Aspen Ideas to Go

The Supreme Court will take up contentious issues like gay rights, health care, abortion, and DACA this term, which kicked off Monday. The outcome of these cases may hinge on one vote — from Chief Justice John Roberts. Roberts is at the center of the Court not just because he’s Chief but because he’s a swing vote. Joan Biskupic, author of The Chief: The Life and Turbulent Times of Chief Justice John Roberts, says Roberts wrestles with two competing impulses: his strong commitment to certain conservative principles and his concern for the institutional legitimacy of the Court. Biskupic speaks with Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, about the dynamic of the Court and Roberts’ great influence on it — inside and outside the courtroom. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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One of the most lawless places on earth is the high seas – remote waters, often hundreds of miles from shore. These largely ungoverned waters play host to criminal acts like sea slavery, gun running, human trafficking, and abuse of stowaways. “The lack of protections for the people who work above the water line and the creatures below, I think, is a huge problem,” says New York Times investigative reporter Ian Urbina. Urbina spent five perilous years jumping aboard fishing vessels and talking with the victims of these inhumanities. His book Outlaw Ocean: Journeys Across the Last Untamed Frontier, chronicles their stories and what can be done to protect workers and the wild places they frequent. M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International, interviews Urbina.

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When our bank accounts are full, are we happier? Does a pay raise at work equal increased joy? What is the link between money and happiness? Behavioral scientist Elizabeth Dunn says money can buy happiness if you follow some core principles of smart spending. She and Robert Frank, Cornell professor and author of the Economic View column in The New York Times, explain how changing the way we think about money can help promote happiness. Spoiler alert: The happiness trifecta, as defined by Dunn, doesn’t explicitly include the amount of dough you have. Their conversation, held in June, is led by Adrienne LaFrance, executive editor of The Atlantic. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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Three decades ago, writer Bill McKibben gave a warning about impacts from global warming in his book The End of Nature. Since then, little has been done to tackle the problem, which is growing. Weather events are worsening and communities are suffering from stronger storms, heat waves, wildfires, and more. “The world is now in violent and chaotic flux,” he says. To address this emergency, he suggests transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy and hitting the streets. His organization 350.org has held rallies around the world to bring attention to the climate crisis. With the Global Climate Strike just around the corner (September 20), McKibben gives a call to arms to protect our planet and humanity itself. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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With just five months until primary season ramps up in the United States, what’s being done to ensure bad actors don’t attack our elections? In 2016, Russia used cyberattacks and social media to sow division in the presidential race. What lessons were learned by companies like Facebook and entities like NATO and the Federal Government? Facebook’s head of election security, Katie Harbath, sits down with former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, and Douglas Lute, a former US ambassador to NATO. Nicholas Thompson, editor in chief of WIRED, leads the conversation, which was held in June. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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How did an Iranian-born single mom make her way to the “room where it happened,” ultimately serving as one of the closest advisors to the president of the United States? As the longest running senior advisor to a US president in history, Valerie Jarrett worked with President Obama during his 8 years in office. Before reaching the White House, Jarrett dealt with hardships like a failed marriage and a purposeless job. Still, she went on to break race and gender barriers in the 1970s and 1980s and work on equality for women and girls, civil rights, and our criminal justice system. She chronicles her story in her book “Finding My Voice: My Journey to the West Wing and the Path Forward.” In this light-hearted conversation with Jonathan Capehart, opinion writer for The Washington Post, Jarrett gets personal and offers real stories behind some of the most stirring moments of the Obama presidency. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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As the US and China continue their trade war, economic instability is rising in countries around the world. Gita Gopinath, chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, says the number one risk to the global economy is the trade war. The IMF is seeing weakening in industrial production, manufacturing, and investment. “All of this is very closely tied to trade, trade uncertainty, and policies related to that,” she says. In a wide-ranging conversation with Gillian Tett, editor at large for the Financial Times, Gopinath talks about whether a recession is looming for the US or elsewhere, why the IMF is redefining global growth, and how more women economic leaders can rise up. Gopinath is the IMF’s first female chief economist. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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Starting in the 1970s, political scientist Francis Fukuyama says the world saw a significant expansion of democracy. Dozens of countries were becoming democracies and by 2008, more than 100 democracies existed around the globe. Now, says Fukuyama, liberal democracy is being challenged by populist nationalist leaders and they’re fanning the flames of identity politics. Instead of uniting over a shared sense of humanity, people are identifying in narrower ways based on things like religion, race, ethnicity, and gender. Fukuyama believes that in order to support democracy, we must inculcate a greater sense of dignity into society. Fukuyama speaks with Elliot Gerson, executive vice president at the Aspen Institute. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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Karl Rove served as deputy chief of staff and senior advisor to President George W. Bush before becoming a Fox News contributor. He has his finger on the pulse of today’s Republican party, but remembers a time when the party looked different. Today, more party members consider themselves nationalist and populist. Many are less concerned with deficient and smaller government and more worried about a cultural decline. Rove tells Rich Lowry, editor in chief of National Review, that even though the party’s broken, republicans are rallying behind President Trump. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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Is the relationship between the United States and Mexico on shaky ground? This year, President Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Mexican imports if the country didn’t stop the flow of migrants from Central America. And, just this week, Mexican officials called a fatal shooting at an El Paso department store that killed eight Mexican nationals an “act of terrorism." Will the issues at the border lead to more tension between the two countries, or can they find compromise? Jorge Guajardo, former Mexican ambassador to China, joins Julián Aguilar, a reporter who covers border affairs for The Texas Tribune, and Jeh Johnson, former US secretary of homeland security for a discussion about what’s at stake. Mary Louise Kelly, co-host of NPR’s “All Things Considered,” moderates the conversation. The views and opinions of the podcast guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Aspen Institute.

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