TPPF's Derek Cohen talks with Chance Weldon, Director of Litigation at the Center for American Future, to break down a new lawsuit challenging the federal machine gun ban.

Second Amendment aside, does Congress even have the constitutional authority under the Commerce Clause to ban machine gun possession? Find out how a win could reshape federal regulation far beyond firearms.

1:09 – Overview of the Fifth Circuit case & Judge Willett's unique concurrence
1:52 – National Firearms Act (NFA) structure: bans, taxes, registration
2:22 – Why this challenge is Article I / Commerce Clause (not Second Amendment)
4:41 – What the Commerce Clause actually allows (channels, instrumentalities, substantial effects)
5:58 – Post-New Deal expansion & pushback: Lopez (1995), Morrison, Raich
7:42 – Substantial effects test & aggregation (Wickard wheat example)
10:05 – Would Texas residents suddenly buy machine guns? State vs. federal power
12:16 – Government's strongest counterarguments & old Fifth Circuit precedent
14:23 – Why this Supreme Court might limit Commerce Clause overreach (Thomas, Gorsuch, Alito, Roberts)
17:19 – Broader implications: eviction moratorium, OSHA vaccine mandate, corporate reporting
18:51 – Why non-gun owners should care: unlimited federal power threatens liberty & federalism

In this episode of The Right Idea, Brian Phillips and Derek Cohen sit down with Sarah Steeby, Executive Director of the Neapolitan Institute, to unpack the massive Democratic primary turnout surge in Texas (first time in 24 years Democrats outvoted Republicans — ~2.3M vs ~2.16M votes), the hype around James Talarico's Senate bid, Republican challenges uniting the base, and whether Texas is really "turning blue" in 2026.

Sarah shares unbiased polling insights on the economy, immigration, Hispanic voters, transgender issues in sports/bathrooms (77% Texas opposition), the 10-10-80 voter split, and why fundamentals — not vibes — win elections. We also cover open statewide seats, school choice, border security, moms/young families as a key demographic, and national trends like Iran and the economy heading into November.

Is the Democratic enthusiasm real, or will Republican turnout rebound in the general? Don't miss this data-driven breakdown of Texas politics in 2026!

Timestamps:

• 00:00 – Welcome
• 01:13 – Hot Take: March Madness VERY Early Previews
• 05:27 – Sarah Steeby joins: Neapolitan Institute polling trends & Is Texas turning blue?
• 06:05 – Fundamentals that matter: Economy, immigration, cultural issues
• 07:40 – Democrat exuberance vs. Republican apathy — independent factors?
• 09:01 – Trump base energy, traditional GOP voters, and party unity challenge
• 10:24 – James Talarico effect: Charm vs. policy reality
• 12:32 – Early polling traps & why November changes everything
• 14:54 – California transplants, misunderstood Hispanic voters & strong borders
• 18:02 – Empowering parents: "Who decides?" messaging for Hispanics & beyond
• 20:45 – Top issues for open seats: Economy, personal finances, national security
• 23:30 – Moms of young families as a rising force in Texas politics
• 25:51 – Reaching the 80% in the middle: Common-sense, respectful solutions
• 30:22 – True moderates in politics — can anyone crack the code?
• 34:10 – Why common sense doesn't raise money + media/data misalignment
• 36:04 – Open statewide races, Democrat legislative records exposed
• 44:46 – Prospects for substantive policy debates in 2026
• 46:22 – National outlook: Economy, Iran, and midterm risks for Republicans

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Just in time for National Marriage Week and Valentine's Day, TPPF's Brian Phillips and Derek Cohen dive into the evolving landscape of marriage and family in America. Family policy experts Hannah Bruck and Noah Torres join to discuss declining marriage rates, fertility trends, cultural shifts like dating apps and "hetero fatalism," and pro-family policies to encourage family formation. This episode explores why fewer Americans are tying the knot and what policymakers can do about it.

01:10 - Hot Take: Worst Valentine's Day Gifts
04:20 - Guests Introduction: Hannah Bruck and Noah Torres
04:48 - Causes of Delayed Marriages: Technology, Dating Apps, and Economic Pressures
06:35 - What Young People Are Waiting For: Unrealistic Standards and Soulmate Myths
08:41 - Pro-Family Policy Philosophy: Family as the Core Unit of Society
14:10 - Cultural Communication: Convincing Young People Marriage Leads to Happiness
15:22 - Combating Social Media Echo Chambers and Influencer Lifestyles
17:07 - Who Are the Best Messengers? Celebrities, Pop Culture, and Community Leaders
18:56 - Role of Communities, Churches, and Friend Groups in Promoting Marriage
20:41 - The Success Sequence: Education, Job, Marriage – Path to Flourishing
21:44 - Pushback on Teaching Success Sequence in Schools
23:52 - Hetero Fatalism Explained: Why Boyfriends Are "Out" and Relationships Seen as Doomed
33:04 - Pushing Back: Policy and Culture to Restore Commitment
37:19 - Concern: Not Enough "Marriageable" People Due to Changing Expectations
39:10 - High-Connection Couples: Key to Satisfaction and Happiness
40:44 - Dating Apps: Still Destroying Relationships?
42:03 - Hurdles to Having Kids: Costs, Housing, and Cultural Parenting Pressures
44:50 - Politics and Marriage: Polarization, Tribalism, and Government Incentives
47:44 - Dating Across Political Lines: Focus on Love Over Ideology
49:45 - Conservatives and Pro-Family Government Policies: Tax Credits and More
52:10 - Marriage Tips and Communication Advice
53:57 - Future of Family Success Project: Parental Rights, TANF Reform, AI in Families

In this special emergency edition of The Right Idea, TPPF's Brian Phillips, Robert Henneke, and Mandy Drogin react to the recent wave of student walkouts protesting immigration enforcement.

Hundreds of students — including middle schoolers — left campuses during school hours, with some districts allegedly facilitating or failing to stop the disruptions. Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Education Agency (TEA), and Attorney General Ken Paxton have launched investigations, threatened funding cuts, and warned of educator accountability for enabling these actions.

0:00 – Intro: Massive Texas student walkouts protesting ICE
1:00 – Gov. Abbott, TEA & AG response: Funding threats & investigations
2:12 – Rob Henneke: First Amendment rights vs. school discipline rules
4:55 – Why schools MUST enforce rules — no "protest exception"
6:49 – Mandy Drogin: As a parent — terrified & furious at the dangers
7:52 – Indoctrination in schools: Low civics scores & Marxist influences
10:52 – What school leaders SHOULD do: Enforce consequences immediately
13:11 – Kids unsupervised downtown — safety failures exposed
16:47 – Abuse of power by administrators facilitating walkouts
19:40 – Investigations: Holding teachers & districts accountable
22:39 – Where is the line between neutrality & active support?
26:09 – Planned in advance — prior warnings ignored
31:02 – Consequences needed: Funding cuts & license revocations
34:49 – Parents: File complaints with TEA Inspector General
37:33 – Fight back: 90th Legislative Session & parent empowerment
39:21 – School choice explosion — alternative to failing districts
42:40 – It's not too late for parents to act & protect kids
47:16 – Rob's closing: Join the parent army to retake education

TPPF Chief Communications Officer Brian Phillips and Chief Policy & Research Officer Derek Cohen sit down with veteran college sports expert Michael Calabrese (New York Post, Action Network) to unpack the unprecedented mess in college athletics in 2026.

NIL deals are unraveling, schools are suing players to enforce multi-year contracts (see the explosive Darian Mensah-Duke-Miami saga), the House v. NCAA revenue-sharing model is straining budgets, most athletic departments are losing millions, and non-revenue/Olympic/women's sports face extinction. Is a super league or private equity takeover inevitable? Can pooling media rights or federal legislation (SCORE Act update) save the uniquely American institution of college sports?

0:00 – Cold Texas weather & snow day hot takes
3:16 – The crisis in college sports — NIL, revenue sharing, broke departments
5:35 – Guest intro: Michael Calabrese (NY Post, Action Network)
6:49 – What NIL actually is (and isn’t) — collectives, third-party money, no direct pay-for-play
8:59 – Darien Mensah-Duke-Miami case: multi-year NIL contracts, lawsuits, buyouts & precedent
14:00 – Can schools legally force players to stay? Contract loopholes exposed
18:00 – Fixing the transfer portal: residency rules, one free transfer, coach exit triggers?
24:07 – The $20–40M roster cost myth — boosters & collectives foot the bill
29:14 – Revenue sharing disaster: $20.5M cap too low, Title IX risks, foreign investment dangers
32:58 – Minor league / farm system comparison — short timelines kill loyalty
35:23 – Solution: New governing body + antitrust exemption + pooled media rights
47:11 – TV networks love the current discount — billions left on the table
51:41 – Gambling revenue, Saudi money, moral hazards if no fix
53:24 – Dystopia if nothing changes: organ donor programs, lost Olympic pipeline, middle-class mobility hit
59:04 – Federal legislation: SCORE Act status, executive orders, path forward

In this Season 4 premiere of The Right Idea podcast, TPPF Chief Communications Officer Brian Phillips and Chief Policy & Research Officer Derek Cohen dive deep into one of the biggest government fraud stories in America: Minnesota's massive daycare and nutrition program scandals.

Guest John Hart, CEO of Open the Books, joins the show to break down:
– How systemic loopholes and weak oversight enabled billions in fraud
– Why real-time transparency (every dime online, instantly) is the best defense
– The difference between waste vs. fraud and how AI + citizen journalism can expose it
– Lessons from the federal earmarks moratorium that saved ~$140 billion
– Why empowering parents and consumers beats centralized bureaucracy
– Healthcare's perverse incentives, state-level variation, and reforms that actually work

If you're concerned about taxpayer money, government accountability, or the future of fraud prevention in Texas and beyond, this episode is a must-listen.

Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro & Season 4 Launch
01:30 – Hot Take: It’s Hollywood Award Season: avoid it or watch the trainwreck?
05:01 – Guest Intro: John Hart, CEO of Open the Books
05:57 – Anatomy of Government Fraud – Bug or Feature?
07:04 – History of Federal Transparency (Coburn-Obama Law)
10:46 – Real-Time Transparency: Why Every Dime Should Be Online Now
12:34 – Counterarguments to Full Transparency & How to Overcome Them
14:30 – Waste vs. Fraud: Definitions & Real-World Impact
16:00 – Transparency as a Force for Freedom
18:09 – Minnesota's Mistakes (No Treasurer + Enrollment-Based Payments)
19:44 – Texas vs. Other States: Voucher Systems & Oversight
22:14 – Performance Audits and Measuring Bang for the Buck
26:21 – AI for Fraud Detection + Surveillance Citizenry
28:22 – Preventing Fraud Upfront (Income Verification, Parent Empowerment)
30:49 – Healthcare Fraud & Perverse Incentives
33:16 – Price Transparency & State Innovation in Healthcare
36:21 – Where Fraud Is Worst: Federal vs. State Level
37:36 – Wildest Fraud Examples (Social Security "Adult Baby" Case)
40:22 – Current Efforts to Stop Fraud (OMB, DOGE, Chip Roy Bill)
42:10 – The Return of Earmarks: What Changed & Why It Matters
44:00 – $140 Billion Saved by Earmarks Moratorium
47:39 – Best States for Transparency & Reform (Texas, Virginia, Oklahoma)
49:18 – PIA/FOIA Abuse & Outrageous Costs for Public Records
50:39 – Rise of Citizen Journalism (Nick Shirley & Viral Exposés)

In this year-end special, hosts Brian Phillips and Derek Cohen sit down with Brad Johnson, Senior Reporter & Managing Editor at The Texan News, to recap the biggest political stories of 2025 and what they mean heading into the 2026 cycle.

From the unexpected twists in the Texas Senate race, to the fallout of mid-decade redistricting, to the biggest legislative wins and disappointments, this episode covers it all. We also unveil our Politician of the Year and Texan of the Year awards.

3:35 – Hot Take: Jasmine Crockett jumps into the 2026 Senate race
9:10 – DLCC targets the Texas House for 2026
11:43 – Democrats field candidates in every statewide/federal race
13:11 – Why Dems still struggle to build a top-tier slate
16:20 – 2025 Legislative Session recap: Was 2025 the most conservative Texas legislative session ever?
18:38 – Biggest wins of the year: Burrows, bail reform, ESAs, border
23:42 – Biggest disappointments: energy, tariffs, healthcare messaging
31:07 – Biggest story of 2025: Mid-decade redistricting; the THC fight and its ripple effects
35:10 – Under-the-radar wins: DEI enforcement & agency elimination
44:25 – Politician of the Year awards
55:19 – New Year’s resolutions for 2026

Why is buying a home harder than ever in 2025 — even worse than 2007? Sean Dobson, Chairman & CEO of Amherst (one of America’s largest real estate investment firms), joins The Right Idea to break down the real drivers of the housing affordability crisis and what can actually fix it. We dive deep into labor costs, local regulations, property taxes, garages nobody uses, the future of renting vs. owning, immigration’s impact on construction, and why gimmicks like 50-year mortgages or rent control won’t solve anything. If you want to understand why young families can’t buy homes anymore — and what policymakers should actually do — this is the episode.

01:14 – Hot Take: Why the Epstein file release won’t end the conspiracies
03:06 – Today’s guest: Sean Dobson (CEO of Amherst)
04:12 – What actually goes into the cost of building a house? (2/3 labor!)
05:58 – Modular homes, factory construction, and why it’s still only single-digit savings
09:15 – Can the average person even build their own house today?
10:34 – How local regulations silently drive up costs
11:26 – The $55,000 garage nobody parks in
14:29 – California’s ADU precedent & state vs. city power
17:20 – 2025 affordability worse than 2007? Here’s why
22:11 – Why politicians keep floating 50-year mortgages & subprime 2.0
24:19 – What does “affordable” even mean? (The 1/3 income rule)
26:07 – Texas property taxes: 40%+ of your housing cost?!
30:37 – Renting is not failure: Why the “American Dream” narrative is outdated
33:31 – The real labor crisis in construction (and immigration’s role)
39:53 – Rent control: Why it always backfires
42:26 – Sean’s magic wand fix: Restore credit access & rename the “subprime” crisis