|
|
|
|
CATEGORY: ELECTION (12 MIN)
The Iowa caucus ended this week in a decisive victory for former president Donald Trump, as he earned more than 50 percent of the vote against challengers Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, and Vivek Ramaswamy. Ramaswamy dropped out of the race this week, leaving only DeSantis and Haley to face Trump in the face of increasingly long odds.
Early in the election season, DeSantis, the popular Florida governor, seemed that he’d have by far the best chance to take on Trump. But that simply hasn’t panned out. For The Spectator, Ryan Girdusky discusses his opportunity to advise the DeSantis campaign and the choices that he believes helped doom the governor’s chances.
Girdusky writes about a May meeting with DeSantis which included several other conservative influencers and pundits. Although Girdusky said other people just told DeSantis he was doing well, Girdusky relates how he attempted to help DeSantis course-correct. He urged the governor to focus on issues that mattered to voters in the Midwest, like the cultural attack on white Americans, especially males.
Girdusky then talks about later actions of the DeSantis campaign that, in his opinion, led to disaster: focusing on the wrong issues, producing bad videos, and failing to sufficiently attack Trump. By June, Girdusky believed “the writing was very much on the wall.”
Read Girdusky’s entire article here.
|
Weekly Poll
RESULTS: 1/11/24
Last week, we asked: What is the main appeal of red states? Here are the results:
[A] Lower taxes - 42.2%
[B] Lower cost of housing - 24.4%
[C] Job opportunities - 4.4%
[D] Unsure/Other - 28.9%
Who is your favorite Republican presidential contender still in the race?
[A] Donald Trump
[B] Ron DeSantis
[C] Nikki Haley
[D] Unsure
|
CATEGORY: ELECTION (6 MIN)
In the 2016 GOP primary, challengers hung around the race against Donald Trump until May. In 2024, with Trump polling at over 50 percent already and only two opponents left, the race seems like it may end much sooner. Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley now face a game of chicken—who will drop out first?
ISI’s own Daniel McCarthy, the editor of Modern Age and Vice President for the Collegiate Network, urges DeSantis to throw in the towel now. And he doesn’t advise this for Haley’s sake, but rather for DeSantis’s future political odds. In The American Conservative, McCarthy writes that DeSantis should back out of the race, allow Trump to beat Haley, and then focus on his work in Florida to set up a later run.
McCarthy notes that two of the next primaries, those in New Hampshire and South Carolina, set up much more favorably for Haley than DeSantis. He believes the media will focus on those potential defeats, DeSantis will lose funding, and he’ll be forced to drop out ignominiously. Better, McCarthy argues, to leave on your own terms in advance and recharge for the future. He says there is no advantage for DeSantis in helping Haley by drawing potential votes from Trump himself.
Read McCarthy’s full piece right here.
|
|
CATEGORY: PODCAST EPISODE
In this episode, Miles Smith joins the podcast to discuss:
- the destruction of American statues and the political endgame that motivates it
- a lesson against civic contempt for average people and a story about the wisdom and erudition of country folk
- a listener question about good books to introduce kids to the “great tradition”
Texts Mentioned:
|
|
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 >>>
|
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 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 >>>
|
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 >>>
|
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. 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 >>>
|
|
|
Because our student editors and writers are bravely bringing conservative ideas to their campuses, we’re highlighting their efforts here.
Cornell Professor calls Hamas’s Attacks a “Resistance”, Denies Sexual Assault Claims via Cornell Review
“In a series of inflammatory posts, a Cornell professor called the October 7th attack on Israel a ‘resistance’ and denied that any rape or sexual assault occurred during that attack.”
BYU School of Social Science Hands Out Pride Stickers for MLK Day via The Cougar Chronicle
“On Friday at 11am, the Kimball Tower lobby hosted a booth set up by BYU’s College of Family, Home and Social Sciences (FHSS) to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Along with displaying quotes from the respected civil rights leader and other members of the civil rights movement, the booth included a number of rainbow-themed pride stickers with motifs such as ‘Ask Me My Pronouns,’ ‘Ally is a Verb,’ and ‘Amplify Autistic Voices.’”
Dear Bill Ackman: Forget Harvard. Your Money Belongs at UChicago Instead via The Chicago Thinker
“Dear Bill Ackman, Congratulations on becoming a university reform icon overnight—and on publishing your views in The Free Press... I have a small favor to ask. Would you please consider donating a few dollars to UChicago? We are the only elite university in America that already follows your vision for “real academic freedom,” but our endowment is a puny $10.4 billion. That pales compared to Harvard’s $49.4 billion.” |
|
CATEGORY: POLITICS (11 MIN)
Many Republicans have struggled to find the best way to interpret and review the Trump presidency—a task which seems more relevant to many as he barrels toward another likely general election. An oft-used benchmark for Trump stands in the form of Ronald Reagan, the conservative hero of the 1980s. How does the Trump movement measure up to Reagan’s revolution?
For this week’s Intercollegiate Review archive, Jim Antle reviews two books on Reagan: Reagan Rising: The Decisive Years, 1976–1980 (by Craig Shirley), and The Working Class Republican: Ronald Reagan and the Return of Blue-Collar Conservatism (by Henry Olsen). Antle’s 2018 piece viewed both books through the lenses of the Trump presidency.
Antle says both books encapsulate the major views on Trump in comparison to Reagan. Shirley’s book, Antle writes, would lead to characterizing Trump as a Gerald Ford-like Republican who simply sets the stage for a “true conservative” like Reagan to take over. Antle believes Olsen’s work, on the other hand, would tend to paint Trump as a Reaganite with strong appeal to the working class.
One thing is for sure, according to Antle—Republicans need a positive message like Reagan’s “morning in America” today, no matter who delivers it.
Read his entire review here.
|
Thought of the Day:
“Anyone who thinks my story is anywhere near over is sadly mistaken.”
- Donald Trump
|
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.
|
|
