Voices of Liberty

Artificial intelligence is advancing faster than almost anyone imagined. But what does that mean for freedom, innovation, and the future of humanity? In this episode of Voices of Liberty, Sean Themea sits down with Brendan Steinhauser, CEO of the Alliance for Secure AI, for a wide-ranging conversation about the opportunities and risks created by rapidly evolving AI technology. Brendan discusses the growing influence of artificial intelligence, the challenges of keeping powerful systems aligned with human values, the potential impact on jobs and the economy, and the dangers posed by government surveillance and centralized control. He also explores whether AI could become more intelligent than humans, what that might mean for society, and why the decisions being made today could shape the future of liberty for generations to come. As artificial intelligence continues to transform the world, this conversation examines one of the most important questions of our time: can technological progress and human freedom advance together? Subscribe to Voices of Liberty on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Powered by Young Americans for Liberty.

Welcome back to Voices of Liberty, powered by Young Americans for Liberty, with host Sean Themea. Allen Gilmer has spent his life creating things—from building one of the largest software platforms in the energy industry to producing films that explore freedom, government power, and the human desire for self-determination. In this episode, Sean and Allen discuss entrepreneurship, free markets, the energy industry, the dangers of government overreach, and why liberty remains essential for innovation and human flourishing. They also explore Allen’s transition into filmmaking, including projects that highlight the realities of life under authoritarian regimes and the lessons Americans can learn from them. It’s a wide-ranging conversation about opportunity, responsibility, creativity, and the enduring value of freedom. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, or YouTube, and learn more at YALiberty.org.

Welcome back to Voices of Liberty with host Sean Themea, powered by Young Americans for Liberty. Jake Bequette has lived several lives, and each one reflects the same pattern, choosing the hard road when easier paths were available. From playing football at the highest level, to serving as an Army Ranger, to stepping into the political arena in Arkansas, Jake has consistently pursued challenge, discipline, and purpose. In this conversation, Sean Themea talks with Jake about the roots that shaped him, including a strong family foundation, a love of history, and an early fascination with the ideas that built America. They also discuss what Jake learned inside the New England Patriots organization, what service in uniform taught him about leadership, and why he chose to challenge the political establishment in Arkansas. Jake explains why liberty still matters, why strong voices are needed in public life, and why America’s founding principles remain worth defending in every generation. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, or YouTube, and learn more at YALiberty.org.

Welcome back to Voices of Liberty with host Sean Themea, powered by Young Americans for Liberty. Today’s guest is Lou Perez, comedian, writer, and cultural commentator, whose work has shown that humor can do far more than entertain. It can challenge bad ideas, expose political absurdity, and defend the principles of a free society in ways that straight argument often cannot. Known for his appearances on Gutfeld!, his writing, and his sharp commentary on culture and politics, Lou joins Sean to talk about how comedy became one of his most effective tools for advancing liberty. He shares how his path into comedy came long before politics, why free speech remains essential to a healthy culture, and why creative people should never surrender the cultural battlefield to those who fear open debate. This conversation explores the First Amendment, the role of humor in breaking down ideological walls, and why liberty still needs voices willing to say what others are afraid to say, with courage, intelligence, and wit. It is a conversation about comedy, culture, courage, and using humor to defend the freedoms that make everything else possible.

Welcome back to Voices of Liberty with host Sean Themea, powered by Young Americans for Liberty. Vance Ginn joins Sean Themea to talk about how hardship, economics, and conviction shaped his belief in liberty. From South Houston to the White House, Vance has built his life around one mission, helping people prosper through free markets and personal responsibility. They discuss why capitalism still matters, why economic freedom creates opportunity, and why America cannot afford to lose confidence in the ideas that made it strong. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, or YouTube, and learn more at YALiberty.org.

Welcome back to Voices of Liberty with host Sean Themea, powered by Young Americans for Liberty. Today’s guest is Lyn Ulbricht, the mother of Ross Ulbricht and one of the most determined advocates for mercy, justice, and human dignity in the liberty movement. What began as a mother’s fight to save her son from dying in federal prison became a much larger mission to expose cruel sentencing, defend the Bill of Rights, and remind Americans that government power must always have limits. Lyn shares the devastating story of Ross’s arrest, trial, and double life sentence plus forty years, the deep disillusionment she felt watching the justice system fail her son, and the nearly twelve year grassroots campaign that ultimately led to his freedom. She explains what it was like to keep going through crushing setbacks, how a movement formed around Ross, and why President Trump’s pardon was nothing short of life changing. But this conversation goes far beyond one family’s story. Lyn makes the case that America’s prison and sentencing system has grown far too cruel, especially for nonviolent offenders. She speaks about the human cost of excessive punishment, the families destroyed by decades long sentences, the children left behind, and why life without parole and extreme federal sentencing should alarm anyone who cares about liberty. This is a conversation about justice, mercy, perseverance, and the kind of courage it takes to keep fighting when the system tells you there is no hope. If you care about the Bill of Rights, free speech, criminal justice reform, and protecting people from unchecked government cruelty, you will not want to miss this conversation with Lyn Ulbricht.

Welcome back to Voices of Liberty with host Sean Themea, powered by Young Americans for Liberty. Today’s guest is Ty Hicks, founder and chief executive officer of mentalhealthcoaching.com and former executive vice president of Young Americans for Liberty. For years, Ty has helped people break through the invisible barriers that keep them stuck, whether in leadership, activism, or life itself. In this conversation, Ty shares how his early search for meaning, purpose, and service led him to the ideas of liberty, why he ultimately embraced a radical belief in voluntary human cooperation, and how his time helping lead Young Americans for Liberty shaped his understanding of persuasion, leadership, and personal growth. Sean and Ty also dive into a deeper question that does not get asked enough in politics or in life. What if the greatest barriers to freedom are not only external, but internal? What if the stakes holding people back are often the beliefs they have accepted about themselves? Ty explains how leadership starts with compassion and standards, why persuasion is really about helping people see a better path for themselves, and how mental and emotional freedom unlocks the energy people need to make a real difference in the world. He also shares powerful stories from his work helping people overcome anxiety, depression, addiction, and self limiting beliefs, and why he believes the liberty movement needs more people who are willing to step up, choose their arena, and fight to raise the standard. This is a conversation about freedom at every level, political, personal, and psychological. If you care about leadership, liberty, self mastery, and building a freer future, you will not want to miss it.

Welcome back to Voices of Liberty with host Sean Themea, powered by Young Americans for Liberty. Today’s guest is Ohio State Representative Ron Ferguson, a leader who has taken the fight for liberty from the grassroots to the Ohio Statehouse. Before serving in office, Ron worked as a television news reporter and later as a grassroots trainer, helping everyday Americans learn how to make a political impact. Then he stepped into the arena himself and won election in a district that had not sent a Republican to the legislature in nearly fifty years. In this conversation, State Representative Ron Ferguson shares how the attacks of September 11 first awakened his understanding of freedom, how his work in journalism and grassroots organizing deepened his commitment to limited government, and why he believes most people simply want to be left alone to live their lives. Sean and Ron also dive into the real policy fights shaping Ohio today, including hospital price transparency, school choice, property tax abolition, and the battle against establishment politicians who put power ahead of principle. Ron explains what happened with the Blue 22, why grassroots pressure matters, and why the liberty movement can only grow if every person in it takes responsibility for bringing others in. This is a conversation about conviction, service, and what it looks like when an elected official refuses to go along to get along. If you care about defending constitutional rights, reducing the size and scope of government, and advancing liberty in our lifetime, you will not want to miss this conversation with Ohio State Representative Ron Ferguson.

In this episode, Sean sits down with former Indiana State Representative Curt Nisly, a man who learned firsthand what happens when you refuse to bend, even when leadership, lobbyists, and your own party push back. Curt did not grow up in politics. Raised Mennonite and discouraged from civic involvement, he didn’t even vote until he was nearly 30. But the Tea Party movement awakened something in him. What began as studying the Constitution with his son turned into eight years in the Indiana Statehouse, where he stood for life, gun rights, and state sovereignty, no matter the personal cost. Inside the legislature, Curt encountered something few voters ever see: peer group shift, political threats, bills buried in committee, and leadership pressure designed to make principled lawmakers fall in line. He refused. When he pushed for Constitutional Carry, he was sidelined, downgraded, threatened, and nearly isolated. Yet he kept pressing. And because he did, Indiana ultimately passed Constitutional Carry into law in 2022. Just 17 days later, that law helped save lives when a legally armed citizen stopped a mass shooter in a mall near Indianapolis. Curt’s story is one of conviction. He lost a primary after redistricting and heavy establishment spending. But he did not lose the mission. Today, alongside his wife Mary, he trains the next generation of liberty candidates through Liberty Candidate Academies, ensuring others are prepared to stand firm when the pressure comes. This conversation is about remembering who sent you. It’s about standing when it costs you. And it’s proof that principled leadership can change the course of a state. This is an episode you don’t want to miss.

For more than three decades, Kent Lassman has been on the front lines defending free enterprise and pushing back against government overreach. As President and Chief Executive Officer of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, he has helped lead major battles to protect economic liberty in America. On this episode of Voices of Liberty, host Sean Themea sits down with Kent to explore the moment that lit his liberty torch, the mentors who shaped his convictions, and the real pushback that comes with challenging the regulatory state. Kent reflects on key victories, hard-fought lessons, and why he believes the next decade presents a powerful opportunity to advance freedom in America. If you care about limiting government and strengthening liberty in our lifetime, this is a conversation you will not want to miss.

In this episode of Voices of Liberty, host Sean Themea sits down with New Hampshire state representative Sam Farrington, who was elected at just 22 years old after defeating a long-time incumbent through a grassroots, pro-liberty campaign. Sam explains how government overreach during the COVID-19 pandemic became the catalyst that pushed him into public service. Frustrated by lockdowns, mandates, and the erosion of individual rights, he decided to run for office rather than stay on the sidelines. He shares how knocking on doors, listening to voters, and speaking honestly about freedom helped him win. The conversation explores Sam’s work in the New Hampshire legislature, including his support for campus carry, right-to-work protections, and strong Second Amendment policies. He also discusses balancing college life with serving in elected office, facing opposition on campus, and why he believes government exists to protect life, liberty, and property. This episode highlights how young leaders can translate conviction into action and why state-level leadership remains one of the most effective ways to defend freedom in America. Subscribe to Voices of Liberty on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

In this episode of Voices of Liberty, host Sean Themea sits down with Eric Brakey, Executive Director of the Free State Project and former Maine State Senator, for a wide-ranging conversation on how state-level leadership is shaping the future of freedom in America. Eric shares his personal journey into the liberty movement, from being inspired as a college student to serving in elected office, and now leading the Free State Project. The conversation explores why state politics matter more than ever, how reforms like constitutional carry and education freedom accounts are changing lives, and why New Hampshire has become a national proving ground for liberty-minded policy. This episode highlights how grassroots organizing, principled leadership, and focused state-level action can produce real wins that ripple far beyond state borders. Whether you are deeply involved in the liberty movement or just beginning to explore it, this conversation offers a hopeful and practical look at how freedom can advance, one state at a time. Subscribe to Voices of Liberty on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Learn more about Young Americans for Liberty at yaliberty.org Learn more about the Free State Project at fsp.org