Baker Briefing

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

“Baker Briefing” explores the important foreign and domestic policy issues of the day through conversations with policy experts from the Baker Institute and beyond. Episodes are hosted by institute director David Satterfield and published weekly.

  1. 1 DAY AGO

    How Will Trump’s Tariffs Impact American Industry and Consumers?

    Since entering office for the second time, President Donald Trump has made clear his intention to impose tariffs on goods imported from Canada, Mexico, and China. What do his tariff plans mean for American industries and consumers — and for our relationships with our largest trading partners?   Baker Institute experts John W. Diamond, Ken Medlock, Tony Payan, and Steven W. Lewis joined the “Baker Briefing” podcast to discuss.   This conversation was recorded in front of a studio audience on Feb. 6, 2025. Discussants John Diamond, Ph.D. Edward A. and Hermena Hancock Kelly Senior Fellow in Public Finance and Director, Center for Tax and Budget Policy, Baker Institute Kenneth B. Medlock III, Ph.D.   James A. Baker, III, and Susan G. Baker Fellow in Energy and Resource Economics; Senior Director, Center for Energy Studies, Baker Institute Tony Payan, Ph.D.       Françoise and Edward Djerejian Fellow for Mexico Studies, Director of the Center for the U.S. and Mexico, Baker Institute Steven W. Lewis, Ph.D. C.V. Starr Transnational China Fellow, Baker Institute

    42 min

  2. JAN 27

    Texas’ Legislative Session Gets Underway Amid GOP Infighting

    The 89th Texas legislative session began on Jan. 14 with Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) elected House speaker following a month-long battle among state Republicans. Why was the election so contentious, and how might Burrows’ speakership shape the rest of the session? Mark P. Jones joined Ed Emmett, a Baker Institute fellow and four-term former Texas House member, to discuss the stakes and policy agenda ahead for lawmakers, including school vouchers, property taxes, and the border. Discussants Ed Emmett Fellow in Energy and Transportation Policy, Baker Institute; Former Texas House Member Mark P. Jones, Ph.D. Fellow in Political Science, Baker Institute

    23 min

  3. JAN 6

    Where Biden Leaves American Foreign Policy

    Joe Biden entered office with plans to prioritize American workers in foreign policy and strengthen U.S. alliances against the threats posed by China and Russia. His administration would ultimately face significant crises abroad, from Ukraine to Gaza, that tested his vision for American diplomacy and brought new challenges and opportunities to the fore. On Dec. 17, 2024, two members of Biden’s foreign policy team joined Baker Institute Director David Satterfield for a conversation on the president’s legacy as he prepares to exit office and as Donald Trump gears up for a second term. Video of the event is available on our YouTube channel. Discussants The Honorable Kurt M. Campbell U.S. Deputy Secretary of State The Honorable Jon Finer U.S. Principal Deputy National Security Advisor The Honorable David M. Satterfield          Director, Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy; Janice and Robert McNair Chair in Public Policy

    58 min

  4. 12/30/2024

    Abortion and OB-GYN Access in Texas

    Since Texas prohibited most abortions in 2022 following the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision, numerous media reports have illustrated the dire impacts of reproductive health care restrictions on Texan patients, including people with nonviable and life-threatening pregnancies.   On Oct. 10, 2024, the Baker Institute hosted three health care professionals and the executive editor of Texas Monthly, Mimi Swartz, to discuss the impact of Texas law on the state’s OB-GYN workforce and the future of Texas reproductive health. This episode of “Baker Briefing” presents an unabridged version of their conversation. Discussants Alex Morin     Managing Director, Manatt Health Damla Karsan, MD, FACOG   Obstetrician-Gynecologist, Comprehensive Women’s Healthcare, UWH of Texas Todd Ivey, MD, FACOG   Obstetrician-Gynecologist, Associate Professor, Government Affairs Committee, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Mimi Swartz     Executive Editor, Texas Monthly

    45 min

  5. 12/23/2024

    US-Mexico Relations Under Trump 2.0

    How will critical issues for the U.S.-Mexico relationship, including immigration, trade, and drug trafficking, evolve during Donald Trump’s second term? Four days before Trump nominated Christoper Landau, former U.S. ambassador to Mexico, to be deputy secretary of state, Landau joined Center for the U.S. and Mexico Tony Payan to discuss what may lie ahead. For more about the future of U.S.-Mexico relations, read our “Mexico Country Outlook” report for 2025. Discussants The Honorable Christoper Landau Former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Tony Payan, Ph.D. Director, Center for the U.S. and Mexico, Baker Institute

    25 min

  6. 12/16/2024

    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

  7. 12/05/2024

    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

  8. 12/04/2024

    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
See All (75)

5
out of 5
21 Ratings

About

“Baker Briefing” explores the important foreign and domestic policy issues of the day through conversations with policy experts from the Baker Institute and beyond. Episodes are hosted by institute director David Satterfield and published weekly.

Information

  • Creator
    Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    75
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy
  • Show Website
    Baker Briefing

You Might Also Like

To listen to explicit episodes, sign in.

Stay up to date with this show

Sign in or sign up to follow shows, save episodes, and get the latest updates.
Select a country or region

Africa, Middle East, and India

Asia Pacific

Europe

Latin America and the Caribbean

The United States and Canada