The State of Us
TrueChat
Go beyond mainstream cable news and party lines, with a Millennial and a Boomer, as they work to push past the noise and bring attention to all the issues that matter. Justin T. Weller and Lance Jackson examine the topics that are often overlooked by most major media outlets, but are critical for Americans to be educated about. There’s a world beyond the noise and it begins with Justin & Lance on The State of Us.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 7, 2019 • 36min
The United States' New Record Trade Deficit
President Donald Trump has made reducing the United States trade deficit a top priority for his administration. Despite that, last year America saw its largest deficit in history. What's happening? Justin and Lance examine the explanations.tags: politics, trade, policy, deficit, donald trump, president, obama, congress, republican, democrat, china, foreign, products, manufacturing, truechat
Mar 4, 2019 • 36min
Democracy May No Longer be the Only Path to Prosperity
According to recent projections, in as little as five years, authoritarian governments like China and Russia may overtake democracies in total GDP. What does this mean for the United States? Justin and Lance explore how important freedom is to Americans.tags: politics, russia, china, government, republic, democracy, federal, dictator, authoritarian, autocrat, donald trump, president, freedom, free, truechat
Mar 1, 2019 • 42min
North Korea, Trump, Cohen and Kushner
The week was dominated by news surrounding the President. Justin and Lance explore each of the major stories and share their thoughts.tags: politics, congress, russia, investigation, cohen, trump, donald, jared kushner, testimony, house, senate, north korea, legal, united states, truechat
Feb 27, 2019 • 37min
United Methodists' Historic Same-Sex Marriage Decision
The Methodist Church tightened its ban on same-sex marriage and gay clergy Tuesday. What will this mean for the United States' second largest protestant religion? Justin and Lance discuss the decision.tags: politics, church, god, religion, faith, modern, gay, lgbt, equality, marriage, clergy, pastor, catholic, truechat
Feb 25, 2019 • 36min
Prison Reform is Needed - A Judge's Viewpoint
The United States leads the western world with a 63 month average for prison sentences. Is our criminal justice system working? Justin and Lance discuss what the problem is and explore the merit of the Judge's position.tags: politics, crime, criminal, democrat, republican, law, federal, state, debate, usa, judge, lawyer, perspective, truechat
Feb 22, 2019 • 36min
Weed Might Be Dangerous
A recent article in The Wall Street Journal reveals some interesting questions about the safety of marijuana. Justin and Lance go over the details and review what the next steps should be.
Feb 21, 2019 • 26min
Farming Bankruptcies are Rising and it Affects All of Us
Increased farm production has resulted in increased water pollution. Farmers are facing challenges on multiple fronts with farm bankruptcies on the rise. This affects everyone in the United States. Justin and Lance go through the details.tags: politics, farm, farming, bankruptcy, agriculture, pollution, water, people, economy, tariffs, trade, foreign, competition, donald trump, president, congress, truechat
Feb 18, 2019 • 25min
The Bigger Issue With Amazon and New York
Should opposition have caused Amazon to pull its plans for a second HQ in New York? Justin and Lance discuss the larger implications of the Amazon case.
Feb 15, 2019 • 37min
President Trump Declares a National Emergency
What are the implications of President Trump declaring a national emergency to build a border wall? Justin and Lance look at the politics, legality, and consequences of this decision.
Feb 11, 2019 • 35min
An Alternative to Retirement Savings
401(k)s are often misunderstood and could be greatly improved. About 1 in 4 Americans has no retirement savings of any kind. What does this mean for the 75% that do? Justin and Lance investigate.
