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Beyond the Polls
Beyond the Polls

The Prediction Exchange

Midterms are just days away, so it's busy season for everyone in the election prediction biz. This week, there's no rant and no ads; just Henry and a couple of sleep-deprived friends to help you get your bearings ahead of another high-stakes cycle. First up is Sean Patrick Maloney—former U.S. Ambassador to the OECD and the CEO of the Coalition for Prediction Markets. He joins to explain the derivative markets that have shaken up polling. Next, Cook Political's Jessica Taylor surveys the Senate seats swinging in the balance. And lastly, Scott Braddock of The Quorum Report drops in to discuss the uncharacteristically tight races in Texas. Be sure to follow Henry on X to catch his Election Night livestream! We'll be up reporting the returns from poll closures on the Atlantic and remain until the Alaskans have their say.
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Latest podcast episodes

There was only one car that I ever owned that I hated.

Mark Camp
@MarkCamp
I have only ever owned one car that I hated. To keep this post on a positive note, I'll note that I’ve been blessed to own many cars I loved. The tan Maverick four-door sedan. My first. My now-you-can-finally-go-wherever-you want-whenever-you-want car. (I was 16, Kate just reminded me.) You can even drive to the shore. The green Pinto four-speed manual. I never think about the Pinto without thinking of the feel of shifting it: four whole gears, not just three. Whenever I wanted, to whatever ratio—torque or fast—I wanted.
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Freedom to Learn
Freedom to Learn

Joe Connor on ESAs, SGOs, & the EFTC

School choice is expanding nationwide, creating new opportunities for parents to shape their children’s education. Joe Connor, founder and CEO of Odyssey, joins the podcast to discuss Texas’s landmark education savings account launch, the evolution of school choice programs in Missouri, Utah, Iowa, and Wyoming, and the opportunities and challenges of the new federal Education Freedom Tax Credit. Joe explains how technology can make these programs easier for families to access, how multiple funding sources could expand educational options, and why strong implementation and accountability are essential to advancing education freedom. 🔗 Links & Resources: Visit our website: DFIPolicy.org 💡 Stay Connected: Follow us on Instagram: @DFIPolicy Follow us on Twitter: @DFIPolicy Follow us on Facebook: /DFIPolicy Subscribe to our YouTube channel (@DFIPolicy) for future episodes! 📩 Contact Us: If you have feedback or suggestions for future podcasts, please reach out to us at Podcast@DFIPolicy.org. 🎧 Thank You for Listening: Freedom to Learn is a production of the Defense of Freedom Institute. You can learn more about DFI at DFIPolicy.org. If you enjoyed this episode, please give it a thumbs up, share it, and subscribe for more insights into education law and policy. Thank you for your support!
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Quote of the Day: People Who Despise Other People

Susan Quinn
@SusanQuinn
Those that despise people will never get the best out of others and themselves. --Alexis de Tocqueville Alexis de Tocqueville was one of the greatest witnesses of American culture in his day. And the quotation above also reflects his wisdom and understanding of human nature. I’ve long since concluded that the U.S. is burdened by a Left populace that hates her.
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Law Talk with Epstein, Yoo & Cooke
Law Talk with Epstein, Yoo & Cooke

Spirits, Spoilers, and Supreme Court Substitutes

Can the federal government ban you from making whiskey in your own home? Richard Epstein, John Yoo, and Charles C.W. Cooke tackle the constitutional limits of federal power, a double–Dan Sullivan ballot controversy in Alaska, and the blurry line between prediction markets and gambling. Then it’s on to a Supreme Court sidelined by recusals—and whether the justices need a bench of substitutes.

Hosted by Charles C. W. Cooke, John Yoo, and Richard Epstein

Organization:
Civitas Institute at the University of Texas at Austin
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A Review and Reflection on R.R. Reno’s Strong Gods.

Henry Castaigne
@HenryCastaigne
Writing from a century or even half a century ago contrasts starkly with writing today. Basically a bookish guy would soak in his tub and think, “I’m going to write about the entire history of art in Western Civilization. That sounds fun.” At the opposite end of the spectrum, contemporary writing concentrates on one very narrow topic, filled with citations and academic gobblygook. Modern books are often boring and purposely obtuse.
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Conservative Crossroads with Henry Olsen
Conservative Crossroads with Henry Olsen

War on the Right and Fusionism

How can conservatives - who are dividing themselves into warring tribes - reunite and in fact fuse themselves to defeat the Left? Stephanie Slade, from Reason magazine and author of Fusionism: Liberty, Virtue, and the Future of the American Right, argues that liberty is the primary principle that conservatives should unite around. Dan McCarthy of the Heritage Foundation argues that sovereignty is the position that conservatives should fuse around, as is our normal practice. Video version:
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The Learning Curve
The Learning Curve

Leslie Klinger on Bram Stoker, Dracula, & Halloween

This week, on a Halloween edition of The Learning Curve, co-hosts Alisha Searcy of the Center for Strong Public Schools and Prof. Albert Cheng of The Ohio State University speak with Leslie Klinger, the definitive annotator of Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Klinger explains why Count Dracula remains an enduring figure and offers a portrait of Stoker, the Irish writer and theater manager whose imagination powerfully shaped classic horror fiction. He traces the history of vampire lore and the late nineteenth-century European context from which Dracula emerged. Klinger examines Stoker’s inventive epistolary structure, told through journals, letters, a ship’s log, and newspaper clippings. He analyzes the novel’s main characters, from Jonathan and Mina Harker to Lucy Westenra and the Count himself. Klinger also discusses Dracula’s themes of Victorian morality, psychological terror, faith, modern knowledge, science, and ancient evil. He considers why nineteenth-century Gothic fiction continues to captivate readers and shape horror storytelling worldwide. In closing, Klinger reads a passage from Dracula.
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Is It Just Easier to Go Left?

Old Bathos
@OldBathos
Ricochet member @ctlaw posted a link to this thought-provoking video in the Ricochet Film Society group section. The issue addressed was why so many great TV shows or successful movie franchises suddenly become flat and preachy, reduced to delivering the same sorts of lefty messages. The author of the video makes the not unreasonable inference that this is an intentional process, a planned bait-and-switch to lure an otherwise centrist, conservative or libertarian audience into propaganda sessions.
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The Conservative Woman’s Guide
The Conservative Woman’s Guide

Isabel Brown: The Corporate Ladder, the Baby Carriage, and the American Dream

Gen Z is increasingly questioning whether climbing the corporate ladder is worth sacrificing the opportunity to build a family along the way. As young women rethink the allure of the glittery corner office, traditional career expectations, and whether they can afford to start families, Daily Wire host and cultural commentator Isabel Brown joins Karin Lips to challenge the idea that professional success must come at the expense of marriage and motherhood. Karin and Isabel discuss why Gen Z is rejecting conventional definitions of success, the growing divide between the girlboss and tradwife movements, and how young women can pursue meaningful careers without sacrificing motherhood. Isabel pushes back against anti-motherhood messaging and the notion that having children is financially out of reach. Reflecting on her own unconventional journey from aspiring surgeon to conservative commentator, she shares how the mentorship of Charlie Kirk helped her discover a new calling and why young women shouldn't be afraid to forge their own paths. Join our community: https://enlightenedwomen.org/ Follow NeW on Instagram: @enlightenedwomen Follow NeW on X: @NeWNetwork Follow Karin Lips on Instagram: @karin.lips Follow Karin Lips on X: @klips
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The American Idea
The American Idea

Whom Can the President Fire? The Controversy Over the Removal Authority

It might seem like a topic deep in the constitutional or legal weeds, but the president’s authority to fire federal officials has been controversial since the first Washington administration, and still matters today. Given the vast expansion of the scope and power of the Executive branch, a president’s power to fire officials in various agencies is a policy and enforcement tool - or a check on presidential power. Jeff is joined by Professor of Political Science Joseph Griffith to discuss the background and constitutional and legal dimensions of this important issue that often goes overlooked. Host: Jeff Sikkenga Executive Producer: Jeremy Gypton Subscribe: https://linktr.ee/theamericanidea Homepage: https://ashbrook.org/the-american-idea-podcast/
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The Observatory: Old Battle Axe Edition

Juliana
@Juliana
A few weeks ago I read a post on Substack. (I cannot find it now, of course...) It was from a self-identified old lady—she said she was over 70—who was incensed that she would be called 'young lady' or asked if she needed help with things out in public that she was perfectly capable of doing. She seemed to be particularly outraged by being treated kindly because she was obviously old. After all, she was physically and mentally able to manage her errands on her own! She even kept handy some snappy comebacks.
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Not Dead Yet
Not Dead Yet

Joni Eareckson Tada

Joni Eareckson Tada joins the guys to talk about a lifetime of faith, suffering, service, and choosing to find joy. How do you build the habit of gratitude? How can we better welcome families living with disabilities? How can we be anti-fragile and compassionate? Why is it important to serve our neighbors even when we’re going through the thick of it ourselves? Plus, Ben and Chris are bad painters and completely out of excuses to complain.

Hosted by BSBen Sasse and CSChris Stirewalt

Organization:
American Enterprise Institute
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Banana Republic Status Confirmed

Nanocelt TheContrarian
@NanoceltTheContrarian
Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva won another election in Brazil. It does appear that he cheated. He may not have needed to cheat to win, but cheat he did. Can't have a banana republic if you don't cheat in elections. How'd he do it? He complained that there were not enough buses deployed to ferry his constituents to the polls in the Northeast of Brazil (Bahia), Lula's stronghold due to its poverty relative to the rest of Brazil (Northeast Brazil at one time in the 16th century).
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Early Voting in Alaska

Al Sparks
@AlSparks
I cast an early vote in Alaska, and I had to be careful with the senatorial vote. As many know, there are two Dan Sullivans on the ballot. To make sure I didn't vote for the wrong one, I viewed a mock ballot before I went to the polling place. When I actually voted, I "measured twice, cut once." I'm pretty certain there will be voters who vote for the Dan Sullivan they don't want to vote for. While this isn't on the ballot (yet?), there is a movement to make it harder to get on the ballot for state and local elections. Unlike many other states, to get on the ballot, all you have to do is go to an election clerk and sign up. Many want to require a minimum number of signatures on a petition to qualify. At the moment, they want to give the legislature a chance to do this before going the referendum route.
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Acknowledging the Passage of Time

Susan Quinn
@SusanQuinn
No, this is not a post about Kamala Harris or her word salads. In fact, it is a poignant reflection on the aging process that my husband and I are experiencing, along with the gifts of our encounters on our recent vacation. We experienced a kind of acknowledgement of our maturity, of the years that have passed, and gained a sense of the limited time we have ahead of us. It was both surprising, touching, and enlightening.
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Who Funds that?
Who Funds that?

Who Funds That? EP 28: The Mysterious Donors Behind the Third Worldist Left

Seemingly out of nowhere, the motivating energy on America’s political left switched from traditional social-democratic economics—think socialized health care—or from the usual libertine sexual drives that have motivated left-of-center activists to the question of Palestinian nationalism as part of a broader anti-Westernism, an ideology often called “Third Worldism.” While much of the motivation is the usual swings of events and the Eye of Sauron of Everything Leftism, there is real money behind this rising faction of the progressive movement. Joining us to discuss the mysterious donors behind the rise of the Third Worldist left is our colleague Shane Devine. Links: https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/the-crew-of-virtually-unknown-donors-powering-the-rise-of-the-new-left-191fcc85. https://www.influencewatch.org/political-party/american-priorities/ https://www.influencewatch.org/political-party/new-yorkers-for-lower-costs/ https://www.influencewatch.org/for-profit/applovin/
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Lightening Bolts

Andrew Miller
@AndrewMiller
‘Neck bolts, why does it always come back to neck bolts?’ This is not a statement you like to hear anyone make, not in an ideal world. Muttered by an attractive young lady in a darkened laboratory, it maintains a certain disconcerting quality. Add in the traditional mad scientist’s paraphernalia, up to and including the obligatory man-sized table and lightning rod arrangement, and it becomes almost definitely spooky. A fact of which Doctor “Frankie” Stine was only too well aware. ‘Iggy,’ she called, ‘where is that fluid?’
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Hillsdale Dialogues
Hillsdale Dialogues

The 2026 Midterms

This week: The 2026 International Churchill Society conference, the rise of democratic socialism, and the 2026 Midterms. Dr. Larry P. Arnn, president of Hillsdale College, joins Hugh Hewitt on the Hillsdale Dialogues.

Hosted by Hugh Hewitt, with guest DLDr. Larry Arnn

Organization:
Hillsdale College
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Hello from Utah!

Shauna Hunt
@ShaunaHunt
I just wanted to say hello to all of you! It's been a long time. I have been writing a Substack newsletter called Sunshine in My Soul for three years. I'd like to thank Ricochet for helping me get over my writing fears. There, I try to write and share interesting and uplifting stories, music, art, etc. My daughter, Rachel, got married in August of 2025. Baby Elizabeth came on June 3, 2026. We are grandparents and love it! She is a wonderful mother.
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France Getting Education From Students

Greg Strange
@GregStrange
After a weekend of nationwide mayhem, life in France has been calmer for a few days. You see, after weeks of so-called protests and unmistakable rioting, the likes of which the country may have never seen before, French authorities suddenly had a eureka moment: Curfew! We can impose curfews where needed, and that could help quell the riots! Sacré bleu! What a revelation. It’s made perfect by the fact that the word “curfew” comes from the medieval Anglo-French coverfeu, meaning “cover the fire.” And beaucoup fires there have been.
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Who Controls Men’s Wardrobes?

Full Size Tabby
@FullSizeTabby
I am increasingly discovering that were it not for wives, many men would be walking fashion disasters. When my son was in high school (early ‘aughts), he would amusingly report on occasion that in homeroom class, the girls (it was always the girls in class - never the boys) would ask the very popular, very young, very male, very conspicuously married teacher, “Your wife didn’t see you before you left the house this morning, did she?” The teacher’s response: “No. Why do you ask?”
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Doing the Right Thing Comes with a Price

Doug Watt
@DougWatt
The Silver Rail School shooting in Bend, Oregon ended after the father of two students shot the shooter. The shooter was 16 years old and a former special needs student who attended the school. The armed civilian responsible for killing the perpetrator and ending the attack was identified as Kaylub Giamanco, originally of Placerville, California, a 36-year-old carpenter and a father of two students at Silver Rail Elementary. Kaylub has a concealed firearms license in Oregon. My prediction is that Kaylub will not undergo a grand jury investigation into his actions on that day. The FBI is looking into the history of the 16-year-old shooter and his ownership and possession of a 12-gauge shotgun.
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