The American Idea

In this episode of The American Idea, Jeff welcomes back Dr. Chris Burkett, Associate Professor of Political Science at Ashland University and Director of the Ashbrook Scholar Program, for a conversation on Benjamin Franklin's famous Autobiography, his dramatic rise from the ninth of twelve children in an impoverished household to the most famous American of his time, and why he is - rightly - remembered as "The First American."

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Tyler MacQueen

In the second episode of The American Idea's Presidential Portraits series, we explore the life and controversial presidency of George W. Bush, the two-term Texas Governor who became the unexpected wartime president with the horrific attacks on September 11th, 2001. For this conversation, Jeff is joined by Stephen Knott, Professor of National Security Affairs at the United States Naval War College and the Thomas and Mabel Guy Professor in American History and Government at Ashland University. Stephen is a renowned presidential scholar, having recently participated in the C-SPAN Presidential Leadership survey and published a book on the lost soul of the presidency. He is the author of Rush to Judgment: George W. Bush, The War on Terror, and His Critics from the University of Kansas Press.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Tyler MacQueen

In this episode of The American Idea, Jeff is joined by Cara Rogers, Professor of History at Ashland University and Co-Director of the Ashbrook Scholar Program, for a conversation on Thomas Jefferson and his controversial book, Notes on the State of Virginia. Jeff and Cara discuss Jefferson's long history of anti-slavery sentiments and emancipation proposals, and his disturbing comments regarding the physiological differences between White Americans and Black Americans, and the historical paradox that these two seemingly separate concepts create.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Tyler MacQueen

In the first episode of The American Idea's Presidential Portraits series, we explore the life and times of George Washington: "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." For this conversation, Jeff is joined by Marc Landy, Professor of Political Science at Boston College and visiting faculty in Ashbrook's Master of Arts in American History and Government program at Ashland University. Marc has a B.A. from Oberlin College and a Ph.D. in Government from Harvard University. He was the recipient of the 2009 Teaching Award chosen by the student members of the Boston College Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. He is the Faculty Chair of the Boston College Irish Institute.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Tyler MacQueen

In this special episode of The American Idea, Jeff welcomes Sohrab Ahmari, prolific columnist, former Op-Ed Editor for the New York Post, and the author of the recent book, The Unbroken Thread: Discovering the Wisdom of Tradition in the Age of Chaos (2021) for a conversation on his journey from Iran to the United States, his conversion to Catholicism, the threats facing the great traditions of Western Civilization, and the moral condition of the American press.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Tyler MacQueen

In this episode of The American Idea, Jeff welcomes back two old friends of the show, Dr. Greg McBrayer, Associate Professor of Political Science at Ashland University and Ashbrook's Director of Citizen Programs, and Dr. John Moser, Professor of History and Chair of the Department of History and Political Science at Ashland University, for an in-depth conversation about the ascension of Ronald Reagan from Hollywood actor to the 40th President of the United States. Greg, John, and Jeff will examine the Reagan Revolution and the Fall of the Soviet Union through two of the Gipper's most important political speeches: "A Time for Choosing" (1964) and Reagan's Speech at Brandenburg Gate -- or more famously known as the "Tear Down This Wall!" speech (1987). Their conversation will examine both the complex historical narrative surrounding American politics and world affairs between 1964 and the fall of the Berlin Wall, Reagan's place in that narrative, and how Reagan's principled defense of freedom and the virtues of capitalism guided America to victory in the Cold War.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Tyler MacQueen

The American Idea is a podcast presented by Ashbrook that explores America’s Founding principles and their effect on American history and government. Through lively and thoughtful conversations with renowned academics and public figures, the podcast will examine the history and political thought behind our country’s greatest documents and debates, as well as American popular culture and political statesmanship.

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review it on your platform of choice, subscribe for more at ashbrook.org/americanideapod, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook at @amideapodcast.

To support Ashbrook and The American Idea, please go to ashbrook.org/support.

In this special episode of The American Idea, Jeff welcomes Ken Starr, Independent Counsel for the Whitewater Controversy, former United States circuit judge, and the 39th solicitor general of the United States of America, for a conversation on religious liberty in the twenty-first century, the collapse of civic education across the country, and the prospects for reviving the ways American history and government are taught.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Tyler MacQueen

In this special holiday episode of The American Idea, we are privileged to share with you a very special Christmas story.

A story of hope and freedom, of overcoming tyranny and opression, of finding love for a country and its ideas. A story of a boy whose father gave him the gift of America.

This is the story of Peter Schramm.

Peter was born in Hungary in 1946. Fleeing the Soviet invasion of Hungary ten years later, Peter famously asked his father why they were going to America. “Because, son. We were born Americans, but in the wrong place.” He would devote the rest of his life to studying and teaching about what that meant.

He received a B.A. degree from California State University Northridge and went on to earn a Ph.D. from the Claremont Graduate School. With the help of figures like Harry Jaffa, Peter came to understand what his father already knew: why – as Peter’s hero Abraham Lincoln put it – America is “the last best hope of Earth.”

Peter was a co-founder of the Claremont Institute for the Study of Statesmanship and Political Philosophy, and became its founding President. He later left Claremont to work for Bill Bennett in the U.S. Secretary of Education under the Reagan administration.

It was at the end of Reagan's tenure in office that Peter came to Ashbrook. President Reagan famously inaugurated Ashbrook in 1983, but five years in, it was still in its infancy and looking for its purpose. Over time, Peter would give Ashbrook a purpose.

Peter served as the Executive Director of Ashbrook from 1997 to 2013 and a professor of political science at Ashland University until his death in 2015. Under his leadership, Ashbrook grew into a national organization, reaching students, teachers, and citizens in all 50 states.

But his most enduring legacy is the students who he personally challenged and inspired in the classroom to be the best human beings and citizens they can be.

This is Peter’s story, "Born American, but in the Wrong Place," as recounted by him in 2006.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Tyler MacQueen

In this episode of The American Idea, Jeff welcomes Dr. 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 revealing conversation on the greatest American speech of the twentieth century: Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream." Peter and Jeff will examine the history of the Civil Rights Movement preceding the historic March on Washington in August of 1963, King's leadership during this vitally important time, and how King wove the greatest of American political and religious traditions to write the defining speech of the era. Listen to the full conversation to learn more about this legendary piece of political and religious rhetoric, its history, and whether or not we could have another speech like it today.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Tyler MacQueen