The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg

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

Fred Kagan, senior fellow at AEI and director of the Critical Threats Project, makes his long awaited Remnant debut in today’s delectably nerdish discussion of Ukraine and Taiwan. After kicking things off with a deep dive into the state of the war in Ukraine, Jonah and Fred explore Russia’s military disorder, the influence of Soviet history on Russia’s modern military, and the origins of Putin’s ideology (no, he doesn’t just hear voices in his head). Stay until the end to hear some thoughts on Taiwan’s importance to American interests and our position on the world stage. Hint: It’s a pretty big deal. Show Notes: - Fred’s page at AEI - AEI’s Critical Threats Project - AEI’s Coalition Defense of Taiwan - The Telegraph should really be sponsoring us at this point… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brace yourselves, it’s a long one. Due to popular demand, Jonah has—graciously—pulled Sarah out of the world of obscure legal nerdery and onto The Dispatch’s flagship podcast to discuss the famous Nazis-marching-in-Skokie case. After a period of extended throat clearing—featuring a list of proposed baby names from Sarah that may inspire calls to CPS—the two set the stage for their debate. Sarah believes that this case was one of the proudest moments in American history; Jonah is unconvinced. 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 -WATCH: Jonah and Sarah debate free speech - Sarah (and only Sarah’s) niche legal podcast - John Mulaney at the Salt and Pepper Diner - The Brisket’s favorite song - Sarah brings David French onto Advisory Opinions to discuss Clarence Thomas - The Skokie case - George Will: “Nazis: Outside the Constitution” (found on page 13) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah’s back from New York and ready to participate in his weekly therapy session, otherwise known as the Ruminant. After beginning with a look under the hood of the G-File, he moves on to the week’s various annoyances, kvetching about everything from the expulsions in Tennessee’s House of Representatives to the fallout from Biden’s brainless Afghanistan withdrawal. Stick around until the end to hear Jonah’s thoughts on the recent controversy surrounding Harlan Crow and Clarence Thomas. Show Notes: - Rebekah Jones claims her son is a political prisoner - The depressing reality behind his arrest - The White House’s report on the Afghanistan withdrawal - The Editors on Trump’s arraignment - The Remnant with A.B. Stoddard - ProPublica on Clarence Thomas and Harlan Crow - Wednesday’s G-File, featuring an invitation to a special live Remnant taping - Ufology on the Remnant with Jazz Shaw - One, two, three, four, five… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unable to resist the allure of rank punditry any longer, Jonah brings his trusted election sherpa, A.B. Stoddard, back to the Remnant for a journey through the depths of human depravity (or, more specifically, the burgeoning 2024 election). They kick things off with a discussion of Trump’s arraignment—and what it means for the primaries—before delving into the logistics of a Biden reelection campaign. Afterward, they touch on a variety of subjects, including the prospect of a Kamala Harris presidency, the Wisconsin Supreme Court election result, and Trump’s deadly habit of juggling chainsaws. Show Notes: - Trump’s speech at Mar-a-Lago - A.B.: “Why (and How) Biden Should Decline to Run Again” - A.B.: “Will DeSantis Rescue Republicans or Let Them Down?” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump’s indictment has left serious journalists everywhere scrambling to cover the developing story, so of course, Jonah’s response is to arrange some radical counter-programming. He’s joined today by Jazz Shaw, a Navy veteran and Hot Air’s weekend editor, for an out-of-this-world discussion of UFOs. In this eagerly anticipated follow-up to last week’s episode with Avi Loeb, Jonah and Jazz tackle all of the most pressing questions facing the ufology community. Why do pilots keep spotting UFOs? Is the government competent enough to hide big secrets? And what’s so special about cows? Show Notes: -Spacing out with the New York Times -Pentagon receives more than 350 new reports of UFO sightings -2022 Annual Report on Unidentified Aerial Phenomena -The National UFO Reporting Center -Jazz’s YouTube channel - The Remnant with Avi Loeb - Skinwalker Ranch? - Ball lightning? - The Roswell Report: Case Closed Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a week spent navigating enough scheduling problems to make the Fyre Festival look like a masterclass in logistics, Jonah’s ready to relieve his frustrations with a particularly ranty Ruminant. Things get off to a fiery start thanks to a recent post from the New York Young Republican Club—whose members have apparently decided that boot-licking sycophancy is the mark of an “authentic” American. Evidently, they picked a bad week to display their clownishness so publicly, as Jonah spends nearly the entire episode tearing them to shreds. Stick around to the end to hear some brief thoughts on an especially buffoonish Ibram X. Kendi article and the potential for adding a “Corner”-style blog to The Dispatch. Show Notes: -Jonah joins Sarah and Kevin on the Dispatch Podcast -The tomfoolery of the New York Young Republican Club -Wednesday’s G-File -Ibram X. Kendi’s self-aggrandizing piece in The Atlantic -Have you heard? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Charles C.W. Cooke, Jonah’s go-to Remnant cheap date, makes an unplanned return to the program today due to a scheduling snafu. (No interns were harmed for their incompetence in the making of this episode.) With another tragic mass shooting in the headlines, Jonah and Charlie take the opportunity to discuss how such incidents can be deterred and whether it’s possible to stop them through legislation. In light of recent controversies, they also offer a few philosophical musings on free speech. And no, Charlie doesn’t have a cough drop lodged in his throat. Show Notes: -The Editors on the Nashville shooting -Charles: “Therefore What?” -Is the juice worth the squeeze? Episode sponsor: -The Foundation for Civil Rights and Expression... follow FIRE at: thefire.org/update Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The truth is out there, and Jonah may uncover it on today’s Remnant. To boldly go where no pundit has gone before, he’s joined by Avi Loeb—Harvard astrophysicist and author of the recent book, Interstellar: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Our Future in the Stars—to discuss UFOs and our place in the universe. Together, they endeavor to answer all of the most pressing questions about alien life: How should we approach the study of interstellar objects? What role does the government play in scientific inquiry? And most importantly, when can we expect the sweet meteor of death to strike? Show Notes: -Avi’s webpage -The Galileo Project -Interstellar: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Our Future in the Stars -Extraterrestrial: The First Sign of Intelligent Life Beyond Earth -Paper claiming ‘Oumuamua is a “water iceberg” -Avi’s response Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Live from the mean streets of midtown Manhattan, Jonah delivers a fiery and excessive—but mostly peaceful—Ruminant. After opening with a discussion of how—much like the government—Donald Trump will never love you back, he turns to the outrage provoked by the cancelation of a West Texas A&M drag show. From there, he gracefully dances between topics ranging from the ridiculous “cult of youth” to Ron DeSantis’ tepid approach to foreign policy, before finally settling into a deep discussion of what patriotism really means. Show Notes: - Our niche legal podcast discusses the Trump indictment… - …and so does the Dispatch Podcast - Wednesday’s LA Times column - The Skokie case - West Texas A&M president cancels a campus drag show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Unprepared, scatterbrained, and guestless, Jonah returns to the AMA format on today’s program, releasing Guy, his immigrant majordomo, from the grimy basement where he normally resides to field an unusual assortment of listener questions. Things get off to an innocuous start: There’s some shameless plugging of Jonah’s books, a hefty digression into the various strands of conservatism, and a rambly assessment of the recent controversy at Stanford Law. But though the latter half of this episode features no discussion of cruises, it still offers its fair share of bizarre images, one of which may forever change Jonah and John Podhoretz’s friendship. Show Notes: - Wolfram & Hart - David Oshinsky: “Heil Woodrow” - Yuval Levin: “Redeeming the Miracle” - Sarah Isgur interrogates Jonah on Dispatch Live - The Remnant with Philip K. Howard - Skijoring Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Philip K. Howard, a prolific author and advocate for simplifying American government, joins the Remnant for the first time to discuss his new book, Not Accountable: Rethinking the Constitutionality of Public Employee Unions. The resulting conversation plays out like a Remnant greatest hits, offering insights on subjects as well-trodden as institutions, our dysfunctional parties, and the banging of spoons on high chairs. Come for some fiendishly nerdy ramblings on the nature of public sector unions, but stay for some hopeful thoughts on how America’s legal and legislative systems could be improved. Show Notes: - Philip’s website - Philip’s new book, Not Accountable: Rethinking the Constitutionality of Public Employee Unions - Philip previews the book in National Review… - …and in Reason - Rachel Maddow’s “Lean Forward” ad Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Ruminant has been recorded in video form for your viewing pleasure, which raises a terrifying question: Does this spell the end for “No you won’t, this is a podcast”? In response to having been so rudely dragged into the future, Jonah delivers an outright curmudgeonly diatribe on just about every topic under the sun. From Kamala Harris saying her stage directions out loud, to the dangerous mirage of “new” ideas, no subject is safe from his ire. What’s going on with Silicon Valley Bank? What’s the difference between an explanation and an excuse? And does Jonah wear a toupee? (He does not.) Show Notes: - Kamala Harris’ Late Show Appearance - The Remnant with Paul Bloom - The Remnant with Jim Meigs - Friday’s Dispatch Podcast - The (underrated) Tyranny of Clichés Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James Meigs, Manhattan Institute senior fellow and contributing editor at City Journal, makes his Remnant debut in today’s wildly wonky exploration of clean energy, tech policy, and environmentalism. He and Jonah kick things off by talking about the elephant(‘s foot) in the room––nuclear power––before seamlessly transitioning to the terrifying subject of artificial intelligence. Come for the well deserved nuclear boosterism; stay for the existential dread provoked by the idea of malevolent chatbots ruling the meatspace. Show Notes: - James’s podcast, How Do We Fix It? - James’ page at the Manhattan Institute - David Blackman: “The Death of Manchin’s Permitting Reform Effort Is A Loss For Everyone - The Remnant with Paul Bloom - The Remnant with Michael H. Parsons - James: “Elite Panic vs. the Resilient Populace” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul Bloom—Jonah’s favorite psychologist and author of the new book Psych: The Story of the Human Mind—returns to the Remnant for some intensely eggheady conversation on the workings of the human brain (a three-pound wrinkly mass, as Paul puts it). The two spend the episode leapfrogging between different controversies in the field of psychology, each more complex than the last, with enough speed to make your head spin. From the nature of consciousness, to René Girard’s understanding of identity, to controversial conceptions of the mind, there’s something to delight—and confuse—everyone, least of all our future AI overlords. Show Notes: - Paul’s website - Just Babies: The Origins of Good and Evil - Psych: The Story of the Human Mind - The Remnant with Joseph Uscinski Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s dyspeptic Ruminant finds Jonah wading through the swampy wreckage of the Republican intellectual movement in an attempt to give new meaning to the phrase “crushing morosity.” From the GOP’s weakness in the face of populism to the loss of objective standards, Jonah tackles all the most important questions facing the right. Why do Fox viewers need safe spaces? What made Trump’s ineffectual trollishness so appealing to so many? And how much screaming of “I told you so” is too much? Show Notes: - Jonah: “Donald Trump’s Megaphone” - Jonah: “In a Slow-Motion Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Media Figures Embrace Trump One by One” - Jenna Ellis further beclowning herself on Twitter - Conch shells and the Fibonacci sequence or something - Jonah: “How Fox News Created a ‘Safe Space’ for Its Audience” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After therapy and court ordered anger management training, Jonah is finally prepared to have David French—newly minted New York Times columnist and noted treacherous misanthrope—back on the Remnant. What follows is an especially freewheeling conversation that begins with a deep dive into the Dominion case against Fox News, then bounces back and forth between a range of topics so controversial you’d swear Jonah wants David to get canceled. From student loans to drag queens, he could be back at The Dispatch before you know it… Show Notes: -Watch Jonah interview NYT columnist David French - David’s page at the New York Times - David’s page at the superior Dispatch - Christianity Today exposes its own scandal - David: “Why Fox Lied to the Viewers It ‘Respects’” - The Economist: “Russia’s Vaunted Second Offensive Is a Damp Squib” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Remnant regular Tevi Troy returns for some of the rankest punditry you’ll find this side of the Mississippi. It’s a freewheeling kind of episode that begins with a shameless plug for Tevi’s new leadership program, transitions into a discussion of the GOP presidential primary, and ends with a few musings on how AI could change the world of writing. Tune in also for ruminations on how politics became so childish, whether CPAC can be redeemed, and why Trump can’t find a good nickname for Ron DeSantis. Show Notes: - Tevi’s webpage - Tevi’s course: “1600 Lessons: Leadership Lessons from Our Nation’s Chief Executives” - Trump’s CPAC speech - Tevi: “How Writers Make It Work Now” -Matthew Hennessey’s Visible Hand -America is Sick of Presidents Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah’s rank wonkishness reaches a new extreme on today’s rantin’, ravin’, ramblin’ Ruminant. After beginning with a diatribe on the Dominion voting lawsuit, he redirects his ire toward cancel culture and the irritating endurance of both-sidesism. Without regard for time (or the suffering of his RA), he closes with some nerdtastic thoughts on the nature of liberalism, the irresponsibility of student loan relief, and the terrifying world of estate law. Show Notes: - Jonah: “Donald Trump’s Megaphone” - Jonah’s Goucher reunion on CNN - The “truth” about Trump’s support for cancel culture - Wednesday’s G-File - Justice Thomas’ dissent in Hudson v. McMillian Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices