The Middle American

Have a kid in high school or middle school?  Do they talk much about life and how they see things?  This episode gives them a voice.  I have a conversation with two high school seniors regarding a range of topics, including how COVID impacted their schooling, their job prospects, views on politicians, the links between social media and mental health, and whether their peers are proud to be America...

Mask mandates at colleges.  School districts going remote.  Are we seeing the early return of COVID?  A grad student shoots a staff member dead on UNC's campus creating a lockdown and manhunt during a week of shootings at a football game, parade, and grocery store.  And Eminem tells Vivek to lose it when it comes to singing "Lose Yourself."   Like the show? Shoot me a text with your...

Last night, eight Republican candidates took the stage in Milwaukee for the first national Presidential debates.  One candidate was notably missing from the stage - Donald Trump.  Did it matter?  Was it a mistake for him not to show?  What did these contenders talk about and did any of them make a case for the independent vote?  I discuss my thoughts on the debate and the candidates, including a p...

The long-awaited Georgia indictment of former President Trump came down this week and its alleging RICO and bringing along 18 of his allies.  WCPSS solved the bus shortage problem by having kids show up to school up to 30 minutes late.  And an unknown guy with a guitar in the woods singing about politicians has shot to the top of the charts in less than a week.   Like the show? Shoot me a text wit...

This week I discuss the migrant crisis sweeping the country, but particularly in NYC.  North Carolina opted to increase its auto insurance rates by 4.5% each year for the next two years as opposed to the 28.4% increase sought for by the NC Rate Bureau.   Just add it to the ever-increasing list of costs without increase in wages.  And finally, I'll discuss an Instagram post by Jamie Foxx and s...

This week I discuss the looming student loan crisis with federal loans needing to be repaid again starting in October and how one candidate has put forth an initial plan to address it.  I also address public schools not being able to address the most basic need: transporting students to school.  And I touch base on the recent lawsuit against Lizzo and how much faith we put into celebrities.   Like...

This week I discuss the notably aging population of our elected officials in Washington DC (the average age of a US Senator is 65 and the oldest in 90!), the General Assembly discussing casinos and gambling in North Carolina, and the controversies that seem to surround our US Women's Soccer team.   Like the show? Shoot me a text with your thoughts Support the show

I'm back!  And I've decided to change the format of the podcast.  Rather than discussing one topic from the middle perspective, I've decided to discuss three current event stories each week: (1) national story; (2) local story; and (3) pop culture story.  This week, I discuss the Trump target letter stemming from the January 6th investigation, the hiring of a new superintendent for...

The DOJ issued an unprecedented 37-count indictment of former President Trump yesterday in Southern Florida for documents contained at his Mar-a-Lago residence.  This comes on the heels of word from Capitol Hill of President Biden being involved in a $5 million bribery scheme with officials at Burisma, the Ukrainian oil company that his son Hunter served on the Board earning up to $1 million per y...

The North Carolina General Assembly passed a bill along partisan lines overhauling  abortion requirements.  This weekend, Governor Cooper vetoed the bill.  It now returns to the legislature for a test of the newly-created veto-proof majority.  Will legislators toe party lines as they did with eliminating the need for a permit to purchase a pistol?  Or will there be concessions allowing the veto to...

Last week, the North Carolina Supreme Court reversed itself and validated a 2018 law requiring Voter ID stemming from a vote for a Constitutional Amendment on that same issue.  Now registered voters will be required to present a form of identification to vote at future elections, with few exceptions.  I will discuss the ruling, its implications and the arguments against such requirements.  35 stat...

Earlier this month in Manhattan, DA Alvin Bragg indicted President Trump on 34 felony counts stemming from a $130,000 hush money payout to a porn star weeks before the 2016 election.  Is this just desserts for the leader of the "Lock Her Up" chants?  Is this a political hit job?  And does this impact independents looking ahead to 2024?   Like the show? Shoot me a text with your thoughts...

Killer comes in and shoots down kids and teachers in school.  Thoughts and prayers are offered.  Police are heralded as heroes.  Shouts of banning guns from the Left.  Shouts of upholding the Second Amendment on the Right.  Nothing happens.  The cycle repeats.  Kids getting gunned down in schools rarely happens anywhere else in the world.  Yet we are numb to it here in America.  Why?  Something ne...

Steve Bergstrom ran for the Wake County School Board twice and is now running for the Chair of the Republican Party in Wake County.  He sits down to talk about his experience running for the school board, the issues he sees with with partisanship on those boards in general, and how he and his team plan to shape the Republican Party in Wake County while still reaching out to unaffiliated and indepe...

Five years ago, school boards were largely forgotten about positions on the back of a ballot that most of us either ignored or simply voted for the incumbent without a second thought.  COVID changed all of that and brought a national spotlight on school boards across the country.  What were once traditionally "non-partisan" entities are increasingly becoming partisan.  Is that a good thi...

Far left.  Far right.  Conservative.  Liberal.  Republican.  Democrat.  Can't fully relate?  Me either.  But nearly all public discourse and media is centered upon the views share by one of the two political parties - and often those shouting the loudest from the extremes of both sides.  This isn't just a political podcast.  It's a podcast on life and society, with politics mixed in...

Far left.  Far right.  Conservative.  Liberal.  Republican.  Democrat.  Can't fully relate?  Me either.  But nearly all public discourse and media is centered upon the views share by one of the two political parties - and often those shouting the loudest from the extremes of both sides.  This isn't just a political podcast.  It's a podcast on life and society, with politics mixed in...