A Random Walk with Ben Kohlmann

Who hoists the banner for conservatives following Donald Trump's 2020 election loss?   David Azerrad, current Hillsdale College professor and former Heritage Foundation scholar, explores the history of American conservatism and what the future may hold. 

In this episode, we discuss:

+The shift in policy tone the Trump Presidency brought, and the realignment of voters he established

+What "nationalism" really means and how a rebranding of the term - but not the substance - may drive more meaningful conversations

+Who may emerge as leaders of the Republican coalition in the coming years

+How the topics of immigration, great power competition, and backlash against the elites will continue to matter even more following the election of Joe Biden

Mike McClellan had a vision.  Inspired by his love of late-19th century history, he wanted to a write a story the brought forth a clash of civilizations amidst rapid technological change. 

Twelve years, and 1.2 million words later, "The Sand Sea" was published. Mike's debut novel is a smashing success. 

In this episode, we discuss:

+What it takes to create a new universe

+The power of mentors - and how Steven Pressfield (of "Gates of Fire" fame) took Mike under his wing

+How discipline and compounding over time can lead to exponential results in writing and life

+Themes from historical fiction that translate into everyday life, especially as it relates to the creation of heroes

Just before the great recession in 2008, Julissa Carielo decided to start a construction company.  During the decade prior, she had internalized the lessons of project management and knew she could build something better on her own.  She had a vision and executed. 

12 years later, Julissa has a thriving construction business focused on government contracts in the San Antonio area.  She is also a community leader, using her influence to build an entrepreneurship center and driving other social impact.  She was also a 2018 Presidential Leadership Scholar. 

In this episode, Julissa and I discuss:

+What it takes to build a successful business in the midst of a recession

+The impact of her upbringing on her career choice

+What trends will define construction in the coming decade

+How she found a unique, and successful, path in a male-dominated industry

Jason Ray went from Navy Supplier officer to CEO of a company dedicated to bringing American manufacturing into the 21st century.  

In this episode we discuss:

+How lessons from the military supply chain apply to metal workshops

+Where American manufacturing stands out in a competitive world market

+The tools and techniques used to build today's physical products

+How PaperLess parts takes 2D rendered models and creates 3D versions for their customers

+Why 3D printing continues to be overhyped

As Veterans Day 2020 approaches, how are our nation's Veterans faring? 

In this episode, I speak with Navy veteran and Student Veterans of America President Jared Lyon.  We explore a number of issues related to veterans including:

+How veterans compare to the general population in achievement

+What impact the original and post-9/11 GI Bill has had on the veteran population

+Mental health challenges facing the veteran community...and American society at large

+How veterans are thriving in our society

Calls to abandon the Electoral College are increasing.  Is this core part of the American experiment still relevant?

Tara Ross is a historian and author who has written extensively in defense of the Electoral College.  In this episode, we discuss:

+Why our Founding Fathers selected this method to elect our President

+Why the leaders of the Civil Rights movement defended it

+Historical challenges to the Electoral College and their outcomes

+How the Supreme Court and various State Legislatures are influencing it

+How our two party system is bolstered because of the Electoral College

In the wake of COVID, alternative forms of primary and secondary education are emerging.

In this episode, we discuss:

+What a microschool is and how one is founded

+The two sided marketplace between parents and teachers

+Opposition to the concept from teachers unions

+How Schoolhouse thinks about education equity, given increasingly disparate outcomes in a post-COVID world

Beset by disruption, falling revenues, an exploding number of platforms, and a faster-than-ever news cycle, journalism in the 21st century is undergoing a revolution.

Isabel Gonzalez Whitaker, an accomplished freelancer and former Features Editor at InStylw, dives into what it means to be a journalist - and what impact they have on society.

In this episode, we explore:

+How journalism has changed over the past 25 years

+What goes on behind the scene in newsrooms between editor and reporter

+Whether the explosion of outlets adds or detracts from understanding reality

+The different values the upcoming generation of journalists have compared to their senior counterparts

Will Long is the CEO of Numinar Analytics, a political data-aggregation firm focused on providing voter insights to state house and Congressional races.  He is a recent graduate of Harvard College. 

In this episode we discuss:

+The types of personal data campaigns have access to for individual voters

+How campaigns make use of this data for targeted advertising and get out the vote efforts

+The differences between the Republican and Democratic Party strategies to data

+What his on-the-ground polls are telling him about the 2020 race

The combination of social media and partisan tribes is creating movements at a pace far beyond anything humanity has ever imagined.

John Robb has been thinking about the impact of social networks since early 2000, when he saw the implications for warfare.  John is a rare thinker - prescient, contrarian, and always insightful.  We discussed:

+What it was like to be one of the first financial analysts covering the Internet in the mid-1990s

+How augmented reality may be the next big thing...and why it may accelerate confirmation bias

+International models of network adoption, arguing the US is closer to the chaos of Russia and the fascism of China rather than the traditionalism of Europe

+How virtual networks impact perceptions of physical space

+An exploration of "exaptation"