Rote. The word sounds negative‚ doesn’t it? It may give a parent flashbacks to long lists of dates or learning multiplication tables. Using mechanical or habitual repetition to teach children the truths of something as precious as the gospel may sound especially unappealing‚ even inappropriate. Yet this is precisely the method proponents of religious catechisms advocate. Children who learn catechisms memorize the answers to questions like “What is God?” “What do you understand by the providence of God?” and “What is prayer?” We expect young children won’t fully understand the answers they’ve memorized. The process is truly mechanical. Is this right? Isn’t catechizing kids by way of rote memorization the same as indoctrinating or brainwashing them? We expect young children won’t fully understand the answers they’ve memorized. The process is truly mechanical. Is this right? This objection to catechizing isn’t uncommon today‚ but it’s truly an objection of today. People didn’t make “brainwashing” claims until recently. The ancient way was to ensure children mentally stockpiled as much useful material as possible‚ even if they didn’t understand it. But today‚ rote learning has fallen out of favor for at least two reasons: we’re deferential to young people’s feelings‚ and we tend to think learning must be individualized to be “child friendly.” If children dislike memorizing‚ we shouldn’t make them do it‚ right? And surely memorizing content we don’t fully understand clashes with our creative drive. But are these objections enough to ditch a venerable method of learning? Aimed for Formation Flannery O’Connor once argued for the use of a textbook that was unpopular among students. She wasn’t swayed by her critics‚ but said‚ “If the student finds that this is not to his taste? Well‚ that is regrettable. Most regrettable. His taste should not be consulted; it is being formed.” This is the logic of rote memorization. It’s by design that young children won’t understand (and perhaps won’t even like) the catechism immediately. B. B. Warfield cited Westminster Shorter Catechism contributor‚ Lazarus Seaman‚ as saying that the questions and answers weren’t aimed at the level of knowledge a child has but at the knowledge “the child ought to have.” Similarly‚ the catechism isn’t aimed at the level of desire a child currently has but at the desire the child ought to have. It’s meant to be formative. Many parents want children to express their opinions‚ ideas‚ and desires for life. This can be good‚ but to be formed well‚ children must be taught the elementary truths on which mature ideas and skills are built. Countless times‚ I (William) have wished I was fluent in other languages. But I’ve never taken the time to learn the grammar and vocabulary. If I’m ever to fulfill this desire‚ I’ll need to go back and learn the basics. When my learning has started with elementary things‚ I’ve never regretted it. In elementary school‚ for instance‚ I memorized a song that taught the U.S. states in alphabetical order. In third grade‚ I knew almost nothing about those states‚ but that song set my trajectory. Children memorize the ABCs long before they can tell you how the alphabet works and why it’s important. Mature formation follows disciplined learning of information and skills that build on each other. As Dorothy Sayers argued‚ “It does not matter nearly so much that these things should be fully understood as that they should be known and remembered. Remember‚ it is material that we are collecting.” Material for building. This is true in religion too. We want our children to have a personal walk with Jesus. But a self-conscious relationship with Christ is formed by first learning facts. Foundation for Faith The fundamentals of the Christian faith are the most vital building blocks we could give our children. Catechisms have rightly been called “the Christian’s ABC.” They offer the materials of a sound religious education. As D. G. Hart put it‚ If you grow up with it‚ you will never need to outgrow it. . . . And some day‚ God willing‚ you will remember back to the drudgery of learning the Catechism and actually thank God that parents and teachers exposed you to a system of truth that has sustained Christians for generations and can sustain you for the rest of your life. Effective catechisms systematize God’s revelation‚ telling the story of redemption in outline form. Historical catechisms teach about the massively important events summarized in the Apostles’ Creed and sketch a form of practical piety taught by God himself in the Ten Commandments and the Lord’s Prayer. This is the doctrine our children need‚ truth that gives us faith and life (Titus 2:10). As Christians‚ we’re not embarrassed by this‚ and so we shouldn’t shy away from indoctrinating our children in the truth. Teaching our children catechisms will neither brainwash them nor convert them. We shouldn’t forget our need for the Holy Spirit to powerfully operate in their lives. Still‚ how are we to raise our kids in the fear of the Lord unless we get doctrine into their hearts and minds? How will our children believe if they don’t hear the good news (Rom. 10:14)? Rather than expecting our kids to wander into the faith of their own accord‚ we should give them basic doctrinal propositions on which to build their lives. Designed for Memory If we’re honest‚ it may be parents—more so than our children—who are annoyed by the idea of memorizing. Most children will happily memorize and repeat ad nauseam the most insignificant poem or song lyric. Memorizing is laborious for adults; it’s fun for kids. Memorizing is laborious for adults; it’s fun for kids. Thankfully‚ good catechisms are made to be easily memorized. If you’re looking for contemporary resources to help your family begin learning from a faithful catechism‚ here are some great options. The Quest for Comfort introduces children to the history of the Heidelberg Catechism‚ and Kevin DeYoung’s The Good News We Almost Forgot helps families journey through it together. Similarly‚ our book Glorifying and Enjoying God helps families journey through the Westminster Shorter Catechism in a year. You should also check out The Gospel Coalitions’s New City Catechism resources. Let’s reconsider the beauty of rote learning. Let’s give our children the best mental building materials we can find‚ trusting that with God’s help‚ they’ll later learn to synthesize the facts they’ve tucked away.

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One of the song's most famous lines got altered for the NFC championship game. Continue reading…

Today’s interview of Senator James Lankford (R-OK) illustrates the very reason why the late‚ great Rush Limbaugh coined the term “drive-by media”. CBS Face the Nation moderator Margaret Brennan attempted to pull a fast one and manufacture a quote from Sen. Lankford that he never uttered. Watch as Brennan tries to wrap “Trump doesn’t know what he’s talking about” within a paraphrased quote of Lankford’s response to statements critical of the Senate-White House border deal by former President Donald Trump:  MARGARET BRENNAN: Can you get this (border deal) passed without Donald Trump's approval?  SEN. JAMES LANKFORD: I'm looking forward to President Trump having the opportunity to be able to read it like everybody else is. There's a lot of misinformation out there right now that- that I hear this comment that it waves in 5‚000 people‚ it hands out work permits. All those things are not true. There's just a lot of internet rumors that are running around on this right now. We're looking forward to getting the information out. Now I can say there is no question‚ no matter what your political persuasion is‚ we would not have had the immigration crisis we're experiencing right now if President Trump would have been president the last three years. There’s no way we would’ve had 8 million people illegally cross our border because you would enforce those different authorities‚ and  would have made sure that we actually secure our border. But even while he was president‚ he was specifically asking Congress to change the standard on asylum to be able to tighten up‚ to give additional funds for deportation. All of those things are in this bill. So if he were to be president‚ this would be new authorities that he had actually asked for when he was president before.  BRENNAN: Right. And I just want -- you just said that he has not read this bill. He doesn't essentially know what he's talking about. Um. So this deal --  LANKFORD: I'm not saying that. I'm saying there's just a lot of rumors out there about the bill and I want to make sure that everyone has a chance to read it before they make a final judgment.   Lankford got sprayed with multiple drive-by passes throughout this interview‚ wherein he made his best effort to promote the border bill he’s been working on‚ along with Senators Kirsten Sinema (I-AZ) and Chris Murphy (D-CT).  The interview started cleanly enough‚ with questions on whether there’s been a vote count‚ on balancing asylum versus the power to shut the border down‚ and on parole- which the Biden administration has abused throughout this border disaster.  After an appeal to authority (The Wall Street Journal’s editorial in support of the deal)‚ Margaret plays video of President Trump slamming the deal and elicits a response from Lankford‚ which we saw in the video above. It is at that point that Brennan tries to pull a fast one on Lankford by fabricating a critical quote of Trump. This item’s thumbnail image is Brennan’s Cheshire Cat half-grin when Lankford catches her and corrects the record.  Once caught and corrected‚ Brennan proceeds to question whether Lankford trusts Trump with the authorities contained in the bill‚ badgers him about endorsement‚ about the defamation verdict‚ and closes out with the Colorado ballot case now before the Supreme Court.  It is precisely this kind of journalisming‚ the chase of a gotcha moment as opposed to fact-based dialogue intended to illuminate the public’s understanding on any given issue‚ that erodes the public trust and can only accelerate the institutional decline of the media. Something‚ perhaps‚ to keep in mind fresh off of what was considered to be a brutal week for the media as a whole.  

The PBS News Hour Thursday evening circled back to its gender obsession (already documented in our study on PBS’s coverage of gender identity issues). Field reporter Stephanie Sy commiserated with an old favorite source‚ The 19th News‚ a gender-obsessed outlet named after the 19th Amendment‚ which guaranteed the vote to women but now dismisses their entire sex as “cisgender women.” Host Amna Nawaz issued the dire warning. Nawaz: Ohio is the latest state to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth and to limit trans athletes' participation in school sports. A total of 23 states have passed trans health care bans‚ with 20 approved just in the past year. Stephanie Sy has more. (Note: No transperson is being denied participation in sports or health care. Ohio has legislated that biological males have no inherent right to complete against females in school sports‚ no matter how they may personally identify that day.) Reporter Stephanie Sy explained how Ohio’s Republican Governor Mike DeWine had his veto defeated in the Ohio Senate‚ so the bill banning so-called “gender-affirming surgeries” and prescriptions for puberty blockers and hormone therapy could become law. Orion Rummler‚ The 19th News: ….So‚ this law‚ which‚ important to remember‚ will not go into effect until late April‚ like you said‚ would prevent trans youth from accessing medications‚ such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy‚ as part of their gender-forming care. And there are also other restrictions at play in Ohio right now that Governor DeWine put into place whenever he vetoed this ban…. Sy introduced a clip from a TransOhio spokesperson: “Here's what they said about the effect the law is already having on Ohio families.” The source hysterically claimed they were “essentially starting refugee enclaves in half-a-dozen states” for people leaving Ohio because of the horrible new regulations. Refugees? Rummler warned even more states were joining in with so-called gender-affirming care bans. In PBS-land that is a clear negative. Sy gave room for Ohio Republican Rep. Steve Huffman to say: “We're not outlawing all trans in the state of Ohio. We're just asking you to say‚ wait until you're 18….” Sy: So‚ the backers of the ban say they're trying to keep children safe from medical experimentation. That's what they call it‚ citing risks‚ for example‚ with puberty blockers. Orion‚ where does the evidence stand right now? What is best for these children‚ mentally and physically? Rummler provided the politically correct response‚ denying there are any faults with how children are put on the path of hormone replacement and even irreversible genital surgery‚ the sad stories about detransitioning teens to the contrary. Rummler: So‚ whenever a child is going through with gender-affirming care‚ it already involves elements such as a mental health screening. It already involves being told of what the consequences are‚ with the child and the parents involved in going through a process of‚ these are all the irreversible changes. These are the reversible changes. Here's what you can expect down the line. So‚ all of that is already part of the process. And gender-affirming care has been approved by several major medical organizations‚ who say this care is safe. And it's -- the way that Republicans frame this care‚ it's framed in a way that they're just given this care without any context of what they can expect and what the side effects are. And that's just not true. That's always a part of the discussion when you're receiving this kind of care. Sy: You have covered other ways states are targeting transpeople in new proposed laws. What are you watching for in the year ahead? The 19th journalist went over-the-top again‚ as if transpeople would be denied drivers licenses or bathroom access and threw in some offensive jargon. Rummler: And these definitions‚ based on reproductive capacity‚ would also exclude cisgender women who have certain health conditions…. Otherwise known as “women.” This segment was brought to you in part by Raymond James. A transcript is available‚ click “Expand.” PBS NewsHour 1/25/24 7:45:34 p.m. (ET) Amna Nawaz: Ohio is the latest state to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youth and to limit trans athletes' participation in school sports. A total of 23 states have passed trans health care bans‚ with 20 approved just in the past year. Stephanie Sy has more. Stephanie Sy: Amna‚ Ohio Governor Mike DeWine had blocked this bill late last month‚ saying parents and doctors should make decisions around gender-affirming care‚ not the state. But‚ yesterday‚ the Ohio Senate overrode the governor's veto. The new law bans gender-affirming surgeries‚ new prescriptions for puberty blockers and hormone therapy‚ and restricts mental health care for trans minors without a parent's or guardian's consent. Doctors who provide care in violation of the law can lose their medical license. It also bans trans women and girls from playing on women's sports teams in high schools and colleges. Orion Rummler covers all this for The 19th News and joins us now. Orion‚ what kind of impact will this law have on transgender youth and transgender athletes? Orion Rummler‚ The 19th News: Thank you so much‚ Stephanie. So‚ this law‚ which‚ important to remember‚ will not go into effect until late April‚ like you said‚ would prevent trans youth from accessing medications‚ such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy‚ as part of their gender-forming care. And there are also other restrictions at play in Ohio right now that Governor DeWine put into place whenever he vetoed this ban. He made a couple administrative proposals. And those restrictions that DeWine brought would affect adults‚ as well as minors. Stephanie Sy: We spoke to someone from TransOhio earlier. Here's what they said about the effect the law is already having on Ohio families. Dara Adkison‚ Board Secretary‚ TransOhio: We're in the process of essentially starting refugee enclaves in half-a-dozen states of people who used to want to be in Ohio. I mean‚ many of them still do. These are people who have lived here their whole lives. They have extended family connections‚ businesses‚ jobs‚ everything that you would expect for people who live somewhere‚ and they're in the process of deciding to uproot themselves or what they do. Stephanie Sy: So‚ Orion‚ they're saying people may just leave Ohio. But with nearly two dozen states enacting similar bans on gender-affirming care for minors‚ where do these families with transgender kids go? Orion Rummler: That's the question‚ is‚ as more states‚ like you said‚ ban this care‚ there aren't many options for them to go‚ because it's a — if you look at a map of which of the 22‚ now 23 states have put in place a gender-affirming care ban‚ it's basically the entire South. And then‚ in Ohio‚ we're seeing more into the Midwest. So‚ families — not many families have the ability to just pick up and leave. And the ones I have spoken to in other states‚ when they are able to move and decide to do so‚ it's usually like quite a distance‚ like cross-country‚ like‚ just as far as they can get. Stephanie Sy: I want to play what a Republican senator who supported the Ohio bill said. State Rep. Steve Huffman (R-OH): We're not outlawing all trans in the state of Ohio. We're just asking you to say‚ wait until you're 18. Wait until you're — you have the ability to make the decision with your unmature mind‚ to give that a break. Stephanie Sy: So‚ the backers of the ban say they're trying to keep children safe from medical experimentation. That's what they call it‚ citing risks‚ for example‚ with puberty blockers. Orion‚ where does the evidence stand right now? What is best for these children‚ mentally and physically? Orion Rummler: So‚ whenever a child is going through with gender-affirming care‚ it already involves elements such as a mental health screening. It already involves being told of what the consequences are‚ with the child and the parents involved in going through a process of‚ these are all the irreversible changes. These are the reversible changes. Here's what you can expect down the line. So‚ all of that is already part of the process. And gender-affirming care has been approved by several major medical organizations‚ who say this care is safe. And it's — the way that Republicans frame this care‚ it's framed in a way that they're just given this care without any context of what they can expect and what the side effects are. And that's just not true. That's always a part of the discussion when you're receiving this kind of care. Stephanie Sy: You have covered other ways states are targeting trans people in new proposed laws. What are you watching for in the year ahead? Orion Rummler: In the year ahead‚ I'm watching for more states to be focused on restrictions on trans adults beyond gender-affirming care. Right now‚ at least 10 states are trying to change how they define sex in their state law based on reproductive ability in ways that would prevent trans people from being able to access identity documents‚ which is their driver's license‚ from being able to access public restrooms‚ even in Florida from holding office. And these definitions‚ based on reproductive capacity‚ would also exclude cisgender women who have certain health conditions. And advocates are really concerned about these bills. So that's one thing I'm watching in the next — in the new year. Stephanie Sy: Orion Rummler with The 19th News‚ thank you. Orion Rummler: Thank you so much‚ Stephanie.

Appearing as a guest on Friday's Jose Diaz-Balart Reports‚ MSNBC political analyst (and NPR host) Maria Hinojosa lied to the audience as she accused former President Donald Trump of lying about the millions of illegals flooding across the southern border.  After playing clips of President Trump campaigning‚ host Diaz-Balart turned to Hinojosa and posed: "When you hear this -- 'invasion' -- 'they're emptying their mental institutions' -- 'this is poisoning the blood' -- what do you see? And how does that contrast‚ Maria‚ to what you see on a daily basis and the people that we serve?" Hinojosa began her dishonest response: Right‚ so no surprise -- I will say former President Donald Trump is lying. He's lying. When was the last time he was on that border talking to people who would actually speak to him‚ right? So this notion of‚ like‚ what did he say -- that there's an invasion. Actually‚ no. That they are unchecked? Actually‚ if you go to 26 Federal Plaza overnight‚ you will see the lines of people standing out there in the cold overnight to register to be like‚ "We're here -- vet us. Hi‚ we're here." Anybody can go and speak to them. They're not afraid of this vetting -- they're presenting themselves in the freezing cold. A bit later‚ she alluded to the film Nyad‚ and compared illegal immigrants to heroic figures from the movie: "Those actual heroes who were like‚ 'We'll chop -- climb through the jungles -- we'll sleep outside -- we'll starve -- we'll dodge the bullets' -- they're right there at 26 Federal Plaza. And instead‚ we have Donald Trump lying and saying that there are hordes and that they're bringing in. No es verdad." It was not mentioned that a recent report by the House Homeland Security Committee found that there were 1.7 million documented cases in which Border Patrol agents observed illegal border crossings but were unable to apprehend the offenders. By contrast‚ last November on Fox &; Friends Saturday‚ Fox News contributor Tom Homan informed viewers of this critical information: But what concerns me more are the 1.7 (million) known got-aways. That's what scares me more. Who are they? No one is going to tell me not a single one of them -- 1.7 million got-aways -- didn't come from a country that sponsors terror. We got to remember. Border Patrol has arrested people from 171 different countries. Many of these countries are sponsors of terror. They've arrest 569 known people off the terrorist watch list. So you've got to figure how many of the 1.7 million known got-aways came from a country that sponsors terror. He also complained that President Joe Biden was more interested in using extra money to process more illegal aliens and allow them into the country rather than to try to stop them entering the country in the first place. He further argued that reinstating the "remain in Mexico" used by the Trump administration to prevent illegal border crossers from roaming the U.S. indefinitely while awaiting their asylum cases‚ thus deterring many from entering in the first place. CNN weekend host Michael Smerconish similarly informed viewers of the border numbers last September (a rarity on CNN.) Instead of correcting his guest‚ Diaz-Balart followed up by fretting about whether illegal aliens who have been in the country for decades might get relief soon. Transcripts follow: MSNBC's Jose Diaz-Balart Reports January 26‚ 2024 11:54 a.m. Eastern JOSE DIAZ-BALART: I want you to listen to some of what the former President has been saying about immigration -- about border‚ etc. -- on the campaign trail. Take a listen. DONALD TRUMP‚ PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (dated January 22): I'll seal the border‚ and we'll shut down the invasion of our country. (editing jump) We have people pouring in our borders. Nobody has ever seen anything like it. Nobody knows where they're from -- unvetted‚ unchecked. TRUMP (dated January 21): And I will instruct the heads of ICE and Border Patrol to begin the largest deportation program in American history because it's not sustainable. (editing jump) We had the safest border in the history of our country‚ and now we have the most unsafe border in the history of the world. TRUMP (dated January 20): We're bringing them in from mental institutions‚ prisons. Terrorists are pouring into our country. DIAZ-BALART: So‚ Susan‚ politically‚ is Trump holding the cards here? (SUSAN DEL PERCIO‚ MSNBC POLITICAL ANALYST) DIAZ-BALART: When you hear this -- "invasion" -- "they're emptying their mental institutions" -- "this is poisoning the blood" -- what do you see? And how does that contrast‚ Maria‚ to what you see on a daily basis and the people that we serve? MARIA HINOJOSA‚ MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR: Right‚ so no surprise -- I will say former President Donald Trump is lying. He's lying. When was the last time he was on that border talking to people who would actually speak to him‚ right? So this notion of‚ like‚ what did he say -- that there's an invasion. Actually‚ no. That they are unchecked? Actually‚ if you go to 26 Federal Plaza overnight‚ you will see the lines of people standing out there in the cold overnight to register to be like‚ "We're here -- vet us. Hi‚ we're here." Anybody can go and speak to them. They're not afraid of this vetting -- they're presenting themselves in the freezing cold. And the other thing that we're not hearing‚ Jose -- and I know you're going to love this‚ right? Because I've been out talking with them. That's all you need to do is go and speak with them. And I said to one of the women whom I met‚ she was -- I said‚ "Do you feel like you're a victim here -- that you're taking -- that you're trying to take things away?" And she was like‚ "We are here -- we are getting things done. We don't even know about the protests. We are resolving -- estamos resolviendo -- tenemos cosas de hacer (we have things to do)." So that -- I just watched the movie Nyad this morning -- by the way‚ I finished‚ and I'm like crying‚ you know‚ and we love this hero's story. ... And I'm just like‚ "So we love heroes in Hollywood." Those actual heroes who were like‚ "We'll chop -- climb through the jungles -- we'll sleep outside -- we'll starve -- we'll dodge the bullets" -- they're right there at 26 Federal Plaza. And instead‚ we have Donald Trump lying and saying that there are hordes and that they're bringing in. No es verdad. (It is not true.) DIAZ-BALART: But there is the political side of this -- which unfortunately sometimes -- many times -- overshadows the fact that we're talking -- men‚ women‚ and children. The question is‚ how do -- how does this political semantic conversation which is often times ugly -- how do you move away from that and deal with the men‚ women and children? And also‚ Maria and Susan -- the issue of there are those that have come to this country by the millions asking for asylum saying‚ "Here I am -- where can I register?" But then there are also millions of people who have been here -- many of them for decades with U.S.-born children -- there are more than 11 million families that live -- people that live in mixed immigration status -- homes -- that have been here participating -- that are part of the fabric of American society‚ culture and economy -- and they also say‚ "Well‚ we're here‚ too‚ and we've been vetted." Is there any possibility of this being dealt with in a realistic‚ humanitarian way? (...) Fox &; Friends Saturday November 4‚ 2024 6:42 a.m. Eastern PETE HEGSETH: A terror suspect is being held without bond after his arrest last month‚ but not before‚ you know‚ roaming freely throughout the United States for two weeks. WILL CAIN: Authorities said the man entered the U.S. illegally on October 3rd‚ and‚ days after‚ he was released. Homeland Security revealed he was wanted in his home country for terrorist activities. RACHEL CAMPOS-DUFFY: This as a caravan of 7‚000 migrants that was headed for the southern border is now stopped in Mexico‚ according to sources. Many are just too tired to keep walking. Well‚ here to react is Fox News contributor and former acting ICE director Tom Homan. Tom‚ and it's so scary to think that this terrorist was‚ you know‚ who knows‚ coordinating with a terror cell for two weeks before we actually caught him. What is going on? How come with the terror alert so high‚ the fire alarms aren't going off in the Biden administration at this moment? TOM HOMAN‚ FOX NEWS CONTRIBUTOR: Look‚ first of all‚ this isn't the first time this has happened. This has happened before. And the reason it's happening is because the Border Patrol is under such pressure to process as quick as possible and release as quick as possible. This administration only cares about the optics of this crisis. If there's no overcrowding‚ then nothing to see here. So they're under intense pressure. That's why they keep sending more resources to the border -- not to enforce the law‚ not to secure the border‚ but to process quicker and to release quicker. And mistakes are going to be made. But what concerns me more are the 1.7 (million) known got-aways. That's what scares me more. Who are they? No one is going to tell me not a single one of them -- 1.7 million got-aways -- didn't come from a country that sponsors terror. We got to remember. Border Patrol has arrested people from 171 different countries. Many of these countries are sponsors of terror. They've arrest 569 known people off the terrorist watch list. So you've got to figure how many of the 1.7 million known got-aways came from a country that sponsors terror. CAIN: You know‚ Tom‚ to your point‚ take a look at this. This is the terror watch list‚ arrests at the southern border -- 169 in fiscal year 2023; 98 in 2022; 15 in 2021. You go back to the Trump years -- three‚ zero‚ six -- that's -- you know‚ I've had somebody say to me before‚ Tom‚ "Come on‚ there was no -- zero in 2019?" people have said‚ "Is that real?" And now we're looking at‚ you know‚ what is it‚ 120? HOMAN: Well‚ it's more than that. You know what no one is talking about? The northern border. FY 2023‚ they arrest 434 -- excuse me -- 432 people on the terrorist watch list were arrested on the northern border -- almost twice as many as the southern border. Nobody is talking about that. People need to understand that the northern border -- the crossing jumped over 800 percent. They got very few Border Patrol assets up there‚ and they took 50 percent of them and moved them to the southern border. So the northern border is a huge vulnerability. But‚ you know (inaudible) ...  "How do you know? How do you know?" After 9/11‚ we created all these databases -- the TSA no-fly list‚ the FBI screening database‚ the visa security program -- we stopped thousands of people from coming and getting a visa to come to the United States because during the vetting process‚ we found derogatory information. However‚ if you're a terrorist today and you want to come harm the United States‚ you're going to take the route of least resistance. Why would you put yourself in a position to be vetted through all these programs. You simply get to Mexico‚ pay the cartels a little extra money‚ and be a got-away. That is what the scary thing is. This is the biggest -- I've said it a thousand times -- this is the biggest national security failure that I've seen in this country since 9/11‚ and it's self-inflicted. HEGSETH: No doubt. Well‚ the Biden administration now says it's going to spend a million dollars on some border wall repairs. So you got to be feeling good about that? HOMAN: This isn't -- I feel good about that‚ but people need to remember they might keep throwing money at this problem and pay countries more money to create opportunity zones in the country. Money doesn't fix this problem. It is a policy issue. All they got to do is brush off the Trump plans‚ reinstate "remain in Mexico" (policy). The Supreme Court already says it's legal. If they would reinstate the "remain in Mexico" program‚ they'd fix 80 percent of the problem. If they start up the third safe country agreements‚ they could solve this problem. There is a plan in place -- the Trump administration proved it -- illegal immigration at a 45-year low -- illegal immigration down 80 to 90 percent depending on what month you look at. There is a plan to fix it. We proved it. All they got to do is reinstate these plans and secure that border. But they don't -- they don't want to do it because this is by design. CAMPOS-DUFFY: By design. Thank you for pointing out that this is not a money problem. The Republicans right now are still trying to attach border money to Ukraine money and pretending like -- and all it's going to do is you said‚ is just give more money for the Biden administration to process more illegals in our country. Tom‚ you've always been such a straight shooter on this issue. We really appreciate you joining us today.