The American Idea

As we mark another peaceful transfer of presidential power in America - and after an ugly, rancorous political campaign season - it's worth looking back at perhaps the greatest story of political and personal reconciliation in our history. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson: allies, then friends, then rivals, then political enemies, and then friends again in the closing days of their lives. Let's tak...

America's national debt stands at over $36 trillion dollars as of early 2025. What does that mean? How did we get here? What should and can be done about it? What are the consequences of inaction? AIER.org policy analyst Dave Hebert joins Jeff this week to discuss this problem, hiding in plain sight, its background, and possibilities for the incoming Trump administration and the future. #debt #nat...

Jeff is joined by historian H.W. Brands to discuss the public and political battle between #FDR and Charles Lindbergh during the lead-in to #WW2. Were FDR's policies pushing America slowly toward war, as Lindbergh asserted, or would they keep us out, as was FDR's position? Of additional interest is how their disagreement fits into the long-running debate over America's role in the world - which wa...

John Adams was instrumental in America's efforts for independence, the formation of our early government, and the cementing of norms and systems during the republic's early years. And yet he seems most often remembered for the controversial Alien and Sedition Acts, and his complicated relationship with Thomas Jefferson? Historian and Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library...

Peter Schramm, former Executive Director of the Ashbrook Center and Professor of Political Science, was a student of American thought, culture, institutions, and people. His interest in America began when he was a child, living in Hungary after World War 2, hearing his father talk about a faraway place where they all belonged, and would hopefully one day live. This is Peter's story, told by him, a...

Done every 10 years in response to the census, as required in the Constitution, congressional redistricting is always a politically-charged process, with each state dealing with it differently. Ohio recently completed the process, putting in place districts through 2030. Jeff is joined by Ohio Governor's press secretary Dan Tierney to discuss how Ohio does this vital work, and by extension how he...

Jeff is joined by Dr. John Moser, Professor of History, to discuss the pivotal Battle of the Bulge - or Ardennes Offensive - that turned out to be Nazi Germany's last major offensive of World War 2 in northwest Europe. Catching the Allied armies by surprise, Hitler's army pushed deep behind friendly lines, only to be stopped by the weather, lack of supplies, and the stout defensive fighting of Ame...

Jeff is joined by historian Tevi Troy to discuss an issue of both historical and current relevance: what happens when the interests of commercial and industrial giants clash with those of the president? Is there anything we can learn from past rifts between the likes of Rockefeller and Roosevelt, of Ford and Wilson, to help us understand the impact of Musk, Zuckerberg, and others on our current go...

Can we find an honest president, or an honest presidential administration? By what standards do we identify "corruption" when it comes to the White House? Dr. John Robert Greene, author of "Little Helpers: Harry Vaughan, His Cronies, and Corruption in the Truman Administration," joins Jeff to discuss the long and sordid history of presidential scandals and how Americans' views on presidential beha...

How bad is our military recruiting crisis? Why are our armed services having sustained problems bringing in and retaining members? And what does this say about our strategic readiness, and what that means for our national security? Jeff is joined by Will Thibeau, former Army Ranger and defense policy authority to discuss this troubling, important issue. Read "The Soldier and the State" - https://a...

Jeff is joined by presidential historian Dr. Vincent Cannato, of the University of Massachusetts-Boston to discuss the elections of 2024, with particular focus on the presidential election. What happened? Why? How? What might it all mean? #trump2024 #harris2024 #elections2024results #elections2024 Read Vincent's most recent book: https://a.co/d/dr12bXU Visit Vin's website: https://www.vincentcanna...

We often look at our divisive, shrill, and angry politics as somehow outside of some vague norm, or worse than at any time in our past. Go back to go forward as we look at the Election of 1800 and how two parties reduced themselves to name-calling and lies, and still agreed to the first peaceful exchange of power between opposing parties in history. Read Jefferson's First Inaugural: https://tinyur...

Jeff and legal scholar Jonathan Turley discuss the importance of a free press in America, as well as the decline of legacy media and the simultaneous rise of the “citizen journalist.” What does all this portend for our republic and our efforts to be informed, rational citizens? Read Jonathan’s recent book, “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage,”: https://a.co/d/2mnvYzd Read a rev...

It's been 80 years since Allied forces under General Douglas MacArthur invaded and, eventually, liberated the Philippines. To discuss the pivotal event in WW2 and world history, Jeff is joined by historian Walter Borneman, author of several books on World War 2, including the excellent "MacArthur at War." Learn about how this invasion came about and how, in many ways, it reflected the complex char...

Temu - it offers lots of cheap goods, right? Did you bother reading the Terms of Service and do you realize just now intrusive this app is when it comes to the rest of the data and personal information on your phone? Did you know that the Chinese government requires - by their law - Chinese companies to turn over user data upon request...and to lie about it when questioned? It's not a stretch to s...

What is civics education and why is it so important in America and for Americans? What are the elements of good - not partisan, no slanted - civic education? Jeff is joined by author and historian Dr. Wilfred McClay to discuss what makes civics among the most important topics we can teach our students, children, and fellow Americans - and why it's far more important than it's usually treated in sc...

What is a 'regime,' and what does America's current "anti-discrimination regime" do and portend for individual liberty, limited government, and rule of law? Jeff discusses this thorny topic with scholar Thomas Powers, exploring the background of today's regime, how it functions, and what it might mean for our future. #civilrights #woke #antiracism #antidiscrimination Read Tom's book: https://a.co/...

What do you know about the last massive airborne assault to take place in WW2? Market-Garden, beginning on 17 September 1944, involved more than three Allied airborne divisions in daytime drops in three separate areas, as well as thousands more troops and vehicles of the Allied XXX Corps. Depicted in the movie "A Bridge Too Far," the assault sputtered and failed to achieve its objectives, and yet...

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/theame...

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 publi...

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 #kamalaharri...

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 develo...

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 im...

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 co...

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 downs...