What does the Constitution mean to an elected official? Or to the United States Attorney General? Why should we respect, and perhaps even revere, the United States Constitution, and can this 18th Century document still hold together a diverse, often fractious republic in the 21st Century?

#constitution #americanhistory

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

Jeff is joined by Drs. Chris Burkett and Rob Wyllie, professors of Political Science and Political Economy, respectively, in this recording of a special live episode of The American Idea. Is there a connection between free enterprise and national prosperity? What is free enterprise, anyway? What kind of economy did the Founders envision for America, and how would that shape Americans and our public life and politics? Consider these questions and others that sit at the foundation of America and our experiment in free association and self-government.

#freeenterprise #liberty #jefferson #hamilton #americanfounding

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

Jeff is joined by Henry Olsen, expert polls analysis from the Ethics & Public Policy Center, to discuss the state of the presidential election now that the dust has settled from the RNC and DNC conventions, and the nomination of VP Kamala Harris over President Biden.

Catch Henry's podcast here: https://ricochet.com/series/beyond-the-polls-with-henry-olsen/

#2024elections #dnc #rnc #kamalaharris #donaldtrump #polls2024

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

Jeff discusses leadership - the kind of American leadership that requires reasoning, setting of examples, and character - with two legendary football coaches in this special episode of The American Idea. Jim Tressel, longtime football coach of Ohio State University, and Lee Owens, former football coach at Ashland University, share their experiences in motivating players, building teams, and developing character in those around them.

#ohiostate #ashlandfootball #ashland #leadership #leadershipdevelopment

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

What's the purpose of a party convention? Does anybody watch them, and are any decisions of substance made at them? Why did the Democrats avoid an 'open convention' this year, and what might have happened had they not? Jeff is joined by Professor Eric Sands to discuss the history, role, and evolution of party conventions in America, from attempts to democratize the electoral process to supposed impediments to it - all the way to today's low-ratings PR event.

#elections #conventions #politicalparties #democrats #republicans #gop #2024elections

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

Are we running out of energy or not? Is the transition to "renewables" going to happen any time soon, and is it the best use of resources, capital, and labor? How do policy decisions impact the price, availability, and reliability of energy - and how does that impact our lives? Jeff discusses these thorny policy questions with Mark Mills, Director of the National Center for Energy Analytics and comes to some surprising, evidence-based answers.

#energy #policy #oil #bigoil #fracking #environment

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

What happened to quality, non-partisan civics education in America? Why do so many young people either lack essential knowledge about our system of government? Why does socialism seem attractive to so many Americans today? Can we turn the tide and help our fellow citizens adopt an informed, honest, and rational patriotism? Jeff is joined by David Davenport to discuss this crisis and the many downstream effects of it - and what we can do about it.

If you're interested in reading "A Republic, If We Can Teach It," you can get your copy from Amazon here: https://a.co/d/iFmIWSM

#civics #americanpolitics #civiceducation

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

Law professor and scholar Jonathan Turley joins Jeff this week to talk about the importance of free speech, and just how threatened it is on college campuses, online, and by our own federal government. Learn more about America's eras of political rage and the challenges to free speech they present - and what each of us can do to protect this most essential right.

#freespeech #firstamendment #covid #censorship

Read Jonathan Turley's new book, "The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in An Age of Rage," - https://a.co/d/byMm1Hu

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

Jeff is joined by legal scholar Josh Dunn to discuss the most recent decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court, including those overturning the Chevron Doctrine, addressing free speech online, separation of powers, and presidential immunity.

#ussc #supremecourt #chevrondoctrine #constitution

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea

Join us for our special episode in response to the attempted assassination of (former) President Donald Trump on Saturday, 13 July 2024. Jeff discusses with Dr. John Moser the existence and impact of violence in American politics from the 19th Century onward, looking into attempted assassinations of Andrew Jackson, Theodore Roosevelt, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Reagan; and the actual murders of Abraham Lincoln, William McKinley, James Garfield, and John F. Kennedy. Where do these attacks come from? What animates the choice of bullets over ballots?

#trumpassassination #politicalviolence #july13th #trump #election2024 #election2024news

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

Executive Producer: Greg McBrayer

Producer: Jeremy Gypton

Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea