Leave Us Alone with Grover Norquist

Could Washington's income tax battle be a warning for taxpayers across America? After decades of constitutional precedent against graduated income taxes, Washington lawmakers passed an additional ban on income taxes in 2024. Just two years later, they reversed course and enacted a new 9.9% income tax. Now, taxpayers are fighting back, and the outcome could offer lessons for other states. On this episode of the Leave Us Alone podcast, Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist sits down with Steve Gordon, chairman of the effort to repeal Washington's income tax, to discuss Initiative 645, Project 42, and the fight to protect taxpayers. They explore why family businesses are considering leaving Washington, how citizen-led ballot initiatives can challenge entrenched political power, and why Steve believes blue cities are increasingly shaping the policies of otherwise conservative states. The conversation also examines Washington's controversial police pursuit restrictions and how voters pushed lawmakers to change course. As other states confront growing spending demands and pressure for higher taxes, Washington's experience raises a larger question: Can taxpayers organize effectively enough to reverse bad policies before they spread? Listen to learn what Washington's fight could mean for taxpayers nationwide.

Are AI data centers driving up electricity prices and raising Americans' energy bills? Did President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill create special tax breaks for data centers? In this five-minute ATR Quick Take, Americans for Tax Reform's James Erwin and Mike Palicz examine the debate over AI data centers, electricity costs, energy infrastructure, and federal tax policy. They discuss claims linking data center development to rising electricity rates, the growth of data centers in Northern Virginia, and proposed restrictions on Opportunity Zones. They also examine allegations of special data center tax breaks in Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill and explain how business expensing, equipment deductions, and depreciation rules apply to data center investments. Listen for a concise breakdown of the economic and tax policy questions shaping America's debate over AI infrastructure and data center development.

What if every American kid grew up with an investment account and a real stake in the U.S. economy? Grover Norquist sits down with Matt Lira, Executive Director of Invest America, to discuss Trump Accounts, the new investment accounts for American children, and how they could introduce a generation of kids to saving, investing, stock ownership, and long-term wealth building. Lira explains how Trump Accounts work, including the $1,000 federal contribution for eligible newborns, tax-free employer contributions, private ownership, and how parents, grandparents, employers, and philanthropists can contribute to a child's account. But the conversation goes far beyond personal finance. Norquist and Lira explore whether owning stock can change how young Americans see the economy, why ownership matters, and what happens when people gain new forms of economic freedom and opportunity. They also discuss a new model for philanthropy, major commitments from business leaders, and the story of how Trump Accounts became law. Lira takes listeners behind the scenes of the effort, including the roles of President Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz, Michael Dell, Brad Gerstner, and other lawmakers and business leaders who helped move the idea forward. Could Trump Accounts turn millions of American kids into lifelong investors and owners? And could that change more than their bank accounts? Listen to the full conversation on Leave Us Alone with Grover Norquist. 00:00:00 Trump Accounts Explained 00:05:30 How to Sign Up 00:06:26 Why Ownership Matters 00:11:13 Stock Donations and IPOs 00:15:04 A New Era of Philanthropy 00:20:41 How Trump Accounts Became Law 00:26:24 Finding Champions in Congress

What do federal regulations really cost American families? In this episode of the Leave Us Alone podcast, Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist sits down with Kent Lassman, President & CEO of the Competitive Enterprise Institute, to examine the hidden costs of the federal regulatory state. While taxes are easy to see, regulations quietly raise the price of nearly everything Americans buy, from housing and banking to transportation and everyday consumer goods. Lassman explains how federal regulations function as a hidden tax on families, why those costs are often overlooked, and how excessive regulation stifles innovation and economic growth. The conversation also explores the history of deregulation, the incentives that allow regulatory burdens to grow over time, and why meaningful reform requires both policymakers and taxpayers to understand the true cost of government intervention.

The average American family pays roughly $4,200 every year because of lawsuit abuse. In this episode of the Leave Us Alone Podcast, Grover Norquist sits down with Lauren Zelt of Protecting American Consumers Together and Ryan Patrick of Texans for Lawsuit Reform to discuss how lawsuit abuse drives up the cost of car insurance, home insurance, healthcare, and everyday goods. They examine recent reforms in Florida and Georgia, why insurance rates are falling in some states, how trial lawyers influence state politics, and what policymakers can do to reduce costs for consumers. If you've ever wondered why insurance premiums keep rising, this conversation explains one of the biggest hidden costs facing American families.