The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg

Sleep-deprived and disoriented in his shrinking ghetto of the egghead-osphere, Jonah’s in desperate need of a euphonious English accent to help him collect his thoughts. Fortunately, prolific author Daniel Hannan is on hand to provide exactly that, and to offer some erudite insights into a wide range of political and philosophical topics. How should we define republican virtue, and what does that have to do with fighting wokeism? Is Britain’s conservative movement a stable force or a hot mess? Has Russia always been awful? And do Europeans think America has gone insane? Show Notes: - Daniel’s webpage - Inventing Freedom, Daniel’s oft-plugged book - Kevin Carroll: “An Unthinkable Choice” - Orlando Figes’ The Story of Russia - Joseph Henrich’s The WEIRDest People in the World - George Orwell: “Second Thoughts on James Burnham” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah’s world is often defined by the things he hates, but just can’t resist talking about. Today’s Ruminant kicks off with an unrelenting rant against many of such subjects, including Trump; populism; and petty, meaningless Twitter feuds. After that, things drift in a more eggheady direction, as Jonah examines Israel’s governmental framework and provides a few musings on public morality. But even if none of those eclectic topics interest you, you’ll want to stick around until the end of this episode to answer an urgent call. The Remnant has received a nomination in the 2023 Podcast Awards, and we need you, our faithful listeners, to vote for the show right here. Show Notes: - The Remnant with Andy McCarthy - The Dispatch Podcast on Israel’s constitutional moment - Politico on the online porn industry’s retreat - Vote for the Remnant in the 2023 Podcast Awards Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s Remnant—which happens to be more than a year in the making—Jonah’s joined for the first time by Ian Rowe, a senior fellow at AEI and the author of Agency (2022), which explores how young people can build strong families and take control of their destiny. Much of their conversation focuses on one of Ian’s primary interests, the success sequence, and whether it’s still valid in modern America. But plenty of wonkish musings are also mixed in on the importance of stable marriages, the achievement gap in education, and the values we should impart to our children. Show Notes: -Ian’s page at AEI -Ian’s book, Agency -AEI’s special forum on the 60th anniversary of the March on Washington -The Remnant with Thomas Sowell -Ian: “The Game of Life” -Ian: “A Vision of Black Success” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you were hopelessly confused by Jonah’s recent conversation with Sarah Isgur on the Trump indictment, prepare to be even more bewildered by today’s follow-up, which features the overdue Remnant return of Andy McCarthy, National Review’s chief legal poobah. It’s an episode of relentless legal nerdery as they dig deep into the weeds on Trump’s latest legal woes, and whether the claims against him hold up to scrutiny. There’s also some less mind-melting discussion mixed in on the legacy of the Civil Rights Act, the madness of Sidney Powell, and whether the federal government was right to punish Al Capone for tax evasion (yes, really). Show Notes: - Andy’s page at National Review - Jonah and Sarah on the indictment - The McCarthy Report on the indictment - Andy: “Anti-Indictment and Pro-Editorial” - Andy: “The Civil-Rights Theory of Indicting Trump for Election Interference” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From a mysterious fortress in the depths of the Adirondacks comes today’s Ruminant, which may be the most pointless in quite some time. Addled from weeks of often traumatic travel, Jonah can’t quite keep his thoughts in order, and the result is an episode that glides across the surface of a whole range of topics. Among these are English theater, the Trump indictment, and the evolving Hunter Biden saga. But thanks to the sublime landscape around him, he dedicates most of his time to climate change and the latest hysterics from Greta Thunberg. No, Soylent Green still isn’t reality. Show Notes: - The Economist: “Soylent Green Is an Eerie Prophecy” - Jonah: “Soylent Green Is Wrong, People” - Jonah: “Threat Level Midnight Forever” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back in the USA—but sadly not back at chez dingo—Jonah’s in a particularly exhausted state on today’s Remnant. It doesn’t help that his original plan for this episode—a fun, substance-free conversation with Sarah Isgur—was thwarted by the latest Trump indictment news, which forces the duo to engage in some actual serious discussion on the subject. They explore whether the indictment holds up to scrutiny, how the field of GOP candidates should respond to it, and whether Trump could rightly be convicted under criminal law. Then, as a bonus feature, Jonah taps into another area of Sarah’s expertise—she’s both the mother and wife of a male—to examine how we can address the challenges facing men in civil society. It’s an episode so informative, you’ll wonder why that niche legal podcast even exists. Show Notes: - The Collision, Sarah and Mike Warren’s new newsletter - Sarah and Mike on the new Trump indictment - The Morning Dispatch, three strikes edition - Jonah: “Who Are the Real Kingmakers? Voters.” - Nate Cohn: “Yes, Biden and Trump Are Tied” - Christine Emba: “Men Are Lost. Here’s a Map Out of the Wilderness.” - Jonah: “The New Right Is Neither New nor Right” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s been no shortage of disgruntled commentary in conservative media about the state of New York City recently, but it’s important to remember how bad things used to be in comparison. Today, Jonah is joined by old friends Tevi Troy and Vincent Cannato to reflect on what the Big Apple was like in the ‘70s. They dig into urban politics, criminology, and what it takes to reverse social decay, while also providing a few nostalgic musings that could serve as the foundation for an Odd Couple reboot. Just as Rodgers and Hart intended, they’ll have Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island too. Show Notes: -Tevi’s webpage -Vin’s webpage -Broken windows theory, again -The Remnant with criminologist Shawn Bushway -The Remnant on Portland’s decline with Nancy Rommelmann -Tevi’s Intellectuals and the American Presidency -Tevi: “The Odd Couple Metric” -The Remnant with Matt Continetti on The Right Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Ruminant finds Jonah across the pond, indulging in greasy fish wrapped in newspaper while trying to forget about some of the less pleasant aspects of his recent trek through the Italian mountains. After recounting a few tales of that arduous expedition, he switches his brain into pundit mode, addressing some of the biggest political questions that have arisen during his absence. What’s going on with the Hunter Biden plea deal? Have the wheels fallen off the DeSantis bus? And what happens when you find a stranger in the Alps? Show Notes: -The Telegraph’s Ukraine podcast, which should really be sponsoring the show at this point -The McCarthy Report on Hunter Biden’s plea deal -Kathryn Jean Lopez: “Jason Aldean Isn’t Helping” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thanks to David French’s treachery, Jonah is forced to step into the world of evangelicalism on today’s episode, which features the Remnant debut of Russell Moore, a theologian, pastor, and writer at Christianity Today. Dr. Moore’s new book, Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America, calls for an evangelical revival in the face of America’s contemporary challenges. Together, he and Jonah take a deep dive into what that revival should look like and what role religion should play in American life, while providing enough context to ensure heretical listeners won’t be lost at sea. This episode is sponsored by our friends at FIRE. FIRE's mission is to safeguard and uphold the right of all Americans to freedom of speech. Be a part of the front line of a growing movement by joining the FIRE Update. Show Notes: -Dr. Moore’s webpage -Dr. Moore’s new book, Losing Our Religion -C.S. Lewis’ The Weight of Glory -Christine Emba: “Men are lost. Here's a map out of the wilderness.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re fearful of the future, you may not want to tune in to today’s terrifying Remnant. Jonah’s guest is Nita Farahany, a professor at Duke Law School and the author of The Battle for Your Brain: Defending the Right to Think Freely in the Age of Neurotechnology. The book explores the rise of neurotechnology—devices designed to track our brain signals to figure out exactly what we’re thinking and feeling and why. But would a world of mental surveillance and ubiquitous neural interfaces be exciting or dystopian? And what are the implications of this technology for our laws, behaviors, and liberties? This episode is sponsored by our friends at FIRE. FIRE's mission is to safeguard and uphold the right of all Americans to freedom of speech. Be a part of the front line of a growing movement by joining the FIRE Update. Show Notes: -Dr. Farahany’s webpage -Dr. Farahany’s new book, The Battle for Your Brain -The Remnant with Jonathan Adler -Dr. Farahany: “TikTok Is Part of China’s Cognitive Warfare Campaign” -Shoshana Zuboff’s The Age of Surveillance Capitalism -Dr. Farahany: “Searching Secrets” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah performs a rare act of magnanimity on today’s Remnant, freeing Abe Greenwald, Commentary’s executive editor, from the verbal oppression of John Podhoretz. Abe’s first appearance on this program is long overdue, and he’s quick to dispense some dark secrets of the Commentary podcast that he’s clearly been bottling up. But when the political analysis begins, it’s as pure and wide-ranging as you’d expect. There’s an extended discussion of how America became a low-trust society, an exploration of conspiracy theories and whether those who peddle them are worth debating, and a round of obligatory kvetching about the state of conservatism. Whether Jonah and Abe are as seductive as many new right thinkers seem to be, however, is for you to decide. This episode is sponsored by our friends at FIRE. FIRE's mission is to safeguard and uphold the right of all Americans to freedom of speech. Be a part of the front line of a growing movement by joining the FIRE Update. Show Notes: - Abe’s page at Commentary - The John Podhoretz Show, aka the Commentary podcast - Abe: “The Trust Crisis” - Abe: “Leave the Grandkids Out of It” - Jonah: “When Reality Is a Punch in the Face” - Sen. Tommy Tuberville’s mishap - David French: “The Rage and Joy of MAGA America” - Crushing Senority on the Commentary podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Any malefactors of great wealth who also happen to be devoted Remnant listeners may wish to avoid today’s episode. Jonah’s guest is Matt Lewis, a senior columnist at The Daily Beast, who’s on the program to discuss his new book, Filthy Rich Politicians: The Swamp Creatures, Latte Liberals, and Ruling-Class Elites Cashing in on America. Together, they explore “how the rich get elected and the elected get rich,” and what that means for American politics. Some grouchy musings on the future of the GOP are also mixed in, as well as a few more wholesome reflections on Matt’s life in West Virginia. This episode is sponsored by our friends at FIRE. FIRE's mission is to safeguard and uphold the right of all Americans to freedom of speech. Be a part of the front line of a growing movement by joining the FIRE Update. Show Notes: - Matt’s new book, Filthy Rich Politicians - Matt’s page at The Daily Beast - Mike Murphy on why Trump won’t win the primary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you thought the Ruminant was incoherent at the best of times, you may be completely unprepared for today’s unpredictable onslaught of twists and turns. Grappling with a serious hangover, Jonah begins with a reflection on the war in Ukraine and somehow ends by discussing his newfound love for The Bear, all the while emitting a distracting array of grunts and groans. Along the way, he also finds time for a few more substantial and vituperative rants, which primarily concern his disdain for Adam McKay and what we get wrong about college admissions. This episode is sponsored by our friends at FIRE. FIRE's mission is to safeguard and uphold the right of all Americans to freedom of speech. Be a part of the front line of a growing movement by joining the FIRE Update. Show Notes: - The M*A*S*H Up GLoP - Scott Lincicome: “‘The Bear’ Is a Tribute to Dynamism—and What Blocks It” - Jonah on friends on the life and legacy of Paul Cantor (skip to 2:55:35 to hear Jonah’s most despised question) - Brown’s social contagion? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re obsessed with pop culture but can’t stand Rob Long and John Podhoretz, today’s Remnant may be the weird, wonderful, and interruption-free GLoP alternative you’ve been waiting for. Jonah’s joined for the first time by Christopher Scalia, former academic suit turned scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. Their paths recently crossed during an AEI panel on the legacy of cultural critic Paul Cantor, where they offered some exceptionally square-eyed geekery on TV shows both obvious and obscure. Jonah felt the event raised a number of urgent questions, so today, they provide answers: What happened to P.I. shows? Does The Godfather glamorize the mafia? How is wokeness influencing television? And is Chris really related to a famous justice? (Spoiler alert: Yes.) This episode is sponsored by our friends at FIRE. FIRE's mission is to safeguard and uphold the right of all Americans to freedom of speech. Be a part of the front line of a growing movement by joining the FIRE Update. Show Notes: - Chris’ page at AEI - Jonah and Chris discuss the life and legacy of Paul Cantor - Joan Biskupic’s American Original: The Life and Constitution of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia - Chris: “‘Tom Jones’ Is No Masterpiece” - The Remnant with Bret Devereaux - Paul Cantor’s Gilligan Unbound - Paul Cantor’s The Invisible Hand in Popular Culture Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s been quite the media furore about rising crime rates in recent years. But now that COVID is behind us and cities are alive again, are the numbers on crime moving in a more positive direction? RAND Corporation criminologist Shawn Bushway is back on the Remnant today to answer this question, and to address a few other points of concern and uncertainty surrounding policing and criminal justice in modern America. What determines rates of recidivism? Are certain crimes becoming more common than in the past? Is there merit to broken windows theory? And have we finally got beyond defunding the police? Show Notes: - Dr. Bushway’s webpage - Dr. Bushway’s previous Remnant appearance - Dr. Bushway’s research on hiring people with criminal histories - “Ex-Prisoners Face Headwinds as Job Seekers, Even as Openings Abound” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Ruminant finds Jonah on an uncharacteristic high, and no, his good mood can’t be attributed to a certain substance that was recently discovered in the White House. He’s actually in elevated spirits because a recent AEI event prompted him to rediscover the work of Paul Cantor, a late scholar at the University of Virginia who analyzed pop culture through a conservative lens. He begins today’s program with a thorough exploration of Cantor’s work, before delivering similarly overlong rants on the American Founding and the purpose of the Supreme Court. Sometimes, the Remnant can feel like a wonderful drug. Show Notes: -Jonah and friends discuss Paul Cantor -“The Macbeth of Meth” -Vanity Fair: “America Has a Supreme Court Problem” -The Remnant celebrates the Fourth of July Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trapped on the island of Nantucket, a guestless Jonah uses today’s Remnant to provide an impromptu meditation on the Fourth of July. His musings explore the meaning of the Declaration of Independence, whether America is a nation or an idea, and why it’s vital to teach American history. Listen with a hot dog in one hand and a miniature flag in the other to feel like a true patriot. Show Notes: - Henry Fairlie: “The Shot Heard Round the World” - The Gettysburg Address and the meaning of the 4th - Irving Kristol: “The American Revolution as a Successful Revolution” - Calvin Coolidge on the Declaration of Independence Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rather than dedicating today’s Ruminant to another interminable rant about the state of the GOP (although if you’re interested in one of those, you might want to read Wednesday's members-only G-File, hint-hint), Jonah focuses his attention on topics less likely to drive him utterly insane. These include some major recent Supreme Court decisions, his shrinking skepticism of horseshoe theory, and our tendency to overlook the meaningful distinctions between friends, family, and strangers. Tune in also to hear Jonah thoroughly dispel all rumors of his anti-Italian bigotry. Show Notes: - The GLoP Culture podcast - The Dispatch Podcast on the end of affirmative action - The Remnant with Bret Devereaux - Guy is released from the pit for a Remnant AMA - Jonah: “Defending Conservatism—From the Right” - Gertrude Himmelfarb’s The Roads to Modernity: the British, French, and American Enlightenments - Violence and Social Orders: A Conceptual Framework for Interpreting Recorded Human History Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unable to find a guest who’s willing to tolerate his ramblings, an anesthetized Jonah is forced to return to the AMA format on today’s distinctly messy Remnant. Temporarily freed from his pit, Guy, Jonah’s immigrant manservant, offers a fresh batch of listener questions that cover everything from the latest in Supreme Court controversies, to the prospect of a Dispatch blogging section, to the conservative underpinnings of popular movies and TV shows. But although their conversation contains a few nuggets of genuine substance, most of it proves to be so pointlessly indulgent that you may be better served by simply listening to the week’s first episode again. Show Notes: -The Remnant with Bret Devereaux -Advisory Opinions on Alito’s preemptive strike -Justice Alito’s Wall Street Journal op-ed -Jonah: “Stop Pining for the ‘Good Old Days’” - he Daniel J. Boorstin Reader -Jonah discusses Patrick Deneen on the Acton Institute podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah’s unwashed historical nerdery is usually unparalleled, but on today’s Remnant, he may finally have met his match. His guest? Ancient historian Bret Devereaux, who joins to discuss all things Roman. With topics including war and peace, political philosophy, and the cruelty of Spartan society, their conversation is sure to eliminate any misguided nostalgia you may have for the past. Show Notes: - Bret’s pedantic blog - Bret talks Orc battle tactics on that niche legal podcast - Bret on Ancient Greece and Rome - Bret makes a correction on social conservatism - Steven Pinker’s The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined - Azar Gat’s War in Human Civilization Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Saddened by hate mail and addled by a dingo-related health scare, Jonah’s in an exceptionally frazzled state of mind on today’s predictably excessive Ruminant. He begins his ramblings by addressing a crude spat between Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Green in the middle of the House floor before pivoting to some recent Russian war crimes in Ukraine. Then, it’s nerdery all the way down as he revisits last week’s G-File, which inspires a rant on the philosophical origins of liberalism, what defines American culture, and why there really is nothing new under the sun. Show Notes: - The Remnant with Stephanie Slade - The Remnant with Robert Kagan - “Critical Trump Theory” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

WARNING: The following episode contains multiple references to a certain American president who shall not be named. Due to the high volume of mentions, The Dispatch production team used discretion in playing the musical cue which normally follows all such mentions. We apologize in advance. On today’s Remnant, Jonah is joined by Robert Kagan—leading scholar of foreign policy and senior fellow at the reviled Brookings Institution, where the sweet taste of candy never gets old—to discuss his new beach read, a 700-page history of America’s role in the world in the first half of the 20th century. Their conversation covers everything from the origins of the League of Nations to the wackiness of Charles Beard, with some fiendishly nerdy musings on isolationism, nativism, and conservatism mixed in for good measure. Predictably, Jonah does not make good on his initial promise to “not get too deep into the weeds.” Show Notes: -Due to the insane amount of "Wilson" name drops in this episode, there will only be one Wilson theme music play -The Ghost at the Feast: America and the Collapse of the World Order, 1900-1941 -The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History -American Midnight: The Great War, a Violent Peace, and Democracy's Forgotten Crisis -“Challenging the U.S. Is a Historic Mistake” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Patrick Deneen has released a new book, and predictably, Jonah has some pointed opinions on it. To critique Deneen’s post-liberal vision for American society and the political right, Jonah is joined by a returning Stephanie Slade, senior editor at Reason and noted liberty-lover. With furious agreement and ornery hand-wringing, they take a deep dive into the strange world of the new right, analyzing how seriously we should take its vision for the conservative movement. They also provide a few thoughts on the state of Catholicism, what the Dobbs decision revealed about voters, and why nobody can agree about immigration. Show Notes: -Stephanie’s page at Reason -Jonah: “Patrick Deneen's Otherworldly Regime” - Stephanie: “Liberalism Isn't Rule by Elites” -Stephanie: “The New Right Isn't So New” -Stephanie: “The Rise of Right-Progressivism” -Adrian Vermeule: “Integration From Within” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Despite the desperate pleas of his wife, his RA, and his psychiatrist, Jonah insists on continuing to record the Ruminant, and his sanity may be steadily slipping away with each mumbled syllable. Today, he largely resists the temptation to discuss the Trump indictment, instead digging into Johns Hopkins’ baffling new classification of lesbians, California’s push to punish “non-affirming parents”, and the sheer lack of decorum we all must now endure. Things conclude on familiar ground with an ol’-fashioned, extra-curmudgeonly rant about the new right’s bizarre nostalgia for the Dark Ages. Show Notes: - The McCarthy Report on Trump’s indictment - Advisory Opinions, also on Trump’s indictment - The “non-men” of Johns Hopkins - Michael Knowles and the 1220s - Politico’s Patrick Deneen profile - Alcohol is woke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In what may be the most focused conversation in the history of this podcast, Jonah is joined by Rick Hess—AEI senior fellow and esteemed education policy wonk—to discuss his new book, The Great School Rethink. During COVID, it became clear that American schools could use an overhaul. But what should reform look like in practice? Rick has answers, and he also has thoughts on hot-button subjects ranging from the education-industrial complex (yes, it’s a thing) to the debate over school choice and standardized tests. Other topics addressed include the use of technology in schools, the role of parents in education, and the nature of choice. As usual, if it’s eggheadery you’re after, the Remnant will never give you up or let you down. Show Notes: -Rick’s new book, The Great School Rethink -Rick: “Schools Are Trying to Do Too Much” -Rick: “Moving from “Reform” to “Rethinking” -James Q. Wilson’s Bureaucracy: What Governments Do and Why They Do It -Arthur Bestor’s Educational Wastelands: The Retreat From Learning in our Public Schools Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Live from the uncomfortably moist surroundings of Houston, Texas, Jonah’s joined by Jonathan Adler—Case Western University professor and trusted law-talking guy—for some scatterbrained political, legal, and economic geekery. Today’s topics include the Trump indictment, the full-spectrum crankery of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the slow decline of common good constitutionalism, and how free markets can help the environment. Throughout, the punditry is unfiltered, the policy talk is relentlessly eggheady, and the Hillary bashing is surprisingly pertinent. Show Notes: - Jonathan: “Learning How to Fish” - Jonathan: “Senate Goes Nuclear, Expect Fallout” - Jonathan: “Markets and Dematerialization” - Matthew Scully’s defense of Robert F. Kennedy Jr… - …and Jonathan’s response - Samoa suffered a measles outbreak after anti-vaccine sentiment rose - Jonah: “Republicans wanted Clinton prosecuted for her emails. And now they defend Trump?” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tired, disorganized, and intent on burdening listeners with his personal problems, Jonah nonetheless approaches today’s eclectic Ruminant with aplomb. Granted, it helps that the details of the most pressing item on the docket—namely, the indictment of one Donald J. Trump—aren’t particularly clear yet, which allows Jonah to rant without sliding into too deep of a depression. Afterward, he touches on Chris Licht’s departure from CNN, why misuse of the term “isolationism” is so rampant, and what it takes to build a fulfilling life. Show Notes: - The Morning Dispatch breaks down Trump’s indictment - Tim Alberta: “Inside the Meltdown at CNN” - A special live Remnant on Jonah, Chris, and Steve’s departure from Fox - Jonah: “Your Life Portfolio—and Ours” - Jonah embraces Oakeshott - Robert Kagan’s The Ghost at the Feast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Klon Kitchen—former Dispatch national security extraordinaire turned private sector sellout—is back on the Remnant to take a deep dive into the exciting (read: terrifying) realm of artificial intelligence. With ChatGPT becoming ubiquitous, debate is raging over whether advancements in AI will bring forth an apocalyptic future or a brave new world. Klon’s prediction is that we’ll end up somewhere in the middle, and he has answers to all of the most intriguing questions of the moment: How exactly does AI work? Should we worry about machines replacing human workers? And will Jonah ever forgive David French for his treachery? Show Notes: - Klon’s page at AEI - Advisory Opinions on an infelicitous use of ChatGPT - Marc Andreessen: “Why AI Will Save the World” - Nearly a third of adults under 30 support surveillance in their homes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Armed with a provocative assortment of inappropriate puns, Jonah invites AEI Senior Fellow Philip Wallach onto the Remnant for the first time to discuss the importance of Congress and what we can do to fix the legislative branch. As holders of the Remnant bingo card are well aware, reforming Congress by expanding its size and discouraging performative behavior within its ranks has been one of Jonah’s primary obsessions since the launch of this program. Today, he’s sure to indulge in as many nerdish lines of inquiry on the subject as possible, waxing Yuvalian from start to finish. What core functions is Congress failing to perform? When did the institution begin to decline? And are its deficiencies fueling broader cultural partisanship? Show Notes: - Phil’s page at AEI - Phil’s new book, Why Congress - Phil: “Time for Congress to Choose Deliberation Over Dysfunction” - Phil: “If We Give Up on Congress, What Will We Lose?” - Ben Sasse’s Kavanaugh hearing speech - Lyman Stone on expanding Congress Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s predictably overlong Ruminant finds Jonah haunted by foreign language commercials, which seem to be infiltrating all of his favorite podcasts and TV shows. Fortunately, his terror provides a useful launching pad for a rant on the nature of language and its role in shaping (or, in most cases, degrading) public thought on nuanced political issues. Tune in also for some obscenely rank punditry on Donald Trump’s dishonesty, Ron DeSantis’ presidential bid, and monetary policy, a subject that Jonah can’t help but have thoughts on despite professing to know nothing about it. Show Notes: - The Remnant with Hal Brands - The Remnant with David Bahnsen - The Trump document saga continues - The Remnant with Matt Continetti - Rich Lowry: “How We Help People Like Megan Fox” - The Economist: “What America has got wrong about gender medicine” - The Wednesday G-File Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a spate of episodes crammed with mercilessly rank punditry and self-indulgent eggheadery, it’s time for the Remnant to get wonky once again. Jonah’s guest today is AEI’s Hal Brands, who’s back to discuss all things foreign policy. With the Ukraine conflict raging, tensions continuing to mount between the U.S. and China, and debates about America’s role in the world consuming the right, there’s no shortage of topics up for grabs. Does the United States actually have a strategic vision anymore? What’s the relationship between history and public policy? And will Chinese or American robots overthrow mankind first? Show Notes: - Hal’s page at AEI - Hal’s new book, The New Makers of Modern Strategy - Hal: “Biden Will Find That Breaking Up With China Is Hard to Do” - Hal: “How the American War Machine Ran Out of Gas” - Rank punditry and notes from Ukraine on Dispatch Live - Kevin Williamson: “The Burial of the Dead” - Orlando Figes’ The Story of Russia - Jonathan Kirshner’s An Unwritten Future Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David Bahnsen, Jonah’s trusted economics guru, is back on the Remnant to provide some raw, unfiltered wonkery on the latest in financial disasters. From the debt ceiling deal to the persistence of inflation, no policy matter, however terrifying, can escape his wonky gaze. Tune in also for a few musings on the Japanification of America, the appeal of conspiracy theories, and the nuttiness of the new right (yes, again). Show Notes: - David’s webpage - David’s Capital Record podcast - The Morning Dispatch breaks down the end of the debt limit saga - Kevin Williamson: “The Burial of the Dead” - David: “How to Fight the Politicization of Business” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the verge of a full recovery from his schnozzle surgery (more ominously referred to as “the operation”), Jonah’s prepared to indulge in another needlessly long Ruminant that blends a generous helping of conservative dorkery with a smidgen of rank punditry. He gets things started with a few thoughts on Ron DeSantis’ glitch-ridden campaign announcement, but afterward, it’s time for a highfalutin geekout as he examines the failure of the new right to appeal to people who aren’t chronically online. Stick around until the end for a defense of a recent G-File. Show Notes: - The Morning Dispatch on DeSantis’ campaign launch - Answering listener questions with Guy on the Remnant - The Dispatch Podcast dispenses rank punditry - Wednesday’s G-File - Antonio Gramsci - Vanity Fair: “The American Conservative May Be on Its Last Legs” - Charlie Cooke: “Why Can’t Progressive Writers Defend the Law” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s Remnant, Jonah’s brain is uniquely scrambled. He’s still disoriented after slipping into a near comatose state last week, and his nose hasn’t quite readjusted to the feeling of fresh air. Rather than forcing a guest to deal with his mental malaise, he brings Guy, his immigrant manservant, back onto the program to field another round of carefully cultivated listener questions. The resulting conversation—which touches on the 2024 election, the purpose of American conservatism, the shame of closeted Kiss fans, and Jonah’s deranged fondness for a blowtorch—is as peculiarly nerdish as you’d expect Show Notes: - The Remnant, hosted by Chris Stirewalt, with David Drucker - Jonah: “Does the GOP Deserve Tim Scott?” - Albert Jay Nock’s Memoirs of a Superfluous Man - David Pietrusza’s 1920: The Year of the Six Presidents - Jonah: “Goldberg’s Conservative Canon” - Keeping the Tablets: Modern American Conservative Thought - Death of a Beatle Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While Jonah struggles with a nasal incident, Chris Stirewalt—more commonly recognized as Pooh Richardson’s number one fan—returns to the Remnant command chair. He’s joined by Dispatch Politics mastermind David Drucker to discuss a horrifying subject that’s inescapably consuming everything: the 2024 election. The punditry is uncut, the pop culture references are punchy, and the nudity is tasteful as they examine what we should expect from each GOP candidate. Can anyone match Donald Trump’s mastery of schmoozing? Can Tim Scott appeal to American families? And does Ron DeSantis qualify for carbon-based life? Show Notes: - Chris’ page at The Dispatch - David’s newsletter, Dispatch Politics - Dispatch Politics: “Tim Scott Takes His 2024 Shot” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s that time again: Chris “Lil’ Enos” Stirewalt is back on the Remnant to provide his signature blend of square-eyed pop culture nerdery and fiendishly rank punditry. What do the size of Congress, James Comey’s ego, and The Dispatch’s profit margin have to do with one another? Was the Durham report an explosive game-changer or a damp squib? How’s the Republican primary shaping up? And are we really about to endure a Trump-Biden rematch? Only Chris and Jonah possess the knowledge of Smokey and the Bandit necessary to answer these questions with maximum insight. Show Notes: - Chris’ page at The Dispatch - Subscribe to The Dispatch and watch an exclusive live Remnant with Jonah, Chris, and Steve Hayes - The Remnant with Ben Smith - The Remnant with Elizabeth Nolan Brown - Chris: “The Republican Case for Lying Down for Trump Again” - Noah Rothman: “GOP Voters Are Making Impossible Demands of a Trump Alternative” - Jonah: “Our No-Win Scenario” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last year, Remnant regular and AEI scholar Matt Continetti published The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism, a tome so nerdy that he and Jonah needed two full podcast episodes just to discuss the first half of it. Today, Matt returns to the program to continue working through the history of the right from the ‘80s to the present. Or, at least, that was the plan. Instead, the conversation ends up focusing on the nature of the new right, how Pat Buchanan changed conservatism, and what Donald Trump’s devotees actually want. Plus, listeners of the Commentary podcast will be delighted to find that Matt is actually allowed to speak. Show Notes: - Matt’s page at AEI - The Right, now available in paperback - Part one of Matt’s previous Remnant nerdfest… - …and part two - The Commentary podcast - Lionel Trilling’s The Liberal Imagination - Julius Krein: “I Voted for Trump. And I Sorely Regret It.” - Christopher Lasch’s The Revolt of the Elites - Tom Wolfe: “The Great Relearning” - Ezra Klein: “The Problem With Everything-Bagel Liberalism” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In what may be the most indulgent Ruminant ever recorded (which is really saying a lot), Jonah delivers a supremely curmudgeonly rant that encompasses everything from the formative years of Western civilization to the 2024 presidential election. After providing a pointless overview of his taste in political podcasts, he dives into the importance of taboos in society, and why throwing away centuries of inherited wisdom might not be the best idea. (Hint: Suicide of the West is still available from all good booksellers.) Then, it’s rank punditry all the way down, as Jonah offers musings on the Jordan Neely situation, rising crime in cities, the baby bust, and the continuing madness of Donald Trump. It’s as cheery an episode as you’d expect. Show Notes: - The Wednesday G-File - The Remnant with Elizabeth Nolan Brown - Julian Simon was right - The Dispatch Podcast on all things Trump Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a twist on the standard Remnant formula that nobody asked for, Jonah is joined by noted chicken wing connoisseur Steve Hayes to co-host today’s episode. Their guest is Ben Smith, founder of Semafor, former editor in chief of BuzzFeed News, and author of the new book, Traffic: Genius, Rivalry, and Delusion in the Billion-Dollar Race to Go Viral. The book takes us back to the early days of the internet to explore how the rivalry between Jonah Peretti of BuzzFeed and Nick Denton of Gawker paved the way for today's climate of disinformation, and naturally, it raises a number of questions. How has journalism changed since the dawn of the internet? Why does the young right tend to confuse social media with real life? What can we do to fix the media landscape? And will Jonah ever get over the golden age of blogging? Show Notes: - Ben’s new book, Traffic - Ben: “Confessions of a Media Chronicler” - Semafor - The Great Moon Hoax - Benjy Sarlin: “Take Donald Trump seriously, not literally, on ‘fake news’” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been a while since the Remnant featured some pro-natal wonkery. To fill that void, Jonah’s joined today by Elizabeth Nolan Brown, a senior editor at Reason, to discuss her cover story for the latest issue of the magazine, “Storks Don't Take Orders From the State.” Together, they discuss the many burning questions surrounding baby-making in modern America: Why are fertility rates falling (spoiler: Elizabeth doesn’t think it’s because there’s a crippling sex recession)? Are pro-natalist policies working in other places? What are the main reasons to have children? And will Jonah ever explain his hatred of old people? Show Notes: -Subscribe to The Dispatch and watch an exclusive live Remnant with Jonah, Steve Hayes, and Chris Stirewalt - Elizabeth’s author page at Reason - Elizabeth’s cover story, “Storks Don't Take Orders From the State” - The vampire problem - Jonah: “The Worst Fang Club” - Yuval Levin: “The Changing Face of Social Breakdown” - Jonah: “I Think We’re Turning Japanese” - Brian Doherty: “Libertarian Party Faces State Rebellions” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah finds himself alone with the quadrupeds on today’s Ruminant as the Fair Jessica embarks on a grand European adventure. Isolated and caffeine-deprived, he’s in especially indulgent form as he rambles through a handful of interrelated topics. First up on the docket is a Supreme Court case that could scale back American bureaucracy, which prompts an extended discussion of how most of the problems we face in modern society can be attributed to a lack of self-government (whatever that means). Afterward, Jonah touches on the importance of institutions in a hyper-technological world, the dumbness of Republican and Democratic rhetoric around crime, and the improbable link between soup kitchens and Call of Duty chat rooms. Brace yourself for an extra-crotchety ride. Show Notes: - The Morning Dispatch: “SCOTUS Poised to Rein in the Administrative State” - Philip Hamburger’s Is Administrative Law Unlawful - Charles Murray’s By the People - Jonah: “Is the GOP Becoming a Dysfunctional Chatroom?” - The Remnant with Rob Long - Tim Miller’s Why We Did It - Michelle Cottle: “Georgia’s Hot Mess Is Headed Your Way” - A crime-ridden Dispatch Podcast - Wednesday’s “news”letter - The Remnant with criminologist Shawn Bushway - Subscribe to The Dispatch and watch an exclusive live Remnant with Jonah, Steve Hayes, and Chris Stirewalt Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s very special Remnant, recorded before a live audience of Dispatch devotees in the hallowed halls of the American Enterprise Institute, Jonah is joined by Steve Hayes and Chris Stirewalt for an in-depth discussion of their time at Fox News. For the first time, they explore what it was like to work at Fox before 2015, how things changed when the Trump era began, and why they resonated with the network’s original approach. They also touch on Tucker Carlson’s firing and how we can improve cable news in this fraught political moment. But only the first half of their conversation is presented here. To hear the whole thing, you’ll need to become a member of the Dispatch community (sign up here!). Members will be able to access the entire discussion in both audio and video form on the Dispatch website, in the Dispatch Live feed. We’re grateful to all of you for your support, and we can’t wait to organize some similar live tapings in the future. Stay tuned… Show Notes: - Become a Dispatch member to get the full episode - Steve and Jonah: “Why We Are Leaving Fox News” - National Review’s “Against Trump” issue - Jonah: “Tucker’s Matrix” - The Wall Street Journal on Tucker’s foul language Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you feel like making your way in the world today takes everything you’ve got, then take a break from all your worries with today’s Remnant, which features the overdue return of esteemed screenwriter and satirist Rob Long. Unrestrained by the ramblings of John Podhoretz, Rob and Jonah discuss the Hollywood writers’ strike, and what it means for the future of TV. They also touch on how AI could change creative professions, the qualities that define great shows, and whether Tucker Carlson’s departure from Fox is more gripping than any serialized drama. Oh, and tune in to hear Rob challenge Jonah’s polygamous approach to podcasting. Show Notes: -WATCH: Jonah Goldberg interviews Rob Long - GLoP, Jonah’s side podcast - Rob’s assorted scribblings - The Daily - Jonah on A Simple Plan Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A week filled with enough stunningly incorrect predictions to conclusively prove he isn’t psychic has left Jonah in an especially pensive mood. Consequently, today’s Ruminant quickly transforms into a rundown of the greatest hits from a string of misses. Jonah kicks things off with a discussion of Tucker’s firing—has Fox really changed?—before moving into a mea culpa surrounding the debt ceiling bill that passed in the House. Afterward, he addresses a veritable feast of populist asinities on subjects ranging from the boneheaded response to a new Barbie to the cult of the Uniparty. Let the great beclowning commence. Show Notes: -Talking Fox on the Dispatch Podcast -Michael Brendan Dougherty and Noah Rothman on Megyn Kelley’s podcast -MTG makes the Randi Weingarten hearing about herself -Burke’s “Birds of Prey” speech -Rudyard Kipling’s If -MBD’s defense of Tucker Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Braving the sweltering heat and practical limitations of the AEI podcasting studio, Jack Butler, the original Smithers to Jonah’s Monty Burns, makes his return to the Remnant to discuss the state of conservatism among young people. He and Jonah journey deep into the psyche of the hyper-online right, answering just about every question you could possibly have about the alt-right’s favorite thinkers and the appeal of pre-modern LARPing. What do national conservatives and integralists really want? Do any of them actually believe what they’re saying? And most importantly, can you argue with a Buick? Show Notes: - Jack’s author page at National Review - Jack explains Bronze Age Pervert - Jack: “9/11: An Atrocity Misused” - Lighten up, Francis… - Michael Anton’s review of Bronze Age Mindset - Burke’s “Birds of Prey” Speech Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In spite of enough technical difficulties to make a grown man weep, today’s Remnant—featuring AEI senior fellow Tony Mills—delivers a thorough, punchy exploration of the COVID crisis and the cult of expertise in American politics. He and Jonah discuss increased specialization in liberal societies, the dreaded Dr. Fauci criticism, and how the idea of certainty colors our political discourse. How intertwined is the crisis of liberalism with our understanding of scientific authority? Show Notes - Tony’s page at AEI - Tony’s last Remnant appearance - Mike Duncan’s Revolutions podcast - Tony: “Saving Liberalism from Itself” - Tony: “Unmasking Scientific Expertise” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Animated by a week’s worth of pent-up rage—inspired by the nonsensical prattling of would-be authoritarians and the dupes who love them—Jonah brings a cantankerous energy to today’s Ruminant, which quickly devolves into a rant of titanic proportions. He begins with some brief thoughts on Joe Biden’s rumored plans to announce his re-election campaign, before diving into an obscure Edmund Burke speech and its implications for the modern conservative movement. Then, an exceedingly curmudgeonly rant ensues against the totalitarian instinct driving factions of the Republican Party. When will the grownups return to American politics? Show Notes: - Christine Rosen’s Remnant appearance - Edmund Burke’s “Speech in Commons on India, 1783” - Jonah: “The Ties That Blind” - Jonah rants about the New York Young Republican Club - Learning from Vlad the Impaler? - Noah Rothman’s piece on JD Vance - The Bull Moose Project’s director being a jackanape - Win a free Dispatch subscription! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christine Rosen, senior fellow at AEI and—alleged—cohost of the Commentary podcast, makes an overdue Remnant return today. In this obstinate exercise in counter-programming, Christine and Jonah discuss just about every topic you could imagine besides Fox News’ settlement with Dominion. From the growing influence of the transgender debate on American politics to Ron DeSantis’ chances in the coming primaries, the two bounce between topics so controversial and toxic that poor David French might just get canceled by association. Show Notes: -Christine’s page at AEI -The Commentary podcast -Christine: “How Trauma Became a Political Tool” -Christine: “The Mainstream Media Damaged Our Children” -The Remnant with A.B. Stoddard Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yahoo News’ Jon Ward makes his Remnant debut to discuss his new book, Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Failed a Generation. The resulting conversation—which fuses highfalutin theology with just a dollop of rank punditry—touches on just about everything you could want to know about America’s crisis of Christianity. Topics range from spiritual abuse, to the history of American Christianity, to Trump’s effect on the integrity of evangelicalism, all of which are covered with the utmost nerdery. Show Notes: -Watch: Jonah interview Jon Ward - Testimony: Inside the Evangelical Movement That Failed a Generation - Jon: “Lead Us Not Into Temptation” - The Long Game, Jon’s podcast - Julien Benda’s The Treason of the Intellectuals Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah’s off like a herd of turtles in today’s rambling, self-indulgent behemoth of a Ruminant. After opening with a positively riveting description of The Dispatch’s approach to media training, he deftly transitions into a discussion of the Pentagon leak and the subsequent fecal festival that has consumed MAGA media. From there, listen—with all appropriate deference and awe—as Jonah delicately dances through such light-hearted topics as Russian war crimes, Nazis marching in Skokie (yes, again), and the controversy surrounding Harlan Crow and Clarence Thomas. This episode is sponsored by our friends at The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. Head to thefire.org/update and subscribe to The FIRE Update today. Show Notes: - The Dispatch Podcast covers the leak - MTG beclowns herself once again - Jonah’s Remnant free speech debate with Sarah - Jonah’s previous defense of Harlan Crow - Clarence Thomas failed to disclose the purchase of his old home Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices