American Viewpoints

RedState.com writer Jeff Charles reacts to the Southern Poverty Law Center's addition of Moms For Liberty (and other conservative groups) to their list of "hate groups". While SPLC is a private non profit group, published reports say they regularly meet with the Biden Administration to consult the Administration on policy. Charles discusses why this could lead to suppressed speech by those who disagree with the government and why he does not believe the SPLC should be considered a credible organization.

Recorded right before it debuted in theaters around the country, this conversation with Matt Osborne from Operation Underground Railroad (OUR Rescue) describes the work they do and how that resulted in creation of Sound of Freedom, starring Jim Caviezel. The film is based on true events and spotlights the growing child trafficking industry.

Bethany Mandel, author of the Heroes Of Liberty childrens' book series and coauthor of the new book, Stolen Youth, discusses the concerns she and many others have about falling civics test scores in the US. She says the trend has educational, cultural, and policy conseqences in the future.

Jeremy Dyes from the First Liberty Institute reflects on the effect of the US Supreme Court's "Coach Kennedy" religious freedom case. That ruling is now one year old and Dyes says Americans are now more free than we were before, at least when it comes to religious freedom. The discussion also includes what's next in the debate over religious freedom, especially in public life.

A fight in New York City reignites the debate over using force to protect yourself and others. Daniel Penny subdued Jordan Neeley in a subway after he and witnesses say Neeley was threatening people. Protesters and prosecutors say the maneuver Penny used to subdue Neeley was a choke hold and caused hit death illegally. Daniel Penny has been indicted in the case. Sgt Betsy Brantner Smith from the National Police Association explains some basics about self defense, the law and what to expect if you are in the position to have to defend someone.

Tammy Kocher from Minnesota-based New Life Family Services discusses how things have changed for their pregnancy resource centers since the US Supreme Court overturned Roe vs Wade in 2022. The discussion includes changes in the law and in the safety of their centers, employees, and clients.

Bob Hoge from RedState.com explains a proposed law in California that would, if passed, criminalize refusal of parents to "affirm" a child's "gender identity". Hoge explains why he believes the bill attempts to include opposition to trans ideology in parenting to the list of child abuse and child welfare definitions in the state.

Ben Lieberman from the Competitive Enterprise Institute updates us on the Biden Administration's efforts to reduce the number of gas stoves being used in the US. Among the reasons two federal agencies are claiming as reasons to phase out gas cooking are climate change activism and claims that gas stoves are unhealthy. Liberman examines and addresses the claims.

Bankrate.com analyst Greg McBride explains what the latest federal reserve interest rate hike means to American households. He also offers advice on how to adjust your personal finances in response to what's happended and what's likely to happen in the future.

Landmark Legal Foundation's Mike O'Neil provides an explanation of the federal accusations against former Donald Trump in the latest indictment of the former president.

The Heritage Foundation's Hans Von Spakovsky discusses trends in law schools around the country that he says is promoting radical leftism in law schools. The conversation also examines the possible consequences that could lead to in society.

Maddie Dermon from the Freedom Foundation discusses the "Schools In Transition" material being supported by, among others, the National Education Association. Dermon says the publication is being used to promote transgender ideology to children, regardless of what the parents believe or want.

Dean Clancy from Americans For Prosperity addresses the continuing rise in the cost of health care in America. He discusses why the costs have gone up and explores possible solutions to hep keep the costs down without sacrificing quality.

The Daily Signal's Tyler O'Neil discusses recent actions by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The SPLC added conservative adctivist group Moms 4 Liberty to their list of "hate groups". The conversaton examines how the SPLC regularly equates parental rights and other conservative groups with hate groups like the KKK.

Brad Wilcox from the Institute for Family Studies looks at recent studies showing a trend regarding political and cultural beliefs. The data indicates that boys and young men are increasingly conservative while girls and young women are increasingly more liberal. Wilcox discusses the possible reasons for the change and the societal impacts this cold have,

Thea Showmake from HomeSchoolReadyOrNot.com responds to an article in the Washington Post that is critical of homeschooling. The article argues that homeschooling is losing support and participation around the country.

Rich Marianos is a former assistant director of the ATF and warns about threats to the nation through Chinese-made vaping products. Marianos says that, in addition to the health problems caused by the products, the devices are connected to organized crime and target underage users.

Shortly after President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy announce a spending agreement that suspends the nation's "debt ceiling", several conservative members of Congress objected. Eventually, the deal was passed. In this discussion, Americans For Limited Government's Rick Manning explains what is in the deal and what the possible consequences of it are.

Tommy Valentine from Catholic Vote explains why they are mobilizing a campaign against the Los Angeles Dodgers in response to their decision to honor "The Sisters Of Perpetual Indulgence", which mocks Catholic imagery as part of their LGBT activism. * image from the Sisters of perpetual Indulgence website.

Jessica Melugin from the Competititve Enterprise Institute responds to US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy's announcment that a mental health advisory has been issued, warning parents that time on social media could be hurting the mental health of children. The Biden Administration also announced the formation of a task formed to, among other things, suggest regulations on social media and other technology platforms.

RedState.com writer Jerry Wilson assesses the impact Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has and could have in the GOP race for president. * Image courtesy of @RonDeSantis on Twitter.

Dr. Samuel Gregg, an economist with the American Institute for Economic Research, assesses the standoff between President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy over the terms of raising the US debt ceiling.

Project 21 Ambassador Sonia Morris explains why she and some other black conservatives take issue with President Joe Biden's use of a commencement address at Howard University to talk about white supremacy. Critics accuse the President of using the comments to inject politics into the commencement.

Mark Mix from the National Right to Work Foundation reacts to the news that workers in several Starbucks are moving to decertify the unions that were recently voted into place.

Host Mike Ferguson assesses the state of the GOP race for president with the likely addition of Governor Ron DeSantis to the list of candidates. * this interview aired in May 2023, before DeSantis' entry into the race

James Massa, CEO of Numbers USA, explains what changes are now in place with the expiration of the use of Title 42 to address illegal immigration.

Pacific Legal Foundation attorney Daniel Woislaw describes a horrifying case in Massachusetts where police and state officers showed up at a family's home and demanded they hand over their children or face arrest. In this case, neither the family services officials nor the police had a court order. Woislaw explains the chain of events that led to the encounter and the four-month legal fight that ensued.

Writer Jeffrey Lord discusses his American Spectator article, "The Puzzling Pro-Lifers Who Harm The Cause". In that piece, he takes issue with activists who, he believes, don't accept incremental progress in pro-life policy.

RedState.com Deputy Managing Editor Susie Moore, who is also an attorney, explains the legalities of the civil rulings against Donald Trump. This case was brought by writer E. Jean Carroll, who accused Trump of sexual assault and defamation.

Dan Morenoff from the American Civil Rights Project assesses the proposal to issue reparations to black Americans who live in California. He describes the ideas being debated, the potential costs, and the effect those could have on both the state and the national discussion.

Washington Examiner political reporter Ryan King explains the debate over the debates. Specifically, the conflict over the upcoming RNC-sponsored debates and why Donald Trump threatened to not participate. King explains the points of contention and how they could affect the overall nomination process. The conversation includes a look at both major political parties.

Brownstone Insitute fellow Tom Harrington discusses the arguments he makes in his new book: The Treason Of the Experts: COVID And The Credentialed Class. Harrington looks at the influence - even control - that was ceded to "experts" during the era of Covid-19 shutdowns. He argues that the "credentialied class": academics, medical professionals, policy and political figures, were allowed to violate individual rights without being questioned.

Mattias Gugel from the National Taxpayers Union describes how some proposed paid family leave policies would work if enacted into law. He also assesses how those would affect workers and employers and what the unintended consequences of the policies could be.

The R Street Institute's Adam Thierer offers a perspective on the role artificial intelligence is having in the economy and workplace. The discussion looks at worries many have about AI replacing and leaving workers behind.

Curt Mills from The American Conservative reacts to the news that both Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon were taken off the air at FOX News and CNN , respectively. The conversation looks at the influence they, especially Carlson, have on the national discussion of politics, policy, and culture.

First Liberty Institute's Keisha Russell discusses a legal case in Utah that involved the removal of the Bible from a public school library in the David School District. That happened in response to a complaint filed, saying the Bible contains objectionable material. The discussion includes elements of religious freedom and the debate over age-appropriate materials in public schools.

Bankrate.com's Mark Hamrick assesses the way the economy is affecting personal finances, particularly savings, in the US. He also explains why online banking for savings could be a better options than other options.

Ethan Peck from the Free Enterprise Project discusses concerns about Chinese influence on US businesses. He argues that the nation could be leveraging their financial influence to push businesses into taking actions that run counter to America's interests.

Congressman Mike Bost (R-IL) provides an update on several current issues being debated in Washington, The discussion includes illegal immigration/border security, a legislative proposal to deal with Chinese "dumping" of some products in the US markets in order to disrupt markets, and the debate over the federal debt ceiling and federal spending. * This conversation is courtesy of NewsTalk STL in St. Louis, MO. ** thumbnail image from Rep. Bost's Facebook page

Jean Evans with the American Federation for Children assesses the state of school choice throughout the nation.

Jonathan Williams from the American Legislative Exchange Council discusses their new Rich States, Poor States ranking of economic policy and prosperity. He explains the measurements they used to determine which states are doing the best - and worst.

Erin Walsh from the Heritage Foundation comments on the recent news that the Chinese government (run by the Chinese Communist Party) is operating multiple stealth pseudo-police operations around the US. These operations worked to enforce CCP policies and intimidation on Chinese citizens and expatriates to quash dissent.

Former Congressman Bob Barr (R-GA) discusses the push for more gun control laws after tragedies like those in Louisville, Nashville, Uvalde, and in other cities.

Sheena Meade, CEO of the Clean Slate Initiative, discusses part of the debate over criminal justice reform dealing with criminal records. A "Clean Slate" law would automatically expunge many convictions from criminal records after a set number of years of the person not having any further criminal problems.

Able Americans Project director Melissa Ortiz responds to conservative commentator Candace Owens' recent comments about a disabled model in advertising. In a podcast, Owens said she doesn't want to see people in wheelchairs in their underwear and grouped that style of advertising with woke virtue signaling. In this segment, Ortiz discusses her recent USA Today oped: https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/voices/2023/04/06/candace-owens-skims-disability-wheelchair-comments-wrong/11578157002/

RedState.com writer Jeff Charles reacts to recent news that the Biden Administration is employing a strategy of enlisting social media "influencers" to win support for its policy goals and also for Democratic campaigns.

Timothy Pearce from the Daily Wire discusses a new research study about gender dysforia and "transitioning" children. The research says some new data shows more parents report a decline in mental health of children who "transitioned".

Ethan Blevins from the Pacific Legal Foundation discusses a legal case in Minnesota that involved local housing codes. After being cited for poor living conditions in rental properties some landlords sued, arguing that the cost of meeting the housing code standards would result in pricing poor renters out of their homes.

Host Mike Ferguson comments on the indictment of Donald Trump on dozens of financial criminal charges. Many of the charges stem from payments made to porn star "Stormy Daniels". The segment looks at the recent history of the use of the justice system to pursue political goals. * original air date April 8-9, 2023

Mike O'Neil from the Landmark Legal Foundation discusses the indictment of former President Donald Trump in New York City. * Air date April 8-9th, 2023. * Photo by Gage Skidmore, courtesy of Wikimedia commons