x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

The American Idea

Ashbrook Center

The American Idea explores America"s Founding principles and their effect on American history and government. Through thoughtful conversations with renowned academics and public figures from across the country, we examine the history and political thought behind our country’s greatest documents and debates, as well as contemporary issues, American popular culture, and political statesmanship. The podcast is a production of the Ashbrook Center and hosted by Jeff Sikkenga.

education

All Episodes

40:32

Mercy Otis Warren - America's Forgotten Founding...

The American Idea ·

2025/07/30

Mercy Otis Warren not only wrote one of the first comprehensive histories of the American Revolution, she was also a leading Antifederalist thinker - and yet she is overlooked in most conventional histories of the era today. What makes her important and memorable? What can we learn from her today?Join Dr. Cara Rogers Stevens this week as she discusses this important American Founder with Brenda Hafera, Senior Fellow at the Heritage Foundation.Host: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy

en

36:39

Not the Arbiter of Truth - America's Complicated...

The American Idea ·

2025/07/23

American press freedom has never followed a straight path. The Founding Fathers envisioned newspapers as partisan political weapons, not neutral truth-tellers. This "messy" approach let citizens decide truth for themselves rather than accepting government-approved narratives. Today's concerns about partisan media miss the point—embracing partisanship may produce healthier discourse than enforcing artificial neutrality. The real danger lies in government attempts to regulate speech through

en

43:56

Inside the Reagan White House: A Conversation with...

The American Idea ·

2025/07/16

Jeff discusses the inner workings of the Reagan White House with former AMB Frank Lavin, who had a front-row seat to many of Reagan’s key decisions and actions while president. Get to know Reagan as both a person and a leader; and read Frank’s book on the topic, linked below.Amazon link: https://a.co/d/fRQPTshHost: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

en

39:58

2025 United States Supreme Court Decisions -...

The American Idea ·

2025/07/09

Jeff is joined by constitutional law scholar Dr. Joshua Dunn to discuss the recently ended 2025 US Supreme Court term and some of the more interesting and potentially important decisions, as well as what seem like some friction between some of the justices.Get a free copy of Josh’s primary documents reader about the Judiciary: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/product/the-judiciary/Get a free copy of Jeff’s primary documents reader about the Supreme Court:

en

16:09

America's First Core Document - The Declaration of...

The American Idea ·

2025/07/02

In celebration of the 249th anniversary of America's independence, we look back not so much on the history of the Declaration of Independence, but on its meaning. And not just its meaning then, but its enduring meaning and what we can and should take from it now.This special episode contains the content of the first of three classes within our free, self-paced online course, "The American Idea." If you enroll, you can listen to thoughtful discussions of the Declaration of Independence, Lincoln's

en

49:41

All the Presidents' Money: How the Men Who Governed...

The American Idea ·

2025/06/25

Presidents are people, too, and fallible, short-sighted, disciplined, daring - and all the other traits we humans share. How have our presidents handled, or mishandled, their own money? What can we learn from them now?Cara Rogers Stevens welcomes author and wealth management expert Megan Gorman to this show this week to discuss some of the highs and lows of presidential personal finance.Read Megan's book on the topic: https://a.co/d/faRlCmTHost: Cara Rogers StevensExecutive Producer: Jeremy

en

42:12

Sir William Blackstone's Influence on the American...

The American Idea ·

2025/06/18

Who was William Blackstone? What did he contribute to English law, and how did his contributions directly impact the ideas in the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution? How is it that a British noble who opposed the American Revolution ended up serving as a major source of inspiration to the American Founders? Learn the details from this episode of The American Idea.#blackstone #williamblackstone #commonlaw #americanfounding Host: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe:

en

45:40

Why and How Did Slaveholders Oppose Free Speech?

The American Idea ·

2025/06/10

Americans have faced, unfortunately, a number of movements and moments in our history where free speech - especially of a political nature - has been challenged and even quashed. Power-wielding opponents of free expression and debate have often sought to prevent debates and discussions from happening, in order to protect their interests. In this week's episode we explore a lesser-known example of this, in how slaveholders before the Civil War deliberately worked to deny free speech to both whites

en

42:06

Paul Nitze - America's Cold Warrior

The American Idea ·

2025/06/04

Paul Nitze served under eight different U.S. presidents, from during World War 2 through the end of the Cold War, and it was his thinking, laid down in NSC-68, that provided some of the most foundational ideas for how America dealt with the Soviet Union, eventually bringing about its collapse.This week Jeff welcomes State Department historian and author James Graham Wilson to discuss Nitze, and his book about the man.Read the book: https://a.co/d/eV0zC2ORead NSC-68: https://tinyurl.com/bdz8zmsm#cold

en

35:19

The Extinction of Experience - Reclaiming Our...

The American Idea ·

2025/05/28

Technology, especially social media and the near ubiquity of mobile devices, has changed our world, our personal lives, and interpersonal relations. A great many people are waking up to the mountain of evidence suggesting that this change has not been all, or even mostly, for the better. American Enterprise Institute Senior Fellow and author Christine Rosen joins Jeff this week to discuss the impact of technology and our supposedly "connected" world this week. If you're concerned about human

en

43:52

America's Place in the World - Empire, Neighbor, or...

The American Idea ·

2025/05/21

What is America’s place in the world, and how have Americans understood where we as a country ought to be when it comes to world affairs and in relations with other countries? Should we be an “empire of liberty,” as Jefferson called the country? Should we avoid “entangling alliances” as Washington warned? Should we eagerly send our troops, promises, and money overseas, as has been the standard since World War 2? How do interest and morality, if there is such a thing in international affairs, play a

en

44:26

Trump, Trade, and Tariffs - Historical Background and...

The American Idea ·

2025/05/14

Tariffs, seemingly a relic of the 18th and 19th centuries, are back on the front page as tools of policy, with wide-reaching impacts on America's economy and Americans as individuals. What's the history behind tariffs as tools of policy, and how have American leaders understood and used them differently over time? Political Economist Rob Wyllie joins Jeff for this timely explanation of the background and history of tariffs, as well as a healthy dose of analysis and even some forecasts related to

en

42:53

VE Day at 80 Years - The End of WW2 in Europe

The American Idea ·

2025/05/07

8 May 1945: Victory in Europe Day, the day after the armistice between the Allied powers and Nazi Germany goes into effect. Almost 5 years long, World War 2 in Europe destroyed millions of lives, burned ancient cities to cinders, displaced populations, and permanently changed the world order.How, then, did it come to end? How did the Allies defeat the Nazis, and why did the war end when it did? What issues led the world from war to Cold War in only a few years, turning supposed allies against one

en

39:08

The Challenges of Creating an American Grand Strategy

The American Idea ·

2025/04/30

What is 'grand strategy' and how does it differ from strategy? What does grand strategy mean to a nation, its leaders and people? How is such a thing developed and revised over time? And why is it so difficult for America to create and settle on such a thing?Business and military strategy authority Dr. John Hillen discusses these topics with Jeff today, digging into what challenges America faces in the world, and the challenges we face at home as we work to determine our own national grand

en

46:19

No Fun Anymore: What's Happened to the NBA?

The American Idea ·

2025/04/23

Why have NBA ratings dropped by half over the last decade? How has the game changed in recent years and what does the proliferation of legalized sports betting have to do with it? Jeff takes a break this week from questions of history and politics and looks at a slice of our public life with author and journalist Oliver Lee Bateman and addresses these weighty issues.Or is there more to it? Is the creep of the HR department mindset to standardize, systematize, and optimize everything having an impact

en

43:18

Lexington & Concord at 250 Years: Stories from the...

The American Idea ·

2025/04/16

On 19 April 1775, the American War for Independence began at the battles of Lexington and Concord. Take a step back in time this week to learn some of the forgotten stories of important and interesting individuals who were part of America’s revolution, of which the war, according to John Adams, was only a part.Download a free copy of the American Revolution documents reader: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/product/american-revolution/View the documents reader’s contents online:

en

43:07

Do the Democrats Have an Ideology Problem?

The American Idea ·

2025/04/09

The 2024 elections left the Democrats in crisis, soul-searching over why they not only lost the White House, but also multiple down-ballot races, as well. Are we entering an era of party realignment? How is the leadership of the DNC grappling with these losses, and what do they see as the reasons behind them? What has their public response been, so far, to Trump’s return to the White House? And what might all this mean for upcoming elections?Jeff is joined this week by author and columnist JT Young

en

45:03

Lessons in Liberty: What We Can Learn From the Lives...

The American Idea ·

2025/04/02

What can we learn from those who came before us? What life lessons can be gleaned from the ideas and actions of noteworthy Americans? Dr. Cara Roger Stevens discusses the lives of 10 extraordinary Americans, whose lives offer us wisdom and guidance, with teacher and author Jeremy Adams. You can find Adams' book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/2GeECFi #lessonsinliberty #americanhistory Host: Jeff Sikkenga Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

en

37:44

The Statesmanship of Ronald Reagan

The American Idea ·

2025/03/26

What is statesmanship? What does it take to be a statesman? Is it possible to be such a leader during easy times, or only during the toughest moments in history?Jeff sits down with Dr. Greg McBrayer to discuss Ronald Reagan's political philosophy and how he applied in understanding and dealing with the Soviet Union - and why Reagan earned the title of 'statesman.'Learn more about Reagan, and two other 20th Century statesman, in our free online course "Tear Down This Wall..." - register at

en

43:32

Abigail Adams: John's Confidant, Partner, and Advisor

The American Idea ·

2025/03/19

Lindsay Chervinsky, Director of the George Washington Presidential Library, joins Cara Rogers Stevens this week to discuss Abigail Adams and her impact on John's public life. Learn more about Lindsay: https://www.lindsaychervinsky.com/ Get her book: https://a.co/d/6OOF1ny Learn about the George Washington Library: https://www.mountvernon.org/library Listen to Lindsay's podcast: https://www.georgewashingtonpodcast.com/show/conversations/ Host: Jeff Sikkenga Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton

en

210 results

Similar Podcasts

Science Talk

Albert Einstein College of Medicine

五分钟心理学

柠檬心理

Daily Facts

Amalia Dupray and Montgomery Jones.

Les dents et dodo

BFMTV

Veterinary Clinical Podcasts

The Royal Veterinary College