Join Jeffrey Tucker for an edifying conversation with acclaimed author and essayist Ann Bauer. Ann is one of today’s rare masters of prose who turns everyday truths into unforgettable art. In this episode Jeffrey and Ann dive deep into the craft of writing that doesn’t just inform but transforms. Evoking gasps, revelations, and that rare “aha” moment where words hit like a physical force.

Ann Bauer isn’t afraid to wield her pen as a scalpel. From her explosive early essay drawing chilling parallels between the COVID hysteria and the mid-20th-century “refrigerator mother” myth that tore families apart, to her fearless exposés on Minnesota’s welfare fraud scandals and the quiet tyrannies of power, Ann embodies the writer’s ultimate duty: to illuminate lies with unflinching elegance. “If you’re not getting to truth, then why do it?” she declares. But as Jeffrey probes, it’s not just courage—it’s an innate compulsion to peel back the curtain on the absurdities we all endure.

Ann unveils her new venture: a reading app launching in Northern Kentucky to combat America’s child literacy crisis. Imagine the classics delivered in bite-sized, Netflix-style episodes with cliffhangers that hook tweens like a binge-watch: The Wizard of Oz, Little Women, Treasure Island, Frankenstein.. Built for homeschoolers, libraries, and rec centers, it weaves in discussion prompts (think: “What do the green spectacles in Oz really signify?”) to spark critical thinking and turn reading into a lifelong habit.

Catch Ann Bauer live this Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026 at the Brownstone Supper Club in West Hartford, CT! Tickets: https://brownstone.org/event/brownstone-supper-club-west-hartford-february-18-ann-bauer/Explore more from Brownstone Institute: https://brownstone.org

Follow Ann Bauer: https://twitter.com/annbauerwriterFollow Jeffrey Tucker: https://twitter.com/jeffreytucker

Join Jeffrey Tucker in this in-depth and candid conversation with acclaimed author and cultural critic Walter Kirn. In this episode of The Brownstone Show, they discuss the role of mainstream media during the COVID-19 era, exploring how narratives were shaped, trust was eroded, and society-wide hysteria was amplified. From the manipulation of “truth” and fallout on public discourse, this organic and open discussion uncovers the mechanisms that changed our world, and what it means for the future of journalism and free speech. Highlights:

* The Media’s Role in Crafting ‘Truth’: Walter Kirn shares insights from his experiences as a former contributing editor at Time, The Atlantic, and The New York Times, discussing how legacy outlets prioritized consensus over inquiry during the pandemic.

* Collapse of Trust in Institutions: Exploring the factors that led to widespread skepticism toward traditional media, including censorship, echo chambers, and the rise of alternative voices.

* Engineered Hysteria: Examining how fear-mongering tactics influenced policy, culture, and everyday life, drawing parallels to historical propaganda and modern digital manipulation.

* The Path Forward - Rebuilding Discourse: Thoughts on independent journalism and the need for decentralized media to restore authenticity.

About the Guests:

* Jeffrey Tucker: Founder of the Brownstone Institute, senior economics columnist for The Epoch Times, and author of books like Life After Lockdown. Tucker is a leading voice in libertarian thought, advocating for freedom, science, and open dialogue. Follow him on X:@jeffreytucker

* Walter Kirn: Bestselling author of novels like Up in the Air (adapted into the Oscar-nominated film), and essayist. Kirn’s work critiques meritocracy, media illusions, and institutional power. Follow him on X: @walterkirn

or visit his Substack: walterkirn.substack.com.

Support Brownstone Institute’s mission to promote public health, philosophy, economics, and social theory through independent research and events. Donate at brownstone.org/donate

For more episodes of The Brownstone Show, subscribe to our substack. Like, comment, and share your thoughts below—what do you think caused the biggest shift in media trust during COVID?

Jeffrey Tucker & Aaron Day: Bitcoin Hijacked? Epstein Files, Surveillance, and the End of Freedom Money

In this episode of The Brownstone Show, Jeffrey Tucker sits down with Brownstone Fellow and researcher Aaron Day to unpack one of the biggest stories in cryptocurrency history.

Fresh off major revelations from the Epstein files, they reveal shocking connections between Jeffrey Epstein, early Bitcoin development, MIT's Digital Currency Initiative, and the deliberate "hijacking" of Bitcoin. Its original vision as peer-to-peer digital cash (as outlined in Satoshi's white paper) flipped to a surveillable "digital gold" asset controlled by institutions and governments.

Jeffrey Tucker shares his personal journey: from early Bitcoin evangelist in 2013 (when BTC was just $12–$14) to disillusionment after the blocksize wars, SegWit controversies, and the censorship that sidelined scalable use as everyday money.

Aaron Day dives deeper into: How Bitcoin went from instant, near-free transactions in the early days to slow, $50+ fees by 2017. The vicious suppression of "big blockers" like Roger Ver (author of Hijacking Bitcoin, foreword by Tucker). Epstein's documented ties to Bitcoin/Tether figures and funding streams that influenced Bitcoin Core. Why Bitcoin is now more traceable than traditional banking (immutable ledger forever!) Ongoing prosecutions of privacy pioneers (Tornado Cash, Samourai Wallet devs) even under "pro-crypto" administrations. The crumbling "digital gold" narrative: miner revenue issues, calls to increase the 21M supply cap, ETF risks, and why privacy coins like Monero & Zano are outperforming.

This isn't just crypto history—it's a warning about surveillance, state control, and the weaponization of what was meant to be freedom money. If you're curious about the future of money in a CBDC world, this conversation will change how you see the entire space.

📕 Recommended reading: Hijacking Bitcoin: The Hidden History of BTC by Roger Ver (foreword by Jeffrey Tucker) → https://www.amazon.com/Hijacking-Bitcoin-Hidden-History-BTC/dp/B0CXWBCWDR

Subscribe to Brownstone Institute for more uncensored discussions on freedom, tech, health, and economics: https://brownstone.org/subscribe Follow Brownstone Institute on your favorite channels here: https://brownstone.org/connect/

In this powerful bonus episode of The Brownstone Show, hosted by Jeffrey Tucker, Stanford epidemiologist and health economist Dr. Jay Bhattacharya — now serving as Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) — delivers a clear, evidence-based explanation of why contact tracing, while dramatic in Hollywood movies about infectious diseases, is largely ineffective and counterproductive for fast-mutating respiratory viruses like SARS-CoV-2.

Now restored after being censored in 2022, this episode remains highly relevant. Dr. Bhattacharya's insights have been vindicated by subsequent data on transmission dynamics, the limited real-world impact of contact tracing apps and programs during COVID waves, and growing concerns over digital surveillance infrastructure built during the pandemic.

Dr. Bhattacharya's perspective as a leading critic of one-size-fits-all approaches and advocate for targeted protection of vulnerable populations.

This is a must-watch for anyone interested in public health, civil liberties, epidemiology, or the COVID policy response. Share widely to support open scientific discourse.

Like, comment, subscribe, and turn on notifications for more from The Brownstone Show and Brownstone Institute content on health policy, economics, and freedom.

Resources/Links:Brownstone Institute: https://brownstone.org Great Barrington Declaration: https://gbdeclaration.org Follow @DrJBhattacharya and @jeffreytucker on X

Note on censorship: This content was suppressed on YouTube in March 2022 amid broader platform policies that limited discussion of COVID policy critiques. Platforms have since adjusted some rules, but the episode's restoration highlights the importance of alternative distribution channels like X.

Join Jeffrey Tucker on The Brownstone Show as he explores the fascinating and contentious history of vaccines in the United States. Starting with Edward Jenner's groundbreaking 1796 smallpox inoculation using cowpox, we trace the evolution through key milestones, public health policies, and the rise of mandates.

Tucker delves into the role of government intervention, the impact of liability protections like the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, and questions whether the vaccine industry could survive without taxpayer-funded support and legal indemnification.

Whether you're a history buff, public health enthusiast, or curious about the intersection of science and policy, this discussion offers thought-provoking insights into one of the most debated topics today.

Subscribe to Brownstone Institute for more deep dives into public health, philosophy, economics, and social theory:

https://brownstone.org/

Follow Jeffrey Tucker on X: @jeffreytucker Follow Brownstone Institute on X:@brownstoneinst

Find a Brownstone Supper Club near you! https://brownstone.org/brownstone-events

Professor Gigi Foster of the University of New South Wales was one of the few rational voices in the world on matters Covid from early on, taking on practically the whole of Australian journalism and academia. She inspired a global movement.

Gigi speaks of her early doubts about the vaccine and how alarming it was when the injury and death first started to be reported. It was bad enough to violate the human rights of billions of people but to follow that with a mandate for a dangerous potion was really beyond anything ever previously attempted. She further speaks about the need to rebuild community and some of the necessary reforms we need to restore health and freedom.

Links Mentioned in the Interview:

The Cape Byron Lighthouse Declaration: https://lighthousedeclaration.org/

Academia Libera Mentis: https://liberamentis.org/

More Resources: Brownstone Institute: https://brownstone.org/

Gigi Foster's co-authored book The Great Covid Panic: https://www.amazon.com/Great-Covid-Panic-What-Happened/dp/1630692778

Australians for Science and Freedom: https://www.scienceandfreedom.org/

If this interview resonates... like, subscribe, and share to help spread rational voices!

Join Dr. David Bell and host Jeffrey Tucker on The Brownstone Show as they dive into two initiatives: REPPARE and IHRP. David and Jeffrey explore the need to reevaluate global pandemic preparedness based on solid evidence and advocate for ethical reforms to the World Health Organization (WHO) to safeguard national sovereignty and human rights.

REPPARE (REevaluating the Pandemic Preparedness And REsponse agenda): A University of Leeds initiative, supported by Brownstone Institute, aimed at scrutinizing the evidence behind massive pandemic programs. Led by Garrett Wallace Brown and David Bell, it promotes rational policies over panic, questioning inflated risks and pushing for transparent, data-driven approaches to public health.

IHRP (International Health Reform Project): A multidisciplinary effort to redefine international health governance. With contributions from Ramesh Thakur, Elisabeth Paul, and others, it critiques the WHO's shift toward private interests and proposes reforms and alternatives that prioritize ethics, state control, and self-sufficiency to prevent overreach.

This episode challenges the status quo, highlighting how current agendas may prioritize profit over people. Whether you're concerned about future pandemics or global health ethics, this conversation offers critical insights for informed debate.

Resources:

REPPARE Project: https://brownstone.org/reppare/

IHRP Project: https://brownstone.org/ihrp/

Brownstone Institute: https://brownstone.org/

Follow on X: @brownstoneinst| @bell00david| @jeffreytucker

If you enjoyed this, like, subscribe, and hit the bell for more thought-provoking discussions on public health, philosophy, and social theory. Share your thoughts in the comments—what reforms do you think the WHO needs?

Peter St. Onge is easily the most well-known economist on X with a regular show adored by millions. In this interview, he discusses the implications of the Minnesota day-care revelations and what they imply about the fraud industrial complex. The Covid period gave a boost to this industry like no other. Jeffrey and Peter discuss the political and economic fallout and what implies about public perceptions of the welfare state in general. They further discuss macroeconomic trends and how the economics profession could have been so wrong on so many topics. Peter writes for Brownstone Institute and recently accepted a new position at Heritage Foundation.