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The MiddleGround Mic

The MiddleGround Mic is a centrist politics and news commentary podcast for independent voters, moderates, and anyone tired of partisan talking points. Hosted by Joseph Steagall, the show covers elections, foreign policy, Michigan and Detroit local politics, media accountability, and the economy — grounded in verifiable receipts instead of tribal loyalty. No Left. No Right. Forward.Ranked Top 30 in Politics (June 2026) with more than 1.3 million downloads, the show brings bipartisan analysis and long-form interviews with journalists, policymakers, foreign policy experts, candidates, and everyday people — not scripted talking heads. Recent conversations have covered Iran’s nuclear program and the Strait of Hormuz, the Wayne County SMART bus millage, media trust and investigative journalism, election law and ballot access, and the collapse of institutional trust in America.Being centrist isn’t fence-sitting. It’s refusing to hand either party a free pass, and having the spine to say what the loudest voices on both ends won’t. If you’re an independent, a moderate, or just exhausted by the screaming, this is politics without the team jersey.Watch full video episodes on YouTube and Spotify. Support the show at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/tmgm. Subscribe, follow, and leave a rating — it’s the biggest way new listeners find the show. No sacred cows protected. No side gets a free pass.

Latest Episodes:

What’s Really Happening With The Epstein List? Nov 17, 2025

Show notes

📩 Join the newsletter: tmgm.short.gy/aGNsm8
👉Episode Youtube: https://tmgm.short.gy/rLJZ59
🎧 Spotify full episode: tmgm.short.gy/GirEzG
📚 SOURCES: https://tmgm.short.gy/ihY0Zs
Michigan just approved new health and sex-ed standards—and the debate is exploding online. Here’s a balanced breakdown of what changed, what didn’t, and what Michigan parents actually need to know.
✔ Not mandates—guidelines
✔ Parents keep full opt-out rights
✔ Local school boards decide implementation
✔ New topics include gender identity, consent, and digital safety
✔ Real challenges like absenteeism & literacy remain
📩 Finding The Middle Blog Post:
➡️ Stay informed with fact-first Michigan coverage.
No Left. No Right. Forward.

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Michigan's New Health Education Standards Explained Nov 16, 2025

Show notes

📩 Join the newsletter: tmgm.short.gy/aGNsm8
👉Episode Youtube: https://tmgm.short.gy/rLJZ59
📚 SOURCES: https://tmgm.short.gy/ihY0Zs

Michigan just approved new health and sex-ed standards—and the debate is exploding online. Here’s a balanced breakdown of what changed, what didn’t, and what Michigan parents actually need to know.
NEW BLOG POST: https://tmgm.short.gy/reyBjo
✔ Not mandates—guidelines
✔ Parents keep full opt-out rights
✔ Local school boards decide implementation
✔ New topics include gender identity, consent, and digital safety
✔ Real challenges like absenteeism & literacy remain
📩 Finding The Middle Blog Post:
➡️ Stay informed with fact-first Michigan coverage.
No Left. No Right. Forward.

Support the show

A World on Edge: Russia, China & Venezuela - with Ron Bee Nov 15, 2025

Show notes

📬 Newsletter: https://tmgm.short.gy/aGNsm8
🎥 YouTube: https://tmgm.short.gy/rLJZ59

The world is shifting faster than ever.
In this episode, Joe Steagall and global affairs analyst Ronald J. Bee break down the biggest flashpoints shaping the next decade:

🇺🇦 Ukraine–Russia: Why it’s now a long war of attrition
🇨🇳 China: The silent superpower reshaping global influence
🇻🇪 Venezuela: A growing crisis with real U.S. national-security implications
💊 Drug Cartels: How cartels are destabilizing Latin America
🧠 Mental Health & Extremism: The roots of political violence
🇺🇸 Leadership & History: Lessons from Reagan, Trump & modern politics
🤝 Compromise: Why America can’t move forward without it

Ron Bee—who advises Oxford and Pentagon-level teams—offers unfiltered analysis on how today’s conflicts connect, and why the next decade will be shaped by decisions made right now.

Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Overview of Ukraine-Russia Conflict
03:01 Historical Context and Comparisons to Past Wars
05:58 The Role of China and Global Dynamics
08:41 Post-Putin Russia and Future Implications
11:49 Venezuela's Political Landscape and U.S. Involvement
14:38 The Impact of Drug Cartels and Military Presence
17:45 Mental Health and Political Violence
20:44 Reflections on Leadership and Historical Figures
23:27 Conclusion and Future Considerations

No Left. No Right. Forward.

This episode is brought to you by Brio.
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Use code MIDDLEGROUND for 10% off your order.

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Can Therapy Heal Political Divides in Families? Nov 12, 2025

Show notes

👉Sign up for the Newsletter:https://tmgm.short.gy/aGNsm8
👉Full Episode Spotify: https://tmgm.short.gy/GirEzG
💬 Watch to the end for Angela’s advice on restoring unity and Joe’s call for a “village mentality” that rebuilds trust across America.
Subscribe, comment your thoughts, and help us find The Middle Ground.
In this powerful episode of The MiddleGround Mic, host Joe Steagall sits down with Angela Caldwell, a licensed family therapist, to unpack how political polarization is reshaping families and communities.
They explore how therapy builds bridges between generations, how curiosity and tolerance can heal division, and why social media may be quietly driving disconnection among youth.
Timestamps / Chapters (YouTube Format)
00:00 The Importance of Family and Connection
03:03 Understanding Family Therapy
05:51 Politics and Community: Finding Common Ground
09:01 The Role of Humility in Political Discourse
11:58 Tolerating Differences in Relationships
14:58 The Impact of Political Divisions on Families
18:13 Teaching Respect and Tolerance
21:12 The Need for Compromise in Politics
23:50 Personal Experiences with Political Differences
26:58 The Power of Dialogue Across Divides
31:44 Reflections on Violence and Humanity
34:04 The Importance of Community and Shared Values
35:50 The Concept of the Village in Modern Society
38:28 The Impact of Social Media on Youth
42:17 Navigating Reality in the Digital Age
46:44 Curiosity and Understanding in Family Dynamics
#TheMiddleGroundMic #FamilyTherapy #PoliticalDivisions #CommunityHealing #Tolerance #Curiosity #Relationships #SocialMediaImpact #YouthMentalHealth #FindingTheMiddle

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Government Stopgap Deal Breakdown Nov 10, 2025

Show notes

👉Sign up for the Newsletter:https://tmgm.short.gy/aGNsm8
👉Episode Youtube: https://tmgm.short.gy/rLJZ59
👉Stop gap deal facts sheet: https://tmgm.short.gy/EoxUKs

Congress reached a deal: a funding stopgap through January 31 with back pay for federal workers and three full-year spending bills. But… who really moved the needle, and what does it mean for Michigan families, parks, and schools?

🔎 Episode covers:

What’s funded now vs. later
Who voted FOR and AGAINST the deal
What’s next in Congress
Impact on Michigan Head Start, SNAP, and tourism
FACT or FICTION (10 common claims about this deal)

🔁 Like what you hear? Subscribe and forward this to someone who relies on SNAP, teaches, or works for the federal government.

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Michigan’s Moment — Democracy, Dollars & Culture Nov 09, 2025

Show notes

🗳 Fact or Fiction Segment: 20 Michigan headlines tested for truth.
📩 Join the newsletter: tmgm.short.gy/aGNsm8
🎧 Spotify full episode: tmgm.short.gy/GirEzG
📚 Sources PDF: tmgm.short.gy/AcNe8t

This week in Michigan: massive protests, a fight over state incentives, and culture clashes that show who we’re becoming.
Joe Steagall brings the conversation back to the middle — where democracy, jobs, and values actually meet.

✅ Topics covered:
– “No Kings” protests across Michigan
– MEDC showdown and the future of state jobs
– Nurse strike in Flint and healthcare burnout
– Royal Oak student walkout vs free speech
– MSU bathroom debate and inclusion

We need to do better for our people.
Not everything needs to be government controlled.
We just need to be accountable with taxpayer money.
Incentivizing infrastructure is crucial for economic improvement.
We need to hold them accountable just like they hold the government accountable.
It needs to work both ways.
The common man and business interests must be balanced.
Government spending should focus on the needs of the people.
Accountability is key in using taxpayer money effectively.
Infrastructure improvements can lead to better job opportunities.

This episode is brought to you by Brio.
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Use code MIDDLEGROUND for 10% off your order.

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Support the show

Rick Lynch on Speechwriting, Words and Power Nov 07, 2025

Show notes

👉Sign up for the Newsletter:https://tmgm.short.gy/aGNsm8
👉Episode Youtube: https://tmgm.short.gy/rLJZ59

Rick Lynch has written speeches for national figures, sold stories to Hollywood, and published across 20+ newspapers. Now, after decades behind the scenes, he joins The MiddleGround Mic to talk about communication, truth, and how America can start talking again.

🎙️ Hosted by Joe Steagall | No Left. No Right. Forward.

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Suzanne Parry on Cold War Secrets and Shadow Wars Nov 05, 2025

Show notes

👉Sign up for the Newsletter:https://tmgm.short.gy/aGNsm8
👉Episode Youtube: https://tmgm.short.gy/rLJZ59
In this thought-provoking conversation, host Joe Steagall welcomes Suzanne Parry, a former U.S. arms control negotiator who helped shape the Gorbachev-era disarmament talks and now writes historical fiction that feels more relevant than ever.

Drawing on her novel The Communist’s Secret, Suzanne explores how Cold War ideology, misinformation, and power struggles echo through today’s headlines — from Russia’s war in Ukraine to Iran and Israel’s tense standoff.

Listeners will learn:

Why the Cold War never really ended — it just evolved
How authoritarian governments weaponize truth and media
What Suzanne’s firsthand experience at the Pentagon taught her about negotiating with the enemy
How fiction can preserve truth when facts are politicized

Whether you’re a history buff, policy junkie, or just someone trying to understand our world, this episode is for you.

Subscribe to The MiddleGround Mic and get our weekly newsletter at TheMiddleGroundMic.com/newsletter.

No Left. No Right. Forward.

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Zohran Mamdani: 20 + Pros & Cons – Fact vs Fiction Nov 03, 2025

Show notes

👉Sign up for the Newsletter:https://tmgm.short.gy/aGNsm8
👉Episode Youtube: https://tmgm.short.gy/rLJZ59

In this episode of The MiddleGround Mic, we pull back the curtain on Zohran Mamdani — his journey from Kampala to Queens, his mayoral campaign for New York City in 2025, and the claims both critics and backers are making about him IS Zohran Mamdani REALLY A COMMUNIST?

We walk through more than 20 major points — from his platform to endorsements to controversies — and label each one FACT or FICTION, always with sourced evidence. If you care about balanced, in-depth political commentary that avoids extremes and finds the middle ground, this is the episode for you.

🎙️ Visit themiddlegroundmic.com for full show-notes and sources.

#ZohranMamdani #NYC2025 #MiddleGroundMic #FactCheck

This episode is brought to you by Brio.
Most trimmers are built to fail after a year or two. Loose guards. Weak batteries. Uneven cuts. The Brio Beardscape V1 changes that completely with a ceramic blade system, powerful motor, long battery life, and the precision to hit the spots cheap trimmers always miss.

Use code MIDDLEGROUND for 10% off your order.

Brio Beardscape V1

Support the show

Michigan 2025 Election: What's on the Ballot Nov 02, 2025

Show notes

👉Sign up for the Newsletter:https://tmgm.short.gy/aGNsm8
👉Episode Youtube: https://tmgm.short.gy/rLJZ59

Your one-stop Michigan voter guide for November 4, 2025 — from mayors to millages, roads to schools. Hosted by Joe, Finding The Middle helps voters cut through the noise and focus on what matters.

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