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Artwork for Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values

Saving Elephants | Millennials defending & expressing conservative values

Josh Lewis

The Saving Elephants Podcast features engaging conversations about conservative values with a mercifully modern twist. Tired of political shock-talk and rank punditry on your radio and TV? Curious about what conservative thinkers of yesteryear had to say but don't have time to read some terribly long, boring book they wrote? Want to learn why conservatism still holds value for Millennials today? Join us as we re-ignite conservatism for Millennials!

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  • Tuesday · 1 hr 3 min

    211 – Next Right with Mike Warren

    Mike Warren has been on a mission to uncover what awaits conservatives, the Republican party, and the Right as the Trump administration begins to wind down. Who will control Congress after the midterms? Is Trumpism finished and everything will go back to the way it was prior to 2016? Does MAGA produce another cult leader who controls the GOP for the foreseeable future? Does Trump find a way to defy the Constitution and stick around? Does SMOD finally make his long-heralded appearance and put an end to us all? Mike isn't in the business of making political predictions. But he does have the experience and thoughtfulness to offer valuable insights into what we might reasonably expect the future to hold and—for those who have a desire to see the GOP return to classical conservatism—how we might work to bring about a better tomorrow. If you enjoy the conversation, you should check out Mike's newsletter, Next Right, featuring reporting and analysis on the ideological fights within the conservative movement, Republicans looking to seize the post-Trump mantle, and the future of the American Right. About Mike Warren Mike Warren is politics editor at The Dispatch and is based in Washington, D.C. A former on-air reporter at CNN and a senior writer at The Weekly Standard, he has spent more than 15 years covering lawmakers on Capitol Hill, the White House and the executive branch, the conservative movement, and political campaigns. When Mike is not reporting, writing, editing, and podcasting, he is probably spending time with his wife and three sons. You can follow Mike on Twitter @MichaelRWarren You can subscribe to his newsletter at Next Right

  • September 15 · 59 min

    210 – John Quincy Adams with Jeffrey Tyler Syck

    Sure, most of us are aware that John Quincy Adams was the son of Founding Father John Adams and the sixth POTUS with a long and illustrative career in public service and diplomacy. Some might even recall that he was the brains behind the Monroe Doctrine, or that he nearly drowned during one of his many multi-hour swims in the Potomac River, or that he is undoubtedly the former president Americans would least likely want to have a beer with, or that he was considered by some to be a freak show. But all of that's just trivia. More importantly, John Quincy Adams was a prolific writer whose musings and thoughts contain a rich understanding of what America represents and what it means to be an America. Jeffrey Tyler Syck joins the show to discuss his new book, A Republic of Virtue: The Essays of John Quincy Adams, offering a composite of John Quincy Adams' most impressive political and philosophic writings. About Jeffrey Tyler Syck Jeffery Tyler Syck is an Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Pikeville. Tyler's academic research focuses on the development of American democracy and the history of political ideologies. His essays and articles on politics, philosophy, and history have appeared in several public facing publications including Law and Liberty, Persuasion, and the Louisville Courier-Journal. Tyler's academic work has recently been published in the journal Pietas. A native of Pike County Kentucky, Tyler's political thought and writing are strongly shaped by the culture of Appalachia. With their tightly knit communities, the mountains of Appalachia have instilled in him a love of all things local. As such his writing most often advocates for a rejuvenation of local democracy and a renaissance of rural culture. Tyler received a Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Arts in Government from the University of Virginia. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Government and History from Morehead State University where he graduated with honors. His book, A Republic of Virtue: The Essays of John Quincy Adams, is available wherever fine books are sold. You can follow Tyler on Twitter @tylersyck

  • September 11 · 1 hr 2 min

    Roundtable - Rise of the DSA

    Whether it's Zohran Mamdani's win in NYC last year or the slew of Democratic Socialists of America electoral victories this year, the DSA is having a moment. Is this the beginning of the socialist utopia displacing the patriarchal/capitalist system in the United States or the latest ill-fated iteration of a party out of power attempting to redefine itself? Saving Elephants assembled another august panel to discuss this very issue, including: Brooke Medina serves as Vice President of Communications for State Policy Network. Prior to joining SPN, Brooke was the Vice President of Communications at the John Locke Foundation, a state-based think tank in Raleigh, North Carolina. Brooke's writing has been published in outlets such as Fox News, The Hill, Entrepreneur, Washington Examiner, WORLD, Daily Signal, and other publications. Eric Kohn is Chief Executive Officer at America's Future, the talent accelerator and social club for liberty-minded young professionals. Prior to joining AF, Eric was Chief Marketing Officer at Empower Illinois. He has also previously served as Director of Marketing & Communications at the Acton Institute, and Director of Community Management at the Illinois Policy Institute. Lura Forcum, Ph.D., is a researcher, writer, and strategic advisor whose work explores how identity, relationships, and belonging shape our communities and political lives. Previously, Lura served as president of the Independent Center and spent seven years as a marketing professor, studying social perception—including why we humanize brands and products while dehumanizing other people. She writes How to Human, a newsletter about relationships and the social fabric of everyday life, and co-hosts the podcast We Made This Political.

  • August 31 · 1 hr 2 min

    209 – The Soul of Schooling

    Former President George W. Bush was wrong when he iconically stated "Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?" Actually, it's asked all the time (dubious grammatical structuring aside). Politicians and social influencers are quick to bemoan the state of education, but thoughtful conversations on how we might meaningfully change things for the better are few and far between. Saving Elephants has assembled an all-star panel to have a real conversation about education: Have we failed to educate our children? To what extent are problems in education a matter of bad policies, structures, or philosophy? What is the purpose of education, and do our schools align with that purpose? The panel includes: Brooke Medina From spn.org Brooke Medina serves as Vice President of Communications for State Policy Network. She is SPN's on-the-record spokesperson. Prior to joining SPN, Brooke was the Vice President of Communications at the John Locke Foundation, a state-based think tank in Raleigh, North Carolina. Brooke's writing has been published in outlets such as Fox News, The Hill, Entrepreneur, Washington Examiner, WORLD, Daily Signal, and other publications. In addition, she is a contributor to The Digital Public Square: Christian Ethics in a Technological Society, published by B&H Academic Press. Brooke was also the executive producer of Sowing Resilience, Securing Our Food Supply from Farm to Table, a feature length film about North Carolina's food systems and agriculture industry, as well as A Letter to the King, a film highlighting the historical significance of the Edenton Tea Party, America's first all-female political movement. Luke Sheahan From lukesheahan.com Luke Sheahan is Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Duquesne University, Non-Resident Scholar at the Program for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society (PRRUCS) at the University of Pennsylvania, and editor of The University Bookman. Luke's research and speaking focuses upon civil society and freedom of association. Luke is the author of Why Associations Matter: The Case for First Amendment Pluralism. Caylan Ford From caylanford.com Caylan Ford is a documentary filmmaker, writer, researcher, charter school founder, and a former political candidate. Born in Calgary, Canada, and earning a Bachelor's degree (Hons.) in Chinese history at the University of Calgary, Caylan obtained a Master's degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and worked on and off as a senior policy advisor for Canada's foreign ministry. Between the birth of her two children she earned another Master's in International Human Rights Law at the University of Oxford. In 2022 Caylan founded Canada's first tuition-free classical charter school network, Alberta Classical Academy. Here is a short video introduction to their work and how they aim to promote knowledge of things that are true, good, and enduring.

  • August 28 · 1 hr 2 min

    Roundtable - Common Good Conservatism

    In recent weeks conservative social media has been aflurry debating that nebulous phrase, the Common Good. Does the New Right have a monopoly on the concept of the common good? If we can agree on the common good, does that alone grant us the political authority to impose it? What is the relationship between liberty and the common good? Saving Elephants welcomes two guests to set the record straight for good and all. Dan Hugger, Editorial and Research Fellow and the Host of Acton Line Podcast at the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion & Liberty. He writes and speaks on questions of education, history, political economy, and religion, and is the editor of two books: Lord Acton: Historical and Moral Essays and The Humane Economist: A Wilhelm Röpke Reader. Andy Smarick is a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, where his work focuses on education, civil society, and the principles of American conservatism. Smarick has authored or edited four books: The Urban School System of the Future: Applying the Principles and Lessons of Chartering (2012); Closing America's High-achievement Gap: A Wise Giver's Guide to Helping Our Most Talented Students Reach Their Full Potential (2013); Catholic School Renaissance: A Wise Giver's Guide to Strengthening a National Asset (2015); and No Longer Forgotten: The Triumphs and Struggles of Rural Education in America (2018). His work has also been published in outlets such as The Atlantic, Washington Post, Education Week, among others.

  • August 18 · 1 hr 4 min

    208 – Fusionism with Stephanie Slade

    Fellow Millennial, Stephanie Slade, has been in the trenches of various factions on the dissident Right lo these past several years to share with the uninitiated normies just how unhinged the Right has become in certain quarters. She joined Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis earlier this year (back in episode 193) to explore this phenomenon. But since that time she's written a book, Fusionism: Liberty, Virtue, and the Future of the American Right, which offers the antidote to the rise of rightwing radicalism. That antidote is fusionism, a largely forgotten idea that once defined American conservatism. About Stephanie Slade From Reason.com Stephanie Slade is a senior editor at Reason, the magazine of "free minds and free markets," and the author of Fusionism: Liberty, Virtue, and the Future of the American Right, forthcoming from University of Notre Dame Press. Her writing has appeared in America magazine, The New York Times, U.S. News and World Report, the Online Library of Liberty, and elsewhere. She covers the intersection of religion and politics. Slade is best known for her piece "Why I Am a Pro-Life Libertarian," her magazine feature on booze-producing monks, and her defenses of fusionism (which probably isn't what you think!). Don't miss her discussing the differences between comprehensive and political libertarianism on The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie. In 2013, Slade was named a finalist for the Bastiat Prize for Journalism. In 2016, she was selected as a Robert Novak Journalism Fellow. She has been a guest on a variety of podcasts, including Jonah Goldberg's The Remnant, Charlie Sykes' The Bulwark Podcast, and The New York Times' Ezra Klein Show. Prior to joining Reason, Slade worked as a speechwriter and pollster. She's a proud graduate of the University of Florida, where she studied economics and political science. Follow her on X: @sladesr.

  • August 4 · 59 min

    207 – Why Postliberalism Failed with James Patterson and Thomas Howes

    Patrick Deneen's 2018 book, Why Liberalism Failed, was by the standards of most academic works of political philosophy, wildly successful. It struck a chord with some of the broader Right and gave a voice to a growing movement skeptical of the promises of classical liberalism and looking for an alternative. This burgeoning New Right, however, is anything but new. The kind of postliberalism often advocated by the New Right has been attempted in nations across Europe and South America. And each time it has been tried, it has failed. Joining Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis is James Patterson and Thomas Howes to talk about their new book, Why Postliberalism Failed. The trio unpackage the wild, conspiratorial, and gruesome history of postliberal regimes of the past and explore what it might tell us about how similar efforts might play out today. About James Patterson James M. Patterson, Ph.D. is an associate professor of politics at Ave Maria University. He received his B.A. in Political Science and Media Studies at the University of Houston in 2002 and his Ph.D. in American Politics from the University of Virginia in 2012. His areas of research include race, religion, and American political development. He has held research positions at the Program for American Values and Institutions at Duke University and the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions at Princeton University, as well as teaching positions at Hampden-Sydney College and Gettysburg College. He has published academic research in Perspectives in Political Science, American Political Thought, Anamnesis, and Journal of Church and State. He has published more popular essays and book reviews for Modern Age, Society, Library of Law and Liberty, and Public Discourse. About Thomas Howes Thomas Howes is currently a Lecturer in the University Center for Human Values at Princeton University. He has a PhD in philosophy at Catholic University of America. He is also a member of the James Madison Society at Princeton University. He has a healthy and general curiosity, but his academic emphases are in the fields of Thomistic virtue ethics and natural law theory, political ethics, political philosophy, political economy, and the philosophy of religion. His dissertation was a political-ethical defense of religious liberty. He is also happily married with two daughters.

  • July 21 · 1 hr

    206 – Pondering Patriotism with John Wilsey

    What does it mean to love your country? Is that nationalism? And isn't nationalism—you know—bad? And how should our allegiance and love of country be weighed against our duties and affections to family and faith? Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis is joined by John Wilsey to discuss his latest book, God and Country: Upholding Faith, History, and National Identity, the origins of nationalism and how it differs from patriotism, the link between history and love of ones country, the battles between the Romantics and Rationalists, and that great public servant, the freak show John Quincy Adams. About John Wilsey From the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Dr. John Wilsey is Professor of Church History and Philosophy and Chair of the Department of Church History and Historical Theology. Prior to coming to Southern, Wilsey taught elementary, middle, and high school students in history and Bible for eleven years in North Carolina and Virginia. He also has served Southern Baptist churches, as an associate pastor in Charlottesville, Virginia for eight years and interim pastor for three years in Spring, Texas. Between 2011 and 2017, he taught history and philosophy at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, with most of his teaching load in a fully accredited baccalaureate program in a maximum-security unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Dr. Wilsey's primary areas of teaching at Southern Seminary and Boyce College are in modern church history, history of Western thought, and American history. He supervises PhD dissertations in the areas of American church history and history of philosophy. In addition to his work at Southern Seminary and Boyce College, Wilsey has held several fellowships, including with the McConnell Center at the University of Louisville as non-resident fellow (2023-2024); the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty as Affiliate Scholar (2016-2020); the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal as Wilbur Fellow (2023); and the James Madison Program in American Ideals and Institutions in the Politics Department at Princeton University as William E. Simon Fellow in Religion and Public Life (2017-2018). He currently holds fellowships at the Center for Religion, Culture, and Democracy as Senior Fellow, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention as Research Fellow, and the Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary as Research Fellow. Wilsey's academic works have been reviewed in outlets such as National Review, Publisher's Weekly, Journal of Church and State, Fides et Historia, Providence, Church History, Reading Religion, Catholic Books Review, Reviews in American History, Anxious Bench, Claremont Review of Books, First Things, The American Conservative, Christianity Today, and The Federalist. He has appeared on podcasts and programs hosted by the Acton Institute, New Books Network, Current, Thinking in Public, Law and Liberty, the City of Man Podcast, Christ Over All, the Museum of the Bible, the Family Research Council, BBC Radio Wales, 9Marks, the McConnell Center, the Commonwealth Policy Center, and Ben Franklin's World. Wilsey has produced peer-reviewed pieces in the journal Religions and in academic books published by Palgrave and Routledge. He has contributed other chapters to books published by Crossway and B&H Academic as well as long-form articles to Modern Age: A Conservative Review and Fides et Historia. He has served as manuscript reviewer for American Political Thought, Religions, InterVarsity Press, and New York University Press. He has also served as book review editor for H-AmRel of the H-Net: Humanities and Social Sciences Online network and The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology. Wilsey has served on the Ciceronian Society Advisory Board, the Kern Foundation Advisory Council, the Board of Directors of the Society for Values in Higher Education, the Scholar's Council for the Center for the Electoral College, the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives Advisory Board, and the Annual Meeting Proposal Review Board for Church History as well as the Membership Committee of the Evangelical Theological Society. In 2020, Wilsey was named Tutor of the Year in Boyce College's Augustine Honors Collegium. He has addressed students, faculty, and public audiences as an invited lecturer at Princeton University, Princeton Theological Seminary, the University of Notre Dame, the University of Louisville, the Ruprecht Karl University of Heidelberg, Waynesburg University, Calvin University, St. Francis University, Hannibal-LaGrange University, Charleston Southern University, Grand Valley State University, the College of Biblical Studies, Houston Baptist University, Northwest Nazarene University, the University of Wyoming, Samford University, Spring Arbor University, Ave Maria University, the Philos Project, the Religious Freedom Institute, the Russell Kirk Center, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, and the Kentucky Historical Association. Over the years, Wilsey has remained active with academic societies, reading papers at meetings of the Evangelical Theological Society, the Conference on Faith and History, the Society of Historians of American Foreign Relations, the Christian Scholars' Conference, the Society for Values in Higher Education, the Society for US Intellectual History, the African American Intellectual History Society, the Ciceronian Society, the Association for the Scientific Study of Religion, and the Center for Christian Study in Charlottesville, Virginia. He is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society, the Ciceronian Society, the Society of Historians of American Foreign Relations, the Philadelphia Society, and the James Madison Society. Wilsey is a columnist for World Opinions, and his other public writings have appeared in outlets such as Law and Liberty, Current, Modern Reformation, Acton's Commentary, Christianity Today, Providence, Public Discourse, 9Marks Journal, The Gospel Coalition, Aeon, History News Network, The American Conservative, The Imaginative Conservative, Anxious Bench, Religion and Liberty, and Religion in American History. He has reviewed numerous books for outlets such as Themelios, Southeastern Theological Review, Public Discourse, Fides et Historia, Westminster Theological Journal, Trinity Journal, The Southern Baptist Journal of Theology, Journal of Church and State, Evangelical Quarterly, Journal of Markets and Morality, Religion and Liberty, Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care, H-Diplo, Ad Fontes, and The London Lyceum. Wilsey is married to Mandy, his wife of twenty-seven years, and they have two children. He is an elder at Kenwood Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky.

  • July 7 · 1 hr 5 min

    205 – Radical Experimentation in Liberty with Brad Birzer

    The immortal words of the Declaration of Independence—We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness—are etched upon the hearts of American patriots today and knit us together with patriots down through the ages. Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis is joined by Hillsdale professor Brad Birzer as they delve into the depths of this most remarkable of political texts and explore the origins of the ideas that birthed our nation. About Brad Birzer From Hillsdale College Dr. Brady Birzer describes himself as one of those truly odd kids who loved reading from first grade on, and begged his teachers, starting in fifth grade, to assign research papers. He believes that the purpose of higher education is to introduce every generation to the greats of the Western tradition and to remind them what it means to be human. To accomplish this goal effectively, every professor needs two things: enthusiasm and continuous learning. Our job is never to make false idols for our students but to find the excellences within each one, to encourage the honing of unique gifts, and to inspire the rising generations to love through charity. Dr. Birzer has been teaching at Hillsdale since 1999 and has stayed because of its mission to teach the Western tradition through culture, literature, and the arts. When he's not teaching, Dr. Birzer spends time reading, writing, hiking, cooking, baking, and playing with his kids. Dr. Birzer has written many books. His latest—discussed in this episode—is The Declaration of Independence: A Radical Experiment in Liberty.

  • July 4 · 53 min

    Roundtable - America, 250 Years Young

    Whether you call it the Semiquincentennial or the Sestercentennial; whether you're on team Red, Blue, or politically homeless; whether you believe Die Hard is a movie about Independence Day; America's 250th birthday is something worth celebrating. So how best to ring in this once-in-a-lifetime advent? Saving Elephants has assembled a panel to reflect on what it means for America to turn the big 250.

  • June 16 · 1 hr 4 min

    204 – Weaving Thru Weaver with Michael Lucchese

    Richard Weaver was a twentieth century American scholar and rhetorician whose writings were praised by the likes of Russell Kirk, William F. Buckley, Willmoore Kendall, and Frank Meyer. But nowadays Weaver is either derided as a racially charged Southern sympathizer or accused of preparing the way for the MAGA movement and authoritarianism. If he's discussed at all. Joining Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis is Michael Lucchese, whose latest essay in Law and Liberty defends Weaver's contributions to the intellectual Right and argues his writings are still instructive for the conservative today. This episode explores Weaver's actual views on the South and racism, his battles with the neo-gnostics of his day, his peculiar admiration for libertarians and Abraham Lincoln, and his greatest foe, William of Occam. Check out Michael's essay on Weaver, Turning the Clock Back Also, check out the book he edited compiling a collection of Russell Kirk's observations on America's founding, On America: How to Understand the Legacy of 1776 About Michael Lucchese From Pipe Creek Consulting Michael Lucchese is the founder and CEO of Pipe Creek Consulting, a communications firm based in Washington, D.C. He is also an associate editor of Law & Liberty and a contributing editor to Providence. He has been elected to membership in the Academy of Philosophy and Letters, the Ciceronian Society, and the Philadelphia Society, and serves on the board of the Institute for Christianity and Common Life, which publishes Mere Orthodoxy. Previously, he was a Krauthammer Fellow with the Tikvah Fund, a visiting scholar at Liberty Fund, and an aide to U.S. Senator Ben Sasse. His writing on national security, the conservative movement, and the American Founding has been published widely at outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, National Review, and the Washington Examiner. He graduated from Hillsdale College with a B.A. in American Studies, and is an alumnus of the Hudson Institute Political Studies Program.

  • June 9 · 1 hr 2 min

    Roundtable - Should We Uncap The House?

    What if we can agree on the political solution, but we disagree on whose side is most likely to benefit? Congress is broken. On this we can all agree. One of the more interesting reform ideas to emerge is the call to expand the number of Representatives in the United States House, thereby making it more likely Representatives could actually, you know, represent their constituents. This idea seems to have some bipartisan appeal and is championed by voices on both the Left and Right. But doesn't it stand to reason that any reform to the system is bound to favor one side over the other? Could Democrats or Republicans be inadvertently advancing an idea that might lead to their opponents taking power? Join Saving Elephants for a debate, not on whether we should expand the House (we should), but on whose side is likely to benefit the most. Mr. Beat says the Democrats should embrace this idea because it would advance the things that matter most to them. Jeff Mayhugh argues it would actually be the Republicans who come out on top. You can find out more about the work Mr. Beat and Jeff Mayhugh are doing at projectnocap.com

  • June 2 · 1 hr 16 min

    203 – Historizing Conservatism with George Nash

    In 1976 historian George H. Nash wrote The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America Since 1945, a celebrated historical accounting that established much of the narrative for how we think about the development of modern conservatism even today. But much has changed since the seventies. What can the history of conservatism tell us about this present moment, and what can it tell us about where things may be heading? Dr. Nash joins Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis to unravel the past, present, and future of conservatism in the United States. About George H. Nash George H. Nash is the epitome of a gentleman and a scholar. A graduate from Amherst College who received his Ph.D. in History from Harvard University, Dr. Nash is an authority on the histories of American conservatism and the life of President Herbert Hoover. Dr. Nash is an independent scholar, historian, and lecturer. He speaks and writes frequently about the history and present direction of American conservatism, the life of Herbert Hoover, the legacy of Ronald Reagan, the education of the Founding Fathers, and other subjects. His writings have appeared in the American Spectator, Claremont Review of Books, Intercollegiate Review, Modern Age, National Review, New York Times Book Review, Policy Review, University Bookman, Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. He has lectured at the Library of Congress; the National Archives; the Herbert Hoover, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon Johnson presidential libraries; the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum; the Hoover Institution; the Heritage Foundation; the McConnell Center; and at various universities and conferences in the United States and Europe. Several of his lectures have been featured on C-SPAN. He has also been interviewed by C-SPAN, National Public Radio, numerous radio stations, and the print media. Dr. Nash lives in Massachusetts.

  • May 19 · 1 hr 2 min

    202 – How to Get What You Want with Josh Bandoch

    Persuasion seems conspicuously absent from our politics. Not shouting, denouncing, or trying to convince the "other side" that they're wrong, evil, or both. But the good faithed attempt to reach the hearts, minds, and emotions of others and persuade them to our point of view. Why? Why is persuasion so hard? And is it even possible to persuade in an era of political polarization? Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis welcomes fellow "Josh"—Josh Bandoch—on the show to discuss his latest book, How to Get What You Want: Mastering the Art and Science of Persuasion, and to explore how persuasion can engage with how the human brain is actually wired. About Josh Bandoch Bio from Illinois Policy Josh Bandoch is the Head of Policy at the Illinois Policy Institute. His research focuses on empowering people to rise out of poverty, increasing social mobility, improving housing affordability, and removing barriers to opportunity (e.g. burdensome regulations). His work has appeared in popular outlets like National Review, Real Clear Policy, RealClearMarkets, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Crain's Chicago Business, The Washington Examiner, The Washington Times, and Discourse, as well as peer-reviewed journals like Political Studies. He regularly appears in the media to discuss these and other policy issues, and speaks regularly at local and national events. He is the author of The Politics of Place: Montesquieu, Particularism, and the Pursuit of Liberty (University of Rochester Press, 2017), which has received numerous positive reviews. He's currently working with his literary agent to submit his book manuscript on persuasion to publishers. He's using his persuasion research to develop strategies to advocate for policies that expand freedom and prosperity. Josh is a member of the American Enterprise Institute's Leadership Network – a policy education and professional development program for state-based leaders in public, private, and nonprofit sectors. Before joining IPI, Josh was a Research Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a speechwriter for numerous senior government officials, a strategic communications consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, and a postdoctoral fellow at Brown University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He earned his bachelor's in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park, and his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame. To learn more about Josh, check out his website joshuabandoch.com

  • May 5 · 1 hr 13 min

    201 – All Things China with Lu

    Sometimes the best way to understand one's culture is to compare it with something entirely different. In this episode Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis take a deep dive into China with Chinese dissident Lu of the YouTube channel All Things China with Lu. Lu demystifies what the Communist Chinese Party (CCP) wants, why they fear Taiwan, how they view the ethnic Han population, why they work so hard to cover up the history of the Tiananmen Square massacre when far more people died in the great famine and the cultural revolution, and just who the heck is this "professor" Jiang Xueqin who's been all over social media of late proselytizing the glory of the Chinese authoritarian regime. About Lu Lu's relatively recent YouTube channel All Things China with Lu has already reached over 15K subscribers by performing what she calls 'cultural forensics.' Born and raised in China, Lu uses her deep roots and research background to read between the lines of global media and propaganda. Whether she's analyzing high-level diplomacy or the subtext of international media narratives, she reveals the layers that most observers miss.

  • April 21 · 1 hr 34 min

    200 – Is the GOP Worth Saving?

    This month marks eight years of Saving Elephants tirelessly calling the GOP back to its classical conservative roots instead of the cult-of-personality nationalist populism to which the party has succumbed. And over these past eight years...things have only gotten worse. Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis assembles an all-star panel to answer the question: is the GOP worth saving? Meet the Panelists: Shawn Whatley Shawn Whatley hosts Concepts with Shawn Whatley, a weekly podcast focusing on political ideas, culture, and news. Shawn, MD, is a seasoned physician leader with experience in emergency medicine and primary care and extensive experience in health care administration and medical politics. Dr. Whatley contributes articles regularly to The Medical Post and serves on the Post's Physician Advisory Committee. Dr. Whatley has served on the board of the Ontario Medical Association and more recently on the board of the Canadian Medical Association, as well as on numerous hospital and provincial planning committees. He is a Lecturer for the University of Toronto, Department of Family and Community Medicine, and an Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct) in McMaster University's department of Family Medicine, Hamilton, Ontario. Dr. Whatley is the author of the two books, When Politics Comes Before Patients – Why and how Canadian Medicare is failing and the highly praised book on how to fix emergency wait times in Canada, No More Lethal Waits. Scott Howard Bio from New Guard Press Scott Howard is the Managing Editor at New Guard Press. Scott resides in Lake Wales, Florida, and is a graduate of the University of Florida. He is a legislative aide with the Florida House of Representatives with previous experience at National Review. In his free time, Scott reads biographies of American statesmen and the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald. Blake Fischer Blake Fischer is a political junkie, so you don't necessarily have to be. A lifelong conservative, Blake covers conservative policies, current politics, and the historical context of today's events. With a unique blend of media critique and a focus on the big issues that often go unaddressed, Blake offers insightful solutions to pressing problems without the fear-mongering or populist outrage used in mainstream political media. Blake says, "I know a lot of people who would consider themselves more conservative than liberal, but don't like Trump and feel like there's nowhere for them in the Republican party. Welcome to the club! But if that's you, I'd encourage you to not check out completely because we need reasonable citizens in this country to pay attention and vote accordingly if we want to change the direction of government and politics." Blake lives in Oklahoma and is the creator of The Homeless Conservative.

  • April 7 · 1 hr 3 min

    199 – Getting Friendly with John von Heyking

    Friendship is one of the last words you might associate with politics these days. Yet John von Heyking believes recovering a proper, classical understanding of friendship is precisely what our civic order needs to function. Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis and John discuss the differences in how the ancients and medievals viewed friendship and how it's been undervalued by us moderns. They also discuss the important need for civic education and why America has to import Canadians like John to teach American civics. About John von Heyking Bio from Arizona State University John von Heyking is Associate Director and Professor at the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership at Arizona State University, where he teaches courses in political philosophy. He is author of Comprehensive Judgment and Absolute Selflessness: Winston Churchill on Politics as Friendship (2018), The Form of Politics: Aristotle and Plato on Friendship (2016), and Augustine and Politics as Longing in the World (2001). He has coedited numerous volumes including two volumes of the Collected Works of Eric Voegelinand, most recently, Friendship Studies: Politics and Practices Across Cultures (2024). He has published scholarly articles on topics including liberal and civic education, friendship, personhood, resistance to totalitarianism, cosmopolitanism, empire, Islamic political thought, punishment, and religious liberty. His scholarly essays and articles have appeared in numerous volumes and journals, including Cambridge Journal of China Studies, Review of Politics, History of Political Thought, Supreme Court Law Review, Perspectives on Political Science, Political Science Reviewer, History of Human Sciences, International Political Anthropology, and the University of British Columbia Law Review. His popular writing has been published by Finest Hour, Voegelinview, American Oxonian, Globe and Mail, Calgary Herald, C2C: Canada's Journal of Ideas, Troy Media, and Convivium. Transcripts Enjoy these podcast conversations but prefer to read them instead of listening to a podcast? Episode transcripts are now available here: https://www.savingelephantsblog.com/blog/categories/transcripts

  • March 31 · 55 min

    Roundtable - POTUS War Powers

    It's been nearly a month since Supreme Leader Khamenei and his gathered Legion of Doom were killed in the Trump administration's "special military operation" in Iran. So, are we at war with Iran now? If so, what's the objective? Isn't Congress supposed to declare a war before a president takes things this far? What are the necessary and practical limits on a president's wartime powers? We covered all of this and more in the latest Saving Elephants livestream. The panelists include: · JB Shreve – Host of The End of History · Eric Kohn – CEO of America's Future · John Giokaris – Tax attorney with an undisclosed firm somewhere in Chicago

  • March 17 · 1 hr 5 min

    198 – Conservative Cagematch – Burke vs Strauss

    Ever since Leo Strauss published his magnum opus Natural Right and History, which ends by heavily implying Edmund Burke opened the door for the evils of historicism in the modern world, a great fissure in conservative nerddom erupted between those who align with either titan. Were Strauss' criticism of Burke warranted? Did Burke disavow natural rights and pave the way for the evils of authoritarianism, fascism, Marxism, and progressivism to come? Does a careful, esoteric reading of Natural Right and History reveal the Strauss secret family chili recipe? Saving Elephants has assembled an all-star panel to answer these questions and more. Representing Edmund Burke: Dr. Gregory Collins is one of the most celebrated Burke scholars of the rising generation. He is a Lecturer in the Department of Political Science and Program on Ethics, Politics, and Economics at Yale University. He recently received the Buckley Institute's 2024 Lux and Veritas Faculty Prize. His first book, Commerce and Manners in Edmund Burke's Political Economy, examined Edmund Burke's understanding of the connection between markets and morals. Greg has also published articles on Adam Smith, F.A. Hayek, Frederick Douglass, Eric Voegelin, Leo Strauss, and Britain's East India Company. His additional writings and book reviews can be found in Modern Age, Law & Liberty, National Affairs, National Review, and University Bookman. You can follow Greg on Twitter @GregCollins111 Lauren Hall is an author and professor helping people combat overwhelm in an age of extremes. Her writing rejects binary and black-and-white thinking to help people lead more balanced lives, build stronger relationships, and restore individual and civic well-being. Hall is a 2024 Pluralism Fellow with the Mercatus Center's Program on Pluralism and Civil Exchange and serves on the Board of Advisors for the Prohuman Foundation. Her Substack and speaking spread the message of radical moderation to new audiences via public writing, speaking, and podcast interviews. Hall has presented her work on radical moderation at conferences including the Heterodox Academy Conference, the State Policy Network Conference, the Mercatus Center's Pluralism Summit, and various political science and related conferences and has a range of talks and podcast interviews available on radical moderation and other topics. In her "real" job, she is a Professor of Political Science and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and author of the books Family and the Politics of Moderation (Baylor U. Press, 2014) and The Medicalization of Birth and Death (Johns Hopkins U. Press, 2019). Hall has a PhD in Political Science from Northern Illinois University (2007) and a BA in Philosophy from Binghamton University (2002). Representing Strauss: Steven F. Hayward is a fellow of the Public Law and Policy Program at Berkeley Law and visiting professor in School of Public Policy at Pepperdine University. Steven frequently writes on a wide range of current topics, including environmentalism, law, economics, and public policy for publications including National Review, Reason, The Weekly Standard, The American Spectator, The Public Interest, the Claremont Review of Books, and the Policy Review at the Hoover Institution. His newspaper articles have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Chicago Tribune, and dozens of other daily newspapers. He is the author of a two-volume narrative history of Ronald Reagan and his effect on American political life, The Age of Reagan: The Fall of the Old Liberal Order, 1964-1980, and The Age of Reagan: The Conservative Counter-Revolution, 1980-1989. His other books include Index of Leading Environmental Indicators; The Almanac of Environmental Trends; Mere Environmentalism: A Biblical Perspective on Humans and the Natural World, Churchill on Leadership; Greatness: Reagan, Churchill, and the Making of Extraordinary Leaders; Patriotism Is Not Enough; and M. Stanton Evans: Conservative Wit, Apostle of Freedom. Steven has also served as visiting fellow professor, scholar, or lecturer at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI), Ashland University, Mont Pelerin Society, Pacific Research Institute, The Heritage Foundation, American Enterprise Institute, Georgetown University, The Fund for American Studies, and University of Colorado Boulder. His blog, powerlineblog.com, is one of the nation's most-read political websites. The international woman of mystery, Lucretia, teaches at the University of Arizona. Steve and Lucretia—along with John Yoo—host the 3 Whiskey Happy Hour podcast.

  • March 3 · 1 hr 4 min

    197 – Defending Wonks with Nic Dunn

    While Saving Elephants is dedicated to offering the conservative intellectual tradition in mercifully modern vernacular, fellow podcaster Nic Dunn has been on a similar mission: making the work of policy institutions more digestible. Nic joins Josh for a conversation around the important role policy can play in defusing political tension, alleviating poverty, and expanding the freedom and opportunities all Americans seek. About Nic Dunn Bio from Sutherland Institute Nic Dunn serves as Vice President of Strategy and Senior Fellow at Sutherland Institute. As VP of Strategy, Nic oversees the execution and strategic external impact of Sutherland's written and multimedia policy content. In his capacity as Senior Fellow, he leads the policy research, coalition building, and public advocacy for policies that strengthen opportunity and upward mobility. This policy focus includes social safety net reform, workforce issues, and support for the well-being of men and boys. His expert commentary and analysis can be found on Sutherland's weekly podcast, Defending Ideas, which he hosts, as well as in major outlets like Deseret News, Washington Examiner, National Review, and other Utah print and radio outlets. Nic brings more than 13 years of experience in public policy and strategic communications spanning state and local government and the private sector. Prior to Sutherland, Nic served as director of Utah Community Builders, the Salt Lake Chamber's nonprofit social impact foundation. In that role, Nic worked with the private sector to advance statewide initiatives in mental health, family policy, and upward mobility. Nic is also a member of the AEI Leadership Network, and the co-chair of the Salt Lake County Intergenerational Poverty Task Force. In other previous work, Nic ran public policy for the Utah Valley Chamber, served as senior policy advisor to Salt Lake County Councilwoman Aimee Winder Newton, directed media relations for the Utah Department of Workforce Services, and worked on Gov. Gary Herbert's communications staff as lead speechwriter. Nic has a master's degree in public policy from the University of Utah and dual bachelor's degrees in broadcast journalism and political science from the University of Nevada, Reno. Nic and his wife, Lizzie, live in Eagle Mountain with their two sons. Introducing Conservative Cagematches Ever since Leo Strauss published his magnum opus Natural Right and History, which ends by heavily implying Edmund Burke opened the door for the evils of historicism in the modern world, a great fissure in conservative nerddom erupted between those who align with either titan. Were Strauss' criticism of Burke warranted? Did Burke disavow natural rights and pave the way for the evils of authoritarianism, fascism, Marxism, and progressivism to come? Does a careful, esoteric reading of Natural Right and History reveal the Strauss secret family chili recipe? On Wednesday, March 4 at 6PM EST / 5PM CST, Saving Elephants will assemble an all-star panel to answer these questions and more. Representing Edmund Burke: Greg Collins of Yale University and Lauren Hall of the Rochester Institute of Technology Representing Leo Strauss: Steve Hayward of Pepperdine and the international woman of mystery, Lucretia of the University of Arizona You can watch the livestream on YouTube or Facebook

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