Democracy on the Move

Dirt Road Radio

In this episode, we discuss the danger of hyper-conservative media and its impact on American democracy. This danger is particularly noticeable by the way that extremist messaging on terrestrial radio in rural areas has poisoned political discourse in the United States. Fear and intolerance has been magnified and weaponized. So how do we fight this disturbing trend? There is a new idea emerging that will directly challenge extremism on the radio; it’s called Dirt Road Radio. By making use of new technology, Dirt Road Radio will easily broadcast its radio content nation-wide. The content won’t consist of screaming at folks from far away, but it will come from the heartland itself. Dirt Road Radio will focus on building a strong community by bringing to light many wonderful stories from the heartland - stories told by rural folks themselves.

This effort has been launched, but we still need a lot of help. Have a listen to this podcast and see if you might be interested in participating in an effort to turn the tide in American democracy!

The Common Good

In today's podcast, we explore the concept of the "common good" and its importance in shaping a just and equitable society. Throughout history, philosophers have emphasized the significance of shared values, collective responsibility, and public institutions in promoting the well-being of all individuals within a community. However, the forces of individual and collective greed, especially within a capitalist society, can pose a significant threat to the common good. We discuss the influence of corporatism, the privatization of public services, and the consequences of greed on social inequalities, democratic institutions, and the accessibility of essential services. By examining these challenges, we hope to inspire a thoughtful conversation on how we can balance individual freedom and collective responsibility to protect and promote the common good, fostering a more inclusive and sustainable society for all.

Freedom vs Harmony

In this podcast episode, we explore the complex and multifaceted controversy surrounding free speech. We examine historical events where people have freely expressed their views and opinions resulting in controversy and emotional upset. We delve into the recent phenomenon of "cancel culture" and the moral and ethical issues involved, and we discuss the "Paradox of Tolerance" and what it means for free speech. Join us as we navigate these difficult questions and strive to balance the need for free expression with the need for equality and respect for all individuals.

Dutch Farmer Protests

Why are farmers in the Netherlands protesting? Recent changes in Dutch environmental laws have put the squeeze on farmers in the Netherlands, so they've have taken their protests to their government. While it's true that our methods of farming - and living in general - must change in order to sustain a livable environment, it may be a mistake to force one group of people to bear the burden without adequate guidance and compensation. In this episode, we bring attention to the difficulties experienced by farmers in the Netherlands and suggest there are parallels with farmers in the United States.

Do We Live in a Democracy?

Folks on the extreme right say that we here in the U.S. do not live in a democracy. They say that we live in a "Constitutional Republic." This is a dangerous belief, because to say that we do not live in a democracy is to say that we are not governed by the will of the people. This mindset opens the door to tyranny, because after all, why fight for a democracy when we don't live in a democracy anyway?

In this podcast, we explore the definition of both a Constitutional Republic and a Democracy and show that indeed, we live in a representative democracy whose government is constrained by a constitution in order to prevent a "tyranny of a majority" and secure individual liberties. Essentially, we live within both a Democracy and a Constitutional Republic.

Right to Misinformation

Do we have the right to be misinformed? What is misinformation? And should social media companies - and our government - censor us for misinformation? In this short podcast, we lay out the problem. We don’t offer any solutions, but we provide a bit more context on a highly complex and controversial topic.

Citizens’ Climate Lobby

Tim Ely, co-leader of the St. Louis Chapter of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby, drops by to talk about the organization. Citizens’ Climate Lobby - or CCL for short - is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, grassroots advocacy climate change organization focused on national policies to address climate change. They not only directly lobby politicians, but they also engage at the local level with friends, neighbors and local officials and educate them on the details of climate change and what they can do about it. You can find CCL online at citizensclimatelobby.org.

Progressivism, Wokeism and Chinese Balloons

In today's free-form discussion, we talk about progressivism, wokeism and that Chinese balloon that created a stir as it floated over our nation. 

Mount Exodus

When people lose confidence in local police, things can get very bad. The threat of demoralized cops walking off the job has politicians in many states panicking. Their solution? Seize control and centralize authority over local police departments. This is not a good development for democracy.

Disruption Delivered

Disruption for its own sake will deliver a system of government that’s far worse than anything we have today.