Ricochet Podcast #27: A Man of Letters
The Logo ·
Jul 29, 2010 at 2:52pm
It's one for the ages as Robinson, Long, and Lileks are joined by conservative thinker, writer, climatologist, Obama Administration Czar, and some TV game show hosting thing he does on the side, Pat Sajak. In fact, we'll skip the traditional summary and rundown this week and just say that If you've never heard Pat talk about the issues of the day, you're in for a treat. After you've heard it, come back and discuss it here.
Links from this week's show:
- Carla Bruni nails it in 35 takes. Lileks covers it at PopCrush.
- The "Daisy" commercial used to defeat Goldwater in 1964.
- Pat's server-melting global warming post on Ricochet. His complete Ricochet oeuvre here.
- The Herblock Op-Ed Cartoon Archive
- Ronald Reagan's remarks to citizens in Oshkosh, WI on 5/30/1985 (written by Peter Robinson)
- The Uncommon Knowledge episode with vintage Reagan clips
Music in this episode:
- Wake Up by Arcade Fire
- Wheel of Fortune by Dinah Washington
Direct link to the episode
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Comments :
Feb '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #27: A Man of Letters
Is Obama divisive, or we are just in a divisive age? (Discussed around 11:15). Regardless of what you think about Obama (or the president before him), we are definitely in a divisive age according to generational theory.
If you have the time, I suggest reading The Fourth Turning by Strauss and Howe, and also the Generational Dynamics website. Very interesting reading. The Generation Zero movie is also loosely based on these generational theories.
The run-down is that we are currently in an Unraveling period, where civil discourse becomes increasingly divided and bitter, and the institutions and rules of the past fall by the wayside. Generational theory doesn't give specific, precise predictions, but the broad-strokes predictions that it does make are very accurate. For example, Generational Dynamics predicted a pending major market crash as far back as 2002. In fact, Neil Howe of The Fourth Turning was bold enough to write another book entitled Generations: The History of America's Future, 1584 to 2069 (caveat: I haven't read it.)
Edited on Jul 29, 2010 at 3:28pmJun '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #27: A Man of Letters
Re: Repeal.
I have vague memories of a building at 6th and Pennsylvania N.W. known as the Interstate Commerce Commission. I only remember it for the great (and awful) soviet-style statuary in front of the building. Help me out here, but I think that agency is gone.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #27: A Man of Letters
@ 23:23 & 27:39 you referrenced the movie "The Day After." I remember watching that movie in Central America when I was in high school. My dorm parents (outspokenly leftists) at boarding school took my roommate and I to another couple's house to watch the video. Said couple had special access to movies on VHS not long after they came out on TV in the U.S.
So, we all settled down in the couple's house, in their home theater with our popcorn, lights dimmed, and prepared for the most depressing flick ever made. Wow, was that thing a downer! My roommate was very prone to mood swings. As soon as the credits and the lights came up, I could tell I was in trouble. My beloved roommate wouldn't even look anyone in the eyes. She just shuffled downstairs to the car, eyes downcast, sniffling every few steps. I couldn't even come up with a joke to lighten the mood. I knew I was going to have a long couple of weeks as I waited for the depression to lift. Thank you very much, "The Day After." You made my life hell for 2 weeks!
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #27: A Man of Letters
On trying to get rid of large government agencies and programs: what would happen, do you suppose, if the next Republican President decided not to appoint anyone to any of the appointed positions in (for example) the Department of Education? A quick look at the Department's website shows fifteen Senate-confirmable appointees, and another 135 non-Senate-confirmable appointees. Could that bureaucracy survive without its top 150 leaders?
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #27: A Man of Letters
Peter, if Americans' insurance premiums rise before November, Democrats will say that the rise is due to the unreasonable response or stonewalling of a selfish industry. For liberals like Obama or Pelosi, demonization is a gut reaction to any dissent.
Let's assume the Tea Party movement results in a landslide of conservative Congressional seats. Suppose we have an extraordinarily conservative legislative branch to play counterweight to our socialist President in 2011. How might Americans react to the most divided and motionless government in living memory? Either Republicans will give ground, or I fear the next two years will be full of anger and finger-pointing.
Obama isn't willing to set aside his liberal agenda to win votes. That does not mean he is uninterested in reelection. I disagree strongly that Obama will not seek reelection.
Pat is hilarious. There's so little time for his subtle humor on TV. I greatly enjoy his posts and insights.
All art, including pop art like television, must be compelling, rather than entertaining. It's true that many viewers want only to relax and absorb humor or excitement. But all human beings long for truth.
May '10
Re: Ricochet Podcast #27: A Man of Letters
When releasing the Kracken just isn't enough, UNLEASH THE GERGEN.
Early in talking about the old school habits of film-making, artists are the most conservative people you will ever meet when it comes to their tools, techniques, and materials. This is the only reason (nowadays) that you will never wrestle a Mac out of the hands of a graphic designer.
As for Republican repeal of anything is, please God, they regain control of either or both houses of congress, the first thing they will do is shout hooray, then set about, in no particular order: fighting over who gets the prime office space, getting new stationery printed, booking fact finding trips to trouble spots like Monaco and the Cayman Islands, holding court with lobbyists, &tc. I trust them about as far as I can throw an anvil, the best we can hope for is a slight decrease in the rate of decline.