The federal budgeting process can be hard for the average American to comprehend - until now. Economist Dr. Paul Winfree walks us step by step through how Congress passes a budget and all the legislative/political hurdles that get in its way. We cover the historical evolution of the budget process leading up to the word you’ve been hearing every day in the news – reconciliation. We look at how presidents from Nixon to Trump influenced the budget process to pass their agendas. We examine some of the most controversial reconciliation bills over the past decade and how they impacted the economy. And we discuss much needed Medicaid reforms, overhauling the tax system with consumption-based taxation and universal savings accounts, and much more.  

Dr. Paul Winfree is President of the Economic Policy Innovation Center. During the 1st Trump Administration, he was Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy and Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council, and Chair of the Deputies Committee that managed policy implementation across federal agencies. He is the author of "The History (and Future) of the Budget Process in the United States." Follow him on X at @paulwinfree.

The Situation Report for February 6 – 12. Rep. Crenshaw breaks down the latest developments in U.S. – Mexico relations. He covers President Trump’s most important moves in domestic and foreign policy. He analyzes the blitz of stays issued by federal judges against Trump’s executive orders – and whether they have any constitutional merit. And he explains why Elon Musk and Sam Altman’s battle over OpenAI could have long term implications for the United States. All the real news and clear analysis you need to know in less than 30 minutes.

The Mexican Senate approves additional U.S. Special Forces to train the Mexican Marines.

It’s officially the GULF OF AMERICA!

Trump halts penny production, saving the U.S. hundreds of millions of dollars.

Reviewing the constitutional merit of federal district judges putting stays on Trump’s executive orders.

Hamas delays the hostage deal and Trump strikes back.

The Kingdom of Jordan offers to take in Palestinian children.

Turmoil among the tech tycoons: Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and the battle for control over American AI.

Trump and DOGE close the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Trump opens negotiations with Putin over Ukraine.

Following this week’s major reforms at USAID, the Trump Administration has signaled that the Department of Education (DoEd) is next on the chopping block. Education expert Dr. Beth Akers joined Rep. Crenshaw to discuss the implications of eliminating DoEd, some much needed reforms to student loan programs, and the pathway to empowering parents and local communities to revamp K-12 education.

Dr. Beth Akers is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where she focuses on the economics of higher education. She is the author of Making College Pay: An Economist Explains How to Make a Smart Bet on Higher Education. Follow her on X at @DrBethAkers.

The layman’s explanation of what the DoEd does

Would eliminating the DoEd end education grants?

What happens if the DoEd is eliminated?

Stats on student loan debt

Who benefits from student loan forgiveness?

The correlation between student loans and rising tuition

Should university endowment programs be taxed?

Streamlining student loan programs

Opening PELL grants to trade schools and other pathways to a successful career

The debate over school choice

Rethinking K-12 education and turning state education curriculums into labs of democracy

How the USAID reforms are paving the way for broader changes

The Situation Report for January 24 – February 5th. Rep. Crenshaw analyzes the recent tariff battles with Colombia, Mexico, and Canada. He covers the U.S. interest in the Panama Canal and how China became a major player in the region. And he explains everything you need to know about what DOGE exposed at USAID and President Trump’s huge announcement about his vision for the future of Gaza and the Middle East. All the real news and clear analysis you need to know in less than 30 minutes.

How the tariff battles with Colombia, Mexico, and Canada played out

Hope on the horizon for Mexico’s cooperation in fighting the cartels

Why the Panama Canal matters to us

China’s influence over the Panama Canal

DOGE and USAID: The good, bad, and ugly sides of U.S. foreign aid

Trump makes moves to dismantle the Department of Education

The implications of Trump’s major announcement about Gaza

The rationale for redeveloping Gaza into the “Riviera of the Middle East”

The latest on Trump’s cabinet nominations

The HALT Fentanyl Act

Recommended reading: The US Looks South

Dr. Alexander Burns joined Rep. Crenshaw for a fascinating conversation about the evolution of 18th century warfare, General Washington’s battlefield tactics, the age-old conflict between officers and common soldiers, and the beginning of the American military.

Dr. Alexander Burns is an Assistant Professor of History at Franciscan University of Steubenville, where he specializes in 18th century conflict in North America and Europe. He is the author of Infantry in Battle, 1733-1783. Follow him on X at @KKriegeBlog.

Grade inflation and student entitlement in higher education

How to research like a military historian

What we learn from letters of the common British soldier

The conflict between officers and enlisted men over battlefield tactics

Was there an honor code against killing officers?

What Paul Revere really said

How the British soldiers viewed the American rebels

How the Continental Army began

Beginning of the Continental Congress

General Washington’s battlefield tactics

Guerrilla warfare

The role of cavalry in revolutionary combat

The American long rifle

How many Americans actually wanted independence?

The turning point of the Revolutionary War

The French Army comes to America

How the American military professionalized

The War of 1812

America invades Canada

How close did General Washington get to the battlefront?

Can we derive lessons from the Revolutionary War for modern warfare?

Special cross post episode with The Lila Rose Podcast.

Friday, January 24th marks the annual March for Life, when tens of thousands of activists gather in Washington, DC to celebrate and raise awareness about the pro-life movement. Live Action’s Lila Rose joined Rep. Crenshaw (and his daughter Suzy) in his congressional office to talk about expectations for the first 100 days of the new Trump Administration. They cover pro-life executive orders and policies that could potentially be re-instated. They discuss how budget reconciliation and economic policies might affect everything from abortion policy to tax cuts to government spending. Rep. Crenshaw discusses his work to defund gender transition procedures for minors and destroy the Mexican drug cartels. And they end with a conversation about the U.S. interest in supporting Israel against Hamas terrorists.

Lila Rose is the Founder and President of Live Action, a non-profit dedicated to pro-life advocacy. Follow her on X at @lilagracerose and Instagram at @lilaroseofficial.

Subscribe to The Lila Rose Podcast on YouTube, Apple, and Spotify

Situation Report for January 24th, 2025. Rep. Crenshaw breaks down the week’s top stories from the U.S. and around the world. Your one stop shop for real news and clear analysis of the latest congressional legislation and how it impacts your life.

• ·      Biden pardons his family
• ·      Trump’s first moves on border security, energy, and the bureaucratic state
• ·      Secretary of State Marco Rubio
• ·      Trump gives a boost to U.S. Artificial Intelligence dominance
• ·      Trump pardons pro-life protestors
• ·      SpaceX launches TWO lunar landers
• ·      The FDA approves a new treatment for depression
• Recommended reading: Noah Rothman on “The Resistance Left’s Addiction to Hyperbole”

Situation Report for January 16, 2025. Rep. Crenshaw breaks down the week’s top stories from the U.S. and around the world. Your one stop shop for real news and clear analysis of the latest congressional legislation and how it impacts your life.

• Pete Hegseth has his Senate confirmation hearing
• The House passes the Protecting Women and Girls in Sports Act
• The Los Angeles wildfires
• The Israel-Hamas ceasefire and hostage deal
• Biden Administration removes Cuba from the State Sponsors of Terrorism list
• TikTok’s clock is winding to zero. But here comes Red Note.
•  Why Congress needs a Select Committee on the Cartels. Read my latest oped for Fox News here

American Petroleum Institute’s Mike Sommers returns to Hold These Truths to survey the past four years of the Biden-Harris Administration’s most devastating anti-fossil fuel energy policies and how the incoming Trump Administration might reverse them. They look at what the future of energy looks like for Texas and the rest of America. And they fact check the tv series Landman’s portrayal of the oil and gas industry.  

Mike Sommers is the President and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute, the largest trade association representing all aspects of America's oil and natural gas industry. Follow him on X at @mj_sommers.   How realistic is Taylor Sheridan’s Landman?

  “100 million barrels of oil a day”

  Biden’s latest offshore lease restrictions

  American natural gas, a clear win for the environment. 

  “It’s better to get ahead of the regulators.”

  The argument for exporting natural gas

  Bitcoin mining in west Texas

  The EPA’s twin tail pipe rules – Biden’s war on internal combustion engines

  The real costs of electric vehicles

  At what point do you have too much wind power?

  The future of the Texas grid

  First steps for Trump’s EPA

On the latest SITREP (Situation Report), Congressman Crenshaw explains how the Republican House strategy at the start of the 119th Congress and gives us the Civics 101 on how the legislative process works. He covers the possibility of overturning Biden’s sweeping ban on offshore oil and gas leases, U.S. investors making a bid for TikTok, and the possibility of turning Greenland into a U.S. territory. And he examines the shifting political dynamics in Syria and Lebanon as Iran’s influence in the Middle East wanes.   The House passes the Laken Riley Act (LRA)

  Addressing the Democrats “anti-immigrant” charges

  Leader Thune’s strategy to pass LRA in the Senate

  What you need to know about House rules and the legislative process

  Parliamentary Procedure 101

  Biden’s sweeping offshore oil and gas leasing ban

  Why reversing Biden’s ban will be difficult

  Kevin O’Leary makes a bid for TikTok

  Make Greenland Great Again!

  Gulf of AMERICA

  Iran’s diminishing influence in the Middle East

  A cautious step forward in U.S. – Syria relations