The American Compass Podcast

When news broke that the local paper mill in Chillicothe, OH, was closing its doors and laying off 780 employees, one Ohio senator made it his mission to fight for those workers. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) joins Oren to talk about his efforts to put American workers and their families first. The freshman senator explains how his background led him to Congress and breaks down the forces driving the political realignment he’s helping lead. The two discuss how the Republican Party can better serve its voters on labor, trade, and beyond, as well as the need to fight against private equity firms and other forces seeking to outsource American jobs.

Today’s Republican Party has come a long way from the days of William F. Buckley, Jr., but his legacy continues to be felt across the conservative movement. Sam Tanenhaus, former editor of the New York Times Book Review and author of the newly released Buckley: The Life and the Revolution That Changed America [https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/176399/buckley-by-sam-tanenhaus/], joins Oren to discuss the conservative statesman’s life and work. The two discuss how Buckley viewed himself as a reactionary bent on overthrowing the liberal orthodoxy of his day, his work to realign the party, and what those who aim to do likewise today can learn from his legacy. Further reading: * “William F. Buckley, Jr. and the Politics of Reality [https://commonplace.org/2025/02/27/william-f-buckley-jr-and-the-politics-of-reality/]" by Michael Lind

Vice President JD Vance joined Oren Cass at American Compass’s five-year anniversary celebration for a wide-ranging discussion of the ongoing political realignment, the importance of conservative economics, and where the movement goes from here. During their conversation at the New World Gala, Vance and Cass discuss the rapid shift in conservative thinking on issues like trade, industrial policy, and education, as well as the Trump administration’s strategies for prioritizing workers, families, and communities. Finally, Vance offers his advice for young conservatives looking to help build a conservative movement oriented toward the common good.

American conservatism has never been static. Changes in our national political environment have previously shifted what the Republican Party stands for. But how does today’s New Right compare to earlier realignments driven by President Ronald Reagan or William F. Buckley Jr.? Before the June 3rd release of The New Conservatives [https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-New-Conservatives/Oren-Cass/9798895150504], Matthew Continetti, director of domestic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, joins Oren to talk through the history of recent conservative realignments. The two discuss how previous ideological realignments have taken root in various Washington think tanks and institutions, how President Trump's revolution compares to Reagan's, and where the remnants of the Old Right coalition will end up in our new political environment.

Globalization and deindustrialization have brought with them a sense among American workers that the good jobs they could once count on have disappeared. As family-supporting careers evaporate, service jobs with lower pay and unpredictable hours take their place in many communities across the country. Zeynep Ton, professor of practice at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, joins Oren to discuss what a better future of work could look like. The two talk through what a “good job” means today, in a world where frontline service-sector work dominates U.S. employment. Plus, they unpack why stability, career growth, and supportive pay for the jobs that already exist—rather than a focus on training for the “jobs of the future”—is vital to supporting America’s workers. Further reading: * “Building a Strong U.S. Middle Class Requires High-Productivity, High-Dignity Service Jobs [https://hbr.org/2025/05/building-a-strong-middle-class-requires-high-productivity-high-dignity-service-jobs],” by Zeynep Ton