PODCAST

I Believe

Joel K. Douglas

Philosophy from the American Experiment joelkdouglas.substack.com

society & culture philosophy

All Episodes

14:28

Can Plato and Keynes Teach Us How to Fix the Economy?

I Believe ·

2024/09/24

This didn’t push to the podcast hosts; reaccomplishing.—I am against socialism.If we oppose socialism, we must champion individualism.Supporting individualism means we have a duty to enable every individual to succeed.Milton Friedman (our subject of the last two weeks) wasn’t the only renowned economist of the 20th century whose ideas continue to influence US economic policy. Friedman was influential, no doubt. From the 1980s to the early 2000s, his emphasis on monetary policy, central banks

14:28

Can Plato and Keynes Teach Us How to Fix the Economy?

I Believe ·

2024/09/24

I am against socialism. If we oppose socialism, we must champion individualism. Supporting individualism means we have a duty to enable every individual to succeed.Milton Friedman (our subject of the last two weeks) wasn’t the only renowned economist of the 20th century whose ideas continue to influence US economic policy. Friedman was influential, no doubt. From the 1980s to the early 2000s, his emphasis on monetary policy, central banks controlling inflation, and the belief in free markets became

19:07

A Conversation with Deceased Nobel Laureate Economist...

I Believe ·

2024/09/17

Supporting low wages inherently means relying on social programs.Milton Friedman, the famous Nobel laureate economist, presented a dichotomy. He argued that government solutions don’t solve problems and often make them worse, yet he also recommended government solutions to address poverty.Last week, we explored the first of two questions about this dichotomy. We determined that higher wages don’t cause inflation, so there's no inflationary reason not to pay livable wages. Resolving the inflation

13:38

Do Higher Wages Cause Inflation?

I Believe ·

2024/09/10

This week, we explore a pivotal economic question inspired by Milton Friedman. Do higher wages cause inflation, or are they a tool for economic stability?It's important to remember that supporting low wages inherently means supporting social programs. So, should we raise wages for the lowest earners, or should we allow the bureaucracy to manage the funds? If we choose to raise wages, does this lead to increased inflation? This question forms the basis of our discussion today and is the first of two

13:17

Can Beer and the NFL Unite America?

I Believe ·

2024/09/03

Can beer and the NFL unite America?What a ridiculous question. Team Colors and Community TiesRecently, I was in my local grocery store early on a Saturday morning, wearing a Kansas City Chiefs hoody, though I now live in the Mountain West region. It’s August, but many mornings are cool year-round when you live at 6200 feet elevation. For those of you unfamiliar with the Chiefs, they are a professional American football team. I was born in Kansas City and grew up watching Chiefs games. As a kid, my

14:58

CEO Pay and Equality

I Believe ·

2024/08/27

This week, we consider a question. Should a CEO take a big bonus even if they don’t intend to pay one to their employees? We’ll explore perspectives from two seemingly opposed philosophers to guide our thoughts. First, Ayn Rand, a staunch advocate of libertarian principles who champions individual rights and achievements. And then John Rawls, whose commitment to justice, equality, and fairness challenges us to consider the welfare of society's least advantaged. And now, an introduction to the

17:15

If Businesses Don't Increase Revenue, They Can't...

I Believe ·

2024/08/20

There’s another side to the wages debate we didn’t examine last week. We outlined we can’t support policies that allow some businesses to pay unsustainable wages while simultaneously opposing social programs designed to mitigate the consequences of low incomes. But it’s a complex dilemma, and that statement only captures part of the muddle.Let’s consider another aspect. If businesses don't increase revenue, they can't raise wages.The Philosophy of WagesThree weeks ago, we learned about John Stuart

8:28

Aristotle, Abraham Lincoln, and Wages

I Believe ·

2024/08/13

Last week, we discussed the inherent limitations of social welfare programs and their effects on American families. But we overlooked some essential philosophy: the principle of non-contradiction, which guides our understanding of truth and reality.The principle is simple. You can’t ‘be’ and ‘not be’ at the same time. Said another way, you can’t stand on both the beach and a mountaintop at the same time. You have to choose one or the other.We use this principle every day, and it applies to

13:15

Why doesn't the dishwasher just get a better job and...

I Believe ·

2024/08/06

In principle, we should be against Social Welfare programs.And maybe ‘against’ isn’t the right word. It's not that we're ‘against’ social programs. We can’t love our country and not love our countrymen. So, we’re not against Americans who need social programs. We're not against the social programs themselves, even though we acknowledge their inefficiencies, because they still manage to help our fellow Americans. But if half of American families rely on social programs, that means the rules designed

12:04

On Liberty

I Believe ·

2024/07/30

We can debate whether we call ourselves a democracy, a republic, or a democratic republic. We can debate Social Security, wages, housing programs, small business taxes, our energy grid, border security, and whether to support military programs.But we can’t debate that the foundational premise of America is individual liberty. From liberty comes personal responsibility. And if you have a right to individual liberty, so does everyone else. Even when we disagree with how others express that right.Human

10:11

The Well-Being of the American Family

I Believe ·

2024/07/23

Last week, we introduced Project 2025's first stated goal: "Restore the family as the centerpiece of American life and protect our children." This week, we'll expand on that thought.How could we improve the well-being of the American family while promoting interwoven, overlapping communities?Presidential Perspectives on Homeownership: A Pillar of American ValuesThe conservative fourth President of the United States, and the primary author of the US Constitution, President James Madison: The

10:36

On the Republic and Project 2025

I Believe ·

2024/07/16

Do national leaders have a duty to enhance the welfare of citizens?Marcus Tullius Cicero (106–43 BC) was a Roman statesman, orator, lawyer, and philosopher widely regarded as one of the Roman Republic’s greatest orators and writers.During the late Roman Republic, extreme wealth disparity tore the social fabric of Rome. Conquests brought immense wealth, but only to a few elite families. This wealth disparity led to struggles between the plebeians (the people) and patricians (the aristocrats) over

5:59

Presidential Immunity

I Believe ·

2024/07/09

Last week, the US Supreme Court addressed the issue of presidential immunity during official acts, and many people were very upset about it.Many hysterically claimed the court weighed in favor of conservatives and ruled the court gave the president unchecked power. Media sources said it was a “Blueprint for Dictatorship.” Should we charge every president with a crime when they leave office?During the Global War on Terror, the US killed about 4700 suspected or alleged terrorists with drone strikes

9:04

Universal Basic Income

I Believe ·

2024/07/02

Universal Basic Income pilot studies prove the concept works, and advocates say we should support it. Is Universal Basic Income a silver bullet solution to societal issues or a band-aid on deep wounds?What is Universal Basic Income?Universal Basic Income (UBI) is a financial policy proposal under consideration by many municipalities across America. Under UBI, the people of a municipality, acting through the government, provide regular, unconditional payments to all citizens regardless of income or

8:40

The Presidential Oath and the Greater Good

I Believe ·

2024/06/25

Last week, I found myself in the middle of a discussion centered on Presidential obligation and authority. The subject was the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the semiautomatic firearms bump stock ban on the grounds that the Trump administration had overstepped its authority. One passionate advocate emphasized that the executive had a responsibility to protect the greater good, while others said that the ban required congressional action.Does the Presidential Oath of Office imply a duty for US

8:24

Should We Repeal the 12th Amendment?

I Believe ·

2024/06/18

It’s not uncommon in my social circle to discuss Constitutional matters. Many of us swore oaths to the Constitution and remain committed to that ideal.I recently had a friend posit that we should repeal the 12th Amendment. It’s a fascinating topic…The 1800 ElectionOn February 17, 1801, following a protracted and contentious 1800 election, the US House of Representatives of the 6th Congress resolved a tie for the office of President between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. After a grueling 36 rounds

7:25

Cardano and the Plutus Playground

I Believe ·

2024/06/11

This is week 2 of considering…can I register an agricultural product on the blockchain without paying a dedicated blockchain team to help?We are now in the second week of our capability demonstration to register hops on the blockchain. Last week, we conceptualized how to integrate agriculture and blockchain operations, considered the advantages and disadvantages of different blockchain platforms, and identified our agricultural test bed product. Agriculture producers interested in directly marketing

9:48

An Introduction to Registering Hops on the Blockchain...

I Believe ·

2024/06/04

Let’s begin the process of registering an agricultural product on a blockchain as a capability demonstration for agricultural cooperatives!Let’s pick up where we left off with agricultural blockchain cooperatives by addressing a couple of listener questions. 1. With this blockchain partnership, how does the rancher or farmer expect to be paid? The rancher needs to be paid in US dollars. While cryptocurrency is a form of payment, ranchers and farmers run their operations in dollars. The blockchain

8:48

Redesigning Social Security

I Believe ·

2024/05/28

How might we change the premise of Social Security to make it fully funded, more equitable, and sustainable indefinitely?Social Security is societal insurance, not an individual retirement plan. It’s intended to protect individuals against income loss due to retirement, disability, or death. It supports disabled individuals, survivors, and children and reduces poverty. Social Security protects taxpayers across American society. Without Social Security, millions would face poverty, straining families

9:12

Drain the Swamp

I Believe ·

2024/05/21

“Drain the swamp” is a metaphor likening the government to a swamp that needs to be drained to remove undesirable elements.But who’s the swamp? It’s not the people, and characterizing it as such is political theater. Most Americans who work in government want to make life better for other Americans. The real swamp is the self-serving rules—government working for itself, not the people. We need to drain this swamp.The Chevron DoctrineIn March 2018, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) enacted

118 results

I Believe

All Episodes

Similar Podcasts

Voices of Life

APG Mannheim

Promo Estereo Podcast

Promo Estereo

Talking Timelines Podcast

Talkingtimelines

גיקונומי

ראם שרמן ודורון ניר

Drømmefanger

Drømmefanger