Debates over election integrity have dominated American politics for years. But beneath many of those disagreements lies a deeper constitutional question: who should be responsible for administering elections?

On this episode of Defending Ideas, Nic Dunn is joined by Ben Ginsberg, Volker Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution, election law expert, and former counsel to multiple Republican presidential campaigns, along with Bill Duncan, Sutherland Institute's Constitutional Law Fellow.

Their 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.

0:00 – Introducation
00:48 – Segment 1
13:34 – Segment 2
26:36 – Segment 3
41:34 – Takeaways

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As America marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, an important question remains: what do the nation’s founding principles have to say about the challenges we face today?

On this episode of Defending Ideas, host Nic Dunn is joined by Jay Lapeyre, co-founder of the Free Society Coalition, and Lawson Bader, president and CEO of DonorsTrust, to discuss the enduring ideas that shaped the American experiment.

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.

Show notes:

Free Society Coalition: The Philadelphia Declaration – https://freesocietycoalition.org/PhiladelphiaDeclaration

0:00 – Introduction
1:01 – Why the Declaration of Independence still matters
27:57 – How do we apply America’s founding ideals today?
42:59 – Why principles matter more than power
50:34 – Takeaways

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What if one of the biggest solutions to America’s political dysfunction isn’t electing better people, but restoring the principles of federalism?

In this episode of Defending Ideas, Nic Dunn speaks with two Utah representatives, Rep. Jennifer Dailey-Provost and Rep. Ken Ivory, about the constitutional balance between state and federal power.

They discuss polarization, congressional dysfunction, the role of states as laboratories of democracy, and why shifting more decisions to local communities could improve both governance and civic trust.

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As lawmakers debate how to protect children online, a major legal and constitutional question is emerging: should app stores be required to verify users’ ages and involve parents before minors download apps?

In this episode of Defending Ideas, Nic Dunn is joined by Joel Thayer, president of the Digital Progress Institute, Chris Marchese, founder and co-director of the NetChoice Litigation Center, and Sutherland Institute Constitutional Law and Religious Freedom Fellow Bill Duncan for a thoughtful discussion about parental rights, free speech, consumer protection, and the growing debate over App Store accountability laws.

Their conversation explores the tension between protecting children online and preserving constitutional freedoms in the digital age.

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Many conversations about artificial intelligence focus on fear, risk, and worst-case scenarios. But what if we’re asking the wrong questions?

Host Nic Dunn is joined by Bennett Borden, founder and CEO of Clarion AI Partners, along with Sutherland Institute's Derek Monson, to explore how AI is already positively affecting health care, education, government, and family life. Their conversation examines the promise and risks of AI, the difference between regulating development versus deployment, and why Utah’s approach to AI governance is emerging as a national model for innovation and responsible policymaking.

Show notes:
– Utah & AI: Doom or boom? https://sutherlandinstitute.org/utah-ai-doom-or-boom/

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This video is private.

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America’s safety net wasn’t designed all at once. It was built piece by piece over decades, and that may be part of the problem.

In this episode of Defending Ideas, Nic Dunn asks what real progress in social welfare reform should look like and whether it’s time to rethink the system from the ground up. He explores how benefit cliffs and program fragmentation can hold families back, why states like Utah are already leading the way on reform, and how new approaches could better support upward mobility and long-term independence.

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America’s safety net is designed to help people in times of need. But what happens after that initial help is provided?

On this episode of Defending Ideas, host Nic Dunn is joined by Aly Rau Brodsky, executive vice president and chief strategy officer at the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, to explore how states can improve upward mobility and better support families. Their conversation examines the gaps in the current system, the “one door to work” progress in Louisiana, and how connecting social services with workforce development can help individuals move from temporary assistance to long-term independence and human flourishing.

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As America approaches its 250th anniversary, many political debates feel increasingly focused on personalities, parties, and division rather than principles.

On this episode of Defending Ideas, host Nic Dunn is joined by Josh Lewis, host of the Saving Elephants podcast, to discuss how to bring principled thinking back to the center of American political life. Their conversation explores the role of classical conservatism, the importance of grounding political movements in ideas, and how citizens can balance coalition politics with a commitment to enduring principles. They also reflect on the long-term nature of political change and why hope and patience remain essential for the future of the American experiment.

0:00 – Introduction
1:02 – Have we lost sight of principles in politics?
14:33 – How ideas turn into political change
29:14 – Takeaways

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Debates over election integrity have dominated American politics for years. But beneath many of those disagreements lies a deeper constitutional question: who should be responsible for administering elections?

On this episode of Defending Ideas, Nic Dunn is joined by Ben Ginsberg, Volker Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution, election law expert, and former counsel to multiple Republican presidential campaigns, along with Bill Duncan, Sutherland Institute's Constitutional Law Fellow.

Their 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.

0:00 – Introducation
00:48 – Segment 1
13:34 – Segment 2
26:36 – Segment 3
41:34 – Takeaways

2 0

As America marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, an important question remains: what do the nation’s founding principles have to say about the challenges we face today?

On this episode of Defending Ideas, host Nic Dunn is joined by Jay Lapeyre, co-founder of the Free Society Coalition, and Lawson Bader, president and CEO of DonorsTrust, to discuss the enduring ideas that shaped the American experiment.

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.

Show notes:

Free Society Coalition: The Philadelphia Declaration – https://freesocietycoalition.org/PhiladelphiaDeclaration

0:00 – Introduction
1:01 – Why the Declaration of Independence still matters
27:57 – How do we apply America’s founding ideals today?
42:59 – Why principles matter more than power
50:34 – Takeaways

3 1

What if one of the biggest solutions to America’s political dysfunction isn’t electing better people, but restoring the principles of federalism?

In this episode of Defending Ideas, Nic Dunn speaks with two Utah representatives, Rep. Jennifer Dailey-Provost and Rep. Ken Ivory, about the constitutional balance between state and federal power.

They discuss polarization, congressional dysfunction, the role of states as laboratories of democracy, and why shifting more decisions to local communities could improve both governance and civic trust.

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