The American Compass Podcast

On this episode, Wall Street Journal investigative reporter Brody Mullins joins Oren Cass to discuss his new book, coauthored with Politico’s Luke Mullins, about the corrosive influence of corporate power in politics, the evolution of the lobbying industry, and changes that could make Congress more responsive to the will of the voters. For more, check out The Wolves of K Street, out now.

On this episode, Oren is joined by the Marathon Initiative’s Robert Delfeld to discuss how to broaden and strengthen the defense industrial base. They dig into the history and politics of the defense industry, the effects of deindustrialization on the supply chain, and a blueprint for supporting the defense industrial “sub-base.” Read Robert’s new report, Broadening the Base: A Blueprint for Expanding Defense Industrial Capacity.

Ashley Rogers Berner, director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy, joins Oren for a discussion of educational pluralism: the key to ensuring choice and standards in K–12 schools. They survey the international landscape, trends in educational philosophies, and what it would look like to fully embrace a pluralistic model in the United States. For more, check out Ashley's new book, Educational Pluralism and Democracy and the following pieces she's written for American Compass: Introducing Pluralism to Public SchoolingA Sustainable Path to School ChoiceMake Good (School) Choices

On this special Earth Day episode of the podcast, Oren is joined by Thomas Hochman, a research associate at the Foundation for American Innovation. They discuss American energy policy, the promise of nuclear, climate change, regulatory hurdles, and much more. For more from Thomas, check out: A Nuclear Renaissance?It’s Not Just NEPA: Reforming Environmental PermittingFoundation for American Innovation

On this episode of the American Compass Podcast, Oren is joined by Michael Pettis, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment, for an in-depth discussion of the dollar as the global reserve currency: pros, cons, and what it all means for the American economy. Further Reading The High Price of Dollar DominanceForeign AffairsBad TradeTalkin’ (Policy) Shop: Balancing U.S. Trade

On this episode of Talkin’ (Policy) Shop, Oren and Chris dive into American Compass’s latest survey results on American attitudes toward the role and scope of government. Conventional wisdom says Americans are hopelessly polarized over “big government” vs. “small government,” but our new survey reveals a much more complicated picture. Read the full survey: The American Appetite for Government

On this episode, Oren Cass is joined by Scott Gatzemeier, Corporate Vice President of Front End U.S. Expansion at Micron Technology, to discuss the on-the-ground reality of the CHIPS Act rollout. In this fascinating discussion, Scott shares details on Micron’s plans to build new semiconductor fabs in the U.S., enabled by the CHIPS Act. He and Oren dive into the economics of the site selection process, the expected economic impact and job creation, and what’s needed to sustain momentum in rebuilding this critical industry. Further Reading: A Guide to the Semiconductor IndustryAmerica’s Microchip SlipPass the CHIPS, Please

This month, Oren Cass delivered the 2024 First Things Lecture in Washington, DC, on the topic, "Constructing Conservatism in the Secular Age." What should conservative politics look like at a time when many Americans are no longer religious?

In this episode of the American Compass Podcast, Oren Cass talks with Patrick Ruffini, founding partner of Echelon Insights, about his book "Party of the People," which examines the Republican Party's transformation in recent years. Ruffini argues that the divide between college-educated and non-college voters has become the defining cleavage in American politics. Ruffini and Cass discuss the cultural and economic roots of this realignment, the unique political talents of figures like Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, and how both parties are struggling to build broad coalitions.

How can the media better understand the reality of American life outside the Beltway, and what are reporters missing about these shifting economic and political debates? From American Compass's recent symposium on the New Conservative Story, David Leonhardt of the New York Times moderates a discussion with Emily Jashinsky (National Journalism Center and The Federalist) and Idrees Kahloon (The Economist) about the media's narrative and understanding of conservatism and American life outside DC.

What does the right-of-center's economic debate mean for political leaders and how is it being translated into electoral politics in 2024 and beyond? From American Compass's recent symposium on the New Conservative Story, Jerry Seib of the Wall Street Journal moderates a discussion with Michael Brendan Dougherty (National Review) and Tim Chapman (Advancing American Freedom) about what conservatism's shifting approach to economics means at the ballot box.

How is conservative thinking about economic policy and the role of government changing? From our recent symposium on the New Conservative Story, Rana Foroohar of the Financial Times moderates a discussion with Julius Krein (American Affairs) and Michael Strain (American Enterprise Institute) digging into how the American right-of-center is thinking about economic policies from trade to government spending to organized labor.

On this episode of the American Compass podcast, Oren Cass is joined by John A. Burtka IV, president and CEO of the Intercollegiate Studies Institute and author of the new book of old wisdom on governing, Gateway to Statesmanship. They discuss how to cultivate and educate a better elite, what the “mirrors for princes” tradition has to teach today’s leaders, and, of course, aristo-populism. Click here to check out Burtka's book, out today!

On this episode of Talkin’ (Policy) Shop, Oren and Chris weigh in on the ongoing fight over the Child Tax Credit in Congress and discuss more broadly the question of how conservatives should think about supporting families—without getting mired in 30-year-old fights about welfare. Further Reading: The Family Policy Renaissance, ExplainedIssues 2024: FamilyPutting the Money Where the Working Families AreAmong US Conservatives, the Dial Is Shifting on WelfareFinancial TimesConservatives Should Embrace Child Tax Credit ExpansionNewsweek

On this episode of Talkin’ (Policy) Shop, Oren and Chris discuss globalization—how we got here, the problems it has created, and what policymakers should do now. Drawing on our new survey (out today!), they dig into what voters think and how and why economists and policymakers are so disconnected from average Americans on this issue. Specifically, we find that: Read the full issue brief here: Issues 2024: Globalization, and read the full survey here: The American Rejection of Globalization

Oren Cass and the Heritage Foundation’s Steve Moore debate immigration and wages at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute’s American Economic Forum. The debate offers a stark illustration of the shift underway from a paradigm that celebrates cheap and plentiful labor to one that recognizes scarce labor and rising wages as drivers of productivity and prosperity has enormous implications for every facet of economic policy. Click here to watch the debate on YouTube.

On this episode of Talkin’ (Policy) Shop, Oren and Chris head to Wall Street to discuss our fourth Issues 2024 brief, exploring why 57% of GOP voters say that "Wall Street investors are getting rich doing things that weaken our economy"—and what policymakers can do to get things back on track. Financial markets have ceased to play their vital role channeling capital to productive uses. Instead, they more often take capital back out of businesses. While nearly all public companies used to be “sustainers” that both invested in their future and returned capital to shareholders, now nearly half are “eroders,” disgorging so much cash that they fail to maintain their own capital base. Some potential solutions: 1. Ban stock buybacks; 2. Impose a financial transaction tax; 3. Reform the bankruptcy process; and 4. Hold pension investors accountable. Read the full issue brief here: Issues 2024: Wall Street

On this episode of Talkin’ (Policy) Shop, we’re diving into all things industrial policy. Oren and Chris discuss our third Issues 2024 brief and the importance of a strong industrial base. In short: Making things matters. Domestic industry is vital to workers and their communities, technological and economic progress, and national security. Thanks to rapid offshoring in recent decades, America is now seeing both manufacturing output and productivity decline. Public policy that supports domestic investment is the only way to restore American industrial leadership. Read the full issue brief here: Issues 2024: Industrial Policy

On this episode of Talkin’ (Policy) Shop, Oren and Chris discuss the second brief in our Issues 2024 series. This one goes deep on worker power: why it matters for our economy, what voters think about it, and why conservative political leaders should make it a priority. Read the full issue brief here: Issues 2024: Worker Power

On this episode of Talkin’ (Policy) Shop, Oren and Chris discuss the first Issues 2024 brief on declining middle-class security in America. They cover what’s gone wrong in the American economy over the past generation, the financial pressure families are under, and what a compelling agenda on this issue would look like. Read the full issue brief here: Issues 2024: Middle-Class Security.