As the shutdown drags on, Grover Norquist and Brent Gardner of Americans for Prosperity break down how Democrats are holding taxpayers hostage in a political fight over Obamacare subsidies.

Gardner explains how Democrats have tied reopening the government to extending Obamacare subsidies, the ongoing fight over spending and healthcare costs, and what it all means for taxpayers. Brent shares insights on AFP's work in every state, the grassroots movement for limited government, and how Americans can push back against Washington's overspending and overreach.

Listen in for a conversation about shutdown politics, healthcare reform, and how citizens can make a difference in restoring fiscal sanity and freedom.

The Leave Us Alone team examines how the latest government shutdown fight centers on Obamacare. Grover Norquist, Mike Palicz, James Erwin, and Jack Baum explain how Democrats are using the shutdown as leverage to push for another extension of Obamacare's temporary subsidies, which were meant to expire after the pandemic.

They discuss how this political strategy hides the real cost of the program and why conservatives are rejecting another taxpayer-funded bailout. The team also looks at key state elections in New Jersey and Maine, where affordability, energy costs, and taxes are defining the campaigns.

In the final segments, the hosts cover new developments from the FTC and the United Nations, exploring how regulatory overreach and global tax proposals could affect innovation, energy, and economic freedom.

Sixteen days into the government shutdown, the American people aren't feeling the effects. Should Democrats be worried? Is their strategy working? What's their exit strategy?

Grover Norquist is joined by political strategist Liam Donovan and ATR's Mike Palicz to break down how Democrats' $1.5 trillion in new spending demands have fallen flat, how the media landscape has changed shutdown politics, and what redistricting could mean for control of Congress in the years ahead.

About Liam Donovan: Liam joins Targeted Victory as the head of the firm's Risk & Reputation practice. Over the course of two decades working at the intersection of politics and policy, he has held senior roles at a national trade association and a global law and lobbying firm. Before beginning his advocacy career, Liam spent four years and two election cycles on the staff of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Check out Liam Donovan's own podcast, The Lobby Shop, where he dives deeper into the intersection of politics, policy, and the people shaping Washington.

In this episode, Grover Norquist and guest co-host Mike discuss the ongoing government shutdown and why Democrats have painted themselves into a political corner. They break down how the left's demand for $1.5 trillion in new spending, the permanent extension of Obamacare subsidies, and a repeal of Trump-era reforms have stalled negotiations.

Grover traces the history of shutdowns back to 1980 and shows how Democrats have used the process as a political weapon since the Clinton years. This time, the media narrative is not sticking. The conversation exposes the real cost of COVID-era policies, including how boosted Obamacare subsidies are driving up premiums and taxpayer costs. Grover and Mike explain how Republican discipline, reinforced by President Trump's direct messaging, has strengthened opposition to more government expansion.

The hosts also highlight Congressman Mike Lawler's viral exchange with Hakeem Jeffries and explain why the 2017 tax cuts remain a defining victory for taxpayers at every income level.

Grover Norquist, Mike Palicz, and James Erwin break down the government shutdown standoff. Democrats are blocking a clean continuing resolution and demanding $1.5 trillion in new spending, a permanent expansion of Biden COVID credits, and taxpayer funding for NPR.

The hosts explain why Republicans must hold firm, why temporary COVID-era subsidies should expire, and how the shutdown is exposing cracks inside the Democratic caucus.

Later in the episode, Grover sits down with former Congressman Jeb Hensarling to discuss how new Trump administration reforms could empower workers to invest more freely in their 401(k)s. The goal is to give everyday Americans the same investment opportunities that unions and wealthy elites already enjoy.

This episode dives into shutdown politics, spending priorities, and real reforms that protect taxpayers and expand freedom.

Grover Norquist, Mike Palicz, and James Erwin return from summer break to unpack the looming government funding fight. House Republicans have passed a clean continuing resolution, but Democrats are demanding trillions in new spending and a permanent extension of Biden COVID credits. What's really behind Chuck Schumer's push for a shutdown? How will the Obamacare subsidy battle shape the GOP coalition? And what lessons should Republicans draw from the left's endless spending demands?

The hosts also reflect on the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk, honoring his legacy and the movement he built to bring young Americans into the fight for liberty.

This episode takes listeners inside the politics, policy, and high stakes of Washington's latest budget clash and why taxpayers should care.

Show Notes:

• Take Action Now: Stop the Schumer Shutdown
• 5 Reasons Congress Should Let Biden's COVID Credits Expire
• Democrats Threaten Governmetn Shutdown
• 35 Free Market Groups, Advocates Urge President Trump to let Biden's COVID Credits Expire

The headlines say the Teamsters are suddenly flooding Republicans with cash — but the numbers tell a very different story. Grover Norquist, James Erwin, and Mike Palicz dig into the union's decades-long role as part of the Democratic Party's political machine and explain why this new "GOP-friendly" image is mostly smoke and mirrors.

They also unpack how federal regulators are twisting market definitions to attack America's most successful tech companies, why a proposed patent value tax would cripple innovation, and what a second reconciliation bill could mean for pro-growth tax reforms like capital gains indexation and expanded health savings accounts.

From union politics to tax policy, this episode reveals the strategies, incentives, and hidden motives shaping the fights that impact taxpayers most.

In this episode, Grover Norquist and the team celebrate major conservative victories as President Trump signs a historic $9 billion rescissions package, completely defunding NPR and PBS for two years and cutting wasteful foreign aid programs. Plus: the IRS workforce is down 26,000 employees (25% reduction), states continue phasing out income taxes, and Trump's AI action plan embraces free market principles. We also discuss the "no tax on tips" policy impact and why rescissions are just the beginning of fiscal sanity. A must-listen for anyone who believes government should leave us alone.

In this episode of Leave Us Alone, Grover Norquist is joined by Mike Palicz, Isabelle Morales, and James Erwin to break down the landmark tax reform bill that just passed Congress—and why it's a game-changing win for taxpayers, families, small businesses, and the economy.

They cover:

• Permanent extension of Trump-era tax cuts for all income groups

• Doubling (and extending) the child tax credit and standard deduction

• Full expensing for business investment and pro-growth reforms

• Major Medicaid reform—the most significant in U.S. history

• Elimination of the "Venmo tax" and taxes on tips and overtime pay

• Expansion of Health Savings Accounts

• And why making tax policy permanent matters for prosperity and liberty