Defending Ideas is a weekly podcast produced by Sutherland Institute. On this show we are committed to renewing the principles of common sense conservatism, equipping listeners to become more effective champions of sound principle and good policy.
Why Utah Needs a Religious Freedom Restoration Act
Utah could strengthen religious freedom protections in a significant way during the current legislative session, with the passage of a state version of a “religious freedom restoration act.”
What Utah’s ranking as best state for social mobility teaches us about poverty
What are the right ingredients for creating the best chance of upward mobility for the most people? There’s a strong argument to be made that Utah has the answer.
Are we losing the war on poverty? Angela Rachidi on the success sequence as a solution
Sixty years ago, President Lyndon B. Johnson launched America’s “War on Poverty.” The goal? To equip Americans stuck in poverty with the tools to achieve success. If we fast forward to 2024, we might ask: Are we winning or losing the war on poverty?
Is work a punishment or a blessing?
This question is often at the heart of debates about how to help people striving to get out of poverty. We explain why many other states are looking to Utah’s unique approach to welfare and workforce development.
Are you economically better off today than four years ago?
Are you better off today than you were four years ago?
How marriage and family impact America’s civic health
As the policy implications of intact families gain traction in public debate, one positive impact of healthy marriages and strong families often gets ignored: civic engagement.
Family relationships are an antidote to America’s loneliness epidemic
Public discussions of “the good life” usually center on things like a quality job, decent pay and other benefits that are primarily material. But what if – as a society – we’re missing the things that truly impact happiness and human flourishing?
Utah voters support the success sequence
New survey data shows that a majority of likely voters in Utah support the concepts of the success sequence and approve of teaching them in schools. So, when critics still push back against the sequence – education, work, and marriage before kids – as one of the best frameworks for avoiding poverty and living a successful and happy life, what’s the best response?
How family policy debates sometimes ignore the family itself
Debates about family policy often focus on an array of programs or interventions like licensed child care, pre-K, or the K-12 education system. But all too often, the family itself as an optimal environment for the healthy development of young children – and a fundamental institution of civil society – gets left out of the discussion.
Can states solve America’s benefits cliffs crisis? | Keith Barnes
What parent would take a raise if it meant their family would be worse off? That’s the reality for many families facing the “benefits cliff.”
Inside the federal government shutdown | Matt Weidinger
The federal government shutdown isn’t just a budget story, it’s a reflection of deeper challenges in how Congress governs.
The public good of private faith | Bill Duncan and Sam Abrams
In today’s cultural climate, religion is often treated as a purely private matter — something best kept out of public life. But what if that assumption is missing the bigger picture?
