Matters of Policy & Politics

Area 45: A Healthy Amendment?

The 25^th Amendment to the US Constitution clarifies presidential succession in the event of death or resignation. What’s not so clear is prolonged incapacitation. John Yoo, a Hoover Institution fellow, and constitutional law professor, explains how that amendment, written in the aftermath of the Kennedy assassination, applies to President Trump’s current health crisis. 

Foreign To This Election

In a presidential election dominated by news of a pandemic, economic disruption, climate events, and now the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, what’s there to be said about the world beyond America’s shores? Hoover Institution fellow Markos Kounalakis discusses unrest in Egypt and Iran – and offers a few foreign policy questions in advance of next week’s presidential debate.

Replacing “The Notorious RBG”

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s death makes an already fierce presidential election even more contentious. John Yoo, a Hoover Institution visiting fellow and UC-Berkeley law professor, reflects on the legacy of “notorious RBG” and weighs the pros and cons of waging a bitter confirmation battle before or after Election Day and January’s presidential inauguration. 

Cancel That Thought

Hoover Institution research fellow Lanhee Chen explains the politics behind the social media companies, the World Health Organization, and what the future may hold for social media outlets amidst the current cancel-culture phenomenon. 

State Of The Presidential Race: Convention Bump?

Did the parties’ virtual convention change the dynamics of the presidential race? Apparently not. David Brady and Douglas Rivers, Hoover Institution senior fellows and Stanford University political scientists, discuss the lack of a lasting “Trump bump,” and whether civil unrest is affecting Joe Biden’s lead, plus the concept of a “hidden” Trump voter that pollsters can’t ascertain.  

President (Yes, President) Pelosi?

If you think the presidential election is contentious, there’s a chance that constitutional law might add to the public’s dyspepsia. John Yoo, a Hoover Institution fellow and UC-Berkeley law professor, details scenarios in which a Democratic-controlled House re-elects President Trump, or an indecisive Congress paves the way for President Nancy Pelosi. 

Michael Auslin On Keeping Up With The Kims

What’s the status of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un? Is his younger sister, Kim Yo-jong, the heir apparent? Michael Auslin, the Hoover Institution’s Payson J. Treat Distinguished Research Fellow in Contemporary Asia and co-host of Hoover’s Pacific Century podcast,  discusses the family dynamics at play in Pyongyang and possible changes to American diplomacy post-November election. 

California: Back in Blackouts Again?

For the first time in nearly two decades, California faced the prospect of rolling blackouts due to an imbalance between supply and demand for electricity. James Sweeney, a Hoover Institution senior fellow and energy-market scholar, explains the differences between crises present and past, and suggests ways California can better balance population and environmental concerns. 

Vice President Harris, Senator Newsom?

California Senator Kamala Harris is Joe Biden’s running mate and, arguably, first in line to be her party’s next presidential nominee. Dan Walters, a CalMatters columnist and authority on California political issues and policy, explains where Harris fits in the Golden State’s elected mosaic – and why a Biden-Harris victory would trigger competition among California Democrats to replace her in Washington.   

Area 45: Tim Kane: Does COVID-19 Trump Immigration?

With the fall election less than 90 days away, what happens to immigration reform should the White House and Congress change hands? Tim Kane, an economist and the Hoover Institution’s J.P. Conte Fellow in Immigration Studies, discusses a sensible approach to immigration policy that would balance America’s economic, security and humanitarian concerns – and why the topic isn’t the same flash point it was in the last presidential election.