How Sweet It Is

First, apologies to all of our faithful listeners for being 24 hours late with this edition of the Ricochet Podcast — we were felled by technical issues yesterday with the first half of the show. But this one is worth the wait: first, Original Cast Member Rob Long is back from making TV great again and has been seated in his rightful place in the host chair (from Miami Beach, no less). Then, NYT columnist Ross Douthat stops by to talk about his thoughtful new book To Change the Church: Pope Francis and the Future of Catholicism (yes, of course you should pre-order it). It’s a ruche discussion about faith, religion, and Pope Francis. Then, back to more secular matters with the always current Byron York, who brings us up to speed on the Mueller investigation,. the Omnibus spending bill, and some Stormy weather predicted for Sunday night. Uh oh.

Music from this week’s show: Melancholy Serenade  by The Jackie Gleason Orchestra

 

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There are 14 comments.

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  1. Scott Wilmot Member
    Scott Wilmot
    @ScottWilmot

    I was disappointed with the interview with Mr. Douthat. I think the use of liberal and conservative with respect to Catholics is wrong – the designation should be heterodox or orthodox, and there was too much time spent on this in my opinion. Mr. Douthat finally got to mentioning the word truth when he said the debate in this pontificate boils down to how much does truth matter or does the Church adapt to the culture. (This would have been the better answer to Mr. Long’s first question on why does the Catholic Church matter – because she contains the fullness of truth. Oh well.) Adapting to the culture will just bring us closer to the Episcopalians and one can see the rot there as described by Mr. Long.

    • #1
  2. J Ro Member
    J Ro
    @JRo

    At long last, Ricochet is making big money!

    • #2
  3. Eeyore Member
    Eeyore
    @Eeyore

    Okay, you’ve totally out-snooted me. Even the thesaurus doesn’t help. How does “a strip of pleated lace, net, muslin or other material for trimming or finishing a dress” pertain to a discussion of faith, religion and Pope Francis.

    BTW, Rob looks like “Why am I just on the Trillion Dollar bill. I should be on the Quadrillion Dollar bill.”

    • #3
  4. SParker Member
    SParker
    @SParker

    Peter,

    You’re conflating Hamilton’s “a well-managed national debt is a blessing”* with the US banking system, which was long notable for way too many banks, most of them way undercapitalized.  There was some hope in the 80s and 90s that reforms would lead to better banking days, which is pretty funny in retrospect.  Somehow the banks have always figured out a novel way to screw themselves every 5 t0 10 years throughout our history.  We’re probably due.

     

    *Great Britain was the model (see The Sinews of Power).  Compare France at same period.  In a specie-strapped country like the early US, reasonably sound government bonds have the additional benefit of being useful as a form of money.

    • #4
  5. Mister Dog Coolidge
    Mister Dog
    @MisterDog

    Did I hear that Byron York is going to be doing a podcast on Ricochet? I’m looking forward to that. 

    • #5
  6. Freesmith Member
    Freesmith
    @

    How do you defeat a “Blue Wave?” To change the metaphor, how do you fight a “Blue Conflagration?”

    You fight fire either by dousing the flames – unlikely if the cause of the fire is the person of Donald Trump more than any actual policy – or with fire, by igniting your own side and fanning the flames in the opposite direction.

    PA-18 was a textbook example of the wrong approach, and one that portends disaster for the Stupid Party.

    The national Republican Party and its Washington-based allies funded and ran the empty-pocket Saccone campaign. As a result, PA-18 got a generic GOP effort – praise for tax cuts coupled with bad photographs of Nancy Pelosi. Call it “The Romney/Ryan/Jeb Campaign.”

    That might have worked in a presidential year, when turnout is higher; but in a special election, as in a mid-term, participation is generally much lower, which puts a premium on the side with the energy – the Out Party – especially in this year of Democratic derangement over Trump. After all, this year which is the party that wants to “take their country back?”

    Trump himself isn’t enough. Trump enthuses the base to vote – for Trump. As with Roy Moore, Trump can’t make a dry-ball like Ric Saccone exciting enough.

    Reducing legal immigration, defunding sanctuary cities, mandatory E-Verify, Official English, immediate funding for the border wall, tariffs, a tax on remittances and an end to the failed policy of Affirmative Action are the policies that would have charged up the electorate in this 94% white district and drawn clear differences with the gun-owning military veteran Conor Lamb.

    That’s why they call them “wedge issues,” dummy.

    Unfortunately, those are the very policies the national GOP abhors in service to their donors – excuse me, in service to the principles of Classical Liberalism.

    The PA-18 result is the template for what looks likely to happen now that the national Republicans have completed their assigned tasks of lowering corporate taxes, deregulating corporate operations and continuing the supply of cheap foreign labor into the US. The battle to maintain “free trade,” which was the only thing that scores of Republican office-holders objected to losing when Trump first mentioned tariffs, will now occupy the GOP’s efforts in the remaining nine months they have to enjoy as a majority.

    • #6
  7. Blue Yeti Admin
    Blue Yeti
    @BlueYeti

    Mister Dog (View Comment):

    Did I hear that Byron York is going to be doing a podcast on Ricochet? I’m looking forward to that.

    You did and he is. 

    • #7
  8. EHerring Coolidge
    EHerring
    @EHerring

    Re Rob’s comment about Miami. I had two assignments to Homestead AFB (pre Andrew) and loved it. I often told people I couldn’t tell if I was watching the 10PM news or Miami Vice. Calle Ocho has great restaurants. I preferred Versailles Restaurant and Sandwich Shop. I have a funny story to tell when I am not typing on this little cell phone. 

    • #8
  9. I Walton Member
    I Walton
    @IWalton

    Peter comes closest to nailing the Latino/Miami question,  Spanish and French influence.   Spanish  mercantilism e.g. central control from Spain then Mexico and subsequently the capitals which restrained and prevented  legal entrepreneurial initiative.   This pre enlightenment history was followed with the top down man made napoleonic code in which everything is illegal unless made legal.  Contrasted with the bottom up emergent system of common law in which everything is legal unless made illegal.  To add a jab at progressives these things left rigid administrative states.  Democrats are trying to create such institutions in the US and that is at the heart of our political battles and is an existential threat to the legal structure and other institutional realities that make Miami into  an exciting place using the same human material that is so often stultified at their southern  homes.

    • #9
  10. Fresch Fisch Coolidge
    Fresch Fisch
    @FreschFisch

    Last year I saw Ross debate Cornel West at the University of St Thomas in St Paul MN.

    Start watching at the 56 minute mark until the end.  Bravo!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ms9obEytiM

     

     

     

    • #10
  11. Bishop Wash Member
    Bishop Wash
    @BishopWash

    Scott Wilmot (View Comment):
    Adapting to the culture will just bring us closer to the Episcopalians and one can see the rot there as described by Mr. Long.

    I knew the Episcopalians were dwindling in America, but it was still shocking hearing Rob describe his church. They’ve become the world and yet the world doesn’t want to have anything to do with them. At the same time, people wanting a Biblical message are turned away too.

    • #11
  12. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    @blueyeti Does the description of this “episode” mean that there was a partial “episode” recorded the previous day, that we don’t get to hear?  Or did that somehow become the first part of THIS “episode?”

    • #12
  13. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    p.s.  @jameslileks looks like a lower-ranking Centauri in this podcast’s “photo.”  :-)

    Almost like a Minbari, but more like a Centauri.

     

     

     

    I wonder how many people will understand that reference.

     

    • #13
  14. Blue Yeti Admin
    Blue Yeti
    @BlueYeti

    kedavis (View Comment):

    @blueyeti Does the description of this “episode” mean that there was a partial “episode” recorded the previous day, that we don’t get to hear? Or did that somehow become the first part of THIS “episode?”

    The first 35 minutes of the original show had to be re-recorded because of a technical issue. Thanks to the guys and Ross for saving my butt. 

    • #14
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