Admiral James Ellis reflects on his nearly forty years of service on land and at sea, the challenges facing veterans as they re-enter civilian life, plus ways to properly honor and improve the lives of America’s sizable veterans community.

How does one man whose formative years are largely defined by five “s’s” – sex, satanism, suicide, secret agents, and Stalinism – somehow wind up as a defining intellectual behind the rise of America’s conservative movement?

As California enters the final phase leading up to its Nov. 4 special election and a vote on Proposition 50, plenty of unknowns surround the fate of the controversial ballot measure that would redraw California’s congressional districts to offset a Republican-led gerrymander in Texas.

For the past dozen years, Hoover’s online publication Strategika has examined contemporary conflicts and national security challenges by assembling academics of varied thought to re-examine past struggles. On the occasion of its 100th issue, historian Victor Davis Hanson, Hoover’s Martin and Ilie Anderson senior fellow and the man tasked with bringing the publication to life, discusses the institution’s growing commitment to the study of history (Hoover’s having a compliment of historians rivaling that of world-class universities) and how a Strategika-like approach explains complicated conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. Also discussed: how Victor’s passion for military history stems from his male ancestors’ involvement in two world wars, his thoughts on how best to introduce young learners to classical opuses, plus the problem of university history departments discouraging intellectual diversity. Celebrate Strategika’s 100th issue titled, The Current Status of Military History, by exploring the full collection of essays here. For more episodes of Matters of Policy & Politics, subscribe here.   

The big political news in California: its state legislature is agreeing to a Nov. 4 special election to decide whether to temporarily return congressional redistricting to lawmakers.

Three times in ancient history, the Jewish people revolted against the Roman Empire – the end result being genocide, enslavement, exile, and religious oppression.

Examining the origins of Xi Jinping’s thought and ruling style.

Unpack Gov. Gavin Newsom’s South Carolina visit, his redistricting process to add more Democratic seats in Congress, and how California’s unresolved crises — from homelessness to high-speed rail — could weigh down his presidential ambitions.

While last year’s US presidential election didn’t lack for historical quirks – an incumbent president dropping out of the race soon before his party’s convention; for only the second time, a former president returned to office – opinions differ as to the campaign’s long-term effect on America’s political landscape.  In a special edition of Matters of Policy & Politics hosted by Hoover distinguished policy fellow Bill Whalen, we hear from a bipartisan slate of leading pollsters on the state of America’s two political parties. They provide perspectives on the 2024 election, including assessments of what did and did not work in terms of messaging, how voting blocs shifted, whether Democrats can rebrand and rebound by 2028 or anti-woke Republicans once again will prevail, plus the chances of Trump-style politics outlasting its term-limited namesake.  This episode is in partnership with the Center for Revitalizing American Institutions (RAI).

What’s the most likely outcome for President Trump’s tariff strategy – trading partners capitulating, America’s economy and exceptionalism crumbling, or something in the middle?

What do an electric-vehicle mandate, a structural budget deficit, and chronic homelessness and affordable housing woes have in common? The answer: they are policy headaches likely awaiting California’s next governor.

California’s new global standing, the impact of looming Trump tariffs, the reemergence of former vice president Kamala Harris as she ponders whether to run for governor in 2026, and basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal becoming the general manager of Sacramento State’s men’s basketball team.

What do the polls indicate about President Trump’s first 100 days in office?

How has the ACA managed to survive despite power shifts in Washington, what areas of healthcare should Congress address in 2025, and why can’t California cover the cost of its Medi-Cal program.

Newsom’s latest foray into podcasting comes up short; how a shortfall in the state’s health budget may tie into his political re-branding; plus, differences in state and city approaches to California’s homelessness issues.

President Trump’s signing of an executive order calling for the downsizing of the US Department of Education (DOE) raises concerns related to the federal versus state balance in K-12 policy.

How “economic statecraft” applies to settling the current wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as America’s “great power competition” with China.

The intricacies of a Ukraine-Russia peace deal and the Future of NATO.

In an Information Age during which decentralized news and information have contributed to a greater lack of trust in government and traditional media outlets, is it possible to restore confidence in both institutions? Nick Mastronardi, a Hoover Institution veteran fellow and software innovator in the field of public-sector communications, discusses advances in data collection and artificial intelligence and a positive impact on government behavior with Hoover Volker Senior Fellow (adjunct) “Checker” Finn, one of the nation’s preeminent authorities on education policy and innovation. Recorded on January 14, 2025.  ABOUT THE SERIES Educators across the land are preparing for Civic Learning Week in mid-March—with the capstone National Forum at the Hoover Institution on March 13—as the nation also gets ready for next year’s 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. In anticipation of both—and recognizing the urgent need to rekindle civic literacy via our schools and colleges—Renewing Civics Education – Preparing for American Citizenship, a five-part podcast series, takes on the challenges of citizenship education: why it matters, what it needs to do differently, what shortcomings it must overcome. The series features distinguished members of Hoover’s Working Group on Good American Citizenship, led by Volker Senior Fellow Chester Finn.

Does a Stanford University initiative reinstating a century-old tradition of American civics learning offer a roadmap for the future of higher education?