The Daily Signal

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

A Democratic operative gained unprecedented access to the conference center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where officials counted ballots on election night, investigative reporter Matt Kittle disclosed in recent stories. Kittle, who is also executive director of "conservative information hub" Empower Wisconsin, obtained emails that reveal questionable activity during Wisconsin’s 2020 election. The Daily Signal has picked up his reports. Kittle joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to share what he has learned about the role that the Democrat operative and $6 million from Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg played in Wisconsin's presidential election. We also cover these stories: Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine likely will be "paused" because of blood clots that developed in some Americans who got the shot. The Biden administration announces that it will pull out all U.S. troops from Afghanistan by Sept. 11, exactly 20 years after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The state of Texas sues President Biden for rescinding the Trump administration’s “Remain in Mexico” policy for asylum-seekers. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The radical left has infiltrated corporate America and is using big business to promote a political agenda. Justin Danhof, general counsel for the National Center for Public Policy Research and director of the Free Enterprise Project, is a member of a new coalition called Stop Corporate Tyranny. Danhof joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the ways in which Stop Corporate Tyranny is working to end the left’s influence on American companies, and how you can be a part of the movement for change. We also cover these stories: The National Guard will increase its presence in Minnesota after riots broke out following a police shooting outside Minneapolis. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signs significant election legislation into law. Dr. Anthony Fauci says it’s possible to still be infected with COVID-19 after receiving the vaccine. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Conservative ideals are the best way to solve environmental issues,” says Benji Backer, founder of the right-leaning environmental advocacy group American Conservation Coalition. Backer joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss how conservatives can take back the environmental conversation and advocate small-government solutions to climate issues. Follow the links below to learn more about the American Conservation Coalition: ACC Membership: www.acc.eco/membership ACC Market Environmentalism Academy: www.marketacademy.eco Twitter: @ACC_National Instagram: acc_national Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanConservationCoalition Also on today’s show, we read your letters to the editor and share a “good news story” about one way you can honor a Korean War veteran on his 93rd birthday. Click here to learn how you can send a letter to Korean War Veteran Thomas Bryan Crouch on his 93rd birthday. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Public employees across America are growing weary of unions that do not represent their interests, says Elisabeth Kines, the national executive director of Americans for Fair Treatment. Kines helps public sector employees, such as teachers, to understand their First Amendment rights and to stand up to union pressure. She says conservatives used to be the only ones reaching out for help. Now, she receives lots of calls from politically liberal individuals who have been abused or bullied by their union and are asking for help. Kines joins “The Daily Signal Podcast,” to explain how unions have come to yield the power they do and what Americans for Fair Treatment is doing to serve the needs of public sector employees. We also cover these stories: President Joe Biden announced a number of new executive actions intended to curb gun violence. In March, an estimated 172,000 migrants sought to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. The gap in Americans’ political party affiliation is wider today than it has been since 2012, according to a new Gallup poll. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Arkansas has just become the first state in the country to pass legislation protecting minors from being prescribed puberty blockers or gender-hormone treatments, or receiving gender-change surgery. Arkansas state Rep. Robin Lundstrum, the lead sponsor for the bill, joins the “Problematic Women” podcast to explain why the passage of the act is a victory for children and families. Lundstrum also explains why she thinks the bill has faced so much opposition from the political left. We also cover these stories: Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer tells Democrats they need to “think long and hard” about court packing. Small businesses are the big losers in Major League Baseball’s decision to move the All-Star Game from Atlanta, Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp tells the Washington Examiner. Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul asks Republicans to boycott Coca-Cola after it came out against Georgia’s new election law. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Andres Guilarte is a university student who lived in Venezuela under a democratically elected socialist regime. Guilarte says food shortages were a daily occurrence. Venezuelans also endure massive blackouts, political persecution, and a lack of access to health care due to the socialist government. Guilarte joins "The Daily Signal Podcast” to share his experiences of living in socialist Venezuela. "Living in Venezuela is way worse than people might think that they see in the news, or maybe on documentaries," he says. "You just picture that you start convincing yourself that maybe eating three times a day is not necessary, and that the quality of the food that you have to eat probably is not that one that you expect it to be," he added. "So, you have to get used to, like I was when I was in college, that if I had that breakfast, most likely I didn't have lunch. If I had lunch, it's because I skipped breakfast." We also cover these stories: The Senate parliamentarian announced Monday that Senate budget rules allow the process known as reconciliation to take place more than once in a fiscal year. A 38-year-old Navy medic reportedly shot and seriously wounded two Navy sailors Tuesday morning at a business park in Frederick, Maryland, before being fatally shot himself a short time later at Fort Detrick. President Joe Biden has moved up the goal for when all American adults will be eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Biden now says that all adults should be eligible for the vaccine by April 19, two weeks sooner than the original goal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More than 20 Republican state attorneys general have teamed up to oppose the energy agenda promoted by President Joe Biden. Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss two lawsuits that he and other attorneys general have filed against the Biden administration in an effort to further American energy independence. Carr explains that Biden’s executive actions stopping construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline and limiting oil and gas drilling not only will have negative economic effects on individuals Americans but adversely affect U.S. energy security. We also cover these stories: The Supreme Court throws out a lawsuit over former President Donald Trump’s now-deleted Twitter account. Google wins a major Supreme Court case against the computer technology corporation Oracle. Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., says President Biden should cut his $2 trillion "infrastructure" plan to $615 billion. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Human trafficking is the fastest-growing crime in the world, but too few people are talking about it, says Sophia Fisher, executive director at Stop the Demand Project and a fierce foe of human trafficking. Fisher joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss her fight against human trafficking, how America is dealing with this horrible crime within its own borders and abroad, and what conservatives can do to lead the charge against it. Follow Fisher's work on social media using the handles below: Instagram: @stopthedemandproject Tiktok: @stopthedemand Facebook: @stopthedemandproject Twitter: @demandstop Also on today’s show, we read your letters to the editor and share a good news story about a church that took the time to personally thank some of the unsung heroes of the coronavirus pandemic. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shelley Luther made national news at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic when she was arrested and jailed for a week in the spring of 2020 for reopening her North Dallas, Texas, salon contrary to the county's stay-at-home edict. "You get a lot of moments of silence by yourself," Luther said of her week in jail. "So, you do a lot of praying and wondering what's going on outside." She joins "The Daily Signal Podcast” to share her story as well as how the the coronavirus pandemic restrictions affected her small business—and those of others across Texas. "The biggest problem is the media scaring everybody to where you can't go anywhere," Luther said. "You can't do this without a vaccine, but then you get a vaccine, and you still have to wear a mask, and I think there's a lot of our older clientele that are still afraid to come get their hair done because of all of the mass hysteria," she said. We also cover these stories: President Joe Biden announced a $2 trillion infrastructure plan on Wednesday. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., says Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., will lose his committee seats, including his seat on the House Judiciary Committee, if allegations of sex trafficking against him prove to be true. 49% of American voters are in favor of retaining the Senate filibuster, according to a new Rasmussen poll. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The state of Georgia enacted election reform legislation, signed into law last week, that has drawn harsh criticism from the left. President Joe Biden and others have likened it to the Jim Crow era. What does the election law accomplish, and how is Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp responding to the criticism? "The bill makes it easy to vote and hard to cheat," he said. "It replaces an arbitrary signature match on absentee ballots by mail with the voter ID, which is free in Georgia." Kemp joins "The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss what's in the new law, and contrary to what its critics claim, what's not. We also cover these stories: Kemp says calls to boycott businesses in Georgia over the newly passed election law, which strengthens voting regulations, are “ridiculous.” The United States has signed on with 13 other countries indicating concerns about a report from the World Health Organization regarding where the coronavirus came from. The Biden administration announced Tuesday that it plans to take action to combat anti-Asian violence in America. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Department of Homeland Security said two weeks ago that illegal border crossings are on pace to reach their highest level in two decades. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden's administration is making claims such as that border crises happen every year and that former President Donald Trump’s policies didn’t reduce illegal crossings. Lora Ries, senior research fellow for homeland security at The Heritage Foundation, joins "The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss those claims. We also cover these stories: The director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, warned Americans that a fourth coronavirus surge could be on the way if more precautions aren’t taken. The CDC said in a new study that the Moderna and Pfizer coronavirus vaccines prevent about 90% of infections. In the opening arguments of the trial of Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer, prosecutors said that he “betrayed” his badge by using unnecessary force on George Floyd, who died in police custody last May. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A direct link exists between criminal organizations and illegal immigration, former federal prosecutor Josh Jones says. Jones, now senior fellow in border security at Texas Public Policy Foundation, joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss his recent report, “Joined at the Hip: Organized Crime and Illegal Immigration." Jones explains how gangs and other criminal groups in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala lead illegal immigrants to the border and often exploit the migrants for their own profit. Also on today’s show, we read your letters to the editor and share a "good news story" about a foster child who was adopted by his teacher. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Commentator Deroy Murdock, besides being a Fox News regular and a contributing editor at National Review Online, is a senior fellow with the London Center for Policy Research. Murdock joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to share his journey to conservatism, how he got started in journalism, and what he thinks conservatives can do better to reach the black community. "I think the primary thing that conservatives need to do to reach black Americans is make the effort," Murdock says, adding: I think that there is a certain hesitancy to do so. I don't think it's malicious. I just think there's a sense pretty well among white conservatives, [of] 'Well, we don't know what to say to them and we don't know quite the language and maybe there'll be upset.'The best thing to do is knock on the doors, go to the black churches, go to the black businesses, go to the black schools, whatever it is, and talk about these ideas and why they're good for America and why they're good for black Americans.We also cover these stories: President Biden holds his first official press conference over two months since taking office. The CEO’ of Facebook, Twitter, and Google testify before a House committee. Republican senators introduce legislation to end child trafficking at the border. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rob O’Donnell, a former detective with the New York Police Department, was among first responders to the terrorist attacks that brought down the towers of the World Trade Center in 2001 as well as to the terrorist bombing there eight years earlier. O'Donnell joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to talk about what that was like. "A few days before 9/11, I had a homicide [investigation], which probably helped me not be there as soon as I would have been because I ended up working on 9/10 to about 2 in the morning, where I normally would have been at work at 7," O’Donnell recalls. "I responded straight down to ground zero on 9/11," he says. "And if I would have been at the police station, I would have been there that much sooner." O'Donnell also discusses the violent attacks on police and other law enforcement across the nation, especially over the past year, related racial tensions, and potential reforms in police departments. We also cover these stories: Republican and Democrat lawmakers clash during a Senate hearing on Democrats' bill to nationalize elections. Senate Democrats Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Tammy Duckworth of Illinois say they won’t oppose Biden administration nominees. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador says the Biden administration is responsible for the influx of migrants to America’s southern border. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Department of Homeland Security said last week that illegal border crossings are on pace to reach their highest level in two decades. On top of that, both Fox and NBC reported that illegal aliens are being released into the U.S. without court dates for asylum request hearings, but on Monday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that isn't true. What’s really going on at the border? "They inherited a system that worked," said Mark Morgan, former acting commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the Trump administration, adding: [The Biden administration] inherited a system with cooperation with Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries, the 'Remain in Mexico’ policy, the Asylum Cooperative Agreements with the Northern Triangle countries. We ended catch and release.We had got these countries together to really look and act and work together as the regional crisis that it is, and we saw a significant reduction in the flow, as well as we had eliminated an incredible incentive, catch and release.Morgan, now a visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation, joins "The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss all this and more. "Last month, in the month of February, they saw over 100,000 apprehensions of people trying to illegally enter the border," he said. I think in March, you're going to see that number skyrocket—120,000, 130,000, if not reaching the numbers at the height of the crisis that we saw in 2019.We also cover these stories: A 21-year-old man is charged by Colorado law enforcement in the shooting rampage that left 10 dead in Boulder. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., says the Senate will take action on gun control after deadly shootings in Boulder and Atlanta. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has harsh words for Democrats attempting to unseat Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, who won by six votes over Democrat Rita Hart. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s handling of nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic and his administration's alleged efforts to hide the accurate number of related deaths beg the question: Is the cover-up worse than the crime? The Empire Center for Public Policy, a New York-based research organization, filed a request last summer under the Freedom of Information Act seeking the accurate number of deaths in elder-care facilities from the state’s Department of Health. Tim Hoefer, president and CEO of Empire Center, joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to explain why it took so long for the truth about New York’s nursing home deaths to come to light, and what may be next for Cuomo. We also cover these stories: Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., ask President Biden to use his “full authorities” to respond to the crisis at the southern border. The White House says about 1 in 3 in Americans are getting the coronavirus vaccine. The president and vice president of The Heritage Foundation, Kay C. James and Kim Holmes, announce their resignations from the Washington-based think tank. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’ve no doubt heard of the Green New Deal, the far left’s favorite piece of legislation. But do you know where it originated? How it became the centerpiece of the left’s agenda? Or that many of its provisions have nothing to do with climate change? Marc Morano, publisher of ClimateDepot.com, has a new book out Tuesday that answers these questions and more. “Green Fraud: Why the Green New Deal Is Even Worse Than You Think” provides Americans with the information they need to refute climate alarmism, think critically about climate change, and counter the indoctrination of young people. Morano joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to issue a warning about the Green New Deal’s far-reaching implications and what freedom-loving Americans can do about it. Also on today's show, we read your letters to the editor and share a "good news story" about the history of Passover and how we all can celebrate. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

His former congressional colleague will advance a far-left agenda as the new secretary of the interior, Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., says. The Senate voted 51-40 Monday to confirm Rep. Deb Haaland, D-N.M., to lead the Interior Department under President Joe Biden. Haaland supports Biden’s decision to halt further construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. Daines joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to explain the policies we likely will see implemented at the Interior Department under Haaland’s leadership, and how Montana is fighting to save the Keystone XL pipeline. We also cover these stories: The Senate votes 50-49 to confirm Xavier Becerra, President Biden’s controversial nominee, as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell accuses House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of trying to overturn a state-certified election. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis says critical race theory will not be part of his state’s education system. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Freshman Rep. Byron Donalds was a businessman before he served in the Florida House of Representatives and now in Congress, where he arrived in January. Donalds grew up in a single-parent household and says his mom made sacrifices to make the American Dream possible for him. "Growing up in the inner city, a lot of things happen, unfortunately," Donalds said of his upbringing in Brooklyn, N.Y. "You get mugged. I was mugged when I was in middle school. I was held up at gunpoint at 16 years old. So now, being in politics and being a grown man, a lot of things just don't really faze me, because just from my experiences growing up in the inner city," he explained. Donalds joins "The Daily Signal Podcast” to share his story, both personal and political. We also cover these stories: Eight people died in three shootings at massage parlors in the Atlanta area. Members of N.Y. Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s inner circle circulated a letter aimed at tarnishing the reputation of Lindsey Boylan, a former Cuomo aide who accused him of sexual harassment, according to a New York Times report. New York state Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, a Democrat, said that Cuomo would be convicted if an impeachment trial were held in the state Senate, according to a report on New York’s WCBS-TV. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why is corporate America increasingly stepping in to support "woke" social justice causes? "These corporations are part of a movement that has been going on in the West and in this country in particular for the last roughly 100 years to move the culture very consistently and very aggressively to the left in order to more or less make ready the path for the revolution," says Steve Soukup, author of the new book "The Dictatorship of Woke Capital: How Political Correctness Captured Big Business." Soukup joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to explain how activists have hijacked and twisted the purpose of many of the world's largest companies to serve left-wing ends and why Americans need to be concerned about it. We also cover these stories: The Department of Homeland Security says illegal crossings are going to reach the highest amount in two decades. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell gave a strong and direct defense of the filibuster on Tuesday. Both Coca-Cola and Home Depot have announced they are not supportive of election reform efforts in Georgia. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo played a role in some of the biggest foreign policy accomplishments of the Trump administration. He joins "The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the impact of the Abraham Accords—pacts involving the normalization of relations between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Sudan—and the moving of the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. He also weighs in on the increasing threat of the Chinese Communist Party in the Biden administration, as well as the phenomenon of all of the isms that are part of American society today, such as multiculturalism. "When I hear people start to talk about different groups and different subcultures—and they want to divide, and they want to create tension, and they want to cause problems—it saddens me because I know it will diminish all of us," Pompeo said. "And so, whether it's these ideas that the progressive movement now has, that they refer to as being 'woke,' they undermine the central understanding that our Founders had about who we are and also my Christian understanding of how it is that the Bible asks us to treat each of our neighbors." We also cover these stories: Two men, Julian Elie Khater and George Pierre Tanios, are charged with assaulting since-deceased U.S. Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick and two other officers with a chemical spray during the Jan. 6 breaching of the Capitol. Sen. Ted Cruz writes a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin after a since-deleted tweet on an official military Twitter account attacked Fox News host Tucker Carlson. Eric Nelson, the attorney for Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer charged in the death of George Floyd, says he wants to “delay Chauvin's criminal trial and move the venue in the wake of a $27 million civil settlement between Minneapolis and George Floyd's family,” according to CNN. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Leftist ideology is becoming more pervasive in schools across the country. To counter the trend, Prager University, an organization committed to furthering American values through digital media, has launched PragerU Resources for Educators and Parents, or PREP for short. The goal of PREP is to provide parents and teachers with creative resources to teach students American history and values. Jill Simonian, director of outreach for PREP, joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the new program and how families are beginning to use it. To join PragerU Resources for Educators and Parents (PREP) visit PragerU.com//PREP. You also can connect on Instagram @prageru and @jillsimonian. Also on today’s show, we read your letters to the editor and share a good news story about a moving company that decided to help local food banks when it realized how much food goes to waste when people move. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The bill known as HR 1, or the For the People Act, should be called “the Federal Takeover of Elections Act,” Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose says. LaRose, who oversees Ohio's elections, joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to explain why HR 1, a bill the political left touts as positive election reform, is an unconstitutional power grab at the expense of the states. We also cover these stories: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., says the House could unseat Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., asks Pelosi to allow the Capitol to revert to standard operations pre-COVID-19. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo “can no longer serve as governor,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio says. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s past time to open schools, Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., says. “The percentages for teachers or students is really, really low,” Biggs says of the risk of contracting COVID-19. “In Florida, they’re playing sports.” “The flip side of it, of course, is this isolation, this online learning, this basic lockdown for these kids is producing greater suicide rates, higher depression rates,” Biggs says. “And something like half of all the adolescents and young adults have experienced some suicidal ideation that they had never had before. That’s a result of these school lockdowns, which don’t follow the science and they don’t make sense.” The third-term congressman from Arizona joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss reopening during the pandemic, as well as to weigh in on the crisis at the southern border. We also cover these stories: The situation at the U.S.-Mexico border isn’t a crisis but a “full-blown disaster,” Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says. The Senate votes to confirm Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Ohio, as secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Arkansas is now of the most pro-life states in the nation. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sen. Bill Hagerty, a freshman Republican from Tennessee, is a businessman who served as U.S. ambassador to Japan during the Trump administration. Hagerty joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to describe how former President Donald Trump stood up to China. He also predicts what's in store for the U.S.-China relationship under President Joe Biden. "China has made its intentions very clear," Hagerty says. "They've got their 2025 plan. One of the most nefarious things that you'll see, and we've got to continue to be very diligent [about], is China is constantly pushing to get their technology into the infrastructure of the rest of the world." We also cover these stories: Senate Democrats say they have the 51 votes needed to pass their $1.9 trillion COVID-19 bill, which Biden is expected to sign. Vanita Gupta, Biden’s pick for associate attorney general, testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The Biden administration asks the Supreme Court to throw out a case involving Trump’s policy on illegal immigration. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices