Prove Me Wrong, Please

In this episode, I am joined by an old friend who shares her personal experience dealing with issues related to mental health and how it relates to political reforms we'd both like to see happen in this country. 

For this episode, I am joined by a former Republican Hill staffer and current law student to discuss the issue of restructuring the Supreme Court. We discuss both the arguments for and against court packing, along with other judicial reforms and how they could potentially prevent the further breakdown of American democracy. 

In today's episode, I am joined by two people who grew up outside of the US (one in Palestine and the other in Peru), who share their reactions to the recent rise of tensions in Gaza and the larger implications of the ongoing conflict between Palestinians and Israelis.

This episode features the second half of my conversation with a Canadian police officer about his experience on the force and how he views the various reforms to policing that have been proposed in the last year. 

In this episode, I speak with a Canadian police officer about his experience on the force and how his training informed his response to recent high-profile police killings in the US. Part II of our conversation will be posted next week, so stay tuned! 

This episode features the second half of my conversation on the utility of faith with an Evangelical pastor and professor of religion. Be sure to check out part one of our chat in the previous episode. 

In this episode, I talk with a pastor and professor of religion about the role that faith plays in politics today, and how the white evangelical movement in the US has evolved over the last half century. Our discussion was very enlightening and it covered a lot of ground, so I was forced to split it into two separate episodes. Enjoy! 

Global warming is real, it's happening, and humans are to blame. The real question is how do we fix it? In this episode, I am joined by a climate and energy economist who shares his views about where to go from here, and why the solutions to our climate crisis are complex but not out of reach. 

What are the pros and cons of increasing the minimum wage to $15/hour, as the Biden administration is seeking to do? In this episode, I am joined by a conservative who argues against raising the federal minimum wage. I believe that the evidence is clear: raising it benefits everyone. What do you think? 

The recent stalemate between the Chicago Teachers Union and city officials has provided insight into the difficulty behind reopening public schools around the country now that the coronavirus vaccine is becoming more available. In this episode, I get the perspective of two Chicago educators about the city's reopening strategy and education reform in general. 

The rise of income inequality has nearly destroyed the American dream and jeopardized our democracy, at least that's my view. In this episode, I am joined by a conservative who has a different perspective on the current economic divide growing in the US and how to effectively address it. 

In this episode, I talk with a friend (who identifies as a conservative/libertarian) about the second impeachment of Donald Trump and whether or not members of Congress and the media are also to blame for the recent violence at the Capitol. We also discuss the few silver linings of Trump's presidency and what the future GOP will look like without him in office. Enjoy!

In this bonus episode, I am joined by a Trump-supporting friend of mine to reflect on the historic riot at the US Capitol last week. We talk about what led to the violence and what it means for the future of democracy. 

Let's be honest, 2020 was rough. But in my mind, it could have been significantly better if we as a society truly valued education and fact-based decision making. In this episode I try and make that case while also tying up some loose ends and reflecting on the year. I also lay out the framework for what will soon be season two of Prove Me Wrong, Please -- new changes coming! 

Trumpism is a cult, and crafting an alternate reality that fits one's already-held beliefs is simply incompatible with a functioning Democracy. In this episode, I attempt to back-up these claims and explore why I think it is essential to bring Trump-fans back into the fold in order to reject the slow rise of authoritarianism currently happening around the world. Trumpers -- please reach out if you...

In this follow up episode, I am joined by three friends to discuss the role of government in solving some of the biggest problems society faces today (reforming democracy, ending the pandemic, and addressing climate change, to name a few). Feel free to email me at pmwp.pod@gmail.com if you wish to share your thoughts on a future episode. 

In this episode, I talk about why I believe the Democratic party's biggest problem is their inability to effectively refute some of the biggest lies that lay the foundation of support for the Republican party. Join me as I try and bust the following myths: Republicans are better for the economy; Democrats are weak on crime; Democrats are anti-military; all politicians are equally corrupt; Democrat...

Fox News is arguably the most dangerous organization ever. Sounds like an extreme assertion, I know. But let's just take a look at what are considered the four most serious existential threats to human survival and how America's most popular news network refuses to cover these particular issues with the focus, attention and accuracy they deserve. As always, I encourage those listening who may disa...

In this episode, I talk about what the "Defund the Police" movement actually supports, and how the two political parties have responded to protests over racial inequality and police brutality. Check below for the timestamps on different parts of my rant, in case you want to skip ahead: 2:37 - Defund the Police and Black Lives Matter  6:25 - Public support for protests AND police  8:37 -...

In this second follow-up episode, I chat with a former colleague about a variety of topics related to race relations in the US and the upcoming election. Below are the topics we covered in our discussion: 5 mins - Life as a liberal in conservative America 13 mins - The many different displays of racism 30 mins - Joe Biden and Kamala Harris  40 mins - Growing up in a military family 50 mi...

In my first follow-up episode, I chat with two listeners who identify as Libertarians about a variety of topics, including: cancel culture, coronavirus stimulus funding, election integrity, Joe Biden's candidacy, the Second Amendment, reforming the two party system, rising debt/the military, and the threat of China. 

Trump's recent attack on the USPS ahead of the November election is part of a much larger strategy on the right to play by a different set of rules. Whether it be through Gerrymandering, Voter ID, or other various means of voter suppression, the evidence is clear that the modern Republican party does not value the basic principles of Democracy. Tell me why I'm wrong (please). 

Seems like a no-brainer, right? Unfortunately not. For those who disagree with my assertion that Donald Trump is indeed racist, I encourage you to first examine the evidence of both his rhetoric and actions as a citizen and a president before dismissing his well-documented bigotry as just a minor problem not worth discussing. 

I'm just trying to vent while hopefully adding some value to the political discourse. I hope you'll join me!

Let's face it, the last week as been rough. And that's saying a lot for 2020. Here's how I'm reflecting on the events we've seen unfold.