The Rational Middle
In these divided times, a number of important challenges are facing our nation. One of the largest is immigration reform. Histrionics have ruled the day and started a firestorm of debate on the issue. Rational Middle is working to change that by providing a holistic view through conversations with thought leaders, legislators, business owners, and citizens which can help us find common ground in the larger debate surrounding comprehensive reform.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 26 minutes
- Episodes
- 179
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2023
"Capital, labor, and skills:" America Competes with Douglas Holtz-Eakin
Douglas Holtz-Eakin, President of the American Action Forum, takes us through the ambition of the America Competes Act, how it hopes to sharpen America's competitiveness, and its implications for imm…
The Case for Undocumented Students in Higher Education with Miriam Feldblum
Miriam Feldblum, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, joins host Loren Steffy to discuss the burden of a broken immigration system on our…
Narrativizing the border with Adam Isacson
Adam Isacson, Director for Defense Oversight at the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), discusses the U.S's competing narratives of the Southern border, their real effects on how Americans per…
Health Care Beyond the Break/Fix with Elena Marks
Elena Marks, President and CEO of the Episcopal Health Foundation, returns to the Rational Middle for a close look at America's public health care system, how it fails the undocumented, and why this …
"Who are we? Why are we together?" Inside a Non-Profit Merger with Jeremy Robbins
Jeremy Robbins, Executive Director of the American Immigration Council, joins host Gregory Kallenberg to discuss the organization's recent merger with the New American Economy—and how such synergies …
Inside Operation Lone Star with Denise Gilman
Denise Gilman, Director of the Immigration Clinic at UT Austin, discusses Texas's unique position in the immigration landscape and how persistent rhetorics of "immigrants as threat, fraud, danger" le…
What's an MLP? with Keegan Warren-Clem
Keegan Warren-Clem, Director of Medical-Legal Partnerships at the People's Community Clinic in Austin TX, walks us through the human costs of America's denial of healthcare to the undocumented, what …
The Real Economics of Immigration with David Card
Nobel prize-winning economist David Card joins host Melissa Brannan to talk labor, immigration, and how it is that outmoded economic ideas that have fallen out of favor in other areas of social life …
Looking Forward by Looking Back—Team Rational Middle Roundup
Ring out the old! Ring in the new! In our last episode of 2021, Rational Middle Podcast hosts Gregory Kallenberg, Loren Steffy, Chris Lyon, and Melissa Brannan reflect on the year (almost) behind us,…
America's Changing Demographics with Julia Gelatt
Julia Gelatt, a Senior Policy Analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, sits down with host Chris Lyon for a conversation about the economic effects and social causes of America's demographic shifts…
The Intersection of the Education and Immigration Systems with Julie Sugarman
Julie Sugarman, Senior Policy Analyst for PreK-12 Education at the Migration Policy Institute’s National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy, takes us through the ins and outs of immigrant childre…
Breaking the Silence on Migrant Kidnappings with Joy Olson
Joy Olson, former Executive Director of the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), returns to the Rational Middle—this time to discuss the under-represented phenomenon of migrant kidnappings: wha…
The Anatomy of Extremism with Mark Potok
What is it about immigration that attracts extremist speech? What even is extremism? Mark Potok, seasoned expert on the American radical right, takes us on a tour of nativism and the roots of immigra…
The Rational Middle Podcast turns 100!
The team sits down for an almost-teary reflection on 100 episodes of The Rational Middle Podcast: highlights, lowlights (there were none), what Gregory and Chris are upto in DC, and a few predictions…
Immigration Rhetoric and the Politics of Hate with Jennifer Mercieca
Jennifer Mercieca, award-winning historian and analyst of American political rhetoric, speaks with host Loren Steffy about the rhetorical strategies demagogues use to elicit supporters' emotions, and…
"Relentlessly resourceful": The intersection of Immigration and Entrepreneurship with Dane Stangler
Dane Stangler, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Bipartisan Policy Center and also Senior Advisor at the Global Entrepreneurship Network, joins host Loren Steffy over the airwaves to discuss t…
Immigration Courts 101 with Elizabeth Mendoza
What is the immigration court system, how does it work, and what makes it different from regular courts? Immigration attorney Elizabeth Mendoza sheds light on this vital topic with host Loren Steffy.
Centering Black Immigration with Allen Orr
"Immigration is a Black issue," says Allen Orr, President of The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). Listen in as we resume our regular podcast programming with Allen Orr and host Meliss…
Immigrants don’t want to integrate, learn English, or participate in American culture with Mo Kantner
Mo Kantner (Director of State & Local Initiatives at New American Economy) and Rational Middle's very own Gregory Kallenberg wrap the Immigration Mythbusting limited series with a close look at why t…
Immigrants (don't) bring crime; local police should (not) capture undocumented immigrants with Chief Art Acevedo
Chief Art Acevedo, Chief of Police for the Miami Police Department, joins host Loren Steffy to break open the harmful myth that immigrants and crime go hand in hand, and that this situation can be im…