American Viewpoints
728 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 18 hours ago - ★★★★★ - 4 ratingsAmerica's news talk radio show that doesn't just inform, it empowers.
Often, important stories, viewpoints, and information don't make it into the headlines, so we're finding them and bringing them to you.
By the end of each week's show, you'll have new information you can use.
Syndicated through Talk Media Network
https://talkmedianetwork.com/show/american-viewpoints-with-mike-ferguson/
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Episodes
Bracing For Higher Energy Bills This Winter
January 06, 2023 17:19 - 9 minutes - 8.28 MBSaveOnEnergy.com's Saltanat Bardileeva provides an outlook for the coming winter ultility bills, which are expected to be higher than in previous years. Lower energy supply, especially natural gas and oil, as well as inflation, are among the factors driving up costs. The discussion includes advice on how to reduce your utility costs without compromising safety in your home.
Is There A War On The American Family?
January 06, 2023 17:08 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBTerry Schilling from the American Principles Project argues that there is a political, policy, and cultural effort to "abolish" the traditional American family. He makes comparisons to governmental and cultural efforts from history that sounght to undermine the family as an institution.
The Red Wave That Wasn't. Lessons To Learn From The GOP's Failure To Win Big In The Midterms
January 06, 2023 17:01 - 10 minutes - 9.96 MBFreeThePeople.org's Matt Kibbe, host of BlazeTV's "Kibbe On Liberty" assesses the failure of Republicans to win more seats in Congress during the 2022 Mid Term elections. Kibbe discusses the policy differences the GOP presented and failed to present as well as what messages voters around the country were sending as far as their priorities.
Assessing The Respect For Marriage Act And Possible Conflicts With Religious Freedom
January 06, 2023 16:50 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBThe Heritage Foundation's Emma Waters discusses the "Respect For Marriage Act" pased by Congress and the possible unintended consequences the bill (now law) could have. Concerns about the law include possible threats to religious freedom.
Holiday Stress: Spending In A Difficult Economy
January 06, 2023 16:40 - 9 minutes - 8.28 MBBankrate.com analyst Sarah Foster descibes the results of a new survey that shows young families (and individuals) struggle more financially and emotionally than others when it comes to holiday spending. The discussion includes the current econoic conditions and typical expections for gift-giving and other spending. Foster also explains ways to prioritize personal finance needs while still enjoying the holidays.
How Did The FTX Debacle Happen And WHat Does It Mean?
January 06, 2023 16:31 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBJohn Berlau from the Competitive Enterprise Institute explains what happened with the FTX cryptocurrency exchange collapse. He also discusses what the situation could mean for investors, businesses, and public policy.
Protecting Your Money While You Protect Your Health
December 20, 2022 17:13 - 10 minutes - 9.96 MBJason Resendez from Consumers For Quality Care offers advice on knowing how effective your health insurance coverage is, what your rights are, and how to spot aspects of health care costs that can be avoiced. This includes "surprise billing" and other ways patients get billed unexpectedly.
The Red Wave That Wasn't: Assessing The Midterm Election Results
December 20, 2022 17:05 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBFred Lucas from the Daily Signal assesses theresults of the midterm elections. The discussion includes the messaging, the economy, and the partisanship involved.
Normalizing Mental Health Care In America
December 20, 2022 16:58 - 9 minutes - 8.28 MBDavid Huntsman from the Huntsman Institue for Mental Health and Heidi Arthur from the Ad Council discuss the new national campaign to lower social stigmas and other barriers to accessing mental health care in America.
Inflation? Up Again. What Should We Plan For Next?
December 20, 2022 16:50 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBDr. Thomas Hogan from the American Institute for Economic Research reacts to the new CPI report showing that inflation, once again, continued to rise. He discusses the reasons for the increases, what consumers can expect regarding the impact on their finances, andsuggests ways to deal with the likely continued inflation increases.
Reaching For Diversity Or Discrimination? The Fight Over Race In College Admissions
December 06, 2022 17:32 - 10 minutes - 10 MBLinda Chavez is the Chair of the Center for Equal Opportunity. She discusses the case before the US Supreme Court that challenges the use of race as a factor in college and university admissions.
Pandemic Amnesty Or Accountability First Before We Move On?
December 06, 2022 17:16 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBThe Daily Wire's Tim Meads comments on the debate caused by an editorial in The Atlantic. Professor Emily Oster's oped calls for what she calls "pandemic amnesty" - calling for Americans to set aside differences and angrer over disagreements related to COVID-era issues. Meads discusses his response to that in which he says agreement on what was/is true and accountability should be reached before bygones are allowed to by bygones.
Interest Rates Went Up Again. And Probably Will Go Up Again. What Now?
November 15, 2022 17:27 - 9 minutes - 8.28 MBFinancial advisor Eric Robert from Stifel Financial (https://www.stifel.com/) describes how the latest interest rate hike by the Federal Reserve will affect family budgets. He also addresses the ongoing inflation and how it relates to the interest rate hikes. https://www.clearpathinvesting.com/
Leadership, Politics, Fear, And Public Health
November 15, 2022 16:14 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBFlorida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo received both criticism and praise for his statements (and actions) during the era of Covid shutdowns and restrictions. In this discussion, he describes the process he used to sort fact from fear and how to keep individual freedom in the conversation. Dr. Ladapo also explains what public officials and public health bureaucrats should have learned from the mistakes of 2020-2022. He also discusses his new book, Trandscend Fear: A Blueprint For Mindful L...
Overpopulation? This New Books Argues That We Need MORE People On Earth
November 07, 2022 17:27 - 10 minutes - 9.96 MBMarian Tupey, a senior fellow at the CATO Institute and editor of HumanProgress.org, discusses common claims about the planet's population, resources, and opportunity for wealth in the new book he coauthored with Gale Pooley. Superabundance: The Story Of Population Growth, Innovation, And Human Flourishing On An Infinitely Bountiful Planet challenges assumptions over overpopulation and scarce resources. https://www.amazon.com/Superabundance-Population-Innovation-Flourishing-Infinitely/dp/195...
America's Public Education System Gets A Report Card
November 07, 2022 16:55 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBMichael Petrilli from the Thomas B Fordham Institute discusses the results of the recently-released National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) results. The NAEP is often called the "report card" on schools and/or the public education system. Petrilli says the latest results are concerning and some of the causes can be attributed to the school shutdowns and online-only format over the last couple of years. He also offers ideas to improve education outcomes for kids across the country....
Stopping The Next School Shooting
November 07, 2022 16:15 - 9 minutes - 8.28 MBSgt Betsy Smith from the National Police Association assesses the performance of St. Louis Police who stopped a school shooting in progress at the Central Visual & Performing Arts High School. One student and one teacher died before police fatally shot the attacker. Smith also discusses the almost immediate politization of the situation by politicians who used the occasion to promote gun control polcies. https://nationalpolice.org/
President Biden Focuses On "Junk Fees": Can That Make A DIfference In Your Cost Of Living?
November 07, 2022 16:01 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBThe Competitive Enterprise Institute's Ryan Young reacts to President Biden's announcement that his administration is going to address "junk fees" as part of his effort to lower the cost of living. These "junk fees" include add ons for airline travel, cancellation fees by hotels, and concert ticket processing fees.
Did Public Education Leaders And Federal Officials Target Parents? The Follow Up
November 04, 2022 14:43 - 10 minutes - 9.96 MBLandmark Legal Foundation has obtained records relating to Attorney General Merrick Garland’s directive that the DOJ investigate individuals attending school board meetings. In this discussion, Landmark's Assistant General Counsel, Mike O'Neill, describes what they found after news that the National School Boards Association contacted the US Department of Justice, encouraging them to consider investigations of parents who protest at local school board meetings.
Are College Students Getting Bad Deals By Predatory Financial Institutions?
November 04, 2022 14:27 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBEd Mierzwinski, the Senior Director of the Public Interest Research Group's Federal Consumer Program, argues that regulators and lawmakers should address financial processes that they say is a bad deal for college students. Beyond just on campus incentives to convince young people to sign up for credit cards, Mierzwinski says the problems includes the colleges/universities and financial institutions are not serving the students' best interests. Read PIRG's statement here: https://pirg.org/me...
How Do You Build Credit WHen You Don'T Have Credit Yet?
October 25, 2022 15:38 - 9 minutes - 8.28 MBSuper.com's Radhika Dugga explains why credit scores and credit (or a lack of) cause anxiety for many Americans. In addition to the concerns about debt in general, accessing credit means accessing opportunity for many low and middle income Americans. Dugga also describes the secured bank card they developed to help people build a favorable credit score.
Discussing the Stop The Sexualization Of Children Act
October 24, 2022 14:54 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBJon Schwepp from the American Principles Project explains what the Stop The Sexualization Of Children Act is and would do if passed into law. It's proposed in Congress with little chance of passing under the current makeup of Congress and calls for federal tax dollars from going to entities that promote sexual materials to children. This could include drag shows sponsored by schools or district-affiliated groups or held on school property. If passed, if could also address sexually-explicit b...
PayPal Tested The Waters Of Censorship
October 20, 2022 14:45 - 10 minutes - 9.97 MBPayPal was recently caught adding policies to their service that could have resulted in the company fining users for "misinformation". Following an online and a media backlash, the company backtracked and claimed the rules were announced in error. RedState.com's Susie Moore discusses the brief policy changes, the legal implications, and the state of censorship in business, particulalry in today's tech and financial services settings. https://redstate.com/smoosieq/2022/10/08/after-getting-bl...
Politicians' Policies And Their Impact On Your Personal Finances
October 19, 2022 14:45 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBDr. Thomas Hogan from the American Institute for Economic Research explains why the hotly-debated policies in government have immediate affects on your personal finances. From oil product and gas prices to overall inflation to recent jobs reports, what happens in Washington DC is changing most Americans' personal finances.
Protecting Workers Or Attacking The Gig Economy?
October 18, 2022 15:42 - 9 minutes - 8.28 MBVinnie Vernuccio, president of the Institute for the American Worker, assesses some of the Biden Administration's proposals to change federal regulations related to contract workers. Supporters of the proposals, including labor unions, say it will protect contract and gig workers who don't get benefits that come with full time employment. Opponents say the ideas would take away the flexibility and opportunity that comes with gig and freelance work.
Fraud And Waste Of The Covid Spending Spree: How Much And How Does It Affect You?
October 17, 2022 15:38 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBThe Manhattan Institute's Brian Riedl breaks down the extreme levels of waste and fraud associated with the federal spending plans. The discussion covers the numbers of dollars involved (as near as we can tell), the efforts to prosecute fraud as they stand now, and what it will mean to all taxpayters, Here's his recent article on the problem: https://www.manhattan-institute.org/pandemic-fraud-and-waste-is-a-national-scandal
Is (Should) The Definition Of Marriage Change Again In America?
October 13, 2022 16:15 - 10 minutes - 9.96 MBGabe Phifer, host of the St. John The Philosopher Youtube show and Mike's cohost each weekday morning on NewsTalk STL, assesses a recent New York Court ruling that said polyamorous marriage should have the same legal protections as marriage between two people. The discussion was a response to this op-ed by Tony Perkins from the Family Research Council: https://washingtonstand.com/commentary/ny-judge-fulfills-scalias-prophecy-time-has-arrived-to-legalize-polygamyGabe Phi
Is Microsoft's Growing Workforce In China A Cause For Concern For The US?
October 12, 2022 16:01 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBFormer US Department of Homeland Security official Paul Rosenzweig points out potential concerns the US should have about Microsoft's growing workforce in China. The company has announced plans to have around 10,000 workers working in manufacutring and software development there. The conversation covers both personal information security and national security concerns. https://www.law.gwu.edu/paul-rosenzweig
What Drives Some Women To Give Up On Finding A Partner?
October 11, 2022 15:32 - 9 minutes - 8.28 MBAuthor Laura Wellington expands on her recent article, Why So Many Woman Have Given Up On Dating, and points to technolgy, culture, and even COVID issues as reasons she believes are contributing to some women deciding to not pursue dating and relationships. https://laurawellington.medium.com/why-so-many-women-have-given-up-on-dating-64620dc579bd
Living The Crisis: How Illegal Immigration Affects Those Living Along The Border
October 10, 2022 15:31 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBThe Daily Signal's Virginia Allen describes what she saw while investigating the impact of illegall immigration on those who live (legally) along the US Southern Border. She spent multiple days there, interviewing residents, law enforcement, and immigrants who admit to entering the US illegally. This conversation originally happened on, and is courtesy of, NewsTalk STL in St. Louis, MO. https://www.dailysignal.com/2022/10/04/inside-a-texas-county-that-declared-border-crisis-an-invasion/
What Is "Christian Nationalism"?
October 06, 2022 15:05 - 10 minutes - 10 MBProfessor Mark David Hall breaks down the debate over the term "Christian Nationalism" and offers his definition of what that is. The term is generally used against conservative politics and activsm when those involved are Christians, although some on the Right embrace the term. Hall discusses whether that is a fair description and why understanding this part of conservatism in America is important. https://www.markdavidhall.org/
Considering Race Before Content? The Strange Case Of Jihad Rehab
October 05, 2022 17:34 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBFilmmaker Meg Smaker's new documentary, Jihad Rehab,is both praised as a provocative look into the lives and circumstances of former Guantanamo terrorism suspects/detainees and panned because, among other reasons, Smaker is white. Some critics argue that her background and what they call a lack of representation among the ducumentary team are among the reasons they called for the film to be withdrawn from film festivals and not shown in other settings. In this discussion, t Foundation Agains...
Privacy And Safety: Where Should The Limits Be For Law Enforcement?
October 04, 2022 14:52 - 9 minutes - 8.28 MBIn a recent article, Eric Cervone explains why some members of Congress are pushing back against the practice of law enforcement agencies buying location tracking data from cell phone providers. The information can provide locations of where someone has been (or possibly is) without a warrant. The discussion looks at the conflict between privacy rights and the extent of police surveillance and information gathering on any person. Read his article here: https://www.theblaze.com/news/senators...
Challenging The Biden Admiistration's Student Debt Forgiveness Plan
October 03, 2022 16:25 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBThe Pacific Legal Foundation filed a federal lawsuit agains the Biden Administration's program to forgive billions of dollars' worth of student loan debt, potentially affecting millions of borrowers. PLF's Alison Somin explains why they and their client chose to challenge the program and she describes their legal strategy. Somin says PCF isn't challenging the policy goal per se but rather the way the policy was implemented, arguing that it it unconstitutional and sets a precedent for Executi...
Changing The Definitions And Rules Of Title IX: Needed Equality Or Dangerous Wokeness?
September 29, 2022 18:44 - 10 minutes - 9.96 MBLaura Zorc from the FreedomWorks explains the process being used to update Title IX regulations on both K-12 and higher education. She explains why her organization and many other conservative ones, oppose the changes. The Biden Administration is proposing new rules that would, among other things, add gender identity to protected classes, affecting several aspects of education.
A Suggestion For The IRS: Investigate One Of America's Largest Teachers' Unions
September 29, 2022 18:30 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBMike O'Neil from the Landmark Legal Foundation argues that the American Federation of Teachers is likely violating tax laws by claiming on their tax returns that they do not engange in political activities. Similar unions that conduct similar operations on behalf of candidates file their tax returns differently and disclose that they are politically active. O'Neil says the AFT's way of completing the tax forms could be saving them a significant amount of money because, otherwise, they would ...
Another Fed Interest Rate Hike: What It Means To You
September 27, 2022 15:58 - 9 minutes - 8.28 MBCompetitive Enterprise Institute analyst Ryan Young explains how the Federal Researve's decision to raise the interest rate again affects many Americans' budgets. He also looks ahead to the next (likely) interest rate hike and offers some observations on how Congress could help alleviate some of the effect being felt by businesses and familes around the nation.
Public Education vs Parents?
September 26, 2022 15:04 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBThe debate over public education policy and content has, of course, intensified over the past couple of years as parents around the country found controversial materials about race, politics, and sex/gender. Heritage Foundation Vice President of Communications Rob Bluey, who is also the Executive Editor ofThe Daily Signal, discusses the role education could have in themid term elections. In addition to the content itself, Bluey also addresses the reaction to parents' growing activism with lo...
Should Government Say Yes When Parents Say No To Kids Who Want Transgender Medical Treatments? The California Proposal.
September 23, 2022 14:55 - 10 minutes - 9.96 MBThe Family Research Center's Director of their Center For Family Studies, Dr. Jennifer Bauwens, details a bill passed by the California State Assembly that allows the state government to take custody of minors seeking what some call "gender affirming care". If/when the state takes custody of the minors, government approval could be granted for hormonal and even potentially surgical transgender treatments even if the child's parents disagree and object. Governor Gavin Newsome has until Septe...
Ideology And Violence: Why Aren't Attacks On Pregnancy Resource Centers Being Prosecuted More?
September 22, 2022 17:01 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBAndrew Beckwith from the Massachussets Family Institute describes the frustration his organization and other pro life groups have with some in the criminal justice system and with some politicians and other policy makers. MFI, along with First Liberty, is asking the state's Attorney General to both stop opposing their work and put effort into investigating and prosecuting the recent attacks on pregnancy resource centers in the state. The attacks in Massachusetts and across the country range ...
The Latest "Gut Punch" Inflation Report
September 22, 2022 16:42 - 9 minutes - 8.28 MBBankrate.com senior analyst Mark Hamrick responds to the latest CPI (Consumer Price Index) report showing a slight increase in inflation for the month of August. That report surprised many analysts and policymakers. Hamrick discusses the cause, assesses the current state of the economy, and offers advice on what to consider when making financial decisions for your household.
Protecting Access To The Ballot And Election Integrity
September 21, 2022 16:34 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBJason Snead, Executive Director of the Honest Elections Project, gives an overview of the trends and proposals that he says could undermine the accuracy and integrity of our voting process. Among those are proposed legislation to essentially put all elections under federal oversight, expansion of drop off ballot boxes outside of polling places, increased mail in voting, and a lack of a photo ID requirement in many areas. Learn more at https://www.honestelections.org/
Faith Vs Government? The Growing Coalition Of Churches Preparing To Say No To The Next Lockdown Orders
September 20, 2022 17:00 - 10 minutes - 9.96 MBPastor Stephen Mannion explains why a growing coalition of churches is signing on to the Acts 5:29 Statement, which pledges to continue religious services/worship if governments order shutdowns in the future. The statement and coalition is in response to the recent government orders around the country that, under the guise of protecting public health, demanded that houses of worship not hold in-person services. Learn more at https://acts529.com/
A Path To Healing For America's Veterans
September 20, 2022 15:08 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBDavid Maulsby, Executive Director of the PTSD Foundation of America, discusses the reasons many veterans struggle with the challenge and the importance of providing resources for them. The resources the Foundation offers include Camp Hope in Texas, which offers couseling and housing. The organization is non profit, not a government program. Learn more at PTSDUSA.org
Inflation And (Under)Insurance: Are Your Finances At Risk?
September 15, 2022 15:26 - 9 minutes - 8.28 MBBankrate.com's Cate Deventer explains the link between the current inflation we're all dealing with and your insurance. In short, the increasing cost to replace what you have insured and the dollar limits on your policy could leave your family in a bad position if something bad happens.
No Trespassing Means No Trespassing - Even For Law Enforcement?
September 14, 2022 23:18 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBInstitute For Justice lawyer Josh Windham describes two similar cases that involve law enforcement (conservation agents, in this case) going on to privaye property for patrol purposes. In one case, the agents st up cameras on the private property without any warrants involved. Windham explains why IJ, on Fourth Amendment grounds, got involved and sued the state.
Show 2021-28 Segment 4 Think Taxes Are Frustrating Now? It Could Get Worse
December 03, 2021 23:51 - 10 minutes - 9.96 MBNote: this segment was originally broadcast in July of 2021 Americans For Tax Reform’s Grover Norquist offers his thoughts on proposed changes to the US tax code by the Biden Administration. He also explains the economics of changing tax rates.
Show 2021-28 Segment 3 Warning Signs Of Bullying In The Online Age
December 03, 2021 23:45 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBTina Meier from the Megan Meier Foundation provides information for parents regarding cyber bullying and sexual predators who use the internet to harm their victims. Tina’s daughter, Megan, was one of the first known victims of cyber bullying and took her own life after ongoing harassment online. The discussion offers advice for parents and others involved in the lives of children, teens, and young adults.
Show 2021-28 Segment 2 Keep Learning At Any Age
December 03, 2021 23:36 - 9 minutes - 8.28 MBAmy Vandevelte from the Oasis Foundation discusses their free and low cost educational materials for adults, specifically senior adults. The goal is to provide programs to teach life skills (operating current technology, health education, etc) and more traditional courses for continuing education. The focus is to provide learning material for improve healthy aging.
Show 2021-28 Segment 1 Warning About Inflation
December 03, 2021 23:32 - 10 minutes - 9.19 MBNote: this was originally broadcast in July of 2021 Rick Manning from Americans For Limited Government discusses the inflation that is happening throughout the nation. He assesses the basic data, discusses the causes, and explains the real effect the increasing prices are having on most people.