DIA-Today: Democracy in America Today

After 2 ½ years away, we come back for a special election preview episode.  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 talk about our new jobs and new homes in new states and speculate about the popular demand for more DIA-Today. A New Consensus? (6:36) - We discuss the broader context of another very close presidential election and what it would take to break that pattern in 2028. The Trajectory of the Election (20:05) - We discuss the defining events of the presidential race over the last six months. Link: RealClearPolitics; Axios on Pew Research findings about double-haters.  Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (27:36) - We predict the results of the presidential election. Link: PBS on changes in Michigan's elections laws.             Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com 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.  

We conclude season three by reflecting on the influence of music in shaping the soul and the city from the very end of Aristotle's Politics.   Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss the challenges of finding peace in a fallen world in light of the school shooting in southwest Texas and the conclusion of the school year. Required Reading (3:50) - We reflect on the final chapters of Book VIII of Aristotle's Politics, considering the influence of music on our lives and the regime.  Link: Aristotle, The Politics. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (26:37) - We review last week's picks for the PGA Championship and predict the winner of the Champions League final between Liverpool and Real Madrid. Links: FiveThirtyEight soccer rankings, FiveThirtyEight Champions League Final Projection.             Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss Aristotle's account of the relationship between education and the regime and the state of public and private education today.  Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss end-of-the-year traditions at Geneva and Matt's old school in New Hampshire. Required Reading (4:30) - We consider the opening chapters of Book VIII of Aristotle's Politics and the way that education influences the character of a people and their regime. Links: Aristotle, The Politics. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (24:20) - We check in on our NBA and NHL playoff favorites and make our picks for the PGA Championship.            Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We continue our discussion of the conditions necessary for Aristotle's best regime, reflecting on his account of the public consequences of family life. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss the graduation ceremony at King's, the arrival of spring in New York, and Geneva senior theses. Required Reading (3:59) - We reflect on chapters 16 and 17 of Book VII of Aristotle's Politics, where Aristotle discusses the public interest in marriage, family, and education, and we apply his principles concerning abortion to our contemporary debate. Links: Aristotle, The Politics. Gradebook (25:21) - We grade three ways to spend a beautiful spring day with the family.            Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We continue our discussion of the conditions necessary for Aristotle's best regime, reflecting on the inculcation of virtue and the means and ends of the American regime. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss graduation week at King's and the possibility of Roe v. Wade finally being overturned by the Supreme Court. Required Reading (5:28) - We reflect on chapters 13-15 of Book VII of Aristotle's Politics, where Aristotle discusses the means and ends of political happiness and apply his lessons to the American regime. Links: Aristotle, The Politics. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (27:58) - We review how our picks for the NBA finals are doing, the success of our NFL draft projections, and make our predictions for the NHL playoffs.           Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We continue our discussion of the conditions necessary for Aristotle's best regime with special focus on a robust public life. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss the virtues of Administrative Assistants on their Hallmark Holiday. Required Reading (1:43) - We reflect on chapters 8-12 of Book VII of Aristotle's Politics, where Aristotle discusses the key elements of the happy city. Links: Aristotle, The Politics. Gradebook (25:19) - We grade some key elements of the typical graduation ceremony and discuss our ideal ceremony.          Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss the population and geographic circumstances that lead to the best regime and the remarkable blessings enjoyed by the United States.  Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss our Easter weekends, the last weeks of the school year, and the end of the public transportation mask mandate. Required Reading (3:18) - We reflect on chapters 5-7 of Book VII of Aristotle's Politics, where Aristotle discusses the people and geographic circumstances that make up the best regime and apply the lessons to the United States. Links: Aristotle, The Politics. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (25:19) - We make our projections for the #1 overall pick in the NFL draft, the landing places of quarterbacks Kenny Pickett and Malik Willis, and the position of the Patriots' first round pick.          Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss Aristotle's account of happiness for the individual and the nation and the fundamental debate over the nature of the best life in the light of Christ's death and resurrection.    Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss the Easter season and the first week of the baseball season.     Required Reading (3:16) - We reflect on the open chapters of Book VII of Aristotle's Politics, where Aristotle discusses the connection between individual and national happiness and the most choiceworthy way of life. Links: Aristotle, The Politics. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (35:19) - With the NBA playoffs about to begin, we discuss the merits of our preseason basketball picks and our expectations for the playoffs.         Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss Aristotle's account of the best and worst oligarchies and the progressive development of the American national government.   Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:52) - We discuss the start of the baseball season and another round of terrible NCAA tournament picks.     Required Reading (4:15) - We reflect on Book VI, chapter 6-8 of The Politics, where Aristotle discusses the best and worst forms of oligarchy and the essential offices of government. Links: Aristotle, The Politics. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (20:38) - We make our preseason baseball picks (AL champion, NL champion, World Series champion, and the total wins for the Braves and Red Sox) and discuss our upcoming fantasy baseball draft.         Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss the four kinds of democracy and the importance of understanding the nature of one's own regime to be an excellent citizen or statesman.    Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss the coming of April and our disastrous NCAA tournament picks.     Required Reading (2:45) - We reflect on the four types of democracy Aristotle describes in chapter 4 of Book VI of The Politics and the need he discusses in the following chapter to understand one's own regime in order to improve it. Links: Aristotle, The Politics. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (24:41) - We make our picks for the concluding games of the NCAA tournament.        Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We reflect on how different institutional structures, laws, and economic ways of life affect the character of a regime.    Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:52) - We discuss Dave's family vacation in Florida among the college student Spring Breakers.        Required Reading (2:36) - We discuss the first three chapters of Book VI of Aristotle's Politics, where Aristotle writes about how the shape of the laws affects the character of a regime. Links: Aristotle, The Politics. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (22:57) - We make our Final Four and national title picks for the NCAA men's basketball tournament and project when Mike Krzyzewski will coach his final game.       Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We reflect on Aristotle's critique of Plato's account of regime change and the possibility of political reform in a fallen world.    Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:52) - We discuss the successes of Geneva's girls winter sports teams, Matt's modest Spring Break plans, and the renewed hope for a full baseball season.         Required Reading (3:50) - We discuss the end of Book V of Aristotle's Politics, where he critiques Plato's account of regime change, and the possibilities for political reform in a fallen world. Links: Aristotle, The Politics. Gradebook (22:14) - We grade the two big quarterback moves this week, with Aaron Rodgers returning to the Packers and Russell Wilson moving from the Seahawks to the Broncos. With NFL free agency starting next week, we also reviewed the results of the Patriots' 2021 free agency spending spree. Links:

We apply Aristotle's discussion of kings and tyrants to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the leaders of the two sides.    Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:52) - We talk about the cancellation of the first week of baseball season and Matt's decision criteria for choosing a good graduate school.         Required Reading (4:07) - We discuss the means of preserving monarchies and tyrannies outlined by Aristotle in Book V, chapters 10-11 of The Politics and apply them to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the political leaders on both sides. Links: Aristotle, The Politics. Gradebook (20:21) - We review the key themes of President Biden's State of the Union Address and assess its likelihood of improving the Democrats' prospects in the 2022 midterm elections. Link: Biden SOTU, Dan McLaughlin at National Review.       Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss Aristotle's account of regime preservation, with a focus on education and the key qualities of statesmen.   Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:52) - We reflect on our Super Bowl picks and talk about Dave accidentally calling Matt from a Geneva girls basketball game.        Required Reading (3:29) - We discuss the means of preserving regimes outlined by Aristotle in Book V, chapter 8 of The Politics and apply them to American politics then look at his chapter 9 reflections on orienting education and statesmanship toward regime preservation. Links: Aristotle, The Politics; Land of Hope. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (26:37) - We predict what President Biden will say about Russia-Ukraine, inflation, and democracy during his upcoming State of the Union Address. Link: RealClearPolitics approval ratings.       Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss Aristotle's account of revolution in democracies, oligarchies, and aristocracies.   Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:52) - We talk about the transition from football season to baseball season and Geneva's upcoming Daddy-Daughter dance.         Required Reading (3:20) - We begin with reflections on the role of the demagogue in revolutions and new opportunities for demagoguery in our day. We also discuss how revolutions arise in good governments and the revolutionary and counterrevolutionary tendencies in contemporary politics. Links: Aristotle, The Politics; GoFundMe investigations.  Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (31:54) - With both of us one Rams win away from being correct with our preseason MLB and NFL champion projections, we make our picks for the Super Bowl.      Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss Aristotle's account of the causes of revolution and the contempt of contemporary elites for those they govern. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:52) - We talk cold and Covid in New York, Tom Brady's retirement, and the NFL playoffs.         Required Reading (5:00) - We look at Aristotle's account of the origins of revolutions, particularly the contests among groups over equality and inequality and then consider the causes for revolution at work in our politics, particularly the apparent contempt of political leaders for the people they govern. Links: Aristotle, The Politics; Justin Trudeau on truckers; Gavin Newsom story. Gradebook (27:46) - We grade three of Tom Brady's most historic seasons and the new name for Washington's NFL team, the Commanders. Links: Tom Brady stats.     Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss the introduction to Aristotle's account of revolution in Book V of The Politics and consider its implications for the 2024 presidential race.      Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We talk about the disappointing end to the Patriots' and back-to-school at Geneva and King's.        Required Reading (3:37) - We consider the mistaken notions of justice found in democratic and oligarchy regimes and the ways that these have shown up in American history and contemporary politics. We also discuss the reticence of those who are most virtuous to be revolutionaries and enter the American political square. Links: Aristotle, The Politics; Dick Morris on a Trump-Hillary rematch. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (25:32) - We review our NFL Wild Card round picks and make our predictions for the four games in the Divisional Round. .     Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We reflect on President Biden's voting rights speech and vaccine mandate in light Aristotle's teaching on the functions of legislative, executive, and judicial offices.     Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:52) - We talk about our Christmas breaks, Omicron, and Dave's state-of-the-school address.       Required Reading (5:18) - We conclude our discussion of Book IV of The Politics with Aristotle's reflections on the legislative, executive, and judicial functions of government, applying them to President Biden's Atlanta speech on voting rights and the debate over the constitutionality of the federal vaccine mandate. Links: Aristotle, The Politics; President Biden's speech; The Supreme Court and the vaccine mandate; The Job Safety Law of 1970; Corbin and Swanson on Aristotle's Politics. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (29:04) - We review the good, the bad, and ugly of our preseason NFL picks and make our predictions for the Wild Card round of the playoffs.     Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss Aristotle's account of the best regime for most places, a mixed regime balancing the excellencies of oligarchy and democracy.    Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We look forward to Christmas break and talk about the new Corbin dog, Tex, and his relations with Tenny, the original Corbin dog.       Required Reading (4:15) - We discuss Aristotle's account of aristocracy and polity in the second half of Book IV of The Politics in search of the best regime for most places. Links: Aristotle, The Politics. Gradebook (26:04) - We grade four possible choices for a new family pet this Christmas season.    Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss Aristotle's reflections on the best and worst sorts of democracy and oligarchy.    Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:54) - We discuss the Patriots' big Monday night win over the Bills, the prospects for a Patriots-Bucs Super Bowl, and conspiracy theories around Bill Belichick's pregame Navy facemask.      Required Reading (4:06) - We discuss Aristotle's account of the different types of democracy and oligarchy in Book IV of The Politics and the role that statesmanship, property, and the rule of law play in moderating regimes. Links: Aristotle, The Politics. Crystal Ball (25:17) - We make our picks for the Army-Navy game, discuss the new Corbin rules for deciding the winner of the Command-in-Chief Trophy, and then project the winners in the College Football playoffs.   Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss how hyperpartisanship threatens the stability of a republic and the temptation for Christians to emphasize political attachments over their commitment to Christ.   Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss our day-before-Thanksgiving challenges on the roads and at the dentist's office.     Required Reading (2:40) - We discuss the complexity of political analysis in a world of great economic and ideological variety and the danger of hyperpartisan political passions for Christians especially in light of Aristotle's analysis of regimes in Book IV, chapter 3 of his Politics. Links: Aristotle, The Politics. Gradebook (25:13) - We grade four trophies awarded to the winners of college football rivalry games. Links: Egg Bowl; Iron Bowl; Minnesota-Wisconsin.  Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss Aristotle's four ways of thinking about the best regime and Harry Jaffa's case for (the principles of) the American founding as the best practical regime.  Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss kid birthday celebrations, the New England Patriots' recent success, and the Publius Posse's big fantasy football win over the Canyon Lake Texans.      Required Reading (4:24) - We discuss four ways of thinking about the best regime, the different types of each regime, and Aristotle's rank ordering of regimes and then consider Harry Jaffa's argument for the (principles of the) American Founding as the best regime. Links: Aristotle, The Politics; Harry Jaffa, “The American Founding as the Best Regime”.  Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (28:22) - We look back at our preseason NFL predictions and talk about our biggest hits and misses.  Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss the final chapters of book III of Aristotle's Politics as he compares different forms of monarchy to the rule of law. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:54) - We discuss the success of the University of Texas-San Antonio football team, the Braves' World Series win, our big matchup this week in fantasy football, and the consequences of the recent election results; 2010 election results.     Required Reading (8:05) - We reflect on different forms of monarchy, their limits, and the benefits of the rule of law. Link: Aristotle, The Politics;   Gradebook (28:37) - We grade how well Republicans and Democrats are positioned for the 2022 midterm elections: 2009 election results; 2017 election results; 2018 election results; 1964 Republican Party primaries. Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss Aristotle's assessment of the role of the multitude in a well-ordered political community and the possibility of excellent leadership in a democratic society. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We respond to a listener's complaint about our NBA picks and discuss the Braves' game 1 victory in the World Series.    Required Reading (3:19) - We reflect on different claims to rule, especially those of the multitude and the virtuous. Link: Aristotle, The Politics.  Crystal Ball (31:23) - We predict the results of the rest of the games of the World Series. Spoiler alert: Dave has the Braves in 4; Matt has the Braves in 6. Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss the most common regimes historically, the rule of the rich (oligarchy) and the rule of the poor (democracy), and the ways that the American regime was designed to prevent conflict between the rich and the poor.      Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - Fall has arrived with a vengeance in New York while the Red Sox and Braves are looking a little more shaky in their quests for the World Series.   Required Reading (3:58) - We discuss Aristotle's reflections on the rule of the rich (oligarchy) and the rule of the poor (democracy) and the way that this rivalry shows up in American history and contemporary politics.  Link: Aristotle, The Politics; Pew Research Poll; David Harsanyi on income tax shares; Gallup poll on income inequality. Crystal Ball (26:39) - Following the opening night of the new NBA season, we predict the Eastern Conference, Western Conference, and overall NBA champions and the regular season win totals for the Celtics and Lakers.   Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss Aristotle's taxonomy of regimes and the way that the one, the few, and the many continue to compete for power in our day.     Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We talk about Dave's trip to watch the Patriots beat the Texans, the Red Sox's continued playoff success, and a pleasant early fall in New York.  Required Reading (3:28) - We discuss how Aristotle divides regimes based on who rules and for what purpose with application to contemporary questions like the wisdom of term limits. Link: Aristotle, The Politics. Open the Gradebook (26:06) - Now that all five of the quarterbacks drafted in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft have started at least one game, we grade the performance of each to date. Link: ESPN quarterback statistics.  Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss how citizenship is defined relative to a regime and the tension between being a good citizen and a good person, with applications from American history and contemporary politics.     Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We talk about the Red Sox's big victory over the Yankees in the American League Wild Card game, the (Yankees') Curse of the Parks, Dave's 50th birthday serenades from Geneva School students, and his upcoming trip to watch the Patriots play the Texans in Houston. Required Reading (5:26) - We continue our discussion of citizenship in light of chapters 2-5 of Aristotle's Politics and the question of the relationship between the good citizen and the good man. Link: Aristotle, The Politics. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (29:19) - We make series by series predictions for the baseball playoffs.  Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We reflect on the life and writings of our great teacher, Dr. Angelo M. Codevilla, and his commitment to the restoration of active American citizenship.     Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We react to the death of Dr. Codevilla and discuss our special privilege of being his students. Required Reading (5:58) - We discuss citizenship as it is presented in the opening chapter of book 3 of Aristotle's Politics, applying the lessons of the text to our political life today. Link: Aristotle, The Politics. Dr. Codevilla: teacher, mentor, Christian (19:00) - We discuss Dr. Codevilla as teacher, mentor, and Christian. Link: “American Exodus” at Tablet; books by Dr. Codevilla. Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss Aristotle's reflections on how to improve a regime at the end of Book II of his Politics and apply them to conservative and progressive efforts to reform and revolutionize the American founders' republic.     Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss the start of the school year at Geneva and King's, fall in New York, perpetual summer in Texas, and Matt's big week 1 win over Dave in their fantasy football league.  Required Reading (4:15) - We discuss Aristotle's critiques of the ancient regimes of Sparta, Corinth, and Carthage, his commendation of Solon's reforms in Athens, and the application of both to the American regime. Links: Aristotle, The Politics; Calvin Coolidge's address on the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Gradebook (27:01) - With Dave's 50th birthday on the horizon, we grade three different ways to celebrate round number birthdays.  Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

Aristotle's critiques of an ancient proposal to equalize property and a focus on political perception more than political reality leads us into a discussion of the sources of human division and the dangers of our optics-based politics.     Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:52) - We discuss Dave's first day as Head of School, the beginning of the King's academic year, and our fantasy football draft. Required Reading (3:58) - We discuss Aristotle's critiques of an ancient proposal to secure political peace by equalizing property and an approach to politics that focuses on appearances more than reality. Links: Aristotle, The Politics. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (21:37) - We conclude our NFL divisional predictions, looking at the AFC East and NFC East, and make our picks for the NFL playoffs, concluding in Super Bowl LVI. Link: ESPN projections. Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss the dangers of conceiving of the political community as a large family and holding property in common in light of Aristotle's critique of Plato's Republic at the beginning of book 2 of his Politics.    Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:54) - We discuss Dave choosing Alabama as his college football team, the virtues of Buc-ee's convenience stores, and our quest for listeners in Wyoming and North Dakota.  Required Reading (5:22) - We reflect on Aristotle's critique of Plato's Republic in the first six chapters of book two of his Politics, as Aristotle stresses the dangers of holding property and family life in common. Links: Aristotle, The Politics. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (27:40) - We make our next round of NFL divisional predictions, looking at the AFC North and NFC North. Link: ESPN projections. Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss Aristotle's reflections on ensuring that the pursuit of wealth by individuals and communities is subordinated to the higher purpose of living well.   Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:55) - We discuss our week off from the podcast (sorry!) and Dave's thoughts on preseason Patriots football.  Required Reading (3:44) - We reflect on the second half of book 1 of Aristotle's Politics, where Aristotle discusses the proper place of economic acquisition in a good individual and community life and the virtue necessary for a flourishing political life. Links: Aristotle, The Politics. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (25:08) - We make our next round of NFL divisional predictions, looking at the AFC South and NFC South. Link: ESPN projections. Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss Aristotle's account of slavery and how the opening chapters of Genesis uniquely provide a grounding for the principle of human equality.  Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We discuss first-day-of-school traffic in Boerne, Texas, and the recent slide of the Boston Red Sox. Required Reading (4:19) - We discuss Aristotle's writing on slavery in Book 1, chapters 4-7 of The Politics and how a Christian anthropology, properly applied, given a proper grounding for human equality and a warning against the abuse of irresponsible power. We then apply the lessons using Greg Weiner's recent New York Times essay on the separation of powers. Links: Aristotle, The Politics; Greg Weiner at The New York Times. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (28:19) - We make our first NFL divisional predictions, looking at the AFC West and NFC West. Link: ESPN projections. Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss Aristotle's fundamental distinction between good government and bad: whether political leaders seek their own interest or pursue the common good. Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:55) - We talk about the upcoming start of the school year, our audience's apparent desire for less content less often, and Matt's dreams of calling Red Sox games on the radio. Required Reading (2:58) - We discuss the way Aristotle investigates philosophical questions and the difference between self-seeking and common good-seeking political leadership from book I, chapter 3 of Aristotle's Politics. Links: Aristotle, The Politics; National Review article on NY Attorney General's report on Andrew Cuomo accusations; RealClearPolitics state-level COVID statistics.  Open the Gradebook (27:10) - We grade the Washington Nationals' trade deadline firesale and the new big contracts for NBA superstars Trae Young and Chris Paul. Links: Washington Nationals firesale; Nats' 12 prospects; Trae Young contract; Chris Paul contract.   Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Opening and closing music from the beginning and end of “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind)” by Fred Lancia. Used with permission. Opening (0:53) - We catch up after two months away from the podcast, discuss our plans for season 3, and introduce the new music for the show by listener Fred Lancia. Links: Fred Lancia, “2020 Vision (Worse than Blind). Required Reading (7:40) - We discuss the major themes of the first two chapters of Book 1 of Aristotle's Politics and the ongoing relevance of Aristotle's concerns for human happiness, justice, and the common good. Links: Aristotle, The Politics (text used by Dr. Corbin; text used by Dr. Parks). Open the Gradebook (28:31) - The Cleveland Indians are now the Cleveland Guardians. We grade the new name and discuss our favorite alternatives. Links: Tom Hanks narrated video. Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is the Interim Provost and an Associate Professor of Politics at The King's College in New York City. David Corbin is Head of School at the Geneva School of Boerne, Texas. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We conclude season two discussing the rise of an oligarchic ruling class in the United States with Dr. Angelo Codevilla, our teacher at Boston University and widely-published scholar of political philosophy and international affairs.  Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Leading Off (1:12) - We discuss the release of the new CDC guidelines for vaccinated people. Links: CDC chart; President Biden on Today; Runner Wear a Mask; Red Sox attendance; Major League attendance. Required Reading/Headlines (10:29) - We discuss the latest essay by Dr. Angelo Codevilla, “American Exodus” published by Tablet magazine. Links: Dr. Codevilla at Tablet; Time magazine on the election; “Clarity” at American Greatness by Dr. Codevilla; Rand Paul and Anthony Fauci on masks. Open the Gradebook (47:40) - President Biden gave his first address to a joint session of Congress Wednesday night, followed by Senator Tim Scott with the Republican response. We discuss and grade the two speeches. Links: President Biden’s speech; Senator Scott’s speech.  Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (1:00:57) - We open by checking in on our long-term quarterback trade projections and our picks for the landing places of the top-5 quarterbacks available in the NFL draft. On the season, Dave is now 27-21; Matt 21-27. We wrap up our picks for the season by making two projections for this weekend’s Kentucky Derby. Link: Kentucky Derby horses and odds.   Opening and closing music is from the beginning of "Happy Life" by Ryan Andersen from his 2018 album, Americana volume 1. Available here. Licensed by Creative Commons. Instagram: @DemocracyinAmericaToday Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is an Associate Professor of Politics at The King’s College in New York City. David Corbin is a Professor of Politics and the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. All views expressed in this podcast are those of the speaker.

We discuss the character of democratic despotism as it is described by Alexis de Tocqueville and exhibited in America today. Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Leading Off (1:13) - We discuss the conviction of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Links: AP news story; CNN story on Maxine Waters remarks; Susan Crabtree at Real Clear Politics on policing reform efforts. Required Reading (6:52) - We conclude our study of Democracy in America as Professor Corbin leads us through the last three chapters in the work on the character of democratic despotism with some reflections from the preface of Tocqueville’s other major work The Old Regime and the French Revolution.   Headlines (39:37) - We revisit the reopening of America, discussing mask mandates and vaccines in light of Tocqueville’s account of democratic despotism. Links: President Biden on ‘Neanderthal thinking’; CDC Covid data; Jim Geraghty on the ‘Texas Maskless Apocalypse’; Philip Klein at National Review; President Biden on vaccines and masks; Rand Paul on Fox News.   Open the Gradebook (49:33) - April is a month noteworthy for unique state holidays. In honor of this, we grade the traditions that surround Patriots Day (MA & ME), Mardi Gras (LA & AL), and Arbor Day (NE). Link: regional holidays.   Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (54:50) - Last week, Dave’s soccer picks went well; Matt’s not so much. On the season, Dave is now 21-13, while Matt is 14-20. With the NFL draft coming up, we predict the landing places of the top five quarterbacks.      Opening and closing music is from the beginning of "Happy Life" by Ryan Andersen from his 2018 album, Americana volume 1. Available here. Licensed by Creative Commons. Instagram: @DemocracyinAmericaToday Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is an Associate Professor of Politics at The King’s College in New York City. David Corbin is a Professor of Politics and the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. All views expressed in this podcast are their own.

We reflect on the democratic tendency toward despotic, centralized government and several manifestations of that tendency today.  Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Leading Off (0:55) - We discuss the pause in the administration of the Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccine. Links: CDC and FDA joint statement; Charles C. W. Cooke at National Review; Deseret News on Utah and other states; Charles C. W. Cooke at National Review, part 2. [45 seconds] Required Reading (10:18) - We reflect on the democratic tendency toward despotic centralized government in light of Alexis de Tocqueville’s argument in the opening chapters of the last part of volume 2 of Democracy in America and Publius’s argument in Federalist essays 23-37. [10 min] Headlines (35:45) - We look at two contemporary Progressive efforts to consolidate government power further. Links: Nikolai Wetzel at Law and Liberty; Peter Suderman at Reason; Reuters report on Janet Yellen proposal; Wall Street Journal on Yellen proposal.   Open the Gradebook (45:37) - We grade three modest proposals for reforming the national government. Links: Senator Ed Markey on expanding the Supreme Court; House of Representatives equal protection lawsuit.  Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (52:14) - After a good week picking the Masters, Dave is 19-13 on the season; Matt is 14-18. This week, we cast our eye across the pond to pick the two semifinal matches in Britain’s premier soccer cup competition.       Opening and closing music is from the beginning of "Happy Life" by Ryan Andersen from his 2018 album, Americana volume 1. Available here. Licensed by Creative Commons. Instagram: @DemocracyinAmericaToday Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is an Associate Professor of Politics at The King’s College in New York City. David Corbin is a Professor of Politics and the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. All views expressed in this podcast are their own.

Summary: We discuss the influence of democracy on family life. Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Leading Off (00:57) - We look at the fallout of Major League Baseball’s decision to move this year’s All-Star game from Atlanta to Denver. Links: MLB decision; Stacy Abrams on Georgia boycotts; Democrats on MLB decision; President Biden on the Masters; David Harsanyi at National Review.       Required Reading (05:00) - Prof. Corbin leads us through Tocqueville’s discussion of the democratic family in part 3 of volume 2 of Democracy in America and a selection from Rousseau’s Emile. Assignment for next week: DIA, volume 2, part 4, chapters 1-5. Headlines (32:56) - We discuss a CNN article reporting on the recent executive orders by South Dakota governor Kristi Noem aiming to protect the integrity of women’s sports at the high school and collegiate levels. Links: CNN report; Fox News report on the original CNN article.   Open the Gradebook (42:40) - With the traditional tax day, April 15, approaching, we grade three conservative tax reform proposals. Links: Mario Loyola at National Review; Senators Rubio and Lee proposal.     Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (49:30) - After another bad week picking the NCAA basketball tournament, Dave is 17-12 this season; Matt is 11-18. With our busted brackets now behind us, we turn to golf and make our picks for the Masters.      Opening and closing music is from the beginning of "Happy Life" by Ryan Andersen from his 2018 album, Americana volume 1. Available here. Licensed by Creative Commons. Instagram: @DemocracyinAmericaToday Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is an Associate Professor of Politics at The King’s College in New York City. David Corbin is a Professor of Politics and the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. All views expressed in this podcast are their own.

We discuss the decline in American church membership and President Biden’s attacks on the new Georgia voting law in light of Tocqueville’s reflections on American sentiments and mores in volume 2 of Democracy in America. Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Leading Off (1:05) - We discuss the results of the latest Gallup poll on church membership and its consequences. Links: Gallup Poll results; Kevin Williamson writing at National Review.   Required Reading (10:36) - Professor Corbin leads us through the end of part 2 and the beginning of part 3 of volume 2 of Democracy in America and a selection from Montesquieu’s Spirit of the Laws. Assignment for next week: volume 2, part 3, chapters 8-12.   Headlines (31:25) - We examine President Biden’s characterization of the new Georgia voting law as a return to Jim Crow or worse. Links: Carl Cannon at RealClearPolitics; President Biden press conference transcript; President Biden on SportsCenter at Business Insider; President Biden statement on Georgia voting law; Washington Post fact check on Biden statement; New York Times analysis of Georgia voting law; summary of state absentee ballot laws; state-by-state absentee ballot voter ID laws; Dan McLaughlin at National Review.   Open the Gradebook (46:05) - Baseball is back! We grade the entertainment value of two great opening day moments and talk about the results of our fantasy baseball draft. Links: Miguel Cabrera’s sliding home run; Clay Bellinger’s long single. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (52:45) - After a bad week picking the games from the NCAA tournament’s round of 16, we try again with the semifinals and finals. Dave is now 16-10 this season; Matt 11-15.      Opening and closing music is from the beginning of "Happy Life" by Ryan Andersen from his 2018 album, Americana volume 1. Available here. Licensed by Creative Commons. Instagram: @DemocracyinAmericaToday Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is an Associate Professor of Politics at The King’s College in New York City. David Corbin is a Professor of Politics and the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. All views expressed in this podcast are their own.

We discuss the relationship between liberty and equality and the role of the national government in encouraging or discouraging self-government. Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Leading Off (1:31) - We discuss President Biden’s first press conference. Links: press conference transcript; RealClearPolitics presidential approval average; Ipsos/Reuters presidential approval poll; Charles C. W. Cooke at National Review on Biden and the filibuster.      Required Reading (10:24) - Professor Corbin leads us through volume 2, part 2 of Democracy in America on the sentiments of the American people with a special focus on the relationship between liberty and equality and with further reflections on a selection from Thomas Hobbes’s Leviathan. Headlines (32:36) - We look at the way that the recently-passed Covid relief law and a prospective new spending bill affect local self-government. Links: CBS News on the Covid relief bill; Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost at National Review; CT law on  chocolate milk; AP report on prospective $3 trillion spending bill. Open the Gradebook (44:32) - Now that President Biden has confirmed his plans to run for reelection in 2024, we grade the electoral prospects of three leading Republicans candidates for the party’s 2024 presidential nomination. Links: Echelon Insights on Republican candidates for 2024.  Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (52:53) - After some mixed results on our recent NCAA basketball tournament picks, Dave is 16-7 on the year and Matt is 10-13. This week, we pick three of the Sweet 16 matchups and make our preseason Major League Baseball projections.       Opening and closing music is from the beginning of "Happy Life" by Ryan Andersen from his 2018 album, Americana volume 1. Available here. Licensed by Creative Commons. Instagram: @DemocracyinAmericaToday Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is an Associate Professor of Politics at The King’s College in New York City. David Corbin is a Professor of Politics and the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. All views expressed in this podcast are their own.

We discuss the corruption of elite American education by the pursuit of high status positions and the resulting subordination of that education to ideological fads and pseudo-wisdom.    Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Leading Off (1:36) - We discuss the new CDC guidelines for social distancing in elementary schools. Links: National Review reports new guidelines; ABC News report; David Zweig at The Intelligencer; NYT report on AFT reaction. Required Reading (05:21) - Prof. Corbins leads us through chapters 7-10 of volume 2, part 1, of Democracy in America on key qualities of the democratic mind and a selection from Act I of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. Assigned for next week: DIA, volume 2, part II (pp. 479-532). Headlines (38:35) - We discuss the rise of radical ideologies in elite private and public schools in light of Tocqueville’s discussion of the democratic mind. Links: Caitlin Flanagan in The Atlantic; Bari Weiss at The City; Cameron Hilditch reporting at National Review; Cameron Hilditch on California Ethic-Studies standards; David Brooks, Bobos in Paradise. Open the Gradebook (49:20) - We discuss the early stages of NFL free agency and grade the deals signed by the top three free agents to change teams. Links: Sporting News list of top-50 free agents; Position salary rankings at OverTheCap.  Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (56:07) - Last week, we picked the final two #1 seeds for the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, each getting one of our two picks correct. Dave is now 14-4 in 2021; Matt is 8-10. This week we pick four of Saturday’s first round NCAA tournament matchups.      Opening and closing music is from the beginning of "Happy Life" by Ryan Andersen from his 2018 album, Americana volume 1. Available here. Licensed by Creative Commons. Instagram: @DemocracyinAmericaToday Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is an Associate Professor of Politics at The King’s College in New York City. David Corbin is a Professor of Politics and the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. All views expressed in this podcast are their own.

We discuss the religious character of our contemporary politics and the leading influences on the American democratic mind. Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Leading Off (1:27) - We discuss President Biden’s first primetime address. Links: Biden speech; Susan Crabtree at Real Clear Politics; New York Times fact check. Required Reading (10:28) - Professor Corbin leads us through the opening chapters of volume 2, part 1 of Democracy in America and a selection from Francis Bacon’s Aphorisms Concerning the Interpretation of Nature. Assigned for next week: Democracy in America, volume 2, part 1, chapters 7-11.   Headlines (34:42) - We discuss Shadi Hamid’s recent article in The Atlantic, “American without God” in light of our Tocqueville and Bacon readings. Link: Shadi Hamid at The Atlantic.   Open the Gradebook (49:31) - With St. Patrick’s Day coming up on Wednesday, we grade four classic Irish entrees. Link: St. Patrick’s Day recipes. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (54:20) - Dave continued his great run of 2021 picks last week by hitting on both of his NBA All-Star game projections. He is now 13-3 this year. Matt was 1-1 and now stands at 7-9. This week we pick the #1 seeds for the upcoming NCAA men’s basketball tournament and some of the first round results. Link: All-time NCAA tournament seed records.      Opening and closing music is from the beginning of "Happy Life" by Ryan Andersen from his 2018 album, Americana volume 1. Available here. Licensed by Creative Commons. Instagram: @DemocracyinAmericaToday Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is an Associate Professor of Politics at The King’s College in New York City. David Corbin is a Professor of Politics and the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. All views expressed in this podcast are their own.

Summary: We discuss efforts to reform our elections and democracy in light of Tocqueville’s observations on the American Union at the end of volume 1 of Democracy in America. Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Leading Off (1:15) - We discuss the decision of Texas and Mississippi to lift their mask mandates and the reaction to it. Links: NBC News report on TX and MS; NBC News report on Biden reaction; CBS article on business response.  Required Reading (5:29) - Prof. Corbin guides us through the final part of the last chapter of volume 1 of Democracy in America and our adjacent reading: book 1, chapter 2 of Machiavelli’s Discourses on Livy. Assigned for next week: DIA, volume 2, part 1, chapter 1-10 (pages 403-439 in the Mansfield/Winthrop edition). Headlines (29:32) - We discuss the For the People Act, which recently passed the House, and the ongoing debate over campaign finance and election integrity. Links: Marcia Brown at The American Prospect; Dan McLaughlin at National Review; John Fund at The Spectator. Open the Gradebook (45:15) - We give President Biden a grade after the first forty days of his presidency. Links: Jim Geraghty newsletter; AP story on Biden approach to legislating.  Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (50:57) - After Dave hit on all his Golden Globes picks, he is 11-3 in 2021; Matt went 2-2 and is now 6-8. This week, we make our picks for the NBA All-Star game. Link: Team LeBron and Team Durant.       Opening and closing music is from the beginning of "Happy Life" by Ryan Andersen from his 2018 album, Americana volume 1. Available here. Licensed by Creative Commons. Instagram: @DemocracyinAmericaToday Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is an Associate Professor of Politics at The King’s College in New York City. David Corbin is a Professor of Politics and the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. All views expressed in this podcast are their own.

We discuss the current debate about equity and equality in light of Alexis de Tocqueville’s reflections on the relationship among Native Americans, African Americans, and European Americans in 19th century American society.  Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines. Leading Off (1:06) - We discuss the Equality Act, which was approved by the House of Representatives this week. Links: National Review report; National Review editorial. Required Reading (4:45) - Prof. Corbin leads us through the first half of the last chapter of volume 1 of Democracy in America on the relationship among Native Americans, African Americans, and European Americans in 19th century American society as well as a chapter from Augustine’s City of God and Aristotle’s teaching on equality and justice. Reading for next week: the second half of volume 1, part 2, chapter 10 (pages 348-396 in the Mansfield/Winthrop edition). Headlines (32:40) - We discuss the difference between equity and equality as the terms are understood by the Biden Administration in light of the ideas of justice present at the time of the American founding and the early days of the Progressive movement. Links: Andrew McCarthy at National Review; President Biden’s equity executive order.    Open the Gradebook (46:25) - With the first preseason baseball games upon us, we grade the most significant signings from this past offseason. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (52:17) - As the sports lull continues, we make our picks for the top four awards at this Sunday’s Golden Globe Awards. Link: Rotten Tomatoes Golden Globes predictions.     Opening and closing music is from the beginning of "Happy Life" by Ryan Andersen from his 2018 album, Americana volume 1. Available here. Licensed by Creative Commons. Instagram: @DemocracyinAmericaToday Email: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.com Matt Parks is an Associate Professor of Politics at The King’s College in New York City. David Corbin is a Professor of Politics and the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. All views expressed in this podcast are their own.

We reflect on the ways that circumstances, laws, and mores, especially religion, influence American democracy.Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Leading Off (1:59) - We discuss the death of Rush Limbaugh. Links: Fox News reporting the death of Rush Limbaugh; Andrew Klavan; Ben Domenech; Mark Steyn.    Required Reading (7:10) - We reflect on the ways that circumstances, laws, and mores, especially religion, influence American democracy, based on chapters 8 and 9 of part 2 of volume 1 of Democracy in America and selections from Cicero’s Laws. Assignment for next week: the first half of the last chapter of volume 1 of Democracy in America (pages 302-348 in the Mansfield/Winthrop edition).Headlines (31:30) - We talk about the republican virtues spoken of by Alexis de Tocqueville and American founders like John Adams and their counterparts today. Links: “America’s Can’t Do Spirit” at Axios; Rod Dreher, “The Snowplow Test”; Marty Makary in The Wall Street Journal.  Open the Gradebook (45:40) - After a bad week for big-state governors, we grade the prospects of Andrew Cuomo, Gavin Newsom, and Greg Abbott continuing as the governors of New York, California, and Texas for another term. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (52:30) - Last week, we both predicted correctly that more than 55 ½ Senators would vote to convict Donald Trump in his second impeachment trial with Dave getting the number of votes to convict (57) exactly right. Dave is now 7-3 in his 2001 predictions; Matt 4-6. This week, we predict how many quarterbacks will be traded between now and the NFL draft--and where. Link: CBS Sports list of quarterbacks that might be traded. Opening and closing music is from the beginning of "Happy Life" by Ryan Andersen from his 2018 album, Americana volume 1. Available here. Licensed by Creative Commons.Instagram: @DemocracyinAmericaTodayEmail: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.comMatt Parks is an Associate Professor of Politics at The King’s College in New York City. David Corbin is a Professor of Politics and the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. All views expressed in this podcast are their own.

We discuss Alexis de Tocqueville’s account of the merit and demerits of democracy and consider how cancel culture emerges in a democratic society.Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Leading Off (0:58) - We discuss the state of former president Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial. Link: Wall Street Journal impeachment trial coverage.Required Reading (07:02) - Professor Corbin leads us through part one of Alexis de Tocqueville’s case for and against democracy in volume 1, part 2, chapters 6-7 of Democracy in America and a discussion of the different types of democracy in book 4 of Aristotle’s Politics. Assignment for next week: chapter 9 (pages 264-291 in the Mansfield/Winthrop edition).  Headlines (33:23) - We consider how cancel culture intersects with Alexis de Tocqueville’s worries about the power of the majority over the minds of democratic citizens. Links: Cato Institute study; Gallup poll on political ideologies; Pew Poll on the makeup of the Democratic Party; backstory of the firing of Don McNeil; Bret Stephens column; NY Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet’s first statement; NY Times Executive Editor Dean Baquet’s second statement. Open the Gradebook (51:21) - We discuss three ways to use your free time now that football is over and baseball hasn’t begun. Links: Andrea Mitchell tweet; Ben Shapiro response. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (56:49) - Dave hit on both of his Super Bowl picks while Matt went one for two. This week, we project the number of total votes to convict former President Donald Trump.     Opening and closing music is from the beginning of "Happy Life" by Ryan Andersen from his 2018 album, Americana volume 1. Available here. Licensed by Creative Commons.Instagram: @DemocracyinAmericaTodayEmail: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.comMatt Parks is an Associate Professor of Politics at The King’s College in New York City. David Corbin is a Professor of Politics and the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. All views expressed in this podcast are their own.

We discuss the role of the political parties and the media in shaping the landscape of contemporary American democracy. Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Leading Off (1:24) - We discuss the Senate power-sharing agreement between Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell and the fate of the filibuster. Link: Politico on the power-sharing agreement.Required Reading (3:39) - Prof. Corbin leads us through the opening chapters of part 2 of volume 1 of Democracy in America and Plato’s reflections on the degeneration of democracy in The Republic, with a focus on the roles of parties, associations, and the press in American self-government. The assignment for next week: “On the Omnipotence of the Majority in the United States and its Effects” (pages 235-249 in the Mansfield/Winthrop edition).Headlines (32:02) - We consider the political consequences of the deep partisan divide and close elections with unstable majorities that characterize our contemporary politics. Links: Chuck Devore, writing at The Federalist; Robert Reich at The Guardian; Yuval Levin at National Review; National Review on the Cheney vote; Politico on the censure effort against Sen. Sasse.  Open the Gradebook (46:55) - The San Francisco School Board recently decided to rename forty-four schools, including those named in honor of Abraham Lincoln and George Washington. We grade four ways to choose names that will be able to stay on the right side of history. Links: The Atlantic on the San Francisco school board decision; BabyNames.com random name generator. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (55:05) - Much to Matt’s disappointment and Dave’s delight, Punxatawney Phil saw his shadow last week, consigning the Northeast to six more weeks of winter. This week, we make our Super Bowl picks.     Opening and closing music is from the beginning of "Happy Life" by Ryan Andersen from his 2018 album, Americana volume 1. Available here. Licensed by Creative Commons.Instagram: @DemocracyinAmericaTodayEmail: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.comMatt Parks is an Associate Professor of Politics at The King’s College in New York City. David Corbin is a Professor of Politics and the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. All views expressed in this podcast are their own.

We look at the strength of our federal system and national character in light of Tocqueville’s reflections on the US Constitution.Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Leading Off (01:26) - We discuss last week’s vote on Senator Rand Paul’s resolution to declare a post-presidency impeachment trial unconstitutional. Links: The Hill reporting on the Senate vote; National Review on the Senate vote; Senator Rubio.Required Reading (06:36) - Prof. Corbin leads us through a discussion of volume 1, part 1, chapters 6-8 of Alexis de Tocqueville’s Democracy in America and a selection from Thucydides’s History of the Peloponnesian War. The assignment for next week: DIA, part 2, chapter (pages 165-186 in the Mansfield/Winthrop edition). Headlines (31:43) - In light of Tocqueville’s discussion of the preconditions for maintaining free government over time, we discuss the state of our federal system and national character in the early days of the Biden Administration. Links: Rahm Emanuel on crises; National Review editorial on a “climate emergency”; Issues and Insights editorial on cost-benefit analysis; National Review reporting on the Mexico City policy executive order; President Biden’s signing statement; new Marist poll on public funding for abortion (note: 77%--not 70%--of Americans oppose public funding of international abortions).      Open the Gradebook (48:10) - The NFL has replaced the Pro Bowl with a video game this year. In honor of that dubious choice, we grade the all-star games of the NBA, NFL, and MLB.Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (54:36) - After a week of cold weather in New York and only mildly warm weather in California, we predict whether Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow on Groundhog’s Day and consign us to another six weeks of winter.     Opening and closing music is from the beginning of "Happy Life" by Ryan Andersen from his 2018 album, Americana volume 1. Available here. Licensed by Creative Commons.Instagram: @DemocracyinAmericaTodayEmail: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.comMatt Parks is an Associate Professor of Politics at The King’s College in New York City. David Corbin is a Professor of Politics and the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. All views expressed in this podcast are their own.

We discuss President Biden’s Inaugural Address in light of the tradition of local American democracy described by Alexis de Tocqueville.Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Leading Off (0:56) - We discuss the seventeen executive actions taken by President Biden on his first day of office. Link: CNN story from Inauguration Day. Required Reading (5:28) - Prof. Corbin leads us through a discussion of chapters 3-5 in volume one of Tocqueville’s Democracy in America and the first book of Homer’s Iliad. Assigned for next week: the second half volume 1, part 1, chapter 8 on the federal government.. Headlines (28:07) - We review the major themes of President Biden’s Inaugural Address, democracy and unity, in light of Tocqueville’s discussion of the democratic political life of early Americans. Links: Inaugural Address, Ben Domenech on unity at The Federalist.Open the Gradebook (48:43) - It’s championship weekend in the NFL - and for the second year in a row, the Patriots aren’t involved. We grade four ways to respond when your team is out of the playoffs. Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (55:17) - Last week, we picked the NFL’s divisional playoff games with limited success: Matt went 1-3 and Dave went 2-2. This week it’s the AFC and NFC Conference Finals. Though we both picked the favorites, Green Bay and Kansas City, we’re secretly rooting for a Bucs-Bills Super Bowl and one more chance for Tom Brady to break the hearts of Bills fans.      Opening and closing music is from the beginning of "Happy Life" by Ryan Andersen from his 2018 album, Americana volume 1. Available here. Licensed by Creative Commons.Instagram: @DemocracyinAmericaTodayEmail: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.comMatt Parks is an Associate Professor of Politics at The King’s College in New York City. David Corbin is a Professor of Politics and the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. All views expressed in this podcast are their own.

We look at the opening chapters of Democracy in America and the state of the spirit of religion and the spirit in America today. Christian college professors Matt Parks and David Corbin explore the ideas behind today's headlines.Leading Off (2:06) - We remark on the second impeachment of Donald Trump. Link: AP report on impeachment.Required Reading (6:07) - We discuss the Author’s Introduction to Democracy in America and the first two chapters of volume one of the work plus Genesis 1-3 and a selection from Hesiod’s Theogony. Links: Mansfield/Winthrop translation of Democracy in America.Headlines (29:56) - We talk about the role of Christians in the events of January 6 and, more broadly, the way that some leading evangelicals have connected the cause of Trump with the cause of Christ. Links: David French’s newsletter; Rod Dreyer on the Eric Metaxas-Charlie Kirk interview; Eric Metaxas-Charlie Kirk interview; Religion Unplugged report on the Jericho March; Rod Dreyer on the “MLK of the Deplorables”; Franklin Graham on the Republicans voting for impeachment (via Newsweek); The Atlantic on the Jericho March and January 6.  Open the Gradebook (43:41) - We grade three possible snow day activities: sledding, a movie marathon, and Zoom school.Tocqueville's Crystal Ball (48:58) - With football season winding down, we make our final picks for the rest of the NFL playoffs. Final records for our fall sports picks: Matt: 33-30-1; Dave: 22-41-1.     Opening and closing music is from the beginning of "Happy Life" by Ryan Andersen from his 2018 album, Americana volume 1. Available here. Licensed by Creative Commons.Instagram: @DemocracyinAmericaTodayEmail: DemocracyinAmericaToday@gmail.comMatt Parks is an Associate Professor of Politics at The King’s College in New York City. David Corbin is a Professor of Politics and the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Providence Christian College in Pasadena, California. All views expressed in this podcast are their own.