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When Barack Obama is doing comedy and the men of GLoP are doing some heavy weight social commentary (at least on this podcast), we’re through the looking glass, people. But that’s where we find ourselves as this week, Jonah, John, and Rob take on the President’s comedy chops, hipsters and the political conundrum they find themselves in, why a conversation on contraception is an exercise in futility, why liberals provide the best argument against liberalism, and a GLoP tribute to the late, great Harold Ramis. Also, as depicted above, Zoë the Wonder Dog makes her podcast debut.
Ironically, EJHill.
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John is right to the extent that Republicans and conservative show hosts are fools to have been suckered into the “War on Women” debate, rather than treating it like the strategic distraction it was and ignoring it. But he could have at least acknowledged that the impetus of those debates came from Democrats, journalists and liberal entertainers. The problem was not that people with negative opinions of contraception participated in debates, but that they allowed themselves to be lured into an obvious political trap.
Republicans must learn to recognize and counter the Left’s attempts at misdirection and control of the public’s focus. But there’s no evidence that Republicans have learned from their mistakes, so expect another round of nonsense to dominate the next political cycle.
Just because a candidate has a firm stance on a particular issue doesn’t mean he should always be willing to answer questions on that topic. When a journalist tries to trap you, point out the trap to viewers. Don’t answer, and explain why you won’t answer.
I second Aaron, but I’ll add something provocative.
Most Catholics make a distinction between what we think about social issues (especially contraception) and whether the law should ban them. When the issue is abortion, we think the law should outlaw it anyway. When it comes to something like divorce, we Christians think that promoting the permanence of marriage is both a religious belief but also a demonstrably smart social policy. When it comes to contraception, whatever its role in morality, no one thinks the state should ban it.
However, those distinctions were (and continue to be) blurred, precisely to paint with a ridiculously broad brush.
That blurring came not only from Democrat and leftists politicians, but frankly, from plenty of “friends” on the right, who took the opportunity to blur those distinctions so they could assure voters that … you know, really, we all have crazy uncles in our family … don’t pay any attention to those religious people. Then they turn and “advise” religious people to just shut up and go along, so we can win votes.
So I propose a deal with moderates. We can get smarter about avoiding traps, but please don’t help set them up.
I’m with Aaron, too.
Although, maybe I totally missed this controversy, but I thought the big contraception argument come election time wasn’t Rick Santorum but Sandra Fluke-Rush Limbaugh-Little Sisters of the Poor. And the problem there wasn’t conservatives opposing contraception on principle, it was liberals wanting to force conservatives to pay for rich white single women’s birth control. And if we’re not allowed to oppose that without being called out by John Podhoretz, an Andie McDowell fan for pete’s sake, then we’re basically not allowed to oppose anything. And anyway I thought even the most socially liberal RINO squishes thought the Little Sisters case was great ‘optics’ against Dems.
By the way, John did begin the podcast lamenting the “nihilist” youth who no longer believe in family, God, or any institutions at all, so maybe the so-cons he dislikes are reacting to that youth and trying to reach the culture, ineffective as they may be, rather than just focusing like a laser on the economy. I don’t think it’s that clear cut a case that the huge economic problems necessarily dwarf the huge cultural problems…
It is worth noting that Rick Santorum has ad naseum made the exact distinction KC Mulville notes in the above post. He holds certain positions on contraceptives, etc… but would not legislate it.
I recall the contraception issue during one of the early Republican primary debates. That’s where it wasfirst telegraphed as a topic. George Stephanopolous (sp) asked Mitt Romney the question. Romney was utterly perplexed that it was even asked.
In John’s defense on the podcast, he concedes that there is an argument that there have been costs to the mass use of contraception and these include an oversexualized culture and decline of the family as the central unit of society, linking it back implicitly to the commentary on the millennials discussion and their de-institutionalized worldviews.
Can’t he help our side and encourage demoralized social cons by aiming his mockery at those who get hysterical over the thought that grown women might have to go on buying their own birth control rather than having it paid for by Catholic nuns?
The conservative answer to federal aggressions against moral values is “back off, feds!”, not “shut up, Christians!” ·5 hours ago
Edited 5 hours ago
Amen
Actually, the jury found Lindy Chamberlain guilty of the murder of her daughter, Azaria. She served several years in prison until doubt was cast on some of the forensic evidence and some of the child’s clothing was found.
BBC did a Witness podcast on the Dingo Baby trial a couple of years ago. Fascinating and tragic.
Can’t he help our side and encourage demoralized social cons by aiming his mockery at those who get hysterical over the thought that grown women might have to go on buying their own birth control rather than having it paid for by Catholic nuns?
The conservative answer to federal aggressions against moral values is “back off, feds!”, not “shut up, Christians!” ·5 hours ago
Edited 5 hours ago
Amen ·50 minutes ago
And another “Amen!”
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Jonah, I suspect you will find a few more friendly faces at Miami U than you think. Happy debating!
All the more reason he should refraining from characterizing us as lunatics.
On hispters.. It is my understanding that the movement was started highhandedly by Gavin McIness, by featuring the Dos and Don’ts in Vice magazine…
And he is conservative.
I found John Podoretz’s sneering condescension toward social cons utterly dismaying. Must he agree with the left in characterizing us as “lunatic”? Can’t he acknowledge that the contraception issue was raised (as Adrian pointed out) by Sandra Fluke and Obamacare, not Rick Santorum?
Can’t he help our side and encourage demoralized social cons by aiming his mockery at those who get hysterical over the thought that grown women might have to go on buying their own birth control rather than having it paid for by Catholic nuns?
The conservative answer to federal aggressions against moral values is “back off, feds!”, not “shut up, Christians!”
And instead of backing him up, people on our side panic. “OMG! He mentioned contraception! What a lunatic! Now we’re doomed!”
The only reason Santorum, Cain and Trump were given several days in the sun was because so many of us knew Thurston Howell III was a certified loser and we wanted Mitch Daniels or someone like him to jump in. And I do agree Podhoretz is a little too hard on the right wingers for getting baited by the MSM into these controversies – for every anti-contraception zealot on our side there is a pro reverse discrimination advocate on the Democrat side that is never put on the spot by interviewers.
– for every anti-contraception zealot on our side there is a pro reverse discrimination advocate on the Democrat side that is never put on the spot by interviewers.
I’ve never come across an anti contraception zealot on our side. Can you name one, and provide evidence of their zealotry?
I’d prefer that the GLoP podcast not feature politics (much.) Almost all of the other podcasts here are politics-heavy, and I enjoy this one because it engages things other than politics that the dudes can be funny about.
Does anyone else agree?
– for every anti-contraception zealot on our side there is a pro reverse discrimination advocate on the Democrat side that is never put on the spot by interviewers.
I’ve never come across an anti contraception zealot on our side. Can you name one, and provide evidence of their zealotry? ·30 minutes ago
Huckabee, who I admire a lot, Santorum, mentioned above, and the clowns that lost us Senate seats in Indiana and Missouri. Foster Freeze[?sp] who gave an asinine interview to Andrea Mitchell. I could go on, but these are the main offenders.
Does anyone else agree? ·5 minutes ago
GLoP is 90% of the reason I am a Ricochet member. We need more podcasts! And I like the cultural analysis but don’t mind a amount of politics included, that’s just me – I’m a politics junkie.
Katievs FTW
Does anyone else agree? ·1 hour ago
Thumbs up
And a third Amen! I was infuriated after listening to John’s rant and wanted to come here to vent but Katie and others have done it better than I could have. John was way off base and knew he would take some heat for this and he has – thanks to Katie, Aaron, Adrian, Benjamin and KC.
Can’t he help our side and encourage demoralized social cons by aiming his mockery at those who get hysterical over the thought that grown women might have to go on buying their own birth control rather than having it paid for by Catholic nuns?
The conservative answer to federal aggressions against moral values is “back off, feds!”, not “shut up, Christians!” ·5 hours ago
Edited 5 hours ago
Amen ·50 minutes ago
And another “Amen!” ·22 hours ago
I think this reinforces the old adage: win or lose, liberals write the history. Especially if they lose.
John Podhoretz’s take on that whole aspect of the 2012 election is exactly what the liberals peddled.
It strains credulity that Stephanopoulos would ask Romney a question in a GOP debate about contraception in early January 2012, which was completely out of left field … until the HHS mandate requiring plans to pay for contraception came out later that month; followed by Sandra Fluke’s testimony before Democrats in Congress (remember, this “hearing” wasn’t an official Congressional hearing – the Democrats staged it because Fluke wasn’t allowed to testify before the full committee). The whole episode was an orchestrated and calculated political stunt – knowing full well that gullible people will fall for it.
So it’s a little frustrating that John Podhoretz, theoretically a leader of the conservative perspective, has now completely fallen for the fraud. He’s even chastising fellow conservatives as “lunatics” for “pushing contraception.” The Democrats couldn’t have asked for a more useful stooge.
I was really disappointed by that because I normally enjoy John’s conversation.
Talking about it gets my women friends absolutely riled up and and saying the Republicans are men telling women what to do with their bodies.
I am not Catholic so, to me, going on about contraceptives, rape, abortion, pre-marital bodily functions is alien stuff . Any man who speaks about it just loses me. Ricochet has educated me about it from a Catholic view – but I am not Catholic. That topic for a national political election campaign just seems completely irrelevant and weird to a non-Catholic.
It strains credulity that Stephanopoulos would ask Romney a question in a GOP debate about contraception in early January 2012, which was completely out of left field … until the HHS mandate requiring plans to pay for contraception came out later that month; followed by Sandra Fluke’s testimony before Democrats in Congress (remember, this “hearing” wasn’t an official Congressional hearing – the Democrats staged it because Fluke wasn’t allowed to testify before the full committee). The whole episode was an orchestrated and calculated political stunt – knowing full well that gullible people will fall for it.
So it’s a little frustrating that John Podhoretz, theoretically a leader of the conservative perspective, has now completely fallen for the fraud. He’s even chastising fellow conservatives as “lunatics” for “pushing contraception.” The Democrats couldn’t have asked for a more useful stooge.
I was really disappointed by that because I normally enjoy John’s conversation. ·27 minutes ago
There are other ways to approach this important issue because clearly it has not been working.
There are other ways to approach this important issue because clearly it has not been working.
I’m not sure what you’re referring to, but we need to avoid playing the game as the Democrats and the media want to play it … as Aaron’s first comment makes clear.
We’re not playing these games with honest opponents. The media and the Democrats … as they did in 2012 … will accuse us of anything and everything, because that’s what they think will move voters. They make it up, much like Nancy Pelosi telling reporters that a Republican told her that the GOP is indifferent about hungry children. This is just shameless.
That’s why moderates are idiots if they think that fellow conservatives should just be quiet about controversial topics. After all, in 2012, we were quiet. We didn’t push anything. We got hammered anyway. The Democrats were pushing that war on women garbage long before Akin ever said anything, so the idea that “conservatives kept talking about it” is nonsense.
Dishonesty? This outrageous charge is an example of KC’s war on ___________.
Dishonesty? This outrageous charge is an example of KC’s war on ___________.
I know. I just don’t seem to be adjusting well to modern life.