The Lunch Hour with Washington Signal

In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour , host Andrew Langer sits down with Anne Cassity, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs at the National Community Pharmacists Association, to break down how pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) have reshaped — and distorted — the U.S. prescription drug system. Cassity explains how PBMs evolved from simple claims processors into vertically integr...

In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour , host Andrew Langer sits down with Robin Anderson , MD, President of the Virginia Academy of Family Physicians, for a candid conversation about the future of American health care. Dr. Anderson explains why long-term relationships between patients and family physicians remain the backbone of effective care, even as telemedicine, AI, and on-demand...

In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour , host Andrew Langer is joined by Brian Darling, founder of Liberty Public Affairs and former congressional staffer, to examine the U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. The conversation explores presidential war powers, congressional authorization, historical parallels to Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, and Panama, and...

In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour , host Andrew Langer sits down with national security expert J. Michael Waller , Senior Analyst for Strategy at the Center for Security Policy , for a wide-ranging and urgent conversation on artificial intelligence, China, and the new Cold War   Waller explains how the Chinese Communist Party is racing to dominate AI by 2030 , using intellectual p...

As artificial intelligence and data centers drive explosive growth in electricity demand, America’s energy infrastructure is falling behind. On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour , host Andrew Langer sits down with Daniel Turner, founder of Power the Future, to break down why energy costs are rising, how electrification mandates strain the grid, and why nuclear power, permitting refor...

Actor Dean Butler joins Federal Newswire Lunch Hour to discuss Little House on the Prairie , Michael Landon’s creative vision, and why the show’s themes of kindness, clarity, and moral storytelling still resonate more than 50 years later. Butler also reflects on the Little House Homecoming documentary, fan culture, historical preservation, and his career spanning Broadway, Sondheim, and television...

In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour , host Andrew Langer sits down with Tom Schatz, President of Citizens Against Government Waste, for a wide-ranging conversation on federal spending, Medicare reform, and the failures of government price controls. The discussion covers the legacy of the Reagan-era Grace Commission, the track record of the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (...

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...

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...

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...

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 polit...

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 Lun...

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 conversat...

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-Le...

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 versu...

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 f...

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 pro...

In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour, host Andrew Langer sits down with Patrick Hedger, Director of Policy at NetChoice, for a deep dive into the global threats to free speech, the chilling effects of overregulation, and the importance of protecting permissionless innovation. From the First Amendment to AI, data centers, and America’s competition with China, they explore why safeguar...

Former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss joins Andrew Langer on the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour to discuss free speech, government overreach, and the dangers of unaccountable institutions. From the ancient roots of Anglo-American liberty to the rise of quangos and Davos-style elites, Truss explains why the West must fight to preserve freedom. She warns Americans about the same forces undermining liberty...

In this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour , host Andrew Langer sits down with Ike Brannon , Senior Fellow at the Jack Kemp Foundation and longtime policy expert, to dive into the future of regulation, cost-benefit analysis, and Social Security reform. They explore whether Washington is finally taking regulatory costs seriously, how paperwork reduction could help small businesses, and why...

On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour Podcast , host Andrew Langer sits down with Twila Brase, founder of Citizens’ Council for Health Freedom and author of Big Brother in the Exam Room . They dive deep into government overreach in health care, the hidden dangers of electronic health records, newborn DNA collection without consent, the Obamacare “insurance” myth, and why direct patien...

On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour , host Andrew Langer sits down with Adrian Moore, Vice President of Policy at the Reason Foundation. They dive into deregulation under recent administrations, the growing debate over AI and government oversight, and the housing affordability crisis driven by restrictive local rules. Moore highlights how supply and demand—not politics—drive housing...

Economist and AEI research fellow Arthur Gailes joins Federal Newswire Lunch Hour host Andrew Langer to tackle America’s housing crisis head-on. From the politics of NIMBYism to the promise of AI in public-policy analysis, Gailes breaks down how restrictive zoning, local resistance, and federal inaction have fueled runaway housing prices — and how bold ideas like “Freedom Cities” on under-used fed...

On this episode of the Federal Newswire Lunch Hour Podcast , host Andrew Langer sits down with Terri Hall, founder of Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom (TURF). Hall has spent nearly two decades leading grassroots efforts to stop toll roads in Texas, fight public-private partnerships, and defend drivers against government overreach. From the battle over San Antonio tollways to the hidden danger...

In this episode, host Andrew Langer sits down with Curt Mills, Executive Director of The American Conservative , for a candid deep dive into the Trump administration’s foreign policy at the six-month mark. From the escalating Gaza conflict and U.S.-Israel relations to the stalled Ukraine-Russia war, Mills breaks down the political pressures, strategic missteps, and ideological divides shaping Amer...