldn't come up with the conclusions that politicians and no minds. Because what they've managed to do is cultivate a religion. We're not arguing facts. We're not arguing data. We're not arguing principles.
Shaun Thompson:We're arguing a religion. And it's funny because those people in that religion, like those same people who dress up like it's the 7th century, they don't even look at the what happens to the money once it goes into the system. They don't care. So how do we do it? What's the smartest way?
Shaun Thompson:I mean, you spend time. You've you've contributed on books. I really do think it's time to reopen the the original promise of the argument and prove me on the shadow of a doubt. You're making it all up. You have no data to have any kind of scale.
Shaun Thompson:Not only that, you have no science that participates in the fact that it is not a fossil product. It is organic. It is a product of the earth of which as a people, we've only gone 7 miles, 7 and a half miles into down from the surface anyway. We don't know anything when it comes to yours, do we?
Donald Kendal:Yeah. No. You're absolutely right. And you're describing, like, 75% of what the Heartland Institute does on a daily basis is is tackling those core arguments that kind of underpin all of these schemes. And basically, over the past, I don't know, 50, 75 years, maybe even longer, maybe like the the days of and maybe a little bit more recent than Karl Marx.
Donald Kendal:But this whole thing has been pinned on this idea that if we keep pursuing this capitalistic system, we're gonna destroy the planet. Before that, they would suggest that if we do all of this capitalism stuff, that people are gonna get poorer and poorer, and they're gonna be exploited increasingly by the owner class and all of that sort of thing. But then as people started accruing more benefits benefits, like, the Marxists knew that they weren't gonna be able to sell that, that point anymore. So what they had to do is just take their whole scheme and attach it to some other dire situation, and that was the idea of climate change. We're destroying the planet.
Donald Kendal:We're all gonna be, you know, our backyard's gonna be filled with garbage before you know it. And that's what we've been doing for at least the past 50 years. But the Heartland Institute, we are tackling all of those things, basically, on a daily basis.
Shaun Thompson:No. I know you are.
Donald Kendal:The most recent project that we started is is a series of videos on YouTube. They're really short, like, 2 to 3 minutes. Each one of them, tackling one of these specific issues having to do with the scientific consensus or the idea of droughts or floods or, you know, intensifying hurricanes, all of these just two minute things that kinda break down these
Shaun Thompson:arguments. Did you talk with lions and tigers and bears, oh my? No? That that's gonna be the last one, I think.
Donald Kendal:I love that one. Because
Shaun Thompson:do you know when you look at what happened under the Trump administration prior to the pandemic, when you look at those 3 years, what he was able to achieve just in that one sector by breaking all of the the bands that bound us to an incompetent, corrupt, climate accord in Paris and the rest of it. He was able to drive the price of oil, which is the key common denominator of everything, we've already discussed that, into levels that we didn't see since before September 11. And that goes by the wayside. And now it's normal to have it at $80, $78. They think it's normal, and they don't realize this is a product that is so abundant.
Shaun Thompson:It should be $8 a barrel the way it was in 19 58 because there's far more of it than there was in 1958. And this is something that is always lost. And I think if we don't go back to that original premise of everything we're dragged into the deep water of fantasy. And they could keep pretending it's the warmest year, not knowing that number 1, it was far warmer in the 1800, far warmer in 1912 and 1933. But more importantly, it's all a lie.
Shaun Thompson:They tell it to us every time there's a Democrat in office to get away with it. Right?
Donald Kendal:Oh, yeah. No. Absolutely. And yeah. I mean, you brought up the pandemic, and that was just, like, enough of a social disruption for them to really kick start the whole great reset movement that I've that, you know, I've been on this show talking about.
Donald Kendal:The ESG system, all of this was was based on this idea that our our system is in tatters so we can build a new better one. That's the mindset of all of this. That's that's the whole elitist mindset for every every topic. It it goes back to the, the idea of don't want a crisis go to waste sort of concept. So So yeah.
Donald Kendal:This is this is all, all the world view that we've been pushing against at the Socialism Research Center at the Heartland Institute for the last, I don't know, 2 years, something like that.
Shaun Thompson:So my prediction is obviously after this European tour of, a weekend at Bernie's with this idiot some call president, They're gonna replace him with Newsom, and I say it'll happen around the 4th July. You have any thoughts on that?
Donald Kendal:Okay. So I've heard, some pretty interesting theories about this. One having to do with the fact that the the Trump versus Biden debate is gonna be, like, late June, which is by far the earliest that one of these presidential debates has occurred. Yeah. And I've heard that, that this might be their kind of their last, ditch effort to make Biden work.
Donald Kendal:And if he fumbles on stage, they still have a couple of months before the Democratic convention, which is actually taking place later in the year than most Democratic conventions. So it's very possible. I'm not sure I'm putting my money on it, but I think it's possible.
Shaun Thompson:Alright. Well, he better wear dark pants. I got $5 says he doesn't make it to the end of the debate, but I look forward to talking to you afterwards when we meet our new overlords. In the meantime, Donald Kendall, Heartland Institute, thank you so much for everything. Where do you prefer they go and keep an eye on you?
Donald Kendal:Yeah. Heartland.org for sure. The In The Tank podcast is now on Heartland's, YouTube channel. So if you just look up Heartland Institute on YouTube, you'll you'll find our show.
Shaun Thompson:Alright. I would be very flattered with lions and tigers and bears, Omai. I promise I won't sue you.
Donald Kendal:Deal? Sounds sounds good.
Shaun Thompson:Thank you. We'll be back with
Jim Lakely:your calls and comments.