The Bob Zadek Show

Perhaps you remember the story of Susette Kelo, the owner of the "Little Pink House" in New London, Connecticut that was condemned to make way for an economic development project led by Pfizer. Maybe you were even a part of the public backlash – larger than any other stemming from a Supreme Court decision in recent memory. Ten years after the Justices voted 5-4 to uphold city's abuse of eminent domain, we can start to look at the impact of this major precedent with implications for all of our property rights and individual sovereignty. The question still remains: If the government can take your house to provide land for another party's private economic benefit, what can't it do? In his new book, *The Grasping Hand: Kelo v. City of New London and the Limits of Eminent Domain*, Ilya Somin offers the definitive account of the case as it has impacted broader trends in American jurisprudence. Somin joins Bob this Sunday to expose the special interests that are preventing effective eminent domain reforms at various levels of government. He also reveals how pivotal groups like the Institute for Justice have been in raising awareness about this issue, and how their efforts have translated into genuine change. Our property rights are at stake – Somin's message is an important one if we are going to resist the grasping hand of eminent domain.

Perhaps you remember the story of Susette Kelo, the owner of the "Little Pink House" in New London, Connecticut that was condemned to make way for an economic development project led by Pfizer. Maybe you were even a part of the public backlash – larger than any other stemming from a Supreme Court decision in recent memory. Ten years after the Justices voted 5-4 to uphold city's abuse of eminent domain, we can start to look at the impact of this major precedent with implications for all of our property rights and individual sovereignty. The question still remains: If the government can take your house to provide land for another party's private economic benefit, what can't it do? In his new book, *The Grasping Hand: Kelo v. City of New London and the Limits of Eminent Domain*, Ilya Somin offers the definitive account of the case as it has impacted broader trends in American jurisprudence. Somin joins Bob this Sunday to expose the special interests that are preventing effective eminent domain reforms at various levels of government. He also reveals how pivotal groups like the Institute for Justice have been in raising awareness about this issue, and how their efforts have translated into genuine change. Our property rights are at stake – Somin's message is an important one if we are going to resist the grasping hand of eminent domain.

The framers of the Declaration of Independence held the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to be self-evident. Today, however, our political leaders stand idly by as many around the world are denied these rights and given no alternative to their repressive home regimes. The GOP wants to be known as the party of freedom and opportunity, but many of its leading presidential contenders wish to limit this good fortune to those who happen to have been born within our borders. Now, Hillary Clinton has come out in favor of expanding amnesty for a large percentage of the 11 million undocumented U.S. residents, leaving Republicans struggling to appeal to hispanics without losing the approval of anti-immigration conservatives. Not a single Republican seeking the presidential nomination has yet to come out in favor of the one policy that could truly distinguish them in the eyes of both hispanics and freedom-loving conservatives: Opening the borders to all foreigners who desire to live by our laws. Alex Nowrasteh, an immigration scholar at the Cato Institute and frequent guest on the show, has pointed out that such a policy has nothing to do with granting favors or expanding government. To the contrary, open borders merely allow the voluntary movement of people to the United States. He joins the program to go over the current crop of Republican candidates’ stances on immigration, and to provide them with the intellectual ammunition to go boldly where no Republican has gone before. The question is, will they listen?

The framers of the Declaration of Independence held the rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness to be self-evident. Today, however, our political leaders stand idly by as many around the world are denied these rights and given no alternative to their repressive home regimes. The GOP wants to be known as the party of freedom and opportunity, but many of its leading presidential contenders wish to limit this good fortune to those who happen to have been born within our borders. Now, Hillary Clinton has come out in favor of expanding amnesty for a large percentage of the 11 million undocumented U.S. residents, leaving Republicans struggling to appeal to hispanics without losing the approval of anti-immigration conservatives. Not a single Republican seeking the presidential nomination has yet to come out in favor of the one policy that could truly distinguish them in the eyes of both hispanics and freedom-loving conservatives: Opening the borders to all foreigners who desire to live by our laws. Alex Nowrasteh, an immigration scholar at the Cato Institute and frequent guest on the show, has pointed out that such a policy has nothing to do with granting favors or expanding government. To the contrary, open borders merely allow the voluntary movement of people to the United States. He joins the program to go over the current crop of Republican candidates’ stances on immigration, and to provide them with the intellectual ammunition to go boldly where no Republican has gone before. The question is, will they listen?

Shortly after its founding in 2003, The Breakthrough Institute helped forge a “BlueGreen Alliance” between labor unions and environmentalists to modernize America’s clean energy infrastructure. While this may sound like yet another instance of special interests profiting under the guise of environmental ethics, Breakthrough’s agenda in fact offers a refreshing alternative to the usual talking points about energy and the environment. More importantly, their scholars are fiercely independent. They have heralded “The Death of Environmentalism” (at least conceived of as a movement to limit growth of industry), and when nuclear power and natural gas are found to be cheaper than solar energy, Breakthrough Institute scholars don't hesitate to say so. Alex Trembath, a senior energy analyst at The Breakthrough Institute, has done much of the research into fracking and clean energy that undergirds their positions, and he joins Bob in studio to defend a nuanced technocratic approach to energy and climate. Do we really need government to invest in the next generation of clean energy infrastructure, or should we leave it up to the market? 

Shortly after its founding in 2003, The Breakthrough Institute helped forge a “BlueGreen Alliance” between labor unions and environmentalists to modernize America’s clean energy infrastructure. While this may sound like yet another instance of special interests profiting under the guise of environmental ethics, Breakthrough’s agenda in fact offers a refreshing alternative to the usual talking points about energy and the environment. More importantly, their scholars are fiercely independent. They have heralded “The Death of Environmentalism” (at least conceived of as a movement to limit growth of industry), and when nuclear power and natural gas are found to be cheaper than solar energy, Breakthrough Institute scholars don't hesitate to say so. Alex Trembath, a senior energy analyst at The Breakthrough Institute, has done much of the research into fracking and clean energy that undergirds their positions, and he joins Bob in studio to defend a nuanced technocratic approach to energy and climate. Do we really need government to invest in the next generation of clean energy infrastructure, or should we leave it up to the market? 

Too often, political arguments begin with one person insinuating that his or her opponent deliberately wants to bring about a certain negative outcome, be it pollution, child labor, or an overall lower standard of living. We rarely frame our debates around the values almost all of us have in common, such as a clean planet, and abundant opportunity for future generations. This is where HumanProgress.org, a data-driven initiative of the Cato Institute, excels. Marian L. Tupy is a senior policy analyst at the Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity and the editor of Human Progress, which compiles easy-to-read charts and graphs showing the many ways we are advancing, even in terms of “progressive” values. Bob’s last show struck a pessimistic note, with Don Boudreaux lamenting the relative decline of freedom in the United States. This episode brings you the flip side – the good news about the rest of the world’s increase in freedom and prosperity. Tupy joins Bob to discuss the reason why capitalism is winning the war on poverty, while still losing the war of ideas.

Too often, political arguments begin with one person insinuating that his or her opponent deliberately wants to bring about a certain negative outcome, be it pollution, child labor, or an overall lower standard of living. We rarely frame our debates around the values almost all of us have in common, such as a clean planet, and abundant opportunity for future generations. This is where HumanProgress.org, a data-driven initiative of the Cato Institute, excels. Marian L. Tupy is a senior policy analyst at the Center for Global Liberty and Prosperity and the editor of Human Progress, which compiles easy-to-read charts and graphs showing the many ways we are advancing, even in terms of “progressive” values. Bob’s last show struck a pessimistic note, with Don Boudreaux lamenting the relative decline of freedom in the United States. This episode brings you the flip side – the good news about the rest of the world’s increase in freedom and prosperity. Tupy joins Bob to discuss the reason why capitalism is winning the war on poverty, while still losing the war of ideas.

Most people tune out when academics speak in terms of regression analysis and “agent-based modeling.” Nonetheless, we want to understand the long-term economic trends that these methods seek to illuminate in order to plan for the future. Don Boudreaux is a master of making complex economic ideas comprehensible to the layperson. He provides this service free of charge every day for the thousands of visitors to his blog, Cafe Hayek (currently down due to a malicious hacking attack). Boudreaux’s short but powerful letters to the editor are the stuff of any libertarian’s dreams – the equivalent of a Total Knock Out in boxing. The larger battle for economic freedom is not fought solely in public discussion forums like the WSJ editorial page – it’s being waged in academic journals and in the academic marketplace of ideas. Boudreaux recently edited the Fraser Institute’s *What America’s Decline in Economic Freedom Means for Entrepreneurship and Prosperity,* a volume of five essays, each thick with research that Don discusses with Bob and his audience. Find out whether it’s too late for America to change course.

Most people tune out when academics speak in terms of regression analysis and “agent-based modeling.” Nonetheless, we want to understand the long-term economic trends that these methods seek to illuminate in order to plan for the future. Don Boudreaux is a master of making complex economic ideas comprehensible to the layperson. He provides this service free of charge every day for the thousands of visitors to his blog, Cafe Hayek (currently down due to a malicious hacking attack). Boudreaux’s short but powerful letters to the editor are the stuff of any libertarian’s dreams – the equivalent of a Total Knock Out in boxing. The larger battle for economic freedom is not fought solely in public discussion forums like the WSJ editorial page – it’s being waged in academic journals and in the academic marketplace of ideas. Boudreaux recently edited the Fraser Institute’s *What America’s Decline in Economic Freedom Means for Entrepreneurship and Prosperity,* a volume of five essays, each thick with research that Don discusses with Bob and his audience. Find out whether it’s too late for America to change course.