Dan Proft and economist Stephen Moore discussed what they dubbed “Climate Liberation Day,” highlighting a proposed move by the EPA to repeal the 2009 endangerment finding for greenhouse gas emissions. The repeal, championed by EPA chief Lee Zeldin, would weaken the federal government’s ability to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, a shift Moore says would curtail unnecessary restrictions on American industry.
Proft framed the move as a long-overdue pushback against what he called “climate imperialism.” He credited the Trump administration’s energy and environmental policy team, particularly Zeldin, for taking meaningful steps to reverse regulatory overreach. Moore echoed this sentiment, calling the original endangerment finding “a made-up crisis” used to stifle economic growth. He argued that CO₂ is not a pollutant in the traditional sense and that natural gas — not climate regulation — has done more to reduce emissions.
The discussion quickly pivoted to the latest economic numbers, with Moore noting the U.S. economy posted 3% GDP growth in the most recent quarter. He pointed to this figure as proof that the Trump administration’s economic policies — from deregulation to tax cuts — are paying dividends. “We were told Trump would cause a recession,” Moore said, “but we’ve got job growth, record-high markets, and over 8 million job openings.”
Proft and Moore also critiqued recent proposals for tariff rebates, including a $600 check backed by Sen. Josh Hawley. Moore dismissed the idea as bad economics, arguing that tariff revenues should be used to reduce structural taxes rather than fund temporary giveaways. He warned that Republicans risk drifting into economic populism at the expense of sound fiscal policy.
Later in the interview, the conversation turned local. Moore promoted his new website, VoteWithYourFeet.net, which tracks interstate migration and the financial impact of people moving from high-tax states like Illinois to low-tax states like Florida and Texas. According to Moore, Illinois had the third-highest net outmigration, with billions of dollars in income leaving the state. In contrast, Florida and Texas have gained a combined $300 billion in net income thanks to tax-friendly policies.
Moore called out Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson for proposing yet more tax increases, despite evidence that high earners are already fleeing the state. Johnson’s plan to tax the city’s 127,000 millionaires and 25 billionaires to close a $1 billion deficit was ridiculed as shortsighted. “Even well-heeled leftists can leave,” Moore said. “They can love the city from a distance.”
Proft added that financial institutions and the exchanges could soon follow individuals out of Illinois if current trends continue, pointing to a similar pattern in New York’s financial sector. Both agreed that raising taxes on the wealthy would only hasten economic decline.
As Moore concluded, “What you tax, you get less of. And Illinois keeps taxing prosperity right out of the state.”