The Ricochet Podcast

Conservatives love their histories; they lose themselves in great biographies; they have a voracious appetite for news and avidly devour op-eds. But the menu for literature on the right is, regrettably, if understandably, a bit limited. To add a bit of variety, Chris Scalia joins Peter, Steve, and Charles to discuss his soon-to-be-published book, Thirteen Novels Conservatives Will Love (But Probably Haven't Read). The boys quiz Chris on his selections and on the broader premise that the novel deserves greater attention from keepers of the cause. Plus, the hosts prattle on about the Pope, nationwide injunctions, Trump's trip to Riyadh, and the blasted SALT caucus.- Sound from this week's open: the president says his piece about neocons in Saudi Arabia.- Take control of your cellular health today. Go to qualialife.com/ricochet and save 15% to experience the science of feeling younger.And cozy up with a new set of sheets at https://cozyearth.com. Use code Ricochet for 40% off. 

Ben Domenech returns to the Ricochet Podcast to give a progress report on Trump's second go at running things. James, Charles and Steve glean insights about the builder from Queens as Ben divulges about his long sitdown with the president in February. Plus, the hosts rap on the pope from Chicago, Germany's lurch toward state censorship, series worth a watch, and pieces worth a read.- Sound from this week's open: a clip from Ben's interview with Trump.

Within a week of Spain boasting its success at wiring up the grid with renewable energy sources, it was lights out for the whole Iberian Peninsula. Who could've predicted such an outcome? Today's guest is Robert Bryce, author of A Question of Power: Electricity and the Wealth of Nations and a Substack well worth a look. Robert provides a little refresher course on energy grids and explains how Green hubris threatens to overheat our whole system.Plus, James, Steve and Charlie delve into a few developments on the administration's run-ins with the judiciary; they welcome progress on America's mineral deal with Ukraine, take a few swipes at Harvard's report on campus anti-semitism, and declare this week's winner on Twitter.- Sound from this week's open: Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez addresses the blackout of the Iberian Peninsula.

It's the Hayward and Long Hour this week, meaning it's TheoBro-PoliPhi time. Since this duo was away for our recent episode featuring questions submitted by Ricochet subscribers, we asked for a new batch of inquiries catered specifically for our blithesome professor and the jocular seminarian. As ever, Ricochet members delivered a surplus of material for us in the chatty corner of showbiz. Care to get in on the conversation? Join us at Ricochet.com! 

With Congress missing in action, the two active branches of our federal government are at it again, and the temperature rises by the minute. Caught in the crosshairs are the increasingly exasperated American people and our numerous non-citizens, most notably Kilmar Abrego Garcia. Jason Willick joins today to argue that our partisan impulses are blinding team red and team blue to both the legal and the political stakes before us. Plus, Messrs. Lileks & Hayward talk Harvard's funding freeze and why they had it coming. - Sound from this week's opening: President Trump takes a question from his new favorite reporter.

It's Question Time with Lileks and Cooke. They jump into the guest chairs and let Ricochet's very own members steer the ship this week. Tune in to hear their thoughts on lots of stuff: the Pax Americana, universal suffrage, wordsmithing in the age of AI, their favorite interview subjects, and more — all with plenty of pop culture sprinkled in.- Sound from this week's open: John Cleese in the "Take Your Pick" sketch on Monty Python's Flying Circus.Take control of your cellular health today. Go to qualialife.com/ricochet and save 15% to experience the science of feeling younger.

It's been said that California is to America what America is to the world. This is troubling for all parties involved given the current state of affairs in the now-inaptly named Golden State. While today's guest Steve Hilton pulls no punches in his new book, Califailure, he carries some glad tidings in the form of voter trends that magnify what look to be glimmers of hope. Our resident Californians Peter Robinson and Steve Hayward soak up the glad tidings, putting them in a good enough mood to momentarily get over their post-Liberation Day jitters.

It's legal funtime hour with John Yoo calling in from the always optimistic Golden State. He, James and Charlie dig into the issues at root of the deportation fights between the executive and judicial branches. Considering everything from foreign thugs to Charlie's seditious past and our missed opportunity to conquer France in the early days of the Republic, the fellas turn up what powers they can for the president's effort to toss out the bad guys. Plus, Charlie bursts John's bubble about Ezra Klein's "new" pitch for abundance; James squints at the Ghibli Twitter takeover; and the gang is a bit puzzled by much of the Signalgate reaction. Sound clip from this week's open: National Security Advisor Michael Waltz talks the Signal snafu on Fox News while DNI Tulsi Gabbard gets grilled by Sen. Mark Warner (D - VA) in committee.

Immediately upon the president's return to office, we discovered that stopping the flood of illegal immigrants across the border was as simple as closing the spigot. While the crisis may be over, the mission has yet to be accomplished. Mark Krikorian of the Center for Immigration Studies and host of the Parsing Immigration Policy podcast returns to discuss what follows the end of the beginning efforts to correct the long-neglected immigration mess.Plus, Rob, James and Steve look forward to the dismantling of the Department of Education; they do their best to ignore the psychopathic attention-seekers in the Middle East; and James finally turns the tables on Rob for a good old-fashioned troll.- Opening sound this week: Border Czar Tom Homan on using the Alien Enemies Act and President Trump on closing the Department of Education

It's Justin Trudeau's last day. A time to rejoice for the friends of liberty to our north. But the economic spat between the US and Canada has had the unwelcome consequence of restraining the latter's Conservative Party momentum. Thankfully, Ezra Levant returns to the Ricochet Podcast with a solution, which he laid out in a recently published book with a title that shows he knows how to speak our language: Deal of the Century: The America First Plan for Canada’s Oil Sands. He explains his pitch to the president and brings us up to speed on the political scene of our dearest neighbor. Plus, Steve and James talk taxes, the Columbia University crackdown, and Lee Zeldin's big moves at the EPA.- Sound from today's open: Trudeau's farewell & Ezra Levant seeking answers from Black Rock's CEO in Davos in January