Freedom Rising with Andrew Lewis

With 'Medicare for All' rhetoric flooding airwaves, it’s important to understand just how dangerous government control over health care truly is: higher costs, fewer choices, and decisions taken away from patients.

On this episode of Freedom Rising, Andrew Lewis sits down with Jared Rhoads, founder and executive director of the Center for Modern Health, to investigate the policies and incentives shaping America’s health care system. Commonwealth Foundation’s Elizabeth Stelle joins the conversation to break down Pennsylvania’s health care challenges and outline reforms that could make a real difference.

From expanding nurse practitioners’ ability to practice to broadening short-term insurance options and removing barriers to out-of-state care, Rhoads and Stelle discuss how market-based state policy can encourage competition, improve access, and put patients back in control.

Pennsylvania doesn’t have to wait for Washington to fix health care. The path to reform can start right here.

No two children are alike. So why should every child be expected to succeed in the same education system?

On this episode of Freedom Rising, Andrew Lewis sits down with Reverend Joshua Robertson, founder of Black Pastors United for Education, and Rachel Langan, senior education policy analyst at the Commonwealth Foundation, to explore why educational freedom matters.

Reverend Robertson shares his remarkable journey from struggling to read as a young adult to building learning centers that help students succeed. Langan explains how her family's experience during COVID-19 school closures changed her perspective on education and why Pennsylvania needs more options for students and parents.

From school choice and student achievement to education funding reform, this conversation makes the case for putting children first and giving every family the freedom to find the right educational fit.

How much power should unelected bureaucrats have—and how much should taxpayers be willing to spend?

On this episode of Freedom Rising, Andrew Lewis sits down with Phil Kerpen of American Commitment and Pennsylvania State Rep. Dallas Kephart to examine two ways government keeps growing: spending more and exercising more regulatory power. They discuss the Taxpayer Protection Act, the REINS Act, government spending limits, and why putting more decisions back in the hands of elected lawmakers could help restore accountability and economic freedom.

Socialism is gaining traction among young Americans—but why? In this episode of Freedom Rising, Andrew Lewis sits down with Nick Freitas, former Virginia legislator, Green Beret, combat veteran, and host of Making the Argument, to examine why socialist ideas are resonating with a new generation and how economic illiteracy is fueling their appeal.

They discuss the difference between equal opportunity and forced equality, why government control of the economy ultimately requires control over people, and how education shapes the way Americans understand capitalism, freedom, and personal responsibility.

As governor of Wisconsin, Scott Walker became one of the country’s most prominent advocates for giving states more power to govern—and proved that state-level reforms can have a national impact. 

On this episode of Freedom Rising, Andrew Lewis sits down with Walker to discuss the lessons he learned in office, from taking on powerful public-sector unions to advancing reforms that put more power in the hands of states, communities, and individuals.  

From Wisconsin’s experience to the challenges facing Pennsylvania and other states, Walker and Lewis discuss federalism, political leadership, and the importance of states charting their own course. 

They also explore the troubling decline in patriotism among young Americans and why a stronger understanding of our country’s founding principles matters for the future of freedom.  

Pennsylvania sits atop one of the largest natural gas reserves on the planet. It exports electricity, supports high-paying energy jobs, and has the potential to expand its nuclear power capacity. So why not make the most of it?

On Freedom Rising, Andrew Lewis welcomes Mark Mills of the National Center for Energy Analytics for a wide-ranging conversation about the future of Pennsylvania energy.

They examine the impact of geopolitical instability on oil and gas markets, the costs and reliability challenges associated with renewable-energy mandates, the regulatory barriers facing energy development, and the role Pennsylvania can play in meeting America’s growing demand for electricity.

As energy demand rises, the choice is increasingly clear: embrace Pennsylvania’s energy abundance or constrain it with policies that make power more expensive and less reliable.

The new Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC) could dramatically expand educational opportunity across America—but only if governors choose to opt in.

Andrew Lewis sits down with Tommy Schultz of the American Federation for Children, Norton Rainey, CEO of ACE Scholarships, and David Hardy, Distinguished Senior Fellow at the Commonwealth Foundation, to discuss what this landmark law means for students, parents, and the future of school choice.

They also explain why Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro should opt in so Pennsylvania families can benefit from this historic opportunity instead of seeing those resources flow to other states.

What really happens behind closed doors during Pennsylvania's budget negotiations?

Andrew Lewis sits down with former Pennsylvania Senate Secretary-Parliamentarian Megan Martin (now Commonwealth Foundation's COO and General Counsel) for an insider's look at how the Commonwealth's most important legislation gets negotiated, debated, and passed. Then, Commonwealth Foundation Chief Policy Officer Nathan Benefield breaks down why this year's budget fight matters, from record spending and the Rainy Day Fund to school choice and the reforms needed to protect taxpayers.

If you've ever wondered why the state budget is about far more than dollars and cents, this episode takes you inside the process.

A single educational opportunity can change the course of a life.

Andrew Lewis sits down with two Pennsylvanians whose lives were transformed by the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program, which is under attack by the Democrat majority in the state House of Representatives. 

National champion wrestler Bo Bassett shares how EITC helped him find an environment where he could thrive—setting him on a path to Virginia Tech and international competition. Then, Soviet immigrant Kate Pukhovich reflects on growing up without educational or religious freedom and explains why EITC scholarships gave her daughter opportunities she never imagined possible.

As lawmakers debate the future of Pennsylvania's scholarship programs, these personal stories remind us that behind every policy are real families, real dreams, and life-changing opportunities.

Pennsylvania spends nearly $24,000 per student each year, yet fewer than one-third of eighth graders are proficient in math and reading.

In this episode of Freedom Rising, Andrew Lewis sits down with State Rep. Joe D'Orsie and Empower Mississippi CEO Grant Callen to explore why more spending isn't translating into better results, and what can be done about it.

They discuss school choice, Lifeline Scholarships, education savings accounts, cyber charters, and the growing movement to give parents more control over their children's education. They also examine Mississippi's remarkable academic turnaround and what Pennsylvania can learn from it.

What we learn could reshape the future of education in Pennsylvania.