The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg

It’s Christmas Eve, and what’s more germane to the holiday season than some lengthy rambling about authoritarianism? Of course, today’s Ruminant is a little more nuanced than that. It also digs into how political states emerge in the first place, why Russia is becoming a “really crappy” country, and how to distinguish between valid criticism of American foreign policy toward Ukraine and toadying to Vladimir Putin. On the lighter side, Jonah also answers a few questions that arose after the week’s earlier episode with the Fair Jessica. We wish you all a wonderful holiday!Show Notes:- The Fair Jessica’s Remnant return- Zelensky’s speech to Congress- Julia Davis’ Russian Media Monitor- Jonah: “Authoritarianism’s Bad Year”- Francis Fukuyama’s The Origins of Political Order- How Putin’s war became a catastrophe for Russia Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s Remnant, Jonah’s esteemed wife and bear skeptic, Jessica Gavora (aka the Fair Jessica), makes her highly anticipated return. The two JGs explore some more nerdish topics than last time, including what it takes to be a successful ghostwriter, how the right changed during the Trump years, and what it’s like writing speeches for prominent politicians. They also touch on a few personal subjects, including memories of Jonah’s mom, the recent trip to Istanbul, and Jessica’s current book project (she needs your help!). Plus, stick around until the end to hear Jessica make her best case against human-bear interaction.Show Notes:- The Fair Jessica’s first Remnant appearance- Betsy DeVos’ Hostages No More- Hugh Hewitt: “The ‘Agnew Option’ could be a way out for Trump — and America”- The Fair Jessica’s Tilting the Playing Field: Schools, Sports, Sex and Title IX Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During his wild European vacation last week, Jonah didn’t follow the news too closely. To catch himself up, he invites The Dispatch’s own Andrew Egger back to the Remnant for some intensely rank punditry. Together, they explore the biggest and strangest stories currently unfolding in politics, including Kevin McCarthy’s bid for House speaker, Ron DeSantis’ attack on vaccines, and Donald Trump’s criminal referral. Plus, they offer some musings on the 2024 election and the horrors of Trump trading cards. Show Notes:- Andrew: “Trump 2024’s Terrible Start”- Andrew: “Ron DeSantis Gambles on Vaccine Grievance”- The Morning Dispatch: “The January 6th Committee’s Last Hurrah”- Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene go to war- Trump NFTs Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With Jonah off on a clandestine mission to Turkey, Chris Stirewalt takes his place in the Remnant captain’s chair for a wonktastic dive into American demography. His guest is Dr. Richard Alba, a sociologist and the author of The Great Demographic Illusion: Majority, Minority, and the Expanding American Mainstream, which explores America’s changing racial makeup and the increasing prevalence of Americans born from mixed families. Their discussion touches on a number of pressing questions. Can we rely on Census data? What does assimilation mean in America today? And how can we create more opportunities for young Americans to move into? Show Notes:- Dr. Alba’s page at CUNY- Dr. Alba’s The Great Demographic Illusion- Chris: “America’s No-Majority Future Is Going to be Delicious”- Dr. Alba: “The Truth About White America”- Dr. Alba: “The Myth of a Majority-Minority America”- The Remnant with Ruy Teixeira Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dedicated Remnant listeners may recall that in 2019, Jonah stopped by the headquarters of the Illinois Policy Institute to record a special, Chicago-centric episode. On his recent voyage to the Windy City, Jonah returned to the institute to record a follow-up with its president, Matt Paprocki. Together, they discuss the challenges facing Chicago, how conservatives can win Illinois, and what policies should be pursued to lift people out of poverty. Tune in for the wonkery, but stick around to find out how many obscure nicknames for Chicago are lodged in Jonah’s brain.Show Notes:- The Illinois Policy Institute- Matt’s page at IPI- Matt’s Substack- Michael Madigan’s scandals- The Remnant with Arthur Brooks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today’s Ruminant, recorded live from an undisclosed hotel in the depths of Chicago, finds Jonah even more scatterbrained than usual. Although he begins by discussing the nature of the First Amendment and why Twitter isn’t at the heart and soul of American democracy, he quickly abandons rank punditry and veers in a radically different direction. With a vacation in Istanbul coming up, Jonah tells the long, strange tale of his first visit to the city, which may or may not evoke comparisons to Midnight Express. It’s an unconventional episode, but don’t say you weren’t warned. Show Notes:- Bari Weiss’ “Twitter Files”- David French: “Elon Musk and Tucker Carlson Don’t Understand the First Amendment”- Christian Schneider: “Does Nobody Understand How the First Amendment Works?”- The Remnant with Scott Lincicome- The Remnant with Jonathan Rauch- Charlie Cooke and Michael Brendan Dougherty debate Republican electability Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jonathan Rauch, beloved scholar at the otherwise hated Brookings Institution, returns to the Remnant for some spirited kvetching about primaries, polarization, and the state of democracy. He and Jonah also mix in some ruminations on the Republican Party’s dysfunction, the nature of racism in contemporary American society, and how identity politics radicalizes people. Be ready with your bingo cards.Show Notes:- Jonathan’s page at Brookings- Jonathan’s previous Remnant appearance- Jonathan’s latest book, The Constitution of Knowledge- Jonathan and Ray La Raja: “Too Much Democracy Is Bad for Democracy”- “Toward a More Responsible Two Party System”- Elaine Kamarck: “Is democracy failing and putting our economic system at risk?” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Heroic wonksplainer Scott Lincicome is back on the Remnant to discuss his new book, Empowering the American Worker: Market‐​Based Solutions for Today’s Workforce, which examines what effective pro-worker policies should look like in today’s political climate. Predictably, things get nerdy, as the conversation explores education policy, the demands of urban living, and the great vampire-werewolf debate (tune in for clarification). Where is the government going wrong in its approach to the workforce? Can relying on the free market ever create problems? And how bullish should we be about remote work?Show Notes:- Scott’s newsletter, Capitolism- Scott’s new book, Empowering the American Worker- Scott previews the book in The Dispatch- The Remnant with Russ Roberts- Ryan Streeter: “Place and the Pursuit of Happiness, Upward Mobility and the American Dream” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Finally on the verge of overcoming his lingering COVID symptoms, Jonah approaches today’s rambly Ruminant with renewed verve. After tackling the strangeness of Elon Musk’s Twitter reign and the freakishness of Kanye West, he explores how Trumpification has changed the right and what sane Republicans can do to move forward. From there, things get philosophical, as Jonah examines the nature of ethical universals and what specifically is immoral about authoritarian regimes. Finally, things conclude with some sweet, nourishing dog content.Show Notes:- The Wednesday G-File- Election denial in Cochise County- Newt Gingrich: “Quit Underestimating President Biden”- The Economist’s Drum Tower podcast- The Remnant with Alexandra Horowitz- Jonah: “Mau-Mauing the Dogcatcher” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s been a while since the Remnant featured a dog expert, but today, Dr. Alexandra Horowitz—a professor at Barnard College of Columbia University—joins the program to fill that void. Some seriously rank cynology ensues, as Jonah and Alexandra explore everything you could ever want to know about canine cognition. Do dogs have a unique friendship with humans, or are they just social parasites? Why do dogs react in different ways to different people? And are dog shows a stain on mankind?Show Notes:- Alexandra’s webpage- Alexandra’s new book, The Year of the Puppy- Alexandra’s previous books: Inside of a Dog- Being a Dog- And Our Dogs, Ourselves- Alexandra: “What Does it Feel Like to Be a Dog?”- The Remnant with Michael H. Parsons (rat guy)- The world’s smartest dog Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices