Friends & Fellow Citizens

Statement by Friends & Fellow Citizens on Gen. (ret.) Mark Welsh's resignation as President of Texas A&M University Hear Gen. (ret.) Welsh's interview on F&FC:  https://ffc.buzzsprout.com/1255184/episodes/12166387-114-leadership-in-washington-with-respect-and-trust-in-public-service-feat-gen-ret-mark-welsh-iii Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up fo...

Disclaimer: All views expressed are representative of the guest only. 238 years ago, the American experiment was officially born. The U.S. Constitution has been a guiding document created by the Founders that establishes our federal government and governance principles. Karrina Ferris, a Nevada (and Battle Born) native, represented the Silver State as Miss Nevada 2024. She shares more about her ea...

Please join and pray for Mr. Charlie Kirk, his family, and our country. Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friends & Fellow Citizens and George Washington Institute! JOIN as a Patreon supporter and receive a FREE Friends & Fellow Citizens mug at the $25 membership level! IMPORTANT NOTE/DISCLAIMER:...

In Newburgh, how did Washington address one of the biggest threats to his leadership? Hear how the General of the Continental Army took a more visionary tone as he attempted to lead people forward from the controversy. After half a decade of podcasting, we also recap the highlights from the past year's interview episodes 2024-25! Much more to come in Year Six! Support the show Visit georgewas...

Watch the episode on Youtube! In a polarized political environment, people on the right and left may have knee-jerk reactions that fit their biases when they hear "race, ethnicity, culture." But at Penn State and beyond, these concepts represent something bigger: a world in conversation about how people connect with racial, ethnic, and cultural groups. Two Penn State sociology professors...

Everyone has heard of Paul Revere and his famous Midnight Run, but there was another signer who rode through the night for a now-famous document. Learn how Caesar Rodney, a significant Founder of Delaware, felt about the American Revolution and broke the tie in the Delaware delegation. Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop sho...

Most Americans would say civics is very important to our democracy. But how often do members of the public ask themselves "What should we do?"  This dual-guest episode features Dr. Peter Levine of Tufts University and Dr. Harry Boyte of the Institute for Public Life and Work, who are two longtime friends and fellow experts in the fields of civic studies and public work respectively. Hear...

While many Americans may not recognize his name, George William Curtis was one of the most influential political leaders who was well ahead of his time. What can we take away from just one of his speeches on civil service reform? Hear how Curtis's thoughts can instill some foundational principles in our political conversations about those who serve in government. Support the show Visit george...

We often watch Hollywood movies, TV shows, and other media as entertainment to temporarily escape the realities of life (including American politics). But how has Hollywood put a spotlight on our politics for decades? Professor of History at Purdue University Dr. Kathryn Brownell shares the exciting episodes and political figures that have shaped the entertaining nature of American culture. You ca...

With the Fourth of July weekend just around the corner, this episode celebrates the independence and resilience of our country. For decades, Americans of Taiwanese descent have demonstrated these values as part of the melting pot story of America.  Oceana Ling-Kurie (林小海), the reigning Miss International Taiwan 2024 and an aspiring actress and model, shares her story and lessons of living in tw...

For our final Pennsylvania Signer, learn how George Ross had a change of heart as a former Tory and his connection (kind of) to the famous maker of the American flag Betsy Ross. Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friends & Fellow Citizens and George Washington Institute! JOIN as a Patreon supporter an...

Childhood is one of the most precious stages of a person's life. But every day, children across the U.S. and the world have had their childhood sadly taken away by pediatric cancer.  In this first-ever in person F&FC interview, Hannah Adams is a childhood cancer survivor and advocate whose personal story and public service has touched numerous children and families. A University of Alabam...

Hear Sherman's thoughts on three major stories this week (former President Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis, Rep. Gerry Connolly's passing, and the tragic shooting of two young staffers of the Israeli Embassy DC) and the value of the American people setting aside political differences to come together. The Hill (dated 5/18/2025): Biden's cancer diagnosis prompts bipartisan out...

For many, government can inadvertently or purposefully get in the way of doing business. In this largely unknown Supreme Court decision, the court majority had some rather unusual and fantastical imaginations for justifying an expansive reading of the Commerce Clause. Learn how this case could justify government regulations for the most absurd and improbable hypotheticals. Support the show Visit g...

Despite a history of medicinal innovation, the U.S. continues to unhealthily struggle with its pricey and inefficient healthcare system. What is holding back good healthcare policy with free market principles and necessary government regulation?  Miranda Spindt, Policy Associate at the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty (WILL), offers an overview of how too much government intervention has di...

While many signers were political activists who rallied supporters for independence, James Wilson had already wielded the power of legal knowledge for the American Revolution. Learn how this Pennsylvania signer challenged British legislative authority in the late 1760s and sowed the seeds for America's legal system just years later. Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign...

For too long, the southern border of the U.S. has been a vulnerability for American national security, sovereignty, and immigration policymaking. And with Texas bearing the brunt of the border crisis, what do these challenges and dangers to the American people look like? Melissa Ford, Policy Director for the Texas Public Policy Foundation's (TPPF) Secure and Sovereign Texas campaign, warns ab...

Video version available on Youtube: https://youtu.be/JE6G7-Atswg  Starting today (not an April Fool's joke), F&FC will have video for special episodes! Almost everyone has that favorite professor from school. But what if you could take a class with a professor who makes video pranks for students and viewers to enjoy? Matthew Weathers, a math and computer science professor at Biola Univers...

As many Americans and non-Americans strongly debate the future American foreign policy, there has been too much misunderstanding of U.S. foreign policy history and principles. Learn how one of America's greatest presidents Theodore Roosevelt can teach us about the realities of foreign affairs 120+ years after his 1904 Annual Address to Congress. Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitut...

The Tea Party may feel like a long time ago, but was it really just a movement? Or was it a much larger phenomenon? Dr. Rachel Blum, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Oklahoma and the Carl Albert Center, previews her book about the Tea Party's takeover of the Republican Party and shares how the Tea Party became one of the most disruptively consequential political m...

Almost 30 years ago, Texas A&M University's Bush School of Government and Public Service was dedicated to continue the legacy of the late President George H.W. Bush. For this year's inaugural F&FC Presidents' Day Interview, founding Director of the Bush School Dr. Charles Hermann shares some insight and principles of the institution and its role in shaping public service in...

Living in the Pennsylvania countryside, George Taylor worked with iron furnaces before his arrival in the Continental Congress. Learn how Taylor's background can and should inform people nowadays about the value of blue-collar professions in our civics today. Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list! The site is the one-stop shop of all things Friend...

Lincoln, the Republicans, and the Union Army fought and won to preserve the country during the Civil War. But what larger battle brewed during the bloodiest conflict in American history? Dr. Forrest Nabors, Associate Professor and Chair of Political Science at the University of Alaska Anchorage, shares deeper insight into the larger political and spiritual conflict that determined the fate of the...

One can argue every presidential election is a rejection of the losing candidate and party. But what if that rejection is so significant and may be a repudiation? Hear Sherman's five criteria for a 'repudiation election' using Andrew Jackson's victory of the Election of 1828 as a starting point. Support the show Visit georgewashingtoninstitute.org to sign up for our e-mail list...

How can Americans from both sides of the aisle prevent a 1/6 from ever happening again? Hear Jen's thoughts and advice on how voters can contribute to our states' election processes and remember the lessons from the infamous day in America's history. ICYMI, check out Part I HERE ! Watch the documentary 'January 6th' on Discovery+ ( link to trailer ) Learn more about the Co...