With a national debt of $31 trillion dollars, we need to start making choices about how to pay the debt down. In order to do that, we have to recognize that a great deal of government has to be modernized. It’s not just about the money, but about what the money buys, how it’s spent, how much waste there is, and to what degree the bureaucracies are inherently inefficient. Every government agency has a challenge of modernization. And the agency with the most complex challenge is the Department of Defense. Newt’s guest is Lisa Hershman. She is the former Chief Management Officer for the U.S. Department of Defense from 2018 – 2021. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 542: Modernizing the Pentagon

Join former House Speaker, professor, historian, and futurist Newt Gingrich as he shares his lifetime of knowledge and access to the world’s most interesting minds in a new series that covers all aspects of our society. From history to health, national security to science, Newt offers stories, conversations, and context to uncover new perspectives, knowledge and insight. This podcast isn’t about politics; it’s about exploring the past, present, and future to understand where we’ve been and where we’re going. Welcome to Newt’s World, a podcast for independent thinkers.

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Newt’s guest is Gianno Caldwell, a Fox News analyst and founder of a bipartisan consulting firm. He discusses his journey from growing up in poverty on the south side of Chicago to becoming a successful political strategist and author. Caldwell shares his experiences with the welfare system, his views on welfare reform, and his belief in the power of hard work and self-belief. He also discusses his role as a Republican strategist, his work with Fox News, and his efforts to combat violent crime following the murder of his brother. Caldwell's book, "Taken For Granted: How Conservatism Can Win Back the Americans That Liberalism Failed," is available on Amazon and in bookstores everywhere. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 685: Welfare Reform

Newt discusses the importance of funding Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression. He is joined by Jim Gilmore, former Governor of Virginia and Ambassador to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). They discuss the Senate's approval of a $95 billion-dollar aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, and the pushback from some Republicans. Gilmore emphasizes the importance of supporting Ukraine, stating that if Putin wins, he will not stop and will risk a much larger war which could involve the United States. They also discuss the potential of seizing Russian assets to help fund the war and the need for President Biden to provide stronger leadership. Newt also speaks with Congressman Chuck Edwards, who recently returned from a trip to Ukraine. Edwards shares his experiences and the dire situation in Ukraine, emphasizing the need for the U.S. to provide military assistance. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 684: Funding the War in Ukraine

Newt discusses the Biden administration's new student loan debt forgiveness plan with guest Adam Kissel, a visiting fellow at The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Education Policy. The plan, which is yet to be finalized and is expected to face legal challenges, proposes to forgive up to $20,000 in interest for nearly 30 million borrowers. The plan could reduce payments for 25 million borrowers and erase all debt for more than 4 million Americans. However, critics argue that the plan is regressive, as it would transfer the debt to taxpayers, potentially costing between $519 billion to over a trillion dollars over 10 years. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 683: Student Loan Debt Forgiveness

Putin had intended to conquer and annex Ukraine with a vicious blitzkrieg, redrawing the map of Europe in a few short weeks with seismic geopolitical consequences. But in the face of this existential threat, the Ukrainian people fought back, turning what looked like certain defeat into a great moral victory, even as the territorial conflict continues to this day. In his new book, Our Enemies Will Vanish: The Russian Invasion and Ukraine’s War of Independence, Yaroslav Trofimov traces the war’s decisive moments to show how Ukraine and its allies have turned the tide against Russia, one of the world’s great military powers, in a modern-day battle of David and Goliath. Newt’s guest is Yaroslav Trofimov, chief foreign-affairs correspondent for The Wall Street Journal. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 682: Ukraine’s War of Independence

The 2024 World Happiness Report, released by Gallup, ranks the United States 23rd, a drop from 15th place the previous year. The top four happiest countries are Finland, Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden. The report suggests that the U.S. ranking has fallen due to the perspectives of people under 30. The report measures happiness based on life evaluations, positive emotions, and negative emotions. Newt’s guest is John Helliwell, one of the chief editors of the World Happiness Report, a Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Distinguished Fellow, and Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of British Columbia. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode 542: Modernizing the Pentagon

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