Episodes

  • Can Congress Police Itself? Insider Trading Bills, Blind Trusts, and Public Trust - with James Copland Part 2

    Can Congress Police Itself? Insider Trading Bills, Blind Trusts, and Public Trust - with James Copland Part 2
    Jan 30 2026
    In the final segment of America’s NewsHour, Bill Bernardoni continues his conversation with James R. Copeland, Senior Fellow and Director of Legal Policy at the Manhattan Institute, examining the latest congressional proposals aimed at curbing insider trading and conflicts of interest. The discussion breaks down:
    • Why these bills apply to Congress—but not the president
    • The differences between the PELOSI Act, STOP Insider Trading Act, and other proposals
    • Forced divestment vs. blind trusts vs. pre-clearance trading rules
    • Tax consequences and unintended effects on who can serve in Congress
    • Why appearance and public trust may matter as much as legality
    The segment closes with a broader reflection on how stock trading controversies—legal or not—fuel distrust in government and undermine confidence in public institutions.

    Should members of Congress be barred from trading individual stocks altogether, or would stronger disclosure and pre-clearance rules be enough to restore public trust?
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    11 mins
  • Congressional Insider Trading: What the STOCK Act Does—and Why It Falls Short - with James Copland Part 1

    Congressional Insider Trading: What the STOCK Act Does—and Why It Falls Short - with James Copland Part 1
    Jan 30 2026
    In this segment of America’s NewsHour, Bill Bernardoni is joined by James R. Copeland, Senior Fellow and Director of Legal Policy at the Manhattan Institute, to break down the STOCK Act and the renewed debate over congressional insider trading. Drawing on Copeland’s congressional testimony, the conversation explores:
    • What the STOCK Act actually prohibits—and what it doesn’t
    • Why disclosure rules alone may not deter questionable behavior
    • High-profile examples that fuel public distrust, even absent illegality
    • Gaps in enforcement, penalties, and transparency
    • The tradeoffs behind proposed reforms, including blind trusts and stock bans
    This is a sober discussion about ethics, appearance, and public trust—separating what’s illegal from what simply doesn’t sit right with voters.

    Should members of Congress be allowed to trade individual stocks at all, or would stricter disclosure and enforcement be enough to restore public trust?
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    10 mins
  • Legal Black Holes: Why Families Can’t Hold Federal Agents Accountable - with Mike Fox Part 2

    Legal Black Holes: Why Families Can’t Hold Federal Agents Accountable - with Mike Fox Part 2
    Jan 30 2026
    In Segment Two of America’s NewsHour, Bill Bernardoni continues his conversation with Mike Fox, legal fellow at the Cato Institute’s Project on Criminal Justice, diving deeper into the issue of accountability when federal agents use deadly force. The discussion focuses on:
    • Why families often have no realistic legal path to justice
    • The limits of the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA)
    • Why victims can’t sue federal agents the way they can state or local police
    • How qualified immunity and the erosion of Bivens block cases from ever reaching a jury
    • What Congress could do—right now—to restore accountability
    This is a sobering look at how constitutional rights can disappear inside federal enforcement—and why reform at the margins won’t fix a broken system.

    Should Congress allow families to sue federal agents directly when constitutional rights are violated, or does current immunity go too far?
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    9 mins
  • ICE, Deadly Force, and Accountability: What the Law Allows—and What Happens When It Fails - with Mike Fox Part 1

    ICE, Deadly Force, and Accountability: What the Law Allows—and What Happens When It Fails - with Mike Fox Part 1
    Jan 30 2026
    In the opening segment of America’s NewsHour, Bill Bernardoni is joined by Mike Fox, legal fellow with the Cato Institute’s Project on Criminal Justice, to examine the legal standards governing ICE and Border Patrol use of deadly force—and why accountability so often breaks down when federal agents are involved. The conversation covers:
    • Supreme Court standards for police and federal use of force
    • ICE and DHS training, hiring practices, and rapid expansion
    • Why early official narratives in shootings should be treated skeptically
    • The lack of criminal and civil accountability for federal agents
    • How qualified immunity and limits on lawsuits leave families without recourse
    This is a clear-eyed discussion about law, power, and what happens when constitutional rights collide with federal enforcement.

    Should federal law enforcement agents be subject to the same accountability standards as state and local police when deadly force is used?
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    10 mins
  • Greenland, America First, and the Limits of Power: Strategy, Politics, and Accountability - with Michael Letts Part 2

    Greenland, America First, and the Limits of Power: Strategy, Politics, and Accountability - with Michael Letts Part 2
    Jan 30 2026
    In the final segment of America’s NewsHour, Bill Bernardoni continues his in-depth conversation with Michael Letts, founder and CEO of InvestUSA, exploring the politics behind the president’s renewed focus on Greenland, national security, and America’s role on the global stage. The discussion goes beyond geography to ask harder questions:
    • Does the strategic case for Greenland justify the political cost?
    • When does directness become counterproductive?
    • How do “America First” voters reconcile global engagement with domestic accountability?
    • Why explanation and transparency matter as much as policy itself
    • Whether partnership—not purchase—could achieve the same national security goals
    The segment closes with a candid reflection on messaging, trust, and why policy without explanation fuels unnecessary division.

    Is the strategic case for Greenland strong enough to justify the political fallout, or did poor messaging turn a defensible policy into an unnecessary controversy?
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    11 mins
  • Why Greenland Matters: National Security, Russia, China, and Presidential Power - with Michael Letts Part 1

    Why Greenland Matters: National Security, Russia, China, and Presidential Power - with Michael Letts Part 1
    Jan 30 2026
    In the second half of America’s NewsHour, Bill Bernardoni is joined by Michael Letts, founder and CEO of InvestUSA, to unpack one of the most misunderstood foreign policy stories in the news: why Greenland matters to the United States. The conversation covers:
    • The strategic importance of Greenland dating back to World War II
    • Missile defense, Arctic geography, and nuclear deterrence
    • Why Russia and China are interested in Greenland
    • The role of Denmark, NATO, and Western Hemisphere security
    • A candid discussion about presidential tactics, diplomacy, and the risks of rhetoric
    This isn’t about soundbites or speculation—it’s a grounded explanation of why Greenland keeps coming up, why it matters, and where legitimate concerns meet legitimate criticism.

    Do you agree with the strategic case for U.S. involvement in Greenland, or has the president’s rhetoric undermined an otherwise legitimate national security concern?
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    10 mins
  • Rural Health Care Reality Check: Why $50B May Not Be Enough for Patients or Hospitals - with Michael Topchik Part 2

    Rural Health Care Reality Check: Why $50B May Not Be Enough for Patients or Hospitals - with Michael Topchik Part 2
    Jan 30 2026
    In Segment Two of America’s NewsHour, Bill Bernardoni continues his conversation with Michael Topchik of Chartis, one of the country’s leading experts on rural health care, before offering a clear-eyed breakdown of what the administration’s $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program really means on the ground. The discussion explores:
    • Whether this funding can actually lower patient costs and insurance premiums
    • Why nearly half of rural hospitals are already operating at a loss
    • How Medicaid cuts shape the context behind the program
    • The tension between long-term reforms and immediate financial survival
    • Why rural communities may be facing five-week problems inside a five-year plan
    This isn’t spin. It’s a reality check on what rural hospitals and patients are facing right now—and what may come too late.

    Will long-term reforms like workforce development and telehealth help rural communities fast enough, or are hospitals facing a financial cliff before relief arrives?
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    9 mins
  • Rural Health Care at a Crossroads: $50B Investment, Medicaid Cuts, and What Comes Next - with Michael Topchik Part 1

    Rural Health Care at a Crossroads: $50B Investment, Medicaid Cuts, and What Comes Next - with Michael Topchik Part 1
    Jan 30 2026
    Is historic funding enough to save rural hospitals? In Episode 33 of America’s NewsHour, Bill Bernardoni is joined by Michael Topchik of Chartis, one of the nation’s leading experts on rural health care, to break down the administration’s newly announced $50 billion Rural Health Transformation Program. They discuss:
    • Why the funding was created and how it compares to past federal health investments
    • Whether the money meaningfully offsets proposed Medicaid cuts
    • How states plan to use the funds—and why some rural hospitals worry it won’t address their most urgent needs
    • Workforce shortages, telehealth expansion, and the challenge of health-care interoperability
    It’s a candid, middle-of-the-road conversation about what’s promising, what’s missing, and what rural communities actually need to survive.

    Do you think the $50B rural health investment will meaningfully help rural hospitals, or is it a temporary fix that fails to address deeper Medicaid and workforce challenges?
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    10 mins