Think from KERA

Stefan Merrill Block, writer and memoirist of Homeschooled, recounts being pulled from school by an adoring but complicated mother. He describes crafting his own curriculum, performing unhappiness to win attention, and how solitude shaped his path to writing. Conversations about sibling differences, returning to public school, and the emotional costs of maternal dependency also feature.

Duncan Hosie, a Stanford Law fellow who studies constitutional law and congressional power, explains how the Supreme Court has shifted interpretive authority away from elected branches. He covers Marbury, the Commerce Clause, the rise of originalism, partisan confirmation fights, and how Court decisions reshape Congress’s priorities. He warns about concentrated power in small majorities and argues for greater judicial humility.

Michael O'Hanlon, Brookings policy analyst and author on U.S. defense history, offers a compact tour of American military strategy from the Revolution to the modern era. He traces early naval fights, 19th-century expansion, the rise of global naval power, WWII’s transformation, Cold War shifts, and contemporary dilemmas about Russia, China, and when the U.S. should act.

Jim Rutenberg, New York Times writer-at-large covering media and politics, discusses how the FCC applied pressure to shape television. He outlines jawboning, why local affiliates are vulnerable, efforts to revive old broadcast rules, and strategies conservatives use to influence programming. The conversation highlights merger leverage, late-night risks, and proposed changes that could reshape network TV.

Oona A. Hathaway, Yale law and political science scholar and president-elect of the American Society of International Law. She explores how the U.N. Charter once curbed conquest with law and institutions. She discusses how U.S. stretches of self-defense and shifting enforcement weaken norms. She warns powerful states ignoring rules could unravel the postwar order.

Molly Hennessy-Fiske, national reporter for The Washington Post who covers immigration and the border, discusses civilian monitoring of ICE in Minneapolis and beyond. She recounts why neighbors began tailing unmarked cars, the trainings volunteers take, and the legal gray areas around recording and confrontation. Tension, anonymity of officers, and community responses are central topics.

Stefan Fatsis, journalist and author who embedded at Merriam‑Webster to study modern lexicography. He talks about how A.I. can generate definitions, the vanished world of paper citation slips, and why economic pressures and online tools are reshaping how words get recorded. He also recounts the craft of writing concise definitions and the cultural life of dictionaries.

Amanda Fortini, writer and journalist known for her T Magazine essay on Gen X, reflects on the latchkey childhood that bred DIY creativity. She discusses MTV’s cultural glue, Gen X’s role in third-wave feminism and nuanced Black filmmaking, and how a last analog upbringing shaped independent tastemaking and attitudes toward aging.

Helen Lewis, a staff writer at The Atlantic and political journalist, delves into Gavin Newsom's potential 2028 presidential ambitions. She discusses Newsom's aggressive social media strategies and his critical stance against Trump. Lewis highlights his significant political moves, like early support for same-sex marriage and complex positions on trans issues. Furthermore, she analyzes perceptions of Newsom among rural voters, his privileged background, and the challenges California faces, including housing affordability and crime.

Joshua Keating, a senior correspondent at Vox specializing in foreign policy, joins to discuss the 'Donroe Doctrine'—Trump's assertion of U.S. intervention rights in Latin America. Keating explains the historical roots in the Monroe Doctrine and contrasts Trump's strategies with previous administrations. He uncovers contradictions in U.S. actions, including military escalations and political motives behind interventions, and evaluates their long-term impacts. Finally, Keating warns of potential backfires, including damaged alliances and rising nationalism.