The Daily Signal

What is “wokeness” in America today? How did we get here? Are "woke" corporations a threat to this country? What risk do we run if we don’t push back? Vivek Ramaswamy, the author of the forthcoming book "Woke, Inc.: Inside Corporate America's Social Justice Scam," joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss wokeness and the dangers it poses to American society and beyond. "If wokeism is a religion, then an employer can no longer force that religion down the throat of their employees any more than they could force down Christianity or Islam or any other religion. So, then, that raises the question of, well, 'Is wokeism a religion or not?'" Ramaswamy said. "And I think on the facts, the answer is abundantly clear ... . There are certain words you can't say, certain clothes you can't wear, certain apologies you must recite, and an excommunication that follows, whether or not you recite it," he added. We also cover these stories: The White House says it won't meet President Joe Biden’s coronavirus vaccine goal of vaccinating 70% of American adults by Independence Day on July 4. In an op-ed for The Washington Post, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., reaffirms her stance on retaining the Senate filibuster. Black Lives Matter is criticizing Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., for his membership in a reportedly all-white beach club. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Amy Lannom Wilhite is executive director at 2ndVote, which keeps track of major companies' positions on social issues such as the transgender agenda. "You wouldn't support [certain positions] at the ballot box with a candidate that you vote for, so why would you spend your dollars there?" asks Wilhite, who joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to talk about how her organization helps Americans make consumer decisions based on their convictions. "We say your first vote is at the ballot box and your second vote is with your wallet," Wilhite says. "It's the power of what you have in your pocket and with the money that you spend. And we want to educate consumers so that they can shop their values [and] so that we can make change with all the corporate activism that's going on." We also cover these stories: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy calls for China to be held accountable for the COVID-19 pandemic. In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court rules against the NCAA on the question of paying student athletes. New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard is set to be the first transgender athlete to compete in the Olympics. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last August, as Americans watched the fallout from a police shooting in Kenosha, Wis., pastor James E. Ward Jr. found himself in a position to help. The victim, Jacob Blake, had been shot seven times in the back. Violence erupted in Kenosha. Ward, pastor and founder of INSIGHT Church in the north Chicago suburb of Skokie, Ill., turned to prayer. “I get this phone call on my cellphone from Julia Jackson,” Ward tells The Daily Signal. “Julia Jackson is one of our faithful intercessory-prayer team members in our church. Julia happens to be the mother of Jacob Blake Jr. … And we prayed that Jacob would live and not die. And we’re thankful that he’s alive today, and he’s doing well.” The shooting left Blake paralyzed below the waist. Yet both Jackson, Blake’s mother, and Ward, her pastor, decided “to speak a different narrative. We weren’t calling for a hatred. We weren’t calling for destruction. We’re calling for peace and speaking the love of God over the city. And it really went viral.” Ward rejects “victim mentality” and ideologies like critical race theory. He purposefully took a different approach from Black Lives Matter and found himself working with President Donald Trump last year. Now, he’s preaching this “new attitude” in a book called “Zero Victim.” Ward visited The Daily Signal to discuss “Zero Victim: Overcoming Injustice With a New Attitude” and his experience in Kenosha last year. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When law enforcement cleared protesters from Lafayette Square last year, left-leaning media outlets immediately ran with the narrative that President Donald Trump had ordered the move so he could get a photo-op in front of nearby St. John’s Church. But a new inspector general’s report reveals the truth: Trump had nothing to do with the police action. Tim Murtaugh, who was communications director for Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign, views this episode—as well as numerous other Trump-related stories that the media has had to retract—as one of the dangers of what he calls “pack journalism.” “No single reporter wants to be the only one going out and saying, ‘Hey, maybe this isn’t what everybody thinks it is,'” Murtaugh says. “So everybody stays in the same pack, they all report it the same way. And what do you know, almost every single time you’ve got all the media on one side, Donald Trump on the other side, and very often, those things fall apart.” Murtaugh joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss media malfeasance in reporting on Trump, why so-called mainstream outlets run cover for the radical left, and what conservatives can do to make sure they can find honest and high-quality news. We also cover these stories: The Supreme Court rules 9-9 that Catholic Social Services may keep putting children into foster homes in accord with its religious belief that marriage is the union of one man and one woman. In another decision, the high court votes 7-2 to uphold the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare. The federal government will observe Juneteenth on Friday, as the observance becomes a national holiday celebrating the end of slavery in America. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Public education in New York City is far from what it once was, Ian Rowe, a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, says. “I had a great public school education in New York City kindergarten through 12th grade,” Rowe says. But today, he says, New York City's public schools aren't meeting the needs of students. He notes that in the South Bronx, for example, “only 2%" of students who started ninth grade in 2015 graduated from high school "ready for college." Different factors contributed to this decline, but with students struggling to read and do basic math, Rowe says, ideologies such as critical race theory serve only as a “distraction.” In 2022, Rowe says, he plans to launch Vertex Partnership Academies in the Bronx, a network of charter-based international baccalaureate high schools. Rowe joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss why he promotes school choice options in New York and to explain why critical race theory doesn't benefit students. We also cover these stories: President Biden meets the press in Geneva after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putin dodges reporters' questions about his human rights record and Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says she is concerned by the leak of private taxpayer information to the media outlet ProPublica. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kevin McGary is the president of Every Black Life Matters, with emphasis on the "Every." McGary joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss the contrasts between the Black Lives Matters organization and his own group, how fatherlessness has adversely affected the black community, critical race theory, the racist origins of Margaret Sanger and Planned Parenthood, and more. "When we encounter people who are diehard BLMers, they usually say, 'Hey, ... black lives matter,'" McGary said. "And I go up to them, and I get in their face, and I say, 'You know what, to me, bro, every single black life matters.' And then I asked them, 'Now, does every single black life matter to you?' And then they're stuck. They're like, 'Ooh, this brother, he's coming with something.'" We also cover these stories: The House Oversight and Reform Committee releases emails revealing that the Trump White House put pressure on then-Deputy Attorney General Jeff Rosen to investigate voter fraud claims. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., defends the Trump administration's Justice Department for subpoenaing the phone and email records of House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Schiff and Rep. Eric Swalwell, both California Democrats. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., apologizes for comparing the House speaker's requirement that members of Congress continue to wear a face mask against COVID-19 on the House floor with Jews being made to wear gold stars by the Nazis during the Holocaust. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brenda Tillett is the founder and president of Stand Up Virginia. She joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to talk about the new organization and how it’s working to hold rogue prosecutors accountable. "In Fairfax County, Steve Descano was funded by George Soros," Tillett says. Descano is the elected Fairfax County, Va., commonwealth's attorney. Soros is a leftist billionaire who funds a wide variety of left-wing candidates and causes. And there are four other rogue commonwealth's attorneys in Virginia who were also funded by George Soros. What they do is, they go in, and they completely dismantle law enforcement.And what do I mean by that? Well, for instance, Steve Descano has a policy that if you're a juvenile, meaning 17 years old, you will not have a public record. You won't have a criminal record.So if you want to get together with your friends who are gang members and beat up a 30-year-old man who's leaving a convenience store, bash his teeth in, leave him bleeding to die, Steve Descano will either bring that down to a misdemeanor or not prosecute you.Tillett joins the podcast to discuss all of that and more. Jeff Hunt, the director of the Lakewood, Colorado-based Centennial Institute, also joins "The Daily Signal Podcast." Hunt's organization this week is hosting the Western Conservative Summit, which includes "live speakers as well as mini-documentaries showcasing Western leaders, Western issues, and the beauty and majesty of the Western United States." We also cover these stories: President Joe Biden arrives at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Monday and reaffirms America's commitment to the North Atlantic alliance. Before his meeting with Biden, Russian President Vladimir Putin tells NBC that he isn’t able to give his word as to whether or not Alexei Navalny, an opposition leader and critic of Putin, will leave prison alive. Republicans introduce a resolution to censure Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and the other three members of "the Squad" for comments made last week likening the U.S. and Israel to Hamas and the Taliban. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Henry Ford, John D. Rockefeller, and Andrew Mellon flourished because of America's free-enterprise system. Yet, the foundations that bear their names are today pursuing a much different agenda, warns Rick Graber, president and CEO of the Bradley Foundation and chairman of the Philanthropy Roundtable. "These foundations exist with their massive endowments because of these gentlemen that believed in free markets, took risks, and created just some incredible, incredible companies," Graber says. "It's hard to make the case that any of these foundations—Ford, Rockefeller, Mellon—are honoring donor intent. The founders would not be pleased." Graber recently wrote about the topic for The Daily Signal, "Woke Foundations Use Dollars Acquired Through Capitalism to Undermine Free Market Principles," warning about the implications for America's future. He joined me on "The Daily Signal Podcast." Also on today's show, we also read your letters to the editor and share a good news story about a Waffle House manager who went out of his way to make sure one of his youngest employees could attend his high school graduation. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dave Rubin, the host of "The Rubin Report" on YouTube and BlazeTV, was a liberal for many years before he realized the political left no longer represented him or his political views. “For me to tell you that I'm not a conservative at this point doesn't really make sense,” Rubin said. “It was a long ... journey to get there, but I don't mind saying it now.” Rubin began to question the political left when he saw that the same people who preached tolerance were not willing to accept those who did not embrace the radical ideologies the left was promoting. Rubin, who is also the author of "Don't Burn This Book: Thinking for Yourself in an Age of Unreason," joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss how wokeness infiltrated progressivism and why he chose to walk away from the left. We also cover these stories: President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson meet to confer on a new Atlantic Charter, which details eight different areas of collaboration between the U.S. and U.K. Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., is seeking to join the Congressional Black Caucus, but Democrats are reportedly blocking his membership. House Democrats call out Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., for saying the U.S. and Israel are similar to Hamas and the Taliban. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arguably no philosopher had a greater influence on America's founding than John Locke, says Joseph Loconte, director of the Center for American Studies at The Heritage Foundation. Locke’s ideas about property and freedom helped to shape America as the Founders drew on his ideas when they wrote the nation's founding documents. “[T]here was no philosopher who was quoted more often than John Locke by the American revolutionaries,” Loconte told “The Daily Signal Podcast.” An expert on Locke, Loconte is presenting a paper this week on the English philosopher and the biblical roots of American democracy at the virtual John Locke Conference in Naples, Italy. Loconte joins the show to discuss what advice Locke (1632-1704) would offer to America today and why the philosopher's writings remain so relevant to the American experiment. We also discuss these stories: The Biden administration rescinds former President Donald Trump’s executive orders targeting the Chinese-owned apps TikTok and WeChat. Former President Barack Obama praises his daughters, Malia and Sasha, for their social activism. The New York Times comes under criticism after editorial board member Mara Gay tells MSNBC that seeing “dozens of American flags” on Long Island was “disturbing.” The newspaper insists she was "taken out of context." Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mark Meckler stepped in as Parler’s interim CEO after Amazon, Google, and Apple essentially canceled the social media platform. Meckler says he didn't intend to become CEO of Parler when he called the company in January to ask if he could help, but recognized the gravity of the situation and wanted to do all he could to defend free speech. “Parler was the point of the spear,” says Meckler, a former leader of Tea Party Patriots who is also president of Citizens for Self-Governance. “And if we allowed Big Tech and the Big Tech oligarchs to take Parler offline and leave it offline permanently, [these tech companies were drawing] a line in the sand that we might never be able to cross again.” Conservatives must be prepared to respond to opposition from Big Tech companies, he says, because “any conservative, whether you're a conservative business person or you're running a nonprofit organization,” is susceptible to what happened to Parler. Meckler joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss his stint as Parler’s CEO and how the platform ultimately was restored. We also cover these stories: Vice President Kamala Harris defends the fact that she has not yet visited the southern border amid the ongoing border crisis. A bipartisan group of senators announces release of the first congressional report detailing security failures that led to the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, and colleagues on the House Judiciary Committee ask Attorney General Merrick Garland to investigate an Antifa attack on journalist Andy Ngo. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sen. Ted Cruz joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss his recent trip to Israel to observe the fighting that's been occurring in the region between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant group. We discuss how Hamas has a headquarters in the basement of a hospital, effectively using innocent people as human shields. "It's their own terrorists killing their own people, because they wanted to kill Israeli civilians, but they just weren't very good at it, and shot their own people instead," Cruz, R-Texas, told The Daily Signal. "The press utterly ignores that," Cruz said. "The other civilians that are injured are predominantly the result of a decision that Hamas made to use Palestinians as human shields. So, they deliberately fire their weapons, fire their rockets from heavily populated civilian areas into heavily populated civilian areas. "It's actually a double war crime. Shooting in a civilian area is a war crime, but shooting from civilian areas is also a war crime," the Texas Republican lawmaker said. "The Hamas headquarters was in the basement of a hospital in Gaza," Cruz said, adding: This is a Palestinian hospital. And here's the calculation Hamas is making: It's a win-win. Either the [Israeli Defense Forces] will refrain from attacking their headquarters, in which case, that's great. That's what they want. Or in the alternative, if the IDF does attack the headquarters, it will kill a significant number of Palestinians, and they're literally using Palestinian women and newborn babies.We also cover these stories: The Supreme Court rules unanimously Monday that immigrants who came into the country illegally and were subsequently allowed to stay under temporary protected status can't get green cards or lawful permanent status. The Supreme Court declines to hear arguments in a case that could have required women to register for the military draft. As usual, the court did not specify why they chose to punt on the case, but did say they defer to Congress on the issue. Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon, and his brother Mark will be traveling to space on the inaugural crewed flight of New Shepard, a rocket system created by Bezos’ aerospace company Blue Origin. “The Daily Signal Podcast” is available on Ricochet, Apple Podcasts, Pippa, Google Play, and Stitcher. All of our podcasts can be found at DailySignal.com/podcasts. If you like what you hear, please leave a review. You also can write to us at [email protected]. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chuck DeVore moved his family from California to Texas a decade ago. The move was prompted by several factors, including “seeing [California] drifting further and further to the left,” he said. Today, many people are making the same decision DeVore, vice president of the Texas Public Policy Foundation, made and are leaving California for the Lone Star State. That raises the question: Will Texas be pulled to the left by all the people moving there? Initial data suggests that it won't be. “People come here for their own, very deeply personal reasons,” DeVore said. “And you can't assume that because someone came here from a blue state that they're going to have liberal views.” Polling reveals that many people who move to Texas from California support conservative candidates in elections. That could change at any time, though, he warns. DeVore joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the ways in which his organization is working to keep Texas, Texas. He also explains what might be next for the recent election reform bill that failed in the [Texas Legislature] when Democrats walked out of the session, preventing a vote on the legislation. Also on today’s show, we read your letters to the editor and share a few highlights from The Heritage Foundation’s recent Resource Bank conference in Austin, Texas. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rep. Michael McCaul says the United States needs to hold China accountable for COVID-19. The Texas Republican joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss how we might do that. "I think it's becoming more and more clear as the evidence unfolds, when we talk about the origins of COVID-19, that it's more likely it came out of this laboratory," McCaul said of the Wuhan Institute of Virology in Wuhan, China. "And the lengths to which the Chinese Communist Party went to cover this up: Detaining doctors, silencing them, destroying lab samples, not allowing the [World Health Organization] to declare it an epidemic, then a global pandemic. They have the blood of 3.5 million people on their hands, and economic chaos and destruction throughout the world." We also cover these stories: The Biden administration announces Thursday that it is sending 25 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine abroad to nations in need. The cases of COVID-19 have fallen to the lowest levels since March 2020. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs legislation to discourage Texas communities from defunding their police department. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rep. Chip Roy recently introduced a bill to withhold federal funds from any schools that teach critical race theory. The Texas Republican lawmaker joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to talk about the bill, how critical race theory is affecting what children learn in schools, what can parents do to make sure their kids aren’t being taught critical race theory, the illegal immigration crisis at the border, and more. "What now the American people are seeing is they've had the veil lifted on our corrupt public education system," said Roy, whose bill would apply to both elementary and secondary schools as well as higher education. "They're now actually starting to see the garbage that's being taught and shoved down the throat of our children," he said. "And part of that garbage has been critical race theory and all of the various tentacles that critical race theory creates, in which we are teaching our children to believe that America is evil, to be ashamed of "their whiteness." And how they can undo their whiteness. There are so many stories if you go look." We also cover these stories: Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is speaking out about newly unearthed emails from Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden. Both Buzzfeed and The Washington Post obtained emails via a Freedom of Information Act request. The Republican National Committee is putting pressure on the Commission on Presidential Debates to ensure that presidential debates are nonpartisan. Rashad Turner, the founder of the Black Lives Matter chapter in St. Paul, Minnesota, leaves the organization over policy disagreements. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Louisiana high school teacher Jonathan Koeppel spoke out recently against the gender-identity ideology being promoted at his school. A video of his remarks at a school board meeting quickly went viral. During the meeting in April, Koeppel played an audio clip for the school board from an education app the school uses, called “BrainPop,” in which students were advised to refer to individuals as “they” if the student didn't know that individual's "preferred" pronouns. "I would have thought that this is only happening in California or in New Jersey, New York, and the more progressive—what I would call—progressive states," said Koeppel, who teaches in the St. Tammany Parish Public Schools system. Not only is the school allowing a far-left ideology to be pushed on children, but it’s also teaching students incorrect grammar, he said. Koeppel joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to explain why he chose to speak out and how the school board, parents, and other teachers responded to his remarks. We also cover these stories: President Joe Biden gives a speech in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on closing the racial wealth gap. Former President Barack Obama says that Biden is finishing the work of his administration. In a message for gay pride month, Biden calls out former President Donald Trump and conservative states for passing legislation that banned biological males from participating in girls and women’s sports. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The left-leaning media sometimes uses the news to promote an agenda, independent journalist Drew Holden says. Holden has become known for his Twitter threads, in which he shows how news coverage changes depending on whether the subject is a liberal or a conservative. "What we've seen in the last couple of years," Holden says, "is a more activist stance in newsrooms to say, 'We actually have a moral duty and a fiduciary obligation to the people who read our stories, to not bring them this kind of both-sides conversation, and to instead home in on the truth,' particularly if it is opposed to someone like Donald Trump." Holden joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to shine a light on just how bad media malfeasance is, what the resulting misinformation means for society, and how conservatives can reclaim a place in the media ecosystem. Also on today’s show, we read your letters to the editor and share a good news story about Korean War veteran Ralph Puckett, who recently received the Medal of Honor at age 94. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Memorial Day, America honors the more than 1 million men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. Robert Wilkie, secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs in the Trump administration, says Americans owe a great debt because without those who laid down their lives, “we wouldn't have very much to stand on.” Wilkie, who grew up in a military family, learned from a young age that freedom has a cost. Also a former undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, he says it is imperative that young Americans are taught U.S. history and the values of our nation. Otherwise, he says, they won't understand why America is worth fighting for. Wilkie, now a visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation, our parent organization, joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the history of Memorial Day and how we can honor those who fell in defending our freedoms. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Corporate wokeness increasingly is becoming part of American society. Justin Danhof, general counsel for the National Center for Public Policy Research, argues that Americans can and should stand up to woke ideology. "The shareholder base of even large companies that are woke, like Facebook, Alphabet, Nike, they're not monolithically left, but that's what the vote looks like," Danhof says. "The management of those companies, they have freedom to take stances against conservative values, because that's what the vote looks like." Danhof joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss what conservative shareholders can do. We also cover these stories: President Joe Biden proposes a $6 trillion budget for fiscal year 2022, a senior administration official tells CNN. Senate Republicans unveil a $928 billion infrastructure proposal to counter the White House’s $1.7 trillion plan. USA Today removed the word “male” from an op-ed by Chelsea Mitchell on competing against transgender athletes. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The conservative movement needs to be aware that a “propaganda war” is being waged on America. “Policy obviously matters," John Tillman, chairman and CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute, says. “That's what all of us are trying to advance ... the foundational principles of the founding of this country, and what advances human freedom and human flourishing. That's our product, but we're doing this in a wartime environment.” Through his work at the Illinois Policy Institute and The Heritage Foundation's Feulner Institute, Tillman is seeking to advance pro-American policies in ways that resonate with all Americans. Tillman joins “The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss the importance of advancing pro-American policies and how conservatives can use social media and other mediums to promote a message of freedom. We also cover these stories: Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., and 29 other GOP members send a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin asking him to take action against the “left-wing extremism” in America's military. Tennessee becomes the latest state in America to ban critical race theory from being taught in public schools. Chip and Joanna Gaines of the famed HGTV show "Fixer Upper" are making headlines for a recent campaign contribution. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tuvia Tenenbom, a bestselling author, playwright, journalist, and founder of the Jewish Theater of New York, has traveled the world to understand increasing antisemitism. He documents his experiences in his latest book “The Taming of the Jew.” Recent fighting between Israel and Hamas has brought the issue to the forefront with more than two dozen antisemitic attacks reported in the United States since May 10. Tenenbom attributes this troubling trend to the pro-Palestinian organization Black Lives Matter and its supporters on the American left and in the news media. Tenenbom, 64, also speaks about the antisemitism he personally has experienced. Publishers in America and Europe rejected “The Taming of the Jew,” prompting him to seek an Israel-based company. Now he is speaking out against cancel culture and urging Americans to take action before it’s too late. We also cover these stories: Moderna announces that its COVID-19 vaccine appears to be safe for youth. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy condemns statements by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene comparing mask and vaccine requirements to what Jews faced during the Holocaust. "Fast and Furious" actor and pro wrestler John Cena apologizes to China for calling Taiwan a country. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Humberto Lopez came to this country legally as an immigrant with his family. He joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss why his family came to America, his initial thoughts about it, and more. "The American dream is still attainable as long as we have capitalism," Lopez says, adding: Big government, it's getting bigger and bigger and bigger. And I think that's going to take away the opportunities for a lot of the dreams [that] a lot of us would have had 50, 60 years ago. It's making it harder and harder. I got a video the other day, it's called 'The Great Reset,' where you won't own anything, but you'll be happy. Well, sure you'd be happy if they give you a home, free education, universal pay, college tuition free, and you stay home and don't do anything. Yeah, you're going to be very happy. But those of us that want to work hard for the American dream, it's going to make it harder and harder. We're going to be working for the government.We also cover these stories: The Biden administration rebukes Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko following the forcing-down of a Ryanair flight and arrest of a dissident journalist in Minsk in what the airline called a “state-sponsored hijacking.” President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris speak out against antisemitism in America. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs a bill aimed at preventing social media companies from "deplatforming" users and fighting online censorship. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tim Murtaugh served as communications director for President Donald Trump's re-election campaign last year, witnessing firsthand how a single tweet could dominate the news cycle. Now, with Trump banished from social media platforms, the former president is still finding a way to wield his influence. Through daily postings on current events and political issues, Trump is once again commanding attention. Murtaugh, a visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation and Daily Signal contributor, explains what it means on the latest episode of "The Daily Signal Podcast." "President Trump absolutely has a way of throwing a wrench into a news cycle if he so chooses," Murtaugh tells me. "And as much as the media likes to pretend that, oh, they hate President Trump and they're tired of the tone and the mean tweets and all that stuff, they can't get enough. And so when he puts out statements, it really does roil the news cycle for that given day." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yael Eckstein and her family, who live in Israel, have heard rockets explode day and night for nearly two weeks. Eckstein, who leads the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, lives near Jerusalem with her husband and four children. She says the most recent Hamas-Israel conflict has affected her family, and all of Israel, in a deeply personal way. “In the past 10 days, we have been living in our bomb shelters," Eckstein says, adding: “Just today alone, for an hour straight, there were just rocket barrages on Israeli cities.” As president and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, Eckstein oversees a team that is providing humanitarian aid to Israelis. The organization has set up mobile bomb shelters across the country. Eckstein joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to explain what life is like in Israel now and what America and the world should know about the conflict with Hamas. *Please note that the interview with Eckstein was recorded before Israel and Hamas agreed to a cease-fire. We also cover these stories: The House of Representatives passes a $1.9 billion bill to improve security at the Capitol in the wake of the Jan. 6 riot. Nearly half of the states reject "enhanced" federal unemployment benefits in an effort to encourage their residents to return to work. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, signs into law a measure preventing school officials from forcing students and staff to wear any type of mask or face covering while in school. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a recent trip to the U.S.-Mexico border, Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., saw young girls who had been gang-raped on the journey to America. In one case, Cammack says, a Border Patrol agent "pointed out a 9-year-old girl" at a processing facility in Donna, Texas. The girl "came up to me and she had tears in her eyes," the Florida Republican recalls, adding: She looked extremely distraught and I was asking her her name. She was really struggling to tell me her name. I asked her where she was from, and I kept hearing this really broken crackle. And I asked the Border Patrol agent. I said, "Is she just very upset? What's going on?"And he pulled me aside and he said, "Ma'am, we found this young girl in the fields. She was being gang-raped by cartel members. And she had been screaming so loud for so long that her vocal cords have given out."This is a 9-year-old girl who had been recycled by the cartels, meaning they are children that are sent along to escort single adults to the border so that they can get through the processing, because they don't run biometrics on children under the age of 12.Cammack joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to describe this encounter as well as share her perspective on the situation at the border. We also cover these stories: Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell says he opposes Democrats' “slanted” bill to create a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. President Joe Biden speaks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about his nation's latest conflict with the terrorist group Hamas. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot appears to be granting interviews only to black or Hispanic journalists. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Israel and Hamas Palestinian militants are currently locked in their fourth mini-war since 2008. More than 3,400 rockets have been fired between Israel and the neighboring Gaza Strip, resulting in the deaths of at least 10 Israelis and about 200 Palestinians. “Hamas manipulated ongoing anti-Israeli riots and used that as a pretext to launch missiles at Jerusalem,” said Jim Phillips, a senior research fellow for Middle Eastern affairs at The Heritage Foundation. “In Hamas's world, in order to defend Jerusalem, it had to fire missiles at Jerusalem. But this is part of its long-term strategy not only to destroy Israel, but to undermine any chance of peace between Israel and the Palestinian [National] Authority,” he said. Phillips joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss how the current conflict between Israel and Hamas began and how it likely will end. He also explains the action America should take and how Biden administration policies toward the Middle East differ from those of the Trump administration. We also cover these stories: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., says he won't support legislation to establish a commission to look into the unrest that occurred Jan. 6 at the Capitol. McCarthy and 28 other House Republicans draft a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., asking her to end proxy voting. North Carolina sheriff's deputies were "justified" in the fatal shooting of Andrew Brown Jr., a North Carolina district attorney says. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Imagine a currency that can expire, or that the government can require citizens to use only for specific purchases. Imagine no further because that is the power the Chinese government holds through its newly tested digital currency. China's digital currency is backed by China's central bank, but unlike traditional bank accounts, users cannot withdraw physical cash. The Chinese government has the power to direct the way users spend the money or how quickly they spend it because the currency is fully digitalized. The money is accessible through an app on users' phones. “I think it's very likely that the Chinese will push into place a digital currency that will first partner with, and eventually probably supplant, paper money,” Dean Cheng, a senior research fellow in the Asian Studies Center at The Heritage Foundation, tells The Daily Signal. There are serious national security and global economic concerns should China choose to embrace a fully digital currency, Cheng says. Cheng joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to explain how China’s digital currency works in practice and how it could affect global economic markets. We also cover these stories: The Supreme Court announces it will hear arguments in a case challenging the abortion precedent set by Roe v. Wade. The popular social media app Parler is back in the Apple App Store. Target, Walmart, Starbucks, CVS, and other businesses announce an end to mask requirements for customers. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Canadian author and columnist Lindsay Shepherd's message to Americans is simple: Defend free speech or risk losing it. In 2017, Shepherd, then a teaching assistant at Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario, Canada, played for her class a series of clips in which psychologist and author Jordan Peterson talked about personal pronouns and transgenderism. Afterward, Shepherd was called into a meeting with her supervisor and a representative from the college's Diversity and Equity Office. She was accused of creating a toxic environment for students and threatened with punishment if she did something similar again. Shepherd, our guest today on "The Daily Signal Podcast," recorded the meeting to protect herself and later leaked it to the media. “I wanted people in Canada and abroad internationally to know what's happening inside our universities," Shepherd says. "I saw it as a bigger issue than just me having an encounter in this disciplinary meeting." Shepherd became an activist dedicated to free speech and academic freedom. Her book, called “Diversity and Exclusion: Confronting the Campus Free Speech Crisis,” recounts her experience and offers advice on how to protect free expression. “Don't try to cave into leftist ideas just to try to prove to them that you're a good person." she says. "You don't need to prove anything to them, because they're always not going to like you." Also on today’s show, we read your letters to the editor and share a good news story about the crowdfunding website GiveSendGo, which is raising money for Georgia small businesses affected by Major League Baseball’s decision to move the All-Star Game from Atlanta. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Religious Liberty in Crisis: Exercising Your Faith in an Age of Uncertainty" is the provocative title of a new book by former U.S. Solicitor General Ken Starr. Starr joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to explain why he thinks religious liberty is in crisis and what the biggest threats posed to religious liberty are. He also explains why it’s important for every American to know his or her First Amendment rights to free exercise of religion and how the faithful can resist the encroachment of secularism. We also cover these stories: President Joe Biden says Americans should not buy gasoline in a panic, as the Colonial Pipeline returns to service after it was hacked by a criminal organization called DarkSide. At a press conference Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., criticizes Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., for comments he made minimizing the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and chief medical adviser to Biden, says people who have had COVID-19 vaccinations don’t need to wear a mask outside. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Texas is a border state, and Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss how illegal immigration is affecting it. "With my military background, 20 years in the Air Force, it's incumbent upon commanders to visit troops in the field," Pfluger told The Daily Signal. "We've asked the commander in chief to visit the Border Patrol agents, because what stood out to me was, when you talk to these folks, they're trying to the best of their ability to do their job to secure our country, and they don't have the resources," the freshman Texas lawmaker said. "In fact, this administration is cutting resources, halting construction on the border wall, not giving the technology that they need." Pfluger also shares his take on the 178,622 illegal immigrants who were detained along the U.S.-Mexico border in April. That's the highest number of monthly apprehensions in at least two decades. He also discusses how demand for gasoline is skyrocketing after the Colonial Pipeline was hacked by a criminal organization called DarkSide. We also cover these stories: House Republicans oust Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming from her position as GOP Conference chairwoman, the third-ranking Republican in the House of Representatives. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says that the United States is professing “ironclad support” for Israel as the Jewish state faces ongoing attacks from Hamas, a Palestinian militant group. The government is asking Americans not to hoard gasoline amid increased shortages on the East Coast stemming from the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A small Missouri college is taking the Biden administration to court over a directive that allows biological men who "identify” as women to live in female-only dormitories. The College of the Ozarks, a Christian school with just over 1,500 students, filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration in April after the Department of Housing and Urban Development issued a directive requiring colleges and universities to open dorm rooms and other sex-specific spaces to individuals of the opposite sex. The directive came after President Joe Biden issued his “Executive Order on Preventing and Combating Discrimination on the Basis of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation.” “We're seeing an example that from our point of view is out of touch with reality,” Dr. Jerry Davis, president of the College of the Ozarks in Point Outlook, Missouri, said of the directive. He added that the order will “do irreparable harm to a school like this. And it seems to me that somebody is going to have to stand up and say what this really is … . It's an overreach [of government].” The College of the Ozarks is represented by the Christian legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom. Davis and Ryan Bangert, Alliance Defending Freedom attorney, join “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the lawsuit and the broader implications of the case. We also cover these stories: The Senate Rules Committee marks up the Democrat-backed voter legislation known as “The For the People Act.” Demand for gasoline skyrockets after a ransomware attack on Coastal Pipeline. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo announces that public colleges and universities will require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for all students returning to campus. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Self-described cake artist Jack Phillips is again at the center of the debate over religious freedom, this time as the defendant in a state trial after being sued for declining to design and bake a cake celebrating a gender transition. "Jack's been in the news for many years," as Jeremy Tedesco, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, told The Daily Signal, referring to the Colorado Civil Rights Commission's finding that Phillips, a Christian, discriminated against a gay couple when he declined on religious grounds to make a custom cake to celebrate the two men's marriage. Phillips, whose Masterpiece Cakeshop is in Lakewood, Colorado, took his case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. "In 2018, the Supreme Court said that Colorado had engaged in religious hostility toward Jack. And so he won that case, 7 to 2," says Tedesco, today's guest on "The Daily Signal Podcast." "But then Colorado turned around right after that and considered another complaint against him, this time based on a gender transition cake that someone asked him to create. Eventually Colorado got the message and dismissed that complaint," Phillips' lawyer says, "but then the private citizen involved in filing that complaint filed a private lawsuit against Jack. And so that's why he's in court now." Listen to the full interview on “The Daily Signal Podcast” or read a lightly edited transcript below. We also cover these stories: The Biden administration reverses a Trump administration policy on health care and transgender individuals. The FBI announces that a criminal gang called DarkSide is behind an attack on the Colonial Pipeline network. Weightlifter Laurel Hubbard, a biological male, is on track to compete as a woman in the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brooke Rollins spent three years working for President Donald Trump in high-profile White House roles at the Office of American Innovation and the Domestic Policy Council. Now, she leads a new group of Trump administration alumni to defend the former president’s policy accomplishments and prepare for the future. The mission of the America First Policy Institute is to develop and promote policies that put the American people first. “AFPI is truly the defender of the American dream, but also the American people,” Rollins tells me on “The Daily Signal Podcast.” As president and CEO of the new organization, Rollins has assembled a team that includes former Small Business Administration head Linda McMahon, former National Economic Council chief Larry Kudlow, former Energy Secretary Rick Perry, and former National Intelligence Director John Ratcliffe. “I think that no matter what we do as conservatives, we know our policies are righteous and we know that they work, and we know that they truly help those who need help the most,” Rollins says. Also on today's show, we read your letters to the editor and share a good news story about a Texas teacher who was honored by her community in a special way during Teacher Appreciation Week. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Georgia state Sen. John Albers says the media got a lot wrong in covering Georgia's election legislation. "The media missed most of it," Albers told "The Daily Signal Podcast." "They had written up their talking points before the bill was even passed. In fact, even before the bill was created, they already had a narrative against the bill, even though when they looked at the bill and many of them made comments, they were false." Albers joins the podcast to discuss what Georgia's new election law is really about. We also cover these stories: Florida takes steps to further secure its elections. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the U.S. supports Ukraine as Russian troops continue to be deployed along the Russia-Ukraine border. The Texas state Senate passes a bill to allow those 21 or older to carry a handgun without a permit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., recently returned from a trip to the U.S.-Mexico border. On his flight back, Clyde sat next to illegal immigrants. "We are, the taxpayers are paying for this," Clyde says of illegal immigrants flying in the U.S. "This is federal government funded activity. Not only that, they don't even have to abide by the TSA rules because they don't have any valid government issued ID. So, TSA is allowing them to fly with everyone else without government issued photo ID." Clyde joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to talk about this experience, who is paying for transportation of illegal immigrants, what stood out to him most from his latest visit to the border, and more. We also cover these stories: Facebook’s independent oversight panel upholds Donald Trump's suspension from the social media platform for the time being. Conservatives criticize Facebook after the social media giant says it will maintain an indefinite ban keeping Trump off the platform. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, R-La., calls for the ousting of Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., from her position as chairman of the House Republican Conference. Scalise says Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., should take Cheney’s place as the House's No. 3 Republican. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Personnel with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and with Customs and Border Protection are being directed by the Biden administration to stop using the terms "illegal alien” and "assimilation.” Chad Wolf, a visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation and former acting secretary of homeland security in President Donald Trump's administration, joins "The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss that and other aspects of the illegal immigration crisis at the southern border under President Joe Biden. We also cover these stories: The Food and Drug Administration is expected to allow 12- to 15-year-olds to get the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for the first time. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., admits Tuesday that Republican members of the House lack confidence in the House Republican Conference chairwoman, Rep. Liz Cheney, amid an ongoing rift between the Wyoming congresswoman and former President Donald Trump. House Republicans are asking their Senate Republicans colleagues to vote against confirming David Chipman, President Joe Biden’s choice to lead the the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Critical race theory is making its way into institutions across America. Christopher Rufo, a visiting fellow for domestic policy studies at The Heritage Foundation, joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss how critical race theory is affecting what children learn in schools. (The Daily Signal is Heritage's multimedia news outlet.) "Critical race theory is an academic discipline ... that holds that racism is the driving force in society, that in order to understand power relations, in order to understand institutions such as the law, education, the Constitution, [and] social relations, you have to understand that through the lens of race," Rufo, also a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, says. Rufo explains how critical race theory is affecting corporate America and what can be done about it. We also cover these stories: Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., says that those who contend the 2020 election was stolen are “poisoning our democratic system.” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell signals that President Joe Biden’s $4.1 trillion "infrastructure" package will receive zero support from Senate Republicans. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs a bill invalidating all remaining emergency COVID-19 orders across his state. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re a conservative parent, you likely know that our schools are littered with leftist propaganda meant to penetrate the minds of our impressionable kids. While it’s sometimes done subconsciously by unsuspecting teachers, too often it’s part of the left’s agenda to turn students against traditional American values. We’re seeing the consequences throughout our culture today. Fortunately, those who believe in unbiased education and critical thinking have a place to turn for help. PragerU’s Resources for Educators and Parents, also known as PREP, is offering more than 10,000 subscribers an opportunity to counter the leftist agenda permeating our schools. Jill Simonian, director of outreach at PREP, recently spoke with The Daily Signal’s Virginia Allen about PragerU’s newest initiative. She joins me on today’s show to provide an update about the work she's doing and how you can join the effort. “If we do not teach our children how to think critically, so much of what America has been built on and the values of this country, they’re all going to disappear,” Simonian said. “And we're all going to look around and say, 'Well, what happened? What happened?'” Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Georgia state Rep. Barry Fleming lost his job over the state's recently passed election reform legislation. The Hancock County Board of Commissioners voted 4-0 to ask Fleming to resign as county attorney "after pressure from citizens opposed to his work on proposed voting law changes," Georgia Public Broadcasting reported March 10. Critics of Georgia's new law say it hampers voting rights, but Fleming, R-Harlem, argues that it does just the opposite. “It makes it easier to vote in Georgia,” Fleming says, adding: In Georgia, we actually expanded the days to early vote. There's now or can be an extra 36 hours at least of early voting in Georgia. We made it very simple when it comes to absentee ballots. You still need no excuse to vote absentee in Georgia, and all you have to do is write down your driver's license number. ... So in Georgia we think going forward it will be easier to vote, but hopefully harder to cheat. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nikki Haley, previously U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and governor of South Carolina, joins "The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss what conservatives realistically can try to accomplish during the next 18 months while faced with a liberal Democratic president and Congress. Haley—a Republican and founder of Stand for America, a 501(c)(4) advocacy group that promotes public policies it says strengthen America's economy, culture, and security—also discusses how conservatives can engage in the debate of issues such as race and election security, including voter ID. "Don't assume that minorities can't do for themselves," Haley says of the latter. "We are perfectly capable of getting a photo ID. We're perfectly capable of picking the school of our choice. We are perfectly capable of understanding how to make the most of our opportunities if they are put in front of us." Plus: We share some of the highlights from President Joe Biden’s address to Congress. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., says his state is being overwhelmed by the crisis at the southern border. "We're being overrun," Gosar tells The Daily Signal. "I mean, I was down in Yuma a week and a half ago, and we saw 'coyotes' just bring children over and just give themselves up. One 'coyote,' in the evening, she brought in two young boys, [ages] 7 and 10, and five girls, 11 to 17," he says. "None of them were related. They were being overwhelmed. And you saw the mayor of Gila County basically say they have 'no room at the inn.' They have run out of resources," the Arizona Republican adds. A "coyote" is a slang term for a person who smuggles illegal immigrants across the U.S.-Mexico border. Gosar also discusses Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey's recent announcement that he will deploy the National Guard to the border, as well as the political battle over an election audit in Maricopa County. We also cover these stories: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention releases new guidelines on mask-wearing during the pandemic. John Kerry, President Joe Biden's special envoy for climate change, denies he disclosed secret information concerning Israeli military actions in Syria during a conversation with an Iranian official. Idaho lawmakers reject education programs that include critical race theory. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Election integrity legislation sponsored by Arizona state Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, who represents eastern Maricopa County, failed Thursday after state Sen. Kelly Townsend, who represents portions of Maricopa and Pinal counties, a fellow Republican, changed her vote to no during the final reading. Ugenti-Rita joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss the bill, how its defeat hurts Arizonans, and whether another vote will be held on the legislation. We also cover these stories: The Supreme Court will argue a Second Amendment case in the coming months. Conservative justices on the Supreme Court are signaling their support towards two non-profits in their challenge against California legislation requiring them to disclose the identities of large donors, Reuters reported. The Supreme Court announced Monday that they have declined to hear arguments in a case between the states of Texas and California. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A group of former Trump administration officials have formed America First Legal to stop the Biden administration’s executive actions and counter the radical left’s plans to transform our country. Led by Stephen Miller, former White House senior adviser and director of speechwriting, America First Legal promises to turn the tables on the left, which used the court system to stymie some of President Donald Trump's key initiatives. "The only difference between what happened to the Trump administration and what we are going to do is we're actually going to have the law and the Constitution on our side," says Matthew Whitaker, acting U.S. attorney general under Trump and one of those involved in the new organization. Whitaker joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to talk about America First Legal’s plans and some of the biggest issues, including illegal immigration and Second Amendment rights, to emerge so far from the Biden administration. Also on today's show, we read your letters to the editor and share a good news story about a father and daughter who created a YouTube channel to empower special needs children. Listen to the podcast below or read the lightly edited transcript. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Four Democratic members of Congress have introduced legislation to expand the Supreme Court from nine justices to 13. Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., and Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., on April 15 introduced the bill with Reps. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., and Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y. Markey supports the high court's expansion because, he said, the “United States Supreme Court is broken.” GianCarlo Canaparo, a legal fellow in the Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation and co-host of the podcast SCOTUS 101, said that Markey and the other Democrats backing the bill are seeking to expand the court in order to advance a far-left agenda. Opponents of the move have dubbed it "court packing." Canaparo joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to explain the likelihood of the Supreme Court being expanded and whether or not the Constitution even allows for adding justices to the bench. (The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation.) We also cover these stories: President Joe Biden announces a new, significantly higher U.S. goal for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. On a party-line vote, House Democrats pass legislation to make the District of Columbia the nation’s 51st state. Basketball star LeBron James deletes a controversial tweet after a Columbus, Ohio, police officer fatally shot 16-year-old Ma'Khia Bryant. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Senate is expected to vote soon on a bill touted as targeting hate crimes against Asian Americans. The legislation, authored by Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, and Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y., has not received widespread conservative support. Why would Republicans not support a bill to address hate crimes? Because the bill's agenda extends far beyond its name, says Sarah Parshall Perry, a legal fellow in the Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation. (The Daily Signal is Heritage's multimedia news organization.) Perry joins the “Problematic Women” podcast to discuss the progressive aims in the bill and the similarities between the so-called COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act and Democrats' hotly contested Equality Act. Perry also discusses an important federal court victory for free speech on college campuses. We also cover these stories: The Department of Justice announces investigation into Minneapolis' policing practices. President Joe Biden encourages work places to offer paid time off for employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy criticizes House Democrats for failing to condemn Congresswoman Maxine Waters, D-Calif., over her statements last week about the since-resolved trial of Derek Chauvin. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Derek Chauvin has been found guilty of murder. Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who pressed his knee against George Floyd's neck for more than nine minutes, was convicted Tuesday of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter. For three weeks, jury members listened to attorneys' arguments during the trial in Minneapolis. On Tuesday afternoon, the jury announced that it had found Chauvin guilty on all charges. If given the opportunity to represent Chauvin, “I would have done it very differently,” said John Hinderaker, president of the Golden Valley, Minnesota-based Center of the American Experiment and a graduate of Harvard Law School. He practiced law for more than 40 years. Hinderaker joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the arguments made during the trial. He also describes the atmosphere in Minneapolis as the city continues to brace for unrest. The interview with Hinderaker was recorded on Tuesday afternoon, ahead of the announcement of the jury’s verdict. We also cover these stories: The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing to discuss voting rights and Georgia’s new election law. President Joe Biden calls the Floyd family on Tuesday morning to talk with them about the trial of Chauvin. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz declares a state of emergency for seven counties surrounding Minneapolis-St. Paul in preparation for expected violence and disorder following a verdict in the Chauvin case. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing Tuesday to discuss a purported “assault on the right to vote.” The hearing, dubbed “Jim Crow 2021: The Latest Assault on the Right to Vote,” comes as the far left continues to criticize Georgia's new election-integrity law. Stacey Abrams, the Democrat who lost the 2018 race for governor of Georgia and the founder of Fair Fight Action, and Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., are scheduled to testify at the hearing. Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow in the Meese Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation, joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to explain what to expect at Tuesday’s committee hearing. The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation. Von Spakovsky also unpacks the arguments for and against Georgia’s new election-integrity law, and explains why the bill should not be likened to Jim Crow laws. We also cover these stories: Lawyers deliver closing arguments in the final day of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin trial in the death of George Floyd. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs anti-rioting legislation into law. The Biden administration orders Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection to stop using the terms “illegal alien” and “assimilation.” 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 waited longer to hold his first press conference than any other president in the past 100 year. After waiting 64 days, the media had a chance on March 25 to ask the president about his agenda. Tim Murtaugh, communications director for President Donald Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign, was disappointed by what he saw. “I would give Biden probably about a 'C' on that press conference for truthfulness [and] for how long it took. And the press corps, I would say I would give a lower grade than that,” said Murtaugh, now a Heritage Foundation visiting fellow and Daily Signal contributor. The Daily Signal is the news outlet of The Heritage Foundation. Murtaugh joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the media’s coverage of Biden, the border crisis, Georgia’s new election-integrity law, and more. Also on today’s show, we read your letters to the editor and share a "Good News Story" about a former Heritage Foundation intern who started a nonprofit organization to clean up communities in and around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rep. Russ Fulcher, R-Idaho, isn't from a southern border state, but he says illegal immigration still adversely affects the Gem State. "I mean, drug- and sex-trafficking impacts everyone," Fulcher says. "And we're feeling the effects of that," he adds. "Our citizens, our taxpayers as well. We have to pay for services through federal taxes that are being expended here. We have a very large dairy and egg industry. The dairy industry in particular has relied upon immigrants for a lot of the labor, and that's not always been legal." He joins The Daily Signal Podcast to discuss those issues. Plus, he weighs in on vaccine passports and his perspective of the Biden administration four months in. We also cover these stories: Democrats have begun a formal effort to increase the size of the U.S. Supreme Court, proposing to add four justices. President Joe Biden has placed new sanctions on Russia for its election interference and cyberattacks. Is there a disparity in criminal charges between those pressed against the U.S. Capitol rioters of Jan. 6 and rioters in Portland, Oregon? That was the question Rep. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., asked FBI Director Christopher Wray on Thursday at a hearing of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arizona just became the first state to formally oppose the Democrat-backed federal election overhaul bill known as HR 1 or S 1 now before Congress. Arizona state Rep. Jake Hoffman joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to explain why he spearheaded Arizona’s resolution opposing the For the People Act. Hoffman also discusses a new Arizona law that prevents private individuals or organizations from giving money to state election boards or officials. By passing the bill, "Arizona has put up a big sign that says Arizona's elections are not for sale," he says. We also cover these stories: President Joe Biden says parts of the country are “backsliding” into the Jim Crow days. The Minnesota police officer who shot and killed 20-year-old Daunte Wright, a black man, will be charged with second-degree manslaughter. The House Democratic majority now stands at 218 to 212 following the swearing in of Republican Rep. Julia Letlow of Louisiana. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices