Hi, I'm Jeff Sickinga, executive director of the Ashbrook Center, and this is the American

idea, where we discuss the ideas, people, and events that have made America what it is today.

We believe that by understanding our history and our principles, we can better

live up to the promise of the American founding and preserve our ongoing experiment in self-government.

Welcome to the American Idea. Well, I want to welcome everyone to this episode of the American idea. Today we're

going to be talking about one of the towering figures of American political history,

particularly in the 20th century, President Ronald Reagan. The conversation we're going to

have today about Reagan is not necessarily Reagan's political actions, his policies, his campaigns.

We're going to talk some about Ronald Reagan's political principles.

In particular, the connection between Ronald Reagan and the American founding and the Declaration of Independence. This conversation is part of our

ongoing series for America 250 and the Declaration of Independence and its legacy. I'm joined for that

conversation by an old friend of mine, an old friend of the Ashbrook Center, and of course,

as our listeners know an old friend of this podcast,

Professor Gregory McBrayer.

Greg, as many know, is Associate Professor of Political Science at Ashland University.

He also is my boss.

He's the provost of this university, at least interim provost, but still,

that's right.

Don't forget it.

Don't forget it.

Greg is a terrific teacher, a terrific scholar, and a great colleague. He has written extensively

on political thought, the history of political thought, and American political thought. He has a

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