Hold These Truths with Dan Crenshaw

National security expert Rebeccah Heinrichs joins Rep. Crenshaw to discuss strategic nuclear deterrence in the 21st century, the New Cold War against China and Russia, idealism vs realism in foreign affairs, and why America must re-establish itself as the global military and economic superpower if it hopes to survive. Rebeccah Heinrichs is a senior fellow at Hudson Institute and the director of its Keystone Defense Initiative. She specializes in US national defense policy with a focus on strategic deterrence. Ms. Heinrichs currently serves as a commissioner on the bipartisan Strategic Posture Commission, which was created in the Fiscal Year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act. She also serves on the US Strategic Command Advisory Group and the National Independent Panel on Military Service and Readiness. Follow her on Twitter at @RLHeinrichs.

Nury Turkel is a Uyghur American attorney and human rights advocate who was born over 50 years ago inside a Maoist labor camp in China's Xinjiang province. Life for the average Chinese citizen has improved dramatically since then, but not for the ethnic Uyghurs. Nury joined Rep. Crenshaw to describe the wide-scale human rights abuses being committed by the CCP in Xinjiang: slavery, forced marriages, compulsory tracking, censorship, re-education camps, and the erasure of Uyghur culture and religious beliefs. Underlying Nury's story is a clear example of how Marxist ideology inevitably crushes the human spirit and compels people to commit the worst atrocities ever imagined. Nury Turkel is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute and Chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. He is the author of “No Escape: The True Story of China's Genocide of the Uyghurs.” Follow him on Twitter at @nuryturkel.

Much of what you hear about income inequality, poverty, and other measures of economic well-being in America is wrong, biased by government statistics and populist rhetoric. Former U.S. Senator Phil Gramm joins Rep. Crenshaw to elucidate the real trends behind income equality in America today and why we should dispel the populist notions that some great economic injustice is occurring between the classes. Sen. Gramm also reflects on the changes he's seen in politics since he first took office in 1979 and why Americans are so much angrier now, despite living in arguably the best economic conditions in human history. Phil Gramm is the author of the WSJ Best Politics Book of 2022, “The Myth of American Inequality: How Government Biases Policy Debate.” He was the U.S. Senator serving Texas from 1985 – 2002. He is now a Senior Fellow at American Enterprise Institute researching reforms to social security, health care, and taxes.

This may come as a surprise to some people, but Reagan conservatism is thriving among student activists on college campuses across America. And it's all thanks to Young America's Foundation (YAF). The president of YAF, former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, joins Rep. Crenshaw to talk about how this organization has had so much success bringing a new generation of high school and college students into the conservative movement. They cover persuasion techniques that work, how to engage leftists on college campuses, overcoming the challenge of making young voters interested in serious policy issues like Social Security, and what every young person aspiring to be a politician needs to consider first. In the last half of the interview, Gov. Walker and Rep. Crenshaw discuss how to solve America's homelessness and mental health crises, and how Walker passed sweeping reforms and defeated the unions during his time as Governor of Wisconsin. Follow Scott Walker on Twitter at @ScottWalker.

Riley Gaines' life changed when biological male Lia Thomas tied with her for 5th place at the 2022 NCAA Women's Swimming Championship, an event which brought national attention to the debate over transgender athletes competing in women's sports. NCAA officials refused to award Riley the 5th place trophy and gave it to Lia instead – solely for the purpose of a photo-op. The experience inspired Riley to speak out against this attack on women's sports, and in doing so she became a target of ridicule by the woke left, even being physically attacked by protestors at one of her recent speeches. Riley joins Rep. Crenshaw to share her story, argue for the importance of sex-separate sports leagues, and call on leaders in these leagues to have the courage to stand up for women and the biological reality of sex differences.

A human rights and environmental catastrophe is happening right now, and it's powering everything from smart phones to electric car batteries. Siddharth Kara joins us to expose how China is using modern day slaves, including children, to turn a small patch of the Congo into the world's largest cobalt mining operation. Siddharth shares what he witnessed firsthand from years of undercover research inside the Congo, what life is like for the Congolese who are forced into these mining operations, how China came to totally dominate the world's largest cobalt reserves, and what Americans can do to rectify this terrible situation. Siddharth Kara is the author of “Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives.” He is a researcher and activist on modern slavery, an adjunct lecturer at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and a Visiting Scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health. Follow him on Twitter at @siddharthkara.

According to a recent government-funded food pyramid study from Tufts School of Nutrition, Lucky Charms are healthier to eat than steak. So how did such an obviously ridiculous claim pass multiple levels of review at a widely respected research institution? Calley Means joins us to expose the decades-long influence that processed food and pharmaceutical companies have held over America's research institutions, how it's led to skyrocketing rates of obesity and other chronic health conditions, and simple reforms to programs like SNAP that could make America healthy again. Calley Means is a food-as-medicine advocate and the co-founder of TrueMed. He was previously a consultant for food and pharma companies and is now exposing practices they use to weaponize our institutions of trust. Follow Calley on Twitter at @calleymeans.

Ok y'all here it is. Many of you might follow David Goggins and may have seen his recent two hour unhinged rant against me and the SEAL Teams more broadly. It's sad to watch, honestly, and this kind of stupid drama is the last thing I want to be posting about. But the podcast he did was sufficiently vicious and unhinged to warrant a response. I never truly understood how much he hated the SEAL teams until now. I never understood how much he saw himself as a victim. If you don't want to suffer through his 2 hour rant, you can get the basic idea from my video here. This absurd outburst of his originates from a 2 minute answer I gave in an interview 3 years ago, where I was randomly asked about him. I wasn't really positive about him, nor was I negative. I was apathetic. I gave the most honest answer I could about how he is viewed by the SEAL community. You'll see the clip in my video here, and you'll see how the podcast host misquoted it to make it clickbait. David's reaction was pretty unhinged. Not just against me, but against the whole SEAL community. I've clipped certain parts of his interview in my video so you know what I'm responding to, but if you want a holistic understanding of his 2 hour rant, you'll have to find the podcast on YouTube. It's easy to find. (He doesn't actually get to me until about 1 hour into the podcast. Before that, he's just ranting about how much he hates SEALs. I don't even bother commenting on that first hour because it's so absurd and misleading.) The main reason I'm doing this is because Goggins attacks the men who don't have a platform to respond or defend themselves. Well, I do. So I'll speak on their behalf and tell all of you the truth about Goggins and what the SEAL teams are really about. 

Tax season is here, and as we subject ourselves to this perennial torture it begs the question: is there a better way to raise the money we need to fund the government without the massive compliance costs and inefficiencies? Two tax and economics experts, John Cochrane and Grover Norquist, join Rep. Crenshaw to answer that question. They take a close look at costs and benefits of the controversial Fair Tax and consumption taxes more broadly, how the U.S. tax system is one of the most progressive in the world, the political reality of tax reform, and what a perfect tax code starting from scratch would look like. John Cochrane is an economist and Senior Fellow of the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. His latest book is “The Fiscal Theory of the Price Level.” His blog is the “the Grumpy Economist” at johnhcochrane.blogspot.com and he also cohosts the Good Fellows Podcast with General H.R. McMasters and Nialls Ferguson. Follow him on Twitter at @JohnHCochrane. Grover Norquist is president of Americans for Tax Reform, a taxpayer advocacy group he founded in 1985 at President Reagan's request. Follow him on Twitter at @GroverNorquist.

This is a special crosspost episode with The Rubin Report. Dave Rubin visited Washington, D.C. this week and sat down with Rep. Crenshaw for a conversation about the current political dynamics in Congress. They cover what it's like working with Democrats behind closed doors, how politics has gotten way more extreme since 2018, why Crenshaw likes to go on left-wing shows, the Speaker's race, Ukraine fight, the legislation Crenshaw and AOC might actually work together on, persuasion tips every Republican should adopt, and much more. Follow Dave Rubin on Twitter at @RubinReport.

Former FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, MD returns to look at the systemic problems within the CDC and how we might fix them. He describes how the agency's bureaucratic glut, mission creep, and lack of transparency contributed to the disastrous COVID-19 response and America's loss of trust in its public health institutions. Later in the episode we turn focus to the FDA and reforming its approval process for innovative drugs and technologies, and end with a conversation about drug pricing reforms. Scott Gottlieb, MD, is the author of "Uncontrolled Spread: Why COVID-19 Crushed Us and How We Can Defeat the Next Pandemic." He is a resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. From 2017 to 2019 he served as the 23rd commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Gottlieb is also a special partner with the venture capital firm New Enterprise Associates and serves on the boards of Pfizer, Illumina, Aetion, and Tempus. Follow him on Twitter at @ScottGottliebMD.

David McCormick joins Rep. Crenshaw for a conversation about America's downward economic spiral — both domestically and on the global stage — and how we can reverse course with fiscal, trade, and regulatory reforms that emphasize national security and push back against threats from China. David McCormick is the author of “Superpower in Peril: A Battle Plan to Renew America.” He served as former CEO of Bridgewater Associates, one of the world's largest investment management firms, before pursuing a U.S. Senate seat in his home state of Pennsylvania in 2022. He also served as the U.S. Treasury Under Secretary for International Affairs and held senior posts on the National Security Council and at the Department of Commerce. Follow him on Twitter at @DaveMcCormickPA.

Economist and AEI senior fellow Dr. Paul Kupiec joins Rep. Crenshaw to explain the abrupt collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. They break down in layman's terms what caused the collapse, the failures in regulatory and management oversight, how this will affect taxpayers, and options policymakers must weigh to reform and fortify our financial systems from systemic risk. *Editor's note* Rep. Crenshaw and Dr. Kupiec skipped the standard intro and jumped right into the conversation. Please see below for Dr. Kupiec's bio. Paul Kupiec is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he studies systemic risk and the management and regulations of banks and financial markets. Before joining AEI, Kupiec was an associate director of the Division of Insurance and Research within the Center for Financial Research at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Kupiec was also director of the Center for Financial Research at the FDIC and chairman of the Research Task Force of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision.  He has previously worked at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Freddie Mac, J.P. Morgan, and for the Division of Research and Statistics at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Kupiec has edited many professional journals, including the Journal of Financial Services Research, Journal of Risk, and Journal of Investment Management. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in economics from The George Washington University and a doctorate in economics — with a specialization in finance, theory, and econometrics — from the University of Pennsylvania.

Trey Gowdy returns to the show to talk about the challenges facing the conservative movement today, the differences between good and bad politicians in Congress, and how the political entertainment industry is rewarding the worst tendencies in our elected leaders. We open the conversation with a discussion of one of Trey's favorite topics: effective decision-making and how to own this gift you have called life. Trey Gowdy is the NY Times bestselling author of “Start, Stay, or Leave: The Art of Decision Making.” He's the host of Sunday Night in America with Trey Gowdy on Fox News and The Trey Gowdy Podcast. Gowdy served as a four-term congressman from South Carolina. Before running for Congress, he served as a federal prosecutor in his home state and a district attorney in Spartanburg and Cherokee counties. Follow him on Twitter at @TGowdySC.

Economic historian Chris Miller helps Rep. Crenshaw deconstruct all the major arguments against American involvement in the Russia-Ukraine War. Didn't NATO provoke Russia into war? What difference does it make to Americans what happens in Ukraine or the rest of Europe? Wouldn't Putin stop once he has Ukraine? Aren't we at risk of Russia using tactical nukes? Isn't Putin just a wise Christian man who's deeply concerned about woke ideology infecting western civilization? Chris Miller was a lecturer at the New Economic School in Moscow and a visiting researcher at the Carnegie Moscow Center. He is the author of “We Shall Be Masters: Russia's Pivots to East Asia from Peter the Great to Putin” and “Chip Wars: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology.” He is an Associate Professor of International History at Tufts University. Follow him on Twitter at @crmiller1.

In a debate hosted by National Review Institute, Rep. Crenshaw and Cato Institute's William Ruger take opposing sides on the question of America's role in the Russia-Ukraine War. Does America have a strategic interest in providing support to Ukraine? More broadly, does America have a duty to defend liberty abroad? Do our own freedom and prosperity depend on success of these values around the world?   William Ruger is a research fellow at Cato Institute and the President of the American Institute for Economic Research. Follow him on Twitter at @WillRuger.   The moderator for the debate is Adam Klein, the Director of the Robert S. Strauss Center for International Security and Law, The University of Texas at Austin School of Law.

Economic historian Chris Miller joins Rep. Crenshaw to talk about one of the most important battles of the 21st century: control of silicon chip manufacturing. They cover how silicon chips are made, how Taiwan gained the competitive advantage in manufacturing, China's attempts to usurp Taiwan as the world's chipmaking hub, how the U.S. enabled China's development of their artificial intelligence systems, and what we need to do to catch up with Taiwan's manufacturing capabilities.  Chris Miller is the author of “Chip Wars: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology” and “Putinomics: Power and Money in Resurgent Russia.” He is an Associate Professor of International History at Tufts University. Follow him on Twitter at @crmiller1.

Ed Calderon spent nearly two decades running counter-operations against cartels inside Mexico. He joined Rep. Crenshaw for a wide-ranging conversation about the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation Cartels. They talk about how both cartels rose to power, their battle tactics against Mexican police and paramilitary forces, using TikTok to recruit soldiers and traffic victims, their secret occult practices, how they're infiltrating the United States, what average Mexican citizens think of the cartels, and what the future holds as the ultra-violent Jalisco New Generation makes further gains in territory across Mexico and the United States. Ed Calderon started his career as a police officer in Tijuana and worked in the fields of counter-narcotics, organized crime investigation, and public safety in the northern border region of Mexico. Today he is a security consultant who has worked with the FBI, Navy SEALs, and special forces groups from around the world. Check out his podcast Manifesto Radio and follow him on Instagram at @manifestoradiopodcast.

Paul Dabbar is an entrepreneur and researcher in quantum computing who served as the Undersecretary for Science in the Department of Energy under President Trump. Dabbar joined Rep. Crenshaw to talk about the latest breakthroughs in the quantum internet and the paradigm shift its creating in everything from encryption to genomics. They also cover the stunning levels of Chinese espionage and IP theft in America's research facilities, what we know about the Chinese spy balloon and UAPs, and what the future holds for China. Paul Dabbar is currently developing and deploying new tech for the emerging quantum internet as the CEO of Bohr Quantum Technologies. Prior to joining the Trump Administration, he served as a nuclear submarine officer and a Managing Director at Goldman Sachs. Follow him on Twitter at @PDabbar.

Economist Douglas Holtz-Eakin joins us to discuss the major economic and fiscal issues impacting the nation. We get into the Federal Reserve's policies on interest rates and money printing, what's causing inflation, prospects of a recession, the outlook for Social Security, and the case of the missing American workers. Great episode for anyone who's wanted to know more about how the Fed works or wants a better understanding of America's long term fiscal outlook. Douglas Holtz-Eakin is the former Director of the Congressional Budget Office and the President of the American Action Forum, an economic policy research institute. Follow him on Twitter at @djheakin.

Mike Mihalski is a rifle manufacturer and 2A advocate. He joined Rep. Crenshaw to talk about the ATF's recent ban on pistol braces—which effectively turns millions of law-abiding gun owners into felons—and the ATF Accountability Act, Rep. Crenshaw's bill that gives gun owners and manufacturers the means to fight back against ATF overreach. Mike also dispels myths about pistol braces, talks about the bureaucratic nightmare of dealing with ATF compliance officers, tips he's learned for persuading gun control advocates to think differently about guns, and gives advice for people who've never owned a gun before but are interested in self defense. Mike Mihalski is the co-owner and founder of Sons of Liberty Gun Works in San Antonio, TX, the fastest growing rifle manufacturer in the United States. He travels across the country advocating for 2nd Amendment rights and advising federal, state, and local officials on firearm policies. Follow him in Instagram at @mikemihalski and Twitter at @SOLGW_Mike.

Rep. Crenshaw spends almost 2 hours talking with Swift's former team leader, “Jason,” in Ukraine. This is an intense episode that you don't want to miss. They go into detail on what's really happening on the ground in Ukraine, how foreign fighters like Swift become part of the Ukrainian armed forces, and the epic battles they've endured on a day-to-day basis. They talk about the sheer evil of the Russian military, and why Jason is optimistic about Ukraine ultimately winning this war and reclaiming their country. Jason is a Former member of the U.S. military, both in Naval Special Warfare and Army Special Operations, and a former CIA Officer. He is currently employed by the Ukrainian government.

John Bolton joins us to talk about tactical and strategic considerations in diplomacy with hostile nations, uncovering Iran's attempts to assassinate him, the story behind the Soleimani Strike, the flawed Iran Nuclear Deal, arming Ukraine, fighting narco-terrorists at our southern border, and dealing with the existential threat of the 21st century: China. John Bolton is the former National Security Advisor to President Donald Trump. He served as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations from 2005 to 2006. He has spent many years of his career in public service and held high-level positions in the Administrations of Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush. Follow him on Twitter at @AmbJohnBolton.

Rep. Crenshaw gives his take on the fight over the speaker vote, the rules package, his "terrorist" comment, the funeral controversy, the first bills to pass the 118th Congress, what to expect from the House moving forward, and some of the legislation he is prioritizing in the coming weeks.

Special Operations expert Daniel Elkins joins us to talk about his on the ground analysis of the Ukraine aid distribution: where it's going, how it's getting there, what's the ROI on American military equipment, and how corrupt is it really.  Daniel gives us a window into how Special Operations and unconventional warfare works. We talk about the Afghanistan withdrawal, moving military equipment into war zones, building logistical networks, and running safe houses. Daniel Elkins is a Green Beret and founder of Special Operations Association of America. Follow him on Twitter at @DanielTElkins.

Jake Olson completely lost his vision at the age of 12 after a long battle with eye cancer. He went on to become a Division 1 college football player, golf champion, author, and motivational speaker. We talk about what it's like to go blind at an early age, how he became an accomplished athlete, developing spatial awareness and "human sonar," one-eye culture in the military, and the real reason Dan Crenshaw wears an eyepatch. Along the way Jake teaches us how anyone can overcome the toughest setbacks in life with humor, perspective, and fortitude. Follow Jake on Instagram and Twitter at @jakeolson61.

From Howard Zinn to the 1619 Project, the progressive movement has made a concerted effort for decades to rewrite history and portray the United States as irredeemably flawed in order to justify their radical changes. It's easy enough to only look at the faults in our nation's history, but Brian Kilmeade wants us to get back to learning and cherishing the good lessons from American historical figures. He joins us to talk about the most complicated period, the Civil War and its lead up, and the alliance between Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.  Brian Kilmeade is the bestselling author of "The President and the Freedom Fighter: Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, and Their Battle to Save America's Soul." He is the cohost of Fox News Channel's morning show Fox & Friends and hosts the daily national radio program “The Brian Kilmeade Show” and the Fox Nation series What Makes America Great. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @kilmeade.

Top Gun: Maverick is arguably the greatest action movie of all time — but how accurate is it? Dan sat down with a real Navy fighter pilot, Congressman Mike Garcia, to discuss what's true, false, and somewhere in-between about the movie's technical details, mission, and the portrayal of pilot culture. Hold These Truths podcast wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. And remember: it's not about the plane, it's about the pilot. Mike Garcia is the U.S. Representative for California's 25th Congressional District (soon to be the 27th district). He was an F-18 fighter pilot with nearly 20 years of active and reserve military service, and participated in combat operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Follow him on Twitter at @RepMikeGarcia.

Everything you wanted to know about the dreaded 4,155 page Omnibus spending bill — but were too afraid to ask. The history of how we got here, how it's supposed to work versus how it's working now, the politics at play in Washington, appropriations and authorizations, and how the heck a congressional office even digests a 4,000+ page spending bill in just a few days. This podcast won't go into details in what's in it (unless you want to hear me talk for 862 hours straight), but more about the process and how appropriations even work.  Our guests today are two of Rep. Crenshaw's longest-serving legislative staffers. Matt Hodge is Rep. Crenshaw's Legislative Director and Hannah Anderson is the Legislative Director for his Energy & Commerce portfolio.

Classic episode originally published for Christmas 2021. Pastor James Emery White joins us to help answer the most common questions and criticisms of Christianity and the Bible that you would hear from skeptics. Pastor White is the author of "Christianity for People Who Aren't Christians". He is the founding and senior pastor of Mecklenburg Community Church. Follow him on Twitter at @JamesEmeryWhite.

Congressman Michael Turner shares everything you need to know about the NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act): what it is and why we need it, the House and Senate processes to pass the final version, how Democrats try to hijack it with non-defense projects, and addressing criticisms of the NDAA from the far right. Since the NDAA has broad implications for the war in Ukraine and another controversial topic — our Military Industrial Base — we get into a discussion about those too. Michael also talks about the changes we can expect on House Intel when Adam Schiff loses the chairmanship on January 3rd. Michael Turner has served as the U.S. Representative for Ohio's 10th Congressional District since 2002. He is the lead Republican on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and also serves on the House Armed Services Committee. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @repmiketurner.

Nationwide, half of the prisoners released are incarcerated again within three years. But participants in the Texas-based Prison Entrepreneurship Program are seeing a return-to-prison rate of less than 7%. Al Massey was a graduate of that program and went on to serve as its Executive Relations Manager, helping prisoners prepare for their release by developing values-based business skills and a support structure to pursue their entrepreneurial visions. He joins us to talk about the program, the hurdles prisoners face re-integrating into society, what prison life is really like, differences between private and public prisons, and criminal justice reform. Learn more about the Prison Entrepreneurship Program at pep.org.

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr is on a mission to get TikTok banned from United States. He joins us to talk about how China is using the app to commit espionage, train the next generation of AI, and peddle "digital fentanyl" to America's youth. We also discuss how the CCP is essentially in a public-private partnership with Apple to crack down on Chinese protestors, Elon Musk's plans for Twitter and Starlink, and the ongoing debate over what to do about Section 230. Commissioner Brendan Carr is the senior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission. Follow him on Twitter at @BrendanCarrFCC.

A looming railroad strike could have disastrous consequences for American energy, agriculture, and countless other industries. One of the House's foremost experts on railroads, Congressman Rick Crawford, joins us to break down the negotiations between the railroads and their unions, why the Biden Administration is at fault, and what Republicans need to do moving forward to prevent this from ever happening again. Rick Crawford is the U.S. Representative for Arkansas' First District. He serves on the Transportation Committee and is Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials. He also serves on the Agriculture Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @RepRickCrawford.

As Afghanistan fell to the Taliban, it became clear that there was no plan to evacuate our Afghan allies – including Afghan National Army soldiers who trained and fought alongside the U.S. military. Over two decades, these allies had developed strong bonds with countless American veterans, and now they were being hunted by Taliban death squads. Scott Mann was one veteran who began receiving desperate calls for help from his old Afghan friends, and he decided to take action. Working with other veterans and citizens, they called themselves Task Force Pineapple and quickly developed a network of safe passageways for allies and their families. In just three days, they helped over 500 allies escape from Afghanistan. Scott gives us a thrilling inside account of how the operation happened. We also talk about unconventional warfare, experiences with “Village Stability Operations” in Afghanistan, and what the 20-year war ultimately means for America. Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Scott Mann is a former US Army Green Beret with tours all over the world including Colombia, Iraq, and multiple tours in Afghanistan. He is the author of “Operation Pineapple Express: The Incredible Story of a Group of Americans Who Undertook One Last Mission and Honored a Promise in Afghanistan.” Follow him on Twitter at @RooftopLeader.

This episode was recorded live at COP27—the 27th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference. Dan Crenshaw joined Reps. Greg Murphy, Garret Graves, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, John Curtis, and Tim Walberg at the conference to advocate for real solutions to America's energy crisis. They discuss what they heard from policymakers and leaders at the conference, cover which countries are doubling down on renewables and which countries are opening up to nuclear/natural gas/carbon capture, highlight the ramifications of Biden's energy policies on costs and emissions for America and the globe, and much more. Congressman Greg Murphy (NC-03) @RepGregMurphy Congressman Garret Graves (LA-06) @RepGarretGraves Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-02) @RepMMM Congressman John Curtis (UT-03) @RepJohnCurtis Congressman Tim Walberg (MI-07) @RepWalberg

President Reagan is considered one of the greatest communicators in American political history. How'd he do it? With a great team. Peter Robinson spent six years as a White House speechwriter, first with Houston-native George H.W. Bush as VP, then for President Reagan himself. Peter tells us how he got to be a speechwriter, how betting on himself gave us Reagan's famous speech at the Berlin Wall, and his views on the Republican Party now. Peter Robinson is the Murdoch Distinguished Policy Fellow at the Hoover Institution, where he writes about business and politics, edits Hoover's quarterly journal, and hosts the TV series and podcast: UNCOMMON KNOWLEDGE.

WSJ Editorial Board Member Kim Strassel joins us to look at our mainstream media and electoral systems, why Americans have lost trust in both, and what these institutions must do to earn it back.  We cover ranked-choice voting, other elections reforms such as term limits, and the question of whether our electoral systems should be fundamentally altered—or if the remedy is better leadership.  We discuss the blurred lines between news and opinion journalism and look at how the traditionally liberal media went totally off the rails with the election of President Trump.  And, assuming Republicans win back the majority on Tuesday, we discuss how we should conduct ourselves in the new Congress. Kim Strassel is a member of the editorial board for The Wall Street Journal, co-host of Potomac Watch, and author of "Resistance (At All Costs): How Trump Haters Are Breaking America." Follow her on Twitter at @KimStrassel.

Part 1 of a 2-part series diving into the pros and cons of rank choice voting and other election reforms. Presenting the pro-side, we have election reform advocate Nick Troiano. What is rank choice voting? How has Alaska fared with its move to rank choice this election cycle? Could the extremism we've seen take hold over both parties end if more states adopted rank choice? We also discuss voting by mail, term limits, campaign finance reform, and allowing candidates to make their pitch in 50 words or less on the ballot itself. Stay tuned for Part 2 with WSJ Editorial Board Member Kim Strassel presenting the con-side of rank choice voting. Nick Troiano is the Executive Director of the Unite America Institute and Unite America, a national organization that works to bridge the growing partisan divide by enacting political reforms. Follow him on Twitter at @NickTroiano.

Commonsense conservative leadership can do wonders for a city, and perhaps there's no better example than modern day Miami. Mayor Francis Suarez joins us to talk about the forumula for success which has enabled Miami to prosper both economically and socially. We cover budget deficits and taxes, homelessness, subsidized housing, employment, energy policy, immigration, and the proper role of government at the federal vs local levels. Francis Suarez has been mayor of Miami, Florida since 2017, when he won 86% of the vote. He is the host of Cafecito Talk and the president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @FrancisSuarez.

Colombia and Brazil recently elected far-left presidents, joining Mexico, Argentina, Chile and Peru in the growing leftist bloc. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar joins us to look at this Marxist resurgence in Latin America and what it means for American relations with these countries. We also talk about different approaches to solving the immigration crisis and uplifting the Northern Triangle countries. And Rep. Salazar, who spent three decades as a journalist covering politics and war in Latin America, describes what it was like to interview Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, and Augusto Pinochet. Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar represents the 27th Congressional District of Florida. She serves on the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Committee on Small Business. She was the Central American Bureau Chief for Univision during the 80s. Follow her on Twitter at @RepMariaSalazar.

Rice University's Michelle Foss, Ph.D. gives us an easy to understand overview of the materials science and supply chains behind wind and solar energy. The proponents of wind and solar would like you to believe that these technologies just appear out of nowhere - no resources needed. But Michelle shows us how these "renewable" technologies take an inordinate amount of finite resources to produce, and why their benefits aren't worth the tradeoffs - especially when compared with nuclear and natural gas. Michelle Foss, Ph.D., is the fellow in energy, minerals and materials at Rice University's Baker Institute, developing policies and conducting research to help build capacity on non-fuel minerals supply chains. Follow her work here: www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/michelle-michot-foss

Carl Allen is a real life treasure hunter with a fleet of ships that would make Jack Sparrow jealous. He has recovered thousands of priceless, intricately crafted artifacts from ship wrecks strewn across the Caribbean seafloor. Carl gives us an inside look at how professional treasure hunters operate: Where does the research for a treasure hunt start? How does he figure out what plot of ocean to look at? What tools do you need to find artifacts buried under shifting ocean sands? Along the way we get fascinating details about lost religious artifacts, the history of the Spanish Armada, and the treacherous navigation of Caribbean waters. Since this is a policy podcast, there's also a good lesson on the benefits of public-private partnerships. Links from the show: www.bahamasmaritimemuseum.com/ www.walkerscay.com/ www.youtube.com/c/TheOutdoorswithCarlAllen

Joe Lonsdale has dedicated his life to figuring out how the world works, and how it could work better. For over two decades he's partnered with the brightest minds in Silicon Valley to identify conceptual gaps in everything from healthcare to education to finance to defense, and build innovative companies that push humanity towards a better future.  We talk about the early history of Silicon Valley, how everything changed when his mentor and business partner Peter Thiel emerged on the scene, building next generation defense weapons systems, frameworks to understand and invest in the next technology waves, disrupting the higher education system with the University of Austin, and much more. Joe Lonsdale is a technology entrepreneur and investor. He is the co-founder of Palantir and managing partner of the venture capital firm 8VC. Follow him on Twitter at @JTLonsdale.

Peter Huntsman is one of the foremost experts on energy and chemical markets. He joins us to examine the multiple crises involving energy, food, and water that are unfolding across the globe thanks to radical environmental policies. Peter Huntsman is CEO of Huntsman Corp, a global chemicals company that manufactures the building blocks for countless consumer and industrial products.

Marian Tupy debunks the persistent myth that population growth will lead to the exhaustion of Earth's natural resources and the destruction of our ecosystem. He argues there are no resource constraints on what an ever-expanding humanity could accomplish  - the only constraints are the ones humans make through their own bad governance. Marian Tupy is co-author with Gale Pooley of "Superabundance: The Story of Population Growth, Innovation, and Human Flourishing on an Infinitely Bountiful Planet." He is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute's Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity and editor of the website HumanProgress.org. Follow Marian's work on Twitter at @HumanProgress.

Zuby joins us to talk about the culture wars, moral polarization between the left and right, how social media exasperates it all, and the fundamental question behind all of this cultural tension: is America a good or bad place? Zuby is an independent rapper, author, podcast host, and speaker. He is the author of the childrens' book "The Candy Calamity" and "Strong Advice: Zuby's Guide to Fitness for Everybody." Follow him on Twitter and Instagram at @ZubyMusic.

Dan Blumenthal is the Senior Fellow and Director of Asian Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. We discuss the history that led to China's escalating tensions with Taiwan, why Americans should care about Taiwan remaining free, and the near-term prospects of a total collapse of the Chinese state. Dan Blumenthal previously served as senior director for China, Taiwan, and Mongolia at the Department of Defense. He is the author of "The China Nightmare: The Grand Ambitions of a Dying State and An Awkward Embrace: The United States and China in the 21st Century." Follow him on Twitter at @DAlexBlumenthal.

Dr. Jacob Robinson is a bioengineer working at the cutting edge of neurotechnology. We talk about his groundbreaking research into brain-machine interfaces that will make possible everything from bionic eyes to real-life telepathy. And we discuss the limits of what we know about consciousness and how the brain works. Dr. Jacob Robinson is an Associate Professor in Electrical & Computer Engineering and Bioengineering at Rice University, and an Adjunct Associate Professor in Neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine. His research group uses nanofabrication technology to create miniature devices to manipulate and monitor neural circuit activity. Follow him on Twitter at @JTRobinsonLab.

Congressman Mike Gallagher returns to the show to talk about Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (those unexplained sightings of highly advanced aircraft that even the Pentagon admits are a mystery), the probability of secret government programs using advanced alien technology, remote viewing, Top Gun: Maverick, and Pelosi's potential delegation to Taiwan. This is a good one. Congressman Mike Gallagher has represented Wisconsin's 8th District in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2017. Mike served for seven years on active duty in the United States Marine Corps, including two deployments to Iraq. Mike also served as the lead Republican staffer for the Middle East and Counterterrorism on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Follow him on Twitter at @RepGallagher.

Noah Rothman argues that the progressive left is closer in similarity to 16th century Puritans than the free-spirited, leftist hippies of the 1960s. By judging a person's moral character based on their clothes, Netflix queue, favorite foods, and the sports they watch, they've managed to suck the fun out of everything. Noah shows us how we can fight back against these "New Puritans," and ultimately, how we can live more meaningful and enjoyable lives by rejecting their oppressive judgments of moral character. Noah Rothman is the associate editor of Commentary Magazine and the author of The Rise of the New Puritans: Fighting Back Against Progressives' War on Fun. Follow him on Twitter at @NoahCRothman.