Americans are flocking to states led by Republicans. | Read Intercollegiate Review every Thursday for the best of intellectual conservative thought.

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CATEGORY: STATES (6 MIN)

Internal migration

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Many Californians and others living in deep blue states have entered upon a mass exodus over the last few years. Some of them, like the pioneers and explorers of old, are seeking out more land, more opportunity, and more personal freedom. Although the tax benefits of states like Texas, Florida, and Tennessee are a well-known boon, the reason why such benefits are possible is less obvious.

Lewis M. Andrews, writing in The Spectator

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, dives into the “why” behind the attractiveness of Republican states. He lays out the benefits: lower taxes, job opportunity, and housing affordability. But how can state legislatures achieve these goals while still balancing budgets, especially as opposed to other states? Andrews quickly disposes of one Democratic explanation, pointing out that Democratic taxpayers do not actually subsidize red states through federal bailouts.

Andrews also eliminates the idea that Republican states deprive lower-class families of adequate social services, noting that blue states actually rank lower on infrastructural issues which have a drastic impact on those families. Instead, the reason is much more simple. Andrews cites studies which show that the Republican legislatures are just more efficient than their counterparts. In conclusion, Andrews argues national Republican politicians should learn from those at the state level—those who are actually following through on campaign promises.

Read his full article here

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Weekly Poll

RESULTS: 1/4/24

Last week, we asked: Do you think an overemphasis on "inclusiveness" can cause a decline in excellence at an institution? Here are the results:

[A] Yes - 99%

[B] No - 1%

[C] Unsure - 0%

What is the main appeal of red states?

[A] Lower taxes

[B] Lower cost of housing

[C] Job opportunities

[D] Unsure/Other

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CATEGORY: EDUCATION (16 MIN)

Collegiate collapse

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The decline of confidence in educational institutions over the past few years has largely come on the conservative side of America. Pollsters reveal that the number of Republicans who have significant trust in higher education has plummeted in the last decade. But it’s not merely a red phenomenon—although it’s much more drastic among the right wing, independents and Democrats also lost trust in academia.

Why? For his Substack Very Serious

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, Josh Barro describes several of the issues plaguing colleges and universities and destroying their reputation with the American public. Barro first targets research dishonesty—plagiarism, incompetence, and plain laziness, which have taken over the industry. He points to the scandal surrounding former Harvard president Claudine Gay as an example of this decline. And he pillories liberal educational leaders for their response of trying to mitigate the harm of academic dishonesty.

Barro then targets the absurd focus of academics on promoting individualized postmodern “truth” over actual truth. He describes much academic work today as “social activism dressed up as research, which need not be of good quality so long as it has the right ideological goals.”

Do you agree with Barro’s take? Read his thoughtful piece here

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CATEGORY: PODCAST EPISODE

Metaphysics of Technology | Joshua Hochschild

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In this episode, Joshua Hochschild, director of the Philosophy, Politics, and Economics program at Mount St. Mary’s University, joins the podcast to talk about:

how his studies in medieval philosophy and metaphysics influenced his religious journey to the Catholic faith

the ways that smartphones change human life and social organization, and how the information age is dramatically different from other technological revolutions

the work of Wendell Berry and his views on systemic racism in light of the release of his newest book, The Need to Be Whole

Texts Mentioned:

Ideas Have Consequences

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by Richard Weaver

“How is My iPhone Changing Me?: Neuroscience and Thomistic Psychology”

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by Joshua Hochschild

“Technology and the Soul: The Spiritual Lessons of Digital Distraction”

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by Joshua Hochschild

Phaedrus

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by Plato

“I Used to be a Human Being”

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by Andrew Sullivan

Leisure, The Basis of Culture

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by Josef Pieper

The Social Dilemma

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documentary

The Screwtape Letters

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by C.S. Lewis

The Need to Be Whole: Patriotism and the History of Prejudice

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by Wendell Berry

The Hidden Wound

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by Wendell Berry

“Race and Anti-Fragility”

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by Joshua Hochschild

The City of God: Against the Pagans

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by Augustine of Hippo

Standing by Words

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by Wendell Berry

Watch Now

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​​​​March for Life Reception

January 19th, 2024

Join the Intercollegiate Studies Institute for a happy hour to discuss life and liberty! The event will be held after the March for Life at The Heritage Foundation. Refreshments will be available. Our featured speakers are Alexandra DeSanctis and Tom Shakely.

Join us in Washington, DC >>>

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​​​​Daring Greatly: ​​​​​Forming America's Next Great Statesman

February 2nd, 2024

The Heritage Foundation is proud to host the launch of the insightful new book, Gateway to Statesmanship: Selections from Xenophon to Churchill

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by Johnny Burtka, on February 2, 2024, at 11:00 AM. This event features a dynamic panel discussion with distinguished speakers Larry Arnn and Elbridge Colby, delving into the rich tapestry of statesmanship across history and its relevance today.

In this panel discussion, Johnny Burtka, Larry Arnn, and Elbridge Colby will explore how the study of statesmanship extends beyond the realms of politics into the broader scope of human thought and action. They will discuss how the classics teach us about the difficult choices that shape lives and character, providing insight into how these teachings are vital today.

Join us in Washington, DC >>>

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​​​​41st Annual Viennese Waltz Ball

​​​February 17th, 2024

Join ISI on Saturday, February 17th, at The Organization of American States for the 41st Annual Evening of Viennese Waltzing.

It will be a night of silk top hats, furs, dance cards, champagne, and flaming crepes as more than 200 couples recreate the sumptuous balls of turn-of-the-century Vienna.

Join us in Washington, DC >>>

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​​​​Gateway to Statesmanship Book Launch with Johnny Burtka

​​​February 22nd, 2024

Join us for an enlightening evening at the Linda L. Bean Center as we celebrate the launch of the much-anticipated book, Gateway to Statesmanship: Selections from Xenophon to Churchill

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. This event starts at 6:00 PM with a welcoming reception, offering a chance to mingle, enjoy refreshments, and prepare for an evening of intellectual discussion.

As the reception winds down, we transition into a compelling panel discussion featuring Enrique Pallares and Joseph Prud’homme, renowned for their deep insights into political and philosophical thought. This discussion will delve into the book’s exploration of statesmanship, not just as a political art but as a comprehensive study of human thought and action.

Join us in Wilmington, DE >>>

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Because our student editors and writers are bravely bringing conservative ideas to their campuses, we’re highlighting their efforts here.

Tamara Kay v. The Irish Rover Dismissed

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via the Irish Rover

“The defamation lawsuit brought against the Irish Rover by Prof. Tamara Kay in June 2023 was dismissed by St. Joseph County, Indiana, Superior Court on Jan 8, 2024, under Indiana’s Anti-SLAPP law.... This dismissal concludes the lawsuit brought against the Rover by Prof. Kay, in which Kay claimed that the Rover had defamed her through an October 2022 article on her public promotion of abortion and a March 2023 article reporting on a College Democrats lecture.”

This week, National Review

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, Reason

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and Fox News

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highlighted the dismissal of this lawsuit.

Can Harvard Be Saved?

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via The Harvard Salient

“At least one lesson has been learned at Harvard this semester: It turns out there is such a thing as bad publicity. After months of controversy over the university’s treatment of anti-Israel protesters and the revelation that much of her academic work included plagiarized material, President Claudine Gay has resigned

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... The fact that many of my friends and I were shocked to hear the news... is cause for concern.”

This article was also published in National Review

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NEW – Engineering Library Shrinks For DEI Program

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via Cornell Review

“The recently-completed renovation of the Engineering Library in Carpenter Hall is a dramatic manifestation of DEI growth. The reading room on the main floor was shrunk in order to add a new “Diversity Program in Engineering

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(DPE) suite.” This means that space which was available to all Cornell students, regardless of race, is now being earmarked for use by minority students as a part of Cornell’s DEI initiative.”

The Turmoil at Columbia is Just the Beginning

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via The Columbia Independent

“After contentious and even violent student protests at Columbia University attracted national attention following the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas, University President Minouche Shafik sent a message to university members addressing the charged political climate on campus... [It] was news to the countless Columbia students and faculty with heterodox beliefs who have endured years of censorship, harassment, and alienation from their peers while the university administration stood by and declared that there was nothing wrong with the school’s free speech climate.”

CATEGORY: STATES (9 MIN)

To stay or to go?

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With so many states creating vastly different environments in the depths of the pandemic, renewed attention has focused on each state’s autonomy. Governors have put themselves at public odds with the national government and with one another. But is there actually a chance that states could leave the Union as they once did on a more insidious occasion?

For this week’s Intercollegiate Review

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archive, Jason Sorens reviews a 2020 book called American Secession: The Looming Threat of a National Breakup by F.H. Buckley. Buckley’s work argues that states could legally secede, that some people would be better off as a result, and that polarization continues to push the U.S. towards this extreme option. Sorens agrees that the first point is possible, but he pushes back on the rest of Buckley’s arguments.

Sorens points out that smaller units of government are not necessarily better; evil governments could be magnified on a smaller scale with more ability to control. And he differentiates ideological identity from an identity of state pride. He notes that the party not in control of the federal government always feels discontent, no matter the state.

Instead, Sorens urges states to adopt home rule-like resistance to federal laws as an alternative to leaving altogether. To hear more about this plan, read Sorens’ entire review here

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Thought of the Day:



“Republicans believe every day is the Fourth of July, but the Democrats believe every day is April 15.”

- Ronald Reagan

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Join ISI’s new Alumni Giving Club

It’s never been easier for you to support our mission—and stay part of our community—with ISI’s new Alumni Giving Club!

For just $19.53 a month, you can join the fight and “pay it forward” by educating the next generation for ordered liberty.

Join the Club

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