"We hold these truths to be self-evident," but what did those words really mean in 1776, and who were they written for? In the season 3 premiere of Democracy In Question, Katie Dunn Tenpas and Vanessa Williamson dig into the radical promise within this phrase from the Declaration of Independence. They unpack its evolution, from the abolitionists who wielded it as a tool for equality, to why its vision of shared truth and self-government feels more urgent than ever.

Show notes and transcript.

Democracy in Question is part of the Brookings Podcast Network. Subscribe and listen wherever you listen to podcasts. Send feedback to [email protected].

In this new season of Democracy In Question, host Katie Dunn Tenpas unpacks the 250-year-old Declaration of Independence phrase by phrase with guests, finding the throughline between America's founding ideals and our democracy today.

Stay tuned for new episodes soon.

Democracy in Question is part of the Brookings Podcast Network. Subscribe and listen wherever you listen to podcasts. Send feedback to [email protected].

Democracy is upheld not by one president or the powerful few, but by democratic actors at every level—individual, local, state, and national. In this episode, host Katie Dunn Tenpas and Jonathan Katz, a fellow in Governance Studies at Brookings, explore how to create and safeguard a positive vision for U.S. governance by examining the core pillars of democracy.

Transcript and show notes.

Democracy in Question is part of the Brookings Podcast Network. Subscribe and listen wherever you listen to podcasts. Send feedback to [email protected].

Immigrants are vital to American democracy and economic prosperity, especially as population growth among U.S.-born citizens dwindles. In this episode, host Katie Dunn Tenpas speaks with Tara Watson, director of the Center for Economic Security and Opportunity and a senior fellow in Economic Studies at Brookings. Together, they unpack recent immigration policy changes by the Trump administration, from the tightening of pathways to citizenship to the more aggressive deportation agenda, discussing how these changes might affect the number of immigrants coming to the U.S. and their long-term economic consequences.

Transcript and show notes.

Democracy in Question is part of the Brookings Podcast Network. Subscribe and listen wherever you listen to podcasts. Send feedback to [email protected].

Protest is a cornerstone of American democracy. It's a fundamental right, a powerful tradition, and an indicator of a healthy democracy. In this episode, host Katie Dunn Tenpas and Vanessa Williamson, senior fellow in Governance Studies, explore protest movements, dissect what makes them impactful, and examine key moments in history when the right to protest was challenged—from the abolitionist movement to the modern-day Tea Party movement.

Transcript and show notes.

Democracy in Question is part of the Brookings Podcast Network. Subscribe and listen wherever you listen to podcasts. Send feedback to [email protected].

Since its founding, the United States has significantly expanded its global influence and military power, especially in the 20th century. In this episode, host Katie Dunn Tenpas and guest Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow in Foreign Policy at Brookings, explore how the history of U.S. foreign and military policy has interacted with democracy at home and abroad, and assess the current state of democracy amid rising competition with Russia and China, trade tensions, and ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.

Transcript and show notes.

Democracy in Question is part of the Brookings Podcast Network. Subscribe and listen wherever you listen to podcasts. Send feedback to [email protected].

Over the past two decades, civics education in the U.S. quietly faded into the background as schools shifted focus to STEM and reading—especially after the early 2000s, when the No Child Left Behind Act prioritized standardized testing in math and reading. Fast forward to 2025, when actions by the Trump administration aimed at dismantling the Department of Education have raised new issues around civil rights and preserving civics instruction. In this episode, host Katie Dunn Tenpas and guest Rachel Perera, a fellow in the Brown Center on Education Policy, discuss how civics education goes hand-in-hand with creating an engaged citizenship. Perera argues that a strong public education system is necessary for a healthy, functioning democracy.

Transcript and show notes.

Democracy in Question is part of the Brookings Podcast Network. Subscribe and listen wherever you listen to podcasts. Send feedback to [email protected].

Presidents often get the credit and the blame for the U.S. economy largely because they implement policies that can have immediate and far-reaching effects. In our constitutional design, however, economic influence is shared: Congress holds the power of the purse, determining government spending and taxation, while the Federal Reserve controls interest rates and monetary policy. The economy itself is a complex, ever-evolving system that operates beyond the influence of any single administration. In this episode, host Katie Dunn Tenpas and economist Wendy Edelberg, a senior fellow in Economic Studies, look at President Trump's latest actions—from across-the-board tariffs to aggressive downsizing of the federal workforce and programs—and examine whether new levels of uncertainty could have long-lasting economic consequences.

Transcript and show notes.

Democracy in Question is part of the Brookings Podcast Network. Subscribe and listen wherever you listen to podcasts. Send feedback to [email protected].

Over the past 50 years, the U.S. has seen a sharp rise in both income inequality and the political influence of ultra-rich Americans. In this episode, host Katie Dunn Tenpas and Senior Fellow Darrell West discuss how changes in campaign finance laws—notably the Supreme Court's 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. FEC—have allowed billionaires to pour unlimited money into elections. These shifts, along with tax breaks for the wealthy and weakened labor power, have tilted public policy in favor of America's wealthiest people.

Transcript and show notes.

Democracy in Question is part of the Brookings Podcast Network. Subscribe and listen wherever you listen to podcasts. Send feedback to [email protected].

The U.S. judiciary has a long-established role in checking executive power, tracing its authority back to common law traditions and Marbury v. Madison. However, the Trump administration presents an unprecedented challenge by systematically enacting policies that conflict with existing statutes. In this episode, host Katie Dunn Tenpas and Senior Fellow Benjamin Wittes explore consequential pending court cases along with the statutory questions and constitutional considerations they raise.

Transcript and show notes.

Democracy in Question is part of the Brookings Podcast Network. Subscribe and listen wherever you listen to podcasts. Send feedback to [email protected].