After a great five year run on Beg to Differ, Mona Charen brings you a new show dedicated to deepening your understanding of complex issues and trends facing so...
The Bulwark's Cathy Young joins Mona to discuss where DEI went wrong and also the unfathomable racism of the Trump Administration.
Referenced Works and Sources
Reflections of an Affirmative Action Baby by Steven Carter
Discusses the complexities and unintended consequences of affirmative action from a personal and academic perspective.
The Bakke Case (Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, 1978)
A landmark Supreme Court decision that ruled against racial quotas in university admissions while allowing race to be one of several factors in admissions decisions.
Fisher v. University of Texas(2013, 2016)
Supreme Court cases addressing race-conscious admissions policies in higher education.
Implicit Bias Tests (Implicit Association Test, IAT)
Psychological tests used to measure unconscious biases, though their reliability and effectiveness in predicting behavior have been widely debated.
Yasha Mounk’s The Identity Trap: A Story of Ideas and Power in Our Time
Discusses the ideological shifts in race-conscious policies and how they impact public discourse.
New York Times Investigative Report on DEI at the University of Michigan
A report detailing the impact of DEI initiatives at a major university, highlighting unintended consequences such as workplace tension and polarization.
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54:36
MAGA is Powered by Hatred
David French joins to discuss upending the NATO alliance, attacks on the rule of law, and how the pardon power was one of the Founders' worst mistakes.
The Mona Charen Show is a weekly, one-on-one discussion that goes in depth on political and cultural topics. Ad-free editions are exclusively available for Bulwark+ members. Add the show to your player of choice, here, or find it wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube.
Join now
Referred Works
The Federalist Papers – A collection of essays written by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay, referenced in discussions about constitutional powers, particularly the presidency.
Anti-Federalist Papers ("An Old Whig" – Letter No. 5, 1787) – Cited as an early critique of the presidential pardon power and excessive executive authority.
Marbury v. Madison (1803) – A landmark U.S. Supreme Court case establishing judicial review, mentioned in the context of legal authority over the president.
U.S. Constitution – Indirectly referenced multiple times, particularly concerning executive powers, rule of law, and the balance of power.
Learned Hand’s Quote on Liberty –
"Liberty lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it."
Quoted in reference to the fragility of democratic institutions.
DARVO (Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender) – A concept from psychology and sociology used to describe manipulative tactics, discussed in relation to political rhetoric.
"Everything Everywhere All at Once" (Film, 2022) – Referenced metaphorically to describe the chaotic state of global and domestic affairs.
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1:02:04
Debunking Populist Myths
AEI's Michael Strain analyzes the mistakes left and right make about middle class stagnation, quality of life, and other matters. Plus, what is risked when Trump/Musk attack foundational institutions.
This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/mona and get on your way to being your best self.
Referenced Works & Figures:
Michael Strain’s Book — The American Dream Is Not Dead: (But Populism Could Kill It)
Elizabeth Warren & Bill de Blasio – Critique of middle-class decline.
Josh Hawley – Comment on wage stagnation.
David Autor's "China Shock" Paper – Study on trade-induced job losses.
Robert Bork’s Antitrust Theories – Influence on U.S. competition policy.
Smoot-Hawley Tariffs – Historical reference to the consequences of trade protectionism.
Occupy Wall Street & Tea Party Movements – Examples of populist political reactions.
Federal Job Training Programs – Discussion on their past inefficacy and recent improvements.
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1:04:15
Our Social Media 'Bespoke Realities'
Mona welcomes Renée DiResta to discuss how social media has distorted our perceptions and how to navigates the world of influencers, online mobs, and lairs.
The Mona Charen Show is a weekly, one-on-one discussion that goes in depth on political and cultural topics. Ad-free editions are exclusively available for Bulwark+ members. Add the show to your player of choice, here, or find it wherever you get your podcasts and on YouTube. Not yet a member? Join The Bulwark today!
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References:
Books & Authors:
"Invisible Rulers" – by Renée DiResta (Main topic of discussion)
Historical References:
Father Coughlin & Propaganda (1930s) – Discussion of his use of radio for anti-Semitic and pro-Nazi propaganda, and how he was eventually stopped.
Institute for Propaganda Analysis (1930s) – Early efforts to combat misinformation by teaching people how propaganda works.
Academic & Media References:
Helen Lewis (The Atlantic) – Quoted for stating that “the internet is built to empower extremophiles.”
Google's Assertive Provenance Report – Discussion of how Google suggests approaches for watermarking and authenticating AI-generated content.
Key Topics Discussed:
Misinformation & Social Media Dynamics
Iowa Caucuses (2012 vs. 2020) – How political narratives and distrust in election results evolved.
Measles Outbreak & Anti-Vaccine Misinformation – How misinformation spreads and how online movements gain traction.
Algorithmic Influence & Content Curation – The role of algorithms in shaping political extremism and public perceptions.
QAnon & Wayfair Conspiracy Theory – How misinformation led to real-world harassment and threats.
COVID-19 & Public Trust in Institutions – How institutional silence and slow responses allowed misinformation to fill the gap.
Decline of Trust in Experts – How institutions and scientists need to engage more effectively online.
Influencers & Audience Capture – How social media personalities can be driven toward extremism by audience demands.
Solutions & Strategies
Pre-bunking – Educating people in advance about misinformation tactics.
Adding Friction – Using design interventions (like Twitter’s “Are you sure you want to share this?”) to slow down misinformation.
Virality Circuit Breakers – Temporary restrictions on the spread of viral misinformation while it is fact-checked.
Watermarking AI-generated Content – Challenges and limitations in identifying AI-created media.
Institutional Preparedness – Advice for organizations on handling misinformation crises.
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1:16:06
Christianity’s Crossroads: Faith, Democracy, and America’s Future
In this episode of The Mona Charen Podcast, Mona Charen speaks with author Jonathan Rauch about his new book, Cross Purposes: Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy. They explore the decline of Christianity in America, its impact on democracy, and whether faith can be depoliticized. Rauch, a self-described “atheistic homosexual Jew,” makes the case that Christianity has been a vital “load-bearing wall” for American democracy and argues for a return to its core principles. The conversation touches on political polarization, the role of faith in public life, and what small-l liberals and conservatives alike can learn from the evolving role of religion in society.
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REFERENCES:
Books by Jonathan Rauch:
Cross Purposes: Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy (his new book)
The Constitution of Knowledge (his previous book)
Articles:
An article by Jonathan Rauch in The Atlantic (2003) celebrating secularization, which he later called "the dumbest thing I ever wrote."
Books and Works Referenced:
Tim Alberta’s The Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory (referred to in discussion about the church and politics)
A quote attributed to G.K. Chesterton: “When people cease to believe in God, they don’t believe in nothing, they believe in anything” (noted as possibly apocryphal).
Russell Moore's commentary on the state of the church.
The Bible (including references to Jesus’ teachings such as "forgive your enemies" and "the least of these").
A quote from John Adams: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
The Book of Mormon (mentioned in the discussion of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).
Immanuel Kant’s ethical philosophy (used to support moral arguments).
Rabbi Hillel’s summary of the Torah: “That which is hateful to you, do not do unto your neighbor. All the rest is commentary. Now go and study.”
Legislation and Policies Referenced:
The 1964 Civil Rights Act (mentioning its religious exemptions).
The Utah Compromise (2015) on LGBT rights and religious freedoms.
The Respect for Marriage Act (2022), which protected same-sex marriage while also ensuring religious protections.
After a great five year run on Beg to Differ, Mona Charen brings you a new show dedicated to deepening your understanding of complex issues and trends facing society. Each week she'll engage an expert for a probing discussion that goes past the day's headlines.
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