Orrin Woodward and Oliver DeMille recently did a series of radio interviews on their NY Times bestseller LeaderShift. Here is one from Orrin that he posted on his blog. This interview displays the depth of understanding from both Jan and Orrin on the current issues facing America. LIFE Leadership is raising a group of leaders of the caliber.
Jan “Mickelson in the Morning” Radio Interview
Last week, I had a thoroughly enjoyable discussion with Jan Mickelson, talk show host for WHO-AM, on the book LeaderShift. Interestingly, WHO-AM is the same radio station where Ronald Reagan launched his meteoric career and Jan Mickelson is one of the most influential talk-show host in the midwest. In fact, according to The American View:
Every weekday morning, from 9 to 11:30, Mickelson presides over the No. 1 talk-radio show in Iowa, giving him more sway over national politics than perhaps all but the biggest names in the broadcast business.
Most Iowans live in cities. However, there is plenty of space in between — long stretches of interstate, endless acres of corn and soybeans — where the radio offers a welcome companion. From his perch here in the studios of WHO-AM1040, Mickelson reaches about 350,000 Iowans a week, twice the audience of his closest competition. That may be a pittance by big-city standards. But for a Republican campaigning in Iowa, which traditionally holds the first vote of the presidential race, the program is a must-stop — and a pathway strewed with hidden perils.
“I wouldn’t suggest that Jan is a kingmaker,” said Steve Grubbs, a pollster and former chairman of the state GOP, who found nearly two-thirds of Iowa Republicans listen to talk radio.”But I would suggest he has the avenue you need to become king.”
Early in the interview, I realized Jan is a reader, thinker, and truly concerned about the state of America. This made the interview discuss many topics and principles of political thought. Listen to the interview here. I closed with the way to check sovereignty and therefore the abuse of power. D. W. Brogan, in his introduction to Bertrand De Jouvenal’s fantastic book On Power said:
Being a ruler is a trade. So we can apply to all types of rulers the judgement of Swift. “Arbitrary power is the natural object of temptation to a prince, as wine or women to a young fellow, or a bribe to a judge, or vanity to a woman.” For the best of motives, rulers will, like courts, try to add to their jurisdiction. How is this never-ending audacity to be, at any rate, limited? By making sure that effective power is not monopolized.
Brogan has nailed it! Unchecked power leads to abuse over time. Why? Because the Five Laws of Decline are real and men are not angels. Make the local, state, and federal sovereign over specifically spelled out areas. If either of the three attempt to expand their powers, they must do so at the expense of the other two branches who would naturally check this overreach. Since money is limited, so is the ability to expand their power and thus, sovereignty is finally divided and limited as the founders intended. Listen to the interview and help the LeaderShift by sharing these concepts and the book with as many people who still love what America stood for.
Sincerely,
