A national emergency remade American politics—and we follow the fault lines from the Great Depression to the digital age. With Dr. Sidney Milkis, we unpack how Franklin Roosevelt turned crisis into a lasting partisan realignment and built the modern presidency as an institution with its own staff, strategy, and voice. From Social Security to the Executive Office of the President, the New Deal didn’t just add programs; it rewired how citizens see power, how parties compete, and how leaders communicate.

We explore why the Democratic coalition surged during the 1930s and held for decades, how labor and civil rights movements reshaped the map, and why both parties eventually embraced a stronger executive. Media sits at the heart of this story. Theodore Roosevelt leveraged investigative magazines to rally reform, while Franklin Roosevelt perfected radio’s intimacy with the fireside chats, speaking plainly about bank panics, recovery plans, and war aims. That direct line to the public set the template for television-era persuasion and today’s social media bursts, shifting attention away from party organizations and toward a single national voice.

There’s a cost to that success. When the presidency becomes the main interface with government, local democracy can wither. Turnout spikes for presidential races while state and municipal contests lag. Drawing on Tocqueville and family stories of precinct work, we make the case that neighborhood-level engagement—school boards, councils, party committees—still matters for a resilient republic. The path forward isn’t to dismantle national capacity but to restore civic practice where people live: better civic education, stronger state and local institutions, and party infrastructure that invites participation rather than gatekeeps it.

If this conversation sparked ideas for your classroom, community, or study group, share the episode, leave a review, and subscribe so you never miss new chapters in America’s democratic story.

Check Out the Civic Literacy Curriculum!

School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership

Center for American Civics

We track how the Progressive Era broke the grip of local party machines, elevated public opinion, and strengthened the presidency, reshaping both major parties. Roosevelt, Taft, and Wilson anchor the story as primaries expand and conventions recede into ceremony.

• limited, decentralized party machines shift toward national agendas
• industrialization and foreign policy drive demand for federal action
• direct democracy tools weaken party gatekeepers
• primaries rise, conventions lose real power
• the presidency emerges as steward of public welfare
• Roosevelt’s reform push and the 1912 split
• Wilson embeds progressivism in Democratic governance
• McGovern–Fraser reforms cement voter-led nominations
• platforms increasingly reflect presidential priorities
• preview of New Deal realignment next

Check Out the Civic Literacy Curriculum!

School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership

Center for American Civics

A French magistrate walked into an American prison and came out with a blueprint for democratic life. We follow Alexis de Tocqueville’s unlikely journey—from an official study of penitentiaries to a lasting analysis of how habits, values, and local participation keep freedom alive—and we connect his sharpest insights to the choices we face today.

We start with the ruse that made his research possible: a tour of U.S. prisons that opened the door to courts, churches, town meetings, and newspapers. Eastern State Penitentiary becomes a lens for understanding how Americans tried to solve social problems through institutions and moral reasoning rather than upheaval. From there, we unpack Tocqueville’s core ideas: mores as the quiet foundation of democracy; individualism as a retreat from public life, not simple selfishness; and the creeping risk of soft despotism when citizens trade responsibility for comfort. His antidote is both practical and hopeful—local government, civic associations, and what he called self-interest rightly understood, where cooperation advances personal and common good.

We also explore his view of religion as a civic ally that shapes character without controlling the state, supporting a culture of restraint, trust, and responsible freedom. Along the way, we pose the question Tocqueville leaves us with: if the habits that sustain democracy fade, how do we rebuild them? You’ll hear how education, small-scale participation, and everyday duties still function as democratic schools, and why these small acts matter as much as any law or election.

If Tocqueville’s framework sparks your curiosity, keep going with our companion episodes featuring Dr. Zachary German, Dr. Daniel Mahoney, and Dr. Sean Beienberg, each exploring a different theme—from associations and local government to religion and federalism. Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who cares about civic life, and leave a review telling us the one habit you’ll practice this week to strengthen your community.

Check Out the Civic Literacy Curriculum!

School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership

Center for American Civics