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McCarthy Dissects Senate Impeachment Questions, Bolton Revelations

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Listen to “McCarthy Dissects Senate Impeachment Questions, Bolton Revelations” on Spreaker.

On Wednesday, the Senate impeachment trial of President Trump shifted to a new phase, with senators asking questions of the lawyers on both sides of the case. But did we get some insightful and pertinent questions or was it mostly political grandstanding? And did we learn anything new?

In this podcast, former federal prosecutor Andrew C. McCarthy tackles those questions and also dives into the controversy over former National Security Adviser John Bolton allegedly confirming Trump demanded Ukraine launch investigations in exchange for military aid from the U.S.  And McCarthy offers a way to give both sides what they want with respect to Bolton without extending the trial any longer than necessary.

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Former Commerce Secretary Barbara Franklin Talks Trade Deals

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Listen to “Former Commerce Secretary Barbara Franklin Talks Trade Deals” on Spreaker.

It’s been a busy stretch for highly touted trade deals. The Trump administration already completed new trade agreements with Japan and South Korea.

Last week, the Senate followed the House of Representatives in approving the U.S.-Mexico-Canada agreement, also known as USMCA, which President Trump signed on Wednesday. In addition, President Trump also signed phase one of a new trade framework with China.

But how good is USMCA? What are the biggest changes compared to the North American Free Trade Agreement? Why is this a big win for the auto industry? And what impact will the new environmental rules have?

Former Commerce Secretary Barbara Franklin played a key role in negotiating and advancing the North American Free Trade agreement in the 1990’s. She explains why it was right to renegotiate and why she thinks the USMCA is an improvement in most cases.

Franklin also sizes up phase one of the China trade deal and what U.S. priorities ought to be in the remainder of the talks.

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Trump Promises Middle Class Tax Cuts Within Months

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Listen to “Trump Promises Middle Class Tax Cuts Within Months” on Spreaker.

During an interview with Fox Business Network this week, President Trump promised a middle class tax cut within the next ninety days, but what does he have in mind and what is politically possible?

In this podcast, National Taxpayers Union President Pete Sepp tells Greg Corombos what Trump can do by executive action and what would require the cooperation of Congress.  He also explains what unilateral action would do the most good for middle class families and what sort of tax relief might actually do more good than income tax cuts.

Finally, Sepp responds to arguments from Democrats that the 2017 tax cuts are largely responsible for the trillion-dollar deficits the nation now faces.

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The Pro-Life Woman Exploited to Legalize Abortion

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Listen to “The Pro-Life Woman Exploited to Legalize Abortion” on Spreaker.

On January 22, 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized abortion nationwide through the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions. The plaintiff in the second case was known as “Mary Doe.” Her real name was Sandra Cano. Only Sandra Cano had no idea she was the plaintiff.

Cano passed away in 2014, but in this interview from 2013, she explains how she got entangled in the fight to legalize abortion, how she found out she was the unwitting plaintiff in the case, the reaction of the pro-abortion attorneys when they realized she knew what they did, and her pro-life advocacy ever since.

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Trump Takes on ‘Birth Tourism’

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Listen to “Trump Takes on ‘Birth Tourism'” on Spreaker.

While Washington focuses on the impeachment process, President Trump is taking another step on immigration policy, this time targeting what’s known as “birth tourism.”

Current U.S. law, through the 14th amendment to the Constitution, confers citizenship on anyone born in the United States.

Center for Immigration Studies Executive Director Mark Krikorian says this is not just a matter of people timing vacations in order for mothers to give birth in the U.S. He says nations like China, Russia, Turkey, Nigeria, and others have active operations to transport, house, and care for mothers until the passports arrive for their children born as U.S. citizens.

In this interview with Greg Corombos, Krikorian explains how many babies become U.S. citizens through this process, what can actually be done about it, and what the future of birthright citizenship looks like.

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What Trump’s Religious Freedom Directives Actually Do

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Listen to “What Trump’s Religious Freedom Directives Actually Do” on Spreaker.

On Thursday, President Trump issued nine rules designed to protect religious organizations from discrimination by the federal government.  He’s also taking steps to protect free religious expression in the public schools.

What is the current law concerning religious expression in government-funded schools? How closely are those laws currently being followed?  What are Trump’s orders designed to do? And what leverage does the government have against schools that refuse to accommodate that expression?

Family Research Council Vice President for Policy and Government Affairs Travis Weber joins Greg Corombos to address those questions and more.

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Why Small Businesses Could Be Big Winners in USMCA

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Listen to “Why Small Businesses Could Be Big Winners in USMCA” on Spreaker.

On Thursday, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved the USMCA, the new North American trade compact among the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, and a leading small business advocate says there are plenty of changes to make life easier for American businesses and entrepreneurs.

What regulatory changes will help business owners keep costs down? How does the agreement give small business a much bigger voice in future trade deliberations? What additional provisions are included to protect intellectual property rights?

We get answers to those questions and discuss the ongoing trade talks with China with Karen Kerrigan, President and CEO of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council.

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Iran: ‘This Regime Is Not Ten Feet Tall’

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Listen to “Iran Regime ‘Not Ten Feet Tall'” on Spreaker.

Less than a week after attracting worldwide attention with their massive protests against their own government, the Iranian people continue their demonstrations, even as the media turn to impeachment and other matters closer to home.

Iranian opposition groups believe there is tremendous momentum towards ending the current Iranian regime.  Alireza Jafarzadeh is deputy director of the Washington office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, or NCRI.

He says two very important things happened last weekend.  First, images and videos of the demonstrations actually got disseminated around the world.  The Iranian government restored internet access in an attempt to benefit from coverage of the large gatherings following the killing of Gen. Qasem Soleimani and Jafarzadeh says the anti-regime protests began before the mourning events were finished, making transmission of the later protests impossible to stop.

Jafarzadeh also says the supportive tweets for the demonstrators from President Trump are very significant.  In a series of tweets posted in Farsi, Trump said the United States stood with the people of Iran, warned the Iranian government not to kill its own people or cut off internet access, and call for a human rights commission to investigate Iranian crimes against their own people.

While he insists the work of changing governments rests with the Iranian people, Jafarzadeh says Trump and other world leaders provide a great service by publicly supporting the demonstrators.

“The role of the outside world and the international community is extremely important to build pressure on the Iranian regime, to make the people understand this regime is not ten feet tall,” said Jafarzadeh.  “This concerted effort, both from the outside and inside will eventually lead to the fall of the Iranian regime.”

Listen to the full podcast as Jafarzadeh describes the size and intensity of the demonstrations, the conditions under which the regime would actually leave, and why he thinks it is more vulnerable than ever.  He also describes the efforts of the Iranian government to attack the opposition inside and outside of Iraq – including him.

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Tom Steyer Talks Debates, Climate, National Security & More

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Listen to “Tom Steyer Talks Debates, Climate, National Security & More” on Spreaker.

Businessman and activist Tom Steyer remains in the Democratic presidential race and on the debate stage long after other party hopefuls exited the race. But why is he there?  What does he bring to the campaign that other Democrats do not?

In a conversation with Greg Corombos, Steyer explains what compelled him to run after initially deciding not to be a candidate.  They also dive into Steyer’s signature issue of climate change.  What is his specific plan and is it realistic to think we can phase out fossil fuels entirely?

In Tuesday’s debate, Steyer claimed his international business experience has prepared him to be commander-in-chief.  But how does that kind of experience specifically prepare him for deciding whether to commit U.S. troops to combat?

In recent weeks, Steyer has climbed to double digits in polls of voters in the early primary and caucus states of Nevada and South Carolina.  What’s responsible for the surge?

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Virginia Embraces ERA; Fight Far from Over

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Listen to “Virginia Embraces ERA; Fight Far from Over” on Spreaker.

Virginia’s House of Delegates approved the Equal Rights Amendment Wednesday, with supporters hailing the vote as the final step for ratification and critics pointing out the opportunity to enact it ended 38 years ago.

The Democratic-led chamber voted 59-41 to approve the amendment, also known as ERA. The problem for supporters is that Congress gave the states until 1982 to reach the 38-state threshold needed for ratification.

Undeterred, activists plan to push Congress to change the deadline so the votes in Virginia and a few others states that took place well after the deadline can count towards ratification.

Independent Women’s Forum Senior Political Analyst Inez Stepman says it’s not that simple. She says Congress set the window for ratification as part of the amendment itself, which was approved by a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate. She argues a two-thirds majority would also be needed to change the deadline.

Listen to the full podcast as Stepman explains the political and legal wrangling to come on this issue. She also explains why she believes the amendment is wholly unnecessary.

Finally, Stepman explains how the ERA could actually erode equality for women and girls.

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