On this episode of The Daily Helping, we’re joined by Paul Johnson and Larry Aldrich, two accomplished leaders who have spent decades shaping policy and championing individual rights. Paul, former mayor of Phoenix and host of The Optimistic American podcast, brings deep experience from his roles in business, politics, and international development. Larry, a federal antitrust prosecutor and newspaper CEO, has long defended First Amendment rights and innovation in media. Together, they bring a unique, bipartisan lens to the question: Is America’s future as bright as its past?

As we reflect on their conversation, it’s clear how much negativity and fear dominate the news and our feeds, making it harder for people to feel empowered or hopeful about the future. Paul and Larry remind us that the founders built this country on the power and responsibility of individuals, not institutions, and that our national fabric is woven from courage, imagination, grit, generosity, and optimism. Through stories like Rosa Parks’s compassion and lessons from history, they show us that when we focus on agency and human connection, we not only enrich our own lives but also strengthen our communities.

The Biggest Helping: Today’s Most Important Takeaway

Paul Johnson:

The differences we had writing this book forced us to communicate, and there’s real joy in that. If you want to find purpose, it’s very hard to do that if you start from a pessimistic point of view. The goal is to find agency, and the good news is, you live in the greatest nation in history. Whatever you do, don’t exclude people from your life just because they don’t think like you. That’s a huge mistake.

Larry Aldrich:

The story of America wasn’t written by institutions—it was written by individuals. Look around your community and find places where you see courage, grit, generosity, and joy every day, because that’s where America shines and where its future lies.

--

Thank you for joining us on The Daily Helping with Dr. Shuster. Subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube to download more food for the brain, knowledge from the experts, and tools to win at life.

Resources:

• Read: What's Right with America: …And How We Can Keep It That Way!
• The Optimistic American Podcast
• The New Frontiers
• Larry Aldrich on LinkedIn
• Paul Johnson on LinkedIn

Produced by NOVA