FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message Gaslight flickers over polished wood, a packed hall hums with dread and ambition, and a single voice promises safety through rupture. We take you inside Charleston...
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message Politics feels hotter than ever, but the real danger is how quickly heated words become guiding rules. We unpack what a “cold civil war” looks like, why it resonates right now, and how the United States has navigated similar standoffs before. From the Nullification Crisis to federal enforcement of school integration, from Reconstruction’s contested peace to the open wounds of the Civil War, we draw a clear map of escalation—and a …
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message The temperature of American politics keeps rising, and the comparisons to the 1850s are getting louder. We step into the heat with a focused debate: do today’s progressive radicals echo the antebellum fire eaters in their tactics, or is that a misleading frame that obscures fundamental moral differences? Our goal isn’t to chase outrage; it’s to test the claims with history, examples, and clear standards for what actually drives na…
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message Words can move nations—and sometimes they move them off a cliff. We dive into the antebellum South to examine the Fire Eaters, the radical pro‑slavery leaders whose speeches, platforms, and media campaigns turned sectional tension into a secession movement. With William W. Freehling’s and Eric H. Walther’s research as our guide, we unpack how mainstream Democratic moderates once contained extremism, why that buffer failed, and how…
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message A nation does not tumble into crisis overnight; it drifts, argues, hardens—and then stumbles. We open the pages of David Potter’s A House Dividing to read the 1850s not as distant history but as a mirror for today’s tensions. From the Compromise of 1850 to the Fugitive Slave Act, Potter shows how moral shocks can force ordinary citizens into a confrontation with their own values. That’s the thread we follow into 2025: when people …
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message The Watergate story most of us learned feels cinematic: fearless reporters, shadowy parking garages, and a presidency brought to heel by truth-tellers. We take a different path—back through court records, publishing timelines, and the motives of the people who leaked—so we can separate what happened from what we were sold. Drawing on Jeff Shepard’s deep archival work, along with Max Holland’s and Jim Hougan’s challenges to the can…
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message Forget the tidy Watergate script. We dive into a sharp, good‑faith debate that tests whether Nixon’s fall was inevitable because of crimes and a collapsing cover‑up—or whether a biased legal apparatus and quiet coordination with the bench turned a scandal into a manufactured constitutional crisis. We walk step by step through the break‑in, the inner‑circle misconduct, and the public narrative that took hold, then hold it up agains…
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message The story we were handed about January 6 sounded complete—until the paperwork started talking. We unpack a newly surfaced FBI after-action report, why it arrived on Capitol Hill years late, and what rank-and-file agents say about a lopsided response compared with the 2020 summer riots. Along the way, we examine the operational oddities—274 plain-clothes agents deployed with firearms for “crowd control” after violence began—and ask…
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message What does it take to create a truly flourishing life in today's distraction-filled world? Charlie Kirk's powerful challenge to read 50 books yearly and eliminate "soul-depraving" content offers a compelling answer that few of us want to hear but all of us need to consider. This episode explores the twin pillars of reason and revelation that built Western civilization—from the monotheistic foundations of Judaism…
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message The stunning power of forgiveness takes center stage as we explore three extraordinary stories that changed the course of history. Through vivid storytelling, we journey back to other pivotal moments of forgiveness that transformed our world. We revisit Pope John Paul II's extraordinary meeting with his would-be assassin Mehmet Ali Ağca in 1983, where the Pope offered forgiveness to the very man who nearly took his life. The.…
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message Former President Donald Trump's recent designation of Antifa as a "major terrorist organization" has sent shockwaves through political circles. Speaking from Truth Social during his UK visit, Trump announced plans to investigate Antifa's funding sources—a move that coincides with disturbing revelations about the assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. Investigators have discovered Antifa-related…
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message Three devastating weeks of violence have left America reeling. From the senseless murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska on a Charlotte train to the horrific mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis to the shocking assassination of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, our nation stands at a crossroads where political division, mental illness, and spiritual decay threaten to tear apart the fabric of societ…
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message The staggering scale of World War II's devastation remains difficult to comprehend even decades later. In just six years and one day, humanity's deadliest conflict claimed between 60-65 million lives—roughly 3% of the world's 1939 population and more deaths than occurred in three centuries of warfare combined. Drawing from Victor Davis Hanson's masterful "The Second World Wars," this episode explores …
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message Germany's defeat in World War II wasn't merely a matter of battlefield losses but rather a predictable outcome rooted in fundamental strategic, economic, and leadership failures. Drawing from Victor Davis Hanson's masterful analysis in "The Second World Wars," this episode reveals the three decisive factors that sealed Nazi Germany's fate from the beginning. The first fatal flaw was Germany's pro…
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message The wisdom of Tertullian echoes through centuries: "The blood of martyrs is the seed of the church." These words, penned around 200 AD, have found tragic relevance in our modern world where Christian persecution continues unabated. Startling statistics reveal a disturbing reality—over half of the estimated 70 million Christians martyred throughout history lost their lives in the 20th century alone. And the 21st century s…
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message What catastrophic miscalculations led to Japan's defeat in World War II? This episode dives deep into the strategic blunders, economic impossibilities, and cultural misunderstandings that sealed Japan's fate long before the atomic bombs fell. Drawing on historian Victor Davis Hanson's meticulous research from his book "The Second World Wars", we explore how Japan's military planners fundamentally misu…
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message Have you ever considered that your happiness might be something you can learn rather than simply experience? This eye-opening exploration of Martin Seligman's work reveals one of psychology's most transformative findings: individuals can choose how they think. We dive deep into the remarkable shift in psychological thinking that occurred in the late 1960s—moving from environmental determinism to individual choice and con…
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message The darkest moments of history often involve impossible choices between terrible options. Such was the case in August 1945, when President Harry Truman authorized the use of atomic weapons to end World War II. In this compelling episode, we examine Richard B. Frank's definitive account "Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire" to understand why those bombs, despite their horrific toll, likely saved million…
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message Sleep may be the most overlooked factor in America's declining productivity and wellbeing. Drawing from Sarah Mednick's eye-opening book "Take a Nap, Change Your Life," this episode explores how modern life has dramatically altered our relationship with rest and the profound consequences this shift has had on our collective performance. The statistics are startling. Before Edison's lightbulb illuminated ou…
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Theory to Action Podcast Weekend Show will not be airing this week. We appreciate your understanding and continued support of ...
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message "Whatever we face, we have a choice. Will we be blocked by obstacles or will we advance through and over them?" This powerful question, posed by Ryan Holiday in his bestselling book "The Obstacle Is the Way," frames our exploration of ancient Stoic wisdom and its remarkable relevance to modern challenges. We dive deep into the philosophical foundation that transformed emperors into legends, examining Marcus Aur…
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message Welcome to the Weekend Show Key Points in the Program: • David shares our new weekend show format that includes politics, deep book dives, and flourishing tips • Recommendation for the 2Way podcast featuring Mark Halperin, Sean Spicer, and Dan Turrentine • in our Book of the Week segment, we feature, "Sellout" by David Shippers (2000) reveals how Senate Republicans in 1999 undermined the impeachment process of Willam Jef…
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message | What if the house you're building each day isn't for someone else, but for you? The Theory to Action podcast's latest Mojo Minute unveils a powerful Japanese parable that might forever change how you approach your daily efforts. We meet Koda, a renowned architect whose magnificent homes became world-famous through his relentless dedication to excellence. When he decides to retire, he agrees to build one final ...<…
FAN MAIL--We would love YOUR feedback--Send us a Text Message Welcome to a transformative moment for the Theory to Action podcast! After four dedicated years of exploring conservative books and wisdom, we're expanding our horizons with a new weekly format that complements our traditional book-focused episodes. This inaugural Weekend Show establishes a historical foundation by ranking America's five most significant presidential scandals. From the infamous Watergate break-in that fo…