2006 Bradley Symposium: What's the Big Idea?

Hudson Institute's Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal

presents

Transcript and Event Documents Now Available!

On May 25, 2006 in Washington, DC, a panel of distinguished commentators brought together by Hudson Institute’s Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal tackled the following questions about the political divisions in American society:

• Are our political divisions indeed significant and based on such grand themes? Or can they be explained by more superficial social and economic divisions?

 

• Is a politics driven and divided by large and contrasting ideas dangerous and volatile? Or is it healthy and vigorous—the source of American renewal?

 

• How are these larger intellectual divisions played out in specific policy debates over the size of government, immigration, foreign affairs, economic inequality, higher education, and other questions?

 

• Clearly, if American politics is driven by “big ideas,” think tanks and foundations are key players. Should such institutions seek to sharpen and enrich those ideas, or should they rather attempt to moderate and bridge major intellectual divides? 

Panelists included:

Michael Barone, U.S. News and World Report
Karlyn Bowman, American Enterprise Institute
David Brooks, The New York Times
Tammy Bruce, The Tammy Bruce Show
Allan Carlson, The Howard Center (Rockford, IL)
James Ceaser, University of Virginia
Francis Fukuyama, The Johns Hopkins University
Robert George, Princeton University
Hugh Hewitt, The Hugh Hewitt Show
Tamar Jacoby, Manhattan Institute
William Kristol, The Weekly Standard
Brink Lindsey, Cato Institute
Wilfred McClay, University of Tennessee/Ethics and Public Policy Center
Charles Murray, American Enterprise Institute
Matthew Spalding, Heritage Foundation
Shelby Steele, Hoover Institution
Amy Kass (moderator), Hudson Institute/University of Chicago

The 2006 Bradley Symposium was held at the Ritz Carlton, Washington DC, and attended by over 150 guests.

Quick Links to Event Documents

1. Complete, Edited Transcript  (PDF format)

2. "True Blue vs. Deep Red: The Ideas that Move American Politics” (Word format)

A framing essay prepared by University of Virginia political scientist James Ceaser argued that we are indeed deeply divided as a nation today into “True Blue” and “Deep Red.” But these divisions go beyond partisanship or culture, he maintains. Rather, they reflect profoundly different understandings of human character and politics, rooted in contrasting “foundational ideas” about nature, history, and religion that have long pedigrees in American public life.

3. Panelist Biographies  (PDF format)

4. "American Politics: How Divided?" (PDF format)

Karlyn Bowman of the American Enterprise Institute gathered these extant survey data on how politically divided Americans are.

Program

8:00 a.m.
Registration, continental breakfast

8:30
Welcome by the Bradley Center’s William Schambra

8:40
Introductory remarks by Amy Kass of Hudson Institute and the University of Chicago and today’s moderator

8:45
Panel discussion

10:15
Coffee break

10:30
Discussion resumes

11:30
Adjournment

For Further Information

The Bradley Symposium is an annual discussion convened by Hudson Institute's Bradley Center.  Information and documents from past Bradley Symposia can be accessed via the links in a box in the upper right-hand corner of this page.  To request further information on these events or the Bradley Center, please contact Hudson Institute at (202) 974-2424 or e-mail Kristen at kmcintyre@hudson.org.