The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg

On today’s Ruminant, Jonah once again finds himself agitated by a veritable cornucopia of asininities. From the idea that every problem in San Francisco can be blamed on COVID to our embarrassing balloon response, no topic is safe from his ire. Can every problem be blamed on late-stage capitalism? What is the difference between good politics and good policy? And how should the Remnant advertise itself to the outside world?Show Notes:- The Daily’s episode on San Francisco- Anastasia Tsioulcasa: “An artist's 'Healing Project,' focused on incarceration and violence, wins $1 million”- The Commentary Podcast- What the heck is F Troop?- “It is balloon” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the wake of 2023’s raucous State of the Union address, Jonah invites Noah Rothman back to the Remnant for some obscenely rank punditry on a host of hot topics. They begin by exploring what we should make of Biden’s speech, and whether the rowdy atmosphere that accompanied it was actually a good thing, before turning to issues foreign and domestic. How does Biden look as a 2024 candidate given his age? Does the GOP have anything to offer the electorate? Why did it take so long to pop China’s pesky balloon? And could that floating middle finger be the Sputnik moment America needs?Show Notes:- Noah’s page at Commentary- Noah’s latest book, The Rise of the New Puritans- Noah’s previous book, Unjust- Noah’s previous Remnant appearance- Kevin Williamson: “Joe Biden as Priest-King”- Jonah: “Advice for Biden: Be Like Ike”-  A deflated Commentary Podcast- The Remnant with Dalibor Rohac Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AEI Senior Fellow Dalibor Rohac makes his Remnant debut in today’s outrageously wonky discussion of Eastern Europe. In light of the ongoing war in Ukraine, the conversation covers America’s foreign policy debate, Germany’s continued weirdness, and the European Union’s role in modern geopolitics. Will peace require a resounding Russian defeat? Can more can be done to support Ukraine’s defense? And what will a postwar Europe look like?Show Notes:- AEI’s The Eastern Front podcast- Dr. Rohac’s page at AEI- Dr. Rohac: “Dnipro Slaughter Shows Depths of Putin’s Depravity Against Ukraine”- Dr. Rohac: “Fuss over Ukraine Tanks Shows the World Has No Substitute for America’s Defense Industry”- Dr. Rohac: “How We Get Europe to Ensure Ukraine’s Post-War Success”-The Telegraph’s Ukraine: The Latest podcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s Ruminant, unencumbered by any pretension to organization, Jonah waxes eloquent on everything from the spy balloon over Montana to the breakdown of organized religion. After beginning with a dive into the rhetoric surrounding the war in Ukraine, he directs his ire towards the cult of victimhood that seems to dominate public life. Stick around for a particularly eggheadish discussion on the nature of policing, American racial progress, and why individual choice matters.Show Notes:-Telegraph’s Ukraine: The Latest podcast-The Guardian: Burning of Qur’an in Stockholm funded by journalist with Kremlin ties-Jonah’s 1995 Public Interest article-James Burnham’s Suicide of the West-Jonah: “The Race to Racism” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John Podhoretz makes his triumphant return to the Remnant for a characteristically freewheeling discussion covering everything from Israeli politics to the classified document scandals. Who isn’t hoarding a classified document or two nowadays? What’s going on with Israel’s judiciary? How is the GOP doing? Will Joe Biden run in 2024? And is it ever appropriate to sing the Felix the Cat theme song? Be prepared to have it lodged in your brain. Show Notes:- GLoP, the pop culture podcast America deserves- John’s author page at Commentary- FBI search of Biden’s beach house- The Felix the Cat theme song- The Remnant with A.B. Stoddard Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an attempt to overcome the trauma that developed after his recent visit to Portland, Jonah invites the prolific author and journalist Nancy Rommelmann onto the Remnant for the first time to explore how the city descended into something resembling Escape from New York. They discuss when Portland’s decline began, whether it can fairly be compared to the New York of the 1970s and ‘80s, and whether these problems will be fixed anytime soon. And shockingly enough, no references to The Warriors are included.Show Notes:- Nancy’s Substack, Make More Pie- Nancy’s page at Reason- Nancy’s podcast, Smoke ‘Em If You Got ‘Em- Jonah: “A Pox Upon Portland”- Nancy: “The Dream of the ‘90s Died in Portland”- Nancy: “Is Portland the new Neverland?”- Nancy: “A Murder in Portland”- Nancy: “You’re Not Allowed to Film”- Tom Wolfe: “The Great Relearning”- An exhibitionistic GLoP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah’s eggheadery reaches a new extreme on today’s rambly Ruminant, which may leave you dreaming of the end times. After beginning with some brief thoughts on Biden’s document escapade and when it’s appropriate for the government to declassify information, he turns to a melange of nerdishly complicated questions. Is it the end of the world as we know it? How did the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists blind us with science? Do Irving Kristol’s objections to capitalism have merit? And are Cheez-Its the ultimate snack food?Show Notes:- Jonah “moderates” the Dispatch Podcast- The Economist’s The Intelligence podcast- Daniel Patrick Moynihan’s Secrecy- The Remnant with Bruce Caldwell- Irving Kristol: “When Virtue Loses All Her Loveliness” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonah makes an unexpected return to the AEI studio for another in-person Remnant, this time featuring Keith Whittington, beloved egghead and Princeton political scientist. A deep dive ensues into America’s unique preoccupation with free speech and the nature of academic freedom, which raises a number of pertinent questions. How concerned should we be about the state of free speech on college campuses? What are some common misconceptions about academic freedom? And what should we make of Ron DeSantis’ approach to these issues? Those feeling free and expressive are particularly encouraged to tune in.Show Notes:- Keith’s page at Princeton- Keith: “Hamline Takes Quashing Academic Freedom to a Whole New Level”- Keith: “Academic Freedom for Whom?”- Nathan Glazer: “What Happened at Berkeley”- From the New College of Florida to DeSantis U? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In what may be one of the most brazenly nerdy Remnant episodes ever recorded (which is really saying a lot) Duke University’s Bruce Caldwell joins the program to discuss the life and work of Friedrich Hayek. Dr. Caldwell, the pope of Hayekian geekdom, recently published the first installment of a two volume biography of the famed economist. Guided by Jonah’s gleeful prompting, he explores how Hayek rose to international prominence, what he was like as a man, and how we should view his great works today. If you woke up feeling all Austrian this morning, it’s a must listen.Show Notes:- Dr. Caldwell’s page at Duke- Dr. Caldwell’s new book, Hayek: A Life, 1899–1950 - Dr. Caldwell’s intellectual biography of Hayek, Hayek’s Challenge- Hayek: “The Intellectuals and Socialism”- Hayek: “The Use of Knowledge in Society”- Dr. Caldwell on -Political Economy with Jim Pethokoukis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s annoyingly whispered Ruminant comes to you live from Portland, where Jonah’s on a clandestine mission with his wife. Unfortunately, the city doesn’t seem to be doing so well, which prompts him to begin with a lengthy diatribe on urban decay, the crisis of homelessness in America’s cities, and what’s specifically wrong with Portland. Stick around afterward for some thoughts on Davos and the economic elite, and a rambling digression about the enduring relevance of Liberal Fascism.Show Notes:- Jonah: “One, Maybe Two, Cheers for Partisanship”- The LA Times on Portland’s homeless problem- The Remnant with Jim Pethokoukis- Philip Coupland: “H.G. Wells's 'Liberal Fascism'”- Jonah: “Bellamy’s Children” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices