Giving Ventures

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Ep. 87 - The New Right Jun 10, 2025

Show notes

For the third installment in the "What Is the Right?" series, we're featuring the New Right. While the Freedom Conservatives and Libertarians we've spoken with in the last two episodes hold to the importance of free markets, today's guests are skeptical of what they see as too much deference to laissez-faire economics. Over the past decade, the New Right has emerged as a force to be reckoned with in Washington. Challenging the Reaganite consensus and offering a vision for the Right that's more centered on family, community, and nation, the New Right's contrast to our previous episodes provides food for thought. In this episode, Peter is joined by Oren Cass and Nick Solheim, two leaders in the New Right movement who will help us understand this ascendant faction.

Oren Cass is the founder and chief economist at American Compass, an organization focused on reorienting what productive work and economic development mean in modern society, away from growth for its own sake and more strongly factoring in family and community. His 2018 book, The Once and Future Worker: A Vision for the Renewal of Work in America, had a major impact in shifting the conversation around what economic and labor policy should be in America. He is editor of the new volume The New Conservatives: Restoring America's Commitment to Family, Community, and Industry.

Nick Solheim is co-founder and, as of earlier this year, CEO of American Moment. American Moment focuses on identifying and training young leaders toward being public policy leaders that support strong families, a sovereign nation, and prosperity for all. Nick also hosts American Moment's podcast, Moment of Truth.

Ep. 86 - The Libertarians May 27, 2025

Show notes

This episode is the second installment in the "What Is the Right?" summer series for Giving Ventures. In this series, we're exploring the different factions and flavors that make up the right side of the ideological spectrum here in this weird political moment we live in. Today, we're looking at a group that some say isn't even fairly categorized as "right" at all: libertarians.

How do you fairly describe what "libertarian" really means? They are the smallest of the small-government people, the most live-and-let-live of any group. It is the focus on freedom and individual liberty that means you also get a free range of ideas on what that liberty means. This episode features two great leaders in the libertarian space: Katherine Mangu-Ward and Peter Goettler.

Katherine is Editor-in-Chief of Reason Magazine, the longest running libertarian magazine. Reason is a key cog in the libertarian ecosystem, and Katherine's leadership is doing much to keep it that way. Peter Goettler is President and CEO of the Cato Institute, the foremost libertarian think tank, based in Washington, DC. For more than 40 years, Cato has been the place for sound, reasoned policy ideas from a libertarian perspective.

Ep. 85 - The Freedom Conservatives May 13, 2025

Show notes

What is "the Right"? Over the next several months, Giving Ventures will be exploring this question through a series of interviews with leaders in the conservative and libertarian space. From the libertarians to the traditionalists, the national conservatives and the New Right—this series will give you a sense of the scope and diversity on the American Right.

In this inaugural episode, we're considering Freedom Conservatism. Launched in response to the increasingly popularity of nationalism and populism in conservative quarters, Freedom Conservatism aims to preserve a Reaganite understanding of classical liberalism. To help unpack what it means to be a "FreeCon," Peter is joined by Avik Roy and John Hood, who helped launch the Freedom Conservatism movement with a Statement of Principles in the summer of 2023. That statement boasts signers like former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, columnist George Will, and former Heritage Foundation President Kay Cole James.

John Hood is president of the John William Pope Foundation, based in Raleigh, and previously spent many years running North Carolina's free-market think tank, the John Locke Foundation. Avik Roy is the founder and chairman of the Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity, a think tank focused on promoting market-based solutions to economic and social issues affecting low and middle-income Americans.

Ep. 84 - The Coolidge and Reagan Legacies Apr 22, 2025

Show notes

There was a time in the not-too-distant past where every political candidate looking to tout his or her conservative principles trotted out connections to and affinities for Ronald Reagan. And in a certain subset, those who really wanted to signal they were committed to smaller or more limited government reached even farther back into history, preaching the wisdom of President Calvin Coolidge. So what do their legacies look like today in this interesting political moment we find ourselves in? This episode of Giving Ventures features the leaders of both the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute as well as the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation.

First, Amity Shlaes, chair of the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation, discusses how Coolidge’s ideals are being revived and instilled in new generations. Next, David Trulio, president and CEO of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute, shares how Reagan’s timeless principles are being adapted to modern challenges.

Ep. 83 - Center for Practical Federalism Apr 08, 2025

Show notes

In an era where federal overreach seems to be the norm, the concept of federalism stands as a beacon of hope for many seeking a return to localized power and decision-making. In this episode, Tony Woodlief of the State Policy Network's Center for Practical Federalism shares insights into how states can reclaim their autonomy from an ever-expanding federal government.

This episode goes beyond American civics and history, diving deep into the practical tools and strategies available to state and local officials aiming to push back against federal encroachment and restore the balance of power envisioned by the framers of the Constitution.

Tony Woodlief is a Senior Fellow at the State Policy Network's Center for Practical Federalism and author of I, Citizen: A Blueprint for Reclaiming American Self-Governance. His work focuses on empowering state and local governments to reclaim authority and push back against federal overreach.

Ep. 82 - California Thinking Mar 25, 2025

Show notes

California has long been a trendsetter...but not always for the right reasons. Known for its innovative spirit and sun-soaked coastline, the state grapples with a multitude of policy challenges, from housing costs to environmental regulations. California's decisions often ripple across the nation, influencing policies from coast to coast. This episode features interviews with leaders from two influential think tanks—Pacific Research Institute and California Policy Center—about their efforts to counteract detrimental policies and promote free-market solutions in the Golden State. These organizations are not only tackling local issues but are also providing a blueprint for other states to avoid California's pitfalls.

Sally Pipes is the longtime president of the Pacific Research Institute, a healthcare expert, and author of several books. Rowena Itchon serves as the Chief Operating Officer at the Pacific Research Institute. Will Swaim is the president of the California Policy Center.

Ep. 81 - Promoting Free Speech on Campus Mar 11, 2025

Show notes

In recent years, the landscape of free speech on college campuses has become a battleground, with incidents of censorship and cancel culture making headlines. Yet, out of this challenge, a new wave of hope is rising—one led by passionate alumni who are taking action to restore open discourse.

This episode features three leaders from organizations working tirelessly to promote free speech: Charles Mitchell from the Open Discourse Coalition, Todd Rulon-Miller from Princetonians for Free Speech, and Peter Bonilla from the MIT Free Speech Alliance. Each brings a unique perspective and strategy to this shared mission, showcasing how alumni can be pivotal in reshaping the academic environment.

Ep. 80 - Making Housing More Abundant and More Affordable Feb 25, 2025

Show notes

Affordable housing is a persistent challenge in American politics. Bad public policy leads to artificial housing supply restrictions which causes prices to rise. But stimulating housing supply to bring costs down is a thorny issue.

The latest episode of Giving Ventures brings together Sonja Trauss from Yes in My Backyard and Charles Gardner from the Mercatus Center to explore how grassroots advocacy and deregulation can make housing more abundant and more affordable. Sonja is the Founder and Executive Director of Yes in My Backyard (YIMBY), a grassroots organization that aims to address the housing shortage by advocating for policies that promote affordable housing. Charles is a Research Fellow at the Mercatus Center, where he explores housing policy, zoning, and land use. He brings a legal background and experience as an elected official in Connecticut to his work on housing policy.

Ep. 79 - Addressing America's Mental Health Needs Feb 11, 2025

Show notes

From the challenges posed by technology use to political biases creeping into the therapist's office, America is experiencing something of a mental health crisis. To help address this critical issue, the Philanthropy Roundtable recently compiled a Mental Health Playbook that provides philanthropists with an introduction to the most effective organizations working to solve this crisis while remaining faithful to the principles of liberty, opportunity, and personal responsibility. As the Roundtable explained in a recent article, private philanthropy is "essential to confronting our nation’s mental health crisis" because "it’s flexible and nimble, allowing the most effective, unique approaches to emerge."

To learn more about the Playbook and to get a look at two of the organizations it highlights, Peter assembled a panel for this episode of Giving Ventures.

Esther Larson is the Senior Director of Programs at the Philanthropy Roundtable. She spearheaded the creation of the Mental Health Playbook, a resource designed to guide donors through the complex landscape of mental health funding.

Dr. Andrew Hartz is the Founder and President of the Open Therapy Institute. A clinical psychologist by training, he focuses on removing bias within the counseling space to improve mental health care.

Carolyn Gorman serves as a policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute, one of the country's leading think tanks. Her work concentrates on the policy challenges and potential solutions in the mental health sector.

Ep. 78 - Senator James Lankford on the State of Philanthropy in America Jan 28, 2025

Show notes

This episode of Giving Ventures features a special interview with Senator James Lankford (R-OK), who provides a charitable-minded view from Capitol Hill. As one of the few U.S. Senators with extensive experience running a nonprofit, Lankford understands the needs and challenges of the charitable community and appreciates the role public policy can play in fostering a vibrant nonprofit sector.

In this conversation, Peter and Senator Lankford discuss the state of charitable giving in America, the dangers posed to donor privacy, and how a new tax bill could incentivize more philanthropy.

Senator Lankford has represented Oklahoma in the United States Senate since 2015 and, prior to his Senate service, represented the 5th District of Oklahoma in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 to 2015. Before entering public service, the Senator led the Falls Creek Baptist Conference Center in Oklahoma.

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