Who Is Government?

Who Is Government?

Author: National Constitution Center March 28, 2025 Duration: 57:59
Best-selling author Michael Lewis discusses his new book, Who Is Government?: The Untold Story of Public Service, with Jeffrey Rosen. As government programs face political headwinds, Lewis and his favorite writers examine the human stories of the heroic civil servants who make government work and why their contributions matter.  This conversation was originally streamed live as part of the NCC’s America’s Town Hall series on March 26, 2025.  Resources Michael Lewis, ed., Who Is Government? The Untold Story of Public Service (2025) Michael Lewis, “The free‑living bureaucrat,” The Washington Post (March 2025) Michael Lewis, “Directions to a journalistic gold mine,” The Washington Post (Nov. 2024) Michael Lewis, The Premonition: A Pandemic Story (2022) Michael Lewis, The Fifth Risk (2018) CURE ID Stay Connected and Learn More Questions or comments about the show? Email us at podcast@constitutioncenter.org Continue the conversation by following us on social media @ConstitutionCtr. Sign up to receive Constitution Weekly, our email roundup of constitutional news and debate. Follow, rate, and review wherever you listen. Join us for an upcoming live program or watch recordings on YouTube. Support our important work. Donate

Hosted by National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen, We the People is a weekly conversation that digs into the constitutional questions shaping the country right now. This isn't just a history lesson, though historical context is always part of the discussion. Instead, each episode brings together leading voices-legal scholars, journalists, public officials, and advocates-to engage in thoughtful, civil debate. You'll hear genuine dialogue where participants articulate and defend their positions, offering a clearer understanding of the complex legal and philosophical principles at stake. The goal is to move beyond headlines and soundbites, providing a forum where the best arguments from all sides are presented with depth and respect. Tuning into this podcast feels like sitting in on a crucial discussion at the intersection of law, politics, and society, one that illuminates how the Constitution actively influences contemporary American life. Produced by the National Constitution Center, it serves as an essential resource for anyone looking to deepen their grasp of the nation's founding document and its powerful, ongoing role in our public discourse.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

We the People
Podcast Episodes
Are Trump’s Tariffs Lawful? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:55
In this episode, Samuel Estreicher of the NYU School of Law and John Yoo of the UC Berkeley School of Law join to recap the oral arguments from the pair of challenges to President Trump’s tariffs and discuss whether Inte…
Alexander Hamilton: Closet Monarchist or Visionary Nationalist? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:37
This episode is a two-part show on Alexander Hamilton. First, in a new episode of the podcast Pursuit: The Founders’ Guide to Happiness, Jeffrey Rosen, historian Stephen Knott, and filmmaker Ken Burns unpack Hamilton’s l…
The Dinner Party that Defined America [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:29
In this bonus episode, we’re sharing a live conversation with Jeffrey Rosen, Joanne Freeman, George F. Will, and Sean Wilentz exploring Rosen’s new book, which is out this week: The Pursuit of Liberty: How Hamilton vs. J…
Do Bans on Conversion Therapy Violate the First Amendment? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:48
In this episode, Stephanie Barclay of the Georgetown University Law Center and Erwin Chemerinsky of the UC Berkeley School of Law join to recap the oral arguments from Chiles v. Salazar and discuss whether Colorado’s ban…
What Is the Legacy of the Roberts Court on Its 20th Anniversary? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:31
In this episode, Steve Vladeck of the Georgetown University Law Center and Sarah Isgur of SCOTUSblog join to discuss the legacy of the Roberts Court on its 20th anniversary and preview the important cases in the Supreme…
Introducing Pursuit: The Founders’ Guide to Happiness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:14
In our new podcast, Pursuit: The Founders’ Guide to Happiness, Jeffrey Rosen explores the founders’ lives with the historians who know them best. Plus, filmmaker Ken Burns shares his daily practice of self-reflection. Th…