American Viewpoints

Wayne Crews from the Competitive Enterprise Institute, provides details on the annual Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions publication issued by the Biden Administration. He explains how the Administration is using the publication as a policy-making strategy and also discusses some of the costs that could affect American households as a result of the new rules being issued.

The Daily Signal's Tyler O'Neil discusses his recent articles on the Biden Administration's use of the medical establish, including the CDC, to influence culture and education regarding debate over LGBT issues. Also discusses is Rachel Levine's call for social media companies to favor pro-trans perspectives over more traditional viewpoints.

Public Interest Legal Foundation President J. Christian Adams responds to the conversation on a previous program regarding rankied choice voting, otherwise known as instant runoff voting. PILF is against the idea.

Hans Von Spakovsky is the manager of the Heritage Foundation's Election Law Reform Initiative. He's also a former member of the Federal Elections Commission. After reviewing the Twitter Files, released by Elon Musk, Von Spakovsky argues that the social media platform's bias before, during, and after the 2020 elections is an in-kind contribution to the Biden campaign and says the FEC should investigate the actions as such.

Phil Kerpen from American Committment discusses the recently-passed omnibus spending plan at he last minute before a possible government shutdown. Kerpen believes the plan is too big, too expensive, and wasn't available to lawmakers early enough to allow them to review it properly. This conversation is from NewsTalk STL in St.Louis, MO.

Julian Adorney from the Foundatin for Economic Education argues against a trend of overprotecting children. Is critique of a "safetyist" mindset is that it doesn't allow for children to learn via mistakes (even painful ones) and that eventually leads to a risk-averse society that stimies creative thinking and innovation. https://mises.org/wire/want-protect-children-dont-embrace-safetyism

Paul Chesser from the National Legal and Policy Center explains why they are asking Meta (Facebook) shareholders demand the release of information related to the comapny's cooperation with government officials during the 2020 election cycle and beyond. Chesser says Facebook should be more transparent about how it made censorship and other decisions about bias against some viewpoints, not allowing them to remain published and banning some users based on their opinions.

Former Georgia State Representative Scot Turner, now the executive director of Eternal Vigilance Action, Inc, promotes reforming elections by using ranked choice voting - also known as instant runoff voting. This allows voters to rank candidates from most to least favorite. Example: your favorite candidate would be ranked 1, your next favorite candidate would be ranked 2, etc.

Bankrate.com analyst Greg McBride explains recent economic reports regarding jobs, unemployment, and inflation and what they indicate for the US economy. He also offers some basic advice on how to plan for 2023 when it comes to your personal finances.

Dr. Phil Magness from the American Institute For Economic Research provides an update on his research into how much government officials worked to suppress dissent against COVID restrictions, lockdowns, and mandates. The Freedom of Information Act-involved research focuses on Dr. Fancis Collins' and Dr. Anthony Fauci's work against the Great Barrington Declaration, which disagrees with the authoritarian approach to COVID that governments in the US took in response to the virus.

David L. Berstein's new book, Woke Antisemitism: How A Progressive Ideology Harms Jews, argues that "wokeness" supports antisemitism and other bias against Jewish people. In this conversation, he explains why he believes at least some of the current leftist ideology promotes racism and antisemitism.

James E. Lee from the Identity Theft Resource Center offers advice on spotting scams that target your personal and financial information and protecting both that information and your money.

Trauma specialist Julie Gandy Torres offers advice on prioritizing your mental health during the holiday season. The conversation includes discussions about stress and dealing with trauma.

The Daily Signal's Virginia Allen discusses the importance of the 303 Creative case before the US Supreme Court. While many view the case as a religious freedom case because the business owner doesn't want to create websites for same-sex weddings, Allen says the case is actually about the freedom of speech. More specifically, the freedom to not be forced by law to say something. The discussion also addresses the likely importance of the ruling nationally.

Dr. Everett Piper, author and Washington Times columnist, argues that the Republican Party should not "coronate" Donald Trump or any other candidate for president but, instead, welcome multiple candidates to compete with him. He explains why considering multiple candidates could be good for the party, the conservative movement, and the eventual nominee.

The ACLU's Nate Wesson explains why the organization is suing the Springfield, MA Police Department over their use of a surveillance camera during an investigation. The camera was posted on public property but there was no warrant issued, bringing up Fourth Amendment concerns.

Dr. Julie Gatza offers advice on how to protect your health - physical and emotional - during the holidays when social demands and business can be stressful and when the meals and treats can derail your fitness and health plan.

Sean Higgins from the Competitive Enterprise Institute explains the dispute between some labor unions and railroad/railway operators. In this case, Congress could be called on to override the union votes and impose the terms of the contract on both the employers and the workers.

Former US Ambassador and US Congressman Francis Rooney assesses the sitution in Ukraine as Russia's invation of the nation continues. He discusses the diplomatic challenges for the US and the possible effects the war - and decisions by US leaders - could have on the county.

Sheng Li from the New Civil Liberties Alliance discusses their lawsuit against the State of Massachusettes. The lawsuit accuses the State of covertly installing an app on Android phones in the state that tracked their locations in an effort to enable contact tracing. This was done as part of en effort to combat the spread of COVID-19.

SaveOnEnergy.com's Saltanat Bardileeva provides an outlook for the coming winter ultility bills, which are expected to be higher than in previous years. Lower energy supply, especially natural gas and oil, as well as inflation, are among the factors driving up costs. The discussion includes advice on how to reduce your utility costs without compromising safety in your home.

Terry Schilling from the American Principles Project argues that there is a political, policy, and cultural effort to "abolish" the traditional American family. He makes comparisons to governmental and cultural efforts from history that sounght to undermine the family as an institution.

FreeThePeople.org's Matt Kibbe, host of BlazeTV's "Kibbe On Liberty" assesses the failure of Republicans to win more seats in Congress during the 2022 Mid Term elections. Kibbe discusses the policy differences the GOP presented and failed to present as well as what messages voters around the country were sending as far as their priorities.

The Heritage Foundation's Emma Waters discusses the "Respect For Marriage Act" pased by Congress and the possible unintended consequences the bill (now law) could have. Concerns about the law include possible threats to religious freedom.

Bankrate.com analyst Sarah Foster descibes the results of a new survey that shows young families (and individuals) struggle more financially and emotionally than others when it comes to holiday spending. The discussion includes the current econoic conditions and typical expections for gift-giving and other spending. Foster also explains ways to prioritize personal finance needs while still enjoying the holidays.

John Berlau from the Competitive Enterprise Institute explains what happened with the FTX cryptocurrency exchange collapse. He also discusses what the situation could mean for investors, businesses, and public policy.

Jason Resendez from Consumers For Quality Care offers advice on knowing how effective your health insurance coverage is, what your rights are, and how to spot aspects of health care costs that can be avoiced. This includes "surprise billing" and other ways patients get billed unexpectedly.

Fred Lucas from the Daily Signal assesses theresults of the midterm elections. The discussion includes the messaging, the economy, and the partisanship involved.

David Huntsman from the Huntsman Institue for Mental Health and Heidi Arthur from the Ad Council discuss the new national campaign to lower social stigmas and other barriers to accessing mental health care in America.

Dr. Thomas Hogan from the American Institute for Economic Research reacts to the new CPI report showing that inflation, once again, continued to rise. He discusses the reasons for the increases, what consumers can expect regarding the impact on their finances, andsuggests ways to deal with the likely continued inflation increases.

Linda Chavez is the Chair of the Center for Equal Opportunity. She discusses the case before the US Supreme Court that challenges the use of race as a factor in college and university admissions.

The Daily Wire's Tim Meads comments on the debate caused by an editorial in The Atlantic. Professor Emily Oster's oped calls for what she calls "pandemic amnesty" - calling for Americans to set aside differences and angrer over disagreements related to COVID-era issues. Meads discusses his response to that in which he says agreement on what was/is true and accountability should be reached before bygones are allowed to by bygones.

Financial advisor Eric Robert from Stifel Financial (https://www.stifel.com/) describes how the latest interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve will affect family budgets. He also addresses the ongoing inflation and how it relates to the interest rate hikes. https://www.clearpathinvesting.com/

Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo received both criticism and praise for his statements (and actions) during the era of Covid shutdowns and restrictions. In this discussion, he describes the process he used to sort fact from fear and how to keep individual freedom in the conversation. Dr. Ladapo also explains what public officials and public health bureaucrats should have learned from the mistakes of 2020-2022. He also discusses his new book, Trandscend Fear: A Blueprint For Mindful Leadership in Public Health.

Marian Tupey, a senior fellow at the CATO Institute and editor of HumanProgress.org, discusses common claims about the planet's population, resources, and opportunity for wealth in the new book he coauthored with Gale Pooley. Superabundance: The Story Of Population Growth, Innovation, And Human Flourishing On An Infinitely Bountiful Planet challenges assumptions over overpopulation and scarce resources. https://www.amazon.com/Superabundance-Population-Innovation-Flourishing-Infinitely/dp/1952223393?

Michael Petrilli from the Thomas B Fordham Institute discusses the results of the recently-released National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results. The NAEP is often called the "report card" on schools and/or the public education system. Petrilli says the latest results are concerning and some of the causes can be attributed to the school shutdowns and online-only format over the last couple of years. He also offers ideas to improve education outcomes for kids across the country. https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/high-achieving-middle-schoolers-have-suffered-devastating-math-losses-finds

Sgt Betsy Smith from the National Police Association assesses the performance of St. Louis Police who stopped a school shooting in progress at the Central Visual & Performing Arts High School. One student and one teacher died before police fatally shot the attacker. Smith also discusses the almost immediate politization of the situation by politicians who used the occasion to promote gun control polcies. https://nationalpolice.org/

The Competitive Enterprise Institute's Ryan Young reacts to President Biden's announcement that his administration is going to address "junk fees" as part of his effort to lower the cost of living. These "junk fees" include add ons for airline travel, cancellation fees by hotels, and concert ticket processing fees.

Landmark Legal Foundation has obtained records relating to Attorney General Merrick Garland’s directive that the DOJ investigate individuals attending school board meetings. In this discussion, Landmark's Assistant General Counsel, Mike O'Neill, describes what they found after news that the National School Boards Association contacted the US Department of Justice, encouraging them to consider investigations of parents who protest at local school board meetings.

Ed Mierzwinski, the Senior Director of the Public Interest Research Group's Federal Consumer Program, argues that regulators and lawmakers should address financial processes that they say is a bad deal for college students. Beyond just on campus incentives to convince young people to sign up for credit cards, Mierzwinski says the problems includes the colleges/universities and financial institutions are not serving the students' best interests. Read PIRG's statement here: https://pirg.org/media-center/statement-new-cfpb-report-raises-concerns-about-banking-cards-on-u-s-campuses/

Super.com's Radhika Dugga explains why credit scores and credit (or a lack of) cause anxiety for many Americans. In addition to the concerns about debt in general, accessing credit means accessing opportunity for many low and middle income Americans. Dugga also describes the secured bank card they developed to help people build a favorable credit score.

Jon Schwepp from the American Principles Project explains what the Stop The Sexualization Of Children Act is and would do if passed into law. It's proposed in Congress with little chance of passing under the current makeup of Congress and calls for federal tax dollars from going to entities that promote sexual materials to children. This could include drag shows sponsored by schools or district-affiliated groups or held on school property. If passed, if could also address sexually-explicit books and other materials designed to promote any specific sexual behavior or lifestyle being made available to children through school libraries. Image courtesy of BizPacReview.com https://americanprinciplesproject.org/legislation/app-endorses-bill-protecting-kids-sexualization/

PayPal was recently caught adding policies to their service that could have resulted in the company fining users for "misinformation". Following an online and a media backlash, the company backtracked and claimed the rules were announced in error. RedState.com's Susie Moore discusses the brief policy changes, the legal implications, and the state of censorship in business, particulalry in today's tech and financial services settings. https://redstate.com/smoosieq/2022/10/08/after-getting-blistered-online-paypal-does-an-about-face-on-its-disinformation-policy-n639860 Don't miss any American Viewpoints conversations! Be sure to subscribe today!

Dr. Thomas Hogan from the American Institute for Economic Research explains why the hotly-debated policies in government have immediate affects on your personal finances. From oil product and gas prices to overall inflation to recent jobs reports, what happens in Washington DC is changing most Americans' personal finances.

Vinnie Vernuccio, president of the Institute for the American Worker, assesses some of the Biden Administration's proposals to change federal regulations related to contract workers. Supporters of the proposals, including labor unions, say it will protect contract and gig workers who don't get benefits that come with full time employment. Opponents say the ideas would take away the flexibility and opportunity that comes with gig and freelance work.

The Manhattan Institute's Brian Riedl breaks down the extreme levels of waste and fraud associated with the federal spending plans. The discussion covers the numbers of dollars involved (as near as we can tell), the efforts to prosecute fraud as they stand now, and what it will mean to all taxpayters, Here's his recent article on the problem: https://www.manhattan-institute.org/pandemic-fraud-and-waste-is-a-national-scandal

Gabe Phifer, host of the St. John The Philosopher Youtube show and Mike's cohost each weekday morning on NewsTalk STL, assesses a recent New York Court ruling that said polyamorous marriage should have the same legal protections as marriage between two people. The discussion was a response to this op-ed by Tony Perkins from the Family Research Council: https://washingtonstand.com/commentary/ny-judge-fulfills-scalias-prophecy-time-has-arrived-to-legalize-polygamyGabe Phi

Former US Department of Homeland Security official Paul Rosenzweig points out potential concerns the US should have about Microsoft's growing workforce in China. The company has announced plans to have around 10,000 workers working in manufacutring and software development there. The conversation covers both personal information security and national security concerns. https://www.law.gwu.edu/paul-rosenzweig

Author Laura Wellington expands on her recent article, Why So Many Woman Have Given Up On Dating, and points to technolgy, culture, and even COVID issues as reasons she believes are contributing to some women deciding to not pursue dating and relationships. https://laurawellington.medium.com/why-so-many-women-have-given-up-on-dating-64620dc579bd

The Daily Signal's Virginia Allen describes what she saw while investigating the impact of illegall immigration on those who live (legally) along the US Southern Border. She spent multiple days there, interviewing residents, law enforcement, and immigrants who admit to entering the US illegally. This conversation originally happened on, and is courtesy of, NewsTalk STL in St. Louis, MO. https://www.dailysignal.com/2022/10/04/inside-a-texas-county-that-declared-border-crisis-an-invasion/