PODCAST · news
Freedomcast
by Center For Individual Freedom
Welcome to CFIF's Freedomcast, where activists across the country can listen to audio commentary and interviews with elected leaders, public policy experts and legal scholars on important news, legislation and litigation affecting individual freedom and the free-market principles of our Founding Fathers. Check back often as Freedomcast will be updated frequently with interviews, policy statements and audio commentary.
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100
Celebrating 250 Years of American Exceptionalism
Rowena Itchon, Chief Operating Officer at the Pacific Research Institute, discusses a series of short videos released by PRI to bring to life the unsung heroes who have contributed remarkably to American innovation and success over the last 250 years and who embodied the spirit and values that make this country truly exceptional: self-reliance, innovation and civic responsibility.
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99
Upcoming SCOTUS Decisions: Resolving Disputes at the Core of Constitutional Governance
Michael O'Neill, Senior Vice President and Assistant General Counsel at Landmark Legal Foundation, discusses three upcoming decisions in some of the biggest cases before the U.S. Supreme Court this term and his predictions on how they may be decided.
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98
Foreign Policy and U.S. Global Interests
The Honorable Francis Rooney, former U.S. Congressman and Ambassador to the Holy See, discusses the Trump Administration's foreign policy, the state of U.S.-Vatican relations, and Pope Leo's Encyclical on Artificial Intelligence.
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97
The 2026 Elections
Henry Olsen, Senior Fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a Columnist for the Washington Post, and Author of the Weekly Margin of Victory newsletter, weighs in on this year's midterm elections, the impact of the Supreme Court's recent redistricting case, what history teaches us about midterm elections, and what 2028 may look like.
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96
A Healthy Healthcare System Needs Less Government Intervention
Jeremy Nighohossian, Senior Fellow and Economist at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, discusses positive developments in healthcare, including changes in drug development, what the resignation of FDA Commissioner Marty Makary may mean for healthcare policy, and why Certificate of Need (CON) laws impede free market competition and access to care.
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95
Stop the Climate Shakedown
Timothy Lee, CFIF's Senior Vice President of Legal and Public Affairs, discusses newly introduced legislation to shield America's energy producers from relentless attacks in the form of state-led climate liability lawsuits and other lawsuits, which threaten to undermine American energy dominance.
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94
Celebrating World IP Day
Karen Kerrigan, President and CEO of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council, discusses the importance of protecting intellectual property (IP) rights to encourage and reward innovation and creativity while ensuring that researchers, inventors, businesses, designers, artist, and society benefit.
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93
Politics and Prediction Markets
William J. Conti, an attorney from Washington, DC, discusses how the prediction markets are gauging the midterm elections, state redistricting efforts, and the impact the midterm results may have on the 2028 primary and general elections.
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92
The Hidden Costs of the U.S. Tax Code
Demian Brady, Vice President of Research for the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, discusses who pays income tax and who doesn't, the hidden costs of the tax code, Congressional efforts to reduce the complexity of tax filings, and the need to review Congressional pensions for members who resign from Congress in disgrace.
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91
Iran: What We Know and What We're Learning
Janatan Sayeh, Research Assistant at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, discusses the state of the Iran war, its future trajectory and wider consequences, and what the two-week ceasefire means and what it may (or may not) accomplish.
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90
Healthcare Affordability and Access Remain Top Priorities
Sally Pipes, President and CEO of the Pacific Research Institute, discusses how America's healthcare system has never been better at keeping patients alive and living longer, types of governmental activities and proposals that disrupt America's cycle of innovation, and the real drivers of high drug costs in America.
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89
U.S. Supreme Court to Decide "Made For Litigation Science" Case
Lauren Sheets Jarrell, Vice President and Counsel for Civil Justice Policy at the American Tort Reform Association, discusses the Monsanto case before the U.S. Supreme Court, why state courts should not be able to override the EPA's findings, and how junk science is the scourge of our judicial system.
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88
U.S. Energy Policy and Oil Supply-Chain Disruptions
Phil Kerpen, Founder and President of American Commitment, discusses America's energy resurgence, disruptions in the Middle East, and government energy policies that cause more harm than good.
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87
Sports and Geopolitics
Ilya Shapiro, Director of Constitutional Studies at the Manhattan Institute, discusses the interplay of the Olympics and geopolitics, how sports are a kind of international diplomacy, and some of the key takeaways from the Milan-Cortina games.
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86
Credit Card Mandates and Interest Rate Caps: We Don't Need Gov't to Get in the Way
Karen Kerrigan, President & CEO of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBE), discusses why proposed credit card routing mandates and interest rate caps are bad for small businesses and consumers, the importance of travel to the U.S. economy and what steps should be taken to encourage visitors to the U.S.
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85
Beware of Counterproductive Efforts Targeting the Ticketing Industry
Timothy Lee, Senior Vice President of Legal and Public Affairs at the Center for Individual Freedom, discusses how efforts to target companies that sell entertainment tickets is counterproductive, why the free market should win over legislation that distorts the market, and what the recent U.S. Census tells us about the “science of democracy.”
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84
President Trump's Second Term
William J. Conti, an attorney from Washington, DC, discusses the first year of President Trump's second term as president, how it compares to that of other presidents and what it may mean for the 2026 midterm elections.
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83
Protests in Iran: What's Next and Should the U.S. Intervene?
Tzvi Kahn, Research Fellow and Senior Editor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, discusses the current situation in Iran, whether and why the Trump administration should intervene, and how difficult it will be to end Iran's Islamic Republic regime.
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82
The Constitutionality of the Trump Administration's Actions in Venezuela
Michael O'Neill, Vice President of Legal Affairs at the Landmark Legal Foundation, discusses President Trump's order to execute the arrest warrant for Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, how President Trump acted within his authority under federal law and the Constitution and why the legal challenges raised by Maduro will most likely fail.
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81
Copper Theft and Network Vandalism: A Serious and Growing Epidemic
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Commissioner Olivia Trusty discusses how the theft of copper wiring and other network vandalism is a growing public safety issue impacting the entire telecommunications industry, how it impedes the expansion of broadband services nationwide, what states are doing to combat such criminal attacks, and why Congress needs to pass nationwide legislation to address the growing epidemic.
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80
Rolling Back Burdensome Fuel Economy Standards
Marlo Lewis, Senior Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, discusses the Trump administration's recent efforts to roll back fuel economy standards, why consumer preference should drive the standards, and how the unrealistic requirements set by the Biden administration would have ultimately led to bans on gas powered vehicles, restricted freedom and raised auto prices.
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79
Savings for Americans and American Innovation: U.S. and UK Agree on Drug Pricing Deal
Phil Kerpen, President and Founder of American Commitment, discusses the recent drug-pricing deal negotiated by the Trump administration with the United Kingdom, the multiple benefits the agreement will have for Americans and drug innovation, why taxpayer subsidies to health insurers will not lower healthcare costs, and why price controls for credit card transactions are a bad idea.
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78
Rampant Fraud and Waste With Enhanced Obamacare Subsidies
Sally Pipes, President, CEO and Thomas W. Smith Fellow in Healthcare Policy at the Pacific Research Institute, discusses why Congress should not extend the enhanced subsidies under Obamacare, the amount of fraud and government waste related to the enhanced subsidies, and how sending the money directly to consumers for use with an HSA or FSA is a logical solution that puts healthcare decisions and spending back in the hands of patients.
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77
The Latest Economic Data
Timothy Lee, CFIF's Senior Vice President of Legal and Public Affairs, discusses the latest news on the U.S. economy, inflation and jobs data, and the relationship between the regulatory environment and the economy.
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76
Examining Unsupported and Frivolous Litigation
Sherman "Tiger" Joyce, President of the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA), discusses a recently released ATRA report titled "Sanctionable: The Unsupported, Exaggerated, and Suspicious Claims Plaguing Our Nation's Courts", recent examples of such cases, the extraordinary costs of unwarranted litigation, and what can and should be done to stop unsupported and frivolous claims.
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75
Taxpayer Advocate's Top 10 ‘No Brainer' Bills
Thomas Aiello, Senior Director of Government Affairs for the National Taxpayers Union, discusses NTU's 15th Annual “No Brainers” List, highlighting bipartisan bills that solve real problems for taxpayers, and why Congress must get serious about fixing the Social Security system.
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74
All Eyes on New York and Virginia
William J. Conti, a retired attorney from Washington, DC, discusses the latest news on the upcoming mayoral election in New York City and the governor's race in Virginia.
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73
Peace Through Strength
Tzvi Kahn, Research Fellow and Senior Editor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, discusses the Gaza peace deal, President Trump's role in bringing an end to the war, the importance of the Arab world being united in this plan, and a broader discussion on Trump administration's foreign policy worldwide.
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72
SCOTUS Begins October 2025 Term
Hans von Spakovsky, Manager of the Election Law Reform Initiative and a Senior Legal Fellow in the Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation, discusses some of the more significant cases among the 39 already on the U.S. Supreme Court's current term docket, the volume of emergency appeals before the Court this summer, and why this term is shaping up as one of the most momentous in the Court's history.
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71
Protecting Free Speech in the Online Digital Space
Paolo Carozza, Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame and Co-Chair of the Oversight Board, discusses the independent Oversight Board's role in providing rulings and recommendations on Meta's platform postings, who comprises the board, how determinations are made, and the importance of transparency and platform accountability in the online digital space as they relate to free speech.
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70
The Possibility and Power of AI on the Economy and Competitiveness
Karen Kerrigan, President and CEO of the Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council, discusses the Trump administration's AI Action Plan for America, what it means for small businesses and entrepreneurs, and how embracing and investing in AI builds on America's AI dominance.
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69
Good News on the Economy, Bad News on Crime
Timothy Lee, CFIF's Senior Vice President of Legal and Public Affairs, discusses recent economic news and the state of the U.S. economy, as well as crime and the methods and policies that work to reduce it.
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68
Grading Anti-SLAPP Statutes: IFS's 2025 Report Card
David Keating, President of the Institute for Free Speech, discuses IFS' recently released report titled, “Anti-SLAPP Statutes: 2025 Report Card,” what protections these laws afford, and why they are important in combating meritless, speech-suppressing lawsuits.
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67
Time to Trim the Millions Being Paid to Former Presidents
Demian Brady, Vice President of Research at the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, discusses proposed legislation that would cap pensions, limit expense allowances and cut perks for wealthy ex-presidents, saving taxpayers millions of dollars each year.
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66
The State of the U.S. Economy
Phil Kerpen, President of American Commitment, discusses the current state of the U.S. economy, the outlook for economic growth, what the future looks like for energy prices and regulation, and what impact tariffs may have on the economy.
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65
Washington, DC and the Home Rule Act
Michael O'Neill, Vice President of Legal Affairs at the Landmark Legal Foundation, discusses the precedent and legal authority for President Trump's initiative to restore safety in our nation's capital city by temporarily asserting federal control over the Washington, DC police department, and what steps Congress should take next to reverse the slow degradation of the quality of life in DC.
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64
How Will History Judge Biden's Presidency?
William J. Conti, an attorney from Washington, DC, discusses President Joe Biden's legacy, the scandal surrounding the use of an auto-pen during the final days of his presidency, and what may or may not be happening in the closed-door Congressional hearings regarding Biden's mental acuity.
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63
Shining a Spotlight on Billionaire-Funded Lawfare Litigation
Sherman “Tiger” Joyce, President of the American Tort Reform Association, discusses the recently announced Congressional investigation into “climate fellows” being embedded into state AG offices and allegedly paid for by billionaire Michael Bloomberg, and how such offensive actions infringe on the other parts of government.
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62
Healthcare Takeaways from the One Big Beautiful Bill, By the Numbers
Sally Pipes, Founder, CEO and President of the Pacific Research Institute, discusses the biggest healthcare takeaways from a numbers perspective in the recently enacted “Big Beautiful Bill,” how cheap drugs from Canada can't make America healthy, and the real culprit impeding drug competition.
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61
The Supreme Court's Major Decisions End the Term
Ilya Shapiro, Senior Fellow and Director of Constitutional Studies at the Manhattan Institute, discusses the notable decisions rounding out the end of the U.S. Supreme Court's term and the odds of a Supreme Court justice retirement during President Trump's second term.
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60
Six Months In: The Trump Economy
Timothy Lee, CFIF's Senior Vice President of Legal and Public Affairs, discusses the first six months of President Trump's second term, from the economy to jobs, the stock market, deregulation, trade policy, and more.
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59
One Big Beautiful Megabill Faces Mega Obstacles
Thomas Aiello, Senior Director of Government Affairs at the National Taxpayers Union, discusses the uphill battle President Trump's “Big Beautiful Bill” is facing on Capitol Hill, the looming July 4th deadline, and how the battle in the Senate may ultimately result in improvements to the House version of the bill.
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58
The Israel-Iran Conflict
Tzvi Kahn, Research Fellow and Senior Editor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, discusses the latest information on the growing escalation of the campaign involving Israel and Iran, the ever-evolving role of the United States, why any offer to negotiate from Iran is a “trap,” and more.
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57
DOGE, Regulations and the Administrative State
Wayne Crews, the Fred L. Smith Fellow in Regulatory Studies at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, discusses the recently released "Ten Thousand Commandments: An Annual Snapshot of the Federal Regulatory State,” how Congress is disregarding its enumerated powers, and the role of DOGE to commence deconstruction of the administrative state.
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56
President Trump's “Big, Beautiful Bill”
Phil Kerpen, President of American Commitment and Principal at the Committee to Unleash Prosperity, discuses the potential victories and disappointments in the current version of President Trump's “big, beautiful bill,” the players to watch as the bill makes its way through the Senate, the recent analysis from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and other administration efforts underway to decrease the deficit and enhance growth.
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55
MAHA Report and the Trial Bar, Third Party Litigation Funding, and More
Sherman “Tiger” Joyce, President of the American Tort Reform Association, discusses the latest MAHA Report and how it could be used as ammunition by the trial bar in mass tort litigation, and recently introduced legislation by Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) regarding third-party litigation funding, the “Tackling Predatory Litigation Funding Act.”
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54
The “Big Beautiful Bill”, REINS Act and the Economy
William J. Conti, an attorney from Washington, DC, discusses the size and complexity of the “Big Beautiful Bill” that addresses tax policy, energy policy and immigration, and the economic potential impact of passing the REINS Act.
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53
Trump vs. the Judiciary
Hans von Spakovsky, Manager of the Election Law Reform Initiative and a Senior Legal Fellow in the Edwin Meese III Center for Legal and Judicial Studies at The Heritage Foundation, discusses the Trump administration's ongoing legal battles with members of the federal judiciary, how Congress should deal with the problem of overreaching courts, what should be done about judges who break federal laws, and recent court rulings related to executive orders.
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52
Education to Activism
Ilya Shapiro, Senior Fellow and Director of Constitutional Studies at the Manhattan Institute, discusses his book, “Lawless: The Miseducation of America's Elite,” Harvard University's battle with the Trump administration, and some of the remaining cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.
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51
The Legal Foundation of LPR Technology
Timothy Lee, CFIF's Senior Vice President of Legal and Public Affairs, discusses CFIF's recently released legal primer that explores the constitutionality of License Plate Recognition (LPR) technology, and how the technology is used to fight crime.
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to CFIF's Freedomcast, where activists across the country can listen to audio commentary and interviews with elected leaders, public policy experts and legal scholars on important news, legislation and litigation affecting individual freedom and the free-market principles of our Founding Fathers. Check back often as Freedomcast will be updated frequently with interviews, policy statements and audio commentary.
HOSTED BY
Center For Individual Freedom
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