Johnny Burtka

Thanks to @SohrabAhmari, @sarahhgustafson, Yuval Levin, and Phillip Munoz for joining the latest episode of ISI’s Project Cosmos!

Democracy in America Today: Tocqueville, Congress, and Centralized Power (0:00) Why Congress must predominate in a republic (7:22) Andrew Jackson and the paradox of executive power (20:50) Who was Alexis de Tocqueville? (27:18) Tocqueville's reception in America through history (36:14) The pathologies of democracy and soft despotism (51:37) The bank war and Hamiltonian vs. Jacksonian visions (1:11:00) The New Deal, progressivism, and centralized power (1:25:25) Markets, government, and the problem of centralization (1:29:27) The democratic soul and forming citizens (1:40:30) Religion, morality, and American democracy today (1:50:25) Reforming institutions and educating the next generation @johnnyburtka is joined by Yuval Levin, @SohrabAhmari, @sarahhgustafson, and @VPhillipMunoz for our latest episode of Project Cosmos!

@JeshuaTLauka Thanks for coming out!

Great conversation today @johnnyburtka. Thanks for joining us in Grand Rapids!

On Monday, March 23, a panel on Wendell Berry brought students together for a thoughtful conversation about place, community, and what it means to live a fully human life. Prof. Sarah Berry (University of Dallas), Madeleine Austin (Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal), and Kate Meyer (Juniper Farm, Wisconsin) each offered a unique perspective on how love of place develops and how it can shape the way we live and act. About 40 students attended, and the discussion afterwards was lively and engaged. Several students shared that the evening marked a turning point in how they think about their future, especially where and how they hope to live after college. ISI is proud to make discussions like this possible for students across the country.

I'm reaching previously unseen, nay even unforetold, levels of wife guy-ness.

Always worth hearing from my friend @sarahhgustafson on Tocqueville.

- Democracy in America Today - Tocqueville, Congress, and Decentralized Power An INCREDIBLE group in conversation with @ISI's President @johnnyburtka. Thank you @sarahhgustafson @VPhillipMunoz and @SohrabAhmari ! youtu.be/Hlyl3wUXMGc?si… via @YouTube

I’m hiring a Managing Editor for @collegiatenet! Looking for someone who: 📰 Lives in the news cycle 📱 Social media savvy 🎓 Knows campus journalism 🛠️ Can troubleshoot web/editing issues 👥 Loves mentoring young writers 🌎 Remote work from DC, NYC or Philly available Apply 👇 isi.org/careers/colleg…

Democracy in America Today: Tocqueville, Congress, and Centralized Power (0:00) Why Congress must predominate in a republic (7:22) Andrew Jackson and the paradox of executive power (20:50) Who was Alexis de Tocqueville? (27:18) Tocqueville's reception in America through history (36:14) The pathologies of democracy and soft despotism (51:37) The bank war and Hamiltonian vs. Jacksonian visions (1:11:00) The New Deal, progressivism, and centralized power (1:25:25) Markets, government, and the problem of centralization (1:29:27) The democratic soul and forming citizens (1:40:30) Religion, morality, and American democracy today (1:50:25) Reforming institutions and educating the next generation @johnnyburtka is joined by Yuval Levin, @SohrabAhmari, @sarahhgustafson, and @VPhillipMunoz for our latest episode of Project Cosmos!

Thank you @WSJopinion for publishing my response on housing and the American dream!

Welcome, Evie Solheim! We are delighted to announce that Evie Solheim (@EvieSolheim) is joining NGP as the Director of The Chesterton Media Fellowship! Under Evie’s leadership, The Chesterton Media Fellowship will train and equip the next generation of Conservative writers, and give them an on-ramp into Conservative media. The namesake of our fellowship, G.K. Chesterton, is most often remembered for his apologetics and fiction, but he was primarily a journalist. He ran his own newspaper, and wrote over 4,000 essays and columns in his long career. Chesterton spent his career defending the ordinary things of life — the family, fairytales, and patriotism — with wit, paradox, and charm. His deeply Christian and romantic view of the world has much to offer the modern Right. The Chesterton Media Fellowship is a six month, part-time fellowship, for college students and young professionals. Selected fellows will write one op-ed per month, attend training webinars, and get mentorship from seasoned journalists. Our 2026 Fellows will be announced in April. Join us, as we cultivate swordsmanship of the pen!

.@SecDuffy today announced the @USDOT's exciting new Beautifying Transportation Infrastructure Challenge with $650,000 in prizes. The competition invites Americans, whether professionals or not, to submit design concepts—including bridges and transit hubs—that capture the spirit of the U.S. The Challenge seeks concepts that align with the Executive Order "Making Federal Architecture Beautiful Again," which promotes classical and traditional design over modernism. As chairman of the Beautifying Transportation Infrastructure Council, I urge all Americans who believe in beautiful, meaningful public spaces to seize this opportunity. The Challenge opens today with submissions accepted through May 13.

“They are beginning to lose their grip on the apparatus of the state and the culture. And when they do... there's going to be a real lurch.” Chris Caldwell discusses the future of the Baby Boomer generation's grip on the American way of life with @ISI's @johnnyburtka.

“The percentage of baby boomers in the electorate has now fallen below 30%. Only 15% of them are in the workforce.” Claremont Senior Fellow Chris Caldwell discusses the Baby Boomer generation's dominance and natural decline in population and power with @ISI's @johnnyburtka.

On Friday, March 6, Dr. Luke Foster of Hillsdale College delivered a lecture at Wyoming Catholic College titled: “Aristocratic Education and the Democratic Soul: Alexis de Tocqueville and St. John Henry Newman.” The talk received a standing ovation, and students said it was the best lecture they’ve heard yet.

Matthew Spalding, the Kirby Professor in Constitutional Government and dean of @HillsdaleInDC's Van Andel Graduate School of Government, has won the @ISI's Conservative Book of the Year Award for "The Making of the American Mind: The Story of Our Declaration of Independence" (Encounter Books). Honored for advancing the understanding of conservative principles, the book tells the powerful story behind the Declaration and the patriots who pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to defend it. Dr. Spalding will be recognized May 1 at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. 🎉📚

There is still time to apply for the Richard M. Weaver Graduate Fellowship! If you’re planning to pursue graduate studies in the humanities or social sciences and aspire to shape the next generation in the academy, the Weaver Fellowship is for you! With funding of up to $15,000 and access to a nationwide network of scholars, this is the perfect opportunity to launch your career in academia. Deadline is March 14. Learn more and apply: isi.org/alumni/weaver-…

Congratulations to Dr. Spalding @HillsdaleInDC for winning @ISI’s Conservative Book of the Year Award! Join us for the awards luncheon on May 1st at the Press Club in DC. Tickets in link below.

Tomorrow Night, February 26 — Join Us at Butterworth’s! We’re just one day away from the ISI Networking Reception at Butterworth’s in Washington, DC, and we’re looking forward to an outstanding evening of conversation and connection. Join fellow ISI alumni, students, and friends for: • An open bar & hors d’oeuvres • Intentional networking with leaders and young professionals • A 20-minute talk and Q&A with Caleb Orr, Assistant Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs This reception is a great opportunity to expand your network, reconnect with friends, and engage thoughtfully with the ideas shaping our public life — all in the vibrant setting of Butterworth’s on Capitol Hill. Limited tickets may still be available — register now: events.isi.org/e/february-but… We hope to see you there!