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 public life and politics? Consider these questions and others that sit at the foundation of America and our experiment in free association and self-government.

#freeenterprise #liberty #jefferson #hamilton #americanfounding

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/

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 developing character in those around them.

#ohiostate #ashlandfootball #ashland #leadership #leadershipdevelopment

Jeff is joined by legal scholar Josh Dunn to discuss the most recent decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court, including those overturning the Chevron Doctrine, addressing free speech online, separation of powers, and presidential immunity.

#ussc #supremecourt #chevrondoctrine #constitution

Jeff discusses drug policy in American with researcher and author Karl Zinsmeister. In addition to background on the drug epidemic and policy responses over the years, they focus on recent moves to relax enforcement of anti-drug laws, even to the extent of legalizing a variety of narcotics, such as what Oregon did only a few years ago. Instead of solving the crime and human degradation these progressive policies sought to address, they instead led to massive increases in overdose deaths, more crime, and other problems.

Read Karl’s book: https://a.co/d/03zBw1Y

Jeff Sikkenga and Dr. David Krugler discussion D-Day – what is was, what happened on that day, and what Operation Overlord accomplished within the context of World War 2.

#dday #overlord #ike #eisenhower #ww2

Dr. John Moser meet with Derek Abbey, President & CEO of Project Recover, a non-profit organization that searches for still-missing American service members around the world. Focused traditionally on the Palau islands and lost airmen from World War 2, Project Recover has expanded operations over the last 30 years to include efforts in Vietnam, elsewhere in the Pacific, and even at sites in the Atlantic.

Over 80,000 Americans are still missing and unaccounted for from our many wars, with about 3/4 of that number from World War 2 alone – and most of that number from among those who fought in the Pacific. Sadly, although America moved on after 1945, the families of so many of those missing did not, and some of them still have not. Project Recover, working closely with State Department and Defense Department efforts, carries the torch, in search of closure for those who never had a body to bury, or a grave at which to mourn a lost loved one.

We receive a drumbeat of apocalyptic warnings about climate change, pollution, and dwindling energy supplies – but how much are these claims, and the policy demands that come with them, based on evidence? Jeff is joined by Steven Hayward, resident scholar at the University of California at Berkeley’s School of Intergovernmental Studies to discuss the history of these arguments and the policies that have emerged from them.

#climatechange #energypolicy #pollution #nuclearpower #renewableenergy

Jeff is joined by John Vecchione, Senior Litigator for the New Civil Liberties Alliance (nclalegal.org) to discuss their work before the Supreme Court, arguing on behalf of individuals and groups that claim that federal officials abused their power and pressured social media companies to censor their speech. Similar to the “memory hole” of 1984, social media giants like Facebook, it is alleged, were pressured to downgrade or outright ban certain posts and even individuals whose opinions they didn’t like.

nclalegal.org

Building a winning team – in business, education, sports, or the military – is hard, essential work; sustaining excellence over time is, perhaps, even harder. Kari Pickens, head coach of Ashland University’s Women’s Basketball Team, knows a lot about both, and shares her experiences and insights with Jeff in this episode.

Kari’s reflections are also firmly connected to the American tradition of servant leadership – of a leader who puts their people and mission ahead of themselves, working to get the best out of people while helping them develop as individuals.

Jeff is joined by Congressman Jim Jordan (OH-4, R) to discuss some of most essential elements of a leader, as well as some of the most pressing challenges facing American today. They discuss government-sponsored threats to the First Amendment,and the challenges presented internationally by Russia and China.

Host: Jeff Sikkenga

With the Senate now having to consider a House bill that would force the sale of TikTok or ban the app in the United States, it’s time to get the truth on why this social media platform is not like Facebook or Instagram or others. Jeff is joined by foreign policy expert Michael Sobolik of the American Foreign Policy Council to discuss what TikTok is, how the Chinese Communist Party is able to influence control over it, and by extension gather information about people and spread propaganda favorable to the CCP and its global strategy.

Find Michael’s book here: https://a.co/d/c9MmPLx