GoodFellows: Conversations from the Hoover Institution

Economists Rule?

As Washington mulls trillions in “human infrastructure” spending and remains at an impasse over raising the federal debt ceiling, what are the economic consequences? Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and John Cochrane are joined by economic historian Tyler Goodspeed, Hoover’s Kleinheinz Fellow and a former acting chair of the White House’s Council of Economic Advisers, to discuss the latest DC drama, the present supply-chain crisis and cryptocurrency’s future.

Recorded October 6, 2021

“Always Be An Autodidact”

In this week’s episode, we dove into our mailbag of viewers’ letters. The end result: Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane answering questions ranging from the future of US-Sino relations, sovereign debt, vaccine stockpiling, and bitcoin to advice for young students, the fellows’ favorite scholars, and movies related to their respective fields.

Recorded September 28, 2021

Stable . . . And Stagnant?

Europe’s future includes a post-Merkel Germany, the fallout over the AUSUK technology deal, a shaky NATO alliance post-Afghanistan, Ukraine’s uncertain outlook, plus Russian control of natural gas supplies. Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster and John Cochrane discuss the mood on the other side of the Atlantic, as well as President Biden’s UN address and China’s financial reckoning.

 

Recorded September 21, 2021

As California Goes . . .?

Pre-COVID, California governor Gavin Newsom touted his state’s policies as “America’s coming attractions.” Does that apply to the Golden State’s recall election—its overtones of vaccine mandates, abortion rights, and championing progressive ideals setting the stage for upcoming elections? Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss California’s outlook and whether the pendulum currently swings left or right in America and around the globe.

Recorded September 14, 2021

Safer But Not Yet Safe

The approaching twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks on the American homeland is a time to remember the fallen and reflect on lessons learned from that terrible day, including America’s readiness for a similar event. Condoleezza Rice, the Tad and Dianne Taube Director of the Hoover Institution and President George W. Bush’s national security advisor at the time of the attacks, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson and John Cochrane to relive the White House’s response that day and shares her concerns about US national security moving forward.

Recorded September 9, 2021

Papier-Mâché Tiger

America’s inability to adequately game-plan and execute a clean withdrawal from Afghanistan brings into question the foresight and competency of the nation’s political and foreign policy establishment. Hoover Institution senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss what went wrong in Kabul, the harm done to US prestige, and whether the image of a weakened America at odds with its NATO allies opens the door to Chinese and Russian aggression.

Recorded August 24, 2021

Advance, Retreat, Resign

America’s military withdrawal from Afghanistan and the onset of the Delta variant raise questions as to the success of the war on terror and the war on COVID-19. Hoover Institution senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss what all has gone wrong of late on those respective battlefields, plus a few thoughts on the rise and fall of New York governor Andrew Cuomo.

Recorded August 10, 2021

That 70s Show

To the adage of repeating the past, does a stretch of inflation at home, the end of prolonged military involvement in a faraway land, and a president lamenting a nation in crisis suggest a return to the America of the 1970s? Hoover Institution senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane discuss the differences between then and now—after sharing photos showcasing their ’70s finery.

Recorded June 25, 2021

Glenn Loury: “A Man Of The West”

Does elite thinking about the Black experience in America, as expressed via the teaching of critical race theory and the 1619 Project, benefit the descendants of slavery? Glenn Loury, a Hoover Institution distinguished visiting fellow and Brown University economist who writes frequently on racial inequality, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss the historical and economic arcs of race in America.

Recorded May 25, 2021

Gates’s Way to National Security

It’s a complicated world—one in which an ascendant China threatens American concerns, fighting has recommenced in the Middle East, and the US government may not be suitably prepared for future cyberattacks. Robert Gates, secretary of defense in both the Obama and Bush 43 presidential administrations, joins Hoover senior fellows Niall Ferguson, H. R. McMaster, and John Cochrane to discuss the state of world affairs, US cybersecurity, and America’s global vision (or lack thereof).

Recorded May 18, 2021