'The Carrot'

'The Carrot'

Many people are unhappy with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) the United States is considering with Iran. They believe the Trump administration is offering too many concessions and would prefer military pressure to continue. However, many of these critics may not fully understand Trump’s strategy. Trump appears to be employing a “carrot-and-stick” approach. After several months of applying pressure—the stick—he is now offering incentives—the carrot. It is up to Iran whether it accepts those incentives or faces additional pressure. President Trump has been clear that the stick, meaning further military action, remains an option. At the same time, he wants to give the carrot an opportunity to work by potentially releasing billions of dollars in Iranian funds and easing sanctions to allow investment and economic growth. Does Trump’s strategy have a chance of succeeding, and what happens if it does not? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #417. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Education Crisis'

Rahm Emanuel, former chief of staff to President Barack Obama and former mayor of Chicago, wrote an op-ed in ‘The Wall Street’ Journal last fall titled “Democrats Need an Education Reset.” Emanuel, who is expected to run for president in 2028, argues that the United States faces an education crisis. He wrote the piece in response to a government report on results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress, which found troubling levels of student achievement. According to the report, only 31% of eighth-grade students are proficient in science, 22% of high school seniors are proficient in math, and 35% are proficient in reading. In the op-ed, Emanuel writes, “We’ve spent the past five years debating pronouns without noticing that too many students can’t tell you what a pronoun is.” What is the source of the education crisis? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #416. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Election Crisis'

The recent California primary election took nearly a week to certify the winners. In an age of modern technology and rapid transportation, that is a considerable amount of time. Many jurisdictions with fewer resources than California, and with similar or even larger numbers of voters, are able to certify their election results within 24 hours of the polls closing. This has caused some people to have argued that California’s election process increases the potential for fraud or other irregularities because of the length of time required to certify the results. President Trump has been among the most prominent voices expressing this concern, but many other California residents have also voiced distrust in the election process. How does California’s mail-in voting system contribute to the time required to certify election results, and is mail-in voting trustworthy? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #415. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Heresies'

Over the weekend, a controversy erupted when Utah Senator Mike Lee posted a photo of the Pentagon’s revised list of religions it recognizes for observance. Lee wrote, “Can anyone tell me why The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was left out of the list of Christian churches?” The Pentagon had added the word “Christian” to the names of several denominations but listed only The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints without a Christian designation. He argued that the LDS Church should have received the same label. His post sparked widespread discussion and debate over whether the LDS Church should’ve been included with other Christians. What did Joseph Smith teach about other Christian denominations? Did he view the LDS Church as simply another Christian denomination, or did he see it as a distinct, unique, church? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #414. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

'Simon Magus'

Simon Magus, also known as Simon the Sorcerer, is a figure mentioned in the Book of Acts. He was a Samaritan who, according to Acts, amazed the people of Samaria with his sorcery and claimed to be someone great. The passage states: “All the people, both high and low, gave him their attention..." When the Apostle Philip came to Samaria and performed signs and miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit, Simon was astonished and professed belief. Later, he offered the Apostle Peter money in exchange for the ability to confer the Holy Spirit on others. Peter sharply rebuked him for this attempt to purchase the Holy Spirit. According to early Christian tradition, what became of Simon Magus after these events, and which early Christian heresy is he believed to have founded? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #413. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com [https://www.according2sam.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]