The American Idea

Jeff sat down with Amity Shlaes to discuss her book, "The Great Society - A New History," and the implications of the welfare state as envisioned by Lyndon Johnson. In addition to some of LBJ's various remarks and addresses while in office, his Great Society speech was highlighted, along with the policies that stemmed from it and their impact on American political economy and public life. Jeff and Amity also explored LBJ and Vietnam, and how this era of American foreign policy paralleled and, to an extent, shared philosophical similarities with the idealism of the Great Society.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Jeff discusses our current political tensions with Dr. Lucas Morel, who proposes that an understanding of Lincoln - his ideas, his words, his actions - can help us navigate difficult political waters now, and in our future as Americans.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Jeff discusses the results, surprises, and immediate fallout of the 2022 Midterm Congressional and several state gubernatorial elections. Of special focus is how badly most pollsters were wrong; how the Democrats avoided the historical trend of a president losing seats during his first term; and the standing - or lack - of Donald Trump in the Republican party moving forward.

Host; Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

In this episode, Jeff sits down to talk with Mike Pompeo, former member of the House of Representatives, CIA Director, and the 70th Secretary of State. The two touch on notions of service to country, the foundation of Sec. Pompeo’s political views, and his reflections on threats to America from abroad and at home, as well as his deep respect for the men and women who serve this country.

Dr. Jeff Sikkenga talks with Congressman Troy Balderson, of Ohio's 12th Congressional District, about public and elected service, as well as the changing demographic trends and political issues that could impact upcoming elections.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Jeff discusses the upcoming 2022 midterm elections with Henry Olsen of the Ethics and Public Policy Center, offering thoughtful analysis and things to look out for as we get closer to these pivotal elections.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

The 22-23 United States Supreme Court term has begun, and there are several cases to be heard that will make headlines - maybe even greater than those that closed out the 21-22 term. Join Jeff and Dr. Adam Carrington as they discuss some of these cases, the background to them, and how the current court might go about considering them.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Jeff and Rob Wyllie, Director of Ashbrook’s Political Economy program at Ashland University, discuss inflation in American and world history, how it comes to be, and why it can be so dangerous to economic, social, and political stability. In particular, they discuss inflation at the American Founding, during the Great Depression, and in the 1970s and 80s. They also discuss current inflationary causes, responses, and trends, and Jeff even gets Rob to offer a forecast about what he thinks could happen over the next year or two in the global and, especially, American economies.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

In this episode of The American Idea, Jeff is joined by Dr. Gordon Lloyd, Dockson Emeritus Professor of Public Policy at Pepperdine University and Senior Fellow at Ashbrook, and Dr. Chris Burkett, Associate Professor of Political Science at Ashland University and Director of the Ashbrook Scholar Program, for a lively conversation on the dramatic story and the legacy of the Constitutional Convention of 1787.

The leading expert on the Constitutional Convention, Gordon has spent the past forty years studying and writing on this essential part of the American story. He is the editor of several of Ashbrook’s Core Document volumes for teachers, including the American Founding and the Bill of Rights volumes, and our printing of Madison’s Notes on the Debates in the Federal Convention of 1787. He is also the author of four highly regarded and widely-used online exhibits on the Founding, which are hosted exclusively on Ashbrook’s new website TheAmericanFounding.org.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton, Tyler MacQueen

In this episode of The American Idea, Jeff is joined by Peter Myers, Professor of Political Science at University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire and the 2016-17 B. Kenneth Simon Fellow in American Political Thought at the Heritage Foundation, for a conversation on Martin Luther King Jr.'s philosophy "character not color" comes into direct conflict with the ideas of Critical Race Theory.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton