Roundtable - America, 250 Years Young

Patrick Deneen's 2018 book, Why Liberalism Failed, was by the standards of most academic works of political philosophy, wildly successful.  It struck a chord with some of the broader Right and gave a voice to a growing movement skeptical of the promises of classical liberalism and looking for an alternative.  This burgeoning New Right, however, is anything but new.  The kind of postliberalism often advocated by the New Right has been attempted in nations across Europe and South America.  And each time it has been tried, it has failed.   Joining Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis is James Patterson and Thomas Howes to talk about their new book, Why Postliberalism Failed.  The trio unpackage the wild, conspiratorial, and gruesome history of postliberal regimes of the past and explore what it might tell us about how similar efforts might play out today.   About James Patterson James M. Patterson, Ph.D. is an associate professor of politics at Ave Maria University. He received his B.A. in Political Science and Media Studies at the University of Houston in 2002 and his Ph.D. in American Politics from the University of Virginia in 2012. His areas of research include race, religion, and American political development. He has held research positions at the Program for American Values and Institutions at Duke University and the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, as well as teaching positions at Hampden-Sydney College and Gettysburg College. He has published academic research in Perspectives in Political Science, American Political Thought, Anamnesis, and Journal of Church and State. He has published more popular essays and book reviews for Modern Age, Society, Library of Law and Liberty, and Public Discourse.   About Thomas Howes Thomas Howes is currently a Lecturer in the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University. He has a PhD in philosophy at Catholic University of America. He is also a member of the James Madison Society at Princeton University. He has a healthy and general curiosity, but his academic emphases are in the fields of Thomistic virtue ethics and natural law theory, political ethics, political philosophy, political economy, and the philosophy of religion. His dissertation was a political-ethical defense of religious liberty. He is also happily married with two daughters.  

What does it mean to love your country?  Is that nationalism?  And isn't nationalism—you know—bad?  And how should our allegiance and love of country be weighed against our duties and affections to family and faith?   Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis is joined by John Wilsey to discuss his latest book, God and Country: Upholding Faith, History, and National Identity, the origins of nationalism and how it differs from patriotism, the link between history and love of ones country, the battles between the Romantics and Rationalists, and that great public servant, the freak show John Quincy Adams.   About John Wilsey From the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary   Dr. John Wilsey is Professor of Church History and Philosophy and Chair of the Department of Church History and Historical Theology.   Prior to coming to Southern, Wilsey taught elementary, middle, and high school students in history and Bible for eleven years in North Carolina and Virginia. He also has served Southern Baptist churches, as an associate pastor in Charlottesville, Virginia for eight years and interim pastor for three years in Spring, Texas. Between 2011 and 2017, he taught history and philosophy at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, with most of his teaching load in a fully accredited baccalaureate program in a maximum-security unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.   Dr. Wilsey's primary areas of teaching at Southern Seminary and Boyce College are in modern church history, history of Western thought, and American history. He supervises PhD dissertations in the areas of American church history and history of philosophy.   In addition to his work at Southern Seminary and Boyce College, Wilsey has held several fellowships, including with the McConnell Center at the University of Louisville as non-resident fellow (2023-2024); the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty as Affiliate Scholar (2016-2020); the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal as Wilbur Fellow (2023); and the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions in the Politics Department at Princeton University as William E. Simon Fellow in Religion and Public Life (2017-2018). He currently holds fellowships at the Center for Religion, Culture, and Democracy as Senior Fellow, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention as Research Fellow, and the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary as Research Fellow.   Wilsey's academic works have been reviewed in outlets such as National Review, Publisher's Weekly, Journal of Church and State, Fides et Historia, Providence, Church History, Reading Religion, Catholic Books Review, Reviews in American History, Anxious Bench, Claremont Review of Books, First Things, The American Conservative, Christianity Today, and The Federalist. He has appeared on podcasts and programs hosted by the Acton Institute, New Books Network, Current, Thinking in Public, Law and Liberty, the City of Man Podcast, Christ Over All, the Museum of the Bible, the Family Research Council, BBC Radio Wales, 9Marks, the McConnell Center, the Commonwealth Policy Center, and Ben Franklin's World.   Wilsey has produced peer-reviewed pieces in the journal Religions and in academic books published by Palgrave and Routledge. He has contributed other chapters to books published by Crossway and B&H Academic as well as long-form articles to Modern Age: A Conservative Review and Fides et Historia. He has served as manuscript reviewer for American Political Thought, Religions, InterVarsity Press, and New York University Press. He has also served as book review editor for H-AmRel of the H-Net: Humanities and Social Sciences Online network and The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology.   Wilsey has served on the Ciceronian Society Advisory Board, the Kern Foundation Advisory Council, the Board of Directors of the Society for Values in Higher Education, the Scholar's Council for the Center for the Electoral College, the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives Advisory Board, and the Annual Meeting Proposal Review Board for Church History as well as the Membership Committee of the Evangelical Theological Society.   In 2020, Wilsey was named Tutor of the Year in Boyce College's Augustine Honors Collegium. He has addressed students, faculty, and public audiences as an invited lecturer at Princeton University, Princeton Theological Seminary, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Louisville, the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Waynesburg University, Calvin University, St. Francis University, Hannibal-LaGrange University, Charleston Southern University, Grand Valley State University, the College of Biblical Studies, Houston Baptist University, Northwest Nazarene University, the University of Wyoming, Samford University, Spring Arbor University, Ave Maria University, the Philos Project, the Religious Freedom Institute, the Russell Kirk Center, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, and the Kentucky Historical Association.   Over the years, Wilsey has remained active with academic societies, reading papers at meetings of the Evangelical Theological Society, the Conference on Faith and History, the Society of Historians of American Foreign Relations, the Christian Scholars' Conference, the Society for Values in Higher Education, the Society for US Intellectual History, the African American Intellectual History Society, the Ciceronian Society, the Association for the Scientific Study of Religion, and the Center for Christian Study in Charlottesville, Virginia. He is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, the Ciceronian Society, the Society of Historians of American Foreign Relations, the Philadelphia Society, and the James Madison Society.   Wilsey is a columnist for World Opinions, and his other public writings have appeared in outlets such as Law and Liberty, Current, Modern Reformation, Acton's Commentary, Christianity Today, Providence, Public Discourse, 9Marks Journal, The Gospel Coalition, Aeon, History News Network, The American Conservative, The Imaginative Conservative, Anxious Bench, Religion and Liberty, and Religion in American History. He has reviewed numerous books for outlets such as Themelios, Southeastern Theological Review, Public Discourse, Fides et Historia, Westminster Theological Journal, Trinity Journal, The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, Journal of Church and State, Evangelical Quarterly, Journal of Markets and Morality, Religion and Liberty, Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, H-Diplo, Ad Fontes, and The London Lyceum.   Wilsey is married to Mandy, his wife of twenty-seven years, and they have two children. He is an elder at Kenwood Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky.  

The immortal words of the Declaration of Independence—We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness—are etched upon the hearts of American patriots today and knit us together with patriots down through the ages.  Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis is joined by Hillsdale professor Brad Birzer as they delve into the depths of this most remarkable of political texts and explore the origins of the ideas that birthed our nation.   About Brad Birzer From Hillsdale College   Dr. Brady Birzer describes himself as one of those truly odd kids who loved reading from first grade on, and begged his teachers, starting in fifth grade, to assign research papers. He believes that the purpose of higher education is to introduce every generation to the greats of the Western tradition and to remind them what it means to be human. To accomplish this goal effectively, every professor needs two things: enthusiasm and continuous learning. Our job is never to make false idols for our students but to find the excellences within each one, to encourage the honing of unique gifts, and to inspire the rising generations to love through charity.   Dr. Birzer has been teaching at Hillsdale since 1999 and has stayed because of its mission to teach the Western tradition through culture, literature, and the arts.  When he's not teaching, Dr. Birzer spends time reading, writing, hiking, cooking, baking, and playing with his kids.   Dr. Birzer has written many books.  His latest—discussed in this episode—is The Declaration of Independence: A Radical Experiment in Liberty.  

Whether you call it the Semiquincentennial or the Sestercentennial; whether you're on team Red, Blue, or politically homeless; whether you believe Die Hard is a movie about Independence Day; America's 250th birthday is something worth celebrating. So how best to ring in this once-in-a-lifetime advent? Saving Elephants has assembled a panel to reflect on what it means for America to turn the big 250.

Richard Weaver was a twentieth century American scholar and rhetorician whose writings were praised by the likes of Russell Kirk, William F. Buckley, Willmoore Kendall, and Frank Meyer.  But nowadays Weaver is either derided as a racially charged Southern sympathizer or accused of preparing the way for the MAGA movement and authoritarianism.  If he's discussed at all. Joining Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis is Michael Lucchese, whose latest essay in Law and Liberty defends Weaver's contributions to the intellectual Right and argues his writings are still instructive for the conservative today.  This episode explores Weaver's actual views on the South and racism, his battles with the neo-gnostics of his day, his peculiar admiration for libertarians and Abraham Lincoln, and his greatest foe, William of Occam. Check out Michael's essay on Weaver, Turning the Clock Back Also, check out the book he edited compiling a collection of Russell Kirk's observations on America's founding, On America: How to Understand the Legacy of 1776   About Michael Lucchese From Pipe Creek Consulting Michael Lucchese is the founder and CEO of Pipe Creek Consulting, a communications firm based in Washington, D.C. He is also an associate editor of Law & Liberty and a contributing editor to Providence. He has been elected to membership in the Academy of Philosophy and Letters, the Ciceronian Society, and the Philadelphia Society, and serves on the board of the Institute for Christianity and Common Life, which publishes Mere Orthodoxy. Previously, he was a Krauthammer Fellow with the Tikvah Fund, a visiting scholar at Liberty Fund, and an aide to U.S. Senator Ben Sasse. His writing on national security, the conservative movement, and the American Founding has been published widely at outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, National Review, and the Washington Examiner. He graduated from Hillsdale College with a B.A. in American Studies, and is an alumnus of the Hudson Institute Political Studies Program.

What if we can agree on the political solution, but we disagree on whose side is most likely to benefit? Congress is broken.  On this we can all agree.  One of the more interesting reform ideas to emerge is the call to expand the number of Representatives in the United States House, thereby making it more likely Representatives could actually, you know, represent their constituents. This idea seems to have some bipartisan appeal and is championed by voices on both the Left and Right.  But doesn't it stand to reason that any reform to the system is bound to favor one side over the other?  Could Democrats or Republicans be inadvertently advancing an idea that might lead to their opponents taking power? Join Saving Elephants for a debate, not on whether we should expand the House (we should), but on whose side is likely to benefit the most.  Mr. Beat says the Democrats should embrace this idea because it would advance the things that matter most to them.  Jeff Mayhugh argues it would actually be the Republicans who come out on top. You can find out more about the work Mr. Beat and Jeff Mayhugh are doing at projectnocap.com

In 1976 historian George H. Nash wrote The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America Since 1945, a celebrated historical accounting that established much of the narrative for how we think about the development of modern conservatism even today.  But much has changed since the seventies.  What can the history of conservatism tell us about this present moment, and what can it tell us about where things may be heading?  Dr. Nash joins Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis to unravel the past, present, and future of conservatism in the United States.   About George H. Nash George H. Nash is the epitome of a gentleman and a scholar.  A graduate from Amherst College who received his Ph.D. in History from Harvard University, Dr. Nash is an authority on the histories of American conservatism and the life of President Herbert Hoover.  Dr. Nash is an independent scholar, historian, and lecturer.  He speaks and writes frequently about the history and present direction of American conservatism, the life of Herbert Hoover, the legacy of Ronald Reagan, the education of the Founding Fathers, and other subjects.  His writings have appeared in the American Spectator, Claremont Review of Books, Intercollegiate Review, Modern Age, National Review, New York Times Book Review, Policy Review, University Bookman, Wall Street Journal, and many other publications.  He has lectured at the Library of Congress; the National Archives; the Herbert Hoover, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon Johnson presidential libraries; the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum; the Hoover Institution; the Heritage Foundation; the McConnell Center; and at various universities and conferences in the United States and Europe.  Several of his lectures have been featured on C-SPAN.  He has also been interviewed by C-SPAN, National Public Radio, numerous radio stations, and the print media.  Dr. Nash lives in Massachusetts.  

Persuasion seems conspicuously absent from our politics.  Not shouting, denouncing, or trying to convince the "other side" that they're wrong, evil, or both.  But the good faithed attempt to reach the hearts, minds, and emotions of others and persuade them to our point of view.  Why?  Why is persuasion so hard?  And is it even possible to persuade in an era of political polarization?   Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis welcomes fellow "Josh"—Josh Bandoch—on the show to discuss his latest book, How to Get What You Want: Mastering the Art and Science of Persuasion, and to explore how persuasion can engage with how the human brain is actually wired.   About Josh Bandoch Bio from Illinois Policy   Josh Bandoch is the Head of Policy at the Illinois Policy Institute.   His research focuses on empowering people to rise out of poverty, increasing social mobility, improving housing affordability, and removing barriers to opportunity (e.g. burdensome regulations). His work has appeared in popular outlets like National Review, Real Clear Policy, RealClearMarkets, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Crain's Chicago Business, The Washington Examiner, The Washington Times, and Discourse, as well as peer-reviewed journals like Political Studies. He regularly appears in the media to discuss these and other policy issues, and speaks regularly at local and national events.   He is the author of The Politics of Place: Montesquieu, Particularism, and the Pursuit of Liberty (University of Rochester Press, 2017), which has received numerous positive reviews. He's currently working with his literary agent to submit his book manuscript on persuasion to publishers. He's using his persuasion research to develop strategies to advocate for policies that expand freedom and prosperity.   Josh is a member of the American Enterprise Institute's Leadership Network – a policy education and professional development program for state-based leaders in public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Before joining IPI, Josh was a Research Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a speechwriter for numerous senior government officials, a strategic communications consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, and a postdoctoral fellow at Brown University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.   He earned his bachelor's in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park, and his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame.   To learn more about Josh, check out his website joshuabandoch.com  

Sometimes the best way to understand one's culture is to compare it with something entirely different.  In this episode Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis take a deep dive into China with Chinese dissident Lu of the YouTube channel All Things China with Lu. Lu demystifies what the Communist Chinese Party (CCP) wants, why they fear Taiwan, how they view the ethnic Han population, why they work so hard to cover up the history of the Tiananmen Square massacre when far more people died in the great famine and the cultural revolution, and just who the heck is this "professor" Jiang Xueqin who's been all over social media of late proselytizing the glory of the Chinese authoritarian regime.   About Lu Lu's relatively recent YouTube channel All Things China with Lu has already reached over 15K subscribers by performing what she calls 'cultural forensics.' Born and raised in China, Lu uses her deep roots and research background to read between the lines of global media and propaganda. Whether she's analyzing high-level diplomacy or the subtext of international media narratives, she reveals the layers that most observers miss.

This month marks eight years of Saving Elephants tirelessly calling the GOP back to its classical conservative roots instead of the cult-of-personality nationalist populism to which the party has succumbed. And over these past eight years...things have only gotten worse. Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis assembles an all-star panel to answer the question: is the GOP worth saving?   Meet the Panelists:   Shawn Whatley Shawn Whatley hosts Concepts with Shawn Whatley, a weekly podcast focusing on political ideas, culture, and news.   Shawn, MD, is a seasoned physician leader with experience in emergency medicine and primary care and extensive experience in health care administration and medical politics.  Dr. Whatley contributes articles regularly to The Medical Post and serves on the Post's Physician Advisory Committee. Dr. Whatley has served on the board of the Ontario Medical Association and more recently on the board of the Canadian Medical Association, as well as on numerous hospital and provincial planning committees. He is a Lecturer for the University of Toronto, Department of Family and Community Medicine, and an Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct) in McMaster University's department of Family Medicine, Hamilton, Ontario.   Dr. Whatley is the author of the two books, When Politics Comes Before Patients – Why and how Canadian Medicare is failing and the highly praised book on how to fix emergency wait times in Canada, No More Lethal Waits.   Scott Howard Bio from New Guard Press   Scott Howard is the Managing Editor at New Guard Press. Scott resides in Lake Wales, Florida, and is a graduate of the University of Florida. He is a legislative aide with the Florida House of Representatives with previous experience at National Review. In his free time, Scott reads biographies of American statesmen and the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald.   Blake Fischer Blake Fischer is a political junkie, so you don't necessarily have to be. A lifelong conservative, Blake covers conservative policies, current politics, and the historical context of today's events. With a unique blend of media critique and a focus on the big issues that often go unaddressed, Blake offers insightful solutions to pressing problems without the fear-mongering or populist outrage used in mainstream political media. Blake says, "I know a lot of people who would consider themselves more conservative than liberal, but don't like Trump and feel like there's nowhere for them in the Republican party. Welcome to the club! But if that's you, I'd encourage you to not check out completely because we need reasonable citizens in this country to pay attention and vote accordingly if we want to change the direction of government and politics."   Blake lives in Oklahoma and is the creator of The Homeless Conservative.