Dr. Phil McGraw returns to the Lt. Dan Podcast for his third conversation with Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, this time examining America's political and cultural direction as the 2026 elections approach.

Dr. Phil shares his concerns about the rise of democratic socialism, the future of capitalism, and what government promises could mean for taxpayers and future generations. Drawing on decades of conversations with everyday Americans, he explains why he believes people ultimately want safety, financial security, freedom, and opportunity for their families.

The conversation also explores the growing financial pressure on American households, the challenges of raising children in today's economy, the importance of informed voting, and the choices facing Texas and the nation.

From taxes and government spending to the American Dream, Dr. Phil and Dan discuss how politics affects everyday life - and what today's decisions could mean for the next generation.

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Is America facing its third existential crisis? Bestselling author Eric Metaxas believes the country stands at a crossroads comparable to the American Revolution and the Civil War - and that understanding our nation's founding is essential to preserving its future.

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick welcomes Metaxas for a fascinating conversation about his new book, Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World, and the extraordinary story behind America's struggle for independence.

Metaxas brings history to life through the courage of George Washington, the extraordinary determination of Henry Knox, and the often-overlooked contributions of John Adams. He explains why the Revolution was about far more than taxation or independence — and why he believes Christian faith was indispensable to America's experiment in self-government.

Dan and Eric also discuss their work together on the Presidential Religious Liberty Commission, the relationship between faith and freedom, and what Metaxas calls the Golden Triangle of Freedom: liberty requires virtue, virtue requires faith, and faith requires liberty.

In this episode:

• America's third existential crisis
• The forgotten heroes of the American Revolution
• Christianity and the founding of the United States
• Religious liberty and the principles of self-government
• The connection between faith, virtue, and freedom
• Lessons from America's founding for the nation's future

As America marks its 250th anniversary, this conversation examines the principles that shaped our republic, the sacrifices made to secure its independence, and the challenges of preserving that inheritance for future generations.

Lt. Dan with Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick features conversations with influential voices about the people, principles, and issues shaping America.

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Josh Thifault was there in the early days of Turning Point USA alongside Charlie Kirk, helping build a movement that would reshape youth politics in America. Today, he hosts Pressure Tested, where he focuses on reaching young men with a message centered on faith, discipline, purpose and biblical masculinity.

Now he believes the country faces a new challenge: millions of young men searching for faith, purpose, opportunity and somewhere to belong.

Josh joins Lt. Governor Dan Patrick to discuss Charlie Kirk's legacy, the spiritual void facing young men, the growing influence of the online manosphere, affordability and the American Dream, biblical masculinity, marriage, meaningful work and why the political future of the country may depend on whether this generation can find hope again.

Josh also explains why he believes conservatives cannot simply win young men at the ballot box — they must give them a meaningful vision for how to live.

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Pastor Robert Jeffress of First Baptist Dallas joins Lt. Governor Dan Patrick for a conversation about faith, politics and religious liberty in America.

Jeffress discusses declining church attendance and secularization before responding to James Talarico's public statements about Christianity and the Bible. Jeffress explains where he believes Talarico's theology conflicts with the teachings of Jesus and why those differences matter in public life.

Dan and Jeffress also discuss the role of pastors in politics, Christian participation in government, and why they believe religious liberty means more than simply having the freedom to worship inside a church.

Subscribe to the Lt. Dan Podcast with Dan Patrick for more conversations about faith, family, freedom and Texas.

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Cody Campbell joins Lt. Governor Dan Patrick for a timely conversation about sports betting and the rapidly changing world of college athletics.

Campbell discusses the sports-betting problem that affected a Texas Tech quarterback and what the experience taught him about gambling addiction, particularly among young men and college athletes. They examine how easy access to betting apps and the growing presence of sports gambling are changing the way fans and athletes experience the game.

Then the conversation turns to NIL, player compensation, the transfer portal and the future of college sports. Campbell explains why rising costs could put increasing pressure on women's sports and other non-revenue programs, and discusses proposals intended to bring more structure and stability to college athletics.

From gambling addiction to million-dollar college athletes, Dan and Cody examine how dramatically college sports have changed — and what those changes could mean for athletes, universities and fans.

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What can archaeology tell us about the people, places and events described in the Bible?

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick sits down with bestselling author and filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza to discuss biblical archaeology and D'Souza's new book, The Stones Cry Out.

D'Souza explores archaeological discoveries he believes support the historical setting of the Bible, including ancient inscriptions, seals, the City of David, the Pool of Siloam and other discoveries tied to people and places found in Scripture.

Dan and Dinesh also discuss why these findings matter to believers and skeptics, how archaeology can illuminate details preserved for thousands of years, and why D'Souza believes these discoveries are bringing the world of the Bible vividly back to life.

The conversation also touches on Ronald Reagan, Donald Trump, free speech on college campuses, socialism, and Congressman Brandon Gill.

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Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath joins Dan Patrick for a conversation about the challenges and changes facing Texas public schools.

Morath shares the personal experience that led him to leave the private sector for public education before discussing school accountability, teacher compensation, literacy, classroom discipline and the performance of Texas schools.

They also talk about cell-phone restrictions, controversial books in school libraries, and the Bluebonnet curriculum—including its treatment of American history, literature and biblical references.

In This Episode

• Why Mike Morath left a successful software career for public education
• What Texas' A–F school rating system is intended to measure
• Why some Rio Grande Valley schools outperform expectations
• How Texas is changing teacher compensation and performance incentives
• The continuing challenge of students graduating without adequate literacy skills
• What happened after cell phones were removed from classrooms
• How controversial books ended up in some school libraries
• What Texas has changed about library-book oversight
• What Bluebonnet Learning teaches
• Why the curriculum includes historical and biblical references

Morath describes his career change as stemming from seeing a teenager he mentored struggle to complete a basic job application because of insufficient literacy skills.

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On September 11, 2001, Lt. Colonel Brian Birdwell was inside the Pentagon when Flight 77 crashed into the building just feet from his office.

In this powerful conversation, Brian and his wife, Mel, recount his remarkable survival, the people who helped save his life, the dozens of surgeries and years of recovery that followed, and the faith that sustained their family through it all.

After later serving in the Texas Senate, Birdwell's journey came full circle when he returned to serve inside the Pentagon, just yards from where he was nearly killed.

A deeply moving story of survival, faith, courage, and service.

Download, share, and subscribe for more conversations on faith, freedom, and the future of America.

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