Podcasts
Can America Still Govern Itself? With Lanhee Chen
Hoover Institution fellow Lanhee Chen on why good policy so often fails politically.
October 20, 2026
Published May 23, 2023
In the 1950s, teachers’ unions were not politically active. Most members believed that they should not engage in political activities beyond voting. However, in the 1960s and 1970s, state governments introduced public sector labor laws that empowered public employees like teachers to collectively bargain with state and local governments. This gave unions the ability to mobilize teachers politically, which has allowed them to shape education policy in the United States.
Additional Resources:
- Watch “Hoover Book Club: How Policies Make Interest Groups: Governments, Unions, And American Education,” an episode of Hoover Book Club. Available here.
- Watch “Vouchers and Education Reform,” with Terry Moe on PolicyEd. Available here.
- Watch “How to Reverse Pandemic-Related Learning Losses,” with Eric Hanushek on PolicyEd. Available here.
Cast
Michael T. Hartney
Related
Videos
Monetary Policy And The Shadow Open Market Committee Since The 1970s
Mickey Levy on his early career working with Alice Rivlin at the Congressional Budget Office and with Arthur Burns at AEI, as well as being part of the Shadow Open Markets Committee from its early days in the 1970s.
October 16, 2026
Videos
The Enduring Influence Of Thomas Sowell
From politics and economics to journalism and culture, leading voices reflect on how Thomas Sowell’s ideas shaped their thinking and continue to inspire new generations.
October 15, 2026