The American Idea explores America's history and principles and what they mean today. The podcast is a production of the Ashbrook Center and hosted by Dr. Jeff Sikkenga.
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Sep 30, 2026 · 32:06
Jeff is joined by Jonathan Turley - Georgetown University law professor, author, and constitutional law expert - to discuss the revolutionary roots of America, and how a few key…
Sep 23, 2026 · 45:09
Typical civics and American Government courses teach that the Supreme Court has the final say in interpreting the Constitution - that is, determining its meaning and limits.…
Sep 9, 2026 · 39:54
The Marquis de Lafayette came to America at age 19, on his own dime, to earn glory on the battlefield. He quickly became one of the Revolution’s greatest believers, and spent the…
Aug 26, 2026 · 47:42
Written while the Constitutional Convention was taking place in 1787, the Northwest Ordinance was adopted fully by the new government, despite being a production of the Articles…
Aug 19, 2026 · 36:12
Young Washington purports to tell the story of George Washington’s early life, and the choices, situations, and actions that defined him as a young man, and in the eyes of his…
Aug 12, 2026 · 35:50
First in war, first in peace, and traditionally first in the hearts of Americans - what can we learn from Washington, the man? What made him the person around whom history seemed…
Jul 29, 2026 · 39:42
America is often called a democracy, sometimes a democratic republic, and probably less-often a republic. But to be precise, the American system of constitutional government,…
Jul 15, 2026 · 41:42
In Federalist 10, James Madison identified what he saw as one of the greatest dangers to popular government: factions. How did he define and understand them? Does his definition…
Jul 1, 2026 · 41:12
The ideals, values, and aspirations in the Declaration of Independence aren’t just the words of an old document - they’re a statement of political and public faith in how we…
Jun 24, 2026 · 45:00
Our 4th Amendment rights to privacy, in various forms, has its origins before the Declaration of Independence, and is at the foundation of Americans’ understanding of natural…
Jun 17, 2026 · 49:44
Adam Smith’s “Wealth of Nations” was published in 1776, shortly before America’s Declaration of Independence. Smith famously described an “invisible hand” at work behind markets…
Jun 10, 2026 · 37:55
Niccolo Machiavelli, is usually cast as something of a villain for supposedly promoting cut-throat politics. Regarded as the father of modern political theory and science,…
Jun 3, 2026 · 42:26
Religious liberty is at the foundation of the American Idea - but how was it understood and protected at America’s Founding, and how what does this fundamental right look like…
May 27, 2026 · 39:47
The United States Supreme Court handed down its decision on Louisiana v. Callais in early May, and it’s impossible to understand this 6-3 ruling without having some background…
May 20, 2026 · 47:31
School choice has moved to the forefront of national conversations and debates most notably since COVID; however the ‘educational choice’ movement is not new in America at all.…
May 13, 2026 · 37:15
What’s taught in British schools about the American Revolution? How are Americans’ motivations during the Founding understood by our ‘cousins’ on the other side of the Atlantic?…
May 6, 2026 · 52:03
The Abolition and Civil Rights movements are often presented as solutions to the failures of the American Founding, or replacements for its ideas. The relationship between the…
Apr 29, 2026 · 43:57
Abraham Lincoln once asserted that all of his political philosophy was rooted in the Declaration of Independence. Other presidents have spoken positively about our founding…
Apr 21, 2026 · 38:35
This episode examines the constitutional principle of separation of powers: what it is, why the American founders considered it essential to liberty, and how it works in practice…
Apr 15, 2026 · 38:40
Jeff is joined by Palantir Technologies Development Strategist and author Madeline Hart to discuss her book, co-authored with Palantir’s CTO, about what’s wrong with America’s…
Apr 8, 2026 · 29:55
The First Amendment’s free speech clause is meant to protect Americans against government abridgment of free expression. How does this apply to social media companies when they…
Apr 1, 2026 · 37:00
What are natural rights, and why, without them, are the ideas in the Declaration of Independence empty without them? Americans talk a lot about rights, but natural rights are the…
Mar 25, 2026 · 42:18
What is a financial bubble, and what are its causes? What are the political, as well as economic, impacts of these events? Jeff welcomes investment capital expert Aman Verjee to…
Mar 18, 2026 · 50:55
Historian David Beito joins Jeff this week to discuss the dark side of FDR: a seeming disregard for constitutional process and a lack of respect for the fundamental freedoms…
Mar 11, 2026 · 36:52
When we think of the American Revolution, we usually consider the ideas and animated the patriots and those leaders who organized and directed the war. Largely forgotten in all…
Mar 4, 2026 · 37:25
The Anti-Federalists are often overlooked in the story of America's founding, but their arguments helped shape the Constitution we live under today. In this episode of The…
Feb 25, 2026 · 48:22
James Madison was one of the two primary authors of The Federalist. What ideas did he promote through his essays? Where did he disagree with the points he argued? As we consider…
Feb 18, 2026 · 48:40
The Federalist, or more broadly known as the Federalist Papers, is looked on as the definitive defense of the Constitution as written in 1787, and by that, a clear explanation of…
Feb 11, 2026 · 43:37
George Washington has been referred to as the “indispensable man,” and was looked to during and after the Revolution as the one person who could be trusted to lead the country.…
Feb 4, 2026 · 53:06
Thomas Jefferson: “Author of the Declaration of American Independence [and] of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom & Father of the University of Virginia.” So says his…
Jan 28, 2026 · 54:24
Huey Long of Louisiana casts a long shadow over American populist politics. Often cast as a villain or troublemaker, author Thomas Patterson offers a nuanced look at the politics…
Jan 21, 2026 · 45:46
Who was Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and why is she largely forgotten in popular history? How did she show that the Declaration of Independence promised women’s rights, too? Dr.…
Jan 14, 2026 · 39:43
The Declaration of Independence is not, properly understood, a historical document. It is a statement of beliefs and principles describing the proper relationship between the…
Jan 7, 2026 · 41:14
Was the American Revolution just a regional rebellion on the eastern seaboard, or something far larger? Professor Richard Bell, author of The American Revolution and the Fate of…
Dec 31, 2025 · 7:12
Jeff Sikkenga, Professor of Political Science and Executive Director of the Ashbrook Center, shares a brief message about the reasons behind and goals of The American Idea, as…
Dec 24, 2025 · 1:00:35
What does it mean to be American? How does one become an American? Join us for this special episode as Peter Schramm, past Executive Director of the Ashbrook Center and Professor…
Dec 17, 2025 · 34:18
The Declaration of Independence summarizes and defends the most fundamental ideas about America - about our government, the relationship between it and individuals, and how its…
Dec 10, 2025 · 36:53
Summer, 1776: the war for independence is over a year old and the leaders of the 13 colonies have finally decided that independence is their goal. How shall they explain…
Dec 3, 2025 · 52:41
The American Revolution, born in the hearts and minds of Americans in response to British tyranny, is one of the most pivotal moments in human political and national history. But…
Nov 26, 2025 · 46:39
What Did Frederick Douglass Really Think of Abraham Lincoln? Discover the complex relationship between two of America's most influential figures in this revealing conversation…
Nov 19, 2025 · 31:33
Jeff is joined by Justice Sharon Kennedy, Chief Justice of the Ohio State Supreme Court to discuss the Rule of Law - what is it? Why is it so essential to limited, fair…
Nov 12, 2025 · 42:31
America is, at its core, a nation founded on ideas, and those ideas have faced criticism, revision, and review over the centuries. Abraham Lincoln, who once said that he didn’t…
Nov 5, 2025 · 40:13
What are entitlements? How did they come to be so entrenched in American politics and economics? Why is it that people say that Social Security is going to run out of money? What…
Oct 29, 2025 · 39:05
Jeff is joined this week by Rear Admiral Mike Giorgione (ret.), former commander of Camp David during the Clinton and Bush administrations, to discuss the creation, evolution,…
Oct 22, 2025 · 47:28
Alexander Hamilton didn’t get his due until a Hip-Hip musical brought him to the public eye, over 200 years after his death. But what did he contribute to the American Founding?…
Oct 15, 2025 · 56:13
Think Herbert Hoover was just a failed Great Depression president? Think again. Historian George Nash reveals the shocking truth about one of America's most misunderstood leaders…
Oct 8, 2025 · 41:40
Taking Manhattan, available on Amazon - https://a.co/d/eQTNGWV https://www.newnetherlandinstitute.org/ Host: Jeff Sikkenga Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton On Apple Podcasts:…
Oct 1, 2025 · 38:23
In August 1861, General John C. Fremont—once America's most famous explorer and the Republican Party's first presidential nominee—issued an unauthorized order freeing all slaves…
Sep 24, 2025 · 48:17
What was the original purpose of Congress? What powers did the Founders give it to fulfill that purpose? How does that compare to the institution we see today, in which Americans…
Sep 17, 2025 · 1:23:28
Discover how 55 delegates created the U.S. Constitution in just 88 days during the summer of 1787. Constitutional scholar Gordon Lloyd breaks down the Philadelphia Convention…
Sep 10, 2025 · 50:23
This episode explores James Ellman's book "Seeds of Victory: Defeat, Triumph, and the American Way of War" with host Jeff Sikkenga from the Ashbrook Center. This military…
Sep 3, 2025 · 32:22
You hear about them in the news, but how much do you know about capital markets - what they are, why they exist, how they've evolved over time, and what role the play in our…
Aug 27, 2025 · 39:42
Jeff welcomes Michael Lucchese, Editor of Law & Liberty, to discuss the life, accomplishments, and ideas of John Quincy Adams - a man whose public life was almost his entire…
Aug 20, 2025 · 43:52
Jeff and BYU law professor Bradley Rebeiro discuss Frederick Douglass’s understanding of the Constitution, and how he came to view it as an anti-slavery document, using it to…
Aug 13, 2025 · 33:59
14 August 1945: VJ Day, and with the end of fighting in the Pacific and Japan's surrender, World War 2 finally comes to an end. Dr. John Moser is joined today by author and…
Aug 6, 2025 · 56:58
What is the national debt? To whom or what does the U.S. government owe all this money? What does it mean to you today, your children and grandchildren tomorrow, and for the…
Jul 30, 2025 · 40:32
Mercy Otis Warren not only wrote one of the first comprehensive histories of the American Revolution, she was also a leading Antifederalist thinker - and yet she is overlooked in…
Jul 23, 2025 · 36:39
American press freedom has never followed a straight path. The Founding Fathers envisioned newspapers as partisan political weapons, not neutral truth-tellers. This "messy"…
Jul 16, 2025 · 43:56
Jeff discusses the inner workings of the Reagan White House with former AMB Frank Lavin, who had a front-row seat to many of Reagan’s key decisions and actions while president.…
Jul 9, 2025 · 39:58
Jeff is joined by constitutional law scholar Dr. Joshua Dunn to discuss the recently ended 2025 US Supreme Court term and some of the more interesting and potentially important…
Jul 2, 2025 · 16:09
In celebration of the 249th anniversary of America's independence, we look back not so much on the history of the Declaration of Independence, but on its meaning. And not just…
Jun 25, 2025 · 49:41
Presidents are people, too, and fallible, short-sighted, disciplined, daring - and all the other traits we humans share. How have our presidents handled, or mishandled, their own…
Jun 18, 2025 · 42:12
Who was William Blackstone? What did he contribute to English law, and how did his contributions directly impact the ideas in the Declaration of Independence and U.S.…
Jun 10, 2025 · 45:40
Americans have faced, unfortunately, a number of movements and moments in our history where free speech - especially of a political nature - has been challenged and even quashed.…
Jun 4, 2025 · 42:06
Paul Nitze served under eight different U.S. presidents, from during World War 2 through the end of the Cold War, and it was his thinking, laid down in NSC-68, that provided some…
May 28, 2025 · 35:19
Technology, especially social media and the near ubiquity of mobile devices, has changed our world, our personal lives, and interpersonal relations. A great many people are…
May 21, 2025 · 43:52
What is America’s place in the world, and how have Americans understood where we as a country ought to be when it comes to world affairs and in relations with other countries?…
May 14, 2025 · 44:26
Tariffs, seemingly a relic of the 18th and 19th centuries, are back on the front page as tools of policy, with wide-reaching impacts on America's economy and Americans as…
May 7, 2025 · 42:53
8 May 1945: Victory in Europe Day, the day after the armistice between the Allied powers and Nazi Germany goes into effect. Almost 5 years long, World War 2 in Europe destroyed…
Apr 30, 2025 · 39:08
What is 'grand strategy' and how does it differ from strategy? What does grand strategy mean to a nation, its leaders and people? How is such a thing developed and revised over…
Apr 23, 2025 · 46:19
Why have NBA ratings dropped by half over the last decade? How has the game changed in recent years and what does the proliferation of legalized sports betting have to do with…
Apr 16, 2025 · 43:18
On 19 April 1775, the American War for Independence began at the battles of Lexington and Concord. Take a step back in time this week to learn some of the forgotten stories of…
Apr 9, 2025 · 43:07
The 2024 elections left the Democrats in crisis, soul-searching over why they not only lost the White House, but also multiple down-ballot races, as well. Are we entering an era…
Apr 2, 2025 · 45:03
What can we learn from those who came before us? What life lessons can be gleaned from the ideas and actions of noteworthy Americans? Dr. Cara Roger Stevens discusses the lives…
Mar 26, 2025 · 37:44
What is statesmanship? What does it take to be a statesman? Is it possible to be such a leader during easy times, or only during the toughest moments in history? Jeff sits down…
Mar 19, 2025 · 43:32
Lindsay Chervinsky, Director of the George Washington Presidential Library, joins Cara Rogers Stevens this week to discuss Abigail Adams and her impact on John's public life.…
Mar 12, 2025 · 31:42
Daylight Savings Time: nobody seems to enjoy switching their clocks twice a year, and recently there has been another push to eliminate it altogether. But as a policy issue it’s…
Mar 5, 2025 · 32:55
Today e ask you to take a moment to look back at an inaugural address that was also given in a time of high political division and partisanship, in fact eclipsing our own. What…
Feb 26, 2025 · 42:39
How and why did the short-lived Republic of Texas seek admission into the United States and become the 28th state? Historical Jordan Cash joins Jeff for this episode, wherein…
Feb 19, 2025 · 41:44
Rev. John Rankin is, arguably, America's founding abolitionist, and yet he is virtually forgotten today. A conductor on the Underground Railroad, a writer and preacher, he laid…
Feb 12, 2025 · 33:33
What foreign policy challenges does the Trump Administration face as of February 2025? Where are the potential flashpoints of global conflict and strife? What 'bad actors' are…
Feb 5, 2025 · 48:34
The presidential pardon is the most sweeping and unchallengeable of a president's powers, and it seems that each time someone leaves the White House, pardons generate at least…
Jan 29, 2025 · 49:30
Jimmy Carter, a one-term Democrat president from Georgia, recently passed away after a long and impactful and sometimes controversial post-presidential life. From governor of…
Jan 22, 2025 · 29:30
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…
Jan 15, 2025 · 45:03
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…
Jan 8, 2025 · 42:46
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…
Jan 1, 2025 · 41:08
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…
Dec 25, 2024 · 1:00:35
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…
Dec 18, 2024 · 56:36
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…
Dec 11, 2024 · 35:54
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…
Dec 4, 2024 · 28:29
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…
Nov 27, 2024 · 45:46
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,…
Nov 20, 2024 · 35:16
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…
Nov 13, 2024 · 40:52
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…
Nov 6, 2024 · 36:25
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…
Oct 30, 2024 · 28:26
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…
Oct 23, 2024 · 41:51
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,…
Oct 16, 2024 · 40:51
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…
Oct 9, 2024 · 34:45
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…
Oct 2, 2024 · 37:14
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…
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