Advertise on podcast: Bookworm Room's Podcast

In this wide-ranging conversation, Andrea Widburg speaks with Troy A. Miller, president and CEO of NRB, an association of Christian communicators, about why so many Christians stay on the political sidelines despite holding strong moral convictions. They explore the misunderstood separation of church and state, the chilling effect of the Johnson Amendment on political speech from the pulpit, and why religious values are no less legitimate in the public square than secular ones. The conversation also examines the growing influence of Christian media, younger Americans' search for faith, truth, and authentic relationships, and the cultural and political divide between young men and women. Looking ahead to the midterm elections, Miller explains why he believes Christians must become more politically engaged—not simply to protect their own values, but to preserve America's freedoms for future generations.

In this podcast, I explore two defining weaknesses of the modern left: a lack of nuance and a failure of imagination. Beginning with a Scottish museum's absurd decision to remove ancient Egyptian mummies out of respect for the dead, I examine how progressives increasingly ignore context, intention, and human complexity. From gun control and Obamacare to Islamism and identity-obsessed academic psychology, I argue that people who pride themselves on empathy and tolerance are often astonishingly incapable of imagining that other people might think, believe, or want something entirely different. And that failure has consequences far beyond political correctness.

In today's podcast, I start with the growing violence in Europe, where the alliance between Islamists and leftists raises troubling questions about whether Europeans still have the will to defend their civilization. Then I turn to American politics, where J.D. Vance's suggestion that he might sit out the 2028 presidential race makes me wonder whether Marco Rubio's rising star—and Vance's continued association with Tucker Carlson—might have something to do with that decision.

I've realized that I've become a single-issue voter—but probably not for the reason you'd expect. In this podcast, I explain why antisemitism, abortion, euthanasia, statism, and the value of individual human life all connect for me, and why that connection now shapes how I look at politics. It's a blunt argument about life, death, liberty, and the moral divide between the parties—and why I think that divide matters more than any one candidate.

What happens when a culture celebrates sexual freedom but leaves young people without a moral compass? I revisit the Cornell fraternity controversy to explore shame, personal responsibility, and the double standard surrounding intoxication and consent. Then I consider young people's search for traditional faith—and troubling polling about their attitudes toward Sharia law. If the next generation is hungry for meaning and clear standards, what are we offering them? Sources: The New York Times's "How a Cornell Student Went From Shame to Action": https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/01/nyregion/cornell-rape-accusation-reporting.html Rasmussen Reports' "Sharia Law: 43% of Youngest Voters Like It": https://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/partner_surveys/sharia_law_43_of_youngest_voters_like_it Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture: https://www.amazon.com/Female-Chauvinist-Pigs-Raunch-Culture-ebook/dp/B000FCKCDS/ref=sr_1_1?sr=8-1 Anony Mee archive: https://www.americanthinker.com/author/anonymee/

If everyone involved is drunk, drugged, and making terrible decisions, why is one person presumed incapable of consent while the others are presumed fully responsible? Using the Cornell rape allegations and the Brock Turner case, I challenge the double standard surrounding intoxication, sexual consent, and personal responsibility—and ask whether our culture has confused bad judgment with criminal intent. The 2019 ABC News report is here: https://abcnews.com/US/humiliated-chanel-miller-survivor-brock-turner-sex-assault/story?id=65821466

The only thing that will help Republicans win this fall is if the hardcore political types—the types who read political sites all year long, not just in the lead-up to presidential elections—vote. In other words, this is a vote for the base. However, too often, Republicans are so caught up in the need for political perfection that they take their marbles and go home rather than vote. This podcast concedes that those of you unhappy about Republicans, whether regarding the economy, foreign policy, immigration, or anything else, are absolutely right. Trump and the Republicans, I admit, solely for the sake of argument, have blown it. They've done a lousy job. But then, I remind you—effectively, I hope—that refusing to vote for them is still the worst thing you can do.

Last Friday, Trump kicked CNN, POLITICO, and MS-NOW out of the White House press briefing for their long history of erroneous reporting. Today, the four major network news outlets—CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX News—announced that they are boycotting the White House until the outcasts are returned to their seats. The White House and the media are now in a standoff, so the question is, which matters more to the American people: The White House, which can reach them directly through alternative outlets, or the media, which few Americans even watch anymore?

Contrary to the doom-and-gloom feeling that pervades America, the economy is roaring and, on average, Americans are doing very well. Moreover, when compared to prior times in America—and again, I look back at the 1950s, a time of both atomic threats and boundless optimism about the future—we're getting more bang for the buck than ever. I wouldn't say anything as facile as "don't worry; be happy," but I would say that happiness is a reasonable choice now. The only caveat is that we must fight to preserve that happiness by voting. No matter how much you dislike Trump and the weak-willed Republicans in Congress, they are still infinitely better than the Democrats.

One thing that characterized the 1950s was its optimism. Despite the era's troubles (and there were many), people believed in the future. Moreover, we live in the glorious future they imagined. AI has the potential to create an even more glorious future, provided we don't let leftists and other naysayers stampede us into a blind panic that gives China a strong advantage. SOURCES Disney's "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow." Fair use of a short clip for editorial purposes. Living Unlimited (1951). Public domain from the National Film Preservation Foundation. A is for Atom (1953). Public domain. When AI Agents Started Working Together by Willis Eschenbach.

Although I'm creating this on 9/11, it's not about 9/11. Our volunteer writers have expressed themselves with passion and moral clarity, so I don't feel the need to add anything. Instead, I want to discuss how America is a place in which high school and college students—including those in Red States—feel comfortable celebrating and mocking Charlie Kirk's death.

A young man I know asked a very important question: If we stop people from voting for socialism or Islam, aren't we violating the entire principle of our Constitution, which is representative democracy? I thought about that a bit and have some ideas

One of the most powerful tactics Democrats have in the upcoming Midterm election is their demoralization campaign. By downplaying or ignoring news about Trump's success entirely and by skewing polls (see Patrick Ruffini's essay), they make Republicans, who should be happy warriors, inert blobs. Inert blobs do not vote, which allows angry leftists to win. To resist this, Republicans must focus on Trump's successes and be there to cheer him on. And one of the main ways you cheer on a politician is to vote for him, for his policies, and for those down-ticket candidates who support those policies. Now is not the time to give up; it's the time to fight harder.

Beginning in the 20th century, and with accelerating ferocity in the 21st, leftists have ensured that America's colleges and universities have entirely abandoned education. Instead, they are dedicated solely to leftist indoctrination, focusing primarily on intersectional victimhood. This podcast takes you on a quick jaunt through just a few days' worth of reports about the complete collapse of academia in America—and to the extent that your taxpayer dollars are funding this, you and all other taxpayers are the victims of some serious fraud. These are the articles quoted in the podcast: The San Francisco Standard: I teach calculus at Berkeley. Some of my students can't do middle school math Mazelit Airaksinen: Palestinian-American Professor calls for "Death to Zionists Everywhere", says they "Worship the Devil" Joanne Jacobs: Engaging, culturally relevant and useless: Teachers aren't trained to teach writing Complete Colorado: SCOTUS takes up pre-K religious discrimination case against Colorado City Journal: Why Is the University of Michigan Hiding Grades? Campus Reform: Universities threaten students with investigations, disciplinary actions over 'deadnaming'

It's fun to treat Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez as a joke, given that she frequently says exceptionally foolish things. And ridicule is a very powerful weapon. Nevertheless, it would be a terrible mistake to underestimate just what a formidable political presence she is. She'll come into the campaign with good looks, a demographic advantage, a recognizable brand, and a crazy-like-a-fox ability to be politically quite clever no matter how stupid she sounds.