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.
The redistricting battle: What does the constitution say? | Bill Duncan
As redistricting debates make headlines in Utah and across the nation, a deeper issue is being overlooked: Who really has the constitutional authority to draw electoral maps?
What’s next for America in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination?
Following the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk, Nic Dunn offers how Americans should respond to political violence and polarization.
Republic vs. regime: Who wins the AI arms race? | Sarah Hunt
How is AI reshaping the world’s superpowers? We explore how energy and culture could determine the battle for dominance.
I Love You, Bro: Combating male suicide | Joe Tuia’ana
Men make up nearly 80% of suicide deaths, yet too often their struggles go unseen. We explore how to address the situation.
Absent fathers are America’s hidden crisis | Ian Rowe
Fatherhood is vanishing from American life, leaving boys and young men struggling with purpose, identity, and belonging.
Why young men are struggling and how to restore their purpose | Sam Abrams
We explore how changes in campus culture and the loss of brotherhood in many areas of public life have left many young men feeling adrift.
Is Trump’s DOJ pushing for a dangerous overreach? | Matt Germer and Derek Monson
The DOJ says it’s enforcing federal election laws. Critics call it a dangerous overreach that could erode privacy and weaken security.
Have we forgotten how to self-govern? | Sabrina L. Shaeffer
What if the root cause of America’s polarization isn’t just anger or partisanship, but the loss of a skill we’ve stopped practicing?
Should we reorient higher ed toward a skills-based economy?
How can we build a system that values all postsecondary pathways — whether academic or technical?
The roadmap to restore trust in elections | Matthew Weil & Derek Monson
The conversation covers California’s ballot counting process, why states should learn from one another, a new survey on voter confidence, and why transparency, evidence, and citizen engagement remain essential to maintaining trust in American elections.
Rebuilding trust in America’s elections | Ben Ginsberg & Bill Duncan
The conversation explores the constitutional role of states in election administration, the limits of federal authority, the importance of institutional trust, and why federalism may offer a better framework for addressing election concerns moving forward.
What the Declaration of Independence still teaches us | Jay Lapeyre & Lawson Bader
Their conversation explores individual dignity, natural rights, constitutional self-government, and how a renewed focus on America’s founding principles could help reduce political division and strengthen civic culture for the next 250 years.
