What explains the growing divide between older and younger conservatives?

In this episode, Modern Age editor Dan McCarthy explores the ideological, cultural, and economic rifts between the Reagan-Buckley generation and Gen Z conservatives.

Is this a generational clash or the start of a new conservative movement?

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On the centennial of William F. Buckley Jr.’s birth, Dan McCarthy revisits the towering legacy of the man who shaped postwar American conservatism.

From founding National Review and leading ISI, to defining the modern Right’s anti-communist and anti-statist battles, Buckley was instrumental in reshaping American political discourse. But what did he truly conserve—and how should today’s conservatives evaluate his legacy?

In this episode of Modern Age, Dan explores:

-Buckley's early America First views and Cold War transformation
-The founding of ISI and National Review
-His battles against the New Deal and welfare state
-The culture wars in higher education
-Buckley's complex role in defining conservative orthodoxy
-His later reflections on Reagan, foreign policy, and conservatism's direction

Was Buckley a gatekeeper—or a unifier? And what can we learn from his successes and shortcomings in today’s very different political landscape?

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https://firstthings.com/the-rights-thirty-year-war/

https://modernagejournal.com/the-last-word-on-william-f-buckley-jr-sam-tanenhaus-review/253620/

This week on Modern Age, Dan McCarthy breaks down the economic and cultural consequences of President Trump’s proposed 50-year mortgage and the broader housing crisis facing America.

From lifelong debt and falling birthrates to the decline of Jeffersonian ideals, Dan explores the deeper roots of the affordability crisis—and why today’s policy responses might do more harm than good.

Can conservatives offer a real path toward ownership, stability, and the American dream? Or are we locking the next generation into a lifetime of financial servitude?

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This week on Modern Age, Dan McCarthy explores a pivotal legal and constitutional question: Can President Trump impose tariffs on his own authority? With the Supreme Court hearing a case that challenges his use of emergency powers under the International Economic Emergency Powers Act (IEEPA), this episode dives deep into the legal history, economic rationale, and political stakes.

What counts as a national emergency? Is a 50-year trade deficit reason enough?

Dan examines both sides of the debate—and explains why this case could shape the future of presidential power in foreign policy and trade.

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In this episode, Modern Age editor Dan McCarthy explores how Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy has evolved into something bigger—a coalition of nationalists reshaping international politics.

Dan unpacks how this emerging coalition differs from the old liberal internationalism, why nationalism doesn’t have to mean isolationism, and how a shared strategic outlook could counter growing threats from China and other authoritarian powers.

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#ModernAge #AmericaFirst #ForeignPolicy #Nationalism #Trump #China #Japan #Argentina #JavierMilei #SanaeTakaichi #Geopolitics #PostLiberalism

In this episode of Modern Age, Dan McCarthy explores President Trump’s evolving strategy toward Latin America—and what it tells us about the new Cold War with China. From supporting Argentina’s Javier Milei to tightening pressure on Venezuela, Trump’s policies challenge conventional left and right critiques.

Dan discusses why Trump’s strategic approach may mark a return to Cold War realism and what’s at stake for the United States as China expands its influence in our own hemisphere.

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Former critics are now calling Trump a serious contender for the Nobel Peace Prize — thanks to a ceasefire in Gaza and the return of Israeli hostages.

In this episode of Modern Age, Dan McCarthy explores how Trump’s bold diplomacy succeeded in one of the world’s most volatile conflicts — and whether his approach can do the same in Ukraine.

Can you back a side in war and broker peace? Trump thinks so — and he might be right.

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https://www.compactmag.com/article/donald-trump-man-of-peace/

Should Columbus Day still be celebrated in America?

In this episode of Modern Age, Dan McCarthy explores the historical, philosophical, and cultural arguments for honoring Christopher Columbus—despite the controversy surrounding him. Drawing on Christian, classical, Enlightenment, and even realist perspectives, Dan lays out three universal reasons why Columbus remains a figure worth honoring.

He also examines how federal holidays reflect America’s political and cultural history, why Columbus has become a flashpoint in modern ideological battles, and what we lose when we erase figures from the national memory.

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As the West becomes less Christian and less culturally European, what happens to conservatism?

In this episode of Modern Age, Dan McCarthy explores the demographic and religious transformations reshaping America, Britain, and Europe—and what they mean for the future of conservative identity and political thought. Drawing on thinkers like Alexis de Tocqueville and Leo Strauss, Dan raises difficult questions about whether conservatism’s past commitments—Christianity, Protestant roots, Western tradition—are still viable in a more diverse, post-Christian landscape.

From the rise of political leaders with non-Christian faiths to the growing share of religious “nones,” and from Strauss’s view of Western civilization to shifting political alignments, this episode offers a thoughtful, grounded discussion of where we are—and where we might be going.

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Why are conservatives being cast as the enemies of free speech—by the very institutions that once championed it?

In this episode of Modern Age, Dan McCarthy examines the coordinated layers of left-wing power: the elite media and universities, the street-level Antifa activists, and the ideological narratives that connect them. Dan unpacks how elite institutions use inflammatory rhetoric to justify censorship and violence, while distancing themselves from the consequences.

He also discusses the tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk and the moral response from Erica Kirk, contrasting it with Donald Trump’s remarks at the same memorial. Drawing on the timeless drama of Hamlet, Dan explores themes of justice, vengeance, and forgiveness in the face of political violence.

This episode dives deep into the dynamics of media manipulation, campus suppression, and what’s really at stake for the American right.

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