Are We a Free Society or a Compliant Society

On Friday, May 27, 2022, Kim Monson explores the vital question of whether America remains a free society or has become a compliant one. Author Allen Thomas joins in-studio to discuss constitutional principles and states’ rights, while rebroadcasts feature Dr. Victor Davis Hanson on political realignment and Lauren Fix on the energy crisis devastating American families.

States’ Rights and Constitutional Principles

Start listening at 00:36 – Hour 1

Allen Thomas breaks down the founding principles that shaped American federalism, drawing on his viral essay “The Ultimate Rivalry: States’ Rights vs. the Federal Government.” The piece, based on the Federalist Papers, reached nearly 31,000 people on Facebook, demonstrating widespread hunger for understanding constitutional governance. Thomas explains why the founders reserved virtuous and moral questions to state legislatures rather than federal bureaucrats.

The conversation turns to Roe v. Wade and the Supreme Court leak, with Thomas arguing that media use of “overturn” misrepresents what is actually a return of authority to the states. He emphasizes that conservatives must stop being “anti-something” and instead advocate positively for states’ rights and proper constitutional limits on federal power.

“Once I cross that line, once I justify that, it’s so much easier to cross the line again and again and again. And you, you start moving the goalpost.”

Allen Thomas, Author

The Philosophy of Do Not Cross the Line

Start listening at 29:23 – Hour 1

Allen Thomas previews his new essay “Do Not Cross the Line,” inspired by a scene in The Batman where the hero refuses to kill despite having justification. Thomas argues this commitment to principle, even when emotions demand otherwise, represents essential self-restraint that citizens and politicians alike must exercise. He criticizes Republicans who weaponize government against opponents, warning that once conservatives justify such tactics, progressives gain license to do the same.

Thomas warns against a proposed “Women’s Bill of Rights” at the federal level, arguing that even well-intentioned federal intervention on moral questions violates constitutional principles. The founders believed virtue should be legislated locally, allowing citizens to vote with their feet when states adopt policies they oppose.

“It might boil down to the virtue of self-restraint, right? And restraining yourself from doing or saying things that you want to. And, you know, the founding fathers, another big idea that they always pushed was this idea of passion versus reason.”

Allen Thomas, Author

The Reset of the Great Reset

Start listening at 55:45 – Hour 2

Dr. Victor Davis Hanson analyzes the political backlash building against progressive overreach. The Hoover Institution fellow argues that Democratic primary debates provided ample warning of radical policies from open borders to canceling Keystone, yet COVID trauma and media attacks on Trump obscured these signals. He predicts historic Republican gains if voters mobilize for the midterms.

Hanson observes that working-class concerns about inflation, formula shortages, and $7-per-gallon diesel fuel transcend political labels. The Democratic Party, he argues, has been captured by radicals incapable of compromise on immigration, energy, or abortion. Meanwhile, traditional Republican moderates who opposed Trump despite his policy victories have lost credibility with voters facing existential economic pressures.

“I can’t afford to live. I can’t afford rent. This is not political anymore. This is existential.”

Dr. Victor Davis Hanson, Hoover Institution Fellow

Energy Crisis and Consumer Impact

Start listening at 86:45 – Hour 2

Lauren Fix, known as the Car Coach, exposes the disconnect between administration rhetoric and consumer reality. She documents $7 per gallon gas in California and explains how eleven new regulations and fees make oil and gas drilling nearly impossible, despite claims that industry lacks interest. Fix challenges the narrative that Russia caused the energy crisis, noting America exported natural gas under the previous administration.

The automotive expert traces how fuel costs cascade through the entire economy, from Amazon deliveries to lawn care services adding gas surcharges. She criticizes inflation calculations that exclude food and automotive costs, the two categories hitting families hardest. Fix urges citizens to contact elected officials and vote based on pocketbook realities.

“I don’t think we get upset until it impacts us at home. And I think we’re there now.”

Lauren Fix, The Car Coach