Realizing that his young adult children and their generation had been very poorly served by a failed policy experiment to let social media go completely unchecked with no regulation for 20 years, Rob Eleveld, who has an extensive background as the CEO of tech software and data companies, co-founded the Transparency Coalition in 2023.

Eleveld talked with podcast host Frank Knapp about the mission of his coalition, which says that the health and well-being of US citizens, especially children, has been an afterthought in the race towards profits masked as innovation. The sexual and suicide grooming of children by AI generated chat boxes are horrific examples of why states should regulate AI.

He says that the tech lobby has DC wired so that it won’t pass the AI regulation that President Trump called for in his recent Executive Order, which called for an almost complete ban on states regulating AI. He says that no AI regulation already passed has impacted national security and innovation, the concerns stated by the President.

Eleveld lists laws passed in red states that are good examples of needed legislation in every state. His coalition advocates that the AI industry should be held accountable for the harm it causes to our citizens and businesses under existing product liability laws. He says that small businesses in particular are very exposed if they use AI systems because the AI companies shove all liability in the use of their systems onto the business. Eleveld calls for laws to make the developer of the product also liable.

Dori Jaffe has a difficult job--as the national Sierra Clubs' managing attorney she oversees the organization's work in numerous states advocating the creation of regulations needed to protect consumers from paying higher electric rates due to the growth of data centers.

She discusses with podcast host Frank Knapp how large load tariffs and new cost of service models are essential to protect residential and small business electricity customer from subsidizing Google, Meta and other Big Tech companies being served by data centers.

Jaffe also dismisses the claims of Big Tech companies that they want to pay their "fair share" of energy costs. She warns that state legislators should understand that these social media giants define "fair share" as simply paying their electric bills, not actually paying for all the new energy generation and transmission costs they are creating.

Finally, she discusses models other states have developed and are developing to make sure that consumers are not subsidizing the profits of Big Tech.

Representative Brandon Guffey of York County talks with podcast host Frank Knapp about the loss of his son due to sextortion and what he has and is doing to stop other children from this crime and other threats from Artificial Intelligence industry.

He describes how children are being extorted for money and even commit crimes to keep private photos they have shared after being lured into fake online relationships.

Rep. Guffey has become a national leader in the effort to protect children from algorithms used by tech companies to push pornography, misinformation, and extreme positions on to children. He says that interactive features like Chatbox AI have even promoted children to commit suicide.

Rep. Guffey is passionate about stopping efforts by President Trump and bipartisan members of Congress to stop states from regulating AI. Social media companies are spending hundreds of millions in support of national efforts to pre-empt states from enacting AI regulations.

He blames a 1996 law passed by Congress to protect social media companies from being held liable for gross negligence impacting anyone over the age of 13. He blames social media’s deep pockets as the reason Congress has not amended that law to protect children.

Jay Doyle tells podcast host Frank Knapp why he recently ran for the Mayor of the City of Georgetown as the Forward Party candidate and how he successfully defeated the GOP incumbent. Doyle, a retired small business owner, says that did not have a lifelong goal to be a politician but somebody needed to stand up to challenge his city’s direction.

The City of Georgetown has experienced a massive economic hit from the closure of the local paper mill and its nearly 700 employees. Additionally, the city-owned electric utility had just shut off power to over 3,000 residents due to non-payments. These and other issues convinced Doyle that the city needed new leadership.

Doyle shares his specific goal of developing new manufacturing that would also use the state’s timber resources that had been instrumental to the local and state’s economy.

Community Development Financial Institutions provide capital and technical assistance to rural and underserved small businesses, farmers, and affordable housing projects using federal and large private financial institution funds. There are over 1,400 of these mission-driven community lenders in the U.S. Now, the Trump Administration is planning on terminating federal staff at the CDFI program.

Antonio White, former U.S. Treasury Deputy Assistant Secretary, says that the current Administration is intent of “wiping America of any remnant of a perceived diversity, equity and inclusion programs.” CDFIs, that have great bipartisan support, have been caught up in this effort and the Administration is wrongfully targeting them as corporate welfare and DEI says White.

White insists that Congressional leaders need to step up to defend CDFIs and the great work they do in community development and providing local banking in communities where traditional financial institutions have abandoned.

The rule of law is the bedrock of a strong economy is a top concern of a relatively new national small business coalition, Integrity Matters. Audrey Roofeh, who founded the organization this past April, told podcast host Frank Knapp that when she heard many complaints from some of her consulting clients about how their federal contracts had been cancelled, and they would not receive payment for services already provided.

Roofeh talked about the two main goals of Integrity Matters: 1) Protecting the Rule of Law and 2) Defend Independent Institutions.

Roofeh argues that small business owners have an important role to play in educating the public about the need to defend democratic norms and economic stability.

In a recent opinion editorial in the Charleston Post and Courier, South Carolina state Senator Sean Bennett (R-Dorchester County) wrote:

"ABC’s suspension of the late-night host after his crude remarks on the murder of Charlie Kirk was greeted by some with applause. Even President Donald Trump called it 'great news for America.' I cannot agree."

Senator Bennett talks with podcast host Frank Knapp about his passion to defend freedom of speech and his criticism of federal government efforts to silence opinion it deems unacceptable.

Senator Bennett, who chairs the Senate Ethics Commission, shared his concern that the country is in a scary place on polarization and the demonization of people who don’t agree with us. He points to causes including political campaigning, lack of teaching civics at all levels of education, and social media, which he says that he would eliminate if it was in his power.

The Senator ends his opinion editorial with this:

"Free speech will not survive on sentiment alone. It needs citizens who know why it matters, leaders who will defend it even when unpopular and institutions that will teach its roots in our civilization."

Christopher Purdy, founder and CEO of The Chamberlain Network, talks with podcast host Frank Knapp about the National Guard being inappropriately used by the Trump Administration. Knapp, CEO of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce, is also the managing director of the Secure Growth Initiative, a national small business coalition focusing on the need for positive immigration reform.

Purdy gives the background of the National Guard: history, purpose, chain of command and authority of Governors and the President. He says that when the members of the Guard are federalized, they become part of the active military, which has legal limits on law enforcement activities within the country.

Purdy is concerned about how misuse of the National Guard will negatively impact the Guard in moral, community trust, and readiness. He worries that members of the National Guard will start not renewing their contracts with the Guard and employers will start being uncomfortable in hiring a Guardsman if the National Guard becomes politicized.