Episodios

  • The Problem of Political Violence (Ft. Bearing Arms' Cam Edwards)

    The Problem of Political Violence (Ft. Bearing Arms' Cam Edwards)
    Sep 15 2025
    This week, we're discussing the murder of political commentator Charlie Kirk. To do that, we have Cam Edwards from Bearing Arms on the show. While the full details and precise motivations of the killer are not completely known, the political nature of the attack--coming in the middle of one of Kirk's public debate events--is especially concerning. Cam agreed that the vast majority of people have reacted by condemning the attack. However, he was worried about the people who reacted by condoning or even celebrating the brazen act of violence. Cam recounted how a similar phenomenon played out in his own life after he lost his wife and son. He said some people reacted with vitriol because of his firearms advocacy. However, some of those who vehemently opposed Cam's views also reached out with genuine care. In the end, Cam said it would be easy to go down a hateful path--perhaps even lucrative. But he also said it would be corrosive for himself and for society. So, he chose not to respond with hate, and he believes that's the best way forward for everyone. Don't let the violence cow you into staying silent or into hating those opposed to you. Special Guest: Cam Edwards.
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    45 m
  • Charlie Kirk Assassin Repeats Troubling Pattern; Appeals Courts Uphold 'Gun Free' Zones

    Charlie Kirk Assassin Repeats Troubling Pattern; Appeals Courts Uphold 'Gun Free' Zones
    Sep 12 2025
    Contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I unpack the latest information about the assassination of conservative political activist Charlie Kirk, including details suggesting troubling parallels with other recent acts of political violence. We also cover a pair of federal appeals court rulings upholding gun-free zone restrictions in Illinois and New Jersey.
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    45 m
  • Minnesota School Shooting Leads to Dueling Calls for Gun Restrictions (Ft. SAF's Kostas Moros)

    Minnesota School Shooting Leads to Dueling Calls for Gun Restrictions (Ft. SAF's Kostas Moros)
    Sep 8 2025
    This week, we're looking at the dueling reactions to the Annunciation school shooting. On the left, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D.) is calling for a special session of the legislature to pass a gun-control package likely to include an AR-15 ban. On the right, the Department of Justice is reportedly considering an effort to ban all trans people from owning guns. The Second Amendment Foundation is opposed to both of these ideas. So, we have Kostas Moros, a lawyer who was recently hired by the gun-rights group, back on the show to explain why he doesn't like the proposals and how they might fare legally and politically. Moros said any attempt to blanket-ban people who identify as trans or who have been diagnosed with gender dysphoria from owning guns would run into serious legal and constitutional trouble. He explained that current law requires an individual finding of dangerousness for the government to strip anyone of their gun rights on the basis of mental health. He argued, even if Congress changed the law, it would run afoul of the Second Amendment, and the Supreme Court would likely strike it down. Moros argued the same is true for the potential "assault weapons" ban that could come out of Minnesota. He said four Supreme Court justices have already signaled they'd strike down a ban, and a Minnesota law could actually provide further reason for the Court to get involved. Special Guest: Kostas Moros.
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    50 m
  • Left, Right Float Gun Laws After MN Shooting; Gun Sales Back Above 1 Million in August

    Left, Right Float Gun Laws After MN Shooting; Gun Sales Back Above 1 Million in August
    Sep 5 2025
    Contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I break down the ongoing political fallout from the Annunciation Catholic school shooting in Minnesota that has now prompted both Governor Tim Walz and the Trump DOJ to explore possible gun restrictions. We also analyze what the latest monthly gun sales data says about the ongoing state of the industry.
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    55 m
  • Why are AR-15 Makers Going Bankrupt (Ft. KE Arms' Russell Phagan)

    Why are AR-15 Makers Going Bankrupt (Ft. KE Arms' Russell Phagan)
    Sep 1 2025
    This week, we're taking a look at the AR market. There has been a rash of bankruptcies and acquisitions among AR-15 makers in the past year. Some of the largest producers, like Anderson Manufacturing, have shut down their operations. To explain what's going on, we have KE Arms director Russell Phagan on the show. Phagan has been selling AR-15s and parts for over 20 years. He said the market has shifted significantly since the guns were first put on the market over 65 years ago. He said the gun's popularity was built on the back of bans, military adoption, and even pop culture prominence. However, he argued the market dynamics have shifted the past two decades. They've become more dependent on the threat of new bans in a feast-famine cycle. And the 2020 surge was so large that Phagan argued it nearly saturated the market. Combine that with a handful of other demand-depressing factors, and things are looking grim for those specializing in ARs today.
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    48 m
  • Air Force Reinstates Sig Pistol; Fifth Circuit Rejects Silencer Challenge

    Air Force Reinstates Sig Pistol; Fifth Circuit Rejects Silencer Challenge
    Aug 29 2025
    Contributing writer Jake Fogleman and I cover the Air Force Global Strike Command's recent decision to bring back the Sig M18 pistol for active service. We also talk about the 5th Circuit's re-decision in a case challenging the constitutionality of the NFA's restrictions on suppressors. We wrap up by discussing a new ruling upholding Connecticut's AR-15 ban, as well as the continued lack of clarity surrounding gun arrests in Washington, DC, under its federal takeover.
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    57 m
  • Why are Judicial Appointments Moving So Slowly? (Ft. Law Professor Jonathan Adler)

    Why are Judicial Appointments Moving So Slowly? (Ft. Law Professor Jonathan Adler)
    Aug 25 2025
    This week, we're zooming out a bit and looking at the state of the federal judiciary. To help us understand what's going on, we've got William & Mary law professor Jonathan Adler back on the show. He recently wrote a piece that laid out just how few judicial appointments President Donald Trump has actually made since the beginning of his second term. Not only that, but just how few opportunities he has to make new appointments from here through the end of his term. Adler said there are just not as many federal judges retiring or creating openings by taking senior positions as there have been for other presidents, or even for Trump's first term. He said Trump's controversial appointment of his former personal lawyer Emil Bove to an appellate seat, and the potential shift in approach toward vetting it represents, may be giving current judges pause. But, he argued non-political factors, such as the increasing longevity of judges, may be playing an even bigger role. Adler said the slow pace of vacancies and the uncertain nature of Trump's approach to his second-term appointments cast doubt on whether he'll have as much of an impact on the ideological balance of the federal judiciary as he did the first time around. Special Guest: Jonathan H. Alder.
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    54 m
  • Trump's DC Takeover Draws Gun-Rights Backlash; Third Circuit Takes AR Ban Case

    Trump's DC Takeover Draws Gun-Rights Backlash; Third Circuit Takes AR Ban Case
    Aug 22 2025
    Contributing Writer Jake Fogleman and I look at the growing discontent among gun-rights groups with the deployment of the ATF and emphasis on gun possession arrests under President Donald Trump's federal takeover of Washington, DC's policing. We also cover the odd legal manuevering in the Third Circuit that may lead to a new circuit split on the constitutionality of so-called assault weapons bans. Then we discuss a Tenth Circuit ruling against New Mexico's gun sales waiting period, a new suit against a major gun-control group, and Florida's request for the Supreme Court to overturn one of its own gun laws.
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    47 m