Angry Neighbors Political Podcast

THE MIDTERMS. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his good friend Liz to talk about Republicans and Democrats heading into the 2018 midterm elections. Should the American people vote Republicans back in for another two years? Is there real common ground developing between centrist conservatives and liberals? Why are Democrats so terrible at playing dirty? Are abortion rights really under threat?

TRUMP AND THE TRUMP VOTER. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his good friend Mike to discuss the first two years of the Trump presidency. Is Trump's style good for Republicans? How much responsibility do citizens have to understand the finer details of the economy? Can I convince Mike that the wage gap is a huge problem?

THE WORLD OF CAPITAL INVESTMENT. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his good friend Joan to discuss how capital investment firms operate. Should we trust capital investment firms? Is a lower tax rate on capital gains fair? Is Wall Street more ethical than we might think?

POLITICAL POLARIZATION. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his cousin Dan to discuss the state of polarization in America. Is the social media revolution different than previous technological leaps in human history? Why is it so damn difficult to stay informed? Do liberals and conservatives need each other? 

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TUNNEL. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his friend Brandon to discuss the perils of opioid addiction and how far we've come regarding mental health in America. How difficult is it to correctly diagnose children? Could you ever get addicted to opioids? What is kratom and why does the government want to ban it?

After having 24 conversations with liberals, conservatives, libertarians, socialists, and everything in between, I've compiled everything I've learned up to this point on the economy. 

THE ART OF THE SMALL BUSINESS. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his good friend Mike, a small business owner in the healthcare industry, to discuss the process of starting a business and how it intersects with our politics. What does it feel like to start your own business? Is it crazy to go up against the healthcare giants? Why are small businesses so much better than corporations?

FUTURE OF THE DEMS. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his good friend Casey to discuss where the Democratic party should go from here. Should 'socialist' still be a four-letter word? It's clearly time for the party elders to go, but who will take their place? Just how socialist is the party willing to go? If Democrats take the House in November.... what then?

RETIREMENT: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his Uncle Bob, a retired CPA and corporate CFO, to discuss how the 401(k) became king and the effect it's had on the American economy. Is saving for retirement so difficult or do Americans just need to be smarter with their money? Who has the 401(k) actually helped? What does the inventor of the 401(k) think about his creation now?

AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with a Philadelphia police officer to discuss the politics of law enforcement in a liberal city. Should police training focus on safety or liability? Do cops have a duty to call out other cops? What is the right balance between politicians and law enforcement? How can we improve relations between cops and communities of color?  

HOW FREE SHOULD THE MARKET BE? Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his good friend Adam to debate what is good and bad for the free market. How do monopolies occur? Is Libertarianism a viable alternative in our modern economy? Which is the original sin, corruption or greed?

UNDOCUMENTED IN AMERICA. Picture an illegal immigrant in your mind. What do they look like? What do they sound like? Where do they work? What is their level of education? Host Bruce Franchi sits down with Dianne, an undocumented immigrant and DACA recipient who might just change that image in your head.

MINORITY IN THE MAJORITY. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his new friend Eliot, a law clerk from Minnesota, to discuss his unique perspective of growing up black in America today. At what age can kids recognize discrimination? Why do certain laws seem to affect different races differently? Why are interactions between police and the black community so complicated?  

MARRIAGE AND POLITICS. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with Mark and Xie, a married couple, to discuss whether political harmony is necessary for marital harmony. Are our political leanings predestined? Are opposing views a deal breaker for you? Is Texas really becoming more liberal? 

THE TRUMP SUPPORTER IS NOT YOUR ENEMY. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his new friend Matt to discuss the Trump presidency to this point. Is Trump a traditional Republican? Should we be focused so much on Trump's immigration policies? Where do Bruce and Matt agree (more than you might think)?

THE POLITICS OF FATHERHOOD. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his good friend, and father or six, Will to discuss how fatherhood has changed his perspective on certain things. Has fatherhood evolved over the decades? How has the role of men changed since our fathers' generation? What does all of this have to do with Donald Trump?

THESE KIDS TODAY. What happens when a high school teacher and a college counselor discuss Millennials and Generation Z? Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his good friend Michael to find out. Is the youth of America in trouble? Have they earned the reputation they've been given? When was the last time you asked your mom for help?

A SOLDIER'S PERSPECTIVE. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his good friend John to talk about his experience as an officer in the Iraq War and how the military can shape political views. How much does the President actually affect the military? Can a civilian ever truly understand what it's like to be a soldier? Is it ok to take a knee during the National Anthem?

CHURCH AND STATE. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his good friend Chaedon to discuss the state of religion in America. Chaedon is an Evangelical Christian, a political science major, and in the seminary to join the priesthood. Does America do a good job separating church and state? Can religious conservatives and non-religious liberals find common ground? Is religion making a comeback?

CORPORATIONS AND REGULATIONS. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his good friend Chuck to talk about corporate culture and the role of regulations. What are corporations going to do with that tax cut money? Where do regulations even come from? Who the hell is taking money from the middle class?

HOLLYWOOD POLITICS. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his new friend Aisha to discuss the politics of Hollywood. As an actor of both stage and screen, Aisha has seen the good, the bad, and the ugly in La La Land. This intersection of politics and culture is like no place else. What was it like to be at ground zero for the #metoo movement? Are things changing for the better in Hollywood? Is reality tv doing more than just rotting our brains?

A DIFFERENT TAKE ON EDUCATION. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his good friend Bill to talk about education and teachers from the perspective of a parent and a taxpayer. How is a charter school different from a public school? Could vouchers ever actually work? What is the real worth of a college degree? Who is Mr Romeo? 

LIBERTARIANISM. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his new friend Frank to learn about the Libertarian Party. What do Libertarians stand for? Is there a difference between a Libertarian and the Libertarian Party? What is Rand Paul's deal? 

THE ART OF TEACHING. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his brother-in-law Mike to talk about teacher pensions and standardized tests. Why do teachers' unions get a bad rap? How should teachers be evaluated? What's it like having a 3-year old with a stomach bug? 

ARIZONA TEACHER STRIKE. Bruce sits down with his good friend, and fellow teacher, Christin for a report straight from the front lines of the march for better school funding. What is it like to be part of mass protest? Why are so many teachers around the country upset? How did the Arizona state legislature respond? 

THE FUTURE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. Host Bruce Franchi sits down to discuss the current state of the Republican Party and what it might look like in the upcoming election years. What was the force behind the embrace of Trump over the more traditional conservative candidates? Should the GOP return to its Reagan roots? Can it even it wants to? Is John Kasich creepy? Answers to all of these questions and more.

THE SYRIAN CRISIS. Host Bruce Franchi sits down to discuss the origins of the conflict in Syria and the experience of the millions of refugees that have fled their homes. If you would like to contribute to the refugees in some way, here are some great options: Karam Foundation: https://www.karamfoundation.org/  providing aid to the people recently displaced from Eastern Ghouta after the chemical attack Jusoor Syria: https://jusoorsyria.com/ - sponsors Syrians to complete university education International Rescue Committee: https://www.rescue.org/ - refugee advocacy, direct work in and around Syria Mercy Corps: https://www.mercycorps.org/ - lots of youth programs targeting education, vocational training around the region Syrian American Medical Society: https://www.sams-usa.net/ supporting doctors and hospitals all over Syria And for further reading on the Syrian Crisis, try "No Turning Back: Life, Loss, and Hope in Wartime Syria by Rania Abouzeid.

WOMEN'S RIGHTS. Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his new friend Brittany to discuss the Women's March, Hillary Clinton's nomination, and the #metoo movement.

Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his good buddy Brad. After almost 10 years of friendship, they've talked plenty of politics. Today they tackle gun control and gun culture in America. 

Host Bruce Franchi sits down with his good friend Liz to talk about how family values affect our politics and her experience being a Trump voter after the election. 

Welcome to the Angry Neighbors podcast, where everyday Americans like you have a voice.  Host Bruce Franchi gives a glimpse into what you can expect from the podcast.