American Viewpoints

Professor John Inazu, author of Confident Pluralism, argues that disagreeing over political, cultural, even religious issues doesn't have to be detrimental to us as people or to our communities if we know how to navigate thedifferences. That's the foundation of his new book, Learning To Disagree. To order or learn more: https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Disagree-Surprising-Navigating-Differences/dp/0310368014

New York City's government is fighting in court to allow non-citizens to vote in local elections. NYC is one of several communities to pass laws to allow residents - citizen or not - to vote in races including school boards, city councils and mayors, utility boards, library boards, etc. In this discussion, Becky Arps from Americans For Citizen Voting explain why they oppose allowing that to happen and why no one should accept claims that non-citizens are/will be voting only in local races.

CatholicVote Political Director Logan Church assesses the case before the US Supreme Court about Mifepristone. That's the "abortion pill" also known as RU486. Supreme Court Justices recently heard oral arguments in Food and Drug Administration (FDA) v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine (AHM), which is challenging the FDA’s decision to approve the drug. https://catholicvote.org/pro-life-leaders-emboldened-after-scotus-abortion-pill-hearing-no-to-unregulated-chemical-abortion/

RedState.com's Jennifer Oliver O'Connell assesses the controversy surrounding Planet Fitness and their policy of allowing men in the womens' locker/shower spaces. A man who self-identified as queer was photographed in an Alaska PF women's locker room and declared he has a right to be there. When a female member complained, her membership was cancelled. Since then, Planet Fitness has doubled-down on their policy of allowing men who claim to be women in those spaces. Within days of the news, Planet Fitness lost millions of dollars in market value.

The American Culture Project's John Tillman discusses the debate over some specific voting and campaign tactics popular with Democrats. Among them are ballot harvesting, drop boxes, and mail in voting which are supported by Democrats far more than they are by Republicans. These options are often cited by conservatives as opportunities to cheat in elections. Tillman says that, even if Republicans want to ban them from the legal options, they should legally use them now.

When we think of getting better rest at night, we usually don't think of making technology part of the process. CNET reporter Lexi Savvides tested several high-tech approaches to getting better sleep. That's connected to her participation in a sleep study. In this discussion, she gives us an overview of some of the technology that can help you get a better night's sleep, how it works, and why it is important to you health. For more information: https://www.cnet.com/tech/features/i-was-always-waking-up-tired-i-used-tech-and-science-to-sleep-better/

Rick Manning from Americans for Limited Government takes issue with the Biden Administration's new environmental rules targeting emissions from cars. The regulations are designed to reduce the permissible exhaust from cars under the guise of improving environmental conditions. Manning is among those pointing out that if this rule stands, the supply and cost of traditional internal combustion engine vehicles will be affected. Basically, the regulation could eventually eliminate today's cars from the roads and only allow electric vehicles.

Andrew Langer from CPAC's Center For Regulatory Freedom argues that the Biden Administration violates the First Amendment rights of Americans when it pressures social media companies to limit (or block) dissenting opinions online. That's the focus of a case before the US Supreme Court right now brought by the Attorneys General of Missouri and Louisiana.

In a victory for DEI opponents, a district court judge has ruled that the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), a federal agency charged with supporting minority-owned businesses, violates the Constitution’s core requirement of equal treatment under the law and that the agency can no longer run programs or grants based on race. In this discussion, David Bernstein from George Mason University's Liberty and Law Center, explains the ruling and why he believes it's correct.

Former Department of Justice lawyer Michael Buschbacher, who served in the DOJ's Environmental Division, responds to the Biden Administration's effort to push more electric vehicles into the market and, as a result, push traditional combustion engine vehicles out. The mandates, he argues, aren't only an overreach of government but they are based on false scientific claims. For more information, you can view his recent Wall Street Journal oped here: https://www.wsj.com/articles/electric-cars-emit-more-soot-california-ban-gas-powered-vehicles-521b29e3?st=87t13jo6gtlkq51&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

March is national nutrition month. Dr. Julie Gatza offers advice on making your diet healthier in a way that's simple. She myth-busts some common beliefs on foods many people think are healthy but, in fact, are just the opposite. For more information: https://naturessources.com/dr-julie-gatza/

Now that the US House has passed a bill to require TikTok owner Bytedance to sell the social media platform, the US Senate will have the final say. President Biden has already said he would sign the bill into law should it pass Congress. Supporters say that's required to stop the Chinese Communist Party's surveillance of and influence on Americans. The law could result in the banning of TikTok in America if Bytedance refuses to sell it to an approved buyer. Critics, including FreeThePeople.com's Matt Kibbe, say the idea is a violation of Americans' rights to free speech and free association and is also an overreach of government into the free market. In this segment, Kibbe responds to the push for the regulation and possible ban.

Caroline Moore from Parents Defending Education discusses information showing how large increases in illegal immigration affects public schools. The information pertains to Denver's schools and includes the financial stress on the District. Despite that, Moore says District officials choose ideology over prioritizing students in the schools, citizen and noncitizen, who are legally in the community. For more information: https://defendinged.org/incidents/records-request-reveals-denver-public-schools-struggling-to-accommodate-migrant-students/

Should donors to nonprofit groups be allowed to remain anonymous, even if those groups are active in socal or policy work? People United for Privacy's Alex Baiocco says protecting the privacy of donors in some areas is important to free speech. In this discussion, he explains why and differentiates between issue-based nonprofit groups and partisan campaigns.

Barry Hinckley, founder of the ReDeclaration of Independence, explains why he co-founded the online petition project and what they hope to accomplish if they reach their signature goal. Hinckley also discusses some of the specific issues the ReDeclaration demands of elected leaders at the national level. For more information: https://redeclaration.org/

Will Scharf, one of the attorneys on Donald Trump's legal team, reacts to the US Supreme Court ruling that overturned Colorado's decision to ban the former president from the primary ballot. The ruling has a nationwide effect, stopping efforts in other states from similar bans.

As more cities - and many smaller communities - try to keep up with property and violent crime, there's a reminder to keep the rights of everyone in mind when making policy changes. Steven Greenhut from the R Street Institute is among those saying any criminal justice reform and crime prevention efforts must respect the constitutional rights of everyone in the US.

There's not much media coverage of it but violent attacks against houses of worship in the United States is on the rise. According to the First Liberty Institute's Jeremy Dys, the violence seems motivated by disagreements over political and social issues. A study of the attacks was recently compiled by the Family Research Center based on reported crime data. The bottom line is that property damage, threats, and overt violence against faith-based organizations is often designed to suppress religious practice and expression.

A new survey from BankRate.com shows that fewer Americans believe home ownership is feasible for them right now. While a variety of reasons, including debt, interest rates, and inflation, are cited as reasons for that, the effect of the changes extends into other parts of our economy. In this discussion, Bankrate Senior Analyst Mark Hamrick reviews the survey results and assesses why it matters to everyone. More information can be found at: https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/down-payment-survey/

Congressman Ken Buck (R-CO) recently filed a resolution calling for the invocation of the 25th Amendment to remove Joe Biden from office, arguing that the President is no longer congnitively able to hold the office. In this discussion, Mike O'Neil from the Landmark Legal Foundation provides an overview of what the 25th Amendment allows (and what it doesn't), why it was put into the Constitution, and the proper way to invoke it.

Netchoice's Carl Szabo argues against new laws in Florida and Texas that, if upheld by the US Supreme Court, ban social media companies from censoring content on their platforms. Netchoice is involved in the case. Szabo says the laws require the private companies to host and carry content they do not want to be involved with and that, in his opinion, is a violation of the First Amendment rights of the businesses.

Brandon Arnold from the National Taxpayers Union comments on some recent announcements that some companies are backing off of their ESG (environmental and social governance) investing policies. To Arnold, this is a step in the right direction for consumers, investors, and environmental concerns.

The Competitive Enterprise Institute's John Berlau disagrees with some lawmakers who claim a proposed merger between Discover and Capitol One is bad for consumers. Berlau argues that this specific merger could be good for customers - of these companies and even for those who use competing serives.

The presidential election is in November, of course, but conservative advocacy groups and think tanks are already preparing to transition to a new administration. That's if a Republican wins. It's called Project 2025 and is being led by the Heritage Foundation. Project 2025 offers a potential conservative president a blueprint for reforming administrative agencies and it recruits, trains, and suggests conservatives to serve in a new administration. In this discussion, Spencer Chretien explains what the project is

When does government cross the line in demanding too much personal information? The Pacific Legal Foundation is suing the Census Bureau over just that. The American Community Survey asks, among other things, personal sexual matters, family relationships, and past marriages. The Census Bureau says refusing to answer could result in prosecution and fines. In this discussion, PLF attorney Adi Dynar explains why they say the questions and threat of fines violate the rights of Americans.

Sr Economist Ryan Young from the Competitive Enterprise Institute assesses the recent (January, 2024) jobs and inflation report.

Tyler O'Neil is the managing editor of The Daily Signal and, in this conversation, he assesses the current debate over the "transgender" trend happening in the US right now. The discussion includes the social/cultural extremes being taken to promote and protect the movement, even as emerging research confirms the harms being done to young people. The conversation also includes the long-term damage done to "detransitioners" and the issue of liability for those who administered the elective treatments (hormones, puberty blockers, surgeries, etc). These and other aspects of the "transgender" trends are covered in the Daily Signal's podcast: https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/02/07/transgender-series-part-1-rapid-onset-gender-dysphoria/ https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/02/08/transgender-series-part-2-truthful-therapist-explains-parents-cant-trust-mental-health-professionals/ https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/02/09/transgender-series-part-3-detransitioner-medical-malpractice-lawsuits-will-yield-10m-judgments-lawyer-says/

Tyler O'Neil is the managing editor of The Daily Signal and, in this conversation, he assesses the current debate over the "transgender" trend happening in the US right now. The discussion includes the social/cultural extremes being taken to promote and protect the movement, even as emerging research confirms the harms being done to young people. The conversation also includes the long-term damage done to "detransitioners" and the issue of liability for those who administered the elective treatments (hormones, puberty blockers, surgeries, etc). These and other aspects of the "transgender" trends are covered in the Daily Signal's podcast: https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/02/07/transgender-series-part-1-rapid-onset-gender-dysphoria/ https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/02/08/transgender-series-part-2-truthful-therapist-explains-parents-cant-trust-mental-health-professionals/ https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/02/09/transgender-series-part-3-detransitioner-medical-malpractice-lawsuits-will-yield-10m-judgments-lawyer-says/

Former Florida State Representative Mike Hill, who is black, argues that Black History Month has become a month of "grievances" and has become counterproductive to the goals of teaching black history, uplifting people, and being a source of unity in America. He also argues that the observance has become weaponized politically by the Left in America. Hill is now part of the Project 21, America's largest network of black conservatives. For more information: https://nationalcenter.org/ncppr/2024/02/05/black-history-month-as-black-americans-push-back-on-progressivism-their-future-looks-brighter/

New York City is the first to declare social media a health hazard. The point of that can be to draw awareness to something and motivate people to do more to protect young people. Another possible point of that is to set things up for more government regulations. Americans For prosperity's James Czerniawski discusses the City's declaration and warns against government trying to do too much under the guise of protecting young people.

RJ Cross is the director of the Don't Sell My Data Campaign, part of the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG). In this segment, she discusses a new study about digital privacy and consumer protection online. The State of Privacy: How State “Privacy” Laws Fail To Protect Privacy, And What They Can Do Better grades the 14 state-level consumer privacy laws that have passed so far, finding nearly half receive an ‘F’ for how well they protect consumers’ personal information. None get an ‘A’. In this conversation, Cross describes how personal data can be collected and used (for both legitimate marketing and criminal purposes) without your knowledge or permission. She also discusses what PIRG suggests as ideal policy for consumer protection and critiques some of the laws on the books around the country now. For more information: https://epic.org/documents/the-state-of-privacy-report/ https://pirg.org/

The Shumer-McConnell border deal, known as the Senate bi-partisan border security deal, is dead. Both opposition in the US Senate and refusal by Republican leaders in the House stopped it before any debate happened. Keep in mind that the "Green New Deal" was also stopped in Congress before elements of that ended up in other legislation. Could elements of the border bill end up the same way? NumbersUSA's James Massa explains why so many conservatives in particular objected to this bill and offers his thoughts on what Congress and the President should do to secure the border.

Souther Methodist University Professor James Coleman critiques the Biden Administration's decision to halt the permits for multiple natural gas projects. The Administration says the pause is for environmental reasons. Dr. Coleman argues that slowing down - or stoppoing - natural gas drilling, distribution, and exporting is not only bad for US customers because gas is less expensive than other options; he says it's bad for the US internationally. That's because, Coleman says, limiting the exports of liquefied natural gas leads other countries to depend on nations including Russia for their energy needs.

American Commitment's Phil Kerpen assesses the aspect of the US economy that are stabilizing and that are moving in the right direction. He also cautions against assuming the worst is over in this economic cycle, saying that more bad decisions on taxing and/or spending could lead to more inflation.

Elaine Parker from the Job Creators Network discusses the current state of the economy and why the public sometimes is getting incomplete information about it. * this discussion originally aired on NewsTalk STL in St. Louis. RedState.com's Deputy Managing Editor, Susie Moore, cohosted this segment.

Over the weekend, US Senate leaders released rthe text of their new bipartisan border security bill. That plan is already facing significant opposition for multiple reasons. In this discussion, Hugh Fike from the Conservative Partnership Institute focuses on the fact that known criminals and some of the terrorist watch list have illegally entered the country through the southern border. In one case, a known terrorist was apprehended in southern California as he was entering the US illegally and then released into the country.

Dr. J. Michael Waller argues in his new book, Big Intel, that two of the main agencies designed to protect us have become corrupted by ideology. He argues that implementing concepts including diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) priorities and others popular on the Left compromise the mission and tactics of the CIA and FBI. J. Michael Waller is Senior Analyst for Strategy at the Center for Security Policy. https://www.amazon.com/Big-Intel-Heroes-State-Villains/dp/1684513537

Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) is proposing a multi-trillion dollar reparations plan that, if passed, would make large direct payments to millions of black Americans. discussion, In this the Heritage Foundation's GianCarlo Canaparo argues against the idea not just because of the size but, he says, because of a fairness and justice aspect of the debate. https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/house/2803571/squad-member-bowman-pitches-paying-14-trillion-reparations-program/ https://www.heritage.org/staff/giancarlo-canaparo

Pregnancy Resource Centers focus - rightly - on pregnant women in crisis situations, but what happens after the initial crisis and she's preparing for a life with her child? One of America's leading PRCs, St. Louis-based Thrive, provides multiple educational, medical, and other programs to help new moms build a healthy, self-sufficient life. Through their Fatherhood Initiative, they are also preparing young men to become fathers, partners, and coparents. That's not just for the benefit of the child but for the mother as well. In this discussion, Thrive's Levi Hart describes the process, the benefits, and the reasons accountable dads (when that's possible and healthy) should be involved. For more information: https://thriveexpresswomenshealthcare.com/

Pregnancy Resource Centers focus - rightly - on pregnant women in crisis situations, but what happens after the initial crisis and she's preparing for a life with her child? One of America's leading PRCs, St. Louis-based Thrive, provides multiple educational, medical, and other programs to help new moms build a healthy, self-sufficient life. Through their Fatherhood Initiative, they are also preparing young men to become fathers, partners, and coparents. That's not just for the benefit of the child but for the mother as well. In this discussion, Thrive's Levi Hart describes the process, the benefits, and the reasons accountable dads (when that's possible and healthy) should be involved. For more information: https://thriveexpresswomenshealthcare.com/

FIRE (Foundation For Individual Rights and Expression attorney Bob Corn-Revere explains why they are challenging a new Utah law that proponents say could help protect children from online dangers and bad influences. The law requires everyone in the state to verify their age before using social media. For more information: https://www.thefire.org/news/lawsuit-utahs-clumsy-attempt-childproof-social-media-unconstitutional-mess

Professor Catherine Pakaluk discusses recent reports - and policy proposals - that say our country needs more children and bigger families. In addition to the stabilizing effect research indicates strong families have on households and communities, some researchers argue that higher birthrates are good for our economy as well. Dr. Pakaluk assesses some policy proposals that invilve government/tax incentives for families to have more children. https://business.catholic.edu/faculty-and-research/faculty-profiles/pakaluk-catherine/index.html

An IRS pilot program is testing an online tax filing system designed to compete with private-sector services like those offered by HR Block, TurboTax, and CPAs around the country. In this segment, Patrick Hedger from the Taxpayers' Protection Alliance explains why he hopes the "Direct File" program gets scrapped and, for now, why he thinks you should avoid using it.

The Endangered Species At turns 50 in 2024. Promoted as a way to save endangered animals, some are now questioning both the actual motive and the results. In this discussion. CFACT (Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow) Senior Analyst Dr Bonner Cohen details why they believe the premise and design of the Act led to failure. For more information: https://dailycaller.com/2023/12/22/opinion-this-landmark-conservation-bill-has-been-an-abject-failure-for-fifty-years-bonner-cohen/ * this conversation originally aired on NewsTalk STL in St Louis, MO

The gig economy opens up new opportunities for work in ways almost unimaginable a decade ago. Now there's a debate over regulations on gig/independent contractor work with the Biden Administration pushing for more of these jobs to be pushed into traditional payroll jobs. That would change the costs for employers and possibly limit the flexibility of the workers. In this discussion, R Street Institute resident senior fellow Jarrett Dieterle assesses the rules being proposed and the likely consequences those would bring. For more information: https://www.rstreet.org/commentary/dols-new-independent-contracting-rule-a-20th-century-policy-for-a-21st-century-economy/

First Liberty attorney Kayla Toney explains a lawsuit being recommended to the US Supreme Court that challenges public school policies regarding the sexual behavior and/or confusion of children. The case, John and Jane Parents 1 v. Montgomery County, focuses on a district's rule to hide a child's "gender transition", demand to use a different name, demand to use opposite sex pronouns, and other sexual and identity issues from parents. It's likely that thousands of public school districts across the country have similar policies, which First Liberty argues violates, among others, the religious freedom of parents. For more information: https://firstliberty.org/news/will-scotus-protect-parents/ * thumbnail image courtesy of the First Liberty Institute

*This segment aired before the Iowa Caucuses Host Mike Ferguson assesses the state of the GOP presidential race.

The Biden Administration is being accused of trying to tilt regulation of the internet in a way that would restrict investment in new technology and could target conservative perspectives and organizations. Citizens Against Government Waste is among the conservative groups opposing the regulations being proposed by the FCC, which is now led by a Democratic majority board. CAGW's Tom Schatz explains how the new rules could affect content, freedom of expression, and the availability of broadband service around the country. https://www.cagw.org/legislative-affairs/agency-comments/cagw-files-comments-fcc-proposed-net-neutrality-rulemaking

Over the past week, a video surfaced of Dr. Francis Collins, former Director of the National Institutes of Health, admitting that multiple recommendations that led to shutdowns, mandates, and other restrictions, were made without complete data and without concern to the consequences. That adds fuel to the accusations that the "expert class" that contributed to the shuting down businesses, schools, houses of worship, and to the implementation of mandates we now know were ineffective. In this discussion, Dr Phil Magness from the Independent Institute reacts to the comments and discusses why we should remain skeptical of politically-influenced bureaucrats.

When we think of a court system, we think of the judicial process whether that is criminal or civil. There is another type of court that many are not aware of: administrative law courts. Stone Washington from the Competitive Enterprise Institute explains what those are and how they differ from judicial courts. Administrative law courts are essentially internal courts within regulatory agencies that are overseen by those agencies. For more information: https://cei.org/news_releases/administrative-law-courts-are-unfair-and-need-reform/