Best Merit Michael Podcasts (2025)

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A Judicious Life, Part Two - Special Guests Justice Stephen Breyer, Professors Nadine Strossen and Kermit Roosevelt 1:45:06

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1d ago1:45:06

1:45:06

Former Justice Breyer returns to Amarica’s Constitution with reflections on his long-time colleague and, yes, his friend, in a rare opportunity to hear about relationships on the Court. Meanwhile, former Souter clerk and current Professor at Penn Carey Law School, Kermit Roosevelt, looks back on the clerkship as well as at the threads that have eme…

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Ep. 313: Tom Montag on the Undiscovered Potential of Carbon Markets 37:56

1d ago37:56

37:56

Tom Montag is the founding Chief Executive Officer of Rubicon Carbon. Tom has over 20 years of experience in financial markets. Previously, he was the Chief Operating Officer and President of global banking and markets at Bank of America. Tom was also a member of the company’s executive management team, overseeing all businesses serving corporation…

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The Cultural Return to Orthodoxy | Ann Brodeur 28:19

1d ago28:19

28:19

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Ann Brodeur, the Chair of Education and Liberal Arts at Catholic International University. They explore the relationship between Ann’s love for medieval history and her background growing up on a ranch in Montana. They dive into how a view of education as formational, rather than mere informational, …

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Ep 132 | Should Teachers Be Neutral in the Classroom? 55:09

4d ago55:09

55:09

This week on The Citizen Stewart Show, Chris and Kate dive into the complex challenge teachers face in maintaining political neutrality amid today's highly polarized climate. How do educators stay balanced when everything feels like a political statement? We’d love to hear from you! Leave us a voicemail at (321) 213-9171 Or send us an email at citi…

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Ep. 312: Deepak Gurnani on Five Steps for Using AI in Investing 41:15

8d ago41:15

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Deepak Gurnani is the Founder and Managing Partner of Versor Investments. He is the former CIO of Investcorp’s Hedge Fund Group and was one of its founding members in 1996. Deepak was also a member of its Management Committee. He retired from Investcorp in March 2013. Prior to Investcorp, Deepak spent six years with Citicorp. In this podcast we dis…

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CLT Scores State Policy Victories Nationwide | Michael Torres 27:13

8d ago27:13

27:13

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by CLT Director of Legislative Strategy Michael Torres. The two discuss the recent policy victories for CLT and the classical renewal movement in states such as Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. They unpack the surprising and predictable responses from politicians and SAT and ACT lobbyists. Finally, they d…

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Count to Ten 1:24:38

10d ago1:24:38

1:24:38

The Supreme Court left lower courts somewhat in the lurch in its recent Bruen decision; last year, in Rahimi, it attempted to clarify matters. Now an assault weapons case reaches the Court, Snope v. Brown, but the Court declines to hear it. Nevertheless, Justice Kavanaugh, though agreeing with the denial of cert, writes a commentary which calls for…

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Ep 131 | Restorative Justice (with Nicholas Bradford) 58:00

10d ago58:00

58:00

This week on The Citizen Stewart Show, Chris sat down with Nicholas Bradford for a conversation about restorative justice. Nicholas is the founder and executive director of the National Center for Restorative Justice and the author of A Real-World Guide to Restorative Justice in Schools: Practical Philosophy, Useful Tools, and True Stories. The Res…

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Ep 130 | Pushing Student Achievement Forward (with Tommy Chang) 56:13

14d ago56:13

56:13

This week on The Citizen Stewart Show, Chris sits down with Dr. Tommy Chang, CEO of the New Teacher Center for a conversation about how we can keep pushing student achievement forward in these turbulent times. We’d love to hear from you! Leave us a voicemail at (321) 213-9171 Or send us an email at [email protected]…

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Ep. 311: Ralph Sueppel on Quant Trading Macro the Right Way 48:11

15d ago48:11

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Ralph Sueppel is Managing Director for Research and Trading Strategies at Macrosynergy. Previously, he was an Executive Member and Portfolio Manager at Graham Capital. During his tenure there, he created the Systemic Risk and Systematic Value Project (now Macrosynergy Research), a non-profit project dedicated to educating the broader financial comm…

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The Great Books Behind PragerU’s America-First Education | Marissa Streit 25:15

15d ago25:15

25:15

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Marissa Streit, CEO of PragerU and host of Real Talk. They discuss Marissa’s educational experiences growing up in Israel and attending college in America, exploring how her travels deepened her appreciation for American freedoms. They dive into the founding of PragerU and PragerU's breakthrough mome…

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Competence, Character - or Cannon 1:51:49

17d ago1:51:49

1:51:49

Trump says he will no longer take advice from the Federalist Society, and Leonard Leo in particular, for judicial nominations. The criteria he will use instead appear to be cause for great concern, and we discuss this. Meanwhile, the Senate is poised to bypass the filibuster for more than judicial nominations, which calls for an analysis that we pr…

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Ep 129 | Rewriting the Impact of Racial Trauma (with Dominic Lawson) 1:01:36

19d ago1:01:36

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This week on The Citizen Stewart Show, Chris sits down with Dominic Lawson for a conversation about how we can rewrite the impact of racial trauma. Dominic Lawson is an award-winning producer who has made his mark in the mental health space. Dominic’s work has been recognized with numerous accolades. His podcast Black is America won a Webby Award i…

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Ep. 310: Helen Thomas on Trump’s Controlled Demolition Strategy 49:35

22d ago49:35

49:35

Helen Thomas is the CEO of Blonde Money, an independent consultancy firm that analyses and monitors mispriced risks in financial markets in the US, UK and the EU. Helen has a long and distinguished career in both finance and politics. She was an adviser to the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne. Previously, Helen has been a partner …

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Reclaiming Identity Through Classical Education | Michael Adkins 27:16

22d ago27:16

27:16

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Michael Adkins, Dean of Academics and Director of the Lower School of Saint Agnes School in St. Paul, Minnesota. They discuss the secret to keeping Catholic education faithfully Catholic. They dive into misconceptions about the word “classical” and how its popular conception has changed over time. Th…

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Possibly Preparing Humphrey's Execution 1:50:42

24d ago1:50:42

1:50:42

This past week, the Supreme Court issued stays of injunctions which lower courts had issued, those injunctions blocking the firings of officials on statutorily independent agencies. In doing so, the Court may have pointed to an imminent overruling of Humphrey’s Executor, possibly removing existing limitations on the unitary executive theory. At the…

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Ep 128 | Merit Pay for Teachers 56:16

26d ago56:16

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his week on The Citizen Stewart Show, Chris and Kate discussed the nuances of merit pay for teachers. We’d love to hear from you! Leave us a voicemail at (321) 213-9171 Or send us an email at [email protected] The Branch

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Ep. 309: Adam Frank on Aliens, AI and Climate Collapse 1:03:53

29d ago1:03:53

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Adam Frank is a professor of astrophysics at the University of Rochester. A self-described ‘evangelist of science,’ Adam regularly writes and speaks about subjects like intelligent life forms in the universe, high-energy-density physics, space exploration and missions, climate change and more. In this podcast we discuss public science communication…

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Exciting New Initiative Grants Auto-Admit for CLT Score | Andrew Ellison and Amber Dyer 33:37

29d ago33:37

33:37

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Andrew Ellison, Vice President of Enrollment at the University of Dallas, and Amber Dyer, Head of School at Great Hearts Irving. Andrew introduces the exciting new University of Dallas–CLT Auto Admit Initiative, which grants automatic admission to students who score 88 or higher on the Classic Learni…

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The Merits of The Merits 1:45:41

1M ago1:45:41

1:45:41

The Trump executive order on birthright citizenship has been banging around the lower federal courts for months now, with court after court opining on its unconstitutionality and issuing injunctions against it that span the nation. The Supreme Court took cert on the question of whether such national injunctions are appropriate, and if not, how the …

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Ep. 308: Tobias Harris on Why Japan Matters 52:42

1M ago52:42

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Tobias Harris is the Founder and Principal of Japan Foresight LLC. He has observed Japan as a political risk analyst at Teneo Intelligence and as a researcher at universities and think tanks. He is also Senior Advisor for Japan at Aurora Macro Strategies. Tobias is the author of ‘The Iconoclast: Shinzō Abe and the New Japan’. In this podcast we dis…

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A Judicious Life, Part One - Special Guests Dean Heather Gerken and Judge Kevin Newsom 1:44:02

1M ago1:44:02

1:44:02

With the passing of Justice David Souter, the legal establishment has lost one of its most honored members. In this and our next episode, we pay tribute to the man and his work with the help of an amazing roster of his former clerks, friends, and colleagues. We begin with Judge Kevin Newsom from the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and…

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Bringing Hope to Urban Communities | Josh Dyson 34:29

1M ago34:29

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On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Josh Dyson, the Executive Director of the C5 Urban School Initiative, launching Hope Academy Wichita this coming fall. They discuss the founding of C5, the meaning behind its name, and its mission in serving inner-city communities. They conclude by exploring literacy as a core educational value and th…

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Ep 127 | The Rising Resistance in Education 49:31

1M ago49:31

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This week on The Citizen Stewart Show, Chris and Kate discussed the rising resistance to the President’s crusade against diversity in education. We’d love to hear from you! Leave us a voicemail at (321) 213-9171 Or send us an email at [email protected] The Branch

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Ep. 307: Michael Sandel on Populism, Saving Democracy, and Tyranny of Merit 1:11:31

1M ago1:11:31

1:11:31

Michael Sandel teaches political philosophy at Harvard University. His writings – on justice, ethics, democracy, and markets – have been translated into more than 30 languages. His course ‘Justice’ is the first Harvard course to be made freely available online and on television, being viewed by tens of millions worldwide. Michael has served on the …

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Reigniting the Life of the Christian Mind | Austin Stevenson 24:25

1M ago24:25

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On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Austin Stevenson, Assistant Professor of Theology at Palm Beach Atlantic University and former Junior Research Fellow at the University of Oxford. Austin reflects on his experience at Oxford and his transformation from initially seeing academia as a barrier to finding fulfillment and enjoyment in it.…

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Merit, Meaning & the Education Maze: A Candid Look at the American Educational System with Dr. Rachel Pfeifer 50:59

2M ago50:59

50:59

In this eye-opening episode of Meaning vs. Merit, Dr. Maria-Christina Stewart sits down with longtime friend and education expert Dr. Rachel Pfeifer to unpack the tension between meritocracy and equity in the American education system. With experience ranging from teaching 4th grade in the Mississippi Delta to leading college access initiatives and…

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Ep 126 | Why Dual Language Programs Work (with Conor Williams) 55:30

2M ago55:30

55:30

This week on The Citizen Stewart Show, Chris sits down with Conor Williams for a conversation about why dual language programs are working for ESL families, and why they are under political pressure. Conor Williams is a senior fellow at The Century Foundation, and an expert on urban education reform, English learner students, children of immigrants…

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Ep. 306: Ken Rogoff on Dollar Decline, Debt Worries and Fed Independence 1:52:36

2M ago1:52:36

1:52:36

Kenneth Rogoff is Maurits C. Boas Professor at Harvard University, and former chief economist at the IMF. He has long ranked among the top dozen most cited economists and is an international grandmaster of chess. His influential 2009 book with Carmen Reinhart, This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly, shows the remarkable quantita…

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Returning to the First Principles of American Education | Jason Bedrick 38:49

2M ago38:49

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On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Jason Bedrick, Research Fellow at The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Education Policy. The two discuss the Phoenix Declaration, a document espousing an American vision for education. Together, they explore the outlined principles of the document, including the role of parents as primary educators, t…

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Ep 125 | Solving Education for America’s Black Children (with Emory Edwards) 57:29

2M ago57:29

57:29

This week on The Citizen Stewart Show, Chris sits down with Emory Edwards to discuss possible pathways to solving education for America’s black children. Emory Edwards is the Vice President of Outreach at Ed Choice. We’d love to hear from you! Leave us a voicemail at (321) 213-9171By The Branch

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Ep. 305: James van Geelen on ‘Haves vs Have Nots’ Theme, AI and Tariffs 49:05

2M ago49:05

49:05

James van Geelen, founder of Citrini Research, which specializes in illuminating and demystifying the transformative 'megatrends' poised to shape societies, economies, and the market’s distribution of returns for years to come. In this podcast we discuss crossovers between emergency medicine and trading, importance of a beginner’s mindset, humility…

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Teaching Struggling Learners How to Read | Sara Osborne 35:09

2M ago35:09

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On this episode of Anchored, Soren is joined by Sara Osborne, the author of Reading for the Long Run: Leading Struggling Students into the Reading Life and Assistant Professor of English and Director of Classical Education at College of the Ozarks in Missouri. They examine the claims that classical education is elitist and explore how classical sch…

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No School For You - Special Guest Vikram D. Amar 1:22:53

2M ago1:22:53

1:22:53

Law firms are threatened with draconian penalties, with scarcely disguised vengeful and politically destructive motive. Universities are dragged on the carpet, with demands that they forfeit their academic freedom, choice in hiring, and internal mission priorities. What’s going on here? What is likely to happen in Court? Are the firms and universit…

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Ep 124 | Social and Emotional Learning (with Dr. Michael Strambler) 53:13

2M ago53:13

53:13

This week on The Citizen Stewart Show, Chris sits down with Michael Strambler for a conversation about Social and Emotional Learning. Dr. Michael Strambler is a clinical psychologist and directs Child Wellbeing and Education Research at The Consultation Center at Yale. We’d love to hear from you! Leave us a voicemail at (321) 213-9171 Or send us an…

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Ep. 304: Zongyuan Zoe Liu on Calculated China vs Unpredictable US 1:01:39

2M ago1:01:39

1:01:39

Zongyuan Zoe Liu is a senior fellow for China studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). Her work focuses on international political economy, global financial markets, sovereign wealth funds, supply chains of critical minerals, development finance, emerging markets, energy and climate change policy, and East Asia-Middle East relations. Dr. …

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Merit-First Admissions at the University of Austin | Loren Rotner and David Puelz 25:58

2M ago25:58

25:58

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by Loren Rotner, Associate Provost, and David Puelz, Assistant Professor of Statistics and Data Science at the University of Austin. They discuss what makes UATX distinct, including its heterodox faculty, emphasis on tech education, and full tuition scholarships for all admitted students. They talk abou…

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Ep 123 | A Special Educational Status for Black Students (with Shaka Mitchell) 56:11

2M ago56:11

56:11

This week on The Citizen Stewart Show, Chris sits down with Shaka Mitchell for a conversation about possible pathways to a special educational status for black students. Shaka Mitchell serves as a Senior Fellow for the American Federation for Children. We’d love to hear from you! Leave us a voicemail at (321) 213-9171 Or send us an email at citizen…

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Equality, Emergencies, Exception, and Easter 1:35:50

2M ago1:35:50

1:35:50

Deportations, the administration’s preferred tactic du jour, appear to many as extreme, inadvisable, and often cruel. Are they unconstitutional? What framework can we use to determine the rights of citizens versus aliens, even if legal, even if permanent resident? What kind of process is “due” for the various groups? Where can we locate the origins…

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Ep. 303: Mirza Baig on Trump’s Trade Strategy, China Risks and Canada’s Dilemma 46:32

2M ago46:32

46:32

Mirza has a track record of 20 years in the field of researching and trading global foreign exchange. His methodology is built on comprehensive research on underlying fundamentals, rigorous scenario analysis, and a low-frequency, high-conviction approach for idea generation. Mirza has worked at top-tier sell-side firms, including Morgan Stanley, BN…

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How Rhetorical Excellence Shapes Students for College, Career, and the Common Good | Aryanna Highfill and Kate Creecy 41:46

2M ago41:46

41:46

On this episode of Anchored, CLT’s Brand Marketing Manager Taryn Boyes is joined by Aryanna Highfill and Kate Creecy to discuss their experience participating in the National Homeschool Speech and Debate League, Stoa. They discuss the array of skills Stoa helped them develop, dive into how it shaped their high school experience, and share how it pr…

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Flow Over Hustle: How to Unlock Meaning and Achievement Without Burning Out 29:53

2M ago29:53

29:53

In this episode of Meaning vs. Merit, Dr. Maria-Christina Stewart sits down with Dr. Julia Colangelo, our expert in the science of Flow. They unpack what flow really is (hint: it’s not just being "in the zone") and how it can help you break free from achievement culture, reclaim creativity, and tap into a state of deep focus and meaning—even in har…

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Project 2026 1:29:27

2M ago1:29:27

1:29:27

Markets are crashing; freedom seems under siege; the international order is threatened. One man’s whim seems to be decisive. Where are the guardrails of our republic? We see some glimmers through the darkness, as some of the feedback mechanisms start to kick in. The constitutional order may be slow but it may not be completely in ruins. However, th…

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Ep 122 | Anti Exclusionary Program Design (with Toni Barton) 51:46

2M ago51:46

51:46

This week on The Citizen Stewart Show, Chris sits down with Toni Barton to discuss the lessons from her book Six Principles for Building a Truly Inclusive School. We’d love to hear from you! Leave us a voicemail at (321) 213-9171 Or send us an email at [email protected] The Branch

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Ep. 302: Vania Stavrakeva on Macro News, Investor Flows and Trading Markets 49:54

3M ago49:54

49:54

Vania Stavrakeva is an Assistant Professor of Economics at the London Business School and has a PhD from Harvard. She has extensively studied exchange rate determination and how monetary policy, macroeconomics news and beliefs impact exchange rate movements. She has also produced innovative research on the global network of equity holdings and thei…

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Classical Education and Music in Harmony | James Cowart 23:48

3M ago23:48

23:48

On this episode of Anchored, Jeremy is joined by James Cowart, head of Trinitas Christian School in Pensacola, Florida. They discuss why music is a key part of education at Trinitas. They dive into the nuances of school choice and the strings that often come attached to government money. James concludes by discussing his advice for those looking to…

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Third Time, No Charm 1:16:49

3M ago1:16:49

1:16:49

President Trump likes being president. He doesn’t like the 22nd amendment so much, and has spoken, with increasing seriousness, of his conviction that he could remain president beyond the end of his second term. Various pundits have weighed in, some dismissively, others with grave declarations that Trump can accomplish this through constitutional c…

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Ep 121 | An Autonomous Education for Black Children (with Kenya Bradshaw) 1:04:03

3M ago1:04:03

1:04:03

This week on The Citizen Stewart Show, Chris sits down with Kenya Bradshaw for a conversation about reconstructing a quality education system for black children in America. Kenya Bradshaw is the CEO at Reconstruction, a curriculum technology company focused on developing and teaching K-12 supplemental curriculum that situates Black people, Black cu…

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Ep. 301: Andrew Polk on China’s Bet on Tech Supremacy 49:26

3M ago49:26

49:26

Andrew Polk is the co-founder and head of economic research at Trivium China, a Beijing-based strategic advisory firm. Before founding Trivium, he was China director at Medley Global Advisors. Previously, he was the resident China economist at The Conference Board’s China Center for Economics and Business. Andrew is the co-author of The Long, Soft …

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Wisdom From Breyer To Pryor - Special Guest Judge William Pryor 1:31:01

3M ago1:31:01

1:31:01

We’re a bit late this week, because following our recent conversation with Justice Breyer, we had the opportunity to speak at length with Judge William Pryor, Chief Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, former Alabama Attorney General, and an important member of the Judicial Conference the “national policymaking body for…