The Mona Charen Show

By: The Bulwark
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  • Summary

  • 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.
    Bulwark Media
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Political Science Politics & Government
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Episodes
  • Debunking Populist Myths

    Debunking Populist Myths
    Feb 17 2025
    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.

    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    • Smoot-Hawley Tariffs – Historical reference to the consequences of trade protectionism.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 hr and 4 mins
  • Our Social Media 'Bespoke Realities'

    Our Social Media 'Bespoke Realities'
    Feb 10 2025
    Mona welcomes Renee 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 Renee DeResta(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    Historical References: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

    1. Iowa Caucuses (2012 vs. 2020) – How political narratives and distrust in election results evolved.

    2. Measles Outbreak & Anti-Vaccine Misinformation – How misinformation spreads and how online movements gain traction.

    3. Algorithmic Influence & Content Curation – The role of algorithms in shaping political extremism and public perceptions.

    4. QAnon & Wayfair Conspiracy Theory – How misinformation led to real-world harassment and threats.

    5. COVID-19 & Public Trust in Institutions – How institutional silence and slow responses allowed misinformation to fill the gap.

    6. Decline of Trust in Experts – How institutions and scientists need to engage more effectively online.

    7. Influencers & Audience Capture – How social media personalities can be driven toward extremism by audience demands.

    Solutions & Strategies

    1. Pre-bunking – Educating people in advance about misinformation tactics.

    2. Adding Friction – Using design interventions (like Twitter’s “Are you sure you want to share this?”) to slow down misinformation.

    3. Virality Circuit Breakers – Temporary restrictions on the spread of viral misinformation while it is fact-checked.

    4. Watermarking AI-generated Content – Challenges and limitations in identifying AI-created media.

    5. Institutional Preparedness – Advice for organizations on handling misinformation crises.
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    1 hr and 16 mins
  • Christianity’s Crossroads: Faith, Democracy, and America’s Future

    Christianity’s Crossroads: Faith, Democracy, and America’s Future
    Feb 3 2025
    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.
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    1 hr and 6 mins

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