Big Ideas with Ben Weingarten

ChangeUp Media LLC
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Big Ideas with Ben Weingarten

Big Ideas with Ben Weingarten features compelling long-form conversations with exceptional thinkers and doers on the most important ideas and issues of our time, and all time. Discussions focus on topics ranging from national security and foreign affairs, to economics and politics and philosophy and culture with a classical Liberal bent and a grounding in history. Big Ideas with Ben Weingarten challenges the prevailing progressive orthodoxy with a contrarian conservative/libertarian counter-narrative based in individual liberty, limited government, free enterprise and a strong, national interest-oriented and prudently used defense. Host Ben Weingarten is a Senior Fellow at the London Center for Policy Research, Senior Contributor at The Federalist and Founder & CEO of ChangeUp Media, a conservative media consulting and production company.

  1. 07/07/2020

    Rep. Mike Gallagher on the Challenge of Communist China

    Rep. Mike Gallagher (@RepGallagher) (R-WI) is a leading China hawk in Congress, where he serves on the Armed Services Committee, with a background in U.S. Marine Corps Intelligence and as a staffer on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I had Rep. Gallagher on the podcast to discuss his views on what China really wants, to the parallels between the CCP and the Soviet Union, and the relevance of the Cold War paradigm, to ideological warfare and the challenges America faces in waging it, countering Chinese influence across all sectors of American life, Huawei and whether America needs a national industrial policy, Taiwan, and much more. What We Discussed The Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) ultimate goals, and the relevance of its Communist ideology to them Why China poses a greater threat to the U.S. than the Soviet Union during the Cold War The imperative to wage ideological warfare against the CCP, and the challenge America faces in its arguable lack of moral clarity about its mission Countering CHina's influence over U.S. corporations, academic institutions, our media, etc. How to triumph in 5G, and more broadly in strategically significant technological areas against the CCP, and whether we need a national industrial policy Rep. Gallagher's assessment of China's military might Whether America should recognize Taiwan The aims of the new congressional China Task Force Thanks for Listening! Check out other episodes, show notes and transcripts at benweingarten.com/bigideas. Subscribe, rate and review: iTunes | Stitcher | Google | YouTube Follow Ben: Web | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn Advertising & Sponsorship Inquiries: E-mail us. ___________ Backed Vibes (clean) Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

    31 min

  2. 05/26/2020

    Rep Brad Wenstrup on the New Cold War with Communist China and Deep State Corruption

    Rep. Brad Wenstrup (@RepBradWenstrup) (R-OH) is a doctor, Army Reserve officer, and Iraq War veteran who sits on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. I had Rep. Wenstrup on the podcast to discuss his views on  what he describes as an emerging new cold war with Communist China, and the weaponization and hyper-politicization of our national security and intelligence apparatus. What We Discussed The CCP’s tightening of the noose on Hong Kong Whether America should ditch the One-China Policy and recognize Taiwan Long-term fiscal dangers as a consequence of the coronavirus The railroading of General Flynn and Russiagate/Spygate Weaponization and hyper-politicization of the national security and intelligence apparatus, and whether it should be reformed The state of the FISA court and FBI Thanks for Listening! Check out other episodes, show notes and transcripts at benweingarten.com/bigideas. Subscribe, rate and review: iTunes | Stitcher | Google | YouTube Follow Ben: Web | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn Advertising & Sponsorship Inquiries: E-mail us. ___________ Backed Vibes (clean) Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

    38 min

  3. 04/20/2020

    Hedge-Fund Manager Kyle Bass on Winning the Economic and Ideological Battle with Communist China

    Kyle Bass (@Jkylebass) is the Chief Investment Officer of Hayman Capital Management, and arguably the most outspoken China hawk on Wall Street. I had Bass on the podcast to discuss his views on the U.S.-China economic competition, what a U.S. grand strategy with respect to China might look like, and much more. What We Discussed Why Bass believes China is a paper tiger China's ignored Achilles' heel The Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) effort to set up a competing global reserve currency How the CCP has ensured a predominant pro-Beijing narrative in the U.S., through developing relationships with our political class, titans of  financial services and other powerful sectors of the economy, and Hollywood--to our great detriment How America can use capital market reforms to end the CCP's unfair trade practices What Bass would do if he was advising the Trump administration on trade vis-à-vis China Whether America can decouple from China, and what the consequences would be The economic viability of China's Belt and Road Initiative The stakes of the competition with Huawei in 5G telecommunications technology Making China pay for its culpability in the coronavirus crisis China's biggest Achilles heel Bass's three major recommendations for a U.S. grand strategy with respect to China Thanks for Listening! Check out other episodes, show notes and transcripts at benweingarten.com/bigideas. Subscribe, rate and review: iTunes | Stitcher | Google | YouTube Follow Ben: Web | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn Advertising & Sponsorship Inquiries: E-mail us. ___________ Backed Vibes (clean) Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

    40 min

  4. 05/28/2019

    The Democrat-Deep State-Media Cover-Up that Protected the Russiagate Narrative -- Revisiting Awangate with Luke Rosiak

    Luke Rosiak (@lukerosiak) is an investigative reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation where he broke arguably one of the biggest scandals in the history of the federal government -- one the media refused to cover and the prosecutors refused to prosecute.  This is the story of Awangate, which proved no match for Russiagate -- but should have on its merits. It is the subject of Rosiak's Obstruction of Justice: How the Deep State Risked National Security to Protect the Democrats, a book that has taken on new significance as the treasonous Russian collusion narrative collapses. I had Luke Rosiak on the podcast to reflect on the story of the Awans, and its far broader significance for our nation. What We Discussed How the Awans amassed so much power on Capitol Hill The breathtaking litany of criminality of the Awan conspiracy Why and how House Democrats and the Department of Justice covered up Awangate – and House Republicans enabled it Why Rosiak is confident members of Congress were blackmailed and are still susceptible to blackmail by the Awans, how deep the blackmail threat runs and why Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz’s behavior proves it How politicians and bureaucrats put self-interest above national security The inextricably intertwined relationship between Russiagate and Awangate, and what both “investigations” say about the Deep State The Democrat-Media-Deep State collusion over Awangate Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her underlings’ role in rigging the Awan case for the Democrats’ benefit The government’s failure to do anything to prevent future Awans from infiltrating Congress Thanks for Listening! Check out other episodes, show notes and transcripts at benweingarten.com/bigideas. Subscribe, rate and review: iTunes | Stitcher | Google | YouTube Follow Ben: Web | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn Advertising & Sponsorship Inquiries: E-mail us. ___________ Backed Vibes (clean) Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

    45 min

  5. 11/14/2018

    Robert Spencer on Islamic Supremacism, U.S. Middle East Policy, Defeating Jihad

    Robert Spencer (@jihadwatchRS) is the director of the invaluable counterjihadist website, Jihad Watch, and a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center. He is the author of eighteen books, including the New York Times bestsellers The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) and The Truth About Muhammad. His latest book is The History of Jihad From Muhammad to ISIS. Mr. Spencer's work sits at the nexus of a number of seminal issues, from national security and foreign policy, to identity politics and free speech, and theology and political philosophy. The battle being waged by Islamic supremacism against the West implicates all of these matters, and Mr. Spencer's insights make him uniquely qualified to discuss them.  I had him on the Big Ideas podcast to touch on everything from Islamic supremacist ideology and the goals, tactics and strategies its adherents use to impose it, to free speech and the deplatforming of counterjihadists like Spencer himself to the Sunni v. Shia battle in the Middle East and how we can actually triumph in the global jihad being waged against the West. What We Discussed Why the story of Muhammad is so integral to understanding Islamic supremacism, jihad and the Middle East today Mecca vs. Medina in Islamic history, and its practical consequences How Islam defines peace Spencer's view on the prospects of Islamic reformation, and separating political Islam from individual practice Why former CIA Director John Brennan was wrong in his definition of "jihad" Enforcement of Sharia speech codes in the West Jihad Watch's experience getting deplatformed from PayPal The state of the Middle East and what U.S. national interest in the region requires from a policy perspective What Spencer would advocate if he were named counterjihad czar How to vet for Sharia supremacy Defeating jihad, and much more Thanks for Listening! Check out other episodes, show notes and transcripts at benweingarten.com/bigideas. Subscribe, rate and review: iTunes | Stitcher | Google | YouTube Follow Ben: Web | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn Advertising & Sponsorship Inquiries: E-mail us. ___________ Backed Vibes (clean) Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

    37 min

  6. 11/01/2018

    U.S. Amb. to Germany Richard Grenell on Iran Sanctions Snapback, U.S. Energy Competition with Russia in the EU, Chancellor Merkel

    Richard Grenell is the U.S. Ambassador to Germany, and the longest serving UN spokesman and political appointee in American history, where he served from 2001 to 2008. Amb. Grenell occupies one of the most critical positions in American diplomacy in Berlin, not only because Germany represents the EU's largest economy and has disproportionate influence on the continent, but because of its pivotal role with respect to both Iran's efforts to evade U.S. snapback sanctions, and Russia's efforts to provide energy to and thus leverage over European nations. During our discussion we touched on the ambassador’s efforts to persuade the Germans to cease trade with Iran and comply with the U.S. sanctions regime – and how those who resist can justify their stated intolerance of Jew-haters while seeking to do business with a regime dedicated to Israel’s destruction -- Germany’s place in an America First foreign policy, energy, Nord Stream 2 and America’s efforts to counter Russia through selling liquefied natural gas to Germany, Chancellor Merkel and German politics and Amb. Grenell’s dogged efforts to deport a Nazi officer who had been living in the United States for decades. Thanks for Listening! Check out other episodes, show notes and transcripts at benweingarten.com/bigideas. Subscribe, rate and review: iTunes | Stitcher | Google | YouTube Follow Ben: Web | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn Advertising & Sponsorship Inquiries: E-mail us. ___________ Backed Vibes (clean) Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

    27 min

  7. 09/27/2018

    Ex-NSC Official Allegedly Fired Over Memo Warning Trump of ‘Deep State’ Resistance: ‘There’s a Whiff of Tyranny in the Air’ from Politicization and Weaponization of the NatSec Apparatus

    Rich Higgins is an expert on the nexus between theological doctrines and information age unconventional warfare, and has spent 20 years combating terrorism in a variety of senior positions within the Department of Defenses. Higgins, an early supporter of President Trump, served as director for strategic planning in President Trump's National Security Council (NSC). That all changed when a memo that he had produced for President Trump on the political warfare that he was to face internally from the Deep State, and externally from the media and like-minded interest groups in collusion with the administrative state, leaked out to the public. Higgins' memo was dismissed as conspiratorial, and he was fired from the NSC. What he foretold has risen to the forefront again in the wake of the unsigned New York Times op-ed detailing measures taken by Trump administration officials to "Resist" the president, and seek to sabotage his agenda. I had Higgins on the podcast to discuss the "Deep State's" efforts to subvert the president's agenda, whether there was an effort to purge like-minded individuals from Trump's national security and foreign policy team -- and why, what can be done to reform the administrative state, the ramifications of the politicization and weaponization of our national security and intelligence apparatus and much more. What We Discussed Higgins' reaction to the anonymous New York Times op-ed about the brazen Resistance within the Trump White House which seemed to confirm precisely what he warned of in his memo How the litany of allegations being raised against Judge Brett Kavanaugh in his Supreme Court confirmation hearings plays into Higgins' thesis Whether there was a concerted effort to purge national security and foreign policy officials in the Trump administration who sought to advance Trump's agenda, and what Higgins believes the establishment felt so threatened by that it would require such a purging Why Higgins believes it isn't the Deep State or Obama holdovers that are to blame for the sabotage of President Trump's policies, but rather the Republican Party itself Higgins' believe that Resistance to Trump was largely driven by vested financial interests -- specifically centered on China -- and the belief Trump would upend the major investments of the last 30 years in restructuring the global financial architecture and economy, hurting said vested interests How to reform the "Deep State" The "whiff of tyranny" in the air over the ability for the intelligence community to use its surveillance powers against American citizens, up to and including spying on and seeking to undermine and bring down the president Higgins' view on protecting liberty in the face of powerful surveillance tools and the need to counter our adversaries The imperative to bring back civics and reunite the country on the basis of shared values, principles and knowledge of and reverence for our Founding What Higgins would add to his memo to the president if he had the chance today Thanks for Listening! Check out other episodes, show notes and transcripts at benweingarten.com/bigideas. Subscribe, rate and review: iTunes | Stitcher | Google | YouTube Follow Ben: Web | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn Advertising & Sponsorship Inquiries: E-mail us. ___________ Backed Vibes (clean) Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

    30 min

  8. 08/30/2018

    Did the 'Deep State' Deep Six Pentagon's Lovinger Over Discovery of Shady Defense Department Contracts to FBI Trump Informant Stefan Halper?

    Sean Bigley (@smb_JD) is a national security attorney who prosecutes intelligence community whistleblower retaliation cases. His firm represents approximately 200 U.S. intelligence officers, diplomats, armed forces members and other security clearance holders each year. But in Mr. Bigley's vast experience as a litigator and former federal background investigator, one case of alleged brazen political retaliation has topped them all. This is the case of former distinguished Pentagon Office of Net Assessment analyst and Trump National Security Council Director Adam Lovinger. In defending Lovinger as a whistleblower of malfeasance involving contracts provided to not only a close confidante of the Clinton family, but the now-infamous informant in the Trump campaign, Stefan Halper, Bigley has witnessed a case of alleged political retribution by Obama administration holdovers the likes of which should chill any American. I had Bigley on the podcast to tell this story -- illustrative of the bipartisan deep rot and corruption within our federal bureaucracy -- and to discuss much more regarding politicization and weaponization of security clearances and how to reform the administrative state and protect its whistleblowers. What We Discussed The historical politicization and weaponization of national security clearances  How the politicization and weaponization of national security clearances by holdovers meant to block President Trump's nominees and appointees from coming into the administration is an entirely new pernicious tactic The story of how the highly rated 12-plus year Pentagon analyst Adam Lovinger has had his career destroyed after blowing the whistle on malfeasance within the Department of Defense's in-house think-tank, the Office of Net Assessment (ONA), including: The issues Lovinger blew the whistle on to his superior, ONA Director James Baker, a holdover from the Obama administration, which touched on improper contracts being doled out to among others a close friend of Chelsea Clinton and Stefan Halper, the informant the U.S. government sicced on the Trump campaign to make contact with officials vis-a-vis Russia The original probe into Lovinger, for which he was exonerated, that arose shortly after he started writing about malfeasance within his office -- the first such probe in Lovinger's career The subsequent investigations into Lovinger contemporaneous with his being detailed to a prestigious role within the Trump National Security Council -- run by investigators allegedly wholly unequipped to do the investigating and tied to Lovinger's old boss Mr. Baker, which would ultimately lead to the suspension and revocation of Lovinger's security clearance and his losing his job and pay The allegedly rigged process by which these investigations took place, violating Lovinger's right to due process by not providing the accused with basic information on the charges against him, documentation, leaking of defamatory information on Lovinger to the media, etc. Why Lovinger's attorney believes the charges raised against Lovinger were "a total farce," "trial balloon charges" leaked in an attempt to "figure out what would stick" How the adjudication process for action taken against Lovinger ultimately may result in him having to make his case to a "panel of unaccountable bureaucrats who report directly to the same woman who has been leading the charge against him from Day One" Why Lovinger's attorney believes there is a political motivation behind the pursuit of Lovinger, based in no small part on his raising issues with contracts again doled out to a close confidante of the Clintons -- for whom Hillary Clinton allegedly lobbied -- and the informant into the Trump campaign Stefan Halper Lovinger's message to President Trump What reforms Lovinger's attorney would recommend in order to protect whistleblowers in the face of an intransigent administrative state Thanks for Listening! Check out other episodes, show notes and

    37 min
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About

Big Ideas with Ben Weingarten features compelling long-form conversations with exceptional thinkers and doers on the most important ideas and issues of our time, and all time. Discussions focus on topics ranging from national security and foreign affairs, to economics and politics and philosophy and culture with a classical Liberal bent and a grounding in history. Big Ideas with Ben Weingarten challenges the prevailing progressive orthodoxy with a contrarian conservative/libertarian counter-narrative based in individual liberty, limited government, free enterprise and a strong, national interest-oriented and prudently used defense. Host Ben Weingarten is a Senior Fellow at the London Center for Policy Research, Senior Contributor at The Federalist and Founder & CEO of ChangeUp Media, a conservative media consulting and production company.

Information

  • Creator
    ChangeUp Media LLC
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2020
  • Episodes
    21
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2019 ChangeUp Media LLC
  • Show Website
    Big Ideas with Ben Weingarten

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