Free Thinking Through the Fourth Turning with Sasha Stone

Episode: Dems Are Behaving Like Spoiled Brats by Boycotting State of the Union
Date: February 22, 2026

Overview

In this episode, Sasha Stone critically examines the Democratic Party's boycott of President Trump's State of the Union address, framing their actions as petulant and disconnected from the realities of everyday Americans. Stone reflects on her personal journey from devoted Democrat to outspoken critic, discusses the deepening political divide, and situates the Democratic response within broader cultural and generational trends. The episode features opinion clips, news segments, commentary from figures like John Fetterman and Lionel Shriver, and a key discussion of the "Gray Champion" archetype in American politics.

Key Discussion Points

1. Introduction: Frustration with Democratic Leadership

Timestamp: 00:00–02:30

• Sasha expresses disappointment with the post-Trump Democratic Party, calling out its inability to self-reflect and reconnect with a divided America.

• She frames the boycott of Trump’s State of the Union as a "spoiled brat" move and symbolic of deeper failures:

  • “We deserve better than this. For the last five years… I've been waiting for any sign that they've emerged from the doomsday bunker, at long last regained their perspective, come back to the real world...” (Sasha Stone, 00:12)

• Stone identifies ongoing Democratic allegiance to the Obama-era status quo as a key barrier to meaningful change.

2. The Cost of Political Bubble (and the Trump Reckoning)

Timestamp: 02:30–05:00

• Stone recalls her own time within the Democratic “bubble” and notes the party’s disconnect from working-class America:
  • “I didn't even realize there was another America outside the one we built with the help of the Internet. ... it was a world that left at least half the country, the working class, behind.” (Sasha Stone, 01:40)
• She argues Democrats’ “delusions” about Trump as an existential threat led to insularity and self-pity rather than outreach or reform.

3. The State of the Union Boycott & Democratic Messaging

Timestamp: 05:00–10:00

• News and tweets are cited showing a growing list of Democratic senators and representatives—Adam Schiff, Jeff Merkley, Chris Murphy, et al.—publicly boycotting the address.
• Schiff’s justification: “I've never skipped a State of the Union address before… But Donald Trump is destroying the very fabric of this country and turning it into something that is not a democracy.” (Adam Schiff, via Stone, 04:09)
• Stone notes the performative nature of the boycott, comparing it to past protest gestures and deriding it as "weak and unappealing."

4. Protests, Performative Outrage, and the "People's State of the Union"

Timestamp: 08:00–12:00

• The episode contrasts current boycotts and rallies with past performative protest acts, referencing previous State of the Union dress codes and guest invitations.
• News montage (Nancy Cordes): “Democrats are already bracing for an economic victory lap.” (08:06)
• Stone and commentators highlight the recurring theme of Democrats swapping “the current thing” without authentic engagement.

5. Failures in Connecting with Everyday Americans

Timestamp: 10:00–13:05

• Stone and a podcast listener underscore the lack of Democratic concern for victims of immigrant-related crime, implying a broader abandonment of ordinary citizens in favor of “performative” activism.
  • “They get thrown away like trash. It’s disgusting. And you people out there… you think you’re fighting for democracy, you’re not.” (Podcast Listener, 12:00)

6. John Fetterman’s Dissent—A Voice for Practical Engagement

Timestamp: 13:05–14:07

• Fetterman, in contrast to his colleagues, plans to attend the State of the Union:
  • “No, I do plan to attend and I hope this year they don't put up those, those silly paddles and how that's kinds of weird protests... just do that kinds of thing and like have some dignity...” (John Fetterman, 13:29)
• Stone commends Fetterman’s common-sense approach:
  • “We’d all be a lot better off if we acted in that manner, just like you do, Senator Fetterman.” (Sasha Stone, 14:07)

7. The Left’s Cultural Power vs. Loss of Popular Support

Timestamp: 14:07–15:13

• Stone accuses Democrats of cultivating a “cult” dynamic, powered by identity-based politics rather than national unity.
• She argues their power is “cultural,” not “popular,” and that their failures have driven voters away.

8. Lionel Shriver: On Replacement, Shame, and Progressive Guilt

Timestamp: 15:13–20:17

• Shriver discusses demographic change, national self-loathing, and the performative nature of left-wing activism:

  • “I don't think that their emotional experience of promoting hatred of their own people and their own country is one of genuine self-hatred… It is actually a loathing for your fellow countrymen who don't agree with you.” (Lionel Shriver, 16:57)
  • Bridging the discussion to immigration, Shriver critiques progressive border policies and “false humility.”

• Notable exchange on guilt and performative shame:

  • “If you feel shame, you stay home… That's what real guilt feels like. We are constantly talking about white guilt and I think it's complete rubbish.” (Shriver, 19:14)

9. Trump and the ‘Gray Champion’ of the Fourth Turning

Timestamp: 20:17–22:47

• Stone lauds Trump’s “big moves” (ending gender-affirming care, border security, peace initiatives) as the kind of bold action missing from Democratic leadership.
  • “He wants the fighting spirit that founded this nation back. He’s not giving up on discarded, forgotten Americans...” (Sasha Stone, 22:47)
• Narrator explains the Gray Champion concept (Nathaniel Hawthorne/Strauss and Howe): a transformative leader in times of upheaval, likening Trump to Lincoln or FDR.
  • “Supporters say he represents rebellion against a status quo that desperately needed challenging, while critics see him as divisive at best and an existential threat at worst...” (Narrator, 22:10)

10. Closing Reflection: What Now for the Democrats?

Timestamp: 22:47–24:10

• Stone reiterates that Democrats have “found a kind of religion in identity” and lost sight of building a strong nation.
• She closes: “All they have to sell is fear, insisting everyone go along with their mass delusion. Yes, even 10 years later, they should not be surprised if Americans say Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.” (Sasha Stone, 23:50)

Notable Quotes

• Sasha Stone (00:12): “Dems are behaving like spoiled brats by boycotting the State of the Union. We deserve better than this.”
• Adam Schiff (via Stone, 04:09): “Donald Trump is destroying the very fabric of this country and turning it into something that is not a democracy. This is something I cannot and will not abide.”
• Podcast Listener (12:00): “You think you’re fighting for democracy, you’re not. … You’re fighting for your own narcissistic beliefs.”
• John Fetterman (13:29): “Show up or not, but just do that kinds of thing and like have some dignity…we can agree or disagree and not call people names or behave in such ways.”
• Lionel Shriver (16:57): “It is actually a loathing for your fellow countrymen who don't agree with you. Yeah, it's false humility. Yes. It's a complete, it is a performance, you know, it is acting out.”
• Narrator (22:10): “Trump's leadership reflects the transformative energy described in Fourth Turning Theory.”
• Sasha Stone (23:50): “All they have to sell is fear, insisting everyone go along with their mass delusion… Fool me twice, shame on me.”

Key Timestamps

• 00:12 – Sasha Stone: Main thesis about Democratic boycott.
• 04:09 – Adam Schiff statement on boycotting the State of the Union.
• 08:00 – Nancy Cordes on protest gestures at the State of the Union.
• 12:00 – Podcast listener: Critique of Democratic priorities.
• 13:29 – John Fetterman: On why he will attend the State of the Union.
• 16:57 – Lionel Shriver: On “performative shame” and loathing of fellow Americans.
• 22:10 – Gray Champion theory explanation.
• 23:50 – Sasha Stone’s closing reflection on Democratic Party's state.

Tone & Style

Sasha Stone's delivery is candid, pointed, and blends cultural critique with personal reflection. The episode seamlessly integrates news clips, statements by political figures, and outside cultural commentary to bolster the argument—a style both direct and reflective, blending analysis with sharp commentary. The tone is critical, sometimes sardonic, and deeply skeptical of performative politics and elite Democratic priorities.