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Richard Weaver was a twentieth century American scholar and rhetorician whose writings were praised by the likes of Russell Kirk, William F. Buckley, Willmoore Kendall, and Frank Meyer. But nowadays Weaver is either derided as a racially charged Southern sympathizer or accused of preparing the way for the MAGA movement and authoritarianism. If he's discussed at all.
Joining Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis is Michael Lucchese, whose latest essay in Law and Liberty defends Weaver's contributions to the intellectual Right and argues his writings are still instructive for the conservative today. This episode explores Weaver's actual views on the South and racism, his battles with the neo-gnostics of his day, his peculiar admiration for libertarians and Abraham Lincoln, and his greatest foe, William of Occam.
Check out Michael's essay on Weaver, Turning the Clock Back
Also, check out the book he edited compiling a collection of Russell Kirk's observations on America's founding, On America: How to Understand the Legacy of 1776
About Michael Lucchese
From Pipe Creek Consulting
Michael Lucchese is the founder and CEO of Pipe Creek Consulting, a communications firm based in Washington, D.C. He is also an associate editor of Law & Liberty and a contributing editor to Providence. He has been elected to membership in the Academy of Philosophy and Letters, the Ciceronian Society, and the Philadelphia Society, and serves on the board of the Institute for Christianity and Common Life, which publishes Mere Orthodoxy. Previously, he was a Krauthammer Fellow with the Tikvah Fund, a visiting scholar at Liberty Fund, and an aide to U.S. Senator Ben Sasse. His writing on national security, the conservative movement, and the American Founding has been published widely at outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, National Review, and the Washington Examiner. He graduated from Hillsdale College with a B.A. in American Studies, and is an alumnus of the Hudson Institute Political Studies Program.
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What if we can agree on the political solution, but we disagree on whose side is most likely to benefit?
Congress is broken. On this we can all agree. One of the more interesting reform ideas to emerge is the call to expand the number of Representatives in the United States House, thereby making it more likely Representatives could actually, you know, represent their constituents.
This idea seems to have some bipartisan appeal and is championed by voices on both the Left and Right. But doesn't it stand to reason that any reform to the system is bound to favor one side over the other? Could Democrats or Republicans be inadvertently advancing an idea that might lead to their opponents taking power?
Join Saving Elephants for a debate, not on whether we should expand the House (we should), but on whose side is likely to benefit the most. Mr. Beat says the Democrats should embrace this idea because it would advance the things that matter most to them. Jeff Mayhugh argues it would actually be the Republicans who come out on top.
You can find out more about the work Mr. Beat and Jeff Mayhugh are doing at projectnocap.com
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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In 1976 historian George H. Nash wrote The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America Since 1945, a celebrated historical accounting that established much of the narrative for how we think about the development of modern conservatism even today. But much has changed since the seventies. What can the history of conservatism tell us about this present moment, and what can it tell us about where things may be heading? Dr. Nash joins Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis to unravel the past, present, and future of conservatism in the United States.
About George H. Nash
George H. Nash is the epitome of a gentleman and a scholar. A graduate from Amherst College who received his Ph.D. in History from Harvard University, Dr. Nash is an authority on the histories of American conservatism and the life of President Herbert Hoover. Dr. Nash is an independent scholar, historian, and lecturer. He speaks and writes frequently about the history and present direction of American conservatism, the life of Herbert Hoover, the legacy of Ronald Reagan, the education of the Founding Fathers, and other subjects. His writings have appeared in the American Spectator, Claremont Review of Books, Intercollegiate Review, Modern Age, National Review, New York Times Book Review, Policy Review, University Bookman, Wall Street Journal, and many other publications. He has lectured at the Library of Congress; the National Archives; the Herbert Hoover, John F. Kennedy, and Lyndon Johnson presidential libraries; the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum; the Hoover Institution; the Heritage Foundation; the McConnell Center; and at various universities and conferences in the United States and Europe. Several of his lectures have been featured on C-SPAN. He has also been interviewed by C-SPAN, National Public Radio, numerous radio stations, and the print media. Dr. Nash lives in Massachusetts.
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Persuasion seems conspicuously absent from our politics. Not shouting, denouncing, or trying to convince the "other side" that they're wrong, evil, or both. But the good faithed attempt to reach the hearts, minds, and emotions of others and persuade them to our point of view. Why? Why is persuasion so hard? And is it even possible to persuade in an era of political polarization?
Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis welcomes fellow "Josh"—Josh Bandoch—on the show to discuss his latest book, How to Get What You Want: Mastering the Art and Science of Persuasion, and to explore how persuasion can engage with how the human brain is actually wired.
About Josh Bandoch
Bio from Illinois Policy
Josh Bandoch is the Head of Policy at the Illinois Policy Institute.
His research focuses on empowering people to rise out of poverty, increasing social mobility, improving housing affordability, and removing barriers to opportunity (e.g. burdensome regulations). His work has appeared in popular outlets like National Review, Real Clear Policy, RealClearMarkets, Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Crain's Chicago Business, The Washington Examiner, The Washington Times, and Discourse, as well as peer-reviewed journals like Political Studies. He regularly appears in the media to discuss these and other policy issues, and speaks regularly at local and national events.
He is the author of The Politics of Place: Montesquieu, Particularism, and the Pursuit of Liberty (University of Rochester Press, 2017), which has received numerous positive reviews. He's currently working with his literary agent to submit his book manuscript on persuasion to publishers. He's using his persuasion research to develop strategies to advocate for policies that expand freedom and prosperity.
Josh is a member of the American Enterprise Institute's Leadership Network – a policy education and professional development program for state-based leaders in public, private, and nonprofit sectors.
Before joining IPI, Josh was a Research Fellow at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, a speechwriter for numerous senior government officials, a strategic communications consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, and a postdoctoral fellow at Brown University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
He earned his bachelor's in Government and Politics from the University of Maryland, College Park, and his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Notre Dame.
To learn more about Josh, check out his website joshuabandoch.com
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Sometimes the best way to understand one's culture is to compare it with something entirely different. In this episode Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis take a deep dive into China with Chinese dissident Lu of the YouTube channel All Things China with Lu. Lu demystifies what the Communist Chinese Party (CCP) wants, why they fear Taiwan, how they view the ethnic Han population, why they work so hard to cover up the history of the Tiananmen Square massacre when far more people died in the great famine and the cultural revolution, and just who the heck is this "professor" Jiang Xueqin who's been all over social media of late proselytizing the glory of the Chinese authoritarian regime.
About Lu
Lu's relatively recent YouTube channel All Things China with Lu has already reached over 15K subscribers by performing what she calls 'cultural forensics.' Born and raised in China, Lu uses her deep roots and research background to read between the lines of global media and propaganda. Whether she's analyzing high-level diplomacy or the subtext of international media narratives, she reveals the layers that most observers miss.
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This month marks eight years of Saving Elephants tirelessly calling the GOP back to its classical conservative roots instead of the cult-of-personality nationalist populism to which the party has succumbed. And over these past eight years...things have only gotten worse. Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis assembles an all-star panel to answer the question: is the GOP worth saving?
Meet the Panelists:
Shawn Whatley
Shawn Whatley hosts Concepts with Shawn Whatley, a weekly podcast focusing on political ideas, culture, and news.
Shawn, MD, is a seasoned physician leader with experience in emergency medicine and primary care and extensive experience in health care administration and medical politics. Dr. Whatley contributes articles regularly to The Medical Post and serves on the Post's Physician Advisory Committee. Dr. Whatley has served on the board of the Ontario Medical Association and more recently on the board of the Canadian Medical Association, as well as on numerous hospital and provincial planning committees. He is a Lecturer for the University of Toronto, Department of Family and Community Medicine, and an Assistant Clinical Professor (Adjunct) in McMaster University's department of Family Medicine, Hamilton, Ontario.
Dr. Whatley is the author of the two books, When Politics Comes Before Patients – Why and how Canadian Medicare is failing and the highly praised book on how to fix emergency wait times in Canada, No More Lethal Waits.
Scott Howard
Bio from New Guard Press
Scott Howard is the Managing Editor at New Guard Press. Scott resides in Lake Wales, Florida, and is a graduate of the University of Florida. He is a legislative aide with the Florida House of Representatives with previous experience at National Review. In his free time, Scott reads biographies of American statesmen and the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Blake Fischer
Blake Fischer is a political junkie, so you don't necessarily have to be. A lifelong conservative, Blake covers conservative policies, current politics, and the historical context of today's events. With a unique blend of media critique and a focus on the big issues that often go unaddressed, Blake offers insightful solutions to pressing problems without the fear-mongering or populist outrage used in mainstream political media.
Blake says, "I know a lot of people who would consider themselves more conservative than liberal, but don't like Trump and feel like there's nowhere for them in the Republican party. Welcome to the club! But if that's you, I'd encourage you to not check out completely because we need reasonable citizens in this country to pay attention and vote accordingly if we want to change the direction of government and politics."
Blake lives in Oklahoma and is the creator of The Homeless Conservative.
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Friendship is one of the last words you might associate with politics these days. Yet John von Heyking believes recovering a proper, classical understanding of friendship is precisely what our civic order needs to function. Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis and John discuss the differences in how the ancients and medievals viewed friendship and how it's been undervalued by us moderns. They also discuss the important need for civic education and why America has to import Canadians like John to teach American civics.
About John von Heyking
Bio from Arizona State University
John von Heyking is Associate Director and Professor at the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership at Arizona State University, where he teaches courses in political philosophy. He is author of Comprehensive Judgment and Absolute Selflessness: Winston Churchill on Politics as Friendship (2018), The Form of Politics: Aristotle and Plato on Friendship (2016), and Augustine and Politics as Longing in the World (2001). He has coedited numerous volumes including two volumes of the Collected Works of Eric Voegelinand, most recently, Friendship Studies: Politics and Practices Across Cultures (2024). He has published scholarly articles on topics including liberal and civic education, friendship, personhood, resistance to totalitarianism, cosmopolitanism, empire, Islamic political thought, punishment, and religious liberty. His scholarly essays and articles have appeared in numerous volumes and journals, including Cambridge Journal of China Studies, Review of Politics, History of Political Thought, Supreme Court Law Review, Perspectives on Political Science, Political Science Reviewer, History of Human Sciences, International Political Anthropology, and the University of British Columbia Law Review. His popular writing has been published by Finest Hour, Voegelinview, American Oxonian, Globe and Mail, Calgary Herald, C2C: Canada's Journal of Ideas, Troy Media, and Convivium.
Transcripts
Enjoy these podcast conversations but prefer to read them instead of listening to a podcast? Episode transcripts are now available here: https://www.savingelephantsblog.com/blog/categories/transcripts
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It's been nearly a month since Supreme Leader Khamenei and his gathered Legion of Doom were killed in the Trump administration's "special military operation" in Iran. So, are we at war with Iran now? If so, what's the objective? Isn't Congress supposed to declare a war before a president takes things this far? What are the necessary and practical limits on a president's wartime powers? We covered all of this and more in the latest Saving Elephants livestream. The panelists include:
· JB Shreve – Host of The End of History
· Eric Kohn – CEO of America's Future
· John Giokaris – Tax attorney with an undisclosed firm somewhere in Chicago
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Ever since Leo Strauss published his magnum opus Natural Right and History, which ends by heavily implying Edmund Burke opened the door for the evils of historicism in the modern world, a great fissure in conservative nerddom erupted between those who align with either titan. Were Strauss' criticism of Burke warranted? Did Burke disavow natural rights and pave the way for the evils of authoritarianism, fascism, Marxism, and progressivism to come? Does a careful, esoteric reading of Natural Right and History reveal the Strauss secret family chili recipe?
Saving Elephants has assembled an all-star panel to answer these questions and more.
Representing Edmund Burke:
Dr. Gregory Collins is one of the most celebrated Burke scholars of the rising generation. He is a Lecturer in the Department of Political Science and Program on Ethics, Politics, and Economics at Yale University. He recently received the Buckley Institute's 2024 Lux and Veritas Faculty Prize. His first book, Commerce and Manners in Edmund Burke's Political Economy, examined Edmund Burke's understanding of the connection between markets and morals. Greg has also published articles on Adam Smith, F.A. Hayek, Frederick Douglass, Eric Voegelin, Leo Strauss, and Britain's East India Company. His additional writings and book reviews can be found in Modern Age, Law & Liberty, National Affairs, National Review, and University Bookman. You can follow Greg on Twitter @GregCollins111
Lauren Hall is an author and professor helping people combat overwhelm in an age of extremes. Her writing rejects binary and black-and-white thinking to help people lead more balanced lives, build stronger relationships, and restore individual and civic well-being.
Hall is a 2024 Pluralism Fellow with the Mercatus Center's Program on Pluralism and Civil Exchange and serves on the Board of Advisors for the Prohuman Foundation. Her Substack and speaking spread the message of radical moderation to new audiences via public writing, speaking, and podcast interviews.
Hall has presented her work on radical moderation at conferences including the Heterodox Academy Conference, the State Policy Network Conference, the Mercatus Center's Pluralism Summit, and various political science and related conferences and has a range of talks and podcast interviews available on radical moderation and other topics.
In her "real" job, she is a Professor of Political Science and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and author of the books Family and the Politics of Moderation (Baylor U. Press, 2014) and The Medicalization of Birth and Death (Johns Hopkins U. Press, 2019).
Hall has a PhD in Political Science from Northern Illinois University (2007) and a BA in Philosophy from Binghamton University (2002).
Representing Strauss:
Steven F. Hayward is a fellow of the Public Law and Policy Program at Berkeley Law and visiting professor in School of Public Policy at Pepperdine University.
Steven frequently writes on a wide range of current topics, including environmentalism, law, economics, and public policy for publications including National Review, Reason, The Weekly Standard, The American Spectator, The Public Interest, the Claremont Review of Books, and the Policy Review at the Hoover Institution. His newspaper articles have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, the San Francisco Chronicle, the Chicago Tribune, and dozens of other daily newspapers.
He is the author of a two-volume narrative history of Ronald Reagan and his effect on American political life, The Age of Reagan: The Fall of the Old Liberal Order, 1964-1980, and The Age of Reagan: The Conservative Counter-Revolution, 1980-1989. His other books include Index of Leading Environmental Indicators; The Almanac of Environmental Trends; Mere Environmentalism: A Biblical Perspective on Humans and the Natural World, Churchill on Leadership; Greatness: Reagan, Churchill, and the Making of Extraordinary Leaders; Patriotism Is Not Enough; and M. Stanton Evans: Conservative Wit, Apostle of Freedom.
Steven has also served as visiting fellow professor, scholar, or lecturer at the Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI), Ashland University, Mont Pelerin Society, Pacific Research Institute, The Heritage Foundation, American Enterprise Institute, Georgetown University, The Fund for American Studies, and University of Colorado Boulder.
His blog, powerlineblog.com, is one of the nation's most-read political websites.
The international woman of mystery, Lucretia, teaches at the University of Arizona. Steve and Lucretia—along with John Yoo—host the 3 Whiskey Happy Hour podcast.
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While Saving Elephants is dedicated to offering the conservative intellectual tradition in mercifully modern vernacular, fellow podcaster Nic Dunn has been on a similar mission: making the work of policy institutions more digestible. Nic joins Josh for a conversation around the important role policy can play in defusing political tension, alleviating poverty, and expanding the freedom and opportunities all Americans seek.
About Nic Dunn
Bio from Sutherland Institute
Nic Dunn serves as Vice President of Strategy and Senior Fellow at Sutherland Institute. As VP of Strategy, Nic oversees the execution and strategic external impact of Sutherland's written and multimedia policy content. In his capacity as Senior Fellow, he leads the policy research, coalition building, and public advocacy for policies that strengthen opportunity and upward mobility. This policy focus includes social safety net reform, workforce issues, and support for the well-being of men and boys. His expert commentary and analysis can be found on Sutherland's weekly podcast, Defending Ideas, which he hosts, as well as in major outlets like Deseret News, Washington Examiner, National Review, and other Utah print and radio outlets.
Nic brings more than 13 years of experience in public policy and strategic communications spanning state and local government and the private sector. Prior to Sutherland, Nic served as director of Utah Community Builders, the Salt Lake Chamber's nonprofit social impact foundation. In that role, Nic worked with the private sector to advance statewide initiatives in mental health, family policy, and upward mobility. Nic is also a member of the AEI Leadership Network, and the co-chair of the Salt Lake County Intergenerational Poverty Task Force.
In other previous work, Nic ran public policy for the Utah Valley Chamber, served as senior policy advisor to Salt Lake County Councilwoman Aimee Winder Newton, directed media relations for the Utah Department of Workforce Services, and worked on Gov. Gary Herbert's communications staff as lead speechwriter.
Nic has a master's degree in public policy from the University of Utah and dual bachelor's degrees in broadcast journalism and political science from the University of Nevada, Reno. Nic and his wife, Lizzie, live in Eagle Mountain with their two sons.
Introducing Conservative Cagematches
Ever since Leo Strauss published his magnum opus Natural Right and History, which ends by heavily implying Edmund Burke opened the door for the evils of historicism in the modern world, a great fissure in conservative nerddom erupted between those who align with either titan.
Were Strauss' criticism of Burke warranted? Did Burke disavow natural rights and pave the way for the evils of authoritarianism, fascism, Marxism, and progressivism to come? Does a careful, esoteric reading of Natural Right and History reveal the Strauss secret family chili recipe?
On Wednesday, March 4 at 6PM EST / 5PM CST, Saving Elephants will assemble an all-star panel to answer these questions and more.
Representing Edmund Burke:
Greg Collins of Yale University and Lauren Hall of the Rochester Institute of Technology
Representing Leo Strauss:
Steve Hayward of Pepperdine and the international woman of mystery, Lucretia of the University of Arizona
You can watch the livestream on YouTube or Facebook
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For good or ill, the post World War II era built by the Baby Boomers seems to be rapidly coming to an end. But what will replace it? What might be done to prevent global conflicts and bloodshed as the old order begins to break down? And what should younger conservatives seek to conserve in this era of chaotic change? Joining Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis is Director of Research at the Danube Institute, Calum Nicholson to share how the Anglosphere often misunderstands the way the rest of the world thinks and how that might help us better prepare for what's ahead.
About Calum Nicholson
From the University of Cambridge bio
With a background in social anthropology and human geography, Dr Calum T. M. Nicholson has conducted original research that reconsiders how we understand the societal implications of climate change, notably in the context of its relationship to human migration and international development.
A former development consultant and Parliamentary researcher, at PACE Dr Nicholson teaches courses on international development, international migration, and the politics of climate change. Dr Nicholson also teaches a well-received course on the political, cultural, and historical significance of social media. He is currently Director of Research at the Danube Institute, and was formerly Director of the Climate Policy Institute.
His new book is entitled Climate Migration: critical perspectives for law, policy, and research.
Introducing Conservative Cagematches
Ever since Leo Strauss published his magnum opus Natural Right and History, which ends by heavily implying Edmund Burke opened the door for the evils of historicism in the modern world, a great fissure in conservative nerddom erupted between those who align with either titan.
Were Strauss' criticism of Burke warranted? Did Burke disavow natural rights and pave the way for the evils of authoritarianism, fascism, Marxism, and progressivism to come? Does a careful, esoteric reading of Natural Right and History reveal the Strauss secret family chili recipe?
On Wednesday, March 4 at 6PM EST / 5PM CST, Saving Elephants will assemble an all-star panel to answer these questions and more.
Representing Edmund Burke:
Greg Collins of Yale University and Lauren Hall of the Rochester Institute of Technology
Representing Leo Strauss:
Steve Hayward of Pepperdine and the international woman of mystery, Lucretia of the University of Arizona
You can watch the livestream on YouTube or Facebook
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In a world of exhaustive binary thinking sometimes complexity offers relief. Lauren Hall joins the show to offer her alternative living in 4D she calls "radical moderation". In the latter half of the conversation Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis happily takes Lauren up on her offer to geek out on Edmund Burke.
About Lauren Hall
Excerpts from laurenkhall.com
Lauren Hall is an author and professor helping people combat overwhelm in an age of extremes. Her writing rejects binary and black-and-white thinking to help people lead more balanced lives, build stronger relationships, and restore individual and civic well-being.
Hall is a 2024 Pluralism Fellow with the Mercatus Center's Program on Pluralism and Civil Exchange and serves on the Board of Advisors for the Prohuman Foundation. Her Substack and speaking spread the message of radical moderation to new audiences via public writing, speaking, and podcast interviews.
Hall has presented her work on radical moderation at conferences including the Heterodox Academy Conference, the State Policy Network Conference, the Mercatus Center's Pluralism Summit, and various political science and related conferences and has a range of talks and podcast interviews available on radical moderation and other topics.
In her "real" job, she is a Professor of Political Science and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and author of the books Family and the Politics of Moderation (Baylor U. Press, 2014) and The Medicalization of Birth and Death (Johns Hopkins U. Press, 2019).
Hall has a PhD in Political Science from Northern Illinois University (2007) and a BA in Philosophy from Binghamton University (2002).
Introducing Conservative Cagematches
One of the most invigorating and interesting aspects of conservative history is how often luminaries on the Right disagreed and fought one another. From Strauss' take down on Burke to Frank Meyer defending his fusionist views from the likes of Brent Bozell and Murray Rothbard to Harry Jaffa fighting just about everyone, the Right has gained vitality and endurance through the process of disagreeing well (and sometimes not so well).
In that same spirit, Saving Elephants will soon launch a new venture: Conservative Cagematches. These livestream events will feature experts and acolytes from differing schools of thought on the Right to engage in their differences. We're working now to put together the first panel for an Edmund Burke vs. Leo Strauss debate and can't wait to share the august line-up we have so far. More to come soon!
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Dr. Daniel Pitt and his imposing mustache joins Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis to explore the similarities and differences between American and British conservatism, proto-Burkean "conservative" thinkers, Pitt's personal relationship with Sir Roger Scruton, and the importance of unchosen obligations in a free society, all offered up in a wonderfully meandering conversation that nonetheless stays within the broader parameters of some conceivable structure analogous to the conservative vision of ordered liberty. Undoubtedly, Michael Oakeshott would have been proud.
About Daniel Pitt
Dr. Daniel Pitt is an honorary research fellow at the University of Buckingham and is also a member of the Centre for British Politics at the University of Hull. He was a former graduate student of Sir Roger Scruton and the co-editor of Intellectual Conservatism: From Burke to Scruton. You can follow Daniel on Twitter @DanJTPitt
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While Saving Elephants defends the classical conservative position, the loudest voices on the Right today coalesce around different policies, priorities, and goals. Those that form the dissident Right are comprised of multiple sub-groups with overlapping and, at times, incompatible views. So who is this disparate group of dissidents? What holds them together, and how do they differ from conservatives? Joining Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis is Stephanie Slade to explore the contours of the dissident Right.
About Stephanie Slade
From reason.com
Stephanie Slade is a senior editor at Reason, the magazine of "free minds and free markets," and a fellow in liberal studies at the Acton Institute. Her writing has appeared in America magazine, The New York Times, U.S. News and World Report, the Online Library of Liberty, and elsewhere. She covers the intersection of religion and politics.
Slade is best known for her piece "Why I Am a Pro-Life Libertarian," her magazine feature on booze-producing monks, and her defenses of "fusionism" (which probably isn't what you think!). Don't miss her discussing the differences between comprehensive and political libertarianism on The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie.
In 2013, Slade was named a finalist for the Bastiat Prize for Journalism. In 2016, she was selected as a Robert Novak Journalism Fellow. She serves as a member of the board of advisors for Young Voices and has been a guest on a variety of podcasts, including Jonah Goldberg's The Remnant, Charlie Sykes' The Bulwark Podcast, and The New York Times' Ezra Klein Show.
Prior to joining Reason, Slade worked as a speechwriter and pollster. She's a proud graduate of the University of Florida, where she studied economics and political science. Follow her on X: @sladesr.
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Does the fractious stupidity of our politics, the rapid advancement of AI, and the release of the final season of Stranger Things portend making America great again or the coming apocalypse? Join our panelists for a (definitive, obviously) glimpse into what's in store for us all in 2026.
Panelists include:
Brooke Medina - VP of Comms with the State Policy Network Avi Woolf - Host of Avi's Conversational Corner Ryan Rogers - Host of Reality Therapy Shawn Whatley - Host of Concepts with Shawn Whatley -
Jonah Goldberg makes his triumphal return to Saving Elephants where host Josh Lewis peppers him with unyielding questions on what his fourth and forthcoming book will be about, the practicality of setting lottery winnings as a life-goal, what a post-Trump GOP might look like, whether it makes sense to even "save" the elephants, and whether we should welcome human enslavement to our future AI overlords.
Remnant fans, have your bingo cards at the ready!
About Jonah Goldberg
From The Dispatch
Jonah Goldberg is editor-in-chief and co-founder of The Dispatch, based in Washington, D.C. Prior to that, enormous lizards roamed the Earth. More immediately prior to that, Jonah spent two decades at National Review, where he was a senior editor, among other things. He is also a bestselling author, longtime columnist for the Los Angeles Times, commentator for CNN, and a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. When he is not writing the G-File or hosting The Remnant podcast, he finds real joy in family time, attending to his dogs and cat, and blaming Steve Hayes for various things.
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In 2019 Caylan Ford resigned her political candidacy in Canada after controversy over allegations of her echoing white nationalist rhetoric. In spite of her resignation—and continual insistence she held no such views—the mobs of cancel culture demanded "justice". She was blacklisted from employers, unable to continue work with organizations that seek to liberate people living under the yoke of totalitarianism, ostracized by friends and colleagues, attacked and trolled online, and shunned by her community.
Caylan joins Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis to share her firsthand experience with cancel culture, including her insights on how to keep one's soul intact even as you are grievously wronged and competing notions of "justice". Be forewarned, this conversation gets DEEP!
About Caylan Ford
From caylanford.com
I am a documentary filmmaker, writer, researcher, charter school founder, and a former political candidate. I'm interested in the problem of political and philosophical evil, and most of my work is animated by a desire to help people recover their roots in reality and their orientation toward the divine.
I was born in Calgary, Canada, and earned a Bachelor's degree (Hons.) in Chinese history at the University of Calgary. From there I obtained a Master's degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and worked on and off as a senior policy advisor for Canada's foreign ministry for about ten years. Between the birth of my two children I earned another Master's in International Human Rights Law at the University of Oxford. If ever I can afford a life of leisure, I hope to return and do a real degree studying comparative eschatology.
A very large part of my life has been spent working, volunteering and consulting in the international human rights field, including by increasing access to anti-surveillance and censorship tools in Iran, China, Myanmar, and elsewhere; working with civil rights lawyers representing political dissidents; supporting refugee and asylum claimants; and conducting and publishing original research on the repression of religious minorities in China (I've also published on this topic for more popular audiences). It's a country that I love, but only in the abstract; I was blacklisted at 16 and cannot obtain a visa. I've also written and co-produced two feature documentary films on the themes of religious and political persecution, censorship, forced labour, scapegoating, and mass persuasion under totalitarian regimes.
A few of these topics recur in my most recent documentary, which focuses on my experience of 'cancel culture' following a catastrophic bid for political office in 2019 (read my contemporaneous account of events here). Relatedly, I'm the plaintiff in an ongoing $7 million defamation claim against several Canadian media and political institutions, and my case has so far resulted in the recognition of a new tort of civil harassment in Alberta. You can read about or support my litigation efforts by clicking here.
In 2022 I founded Canada's first tuition-free classical charter school network, Alberta Classical Academy. Having drawn more capable people to the project than myself, we now have three campuses, including one in Edmonton. This is a short video introduction to our work and how we aim to promote knowledge of things that are true, good, and enduring.
Sometimes I also write and speak about arts and culture, biopolitics, education, family and childcare policy, post-liberalism, and whatever else seems interesting. But mostly I prefer to spend time reading or meditating in silent contemplation of the Dao.
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William F Buckley was one of the most important figures in the conservative movement over the past century. His posthumous 100th birthday is Monday, November 24. Come celebrate the life and legacy of Buckley as our Saving Elephant panelists pay tribute to a conservative life well lived.
Panelists include:
Eric Kohn - CEO of America's Future Michael Lucchese - Founder and CEO of Pipe Creek Consulting Cal Davenport - Podcaster, professor, ect. -
Returning to the Founders' blueprint for dividing power across federal, state, and local governments may be the greatest weapon we have to reverse the appalling state of our politic divisiveness. What is federalism? And what would a recommitment to federalism look like? Saving Elephants welcomes panelists from the State Policy Network and the Acton Institute to discuss what it means to take federalism seriously again. The panelists include:
Brooke Medina - VP of Comms with the State Policy Network
Jenn Butler - Sr Policy Advisor with the State Policy Network
Dan Hugger - Librarian and Research Associate with the Acton Institute
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There are four faces on the Saving Elephants' Mount Rushmore of great conservatives: Edmund Burke, Russell Kirk, Thomas Sowell, and William F. Buckley. While the first three have each had fully episodes dedicated to their life and works, William F. Buckley has yet to be explored at length. And with Buckley's posthumous 100th birthday happening later this month, now is the perfect time to reflect on his long and remarkable life.
Sam Tanehaus' decades-in-the-making biography of Buckley was published earlier this year and he joins Saving Elephants host Josh Lewis to cover a multitude of ground in sketching out a life well lived. Sam discusses who Buckley was as a personal friend, his impact on the conservative movement, his flirtation with radicalism and maturing into his role as conservative gatekeeper, and many of the colorful characters Buckley interacted with throughout his life. Sam also addresses some of the criticisms of his book, Buckley: The Life and the Revolution That Changed America.
About Sam Tanehaus
Sam Tanenhaus, the former editor of The New York Times Book Review, is the author of the national bestsellers Whittaker Chambers: A Biography (winner of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and a finalist for both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize) and The Death of Conservatism. His feature articles and essays have appeared in The Atlantic, The New Yorker, The New York Times Magazine, and Vanity Fair.
Buckley Turns 100
Come join the Saving Elephants livestream on November 23 at 8PM EST as we celebrate the life and legacy of William F. Buckley on the eve of his posthumous 100th birthday. Your questions and comments welcome during this live event.
- Visa fler
