Episode 30 - The Murder of Charlie Kirk: Wherein we react to the murder of Charlie Kirk and discuss the reactions of our fellow Americans.00:00:11 - Introduction

00:01:13 - The death of Charlie Kirk

00:03:09 - We have far more in common than is different

00:03:51 - The gruesomeness of the videos

00:05:08 - Political violence is never the answer

00:06:16 - Shocking reactions on both sides

00:10:13 - Just because you don't like what someone says doesn't mean he should die

00:14:34 - The social media echo chambers

00:21:34 - Hypocrisy on the right?

00:25:09 - Does watching it happen affect us more?

00:28:15 - Are words violence?

00:40:10 - Words have meaning

00:46:43 - Us vs Them rhetoric

00:50:13 - Political violence is based in fear

00:54:44 - We've lost the ability to engage with ideas we don't agree with

00:59:35 - He had a right to be who he was

01:05:47 - Good or bad, people don't deserve to die for their words

01:08:24 - What's been making us happy----------The LDRship Podcast: the podcast where we bring together voices from all sides of the political spectrum for thoughtful, civil discussion. Here we engage in real conversations with viewpoints from Libertarian, Democrat, and Republican backgrounds, tackling the issues that shape the hearts and minds of everyday Americans.Our goal is to bridge divides, foster understanding, and create an upbeat, respectful space for serious topics. Whether you’re passionate about policy or just looking for a fresh perspective, we’re here to lead the way.

Episode 29 - Toxic Masculinity: Wherein we discuss toxic masculinity, what it is, how it affects society, and what we can do about it.00:00:11 - Introduction

00:03:07 - Does toxic masculinity even exist?

00:04:56 - How do we define masculinity?

00:11:14 - Grab 'em by the pussy - just locker room talk?

00:12:41 - Raising our boys right

00:17:01 - The transmogrification of men in society

00:24:00 - A lack of good male role models

00:27:27 - Have we abdicated the role of "father" to society and the government?

00:30:16 - Mixed signaling to men

00:34:14 - Black and white men have different definitions of what it means to "be a man"

00:39:22 - Evolutionary components to male behavior

00:43:40 - How do we address toxic behaviors?

00:49:11 - Spaghetti and waffles

00:52:20 - Is Pete Hegseth the ultimate in toxic masculinity?

00:56:48 - Are You Man Enough for Kamal Harris?

01:01:23 - In summary, masculinity is not inherently bad

01:03:19 - What's been making us happy----------The LDRship Podcast: the podcast where we bring together voices from all sides of the political spectrum for thoughtful, civil discussion. Here we engage in real conversations with viewpoints from Libertarian, Democrat, and Republican backgrounds, tackling the issues that shape the hearts and minds of everyday Americans.Our goal is to bridge divides, foster understanding, and create an upbeat, respectful space for serious topics. Whether you’re passionate about policy or just looking for a fresh perspective, we’re here to lead the way.

Episode 28 - The Rise of Political Violence: Wherein we discuss the seeming rise in number and severity of political violence instances recently, whether it's different or worse than we've had in the past, where it's stemming from in American society, and some thoughts on what we can do about it.00:00:11 - Introduction

00:01:22 - July 4th, 'Murica! Yeah!

00:04:04 - A difference between the Revolution and random acts of political violence

00:05:42 - Luigi Mangione

00:10:29 - It shouldn't matter whose team the offender was on

00:13:43 - Does media bias play a role?

00:20:19 - Political violence is domestic terrorism

00:22:32 - Reactions to the Trump assassination attempt

00:25:23 - Rhetoric from media and politicians

00:33:30 - Are Americans angrier today?

00:39:17 - How the narrative is told

00:44:48 - The power of social media

00:48:07 - Politicians need to condemn political violence

00:52:07 - They're not just the "other"...they're not even Americans!

01:03:53 - Getting to a point without political violence

01:04:36 - What's been making us happy----------The LDRship Podcast: the podcast where we bring together voices from all sides of the political spectrum for thoughtful, civil discussion. Here we engage in real conversations with viewpoints from Libertarian, Democrat, and Republican backgrounds, tackling the issues that shape the hearts and minds of everyday Americans.Our goal is to bridge divides, foster understanding, and create an upbeat, respectful space for serious topics. Whether you’re passionate about policy or just looking for a fresh perspective, we’re here to lead the way.

Episode 27 - The Commander in Chief: Wherein we discuss the two recent events where the President activated the military, one to quell a riot in Los Angeles and the other to bomb nuclear production sites in Iran.00:00:11 - Introduction

00:01:08 - The situation in Los Angeles and Iran

00:03:35 - The riots in LA

00:07:35 - Pitting the public against the military

00:09:49 - The President's legal authority to use military force on US soil

00:13:03 - A Libertarian perspective on borders, immigration, and the rule of law

00:15:06 - Posse comitatus

00:17:17 - The Republican standpoint

00:18:29 - The battle between Governor Newsome and President Trump

00:20:07 - What is posse comitatus?

00:24:18 - When law enforcement and the military are indistinguishable to the public

00:26:53 - Making the case for war with Congress

00:30:52 - The optics of striking a country with our stealth nuclear bombers

00:34:51 - Technically legal or not, is it right?

00:37:05 - Quoting Dave Smith from Part of the Problem

00:40:17 - DNI said they weren't trying to build nuclear weapons

00:44:31 - The President has to build a case for the people

00:48:27 - The Founding Fathers did not intend for one person to be able to commit the country to war

00:49:47 - How would America feel if Wakanda bombed us?

00:52:26 - The difference between striking a nation or striking an extra-governmental entity

00:55:04 - What did China and Russia think of our B-2s flying around?

00:58:10 - Wrapping up our opinions on using the military, and Dion's opinion (Libertarian)

00:58:53 - Will's opinion (Democrat)

00:59:41 - Thea's opinion (Democrat)

01:01:45 - Brett's opinion (Republican)

01:04:12 - What's been making us happy----------The LDRship Podcast: the podcast where we bring together voices from all sides of the political spectrum for thoughtful, civil discussion. Here we engage in real conversations with viewpoints from Libertarian, Democrat, and Republican backgrounds, tackling the issues that shape the hearts and minds of everyday Americans.Our goal is to bridge divides, foster understanding, and create an upbeat, respectful space for serious topics. Whether you’re passionate about policy or just looking for a fresh perspective, we’re here to lead the way.

Episode 26 - The National Debt and Deficit Spending: Wherein we discuss the $37 Trillion US national debt, the budget deficit that every President has run for decades, the dangers to America due to increasing debt, and what should be done about it.

Links:

https://www.usdebtclock.org/

https://demonocracy.info/infographics/usa/us_debt/us_debt.html

00:00:11 - Introduction

00:02:32 - The stereotypical Democrat and Republican approaches to spending

00:06:34 - Definitions

00:08:37 - Republicans hold a double standard when it comes to spending? (The Democrat viewpoint)

00:10:42 - Nah, both parties have a double standard!

00:12:48 - Mind blowing graphics

00:15:54 - So the debt is huge...

00:17:21 - The Libertarian viewpoint

00:19:05 - The Republican viewpoint

00:21:08 - Fiat currency

00:25:18 - Are we okay with deficit spending to get out of a crisis?

00:29:35 - Now would be a time to cut spending...

00:32:58 - An explanation of why the Republican majority isn't going further with spending cuts

00:35:13 - Why is Elon Musk really mad about the Big Beautiful Bill?

00:37:50 - Congressional budget math

00:42:45 - Other factors that contributed to the Clinton budget surplus

00:43:51 - Why is debt bad?

00:52:14 - If you were King or Queen for a day, how would you fix this?

01:08:23 - Are Libertarians right-leaning?

01:11:45 - What's been making us happy----------The LDRship Podcast: the podcast where we bring together voices from all sides of the political spectrum for thoughtful, civil discussion. Here we engage in real conversations with viewpoints from Libertarian, Democrat, and Republican backgrounds, tackling the issues that shape the hearts and minds of everyday Americans.Our goal is to bridge divides, foster understanding, and create an upbeat, respectful space for serious topics. Whether you’re passionate about policy or just looking for a fresh perspective, we’re here to lead the way.

Episode 25 - American Culture: Wherein we discuss what American culture is, what defines it, its history, and where it is headed in the future.00:00:11 - Introduction

00:02:17 - Some definitions

00:04:54 - There's no wrong answer to what is American culture, or is there?

00:09:49 - When in our history did we have a cohesive culture?

00:14:51 - Division is part of our DNA as a country

00:16:44 - There's a difference between being multicultural and multiethnic

00:17:40 - Black American culture and code switching

00:23:50 - Why does melanin count determine culture?

00:26:46 - There's more than one birthday song?

00:29:10 - People who don't conform are being pushed out by the administration

00:33:15 - Assimilation into our society and culture

00:38:53 - What are our shared values as Americans?

00:42:06 - The rule of law as an American value?

00:47:29 - Moral absolutism versus moral relativism

00:49:52 - Screw that box!

00:51:49 - What's more American than being lazy?

00:54:45 - Part of being American is being able to be whatever you want

00:56:46 - The comparison to the Roman Empire

01:00:23 - The Democrat argues for individualism and the Republican argues for collectivism...

01:05:07 - Part of what it means to be American is to be able to disagree with each other

01:07:34 - What's been making us happy----------The LDRship Podcast: the podcast where we bring together voices from all sides of the political spectrum for thoughtful, civil discussion. Here we engage in real conversations with viewpoints from Libertarian, Democrat, and Republican backgrounds, tackling the issues that shape the hearts and minds of everyday Americans.Our goal is to bridge divides, foster understanding, and create an upbeat, respectful space for serious topics. Whether you’re passionate about policy or just looking for a fresh perspective, we’re here to lead the way.

Episode 24 - DEI: Wherein we discuss Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, what it is, what it's not, and how Americans on both sides of the political divide are reacting to it.00:00:11 - Introduction

00:01:36 - Definitions

00:02:57 - DEI, quotas, and affirmative action

00:07:17 - Isn't discrimination in the workplace already illegal?

00:09:11 - The DEI ideal

00:10:38 - Two big education cases

00:13:45 - SCOTUS has left room for racial diversity as a compelling interest

00:15:57 - Diversity versus merit

00:19:11 - Kamala Harris, the DEI Hire?

00:22:01 - Where's the data that DEI is lowering standards?

00:23:31 - Making statements that aren't helpful to the cause

00:25:57 - It feels like vibes

00:30:18 - Clarence Thomas and statements about hiring because of race

00:33:02 - Acknowledging the historical lack of representation

00:35:47 - A better way to phrase it

00:41:00 - How do you know if someone was a DEI hire?

00:44:57 - Virtue signaling

00:49:29 - Equity versus equality

00:56:21 - If DEI had overcorrected, wouldn't we see a lot more minorities in power?

00:57:35 - Can we live in a society where skin color doesn't matter anymore?

01:01:26 - Talking about different lived experiences is perceived as division

01:03:15 - In summary...?

01:06:21 - Making the workplace look like other aspects of society

01:09:08 - Having a "month" for minority groups

01:18:19 - What's been making us happy----------The LDRship Podcast: the podcast where we bring together voices from all sides of the political spectrum for thoughtful, civil discussion. Here we engage in real conversations with viewpoints from Libertarian, Democrat, and Republican backgrounds, tackling the issues that shape the hearts and minds of everyday Americans.Our goal is to bridge divides, foster understanding, and create an upbeat, respectful space for serious topics. Whether you’re passionate about policy or just looking for a fresh perspective, we’re here to lead the way.

Episode 23 - The First 100 Days of Trump 2.0: Wherein we discuss the first 100 days of Trump's second term, what he promised to do, what's he's accomplished and failed to accomplish, and overall how we'd grade the start to his second time in the White House.00:00:11 - Introduction

00:02:08 - The Republican says Trump has been effective in what he promised to do

00:04:05 - The Democrat agrees? (Not so fast...)

00:05:23 - He's done what he said he was going to do, and that's what I have a problem with

00:06:15 - Don't come for my coffee, bro!

00:08:07 - The rule of law

00:10:53 - Trump's campaign promise scorecard

00:13:55 - DOGE does a "delete all" to get rid of DEI

00:16:20 - Trump's foreign policy successes and failures

00:20:07 - The difference between the first 100 days in the 1st term vs the 2nd term

00:24:56 - Comparing Trump to Thanos

00:27:02 - The lack of empathy in execution

00:32:51 - Trump's long term strategy

00:36:58 - A record number of Executive Orders in the first 100 days

00:40:54 - Playing the short game?

00:42:25 - More rule of law

00:54:12 - Letter grades for the first 100 days

00:57:39 - What's been making us happy----------The LDRship Podcast: the podcast where we bring together voices from all sides of the political spectrum for thoughtful, civil discussion. Here we engage in real conversations with viewpoints from Libertarian, Democrat, and Republican backgrounds, tackling the issues that shape the hearts and minds of everyday Americans.Our goal is to bridge divides, foster understanding, and create an upbeat, respectful space for serious topics. Whether you’re passionate about policy or just looking for a fresh perspective, we’re here to lead the way.

Episode 22 - The Death Penalty: Wherein we discuss capital punishment, whether it is still an appropriate punishment in the 21st Century, and the roadblocks to changing the laws around it.00:00:11 - Introductions

00:02:09 - The Republican side of things

00:05:30 - Death penalty should be rare and have the utmost due process

00:07:00 - The financial cost of the death penalty

00:09:56 - Against the death penalty because of justice system bias

00:12:32 - Would you be more in favor of the death penalty if the system was flawless?

00:17:44 - Where does the government get the authority to kill people?

00:19:51 - Historical context of the government's powers

00:24:11 - If everyone seems to be against it, why does it still exist?

00:30:30 - The will and the method to vote on it isn't there

00:35:43 - What's wrong with keeping it on the books but rarely using it?

00:40:26 - Comparison between the death penalty and physician assisted suicide or abortion

00:43:43 - Republicans don't want to be seen as soft on crime

00:46:14 - There are alternatives to the death penalty

00:51:10 - What is the point of the criminal justice system?

00:52:58 - The death penalty is not a deterrent to crime

00:58:21 - What's been making us happy----------The LDRship Podcast: the podcast where we bring together voices from all sides of the political spectrum for thoughtful, civil discussion. Here we engage in real conversations with viewpoints from Libertarian, Democrat, and Republican backgrounds, tackling the issues that shape the hearts and minds of everyday Americans.Our goal is to bridge divides, foster understanding, and create an upbeat, respectful space for serious topics. Whether you’re passionate about policy or just looking for a fresh perspective, we’re here to lead the way.

Episode 21 - Abortion: Wherein we discuss abortion, personhood, whether there should be national-level laws regarding abortion, or whether it should be left up to each state, as the Dobbs decision has done recently.00:00:36 - Introductions and trigger warning00:03:10 - Roe v. Wade, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, and Planned Parenthood v. Casey SCOTUS decisions00:08:39 - Definitions of abortion and life00:11:24 - 1 USC 8 definition of personhood00:14:13 - Rights, choices, and responsibilities00:16:20 - Is abortion appropriate when there is something terminally wrong with the fetus?00:18:46 - The problems with one-size-fits-all legislation00:21:40 - This is not a decision that should be made by the state00:23:47 - Balancing the life of the mother against the life of the unborn child00:25:44 - Summarizing the Republican and Democrat viewpoints on the start of personhood00:30:23 - Restrictive laws make tough decisions for doctors00:35:30 - An analogy between abortion and end-of-life decisions00:38:34 - The problems with short time window abortion allowances00:43:40 - There needs to be more support and options available to women00:48:05 - The role of government versus the role of the community00:54:19 - Making something illegal doesn't stop it from happening00:59:14 - Fewer abortions is probably an overall good?01:05:18 - In conclusion...01:06:54 - What's been making us happy----------The LDRship Podcast: the podcast where we bring together voices from all sides of the political spectrum for thoughtful, civil discussion. Here we engage in real conversations with viewpoints from Libertarian, Democrat, and Republican backgrounds, tackling the issues that shape the hearts and minds of everyday Americans.Our goal is to bridge divides, foster understanding, and create an upbeat, respectful space for serious topics. Whether you’re passionate about policy or just looking for a fresh perspective, we’re here to lead the way.