Defending Ideas
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America has a community problem. Here’s why it matters | Michael Tanner
On this episode of Defending Ideas, Michael Tanner, Senior Fellow at FREOPP, joins host Nic Dunn to explain why civil society is so important and why its decline should concern all Americans.
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Can states lead the next welfare reform movement? | Daniel Erspamer
On this episode of Defending Ideas, host Nic Dunn talks with Daniel J. Erspamer, CEO of the Pelican Institute, about Louisiana’s effort to create a “One Door to Work” model, bringing safety net and workforce programs together around a common…
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Can the states fix what Washington can’t? | Sen. John Curtis
Could giving states more freedom to experiment help America find better answers to our toughest challenges? On this episode of Defending Ideas, Sen. John Curtis of Utah joins host Nic Dunn to discuss how state-level experimentation can lead to better policy…
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The Next Welfare Reform: Paul Ryan on Work, Technology, and RISE Pilots
Speaker Ryan and host Nic Dunn examine RISE pilots, a state-led approach that tests whether combining multiple welfare benefits into a single, trackable monthly payment can simplify the social safety net, improve work incentives, and help families move out of…
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The hidden problem with America’s safety net | Erine Gray
Erine Gray shares the personal experiences that led him to build Findhelp, what he learned working inside Texas’ public-benefits system during the financial crisis, and why he believes AI, better data, and greater coordination could make the safety net more…
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Why America needs a principled center-right | Todd Weiler
They discuss the future of the conservative movement, the importance of principled and evidence-based policymaking, and why states may be better positioned than Washington, D.C., to tackle some of America’s biggest challenges by bringing policymaking closer to the people it…
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Why our children need more education choices | Shaka Mitchell & Christine Cooke Fairbanks
They discuss how parents have driven recent reforms, the legal and political challenges facing education choice programs, the new federal education freedom tax credit, and how policymakers can build an education system that serves children rather than forcing every kid…
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Should county clerks be nonpartisan? | Kevin Johnson & Brian McKenzie
They explore the unique role of election administrators, the political pressures they can face, and whether removing party labels could strengthen public confidence in elections.
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How the federal government keeps expanding its power | Kevin Williamson & Bill Duncan
They discuss regulatory “dark matter,” the decline of congressional responsibility, practical examples of federal agencies pressuring states, and how federalism, transparency, and a renewed commitment to separation of powers could help rein in Washington’s influence.
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Understanding the Supreme Court’s biggest decisions in 2026 | Dr. Matthew Brogdon & Bill Duncan
Brogdon and Duncan explain why many popular interpretations you see online often fall short, and how we should be thinking about these cases instead.