Baker Briefing

Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy
  • 5.0 (21)
  • POLITICS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY
Baker Briefing

Baker Briefing is tackles the most critical foreign and domestic policy issues of the day in conversations with experts at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. New episodes are released weekly.

  1. 4 DAYS AGO

    The Russia-Ukraine War Under Trump

    The U.S. has supported Ukraine with over $61 billion worth of military assistance since Russia’s invasion in 2022, including a surge of aid from the Joe Biden administration in his final weeks in office. With Donald Trump set to return for a second term, how might his administration change the approach to Ukraine — and to Russia more broadly? Glenn Corn, a former senior executive and intelligence officer in the CIA and current adjunct professor at the Institute of World Politics, joined Baker Briefing to discuss steps Trump could take and why the war’s outcome matters for American interests. Discussants Glenn Corn Former Senior Executive, CIA The Honorable David M. Satterfield          Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

    29 min

  2. DEC 5

    Houston’s Controversial Economic Development Zones

    Originally designed to spur investment in the city’s most underserved areas, Houston’s tax increment reinvestment zones (TIRZs) have been a major part of its growth strategy since the 1990s. But they may actually be disproportionately benefiting affluent communities — and shifting the burden of municipal expenses to lower-income neighborhoods.  Center for Public Finance fellows John Diamond and Bill King, who recently co-authored a Baker Institute report on the topic, joined Baker Briefing to discuss the issue and policy options moving forward.   Discussants John W. Diamond, Ph.D. Edward A. and Hermena Hancock Kelly Senior Fellow in Public Finance and Director, Center for Public Finance, Baker Institute Bill King Fellow in Public Finance, Baker Institute The Honorable David M. Satterfield          Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

    21 min

  3. DEC 4

    How Far Will Vaccine Skepticism Go?

    With the development of the COVID-19 vaccine in late 2020, anti-vaccine rhetoric in the U.S. expanded dramatically. Vaccines have been routinely recommended in the U.S. since the early 20th century, and they have significantly reduced the prevalence of diseases like polio, measles, and tetanus. But with the pandemic, what was once a mostly politically neutral topic — immunization — became a politically controversial one in much of the country.   Kirstin Matthews, a fellow in science and technology policy at the Baker Institute, and Rekha Lakshmanan, chief strategic officer of The Immunization Partnership and a Baker Institute nonresident scholar, joined Baker Briefing to explore the discourse surrounding vaccines, their politicization, and what’s ahead for vaccine policy under the incoming Donald Trump administration.   Discussants Rekha Lakshmanan Nonresident Scholar, Baker Institute; Chief Strategic Officer, The Immunization Partnership Kirstin R.W. Matthews, Ph.D. Science and Technology Policy Fellow, Baker Institute The Honorable David M. Satterfield        Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

    31 min

  4. NOV 19

    The Politicization of Humanitarian Aid Explained

    Armed conflicts in Gaza, Sudan, and Syria have made millions reliant on humanitarian assistance. However, the provision of critical food, water, health care, and other resource assistance has been complicated by the politicization of aid, highlighted by the recent decision by the Israeli parliament to ban UNRWA, the primary aid organization for Palestinians. Women’s Rights, Human Rights, and Refugees Program director Kelsey Norman and postdoctoral associate Salah Ben Hammou joined Baker Briefing to discuss the parallels between the dire situations in Gaza, Sudan, and Syria and the complexities of delivering humanitarian aid to war-torn regions. Discussants Kelsey Norman, Ph.D. Fellow for the Middle East and Director, Women’s Rights, Human Rights, and Refugees Program, Baker Institute Salah Ben Hammou, Ph.D.   Postdoctoral Associate,  Edward P. Djerejian Center for the Middle East, Baker Institute The Honorable David M. Satterfield        Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

    24 min

  5. NOV 11

    Accelerating Clean, Affordable Electricity

    Clean electricity technologies are here and they’re affordable. So why does most of our power in the U.S. still come from fossil fuels? Daniel Cohan, a civil and environmental engineering professor at Rice University and a Baker Institute Rice faculty scholar, joined Baker Briefing to explain how bureaucratic bottlenecks have led to a backlog of wind, solar, and battery storage power projects that could, if built, revolutionize the grid and greatly reduce the emissions that contribute to climate change and air pollution. Discussants Daniel S. Cohan, Ph.D. Baker Institute Rice Faculty Scholar; Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University The Honorable David M. Satterfield Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute

    29 min

  6. OCT 28

    Christian Nationalism’s Rising Influence

    What role should religion — and Christianity in particular — play in public life? This question is at the center of legislative battles brewing in statehouses across the country. It stems largely from the growing influence of Christian nationalism, an ideology based around the idea that the United States is a Christian nation and that its government should follow conservative Christian religious principles. Religion and Public Policy Program experts Michael Emerson and David Brockman joined Baker Institute Director David Satterfield to explore the evolution of the Christian nationalist movement, its support among the U.S. electorate, and its implications for public policy in Texas and across the country. Discussants David R. Brockman, Ph.D.  Nonresident Scholar, Baker Institute Michael O. Emerson, Ph.D.  Harry and Hazel Chavanne Fellow in Religion and Public Policy, Baker Institute The Honorable David M. Satterfield  Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

    25 min

  7. OCT 14

    Translating Texas’ Health Care Spending Into Better Outcomes

    Despite spending more on health care by percentage of GDP than its peer high-income countries, the U.S. hasn’t seen the abundance of services or improved outcomes for patients that one might expect. Instead, as medical costs increase, U.S. health outcomes continue to lag behind those of other developed nations. Texas, which spends nearly $50 billion on health care annually, performs poorly relative to other states on key metrics like maternal mortality and deaths from preventable or treatable causes. But with its recent investments in health-impacting, non-medical services, it has a unique opportunity to get more value from its spending, according to Elena Marks, senior health policy fellow, and Charles Mathias, director of the Texas Consortium for the Non-Medical Drivers of Health. Marks and Mathias joined the Baker Briefing podcast to discuss how we can invest smarter for better health outcomes at both the state and federal levels.   For more from Marks and Mathias, read the report “Enhancing Texas’ Health Care Investments by Addressing Patients’ Non-Medical Needs,” published in September 2024. Discussants Elena Marks, J.D., MPH Senior Health Policy Fellow, Baker Institute Charles Mathias, Ph.D. Director, Texas Consortium for the Non-Medical Drivers of Health, Baker Institute The Honorable David M. Satterfield  Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

    25 min

  8. OCT 1

    Looking Ahead to the USMCA Review

    On July 1, 2026, the U.S., Mexico, and Canada will decide whether or not to continue the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which entered into force in 2020. How can policymakers prepare for the negotiations and continue to work toward a strategic, mutually beneficial North American partnership?   This episode of Baker Briefing was originally published by the México Centered podcast. Former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative C.J. Mahoney and David A. Gantz, the Baker Institute’s Will Clayton Fellow in Trade and International Economics, joined host Tony Payan to explore major challenges on the horizon for U.S. trade policy, including the upcoming review of the USMCA and the rising influence of China. Want to learn more? Watch “Election Insights: The Future of US Trade Policy,” a Baker Institute event held on Sept. 19. This conversation was recorded on Sept. 19, 2024, before the inauguration of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Oct. 1, 2024. Discussants David A. Gantz   Will Clayton Fellow in Trade and International Economics, Baker Institute; Samuel M. Fegtly Professor Emeritus, James E. Rogers College of Law, University of Arizona C.J. Mahoney   Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Cloud + AI, Microsoft; Former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Tony Payan, Ph.D. Françoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies and Director, Center for the U.S. and Mexico, Baker Institute

    23 min
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5
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

Baker Briefing is tackles the most critical foreign and domestic policy issues of the day in conversations with experts at Rice’s Baker Institute for Public Policy. New episodes are released weekly.

Information

  • Creator
    Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2024
  • Episodes
    70
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy
  • Show Website
    Baker Briefing

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