Is scientific progress best achieved through publicly funded research initiatives?

Is the United States in the process of committing superpower suicide?

Steamboat Institute, in partnership with the Benson Center for the Study of Western Civilization and in association with CU’s Conference on World Affairs, is proud to present a compelling debate on the following resolution: Be it resolved, the United States is in the process of committing superpower suicide. Arguing the affirmative is Susan Rice, Domestic Policy Advisor (2021-2023); U.S. National Security Advisor (2013-2017); U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (2009-2013). Arguing the negative is John Bolton, Author, The Room Where It Happened; National Security Advisor (2018-2019); U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (2005-2006). Moderator is Carine Hajjar, Opinion Journalist for The Washington Post and Steamboat Institute Fellow for Public Policy and American Exceptionalism.

Is the failure of civic education the primary cause of ideological partisanship in society?

The debate resolution is: Be it resolved, the failure of civic education in schools is the primary cause of ideological partisanship in society today. Arguing the affirmative is Josh Dunn, Ph.D., Professor and Executive Director of the Institute of American Civics at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Arguing the negative is Timothy Messer-Kruse, Ph.D., Professor in the School of Cultural and Critical Studies at Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Moderator is Kaylee McGhee White, Editor-in-Chief for Independent Women Features; Tony Blankley Fellow, Steamboat Institute.

Does AI require expanded federal regulation to safeguard the public interest?

AFFIRMATIVE: TYLER J. THOMPSON, Attorney specializing in Data Privacy and AI Regulation – Reed Smith LLP NEGATIVE: JOHN YOO, Emanuel S. Heller Professor of Law, UC-Berkeley; Distinguished Visiting Scholar, School of Civic Leadership, University of Texas at Austin A debate on AI policy at our 2026 Winter Policy Summit: America 250 in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.

Is scientific progress best achieved through publicly funded research initiatives?

Steamboat Institute, in partnership with the University of California, Davis, is proud to present a compelling debate on the following resolution: Be it resolved, scientific progress is best achieved through publicly funded research initiatives. Arguing the affirmative is Jon Hartley, economist and Policy Fellow at the Hoover Institution. Arguing the negative is John Early, Adjunct Scholar at the Cato Institute. Moderator is Carrie Sheffield, Senior Policy Analyst, Independent Women’s Forum; Tony Blankley Senior Fellow, Steamboat Institute.

Will Artificial Intelligence Do More Harm Than Good, in the Near Term?

Steamboat Institute, in partnership with the Colangelo College of Business, is proud to present a compelling debate on the following resolution: Be it resolved, in the near term, artificial intelligence will do more harm than good. Arguing the affirmative is Bret Weinstein, Ph.D., Evolutionary Biologist, Author, and Host of The DarkHorse Podcast. Arguing the negative is Michael Strain, Ph.D, Director of Economic Policy Studies and the Arthur F. Burns Scholar in Political Economy at the American Enterprise Institute. Moderator is Hadley Heath Manning; Tony Blankley Senior Fellow, Steamboat Institute.