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--:-- Georgia Howe: Striking Hollywood writers have reached a breakthrough after nearly five months of picketing. We can all just celebrate and know we have something that is going to create transformative change for our business. What protections are included in the potential writers agreement? And what does this mean for your favorite shows? I'm Georgia Howe with Daily Wire editor-in-chief John Bickley.
--:-- John Bickley: It's Tuesday, September 26th, and this is Morning Wire.
--:-- Georgia Howe: The U.S. has already sent tens of billions of dollars to Ukraine, and Congress is considering sending more. But how exactly are tax dollars being spent in the war-torn country? I want accountability for whatever the hardworking taxpayers spend their money on, and I want a plan for victory.
--:-- John Bickley: And as thousands continue to flood our southern border every day. The Democrat mayor of El Paso says his city is overwhelmed. The city of El Paso only has so many resources and we have come to, but we look at a breaking point right now.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Thanks for waking up with Morning Wire. Stay tuned. We have the news you need to know.
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--:-- Georgia Howe: After nearly five months, the second longest writer's strike in Hollywood history at last appears to have come to an end. Here with the details on the deal and what it may mean for your favorite shows is Daily Wire culture reporter Megan Basham.
--:-- Megan Basham: So Megan, obviously this was a long fight between the Writers Guild and the studios. What concessions were the writers able to get?
--:-- Megan Basham: Well, you know, as we discussed, it seems unbelievable, but way back in May, the big sticking point here was streaming pay and AI. And we aren't really going to know exactly what the writers were able to extract from the studios on those points until that contract is ratified and released publicly. And that is expected to happen sometime this week, could even happen today. So we have to wait and see.
--:-- Megan Basham: But what we do know is that the guild leaders called this deal exceptional. And I'm quoting from their statement. They said they were able to get meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector of the membership.
--:-- Megan Basham: Now, studio execs that took part in the negotiations, and that included Bob Iger from Disney, Ted Sarandos from Netflix. They've been pretty quiet so far. So that could mean that they know they made major concessions, or maybe they're just playing their cards close to the vest until the deal is finalized.
--:-- Megan Basham: But a lot of people are already celebrating. We've seen statements from California Governor Gavin Newsom's office saying that he's grateful the two sides reached an agreement for the sake of the state's economy. And then even the White House seems happy. President Biden released a statement on Monday saying it's important for the writers to get back to, quote, telling the stories of our nation, our world and of all of us. And he highlighted this entire ordeal as a testament to the importance of unions generally.
--:-- Megan Basham: So does this mean that Hollywood is finally going to be able to get back to work? You know, not entirely. The writers have stopped picketing, but the strike is still officially on until the guild leaders vote to approve that contract. And they are expected to do that today but even then the writers can start writing again but the shows and films won necessarily be able to start production because tens of thousands of actors are still on the picket line And their union and the studios haven spoken in over two months
--:-- Megan Basham: And partly that's because a lot of insiders are saying that Actors Union president, Fran Drescher, has been using some pretty fiery language. She compared Bob Iger and other studio heads to land barons of a medieval time. And then she said this at a press conference back in July. We are being victimized by a very greedy entity. I am shocked by the way the people that we have been in business with are treating us, how they plead poverty, that they're losing money left and right when giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs. It is disgusting. Shame on them. They stand on the wrong side of history. At some point, the jig is up. You cannot keep being dwindled and marginalized.
--:-- Megan Basham: Now, that said, Drescher has been much more quiet of late, and the writers deal is expected to put pressure on both the actors union and the studios to reach a deal there so everyone can get back to work. I mean, really, these strikes have already cost the California economy over $5 billion, they're saying, and maybe something like 17,000 jobs. Well, I selfishly want another season of severance, so I hope someone caves.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Megan, thanks for reporting. Anytime.
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--:-- Georgia Howe: Coming up, President Biden proposes billions more for Ukraine. As President Biden calls for another multibillion-dollar aid package for Ukraine, a new report is calling into question how U.S. tax dollars are being spent there. Here with more is Daily Wire senior editor Cabot Phillips.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: So Cabot, first, give us some context on how much aid the U.S. has offered to Ukraine since this war began.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Well, the exact number is surprisingly difficult to nail down. Depending on how you determine what counts as aid, estimates range from $75 to $113 billion so far. That means we've spent as much as 12% of our annual defense budget on the war in Ukraine. Just really stunning figures there.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: About a third of that aid has come in the form of direct cash infusions, while the rest has come in the form of security assistance and military equipment, including hundreds of millions of rounds of ammunition, hundreds of tanks and armored vehicles, etc.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: For context to this point, every country in Europe has offered $30 billion in aid combined. So the U.S. is playing an outsized role globally in funding the war effort. But now as the debate swirls in Washington over how long that aid can continue, there are new questions over how exactly that money is being spent by the Ukrainians.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Yeah, there was a new report over the weekend that offered new insight on that funding and really raised some eyebrows. Tell us what we learned there.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: So when most Americans hear that U.S. tax dollars are going toward the war in Ukraine, they assume it's arming soldiers on the front line directly involved in the war effort. But a new report this weekend from 60 Minutes showed just how widespread U.S. involvement there truly is.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: So according to CBS, over $25 billion in American tax dollars have gone towards non-military aid, funding local farmers, paying for seed and fertilizer, as well as the salaries of all 57,000 of Ukraine's first responders. The report also uncovered that U dollars are subsidizing thousands of small businesses around the country in an attempt to keep the economy afloat
--:-- Cabot Phillips: For example CBS interviewed a Ukrainian woman who owns a business selling high knitwear U.S. funding has helped her business find customers overseas and also helped pay the salaries of her employees. Those revelations quickly drew criticism from lawmakers and average Americans who say those billions of dollars should be going towards American farmers and businesses instead, especially with the delicate economic situation here.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: So let's get into some of that pushback, which does seem to be growing. How are Americans feeling about the war effort?
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Yeah, it's been interesting to see the shift in sentiment over the last few months as the war has dragged on and Ukrainian progress has been incredibly slow. For context, a new ABC poll shows that the number of Americans who feel we're spending too much money on Ukraine has tripled this year, jumping from 14 to 41 percent, while those who feel that we're doing too little has been cut in half since last year, from 37 percent to 18.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: And it's not just average Americans who are beginning to cool on prolonged support of the war. That was evident last week when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky visited Washington. The last time he came, he was honored with a rare joint address to Congress, receiving standing ovations from the vast majority of both parties. But this time, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy rejected Zelensky's request to address Congress, opting instead for a private meeting.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: Here's how the speaker put it. Zelensky asked for a joint session. We just didn't have time. He's already given a joint session. McCarthy went on to add that he wanted answers from Zelensky on, quote, the plan for victory, where are we currently on the field, and accountability issues that members have questions on.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: To that last point about accountability, there is growing concern in Washington regarding a lack of oversight on the money being given to Ukraine. Remember, according to Transparency International, Ukraine is the second most corrupt country in Europe. And the fear among many lawmakers, especially those on the right, is that much of the money being spent for the war is being misdirected by bureaucrats or business cronies for personal gain.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: One of the most outspoken voices on that front is Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul. Here he is speaking out against more funding last week on the Senate floor. It's as if no one has noticed that we have no extra money to send to Ukraine. Our deficit this year will exceed $1.5 trillion. Borrowing money from China to send it to Ukraine makes no sense. There's a lot of things that we need to fix in our country before we borrow money to try to perpetuate a war in another country.
--:-- Cabot Phillips: But it's worth noting that pushback has done little to slow down President Biden, who is now calling on Congress to approve $24 billion in new funding for the Ukrainians. While they have approved the vast majority of spending to this point, a support for the war cools among the electorate. Definitely expect to see more of a fight from lawmakers in Congress.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Cabot, thanks for reporting. Anytime.
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--:-- Georgia Howe: Democrat mayors in Texas say they need help as their communities are swamped by illegal and paroled immigrants, and officials there are starting to take drastic steps to address the crisis. Daily Wire reporter Tim Pierce is here with more.
--:-- Tim Pierce: So, Tim, not to be cynical, but has anything changed at the border?
--:-- Tim Pierce: Well, yes and no. El Paso Mayor Oscar Weezer said that the city is at its breaking point. They're now receiving 2,000 immigrants daily, and the Border Patrol has 6,500 in facilities. The city has chartered five buses to take migrants to their final destinations places such as New York Chicago and Denver
--:-- Tim Pierce: Here the city emergency management coordinator Jorge Rodriguez Every individual that boards one of those buses is going voluntarily. They sign a form stating that they're going voluntarily to the destination of their choice. No one is being forced.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Now, we've heard some similarly alarming language coming out of Eagle Pass, correct?
--:-- Tim Pierce: Right. The El Paso press conference came a few days after the Eagle Pass mayor issued a disaster declaration when border crossings in that area reached about 2,000 a day. Shelters in Eagle Pass and El Paso are at capacity, so many of the illegals apprehended around those cities aren't actually detained. More often than not, they're released to walk the city's sidewalks, and that's led to hundreds of destitute migrants living homeless.
--:-- Tim Pierce: And as we learned at the end of last week, the border crisis just hit a new all-time record with over 304,000 immigrants entering the country either illegally or through parole in the month of August.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Well, another troubling headline from this past week is that some of these migrants are carrying diseases that we don't typically see here in the States. How prevalent is that?
--:-- Tim Pierce: Well, we don't know because, according to agents, we aren't really testing people beyond a cursory look. But it's not surprising the immigrants that cross the border sometimes journey thousands of miles in very unsanitary conditions.
--:-- Tim Pierce: Texas officials stated recently that a few immigrants that arrived in El Paso have confirmed cases of tuberculosis. Morning Wire spoke to a Border Patrol agent about that. We may reveal his name because he isn't authorized to speak to the media, but he said the problem could be much bigger than just a few cases.
--:-- Tim Pierce: We also see it in the schools down here on the border. You guys are going to start seeing it wherever all the UACs, the unaccompanied alien children, are being dropped off throughout the whole nation. You're going to start seeing the tuberculosis threat. We do have nurses on staff. They'll have them lift their shirts, see if they have any rashes or scabies or any viable signs of being extremely sick. And if they are having some symptoms of extreme sickness, we do take them to the hospital. But other than that, that is really the only check.
--:-- Georgia Howe: So scary situation for anyone who lives in these communities. Now, the mayors of both El Paso and Eagle Pass are Democrats. So it seems like there could be some room for bipartisan work on this situation. Is anything like that happening?
--:-- Tim Pierce: There are plenty of people on both sides of the aisle that recognize the problem. Morningwire spoke with Republican Senator Roger Marshall of Kansas to get a feel for what the chances are for some legislation. But he wasn't optimistic. He said that despite the complaints, the two sides don't talk much. They're very short conversations. They won't really even talk about securing the border. All they want to do is fix one crisis by trying to introduce another government solution.
--:-- Tim Pierce: So their fix is more government funding to process these people, more government funding for health care, more government funding to help find these people's shelter and health care. So their focus is on the end problem rather than fix the true root of the problem.
--:-- Georgia Howe: Well, meanwhile, regular citizens are just about at their wits end. Tim, thanks for reporting. Thanks for having me.
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--:-- Georgia Howe: That's all the time we've got this morning. Thanks for waking up with us. We'll be back this afternoon with more of the news you need to know.
