Getting it Right - Rick Wagner

Socialism is making a comeback in American politics—but are we repeating the mistakes of the past? From the economic upheavals of the 19th century to today's growing enthusiasm for democratic socialism, this episode explores why Americans repeatedly turn to government for economic solutions. We examine proposals like government-run grocery stores, rent control, and universal healthcare, questionin...

Civilizations rarely fall in a single moment. Their fate is shaped by the choices they make when confronted by crisis. From the resilience of Rome to the long struggle for survival in Constantinople, history reveals how leadership, adaptation, and the defense of enduring values can determine whether a civilization survives or collapses. What can these turning points teach us about the challenges f...

Your paycheck buys less, the American Dream costs more, free speech is increasingly negotiable, and artificial intelligence may be teaching the next generation how not to think. From inflation and generational frustration to government censorship and AI in the classroom, we examine the hidden costs of modern progress. Are we trading away our prosperity, our freedoms, and our ability to think for o...

From political messaging embedded in popular entertainment to social media algorithms that reward anger, something is changing in American culture. In this episode of The Wagner Report/Getting It Right, Rick Wagner examines the growing influence of ideology in entertainment, including shows like For All Mankind, and the increasingly volatile nature of everyday interactions. Why do minor disagreeme...

Rick Wagner examines the decline of local journalism, the rise of sensationalized media, and how social platforms can reward performance over substance. He also looks at weakening literacy and critical-thinking skills, the growing role of artificial intelligence in modern warfare, and why technological strength and an informed public are increasingly important to national stability.

From Afghanistan and the return of the Taliban to crime, education, and cultural conflict at home, this episode looks at what happens when the foundations of a society begin to weaken. Rick Wagner examines personal responsibility, moral authority, family, and the lessons of history—and asks what holds a civilization together when those supports begin to disappear.

How do we judge responsibility—in a courtroom or on the world stage? Rick Wagner examines the Lindsay Clancy case, explaining the distinctions among murder, manslaughter, and criminal responsibility when severe mental illness is at issue. He then turns to Pete Hegseth’s leadership and the debate over military readiness, lethality, and social priorities. Russian provocations and Iran’s economic tro...

Rick Wagner examines the Texas Senate race, questioning recent polling and candidate viability before turning to broader concerns about debt, regulation, and America’s economic competitiveness. He also discusses the strategic importance of AI and robotics, rising tensions with Russia, Ukraine’s manpower challenges, and the growing threat posed by increasingly aligned U.S. adversaries.

Radio host Rick Wagner discusses the economic challenges facing Iran and Cuba, suggesting that these authoritarian regimes maintain control by suppressing their populations despite long-term sanctions. He explores China’s growing global influence, noting how its support for these nations serves to distract and stretch United States military resources. Shifting to domestic issues, Wagner examines t...

Synopsis In this episode, Rick Wagner dives deep into the underlying mechanics of history, challenging the idea that the repetitive nature of our modern news cycle is just a coincidence. Moving past simple predictions, Rick explores the science of forecasting social and political cycles through the lens of cliodynamics—a field pioneered by evolutionary biologist and complexity researcher Peter Tur...

The Fourth of July is usually celebrated with flags, fireworks, parades, and familiar words about freedom. But beneath the celebration lies a harder question: What does it take to preserve the republic the Founders created? In this Independence Day episode, Rick Wagner reflects on the American experiment, the principles that made it possible, and the responsibilities that come with inheriting it....

In this episode, Rick Wagner looks past the headlines and asks the harder strategic question: what happens when the West is forced to respond to pressure in too many places at once? From drone attacks and NATO vulnerability to the uneasy partnership between Russia and China, this discussion examines how modern conflict may not arrive as one clean, declared war, but as a series of overlapping crise...

Rick discusses Chicago Public Schools’ May Day controversy as part of a larger pattern of institutional drift. Public schools exist to educate children first — to teach reading, writing, math, history, civics, and independent thought. Civic engagement has a place, but when struggling schools blur the line between education and political mobilization, they risk losing the trust of parents and the p...

Rick breaks down the Iran conflict, why gas prices stay high despite U.S. oil production, and what America has lost since the Apollo era. He ties war, energy, and space exploration into a broader argument about national strength, technological ambition, and the real cost of decline.  

This episode examines the strategic realities of conflict with Iran, emphasizing the limits of air power against a large, mountainous country with dispersed and well-hidden military assets. It explores the vulnerability of the Strait of Hormuz, where even small mobile forces can threaten global trade, and considers the fragile calculations of Gulf allies caught between fear of Iran and fear of reg...

This episode examines the deeper structure behind modern Middle Eastern conflict, moving beyond headlines to focus on the forces that actually drive behavior. It explores how theological frameworks—particularly within Iran’s Twelver Shi’a tradition—inform long-term strategy, risk tolerance, and concepts of victory. Drawing on the history of the Crusades, the discussion highlights enduring patterns...

AI, State Power, and Political Drift Rick covers a wide range of issues, from the push to end daylight savings time to the growing role of artificial intelligence in research. He warns that AI can fall into a “Family Feud” problem—prioritizing consensus over truth. Rick also examines Colorado’s regulatory climate and why businesses are leaving for states like Texas and Florida. The episode closes...

Rick Wagner breaks down the week’s key flashpoints—from rising pressure around Iran and the stalemate in Ukraine to a maritime confrontation near Cuba. At home, allegations of Medicaid fraud in Minnesota and the continuing fallout from U.K. grooming scandals raise deeper questions about accountability. Rick argues these events point to a broader problem: institutions losing strategic clarity while...

The discussion explores how radical causes provide moral certainty and emotional release, allowing destructive behavior to be reframed as virtue and personal failure to be reassigned to a hated external enemy. Belonging, not belief, becomes the real currency. Hatred functions as social glue, binding participants together while absolving them of responsibility for their own dissatisfaction.

What do New York’s budget math, China’s military posturing, and Europe’s instability have in common? More than you think. This podcast breaks down how fiscal denial and geopolitical weakness collide—and why the bill always comes due.

Job interviews no longer revolve around what the applicant can do for you. Now it's all about what the hirer can provide for the employee.  You used to need some amount of competence in order to be in authority. Our former Vice President shows that that's no longer applicable.    #rickwagner #therickwagnershow #politicalviking #vikingdisruptor #gettingitright #waronwrong #podcast #youtube #spotify...

People in power have no issue discussing and making decisions on topics they no nothing about. Let's take technology and National security.  The justice system is failing us. Criminals are walking free because of failed ideology. Repeat offenders are walking free all the time.    A talk radio show blending history, politics and culture. #rickwagner #therickwagnershow #politicalviking #vikingdisrup...

Let's talk about the Department of Education - why would more funding help?  1% of the population of New York pays 40% of the taxes. You don't want that 1% moving! #rickwagner #therickwagnershow #politicalviking #vikingdisruptor #gettingitright #waronwrong #podcast #youtube #spotify #iheartradio #applepodcasts #podbean #knzz #talkradio #conservativenews #Trump #CrimeRate

Some of the challenges our country has faced have been ugly. This is still a great country. No society is perfect. If the U.S is so bad, why are people fighting to be here?    A talk radio show blending history, politics and culture. #rickwagner #therickwagnershow #politicalviking #vikingdisruptor #gettingitright #waronwrong #podcast #youtube #spotify #iheartradio #applepodcasts #podbean #knzz #ta...

The people getting elected recently really makes you question the IQ of the citizens voting there.   Let's talk South America and Mexico. There are a lot of complicated issues there right now   A talk radio show blending history, politics and culture. #rickwagner #therickwagnershow #politicalviking #vikingdisruptor #gettingitright #waronwrong #podcast #youtube #spotify #iheartradio #applepodcasts...