In this compelling Independent Conversation, renowned civil rights scholar and bestselling author Dr. Shelby Steele is interviewed by Independent Institute Executive Director Dr. Graham H. Walker on the issues of race, liberty, and law in America, and in the process, they examine the crucial issues addressed in Dr. Steele's documentary, “What Killed Michael Brown?”

Independent Institute Senior Fellow Williamson Evers is interviewed about California's curriculum to teach Ethnic Studies in schools. Some suggest teaching the curriculum to Kindergarten students through high school. Evers says the curriculum misses the opportunity to teach how different racial groups have added to the history and founding of the United States and instead it vilifies white people as oppressors of other groups.

Sr. Fellow John C. Goodman, author of New Way to Care discusses minimum wage laws. If higher wage prices are mandated for employers, where does the money come from, asks Goodman. For some businesses, labor costs are the largest cost. Teenagers are usually the ones who are let go if wage prices increase. Teens who keep their jobs are most likely in the suburbs, and those most likely to lose their jobs are from low-income households.

In this fifteenth episode of Independent Outlook, David Theroux, Williamson Evers, and Graham Walker examine the massive political pork in the COVID Relief Act; bailouts of insolvent blue states and cities; the looming threat of inflation; voter fraud; teachers unions and the tragedy of school closings; free speech and freedom of the press and assembly; cancel culture and Dr. Seuss, Dumbo, and Peter Pan; the growing rebellion against wokeness; and much more.

Sr. Fellow William F. Shughart II has written a lot on abolishing the changing of clocks twice a year in the US. There are economic and productivity issues as well as an increase in automobile and pedestrian accidents due to the "silly" practice of changing our clocks backwards and forwards, says Shughart.

This Lighthouse Briefing video features Independent Institute Executive Director Dr. Graham H. Walker and Independent Research Fellow Dr. Phillip W. Magness discussing Dr. Magness's article, “Case for Mask Mandate Rests on Bad Data,” including the politicization of science, the folly of lockdowns and mask mandates, and the need for "Focus Protection" to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic and achieve "herd immunity."

There is no climate emergency, says Research Fellow Anthony Lupo, who is co-author of the book Hot Talk, Cold Science: Global Warming’s Unfinished Debate. Why are forecasts incorrect? IPCC reports are often interpreted as dire by climate alarmists, he says, while most of the reports are actually quite sanguine. Even weather forecasts models can be inaccurate over 5 days, and longer term climate models can vary greatly. As for carbon emissions, the market is doing a great job at reducing emissions, Lupo says.

Research Fellow Anthony Lupo, co-author of Hot Talk, Cold Science appears the Alan Nathan Radio Show to discuss adaptation vs mitigation to address climate change. The climate is warming a bit, says Lupo but it's not an emergency. Lupo says the Paris Agreement is flawed in its structure. The drive for more efficient technologies in the market is working.