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Alleviating poverty has been a goal of the United States since the launch of the War on Poverty in the 1960s. But what if the way we think about – and talk about – poverty is all wrong?
On this episode, Nic Dunn welcomes AEI Senior Fellow Kevin Corinth, who also serves as deputy director of AEI’s Center on Opportunity and Social Mobility. They discuss how to elevate the nation’s understanding of how to truly measure and address poverty for American families in a way that is better oriented toward upward mobility and human flourishing.
Show notes:
Poorly Defined: Reforming the Poverty Line — AEI Policy LensAEI Center on Opportunity and Social MobilityWork & Opportunity Initiative — Sutherland InstituteStrengthening the American Dream: Addressing benefits cliffs to empower safety net participants to pursue work and opportunity — Sutherland InstituteDefending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show, we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
If you’re frustrated by the dysfunction in American politics, you’re not alone. But what if the solution already exists within the very framework for our nation?
This week on Defending Ideas, host Nic Dunn sits down with AEI scholar Yuval Levin, author of American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified Our Nation — and Could Again. Levin argues that the Constitution’s design uniquely equips Americans for the current political climate, and that by understanding and embracing its true purpose, we can move beyond partisan gridlock and achieve meaningful progress.
Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
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There’s a growing body of evidence that boys and men are struggling in today’s society, from mental health and education to work and family life. On this episode, Nic Dunn is joined by AEI Senior Fellow and Defending Ideas Feature Contributor Beth Akers to sit down with Richard Reeves, president of the American Institute for Boys and Men and author of the book Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It. They discuss Richard’s findings and some of the political controversies that can make this issue difficult to talk about, and they offer a roadmap for finding solutions.
Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
These days, many political disagreements hinge on misunderstandings of the constitutional structure of state and federal government. How can we address this? On this episode, Nic Dunn sits down with Utah Attorney General Derek Brown to discuss his vision for the office, defending the rule of law and restoring America's constitutional order. Joined by Sutherland Institute Constitutional Law and Religious Freedom Fellow Bill Duncan, they delve into federalism, separation of powers, federal overreach, the role of the courts, and how Utah is responding.
Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
Have Americans forgotten the actual purpose of the Constitution?
This week on Defending Ideas, we delve into key themes from a recent Sutherland Institute event featuring Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, author and American Enterprise Institute scholar Yuval Levin, and former federal judge Thomas Griffith. Join host Nic Dunn and guest Bill Duncan as they explore how the Constitution serves as more than just a legal document – it's a “framework for national cohesion.”
They discuss the importance of civic engagement, the balance between standing up for principles and seeking consensus, and how to foster unity in a divided nation through broader coalitions.
This episode challenges us to view the Constitution not just as a protector of our rights, but as a guide for our responsibilities in self-government.
Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
What really matters to Utah voters? This week on Defending Ideas, we analyze a new voter priority survey with Jade Burt, director of research for Y2 Analytics, and Derek Monson, chief growth officer for Sutherland Institute. We break down issue priorities by demographic and voting profiles and analyze the diverse perspectives within the state's electorate. Join host Nic Dunn as we examine the data and explore its implications for elected officials, future candidates and Utahns seeking to understand their fellow citizens.
Show notes:
2025 Utah Voter Priorities
Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
There’s a ferocious debate in Washington, D.C., right now over possible cuts to a variety of different programs in the federal government. So what does this mean for the federally funded social safety net?
Alliance for Opportunity Senior Fellow Les Ford joins host Nic Dunn to give an overview of some of the proposals in Congress through the lens of potential reforms to federal welfare programs. They discuss whether it’s possible to save taxpayer dollars while improving outcomes for families who truly need help getting back on their feet. Ford also offers perspective on broader reforms to the safety net, along with some updates on the Alliance for Opportunity's ongoing work.
Show notes:
Strengthening the American Dream: Addressing benefits cliffs to empower safety net participants to pursue work and opportunityH.C.R. 8 Concurrent Resolution on State Innovation for Transition from Government Benefits to Self-relianceWhy America needs a new welfare reform movementHouse Republicans unveil blueprint to extend $4.5 trillion in tax cuts and lift the debt ceiling
Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
This episode of Defending Ideas explores how open enrollment policies empower parents to make educational choices for their children within the public school system. Guests Halli Faulkner, Senior Legislative Drafter with yes. every kid., and Christine Cooke Fairbanks, Education Policy Fellow with Sutherland Institute, discuss the benefits and challenges of open enrollment and how it can be improved.
Show notes:
Innovative Reforms for Utah’s Open Enrollment Law — Sutherland Institute
Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
The Utah legislature is considering changes to the state's vote-by-mail system. On this episode of Defending Ideas, Nic Dunn sits down with R Street Institute Resident Fellow in Governance Jonathan Madison, and Sutherland Institute Chief Growth Officer Derek Monson, to discuss whether these changes would boost or diminish public confidence in elections, examining how to balance voter convenience with election integrity.
Show notes:
Election Reform and Public Trust: What Utah voters think about proposed election reformsElections Policy — Sutherland Institute
Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
From super PACs, to “dark money,” to the increasingly eye-catching dollar amounts campaigns raise each year, the role of money in political campaigns raises serious questions and has been the source of much debate. This week on Defending Ideas, we’re releasing a special episode to ask: Can a constitutional amendment truly address the issue of money in politics? Is it the right approach? We explore the issue with American Promise CEO Jeff Clements. His organization is leading the charge for amending the U.S. Constitution to allow states the ability to regulate campaign finance issues in ways they currently can’t.
Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
How much control do parents really have over the online content their children have access to? Is there an appropriate role for government policy in this area? This episode of Defending Ideas explores the proposed App Store Accountability Act and whether government intervention to give parents more control over their kids' app downloads is warranted. The discussion features Utah State Sen. Todd Weiler, Sutherland Institute Constitutional Law and Religious Freedom Fellow Bill Duncan, and child advocate and online safety expert Melissa McKay. They join Nic Dunn to discuss the potential harms of unfettered online access for children, precedents for age verification laws, and how this bill could empower parents.
Show notes:
Parents can’t be involved in child’s app downloads? That’s a legal stretchPerspective: App stores are exploiting our children. We must change thatOpinion: Taking on Big Social Media — protecting kids, one bold move at a timeS.B. 142 App Store Accountability ActDefending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
State government agencies are supposed to be accountable to that state’s voters through their elected representatives. But what happens when federal agencies try to directly influence what state agencies do in ways that elected officials may not even know about?
On this episode, Nic Dunn welcomes a small roundtable of experts to discuss a new bill in Utah that aims to make federal communication to state agencies more transparent. They also explore the broader efforts to restore the principle of federalism to the core of constitutional government in Utah and beyond.
Guests:
Utah State Sen. Keven StrattonTony Woodlief, Senior Executive Vice President for the State Policy Network and Senior Fellow for SPN’s Center for Practical FederalismBill Duncan, Sutherland Institute Constitutional Law and Religious Freedom Fellow
Show notes:
The State of Federalism in Utah: Progress and Potential — Sutherland InstituteObscured guidance from federal agencies creates an accountability gap. What can the state do? — Sutherland Institute
Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear Utah’s public lands lawsuit. So what does this mean for the states' prospects for having stronger management of land within their own borders?
On this episode, Nic Dunn is joined by Sutherland Constitutional Law and Religious Freedom Fellow Bill Duncan to give an update on the status of the public lands dispute between the state of Utah and the federal government. Duncan outlines prospects for making progress through other legal means, through the presidency, or through Congress.
Show notes:
Why the Supreme Court should take up Utah’s public lands case — Defending Ideas
Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox, who was recently inaugurated for a second term, laid out a vision for the next for years for Utah in his inauguration speech. So what does it really take for a state to be successful, and what is Utah's secret?
On this episode, Nic Dunn sits down with Aimee Winder Newton, senior advisor to Cox and director of the Utah Office of Families. They break down key themes from the governor's address, which focused on the importance of civic institutions like faith, family and community, and apply them to challenges the state and nation face today.
Show notes:
Governor's Inauguration 2025 - Spencer J. Cox — PBS UtahSutherland Mission, Vision & PrinciplesAmerica’s last great hope — Defending Ideas
Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
If you work harder and earn more, your family should be better off. But for some on the government safety net, that may not always be the case.
On this episode, Nic Dunn sits down with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s Alex Ruder. Alex serves as Community and Economic Development Director and Principal Adviser for the Atlanta Fed, where he focuses on workforce development topics including benefits cliffs and career pathways.
They discuss the right way to define the benefits cliff problem, giving an overview of some solutions available to policymakers seeking to fix work disincentives in the safety net.
Show notes:Mitigating Benefits Cliffs for Low-Income Families: District of Columbia Career Mobility Action Plan as a Case Study — Atlanta FedCareer Ladder Identifier and Financial Forecaster (CLIFF) — Atlanta FedWork & Opportunity Issue Page — Sutherland InstituteDefending Ideas is a weekly show produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
As 2024 winds down, what do the results of this election year mean for the future of politics and policy debates for the United States?
On this episode, we look back on a tumultuous election year and offer a roadmap for a more productive and solutions-focused 2025.
Nic Dunn is joined by Jason Perry, vice president for government relations and the director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah, and Maura Carabello, founder, president, and owner of Exoro Group. Sutherland Institute President Rick Larsen also returns to the show.
This is the last episode of Defending Ideas for the year. Look for new episodes beginning in early January 2025.
Defending Ideas is a weekly show produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
The federal government controls nearly 70% of the land in Utah, and has for a long time. Is this a problem? And if so, what should be done about it?
On this episode, we discuss Utah's new lawsuit asking the Supreme Court to weigh in on important constitutional questions around federal vs. state management of land. Nic Dunn sits down with Pacific Legal Foundation Legal Fellow Ethan Blevins and Sutherland's Bill Duncan. They give an overview of the public land issue, Utah's case, and what's next in the legal process.
Show notes:
The Supreme Court Shouldn’t Let The Federal Government Control 70 Percent Of A State’s Land – The FederalistSutherland Institute Amicus Brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in Utah v. United StatesIt’s Time to Reclaim the West from Federal Control – National Review
Defending Ideas is a weekly show produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
Should the U.S. Department of Education be abolished? That’s one of the questions that the new presidential administration and the new Congress may grapple with in 2025. But what does this mean for a broader education policy agenda for the next four years?
On this episode, Nic Dunn interviews AEI Senior Fellow Max Eden about the latest national developments in education policy and what they mean for states. Sutherland Institute Education Policy Fellow Christine Cooke Fairbanks also joins the show to articulate how these national shifts may point to a renewal of state and parental empowerment in ways that will benefit students.
Show notes:
Trump should use the education department, not abolish it – Washington ExaminerCould Trump's second term forever change federal education policy? – Sutherland InstituteEducation Policy Issue Page – Sutherland Institute
Defending Ideas is a weekly show produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
This episode of Defending Ideas is a special holiday message. Host Nic Dunn draws from themes of past episodes to offer a framework for navigating political disagreement with loved ones during the holidays.
Defending Ideas is a weekly show produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. -
America is the land of opportunity. So how should we respond when new evidence shows that some families actually feel discouraged from working harder for the American Dream?
On this episode, Nic Dunn sits down with Randy Hicks, president and CEO of the Georgia Center for Opportunity. They discuss new evidence of how families on the social safety net sometimes feel disincentivized from pursuing work and opportunity, and how the Georgia Center for Opportunity is trying to improve the nation's safety net and empower more families to escape poverty.
Show notes:
Strengthening the American Dream: Addressing benefits cliffs to empower safety net participants to pursue work and opportunity – Sutherland InstituteWork & Opportunity issue page – Sutherland InstituteSutherland launches Work & Opportunity Initiative with new research
Defending Ideas is a weekly show produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org. - Visa fler
