The MiddleGround Mic

Are we raising our children to succeed, or are we simply hoping they survive?
In this episode of The MiddleGround Mic, host Joseph Steagall sits down with Dr. Robert "Bob" Saul, a pediatrician, author, and children's advocate with more than four decades of experience, for an important conversation about conscious parenting, raising responsible citizens, and rebuilding stronger communities.
Drawing on his remarkable medical career and his book My Children's Children: Raising Young Citizens in the Age of Columbine, Dr. Saul explores why parenting goes far beyond providing food, shelter, and education. It's about teaching empathy, accountability, compassion, and the responsibility we all share for the next generation.
At the heart of our discussion is Dr. Saul's powerful 12-word mantra:
"I am the problem. I am the solution. I am the resource."
What would happen if more parents, educators, and community leaders embraced that philosophy?
We discuss the lessons Dr. Saul has learned from decades of working with families, the challenges facing today's parents, the importance of conscious parenting, and why building healthier communities starts with each of us.
Whether you're a parent, grandparent, teacher, or someone concerned about the future of our children, this conversation offers a different way to think about the responsibility we share.
CONNECT WITH DR. ROBERT SAUL
Official Website:
https://mychildrenschildren.com/
My Children's Children — Book:
https://mychildrenschildren.com/book/my-childrens-children/
Explore Dr. Saul's Other Books and Resources:
https://mychildrenschildren.com/
EPISODE CHAPTERS
00:00 – Cold Open: The 12-Word Mantra
01:15 – Welcome Dr. Bob Saul
04:30 – Lessons From Decades in Pediatrics
12:45 – What Is Conscious Parenting?
22:10 – My Children's Children: The Inspiration
31:20 – Why Community Building Matters for Kids
42:00 – Challenges Facing Modern Parents
51:30 – Final Thoughts and the Path Forward
FOLLOW THE MIDDLEGROUND MIC
Official Website:
https://themiddlegroundmic.com/
Subscribe for more conversations that challenge assumptions, explore difficult issues, and bring people together.
No Left. No Right. Forward.

What happens when partisan politics become more important than your own family? Right now, parents and children are literally stopping speaking to one another over differences of opinion—but it doesn't have to be this way.
Author Sidney Pines returns to The MiddleGround Mic to break down the intentional division of the American public, the shifting tides of social media, and how everyday Americans can start healing the political rift in their homes. Later in the episode, we go down a massive rabbit hole into the modern healthcare system. We discuss the origins of Big Pharma, the loss of natural holistic treatments, and why taking control of your own health has never been more critical.
If you’ve ever felt like we are all being played to stay divided, this is the episode for you.
📚 GET SIDNEY PINES' BOOKS:
Awakening: A Patriot's Diary of American Deception
https://www.amazon.com/Awakening-Patriots-Diary-American-Deception/dp/1966625529
Golden Age Rising: Book Two of A Patriot's Diary
https://www.amazon.com/Golden-Age-Rising-Patriots-Diary/dp/B0H8CTB52M
CHAPTERS / SHOW NOTES:
00:00 - Intro: Why Are Families Ripping Apart Over Politics?
01:58 - The True Cost of Political Division
02:49 - Kid Rock, Eminem, and Finding Common Ground
05:43 - Why Sidney’s Books Are Resonating with Everyday Americans
09:42 - Are People Changing Their Minds on Social Media?
11:58 - Is the Division Being Intentionally Fed?
15:17 - The Collapse of the Nuclear Family & Old School Values
18:59 - Big Pharma, the Healthcare System & Lost Natural Cures
25:49 - Questioning Chemotherapy and Modern Medicine
30:55 - Who Do We Hold Accountable?
35:39 - What’s Next for Sidney Pines’ Book Series?
43:26 - Where to Find Sidney’s Books

What actually happens behind the scenes of Michigan’s election system?
Macomb County Clerk/Register of Deeds and Michigan Secretary of State candidate Anthony Forlini joins Joseph Steagall for a wide-ranging conversation about election administration, voter-roll maintenance, security procedures and public trust.
Forlini explains why he has raised concerns about noncitizen registrations and what changes he believes should be made to Michigan’s voter-registration system.
The conversation also covers:
• Election equipment, verification and security procedures
• Voter-roll maintenance and eligibility checks
• E-poll books and election administration
• College-campus voting
• Customer service and wait times
• Notary fraud
• The Office of the Great Seal
• Forlini’s priorities for the Secretary of State office
Rather than campaign slogans, this episode focuses on the actual systems, procedures and disagreements surrounding how Michigan elections and Secretary of State services operate.
The MiddleGround Mic features long-form conversations that give guests enough time to explain their positions — and listeners enough information to make up their own minds.
Learn more about Anthony Forlini and his campaign:
forliniforus.com
CHAPTERS
00:00 Anthony Forlini on Michigan Election Security
02:15 Noncitizen Voting & Michigan Voter Rolls
07:40 How Michigan Voting Machines Are Secured
12:30 Cutting Wait Times & Improving Service
18:10 College Campus Voting & Election Procedures
23:45 Notary Fraud & Michigan’s Great Seal
29:00 Why Forlini Is Running for Secretary of State

What do China, Greenland, Iran, artificial intelligence and the price of gasoline have to do with each other?
Potentially quite a lot.
Ron Bee returns to The MiddleGround Mic to connect several of the biggest geopolitical stories happening right now — and explain how international decisions can eventually reach American consumers and businesses.
Joseph and Ron discuss:
• The new U.S.-Denmark-Greenland security agreement
• Greenland, the Arctic and strategic competition
• Rare earth minerals and China’s leverage in global supply chains
• Xi Jinping’s upcoming visit to Washington
• U.S.-China tariffs and trade negotiations
• Artificial intelligence as a geopolitical battleground
• Iran and the mysterious Pickaxe Mountain facility near Natanz
• Satellite intelligence and nuclear uncertainty
• Oil markets and global energy disruption
• Whether another major shock could push gasoline toward $6–$7 per gallon
Instead of treating each headline as an isolated story, Ron connects the pieces and explains how geopolitical decisions thousands of miles away can eventually affect prices, businesses and households at home.
00:00 How China, Iran & Energy Prices Connect
02:10 Greenland, the Arctic & Rare Earth Minerals
08:30 Xi Jinping’s Washington Visit & U.S.-China Trade
15:45 Iran, Pickaxe Mountain & Nuclear Concerns
22:30 The Global AI Trade War
28:15 Could Global Conflict Push Gas to $7?

Can an Independent candidate realistically win a seat in Congress? Former firefighter Mike Thurow joins host Joseph Steagall on The MiddleGround Mic to share why he bypassed party politics to run in Wisconsin's 6th District. Thurow breaks down the corrupting power of corporate money, the challenges of third-party ballot access, and how direct public service shapes his approach to representation.
Connect with the campaign:
Official Site: https://www.thurowforcongress.com/
Text & Updates: https://mtwi6.com/

Chapters:
0:00 - Can an Independent Win?
2:15 - From Firefighter to Congressional Candidate
6:40 - Breaking Free from the Two-Party Machine
12:10 - How Corporate Money Ruined Politics
18:35 - The Strategy to Win WI-06
25:10 - Restoring Faith in Public Service