Politics and Parenting Podcast

It’s been a while since I put out a Politics and Parenting podcast. With so much going on with work and family, I have decided to focus my energy on No Cap Fund and Hardhits over Politics and Parenting. There isn’t much in this special episode hosted by my wife, Vanessa, about the traditional politics of Washington; however, the politics of business and marriage are front and center. She shares he...

Today, in The Hill , I challenge the Trump administration to think bigger. Every significant President that exerts their power, follows it up by bringing Congress to heel in a bipartisan way. If Trump wants to be one of the greats, he will find a way to reach across the aisle and work with Democrats on reform. He needs to walk into members of the Blue Dog coalition’s offices in the Longworth build...

I got a little behind on work and am releasing this one a little late. But better late than never, right? In the episode, Walter and I discussed my November 26th article and substack about Nikki Haley and Ronald Reagan. Then, we debated whether our founders were Revolutionaries or Reformers. In the pod, I mentioned Tim Carny's article from January 2024 about Trump's business relationship with Chin...

Happy Day after Thanksgiving! I recorded this pod last Sunday but didn't get a chance to edit it until yesterday. So when I talk about my latest article, it’s the one that came out on Tuesday the 26th. In the pod, I share some stories about my new job at Home Depot, a road trip with my son Oliver, and a coffee date with my twins. In the beginning, I shared how the responsibilities of customer serv...

Today on Politics and Parenting, I play you know what grinds my gears, parenting edition. I share stories from our house of children: Julia and the fan, Sadie being tired, and Oliver’s tendency to be grumpy. In the second half of the show, I play, you know what grinds my gears politics edition. I talk about my latest article in The Hill, a conversation on X, and why we should repair representation...

Walter Clapp from No Cap Fund is back by popular demand. At the beginning of the show, I air my grievances about Tom Nichols from the Atlantic blocking me on X . Then, we discuss whether there is a secret Harris vote and if women will decide the election. Check out these USA Today and Newsweek articles. If either candidate loses, what could they have done differently to win? Check out these articl...

In this episode, my friend from the No Cap Fund , Walter Clapp, joins me. Walter guest hosts the show as we discuss the upcoming presidential election. What if Texas goes Blue? Walter and I discuss my latest article in The Hill about the possibility that Ruby Red Texas could turn blue in 2024. Could JD Vance become the most powerful Vice President in American History? Walter and I discuss the poss...

On today’s pod, I speak with Yuval Levin. He is the director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), and he has written three books that have been very influential to me: The Fractured Republic, A Time to Build, and American Covenant. Levin and I discuss our current political dysfunction and how a renewal of the Constitution can help. We also dis...

In this episode, I am joined by Michael Johnson, Co-Author of Fixing Congress: Restoring Power to the People. Mike and I discuss the importance of Congress, a little history of the House of Representatives and Speaker, and reforms we can make to restore Congressional power back to the people. Fixing Congress is full of insightful ideas and important and interesting information. Whether you are a n...

What does American Covenant and Everybody Loves Raymond have in common? Surprisingly, a lot. I wrote an article about it, and look, I recorded a pod, too! In the pod, I compare the dysfunction of Ray and Deborah’s relationship to that of the majority and minority ruling parties, Republicans and Democrats. The article connected with this pod is the second part in a series of excerpts from American...

Today on the show I am joined by Vance Ginn, Ph. D. A leading economist and advocate for free-market principles and fiscal conservatism. He is the former associate director for economic policy at the White House’s Office of Management and Budget and chief economist at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.   He is the founder and president of Ginn Economic Consulting and host of the Let People Prospe...

In this episode, I am joined by André Béliveau. He is a political and policy analyst based in Washington, D.C., with an MA in Government from Johns Hopkins and a BA in History from Marist College. André and I dive into the dysfunction plaguing our republic. We discuss Congress and the reforms that could restore life to the decaying legislative branch. We also discuss the parties and their ability...

On the pod today I am joined by Kevin R. Kosar, Ph. D., a  resident senior fellow  at the American Enterprise Institute, a Washington, DC think-tank. We discuss some of the basics of our government. Are we a Democracy or a Republic? How should the balance of power work? The bulk of our conversation centers around Congress and how to reform it.  We are sitting in a very unique moment in American hi...

Happy Fourth of July! I hope everyone is having a great day. All the talk of this great day inspired me to break out the Declaration of Independence and give it a read. After reading it, I had some thoughts I wanted to share. Enjoy! Peace and Love, Jeff Mayhugh Politics and Parenting is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subsc...

On the pod today, I am joined by Scott Howard , a recent University of Flordia graduate, former National Review intern, and Freemen News-Letter submissions editor. Scott and I discussed the recent Supreme Court decision in Trump vs. the United States, the overturning of the Chevron doctrine , and the mess of a presidential debate last week. The future may look bleak to some, but the next generatio...

On this pod, I sit down with Politics and Parenting contributor Andy Tippet. Andy shares his winding story, from teaching, to working in corporate marketing, to fulfilling a passion for studying history. We discuss the heavy workload of the executive position, the gold ring during the Gilded Age, and why history is so important in politics. Check out Andy’s very relevant article from May on Shadow...

After the debate, it’s obvious to American citizens that Joe Biden is not capable of fulfilling the responsibilities of the most difficult job in the country. He met with his family and decided that he wasn’t going anywhere. Shadow president Jill Biden , at a Vogue photoshoot , said, “We know what’s at stake. Joe is asking the American people to come together to draw a line in the sand against all...

In this pod, I share my experience volunteering at Park Valley’s Kid’s gig, my tenth wedding anniversary, and my thoughts on the debate. It’s a longer pod, but I have tried to make it easy to navigate below. Church Camp- 4:19 My Anniversary- 18:26 The Debate- 35:24 Matt Lewis's article about Biden Stepping down- 36:35 (article linked) Abortion topic- 41:55 Grading the debate- 43:33 Biden on Aborti...

My good friend over at Written Works, Craig T. Stewart, recommended this song by Tom MacDonald called Me vs. You. Craig is a smart guy, so I followed his advice and shot a video with my thoughts on the song. In the podcast, I discuss what I think about the lyrics and how the song captures the moment of American Division. The song identifies the source of power, the executive branch and political p...

On today’s pod, I am joined by Michael Wolraich, author of The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age. We discuss his new article in Time Magazine How Donald Trump’s Plans Could Bring Back the Spoils System . A spoils system is the kryptonite of a republican government. It is a system of party politics where power is concentrated to advance party interests, and pat...

My journey of history and faith collide every Sunday while sitting in the audience at Park Valley Church. I enjoy studying the great orators of American history: Abraham Lincoln, Williams Jennings Bryant, and JFK. I particularly admire this skill, which is lost in modern American politics. I imagine that’s what God had in mind when he led me to Park Valley because the pastor there, Barry White (no...

I don’t often discuss Joe Biden because, in the grand scheme of things, he is, well, irrelevant. He is a compromise president destined to be forgotten once the American people get their act together and elect better representatives. He will join the likes of James Buchanan and Franklin Pierce as presidents who were just not up for the task. In addition to his failings as a leader, he is also suffe...

In this pod, I sit down with Stephen Kent of Geeky Stoics . In a sprawling conversation, we discuss looking at life and parenting from a different perspective and a little about national politics. We also discuss his passion for community and his decision to run for Manassas City Council. You can follow Stephen on X @StephenKentX and follow his campaign at www.kentformanassas.com . Stephen is a th...

In this pod, I debate the solutions of faction presented by fictional villain Hank MacLean and founding father James Madison. A faction, according to Madison in Federalist No. 10 By a faction, I understand a number of citizens, whether amounting to a majority or a minority of the whole, who are united and actuated by some common impulse of passion, or of interest, adversed to the rights of other c...

In this brief pod, I share a snippet from Federalist No. 10 discussing why political division is a regular occurrence in the American republic and how reform is the pathway to unity. And for reform to happen, everyday citizens must be involved. “Complaints are everywhere heard from our most considerate and virtuous citizens, equally the friends of public and private faith, and of public and person...