Shows / I Believe
I Believe
Philosophy from the American Experiment | A Spotify Rising Star Podcast joelkdouglas.substack.com
Episodes
I BelieveWhere Does Your Beef Come From?
Do you know where your beef comes from?Cattle wear earrings. They’re not decorative; their primary purpose is to assist ranchers in managing and aiding their…
I BelieveФілософія американського фінансування України
Чи підтримує Америка боротьбу України проти Росії, бо це відповідає її власним інтересам? Чи слід нам припинити фінансування цих зусиль в…
I BelieveThe Philosophy of American Funding for Ukraine
Is America supporting Ukraine’s fight against Russia, acting in our self-interest? Or should we stop funding the effort in Ukraine?PhilosophyThomas Hobbes’…
I BelieveChinese Steel, Tariffs, and Sustainability
The Rise and Fall of an Industrial GiantThe lack of tariffs on foreign steel led to the downfall of American steel. We watched as plants closed and people lost…
I BelieveThe Power of Place: How Soil and Blood Shape Our Rights
We often hear that land doesn’t vote; people do. How about a different perspective? Land doesn’t have rights, but land endows rights.What would repealing…
I BelieveHas capitalism failed the housing market?
Has capitalism failed the housing market?We need to examine the decisive points that lead us through some philosophy to consider capitalism’s impact on housing…
I BelieveEl idioma oficial de Estados Unidos
Mostramos nuestro compromiso con el ideal estadounidense cuando interactuamos entre nosotros con gracia y dignidad. Desde los debates sobre el idioma del siglo…
I BelieveThe Official American Language
We show our commitment to the American ideal when we interact with each other with grace and dignity. From 18th-century debates on language to the recent…
I BelieveA Case Study: Should We Enforce a Blockade of Kaliningrad?
Some grow frustrated with our progress in convincing Russia to leave Ukraine. We could take deliberate steps to increase our negotiating strength.Just as a…
I BelieveWe are Condemned to be Free. Ride for the Brand!
We are endowed with radical freedom, but this freedom is inherently linked to societal obligations and responsibilities.Where is the line between personal…
I BelieveThe Rematch
America is torn by division. The battle for the nation's soul rages on, touching every aspect of society. An intense struggle over American culture and…
I BelieveShould we fund Women's Studies programs with public dollars?
Two weeks ago, we asserted that Americans need to be able to connect to big human capital infrastructure. Job training. Education. Professional qualifications…
I BelieveEducation and Public Funding: An Audio Discussion with ChatGPT
What is the philosophical basis for education and public funding?The context of this piece is the premise that Americans need to be able to connect to big…
I BelieveOrchards of Prosperity
Big infrastructure projects benefit Americans. These projects increase individual capability. Combined individual capability generates national capability.Last…
I BelieveThe Road to Positive Liberty
Does the state have a duty to provide resources for individual capability?Let’s set the stage with some background.June 21, 1788. New Hampshire ratified the US…
I BelieveOMG! We’re all Liberals!
Even if we call something by a different name, that doesn’t make it true. The bedrock of America is liberty. We’re all liberals!Abraham Lincoln liked to tell a…
I BelieveProgressives and the American Dream
The American Dream is part of the institution of America. How would we enable young Americans to progress toward the American Dream?Two weeks ago, we…
I BelieveProgressives
America is an ideal. We have equal rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We believe liberty is more final than death. Believing we've achieved…
I BelieveConserving the American Dream
We need to conserve the American Dream. It motivates and shapes the American spirit. All Americans should be able to decide their own potential. They must be…
I BelieveConservatives
What is American conservatism?Edmund Burke is the father of philosophical conservatism. His ideas laid the foundation for conservative philosophy, particularly…
I BelieveBorder Security - Combating Human Trafficking, Smuggling, and Drug Running
Our last three articles/podcasts established conditions allowing for the legal and orderly movement of goods and people across the border.In devising legal…
I BelieveBorder Security - International Partnerships
The ideal path to managing the challenges at the US border is proactively addressing the conditions leading to the influx of refugees.What approaches could we…
I BelieveSecurity at the Southern Border - Immigrants and Refugees
Are the people crossing the southern border refugees? What can we do about that?There’s some additional context we didn’t address last week. What’s the…
I BelieveSecurity at the Southern Border - History and Sending the Military to the Border
Can we send the US military to secure the southern border? First, some background.March 26, 1790. President George Washington (no party affiliation) signed the…
I BelieveBanning Hate Speech on Social Media
Americans believe in free speech. We share a social contract that assures every individual the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. What…
I BelieveWe Can All Be Great
Because Americans, like twelve black men in Arkansas in 1919, endured hardship, and individuals like President and Chief Justice Taft dedicated themselves to…
I BelieveJean-Jacques Rousseau - Collectivism
Collectivism is a social and political philosophy that emphasizes the importance of the common good — what’s best for society. If collectivism sounds good, why…
I BelieveJohn Locke: Ownership of Self
How do Americans regard John Locke’s principle of self-ownership?Across the political spectrum, Americans believe in an individual’s right to own themselves…
I BelieveSmall, Affordable Homes
Could we create a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to incentivize builders to build small, affordable homes?My grandfather and…
I BelieveUnify America
How will we unify America and achieve our grand vision?It’s not enough to say why we believe in the American ideal. Though inspirational, it’s a broad brush…
I BelieveSchool Library Books
Do government officials, such as a school board, have the right to restrict a student’s education in the school library?Do parents have the right to dictate…
I BelieveUnited Auto Worker and Kaiser Permanente Strikes
What would be the worst-case outcome of the ongoing United Auto Workers (UAW) and looming Kaiser Permanente strikes? What would be the ideal outcome? To…
I BelieveEarned Income Tax Credit and Small Business Taxes
As an alternative to raising the minimum wage, how about we give small businesses that pay livable wages tax credits? We should reward the many great American…
I BelieveBlake Woockman Greentail Memorial Scholarship
The spirit of giving is deeply ingrained in the close-knit community of the Air Force’s 321st Missile Squadron. Now former members are raising money and…
