DIA-Today: Democracy in America Today

diatoday
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Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.

  1. 5d ago

    Self-Government and Republican Virtue: America’s Semiquincentennial, part 9

    Guided by John Adams’ “Thoughts on Government,” we reflect on the importance of republican virtue in establishing and maintaining self-government. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss the start of summer and the cluster of patriotic celebrations between Patriots Day and the Fourth of July. Early American constitution-making (2:53) -  We discuss the origins and early stages of American constitution-making during the Revolutionary War.  “Thoughts on Government” (10:05) - We discuss John Adams’s essay “Thoughts on Government” and his vision for a self-governing American republic. Link: John Adams, “Thoughts on Government.” Tocqueville’s Crystal Ball (46:09) - We review our poor PGA Championship picks and take a second shot at projecting the NBA Finals.  Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com YouTube: @DIAToday Intagram: @DemocracyinAmericaToday Keeping Our Republic at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. The history of the American Revolution: Walter McDougall, Freedom Just Around the Corner; Robert Middlekauff, The Glorious Cause. David Corbin is the Provost of Colorado Christian University. Matt Parks and David Corbin both taught politics at The King’s College in New York City and have written together on reviving American republicanism, The Federalist, and Democracy in America. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker and not necessarily those of their present or former employers.

    49 min

  2. May 16

    No Kings...and No Demagogues: America's Semiquincentennial, part 8

    We discuss the rhetoric and argument of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense and apply his lessons and warnings to our polarized politics. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss the end of the academic year. Common Sense (2:58) -  We discuss the context, rhetoric, and argument of Thomas Paine’s Common Sense. Link: Common Sense.  Common Sense Today (28:41) - We discuss the shortsightedness of American political action today and the parallels between contemporary concerns about American elites and Paine’s critique of the British aristocracy. Link: Angelo Codevilla, The Ruling Class. Tocqueville’s Crystal Ball (39:39) - We review our disastrous NBA playoff picks and then make projections for the PGA Championship. Links: List of PGA pros; List of LIV participants. Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com YouTube: @DIAToday Intagram: @DemocracyinAmericaToday Keeping Our Republic at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. The history of the American Revolution: Walter McDougall, Freedom Just Around the Corner; Robert Middlekauff, The Glorious Cause. David Corbin is the Provost of Colorado Christian University. Matt Parks and David Corbin both taught politics at The King’s College in New York City and have written together on reviving American republicanism, The Federalist, and Democracy in America. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker and not necessarily those of their present or former employers.

    45 min

  3. Apr 25

    The Causes and Necessity of War: America’s Semiquincentennial, part 7

    We discuss the beginning of the Revolutionary War and the efforts of the Second Continental Congress to pursue peace and vindicate their rights at the same time. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss the sale of Dave’s house in southern Colorado Springs and attending the NFL draft. The Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms (2:51) -  We discuss the Second Continental Congress’s vindication of the early American war effort, their attempt to pursue peace with the King, and the King’s response. Links: The Causes and Necessity…; The ‘Olive Branch’ Petition; George III’s Declaration of Rebellion. Establishing a new legitimate government (37:59) - We discuss the way that the First and Second Continental Congress worked to establish the moral and political foundations for a new American government even before declaring independence.   Tocqueville’s Crystal Ball (44:35) - We quickly review our bad Masters picks before predicting the NBA champion and how the Patriots will use their first round pick in the NFL draft. Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com YouTube: @DIAToday Intagram: @DemocracyinAmericaToday Keeping Our Republic at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. The history of the American Revolution: Walter McDougall, Freedom Just Around the Corner; Robert Middlekauff, The Glorious Cause. David Corbin is the Provost of Colorado Christian University. Matt Parks and David Corbin both taught politics at The King’s College in New York City and have written together on reviving American republicanism, The Federalist, and Democracy in America. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker and not necessarily those of their present or former employers.

    51 min

  4. Apr 11

    The Colonists’ Love of Freedom: America’s Semiquincentennial, part 6

    We discuss Edmund Burke’s analysis of the American love of freedom, his efforts to end the conflict between the colonists and the British government, and the American character today. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss getting up early to record the episode and the start of the Masters. The Edmund Burke’s speech on Conciliation with the Colonies (1:30) -  We review a key section of Burke’s speech where he discusses the American love of freedom and six factors that contribute to it. We also discuss the resolutions he proposed to restore friendly relations between the American colonists and the British government. Links: Burke’s speech; Walter McDougall, Freedom Just Around the Corner; David Hackett Fischer, Albion’s Seed; Richard Weaver, The Ethics of Rhetoric.  Patrick Henry and the American Character Today (34:06) - We discuss Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech, delivered the day after Burke’s address and the political character of the American people today. Link: Patrick Henry’s Speech. Tocqueville’s Crystal Ball (46:19) - We quickly pass over our disastrous NCAA tournament picks and make our (second) picks for the Masters.  Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com YouTube: @DIAToday Intagram: @DemocracyinAmericaToday Keeping Our Republic at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. The history of the American Revolution: Walter McDougall, Freedom Just Around the Corner; Robert Middlekauff, The Glorious Cause. David Corbin is the Provost of Colorado Christian University. Matt Parks and David Corbin both taught politics at The King’s College in New York City and have written together on reviving American republicanism, The Federalist, and Democracy in America. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker and not necessarily those of their present or former employers.

    50 min

  5. Mar 28

    Appealing to the ‘Immutable Laws of Nature’: America’s Semiquincentennial, part 5

    We discuss the “Declaration and Resolves” of the First Continental Congress and the enduring value of appeals to the laws of nature. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss the return of Major League Baseball and fantasy baseball. The “Declaration and Resolves” (2:33) -  We discuss the key principles of the First Continental Congress’s “Declaration and Resolves” and the appeals to the people of Britain and the King approved by the same body. Links: “Declaration and Resolves”; appeal to the British people; appeal to the King.   The natural law and balanced government (33:16) - With help from a selection from John Adams’s autobiography, we discuss the key questions addressed and answered by the First Continental Congress. Link: John Adams’s Autobiography. Tocqueville’s Crystal Ball (49:16) - We review our recent WBC and NCAA basketball picks and make our season-long baseball predictions.  Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com YouTube: @DIAToday Intagram: @DemocracyinAmericaToday Keeping Our Republic at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. The history of the American Revolution: Walter McDougall, Freedom Just Around the Corner; Robert Middlekauff, The Glorious Cause. David Corbin is the Provost of Colorado Christian University. Matt Parks and David Corbin both taught politics at The King’s College in New York City and have written together on reviving American republicanism, The Federalist, and Democracy in America. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker and not necessarily those of their present or former employers.

    56 min

  6. Mar 14

    Executive Power and Persuasion: America's Semiquincentennial, part 4

    We discuss Thomas Jefferson’s “Summary View of the Rights of British America” and the implications of Jefferson’s principles for the contemporary executive. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss Dave’s first week as Provost of Colorado Christian University. “A Summary View of the Rights of British America” (3:50) -  We discuss the key principle and argument of Thomas Jefferson’s 1774 essay. Link: Jefferson’s essay.   Executive Power and Persuasion (33:38) - We discuss the implications of Jefferson’s essay for executive war powers in the context of the war with Iran. Links: Michael Brendan Dougherty at National Review Online; George Will on Executive War Powers in 2014; Stop-Gap Statesmanship. Tocqueville’s Crystal Ball (50:17) - We review the early stages of the World Baseball Classic and make our first picks for the upcoming NCAA basketball tournament.  Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com YouTube: @DIAToday Intagram: @DemocracyinAmericaToday Keeping Our Republic at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. The history of the American Revolution: Walter McDougall, Freedom Just Around the Corner; Robert Middlekauff, The Glorious Cause. David Corbin is the Provost of Colorado Christian University. Matt Parks and David Corbin both taught politics at The King’s College in New York City and have written together on reviving American republicanism, The Federalist, and Democracy in America. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker and not necessarily those of their present or former employers.

    57 min

  7. Feb 28

    No Taxation on Trade Without Representation: America's Semiquincentennial, part 3

    We continue our reflections on the key documents of the revolutionary era by looking at Sam Adams’s “The Rights of the Colonists” and the surprising connection between the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on President Trump’s tariffs and the colonial debates over the taxing power of Parliament. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss Dave’s recent appointment as the new Provost at Colorado Christian University.  “The Rights of Colonists” (3:25) -  We introduce and discuss the key principles of Sam Adams’s “The Rights of Colonists.” Link: “The Rights of Colonists.” The Tariff Case and the Rights of Colonists (27:18) - We review key claims in Justice Thomas’s dissent in Learning Resources Inc. v. Trump in light of the colonial view of taxation and representation. Links: President Trump’s remarks about the tariff decision; Learning Resources Inc. v. Trump.  Tocqueville’s Crystal Ball (44:03) - We celebrate the great wins of the US hockey teams and make our picks for the World Baseball Classic. Link: WBC groups. Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com YouTube: @DIAToday Intagram: @DemocracyinAmericaToday Keeping Our Republic at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. The history of the American Revolution: Walter McDougall, Freedom Just Around the Corner; Robert Middlekauff, The Glorious Cause. Matt Parks and David Corbin both taught politics at The King’s College in New York City and have written together on reviving American republicanism, The Federalist, and Democracy in America. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker and not necessarily those of their present or former employers.

    49 min

  8. Feb 14

    No Government is Above the Law: America's Semiquincentennial, part 2

    We continue to explore the key documents of the revolutionary era by discussing the 1768 claim of the Massachusetts General Court that all government institutions are bound to follow fundamental law.  Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We lament the Patriots’ Super Bowl loss and look forward to baseball season. Ben Franklin before the House of Commons (2:37) -  We review key arguments from Benjamin Franklin’s remarkable 1766 testimony before the House of Commons on the Stamp Act. Link: Franklin’s testimony. The Massachusetts Circular Letter of 1768 (18:23) - We review the context and principles of the Massachusetts Circular Letter, responding to Parliament’s Townshend Acts. Link: Massachusetts Circular Letter. Tocqueville’s Crystal Ball (44:55) - We make our picks for the men’s and women’s hockey gold medals. Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com YouTube: @DIAToday Intagram: @DemocracyinAmericaToday Keeping Our Republic at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. The history of the American Revolution: Walter McDougall, Freedom Just Around the Corner. Matt Parks and David Corbin both taught politics at The King’s College in New York City and have written together on reviving American republicanism, The Federalist, and Democracy in America. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker and not necessarily those of their present or former employers.

    48 min
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Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.

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