September 17, 2025 • 6 mins
Today, Steven J. Davis speaks with Harvard economist Claudia Goldin about her recent paper examining drivers of the global decline in fertility; Hoover History Lab student contributors present policy considerations for dealing with the “senior bulge” and an aging population; and Bill Whalen examines how recent developments in national politics may shape the political fight over California’s congressional redistricting ballot measure, as well as the state’s upcoming governor’s race.
Hoover Daily Report | September 17, 2025
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Episode Transcript
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>> Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to the Hoover Daily Report.
Ideas Advancing Freedom It's Wednesday,September 17, 2025.
>> Speaker 2 (00:07):
Today, Stephen J.
Davis speaks with Harvard economistClaudia Goldin about her recent paper
examining drivers of the globaldecline in fertility.
Hoover History Lab student contributorspresent policy considerations for
dealing with the senior bulge andan aging population, and
Bill Whelan examines how recentdevelopments in national politics may
shape the political fight overCalifornia's congressional redistricting
(00:30):
ballot measure as well as the state'supcoming governor's race.
>> Speaker 1 (00:34):
Why so few births?
For a special episodeof Economics Applied,
filmed against the scenic backdrop ofWyoming's Teton Mountain Range on location
at the 2025 Jackson Hole EconomicPolicy Symposium, Senior Fellow and
Director of Research Stephen J.
Davis speaks with Claudia golden,
professor of Economicsat Harvard University.
(00:55):
Davis andgolden discuss the downside of fertility.
Golden's essay, presented at the policyConference, golden explains why
fertility rates fell around the worldas women gained greater agency in
domains like marriage, reproduction,education, and labor markets.
When women gain agency, golden argues thata mismatch between men and women in their
(01:16):
expectations about child rearingresponsibilities leads to lower fertility.
She also argues that this form of mismatchis more acute in the wake of sustained,
rapid economic development as women pursuenewfound opportunities while many men
cling to traditional views aboutmarriage and child rearing.
>> Speaker 2 (01:33):
The Senior Bulge Anticipating and
Addressing the Aging Boom forthe first time in history,
people ages 65 outnumber young children,signaling a fundamental
reversal from the prior youthbulge to to a global senior bulge.
This profound demographic shift,driven by longer life expectancy and lower
(01:53):
fertility, poses economic, political,and social challenges to all societies.
A new report from Hoover History Labstudent contributors Catherine Sorenson,
Jonathan Cosgrove, Divya Ganeson,and Daniel Longo explores the senior
bulges historical context and outlinesseveral policy options for governments
to adopt and proactively manage thecomplex realities of aging populations.
(02:18):
The authors consider howincreased migration could help
to offset demographic decline,as well as the possible roles for
robotics technologies to assist withelder care and labor force challenges.
The paper emphasizes that when addressingthe costs of the senior bulge through
policy, leaders should focus onthe intersection of political, cultural,
economic, and military trends.
>> Speaker 1 (02:40):
Trust but how to verify In a post for California on youn Mind,
distinguished policyFellow Bill Whelan examines, quote,
how the ramifications of a heinous crimecommitted on a Utah college campus might
find their way further west to California.
Whelan asks how the killing of CharlieKirk may impact political events held on
college campuses.
(03:01):
Quote will conservative activists nowshy away from such public rallies?
Will Will cash strappeduniversity administrations and
local law enforcement stepup their security efforts.
Whelan also examines how the publicresponse to the crime may shape
the rhetoric around campaigns on bothsides of California Proposition 50
California Governor Gavin Newsom'sattempt to temporarily reconfigure
(03:24):
California's congressional districts soas to flip to the Democratic Party
a handful of seats currentlyheld by Republicans.
Whelan closes by looking at Senator AlexPadilla's position in the Prop 50 debate
and national politics, noting thatCalifornia's junior senator may enter
the race for governor of the Golden State.
>> Speaker 2 (03:43):
Eugene Volok on Justice Department Responses to
Expression Controversies After KurtKilling Two recent blog posts from senior
fellow Eugene Volok examineAttorney General Pam Bondi's statements on
speech controversies followingthe murder of Charlie Kirk.
First, Volok links to an article fromthe foundation for Individual Rights and
(04:03):
Expression critiquing Bondi'sstated intent to investigate and
prosecute incidents of hate speech.
Second, Volek analyzes the JusticeDepartment's move to investigate
an incident involving a Michigan OfficeDepot employee who refused to print flyers
advertising a vigil forconservative activist Charlie Kirk.
(04:23):
Valak writes, quote,no federal law to my knowledge,
purports to ban stores fromdiscriminating based on
the political expression ofthe material they're asked to print.
He concludes that it's hard tosee a credible legal basis for
AG Bondi's statements expressingintent to prosecute individuals
refusing printing serviceson political grounds.
>> Speaker 1 (04:45):
The Defense Production Act Needs a Reboot In a Post to
the First Breakfast Substack NationalSecurity Visiting Fellow Nadia Shadlow
argues that 75 years afterthe introduction of the Defense Production
act, or dpa, the industry focused nationalsecurity legislation requires updating.
As she writes, after dozens ofreauthorizations, the DPA has lost its
(05:06):
strategic focus, scattering resourcesacross hundreds of disconnected projects.
Shadlo calls for a reconsideration of theAct's scope intended to tighten its focus
on mitigating strategic vulnerabilities.
She also suggests that an over reliance onDPA grants could be corrected by drawing
in private capital.
Finally, Shadlo says that implementationproblems in the DPA must be fixed by
(05:31):
activating provisions of the act,allowing consultation with non
governmental expertson technical problems.
Shadlow concludes that with reforms,
quote, the DPA can again helpAmerica outproduce its rivals.
>> Speaker 2 (05:44):
Featured Hoover Publication Renewing Indigenous Cultures Market trade
helped American Indian economies and
cultures flourish priorto European colonization.
Both atrophied once US Governmentpolicies subjected indigenous people to
reservations and assimilation campaigns.
Today, there is debate about whethereconomic development in tribal communities
(06:05):
is compatible with cultural revival.
In this essay, Senior Fellow DominicParker and co author Dustin Fry show how
tribes are renewing their economies withself governance that adheres to local
customs and investing returns frommarket enterprises in cultural goods.
>> Speaker 1 (06:20):
That's your Hoover Daily report for Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
Each weekday we bring you research,analysis and commentary focused on public
policy, national security, and the ideasshaping American society and government.
The Hoover Institution at StanfordUniversity is grounded in constitutional
principles with a commitment to sustainingthe safeguards of the American way
(06:43):
of life.
Thank you for listening.
For links to all the articles andinterviews mentioned today,
visit Hoover.org HD.
Welcome to the Hoover Daily Report.
Ideas Advancing Freedom It's Wednesday,September 17, 2025.
>> Speaker 2 (00:07):
Today, Stephen J.
Davis speaks with Harvard economistClaudia Goldin about her recent paper
examining drivers of the globaldecline in fertility.
Hoover History Lab student contributorspresent policy considerations for
dealing with the senior bulge andan aging population, and
Bill Whelan examines how recentdevelopments in national politics may
shape the political fight overCalifornia's congressional redistricting
(00:30):
ballot measure as well as the state'supcoming governor's race.
>> Speaker 1 (00:34):
Why so few births?
For a special episodeof Economics Applied,
filmed against the scenic backdrop ofWyoming's Teton Mountain Range on location
at the 2025 Jackson Hole EconomicPolicy Symposium, Senior Fellow and
Director of Research Stephen J.
Davis speaks with Claudia golden,
professor of Economicsat Harvard University.
(00:55):
Davis andgolden discuss the downside of fertility.
Golden's essay, presented at the policyConference, golden explains why
fertility rates fell around the worldas women gained greater agency in
domains like marriage, reproduction,education, and labor markets.
When women gain agency, golden argues thata mismatch between men and women in their
(01:16):
expectations about child rearingresponsibilities leads to lower fertility.
She also argues that this form of mismatchis more acute in the wake of sustained,
rapid economic development as women pursuenewfound opportunities while many men
cling to traditional views aboutmarriage and child rearing.
>> Speaker 2 (01:33):
The Senior Bulge Anticipating and
Addressing the Aging Boom forthe first time in history,
people ages 65 outnumber young children,signaling a fundamental
reversal from the prior youthbulge to to a global senior bulge.
This profound demographic shift,driven by longer life expectancy and lower
(01:53):
fertility, poses economic, political,and social challenges to all societies.
A new report from Hoover History Labstudent contributors Catherine Sorenson,
Jonathan Cosgrove, Divya Ganeson,and Daniel Longo explores the senior
bulges historical context and outlinesseveral policy options for governments
to adopt and proactively manage thecomplex realities of aging populations.
(02:18):
The authors consider howincreased migration could help
to offset demographic decline,as well as the possible roles for
robotics technologies to assist withelder care and labor force challenges.
The paper emphasizes that when addressingthe costs of the senior bulge through
policy, leaders should focus onthe intersection of political, cultural,
economic, and military trends.
>> Speaker 1 (02:40):
Trust but how to verify In a post for California on youn Mind,
distinguished policyFellow Bill Whelan examines, quote,
how the ramifications of a heinous crimecommitted on a Utah college campus might
find their way further west to California.
Whelan asks how the killing of CharlieKirk may impact political events held on
college campuses.
(03:01):
Quote will conservative activists nowshy away from such public rallies?
Will Will cash strappeduniversity administrations and
local law enforcement stepup their security efforts.
Whelan also examines how the publicresponse to the crime may shape
the rhetoric around campaigns on bothsides of California Proposition 50
California Governor Gavin Newsom'sattempt to temporarily reconfigure
(03:24):
California's congressional districts soas to flip to the Democratic Party
a handful of seats currentlyheld by Republicans.
Whelan closes by looking at Senator AlexPadilla's position in the Prop 50 debate
and national politics, noting thatCalifornia's junior senator may enter
the race for governor of the Golden State.
>> Speaker 2 (03:43):
Eugene Volok on Justice Department Responses to
Expression Controversies After KurtKilling Two recent blog posts from senior
fellow Eugene Volok examineAttorney General Pam Bondi's statements on
speech controversies followingthe murder of Charlie Kirk.
First, Volok links to an article fromthe foundation for Individual Rights and
(04:03):
Expression critiquing Bondi'sstated intent to investigate and
prosecute incidents of hate speech.
Second, Volek analyzes the JusticeDepartment's move to investigate
an incident involving a Michigan OfficeDepot employee who refused to print flyers
advertising a vigil forconservative activist Charlie Kirk.
(04:23):
Valak writes, quote,no federal law to my knowledge,
purports to ban stores fromdiscriminating based on
the political expression ofthe material they're asked to print.
He concludes that it's hard tosee a credible legal basis for
AG Bondi's statements expressingintent to prosecute individuals
refusing printing serviceson political grounds.
>> Speaker 1 (04:45):
The Defense Production Act Needs a Reboot In a Post to
the First Breakfast Substack NationalSecurity Visiting Fellow Nadia Shadlow
argues that 75 years afterthe introduction of the Defense Production
act, or dpa, the industry focused nationalsecurity legislation requires updating.
As she writes, after dozens ofreauthorizations, the DPA has lost its
(05:06):
strategic focus, scattering resourcesacross hundreds of disconnected projects.
Shadlo calls for a reconsideration of theAct's scope intended to tighten its focus
on mitigating strategic vulnerabilities.
She also suggests that an over reliance onDPA grants could be corrected by drawing
in private capital.
Finally, Shadlo says that implementationproblems in the DPA must be fixed by
(05:31):
activating provisions of the act,allowing consultation with non
governmental expertson technical problems.
Shadlow concludes that with reforms,
quote, the DPA can again helpAmerica outproduce its rivals.
>> Speaker 2 (05:44):
Featured Hoover Publication Renewing Indigenous Cultures Market trade
helped American Indian economies and
cultures flourish priorto European colonization.
Both atrophied once US Governmentpolicies subjected indigenous people to
reservations and assimilation campaigns.
Today, there is debate about whethereconomic development in tribal communities
(06:05):
is compatible with cultural revival.
In this essay, Senior Fellow DominicParker and co author Dustin Fry show how
tribes are renewing their economies withself governance that adheres to local
customs and investing returns frommarket enterprises in cultural goods.
>> Speaker 1 (06:20):
That's your Hoover Daily report for Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
Each weekday we bring you research,analysis and commentary focused on public
policy, national security, and the ideasshaping American society and government.
The Hoover Institution at StanfordUniversity is grounded in constitutional
principles with a commitment to sustainingthe safeguards of the American way
(06:43):
of life.
Thank you for listening.
For links to all the articles andinterviews mentioned today,
visit Hoover.org HD.
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