The American Compass Podcast

America’s welfare programs have long operated on the assumption that states and nonprofits could responsibly steward federal dollars with minimal oversight. But a series of explosive fraud cases—from California to Mississippi to Minnesota—have exposed just how broken that system has become, with lax oversight and minimal accountability leading to billions of dollars stolen from taxpayers.
Shad White, Mississippi’s state auditor and author of Mississippi Swindle, joins Oren to explain how his office uncovered one of the largest welfare scandals in modern history and what it reveals about America’s safety net. They discuss why grant-based welfare programs are uniquely vulnerable to abuse, how federalism often undermines accountability, and how practical reforms like stronger enforcement, clearer metrics, and simpler program design can restore public trust while helping the families who need support most.

The annual gathering of the world’s leadership class at the World Economic Forum in Davos bills itself as high-minded forum for increased global cooperation in the now-struggling old international order. But, in practice, it’s more of a concentrated mass of industry titans flexing with their various status badges, “bilaterals,” and AI slogans all while anxiously refreshing their phones for the latest updates on the Trump administration’s next moves.
Filming from his hotel room in the Alps, Oren, our intrepid correspondent in Davos, joins Drew to report what he heard and saw from these often panic-stricken elites. They discuss how the Davos crowd is really reacting to Trump’s approach to alliances and American leadership, why episodes like Greenland trigger outsized panic among our allies, and where legitimate concerns about trust and cooperation get lost in elite groupthink.
Further Reading:
“A Sharp Break over a Piece of Ice,” Oren Cass, Commonplace.

Inflation may have cooled, but Americans still feel squeezed. Groceries are still expensive, housing and health care costs continue to outpace wages, and consumer credit debt continues to balloon, leaving a gap between encouraging economic data and the daily experience of the average American. Voters continue to express concern, and the Trump administration has responded with a flurry of proposals aimed at bringing prices down.
Daniel Kishi, senior policy advisor at American Compass, joins Oren to make sense of what’s actually driving the affordability crisis and how policymakers should respond. They examine recent, sometimes unconventional, ideas from the administration to expand housing supply, cap credit card rates, overhaul health care, and empower more aggressive antitrust enforcement. Plus, they discuss the necessary role that Congress must play in codifying workable, populist solutions if the affordability crisis is to be solved.
Further Reading:
“Trump's New Volcker Shock" by Henry Olsen
“Our Concentrated Health Care Markets Are Anything but ‘Free’" by Chris Griswold

The CHIPS Act was billed as a once-in-a-generation effort to rebuild America’s manufacturing base in a strategically vital industry. But turning legislation into functioning factories and good paying jobs requires far more than slogans about “onshoring” or wish-casting. It demands a state-sponsored investment outside of America’s typical comfort zone.

Mike Schmidt, former director of the CHIPS Program Office and co-author of Factory Settings, joins Oren to discuss what it actually took to stand up the largest industrial policy initiative in decades. They explore how the government negotiated with global chipmakers, why grants and tax credits were combined, what critics missed in the “everything bagel” debate, and how permitting, labor, and geopolitical risk shaped their efforts. They close by discussing how we'll know if the CHIPS Act ultimately succeeds and the way the U.S. should think about future reindustrialization efforts.

Further Reading:
"Chipping Away" by Chris Griswold

After running on a campaign centered on ending forever wars, the Trump administration has become increasingly aggressive toward Venezuela—and rumors are abuzz that the administration may soon attempt to topple the Maduro regime.
Michael Brendan Dougherty, senior writer at National Review, joins Oren to discuss why Venezuela has reemerged as a focal point in Washington and what that says about the state of American foreign policy. They examine how this pressure campaign, ostensibly over fentanyl, looks increasingly like an attempt at regime change and the risks of escalation without public buy-in or strategic clarity. They also broaden the conversation to consider how this same lack of focus appears in debates over trade, affordability, and energy, and undermines the administration’s ability to explain its policies to the public.
Further reading: "The Next Foreign Misadventure" by Michael Brendan Dougherty