Afleveringen
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What makes NiccolĂČ Machiavelli the founder of modern politics? How did liberal thinkers like Locke, Montesquieu, and the American founders modify Machiavelliâs inventions? How did later thinkers like Kant and Hegel attempt to save reason? How stands rational control today? How stands the case for liberalism? Is there a path forward for a revived liberalism?
Drawing on his recent book The Rise and Fall of Rational Controlâbased on lectures given for over fifty years at HarvardâMansfield discusses liberalism, reason in politics, and forms of rational and irrational control. This conversation is altogether a tour-de-force introduction to the history of modern political philosophy.
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âThis election looks like a classic collision between the irresistible force and the immovable object. The irresistible force is the elevated share of Americans who disapprove of Trumpâs performance as president, which has increased since last December and is now running consistently around 60%.... The immovable object is that this election, in both the House and the Senate, is going to be fought out primarily on Republican-leaning terrain.â
Whatâs going to happen in the House? Whatâs going to happen in the Senate? What should we be watching for in the months ahead? Ron Brownstein, Bloomberg Opinion columnist and senior CNN political analyst, and a leading student of American elections, presents a tour-de-force look at the polls, data, and what indicators will matter most as we head toward November. -
Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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âChina is aiming to enhance its power with respect to the United States in particular, and eventually to emerge as the dominant player in the international system, and itâs working towards that goalâŠ. It is not clear to me at this point what our strategy is, or even if we have one.â
So argues Princeton Professor Aaron Friedberg in a new Conversation assessing the state of US-China relations in the wake of President Trumpâs China summit and the ongoing Iran War. While the Iran War does not represent a decisive shift in US-China relations, Friedberg explains that it is viewed from Beijing as a ânet positiveâ because it has weakened US relations with its traditional allies. In a bracing synopsis, Friedberg presents China as working diligently to overtake the US as the dominant power on the world stage, while the Second Trump administration has failed to counter with a coherent strategy. -
âThe Ukrainians believe Putinâs now being faced with more dilemmas than they are.â So argues the distinguished historian and a leading analyst of the Ukraine War, Phillips OâBrien. Author of the indispensable Phillipsâs Newsletter on Substack, OâBrien shares his perspective on where things stand in Ukraine and Russia, and assesses the broader implications for Europe and beyond. Kristol and OâBrien also consider in depth the massive technological transformations in warfare from Ukraine to Iran, what the consequences may be for the geopolitical order, and how these innovations may affect the competition between the United States and China.
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âThis branding binge [Trump] has been on: with everything heâs trying to have put his name on. To build the White House ballroom, the arch in front of Arlington Cemetery. And the war and military adventurism. Itâs a way of trying to cement his state permanently as a dominant figure in history, because he knows heâs going to die.â
So argues veteran political reporter A.B. Stoddard in a bracing analysis of President Trumpâs character and conduct during his second term. Reflecting on the last ten years, Stoddard argues that Trumpâs aspirations to cement his role as a dominant figure in history have increased dramaticallyâand the acceleration of his actions must be taken seriously. For Stoddard, above all, this requires us to confront questions about the 2028 elections, including the possibility that Trump might refuse to leave office or try to keep the presidency in the family. Stoddard warns against the assumption that normalcy will return after 2028: âPeople just want to hope that weâre going to keep with term-limited presidents.... I donât think we know whatâs coming.â
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âWhat is human happiness? What is political excellence? What is speech, and rhetoric? Itâs always important to remind ourselves of that. But especially when you have artificial intelligence, and all of these vast possible changes in human affairs, itâs important to remind ourselves of whatâs basicâŠ. And Aristotle uncovers 80%, 90%, 95% of what really one could say, I think, reasonably, and intelligently about lots of political, and ethical matters.â
So argues the distinguished scholar of political philosophy Mark Blitz, author of the newly published Aristotleâs Political Philosophy. In this profound yet accessible Conversation, Blitz distills insights from Aristotleâs works on politics and ethics, covering topics such as the character of human excellence, the centrality of political regimes, the nature of justice, and the relationship between speech and deed. This is a must-see introduction to Aristotleâs reflection on the permanent human problems. -
âItâs hard for me to see how [the war] ends in a way that enhances our position in the world generallyâand, in particular, enhances our position with relation to the country that I still think is our principal strategic challenge, namely China. And thatâs what really worries me.â
So argues Princeton professor and Aaron Friedberg in an incisive and sober conversation on the war in Iran and its broader geopolitical implications. Noting that there are a wide range of possible outcomes to the war, ranging from the positive to the very negative, Friedberg warns that China may see the American war in Iran as âworking in their favor.â He also points to the damage to relationships with allies in Europe and Southeast Asia, who were not informed about US war plansâand the erosion of US credibility to lead a coalition of free countries to counter China and Russia.
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âWhatever happens in 2026, I think no one should take any interpretation of that as a precursor to whatâs going to happen in 2028.â
So argues Doug Sosnik, former political director for Bill Clinton and one of the shrewdest and most imaginative analysts of American politics. Sosnik considers possible scenarios in 2026 including a wave election year for Democrats driven by higher turnout of college-educated votersâbut their prospects in a presidential election year are threatened by "atrophied support amongst all working-class votersâŠ. that is a barrier for winning the White House in â28 if we canât do better.â In his deeply perceptive and often surprising account of the state of our politics, Sosnik shares his perspective on the challenges facing both parties in the lead up to 2028âwhich may prove to be one of the most significant elections in American history. -
âThe US government wants to arrest, detain, and deport one in every 24 people in the countryâ4% of the US population. That cannot be done without fundamentally transforming who we are as a people and our relationship to law enforcement.â So argues Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a leading expert on immigration and Senior Fellow at the American Immigration Council, in a bracing Conversation on the scale and scope of the Trump administration's mass deportation mission. Reichlin-Melnick shares his perspective on the administrationâs massive political and financial investment in deportation and detentions, which already have reached record levels. Kristol and Reichlin-Melnick also consider the implications of these policies for legal immigration, civil liberties, the nature of American law enforcement, and the character of American society.
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âThe Europeans have been in this alliance [NATO] to protect themselves, largely from Russia and other aggressors. And now it has an aggressor within the gates, so to speak. And thatâs quite an extraordinary situation.â
So argues the eminent political thinker Francis Fukuyama, who begins with his assessment of Trumpâs bullying of Denmark and Western Europe in recent days. In a thought-provoking tour dâhorizon Conversation, Fukuyama shares his perspective not only on Greenland but on a world in crisis more generally, covering Ukraine, Europe, China, Japan, as well as developments in the United States. As he puts it, in bracing terms: âTrump is doing the same thing domestically that heâs doing internationally. Heâs trying to erode all the existing constraints on his ability to use power.â
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Where do things stand in American politics as we head into a midterm election year?
To discuss these questions we are joined again by Ron Brownstein, a Bloomberg Opinion columnist and senior CNN political analyst. Brownstein points to President Trumpâs approval rating as perhaps the most significant indicator in the 2026 midterm electionsâand potentially still a major factor in 2028. As he puts it, "Amid all of the swirling currents that you get whenever Trump is in the White House⊠the real message of '25 was âthe fundamental things apply.ââ Brownstein shares his in-depth analysis of the current demographic and partisan fault lines in American politics, and the challenges both parties face as we look ahead to the midterms and presidential elections.
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âWe take for granted the degree of peace that weâve enjoyed over the past eight plus decades. And we think thatâs the norm. The norm is actually a lot more like what the world looked like before 1945. Certainly, the previous 100 years were one of constant great power warfare. And I donât think people are ready for thatâthe world that weâre now moving into.â
As the distinguished historian Robert Kagan puts it in this provocative Conversation, Trumpâs foreign policy may be a decisive break from the past that will not be followed by a return to the status quo. According to Kagan, we are at risk of returning to a multipolar world of shifting alliance structures and transactional foreign policy that would greatly endanger American security. Kaganâs bracing account considers the stakes of current foreign policy challenges in Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, and Europeâas well as the contest over liberal democracy at home.
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Dick Cheney (1941-2025) is widely regarded as one of the most consequential vice presidents in American history.
To discus his life and legacy, we are joined by Steve Hayes, CEO and editor of The Dispatch and author of Cheney (2007), who had extraordinary access to Cheney during his time as vice president. In this Conversation, Hayes shares his personal reflections on Cheneyâs character, views, and decades of public service, which spanned from the Ford through the George W. Bush administrations. Hayes reflects on the ways in which Cheney was understoodâand misunderstoodâby the media and public, and what the story of Cheney's life can teach us about the last half century of American political history.
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How has the second Trump presidency differed from the first? How did Trumpâs experiences during his time out of office and on the campaign trail in 2024âincluding his trial in New York and the assassination attemptsâshape him? What can we expect in the months and years ahead?
In this Conversation, Jonathan Karl, a leading chronicler of Donald Trump and author of Retribution: Donald Trump and the Campaign that Shaped America, argues for the centrality of retribution in understanding Donald Trumpâs second presidency. Drawing on his extraordinary access to the president over many years, Karl reflects on how we got here and considers where we might be going.
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Where do things stand in the United States nine months into the second Trump administration? Where do things stand in Ukraine, and what are the implications of the war for the future of liberal democracy around the globe? In this Conversation, the distinguished historian Timothy Snyder reflects on the situation of the United States, Eastern Europe, and the politics of the current moment.
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âItâs hard for me to imagine a voter that votes in 2026 that doesnât have Trump on their mind.â
According to veteran Democratic strategist James Carville, Trump "keeps jacking the stakes up, every dayâ and remains the focal point of American politics as we head towards the midterms next year. As he puts it, the Republican Party has become a âpersonality cultâ while the Democratic Party is "a coalition in search of itself." As he explains: âI donât think Democrats can know who they are until Democratic primary voters weigh in and decide. Itâs not up to me to say what the Democratic Party should be. Itâs for eight people to run for president and then have Democratic primary voters pick one, and then thatâs what the party becomes.â
In a wide-ranging Conversation, Carville shares his distinctive perspective and characteristically shrewd insights on where our politics might be headed as we look toward the midterms and 2028.
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The second Trump administrationâs approach to China so far differs from the more consistently hawkish posture of the first term.
To analyze the increasingly dangerous state of our geopolitical situation and the threat posed by China, we are joined again by Princeton professor Aaron Friedberg. According to Friedberg, China continues to strengthen in military, technological, and geopolitical might as it continues to advance its ties to Russia and North Korea. Meanwhile, in Washington, the position seems to be emerging that the US can make a deal with China, as well as draw back from American positions in Europe and elsewhere. As Friedberg puts it, this policy would leave American allies in Europe and Asia more vulnerable to China and Russiaâcountries that have their own differences but are united by an âideology thatâs anti-Western, anti-liberal, anti-democratic. And thatâs a pretty powerful force.â Friedberg argues that the various and growing threats to the US and the world order remain ever more interconnected. To counter these threats, the US must increase engagement around the world and strengthen collaboration with alliesârather than âmaking dealsâ with adversaries while retreating from global commitments.
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Much has happened since we were last joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Anne Applebaum in February, including the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska and the Zelensky visit to the White House that provoked an alarmed and last-minute rush to join by European heads of state. In this Conversation, Applebaum shares her perspective on the situation on the ground in Ukraine and the response in European capitals to reduced US support for Ukraine on the battlefield. Drawing on her recent book Autocracy, Inc, out this week in paperback, Applebaum considers the growing authoritarian threat and dangers to liberal democracy on both sides of the Atlantic. As she states, âthe farther you go down the road [to authoritarianism], the harder it becomes to turn back.â
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How is President Trumpâs new tariff regime different from the trade deals of his first term? How might the new tariffs affect American businesses, consumers, and the country's macroeconomic outlook?
To discuss, we are joined by Scott Lincicome, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and a columnist at The Dispatch. Drawing on his own background as a trade lawyer, Lincicome analyzes the effects of Trumpâs tariffs on American firms and consumers. Lincicome shares real-world examples of the knock-on effects of introducing new tariffs without warning, the burden of compliance with complex and untested customs regulations, and how arbitrary exemptions favor large corporations over smaller firms. Lincicome argues that the tariffs could substantially squeeze American consumers in the months aheadâand considers the intended and unintended consequences of the policies could hamper American competitiveness in the years to come. -
Six months in, what has the Trump administration done with immigration and deportationâand what have we learned about where it may be headed? To discuss, we are joined, again, by Aaron Reichlin-Melnick. A leading expert on immigration and Senior Fellow at the American Immigration Council, Reichlin-Melnick presents an in-depth analysis of the situation that goes beyond the headlines. As he puts it: âWe are seeing a pace of enforcement unlike anything weâve really seen in decadesâŠ.with [immigration] as the Trump Administrationâs top priority. It has surged resources, manpower, and attention to immigration enforcement, with the goal of massively ramping up arrests, detentions, and deportations.â
Reichlin-Melnick shares his perspective on the situation on the ground nowâas well as how developments such as the massive increase in funding in the reconciliation bill might affect things in the months and years ahead.
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