John talks this week with Gbenga Ajilore, a senior economist at the Center for American Progress, about the economic and social upheaval that has gripped the country in recent months, and what can be done to address persistent gaps in the labor market between Black and white Americans. They discuss the federal response to Covid-19, explore how the crisis is affecting rural communities, and debate the merits of the “defund the police” movement as a means of achieving long overdue changes to the way law enforcement interacts with citizens of this country.

Prior to joining American Progress, Ajilore was an associate professor of economics at the University of Toledo. His research has focused on race and local public finance, peer effects and adolescent behavior, and police militarization. Ajilore’s work has been published in numerous journals, such as The Review of Black Political Economy, Economics and Human Biology, the Review of Economics of the Household, and the Atlantic Economic Journal. In 2018, Ajilore served as president of the National Economic Association.

This week, John sits down with author and urbanist Bruce Katz to discuss how struggling cities are using Opportunity Zones to bring new energy, collaboration, and capital to local revitalization initiatives. They also discuss how Covid-19 could affect the future of cities, and why Bruce worries that the federal response won’t be enough to save small businesses teetering on the brink of failure.

Bruce Katz is the Co-Founder of New Localism Advisors, a firm that helps cities design, finance and deliver transformative initiatives that promote inclusive and sustainable growth. Katz is the author of two books focused on the rise of cities and city networks as the world’s leading problem solvers. Katz was previously the inaugural Centennial Scholar at the Brookings Institution from January 2016 to March 2018, where he focused on the challenges and opportunities of global urbanization.  Prior to assuming this role, he was a vice president at the Brookings Institution and the founding Director of the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program.

The Deep Dive is back this week with Part II of a wide-ranging conversation with the Niskanen Center’s Sam Hammond. In this episode, John and Sam explore the growing ascendancy of so-called “economic patriotism” among conservative policymakers and pundits, characterized by a deep skepticism towards globalization and an embrace of industrial policy. They also discuss the rationale for policies that target left-behind places, and unpack what critics and supporters alike might be missing about the federal Opportunity Zones program.

Sam’s
commentary has been published in the Atlantic, the National Review, and the
American Conservative. He has also been featured in New York Magazine, the Wall
Street Journal, the Washington Post, Vox, and Slate. He previously worked as an
economist for the Government of Canada specializing in rural economic
development, and as a graduate research fellow for the Mercatus Center at
George Mason University. You can follow him on Twitter @hamandcheese.

This week features Part 1 of a two-part discussion with Samuel Hammond, Director of Poverty and Welfare Policy at the Niskanen Center. John and Sam discuss how free markets can be paired with more robust systems of social insurance to produce an economy that is more dynamic, prosperous, and rich in opportunity for all Americans. They also explore the shortcomings of common arguments for universal basic income, and what conventional wisdom often gets wrong about creative destruction and pace of economic change in our economy today.

Sam’s commentary has been published in the Atlantic, the National Review, and the American Conservative. He has also been featured in New York Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Vox, and Slate. He previously worked as an economist for the Government of Canada specializing in rural economic development, and as a graduate research fellow for the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. You can follow him on Twitter @hamandcheese

John sits down this week with New York Times economics reporter Jim Tankersley to discuss his new book, “The Riches of This Land: The Untold, True Story of America’s Middle Class.” They discuss what inspired Jim to write the book, the memorable characters he met along the way, and why this examination of the middle class matters more than ever as the country navigates an unprecedented economic crisis. They also discuss how the pandemic has influenced the way Jim is able to report on the lives and fortunes of ordinary Americans.

Jim Tankersley covers economic and tax policy for The New York Times. Before coming to the Times, Jim’s career as a reporter included work at Vox, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, and The Toledo Blade. You can find him on Twitter at @jimtankersley.

This week, John sits down with AEI Adjunct Fellow Lyman Stone.

They discuss Lyman’s thoughts on what policymakers can do to make it easier to raise a family in the United States, the role of immigration in fostering a dynamic economy, the impact of demographic decline on national well-being, and the need to reinvigorate American institutions, especially Congress, in order to meet today’s challenges and ensure their legitimacy for generations to come.

What is “internet governance?” Why does it need to be coordinated internationally? And who gets to participate in these discussions?

On this episode, Shane speaks with two leading experts on international internet policy. Ambassador David Gross, the former US Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy, and Dustin Loup,
executive director of The Internet Society’s Greater Washington DC chapter,
join to discuss how the workings of the internet are coordinated at the global
and regional level.

The University of California’s recent announcement to drop standardized tests from its undergraduate admissions process has raised questions about the racial bias associated with standardized tests. Do the ACT and SAT put minority students at an unfair disadvantage when applying to elite institutions? Will excluding these tests from the college admissions process increase or decrease the success of minority students in the University of California system?

In this episode, Naomi and Ian are joined by Jason Riley, a Wall Street Journal columnist and senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, to discuss these questions and more. Later, they discuss the recent protests that erupted after the tragic death of George Floyd. Jason Riley argues that effective policing is essential to supporting the health and safety of minority communities.

John Lettieri sits down with Dr. Adam Ozimek, chief economist at the online talent platform Upwork.

They discuss how the COVID-19 crisis could permanently influence the future of remote work, and how being an economist and small business owner in Lancaster, PA, influences Adam’s perspective on the challenges facing the U.S. in the midst of an unprecedented crisis.

What are semiconductors and why are they so important in our digital age? Does it matter if they’re made in the United States?

On this episode, Shane speaks with John Neuffer, president and CEO of the Semiconductor Industry Association, about this crucial industry. They discuss the outsized importance of this tiny piece of hardware, the state of the industry today, and the challenges it faces moving forward.

In the inaugural episode of The Deep Dive, host John Lettieri sits down for a wide-ranging discussion with Scott Winship, one of the country’s leading experts on economic mobility and inequality, who serves as Executive Director of the Congressional Joint Economic Committee. Scott and John discuss the latest research on social capital in the United States, the persistence of the “opportunity gap” between black and white children, and how place exerts a profound influence over a child’s life outcomes.

Scott Winship, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the United States Congress Joint Economic Committee. At JEC, he leads the Social Capital Project for Senator Mike Lee (R-UT). Winship is widely published and has worked previously at the Manhattan Institute, the Brookings Institution, and the Pew Charitable Trusts. Follow him on Twitter @swinshi.

How has the rise of China affected global telecommunications policy? And what is America doing to ensure free communications around the world?

On the second half of this two-part discussion, Shane Tews, Grace Koh, and Tricia Paoletta continue their discussion on international telecom politics, covering the challenges and points of contention the US faces as it seeks to shape the global telecom landscape.

What rules govern how telecommunications standards work across countries? How do governments manage the process to ensure national standards are compatible?

On this episode, Shane Tews speaks with Grace Koh, the US Ambassador to the International Telecommunications Unions’ World Telecommunications Conference, and Tricia Paoletta, a telecommunications lawyer and spectrum policy expert, on the international politics of telecommunications. In the first half of a two-part discussion, they cover the structure and purpose of major international telecommunications bodies — stay tuned for Part 2.

How is the Federal Communications Commission responding to the coronavirus pandemic? What is Ligado and why is it controversial?

On this episode, Shane Tews speaks with Joel Thayer, a lawyer and telecommunications policy expert here in DC. Together, they discuss some of the FCC’s recent policies and biggest debates — including how it has handled the current crisis, 5G policy, and the Restoring Internet Freedom Order.

How have regulations stymied the response to the COVID-19 pandemic? And what explains the intense regulatory scrutiny tech companies face?

On this episode, Shane talks with Adam Thierer, technology and innovation policy analyst at the Mercatus Center and author of the upcoming book “Permissionless Innovation,” on regulatory hurdles to innovation during the current pandemic and in normal times. They also cover how innovators find ways to circumvent outdated regulations to deliver their products to customers.

Will shared micromobility technology survive the COVID-19 pandemic? How easy is it to keep things like electric scooters sanitary?

On this episode, Shane talks with lawyer and transportation technology expert Michele Kyrouz, about the future of micromobility. Together, they cover new sanitation technology, the relative benefits of different modes of transportation, and more.

Can President Trump unilaterally “reopen” the country? How much power do the states’ governors have to regulate businesses, parks, and other facilities? Can we make China pay for the economic damage the CCP has wrought? And when and how will these interminable lockdowns end? Law professor, constitutional expert, and podcast aficionado John Yoo joined Banter this week to answer these questions and more.

John Yoo is Emanuel S. Heller Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley, and a visiting scholar at AEI since 2003. He served as a deputy assistant attorney general in the Office of the Legal Counsel of the US Department of Justice from 2001 to 2003, where he worked on constitutional and national security matters, as General Counsel of the US Senate Committee on the Judiciary from 1995–96, and as a law clerk to Justice Clarence Thomas of the US Supreme Court. He is the author “Crisis and Command: A History of Executive Power from George Washington to George W. Bush,” and the upcoming “Defender in Chief: Donald Trump’s Fight for Presidential Power,” among other books.

What does blockchain have to do with COVID-19? How can we leverage widespread testing into a means of re-opening the economy? And how can we track the spread of COVID-10 while preserving privacy?

On this episode, Shane Tews talks with Shane Bigelow, CEO of Ownum and of Vital Chain, a consortium of tech companies working to create a private and secure method of health status validation.

Before the Great Depression, charitable and religious organizations almost exclusively ran the child welfare system in the US.  What is the appropriate role of private institutions in the child welfare system today? How can policy redress the perverse incentives currently built into the funding model of public child welfare agencies?

In this episode, Ian and Naomi pose these complex questions to Robert “Bob” Woodson, widely considered as the “godfather” of the neighborhood empowerment movement. Later on, Bob discusses why the New York Time’s 1619 Project is harming minority children’s sense of personal agency and ultimately their chances of upward mobility.

What makes 5G networks different from previous telecom networks? Why is supply chain security so important for 5G? And with global supply chains, how can we ensure both transparency and quality?

Shane talks with David Stehlin, CEO of the Telecommunications Industry Association, about how the industry is ensuring the highest possible standards for the next generation of telecom connectivity.