Free to Offend

When Governor Steve Sisolak announced his plans for an "innovation zone" that would essentially give a blockchain company the ability to build it's own city, more than a few eyebrows were raised.    The real question is: Are these "innovation zones" a free market experiment in that ultimate libertarian fantasy of creating communities outside of government's control… or are they a 21 st  century ve...

At what point does the "emergency" that ostensibly justifies Governor Steve Sisolak's one-man-rule of Nevada no longer qualify as an emergency?    Nevada Policy Vice President Robert Fellner has just released a new report that answers that precise question. The short answer: The powers assumed by the governor's office have never actually been justified under the state's constitution.   

What is more important: "equitable outcomes" or "equal opportunity."    Chairman  and Cofounder of the  Center for Freedom and Prosperity  Daniel J. Mitchell joins the podcast to talk about the important distinction between the two—and, more importantly, why free market advocates need to figure out how to start talking about inequality in America.   

Columnist and author  Paul  Dykewicz  ( editor of StockInvestor.com  and  dividendinvestor.com ) joined the show to talk about just how bizarre, powerful and consequential the whole saga is for Wall Street. And Nevada Policy's Michael Schaus argues th e "GameStop revolution"  is just another  turbulent and chaotic example of how we're living through uniquely  transformative and disruptive times

What metric will the GOP use to gauge their success as the minority party in Nevada's 2021 legislative session?    Assembly Minority Leader Dr. Robin Titus joins the program to discuss  the legislature's top priorities, areas of bipartisan agreement, citizen engagement and why Nevadans should remain  involved  despite a  tumultuous  and exhausting year of  COVID  restrictions and  weird politics. ...

Government lobbyists, public sector unions and political insiders are gearing up for Nevada's 2021 Legislative Session …  So, what should small businesses  expect?   Randi Thompson, Nevada state director for the National Federation of Independent Businesses, joins the show to  discuss what small businesses —who are still struggling  under never-ending COVID restrictions —can  expect as legislators...

Freshman  member of the state assembly,  Annie Black ,  joins the podcast to discuss her plans for the 2021 legislative session.    Nevada Policy's Michael Schaus asks her to discuss  her top  legislative  priorities , and what that means f or actually moving policy forward,  given her status as a freshman GOP assembly member in a Democrat-controlled legislature .   

The politics of coronavirus are going to make 2021  a very interesting  year.  Senior  e ditor for National Review ,  Ramesh  Ponnuru ,  joins the program  to talk to Nevada Policy's Michael Schaus about the nation's political future in the wake of Joe Biden's electoral victory and  government's over- reaction to the global pandemic.    As strange as 2020 was—politically and culturally—the New Yea...

It's the best time of the year! And, this year, that doesn't mean Christmas, or Hannukah, or Kwanza, or some obscure Pagan ritual recognizing the Winter Solstice , or any other religious holiday …    Instead , the best part of  this year  is  the end of it.    Economist Don Boudreaux ( CafeHayek.com ) joins the  show  to help put the absurdity of 2020 into perspective before the new year… which di...

Clearly, the world is coming to an end.    On pretty much every front—politically, economically, culturally—it seems as if things are falling apart and slipping ever further into chaos. So, is there any reason to be optimistic?   Nevada Policy's Michael Schaus spends most of this episode trying to convince his cohost, Policy Director and Nevada Policy Vice President Robert  Fellner , that  there a...

Editor of Gunpowdermagazine.com, Teresa Mull, joins Schaus to talk about the explosion of interest in firearm ownership, the changing demographics of gun owners, and what threats politicians will bring to bear on this crucial piece of American freedom.   

With Thanksgiving upon us, governors around the country are  doubling down on their authoritarian attempts to regulate away the risks associated with coronavirus by  cracking down on   the professional and social  activities  of citizens.    With Governor Sisolak enforcing stricter mandates this week, Nevada Policy's Michael Schaus  argues  that widespread compliance is highly unlikely—and  that  ...

Both Republicans and Democrats are going to have to swallow some very unpleasant truths if they expect to  actually learn  anything  useful  from this year's election.  Nevada Policy's Michael Schaus and Robert Fellner dive into the election  outcomes ,   and beyond the partisan shouting  match ,  to  discuss  what, exactly, those lessons might be.   

The election has come and gone, and for most Americans this week of 2020 feels remarkably similar to the several weeks before it. Especially if you are a parent struggling to navigate public education's absurd and tone-deaf approach to "education" during the age of coronavirus.    Nevada Policy's Michael Schaus talks with  Choice Media's  founder, Bob Bowdon, about how education reform—specificall...

Everyone  from politicians to  A-list celebrities  insist it's our "civi c  duty" to  vote  this  presidential election. But is it really?   Well… No.   Not at all.    In living up to the name of the podcast,  Nevada Policy's Michael Schaus and Robert Fellner  spend this episode of  Free to  Offend   discuss ing  why voting is   n o t  a civic duty at all —and why  folks on all sides of the politi...

Steven Greenhut , western director for R Street and a member of the editorial board for the Southern California News Group, spoke with Nevada Policy's Michael Schaus about California's war on gig workers, and how  it's  unintended consequences are decimating California's economy.   

A s Nevada Policy's Michael Schaus and Robert Fellner discuss in this episode of  Free to Offend , getting government involved in how tech companies operate will likely come with serious  infringements  of its own  on the exercise of free speech — resulting in significantly more censorship  of  politically unpopular opinions.   

Nevada Policy Communication Director Michael Schaus speaks with  Cato's  D irector of Constitutional Studies Ilya Shapiro  about how—and when—the process of confirming new judges became such an ugly partisan process. 

Nevada Policy Communications Director Michael Schaus talks with Nevada Policy Vice President Robert Fellner about the concept of "critical race theory"—the academic theory  behind the  progressive movement's  war  against "institutional" and "systemic" racism.