The Chris Spangle Show

We Are Libertarians
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The Chris Spangle Show helps you make sense of current events, politics, and culture through the lenses of Christian faith and libertarian principles. With sharp analysis, historical insight, and relatable conversations, Chris offers clarity in chaos - encouraging personal responsibility, civic action, and thoughtful engagement with the world around us. Rejecting tribalism and top-down control, the show challenges you to lead with conviction, serve others, and live out the values that sustain a free and thriving society. Join us to defend liberty, strengthen your community, and renew culture - one conversation at a time.

  1. 5D AGO

    WAL: Trump bombs Iran, AI and Social Media: Trust Is Moving Closer to Home

    Chris Spangle, Harry and Reinhold talk about when news breaks fast, like the U.S. bombing Iran, forcing them to toss their planned topics and react in real time. From there, they talk about news fatigue and attention whiplash, including how major developments can disappear from the public conversation and how hard it is to verify what is real online. They compare national coverage to alternative sources, argue that trust is shifting toward local outlets and in-person relationships, and share why many people feel overwhelmed trying to fact-check everything. The middle of the show turns to technology, including surveillance tools, license plate readers and the broader feeling of living inside a modern panopticon. They debate AI from two angles, one seeing a disorienting shift in online life, the other arguing hype and limits, then connect it to the flood of low-quality content and what it is doing to creativity and culture. In the final stretch, they walk through Iran and the nuclear deal basics, the long-running push for regime change, and how alliances and credibility shape U.S. influence abroad. They close with a sharp argument about war powers, constitutional limits and whether courts and Congress can still function as guardrails, followed by a practical reminder to build real community close to home. 0:00 Cold open and what the episode is about 1:15 Milestones, behind-the-scenes talk, and why they record the way they do 5:05 The day’s big breaking-news pivot 10:20 Information overload, attention whiplash, and tuning out 12:40 Trust, verification, and why people don’t believe what they see 17:35 The future of life online and why it feels disorienting 22:05 Privacy, surveillance, and how tracking is changing everyday life 26:15 AI anxiety vs AI reality and what people get wrong 29:20 The internet’s content quality problem and “AI slop” 31:30 Creativity, culture, and why modern media feels derivative 38:25 Where AI actually helps and the copyright debate 39:50 Middle East context and how big-power politics shapes events 46:50 Diplomacy vs hard power and the nuclear-enrichment conversation 56:20 Trade, alliances, and U.S. credibility abroad 1:01:05 Executive power, constitutional limits, and accountability 1:02:30 Courts, enforcement, and institutional stress tests 1:08:20 What happens next: economy, community, and staying grounded 1:26:10 Closing thoughts and sign-off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 28m

  2. JAN 25

    ICE, State Power and the Imago Dei

    Chris steps back from the daily outrage cycle to tackle a bigger question: Is there a difference between caring for someone personally and how the law should be written or enforced? Using a recent ICE shooting story as a case study, he explores how government power shapes human behavior, why politics is an extension of morality, and why treating people as image-bearers of God matters in public life. He also pulls in a classic libertarian argument from Marshall Fritz on robbery vs. taxation, touches on sphere sovereignty and localism, and closes with Jesus’ model of persuasion over coercion as a guide for Christian engagement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    33 min

  3. JAN 24

    WAL: Snowpocalypse and ICE murders again in Minneapolis

    Chris, Harry, and Rhinehold discuss the coming snowpocolypse and what motivates people to buy 8 gallons of milk as a response. While shooting the show, news breaks about a second killing by ICE in Minneapolis. https://youtu.be/4fXijck0ELQ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 15m

  4. 12/31/2025

    We Are Libertarians Year-End Roundtable: Festivus Grievances, Indy Politics, PBS Cuts, and the AI Bubble

    Chris Spangle is joined by Harry Price and Rhinehold for the final We Are Libertarians roundtable of 2025, recorded on the Saturday between Christmas and New Year’s. They trade Festivus-style grievances, talk life and workload, and debate Indianapolis development, public transit, and downtown design, including “no turn on red” frustrations and light rail. The conversation moves into NPR and PBS funding cuts, NOAA and weather data, and why abrupt cuts can create gaps before private solutions adapt. They also dig into “too big to fail,” stadium subsidies, wealth inequality, immigration and tariffs, and worries about an AI hype cycle that could pop. Along the way: John Bolton’s book as a Christmas gift, local versus federal power, and why history keeps repeating. 00:00 Intro & Holiday Banter 03:00 Year-End Reflections & Schedules 08:00 Jokes, Grievances & Festivus Vibes 13:00 Life Updates & Podcasting Behind the Scenes 20:00 Indianapolis Neighborhoods & Housing Market 28:00 City Development, Gentrification, and Sports Strategy 34:00 Public Projects, Taxpayer Money & Convention Economy 43:00 Transit, Traffic, and Urban Design Debates 52:00 Public Transportation & Challenges for the Poor 01:02:00 Funding Cuts, Private Solutions & PBS/NPR 01:10:00 Speculation, Tech Giants & Too Big to Fail 01:18:00 Renewable Energy, Land Use, & NIMBYism 01:24:00 American Preferences, Libertarian Values & Wealth Gaps 01:33:00 Final Thoughts, Historical Parallels & Farewell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 36m

  5. 12/24/2025

    Spike Cohen on Faith, “You Are the Power,” and a Georgia Family Cleared in Child Abuse Case

    In the final 2025 episode of The Chris Spangle Show, Spike Cohen shares how he became a Christian and what his first Christmas season in the faith has meant to him. Cohen explains the mission of You Are the Power, an advocacy group that pressures local and state officials to back off when families say they are being railroaded by government systems. The conversation focuses on the Hernandez family in Georgia, who faced felony child abuse charges and the loss of their children before being found not guilty and reunited. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 26m

  6. 12/06/2025

    HMP 12: Things We Didn’t Tell You in Season One

    Chris Spangle and Matt Wittlief open Season 2 with essential background for the late 1200s, tracing how the Holy Roman Empire’s electoral system emerged after the Carolingians, how the Great Interregnum unfolded and how the Habsburgs entered European politics. They also outline parallel developments in Wales, Scotland, the Low Countries, international trade, banking and the origins of English common law to set the stage for the reigns of Kings Edward I, II and III. Topics in this episode: Early imperial elections after Otto III and the king of the Romans title The Stauffers and the Welfs, plus the Ghibelline and Guelph factions Frederick II’s deposition in 1245, William of Holland and the Great Interregnum The seven prince electors and the contested 1254 election between Richard of Cornwall and Alfonso II of Castile Rudolf of Habsburg’s election in 1273, later Habsburg influence and Albert’s election in 1298 Wales from Offa’s Dyke to Gruffudd ap Llywelyn, Llywelyn the Great and the Marcher lords Scotland from the Picts and Gaels to Malcolm III, the Dunkeld line and the Treaty of York in 1237 Norway’s role in northern politics, including control of the Hebrides, Orkney and Shetland The Low Countries, the county of Flanders, English wool and the trade cities of Bruges and Ghent The Champagne fairs, the growth of Italian merchant banking and the Knights Templar’s financial system The position of Jews in medieval Europe, including moneylending, Aaron of Lincoln, the York massacre and the 1255 Lincoln accusation The rise of universities in Bologna, Paris and Oxford and the development of English common law through writs, precedent and administrative expansion under Edward I Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    55 min

  7. 11/24/2025

    History of Modern Politics is Back! An Update from Matt and Chris

    Chris Spangle and Matt Wittlief reunite to bring back History of Modern Politics after a long hiatus. In this episode, they explain why the show is returning, how seasons two and three are already underway, and what listeners can expect as they continue tracing political thought from the Roman Republic to the American founding. Chris and Matt share behind-the-scenes updates on research, writing, episode structure, and how their work connects ancient history to today’s political shifts. They also discuss season one, the path ahead through the Middle Ages and the Glorious Revolution, and their plans to cover the first American political systems in future seasons. Subscribe to the History of Modern Politics feed - ⁠https://link.chtbl.com/history-of-modern-politics⁠ Join the Substack - ⁠https://www.historyofmodernpolitics.com/⁠ Subscribe on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@historyofmodernpolitics5701⁠https://www.youtube.com/@historyofmodernpolitics5701⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    20 min

  8. 10/29/2025

    The promise of a conservative Gen Z, cultural chaos, and the centralization of power in the executive branch

    Join Chris Spangle, Harry Price, and Rhinehold for an unfiltered conversation exploring everything from tech “enshittification” and the work-from-home debate to the dangers of centralized government power. The trio examines how political and cultural tension mirror the post-COVID era, why Gen Z’s values echo past generations, and what the “success sequence” reveals about personal responsibility. Chris closes with a passionate critique of executive overreach, historic preservation, and America’s fading respect for the rule of law. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1h 29m
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4.3
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435 Ratings

About

The Chris Spangle Show helps you make sense of current events, politics, and culture through the lenses of Christian faith and libertarian principles. With sharp analysis, historical insight, and relatable conversations, Chris offers clarity in chaos - encouraging personal responsibility, civic action, and thoughtful engagement with the world around us. Rejecting tribalism and top-down control, the show challenges you to lead with conviction, serve others, and live out the values that sustain a free and thriving society. Join us to defend liberty, strengthen your community, and renew culture - one conversation at a time.

Information

  • Channel
    We Are Libertarians
  • Creator
    We Are Libertarians
  • Years Active
    2012 - 2026
  • Episodes
    770
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Creative Commons, Attribution

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