The Daily Signal

It’s a country few Americans have heard of, but Kazakhstan is going through political unrest that should make everyone sit up and take notice. With Russians on the doorstep and a bevy of strategic resources on the line, there’s a lot at stake. "[Kazakhstan] has about 40% of the world's uranium. It has lots of oil and gas and big U.S. companies like Chevron are deeply involved in Kazakhstan," explains Luke Coffey, director of the Allison Center for Foreign Policy at The Heritage Foundation. Coffey joins the "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss why Kazakh unrest matters to the U.S., and what we should be doing about it. We also cover these stories: President Joe Biden says if Senate Democrats don’t get their way on voting legislation, the filibuster needs to end. Dr. Anthony Fauci clashes again with Sen. Rand Paul as Fauci accuses him of endangering his life by criticizing him. Sen. Mitch McConnell says there will be consequences if Senate Democrats change the filibuster. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Writer, commentator, and editor Bethany Mandel only wanted to provide alternatives to the woke books being provided to children in school. So she was shocked when Facebook took down her page advertising such alternatives due to “disruptive content.” "There was no warning," Mandel says of Facebook's action. "They told us that our ads were low quality or disruptive content, but they never actually defined what about them was low quality and disruptive content. ... This is a wholesome new children's book [series] that you can buy for your children for Christmas. It couldn't have gotten less dangerous and more innocuous than our ads. We're literally just selling children's books." Mandel joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss how Facebook censored her, and the importance of having alternatives to the left's woke education materials. We also cover these stories: Reps. James Comer, R-Ky., and Ralph Norman, R-S.C., ask D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to drop the city's vaccine mandate. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell releases a memo predicting Democrats will “try to use fake hysteria to break the Senate and silence millions of Americans’ voices so they can take over elections and ram through their radical agenda.” Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, says he will not willingly appear before the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Friday was a critical day for American liberty. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two cases to determine whether or not a stay would be issued against President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandates. The high court heard arguments on the Biden COVID-19 vaccine and testing mandate for businesses with 100 or more employees, and also on the mandate requiring health care workers to be vaccinated. “The courts seem inclined to strike down the mandate, probably on the lack of authority ground, that OSHA, the agency, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, doesn't have the statutory authority to do what they did,” says Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice. The center filed a lawsuit on behalf of The Heritage Foundation in November challenging the 100-plus employees vaccine mandate. (The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation.) Sekulow joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to break down the arguments made before the high court on Friday, and explain how he thinks the justices might rule. Also on today's show, we read your letters to the editor and share a good news about a bakery that came to the aid of stranded drivers during a snowstorm in Virginia. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re just one week into 2022 and already political debates are heating up in Washington over election integrity, the Senate filibuster, and spending, among other things. It’s clear that 2022 will be a significant year in the fight for American liberty. Jessica Anderson, Heritage Action for America executive director, says conservatives will face at least three major battles in the year ahead. “The fight to protect the sanctity of life, I think, is going to be in the forefront of so many voters minds, really, throughout the year,” Anderson says. The Supreme Court’s decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization case will determine not only whether or not Roe v. Wade is overturned, but also affect the lives of millions of unborn babies. In addition to the issue of abortion, Anderson says, election integrity and President Joe Biden’s liberal agenda more broadly are significant issues to follow in 2022. Also on today’s show: Both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris deliver speeches about the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. Former President Donald Trump says Biden used his speech about Jan. 6 to distract from his failings as president. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis takes action to limit America’s dependence on China. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Fraud over failure.” That’s what prosecutors argued Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes chose, according to former prosecutor and Heritage Foundation legal fellow Zack Smith. Holmes was accused of defrauding investors with promises of new medical technology that would have revolutionized health care. Smith joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss the ins and the outs of the trial. We also cover these stories: Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announces the state will give up to $7,000 in educational funding to families who face unexpected school closures. Americans fled high-tax states in droves last year, choosing instead to lay down roots in states with lower tax burdens. French President Emmanuel Macron says that French people who will not get vaccinated are “irresponsible” and "not citizens." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The true agenda of what has become known as the "transgender movement" is to abolish sex, according to author and self-declared feminist Kara Dansky. Dansky, author of the new book “The Abolition of Sex: How the ‘Transgender’ Agenda Harms Women and Girls," not only takes issue with the objective to destroy the concept of sex, but also with the use of the term ‘transgender.” The term “transgender” was invented, but the “word has no coherent meaning whatsoever,” Dansky says, adding that “every single person on the face of the planet, all 8 billion of us, are either female or male, and that's it.” Dansky joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the history of the term “transgender” and what she thinks the movement's ultimate objective might be. We also cover these stories: Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., says he is very hesitant to consider changes to the filibuster rule sought by many in his party. A federal judge issues a preliminary injunction preventing the Navy and the Defense Department from enforcing a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. In November, a record number of 4.5 million employees quit their jobs. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it comes to children’s education, parents know best, Laura Zorc says. As the mother of four kids herself, Zorc has been fighting for education reform since 2013, when her home state of Florida began adopting Common Core education goals. She successfully rallied a group of parents to stand against the federally funded learning standards. Now, she is training parents across the nation to be advocates for their own children in the classroom. “Just because we send our kids to these government public schools, that does not mean the moment they walk through those front doors that we hand over our rights as parents,” Zorc says. Zorc is the founder of Building Education for Students Together (BEST), an organization that equips parents to run for school board and stand against the far-left policies infiltrating classrooms across America. She joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the importance of parental involvement in the field of education and how parents can begin utilizing the resources offer by BEST, a project of FreedomWorks. We also cover these stories: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announces he plans on forcing a vote to change rules regarding the filibuster. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, calls on the Biden administration to distribute monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of COVID-19. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., announces he will no longer be posting videos to YouTube, accusing the platform of repeatedly censoring his content. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shortly after taking office as secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Dr. Ben Carson recruited a retired finance and strategy expert to become the agency’s chief financial officer. Irving Dennis, appointed by President Donald Trump in late 2017, stepped into the job and quickly discovered the mess he inherited. Dennis spent 37 years at Ernst & Young, a major accounting firm. He would use that private-sector experience to fix HUD. In a new book, “Transforming a Federal Agency: Management Lessons from HUD’s Financial Reconstruction,” Dennis recounts the roadblocks he faced at HUD and the bureaucratic barriers he overcame to set the agency on a better course. His story shows there’s an alternative to the financial mismanagement that plagues federal agencies—and how he fixed one of them. Dennis spoke to The Daily Signal about his experience. Read a lightly edited transcript on DailySignal.com or listen to the interview on “The Daily Signal Podcast.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Top 5 of 2021 Day 5: During this Christmas season, we're sharing some of our favorite interviews of the year to allow our team to take time off for the holidays. Kevin Roberts is the new president of The Heritage Foundation. Roberts says he is eager to advance the conservative movement and address some of the most pressing issues facing our nation today. “The top three [critical issues that we are facing right now] are education, education, and education,” Roberts says, adding that conservatives will miss an “opportunity of a lifetime” if we cannot come together and address what is “broken about the education system.” The immigration crisis at America’s southern border and the “administrative state, the power of the executive branch to do the legislating rather than the legislative branch [doing it]” are also critical issues Roberts says he looks forward to working to fix. Roberts is coming to the Washington, D.C.-based think tank after serving as president and CEO of the Texas Public Policy Foundation in Austin, Texas. (The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation.) He joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss his vision for the future of The Heritage Foundation and the conservative movement. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Top 5 of 2021 Day 4: During this Christmas season, we're sharing some of our favorite interviews of the year to allow our team to take time off for the holidays. The Bible and the Torah have served as sources of inspiration and guidance throughout the ages. Accounts in the Book of Genesis of the Tower of Babel and the Garden of Eden are among those that have helped people from ancient times to understand God and to navigate personal issues. Michael Eisenberg, an Israeli venture capitalist and author of the upcoming book “The Tree of Life and Prosperity: 21st Century Business Principles from the Book of Genesis,” says he believes these stories contain nuggets of wisdom just as applicable today as they were back then. “Wow, this is super-relevant for modern times and modern challenges, this kind of timeless wisdom,” Eisenberg says about the Torah, which encompasses the first five books of the Hebrew Bible. “It has a modern feel to it, despite its nature as an ancient text.” Eisenberg joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to talk about his book and some of the lessons we can take from the Book of Genesis. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Top 5 of 2021 Day 3: During this Christmas season, we're sharing some of our favorite interviews of the year to allow our team to take time off for the holidays. Thomas Sowell is considered by many to be one of the most influential and brilliant minds of the past half-century. He is most famous for his work as an economist, but is also a bestselling author, syndicated columnist, historian, and academic. Yet he hasn’t received much recognition. “When people talk about the great black intellectuals today, you hear names like Henry Louis Gates at Harvard or Cornel West … or today you hear Ta-Nehisi Coates and Ibram X. Kendi,” says Jason Riley, a journalist, scholar, and member of The Wall Street Journal’s editorial board. “But in my view, Tom has written circles around those guys and is much broader in subjects that he’s covered as well as much deeper and his analysis is much more rigorous than those guys’,” Riley says. A new documentary, “Thomas Sowell: Common Sense in a Senseless World,” tells the story of Sowell’s life and how his logic and intellect have impacted society. Riley, who narrates the film, joins the show to discuss the documentary and the personal impact Sowell has had on his own life. You can watch the full-length documentary here or by visiting SowellFilm.com. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Top 5 of 2021 Day 2: During this Christmas season, we're sharing some of our favorite interviews of the year to allow our team to take time off for the holidays. What does it mean to be an American citizen today? Victor Davis Hanson, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and a professor emeritus at California State University, joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to talk about citizenship and other topics covered in his new book “The Dying Citizen: How Progressive Elites, Tribalism, and Globalization Are Destroying the Idea of America.” A bestselling author and one of The Daily Signal’s most popular columnists, Hanson’s latest book serves as a wake-up call for citizens to take their responsibility seriously. “I think we have to just take a deep breath and say, ‘We have to reassert citizenship,'” Hanson says. “We’re starting to see it with local school boards, where somebody, somehow, thought that either school bureaucrats or locally elected people are not responsible for the will of the voters who either elected them or they were hired by elected officials through that vote. And yet parents are starting to object and hold them accountable.” Hanson also reflects on historical comparisons to the tumultuous year 2020. And he explains why, despite the challenges we face today, he remains optimistic about America’s future. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Top 5 of 2021 Day 1: During this Christmas season, we're sharing some of our favorite interviews of the year to allow our team to take time off for the holidays. There’s a crisis in San Francisco. Homelessness has skyrocketed and drug use is rampant. Michael Shellenberger moved to San Francisco in 1993 to work on liberal causes, and even spent time working for George Soros’ foundation. He advocated the decriminalization of drugs and promoted drug treatment programs. But, Shellenberger says, he began to worry when he saw the number of drug overdose deaths in America rise from 17,000 in 2000 to more than 70,000 by 2017. “Clearly, we are in the midst of a massive drug crisis,” Shellenberger says, “and it felt like nobody was offering a particularly clear explanation of it or offering very good solutions.” Out of frustration over the problems he was seeing in San Francisco and other liberal cities, Shellenberger became determined to diagnose the problems driving the homeless crisis and find solutions. He presents the result of his research and investigation in his new book “San Fransicko: Why Progressives Ruin Cities.” Shellenberger joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss how the left’s “victim” ideology has harmed West Coast cities and what can be done to save those communities from complete ruin. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The conflict between Israel and terrorist group Hamas runs back decades. But earlier this year, an 11 day conflict between the two brought the eyes of the world back onto the Middle East. Hamas has resorted to using children in its campaign to destroy Israel. "Hamas uses human shields on a regular basis," Jonathan Schanzer explains. "They actually send kids to the border fence with Israel and militants hide behind them." Schanzer is the senior vice president of research at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and author of "Gaza Conflict 2021: Hamas, Israel and 11 Days of War," and has detailed Hamas' ongoing campaign to obliterate Israel. He joins the show to break down those 11 days of conflict, and discuss how America should be involved. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Years before Donald Trump became president, legacy media was already moving in a woke direction. While no doubt some reporters are ideological, the trend was influenced by the growing prominence of the internet. Online, articles that generated an emotional response became income generators, because they led to readers spending a longer time interacting with the article. In 2017, the New York Times launched a program called Project Feels to track how younger readers responded emotionally to certain articles. "What they found was the more emotional the reader was, the longer they stayed on the page, and the more likely they were to click on an ad," says Batya Ungar-Sargon, the author of the new book "Bad News: How Woke Media Is Undermining Democracy." Ungar-Sargon shares why reporting on racism drives emotions, how black media differs from legacy media in its coverage, and the class issues the media ignores. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As private businesses mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for their employees under pressure from the Biden administration, employees are banding together to make their displeasure known. In the airline industry, United Airlines pilot Sherry Walker and her group, Airline Employees 4 Health Freedom, are pushing back against what they view as an overreach by the industry to control their health and violate their religious freedom. "I cannot wake up some day in 10 years and my kid turns to me and says, 'Mom, you had a chance to fix this and you didn't and you left me this mess,'" Walker says. "So I'm going to fight till the end for my religious faith and that of my coworkers. And if that means that I'm done flying, I guess I have a bigger fight God put in front of me." Walker joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to talk about her efforts to push back against vaccine mandates in the airline industry. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The iconic voice of Rush Limbaugh no longer graces the airwaves, but the broadcaster's legacy lives on in a new book by his longtime sidekick. James Golden, known on air as "Bo Snerdley," spoke to The Daily Signal about the man he worked alongside for 30 years. Golden recently published a book about Limbaugh, "Rush on the Radio: A Tribute from His Sidekick for 30 Years." Golden, who served as Limbaugh's call screeners, recounted, "You had people that depended on him to help guide them through when they were feeling badly about where the country was at a particular moment. We had a regular reoccurring theme amongst some callers, 'Rush, is it time to panic yet?' 'No,' he would say, 'No, there isn't.'" A lightly edited transcript is available at DailySignal.com. Would you like to participate in a toy drive this Christmas? Check out the links below. https://www.prisonfellowship.org/about/angel-tree/ https://www.catholiccharitiesdc.org/angeltree/ https://givingfriends.org/ https://www.romper.com/p/10-best-toy-drive-programs-to-make-the-holidays-happy-for-everyone-19434287 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cuba's communist regime has done almost everything in its power to put an end to pro-democracy protests there. Now, the movement for freedom is fighting to stay alive even as many of its leaders and others have been imprisoned. Last month, Cubans again tried to gather and protest the regime, but the government met the effort with intimidation and force. The protest ultimately resulted in “about 80 new people that were detained and remained detained,” says John Suarez, executive director of the Center for a Free Cuba. The pro-democracy movement in Cuba gained new momentum in July, when thousands of Cubans took to the streets during several days of unplanned protests. Cuba’s communist government is still detaining over 700 of those involved in the protests. The Cuban government's motive is that "they want control,” says Suarez, who joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to describe the situation and what hope remains for a free Cuba. We also cover these stories: President Biden signs a measure, passed by Congress, to raise the debt ceiling by $2.5 trillion. YouTube cancels conservative talk show host and comedian Steven Crowder for the rest of the year. Kim Kardashian discusses cancel culture with former New York Times writer Bari Weiss on the podcast "Honestly." Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s troops continue to amass at Ukraine’s snowy border. A tense atmosphere permeates the cold. And one question is on many minds: Will Russia invade again? Alexis Mrachek, research associate for Russia and Eurasia at The Heritage Foundation, says she thinks it’s quite possible. (The Daily Signal is Heritage’s multimedia news organization.) “I think in looking at a potential second invasion of Ukraine versus not another invasion, I think it’s more likely that Russia would invade Ukraine,” Mrachek explains. “I think it is more likely just looking at the tensions building up, and Russia is now demanding that NATO retract its pledge to admit Ukraine and Georgia one day.” “And so Russia and the U.S. and Western players keep going back and forth,” she says. “It seems more likely that Russia would invade.” Mrachek joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to detail the history of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, lay out the consequences of another Russian invasion, and explain how America and the world should respond to Russian aggression. We also cover these stories: The House votes to hold former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows in contempt of Congress. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., says she supports expanding the Supreme Court from the current nine justices. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, introduces a bill targeting critical race theory in K-12 classrooms. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if former President Ronald Reagan was right? What if freedom really is never more than “one generation away from extinction,” as the then-governor of California said during his inaugural address in 1967. A Purcellville, Virginia-based Christian youth group called Generation Joshua has heeded Reagan’s warning and is working tirelessly to empower and educate teenagers to become future leaders of our nation. The organization exists “to teach high school students about their country, where it comes from, why it's free, and how to keep it that way,” Joel Grewe, the director of Generation Joshua, says. Through summer camps, local clubs, and other creative events, Generation Joshua has taught thousands of teens how to protect American liberties. In celebration of Bill of Rights Day on Dec. 15, Grewe and Jeremiah Lorrig, the organization’s deputy director, join “The Daily Signal Podcast” to share stories of the ways Generation Joshua is training and empowering America’s future leaders. Follow these links to learn more about Joshua Generation, Constituting America, or the American History and Civics Initiative. We also cover these stories: President Joe Biden calls on Congress to pass gun-control measures to try and clamp down on gun violence. Wholesale prices rise by 9.6% since last year. The New Hampshire chapter of the American Federation of Teachers announces it is suing the state to block a law prohibiting teachers from teaching critical race theory in their classrooms. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Americans experience inflation at a rate not felt in four decades, the Biden administration continues to promote a multitrillion-dollar social spending package. “Our spending is already out of control,” Rep. Bryan Steil, R-Wis., says, adding that “new government spending is only going to exacerbate [inflation] and make it worse.” In an effort to get spending under control and inflation rates down, the second-term congressman says, lawmakers should “completely kill this bill.” The House passed the multitrillion-dollar spending package in November and Senate Democrats are working to gain the votes needed to pass it before the end of the year. Steil joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the likelihood that congressional Democrats will secure final passage of the social spending bill and what steps lawmakers should take to stop rising inflation rates. Steil also discusses how small businesses in his home state of Wisconsin are fairing amid economic challenges and after the riots that struck parts of the state last summer. We also cover these stories: The tornado that tore through Kentucky late Friday and into Saturday claimed at least 70 to 80 lives, officials say. The Supreme Court declines to decide whether Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers violated the First Amendment by barring a conservative think tank from attending his press conferences. California Gov. Gavin Newsom says he will empower citizens to enforce a ban on the sale and manufacturing of "assault weapons." Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The trial of Ghislaine Maxwell—the right-hand woman of deceased financier and convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein—continues this week, with Maxwell’s defense attorneys expected to make their case Thursday. Maxwell is charged with recruiting and grooming four underaged girls to be abused by Epstein. To better understand the details and nuance of this disturbing case, The Daily Signal spoke with Zack Smith, a former assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Florida and a legal fellow at The Heritage Foundation. You can listen to the podcast or read a lightly edited transcript below. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Scott Atlas had a front-row seat at the White House as a member of President Donald Trump's Coronavirus Task Force. Now, he's telling all in a new book, "A Plague Upon Our House: My Fight at the Trump White House to Stop COVID from Destroying America." "The American people need to know the level of incompetence, the lack of rigor, the lack of critical thinking. I was stunned at what I saw," Atlas says of his time at the White House. "We had bureaucrats in charge of the policy and that policy was the restrictions and lockdowns. And it failed." Atlas blames three public health officials: Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator; Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; and Dr. Robert Redfield, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to talk about his time on Trump's task force, President Joe Biden's failures, and a new academy he founded at Hillsdale College. Watch the full interview or read an abridged transcript at DailySignal.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Venezuela used to be a thriving and prosperous Latin American nation. Its citizens enjoyed a quality of life, and immigrants flocked there to better their situation. All of that changed abruptly when socialism took over the Venezuelan government. The once flourishing country quickly became an example for other nations as to what happens when socialism is allowed to run rampant. Violent crime skyrocketed, people lost their lives and livelihoods, and neighbors began to view each other as rivals for ever-diminishing resources. Yet, many Americans, blissfully ignorant of the ravages of socialism, want to bring it to the United States. When they hear the word socialism, they think of "free" college and health care, as promised by politicians such as Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. Venezuelan Daniel Di Martino has seen firsthand the horrors inflicted by socialism in his homeland, and wants to educate people about what it's really like. "In Venezuela, about 30,000 people get killed every year of murder. My aunt got kidnapped one time, and when she went to report the kidnapping in the police station, one of the police officers was one of the kidnappers," Di Martino said. "It's a country destroyed by socialist policies, so it's very hard to find food, very hard to find basic necessities," he added. "So, you have to make lines for hours. You have to bribe people. You have to be corrupt. It's not a good place to live. And so, that's why I'm very grateful to have been able to come to America." Di Martino joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to share his experiences with life in socialist Venezuela, as well as to offer his advice on how to educate Americans about the dangers of the ideology. We also cover these stories: President Joe Biden pushes world leaders to bolster democracy during a virtual "Summit for Democracy." The Food and Drug Administration authorizes booster shots of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for 16- and 17-year-olds. The parents of two girls who survived the Oxford High School shooting near Detroit file two $100 million lawsuits against the school district in federal court. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a topic that few people know about, but that has far-reaching consequences. Trial lawyers across the country are cozying up to the left, advancing their radical agendas while lining their pockets with government money. The result? The average consumer pays the price. "It affects [consumers] in part because you've got governments handing out big-deal contracts to politically active people on probably the wrong side of the aisle," says O.H. Skinner, executive director of Alliance for Consumers. "And I think that alone should be something that people pay attention to." "But on a basic level," Skinner adds, "these contracts are the kind of things where there's millions of dollars that are often not tied to individual cases, not tied to case outcomes, where consumers get money." Skinner joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss how widespread the relationship between trial lawyers and the left is, as well as offer solutions for conservatives. We also cover these stories: President Joe Biden says he won’t unilaterally send U.S. troops to defend Ukraine from a Russian invasion. The House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol will pursue contempt charges against former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows for failing to appear for a deposition. California is positioning itself to be an abortion sanctuary if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is still little data available on the new omicron variant of COVID-19 but that is not stopping some political leaders from implementing new policies and requirements. New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has issued a vaccine mandate for employees across the city. The Biden administration is restricting travel from some nations while heavily promoting COVID-19 booster shots. But what do experts say is the right response to the omicron variant? Political leaders “shouldn't respond reflexively with the same old, same old tools that haven't worked all that well in the past,” says Doug Badger, a senior fellow at The Heritage Foundation, the parent organization of The Daily Signal. Badger joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss what we do, and do not, know about the new COVID-19 variant and how our elected leaders can respond without restricting freedom. We also cover these stories: During a video meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, President Joe Biden expresses concerns over Russia's intents toward Ukraine. Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows says he no longer plans to cooperate with a congressional probe into the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Lawmakers strip from the National Defense Authorization Act a controversial provision that would have required women to register for the military draft. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aubrey and Bryan Schlackman say they are just a normal couple who happen to have a unique vision to help pregnant women in crisis. “There are lots of women that are in desperate need, that need help,” Bryan Schlackman says. “And it's just devastating that we, that this culture, doesn't think first of how we can help the mom.” About a year ago, the Texas couple had an idea to create a “maternity ranch”—a term they coined. The mission of the ranch is to create a loving and safe environment for single pregnant women who need a fresh start. The vision for their Argyle, Texas-based ministry, Blue Haven Ranch, is to have 15 to 20 homes for mothers on the property of a fully functioning ranch that will produce income that will one day make the nonprofit self-sustaining. The couple is currently mentoring five pregnant women and helping them find a fresh start, but they can only house them in apartments until they have the resources to purchase the ranch and build the homes. Ultimately, they want to purchase 100 acres or more in the Dallas area to build the ranch. The Schlackmans say they think their vision to help women in unplanned-pregnancy circumstances is particularly relevant now in light of enactment of Texas' new heartbeat law, which restricts most abortions after a fetal heartbeat can be detected, and the possibility of Roe v. Wade being overturned by the Supreme Court. Roe v. Wade is the 1973 high court ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. When “abortion [becomes] illegal, other things have to come and take the place of that,” Aubrey Schlackman says. The couple joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to explain how the model of Blue Haven Ranch could be an answer to the challenges some women face during an unplanned pregnancy. We also cover these stories: New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announces a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for all private businesses. The Justice Department is taking legal action against Texas over the state's redistricting plans. The White House announces a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Olympics over China’s human rights abuses. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is social-emotional learning? By now, many Americans are aware of critical race theory, which makes race the focus of all aspects of American life. The philosophy categorizes individuals into groups of oppressors and victims, and is currently making its way through the political sphere, the military, and of course, education. But less well known is its ideological cousin, social-emotional learning. The program seeks to indoctrinate kids into leftist ideology by reinforcing a series of critical race theory-based morals and values. Jennifer McWilliams was working as a reading teacher at Frankton Elementary School in Indiana when she noticed that social-emotional learning was being taught as part of the curriculum at her school. When she voiced her concerns about the racist ideology, she was summarily fired. McWilliams says there’s nothing good about social-emotional learning, and that it’s based in racist critical race theory. “It is all negative,” she says, “When you understand the program fully, and you understand the framework and the ideology behind it, you will understand that it is not good. The entire social-emotional learning framework is based on the critical race theory ideology.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do lockdowns work? Do masks? What have we learned about what government actions help prevent the spread of COVID-19, and which don't? As public health officials and the media sound the alarm about the omicron variant of COVID-19, the answers to those questions are crucial. Alex Berenson, a former New York Times reporter and author of the new book "Pandemia: How Coronavirus Hysteria Took Over Our Government, Rights, and Lives," joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to answer all those questions and more, drawing on data from various states and countries. Berenson also unpacks the damage caused by some measures taken against COVID-19. We also cover these stories: The Biden administration is preparing to reinstate the Trump-era “Remain in Mexico” policy for migrants seeking asylum. The administration announces new measures to control COVID-19 on the heels of the first confirmed U.S. infection involving the omicron variant. A Massachusetts teacher sues her former principal and superintendent after being fired for posting videos on TikTok voicing opposition to critical race theory and gender identity ideology. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The days of abortion on demand could be numbered. The Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday in a case in which the high court could overturn its 1973 decision in Roe v. Wade and send power back to the states to determine their own abortion laws. "I feel like the Supreme Court right now has a very clear, intellectually honest blueprint to overturn Roe v. Wade, restore the Constitution to its proper meaning and understanding, and return the issue of abortion back to the people of America," says Denise Harle, a senior attorney at the Christian legal aid group Alliance Defending Freedom. The case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization stems from a Mississippi law, passed in 2018 but not in effect, which aims to ban most abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy. Mississippi’s only remaining abortion clinic immediately challenged the a lawsuit. Now, the Supreme Court again is considering the constitutionality of abortion. Harle, who directs Alliance Defending Freedom's Center for Life, joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to break down the oral arguments heard by the nine justices and predict what the future holds for Roe v. Wade. We also cover these stories: The Supreme Court hears oral arguments in a major abortion case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. The House Freedom Caucus urges Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to refuse to pass a continuing resolution to keep the government open if that measure funds President Biden’s vaccine mandate for private employers. CNN host Chris Cuomo expresses embarrassment on his Sirius XM radio show after his indefinite suspension Tuesday from the cable news outlet. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Americans are familiar with the idea of a dystopian future, dominated by an inescapable metaverse and ruled over by Big Tech overlords. Films such as “Blade Runner” and “Minority Report” depict a world conquered by technology and the terrifying consequences. Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that he wants to take that world from the screen and make it our own. “Facebook is making itself bigger. It’s basically making an incursion into your everyday life with this metaverse conception,” explains Kara Frederick, research fellow in technology policy at The Heritage Foundation, parent organization of The Daily Signal. “This is going to be, in my mind, a totalization of control of your life in the future.” Frederick joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss Zuckerberg, the metaverse, and how dire the consequences might be if Big Tech is allowed to take over our lives. We also cover these stories: The Supreme Court prepares to hears oral arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the abortion case that could overturn Roe v. Wade. Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows reaches an initial agreement to cooperate with a House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. New York City becomes the first American city to open government-sanctioned drug-injection sites for addicts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The upcoming Supreme Court abortion case could be "the most important" case of "our lifetimes," predicts Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel Erin Hawley. Hawley, mother to three and wife to Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, a Republican, discussed Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization during a podcast interview with The Daily Signal. The Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments in the highly divisive case on Wednesday. "History is clearly on the pro-life side, and there's no way you can make a historical argument for a deeply-rooted right to abortion," Hawley said. The Alliance Defending Freedom senior counsel explains the Mississippi law at the center of the Supreme Court case, how the justices may decide on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, why most abortion advocates don't properly understand Roe v. Wade, and more. We also cover these stories: President Joe Biden says he believes the United States will see cases of the new omicron variant in America sooner or later but says the variant is not a "cause for panic." Two major trials began Monday: the trial of Jeffrey Epstein's friend Ghislaine Maxwell, facing sex trafficking charges, and the trial of Jussie Smollett, the actor accused of faking a hate crime. The Students for Socialism group at Arizona State University is working to get Kyle Rittenhouse kicked out of the school after a jury in Kenosha, Wisconsin acquitted Rittenhouse of homicide charges. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More and more, it seems big corporations and even banks have become tools of the left. Americans have been fired from their jobs, deplatformed from social media, and have even seen their bank accounts closed, simply for not bending a knee to the left. This has prompted many conservatives to rethink where they spend and invest their money. John Coleman, a managing partner of Sovereign's Capital, a values-driven private equity and venture capital firm, joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss a more thoughtful way of investing in the age of "woke corporatism." "You've got this dynamic where progressives are much more likely to actually act on their political or cultural beliefs against a company than conservatives are," says Coleman. "And so, we've ended up in a situation where if you're a public company, those who hold more progressive values have much greater sway on what you are going to do, because you suffer the consequences more [directly] if you don't listen to that voice." Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Looking at the country today, it's easy to fall into despair. As the radical left pushes policies and ideas leading to the degradation of our nation, it's hard not to lose hope. But the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, says there's a way to keep going in the face of encroaching darkness: Rely on your own faith and fortitude. "Your battle is truly between destiny and drama," Rodriguez says. "And when your hunger for righteousness is greater than your fear of criticism, nothing can stop you. When your integrity is more important to you than your influence, nothing can stop you." Rodriguez joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss his new book "Persevere With Power" and to give our listeners the hope they may need to get through these troubled times. We also cover these stories: The Biden administration asks a federal court to reinstate its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for businesses and other organizations with 100 or more employees. President Joe Biden announces he will release 50 million barrels of oil from the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve to counter rising gas prices before Christmastime. Officials remove a statue of America’s third president, Thomas Jefferson, from New York City Hall. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Even though President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate for private employers is on hold pending court action, the fight is on in Congress to ensure that it never can come back. Out of 50 Republicans in the Senate, however, one man is issuing a rallying cry against such mandates. Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., is leading the charge against Biden's vaccine mandate for employers of 100 or more. Braun is galvanizing colleagues to push back against the White House and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the agency within the Labor Department that the president designated to issue an emergency rule to implement the mandate. Braun joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss what he and his congressional colleagues are doing to fight Biden’s plan. We also cover these stories: At least five are dead and 40 injured, including at least 18 children, after an SUV driver rams through a crowd during a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wisconsin. A jury in Georgia hears closing arguments in the trial of three white men charged with murdering a black man in their neighborhood. Biden announces that he will renominate Jerome Powell as chairman of the Federal Reserve despite calls from the left to replace the Trump nominee. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Joe Biden's sweeping COVID-19 vaccine mandates are facing a slew of lawsuits from states and private employers. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry is leading the charge against three of those mandates, already securing one favorable decision while awaiting action on the other two. Landry joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss Biden's mandates and the legal challenges he's pursuing to halt their implementation. "The president is actually contradicting the whole reason that we're having these mandates," Landry says. "To me, that becomes prima facie evidence of exactly why or what this administration's up to. It's not about health care. It's not about fighting the Chinese virus. It's about controlling you." In addition to vaccine mandates, Landry also discusses: U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland's recent memo targeting parents who speak at school board meetings; Louisiana's efforts to support law enforcement and counter the "defund the police" movement; JP Morgan Chase's discrimination against gun manufacturers and Second Amendment supporters; Biden's failure to halt an oil-and-gas lease sale in Louisiana, which could deliver $100 million to the state. Listen to the full interview below or read a lightly edited transcript at DailySignal.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss his concerns with Dr. Anthony Fauci and his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. He also talks about Attorney General Merrick Garland's war on parents and why he has concerns about whether the COVID-19 vaccine is safe for kids. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The murder trial of Kyle Rittenhouse, after eight days of testimony, has gone to a jury in Kenosha, Wisconsin, to arrive at verdicts in the highly publicized case. The jury, which finished its second day of deliberation Tuesday, was considering seven counts, including first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, and attempted first-degree homicide. As Americans wait to learn Rittenhouse's fate, it's helpful to look back and see how we got here. Self-defense expert and attorney Andrew Branca extensively covered the trial’s ins and outs. Branca has written that he thinks the jury should find Rittenhouse, 18, not guilty because he acted in self-defense in shooting three men who pursued him during a riot in Kenosha, killing two. "I don't even think it's close. It should be an acquittal on all these criminal charges," Branca says. "I'm sure what we're experiencing here is a holdout of one or perhaps two jurors. The evidence is not close on any of these issues." Branca joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss what you need to know about the case. We also cover these stories: The Occupational Safety and Health Administration suspends implementation of President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for private employers, pending litigation. The International Olympic Committee releases new guidance for intersex and transgender athletes, reversing policies requiring biological males who identify as females to lower their testosterone levels. House Democrats censure and strip committee assignments from Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., over an edited anime clip he posted on Twitter depicting him as physically attacking characters with the faces of Biden and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The same day President Joe Biden announced details of his COVID-19 vaccine mandate for private employers, The Daily Wire filed a lawsuit to stop it. The Daily Wire, a media outlet founded by conservative commentator and author Ben Shapiro, filed the suit because the mandate on employers of 100 or more workers is unconstitutional, the organization said in a public statement Nov. 4. Alliance Defending Freedom, a Christian legal aid organization, is representing The Daily Wire in its fight to halt Biden's vaccine mandate. Although it is risky for any lawyer to predict a case will go to the Supreme Court, Ryan Bangert, a senior attorney for Alliance Defending Freedom, says this case is different. “I think this one has a very good chance of going to the Supreme Court because of the stakes,” Bangert says. Bangert joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the constitutionality of the vaccine mandate and what could be next for The Daily Wire’s lawsuit. We also cover these stories: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the ongoing crisis in which large numbers of illegal immigrants cross the southern border. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis takes aim at the Biden administration and Washington's ruling class. Californians are paying more at the gas pump than ever before. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nike, Coca-Cola, and American Airlines are just a few of the companies Consumers’ Research is targeting over their woke business practices. Consumers’ Research, an educational organization seeking to highlight issues concerning to consumers, now has a new target: American investment firm BlackRock and their ties to the Chinese Communist Party. "Where [is BlackRock] investing your money? China. Pouring in billions, propping up Chinese communist leaders, putting money into surveillance companies used by the Chinese military. Even left-wing billionaire George Soros knows BlackRock is harming U.S. national security," says Will Hild, executive director of Consumers’ Research. Hild joins the show to talk about Consumers’ Research's new campaign targeting BlackRock's Chinese ties and to discuss other woke businesses. We also cover these stories: Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon surrenders himself to law enforcement. Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., announces he will not seek reelection in 2022, putting an end to his nearly 50-year career. Judge Bruce Schroeder dismisses a misdemeanor charge against Kyle Rittenhouse for possession of a dangerous weapon by a minor. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remember when Sen. Bernie Sanders pointed to Europe as the solution for America's problems? “I think we should look to countries like Denmark, like Sweden and Norway,” Sanders, I-Vt., said during a 2016 presidential debate, “and learn what they have accomplished for their working people.” He's not alone. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said, "What we have in mind and what my policies most closely resemble are what we see in the U.K., Norway, in Finland, in Sweden.” These self-proclaimed socialists profess that a European model is superior to the United States. It isn't. David Harsanyi, a senior writer at National Review and columnist for The Daily Signal, is the author of a new book, "Eurotrash: Why America Must Reject the Failed Ideas of a Dying Continent." Harsanyi debunks the American left's myths about Europe and explains why we shouldn't look across the Atlantic to solve our problems. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

China has reportedly tested a new strategic weapon: a fractional orbital bombardment system armed with a hypersonic glide vehicle. What exactly does this weapon do and what is the threat to the United States? Peter Brookes, a senior research fellow focusing on weapons of mass destruction and counterproliferation at The Heritage Foundation, joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to shed some light on this startling development. (The Daily Signal is Heritage's multimedia news organization.) "This weapon—because of its unlimited range—could be flown over the South Pole towards the United States, which would give it certain capabilities that would be difficult to defend against," Brookes explains. "For years and years, going back to the Cold War, we have developed our radar capabilities looking towards things coming over the North Pole or from east and west, and not from the south." Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James Lednicky, a student at Arizona State University, joined the Veterans Heritage Project because he wanted to learn more about the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform. He was matched with a Vietnam veteran, retired Lt. Col. Fred Shirley, and was tasked with documenting Shirley’s story. Lednicky says he was a little nervous about interviewing Shirley, but “as soon as Fred and I got talking, we really just had a conversation about his time in the military, and it was just a great conversation.” Lednicky plans to serve in the military himself and says his conversations with Shirley have influenced how he hopes to one day lead as a Marine. The way in which Shirley led with “humility" is "something that really struck me,” Lednicky says. The way Shirley looked after “those that serve under [him] ... it makes me want to lead my Marines the same way, to care about them deeply, and to let them know that I care, like Fred did,” he says. Lednicky and Shirley join “The Daily Signal Podcast” to share their experience in the Veterans Heritage Project and how we can all care for our veterans. We also cover these stories: Inflation rates have hit a new 30-year record high. The American Medical Association’s recently released "Advancing Health Equity" guide comes under fire. America’s most elite private K-12 schools are teaching critical race theory, according to a new study by CriticalRace.org, founded by Cornell law professor William Jacobson. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sen. Josh Hawley discusses the "crisis" of manhood in the United States with The Daily Signal. Hawley suggests that liberal messaging on "toxic masculinity" has driven able-bodied men to forsake their masculinity and withdraw into idleness. The Missouri Republican calls for a new message to be sent to the men of America: one that focuses on what men can accomplish if they orient their masculinity towards the good. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

COVID-19 vaccine mandates are wreaking havoc across the country as employees are forced to get vaccinated or possibly risk losing their jobs. Employees' religion-based objections to vaccination are clashing with those mandates, and often, the mandate wins out. Hunter Creger was suspended from his job at a Colorado-based spacecraft launch service after he refused the vaccine on religious grounds. "It was awful," Creger explains. "These are people that I work for, and that I've developed a relationship with, and they're telling me that … . They walked me out the door. They had security walk me out the door because I didn't want to take the shot." Creger joins the show to share his story and to offer advice to others who find themselves in circumstances similar to his. We also cover these stories: The Biden administration insists that mandating COVID-19 vaccines and testing for employees of larger companies is necessary to keep the public safe. Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, signs legislation amending state law to make it more difficult for Illinoisans to refuse to be vaccinated. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra refuses to address GOP accusations that he violated federal conscience protections and worked at "the behest of the abortion lobby." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Diversity officers slowly are corrupting K-12 education by bringing diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives into schools and teaching children divisive topics such as critical race theory, a Heritage Foundation scholar says. A new report from Jay Greene, a senior research fellow in education at Heritage, highlights how harmful these diversity officers and their initiatives can be. Worse than simply indoctrinating children, the report says, proposals to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion contribute to a widening achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantaged students. In some cases, the gaps between advantaged and disadvantaged students can be utterly crippling, he explains. "So it's easy to understand, this is how many grade levels apart the average white student is from the average black student in that [school] district. That average, by the way, is almost two grade levels," Greene says at one point. Greene joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and how they negatively affect disadvantaged students. We also cover these stories: The Biden administration encourages schools to promote the new COVID-19 vaccine for children. The president’s approval ratings are in bad shape, according to a new USA Today/Suffolk University poll. America is now open to travelers from Europe, Canada, and Mexico, providing they're fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"What if Christian parents of children reading comic books don’t want their kids exposed to bisexual characters?" Sophia Nelson thought it was a reasonable question in the wake of DC Comics' announcement that Superman's son, Jon Kent, would have a pink-haired boyfriend in an upcoming comic. Nelson, a scholar-in-residence at Christopher Newport University in Virginia and a bestselling author, never expected her Oct. 11 tweet to ignite her own ordeal with cancel culture. Students petitioned, professors protested, and the university's president—a former Republican U.S. senator from Virginia—acquiesced to the pressure rather than defending Nelson. Today, Nelson joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to share her concerns about cancel culture, fear of returning to campus, and what she has planned next. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

President Joe Biden has rolled out a COVID-19 vaccine mandate affecting about 80 million American workers. Biden is ordering all businesses and other organizations with 100 or more employees to make sure those employees either become vaccinated or are tested weekly for the disease. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., says he is outraged by what he views as a massive government overreach. Vaccine mandates "are freedom-robbing," Johnson says. "They're unbelievably coercive." "I've always thought that nobody should be pressured, coerced, or fear reprisal for refusing any medical treatment, including the COVID vaccine," Johnson adds. "But we've just turned our society, our laws, our ethics on their head during this pandemic. It's time for Americans to reclaim their freedom." Johnson joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss what he and congressional colleagues plan to do about Biden's largest vaccine mandate, as well as to share some stories of Americans who have been affected by side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines. We also cover these stories: The Biden administration formally announces its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for many private employers. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and Dr. Anthony Fauci get into another heated exchange during a Senate committee hearing. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler calls for over $5 million in additional police department funding nearly a year after Oregon's largest city cut its police budget in response to protests and riots. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Civics education has become a flashpoint in American politics. Many schools are asking how students should learn about themselves and their country in a way that fully encompasses American history, both good and bad. Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen recently updated the state’s standards for social studies to better teach students about civics and the things they need to know to be a good American citizen. When asked what she hopes Montana's students are getting out of their civics education, Arntzen responded, "That our country is a great country. ... We did not want a king ... And I believe that's where our Republic is and our Republic is founded. That yes, there are symbols that have come across from monuments, from our flag, and our Pledge of Allegiance and all of that. And I believe all of those parts are to be honored." Arntzen joins the show to talk about those changes to the social studies standards, as well as offer insight on how other states can do better with their civics education standards. We also cover these stories: Democrat West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin justifies his cautious stance towards Democrats unprecedented 1.75 trillion dollar spending package as a result of Tuesday's election. For the first time in more than a decade, the Supreme Court hears arguments in a major Second Amendment case. Florida second grader Fiona Lashells joins Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on a Fox News segment, after the little girl was suspended from school for refusing to wear a mask. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The 2020 election was unprecedented, what with the COVID-19 pandemic and controversy over expanded early and mail-in voting. “There were more lawsuits filed last year before the election trying to change the laws and the rules governing the election process than in any year in our entire history,” Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow and election expert at The Heritage Foundation. The political left used the pandemic to try to undo requirements for voter ID and for witness signatures on absentee ballots, von Spakovsky, who oversees Heritage's Election Law Reform Initiative. (The Daily Signal is Heritage's multimedia news organization.) The question now is: How do we ensure clean and honest elections across America? In his new book with former Wall Street Journal columnist John Fund, “Our Broken Elections: How the Left Changed the Way You Vote,” von Spakovsky addresses the election issues of 2020 and provides solutions with which lawmakers can prevent voter fraud. Von Spakovsky joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss his new book and why Americans should support safeguarding our elections through measure such as voter ID. We also cover these stories: Republican candidate Glenn Youngkin is poised to be the next governor of Virginia. Democrat and former New York City Police Captain Eric Adams wins the city’s mayoral election, beating out Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. A proposal to replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a new Department of Public Safety fails. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices