DIA-Today: Democracy in America Today

We reflect on President Biden’s voting rights speech and vaccine mandate in light Aristotle’s teaching on the functions of legislative, executive, and judicial offices.     Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia . Used with permission. Opening (0:52) - We talk ab...

We discuss Aristotle’s account of the best regime for most places, a mixed regime balancing the excellencies of oligarchy and democracy.    Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia . Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We look forward to Christmas break and talk...

We discuss Aristotle’s reflections on the best and worst sorts of democracy and oligarchy.    Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia . Used with permission. Opening (0:54) - We discuss the Patriots’ big Monday night win over the Bills, the prospects for a Patriot...

We discuss how hyperpartisanship threatens the stability of a republic and the temptation for Christians to emphasize political attachments over their commitment to Christ.   Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia . Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discu...

We discuss Aristotle’s four ways of thinking about the best regime and Harry Jaffa’s case for (the principles of) the American founding as the best practical regime.  Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia . Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss kid b...

We discuss the final chapters of book III of Aristotle’s Politics as he compares different forms of monarchy to the rule of law. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia . Used with permission. Opening (0:54) - We discuss the success of the University of Texas-San...

We discuss Aristotle’s assessment of the role of the multitude in a well-ordered political community and the possibility of excellent leadership in a democratic society. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia . Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We respond to...

We discuss the most common regimes historically, the rule of the rich (oligarchy) and the rule of the poor (democracy), and the ways that the American regime was designed to prevent conflict between the rich and the poor.      Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lanc...

We discuss Aristotle’s taxonomy of regimes and the way that the one, the few, and the many continue to compete for power in our day.     Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia . Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We talk about Dave’s trip to watch the Patriot...

We discuss how citizenship is defined relative to a regime and the tension between being a good citizen and a good person, with applications from American history and contemporary politics.     Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia . Used with permission. Openin...

We reflect on the life and writings of our great teacher, Dr. Angelo M. Codevilla, and his commitment to the restoration of active American citizenship.     Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia . Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We react to the death of D...

We discuss Aristotle’s reflections on how to improve a regime at the end of Book II of his Politics and apply them to conservative and progressive efforts to reform and revolutionize the American founders’ republic.     Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia . Us...

Aristotle’s critiques of an ancient proposal to equalize property and a focus on political perception more than political reality leads us into a discussion of the sources of human division and the dangers of our optics-based politics.     Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)”...

We discuss the dangers of conceiving of the political community as a large family and holding property in common in light of Aristotle’s critique of Plato’s Republic at the beginning of book 2 of his Politics.    Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia . Used with...

We discuss Aristotle’s reflections on ensuring that the pursuit of wealth by individuals and communities is subordinated to the higher purpose of living well.   Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia . Used with permission. Opening (0:55) - We discuss our week of...

We discuss Aristotle’s account of slavery and how the opening chapters of Genesis uniquely provide a grounding for the principle of human equality.  Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia . Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss first-day-of-school tra...

We discuss Aristotle’s fundamental distinction between good government and bad: whether political leaders seek their own interest or pursue the common good. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia . Used with permission. Opening (0:55) - We talk about the upcoming...

Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We catch up after two months away from the podcast, discuss our plans for season 3, and introduce the new music for the show by listener Fred Lancia. Links: Fred Lancia, “2020 Vision (...

We conclude season two discussing the rise of an oligarchic ruling class in the United States with Dr. Angelo Codevilla, our teacher at Boston University and widely-published scholar of political philosophy and international affairs.  Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Leading Off (1:12) - We discuss the release of the new CDC guide...

We discuss the character of democratic despotism as it is described by Alexis de Tocqueville and exhibited in America today. Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Leading Off (1:13) - We discuss the conviction of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Links: AP news story ; CNN story on Maxine Waters remarks ; Susan Crabtree at Real...

We reflect on the democratic tendency toward despotic, centralized government and several manifestations of that tendency today.  Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Leading Off (0:55) - We discuss the pause in the administration of the Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccine. Links: CDC and FDA joint statement ; Charles C. W. Cooke at Natio...

Summary: We discuss the influence of democracy on family life. Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Leading Off (00:57) - We look at the fallout of Major League Baseball’s decision to move this year’s All-Star game from Atlanta to Denver. Links: MLB decision ; Stacy Abrams on Georgia boycotts ; Democrats on MLB decision ; President Bi...

We discuss the decline in American church membership and President Biden’s attacks on the new Georgia voting law in light of Tocqueville’s reflections on American sentiments and mores in volume 2 of Democracy in America. Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Leading Off (1:05) - We discuss the results of the latest Gallup poll on churc...

We discuss the relationship between liberty and equality and the role of the national government in encouraging or discouraging self-government. Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Leading Off (1:31) - We discuss President Biden’s first press conference. Links: press conference transcript ; RealClearPolitics presidential approval ave...

We discuss the corruption of elite American education by the pursuit of high status positions and the resulting subordination of that education to ideological fads and pseudo-wisdom.    Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Leading Off (1:36) - We discuss the new CDC guidelines for social distancing in elementary schools. Links: Nation...