The American Compass Podcast

On this episode, Wall Street Journal investigative reporter Brody Mullins joins Oren Cass to discuss his new book, coauthored with Politico’s Luke Mullins, about the corrosive influence of corporate power in politics, the evolution of the lobbying industry, and changes that could make Congress more responsive to the will of the voters.For more, check out The Wolves of K Street, out now.

On this episode, Oren is joined by the Marathon Initiative’s Robert Delfeld to discuss how to broaden and strengthen the defense industrial base. They dig into the history and politics of the defense industry, the effects of deindustrialization on the supply chain, and a blueprint for supporting the defense industrial “sub-base.”Read Robert’s new report, Broadening the Base: A Blueprint for Expanding Defense Industrial Capacity.

Ashley Rogers Berner, director of the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy, joins Oren for a discussion of educational pluralism: the key to ensuring choice and standards in K–12 schools. They survey the international landscape, trends in educational philosophies, and what it would look like to fully embrace a pluralistic model in the United States.For more, check out Ashley's new book, Educational Pluralism and Democracy and the following pieces she's written for American Compass:Introducing Pluralism to Public SchoolingA Sustainable Path to School ChoiceMake Good (School) Choices

On this special Earth Day episode of the podcast, Oren is joined by Thomas Hochman, a research associate at the Foundation for American Innovation. They discuss American energy policy, the promise of nuclear, climate change, regulatory hurdles, and much more.For more from Thomas, check out: A Nuclear Renaissance?, The New AtlantisIt’s Not Just NEPA: Reforming Environmental Permitting, American AffairsFoundation for American Innovation

On this episode of the American Compass Podcast, Oren is joined by Michael Pettis, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment, for an in-depth discussion of the dollar as the global reserve currency: pros, cons, and what it all means for the American economy.Further ReadingThe High Price of Dollar Dominance (Michael Pettis, Foreign Affairs)Bad Trade (Michael Pettis, American Compass)Talkin’ (Policy) Shop: Balancing U.S. Trade

On this episode of Talkin’ (Policy) Shop, Oren and Chris dive into American Compass’s latest survey results on American attitudes toward the role and scope of government. Conventional wisdom says Americans are hopelessly polarized over “big government” vs. “small government,” but our new survey reveals a much more complicated picture.Read the full survey: The American Appetite for Government

On this episode, Oren Cass is joined by Scott Gatzemeier, Corporate Vice President of Front End U.S. Expansion at Micron Technology, to discuss the on-the-ground reality of the CHIPS Act rollout.In this fascinating discussion, Scott shares details on Micron’s plans to build new semiconductor fabs in the U.S., enabled by the CHIPS Act. He and Oren dive into the economics of the site selection process, the expected economic impact and job creation, and what’s needed to sustain momentum in rebuilding this critical industry.Further Reading:A Guide to the Semiconductor IndustryAmerica’s Microchip Slip (National Review)Pass the CHIPS, Please

This month, Oren Cass delivered the 2024 First Things Lecture in Washington, DC, on the topic, "Constructing Conservatism in the Secular Age." What should conservative politics look like at a time when many Americans are no longer religious?

In this episode of the American Compass Podcast, Oren Cass talks with Patrick Ruffini, founding partner of Echelon Insights, about his book "Party of the People," which examines the Republican Party's transformation in recent years.Ruffini argues that the divide between college-educated and non-college voters has become the defining cleavage in American politics. Ruffini and Cass discuss the cultural and economic roots of this realignment, the unique political talents of figures like Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, and how both parties are struggling to build broad coalitions.

How can the media better understand the reality of American life outside the Beltway, and what are reporters missing about these shifting economic and political debates?From American Compass's recent symposium on the New Conservative Story, David Leonhardt of the New York Times moderates a discussion with Emily Jashinsky (National Journalism Center and The Federalist) and Idrees Kahloon (The Economist) about the media's narrative and understanding of conservatism and American life outside DC.