Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

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USAID and the Rule of Law: A Personal Retrospective by Mary Noel Pepys Jan 26, 2026

Show notes

Many of us did not know about USAID (U.S. Agency for International Development) until it came under scrutiny by the White House's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in its recent cost-cutting efforts. USAID is—or was—the principal U.S. agency to extend assistance to countries recovering from disaster, trying to escape poverty, and engaging in democratic reforms.

While the constitutionality of DOGE's actions effectively curtailing USAID’s efforts work their way through the courts, we invite you to hear a personal perspective from someone whose work was primarily funded by USAID and who experienced first-hand the impact of USAID’s rule of law programs around the world during the past 30 years.

Mary Noel Pepys will provide an overview of her pro bono work in former communist countries, where she served as the rule of law liaison for the American Bar Association’s Central European and Eurasian Law Initiative. She will discuss the challenges of assisting nations in their transition from communism to democracy, including efforts to strengthen the rule of law and promote judicial independence.

Mary Noel Pepys is a senior attorney specializing in the rule of law, specifically international legal and judicial reform. Since 1993 she has helped emerging democracies develop justice systems that ensure the protection of citizens’ human rights, equal treatment of all individuals before the law, and a predictable legal structure with fair, transparent and effective government institutions. You can learn more about Pepys's international work at pepysinternational.com, which will serve as a backdrop of her presentation.

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How Human Innovation Can Spark a "Century of Plenty" Jan 25, 2026

Show notes

Nearly every headline seems to warn of new crises, deepening divides or threats to the planet. Yet a very different story emerges when you widen the lens.
A new book, A Century of Plenty, takes a longer, historical and more hopeful view. Over the past 100 years, humans have made unprecedented progress, from longer lifespans to dramatically reduced poverty: “On average, people now live 40 years longer than they did. From Lagos to London, economic growth has hauled billions of people out of poverty and empowered them to lead rewarding lives.”
The forthcoming book, by researchers at the McKinsey Global Institute, examines what powered the “progress machine” of the last century, while acknowledging that the gains were inconsistent and not shared equally. What would it take for all countries in the world to achieve the standard of living of, say, Switzerland by 2100? For one thing, the global economy would have to grow to eight times the size it is today. Is this realistic? Will the world have enough energy, food, metals and minerals? Can we keep innovating quickly enough? Can we deliver prosperity while protecting our planet?
“This future is, in fact, possible and perhaps likely, even if progress is always fraught with challenge and humanity lives on the edge,” the book concludes. We’ll talk with co-author Chris Bradley, economist Noah Smith, and other experts about the lessons from the past 100 years, and how they can be applied to ensure even greater future prosperity.

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The Changing Diplomatic Relationships Within Europe and With the United States Jan 24, 2026

Show notes

We have entered the second quarter of this century, and the general public’s concern in regard to past, present and future relationships and alliances looms large on the horizon.
Established practices, agreements, and alliances seem to be under review. Are the accepted patterns of diplomatic, political and economic institutions wobbling and leaving the future uncertain?
Our panel will have an open conversation among the consuls general of the United Kingdom and Ireland; the deputy consul general of Italy; and the honorary consul general of the Czech Republic about what we can expect. Will the established relationships of the past 25 years among the European nations and the United States dramatically change?
The new year is a great time to review what we have all experienced and thought, with an eye on the present and the future. This should be a frank and open conversation.

An International Relations Member-led Forum program. Forums at the Club are organized and run by volunteer programmers who are members of The Commonwealth Club, and they cover a diverse range of topics. Learn more about our Forums.

OrganizerFrank Price and Norma Walden

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The Race for Governor 2026: Steve Hilton Jan 23, 2026

Show notes

Author, entrepreneur, and Fox News contributor Steve Hilton says he’s running for California governor to address the housing crisis, high taxes and the “staggering incompetence of Democrat one-party rule." He’s not embracing the Republican label, instead calling his campaign nonpartisan.

Born in the United Kingdom to Hungarian parents who fled communism, Hilton worked in politics, advertising, and business before becoming head of strategy for former British Prime Minister David Cameron. But he’s probably best known in the United States for hosting the Fox News Channel show “The Next Revolution.” His books include Good Business: Your World Needs You and More Human: Designing a World Where People Come First.

Hilton joins Commonwealth Club World Affairs as part of our “Race for Governor 2026” series of candidate forums. Come meet the candidate, hear his vision for California, and ask your questions before you cast your vote for California’s next governor.

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CLIMATE ONE: Beyond the Obvious: What We’re Watching in 2026 Jan 23, 2026

Show notes

We’re only about a month into 2026, and already so much has happened — from the Trump administration’s forcible removal of Venezuela’s president to the US pulling out of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change… It’s easy to get caught up in the headlines of the moment and lose sight of the big picture.

But important developments are happening in sectors like agriculture and renewable technology that don’t break through the noise to the extent they deserve. So, what should we be watching in 2026?

Guests:

Justine Johnson, Chief Mobility Officer, Michigan

Michael Grunwald, Journalist, Author, We Are Eating The Earth

Jessie Bluedorn, Founder & Executive Director, The Carmack Collective

For show notes, transcript, and related links, visit ⁠ClimateOne.org/podcasts⁠

Highlights:

00:00 Intro

05:33 Justine Johnson on the importance of mobility

08:48 Justine Johnson on the future of EV charging

11:20 Justine Johnson on the practicality of new EV charging technology

19:05 Justine Johnson on innovation in financing

22:52 Michael Grunwald on making more food with less land

30:17 Michael Grunwald on the new tech used to constipate beetles to death

37:24 Michael Grunwald on what to watch in politics

43:00 Jessie Bluedorn on the fossil fuel industry’s control over cultural narratives

47:57 Jessie Bluedorn on the comedy in the climate crisis

56:36 Jessie Bluedorn on other areas to keep an eye on in the culture

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Nell Bernstein and Chesa Boudin on the Fight to Close Youth Prisons Jan 22, 2026

Show notes

Over the past 20 years, one state after another has shuttered its youth prisons and stopped trying kids as adults, slashing the number of incarcerated children by a stunning 75 percent. How did this change come about? In the sequel to her 2014 award-winning book Burning Down the House, journalist Nell Bernstein dissects the forces that converged to move us from what she calls a moral panic about “juvenile superpredators” to a time in which the youth prison is rapidly fading from view.

In Our Future We Are Free begins and ends with the imprisoned youth who took a leading role in their own liberation. Through vivid profiles, Bernstein chronicles the tireless work of mothers, activists, litigators, researchers, and journalists to expose and challenge the “racist brutality of youth prisons”—as well as the surprising story of prison officials who worked from the inside to close their institutions for good. The descriptions of how communities are pursuing safety, rehabilitation, and accountability outside of locked institutions offers a model for how we might overcome our addiction to incarceration writ large.

Join Nell Bernstein and Chesa Boudin to learn how a coalition of parents, activists, and prison officials reformed what she calls a “racist and destructive institution,” and what other social movements can learn from that struggle.

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S.F. Politics Preview 2026: Lurie Enters Year 2, Pelosi Exits, and More Jan 20, 2026

Show notes

San Francisco politics is rarely dull, but 2026 is shaping up to be particularly eventful. Nancy Pelosi, the first and only woman elected U.S. House speaker, has announced her retirement after nearly four decades serving San Francisco in Congress. The race to succeed her is wide-open, though State Senator Scott Wiener and Supervisor Connie Chan have already thrown their hats in.

Meanwhile, Mayor Daniel Lurie starts his second year in office with high approval ratings and ambitious plans to boost housing construction and overhaul the City Charter. He’s also still facing fallout from a bungled effort to appoint a supervisor in the city’s Sunset District. His first pick, a former pet store owner with no political experience, resigned after allegations over unsanitary conditions and poor management at her small business.

We’ll check in with some of the city’s top political reporters to talk about Pelosi’s legacy, what to expect from the Lurie administration, and how the city will cope with federal cuts and Trump’s ongoing crackdown on Democratic cities.

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Carol Leonnig and Aaron Davis: How Politics and Fear Vanquished America's Justice Department Jan 19, 2026

Show notes

In 1861, abolitionist Wendell Phillips said, “I think the first duty of society is justice.” What, then, would he think about the current state of America’s Department of Justice?

Pulitzer-Prize-winning reporters Carol Leonnig and Aaron C. Davis say that throughout his first administration, President Donald Trump did more than any other president to politicize the nation’s top law enforcement agency, pressuring his appointees to shield him, to go after his enemies, and even to help him remain in office after his 2020 election defeat. They say the Justice Department has never fully recovered.

Decisions and actions by the Justice Department during the Trump and Biden presidencies demonstrate how much has changed. Leonnig and Davis explore what has happened in their new book Injustice: How Politics and Fear Vanquished America's Justice Department. They say the subversion of the Justice Department over the last decade threatens rule of law in the United States as we have long known it.

They put blame not only on Trump administration efforts to undermine the department but also the delays in investigating Trump’s effort to overturn the 2020 election under Biden’s attorney general, Merrick Garland. Leonnig and Davis say a daily war was secretly waged for the soul of the department.

Join us for a special online-only discussion that will take you inside the rooms where fateful decisions were made—with fateful results. Hear Leonnig and Davis’ jaw-dropping account of political partisans and enablers wrecking democracy, heroes who still battle to preserve the rule of law, and a call to action for those who believe in liberty and justice for all.

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Breaking the Polarization Trap: A New Approach to Political Cooperation Jan 16, 2026

Show notes

Political polarization has become a top concern for Americans, surpassing issues such as immigration, inflation or crime, according to an October 2025 poll by The New York Times and Siena University. This is a major shift from before the 2024 election, when it "barely registered" as an issue. Most voters now doubt the country's divisions can be overcome.

Still, Americans also say they want leaders to cooperate across party lines. So what should be done? Liam deClive-Lowe believes that part of the answer is to make it less risky for politicians to collaborate across the aisle. He’s the president and co-founder of American Policy Ventures (APV), a nonpartisan organization that works with members of Congress, philanthropists and policy leaders to “de-risk cross-partisan collaboration and pragmatic governance.”

The APV team, including former Republican and Democratic staffers, seeks to achieve this by changing the incentive structures that deepen polarization. When politicians are seen working with the other side, they are often demonized by their own base. DeClive-Lowe wants cooperation to become something that is rewarded, not punished.

APV is just one of a number of recently formed groups in the nation’s capital looking to promote bipartisanship and solve the polarization crisis. DeClive-Lowe will join Commonwealth Club World Affairs to discuss the growing movement, APV’s efforts, and actions ordinary citizens can take.

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CLIMATE ONE: Crop Shoot: Farmers Caught Up In Policy Turmoil Jan 16, 2026

Show notes

Agriculture is directly responsible for 10 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, and farmers and ranchers face growing climate impacts every day, from more severe storms to intense droughts, making it harder to grow food.

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office ⁠estimates⁠ emissions from the agriculture sector will modestly increase over the next 30 years. Yet the Trump administration is ⁠slashing programs ⁠that help reduce emissions, feed people, protect farmworkers and animals and sensitive lands. In addition, the Trump administration’s tariffs and trade wars have affected the cost of machinery and sales of major crops. What will these changes mean for our national food system? How are farmers weathering these impacts? And where are people building resilience regardless of federal policy?

Episode Guests:

Lisa Held, Senior Staff Reporter and Contributing Editor, Civil Eats

Megan O'Rourke, Congressional Candidate NJ07; Former USDA Scientist John Bartman, Illinois farmer

Byron Kominek, Owner and Manager, Jack's Solar Garden

Highlights:

00:00 – Intro

05:30 – Lisa Held on major climate and agriculture stories in 2025

07:30 – Climate change is making it harder to be a farmer

09:15 – Changes at USDA

15:00 – How SNAP cuts affect consumers and farmers/growers

18:30 – Trump admin penalizing efforts/grants that support DEI efforts in agriculture

24:00 – John Bartman shares his journey to regenerative agriculture

30:00 – Partnership for Climate Smart Commodities Program and cutbacks under Trump

34:30 – Trade war between China and US is hurting soybean sales and Amazon rainforest

37:10 – Byron Kominek on how he got into agrivoltaics and the benefits it offers

42:00 – Agrivoltaics is climate adaptation

51:20 – Megan O’Rourke on research around kernza, a perennial grain

54:00 – Most pressing challenges for agriculture right now

59:00 – Importance of food security at home and abroad, and role of US farmers

1:03:30 – Climate One More Thing

For show notes , transcript, and related links, visit climateone.org/podcasts

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