Best Kevin Kosar Podcasts (2025)

1
Is Congress Getting Anything Done? (with Gabe Fleisher) 28:12

1d ago28:12

28:12

The topic of this episode is, “Is Congress getting anything done?” The 119th Congress convened in early January. Months have gone by, and there are lots of things happening in Washington, DC. But is it all being done by President Donald J. Trump? Is Congress itself doing anything? Gabe Fleisher is here to help us answer that latter question. He is …

1
Special Book Edition: Congressional Deliberation: Major Debates, Speeches, and Writings, 1774-2023 (with Jordan Cash) 27:40

29d ago27:40

27:40

The topic of this episode is a recent book that is titled, Congressional Deliberation: Major Debates, Speeches, and Writings 1774-2023 (Hackett 2024). The book is edited by Jordan T. Cash, a professor at James Madison College at Michigan State University, and by Kevin J. Burns, a professor at Benedictine College. As the book’s title indicates, its …

1
What Does a Member of the House of Representatives Do All Day? (with Fmr. Rep. Derek Kilmer) 29:29

2M ago29:29

29:29

The topic of this episode is, “What does a member of the House of Representatives do all day?” It is not easy for the average voter to imagine how a member of Congress spends each day. We see images of them standing in the ornate chamber, talking with voters, and there’s no shortage of videos of them delivering speeches or denunciations of presiden…

1
Would Term Limits Fix Congress? (with Casey Burgat) 24:33

3M ago24:33

24:33

The topic of this episode is, “Can term limits fix Congress?” Many Americans, including possibly you, dear listener, look at Congress and think, “These people stink. They spend decades in Congress and are out of touch with the American people and pay too much attention to special interests.” This widespread feeling unsurprisingly leads to nearly 90…

1
What Is the Lost History of Congress’s Offices of Legislative Counsel? (with Beau Baumann) 28:14

4M ago28:14

28:14

The topic of this episode is, “What is the lost history of Congress’s Offices of Legislative Counsel?” My guest is Beau Baumann, a doctoral candidate in law at Yale University. He studies the intersection of administrative law and legislation. He has published articles in a number of law journals and previously worked as an attorney for the US Depa…

1
Ben Wildavsky on the German Model of Dual-Studies 50:23

5M ago50:23

50:23

Ben Wildavsky is a veteran higher education strategist and writer, and host of the Higher Ed Spotlight podcast. He brings decades of experience in journalism and education policy, including leadership roles at Strada Education Network, the College Board, and US News & World Report. He is the author of The Career Arts: Making the Most of College, Cr…

1
What Has Become of the United States Senate and Can It Be Revived? (with Anthony Madonna) 26:19

5M ago26:19

26:19

The topic of this episode is, “What has become of the United States Senate and can it be revived?” The Senate did not have a good year in 2024. The chamber did not pass a budget resolution, nor did the Senate enact any of the dozen annual spending bills. Its year-end calendar of business listed dozens of pages of bills on matters large and small aw…

1
Robert Lerman on the Role of Apprenticeships in the American Economy 45:57

6M ago45:57

45:57

Robert Lerman is a research fellow at the Urban Institute and the co-founder of Apprenticeships for America, where he is dedicated to expanding opportunities for lifelong learning and ensuring that apprenticeships are a cornerstone of America’s educational landscape. Through his prolific research and advocacy, we examine the role of apprenticeships…

1
Stuart Andreason on Skills-Based Hiring 53:26

6M ago53:26

53:26

Stuart Andreason is the Executive Director of Programs at the Burning Glass Institute where he leads efforts in research and engagement on workforce innovation, higher education, and economic mobility. Through his personal experience and his work in skills-based hiring, we look at vocation in career, skills signals, and role of technology in the hi…

1
Special Book Edition: The Price of Power: How Mitch McConnell Mastered the Senate, Changed America, and Lost His Party (with Kevin R. Kosar) 14:04

6M ago14:04

14:04

The topic of this episode is a new book on Senator Mitch McConnell, a Republican who served as his party’s chamber leader for the better part of two decades. The book was written by Associated Press reporter Michael Tackett, and its title is The Price of Power: How Mitch McConnell Mastered the Senate, Changed America, and Lost His Party. It was pub…

1
Should the House of Representatives Change Its Rules?” (with Philip Wallach) 25:50

7M ago25:50

25:50

As listeners know, every two years the House of Representatives is reborn. After the November election each party convenes in Washington, DC. They discuss and debate how they will run their parties, and what their legislative priorities will be. And if they are members of the majority party, they will discuss and decide what the rules of the House …

1
Kerry McKittrick on Education, Career Navigation, and Workforce Development 47:15

7M ago47:15

47:15

Kerry McKittrick, in her work as co-director of The Project on Workforce at Harvard, looks into different aspects of the relationship between workforce development and careers. In this episode of Hardly Working, we dive into three different reports that McKittrick has authored recently. Mentioned in the episode: The College-to-Jobs Initiative: Expl…

1
David Hernandez on Creating a Domestic Microprocessor Manufacturing Labor Force 45:49

8M ago45:49

45:49

Description: This week on Hardly Working, Brent Orrell talks with David Hernandez, Vice President of Education at IPC, the Global Association for Electronics Manufacturing. Brent and David discuss domestic electronics manufacturing, workforce education and training, and the global supply chain. Mentioned During the Show: IPC International, Inc. The…

1
What Does the House Ways and Means Committee Do? (with Fmr. Rep. Tom Reed) 26:02

8M ago26:02

26:02

The topic of this episode is, “What does the House Ways and Means Committee do? And how does it do it?” The House Ways and Means Committee is the oldest committee of the United States Congress, first established in 1789 and became a standing committee in 1805. It has jurisdiction over raising revenue for the government to spend---taxes, tariffs, an…

1
How Can the House of Representatives Better Prepare New Members? (with Rep. Stephanie Bice) 22:28

9M ago22:28

22:28

The topic of this episode is, “How can the House of Representatives better prepare new members?” My guest is Rep. Stephanie Bice, a Republican who has represented Oklahoma’s fifth congressional district for the past four years. She previously served in the Oklahoma state legislature from from 2014 to 2020. Prior to that, she worked in business for …

1
Addressing Rural Economic Development With Kevin R. Kosar 1:27:17

10M ago1:27:17

1:27:17

On July 22, Brent Orrell from AEI and Tony Pipa from Brookings hosted a discussion about Casa Grande Valley Farms, an agricultural cooperative from the New Deal era that faced challenges and eventually failed. AEI's Kevin R. Kosar, who has republished a book on the project, joined the conversation to discuss the lessons this historical case offers …

1
Russ Roberts on "Wild Problems" 59:50

10M ago59:50

59:50

Russ Roberts, President of Shalem College in Jerusalem and host of the Econtalk podcast, discusses his book, “Wild Problems: A Guide to the Decisions That Define Us. The book discusses Robert’s approach to problems that can’t be solved with normal economics analysis. In this episode, Brent and Russ also discuss the influences Russ had growing up an…

1
How Does Media Affect Our Perceptions of Congress? (with Rob Oldham) 27:46

10M ago27:46

27:46

The topic of this episode is, “How does media affect our perceptions of Congress?’ As listeners no doubt know, Americans are down on Congress. Public approval of Congress has averaged about 20 percent over the past 20 years, according to Gallup. Certainly, the people on Capitol Hill are partly to blame. We have legislators who behave as if they are…

1
Sally Satel and Keith Humphreys on the Opioid Epidemic 56:22

11M ago56:22

56:22

On July 8, AEI’s Brent Orrell hosted the fifth event in the “On the Front Porch” series with the Brookings Institution’s Tony Pipa featuring Stanford University Professor Keith Humphreys and AEI’s Sally Satel, two experts in opioid treatment and the societal effects of drug abuse in rural areas. They discuss the factors that led to the opioid crisi…

1
Special Books Edition: An Interview with Michael Johnson, Author of Fixing Congress: Restoring Power to the People 25:12

11M ago25:12

25:12

The topic of this special episode of the Understanding Congress podcast is a recent book by Michael Johnson and Jerome Climer. The book is titled, Fixing Congress: Restoring Power to the People (Morgan James Publishing, 2024). Mr. Johnson and Mr. Climer each have spent more than four decades in Washington, DC and have had stints working inside Cong…

1
Brad Wilcox on Marriage and Family Stability 52:05

11M ago52:05

52:05

This week on Hardly Working, Brent Orrell talks with AEI Senior Fellow Brad Wilcox. Wilcox’s recent book Get Married: Why Americans Should Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families and Save Civilization explores the importance of marriage in society. Brent and Wilcox discuss how marriage promotes healthy families and why declines in marriage rates are…

1
Daniel Susskind on the Growth Dilemma 44:59

12M ago44:59

44:59

Americans are grappling with the complexities of economic growth, technology, and their impacts on society. This week, Brent talks with Oxford University economist Daniel Susskind, who explores these themes in his latest book Growth: A Reckoning. Together, Brent and Susskind discuss the historical context of growth, the role of technological advanc…

1
Does Congress Still Suffer from Demosclerosis? (with Jonathan Rauch) 30:24

1y ago30:24

30:24

The topic of this episode is, “Does Congress still suffer from Demosclerosis?" My guest is Jonathan Rauch, the author of the classic book, Demosclerosis: The Silent Killer of American Government (Times Books, 1994). Jonathan is a fellow at the Brookings Institution, and the author of numerous books, including The Constitution of Knowledge (Brooking…

1
Scott Winship on the Wage-Productivity Paradox 46:36

1y ago46:36

46:36

Americans’ views on the economy have soured in recent years, often seemingly disconnected with the realities of work and growth in incomes. One particularly pernicious meme, found on both the left and the right, is that economic growth has not translated into higher wages for American workers. This week on Hardly Working, Brent sits down with Scott…

1
John Tamny on the End of Work 46:28

1y ago46:28

46:28

In a world where the traditional boundaries of work are being redrawn, the interplay between work and personal satisfaction, a sense of purpose, and meaning is rapidly evolving. This week on Hardly Working, Brent sits down with John Tamny, editor of RealClearMarkets and president of the Parkview Institute. They discuss Tamny’s 2018 book The End of …

1
What Is Congress’ Role in a Contingent Presidential Election? (with John Fortier) 24:05

1y ago24:05

24:05

The topic of this episode is, "what is Congress' role in a contingent presidential election?" Two centuries ago, America had a contingent presidential election. No candidate got a majority of votes, and thus it fell to Congress to decide who got to be president. Might the United States have another contingent election? Certainly it is possible. Fou…

1
Carol Graham on the Power of Hope 1:33:27

1y ago1:33:27

1:33:27

Contemporary differences between rural and urban areas in America have their roots in long-term demographic, economic, technological, and social factors. Brent and the Brookings Institution’s Tony Pipa are hosting conversations “On the Front Porch” with authors of recent research on issues facing rural America. These discussions explore the unique …

1
Special Books Edition: An Interview with Bradley Podliska, Author of Fire Alarm: The Investigation of the U.S. House Select Committee on Benghazi 23:32

1y ago23:32

23:32

This topic of this special episode of the Understanding Congress podcast is a recent book by a former Hill staffer. It is titled Fire Alarm: The Investigation of the U.S. House Select Committee on Benghazi (Lexington Books, 2023) The author is Bradley F. Podliska is an Assistant Professor of Military and Security Studies at the U.S. Air Force Air C…

1
Jim Pethokoukis on Conservative Futurism 56:50

1y ago56:50

56:50

As technology marches on, what kind of world are we moving towards? According to AEI senior fellow Jim Pethokoukis, it’s an abundant and prosperous one, at least potentially. So long as we play our cards right–and embrace what he calls an “UpWing” technology and growth policies we will reap the benefits of what many find to be destabilizing, disori…

1
Vikram Mansharamani on Why to Be a Generalist 47:09

1y ago47:09

47:09

In a world of specialists, generalists sometimes seem like people without a country. That may be changing. In an age of specialized–and increasingly powerful– AI tools, going broad rather than narrow may increasingly be valuable. Today on Hardly Working, Vikram Mansharamani returns to the podcast to discuss his personal and professional journey as …

1
Why Can’t Congress Budget Responsibly? (with Rep. David Schweikert) 32:50

1+ y ago32:50

32:50

The topic of this episode is “Why is Congress struggling to manage the nation’s finances?” My guest is Representative David Schweikert of Arizona. He was first elected to Congress in 2011. Prior to that, he was a businessman, served in Arizona’s state legislature, and as Maricopa County Treasurer. He is a Republican and holds a seat on the Ways and…

1
What Rural Voters Think: A Conversation with Nick Jacobs 1:30:51

1+ y ago1:30:51

1:30:51

Divides between rural and urban America have their roots in longstanding demographic, economic, technological, and social factors. In a new event series, AEI’s Brent Orrell and the Brookings Institution’s Tony Pipa are hosting a series of conversations “On the Front Porch” with authors of recent research on issues facing rural America. These discus…

1
Robert Schwartz and Rachel Lipson on Community Colleges and Economic Mobility 57:10

1+ y ago57:10

57:10

In recent years, confidence in higher education has plummeted. This decline has prompted a vigorous debate on the role of all types of post-secondary education. In their recent book America’s Hidden Economic Engines: How Community Colleges Can Drive Shared Prosperity, Robert B. Schwartz and Rachel Lipson make the case for the value of community col…

1
What Is Legislative Effectiveness? (with Craig Volden) 24:38

1+ y ago24:38

24:38

The topic of this episode is, “What is legislative effectiveness?” We voters often say that we want our senators and members of Congress to do things, and preferably, the right things. We tend to dislike it when we see people on Capitol Hill who are all talk and no action. And in theory, we should vote out of office those lawmakers who are ineffect…

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Kevin Kosar Podcasts

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