People have a tendency to think things will be calmer, more peaceful after we get past _________ (fill in the blank). But it never turns out that way. Rather than looking at a future time to bring peace, let’s talk about how to find peace in the midst of the storm.

The Story of Christmas: https://stephenmansfield.tv/the-story-of-christmas/

The Story of Santa Claus: https://stephenmansfield.tv/the-story-of-santa-claus/

There are times in history a government pursues policies contrary to their own interests, making foolish decisions, and then stumbling into war. With Joe Biden’s recent decision to allow the use of long-range missiles in Ukraine, he is setting the US up for an escalation of that war and handing Donald Trump a stink bomb. If cooler heads don’t prevail, we may stumble into a nuclear war with Russia.

Get “The March of Folly:” https://www.amazon.com/March-Folly-Troy-Vietnam/dp/0345308239

Today Stephen answers a millennial’s questions about the 2024 election. Listen in as Jonas Litton, our podcast producer, asks about the things on many of our minds. How relevant is the electoral college? Was this a landslide? What will Trump do his first days in office? Where is our country headed? All this and more in today’s episode.

Donald Trump is the next president of the United States. The election results were decisive due to several reasons, the primary being the number of stealth voters who turned out for Trump. We are just starting to sift through the data, so listen in as Stephen breaks down 7 statistics and trends that defined this election.

A relatively small number of people from a particular demographic will decide who the next president will be. In this episode, I break down the numbers required to win and make some observations about the candidates’ campaigns and their current trajectories.

To the extent that people read, is the extent to which the society is advancing. Reading increases our capacity for knowledge, creativity, inventiveness, and emotional intelligence. But reading is declining dramatically. Eight of the top 10 books sold on Amazon are children’s books. Listen in to hear why this is a crisis.

“The Elite College Students Who Can’t Read Books” (The Atlantic): https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2024/11/the-elite-college-students-who-cant-read-books/679945/

How did this happen? The majority of Republicans are doubtful of our involvement in Ukraine, questioning our involvement in the Middle East, and questioning the need for Taiwan to maintain its sovereignty. What has led to a reversal of the noble vision held by former presidents like Bush and Reagan who understood that being the world’s most powerful military with diplomatic values comes with a cost?

In this episode I recorded on September 9, 2024, before the presidential debate, I make some predictions about how the tone and posture the candidates take will determine not only the outcome of the debate, but also the election. If I was coaching the candidates, these are the recommendations I would make in order for them to win over undecided voters.

Kamala Harris has had the most amazing five weeks in American electoral history. Now the campaign is entering a new stage, a time for debating the issues. Will we see Kamala Harris lean more centrist and communicate her positions articulately? Will Donald Trump find his balance and get in the game? There is plenty of drama in this election.

Donald Trump has become the Hamlet of American politics. Like Shakespeare’s character, he is troubled, emotional, haunted by his own demons and paralyzed from taking action. Trump has lost the narrative and continues to run a populist campaign rather than addressing the issues. Listen in as I predict where these present trends will lead.