The Rational Policy Podcast

On Episode 20 of the Rational Policy Podcast, hosts Mike Coté and Art Vandelay hit three topics, two foreign and one domestic. We lead off with the abhorrent antisemitic massacre during a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach in Australia, carried out by an ISIS-inspired father and son duo. Next, we shift regions, if not topics, to touch on the killing of three Americans in Syria during an anti-ISIS...

On Episode 19 of the Rational Policy Podcast, hosts Mike Coté and Art Vandelay delve into three international topics. First, we take a deep dive on the Trump administration’s military campaign against Venezuelan narcotraffickers affiliated with the Maduro regime. Is this a hot War on Drugs or a regime change operation in the making? After that, we talk about talks: the talks between American and R...

On this Very Special Episode of the Rational Policy Podcast, your hosts Mike Coté and Art Vandelay skip the news of the day and talk turkey. Thanksgiving turkey, that is. We spend the whole episode in a wide-ranging conversation about this fabulous American holiday, touching on food, entertainment, traditions, and gratitude. If you work for Big Turkey, this may not be the podcast for you. But for...

On Episode 17 of the Rational Policy Podcast, your hosts Mike Coté and Art Vandelay do a deep dive on one topic and one topic only: the intramural fracas on the American right. We discuss the key players, break down the controversies that led up to the current infighting, and explain why this matters, even for those who aren’t terminally online. This is a public episode. If you would like to discu...

In Episode 16 of the Rational Policy Podcast your hosts, Mike Coté and Art Vandelay , start off by remembering former vice president Dick Cheney, who died this week at age 84. Next, we recap the elections in New York City, New Jersey, and Virginia. Will New York City come out unscathed from a Mamdani mayoralty? Finally, we do a lightning round trip through Donald Trump’s Asia sojourn, where he met...

In episode 15 of The Rational Policy Podcast, we hit on three topics ranging from executive authority to military policy to cultural sickness. First, we discuss the presidential pardon power in light of recent scandals with both former President Biden and his successor Donald Trump. Next, we shift gears and move to Venezuela, one of the biggest potential flashpoints for the American military in th...

The Rational Policy Podcast is back with Episode 14, diving into the biggest stories of the week. First, we discuss the defense of Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner against a series of awful news stories. Next, we give an update on the tenuous ceasefire deal in Gaza and touch on the ongoing war in Ukraine. Finally, we detail the No Kings protests and whether they will have a lasting...

On episode 13 of the Rational Policy Podcast, join your hosts Mike Coté and Art Vandelay for a deep dive on two important subjects in today’s politics. First, we discuss the US-brokered hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas, delving into the specifics, the reactions, and more. The second topic revolves around the rising trend on both left and right to avoid criticism of excesses, abuses, o...

On episode 12 of the Rational Policy Podcast, your hosts Mike Coté and Art Vandelay dive into many of the week’s major news stories. We discuss the recent $150 million acquisition of The Free Press by Paramount/CBS. Next, we talk about the controversies around immigration enforcement across the country. Finally, Mike briefly rants on the ridiculously short prison sentence handed out to the would-b...

Episode 11 of the Rational Policy Podcast discusses the week in news, from the severely under-covered to the aggressively over-covered. On the former front, we have the foiling of a foreign (likely Chinese) plot to take down New York City’s telecommunications system. Next, we touch on the heavily-covered indictment of former FBI director James Comey. Finally, we detail the new peace plan for Gaza....

On this episode of the Rational Policy Podcast, we discuss one topic and one topic only: the assassination of Charlie Kirk. We detail the case updates, including the arrest of the alleged shooter Tyler Robinson, what we know about him, and how he may have been radicalized. We then move to the reactions to the murder from both left and right. Lastly, we talk about where we go from here and how we m...

Episode 9 of the Rational Policy Podcast (recorded Wednesday 9/10) is a solemn one, discussing the assassination of 31-year-old conservative megastar Charlie Kirk. We follow that with another awful crime, the murder of a Ukrainian refugee by a lunatic repeat offender on public transit. We then break down the Russian drone incursion into Poland. Finally, we touch on the Israeli airstrike against Ha...

On this episode of the Rational Policy Podcast, hosts Mike Coté and Art Vandelay dive into America’s targeted destruction of a Venezuelan narcoterrorist vessel, talking implications, legalities, and what may come next. Then, we briefly detail the insane ‘Trump Is Dead’ conspiracy theories. The main topic of discussion is the recent National Conservatism conference. We break down why they matter, h...

The Rational Policy Podcast is back with Episode 7. We start off with a long discussion of Trump’s plan to take a 10% equity stake in Intel on behalf of the country and explain why this is a terrible idea. Next, we move to Israel to detail new developments there, namely the allegation of widespread famine. Finally, we talk about Islamic terrorism's new home base in Africa. This is a public episode...

Welcome back to the Rational Policy Podcast! In episode 6, your hosts Art Vandelay and Mike Coté break down the latest in current affairs. We start off by doing a deep dive into the US summitry of the past few days, exploring what happened in the meetings with Ukraine/Europe and Russia and explaining why we’re more optimistic than some. We talk about outcomes, reactions, and what could come next d...

After a week hiatus, the Rational Policy Podcast is back! In episode 5 of the show, your hosts Art Vandelay and Mike Coté delve into some of the major news topics of the moment, from foreign to domestic policy. We start with some cultural commentary on the first two episodes of the new season of South Park, which has relentlessly (and hilariously) skewered the MAGA movement. Next, we move to the r...

In episode 4 of the Rational Policy Podcast, your hosts Art Vandelay and Mike Coté break down the latest in world affairs. We start the show with a reminiscence on Hulk Hogan, followed by a long discussion about the latest events and narratives surrounding the Israeli mission in Gaza. We wrap up the show talking Hegseth at DoD and the Democrats in Disarray. Check it out! This is a public episode....

In Episode 3 of the Rational Policy Podcast, your trusty hosts delve into the news of the week. We discuss the sad death of the rock legend Ozzy Osbourne before diving into politics. The conversation runs the gamut from the Syrian crisis and the defunding of NPR to the cancelation of Stephen Colbert's late night show and the "new" Russiagate disclosures from DNI Tulsi Gabbard. Give a listen! This...

On Episode 2 of the Rational Policy Podcast, we dive into a variety of subjects, including the coverage of Trump's health as compared to Biden's, the Biden autopen scandal and its fallout, and the stunning Trump reversal on Ukraine. We talk through the geopolitical implications of this shift, as well as the partisan politics of the moment. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss thi...

The Rational Policy Podcast has returned! On this maiden voyage with your co-hosts Mike Coté and Art Vandelay, we discuss everything from Jeffrey Epstein and AI's turn into Hitler apologia to the devastating flooding in Texas and the Ukraine weapons transfer debacle. Listen in and let us know what you think! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get...