Project Sphere Podcast

Is Bad Housing Policy Making Poverty Worse?

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 14:00:00 GMT

Housing policy plays a critical role in shaping poverty in America, influencing both the availability of affordable housing and the stability of low-income communities. With skyrocketing housing costs, inadequate affordable housing options, and policies that often fail to address the root causes of poverty, millions of Americans continue to struggle with housing instability. In this episode, Emily Hamilton, Senior Research Fellow and Director of the Urbanity Project at the Mercatus Center and Tracy Hadden Loh, Fellow at the Anne T. and Robert M. Bass Center for Transformative Placemaking at the Brookings Institution, discuss whether bad housing policy is making poverty worse.

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How Do We Restore Faith in Our Institutions

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 14:00:00 GMT

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What Is the Problem with Immigration, and What Should We Do about It?

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 14:00:36 GMT

Immigration in the United States has long been a contentious issue, marked by debates over border security, economic impact, and social integration. While some argue that immigration is the driving force behind the nation’s growth and cultural diversity, others have concerns over border security, undocumented immigration, and the strain placed on public services. But is immigration itself the problem, or do the problems stem from immigration policies in place? In this episode, join David Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, Wendy Edelberg, senior fellow in economic studies at the Brookings Institution, and Simon Hankinson, senior research fellow in the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation as they discuss immigration.

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Election Integrity: How Do We Restore Faith in Our Election System?

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 14:00:48 GMT

The legitimacy of election results and integrity of our voting process have increasingly come into question, and while few claims of election fraud have been found to have substance, these claims have consequences. If American citizens don’t have faith in their election system, the peaceful transfer of power between political parties can become contentious. Some are calling for reforms to our voting process, from ranked-choice voting to primary reform, and to alter or completely do away with the electoral college. So how should we address concerns about election integrity and make sure Americans feel confident in election results? Director of Sphere Education Initiatives Allan Carey discusses these issues with Walter Olson, senior fellow at the Cato Institute’s Robert A. Levy Center for Constitutional Studies, Jeanine Abrams McLean, president of Fair Count, and Dan McLaughlin, senior writer at National Review Online and fellow at National Review Institute.

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In What Areas Does the Executive Have Too Much Power?

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 13:14:13 GMT

The framers of the United States Constitution created three branches of government—the legislative, the executive, and the judicial—with powers distributed among the branches. To guard against tyranny, each branch was granted specific powers to check the powers of the other two branches. As James Madison wrote in Federalist Paper No. 51, “Ambition must be made to counteract ambition.” Yet the authority of the president and the executive branch has expanded dramatically since the American founding, largely with congressional permission. In this episode, join Sarah Binder, senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, Chris DeMuth, distinguished fellow in American thought, B. Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies at the Heritage Foundation, and Gene Healy, senior vice president for policy at the Cato Institute to consider “In what areas does the executive have too much power?”

Sarah A. Binder: https://www.brookings.edu/people/sarah-a-binder/

Chris DeMuth: https://www.heritage.org/staff/chris-demuth

Gene Healy: https://www.cato.org/books/the-cult-of-the-presidency

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Does Restricting Trade Improve National Security?

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 13:00:11 GMT

International commerce has created an interconnected world. Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman believed that unfettered free trade is always in people's best interests, as they have the freedom to buy and sell whatever they want, with whomever they want. Others argue that trade should be restricted and that we ought to prioritize domestic production and consumption. Between these two extremes lie most of today's trade policy: managed trade, in which the government intervenes to affect where goods and services are produced. Conversations around when trade should be restricted are often concerned with how trade in goods and services affect our national security. But are the measures taken to restrict international trade actually improving our national security? Joining Project Sphere’s Sallie James to consider this question are Arthur Herman, senior fellow at the Husdson Institute, Scott Lincicome, vice president of general economics at the Cato Institute, and Josh Meltzer, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

Arthur Herman, senior fellow and director of the Quantum Alliance Initiative, Hudson Institute

https://www.hudson.org/foreign-policy/biden-weakened-us-world-stage-china-taking-advantage-xi-jinping

Scott Lincicome, VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL ECONOMICS AND STIEFEL TRADE POLICY CENTER, CATO INSTITUTE

https://www.cato.org/commentary/six-plus-years-incoherent-ineffective-china-policy

Josh Meltzer, Senior Fellow, Global Economy and Development, Brookings Institution

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-us-canada-and-mexico-need-a-more-coordinated-approach-to-their-trade-relationships-with-china/

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Why Do We Have a Housing Crisis and What Should We Do about It

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 13:00:16 GMT

The United States is experiencing a housing crisis, with a scarcity of homes available and skyrocketing prices. Polls indicate that housing affordability is one of the top issues this election, especially among younger voters. In this episode, Nolan Gray, Research Director at California YIMBY and Howard Husock, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute discuss why we have a housing crisis, and what we should do about it.

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How Does A.I. Affect Education?

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 07:00:10 GMT

Artificial Intelligence is increasingly being used in classrooms across the country. But educators disagree about whether students should be allowed to use A.I. in their coursework. Some teachers feel that using A.I. tools such as ChatGPT amounts to cheating, while others think that students should be allowed to experiment with A.I. tools that they will likely use in their later careers. Is there a way to empower students to harness A.I. tools while still promoting student creativity and critical thinking? And how will the use of A.I. affect education in the long term? In this episode, Jennifer Huddleston, technology policy research fellow at the Cato Institute, Nicol Turner Lee, director of the Center for Technology Innovation at the Brookings Institution, and Mark Meador, partner at Kressin Meador and visiting fellow in technology at the Heritage Foundation discuss: How Does A.I. Affect Education?

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Is Free Speech Being Chilled in the Classroom – and Beyond?

Wed, 10 Jul 2024 13:00:35 GMT

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Government Debt and Spending

Sun, 02 Jun 2024 13:00:43 GMT

When it comes to the government’s budget, it seems clear that our approval and appropriation processes don’t work. As of May 2024, the U.S. Treasury reported that the current national debt is $34.58 trillion—and this staggering sum keeps growing. Is all this debt driving us toward a crisis or not? And what, if anything, should be done about it? In this episode, Romina Boccia, Director of Budget and Entitlement Policy at the Cato Institute, Molly Reynolds, Senior Fellow in Governance Policy at the Brookings Institution, and Veronique de Rugy, George Gibbs Chair in Political Economy and Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center discuss government debt and spending.

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How Should We Address the Challenges around A.I.?

Sun, 19 May 2024 13:00:38 GMT

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Should We Be Optimistic About Technology, Online Access and Connectivity?

Wed, 08 May 2024 13:00:47 GMT

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Which Policy Most Effectively Prevents Harm: Prohibition or Legalization?

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 18:51:59 GMT

The war on drugs is America’s longest war, and it continues to this day. Most agree the War on Drugs has been a failure and public sentiment is shifting. Today, state legislatures in the U.S. are passing laws legalizing and decriminalizing drugs. Regarding harm reduction, what public policy on drugs will help people the most? In this episode, John Hudak, senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution; Jeffrey Miron, vice president for research at the Cato Institute; and Sally Satel, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute discuss: which public policy on drugs most effectively prevents harm: prohibition or legalization?

More Sphere episodes here

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What Should U.S. Immigration Policy Be?

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 06:53:28 GMT

Immigration policy has become something of a political football. Some are proposing more open pathways to citizenship. While others have been more concerned about protecting people, who are already in the United States. In this episode, Dany Bahar, Senior Fellow, Global Economy and Development, at the Brookings Institution; Alex Nowrasteh, Director of Immigration Studies at the Cato Institute; and Jessica Vaughan, Director of Policy Studies at the Center for Immigration Studies discuss: what should the United States’ immigration policy be?

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What Has 2020 Taught Us about Democracy?

Fri, 11 Dec 2020 19:53:23 GMT

What has the election revealed about the country? And what does this say about who Americans really are, what they want and where we are headed? In this episode, Elaine Kamarck, Founding Director of the Center for Effective Public Management at the Brookings Institution; P. J. O’Rourke, bestselling author and H. L. Mencken Research Fellow at the Cato Institute; and Ramesh Ponnuru, senior editor for National Review and visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute discuss: what has 2020 taught us about democracy?

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What Would Meaningful Police Reform Look Like?

Fri, 13 Nov 2020 22:42:42 GMT

Police are supposed to preserve and protect, but problems in policing have begun to dominate the national debate. And what will the resulting policy changes look like? And will these reforms address what is going on? In this episode, Clark Neily, vice president for criminal justice at the Cato Institute; Arthur Rizer, director of criminal justice and civil liberties at R Street; and Rashawn Ray, David M. Rubenstein Fellow – Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution discuss: what would meaningful police reform look like?

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Are Americans Talking about the Most Important Issues This Election Cycle?

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 21:02:15 GMT

Some say in this election the very soul of the country is at stake. Others want to make law and order the primary issue. But what about debt, spending and war? Henry Olsen, Washington Post columnist and senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center; Jonathan Rauch, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution; and Emily Ekins, research fellow and director of polling at the Cato Institute will discuss: are Americans talking about the most important issues this election cycle?

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How Should We Solve Income Inequality in the U.S.?

Fri, 10 Jul 2020 13:28:02 GMT

How concerned should we be with wealth or income inequality in the United States? Are there other concerns (like burdensome regulations) that ought to take precedence? And how much of the economic inequality we see in the United States is driven by differences in opportunities? And, in all of these cases, what’s the proper response in the form of public policy? Michael Tanner of the Cato Institute and Jonathan Rauch of the Brookings Institution tackle these questions.

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What is the Proper Role of Government in College Affordability?

Thu, 28 May 2020 21:30:58 GMT

The federal government already provides a great number of programs to help people attend college. Are the rising costs of higher education due, in part, to the federal government’s credit availability to students? Is affordability the leading barrier to college, or is it actually college completion? In this podcast, Neal McCluskey, the Director of the Center for Educational Freedom at the Cato Institute and Michael Hansen, the Herman and George R. Brown Chair and Director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution will discuss whether there is a proper role for government in higher education.

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Should the United States Mandate Paid Family Leave?

Thu, 14 May 2020 21:42:15 GMT

As families try to balance work and childcare, a popular answer is to have government mandate paid family leave. Will mandating paid leave help families or could a law hurt the very workers it is meant to help? Veronique de Rugy, senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center and adjunct scholar at the Cato Institute; Rachel Greszler, research fellow at the Heritage Foundation; and Camille Busette, director and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution will discuss in this episode: should the United States mandate paid family leave?

Learn More:

"COVID-19 Is Not a Good Reason to Enact a Permanent Federal Paid-Leave Entitlement," By Veronique de Rugy and Donald J. Boudreaux
"How to Claim a Paid-Leave Victory That Isn’t," By Veronique de Rugy
"Parental Leave: Is There a Case for Government Action?" By Vanessa Brown Calder
"Poll: 74% of Americans Support Federal Paid Leave Program When Costs Not Mentioned — 60% Oppose if They Got Smaller Pay Raises in the Future," By Emily Ekins

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Does the President Have the Power to Start a War?

Tue, 12 May 2020 21:42:48 GMT

War has long been the subject of vigorous debate. The United States Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war and appoints the president as commander-in-chief of the military. When it comes to war, who holds the power to ultimately decide the actions of the United States? Gene Healy, vice president at the Cato Institute; David B. Rivkin Jr., partner at BakerHostetler; and Margaret L. Taylor, governance studies fellow at the Brookings Institution will discuss in this episode: does the president have the power to start a war?

Learn More:

"The Long Road Ahead for the Congressional Resolutions on Iran," By Scott R. Anderson, Margaret Taylor
"On "Imminence": Absence of Evidence is Evidence of Absence," By Gene Healy
"Repeal Old AUMFs and Salt the Earth," By Gene Healy
"Congress Declares War, but Only the President Can Make It," By David B. Rivkin Jr. and Lee A. Casey

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Should Drug Prohibition Be Ended Nationwide?

Wed, 18 Dec 2019 22:41:20 GMT

America’s drug war has been a part of our lives for more than 100 years. With legalization and decriminalization of marijuana in an increasing number of states, conflicts have emerged on drug policy and power. To what extent can and should the states act independently of the federal government on an issue with national ramifications? Cato’s Trevor Burrus, Heritage’s Paul Larkin, and Brookings’s Jonathan Rauch will discuss in this episode: should drug prohibition be ended nationwide?

Learn More:

"How Drug Prohibition Created the Fentanyl Crisis," by Trevor Burrus
"Washington Versus Washington (and Colorado): Why the States Should Lead on Marijuana Policy," by Jonathan Rauch
"The Medical Marijuana Delusion," by Paul J. Larkin Jr.

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Should the U.S. Supreme Court Overturn More Laws?

Tue, 17 Dec 2019 22:40:06 GMT

In general, are most laws and regulations constitutional? Should the courts do more to enforce constitutional limits, or should they defer to the political branches unless there are blatant violations? Cato's Ilya Shapiro and the Constitutional Accountability Center’s Elizabeth Wydra are joined by participating moderator Jonathan Rauch of the Brookings Institution to explore the role of the Supreme Court when laws conflict with the U.S. Constitution.

Learn More:

"Crisis at the Supreme Court," by Ilya Shapiro
"How the Supreme Court Undermines Its Own Legitimacy," by Ilya Shapiro
"The Supreme Court: Too Important," by Ilya Shapiro
"Against Judicial Restraint," by Ilya Shapiro
"Chief Justice John Roberts Is under Tremendous Pressure," by Elizabeth Wydra
"Will Trump Ever Face Consequences?," by Elizabeth Wydra
"The First Magistrate in Foreign Pay," by Brianne Gorod and Elizabeth Wydra
"Those Who Deny Birthright Citizenship Get the Constitution Wrong," by Elizabeth Wydra
"No, Justice Stevens, We Don’t Need to Repeal the Second Amendment," by Elizabeth Wydra

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When Should the United States Use Military Force?

Mon, 16 Dec 2019 22:39:02 GMT

What principles should guide the decisions to intervene militarily? What factors should weigh most heavily? Cato's Emma Ashford, CSIS’s Melanie Marlowe, and Brookings's Tamara Wittes discuss whether the U.S. is too quick to use force in other countries.

Learn More:

"New Voices in Grand Strategy: Power and Pragmatism: Reforming American Foreign Policy for the 21st Century," by Emma Ashford
"Unbalanced: Rethinking America's Commitment to the Middle East," by Emma Ashford
"Trump’s Wisdom on Syria and Afghanistan vs. His Rashness on Venezuela," by Emma Ashford
"Iran’s Revolution and the Problem of Autocratic Allies," by Tamara Cofman Wittes
"Getting America out of Middle East Purgatory," by Mara Karlin and Tamara Cofman Wittes

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