USSC Briefing Room United States Studies Centre

Economic security is on the minds of leaders everywhere. From trade barriers to industrial policy to crackdowns on foreign investments, growing strategic competition is shaping the global economy.
 
What is economic security? What are the trade-offs involved? And how can Australia adapt to this changing world?
 
Director of Economic Security Hayley Channer is joined by USSC Non-Resident Fellow Helen Mitchell to discuss Helen's new report: Unlocking economic security: a strategic playbook for Australia.
 
Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
 
Produced by: Elliott Brennan
Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

In January, the DC Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that there is no presidential immunity that would shield former president Trump from prosecution in the case against him regarding his actions to overturn the results of the 2020 election. But the US Supreme Court said they would take up the question, hearing the oral arguments on their last day of this judicial term.
Why did the Supreme Court step in after the DC Circuit Court of Appeals had made a unanimous ruling? What is at stake for former president Trump? What are the long-term ramifications beyond President Trump?
To discuss these issues, Chas Licciardello, co-host of ABC’s Planet America who also holds a law degree, joined us shortly after the oral arguments to discuss the issues at play and what this means not just for former president Trump’s cases, but all future presidents.
Featured clip:
Justice Alito questions Michael Dreeben. First posted by @TheRecount.
Recommended reading, listening and watching:
Planet America Fireside Chat (Friday 26/4/2024) ft. John Barron and Chas Licciardello where they talk about key takeaways from Trump’s immunity caseWas Trump benefitting from being out of the news? By Nate CohnNYT/Siena poll referred to in the By the Numbers statsTrump’s immunity argument before the US Supreme Court ft. Bruce WolpeTrump trial hears of ‘catch and kill’ tabloid scheme ft. Associate Prof. David Smith
If you can’t get enough of US politics, in addition to Planet America, check out Chas’ 'Planet Extra Podcast with Chas and Dr Dave', featuring Chas in conversation with USSC Associate Prof. David Smith each week: YouTube, Spotify, iTunes, Google and Stitcher.
Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
 
Produced by: Elliott Brennan
Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

In honour of International Jazz Day, we’re releasing a special episode of the USSC Briefing Room with the Founder and Director of The Jazz and Democracy Project® (J&D) Dr Wesley Watkins. His program integrates jazz into the study of US history, government, civics and culture, specifically, but also into the humanities more broadly, making J&D a captivating way for students to engage democratic and egalitarian ideals through a range of themes and subject areas. It has been widely popular both across the US and around the world. You may have heard Wes interviewed on ABC radio or mentioned on NPR.
What can jazz help us understand about democracy that other musical examples cannot? How do current politics relate to this metaphor? What traits of a good jazz musician should we also look for in a president?
Featured songs:
“City Sunrise” by Ninety Miles, Live at Cubadisco (Concord Music Group, 2012) Stefon Harris (vibraphone solo), Christian Scott (trumpet), David Sánchez (tenor sax), Harold López-Nussa (piano), Yandy Martinez González (bass), Ruy Adrián López-Nussa (drums) and Edgar Martínez Ochoa DeZabalegui (djembe). Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hm-5n30qqtY
"Blue Train" (J. Coltrane) from the Conrad Herwig album, The Latin Side of John Coltrane (Astor Place, 1996). The trading features Brian Lynch (trumpet) & Conrad Herwig (trombone), backed by Eddie Palmieri (piano), John Benitez (bass), Adam Cruz (drums), Jose Clausell (timbales) and Milton Cardona (congas) with Mike Ponella & Ray Vega on backing trumpets, plus Ronnie Cuber on baritone sax. 

Learn more about The Jazz and Democracy Project® here:
https://www.jazzdemocracy.com/
https://www.jazzdemocracy.com.au/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=327CfZ_ogRo
 
Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.
 
Produced by: Elliott Brennan
Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

When a delegation from the United States Studies Centre (USSC) travelled to Washington DC in 2023, AUKUS came up in every conversation and Australia eagerly awaited a visit from President Biden to Australia that didn’t eventuate. Now we are discussing potentially expanding AUKUS to include Japan and significant legislative reforms are making US-Australia defence collaboration stronger than ever.
How much has changed in Washington from a year ago? Is the potential for JAUKUS making waves in DC like it is in Australia? How much daylight is there between the US and Australian foreign policy communities on these issues at this time?
USSC Research Fellow Tom Corben and Research Associate Sophie Mayo discussed these questions with Director of Engagement and Impact Mari Koeck following their visit to Washington DC last month.
Check out the readout from the 2023 USSC delegation to Washington here: What do Washington and Canberra think of each other?
Recommended reading and listening:
Patience, please. AUKUS Pillar 2 is indeed making progress by Tom Corben and Sophie MayoFoundations for AUKUS nuclear-powered submarines: Perspectives from AUKUS partners by Prof. Peter Dean, Alice Nason, Dr Philip Shetler-Jones and Dr Charles EdelThe university sector’s value proposition for AUKUS: Times Higher Education Summit outcomes report by Prof. Peter Dean, Sophie Mayo and Alex FavierUSSC Briefing Room | AUKUS: One year since the 'optimal pathway' with Prof. Peter Dean, Alice Nason and Mari KoeckAre Biden and Congress playing chicken with AUKUS? By Tom Corben and Alice NasonSubscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
 
Produced by: Elliott Brennan
Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

The rules-based order is under stress in the Indo-Pacific and, according to the latest report from Freedom House, democracy has declined for an 18th consecutive year globally. Both Japan and Australia have strong commitments to development assistance in the region, but a new report from the United States Studies Centre (USSC) argues that this is not enough to counter elite capture, misinformation and other malign influences in the region.
What are the stakes for democracy promotion in the Indo-Pacific? How much daylight is there between the Japanese and Australian approaches to development assistance and democracy promotion? Where can the countries go from here?
USSC Non-Resident Senior Fellow Dr Lavina Lee spoke with Research Director Jared Mondschein about these questions and the new report she edited.
Aligning values and interests: Japanese and Australian democracy support in the Pacific and Southeast Asiawas edited by Dr Lavina Lee and features Chikako Kodama, Hitsubashi University Graduate School of Law PhD candidate; Dr John Lee, Hudson Institute Senior Fellow; Dr Yuki Miyoda, University of Tokyo Graduate School of Frontier Sciences project researcher; and Prof. Hiroaki Shiga, Yokohama National University professor at the Graduate School of International Social Sciences. It is now available for download.
Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
 
Produced by: Elliott Brennan
Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat

With the two oldest presidential presumptive nominees in US history, the stakes for the vice presidential selection have never been higher. In 2016 Mike Pence helped deliver the evangelical vote for Trump, but he seems to be going a different direction in 2024. All eyes are on who he will ultimately choose.
Will Trump look for a VP to help win swing states? Do any of his former presidential competitors stand a chance? How will Trump’s VP pick change the election?
USSC Director of Research and the Politics, Society and Culture Program Jared Mondschein sat down with research associates Samuel Garrett and Ava Kalinauskas to discuss their recently launched tracker: Trump’s VP shortlist: What Australians should know.
Subscribe to the USSC Briefing Room on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
 
Produced by: Elliott Brennan
Music by Dan Phillipson, licensed through PremiumBeat