Today, Michael McFaul explains how the United States can support the pro-democracy movement in Iran while simultaneously weakening its current repressive regime; a new episode of Economics, Applied examines the next chapter for Venezuela and what it would take to restore prosperity there; and Bill Whalen considers the hurdles San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan will have to overcome to succeed in his bid to serve as the next governor of California.
US Foreign Policy
At his Substack, Senior Fellow Michael McFaul outlines a US foreign policy in Iran that would weaken its autocratic regime and support the embattled democratic movement within that nation. “Iran’s repressive dictatorship has never been weaker,” McFaul finds. “More pressure from the free world, including first and foremost from the United States, could finally tip the scales in favor of the democrats.” McFaul argues that rather than pursue a deal with the degraded Khamenei dictatorship, “[President] Trump and other leaders of the democratic world must prioritize the human rights of courageous Iranian protestors.” McFaul outlines several possible ways the United States could do this, including providing communications equipment to Iranian democrats, funding Iranian pro-democracy nongovernmental organizations, and strengthening sanctions against “all individuals and institutions—not just some—connected to the regime.” Read more here.
International Affairs
A new episode of Economics, Applied considers the future of Venezuela. That country descended into an economic, political, and human rights disaster in the 21st century. Host Senior Fellow Steven Davis and guest Professor Ricardo Hausmann ask: Can Venezuela find its way back to the rule of law, human rights, democracy, and prosperity? What role should the United States play? Davis and Hausmann emphasize the importance of reestablishing rights-respecting governance as a vital condition for future economic and social flourishing in Venezuela. Watch or listen here.
California Politics and Policy
At California on Your Mind, Distinguished Policy Fellow Bill Whalen considers the impact of San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan entering the California governor’s race. Whalen notes that Mahan’s moderate platform prioritizes five points: “Build more housing; build more homeless shelters; require treatment for the homeless population’s drug, alcohol, and mental health woes; root out government fraud before resorting to higher taxes; bring back the SAT and the ‘science of reading.’” But Whalen points out that how far Mahan gets in his quest for the governorship will depend on fundraising, the degree to which outgoing Gov. Gavin Newsom intervenes in the race, and whether other prominent candidates begin to exit the field. Read more here.
Hoover Institution Opportunity
Tonight at 6:00 p.m., COLLEGE 102 and the Hoover Institution will host America at 250: Classical Heritage, Western Civilization, the Future. This special panel will explore the classical and 18th-century Enlightenment influences that have shaped American political and civic thought as well as other traditions. Speakers will explore how ideas drawn from antiquity and Western civilization informed the nation’s founding, how the legacy of slavery complicates that inheritance, and how differing interpretations of the past continue to shape debates about America’s future. Research Fellow Jonathan Gienapp will moderate the discussion among Senior Fellows Barry Strauss and Dan Edelstein as well as Professors Caroline Winterer and Anne Twitty. Panelists will engage in a rigorous and civic exchange that models how to manage open inquiry and disagreement. Learn more and register here.
Health Care Policy
At his Substack, Policy Fellow Tom Church offers a succinct summary of his recent piece (coauthored with Policy Fellow Daniel Heil) at Freedom Frequency on Medicare payments. Church highlights the “key graph” showing Medicare benefits received per dollar paid, by earnings level. As he explains, “Someone who earns $60,000 a year (wage-indexed over their career) receives $3.44 in benefits for every dollar in Medicare payroll taxes they paid.” Overall, “about 95 percent of people who receive Medicare get more out of the program than they paid into it.” As Church concludes, “Is it any wonder why there’s a structural deficit there?” Read more here.
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