What Then Must We Do?

As director of quality assurance, Roger Koops interacted closely with the FDA for many years. I speak with him in this episode about his experiences, the nature of that agency and about how the regulatory landscape has expanded and become more burdensome over time. He also tells about the time he was tasked with auditing the CDC, what that experience taught him, and what – if anything – that agenc...

Recently, Jordan Peterson asked who he should have as a guest on his show to talk about Austrian economics, and Gene Epstein's name came up. In this episode, I ask Gene what he would say to Dr. Peterson, or to anyone looking to understand what Austrian economics is all about, what sets it apart from other schools, and why its insights are so important right now. Gene is the former Barrons eco...

I start off asking Michael Boldin, of the Tenth Amendment Center, how we can use the principle of nullification to put an end to the lockdown insanity and create free societies... and we end up talking about everything from the legal foundations of nullification, how crappy most sheriffs are on constitutional rights, Freedom Cells, Vermin Supreme, and how very very important mutual aid is. I even...

In which long-time libertarian writer and friend Todd Seavey does his best to offend those on both left and right on two hot-button issues that might actually unite people if only they would think about them in the right way - and predicts that the real revolution will be driven by picnics. We also end up spending a lot of time grumbling about how old we've suddenly gotten. I spoke with Todd...

How broken are the systems that evaluate scientific research, and what can be done to fix them? I talk with Dr. James Lyons Weiler about these questions, and about his own contributions to independent research - including his analysis of VAERS data for deaths and anaphylaxis following vaccination for Covid-19, and his participation in the international Nucleaic Acid Amplification Testing Evaluatio...

I speak with Professor Knut Wittkowski, former head of the Rockefeller University's Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Research Design, about what normally happens with viruses when societies are not locked down, and how locking down may have made things much worse, and especially for those most vulnerable. We also talk about the nutritional supplement he has developed, and how it...

When eternal optimist Gene Epstein is worried, you know things are bad. So... is he worried? I speak with the former Barrons economics and books editor, now host of the Soho Forum, about where he thinks we are now, and what is to come. Gene lays out his view for the next few years, backs it up with good data-driven reasons, and talks a little about his own investment strategy. He also explains why...

I speak with retired chemist Roger Koops, about his experience working in vaccine development. We talk about some misunderstandings about how vaccines work, and some of his concerns about the Covid-19 vaccines. Roger Koops is a contributing author for AIER , and is also a retired scientist, with a PhD in chemistry and over 25 years in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. He has authore...

I speak with independent journalist Jeremy R. Hammond about some of the things he thinks some of those who are critical of the official Covid-19 narratives are getting wrong. We also talk about censorship, and about how to be good news consumers in these crazy times. You can see Jeremy's work, and sign up for his newsletter (which I highly recommend), here . Get full access to On the Banks at...

I speak with Meryl Nass, MD, about some of the blatant manipulation that characterizes official reporting on Covid-19 cases and deaths. We also talk about where the SARS-Cov2 virus may have come from, and the (possibly criminal) extent to which some have gone to suppress information about and access to potentially life-saving treatments. Dr. Nass has been doing some of the best reporting on Covid-...

The last time Kevin McKernan was on the show, he told us about the (devastating) review of the Corman-Drosten PCR methodology that he co-authored. In this episode, he talks about some of the fallout from the review, including a scathing, but imprecise, attack from PCR expert Dr. Stephen Bustin - why that attack is puzzling, and what it tells us about the state of peer review. My previous episode w...

"We deserve to live peaceably as neighbors," says Jeff Deist, "even if that means breaking up and creating new political entities." The divisions in our society are undeniable. Is it possible that making them official is the best way forward? Jeff's article "What Will It Take for Americans to Consider Breaking Up?" is here . (The audio version of the article is h...

According to the Oregon Medical Board, pediatrician Dr. Paul Thomas is "...a serious danger to the public health..." Oddly, they only discovered this after he published a peer-reviewed study comparing health outcomes of patients who had been vaccinated to those who had not. You can see some of the results of that study here . The study itself is here . The order from the Oregon Medical B...

I speak with long-time health freedom advocate Charlie Frohman, about his cash pay alternative to health insurance, how medicine is becoming even more authoritarian, and about some practical ways to combat that. Charlie's organization, the National Health Federation, is here , and you can send letters to their representatives and senators from here . His slide presentation on the cash-paying...

I talk a lot about the evils of centralized control, and have had several guests on to talk about it too. But I think that unless you've experienced it firsthand, it's hard to fully appreciate what that means.  In this episode, I speak with a woman who grew up in Hungary when it was under Communist rule. She describes what it is like to live under a centralized power, of what it means fo...

I speak with Kevin McKernan about the report he co-authored calling for the retraction of the paper upon which much of the world's Covid-19 PCR testing is based. Kevin also thanks you guys–my listeners–for possibly helping to get the attention of some of those who are starting to reverse course on the lockdowns (and the badly flawed testing they are based on). So keep it up! The Corman-Droste...

I speak with scientist, international public health specialist, MD and Ayurvedic practitioner and teacher, Dr. Bhaswati Bhattacharya , about the nature of Ayurvedic medicine, barriers to alternative medicine in the US, and using Ayurveda with Covid-19. Dr. Bhaswati Bhattacharya's website is here . You can find her column "Everyday Ayurveda" here . And her article mentioned in this e...

I speak with my sister, Gretchen Wahlstedt, about her experiences with Non-Violent Communication, what that actually means, and the role it can play in the fight for liberty. Get full access to On the Banks at www.bretigne.com/subscribe

I talk with radio DJ and director of the Japan Indies Film Festival. We try to pin down what it is that makes Japan so awesome, touch on the role of immigration restrictions on culture, and even mention masks. We also talk about next week's film festival, and did I mention that it's FREE? Japan Indies Film Festival is here - Nov. 16-17 in Japan, which is Nov. 17-18 in the US. You can fin...

I ask economics professor and columnist Don Boudreaux what the Hell is going on. He doesn't know either. We commiserate. You can find Don at Cafe Hayek . His article "Why so Gullible About Government in the Face of Covid-19?" is here . ...and his other recent article, "Covid Collectivism" is here . Get full access to On the Banks at www.bretigne.com/subscribe

I speak with California legislator Kevin Kiley after the favorable ruling in his case against Governor Gavin Newsom's one-man rule. My earlier episode with Kiley is here . The court ruling is here . Kevin Kiley's blog post about the ruling is here , and news coverage of the ruling can be found here and here . Get full access to On the Banks at www.bretigne.com/subscribe

I spoke with California legislator Kevin Kiley this week, about his (and fellow legislator James Gallagher's)  lawsuit against Governor Newsom's authoritarian orders, and his one-man rule. You can see Kiley's opening arguments in the case here . And his blog, with updates on the lawsuit, is here . Get full access to On the Banks at www.bretigne.com/subscribe

I speak with unschooling mom and homeschooling advocate Kerry McDonald about an upcoming 4-day webinar to help inspire teens' inner entrepreneurs – and about why it is more critical than ever that we encourage our teens to find ways to create and to contribute now. We also talk about Halloween... FEE's "Entrepreneur Week" is Nov. 16-19, and is FREE. You can sign up here . Kerry...

I speak with retired scientist Roger Koops, about the nature of viruses and how flawed assumptions about they operate in the natural world have driven mask recommendations and mandates that may do more harm than good. We also talk a little about how people in Japan have responded to the virus, and how the national and local governments have reacted. Roger Koops is a contributing author for AIER ,...

I speak with founder and CSO of Medicinal Genomics , Kevin McKernan, about some of the problems with PCR testing, as well as some of the incentives to produce high positive test numbers, both of which are making it difficult to get a meaningful picture of SARS-Cov2 infections and cases. You can find Kevin  on Twitter , and he recently Tweeted about some of these issues here . The paper on molecula...