The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg

Live from an undisclosed location in heat-struck Maine, Jonah gets ranty on today’s vigorous yet thoughtful Ruminant. In light of his surroundings, he begins with a few reflections on Ted Kennedy’s incident at Chappaquiddick before launching into a passionate tirade against the foolishness of the new right. In distinctly nerdy fashion, Jonah leaves no room for interpretation: There is no place on the right for racist politics, and white supremacist and anti-semitic ideas must necessarily be treated with moral outrage. Show Notes: -The Cover-Up podcast on Chappaquiddick -The Ted Kennedy incident -Leo Damore’s Senatorial Privilege -The July jobs report -Jonah’s column on the Inflation Reduction Act -The Dispatch: The New Right Finds a Home at the Intersection of Populism and Elitism -The Economist on the new right -Kevin WIlliamson on Trump the manly man -Last Friday’s G-File on the descent of men -Rockefeller’s diet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Back in the Remnant driver’s seat, Jonah invites newly minted AEI fellow Joshua Katz onto the program for a nerdtastic discussion of language and how free we are to use it. Inevitably, their conversation touches on Joshua’s departure from Princeton, cancel culture, and broader illiberalism in American life. But it also explores current issues in linguistics, how much we can really know about classical civilizations, and what “literally” actually means. Tune in to find out whether Socrates had it coming. Show Notes: - Joshua’s page at AEI - Joshua: “Status and ‘Virtue’ at the Dalton School” - Philology - Socrates deserved it? - Joshua on his departure from Princeton - Joshua’s Declaration of Independence - College essay prompts get absurd - The latest issue of Sapir - Adrian Goldsworthy’s Caesar: Life of a Colossus - Barry Strauss’ The Spartacus War Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Filling in for an absentee Jonah, Chris Stirewalt is joined by A.B. Stoddard to provide some overpoweringly rank punditry on the state of the midterms. They begin by analyzing how current trends may affect the election results, before turning to the prospect of a political realignment in 2024 and the fear that the Inflation Reduction Act might fail to reduce inflation. Could a third party candidate win the next presidential election? Is Nancy Pelosi ready to step down? And is August an appropriate time to eat roast pork? Show Notes: - A.B.’s page at RealClearPolitics - Chris’ page at The Dispatch - NewsNation’s recent election poll - Joe Manchin on Bret Baier - A.B.: “Biden Should Announce in 2023 That He Will Not Run Again” - Hakeem Jeffries: The next face of the Democratic Party? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s a man’s, man’s world—or so Josh Hawley would have you believe. On today’s Ruminant, Jonah takes a deep dive into the new right’s obsession with masculinity and what it really means to be manly. He also assesses the pros and cons of codifying gay marriage into law, rants about Joe Manchin’s deal with Chuck Schumer, and gives some further thoughts on whether it’s right to launch criminal prosecution against a former president. It’s a radioactive episode. Show Notes: - Wednesday’s “news”letter - The Remnant with Charles C.W. Cooke - Chuck Schumer and Joe Manchin make a deal - Josh Hawley’s book announcement - Tom Klingenstein: “Trump is a manly man” - Kevin Williamson: “The Virile Style” - Madeline Kearns: “Marital Clash” - The Editors on Congress’ gay marriage bill - Andrew Sullivan’s case for gay marriage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With inflation increasing and the prospect of recession making headlines, David Bahnsen returns to the Remnant to answer a pressing question: How should conservatives approach economic policy? It’s an ultra-wonky conversation that also touches on common errors made by media outlets in their economic coverage and the relationship between moral and economic well being. Plus, tune in to find out which nefarious supervillain organization David secretly funds. Show Notes: - David’s webpage - David’s Capital Record podcast - The New York Times headline that ruined Jonah’s morning - Bastiat’s parable of the broken window - The Remnant with Robert Sirico Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Klon Kitchen returns to the Remnant for another round of vigorous wonkery on all things national security. This time, he’s primarily concerned with the threat of Chinese espionage and the prospect of a geopolitical confrontation between China and the U.S. But he also has thoughts on the Ukraine conflict, the morality of Edward Snowden and Julian Assange, and the nature of quantum computing. Plus, tune in to hear his case for why you should delete TikTok. Show Notes: - Klon’s page at AEI - The Current, Klon’s Dispatch newsletter - CNN’s Huawei exclusive - Klon: “Ban TikTok Now” - China’s “thousand grains of sand” approach to intelligence collection - Klon: “When the Chips Are Down” - Last weekend’s Ruminant - Klon: “Quantum Q&A” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Refreshed from his Adirondack vacation, Jonah begins today’s Ruminant with an update on the January 6 hearings and a rant on the strange phenomenon of “capture the flag” media coverage. He also explores the merits of the MAGA republicans testifying in Congress, the silliness of the idea that there’s a “right side of history,” and the general awfulness of Steve Bannon. Stick around until the end to hear why you should subscribe to The Dispatch if you haven’t already. Show Notes: - The Remnant with David Bernstein - The Remnant with Brent Orrell - Adam Davidson’s podcast advice - Jan 6 and Secret Service agents - Pence refused to get in car - Cassidy Hutchinson stands by her testimony - The Holy War over Hunter Biden’s laptop - The Rolling Stone UVA story - Jonah on Honestly with Bari Weiss - Steve Bannon’s trial - Steve Bannon’s leaked audio - “The right side of history” - What a second Trump administration would mean - Join The Dispatch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AEI Senior Fellow Brent Orrell joins the Remnant for a cheerfully wonky exploration of the modern workplace. With institutions and communities collapsing, Americans are increasingly looking to work as their main source of fulfillment, but is this a healthy development? For that matter, how does immigration alter the workforce? Will artificial intelligence have a positive or negative effect on the American economy? And what should we make of the “Great Resignation?” Show Notes: - Brent’s page at AEI - Brent’s podcast, Hardly Working - Arthur Brooks on earned success - Brent: “The Great Resignation Shows It’s Time to Rethink Worker Dignity” - Brent’s “Dignity at Work” report - Brent: “How AI Is Being Transformed by ‘Foundation Models’” - The Remnant with Jim Pethokoukis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Remnant’s wonky streak continues as David Bernstein, professor at Antonin Scalia Law School, joins the program to discuss his new book, Classified: The Untold Story of Racial Classification in America. Racial classifications are ubiquitous in American life, but David believes they are becoming increasingly arbitrary and incoherent. His solution is to abolish official racial classification altogether and replace it with a separation of race and state. But what would this look like in practice, and how did terms of racial classification originate in the first place? Show Notes: - David’s webpage - David’s new book, Classified - David: “How Well Do You Know America's Racial Classification System?” - Sean Trende’s The Lost Majority - The Remnant with Noah Phillips - The Remnant with Ruy Teixeira Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

July’s drive-time Remnant extravaganza is here, and it’s as deprived of substance as you’d expect. Wedding proposals, cruises, road trips, and other offbeat subjects are all discussed at unnecessary length, but a modicum of serious punditry is also mixed in on the upcoming midterms and the potential for a Trump re-election campaign announcement. Plus, tune in to hear Jonah detail his bygone days as an opera supernumerary and the rebranding of Bloggingheads.tv. Show Notes: - What’s Next Summit Tickets - Last month’s drive-time - Guy’s Kiss trip - Breezewood, PA - The Daily on the James Webb Space Telescope - Bad strategy - Nonzero, formerly Bloggingheads.tv - The SmartLess podcast - The Dispatch Podcast on the James Webb Space Telescope - Ruy Teixeira joins AEI Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul Miller, Georgetown professor and regular contributor to The Dispatch, returns to The Remnant to discuss his new book, The Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism. In formidably highfalutin fashion, he and Jonah explore what drives mankind’s nationalistic impulse, why Christianity and nationalism have historically been intertwined in America, and what should hold our country together beyond the creed outlined in the Declaration of Independence. Stick around to hear Paul turn the tables on Jonah and ask him a few questions about the legacy of Suicide of the West. Show Notes: - Paul’s page at The Dispatch - Paul’s new book, The Religion of American Greatness - Paul’s appearance on Dispatch Live - Jonah: “The Dangers of Unchecked Nationalism” - Chris Hedges’ American Fascists - Arlie Russell Hochschild’s Strangers in Their Own Land - Rich Lowry’s The Case for Nationalism - Michael Burleigh’s The Third Reich - Yuval Levin’s The Great Debate - The Remnant with Charles C.W. Cooke - David Bell’s The Cult of the Nation in France Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An unwashed Charles C.W. Cooke returns to the Remnant for a predictably rank exploration of gun rights, criminal law, and electoral politics. There’s also a deep dive into linguistics prompted by Jill Biden’s taco gaffe, an discussion of America’s fondness for elderly political figures, and an examination of whether stop and frisk policies are constitutional. How is the 2024 presidential race shaping up? Should Trump be prosecuted for his actions on January 6? And what can we do about mass shootings? Show Notes: - Last weekend’s Ruminant - Jill Biden’s taco blunder - Charlie: “Jill Biden’s ‘LatinX IncluXion Luncheon’ FiaXco” - Bill Bryson’s Mother Tongue - Jonah: “Where Did Biden Go Wrong?” - Charlie: “Democrats Prepare to Throw Biden Overboard” - Charlie on dismal polling for Trump and Biden - Brandenburg v Ohio - The Editors on prosecuting Trump - James Q. Wilson: “What To Do About Crime” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After kicking off today’s Ruminant with a few reflections on his pesky first name, Jonah soon embarks on a thorough analysis of Joe Biden’s rise to the presidency and the intellectual insecurities that often come packaged with the Oval Office. An eclectic potpourri follows as Jonah explores the distinction between assassination and murder, his relationship with a top British cabinet official, and the hypocrisy of European nations regarding the abortion debate. It all ends with a more lighthearted assessment of the differences between Hollywood movies and real life. Show Notes: - The Remnant with Noah Phillips - The Remnant with Noah Rothman - David Bernstein’s work for Reason - Dana Milbank: “Give Biden a Break” - Mitt Romney: “America is in Denial” - Vice presidents who became presidents themselves - The Shinzo Abe assassination - Boris Johnson’s resignation - Assasination versus murder - Michael Gove - The EU condemns Dobbs - The Remnant with Megan McArdle - Jonah’s twitter thread on political movies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Commentary ‘s Noah Rothman makes an overdue return to the Remnant to discuss his new book, The Rise of the New Puritans, which compares today’s woke progressives with their pious ancestors. Alternating between vigorous agreement and spirited debate, Noah and Jonah explore the morality of wokeism, the state of sex and comedy, and what’s behind mankind’s puritanical impulse. They also touch on the importance of staying in your lane, the future of safetyism in American life, and whether Mike Pence should be disqualified from pursuing another presidential bid. Show Notes: - Noah’s page at Commentary - Noah’s new book, The Rise of the New Puritans - Noah: “Joyless on the Fourth” - Josh Barro on Elon Musk - George McKenna’s The Puritan Origins of American Patriotism - Noah: “The January 6 Commission’s Biggest Reveal” - The Remnant with FTC Commissioner Noah Phillips - The latest Dispatch Live Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Noah Phillips of the Federal Trade Commission brings his expertise to the Remnant today for an exceedingly wonky discussion of American law and bureaucracy. The debate over Big Tech has whipped up plenty of discussion about antitrust reforms recently, but how effective could such reforms actually be? For that matter, how problematic are monopolies? Is the FTC in good shape? And how can the harmful effects of social media be mitigated? Show Notes: - Noah’s FTC webpage - Sen. John Cornyn booed at Texas GOP convention - Amy Klobuchar’s self-preferencing bill - Hipster antitrust - Scott Lincicome on the Jones Act Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’re hitting the road this weekend, today’s extra-long, extra-patriotic Ruminant should be a perfect accompaniment for your travels. Jonah begins by looking at the Dobbs decision, the relationship between the judiciary and the legislature, and why conservatives believe in originalism. Then, after offering some additional thoughts on consequentialism and a generous helping of rank punditry, he turns to the Fourth of July. In a moment where pride in America is particularly low, Jonah believes we should still be bullish about this country, and he has enough philosophical insights on hand to explain why. Show Notes: - Last weekend’s Ruminant - Last Friday’s G-File - Joshua Zeitz: “The Supreme Court’s Faux ‘Originalism’” - Wednesday’s “news”letter - David French: “Roe Is Reversed, and the Right Isn’t Ready” - The Remnant with Megan McArdle - Only 38% say they’re extremely proud to be American - Calvin Coolidge on patriotism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Megan McArdle is back on the Remnant to explore the Dobbs decision, the culture war over sex and gender, and America’s rising crime. Dingos and the innocence of childhood are also discussed, though you’ll have to tune in to see whether Jonah is willing to divulge more information about his youthful exploits as a supernumerary actor. How should the legislative and judicial branches balance their responsibilities? What does the future hold for the transgender movement? And what would Megan’s criminal justice reform agenda look like? Show Notes: - Megan’s page at the Washington Post - The Remnant with Jay Nordlinger - Jonah: “How Dobbs Might Shape the Future of Conservatism in Unexpected Ways” - GLoP: “Occasionally Masculine” - Megan: “The Left is Counting on an Abortion Backlash That May Never Come” - Megan: “Don’t Forget the Other Women in the Pool” - Megan: “A Better Way for Democrats to Talk About Rising Crime” - Bill James’ Popular Crime - Jon Ronson’s So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed - This week’s Dispatch Live Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jay Nordlinger, Jonah’s conservative colleague and a senior editor at National Review, joins the Remnant for the first time to provide his uniquely measured blend of rank punditry and linguistic insight. Brace yourself for an eclectic potpourri of topics, including an exploration of the Dobbs decision and the future of abortion in America, a thorough discussion of what it means to be a conservative, and a few etymological asides. Also, tune in to find out whether conservatism’s three-legged stool is still standing. Show Notes: - Jay’s page at National Review - Jay’s podcast, Q&A - Jay: “The Saudi Golf Tour Is Blatant ‘Sportswashing’” - Jay: “Roe, gone, &c.” - Jay: “What is Conservatism?” - Frank Meyer’s What is Conservatism? - The Remnant with John McWhorter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s jet-lagged Ruminant finds Jonah haunted by uncomfortable memories of John Dean as he tries to make sense of what the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision means for gun laws in America. Afterward, he offers philosophical musings on an array of topics, including consequentialist ethics, stoplights, and religious edicts. It all ends with a brief reflection on why Jonah is a conservative in the first place. Also, please note that this episode was recorded before the Supreme Court released its decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Jonah will have plenty to say on the subject very soon. Show Notes: - The Wednesday G-File - John Dean’s Worse than Watergate - The Bruen decision - The Fairbanks Midnight Sun Run - Consequentialism - Trump: “I whine until I win” - Rationalia? - Why stoplights use red - The Remnant (guest hosted by Chris Stirewalt) with Josh Kraushaar - The Remnant with Christine Rosen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Jonah back from the harsh wilds of Alaska, Commentary’s Christine Rosen makes her long-awaited Remnant return. The duo explores the harmful effects of social media on young people, how pornography should be regulated, and what’s led to the rapid spread of transgender ideology. Why has trauma become a political tool? How can epigenetics explain political problems? And will this episode officially bring an end to Jonah’s friendship with John Podhoretz? Show Notes: - Christine’s page at Commentary - The Commentary podcast - The Remnant (hosted by Jonah’s vocal doppelganger) with Josh Kraushaar - Christine: “Ban Kids From Social Media” - Christine: “The Mainstream Media Damaged our Children” - Jonah and Nick Schulz: “Gated or X-Rated?” - Christine: “How Trauma Became a Political Tool” - Jonah: “Who’s Oppressing Whom?” - The Remnant with Jonathan Rauch - The Fair Jessica: “Ms. Myths” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While Jonah scrambles to escape the wilds of Alaska, Chris Stirewalt takes control of the Remnant to provide some exceedingly rank punditry. His guest is Josh Kraushaar, who joins to explore whether the Democrats really are doomed in the upcoming midterms and what we can expect from Republicans in the remaining primaries. Josh and Chris also consider some of the most pressing questions about the 2024 presidential election: Will Joe Biden run again? How will Trump affect the race? And have the January 6 hearings been helpful to Republicans? Show Notes: - Josh’s page at National Journal - Josh’s podcast, Against the Grain - Chris’ page at The Dispatch - Democrats attack Mehmet Oz and David McCormick - Josh on the building Republican wave - How Brian Kemp crushed Trump in Georgia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How does The Godfather relate to the January 6 hearings? Jonah has the answer on today’s early-morning Ruminant, which also features disquisitions on the Democrats’ economic malpractice, the asinine argument that those who didn’t vote for Trump are responsible for Biden’s failures, and the future of American democracy. Did January 6 create a constitutional crisis? Will the hearings embolden sane Republicans to speak honestly about Trump? And is it time to say buona sera to American life as we know it? Show Notes: - The Wednesday G-File - How Jonah learned to stop worrying and love the January 6 committee - The Remnant with Chris Stirewalt - The Editors on the January 6 hearings - A criminal referral of Trump? - Andy McCarthy on how Trump should have been impeached - Noah Rothman: “The January 6 Commission’s Biggest Reveal” - Newt Gingrich: “Pelosi’s Stalinist Show Trial” - Jonah: “What I Got Wrong About Fascism” - The Remnant with Fr. Robert Sirico - The 500th Remnant-palooza Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rev. Robert Sirico, co-founder and president of the Acton Institute, joins the Remnant to discuss his new book, The Economics of the Parables, which uses Biblical stories to offer economic advice. With many on the right now embracing theocracy, it’s tempting to argue that the Catholic intellectual tradition is inherently at odds with capitalism. But Rev. Sirico disagrees, and he also isn’t convinced by the common left-wing argument that Jesus was a socialist. How can we heal the American heart? Should religion influence politics? And which of Rev. Sirico’s relatives might have Jonah whacked for the end of this podcast? Show Notes: - The Economics of the Parables, Rev. Sirico’s new book - Rev. Sirico’s column - Jonah on the microcosm and the macrocosm - Understanding Voegelin - Arthur Brooks’ Who Really Cares? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chris Stirewalt, America’s favorite rodeo expert, is back on the Remnant to provide an inside view of the January 6 hearings. He and Jonah explore how the hearings have played out so far and what we can expect the outcome to be, occasionally stopping for a few strange existential digressions. Will the hearings influence the midterms? What happened on election night when Fox decided to call Arizona? And how well does Chris know his Hume from his Haidt? Show Notes: - Chris’ page at The Dispatch - Chris: “The January 6 Committee and Me” - Chris: “Trump’s Faction of One” - The Hangover with Steve Kornacki - Greta Van Awful - Jonah: “This Was Always the Plan” - Charles Krauthammer: “Bungled Collusion is Still Collusion” - The Remnant 500th episode extravaganza - Jonah: “The Parliamentary-Election Problem” - Jonah: “How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Jan. 6 Committee” - Tim Miller on team normal - Earth’s greatest tweet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Weird, overlong, and predictably devoid of substance, the drive-time Remnant format returns for another broadcast. Although today’s program begins with analysis of the January 6 hearings, it swiftly takes a turn for the eclectically surreal, as Jonah describes his obsession with pharmaceutical fine print, Ryan ponders the greatness of American dining halls, and Guy provides an account of his visit to a Kiss convention (yes, really). Oh, and to prevent things from becoming too pointless and indulgent (yeah, right) a few thoughts are also sprinkled in on the weakening of institutions and our fragile culture. Show Notes: - The Dispatch breaks down the Jan 6 hearing - Jonah: “What I Got Wrong About Fascism” - The New York Times’ Jan 6 reconstruction - Stanford’s problematic dining halls - Jonathan Haidt on our uniquely stupid decade - Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park - Marvel’s Kiss comic book - Damnation Alley - The Remnant with Mike Gallagher Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been a while since a recovering Marxist joined the Remnant, but Ruy Teixeira, political demographer and senior fellow at American Progress, is here to fill that void. In predictably wonky fashion, he and Jonah examine the future of the Democratic Party and how the progressive movement has changed in recent years. They also explore racism in American life, wokeism in universities, and Jonah’s renowned distaste for primaries. Whatever happened to the FDR coalition? Is Maoism back in style? And should we still be optimistic about America? Show Notes: - Ruy’s newsletter, The Liberal Patriot - Ruy and John B. Judis’ The Emerging Democratic Majority - Ruy’s The Optimistic Leftist - Ruy: “Eyes Wide Shut” - Ruy: “How to Fix the Democratic Brand” - The Remnant with Francis Fukuyama - David Shor and the Democrats - Jonah: “That Shor Sounds Good” - Tyler Cowen on the Turing test - The Remnant with Elaine Kamarck Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Armed with a smorgasbord of booze, Jonah reunites with Rep. Mike Gallagher for another half-baked extravaganza, in which the duo’s efforts to annex Greenland may finally come to fruition. Trap doors beneath escalators, dad-centric dating apps, and various bovine innovations are among the undercooked ideas proposed for your listening enjoyment, as well as a few novel solutions for the domestic crises sweeping our nation. Tune in also for excessive pop culture discussion, ruminations on the existence of extraterrestrials, and a possible new name for the Remnant. Show Notes: - Jonah and Rep. Mike’s previous career-ruining encounter - Leonard E. Read’s “I, Pencil” - Fully baked - Jonathan Haidt: “Facebook’s Dangerous Experiment on Teen Girls” - Yuval Levin on why we’re still governed by baby boomers - Jonah on capes - Don’t F- with Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer - Tupac’s hologram - Is Al Gore an alien? - The David Weigel suspension - Yuval Levin: “The Changing Face of Social Breakdown” - Jonah: “I Think We’re Turning Japanese” - Geoffrey Household’s Rogue Male Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah plunges into the danger zone on today’s Ruminant, covering topics ranging from the somber to the downright bizarre. After offering a few thoughts on Wednesday’s indulgent “news”letter and the nature of writer’s block, he turns to television, republicanism, and superstition, providing exceptionally nerdy disquisitions on each. Does the djinn genie live on his back? How does Jonah really feel about the Second Amendment? And after the success of the 500th Remnant-palooza, could further live events be coming soon? Show Notes: - The Wednesday G-File - Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special - Justin Fenton’s We Own This City - The Remnant with Yuval Levin - The Remnant with Tony Mills - The Remnant with Francis Fukuyama - When market failure is government failure - The Remnant with Stephen Gutowski - David French on red flag laws - The Ayn Rand poster saga continues - The 500th Remnant-palooza - Have a minute to share The Dispatch? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tony Mills, a senior fellow at AEI whose work focuses on science policy and political theory, joins the Remnant for an ultra-nerdy exploration of the American political tradition. He and Jonah examine whether liberalism alone can sustain the United States and why our experts have fallen into such low repute. Is free market capitalism corrosive? Why is civic republicanism important? And what are the advantages and disadvantages of bureaucracy? Show Notes: - Tony’s page at AEI - The Remnant with Yuval Levin - Tony: “Liberalism is Not Enough” - Tony: “Illiberalism’s True Colors” - Russell Kirk and Lionel Trilling - The Remnant with Daniel Hannan - Daniel Burns: “Liberal Practice vs. Liberal Theory” - Schumpeter’s Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy - Daniel Bell’s The Cultural Contradictions of Capitalism - James Burnham’s The Managerial Revolution - Orwell: “Second Thoughts on James Burnham” - Jonah on beastly bureaucracy - Tony: “Unmasking Scientific Expertise” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At long last, the Remnant-palooza celebrating Jonah’s 500th episode is here for your listening pleasure. Recorded live at the American Enterprise Institute before a crowd of Dispatch devotees, the episode features two panel discussions featuring three of the program’s most cherished guests. To begin, Sen. Ben Sasse joins Jonah for an hour of high-minded eggheadery, covering the merits of Bigfoot erotica, the loss of a common American culture, and how we can heal the political wounds caused by populism and negative polarization. Then, Chris Stirewalt and A.B. Stoddard take the stage for rank punditry on the midterm elections and what we can expect from the next presidential election. Finally, Jonah fields questions from the audience, greets a special guest, and offers a few words of appreciation for those who’ve made The Remnant so successful. It’s been a weird and wonderful journey to 500 episodes, and we’re grateful to you all for sharing it with us. Show Notes: - The Remnant’s first episode - Jonah on mandatory voting - Renaming natural gas - There he goes again… - A.B.: “Trump - Maker of Clusters, Not Kings” - Chris on the prospect of Trump 2024 - Yuval Levin: “Trump Party or Trump Faction?” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s another very, very early morning Ruminant today, yet somehow Jonah is annoyingly bombarded with texts at the start of the podcast. After figuring out how to stop the interruptions, he delves into what he thinks are the essential books for all conservatives to read. Then, sadly, he shares his thoughts on shootings, guns, body armor, and more. Stick around to hear Jonah’s thoughts on the latest iterations of Star Trek. Finally, a potpourri of topics: Is Jonah actually optimistic about the future of the GOP? Why are we obsessed with “having an honest conversation?” Show Notes: - Road to Serfdom by F. A. Hayek - The Fatal Conceit: The Errors of Socialism by F. A. Hayek - The Use of Knowledge in Society by F.A. Hayek - Why I Am Not a Conservative by F. A. Hayek - Keeping the Tablets: Modern American Conservative Thought by William F. Buckley Jr. (Contributor), Charles R. Kesler (Editor) - The Portable Conservative Reader by Russell Kirk - Irving Kristol Essays - The Remnant with Stephen Gutowski - Sen. Ted Cruz's “American exceptionalism” interaction with reporter - GLoP Culture Podcast - Klon Kitchen on the Heritage Foundation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah is both excited and sad for today’s Remnant guest because Stephen Gutowski might just be the smartest person in the media today to talk about guns and mass shootings, but that means there was another mass shooting to talk about. Gutowski, founder of The Reload, comes on to talk about guns, gun laws, and the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. What even is an AR-15? Should they be banned? What does the “media” get wrong every time something like this happens? What is a “mass shooting?” What, if anything, can be done to help prevent these events? Show Notes: - The Reload: Sober, Serious Firearms Reporting and Analysis - Sign up for The Reload’s free newsletter - The Reload Podcast - The Reload Podcast with David French - National Institue of Justice study Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

James “Jimmy P” Pethokoukis makes his long-awaited Remnant return to assure us that life really is better than it used to be. Alternating between gratuitous sci-fi references and shameless wonkery, he and Jonah explore dynamism in American life, the potential for a new Roaring ‘20s, and the future of technology. Is there a case for universal basic income? Will Elon Musk become the next Howard Hughes? And what can we expect from the new space age? Show Notes: - Jim’s page at AEI - Jim’s Substack, Faster, Please! - Jonah reviews The Reactionary Mind - Jim’s idea of a “post-modern” U.S. economy - America’s new space age - Jim on Musk’s Twitter takeover - Kevin Williamson on the strange case of billionaires - Jim explores Americans’ views on trade Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah’s in especially ranty form on today’s Ruminant, which finds him once again deprived of sleep thanks to the wailings of a local fox. He begins by offering a few further thoughts on the relationship between religion and politics following Tim Alberta’s Remnant appearance. Afterward, rank punditry ensues, as Jonah explores how both parties are harming the United States through their concern for short-term power above all else. Stick around for lengthy disquisitions on the Great Replacement theory, immigration, and pluralism. Show Notes: - The Remnant with Tim Alberta - Tim: “How Politics Poisoned the Evangelical Church” - Jonah ruminates on abortion - National Review’s “Editors” podcast on the Pennsylvania race - Last Friday’s G-File - Jonah: “Never Trump Nevermore” - The Remnant with Yascha Mounk - Wednesday’s “news”letter - The Dispatch Podcast on the Buffalo tragedy - The Remnant with Paul Bloom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tim Alberta of The Atlantic joins Jonah to talk about his latest piece How Politics Poisoned the Evangelical Church. The story and the evangelical church is personal to Alberta, as he grew up a “pastor’s kid” in Brighton, Michigan, and has witnessed a changing of the church from the frontlines. What surprised him about writing this piece? Why is he “angry”? Plus, stick around to the end for some rank, 2024 GOP presidential punditry. Show Notes: How Politics Poisoned the Evangelical Church by Tim Alberta Tim’s Twitter Tim’s Atlantic page The Dispatch Podcast episode mentioning Tim’s piece Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yascha Mounk makes his second appearance on The Remnant, this time to discuss his new book, The Great Experiment: Why Diverse Democracies Fall Apart and How They Can Endure. In a conversation tailor-made for holders of the Remnant bingo card, Yascha and Jonah discuss the dangers of tribalism and populism, America’s crisis of community, and what patriotism should look like. They also examine America’s shifting demographics and take a deep dive into the nuances of liberal philosophy. Show Notes: - Yascha’s web page - The Great Experiment - Yascha’s previous Remnant appearance - The coalitional instinct - The cult of unity - The Remnant with Yuval Levin - The Remnant with Francis Fukuyama Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Haunted by the wailings of a local fox, Jonah brings an elevated degree of curmudgeonliness to today’s wide-ranging Ruminant. After offering some further thoughts on the hyper-politicization of American society and the erosion of institutions, Jonah turns to abortion, dispelling a few common myths and outlining what post-Roe law should look like. He also explores inflation, the ongoing Ukraine conflict, and what separates a eulogy from a resume. Plus, tune in for more details on the Remnant’s upcoming 500th episode extravaganza. Show Notes: - The Remnant with Yuval Levin - WeRateDogs - Washington Post journalists prove Yuval and Jonah’s point - Jonah explains his abortion views - The New Republic blasts Justice Alito - The Wednesday G-File - Midge Decter, R.I.P. - Biden’s recent inflation speech - The Wall Street Journal on the looming battle in eastern Ukraine Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yuval Levin returns to the Remnant to provide his signature brand of edifying eggheadery. Institutions, the culture war, and the necessity of staying in your lane are all covered in this high minded conversation. Jonah and Yuval also discuss America’s unique fusion of liberalism and republicanism and what we can expect from abortion law if Roe v. Wade is overturned. Plus, tune in for an update on the Remnant’s special 500th episode live event. Show Notes: - Yuval’s page at AEI - Yuval: “How to Curb the Culture War” - The Wednesday G-File - Francis Fukuyama’s Liberalism and its Discontents - The Remnant with Francis Fukuyama - Daniel E. Burns: “Liberal Practice v. Liberal Theory” - Carl Eric Scott: “The Five Conceptions of Liberty” - Yuval on Obama’s second inaugural - Yuval: “Family Policy After Roe” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Beth Akers, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, joins The Remnant for extreme wonkery on student debt and the economics of higher education. Why have the Democrats become so fixated on the issue of forgiving student loan debt, and can a moral argument be made for forgiveness? Furthermore, are most graduate programs pointless? How can we fix America’s universities? And can anyone match Jonah’s raw disdain for journalism schools? Show Notes: - Beth’s page at AEI - Beth’s first book, Game of Loans - Beth’s latest book, Making College Pay - Beth on why student loan cancellation will backfire - Jonah ruminates on student debt - The Remnant with Alex Tabarrok - Bryan Caplan’s The Case Against Education - Bryan on Beth’s podcast, “An Economist Goes to College” - Bryan on the Remnant - WSJ: “The Elite Master’s Degrees That Don’t Pay Off” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The drive-time Remnant format returns for another eclectic broadcast that, initially at least, comes dangerously close to providing actual substance. In predictably freewheeling fashion, Jonah, Guy, and Ryan explore the abortion debate and how the culture war manifests in various cultures, evaluate the merits of The Batman, and ponder when China’s influence on Hollywood will decrease. They also make an exciting announcement: On May 24th, the Remnant’s 500th episode will be recorded live at the American Enterprise Institute, and Dispatch subscribers are invited to attend. Tune in to hear all the juicy details, and keep a close eye on the site over the coming days for more information. Show Notes: - The Wednesday G-File - The Remnant with Chris Stirewalt - Yascha Mounk’s The Great Experiment - Last week’s nerdtastic GLoP - Lady Liberty stands tall - Jonah: “A Slow Kowtow to China” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fairy tales can come true, and it may happen to you on today’s Remnant, which sees Jonah reunite with Chris Stirewalt for more rank punditry, dated pop culture references, and gratuitous Clinton bashing. They begin by exploring the Roe leak, digging into what it means for abortion law and how Biden should handle the situation, before turning to J.D. Vance’s victory in Ohio and what we can expect from the Pennsylvania Senate primary. Tune in for political insight, but stick around to see whether Jonah and Chris can resist discussing testicle tanning. Show Notes: - Chris’ page at The Dispatch - The Remnant with Francis Fukuyama - The Remnant with H.R. McMaster - The Remnant with Thomas Chatterton Williams - The Brimley/Cocoon Line - The Wednesday G-File - The Dispatch breaks down J.D. Vance’s win Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Retired Gen. H.R. McMaster—Hoover Institution senior fellow, former national security adviser, and foreign policy expert—makes his first appearance on the Remnant to discuss China, Russia, and Afghanistan. He and Jonah examine what led to the war in Ukraine, the likelihood of Xi Jinping invading Taiwan, and whether institutional failures were to blame for the chaotic Afghanistan withdrawal. They also dig into America’s shifting role on the world stage and what our defense budget should look like. By the end, one question remains unanswered: What’s the best war movie ever made? Show Notes: - McMaster’s page at the Hoover Institution - “GoodFellows,” McMaster’s group video show at Hoover - “Battlegrounds,” McMaster’s interview program - Battlegrounds, McMaster’s latest book - Dereliction of Duty, McMaster’s first book - Putin’s case for invading Ukraine - The Remnant with Klon Kitchen - Sergei Lavrov compares Zelensky to Hitler - The Remnant with Hal Brands on Cold War history - The Economist on countries faking their COVID numbers - Operation Market Garden Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the mend from his sudden bout of illness, Jonah approaches today’s Ruminant with his standard level of nerdy panache. After offering a few thoughts on how The Tyranny of Clichés holds up today, he commences a lengthy rant on why canceling student debt would be a serious moral and political blunder, before turning to Francis Fukuyama’s work on liberalism. What does the relationship between virtue and responsibility look like? When is grad school worthwhile? And is John Rawls one of history’s greatest monsters? Show Notes: - The Remnant with David French - The Remnant with Francis Fukuyama - Wednesday’s totally uncontroversial G-File - Game of Loans, by Beth Akers and Matthew M. Chingos - Puppet Master - Shoshana Weissman on occupational licensing - WSJ: “The Elite Master’s Degrees That Don’t Pay Off” - Jonah reviews Nine Days - The Moynihan Report - Charles A. Reich’s The Greening of America - Jonah’s notes on nationalism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s Remnant, Francis Fukuyama finally stops by to discuss his new book, Liberalism and its Discontents, and Jonah can barely contain his enthusiasm. The resulting conversation is a feast of philosophical nerdery, which explores the origins of the liberal tradition, the state of liberalism in contemporary America, and the future of the free world. How did “neoliberal” become such a popular pejorative? What are the limits of federalism? And should we be optimistic about the political trajectory of the United States? Show Notes: - Liberalism and its Discontents - The End of History and the Last Man - Our Posthuman Future - The Origins of Political Order - Dr. Fukuyama previews Liberalism and its Discontents in American Purpose - Justice Scalia’s commencement speech - Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff’s The Coddling of the American Mind Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sick with a nasty fever, Jonah approaches today’s Remnant not as an emergency podcast, but a podcast imbued with a sense of emergency. His guest is David French, who returns for a lengthy discussion of Ron DeSantis’ feud with Disney and what it reveals about American polarization. Also on the docket is what we can expect from Elon Musk’s purchase of Twitter and how Jonah and David would change the site if they were given control. Stick around until the end for obligatory discussion of TV, movies, and other items of nerdy miscellanea. Show Notes: - David’s page at The Dispatch - The Morning Dispatch breaks down Florida’s plan to annex Disney World - Charlie Cooke: “Ron DeSantis’s Misguided Attack on Disney’s Legal Status” - An extra-feisty Charlie Cooke on National Review’s “Editors” podcast - Jonah’s latest column on the Disney saga - David: “How Twitter Beclowns the American Elite” - Nate Cohn and Kevin Quealy on the Democratic electorate - Francis Fukuyama’s Liberalism and its Discontents Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s Ruminant, Jonah serves up a typically eclectic potpourri of rank punditry and historical nerdery. After exploring how, in almost literary fashion, Kevin McCarthy’s hidden normalcy has proved to be his undoing, Jonah turns to the origins of socialism, and what the Soviet approach to collectivism can tell us about Putin’s ambitions for Russia today. He also shares his thoughts on Florida’s Disney kerfuffle, modern architecture, and what we can expect from the upcoming midterms. Show Notes: - The Remnant with Thomas Chatterton Williams - Kevin McCarthy’s political malpractice - Jonah: “Karl Marx’s Jew-Hating Conspiracy Theory” - The Remnant on Marx and antisemitism - The Remnant with Klon Kitchen - Elizabeth Warren’s midterm proposal - Jonah: “More Sandwiches, Less Kale Foam” - Ruy Texiera: “Eyes Wide Shut” - Charlie Cooke: “Ron DeSantis’s Misguided Attack on Disney’s Legal Status” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Thomas Chatterton Williams, nonresident AEI fellow and writer at The Atlantic, joins the Remnant for the first time to discuss race and ethnicity in America. Thomas, who describes himself as “ex-black,” believes we need to “unlearn race” to fulfill the promise of the Declaration of Independence. But what would that entail in practice, and how can we move away from racial categories while preserving a diverse culture? Moreover, why is it beneficial to spend time residing in a foreign country? What are “American values?” And will France soon annex the United States? Show Notes: - Thomas’ page at AEI - Thomas’ latest book, Self-Portrait in Black and White - Thomas: “My Family’s Life Inside and Outside America’s Racial Categories” - Thomas: “Saving Classics From Identity Politics” - Albert Murray’s The Omni-Americans - The Remnant with John McWhorter - Emmanuel Macron rejects wokeism - Jonah: “What if we Ran Our Elections Like France?” - James Baldwin: “The Discovery of What it Means to be an American” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah and Matt Continetti continue their tremendously nerdy adventure through the history of American conservatism today, taking us from the 1970s to the present. In a conversation tailor-made for holders of the Remnant bingo card, they discuss the Reagan Revolution, the Clinton years, the future of the conservative movement, and much more. Can the contemporary right hold off resurgent anti-Americanism? Could fascism happen here? And how many more times will Matt need to appear for Jonah to ask everything that’s on his mind? Show Notes: - Matt’s page at AEI - The Right, available now - Part 1 of Jonah and Matt’s shameless nerdfest - Buckley’s The Unmaking of a Mayor - Barry Goldwater’s The Conscience of a Conservative - Milton and Rose Friedman’s Two Lucky People - Kevin Phillips’ The Emerging Republican Majority - John Patrick Diggins’ Ronald Reagan: Fate, Freedom, and the Making of History - Stephen F. Hayward’s The Age of Reagan - Jonah: “Appetite for Power” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After providing an update on his absence this week, Jonah begins today’s Ruminant on a note of uncertainty: He hasn’t decided whether an Elon Musk Twitter takeover is something we should welcome or fear. His mind is also occupied by the idea raised by Megan McArdle that Americans are increasingly “sidestepping institutions” in their daily lives, as well as Matt Continetti’s perspective on the term “right-winger.” Plus, tune in for a predictably nerdy disquisition on populism and why an old-fashioned liberal ethos is what separates conservatism from statism. Show Notes: - The Remnant with Megan McCardle - Martin Kramer’s The War on Error - The Remnant with Michael Brendan Dougherty - Part 1 of the Remnant’s Matt Continetti nerdapalooza - Father Coughlin: Man of the left - Louis Hartz’s The Liberal Tradition in America - Seymour Martin Lipsett’s American Exceptionalism Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Remnant ascends to a higher plane of nerdom today, as Matthew Continetti returns to discuss his new book, The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism. This episode presents the first half of a two-hour conversation between Jonah and Matt, which takes us on a freewheeling journey from the ‘20s to the ‘70s. They begin by exploring whether it’s possible to provide a simple definition of conservatism before digging deeply into the evolution of the movement. What did conservatism look like before the New Deal? How did William F. Buckley Jr. shape modern politics? Is fusionism still relevant? And how should we remember figures like Richard Nixon, Calvin Coolidge, and George Wallace? All of these questions and more are addressed within. But to learn about the Reagan era onward, and to hear some of Jonah’s quibbles with the book, you’ll have to tune in next week. Show Notes: - Matthew’s page at AEI - The Right, available now - George Nash’s The Conservative Intellectual Movement in America Since 1945 - George Weaver’s Ideas Have Consequences - Russell Kirk’s The Conservative Mind - Matthew previews The Right in the Wall Street Journal - Frank Meyer’s reluctant and apologetic essay collection, What Is Conservatism? - Lionel Trilling’s The Liberal Imagination - The Remnant with Stephanie Slade - How William F. Buckley changed his mind on civil rights - Buckley’s The Unmaking of a Mayor - Barry Goldwater’s The Conscience of a Conservative Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices