We’re back with another crossover of American Angst and Church Potluck—and it’s the middle slice of a three-part series. In Part 1, we explored evidence for a religious impulse at the founding of the United States. Today, we flip the coin and examine the “godless constitution” thesis: why the U.S. Constitution reads secular by design, how the framers imagined church–state separation, and what that meant in practice—from oath vs. affirmation options and chaplains, to presidential proclamations and the Treaty of Tripoli’s blunt line that America is “not in any sense founded on the Christian religion.”

Host Dale McConkey and political philosopher Michael Bailey unpack what “secular” meant to the founders (hint: not automatically anti-religious), how federalism complicates easy slogans (a secular federal blueprint alongside evolving state choices), and why many founders still believed private, voluntary faith undergirds public virtue. We trace the gradual disestablishment of state churches as culture and diversity shifted, and we highlight Washington’s move from mere “toleration” to full religious liberty—rights grounded in conscience, not favors from a majority. Along the way: a birthday shout-out, a candy-aisle cold open (defense of the peanut butter cup!), and a game-show callback. We close by teeing up Part 3, where we’ll examine Christian nationalism today and how competing readings of the founding shape modern politics.

The views expressed on American Angst are solely those of the participants and do not represent any organization.

It’s a crossover feast: American Angst meets Church Potluck for a lively, thoughtful dive into religion, politics, and the Founders—setting the table for an upcoming conversation on Christian nationalism. This one leans a bit more American Angst in tone, with Michael Bailey taking the lead while Dale McConkey jumps in with sociological insight and good-humored pushback. In this episode, the focus is squarely on the Christian Commonwealth perspective—the idea that America’s roots lie in Puritan covenant theology, religiously infused language in the Declaration, and early public practices that tied faith and politics together. Along the way, they explore why Americans have long seen themselves as “chosen” and exceptional, and why ownership of the national story still feels contested.

The conversation includes playful banter, a round of “Founding Father Faith Jeopardy,” and even a ranking of which founders were most traditionally religious. And while today’s episode emphasizes the Christian Commonwealth thesis, next time the duo will turn to the Godless Constitution perspective—giving both sides of this ongoing debate their due. Smart, curious, and just spiky enough to keep you listening, this crossover sets up a larger series of conversations on Christian nationalism and American identity.

The views expressed on American Angst are solely those of the participants and do not represent any organization.

San Francisco is often painted as a city in crisis by conservative politicians and pundits, but does that picture hold up when you actually live there? In this special episode, political scientist Michael Bailey sits down with his daughter, Lydia Bailey, for a wide-ranging father–daughter dialogue about her life in the city. Host Dale McConkey is along for the ride, chiming in from the back seat.

Through their conversation, Lydia helps us see whether the lived reality of San Francisco matches the “angsty” narrative we so often hear. Michael frames the issue with a look at crime data versus political rhetoric, then Lydia brings it down to earth—how people actually navigate the city, what it feels like to live in different neighborhoods, and how the weather itself shapes daily rhythms. From the city’s food culture and parks to its delightfully eccentric bumper stickers, Lydia shares the everyday experiences that give San Francisco its character. And while she doesn’t shy away from the real challenges of housing costs and city governance, the picture she paints is far more textured—and far more hopeful—than the caricature we too often hear.

The views expressed on American Angst are solely those of the participants and do not represent any organization.