What Divides Us Podcast

Follow What Divides Us Podcast
Share on
Copy link to clipboard

Why is America perpetually split into two sides? What is fueling this divide... and how can we come together despite these differences. Todd Feinburg and expert guests will delve into topics around this great divide, with a focus on truly understanding both sides.

RADIO.COM


    • Jul 3, 2021 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 35m AVG DURATION
    • 62 EPISODES


    Search for episodes from What Divides Us Podcast with a specific topic:

    Latest episodes from What Divides Us Podcast

    What Divides Us - Jeffery Tucker (7/3/21)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 3, 2021 24:26


    At the end of his conversation with Todd last week recapping the COVID shutdowns, economist Jeffrey Tucker sounded an alarm of optimism. Where was Tucker, who writes for Real Clear Markets, finding this ray of hope amidst all the damage done by government overreaction and the politics of the science expressed by the Public Health Power Elite? We brought him back this week to learn more. But Jeffrey again teases our next conversation by noting that he will prep for it by rereading Adam Smith's "Theory of Moral Sentiments," because it speaks so powerfully to the moment we find ourselves in. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Jeffery Tucker on COVID Response (6/22/21)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2021 30:48


    We speak with economist Jeffrey Tucker about COVID mistakes and mishandlings. Jeffrey writes now for Real Clear Markets (formerly of AIER.org), and is the author of the book Liberty or Lockdown about the COVID response. He ends the discussion on a high note - he sees us on the precipice of great, positive, change in the wake of COVID. Thanks for listening to What Divides Us! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 4/12/21

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 12, 2021 44:48


    Hey Joey: Here's this week's What Divides Us podcast, ready for uploading. On this week's exciting left right debate between liberty leaning host Todd Feinburg and supporter of relentless government plunder Av Harris, a lifelong apologist for the oppressive, anti-liberty left, the two try to identify the exact point at which their near total agreement on the devious, evil state of our politics suddenly results in a fork in the road. Alas, just as Av grabs the wheel to swerve last second to the extreme left, ignoring the fork altogether, and refuses to engage in rational conversation any longer. Instead, he starts talking like a lifelong liberal, refusing to confront his own intellectual dissonance and insisting the world would be better, despite the obvious deficiencies of our current political process, if only we expand the current $30 trillion deficit to $40! As always, we have a good time, and little is accomplished. Find more episodes at our website: https://www.audacy.com/wtic/podcasts/what-divides-us-31989 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divide US 058 AV Harris

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 5, 2021 53:51


    In this week's conversation with Av Harris, the former senior Communications Officer for the Connecticut Department of Public Health, we discuss whether certain "underserved" communities really need to be targeted and coerced into agreeing to be vaccinated for Covid - won't they, as Todd suggests, be led to that conclusion on their own by following the natural flow of events? Also, Av brings us behind the scenes of some DPH decision making processes, explains why the state epidemiologist, Dr. Matthew Cartter, was put on ice by the governor, and how the governor otherwise refused to trust the scientists, instead creating his own private and sometimes secret group of advisers to assist in decision making. Eventually, adds Av, the experienced public health professionals in the DPH were reduced to listening to Governor Lamont's press conferences to learn what course of action he had chosen for the state's Covid response. While a crisis has been famously described as a time when transformative public policy can be made that might otherwise be impossible, the Covid crisis also offers many opportunities to gain unusual perspectives on all the crap that goes into the sausage of government decision making. https://ctmirror.org/2021/03/26/ct-to-hire-71-member-campaign-team-to-push-vaccines-in-10-cities/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divide US 058 People in Need

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2021 36:48


    Is it the job of government to be scouring the countryside like Santa Claus, with bags of gifts to give to people in need? Todd's philosophy is that government must operate as the referees of the game, making sure that it is as structurally fair as is reasonable, but not looking to solve people's problems. Longtime government employee Av Harris, a Democrat, sees government as referees perhaps, but ones who do make-up calls, blowing whistles on imaginary fouls to make-up for the bad calls they made in the past.  Todd bemoans the moral hazard of making people dependent on government, of moving our system away from what it is supposed to be by teaching Americans that government's role is the bailout of individuals in need, and the obvious election rigging schemes that political parties inevitably become under such a scheme. Av sees no moral hazard, and sees individuals in need as a legitimate target for gifts that only government can bring down the chimney.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divide US 057 Big Vs Small

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2021 42:27


    In this week's What Divides Us, Todd argues that the U.S. system is at it's core a liberty based system, and that a liberty based system requires small government, with a devotion to protecting the people's protections from government rather than a government that is growing and determined to take more power in the relationship by undermining those protections. Av Harris argues the other side, that small government was all well and good once upon a time, but that wonderful big government programs from the FDR era and the LBJ era were essential developments, representing an evolution of our system to something better. We hope you enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    WHAT DIVIDES US 056 - Nursing Home Deaths

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 8, 2021 30:17


    As the Communications Director for the Connecticut Department of Health when Covid set in a year ago, Av Harris was on the front lines of absorbing policy directives from Washington and seeing how Governor Ned Lamont made decisions. We discuss how the state's policy response developed, as Connecticut, like New York, saw a disastrous number of deaths in nursing homes and other senior care facilities while the governor followed the directive from Washington that protecting hospitals was the imperative, not protecting the elderly - on this week's What Divides Us. WDU is hosted by radio talk host Todd feinburg from WTIC News Talk 1080 in Hartford, CT. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 055 - Av Harris

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 26, 2021 34:22


    How does Ned Lamont make his decisions? With an eye toward good media coverage and winning favor with special interest groups. That according to Av Harris, who ran the communications team for Lamont's Department of Public Health from the start of the administration until last month.  Harris says the joke around the executive branch in Connecticut is that the governor's guiding principle is WWCD - What Would Cuomo Do? Why?  Harris says by making joint policy with a group of states that included New York, Lamont would get more invitations from the national TV news media based in New York City. Harris explains that the administration is driven by a governor who frequently made Covid policy not in line with science, but in keeping with running "an administration that .... concentrates on ‘What kind of headlines can I get? What’s the spin? What’s the story?’ That tends to drive policy.” We welcome Av Harris back to this week's What Divides Us for an insider's perspective about how politicians make decisions in American politics today. Even when it comes to a pandemic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divide Us 054- AV Harris

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2021 48:32


    Our topic of discussion this week is a reaction to the following sentence, pulled from a news story on Covid vaccine policy, some form of which is being reiterated in many news stories, and political messaging, nationwide: "A disproportionate share of Covid vaccine has gone to wealthier and whiter residents." How did this question suddenly be the one that is asked? Why is it the job of government to be guilt-ridden over the proportions of certain demographic groups who might be more or less inclined to partake of an offering? Does this focus make for good public policy or just good politics for Democrats? We discuss these and other questions with Av Harris, a long-time Democratic government official in the state of Connecticut on this week's What Divides Us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divide Us 053- AV HARRIS

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 15, 2021 40:46


    Av Harris, a longtime government spokesman for Democrats in Connecticut state and local government, thinks Donald Trump should have been removed from office. Host Todd Feinburg sees our political system in general, whether on the federal or state level, as a farce in which slick posers pretend to be caring about the general welfare when really they're grifters, transferring power and money to the special interest groups responsible for their reelections at the expense of representative government. Specifically, Todd sees public sector unions - and their partnership with Democrats that rigs our politics - as a crisis that represents a much more immediate threat to the nation's survival than Donald Trump ever could. Av likes the representation that Ed Unions provide teachers as a great benefit, while Todd sees the boycott of in school education during the Covid shutdowns as an inexcusable tragedy. https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-us-news-coronavirus-pandemic-jen-psaki-6de489a8be366b836067a6acd8528912 https://thehill.com/opinion/education/538002-america-is-learning-the-devastating-power-of-teacher-unions  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divide 052: AV Harris

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2021 39:50


    Av Harris has spent his career as a spokesman for state and local government in Connecticut. Most recently, he ran communications for the Department of Public Health under Governor Ned Lamont. We discuss public policy and how it looks from Av's perspective on this week's What Divides Us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 051: Talking Politics Past and Present with Michael Olko (01/25/21)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2021 36:56


    On this week's podcast, we have a free wheeling conversation between the new and the old. The new is 20-something Producer Mike, who joins the conversation on his last day after four years working with Todd. At the start of working with old guy Todd, 37 years his senior, Mike was a liberal leaning sports radio producer with little interest in politics. Now, he's got his own ideas, and a savvy interest in politics They discuss the state of things a few days after the Biden inauguration. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 050: Michael Liebowitz Talks Political Hypocrisy (01/18/21)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 18, 2021 26:56


    Michael Liebowitz is back on What Divides Us to catch us up on his perspective on current events. Liebo is a 23 year veteran of the Connecticut Department of Corrections and the co-author, with his former cellmate Brent McCall, of Down the Rabbit Hole: How the Culture of Corrections Encourages Crime. He will be eligible for parole in about 3 years. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 049: "Catastrophe Is All Around Us" with Jeffrey Tucker (01/11/21)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2021 38:37


    Which is the bigger problem - the Covid epidemic or the government response to it. We explore that question with Jeffrey Tucker, whose latest column is entitled "Catastrophe Is All Around Us"  - as well as events at the Capitol in Washington DC last week - in this week's What Divides Us. Tucker is the Editorial Director of American Institute for Economic Research. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 048: A Hodgepodge of Philosophical Exploration with Producer Mike (12/21/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 21, 2020 40:32


    What is the meaning of life? Does it even matter? Not to most people, not most of the time, anyway. But it is these light and fun topics that form our starting point as we explore panpsychism and move into belief in God and how thinking is changed by language and how exactly do we carry knowledge and understanding forward with us so that we become stronger, as humans, as we evolve. No politics this week, just philosophical questions, on What Divides Us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 047: The Student Loan Disaster with Alan Collinge (12/07/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 7, 2020 33:22


    Why are 'For the People' Democrats like Elizabeth Warren trying to get Americans out from under the crushing debt created by student loans, the Great Society social program born of compassion and empathy? Because, says Alan Collinge, our guest on this episode of What Divides Us, student loans, now controlled by the federal government rather than private lenders, are too big to be paid off and too insidious to abide. Collinge, from https://studentloanjustice.org/, advocates for an end to the program and a wiping out of the debt altogether. One of his arguments might surprise you - he says the principals already been paid off because the program earns the federal government $50 billion a year. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 046: State Employee Benefits with John Moorlach (11/16/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 16, 2020 30:23


    California Senator John Moorlach has been vocal and clear in arguing that voters need to rein in a benefit system for state workers there that is bankrupting the state. This is common in other states, of course, like Connecticut and Illinois, and Moorlach addresses us all - plus, he addresses what can be done to fix the mess on this week's What Divides Us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 045: Michael Liebowitz (11/09/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 9, 2020 25:23


    We talk with Michael Liebowitz, a passionate supporter of the liberty form of government that was at the core of America's founding principles, who has also been a prisoner in the Connecticut Department of Corrections for the past 23 years. Michael has his problem with the debate between left and right and how it might be handled differently so that we can move back toward the values of liberty and away from the growing tide carrying us toward bigger government all the time. Thanks for listening to this week's episode of What Divides Us. Comments, questions, or suggestions? Email the host: todd@toddtalk.com Email the producer: mike.olko@entercom.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 044: In-Depth on COVID with Jim Watkins (10/26/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 26, 2020 32:13


    Radio executive Jim Watkins usually works quietly behind the scenes, but when the Covid virus hit, he launched a short daily podcast to keep you up on the data called Corona Virus Update. We discuss what's true and false about Covid, and what political leaders may be getting wrong, on this week's What Divides Us. You can find Jim's podcast on your favorite platform, or from his website, CandidlySpeaking.Net. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 043: The Great Barrington Declaration (10/19/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 19, 2020 35:02


    Will the Great Barrington Declaration become the gold standard for dealing with a pandemic? Might it replace lockdowns, at least, as a response to Covid?  Back again is Phil Magness, from the American Institute for Economic Research, AIER.org, which sponsored the Declaration. Magness discusses the event held in Great Barrington, Massachusetts this month, and the ideas it has propelled to the forefront, on this week's What Divides Us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 042: Election 2020 with Tom Shattuck (10/12/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 12, 2020 41:06


    Tom Shattuck, newspaper editor and radio commentator from Massachusetts, is an astute observer of the presidential race who favors the president's reelection. For those who wonder at the intelligence and thinking of Trump voters, we offer this conversation with Tom. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 041: Robert Spencer Rates America's Presidents (10/05/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 5, 2020 35:54


    We all know those who are said to be the top couple of presidents in American history - folks like Abe Lincoln or FDR... but what are the criteria for these ratings? Author Robert Spencer has created his own list of presidents - best to last - based on putting America First. The book is called "Rating America's Presidents: An America-First Look at Who is Best, Who is Overrated, and Who Was a Disaster." Spencer is our guest on this week's What Divides Us. Comments, questions, or suggestions? Email the host: todd@toddtalk.com Email the producer: mike.olko@entercom.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 040: The Corruption of American History with Phil Magness (09/28/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 28, 2020 32:35


    We learn more about the anti-American left and how it is using race to convert the notion of American Exceptionalism into American Racism as the fundamental, enduring premise of the nation, led by the New York Times and its "1619 Project." Joining us is Phil Magness, author of "The 1619 Project: A Critique." Phil is from AIER at AIER.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 039: Jeffrey Tucker (09/21/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2020 31:05


    One of our favorite guest, Jeffrey Tucker of AIER.org, returns to discuss the ongoing saga of COVID. Check out his latest piece, "In this Red Dawn, Who Invaded Whom?" See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 038: Michael Liebowitz Talks COVID in Prison (09/14/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 14, 2020 31:43


    On my Connecticut radio shows, we have prisoners as guests on a regular basis in order to get insights into their lives and their insights into ours. In particular, because they live inside a dysfunctional government bureaucracy, they offer a perspective that extrapolates easily into better understanding of government in general - how it operates for the benefit of those who work within it rather than in support of we the people. On this episode of What Divides Us, we talk with Michael Liebowitz about how the CT Department of Corrections managed the Covid crisis, and the anecdotes shared by Mike are quite stunning. Liebowitz is a 23 year veteran of the system, and is co-author of Down the Rabbit Hole: How the Culture of Corrections Encourages Crime. Learn more at PrisonerMike.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 037: BLM, Athlete-Activists, and Race Relations with Producer Mike (08/31/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 31, 2020 42:59


    The recent police shooting in Kenosha Wisconsin led to an elevated response from professional athletes, particularly in the NBA. This week on What Divides Us, Todd talks with Producer Mike about the issues behind those moves and the ones that followed. And, we talked about where things might go from here. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 036: Direct Primary Care with Dr. Lee Gross (08/24/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 24, 2020 30:01


    Is the health care industry too under the thumb of government to repair through the power of markets? Not according to Dr. Lee Gross, President of the Docs 4 Patient Care Foundation and Owner of Epiphany Health in Florida. He says he adopted a "Direct Primary Care" model at Epiphany a decade ago, and now he's marketing the money saving, care improving model that empowers patients while allowing doctors to do their jobs better in a more relaxed atmosphere. It works by creating patient-focused incentives instead of following ones controlled by insurance companies. Gross is our guest on this week's What Divides Us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 035: "The Three Languages of Politics" with Arnold Kling (08/17/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 17, 2020 35:52


    We discuss the internal narratives - the way we look down upon each other - that divide liberals from conservatives from libertarians, with Arnold Kling, author of The Three Languages of Politics: Talking Across the Political Divides. Kling believes that we have a devotion to our team in modern political fandom that is a whole separate thing from our analytical, political sides. On this week's What Divides Us. Comments, questions, or suggestions? Email the host: todd@toddtalk.com Email the producer: mike.olko@entercom.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 034: Jeffrey Tucker on Hydroxycholoroquine (08/03/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 3, 2020 36:54


    What is going on? Last week's Hydroxycholoroquine fiasco reveals a scary crumbling of the ability of key structures of our public discourse - the political class, the media, information distributors like YouTube and Twitter - to behave with any responsibility. Everyone seems to have an agenda, all players are playing for themselves. We discuss with Jeffrey Tucker from AIER.org, who offers a compelling, and tragic, assessment. With a note of optimism, on this week's What Divides Us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 033: Jonathan Wharton (07/27/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 27, 2020 35:36


    Jonathan Wharton studied at Rutgers, where he received his Masters degree in history and wrote a book about urban America called "A Post-Racial Change Is Gonna Come: Newark, Cory Booker, and the Transformation of Urban America." He has also served as the chair of the Republican city committee in New Haven, CT, making him a timely guest on What Divides Us. Wharton teaches politics at Southern Connecticut State University, where he is associate professor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 032: Public Sector Unions with Frank Ricci (07/20/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2020 40:35


    On this week's episode of What Divides Us, we delve into the perspective of a 22 year firefighter and 5 year union local president from Connecticut to hear his thoughts on how the protocols of hiring and firing of public sector employees is complicated by unions. Frank Ricci led a personnel case that went to the Supreme Court - Ricci v DeStefano - which was the focus of a play about the case, performed at Yale called, "Good Faith: Four Chats about Race and the New Haven Fire Department." Learn more about Frank Ricci and the lawsuit here: https://www.ctinsider.com/news/nhregister/article/Ricci-a-strong-fire-union-advocate-who-sued-the-15324432.php https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Frank-Ricci-re-elected-fire-union-president-13452262.php Comments, questions, or suggestions? Email the host: todd@toddtalk.com Email the producer: mike.olko@entercom.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 031: Government Manipulation and Abuse of Power with Jared McClain (07/13/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 13, 2020 25:30


    Jared McClain is an attorney with a non-profit in Washington called NCLA - the New Civil Liberties Alliance. NCLA has sued the federal government over how the enhanced federal unemployment benefits under the Covid bailout have been denied to people with criminal pasts. As Todd and Jared talk through the nature of the government's regulations, a familiar story of abuse of power unfolds. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 030: A Conversation About Unions with Steven Greenhouse (07/06/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 6, 2020 40:32


    Steven Greenhouse retired from the NY Times a few years ago, where for 31 years he covered labor issues. He joins us to discuss the political debate that has followed the killing of George Floyd last month - i.e. police unions - and unions, public and private, more broadly speaking. The conversation turns into one heavily focused on the American education system. Comments, questions, or suggestions? Email the host: todd@toddtalk.com Email the producer: mike.olko@entercom.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 029: Saving the Electoral College with Dr. Robert Hardaway (06/29/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2020 30:47


    If you listen to their talking points and knew nothing more about our Constitution, the proponents of the National Popular Vote might convince you that the Electoral College is bad - it's undemocratic, they'd argue, usurping the popular vote so the people don't get to choose the president. It gives too much power, they'd add, to small states with tiny populations, and strips power away from bigger states like California - even weakening the voices of minority voters. But Dr. Robert Hardaway argues that the reason JFK spearheaded the opposition and succeeded in blocking the destruction of the Electoral College in 1956, as pursued by power hungry Republicans, in order to defend democratic values. Dr. Hardaway's book is "Saving the Electoral College: Why the National Popular Vote Would Undermine Democracy." He is this week's guest on What Divides Us. Comments, questions, or suggestions? Email the host: todd@toddtalk.com Email the producer: mike.olko@entercom.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 028: What Unites Americans with Colin Woodard (06/22/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 22, 2020 21:59


    What is the nature of unity narrative that we believe holds America together, the story of the forces that bind us. And where did that story originate? Colin Woodard, author of "Union: The Struggle to Forge the Story of United States Nationhood," joins us on this week's What Divides Us to talk about the divisions that have percolated beneath the surface since our founding. Plus, he tells us, specifically, who created the American story and what motivated them. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 027: A Nation in Chaos? (06/15/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2020 32:27


    A casual glance at the recent events around the pandemic and the killing of George Floyd make the average person think the nation is spinning out of control. Is it? And if so, why? We talk with Gary Wolfram, who teaches economics at Hillsdale College on this week's What Divides Us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 026: The Left-Right Divide with John Tamny (06/08/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 8, 2020 29:29


    John Tamny from AIER and editor of Real Clear Markets joins us on What Divides Us to discuss the left/right divide. John has harsh reviews for both political parties. His book, released last year, is called "They’re Both Wrong: A Policy Guide for America’s Frustrated Independent Thinkers." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 025: Dr. Jerome Corsi (06/01/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 1, 2020 45:22


    We have a fascinating conversation with Jerome Corsi, author of many books since 2004 and one of the right leaning political figures who got caught in the sites of the Mueller investigation. Corsi goes into great detail regarding how he beat back that investigation, into what has happened to the American system of government and why it's been largely dismantled by those who swear an oath to it, and why despite the sorry state of America today, he remains optimistic that the corruption we see today won't survive. Learn more about Dr. Corsi at CorsiNation.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 024: Social Shaming in the Era of Social Distancing (05/25/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 25, 2020 37:58


    Dr. John Huber is a Clinical Forensic Psychologist from Texas who provides intriguing insights into a variety of issues from his unique perspective as a non-doctor who works in hospital settings. Because of this, Huber says he is often asked to provide expert witness testimony in court and to do commentary on issues with strong overlaps into the medical profession. We talk with Dr. Huber about a range of issues related to the Covid virus and get his opinion on the politics, medicine, and psychology of the pandemic on this week's What Divides Us. Comments, questions, or suggestions? Email the host: todd@toddtalk.com Email the producer: mike.olko@entercom.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 023: "James Monroe: A Life" (05/18/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2020 27:17


    There have been no biographies of President Monroe released in the last 70 years, until now. That's according to his latest biographer, Tim McGrath, whose new book is called "James Monroe: A Life." Monroe, the youngest founding father, was still a teenager when he got caught up in the fervor of revolution. And, he fought for small government protections - like the inclusion of a bill of rights - against the federalists, who sought a stronger U.S. government. Comments, questions, or suggestions? Email the host: todd@toddtalk.com Email the producer: mike.olko@entercom.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 022: Government Debt with Antony Davies (05/11/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later May 11, 2020 37:47


    The American founders struggled to design a government that would be small and would keep the federal government small to achieve the goal of liberty. Given that the plunder class has turned that concept upside down, we wonder if it's possible to do what the founders sought to do. Helping us sort through the issues is Antony Davies, an associate professor of economics at Duquesne University and Mercatus Affiliated Senior Scholar at George Mason University. His primary research interests include econometrics and public policy. Comments, questions, or suggestions? Email the host: todd@toddtalk.com Email the producer: mike.olko@entercom.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 021: A Different Kind of Anarchy (04/27/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2020 36:47


    Anarchy is a word that carries lots of negative connotations. So, instead, consider that we're discussing Agorism and Volunteerism with Bill St. Clair, a man who just wants to, and does, live his life free from infringements on his liberty by government. Yes, they take half his paycheck, but otherwise he feels like a free man, and as he rides his bike around his little town in Vermont doing exactly what he wants, perhaps he is living the dream of small government. Visit his website here.   Comments, questions, or suggestions? Email the host: todd@toddtalk.com Email the producer: mike.olko@entercom.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 020: Governmental Transparency (04/20/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 20, 2020 38:28


    Transparency is the new rage according to Adam Andrzejewski of OpenBooks.com. But, of course, he's in the transparency business. So, while he may have to fight with bureaucrats and file lawsuits to see the documents they're legally required to produce, eventually, the papers are produced and uploaded to Open Books. We talk about the power of transparency and why we need more of it with Adam on this week's What Divides Us.   Comments, questions, or suggestions? Email the host: todd@toddtalk.com Email the producer: mike.olko@entercom.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 019: Can COVID-19 Reduce Our Political Polarization? (04/13/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 13, 2020 42:11


    The great divide isn't getting narrowed by the shared harrowing experience provided by Covid-19. Instead, it's simply providing new weaponry in the emotional and irrational expression of predetermined narratives guiding the ideological warriors on social media and to a large extent in the big, national media. So says Tom Shattuck, Senior Editor for the Lowell Sun newspaper in the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts.   Comments, questions, or suggestions? Email the host: todd@toddtalk.com Email the producer: mike.olko@entercom.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 018: How Long Can We Stand the COVID Shutdown? (04/06/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2020 35:12


    How will the shutdown of the American economy and normal everyday life move over time? Will people continue to accept the restrictions imposed in response to the Covid-19 virus, or will we grow restless and start to view the imposition of government constriction on once routine behavior as untenable? We discuss with Phil Magness, a Senior Research Fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research. Phil is the author of numerous works on economic history, taxation, economic inequality, the history of slavery, and education policy in the United States. His latest column at aier.org is on the virus and is entitled "People Adapt, Thwarting Government Plans."   Comments, questions, or suggestions? Email the host: todd@toddtalk.com Email the producer: mike.olko@entercom.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 017: Let it Burn with Producer Mike (03/30/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 30, 2020 65:25


    We borrow from our Connecticut radio show to bring you a unique discussion on the Covid-19 virus from Saturday, March 28 for this week's What Divides Us. Here's how we described it for our WTIC.com website. "We discuss The Blaze today. Not the news site that's part of Glenn Beck's media empire, but the one provided by nature every so often to cause forest regeneration to occur. Producer Mike and I contemplate the idea that because modernity depends on the things that man builds lasting forever, the sense of societal dissatisfaction that we've been experience is, perhaps, begging for moments like this virus and the tsunami it represents to be embraced not resisted. Because it could be, to rediscover our sense of economic destruction that runs so deep that it hurts the rich and the poor - we have to let a chunk of what is fall away so that it can be replaced with the unimagined." See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 016: Political Hobbyism with Eitan Hersh (03/23/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 23, 2020 31:59


    It seems that Americans have never been more energized - and emotional - about politics. But are they behaving as political actors, working to move the political system in a direction of achieving specific policy goals? Or are they rooting for one team over another, their policy awareness being used simply to bash those on the opposing side. We talk to Tufts University political science professor Eitan Hersh about the downside of political hobbyism on this week's What Divides Us. Hersh is the author of a new book, "Politics Is for Power: How to Move Beyond Political Hobbyism, Take Action, and Make Real Change."   Comments, questions, or suggestions? Email the host: todd@toddtalk.com Email the producer: mike.olko@entercom.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 015: Corona Crisis with Dr. John Huber (03/16/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 16, 2020 36:53


    Dr. John Huber (mainstreammentalhealth.org) joins the What Divides Us conversation to discuss COVID-19. Dr. Huber is a Clinical Forensic Psychologist, and brings an interesting perspective. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 014: "Escaping the Racism of Low Expectations" (03/09/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 9, 2020 30:39


    Can a black woman, a lifelong Democrat who has only lived in Harlem, also be a conservative who votes Republican and supports Donald Trump? The answer is yes if she is "Barbara From Harlem," author of the book "Escaping the Racism of Low Expectations." Barbara explains why she believes urban blacks make a mistake voting for Democrats on this week's What Divides Us.   Comments, questions, or suggestions? Email the host: todd@toddtalk.com Email the producer: mike.olko@entercom.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 013: Capitalism vs Socialism with Jeffrey Tucker (03/02/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2020 30:18


    With the nation considering the implications of socialist Bernie Sanders being the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, we thought it a good time to check in with Jeffrey Tucker. Because no one can explain capitalism and socialism, and their implications and differences, better. Tucker is the editorial director of the American Institute for Economic Research (AIER.org). Comments, questions, or suggestions? Email the host: todd@toddtalk.com Email the producer: mike.olko@entercom.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    What Divides Us 012: Recapping the CT Tolls Saga (02/24/20)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 24, 2020 38:23


    Is Connecticut the canary in the coal mine for the United States at large? Todd and his Producer, Mike Olko, discuss the recently concluded saga of highway tolls in the state of Connecticut - how it started, why it failed, and how it demonstrates the dangers of unbridled government. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Claim What Divides Us Podcast

    In order to claim this podcast we'll send an email to with a verification link. Simply click the link and you will be able to edit tags, request a refresh, and other features to take control of your podcast page!

    Claim Cancel