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Matthew Continetti joins the podcast as permanent co-host today as we discuss the president’s trip to Kyiv and just what it was Ron DeSantis was saying about it exactly—and how the early 20th century’s politics in America might be an eerie parallel to what’s happening right now. Give a listen.
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Everything Biden does doesn’t need to be criticized. BUT the amount of time/effort/money spent on Ukraine is not complimented with the same time/effort/money being spent on domestic issues that more people care about.
The bottom line is that the Ukraine war is a spat between political elites and energy companies sprinkled with regional territory claims. All of which are not of the concerns of the American populous. Why should people care about ~200 political leaders being able to say they won their war? The rest of us are sitting here seeing our property rights eroded, freedom of movement squashed and tax payer dollars being redirected from the local issues that concern us more. And lets not even get into the negotiations going on with the WHO at the moment…
Very good example are the 15min cities being setup in the UK. (there were large protests a few days ago about this) We would laugh at the silly Chinese if they set that up. Oh their totalitarian government is so bad to their people, limiting where they go that would never happen in the west. But it happens in the UK and no one is upset except the locals. SORRY WE ARE FOCUSED ON THE UKRANIANS.
Can any one at Commentary justify to the non politician, energy company and defense contractor why we should care? I mean take out those interests and what are we left with? Honestly…
Conservatives are not and aught not be scared of war. In fact conservatives are historically the best waging it. The issue is that it has to be justified with truly moral reasons and ends. Or else you start loosing support, as we are seeing now…
A more productive take, in my opinion would be, if you focused on the domestic issues, like maybe the one in Ohio, people would either support more or not care as much about the war games you want to play elsewhere. Only focusing on the Ukrainians opens up for serious complaints.
Matthew is enormously bright and a great addition to the podcast lineup, but my concern (which I hope is unfounded) is that, because he is such a wonk (no shame in that, by the way) there is a danger that the cultural issues — that is, the identitarian issues — the WOKE issues — which are of much greater consequence than anything else Western Civilization is facing right now — will be taking a back seat to politics.
I’m just one voice, of course, but I am urging you not to let that happen.
“Commentary” has been great on the cultural stuff, and far too many conservatives seem to have blinders on regarding its importance. For them, everything begins and ends with the ballot box. Which is madness.
Breitbart’s adage that “Politics lies downstream from culture” has become a cliche at this point. That doesn’t mean it’s not true.
Never really saw this podcast to focus on the cultural. GLOP probably is the place for that…
Us olds don’t need other olds on this podcast to change culture, because the kids don’t listen to this. Leave the cultural up to the youngsters like Breat Cooper types.
Wonk away my friends.
PS, I don’t think conservatives really have a place in the cultural, no one is going to flip the Seattleite or NY liberal. The most bang for the cultural buck is probably in the kids content the Daily Wire is working on. Get them while they are young. The left figured that out 2 or 3 generations ago…
Wonk away.
Noell Colin the gadfly (View Comment):
Hmmm… I’m trying to see if there’s anything you wrote just now that I don’t disagree with.
Give me a moment…
Give me a moment…
Nope, I disagree with all of it. Every blessed word. In fact, most of it set my teeth on edge (e.g., “I don’t think conservatives really have a place in the culture.” God help us all).
‘Cause nothing on this Earth has done more damage to America and the West than the ceding of the culture to the Woke Diocese. Nothing.
And I disagree, too, about “Commentary” not regarding the crisis as a major priority. Not only did Noah Rothman write a book on the subject (highly recommended), but, since “The Racial Reckoning” of 2020, fully 1/3rd of their podcasts have touched significantly on the issue.
And, in my opinion, their greatest ones have.
So here’s what it comes down to: If you wanna keep America & the West moving inexorably toward a cliff, it’s never been easier! All you have to do is keep your eye on the ballot box, and keep ignoring the culture.
Academia? Entertainment? Journalism? Discourse? Just brush those aside with a hand wave. Noooooo big deal.
Wonk away.
Let me refine my position. Culture IS very important. The founders put it a little differently but were dancing around the same idea. My boy John Adams: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”
My point is Commentary including Noah and especially John are not making culture. I won’t say I don’t get enjoyment with cultural takes about the stupidity of the left; but they aren’t going to change what 15 year old teens are thinking about. That is why I say the olds need to be more focused on policy that can guide institutions like journalism, education and the likes. For example to not perpetuate the, at times already illegal, propagation of irrelevant sexual materials to minors.
Only writing a book that points out the obvious puritanical and tyrannical practices of the left/current culture isn’t enough. It needs to be accompanied by real action. Some of that is creation of actual culture in the cultural spaces; and the other, which the olds are better at, is POLICY.
John also is not concerned with any other audience but the snobish RINOish right that is wish-wash. Not exactly who I’d like to see guide the culture…
Of course the folks at Commentary are not “making” culture. Whoever said they were? Nor are they making policy. Or condominiums. Or French Apple Pie. Nor should they be. What they are doing — as their name indicates — is commentating on things.
And the frightening state of the culture in 2023 requires constant and vigilant commentary.
Even if one’s main focus is on policy (as yours seems to be), one has to admit that the values of every generation are eventually enshrined into policy. This has been true for centuries and has resulted in good things (e.g., Women’s Suffrage; the repeal of Jim Crow; etc), head-scatching things (e.g., Prohibition) and terrible things (e.g., Slavery).
Once again: Values ultimately materialize as policy. There has never been an exception to this.
So if there’s anything we can do to nudge the values of the under-30 crowd away from Woke Fascism and toward the direction of Classic Liberalism, we have no choice but to do so. There’s a LOT riding on this.