The Lunch Hour with Federal Newswire: Recent Episodes

The Federal Newswire

The Lunch Hour with Federal Newswire is a series of wide ranging discussions featuring movers, shakers, and thinkers in and around the federal government that gives listeners a unique look at the people behind the policy debates moving DC today.

How can policymakers protect consumers without stifling innovation?

On this episode of the Washington Signal Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with Stephen Kent, Media Director at the Consumer Choice Center, for a wide-ranging discussion on consumer freedom, technology policy, global regulation, tariffs, prediction markets, and the role of popular culture in shaping public discourse.

Kent explains how the Consumer Choice Center advocates for policies that expand consumer access, encourage innovation, and challenge regulations that increase costs or limit choice. Drawing on the organization's international presence, he also discusses how regulatory decisions in Europe often influence policy debates in the United States.

The conversation covers:

Consumer choice and the growing influence of European regulation
AI, innovation, and the precautionary principle
Public health policy, harm reduction, and nicotine regulation
Tariffs, trade policy, and housing affordability
Prediction markets and emerging financial regulations
Star Wars, storytelling, and Stephen Kent's books

The discussion also explores the role of international organizations in shaping alcohol policy, the debate over lab-grown meat, and how governments can encourage innovation while maintaining appropriate consumer protections.

00:00 — Intro + Meet Stephen Kent
01:07 — What is the Consumer Choice Center?
04:13 — The new prohibition movement
10:16 — Europe's regulatory influence on America
15:13 — Harm reduction and nicotine policy
22:17 — Tariffs, trade, and consumer prices
30:29 — Prediction markets explained
39:33 — Star Wars, storytelling, and philosophy
47:56 — Stephen's books and Geeky Stoics
49:08 — Where to learn more
50:05 — Closing remarks

Watch Full-Length Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Lunchhour_FNW

How can the United States strengthen manufacturing, accelerate innovation, and remain globally competitive?

On this special episode of the Washington Signal Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with three leaders from the American Chemistry Council's Competitiveness Summit for a series of conversations on the future of American manufacturing, energy, innovation, and regulatory policy. Featured guests include Chris Jahn, President and CEO of the American Chemistry Council; Peter Huntsman, Chairman, President and CEO of Huntsman Corporation; and Rebecca Liebert, President and CEO of Lubrizol Corporation.

Together, the guests discuss why the chemical industry serves as the foundation for countless American industries—from semiconductors and AI to healthcare, transportation, defense, and consumer products—and what policymakers can do to ensure the United States remains a global leader in manufacturing.

The conversation covers:

America's manufacturing competitiveness and supply chain resilience
AI, advanced materials, and the future of industrial innovation
Regulatory reform, permitting, and the need for science-based policy
Energy policy, data centers, and growing electricity demand
Global competition with China and lessons from Europe
The role of chemistry in powering America's next generation of growth

The discussion also explores how artificial intelligence is transforming manufacturing, accelerating scientific research, improving chemical safety assessments, and helping companies develop new products faster than ever before.

Throughout the episode, the guests explain why modern chemistry touches nearly every aspect of daily life and argue that balanced regulation, abundant energy, and continued innovation will be critical to maintaining America's competitive advantage for decades to come.

00:00 — Intro & American Chemistry Council Competitiveness Summit
01:50 — Chris Jahn: America's chemical industry today
08:38 — Regulatory reform and permitting challenges
11:13 — AI, innovation, and the future of chemistry
16:03 — Peter Huntsman on manufacturing competitiveness
20:20 — Energy policy, AI, and global competition
24:43 — Rebecca Liebert on specialty chemicals and innovation
27:47 — Science-based regulation and permitting reform
30:06 — The future of chemistry in America
31:24 — Closing remarks

Watch Full-Length Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Lunchhour_FNW

Can the United States reduce regulation, strengthen its economy, and remain competitive while preserving free markets?

On this episode of the Washington Signal Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer welcomes Ryan Young, Senior Economist and Director of Publications at the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), for a wide-ranging discussion on tariffs, regulatory reform, AI, energy policy, and the future of economic growth in America.

Young explains how tariffs, regulatory uncertainty, and government intervention affect businesses, consumers, and long-term investment decisions. He also discusses why stable policy matters for economic growth, the importance of transparency in rulemaking, and how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence could reshape both innovation and government oversight.

The conversation covers:

Tariffs, trade policy, and the economics of protectionism
Regulatory reform and limiting agency overreach
Jobs, productivity, and long-term economic growth
The Jones Act, LNG exports, and national security
AI, regulatory compliance, and government enforcement
The future of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA)

The discussion also explores supply chain resilience, free trade versus national security, regulatory "dark matter," David Boaz's legacy, and why thoughtful, limited government can foster innovation while protecting economic opportunity.

00:00 — Intro & Meet Ryan Young
03:26 — Agency power and regulatory reform
06:03 — Tariffs and free markets
13:14 — Jobs, productivity, and economic growth
14:48 — LNG exports and energy policy
16:06 — The Jones Act debate
20:50 — National security and free trade
23:18 — Reforming the Administrative Procedure Act
29:22 — AI, regulation, and compliance
34:26 — Regulations of the week
37:19 — Remembering David Boaz
40:37 — Where to learn more
41:14 — Closing remarks

Watch Full-Length Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Lunchhour_FNW

Can New York reclaim its position as the world's premier center of opportunity and economic growth?

On this episode of the Washington Signal Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with Caroline Shinkle, Republican candidate for New York's 12th Congressional District. A graduate of MIT and Harvard Law School, Shinkle previously worked at Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, bringing a unique blend of legal, economic, and financial expertise to the conversation.

Shinkle discusses her vision for New York City, arguing that economic empowerment, fiscal responsibility, and pro-growth policies can restore opportunity while strengthening America's financial capital.

The conversation covers:

Reviving New York through free-market economic policies
Balancing the federal budget and addressing the national debt
AI, innovation, and the future of government
America's role in global energy and foreign policy
The challenges facing New York City and its future

Throughout the discussion, Shinkle shares how her background in economics, law, and finance has shaped her views on public policy, while emphasizing the importance of individual opportunity, entrepreneurship, and long-term economic growth.

00:00 — Intro + Meet Caroline Shinkle
01:03 — Why she's running for Congress
03:17 — Economic empowerment and free markets
10:13 — Balancing the budget and lowering taxes
13:07 — Is New York better off today?
18:52 — Lessons from New York's past
25:16 — AI and the future of government
32:01 — Energy policy and America's global role
37:21 — Life outside politics
39:55 — Campaign, website, and closing thoughts

Watch Full-Length Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Lunchhour_FNW

What happens when political movements abandon the principles that made them successful?

On this episode of the Washington Signal Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with Grover Norquist, founder and president of Americans for Tax Reform (ATR), for a wide-ranging conversation on free markets, limited government, federalism, taxation, trade, labor policy, and the future of the conservative movement.

Drawing on decades of experience in public policy and political advocacy, Norquist discusses why ideological consistency remains essential, how federalism serves as one of America's greatest strengths, and why he believes economic freedom continues to outperform centralized government planning.

The conversation covers:

• The importance of principle-driven policymaking
• Limited government and the role of federalism
• Tax reform and the Taxpayer Protection Pledge
• Organized labor and worker freedom
• The East Palestine rail derailment and rail policy debates
• Government regulation and unintended consequences
• Tariffs, free trade, and industrial policy
• Artificial intelligence and regulatory challenges
• California’s wealth tax proposal and interstate competition
• Energy policy, nuclear power, and economic growth
• Property taxes and local government spending

Norquist also reflects on the evolution of the conservative movement, the importance of maintaining intellectual consistency in public policy debates, and why he believes competition among states helps drive innovation, growth, and accountability.

Throughout the discussion, he argues that government solutions often become larger and more permanent than the problems they were intended to solve, while market-based approaches tend to produce better outcomes for workers, consumers, and taxpayers.

The episode concludes with a look at future policy battles at the federal, state, and local levels, along with a personal discussion about history and travel.

00:00 — Intro + Grover Norquist joins
01:27 — Why principles matter in politics
05:20 — Bipartisanship versus philosophy
09:01 — The Taxpayer Protection Pledge
12:01 — Labor unions and worker freedom
14:43 — The East Palestine rail debate
18:50 — Government responses to crises
22:22 — Tariffs, trade, and industrial policy
26:55 — Federalism and state competition
27:22 — Artificial intelligence and regulation
30:42 — California’s wealth tax proposal
35:23 — Energy policy and nuclear power
39:32 — Grover Norquist’s interests outside politics
40:23 — Property taxes and local government reform
41:32 — Closing thoughts

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What happens when parents finally get a firsthand look at what their children are being taught in school?

On this episode of the Washington Signal Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with Nicole Neily, President and Founder of Defending Education, a national organization focused on parental rights, academic transparency, and accountability in K-12 and higher education. Prior to founding Defending Education, Neily also founded Speech First, a leading campus free speech organization that challenged First Amendment violations at public universities.

Drawing on years of work in education policy and civil liberties, Neily discusses how COVID-era school closures transformed the national debate over education and why parental involvement has become one of the defining policy issues of the past decade.

The conversation covers:

• The rise of the parental rights movement
• COVID-19 and the public’s renewed focus on education
• The history and role of the U.S. Department of Education
• Teachers unions and their influence on public policy
• School choice and educational competition
• DEI programs in K-12 and higher education
• Campus free speech and Speech First’s legal battles
• Accreditation agencies and higher education reform
• The future of colleges and universities amid declining enrollment
• Parental notification policies and transparency in schools
• State-level education reforms and the role of federalism

Neily also explains the origins of Defending Education, how the organization investigates school policies and curricula, and why she believes many parents have become more engaged in education than ever before.

The discussion explores broader questions about accountability, educational outcomes, bureaucratic growth, and whether America’s education system is preparing students for future success.

Throughout the episode, Neily argues that meaningful reform will require greater transparency, stronger parental involvement, and a renewed focus on academic achievement rather than ideological activism.

00:00 — Intro + Nicole Neily joins
01:00 — Why education became a national issue
03:05 — How America’s education system changed
06:06 — Declining academic standards and outcomes
07:25 — Schools of education and ideological influence
10:33 — Founding Defending Education
13:13 — COVID, parents, and public awareness
17:24 — Teachers unions and political influence
19:30 — School choice and education reform
23:20 — Why some states are improving outcomes
26:00 — Trump administration education reforms
29:31 — Accreditation and higher education
34:25 — Campus free speech and Speech First
37:25 — Current battles in K-12 education
40:08 — Travel, family, and personal interests
40:36 — Where to learn more about Defending Education
41:12 — Closing thoughts

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How does a tariff on steel end up affecting the price of canned food at the grocery store?

On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with Scott Breen, President of the Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI), to discuss the intersection of trade policy, food security, manufacturing, and consumer prices.

Breen explains how steel tariffs are impacting the American food can supply chain, why domestic tinplate steel production has declined dramatically over the past decade, and what that means for farmers, manufacturers, retailers, and consumers.

The conversation explores a fundamental policy question: how can the United States strengthen domestic manufacturing while avoiding unintended consequences that increase costs for American families?

Major topics include:
• The role canned food plays in food security and emergency preparedness
• Why U.S. tinplate steel production has fallen from 12 lines to 3
• How steel tariffs affect food prices at the grocery store
• Competition from imported canned food products
• Buy American policies and country-of-origin labeling
• SNAP benefits, public procurement, and domestic agriculture
• Supply chain resilience and national security concerns
• Recycling, sustainability, and the future of metal packaging

The discussion also examines bipartisan legislation designed to improve country-of-origin labeling and proposals aimed at ensuring federal food purchases better support American farmers and manufacturers.

Throughout the episode, Breen argues that strengthening domestic manufacturing requires a balanced approach—one that supports upstream steel production while also protecting downstream industries that employ thousands of American workers.

00:00 — Intro + Scott Breen joins
01:25 — What the Can Manufacturers Institute does
02:42 — Food security and the importance of canned goods
04:08 — Steel tariffs and rising grocery prices
05:11 — Why domestic tinplate production declined
09:19 — Manufacturing jobs and downstream impacts
10:58 — Imported canned foods and competitive disadvantages
14:48 — American farmers and the food supply chain
17:14 — SNAP benefits and Buy American policies
20:08 — The American CANS Act explained
21:34 — Food security, sustainability, and preparedness
27:05 — What consumers and lawmakers can do
29:18 — Scott Breen’s interests outside work
30:06 — Where to learn more about CMI
31:05 — Closing

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How can a recycled soda can become a national security issue?

On this episode of the Washington Signal's Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer is joined by Anthony Musto, North American Strategy & Growth Lead at Constellium, and Ben Carlson, Director of the Center for Strategic Industrial Materials at SAFE, for a discussion on aluminum manufacturing, recycling, supply chains, and the growing competition between the United States and China.

The conversation explores why aluminum remains one of the most important materials in the modern economy and how recycling infrastructure has become increasingly tied to economic security, energy policy, manufacturing competitiveness, and national defense.

Major topics include:

• Why aluminum is critical to transportation, aerospace, energy, and defense
• The economic and energy benefits of aluminum recycling
• America’s growing dependence on imported aluminum inputs
• Chinese industrial policy and global aluminum markets
• Why millions of tons of aluminum scrap leave the U.S. each year
• Supply chain resilience, national security, and critical materials
• Recycling infrastructure and sorting technology challenges
• The role of permitting reform and industrial policy
• Building a stronger domestic manufacturing base

The discussion also examines how China has expanded its aluminum production and recycling capacity, why U.S. manufacturers are concerned about scrap exports, and what policymakers can do to strengthen domestic supply chains.

Throughout the episode, both guests argue that aluminum recycling should be viewed not simply as an environmental issue, but as an economic and strategic opportunity that can support American manufacturing, reduce energy consumption, and improve supply chain security.

00:00 — Intro + Meet Anthony Musto and Ben Carlson
01:39 — What Constellium does
02:43 — SAFE and strategic industrial materials
03:28 — Why aluminum matters to the modern economy
05:14 — The power of aluminum recycling
06:18 — Manufacturing jobs and economic impact
07:39 — The aluminum scrap export problem
10:00 — AI, energy demand, and supply chain security
11:58 — Why recycling infrastructure matters
16:30 — Permitting reform and recycling facilities
20:21 — Aluminum, energy use, and facility footprints
23:23 — Policy solutions and domestic investment
26:32 — Sorting technology and recycling innovation
30:11 — China’s influence on aluminum markets
33:15 — What policymakers should do next
35:14 — Outside interests and personal stories
37:31 — Closing thoughts

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How can America reduce waste, strengthen domestic manufacturing, and rebuild its recycling infrastructure at the same time?

On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with Heidi Sanborn, founding director and CEO of the National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC) and the National Stewardship Action Foundation.

Sanborn discusses the growing crisis facing America’s recycling and waste management systems, why domestic recycling infrastructure is collapsing, and how short-term economic thinking has made the United States increasingly dependent on China for recycled materials and manufacturing inputs.

The conversation explores how environmental stewardship, economic resilience, permitting reform, and supply chain security increasingly overlap — and why policies designed to promote sustainability can sometimes unintentionally undermine it.

Major topics include:
• Why waste and pollution are closely connected
• The collapse of America’s recycling infrastructure
• China’s influence over global recycled material markets
• The Remade in America Pledge
• Trade policy, tariffs, and domestic manufacturing
• Recycling, permitting reform, and regulatory barriers
• Mechanical vs. chemical recycling systems
• Hazardous waste disposal and marine flare safety
• Producer responsibility and product stewardship laws
• How AI and technology are changing recycling operations

Sanborn also explains how the National Stewardship Action Council works with states across the country to create policies focused on producer responsibility, safer waste management systems, and stronger domestic recycling markets.

The discussion closes with a broader conversation about balancing environmental goals, affordability, regulation, and long-term economic sustainability.

00:00 — Intro + Heidi Sanborn joins the show
01:25 — How Heidi got started in recycling
02:10 — Why waste equals inefficiency
05:18 — Recycling policy and regulatory challenges
08:14 — Why companies buy recycled materials from China
11:19 — Recycling, trade policy, and American manufacturing
16:28 — The Remade in America Pledge
20:08 — Chemical recycling vs. mechanical recycling
22:26 — Permitting reform and environmental policy
27:17 — Marine flare disposal challenges
30:04 — What the National Stewardship Action Council does
32:29 — Life in Sacramento and Lake Tahoe
33:14 — Where to follow NSAC and support the mission

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Why does religion remain at the center of so many global conflicts — and why do policymakers often ignore it?

On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer is joined by Sarah Makin, religious freedom advocate and producer of Faith Under Siege, to explore the role of faith in global conflict, diplomacy, and human rights.

Drawing on her experience in government and international advocacy, Makin argues that one of the biggest blind spots in U.S. foreign policy is a failure to understand religion as a core driver of identity, motivation, and conflict.

A major theme of the conversation is how authoritarian regimes view faith as a threat — because it represents a source of authority beyond the state.

The discussion covers:
• Why religion plays a central role in global conflicts
• How U.S. diplomacy often misunderstands religious dynamics
• Why authoritarian regimes fear people of faith
• Religious persecution in China (Uyghurs, Christians, others)
• The crisis in Nigeria and the role of extremist ideology
• Why religious persecution is a “canary in the coal mine” for genocide
• Lessons from Iraq and the Yazidi genocide
• The role of faith-based organizations in humanitarian work
• Why smaller NGOs often outperform large aid institutions
• The importance of religious literacy in foreign policy

The conversation also takes a deep look at the war in Ukraine — particularly the often-overlooked issue of religious persecution.

Additional topics include:
• Russia’s use of the Orthodox Church as a political tool
• The myth of Ukrainian religious persecution
• Documented attacks on churches, clergy, and faith communities
• The targeting of evangelical, Catholic, Jewish, and Orthodox groups
• The broader role of faith in Ukrainian society

Makin also discusses her film project, Faith Under Siege, a documentary series highlighting the persecution of religious communities in Ukraine under Russian occupation. The project includes both a full-length film and shorter features focused on specific faith groups and stories.

The episode closes with a broader reflection: ignoring religion in policy discussions doesn’t eliminate its influence — it simply makes decision-makers less equipped to understand the world.

00:00 — Intro + Sarah Makin joins
01:06 — Why religion drives global conflict
03:13 — U.S. foreign policy blind spots on faith
05:42 — Authoritarian regimes vs people of faith
07:19 — Religious persecution in China and beyond
10:01 — Nigeria crisis and extremist ideology
12:40 — “Canary in the coal mine” for genocide
13:58 — Iraq, Yazidis, and humanitarian work
16:08 — Faith-based NGOs vs large aid systems
23:50 — Ukraine: churches, war, and persecution
26:18 — Russia, the Orthodox Church, and propaganda
33:58 — Faith Under Siege documentary
37:49 — Personal interests + closing

Watch Full-Length Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Lunchhour_FNW

As artificial intelligence rapidly evolves, so does the debate over how — and whether — it should be regulated.

On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer is joined by Zach Lilly, Director of Government Affairs at NetChoice, to break down the growing policy battle over AI, free markets, and government oversight.

Lilly explains why public fear around AI has surged in recent years — driven in part by decades of pop culture narratives and amplified by ongoing debates over social media and technology policy. He argues that much of today’s AI conversation didn’t start fresh, but instead picked up where earlier tech debates left off.

A major focus of the episode is the challenge of regulating a rapidly evolving technology. Lilly warns that traditional legislative approaches struggle to keep pace with AI’s speed of innovation — where tools and capabilities can change week to week.

The discussion also covers:
• Why AI debates are shaped by pop culture and public perception
• The difference between “permissionless innovation” and the precautionary principle
• Why free market voices have become less dominant in tech policy debates
• How state-level AI regulations are being crafted and marketed
• Why some AI laws are framed as “child safety” measures
• The risks of one-size-fits-all regulatory approaches
• How AI is already improving fields like healthcare and diagnostics
• Why rapid innovation makes static regulation difficult
• The role of federal vs state governments in AI policy

A key part of the conversation focuses on the Guard Act, a proposed federal bill that Lilly describes as a sweeping age verification system disguised as chatbot regulation. He explains how such policies could effectively require identity verification across large portions of the internet, raising concerns about privacy, surveillance, and constitutional rights.

Additional topics include:
• How AI integration across platforms could expand data collection requirements
• The risk of treating all users as potential bad actors
• Why government-led AI design could slow innovation
• The balance between safety, privacy, and technological progress
• Concerns about AI being used as a regulatory enforcement tool
• The importance of intellectual and ideological consistency in policymaking

The episode also highlights a broader philosophical divide: whether emerging technologies should be allowed to develop freely — with limited intervention — or shaped early through government regulation.

At its core, the conversation makes the case that how the U.S. approaches AI policy now will have long-term consequences for innovation, economic growth, and individual liberty.

Watch Full-Length Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Lunchhour_FNW

Why does healthcare keep getting more expensive — and are policymakers making the problem worse?

On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with Isabelle Marchese, Director of Health Policy at Americans for Tax Reform, to break down the real drivers behind rising healthcare costs and the policy decisions shaping the system.

Marchese explains how government intervention has distorted basic supply-and-demand dynamics in healthcare — increasing demand without expanding supply — and why that imbalance continues to push costs higher for patients.

A major focus of the conversation is the growing push for pharmaceutical price controls, including policies like “most favored nation” pricing and provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act. Marchese outlines the unintended consequences of these approaches, particularly their impact on innovation and long-term drug development.

The discussion also covers:
• Why healthcare should be viewed as a resource economics problem
• How supply and demand imbalances drive rising costs
• The real impact of pharmaceutical price controls on innovation
• Why fewer new drugs could result from current policies
• The long-term value of innovation and generic drug development
• How intellectual property protections shape medical breakthroughs
• The economic realities of drug development (cost, time, and risk)
• Why Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) reduce costs for consumers
• How HSAs reconnect patients to healthcare spending decisions
• Recent policy changes expanding HSAs — and what’s still needed
• The role of tariffs in pharmaceutical policy and supply chains
• The risks of overregulation and government “tinkering”
• Why ideological consistency matters in healthcare policy debates

The conversation also explores a broader theme: how political incentives and short-term thinking often lead to policies that feel popular in the moment but create long-term challenges for innovation, affordability, and access.

At its core, the episode makes the case that sustainable healthcare reform requires aligning incentives, expanding supply, and allowing market forces to work — rather than relying on heavy-handed policy interventions.

00:00 — Intro + Isabelle Marchese joins
00:35 — Early interest in politics and healthcare
02:18 — Healthcare as a supply and demand problem
03:28 — Why costs rise when supply doesn’t increase
04:23 — Americans for Tax Reform’s healthcare focus
05:02 — Pharmaceutical policy and price control debates
06:17 — Inflation Reduction Act and drug pricing impacts
07:19 — How price controls affect innovation
08:29 — Why fewer drugs could be developed
09:18 — Generic drugs and long-term cost reductions
10:59 — Economics of drug development explained
12:24 — Why investment depends on recouping costs
13:33 — Ideological consistency in policy debates
15:00 — Political incentives and policy contradictions
17:15 — Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) explained
18:26 — How HSAs lower healthcare costs
19:14 — Vision for expanding HSAs
20:22 — Healthcare vs insurance: key differences
21:57 — Market forces and consumer behavior
22:22 — Recent HSA policy changes
23:22 — Why reform efforts stall
25:21 — Tariffs and pharmaceutical supply chains
26:19 — National security vs economic tradeoffs
27:33 — Free rider problem and global pricing
29:45 — Final thoughts on healthcare reform
31:00 — Outside interests: cooking and food prep
34:59 — Closing

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Naval power has shaped global dominance for centuries — and today, it may determine the outcome of America’s strategic competition with China.

On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with Brent Sadler, Senior Research Fellow for Naval Warfare and Advanced Technology at The Heritage Foundation, to examine how maritime strategy, industrial capacity, and global trade are converging into one of the most critical national security challenges facing the United States.

Sadler explains why control of the seas is about far more than military force — it is about controlling supply chains, trade routes, and the flow of global commerce. Drawing from both history and modern strategy, he outlines how China has spent decades building a dominant maritime industrial base, including shipbuilding, port ownership, and logistics networks designed to influence — and potentially control — global trade.

A major focus of the conversation is America’s declining shipbuilding capacity and why current policy frameworks, including the Jones Act, have not been sufficient to reverse that trend. Sadler argues that the real issue is not a single law, but a lack of coordinated national strategy, incentives, and long-term industrial focus.

The discussion also explores:
• Why naval power is central to both economic and military dominance
• How China built the world’s largest shipbuilding industry
• The strategic importance of ports and global shipping lanes
• Why supply chains — not just weapons — define modern conflict
• The limitations of the Jones Act and what it gets right (and wrong)
• The need for a comprehensive U.S. maritime industrial strategy
• How government policy, financing, and regulation shape shipbuilding outcomes
• The role of tariffs, trade policy, and industrial incentives
• Lessons from the Cold War — and where the U.S. miscalculated with China
• Why the U.S. is now in a “new Cold War” with fundamentally different dynamics

The conversation also shifts to current global conflicts, including the evolving situation with Iran, and how U.S. military and economic actions there tie into a broader strategy for countering China’s global ambitions.

Sadler emphasizes that understanding both America’s vulnerabilities and China’s long-term strategy is essential if the U.S. hopes to rebuild its industrial base, strengthen deterrence, and maintain its position in the global order.

00:00 — Intro + Brent Sadler joins the podcast
01:17 — Background: Naval Academy, Navy career, China policy
02:25 — Why naval power still matters today
03:04 — Historical lessons: sea power and trade control
05:10 — Force projection vs control of global commerce
06:10 — China’s global port strategy explained
07:13 — The “Third Taiwan Crisis” and China’s wake-up call
08:12 — How China built a dominant shipbuilding industry
09:42 — Industrial policy, ports, and supply chain control
10:42 — Could China disrupt global trade flows?
12:16 — The Jones Act explained
13:02 — Why U.S. shipbuilding is still declining
14:44 — What’s missing: incentives, leadership, and strategy
16:00 — “Revolution in Shipping” and policy solutions
18:18 — Bipartisan momentum and the Ships for America Act
19:42 — Trump-era maritime push and executive action
21:00 — Industrial policy vs free market concerns
22:30 — Where the U.S. misread China
24:40 — Economic interdependence and strategic vulnerability
26:00 — COVID, supply chains, and wake-up calls
29:10 — Iran conflict and global strategy implications
31:41 — Military objectives and regime pressure in Iran
33:40 — Why conflicts must be viewed through China strategy
35:16 — Understanding adversaries vs projecting U.S. values
37:51 — Sadler’s background: Guam, Japan, and China
41:04 — Personal experiences shaping his worldview
43:01 — Life outside p

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Prescription drug prices dominate the headlines — but most Americans rely on medicines that rarely get discussed.

On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with John Murphy, President and CEO of the Association for Accessible Medicines, to unpack the critical — and often overlooked — role that generic drugs and biosimilars play in the U.S. healthcare system.

Murphy explains why generics make up nearly 90% of prescriptions in the United States while accounting for only a fraction of total drug spending — and why that imbalance reveals deeper structural issues in how medicines are priced, patented, and brought to market.

A major focus of the conversation is the growing tension between pharmaceutical innovation and affordability. Murphy breaks down how the current system of patents and exclusivity — originally designed to balance innovation with competition — has evolved in ways that can delay generic entry and extend high prices far beyond what was originally intended.

The discussion also explores:
• The difference between statutory exclusivity and patent protection
• How “follow-on” patents and minor modifications can extend drug monopolies
• Why generic competition is less effective today than in the past
• The role of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and rebate structures
• How pricing incentives can sometimes favor higher-cost brand drugs over generics
• The growing importance of biosimilars — and why the U.S. lags behind Europe
• The legal and regulatory barriers slowing biosimilar adoption
• Why patent litigation is significantly more complex in the U.S. than abroad
• The impact of global conflicts on supply chains, input costs, and drug availability
• How shipping, energy costs, and geopolitics affect the generic drug market

Murphy also highlights the national security implications of the generic drug industry, arguing that access to affordable antibiotics, anti-infectives, and essential medicines is just as critical as breakthrough innovation.

The conversation ultimately raises a central question: how can the United States preserve medical innovation while ensuring that patients have timely access to affordable treatments?

00:00 — Introduction and John Murphy joins the podcast
00:48 — Why generics are the backbone of U.S. medicine
02:29 — Generics vs brand drugs: volume vs spending
04:11 — Innovation, IP protection, and the “virtuous cycle”
05:22 — Statutory exclusivity vs patent protection explained
07:19 — “Evergreening” and follow-on patents
09:24 — Inhalers, delivery systems, and patent extensions
11:10 — Controlled release drugs and market behavior
13:50 — PBMs, rebates, and pricing distortions
16:10 — Real-world example: generics vs high-priced alternatives
17:20 — Why IP reform is central to lowering costs
20:01 — Legal battles over generic entry and Supreme Court case
22:14 — Biosimilars vs generics: what’s the difference?
24:03 — Why Europe leads in biosimilars adoption
26:11 — Patent barriers and manufacturing challenges in the U.S.
28:38 — Quality concerns and global manufacturing realities
31:25 — Supply chain pressures and rising costs
33:00 — National security and the importance of generics
35:55 — Final thoughts and where to learn more

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Regulation shapes nearly every part of the U.S. economy — but what happens when decades of rules pile up without being revisited?

On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with Patrick McLaughlin, Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution, to examine how regulation, deregulation, and emerging technologies like AI are reshaping the relationship between government and the economy.

McLaughlin breaks down the current push to roll back existing regulations and explains why focusing on “old rules” may matter more than stopping new ones. He also outlines how regulatory accumulation impacts productivity, investment, and long-term economic growth — and why even modest changes today can compound into significant economic gains over time.

The conversation then shifts to structural issues inside the regulatory system itself, including whether the Administrative Procedure Act is overdue for reform and how recent legal shifts following the end of Chevron deference could reshape the balance of power between Congress and federal agencies.

The episode also explores:
• Whether AI will make regulatory compliance easier — and what that means for future regulation
• The risks of “frictionless regulation” and the growth of the administrative state
• Why old regulations should be regularly reexamined instead of endlessly accumulating
• The real-world economic impact of regulatory buildup on productivity and growth
• How deregulation can create compounding long-term economic gains

The discussion also takes a close look at the proposed Railway Safety Act, questioning whether new regulations actually improve safety or simply add cost and complexity. McLaughlin explains how certain mandates — like minimum crew size requirements — may not deliver the intended safety benefits and could instead limit innovation, increase costs, and reduce efficiency across the transportation sector.

Drawing on new research, he connects transportation policy to the broader economy, showing how regulatory decisions in one sector can ripple outward — affecting prices, productivity, and economic growth nationwide.

This is a data-driven, big-picture conversation about regulation, innovation, and the long-term consequences of policy decisions that often go unquestioned.

00:00 — Intro and Patrick McLaughlin joins the show
01:13 — REINS Act and Trump-era deregulation overview
03:09 — Cutting old regulations vs stopping new ones
04:47 — Are deregulation savings real?
06:23 — How regulation impacts productivity and economic growth
07:43 — AI and the future of regulatory compliance
10:01 — Does easier compliance lead to more regulation?
11:10 — Why process reform matters more than friction
12:26 — Should the Administrative Procedure Act be updated?
14:39 — Reexamining old regulations and regulatory buildup
16:40 — Post-Chevron world and vague statutory authority
19:02 — Scope of regulatory overreach (37% estimate)
23:53 — The Railway Safety Act explained
25:00 — Why more regulation doesn’t always improve safety
27:27 — Deregulation and rail safety improvements since 1980
29:14 — Who actually benefits from new regulation?
30:54 — Innovation, transportation, and economic growth
33:05 — How regulation increases costs and reduces output
37:11 — Unintended consequences of regulation
40:39 — How Patrick McLaughlin got into regulatory economics
43:19 — Closing thoughts and where to follow Patrick

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In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer speaks with Kevin Kong, founder and CEO of Everstar, about why America’s energy future depends on nuclear power — and why the time to move is now.

Kong explains Everstar’s mission to use AI to accelerate nuclear deployment by tackling one of the industry’s biggest bottlenecks: the permitting, compliance, and regulatory process. He argues that nuclear is the only energy source that is dense, reliable, and clean enough to power the next great leap in human progress — including the massive electricity demands coming from AI, data centers, advanced industry, and future economic growth.

The conversation explores why America has fallen behind in nuclear development, how decades of regulatory buildup have made projects too expensive and too slow, and why China is rapidly pulling ahead by building reactors at scale. Kong makes the case that the United States needs a full national push — across government, industry, and manufacturing — to rebuild domestic nuclear capacity and reclaim leadership in the technologies that will shape the next century.

The discussion also covers:
• Why AI demand is making grid expansion an urgent national priority
• How advanced reactors, small modular reactors, and microreactors could change deployment
• Why existing U.S. reactors may be the fastest source of additional nuclear power
• The role of permitting reform, NRC reform, DOE pathways, and congressional action
• Why nuclear export capability is also a geopolitical competition with China and Russia
• How America can return to being a nation of builders, engineers, and energy abundance

This is a wide-ranging conversation about nuclear innovation, regulatory reform, energy security, AI infrastructure, and why America cannot afford to keep falling behind.

00:00 — Introduction and Kevin Kong joins the podcast
01:20 — Everstar’s mission and why nuclear matters
02:27 — Energy abundance and the next leap for humanity
03:06 — Why modern nuclear is safer than people think
05:19 — AI, data centers, and exploding electricity demand
08:11 — Small modular reactors and microreactors explained
10:56 — The fastest path: more power from existing reactors
11:51 — How Everstar uses AI to tackle regulatory bottlenecks
13:09 — The paperwork problem and why nuclear takes so long
15:50 — Risk, regulation, and the politics of nuclear power
19:38 — Why younger generations are more pro-nuclear
21:40 — China, Korea, and the global nuclear export race
25:57 — DOE, NRC, and what government needs to fix
29:03 — Why America needs a full national nuclear push
33:22 — Kevin Kong’s background and what drives his work
36:30 — Where to follow Everstar and closing thoughts

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Andrew Langer interviews Dr. Brian Blase, President and Founder of Paragon Health Institute, a leading conservative healthcare think tank focused on market-based reforms.

They dive into America’s healthcare crisis: massive fraud in Medicaid ($200B+ annual waste via provider taxes and accounting gimmicks) and Obamacare subsidies ($30B+ in improper payments from zero-premium plans, ghost enrollees, broker incentives). Brian explains how government subsidies inflate demand while price controls and regulations restrict supply—driving hospital prices 3x faster than inflation since 2000 and crowding ERs with non-emergent care.

The conversation covers primary care shortages (Medicare payment distortions favoring specialists), the myth of “free” coverage, prescription drug pricing (retrospective vs. prospective Most Favored Nation), and solutions: deregulate to expand choices (HSAs, catastrophic plans, nurse practitioners, immigration for doctors), end corporate welfare in Medicaid, and prioritize patient-driven innovation over political allocation.

Perfect for policymakers, patients, and anyone frustrated with high costs and bureaucracy. Visit paragoninstitute.org for research and newsletters. Follow @Brian_Blase on X. Subscribe on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify. Follow us on X @TheLunchHourPod, TikTok, and more!

00:00:04 - Welcome to Federal Newswire Lunch Hour Podcast
00:00:14 - Host Andrew Langer Opening & Social Plugs
00:01:19 - Guest Intro: Dr. Brian Blase & Paragon Health Institute
00:02:11 - Paragon’s Mission: Free-Market Health Policy Focus
00:03:15 - Healthcare vs. Insurance vs. Health Distinctions
00:04:04 - Supply/Demand Distortions & Hospital Price Inflation
00:06:09 - Primary Care Shortage & Medicare Payment Bias
00:07:17 - Congressional Testimony on Subsidy Enhancements
00:08:32 - Expanding Choices: HSAs, Catastrophic Plans, Deregulation
00:10:05 - ACA Outcomes: Medicaid Expansion & ER Overuse
00:11:04 - Subsidies Drive Higher Prices & Deficits
00:12:22 - Medicaid as Corporate Welfare: Provider Tax Schemes
00:13:33 - Medicaid Fraud Scale: ~$200B Annual Waste
00:15:00 - Obamacare Subsidy Fraud: Zero-Premium Incentives
00:16:00 - Broker Schemes & Automatic Enrollment Abuse
00:17:27 - Non-Utilization Rates & Improper Income Claims
00:19:31 - Prescription Drugs: Generics vs. Brand Pricing
00:20:47 - Most Favored Nation: Retrospective vs. Prospective
00:22:00 - Closing Thoughts on Market Innovation
00:29:38 - How to Follow Paragon & Brian Blase
00:30:16 - Episode Outro & Thanks

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What led to the latest military operations involving Iran — and what could happen next?

In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer speaks with Paul Teller, President of Taylor Strategies, about the escalating tensions in the Middle East and the broader geopolitical implications of U.S. policy toward Iran.

Paul Teller breaks down the strategic developments surrounding Iran, how the situation unfolded, and why the current moment represents a critical turning point for U.S. foreign policy. Drawing on his decades of experience in national security and political strategy, he explains the factors that pushed the conflict to this point and what policymakers should be watching closely in the weeks ahead.

The conversation explores how U.S. leadership, regional alliances, and military posture are shaping the evolving crisis. Taylor also discusses the strategic calculations behind Iranian actions, the potential consequences for global stability, and the challenges facing American decision-makers as tensions rise.

This episode provides a clear-eyed look at the geopolitical stakes, the strategic miscalculations that helped fuel the current situation, and what the future may hold for the United States and its allies in the region.

Topics discussed include:
• What triggered the latest operations involving Iran
• How U.S. policy toward Iran has evolved over time
• Strategic risks of escalation in the Middle East
• The role of regional allies and international diplomacy
• What American policymakers should be preparing for next

If you want a deeper understanding of the geopolitical dynamics shaping today’s Middle East conflicts, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

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What is the war in Ukraine really like on the ground—and how much of what Americans hear is shaped by misinformation?

In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour podcast, Andrew Langer speaks with Steven Moore, founder of the Ukraine Freedom Project, who has been working inside Ukraine since just days after Russia launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022. Moore shares firsthand experiences from Kyiv and other regions of the country, describing how Ukrainians resisted the invasion, pushed Russian forces back, and built a resilient wartime society despite constant attacks on infrastructure and cities.

Moore recounts evacuating civilians from frontline cities during the first weeks of the invasion, helping deliver medical supplies and humanitarian aid to hospitals under siege, and witnessing the determination of Ukrainian citizens and soldiers who have held off one of the world’s largest militaries. He also discusses how Ukraine’s battlefield success increasingly relies on domestic innovation—from drone warfare to locally manufactured weapons systems.

The conversation also explores several controversial topics surrounding the war, including Russian information operations, the role of the Russian Orthodox Church, and how disinformation campaigns have influenced political debates in the United States. Moore argues that many narratives circulating in Western media and politics misrepresent the situation inside Ukraine and fail to account for the unity and resilience of Ukrainian society.

Finally, Moore explains the mission of the Ukraine Freedom Project, which works to counter Russian propaganda and provide Americans—especially policymakers, conservatives, and faith communities—with firsthand information about the war and its implications for global security.

YouTube Chapters
00:00 — Introduction and Steven Moore joins the podcast
00:59 — Moore’s background in politics and Eastern Europe
02:02 — Advising Boris Yeltsin’s 1996 campaign and the Soviet aftermath
04:49 — Russia, NATO, and the roots of the Ukraine conflict
10:48 — Arriving in Ukraine days after the invasion
12:01 — Evacuating civilians and delivering aid during the first weeks of war
13:26 — Has Russia actually been winning the war?
15:17 — China, geopolitics, and the broader strategic picture
16:18 — Putin’s KGB background and Russian ideology
17:03 — The Russian Orthodox Church and intelligence influence
20:49 — Russia’s demographic crisis and abducted Ukrainian children
21:10 — Founding the Ukraine Freedom Project
23:18 — Russian disinformation and influence in U.S. politics
24:29 — The story of a Ukrainian pastor tortured by Russian forces
29:16 — Will Ukraine become a failed state?
31:19 — Ukraine’s military innovation and drone warfare
33:47 — How Americans can support the Ukraine Freedom Project

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In this episode, former Ukrainian parliamentarian Pavlo Unguryan joins Andrew Langer from inside Ukraine—where repeated drone and missile attacks have disrupted power, heat, water, and internet access—to describe what daily life looks like nearly four years into Russia’s full-scale invasion. Unguryan explains how strikes on energy infrastructure create cascading challenges for entire cities, and why Ukraine’s resilience has become a defining feature of the war.

The conversation traces key turning points from 2014 to the present, including Unguryan’s view of the Budapest Memorandum and what it implied after Ukraine gave up its nuclear arsenal, as well as how Russia leveraged energy and influence campaigns across Europe. They also dig into Russia’s ideology and information warfare—including the role of the Russian Orthodox Church and allegations of religious persecution—arguing that Ukraine is defending national security against infiltration while still protecting religious freedom.

Finally, Unguryan shares what “peace” should mean in practice—warning against deals without justice—and outlines a vision for a postwar Ukraine built on security, investment, rule of law, and values, alongside long-term rebuilding efforts through the Ukraine Rebuilding Alliance.

00:00 — Intro + Pavlo Unguryan joins from Ukraine
02:00 — Power, heat, water, and internet disruptions after strikes
04:00 — Russia’s miscalculation + “David vs. Goliath” framing
06:00 — Odessa, the Black Sea, and “weather as a factor” in war
10:00 — 2014 and the Budapest Memorandum debate
14:00 — Obama-era response, Nord Stream 2, and energy leverage
17:00 — Post-Soviet rebuilding, myths, and Russian interference
22:00 — Putin’s goals, population, and “holy war” rhetoric
27:00 — Russian Orthodox Church, intelligence influence, and religious freedom
33:00 — What peace looks like: “peace through strength”
41:00 — Postwar vision: defense, economy, investment, and anti-corruption
46:00 — Closing + guest bio

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What does Section 230 really do — and why does it still shape the future of the internet?

In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with Jennifer Huddleston, Senior Fellow in Technology Policy at the Cato Institute, to break down the 30-year legacy of Section 230 and its impact on online speech, platform moderation, and innovation.

The conversation explores how early internet policy decisions helped enable today’s digital ecosystem, why debates over social media regulation and youth online safety continue to intensify, and how emerging technologies like artificial intelligence are reshaping the legal landscape. Huddleston explains the role Section 230 plays in protecting user-generated content, supporting startups and mid-size platforms, and balancing free expression with evolving regulatory pressures.

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As the 30th anniversary of Section 230 approaches, Andrew Langer sits down with NetChoice Policy Director Patrick Hedger to break down the law that shaped the modern internet. They discuss free enterprise, innovation, online speech, tort reform, AI training, and the policy battles shaping today’s tech landscape — including debates over platform liability, content moderation, and emerging legislation like KOSA. From intellectual property and AI to startup innovation and litigation risks, this episode explores how Section 230 continues to influence digital platforms, creators, and the future of online communication.

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Is the Endangered Species Act protecting wildlife — or expanding federal control over private land?

In this special episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour Podcast, host Brad Swail speaks with Margaret Byfield, Executive Director of American Stewards of Liberty, about the real-world consequences of federal conservation policy.

They discuss:

The reintroduction of gray wolves in Colorado
The impact of wolf protections under the Endangered Species Act
Ranchers losing livestock with little legal recourse
Federal listing and delisting failures
“Distinct Population Segments” and regulatory loopholes
How species like the bone cave harvestman affect local development
Whether conservation decisions should be made at the federal or state level

Margaret also shares insights from her documentary Thrown to the Wolves, which examines how apex predator protections impact landowners, livestock operations, and property rights across the American West.

Are endangered species policies driven by science — or politics? And who bears the cost?

Watch now to learn how federal wildlife policy intersects with private property rights, ranching, environmental litigation, and state authority.

👉 Visit AmericanStewards.us to learn more.

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Senior foreign policy strategist Daniel Runde joins Andrew Langer on the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour to break down America’s global strategy in an era of rising Chinese influence. Drawing from his book The American Imperative, Runde explains how soft power, development policy, defense burden-sharing, and economic statecraft shape U.S. competition with China across the developing world. The conversation spans Arctic and Greenland security, Ukraine and Russia, Venezuela’s collapse, higher education as geopolitical leverage, and why non-military power may decide the next phase of global leadership. A direct, unscripted discussion on where U.S. foreign policy is heading—and what’s at stake.

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In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer is joined by economist Jeremy Nighohossian of the Competitive Enterprise Institute to break down President Trump’s latest healthcare proposal—and the deeper structural problems driving America’s healthcare crisis.

They examine why U.S. healthcare is fundamentally a resource economics problem disguised as an insurance debate, how government regulation stifles innovation, and why price transparency, health savings accounts, and market competition matter more than centralized planning. The conversation covers certificates of need, drug pricing, PBMs, physician shortages, AI in medicine, and the unintended consequences of government attempts to “manage” healthcare demand.

A wide-ranging, plain-spoken discussion on why costs keep rising, why reform keeps failing, and what a consumer-driven healthcare system could actually look like.

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In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer sits down with Anne Cassity, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at the National Community Pharmacists Association, to break down how pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) have reshaped — and distorted — the U.S. prescription drug system.

Cassity explains how PBMs evolved from simple claims processors into vertically integrated power brokers that control drug formularies, pharmacy networks, and reimbursement rates. The conversation digs into consolidation in health care, rising drug prices, rebate opacity, forced mail-order pharmacy schemes, and why independent community pharmacies are being pushed to the brink.

The episode also explores bipartisan efforts in Congress to rein in PBMs, restore transparency, lower costs for patients, and protect local pharmacies that serve as frontline health care providers in their communities. A must-listen for anyone concerned about health care access, drug pricing, and the future of small businesses in America.

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In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer sits down with Robin Anderson, MD, President of the Virginia Academy of Family Physicians, for a candid conversation about the future of American health care.

Dr. Anderson explains why long-term relationships between patients and family physicians remain the backbone of effective care, even as telemedicine, AI, and on-demand health services expand. The discussion tackles the physician shortage, burnout in primary care, administrative overload, prior authorization abuse, Medicare payment disparities, and why underinvestment in primary care is driving poor health outcomes despite record spending.

This wide-ranging interview also explores medical education reform, residency bottlenecks, the limits of automation in medicine, and what policymakers are getting wrong about health care access. A must-listen for anyone interested in health policy, medical workforce challenges, and the real-world consequences of treating health care like a commodity.

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In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer is joined by Brian Darling, founder of Liberty Public Affairs and former congressional staffer, to examine the U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.

The conversation explores presidential war powers, congressional authorization, historical parallels to Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and Panama, and the constitutional limits designed to restrain crisis-driven foreign policy. Darling and Langer discuss whether capturing a foreign head of state constitutes an act of war, the risks of unclear justifications for intervention, and how America’s foreign policy credibility is shaped by follow-through—or the lack of it.

This episode offers a sober, legally grounded discussion of U.S. interventionism, executive authority, and the long-term consequences of military action abroad.

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In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer sits down with national security expert J. Michael Waller, Senior Analyst for Strategy at the Center for Security Policy, for a wide-ranging and urgent conversation on artificial intelligence, China, and the new Cold War

Waller explains how the Chinese Communist Party is racing to dominate AI by 2030, using intellectual property theft, influence operations, and psychological warfare to undermine American institutions from within. The discussion covers AI-driven espionage, Chinese industrial strategy, academic infiltration, TikTok-style data harvesting, and the risks of letting adversaries set global AI standards.

The episode also explores how Western complacency, libertarian blind spots, and the absence of a coherent national strategy have left the U.S. vulnerable—while China accelerates nuclear power development, robotics manufacturing, and AI-enabled influence campaigns.

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As artificial intelligence and data centers drive explosive growth in electricity demand, America’s energy infrastructure is falling behind. On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer sits down with Daniel Turner, founder of Power the Future, to break down why energy costs are rising, how electrification mandates strain the grid, and why nuclear power, permitting reform, and realistic energy policy matter more than ideology.

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Actor Dean Butler joins Federal Newswire Lunch Hour to discuss Little House on the Prairie, Michael Landon’s creative vision, and why the show’s themes of kindness, clarity, and moral storytelling still resonate more than 50 years later. Butler also reflects on the Little House Homecoming documentary, fan culture, historical preservation, and his career spanning Broadway, Sondheim, and television.

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In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer sits down with Tom Schatz, President of Citizens Against Government Waste, for a wide-ranging conversation on federal spending, Medicare reform, and the failures of government price controls. The discussion covers the legacy of the Reagan-era Grace Commission, the track record of the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), the risks of drug price controls, and why patient-centered, market-driven healthcare remains critical to innovation and affordability. A candid, policy-focused examination of how government inefficiency persists—and what reforms actually work.

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On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer is joined by Guy Bentley, Director of Consumer Freedom at Reason Foundation, for a wide-ranging conversation on the modern nanny state. They break down the global neo-temperance movement targeting alcohol, aggressive nicotine bans and taxes sweeping New England, and the backlash against legalized sports betting. The discussion unpacks how public health, corruption risk, black markets, and personal liberty collide when government tries to regulate behavior instead of culture.

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America’s lawsuit system is being quietly reshaped by billions in foreign capital — and most people have no idea it’s happening. In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, Andrew Langer talks with Jon Bergner, Executive Director of Americans for Litigation Tax Fairness, about how third-party litigation funding has exploded into a multibillion-dollar industry, why sovereign wealth funds are pouring money into U.S. lawsuits, and how this creates national-security vulnerabilities, higher consumer costs, and perverse incentives in the courts.

Bergner breaks down how opaque financing, tax loopholes, and foreign investors can influence U.S. litigation outcomes — and why Congress is now pushing the TPLF Act to restore transparency and fairness. A must-watch for anyone interested in law, policy, national security, or the rising cost of doing business in America.

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This episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour dives deep into the cutting edge of AI, propaganda analysis, and regulatory policy with economist and data-innovation expert Dr. Weifeng Zhong. Host Andrew Langer explores how Zhong built the Policy Change Index—an AI-driven system used to forecast government actions in authoritarian regimes like China, Russia, and North Korea.
Zhong also discusses his personal journey leaving mainland China, explains how propaganda signals reveal state intentions, and breaks down new findings on regulatory burdens inside the U.S. government. A forward-looking conversation about technology, freedom, economics, and how policy shapes the world we live in.

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In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with CEI senior fellow Richard Morrison for a blunt, eye-opening conversation about cronyism, corporate subsidies, stadium deals, ESG score manipulation, and how government power fuels corruption. Morrison breaks down the Amazon HQ2 bidding wars, sweetheart tax deals, the failures of ESG ratings, and the political incentives that distort markets and hurt taxpayers. They also explore solutions rooted in limiting government overreach, strengthening transparency, and restoring real market competition. A must-watch for anyone interested in economic policy, corporate governance, or public-sector accountability.

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Economist and former White House advisor Dr. Vance Ginn joins host Andrew Langer to break down why America’s health-care system needs market-based reform, how over-regulation hurts innovation, and what’s at stake in the growing battle between socialism and liberty. Hear insights on cost-benefit analysis, deregulation, and the real meaning of economic freedom in this episode of Federal Newswire Lunch Hour.

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In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer speaks with Reason Magazine’s César Báez and Matthew Petti about Venezuela’s turmoil, U.S. intervention, and the Trump administration’s military buildup in the Caribbean. The discussion covers regime change risks, the drug war, war powers, and the future of liberty in Latin America.

Listen for an in-depth, unfiltered conversation on freedom, foreign policy, and the limits of American power.

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Association of Plastic Recyclers Chief Policy Officer Kate Bailey joins Andrew Langer to discuss how recycling drives U.S. jobs, manufacturing resilience, and environmental progress. From the challenges of federal regulation to innovations in recycled plastics, Bailey breaks down why “your bottle means jobs” and how the U.S. can stay competitive with a remade-in-America supply chain.

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On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer talks with Tirzah Duren, President & CEO of the American Consumer Institute (ACI), about how consumer choice—not top-down mandates—drives better outcomes. They dig into: why “unregulated Big Tech” is a myth and how FTC enforcement of terms of service protects advertisers and users; the real story behind ultra-processed versus “natural” foods, data-driven nutrition policy, and access for people with dietary needs; the economics of the secondary ticketing market, Live Nation–Ticketmaster, and what actually helps fans; and practical fixes for housing affordability (supply, zoning, multifamily). Tirzah also shares her West-to-East journey, furniture-refurbishing hobby, and beauty Substack.

If you care about consumer welfare, antitrust, data privacy, and policies that actually improve everyday life, this one’s for you.

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In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer sits down with Dr. Lyle Burgoon, president of the Center for Truth in Science, to explore how science should inform—rather than be distorted by—public policy. From the myths of “settled science” and the dangers of pseudoscience to the real risks behind talc, processed foods, and overregulation at the EPA, Burgoon unpacks how fear, politics, and bad data can derail sound decision-making. A sharp, timely conversation on restoring integrity to scientific debate and regulatory policy.

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Economist and Growth Commission Chairman Shanker Singham joins host Andrew Langer to discuss why G7 nations have stalled economically and how trade openness, regulatory competition, and property rights protection drive real GDP growth. From Trump’s tariff strategy to the EU’s overregulation, Singham breaks down global distortions, the UAE’s rise, and how fixing domestic barriers could reignite prosperity across the West.

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In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer sits down with Patrick Hedger, Director of Policy at NetChoice, for a deep dive into the global threats to free speech, the chilling effects of overregulation, and the importance of protecting permissionless innovation. From the First Amendment to AI, data centers, and America’s competition with China, they explore why safeguarding open markets and constitutional freedoms is critical for the future of technology and democracy.

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Former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss joins Andrew Langer on the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour to discuss free speech, government overreach, and the dangers of unaccountable institutions. From the ancient roots of Anglo-American liberty to the rise of quangos and Davos-style elites, Truss explains why the West must fight to preserve freedom. She warns Americans about the same forces undermining liberty in Britain and calls for international conservative cooperation. Don’t miss this deep dive into politics, power, and the future of Western civilization.

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In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer sits down with Ike Brannon, Senior Fellow at the Jack Kemp Foundation and longtime policy expert, to dive into the future of regulation, cost-benefit analysis, and Social Security reform.

They explore whether Washington is finally taking regulatory costs seriously, how paperwork reduction could help small businesses, and why repealing outdated regulations may not provide the savings many expect. Brannon also shares insights from his years at OMB, Treasury, and Capitol Hill, along with his perspective on Social Security’s looming solvency crisis.

The conversation touches on philosophy, politics, and practical solutions—plus Brannon’s personal side, from basketball courts to obscure 1980s films. If you care about government regulation, fiscal responsibility, and the future of retirement, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Lunchhour_FNW

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On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with Twila Brase, founder of Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom and author of Big Brother in the Exam Room. They dive deep into government overreach in health care, the hidden dangers of electronic health records, newborn DNA collection without consent, the Obamacare “insurance” myth, and why direct patient care may be the only way forward. Brase explains how data is being weaponized to control doctors and patients alike—and what we can do to reclaim freedom in medicine.

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On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer sits down with Adrian Moore, Vice President of Policy at the Reason Foundation. They dive into deregulation under recent administrations, the growing debate over AI and government oversight, and the housing affordability crisis driven by restrictive local rules. Moore highlights how supply and demand—not politics—drive housing costs, and why states like California, Texas, and Montana are rethinking regulations. They also discuss the pitfalls of light rail vs. bus rapid transit, the role of AI in regulatory reform, and how technology could reshape compliance. Off the clock, Moore shares his passions for kayaking, disc golf, and gaming.

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Economist and AEI research fellow Arthur Gailes joins Federal Newswire Lunch Hour host Andrew Langer to tackle America’s housing crisis head-on. From the politics of NIMBYism to the promise of AI in public-policy analysis, Gailes breaks down how restrictive zoning, local resistance, and federal inaction have fueled runaway housing prices — and how bold ideas like “Freedom Cities” on under-used federal land could offer a way forward. If you care about property rights, affordable housing, or how data and policy can work together, this is a conversation you can’t afford to miss.

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On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with Terri Hall, founder of Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom (TURF). Hall has spent nearly two decades leading grassroots efforts to stop toll roads in Texas, fight public-private partnerships, and defend drivers against government overreach.

From the battle over San Antonio tollways to the hidden dangers of speed cameras, congestion pricing, and remote kill switches in cars, Hall explains why transportation policy is becoming a frontline issue for freedom and affordability. She also shares how federal mandates on start-stop engines and EVs are making driving more expensive and less enjoyable for everyday Americans.

If you care about the future of driving, government surveillance in your car, and protecting taxpayer dollars, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.

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In this episode, host Andrew Langer sits down with Curt Mills, Executive Director of The American Conservative, for a candid deep dive into the Trump administration’s foreign policy at the six-month mark. From the escalating Gaza conflict and U.S.-Israel relations to the stalled Ukraine-Russia war, Mills breaks down the political pressures, strategic missteps, and ideological divides shaping America’s role on the world stage. They explore how holdovers from the Biden era, evangelical politics, and shifting public opinion could reshape U.S. alliances and future conflicts.

Curt Mills of Twitter/X: https://x.com/CurtMills?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

The American Conservative: https://www.theamericanconservative.com/

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In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer sits down with Joe Luppino-Esposito of the Pacific Legal Foundation. They dive deep into regulatory overreach, environmental law, and criminal justice reform—plus how homeowners associations reveal the pitfalls of micro-tyranny. Joe also discusses charter schools, Chevron deference, and how the PLF is reshaping its legal strategy in a post-SCOTUS era. If you care about liberty, law, or just want to hear how podcast content gets weaponized by regulators—this is your episode.

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In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour Podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with Patrick McLaughlin, research fellow at Stanford’s Hoover Institution and regulatory expert. They discuss the real economic costs of federal regulations, the promise of AI in streamlining compliance, the need for smarter cost-benefit analysis, and how states like Virginia are leading in regulatory reform. McLaughlin also shares insights on risk assessment, regulatory budgeting, and why old rules often cost more than new ones.

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In this special edition of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer takes you inside the Republican Study Committee’s media row event, sitting down with seven House members including Harriet Hageman, Kat Cammack, Tim Burchett, Tom Tiffany, and others. From regulatory overreach and small business struggles to rare earth mining, border security, and tax reform—this rapid-fire episode breaks down the substance (and the sales pitch) behind the GOP’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

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In this powerful Lunch Hour conversation, host Andrew Langer sits down with Sam Sorbo—author, homeschool advocate, and mother—to discuss why she pulled her kids out of "top-tier" schools and never looked back. From flawed education metrics and indoctrination to the erosion of family bonds and personal agency, Sorbo exposes the deeper crisis inside American schools. She shares insights from her books They're Your Kids, Teach From Love, and The Parents’ Guide to Homeschool, while making a bold case for reclaiming parental authority, teaching critical thinking, and reshaping the meaning of education. A must-listen for parents, educators, and anyone questioning the system.

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In this episode of The Lunch Hour with Andrew Langer, former Congresswoman and current Concord Coalition Executive Director Dr. Carolyn Bourdeaux joins the show for a no-nonsense conversation about America's $36 trillion national debt. From her bipartisan experience in Congress to her deep roots in state budget reform, Bourdeaux offers a grounded, solutions-first take on how we got here—and what it’ll take to restore fiscal responsibility in Washington. This is a must-watch for anyone serious about budget reform, bipartisan cooperation, and reclaiming government accountability.

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Woke Bureaucracy, Trade Wars & Food Tyranny: Andrew Hale Sounds the Alarm

Is America importing tyranny under the guise of trade and inclusion? In this unfiltered episode of The Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer sits down with Andrew Hale, senior policy analyst at The Heritage Foundation, for a sweeping conversation on U.S. trade policy, regulatory overreach, and the creeping influence of “woke” ideology in government institutions.

From tariffs and steel regulations to the sugar lobby, the Jones Act, and UK-style speech policing, Hale breaks down how elite capture, not economic strategy, is driving policy on both sides of the Atlantic. If you're concerned about America's competitiveness, sovereignty, and cultural integrity—this is your wake-up call.

🎙 Guest: Andrew Hale (Heritage Foundation)
🏛️ Topics: Trade policy, wokeism in civil service, food regulations, tech censorship, globalism vs. national interest

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Steven Johnson from the State Policy Network explains how the REINS Act aligns with America's founding values and why both red and blue states should embrace it. He dives into how state-level action can counterbalance federal coercion and reassert legislative authority over bureaucratic overreach—before it's too late.

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Ben Wilterdink of the State Policy Network breaks down how state legislatures are taking back power from executive agencies through REINS-style laws. He explains why bipartisan support is growing, how states are pushing back against federal overreach, and what’s next for regulatory reform across the country. A must-listen for anyone interested in restoring balance through practical federalism.

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Hoover Institution's Patrick McLaughlin exposes how runaway federal regulations act as hidden taxes, costing trillions in lost economic output. He makes the constitutional case for the REINS Act as a bipartisan tool to restore congressional accountability, reign in the administrative state, and depoliticize the courts.

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Legal scholar Jonathan Adler—incoming Tazewell Taylor Professor at William & Mary Law School—explains why the REINS Act is long overdue. In this powerful conversation, Adler breaks down how Congress’s habit of ducking responsibility has enabled runaway executive power, politicized the courts, and undermined public trust. He argues for a return to legislative accountability—making elected lawmakers vote on costly regulations rather than outsourcing governance to unelected bureaucrats. If you care about checks and balances, this is essential listening.

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Joe Esposito, Federal Policy Chief at the Pacific Legal Foundation, joins Andrew Langer to break down how the REINS Act would restore balance between Congress and federal agencies. From regulatory overreach and agency adjudication to the erosion of democratic accountability, Esposito outlines how unchecked bureaucracies affect livelihoods—and why even progressives should back the Act.

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Dr. Adrian Moore, Vice President of Policy at the Reason Foundation, joins Andrew Langer to explain why the REINS Act matters more than ever. From unchecked federal rulemaking to runaway regulatory costs, Moore offers a candid assessment of how Congress can reclaim its constitutional role and restore accountability to the administrative state.

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Tim Frost of the Cicero Institute joins Andrew Langer to talk about how the REINS Act can end regulatory capture and corporate welfare. Drawing on state-level successes, Frost explains how the Act deters bad rules before they’re written—and returns power to the people’s representatives.

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Jeremy Dalrymple of the R Street Institute explains why the REINS Act is more than a policy fix—it's a constitutional imperative. He outlines the political maneuvering behind its delay, the case for legislative accountability, and why both parties should fear unchecked bureaucrats more than each other.

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Demian Brady of the National Taxpayers Union Foundation breaks down the silent economic drain of unchecked federal regulations. He and Andrew Langer dig into the REINS Act, regulatory overreach, and how America’s rulemaking machine has become a $4 trillion burden—mostly passed on to you.

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Senior Fellow Ike Brannon joins to discuss how the Jack Kemp Foundation views the REINS Act as vital to restoring congressional oversight and curbing runaway regulation. He outlines the dangers of cost inflation by federal agencies and calls for an objective standard of economic impact analysis.

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Jonathan Wolfson, Chief Policy Director at the Cicero Institute, explains how outdated laws are weaponized by agencies and why the REINS Act restores legislative clarity. He makes the bipartisan case for why both parties should be wary of unchecked regulatory power.

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Patrick Gleason of Americans for Tax Reform highlights how states are passing their own versions of the REINS Act to combat regulatory overreach. He explains why regulation is a hidden tax and how states are becoming laboratories for reform.

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Citizen Council for Health Freedom’s Twila Brase lays out how federal healthcare regulations crush innovation, stall drug development, and erode doctor-patient trust. She makes the case for the REINS Act to restore legislative accountability.

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Hillsdale professor Joseph Postell unpacks the philosophical and constitutional basis for the REINS Act, exposing how Congress abdicated its lawmaking role to unaccountable agencies. He calls for a return to representative lawmaking and true separation of powers.

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Jeremiah Mosteller, policy director at Americans for Prosperity, breaks down why the REINS Act is crucial for reining in runaway regulation. He argues that unchecked federal agencies impose massive costs on small businesses and American households—and that real reform must come from Congress. With examples ranging from puddles to mini mountain ranges, Mosteller makes the bipartisan case for restoring separation of powers and empowering grassroots voices.

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In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer sits down with renowned trade expert Shanker Singham, chairman of the Growth Commission. Together they unpack three decades of global trade evolution—from post-Soviet privatization to Brexit and today's breakdown in multilateralism. Singham explains how market distortions, regulatory cronyism, and intellectual property takings quietly sabotage prosperity—and why it's time for governments to quantify, confront, and cut through these barriers. The conversation spans everything from chlorinated chicken and EU protectionism to the real cost of anti-competitive regulation, all while exploring bold policy solutions and Singham’s upcoming book on economic modeling. A must-listen for anyone serious about the future of global trade.

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In this special edition of Federal Newswire’s REINS Act in Focus, political economist Stewart Whitson joins Andrew Langer to break down why the REINS Act may be the single most important piece of legislation for restoring government accountability. From exposing hidden costs of executive overreach to championing a “no net loss of time” approach, Whitson argues that unchecked regulation is costing Americans billions—and something even more valuable: their time. As a candidate for Congress, he lays out a bold case for a ratcheting-down approach to the administrative state and offers bipartisan reasons to get the REINS Act across the finish line.

This is a timely, no-nonsense conversation for anyone concerned about runaway spending, creeping authoritarianism, and the urgent need for reform in how Washington works.

📢 Learn more:
REINS Act Resources: www.rainsact.com
Follow Stewart Whitson on X (formerly Twitter): @stew_whitson

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Margaret Byfield pulls no punches in this deep dive into how unelected bureaucrats hijack Congressional intent through sprawling regulations—from the Endangered Species Act to BLM’s conservation leases. As executive director of American Stewards of Liberty, Byfield lays out how ranchers and landowners are being steamrolled by rulemaking that rewrites the law, bypasses accountability, and weaponizes environmental policy. The REINS Act, she argues, is not radical—it's just common sense: put lawmaking back in the hands of the people’s representatives.

📢 Learn more:
REINS Act Resources: www.rainsact.com

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Senior economist Ryan Young argues the REINS Act is about more than rules—it's about restoring the U.S. Constitution’s balance of powers. With 3,000+ regulations passed every year and barely 100 bills from Congress, unelected bureaucrats are making laws. He discusses regulatory “dark matter,” the myth of cost-free rules, and why both parties should want oversight. A must-hear for anyone tired of Washington passing the buck.

📢 Learn more:
REINS Act Resources: www.rainsact.com

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Dan Goldbeck breaks down the $4 trillion price tag of America’s regulatory state—and how the REINS Act would flip the script. With only 2.5% of rules classified as “major,” Goldbeck reveals just how little oversight Congress has over massive economic decisions. This episode gets into paperwork burdens, small business costs, and why even Democrats should support the Act if they care about checks and balances.

📢 Learn more:
REINS Act Resources: www.rainsact.com
Follow Dan Goldbeck on X (formerly Twitter): @DtheGman

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Matthew Jensen drops a fiscal truth bomb: regulation is driving up the federal deficit by trillions—and no one at the CBO wants to talk about it. He explains how burdensome rules lower GDP, drive up government spending, and force taxpayers to foot the bill. The REINS Act could be the budget-cutting tool Congress refuses to use. Must-watch for anyone concerned with debt, deficits, and runaway government spending.

📢 Learn more:
REINS Act Resources: www.rainsact.com

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Ilya Shapiro, constitutional scholar and author, connects the REINS Act to a broader legal battle over separation of powers. He explains how courts have become the battleground for runaway regulation—and how Congress needs to step up. From Chevron deference to “regulatory dark matter,” this conversation is essential for anyone who cares about due process, democratic accountability, and restoring constitutional balance.

📢 Learn more:
REINS Act Resources: www.rainsact.com

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In this special episode of The Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer sits down with Clyde Wayne Crews Jr., Fred L. Smith Fellow in Regulatory Policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, to unpack the REINS Act and why it matters now more than ever. From $3 trillion in hidden regulatory costs to the erosion of congressional authority, Crews makes the case for rebalancing power and restoring accountability in Washington. Tune in for a no-nonsense look at why the administrative state may be America’s most expensive crisis—and what must be done to stop it.

📢 Learn more:
REINS Act Resources: rainsact.com
Follow Clyde Wayne Crews Jr. on X (formerly Twitter): @wayne_crews

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In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer sits down with Phil Kerpen, President of American Commitment and a leading advocate for the REINS Act (Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny). Phil shares the fascinating origin story of the REINS Act, its potential to restore constitutional balance, and why limiting unchecked executive power is crucial for a stable economy and effective governance.

Kerpen explains how the REINS Act would require congressional approval for major federal regulations, potentially saving taxpayers billions and curbing regulatory overreach. If you care about restoring the legislative power of Congress and reducing the regulatory burden on businesses and families, this is a must-listen conversation.

📢 Learn more:

American Commitment: www.americancommitment.org
REINS Act Resources: www.rainsact.com
Unleash Prosperity Newsletter: www.unleashprosperity.com
Follow Phil Kerpen on X (formerly Twitter): @kerpen

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Former U.S. Senator and presidential candidate Rick Santorum joins Andrew Langer on the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour podcast to discuss the importance of strengthening the nuclear family, the role of faith in American life, and how public policy can support families rather than undermine them. They cover topics like child tax credits, paid family leave, welfare reform, and the cultural shifts impacting marriage and parenting. Santorum also shares personal reflections on fatherhood, grandparenting, and building lasting family legacies.

👉 Learn more about Rick Santorum’s work at PatriotVoices.com

💬 Join the conversation on X: @LunchHourPod

🎧 Subscribe to the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour

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In this episode of The Lunch Hour with Federal Newswire, host Andrew Langer sits down with Professor Donald Kochan of the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University. They explore why property rights form the foundation of a free and prosperous society, how regulatory takings impact individual autonomy, and what the legal implications are for recent lawsuits against oil companies in Louisiana.

Professor Kochan breaks down the concept of "involuntary regulatory servitude," the role of third-party litigation financing—including foreign influence—and how courts can sometimes undermine economic development through retroactive liability.

🎙️ Topics Discussed:
- The foundational role of property rights in society
- Regulatory overreach and due process
- Economic impact of property law on tribal lands
- Louisiana lawsuits and retroactive environmental liability
- Third-party litigation funding and national security risks

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Dr. Leslie Knight, retired U.S. Air Force Colonel and family physician, joins Andrew Langer on the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour to discuss military medicine, meritocracy, mentorship, and telehealth. With over three decades of service, Dr. Knight shares insights on leadership, bias in the workplace, and the future of healthcare access—plus her incredible personal story of ultra-marathons, cycling, and building her dream car.

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In this episode of The Federal Newswire Lunch Hour podcast, host Andrew Langer is joined by Jennifer Huddleston, senior fellow in technology policy at the Cato Institute. Huddleston unpacks the complex and evolving relationship between emerging technology and public policy, from data privacy and content moderation to age verification and artificial intelligence regulation.

Together, they explore the legal and cultural challenges posed by proposals like the Kids Online Safety Act, the implications of regulating AI and social media mergers, and the role of permissionless innovation in a free society. Huddleston also draws on her background as an educator and marathon runner to advocate for thoughtful, practical tech policy that values liberty, innovation, and nuance.

If you care about the future of digital rights, online privacy, and balancing child safety with free expression, this episode is a must-watch.

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Andrew Langer sits down with Congresswoman Harriet Hageman, representative of Wyoming and chair of the Article One Task Force under the Republican Study Committee. Hageman—an experienced constitutional and natural resource attorney—dives deep into Congress's abdication of legislative authority, regulatory overreach, and the hidden costs of guidance documents and administrative courts.

From dissecting the real-world impact of the federal regulatory state on rural America, energy policy, and agriculture to laying out a roadmap for reclaiming congressional power, this discussion delivers a powerful critique of executive overreach. Hageman also highlights her proposed Seventh Amendment Restoration Act, aiming to restore fairness in agency enforcement actions.

📌 Topics Discussed:
- The rise of the administrative state
- How Congress can reclaim its Article One powers
- Roadless Rule and federal land mismanagement
- Regulatory "dark matter" and guidance documents
- Real-life cases from Wyoming farms to federal courtrooms
- What’s next for the Article One Task Force

🔗 Learn more at: https://hageman.house.gov

🎧 Follow the Lunch Hour Podcast for more interviews with policy leaders and experts on federal government dynamics.

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Andrew Langer sits down with Curt Mills, Executive Director of The American Conservative, to explore how U.S. foreign policy intersects with domestic politics. The conversation dives into pressing global issues including America's role in the Middle East, the shifting dynamics of NATO, skepticism around endless wars, and the moral complexities of evangelical support for Israel. With deep insights on political strategy, libertarian divides, and the evolving conservative worldview, this episode challenges conventional thinking on American international engagement.

🔍 Tune in for a critical look at the geostrategic landscape from one of the leading voices in foreign policy journalism.

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In this compelling episode of The Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer sits down with retired U.S. Army Ranger and veteran of six wars, Jim Lechner. Lechner reflects on his 27-year military career, including his experiences in Somalia with Task Force Ranger—recounted in his book With My Shield. He discusses the evolving role of the military, the politicization of leadership, the importance of merit-based service, and urgent reforms needed to preserve military effectiveness.

Lechner also shares his views on the Ukraine war, veterans' care, DEI policies in defense, and how to honor sacrifice with capability—not ideology. A must-listen for anyone interested in military policy, defense reform, and veteran advocacy.

🔗 Guest Book: With My Shield: An Army Ranger in Somalia
🎖️ Learn more about Jim Lechner on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Newsmax.

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Andrew Langer sits down with Doug Holtz-Eakin, founder and president of the American Action Forum. Doug shares insights from his decades of experience in economic policy, including his time leading the Congressional Budget Office and advising Senator John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign. They dive deep into the impact of regulatory costs, tariffs, trade policy, SNAP program reforms, and the dangers of government overreach. Doug also discusses why quantifying regulatory burdens is crucial and how economics informs smarter public policy. Plus, in a lighter moment, Doug shares his passion for musical theater and the lessons he's learned throughout his career.

🎙️ Don’t miss this thoughtful conversation on regulation, trade, opportunity cost, and how good policy gets made!

👉 Subscribe for more expert interviews and policy discussions every week.

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In this episode of The Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer sits down with Nick Gerhart, COO and incoming CEO of Homesteaders Life Company. A former Iowa Insurance Commissioner and longtime advocate for innovation in insurance, Nick shares hard-earned insights on why insurance must evolve to meet the needs of modern consumers—especially in the complex world of health care.

They dive into:
- The necessity of innovation in a highly regulated industry
- Why health insurance functions differently than traditional insurance
- How AI and data could radically improve preventative care
- The promise and pitfalls of interstate competition
- Cross-state licensing as a key to solving provider shortages
- How bureaucracy, cost, and provider networks block new entrants

This is a must-watch conversation for anyone interested in the future of health policy, competition, and the economic forces shaping our $5 trillion healthcare industry.

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In this episode of The Lunch Hour with Andrew Langer, we're joined by Guy Bentley, Director of Consumer Freedom Research at the Reason Foundation. From the moral panic over vaping and the myth of “no safe level” of alcohol, to the creeping hand of public health regulation, Guy makes the case for evidence-based policy and the preservation of individual liberty.

We talk about:

How CDC misinformation turned people back to cigarettes
Why risk comparison matters more than ever
The rise of a new temperance movement bankrolled by taxpayer dollars
And why the push to regulate your lifestyle choices isn’t about health—it’s about control.

If you care about personal responsibility, regulatory sanity, and keeping government in check, don’t miss this wide-ranging, thought-provoking conversation.

👉 Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss an episode.
🎙️ Available on all podcast platforms.

📱 Follow Guy Bentley: @GBentley1 on X

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Fred de Fossard leads the Prosperity Institute’s parliamentary and legislative work. He is responsible for research on British prosperity, encompassing Brexit opportunities, regulatory and government reform, and economic growth. This includes a long-term legislative agenda required to return the United Kingdom to growth, aided by his expertise in parliamentary and constitutional affairs.

Before working at the Institute, he served as a Special Adviser to Rt Hon Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg MP between 2020 and 2022 (as Leader of the House, Brexit Opportunities Minister, and Business Secretary), gaining a deep understanding of the mechanics of the British state and how it needs to be reformed. He helped deliver a host of regulatory reforms related to Brexit, policies to improve civil service recruitment, and helped manage the Government’s legislative program.

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From 2006-2017, Adam Lovinger served as a strategist in the Pentagon’s Office of Net Assessment (ONA), where he provided direct support on long-term strategy to the Secretary of Defense.

For the first four months of the Trump Administration, Lovinger served as Senior Director for Strategic Assessments at the U.S. National Security Council (NSC).

Adam currently serves as vice president for strategic affairs at the Gold Institute for International Strategy, a Washington D.C.-based think-and-do tank.

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Adam Thierer is the former director of telecommunications studies at the Cato Institute. Thierer conducts research on how government regulations are hampering the evolution of communications networks, including telephony, broadcasting, cable, satellite

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Nick Loris is the Executive Vice President of Policy at C3 Solutions. Loris studies and writes about a wide range of energy and climate policies, including natural resource extraction, energy subsidies, nuclear energy, renewable power and energy efficiency. He also studies ways in which markets will improve the environment, reduce emissions and better adapt to a changing climate.

Before joining C3 Solutions, Loris served as the Deputy Director of the Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies and Herbert and Joyce Morgan Fellow in Energy and Environmental Policy at The Heritage Foundation.

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Greg Walcher is the author of "Smoking Them Out: the Theft of the Environment, and How to Take it Back", now in its second printing, writes a weekly newspaper column on natural resources issues, and publishes a blog called “Resources and Reality,” which has several thousand subscribers nationwide.

A fifth-generation native of Western Colorado, Walcher is President of the Natural Resources Group, a consulting firm specializing in energy, water, public lands, forestry, wildlife, and other environmental issues. He is also an associate in the respected DC environmental permitting firm of Dawson and Associates, serves on the Policy Advisory Board of the Heartland Institute, is a fellow at the Centennial Institute, and a board member of the Energy and Environment Legal Institute.

Walcher served in the Governor’s Cabinet as head of the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, and as president of a national organization of natural resources cabinet secretaries. Previously, he spent a decade on Capitol Hill working on natural resources and environment issues, and served as president of a non-profit association of 20 counties, 75 cities, and hundreds of businesses in Western Colorado.

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Matthew Jensen serves as the Director, Office for Fiscal and Regulatory Analysis and in the Center for American Prosperity at AFPI. For over a decade, he has contributed to building budgetary and economic modeling facilities that are used extensively by US policymakers and those in numerous states and countries around the world. He was the Founding Director of the American Enterprise Institute’s Open Source Policy Center and co-creator of projects and organizations including the Policy Simulation Library and Open Research Group. His work in these roles contributed to the design of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and major pandemic fiscal responses in the US and elsewhere, among other policy achievements. Beyond scorekeeping, he has experience in government information security and Internal Revenue Service oversight in addition to private sector experience in technology product development. Jensen and his wife live in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey with their two boys.

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Peter Van Doren is editor of the quarterly journal Regulation and an expert on the regulation of housing, land, energy, the environment, transportation, and labor. He has taught at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, the School of Organization and Management at Yale University, and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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Brenda Hafera is the Assistant Director and Senior Policy Analyst at The Heritage Foundation's Simon Center for American Studies. Her articles have appeared in publications such as Modern Age, The Federalist, Law and Liberty, The National Interest, RealClear Public Affairs, and The Hill.

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James Renacci is an American accountant, businessman, and politician who served as the U.S. representative for Ohio's 16th congressional district from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he is a former city council president and two-term Mayor of Wadsworth, Ohio.

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Richard Stout is a former FBI agent and current CEO of Stout Security Consultants, a risk management and investigative firm specializing in safety and security, technical intrusion detection and venue event logistics.

Stout managed the FBI Technical Security and Countermeasures program in Miami. He engaged and led to potential risk management prevention and response initiatives to defend the FBI from technological attacks at facilities and communication networks.

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Amy Bos is a seasoned policy expert and advocate with a deep understanding of tech policy and legislative affairs. As Director of State and Federal Affairs at NetChoice, she educates policymakers on critical issues like Section 230, content moderation, and antitrust, championing policies that promote a free and open internet. With 16 years of experience on Capitol Hill, including her role as Legislative Director and Judiciary policy advisor to Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner, Amy has been instrumental in shaping legislation on immigration reform, privacy, criminal justice, and intellectual property.

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James Broughel, Senior Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, is an economist specializing in regulatory institutions and their impact on economic growth. Author of Regulation and Economic Growth, he writes regularly for Forbes on topics like energy and cryptocurrency. His work has appeared in major outlets like The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, and Washington Post, as well as academic journals including Regulation & Governance and Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy. Dr. Broughel holds a PhD in economics from George Mason University and is a Hoover Institution Visiting Fellow focusing on small business regulation.

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Hazen Marshall is one of Washington's top policy experts, with three-decades of legislative policy experience, including over twenty years in the Senate as a senior leadership aide and ten years providing strategic consulting and lobbying services to Fortune 100 businesses and trade associations.

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Alex Adams serves as director of the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. He was appointed to lead the department by Gov. Brad Little in May 2024. The department has a staff of nearly 3,000 and an annual budget of $5.5 billion.

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Taylor Barkley is the Director of Public Policy for the Abundance Institute. Previous to this position he was the Director of Technology and Innovation at the Center for Growth and Opportunity. He managed the research agenda, strategy, and represented the technology and innovation portfolio. His primary research and expertise are at the intersection of culture, technology, and innovation. His writing has been featured and published in outlets including IEEE Technology and Society Magazine, Scientific American and USA Today. Fox Business, Marketplace, and various talk radio and podcasts have featured him as a commentator on technology issues. He has extensive experience working with state-based technology policy projects and partners and most major federal technology policy topics.

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Rick Santorum is an American politician, attorney, author, and political commentator who represented Pennsylvania in the United States Senate from 1995 to 2007. He was the Senate's third-ranking Republican during the final six years of his tenure.

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Timothy Massad is an American lawyer and government official who served as the chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission under President Barack Obama. He is currently a Research Fellow at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, an Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown Law School and a consultant on financial regulatory and fintech issues.

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Thomas Hochman is a Policy Manager at the Foundation for American Innovation, where he works on regulatory and infrastructure policy. His research and writing has appeared in American Affairs, The Hill, National Review, The New Atlantis, The Oxford Institute for Energy Studies, and elsewhere. He holds a B.S. in Mathematical Sciences from the University of Vermont.

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The podcast episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, hosted by Andrew Langer, features an in-depth discussion on regulatory issues at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and broader implications for the administrative state. Guests include Timothy Lee, Senior Vice President of Legal and Public Affairs at the Center for Individual Freedom, with extensive experience in labor and commercial law, and Daniel Ikenson, founder of Ikensonomics Consulting and former Director of Trade and Policy Studies at the Cato Institute, specializing in trade policy and regulatory analysis.

The conversation critiques the FTC's increasingly aggressive regulatory posture under Chair Lina Khan, highlighting concerns about overreach, economic consequences, and implications for constitutional governance. Both guests advocate for reducing regulatory burdens and restoring balance between legislative and executive powers, while also examining broader themes like the misuse of administrative courts and informal rule making. The episode offers expert perspectives on fostering accountability and curbing the unchecked expansion of federal regulatory authority.

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Tony Abboud is a government relations expert and litigator with 25 years experience in grassroots organizing, politics, state lobbying and the courtroom. Tony has spent the past decade defending vapor companies and companies in other heavily regulated industries against government over-reach.

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Kate Hudson has served at AAU since March 2022. As Deputy Vice President and Counsel for Government Relations and Public Policy, Kate assists in managing and directing the Government Relations and Public Policy department and developing and executing strategies to advance AAU’s advocacy and public policy priorities in the federal legislative and regulatory arenas. Her portfolio includes intellectual property, technology transfer, open and public access, export controls, sexual harassment, data privacy, and copyright issues. In addition, she supports AAU’s policy and federal relations work in areas that require legal expertise, such as tax issues related to research, labor and employment, research security policy, higher education Title IX issues, and other regulatory matters important to America’s leading research universities. Kate also leads AAU’s General Counsels (GC) constituent group and the CFR Tax Task Force.

Prior to joining AAU, Kate served in the U.S. federal government as a senior attorney-advisor in the legislative and executive branches, most recently with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).

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Joe Allen served on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee for Senator Birch Bayh (D-IN) securing passage of the Bayh-Dole Act which fostered R&D partnerships between universities and U.S. industry. The Economist Technology Quarterly called this law “possibly the most inspired piece of legislation to be enacted in America over the past half century.” On leaving the Senate staff, Joe was Executive Director of Intellectual Property Owners, Inc. (IPO) where he worked to create the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit before going to the U.S. Department of Commerce where he became the Director of the Office of Technology Commercialization. He was instrumental in the passage of major laws allowing U.S. industry to perform joint R&D with federal laboratories. Allen’s office oversaw Executive branch implementation of the Bayh-Dole and Federal Technology Transfer Acts and related presidential policy directives. He helped negotiate intellectual property rights provisions for major international science and technology agreements.

Joe then became President of the National Technology Transfer Center established by Congress to promote industry/federal laboratory R&D partnerships. He is now the Executive Director of the Bayh-Dole Coalition, a non-profit organization composed of universities, companies, venture capitalists, entrepreneurs and others who are committed to celebrating and protecting the landmark law. Joe writes a monthly column for IPWatchdog on Bayh-Dole related issues.

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Tristan Leavitt is widely respected for his unrivaled inside knowledge of the federal whistleblower protection process. He has over a decade of experience investigating waste, fraud, abuse, and cronyism in the federal government.

Leavitt began his investigative career working on the Senate Judiciary Committee staff of Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), where he helped whistleblowers expose schemes like Operation Fast and Furious, the gunwalking scandal that armed the murderers of a U.S. Border Patrol Agent. He also served as Senator Grassley’s chief whistleblower policy advisor, leading the introduction of the first Senate resolutions recognizing National Whistleblower Appreciation Day and the establishment of the Senate Whistleblower Protection Caucus.

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Noel Thomas stands as a visionary leader, driven by an unwavering dedication to eradicating the scourge of human trafficking through pioneering technological solutions. With a multifaceted background deeply entrenched in identifying organized crime, orchestrating law enforcement coordination, and advancing technological innovation, Thomas emerges as an entrepreneur poised to rewrite history in the fight against exploitation.

His journey commenced amidst the mission fields of Operation Mobilization and Youth With A Mission (YWAM), where he bore witness to the harrowing impact of human trafficking on vulnerable communities worldwide, igniting within him a fervent desire for meaningful change. This propelled him on a mission to combat the injustice at its core, a mission that would lead him to serve as the former Statewide Counter Trafficking Coordinator for Florida.

In this role, Thomas orchestrated collaborative efforts between law enforcement agencies, NGOs, and governmental bodies, spearheading initiatives to disrupt trafficking networks and provide vital support to survivors. His strategic leadership proved instrumental in elevating global awareness of human trafficking and implementing comprehensive intervention strategies.

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Brian Darlingis the president and founder of the firm Liberty Government Affairs. He was Senior Communications Director and Counsel for Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) and a former senior fellow in government studies at The Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank based in Washington, D.C. Darling has been involved in U.S. politics since the early 1990s, in roles as a congressional aide, lobbyist, and legal counsel.

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Mike Prado is a member of the Senior Executive Service (SES) and serves as the Deputy Assistant Director for Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), where he leads its Cyber Crimes Center (C3). At C3, he leads a federal law enforcement workforce utilizing cutting-edge technology and 21st century investigative techniques to combat cyber and cyber-facilitated transnational criminal activity. C3 provides investigative, technical, and resource support to all HSI domestic and international field offices, in support of a broad spectrum of cyber investigations, including online child sexual exploitation and abuse, network intrusion, and illicit activity on the dark web, to include narcotics and weapons trafficking. C3 also oversees HSI’s Computer Forensic program and maintains programmatic oversight and coordination of all cyber training, outreach, and specialized solutions to counter illicit use of technologies.

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Jessica Melugin is director of the Center for Technology & Innovation at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. Her research focuses on technology issues including antitrust, online privacy, artificial intelligence, telecommunications, social media content and net neutrality regulation. Her writings have appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, USA Today, Bloomberg Law, National Review and others. She has been cited in The Washington Post, Politico, U.S. News and World Report and Variety. Ms. Melugin is a frequent cable news television and radio guest.

She is an Innovators Network Foundation Antitrust and Competition Policy Fellow.

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A dynamic public relations practitioner that hails from the great city of Detroit, MI with nearly 20 years’ experience designing and implementing creative engagement processes and programs within the public and private sectors. Serving as External Affairs Officer for Operation Allies Welcome, being selected as DHS’ first Social Impact senior executive, implementing the DHS Loaned Executive Program, and creating the Exemplar training with industry program are the highlights of my DHS tenure.

Selected as the Office of Partnership and Engagement’s first chief of staff to fully realize the merger of nine offices and campaigns and administer a multi-million-dollar budget. I’m a visionary with excellent interpersonal communication skills to effectively build relationships with key internal and external stakeholder groups.

Kent Lassman has served as president and CEO at the Competitive Enterprise Institute since 2016, overseeing strategy and operations for the free-market organization.

As president, Lassman brings to CEI more than 30 years of public policy, research, and executive management experience. He has held positions in nonprofit organizations, on advisory boards, at private firms, and public policy organizations. He is a member of the board of directors at the Center for International Private Enterprise.

Stone Washington is a Research Fellow with the Competitive Enterprise Institute’s Center for Advancing Capitalism. At CEI, his research primarily focuses on financial developments in the market, ESG investing, and federal regulation of the economy. He is currently a Frédéric Bastiat Fellow with the Mercatus Center, participating in a host of educational colloquia on the study of political economics. He previously completed a Humane Studies Fellowship with the Institute for Humane Studies. Prior to his current role at CEI, Stone served as a trainee with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in the Division of Examinations. Before this, he worked as a Research Assistant for the Manhattan Institute, assisting several Senior Fellows with policy projects in the areas of legal policy, public sector unions, and higher education.

Vincent Vernuccio is a senior fellow at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. He served as the Mackinac Center's director of labor policy between 2012 and 2017.

Vernuccio is a graduate of the Ave Maria School of Law in Ann Arbor, Mich. Under President George W. Bush he served as special assistant to the assistant secretary for administration and management in the Department of Labor.

Vernuccio has published articles and op-eds in such newspapers and magazines as The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Investor’s Business Daily, The Washington Times, National Review, Forbes and The American Spectator. He has been cited in several books, and he is a frequent contributor on national television and radio shows, such as "Your World" with Neil Cavuto and Varney and Company.

Dr. Marion Mass is a pediatrician in the Philadelphia area. She serves on the editorial board of the Bucks County Courier Times and The Doylestown Intel and on the board of The Bucks County Health Improvement Partnership, and is a delegate and member of the Pennsylvania Medical Society.

Practicing Physicians of America (PPA) is a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization that supports the common business interests of its physician members and works to limit interference of the doctor-patient relationship by third parties in an effort to improve the medical profession.

Wayne Crews is the Fred L. Smith Fellow in Regulatory Studies at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. His work explores the impact of government regulation of free enterprise. He studies antitrust and competition policy, safety and environmental issues, and the challenges of the information age like privacy, online security, broadband policy, and intellectual property.

Crews is the author of the annual report, “Ten Thousand Commandments: An Annual Snapshot of the Federal Regulatory State.” He co-authored “This Liberal Congress Went to Market?,” a Bipartisan Policy Agenda for the 110th Congress, and “Communications without Commissions: A National Plan for Reforming Telecom Regulation.” Prior to the assorted government bailouts now taking place, he wrote the report, “Still Stimulating Like It’s 1999: Time to Rethink Bipartisan Collusion on Economic Stimulus Packages.”

Jason Pye is Vice President of the Due Process Instituite, a bipartisan nonprofit that works to honor, preserve, and restore principles of fairness in the criminal legal system. Jason has extensive lobbying experience having worked as vice president of legislative affairs for Freedom Works. His focus is criminal justice reform and civil liberties and has contributed to notable legislation such as the First Step Act and the Fair Chance Act.

Karen Cook is a securities enforcement and white-collar defense attorney with more than 20 years of experience. She has unique expertise gained from success in SEC enforcement, securities industry legal management and private practice that distinguishes her from other former prosecutors and white-collar defense attorneys. She leverages this fusion of knowledge and experience to secure successful results for clients in the highly-regulated financial services and healthcare industries.

Austen Bannan is an employment policy fellow at Americans for Prosperity. His previous experience includes serving as a senior policy analyst and research fellow at the Charles Koch Institute and legislative staffer on Capitol Hill.

Maureen Tusty is an acclaimed documentary filmmaker and producer. Her newest film, She Rises Up (2024), follows the struggles of three resilient women determined to battle poverty by establishing and sustaining local businesses, thereby empowering their communities.

Maureen is also a co-founder of Sky Films Inc., an independent production company that seeks to share inspirational stories from around the globe that reflect the triumph of the human spirit.

She Rises Up (2024) is screening in select cities throughout the rest of summer. Find dates here:
https://www.sherisesupfilm.com/

Sky Films Inc.
https://www.skyfilmsinc.com/

Dr. Jonathan Newman is a Fellow at the Mises Institute. He earned his PhD at Auburn University while a Research Fellow at the Mises Institute. He was the recipient of the 2021 Gary G. Schlarbaum Award to a Promising Young Scholar for Excellence in Research and Teaching. Previously, he was Associate Professor of Economics and Finance at Bryan College. He has published in the Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics and in volumes edited by Matthew McCaffrey and Per Bylund. His research focuses on Austrian economics, inflation and business cycles, and the history of economic thought. He has taught courses on Macroeconomics and Quantitative Economics: Uses and Limitations in the Mises Graduate School. He is the author of two children’s books: The Broken Windowand Ludwig the Builder. His commentary appears regularly in the Mises Wire and Power & Market.

Jonathan Wolfson is an attorney, husband, father, and debate coach. He coaches debaters around the globe and provides assistance to coaches and parents in training speakers and debaters. His free debate training videos have been viewed by tens of thousands of students and teachers worldwide and he has coached successful junior high, high school, and collegiate speakers and debaters for a number of years. He is also the author ofThe Great Debate: A Handbook for Policy Debate and Public Forum Debate.

Nan Hayworth is an American ophthalmologist and former Congresswoman for New York's 19th congressional district. A Republican, she was elected in 2010.

She is the only woman physician in history to be elected a voting Member of the House of Representatives, serving the 19th District of New York in the 112th Congress.

As a freshman Member of the House Majority, Nan was privileged to be assigned to the House Financial Services Committee; she also had the honor of serving on the House-Senate Conference Committee to extend the payroll-tax holiday and assure Medicare reimbursements through 2012. Nan was named one of the five “highest-profile freshmen” by Politico in April 2012, and she was recognized by many organizations for her work in behalf of seniors, veterans, free enterprise, the environment, family farms, and animals, among other worthy causes.

Brandon Arnold is the Executive Vice President of National Taxpayers Union. In this role, he helps to oversee strategic planning and government affairs efforts for NTU and its staff.

He has testified on fiscal policy before Congress and numerous state legislative committees. He has also appeared on several television and radio networks including C-SPAN, Fox News, Fox Business, and more. His writings have appeared in publications including Politico, the Hill, the Seattle Times, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and more.

Glenn Roper is a Senior Attorney at the Pacific Legal Foundation, a nonprofit legal organization dedicated to advancing individual liberty and economic freedom. Based in Colorado, Glenn litigates cases across the country to protect principles like equal treatment under the law and economic opportunity for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Prior to joining PLF in 2019, Glenn served as Deputy Solicitor General for the State of Colorado, handling key appellate and constitutional cases. He has also worked at a private law firm focused on complex civil litigation, and previously clerked for Judge David M. Ebel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

Glenn began his legal career in the White House Counsel's Office under President George W. Bush after graduating first in his class from Brigham Young University Law School. His experience in both state and federal government has given him firsthand perspective on the threats to liberty posed by government overreach and disregard for individual rights.

Robert Bryce is a Texas-based author, journalist, podcaster, film producer, and public speaker. Over the past three decades, his articles have appeared in numerous publications including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, National Review, Field & Stream, and Austin Chronicle.Find More at:
https://robertbryce.com/#

Tim Jackson is an ecological economist and writer. Since 2016 he has been Director of the Centre for the Understanding of Sustainable Prosperity (CUSP). CUSP is a multidisciplinary research centre which aims to understand the economic, social and political dimensions of sustainable prosperity. Its guiding vision for prosperity is one in which people everywhere have the capability to flourish as human beings – within the ecological and resource constraints of a finite planet.

Tim has been at the forefront of international debates on sustainability for three decades and has worked closely with the UK Government, the United Nations, the European Commission, numerous NGOs, private companies and foundations to bring economic and social science research into sustainability. During five years at the Stockholm Environment Institute in the early 1990s, he pioneered the concept of preventative environmental management—a core principle of the circular economy—outlined in his 1996 book Material Concerns: Pollution Profit and Quality of life. From 2004 to 2011 he was Economics Commissioner for the UK Sustainable Development Commission where his work culminated in the publication of his controversial and ground-breaking book Prosperity without Growth (2009/2017) which has subsequently been translated into 17 foreign languages. It was named as a Financial Times ‘book of the year’ in 2010 and UnHerd’s economics book of the decade in 2019.

Carl Szabo is Vice President and General Counsel at Net Choice where he analyzes, advocates, and testifies on tech-related legislative and regulatory initiatives relevant to online companies. Carl is also an adjunct professor of internet law at the George Mason Antonin Scalia Law School.

Before joining NetChoice, Carl was an intellectual property attorney at the lawfirm of Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon where he advised clients on privacy, Internet, e-commerce, and contractual matters. He also worked at the lawfirms of Venable and Arnold & Porter.

Carl also worked on copyright, trademark, and anti-piracy both for Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and the Entertainment Software Association (ESA).

James "Jim" P. Pinkerton (born March 11, 1958) is an American columnist, author, and political analyst.

A graduate of Evanston Township High School (1975) and Stanford University (1980), he served on the White House staff under both Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush and on each of their presidential campaigns from 1980 to 1992. In January 2008, he became a senior adviser to the Mike Huckabee 2008 presidential campaign.

Since his time in government Pinkerton has become a columnist for Newsday and a Fox News Channel Contributor (1996 to present). He is a former panelist (1998-2013) on the Fox News program Fox News Watch, and a frequent contributor to Breitbart as well as an occasional contributor to The Huffington Post, National Review, and other publications. In the past, he was a senior fellow at both the Free Enterprise Fund and the New America Foundation, a lecturer at the Graduate School of Political Management at The George Washington University, a member of the Board of Advisors at the National Federation of Republican Assemblies, and a contributing editor of The American Conservative and USA Today. He frequently appears on Bloggingheads.tv, often in video discussions with journalist David Corn and other media personalities. He is now the editor of CureStrategy.org.

In 2011, he became the co-chair of the RATE Coalition, a bi-partisan group of 35 companies and associations dedicated to corporate tax reform.

David Dunmoyer is the campaign director for Better Tech for Tomorrow at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. In this role, he publishes research and commentary, provides expert testimony, and advocates for responsible technology policy in the Texas legislature. His portfolio includes data privacy, cybersecurity, kids’ online safety, AI, broadband, and other emerging technology issues. Prior to this role, he served as Chief of Staff to the executive team at TPPF after spending several years working in public affairs and digital marketing. David received undergraduate degrees at Texas Christian University and graduated with a Master of Public Affairs from the University of Texas at Austin’s LBJ School of Public Affairs.

Zachary Marschall received a PhD from George Mason University and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky. "Academically Speaking," his series for Campus Reform, reveals how radical ideas originating in academia impact Americans’ daily lives. Zachary is a member of the National Association of Scholars.

Stacy Washington is a Christian, wife, mom, author, radio host and political commentator. Stacy's first book "Eternally Cancel Proof" (March, 2022) is available where ever books are sold. Stacy is the host of Stacy on the Right on SiriusXM the Patriot Channel 125 airing week nights from 9p to midnight EST.

Stacy is an Ambassador for the America First Policy Institute and served as Co-Chair of Black Voices For Trump during the 2020 presidential campaign. Stacy served as Co-Chair of the Project 21 National Advisory Council of the National Center for Public Policy Research. Stacy is an Emmy Nominated TV personality and Air Force Veteran and has appeared on Fox News, Fox Business, CNN, The Blaze, PBS, RT TV, Al Jazeera, HuffPost Live, and a host of network tv stations.

Chuck DeVore is an American politician who served as a Republican member of the California State Assembly from 2004 to 2010 when he lived in Irvine and represented the 70th District, which includes portions of Orange County.

Chuck is currently the Chief National Initiatives Officer at the Texas Public Policy Foundation. He writes about the economy, energy, and national security. During session, the Texas Legislature frequently invites him to testify on election integrity and other topics. He guides the Foundation’s national work in border security, election integrity, energy, and conservative criminal justice reform. He authored three books: Crisis of the House Never United – A Novel of Early America, The Texas Model: Prosperity in the Lone Star State and Lessons for America, and China Attacks. He regularly appears on Fox News and is a senior contributor at The Federalist.

Ben Lieberman is a senior fellow who specializes in environmental policy at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. Lieberman has returned to CEI after serving seven years as a senior counsel on the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce. As a congressional staffer, he worked on a number of issues related to fuels and vehicles, including the Renewable Fuel Standard and Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. He also worked on energy infrastructure permitting reform, home appliance energy efficiency standards, and the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.

Previously in his career, Lieberman completed a decade-long stint at CEI as well as five years at the Heritage Foundation. He will continue to work on energy and environmental policy issues in his latest position at CEI, with an emphasis on reforming the federal permitting process for projects that are subject to it.

Pedro Israel Orta is a CIA and Intelligence whistleblower, an ordained minister, and an award winning photographer. He served seven years in conflict zones such as Iraq, Afghanistan, and Yemen. Earning eight Exceptional Performance Awards for his contributions to US National Security. Mr. Orta served from 2015 to 2017 as an Inspector for the Office of the Inspector General for the Intelligence Community.

Post-US Government service, Mr. Orta moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, and has launched an Evangelistic and teaching ministry.

Frank Gaffney is the founder and president of the Center for Security Policy. The Center works with multiple partners to highlight the threats to America and to build solutions through research, ideas, and coalition-building.

Dave Kappos is an attorney and former government official who served as Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office from 2009 to 2013. Kappos is currently a partner at New York law firm Cravath, Swaine & Moore.

Coach Joe Kennedy, an eighteen-year Marine veteran, was an assistant coach for the Bremerton High School (BHS) varsity football team. School officials at BHS suspended—and later fired—football coach Joe Kennedy because he prayed a brief, quiet prayer after football games. A lawsuit was filed against the school district, arguing that banning coaches from quietly praying, just because they can be seen by the public, is wrong and violates the Constitution. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington, and then the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, sided with the school district. The case eventually landed in the U.S. Supreme Court. In January 2022, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case. The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Coach Joe.

Veronique de Rugy is a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Her primary research interests include the US economy, the federal budget, homeland security, taxation, tax competition, and financial privacy. Her popular weekly charts, published by the Mercatus Center, address economic issues ranging from lessons on creating sustainable economic growth to the implications of government tax and fiscal policies. She has testified numerous times in front of Congress on the effects of fiscal stimulus, debt and deficits,
and regulation on the economy.

De Rugy writes regular columns for Reason magazine and the Washington Examiner, and she blogs about economics at National Review Online’s the Corner. Her charts, articles, and commentary have been featured in a wide range of media outlets

Timothy Lee is Senior Vice President of Legal and Public Affairs at the Center for Individual Freedom, an Alexandria, Virginia-based nonprofit organization established in 1998 to protect Constitutional rights, promote free market principles, and advance international liberty.

Prior to joining CFIF in 2006, Mr. Lee practiced labor & employment law and commercial litigation at law firms in the Los Angeles, California and Phoenix, Arizona areas, including such worldwide firms as Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP and Quarles & Brady LLP. He also served as in-house labor & employment counsel at Chubb Group, Ltd.

Joshua Treviño is an American political commentator, formerly a consultant and United States Army officer. He is a former George W. Bush Administration speech writer and was listed as a 2006 Lincoln Fellow with the Claremont Institute. He is a graduate of Furman University.

Jaeson Jones is an internationally renowned border intelligence expert. He has led investigations targeting Mexican cartel leadership and collaborated closely with the US intelligence community to help save lives throughout Mexico and the USA.

Tarren Bragdon is an American former state legislator and think tank founder. At age 21, Bragdon won a seat in the Maine House of Representatives and became the youngest state legislator ever elected in Maine. A Republican, Bragdon served in the Maine House from 1996 through 2000.

From 2008 to early 2011, Tarren was CEO of The Maine Heritage Policy Center, a free market think tank based in Portland, Maine. Under his leadership, the organization grew to become the largest state-based free market think tank per capita. In September 2010, he received the Thomas Roe Award, given annually by the State Policy Network to the individual with the greatest impact on the nation’s free market movement.

Tarren is currently president and chief executive officer of the Foundation for GovernmentAccountability, founded in 2011.

Shea Bradley-Farrell, PhD is President of Counterpoint Institute for Policy, Research, and Education (CIPRE) in Washington, D.C. Dr. Shea is an expert in foreign policy and aid, national security, international development, and women’s issues. Dr. Shea is also the first international Senior Fellow for the Center for Fundamental Rights in Budapest, Hungary, and is writing a book about Hungarian national sovereignty to be published December 2023.

Dr Shea worked directly with the Trump administration, including Sec. Mike Pompeo and Senior Advisor Ivanka Trump, on multiple issues while serving as the VP of International Affairs for Concerned Women for America. Recently she was professor and subject matter expert for the Defense Security Cooperation University (DSCU) of the U.S. Department of Defense. Dr. Shea possesses an active U.S. security clearance.

Tom Jankovsky, a third-generation native Coloradan, is serving in his fourth term as Garfield County Commissioner.

He is the public lands planning lead for the Board of County Commissioners, currently working on the Greater Sage Grouse SEIS, and the Biden Administration’s 30×30 initiative. During his tenure, he has also served as the board liaison to the Garfield County Human Services Commission, Garfield County Economic Roundtable, and the Garfield County Latino Community Commission. He is a member of the Garfield County Clean Energy Board, the county’s Investment Advisory Board, the Garfield County Budget Committee, Vice Chair of the Intermountain Transportation Region (TPR), and the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Northwest Colorado Regional Advisory Council (RAC).

Ryan Young is a senior economist at the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI). His research focuses on regulatory reform, trade policy, antitrust regulation, and other issues. His writing has appeared in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Politico, The Hill, Investor’s Business Daily, Forbes, Fortune, and dozens of other publications. He is a frequent guest on radio programs, been interviewed by outlets including The Huffington Post and Voice of America, and been cited in media outlets including ABC News, CNN, and London’s City AM. He formerly hosted the CEI Podcast, and writes the popular “This Week in Ridiculous Regulations” series for CEI’s staff blog.

Ryan holds an M.A. in economics from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, and a B.A. in history from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. He was previously CEI’s 2009-2010 Warren T. Brookes Journalism Fellow. Before joining CEI, he worked in the Cato Institute’s government affairs department. His personal blog is Inertia Wins.

Gabriella Hoffman is a policy analyst, freelance media strategist, journalist, Townhall.com columnist, podcaster, and award-winning outdoor writer specializing in public policy, freelance journalism, branding, digital media strategy, and press relations in politics, outdoors/shooting sports, and small business.

Marlo Oaks is an American investment banker and government official serving as the Utah state treasurer. He was appointed to the position by Governor Spencer Cox on June 29, 2021 and succeeded David Damschen.

Marlo spent 17 years managing institutional portfolios at Farmers Insurance ($24 billion) and then at Intermountain Healthcare ($7.5 billion) where he also oversaw the Treasury function.

Kevin Cirilli is a political reporter for Bloomberg. Before joining Bloomberg, he worked at The Hill and Politico. Prior to coming to Washington, he helped cover the Jerry Sandusky scandal for Newsweek/The Daily Beast and Philadelphia magazine. While at Penn State University, he was a recipient of the Damon M. Chappie Award for Investigative Journalism and was campus editor of the student newspaper, The Daily Collegian. Kevin was a Pulliam Fellow of Journalism at The Arizona Republic. He grew up in suburban Philadelphia's Delaware County. In his free time, he enjoys eating Philly food and running.

Clifford May is an American journalist, editor, political activist, and podcast host. He is the founder and president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a think tank created shortly after the 9/11 attacks, where he hosts the podcast "Foreign Podicy."

Karol Markowicz is a weekly columnist at the New York Post and FoxNews, a contributor at Spectator World, and a contributing writer to Washington Examiner magazine. She has written for USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Time, Forward, National Review, Daily Beast, Business Insider, Haaretz, and many others.

Elizabeth Nickson is a Canadian writer and journalist. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, she was European bureau chief of Life magazine. In 1994, Bloomsbury UK, Knopf Canada and Steidl published her novel The Monkey Puzzle Tree, an account of the CIA brainwashing trials in Montreal in the 1950s and 1960s.

In 2012, HarperCollins US published Nickson's Eco-fascists, How Radical Conservationists Are Destroying Our Natural Heritage.

Phil Kerpen is an American free-market policy analyst and political organizer. He is the president of American Commitment, a conservative 501 organization which he founded in 2012. He previously served for over five years as the vice president of Americans for Prosperity.

Roger Marzulla is an American attorney who served as the United States Assistant Attorney General for the Environment and Natural Resources from 1988 to 1989. He is a founding partner at Marzulla Law, LLC in Washington, D.C.

Rob Gordon is a staff director and senior policy advisor for the House Committee on Natural Resources and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. Gordon was also a member of Donald Trump's presidential transition team, a group of advisors tasked with recommending presidential appointments for the incoming administration.

Nick Gillespie is an American libertarian journalist who was editor-in-chief of Reason magazine from 2000 to 2008 and editor-in-chief of Reason.com and Reason TV from 2008 to 2017. Gillespie originally joined Reason's staff in 1993 as an assistant editor and ascended to the top slot in 2000.

Sarah Siskind is a science comedy writer. She's the cofounder of HelloSci.Com, a consulting group that makes smart people funny, and the producer of Drug Test, a show about Psychedelics. Previously, she wrote comedy for Hanson Robotics, StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson on Fox, and several shows on Facebook Watch. She's written jokes for the White House Press Correspondents dinner and spoken at Comic Con!

Kerry White is a politician who served as a member of the Montana House of Representatives for the 64th district from 2013 to 2021. He is a member of the Republican party

On part 2, Chad Wolf talks with Derek Maltz. Derek is a retired Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agent. Mr. Maltz was the Special Agent in Charge of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), Special Operations Division (SOD) for almost 10 years before he left the federal government. Mr. Maltz also previously held the position as the Chief of the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force, which is the oldest and largest drug task force in America.

After 28 years of dedicated service, he is currently working for Pen-Link Ltd as the Executive Director, Government Relations. Mr. Maltz is also a National Security, Public Safety Executive who appears on national news networks as a subject matter expert.

Marc Joffe is a senior policy analyst at Reason Foundation. After a long career in the financial industry, including a senior director role at Moody's Analytics, Joffe's research focuses on municipal finances, alternative asset investments, transportation policy and federal, state and local fiscal policy.

In a special mini-series for The Lunch Hour, Chad Wolf talks with Steve Murphy Javier Pena, the DEA agents responsible for investigating Pablo Escobar and the Medellín Cartel

Tim Stewart has been a founding partner of three consulting and government relations firms: American Capitol Group, Energy North America and most recently The Bennett Group, a business-consulting firm founded in 2011 with his former employer, Sen. Robert Bennett. Stewart is currently the president of the U.S. Oil and Gas Association.

Chris Pilkerton is an American lawyer and former Acting Administrator of the United States Small Business Administration.

Ja'Ron Smith is an American political advisor. He served as a Deputy Assistant to the President and deputy director of the Office of American Innovation for Donald Trump from April 2019 to November 2020.

Robert Emmett Tyrrell Jr. is an American conservative magazine editor, book author and columnist. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of The American Spectator.

Paul Teller is the Executive Director of Advancing American Freedom. He served in the Trump White House as Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs, and then Director of Strategic Affairs for Vice President Mike Pence.

Steve Rauschenberger served for fifteen years in the Illinois State Senate, holding various leadership positions, including Assistant Republican Leader and Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Mike Frederickson is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Systems Innovation Engineering (SIE). He was the Director of the Office of Naval Research (ONR) Electronics Manufacturing Technology Center from 1996 to 2017 where he was responsible for developing and executing technology programs that directly improved the affordability of Navy platforms and sensor systems.

Dr. Clay Routledge is Vice President of Research and Director of the Human Flourishing Lab at Archbridge Institute and coeditor of Profectus, a magazine on human progress and flourishing.

Kenneth Mehlman is an American social entrepreneur and businessman. He serves as a member, global head of public affairs, and co-head of KKR global impact at investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts.

Philip King Howard is an American lawyer and writer. He has written on the effects of modern law and bureaucracy on human behavior and the workings of society. He started The Common Good, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization which advocates simplifying government.

E. Donald Elliott is the Florence Rogatz Professor (Adjunct) of Law at Yale Law School and a leading academic scholar, as well as practitioner, in the fields of administrative and environmental law.

Thomas E. Ayres is the General Counsel of the U.S. Department of the Air Force. In this role, he also serves as the Air Force’s Chief Ethics Official and Chief Legal Officer, providing oversight, guidance and direction for legal advice provided by more than 2,600 Air Force military and civilian lawyers worldwide.

Pastor Corey B. Brooks, founder and Senior Pastor of New Beginnings Church of Chicago and founder and CEO of Project H.O.O.D. Communities Development Corporation has become a leading voice and presence in the fight against the violence gripping Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods.

Wayne Crews is Fred L. Smith Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute & a Cato Institute alum. A one-time Libertarian candidate for South Carolina state senate, he is widely published, contributes to Forbes.com, and authors the annual Ten Thousand Commandments

Leon Panetta is an American politician and Democrat who served as government official under several Democratic administrations Secretary of Defense, director of the CIA, White House Chief of Staff, director of the Office of Management and Budget, and as a U.S. Representative from California.

Brad Johnson is President and CEO at Mission of Hope, a charitable organization currently working in Haiti and the Dominican Republic by focusing on nutrition, education, medical care, and church advancement.

Alfredo Ortiz has been the President and CEO of Job Creators Network (JCN) since January 2014. He is also a board member for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce and an advisory board member for Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute.

Ilya Somin is Professor of Law at George Mason University and the B. Kenneth Simon Chair in Constitutional Studies at the Cato Institute. His research focuses on constitutional law, property law, democratic theory, federalism, and migration rights. He is the author of Free to Move: Foot Voting, Migration, and Political Freedom , Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government is Smarter , and The Grasping Hand: Kelo v. City of New London and the Limits of Eminent Domain.

James Madison was an American statesman, diplomat, and Founding Father who served as the fourth president of the United States from 1809 to 1817. Madison is hailed as the "Father of the Constitution" for his pivotal role in drafting and promoting the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.

Gregory Angelo is a communications and public affairs specialist as well as the president of The New Tolerance Campaign.

Julie Gunlock directs the Independent Women’s Network and IWF’s Center for Progress and Innovation. She is also the Monday/Tuesday co-host of WMAL FM’s morning drive radio show O’Connor & Company, the leading talk radio station in the DC area. She is the author of the book From Cupcakes to Chemicals: How the Culture of Alarmism Makes Us Afraid of Everything and How to Fight Back and hosts the Bespoke Parenting Hour

David Bernhardt is an American lawyer who served as the 53rd United States Secretary of the Interior from 2019 to 2021 during the Trump administration.

This episode has been reuploaded to fix an audio issue

David Bernhardt is an American lawyer who served as the 53rd United States Secretary of the Interior from 2019 to 2021 during the Trump administration.

Jeff McCoy is an attorney at Pacific Legal Foundation, where he represents Americans fighting back against excessive and unlawful government regulations. Jeff joined PLF in 2017. Since then, he has focused his litigation on separation of powers and private property rights. Jeff also leads PLF’s coastal land rights initiative, which seeks to strengthen and defend statutory and constitutional protections for coastal property owners across the country.

Mike Gallagher is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for Wisconsin's 8th congressional district since 2017.

Gentry Collins is the CEO of the American Free Enterprise Chamber of Commerce and a partner at CAP Public Affairs. Collins has worked with large-scale advocacy efforts in the healthcare, automotive, infrastructure, mental health, veterans affairs, and energy sectors. He has also managed a variety of large-scale Super PACs and Independent Expenditure Units for Senatorial and Gubernatorial campaigns around the country.

Christopher Bedford is a senior editor at The Federalist, the vice chairman of Young Americans for Freedom, a board member at the National Journalism Center, and the author of The Art of the Donald.

Javed Ali is an associate professor of practice at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. Ali brings more than 20 years of professional experience in national security and intelligence issues in Washington, DC. He held positions in the Defense Intelligence Agency and the Department of Homeland Security before joining the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Margaret Byfield was raised on a large cow calf operation in central Nevada. She became actively involved in the property rights movement after her parents, Wayne and Jean Hage, filed Hage v. United States in the Federal Court of Claims in 1991.

She launched Stewards of the Range in 1992 to help landowners facing similar issues which merged into American Stewards of Liberty in 2009. She continues to serve as Executive Director. The organization has been in front of some of the most successful property rights victories since its formation.

Bob Levey is a prize-winning journalist who has covered the Washington scene since the Johnson Administration.

Shoshana Weissmann manages R Street’s social media, email marketing and other digital assets. She also works on occupational licensing reform, social media regulatory policy, Section 230 and other issues, and has written for various publications, including The Wall Street Journal and USA Today.

Mike Benz, Executive Director of the Foundation for Freedom Online, is a former State Department diplomat responsible for formulating and negotiating US foreign policy on international communications and information technology matters.

Zach Greenberg is Senior Program Officer, Student Organizations, Campus Rights Advocacy for the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE).

Lyn Ulbricht is a political activist and well-known advocate for constitutional protections, individual freedom and privacy. She is also the mother of Ross Ulbricht, who is currently serving a double life sentence without parole for all non-violent charges, based on his role in the Silk Road website.

Paul Poast is an associate professor in the Department of Political Science and Committee on International Relations at the University of Chicago. He is also a nonresident fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and a foreign affairs columnist for World Politics Review.

Phillip W. Magness is Senior Research Faculty and Director of Research and Education at the American Institute for Economic Research. He is also a Research Fellow at the Independent Institute. He holds a PhD and MPP from George Mason University’s School of Public Policy, and a BA from the University of St. Thomas (Houston).

Jessica Melugin is director of the Center for Technology & Innovation at the Competitive Enterprise Institute. Her research focuses on technology issues including antitrust, online privacy, Internet taxation, telecommunications, social media content and net neutrality regulation.

Dr. Stephen C. Meyer, PhD, is the Director, Center for Science and Culture, Discovery Institute. He has authored the New York Times best seller Darwin’s Doubt: The Explosive Origin of Animal Life and the Case for Intelligent Design (HarperOne, 2013), Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design (HarperOne, 2009), which was named a Book of the Year by the Times (of London) Literary Supplement in 2009, and now, Return of the God Hypothesis (HarperOne, 2021).

Gordon G. Chang has lived and worked in China and Hong Kong for almost two decades, most recently in Shanghai, as Counsel to the American law firm Paul Weiss and earlier in Hong Kong as Partner in the international law firm Baker & McKenzie. He is the author of The Great U.S.-China Tech War and Losing South Korea, booklets released by Encounter Books.

Elizabeth Milito serves as Executive Director of the National Federation of Independent Business Small Business Legal Center. Ms. Milito was the editor of notes and comments for the Maryland Law Review at the University of Maryland School of Law where she earned her Juris Doctor degree in May of 1996. Following her education, she served as a clerk to the Honorable Alan M. Wilner on the Maryland Court of Appeals, the state's highest court.

Robert Ehrlich served as Governor of Maryland from 2003 to 2007. A lifelong Maryland resident, he served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1987 to 1995 and a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003. He is currently Senior Counsel in Government Advocacy at King & Spalding, a global law firm.

Dr. Andy Harris is the Congressman from Maryland's First Congressional District. The son of immigrants who fled communist Eastern Europe immediately after World War II, Harris was a physician at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, a medical officer in the Naval Reserve, and a state senator before coming to Congress.

Charles Sauer is a seasoned economic policy expert, author, President and Founder of the Market Institute. Sauer began developing his expertise in finance and tax by working for the chairman of the Finance Committee, and then going on to be a legislative analyst focused on tax, immigration and labor issues in a governor’s office.

Kerri Toloczko is the National Training Director and a Fellow at the Conservative Partnership Institute’s Election Integrity Network. She also holds positions with the Florida Fair Elections Coalition and the Virginia Institute for Public Policy.

David Alan Stockman is an American politician and former businessman who was a Republican U.S. Representative from the state of Michigan and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Ronald Reagan.

Patrice Onwuka is Director of the Center for Economic Opportunity at the Independent Women's Forum, which develops policies relating to freedom and opportunity.

Andrew Gruel is a chef, food entrepreneur and television personality. He is founder of Slapfish Restaurant Group (27 locations), an award-winning restaurant company based in Huntington Beach, CA, and American Gravy Restaurant Group.

Jerry Rogers is the Editor of Real Clear Policy, including Real Clear Health and Real Clear Books and Culture. He discusses health care policy, and how recent laws have impacted health care in America.

John McCown is founder of Blue Alpha Capital and an expert on supply chains and logistics. He offers views on China, national security U.S. workforce needs, and challenges the world's supply chains face in the wake of the pandemic, .

Mary Miller is a farmer and politician who is the U.S. representative from Illinois's 15th congressional district. Her term began on January 3, 2021, and she serves on the House Committee on Agriculture and the Committee on Education & Labor.

Paul Scott Teller is the Executive Director of Advancing American Freedom. He served in the Trump White House as Special Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs, and then Director of Strategic Affairs for Vice President Mike Pence.

Stephen Yates leads the China Policy Initiative at the America First Policy Institute, and is the former president of Radio Free Asia.

Nan Hayworth is a physician and former member of Congress. She discusses how she became interested in politics, how she made the transition from medicine, and what's at stake in the upcoming elections, and what she believes is motivating voters today.

Russ Vought is former Director of the Office of Management and Budget under the Donald Trump Administration. He is also former Director of the House Republican Study Committee, and former Policy Director for the House Republican Conference.

Congressman Andy Biggs talks about immigration, and how his perception of Congress before he was elected differs from the way it really is. He also talks about his band, and his love of music.

Heather Lauer is the executive director of People United for Privacy, an organization committed to protecting the Constitutionally-protected rights of individuals to assemble and come together in support of their shared values.

Ilya Shapiro joins Andrew Langer to talk about the politicization of the high court and the dangers therein. They discuss the recently-started Supreme Court term and some of the important cases the high court will be deciding. They also talk about Ilya's experience with Georgetown University, the university's kafkaesque speech policies, and how he found himself at the Manhattan Institute.

Texas Congressman Michael Cloud (R-TX) joins the Lunch Hour with the Federal Newswire's host Andrew Langer to discuss a variety of topics ranging from beef jerky, the IRS, and government overreach to the essence of American government and political philosophy.

Rep. Cloud was first elected in 2018 and represents the 27th District of Texas, a south Texas region spanning the gulf coast including Corpus Christi and Victoria, Bastrop County near Austin, and Wharton County near Houston. Rep. Cloud serves on the House Agriculture Committee and the House Committee on Oversight and Reform.

David Satter joins the Federal Newswire's Lunch Hour podcast to discuss the current issues and challenges related to Russia's relationship with the United States and the West.

Satter is a leading commentator on Russia and the former Soviet Union. He is the author of five books on Russia and the creator of a documentary film on the fall of the U.S.S.R. and has been a leading intellectual of foreign policy as several prominent think tanks across the country.