The Stephen Mansfield Podcast

In this special episode recorded for both the GreatMan Podcast and the Stephen Mansfield Podcast, Stephen reflects on the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Tune in for a discussion of gun laws, school security, but most importantly: the powerful role that family and community can play in preventing troubled young men like the Uvalde shooter from taking such brutal and violent actions.

Did you know there are nearly 20,000 cryptocurrencies with a market cap of approximately $1.2 trillion? Stephen recently stayed at a hotel where a massive cryptocurrency conference was also taking place. Even while leading cryptos like Bitcoin and Ethereum are down more than 50% from their all-time highs, Stephen got the sense from these passionate attendees that crypto will be an important technology in our future. For now, crypto should be viewed by most of us as an emerging technology – not a safe haven, currency, or hedge against inflation. But that may change in the future. Tune in as Stephen shares what he has learned.

Roe v. Wade is bad law and it has tormented America for decades. Stephen explains the rationale behind the Supreme Court’s ruling in the landmark 1973 decision, as well as why he’s in favor of the Court returning the abortion issue back to the states, where it should have remained. Tune in for some level-headed discussion in the midst of these politically charged times.

Pain and hardship is a part of life. In fact, these things may even be the price of an exceptional life. There’s no avoiding them. Happy Warriors know that there is glory and victory on the other side. They’re made better by the struggle. Every swing of the sword and push of the shield invigorates them. They love to overcome adversity and raise a glass with their band of brothers or band of sisters to celebrate the sweet victories of life. May we, in our age, band together as Happy Warriors to contend against the challenges of life. This episode originally aired on August 7, 2019.

Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem – and suicide rates around the world are skyrocketing. In the U.S., for example, the annual suicide rate has increased 24% between 1999 and 2014. So, what can we do? In this episode, Stephen reflects on suicide in our culture, as well as the loss of Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade. This episode originally aired on June 13, 2018.

Stephen recently gave a talk on Volodymyr Zelensky. Many people found it inspiring and uplifting. One attendee responded with an email claiming Zelensky is an evil man involved in the trafficking of children via underground tunnels bought and paid for by George Soros. What bothers Stephen is not the disagreement itself, but that this intelligent person could so vehemently contend a blatantly false position from a source specifically designed for disinformation. You cannot rely on just a few news sources. You need to gather your information from  a variety of news resources. Americans are divided in our response to war in Ukraine, one of the greatest refugee crises in history, because there are people who believe in disinformation, which is a direct result of consuming very limited media. Diversify your news. In this episode, Stephen explains how he sources his news.

This week, as the IRS becomes inundated with paperwork, Stephen shares an argument for a flat tax, which has seen tremendous success in other countries, such as Hungary, where revenues increased 24% in the first year that the nation replaced a progressive tax rate with a flat tax of 16%. A flat tax is the most fair, productive, simple, and democratic solution. Tune in to find out why.

Violent evil must be met with an equal force. The West must be resolved to counter Putin’s wrongdoings. His country’s population is half of the United States’ and his military is smaller. Is it time to step in? Should we be willing for World War III if that is the price of halting evil? Stephen believes we cannot allow other nations to be served up to Russia, as has happened in the past. Though history doesn’t repeat itself, it often rhymes.

There are three kinds of people always at work in society: rebels, radicals, and reformers. The rebels are unhappy, angry, and will take any opportunity for mischief and mayhem. The radicals are usually more intelligent and better organized. They may have a social vision that calls for the overthrow of the entire system in order to bring about justice in a certain area. Reformers want to bring needed change to a system with a direction consistent to what the system was originally intended to achieve. Recognize the differences. This episode originally aired on July 29, 2020.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine could perhaps be the most important event of our time, even eclipsing COVID in its impact. In this episode, Stephen analyzes the conflict through the lens of Just War Theory. Tune in to learn about “jus ad bellum,” “jus in bello,” and the various tests used to evaluate the ethics of war.