Defending Ideas22 Heinä 2025

Rethinking charity to provide dignity over dependency | James Whitford

America is a compassionate country. But what if the way we’ve been “helping” those in poverty actually makes things worse?

On this episode, host Nic Dunn sits down with James Whitford, founder and executive director of True Charity and Watered Gardens Ministries, and author of “The Crisis of Dependency: How Our Efforts to Solve Poverty Are Trapping People in It, and What We Can Do to Foster Freedom Instead.”

They explore the unintended consequences of well-meaning welfare programs and handout-style charity, discussing how both public assistance and private aid can unintentionally foster dependency — and why restoring dignity, emphasizing work, and leaning on local solutions rooted in the principle of subsidiarity could offer a better path forward. With real-life stories, policy insights, and a vision to supercharge civil society, this conversation invites listeners to rethink poverty, charity, and the American dream.

Show notes:

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.

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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Jaksot(152)

The U.S. needs a new safety net | Angela Rachidi

Congress is considering a major anti-poverty reform: giving states more flexibility to redesign welfare and social safety net programs.In this episode, AEI Senior Fellow Angela Rachidi joins host Nic ...

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The roadmap to restore trust in elections | Matthew Weil & Derek Monson

Election integrity is back in the headlines. But beneath the political arguments lies a more important question: what actually builds trust in elections? On this episode of Defending Ideas, Nic Dunn i...

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Rebuilding trust in America's elections | Ben Ginsberg & Bill Duncan

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What the Declaration of Independence still teaches us | Jay Lapeyre & Lawson Bader

As America marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, an important question remains: what do the nation’s founding principles have to say about the challenges we face today? On th...

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Can a return to federalism fix our politics? | Rep. Ken Ivory & Rep. Jennifer Dailey-Provost

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26 Touko 56min

Who should protect kids online? | Joel Thayer & Chris Marchese

As lawmakers debate how to protect children online, a major legal and constitutional question is emerging: should app stores be required to verify users’ ages and involve parents before minors downloa...

19 Touko 57min

Are we thinking about AI the wrong way? | Bennett Borden

Many conversations about artificial intelligence focus on fear, risk, and worst-case scenarios. But what if we’re asking the wrong questions? Host Nic Dunn is joined by Bennett Borden, founder and CEO...

12 Touko 43min

Is the Supreme Court as political as we think? | Sarah Isgur

The U.S. Supreme Court is often portrayed as just another political battleground. But that is a fundamental misunderstanding of its role.On this episode of Defending Ideas, Nic Dunn speaks with Sarah ...

5 Touko 43min