The MiddleGround Mic

Joseph Steagall
  • 5.0 (280)
  • Politics
  • Updated Semiweekly

The MiddleGround Mic is a centrist politics and news commentary podcast for independent voters, moderates, and anyone tired of partisan talking points. Hosted by Joseph Steagall, the show covers elections, foreign policy, Michigan and Detroit local politics, media accountability, and the economy — grounded in verifiable receipts instead of tribal loyalty. No Left. No Right. Forward.Ranked Top 30 in Politics (June 2026) with more than 1.3 million downloads, the show brings bipartisan analysis and long-form interviews with journalists, policymakers, foreign policy experts, candidates, and everyday people — not scripted talking heads. Recent conversations have covered Iran's nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz, the Wayne County SMART bus millage, media trust and investigative journalism, election law and ballot access, and the collapse of institutional trust in America.Being centrist isn't fence-sitting. It's refusing to hand either party a free pass, and having the spine to say what the loudest voices on both ends won't. If you're an independent, a moderate, or just exhausted by the screaming, this is politics without the team jersey.Watch full video episodes on YouTube and Spotify. Support the show at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/tmgm. Subscribe, follow, and leave a rating — it's the biggest way new listeners find the show. No sacred cows protected. No side gets a free pass.

  1. Aug 10

    How Companies Use AI to Replace Workers | Danny Carpio

    Is your corporate career actually risk-free, or are you sitting on an unseen risk transfer?In this episode of The MiddleGround Mic, host Joe sits down with organizational architect and author Danny Carpio to dissect the structural changes hitting the modern workforce. We break down the reality of "corporate labor arbitrage," how companies are actively training AI platforms on human labor to scale down their employee overhead, and why the traditional 40-year corporate playbook is fundamentally broken. Danny shares the core operational architecture from his book, The Unfirm, detailing how high-agency operators can reclaim their operating leverage, maximize their return on time, and build independent, anti-fragile business models in a permanently volatile market. Get Danny Carpio's book "The Unfirm" and review his frameworks here: https://unfirm.comConnect with MiddleGround Media Network for unscripted, non-partisan data analysis and long-form investigative interviews: joe@themiddlegroundmic.com

    How Companies Use AI to Replace Workers | Danny Carpio

  2. Aug 8

    Iran's Nuclear Countdown: The Canceled Strike | Ron Bee

    On August 1st, President Trump called off what was set to be one of the largest military strikes in the Middle East. Why did he call it off, and how close was Iran to actually deploying a nuclear weapon.Today, foreign policy expert Ron Bee joins Joseph on The MiddleGround Mic to pull back the curtain on the geopolitical chess match happening behind closed doorsKey Topics Covered:• The Secret Pressure: Why Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar asked the U.S. to hold back.• The 7-Day Window: Inside the intelligence that triggered Operation Midnight Hammer and the B-2 bomber strikes.• China’s Hidden Role: Reports of 400 handheld missiles smuggled through Pakistan.• The Economic Stranglehold: How the blockade on Iran’s $400M daily oil revenue changes the equation.• The Border Ripple Effect: How European energy demands are driving crisis events across North Africa.About the Guest:Ron Bee is a leading foreign policy expert and author specializing in international security, nuclear non-proliferation, and Middle Eastern relations.Connect with The MiddleGround Mic:Follow the show for grounded, balanced commentary on national and global affairs.

    Iran's Nuclear Countdown: The Canceled Strike | Ron Bee

  3. Aug 5

    Inside 60 Minutes: The Iraq War Lie | Amjad Tadros

    In this investigative journalism episode of The MiddleGround Mic, 33-year senior CBS News and 60 Minutes Middle East producer Amjad Tadros pulls back the curtain to reveal the incredible stories viewers never saw on television. Amjad spent four years hunting “Curveball,” the Iraqi defector whose fabricated WMD claims became a key part of the case for the 2003 Iraq War. He located Osama bin Laden’s former bodyguard in Yemen over trips to KFC, helped expose Abu Ghraib, and survived a U.S. cruise missile strike in Baghdad before receiving a hospital visit from Saddam Hussein himself. He also explains why the aftermath of regime change in Iraq should serve as a warning when discussing Iran today, what Western audiences misunderstand about the Middle East, how warfare is changing through technology, and what three decades inside CBS taught him about today’s collapse in media trust. His message about modern journalism is simple: credibility is your only capital. Once you lose it, you’re done.Amjad Tadros is the author of The Fixer: A Journalist’s Accidental Journey Through the Middle East.📘 Get The Fixer: https://amjadtadros.com☕ Buy me a cup of Coffee to keep powering the show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/tmgmCHAPTERS0:00 Curveball: The WMD Source Behind the Iraq War1:33 What a 60 Minutes “Fixer” Actually Does5:53 Finding Bin Laden’s Bodyguard9:04 The 4-Year Hunt for “Curveball”11:16 What Americans Get Wrong About the Middle East16:10 Putting a Human Face on Terrorism19:25 How War Is Changing21:14 From Engineer to War-Zone Producer25:40 Why Yemen Matters26:43 “Fake News” and the Media Trust Crisis32:41 Abu Ghraib34:43 The Fixer🎙️ The MiddleGround MicNo Left. No Right. Forward. Follow the show and leave a rating — it’s one of the biggest ways you can help new listeners discover The MiddleGround Mic.

    Inside 60 Minutes: The Iraq War Lie | Amjad Tadros

  4. Jul 27 ·  Video

    Why Men Over 40 Feel Tired and Foggy: Low Testosterone

    Many men reach their forties and begin feeling tired, foggy, unmotivated, overweight, or simply unlike themselves. Because the change happens gradually, they often accept it as an unavoidable part of getting older.Kevin Dahlstrom, founder and CEO of Bolt Health, joins Joe to explain why these symptoms deserve a closer look. Kevin describes building a successful corporate career while feeling miserable internally, walking away to rebuild his life around rock climbing and health, and eventually discovering that low testosterone was affecting how he felt and performed.Kevin explains the common symptoms of low testosterone, why standard laboratory ranges may not tell the entire story, and why comprehensive blood testing can give men a clearer picture of their health.The conversation also covers testosterone stigma, Bolt Health’s microdosing approach, the difference between sick care and health optimization, and the difficult first step of admitting that something may be wrong. • Why successful men can still feel miserable internally• Kevin’s corporate career and life-changing move to Colorado• Common symptoms associated with low testosterone• Why men gradually accept low energy as normal• “Normal” testosterone results versus optimal health• Comprehensive blood testing and knowing your numbers• The free testosterone questionnaire at yourtscore.com• Why Kevin founded Bolt Health• Testosterone microdosing and personalized treatment• The stigma connecting testosterone with bodybuilding• Sick care versus preventative health optimization• Why getting tested is often the hardest step• Defining your ideal life and moving toward it 00:00 Men Forget What Feeling Great Feels Like01:23 Meet Kevin Dahlstrom02:35 Success, Rock Climbing, and Starting Over05:51 The Symptoms Men Learn to Accept09:41 “Normal” Results vs. Optimal Health15:15 The Free Testosterone Questionnaire17:25 Why Kevin Founded Bolt Health20:17 A Responsible Approach to Testosterone29:31 Sick Care vs. Health Optimization33:34 The Hardest Step: Getting Tested36:10 Building Your Best Life Kevin Dahlstrom is the founder and CEO of Bolt Health. He is a four-time founder, former chief marketing officer at three public companies, angel investor, and lifelong rock climber.After experiencing symptoms of low testosterone in his late forties, Kevin began researching men’s hormone health and eventually created the men’s health service he wanted as a patient. This episode is provided for general informational purposes and is not medical advice. Speak with a qualified healthcare professional before beginning, stopping, or changing any medical treatment. Support the show

    Why Men Over 40 Feel Tired and Foggy: Low Testosterone

  5. Jun 26 ·  Video

    Cancel Culture Has No Sentence | Tim Kelley

    What happens when someone gets canceled — and there’s no way back?Tim Kelley — MIT alumnus, former Navy commanding officer, global leadership advisor, and founder of canceledleader.com — joins The MiddleGround Mic to make the case that cancel culture’s real crisis is not the cancellation itself. It is the complete absence of any defined path to re-entry.Tim and Joe cover why Kevin Spacey’s full exoneration in court bought him nothing in Hollywood, what happened to Puerto Rico Governor Ricky Rosselló when a manipulated chat log went viral before anyone checked the facts, why being innocent does not protect you when it becomes a competition of narratives, and what a real “uncanceled” system would actually look like.If you believe in the political middle — that most people want accountability without permanent exile — this conversation is for you.canceledleader.com | The MiddleGround Mic---CHAPTERS(00:00) Tim Kelley: MIT, Navy, and the Change Agent Mindset(02:15) Cancel Culture’s Real Problem: No Sentence, No Re-Entry(06:45) Kevin Spacey — Exonerated in Court, Still Exiled in Hollywood(10:30) Ricky Rosselló — When a Manipulated Chat Log Ends a Career(13:45) The Trauma of Ostracism: Why Being Canceled Hits Like Physical Pain(20:00) False Accusers and the Accountability Gap(27:30) Who Tim Works With — and Who He Doesn’t(35:00) The Political Middle: Centrism Isn’t Standing for Nothing(43:00) How to Actually Help Someone Who’s Been Canceled(46:40) Find Tim: canceledleader.com---GUESTTim Kelley is a leadership advisor, MIT alumnus, former Navy commanding officer, and founder of canceledleader.com. Tim has spent decades coaching leaders, executives, and public figures through career crises and is one of the leading voices on structured re-entry after cancellation.Website: canceledleader.com Support the show

    Cancel Culture Has No Sentence | Tim Kelley

  6. Jun 24

    Digital Detox and AI Dependency | Colin Corby

    Digital detox expert Colin Corby joins The MiddleGround Mic to talk about digital detox, AI dependency, smartphone habits, burnout, and how to get control back from technology without throwing your phone away. Learn more about Colin Corby and his digital detox resources at thedigitaldetoxcoach.com. Colin is the founder of Technology Wellbeing Limited and creator of The Digital Detox Coach. In this conversation, he explains why digital detox can be as simple as short offline breaks, why phones keep us from fully resting, how AI can make people dependent, and why being present is becoming harder in an always-connected world. Joe and Colin also discuss phone addiction, screen time, kids and technology, loneliness, AI companions, and practical steps like the “Just One Thing” challenge and avoiding scrolling for the first 45 minutes of the day. Learn more about Colin at thedigitaldetoxcoach.com. CHAPTERS 00:00 — Intro: Digital Detox and AI Dependency01:25 — What Digital Detox Actually Means04:16 — Why Phones Keep Us From Resting05:44 — Being Present With People Again07:32 — The Attention Business Model11:23 — What Tech Insiders Understand12:09 — AI Detox and Outsourcing Your Skills14:40 — Why AI Dependency Matters19:48 — Warning Signs of Digital Burnout22:11 — The Phone Test With Friends and Family24:56 — The Just One Thing Challenge27:09 — Stress, Burnout, and the Tipping Point30:01 — Why Environment Changes Habits32:40 — Accountability and Changing Habits33:12 — Loneliness, Technology, and AI Companions36:33 — Small Steps and the Marathon Mindset40:42 — Kids Growing Up With Smartphones43:54 — AI at Work and Why People Still Matter47:51 — When Mistakes Live Online Forever50:35 — Parents Have to Set the Example54:51 — Where to Find Colin Corby57:12 — The Five Day Digital Reset58:13 — Final Takeaway: You’re Not Weak, You’re Outgunned Support the show

    Digital Detox and AI Dependency | Colin Corby

  7. Jun 22 ·  Video

    Wayne County SMART Bus Tax: $570M Millage Fight Explained

    Wayne County voters will decide on the August 4 SMART bus millage, a public transportation proposal tied to SMART bus service, the Wayne County Transit Authority, and former opt-out communities. Matt Wilk and Patty Pozios from Not SMART Wayne join Joe Steagall to explain why their group opposes what they call a new $570 million SMART bus tax after House Bill 6088 changed the opt-out system in Wayne County. This episode covers the Wayne County SMART bus tax fight, the Wayne County SMART millage, local control, Detroit and DDOT, Livonia, Plymouth, Northville, Canton, Van Buren, Downriver, fare revenue, taxpayer subsidy, senior transportation, ballot language, and where voters can check the receipts before the August 4 ballot. Matt and Patty argue that Wayne County voters need to understand what changed before this proposal reached the ballot. They say communities that had the ability to opt out of SMART for decades lost that local control after House Bill 6088, and they believe many voters are being sold a softened version of the cost, the service guarantees, and the financial reality behind the system. The conversation covers Not SMART Wayne’s claims about 3% fare revenue, 97% taxpayer subsidy, 3.88 riders per bus, a $570 million Wayne County cost, senior transportation, existing local transit programs, broken promises from Oakland County, pension and legal liability concerns, and why opponents believe the word “replacement” in the ballot language deserves a much closer look. This is not about telling voters what to think. It is about understanding what is on the ballot, what changed with opt-out communities, what the opposition is claiming, and where Wayne County voters can verify the information before they vote. In this episode: What is the Wayne County SMART bus tax?What is the Wayne County SMART millage on the August 4 ballot?Why Not SMART Wayne calls it a new SMART bus taxHow House Bill 6088 changed opt-out communitiesWhy local control is central to the opposition argumentWhat Detroit, DDOT, Livonia, Plymouth, Northville, Canton, Van Buren, and Downriver have to do with the issueWhy opponents focus on the $570 million Wayne County costThe “only $8/month” framing and why opponents reject itThe 3% fare revenue and 97% taxpayer subsidy claimThe 3.88 riders-per-bus claimWhether the proposal changes existing senior transportationWhat “replacement” means in the ballot languageWhere voters can check Not SMART Wayne’s receiptsChapters: 00:00 — Cold open: 3% fares and 97% taxpayer subsidy01:12 — Matt Wilk and Patty Pozios introduce Not SMART Wayne02:21 — What changed with House Bill 608806:59 — Why local control and opt-out communities mattered08:36 — What the Wayne County SMART millage could cost11:53 — Why Not SMART Wayne says $570 million is only Wayne County’s portion12:27 — Fare revenue, taxpayer subsidy, and SMART’s financial picture16:56 — The 3.88 riders-per-bus claim18:42 — Traffic, roads, bus weight, and emissions21:29 — Senior transportation and existing local programs25:48 — Ballot language and the word “replacement”30:51 — Patty reads the ballot language33:37 — Pension hole, legal costs, and financial concerns37:23 — Broken promises and Oakland County’s 2022 transit plan43:56 — Government efficiency and the economic argument47:45 — Where voters can check the receipts55:32 — Closing statements and August voting information Guests: Matt WilkNot SMART Wayne Patty PoziosNot SMART Wayne Website:NotSmartWayne.org Support the show

    Wayne County SMART Bus Tax: $570M Millage Fight Explained

  8. Jun 1 ·  Video

    Beyond Burnout: Finding Purpose After 40 | Dr. Kyle Hulsebus

    Are you constantly exhausted, stressed, and feeling like you're just going through the motions?The wellness industry will sell you a thousand ways to “manage your stress,” but my guest today argues they may be treating the wrong disease.Dr. Kyle Hulsebus joins The MiddleGround Mic to deliver a grounded, no-BS diagnosis for modern burnout: what if the problem is not just overwork, but a loss of purpose, direction, and connection?GUEST LINKS:Dr. Kyle Hulsebus / 40 Over 40:https://40over40.comFree resources mentioned in the episode:- 40 inspiring insights from 40 individuals- 7 signs that you are living off purposeDr. Kyle’s YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@DrKyleHulsebusIn this conversation, we dive into why a life driven only by duty can drain your soul, while a life guided by mission can have you working late into the night and waking up energized. We also get into phones, news overload, creating vs. consuming, life after 40, and why stress may be a signal that something deeper needs an adjustment.This is not just a wellness episode.This is a conversation about purpose, burnout, modern life, and what happens when your body, mind, and direction are no longer lined up.CHAPTERS:KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:- The critical difference between eustress, the kind of stress that builds you, and distress, the kind that breaks you down.- Why burnout may not always mean you are weak or lazy — it may mean something in your life is no longer aligned.- How phones, social media, and news overload can disconnect you from real life while pretending to keep you informed.- Why creating something can energize you while constant consumption drains you.- How your life experiences before 40 may be the foundation for your next chapter, not proof that you are behind.- A simple action you can take tonight: stop, breathe, and ask what you would love to be doing five years from now.CONNECT WITH THE MIDDLEGROUND MIC:Website:https://www.themiddlegroundmic.comNewsletter:https://www.themiddlegroundmic.com/newsletterThe MiddleGround MicNo Left. No Right. Forward.Check out our links below all support is appreciated!  Support the show

    Beyond Burnout: Finding Purpose After 40 | Dr. Kyle Hulsebus
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5
out of 5
280 Ratings

About

The MiddleGround Mic is a centrist politics and news commentary podcast for independent voters, moderates, and anyone tired of partisan talking points. Hosted by Joseph Steagall, the show covers elections, foreign policy, Michigan and Detroit local politics, media accountability, and the economy — grounded in verifiable receipts instead of tribal loyalty. No Left. No Right. Forward.Ranked Top 30 in Politics (June 2026) with more than 1.3 million downloads, the show brings bipartisan analysis and long-form interviews with journalists, policymakers, foreign policy experts, candidates, and everyday people — not scripted talking heads. Recent conversations have covered Iran's nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz, the Wayne County SMART bus millage, media trust and investigative journalism, election law and ballot access, and the collapse of institutional trust in America.Being centrist isn't fence-sitting. It's refusing to hand either party a free pass, and having the spine to say what the loudest voices on both ends won't. If you're an independent, a moderate, or just exhausted by the screaming, this is politics without the team jersey.Watch full video episodes on YouTube and Spotify. Support the show at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/tmgm. Subscribe, follow, and leave a rating — it's the biggest way new listeners find the show. No sacred cows protected. No side gets a free pass.

Information

  • Creator
    Joseph Steagall
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    218
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The MiddleGround Mic
  • Show Website
    The MiddleGround Mic