Truth, Power, and Propaganda Shaping the Way We See Politics

My friends, sometimes the most important conversations we can have about politics aren’t really about politics at all.

That might sound strange at first. After all, every day we’re bombarded with headlines, breaking news alerts, partisan arguments, and endless commentary about candidates, policies, and elections. But the truth is, most political arguments are actually downstream from something much deeper.

They’re downstream from the way we understand truth.

They’re downstream from how we view power, human nature, liberty, and the role of government.

That’s where I want to begin a conversation that we’re going to continue over the next several days on the Toddcast. Because if we don’t understand those foundational ideas, we’re left reacting emotionally to headlines rather than thinking clearly about the world around us.

And unfortunately, that’s exactly the environment modern politics often creates.

Most people today are trained to respond emotionally to news. Politicians know it. Media organizations know it. They frame stories in ways that make us feel something first—anger, compassion, outrage—before we ever stop to ask whether the information itself is complete or even accurate.

That’s where propaganda enters the picture.

Propaganda doesn’t always mean outright lies. In fact, sometimes the most effective propaganda includes elements of truth. But it conflates those truths with selective facts, emotional language, and carefully crafted narratives designed to steer how we interpret events.

It might leave out critical context. It might soften harsh realities with pleasant language. Or it might exaggerate certain elements to provoke outrage.

Whatever the case, the goal is the same: shape perception before people have a chance to think.

And once the narrative is set, it becomes very difficult for people to see things clearly.

This is why language matters so much in politics. The words used to frame an issue often determine how people interpret that issue before they even hear the facts. Whoever sets the terms of the debate often wins the debate.

But if we step back and ask deeper questions, we start to see things differently.

What facts are missing?

What language is being used and perhaps repeated?

How does the narrative creator insist on framing the discussion?

Who benefits if we believe a certain version of events?

These questions help us move beyond emotional reactions and begin thinking clearly again.

That’s why I started today’s conversation by talking about truth itself.

Truth isn’t something we vote on. It doesn’t change based on public opinion. Truth exists independent of agreement. It’s reality as it actually is.

And if we want a healthy political culture, we have to start there.

Because when truth becomes subjective—when every person claims their own “version” of truth—then politics quickly becomes nothing more than a struggle for power.

And that’s the real battle happening in America today. It’s not simply Republican versus Democrat or conservative versus liberal.

It’s a battle over ideas.

It’s a battle over how we define truth, liberty, and the proper role of government.

And if we want to defend the principles that built this country, we have to understand those ideas clearly and communicate them effectively.

That’s exactly what we’re going to keep exploring together.

Conservative, not bitter.
Todd

🧭 Politics begins with worldview, not policy
📺 Media narratives shape emotional reactions
🧠 Propaganda mixes truth with distortion
🗣 Language often determines who wins debates
⚖ Truth exists independent of majority opinion
🇺🇸 America’s founding principles depend on objective truth

^{The Stack of Stuff honors the memory of Rush Limbaugh by keeping his iconic phrase alive — only this time, it’s digital. These links give you context for today’s Toddcast, including pieces that back me up, push back, or simply lay out the facts so you can decide for yourself.}

For more on today’s Toddcast, visit today’s Stack on our website and dig in.

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My friends, is this shocking to you, or is it exactly what you expected?

Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon says the Justice Department is uncovering major problems in state voter rolls.

Dhillon put it this way: “We’re finding tens of thousands of non-citizens on the voter rolls, hundreds of thousands of dead people on the voter rolls, and duplicate registrations between states.” And that’s after examining just 16 states so far.

Earlier this week I mentioned the case of an illegal immigrant from Mauritania, Mahady Sacko, charged with voter fraud and allegedly voting in federal elections dating back to 2008.

Seems like a problem to me.

So here’s the question: who opposes cleaning up the voter rolls? Because the only people who fear accurate elections are the ones hoping to cheat.

One of the most surprising lessons I’ve learned from years behind the microphone is this: people rarely change their minds because they lost an argument.

In fact, the opposite is often true. When someone feels attacked or humiliated, they tend to dig in deeper. The walls go up. The conversation ends.

But every once in a while something different happens.

Several years ago, a listener named Doug reached out after losing a friendly political wager with some friends. As part of the bet, he had to call into our program. His friends thought I’d enjoy the moment—and I’ll admit, it did sound like fun.

When we first connected, Doug and I spent some time simply talking.

Not debating. Not scoring points. Just talking.

We discussed ideas, questions, and perspectives. If he said something I disagreed with, I pushed back—but usually with questions rather than accusations. The goal wasn’t to embarrass him or prove him wrong. It was simply to understand what he believed and why.

What happened next surprised both of us.

After our conversation wrapped up, Doug told me the experience was nothing like he expected. The media paints people like me (and you, my friend) in a very different light. And because the interaction didn’t match the narrative he had been given, it forced him to start asking bigger questions.

Not just about politics—but about worldview.

He even told me he was reconsidering things he hadn’t thought about in years, including returning to church.

Now, I want to be clear about something: I didn’t sit down with a master plan to change Doug’s thinking. I simply treated him like a human being.

But that moment reinforced something I believe more strongly than ever.

Real persuasion doesn’t usually happen through shouting matches or viral “gotcha” clips. It happens when people feel safe enough to think honestly. When they’re allowed to question assumptions without being ridiculed.

And in a political culture built on outrage and division, that kind of conversation has become increasingly rare. In fact, it’s become almost non-existent.

But it might also be one of the most powerful tools we still have.

Because the moment someone begins questioning the narrative they’ve been given is the moment they start searching for truth.