The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg Government Didn’t Build This | Ruminant
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Mar 14, 2026 A fast-paced tour of energy dangers from the Strait of Hormuz and how shipping, insurance, and refining fragilities ripple into food and fertilizer supplies. A skeptical look at plans for quick regime change and why economic pain can end military campaigns. Cultural critiques on identity-based defenses, class demagoguery, and a spirited defense of Burke’s mix of sentiment and liberal commitments.
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Jonah's Oil Rig Reporting Had Bad Timing
- Jonah recounts going out on an offshore oil rig for a magazine piece and the bad timing of that being followed by the BP oil spill.
- He uses that personal experience to explain he isn't an energy expert but has done on-site reporting to learn about energy issues.
Strait Of Hormuz Is Functionally Closed
- The Strait of Hormuz disruption is de facto closed even if ships technically pass through because insurance and risk perceptions stop normal transit.
- Jonah Goldberg explains that elevated insurance risk and cascading logistics effects make shipping functionally halted, not just temporarily slowed.
Cheap Drones Turn Tankers Into High Risk Targets
- Small inexpensive weapons like drones and underwater devices can massively raise risk to tankers and make clearing the strait slow and costly.
- Goldberg notes a single $25k–$150k drone strike can cascade into halted routes because fleets and crews won't accept the risk.
