The Lunch Hour with Federal Newswire

On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer is joined by Guy Bentley, Director of Consumer Freedom at Reason Foundation, for a wide-ranging conversation on the modern nanny state. They break down the global neo-temperance movement targeting alcohol, aggressive nicotine bans and taxes sweeping New England, and the backlash against legalized sports betting. The discussion unpacks how public health, corruption risk, black markets, and personal liberty collide when government tries to regulate behavior instead of culture.Watch Full-Length Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Lunchhour_FNW

America’s lawsuit system is being quietly reshaped by billions in foreign capital — and most people have no idea it’s happening. In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, Andrew Langer talks with Jon Bergner, Executive Director of Americans for Litigation Tax Fairness, about how third-party litigation funding has exploded into a multibillion-dollar industry, why sovereign wealth funds are pouring money into U.S. lawsuits, and how this creates national-security vulnerabilities, higher consumer costs, and perverse incentives in the courts.Bergner breaks down how opaque financing, tax loopholes, and foreign investors can influence U.S. litigation outcomes — and why Congress is now pushing the TPLF Act to restore transparency and fairness. A must-watch for anyone interested in law, policy, national security, or the rising cost of doing business in America.Watch Full-Length Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Lunchhour_FNW

This episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour dives deep into the cutting edge of AI, propaganda analysis, and regulatory policy with economist and data-innovation expert Dr. Weifeng Zhong. Host Andrew Langer explores how Zhong built the Policy Change Index—an AI-driven system used to forecast government actions in authoritarian regimes like China, Russia, and North Korea. Zhong also discusses his personal journey leaving mainland China, explains how propaganda signals reveal state intentions, and breaks down new findings on regulatory burdens inside the U.S. government. A forward-looking conversation about technology, freedom, economics, and how policy shapes the world we live in. Watch Full-Length Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Lunchhour_FNW

In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with CEI senior fellow Richard Morrison for a blunt, eye-opening conversation about cronyism, corporate subsidies, stadium deals, ESG score manipulation, and how government power fuels corruption. Morrison breaks down the Amazon HQ2 bidding wars, sweetheart tax deals, the failures of ESG ratings, and the political incentives that distort markets and hurt taxpayers. They also explore solutions rooted in limiting government overreach, strengthening transparency, and restoring real market competition. A must-watch for anyone interested in economic policy, corporate governance, or public-sector accountability.Watch Full-Length Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Lunchhour_FNW

Economist and former White House advisor Dr. Vance Ginn joins host Andrew Langer to break down why America’s health-care system needs market-based reform, how over-regulation hurts innovation, and what’s at stake in the growing battle between socialism and liberty. Hear insights on cost-benefit analysis, deregulation, and the real meaning of economic freedom in this episode of Federal Newswire Lunch Hour.Watch Full-Length Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Lunchhour_FNW

In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer speaks with Reason Magazine’s César Báez and Matthew Petti about Venezuela’s turmoil, U.S. intervention, and the Trump administration’s military buildup in the Caribbean. The discussion covers regime change risks, the drug war, war powers, and the future of liberty in Latin America.Listen for an in-depth, unfiltered conversation on freedom, foreign policy, and the limits of American power.Watch Full-Length Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Lunchhour_FNW

Association of Plastic Recyclers Chief Policy Officer Kate Bailey joins Andrew Langer to discuss how recycling drives U.S. jobs, manufacturing resilience, and environmental progress. From the challenges of federal regulation to innovations in recycled plastics, Bailey breaks down why “your bottle means jobs” and how the U.S. can stay competitive with a remade-in-America supply chain.Watch Full-Length Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Lunchhour_FNW

On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer talks with Tirzah Duren, President & CEO of the American Consumer Institute (ACI), about how consumer choice—not top-down mandates—drives better outcomes. They dig into: why “unregulated Big Tech” is a myth and how FTC enforcement of terms of service protects advertisers and users; the real story behind ultra-processed versus “natural” foods, data-driven nutrition policy, and access for people with dietary needs; the economics of the secondary ticketing market, Live Nation–Ticketmaster, and what actually helps fans; and practical fixes for housing affordability (supply, zoning, multifamily). Tirzah also shares her West-to-East journey, furniture-refurbishing hobby, and beauty Substack. If you care about consumer welfare, antitrust, data privacy, and policies that actually improve everyday life, this one’s for you.Watch Full-Length Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Lunchhour_FNW

In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer sits down with Dr. Lyle Burgoon, president of the Center for Truth in Science, to explore how science should inform—rather than be distorted by—public policy. From the myths of “settled science” and the dangers of pseudoscience to the real risks behind talc, processed foods, and overregulation at the EPA, Burgoon unpacks how fear, politics, and bad data can derail sound decision-making. A sharp, timely conversation on restoring integrity to scientific debate and regulatory policy.Watch Full-Length Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Lunchhour_FNW

Economist and Growth Commission Chairman Shanker Singham joins host Andrew Langer to discuss why G7 nations have stalled economically and how trade openness, regulatory competition, and property rights protection drive real GDP growth. From Trump’s tariff strategy to the EU’s overregulation, Singham breaks down global distortions, the UAE’s rise, and how fixing domestic barriers could reignite prosperity across the West.Watch Full-Length Episodes: https://www.youtube.com/@Lunchhour_FNW