Advertise on podcast: Deseret Voices

A president can sign an executive order in seconds — but what makes it survive the courts, Congress and the next election? Roger Porter, who worked under three U.S. presidents, explains why the fastest way to announce a policy may not be the best way to make it last. In this “Deseret Voices,” conversation, Jane Clayson Johnson explores presidential power, President Donald Trump’s executive orders and the checks and balances built into the U.S. Constitution. Porter discusses the role of Congress and the Supreme Court, the limits of executive authority, and disputes involving tariffs, mail-in voting and student loan forgiveness. Drawing on his experience with Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush, Porter explains how presidents set priorities, hear competing arguments and turn decisions into results. He shares Ford’s memorable approach to winning support from advisers who disagreed — and examines why bipartisan legislation can accomplish what an executive order cannot. You’ll learn how presidential decision-making works, why implementation matters and what leaders outside the White House can learn about listening, judgment and building trust. Subscribe to “Deseret Voices” for thoughtful conversations that go beyond political headlines and explore the people, principles and decisions shaping our world.

Three months ago, we told you the Great Salt Lake was disappearing — and what Utah stood to lose. Today, we ask the harder question: Is anyone actually saving it? In June, "Deseret Voices" Episode 37 laid out the stakes: toxic dust, billions in health costs, and an ecosystem on the brink. Since then, the lake has dropped even closer to its all-time low — losing 800,000 acre-feet per year despite near-normal precipitation. A new commissioner has been appointed. A president has promised a billion dollars. And only a fraction has arrived. In this follow-up episode, host Jane Clayson Johnson sits down with three people at the center of the response: ▸ Sen. John Curtis — Utah's Republican senator, who is navigating the gap between a presidential promise and a congressional check, while making the case that saving the lake is an economic imperative as much as an environmental one. ▸ Hannah Freeze — Utah's new Great Salt Lake commissioner, appointed July 2026. A farmer's daughter turned quarterback of the state's multi-agency rescue effort, she brings a five-point federal spending plan and a pilot program where 90 farmers voluntarily lease water to the lake. ▸ Ben Abbott — The BYU ecologist who returned to “Deseret Voices” with a blunt update: only 26% of the lake is still functioning, saving a saline lake is something no country has ever done, and the restoration goal will require a 40% reduction in water consumption. In this episode, you'll hear: Where Trump's $1 billion Great Salt Lake promise actually stands — and why Congress hasn't written the check. The difference between stabilizing the lake (250,000 acre-feet) and restoring it (1 million acre-feet per year). How Alpine City, Utah, voluntarily cut water use 12% in a single year — with no mandate. Why Utah's farmers wrote their own water-leasing legislation instead of waiting for regulation. What Iran's Lake Urmia — where the government promised restoration five times before the lake disappeared — tells us about Utah's odds. The 30 to 70 annual dust events now coming off the exposed lakebed, and the $1 million air-quality monitoring network going live this fall. Whether the Endangered Species Act or EPA protections could trigger a forced federal response. Ben Abbott's candid assessment that saving the lake is "a long shot" — and Sen. Curtis' pioneer-ancestors rebuttal. This conversation is about more than a lake. It's about whether a community can live within its means, protect the vulnerable, and do something no one else in the world has managed — before time runs out. If you haven't listened to Episode 37, start there: https://www.deseret.com/video/2026/06/26/deseret-voices-episode-37-the-real-cost-of-losing-the-great-salt-lake/

On this episode of "Deseret Voices," McKay Coppins, author of the viral Atlantic article "Sucker: My Year as a Degenerate Gambler,” sits down with Paul Lambert of BYU's Wheatley Institute to discuss President D. Todd Christofferson's landmark talk at general conference for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, condemning gambling in all its forms. They unpack new survey data showing that 55% of American adults now gamble at least monthly and that 1 in 8 gamble every day. They explore why mobile sports betting has exploded from $5 billion to $160 billion in annual wagers since the Supreme Court's 2018 ruling, why prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket let people bet on wars and assassinations, and why the moral case against gambling has been missing from the national conversation — until now. “Deseret Voices” is hosted by award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, who go beyond the headlines to explore the stories, people, and ideas shaping our world today. Through thoughtful, in-depth conversations, the “Deseret Voices” podcast brings clarity and common ground to the complex issues defining our time.  “Deseret Voices” is a Deseret News podcast, produced by Keira Farrimond, Creative Director - Video & Podcasts.  Episodes of “Deseret Voices” drop every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and join the conversation on YouTube (@deseretnews), Instagram (@deseretnews), Facebook (@deseretnews) and X (@deseret).

In a political climate driven by tribalism and culture wars, how can citizens move toward peacemaking and common ground? On this episode of "Deseret Voices," host McKay Coppins sits down with former federal judge Thomas B. Griffith for a thought-provoking conversation on civic duty, constitutional values and religious liberty. Drawing from President Dallin H. Oaks’ landmark address at the National Cathedral and Elder Rob Daines’ insights on "building the other house," Griffith offers a compelling vision for how people of faith can act as bridge-builders rather than culture warriors. Key topics covered in this episode: The Core Purpose of the U.S. Constitution: Why the Constitution is designed to compel citizens to sit down, listen, and find common ground when they disagree. Reframing the "Utah Compromise": Addressing criticisms of the landmark LGBTQ+ housing and employment protections, and what the negotiation process teaches us about small-group dynamics. Christian Constitutionalism vs. Culture Wars: Why peacemaking is an active civic duty and a moral imperative for people of faith. Religious Liberty in a Secular Age: Insights from Elder Rob Daines and Elder Quentin L. Cook on using religious freedom to serve and bless the broader community. From Refugees to Bridge-Builders: Re-examining Latter-day Saint history and how local ward structures foster community-building across political and social divides. Whether you are seeking clarity on legal institutions, religious freedom, or practical steps toward civic renewal, this conversation provides an inspiring roadmap for pluralistic governance and peacemaking.   “Deseret Voices” is hosted by award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, who go beyond the headlines to explore the stories, people, and ideas shaping our world today. Through thoughtful, in-depth conversations, the “Deseret Voices” podcast brings clarity and common ground to the complex issues defining our time.  “Deseret Voices” is a Deseret News podcast, produced by Keira Farrimond, Creative Director - Video & Podcasts.  Episodes of “Deseret Voices” drop every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and join the conversation on YouTube (@deseretnews), Instagram (@deseretnews), Facebook (@deseretnews) and X (@deseret).

Is artificial intelligence advancing so fast that our legal guardrails and democratic institutions are rendered obsolete? In this episode of  "Deseret Voices," host Jane Clayson Johnson sits down with Harvard Law School professor and former dean Martha Minow to analyze the dangerous gap between rapid AI development and the law. From hallucinated court cases to rogue AI agents and the "liar's dividend," Minow breaks down how unbridled technological power threatens human agency and why national leadership must step up before it’s too late. “Deseret Voices” is hosted by award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, who go beyond the headlines to explore the stories, people, and ideas shaping our world today. Through thoughtful, in-depth conversations, the “Deseret Voices” podcast brings clarity and common ground to the complex issues defining our time.  “Deseret Voices” is a Deseret News podcast, produced by Keira Farrimond, Creative Director - Video & Podcasts.  Episodes of “Deseret Voices” drop every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and join the conversation on YouTube (@deseretnews), Instagram (@deseretnews), Facebook (@deseretnews) and X (@deseret).

Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, called for the Senate Judiciary Committee to subpoena Donald Trump Jr. and Hunter Biden over their foreign business dealings and presidential family connections. On this bonus episode of "Deseret Voices,"he explains why he called a Russian oligarch's lavish wedding gift "corruption" and why he believes the same standard should apply to both parties. After a ProPublica investigation revealed that Russian oligarch Umar Kremlev bankrolled Trump Jr.'s wedding after-party on a private island in the Bahamas, Curtis sent a letter to Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley calling for a formal investigation. His concerns extend beyond the wedding to cryptocurrency ventures, international real estate deals, defense contracting investments and prediction market platforms. Host Jane Clayson Johnson asks Curtis what crossed the line, why he included Hunter Biden, whether he sees a national security risk and what happens if his own party declines to act. “Deseret Voices” is hosted by award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, who go beyond the headlines to explore the stories, people, and ideas shaping our world today. Through thoughtful, in-depth conversations, the “Deseret Voices” podcast brings clarity and common ground to the complex issues defining our time.  “Deseret Voices” is a Deseret News podcast, produced by Keira Farrimond, Creative Director - Video & Podcasts.  Episodes of “Deseret Voices” drop every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and join the conversation on YouTube (@deseretnews), Instagram (@deseretnews), Facebook (@deseretnews) and X (@deseret).

On Sept. 11, 2001, Carol Lin was the first national news anchor to break the story of the attacks on CNN — while Jane Clayson Johnson was hosting the CBS morning show when the towers were struck. Twenty-five years later, these two women sit down for the first time to share what they saw, what they felt, and what they never said on air. In this 9/11 25th anniversary conversation, you’ll hear the behind-the-scenes reality of anchoring live television during the worst terrorist attack in American history — from the unconfirmed reports flooding their earpieces (car bomb at the State Department, 10,000 body bags) to veteran correspondents weeping on camera at Ground Zero. Carol and Jane recall the persistent smell that hung over Lower Manhattan for weeks, the families desperately searching for loved ones, the first responders who ran into the burning towers with astonishing calm, and the moment Carol realized 9/11 had changed her life in the most unexpected way — it made her want to become a mother. This is more than a Sept. 11 memorial. It’s an intimate look at how two women carried the weight of history, what it cost them, and why they still believe in America’s capacity for unity 25 years later.

When Utah Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson opened a letter from the Department of Justice, she discovered something alarming: Her office was under federal investigation for refusing to surrender unredacted voter rolls. In this exclusive sit-down on the “Deseret Voices” podcast with McKay Coppins, Henderson exposes the escalating standoff between state sovereignty and federal overreach. Viewers will learn how Utah’s election officials are resisting demands for sensitive voter data — including Social Security numbers and driver’s license data — and why federalizing voter lists threatens the constitutional balance of powers. Henderson breaks down the reality of mail-in voting security, the withdrawal of federal intelligence support, and why decentralization remains America’s strongest defense against election manipulation. If you value independent, unvarnished reporting on politics, law, and constitutionality, hit the subscribe button to stay informed on the stories shaping American democracy.   Deseret Voices is hosted by award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, who go beyond the headlines to explore the stories, people, and ideas shaping our world today. Through thoughtful, in-depth conversations, the Deseret Voices podcast brings clarity and common ground to the complex issues defining our time.  Deseret Voices is a Deseret News podcast, produced by Keira Farrimond, Creative Director - Video & Podcasts.  Episodes of Deseret Voices drop every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and join the conversation on YouTube (@deseretnews), Instagram (@deseretnews), Facebook (@deseretnews) and X (@deseret).

Governor Wes Moore reveals what Republican governors are privately telling him about federal election interference—and why he says the Iran war is becoming another Afghanistan. In this episode of "Deseret Voices"  with McKay Coppins, the NGA chair and combat veteran opens up about his genuine friendship with Utah Governor Spencer Cox, what Democrats fundamentally misunderstand about Trump voters, and why 70% of Americans feel invisible to both parties. Viewers will learn: What Moore would do if federal agents appear at Maryland polling places Why Republican and Democratic governors are uniting around states' rights before the 2026 midterms Moore's Afghanistan fury and why he says no one can explain the Iran mission The surprising Spencer Cox quote about Moore's political future How Moore went from handcuffs at age 11 to the governor's mansion His case for national redistricting reform—even if it costs Democrats seats What "Watende" means and why it shapes his approach to political repair This interview covers the 2026 midterm elections, the Iran war, bipartisan governance, immigration reform, election integrity, and what's broken in American political culture—from someone who's both a combat veteran and a sitting governor.

AOC says "Woke 1 was crazy" — but is laughing off an era of defunding the police, prison abolition and ideological conformity actually enough? On this episode of "Deseret Voices," McKay Coppins sits down with The Atlantic's Idrees Kahloon to ask why Democrats can't simply wash their hands of Woke 1.0 and what the party's chaotic 2026 primaries reveal about its identity crisis heading into 2028. In this conversation, you'll learn: Why Republicans will never let Democrats "slink away" from woke-era positions How DSA candidates in 2026 still endorse prison abolition and resist prosecuting violent crime What the horseshoe between far-left and far-right ideas on race actually looked like Why wokeness, despite its Marxist roots, had almost no class consciousness — and how that pushed working-class voters rightward How Zohran Mamdani pulled off a genuine political reinvention while others couldn't The "law of excluded middle" — why genuine liberalism is being crushed between wokeness and the MAGA backlash Whether Trump will hold the GOP together or become the Lyndon Johnson of 2028 Why the moral gains that preceded wokeness are now at risk in the backlash era “Deseret Voices” is hosted by award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, who go beyond the headlines to explore the stories, people, and ideas shaping our world today. Through thoughtful, in-depth conversations, the “Deseret Voices” podcast brings clarity and common ground to the complex issues defining our time.  “Deseret Voices” is a Deseret News podcast, produced by Keira Farrimond, Creative Director - Video & Podcasts.  Episodes of “Deseret Voices” drop weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and join the conversation on YouTube (@deseretnews), Instagram (@deseretnews), Facebook (@deseretnews) and X (@deseret).

The United States and Canada share the longest undefended border in the world, deeply integrated supply chains — and a free-trade agreement that President Donald Trump negotiated himself during his first term and called a great deal. Now, these longtime allies are locked in an escalating trade war, with 50% tariffs on $20 billion in Canadian goods and Canada retaliating dollar for dollar. Mary Ng served as Canada's minister of international trade from 2018 to 2025. She spent years in the room where U.S.-Canada trade deals were made. In this episode of "Deseret Voices," she sits down with Jane Clayson Johnson to answer the questions Americans and Canadians are asking right now. In this conversation: Why Canada says these tariffs violate the USMCA — the very agreement Trump signed Who really pays when a 50% tariff is imposed on a Canadian product (hint: it's not Canada) How U.S.-Canada supply chains are so integrated that punishing one side hurts the other The energy leverage most Americans don't know about — Canada supplies up to 90% of US natural gas, up to 70% of American oil, and up to 80% of US electricity What the "elbows up" buy-Canadian movement tells us about where Canadian public sentiment is heading The dairy trade dispute — and the fact that the U.S. has never used its full market allocation Whether this trade war could last months or even years, and who blinks first A Depression-era law, Section 338, being invoked for the first time in nearly 100 years The story of Gander, Newfoundland — the tiny Canadian town that welcomed thousands of stranded Americans on Sept. 11, 2001 — and what it says about the relationship these two countries are putting at risk This is not a conversation about winners and losers. It is a conversation about what happens when neighbors stop trusting each other — and what it will take to find a path forward. “Deseret Voices” is hosted by award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, who go beyond the headlines to explore the stories, people, and ideas shaping our world today. Through thoughtful, in-depth conversations, the “Deseret Voices” podcast brings clarity and common ground to the complex issues defining our time.  “Deseret Voices” is a Deseret News podcast, produced by Keira Farrimond, Creative Director - Video & Podcasts.  Episodes of “Deseret Voices” drop every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and join the conversation on YouTube (@deseretnews), Instagram (@deseretnews), Facebook (@deseretnews) and X (@deseret).

Lake Powell is 30 feet from the point where water may stop flowing past the dam entirely and the expert who's spent his whole life on this river says we're asking the wrong question. We're not running out of water. We're running out of cheap water. On this episode of "Deseret Voices" with Jane Clayson Johnson, water law professor Rhett Larson of Arizona State University breaks down the Colorado River crisis with the nuance that headlines miss. He explains why the seven states that share this river have been deadlocked for years, why the rules governing their water expire at the end of 2026 with no replacement, and why the federal government is now stepping in with cuts that Arizona's governor has called "draconian." You'll learn why Lake Powell hitting dead pool could mean no winter vegetables for the entire country, why the 1922 Colorado River Compact was built on bad math, why farmers shouldn't be the scapegoats in this crisis, and why Larson — a self-described optimist — is now telling people to get worried. He also explains what data centers, semiconductor plants, and the AI boom mean for your water bill. Whether you live in Phoenix or Philadelphia, this conversation will change how you think about the water that flows through your food, your electricity, and your future.   “Deseret Voices” is hosted by award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, who go beyond the headlines to explore the stories, people, and ideas shaping our world today. Through thoughtful, in-depth conversations, the “Deseret Voices” podcast brings clarity and common ground to the complex issues defining our time.  “Deseret Voices” is a Deseret News podcast, produced by Keira Farrimond, Creative Director - Video & Podcasts.  Episodes of “Deseret Voices” drop every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and join the conversation on YouTube (@deseretnews), Instagram (@deseretnews), Facebook (@deseretnews) and X (@deseret).

While ICE detentions hit record highs and deportation flights resume across the U.S., the woman running the U.N.'s global migration agency says almost everyone is having the wrong conversation. In this rare sit-down, IOM Director General Amy Pope explains why border enforcement alone can't stop migration — and reveals the surprising playbook already working in Brazil and Italy. On this episode of "Deseret Voices," Pope, the first woman to lead the International Organization for Migration, sits down with Deseret News Executive Editor Doug Wilks to talk about the real drivers of global migration, from conflict and climate change to economic opportunity.  Pope, a former human trafficking prosecutor who worked inside U.S. Homeland Security under two administrations, breaks down how Brazil and Italy are turning migrant labor into an economic win instead of a border crisis. She also opens up about the human cost of trafficking, her visit to a humanitarian center run by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the story of a young man rescued crossing the Mediterranean who now works to save other migrants and how her own faith shapes her belief in human dignity — even amid what she calls the biggest displacement crisis in the world right now. “Deseret Voices” is hosted by award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, who go beyond the headlines to explore the stories, people, and ideas shaping our world today. Through thoughtful, in-depth conversations, the “Deseret Voices” podcast brings clarity and common ground to the complex issues defining our time.  “Deseret Voices” is a Deseret News podcast, produced by Keira Farrimond, Creative Director - Video & Podcasts.  Episodes of “Deseret Voices” drop every Monday wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and join the conversation on YouTube (@deseretnews), Instagram (@deseretnews), Facebook (@deseretnews) and X (@deseret).

Higher education is facing a season of disruption — from artificial intelligence and affordability concerns to political pressure, public skepticism and shifting demographics. But Baylor University President Dr. Linda Livingstone believes moments of uncertainty can also become moments of transformation. In this episode of "Deseret Voices," host Jane Clayson Johnson talks with President Livingstone about the greatest challenges and opportunities facing universities today. They discuss how Baylor balances rigorous scholarship with its Christian identity, why academic freedom matters, how AI is reshaping the purpose of college, and what universities must do to rebuild public trust. President Livingstone also reflects on Baylor’s own transformation during her presidency, including its rise to R1 research status, its efforts to reckon with its history, and its mission to “bring light to the world.” At the heart of the conversation is a question facing students, parents, educators and policymakers alike: What is the true value of higher education in an age of rapid change? “Deseret Voices” is hosted by award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, who go beyond the headlines to explore the stories, people, and ideas shaping our world today. Through thoughtful, in-depth conversations, the “Deseret Voices” podcast brings clarity and common ground to the complex issues defining our time.    “Deseret Voices” is a Deseret News podcast, produced by Keira Farrimond, Creative Director - Video & Podcasts.    Episodes of Deseret Voices drop every Monday wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and join the conversation on YouTube (@deseretnews), Instagram (@deseretnews), Facebook (@deseretnews) and X (@deseret).

Why do good, well-intentioned people make catastrophic ethical missteps? In this episode of “Deseret Voices,” host Jane Clayson Johnson sits down with Princeton University ethics scholar Dr. David W. Miller, author of “The 5 Questions for Ethical Decisions: How to Succeed Without Selling Your Soul.” Together, they explore why standard moral intentions often fail under pressure, the subtle danger of the "movable middle," and why small compromises lead to slippery slopes in corporate and personal lives. As artificial intelligence and autonomous systems increasingly reshape decision-making, Dr. Miller reveals why human ethical judgment, moral courage and "ethical fitness" are more crucial now than ever. In this episode, you’ll discover: The "Movable Middle": Why most people aren't saints or villains — and how environmental pressure causes ethical drift. What is Ethical Fitness? Practical habits and visual reminders to train your moral muscle before crisis strikes. The "4 M’s" Decision Filter: A simple, four-step mental check to evaluate any ethical dilemma before you act. “Deseret Voices” is hosted by award-winning journalists McKay Coppins and Jane Clayson Johnson, who go beyond the headlines to explore the stories, people, and ideas shaping our world today. Through thoughtful, in-depth conversations, the “Deseret Voices” podcast brings clarity and common ground to the complex issues defining our time.    “Deseret Voices” is a Deseret News podcast, produced by Keira Farrimond, Creative Director - Video & Podcasts.    Episodes of “Deseret Voices” drop every Monday wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along and join the conversation on YouTube (@deseretnews), Instagram (@deseretnews), Facebook (@deseretnews) and X (@deseret).