Objective normalcy makes a comeback. In several inauguration speeches, Trump delivered a searing indictment of the elites, a symbolic rebuke to the old order, and a reassertion of American ideals. He followed this up with a barrage of executive orders, including one overturning federal affirmative action. Though these are dramatic actions in one sense, in another they’re just first steps toward restoring the founders’ principled regime. The hosts discuss the first days of Trumps term, the spillover effect of ending federal DEI programs in the private sector, and the reconsideration of birthright citizenship in the face of birth tourism and mass immigration.

The age of the normie has arrived. As Mark Zuckerberg lifts Facebook’s censorial boot off the neck of its users and moves its moderation team from California to Texas, which seems to signal a sincere tech bro realignment, America is at the dawn of a freer era. Elsewhere in the digital world, conservatives on X discuss the job market: there are two paths, bootstraps or victimhood—what will it be, young man? Plus: The hosts comment on Pete Hegseth’s confirmation hearing and his qualifications, as well as the DoD’s overreliance on experts.

To kick off the new year, the guys open the mail and answer listeners’ questions on everything from cutting back the glut of unaccountable bureaucratic offices to buying Greenland.  Meanwhile, Governor Gavin Newsom and the radical conservationists of California, in attempting to create an anti-human environmentalist utopia, have tragically but predictably turned Los Angeles into a literal dumpster fire. It’s a new year, but the laws of hubris and nemesis remain undefeated.

Is that a bird, is that a plane? No, it’s drones! Or aliens? Demons? Iran? The guys take a look up in the sky and down at the public frenzy, which betokens an all-too-real breakdown of trust in government. Democrats, meanwhile, disappointed in Biden for not taking Trump-proofing seriously, float running dud-candidate Kamala again in '28. We're with her! Plus: is it gay to sleep? The hosts close out the podcast this year with a review of 2024, share their Christmas plans, and invite listeners to submit questions and comments. 

The ACLU’s most deranged lawyers try to enshrine kid-transing in United States v. Skrmetti; a true domestic terrorist assassinates a healthcare CEO; and Syria’s Assad government is toppled by Islamic rebels. The editors are joined by Claremont Institute Lincoln Fellow and president of Pinehill Capital Gates Garcia to discuss the poison fruits of DEI and identity politics, the celebration of violence by the Left, and the delicate situation the U.S. faces globally as danger and uncertainty continue to rock the Middle East.

Biden tosses his son Hunter an early but unsurprising Christmas present in the form of a sweeping presidential pardon. In doing so he undermines the moral grandstanding of liberals who claim to be above the fray of political warfare. Simultaneously, and haunted by their pasts, the Democrats struggle to distance themselves from their own extreme rhetoric, administrative chicanery, and hostility to deregulation–leaving the door wide open for Trump’s team to reinvigorate government, detangle intelligence agency redundancies, and trim bureaucratic fat.

As Biden’s lame duck administration winds down, he—or whoever's in charge—is leaving a few fun parting gifts for the incoming Trump Administration. From escalation in Ukraine, to a re-opened border surprise, to the intractable financial situation, Trump's team will have their work cut out for them. Democrat strategists, however, seem determined not to learn anything from their electoral failure, which bodes well for the future. So the editors remain optimistic—and thankful. Ryan gives a spirited reading of Washington's 1789 Thanksgiving proclamation, and the guys swap notes on holiday plans.

With a historic second Trump presidency on the way, there's a new vista of possibility just over the horizon. Immigration, trade, and international relations are each in for a major overhaul. But amid the scramble to plan out Trump's first 100 days, there's one critical area that has largely evaded conservative attention: education. Ryan and Spencer are joined by Professor Amy Wax to unpack some of the most efficient ways a Trump administration could reform our broken system from kindergarten on up to the college level.

Trump assembles a notably youthful cabinet of swamp-draining avengers, grinding the gears of the Left. Democrats, meanwhile, face a Hobson’s choice between declining into irrelevancy and admitting they were wrong about Trump all along. Some are taking a sober look at the future while others spiral into BlueAnon conspiracy and outrage, doubling down on race politics despite its failure or getting Lysistrata-pilled and swearing off men. Good luck, we guess? 

Exceeding even the most optimistic expectations, Trump swept across the states handily to the chagrin of the Harris-Walz campaign, winning both the electoral and popular votes—and becoming the second-only president to serve two, nonconsecutive terms. The editors react to the election results, the Left’s wild missteps and pending meltdown; the Trump campaign’s successes; and what his first 100 days should look like. 

Joe Biden has October surprised everyone by saying what he really thinks for a change. In a pitiful effort to characterize Trump's Madison Square Garden rally as a Neo-Nazi gathering, Biden unguardedly referred to Trump supporters as "garbage." As both candidates make their closing arguments, the editors share their final thoughts on the election, the strengths of each campaign, and the dangers of a Kamala victory. These include censorship of “misinformation” and crackdowns on dissent, of the kind some New York Times reporters would love to see. Plus: An inside look at Claremont’s Sheriffs Fellowship and a 1,200-word education on American principles with James Madison.

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