The Future of Liberty with Mitch Daniels

Liberty Fund

The future of liberty has never been more uncertain. While there remain many reasons for optimism, there is also cause for pessimism or even alarm. With experience in business, education, and politics, former Indiana governor and Purdue University president Mitch Daniels investigates the prospects for the future of liberty and more through conversations with prominent thinkers and leaders across diverse fields.

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

    May 12

    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) The Future of Liberty — Former Indiana governor and Purdue University president Mitch Daniels investigates the prospects for liberty and more through conversations with prominent thinkers and leaders across diverse fields. New episodes are available wherever you listen, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Visit thefutureofliberty.org to learn more.   Stay connected with Liberty Fund on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

    51 min
  2. Lord Andrew Roberts on King George III and the Making of a Revolutionary Narrative

    Mar 24

    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) The Future of Liberty — Former Indiana governor and Purdue University president Mitch Daniels investigates the prospects for liberty and more through conversations with prominent thinkers and leaders across diverse fields. New episodes are available wherever you listen, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Visit thefutureofliberty.org to learn more.   Stay connected with Liberty Fund on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

    46 min
  3. Jeffrey Rosen on the Hamilton–Jefferson Debate at America’s 250th

    Feb 17

    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) The Future of Liberty — Former Indiana governor and Purdue University president Mitch Daniels investigates the prospects for liberty and more through conversations with prominent thinkers and leaders across diverse fields. New episodes are available wherever you listen, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Visit thefutureofliberty.org to learn more.   Stay connected with Liberty Fund on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

    31 min
  4. Matthew Yglesias on Affordability, the Social Safety Net, and Economic Dynamism

    Jan 13

    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) The Future of Liberty — Former Indiana governor and Purdue University president Mitch Daniels investigates the prospects for liberty and more through conversations with prominent thinkers and leaders across diverse fields. New episodes are available wherever you listen, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Visit thefutureofliberty.org to learn more.   Stay connected with Liberty Fund on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

    49 min
  5. Allison Schrager on Free Markets, Public Pensions and America’s Appetite for Risk

    12/09/2025

    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) The Future of Liberty — Former Indiana governor and Purdue University president Mitch Daniels investigates the prospects for liberty and more through conversations with prominent thinkers and leaders across diverse fields. New episodes are available wherever you listen, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Visit thefutureofliberty.org to learn more.   Stay connected with Liberty Fund on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

    46 min
  6. Walter Russell Mead on the Global Link of Prosperity, Power and Liberty

    11/18/2025

    Walter Russell Mead on the Global Link of Prosperity, Power and Liberty

    In this episode of The Future of Liberty with Governor Mitch Daniels, Walter Russell Mead argues that America’s security and prosperity are inseparable from the freedom of other nations. He explores how U.S. engagement in maintaining a balance of power has long supported global liberty, and examines how a new era—defined by rapid technological change, shifting economic power, and the resurgence of authoritarian rivals like China and Russia—is reshaping the relationship between American and global freedom. American Principles in a Changing World (02:07)A New Era of U.S. & Global Leadership (07:40)Democracy in the African Continent (29:31)Innovation v.s. U.S. Institutions (34:59)The Future of Affordable Healthcare (42:36) The Future of Liberty — Former Indiana governor and Purdue University president Mitch Daniels investigates the prospects for liberty and more through conversations with prominent thinkers and leaders across diverse fields. New episodes are available wherever you listen, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Visit thefutureofliberty.org to learn more.   Stay connected with Liberty Fund on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

    49 min
  7. George Will on Executive Power and Civic Virtue

    10/17/2025

    George Will on Executive Power and Civic Virtue

    Mitch Daniels and George Will examine the ambitions and limits of American power—from the restless energy of the executive branch to the resilience of the republic’s institutions. Drawing on his decades of political observation, Will examines the overreach of executive power, the fatigue of America’s two-party system, and the civic virtues that uphold the republic. Together, they reflect on the creative ferment of a free society, the cyclical nature of history, and the moral limits that protect liberty from ambition and fatigue. Caging the “Ambitious Executive Lion” (1:36)The Exhausted Middle and Two-Party System (11:38)The Republic, Virtuous People, & Creative Ferment (21:50)The Tone of Presidential-Centric America (27:17)Cyclical History & the Role of Luck (33:11) The Future of Liberty — Former Indiana governor and Purdue University president Mitch Daniels investigates the prospects for liberty and more through conversations with prominent thinkers and leaders across diverse fields. New episodes are available wherever you listen, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Visit thefutureofliberty.org to learn more.   Stay connected with Liberty Fund on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

    40 min
  8. Matthew Continetti on Tradition and Transformation in Conservative Politics

    09/08/2025

    Matthew Continetti on Tradition and Transformation in Conservative Politics

    In this episode of The Future of Liberty, Governor Mitch Daniels sits down with Matthew Continetti, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and founding editor of the Washington Free Beacon, to examine the evolving landscape of American conservatism in the age of Trump. Drawing on historical context, Continetti explores whether the MAGA movement represents a natural evolution of conservative thought—or a populist departure from its traditional principles. Columbia’s Ideological Legacy & Campus Unrest (1:37)Populism vs. Conservatism: Trump’s Challenge to the Right (7:47)Can MAGA Outlast Trump? Institutionalizing a Movement (20:15)Gen Z’s Rightward Shift & the Future of American Politics (27:44)Does Character Still Matter in Politics? (38:16) The Future of Liberty — Former Indiana governor and Purdue University president Mitch Daniels investigates the prospects for liberty and more through conversations with prominent thinkers and leaders across diverse fields. New episodes are available wherever you listen, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Visit thefutureofliberty.org to learn more.   Stay connected with Liberty Fund on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X.

    49 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
39 Ratings

About

The future of liberty has never been more uncertain. While there remain many reasons for optimism, there is also cause for pessimism or even alarm. With experience in business, education, and politics, former Indiana governor and Purdue University president Mitch Daniels investigates the prospects for the future of liberty and more through conversations with prominent thinkers and leaders across diverse fields.

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