At the end of August, U.S. Marshals in Georgia rescued 39 children held by seven to nine captors for the evil purposes of sex trafficking. The distraction factor in American politics often keeps us from noticing some of these incredibly important issues. In this episode, Stephen addresses the colossal issue of human trafficking, which affects some 48 million people worldwide. To learn more and help, visit www.uncaged.org, an organization Stephen is honored to serve as Chairman of the Board.

Our politics in America have taken on a Messianic nature. We are overheated and passionate. Yet neither Biden nor Trump will bring the dawn of a new era and radically change history forever. The real tragedy and source of damage we face is the great chasm in American society – a chasm that is tied up in cultural, ethnic, and socioeconomic factors, among others.

You probably saw or heard the surreptitious recording of Maryanne Trump Barry talking about her brother, President Trump, in the most vile and critical terms. Think what you will about the president, Stephen grieves that politics in this country have gotten down to the family dinner table. Our Founding Fathers didn’t want people preoccupied with government. They believed other things were more important: faith, family, and relationships. As a matter of both policy and heart, Stephen urges us to return to the moderate middle, where most true governing occurs.

The Democrats have finally done something Stephen has been urging the Republican party to do for years. They have selected a woman of color as the vice-presidential nominee. In this episode, Stephen discusses Kamala Harris’s background and her stance on some key political issues, as well as what may be in store for conservative Christians should a Biden/Harris campaign emerge victorious.
Image via Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0

Earlier this summer, Stephen predicted that President Trump could very well win the upcoming election. But right now, Trump is setting himself on fire. When John Lewis died, the President said almost nothing. Why? He is beginning to make noise about the legitimacy of the upcoming election. He commuted the sentence of Roger Stone. He has mishandled the coronavirus pandemic. And on and on. At the same time, there’s a singular reason why Trump could still win. Tune in to find out.

Many of the coronavirus-related restrictions throughout the United States have affected churches. Some have closed. Others have refused. And others have remained open while exhibiting excellence in health and safety measures. If there is one good thing to come from this pandemic, it may be that we are seeing, once again, moderation, regional fine-tuning and federalism win the day.

There are three kinds of people always at work in society: rebels, radicals, and reformers. The rebels are unhappy, angry, and will take any opportunity for mischief and mayhem. The radicals are usually more intelligent and better organized. They may have a social vision that calls for the overthrow of the entire system in order to bring about justice in a certain area. Reformers want to bring needed change to a system with a direction consistent to what the system was originally intended to achieve. Recognize the differences.

A recent survey asked men whether they liked strong women. On the whole, men said they admire strong women… from a distance. Guys, it’s important to recognize that we are not in a tug of war with women. We are not fighting over a limited pie. Let’s get two things straight: (1) men are in decline, and (2) women have not taken anything from men. Until a man is secure in who he is, he’s going to be resentful, bitter, and miserable to strong women (and men) alike. Let’s get whole, and let’s welcome strong women into positions of leadership and power.
This episode originally aired on the GreatMan Podcast.

Recep Erdoğan, President of Turkey, has cajoled the Supreme Court of Turkey into allowing the Hagia Sophia to be reverted to use as a mosque. Stephen provides a brief history of this incredible sixth century church, and explains why this move may signal the continued persecution of Christians, killing of Kurds, and rise of the Islamic right.

Did you know that there is a woman running for President of the United States in 2020? Meet the Libertarian Party candidate, Jo Jorgensen. Though Stephen does not consider himself a libertarian and has never voted for one of the party’s candidates, he does like many of the party’s ideas. In this episode, you’ll learn more about Jorgensen, libertarian ideology, and the primary issue on which Stephen would like to see this party change its stance. If you’re interested in learning more about libertarianism, check out Reason Magazine and editor Nick Gillespie.

In the last episode of the Stephen Mansfield Podcast, Stephen made a surprising prediction: that President Trump will be reelected. In recent weeks, Donald Trump’s fortunes in this race have been dramatically diminished, especially by a few of the Supreme Court’s recent decisions. When 81% of white evangelicals and half of all Roman Catholics in the U.S. voted for Trump, they largely did so for Supreme Court appointees. With the Supreme Court turning, will some voters question whether they need another four years of President Trump?

Republicans are in rough shape. The recent Tulsa rally did not go well for President Trump. The Supreme Court rulings on DACA and LGBTQ employees are considered a blow to the Trump administration. Polls tell us that the majority of Americans are not happy with the administration’s response to coronavirus, and the Lafayette Square incident is perceived as yet another misstep. By all measures, President Trump is losing this race to Democratic nominee Joe Biden. In light of all this, Stephen makes a surprising prediction about the 2020 Presidential election.
Related: About Joe Biden podcast episode.

Defund the police? Stephen discusses this popular catchphrase in light of the Posse Comitatus Act of 1878. If you aren’t already doing so, it’s time to start pondering the big questions facing the American people and lawmakers: should the police be armed and permitted to function as a military force at the local level? At the national level, should the President be allowed to use the symbolism or actual force of the military on civilians during times of riot? What is going to be the lean of the American people and lawmakers? A debate is coming.

The economy has taken a direct hit from COVID-19, but Stephen suggests that a comparison of our current times and the Great Depression is far off-base. Tune in, as Stephen describes some of the fundamental flaws in the systems that led up to the 1929 crash and Great Depression. You’ll also learn why today’s economy is on completely different footing. Prepare yourself: good times are returning.

The Stephen Mansfield Podcast has always been about looking the tough stuff in the face and talking about solutions. Today, as our nation and our world confronts tumult, pain, and death, Stephen is most grateful to have you with him. As we all know, a young man named George Floyd was arrested by police and detained with an officer’s knee on his neck for some nine minutes, ultimately resulting in his death. Stephen discusses this tremendous injustice, the good and bad of policing in the U.S., and ends with an urge for all people to stand up against racism wherever it may arise within their reach.