Refining Rhetoric with Robert Bortins

Overturning Roe v. Wade was never the finish line—it was only the starting gun. Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life and Students for Life Action, joins Refining Rhetoric to reveal why the pro-life movement's real battle is just beginning and where it's being won or lost right now. Discover why she launched Students for Life 20 years ago with the vision that Roe would be reversed (when everyone told her she was naive), how chemical abortion pills have become the leading cause of infant death with 1 in 10 women ending up in the ER, and why flushing babies down toilets has turned America's sewers into open cemeteries. Kristan exposes the RINO problem plaguing state legislatures, explains why Republicans keep funding their political enemies at Planned Parenthood to the tune of $800 million annually, and shares the dangerous rhetoric threatening to destroy pro-life credibility with women voters. She also discusses why homeschoolers terrify legislators more than lobbyists, the two types of people most likely to get violent at pro-life campus events, and how young men have actually shifted right on abortion while young women still buy feminist lies. This episode is a rallying cry for Christians to stop being lazy about life, start serving women in crisis pregnancies, and build the army needed to make abortion completely unthinkable in America. 
Resources:
https://studentsforlife.org/
Kristan's Instagram: @kristanmercerhawkins
This episode of Refining Rhetoric is sponsored by: 
Woke and Weaponized: How Karl Marx Won the Battle for American Education—And How We Can Win It Back – A new book written by Robert Bortins and Alex Newman. 
Discover the shocking truth about how current education reform efforts may actually accelerate the destruction of educational freedom. Through meticulous research, Woke and Weaponized traces the philosophical roots of educational corruption from Robert Owen and John Dewey to critical race theory, while offering practical strategies for families ready to pursue genuine educational independence. Join our exclusive list to be notified the moment it becomes available — plus receive special launch updates and insider information. 
www.WokeAndWeaponized.com

Ever wonder why every poll seemed to show Kamala Harris winning, yet Trump dominated the election? Mark Mitchell from Rasmussen Reports pulls back the curtain on the billion-dollar polling industry's most carefully guarded secrets. Discover how establishment pollsters use proprietary panels filled with left-leaning city dwellers to sandbag anti-establishment candidates by 20+ points, why FiveThirtyEight was really just a psychological operation funded by Disney and the New York Times, and how polling is weaponized to move the Overton Window on everything from reparations to LGBT issues. Mitchell reveals the shocking truth about why Gen Z is flirting with socialism (hint: it's not because they love Marx), what the Epstein case closure cost Trump in independent support, and why 43% of Americans now believe civil war is coming within years. He explains how the Republican Party remains captured by corporate interests while young voters are demanding a Caesar to burn down a corrupt system, why Trump's "golden age" messaging is falling flat with the very coalition that elected him, and what polling shows about the real mandate Trump received. This episode exposes how polling shapes public opinion through manufactured consensus and offers a sobering look at America's political future if the system isn't actually fixed. If you've ever felt manipulated by media narratives, this conversation will confirm your suspicions and arm you with the knowledge to fight back.
 
Resources:
https://www.rasmussenreports.com/
This episode of Refining Rhetoric is sponsored by: 
Woke and Weaponized: How Karl Marx Won the Battle for American Education—And How We Can Win It Back – A new book written by Robert Bortins and Alex Newman. 
Discover the shocking truth about how current education reform efforts may actually accelerate the destruction of educational freedom. Through meticulous research, Woke and Weaponized traces the philosophical roots of educational corruption from Robert Owen and John Dewey to critical race theory, while offering practical strategies for families ready to pursue genuine educational independence. Join our exclusive list to be notified the moment it becomes available — plus receive special launch updates and insider information. 
www.WokeAndWeaponized.com

What if the real sign of wealth isn't your bank account, but the number of kids around your dinner table? Chocolate Knox from CrossPolitic joins Refining Rhetoric to flip the script on modern family planning. With seven kids and counting, Knox shares why he and his wife decided to "replace the stupid people" in their family lineage and create a new generation that honors God. Discover how God has faithfully provided through every season, from figuring out how to fit everyone in one vehicle to navigating the transition from public school indoctrination to classical Christian education. Knox unpacks why the church bears responsibility for America's decline, how the feminist movement is already showing its cracks (yes, even in the Barbie movie), and why black families especially should flee government schools. Plus, practical advice for young singles on how to inflation-proof their future and set themselves up for the silk life: single income, lots of kids. This conversation challenges the lie that children are a financial burden and reveals them as the generational wealth investment God always intended. If you're tired of the dink (double income, no kids) propaganda and ready to embrace biblical fruitfulness, this episode is for you.
Resources:
https://crosspolitic.com/
https://x.com/Chocolate_Knox
 
This episode of Refining Rhetoric is sponsored by:
Woke and Weaponized: How Karl Marx Won the Battle for American Education—And How We Can Win It Back – A new book written by Robert Bortins and Alex Newman. 
Discover the shocking truth about how current education reform efforts may actually accelerate the destruction of educational freedom. Through meticulous research, Woke and Weaponized traces the philosophical roots of educational corruption from Robert Owen and John Dewey to critical race theory, while offering practical strategies for families ready to pursue genuine educational independence. Join our exclusive list to be notified the moment it becomes available — plus receive special launch updates and insider information. 
www.WokeAndWeaponized.com

What happens when a Christian show gets canceled 20+ times but refuses to stay silent? Gabe Rench, founder of CrossPolitic, joins Refining Rhetoric to share his journey from launching a faith-and-politics show in 2016 to building a multi-platform network that's discipling Christians to engage culture boldly. Discover why he believes the church is responsible for America's condition, how his team is pivoting to deeper content in 2025, and why Christian business leaders need to stop burying their talents. Plus, learn about the surprising stat showing how Christians in Seattle could flip the city conservative overnight if they simply showed up to vote. Gabe also discusses surviving intense cancel culture (even password-protected content wasn't safe), the Fight Laugh Feast philosophy, launching the Business Makers Network, and why his new approach of one deeply researched show per week might be more effective than churning out four shows weekly.
Resources:
https://crosspolitic.com/
https://gaberench.com/
This episode of Refining Rhetoric is sponsored by: 
Woke and Weaponized: How Karl Marx Won the Battle for American Education—And How We Can Win It Back – A new book written by Robert Bortins and Alex Newman. 
Discover the shocking truth about how current education reform efforts may actually accelerate the destruction of educational freedom. Through meticulous research, Woke and Weaponized traces the philosophical roots of educational corruption from Robert Owen and John Dewey to critical race theory, while offering practical strategies for families ready to pursue genuine educational independence. Join our exclusive list to be notified the moment it becomes available — plus receive special launch updates and insider information. 
www.WokeAndWeaponized.com

Is America on the brink of collapse—and are Christians ready to respond?
Welcome to the first episode of Refining Rhetoric for 2026! As we kick off the new year, host Robert Bortins tackles the pressing issues facing Christian families, homeschoolers, and business owners in an increasingly chaotic world.
In this episode, you'll discover:
•    Why America's $38 trillion debt crisis (which just grew by $1 trillion in 76 days) matters for your family's future
•    The spiritual battle behind cultural conflicts—from controversial elections to shocking legal cases abroad
•    How only 6% of Christians hold a biblical worldview according to Barna research, and what that means for our communities
•    The launch of the new book "Woke and Weaponized" and why understanding the root causes of societal issues is critical
•    Plans for 2026 including discussions on cryptocurrency, bitcoin, and preparing for economic uncertainty
This isn't just another news commentary—it's a call to action for believers to stop outsourcing their God-given responsibilities and start living boldly as ambassadors of Christ in a world that desperately needs the gospel.
This episode of Refining Rhetoric is sponsored by: 
Woke and Weaponized: How Karl Marx Won the Battle for American Education—And How We Can Win It Back – A new book written by Robert Bortins and Alex Newman. 
Discover the shocking truth about how current education reform efforts may actually accelerate the destruction of educational freedom. Through meticulous research, Woke and Weaponized traces the philosophical roots of educational corruption from Robert Owen and John Dewey to critical race theory, while offering practical strategies for families ready to pursue genuine educational independence. Join our exclusive list to be notified the moment it becomes available — plus receive special launch updates and insider information. 
www.WokeAndWeaponized.com