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Brought to you by the Independent Institute, Independent Conversations is a regular round-table conversation that provides timely insights and cutting-edge commentary on the most pressing issues of the day. It features Independent’s Graham H. Walker (President), Williamson M. Evers (Senior Fellow), and as well as additional Independent Institute fellows and other special guests.
103 Episodes
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Between the onslaught of federal immigration enforcement, and organized resistance to it, Minneapolis is being pushed to the brink. What made Minneapolis more of a crucible than other cities? Do anti-ICE protestors have a right to carry arms into the turmoil? Does the State of Minnesota have a right to resist federal agents? Can the powder keg be defused? We tackle these questions and more on this episode of Independent Conversations.
Drawing on insights from his forthcoming book, The Independent Guide to the Constitution: Original Intentions, Modern Inventions, author William J. Watkins, Jr. will explore the history and distortions of key constitutional provisions with Independent Institute President Graham Walker.
Does a U.S. President have the authority to order a military raid on a foreign capital like Caracas, Venezuela? Is the United States really going to “run” Venezuela as President Trump said, or will it take some slightly more modest role as Marco Rubio seems to suggest? And what will happen to Venezuelans themselves? We address these questions on this episode of Independent Conversations--including live commentary from our correspondent on the ground in Venezuela.
There's been time to reflect on the horrific wildfires in Los Angeles of January 2025. What have we learned about the fires’ origins? And more importantly what have we learned about what could have been done—and what still could be done—to reduce the risks of such devastating fires in the future? We explore these questions on this episode of Independent Conversations.
For those who care about liberty, 2025 was a mixed bag. On the down side, socialism was embraced explicitly by some Americans on the left, and implicitly by some on the right. On the up side, the principle that people should be treated even-handedly without reference to their race—especially by the government—seems finally to be reemerging from the DEI house of mirrors. On this episode of Independent Outlook, we take a look back at these and other big issues of 2025, where the fate of liberty has been on the line repeatedly.
What’s going on at the Heritage Foundation and elsewhere, with confusion about how to deal with antisemitism and more broadly with what is being called “post-liberalism”? And also, why is President Trump suing the BBC for bias? We take on these issues, and more, in this episode of Independent Outlook.
Due to their persistent interference with much-needed housing projects, the Independent Institute is awarding the seventeenth California Golden Fleece® Award to the many NIMBY groups and individuals that have contributed to the state’s housing crisis. The list of recipients includes environmental organizations, such as the Sierra Club, and anti-density neighborhood groups, such as Livable California.
What makes government shutdowns drag on? On the other hand, how much does it matter? Shutdown or no shutdown, President Trump’s tariffs are about to go before the Supreme Court; and in the meantime, the President keeps adjusting them pretty much every week. He also seems to be taking liberties in bombing accused drug boats off the coast of Venezuela. We tackle these issues, and more, on this episode of Independent Outlook.
Entire neighborhoods across the U.S. have become open-air asylums, drug markets, and impoverished wastelands—despite billions poured into homelessness programs. The tragic truth? The prevailing “solutions,” like Housing First, are failing—failing those experiencing homelessness, and failing the communities around them.
But there IS another way.
This conversation with the authors of Beyond Homeless: Good Intentions, Bad Outcomes, Transformative Solutions, a groundbreaking new book that shines a light on proven, life-changing alternatives, looks at why current policies fall short, hear real-world success stories from San Antonio and communities across the country, and lay out bold reforms that can restore dignity, save lives, and transform struggling communities into places of hope and renewal.
Los Angeles has a metropolitan transit system—the L.A. Metro for short—but few people want to ride it because it’s dirty and unsafe, and doesn’t go where they want to go. Taxpayer advocates balk at the billions of tax dollars spent on dubious Metro expansions. Los Angeles is one of the greatest cities in the world. Does its Metro system have to be this bad?
The answer is “No!” We learn why in this episode of Independent Conversations as we talk with Mr. Baruch Feigenbaum, an expert in urban transportation policy and author of Independent Institute’s California Golden Fleece Award and Report on the L.A. Metro.
After an assassin killed Charlie Kirk for his ostensibly hateful views, millions grieved. Others mocked Kirk. But now some of the mockers are losing their jobs as payback for their vindictiveness, raising a question: Are we seeing a kind of right-wing “cancel culture” at odds with the American principle of free speech? We explore this question with the help of Nadine Strossen, longtime President of the ACLU, on this episode of Independent Conversations.
Could the United States be stronger and safer while spending only about half as much on national defense? In this episode of Independent Conversations, defense strategist Ivan Eland says the surprising answer is “Yes”— as explained in his new book, A Balance of Titans: Peace and Liberty in the New Multipolar World.
President Trump’s tariffs are extensive, complex, and unprecedented. Are they legal? A series of courts are about to decide, and the entire edifice of Trump's tariffs is hanging at the edge of legal precipice. Will the federal courts, and ultimately SCOTUS, invalidate Trump's tariff regime? We address this question from various angles on this episode of Independent Outlook.
Has President Trump set things up to bring Russia’s war in Ukraine to a decent end? Or is the peace puzzle falling apart? Closer to home, will President Trump’s push to redraw congressional districts in Texas backfire in California? We discuss these issues and more on this episode of Independent Outlook.
Buy "A Balance of Titans: Peace and Liberty in the New Multipolar World," by Ivan Elandhttps://www.independent.org/store/book/a-balance-of-titans/
When President Trump deployed America’s B-2 bombers to attack Fordow mountain and other nuclear sites in Iran, it marked a turning point in war, diplomacy, and American decision-making. And it raised many questions. Did the President have the legal authority to launch the bombers? Did the bombing completely obliterate Iran’s nuclear warfare capabilities? Did it set a precedent that will come back to bite the U.S. in the future? Was it morally justified?
How To Run Wars: A Confidential Playbook for the National Security Elite
War and the Rogue Presidency: Restoring the Republic after Congressional Failure
Research Fellow Jonathan Bean and contributors from the updated edition of "Race & Liberty in America: The Essential Reader" gathered for a rigorous and thought-provoking conversation. They tackled controversial topics such as immigration, “systemic” racism, and the politics of intermarriage. They’ll also explore how classical liberal values—championed by figures like Frederick Douglass, Zora Neale Hurston, and Louis Marshall—have long provided a blueprint for a thriving multi-ethnic society.
What exactly are tariffs, and how do they work? How do they drive up prices? Are tariffs a way to protect the U.S. economy from hostile powers like the Communist Party of China? No, not really. Or a way to protect the supply chains on which U.S. military supremacy depends? No, not that either. In short, tariffs are toxic, and we discuss why that is.
Within minutes of his swearing in, President Donald Trump shot out of the starting gate with a burst of executive orders covering everything from immigration, to DEI, to energy, and more. Keeping up with all this, much less making sense of it all, feels kind of like drinking from a fire hydrant. But we take a stab at it in this episode of Independent Outlook, tackling seven or eight of the most pivotal orders.
Californians will be in shock for a long time over the vast firestorms in Los Angeles. We don’t yet know what ignited each fire. But Santa Ana winds are a regular, predictable, feature of regional weather. California environmentalism discourages clearing of public and private land, and stymies upgrades of water delivery systems. And Los Angeles recently trimmed back its firefighting budget by $18 million. “Climate change” is not the culprit.
How will civil liberties survive Syria’s convulsions? Do Trump’s national security appointees form a coherent team? Why is healthcare taking the spotlight now…but in such a sick way? And what about Trump’s economic team? Are these guys primed to deliver low inflation and prosperity? With special experts on deck, we discuss these questions and more on this episode of Independent Outlook.
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