TOP NEWS | On today’s Daily Signal Top News, we break down: Democratic nominee for president Kamala Harris sat down for an interview with CNN and said her values have not changed.  Former President Donald Trump announces a major policy promise supporting IVF.  The Biden administration is unpausing an immigration program that was paused due to widespread fraud concerns.  Movie review of “Leo.”  Relevant Links https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/08/30/cnns-softball-interview-of-kamala-harris/ Listen to other podcasts from The Daily Signal: https://www.dailysignal.com/podcasts/ Get daily conservative news you can trust from our Morning Bell newsletter: DailySignal.com/morningbellsubscription   Listen to more Heritage podcasts: https://www.heritage.org/podcasts Sign up for The Agenda newsletter — the lowdow

China's production of batteries for electric vehicles is “definitely not clean,” says energy expert Diana Furchtgott-Roth. Without its own vast natural energy resources, China is the world’s largest energy importer, but has seized on the economic opportunities of the “green energy” movement. Yet the production of products such as EVs is causing harm to the environment, says Furchtgott-Roth, director of The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Energy, Climate, and Environment. China produces about 80% of the world’s EV batteries and “mining for the critical minerals in the batteries … causes vast amounts of environmental damage,” she explains. Production of one EV battery involves moving “hundreds of thousands of pounds of earth to get the critical minerals for one battery,” Furchtgott-Roth notes, adding that “China is buying mines in Africa so that it can get the critical minerals, [as well as] mines in Latin America.” Furchtgott-Roth is the co-author of “How the Forced Energy Transition and Reliance on China Will Harm America,” a new Heritage Foundation report exposing the ways in which the “green energy” movement is harming America while benefiting China. She joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to explain it all.

TOP NEWS | On today’s Daily Signal Top News, we break down: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump. The Secret Service placed at least 5 members on administrative leave. House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer demanded information from TSA about Tulsi Gabbard allegedly being placed on a suspected terrorist watch list. Democratic nominee Kamala Harris addressed the Democratic National Convention last night. Relevant Links https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/08/23/rfk-suspends-campaign-endorses-trump/ https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/08/21/rand-paul-tsa-open-skies-surveillance-program/ Listen to other podcasts from The Daily Signal: https://www.dailysignal.com/podcasts/ Get daily conservative news you can trust from our Morning Bell newsletter: DailySignal.com/morningbellsubscription   Listen to more Heritage podcasts: https://www.heritage.org/podcasts Sign up for The Agenda newsletter — the lowdown on top issues conservatives need to know about each week: https://www.heritage.org/agenda

A Republican congresswoman from Texas succeeded in amending the annual National Defense Authorization Act to prevent the Pentagon from subsidizing abortions with taxpayer dollars.  Rep. Beth Van Duyne's amendment to the $883.7 billion fiscal 2025 NDAA would block President Joe Biden’s Defense Department from using federal funds to reimburse abortion-related expenses. Van Duyne told The Daily Signal her amendment would roll back Biden's illegal Department of Defense travel policy issued in a memo on Oct. 20, 2022, which she said was "in clear violation of historic bipartisan norms and current law." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Already rocked by the war in Ukraine, the world uneasily looks towards Asia and the Chinese Communist Party. The authoritarian state has cast its gaze towards the small island of Taiwan, and dreams of conquest. America will inevitably be drawn into a potential conflict between China and Taiwan, but author and defense expert Elbridge Colby says we are woefully unprepared.  “We're not doing what we need to do,” Colby says. “We spend a lot of money on defense, honestly, but we have not focused enough on dealing with China and adapting our force to deal with that specifically. I think we're just asking for trouble.” To Colby, an ascendent China is the biggest geopolitical threat currently facing the globe. And America needs to step up to deal with that threat.  He says, “American interests in the world are Americans' physical security, our freedom and our prosperity. What is the chief danger of that? Well, by far it's China, and it's China dominating Asia in particular.” Colby joins the show to discuss what makes China so dangerous, and what steps America must take to neutralize the threat. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s Daily Signal Top News, we break down: The Justice Department wants to review the documents seized from former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The Ukraine military makes some large strategic advances against Russia.  Authorities found 22 pounds of fentanyl during a drug bust in Forsyth County, North Carolina.  America’s debt clock is ticking faster and approaching $31 trillion. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Woke corporations are increasingly embracing the left’s political agenda and taking aim at the values we as conservatives cherish. So what can we do about it? Matt Peterson is cofounder of New Founding, president of New Founding Media, and host of "The Matthew Peterson Show." He’s fighting back against woke corporations and joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to tell us about New Founding. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s Daily Signal Top News, we break down: Justice Neil Gorsuch says he hopes there will be news soon regarding who leaked the Dobbs draft decision back in May. Podcast Movement apologizes to conservative news site The Daily Wire following backlash over how it treated Ben Shapiro. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken urges Europe in the face of rising energy prices from Europe Brigham Young University reports there was no evidence to confirm a black Duke women’s volleyball player’s allegation that she was racially harassed at a game last month after concluding an investigation into the matter.  Oberlin College says it will pay small family owned Gibson’s Bakery nearly $37 million after the school lost a defamation lawsuit that began in 2016. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conservatism has a long and storied history. It evolved with various times and places, and adapted to fit the needs of rising generations. But one thing has remained consistent in conservatism throughout the ages, says Yoram Hazony, president of the Herzl Institute in Jerusalem and chairman of the Edmund Burke Foundation. Conservatism and religion are inextricably linked, Hazony says. He defines conservatism as "a political standpoint that regards the national religious traditions as the key to maintaining and to strengthening a nation" and says that American conservatives need to reawaken to that reality. Hazony joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss his new book "Conservatism: A Rediscovery" and explain why religion can't be separated from conservatism.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s Daily Signal Top News, we break down: The British Monarch Queen Elizabeth II dies. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announces it has finalized a regulation that would pull back public-charge immigration rules instituted under President Trump. Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser declares an emergency over incoming illegal migrants and creates a new Office of Migrant Services to handle new arrivals.  Former White House Chief Strategist under President Trump Steve Bannon pleads not guilty on money laundering, conspiracy, and fraud charges filed by the State of New York over an alleged scheme to defraud donors who thought they were helping build the US-Mexico Border Wall. Las Vegas police arrest Clark County Public Administrator Robert Telles, who previously ran as a Democrat for his position, in connection with the murder of investigative journalist Jeff German, after Telles' DNA was found at the scene of the crime. The Department of the Interior announces it had finalized replacement names for more than 600 public places that used the anti-Native American slur “squaw.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Queen Elizabeth II passed away Sept. 8, 2022. She was 96-years-old. Queen Elizabeth II was the longest reigning monarch in British history, serving as the sovereign of the nation for 70 years.  Nile Gardiner, The Heritage Foundation’s director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom, and a foreign policy researcher for former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, says he was shocked when he learned of the queen’s passing.  Gardiner joins The Daily Signal Podcast to share his experience of meeting the queen, the legacy she leaves behind, and to explain what happens next in Britain as Prince Charles becomes King Charles.  Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As California continues to push for so-called green energy policies, its energy grid is suffering.  Residents of the Golden State have been forced to deal with rolling blackouts on top of skyrocketing energy prices. But how much of this energy crisis may be laid at the feet of California's government, and how much is out of the state's control? Katie Tubb, a research fellow at the Center for Energy, Climate, and Environment at The Heritage Foundation, joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss the biggest energy issues facing California residents—and what can be done to fix them.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s Daily Signal Top News, we break down: House Minority Leader’s “Committee to America”  The Washington Post’s article on the documents seized at Mar-a-Lago  FX’s new show, “Little Demon” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The United Kingdom has a new prime minister. Liz Truss, a member of the Conservative Party, officially became the U.K.’s newest head of government Tuesday. But who is Truss, and what does her rise to power signify for the U.K. and its relationship with the United States? Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation, joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to talk about how the new prime minister is likely to govern. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s Daily Signal Top News, we break down: A federal judge appoints a special master to review documents seized at former President Trump’s home. Britain’s new prime minister. No more snow days for New York City public school students. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are estimated to be more than 360 million Christians facing persecution for their faith around the world today, according to Open Doors USA, an organization that advocates on behalf of the persecuted church. While persecution of Christians is severe in nations like North Korea, there are about "50 to 60 countries where there is intense levels of persecution," says David Curry, the president and CEO of Open Doors USA. Curry joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to share stories of the persecuted church across the globe and to explain how Americans can support those facing tribulation for their faith.  Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We have a big announcement! Starting on Tuesday, The Daily Signal will be releasing a separate top news show every day at 5 p.m. ET. You can catch all the top news of the day on your drive home from work, while you are cooking dinner, or picking the kids up from soccer practice. But don't worry, our interviews are not going anywhere. We will still bring you deep dive interviews with policy makers and conservative activists every morning. Both shows will be released right here on "The Daily Signal Podcast," so you don’t need to subscribe to anything new. Have a great Labor Day and we'll see you Tuesday! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The transgender movement is “a social contagion,” says Chris Elston, also known as "Billboard Chris." Elston has drawn international attention for his work to defend children against gender identity ideology. Wearing billboards on his front and back that say things like “Children cannot consent to puberty blockers,” He travels throughout Canada and the U.S. having conversations on sidewalks and street corners with men and women about the harms of the transgender movement.  “I do see this as a cult that has permeated our entire society,” Elston says. “The biggest indicator of that might be how they [detransitioners] are treated when they decide to detransition, because they're given tons of love when they declare that they're trans, but the moment they declare they're not, they're cut off from their community, just like any cult.”  Elston joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to explain why he’s dedicating his time to educating society on the harms of gender identity ideology. He also discusses reports that Boston Children’s Hospital and Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. are performing hysterectomies on minors.  Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the time he was a child, Colin O’Brady knew he wanted to climb Mount Everest. It was a childhood dream that easily could have fallen by the wayside as a result of the demands of adulthood.  Today, at the age of 37, O’Brady has climbed Everest not once, but twice.  O’Brady’s passion to accomplish what others say is impossible led him to become the first man to walk across Antarctica solo and unaided. As a professional adventurer, O’Brady has crossed Drake Passage, a notoriously dangerous section of ocean between South America and Antarctica, in a rowboat; climbed the tallest peaks on all seven continents; and represented the United States in international triathlon competitions.  Adventure is a way to “unlock the human potential that I think that we all have inside of us,” O’Brady says.  But there was a day and time when he would not have dreamed he would be inspiring the world through his exploits. When he was in his early 20s, O’Brady set out on a trip to see parts of the world he had never experienced. While in Thailand, he suffered an accident and was burned so badly on his legs that doctors were not sure he would ever walk normally again.  Sitting at his bedside in a hospital in Thailand, O’Brady’s mother challenged him to set a goal. He told her he wanted to run a triathlon.  “You should start training now," he remembers his mother telling him, even while he was bandaged from the waist down. But taking his mother's advice to pursue a dream, he started lifting weights in bed.  Eighteen months later, O’Brady won the Chicago Triathlon.  His stories of grit, courage, and advice on how to overcome the roadblocks in our lives to achieve our dreams are featured in his new book, “The 12-Hour Walk: Invest One Day, Conquer Your Mind, and Unlock Your Best Life.”  His success as an athlete and adventurer has earned him sponsorships and speaking opportunities around the world. O’Brady joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to share how he discovered one practical step that can move anyone closer to accomplishing his or her goals in life.  Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Anthony Fauci's year-end retirement doesn’t mean he will avoid congressional oversight and accountability, said Steve Deace, author of “Faucian Bargain: The Most Powerful and Dangerous Bureaucrat in American History.” On Aug. 22, Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, or NIAID, and chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden, announced he would retire from the government in December. “There will be meaningful investigations that will uncover meaningful information that especially has to answer the question, after the Obama administration ordered the ending, the ceasing, of gain-of-function research in 2014, by whose authority did it begin again? Where did it start again?” Deace told "The Daily Signal Podcast.” Deace said the lasting lesson from Fauci’s tenure and “Faucism" is that "never again can this kind of singular power be placed in an unelected official or an agency that's unelected and not directly accountable to the people. Period, end of sentence.” The host of "The Steve Deace Show" on BlazeTV anticipates Republicans will control at least one house of Congress in 2023, and that the origins of COVID-19 and how agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be held accountable.  “They won't have a lot of meaningful fights, and so they need to, I think, feed the ecosystem something,” Deace said. “... They will do some meaningful investigating of NIH; NIAID, that's Fauci's department; and NIH under, I mean, Francis Collins, what went on in terms of CDC under both Robert Redfield and now Rochelle Walensky.” Deace is the co-author of the forthcoming book “Rise of the Fourth Reich: Confronting COVID Fascism With a New Nuremberg Trial, So This Never Happens Again.” He predicts Fauci and other public health officials who guided COVID-19 policies will have a legacy of being “authoritarians” for consistently doubling down on ineffective policies.  “It's not that they were just doing gain-of-function. They were doing it specifically to measure spillover potential,” Deace said of the federal funding that found its way to the Wuhan lab in China. “... They wanted to figure out what would cause one of these viruses to jump from an animal to a human. They were provoking that outcome in the lab. So, it's not just how dangerous gain-of-function is, but the functionality they were testing in and of itself was dangerous.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Critical race theory has marched its way through many of America's educational institutions. Angry elementary school parents noticed during the pandemic that their kids' teachers were more inclined to teach them that white people were evil than to teach them to read. Unfortunately, critical race theory—which views everything through the lenses of race and oppression— also has found fertile ground in America's colleges and universities. More disturbingly, medical schools and military academies have fallen victim to it. William "Bill" Jacobson, a law professor at Cornell Law School and founder of Legal Insurrection, has been tracking which institutions teach critical race theory, and how deep the rot goes, in a database at criticalrace.org. It's not pretty, he says. "It's so widespread that it's harder to find places where it's not being taught, either directly or indirectly, than it is where it is being taught," Jacobson says, adding: When you have an educational system, which, almost [from] kindergarten now through higher education in most places in the country, teaches children and teachers that the most important thing in their life and the way to look at everything is through skin color—what do you expect to happen?Jacobson joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss his database, and what the implications are for the rapid spread of critical race theory.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The tumultuous summer of 2020 prompted Americans to question our country’s criminal justice system. Fueled by death of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, political leaders and the media used these examples and others to attack police, prosecutors, and the rule of law. Today, we know they peddled a false narrative. Unfortunately, we’re seeing the consequences of their policies. It’s thanks to the work of scholars like Rafael Mangual at the Manhattan Institute that we know the truth about criminal justice in the United States. He’s the author of a new book, “Criminal (In)Justice: What the Push for Decarceration and Depolicing Gets Wrong and Who It Hurts Most.” Mangual is the Nick Ohnell fellow and head of research for the Policing and Public Safety Initiative at the Manhattan Institute and a contributing editor of City Journal. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today, Aug. 26, marks one year since an ISIS-K suicide bomber killed 13 U.S. service members and about 200 Afghans outside the international airport in Kabul. Marine Lance Cpl. Rylee McCollum, one of the 13 service members who died, was only 20 at the time of the fatal attack. His widow, Jiennah Crayton, also known as Gigi, gave birth to the couple’s first child, a daughter, less than a month after the bombing. His son Rylee was “fun,” Jim McCollum says.  “He was genuine, real,” McCollum says. “He had a huge heart, very compassionate, but you had to know him to see that side of him, because he was also very abrasive.”  “We have pictures of him at about 3 years old, 2 or 3, in a diaper, in his sister’s boots, no pants, with his gun and his dog out playing Army, Marine, whatever, protecting the family,” McCollum says of his son. “Just loved it. He was very fascinated with the military his whole life.”  One year after the terrorist attack that killed his son and 12 other service members, McCollum says he doesn’t want to talk with President Joe Biden about the attack or his handling of the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan: I’m highly disappointed. If you could sit down and have a discussion and know that it was sincere and that somebody was going to listen to you, it would be different. But so far the government, they’ve been less than honest with me, and it’s all lip service and just standard routine. They’re just going through the motions.McCollum joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the life and legacy of his son Rylee, his 1-year-old granddaughter Levi Rylee Rose, and how the Biden administration handled the exit from Afghanistan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s back to school time! But preparing for school no longer only means buying pencils and binders and other supplies, it also requires being prepared to stand against the woke ideology that has penetrated classrooms across the country.  Parents sending their kids to public school, and even some private schools, need practical tools to equip them to protect their children from gender ideology, inappropriate sexual content, and critical race theory.   Jill Simonian, a school mom, says she was shocked when she realized “how corrupt the system was and the age-inappropriate lessons and ideologies and lies that our children were being taught in their classrooms.”  Simonian, director of outreach for PragerU Kids, joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" today to discuss what classes parents should consider opting their children out of, how to file freedom of information requests with a school district, and the best ways to build relationships with school administrators to learn what's being taught in class.  Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TOP NEWS | On today’s Daily Signal Top News, we break down: The Supreme Court announces that it will hear a case related to a ban on gender treatments for minors in Tennessee. Pro-abortion activists use the two year anniversary of Roe v. Wade being overturned to announce a $100 million dollar campaign aimed at bringing a federal abortion law back.   If elected again, Former President Donald Trump says he plans to establish a task force to investigate anti-Christian bias.   The Justice Department’s assistant attorney general for civil rights Kristen Clarke is hit with three ethics complaints and a criminal referral.  Russia threatens the U.S. after Ukraine carried out strikes on Russian-occupied Crimea. Russia says the rockets used in the attack were U.S.-made.  Relevant Links:  https://www.dailysignal.com/2024/06/22/trump-vows-task-force-investigate-anti-christian-bias/ Listen to other podcasts from The Daily Signal: https://www.dailysignal.com/podcasts/ Get daily conservative news you can trust from our Morning Bell newsletter: DailySignal.com/morningbellsubscription   Listen to more Heritage podcasts: https://www.heritage.org/podcasts Sign up for The Agenda newsletter — the lowdown on top issues conservatives need to know about each week: https://www.heritage.org/agenda Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dave Donaldson recently returned to the U.S. after his second trip to Ukraine since Russia’s invasion of its Eastern European neighbor.  “The city is pretty much obliterated,” Donaldson, co-founder and board chairman of CityServe International, says of the city of Bucha, where Russians are said to have massacred 1,300 people. “It's like watching a sci-fi film.”  CityServe is a Christian humanitarian aid organization that works with churches all over the world to meet the needs of local communities. In addition to visiting Bucha, Donaldson also spent time in Kiev and met with bishops from all over Ukraine to learn about the spiritual and physical needs of the people.  It's been six months since Russia invaded on Feb. 24, and Ukrainians need “prayer that this war will end,” he says. Donaldson joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss what he saw and experienced in Ukraine, and how the people of Ukraine are coping with the death and devastation. Enjoy the show Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Texas congressman is sounding the alarm over how fatal even the smallest amount of fentanyl can be as the lethal drug continues to pour into the United States.  "People don't understand how deadly fentanyl is. A sugar packet, a Sweet'N Low packet of fentanyl could kill, in its pure form, all of the people in a crowded room—say a hundred people," Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, says. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration estimates that 2 milligrams of fentanyl can kill someone depending on their size, drug usage history, and tolerance.  "You don't understand how particularly dangerous it is until you read stories about, for example, somebody who is overdosing from fentanyl, or frankly they're poisoned by fentanyl. And then someone tries to perform CPR on them. And then they go into cardiac arrest from the transitive property of having [performed] CPR," Roy, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, says.  U.S. Customs and Border Protection has seized about 10,600 pounds of fentanyl this fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, compared to about 11,200 pounds last fiscal year, The Daily Signal reported.  Roy joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the ongoing crisis on the southern border, Anthony Fauci's plans to retire this winter, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's handling of monkeypox.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As we approach the next election cycle, many Americans wonder whether or not their votes will count. But given the incredibly high stakes in any election, how can Americans know that their votes actually matter and that their elections are free and fair? Chad Ennis, director of the Forensic Audit Division with the Texas Secretary of State’s office and former senior fellow for the Election Protection Project at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, was instrumental in getting his state to take steps toward securing the election process. “I really feel like Texas has been a leader in all kinds of voting,” he says. “We were one of the first states to have early voting, but we’ve always been very keen on keeping the security in place.” Ennis joins the show to discuss the steps Texas took to secure its elections and offer some guidance on what other states should do to secure theirs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’ve seen the headlines: President Joe Biden and his Justice Department are weaponizing law enforcement to target the left’s political opponents. It’s happening with the prosecutions of Jan. 6 protesters, the relentless attacks on Trump administration officials, and former President Donald Trump himself. The raid on Trump’s Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, was among the most blatant efforts yet by Biden’s Justice Department to punish and intimidate his political opponents—and the man who could challenge him for re-election in 2024. There are few people more knowledgeable about the government’s recent actions than Julie Kelly, whose fearless reporting helps shine the light on what’s really happening. Her book, “January 6: How Democrats Used the Capitol Protest to Launch a War on Terror Against the Political Right,” tells the story you didn’t hear from the Jan. 6 committee. Kelly joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to provide an update on the FBI raid, the Gov. Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot, Rep. Liz Cheney’s resounding defeat, and Jan. 6 defendants. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Americans still remember how the COVID-19 pandemic led not only to the loss of lives, but the loss of livelihoods. As businesses closed, the government grew in power and Americans' liberties shrank, contends journalist Cheryl Chumley, author of the book "Lockdown: The Socialist Plan to Take Away Your Freedom." "It was alarming to me how the left used fear to steal our constitutional, God-given rights," Chumley says. Online opinion editor for The Washington Times and host of the "Bold and Blunt" podcast, she has reported on Capitol Hill and covered state and local politics before coming to Washington. Chumley, who joins this episode of "The Daily Signal Podcast," says the biggest long-term effect of the government's response to the pandemic may have been "shifting the mindset of American citizens from one of individualism into one of collectivism." "I wrote 'Lockdown' basically as a look back on where the government got it wrong and how the Democrats used it for political gain, but more importantly, looking forward to how the Democrats plan to continue to use a pandemic to segue into the next cause to justify continuing lockdowns," she says. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More parents than ever are taking their kids out of failing public schools and educating them in the way that benefits them most, whether that’s in a private or charter school, or through homeschooling. In the vanguard of the fight to achieve school choice across the nation is Corey DeAngelis. DeAngelis is a senior fellow at the American Federation for Children, adjunct senior fellow at the Reason Foundation, and executive director at the Educational Freedom Institute. He joins this episode of “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss how school choice is gaining ground, and how proponents can keep the momentum for education freedom going. Listen to the podcast below or read the lightly edited transcript: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Monday, Aug. 15, marked one year since the Taliban reclaimed Afghanistan after 20 years of war and bloodshed. The New York Times reported that upward of 300,000 Afghans helped U.S. efforts in Afghanistan over those years.  On this episode of "The Daily Signal Podcast," Aziz, an Afghan interpreter whose full name is being withheld by The Daily Signal, shares his story of escaping the Taliban and the fallout after the botched U.S. withdrawal. "To be honest with you, it was a really dark day and very bad time," Aziz recalls of the days leading up to the fall of the capital city of Kabul. "There was fear. There was disappointments as the provinces were collapsing and the Taliban were reaching to the capital. I was totally dying, like a battery will lose its charge. I was seeing my body from inside; it was dying." Aziz served as interpreter for Chad Robichaux during his eight deployments from 2003 to 2007 as a staff sergeant in the Marines' Force Reconnaissance special operations unit or as a Defense Department contractor. The Aghan fought side-by-side with the Americans.  Robichaux, author of the forthcoming book "Saving Aziz: How the Mission to Help One Became a Calling to Rescue Thousands From the Taliban," also joins the podcast to describe helping to evacuate Aziz, his family, and thousands of others as chaos unfolded in Afghanistan. Aziz says that he didn't expect his country to fall so quickly to the Taliban. "We were thinking it will probably at least take them a few years before the regime collapsed," Aziz says. "We were not expecting it, that the regime will collapse all of a sudden within the matters of hours. Like within 24 hours, the whole system collapsed. That was totally unpredictable,"  Now residents of The Woodlands, Texas, Aziz, 39, and Robichaux, 46, share their journey out of Afghanistan, their message to the Biden administration, and what the future holds for the terrorist-run country.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For years, transgender activists have pushed a narrative that the only way to prevent confused kids who say they're transgender from killing themselves is to provide them with hormone therapy such as puberty blockers. Parents, scared into submission by politically motivated activists and doctors, then agree to pump their children full of dangerous hormones that render them permanently sterile. The activists tell the parents that this is the only way to save their child's life. New research by Heritage Foundation senior research fellow Jay Greene, however, suggests that not only do these hormones not lower the sky-high suicide rate among so-called transgender kids, they make things worse. (The Daily Signal is Heritage's multimedia news organization.) "There's a lot of depression and anxiety, particularly among girls. And they're looking for solutions to these problems that they're having," Greene says. "Today it's body transformation in a different way through transgender ideology, which then involves not just social transition of changing names and pronouns, but eventually pharmacological transition [by] taking puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, and eventually surgical transition of having double mastectomies or castration." Greene, who is part of Heritage's Center for Education Policy, continues: We're able to compare the suicide rates in states where it's easier versus harder [to get hormone therapy] both before and after 2010. And what we see is that before 2010 there's no difference between the states, just like we would expect. After 2010, the suicide rates diverged, so that in the states where it's a little bit easier for the kids to get them, there's a ramp-up in the suicide rate and it spikes up in 2015. So that by 2020, we see an extra 1.6 suicides among young people per 100,000, which is a 14% increase in the suicide rate.To Greene, the best cure for this transgender moment is for parents to reclaim responsibility over their kids. "I think removing the coercion is the most important thing, which is don't believe that you have to do things or your kid is going to die," he says. "Parents need to be skeptical of what experts tell them. And ultimately, remember that they're responsible for raising their own children, and they know best for their own children." Greene joins this bonus episode of "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss his research and how society can fight to protect children from gender ideologues. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many questions remain unanswered since the FBI's Aug. 8 raid on the Florida home of former President Donald Trump.  "First of all, make no mistake about it. There are rules that the president is not supposed to keep records," veteran journalist and lawyer Greta Van Susteren says. "The public records—I'm talking about the non-classified ones—do belong for the most part to the American people, so they have to be turned over to the [National Archives]. Usually, when a president leaves office, they're sorted through and they decide what's the president should have, what shouldn't have." "That's one group of documents. The second are our classified documents," Van Susteren adds. "And the question is, does [Trump] have classified documents? Clearly, he's not supposed to have classified documents. He's no longer in office. You have to make sure classified documents are in very secured places." Van Susteren joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to dissect the FBI raid and the polarization surrounding it, China's growing aggression, and her new show, "The Record with Greta Van Susteren," on Newsmax TV.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just when it seemed that confidence in America's news media couldn't get any worse, last month Gallup reported new record lows. "Just 16% of U.S. adults now say they have 'a great deal' or 'quite a lot' of confidence in newspapers and 11% in television news," Gallup's Megan Brenan wrote. "Both readings are down five percentage points since last year." Those numbers are startling—and perhaps well deserved given the current state of our corrupt corporate media. But they're also troubling for America. Batya Ungar-Sargon, deputy opinion editor at Newsweek, is the author of "Bad News: How Woke Media Is Undermining Democracy." She spoke to The Daily Signal about the media and her diagnosis of what's wrong. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Erin Hawley discusses the two-year anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's overturning Roe v. Wade. The court's landmark ruling, Dobbs vs. Jackson Women's Health Organization, was a major pro-life victory. Hawley tells The Daily Signal about other court cases to watch and attacks on pro-life pregnancy centers and the unborn.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you turn on the TV these days, you're bombarded with negative stories and talking heads claiming America is a no-good, very bad place. It can be hard to grow up in an environment where it seems like everyone thinks America's best days are behind her. Many young Americans believe such dark prognostications about the evil of America, and are convinced that their country is a lost cause. But rapper, podcaster, and life coach Zuby disagrees. "You should be hopeful, because what is the alternative?" Zuby asks. "The alternative is being pessimistic and negative and black-pilled, and that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you don't think you can win the game, why would you even play?" He adds: "If you live in the Western world, you're American, you're British, you're Canadian, and you exist in this time period, in 2022, you have it immediately, off the bat, better off than at least 90% of people who have ever walked the face of this planet." Zuby joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss why it's so important to remain hopeful about the nation's future. We also cover these stories: Food prices surge even as gasoline prices fall at the pump. FBI Director Christopher Wray condemns threats made against him and other law enforcement officers on social media. Twitter introduces new moderation policies designed to combat so-called misinformation on the social media platform before the midterm elections in November. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For many Americans, buying a home is one of their greatest financial goals. And, according to Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., the health of the economy is tied directly to Americans' ability to purchase real estate.  “So goes housing, so goes the economy,” Norman says. “The reason that is, you have over 130 trades [involved in the real estate market] from the architect that draws the plans… to the sheetrock hanger, to the plumber, to the electrician, and the list goes on and on.”  When the real estate begins to stabilize, the economy will improve over all, he says. “We know the path that we're on is not sustainable,” the congressman says, adding that it will “take all hands on deck to turn it around.”  Norman joins “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the future of America’s economy and real estate market. He also explains how America can strategically end its dependence on China.  Also on today’s show, we cover these stories: The consumer price index rose 8.5% since last July. Former President Donald Trump invokes his Fifth Amendment rights during a deposition with New York Attorney General Latisha James' office. The Justice Department charges an Iranian operative for plotting to assassinate former national security adviser John Bolton. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Senate narrowly passed the "Inflation Reduction Act" on Sunday, thanks to a tie-breaking vote from Vice President Kamala Harris. But would the bill, if also passed by the House, actually reduce the record-high inflation faced by Americans? "The bill drafters will tell you that it reduces deficits, which means it would be less pressure on the Federal Reserve to print money to cover the deficit, which is what they've been doing for the last two years, which is how we got the inflation we had," Heritage Foundation senior policy analyst Richard Stern says. (The Daily Signal is Heritage's multimedia news organization.) "However, the real truth is, if you go through the bill, it's going to probably increase deficits by $350 billion over the next 10 years, which is a lot of money obviously," Stern says. The House is preparing to vote this week on the Democrats' tax and spending bill, which likely will be signed into law Friday by President Joe Biden. Stern joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss the so-called Inflation Reduction Act, its impact on the average American, and why Stern is hopeful that better policy is on the horizon.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can a civilization survive without faith? It's a question many Americans are considering as a wave of secularism sweeps the nation. There are those that push back against the idea that faith and religion should be involved in the political process. They point to the establishment clause in the Constitution that prevents the government from establishing a religion as evidence the Founders wanted to keep religion separate from the apparatus of state. Eric Metaxas, a Christian author and host of "The Eric Metaxas Show," disagrees. "I think that the Founders knew that a robust faith was at the very heart of keeping the republic. There was no question about that," Metaxas says. "I think the misunderstanding that we've been living with for decades now, that somehow we're supposed to keep our faith out of the public square, is utterly preposterous." Metaxas joins the show to discuss the role of faith in society and whether America can survive if she loses her faith heritage. We also cover these stories: President Joe Biden says he isn’t worried about a possible Chinese response to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's recent visit to Taiwan. Greg McMichael and his son Travis McMichael are sentenced to life in prison on federal hate crime charges for the death of Ahmaud Arbery. New York City Mayor Eric Adams calls for federal aid to deal with ongoing busloads of illegal immigrants from Texas. American author and historian David McCullough is dead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Joe Biden is confronting a record-low job approval rating and a growing calls from within his own party to abandon a reelection campaign. Last week, congressional Democrats from Minnesota and New York cast doubt on Biden's political future, suggesting it was time for a new generation to step forward. Those public statements came on the heels of Gallup's poll, which put Biden's job approval rating at a personal low 38%. History doesn't bode well for incumbent presidents who face intraparty challenges, according to presidential historian Tevi Troy. His recent Washington Examiner cover story, "Biden faces a mutiny," examined six examples of 20th-century presidents who faced intraparty challengers—all losers. Troy, director of the Presidential Leadership Initiative at the Bipartisan Policy Center and a former senior White House aide, joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to talk about Biden's future, frustrations plaguing his White House, and interesting tidbits about presidential history.  Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A new report from Heritage Foundation's Brenda Hafera provides unique insights and observations into how the presidential homes of Washington, Jefferson, and Madison are mostly failing to teach accurately about what these men achieved for our country. Mount Vernon is easily the best home, and is faithful to its former owner. But things quickly get bad and Monticello and just ugly at Montpelier. As Hafera notes: "Madison [and] his accomplishments are relegated to a portion of the house tour. Which guides can write their own script, but they must talk about Dolly and James Madison, the enslaved people, and the Constitution. So Madison is talked about there. He is talked about in a brief video in the visitors center, which also labels the Constitution racist, and Madison a slave owner. But there are no exhibits on James Madison as the fourth president, as the father of the Constitution, as the primary author of the Bill of Rights, or writing a number of the Federalist Papers, which ensured the ratification of that Constitution." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New documents obtained by the America First Legal Foundation have revealed deep collusion between officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and its allies in Big Tech to silence dissenting voices. The documents lay bare efforts by government officials to push social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook to censor so-called medical misinformation. John Zadrozny, deputy director of investigations at the America First Legal Foundation, joins the show to discuss how deep the collusion goes, and what it all means. We also cover these stories: Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Ind., dies in a car accident. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspends Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren over his refusal to enforce state laws restricting abortion or prohibiting gender-transition treatments such as mastectomies or cross-sex hormones for minors. WNBA player Brittney Griner is sentenced to nine years in a Russian penal colony after being found guilty of attempting to smuggle illegal narcotics into the country. Five ballistic missiles launched during a military exercise around Taiwan by the Chinese military land inside Japan's exclusive economic zone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi traveled with a delegation to Taiwan this week, where she met with Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and Taiwan lawmakers despite aggressive rhetoric and threats from the Chinese Communist Party.  Pelosi, who was the first speaker to visit Taiwan since former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., visited in 1997, tweeted about the trip: "Our discussions with Taiwan leadership reaffirm our support for our partner & promote our shared interests, including advancing a free & open Indo-Pacific region." "It's really important that she do it, a speaker of the house going to Taiwan, demonstrating American support for Taiwan. It's doubly important to do it once a Chinese called her out for it," Walter Lohman, the director of the Asian Studies Center at The Heritage Foundation, says. (The Daily Signal is Heritage’s multimedia news organization.) Walter joins the podcast to discuss Speaker Pelosi's visit to Taiwan, if the United States should change its policy toward Taiwan, and if he predicts the visit will spark World War III.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Much has been made of grabbing the coveted youth vote. America's future lies in her young people, so theoretically, whoever influences the young now will be in a much better position to steer the country. But politicians often seem to look at young Americans as some sort of alien species. What do they like? What matters to them? How do I get them on my side? Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, now president of Young America's Foundation, argues that young folks aren't that much different than your average voter and mostly have the same concerns. "Young Americans still have to put gas in their car, their moped, or whatever they're driving these days," says Walker, emphasizing that the economic pain hitting older Americans also affects young Americans. "If anything, I think [young Americans are] more libertarian than they are liberal, in the sense that at their core, they just want to live their own lives," he says. When asked whether he thinks Republicans and conservatives can court young Americans who feel betrayed by the Democrats and President Joe Biden, Walker responds: I think there are others who are less about hardcore right- or left-wing ideological viewpoints being upset and more just being upset in general. I do think there's a tremendous opportunity. But it can't just be that we're against Joe Biden.Instead, Walker says, conservatives should make the argument for "a better way forward." The former Wisconsin governor joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" today to discuss what young Americans are looking for in their leaders and how conservatives can best continue to court younger Americans. We also cover these stories: The U.S. announces that an American drone strike Saturday eliminated al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri in Kabul, Afghanistan. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrives in Taiwan under heavy rhetorical fire from China. President Joe Biden names FEMA regional administrator Robert Fenton as the government's lead on monkeypox. A group of major news outlets sue the Texas Department of Public Safety over public records relating to the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

President Joe Biden announced Monday that the United States had killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahri in a drone strike over the weekend. Zawahri, who was an Egyptian doctor, replaced Osama bin Laden after he was killed by U.S. Navy SEALS in May 2011. He was listed as the FBI’s “Most Wanted Terrorist” and helped to plan the September 11 terrorist attacks. “Zawahri has been a high-level target of the United States, one of the most wanted people in the world for over 20 years,” Jeff Smith, a research fellow in the Asian Studies Center at The Heritage Foundation, says. (The Daily Signal is Heritage’s multimedia news organization.) Smith joins a bonus episode of “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss the significance of Zawahri’s death, the future of al-Qaeda, who might replace him, and counterterrorism operations in the Middle East. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Eve Nunez’s life was turned upside down in 1969, when she was raped. She was only 14.  When Nunez became pregnant, a relative encouraged her to have an abortion, concerned that her pregnancy would bring shame to the family. Nunez chose life.  “I had a grandma that passed away when I was 6,” Nunez says, “and she always taught me the importance … of wanting to live, and the importance of life.”  More than 50 years after giving birth to her son, Nunez continues to act on behalf of the unborn.  Today, she is a minister and an advocate for life who volunteers her time and resources to help women facing crisis pregnancies.  Nunez joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to share her story and why she is so committed to standing for life.  Also on today’s show, we cover these stories: House Speaker Nancy Pelosi begins her trip to Asia, which may include Taiwan despite China's fierce objections. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis encourages his state agencies to ignore directives from the U.S. Department of Education. Kansas voters head to the polls to vote on an abortion-related amendment to the state constitution. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joe Biden campaigned for president in 2020 as a practical politician with a moderate record. He promised to unite America under a Biden presidency. He even said, "There will be no blue states and red states with me."  More than 18 months into the Biden administration, America is witnessing a radical departure from the candidate who made those promises in 2020.  From Day One, the Biden administration pursued policies that appealed to the far left and socialists rather than working-class Americans. As a result, Americans appear more divided than ever on key questions about our country's future and the policy decisions confronting us.  Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a bestselling author who is out with a new book, "Defeating Big Government Socialism: Saving America's Future," joins us on "The Daily Signal Podcast" today to tell us about his latest work and what's at stake. Listen to the interview or read a lightly edited transcript. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Health care affects every single American. Republicans and Democrats argue over the best way to provide the essential service to the population. But in Texas, a sweeping series of health care reform bills was able to make their way through the state Legislature. And it was done on a bipartisan basis. Dave Balat, director of the Right on Healthcare initiative at the Texas Public Policy Foundation, was instrumental in getting that legislation passed. "When it comes to good health care bills, there really shouldn't be a left and right divide," Balat says. "It should be about what's best for patients." Balat hopes he can spread these bills across the nation. "These [bills] are designed for communities," he says. "They aren't by any means Texas-specific. And I'm working with a number of states already to try to export these ideas and give them the support that they need to implement exactly what has been done." Balat joins "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss how his organization helped get these policies passed, and how other states can use Texas as a model. We also cover these stories: The U.S. enters a recession. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., makes a deal with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on a tax-and-spend bill. Justice Clarence Thomas will not be teaching his constitutional law class at Georgetown Law after student backlash.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi plans to visit Taiwan next month and Beijing is not happy, threatening "determined and forceful measures" if the trip happens. “[China] will have to take determined and forceful measures to firmly safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity” if the trip proceeds, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said, according to the Financial Times.   Former U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper is among those cautioning Pelosi, D-Calif., against any decision to cancel or postpone the trip while warning what message it would send to China. "At this point, given the bluster and proclamations coming out from Beijing, I think if she doesn't take the trip it'll look like she stood down in the face of Chinese rhetoric and protestations," Esper says. Esper joins this episode of "The Daily Signal Podcast" to discuss Pelosi’s planned trip to Taiwan, wokeness in the military, and the Army’s recruiting crisis. We also cover these stories: Democrats seek term limits for Supreme Court justices. A poll finds that Americans aren't on board with protests at Supreme Court justices' homes. A Florida state agency sues a Miami bar for staging drag queen shows for children. Enjoy the show! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.