The Middle American

The Brackets are back!  If you are looking to fill out your office pool, or maybe compete against your friends or neighbors, and don't necessarily follow a lot of college basketball - this episode is for you.  Rather than pick a team because you like their colors or their mascot, listen to some actual advice from someone who watches a lot of college basketball - me.  I'll walk you throug...

Five years ago this week, the world shut down and forever changed.  COVID divided this country like nothing we have seen since the Civil War.  The ramifications are still being felt today.  I look back at what happened, what we learned from it, and what, if anything, would change in the future should it happen again.   Like the show? Shoot me a text with your thoughts Support the show

Trump addressed Congress for the first time in his second term.  Whether you like him or not, he gave one of his better speeches.  But more notably, the Democrats looked awful.  From an optics standpoint, their failure to recognize and celebrate the human element on display will stick in the minds of viewers much more than anything Trump said.  Democrats lost in November.  They have yet to adjust....

Two topics, DOGE and Ukraine, have dominated the news cycle over the past two weeks.  I decided to do a brief overview of both - not to sway opinion - to provide context as to both what DOGE is attempting to accomplish and what led to the confrontation between Zelensky and Trump in the Oval Office last week.   Like the show? Shoot me a text with your thoughts Support the show

Super Bowl Sunday is the pinnacle of sports fandom in America.  It's also a good indicator of American Society at the moment.  And what this past weekend showed was a societal shift is taking place.  Ft. Bragg is back to being named Ft. Bragg but this time for a Better Bragg.  And may we not make the same mistake with Kanye West that we did with Sean Combs.   Like the show? Shoot me a text wi...

Trump has threatened 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada and a 10% tariff increase on China.  Supporters believe that these countries will cave to avoid detrimental economic impacts.  Detractors say only the American consumer will pay.  Who is right?  How has America used tariffs historically?  And are they really in play or simply a means to another end?  Let's discuss  Like the show? Shoot me...

The ICE raids have started as the Trump Administration has begun the process to root out those living here illegally, starting with criminal offenders.  While most Americans likely agree with that particular demographic being deported, the scale of approval shifts as the characteristics change.  Where do you side?  The Lumbee Tribe in North Carolina gains Trump's support for federal recogniti...

He's Back.  The greatest political comeback in American history culminated in the Capitol Rotunda on Monday with Donald J. Trump being sworn in as the 47th President.  The day was unlike any other we had ever seen when it comes to an inauguration, starting with preemptive pardons from Biden and ending with a slew of Trump executive orders.  I'll recap it all here, and what it means as we...

It's been over 15 months since Hamas attacked Israel setting off a deadly war in Gaza, but days away from the Trump Inauguration, there is a ceasefire in place with hostages being returned - at a cost.  The LA fires have gripped the country over the past week, but Western North Carolina is still recovering from its own natural disaster that occurred three months ago when Hurricane Helene wipe...

Facebook and Instagram have now joined X in moving away from censorship.  And that's a good thing.  The North Carolina Supreme Court race is still not officially decided, two month's post Election Day.  And that's not a good thing.  And LA is burning - once again sparking the need for Americans to step in and help other Americans.   Like the show? Shoot me a text with your thoughts...

2025 starts out with a realization rather than a resolution - this country is still susceptible to mass casualty terror events 24 years removed from 9/11.  The problem?  We don't seem to be doing as much about it.  A sieve of a southern border means we have little idea as to who has entered this country and could be operating as a sleeper cell.  And the use of drones, suicide vests, and other...

President Jimmy Carter passed away at 100 years old.  Although his presidency is not likely viewed in the upper echelon of administrations, his life certainly fits that mold.  I take a brief look back at the man who grew up in a two of less than 600 people, became the most powerful man in the world, and then returned to that same town to live out the rest of his life in a role he valued the most -...

Drones have been hovering around New Jersey at night for nearly a month now and nobody seems to have an answer as to why.  This has led to an outpouring of theories as to what is going on.  I'll delve into those theories and why we should have some concern.  The NC GOP passed an omnibus bill tied to hurricane relief that effectively stripped power from Democrats before they take office.  And...

The CEO of the country's largest health insurance carrier being assassinated in Midtown Manhattan has gripped the country for a week.  Police arrested his alleged killer just yesterday after an extensive manhunt.  Not only was the killing surprising, but so has been the response.  There has been a lot of online support for what happened.  Although the act is not something that should be laude...

Biden pardoned his son Hunter, which should come as no surprise except to those who believed he and Democrats were above what they accused of Trump and Republicans.  Nope.  They are one and the same.  Rep. Erin Pare is looking to introduce a bill that should get unanimous bipartisan support in North Carolina to avoid a surprising tax bill on sports betting.  And what we can learn regarding letting...

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!  A holiday that we often do not appreciate, coupled with a team that most did not appreciate, provides the context of today's podcast episode: learning to appreciate and be thankful for where you are in life regardless of your circumstances and your surroundings.  Because when things turnaround and when you are in the place you want to be, you will be more appreci...

The Trump Administration is off to a quick start in its effort to take the momentum from Election Day and hit the ground running on Day 1.  They have rolled out a number of nominees for the Cabinet (and non-Cabinet) positions - some of whom are considered as controversial from both sides of the aisle.  I'll discuss how Trump plans on getting these nominees into office, how the Senate and Hous...

So what happened in the swing state of North Carolina?  Trump won, but so did the Democrats in the three main statewide races.  How much of drag was Mark Robinson on down-the-ballot Republicans?  Did the GOP maintain a super majority in the legislature?  And what can both parties learn for future elections?  Let's discuss.   And please vote for this podcast as Podcast of the Year in the WRAL...

Trump won - by the biggest margins for a Republican since 1988.  I predicted it and I'll discuss why it happened, what the Democrats failed to do, and how to react to the reality of a Trump Administration 2.0.   Like the show? Shoot me a text with your thoughts Support the show

Election Day is here.  Early Voting is over.  Ads are over.  It's time for results.  My official prediction:  Trump will win North Carolina and will win the Presidency.  Why?  Let's discuss.   Like the show? Shoot me a text with your thoughts Support the show

We are one week away from Election Day.  Where do we stand now?  As of the moment, Trump will not only win North Carolina, but likely come close to sweeping all of the swing states.  Surprised?  Tune in to find out why.   Like the show? Shoot me a text with your thoughts Support the show

We have made it to voting, at least here in North Carolina.  Many other states have also started or are about to start the early voting process as well.  Contrary to what many people believe, the majority of ballots are cast during the early voting process.  So how the electorate feels today and over these next few days/weeks may determine the results before a ballot is cast on Election Day.  I&ap...

Mary joins to the pod to talk about her campaign for NC House after spending years as a teacher and journalist.  She discusses what she would do to address issues with the economy, infrastructure, energy, education and community safety if elected to serve in Raleigh.   Like the show? Shoot me a text with your thoughts Support the show

Elizabeth joins the pod to talk about her prior experience as a public school teacher and why that has prompted her to run for School Board.  She discusses proficiency rates, teacher attrition, funding and allotment, school safety, redistricting and curriculum and what she hopes to do on the Board to address these issues.   Like the show? Shoot me a text with your thoughts Support the show

In the midst of a contentious election season, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the acts of Americans supporting other Americans over the past week that I have witnessed on a macro and micro level.  From the rush to support those devasted by the apocalyptic scene left behind by Hurricane Helene in the North Carolina mountains to the empathy and compassion shown to a close friend of mine as...