Nov 15, 2018
How is today’s brand of conservatism different from past
presidencies? In this episode, Julian Zelizer discusses the ins and
outs of conservatism today, particularly compared with that during
the Ronald Reagan presidency, with economist Arthur Brooks. Brooks
elaborates on his own unlikely path to becoming a leading
conservative thinker and expresses his firm belief that, because of
the unique history of the United States, nearly all Americans are
progressive, regardless of their party identification. He also
takes an historic look at the conservative movement, noting, for
example, that while many of Trump’s views are in opposition to
those of Reagan, they are very much in line with the conservatism
of President William Taft. Brooks is currently the president of the
American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., and also author
of numerous books including “The Conservative Heart: How to Build a
Fairer, Happier, and More Prosperous America.” He also writes
comments in several media outlets including The New York Times.