America at 250: Big Mac Economics, Trump's Do-Nothing Congress, and the SPLC Scandal | 06-17-26

Sam Bushman and James Edwards kick off with McDonald's bringing back the iconic fried apple pie for America's 250th anniversary, which leads into a deeper conversation about what the country's birthday actually means — and why enthusiasm feels so low. They break down the real reason: the economy. From the Big Mac Index to tariffs, income taxes, and a Congress that has consistently failed to deliver on Trump's America First agenda, Sam and James assess what it would actually take to turn things around before the midterms. Plus a preview of the Southern Poverty Law Center scandal and a look back at the energy from last year's Will to Power conference compared to where things stand today. 0:00 — Intro: Liberty Roundtable with Sam Bushman and James Edwards 2:03 — McDonald's brings back the fried apple pie for America's 250th 6:09 — "It's the economy, stupid" — why the 250th feels flat 6:44 — What does it even mean to be an American anymore? 7:11 — Hopes placed on Trump: Round 2 assessment 9:54 — Congress has done nothing to back Trump on borders or tariffs 12:38 — The Founder: the Ray Kroc story worth watching 18:51 — Abolish the income tax: the silver bullet to win the midterms? 24:16 — The Big Mac Index: what a burger tells you about the economy CALL TO ACTION: If this resonated with you, tune in to James Edwards every Saturday night at ThePoliticalCesspool.org and find Sam Bushman daily at LibertyRoundTable.com. Subscribe, share this episode, and drop a comment: do you think abolishing the income tax could actually save the midterms for Republicans?