The American Idea

Ronald Reagan and the Declaration of Independence

April 29, 2026·43 min
Episode Description from the Publisher

Abraham Lincoln once asserted that all of his political philosophy was rooted in the Declaration of Independence. Other presidents have spoken positively about our founding document, and some have disparaged the ideas promoted in it. What about Ronald Reagan? Where did he stand on the Declaration’s core ideas of natural rights, limited government, and liberty?Jeff is joined by Greg McBrayer, who looks back on decades of speeches from Reagan in order to establish a clear connection between the principles of our 40th president and America’s original mission statement.Read Reagan’s “A Time for Choosing”: https://tinyurl.com/btvr8mu9Read Reagan’s 1986 Independence Day speech: https://tinyurl.com/ycyfvnkaRead Reagan’s Farewell Address: https://tinyurl.com/mu92b545Host: Jeff SikkengaExecutive Producer: Jeremy GyptonSubscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanideaHomepage: https://ashbrook.org/the-american-idea-podcast/

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