Podcast Summary: The Rubin Report

Episode: "This Is How $892 Billion of Taxpayer Money Is Wasted Every Year"

Guest: Congresswoman Kat Cammack
Host: Dave Rubin
Date: December 28, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Dave Rubin is joined by Florida Congresswoman Kat Cammack for a candid discussion about government waste, legislative gridlock, regulatory reform, and lessons from Florida's governance. Cammack offers an insider's view on almost $900 billion in unauthorized government spending and the challenges of codifying policy. The conversation touches on the culture of Congress, the rise of influencer-politicians, big tech, health care reform, and the broader philosophical battle between big and small government. The episode ends with a cautiously optimistic look at 2026.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Problem of Unauthorized Federal Spending

• Cammack reveals staggering waste:
  • Each year, the federal government spends approximately $892 billion on programs and agencies without Congressional authorization.
  • “$892 billion every single year we are spending in programs and agencies that Congress never greenlit. Kind of crazy.” – Kat Cammack (05:51)
• Origins of the problem:
  • Congress should regularly audit and authorize programs, but currently, about half of appropriated funds are not properly vetted.
  • Even appropriators in Congress hesitate to address the issue for fear of complicating their jobs.

2. Legislative Gridlock and the Failure to Codify Policy

• Congress is falling short:
  • Cammack notes that only 87 executive orders have been codified and just 23 Republican bills became law during the current session—far below expectations.
  • “There’s really no excuse…for why we aren’t banking a conservative win that we’ve campaigned on for decades every single month or week.” – Kat Cammack (03:44)
• Barriers to codification:
  • Resistance in the Senate, especially due to the filibuster and lack of political courage.
  • Cammack is open to eliminating the filibuster, despite institutional concerns, given Democratic preparedness to do so when in power:
    • “I hate to see the institution…the framework be bent…But I see that it’s gonna happen. So we should be playing by the same rules.” – Kat Cammack (06:58)

3. Regulatory Reform as a Solution

• Regulatory costs and reform:
  • Enforcement and compliance with federal regulations costs Americans an estimated $2.5 trillion per year.
  • Cammack promotes the REINS Act as a major step in both restoring Congressional responsibility and saving money:
    • “When we’re talking about regulatory reform…this is how you ensure an American renaissance…The REINS Act…saves $2.5 trillion in the very first year.” – Kat Cammack (07:55)
• Empowering voters:
  • The goal is to return power from unelected bureaucrats back to elected officials—“putting the power back in the hands of we the people.” (08:21)

4. The ‘Entertainment Era’ and Influencer Politics

• Congress as performance:
  • Cammack describes Congress as being in its “entertainment era”—influencer-politicians seek headlines and online engagement over policy work:
    • “Let me say something a little bit saucy, sassy, cringy, outrageous…so I can get that click, that share, and that attention…” – Kat Cammack (08:44)
  • This shift is attributed largely to the rise of social media.

5. Florida as a Model State

• “Make America Florida”:
  • Cammack and Rubin discuss Florida’s success with limited government, opportunity, and innovation:
    • “Florida is a land of opportunity. Right. Because Florida gets it…For the longest time we campaigned on Make America Florida.” – Kat Cammack (10:05)
• Property taxes and insurance:
  • Cammack supports targeted reform, especially homestead exemptions for primary residences, to provide relief from high property taxes and insurance premiums.
  • There’s concern for rural areas lacking tax base for services, suggesting reforms must differentiate between primary and secondary homes (12:04).
  • On insurance: More competition and tort/regulatory reform are needed to bring private firms back and reduce premiums, especially after multiple natural disasters (13:29).

6. The Allure and Dangers of Big Government

• Big government vs. small government:
  • Cammack sees Washington divided more by government size than party: the “party of big government” vs. the “party of little government” (15:17).
  • Big government, she argues, is “intoxicating” and fosters dependency and control:
    • “The agenda for the left has always been dependency and control…grow the size of government…” – Kat Cammack (15:31)
• Cultural shift needed:
  • Advocates making “independence sexy again” to shift the culture away from government solutions.

7. The Rise of Populism and Its Risks

• Populism on the right:
  • The conservative movement is swayed by populism, which Cammack warns can be dangerous without principles:
    • “Populism without principles is a very dangerous thing. Look no further than the French Revolution. People started losing their heads.” – Kat Cammack (16:47)
  • This is partly due to repeated Republican failures to deliver on promises.
• Policy drift:
  • Some Republicans now support larger government policies, such as perpetuating Obamacare and massive subsidies—evidence that things are “off the rails” (17:13).

8. Optimism for 2026

• People power:
  • Rise of populism and direct constituent engagement means politicians are listening more.
  • Cammack is optimistic about upcoming reforms—especially in health care, regulatory reform, and taking on big tech:
    • “I’d be remiss if, as the resident disruptor in Congress, I didn’t mention our effort to take on big tech…” – Kat Cammack (18:26)
• Hope for midterms:
  • Belief that Republicans can maintain the House if they “make good on our promises.”

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “There are a lot of chicken shit politicians in Washington. I actually campaigned on that, that we need to have the courage to do the thing that is right.” – Kat Cammack (04:59)
• “Congress should be going through and auditing programs and agencies. Half of what we appropriate is not authorized.” – Kat Cammack (05:51)
• “We all live in eras…If we had to put a label on the era that I believe we’re in, it’s the entertainment era. We are in the influencer politician era.” – Kat Cammack (08:44)
• “Populism without principles is a very dangerous thing. Look no further than the French Revolution.” – Kat Cammack (16:47)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:30] – Cammack discusses unauthorized spending and Congressional gridlock
• [03:44] – Legislative productivity is below expectations
• [04:59] – Barriers to codifying executive actions; Cammack critiques “chicken shit” politicians
• [05:51] – $892 billion in unauthorized spending; need for audits
• [06:37] – Filibuster debate; Cammack’s constitutional concerns
• [07:55] – Regulatory reform; REINS Act details, $2.5 trillion annual regulatory burden
• [08:44] – Congress as an “entertainment era,” influencer-politicians, social media’s impact
• [10:05] – Florida’s success model; “Make America Florida”
• [12:04] – Florida property tax and insurance reform discussion
• [15:17] – Big government vs. small government; addiction to government control
• [16:47] – Rise and risks of populism
• [18:26] – Cammack’s optimism for reforms and 2026 vision

Tone and Style

Congresswoman Cammack is frank, humorous, and occasionally brash, with a no-nonsense “disruptor” attitude. Dave Rubin keeps the conversation casual and engaging, creating space for deep dives and quick-witted moments alike.

Summary

This episode is a wide-ranging, candid look at pervasive government waste, legislative inertia, and the clash between big- and small-government philosophies. Kat Cammack’s perspective as a “resident disruptor” in the House offers insight into systemic dysfunction—such as nearly $900 billion in unauthorized spending—and concrete reforms she supports, like regulatory overhaul and state-driven solutions modeled on the Florida experience. While critical of her own party’s shortcomings, she ends on a cautiously optimistic note, seeing renewed constituent engagement and upcoming legislative opportunities as reasons for hope in 2026.