Lynn Thoman

Thanks for listening.

The Constitution isn't just a statement of ideals.

It's a framework for power.

The founders believed liberty depended not only on rights, but on how authority is divided, who makes the law, who enforces it, and who interprets it.

They built a system designed to prevent any one institution from becoming too powerful.

That system slows decisions and complicates actions.

But is that structure a weakness or the very safeguard that protects freedom?

Hi, everyone.

I'm Lynn Thoman, and this is Three Takeaways.

On Three Takeaways, I talk with some of the world's best thinkers, business leaders, writers, politicians, newsmakers, and scientists.

Each episode ends with three key takeaways to help us understand the world and maybe even ourselves a little better.

Today I'm excited to be with Cass Sunstein.

Cass is a professor at Harvard Law School and one of the most cited legal scholars in the world.

He's the author or co-author of dozens of books, including books with Nobel laureates Danny Kahneman and Richard Thaler.

From 2009 to 2012, Cass served under President Obama as the administrator of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.

It's not a sexy sounding job and it's not a job that most people have ever heard of, but it sits at the center of American power.

He reviewed and oversaw federal regulations across the executive branch from the Justice Department and the EPA to Homeland Security and the Department of Agriculture.

His new book is Separation of Powers.

Cass, it's great to be back with you.

Thanks so much for joining us.