The Rational Policy Podcast

Mike Coté
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  • Politics
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A historical perspective on policy, international affairs, and geopolitics. Talking current events weekly, ranging from the serious to the absurd, all with a dash of good humor. www.rationalpolicy.com

  1. 1d ago

    Episode 57 - 2026 Midterm Extravaganza!

    Welcome back to the Rational Policy Podcast for Episode 57! We somehow have made it all the way to the end of October, which means that election season is coming to a climax. (And thank God for that; I have just about had enough of the constant campaign mailers.) That means it is also time for our MIDTERM ELECTION EXTRAVAGANZA! After covering the results of the Israeli and Brazilian elections, including the predictable inconclusiveness of the former and the wild aftermath of the latter, hosts Mike Coté and Art Vandelay dive into rank punditry on our own domestic electoral politics. To set the stage, we discuss the overarching themes of this election season, where things stand today in terms of broad public polling, and the current makeup of Congress. Then we get into the weeds of the race for control of the House of Representatives, agreeing on the likelihood that Democrats take the lower congressional body, as well as what that outcome could mean for the next two years. We spend the bulk of the time, however, previewing the senatorial election slate, hitting 14 states that range from leaning one way to being a total toss-up. We talk about the controversies in Michigan and Alaska, the potential for Democrats to flip surprising Midwestern states, and whether Susan Collins can remain seated atop her throne of opposing skulls up in Maine. We also debate the coming radicalism (or not) of the Democratic Party and how these races may impact the real Big Kahuna: the 2028 presidential contest. Check it out, follow us on Twitter/X (Mike / Art), and share the podcast with anyone you think might appreciate it. Thanks for listening. We’ll be back next week with another great episode. Until then, have a happy Halloween! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.rationalpolicy.com

  2. Oct 22

    Episode 56 - La Révolution Va Commencer

    Episode 56 of the Rational Policy Podcast is live! Join your intrepid hosts Mike Coté and Art Vandelay for another discussion of the week in news, focused on the rapidly evolving international landscape. (Don’t worry, we’ll have a full US midterm election preview next week!) We start by talking about the biggest story in the world right now: the massive riots engulfing the great nation of France. We discuss the background of these chaotic demonstrations, explain why they’re certainly not about conditions in schools, explore the malignant alliance between leftists and Islamists that is driving the surge in violence, and recap the latest developments since we last spoke on the topic. We also hit on the anti-French nature of these protests, how they will impact the upcoming national elections, and the real goal of the far left: overthrowing the Fifth Republic and inaugurating a Sixth, one that will revolve around communistic notions of governance and society. Next, we swing down to Israel to preview that nation’s complicated election season, which begins with next week’s voting for members of the Knesset (parliament). We explain how Israeli elections and politics work (quite confusingly, as a matter of fact), discuss the likeliest outcomes of the vote, and describe that, no matter who forms the next government, Westerners who dislike Israel will have no reason to change their mind, as Israelis simply are not going to elect a leader who is friendly to a Palestinian movement that launched and celebrated the October 7 pogrom. Finally, we jump back to Europe to touch on the Trump administration’s rapid shift against Kyiv and in support of a pro-Russian conclusion to the war that has ravaged Ukraine for going on 5 years now. (We covered this topic in our live show, but events have progressed since the weekend.) We try to understand how this change may impact Ukrainian warfighting, where Kyiv can look for alternate support systems, why cozying up to Moscow is an act of immorality and idiocy, and what might come next. We also debate the age-old question: is Donald Trump a Russian asset? (No.) Check it out, follow us on Twitter/X (Mike / Art), and share the podcast with anyone you think might appreciate it. Thanks for listening. We’ll be back next week with another great episode. Until then, enjoy the rare moment when all four major US sports are playing simultaneously. Cheers! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.rationalpolicy.com

  3. Oct 14

    Episode 55 - What’s the Matter with Europe?

    The Rational Policy Podcast has returned with Episode 55! After a week off due to illness, your hosts Mike Coté and Art Vandelay are back to cover all the important news of the past fortnight. Instead of focusing on the domestic political situation (boring!), we’re taking a trip overseas and hitting a wide variety of international topics (interesting!). We start off discussing some of the endemic problems in Europe, as demonstrated by two recent events: the removal of US strategic bombers from British bases and the ongoing riots in France. The first story reveals serious rot within the UK’s security and political establishment, with the country being either unwilling or unable to protect its own domestic military installations against foreign (in this case, Iranian) threat. For a long-time partner, this is disturbing. Even more disturbing is that they are choosing not to rectify the issue. Things aren’t much better across the Channel, though, as France is consumed with yet another round of violent rioting (must be a day ending in -y). This time, the chaos ostensibly revolves around poor school conditions, but it is actually driven by a far more complex stew of factors, ranging from leftist politics and Islamism to youth culture and a looming fiscal crisis. These riots, as well as the background forces driving them, are empowering radical political movements in the country that will cause even more chaos in the future. Next, we shift east to talk about Ukraine and the latest developments in the righteous defensive war against Russia. We discuss the status of the conflict, how it has fundamentally altered how militaries must fight (and defend their own assets) going forward, and why Kyiv might be better off today than it was a few years ago, despite the lack of direct US aid. We also talk about Ukraine’s recent strikes on Russian economic targets, including energy infrastructure and large data centers, as well as the Trump administration’s cowardly and counterproductive ‘deal’ to buy diesel from Moscow. Finally, we travel south to hit the Middle East. We discuss the 3rd anniversary of the October 7 pogrom, explaining how, in spite of the PR war against it, Israel is winning the actual conflict with its enemies and has come out far stronger than it was before. We also touch on new developments in the long-running Yemeni civil war, why the Saudis are so bad at warfighting, and whether the US can or should get involved. Check it out, follow us on Twitter/X (Mike / Art), and share the podcast with anyone you think might appreciate it. Thanks for listening. We’ll be back next week with another episode. Until then, enjoy some classic fall activities and warm apple cider! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.rationalpolicy.com

  4. Oct 2

    Episode 54 - Ups and Downs

    Welcome back to the Rational Policy Podcast! In Episode 54, your stalwart hosts Mike Coté and Art Vandelay break down the week in news and politics. Much has happened since our last sojourn into the realm of foreign affairs, so we start there. First, we revisit our Greenland discussion from last week in light of Mike’s piece on the subject for The Dispatch, discussing some of the criticism of the new security deal and why it is missing the forest for the trees. Next, we jump into an update on Iran, but no ordinary update; this one focuses on two foiled terrorist plots linked in varying degrees to the Islamic Republic. We, of course, detail the incredible story of the attempted hijacking of a FlyDubai flight from the UAE to Israel and the courageous and quick-thinking actions of Israeli passengers and the Emirati pilot to counter and subdue the terrorist. This whole thing was straight out of a movie, but it was all too real; thankfully, the hijacker was stopped before he succeeded in his malign aims. We also discuss the aborted attack on an American military base in England by Iran-linked terrorists who sought to create a makeshift truck bomb and destroy critical American aircraft and other military assets. We talk about what Iran’s new approach says about the state of the war, how Islamic terrorism is still a live issue, and why trying to take down a plane full of Israelis is probably a bad idea. Afterwards, we transition to domestic issues and take a look at the state of American politics a month out from this year’s midterm elections. We handicap the biggest races, discuss the predictive power (or lack thereof) of polling, and explain why the Republicans may face a major wipeout in November. We also touch on some of the key issues of the cycle, how elections today are over-nationalized, and what sorts of reforms would help boost trust in the system and counter common misperceptions about how it works. Lastly, we return to the topic of online right-wing racism against Indian-Americans, going after the clowns who push these noxious ideas, as well as the cowards who purport to be ‘just asking questions’ about them. Check it out, follow us on Twitter/X (Mike / Art), and share the podcast with anyone you think might appreciate it. Thanks for listening. We’ll be back next week with another fantastic episode. Until then, go Yankees! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.rationalpolicy.com

  5. Sep 25

    Episode 53 - UNGA-Palooza

    The Rational Policy Podcast is back with Episode 53! In this installment of the show, your hosts Mike Coté and Art Vandelay spend the duration talking about the United Nations General Assembly and all of the foreign policy happenings that are taking place alongside it. We discuss the overall utility of the UN – spoiler alert: it has none – and how it would be better off if they just relocated to a villainous underwater lair. That would certainly be more in character for that dastardly organization than is its current home in midtown Manhattan. We talk about some of the logistical and security challenges of hosting such a huge international event, as well as the absurdity of the idea that America lets our enemies come here unmolested to rail against us from a podium we largely paid for. After those pleasantries – we love ragging on the UN here at Rational Policy! – we dive into the meat of the matter and talk about all the big developments and meetings occurring on the sidelines of UNGA. We talk about the Trump-Xi meeting and how the best-case scenario is an unfruitful, ideally angry, discussion, as any concessions to China are bad for the country. Then we break down the latest news out of Greenland, exploring the new security deal agreed to by all parties and explaining how this is not only a significant change from the previous 1951 agreement, but an absolute boon to American domestic and hemispheric security. We shift after that to the Middle East, where we go into an Iran update and talk about how Iranian leaders should never have been allowed into the US for UNGA. Finally, we travel to Europe, where we talk about the progress of the Ukraine War, explore the Russian way of combat, and discuss how Putin may escalate to save his own bacon. Check it out, follow us on Twitter/X (Mike / Art), and share the podcast with anyone you think might appreciate it. Thanks for listening. We’ll be back next week with another great episode. Until then, go watch the classic James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. I promise you won’t regret it (and you’ll get all of our references). See you next time! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.rationalpolicy.com

  6. Sep 18

    Episode 52 - September Grab Bag

    Welcome back to the Rational Policy Podcast! In this installment, our 52nd (!) to date, your stalwart hosts Mike Coté and Art Vandelay dive into a grab bag of the week in news and politics. We skip over some of the repeat topics that we usually address - Iran, Israel, Ukraine, China - and touch on some other subjects that caught our eye instead. First, we take a listener request from my friend Dr. Amber Brittain-Hale to discuss the potentially looming breakup of the United Kingdom. We talk about the history of British unionism (and secessionism), the challenges to the current version of the UK, and the very real problems its constituent parts - and the US - would face if our top Atlantic ally fell apart internally. Next, we touch on last week’s Republican midterm convention, noting it as a good idea in an age of nationalized politics, but one that was executed poorly. (Good ideas badly executed may be the overarching theme of the entire second Trump administration.) After that, we spend some time on a broader and more serious topic: whether artificial intelligence will kill us all. We talk about the big money and progressive politics behind the AI doomer clique, the role of China in pushing anti-AI fervor in the US, how we should regulate this industry (if at all), and why this technology is just a tool for humans, neither inherently good nor bad. Finally, we jump head-first into the online right-wing fever swamps, detailing the latest dust-up over who counts as an American. We go hard at the faulty idea of Heritage Americans, explore the dangerous and anti-American ideology of the New Right, describe the malign networks promoting racism and Christian nationalism, explain the funding mechanisms behind this attempt to alter the civic compact, and provide a better, actually conservative, way forward. Check it out, follow us on Twitter/X (Mike / Art), and share the podcast with anyone you think might appreciate it. Thanks for listening. We’ll be back next week with another great episode. Until then, enjoy the early beginnings of the best season of the year: autumn. See you next time! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.rationalpolicy.com

  7. Sep 10

    Episode 51 - Never Forget

    The Rational Policy Podcast is back from our late summer break! After a few weeks off, we were champing at the bit to get back in the saddle and record; thankfully, the world of news seemed to slow down a bit while we were off, so we didn’t miss all that much. But now that Labor Day has passed and September has kicked off in earnest, we’re ready to bring you plenty of shows to round out the year, especially as the midterm elections rapidly approach. But we aren’t talking rank politics in Episode 51, instead focusing on foreign affairs and a solemn commemoration of a profoundly important anniversary. We lead off discussing the recent developments in the Iran War, detailing the progress of the economic warfare campaign, the continuation of the blockade, and the Iranian response. We debate whether this approach will bring success - and if our political class has the patience to allow it to - as well as whether Iran still maintains a meaningful ability to hamper our regional interests. Next, we delve into a foreign policy issue closer to home, that of Venezuela. We talk about the newly-announced oil deal between Washington and Caracas, somewhat disagreeing as to what it means and how beneficial it will be to both parties. We also discuss the long-term approach to democratic transition in Venezuela and the Trump administration’s habit of undermining good ideas with poor execution. Finally, we reminisce about the 25th anniversary of the heinous terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, talking about our personal recollections, the importance of continued vigilance against Islamic terrorism, and the failure of younger generations to treat this event with the solemnity and seriousness it deserves. We mention the powerfully moving 9/11 Memorial and Museum, the criticality of grasping the magnitude of the actual horrors of that atrocity, and how the War on Terror was not lost, but is still ongoing. Check it out, follow us on Twitter/X (Mike / Art), and share the podcast with anyone you think might appreciate it. Thanks for listening. We’ll be back next week with our regularly scheduled programming. Until then, take a moment to remember those men and women who were stolen from us by terrorism a quarter of a century ago, as well as who took their lives and why we must continue the fight. Never Forget. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.rationalpolicy.com

  8. Aug 19

    Episode 50 - Dog Days Dispatch

    Welcome back to the Rational Policy Podcast! Somehow, we’ve been doing this for a whole 50 episodes (!), so we wanted to thank you for listening in and supporting the show; it means a lot. So, in honor of our milestone 50th episode we……did nothing different. As always, your steady hosts Mike Coté and Art Vandelay break down the (light) week in news, this time hitting a grab bag of topics ranging from British academia to Korean military exercises. We start off with the former, detailing the most incredible academic scandal in recent memory: the downfall of former Cambridge sociologist Jason Arday. We discuss the scandal’s most ridiculous aspects, the left-wing blame-game firestorm after Arday’s tragic suicide, and how this controversy indicts the whole of progressive academia. Next, we shift to a nigh-inscrutable decision by President Trump to cancel joint military exercises with South Korea, largely in a fit of pique. We explain the nuances around how to deal with the dovish leadership in Seoul, the usefulness of these exercises, and how Trump’s personalist foreign policy is less disconcerting than the ideological isolationism of some in his movement, led by his vice president. Then, we switch gears entirely and go big picture, talking about the significant similarities between the 2020s and the 1970s and what that may portend for our politics over the coming years. Finally, we answer one of your questions from Twitter! Check it out, follow us on Twitter/X (Mike / Art), and share the podcast with anyone you think might appreciate it. Thanks for listening. We’ll be on vacation until just after Labor Day. Enjoy the dog days of summer, take a break from the doomscrolling, and head on outside - it would do us all good. Catch you on the flip side! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.rationalpolicy.com

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A historical perspective on policy, international affairs, and geopolitics. Talking current events weekly, ranging from the serious to the absurd, all with a dash of good humor. www.rationalpolicy.com

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