Upstream Ideas

Has society lost the ability to have a moral fact-based dialogue? Why have those in academia dumbed down education and turned learning into the propagation of opinions rather than a search for the truth? Have helicopter parents set their kids up for failure? Oklahoma Wesleyan University President, Dr. Everett Piper, joins Dan and Kristen McQueary to discuss.

Is Google engaging in more than just civic participation and entered the world of politics? Are Google and Facebook self-aware of their perception and trying to rebuild trust with users and particularly conservatives? "The Creepy Line" documentary director, Matt Taylor joins Dan and Kristen McQueary to discuss.

Is it finally score one for Trump and Kudlow as China moves to lower auto tariffs? Should we still be holding out hope for a free trade agreement? How impactful was the arrest of the Chinese executive in Canada? Are the U.S. and China no longer a friendly rivalry? Chief Economist for CNN, Steve Moore joins Dan and Amy to discuss tariffs and his sit down with the President yesterday.

Has DePaul freshman, David Krupa, already provided more public service than Madigan and Quinn have in their combined 55 years in office? What does who Krupa supported for president have to do with the validity of the signatures on his petitions? Candidate for 13th Ward Alderman, David Krupa joins Dan and Amy to discuss the obstacles he’s faced to even get on the ballot against the Chicago Democratic machine.

Is Trump his own chief of staff? How much credit does General Kelly deserve? Is Comey getting away with too much in the public view? Is it time for Trump to have a national address to tout his accomplishments and discuss what needs to be done the next two years? What does Trump need to do or say to expand his base? How does the Left use their dominance in popular culture as a weapon against their political opponents? Podcaster and Hollywood screenwriter, Andrew Klavan joins Dan and Amy to discuss.

If Andrew McCarthy is right and Trump gets indicted, then what happens? Would the Southern District of New York have to get sign off from the Justice Department to get an indictment? What will William Barr’s perspective be on this? Does Comey have selective amnesia when it comes to certain investigations he was in charge of while head of the FBI? Former Chief Asst. U.S. Attorney and Contributing Editor at National Review, Andrew McCarthy joins Dan and Amy to discuss.

Was Trump’s hush money a political contribution per the statute despite what Cohen is alleging? Will Trump be unable to have a trial to clear himself and continue to have the issue cloud over his presidency? Are politically ambitious prosecutors overrunning the normal relationship between the FEC and Department of Justice? Former FEC Commissioner, Bradley Smith joins Dan and Amy to discuss.

Should the goal be to get China to say yes to anything? How did the stock market react to the G20 Summit? Rather than sweeping differences under the rug, why is Trump airing the dirty laundry in our relationship with China? Will Trump force China to change their business model? Is the Chinese government on shakier ground than typically considered? CNBC contributor, Jim Iuorio joins Dan and Amy to discuss the economic impact of the China agreement.

Michael Goodwin joins Dan and Amy to recap his interview with President Trump. How does President Trump see the Mueller investigation ending? What is his frame of mind? Is Trump furious, and if so at who? What was President Trump referring to when he told Goodwin and his colleagues "I’m a counter-puncher and I will hit them so hard they’d never been hit like that.” After two and a half years of investigation, do we have any evidence against President Trump or his campaign? New York Post Columnist and Fox News Contributor, Michael Goodwin joins Dan and Amy.

Has the economy been growing organically or only doing well at the moment due to a bunch of temporary juicing? Have deregulation and the tax cuts done enough to propel the economy? Is the current trade war not looking so easy to win? How important is the outcome of Brexit in the UK and protests in Paris for the global economy? Does junk science breed junk economics? CNBC Contributor and AEI columnist James Pethokoukis joins Dan and Amy to discuss.

What should Republicans do amidst a potential government shutdown over border wall funding and a non negotiable Nancy Pelosi? Who are possible replacements for John Kelly as chief of staff? Have the “social justice” followers on the left and the hardcore “Trumpers” on the right’s movements taken a theocratic turn? Associate Editor for Commentary Magazine, Noah Rothman joins Dan and Amy to discuss.

What is the difference between process crimes and comparing and contrasting them with respect to the Mueller investigation and Ken Starr’s investigation of Clinton? Will Trump be indicted regarding campaign finance laws? Should there be concerns of a culture of “give me the man and I’ll give you the crime” happening in the FBI? Should Trump’s AG pick, William Barr, dive deep into the IG report surrounding the Hillary Clinton investigation and FISA abuses? Former U.S. Attorney General, Alberto Gonzales joins Dan and Amy to discuss.

Was Bush 41 the most truly prepared person to be president? Did he have quite possibly the best national security/foreign policy team in American history? Speaking of foreign policy, how did Trump fare over the weekend at the G20 Summit with a new NAFTA agreement and temporary truce in the trade war with China? Former Deputy Undersecretary of Defense, Jed Babbin joins Dan and Amy to discuss.

What are the stark differences between the way the Bush 41 treated his secret service detail compared to the Clintons or Al Gore? Politics aside, is it hard to argue against the legacy of Bush 41's humanity and decency as a leader? How have the media standards changed since his presidency compared to the scam artists posing as journalists today? New York Times bestselling author, Ronald Kessler joins Dan and Amy to discuss.

What should the EPA do to ease the minds of Dupage County residents who have unanswered questions and don’t know if the air they’re breathing is safe? Are the suits being filed by Dupage County and Lisa Madigan’s office against Sterigenics have any merit? Is the typical backyard grill more dangerous than the chemicals being used at Sterigenics? Environmental adviser to the Heartland Institute, Rich Trzupek joins Dan and Amy to discuss.

Is China desperate for a trade deal? Does the U.S. have to step up and help our own companies combat cyber attacks and protect their intellectual property? Is a potential trade deal between the U.S. and China need to be focused on saving American workers and jobs rather than saving face for the leaders in China? Is China helping us in North Korea? President of the Population Research Institute and expert on China, Steven Mosher joins Dan and Amy to discuss.

Is Trump doing as well as he can in dealing with the caravan at the border? Would President Obama have let the caravans in with open arms? What do Republicans have to do politically and strategically to gain back once Republican strongholds? Why doesn’t Trump get more credit for being tougher than Obama in dealing with Russia?  National Review columnist and Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Victor Davis Hanson joins Dan and Amy to discuss.

Are the trial lawyers prepping for another community forum with updates from the EPA in Willowbrook tonight? Was the Sterigenics scare a political hit job by the EPA? Did the EPA release their worst case assumptions rather than actual proven data models? Founder of JunkScience.com and a member of President Trump’s EPA transition team, Steve Milloy joins Dan and Amy to discuss.

Is Obama admitting he was great for Wall Street but not so much for working families? Did we fail him? Will identity politics be wielded as a weapon in the Democratic presidential primary? Is a Trump pardon for Manafort on the table? Is a government shutdown the only way to advance Trump’s policy agenda? Could securing the border and making illegal immigration more difficult lead to more rational policy discussions? National Review columnist, David French joins Dan and Amy to discuss.

The EPA admits it had no evidence to support its Sterigenics scare, but that won't stop the Left's witch hunt. Is the Chicago press corps or any politicians going to apologize or correct the record for creating hysteria of a cancer scare in those communities? Why did they target that company in that district right before an election? Dan and Amy discuss the continuing Sterigenics controversy.