<![CDATA[Commonplace: The American Compass Podcast]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/s/the-american-compass-podcasthttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!7iuy!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0d2a9ee4-7371-49b6-a705-af04db7dfce7_1280x1280.pngCommonplace: The American Compass Podcasthttps://mag.commonplace.org/s/the-american-compass-podcastSubstackTue, 22 Sep 2026 10:51:14 GMT<![CDATA[A New Right Climate Policy with Chris Barnard and Taylor Myers]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/a-new-right-climate-policy-with-chrishttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/a-new-right-climate-policy-with-chrisFri, 18 Sep 2026 13:15:08 GMTFor decades, the Right has written off issues related to climate and the environment. But as the Left’s climate alarmism increasingly falls on deaf ears, a new generation of conservatives is charting a course for a more productive approach to protecting our shared natural resources.

Chris Barnard, president of the American Conservation Coalition, and Taylor Myers, attorney at Boyden Gray, join Oren and Chris to discuss their recent pieces for Commonplace‘s climate issue. They talk through why environmental issues are so salient, particularly to a younger generation, and why efforts to craft climate change policy absent a focus on human flourishing have caused so many people to tune the topic out. Finally, they discuss why environmental policy needs to also consider America’s growing energy demands, and the tradeoffs inherent in a better approach.

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]]><![CDATA[The Promise of Domestic Solar with Mark Widmar]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/the-promise-of-domestic-solar-withhttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/the-promise-of-domestic-solar-withFri, 11 Sep 2026 10:03:26 GMTOften lost in the broader conversation around solar power is how the technology can support American reindustrialization.

Mark Widmar, CEO of First Solar, joins Oren on the podcast to explain solar's fit both into an all-of-the-above energy strategy and as a bulwark of U.S. manufacturing renewal. They discuss why solar power is such an American industrial success story, particularly against unfair competition from China, and what AI and automation could portend for the industry. Finally, they talk through how so much of conservative resistance to solar power isn't about the technology itself, and why First Solar's Made in America strategy sets it apart both in terms of energy output and in supporting local communities.

]]><![CDATA[What Citizenship Requires with Yuval Levin]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/what-citizenship-requires-with-yuvalhttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/what-citizenship-requires-with-yuvalFri, 04 Sep 2026 16:34:07 GMTThe youngest generation of Americans are increasingly without the kind of formation that shapes children into adults and allows them to develop the muscles of good citizenry, as the institutions and systems that once helped their elders fall short today. This not only sets young people up for failure, but erodes social cohesion and a democratic politics.

Yuval Levin joins Oren and Chris to try to define what a better path of formation and true citizenship could look like. They discuss how replacing citizenship with consumerism has impoverished not just conservatism but the country more broadly. and wrestle with the temptations both toward nostalgia for older generations and nihilism for the younger ones, Finally, they talk through what this all means in the context of politics, and what today's deeply unpopular Democratic and Republican Parties could learn about renewing formative institutions from their predecessors in the late nineteenth century.

]]><![CDATA[Trump's Economic Revolution with Stephen Miran]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/trumps-economic-revolution-with-stephenhttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/trumps-economic-revolution-with-stephenFri, 28 Aug 2026 10:04:12 GMTWhy have so many economists gotten it so wrong about the impact of Trump's economic policies, from trade to immigration and beyond?

Stephen Miran, former chair of Trump's Council of Economic Advisors, joins Oren on the podcast to unpack the president's economic realignment. The two discuss the change in thinking Trump has delivered and why economists can neither understand its value nor accurately predict what its implications will look like. Finally, they discuss tariffs, and why the revenues they raise are so vital for paying for what America needs today.

]]><![CDATA[Is Kansas Richer than Canada? with Jeff Reimer and Brian Dijkema]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/is-kansas-richer-than-canada-withhttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/is-kansas-richer-than-canada-withFri, 07 Aug 2026 15:04:19 GMTIn an apples-to-apples comparison of GDP per capita, eight of Canada’s ten provinces are poorer than nearly all U.S. states. But how much can GDP really tell us? Is most of Canada really poorer in any meaningful sense than Kansas?

Two writers, Jeff Reimer, a Kansan and senior editor at Comment, and Brian Dijkema, the Ontario-based president of Cardus, journeyed to both locations to find out. They join guest host Chris Griswold to recount their travels, discuss the quality-of-life context that GDP can’t measure, and make sense of the similarities, and key differences, on each side of the border.

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]]><![CDATA[Is the AI Apocalypse Already Here? with Gregory Conti]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/is-the-ai-apocalypse-already-herehttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/is-the-ai-apocalypse-already-hereFri, 31 Jul 2026 15:03:51 GMTArtificial intelligence is often discussed as a threat to human flourishing, undermining everything from jobs to education to literacy. Is there anything that can be done to mitigate that future damage? Is it already too late?

Gregory Conti, associate professor at Princeton University, joins Oren and Chris to discuss whether there’s anything to be done to stop AI. The group discusses Conti’s recent writing in Compact, where he’s an editor-at-large, making the case that we’re already living in the wake of the technology’s destruction. And they dive into specific policies, from banning tech in the classroom, to age-gating social media, to shutting down AI altogether, and whether they can be accomplished.

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]]><![CDATA[The Data Centers Battle with Josh Zoffer]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/the-data-centers-battle-with-joshhttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/the-data-centers-battle-with-joshFri, 24 Jul 2026 09:52:07 GMTFew political issues have united Americans the way that a resistance to new data centers to support the development of AI has done in recent months. But is this anger and opposition toward them misplaced, and even a threat to American reindustrialization?

Josh Zoffer, a venture capitalist and Biden administration alum, joins Oren on the podcast to discuss the ongoing fight on data centers. Zoffer explains the thinking from his recent Financial Times piece, "Data centres are a crucial test of US industrial resolve," and why he thinks their construction is vital to America's success in the AI race with China. And he and Oren discuss how data centers fit into the broader, bipartisan push to build up domestic industrial capacity more broadly.

]]><![CDATA[The Future of Labor Law with Roger King]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/the-future-of-labor-law-with-rogerhttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/the-future-of-labor-law-with-rogerFri, 17 Jul 2026 15:17:23 GMTThere's a political realignment taking place when it comes to labor law. Republicans from the White House down to the local level are increasingly championing worker rights against corporate interests. But will this change take root in the GOP? And should it?

Roger King, senior labor and employment counsel at the CHRO Association joins Oren on the podcast to make sense of the changes over the last decade, and debate the merits of some of the labor legislation on the table. They discuss the Faster Labor Contracts Act, a bill to speed up initial collective bargaining agreements that recently passed the House of Representatives and is under consideration in the Senate. And they talk bigger picture, about what today's workers really need, and where recent efforts could risk overcorrecting.

]]><![CDATA[Leading Citizens with Dr. Matt Mehan]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/leading-citizens-with-dr-matt-mehanhttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/leading-citizens-with-dr-matt-mehanFri, 10 Jul 2026 10:06:12 GMTCurtailing public chaos and institutional corruption are vital objectives to reclaiming a healthy American citizenship. But what can ordinary people do to rein in corrupt elites? And why have elected officials failed to push back for generations?

Dr. Matt Mehan, associate dean of Hillsdale College’s Graduate School of Government, joins Oren and Chris to make sense of what went wrong. They discuss how a fixation on legal rights has crowded out a public commitment to the responsibilities and duties inherent in citizenship, and why that shift has done so much damage. Finally, they discuss Dr. Mehan’s new book, The American Book of Fables, and why his work to adapt timeless lessons for the youngest generation is so important at a moment defined by declining educational quality and oversaturation of technology.

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]]><![CDATA[Training the Whole Worker with Dr. Jacob Imam]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/training-the-whole-worker-with-drhttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/training-the-whole-worker-with-drTue, 30 Jun 2026 10:53:04 GMTThe traditional four-year college degree is dramatically falling out of favor with parents and would-be students. One clear problem is that today's educational offerings don't help students build the skills they really need, both for the jobs of the future and for a meaningful life after graduation.

Dr. Jacob Imam, president of The College of St. Joseph the Worker, joins Oren and policy director Chris Griswold to describe what makes his college so different: a classroom experience matched with an intensive focus on physical skills and learning the trades. They make sense of why blending the intellectual and manual pursuits so is beneficial not just just for students, but to the college's local community, and the world beyond. Finally, they discuss how this alternative approach can be scaled up to address America's lack of skilled workers needed for reindustrialization.

]]><![CDATA[When There’s No One to Call with Sam Pressler]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/when-theres-no-one-to-call-with-samhttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/when-theres-no-one-to-call-with-samFri, 19 Jun 2026 09:58:57 GMTMany men without college degrees have nearly nonexistent social support, and are often one point of failure away from living in isolation, according to a new research report, Nobody to Call. Their lives are perilous: moving to a new town, losing a job, or the death of a friend could leave them fully divorced from their communities.

Sam Pressler, lead author of the paper and a practitioner fellow at the University of Virginia’s Karsh Institute of Democracy, joins Oren and Chris to unpack the risks facing men without college degrees. They make sense of why life has gotten so hard for this group, from reduced working-class job prospects to declining college matriculation and other post-high school pathways, as well as barriers to marriage. And they discuss the kinds of social programs currently available to these men, compared to what they really need.

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]]><![CDATA[What Does 'Tech' Really Mean? with Cory Gardner]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/what-does-tech-really-mean-with-coryhttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/what-does-tech-really-mean-with-coryFri, 12 Jun 2026 10:03:03 GMTPolitical conversations around tech tend to gravitate toward AI, chips, and advanced robotics, but these topics are far removed from what most Americans think of as the types of technology that power their daily lives. For most, tech is about cable, or streaming, and how they connect to the internet.

Former U.S. senator Cory Gardner, now president and CEO of NCTA, the Internet & Television Association, joins Oren to walk through the political dynamics tied to these issues. They discuss why access to spectrum is so important and make sense of the future of 6G, and explore why China presents a threat to not just Americans' wireless access but also their data security. They close with a discussion on how to keep kids safe on the internet, and how feasible age-gating really is.

]]><![CDATA[How to Reclaim American Citizenship with Chris Griswold]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/how-to-reclaim-american-citizenshiphttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/how-to-reclaim-american-citizenshipFri, 05 Jun 2026 10:03:06 GMTAt the 2026 New World Gala, American Compass introduced Reclaiming American Citizenship, a new “project for the people” to confront the existential task of revitalizing what it means to be an American citizen, not merely as a matter of who gets to be here, but about the responsibilities inherent in that privilege. Compass policy advisor Chris Griswold joins Oren to make sense of what doing so means in practice on the eve of America’s 250th anniversary.

They discuss how a fuller understanding of being a citizen breaks from the libertarian notion that liberty is merely a question of maximizing the freedom to do what one wants, and how a commitment to the latter has done so much damage to our body politic. And they outline the pillars of how to reclaim our citizenship, and what America could look like if we did.

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]]><![CDATA[Economic Security Is National Security with Scott Bessent]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/economic-security-is-national-securityhttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/economic-security-is-national-securityWed, 03 Jun 2026 21:31:53 GMTAfter decades of sacrificing economic security for the sake of the free market, American policymakers are returning to the wisdom that economic security and national security are inextricably linked. At American Compass’s 2026 New World Gala, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent joined Oren to explain why this shift is vital for the national interest.

They talk through how COVID didn’t create but revealed our supply chain crisis for vital resources, and what the Trump administration is doing, from pharmaceuticals to military readiness and beyond, to restore preparedness. Finally, they discuss the “raw deal” so many young Americans have gotten in today’s “lottery economy,” and how to restore hope in the system.

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]]><![CDATA[Magnifica Humanitas with Chris Griswold, Leah Sargeant, and Max Bodach]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/magnifica-humanitas-with-chris-griswoldhttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/magnifica-humanitas-with-chris-griswoldFri, 29 May 2026 10:03:03 GMTPope Leo XIV’s highly anticipated encyclical marks a significant milestone in the debate around artificial intelligence and what it means for the future of humanity.

To analyze the document and its many implications, Oren speaks with American Compass policy director Chris Griswold, Foundation for American Innovation executive vice president Max Bodach, and Leah Sargeant, editorial director at the Institute for Progress and author of Other Feminisms and The Dignity of Dependence. The group discusses to what extent AI can exhibit human characteristics, the Pope’s surprisingly strong takedown of universal basic income, and what the encyclical says about the new technology’s potential role in labor relations.

They conclude by looking at how the United States should approach AI development, competition, and regulation, and how to balance those competing interests while keeping an eye on global allies and adversaries alike.

]]><![CDATA[America's Foreign Policy Future with A. Wess Mitchell]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/americas-foreign-policy-future-withhttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/americas-foreign-policy-future-withFri, 22 May 2026 10:02:17 GMTForeign policy debates have taken center stage in the second Trump administration, from U.S.-China relations to the ongoing war in Iran.

To assess the situation, Oren speaks with A. Wess Mitchell, who co-founded The Marathon Initiative along with Elbridge Colby and served as Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs during the first Trump administration. Cass and Mitchell discuss the renewed intensity of foreign policy debates, particularly on the Right-of-center, the posture of the United States during the post-Cold War era, the Iran war, and the correlation between economic and military power.

They conclude by looking at the future of American power abroad, and what it will take for the U.S. to maintain its leadership in global affairs amid both a rising national debt and increased defense spending.

]]><![CDATA[Why Democrats Can't Learn with Ruy Teixeira]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/why-democrats-cant-learn-with-ruyhttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/why-democrats-cant-learn-with-ruyFri, 15 May 2026 09:56:48 GMTThe Democratic Party continues to reel from its 2024 electoral defeat and struggles to connect with the American people. But the party remains captured by special interests and sacred cows that its leaders refuse to confront.

Few understand this dynamic better than Ruy Teixeira, author and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, and founder of The Liberal Patriot, a now-defunct newsletter. He and Oren discuss what happened to TLP, formerly a source of difficult truths for Democrats, how the advocate class has moved the party so rapidly to the left, and why the Democratic establishment so stubbornly refuses to learn anything new. They conclude by looking at what it all means for the future of both parties, and whether there's an off-ramp for the polarization dominating American politics.

]]><![CDATA[The End of the Iran War? with Bradley Devlin]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/the-end-of-the-iran-war-with-bradleyhttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/the-end-of-the-iran-war-with-bradleyFri, 08 May 2026 13:03:50 GMTWhat’s going on in Iran? Who controls the Strait of Hormuz? And why did America get involved in the first place?

Bradley Devlin, politics editor at the Daily Signal, joins Oren to try to make sense of the current state of the U.S. military operation in Iran. They discuss why President Trump deployed troops in the first place, the various ways a peace deal could shake out, and what path forward is really in the interest of the American people.

]]><![CDATA[A Real Fix for the Affordability Crisis with Chris Griswold]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/a-real-fix-for-the-affordabilityhttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/a-real-fix-for-the-affordabilityFri, 01 May 2026 18:26:51 GMTThe affordability crisis has become Washington’s favorite talking point, but the solutions proposed so far won’t solve it. From capital gains tax cuts pitched as relief to renewed enthusiasm for Chinese investment as a growth strategy, many policymakers are circling the problem without addressing its core drivers: stagnant wages, distorted incentives in trade and industrial policy, and an economy that has stopped reliably producing gains for working Americans.

Chris Griswold, policy director at American Compass, joins Oren to discuss how affordability is less about marginal tax tweaks and more about rebuilding the productive foundations of the economy. They also explain why proposals to deepen economic integration with China ignore the strategic and structural realities of a state-directed competitor. Finally, they explore what a more honest political message would look like heading into the midterms, one that connects affordability to wages, industry, and national strategy rather than short-term price relief.

]]><![CDATA[The Net Neutrality Panic with Ajit Pai]]>https://mag.commonplace.org/p/the-net-neutrality-panic-with-ajithttps://mag.commonplace.org/p/the-net-neutrality-panic-with-ajitFri, 24 Apr 2026 10:23:47 GMTThe fight over net neutrality was supposed to determine the future of the internet. Advocates of net neutrality warned that repealing it would lead to censorship, higher costs, and the collapse of an open web. But nearly a decade later, those predictions never materialized, and the debate has taken on new significance as broadband, 5G, and AI become central to economic growth and national power. What was once treated as a moral emergency now looks more like a case study in regulatory overreach and political panic.

Ajit Pai, former chairman of the FCC, and current CEO of CTIA, joins Drew Holden to revisit the net neutrality battle and assess its legacy. They discuss why the backlash became so intense, what actually happened after net neutrality’s repeal, and how the policy shift affected investment in broadband and wireless infrastructure. They also explore the stakes of today’s telecom landscape, from the race with China over 5G and role of spectrum in AI development, and consider what it will take for the United States to maintain its technological advantage.

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