Top Priority | Ideas for Human Flourishing

Season 2 - Episode 1: A Conversation about Inflation with Kurt Couchman

Welcome to Top Priority, the podcast where we discuss the most pressing issues facing our nation today. In this episode, our host Duane Lester sits down with Kurt Couchman, Senior Fellow on Fiscal Policy with Americans for Prosperity Foundation, to talk about one of the most critical issues of our time: inflation. Inflation is a topic that affects every American, yet it's often misunderstood and overlooked. With the recent surge in prices, it's more important than ever to understan...

045 Top Priority Podcast | Book: Get Out of Control

Show: 045 Top Priority Podcast | Book: Get Out of Control Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Neil Chilson, Senior Research Fellow, Technology and Innovation at Stand Together Neil Chilson, the senior research fellow for technology and innovation at Stand Together, launched his book, Getting Out of Control: Emergent Leadership in a Complex World, on September 23rd. A frequent guest on Top Priority, he joins us again to discuss hi...

044 Top Priority Podcast | AFPF vs. Bonta

Show: 044 Top Priority Podcast | AFPF v. Bonta Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Casey Mattox, Vice President, Legal and Judicial Strategy at Americans for Prosperity Foundation, Senior Fellow, Free Speech and Peace at Charles Koch Institute Today’s top priority is free expression. Specifically, the Supreme Court case AFPF vs. Bonta. Our guest today is Casey Mattox. He’s the Vice President, Legal and Judicial Strategy at Americ...

043 Top Priority Podcast | Protests and Riots

Show: 043 Top Priority Podcast | Protests and Riots Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: David Voorman, Senior Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity Foundation Today’s top priority is free expression. Specifically, we’re talking about the difference between protests and riots, and some troubling legislation being proposed that can impact your free speech rights. Our guest today is David Voorman. He’s a senior policy analyst wit...

042 Top Priority Podcast | Housing Regulations with Jason Sorens

Show: 042 Top Priority | Housing Regulations with Jason Sorens Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Jason Sorens, Director for the Center for Ethics in Society Today’s top priority is Economic Opportunity, specifically housing regulations. Our guest today is Jason Sorens. He’s the Director for the Center for Ethics in Society from Saint Anslem College.  Our Vision: We break barriers that stand in the way of people realizing thei...

041 Top Priority Podcast | **JUST IN TIME** Drug Policy in a Society of Mutual Benefit

Show: 041 Top Priority | Drug Policy in a Society of Mutual Benefit Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Brianna Nuhfer, Director of Criminal Justice at Stand Together, Jeremiah Mosteller, Senior Policy Analyst at Americans for Prosperity Foundation What should we do about the use of drugs in a free society? If we apply the principles of equal rights, mutual benefit, openness, and self-actualization, what does the policy look like...

040 Top Priority Podcast | Second Chance Hiring Can Help Ex-Cons, Employers, and Society

In this Top Priority, we explore the topic of second chance hiring, meaning the hiring of ex-cons. Jeremiah Mosteller joins the podcast again and explains why hiring ex-cons has benefits not just for the employee, but for the employer and society as a whole. Our Vision: We break barriers that stand in the way of people realizing their potential. This moves our society toward one of mutual benefit, where people succeed by helping others improve their lives. History demonstrates p...

039 Top Priority Podcast | How Certificate of Needs Negatively Impact Your Access to Quality Health Care

It's possible you've never heard of a Certificate of Need. It's a policy so awful, even the Federal Government repealed it. Yet many states still enforce it and the negative consequences of it impact access to quality health care across America. In this episode, Charlie Katabi, Health Policy Analyst with Americans for Prosperity, and Jason Edson, trainer with the Americans for Prosperity Education and Training Department and paramedic, explain the damaging effects Certificates of Nee...

038 Top Priority Podcast | Government Surveillance - Is Big Brother is Watching You?

Show: 034 Top Priority | Understanding Stakeholder Capitalism Date Recorded: March 10, 2021 Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Bill Easley, Americans for Prosperity Foundation, Neil Chilson, Charles Koch Institute Today’s top priority is technology and innovation. Specifically, we’re going to be talking about government surveillance. This podcast was recorded on March 10th, 2021. Joining me to discuss this subject is Neil Chils...

037 Top Priority Podcast | Grit: The Melony Armstrong Story

Melony Armstrong just wanted to braid hair. The state of Mississippi tried to stop her. This is her story of fighting one barrier after another for more than ten years. Stand Together Community Vision We break barriers that stand in the way of people realizing their potential. This moves our society toward one of mutual benefit, where people succeed by helping others improve their lives. History demonstrates people are capable of extraordinary things when they have the opportuni...

036 Top Priority Podcast | Marijuana Decriminalization in New Hampshire

The Americans for Prosperity team in New Hampshire worked to decriminalize marijuana in the Granite State. How did the Stand Together Vision guide them to that action? How does decriminalization break barriers? Deputy State Director Ross Connelly explains what happened and the principles that guided their actions.

035 Top Priority Podcast | No-Knock Raids

Show: 035 Top Priority Podcast | No-Knock Raids Date Recorded: January 14, 2021 Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Americans for Prosperity Foundation Guests: Jeremiah Mosteller, Senior Policy Analyst of Criminal Justice Reform, Americans for Prosperity Show Notes & Timestamps What exactly is a no-knock raid? min [5:01] What does the Constitution require for a warrant? min [5:20] What three instances can be used to justify a no-knock warrant or no-knock raid? mi...

034 Top Priority | Understanding Stakeholder Capitalism

Show: 034 Top Priority | Understanding Stakeholder Capitalism Date Recorded: January 21, 2021 Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Russell Greene, Associate Director, Institution of Business at Stand Together

033 Top Priority | "Reclaiming the American Dream" with Evan Feinberg

Show: 033 Top Priority Podcast | "Reclaiming the American Dream" with Evan Feinberg Date Recorded: February 18, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Evan Feinberg, Executive Director at Stand Together Foundation  Additional Links: Reclaiming the American Dream

032 Top Priority | Does "Big Tech" need its own federal regulator?

Show: 032 Top Priority Podcast | Does "Big Tech" Need Its Own Regulator Date Recorded: February 4, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Neil Chilson, Senior Research Fellow for technology and innovation at the Charles Koch Institute  Additional Links: Does Big Tech Need Its Own Regulator? Guest Bio: Neil Chilson is a senior research fellow for technology and innovation at the Charles Koch Institute where he spearheads the...

031 Top Priority | Section 230 and The Danger of Silencing of Marginalized Voices

Show: 031 Top Priority Podcast | How Altering Section 230 Threatens the Free Speech of Marginalized Communities Date Recorded: November 13, 2020  Host: Duane Lester, Director of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Billy Easley, Sr. Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity Foundation   Additional Resources   Slate | Revising the Law That Lets Platforms Moderate Content Will Silence Marginalized Voices Ep 005 Top Priority | Section 230 of Communications Dece...

030 Top Priority | Regulations

In this podcast, we talk about the role regulations have in keeping people safe and rigging the game. We talk with Clint Woods, recovering regulator and Policy Fellow with Americans for Prosperity Foundation, and Erica Jedynak, Director of Economic Opportunity for Stand Together.

029 Top Priority | Free Expression

In this installment, we talk about the importance of free expression and how it relates to our vision of a society of mutual benefit. Our guest, Sarah Ruger, leads the Free Expression Priority Initiative for the Stand Together Community.

028 Top Priority | **JUST IN TIME** Facebook, Twitter, And That Hunter Biden Story

Show: 028 Top Priority Podcast | **Just in Time** Facebook, Twitter, and THAT Hunter Biden Story  Date Recorded: October 21, 2020  Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Jesse Blumenthal, VP of Tech & Innovation, Stand Together    The New York Post released an investigative report on the corruption of Hunter Biden and Big Tech responded. min [1:30]  The Stand Together Principles for Continued Tech Leadership: Possible under US la...

027 Top Priority | Civil Asset Forfeiture with Captain Leigh Mattox

Show: 027 Top Priority Podcast | Talking Civil Asset Forfeiture with Captain Leigh Mattox  Date Recorded: October 12, 2020  Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Captain Leigh Mattox   Captain Leigh Mattox explains the two types of asset forfeiture, including civil asset forfeiture min [7:44]    Additional Resources   Ep 026 Top Priority | Civil Asset Forfeiture and Criminal Justice Reform  Dick Carpenter of Institute for Just...

026 Top Priority | Civil Asset Forfeiture & Criminal Justice Reform

Show: 026 Top Priority Podcast | Civil Assest Forfeiture & Criminal Justice Reform  Date Recorded: October 5, 2020  Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Vikrant Reddy, Senior Fellow, Charles Koch Institute  Greg Glod, Criminal Justice Reform Fellow, Americans for Prosperity   Tyler Koteskey, Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity    What is Civil Asset Forfeiture? min [2:08]  Where did Civil Asset Forfeiture originate? min ...

025 Top Priority | Poverty

In this episode, Evan Feinberg, Executive Director at the Stand Together Foundation, and the Reverend Dr. DeForest B. Soaries, Jr. discuss the issue of poverty.

024 Top Priority | Anti-SLAPP in Tech and Innovation

Show: 024 Top Priority Podcast | Anti-SLAPP Laws in Tech and Innovation  Date Recorded: September 21, 2020  Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Billy Easley, Senior Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity Foundation    The Stand Together Community VISION for digital free speech. min [2:08]  Anti-SLAPP = strategic lawsuit against public participation. min [3:39]  "Lawfare” as a way to silence to people with whom you disagree....

023 Top Priority | Mark Holden on Criminal Justice Reform

Show: 023 Top Priority Podcast | Mark Holden on Criminal Justice Reform  Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guest: Mark Holden, Senior Vice President, Stand Together and Board member of Americans for Prosperity   Why does Mark Holden care about Criminal Justice Reform? min [6:20]  Mark Starts his career as a prison guard and now finds himself advocating for CJR with Snoop Dog | Koch Industries’ Prison Reform Warrior min [17:01]  . . ....

022 Top Priority Podcast | Technophobia

Show: 022 Top Priority Podcast | Technophobia  Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Taylor Barkley, Program Officer of Technology & Innovation, Stand Together   The Stand Together vision for Technology & Innovation recognizes: min [6:12]  Technology and innovation have been a force for good throughout human history.   For the benefits to humanity to continue we need a policy and cultural framework friendly to innovation.   How ...

022 - Top Priority Podcast | Technophobia

021 Top Priority Podcast | Foundational Education

Show: 021 Top Priority Podcast | Foundational Education Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Meredith Olson, Vice President of Foundational Education, Stand Together Community What is Foundational Education? min [5:30] The difference between education and schooling. min [9:27] What does good like in Foundational Education? min [14:02]  How do we apply the Stand Together Community VISION— to break barriers that stand in the way of...

020 Top Priority Podcast | Foundational Education

Show: 021 Top Priority Podcast | Foundational Education  Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Meredith Olson, Vice President of Foundational Education, Stand Together Community What is Foundational Education? min [5:30] The difference between education and schooling. min [9:27] What does good like in Foundational Education? min [14:02]  How do we apply the Stand Together Community VISION— to break barriers that stand in the way of ...

020 Top Priority Podcast | Post-Secondary Education

Show: 020 Top Priority Podcast | Post-Secondary Education   Date Recorded: March 24, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Ryan Stowers, Executive Director, Charles Koch Foundation Show Notes & Timestamps What is the Stand Together Community doing in the realm of Post-Secondary Education? min [4:04] A culture of education that unleashes human flourishing must:  (1) Help people discover who they are as unique individuals—wha...

019 Top Priority Podcast | Free Trade and the World Trade Organization 

Show: 019 Top Priority Podcast | Free Trade and the World Trade Organization Date Recorded: January 28, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Dan Pearson, Trade Policy Fellow, Americans for Prosperity Show Notes & Timestamps What is the history of the World Trade Organization (WTO)? min [1:00] What was the world like before the WTO? What is mercantilism? min [5:22] Adam Smith pushed back again Mercantilism with his book Th...

018 Top Priority Podcast | Free Trade Priority Initiative

Show: 018 Top Priority Podcast | Free Trade Priority Initiative Date Recorded: November 26, 2019 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Dan Pearson, Trade Policy Fellow, Americans for Prosperity Show Notes & Timestamps Why is the Stand Together Community involved in the issue of Free Trade? min [4:26]  Whenever a country restricts its imports, it reduces the freedoms of its own citizens to do business with whomever they want. —D...

017 Top Priority Podcast | Cronyism

Show: 017 Top Priority Podcast | Cronyism Date Recorded: January 16, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Michael Lambert, Policy Analyst of Corporate Welfare, Americans for Prosperity Show Notes & Timestamps What is Cronyism? In short, Cronyism is government picking winners and losers. min [2:14] Cronyism, as our Community understands it, includes three subsets: min [3:45] Financial handouts to include: subsidies, tax in...

016 Top Priority Podcast | Occupational Licensing

Show: 016 Top Priority Podcast | Occupational Licensing   Date Recorded: December 16, 2019 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Erica Jedynak, Director of Employment Initiatives, Stand Together  Austen Bannan Senior Policy Analyst of Employment Policy, Americans for Prosperity Show Notes & Timestamps What is Occupational Licensing and why is it an issue on which our Stand Together Community engages? min [4:15] How some occupat...

015 Top Priority Podcast | Right to Work & Economic Opportunity

Show: 015 Top Priority Podcast | Right to Work & Economic Opportunity Priority Initiative   Date Recorded: January 29, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Erica Jedynak, Director of Employment Initiatives, Stand Together  Austen Bannan, Senior Policy Analyst of Employment Policy, Americans for Prosperity Show Notes & Timestamps What does Right to Work mean? min [1:24] Which states are Right to Work States? min [1:50] Is...

014 **Just In Time** Telemedicine and COVID-19

Show: 014 Top Priority Podcast | *JUST IN TIME* Telemedicine and COVID-19 Date Recorded: March 25, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Charlie Katebi, Healthcare Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity Tom Romeo, Program Officer of Technology & Innovation, Stand Together • What is the impact of telemedicine in combating the pandemic of COVID-19? min [2:05] The biggest barriers to access of care are in Medicare and Medic...

013 Top Priority | Healthcare Priority Initiative

Show: 013 Top Priority Podcast | Healthcare Priority Initiative   Date Recorded: December 17, 2019 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Charlie Katebi, Health Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity Elliott Fox, Director of Healthcare Initiatives, Stand Together Show Notes & Timestamps What is our Stand Together Community doing in the Healthcare space? min [3:45] What external barriers keep people from accessing quality, affo...

012 **Just in Time** COVID-19 & Criminal Justice Reform

Show: 012 Top Priority Podcast | **Just in Time** COVID-19 & Criminal Justice Reform Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Greg Glod, Criminal Justice Policy Fellow, Americans for Prosperity Tyler Koteskey, Criminal Justice Reform Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity  What is happening in the Criminal Justice Reform arena during the COVID-19 pandemic? min [2:02]  What action is happening across the country in the Criminal Justic...

011 Top Priority | The Prison and Reentry Process & Criminal Justice Reform

Show: 011 Top Priority Podcast | The Prison and Reentry Reform Process // Criminal Justice Reform  Date Recorded: June 11, 2020  Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Rachel Reese, CJR Program Officer, Stand Together  Tyler Koteskey, CJR Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity    What is the Stand Together Community VISION for the prison and reentry process? min [2:08]  What is a technical violation v. a new crime in the reent...

010 Top Priority | Tech and Innovation

Show: 010 Top Priority Podcast | Technology & Innovation Priority Initiative   Date Recorded: December 17, 2019 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Billy Easley Senior Policy Analyst of Tech & Innovation Americans for Prosperity  Jim Fellinger, Communications Lead on Tech & Innovation, Stand Together  Show Notes Why is the Stand Together Community involved in Tech & Innovation? min [3:28] **We recognize the historical trend t...

009 Top Priority | The Sentencing Process & Criminal Justice Reform

Show: 009 Top Priority Podcast | The Sentencing Process & Criminal Justice Reform  Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Tyler Koteskey, Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity    What is the Stand Together Community VISION for the Sentencing Process? min [1:08]  What is role of the Key Institution of Government in making society safer?  min [5:24]  What are mandatory minimums? min [9:30]  How do we apply the Stand Together Co...

008 Top Priority | Immigration

Show: 008 Top Priority Podcast | Immigration Priority Initiative   Date Recorded: January 28, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Jorge Lima, Senior Vice President of Policy, Americans for Prosperity Show Notes & Timestamps What does our Community believe about Immigration? min [1:52] We Stand Together to help every person rise—and we believe that every person has the ability to contribute. How are governmental restricti...

007 **Just in Time** History of DACA

Show: 007 Top Priority Podcast | History of DACA Date Recorded: January 28, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Kevin Hernandez, Director of Policy, The Libre Initiative Show Notes & Timestamps What is the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)? min [1:08] How does DACA differ from the term DREAMers? min [2:25] What is the origin story of the term DREAMers? min [4:15] There is a misunderstanding that our Stand To...

006 Top Priority | The Trial Process & Criminal Justice Reform

Show: 006 Top Priority Podcast | The Trial Process & Criminal Justice Reform  Date Recorded: May 7, 2020  Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Greg Glod, CJR Fellow, Americans for Prosperity Foundation    What is the Stand Together Community VISION for the Trial Process? min [2:08]  What is charge stacking? min [5:05]  What does good like in the Trial Process? min [14:06]  Many issues in the trial process stem from the uninte...

005 **Just in Time** Section 230 of Communications Decency Act

Show: 005 Top Priority Podcast | **Just in Time** Section 230  Date Recorded: May 29, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Jesse Blumenthal, VP of Tech & Innovation, Stand Together What is Section 230 and how is the Stand Together Community thinking about Section 230? min [1:30] What is the difference between a publisher or a platform? min [11:25] How do we apply the Stand Together Community VISION—to break barriers that stand...

004 *Just in Time* Qualified Immunity and Criminal Justice Reform

Show: 004 Top Priority Podcast | **Just in Time** Qualified Immunity & Criminal Justice Reform  Date Recorded: June 8, 2020  Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Greg Glod, CJR Fellow, Americans for Prosperity Foundation   Casey Mattox, Senior Fellow, Free Speech & Toleration, Charles Koch Institute  What is Qualified Immunity? min [2:25]   What is the rationale for the establishment of Qualified Immunity? min [9:00]  Through ...

003 Top Priority | Policing & Criminal Justice Reform

**Click here for a printable and clickable pdf download of the show notes from this episode.** Show Details  Show: 003 Top Priority Podcast | Policing & Criminal Justice Reform   Date Recorded: May 20, 2020 Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy Guests: Brianna Walden, Associate Director for Criminal Justice Reform, Stand Together Show Notes & Timestamps What are the five categories of Criminal Justice Reform? min [1:05] Overcriminaliza...

002 Top Priority | Overcriminalization and Criminal Justice Reform

**Click here for a printable and clickable pdf download of the show notes from this episode.** Show: 002 Top Priority Podcast | Overcriminalization, Criminal Justice Reform Priority Initiative   Date Recorded: December 17, 2019  Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: Vikrant Reddy, Senior Fellow, Charles Koch Institute Show Notes & Timestamps Why should Americans care about Overcriminalization? min [1:31] The average American co...

001 Top Priority | Foreign Policy

**Click here for a printable and clickable pdf download of the show notes from this episode.** Show: 001 Top Priority Podcast | Foreign Policy Priority Initiative   Date Recorded: December 18, 2019  Host: Duane Lester, Manager of Issue Education, Grassroots Leadership Academy  Guests: John Byrnes, Director of Issue Education, Concerned Veterans for America Foundation Tyler Koteskey, Policy Analyst, Americans for Prosperity Foundation Juliana Heerschap, Director of Policy Engag...