Forgotten America

Welcome to Forgotten America, a podcast about the many places that get flown over, driven past, or completely forgotten and the people who call these places home. In each episode, we’ll diagnose the unique challenges faced by rural America and unpack and explore the solutions to those challenges. We’ll also share the culture, stories, and perspectives of Forgotten Americans from the hilltop to the holler and the desert to the delta.

Ep. 074: Out of the Paw Paw Patch and into the Mountains 05/07/2024

Ep. 073: Homer Hickam: From McDowell County to Rocket Boy 04/23/2024

Ep. 072: Hitchhiker’s Guide to Rural America 04/09/2024

Ep. 072: Hitchhiker’s Guide to Rural America This episode of Forgotten America opens with a brief walk down memory lane. Garrett shares how he first met Dr. Thompson at his Moral Foundations of Capitalism seminar at Clemson University. Dr. Thompson’s lecture was a catalyst moment for Garrett that led him down a career path that brought him home to run the Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy, a free market think tank. Dr. Bradley Thompson was born in Canada, but he considered himself an American born in the wrong country from a young age. He tells the story of how hitchhiking through the United States was a formative experience for him and explains that he chose to explore rural America this way for two reasons: to discover America and to discover himself. This episode of the Forgotten America podcast explores the origins of Dr. Thompson’s Substack entitled Redneck Intellectual, how COVID impacted a generation of young men and women, what makes classical education unique, and the importance of fatherhood. If you enjoy thinking about the big questions of life, this episode is one that you won’t want to miss. The Well Trained Mind (online resource) C. Bradley Thompson, Professor at Clemson University and Executive Director for the Clemson Institute for the Study of Capitalism Dr. Thompson’s website: The American Mountain People: National Geographic The How and Why Book of the American Revolution The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand Fathers and Sons, American Style LocoFoco Press Twitter: @CBradleyThomps1 Garrett Ballengee, Host President & CEO - Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Vice President of Communications & Strategy - Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer Communications & Social Media Associate - Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Follow: , , , , Support: , , /episode/index/show/forgottenamerica/id/30736338

Ep. 071: Into the Wild: Life in the Mat-Su Valley of Alaska 03/26/2024

Ep. 070: Do The Best You Can With What You’ve Got: An Agricultural Ethic for Life 03/12/2024

Ep. 069: Pulling Appalachia Back from the Precipice 02/27/2024

Ep. 068: Don’t Be Afraid To Try Something New - The Supply Side of School Choice 02/13/2024

Ep. 067: Can Junior Colleges Save the Future of American Higher Education? 01/30/2024

Ep. 066: Gratitude - A Light in Dark Times 11/28/2023

Ep. 065: The Role of the Rural College 11/14/2023

Ep. 064: Horror Stories, Faith, and Scary Encounters in Appalachia 10/31/2023

Ep. 063: Standing in the Gap for Kids 10/17/2023

Ep. 062: Overlooked and Underloved 10/03/2023

Ep. 062: Overlooked and Underloved Aaron Renn is a writer and consultant based in Indianapolis and is a co-founder and Senior Fellow at . He had a first career in management and technology consulting advising major corporations as a Partner at Accenture and a second career in urban policy as a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. Today his focus is on helping conservatives and the American church rise to the challenge of finding success in the 21st century. Appalachia is the last physically beautiful land in America that does not have extreme climate and is affordable. The same sorts of people who are buying up land in the West will soon, and already are, turning their sights east toward Appalachia. In this episode of Forgotten America, Aaron and Garrett tackle difficult questions like the role climate plays in economic growth, how migration is impacting local communities in the region, and the major divide Aaron sees between the North and South Appalachian regions. Garrett asks what kind of progress should we want for our region and should we look to growing mountain state regions in the West for ideas to grow economically in Appalachia? Listen in to hear what Aaron thinks about the present and future of Appalachia and his citizen-centric strategy for prosperity. Stats & Terms Mentioned Idaho is the 2nd fastest growing state in the country. Appalachian Regional Commission's discussion of subregions in Appalachia. Sunbelt vs. Frostbelt Brookings Institution’s CentralApp Oktana Nate Phipp’s article about these remote companies SOAR Governing.com article on relocation incentives You can keep up with Aaron Renn by subscribing to his . Twitter: @Aaron_Renn The pieces that inspired this episode. Garrett Ballengee, Host Executive Director - Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Communications Director - Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Nate Phipps, Editor & Producer Communications & Social Media Associate - Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Follow: , , , , Support: , , /episode/index/show/forgottenamerica/id/28138061

Ep. 061: Health Care in Rural America - A Perspective from Georgia 09/19/2023

Ep. 060: Do Political Candidates Care About Rural America? 09/05/2023

Ep. 059: Life in the Land of Enchantment 08/23/2023

Ep. 059: Life in the Land of Enchantment Marina Herrera is a 17th generation New Mexican on the Spanish side of her family with roots as far back as time immemorial on the indigenous side of her family. She joins Garrett today to talk about her life growing up in New Mexico’s Mora Valley. She takes us on a journey through the culture, language, food, and art of the region that inspires a sense of awe. Marina also shares the challenges New Mexico faces and the ways she is working with the Rio Grande Foundation to address those concerns. If you’ve ever said, “Thank God for Mississippi,” you’re likely to relate to the experiences Marina shares in this episode of the Forgotten America podcast. Statistics Mentioned New Mexico is New Mexico is 1st in the nation for non-violent crime five years in a row is the of the world Albuquerque is a sanctuary city New Mexico but gets worse outcomes than any of their neighboring states New Mexico is New Mexico is one of the world’s largest producers (surpassing Mexico) of oil & gas Places to Visit The in , #7 burger in the nation, Green Chile Cheese burger The Owl in San Antonio, Santa Fe, New Mexico Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, part of the National Park Service System New Mexican music has a distinct style. World’s Tallest Tramway - oldest church in the U.S. - restaurant - famous restaurant Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the map Additional Information & References Learn more about Marina and her work at the . Learn more about , a private Catholic Brotherhood unique to Northern, New Mexico - Saint art makers, distinct form of iconography art - unique form of art from the American southwest Breaking Bad Garrett Ballengee, Host Executive Director - Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Communications Director - Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Tony Reed, Editor & Producer Associate Director of Operations - International Center for Law & Economics Follow: , , , , Support: , , /episode/index/show/forgottenamerica/id/27587976

Ep. 058: New York State of Mind 07/12/2023

Ep. 057: The Leaf-Mould of an Appalachian Mind 06/02/2023

Ep. 056: How American Municipalities Can Flourish And What’s Holding Them Back 05/16/2023

Ep. 055: Danny Murphy - Right on Crime 05/02/2023

Ep. 054: Rediscovering the One Room Schoolhouse in America 04/19/2023

Ep. 053: Market Urbanism Around the World 04/03/2023

Ep. 053: Market Urbanism Around the World Today’s episode takes a bit of a detour outside of our typical topics about communities and challenges in rural America. Scott Beyer joins us again on the Forgotten America Podcast - this time to discuss the Scott Beyer Market Urbanism World Tour, where he is exploring 40 cities across 3 regions for a year and a half, to see how the fast pace of development in the Global South can inform free-market policy and urban issues in a broader context. Garrett talks with Scott just after he has completed the first segment of his worldwide tour in Latin America. He shares the differences he is seeing between Southern American countries and North America in terms of our cultures, levels of regulation, and the way we build our cities. He also discusses the importance of the rule of law, free-markets, and other freedom values that could help these cities in the Global South become more prosperous. On the flip-side, Scott also shares how at the smallest levels, some of these countries are even freer and less regulated than the United States - there are even some cities that are entirely privately owned! While our podcast focuses primarily on rural America, the lines between urban and rural can often be a bit blurry, so let’s join Garrett & Scott to see what we can learn from Scott’s exploration of world-wide urbanism through a free-market lens. Maybe we’ll find solutions to the challenges that are facing us in our very own communities. Resources Tokyo Dheli Shanghai Sao Paulo Mexico City Cairo Mumbai Beijing Dhaka Osaka New York Karachi Buenos Aires Chongqing Istanbul - working class neighborhoods in Brazil (Scott compares these to the homes West Virginians build up into the hills and the ways in which trailer park communities are organized in some rural communities) How to Follow Scott Beyer’s Work Scott’s previous episode on Forgotten America: Twitter: or Instagram: Follow Scott’s World Tour at the Independent Institute: ---------- Garrett Ballengee, Host Executive Director - Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Amanda Kieffer, Executive Producer Communications Director - Cardinal Institute for West Virginia Policy Tony Reed, Editor & Producer Associate Director of Operations - International Center for Law & Economics Follow: , , , , Support: , , /episode/index/show/forgottenamerica/id/25530006

Ep. 052: A Renaissance in Rural Education 02/21/2023

BONUS: Maternity Care in Rural America 02/08/2023

Ep. 051: The Intersection of Energy & Culture with Stephanie Wissman 01/31/2023

Ep. 050: Jack Johnson Pannell: A Firm Handshake In Baltimore 01/17/2023

Ep. 049: Meet the Movers and Shakers of Way Makers, Kenny & Charlotte Webb 01/03/2023

Ep. 048: Forest Folk and The Return of John Hood 12/21/2022

Ep. 047: Looking Inward & Looking Backward 12/06/2022

Ep. 046: Bird Nerds with Garrett & Jessi 05/31/2022

Forgotten America

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