Policy Matters

Hurricane Harvey was many things — a monstrous storm, a destroyer of homes and neighborhoods, an indiscriminate killer. But Harvey was, and is, something else: a wakeup call for Houston, Harris Country and the entire Texas Coast. As we rebuild, there is a need to rethink Houston’s approach to flood control and create a Greater Houston resilient enough to survive and thrive in an era when storms like Harvey may be the new normal. In this episode, Jim Blackburn, Baker Institute scholar and professor in the practice of environmental law at Rice University, discusses Hurricane Harvey, Houston’s preparedness for major hurricanes and what needs to be done in the future to address the threats that accompany severe weather.

Many European states rely heavily on Russia for energy, especially natural gas. How has Russia used gas supplies as a tool of foreign policy in the past? What can Europe do today to limit Russia’s ability to deploy its “energy weapon?” What role should the United States play?    In this episode, Gabriel Collins, the Baker Botts Fellow in Energy & Environmental Regulatory Affairs, discusses these and other issues related to Russia’s use of energy to influence — and even coerce — European countries.

In its first year, the Trump administration has been besieged by accusations of misconduct. Talk of perjury and obstruction of justice — even impeachment — is in the air. America has been here before: 40 years ago during the Watergate scandal. Pundits and politicos have been quick to draw comparisons between President Donald J. Trump and President Richard Nixon, and between modern politics and that of the 1960s–1970s. But how similar are these two complex men and eras? In this episode, Allen Matusow, director of academic affairs at the Baker Institute, discusses two of America’s most controversial presidents, their similarities and differences, and the political contexts in which they operated.

After much drama and last-minute maneuvering, congressional Republicans have passed the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act,” the most comprehensive change to the federal tax code since 1986. To say that the GOP tax plan is controversial would be an understatement. Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi has gone so far as to call it “Armageddon.” What are the key provisions of the act? What will it do the deficit? How will it affect growth? And what is its likely impact on income distribution? In this episode, John Diamond, director of the Baker Institute’s Center for Public Finance, and George Zodrow, Baker Institute Scholar and Allyn R. and Gladys M. Cline Chair of Economics at Rice University, discuss the act’s provisions, impacts and potential shortcomings.

E-commerce is a multibillion-dollar industry, expanding every day. However, state and local governments have struggled to tax online sales as efficiently as purchases from brick-and-mortar outlets, forfeiting huge sums in tax revenues. In this episode, Joyce Beebe, fellow in public finance at the Baker Institute, addresses the legal and regulatory issues surrounding online sales tax, the challenges states have faced in taxing online sales, and what that has meant for governments, businesses and consumers.

Tens of thousands of Americans are dying every year from opioid-related causes — as many as from gun violence or car accidents. Opioid addiction has become a major public health crisis and an important political issue. What are the origins of the opioid epidemic, and what should we do to address it? In this episode, Katharine Neill Harris, the Alfred C. Glassell, III, Fellow in Drug Policy at the Baker Institute, discusses the history of the opioid crisis and explores possible policy solutions.

For the past six months, tensions have risen in the Persian Gulf. Recent escalations began in June when members of the “Quartet” — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt — suspended relations with Qatar over its support for regional Islamist groups, among other allegations. The discord has continued, prompting many to suggest that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as we know it may ultimately collapse. In this episode, Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, fellow for the Middle East at the Baker Institute, discusses the origins of the GCC crisis, and its implications for regional politics and U.S. foreign policy.

NAFTA is in trouble. Big trouble. President Donald Trump has called the North American Free Trade Agreement “the worst trade deal maybe ever signed anywhere,” responsible for swollen trade deficits and job losses. Earlier this year, Trump triggered renegotiation of the agreement. Talks among the United States, Mexico and Canada are ongoing. In this episode, Tony Payan, director of the Baker Institute’s Mexico Center, discusses the provisions of NAFTA, the agreement’s economic impacts and the politics driving the current talks.

Since its enactment in 2010, Republicans have sought to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Under Obamacare, millions of Americans have acquired health insurance, but the program has remained controversial. Despite majorities in the House and Senate, Republican efforts to overturn Obamacare have stalled. In this podcast, Vivian Ho, director of the Baker Institute’s Center for Health and Biosciences, discusses the challenges surrounding the ACA and congressional efforts to change the act.

On November 2, House Republicans unveiled a new tax reform plan, the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act." Supporters of the plan hail it as an engine of economic growth, while opponents call it a giveaway for the rich.  In this podcast, John Diamond, the Edward and Hermena Hancock Kelly Fellow in Public Finance at the Baker Institute, assesses the corporate and individual elements of the plan, the plan's possible implications and the mechanics of tax reform.