The American Idea

We hear a lot about “The Fed,” interest rates, and America’s staggering national debt. But what do they each mean, how are they related, and how do they impact each of us today and in the future?

Jeff discusses these seemingly complicated issues in clear terms with John Popeo of the Gallatin Group, unpacking how America created a national bank, how federal borrowing works, and the connection between taxing, spending, and borrowing shape our country’s economy and our individual possibilities and plans.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton

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Jeff is joined by Jonathan Turley - Georgetown University law professor, author, and constitutional law expert - to discuss the revolutionary roots of America, and how a few key distinctions between our revolution and that of France kept America from devouring itself, as so many revolutions do.

Get Jonathan Turley’s new book, Rage and the Republic, on Amazon: https://a.co/d/03CmA2CU

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton

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Homepage: https://ashbrook.org/the-american-idea-podcast/

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Typical civics and American Government courses teach that the Supreme Court has the final say in interpreting the Constitution - that is, determining its meaning and limits. Judicial Review, and other accepted powers of the court, are also taught as if the Founders built them that way.

But what if that’s not the case? What if the court’s powers and norms are the current state of a centuries-long evolution, one that isn’t necessarily, or supposed to ever be, complete?

Constitutional scholar Matthew Franck joins Jeff to discuss the evolution of the court’s powers, particularly that of judicial review, and how the view that they are a settled issue may not serve our republic well.

Read Federalist 78, mentioned in the episode: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/federalist-78/

Read Federalist 81: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/federalist-no-81/

Find Matt’s articles at the Public Discourse: https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton

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Homepage: https://ashbrook.org/the-american-idea-podcast/

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The Marquis de Lafayette came to America at age 19, on his own dime, to earn glory on the battlefield. He quickly became one of the Revolution’s greatest believers, and spent the rest of his life admiring the spirit and goals of the American Revolution and the republic it birthed.

Author Ryan Cole joins us this week to discuss his book, The Last Adieu, which chronicles Lafayette’s tour of America 40 years after the Revolution. Visiting every state, and meeting with surviving veterans and leaders, along with the next generation of prominent Americans, his experience gave him a unique perspective on the country he helped create.

Read Ryan’s book: https://a.co/d/0fTFmzET

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton

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Homepage: https://ashbrook.org/the-american-idea-podcast/

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Written while the Constitutional Convention was taking place in 1787, the Northwest Ordinance was adopted fully by the new government, despite being a production of the Articles of Confederation. It also laid the foundation for many of the Founders’ priorities and aspirations in terms of governance, land usage, economics, and slavery. How would the new, expanding America look, and what would it be like? The Northwest Ordinance is an essential enabler for the America that came on the heals of the Revolution.

Jeff is joined by historian Peter Onuf to discuss this essential, yet largely overlooked, document.

Read the document: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/the-northwest-ordinance/

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton

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Homepage: https://ashbrook.org/the-american-idea-podcast/

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Young Washington purports to tell the story of George Washington’s early life, and the choices, situations, and actions that defined him as a young man, and in the eyes of his countrymen. But how accurate is it, and considering how many people seem to get their history from films, what should we know about this movie when thinking about the story it tells?

Presidential historian Stephen Knott worked as an advisor for the movie, and sits down with Dr. Cara Rogers Stevens to discuss what’s fact, where the film took creative license, and how challenging it is to make a good historical film.

Read David Hackett Fischer’s book, as suggested by Steve: https://a.co/d/05GDbgbO

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton

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Homepage: https://ashbrook.org/the-american-idea-podcast/

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First in war, first in peace, and traditionally first in the hearts of Americans - what can we learn from Washington, the man? What made him the person around whom history seemed to turn, and why is his character worth studying and, in many ways, emulating? Professor Stephen Knott, noted presidential historian, discusses Washington, the man, and three key moments in his life when his decisions and integrity shifted the arc of history.

Read David Hackett Fischer’s book, recommended by Steve: https://a.co/d/05GDbgbO

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton

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Homepage: https://ashbrook.org/the-american-idea-podcast/

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America is often called a democracy, sometimes a democratic republic, and probably less-often a republic. But to be precise, the American system of constitutional government, first in the original 13 states, then in the general government, and since 1787, consists of a series of republics. Each state is a republic, and the national (or general, or federal) government is, as well.

But what exactly is a republic, and does it matter? What is republican (little R) government, and what did the Founders see in it that was superior to a democracy? What qualities did they see in their fellow Americans, and hope to see in their progeny - us?

Professor of Political Science Jim Stoner, of Louisiana State University, discusses the difference between a republic and a democracy, and how the Founders understood republicanism as both a system and a set of civic values.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton

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Homepage: https://ashbrook.org/the-american-idea-podcast/

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In Federalist 10, James Madison identified what he saw as one of the greatest dangers to popular government: factions. How did he define and understand them? Does his definition and his argument still stand up today? How can, by understanding the view on this issue at the Founding, better understand our current politics?

Read Federalist 10: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/federalist-no-10-3/

Read Madison’s “Consolidation”: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/consolidation/

Read Madison’s “A Candid State of Parties”: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/a-candid-state-of-parties-2/

Read Joe’s article on political parties: https://www.heritage.org/political-process/report/the-rise-and-fall-political-parties-america

Find American Covenant on Amazon: https://a.co/d/00voBuXV

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

Homepage: https://ashbrook.org/the-american-idea-podcast/

Thank you for being part of The American Idea community.

​​​Click to learn about how we're planning for America's 250th birthday!​ https://www.ashbrookfreedom250.org/

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The ideals, values, and aspirations in the Declaration of Independence aren’t just the words of an old document - they’re a statement of political and public faith in how we should see one another and how we should conduct ourselves as a political body.

In preparation for America’s 250th birthday, don’t just focus on the years and accomplishments - get in touch with the ideas that underpin them, and consider how you can live out the Declaration of Independence, and encourage others, as well, so that we can bequeath another 250 years of freedom to the generations that follow us.

Read the Declaration of Independence: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/declaration-of-independence/

Read Calvin Coolidge's speech about the DI: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/speech-on-the-occasion-of-the-one-hundred-and-fiftieth-anniversary-of-the-declaration-of-independence/

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

Homepage: https://ashbrook.org/the-american-idea-podcast/