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Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, by equipping listeners to become more...
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Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, by equipping listeners to become more effective champions of sound principle and good policy. Visit defendingideas.org.
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Episodios & Posts
Episodios
Posts
10 MAR. 2026 · America’s safety net is meant to help families get back on their feet. But too often, it does the opposite by discouraging work and earnings due to benefit cliffs.
On this episode of Defending Ideas, host https://sutherlandinstitute.org/nic-dunn/ sits down with U.S. Senator from Ohio, https://www.husted.senate.gov, and U.S. Representative from Utah, https://blakemoore.house.gov, to discuss their https://www.husted.senate.gov/media/press-releases/husted-leads-bill-to-reform-welfare-eliminate-benefits-cliff-and-pave-path-for-families-to-pursue-economic-opportunities/: https://blakemoore.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-blake-moore-introduces-legislation-to-empower-states-to-end-benefits-cliffs.
This new bipartisan proposal would allow a group of states to pilot innovative reforms that combine multiple anti‑poverty programs and gradually phase out benefits as earnings increase. The goal: help families transition from government assistance to work‑based self‑reliance without falling off a financial cliff.
Show notes:
- https://www.husted.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/FINAL-One-Pager-Senator-Jon-Husted-Upward-Mobiltiy-Act-One-Pager.pdf
- https://sutherlandinstitute.org/let-states-fix-the-welfare-system-that-washington-broke/
- https://sutherlandinstitute.org/reports/strengthening-the-american-dream/ 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 http://defendingideas.org/
3 MAR. 2026 · Open enrollment is one of the most overlooked forms of school choice in America. While debates often focus on private school vouchers or charter expansion, families in many states already have the ability to choose among public schools — at least in theory.
On this episode, host https://sutherlandinstitute.org/nic-dunn/ is joined by https://sutherlandinstitute.org/christine-cooke-fairbanks/, Sutherland's education policy fellow, and https://reason.org/author/jude-schwalbach/, Reason Foundation's senior policy analyst, as they examine how open enrollment works, where it falls short, and why transparency and consistent implementation matter. They discuss the barriers families face, the policy gaps between states, and what meaningful reform would require to truly put parents in the driver’s seat of public education. 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 http://defendingideas.org/
24 FEB. 2026 · According to some estimates, America spends nearly $1.5 trillion each year across 114 federal programs designed to fight poverty and support vulnerable families. So why do so many families remain stuck?
On this episode of Defending Ideas, https://sutherlandinstitute.org/nic-dunn/ sits down with https://www.tn.gov/humanservices/dhs-commissioner.html, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Human Services and author of "https://www.amazon.com/Our-Net-Holes-Clarence-Carter/dp/B0G2K5B7ZK," for an inside look at America’s social safety net from someone who has spent more than three decades administering it at the federal, state, and local levels.
Carter argues that the core problem isn’t a lack of compassion or funding — it’s a lack of shared vision. Instead of orienting public benefits around America’s founding ideal of freedom, the system has become a maze of disconnected programs that too often trap families through benefit cliffs, perverse incentives, and bureaucratic complexity. As Carter puts it, the safety net should not merely deliver benefits — it should expand human freedom and help families move toward work-based self-reliance.
The conversation explores comprehensive reform, state-led innovation, the Upward Mobility Act, and why empowering states to test integrated solutions may be the most realistic path forward. 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 http://defendingideas.org/
17 FEB. 2026 · Utah’s literacy rates have become a statewide priority — and for good reason. In this episode of Defending Ideas, https://sutherlandinstitute.org/nic-dunn/ and Sutherland's education expert https://sutherlandinstitute.org/christine-cooke-fairbanks/ sit down with https://gardner.utah.edu/people/andrea-brandley/, senior education analyst at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolyn-sharette-a8501a33/, president of American Preparatory Schools, and https://slc.americanheritageschool.org/our_team/leland-anderson, principal of American Heritage School’s Salt Lake City campus.
Together, they examine new research showing that only half of Utah's third graders read on grade level, discuss why literacy is foundational to long-term opportunity and self-government, and explore the reforms lawmakers are considering this legislative session. They also highlight bright spots across Utah’s education landscape and consider how education choice — public, charter, private, and home-based learning — can help drive the innovation and individualized support students need to read well, early, and with confidence.
Show notes:
- https://d36oiwf74r1rap.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/EarlyLiteracy-Jan2026-Final.pdf
- https://sutherlandinstitute.org/improving-literacy-through-education-choice/ 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 http://defendingideas.org/
10 FEB. 2026 · Pres. Donald Trump's recent call to nationalize elections has reignited debates about election security, federal power, and the proper role of states. This week, https://sutherlandinstitute.org/nic-dunn/ sits down with Sutherland Institute's https://sutherlandinstitute.org/derek-monson/ to discuss why the Constitution clearly states that election policy is primarily a state matter, and how that actually makes voting more secure. They also explore multiple bills the Utah State Legislature is considering that could reform voting and election policy in the state.
Show notes:
- https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-urges-republicans-nationalize-voting/story?id=129793658
- https://sutherlandinstitute.org/elections/ 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 http://defendingideas.org/
3 FEB. 2026 · A new national report ranks all 50 states on upward mobility — and Utah comes out on top. In this episode of Defending Ideas, https://sutherlandinstitute.org/nic-dunn/ sits down with https://www.archbridgeinstitute.org Chief Economist https://www.archbridgeinstitute.org/justin-callais/ to unpack what upward mobility really looks like, why states play a decisive role, and what policymakers can learn from the states that are getting it right.
Show Notes:
- https://www.archbridgeinstitute.org/social-mobility-in-the-50-states/
- https://sutherlandinstitute.org/let-states-lead-on-welfare-reform/
- https://sutherlandinstitute.org/let-states-fix-the-welfare-system-that-washington-broke/ 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 http://defendingideas.org/
27 ENE. 2026 · With Utah's legislative session underway, lawmakers are weighing major questions about religious freedom, judicial authority, and the proper balance of power between states and the federal government.
In this episode of Defending Ideas, https://sutherlandinstitute.org/nic-dunn/ is joined by Sutherland's constitutional law and religious freedom fellow, https://sutherlandinstitute.org/william-c-duncan/, to preview the key bills driving these debates. Their conversation explores how courts impact public policy, where legislative authority begins and ends, and how federalism can protect pluralism in a diverse society. Along the way, they examine what these proposals mean for religious liberty, democratic accountability, and self-government in Utah. 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 http://defendingideas.org/
20 ENE. 2026 · Utah’s 2026 legislative session is shaping up to be one of the most consequential for education in recent years.
In this episode of Defending Ideas, host https://sutherlandinstitute.org/nic-dunn/ is joined by Sutherland's https://sutherlandinstitute.org/christine-cooke-fairbanks/ to break down the biggest education debates lawmakers are preparing to take on, from classroom technology and literacy policy to school choice, accountability, and the evolving role of state leadership in education.
The conversation offers a clear look at what’s driving these proposals, where tensions are emerging, and what the outcomes could mean for students, parents, and educators across Utah as the session approaches.
Show notes:
- https://sutherlandinstitute.org/utahs-2026-education-legislative-priorities/ 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 http://defendingideas.org/
13 ENE. 2026 · Nearly one in three Americans now say they have no religious affiliation — but that doesn't mean they've rejected religion outright.
On this episode of Defending Ideas, https://sutherlandinstitute.org/nic-dunn/ talks with AEI Senior Fellow and Sutherland Institute Visiting Scholar https://sutherlandinstitute.org/our-team/sam-abrams/, Sutherland's https://sutherlandinstitute.org/william-c-duncan/, and https://www.linkedin.com/in/dallsop/ from Heart+Mind Strategies to explore groundbreaking new survey data on America's "religious nones."
The findings challenge common assumptions: when people are exposed to clear, factual information about religion's civic contributions, attitudes shift — sometimes dramatically. What does this mean for religious freedom, persuasion, and the future role of faith in public life? And how should leaders talk about religion in a secular age?
This conversation offers a hopeful roadmap for principled persuasion in a polarized world.
Show notes:
- https://sutherlandinstitute.org/reports/religion-in-a-secular-age/ 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 http://defendingideas.org/
6 ENE. 2026 · Is the federal government equipped to manage America’s safety net? In this episode of Defending Ideas, host https://sutherlandinstitute.org/nic-dunn/ sits down with https://spn.org/staff/tony-woodlief/, senior executive vice president for State Policy Network and senior fellow for the https://www.centerforpracticalfederalism.org. They examine whether Washington, D.C. is failing low-income families — and whether states are better positioned to deliver effective, accountable support. The conversation focuses on the design and performance of major safety-net programs like SNAP, the tradeoffs between centralized control and state flexibility, and how federalism could lead to better outcomes for the people these programs are meant to serve. Along the way, they discuss incentives, work, accountability, and what meaningful safety-net reform could look like in practice.
Show Notes:
- https://allianceforopportunity.com/federal-snap-match-what-states-should-know/?utm_
- https://sutherlandinstitute.org/work-and-opportunity/ 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 http://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, by equipping listeners to become more...
mostra más
Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, by equipping listeners to become more effective champions of sound principle and good policy. Visit defendingideas.org.
mostra menos
Información
| Autor | Sutherland Institute |
| Organización | Sutherland Institute |
| Categorías | Política , Sin fines de lucro , Cultura y sociedad |
| Página web | defendingideas.org |
| comms@sifreedom.org |
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