Policy Plebs

Policy wonks unite! We're here to talk the latest, the greatest and the newest ideas when it comes to US policy. From agriculture to energy we want to know what should come next. Our theme song is a sample from Dawn of a New Day by Horance Heidt & His Musical Knights.

Does Hard Power Create Harder Problems? 07/26/2025

Does Hard Power Create Harder Problems? Welcome back to Policy Plebes! Join Alan Robinette and Loren King as they dive into the concept of hard power, exploring its nuances, implications, and real-world applications. This episode serves as a sequel to their discussion on soft power. From the recent strike on Iran's nuclear facilities to historical examples like the Gulf War and the Berlin Airlift, they cover a broad spectrum of topics. Learn about the intricate balance of hard and soft power, the role of intelligence, and the complexities of global diplomacy. Don't miss this in-depth exploration of how nations wield military and economic force to achieve their objectives. Our theme song is a sample from Dawn of a New Day by Horance Heidt & His Musical Knights. /episode/index/show/45691ab0-3c90-4307-920c-30ea7a0adffe/id/37552505

9. Probably Improbable 06/21/2025

9. Probably Improbable In this episode of Policy Plebes, your hosts take a break from usual topics dive into some outlandish policy ideas—both real and imagined. They explore everything from paying Congress members minimum wage to the approach of the 'big beautiful bill' and even living in a border wall city. Loren and Allan also touch on significant updates like Elon Musk's departure from the Trump administration and critiques of the newly released MAHA Commission Report. Our theme song is a sample from Dawn of a New Day by Horance Heidt & His Musical Knights. /episode/index/show/45691ab0-3c90-4307-920c-30ea7a0adffe/id/37092310

8. Soft (Serve) Power 05/16/2025

8. Soft (Serve) Power There's a lot of discussion about soft power, but what does that really mean? The Policy Plebs get into the weeds, sharing examples from history and ideas for future use. We'd love to hear your thoughts, leave us a comment below on how you think soft power should (or shouldn't) be used moving forward. Our theme song is a sample from Dawn of a New Day by Horance Heidt & His Musical Knights. /episode/index/show/45691ab0-3c90-4307-920c-30ea7a0adffe/id/36586070

7. Farm Bill 2: Farm Harder 01/23/2025

7. Farm Bill 2: Farm Harder What's in a Farm Bill, really? More importantly, does the Farm Bill need to change? That's a question that got asked a lot during the continuing resolution process last year. Hear our thoughts in this episode of Policy Plebs. Our theme song is a sample from Dawn of a New Day by Horance Heidt & His Musical Knights. /episode/index/show/45691ab0-3c90-4307-920c-30ea7a0adffe/id/34964885

6. (B)lame-ducks 12/27/2024

6. (B)lame-ducks Have you ever heard of a lame-duck? Dive deep with us into the little understood but incredibly important piece of the policy making process. Our theme song is a sample from Dawn of a New Day by Horance Heidt & His Musical Knights. /episode/index/show/45691ab0-3c90-4307-920c-30ea7a0adffe/id/34632290

5. Election Special 11/19/2024

5. Election Special No matter which way you voted it's pretty clear we're in for a lot of policy change. Your favorite plebs are here to break down the election results from our perspective. We talk through the biggest trends in voting, what ways the process itself might change, and give a gander at who might be the next Secretary of Agriculture. But the best part? Butterfly effect. You'll know what we mean when you listen in. Our theme song is a sample from Dawn of a New Day by Horance Heidt & His Musical Knights. /episode/index/show/45691ab0-3c90-4307-920c-30ea7a0adffe/id/33988677

4. Build Your Own Presidency 11/02/2024

4. Build Your Own Presidency We're back in action. The plebs decided it would be fun to talk through what our own Presidential adminstrations would look like. We also cover Loren's experience on a policy development focused committee and talk through the assassination attempt on President Trump. Our theme song is a sample from Dawn of a New Day by Horance Heidt & His Musical Knights. /episode/index/show/45691ab0-3c90-4307-920c-30ea7a0adffe/id/33759892

3. Mutually Assured Reduction 09/19/2024

3. Mutually Assured Reduction The update you’ve all been waiting for. What did Alan do as a delegate? How did President Trump and Vice-President Harris do in the debate? And of course everyone’s favorite topic: How do we handle the national debt? Links Our theme song is a sample from Dawn of a New Day by Horance Heidt & His Musical Knights. /episode/index/show/45691ab0-3c90-4307-920c-30ea7a0adffe/id/33118192

2. On the Ballot 08/31/2024

2. On the Ballot There's a lot happening in Michigan and across the country. Surprisingly a lot of the news ends up talking about the same thing - the struggle between state and local control. This episode hear from Allan about his experiences as a precinct delegate, walk through the struggle for taxes and education in local communities and ponder some of the ways that price controls might impact the country. Like our intro? Our theme song is a sample from Dawn of a New Day by Horance Heidt & His Musical Knights. /episode/index/show/45691ab0-3c90-4307-920c-30ea7a0adffe/id/32820037

1. Agrarian Vision 08/13/2024

1. Agrarian Vision Policy wonks unite! We're here to talk the latest, the greatest and the newest ideas when it comes to US policy. From agriculture to energy we want to know what should come next. Our theme song is a sample from Dawn of a New Day by Horance Heidt & His Musical Knights. /episode/index/show/45691ab0-3c90-4307-920c-30ea7a0adffe/id/32560782

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