Dad Saves America

Marc Andreessen’s claim that “introspection is overrated” sparked a predictable media backlash, but the real debate isn’t about therapy culture or woke narcissism. In a world shaped by AI, social media algorithms, and increasingly rigid ideologies, we’re losing the ability to question ourselves. That’s where things get dangerous.This Good Friday, I’m reflecting on Alexander Solzhenitsyn’s “Live Not by Lies,” the sin of pride, and why Christ is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. The symbol of the Cross is a reminder that suffering is unavoidable and that humility is the path to truth.Resisting pride means admitting when you’re wrong, something our social media-driven culture rarely rewards. Committing yourself to truth, even when it’s inconvenient, means accepting that cost._____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Zzp8ekos36oMake a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

I sat down with investor and economist David Bahnsen to unpack what really happened in the 2008 financial crisis. Socialists blame capitalism and Wall Street, while libertarians blame the government, especially the Federal Reserve, but David argues that all of the popular narratives are missing a key piece. He places a significant amount of the blame on what he calls the “Crisis of Responsibility,” also the title of his book on the subject.Bankruptcy and foreclosure were once seen as shameful events, not standard parts of the American dream of homeownership. By the time of the financial crisis, signing up for a mortgage you obviously couldn’t afford had been normalized on all sides: lenders, investors, and even “average Americans” themselves.We dig into how easy money, government backstops, and cultural decay fueled a nationwide housing bubble and, in the end, turned both the left and right against free markets and toward populism._____________________________________Follow David Bahnsen on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/DavidBahnsen?s=20Preorder a copy of “Crisis of Responsibility”: https://a.co/d/04GlVHsW_____________________________________Outline:[0:00] The financial crisis broke the American economy[10:12] What is “neoliberalism”?[15:20] Was Ron Paul right about the financial crisis?[20:21] The moral failing of the financial crisis[29:07] Low interest rates and government-backed mortgages[37:40] Wall Street really believed their own lies[41:20] The crisis of responsibility and the cult of housing[47:25] How can we make housing more affordable?[55:42] The generational shift in home ownership[1:06:09] Populism, elitism, and luxury beliefs[1:18:15] Is government too big to fix?[1:27:18] The death of policy debate in America[1:33:15] Can liberalism survive without Christianity?[1:45:08] Freedom and virtue have to go together_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/esf-68sJZlsMake a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

The TSA is running out of staff, airport security lines are spiraling out of control, and Congress still can’t resolve its fight over DHS funding. This isn’t just a temporary breakdown. We’re seeing what happens when a $12 billion government “solution” finally gets stress-tested. Despite collecting billions in additional fees from travelers every year, the TSA still can’t maintain basic service and even fails its core security mission at an alarming rate when fully funded.Before 9/11, airport security was largely operated by private entities. Today, a handful of U.S. airports still use private contractors under TSA rules and regulations. They follow the same general procedures, but consistently deliver faster lines and better service. The rest of the country is stuck in the middle of Washington turf wars that treat air travel as a bargaining chip, tying essential operations to unrelated legislation while workers go unpaid and travelers miss flights.If private airport security is a proven model, why are most of us stuck with substandard government service? What would a system built on real incentives and accountability actually look like?_____________________________________Check my sources over on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/dadsavesamerica/p/the-tsa-wastes-12-billion-and-still?r=24ayxm&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/14JDhwuONM4Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

I sat down with Harvard professor and bestselling author Arthur Brooks to unpack why so many people, especially young men, feel lost in modern life. Drawing on his new book, “The Meaning of Your Life,” Arthur explains how the digital simulation most of us live in keeps us distracted, while failing to satisfy our desire for meaning. Love, happiness, and faith are side effects of pursuing truth and purpose, not goals you can eventually reach. We discuss whether culture or politics is the true source of our society’s troubles, how religion is successfully transmitted across generations, and which habits make for strong marriages in the long run.Join Arthur’s free “The Meaning of Your Life Virtual Experience” on March 27, a live, immersive journey designed around the groundbreaking findings in his new book, “The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness.” Learn more at http://themeaningofyourlife.com/_____________________________________Follow Arthur Brooks on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/arthurbrooks?s=20Preorder a copy of Arthur’s new book: http://themeaningofyourlife.com/_____________________________________Outline:[0:00] Reflecting on making “The Pursuit” together[2:13] What does it mean to be an adult?[7:40] What are your emotions telling you?[11:37] Left vs right in 2026[19:48] Are we more in need of policy reform or cultural repair?[27:48] The psychogenic epidemic and the cycles of history[37:47] No period of history is all good or all bad[40:58] How to be masculine in a feminine era[44:58] We’re living in a gnostic simulation[47:03] What does “meaning” actually mean?[52:02] How to raise your kids in your values[55:04] Contempt destroys marriages[1:00:39] Getting back into religion in middle age[1:06:53] Choosing persuasion over coercion makes us human[1:13:37] Exit the Matrix, find your mate, and find meaning[1:20:41] 4 strategies that will save most marriages[1:24:46] Finding your career calling in the AI era[1:33:17] Is Bryan Johnson is right about mortality?[1:36:34] The fight between fear and love[1:41:20] Why men struggle to “feel” their faith[1:48:15] Science and faith aren’t in conflict[1:53:30] Has the Enlightenment gone too far?_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/H0jgDwtGNqMMake a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz, and gas prices are on the rise. Fossil fuels power every aspect of modern life, from transportation to manufacturing to food. If something doesn’t change fast, we could be facing an inflation crisis once again. I’m breaking down how climate extremism, price controls, and the Middle East’s “resource curse” have created the perfect storm for worldwide economic mayhem.As gas surpasses $8 per gallon in some parts of California, you’d think Gavin Newsom might rethink his climate and energy policies, but with only eight oil refineries left in the state, the damage is done. Texas, on the other hand, has a much stronger local infrastructure to weather the storm. In the end, our choices are gambling on a utopian fantasy or embracing the reality of physics._____________________________________Check my sources over on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/dadsavesamerica/p/8-gas-oil-cut-off-has-trumps-iran?r=24ayxm&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zgc3w-0u3V0Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

I sat down with Ian Rowe, an education entrepreneur and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, to unpack why raising kids with a sense of agency is the key to lifelong success. Ian defines agency as free will guided by moral discernment, closely related to the concept of “ordered liberty.” Today, low expectations and racial victimhood narratives are trapping kids in cycles they could otherwise escape. We dig into why the “success sequence” of education, work, marriage, and then children is so effective at preventing poverty. In a culture where good advice is smeared as “victim blaming,” Ian offers a more productive and hopeful vision for the most disadvantaged Americans._____________________________________Follow Ian Rowe on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/IanVRowe?s=20Purchase a copy of Ian’s book, “Agency”: https://a.co/d/0cWhn8dy_____________________________________Outline:[0:00] Ian and I have a lot in common[2:58] What is agency and why does it matter?[6:04] How religion breaks the cycle of disfunction[14:52] Entrepreneurship is a problem-solving mindset[18:07] Is the mental health crisis a self-fulfilling prophecy?[25:08] How do kids transition into adulthood?[35:37] Why is the “success sequence” controversial?[39:21] We need to bring back shame[43:48] The problems facing black Americans[59:22] Are black voters shifting politically?[1:05:59] How racial guilt gets in the way of teaching[1:11:45] Teachers have forgotten how to teach[1:17:04] Identity obsession vs universal virtues[1:25:58] Truth, nihilism, and the black market of ideas_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store:https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TKXE5FBwy50Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

A series of terrorist attacks in Virginia, Michigan, NYC, and even my own city of Austin has brought the radical Islamic threat back to American soil. Rather than confronting the ideological nature of these acts, the public conversation is quickly redirected toward gun control, mental health, or non-specific “extremism.” The perpetrators, on the other hand, are usually quite happy to tell you what they believe.From the Reconquista to the War on Terror, the Christian West has been locked in a struggle with the Muslim world. In modern America and Europe, we suffer from a “crisis of confidence,” as Jimmy Carter put it, which undermines are ability to confront the real civilizational fight in front of us. Some young people have succumbed to nihilism, while others have embraced a strange alliance between leftist politics and radical Islam. Will we be able to reverse the demoralization of America in the face of real threats?_____________________________________Check my sources over on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/dadsavesamerica/p/islamic-terror-rising-does-america?r=24ayxm&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/TymfmuuwLokMake a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

I sat down with Mia Hughes, author of “The WPATH Files,” to discuss her work exposing the junk science and corruption behind “gender-affirming care,” youth transition, and transgender activism. As she describes it, this is one of the worst crimes in medical history, made worse by the fact that the only people who’ve been punished are those who’ve spoken out against it. Mia’s exposé revealed the idea laundering and circular references between WPATH and medical institutions, using weak data to justify irreversible hormonal and surgical interventions for adults suffering from severe mental illness and for children, who by definition cannot consent. European countries have begun to back off, and the post-2024 election “vibe shift” in the U.S. has brought about some improvements, but in countries like Canada, this is far from over._____________________________________Follow Mia Hughes on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/_CryMiaRiver?s=20Read “The WPATH Files”: https://environmentalprogress.org/big-news/wpath-files_____________________________________Outline:[0:00] The JK Rowling backlash woke Mia up[11:05] The trans issue isn’t just a fringe culture war issue[21:19] Does trans identity have any historical basis?[28:46] Why trans activists deny “autogynophilia”[39:08] The “vibe shift” doesn’t mean trans madness is over[42:24] John Money and the origins of gender ideology[50:44] How gender identify became a civil rights category[1:01:57] Why did gay people support trans activism?[1:10:02] Normal puberty distress is twisted into “gender dysphoria”[1:20:01] “Gender-affirming care” is full of ethical contradictions[1:30:54] Doctors are emotionally blackmailing parents[1:38:36] What is WPATH?[1:46:10] Are randomized controlled trials possible in gender medicine?[1:57:14] How WPATH captured the whole medical establishment[2:09:35] We need a new Nuremberg trial[2:15:27] The role of severe mental illness in gender transition[2:26:25] Doctors know that kids can’t consent to transition[2:38:21] Why it’s impossible to hold anyone accountable[2:43:06] Is the whole field of psychology basically a scam?[2:48:26] Canada hasn’t backed down from trans madness[2:57:07] Why can’t the left let go of transgender politics?_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/lsV0dDyTMBAMake a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

President Trump’s strikes on Iran have reignited the American foreign policy debate. For decades, libertarians like myself have hammered the mistakes of the War on Terror, especially in Iraq. Ron Paul’s 2007 presidential debate performance laid out the blowback risks of interventionism, highlighting a specific story of American meddling in Iran—one I believed until very recently. President Trump is resetting long-held assumptions about regime change and endless war, forcing me to rethink the complexity of geopolitics. Caught between conspiracy theories of Israeli control and premature declarations of “mission accomplished,” Americans must decide for themselves what to think in these tumultuous times._____________________________________Check my sources over on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/dadsavesamerica/p/trumps-iran-strike-israeli-influence?r=24ayxm&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/MP3qHVYVdJ0Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe

I sat down with Pastor Doug Wilson to unpack his views on “Christian nationalism” and American identity. Every legal system rests on moral assumptions—Doug argues that those assumptions should be Christian. We discuss whether America was historically a Christian nation, how immigration and assimilation shape a country’s cultural cohesion, the dangers of theocracy, and what would happen to Catholics in his ideal vision of America._____________________________________Follow Doug on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/douglaswils?s=20Learn more about Doug’s work: https://dougwils.com/_____________________________________Outline:[0:00] What is “Christian Nationalism”?[5:19 5:30] Were things better in the “good old days”?[11:23 11:34] Immigration disrupts the national order[19:29 19:40] What does it mean to be American?[32:30] Pastor Doug’s political philosophy[41:29] Religious liberty and the First Amendment[49:31] Does universal liberalism grow out of Christianity?[57:13] How America integrated Catholics[1:05:02] Who gets to live in a Christian nation?[1:12:27] Free will, predestination, and Calvinism[1:17:10] What about when people break the Christian laws?[1:26:10] Liberty, gay marriage, and drug laws[1:42:37] Summing up Pastor Doug’s worldview[1:45:04] Grappling with Andrew Tate and Nick Fuentes[1:51:59] Is Christianity in crisis or revival?_____________________________________Purchase a T-shirt, hoodie, and more over on our merch store: https://shop.dadsavesamerica.com/Watch the video version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/qiyUCxw92a8Make a tax-deductible donation to Dad Saves America: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://secure.anedot.com/emergent-order-foundation/dad-website?⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit our website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.dadsavesamerica.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get full access to Dad Saves America at www.dadsavesamerica.com/subscribe