Civitalk

What is the role of the government in education? How much liberty and freedom should parents have when it comes to how and where their child is schooled? This week, Ray and Brooke explore these questions, as well as share their favorite books and movies of quarantine. Take a listen! Have a question or comment?...

This week, Ray and Brooke celebrate 100 episodes of Civitalk, opening up with what they believe life will be like 100 years from now and their favorite 100-year-old individuals. They also discuss heavier topics such as learning lessons from flawed people throughout history and how the fight to educate children is shaping up in the...

This week, Brooke is joined by Dr. Andy Jackson, Civitas’ elections policy analyst, to discuss the 11th Congressional District Republican primary win of Madison Cawthorn, a 24-year-old political newcomer, over Trump-endorsed Lynda Bennet. They also discuss election safety protocols going into November and examine the ways the North Carolina State Board of Elections can better...

This week, Eric Peterson of Pelican Institute joins Ray and Brooke for a robust debate on online censorship. Should social media platforms be completely content-neutral or should community standards exist? And if community standards should be established, to what degree should the platform police them? We will also delve into Gov. Roy Cooper’s statewide mask...

This week, attorney Daniel Gibson makes his third guest appearance on Civitalk, helping us make sense of the recent Supreme Court decision, Bostock v. Clayton County. After Justice Neil Gorsuch delivered the surprising majority opinion, there has been outcry among some on the Right and celebration by many on the Left. We discuss a few of the...

This week, Ray and Brooke make early (and likely very premature) 2020 electoral predictions for the presidency, making moderately compelling, but highly unscientific, cases for their guesses. They also discuss growing concerns about letting new drivers on the road without taking a DMV road test (see here) because of potential exposure to the coronavirus. Included...

This week, Ray and Brooke discuss the heavy-hearted moment we are in as a state and nation. There are several essential, core functions of government: protecting life, liberty, and property. When they grossly fail at protecting any one of these three inalienable rights, they have failed at fulfilling the mission given to them by the...

This week, Ray and Brooke discuss Phase 2, the education landscape in North Carolina, the politics of reopening, mask wearing, and remember the late Congressman Sam Johnson (R-TX). Take a listen and if you like what you hear, please leave us a review on iTunes! You can also listen to Civitalk on Spotify and Google...

This week, Michael Harden, Civitas’ new director of agricultural studies and outreach, joins the conversation to discuss worrisome developments in agriculture during the pandemic, his experience as a farmer and Georgia state legislator, and ways that North Carolina farmers can stay competitive. Take a listen and if you like what you hear, please leave us...

Dr. Andy Jackson joins us this week to discuss a recent lawsuit led by Marc Elias (Hilary Clinton and Dan McCready’s former attorney) that seeks to gut the vital progress the state has made on absentee ballot reform. We also share our favorite state parks and address questions surrounding the costs of the November election,...