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Independent Conversations

Independent Institute

Brought to you by the Independent Institute, Independent Conversations is a regular round-table conversation that provides timely insights and cutting-edge commentary on the most pressing issues of the day. It features Independent’s Graham H. Walker (President), Williamson M. Evers (Senior Fellow), and as well as additional Independent Institute fellows and other special guests.

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20 episodes
Avg 53 min
English

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August 18 · 30 min
The High-Tech Fix That Is Not Fixing Gun Violence
Does acoustic gunshot detection actually make cities safer, or does it send police chasing false alarms while draining resources from proven public safety work? In this episode of Independent Conversations, Graham H. Walker sits down with Jonathan Hofer and Brian Hofer to examine ShotSpotter-style technology, accuracy claims, false positives, AI hype, surveillance bias and why cities from San Diego to Chicago have walked away from the promise of “smart” policing.
July 21 · 1 hr 11 min
Why Birthright Citizenship Is More Complicated Than We Think
Is birthright citizenship really guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment, or has America misread the fine print of one of its most important clauses? In this episode of Independent Conversations, Graham H. Walker is joined by Richard A. Epstein, Ilya Somin and Williamson M. Evers for a sharp discussion on citizenship, constitutional language, naturalization law, voting rights, borders and the moral accident of where a person is born.
June 16 · 38 min
The Redistricting Debate After Louisiana v. Callais
What happens when courts shape elections? And, is redistricting ever actually fair? In this episode of Independent Conversations, we attempt to answer these questions as Graham H. Walker sits down with Williamson M. Evers and Phillip W. Magness for a discussion on the fallout of Louisiana v. Callais. Together, they examine the distinction between racial and partisan gerrymandering, the legacy of the Voting Rights Act, the risks of court-imposed districting standards, and the deeper question of w
May 11 · 57 min
The Economists You Probably Don’t Know—But Should
You know Adam Smith and Milton Friedman—but what about the economists whose ideas quietly kept the free market running? These overlooked thinkers shaped modern economic life, yet rarely receive the recognition they deserve. "Unsung Heroes of the Market: The 24 Underrated Economists You Need to Know," edited by Robert M. Whaples, shines a spotlight on these remarkable minds—from Julian Simon, who overturned doomsday thinking about natural resources by seeing human ingenuity as the ultimate resour
April 21 · 46 min
End California’s Nuclear Energy Ban!
With California electricity demand growing exponentially, why is the state holding so tenaciously to its ban on new nuclear power plants? Why has California closed itself off from the largest source of carbon-free power generation in the United States? On this episode of Independent Conversations, we talk with energy researcher and author, Paige Lambermont, who answers these questions, and more, in connection with her recently published California Golden Fleece Report.
March 19 · 1 hr 9 min
Is the Constitution the First Casualty of the Iran War?
When U.S. and Israeli bombs fall on Iran, and Iranian bombs then strike American regional bases and even ritzy hotels in Dubai, it sure looks like war. Did the President have the authority for this war under the Constitution? Defenders of Trump’s power say it’ll be worth a little constitutional slippage if things turn out well. Is a happy ending likely? Ivan Eland, Williamson Evers, and Graham Walker address these questions and more on this episode of Independent Conversations.
March 9 · 55 min
Deleting The State: Fear, Power, and Political Authority
Could society manage if we didn’t have a government forcing us to do things? Would everything descend into chaos? Or are there resources in our human nature that enable us to adjust ourselves lawfully to one another, even when state enforcement is not looming in the background? In this episode of Independent Conversations, Prof. Aeon Skoble makes the case for no government …and makes that case better than you might expect.
February 24 · 48 min
Slaying Tariffs: From Declaration to Supreme Court Victory
The U.S. Supreme Court has invalidated President Trump’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 to implement tariffs. What does the Court’s ruling mean? And what’s next for tariffs, and for presidential powers more generally? We explore these questions on this episode of Independent Conversations, featuring Dr. Phillip Magness. Magness holds Independent’s David J. Theroux Chair in Political Economy, and is one of a handful of people who actually got the ball rolling on th
February 23 · 1 hr 10 min
The Obamacare Trainwreck…and the way out
Our own Christopher Briggs has been on a crusade to save his daughter from, not only cancer, but also Obamacare, the disastrously expensive government health insurance program that also denied her coverage twice in a three-year period. What can be done to get the government out of the business of imposing medical serfdom on the American people? How can we escape the trainwreck that is the Affordable Care Act? This series is a father’s hunt for answers.... Guest: Michael Cannon, Director of Healt
February 5 · 52 min
Minneapolis Maelstrom
Between the onslaught of federal immigration enforcement, and organized resistance to it, Minneapolis is being pushed to the brink. What made Minneapolis more of a crucible than other cities? Do anti-ICE protestors have a right to carry arms into the turmoil? Does the State of Minnesota have a right to resist federal agents? Can the powder keg be defused? We tackle these questions and more on this episode of Independent Conversations.
January 14 · 57 min
Reclaiming the Constitution: The People and the Bill of Rights
Drawing on insights from his forthcoming book, The Independent Guide to the Constitution: Original Intentions, Modern Inventions, author William J. Watkins, Jr. will explore the history and distortions of key constitutional provisions with Independent Institute President Graham Walker.
January 7 · 46 min
Venezuela on the Brink
Does a U.S. President have the authority to order a military raid on a foreign capital like Caracas, Venezuela? Is the United States really going to “run” Venezuela as President Trump said, or will it take some slightly more modest role as Marco Rubio seems to suggest? And what will happen to Venezuelans themselves? We address these questions on this episode of Independent Conversations--including live commentary from our correspondent on the ground in Venezuela.
January 7 · 41 min
L.A. Wildfires: Looking Back, Looking Ahead
There's been time to reflect on the horrific wildfires in Los Angeles of January 2025. What have we learned about the fires’ origins? And more importantly what have we learned about what could have been done—and what still could be done—to reduce the risks of such devastating fires in the future? We explore these questions on this episode of Independent Conversations.
Dec 30, 2025 · 1 hr 8 min
Year in Review: How Did Liberty Fare in 2025?
For those who care about liberty, 2025 was a mixed bag. On the down side, socialism was embraced explicitly by some Americans on the left, and implicitly by some on the right. On the up side, the principle that people should be treated even-handedly without reference to their race—especially by the government—seems finally to be reemerging from the DEI house of mirrors. On this episode, we take a look back at these and other big issues of 2025, where the fate of liberty has been on the line repe
Nov 26, 2025 · 56 min
Crackup on the Right, BBC Bias, Rent Control Revisited
What’s going on at the Heritage Foundation and elsewhere, with confusion about how to deal with antisemitism and more broadly with what is being called “post-liberalism”? And also, why is President Trump suing the BBC for bias? We take on these issues, and more, in this episode.
Nov 8, 2025 · 45 min
How NIMBYism Worsens California’s Housing Crisis | Christopher Calton
Due to their persistent interference with much-needed housing projects, the Independent Institute is awarding the seventeenth California Golden Fleece® Award to the many NIMBY groups and individuals that have contributed to the state’s housing crisis. The list of recipients includes environmental organizations, such as the Sierra Club, and anti-density neighborhood groups, such as Livable California.
Oct 29, 2025 · 58 min
Shutdown Blues; Trumpy Tariffs; "Regime Change" War with Venezuela?
What makes government shutdowns drag on? On the other hand, how much does it matter? Shutdown or no shutdown, President Trump’s tariffs are about to go before the Supreme Court; and in the meantime, the President keeps adjusting them pretty much every week. He also seems to be taking liberties in bombing accused drug boats off the coast of Venezuela. We tackle these issues, and more, on this episode.
Oct 27, 2025 · 1 hr 4 min
Beyond Homeless: What Really Works To End Homelessness?
Entire neighborhoods across the U.S. have become open-air asylums, drug markets, and impoverished wastelands—despite billions poured into homelessness programs. The tragic truth? The prevailing “solutions,” like Housing First, are failing—failing those experiencing homelessness, and failing the communities around them. But there IS another way. This conversation with the authors of Beyond Homeless: Good Intentions, Bad Outcomes, Transformative Solutions, a groundbreaking new book that shines a l
Oct 15, 2025 · 41 min
Does the L.A. Metro System Have to Be a Waste of Time and Money? | Baruch Feigenbaum
Los Angeles has a metropolitan transit system—the L.A. Metro for short—but few people want to ride it because it’s dirty and unsafe, and doesn’t go where they want to go. Taxpayer advocates balk at the billions of tax dollars spent on dubious Metro expansions. Los Angeles is one of the greatest cities in the world. Does its Metro system have to be this bad? The answer is “No!” We learn why in this episode of Independent Conversations as we talk with Mr. Baruch Feigenbaum, an expert in urban tran
Oct 8, 2025 · 56 min
Free Speech vs. Left and Right Cancel Culture | Nadine Strossen
After an assassin killed Charlie Kirk for his ostensibly hateful views, millions grieved. Others mocked Kirk. But now some of the mockers are losing their jobs as payback for their vindictiveness, raising a question: Are we seeing a kind of right-wing “cancel culture” at odds with the American principle of free speech? We explore this question with the help of Nadine Strossen, longtime President of the ACLU, on this episode of Independent Conversations.

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