Defending Ideas

What if many of the challenges American society is facing today – declining happiness, "deaths of despair," eroding civic engagement, insufficient upward mobility – all tie back to one major instituti...

13 Feb 202449min

Utah could strengthen religious freedom protections in a significant way during the current legislative session, with the passage of a state version of a "religious freedom restoration act." Sen. Todd...

6 Feb 202444min

What are the right ingredients for creating the best chance of upward mobility for the most people? Policy experts and elected officials trying to reduce poverty have asked versions of this question f...

30 Jan 202453min

Sixty years ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson launched America's "War on Poverty." The goal? To equip Americans stuck in poverty with the tools to achieve success. If we fast forward to 2024, we might ...

23 Jan 202446min

Is work a punishment or a blessing? This question is often at the heart of debates about how to help people striving to get out of poverty as well as discussions on the role of things like work requir...

16 Jan 202450min

Are you better off today than you were four years ago? This is a common question voters hear from candidates during an election year. But on this episode, two economists ask that question, then try to...

9 Jan 202444min

As the policy implications of intact families gain traction in public debate, one positive impact of healthy marriages and strong families often gets ignored: civic engagement. This week, guest Brando...

2 Jan 202444min

Public discussions of "the good life" usually center on things like a quality job, decent pay and other benefits that are primarily material. But what if – as a society – we're missing the things that...

19 Des 202348min