"A Certain Route To Failure" is the Muckrake Podcast's first audio-documentary that will explain how we've arrived at this moment of division, crisis, and confusion, beginning with this pilot episode "A Crisis of Confidence." Though critics and conventional narrative have come to regard President Jimmy Carter's "Malaise Speech" as one of the worst in presidential history, it was actually incredibly popular and well-received at the time. Faced with an energy crisis and a growing societal disillusionment, Carter addressed the United States on July 15, 1979 with a speech that sought to deal with our problems in a reasoned, honest manner and to rally Americans to move beyond divisive politics and consumerist culture. This series will examine this moment and the chain of events it began, culminating in our current situation where Americans feel totally removed from the political process and helpless to change their circumstances. Become a patron so you can hear future episodes before the general public, and be part of an incredible community and discussion: http://patreon.com/muckrakepodcast