Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 40 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
This week’s special episode comes from Tuscany, where the Three Whisky Happy Hour gang put aside their whisky glasses and took up tasting chinati at Castello de Cacchiano between academic conferences in Milan and Florence. So for this week only, we become the Three Chianti Happy hour, though we had many more than three! We had to record this episode in two installments, as breakfast interrupted our first segment, and then returning only after a long day in the countryside sampling yet more chianti.
We aren’t taking our mind of what is going on back in the states with the Trump transition, however, and begin with an extended discussion of the proposal to use the recess appointments clause of the Constitution so that Trump can get around Senate opposition or delay for his senior cabinet level appointments. Then we briefly dig a grave for the International Criminal Court following its outrageous arrest warrent for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu.
And finaly we have a discussion and aide memoire of sorts from our extended panel discussion Friday with Adrian Vermeule about his controversial book Common Good Constitutionalism. (You can find Steve’s review of the matter over on the Political Questions Substack.)
Subscribe to Power Line in Apple Podcasts (and leave a 5-star review, please!), or by RSS feed. For all our podcasts in one place, subscribe to the Ricochet Audio Network Superfeed in Apple Podcasts or by RSS feed.
So Lucretia’s counter argument to justify Matt Gaetz’s failed nomination to head the Department of Justice is, wait for it, Merrick Garland.
Since Garland has been such a disaster, why not Gaetz?
Well, Garland was considered a liberal moderate before he actually became Attorney General. It was because of that, most didn’t think he would become another Eric Holder.
Garland’s actions as Attorney General has surprised many of his former colleagues that served with him when he was a career Justice Department civil servent.
She would have had a stronger argument if she had used Eric Holder as an example, instead.
I’m a big fan of the advise and consent role of the U.S. Senate, though I’d feel better about it if it were more streamlined.
And yes it has gotten more partisan. I’m usually an advocate of more partisanship, but when it comes to cabinet appointments, the president should mostly have his way. Matt Gaetz, by the way, should not have been confirmed, if it had come to that. He’s had no experience in bureaucratic infighting, and the civil servents at DOJ would have handed him his hat.
There’s a big difference between Trump’s and Gaetz’s irascible personalities. Trump knows how to make friends, professionally, and Gaetz does not. To bend a bureacracy to your will, you need allies within it. Gaetz would not have been able to do that.
Every so often someone comes along with a book containing a bad thesis, poorly supported. But it’s different and goes against conventional thinking, so it becomes all the rage. Such is the case with Vermeule. Lucretia was right and he is wrong.
As for the recess appointments (recess always makes me think of first grade, appropriate in this context), the Republicans need to remember that the Dems will win again someday. The Dems, so eager to do away with the filibuster just three weeks ago, now want to keep it.
If John is ever subject to Senate confirmation he, himself, will be shocked to find out how many women and/or children he abused decades ago.
The broadcast from a real place last week and this week was very (very) fun. The normal studio sterile environment is professional. However, I really liked listening to the background noises, the voices coming in from one side and the other (I’ve been listening on headphones). It makes you all seem a lot more human. The outside noises can be distracting but it is a refreshing change from the standard sterility of studios.
Subject-wise this week was a bit of a “meh” for my tastebuds. The theories discussed were a bit too erudite for a regular joe like me. The beginning of the show had me doing big belly laughs. Yes, you all deserved to be treated like royalty and it probably is your true station in life. It was nice to hear it and for me to dream about.
Don’t encourage him (Steve). When he first started doing podcasts, that was his default mode and it resulted in poor sound quality. Two or three podcasts ago, John Yoo was coming in at a lower volume as the rest of the gang. So the listener had the choice of turning up the volume to hear John, and get blasted by everyone else, or not hear John very well. Many podcasts hire soundmen (like @blueyeti) who obsess about getting the sound right.
I like to save my hearing, so sorry John, you sort of got left out (though unlike Steve and Lucretia he says he doesn’t read the comments).
Steve, an everyman, thinks he’s good enough. But his passions lie elsewhere, and it’s understandable that he’ll never be a soundman that obsesses about getting every little detail right.
And you mentioned that you listened to the ‘cast using headphones. Most of us don’t. I often use ear buds, or my car radio.
I listened to a recent podcast of NR’s The Editors which included Ramesh Ponnuru. He seemed to be literally phoning it, as in using a speaker phone.
And getting a decent clipon mic that works with modern PC’s and smartphones costs maybe thirty dollars. Podcasting is becoming a professional grade activity writer pundints use to enchance their brand. They should be professional about it.