The Middle American

Iran is dominating the news at the moment.  Fears grow of World War III or US involvement in another Middle East conflict.  But how much do you actually know about the country?  Who is the Ayatollah and why does he hold power?  Do the Iranians want regime change?  What led to the Islamic Revolution?  Why does Iran refer to the US as the Great Satan?  Hint, it dates back to our help in overthrowing...

I predicted that last weekend would be turbulent.  And it unfortunately was in the worst of ways.  The assassination of Rep. Hortman in her own home was horrifying and widely condemned.  But fingers were pointed by hands that were not clean.  My state Rep. von Haefen took to social media promoting the beheading of President Trump and Elon Musk.  She deserves all the criticism she has received, and...

ICE deportations are escalating.  Protests that originated in LA are going to spread.  Peaceful protests will turn into destructive riots.  And Trump 2.0 will deal with the situation differently than Trump 1.0 did in the summer of 2020.  But what is the basis for these protests in the first place and who is ICE actually deporting?  Time to discuss context behind the images you have and will see th...

You knew it would eventually come.  But this week, President Trump and Elon Musk seemingly ended their bromance in spectacular (and embarrassing) fashion - with accusations ranging from lack of influence to pedophilia.  The catalyst is Trump's Big Beautiful Bill that is still sitting in Congress.  Republicans had a mandate.  They can't seem to get out of their own way.  And the circus fr...

Debt free with a household income in the six figures.  This is the goal of most middle class families.  Shan and her family are those people.  But they still have found home buying to be unaffordable.  This looming housing crisis is not just for first-time homebuyers.  It will impact everyone.  This is the first in a new series of conversations with listeners over topics discussed on the podcast. ...

Former President Biden announced that he has Stage 4 prostate cancer.  The timing of the announcement has raised skepticism as to how long this diagnosis has been known and again questions the level of cover-up done to keep him running for office prior to dropping out.  Judge Jefferson Griffin finally conceded to Justice Allison Riggs in the only outstanding 2024 race in the country.  And Jake Tap...

In 2008, we saw the housing market take an unprecedented crash that took over a decade to recover.  I bought in 2008.  I saw signs then.  I was told not to worry by the experts.  I learned my lesson.  It's now 2025.  I'm seeing other signs that again nobody is publicly worried about or talking about.  But they are there.  There's a reason first-time homebuyers are unable to purchase...

Trump Presidency 2.0 has officially hit 100 days filled with a head-spinning amount of executive orders, controversies over various policies, a closed border, and a disruption (if not dismantling) of longstanding institutions.  No President has had such an impact in their first 100 days since FDR.  Are his promises being kept?  Are his policies Making America Great Again?  And are those who suppor...

Patrick Newton sits down for a conversation about leading the NC Forward Party, a political third party looking to take a foothold in North Carolina and across the country.  Independents make up the largest voting bloc in North Carolina, but do not have an official party that represents them in elections.  Patrick is looking to fill that void.  We discuss a variety of topics, including his 5-year...

The Trump Administration has hit it's first bellwether case when it comes to enforcement of its immigration policies.  Kilmar Garcia is either a "Maryland man" raising three disabled children who was mistakenly deported to an El Salvador prison, or he is an illegal MS-13 gangbanger who has been excised from the country back to his home.  That is the narrative given to you by the med...

Top Republicans, national security and intelligence officials are in hot water after including the Editor-in-Chief of The Atlantic in a group chat discussing military strikes in Yemen on an app you can download on your iPhone bringing back memories of Hillary Clinton's unsecured server.  Sports betting celebrated its one-year anniversary in North Carolina and a bipartisan bill is looking for...

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...