The Three Whisky Happy Hour: 180 Proof Edition

The Three Whisky Happy Hour: 180 Proof Edition

Author: Ricochet March 1, 2025 Duration: 47:22
John Yoo is away this week, so the 3WHH has brought in a 180-proof guest in John's place—the great Richard Epstein, who speaks at an average rate of 125 words a minute, with occasional gusts of 200 words per minute. We discuss two of his many extraordinary books, the first being his 1992 title Forbidden Grounds: The Case Against Employment Discrimination Laws, which is newly salient in the aftermath of recent Supreme Court decisions like the Harvard/UNC case. Is it time to repeal (or substantially amend) the Civil Rights Act of 1964?

In part two of our conversation, which we will release midweek, we take up his shorter book How Progressives Rewrote the Constitution (only 137 pages, which is Richard writes before breakfast most days). While Lucretia and I concentrate on large philosophical currents that drove the progressive counter-revolution against the American Founding, Richard lays out some of the specific step-by-step erosions of the rule of law that are central to the saga.

But as Lucretia and I began our taping mid-day Friday we caught the news that the newest front in the Ukraine-Russia War had suddenly broken out in . . . the Oval Office, so we share a few preliminary thoughts on what it all means.

Grab a glass and settle in for 3 Whisky Happy Hour, where the week's news and cultural shifts get a thorough-and spirited-examination. Hosts Steven Hayward, John Yoo, and the enigmatic "Lucretia" blend their expertise in law, philosophy, and political commentary, offering a perspective that’s as substantive as it is refreshingly unscripted. The conversation flows like a good pour, moving from the immediate headlines to deeper, often overlooked principles that shape current events. This isn't a dry recap; it's a lively, meandering discussion where complex ideas become accessible, and analysis is always accompanied by a sense of camaraderie. You'll find the tone is that of a sharp, informal debate among friends who aren't afraid to challenge conventional wisdom. Produced by Ricochet, this podcast stands out in the crowded fields of news and politics by prioritizing genuine dialogue over partisan soundbites. Each episode feels like you’ve pulled up a chair at a table where wit and insight are always on the menu. Whether they're unpacking a Supreme Court decision or tracing a philosophical concept through modern politics, the hosts ensure the discourse is both enlightening and thoroughly engaging. For anyone looking to understand the 'why' behind the news with a dose of character, this is your regular invitation to a different kind of happy hour.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

3 Whisky Happy Hour
Podcast Episodes
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: John Yoo's Top Five Legal Rules [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:19
Lucretia hosts this week's episode, and puts Steve and John through their paces, challenging both to judge Trump's winning streak (John isn't so sure), plus more mixed signals from the Supreme Court, which posted a 2 - 1…
The Whisky Happy Hour: Lucretia's List of the Five Dumbest Ideas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:02
One of Lucretia's favorite epithets is "that's the dumbest idea," so we decided to put her on the spot and demand a list of "Lucretia's Top Five Dumbest Ideas" for this episode, but not before a thorough dissection of th…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Neoconclave Edition! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:31
We're up a day early with this special emergency edition of the 3WHH because it isn't every millennium when you get an American Pope. With John Yoo hosting this week we hold ecumenical court on what to think about an Ame…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Lookism and Imperial Conquest Redivivus [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:57
Lucretia hosts this week as the Three Musketeers are back together again, taking on Trump at the 100 Day mark, the latest in lawfare, the dismal Canadian election, whose solution John Yoo suggests is straight up imperial…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour, with Special Guest Robert Bryce [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:07
Friday was cap and gown day for Steve at Pepperdine's commencement for the School of Public Policy class of 2025, while John Yoo is on the road somewhere at an undisclosed location, so Steve and Lucretia kick around a co…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: The Long March Back? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:38
Another whirlwird week of controversies that exceeded our bandwidth to keep up (or at least to compress into an hour), but John Yoo, this week's host, leads us in revisiting the question of "birthright citizenship" under…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Band Reunion Time [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:49
John Yoo is back this week, bringing the 3WHH up to full strength again after last week's astonishingly congenial episode, which can mean only one thing—not even high tariffs, which this week's host (Steve) vainly tried…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: The New Tariff in Town [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:08
The 3WHH crew is down a glass this week because John Yoo is down with a bug and unable to join us—or was he afraid of subjecting himself to Lucretia, host for this week's episode. With fear, trembling, and trepidation St…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Make Liberalism Great Again? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:01
As if to put an exclamation point to the crazy story of the week about the Trump national security team adding a hostile journalist to their Signal group chat about bombing Houthi and the Blowups, Steve accidentally text…
The Three Whisky Happy Hour: Dog Years, Dog Days [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:02
Trump does more consequential things in a day that most presidents do in a month, so we may need to measure his tenure in office in dog years. It must certainly seem like dog days for the left, which is lying prostrate o…