Banter: An AEI Podcast

For the full episode, search and subscribe to "One on One with Robert Doar" wherever you get your podcasts!Jonah Goldberg joins Robert to talk about the transformation of the American political and media landscape in recent years. They discuss ideological realignments on the right, media bias, and the importance of character in the presidential election.Jonah is a senior fellow and the Asness Chair in Applied Liberty at AEI. His work focuses on political and cultural issues, and he is concurrently the editor-in-chief of the Dispatch and host of the podcast The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg. Read his recent writing on the political implications of immigration, presidential debates, and Donald Trump's conviction.

For the full episode - subscribe to One on One with Robert Doar wherever you get your podcasts.Dan Cox joins Robert to talk about the growing divide between Generation Z men and women. They discuss the corrosive effects of social media, declining interest in relationships and marriage, and the potential effects on the 2024 election of increasing gender-based political polarization. Dan is the Director of the Survey Center for American Life at AEI. His work focuses on public opinion and survey research on topics such as religion, social capital, and generational divides.Read his recent research on Generation Z, declining trust in experts, and political coalitions.

In this episode of "One on One with Robert Doar", Yuval Levin joins Robert to analyze social cohesion in America, Trumpism, realignment on the right, and the loss of trust in elites.Yuval is the AEI Director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies and Editor in Chief, National Affairs. His work focuses on constitutionalism and American institutions.Subscribe to "One on One with Robert Doar" today!

Tune in to the same great podcast you already enjoy – now faster and with more in-depth interviews!"One on One with Robert Doar" is the newest AEI podcast that provides exclusive access to in-depth discussions on pressing policy issues. Dive into stimulating conversations with AEI's foremost experts that will challenge political preconceptions, explore innovative ideas, and shape our world.

Adam White joins Phoebe and Robert to analyze the recent Supreme Court rulings concerning affirmative action, student loan forgiveness, the independent state legislature theory, and congressional redistricting.Adam is a senior fellow at AEI, where he focuses on the Supreme Court, the administrative state, and American constitutionalism. He also codirects the Antonin Scalia Law School's C. Boyden Gray Center for the Study of the Administrative StateCheck out his recent piece about the Roberts Court mentioned in this episode.

Derek Scissors joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss decoupling from China, a weakening Chinese economy, upcoming Taiwanese elections, and US-India economic policy.Derek is a senior fellow at AEI, where he focuses on the Chinese and Indian economies and on US economic relations with Asia. He is concurrently the chief economist of the China Beige Book.Check out his recent work on a New China Playbook.Read the recent working paper by Jesús Fernández-Villaverde mentioned in this episode.

Rick Hess joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss school choice, parental involvement, the impact of COVID, and higher education.Rick is a senior fellow and the director of education policy studies at AEI, where he works on K–12 and higher education issues. He is also an executive editor of Education Next, and a Forbes senior contributor. He is the founder and chairman of AEI's Conservative Education Reform Network (CERN).His new book, "The Great School Rethink", is available for purchase now.

Philip Wallach joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss the debt ceiling debate, congressional reform, elections, and the history of Congress.Philip is a senior fellow at AEI where he studies America's separation of powers, with a focus on regulatory policy issues and the relationship between Congress and the administrative state. His new book, "Why Congress" is available for purchase now.

John P. Bailey joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, and the future of technology.John is a nonresident senior fellow at AEI. His experience has spanned government, philanthropy, and the private sector working on a range of issues including technology, the future of work, and economic mobility.

Andrew Biggs is a senior fellow at the AEI, where he studies Social Security reform, pensions, and public sector pay and benefits.Andrew joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss Social Security solvency, privatizing Social Security, introducing minimum benefits, and implementing mandatory retirement-plan coverage and participation.

Zack Cooper is a senior fellow at AEI, where he studies US defense strategy in Asia, including alliance dynamics and US-China competition. He also teaches at Princeton University and cohosts the Net Assessment podcast for War on the Rocks.Zack joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss A New China Playbook, the defense of Taiwan, and the Russia-Ukraine War.

Scott Winship is a senior fellow and the director of the Center on Opportunity and Social Mobility at the AEI, where he researches social mobility and poverty. Scott joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss poverty alleviation, upward mobility, workforce participation, and the child tax credit.

Dr. Brian Miller is a nonresident fellow at the AEI, where he focuses on Medicare payment policy, FDA regulatory policy, healthcare competition policy, veterans' health, and public health policy. Brian joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss hospital consolidation, patient care, CDC reform, and medical coverage.

Matt Weidinger is a senior fellow and Rowe Scholar in poverty studies at AEI, where his work is focused on safety-net policies. Matt previously served as the deputy staff director of the House Committee on Ways and Means and as the longtime staff director of its Subcommittee on Human Resources.Matt joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss the child tax credit, safety-net programs, and unemployment insurance.

Paul Ryan, who previously served as Speaker of the US House of Representatives, is a distinguished visiting fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). His recently released book, American Renewal, offers solutions to renew America's social contract and place our government programs on strong fiscal footing.Paul joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss digital currency, politics, tax reform, and Social Security.

Ruy Teixeira is a Nonresident Senior Fellow at AEI, where he studies political demography, voter turnout, American electoral politics, and party coalitions. Ruy is the editor of the AEI Elections and Demography Project which focuses on demographic voting patterns during the 2022 election.Ruy joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss the 2022 midterms, demographic shifts, and the future of political parties.

James C. Capretta is a senior fellow and holds the Milton Friedman Chair at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he studies health care, entitlement programs, and fiscal trends in advanced economies. His latest book, https://www.aei.org/research-products/book/us-health-policy-and-market-reforms-an-introduction/ (US Health Policy and Market Reforms), was released in September. James joined Phoebe and Robert to discuss Medicare, price transparency, and employer-sponsored health insurance.

Chris Miller is a Jeane Kirkpatrick Visiting Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on Russian foreign policy, politics, and economics. His new book, Chip War: The Fight for the World's Most Critical Technology, is available for purchase now. Chris joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss semiconductors, the geopolitics of technology, and the Russian-Ukraine War. Order Chip War here: https://www.amazon.com/Chip-War-Worlds-Critical-Technology/dp/1982172002/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= (https://www.amazon.com/Chip-War-Worlds-Critical-Technology/dp/1982172002/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= )

Marc Thiessen is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) where he studies and writes about American presidential leadership and counterterrorism. He is a columnist for The Washington Post and a regular contributor to Fox News. Marc joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss partisan media, War in Ukraine, the Afghanistan withdrawal, and the midterm elections.

Paul Kupiec is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he studies systemic risk and the management and regulations of banks and financial markets. He also follows the work of financial regulators such as the Federal Reserve and examines the impact of financial regulations on the US economy. Paul Kupiec joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss inflation, financial regulation, mandating ESG investing, and cryptocurrency.

Steven Koonin is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on climate science and energy policies. From 2009 to 2011, Dr. Koonin served as the under secretary for science at the US Department of Energy, where as the chief scientific officer, he coordinated and oversaw research across the department.  Steven Koonin joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss Biden's climate agenda, recent heat waves, and developing energy solutions.

Adam White is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on American constitutionalism, the Supreme Court, and the administrative state. Concurrently, he codirects the C. Boyden Gray Center for the Study of the Administrative State at the Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University. Adam White joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss the SCOTUS decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization and the advancement of the "major questions" doctrine.

Edward Pinto is a senior fellow and the director of the AEI Housing Center at the American Enterprise Institute. He is currently researching how to increase the entry-level housing supply for first-time buyers and renters who earn hourly wages, as well as examining the current house price boom that began in 2012. This continues his previous work on the role of federal housing policy in the 2008 mortgage and financial crisis. Edward joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss the housing market, housing finance, and racial bias in home appraisals.

Benedic Ippolito is a senior fellow in economic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, where his research focuses on public finance and health economics. He studies health care financing, the pharmaceutical market and its regulations, and the effect of health care costs on the personal finances of Americans. Ben joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss drug pricing, medical debt, surprise medical billing, and his work with the legislative branch.

John Yoo is a nonresident senior fellow at AEI. He has worked in all three branches of government, notably as an official in the US Department of Justice, where he worked on national security and terrorism after the September 11 attacks. He also served as general counsel of the US Senate Judiciary Committee and he was a law clerk for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. John joins Robert and Phoebe at the Old Parkland Conference to discuss the Supreme Court leak, his time working for Justice Thomas, and his advice to Vice President Pence on certifying the 2020 election results.

Ian Rowe is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on education and upward mobility, family formation, and adoption. In his new book https://www.thefreeframework.com (“Agency” (Templeton Press, May 2022),) Ian Rowe seeks to inspire young people of all races to build strong families and become masters of their own destiny. Ian joins Phoebe and Robert for a special Banter episode at the Old Parkland Conference in Dallas. He discusses the historic roots of the conference, his F.R.E.E. framework, and Black conservatism in America. You can learn more about the Old Parkland Conference https://www.aei.org/about-old-parkland-conference/ (here).

Matt Continetti is a Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where his work is focused on American political thought and history, specifically focusing on the development of the Republican party and the American conservative movement in the 20th Century. Matt joins Robert and Phoebe on the podcast this week to discuss his new book, "The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism" (Basic Books 2022). Matt and our hosts dive into significant figures on the Right, past and present, and the conservative movement's historic successes and tensions. You can learn more about the book https://www.the-right-book.com (here).

Jason Blessing is a Jeane Kirkpatrick Visiting Research Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on cybersecurity, military cyber forces, military technological transformation and force structure, US cyber defense policy including civilian-military dynamics in cyberspace, and cyber defense agreements. Jason joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss cybersecurity and intelligence in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war. He explains the role of the NSA and Cyber Command in maintaining cybersecurity and countering cyber warfare, and the role of General Nakasone. He also analyzes what cyber warfare we have and haven't seen since Russia invaded Ukraine.

James W. Coleman is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on energy policy, including energy commodity, transport, and trade and markets regulation. He is concurrently the Robert G. Storey Distinguished Faculty Fellow and Professor of Law at Southern Methodist University. James joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss the recent increase in gas prices and energy independence and security after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He explains how increased regulatory requirements and climate policy are impacting today's energy insecurity.

Chris Miller is a Jeane Kirkpatrick Visiting Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he focuses on Russian foreign policy, politics, and economics; Russia and Ukraine; Russian-European relations; and Eurasia. He also focuses on semiconductors and the geopolitics of technology. Chris joins Robert and Phoebe this week to discuss sanctions, the Russian perception of Putin, and what comes next in Russia's war with Ukraine.

Brad Wilcox is a nonresident senior fellow at the AEI, where his research explores the links between family and the economy at home and abroad. Brad joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss the state of the American family, marriage and birth rates, and how both the government and society at large can promote two-parent families.

Desmond Lachman is a Senior Fellow at AEI. He joined AEI after serving as a managing director and chief emerging market economic strategist at Salomon Smith Barney. He previously served as deputy director in the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Policy Development and Review Department. At AEI, Mr. Lachman is focused on the global macroeconomy, global currency issues, and the multilateral lending agencies. This week, Desmond joins Robert and Phoebe to discuss how record-level pandemic spending led to the highest inflation numbers in decades. He explains what we can expect in the next year, and the steps the Fed take to avoid a hard economic landing.

Dr. Leon Aron is a Senior Fellow at AEI, where he studies Russian domestic and foreign policy, US-Russia relations, and the economic, social, and cultural aspects of Russia's post-Soviet evolution. This week, he joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss Soviet leaders, the psychology behind Putin's brinkmanship, and today's Russia/Ukraine conflict.

Diana J. Schaub is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where her work is focused on American political thought and history, particularly Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, African American political thought, Montesquieu, and the relevance of core American ideals to contemporary challenges and debates. This week, Diana joins Robert and Phoebe to talk about her new book, https://www.aei.org/research-products/book/his-greatest-speeches/ (Lincoln's Greatest Speeches). Tune in for a lively discussion on the morality of America's founding and how Lincoln's greatest speeches are still relevant today.

Klon Kitchen is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI), where he focuses on the intersection of national security and defense technologies and innovation. Through his research, he works to understand and explain how emerging technologies are shaping modern statecraft, intelligence, and warfighting, while focusing on cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, robotics, and quantum sciences. Back from the break, Klon joins Phoebe and Robert for a discussion on topics ranging from Big Tech, cybersecurity, and China to TikTok and the NBA. Stay tuned to the end for a special announcement from Chris Scalia, Director of AEI's Academic Programs.

Mark Jamison is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he works on how technology affects the economy, and on telecommunications and Federal Communications Commission issues. Dr. Jamison has served on the FCC transition team for President-elect Trump, as a special adviser to the chair of the governor of Florida's internet task force, and as president of the Transportation and Public Utilities Group. This week, Mark joins Phoebe and Robert to delve into current antitrust debates and how they impact big tech and telecommunications platforms.

Oriana Skylar Mastro is a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where she focuses on Chinese military and security policy in the Asia-Pacific and rising power challenges to the international order. She also serves in the United States Air Force Reserve as a strategic planner at US Indo-Pacific Command. Oriana joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss her service in the Air Force, US military readiness in the Asia-Pacific and global attitudes towards a Chinese invasion of Taiwan.

Yuval Levin is a senior fellow and the director of social, cultural, and constitutional studies at the American Enterprise Institute, where he also holds the Beth and Ravenel Curry Chair in Public Policy. Yuval joins Robert and Phoebe to discuss the state of America's institutions, the constitutional roles of Congress and the courts, and the integrity of our elections. 

Naomi Schaefer Riley is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where she focuses on child welfare and foster care issues. Her work analyzes the role of faith-based, civic, and community organizations in changing the foster care and adoption services landscape. This week, Naomi joins Robert and Phoebe to discuss her new book, No Way to Treat a Child, in which she argues that the American child welfare system is bent towards protecting adults, rather than children.

Elisabeth Braw is a resident fellow at AEI where she focuses on defense against new and emerging threats, particularly those that do not meet the definition of conventional military force. She joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss the tools and technologies that governments and criminals can use to attack America and our allies without firing a shot.

Kori Schake is a senior fellow and the director of foreign and defense policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). She joins Phoebe and Robert to discuss US defense spending and how to maintain healthy civil-military relations after the turmoil of the Trump years. Stay tuned until the end, when Phoebe asks Kori about her thoughts on the US' disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. Learn more from AEI scholars on Afghanistan https://www.aei.org/tag/afghanistan/ (here).

Chris Stirewalt is a resident fellow at AEI, where he focuses on American politics, voting trends, public opinion, and the media. Before joining AEI, he was political editor of Fox News Channel. This week, Chris joins Robert and Phoebe to delve into the current state of American journalism, media's effect on the electorate and the Republican party after Trump.