Defending Ideas

College has long been seen as a gateway to opportunity and upward mobility. But today, fewer young men are pursuing higher education, accounting for just two out of every five degrees in the U.S. — a reversal of trends seen a generation ago.   On this episode, Host Nic Dunn is joined once again by Defending Ideas Feature Contributor and AEI Senior Fellow Beth Akers . Together, they explore this gr...

Is our higher‑education system doing enough to meet the real needs of today’s job market? With a serious shortage of skilled workers across key industries, many are asking whether we’ve overinvested in traditional academia and underinvested in skill‑based training. On this episode of Defending Ideas , Nic Dunn sits down with Illinois Policy Institute Head of Policy Josh Bandoch to discuss his new...

Teachers are stretched thin, but artificial intelligence could help. On this episode of Defending Ideas, host Nic Dunn talks with Caleb Hicks, CEO of SchoolAI, about how AI tools are enhancing personalized learning, supporting one-on-one instruction, and improving classroom outcomes. Also joining is Sutherland Institute’s Christine Cooke Fairbanks, who explores how Utah and other states are approa...

Should Medicaid include work requirements? Utah thinks so. On this episode, host Nic Dunn talks with Nate Checketts , deputy director of the Utah Department of Health & Human Services, about Utah’s push for a Medicaid work requirement. They discuss: Utah's federal waiver request Benefits cliffs and incentives How to build a pro-work safety net What reforms are needed in Washington, D.C. Show n...

This week marks the 100th episode of Defending Ideas —and to celebrate, we’re joined by one of the nation’s leading conservative thinkers. Ramesh Ponnuru is editor of National Review , a columnist for The Washington Post, and a nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute .   In this milestone conversation, Ramesh and host Nic Dunn explore the current state of the conservative mo...

Imagine getting access to potentially life-saving medical care or screenings in the same place you buy shampoo. Thanks to artificial intelligence — coupled with advances in telehealth — this is already happening . The impact of AI on healthcare certainly raises important questions, such as whether AI will ultimately replace your doctor or simply help them better do their jobs. To explore this, Nic...

President Trump’s tariffs have reignited a national debate: Are they a path to restoring working-class prosperity, or a protectionist misstep that ultimately hurts American consumers?   Defenders of tariffs often argue that the measures will restore manufacturing jobs, which they claim have suffered and negatively impacted the economic prospects of male workers in particular. The more traditional...

Work is essential for upward mobility, stability, and overall well-being. Yet for millions of men across the United States, work is increasingly absent from daily life. What’s behind this trend, and how does it impact society?    On this episode, Defending Ideas contributor and AEI Senior Fellow Beth Akers joins host Nic Dunn for a conversation with Nick Eberstadt , author of the book Men Without...

New technology can profoundly change our lives, and artificial intelligence is no exception. But as AI becomes more ubiquitous, especially in the workplace, will its impact be more innovative or disruptive? On this episode of Defending Ideas, host Nic Dunn is joined by AEI Senior Fellow Brent Orrell . Brent offers an optimistic yet grounded vision of how the advent of AI can positively affect the...

Should parents have a meaningful say in what their children learn — and how they learn it? On this episode of Defending Ideas , we examine two pivotal legal battles shaping the future of parental rights in education: one challenging a state-level school choice program, and another currently before the U.S. Supreme Court that could restrict a parent’s ability to opt their child out of curriculum th...

Should federal welfare programs do more to promote work?  Congressman Mike Kennedy of Utah’s 3rd District says yes. On this episode, host Nic Dunn sits down with Rep. Kennedy to hear his personal story of growing up in poverty, how it shaped his views on the power of work, and why he believes the Let’s Get to Work Act can help more families achieve self-reliance. They also dive into the importance...

There’s a lot of debate in Washington, D.C., and across the country right now about how to reform federal programs like Medicaid and Food Stamps. But what if there were a more effective way to improve the prospects of families trying to escape poverty that would save taxpayer dollars?   On this episode, Nic Dunn talks with Vance Ginn , President of Ginn Economic Consulting, host of the Let People...

It’s common to see news reports about education policy debates at the federal level and in state legislatures. But what if one of the most important policy levers for education reform is much closer to home — yet gets ignored far too often?   On this episode, Sutherland’s Nic Dunn and Christine Cooke Fairbanks talk with David Hoyt , executive director of School Boards for Academic Excellence. Davi...

Alleviating poverty has been a goal of the United States since the launch of the War on Poverty in the 1960s. But what if the way we think about – and talk about – poverty is all wrong? On this episode, Nic Dunn welcomes AEI Senior Fellow Kevin Corinth , who also serves as deputy director of AEI’s Center on Opportunity and Social Mobility . They discuss how to elevate the nation’s understanding of...

If you’re frustrated by the dysfunction in American politics, you’re not alone. But what if the solution already exists within the very framework for our nation?   This week on Defending Ideas, host Nic Dunn sits down with AEI scholar Yuval Levin , author of American Covenant: How the Constitution Unified Our Nation — and Could Again . Levin argues that the Constitution’s design uniquely equips Am...

There’s a growing body of evidence that boys and men are struggling in today’s society, from mental health and education to work and family life. On this episode, Nic Dunn is joined by AEI Senior Fellow and Defending Ideas Feature Contributor Beth Akers to sit down with Richard Reeves , president of the American Institute for Boys and Men and author of the book Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male...

These days, many political disagreements hinge on misunderstandings of the constitutional structure of state and federal government. How can we address this? On this episode, Nic Dunn sits down with Utah Attorney General Derek Brown to discuss his vision for the office, defending the rule of law and restoring America's constitutional order. Joined by Sutherland Institute Constitutional Law and Rel...

Have Americans forgotten the actual purpose of the Constitution? This week on Defending Ideas, we delve into key themes from a recent Sutherland Institute event featuring Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, author and American Enterprise Institute scholar Yuval Levin, and former federal judge Thomas Griffith. Join host Nic Dunn and guest Bill Duncan as they explore how the Constitution serves as more than just...

What really matters to Utah voters? This week on Defending Ideas, we analyze a new voter priority survey with Jade Burt , director of research for Y2 Analytics, and Derek Monson , chief growth officer for Sutherland Institute. We break down issue priorities by demographic and voting profiles and analyze the diverse perspectives within the state's electorate. Join host Nic Dunn as we examine the da...

There’s a ferocious debate in Washington, D.C., right now over possible cuts to a variety of different programs in the federal government. So what does this mean for the federally funded social safety net? Alliance for Opportunity Senior Fellow Les Ford joins host Nic Dunn to give an overview of some of the proposals in Congress through the lens of potential reforms to federal welfare programs. Th...

This episode of Defending Ideas explores how open enrollment policies empower parents to make educational choices for their children within the public school system. Guests Halli Faulkner , Senior Legislative Drafter with yes. every kid., and Christine Cooke Fairbanks , Education Policy Fellow with Sutherland Institute, discuss the benefits and challenges of open enrollment and how it can be impro...

The Utah legislature is considering changes to the state's vote-by-mail system. On this episode of Defending Ideas, Nic Dunn sits down with R Street Institute Resident Fellow in Governance Jonathan Madison , and Sutherland Institute Chief Growth Officer Derek Monson , to discuss whether these changes would boost or diminish public confidence in elections, examining how to balance voter convenience...

From super PACs, to “dark money,” to the increasingly eye-catching dollar amounts campaigns raise each year, the role of money in political campaigns raises serious questions and has been the source of much debate. This week on Defending Ideas, we’re releasing a special episode to ask: Can a constitutional amendment truly address the issue of money in politics? Is it the right approach? We explore...

How much control do parents really have over the online content their children have access to? Is there an appropriate role for government policy in this area? This episode of Defending Ideas explores the proposed App Store Accountability Act and whether government intervention to give parents more control over their kids' app downloads is warranted. The discussion features Utah State Sen. Todd We...

State government agencies are supposed to be accountable to that state’s voters through their elected representatives. But what happens when federal agencies try to directly influence what state agencies do in ways that elected officials may not even know about?   On this episode, Nic Dunn welcomes a small roundtable of experts to discuss a new bill in Utah that aims to make federal communication...