About 

Hobby Talks is a podcast series from the Hobby School of Public Affairs produced in partnership with the Center for Student Media at the University of Houston. Hosted by Dean Jim Granato and Hobby School faculty, the podcast features timely conversations on politics and policy with experts, scholars and those guiding the most complex challenges facing our region and state.  

Launched in Nov. 2024, Hobby Talks expands the school’s access to thought-provoking discussions and encourages cross-disciplinary dialogue on relevant issues. 

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New episodes premiere during the fall and spring semesters. Tune in on Apple, Spotify or your favorite podcast app. 

Episodes

Why Congress? A Conversation with Philip Wallach

On this episode of Hobby Talks, political scientist Philip Wallach examines the 119th Congress, an increasingly dominant White House and the deepening polarization of the legislative branch. Wallach guides listeners through Congress's role as the founding founders intended and how it has fulfilled that job differently throughout history, emphasizing its importance in shaping policy and maintaining a balance of power among the branches of government. He fast-forwards to today's leadership-driven institution, offering insight into its potential future and strategies to necessitate power sharing and a return to deliberation and bipartisan dealmaking.

Philip Wallach is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he studies America's separation of powers. He is the author of "Why Congress," a book on the necessity of a thriving Congress and how it can reassert its relevance.