Political scientist Dr. Michael Bailey leads this episode of American Angst 101 with a sweeping exploration of how the United States’ founding-era vision of a liberal federal government—meaning one grounded in Enlightenment ideas of individual rights, consent of the governed, and limited purposes for government—continues to shape modern politics. Bailey explains that, unlike the states of the era, which often enforced religious and moral norms, the federal Constitution was deliberately secular, avoiding endorsement of a religion or aristocracy and focusing on protecting rights and promoting shared interests. He traces the nation’s evolution from this mixed system toward a more pluralistic society, highlighting how the Democratic Party’s liberal roots emphasize personal autonomy yet leave it ill-equipped to address Americans’ desire for shared cultural values. Along the way, Bailey contrasts this with conservative visions of moral cohesion, examines MAGA-era counter-revolutionary impulses, and questions whether Democrats can effectively defend pluralism without a stronger cultural framework. Host Dale McConkey keeps the conversation lively with humor, pop culture detours, and a lighthearted celebrity Democrat game show.

The views expressed on American Angst 101 are solely those of the participants and do not represent any organization.