Advertise on podcast: Real Talk with Marissa Streit | PragerU

“Our American Stories” host Lee Habeeb and PragerU CEO Marissa Streit explore the power of storytelling in shaping individuals, businesses, and nations. They discuss why stories, not facts alone, are what people remember, how storytelling builds connection and meaning, and why America’s identity depends on shared cultural narratives. The conversation also examines the breakdown of cultural literacy, the impact of social media and algorithms on division, and why reclaiming America’s story may be essential to preserving our future. Chapters: 00:00 — Why storytelling saved Marissa—and why it matters 02:05 — Why people remember stories, not facts 04:15 — The Bible as the greatest storytelling framework 06:38 — Why adults lose creativity—and what that costs us 08:01 — Origin stories: why they shape identity and culture 10:44 — E pluribus unum: the immigrant story of America 13:22 — “We didn’t come to change America—it changed us” 16:20 — Fighting for the American story through culture 19:06 — Why conservatives struggle with storytelling 23:53 — How great storytelling actually works (and why most fail) 30:14 — Why every business needs a story and a purpose 36:21 — The collapse of shared American stories 40:17 — George Washington and the roots of religious liberty 45:19 — What went wrong with religion in public life 49:20 — The hidden Christian roots of American culture 53:10 — Storytelling vs. division in modern America 54:31 — Social media, algorithms, and cultural fragmentation 57:16 — Why storytelling puts you on trial 58:04 — E pluribus unum in music and culture 1:02:03 — John Adams and the story of American justice  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Historian and author Bill Federer and PragerU CEO Marissa Streit examine the Judeo-Christian roots of America’s founding. They discuss how the concept of self-government emerged from the Hebrew Bible, why the Christian Founders rejected monarchy in favor of a covenant, and why America’s system depends on the character and values of its people.  Chapters: 00:00 — Is America a Judeo-Christian nation? Why the debate matters 02:07 — The Hebrew roots of self-government and the Mayflower Compact 06:39 — From kings to covenant: the radical idea behind America 11:09 — Religious diversity, tolerance, and the birth of liberty in the colonies 16:21 — What is a covenant—and why it requires faith and morality 19:19 — Jerusalem, Athens, and Rome: the intellectual roots of America 26:01 — The Bible’s influence on law, rights, and the Founders’ thinking 36:09 — “The people are the king”: responsibility in a self-governing nation 42:14 — Division, identity politics, and how nations are weakened from within 54:57 — Freedom, faith, and the future: can America sustain its covenant? Follow Marissa on social: https://www.instagram.com/marissastreit/ https://x.com/marissastreit https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissastreit/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, Senior Fellow at Tikvah, joins PragerU CEO Marissa Streit for a profound discussion on the Hebrew Bible’s indispensable role in shaping the United States. America did not emerge in a moral vacuum; its founding ideals are deeply rooted in biblical principles—covenant, gratitude, and the revolutionary belief in God-given equality. Rabbi Soloveichik explores the biblical foundations of the American creed, illuminates the enduring meaning of the Ten Commandments, and explains why the Book of Psalms remains one of humanity’s most powerful antidotes to fear, despair, and nihilism. Chapters: 00:00 — Social Media Despair Vs. The Real Love Still Alive In America 03:29 — Is Humanity Being Tested Again Through Antisemitism? 06:39 — The Hebrew Bible, America’s Founding, And The Idea Of Covenant 11:44 — What Is America’s Covenant? Equality, Liberty, And Divine Providence 14:44 — Is America A Judeo-Christian Country—And Can Equality Survive Without The Bible? 18:48 — What Happens When A Nation Removes The Bible And The Ten Commandments From Its Culture? 25:13 — Why Law Alone Cannot Sustain Freedom And Why Families Must Renew America’s Covenant 33:20 — The Broken Tablets, Kintsugi, And Why America’s Failures Do Not Erase Its Covenant 45:31 — Why Antisemitism And Anti-Americanism Go Hand In Hand 57:09 — The Psalms, King David, And The Timeless Antidote To Fear And Despair Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Former Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction and CEO of the Teacher Freedom Alliance, Ryan Walters and PragerU CEO Marissa Streit expose how teachers unions, activist bureaucrats, and textbook publishers work TOGETHER behind the scenes to shape what happens in America’s classrooms. They discuss why school board transparency matters, how unions influence curriculum even in red states, how book publishers make money from political classrooms and why broad state standards are not enough to keep our students safe from the Education Industrial Complex.   Find the Scholastic text Marissa references in the episode by clicking here: https://www.scholastic.com/momentsinfocus/icebox/icebox_lesson_activity.pdf   Chapters: 00:00 — Why parents should stop complaining in private and go public 02:53 — What schools do behind closed doors to avoid accountability 05:16 — Why Ryan Walters left office to fight teachers unions nationally 06:50 — Who really has more power in education: elected officials or unions? 08:20 — The truth about local teachers unions vs. the national machine 13:11 — The NEA agenda, activist curriculum, and how ideology reaches classrooms 17:40 — Why radical books and anti-American messaging are not accidents 20:11 — What state standards can and cannot do to protect children 22:25 — How activists train teachers to ignore standards and hide content from parents 24:24 — Toolkits, publishers, and the apparatus behind ideological education 26:08 — Why facts, primary sources, and classical education still matter 29:28 — Reading failure, whole language, and why schools ignore what works 33:25 — The system that burns out good teachers and rewards activists 37:41 — Why standards keep getting lowered while spending keeps rising 40:42 — What high expectations actually do for kids 43:24 — California teacher training, LGBTQ activism, and the “Prism” problem 46:21 — Student walkouts, politicized classrooms, and the radicalization of children 47:13 — Why America’s boys are becoming disaffected and extreme 52:01 — Ryan’s advice to parents trying to rescue lost young men 55:00 — Why boys need strong male role models before extremists fill the vacuum 58:06 — Why good men should become teachers—and how to fight back Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dennis Prager and Marissa Streit discuss the importance of Passover in both the Jewish and Christian faiths. They also discuss why rituals and traditions are critical to collective memory and collective identity. Dennis draws parallels between the lessons found in the Jewish Haggadah and America’s moral crisis. Get your copy of Dennis's book The Rational Passover Haggadah here: https://www.amazon.com/Rational-Passover-Haggadah-Dennis-Prager/dp/1684512581 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The current mayor of Panama City,  Mayer Mizrachi  spent six months in a Colombian jail ten years ago. He emerged fierce and now he’s working to bring economic freedom to his country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robby Starbuck, activist and former Hollywood director, speaks with PragerU CEO Marissa Streit about his family’s escape from communist Cuba and why that history shapes his view of America today. They discuss the rise of corporate activism, how DEI policies spread through corporate boardrooms, and why many companies are reversing course. They also discuss the growing power of AI, the dangers of AI-driven misinformation, and why the country that wins the AI race could determine the future of global power.   Chapters: 00:00 – From Cuba to Hollywood: Robby Starbuck’s Story 02:40 – Walking Away: Why He Risked Everything 05:00 – The Lesson From Cuba: Courage Over Comfort 06:40 – Corporate America Goes Political: DEI & Power 13:45 – Inside the System: Government Pressure & Corporate Control 16:00 – The New Communism: Control Without Seizing Power 27:20 – AI Gone Wrong: The Google Defamation Case 33:00 – The Collapse of Truth: How AI Could Shape Elections 39:20 – The AI Race: Why China vs U.S. Changes Everything 46:50 – Cuba, Power, and the Future of America Follow Marissa on social: https://www.instagram.com/marissastreit/ https://x.com/marissastreit https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissastreit/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan Jekielek, Senior Editor at The Epoch Times and host of “American Thought Leaders,” joins PragerU CEO Marissa Streit to discuss the Chinese Communist Party’s global strategy, the weaknesses behind China’s economic power, and why President Trump’s foreign policy aims to contain the CCP before it expands further. They examine tariffs, rare earths, strategic pressure on Iran and Venezuela, and why Beijing responds only to real leverage. They also discuss unrestricted warfare, forced organ harvesting, and why understanding the communist mindset is essential if America hopes to avoid being outmaneuvered by China. Follow Marissa on social: https://www.instagram.com/marissastreit/ https://x.com/marissastreit https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissastreit/ Follow Jan on social: https://x.com/JanJekielek https://www.instagram.com/jan.jekielek/ Chapters 00:00 Why China’s economy is weaker than it looks 02:14 China’s export dependence and why Trump’s tariffs matter 05:40 Debt, local corruption, and the CCP’s economic model 08:42 China’s demographic collapse and youth unemployment 09:45 Did America help build the CCP’s power? 13:20 Xi Jinping’s purges and what they reveal about the regime 16:17 Iran, Venezuela, and the message Trump is sending Beijing 20:55 Belt and Road, Huawei, and how China builds leverage 25:17 Rare earths, recycling, and America’s path to independence 32:25 Military-civil fusion and why China weaponizes everything 33:30 Communism, unrestricted warfare, and the CCP mindset 37:05 Political correctness, naivete, and useful idiots 41:15 Organ harvesting and the brutality of the communist system 49:45 Why the media still underplays the China threat 54:42 What Trump’s meeting with Xi could look like 58:43 Jan’s book, Killed to Order, and why understanding the CCP matters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fr. Robert Sirico joins PragerU CEO Marissa Streit to discuss his journey from left-wing activism in Hollywood to becoming a leading defender of free markets and of virtue. They examine why socialism confuses coercion with compassion, why families and faith—not government—form moral citizens, and why the Right is not immune from chaos, conspiracy, and spiritual confusion. Fr. Robert Sirico reminds viewers Catholics must reject antisemitism and resist using the Church for political or financial power. Chapters: 00:00 Fr. Robert Sirico’s unlikely journey from socialist activist to Catholic priest 12:53 His gangster brother, The Sopranos, and a family unlike any other 18:02 The Holocaust, compassion, and what forms moral conscience 23:44 Chaos on the Left—and now on the Right 27:39 Catholicism, anti-Semitism, and the Jewish roots of Christianity 33:34 Loyalty, truth, and what to do when friends go wrong 38:13 Why economics matters more than politics 40:30 What the parables reveal about socialism, markets, and envy 56:23 Is it wrong to like nice things? Beauty, capitalism, and the good life 01:00:24 Should religious leaders stay out of politics? 01:07:04 The Acton Institute and the moral case for a free society 01:10:20 Why classical education is growing 01:14:17 Catholicism “on one foot” 01:17:18 Truth, gentleness, and the antidote to cultural chaos Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dennis Prager and PragerU CEO Marissa Streit discuss President Trump’s decision to expand military operations in Iran and the debate over “endless wars.” Dennis explains why he believes confronting the Iranian regime carries both strategic and moral significance, and argues that Trump’s strikes could positively reshape the geopolitical balance in the Middle East and beyond. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Editor-in-Chief of The Federalist, Investigative journalist and author Mollie Hemingway joins PragerU CEO Marissa Streit to discuss Big Tech’s lingering influence, the Left’s effort to reshape the Supreme Court through court stacking and election integrity. They examine America’s voting system, the expansion of mail-in voting, and why public confidence in elections requires constant attention. They also discuss why politics alone cannot restore the country, the importance of marriage, and why Mollie believes saving America ultimately starts at home. Chapters: 00:00 — Supreme Court & Free Speech Concerns 00:49 — Fighting Big Tech Censorship 01:29 — How Big Tech Censorship Works 03:18 — Shadow Banning & Algorithmic Suppression 05:25 — Government’s Role in Preventing Censorship 06:50 — Holding Government & Tech Companies Accountable 08:16 — Tech Companies, Politics & Corporate Activism 12:04 — Section 230 & Big Tech Immunity 15:07 — Mollie Hemingway’s Book Rigged 17:06 — Florida’s Election Reforms 18:03 — Mail-In Voting & Election Confidence 22:17 — Dating Crisis & Disaffected Young Men 24:21 — Marriage, Happiness & Social Stability 26:53 — Advice for Parents Raising the Next Generation 31:03 — Family Life & The Importance of the Home 33:11 — Modern Dating Challenges 35:38 — Economic Pressures on Marriage 38:28 — Where Young People Should Meet 40:26 — Writing a Book on Justice Samuel Alito 42:30 — The Personal Cost of Serving on the Supreme Court 43:56 — Court Stacking & the Future of the Supreme Court 47:18 — Final Reflections: Family, Faith & Optimism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a break from public life, Daily Wire co-founder Jeremy Boreing joins PragerU CEO Marissa Streit to reflect on how the reinvention of conservative media impacted America’s culture. They examine how social media fuels tribalism and rage, why political “Christianity,” conspiracy culture, and grift media are gaining ground, and what influential voices are ultimately trying to build with their rhetoric. Chapters: 0:00 Jeremy’s 10-month Sabbath + what changed while he was gone 1:15 How the Right learned to win online (and why it worked) 2:40 The downside: algorithms reward engagement over truth 4:42 Losing cultural literacy: no shared story, no shared reality 6:26 Conservatives and new tech: from social media to AI panic 23:51 Reactionary “online Christianity” as tribal politics 26:00 “Rhetorical statue-toppling”: conspiracies that erase trust 36:43 Grift mechanics: influencers, fame, and “human algorithm” behavior 46:16 The post-Trump fight: power, populism, and revolutionary instincts 1:00:36 The antidote: agency, responsibility, family—and rebuilding meaning Follow Marissa on social: https://www.instagram.com/marissastreit/ https://x.com/marissastreit https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissastreit/ Follow Jeremy Boreing: https://x.com/JeremyDBoreing https://www.instagram.com/jeremyboreing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dennis Prager and PragerU CEO Marissa Streit dive deeper into  Dennis's new book—which he completed while recovering in the hospital. If There is No God: The Battle Over Who Defines Good and Evil explores complex questions about faith and morality that many people struggle with. Dennis and Marissa also discuss how Charlie Kirk's book Stop, in the Name of God: Why Honoring the Sabbath Will Transform Your Life was a result of many conversations with Dennis over the years.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Pastor John Hagee and CUFI Executive Director Sandra Hagee Parker, join PragerU CEO Marissa Streit to explain how Christians United for Israel began and why they believe standing with Israel is a biblical mandate, not a political position. They also discuss the rise of antisemitism in America and respond to accusations that Christians support Israel for “end times” reasons or because they’ve been “duped” by Zionist bible commentary and misinformation. 00:00:02 — Welcome + What Is CUFI? 00:00:44 — The Israel Moment That Started It (1978) 00:02:49 — Night to Honor Israel + Bomb Threats 00:06:05 — Why CUFI Was Founded (2006) + Fighting Antisemitism 00:10:01 — “Why Focus on Israel?” Faith vs. Politics 00:15:22 — Debunking the “End Times Motive” Claim 00:16:51 — Chosen People + Why Replacement Theology Is Wrong 00:20:28 — What Is Christian Zionism? 00:31:54 — Podcasts, Money, and the Business of Jew Hatred 00:46:23 — Prophecy, End Times, and Encouragement for Today Follow Marissa Streit on social: https://www.instagram.com/marissastreit/ https://x.com/marissastreit https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissastreit/ Follow CUFI: https://x.com/CUFI https://www.instagram.com/christiansunitedforisrael?igsh=MWEwMGV3eWc2d3R5dQ== Follow Pastor Hagee https://x.com/PastorJohnHagee https://www.instagram.com/pastorjohnhagee?igsh=aXBrZWdlanQwYmhu Follow Hagee Ministires https://x.com/HageeMinistries https://www.instagram.com/hageeministries?igsh=MWV3YW5tMjAyOW5lcg== Follow Sandra Hagee Parker https://www.instagram.com/sandrahparker?igsh=cmxkMmp3ZGY5aXN0 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Daily Signal President and Executive Editor Rob Bluey and PragerU CEO Marissa Streit discuss how America’s media landscape is being reshaped—the competition, the pros and cons of independent podcasting, and the responsibility to deliver honest reporting. They also unpack the hidden agendas of “ratings” groups like NewsGuard, the incentives that reward clickbait over truth, and why the future of journalism depends on transparency and accountability. Follow Marissa on social: https://www.instagram.com/marissastreit/ https://x.com/marissastreit https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissastreit/ Follow Robert Bluey: https://x.com/RobertBluey Follow the Daily Signal: https://x.com/DailySignal https://www.instagram.com/thedailysignal?igsh=MWVmejBxb2VzMWMxeA== Chapters 00:00:35 — Welcome + Heritage vs. The Daily Signal 00:01:11 — How The Daily Signal Started (2014) 00:02:29 — White House Credential Crackdown (2023) 00:04:07 — Why The Daily Signal Became Independent 00:04:15 — How Press Credentialing Really Works (White House vs. Congress) 00:06:14 — The New Media Problem: Substack, YouTube, and Access 00:07:20 — Why the “Free Press” Didn’t Defend Them 00:08:07 — Who Funds Media—and Why It Matters 00:11:19 — Editorial Decisions: Accuracy vs. Speed 00:14:09 — Censorship + Newsguard Pressure 00:20:50 — Charlie Kirk’s Murder and the New Risks of Speech 00:25:02 — Journalism School and Ideological Newsrooms 00:37:06 — What Project 2025 Actually Is 00:42:11 — Immigration, Enforcement, and Why the Left Freaked Out 00:49:15 — The Next 10 Years: AI, Podcasts, and News Brands vs. Personalities 00:58:16 — Time Capsule Message: Truth, Faith, and the Future Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices