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Dad Saves America

Dad Saves America

John Papola 222 Episodes Aug 22, 2026

Dad Saves America is a podcast hosted by John Papola, a filmmaker, entrepreneur, and self-described arm-chair philosopher. Through the lens of fatherhood, he explores the biggest issues facing the United States each week with exclusive interviews and deep dives. The show aims to help raise the next generation of Americans to thrive in a free society and become champions of civilization. Guests have included Jonathan Haidt, Dr. Drew, Michael Shellenberger, Bret Weinstein, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Adam Carolla.

Episodes

The Jason Arday Scandal Is White Guilt on Steroids
The Jason Arday Scandal Is White Guilt on Steroids Aug 22, 2026 5279 Last week, Cambridge’s youngest ever black full professor was found dead, days after resigning under investigation for plagiarism and his fabricated life story. Jason Arday claimed to have run 600 miles in six days, couldn't speak until age 11, and still earned a PhD by 30. When the scrutiny finally caught up with him, Amnesty International's response was to call for censorship.Meanwhile, MIT's bl
Can the West Survive Its Crisis of Faith? - Os Guinness
Can the West Survive Its Crisis of Faith? - Os Guinness Aug 20, 2026 7009 I sat down with Os Guinness, author of “Our Civilizational Moment,” to discuss how the West has become a “cut flower” civilization. Os argues that the slow secularization of the West has left its freedom, virtue, and sense of meaning disconnected from the foundation that sustained them for centuries.We get into:* Growing up in China during WWII and the rise of Mao* Why the West is a “cut flower ci
America Feels Like It’s Falling Apart. We Can Still Save It. - 500K Subscriber Special
America Feels Like It’s Falling Apart. We Can Still Save It. - 500K Subscriber Special Aug 15, 2026 4690 Thank you to all 500K+ subscribers to Dad Saves America!This show began in response to the mental health crisis I saw emerging among my son’s peers. Then COVID lockdowns hit and turned my worst-case predictions into reality. Now, socialism is sweeping the Democratic Party and young women are marching in support of Hamas, all while social media continues to poison the minds of our kids.As I like to
We Stopped Disciplining Kids. Now They’re Destroying Civilization. - Katharine Birbalsingh
We Stopped Disciplining Kids. Now They’re Destroying Civilization. - Katharine Birbalsingh Aug 14, 2026 7806 I sat down with Katharine Birbalsingh, headmistress of Michaela Community School and the UK’s most outspoken voice on education, to mark the launch of our new YouTube collaboration, Strictly Education. Katharine runs one of the strictest schools in the UK, for mostly disadvantaged students from immigrant families, and gets some of the best results in the country. Her solution to the failure of mod
The Democratic Socialists Have a Working Class Problem
The Democratic Socialists Have a Working Class Problem Aug 7, 2026 3960 Socialist Abdul El-Sayed just won Michigan's Democratic Senate primary, but the exit polls tell the real story. He dominated in college towns and lost badly in the working class neighborhoods he claims to represent. The same pattern played out in Zohran Mamdani's election.The socialists calling themselves the voice of the working class have never done a day of physical labor in their lives. The wo
The Manosphere Is Only a Half-Answer for Young Men - Nick Freitas
The Manosphere Is Only a Half-Answer for Young Men - Nick Freitas Aug 6, 2026 8144 I sat down with Nick Freitas, veteran, fellow podcaster, and author of “The Manbook,” to talk about what it actually means to be a man in the aftermath of the woke revolution. In recent years, manosphere figures like Andrew Tate have arisen as an answer for young men who feel cast out at school, at work, and in mainstream culture. Their message takes legitimate grievances and points them in unheal
“I Plead the Fifth”: How Fauci’s Lies Destroyed the Expert Class
“I Plead the Fifth”: How Fauci’s Lies Destroyed the Expert Class Jul 31, 2026 3024 Rand Paul just released Dr. Anthony Fauci's personal diary, more than 1,100 pages stored on government servers, and then made him answer for it before the Senate. Fauci’s response to almost every question was the same. He pleaded the Fifth, over and over again.But the real story isn’t the diary. It’s what Fauci represents. From funding offshore gain-of-function research, to soliciting cash prizes
Why Harvard Loses in the New College Rankings - Prof. Kevin Wallsten
Why Harvard Loses in the New College Rankings - Prof. Kevin Wallsten Jul 30, 2026 8632 I sat down with political scientist Kevin Wallsten to discuss his project building a new college ranking system from scratch. The standard metrics of acceptance rate, endowment size, and name recognition fail to address rising concerns about ideological bias and campus culture. With activism replacing the pursuit of truth throughout higher education, here’s what parents should know before sending
Nolan’s Odyssey: Woke Disaster or Western Classic?
Nolan’s Odyssey: Woke Disaster or Western Classic? Jul 24, 2026 4136 Christopher Nolan's “The Odyssey” opened last weekend and sent Homer's 2,800-year-old poem back up the bestseller charts. It also became the most fought-over movie in recent memory, with accusations of woke casting and the "1619 Project” treatment of the Western canon.I decided to see the movie opening weekend. Some of the criticism lands. Some of it falls apart the moment the film starts. The rea
America Cut Off Its Christian Roots. Now It’s in Crisis. - Eric Metaxas
America Cut Off Its Christian Roots. Now It’s in Crisis. - Eric Metaxas Jul 23, 2026 4342 I sat down with bestselling author Eric Metaxas to discuss the Christian roots of America and what happens to our freedom if we forget them. His new book, “Revolution,” tells the story of the founding and the values that make America exceptional.We get into:* How the founders’ religious beliefs shaped the Revolution* The paradox of freedom and faith* Why the French Revolution ended in a bloodbath
Everyone Hates AI Data Centers. Here's Why They're (Mostly) Wrong.
Everyone Hates AI Data Centers. Here's Why They're (Mostly) Wrong. Jul 18, 2026 4181 New York just became the first state to halt new AI data center construction. Bernie Sanders and AOC want to take that policy national, and 63% of Americans agree with them across party lines. This has become the one truly bipartisan issue in our politics, but bipartisan doesn't mean good.The concerns range from energy costs to water use to noise pollution. Some concerns are legitimate, some have
Marx Died a Loser. Lenin Made Him a Legend. - Phil Magness
Marx Died a Loser. Lenin Made Him a Legend. - Phil Magness Jul 16, 2026 8805 I sat down with economic historian Phil Magness to give Karl Marx the fairest hearing we could, and then find out how his ideas took over half the world and most of modern academia.We get into:* The historical context of Karl Marx’s writings* Why surplus value theory made intuitive sense and why it’s wrong* How the iPhone launch disproves Marx’s labor theory of value* The unlikely story of how Len

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