The Future of Liberty with Mitch Daniels

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.

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.

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.

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.

Tyler Cowen joins Mitch Daniels to explore AI’s promise, economic threats from debt and regulation, and the need for bold, intelligent policy to secure economic growth, innovation, and individual liberty. Cowen discusses his views on immigration, COVID lockdowns and addresses societal fear of confronting rapid technological change.

In this episode of The Future of Liberty, Governor Mitch Daniels sits down with Neal B. Freeman—author, broadcaster, and founding figure of modern American conservatism. Freeman recounts his early work at National Review alongside William F. Buckley, reflects on the movement’s intellectual origins, and discusses the enduring tension between ordered liberty and state overreach.

Governor Mitch Daniels and Charles Murray, the F.A. Hayek Emeritus Chair in Cultural Studies at the American Enterprise Institute discuss the changing landscape of achievement in America, the widening gap between classes, and the interplay of liberty, responsibility, and self-respect.

Governor Mitch Daniels and historian Amity Shlaes discuss misconceptions about the Great Depression and the New Deal; reevaluate the reputations of Presidents Coolidge, Hoover, and FDR; and consider the idea of the Forgotten Man.

Governor Mitch Daniels and Reason magazine Senior Editor Stephanie Slade consider the changing factions of the American political landscape, the history and future of fusionism, and how college students became such big fans of big government. They also consider the contrast between the hopelessness of a static society and the hope and fears of a dynamic one and give us some reasons to be hopeful for the future of liberty.

Governor Mitch Daniels and constitutional law professor Randy Barnett discuss what it's like to be a conservative or libertarian on a liberal college campus, the changes in Barnett's political philosophy over time, and his development as a public meaning originalist. They also explore Barnett's interest in the ninth amendment and his theory that "first come rights and then comes government," as well as the idea that sometimes private property and liberty can be in conflict.

Governor Mitch Daniels and Katherine Mangu-Ward, Editor in Chief of Reason Magazine, discuss why it’s so hard for third parties to gain ground in American politics, whether not voting is a responsible choice, the role of technology in education, and the place of traditional and new media in the modern political landscape.