Facts Matter

In Maine, the U.S. Supreme Court has reinstated the speaking and voting rights of one of its state representatives. Before this decision, the lawmaker was barred from speaking or voting in the state House, despite being elected.The backstory for this situation is fascinating, so let's go through it together.Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.Episode Resources:

In South Carolina, the state Supreme Court just issued an important ruling on abortion—unanimously voting to uphold the state's six-week abortion ban. This ruling came as a response to a challenge of that law by Planned Parenthood.Since this ruling in South Carolina represents a great microcosm of what's happening throughout the whole country, let's use it as a springboard to examine abortion laws throughout the country.

Earlier this month, a former police sergeant was sentenced to 18 months in prison after he was found guilty of acting as an agent of the Chinese regime on American soil.The man in question is former Sergeant Michael McMahon—who previously worked for the New York Police Department. After leaving the police force, however, he went into the private sector as a private investigator, and it was in this capacity that he became entangled in a Chinese Communist Party operation called “Operation Fox Hunt.”Let's go through the details of this case, as well as what Operation Fox Hunt is all about.

The FBI arrests alleged child predators. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) hires a new top vaccine official to replace Dr. Peter Marks. And the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) effort has hit a new milestone, as well as a new legal snag. Let's go through a full update on today's episode of Facts Matter.Episode Resources:

Ahead of a classified briefing that was requested by members of Congress from the Department of Homeland Security, I'll give you the latest update on everything that we know about the Chinese spy stations located on the island of Cuba, just 90 miles off the coast of Florida.Views expressed in this episode are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.Episode Resources:

With all that's happened in the first 100 days of the Trump presidency, it's easy to miss big developments from various agencies. Therefore, today I'm going to give you a comprehensive update on what the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been up to in the month of April.Views expressed in this episode are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

One of the first things that President Donald Trump did upon assuming office was to take an agency first established by President Barack Obama and change it into the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).He then placed Elon Musk in charge of that department, with the stated goal to root out government waste and fraud. And what's been happening for the past three months is that DOGE has found a lot of what it calls wasteful spending. It's not just “finding it,” however. Different departments of the government are taking steps to cut spending and cancel contracts, based on DOGE's recommendations.According to the official tally, DOGE's efforts have saved U.S. taxpayers roughly $160 billion—which is equivalent to just under $1,000 saved for every U.S. taxpayer.However, for a variety of reasons, most media have stopped devoting major coverage to DOGE's efforts. There was a lot of coverage at the beginning, when many people were getting laid off, but recently, immigration-related news has taken a lot of the oxygen out of the news cycle, and therefore, most people don't know what DOGE has been up to recently.Today, we give you a comprehensive update on what DOGE has been doing for the past month.Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

After the terror attack in Kashmir on April 22, tensions between India and Pakistan have hit a boiling point, with India suspending a water treaty that's been in place between the two countries for 75 years.Pakistan has labeled this move an act of war.Let's go through the details of these tit-for-tat escalations between two nations that both possess nuclear weapons.Views expressed in this episode are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.Episode Resources:

Within the context of billions of dollars having been spent on national, state, and local elections during the 2024 cycle, an effort is underway to add a new amendment to the U.S. Constitution.The issue that this amendment would try and fix has to do with the fact that both wealthy Americans, as well as wealthy foreigners, are able to shape local American elections (including referendums, ballot initiatives, and recalls). In fact, there are some local elections in the country where close to 90 percent of the donations came from out-of-state. This raises the question—if someone is elected under those conditions, do they really represent the will of their local constituents?As a possible answer to that question, there is a new proposed amendment to the Constitution which has now been endorsed by 23 out of the necessary 38 states.This amendment, if passed, would officially become the 28th amendment to the U.S. Constitution—and it would allow the banning of both foreign (as well as out-of-state funding) in local races.—Views expressed in this episode are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.Episode Resources:

On a previous episode, we discussed how the Supreme Court ruled in Trump's favor in an immigration case—a case involving the deportation of illegal immigrants present here in the United States. However, that earlier case was won by Trump on a technicality: the lawyers for the illegal immigrant decided to file their case in Washington (rather than in Texas, where the man was being held) and, therefore, the case was dismissed due to being brought forth in the wrong venue.But, very notably, the underlying legal issues weren't actually examined. The question of whether the Alien Enemies Act could really be used against illegal immigrants such as Venezuelan gang members wasn't ruled on.Therefore, more lawsuits were filed. And one of those new lawsuits bore fruit, as the U.S. Supreme Court decided to stop the Trump administration from being able to deport members of Tren de Aragua, for now.—Want to support independent journalism? Follow this podcast!Views expressed in this podcast are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.—Episode Resources:

The attorney general of the United States has just issued a new Justice Department rule, rescinding the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives' (ATF) authority to restore gun rights to those who've had them taken away.This action opens the door for potentially millions of people to get their Second Amendment rights restored.Let's go through it together.—Enjoyed this episode? Follow our podcast!Views expressed in this podcast are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

In North Carolina, the state Supreme Court has just issued a ruling forcing the state to count tens of thousands of votes that are missing crucial details, such as having no driver's license number or the last four digits of their Social Security number on file.This decision is especially crucial given the fact that the election in question is currently split by only about 700 votes—meaning this one decision can actually change the outcome of the race.

Supreme Court Sides with Trump, Allows Deportations to Resume | Facts Matter

Shakeup at HHS: Top Vaccine Official Resigns; 10,000 Jobs to Be Eliminated; 53% Reduction in Divisions | Facts Matter

Supreme Court Issues Ruling on ‘Ghost Guns' | Facts Matter

Appeals Court Rules for DOGE; Trump Admin Announces USAID to Mostly Shutter | Facts Matter

Nuclear War in Space | Trump's New Golden Dome Project | Facts Matter

New 7-2 Supreme Court Ruling- Inaction can Be Considered ‘Violence' | Facts Matter

Trump Says Pardons of Fauci, Jan. 6 Committee Are Void as They Were Signed by Autopen–But Is This True | Facts Matter

Trump Confirms Epstein List Release as DOJ Director Gives Update on Files | Facts Matter

DOGE Announces Suspicious Finding; Shooting in DC Near White House; F-16s Scramble Near Mar-a-Lago | Facts Matter

In this gripping episode, we dive into the audacious mission of one individual determined to reshape American democracy. Meet the man pushing to amend the U.S. Constitution and pave the way for a third term for former President Donald Trump. We explore the legal hurdles, political firestorm, and historical precedent surrounding the 22nd Amendment, which limits presidents to two terms. Is this a serious campaign or a provocative stunt? What would it mean for the future of the presidency? Join us as we unpack the motives, the movement, and the monumental stakes behind this constitutional crusade.

In this eye-opening episode, we dive into a recent study revealing traces of active chemicals from abortion pills in America's drinking water. What does this mean for public health, policy, and the ongoing abortion debate? Joining us is Kristan Hawkins, President of Students for Life, to unpack the implications of this discovery and discuss the current state of abortion in America. Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation that bridges science, ethics, and activism.

Stripping Power from Federal Agencies – Interview with Mark Chenoweth of New Civil Liberties AllianceIn this episode, we sit down with Mark Chenoweth from the New Civil Liberties Alliance to discuss their landmark victory in the ruling that overturned the 40-year-old “Chevron deference” precedent, fundamentally reshaping the balance of power between federal agencies and the judiciary. Once, courts deferred to agencies' expertise when interpreting ambiguous laws; now, federal judges hold the reins to decide what those laws mean—ushering in a new era of judicial policymaking.We dive into the “Chevron Difference,” exploring what this win means for the future of regulatory law and agency authority. From environmental protections to workplace safety and drug pricing, the fallout of this ruling could ripple across every corner of American life.Join us as we unpack the profound implications of this decision for the rule of law, the role of unelected judges, and the ability of federal agencies to safeguard the public. This is a conversation you won't want to miss.

In this compelling episode of Facts Matter, we sit down with bestselling author and cultural commentator Andrew Klavan to unpack the hidden dynamics draining America's vitality. Klavan dives into how Washington, D.C., acts as a wealth-siphoning machine, pulling resources from the heart of the nation while offering little of substance in return. From bloated bureaucracy to the illusion of prosperity, he exposes what he calls the ‘make-believe value' of the capital—where power and posturing masquerade as progress. Expect sharp insights, unfiltered takes, and a fearless dissection of the political elite's game. Tune in for a conversation that cuts through the noise and gets to the core of what's really at stake

In this episode, we sit down with KT McFarland to dive into some of the most pressing issues shaping the world today. From the rise of global populism and its impact on politics to the controversial proposal of designating cartels as terrorist organizations, we explore the complexities of these topics. Plus, we tackle the ongoing Ukraine-Russia conflict, discussing potential paths to resolution and why the quagmire persists. Join us for a no-nonsense conversation on Facts Matter.

Today on Facts Matter, we break down two major stories making headlines. First, we analyze the conflicting data from the black boxes of the recent DC plane crash—what the discrepancies could mean and the questions still unanswered. Then, we shift to the rising concerns over a contagious bird flu, leading to mass poultry culling and a spike in egg prices. How is this affecting supply chains and consumers? Tune in for the facts and our analysis.

On today's episode of Facts Matter, we explore the conclusion of the guaranteed-income program for transgender individuals and dive into the growing attempts by federal agencies to shield themselves from what's being called the “Great Purge.” Join us for a thoughtful and informative discussion on these developments, their impact, and what they mean for the future.

Today on Facts Matter, we dive into the latest developments in the ongoing global tariff battles. The U.S. has secured a significant victory, with all demands met in the first phase of a larger trade war. What does this mean for international trade, the economy, and future negotiations? Join us as we break down the key players, the broader implications, and what to expect next in this high-stakes economic showdown.

In this episode of Facts Matter, we dive into the latest developments as former President Donald Trump takes decisive action, firing four high-profile Biden appointees and signing an executive order aimed at reshaping the role of career federal managers.

The city of Los Angeles is set to host the 2028 Summer Olympics. And despite still being many years away, the individual athletes and teams are well on their way in terms of training—hoping to get that gold medal around their necks.Part of the reason it matters is because aside from individual achievement, the medal count is a real point of pride for every country.In fact, during the Olympic Games, almost every news media keeps a running total on its front page of how many medals each country has won.In 2024, the USA won the overall medal count. Our athletes earned a total of 126 medals—35 more medals than second place China. But, if you only look at gold medals, we actually tied with China, with both countries getting 40.That might be good enough for some, but in 2028, we as a country should accept nothing less than complete victory. That means American athletes need to step it up to win as many gold medals as possible.To that end, we should discuss a sport that American athletes are having difficulty competing in: racewalking. At the Paris Olympics, no American athletes qualified to compete.Not only did no Americans win, we failed to even qualify to compete.However, many people don't know that besides racewalking being one of the longest-running (pun intended) events held in modern-era Olympics, the sport was allegedly also the most popular in the United States at the end of the 19th century—only to have its popularity completely fall off a cliff.In order to make sense of this sport I spoke with professor Jeff Salvage. He is a lifelong racewalker, a coach to many top Olympic contenders, and the founder and CEO of racewalk.com, which served as the U.S. racewalking committee's official website for nearly a decade.Join host Roman Balmakov on this week's episode of “Facts Matter.”Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

Back in the summer of 2020, amidst all the news regarding COVID-19, the lockdowns, the outbreaks, the Black Lives Matter protests and riots, and the presidential election, the Supreme Court issued a monumental ruling that went completely under the radar.It went unnoticed by so many because of everything else that was happening at the time.However, the ruling was truly monumental because it effectively cut Oklahoma's claim to the land in the state in half.In 1830, President Andrew Jackson signed a treaty that established an area encompassing almost the entire eastern half of present-day Oklahoma as a Native American reservation.But over the past 190 years, different laws and treaties have effectively chipped away at those lands—and the claims that Native Americans have to them.That all changed in 2020, however, when the U.S. Supreme Court determined that the laws and treaties passed in the past 200 years have not disestablished these reservations and that the Native Americans who live there still have certain rights because of their unique status on those lands.Furthermore, the Supreme Court ruling confirmed that the Native American citizens residing on these reservations no longer fall under the jurisdiction of Oklahoma state and local police but rather under the purview of local tribal police and the federal government.The reason that this matters for people outside of Oklahoma is that this ruling also sets a precedent that other Native American tribes across the United States could use to claw back land that was promised to them by treaties signed hundreds of years ago.So let's go through the details of this case—and tease out the implications it could have for other states moving forward.Join host Roman Balmakov on this week's episode of “Facts Matter.”Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

The FBI successfully smoked out two agents of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) who were acting on American soil, attempting to bribe and manipulate the IRS into doing China's bidding. After they were caught, the two men wound up pleading guilty—and just about a week ago, they were sentenced to prison. The story of who these men were, how they got recruited, the plan they were enacting, the specific CCP policy that they were pushing forward—as well as how the FBI was able to ultimately sniff them out and capture them—is fascinating to say the least. And tracking the story, it gives us a glimpse into what the FBI can do at its best, and secondly, the kind of lengths that the CCP will go to in hopes of silencing dissent of any kind. Join host Roman Balmakov on this week's episode of “Facts Matter.” Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

Every year, the United Nations holds its annual climate change conference. It's called the “Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP). This year, the 29th annual COP was held on Nov. 11 in the city of Baku, which is the capital of Azerbaijan. However, unlike previous years, many challenges have arisen this year that pose serious problems to the U.N.'s climate agenda. Whether it's the reelection of Donald Trump (and his promise to exit the Paris Climate Accords), western world leaders skipping the conference, or the host nation giving a speech in favor of fossil fuels, it appears that the pendulum is beginning to swing in the other direction. But the U.N. is not taking this lying down. Instead, it has announced a new initiative, called the “The Baku Initiative on Human Development for Climate Resilience.” Let's go through what this latest initiative is, how it's being implemented, the specific challenges it'll face, and what it'll mean going forward for the countries that are still committed to the U.N.'s climate agenda. Join host Roman Balmakov on this week's episode of “Facts Matter.” Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

Starting in January, what might begin to unfold in this country is unprecedented. After years of record-breaking illegal immigration, the incoming Trump administration is serious about deporting millions—perhaps even tens of millions of people—from the United States. Not from the border region, but rather, from neighborhoods throughout the country. And so, if you think about it: The number of raids, roundups, fights with the police, manhunts, detention centers, government buses, chartered flights, and everything else involved in this operation might very well be huge. Even the sheer amount of cell phone video footage that will likely be floating around social media over the next year, as literally a million people or more per year could be deported, is going to be voluminous. This really might become the single biggest news topic over the next year. However, that's only if Trump can actually carry out his deportation plan. Because despite a strong electoral mandate—which includes winning the popular vote, the electoral college vote, as well as winning a Republican Congress—Trump will actually have an uphill battle to implement his deportation agenda. In fact, there are forces already gathering their strength to push back against him come January. And so, let's go through what those forces are, as well as the general challenges that Trump will face in his effort to deport potentially tens of millions of people. Join host Roman Balmakov on this week's episode of “Facts Matter.” Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

In some areas, the snowstorm dumped several feet of snow in a matter of a couple of hours. This happened during the height of that year's holiday travel season. The snowstorm knocked out power for more than 100,000 people, it paralyzed most emergency services, it effectively stopped travel in general, and when all was said and done, it left at least 47 people dead. Some of those people died as a result of heart complications, because they over-exerted themselves shoveling snow. However, a significant portion of the deaths were a result of motorists who were trapped in their vehicles for an extended period of time, in freezing temperatures, beyond the reach of any emergency service personnel. These people sadly, literally, froze to death in their cars and trucks. And we've seen this sad scenario play out many times before when a natural disaster strikes. People assume, sometimes fatally, that first responders will be able to make it to them and save them from a desperate situation. But unfortunately, that's not always the case. Sometimes, you really have to be your own first responder. And so in that vein, since we're heading into the winter season, here are some recommendations on things that you can do to protect yourself and your family. Join host Roman Balmakov on this week's episode of “Facts Matter.” Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.  

With Donald Trump now officially being the president-elect, the big question becomes: what will he actually do? While it might be impossible to map out what he'll do over the course of four years—we actually have a good idea of what he'll likely do starting on Day 1. And so, let's review some of the recent statements made by Trump, in order to map out the 8 executive actions that he'll likely take immediately after assuming office. Join host Roman Balmakov on this week's episode of “Facts Matter.” Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

You probably didn't know it, but in December 2023, the United States got a lot bigger. Specifically, the United States added about 1 million square kilometers to its territory. That's approximately 386,000 square miles—roughly the size of two Californias. Now, you would think that something like this would have been front-page news. But it actually went largely unnoticed—probably because the area in question isn't a physical landmass. Instead, the United States gained a million square kilometers (nearly 400,000 square miles) of premium seafloor real estate. This expansion (just from a sheer size perspective) is the most significant enlargement of the United States since the year 1867, which is the year Alaska was purchased from Russia. Join host Roman Balmakov on this week's episode of “Facts Matter.” Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

The 2024 election has officially been decided and President-elect Donald Trump will be the 47th president of the United States—becoming only the second president in U.S. history to serve 2 nonconsecutive terms. The victory that Trump scored on election night was sweeping. Join host Roman Balmakov on this week's episode of “Facts Matter.” Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

The Social Security program is quickly approaching the point of insolvency. According to a new analysis by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, within the next nine years—if nothing changes—the average retired couple will see their benefits reduced by $16,500. At the same time, inflation over the next nine years will likely make goods and services significantly more expensive. Join host Roman Balmakov on this week's episode of “Facts Matter.”

The Social Security Administration just released a statement announcing five key changes that will be made to the Social Security program starting in 2025 regarding benefits, limits, and taxes. Join host Roman Balmakov on this week's episode of “Facts Matter.” Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

We are just less than three weeks out from the 2024 election. Meaning that in about three and a half weeks—or however long it takes to count the votes—we're going to know who will lead the country for the next four years. Regardless of who wins, however, there is a massive structural problem in America that is essentially colorblind. It's not red, it's not blue—so it doesn't matter who's in office. It's that the design of the system will make it such that inflation will re-accelerate. The national debt currently sits at an astonishing $35 trillion. Looking at the national debt on a timeline, the increase over the last 100 years has been staggering, going from about $400 billion in 1923 to $35 trillion today—an increase of 8,750 percent. To give you some perspective on that, if the United States were to completely stop all of its spending and, instead, the federal government spent a million dollars every single minute to pay off this debt, it would never get paid off—because we're currently paying $2 million dollars per minute just to service the interest on that debt. And so today, let's go through the details of the situation, and why inflation is essentially the only answer to this problem—regardless of who's in office. Join host Roman Balmakov on this week's episode of “Facts Matter.” Views expressed in this video are opinions of the host and guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

For a while now, there have been two competing trends in the United States. At the federal level, there has been more centralization, the introduction of more levels of bureaucracy, more attempts to chip away at the Second Amendment, and so on. At the same time, however, at the local level, many municipalities have been moving in the opposite direction, declaring themselves to be “constitutional counties” wherein any effort to infringe on the constitutional rights of their citizens will be treated as criminal activity—even if it's done by state or federal officials. Join host Roman Balmakov on this week's episode of “Facts Matter.”

One of the odd things about the electoral college system is that it's possible to produce an actual tie. Perhaps even odder than that, however, is that this year's election is so tight (at least according to the polling data) that a tie is looking more possible by the day. So let's go through the details of what a tie in the electoral college system would look like, what would happen afterward, and what Republicans, Democrats, and RFK Jr. are doing to hedge their bets. Join host Roman Balmakov on this week's episode of “Facts Matter.”

With less than two months to go until Election Day, there's a threat worth discussing that cuts across party lines. Regardless of whether a Democrat or Republican is in charge, Americans face the real threat of a hostile foreign actor (Russia, Iran, North Korea, China, and so on) using what's known as an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) attack to destroy our technological advantages. An EMP attack is one of the most deadly threats facing our country, and experts warn that it's a lot worse than you likely even imagine. Join host Roman Balmakov on this week's episode of Facts Matter.

Earlier this year, Democratic lawmakers introduced a new piece of legislation to Congress that would make it illegal for Americans to form militias.

In a monumental ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court, local governments are now, once again, allowed to prosecute homeless people for sleeping on public property. 

In this week's episode we dive into the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down a doctrine known as Chevron deference. The ruling has far reaching implications on federal agencies' power to interpret policy.

Fake, AI-generated people (that do not exist in the real world) are amassing huge social media followings, making millions of dollars in brand deals, appearing in TV commercials, starting their own product lines, getting jobs at TV stations, and even endorsing political candidates. 

Tap water is one of those things that many of us take for granted. Typically, as long as you pay the bill, you turn the faucet, and the water flows.

Right now there is a debt bomb at the center of the U.S. economy, with commercial real estate in this country in total free fall.