Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Flyover Country, Episode 62 – The Conservative Radicals
We are joined this week by Ricochet member @robertmcreynolds for discussion on the latest developments in the 2016 election, plus our expectations and hopes for the future of conservatism.
Opening includes music from Ronald Jenkees; closing song is Fiona Apple.
Published in Podcasts
Ryan, there seems to be no link to the podcast.
Max has repeatedly shown him how to do it, but still success evades him.
You can go here for now.
Two uncontroversial member guests in a row. Stop humanizing the people we like to caricature!
Fixed.
This is messing with my head – Robert and I agree on way more than I ever expected. Yet another reason to remember that as rancorous and things can get around here – we’re all allies in the end.
Part of the conversation reminded me of my recent quote of the day.
http://ricochet.com/378921/quote-of-the-day-october-9-2016/
Always a good podcast guys.
Unfortunately, it requires backdoor access, and in spite of the public demand*, I am still largely** powerless at Ricochet.
*(there is no public demand)
**entirely powerless
No it doesn’t.
Actually Terry and Ryan should read Kimberly Strassel’s The Intimidation Game, and read about what they did to conservative supporters of Scott Walker, in Wisconsin. Also what the police did during hurricane Katrina when the cops were taking people’s guns away. Our government is completely capable to tyrannical overreach and violence against the citizens
also if you have Troy Senik’s ear can you pleas ask him to ask the Law Talk guys to explain how gag orders are legal? Because they were used in Wisconsin and also being used against the FBI agents involved in Hillary Clinton’s email investigation, as per Ed Klein
There are 300 million+ guns in this country and 100 million gun owners or so.
The notion that the Second Amendment could be “overturned” by the Supreme Court without serious consequence is… interesting? Look: the left aren’t stupid. They recognize what would happen if they attempted such a thing and their appetite for such conflict is unlikely to be as strong as Robert thinks.
Where I depart from Robert is his apocalyptic visions. He’s very articulate in his argument for them but I think I agree with Terry and Ryan on the social safeguards that would prevent many of this list of horribles from coming to pass.
I reacted with horrification to much of what I read about what happened in Wisconsin… but then it sort of died away, didn’t it? It does seem like that level of prosecutorial or government overreach, as in the direct targeting of conservatives (or if it happened to liberals or to anyone else) should be a huge story, with legislators proposing bills to hold individuals accountable, etc… Have you read any sort of follow-up to that story? That, along with the Lois Lerner stuff, should be put front and center (a guy like Donald Trump really could spend time talking about it during a debate and probably get people’s attention).
Yup. Millennialism sells though.
I just get the impression that the same people saying this stuff now are going to be back biting at the apple again in 4 years telling us that the apocalypse is really coming this time and it’s almost here. Is there any rhetorical excess they won’t employ?
It makes me wonder what being married to such a person would be like: “Dammit! This is the last time I’m saying it! If you don’t make those mashed potatoes from real potatoes next time I’m really going to run down the the store and buy some from the deli! They put fascist gelatin in the store potatoes that converts everybody into a slack-jawed leftist. Do you want that? Huh!?! Do you?”
Take a Xanax. Or 6.
Hahaha – I will admit to a feeling in 2008 that all was lost; then again in 2012, where supreme court justices were on the line, all was lost… I don’t disregard the Scalia vacancy and the argument that this election is actually uniquely special for that reason, but I do hesitate to attribute that much power to the supreme court. It would help if conservative politicians were more vocal about that, though.
I’d love a constitutional amendment that flatly removes substantive due process, and another that clarifies the commerce clause. These that essentially transform our constitution from reluctantly enabling a powerless government to occasionally limiting an omnipotent one.
Such a great podcast guys, I’ve always leaned much more to Robert’s side and mostly agreed with his posts and comments. I would like to add a little something about a problem with Americans in general. We take our freedom for granted and just think it is the norm and will never go away. I just left Hungary (former communist country) and have been traveling with a Latvian colleague (who grew up at the end of communism there). Her stories and the damage communism did to a wonderful country like Hungary which is working to modernize, but has the rements of first Nazi then communist occupation for 45 years, have really made me appreciate freedom and America.
We have so much in this country and too many want to toss it away for, I don’t know, kudos from the media or likes on Facebook by other clueless leftists. Freedom, liberty and the faith a society needs to cultivate those values to sustain liberty need to be promoted in our society because it is sorely lacking in our current culture and it’s only way to preserve liberty, because if we don’t we will lose it. It has happened before
Robert’s idea at the end about civil disobedience of ridiculous laws is a good one – very much in line with Charles Murrays idea to create a cartel to insure businesses against the cost of noncompliance with regulations. It would require two things to really work: 1) a compliant media willing to report on such things and 2) sufficiently sympathetic victims. Luckily millennials for all their faults are very anti-regulation when it harshes their buzz – one need only look at the way they fight regulation against things like Uber or AirBnB – there is hope if conservatives are willing to seize it.
I think a long term strategy has to work within the culture from the ground up starting with education but branching out into media. There is no reason why conservatives can’t go into the creative professions. There’s no reason why 15 years from now Star Wars Episode XXII can’t be directed by a conservative and contain subtle conservative themes (subtlety is important – turning Star Wars into God Is Not Dead III would be disastrous). Look at things like Babylon Bee – a very funny website that is staunchly conservative in its religious outlook but also very much willing to poke fun at its own culture. We need more of that and less talk radio blowhards preaching to an ever dwindling group of people.
To be fair, fake mashed potatoes are one of the worst things ever…
On the subject of apocalyptic predictions, this is my prediction (since you were so curious but forgot to ask, @ryanm):
illegaldoubleplus ungood to even think against The Narrative thanks to new technology implanted in our brains.@juliesnapp, the Benedict option would help with this. Break away from the government, effectively, and focus on rebuilding strong communities with people populated by like minded liberty, loving individuals.
Montana needs a better economy. I’ve kept my law license there for the past 8 years, but it’s so hard to get back.
I don’t know. I’d say the primary problem with substantive due process is the exclusion of economic rights from the list of those deemed fundamental. Returning the Commerce Clause to its proper role would largely solve that problem relative to the federal government, but not the states.
On its face substantive due process is actually a good check on the tyranny of the majority – the problem is more in how it has been implemented via case law.
Well, another civil thoughtful podcast which provides hope for a post-election Ricochet (and just maybe a conservative) detente … until the civil war begins.
Agree with Robert on the dire consequences of a radical leftist retooling of SCOTUS. Does anyone think SCOTUS would attempt something preposterous like an attempt to “overturn” the Second Amendment? They will in quick order reverse Heller, establish the amendment strictly along “well regulated militia” lines, permit executive department classification of guns, welcome the involvement of HHS regulation and ratify the constitutionality of the most absurd proximate liability for everyone involved in the gun industry.
On education matters, Ryan’s hopes will be quickly dashed by federal regulation of state curricula, the overturning of Milliken and the opening of the entire progressive Pandora’s box, and SCOTUS decision that any voucher funds passed through to any sectarian school violates the 1st Amendment. Wouldn’t surprise me to see Department of Education and federal courts intervene to define and enforce vague state constitution “guarantees” re education.
Robert’s points about right-to-work laws are very well taken, though here I’d forecast that is just the taking of the beach on employment law; many battles to be lost after that.
A few questions for fellow Ricochetti:
Does anyone think Anthony Kennedy, when no longer the decisive vote, sticks it out through a Hillary presidency on account of any residual GOP loyalty?
Do we see a level of activism by SCOTUS before the Senate map opens up for the GOP in 2018?
If we can hold the Senate, might we see counter-Borking, counter-Ginsburging (ah, what a loss). Hell, they even Rehnquisted!
Finally, any appetite amongst conservatives if SCOTUS becomes radicalizing for actually exercising the explicit Constitutional right to remove entire areas of law from SCOTUS appellate review?
If not, I am afraid it’s over.
And if we follow Robert’s advice to treat the police as just another abusive government outfit, what happens to Terry’s contention that the police will never fall into line with liberal fascism?
That’s why its a creep creep creep yet the goal is handguns(as stated by Her and her daughter). Register first and incrementally disarm. There are some who are actually stupid enough to try it despite your obvious logic.
Again I had a great time and would love to do it again.
I have been flirting with Rothbard lately so that might explain things.
Just remember, never go full Rothbard.
You should come back! It’s pretty awesome here!
Like Amish people?