x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The Optimistic American

Optimistic American

The past, present, and future of the United States are full of promise. A promise sustained by the efforts of brave individuals and organizations who champion the pursuit of technology, improving the human condition, free markets, and a belief in who we are. We are losing the fact that we are a nation of dreamers, a catapult for those who have the heart to dare, a place that rewards ingenuity and innovation. This country, more than any other, succeeded by making possible the release of the human

news news commentary

All Episodes

37:50

US Voters: The Psychological Benefits of Being an...

The Optimistic American ·

2023/10/04

In this episode of The Optimistic American, Paul Johnson sits down with Dr. Emily Bashah to discuss the psychological benefits of being an independent or non-affiliated voter. The duo breaks down the benefits of being an independent voter, the rise of moral relativism in America, and how politicians benefit from being social chameleons. Paul and Emily start the conversation by describing the psychological benefits of being an independent or a non-affiliated voter. Paul shares his thoughts on the

en-us

42:50

How Independents See the Republican Debate: U.S....

The Optimistic American ·

2023/09/27

Paul Johnson analyzes the recent Republican debate from the view point of an independent voter, that featured former Vice President Mike Pence, Vivek Ramaswamy, Chris Christie, Ron Desantis and Nikki Haley. Paul’s observations touch upon the status quo of U.S. politics, the influence of a small minority population on partisan primaries, the importance of states like Iowa and New Hampshire, the present state of America, as well as upon conversations about abortion and foreign policy. Today’s episode

en-us

42:40

Triple the Chance of Your Child Becoming a Successful...

The Optimistic American ·

2023/09/20

Paul Johnson is joined by Dr. Emily Bashah to talk about extremist ideologies, violent groups, and what parents can do to protect their children from them. The couple touches upon what happens at a neurological level in children’s brains, what predators do to find “reclutes,” the Theory of Mind, and the T.R.I.P.L.E.D. parenting acronym. Paul and Dr. Bashah discuss when ideology can become a problem that leads to the recruiting of vulnerable people by extremist groups. Dr. Bashah explains that

en-us

50:54

Addictive Ideologies: Societal Divisions, 21st...

The Optimistic American ·

2023/09/13

Paul Johnson unpacks the concept of addictive ideologies and the role they play in regards to the ongoing divisions in American society. He points out the addictive ideologies, of the far right and radical left, and the commonalities with all 21st century genocides – from Germany and China to Rwanda and Yugoslavia. And how the U.S. and other Western democracies can avoid similar catastrophes. Paul unpacks the question, “What is evil? Is evil an external force or is it actually something that’s

en-us

48:39

Why America Needs a New Political Party, by Forward...

The Optimistic American ·

2023/09/06

Paul Johnson’s guest in this episode is Forward Party Co-Chair Christine Todd Whitman. They discuss the current U.S. political landscape, what’s not working, and how ranked-choice voting could change the current status quo. Additionally, they go over Whitman’s journey from Republican New Jersey Governor and cabinet-level official to becoming involved with the Forward Party, the challenge of being unaffiliated with either major party, and how the Forward Party is trying to bring about change in

en-us

43:46

Not Left, Not Right, but Forward with Forward Party...

The Optimistic American ·

2023/08/30

Paul Johnson sits down with presidential candidate and Forward Party Founder Andrew Yang. They discuss the status quo of the American political system and why the partisan system is dividing Americans and not providing them with a functional government. Additionally, the two talk about how the Forward Party was born and what it’s all about, the biggest threats to American democracy, and some mind-blowing statistics about the current political landscape. Andrew Yang and Paul Johnson kick off the

en-us

59:09

God's Connection to American Politics

The Optimistic American ·

2023/08/23

Paul Johnson sits down with Pastor Anthony Cox of the Mercy Hill Church. They talk about the Mercy Hill Church, its role within the Phoenix community, and whether America is worth saving. Moreover, they touch upon the connection between God, individualism, finding meaning, and what can be done to address divisions and change the status quo of American society. Pastor Cox discusses the idea that some religious leaders question whether America, as it is today, is worth saving. This creates a robust

en-us

53:15

Improving Education Requires We Reform Our Political...

The Optimistic American ·

2023/08/16

Paul Johnson welcomes the president of Thomas R. Brown Foundations, Sarah Smallhouse, and Rodel Foundation Chairman & Founding Director, Don Budinger, to talk about how political reform is key to improving education. The three go over why their foundations, that were set up to improve education, have made leadership a high priority. They establish a real connection between a country’s leadership role and the quality of its public education system. They believe the partisan system has harmed our

en-us

34:02

Does America Need a 3rd Party Candidate for President...

The Optimistic American ·

2023/08/09

Paul Johnson welcomes U.S. Senator and No Labels Founding Chairman Joe Lieberman to discuss how No Labels plans to revolutionize American politics by empowering the actual majority. The two discuss how Lieberman almost became Vice President for candidate John McCain, their opinion on how many of today’s leaders operate, how U.S. politics and the public seem to be going in different directions, and what No Labels should do to get the amount of delegates that are necessary to actually become

en-us

43:33

Businesses See a Brilliant Economic Future If We Fix...

The Optimistic American ·

2023/08/02

Paul Johnson welcomes Arizona business leader Beau Lane and The Value Equation author Christopher Volk. The three touch upon the role that businesses have inside the U.S. political system, discuss the incredible benefits Americans will have from the growing American economy, and the threat that the current partisan model poses to America. They talk about reforms to the partisan system that business leaders see as a way to help ensure that our political system benefits the economy as opposed to

en-us

57:16

Veterans on Why the Existing Partisan System is a...

The Optimistic American ·

2023/07/26

In this episode of The Optimistic American, Paul Johnson is joined by Eric Bronner and Chris Sylvester from Veterans for Political Innovation. The three talk about the issues with the American political system, why political reform matters to veterans, the issues with the bi-partisan political scene, and what a real patriot is actually all about. Eric kicks off the conversation by sharing what Veterans for Political Innovation is all about. The initiative was launched about two years ago with the

en-us

55:07

Data Shows America Not as Divided as You Believe

The Optimistic American ·

2023/07/19

Paul Johnson welcomes Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Global Future Scholar, and former Senior Policy Director in the U.S. House of Representatives Dr. Sybil Francis. They discuss the Center for the Future of Arizona initiative, some of the key findings from big surveys, and talk about the so-called shared public values, and what data is actually showing in regard to divisions in America today. Dr. Sybil Francis shares the origin story of the Center for the Future

en-us

56:45

Rusty Bowers on Trump and Fake Elections, What...

The Optimistic American ·

2023/07/12

Paul Johnson is joined by fourth-generation Arizonan, former Speaker of the House in Arizona, and past Senate member Rusty Bowers. They talk about what led Bowers to run for office, his definition of “conservative,” what happened with the 2020 elections in relation to fake electors, and what can be done to change the current division in U.S. politics. Fourth-generation Arizonan Rusty Bowers shares his origin story, what led him to run for office in the first place, and what his first year was like

en-us

55:15

Community, the Tucson Government, and Reform Work in...

The Optimistic American ·

2023/07/05

In this episode of The Optimistic American, Paul Johnson is joined by Save Democracy’s Ted Hinderaker and Ted Maxwell from the Arizona Leadership Council. The three discuss what it takes, from a community standpoint, to be successful in the U.S. today, reform work in Arizona, the role of Tucson citizens, and the differences between election systems. Ted Maxwell shares why he believes the existing system isn’t working and what he considers important, from a community standpoint, to be successful in

en-us

34:20

How Political Reform Created Cooperation and...

The Optimistic American ·

2023/06/28

In this episode of The Optimistic American, Paul Johnson is joined by former Senate President and current Alaska Senator Cathy Giessel. They discuss the role of divisiveness in America today, the existing partisan system that discriminates against candidates and voters not registered in the one of the two major parties, and reform efforts that work to give voters choices. This episode talks with the Republican Majority Leader in the Alaska legislature about how the reform is working in Alaska and

en-us

58:37

Saving Democracy: How Voter Choice Arizona is Trying...

The Optimistic American ·

2023/06/21

In this episode of The Optimistic American, Paul Johnson sits down with members of the Voter Choice Arizona executive committee Blake Sacha, Kathy Knecht, and organizing director Kazz Fernandes. The panel discusses how Voter Choice Arizona came to be, what it’s all about, and how it aims to change the current political system and improve democracy. This season of The Optimistic American will focus on political reforms that can help make certain that the American political system operates better

en-us

01:07:39

The Holocaust, Unsettling Empathy, and What’s...

The Optimistic American ·

2023/06/14

In this episode of The Optimistic American, Paul Johnson welcomes North Arizona University’s Martin-Springer Institute Director Bjorn Krondorfer to discuss his new book Unsettling Empathy (Peace and Security in the 21st Century). The two discuss Professor Krondorfer’s work in the context of the Holocaust and genocides, the concept of “chosen trauma”, and what’s happening with divisions and extremisms in America today. Paul opens the discussion by indicating the link between the divisions in America

en-us

01:18:40

Party or Country: If We’re Serious About Saving the...

The Optimistic American ·

2023/06/07

In this episode of The Optimistic American, Paul Johnson sits down with Katherine Gehl to discuss the profound challenges in the American political system and the real solutions for a system that benefits everyone. Katherine is a business leader, entrepreneur, speaker, and author of The Politics Industry: How Political Innovation Can Break Partisan Gridlock and Save Our Democracy. Katherine starts the conversation by describing what inspired her to write a book on political innovation. For Paul,

en-us

13:51

Jordan Peterson is just wrong! Part 4

The Optimistic American ·

2023/06/03

In the final part of "Jordan Peterson : You're Just Wrong on This One," we conclude our discussion on the Ukrainian War and the West's involvement in it. This time, we focus on the broader implications of the conflict for international relations and global security. Jordan Peterson argues that the West's approach to the Ukrainian War is misguided and dangerous, as it could lead to a global conflict with catastrophic consequences. He suggests that the West needs to adopt a more nuanced and strategic

en-us

18:41

Jordan Peterson is just wrong! Part 3

The Optimistic American ·

2023/05/31

In the third episode of "Jordan Peterson: You're Just Wrong on This One," we continue our exploration of the Ukrainian War and the West's involvement in it. This time, we focus on the emotional and moral implications of the conflict and how it relates to the broader context of Western society. Jordan Peterson argues that the West's declining morality is partly to blame for its involvement in the Ukrainian War. He points out the hypocrisy of Western leaders who claim to promote individualism and free

en-us

192 results

Similar Podcasts

Expres Ráno

Expres FM

PBS News Hour - Full Show

PBS News

CD Voice

China Daily

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report

Noa Levi

Jeffrey Epstein: The Coverup Chronicles

Bobby Capucci