Making Moves: Talking Changes in the Department of Education
Release Date: 03/20/2025
Public Safety or Fearmongering? Talking Mass Deportation and Undocumented Immigration
OUR NATIONAL CONVERSATION
📅 Published: April 24th, 2025 🎙️ Host: Samuel Taylor, Chief Operating Officer, Our National Conversation (ONC). 👤 Guests: Jeff Hall, Chief Executive Officer, Our National Conversation (ONC). Eric McElveen, Policy and Opinion Writer, Our National Conversation (ONC). The Trump Administration is making major moves on immigration in America, and much of the rhetoric underlying these moves focuses on undocumented immigration. Is this rhetoric mostly fearmongering? Is the Trump Administration voicing important concerns on public safety and security? To explore multiple perspectives on...
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Is Civility Possible? Talking Trump and Commentary w/ @SecretServiceSam
OUR NATIONAL CONVERSATION
📅 Published: April 17th, 2025 🎙️ Host: Samuel Taylor, Chief Operating Officer, Our National Conversation (ONC). 👤 Guest: Samson Crouppen (SecretServiceSam), Comedian and Influencer. Americans don't feel like they can talk to "the other side" about politics. Many commentators, influencers, and politicians feed into and benefit from this division, stoking hatred and refusing to engage with alternative perspectives. Denouncing the other side is seen as the only possible move. But is that right? SecretServiceSam has gained a significant social media following by sharing his thoughts on...
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The Price of Progress? Talking Tariffs
OUR NATIONAL CONVERSATION
📅 Published: April 9th, 2025 🎙️ Host: Samuel Taylor, Chief Operating Officer, Our National Conversation (ONC). 👤 Guests: Connor Chung, Director of Policy Content and Strategy, Our National Conversation (ONC). Eric McElveen, Opinion Writer, Our National Conversation (ONC). Are conservatives united behind Trump's tariffs? Connor and Eric, both self-described conservatives, have different views on Trump's trade policies. While Connor believes tariffs will allow the United States to correct unfair trading practices and bring manufacturing back home, Eric thinks they'll likely do...
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Borders on Beliefs? Talking Speech and Deportation on Campuses
OUR NATIONAL CONVERSATION
📅 Published: April 3rd, 2025 🎙️ Host: Samuel Taylor, Chief Operating Officer, Our National Conversation (ONC). 👤 Guests: Connor Chung, Director of Policy Content and Strategy, Our National Conversation (ONC). Tania Ruedas Ortiz, Director of Community, Our National Conversation (ONC). Is the Trump Administration infringing on the rights of visa/green-card students? Students like Mahmoud Khalil and Rumeysa Ozturk are being detained for participating in pro-Palestinian student movements and being suspected of "pro-Hamas" activity. The Trump administration is citing national...
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The Lobby and the Land: Talking the Pro-Israel Lobby and Trump’s Israel-Palestine Policy
OUR NATIONAL CONVERSATION
Is the pro-Israel lobby too powerful? Are Trump's Israel-Palestine policies useful? Sam and Connor talk about American-Israeli relations and their influence in Washington. Connor, a self-described conservative and Trump supporter, finds himself more in agreement with the Left on this issue. Sam tries to understand the nuances of Connor's cross-cutting perspective. The pair discuss whether the Israel-Palestine issue seems to be a partisan issue, a generational one or both.
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Making Moves: Talking Changes in the Department of Education
OUR NATIONAL CONVERSATION
Tania and I talk about the MASSIVE changes we're seeing in the DOE: ~50% slashes to the workforce, cuts to research, and layoffs in the Office of Civil Rights. Is this government efficiency in action or cause for great concern? Both? Tania presents her worries while I articulate some conservative views. We aren't established policy experts: we're just students committed to respectful dialogue, understanding the other side and looking for common ground. Go to the news to see the latest information and expert commentary; listen here to see ideas interact.
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Preparing for the Next Fire: Can Salt Water Help?
OUR NATIONAL CONVERSATION
In this episode, Jeff Hall, host and CEO at Our National Conversation, speaks with experts and local leaders on how to address California's fire problem in the wake of the Palisades. Jeff and citizens from Brentwood (right next to Pacific Palisades) ask two experts whether salt water could be used to supplement traditional water supplies, which failed during the recent fires. After all, San Francisco has had a saltwater pumping and storage system in place since 1909. The expert guests are Dr. Sal Mercogliano, as associate professor at Campbell University in North Carolina (and an experienced...
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Are Trump and Vance Right About Europe? Free Speech and Security
OUR NATIONAL CONVERSATION
Sam, host, is joined by Eric McElveen, ONC writer and self-described conservative. The two have a conversation about America-Europe relations. Is the Trump administration right to pressure Ukraine and diminish ties with Western Europe? Are Trump, Vance and Musk's critiques of European speech policy justified? How do these critiques factor into security policy? Sam and Eric focus on trying to understand one another's perspectives on this issue, exploring conservative, progressive and mixed points. Note: This podcast was recorded before Ukraine agreed to ceasefire talks.
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Trump's First Full Month Back: Our Progressive and Conservative Writers Discuss
OUR NATIONAL CONVERSATION
Sam, host, is joined by a mix of progressive, moderate and conservative student writers. The group discuss Trump's first full month in office. How is the new administration doing? How effective are its policies? Where is there cause for concern? Connor gives us a conservative, pro-Trump perspective, while Alexis, Maelyn and Nirati provide progressive to moderate views. During the conversation, our writers focus on trying to understand perspectives they disagree with.
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Is DOGE a Constitutional Crisis?
OUR NATIONAL CONVERSATION
In this podcast, Eric and Sam, host, discuss whether DOGE represents a threat to the U.S. Constitution or American democracy. The pair explore where they disagree and where they can find common ground. Sam and Eric then discuss America's foreign policy and Trump's actions with respect to Ukraine.
info_outlineTania and I talk about the MASSIVE changes we're seeing in the DOE: ~50% slashes to the workforce, cuts to research, and layoffs in the Office of Civil Rights. Is this government efficiency in action or cause for great concern? Both? Tania presents her worries while I articulate some conservative views. We aren't established policy experts: we're just students committed to respectful dialogue, understanding the other side and looking for common ground. Go to the news to see the latest information and expert commentary; listen here to see ideas interact.