We've Got To Talk

Most of us don’t want “our side” to win. We want the country to work, with less chaos, less political theater, and fewer people getting rich off outrage while nothing gets fixed. We’re joined by Lura Forcum, a consumer and social psychologist who studies the human dynamics underneath politics, identity, belonging, and why we get so weird around people who disagree with us.

Lura breaks down why “tribalism” isn’t just a buzzword. It’s the system underneath the system, and the real danger isn’t bickering; it’s dehumanization. Once the other side feels like an existential threat, we stop having policy conversations and start living in a survival story, and you can’t govern well from that place.

We also talk about competitive politics versus tribal politics, and why purity tests on both sides reward warriors instead of statesmen. Lura explains how parties stop listening to voters and start dictating terms, and why policy so often gets made without talking to the people who actually live under it.

If you’re disillusioned, tired, or waiting for the perfect candidate, Lura’s message is simple: vote anyway. Vote as an independent thinker, show up for primaries, and reward decency and public service over performative outrage. Her final assignment is surprisingly wholesome and honestly needed right now: have a potluck, break bread, and rebuild community face to face.

00:00 Introduction

04:15 Tribal vs Competitive Politics

07:44 Warriors and Purity Tests

15:29 Rebuilding Civic Culture

18:15 Entitlement Reform Reality Check

22:11 Why Parties Ignore Voters

26:41 Independents and Real Competition

35:46 Why Primaries Matter

38:53 Decency Over Policy Purity

44:03 Social Media and Tribal Rage

48:05 Potluck as Civic Medicine

RESOURCES MENTIONED

Where to Find Lura:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/luraforcum/

https://www.facebook.com/lura.forcum

https://substack.com/@luraforcum

https://www.instagram.com/luraforcum/

https://www.youtube.com/@LuraForcum_HowtoHuman

Lura’s Podcast:

https://wemadethispolitical.substack.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@WeMadeThisPolitical

LINKS:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wevegottotalk/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeveGotToTalk

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/weve-got-to-talk/id1797423701

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qJVgTvjciUffRmoUienx2

How to find Nicole https://nicolefonarow.com/

How to find Jolene https://dibledough.com/

Most of us don’t actually want “our side” to win. We want the country to work, with less chaos, less political theatre, and fewer people getting rich off outrage while nothing gets fixed.

This week we welcomed Brad Porteus from Bridge Grades back onto the podcast, and his idea is refreshingly simple. Bridge Grades is a congressional report card that doesn’t measure ideology, it measures collaboration. It uses nonpartisan, third-party data to score how lawmakers govern, so you can get a clearer read on who builds across the aisle and who fuels division.

What hit us most is how much this challenges the way we’re trained to vote. Most people don’t vote based on effectiveness; they vote based on identity, fear, habit, or revenge, and if you’re deeply loyal to a party, a report card probably won’t change your mind. The bigger opportunity is everyone else, especially the exhausted middle and the millions of eligible Americans who didn’t vote last election because they don’t trust anyone and don’t see the point.

If you’re curious, use Bridge Grades as a second lens before the next election. Look up your lawmakers, notice what happens in your own head when you see a grade you didn’t expect, and ask what we’re rewarding as a culture. Because if we keep voting like it’s a tribal loyalty test, we’re going to keep getting tribal outcomes, and we’ll all keep sitting here wondering why nothing works.

00:00 Introduction

00:21 Meet Brad and Bridge Grades

01:49 How the Scoring Works

07:29 Legislative Metrics Explained

11:22 Gaming the Bipartisan Score

13:47 Performative Bridging Debate

17:37 Exhausted Middle and Independents

20:29 Bridgers at Risk in Swing Seats

28:26 Roasting Government Dysfunction

31:41 Texas Race Trust Issues

34:14 Breaking Tribal Partisanship

36:32 Reaching the Disengaged Millions

38:05 Shift from Party to Ideology

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Brad's Good for the Soul:

Otis Cutts Old Music Friday: https://www.instagram.com/owencutts/?hl=en

LINKS:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wevegottotalk/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeveGotToTalk

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/weve-got-to-talk/id1797423701

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qJVgTvjciUffRmoUienx2

How to find Nicole https://nicolefonarow.com/

How to find Jolene https://dibledough.com/

We’ve lost a lot of trust in politicians in America, and it’s not hard to see why. Politics feels like a permanent campaign where leaders are performing, fundraising, and protecting their careers while the real problems keep getting worse.

Our guest is Adam Cronkright, creator of the film Goodbye Politicians Hello Democracy, which explores a bold alternative to the current political system. Adam’s idea is simple but disruptive: replace career politicians with ordinary citizens selected by lottery, supported with experts and staff, and asked to make decisions on behalf of their communities. It’s a conversation about democratic lotteries, citizen assemblies, and what “government by the people” could actually mean in practice.

We talk about why elections often produce a political class instead of real representation, and how incentives like party loyalty, media attention, and fundraising have turned politics into theatre. Adam shares what happened when 30 regular people in Michigan were selected during 2020 to work through pandemic decisions together, and why good faith disagreement becomes possible when nobody is angling for re-election or scoring points for social media.

If you’re tired of political polarisation, the two-party system, and the feeling that you’re just a spectator in your own democracy, this episode offers a hopeful, practical reframe. It’s about accountability, trust, civic participation, and whether citizens could govern more effectively than professional politicians.

00:00 Introduction

00:22 Meet Adam Cronkright

05:19 Why Make This Film

07:18 Democratic Lottery Explained

09:17 How Selection Works

14:07 Where Democracy Goes Next

18:10 A Post Party System

22:25 Pushback and Corruption

27:34 Extremes and Being Heard

30:19 How to Watch the Film

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Goodbye Politicians, Hello Democracy: https://goodbyepoliticians.movie/

Adam's Good for the Soul: My Unsung Hero podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/my-unsung-hero/id1586880312

https://open.spotify.com/show/2lBDAGE8UkizPEC2ZjmgaP

LINKS:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wevegottotalk/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeveGotToTalk

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/weve-got-to-talk/id1797423701

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qJVgTvjciUffRmoUienx2

How to find Nicole https://nicolefonarow.com/

How to find Jolene https://dibledough.com/

Politics can feel like a loyalty test now. Like you are either on the right team, or you are a threat. In this conversation with Larry Rosen, attorney turned mediator and host of The Enemies Project YouTube docuseries, we talk about what happens when people stop seeing each other as humans and start treating politics like a team sport.

Larry’s work sits right in the middle of the biggest problems in political polarization and social division: we assume intention, we fill in the blanks with the worst story, and we turn disagreement into moral war. We unpack why conflict is rarely just about the surface issue, how “enemy making” works, and why curiosity feels like betrayal when the nervous system is in threat mode.

We also get into Larry’s approach to depolarization and conflict resolution, including rapport-building, extreme perspective taking, and the moment that changes everything: helping people understand what the other person is trying to protect. It is not about forcing agreement. It is about making it harder to keep the other side as a cartoon, and easier to have hard conversations without dehumanising each other.

If you care about bridging the political divide, civil discourse, and how to talk to people you disagree with without damaging your relationships beyond repair, this one will land. It is a reminder that healing is not soft, and it is not naive; it is one of the only paths out of the loop we are stuck in.

00:00 Introduction

00:22 Meet Larry Rosen

02:50 From Lawyer to Mediator

05:43 Why Enemies Project Started

12:20 Enemies Project Format

15:49 Extreme Perspective Taking

19:37 Healthy Conflict Zone

23:33 Platforming and Safety

30:38 Casting Real Enemies

34:29 Why Activists Fight

35:39 Low Empathy And AI

42:22 Future Of Enemies Project

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

https://www.enemiesproject.org/

Larry's Good for the Soul:

https://youtube.com/shorts/aFuuyibkx1Q?si=MhVJvWhH5SMGPDdb

LINKS:

On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wevegottotalk/

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeveGotToTalk

On Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/weve-got-to-talk/id1797423701

On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qJVgTvjciUffRmoUienx2

How to find Nicole https://nicolefonarow.com/

How to find Jolene https://dibledough.com/

We are back in the Ozarks for our second annual in-person recording at Jolene’s house, and we decided to ask each other a handful of questions we have thought about asking, but never have.

We start with something deceptively simple: why Jolene hides how funny (and sometimes crass) she is on the podcast. It turns into a bigger conversation about authenticity, self-censoring, and how exhausting it is to try to be inoffensive all the time. In a culture where politics feels performative and everyone is bracing for outrage, being real can feel risky, but it is also what makes people relatable.

From there we get into the harder stuff: what Nicole struggles to defend about the Democratic Party, and what Republican beliefs she actually agrees with. We talk about political extremes, the national debt, homelessness, cost of living, and why so many people can “smell” consultant language and talking points a mile away. It is less about scoring points and more about thinking clearly, even when your own side is messy.

If you are tired of political polarization, tribalism, and the feeling that every conversation is a loyalty test, this episode is a reminder that there is another way through, and it starts with staying human long enough to listen.

00:00 Introduction

00:35 Five Questions Challenge

01:07 Why Not More Humor

05:44 Democrats Hard To Defend

11:13 Holding Back On Air

15:35 Common Ground With GOP

17:27 Questioning Beliefs ALICE

25:13 Three Laws As President

26:47 Voter ID Accountability

27:14 Reining In Executive Orders

28:26 Stocks PACs and Lobbyists

30:27 Why AI Feels Dangerous

35:02 Everyday AI and Kids

37:27 Dream Administration Picks

43:25 Cross Party Leadership Idea

44:37 Personal Secrets and Shyness

47:07 Pickup Truck Life Lesson

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Larry Rosen of The Enemies Project: https://www.enemiesproject.org/

WGTT United for Alice episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWR77jzh1aQ

Gwen Stefani- Hollerback Girl: https://youtu.be/Kgjkth6BRRY?si=p_xkfcscFsHegSD4

Patsy Cline- Crazy: https://youtu.be/MbnrdCS57d0?si=H7N6gdb9DX4JBp3m

Dolly Parton-Jolene: https://youtu.be/Ixrje2rXLMA?si=k6qzW_ix_5MwiX9G

Ray LaMontagne- Jolene: https://youtu.be/YTjKotAu4xQ?si=VX_9eYc6Xxd3GLTB

Cruise Inn Throttle Down: https://cruise-inns.com/

Congress Stock Trading: https://www.quiverquant.com/congresstrading/

Van Jones interview with Bill Gates: https://vanjones.substack.com/p/my-bill-gates-interview-on-ai-global?r=n7so4&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web×tamp=1.2

Brooke L. Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture: https://www.usda.gov/our-agency/about-usda/our-secretary

Senator Jeff Merkley: https://www.merkley.senate.gov/

Governor Mikie Sherill: https://www.nj.gov/governor/

Courage Can Save Us Book: https://couragecansaveus.com/

With Honor: https://withhonor.org/

Rahm Emanuel: https://www.instagram.com/rahmemanuel/?hl=en

Sarah Longwell of The Bulwark: https://www.longwellpartners.com/sarah-longwell/

LINKS:

On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wevegottotalk/

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeveGotToTalk

On Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/weve-got-to-talk/id1797423701

On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qJVgTvjciUffRmoUienx2

How to find Nicole https://nicolefonarow.com/

How to find Jolene https://dibledough.com/

A year and a half ago, when we started our podcast, Jolene and I had an uncomfortable realization. We weren’t just “watching the news”; we were watching news that already agreed with us. Jolene had her conservative media, I had my liberal media, and even when we landed on the same basic facts, the emotional tone was completely different depending on what we’d been consuming. Same country, same week, two totally different versions of reality shaped by cable news and political commentary.

So we cleaned up our media diet and started looking for sources that show more than one angle, like Ground News, Tangle, Mo News, 1440, and Straight Arrow News. We wanted to be less easily manipulated by algorithms and outrage, and better able to have civil conversations across political differences. If you’ve been searching for “balanced news sources,” “media bias chart,” or “how to avoid political echo chambers,” this is exactly the road we started walking.

Then my husband Josh, suggested a new experiment: a full week of Fox News and MSNOW (full immersion, no cherry-picked clips). I know it’s a shock to hear this, but it did not make us smarter. It made us anxious. Both networks seemed to run the same play, just with different villains: keep you slightly scared, slightly angry, and just certain enough that you don’t go looking elsewhere. It wasn’t “here’s what happened,” it was “here’s what happened, here’s who to blame, and here’s why you should be worried.”

What really stung is how normal it feels when you’re in it daily. It feels like being responsible, like staying informed, like doing your civic duty. But after a week, we could see the pattern clearly: less clarity, more defensiveness, more judgement, and more confidence about things we hadn’t actually researched. We talk about how 24-hour news cycles turn commentary into the product, why outrage is profitable, and what to do instead, including tools like Ad Fontes Media, reading across sources, and the simplest antidote of all: get back into real life, talk to actual humans, and take action in your community instead of marinating in rage.

00:00 Introduction

01:36 One Week Fox vs MSNBC

02:09 Three Takeaways From Jolene

04:05 Nicole’s Takeaways

06:33 Bias Charts And Better Sources

07:39 Big Stories Compared

09:58 Spin On Trump And Iran

14:07 Quit Doomscrolling All Day

19:59 How To Research Without Bias

25:00 Do Something With The News

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

We've Got To Talk Swamping News Sources for 10 days episode: https://youtu.be/5wtPeP8XwAk?si=pzJ5Ef_KL8gz5Yaw

Fox News Hourly Update: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fox-news-hourly-update/id209991975

Morning Joe podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/morning-joe/id974299441

Fox News: https://www.foxnews.com/

MSNOW: https://www.ms.now/

Ad Fontes Media Bias Chart: https://app.adfontesmedia.com/chart/interactive?utm_source=adfontesmedia&utm_medium=website

Tangle News: https://www.readtangle.com/

Mo News: https://www.mo.news/

Straight Arrow News: https://san.com/

Ground News: https://ground.news/

1440: https://join1440.com/

Isaac Saul of Tangle Ted Talk: https://youtu.be/543mYKKh1EE?si=aEscLTxkXbGx39IR

LINKS:

On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wevegottotalk/

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeveGotToTalk

On Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/weve-got-to-talk/id1797423701

On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qJVgTvjciUffRmoUienx2

How to find Nicole https://nicolefonarow.com/

How to find Jolene https://dibledough.com/

They’re saying Social Security could run out by 2032, and that timeline is close enough to feel real. We talk through what that warning actually means for everyday Americans, especially if you’ve got parents, grandparents, a spouse, or a future self who’s been assuming this safety net will be there. This isn’t a “someday” problem. It’s a real deadline that’s already shaping what comes next.

We also clear up the most common question people ask: “Is Social Security really going to run out?” The program doesn’t just vanish overnight, but the money set aside to pay full benefits is projected to fall short, and if Congress does nothing, automatic benefit cuts become the default. That’s why this matters beyond politics, because Social Security is a monthly lifeline for millions of people, not a talking point.

A lot of people forget Social Security isn’t only about retirement. It covers disability benefits, survivor benefits, and the kind of support that keeps families afloat after a death, an accident, or a diagnosis. We talk about why the silence around Social Security is so dangerous, and why it keeps getting pushed aside even though it affects real lives, real bills, and real dignity.

Finally, we get into the frustrating part: there’s actually bipartisan agreement that something needs to be done, but the incentives reward delay. We walk through the kinds of solutions lawmakers keep circling, like raising the payroll tax cap, changing payroll taxes, adjusting benefits for higher earners, raising the retirement age and why every option comes with trade-offs.

00:00 Introduction

00:46 Why Social Security Now

03:17 What Social Security Covers

04:27 Fixes Taxes Benefits Age

08:57 Congress Performance Problem

11:08 The Payroll Tax Cap

12:55 Big Beautiful Bill Impact

22:08 Donut Hole Explained

25:26 Raising Age And Investing

29:55 More System Pressures

32:29 Rapid Fire Solutions

33:58 Seniors With No Savings

34:44 Means Testing Debate

35:54 Tax Breaks For Giving Back

36:57 Teaching Money And Debt

37:54 Baby Bonds And Investing

39:13 Bipartisan Fix Now

39:53 Taxing Wages And Capital

43:30 No Benefit Cuts

45:40 Congress Needs Focus

47:06 Call Your Congressperson

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Original clip from viewer: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DavOpqYgTi6/

CSPAN: Senate Social Security Meeting: March 25, 2026

https://www.c-span.org/program/senate-committee/senate-budget-committee-examines-social-security-solvency/676234

August 5, 2026 Senate Finance Committee SS Solvency: https://youtu.be/M4ZUg7woHAs?si=P4RUx90pd7xy7eyz

August 4, 2026: Dick Durbin and Bill Cassidy Crosspartisan

https://www.c-span.org/program/us-senate/sens-cassidy-and-durbin-on-social-security-insolvency/683706

Bridge Grades: https://www.bridgegrades.org/

Japanese 7/Eleven Egg Salad: https://www.7-eleven.com/products/fresh-chilled/egg-salad

Bonus Recipe!!! https://www.foodandwine.com/japanese-7-eleven-egg-salad-sandwich-6416077

Zach Bryan: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwK3C8Vgphad4PweezfUBAQ

Dierks Bentley: https://dierks.com/

Nascar: https://www.nascar.com/

LINKS:

On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wevegottotalk/

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeveGotToTalk

On Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/weve-got-to-talk/id1797423701

On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qJVgTvjciUffRmoUienx2

How to find Nicole https://nicolefonarow.com/

How to find Jolene https://dibledough.com/

We walked away from our conversation with Layla Zaidane feeling something we don’t always feel after talking about politics: hope. Layla is the President and CEO of Future Caucus, and her whole approach is built around a simple idea that changes everything. If young lawmakers across party lines can know each other as people first, the work changes. The temperature drops, the incentives shift, and bipartisan cooperation stops feeling like a miracle and starts feeling like a skill.

Layla also shared the personal story behind why she does this work, from her family’s journey from Morocco to growing up in the shadow of 9/11 and the identity questions that followed. Listening to her, it’s easy to understand how someone ends up committed to diplomacy, civic leadership, and bridging divides. She’s not chasing a shiny version of politics. She’s trying to build a more human one, and that matters in a time when political polarisation is treated like entertainment.

We talked about Future Summit, which is basically a mid-year reset for state legislators who are tired, stretched thin, and trying to keep going. There are real policy wins and serious conversations, but there’s also joy and connection because trust doesn’t grow in a vacuum. If you can’t laugh together, you’re not going to legislate together, and Future Caucus seems to understand that relationships are not a side quest. They are the work.

We also got into the hard realities facing young people in politics, like the cost of running for office, low pay, burnout, threats, and rising political violence. Layla was blunt about what it will take to keep good people in public service: structural support, better compensation, stronger staffing, and systems that make the job sustainable. If you’ve been searching for how to reduce political division, how to rebuild trust in democracy, or how to have civil political conversations across party lines, this one is a hopeful reminder that better models exist, and they’re already being built.

00:00 Introduction

00:21 Meet Layla Zaidane

01:13 Roots and 9/11

03:28 From Recession to Politics

07:14 Founding Future Caucus

09:47 How the Caucuses Work

16:20 Generations and Leadership

26:49 Why Young People Run

30:32 Inside Future Summit

35:46 Money Fundraising Hurdles

36:53 Retention Beyond One Term

37:45 Legislator Pay Reality

45:41 Political Violence Crisis

49:30 Solidarity Disagree Better

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

• Future Caucus: https://futurecaucus.org/
• Future Caucus Exit Interview: https://futurecaucus.org/the-exit-interview/
• Layla’s Podcast, Terms of Service: https://youtu.be/Nkbhx-o4FY0?si=fLud5hpQ4jlohHxj
• Layla’s Good for the Soul: The Little Prince: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/157993.The_Little_Prince

LINKS:

On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wevegottotalk/

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeveGotToTalk

On Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/weve-got-to-talk/id1797423701

On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qJVgTvjciUffRmoUienx2

How to find Nicole https://nicolefonarow.com/

How to find Jolene https://dibledough.com/

Accountability and common ground shouldn’t feel like rare collectibles in American politics, but lately that’s exactly what they are. In this episode, we ask the question a lot of exhausted Americans are asking right now: what is wrong with our political parties?

We talk honestly about feeling a bit party-less, even while coming from different political leanings. Jolene is worn down by what Trump is doing and what parts of the Republican Party keep excusing, while Nicole is frustrated by the idea that the only path forward for Democrats is to become a far-left mirror image of the same chaos. The bigger point is how both sides can get trapped in a reactive loop where tribalism, outrage, and constant escalation are rewarded, and reasonable people are treated like they’re naive.

From there, the conversation shifts to what most people actually want: safety, stability, and a government that doesn’t feel like a reality show. We dig into the “exhausted majority”, the people who aren’t screaming online all day and would love to see something almost radical in 2026: bipartisan cooperation and cross-party collaboration. They also get into why Congress feels broken, why executive orders keep whiplashing the country, and why durable laws require compromise, even when it’s uncomfortable.

We also chat about the “America First” debate and why that phrase hits differently depending on who’s saying it. We then discuss why decency needs to be the way forward. Character matters, truth matters, and party loyalty shouldn’t be a free pass. If you’re tired of political chaos, culture war theatre, and leaders who perform for the loudest edges, this episode is a grounded conversation about voting (especially in primaries), rewarding adults in the room, and remembering that labels are meant to describe us, not trap us.

00:00 Introduction

01:00 Democrats: Three Problems

02:52 Republicans Spending and Identity

03:29 Immigration and ICE Concerns

04:40 America First and Tariffs

08:39 Congress Is Broken

12:34 Language and Media Triggers

17:16 Bipartisan Budget Fixes

21:42 Extremes and Decency Debate

25:59 Collaboration Over Compromise

28:56 Vote in Primaries

33:01 Would You Rather Segment

35:09 Sponsor Plug and Wrap

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Congress is Broken: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJmJTofEN3E

Isaac Saul’s Ted Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/isaac_saul_3_ideas_for_communicating_across_the_political_divide?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare

Lalshareef: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbHAbAgOA4u/

Brad Porteus of Bridge Grades on MO News:

https://lnkd.in/p/gQUQxSMN

Dan Goldman District 10: https://www.instagram.com/repdangoldman/?hl=en

Jolene’s Dible Dough: https://dibledough.com/

Our Website:

https://www.wevegottotalk.com/

LINKS:

On Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wevegottotalk/

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WeveGotToTalk

On Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/weve-got-to-talk/id1797423701

On Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0qJVgTvjciUffRmoUienx2

How to find Nicole https://nicolefonarow.com/

How to find Jolene https://dibledough.com/

Social media algorithms are shaping how the world sees America, and it’s not pretty. In this episode, we ask a simple question people are searching for everywhere right now: what does the rest of the world think of Americans when the only thing they see is viral outrage? To get a real outside perspective, we have brought in our Australian producer and editor, Brianna Ansaldo, who has spent the last 18 months editing our conversations and absorbing American news from a distance.

Brianna’s take is blunt and familiar to anyone who’s ever Googled “How America is viewed overseas” or “why does the world think America is violent.” When Australians picture the US, two images rise to the top fast: guns and healthcare. School shootings and a healthcare system that can bankrupt you dominate what makes it through the feed. At the same time, she says Americans as individuals often come across as warm, funny, and generous, which makes the contrast even more jarring.

The big reveal is where that impression comes from. It’s not cable news. It’s not newspapers. It’s Social Media. Brianna explains that if she wants to know what’s happening in America, she scrolls and lets the algorithm decide, which is exactly how a lot of younger people get their news now. That means the “America” being exported is curated by an engagement engine built for outrage, fear, and spectacle, not by journalists weighing what matters. If you’ve searched “how TikTok algorithms influence politics” or “why social media makes everything worse,” this conversation will feel uncomfortably accurate.

Finally, Brianna compares the US political system to Australia’s, where voting is compulsory and party differences can feel less extreme. She’s baffled by the size of the gap between Republicans and Democrats, and by the way Americans often treat party loyalty like identity. We take a look at what that does to trust, nuance, and civic life, and why America isn’t as divided as the highlight reel suggests, but also isn’t totally fine. The algorithm isn’t lying; it’s just repeating the loudest version until it feels like the whole truth.

00:00 Intro

00:31 Introducing producer Brianna Ansaldo

04:07 Australia's take on American guns

05:11 The broken healthcare system in USA

06:52 Has Trump-era coverage of America spiked?

09:08 Why TikTok is the real news source

12:02 Has Brianna’s perspective on U.S. politics shifted?

13:36 Australia's parliamentary system explained

16:20 Compulsory voting in Australia

22:31 Australia's take on AI and data centers

23:31 The World Cup's surprising ripple effect

30:29 Being tired of talking about Trump

38:17 Is Trump secretly good for America?

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Brianna Ansaldo - Bamby Media:

https://www.bambymedia.com/

Brianna Carpenter Australian Idol Days: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2v4rl

Pauline Hanson, Australian One Nation Candidate: https://youtu.be/R6oVBLKbzjg?si=NM9SWWkjhGMDRp0O

Stephen Hawkins: More In Common, WGTT episode: https://youtu.be/GpcXMoW2vcg?si=W-JZt-9sGnhqCXAO

Julia Gillard, first Australian female prime minister: https://australian.museum/publications/200-treasures-of-the-australian-museum/100-people/julia-gillard/

Jacinda Ardern, New Zealand Prime Minister

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDtBqvfm7vY

Aussie Perspective of World Cup/Trump/Spanish Football Team:

https://youtu.be/yK8yMMelqMw?si=F6BVMX7XDKTJ53gF

I’ve Had It: https://youtube.com/@ivehaditpodcast?si=cWfNZGsLYrDfIbzn

Good For The Soul:

https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/212070792-music-as-medicine

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How to find Nicole https://nicolefonarow.com/

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