The Opinions

With just days to go until the midterms, the Opinion contributor Robert Siegel joins the contributing writer E.J. Dionne Jr. and the columnist Jamelle Bouie to discuss potential outcomes, the polls and what the result might signal for the country moving forward.
Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com
Want to catch “The Opinions” live?Join us at the Brooklyn Public Library on Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. The Opinion columnists Jamelle Bouie and David French and the Opinion writer Michelle Cottle will unpack the midterm election results and look ahead to 2028. Register here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar/new-york-times-opinion-central-library-dweck-20261105-0700pm
This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Vishakha Darbha. It was edited by Jillian Weinberger. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Video editing by Arpita Aneja and Mahdokht Mahmoudabadi. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Pat McCusker and Carole Sabouraud. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta, Kristina Samulewski and Ali Baluch. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The director of audio engineering is Isaac Jones. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.

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Rising inequality is a big problem in America. But a ballot measure like California’s proposed billionaire tax is not the solution, argues the economist Natasha Sarin. By driving billionaires out of the state, it could cost California more revenue than it raises. Luckily, she offers other ways to make the wealthiest Americans pay their fair share.
Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.
Want to catch “The Opinions” live? Join us at the Brooklyn Public Library on Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. The Opinion columnists Jamelle Bouie and David French and the Opinion writer Michelle Cottle will unpack the midterm election results and look ahead to 2028. Register here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar/new-york-times-opinion-central-library-dweck-20261105-0700pm
This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Emily Holzknecht. It was edited by Kaari Pitkin and Alison Bruzek. Mixing by Pat McCusker and Isaac Jones. Video editing by Jan Kobal, Dani Dillon and Steph Khoury. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Pat McCusker, Carole Sabouraud, Isaac Jones and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta, Kristina Samulewski and Ali Baluch. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The director of audio engineering is Isaac Jones. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.

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We’re less than two weeks out from Election Day. In their last conversation before Americans head to the midterm polls, the national politics writer Michelle Cottle joins the columnists Jamelle Bouie and David French to take stock. While Jamelle makes the case for cautious optimism about a possible blue wave, David worries about what could happen if Trump doesn’t like the results.
Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.
Want to catch “The Opinions” live? Join us at the Brooklyn Public Library on Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. The Opinion columnists Jamelle Bouie and David French and the Opinion writer Michelle Cottle will unpack the midterm election results and look ahead to 2028. Register here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar/new-york-times-opinion-central-library-dweck-20261105-0700pm
This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Derek Arthur. It was edited by Jillian Weinberger. Mixing by Gautam Srikishan. Video editing by Kristen Williamson. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Annika Robbins and Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Ali Baluch. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The director of audio engineering is Isaac Jones. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.

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One of the biggest issue driving the midterm elections? The economy. On “The Opinions,” the economist Natasha Sarin and the Bulwark editor Catherine Rampell examine the strange disconnect between how the economy is doing and how Americans feel about it. How much of the blame belongs to President Trump? And how much goes deeper?
Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.
Want to catch “The Opinions” live?Join us at the Brooklyn Public Library on Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. The Opinion columnists Jamelle Bouie and David French and the Opinion writer Michelle Cottle will unpack the midterm election results and look ahead to 2028. Register here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar/new-york-times-opinion-central-library-dweck-20261105-0700pm
This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Emily Holzknecht. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Pitkin. Mixing by Carole Sabouraud. Video editing by Jan Kobal, Dani Dillion and Steph Khoury. Cinematography by Kyle I. Kelley and Marina King. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Carole Sabouraud and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Julie Beer, Mary Marge Locker, Michelle Harris and Kate Sinclair. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta, Kristina Samulewski and Ali Baluch. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The director of audio engineering is Isaac Jones. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.

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Advertisers are projected to spend more money on political ads in the 2026 midterms than in any previous election cycle. What are campaigns selling — and what do they think voters want? The Opinion editor Steve Stromberg examines the ads shaping these elections with the Opinion columnist Carlos Lozada and Emily Keegin, a photo editor and creative consultant.
Want to catch “The Opinions” live?
Join us at the Brooklyn Public Library on Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. The Opinion columnists Jamelle Bouie and David French and the Opinion writer Michelle Cottle will unpack the midterm election results and look ahead to 2028. Register here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/calendar/new-york-times-opinion-central-library-dweck-20261105-0700pm
Thoughts? Email us at theopinions@nytimes.com.
This episode of “The Opinions” was produced by Jillian Weinberger. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Kaari Piktin. Mixing by Gautam Srikishan. Video editing by Brandon Belk-Yee and Britt Shacham Bernstein. The postproduction manager is Mike Puretz. Original music by Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta, Kristina Samulewski and Ali Baluch. The director of Opinion Video is Jonah M. Kessel. The director of audio engineering is Isaac Jones. The deputy director of Opinion Shows is Alison Bruzek. The director of Opinion Shows is Annie-Rose Strasser.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.