
WASHINGTON, DC — The Ripon Society presented three members of Congress with the 2026 Roosevelt Leadership Award, an honor that is given in the spirit of America’s 26th President and is intended to recognize leaders who embody some of the same qualities that Theodore Roosevelt displayed throughout his life and career.


WASHINGTON, DC — With the nation preparing to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its founding, the latest edition of The Ripon Forum marks the semiquincentennial with a special collection of essays examining where America stands at this milestone, how the country has changed over the past half century, and what it will take to carry the…


WASHINGTON, DC – The Ripon Society and Franklin Center for Global Policy Exchange welcomed two players from opposite dugouts — Congressmen Jimmy Panetta (D-CA-19) and Blake Moore (R-UT-01) — for a discussion about one of Capitol Hill’s most beloved bipartisan traditions.
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House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (MN-06) will discuss the legislative agenda heading into summer and the message of the House Republican Conference as Americans begin thinking about the mid-term elections later this year.
House Select Committee on China Chairman John Moolenaar (MI-02) will discuss the agenda and current priorities of the committee, including the U.S. strategy to maintain leadership in the AI race, the threat posed by Chinese-connected vehicles and technology in American critical infrastructure, critical minerals, and issues regarding Taiwan.
John Leganski, former Deputy Chief of Staff to Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy, will discuss his new book Glory, Grief, and the Gavel: An Inside Guide to Running for Speaker of the House, and reveal an inside look at the historic multi-day battle for the Speaker’s gavel in January 2023.
“A nation’s greatness lies in its possibility of achievement in the present, and nothing helps it more than the consciousness of achievement in the past.” American Ideals 1897
“A man to be a good citizen must first be a good bread-winner, a good husband, a good father–I hope the father of many healthy children.” The Key to Success in Life 1916
“The greatest possible good can be done by the extension of a helping hand at the right moment, but the attempt to carry any one permanently can end in nothing but harm.” Century October 1900
RIPON FORUM
Volume 60, No. 3
America 250
Flawed Men, Enduring Principles
Despite their differences, the Founding Fathers agreed that self government required a virtuous citizenry. Freedom required virtue to survive.
What We Saw at the Bicentennial
When Bicentennial planning began, President Richard Nixon declared he wanted a big party, and he intended to preside over it.