Topic: Conservative Movement

Conservative icon Phyllis Schlafly died at age 92, leaving a legacy defined by her successful campaign to stop the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Schlafly argued that the ERA would actually disadvantage women by subjecting them to the military draft and eliminating legal protections based on gender differences. Despite being a polarizing figure, she is credited with mobilizing the grassroots conservative movement that reshaped the Republican Party.

A 1996 memo by advisor Samuel Francis to Pat Buchanan is analyzed for its accurate prediction of the rise of Trump-style populism. The essay describes a "middle American" demographic suffering from economic decline and social alienation that the conservative elite ignored. The hosts discuss how Trump's platform addresses these long-standing grievances regarding trade, immigration, and the "free lunch economy" of Washington D.C.