We The People Podcasts

Will members of Congress change their minds about compromise, or do voters need to change the members of Congress? Eminent political thinkers Amy Gutmann and Dennis F. Thompson speak with NBC’s Andrea Mitchell about their forthcoming book "The Spirit of Compromise: Why Governing Demands It and Campaigning Undermines It," which explores whether government leaders can overcome partisan divides for the benefit of all citizens. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org.

Joseph J. Ellis, the Pulitzer Prize-winning, bestselling author of "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" and "His Excellency: George Washington," discusses his latest book, "First Family: Abigail and John Adams." Ellis brings America’s preeminent first couple to life and illuminates their unique partnership during the American Revolution and the nation’s tenuous early years. Dr. Richard R. Beeman moderates. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org.

The 2012 presidential race is arguably the first to fully reflect a major political shift to the digital world. Will candidates who don’t show up on this digital playing field be left in the dust? Political strategists and social media/technology experts Maria Cardona, Andrew Rasiej, Daniel Sieberg, Alex Torpey and Todd Van Etten take a hard look at the role of social media and its impact on the 2012 presidential campaign. Jonathan Capehart of The Washington Post moderates. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org.

Former Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter shares insights from his compelling new memoir, Life Among the Cannibals, and provides an insider's look at the growing partisan divide in Washington and on the campaign trail. Mike Castle, former member of Congress and Governor of Delaware, moderates. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org.

On the anniversary of the battle that sparked the Civil War, Harvard University President Drew Gilpin Faust and eminent Lincoln scholar Harold Holzer explore the enormous human toll of the war on 19th-century America. More than 600,000 soldiers lost their lives in the Civil War. An equivalent proportion of today's population would be six million. In her book This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War, Faust reveals how death on such a scale changed not only individual lives but the life of the nation, redefining the meanings of race, citizenship and nationhood. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org.

In June, 2011 TIME Managing Editor Richard Stengel’s cover story on the U.S. Constitution, “One Document, Under Siege,” sparked significant debate in the media and blogosphere. In connection with the launch of TIME’s new book The Constitution: The Essential User’s Guide, Stengel sits down with National Constitution Center President and CEO David Eisner to address the article and discuss why the Constitution continues to inspire and divide Americans nearly 225 years after its signing. The program was recorded on May 7, 2012. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org.

With the American economy still struggling and taxpayers in the toughest position in generations, taxes and tax reform is one of the key issues in the 2012 presidential election. What will work and what won’t—voters need to be informed to decide. Rich Lowrie, who served as Herman Cain’s economic advisor during his recent White House bid and was co-author of the controversial 9-9-9 plan joins White House veteran Bruce Bartlett and economics professor Rosanne Altshuler for a lively and important conversation. David Eisner, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Constitution Center, moderated this program on February 7, 2012. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org.

In the midst of the 2012 presidential race, former Governors Ed Rendell and Christine Todd Whitman offer contrasting perspectives and firsthand knowledge of the election’s key players and issues, from immigration to the economy. With only two weeks before Pennsylvanians vote, Rendell and Whitman shared their opinions on the caucus and primary system and how it is working for their respective states. David Eisner, President of the National Constitution Center, facilitated this discussion on April 9th, 2012. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org.

The budget crisis and ongoing policy debates in Washington, D.C., have a profound impact on state and local governments and citizens. In this climate of gridlock and partisanship, how do politicians and policy experts create and implement a transportation strategy for the 21st century? Practically speaking, it’s a matter of federalism. Joining the Center for this conversation are Peter J. “Jack” Basso, Chief Operating Officer of AASHTO; Joshua L. Schank, President and CEO of Eno Transportation Foundation; James S. Simpson, Chairman of NJ TRANSIT; and Martin Wachs, senior principal researcher at RAND. David Thornburgh, Executive Director of the Fels Institute of Government, facilitated this discussion on February 2nd, 2012. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org.

The budget crisis and ongoing policy debates in Washington, D.C., have a profound impact on state and local governments and citizens. In this climate of gridlock and partisanship, how do politicians and policy experts create and implement a transportation strategy for the 21st century? Practically speaking, it’s a matter of federalism. Joining the Center for this conversation are Peter J. “Jack” Basso, Chief Operating Officer of AASHTO; Joshua L. Schank, President and CEO of Eno Transportation Foundation; James S. Simpson, Chairman of NJ TRANSIT; and Martin Wachs, senior principal researcher at RAND. David Thornburgh, Executive Director of the Fels Institute of Government, facilitated this discussion on February 2nd, 2012. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org.

Vanity Fair editor Cullen Murphy discusses his new book, God’s Jury: The Inquisition and the Making of the Modern World, taking us from the musty Vatican archives to the detention cells of Guantanamo; from the heretical fortresses of medieval France to the burning of books in modern Florida; from the torture chambers of the Spanish Inquisition to the file cabinets of the East German secret police; and from the streets of colonial Santa Fe to the inner sanctums of the White House. Murphy argues that when you look at the Inquisition, what you really see is the beginning of the struggle for freedom in the modern world. James B. Steele, contributing editor for Vanity Fair, facilitated this discussion on January 24, 2012. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org.

Vanity Fair editor Cullen Murphy discusses his new book, God’s Jury: The Inquisition and the Making of the Modern World, taking us from the musty Vatican archives to the detention cells of Guantanamo; from the heretical fortresses of medieval France to the burning of books in modern Florida; from the torture chambers of the Spanish Inquisition to the file cabinets of the East German secret police; and from the streets of colonial Santa Fe to the inner sanctums of the White House. Murphy argues that when you look at the Inquisition, what you really see is the beginning of the struggle for freedom in the modern world. James B. Steele, contributing editor for Vanity Fair, facilitated this discussion on January 24, 2012. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org.

Privacy expert and author Lori Andrews, Forbes blogger Kashmir Hill, and New York Times reporter Jennifer Preston join the National Constitution Center to speak about how the Founding Fathers might have handled online social networks. What would happen if social networking sites were subject to the Bill of Rights? With 750,000,000 members, Facebook is the third largest nation in the world; should it have a Constitution? If so, what rights and responsibilities should be included? Christopher Wink, co-founder of Technically Philly, moderates this discussion from January 12, 2012. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org.

Privacy expert and author Lori Andrews, Forbes blogger Kashmir Hill, and New York Times reporter Jennifer Preston join the National Constitution Center to speak about how the Founding Fathers might have handled online social networks. What would happen if social networking sites were subject to the Bill of Rights? With 750,000,000 members, Facebook is the third largest nation in the world; should it have a Constitution? If so, what rights and responsibilities should be included? Christopher Wink, co-founder of Technically Philly, moderates this discussion from January 12, 2012. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org.

In her highly anticipated book, The Obamas, New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor provides an insider’s perspective on Barack and Michelle Obamas' experiences as president and first lady -- raising children, maintaining friendships and being the first African-American “first couple” to occupy the White House. Filled with riveting detail, humor, emotional and psychological depth, and keen insights on the ironies of public life, The Obamas is an intimate portrait that will surprise even readers who thought they understood America’s most famous pair. Alison Young, Vice President of Public Engagement at the National Constitution Center, facilitates the discussion which took place on January 18, 2012. Questions or comments? Write: programs@constitutioncenter.org.