Episode 23: American Elegy

Episode 26: Who Are We?

As the old American battle lines of liberalism versus conservatism fade into irrelevance, where will the next battles be fought? I suggest it will be over the issue of identity: Who are we? What does it mean to be an American, a human being? The Next Realignment by Frank DiStefano: President Donald Trump’s 1st Inaugural Address: Exchange between Vivek Ramaswamy and Mike Pence: Get full access to Gem State Chronicle at newsletter.gemstatechronicle.com/subscribe [https://newsletter.gemstatechronicle.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Episode 25: Tilting at Windmills

Watching the Ada County Republican Central Committee debate on Thursday night about endorsing a Republican nominee got me thinking about how much time and energy are spent doing the political equivalent of tilting at windmills. Too much idealism can cause you to lose everything, but too much pragmatism can make you forget what you’re fighting for. History teaches us that we need a balance. What does that look like in the world of Idaho politics? Get full access to Gem State Chronicle at newsletter.gemstatechronicle.com/subscribe [https://newsletter.gemstatechronicle.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Episode 24: Founding Myths

When history podcaster Darryl Cooper shared some heterodox beliefs about World War II in an interview with Tucker Carlson [https://x.com/TuckerCarlson/status/1830652074746409246], a lot of people lost their minds. There are many historical events that have been transformed into foundational myths for societies, and questioning those myths can have unpleasant results.How should we approach history, as well as the myths that define our societies? Get full access to Gem State Chronicle at newsletter.gemstatechronicle.com/subscribe [https://newsletter.gemstatechronicle.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Episode 23: American Elegy

With the announcement today of Senator JD Vance of Ohio as Donald Trump's running mate, I decided to go back into the archives of my old podcast and pull out an episode I published about the status of the white working class in America. A lot of what I said at the time came out of reading Vance's book Hillbilly Elegy, about his life growing up in Kentucky and Ohio and the struggles of his people there. I thought it would be interesting to go back and remember what I thought then and compare it to where we find ourselves now. As you listen, keep in mind that this was recorded more than two years ago, before Vance won his Senate race in Ohio. Get full access to Gem State Chronicle at newsletter.gemstatechronicle.com/subscribe [https://newsletter.gemstatechronicle.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Episode 22: How Do You Solve a Problem Like Joe Biden?

Many people are talking about how the Democrats might replace President Joe Biden, both in the White House and at the top of the 2024 ticket. Yet such a thing is not as easy as you might think. Gem State Chronicle is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Gem State Chronicle at newsletter.gemstatechronicle.com/subscribe [https://newsletter.gemstatechronicle.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]