24
May 2006
Past Event
2006 Bradley Symposium: "What's the Big Idea?"

2006 Bradley Symposium: "What's the Big Idea?"

Past Event
Hudson Institute, Washington, D.C. Headquarters
May 24, 2006
Default Event Image
24
May 2006
Past Event

1015 15th Street, N.W., 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20005

Speakers:
Michael Barone,

U.S. News and World Report

Karlyn Bowman,

American Enterprise Institute

David Brooks,

The New York Times

Tammy Bruce,

The Tammy Bruce Show

Allan Carlson,

The Howard Center (Rockford, IL)

James Ceaser,

University of Virginia

Francis Fukuyama,

The Johns Hopkins University

Robert George,

Princeton University

Hugh Hewitt,

The Hugh Hewitt Show

Tamar Jacoby,

Manhattan Institute

William Kristol,

The Weekly Standard

Brink Lindsey,

Cato Institute

Wilfred McClay,

University of Tennessee/Ethics and Public Policy Center

Charles Murray,

American Enterprise Institute

Matthew Spalding,

Heritage Foundation

Shelby Steele,

Hoover Institution

Amy Kass

Hudson Institute/University of Chicago

On May 25, 2006 in Washington, DC, a panel of distinguished commentators brought together by Hudson Institute’s Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal tackled the following questions about the political divisions in American society:

* Are our political divisions indeed significant and based on such grand themes? Or can they be explained by more superficial social and economic divisions?

* Is a politics driven and divided by large and contrasting ideas dangerous and volatile? Or is it healthy and vigorous—the source of American renewal?

* How are these larger intellectual divisions played out in specific policy debates over the size of government, immigration, foreign affairs, economic inequality, higher education, and other questions?

* Clearly, if American politics is driven by “big ideas,” think tanks and foundations are key players. Should such institutions seek to sharpen and enrich those ideas, or should they rather attempt to moderate and bridge major intellectual divides?

The 2006 Bradley Symposium was held at the Ritz Carlton, Washington DC, and attended by over 150 guests.

Quick Links to Event Documents
"True Blue vs. Deep Red: The Ideas that Move American Politics":http://dev.hudson.org/content/researchattachments/attachment/1254/cease…
A framing essay prepared by University of Virginia political scientist James Ceaser argued that we are indeed deeply divided as a nation today into “True Blue” and “Deep Red.” But these divisions go beyond partisanship or culture, he maintains. Rather, they reflect profoundly different understandings of human character and politics, rooted in contrasting “foundational ideas” about nature, history, and religion that have long pedigrees in American public life.

"Panelist Biographies":http://dev.hudson.org/content/researchattachments/attachment/1256/panel…

"American Politics: How Divided?":http://dev.hudson.org/content/researchattachments/attachment/1255/world…
Karlyn Bowman of the American Enterprise Institute gathered these extant survey data on how politically divided Americans are.

Program

8:00 a.m.
Registration, continental breakfast

8:30
Welcome by the Bradley Center’s William Schambra

8:40
Introductory remarks by Amy Kass of Hudson Institute and the University of Chicago and today’s moderator

8:45
Panel discussion

10:15
Coffee break

10:30
Discussion resumes

11:30
Adjournment

Further Information

The Bradley Symposium is an annual discussion convened by Hudson Institute's Bradley Center. Information and documents from past Bradley Symposia can be accessed via the links in a box in the upper right-hand corner of this page. To request further information on these events or the Bradley Center, please contact Hudson Institute at (202) 974-2424 or "e-mail Krista":mailto:krista@hudson.org.

Related Events
08
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Relearning Great Power Diplomacy: A Conversation with Wess Mitchell
Featured Speakers:
Wess Mitchell
A detail photo of “A Peace Conference at the Quai d'Orsay” by William Orpen. (Wikimedia Commons)
08
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
Relearning Great Power Diplomacy: A Conversation with Wess Mitchell

Join Hudson’s Peter Rough for a discussion with Wess Mitchell on the future of great power diplomacy.

A detail photo of “A Peace Conference at the Quai d'Orsay” by William Orpen. (Wikimedia Commons)
Featured Speakers:
Wess Mitchell
09
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
How Promoting Freedom in North Korea Makes America Safer and Stronger
Featured Speakers:
Representative Young Kim (R-CA)
Greg Scarlatoiu
Sean Chung
Rose Jang
Hannah Oh
Moderator:
Getty Images
09
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
How Promoting Freedom in North Korea Makes America Safer and Stronger

Join Hudson Institute for a discussion on the connection between human rights in North Korea and US national security.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Representative Young Kim (R-CA)
Greg Scarlatoiu
Sean Chung
Rose Jang
Hannah Oh
Moderator:
09
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
The View from Bucharest with Foreign Minister Oana-Silvia Țoiu
Featured Speakers:
H.E. Oana-Silvia Țoiu
Getty Images
09
October 2025
In-Person Event | Hudson Institute
The View from Bucharest with Foreign Minister Oana-Silvia Țoiu

With Peter Rough, Foreign Minister Țoiu will discuss Black Sea security, the war in Ukraine, Russia’s hybrid attacks, and Romania-US relations.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
H.E. Oana-Silvia Țoiu
07
October 2025
Past Event
Understanding China’s Political and Institutional Foundations: A Conversation with Chenggang Xu
Featured Speakers:
Professor Chenggang Xu
Getty Images
07
October 2025
Past Event
Understanding China’s Political and Institutional Foundations: A Conversation with Chenggang Xu

Join Dr. Miles Yu, senior fellow and director of Hudson’s China Center, for a conversation with Professor Xu on why misunderstanding China’s political order may create critical strategic risks for the US amid intensifying geopolitical rivalry.

Getty Images
Featured Speakers:
Professor Chenggang Xu