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 Prosper Show, and a former chief economist at the White House Office of Management and Budget. They explore a proposal to replace multiple parts of the social safety net with just one program designed to help stabilize impoverished families while moving them toward work-based self-reliance.
 
Show notes:

• Empowerment Accounts: Less Poverty and More Self-Sufficiency — Texas Public Policy Foundation
• Strengthening the American Dream: Addressing benefits cliffs to empower safety net participants to pursue work and opportunity — Sutherland Institute
• Work & Opportunity Initiative — Sutherland Institute

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 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, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org.

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. David argues that state and local school boards are actually one of the most important entities in our system for improving education. They discuss how school board members can positively impact a range of education policies, such as elevating the parent-teacher partnership by improving parental access to curriculum.
 
Show notes:

• Parent-Driven Education in America: A Revival — Sutherland Institute
• How to leverage local school district policy to improve education — Sutherland Institute
• School Boards for Academic Excellence

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 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, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org.

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 how to truly measure and address poverty for American families in a way that is better oriented toward upward mobility and human flourishing. 
 
Show notes:

• Poorly Defined: Reforming the Poverty Line — AEI Policy Lens
• AEI Center on Opportunity and Social Mobility
• Work & Opportunity Initiative — Sutherland Institute
• Strengthening the American Dream: Addressing benefits cliffs to empower safety net participants to pursue work and opportunity — Sutherland Institute

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 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, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org.

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 Americans for the current political climate, and that by understanding and embracing its true purpose, we can move beyond partisan gridlock and achieve meaningful progress.
 
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 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, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org.

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 is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It. They discuss Richard’s findings and some of the political controversies that can make this issue difficult to talk about, and they offer a roadmap for finding solutions.

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 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, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org.

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 Religious Freedom Fellow Bill Duncan, they delve into federalism, separation of powers, federal overreach, the role of the courts, and how Utah is responding.

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 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, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org.

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 a legal document – it's a “framework for national cohesion.”

They discuss the importance of civic engagement, the balance between standing up for principles and seeking consensus, and how to foster unity in a divided nation through broader coalitions.

This episode challenges us to view the Constitution not just as a protector of our rights, but as a guide for our responsibilities in self-government.

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 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, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org.

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 data and explore its implications for elected officials, future candidates and Utahns seeking to understand their fellow citizens.

Show notes:

• 2025 Utah Voter 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 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, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org.

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. They discuss whether it’s possible to save taxpayer dollars while improving outcomes for families who truly need help getting back on their feet. Ford also offers perspective on broader reforms to the safety net, along with some updates on the Alliance for Opportunity's ongoing work. 

Show notes:

• Strengthening the American Dream: Addressing benefits cliffs to empower safety net participants to pursue work and opportunity
• H.C.R. 8 Concurrent Resolution on State Innovation for Transition from Government Benefits to Self-reliance
• Why America needs a new welfare reform movement
• House Republicans unveil blueprint to extend $4.5 trillion in tax cuts and lift the debt ceiling

 
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 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, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org.

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 improved.

Show notes:

• Innovative Reforms for Utah’s Open Enrollment Law — Sutherland Institute

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 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, making you a better champion of sound ideas. Visit defendingideas.org.