The Future of Liberty with Mitch Daniels - Liberty Fund

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Chris DeMuth on Elites, Populism, and the American Experiment Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

Chris DeMuth traces how colonial-era economic competition and federalism shaped American liberty, then explains his shift from traditional conservatism to national conservatism—arguing strong nation-states, not just free markets, are essential to protecting freedom against declining institutions and evolving elitism.

Colonial Capitalism & Early American Economic Competition (01:40)
Insurance, the Atlantic Trade, & Taking Control of One's Fate (10:29)
From Traditional Conservatism to National Conservatism (14:14)
State Capitalism & Industrial Policy (24:01)
Populism, the Mob, & Martin Gurri's Information Revolution (26:33)

The Future of Liberty — Former Indiana governor and Purdue University president Mitch Daniels investigates the prospects for liberty and more through conversations with prominent thinkers and leaders across diverse fields. New episodes are available wherever you listen, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Visit thefutureofliberty.org to learn more.

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Ryan Cole on Lafayette's Farewell Tour and Uniting a Divided America Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

With the nation's 250th anniversary upon us, Mitch Daniels sits down with historian Ryan Cole, author of The Last Adieu: Lafayette's Triumphant Return, the Echoes of Revolution, and the Gratitude of the Republic, to explore what that extraordinary homecoming meant to Americans then and what it can teach us now. They discuss Lafayette's role in winning independence, "informed patriotism" and the danger of losing our historical memory.

Who Was the Marquis de Lafayette (1:26)
Taylor Swift, Pigeons & Pageantry (6:00)
Historical Memory & Informed Patriotism (17:20)
Hamilton, History & the Next Generation (25:02)
Gratitude & the Grateful Republic (29:00)

Lamar Alexander on the Filibuster, the Founders, and Civility in Crisis Jun 16, 2026

Show notes

Tocqueville warned that one of the greatest dangers to American democracy was the tyranny of the majority. Few have taken that warning more seriously than Lamar Alexander. Governor Mitch Daniels sits down with the former Senator, Governor, and Secretary of Education on what it takes to keep a republic free.

The Portrait Test: What Makes a Consequential President (0:58)
The Filibuster & Tyranny of the Majority (8:20)
Civic Decorum & the Standards We've Lost (17:38)
Civics Education & What Americans Don't Know (21:25)
The Federal Debt & the Reforms Nobody Wants (33:00)

Michael Auslin on the Declaration of Independence and the Spirit of 1776 May 12, 2026

Show notes

Dr. Michael Auslin joins Mitch Daniels to discuss his new book National Treasure and the remarkable story behind the Declaration of Independence as it turns 250. They explore the document's improbable physical survival, myths about July 4th, Jefferson's lost "fair copy," and the passages Congress removed. The conversation moves to the Declaration's enduring power as a statement of natural rights, its role in debates over slavery, equality, and liberty from the Civil War through the civil rights movement, and how movements around the world have claimed its language for vastly different purposes. Auslin and Daniels reflect on the founders' spirit of compromise, civic friendship, and what the Declaration still has to teach Americans in 2026.

The Declaration's Wild Survival Story (01:12)
Why We Celebrate July 4th & Not July 2nd (09:16)
All Men Are Created Equal, What Did They Mean? (20:26)
The Confederates Loved the Declaration (29:12)
Compromise Made the Country (42:59)

Lord Andrew Roberts on King George III and the Making of a Revolutionary Narrative Mar 24, 2026

Show notes

Historian Lord Andrew Roberts joins Mitch Daniels to challenge one of America’s most enduring narratives: that King George III was a tyrant. Drawing on his book The Last King of America, Roberts argues for a more complex (and surprising) view of the monarch at the center of the Revolution. The discussion explores constitutional government, the power of political myth, and the lasting significance of the American founding for liberty today.

Common Law Tradition & the Foundations of Liberty (02:50)
The Declaration of Independence: Ideals vs. Political Rhetoric (11:20)
Westward Expansion, Empire, and the Roots of Revolution (20:30)
Constitutional Monarchy and the Limits of Political Power (31:50)
NATO, Burden Sharing, and the Future of the West (42:00)

Jeffrey Rosen on the Hamilton–Jefferson Debate at America’s 250th Feb 17, 2026

Show notes

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, Mitch Daniels sits down with legal scholar and author Dr. Jeffrey Rosen to explore the enduring constitutional debate that has shaped the nation from its founding to today. Drawing from his new book The Pursuit of Liberty, Rosen traces the long-running clash between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson over national power and states’ rights, executive authority and congressional restraint, liberal and strict constitutional interpretation, and shows how that debate continues to define the Supreme Court’s most consequential cases.

Hamilton vs. Jefferson & America’s Founding Debate (01:17)
Faith, Reason, & Freedom of Conscience (08:23)
Immigration, Birthright Citizenship, & the Fourteenth Amendment (11:27)
Polarization, Insurrection, & Historical Perspective (17:59)
Progressivism, Executive Power, & the Administrative State (24:47)

Matthew Yglesias on Affordability, the Social Safety Net, and Economic Dynamism Jan 13, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of The Future of Liberty, Mitch Daniels speaks with journalist and author Matthew Yglesias about affordability, the social safety net, and the conditions required for economic dynamism in a free society. Their wide-ranging conversation examines housing, energy, transportation, education, and entitlement policy, with attention to the “sacred cows” that often shape political debate and influence approaches to reform.

Civil Discourse & the Search for Truth (02:31)
Energy Policy, Environmental Tradeoffs, & Reality (13:25)
Artificial Intelligence & the Future of Learning (26:24)
Work, Human Dignity, & Universal Basic Income (28:27)
Liberty, Rule of Law, & National Prosperity (41:40)

Allison Schrager on Free Markets, Public Pensions and America’s Appetite for Risk Dec 09, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of The Future of Liberty, Gov. Mitch Daniels speaks with economist and writer Allison Schrager about the misunderstood legacy of neoliberalism, the real effects of tariffs and fiscal policy, and the growing risks posed by public pensions and entitlement programs. They explore America’s shifting relationship to risk, the rise and fading of the “virtue economy,” the persistence of DEI in institutions, and the politicization of universities and scientific research. Schrager also reflects on generational attitudes toward freedom and what the country must do to remain innovative, prosperous, and free.

The Meaning of Neoliberalism (01:00)
Trade, Tariffs & Political Discretion (09:10)
The “Virtue Economy” & Market Distortions (19:40)
Politicization of Universities & Science (26:45)
The Decline of Risk-Taking in America (38:13)

Walter Russell Mead on the Global Link of Prosperity, Power and Liberty Nov 18, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of The Future of Liberty with Governor Mitch Daniels, Walter Russell Mead argues that America’s security and prosperity are inseparable from the freedom of other nations. He explores how U.S. engagement in maintaining a balance of power has long supported global liberty, and examines how a new era—defined by rapid technological change, shifting economic power, and the resurgence of authoritarian rivals like China and Russia—is reshaping the relationship between American and global freedom.

American Principles in a Changing World (02:07)
A New Era of U.S. & Global Leadership (07:40)
Democracy in the African Continent (29:31)
Innovation v.s. U.S. Institutions (34:59)
The Future of Affordable Healthcare (42:36)

George Will on Executive Power and Civic Virtue Oct 17, 2025

Show notes

Mitch Daniels and George Will examine the ambitions and limits of American power—from the restless energy of the executive branch to the resilience of the republic’s institutions. Drawing on his decades of political observation, Will examines the overreach of executive power, the fatigue of America’s two-party system, and the civic virtues that uphold the republic. Together, they reflect on the creative ferment of a free society, the cyclical nature of history, and the moral limits that protect liberty from ambition and fatigue.

Caging the “Ambitious Executive Lion” (1:36)
The Exhausted Middle and Two-Party System (11:38)
The Republic, Virtuous People, & Creative Ferment (21:50)
The Tone of Presidential-Centric America (27:17)
Cyclical History & the Role of Luck (33:11)

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