Conservative Conversation and Community
On today’s episode of The Daily Signal Podcast, we talk with conservative activist Scott Presler about his recent work to cleanup the city of Baltimore.
When President Trump tweeted that Baltimore was “a disgusting rat and rodent-infested mess,” Americans erupted with the usual torrent of opinions. Presler, however, was determined to do something about it. He organized a cleanup day in the city to pickup trash. It went so well that he has scheduled another one for Sept. 9.
More Free speech is increasingly under attack on college campuses — but if you think it’s bad here, look across the pond to Europe. Authorities over there are increasingly cracking down on so-called “hate speech” — a label that’s been applied to speech critical of Islam, homosexuality, and more. Paul Coleman, a British attorney who’s had a front row seat to this concerning trend, explains the origin of these hate speech laws and give his assessment about the future of free speech.
We also cover these stories:
• President Donald Trump says Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib should not be allowed to visit Israel.
• Hundreds of Chinese paramilitary forces gathered for drills in Shenzhen on Thursday, just across the border from Hong Kong.
• Reports about the autopsy of Jeffrey Epstein find a curious fact about the condition of his body.
In California, thanks to the passage of a new law, there is now what’s called “comprehensive sex ed” — and it’s extremely unpleasant stuff. Today, we’ll speak to two parents from Rocklin, California who are leading parent opposition in their community to what they consider obscene and pornographic curriculum. They’ll explain the concerning details about content that could soon reach more classrooms across America.
We also cover these stories:
• The Dow Jones plunged over 700 points Wednesday after the bond market sent a recession warning.
• The Labor Department is proposing a rule to safeguard religious freedoms of companies contracting with the federal government.
• Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler discusses ongoing case of the assault against journalist Andy Ngo.
Pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong are intensifying, with the city’s main airport getting shut down. The big question: Will Beijing get involved? In today’s episode, we discuss that and more with Mike Gonzalez, a senior fellow at The Heritage Foundation. Plus: Miley Cyrus is getting a divorce, and her rationale doesn’t reflect too well on her—or her generation. We discuss.
We also cover these stories:
-Warden at Jeffrey Epstein’s prison gets reassigned in wake of suicide.
-States sue President Trump over the repeal of Obama-era power plant rules.
-U.S. delays some tariffs on China.
What’s going to happen in the Justice Department investigation of the death of Jeffrey Epstein? Is there any hope for his victims to get justice yet? And what about the high-profile figures with ties to Epstein? Heritage Foundation’s John Malcolm joins us to discuss.
We also cover these stories:
• The Trump administration is prioritizing immigrants who are less likely to use government welfare programs.
• Attorney General William Barr speaks out on Epstein’s death.
• A California mayor is calling on gun owners to carry insurance, like car owners do.
On today’s episode of The Daily Signal Podcast, we examine why America is so polarized—or is it? If you were to believe the national news media, our country is more divided than ever. But research from More in Common, an organization focused on building a more united America, suggests there’s hope for the future. We speak with Stephen Hawkins, the global director of research, about the “perception gap” and “hidden tribes” of America.
Plus, it’s been 50 years since President Lyndon Johnson declared a war on poverty. So how are we doing? Genevieve Wood brings us a commentary.
More On today’s show, our colleges Kate Trinko and Daniel Davis interview Khalid Mohammed. He made the record books as the youngest person in the US prosecuted for terrorism charges and is now an activist against Islamist extremism.
More Nolan Peterson, The Daily Signal’s foreign correspondent, is back in Washington after a week traveling abroad with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Today, he joins Daniel in the studio to share about the trip and the news he reported on, ranging from Russia to China to North Korea and Afghanistan.
We also cover the following stories:
-President Trump travels to El Paso and Dayton after mass shootings.
-Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, doubles down after doxxing local Trump donors.
-“Red flag” gun proposal gains bipartisan support in Congress.
Obamacare is old news for the political left. Now, the big item is Medicare for All—a single-payer, government-run health care system. But what kind of impact would that have on Americans’ lives? In this episode, we discuss that and more with the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Seema Verma, who joins us for an exclusive interview. Plus: The New York Times caves to pressure from the left by changing a front page headline, putting President Trump in a more negative light. We’ll discuss.
We also cover the following stories:
-Gun-control advocates surround Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s home.
-Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., strikes bipartisan deal aimed at reducing the threat of mass shootings.
-Pentagon says it won’t overreact to North Korea’s renewed missile tests.
Back-to-back mass shootings over the weekend have left the nation in deep mourning and grasping for answers. In today’s episode, we take a close look at exactly what happened as we’re joined by Heritage Foundation senior legal analyst Amy Swearer. Plus: 22% of millennials say they have no friends. We give our millennial takes.
We also cover the following stories:
-El Paso death toll rises to 22 as Democrats blame President Trump for the shootings.
-China devalues currency as Trump claims victory.
-Another House Republican decides to retire.
On today’s episode, we talk with Daily Signal reporting interns Carmel Kookogey and Kaylee Greenlee about their summer in Washington, D.C. They share highlights from their internship and offer some advice to other college students aspiring to move to Washington.
We also share letters to the editor and a story about how one generous man gave the gift of a college education to 33 strangers.
More The Department of Homeland Security expects the number of new illegal immigrants coming to the U.S. to top 1.1 million by the end of the fiscal year in September. The border crisis is much talked about in Washington, but little progress is being made to address it. Congressman Mark Green (R-TN) recently took a trip to the border to see for himself what things are like. In today’s episode, he shares his thoughts in an exclusive interview with Rachel.
We also cover the following stories:
-Trump hits China with new tariffs to take effect in September.
-Justice Department will not prosecute former FBI Director James Comey for leaking classified documents.
-The Senate passes massive two-year spending deal that busts spending caps.
Mass shootings like the one in California last weekend have caused many to wonder what’s going wrong with our young men. Dr. Warren Farrell has a book out on this. He calls it “the boy crisis.” Today, Farrell joins the podcast to explain what’s driving young men toward despair—and to outline a path to recovery.
We also cover the following stories:
-HUD Secretary Ben Carson speaks out on the Baltimore controversy.
-Federal Reserve cuts interest rates for the first time since 2008 amid trade war.
-Osama bin Laden’s son and heir is reportedly dead.
Military aggression is no surprise coming from Russia—it’s what Russia’s been doing for generations. But Americans might be surprised to learn the motivations behind that aggression. What’s going through Putin’s mind when he invades Crimea and wages war in eastern Ukraine? Today, we address those questions and more with Nolan Peterson. He’s the Daily Signal’s foreign correspondent who lives in Ukraine and has been covering Russia’s aggression in that country for several years.
We also cover the following stories:
-Trump continues to rail on Baltimore as “corrupt.”
-Contrary to popular belief, the U.S. women’s soccer team actually earned more than the men’s team.
-America’s approval of tech companies has plummeted.
Purple states can swing either way and often end up deciding our elections. So, it’s worth asking what people in those states think about the issues dominating politics. Heritage Action for America, the sister organization of The Heritage Foundation, recently carried out a wide survey of Americans in five purple states, asking them about immigration, health care, political correctness, and much more. In this episode, our editor-in-chief Kate Trinko sits down with Nate Rodgers from Heritage Action to unpack it all.
We also cover the following stories:
-President Trump ramps up his war of words with Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings
-California shooting leaves three dead, including a 6-year-old
-9/11 Victims Compensation Fund gets extended to 2092
What does it mean to be American? That was the question over 6,000 students attempted to answer through a short film in the 2019 C-SPAN StudentCam Competition.
The Daily Signal spoke with Eli Scott and Mason Daugherty, the grand-prize winners of the competition, to find out how they defined what it means to be American and what they learned as they spoke with political leaders and policy experts across the aisle.
More As the son of communist refugees, Andy Ngo is no stranger to the dangers of that political ideology. The Portland-based journalist, known for covering Antifa–the term used to describe anti-facists who generally wear masks and often are associated with violence and destruction–was hospitalized last month after being physically attacked by masked agitators.
We also cover these stories:
• The Justice Department is bringing back executions.
• The governor of Puerto Rico resigns.
• Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg thinks the Supreme Court should stay at nine justices.
Congress is staring at a massive spending deal reached by President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi—one that’s left fiscal conservatives deeply concerned. Today, we unpack the details and discuss how the bill matches up with spending levels under President Barack Obama. We’re joined by Heritage budget expert Justin Bogie. Plus: Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., defends boycotting Israel on the House floor.
We also cover these stories:
-The White House is bullish following Robert Mueller’s lackluster performance before Congress.
-A new poll finds Democrats increasingly think the Mueller probe wasn’t conducted fairly.
-A senior software engineer at Google blows the whistle on tech bias.
Sen. Mike Braun, R-Ind., joins the podcast to explain the downsides of the new spending bill and how his MAP Act would boost the economy. The CEO turned senator, a newcomer to Washington, D.C., also shares why it seems so hard to get any kind of spending control to occur in Congress.
We also cover these stories:
• The Trump administration takes action to close a food stamps loophole.
• Mark Esper was confirmed as the next Secretary of Defense in a 90-8 vote in the Senate
• The NAACP is now joining the liberal chorus for impeachment.
The Interior Department is relocating the Bureau of Land Management from Washington, D.C. to Colorado. So, why move a federal bureaucracy to the other side of the country? Interior Secretary David Bernhardt discusses that, federalism, opening up 1.4 million acres for hunting and fishing, and more.
We also cover these stories:
• President Donald Trump’s feud with “the squad” continues.
• Massive protests calling for the governor to resign occur in Puerto Rico.
• Some liberal lawmakers are now announcing their preferred pronouns.
