Podcast · 67 episodes
The David Frum Show, page 3
by The Atlantic · English
To defend democracy, one has to believe in it. To believe in democracy, one has to understand it. Where it came from. How it works. What’s true. What’s not. What others did before you. How it could be better. How to make a difference. Each week, The David Frum Show digs deep into the big questions people have about our society, explains the progress Americans have made together, and reminds us that the American idea is worth defending.
All episodes, page 3
MAGA Has Repulsed Young WomenThe episode argues that the 2025 off-year elections revealed a widening gender gap, especially among voters under 30, with young women overwhelmingly supporting Democratic candidates while young men…12 Nov 2025 · 1 h 3 min · 18 chapters
America on the Brink of War With VenezuelaThe episode discusses whether the U.S. is on the verge of war with Venezuela, framed around a Caribbean naval buildup and alleged “narco-trafficker” boats being destroyed, and what outcomes…5 Nov 2025 · 1 h 2 min · 24 chapters
Would U.S. Generals Obey Illegal Trump Orders?The episode debates whether U.S. generals and other senior military leaders would obey illegal orders from a hypothetical malign president, and how civil-military relations could break down as the…29 Oct 2025 · 1 h · 17 chapters
The Triumphs and Tragedies of the American RevolutionThe episode discusses Ken Burns’s American Revolution series and argues that the Revolution is best understood as “complicated,” containing both triumphalist and tragic elements, with lasting…22 Oct 2025 · 1 h 3 min · 14 chapters
When Conservatism Meant FreedomThe episode mixes two segments: (1) David Frum’s analysis of a U.S.15 Oct 2025 · 1 h 1 min · 21 chapters
Bring Back High-Stakes School TestingThe episode argues that U.S. student achievement has declined since the early 2010s (before COVID) and that “high-stakes” standardized testing is the most reliable way to diagnose problems and…8 Oct 2025 · 54 min · 16 chapters
The Rise of TechnofascistsThe episode argues that modern digital technology has shifted from an “emancipatory” 1990s vision toward surveillance, manipulation, and authoritarian politics (“technofascists”).1 Oct 2025 · 1 h · 22 chapters
Why Assassinations Shaped the 1960s and Haunt Us AgainHow the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. (1968), Robert F.24 Sep 2025 · 1 h · 27 chapters
The Preventable Return of Deadly DiseasesThe episode argues that deadly infectious diseases are “preventable” but can return when vaccine trust collapses and public-health institutions are politicized.17 Sep 2025 · 59 min · 16 chapters
Trump Invades Blue AmericaThe episode argues that the Trump administration is expanding militarized policing in “Blue America,” especially via National Guard and federal agents in Washington, D.C.10 Sep 2025 · 1 h 1 min · 25 chapters
The Fight for TruthThe “fight for truth” in an era of disinformation and institutional erosion, framed through Jonathan Rauch’s 2021 book The Constitution of Knowledge—how societies settle disagreements about reality…3 Sep 2025 · 53 min · 20 chapters
Why America Isn’t Rome (And Why That Matters)The episode argues that abundant information online doesn’t produce better thinking; instead, people often choose bad information, especially in debates about history.27 Aug 2025 · 56 min · 25 chapters
How ICE Became Trump’s Secret ArmyThe episode argues that the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown is being enabled by a massive, fast-growing enforcement infrastructure—especially ICE—funded by a large 2025 immigration bill,…20 Aug 2025 · 57 min · 28 chapters
Why Housing Feels HopelessThe state of the U.S. housing market and why it feels “hopeless,” focusing on softening prices, low sales volume, rate-locked inventory, and generational affordability.13 Aug 2025 · 43 min · 17 chapters
Ukraine Won’t SurrenderThe episode argues that Ukraine is not “surrendering,” despite shifting U.S. policy and battlefield setbacks.6 Aug 2025 · 54 min · 22 chapters
Trump’s Tariff DisasterThe episode argues that Trump’s tariff program is economically harmful and politically motivated, functioning as a regressive tax on ordinary consumers while failing to boost manufacturing, exports,…30 Jul 2025 · 56 min · 18 chapters
The Fight for the Political CenterThe episode argues that American politics is being pulled toward extremes (far left and far right) while the Democratic “center” retreats, and it connects that polarization to incentives from social…23 Jul 2025 · 51 min · 23 chapters
The Wrecking of the FBIThe “wrecking” of the FBI in the second Trump term, focusing on how leadership pressure, purges, and shifting priorities are weakening counterterrorism and counterintelligence, with a major backdrop…16 Jul 2025 · 1 h 1 min · 21 chapters
The Courts Won’t Save Democracy From TrumpDavid Frum and George Conway discuss how the U.S. federal courts and rule-of-law institutions are struggling to check Donald Trump, arguing courts can’t “save democracy” when enforcement depends on…9 Jul 2025 · 52 min · 18 chapters