In this episode, Dave Carter sits down with Ricochet Member Mike LaRoche to discuss Mike’s journey from loyal Republican supporter to ex-Republican and ardent supporter of President Trump. Along the way, the good professor hands out grades to the Trump Administration on everything from Foreign Policy to the Veteran’s Administration, Border Security and more, all with the birds chirping in the background as Mike chats from outside his home in beautiful Texas hill country.

As Dave said, “I have a feeling lots of members and contributors will want to listen in.”

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There are 46 comments.

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  1. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    Batten down the hatches!

    • #1
  2. Blondie Thatcher
    Blondie
    @Blondie

    Can’t wait to listen.

    • #2
  3. Scott Wilmot Member
    Scott Wilmot
    @ScottWilmot

    Good show. Thanks Dave and Mike.

    • #3
  4. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Mike LaRoche (View Comment):
    Batten down the hatches!

    Is that how you pronounce your name?

    • #4
  5. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    It was a very fine show. Nothing like a couple historians talking about our future history.

    • #5
  6. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Mike LaRoche (View Comment):
    Batten down the hatches!

    Is that how you pronounce your name?

    Yes, it’s pronounced “la-RUSH.”

    • #6
  7. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Mike LaRoche (View Comment):
    Yes, it’s pronounced “la-RUSH.”

    Whatever, dude. Can’t imagine how they would look at that in France, not that anyone cares what they think.

    • #7
  8. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Mike LaRoche (View Comment):
    Yes, it’s pronounced “la-RUSH.”

    Whatever, dude. Can’t imagine how they would look at that in France, not that anyone cares what they think.

    The Québécois pronunciation is somewhere between “la-RUSH” and “la-RAWSH.”  I suppose it might be the same in France, but I’m not sure.

    • #8
  9. Dave Carter Podcaster
    Dave Carter
    @DaveCarter

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Mike LaRoche (View Comment):
    Yes, it’s pronounced “la-RUSH.”

    Whatever, dude. Can’t imagine how they would look at that in France, not that anyone cares what they think.

    I asked Mike before we recorded. Otherwise it would have been LaRooooooosh!

    • #9
  10. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Mike LaRoche (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Mike LaRoche (View Comment):
    Yes, it’s pronounced “la-RUSH.”

    Whatever, dude. Can’t imagine how they would look at that in France, not that anyone cares what they think.

    The Québécois pronunciation is somewhere between “la-RUSH” and “la-RAWSH.” I suppose it might be the same in France, but I’m not sure.

    Considering how my name is pronounced at times, I really have no room on the subject. ;)

    • #10
  11. Blondie Thatcher
    Blondie
    @Blondie

    Nice convo, guys! Put me down in support of Dave Carter’s foreign policy! We can dream, can’t we?

    • #11
  12. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    I’m with y’all — Trump only when Cruz couldn’t seize the lead. Sadly, I doubt he would do better next time, whatever happens.

    Foreign policy doesn’t look quite so good. Rather, it’s good compared to recent presidents, but repeats their mistakes in some ways. Chiefly, the preference for Saudi Arabia over Iran is mystifying because the Arabs have done far more to promote terrorist and sharia ideology around the world.

    Agreed with Dave on trade. American CEOs aren’t sending their manufacturing overseas because they don’t have faith in American workers. They do so because our regime of regulation, taxation, and tort abuse make production in America ludicrously expensive and burdensome. Strangely, Trump simultaneously proposed the conservative solution (gutting executive agencies and rewriting tax code) and echoed the Left’s vilification of sensible business decisions.

    But that’s not to let off the hook corporate managers who encourage political corruption by taking advantage of regulatory capture, pork projects, and other graft. Yes, foregoing such opportunities puts one’s business at a competitive disadvantage. Honor isn’t a strategy for fame and fortune.

    And tariffs are preferable to an indefensible national income tax.

    That sounds a lot like my backyard, Mike. Politics is typically more like a brawl of blue jays.

    • #12
  13. RightAngles Member
    RightAngles
    @RightAngles

    Mike LaRoche (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Mike LaRoche (View Comment):
    Yes, it’s pronounced “la-RUSH.”

    Whatever, dude. Can’t imagine how they would look at that in France, not that anyone cares what they think.

    The Québécois pronunciation is somewhere between “la-RUSH” and “la-RAWSH.” I suppose it might be the same in France, but I’m not sure.

    I loved it! (In France, it’s similar to the “o” sound in “offer”)

    • #13
  14. Robert McReynolds Member
    Robert McReynolds
    @

    Mike LaRoche (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    Mike LaRoche (View Comment):
    Yes, it’s pronounced “la-RUSH.”

    Whatever, dude. Can’t imagine how they would look at that in France, not that anyone cares what they think.

    The Québécois pronunciation is somewhere between “la-RUSH” and “la-RAWSH.” I suppose it might be the same in France, but I’m not sure.

    I have been pronouncing it la-Roosh.

    • #14
  15. Goldwaterwoman Thatcher
    Goldwaterwoman
    @goldwaterwoman

    Mike LaRoche (View Comment):
    The Québécois pronunciation is somewhere between “la-RUSH” and “la-RAWSH.” I suppose it might be the same in France, but I’m not sure.

    I’ve quietly thought all this time that it was pronounced la Rohsh. Your podcast was most enjoyable cheerleader man.

    • #15
  16. Robert McReynolds Member
    Robert McReynolds
    @

    This was a good podcast. Mike you sound exactly how I have you in my head.

    • #16
  17. Aaron Miller Inactive
    Aaron Miller
    @AaronMiller

    Robert McReynolds (View Comment):
    This was a good podcast. Mike you sound exactly how I have you in my head.

    Really? I expected fire and brimstone, a shotgun blast, or something of similar energy! Does that sound like a rabid football fan chasing cheerleaders?

    • #17
  18. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    Aaron Miller (View Comment):

    Robert McReynolds (View Comment):
    This was a good podcast. Mike you sound exactly how I have you in my head.

    Really? I expected fire and brimstone, a shotgun blast, or something of similar energy! Does that sound like a rabid football fan chasing cheerleaders?

    That’s because it ain’t college football season yet! ?

    • #18
  19. MJBubba Member
    MJBubba
    @

    Gee,  Mike and Dave talked about leaving the GOP like it was akin to coming out of the closet or something.

    I have quit the Republican Party on three separate occasions.

    I really wish I thought they were interested in keeping me.  (From their mail you might think so.)

    • #19
  20. JcTPatriot Member
    JcTPatriot
    @

    This was fantastic. I really enjoyed it, Mike. Thank you Dave for making this interview possible.

    Mike, you were outside, so I wondered how hot it was during the interview? Until today, I’ve been melting lately. I know you live fairly close to me.

    I agree with just about everything, except immigration. I give him an ‘A’ (compared to your ‘B’) because he has told law enforcement to get back to doing their jobs, that they would no longer be hamstrung by Political Correctness. He also ordered them to start deporting everyone they could round up, starting with the worst criminals, and anyone else hanging around while they rounded up the worst. I believe this has caused the stoppage of people crossing from the south, so while we await funding for the Wall, a wall of words has been built that is making Illegals think twice about crossing the border.

    • #20
  21. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    JcTPatriot (View Comment):Mike, you were outside, so I wondered how hot it was during the interview? Until today, I’ve been melting lately. I know you live fairly close to me.

    Since we were doing the interview at 10am, and with the sky being mostly cloudy, it wasn’t very hot at all. Only in the low-to-mid 80s.  Veryfortunate, as it got up to 103 degrees just the day before!

    • #21
  22. Dave Carter Podcaster
    Dave Carter
    @DaveCarter

    MJBubba (View Comment):
    Gee, Mike and Dave talked about leaving the GOP like it was akin to coming out of the closet or something. [Emphasis mine]

    I have quit the Republican Party on three separate occasions.

    I really wish I thought they were interested in keeping me. (From their mail you might think so.)

    Ya know, I’d never thought of it quite like that before.  I remember the line from Mark Twain that he quitting smoking was the easiest thing he had ever done — in fact it was so easy that he had done it hundreds of times.   But I had registered as a Republican when I turned 18 and my first vote was cast for Ronald Reagan, and I stayed in the party until, as I said while chatting with Mike, until a Republican president and congress found a heretofore unknown constitutional right for a federal prescription drug program.  It wasn’t earth shattering, by any means, I mean it’s politics after all.  But it was sobering and no cause for celebration.

    • #22
  23. J.D. Snapp Coolidge
    J.D. Snapp
    @JulieSnapp

    This whole time, I’ve been pronouncing your name like “Lah-ROW-sh”. Once again, I am terrible at pronouncing things! Very enjoyable episode! :)

    • #23
  24. Mike LaRoche Inactive
    Mike LaRoche
    @MikeLaRoche

    J.D. Snapp (View Comment):
    This whole time, I’ve been pronouncing your name like “Lah-ROW-sh”. Once again, I am terrible at pronouncing things! Very enjoyable episode! ?

    Thanks! Yep, French surnames can be real head-scratchers at times. ?

    • #24
  25. Dave Sussman Member
    Dave Sussman
    @DaveSussman

    Enjoyable podcast gentlemen!

    • #25
  26. MJBubba Member
    MJBubba
    @

    Yeah, in my head I was thinking “La-Roosh,” as in Lyndon Larouche.

    • #26
  27. Dave Carter Podcaster
    Dave Carter
    @DaveCarter

    Dave Sussman (View Comment):
    Enjoyable podcast gentlemen!

    Thank you sir!

    • #27
  28. Matt Bartle Member
    Matt Bartle
    @MattBartle

    I thought it was like “La Roach” or La Roash.” It’s funny that half the comments here are about pronunciation!

    Also, I was listening in my car, and I kept thinking that it was making a new squeaking sound. So I’d turn off the podcast and the squeak would go away. I finally decided it was birds in the background!

    Frankly, between thinking “La Rush?? ” “What was that sound??” I don’t remember much of the content.

     

     

    • #28
  29. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    Matt Bartle (View Comment):
    Frankly, between thinking “La Rush?? ” “What was that sound??” I don’t remember much of the content.

    Have to listen again, I reckon.

    • #29
  30. Dave Carter Podcaster
    Dave Carter
    @DaveCarter

    Matt Bartle (View Comment):
    I thought it was like “La Roach” or La Roash.” It’s funny that half the comments here are about pronunciation!

    Also, I was listening in my car, and I kept thinking that it was making a new squeaking sound. So I’d turn off the podcast and the squeak would go away. I finally decided it was birds in the background!

    Frankly, between thinking “La Rush?? ” “What was that sound??” I don’t remember much of the content.

    Nah, I need to oil my soundboard.

    • #30
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