The Optimistic American

What happens when doing what's right for voters puts you at odds with your own political party?

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes faced that question when his office approved a name change request from Arizona's independent party despite political opposition. For Fontes, the decision reflected a larger belief: public officials have a responsibility to uphold the Constitution and serve every voter fairly, regardless of politic...

How can Arizona make better use of the billions of dollars it already manages, and should partisan politics influence how that money is invested?

In this episode of New Frontiers, Paul Johnson sits down with Nick Mansour, Democratic candidate for Arizona State Treasurer, to discuss financial responsibility, education funding, and the growing influence of partisan politics on government decisions.

Nick shares his background, from help...

What do Democrats and Republicans get wrong about business? And can Arizona's political leaders find common ground despite their differences?

In this episode of New Frontiers, Paul Johnson sits down with Tammy Caputi, former Scottsdale City Councilwoman and Democratic candidate for the Arizona Legislature, for a wide-ranging conversation about small business, public safety, political division, and the challenges of working across pa...

Can Arizona get better results by looking beyond party lines?

In this episode of New Frontiers, John Winchester, a Republican candidate for the Arizona Legislature, joins Paul Johnson to discuss why he’s running, what good government should look like, and the issues he believes Arizona needs to get right.

A major part of that conversation is education. John argues that Arizona should treat education as an investment and take a ...

In this episode of New Frontiers, Paul Johnson sits down with Anthony Ramirez, candidate for Arizona State Senate in Legislative District 12, for a wide-ranging conversation about his life, his campaign, Arizona education, independent voters, and the growing divide in American politics.

Ramirez's path to politics is anything but conventional. From working as a flight attendant to serving as a police officer in Washington, D.C., beco...

What will it take to improve education in Arizona?

In this episode of New Frontiers, Paul Johnson sits down with David Scott, an independent candidate for the Arizona House of Representatives in Legislative District 10, to discuss his campaign and why education has become one of his top priorities.

The conversation covers some of the biggest challenges facing Arizona schools, including reading and math proficiency, teacher burnout, c...

Why does everything feel so uncertain?

Americans are facing growing uncertainty about the economy, political leadership, global conflict, artificial intelligence, and the country’s long-term financial future. 

In this episode of New Frontiers, Paul Johnson is joined by columnist Bob Robb and Professor Henry Thompson to examine what’s driving this growing sense of insecurity — and whether America can find a way ...

Arizona politics is increasingly dominated by attack ads, campaign slogans, and short soundbites. But what happens when candidates have the time to actually explain their ideas?

In this episode of New Frontiers, Paul Johnson sits down with Arizona State Treasurer Kimberly Yee for a long-form conversation about the future of Arizona education. Yee is running for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction in the 2026 election. 

...

Teri Ann Hourihan won the No Labels Arizona gubernatorial nomination in Arizona’s primary election. Paul Johnson didn’t support her candidacy in that primary—and Hourihan believes he hasn’t always treated her fairly.

So they sat down across from one another.

What followed was one of the most personal and often contentious conversations on New Frontiers.

Hourihan says her North Star is fighting what she believes...

In this episode of New Frontiers, Paul Johnson is joined by columnist Bob Robb and economist Elliott Pollack to discuss three major forces reshaping American politics and the economy.

The panel examines the U.S. national debt and federal deficit, rising interest rates, Social Security, inflation, defense spending, and whether Republicans or Democrats are prepared to make the difficult choices needed to address America’s fiscal...

What would Andy Biggs do as Governor of Arizona?

In this episode of The New Frontiers, Congressman and Arizona gubernatorial candidate Andy Biggs sits down with Paul Johnson and Henry Thompson for a wide-ranging conversation about his vision for Arizona and the major political and economic issues shaping the state’s future.

Biggs addresses one of the biggest controversies surrounding his political career — the 2020 electi...

In this episode of New Frontiers, Paul Johnson is joined by columnist Bob Robb and political scientist Henry Thompson for an in-depth discussion on the political forces reshaping Arizona, the United States, and even the rest of the world. 

The conversation begins with the surprising results of Arizona's 2026 primary elections, including the unexpected upset in the No Labels of Arizona gubernatorial race. From there, the panel e...

The biggest economic transformation in modern history may already be underway.

Artificial Intelligence is changing the workforce, Elon Musk could become the world's first trillionaire, and debates over capitalism, socialism, income inequality, and economic opportunity are dominating politics. But are we witnessing the beginning of a new Golden Age of prosperity — or another Gilded Age where wealth concentrates at the top?

In th...

Is America thriving or falling behind? The answer may surprise you.

In this episode of New Frontiers, former Phoenix Mayor Paul Johnson sits down with Professor Douglas Harris of Tulane University, creator of the groundbreaking State of the Nation and State of the States projects.

While America's economy continues to outperform much of the world, Americans are reporting lower levels of happiness, trust, life satisfaction, and optimis...

Arizona is running out of time.

In this episode, Central Arizona Water Conservation District Chairman Terry Goddard joins Paul Johnson and Bob Robb to discuss the growing Colorado River crisis and what it could mean for Arizona’s future.

The conversation begins with the federal government’s looming decision on water allocations and why Arizona could face some of the deepest cuts in the country. From there, they break down...

Something BIG is shifting in American politics…

In this episode of the Independent, we break down the growing cracks inside the America First movement — and what it means for Trump, the economy, and the future of the country.

From rising inflation and controversial tariffs to the escalating Iran conflict and tensions with NATO, this conversation uncovers the reality behind today’s biggest headlines.

Topics covered:

In this episode of the Independent, we break down three of the biggest forces shaping the future of America and the world: space exploration, global conflict, and political power.

We start with the exciting return of human space exploration through NASA’s Artemis II mission and the growing dominance of private companies like SpaceX and Elon Musk, who are dramatically lowering the cost of space travel and opening the door to th...

The Iran war is unfolding in real time — and the consequences are already reshaping America’s role in the world.

In this episode, we break down the biggest questions surrounding the conflict with Iran: Why did it happen, what are the risks, and what can the United States learn from it? From military strategy to global economics, this conversation goes beyond headlines to analyze what’s really at stake.

The panel dis...

Is the two-party system failing Arizona?

In this episode of The Independent, host Paul Johnson sits down with Hugh Lytle, an Independent candidate running for Governor of Arizona, to discuss the growing divide in American politics and why millions of voters are abandoning traditional parties.

With over 30% of voters in Arizona registered as Independents, Lytle argues that the future of American politics may lie outside the Republican...