Today, Condoleezza Rice discusses America’s role in fostering innovation to better the human condition; Admiral James O. Ellis Jr. explains how Americans can best honor veterans’ service to the nation; and Victor Davis Hanson lays out three key economic challenges facing the Trump administration ahead of next year’s midterm elections.
Emerging Technology & Policy
Hoover Institution Director Condoleezza Rice joined Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast to discuss how rapid advances in science and technology are poised to affect American democracy and public policy. Rice makes the case that a positive future demands greater collaboration among industry, academia, and government to ensure promising fields like quantum computing and AI are used for the greatest good in education, medicine, and the sciences. Rice further explains how American innovation must be understood in the context of geopolitics and ongoing strategic competition with China. “We want to take advantage of these technologies to make life better,” says Rice, emphasizing that innovation in democratic societies enables open discussion of issues that new technologies may create. Watch or read more here.
Revitalizing American Institutions
If you’re confused about the differences between Veterans Day, Armed Forces Day, and Memorial Day, here in America, you’re not alone. Decades of government meddling and mixed messages have blurred the lines between honoring those who once served their country, those still on active or reserve duty, and those who made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom’s cause. In this special new episode of Matters of Policy & Politics, Distinguished Visiting Fellow Admiral James O. Ellis Jr. reflects on his nearly 40 years of service on land and at sea (naval aviator, aircraft carrier “skipper,” and head of US Strategic Command), the challenges facing veterans as they re-enter civilian life, and how to properly honor and improve the lives of America’s sizable veterans community. Watch or listen here.
Answering Challenges to Advanced Economies
In an essay published at his Blade of Perseus site, Senior Fellow Victor Davis Hanson identifies a trifold challenge facing the Trump administration in economic policy. First, he says that public perceptions of persistent inflation have now begun to weigh on the president in his 10th month in office. Even if the rate of inflation has slowed compared to its 2022 peak at 9.1 percent, Hanson notes that “most prices have never gone down,” and many commentators now hold the Trump administration responsible. Second, Hanson says, “The administration and Republicans have rarely compared their own economic record with that of Biden’s dismal four years to explain how there is improvement in almost every area.” After reviewing the Biden record, Hanson concludes with the third challenge facing Trump: Many of his policy changes, including deregulation and enhanced immigration enforcement, will have effects mainly in the medium-to-long term. Read more here.
Writing for Project Syndicate, Senior Fellow and Nobel laureate in economics Michael Spence examines how the advent and adoption of artificial intelligence technologies is playing out in the developing world. Spence cites survey data from the UN showing that “emerging-economy populations . . . are also more optimistic about the technology than their developed-economy counterparts.” Though both groups “worry that AI will bring a wave of automation,” citizens of developing states “anticipate even more augmentation and human-machine collaboration.” Spence further notes the promise of AI-enabled technologies to provide better health and finance services outside of population centers of developed economies. He concludes that “emerging economies might not lead the way in building AI models, but they can use the technology to advance their economic- and social-development goals,” and have shown a will to do so. Read more here.
California Policy & Politics
As political observers gauge next year’s midterm elections and the 2028 presidential race in the wake of this November’s much-watched gubernatorial contests, Distinguished Policy Fellow Bill Whalen argues at The Washington Post opinion page that California’s 2026 gubernatorial race will offer an even more “telling thermometer” of national Democratic messaging. Noting the wide-open nature of the contest, with no clear front-runner, Whalen asks, “Will a viable Democratic candidate dare to say that their party has contributed to California’s woes, including chronic homelessness, educational inequality and fiscal recklessness?” With reference to Governor Gavin Newsom, the column notes the challenge of making good on lofty campaign promises and concludes that any viable candidate will need to garner support from the state’s Democrats as well as independent voters. Read more here.
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