According2Sam Podcast

Reporters Without Borders recently released their annual World Press Freedom Index for 2025. Using a variety of metrics, the index ranks nations' press freedom as good, satisfactory, problematic, difficult, or very serious. This year, for the first time, more than half of the countries were rated below satisfactory, and the number of nations classified as very serious increased. The United States dropped two places from last year and is rated problematic. Although all of the data used in this year’s index reflects conditions from last year, during the Biden administration, some in the media have continued to blame President Trump for the decline. However, what is the real reason the free press is in decline? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #309.

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Now that we are more than three months into President Trump’s second term, questions are being raised about President Biden’s cognitive decline and whether there was a cover-up to conceal it before the election. The key questions are: who knew, when did they know, and who helped hide it from the American people? The blame game has begun, with much of the criticism directed at the media. Journalists allowed Biden’s surrogates and members of his administration to appear on their programs and mislead the public about his condition—without any pushback or follow-up. Former CNN reporter Chris Cillizza argued that it was more a case of unconscious bias than conscious bias, but does it really matter? How has this bias further damaged the credibility of the media? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #308.

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The agenda of the Democratic Party is virtually indistinguishable from that of the mainstream media, so it should come as no surprise that as support for the Democratic Party declines, so does trust in the media. Gallup has been tracking Americans’ trust in the media for over 50 years, and in a recent poll, only 33% of Americans reported having a great deal or a fair amount of trust and confidence in mass media. This is a sharp drop from the high of 72% in 1976 and now mirrors the Democratic Party’s lowest approval rating in decades—also 33%. Why have both the Democratic Party and the media become so historically unpopular, and are Americans justified in their lack of trust? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #307.

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The first hundred days of President Trump’s second term have been encouraging for those who supported the agenda he campaigned on last year. While not every promise has been fulfilled, the administration appears to be moving in the direction voters expected—and it's still early in the term. Democrats argue that these initial months have been a failure, with no accomplishments. They point to a decline in the president’s approval ratings, even though recent polls suggest the Democratic Party is viewed less favorably. Given that Democrats campaigned against Trump’s platform in the 2024 election, it’s understandable that they would view the implementation of that platform as a failure—just as his supporters would likely view it as a success. So, what’s really behind the drop in the president’s poll numbers? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #306.

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The United States is a consumer powerhouse, responsible for about one-third of all global consumption of goods and services. This dynamic once worked in favor of American workers, particularly when the U.S. was also a leading manufacturing nation, producing much of what it consumed. However, the landscape began to shift when corporations started leveraging free trade and cheap labor overseas to manufacture products at lower costs and boost their profits. This shift contributed to the decline of the American middle class and income inequality, as corporate earnings soared while wages stagnated. As America's middle class shrank, the middle classes of countries like China began to grow—driven by their role in producing what we consumed. How did these corporations turn Americans into consumers, and today, how are materialism and consumption impacting the American people? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #305.

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When China was granted permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status and admitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO) during the Clinton administration, it marked the end of the annual requirement for Congressional waivers to maintain free trade status with the United States. This major policy shift allowed American corporations to enter into long-term agreements with China without the uncertainty of Most Favored Nation status being revoked each year. Following the granting of PNTR, the outsourcing of American manufacturing jobs accelerated, and there was a significant increase in the influx of Chinese goods into the United States. Now, after 25 years, was this policy ultimately positive or negative for America? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #304.

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Democrats have been accusing China of human rights abuses and unfair trade practices for years. Back in 1996, Nancy Pelosi gave an impassioned speech making a strong case against granting China Most Favored Nation status and argued in favor of using tariffs to address our trade deficit. Similarly, Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and many others on the left have consistently criticized China and supported the use of tariffs to hold them accountable. They've all talked tough—but when President Trump actually started implementing these policies, they suddenly began opposing him. California Governor Gavin Newsom, after trying to negotiate a trade deal directly with China, is now suing President Trump in an effort to undermine his tariff strategy. How can we win a trade war with China when they’re united, and we’re divided? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #303.

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President Trump has referred to his second term as the beginning of a "golden age" in America. So far, he has enacted several major transformative policies. While not all of his efforts have been successful, he is actively working to end the war in Ukraine, reduce the size of the federal government, and reset global trade to better benefit American workers and consumers. You may not agree with his approach, but his commitment to these objectives is clear. These issues have been central to his administration's agenda during the first 100 days, alongside a range of other changes aimed at ushering in this so-called golden age. What is the greatest challenge America must confront in order to truly enter a golden age, and who, or what stands in the way of solving this problem? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #302.

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Democrats in Congress are accusing President Trump of insider trading following a series of social media posts he made on Wednesday. Early that morning, he posted, “This is a great time to buy. DJT.” Approximately nine hours later, he announced that he was ending reciprocal tariffs on nations that had not retaliated. In contrast, China, because they had retaliated, would see their tariffs raised to 125%. This news caused the markets to surge. Democrats argue that President Trump acted out of fear over declining markets and had no clear plan. At the same time, they claim his actions were calculated enough to allow anyone who followed his advice to make a profit. Why is it more likely that President Trump did, in fact, have a strategic plan to isolate China? Join the conversation and get answers to this question and more on According2Sam episode #301.

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The Walt Disney Company is one of many American corporations that has formed partnerships with China over the past few decades. China has become a significant market for Disney's films and entertainment, and the company even opened a resort and amusement park in Shanghai. For China, this partnership offers influence over one of the few major media corporations in the United States. This influence is crucial because China can rely on networks like ABC, ESPN, and others owned by Disney to avoid negative portrayals and, when necessary, to defend its interests. Additionally, China wields influence in the U.S. through its partnerships with other major American corporations that depend on Chinese markets. Given this, can Americans trust these corporations to prioritize the interests of the United States? Join the conversation and get answers to these questions and more on According2Sam episode #300.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.according2sam.com