P.S. You’re Interesting

Jeff speaks with Anna Harvey, Professor of Politics; Affiliated Professor of Data Science and Law; Director, Public Safety Lab at NYU about research and more. Harvey's research focuses on criminal justice, policing, judicial politics, and political economy. Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter

Jeff speaks with Michael Olson, Assistant Professor of Political Science at Washington University at St. Louis about research and more. Olson's research focuses on political representation using historic and contemporary observational data. Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter

Jeff speaks with Zhao Li, Assistant Professor of Politics and Public Affairs at Princeton University. Li studies institutional and behavioral factors in donor decision making in contemporary American Politics. She recently gave a research talk at USC Price, looking at the connections between Fox News and GOP campaign rallies and finances. Recent work has looked at the interaction of finance and access in PACs. Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter

Jeffery speaks with new USC Dornsife assistant professor Miguel Pereira about research and experiments in political science. Pereira's research focuses on political representation and the behavior of political elites in established democracies, with a focus on causal inference. In addition, he shares some new research looking at responsiveness of legislators with specific policy expertise.

In this episode, Jeff speaks with Rachel VanSickle-Ward and Kevin Wallsten. In The Politics of the Pill, the two authors explore how gender has shaped contemporary debates over contraception policy in the U.S. Within historical context, they examine the impact that women and perceptions of gender roles had on media coverage, public opinion, policy formation, and legal interpretations from the deliberation of the Affordable Care Act in 2009 to the more recent Supreme Court rulings in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc. and Zubic v. Burwell. Their central argument is that representation matters: who had a voice significantly impacted policy attitudes, deliberation and outcomes. While women’s participation in the debate over birth control was limited by a lack of gender parity across institutions, women nevertheless shaped policy making on birth control in myriad and interconnected ways. Combining detailed analyses of media coverage and legislative records with data from public opinion surveys, survey experiments, elite interviews, and congressional testimony, The Politics of the Pill tells a broader story of how gender matters in American politics.

In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins speaks with Melissa Lee, Assistant Professor of Politics & International Affairs, Princeton University. They begin discussing a recent project in which Lee and co-author study the change in civic language reflecting the change in thinking about the U.S. as a collection of states to a nation. Moving from there to, they discuss possible new directions in research followed by a conversation about Lee's latest book: Crippling Leviathan: How Foreign Subversion Weakens the State. Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter

In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins speaks with Clayton Nall, Assistant Professor UCSB. Nall looks to explain how spatial policies change American politics. These discuss Nall's research on housing policy preferences and party affiliation and how building highways in the 1950s worked to build Republican suburbs (increasing the urban-suburban divide. Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter

In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins speaks with Jared Rubin, Professor in the Argyros School of Business and Economics at Chapman University. Rubin is an economic historian interested in the political and religious economies of the Middle East and Western Europe. His research focuses on historical relationships between political and religious institutions and their role in economic development. The topic at hand in this episode is political legitimacy and a hint at the Broadstreet blog. Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter

In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins speaks with Christian Fong, Assistant Professor at the University of Michigan. Fong's research focus is legislative politics. Recent work is on reciprocity in Congress questions the motivation for cooperation. They discuss recent research, Congressional leadership, as well as methodology - particularly machine learning. Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter

In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins talks with Michael Hankinson, Assistant Professor of Political Science at George Washington University. Hankinson's work focuses on how institutional spatial scale affects political behavior to undermine democratic representation. They discuss institutional scale and how institutional design can affect representation drastically. For instance the move to districts versus at large voting at the city level - what happens when neighborhoods have more power in the political process? Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter For more information, see the showpage.

In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins talks with Ryan Hübert, Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of California, Davis. Hübert's recent research has been on bias within the judicial system in the U.S. His research uses game theory, machine learning, and text analysis to study political institutions. They discuss the use of text analysis to study the judiciary and Hübert's new work using a theoretical model of behavior to look at discrimination in policing (though we think it might be a useful tool in looking at discrimination broadly!). Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter For more information, see the showpage.

In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins talks with J. Andrew Sinclair, Assistant Professor of Government, Claremont McKenna College. In his research, Sinclair is interested in relationships between voters, elected politicians, and bureaucrats. They discuss the politics of the DMV, top-two primary elections (such as those in California), and accountability in public officials. Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter

In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins talks with Seth Hill, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science UCSD. Hill studies how citizens motivate politician behavior. They discuss representation, elections, and some extras just for you!   Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter

In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins talks with Leah Stokes. Stokes, a public scholar, is also an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and affiliated with the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management and the Environmental Studies Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). They discuss the building of community on social media, being a public scholar, how politics is the barrier real work on climate change, her upcoming book, and many other things. What a time to study political science and the climate?! Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter

In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins talks with Danielle Thomsen, Assistant Professor of Political Science at UC Irvine. Her research in American Politics primarily falls into looking at Congress, parties, and gender & politics. They discuss why pipelines to primaries (and then to elected office) matter so much in terms of representation in this highly partisan era. Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter

In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins talks with a Bedrosian Faculty Affiliate, Abby K. Wood. Wood is Associate Professor of Law, Political Science and Public Policy. When she first started her career she noticed that program evaluation wasn't as robust as it could be, so she wanted to learn causal inference in order to find that balance. Her interest is in corruption and therefore  transparency. Her current work is on campaign finance, transparency, and dark money. Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter

In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins talks with Pamela Ban, Assistant Professor of Political Science at UC San Diego. Ban discusses her recent research. First, she looks at how policy outcomes might change as Congress has a bit more gender representations. Then they discuss the revolving door and lobbying - how the cool off period has affected the lobbying industry. Finally, she thinks about how to use empirical data from newspapers to think about political power.    Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter

In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins's guest is Elisabeth R. Gerber, Associate Dean for Research and Policy Engagement; Jack L. Walker, Jr. Collegiate Professor of Public Policy (UMich). They discuss the move from Political Science departments to public policy departments - how the focus has moved from theory development to theory application, and how engagement with community stakeholders outside of the university can help solve real world problems. Plus they look at some of the other questions Gerber asks in her research ... including her interest in the future of work.    Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter

When do leaders pay penalties for backing down on promises? In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins's guest is Philip Potter, Associate Professor of Politics (UVA), and the Founding Director of the National Security Policy Center. Potter's work looks at how public opinion effects foreign policy, when do policymakers have leeway, and when does public opinion constrain policy? Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter  

National Party Committees and Political Power In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins and political Boris Heersink, Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at Fordham University, look at the national party committees. What kind of power do the national committees have? What is the role of the committees, outside of the conventions? What role does the President play? Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter @jaj7d @Boris_Heersink

Democracy & Inequality of Political Influence In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins talks  economic and political inequality in democracies with Martin Gilens, Professor of Public Policy at UCLA Luskin. The degree of political influence is dramatically unequal for people within the United States, public policy can help increase democratic representation and Gilens walks us through a some history as he expresses policy options to get us to more democracy, rather than less. Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter

PS You’re Busted: How bridging silos in research & practice can impact human trafficking irl In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins talks about human trafficking with Greg DeAngelo, Associate Professor of Economic Studies at Claremont Graduate University. How does an economist get data on human trafficking, and other black market enterprises? What are the pressing questions law enforcement have that academics could help? What are the larger impacts of black market economies? How can we use technology and interdisciplinary work to capture meaningful data? Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter Showpage: https://bedrosian.usc.edu/ps/deangelo

America, Heck Yeah! Public Schools & Baseball In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins and D. Roderick (Rod) Kiewiet, Professor of Political Science at Caltech, break down the long standing myth of the equalizing force of public education. We hold the idea that public schools present Americans with equal opportunity. Kiewiet gets to the reality through public school funding in California compared to the nation.  In a related pivot, they turn to the great American pastime and look at Moneyball, data, and baseball.  Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter, @jaj7d   For more check out the showpage.

Social Network Roles in Foreign Capital and Research  In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins and Benjamin A. T. Graham, assistant professor in the School of International Relations at USC, discuss the role that migrants can play in bringing foreign capital into countries. He uses case studies from the Philippines and Georgia to get at what kinds of social networks evolve in developing countries.  Migrant affiliated firms have capabilities that other foreign forms can't match, as the social ties between the firm and local people are extremely important in getting things accomplished. Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter, @jaj7d, @SPECLabUSC, @uscpoir   Podcast production by Aubrey Hicks and Jonathan Schwartz. Sound editing by the Brothers Hedden.

Political Influence of Public Protest In this episode of the PS You’re Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins and LaGina Gause, Assistant Professor of Political Science at UC San Diego, discuss the pro-democracy (small d) results of her study on legislative responsiveness to collective action by marginalized groups. Her findings seem counterintuitive, in that the relationship between the costs faced by protesters and legislative action. "Evaluating contemporary collective action data, I find that following protest, legislators are more likely to support the interests of racial and ethnic minorities, the poor, and other groups that face greater costs to participation than they are to support groups with greater access to the political system." Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter, @jaj7d, @LaGina_Gause Podcast production by Aubrey Hicks and Jonathan Schwartz. Sound editing by the Brothers Hedden.

Creativity, Energy, and Experimentation In this episode of the P.S. You're Interesting podcast, Jeff Jenkins and Benjamin Newman, Associate Professor of Public Policy and Political Science at the UC Riverside, discuss creativity and experimentation in political science. As a young scholar, Ben was interested in figuring out why people have the opinions they have, why they vote the way they do. To answer these questions, and integrate the questions he has about the people and circumstances surrounding him, Ben is developing a set of research questions and experiments to explore his world. What worries does Ben have about the state of facts and science in the political realm? Email: bedrosian.center@usc.edu Twitter: @BedrosianCenter, @jaj7d  Podcast production by Aubrey Hicks and Jonathan Schwartz. Sound editing by the Brothers Hedden.

A quick update from our Producers:  We will use this feed, for the Our American Discourse podcast, to bring you a new series of conversations. We will change the title to PS You’re Interesting. PS will be a series of conversations on new and novel research in political science. We’re conceiving this as a way to keep Anthony’s amazing work alive, and continue on in his tradition. The Our American Discourse podcast will still live on his website and ours. So the archive of episodes will remain on all the different platforms to give other humans a chance to discover. Since you’re already a subscriber, we wanted to make sure you had a chance to check out the new series. We’ll pivot to this new conversation series with host and director of the Bedrosian center, Jeffery A. Jenkins. Jeff will be a tad more focused on political science rather than everything we do at the Price school. We hope you’ll like what we’re doing to keep this idea alive and that you’ll let us know what you think about it. Look for our first episode on September 26th. The first episode will feature Jeff in conversation with Ben Newman from UC Riverside. Ben is doing experimental work to look at discrimination in the policing of anti-immigrant hate crimes. We hope you’ll give it a listen and send in feedback! Follow us on social media: https://twitter.com/BedrosianCenter https://www.facebook.com/BedrosianCenter https://www.instagram.com/bedrosiancenter/  Email us if you have questions or ideas: bedrosian.center@usc.edu

Though we are sad to bid farewell to “Our American Discourse,” we welcome the opportunity to talk about farewells—indeed, the hardest farewells of all: those that happen after death. How do we say goodbye to the past? And what does our farewell mean for the lives gone before us and for the future that will come after them? It is time to break the “death taboo” and have one last real conversation about the one last real experience we all must confront. In this episode, David Charles Sloane tells the history of the American cemetery, and in that story, we find the evolution of our own existential approach to life, death, and beyond. For links and more, check out the showpage.

If the old saying is true that “life is a journey, not a destination,” then it stands to reason that the way we travel matters a great deal. In fact, that’s what the latest evidence has shown: Transportation choices and systems play a crucial role in our economy and our environment. You may think that your car or bike or walk or train ride is only about you, but it’s really one piece of a giant moving puzzle, in which we’re all trying to access the American dream in the same urban landscape at the same time—and that means it is imperative to do it smartly, justly, and sustainably. In this episode, Marlon G. Boarnet weighs the pros and cons of different transportation modes and shows how the infrastructure we build now will shape our quality of life for generations to come. For links and more, check out the showpage. 

Power is up for grabs in Washington. A controversial President, an unpopular Congress, and a midterm election all make 2018 a battleground for political control. Who will win? How will they do it? And what role do you play? This is story of the most consequential game ever played, and it’s told by one of the leading Congressional experts of our time. In this episode, Jeffery A. Jenkins teaches us the strategy of legislative power: who has it, how they get it, what they do with it, and why we should care. For more, check out the showpage.

Think of all the public policy problems that the government hasn’t been able to solve. Now imagine that you had a solution for one of them. The government should be interested, right? If your solution really works, they should want to invest in it. They should want to encourage you to make it happen, perhaps monetarily if possible. Well, until recently, they didn’t have many avenues to do so. Enter…“social impact bonds,” and the new system of “payment by results.” In this episode, Gary Painter walks us through some examples of these new “outcome-based” payment systems to encourage innovative risk-taking to solve wicked problems in public policy. For links and more, check out the showpage.

We’re six months away from one of the most consequential midterm elections in modern history, and Americans are fed up with Congress. Politicians have gotten a bad rap throughout history, but today’s legislators are setting record lows in approval ratings and public trust. What gives? Why do they disappoint us so often? Are they really ignoring our needs and demands, or are we misunderstanding the challenges they face? In this episode, Sarah Anderson shows that it’s a little of both: politicians don’t listen to all constituents equally, but they also can’t just snap their fingers and fulfill our wishes. For links and more, check out the showpage.

At long last, Millennials have begun buying homes. Will they ever catch up to previous generations? Or will the market continue to hold them back with high rents, lingering student debt, and opposing pressure from Baby Boomers? Believe it or not, these forces are neither inevitable nor insurmountable. There is a third way, a bridge between the generations, a new social contract that’s mutually beneficial for all…if we choose to see with enlightened eyes. In this episode, Dowell Myers questions the fate of a generation grasping at the mantle of opportunity and projects the possible future scenarios they are rapidly approaching.

It used to be that big mansions and fancy jewelry were the consummate signs of wealth, but new research shows that people are increasingly spending their wealth on less “conspicuous” forms of consumption. In today’s world, it pays more to signal your status with things like health care and education and nutrition. How did this change come about? And what does effect does it have on the rest of the population who can’t afford these new status symbols? In this episode, Elizabeth Currid-Halkett helps us walk a mile in the shoes of today’s “aspirational class” and see how they’re spending their wealth…and how it accelerates the rat race for the rest of society. Prof. Currid-Halkett is the James Irvine Chair in Urban and Regional Planning in the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California. She is the author of the new book The Sum of Small Things: A Theory of the Aspirational Class, which was named one of the best books of 2017 by The Economist.

How It’s Possible to Talk About and Improve Diversity and Inclusion Diversity and inclusion sound like universally accepted ideas, but when we try to talk about how we fall short of them and how we can improve, they become two of the most controversial political sparks in the fire that rages around our American discourse. Many people believe they can’t speak the truth in their hearts, and so they see no path forward. At the USC Price School, we have been challenging this assumption and lifting up these voices to unfurl a path that had been blocked until only recently. In this episode, LaVonna B. Lewis tells the story of this new effort, known as the Initiative on Diversity, Inclusion, and Social Justice, and she implores us to follow the Price School’s lead in our everyday lives. Prof. Lewis is a teaching professor in the Sol Price of Public Policy at the University of Southern California, where she currently serves as Director of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives. You can read more about these initiatives on the “Moving Forward” website at pricediversity.usc.edu. To listen to this episode of Our American Discourse, click the arrow in the player here. Or  download it and subscribe through ApplePodcasts, Soundcloud, Google Play,  Stitcher, or your favorite podcasting app – click the links or search “usc bedrosian.” Follow us on Twitter! @BedrosianCenter, @AnthonyWOrlando  For links and more, check out the showpage.

With Donald Trump’s approval ratings at record lows, it’s worth asking how much this one number matters…and whether the people who approve really are better represented by him than the people who don’t. If our politicians really do represent some Americans better than others, it calls into question the very foundational ideals of our representative democracy. In this episode, Brian Newman uncovers who’s represented, who’s not, and how it affects their view of government. Prof. Newman is the Frank R. Seaver Professor of Political Science at Pepperdine University and co-author of the book Minority Report: Evaluating Political Equality in America. To listen to this episode of Our American Discourse, click the arrow in the player here. Or download it and subscribe through ApplePodcasts, Soundcloud, Google Play,  Stitcher, or your favorite podcasting app – click the links or search “usc bedrosian.” Follow us on Twitter! @BedrosianCenter, @AnthonyWOrlando For links and more, check out the showpage.

We’ve been having a mistaken debate, or so it would seem based on the new book The Myth of Independence. The Federal Reserve, the nation’s central bank and most influential economic regulator, isn’t as independent as critics like Rand Paul and Bernie Sanders suggest. Congress created it, and Congress continues to shape it to the people’s will. This new perspective might just change your expectations about Fed policy and your appreciation for their delicate strategic work. In this episode, Sarah Binder discusses the historical research that led to this new thesis and helps us appreciate the interplay between two of America’s most important political institutions. Prof. Binder is a professor of political science at George Washington University and a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution. She is co-author of the new book The Myth of Independence: How Congress Governs the Federal Reserve. To listen to this episode of Our American Discourse, click the arrow in the player here. Or  download it and subscribe through ApplePodcasts, Soundcloud, Google Play,  Stitcher, or your favorite podcasting app – click the links or search “usc bedrosian.” Follow us on Twitter! @BedrosianCenter, @AnthonyWOrlando, @bindersab For further reading, check out the showpage.

Just when you thought the economy was the only good news you could count on, the stock market took a dive on the heels of Janet Yellen’s exit from the Federal Reserve. Suddenly, Americans everywhere wondered whether the volatility and uncertainty in Washington had finally caught up with the long, steady recovery stretching from those dark days in 2009. Should we be worried? Who’s looking out for the economy? And do they have a plan for the risks that await us in 2018 and beyond? In this episode, USC Price School Dean Jack H. Knott interviews Atlanta Fed President Raphael W. Bostic on the state of the economy and the forces that keep it humming along. Dean Knott is the Dean and the C. Erwin and Ione L. Piper Chair and Professor of the Sol Price School of Public Policy at the University of Southern California. Dr. Bostic is the 15th President and Chief Executive Officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. He currently serves on the Federal Reserve’s chief monetary policy body, the Federal Open Market Committee. He previously served as the Chair of the Department of Governance, Management, and Policy Process at the USC Price School. To listen to this episode of Our American Discourse, click the arrow in the player here. Or  download it and subscribe through ApplePodcasts, Soundcloud, Google Play,  Stitcher, or your favorite podcasting app – click the links or search “usc bedrosian.”  Follow us on Twitter! @BedrosianCenter, @AnthonyWOrlando, @RaphaelBostic, @AtlantaFed For links and more, check out the showpage: https://goo.gl/BeJgLU (or bedrosian.usc.edu/discourse)

A government shutdown doesn’t inspire confidence. Politicians, their parties, and the leaders of those parties all get a hefty amount of blame from the American people. But you know that Winston Churchill quote about democracy being the best system except for all the others? It turns out there’s some truth to that. With today’s guest, we ask where all this gridlock comes from, what we can really do about it, and whether politics really deserves all the blame it gets. In this episode, Thad Kousser reveals some surprising facts about the political game and some useful tips for the American electorate to play it well. Prof. Kousser is the Chair of the Department of Political Science at the University of California, San Diego. He is the co-editor of the journal Legislative Studies Quarterly. He is the author of many articles and multiple books, including the most recent edition of The Logic of American Politics. To listen to this episode of Our American Discourse, click the arrow in the player here. Or  download it and subscribe on your favorite podcasting app –search “usc bedrosian.” Follow us on Twitter! @BedrosianCenter, @AnthonyWOrlando, @ThadKousser Related Reading “Boost Turnout in Primaries By Targeting ‘November-Only Voters’” by Seth Hill & Thad Kousser “If You Want a More Powerful President Trump, Impose Term Limits on Congress” by Thad Kousser “Kingmakers or Cheerleaders? Party Power and the Causal Effects of Endorsements” by Thad Kousser, Scott Lucas, Seth E. Masket, & Eric McGhee “Get Out the Vote-by-Mail? A Randomized Field Experiment Testing the Effect of Mobilization in Traditional and Vote-by-Mail Precincts” by Kevin Arceneaux, Thad Kousser, & Megan Mullin “Does Partisan Polarization Lead to Policy Gridlock in California?” by Thad Kousser “#Calexit – Fun Hashtag, Bad Idea” by Thad Kousser

You have a choice. Will you listen to this podcast? Or will you choose one of the other millions of glittering objects clamoring for your attention? You want to know how & why we compete for your time? Let’s peak behind the curtain at the wizard and all the machinations there. In this episode, Jonathan Schwartz explains how we do what we do every time we broadcast over your smartphone—and how we fight the growing distractions and distortions that loom in the media landscape.

Our American Discourse is a small piece of a big effort. We’re not the only ones trying to raise the level of public debate in this country. Take a walk through the Price School, and you’ll see room after room of scholars who genuinely care about the public interest. Stop at the Bedrosian Center, and you’ll find the people who have taken it upon themselves to engage directly with the public. That’s where I spend most of my days on campus, and it’s where I want to take you today to meet the leader who makes it all happen…

At this very moment, wildfires rage across Southern California. These blazes are only the latest in the increasingly volatile and destructive evidence of change in our climate. There is hope. Even as the U.S. withdraws from the Paris Agreement - cities, states, and private companies are all rushing to fill the void. Sustainability is becoming a win-win-win: environmentally, socially, and financially. The question is, are we too late? In this episode, Christine Harada gives us an optimism that sustainability can prevail—and tangible proof that we can make it happen right in our own backyard.

Americans are fed up with gridlock. Congress is one of the least popular institutions in the country. So you might think the solution is for legislators to pass major legislation. But what if the solution is even more controversial than the problem? If you’ve heard of “budget reconciliation,” you probably didn’t hear unanimously good things. That’s because it’s a risky game…a fascinating, strategic game deep in the trenches of our democratic tug-of-war. In this episode, Molly E. Reynolds, fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Inst., teaches us how budget reconciliation works, where it came from, how it’s being wielded, and why you should care.

Voters have long suspected that politicians are corrupt, so much so that they’ve demanded a long list of ethics rules and anti-bribery regulations over the years. But it turns out there are still plenty of tricks left up their sleeves. The question is, do they use those tricks? Do they really have the power to enrich themselves at our expense? Today, we have a wealth of new evidence that finally answers those questions… In this episode, Jordan Carr Peterson unveils the concerning conclusions of a series of research papers that pull back the veil on the financial interests of our policymakers—and the power they wield in their own favor.

In this episode, philanthropist Nicolas Berggruen shares his vision of a progressive, cooperative future where people and technology work together to build an inclusive, intelligent society. With “populists” speaking openly about returning to the past, we found someone who’s investing real money to look forward to make a better future. For links and more details, check out the showpage.

Check out this compilation of some of the best moments in Our American Discourse history. And even if you’ve heard them all, it helps to be reminded just how much we’ve learned and how entertained we’ve been by the guests we’ve been fortunate to interview. With the holiday season just around the corner, think of this mixtape as our gift to you. https://bedrosian.usc.edu/discourse/mixtape  

What becomes of a refugee when they’re no longer a refugee? We spend so much time talking about migration caps and vetting that we seem to ignore all the Americans living amongst us, trying to acclimate to their new country after the harrowing journey from their former homeland. Would it surprise you to learn that they start their new life in substantial debt? Or that they don’t have many of the basic items they need to live, let alone feel like a human being? Wouldn’t you like to know how you can help? In this episode, Miry Whitehill tells us the inspirational story of how she started helping these former refugee families—and how she created an easy way for you to help them too. She created MirysList.org. For links and further reading, check out the episode page here.

To some, it represents the highest ideals of our society. To others, it is a symbol of unfulfilled potential at best, outright oppression at worst. Are we referring to the American flag? Or to American sports? This debate is about more than one athlete or one gesture. It is about an institution, a system of competition, dominance, and deeply ingrained beliefs. In this episode, we examine this balance of power—and the protestors who are trying to change it. In front of a live audience at USC, Prof. Jody David Armour interviews ESPN writer Jason Reid about Colin Kaepernick, political activism, and being black in America. For links to some of the things we talk about and bios of our guests, click here.

In Imperial County, just outside San Diego, 5.5 percent of teenage girls become pregnant every year. Twice the rate in the rest of California. Why is teen pregnancy so rampant here, when it’s been declining to record lows statewide? And why has it received so little attention? My guest solved both of these mysteries. What she found will make you rethink everything you thought you knew about women’s health care—and the politics that determine whether it’s accessible for all. In this episode, inspirational speaker and social work professor Melissa Bird brings us face-to-face with American women who form the very bedrock of their communities—and their incredible, invisible struggle to take care of themselves.

Do you think politics is only for the elites? It’s for the rich and powerful. It isn’t for people who look like you or talk like you or live like you.    Well, that may be the world we’ve constructed, but it’s not inevitable. You deserve better. Still not convinced? Good, then this episode is for you.    In this episode, inspirational speaker and social work professor Melissa Bird knocks down the misconceptions that marginalize us and shows us how to develop the attitude to take on the injustices in our nation today.

Housing is local, but money is global. What is the best way to allocate our resources toward housing affordability? How far are we from that goal? How do we even agree on what affordability means? In this episode, our resident housing finance expert Richard K. Green will walk us step-by-step through these winding routes we’ve constructed to access the American dream.