The Future of Liberty with Mitch Daniels

Michael Auslin on the Declaration of Independence and the Spirit of 1776

Dr. Michael Auslin joins Mitch Daniels to discuss his new book National Treasure and the remarkable story behind the Declaration of Independence as it turns 250. They explore the document's improbable physical survival, myths about July 4th, Jefferson's lost "fair copy," and the passages Congress removed. The conversation moves to the Declaration's enduring power as a statement of natural rights, its role in debates over slavery, equality, and liberty from the Civil War through the civil rights movement, and how movements around the world have claimed its language for vastly different purposes. Auslin and Daniels reflect on the founders' spirit of compromise, civic friendship, and what the Declaration still has to teach Americans in 2026. * The Declaration's Wild Survival Story (01:12) * Why We Celebrate July 4th & Not July 2nd (09:16) * All Men Are Created Equal, What Did They Mean? (20:26) * The Confederates Loved the Declaration (29:12) * Compromise Made the Country (42:59) You can find The Future of Liberty with Gov. Mitch Daniels podcast [https://thefutureofliberty.org/] wherever you get your podcasts including on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-future-of-liberty/id1754223048], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1MEIj8ghWDbmjxX86xPfd0?si=xBSpjr7OSs6AsuPpJ-S9JA], and YouTube [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUf77X1sckHBIflWhRiCMZwXwccD8u_Le&feature=shared].   Stay connected with Liberty Fund on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/LibertyFundInc/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/libertyfund/], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/libertyfundinc/], and X [https://x.com/liberty_fund].

Lord Andrew Roberts on King George III and the Making of a Revolutionary Narrative

Historian Lord Andrew Roberts joins Mitch Daniels to challenge one of America’s most enduring narratives: that King George III was a tyrant. Drawing on his book The Last King of America, Roberts argues for a more complex (and surprising) view of the monarch at the center of the Revolution. The discussion explores constitutional government, the power of political myth, and the lasting significance of the American founding for liberty today. * Common Law Tradition & the Foundations of Liberty (02:50) * The Declaration of Independence: Ideals vs. Political Rhetoric (11:20) * Westward Expansion, Empire, and the Roots of Revolution (20:30) * Constitutional Monarchy and the Limits of Political Power (31:50) * NATO, Burden Sharing, and the Future of the West (42:00) You can find The Future of Liberty with Gov. Mitch Daniels podcast [https://thefutureofliberty.org/] wherever you get your podcasts including on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-future-of-liberty/id1754223048], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1MEIj8ghWDbmjxX86xPfd0?si=xBSpjr7OSs6AsuPpJ-S9JA], and YouTube [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUf77X1sckHBIflWhRiCMZwXwccD8u_Le&feature=shared].   Stay connected with Liberty Fund on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/LibertyFundInc/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/libertyfund/], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/libertyfundinc/], and X [https://x.com/liberty_fund].

Jeffrey Rosen on the Hamilton–Jefferson Debate at America’s 250th

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, Mitch Daniels sits down with legal scholar and author Dr. Jeffrey Rosen to explore the enduring constitutional debate that has shaped the nation from its founding to today. Drawing from his new book The Pursuit of Liberty, Rosen traces the long-running clash between Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson over national power and states’ rights, executive authority and congressional restraint, liberal and strict constitutional interpretation, and shows how that debate continues to define the Supreme Court’s most consequential cases. * Hamilton vs. Jefferson & America’s Founding Debate (01:17) * Faith, Reason, & Freedom of Conscience (08:23) * Immigration, Birthright Citizenship, & the Fourteenth Amendment (11:27) * Polarization, Insurrection, & Historical Perspective (17:59) * Progressivism, Executive Power, & the Administrative State (24:47) You can find The Future of Liberty with Gov. Mitch Daniels podcast [https://thefutureofliberty.org/] wherever you get your podcasts including on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-future-of-liberty/id1754223048], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1MEIj8ghWDbmjxX86xPfd0?si=xBSpjr7OSs6AsuPpJ-S9JA], and YouTube [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUf77X1sckHBIflWhRiCMZwXwccD8u_Le&feature=shared].   Stay connected with Liberty Fund on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/LibertyFundInc/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/libertyfund/], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/libertyfundinc/], and X [https://x.com/liberty_fund].

Matthew Yglesias on Affordability, the Social Safety Net, and Economic Dynamism

In this episode of The Future of Liberty, Mitch Daniels speaks with journalist and author Matthew Yglesias about affordability, the social safety net, and the conditions required for economic dynamism in a free society. Their wide-ranging conversation examines housing, energy, transportation, education, and entitlement policy, with attention to the “sacred cows” that often shape political debate and influence approaches to reform. * Civil Discourse & the Search for Truth (02:31) * Energy Policy, Environmental Tradeoffs, & Reality (13:25) * Artificial Intelligence & the Future of Learning (26:24) * Work, Human Dignity, & Universal Basic Income (28:27) * Liberty, Rule of Law, & National Prosperity (41:40) You can find The Future of Liberty with Gov. Mitch Daniels podcast [https://thefutureofliberty.org/] wherever you get your podcasts including on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-future-of-liberty/id1754223048], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1MEIj8ghWDbmjxX86xPfd0?si=xBSpjr7OSs6AsuPpJ-S9JA], and YouTube [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUf77X1sckHBIflWhRiCMZwXwccD8u_Le&feature=shared].   Stay connected with Liberty Fund on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/LibertyFundInc/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/libertyfund/], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/libertyfundinc/], and X [https://x.com/liberty_fund].

Allison Schrager on Free Markets, Public Pensions and America’s Appetite for Risk

In this episode of The Future of Liberty, Gov. Mitch Daniels speaks with economist and writer Allison Schrager about the misunderstood legacy of neoliberalism, the real effects of tariffs and fiscal policy, and the growing risks posed by public pensions and entitlement programs. They explore America’s shifting relationship to risk, the rise and fading of the “virtue economy,” the persistence of DEI in institutions, and the politicization of universities and scientific research. Schrager also reflects on generational attitudes toward freedom and what the country must do to remain innovative, prosperous, and free. * The Meaning of Neoliberalism (01:00) * Trade, Tariffs & Political Discretion (09:10) * The “Virtue Economy” & Market Distortions (19:40) * Politicization of Universities & Science (26:45) * The Decline of Risk-Taking in America (38:13) You can find The Future of Liberty with Gov. Mitch Daniels podcast [https://thefutureofliberty.org/] wherever you get your podcasts including on Apple Podcasts [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-future-of-liberty/id1754223048], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/1MEIj8ghWDbmjxX86xPfd0?si=xBSpjr7OSs6AsuPpJ-S9JA], and YouTube [https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUf77X1sckHBIflWhRiCMZwXwccD8u_Le&feature=shared].   Stay connected with Liberty Fund on Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/LibertyFundInc/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/libertyfund/], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/libertyfundinc/], and X [https://x.com/liberty_fund].