Cleared Hot Podcast Episode 419: Is America Doomed To Fail Just Like Rome?

Host: Andy Stumpf
Guest: Jeremy Slate
Date: December 8, 2025

Overview

This episode dives deeply into historical and contemporary parallels between the fall of the Roman Empire and present-day America. Jeremy Slate, a historian with a keen interest in both classical civilizations and modern politics, joins Andy Stumpf for a wide-ranging, thoughtful conversation about government overreach, inflation, immigration, the decay of civic engagement, and whether the US is headed down the same path as ancient Rome. The pair also engage in meaningful asides about education, the rise of podcasting, and the nature of personal and societal change.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Early Banter & Setting the Stage

• The episode starts with friendly jokes (hair loss, aging, and pop culture references) that quickly shift to Slate’s early interest in politics and history.
  • [00:22] Slate describes being politically active from a young age, campaigning for Ron Paul, and growing up in an ultra-conservative household.

2. How Did We Get Here? The Progressive Era and 1913

• Slate dissects pivotal moments in US political history:
  • [04:00] “1913 is an extremely pivotal year because you get three things: income taxes, the Federal Reserve act, and the 17th amendment.” (Jeremy Slate)
  • The 17th Amendment and its impact on state versus popular election of Senators is discussed, positioning it as the loss of a vital check/balance.

3. Conspiracies, Government Bloat, and the Purpose of Government

• [06:08] Slate jokes he still thinks “the CIA created Bitcoin,” launching a sidebar on the pejorative nature of “conspiracy theorist.” Both agree real conspiracies exist, but not every conspiracy is valid.
• [06:57] The pair agree government has become far more expansive than intended, with Slate arguing, “If you look at our system since the Progressive era, that's really where we've gotten the type of government we have now.”

4. Congressional Dysfunction, Insider Trading and Term Limits

• Both discuss government shutdowns, congressional inaction, and the economic realities faced by military members and public servants.
  • [10:58] “Why are our elected officials treated differently? …they seem to do a really good job of taking care of themselves.” (Andy Stumpf)
• Slate adds that Congress legislates its own behavior and pay, leading to a lack of outside accountability.
  • [13:25] Notable quote about the impossibility of meaningful reform: “The body responsible for legislating Congress is Congress… They would all have to basically sign a bill that they don't want to make more money.” (JS)

5. Parallels: Rome’s Inflation and the US Economy

• [13:27] Slate draws strong economic parallels: “If you look at Rome in the late third century, in 284, there are 15,000% inflation…We can do it a lot faster.”
• Rome’s debasement of currency (diluting silver coins), the logic behind military pay increases, and comparisons to how the US left the gold standard are examined in detail.
• [16:17] “That's often the things politicians do is they try to use terms other people don't understand… to get one over on you.” (JS, on terms like ‘quantitative easing’)

6. Rome’s Fall: Three Strikes—Inflation, Immigration, Fragmentation of Power

• Slate outlines the core issues that led to Rome’s collapse:
  1. Loss of central power (competing Emperors/general fragmentation)
  2. Uncontrolled borders and influx of “barbarians”
  3. Economic collapse due to runaway inflation and unsustainable military spending
• [31:11–34:14] “Those are two things that really do destroy a society.” (JS, on uncontrolled spending and mass immigration)
• Stumpf wonders what modern "fragmentation" might look like, and both agree a literal military split is unlikely—but institutional and regional divides are growing.

7. Immigration, Representation, and Modern Political Dynamics

• The hosts highlight the tension between legal and illegal immigration, and the downstream effects on representation and the census:
  • [39:17] “A state like California has five to seven seats that it actually shouldn’t have based on the population…” (JS)
  • [40:28] Stumpf points out that even some who are permissive of illegal immigration take a completely different stance when discussing other countries.

8. Healthcare Costs, Education, and the Failure of Systems

• Candid, personal stories are exchanged about healthcare and the complexity of costs and insurance.
  • [47:20] “My mom had a pretty bad stroke about 15 years ago… it was $2.5 million for her care.” (JS)
  • [48:00] Both reflect that the system is broken in multiple, interconnected ways, not just one.
• Education gets similar criticism: Slate and Stumpf discuss whether the system prepares people for real life and emphasize the value of apprenticeships and the changing value proposition of formal higher education.

9. Parallels to Rome’s Slow Decline: Are We Already an Empire?

• [131:08] Slate’s core thesis: “I think to me, that was around the time period [Progressive Era] we ceased to be a functional republic... we’ve been more of an empire for a really long time.”
• Both discuss whether America is on an irreversible track—replay of democracy turning into monarchy, and the challenge of meaningful reform.

10. The Nature of Historical Change and Fading Empires

• Slate describes the actual “fall” of Rome as a slow fade, not a dramatic event, marked by changes in power structures and slow economic/social erosion.
  • [134:05] “It's not that Rome is conquered. It just gradually ceases to be less Roman and it just becomes something else.”
• They speculate on how this might play out in the US, and what (if anything) should be done to reverse it.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Government Overreach:

  “If you look at the purpose of government, it's to handle disputes between people... Governments gotten really, really big, especially since the Progressive era.” (Jeremy Slate, 03:54)

• On Insider Trading:

  “Maybe I want Pelosi to insider trade for my benefit. I want her to go to prison, of course.” (Andy Stumpf, 12:02)

• On Inflation (Roman Example):

  “The silver coin in the time of Augustus… is 95% pure. By the time you get to Aurelian, it's 5%.” (Jeremy Slate, 16:47)

• On Education Systems:

  “People are investing a lot of money for knowledge they're not going to use and they don't even know if they need yet.” (JS, 56:42)

• On Learning through Failure:

  “I love the story arc of—let me tell you how bad it got and what I did to grow out of it. This recovery arc. And I think there's something to be learned there for almost everybody.” (Andy Stumpf, 102:18)

• On America's Place in the Life-Cycle of Republics:

  “I think we've actually ceased to be a functional republic in a long time… we've been more of an empire for a really long time.” (JS, 131:08)

• On the “Fall” of Rome (Analogy to US):

  “Rome more fades away than falls… it really doesn't fall. It kind of fades into what's going to become the early Middle Ages.” (JS, 134:05)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Slate’s Background and Political Awakening: 00:22–03:35
• 1913 and Expansion of the State: 04:00–05:02
• Conspiracies, Government Growth & Dysfunction: 06:06–13:25
• Insider Trading in Congress / Clarity on Term Limits: 11:07–14:24
• Rome’s Inflation and Military Spending Parallels: 13:27–19:45
• Roman History and Why It Matters: 20:01–23:32
• Education System Critiques & Apprentice Model: 55:02–61:00
• Modern US Political Decay & the Path from Republic to Empire: 131:08–132:56
• The Actual “Fall” of Rome & Application to the US: 132:56–136:05

Other Memorable Asides

• [45:47] Slate shares he gets contact lenses from Canada and his family does dental work in Mexico because of US healthcare costs.
• [84:08] Slate tells the bizarre story of the 13-year-old emperor Elagabalus marrying a rock, appointing a hairdresser to manage the grain supply, and holding forced orgies—a memorable illustration of Rome at its weirdest and most dysfunctional.
• [97:43] Stumpf marvels at the reach of modern podcasts vs. legacy media, referencing Trump’s epic appearance on Joe Rogan (“100 million in the first or second day”).
• [107:07] Both are shocked to learn that 27,000 new podcasts start daily, but the median episode gets fewer than 100 listens.

Tone & Chemistry

Both Andy and Jeremy maintain a conversational, inquisitive tone—serious about the issues, but irreverent and humorous in their sidebars. The rapport is warm, intellectually curious, and not without healthy cynicism towards government and institutions.

Closing Thoughts from Jeremy Slate

• “I think the thing is looking at, you know, what are the things that take away our function as a republic and how do we get those things back? …I would start with first repealing the 17th amendment… But it's not gonna be easy. You gotta cut the debt and you have to handle the currency. And if we don't do those things, then we're not in very good shape.” (137:36, 139:03)

Where to Find Jeremy & His Work

• Personal handles: Jeremy Ryan Slate (all platforms)
• Brand/services: Command Your Brand – commandyourbrand.com

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the relationship between history and politics, the nuances of American decline, and the practical parallels between Roman and American institutions. The discussion is wide-ranging but focused, with both host and guest offering critical, solution-oriented perspectives on how to prevent the US from following Rome’s fate.