Aspen Ideas to Go

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TAKEOVER 1: Julie Rovner Interviews Lanhee Chen & Others Jun 25, 2017

Show notes

During the week of the Aspen Ideas Festival, going on now through July 1, five Takeover Hosts—Julie Rovner, Michele Norris, Joshua Johnson, Pete Dominick, and Susan Page—will extend the exciting conversations happening at the Aspen Idea Festival by interviewing other speakers right here on the podcast. This episode features Julie Rovner, chief Washington correspondent for Kaiser Health News, speaking with Lanhee Chen of the Hoover Institution, reproductive justice advocate Dr. Willie J. Parker, and Ai-jen Poo, director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance.

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You're More Powerful Than You Think Jun 21, 2017

Show notes

Black Lives Matter, the Occupy movement, the Tea Party, and many other groups have developed in recent years as a response to the age we’re living in — an age of epic political turbulence. Author Eric Liu says people across the political spectrum are reclaiming power. In his book You’re More Powerful Than You Think, he lays out the strategies of reform and revolution. In this episode, Liu uses examples from the right and the left to reveal the core laws of power. He highlights what movements have been most effective and explains why joining a cause digitally —by liking it on Facebook or retweeting it —isn’t effective enough.

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A Conversation with Ruth Bader Ginsburg Jun 14, 2017

Show notes

As the second female justice confirmed to the US Supreme Court, Ruth Bader Ginsburg says her experiences as a female give her a unique perspective her male colleagues don’t share. In this episode, Justice Ginsburg talks about her relationships with Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and the late Antonin Scalia. She also explains what it’s like to work with newly-elected Justice Neil Gorsuch. Her discussion with the Aspen Wye Fellows, also touches on her book My Own Words. Ginsburg is interviewed by Elliot Gerson, executive vice president of policy and public programs at the Aspen Institute.

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Jane McGonigal: The Future of Imagination Jun 06, 2017

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Thinking about the far-off future isn’t just an exercise in intellectual curiosity. It’s a practical skill that, as new research reveals, has a direct neurological link to greater creativity, empathy, and optimism. In this session from master game designer and acclaimed futurist Jane McGonigal, you’ll learn three practical habits that will increase the power of your imagination—and you’ll have the chance to use your creativity to foresee some of the biggest ways our lives will change by the year 2026.

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Katie Couric and Beau Willimon (Rebroadcast) May 30, 2017

Show notes

Netflix releases the fifth season of House of Cards today (5/30). In this encore episode Katie Couric interviews House of Cards creator Beau Willimon. The interview, from the Aspen Ideas Festival, took place before the show’s third season in 2015. The two have a lively conversation about Willimon’s career (he studied painting in college and later worked on political campaigns), and the turbulent lives of the show’s characters. NOTE: This episode contains explicit language.

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Finding Common Ground May 23, 2017

Show notes

In this era of deep partisanship, how can common ground be found on Capitol Hill and on Main Street? In this episode, a pair of party leaders tackle relevant political questions, focusing on the divided state of America. Former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele sits down with Tom Perez, head of the Democratic National Committee. Voters are increasingly disappointed by candidates who win an election but then, don’t follow through on campaign promises. Could voter dismay lead to the emergence of a third party? This conversation is moderated by Mickey Edwards, former Republican congressman and vice president of the Aspen Institute.

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An American Sickness May 16, 2017

Show notes

Elisabeth Rosenthal writes about our broken healthcare system in her new book, An American Sickness: How Healthcare became Big Business and How You Can Take it Back. She says the system, comprised of hospitals, doctors, insurance companies, and drug manufacturers, is in tatters. Social and financial incentives have infected it, she says, rendering it disastrous and immoral. How has the Affordable Care Act impacted the system? And what kind of effect would a repeal have? Rosenthal is an emergency room doctor turned journalist. She spent 22 years at The New York Times before becoming editor-in-chief at Kaiser Health News.

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The Future Dialogue on Race May 09, 2017

Show notes

While the subject of race and racism will likely continue to be a contentious topic for years to come, it is a discussion that is imperative for civil society. How does the dialogue on race continue? Will protests in the streets and boycotts become the new mode of discourse? What can be done to ease racial anxiety and promote common understanding? Former NPR Host and Director of The Race Card Project Michele Norris leads a discussion about how to converse about race with Khizr Khan, Adam Foss, and Amy Hinojosa.

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Inequality and Opportunity May 02, 2017

Show notes

When poet Elizabeth Acevedo taught creative writing to young women of color in a detention center, she recognized their trauma and avoided the teacher-as-savior mentality. Acevedo spoke at the Aspen Institute’s Summit on Inequality and Opportunity. The Summit brings together policymakers, thought leaders, and social entrepreneurs to talk about widening the opportunity gap. This episode features Acevedo and Arthur Brooks, president of American Enterprise Institute. He talks about the secret to renewal in business, and in life.

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Space—Why We Explore Apr 25, 2017

Show notes

Why do human beings explore? And, why are the most adventurous explorers drawn to outer space? Naturalist and astronomer David Aguilar explains why the drive for adventure fades after childhood, and how we can regain it as adults. Also, a group of physicists dig into what the universe is made of. Janna Levin, Lisa Randall, and Lawrence Krauss debate black holes, and whether they actually exist. Their conversation is led by Ira Flatow, host of Public Radio International’s Science Friday.

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