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Independent Conversations: Daily Summaries Delivered
by 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.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 2 weeks ago57 min
The Policies Hiding Behind the Ballot
The 2026 election may look like a fight between parties, but some of the biggest questions cut straight across those labels. In this episode of Independent Conversations, Graham H. Walker sits down with Phillip W. Magness and Williamson M. Evers to examine the policy fights beneath the ballot: tariffs, billionaire wealth taxes, government stakes in private companies, war powers, antisemitism and AI regulation. The bigger question running through the conversation is simple: when both the left and the right are finding new reasons to expand government power, what exactly are voters being asked to approve?
- Sep 15, 202651 min
The Inequality Crisis Myth Built on Bad Research
Is income inequality really worse than ever, or are influential statistics overstating the problem? In this episode of Independent Conversations, Graham H. Walker sits down with economist Phillip W. Magness to examine the research behind America’s inequality debate, including Thomas Piketty’s famous “U-curve,” disputed calculations of how much the wealthy pay in taxes and the case for California’s proposed billionaire wealth tax. Together, they ask a basic but consequential question: before the government tries to fix an inequality crisis, how certain should we be that the data actually shows one?
- Aug 18, 202630 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.
- Jul 21, 20261h 11m
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.
- Jun 16, 202638 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 what representation should mean in a diverse democracy.
- May 11, 202657 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 resource to Thomas Sowell, whose cultural insights often fly under the radar. Written by leading scholars of liberty and economic policy, this collection invites readers to discover or rediscover the economists whose ideas laid the groundwork for today’s free society.
- Apr 21, 202646 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.
- Mar 19, 20261h 9m
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.
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About Independent Conversations
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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Frequently Asked Questions
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Independent Conversations publishes biweekly. Our AI generates a summary within hours of each new episode.
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Independent Conversations covers topics including News, Government. Our AI identifies the specific themes in each episode and highlights what matters most to you.
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