Our politics are in crisis. Things seem to be falling apart and everyone is frustrated for some reason or another. Unfortunately, America's political landscape is an evolving patchwork of messy labels and confusing dynamics, so it is quite difficult to put our finger on the source of our troubles. Trying to make sense of America's political landscape is paramount because, in order to overcome a crisis, we must have the discipline to truly understand it. 

Our analysis begins by looking at the basic power dynamic at play in every society. On the one hand, the "Conservatives" are those who have established cultural and political hegemony. Conservatives aim to preserve the society that they control and dominate. On the other hand, "liberals" reflect those on the peripheries of power. Liberals aim to challenge the established order of things and act as reformers, restorationists, and even revolutionaries. 

To gain an accurate understanding of America's political landscape we need to drop our prior view of "Conservative" and "Liberal" and apply these labels properly. We hope to identify the true conservatives and the nature of their cultural and political power. In addition, we will try to identify the various liberal groups and some of the means they are employing to challenge the Conservative hegemony. 

American politics is broken and there seems to be no vehicle available to fix it.

The two parties are controlled by a corrupt establishment and the Presidency can only sustain a populist movement for four to eight years. With no inspiring alternatives on the horizon, people are embracing political power games and even joining ill-informed crusades against boogeymen like hedge funds instead of addressing the root causes of our political crisis.

So where in the country are we seeing signs of hope? Who, if anyone, is out there doing the hard work to provide this inspiring alternative?

One recent spark of inspiration has come from the 1776 Commission. The Commission was intended to instruct federal education policy, but it actually provides a sort of political narrative or plan to try and fix our broken politics. At its core, the Commission posits that Americans are deeply divided on first principles like the meaning of our country, it's history, and how it should be governed. The proposed remedy to this crisis is to teach people that the founding principles can be a enduring source of unity and strength. Through education, we can inspire a new generation of citizens who have the knowledge, strength, and virtue of a free people.

While we respect the Commission's work, we disagree with the idea that education can get us through the political crisis they accurately describe. At some point, the actual pursuit of good government becomes more imperative than the study. 

I think it is fair to say that many people are fatigued with politics today. Americans are bitterly divided, and people have become entrenched, viewing politics as a death-match between left and right, liberal and conservative, Democrat and Republican. These traditional narratives provide no hope, no excitement, and no enthusiasm. They have become incredibly toxic and shown an increasing willingness to gamble our Republic away by playing dangerous power games against one another.

But there is a large majority of Americans that are put-off by this division and would welcome a new unifying message. Someone just has to go through the work of creating that message and starting new conversations. That is what the Galloway Institute exists to do.

We are determined to build a new and exciting political narrative that can restore our Unity and provide a new hope for the future of American politics.

With the recent uptick in Civil War rhetoric, Jeff and I thought it might be wise to reflect back on the brutal nature of civil wars and the moral imperative to avoid them at all costs.

To assist in this effort, we will turn to an Ancient Greek historian named Thucydides and focus on several passages detailing the Corcyraean Revolution. In the opening years of the Peloponnesian war, the island of Corcyra was engaged in a horrific civil war between Democrats and Oligarchs.

Thucydides tells us how "Both sides were engaged in butchering those of their fellow citizens whom they regarded as their enemies…Death thus raged in every shape; and, there was no length to which violence did not go."

From our reflections on the Corcyraean Revolution, we hope to steer people away from escalating the political divide and encourage moderating any hostile, uncompromising opinions of their fellow citizens. Politics is the challenge of figuring out how 330 million different people can live together happily in the same society; civil wars represent a total failure in this challenge.

Once we grasp the true nature and moral hazards of civil wars, it should be clear that unifying with your fellow citizens is a whole lot easier than trying to subvert and destroy them.

In Episode 15 of the Galloway Institute podcast Jeff and I discuss the Fall of Donald Trump.

The 45th President was the focal point of much controversy over the past four years. After a heated election, millions of Americans were left feeling that their concerns over election integrity were not taken seriously and left unresolved.

Things came to a head on January 6th in what will henceforth notoriously be referred to as the Capitol Siege. Since that day, a torrent of angry and malignant passions have convulsed the American people, putting tremendous strain on our national Unity and the integrity of our Constitutional Republic.

It is important to understand that politics isn't a battle against your fellow citizens but a battle against time. The goal is unity and figuring out how to live together peacefully despite our differences.

But as long as we believe victory requires defeating the rival party and imposing our will upon each other, our politics will continue to be pushed up against the Rubicon. Hopefully there is no Caesar lurking in our midst.

Today we wrap the year 2020. There's an old Chinese proverb that proclaims “I hope you live in interesting times” and whether that means good or ill, I think we can all agree that 2020 was interesting, to say the least.

We realize this year has been trying for everyone on many different levels and while we talk about the craziness of COVID-19 and the chaos of the election, we also talk about how we believe that this year showed that a new political narrative is necessary to unify people across the political divide. We thank you for listening and we look forward to your support in 2021.

So without further ado, let's talk politics, because ideas have consequences

Today we dive into the most pressing of current events, the ongoing struggle in the presidential election. We talk about the most recent news regarding the election, before diving into a couple of different scenarios around the election itself, including a lively discussion of what Trump would do if voter fraud was proven as fact.

We will also discuss the possibility of a new political party rising with Trump at the lead, and how that would affect political power in America.

So let’s talk politics because ideas have consequences. 

In Episode 12 of the Galloway Institute Podcast, Jeff and I discuss the Cold Civil War currently consuming American politics. It is important to remember that politics is the challenge of how many different people can live peacefully together. Today, we are really struggling with this challenge because people are divided on fundamental issues.

As a result; politics has become an incredibly sensitive and emotional matter. People are losing respect for one another; resentment is today's prevailing feeling. Healthy political rivalry has devolved into ideological warfare and vicious contests for power are starting to tear society apart. This is the cold civil war. A struggle of some sort is inevitable, and the million-dollar question is what will be the consequences of this great political divide?

We conclude with our routine appeal, to anyone who is willing to listen, that our Unity is a moral imperative. We discount whoever may suggest even a suspicion that our Unity should be abandoned and frown indignantly upon any attempt to alienate any portion of the country from the rest.

I hope you find something meaningful listening to this show, please let us know what you think.

In Episode 11, Jeff and I explain how we hope the Galloway Institute can inspire people who feel politically homeless. Ultimately, we are the master's of our own fate. If we want healthier politics, if we want to bridge the political divide, and become a more unified people, then we need to be ambitious, step up, and lead.  

All too often, liberty minded voices get stuck in the commentary trap. Rather than stepping up to lead, many get too comfortable taking their ques from their opponents and just complain on social media. Our hope is that the Galloway Institute can fill this strategic gap and one day provide real leadership to advance the ideas of individual liberty and constitutional government.

We conclude by going back to Ancient Athens to contrast the great statesman Pericles with the destructive Demagogue Cleon. In this discussion, we try to highlight how good leadership is tied to how well we understand the proper ends and means of politics.

So check out our show, let us know what you think, and as always, we appreciate your support.

Chapters:

• [0:00] - We Are The Masters Of Our Fate

• [21:30] - The Political Commentary Trap

• [30:21] - Organize Your Political Views

• [40:31] - Pericles v. Cleon: Thoughts on Political Leadership

• [1:00:43] - Death by Demagogues: The Tragedy of Ancient Athens

• [1:06:26] - Is the Libertarian Party Legit?