Democracy in Question: America at 250

On the final episode of Democracy in Question 's third season, host Katie Dunn Tenpas speaks with historian Heather Cox Richardson about the Declaration of Independence as a whole and its relevance today. The Declaration can be understood as an unfinished promise that depends on Americans' capacity to defend, expand, and reinvent its ideals. Show notes and transcript . Democracy in Question is par...

On this episode of Democracy in Question , host Katie Dunn Tenpas speaks with Lindsay Chervinsky, executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon, about the Declaration's most consequential closing phrase. From the founders' dual loyalties to the erosion of "sacred honor," they illuminate what mutually pledging their "Lives, Fortunes, and sacred Honor" demanded in...

Two grievances lodged against King George in the Declaration of Independence—taxation without consent and trade restrictions—continue to shape American policy today. On this episode of Democracy in Question, host Katie Dunn Tenpas is joined by Brookings scholars Kari Heerman and Vanessa Williamson for a conversation that draws a direct line from the founders' grievances in 1776 to the tariff and t...

The Declaration of Independence accused the British Crown of obstructing naturalization and restricting migration to the colonies, grievances that feel especially relevant today. On this episode of Democracy in Question, host Katie Dunn Tenpas sits down with Brookings senior fellows Rashawn Ray and Scott Anderson to trace how American values around immigration and naturalization have evolved since...

The Declaration of Independence declared that legitimate government rests on the 'consent of the governed.' Where does the social contract between Americans and government stand today? In this episode of Democracy in Question, host Katie Dunn Tenpas asks Brookings senior fellow Jonathan Rauch to trace the idea from founding principle to present-day practice. Show notes and transcript . Democracy i...

The words "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" in the Declaration of Independence were specific enough to win over colonists in 1776, but vague enough to appeal to social movements since and today. In this episode of Democracy in Question, host Katie Dunn Tenpas asks Lindsay Chervinsky, executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library, about the origin of this phrase and wh...

In 1776, the Declaration of Independence declared that "all men are created equal." Ever since then, Americans have invoked that promise to demand inclusion and drive policy change. On this episode of Democracy In Question, host Katie Dunn Tenpas unpacks what the phrase has meant throughout American history and how it informs policy debates today with guests Bill Galston and Keon Gilbert. Show not...

"We hold these truths to be self-evident," but what did those words really mean in 1776, and who were they written for? In the season 3 premiere of Democracy In Question, Katie Dunn Tenpas and Vanessa Williamson dig into the radical promise within this phrase from the Declaration of Independence. They unpack its evolution, from the abolitionists who wielded it as a tool for equality, to why its vi...

In this new season of Democracy In Question, host Katie Dunn Tenpas unpacks the 250-year-old Declaration of Independence phrase by phrase with guests, finding the throughline between America's founding ideals and our democracy today.  Stay tuned for new episodes soon. Democracy in Question is part of the Brookings Podcast Network . Subscribe and listen wherever you listen to podcasts. Send feedbac...

Democracy is upheld not by one president or the powerful few, but by democratic actors at every level—individual, local, state, and national. In this episode, host Katie Dunn Tenpas and Jonathan Katz, a fellow in Governance Studies at Brookings, explore how to create and safeguard a positive vision for U.S. governance by examining the core pillars of democracy. Transcript and show notes . Democrac...

Immigrants are vital to American democracy and economic prosperity, especially as population growth among U.S.-born citizens dwindles. In this episode, host Katie Dunn Tenpas speaks with Tara Watson, director of the Center for Economic Security and Opportunity and a senior fellow in Economic Studies at Brookings. Together, they unpack recent immigration policy changes by the Trump administration,...

Protest is a cornerstone of American democracy. It's a fundamental right, a powerful tradition, and an indicator of a healthy democracy. In this episode, host Katie Dunn Tenpas and Vanessa Williamson, senior fellow in Governance Studies, explore protest movements, dissect what makes them impactful, and examine key moments in history when the right to protest was challenged—from the abolitionist mo...

Since its founding, the United States has significantly expanded its global influence and military power, especially in the 20th century. In this episode, host Katie Dunn Tenpas and guest Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow in Foreign Policy at Brookings, explore how the history of U.S. foreign and military policy has interacted with democracy at home and abroad, and assess the current state of demo...

Over the past two decades, civics education in the U.S. quietly faded into the background as schools shifted focus to STEM and reading—especially after the early 2000s, when the No Child Left Behind Act prioritized standardized testing in math and reading. Fast forward to 2025, when actions by the Trump administration aimed at dismantling the Department of Education have raised new issues around c...

Presidents often get the credit and the blame for the U.S. economy largely because they implement policies that can have immediate and far-reaching effects. In our constitutional design, however, economic influence is shared: Congress holds the power of the purse, determining government spending and taxation, while the Federal Reserve controls interest rates and monetary policy. The economy itself...

Over the past 50 years, the U.S. has seen a sharp rise in both income inequality and the political influence of ultra-rich Americans. In this episode, host Katie Dunn Tenpas and Senior Fellow Darrell West discuss how changes in campaign finance laws—notably the Supreme Court's 2010 ruling in Citizens United v. FEC—have allowed billionaires to pour unlimited money into elections. These shifts, alon...

The U.S. judiciary has a long-established role in checking executive power, tracing its authority back to common law traditions and Marbury v. Madison. However, the Trump administration presents an unprecedented challenge by systematically enacting policies that conflict with existing statutes. In this episode, host Katie Dunn Tenpas and Senior Fellow Benjamin Wittes explore consequential pending...

Not even 100 days into a second term, the Trump administration is asserting expansive executive authority over the federal bureaucracy and spending, despite traditional congressional oversight, constraints, and presidential norms. In this episode, host Katie Dunn Tenpas discusses with legal expert and Fellow Scott Anderson how President Trump has deviated from central norms and practices of the mo...

Since his inauguration, many of President Trump's assertive actions have prompted legal and congressional scholars to question the scope of expanded executive authority. In the first episode Democracy in Question season two, host Katie Dunn Tenpas unpacks what's happened to our system of checks and balances and how the founding principles of American democracy apply today with Senior Fellows Molly...

Democracy in Question, a podcast about American politics and the future of democracy, and hosted by Brookings scholar Katie Dunn Tenpas, returns for its second season soon. Learn more about the podcast here . Democracy in Question is part of the  Brookings Podcast Network . Subscribe and listen wherever you listen to podcasts. Send feedback to  podcasts@brookings.edu .

On November 5, Former President Donald Trump prevailed over Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, while the Senate flipped party control, and the House remained in GOP hands. The victories give President-elect Trump and the Republican Party a unified government. In this final episode of the podcast, host Katie Dunn Tenpas discusses what this election says about U.S. democ...

Foreign influence on our elections is as old as our country itself. However, as disinformation tools become more sophisticated with the advent of emerging technologies—such as AI—the threat of election interference and democratic backsliding grows stronger as well. But it's not just foreign actors we have to worry about, as influence from abroad often means corruption at home. In this episode, hos...

Political campaigns in America have always featured misinformation about the issues, but today, AI and other new technologies represent an unprecedented challenge to the electorate and our political system. The scale and sophistication of AI-generated deepfake images, voice recordings, and videos are widespread and could alter the outcome in many elections. In this episode, host Katie Dunn Tenpas...

Voter turnout rates for voters 18 to 29 have been trending up in recent years, yet younger voters continue to have the lowest turnout of all age groups. Younger voters offer many explanations for not participating in elections--they are rigged, politicians don't follow through on promises, voting itself is confusing or difficult to assess, and ultimately, their vote doesn't matter. In this episode...

Since the founding of the United States in 1776, the definition of who gets to participate in politics and in civic life has been contested. What does it mean to be an American? Are some Americans more "American" than others? In this episode, host Katie Dunn Tenpas explores what we mean when we talk about being an "American" with Rashawn Ray, a senior fellow in Governance Studies and a professor o...