Keeping your head on straight has become a full-time challenge in our highly unstable world. Annie Holmquist suggests, if you want to make a difference in society, start by reading a book.

One of the clear but painful lessons of the L.A. fires is that the systems taxing us at every turn are no longer serving the taxpayers. Ryan McMaken explains how the social contract is broken and no one is coming to save us.

Article of the Day:

We're two weeks into the new year and it's already getting pretty spicy. Margaret Anna Alice offers 25 ways to survive and thrive in 2025. This is some great advice.

Sponsors:

• Life Saving Food
• Fifty Two Seven Alliance
• HSL Ammo
• Quilt & Sew

It's my weekly sit-down with Eric Peters from Eric Peters Autos. We discuss EVs, our shrinking autonomy, and how to restore civilization at the individual level.

If you're struggling to find happiness in your day to day life, Dr. Robert Malone has some timely advice. He says to celebrate the simple gifts.

Article of the Day:

Anyone who's serious about improving the world knows that the starting place is always the person looking back at us in the mirror. Barry Brownstein explains why living a meaningful life means asking the most of ourselves.

Sponsors:

• Life Saving Food
• Fifty Two Seven Alliance
• HSL Ammo
• Quilt & Sew

This shouldn't come as a shock but our government has been lying to us. Particularly about the events and people involved with the Jan 6 disturbance at the U.S. Capitol. James Howard Kunstler has a concise breakdown of the issue.

Another solid resource for information about the J6 disinformation campaign is Sasha Stone.

Article of the Day:

The green energy agenda has been a huge boon to those with the right connections. However, as Doug Casey explains this $5 trillion boondoogle is collapsing as pseudoscience gives way to physics and critical thinking.

Sponsors:

• Life Saving Food 
• Fifty Two Seven Alliance
• HSL Ammo
• Quilt & Sew

One way to suck every last molecule of fun out of life is to be overly concerned about cultural appropriation. Paul Rosenberg says it's actually a good and necessary thing.

What does the phrase "pursuit of happiness" mean to you? We might have differing definitions but Mike Maharrey explains that we cannot be happy without being free.

The older I get, the more I understand why good shoes are a necessity. Dwight Longenecker has a thoughtful take on the importance of shoes.

Money can be a sensitive subject but this is a development that is worth monitoring. Ryan McMaken explains why Saudi Arabia is drifting away from the dollar and from Washington.

Article of the Day:

It's hard not to notice the culture war raging around us. Brandon Smith says it stems from resistance to the corporate enslavement that is driving the woke movement.

Sponsors:

• Life Saving Food 
• Fifty Two Seven Alliance
• Iron Sight Brewing Co.
• Quilt & Sew

There's a lot of talk about armed protests at all the state capitols this weekend. This is not the time to go flexing your tactical doodads in public. Andrea Widburg has some of the timeliest advice you'll ever hear: Do not fall for a plot to entrap Second Amendment supporters.

To hear some tell it, last week's protest at the Capitol was akin to the Holocaust in terms of its affront to humanity. That's a viewpoint that is lacking perspective. James Bovard doesn't hesitate to condemn the violence in Washington D.C. as well as the Congressional hypocrisy that followed.

Your ride share driver likely understands opportunity costs at a level that the rest of us don't. I don't think I've seen a clearer example than the one given in this article by Jeffrey A. Tucker.

It was five years ago today that I had my last interview with LaVoy Finicum. I wish more people could have met this man and knew enough about him to challenge the narrative of who he was and what he was doing in Malheur.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Support this program by becoming a Patron

Most of us recognize that something is terribly wrong right now and we're actively trying to figure out what we can do about it. Allan Stevo has some very good advice about the tools we'll need to be effective leaders rather than frightened followers.

Like it or not, we are seeing a hard shift towards totalitarianism. Anger alone isn't enough to move us in a more positive direction. Robert Weissberg explains why friends of liberty must honor Mother Nature to keep our own totalitarian impulses under control.

A letter that I wrote to my granddaughter popped up in my Facebook memories today. It's still going to be a while before she can read it, but there's a message in there that I wanted to share with you as well.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Support this program by becoming a Patron

Political consultant Gary Welch joins me to explore the following questions:

• Is it right for private corporations to ban free speech?
• Are media moguls flexing their muscles and showing that they control the voices of America?
• What are Trump's next moves?
• Why the overtime push to make the claim of a fraudulent election "baseless"?
• What are the chances that a company like Parler can be successful?
• Are there any alternatives to our social media?
• What happens to these media giants if the GOP wins big in 2022?
• What about Tucker Carlson's claims that CNN wants the government to remove Fox News?
• What are the unintended consequences of social media bias and banning?

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Support this program by becoming a Patron

Times such as these make me grateful for my weekly sit down with Eric Peters from EPautos.com. We'll get his take on the information power grab as well as what we can do as individuals to frustrate leviathan.

It's pretty tough to find a silver lining in the dark clouds that have gathered around us. Alan J. Levine may have discovered one as he documents the moral and intellectual collapse of America's political parties.

If I had to sum up what I expect of a free society with limited government, it would come down to this: Leave me and my stuff alone and I'll do the same for you. Seems simple enough, right? Unfortunately, as Jack Donovan explains, the folks who are bent on control are not going to leave you alone.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Support this program by becoming a Patron

The war on terror has finally come home. But not in the way most thought it would. Ron Paul explains how the clampdown on information by big tech is part of a wider assault on free speech.

There is a moral certainty that drives authoritarians and totalitarians alike. Bradley Thomas does a great job of dismantling the notion that socialism is a morally superior system.

Now that roughly half of the American voting populace has been shaken from its slumber, we have some tough decisions ahead of us. Boyd D. Cathey has an interesting take on what our options are and what they mean for the survival of the American republic.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Support this program by becoming a Patron

Got the sense that things are spiraling out of control? You're not alone. Let's see if we can make some sense of what's happening and not succumb to fear or hatred in the process.

While the political class is wallowing in their newfound sense of victimhood, they're also considering some harsh new laws to consolidate their grasp on power. Robert E. Wright has 8 solid ideas for how they might thwart the next attack, starting with addressing their own lack of statesmanship.

Now that roughly half of the American voting populace has been shaken from its slumber, we have some tough decisions ahead of us. Boyd D. Cathey has an interesting take on what our options are and what they mean for the survival of the American republic.

The scariest thing to happen in the last few days wasn't the "riot" at the U.S. Capitol. It was the totalitarian surge that has risen in response to anyone who questions the "official truth" about what our political system is doing. Roger Kimball is dead on in his analysis of why reason and morality are useless when dealing with totalitarians.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Support this program by becoming a Patron

Ignoring the concerns of what some are derisively dismissing as mere "Trump supporters" is going to lead to greater violence at some point. Jason Whitlock has the bitter truth that few are willing to consider.

If you're going to be a messenger of truth in the age of mass communication, it's time to work on your wordsmithing. Jeff Minnick explains why our words matter now more than ever.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Support this program by becoming a Patron

It's not just for the eggheads. People who are intent on understanding how the world works must have some familiarity with basic economics. Donald J. Boudreaux spells out 6 key takeaways every student should receive from Econ 101.

Leave it to California to come up with a way to make taxes even more onerous. Gary Galles explains how the Golden State is trying to tax people who live in other states to feed its insatiable appetite for revenue.

Last night President Trump finally conceded the 2020 election. This may be a bitter pill for disappointed populists to swallow but as Edward Welsch points out, there may be a silver lining to this outcome.

Don't let the maniacal gloating and virtue signaling of the swamp dwellers get you down. Daniel McAdams has a point when he notes that there ain't no success like failure--when you're standing on principle rather than raw power.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Support this program by becoming a Patron

When something big goes down, getting a clear perspective of what really happened isn't always easy. It's always best to go to the source whenever possible. Charity Wight joins me to talk about her family's experience at the rally in D.C. yesterday. If you're under the impression that Trump supporters and patriots were rioting and out of control, you need to hear what she has to say. The media narrative is very different from the reality of what that event looked like.

If the opening days of 2021 are causing you grief or despair, don't forget that the responsibility for making this a better year than the last one falls directly on each of us. Kent McManigal reminds us that it's up to you to make 2021 better--not someone in authority.

Ready for some good news? Reality is finally becoming impossible to ignore in the case of how strict lockdowns are not preventing the spread of Covid-19. How is this good news? Jon Miltimore explains that it exposes the lies of lockdown authoritarians who continue to double down on their efforts to consolidate control.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Support this program by becoming a Patron

I honestly don't know what's more distasteful, the scenes of unrest from the U.S. Capitol yesterday, or the tone deaf virtue signaling that followed. We'll spend some time today on cause and effect as well as some of the bigger picture aspects many people seem to be missing.

For the sake of those who labor under the impression that the division we saw at the Capitol is purely about Trump or an election, it's time for a reality check. Dr. Shanon Brooks points out that a lack of leadership has helped create the conditions that spawned yesterday's outrage.

With all the emoting and political grandstanding taking place, it's easy to forget what is really at stake. Judge Andrew Napolitano has an especially timely essay that spells out the presumption of liberty and why it underlies so many of the issues we're currently facing.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Support this program by becoming a Patron

It's my weekly visit with Eric Peters from Eric Peters Autos. If you need encouragement, this is a conversation you'll want to hear.

Here's a question about a topic that can become very unnerving, very quickly. Jeff Thomas ponders, can you afford to eat? It's a question none of us ever believes that we'll be asking.

My business partner Russ Anderson and I have been beating the drum lately on the topic of critical thinking. In fact, we're putting together a thought-criminal's handbook, if you're interested.

Article of the Day:

To get a sense of just how Big Motherish the state is becoming, just look at the recess rules that kids must follow. Lenore Skenazy describes how we're making recess fun--for bureaucrats.

Sponsors:

• Life Saving Food 
• Fifty Two Seven Alliance
• Iron Sight Brewing Co.
• Quilt & Sew

It looks like we're reaching the breaking point. Protestors pushed their way into the U.S. Capitol building today and have disrupted the Congressional certification of the Electoral College votes. Good or bad, we are seeing history being made today.

Those of us who are serious about resisting totalitarianism are facing some tough decisions in the days ahead. Something that we may see become a necessity is the need to find and connect with like-minded individuals who share our values. As Annie Holmquist explains, that's something that can start right in our own neighborhoods.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Support this program by becoming a Patron

If there was ever a time to focus on becoming propaganda-proof, this is it. The coalition of power that is currently force-feeding us its narrative consists of more than just mass media. Glenn Greenwald has a great explanation of who is involved and how they're working to deceive and mislead us.

Speaking of propaganda, the New York Times assured us recently that the "Great Reset" is nothing more than conspiracy theory. As Ron Paul explains, that means it almost certainly is something intended to expand government power and suppress liberty.

I'm a believer that in every negative circumstance, there is a silver lining that can bring about something positive. Kerry McDonald has a terrific essay on how the lockdowns are providing a perfect opportunity to teach children about the real nature of government and why they should choose freedom over force.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Support this program by becoming a Patron

Gary Welch joins me to talk about what's taking place in the nation's capitol tomorrow. Among the items up for discussion:

• Concerns about the rally and counter-rallies on Wednesday.
• Does Trump have any chance of overturning the election?
• Did Trump's call to GA SOS violate the law? Why are news media saying he did?
• Was there fraud in this election and why are all the news media discounting the claims?
• Will Trump start his own party? Would he be justified? Would it work?

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Support this program by becoming a Patron

Eric Peters from Eric Peters Autos joins me to make sense of the increasingly chaotic current events. We discuss corporate cultism as well as where lockdown thinking is leading us. If you're not a regular visitor to Eric's website, you're missing out on some powerful philosophical food for thought.

We are standing at a pivot point in American history. And not just at a political level. Jeff Deist has some timely advice for how to approach living in Post-persuasion America.

How do we deal with people who are beyond persuasion? How we answer this question reveals more about our own character than it does those we may find ourselves opposing. Bryan Caplan has a thoughtful approach to dealing with unfounded accusations. Also, Kent McManigal has a great take on why being neighborly and responsible is in our interest, even if we're on less than good terms with a particular neighbor.

Gary Welch joins me to talk about what's taking place in the nation's capitol tomorrow. Among the items up for discussion:

• Concerns about the rally and counter-rallies on Wednesday.
• Does Trump have any chance of overturning the election?
• Did Trump's call to GA SOS violate the law? Why are news media saying he did?
• Was there fraud in this election and why are all the news media discounting the claims?
• Will Trump start his own party? Would he be justified? Would it work?

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Support this program by becoming a Patron

Let's all breathe a sigh of relief that we made it to 2021. The past year was tough on many levels but Alexander Salter reminds us that one takeaway we must not forget is that the real villain was big government.

One of the great curiosities of our time is how deeply people will strive to believe that nothing is all THAT wrong in our relationship with government. Lucio Saverio Eastman and Micha Gartz have a powerful graphic that illustrates 15 signs that you're in an abusive relationship. It's a wake up call, to put it mildly.

The pushback against lockdowns isn't a matter of selfishness or ignorance, despite what the lockdowners might claim. As Joakim Book explains, it's a matter of ownership--of your body and your health--and who may rightfully make the decisions about what's best for you. Those who are claiming a collective ownership that trumps yours are likely motivated by a desire to dominate, because they think they know best.

More mental empowerment courtesy of Paul Rosenberg's series on fallacies. This time around, he explains gaslighting and how to counter it.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Support this program by becoming a Patron

A lot of us are watching Wednesday January 6 approach and holding our breath as to what it may bring. 

Now is the time to be very discerning about what we are and are not being told by mass media. The approved narrative is that Trump lost the election fair and square and any concerns to contrary are simply sour grapes.  If, however, there was deception, fraud or other manipulation of the voting system, the Constitution requires Congress, the Supreme Court and the president to investigate it and, if necessary, stop it.

A lot of people are asking the question these days, "How did it get to this point?" Dan Sanchez has a factual--and somewhat painful--answer why most fell for the lockdowns while few stood for liberty: We stopped being vigilant.

Regardless of what fate may have in store for us in 2021, each of us has the ability to make the world a better place through our own choices. The incomparable Lawrence W. Reed has 11 ideas that are easily implemented at the individual level. This essay really spoke to me.

Remember when a slippery slope was the best thing about a snowy day? Lenore Skenazy warns that one of our favorite winter pastimes is in danger of being banned. Why? Well, for the safety of the children, of course.

I've watched with great admiration as a friend has engaged in tireless outreach to the homeless in Salt Lake City throughout this past month. Given the looming financial difficulties that are only beginning to be felt, it's an issue we're all going to become more familiar with than we'd like. Charles Blaine says beware the solutions offered by politicians, especially Universal Basic Income. It only addresses symptoms not the causes of homelessness.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know. Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Support this program by becoming a Patron

The rabidly "woke" among us are quickly becoming the kind of folks we'd most like to avoid. Annie Holmquist has a suggested reading list for those who refuse to take direction from people seeking to control them through fear and weaponized guilt. If you're serious about thinking for yourself, this list is a great place to start.

The drama over how big your "stimulus" check should be is a marvelous distraction from the bigger issue. As Kent McManigal explains, once your government has established that your loyalty can be bought, it simply becomes a matter of negotiating the price.

Defenders of freedom and liberty are often accused of being selfish by those who wish to bend us to the will of the collective. Is that really what we're about? Or, as Judge Andrew Napolitano suggests, is it about having the freedom to pursue happiness on our own terms?

Still believe that the state is primarily a benevolent presence in our lives? From the "no good deed goes unpunished" file: Those distilleries that stepped up to help produce hand sanitizer earlier this year are now being told to pay the FDA a $14,000 "fee" for it's "oversight" of their heroic efforts.

One last FDA eye-roller: The FDA is now telling Italians how to make Italian food. I so wish that I was kidding.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know. Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Support this program by becoming a Patron

What's the upside to the challenges of 2020? Hopefully, we're all a bit wiser for our troubles. James Bovard thoughtfully sums up a number of the comforting myths that were ravaged over the course of this past year.

Another bright spot for the outgoing year: 2020 was the year that "expert" credibility died. Michelle Malkin has a great essay about how a lot of us wised up to the folks how are sure they know what's best for everyone else.

No matter how tough your job is, assuming you still have one, it's likely not as difficult as being a Hollywood actor who doesn't conform to the demands of cancel culture. Fiona Harrigan has an eye-opening article about how Hollywood's proponents of "tolerance" seem to practice the exact opposite of what they preach.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

Watching small business owners forced into financial ruin and despair is getting pretty old by now. Allan Stevo has some wise words of encouragement to business owners who aren't ready to sacrifice their livelihoods to the Covid boogeyman.

Ever notice how some things in life sound bad but are actually good? Bryan Caplan uses his recent vacation to Mexico to provide a vivid example of what this looks like. It's a surprisingly strong defense of free markets.

I'm sneaking some anxious looks ahead to next week--Jan 6--and wondering if the riots will resume when the Congress meets to certify the Electoral College vote. Daisy Luther points out something that should be raising some serious questions:  Isn't it interesting how the violent riots of 2020 ended right after the election?

A great many people are reaching the boiling point as statists continue to back us into a corner, all the while insisting that this is what we really wanted. Robert E. Wright has a nice recap of some of the official acts that are sparking that anger and some of the acts of disobedience that are showing our refusal to go along.

One of the toughest things about finding the courage to stand up against the systematic dismantling of Western Civilization's culture of freedom is that a great many people aren't sure what they're standing for. Paul Rosenberg's series of essays about The West That Was is a powerful reminder of the good and worthwhile things we are losing.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

Tired of getting hit with bad news as you start each day? Paul Rosenberg's Vera Verba is a website you need to bookmark and check daily for positive reminders that goodness is all around us.

If you haven't checked out The Chosen, you're missing out on something worthwhile. J.B. Shurk shares his thoughts on Christian faith, courage and fatherhood.

As much as I prefer to avoid politics, it's a key aspect of this article about how the media will lie to us about literally anything. QTR explains why nothing is off limits for the mainstream media machine.

Here's another timely article about why we cannot count on the press corps to give us unspun, factual information.

Article of the Day:

As our society devolves, it's easy to feel as though we are living in an open-air insane asylum. Donald Jeffries has an excellent essay on staying sane in the land of lunatics.

Sponsors:

• Life Saving Food 
• Fifty Two Seven Alliance
• Iron Sight Brewing Co.
• Quilt & Sew

What do the American people want more than $600 or $1200 stimulus checks? How about the ability to freely earn their living and to live their lives as they choose. Cheryl K Chumley has an excellent commentary on this truth.

Waiting for someone in authority to give you permission to be free is never going to happen. Watch the video in this article and understand that our natural rights are only secure if we claim them, use them and defend them. This is a time when we need to speak with one voice on the matter.

This may seem like an odd topic but I promise you that you'll think of me one day when you're having trouble finding a public restroom. The answer may be that we need more pay toilets. At least that's what Scott Beyer recommends. And he makes a pretty good case for why this is so.

On a similar note, having trouble finding a parking space can also be a source of frustration. Ryan McMaken explains why there's no such thing as free parking.

Once again, Glenn Greenwald demonstrates what authentic journalism looks like. His latest article on the threat of authoritarianism in the U.S. is long on facts and short on partisan hyperbole. He also points out that Trump never manifested as the dictator that the actual authoritarians told us he would be.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast 

Become a WrongThinker Patron

Eric Peters from Eric Peters Autos joins me to discuss the importance of knowing where your line in the sand is. As a matter of conscience, that's something you get to decide for yourself. Check out the video of this women who, when surrounded by other shoppers, declares her independence from playing along.

Another great voice of reason amidst all the chaos is Jeffrey A. Tucker from AIER.org. His recap of the lessons learned during 2020 is worth reading and pondering. If you've felt marginalized or out of step because your freedom means more to you than the appearance of perfect compliance, you'll appreciate his take on the trauma of this past year.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast 

Become a WrongThinker Patron

You know what's scarier than a goose-stepping tyrant? A moral monster who destroys another person's life through the totalitarian "virtue" of cancel culture. Rod Dreher has the unsettling story of Jimmy Galligan who is being celebrated as a "hero" by the NYT for sitting for two years on a video of a classmate who used a racial slur--just so he could ruin her college career.

The anti-capitalist sentiment is as strong as ever. Those of us who believe in free markets must be able to make the moral case for capitalism. Lipton Matthews has a powerful and succinct explanation of how to do this.

A great example of how government has the uncanny ability to complicate anything it touches can be seen in the booming cannabis industry in those states that have legalized marijuana in various forms. As Daniel Mitchell explains, it's everything you need to know about government in one story.

You've likely heard some rumblings about the $2.3 trillion spending bill passed by Congress (including the $900 billion for Covid relief). Fiona Harrigan and Peter C. Earle have an accurate and infuriating accounting of how that money is being doled out.

Every day I hear from people who feel that they are on the horns of a dilemma. Either roll over and accept the blatant corruption and tyranny of the systems that seek to rule us, or engage in bloody revolution. What it there was another, peaceful, alternative? Brandon Smith dares to suggest the most reasonable way to withdraw our consent and reclaim our rights.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know. Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

Who or what poses the greater threat to our liberty and well-being these days? Most of us would be tempted to start naming politicians or other bureaucratic string-pullers. Caitlin Johnstone says, hold up, mass media propaganda is what's doing the most damage.

Trying to defend the truth or your principles is never without risk. Paul Rosenberg has been publishing a helpful series of essays on common fallacies and how to counter them. His latest essay touches on one we've all encountered: The Thought-Terminating Cliché.

There have been plenty of tragic outcomes this year due to lockdown mandates. But do the lockdowns actually do anything to lessen the fatality rate? Phil Magness has an astonishing list of 12 times the lockdowners were wrong and why we shouldn't be so quick to blindly trust them.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know. Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

When describing the opposing worldviews that are currently locked in a death struggle all around us, I much prefer to frame the conflict as being between the individual and the collective. Jeff Thomas has a thoughtful piece on whether collectivism is inevitable or whether liberty will ultimately win out.

I've always heard the word "populism" spoken with a trace of contempt, as if it was a distasteful, unsophisticated thing. Now I'm realizing that the ones who said it like that were the power-seekers and opportunist who think they are anointed to rule us. Art Carden says that 2020 was the year populism was right and the experts weren't.

It's traditional for sitting presidents to pardon a handful of individuals during the holidays. President Trump did just that yesterday. Unfortunately, he overlooked some of those who most deserve a pardon. And, as John Tamny explains, he could have really set some things right for anyone who has fought to keep their business open throughout this year.

If you need a reminder that it's possible to find authentic peace, even in the worst of circumstances, here's an ad for a candy bar that recalls the 1914 Christmas Truce of the First World War. If you can watch it without getting a lump in your throat, mister, you're a lot tougher than me.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know. Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

American news media is on the verge of ending it's 4+ year hissy fit over all things Trump. What can we expect during a Biden presidency? Here's some helpful advice from a former professional propagandist.

For many people fear has been the dominant emotion for most of this year. Annie Holmquist recounts how her stint with COVID changed her perspective. It's definitely worth a read.

Congress has bravely (ahem) passed a $2.3 trillion spending bill. And bless their hearts, they even threw some crumbs to the American people. Brad Polumbo has a great breakdown of the COVID stimulus package and where Congress is going astray.

Once again, my home state of Utah will be considering a bill that allows any law-abiding adult over 21 to carry a concealed firearm without begging the state's permission. It's been tried in the past and failed. This time around it has a good chance of success.

When describing the opposing worldviews that are currently locked in a death struggle all around us, I much prefer to frame the conflict as being between the individual and the collective. Jeff Thomas has a thoughtful piece on whether collectivism is inevitable or whether liberty will ultimately win out.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know. Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

Political analyst Gary Welch joins us to wargame how "Governor" Hyde would have handled the COVID crisis. Spoiler alert: I don't exactly save the world.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know. Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

My friend and fellow wrongthinker Eric Peters from Eric Peters Autos joins me for our weekly check-in. We talk about the strangely unremarkable experience one of his readers had after testing positive for Covid. We also discuss the continuing push toward electric cars and what no one has hipped us to regarding the downsides.

The question that's been on pretty much everyone's mind since around mid-March is: When will things get back to normal? Daisy Luther has uncomfortable truth to share on the matter. Namely, unless you're extremely wealthy, there will be no return to "normal."

It's hard to stomach the sight and sound of various politicians emoting their "concern" for the owners of small businesses being destroyed by futile, dictatorial lockdown mandates. As Ron Paul explains, government, not coronavirus is what's destroying these small businesses.

Anyone who is paying attention understands that we are in the midst of a culture war. What we may have forgotten is that the American Revolution was also a culture war. Ryan McMaken explains how the violence could have been avoided through decentralization of power.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know. Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

Those of us who gave the side eye to our friends who were excited about Bitcoin just a few years ago should probably admit that we were wrong. As Paul Rosenberg explains, the decentralized nature of Bitcoin provides solutions to a number of problems that our current centralized currency is enabling. He makes a pretty strong case that Bitcoin solves more problems than it creates.

When it comes to solving problems, government should be the last, regrettable resort--not the first. The free market does a much better job and doesn't require force or coercion to make it happen. Gary M. Galles explains how markets are about "using" people, they are about helping people reach their goals.

Need a shift in attitude so you can actually enjoy the holiday season? Barry Brownstein has some excellent advice about the power of gratitude for the web of interdependence all around us.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

Being a principled wrongthinker will never be equated with taking the easy way out. Case in point: The IMF has released a new white paper proposing that dissidents have their credit scores lowered for visiting websites that don't hold to the official narrative. Shane Trejo has the details.

Have you noticed lately how many of our societal institutions like government, media, academia, business and even churches have been co-opted by the "woke"? Michael McCaffrey warns that the family is the next institution being targeted for a takeover.

It sure seems as though the battle cry of 2020 has been "follow the science." As Richard M. Salsman explains, this is only good advice if the science is followed in every field--not just in epidemiology. Otherwise, the control freaks tend to use this phrase to cover their own consolidation of power.

I know it seems as though the past 9 months or so have been one, continuous losing battle for the cause of freedom. Take heart. People are finally--if slowly--coming to their senses. Kerry McDonald explains how parents have won the battle to reopen playgrounds in California.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

• Altabank Mortgage
• Landmark Risk Management & Insurance

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

The climate crisis movement is one of the most visible symptoms of growing world-wide authoritarianism. Doug Casey has a great explanation of how this hysteria is lowering our standard of living.

When property crimes aren't prosecuted but people with unapproved political views are, your society is in trouble. Jeff Thomas points out how nowadays, it seems that nearly every crime is against the state.

Paul Rosenberg is back with another deeply relevant insight on how we are returning to serfdom. He says it starts with the corporatization of everything.

As the election nears, we'll likely hear greater clamor for gun control. Michael Boldin says, don't buy into it. He reminds us why our forebears didn't trust gun grabbers and neither should we.

Article of the Day:

The truth takes a while to come to light but, in time, it always does. Ian Miller explains how the CDC director has finally admitted the uncomfortable truth that many of us recognized 4 years ago.

Sponsors:

• Life Saving Food 
• Fifty Two Seven Alliance
• Iron Sight Brewing Co.
• Quilt & Sew

The fact that there is growing resistance to the heavy-handed Covid-19 lockdowns isn't going to strike everyone as good news but I find it encouraging. J.D. Tuccille explains how and why more and more Americans are in full revolt against government overreach.

It's rare but occasionally someone in government does the right thing. Daniel J. Mitchell has a good example of how the president is working to improve our quality of life with an initiative that tells government to get out of the way.

Look, I love to complain as much as the next guy. However, we're doing ourselves a big disservice when we claim that 2020 is "the worst year ever." Art Carden has some needed historical perspective to offer. He encourages us to lighten up. It's not even close to the worst year ever.

One of my biggest challenges is maintaining patience with people who grasp for any reason, however tenuous, to excuse tyrannical behavior on the part of the state. A classic example of what this kind of willful blindness looks like can be seen in a story shared by Lenore Skenazy about a mom who was threatened with arrest for letting her kids walk home from school.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors: Altabank Mortgage

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

Some of the unhappiest people I know are the ones who need to control others. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 situation has only fed that insatiable need. Kent McManigal reminds us that taking responsibility for our own decisions is what leads to greater peace within and without.

One of the most disturbing aspects of cultural Marxism is that is primarily about tearing down, rather than fixing real problems. Pat Buchanan has a timely warning of which historical figures are next in line for being erased.

Another milepost on our journey to Wokesville: The New England Journal of Medicine is now advocating for doing away with the designation of male or female on birth certificates. Politicizing medicine sure seems like a great way to create exciting new ways for government to insert itself into your life.

Now here's a topic I never dreamed I'd be sharing with my listeners. The fine art of bribery. Daisy Luther has an eye-opening essay that clues us in on the finer points of how to grease the right palms, should it ever become necessary.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors: Altabank Mortgage

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

What does it mean to be a logical person? Daniel Lattier spells out the 10 habits of logical people and how they keep us rooted in truth and better equipped to avoid verbal trickery.

Pointing out that we live in a time of mass hysteria, isn't a putdown or slight directed toward those who are in fear. As Philipp Bagus explains it's simply a recognition that human beings are not that difficult to panic, especially when it's the state that's feeding their fears.

Here's a story that's likely to trigger folks all over the political spectrum. It's an essay from Alice Calder that explains how "buy American" is a seriously misguided economic policy supported by both Biden and Trump.

One of the side effects of utilizing Zoom conferencing as a way to conduct school and work is that it's apparently driving a crisis in self-absorption. Anders Koskinen has a fascinating take on the growing demand for plastic surgery that's being seen all over the world.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors: Altabank Mortgage

One of the best things Trump could do on his way out of office is pardon some of the individuals unjustly persecuted by the US government over the past few years. At the top of this list should be Edward Snowden. John Stossel has a worthwhile piece that examines whether Snowden is a hero or a traitor.

One of the saddest indicators of whiny, woke self-indulgence can be seen in the dogmatic insistence that everything that came before us was wrong/racist. As L.Q. Cinncinatus explains, even the film White Christmas is a triggering event rather than a holiday favorite.

Here's a story that's likely to trigger folks all over the political spectrum. It's an essay from Alice Calder that explains how "buy American" is a seriously misguided economic policy supported by both Biden and Trump.

One of the side effects of utilizing Zoom conferencing as a way to conduct school and work is that it's apparently driving a crisis in self-absorption. Anders Koskinen has a fascinating take on the growing demand for plastic surgery that's being seen all over the world.

How's your Christmas joy doing this year? It's understandable that celebrations seem a bit muted in 2020. Annie Holmquist reminds us that the joy of Christmas is still very much there. We may have to adjust our focus, ever so slightly, in order to see it.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors: Altabank Mortgage

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

Civil disobedience is a time-honored tradition for resisting tyranny. For those who practice it, it's often a matter of conscience. The Academy of Ideas has a marvelous video explaining how civil disobedience safeguards freedom and prevents tyranny.

There are a lot of important issues in need of solutions these days. That's why we'll all rest easier knowing that Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York has solved the biggest problem of all by banning the sale of sale of Confederate flags in NY. Who knew that all we had to do was eliminate free speech to heal our society?

The desire to avoid risk at any cost is costing us dearly. Name almost any freedom that has been lost and nearly always the justification will be "something, something...for your safety." Matthew Crawford has an excellent essay on the danger of safetyism and how it's being used to choke the human spirit.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors: Altabank Mortgage

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

What does principled resistance to tyranny look like? I'm pretty sure it's not burning, looting, spreading lies and threatening everyone around you. As Jon Miltimore explains, it looks more like the courageous gym owners in New Jersey who have stayed open in the face of official decrees and actions intended to shut them down.

It seems to be taking an unusually long time for the public to catch on to how they are being played by those in power. Joakim Book has some timely words of encouragement for those awaiting rescue from the madness.

In times of widespread groupthink, there is great need for wrongthinkers like you and me. Unfortunately, authoritarians are hard at work to stamp out independent thought at an early age. Annie Holmquist says it's why thinking students rank last on the government school agenda.

The electoral sideshow has been on a lot of people's minds this week. Did you realize that something historic happened with America's electors on Monday? Andrea Widburg shares the details of something our mass media isn't talking about.

Speaking of sore losers...(wink), professor Joseph Stiglitz is one of the sorest. No, he wasn't backing Trump in the election. As Richard M. Ebeling explains, Stiglitz is a misguided and sore loser because he opposes liberty.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors: Altabank Mortgage

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

Political strategist and marketer Gary Welch joins me to talk about the path forward now that the dust from the 2020 election is settling.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors: Altabank Mortgage

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

Eric Peters from Eric Peters Autos stops by to discuss current events from the perspective of a veteran wrongthinker. Among the topics we cover: GM's transformation into Affirmative Motors, also, the latest from the frontline of the mandate resistance and some good news from the automotive world.

When is the last time you asked yourself, "How can I fail today?" If that seems like a self-defeating attitude, you need to check out Kent McManigal's take on failure. It's one of the most empowering things I've read in a while.

If you're serious about thinking for yourself and owning your own worldview, you must be willing to face hard truths squarely and without equivocation. Jim Quinn's latest analysis "Time to Heel" is a solid recounting of how so many have been misled and gaslighted by those who twist the truth for their own opportunistic ambitions.

Political strategist and marketer Gary Welch joins me to talk about the path forward now that the dust from the 2020 election is settling.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors: Altabank Mortgage

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

With the first truckloads of Covid vaccine making their way across the country, a moment of decision is approaching. Will you take the vaccine or not? More to the point, will the vaccine be forced on you or not? Christine Smith explains how mandatory vaccinations and liberty are at odds with each other.

Another question on the minds of wrongthinkers: When do we start coming out of the Covid-19 mass hysteria? Michael Fumento offers an explanation of how it may happen and why it's taking so long.

Why is it so difficult for some to recognize tyranny when it's happening? Donald J. Boudreaux spells out how, historically, tyranny is rarely seen for what it is--even by its victims.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:Altabank Mortgage

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

If you think the frustration being expressed by millions of Americans over the recent election is simply a matter of their candidate not being elected, think again. A Brit by the name of Paul Weston has summarized what's really at stake here. And it's one of the most accurate and unsettling takes I've seen.

When a friend asked for my reaction to the Supreme Court's refusal to hear the lawsuit filed by Texas last week, I replied that, no matter the outcome, I won't be changing how I live my life. Caitlin Johnstone has my back on this approach with a reminder that we have no obligation to conform to a wildly sick society.

The anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition was just a few days ago. Jeffrey A. Tucker has a marvelous essay reminding us of how the "experts" of that day were very much on board with the necessity for prohibition. He also reminds us that they were very much wrong.

Paul Rosenberg's latest column on recognizing and countering logical fallacies is out. This time around, he deconstructs the naturalistic fallacy--one that lovers of freedom are almost certain to encounter from pragmatists of all stripes.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:Altabank Mortgage

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

Every day we encounter situations that require us to expend moral energy. Paul Rosenberg has some timely wisdom to share on the dispersion of our moral energy.

If you've been looking for reasons to feel grateful, Donald J. Boudreaux has something to consider: Next time you're in the supermarket, contemplate all the little miracles that make it possible to fill that cart.

Those who are serious about moving the cause of liberty, understand that it requires more than a political solution. Little House On the Prairie can teach us what a culture of freedom is like.

Article of the Day:

Bad science, backed by force has been the source of a great deal of unhappiness the past 4 years. Jeffrey A. Tucker wonders, how did a small group do this to us?

Sponsors:

• Life Saving Food 
• Fifty Two Seven Alliance
• Iron Sight Brewing Co.
• Quilt & Sew

It's not easy to find freedom in an unfree world. So much of what's happening seems to be out of our control. Kent McManigal reminds us that authentic freedom starts in our minds and hearts and flows outward from there.

One of the greatest lines ever spoken is from the film Serenity when Captain Malcolm Reynolds declares: "I aim to misbehave." Larry L. Beane has a great take on what that means to people of faith in our time.

With all eyes focused on the Electoral Collage which will meet next week to cast its votes, Thomas Luongo has a message worth considering: "Less Electoral Collage? No, More Electoral College"

Many of us have watched with concern as our police have been slowly transforming from peace officers into militarized enforcers. Brad Polumbo lays out the facts that all that military equipment finding its way into our local police departments isn't reducing crime or making us safer.

Please consider leaving feedback with the comments feature below. It's more helpful than you know.

Sponsors:

Altabank Mortgage

Subscribe to the podcast

Become a WrongThinker Patron

My home state of Utah has joined a coalition of 48 other states who, along with the FTC, are suing Facebook over concerns that the social media giant is stifling competition. Libertas policy analyst James Czerniawaki joins me to discuss the implications of these lawsuits.

As unhinged as some of the president's critics have been over the past four years, they may be about to run headlong into yet another unpleasant reality--the president can pardon himself. Judge Andrew Napolitano explains why this is so.

We often hear about the "rule of law" but what does it mean? Ethan Yang has a brilliant explanation of what this phrase encompasses in the context of the push for more lockdowns.

So much of the controversy over the 2020 election has been centered in the personalities involved. The bigger concern for many of us is the problem of systematic corruption and what it means for our system of governance. Robert E. Wright has some timely analysis.