Tom Schatz, President of Citizens Against Government Waste, joins Andrew Langer on the Lunch Hour podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about federal spending, healthcare policy and the challenge of cutting government waste.

Schatz discusses pork-barrel spending and congressional earmarks, the national debt, universal basic income and the debate over government’s role in healthcare. The conversation then turns to the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), its record on healthcare spending and efforts by Schatz and other advocates to eliminate the program.

Andrew and Tom also examine the broader debate over the size and role of government, the legacy of the Reagan era, regulatory policy, broadband spending and the proper role of government in artificial intelligence.

Finally, Schatz discusses the current priorities of Citizens Against Government Waste and the organization’s continuing efforts to identify waste, fraud, abuse and mismanagement across the federal government.

00:00 — Introducing Tom Schatz
01:41 — Why Government Waste Keeps Growing
03:20 — Earmarks & Pork-Barrel Spending
04:35 — Government Spending & Rebate Proposals
06:50 — Universal Basic Income
08:41 — Medicare for All & Healthcare Choice
12:37 — America's Healthcare Shortage
13:53 — The Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation
17:12 — Can Congress Eliminate CMMI?
19:39 — Finding Real Government Savings
24:11 — Reagan, Free Markets & the Role of Government
27:26 — When Good Intentions Meet Reality
29:21 — Regulation & Government "Magical Thinking"
31:49 — CAGW's Current Priorities
32:43 — Government's Role in AI
35:23 — Spending, Debt & Federal Programs
37:20 — What's Next for CMMI?
38:57 — Closing Thoughts

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Joe Bishop-Henchman, Executive Vice President of the National Taxpayers Union Foundation, joins Andrew Langer for a deep dive into taxpayer rights, tax enforcement and the legal battles shaping tax policy across the country.

Bishop-Henchman discusses NTUF’s long-running lawsuit challenging IRS fees imposed on paid tax preparers, why taxpayers can face enormous obstacles when challenging the government, and the work of NTUF’s Taxpayer Defense Center. He also examines how artificial intelligence could change IRS enforcement and why protecting donor privacy remains an important legal issue.

The conversation then turns to the states, including the lawsuit that helped spur reform of Louisiana’s complicated local sales tax system and the legal fight over Maryland’s first-in-the-nation digital advertising tax.

Bishop-Henchman explains why Maryland’s tax has faced years of litigation, the arguments against taxing digital advertising differently from traditional advertising, and what the latest court ruling could mean for the future of the tax.

00:00 — Introducing Joe Bishop-Henchman
02:30 — Taking the IRS to Court
05:00 — The IRS Tax Preparer Fee
08:12 — Why Tax Cases Can Take Years
10:09 — Defending Taxpayer Rights
13:16 — AI & the Future of IRS Enforcement
18:06 — Why Taxpayers Often Settle
19:33 — The Fight Over Donor Privacy
24:37 — Reforming Louisiana's Sales Tax System
31:12 — Using Litigation to Change Tax Policy
33:21 — Maryland's Digital Advertising Tax
38:57 — The Legal Battle Over Maryland's Tax
41:28 — Why the Court Struck It Down
44:05 — What Happens Next?
45:08 — Closing Thoughts

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Tariffs dominate the trade debate—but what about the barriers American companies face after entering a foreign market?

On this episode of the Lunch Hour podcast, host Andrew Langer sits down with Matt Mowers, President of Valcour and Executive Director of the U.S.-Asia Fair Market Alliance, to examine the non-tariff barriers facing American businesses across Asia.

Mowers discusses regulatory restrictions, market access, digital trade and enforcement practices that he argues can put U.S. companies at a disadvantage even when tariff rates appear fair. He explains why these issues are particularly important in countries such as South Korea, Japan, India and China—and how restrictions on American businesses can create opportunities for Chinese competitors.

The conversation also explores China’s growing economic influence, international standards-setting, the Belt and Road Initiative, intellectual property and the competition for leadership in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology.

Finally, Mowers discusses the connection between economic strength and American foreign policy, and why he believes ensuring fair access for U.S. companies abroad is increasingly important to both economic competitiveness and national security.

00:00 — Introducing Matt Mowers
02:18 — What Are Non-Tariff Trade Barriers?
04:37 — The U.S.-Asia Fair Market Alliance
05:53 — How Trade Barriers Can Benefit China
07:12 — American Tech Companies & Asian Regulations
09:07 — China's Influence Across Asia
12:59 — Free Trade, Tariffs & a Level Playing Field
16:21 — The WTO & Bilateral Trade Negotiations
17:44 — U.S.-South Korea Relations
19:15 — China, Market Access & American Companies
20:42 — China's Influence on International Standards
23:00 — The Belt and Road Initiative
26:45 — AI, Technology & the Competition With China
28:18 — Pharmaceuticals, IP & American Innovation
30:29 — What's Next for the U.S.-Asia Fair Market Alliance?
32:30 — Chinese Technology, Data & Security
34:13 — Mowers' Background in Foreign Policy
37:12 — Closing Thoughts

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