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There are personalities behind the policies. And when we disagree, the common ground is ... conversation. Yankee Institute President Carol Platt Liebau talks with people across our state and country about the topics that are impacting YOU — and covers the human interest stories that make Connecticut unique. Join us weekly for news, policy — and a bit of fun thrown in, as well.
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Harwinton has a problem. In the past two years, first responders have been called hundreds of times to the Short Term Assessment & Respite (STAR) Home, a DCF-funded shelter. There have been missing girls, stolen vehicles, burglaries, physical and sexual assaults, sex trafficking and injuries to both STAR residents and state troopers responding to melees within the home. First Selectman Michael Criss explains how the shelter is failing the young girls in STAR, and how Harwinton has been impacted. Learn more about the ongoing problem in Marc Fitch's report in Connecticut Inside Investigator, here.
The Independent System Operator-New England (ISO-NE) is warning that the batteries pushed by blue states in the region to prepare the grid for increased solar and wind generation may have significant trouble recharging in low temperatures. Nick Pope – a Connecticut native and Daily Caller contributor – shares further insights into the report. Find his full article here.
The state’s restaurants are hurting, still recovering from the pandemic and overburdened by regulations. Meanwhile, a ‘one fair wage’ bill that’s been introduced in other states and is gaining traction here — which would mandate minimum wage for tipped workers — would make things even harder for businesses, limit workers’ income and make a night out more expensive. Scott Dolch, President and CEO of the Connecticut Restaurant Association (CRA), explains. Learn more about the CRA here.
How has the Israel-Hamas war impacted free speech at Yale University and on other college campuses? Lauren Noble, executive director and founder of the Buckley Institute at Yale, shares insights onthe impact of increased antisemitism, and discusses a new study about how more students support shout downs than oppose them. Learn more about the Buckley Institute here.
What is Hanukkah and what does it mean for the Jewish people this year, especially in light of the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas? Rabbi Ari Weisenfeld, director of Agudath Israel of America office in Connecticut, explains the holiday’s history and why it has been, and remains, a source of spiritual strength for the Jewish people over thousands of years.
Video evidence of multiple people dumping votes into absentee ballot dropboxes in Bridgeport ignited controversy, a trial, and a new mayoral primary. But the perpetrators have not faced direct charges. So a group of city residents have filed a lawsuit on Nov. 21 demanding them to be arrested for ballot fraud. Cameron Atkinson, a criminal defense and civil rights attorney, is leading the suit on behalf of Fight Voter Fraud, Inc., a Connecticut-based “non-profit, non-partisan” group created to “advocate on behalf of all disenfranchised voters, regardless of party affiliation.” He provides insight into the suit and the upcoming primary, as well as protecting the voting process. Learn more in Connecticut Inside Investigator’s coverage, here.
How did Thanksgiving become a national holiday? Although President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation in 1863, much of the grassroots campaign is tied to the tenacity of Sarah Josepha Hale, editor of Godey’s Lady’s Book (the most widely circulated magazine at the time) and author of “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Author Mike Allegra, who wrote Sarah Gives Thanks, joins the show to discuss Hale’s efforts to establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday, as well as her abolitionist and charitable efforts. Learn more about his book, here.
How can nonprofits and charitable organizations innovate their way toward new and exciting possibilities? Leah Kral — senior director of strategy and innovation at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University — studies just that in her latest book Innovation for Social Change: How Wildly Successful Nonprofits Inspire and Deliver Results. She explores hands-on design thinking strategies and techniques to use as a disciplined process for exploring what’s possible in your organization, as well as on ways to focus your efforts so that they can have the greatest impact. Learn more about the book here.
The Tax Foundation recently released its 2024 State Business Tax Climate Index. So where did Connecticut rank overall? How did Connecticut stack up against other states in varying subcategories? Jared Walczak, vice president of state projects for the Tax Foundation and author of the Index, explains Connecticut’s rankings and how it could improve. Read the full report here.
Are electric vehicles (EVs) less expensive than their gas-powered counterparts? Are they destined to bethe future once the government mandates kick in? The simple answer: no. According to “Overcharged Expectations: Unmasking the True Costs of Electric Vehicles,” federal and state governments are driving the auto industry “off an economic cliff.” Brent Bennett – the Life:Powered policy director at the Texas Public Policy Foundation – explains his findings on EVs and their true costs. Read the full report here.
Since its implementation, 8-30g has not solved the affordable housing issue but instead has exacerbated it, say Yankee Institute’s David Flemming and Meghan Portfolio in the latest policy paper, Failure by Mandate: Connecticut and 8-30g. They explore the history behind 8-30g, its unanticipated consequences, how it undermines localism, and offer commonsense solutions to address Connecticut’s affordable housing issues. Read their findings here.
Many Americans struggle with debt, living paycheck to paycheck. Going to a payday lender or credit card company may be a short-term solution, but a long-term issue with paying off the interest. However, earned wage access (EWA) is another solution. EWA — sometimes referred to as early pay — is the ability for employees to access a portion of their already earned wages, if needed, outside of a traditional pay cycle. Yet states like Connecticut are over-regulating the ability for people to access their own money to help them make ends meet. Justin Hosie, a partner at Hudson Cook, LLP, explains.
Aaron Vnuk is the owner of the crossfit gym in North Haven and founder of Blind River Studios, an independent production company. He is also blind — but he continues to rise above challenges and pursue his dreams. However, Connecticut’s business climate has made it difficult for him as a small business owner to thrive with its regulatory and tax policy. He explains how. Learn more about Blind River Studios here.
Connecticut’s public pension funds have one of the worst investment track records of any state in the nation with long-term, chronic investment underperformance, according to a report released by Yale Chief Executive Leadership Institute (CELI). With their research team, Prof. Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Steven Tian investigated why Connecticut’s underperformance has cost the state billions — while offering solutions on how to reverse course. Read the full report here.
Connecticut Inside Investigator found a group of divorcees who claim the state’s family court system is not only ignoring abuse allegations in ongoing child custody battles, but enabling them. YI President Carol Platt Liebau discusses the claims with Lisa Fontes, a psychotherapist, author and activist who lectures on topics ranging from the sexual abuse of children to intimate partner violence. Learn more about her here.
During an April Appropriations Committee meeting, Rep. Rachel Chaleski (R-138th) noticed that only three out of four charter schools were funded in the proposed state budget. The one left out was a school planned for Danbury, which had already been approved by the State Board of Education in 2018. To rectify the situation, Rep. Chaleski introduced an amendment to fund the school, unaware she was upsetting the procedural applecart! The move caused an uproar at the Capitol. Although the amendment eventually failed, Rep. Chaleski is fighting on to give every student the chance to receive a good education. Learn more about her here.
Carol speaks with former N.Y. Lieutenant Governor and Yankee board member Betsy McCaughey about the non-profit organization she formed to reduce the risk of infections in hospitals and nursing homes. Listen to find out what you can do to protect yourself and loved ones from the hidden risks that lurk beneath the surface and how to choose a hospital or facility that will reduce your chance of contracting these potentially dangerous infections.For more information on this important topic, we encourage you to visit https://hospitalinfection.org.
Join us for Part II of Yankee Institute President Carol Platt Liebau’s conversation with YI board member Professor Gerald Gunderson, a founder of Yankee Institute. This week’s episode focuses on entrepreneurship, ranging from art and hi-tech innovation to ancient Greece and modern day America. Tune in to learn more about how entrepreneurs have played a vital role in the advancement of civilization as we know it today!
In this episode, Yankee Institute President Carol Platt Liebau is joined by YI board member Professor Gerald Gunderson, a founder of Yankee Institute. Professor Gunderson has served as Trinity College’s Shelby Cullom Davis Professor of American Business and Enterprise, and Director of the Shelby Cullom Davis Endowment at Trinity College since 1982. Dr. Gunderson is also the author of The New Economic History of America and The Wealth Creators: An Entrepreneurial History of the United States. His conversation with Carol ranges from Yankee Institute’s early days to his own storied career to his thoughts on higher education today and where it’s headed.
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