PODCAST

I Believe

Joel K. Douglas

Philosophy from the American Experiment joelkdouglas.substack.com

society & culture philosophy

All Episodes

17:49

What Would It Take to Make State Government Matter...

I Believe ·

2025/07/22

State Government Funding Is a ParadoxState governments do important work, but too often, they’re boxed in. If we want better roads, stronger schools, and healthier communities, we don’t need to cut federal support. We need to change how it works.Fragmented control kills leadership and accountability. Federal and state officials often share authority with different priorities. That overlap creates seams: delays, miscommunication, and gaps where problems fall through. Even an imperfect decision-maker,

16:09

If Justice Isn’t Real, What is Its Market Price?

I Believe ·

2025/07/15

We Don’t Build a Country on Things We Can TouchNot really.We build it on belief.We believe a piece of paper can be worth a dollar. We believe strangers can govern us. We believe that if we follow the rules, justice and liberty will protect us. None of that is real, not like gravity or fire.But it works because enough of us believe. That’s what holds a nation together. Not armies. Not buildings. Not slogans. Belief. We think institutions hold society together. But it’s the other way around. We hold

10:40

Philosophy and the One Big Beautiful Bill: Debt vs...

I Believe ·

2025/07/08

The One Big Beautiful Bill: A PoemOur lives pass like shadows, despair takes root within us. We convince ourselves property is our natural right; that we can own the land here before us, remaining when we are gone. We guard it jealously, believing what we earn must remain ours alone. We charge our leaders with duty: to defend our lives, our liberty, our property. Yet to do so, we bury the unborn beneath our debt. One generation fades, another rises. The earth endures; we are dust, mere travelers

14:33

Should the American People Fund Cancer Research at...

I Believe ·

2025/07/01

When the Cure Doesn’t Serve the People, the System Fails the Constitutional TestPublic money, on its face, should yield public benefit. But every year, the federal government sends almost sixty billion dollars to universities like Harvard for research and development, most of it through the Department of Health and Human Services. A university takes federal funding, makes a breakthrough, and licenses it to a drug company. Nothing stops that company from setting a high price, because while the

18:35

Can We Fight Iran Without Fighting Islam?

I Believe ·

2025/06/24

Misunderstanding Iran’s Ideological Nature Invites Endless ConflictAmerican B-2 bombers struck Iran’s uranium-enrichment sites at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. President Trump called the raid successful. Tehran vowed retaliation.Washington insists the raids sought to halt Iran’s march toward a nuclear weapon. No one in America supports a nuclear-armed Iran. Iran’s nuclear march is a real threat, but unilateral bombing rarely brings lasting stability; it breeds resentment and invites retaliation. We

20:48

While Los Angeles Burns - Who’s Writing Project 2029?

I Believe ·

2025/06/17

The SparkThis week, outrage erupted after law enforcement used force against protesters opposing ICE raids in Los Angeles and other cities. We shouldn’t be surprised by any of it. For anyone paying attention, there’s already a blueprint. The administration intends to restore their version of order.Then came the political theater. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez condemned the violence. Governor Gavin Newsom echoed her. Senator Alex Padilla got thrown out of a meeting. Senator Bernie Sanders

18:11

If Markets, Mandates, and Taxes All Fail..?

I Believe ·

2025/06/10

We Say We Believe in Justice. But We’ve Stopped Asking What That Actually Means.Some say it means equality. Others, freedom. Some try to manage it with policy. Others trust the market to sort it out. We argue. We legislate. We campaign.But half of working American families still need government help just to survive.That’s not justice. That’s a national failure. We’ve normalized, excused, and even celebrated this failure in partisan terms. We’ve hidden the truth. We don’t lack resources. We lack

22:43

Did FDR’s D-Day Prayer Violate the First Amendment?

I Believe ·

2025/06/03

Americans Struggle Today with how Openly our Leaders Should Express Their FaithI had a buddy growing up. His name was Emmett.He wasn’t a classmate. He was much older than I was. One of those men from the Greatest Generation who made time for a kid who asked too many questions.Few of us really know the stories of most of the people in our lives. And until I interviewed him for a Junior High grammar class assignment for Mrs. Adams, all I knew about Emmett was that he greeted me every Sunday in my

16:10

Can We Ever Trust Elections Again?

I Believe ·

2025/05/20

June 21, 1788. New Hampshire becomes the ninth state to ratify the Constitution, activating the new government and binding America to a single compact.Our Republic is dedicated to the premise that we are created equal. We fought a war to escape a king. We ratified a Constitution to rule ourselves. The Constitution is a contract between states. We can sum up the foundational basis of that contract in one word…Trust.Each sovereign state pledges to certify its vote and accept the certifications of

16:17

Is the Presidential Oath Broken?

I Believe ·

2025/05/13

We live in an age where the oath of office often feels like a formality. But President George Washington didn’t see it that way.Why not?He was an honorable man. He led decisive action that saved a ragtag set of colonies and their fledgling fighters. He helped forge an America born at war, and then spent his life, with others, shaping it into a lasting union.We asked him to be king. He refused. Instead of seizing power, he handed it back to the people. He is one of only four presidents honored with a

18:51

Are Tariffs a Government Theft of your Property?

I Believe ·

2025/05/06

Tariffs will certainly raise prices at home. That’s their purpose. Tariffs are taxes. When a product crosses the border, a tariff adds a fee. The item is the same, the seller worked no harder, but government tilted the scale to favor domestic goods.So here’s the real question. If the state forces you to pay more than the market demands, and the extra money flows to a private pocket and not to a public good, is that a government theft of your property? It’s not as black and white as saying yes.Trade

17:04

Russia’s Ancient Strategy, and Why the West Keeps...

I Believe ·

2025/04/29

From the Kalka River to Lake Peipus: Russia Turns East(Begin with ambient medieval Eastern European music, fading under narration)After the Rus’ catastrophic defeat at the Kalka River in 1223, and especially following the full-scale Mongol conquest in the campaigns of the late 1230s, Mongol dominance reshaped the eastern and western reaches of the Russian world.In the 13th century, Kyiv, now the capital of Ukraine, was still the spiritual and cultural heart of a region known as Kievan Rus. It wasn’t

17:15

Negotiating with Russians

I Believe ·

2025/04/22

Before we get started, a personal note. Last week, “I Believe” broke into Apple Podcasts’ Top 10 in philosophy.The show would go on out of conviction alone, but your encouragement makes the work lighter. Thank you for listening, thinking, and being here.And in the words of Bill Belichick, “We're on to Cincinnati.”Part 1. The Broken Oath and How the Mongols Deceived the Rus’ Princes(Sound of galloping horses fades slightly into the background, replaced by a more narrative, almost hushed tone)Imagine

24:21

Guest Crom Carmichael and Social Security

I Believe ·

2025/04/15

☘️ Joel (00:00:00):Today, I'm pleased to host Crom Carmichael. Crom is an entrepreneur, investor, and business leader. He has served as the CEO and board member of Nishai Biotech, and if I said that wrong, I apologize, since 2002.🎤 Crom (00:00:16):Nope, that's exactly right.☘️ Joel (00:00:19):He's a native of South Bend, Indiana, graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1971. Crom has extensive leadership experience and a demonstrated strong commitment to innovation and growth, especially in

8:30

What Do We Owe Those Struck by Misfortune?

I Believe ·

2025/04/08

Jennifer worked for more than forty years. She spent just a few years at home when the baby was born, then went right back to it.She didn’t ask for handouts.Never made a scene.She went to church on Sunday and to work every day during the week.She paid her taxes, saved a little, and kept going.She wasn’t rich.Didn’t have a pension.But she had her 401K and maybe some Social Security waiting if the government didn’t take that away.She thought she was doing it right.Then, her son got sick.He was in his

16:17

Why Do We Tax Businesses at All?

I Believe ·

2025/04/01

We want real prosperity for working Americans without piling debt on future generations. So, we’ve got to be open to new ideas. Some of those ideas might sound like they’ll never work. That’s fine. What matters is that we consider the options, build consensus, and stay focused on the results, not just the method.Consensus makes lasting change possible. If we build real consensus across parties and regions, then we open the door to a rarity in American policy: a permanent solution. Not a temporary

13:47

Dying on the Hill of Democracy

I Believe ·

2025/03/25

Some say we fight for democracy. But what if that fight is misplaced?Some Hills are Worth Dying OnJuly 2, 1863, outside of Gettysburg. It’s the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg. The air is thick with smoke, the smell of gunpowder, sweat, and blood. Cannon fire rumbles in the distance, and the screams of wounded men echo through the Pennsylvania hills.The Confederate Army, under General Robert E. Lee, is pressing hard against the Union lines. After a brutal first day of fighting, Lee has

13:11

Why Do We Spend So Much on Defense?

I Believe ·

2025/03/18

Why do we spend so much on defense?Opening Scene – Key West, 1948[Sound Design: Waves crashing, seagulls squawking.]Narrator: It’s March 1948, and the tropical heat of Key West, Florida, presses against a group of men in khaki uniforms and dark blue service caps. They sit around a long table in what was once a naval officers’ club, now repurposed for one of the most important meetings in US military history.This is where the fate of America’s post-World War II military structure is being decided in

13:17

Should We Dramatically Cut the Size of Government?

I Believe ·

2025/03/11

Intro…sounds of echoing hooves on stone, a cart creaks, lanterns glow, a horse pulls steady and slow.1801. The Revolution’s Philosopher Takes PowerIt's March 4, 1801. A cold wind sweeps through the muddy streets of Washington, D.C., a rough, partially built capital city. Philosopher, writer, and revolutionary Thomas Jefferson is about to become America’s third president. As he stood before the partially finished Capitol, the weight of history settled on his shoulders. Demonstrating simplicity,

18:00

Ruthless Capitalists & Bleeding Heart Liberals -...

I Believe ·

2025/03/04

Petro Kalnyshevsky: The Last CossackCurtain up. The stage is set. A warrior, a nation, and a betrayal that would echo for centuries.Imagine. A man who has spent a lifetime fighting for his people, riding into battle, outmaneuvering empires, defending his homeland. He commands warriors, negotiates with kings, and builds a thriving nation from the wild steppe. And then, at 85 years old, after everything he’s given, his so-called ally betrays him.One moment, he was the leader of the fiercest, freest

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I Believe

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