Acton Line

On this episode, National Review senior editor Jonah Goldberg speaks about his latest book, "Suicide of the West: How the Rebirth of Nationalism, Populism, and Identity Politics Is Destroying American Democracy." Jonah will also be speaking at our upcoming annual conference in Grand Rapids, Acton University, and you can still register to hear him during the plenary dinner on Wednesday, June 19. After that, James Patterson, professor of politics at Ave Maria University, joins us to talk about the legacy of Fulton J. Sheen, a catholic priest in America who was primarily known for his popular books, radio broadcasts and Emmy-award winning television show Life Is Worth Living. Sheen was also a deft and serious thinker on efforts to bring Americans in closer alignment with the Christian tradition, especially that of the Catholic Church. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the episode of Acton Line, Andrew Klavan, award winning novelist, screenwriter, and regular host at the Daily Wire, joins the show to talk about the new Netflix documentary, "Knock Down the House." The new political documentary follows four far left-leaning women during their run for congress in 2018, eventually leading up to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's congressional win. Klavan explains the ideas under girding the movie and why he defines it as propaganda. After that, Acton's co-founder and president, Rev. Robert Sirico, addresses religion on the left and lays out the connections between religion and liberty. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Acton Line, Caroline Roberts speaks with Andrew Kloster, the deputy director of the Center for the Study of the Administrative State at George Mason University, about the student debt crisis. Kloster claims that the student debt crisis is the greatest moral hazard of our nation and explains how he sees the crisis panning out in the future. On the second segment, Acton's director of research, Samuel Gregg, sits down with Mustafa Akyol, senior research fellow at the Cato Institute, to address the topics of Islam and Freedom. Reformist trends in Islam reinterpret religious law by referring to the moral teachings at its core resulting in an intellectual battle going on in the Muslim world, where some believers condemn freedom as a Western invention while others praise it as Allah’s blessing. Is Islam compatible with ideas of individual freedom? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode, we bring John Baden onto the show. A rancher in Bozeman Montana, Baden has co-founded several organizations dedicated to free market environmentalism including the Foundation for Research on Economics and the Environment (FREE), dedicated to harnessing the power of markets and property rights to improve environmental quality. Baden will be addressing the environmental concerns raised in the Green New Deal and show how free markets can tackle them. After that, Acton's Dan Hugger will be speaking with Bradley J. Birzer, a professor of history at Hillsdale College, to talk about the life of Andrew Jackson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Acton Line, host Caroline Roberts is joined by Acton's director of research, Samuel Gregg, to touch on the historical and religious significance of Notre-Dame in the wake of the fire that consumed much of the cathedral this past Monday. After that, research associate Dan Hugger sits down with Acton's president and co-founder Rev. Robert Sirico to discuss current issues in education, including some of Betsy Devos' policies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Acton Line, Caroline Roberts speaks with Sarah Estelle, professor of economics at Hope College, to revisit the life and work of F.A. Hayek on the 75th anniversary of the publishing of "The Road to Serfdom." On the second segment, Caroline then speaks with Tyler O'Neil, senior editor at PJ Media, about the film "Unplanned" and how its release highlights issues such as human rights, censorship, and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Acton Line, Trey Dimsdale, director of program outreach at Acton Institute, sits down with Andrew Graham, attorney at First Liberty Institute, a public interest law firm. Trey and Andrew talk about a current case threatening Bladensburg World War I Memorial in Maryland, known as the Peace Cross. The land on which the cross stands was first privately owned by American Legion and the memorial was erected with privately raised funds. Now the land belongs to the Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission., and the U.S. Court of Appeals has declared the cross unconstitutional. First Liberty is now working on behalf of American Legion and a court ruling is expected in June. In the second segment, executive producer of Acton Line, John Couretas, speaks with author and political economist, James R. Otteson about his new book, "Honorable Business," addressing objections commonly raised against business and commercial society as well as proposing a framework for business in a just society

On this episode of Acton Line, Acton's director of communications, John Couretas, speaks with Tim Carney, editor at the Washington Examiner and a visiting fellow at AEI. They talk about Tim's new book, "Alienated America: Why Some Places Thrive While Others Collapse." The "American Dream" is fading away in much of the country, and the problem isn't pure economics, nor is it a case of stubborn old white men falling behind because they refuse embrace progress. Tim argues that the root cause of our problems; crumbling families, despair, and political dysfunction, is the erosion of community and local, civil institutions, most especially church. The result of a secularizing country is a plague of alienation for the working class, as people struggle to build families and improve their lives without the support structure they need. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week’s Acton Line podcast we hear about a church-based ministry that engages with the homeless and poor “relationally, responsibly, and compassionately.” James Whitford, executive director of Watered Gardens Gospel Rescue Mission in Joplin, Missouri, joins Acton’s Andrew Vanderput in a thought provoking conversation on private charity and the intensely personal nature of the organization’s outreach. In the second segment, Aquinas College economist David Hebert and Acton’s Tyler Groenendal dig into the public’s deep dissatisfaction with America’s political institutions – and Americans’ deep ignorance of how these same organizations work. A 2017 study showed, for example, that more than a third of those surveyed (37 percent) can’t name any of the rights guaranteed under the First Amendment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Acton Line, Caroline Roberts speaks with Acton's senior editor, Rev. Ben Johnson, about a new study released by a free market think tank in Denmark, claiming that Denmark isn't actually socialist. Although Denmark is regularly cited as a country whose socialist policies have done good, this isn't the whole story. Denmark isn't technically socialist, and the current welfare state program has done harm despite what you may have heard. After that, Alan R. Crippen, II, Chief of Exhibits, Programs, and Public Engagement for the Faith & Liberty Discovery Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, joins Daniel Hugger on the show. Crippen and Hugger discuss the legacy of William Penn, the Quaker son of an aristocratic Royal Navy Admiral who gave America its first successful experiment of liberty – Pennsylvania. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Acton Line, Acton's co-founder and president, Rev. Robert Sirico, sits down with Acton's associate researcher and librarian, Dan Hugger, to discuss the realities of socialism seen specifically in Nicaragua and Venezuela. After that, a redux segment is re-released, featuring 2018 summer intern and student at Grove City College, Noah Gould, who speaks with Javier Avila about inflation, unrest and hope in Venezuela. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Acton Line, Caroline Roberts is joined by the founder and president of the Center for American Entrepreneurship, John Dearie, to discuss the state of entrepreneurship in America. Dearie explains why start up innovation and small businesses sustain the economy and alerts us to the danger of declining entrepreneurship in America. Afterwards, occasional host and award winning news anchor, Anne Marie Schieber, speaks with several people about their work ethic, proving that sometimes satisfaction in the workplace depends more on mindset than passion for the job. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Acton Line, research associate at the Acton Institute, Jordan Ballor, talks with best-selling author and leading political satirist, P.J. O'Rourke, about his newest book, "None of My Business." O'Rourke will be giving a talk at Acton's upcoming event in Chicago on March 7 and registration is still open. In the second segment, Acton's director of communications, John Couretas, speaks with Ray Nothstine, editor at Civitas Institute, about the film "They Shall Not Grow Old." In director Peter Jackson's most recent movie, original World War I footage undergoes groundbreaking restoration, complete with voice over acting and sound affects. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Acton Line, producer Caroline Roberts speaks with Sarah Estelle, professor of economics at Hope College. Estelle breaks down some common misconceptions about economics and shares what our love for those around us has to do with economics. After that, Acton's Poverty Initiatives Manager, Andrew Vanderput, speaks with Scott Sabin, the executive director at Plant with Purpose. Plant with Purpose is a non-profit organization dedicated to solving both environmental degradation and rural poverty, and Sabin explains how sustainable approaches to tackling deforestation and also tackling poverty go hand in hand.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Acton Line, Rev. Ben Johnson, senior editor at Acton, speaks with Rev. Richard Turnbull from the Center for Enterprise, Markets, and Ethics, to talk about the importance of private, voluntary institutions, drawing examples from how things have gone amiss in the UK when the government has stepped in for the church. After that, occasional host Bruce Walker welcomes Emily Jashinsky, culture editor at the Federalist, onto the podcast to discuss how American movies are being increasingly funded by China and as a result, facing significant censorship.​ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Caroline Roberts speaks with Stephen Nichols, the president of Reformation Bible College, about the life and work of Francis Schaeffer, 20th century protestant evangelist. After that, host Bruce Edward Walker talks about Netflix's new series, "Watership Down," with John Ehrett, writer, attorney, and editor at the Conciliar Post. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, Acton’s Tyler Groenendal speaks with Dave Hebert, professor of economics at Aquinas College, about the current government shutdown and what effect is has on individuals and businesses. In another segment, we have a conversation about community revitalization with Ashanti Bryant, director of education at AmplifyGR, a nonprofit working to build flourishing neighborhoods in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, producer Caroline Roberts speaks with Sarah Estelle, associate professor of economics at Hope College. Caroline and Sarah discuss the subject of criminal justice reform in light of the recently passed, bipartisan bill, The First Step Act, covering specific policies in the new bill and effects of the current criminal system. After that, award winning reporter Anne Marie Schieber continues exploring the effects of unemployment. Last week, we showed the importance of being in the right frame of mind when trying to find a job, and this week we show you why it is so hard to get out of the slump. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of Radio Free Acton, John Couretas, Acton's Director of Communications, talks with Daniel J. Mahoney, professor of political science at Assumption College, about the legacy of Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn in light of Solzhenitsyn's memoir recently released in English, "Between Two Millstones Book I: Sketches of Exile," the first of two books in which Solzhenitsyn recounts his exile in the West. Afterwards, reporter Anne Marie Schieber takes us on the first of a three-part series exploring the difficulty of unemployment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this remastered episode of Radio Free Acton, we revisit an interview with David LaRocca: a philosopher, author, and filmmaker who has released a documentary on Italian fashion designer and entrepreneur Brunello Cuccinelli. Cucinelli has built a successful company by creating high-quality apparel, but more interesting than that is the philosophy that undergirds his business and all of his life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.