WSJ Opinion: Free Expression

The Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal
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Based on his Wall Street Journal Opinion column "Free Expression," Editor-at-Large Gerry Baker speaks every week with some of the world's leading writers, influencers and thinkers about a variety of subjects. Baker will welcome his guests from the worlds of politics, philosophy, and culture for wide-ranging dialogues that will enlighten and fascinate listeners. Episodes will be released each week.

  1. 12/11/2025

    A Message About Free Expression

    After nearly three years of enlightening conversations, Gerry Baker’s weekly Free Expression podcast is coming to an end. But you can still read his column every week in the Journal and he may even pop up from time to time in other places!  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  2. 12/04/2025

    Thinking With Machines

    Artificial intelligence has gone from science fiction to an everyday reality in a few years. As the technology advances and transforms almost everything we do, the need to understand its potential - and how to harness it - grows by the day.  On this episode of Free Expression, Gerry Baker speaks with New York University professor Vasant Dhar, author of a new book “Thinking With Machines: The Brave New World of AI”. They discuss the difference between using AI as an effective tool and becoming over reliant on it and ponder how it may more deeply entrench our economic and social divisions.    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  3. 11/25/2025

    Giving and Thanksgiving

    The time of year when we express our gratitude for our many blessings offer an opportunity to reflect on the importance of giving.  On this episode of Free Expression, Gerry Baker speaks with financier John Studzinski, who shares lessons learned from his own philanthropy in a new book, “A Talent for Giving, Creating a More Generous Society That Benefits Everyone.” They discuss the projects he started to show the difference between philanthropy and charity, why giving can be a currency for change, and what can be done to broaden what he calls the “community of mankind.” Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  4. 11/19/2025

    Does Supply-Side Economics Still Work?

    Once a defining principle of conservative governing economic policy, supply-side economics has taken some political hits in the last decade. The progressive left has always critiqued laissez- faire economics, blaming the pursuit of smaller government, tax cuts, deregulation and open trade for increasing inequality. But now large parts of the right seem to dislike supply-siders too. Populists oppose free trade and favor more government intervention in the economy, and while Donald Trump has achieved big tax cuts in both his terms in office, his signature economic measure is tariffs and he seems eager to expand government's role in the economy, from telling companies what they should be doing with prices to taking stakes in big American firms and directing foreign investment into favored industrial activities. Have the supply-siders lost? On this episode of Free Expression, Gerry Baker speaks with Matthew Elliott, member of Britain's House of Lords, and co-author with Arthur Laffer one of the godfathers of supply side economics and Michael Hintze, a London-based hedge fund founder, of a new book “Prosperity Through Growth.” They discuss the case for reviving conservative economic ideas, especially in the U.K., the risks of Trump's tariffs and trade policies, and whether Brexit, which fired the starting gun for populist economics, was a failure. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  5. 11/12/2025

    America, Russia, China and the Struggle for Global Supremacy

    How can the U.S. win the new Cold War against its old Cold War adversaries? Donald Trump and Xi Jinping have come to a truce of sorts in their trade war, with the U.S. reducing tariffs and China agreeing not to block vital commodity exports. Russia’s war against Ukraine rages on, with no signs of any negotiated settlement. President Trump seems to prize his relationships with Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin, but what is the goal for the U.S. in this age of power rivalry? How can the United States maintain a dominant role in geopolitics, while keeping threats from its adversaries at bay?  On this episode of Free Expression, Gerry Baker speaks with former Ambassador to Russia and professor at Stanford University Michael McFaul, who details how the U.S. will handle these countries in his new book, “Autocrats vs. Democrats: China, Russia, America, and the New Global Disorder.” They also discuss why Russia is a bigger threat than China to the United States and how China wants to wield its influence through the world economy, unlike Vladimir Putin’s campaign of disruption. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  6. 11/05/2025

    Democrats Make a Startling Comeback on Election Day

    Reports of the death of the Democratic party appear to have been greatly exaggerated. The party made big gains across the country in Tuesday’s off-year elections. The races for governor in New Jersey and Virginia produced wins for Mikie Sherrill and Abigail Spanberger, Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani fought off a challenge from Trump-endorsed Andrew Cuomo, and Gavin Newsom’s plan for a Democrat-favorable redistricting in California won big. How big are the warning signs for the Republican Party and how do they respond? On this episode of Free Expression, Gerry Baker speaks with Joel Kotkin, professor of urban studies and expert on the culture and politics of American cities, about why large cities like New York and Chicago are moving further and further left, why affordability is the largest issue to urban voters, the changing nature of racial politics and how Donald Trump and Republicans need to respond.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  7. 10/29/2025

    Are Women to Blame for Wokery?

    American society has been transformed in the last half century by the entry into the workforce of large numbers of women. Equal gender opportunity has commanded a large consensus for most of that time, but there are some dissenters. Gerry Baker's guest this week on Free Expression is author and commentator Helen Andrews. She's made waves in this month with an article decrying the "Feminization of America" saying the explosion of woke ideas and cancel culture can be directly attributed to the large numbers of women who now work in the law, academia, and the media. Together they discuss the rise of women, its benefits and perils for society and whether it really means the rule of law in America is in peril. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

  8. 10/22/2025

    Science, Evidence, and the Existence of God

    For most of the last few centuries, advances in scientific understanding have seemed to undermine arguments for the existence of God. Physical phenomena ascribed to a deity have been discovered to have natural explanations. But some think that recent scientific discoveries have actually strengthened the case for the existence of at least some supernatural original creator. A new book, by Michel-Yves Bolloré and Olivier Bonnassies, two French authors, argues for a science-based belief in God. On this episode of Free Expression, Gerry Baker speaks with Bolloré, one of the authors of “God, the Science, the Evidence”. They discuss how the Big Bang and the creation of the universe could be the first sign of a creator, how a belief in God is different from having faith, and whether reason can make the case that Jesus Christ was the Son of God.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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About

Based on his Wall Street Journal Opinion column "Free Expression," Editor-at-Large Gerry Baker speaks every week with some of the world's leading writers, influencers and thinkers about a variety of subjects. Baker will welcome his guests from the worlds of politics, philosophy, and culture for wide-ranging dialogues that will enlighten and fascinate listeners. Episodes will be released each week.

Information

  • Channel
    The Wall Street Journal
  • Creator
    Gerard Baker, Editor at Large, The Wall Street Journal
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2025
  • Episodes
    182
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    Copyright © Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    WSJ Opinion: Free Expression
  • Provider
    Dow Jones

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