Being comfortable with the uncomfortable.  Wesley Warshawer joins the podcast for a discussion of how he took a significant step in practicing citizenship by stepping outside of his Silicon Valley bubble and moving to Bismarck, North Dakota, to experience what he thought would be the opposite of his life experience.  He toured the country for 18 months, from Bismark to Biloxi and many stops in between that did not resemble his California home.  He found along the way that we are more alike than we are different, despite the political polarization and binaries were are sold.  This is his journey.  

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Steve Morris, mayor of Concord, North Carolina, joins me to discuss his experiences over the past two decades participating in local government.  We cover topics addressed in my upcoming book, Our Middle American Life, including:

(1) Why he chose to take an initial step as a citizen practicing citizenship more than 20 years ago when he joined the Chamber of Commerce and became its chair.

(2) How did his time on the Chamber prepare him to run for County Commissioner. 

(3) What political muscle did he build over three successful terms as a moderate Republican on the County Commission.

(4) What lessons did he learn from losing during his fourth campaign.

(5) How he became mayor of the 10th largest city in North Carolina, in a non-partisan race, when both parties endorsed other candidates.  

This conversation is the upcoming book in real world action.   

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I'm back.  I've been writing a book.  It's called Our Middle American Life.  In the process of writing it, the thesis of the book changed - as did my perspective on politicians, the parties and the political system.  We live in a society where the middle politically (independents) are the largest voting bloc in the country - throw in disenchanted moderates and the number is even larger.  Yet, we have no representation.  Not in DC.  Not in most state capitals.  Not even likely in your local governments.  Why?  While at the same time, the middle class is shrinking, both in size and its ability to afford what has defined the middle class (and the American Dream) for generations.  What happens this November on Election Day will make zero difference.  We need to do more.  I need to do more.  And this podcast's purpose is a start.  

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The Los Angeles race for Mayor has garnered unprecedented national media coverage with a script worthy of its Hollywood background.  An incumbent mayor who has overseen a bungled response to a catastrophic natural disaster.  A reality TV star with viral AI-generated campaign videos.  Drugs, deception and manipulation.  But this is no script.  Instead, we have seen a third candidate swoop in after Election Day to win a spot for the two-person race in November.  Allegations of fraud, rigged elections and illegal votes.  Let's take a look beyond the headlines.  

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Rebekah and Ryan are in their 30s.  Two young kids.  Listen to a wide-ranging discussion of living within your means, trying to save to buy a home, the rising costs impacting thin margins of running a small business, and how one voice can lead to community activism in local politics.  

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Property taxes are going up in Wake County.  This is on top of a 2024 tax valuation that saw increases in tax assessed values of over 50%.  Homeowners insurance is up 15% over the past two years.  Auto insurance up 5%.  Duke Energy is seeking an 18% increase after only recently getting a 20% increase.  Increasing rates are decreasing consumer spending power as wages have not followed suit.  Individually, each rate increase may not seem significant, but collectively, they are pushing an already cash-strapped middle class to their breaking point.  

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Matt is a college grad in his mid-40s living in Michigan.  He discusses his employment journey from Michigan State to his current job working with Hillsdale College.  Matt is now trying to make a living with a girlfriend, two kids and a full-time job while feeling the same constraints many Americans are feeling in terms of making ends meet in today's economy.  Here's his story.  

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The stock market is hitting all-time highs.  But while Wall Street is printing money, Main Street is pinching pennies.  90-day delinquencies on credit cards, student loans and auto loans are at all time highs.  Wages are being out-paced by housing/grocery/car costs.  The average American is feeling like they cannot afford things like they used to only a few years ago.  And they are not wrong. 

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Yesterday, two attorneys were shot outside the Wake County Courthouse in Raleigh, NC, by a pro se Plaintiff.  The parties had just been in court on a civil case involving a local police department and production of body cam footage dating back to an incident in 2021.  Both attorneys seemingly will survive, but online supporters of the shooter are calling for her release, justifying the attorneys being shot, and asking people to look further into the case.  So I did.  Here is what I found.  

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Mike Duggan, the former Mayor of Detroit, has been running for Governor in Michigan as an independent candidate since December 2024.  In January 2026, he was polling within single digits of the lead.  Today, he announced his departure from the race.  How this race may impact other independents in terms of making a decision to run for office and why we need more people like Mike to not just run, but take it to the finish line.  

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