The American Idea

Jeff discusses Ronald Reagan’s efforts to peacefully end the Cold War with Will Inboden, Director of the Clements Center for National Security at the University of Texas-Austin. Containment and detente were frameworks that Reagan inherited; however, they both aimed to preserve the status quo with the USSR instead of rolling back Communist gains. Reagan’s view was that the Soviets were taking advantage of this approach, and instead saw the USSR not as a partner to accept and manage, but a cancer to be excised from the world stage. No previous Cold War president considered this possible without war; Reagan did, and his foreign policy was shaped by this belief.

Read Will's book on the topic

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

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Jeff and Flagg Taylor, of Skidmore College, discuss the thorny topic of censorship and its two main forms, that from the government, and that coming from individuals. Starting with a deep discussion of Soviet Russia’s totalitarian approach to what is acceptable literature and speech, they move through a history of limitations on speech, and what the last century of this can mean for us today, and the “cancel culture” moment we are enduring.

Give a listen to Flagg’s podcast, Enduring Interest, where he and guests discuss forgotten books and literature.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

Jeff and Chris Burkett discuss the unique place of the Western, as presented in literature and film, in American political culture. There's a lot more to the genre than gunfighters, wagon trains, and Monument Valley, as all enduring storytelling genres reflect, in some way, the cultures from which they originate. In addition to thoughtful and lively discussion, Chris offers suggestions for classic Western films and television shows.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/3jcrp73m

Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9n67a

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Jeff and Miles Smith IV discuss the 1619 Project and why it’s poorly-done as a piece of history and that in fact, it’s not history and should not be treated as such. Jeff and Miles discuss the importance of using primary sources - especially documents - in determining what happened in history, instead of starting with a conclusion and then, essentially, cherry-picking only what supports that conclusion; this is where 1619 goes so very wrong.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/3jcrp73m

Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9n67a

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/ysw8xjtk

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Jeff sits down with Rebeccah Heinrichs, an authority on national security issues, to discuss the challenge - and even threat - that the Chinese Communist Party presents to the United States and the world. Unpacking decades of policy mistakes and wishful thinking of Western countries, along with the longterm view of the CCP and its commitment to Marxist-Leninist ideology, Rebecca helps make sense of why the CCP is such a threat - no longer a competitor, but truly an adversary. She also offers some policy suggestions and implores Americans to delete the TikTok app, which the CCP uses as a global surveillance tool.

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Jeff and Brian Kilmeade discuss his book, The President and the Freedom Fighter, and the central role Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass played in “saving America’s soul.” Both were self-made men, who never stopped striving to become men of worth, doing things that needed to be done to help America live up to its greatest ideals, as expressed in the Declaration of Independence.

Check out Brian's book here - it's a great read.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Listener Survey Link: https://forms.gle/U62wovf93VXhMK6M8

Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/3jcrp73m

Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9n67a

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/ysw8xjtk

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Jeff talks with Dr. Andy Lang about U.S. Grant - as a soldier, general, and president.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/3jcrp73m

Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9n67a

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/ysw8xjtk

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Jeff sits down with Amity Shlaes, Chair of the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation, to discuss the ideas and importance of Calvin Coolidge, an overlooked and wildly underrated president.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/3jcrp73m

Google Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/2p9n67a

Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/ysw8xjtk

Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/ytp6jwnz

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