MLK's Message to Moderates

Reflections on the present moment and Romans 8:18-24Intro/Outro attribution: David Bowman, “Se fue del Tiempo,” WikiCommonsRoosevelt, Theodore, and Theodore Roosevelt Association Collection. The Right of the People to Rule. New York: Thomas A. Edison, 1912. Audio. https://www.loc.gov/item/99391599/. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit upbuildingdiscourses.substack.com

We build on Part I in order to make the following argument: Dr. King’s message to moderates in 1963 defines a path between extremes that those who consider themselves moderates or conservatives today, in 2025, desperately need to hear. This new path for conservatives consists of three key elements: First, a commitment to Christian faith and a faith in America; Second, a real concern for justice; and Third, a commitment to the practices of observation and empathy.Intro/Outro attribution: David Bowman, “Se fue del Tiempo,” WikiCommonsRoosevelt, Theodore, and Theodore Roosevelt Association Collection. The Right of the People to Rule. New York: Thomas A. Edison, 1912. Audio. https://www.loc.gov/item/9 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit upbuildingdiscourses.substack.com

Read the Dr. King’s text in full here. Intro/Outro attribution: David Bowman, “Se fue del Tiempo,” WikiCommonsRoosevelt, Theodore, and Theodore Roosevelt Association Collection. The Right of the People to Rule. New York: Thomas A. Edison, 1912. Audio. https://www.loc.gov/item/99391599/. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit upbuildingdiscourses.substack.com

Final part of our series on theories of political economy. This is a bit of a “cheat,” since pragmatism isn’t a popular theory of political economy, but I make an argument that it gives a name to a space where the vast majority of Americans locate themselves—between more radical ideologies, but resonating with at least some of the societal critiques from more radical voices. Intro/Outro attribution: David Bowman, “Se fue del Tiempo,” WikiCommonsRoosevelt, Theodore, and Theodore Roosevelt Association Collection. The Right of the People to Rule. New York: Thomas A. Edison, 1912. Audio. https://www.loc.gov/item/99391599/. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit upbuildingdiscourses.substack.com

We build on the previous episode on anarcho-capitalism by discussing “socialism,” as it appears in the writing of its opponents, in the context of 18th-19th century history, and through the philosophy of Karl Marx (1818 - 1883)Intro/Outro attribution: David Bowman, “Se fue del Tiempo,” WikiCommonsRoosevelt, Theodore, and Theodore Roosevelt Association Collection. The Right of the People to Rule. New York: Thomas A. Edison, 1912. Audio. https://www.loc.gov/item/99391599/. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit upbuildingdiscourses.substack.com

We take our first look at contemporary theories of Political Economy by introducing “Anarcho-Capitalism” through Frédéric Bastiat’s The Law (1850)Intro/Outro attribution: David Bowman, “Se fue del Tiempo,” WikiCommonsRoosevelt, Theodore, and Theodore Roosevelt Association Collection. The Right of the People to Rule. New York: Thomas A. Edison, 1912. Audio. https://www.loc.gov/item/99391599/. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit upbuildingdiscourses.substack.com

We take a look at Teddy Roosevelt and his “Square Deal” to deepen our discussion of Political Economy in the context of American History.Intro/Outro attribution: David Bowman, “Se fue del Tiempo,” WikiCommonsRoosevelt, Theodore, and Theodore Roosevelt Association Collection. The Right of the People to Rule. New York: Thomas A. Edison, 1912. Audio. https://www.loc.gov/item/99391599/. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit upbuildingdiscourses.substack.com

We take a look at the hot topic of tariffs in the context of American history through the “Nullification Crisis,” the dispute over the Tariff of 1828 that nearly split the country in two—three decades prior to the Civil War. Intro/Outro attribution: David Bowman, “Se fue del Tiempo,” WikiCommonsRoosevelt, Theodore, and Theodore Roosevelt Association Collection. The Right of the People to Rule. New York: Thomas A. Edison, 1912. Audio. https://www.loc.gov/item/99391599/. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit upbuildingdiscourses.substack.com

Leftover thoughts from the two part episode on the Constitutional Convention, beginning with comments from Benjamin Franklin, quoted in the episode title. We discuss some of the philosophical principles and historical references made from Madison’s notes. Intro/Outro attribution: David Bowman, “Se fue del Tiempo,” WikiCommonsRoosevelt, Theodore, and Theodore Roosevelt Association Collection. The Right of the People to Rule. New York: Thomas A. Edison, 1912. Audio. https://www.loc.gov/item/99391599/. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit upbuildingdiscourses.substack.com

What is the relationship between trade and government? This is the broad guiding question of “Political Economy.” We walk through the basic terms of this discussion and how they change from the ancient Greeks to the modern era. Intro/Outro attribution: David Bowman, “Se fue del Tiempo,” WikiCommonsRoosevelt, Theodore, and Theodore Roosevelt Association Collection. The Right of the People to Rule. New York: Thomas A. Edison, 1912. Audio. https://www.loc.gov/item/99391599/. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit upbuildingdiscourses.substack.com