American Potential is a national award-winning podcast that shares how individuals are taking action in their communities to break barriers. While some of our guests may be public officials or influencers, many are ordinary Americans who decided, “enough is enough,” and are stepping up in a big way.
We share policy solutions to the most important challenges our country faces and talk to people who are doing something about it. Our hope is that when you hear about other people’s stories of success – and struggle – you will realize that you are capable of doing extraordinary things within your own community and know that you are not alone.
David From, a Regional Vice President at Americans for Prosperity, hosts the American Potential podcast. David brings a wealth of experience in grassroots advocacy and a deep commitment to advancing freedom and opportunity for all Americans.
American Potential has earned multiple prestigious honors for its impact and excellence in storytelling:
Platinum Award at the 2024 Viddy Awards for the episode featuring Mike Rowe, recognized in the long-form podcast category.
Gold Award at the 18th Annual w3 Awards in the News and Politics Podcast category.
Award of Distinction at the 31st Annual Communicator Awards in the Individual Episodes – Political category for the episode “Eco-Regulation Gone Wrong: The Unintended Costs of Colorado’s Climate Laws.”
These awards—judged by experts from organizations like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and the Smithsonian—highlight the podcast’s effectiveness in elevating compelling stories of freedom, innovation, and citizen-led change!
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American Potential is a national award-winning podcast that shares how individuals are taking action in their communities to break barriers. While some of our guests may be public officials or influencers, many are ordinary Americans who decided, “enough is enough,” and are stepping up in a big way.
We share policy solutions to the most important challenges our country faces and talk to people who are doing something about it. Our hope is that when you hear about other people’s stories of success – and struggle – you will realize that you are capable of doing extraordinary things within your own community and know that you are not alone.
David From, a Regional Vice President at Americans for Prosperity, hosts the American Potential podcast. David brings a wealth of experience in grassroots advocacy and a deep commitment to advancing freedom and opportunity for all Americans.
American Potential has earned multiple prestigious honors for its impact and excellence in storytelling:
Platinum Award at the 2024 Viddy Awards for the episode featuring Mike Rowe, recognized in the long-form podcast category.
Gold Award at the 18th Annual w3 Awards in the News and Politics Podcast category.
Award of Distinction at the 31st Annual Communicator Awards in the Individual Episodes – Political category for the episode “Eco-Regulation Gone Wrong: The Unintended Costs of Colorado’s Climate Laws.”
These awards—judged by experts from organizations like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and the Smithsonian—highlight the podcast’s effectiveness in elevating compelling stories of freedom, innovation, and citizen-led change!
Why Donor Privacy Matters: Free Speech, Philanthropy, and the Right to Give
American Potential
22 minutes
2 weeks ago
Why Donor Privacy Matters: Free Speech, Philanthropy, and the Right to Give
In this episode of American Potential, host David From sits down with Lawson Bader, president and CEO of DonorsTrust, to unpack why donor privacy is essential to free speech and a healthy civil society. Bader explains how efforts to expose donors—often fueled by political grudges, social-media pile-ons, and envy—chill participation and warp the relationship between citizens and the state. He traces the principle back through landmark Supreme Court rulings, makes the case that “transparency is for government, privacy is for citizens,” and warns against tit-for-tat attempts by either party to unmask supporters.
The conversation also digs into the practical side of philanthropy: how donor-advised funds help preserve intent, why generational wealth so often drifts away from founders’ values, and where the real action is today—at the state level, where regulations and donor-privacy fights are heating up. Whether you give $50 or $5 million, this episode lays out why protecting privacy isn’t about secrecy—it’s about safeguarding pluralism, encouraging generosity, and ensuring ideas compete on their merits, not on the intimidation of their supporters.
American Potential
American Potential is a national award-winning podcast that shares how individuals are taking action in their communities to break barriers. While some of our guests may be public officials or influencers, many are ordinary Americans who decided, “enough is enough,” and are stepping up in a big way.
We share policy solutions to the most important challenges our country faces and talk to people who are doing something about it. Our hope is that when you hear about other people’s stories of success – and struggle – you will realize that you are capable of doing extraordinary things within your own community and know that you are not alone.
David From, a Regional Vice President at Americans for Prosperity, hosts the American Potential podcast. David brings a wealth of experience in grassroots advocacy and a deep commitment to advancing freedom and opportunity for all Americans.
American Potential has earned multiple prestigious honors for its impact and excellence in storytelling:
Platinum Award at the 2024 Viddy Awards for the episode featuring Mike Rowe, recognized in the long-form podcast category.
Gold Award at the 18th Annual w3 Awards in the News and Politics Podcast category.
Award of Distinction at the 31st Annual Communicator Awards in the Individual Episodes – Political category for the episode “Eco-Regulation Gone Wrong: The Unintended Costs of Colorado’s Climate Laws.”
These awards—judged by experts from organizations like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and the Smithsonian—highlight the podcast’s effectiveness in elevating compelling stories of freedom, innovation, and citizen-led change!
