To The Contrary with Charlie Sykes Jessica Riedl: The Last Fiscal Conservative
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Aug 7, 2025 
Jessica Riedl, a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute with expertise in fiscal policy, joins to discuss the current state of the U.S. economy. They tackle the implications of fantasy math in drug pricing and the troubling interference in job statistics during the last administration. Riedl also delves into the chaotic effects of tariff policies and challenges facing American consumers. The conversation wraps up with a thought-provoking look at the gerrymandering arms race and the ethical dilemmas of navigating democracy in today’s political climate.
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Jessica's Fiscal Conservatism Anecdote
- Jessica Riedl shares how her fiscal conservatism was praised under Biden but criticized under Trump for similar deficit and tariff policies.
- She insists she applies free market principles consistently regardless of party politics.
Big Government Risks Control
- Large government risks control over economic policy and individual freedoms, a concern rooted in conservative thought.
- Trump administration’s expansion of state control in economic policy represents a reversal from free market promises.
Authoritarian Control of Data
- Trump’s firing of the Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner signals an authoritarian desire to control economic data.
- Reliable data is essential for policy-making and cannot be trusted under political pressure.