In Episode #87, I introduced you to the concept of secession. We reviewed current and past secession movements and offered three reasons it is necessary AND good - decentralization, self-determination and competition. In this episode, I discuss the fourth reason secession is desirable - the idea that smaller is better. After that, we will discuss how secession is justified and dispel the most common objections to the concept of secession. Show Notes: American Secession: The Looming Threat of a N...
Mar 02, 2020•26 min•Ep. 88
The “S” word - secession - seems to be brought up with more and more frequency lately. Most recently we have seen counties in rural Virginia exploring the possibility of seceding from the state and joining West Virginia. We are seeing similar movements in Northern California and rural counties in Oregon. While those are wonderful developments, the larger question regarding secession is the idea of entire states seceding from the United States and essentially establish their own nation. The idea ...
Feb 26, 2020•19 min•Ep. 87
We cover a lot of ground in this episode: starting with President Trump’s call for a prohibition of late-term abortion in his State of the Union Address. We then move on to discuss the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade opinion. Then we discuss some very instructive verbal jousting on Facebook about abortion and, finally, we address the misnomer known as "Pro-Choice”. Buckle your seat belts and don't be shy letting me know if you think my analysis goes astray. Show Notes: Truth Quest Podcast Episodes E...
Feb 18, 2020•25 min•Ep. 86
What does the spectacle known as the State of the Union Address reveal? In the first part of this episode, we examine President Trump's 2020 State of the Union Address through the eyes of someone who has been off the grid for several decades - an unbiased, casual observer. What did he notice? What were his impressions? What questions did he have? The last part of the episode is an assessment of what the SOTU address reveals about the state of our nation, the state of our federal government and t...
Feb 11, 2020•29 min•Ep. 85
January 2020 was another eventful month from Trump's impeachment to the Coronavirus, international trade deals and the death of Kobe Bryant. The Truth Quest Podcast Patron Page Join the conversation at The Truth Quest Facebook Fan Page Order a copy of Shawn's books, Pritical Thinking , The Proverbs Project , The Termite Effect . The video of this episode is available on Rumble , BitChute , Brighteon and Thinkspot . Check out short highlight videos of each episode on Instagram ....
Feb 06, 2020•18 min•Ep. 84
You are likely familiar with the caricature of capitalism. You know the one - capitalism is some nefarious monster that does nothing but squash the little guy like bugs while the billionaires laugh, smoke cigars and sip the finest cognac. The criticisms of capitalism are well-known. Capitalism is based on greed and selfishness. It is immoral. It exploits workers. It is a zero sum game. Under capitalism, giant corporations have too much power. And capitalism is based on competition rather than co...
Feb 02, 2020•17 min•Ep. 83
Following the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani (as discussed in the previous Episode #81), national Democrats insisted that Trump violated the War Powers Act of 1973 and passed a non-binding resolution in the House condemning the strike. In that episode I spent a lot of time examining America’s penchant for perpetual war. As discussed, the list of American intervention overseas is quite remarkable: Hawaii, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Grenada, Panama, Yugoslavia, ...
Jan 26, 2020•17 min•Ep. 82
Two weeks prior to the original publication of this episode, the United States military killed a man named Qasem Soleimani outside the Baghdad airport. He was a top general in the Iranian army and the possible heir apparent to the top spot in the Iranian government. After digesting the reactions of the media and politicians from both sides of the political spectrum, I realized that something was missing. That something was the big picture; the one that takes into account why the U.S. military wa...
Jan 19, 2020•21 min•Ep. 81
Is it just me or is anyone else bothered when you hear politicians and talking heads refer to America as democracy? The “D-word” is thrown around so often by so many that I don’t think many people bat an eye when they hear it. What is the truth about democracy in America? Show Notes Rumble | BitChute | Brighteon | Thinkspot | Instagram | Truth Social | GETTR | Twitter | GAB -------------------------------- A Republic If You Can Keep It Why Americas Founders Didn't Want a Democracy Why It Matters...
Jan 12, 2020•20 min•Ep. 80
Get caught up on all the news from December 2019 in fifteen minutes. The Truth Quest Podcast Patron Page Join the conversation at The Truth Quest Facebook Fan Page Order a copy of Shawn's books, Pritical Thinking , The Proverbs Project , The Termite Effect . The video of this episode is available on Rumble , BitChute , Brighteon and Thinkspot . Check out short highlight videos of each episode on Instagram ....
Jan 04, 2020•15 min•Ep. 79
In this episode we examine the phenomenon of celebrities offering their opinions on politics and public policy. Why do so many people seem to care what they think? Show Notes: Episode #73 - The Truth About Trump Derangement Syndrome Episode #76 - The Truth About Hate Speech The Truth Quest Podcast Patron Page Join the conversation at The Truth Quest Facebook Fan Page Order a copy of Shawn's books, Pritical Thinking , The Proverbs Project , The Termite Effect . The video of this episode is availa...
Dec 31, 2019•19 min•Ep. 78
As Christmas approaches, I am reading the Book of Luke. As I read the first few chapters, three words kept jumping off the page - “THE GOOD NEWS”. Inherently, I think most Christians know what this means or, at least they think they know what it means. But the more I thought about it, the more I questioned myself. So I thought a deep-dive was in order. 2:30-4:23 -- "good news" scriptures 4:24-8:10 -- "THE GOOD NEWS" scriptures 8:10-9:46 -- Hebrews - Old Testament / New Testament 9:46-11:24 -- "T...
Dec 23, 2019•15 min•Ep. 77
If you pay the slightest bit of attention to the news – nationally or locally – you’ve likely noticed a movement to squash free speech. Sometimes it’s subtle such as a gentle reminder from your spouse not to bring up a particular topic at the family gathering lest you offend Uncle Pete. However, what is happening with more frequency is mass censorship of speech under the guise of calling it “hate speech.” What is the truth about hate speech? Show Notes Why America Needs Hate Speech Law UC Berkel...
Dec 15, 2019•24 min•Ep. 76
When you hear discussions about the Constitution and the Founding Fathers, you are likely hearing about the majority group who supported the new Constitution called the Federalists. However, there was another group of prophetic founders who opposed the Constitution as written for a variety of reasons who were equally important. They are called the Anti-Federalists. These forgotten founders warned about the inevitable growth in size, scope and power of the federal government - especially the judi...
Dec 06, 2019•22 min•Ep. 75
In case you hibernated through the month of November or boycotted the news, this episode will get you caught up on all the major stories from the month that was in only 12 minutes. The Truth Quest Podcast Patron Page Join the conversation at The Truth Quest Facebook Fan Page Order a copy of Shawn's books, Pritical Thinking , The Proverbs Project , The Termite Effect . The video of this episode is available on Rumble , Thinkspot , BitChute , and Brighteon . Check out short highlight videos of eac...
Dec 02, 2019•12 min•Ep. 74
When I first heard the term "Trump Derangement Syndrome", I thought, "This is nothing new! The opposing party of every President has some level of irrationality associated with it." I then came across a study that claims Americans are stressed out due to the political climate. They are losing sleep, ruining relationships and feeling mentally and physically sick. When you combine that study with everything Trump has been put through - the constant media scrutiny (fake news), the baseless Russia c...
Nov 24, 2019•22 min•Ep. 73
If you ask the average American their impression of Edward Snowden, you are likely to hear him portrayed as a villain; he is a traitor to the country and should be tried for treason. A growing minority, however, view him as a hero for exposing the illegal and unconstitutional mass surveillance program which was implemented shortly after the terrorist attack on September 11. In this episode, we examine the Snowden saga with an eye toward what it teaches us about the Constitution. Show Notes: My L...
Nov 17, 2019•25 min•Ep. 72
Do you know how you can tell it's Fall, bordering on Winter? California is on fire! This annual event seems to fall on the heels of Oktoberfest and, we are being led to believe, that the problem is getting worse! Why? Well, of course, the sole reason for this repetitive event is . . . . climate change! In this episode, we examine the validity of that claim and try to arrive at the truth about the California wildfires. Show Notes Ryan Zinke Blames Radical Enviros for California Fires Ryan Zinke I...
Nov 09, 2019•19 min•Ep. 71
In this episode we review the month that was . . . October, 2019. From impeachment to the Democrat debates to transgender athletes and action in the Middle East, it was an eventful month. The Truth Quest Podcast Patron Page Join the conversation at The Truth Quest Facebook Fan Page Order a copy of Shawn's books, Pritical Thinking , The Proverbs Project , The Termite Effect . The video of this episode is available Rumble , Thinkspot , BitChute, and Brighteon . Check out short highlight videos of ...
Nov 02, 2019•17 min•Ep. 70
The claim of white privilege is very popular these days but the idea itself raises questions. What does it really mean? What can or should be done about it? What is really accomplished by bringing it up? Does the idea improve the conversation about contentious issues or does it lead to its deterioration? Show Notes United Church of Christ White Privilege Curriculum White Privilege Explained Explaining White Privilege to a Broke White Person I Have Privilege and You Do Too Intellectual Intoleranc...
Oct 26, 2019•28 min•Ep. 69
Impeachment is a constitutional tool whose responsibility is granted solely to the House of Representatives. As outlined in the Constitution, the rules of impeachment are both specific (treason and bribery) and general (high crimes and misdemeanors). Besides the president and vice president, all "civil officers" are subject to impeachment. That means all federal employees whether appointed or hired. Contrary to popular belief, impeachment does not mean removal from office. It is essentially an i...
Oct 17, 2019•30 min•Ep. 68
If you follow the financial markets to any extent you have likely heard the term “negative interest rates.” In this episode, we are going to examine this never-before-in-history phenomenon. We are going to discuss the three ways this ridiculous financial policy manifests itself: on individuals, on bank reserves and on bonds and examine merits of this policy. Hint: It ain't good! Show Notes The Fed's Consideration of Negative Interest Rates Signals Its Rush Toward Irrelevance The Non-Weirdness of...
Oct 10, 2019•21 min•Ep. 67
Welcome to the inaugural Truth Quest Podcast month in review. In this short episode, we walk through the biggest news items from last month, September 2019. Show Notes Truth Quest podcasts: Episode #27 - The Truth About the Federal Reserve - An Intro Episode #28 - The Truth About the Federal Reserve - The Results The Truth Quest Podcast Patron Page Join the conversation at The Truth Quest Facebook Fan Page Order a copy of Shawn's books, Pritical Thinking , The Proverbs Project , The Termite Effe...
Oct 03, 2019•10 min•Ep. 66
You've likely heard all the critics complaints about Walmart: The company underpays its employees, does not offer employee benefits, squeezes its suppliers which, in turn, kills domestic manufacturing jobs and leads to sweatshop labor in less-developed countries. The list continues: Walmart kills Mom and Pop shops, resists the unionization of their workforce, and destroys rural America. Sounds like a horrible company but what is the truth about Walmart? Show Notes: Sam Walton: Made in America De...
Sep 29, 2019•19 min•Ep. 65
What would you say if I told you the federal income tax is unconstitutional? You most likely would say, "How can that be? I thought we have a constitutional amendment that covers the income tax?" In this episode we are going to examine a perspective that you’ve likely never heard before and look at the truth about the federal income tax and the Sixteenth Amendment. You may be surprised to know that the manner in which the federal income tax is levied may not be in compliance with the Sixteenth A...
Sep 23, 2019•27 min•Ep. 64
When I evaluated the wealth tax I found that, besides the fact that they have been proven to be ineffective, ignore the laws of economics, require us to ignore the track record of the federal government and besides the fact that they are immoral and unconstitutional and their implementation would be stupid, short-cited, punitive, impractical, unnecessary, and a violation of privacy, I see no problem with them. Show Notes: Fair Comprehensive Tax Reform is the Right Path - Larry Summers The Destru...
Sep 15, 2019•26 min•Ep. 63
Most people are aware of inflation. They expect the cost of products and services to go up every year. What these same people may not be aware of is the fact that this perpetual inflation is completely unnecessary. If the United States had a sound money policy, meaning the U.S. Dollar was pegged to gold (on a gold standard) most of the angst around monetary policy, interest rates, the national debt, out of control government spending, inverted yield curve, negative interest rates, and cryptocurr...
Sep 10, 2019•24 min•Ep. 62
China’s social credit score system has been in the news lately. The more I learned about it, the more I saw its implications in America. Is something like this the future of how all governments control their subjects? Who needs laws and courts and constitutional rights when you can be steered, jeered and cajoled by a social credit score? Show Notes Twitter | Apple | Rumble | BitChute | | | Substack -------------------------------- Chinese Social Credit Score Prevents 2.5 Million Discredited Enti...
Sep 02, 2019•14 min•Ep. 61
Following the two most recent mass shootings, the usual cries of DO SOMETHING have resurfaced as they always do following attacks or a crisis. After the Las Vegas shooting, we heard cries for a ban on bump stocks; today it's calls for red flag legislation. These laws, also known as Gun-Violence Restraining Orders, or Extreme Risk Protection Orders allow family members and mental health professionals to petition a court for an order enabling legal authorities to temporarily remove guns from those...
Aug 25, 2019•22 min•Ep. 60
I don't know about you but sometimes I get tired of discussing all the areas where we disagree politically or on public policy issues. In this episode I attempt to focus on things that most of us agree on such as government spending, right-to-try laws, the surveillance state, sound money, war, tort reform, term limits, the War on Drugs and the War on Poverty. Does it not make sense to first focus on the few things in which we agree and then circle back to the numerous head-butting issues that di...
Aug 18, 2019•22 min•Ep. 59
