In this clip, Palmer and I talk about defense spending, military readiness, autonomous weapons (like AI fighter jets and robot submarines), and the dirty truth that money alone can't solve a productivity problem.

Palmer makes the case that cost is really a measure of efficiency, capability, and how fast a country can build what it needs in crisis. We also get into America's shrinking connection to its own military, why deterrence matters, and what The Lord of the Rings can teach us about peace, evil, and the price of forgetting who's holding the line.

Agree with him or not, this conversation goes well beyond politics. It's about what kind of country we are, what kind of world we're heading into, and whether we still have the will to defend what matters most. All of it raises an uncomfortable question: In a world where real fights are underway, are we actually ready for what comes next? Watch the full clip and decide for yourself.