Defending Ideas

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 download apps?   On this episode of Defending Ideas, Nic Dunn is joined by Joel Thayer, president of the Digital Progress Institute , Chris Marchese, founder and co-director of the NetChoice Litigation Cente...

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 of Clarion AI Partners, along with Sutherland Institute's Derek Monson , to explore how AI is already positively affecting health care, education, government, and family life. Their conversation exa...

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 Isgur about her new book, Last Branch Standing: A Potentially Surprising, Occasionally Witty Journey Inside Today's Supreme Court . They cover how the Court actually works and why it doesn’t fit neat...

America’s safety net wasn’t designed all at once. It was built piece by piece over decades, and that may be part of the problem. On this episode of Defending Ideas, Nic Dunn asks what real progress in social welfare reform should look like and whether it’s time to rethink the system from the ground up. He explores how benefit cliffs and program fragmentation can hold families back, why states like...

America’s safety net is designed to help people in times of need. But what happens after that initial help is provided? On this episode of Defending Ideas, host Nic Dunn is joined by Aly Rau Brodsky , executive vice president and chief strategy officer at the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity , to explore how states can improve upward mobility and better support families. Their conversa...

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, many political debates feel increasingly focused on personalities, parties, and division rather than principles. On this episode of Defending Ideas, host Nic Dunn is joined by Josh Lewis , host of the Saving Elephants podcast, to discuss how to bring principled thinking back to the center of American political life. Their conversation explores the role...

Political debates today often feel more like battles than conversations. But what if the deeper problem in our disagreements is that we have forgotten how persuasion actually works?  On this episode of Defending Ideas, host Nic Dunn is joined by Josh Bandoch , author of How to Get What You Want: Mastering the Art and Science of Persuasion, to examine why political culture has become so polarized a...

Conservatism is facing a defining moment. As debates over government power, political personalities, federalism, and first principles move to the center of public life, a fundamental question is emerging: what exactly should conservatism be trying to conserve? On this episode of Defending Ideas, host Nic Dunn is joined by Donald Bryson , president and CEO of the John Locke Foundation , to examine...

Family policy debates often focus on affordability, housing, or cultural change. But a deeper question is emerging: do young people still believe family life is even possible? On this episode of Defending Ideas, host Nic Dunn is joined by Francesco Di Lillo, director of the European Union and International Affairs Office for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Derek Monson, Suther...

Artificial intelligence is advancing rapidly, but who should shape how it develops? On this episode of Defending Ideas, host Nic Dunn speaks with Medlir Mema , director of the AI Ethics and Governance Institute, and Sutherland's  Derek Monson , about what it means to build AI that promotes human flourishing. Their conversation explores the ethical questions surrounding AI, the role of civil societ...

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 Nic Dunn sits down with U.S. Senator from Ohio, Jon Husted , and U.S. Representative from Utah, Blake Moore , to discuss their new legislation : The Upward Mobility Act .   This new bipartisan pr...

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 Nic Dunn is joined by Christine Cooke Fairbanks , Sutherland's education policy fellow, and Jude Schwalbach , Reason Fou...

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 , Nic Dunn sits down with Clarence H. Carter , commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Human Services and author of " Our Net Has Holes in It ," for an insid...

Utah’s literacy rates have become a statewide priority — and for good reason. In this episode of Defending Ideas , Nic Dunn and Sutherland's education expert Christine Cooke Fairbanks sit down with Andrea Brandley , senior education analyst at the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, Carolyn Sharette , president of American Preparatory Schools, and Leland Anderson , principal of American Heritage Scho...

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, Nic Dunn sits down with Sutherland Institute's 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...

A new national report ranks all 50 states on upward mobility — and Utah comes out on top. In this episode of Defending Ideas , Nic Dunn sits down with Archbridge Institute Chief Economist 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: Social Mobility in the 50 S...

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, Nic Dunn is joined by Sutherland's constitutional law and religious freedom fellow, Bill Duncan , to preview the key bills driving these debates. Their conversati...

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 Nic Dunn is joined by Sutherland's 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 o...

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 , Nic Dunn talks with AEI Senior Fellow and Sutherland Institute Visiting Scholar Sam Abrams , Sutherland's Bill Duncan , and Dee Allsop from Heart+Mind Strategies to explore groundbreaking new survey data on America's "religious no...

Is the federal government equipped to manage America’s safety net? In this episode of Defending Ideas, host Nic Dunn sits down with Tony Woodlief , senior executive vice president for State Policy Network and senior fellow for the Center for Practical Federalism . They examine whether Washington, D.C. is failing low-income families — and whether states are better positioned to deliver effective, a...

There's a growing national discussion about how men are doing — economically, socially, and emotionally — and whether they face unique challenges related to purpose, connection, and opportunity in American life. In this episode, host  Nic Dunn sits down with contributor  Beth Akers to discuss new Sutherland/Y2 Analytics survey findings on the well‑being of men in America. While most men report sat...

College is often treated as the default path to success — but there are other successful paths that are underused. In this episode of Defending Ideas, Nic Dunn sits down with Zach Boren of Apprenticeships for America to explore how expanding work-based training can open new doors to upward mobility, especially for men and boys who are struggling to find solid footing in today’s economy.  We dig in...

Utah’s redistricting battle has reached a breaking point, and the stakes go far beyond political outcomes. In this episode, Nic Dunn sits down with public affairs expert Taylor Morgan of Morgan May Public Affairs and Bill Duncan  to unpack how one judicially selected congressional map reshaped Utah’s political landscape, sidelined the constitutional role of the legislature, and triggered a deeply...

As families gather for Thanksgiving, disagreements about politics and culture can feel unavoidable. In this episode, Nic Dunn explains why the best way to lower the temperature is to lead with your deeply held principles, not partisan talking points, and how doing so strengthens both relationships and our civic life.  Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this sh...

A 43-day federal shutdown exposed how fragile state programs become when Washington can’t keep the lights on. In this episode, Nic Dunn is joined by Jennifer Butler , Senior Policy Advisor for the Center for Practical Federalism at the State Policy Network, along with Sutherland’s Bill Duncan and Christine Cooke Fairbanks . They unpack what the shutdown reveals about over-reliance on federal dolla...