Everything Is Broken

We’re back after our 4th of July break (well, most of us are back — we have Ricochet Editor Bethany Mandel sitting in for the vacationing Peter Robinson) and we’ve got another super-sized episode to make up for our time off. First up, the always great Heather Mac Donald, who speaks truth to protestors like nobody else. Then, meet Shermichael Singleton, former political strategist, a former Deputy Chief of Staff at HUD, and a former member of the GOP.  Shermichael tells us why he’s left the latter two organizations and it should be required listening at the RNC.  Luckily for us, Shermichael is a current Ricochet podcaster and if you have not listened to the Speak-Easy podcast he co-hosts with Antonia Okafor, we highly recommend it. Also, a bit on the Harper’s free speech letter, the triumphant return of the Lileks Post of The Week, and Bethany has a new Twitter friend.

Music from this week’s show: Everything Is Broken by Bob Dylan

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  1. Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… Member
    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio…
    @ArizonaPatriot

    Let me get this straight.  Mr. Singleton left the Republican Party, and his reason “should be required listening for the RNC.”  And his reason is that President Trump is terrible.  He even agrees that President Trump’s policies have been good, but his rhetoric is unacceptable.

    Why does the RNC need to hear that?  That the party should abandon its sitting President?  That’s the plan?

    I’m used to this nonsense from the NeverTrumpers.  I generally avoid them, because it is just tiresome.  Why is this highlighted in the flagship podcast here at Ricochet?  Is this the new plan for the site?  Or is it just that Peter’s not around to push back?

    The lineup of this particular podcast is particularly strange.  First, the great Heather MacDonald to debunk the entire lying BLM narrative.  Then Mr. Singleton, who seems to have bought in to it.  (I know, he doesn’t say so here.  I listened to his Speak-Easy podcast, and he did it there.)

    Don’t we have enough NeverTrump podcasts already?  My impression is that 90%+ of Republicans, and 90%+ of Ricochetti, disagree and don’t really want to hear the same stale arguments.  If Ricochet is going to strongly promote a new podcast, how about something that is in line with the opinions of the customers?

    I understand the desire to present some black conservatives.  There are many good ones, from Dr. Sowell to Larry Elder to Jason Riley.  If you’re looking for someone young, I think that Rafael Mangual would be a great addition.  

    Doesn’t everybody see what’s going on here?  President Trump pulls off this great outreach to black voters, culminating in the outstanding State of the Union.  Remember that one, back in January?  It seems like a century ago, doesn’t it?  Then the impeachment and removal farce; the coronavirus panic; and now the BLM lies and the race riots and it’s “white fragility” and reeducation camps at workplaces.

    And a new podcaster in Mr. Singleton who told us, quite literally today in his podcast, that we need to “understand” black fear of the cops.  Which Heather MacDonald explains is unfounded, in this podcast on the same day, with Mr. Singleton as the follow-up guest.

    I’m getting whiplash here.

    BLM delenda est.

    • #1
  2. Blue Yeti Admin
    Blue Yeti
    @BlueYeti

    We are attempting to present a number of points of view and experiences of a very complicated set of circumstances and issues that are all converging at one time. There is no agenda here beyond that.

    This podcast is not Never Trump and it is not Pro Trump. We book people from across the Right and let them talk. Always has been, always will be. This particular episode is no different. We are not producing a campaign commercial for President Trump nor are we doing one for the Lincoln Project. Our hosts’ political views didn’t spring to life in 2016 either.

    Not that you asked, but we pursued Shermichael and Antonia to do a podcast for us because we feel strongly that their voices and their experiences as young Black Conservatives ought to be promoted and amplified. We actually started talking to them about a podcast months ago, long before the Floyd killing and the unrest that followed. That it debuted in this moment was actually something of a coincidence. That said, we hope it will run have a long run, far beyond what we are experiencing now and will cover whatever issues are in the news cycle. We also hope that their podcast reaches an audience we cannot reach on our own: young people of color. We want them to hear Shermichael and Antonia’s views and their arguments and perhaps become aware that there is indeed an alternative to the status quo and join the cause. Because the Republican party needs them if it is to survive as a major party. We also hope our rank and file Conservative listeners to hear their experiences and point of view, because (and I’m speaking for myself here), it is typically very different than what we deal with. Sorry, but that’s just the way it is

    With regards to your guest requests, we had Thomas Sowell on literally on the show before this one (#502). Did you miss it? Perhaps you also missed our show with Coleman Hughes. Or the one with Roland Fryer. If so, I recommend you listen to them. We have also had Jason Riley on several times in the past and we have been in contact with him recently.  He will be back on in the near future.

    P.S. Just my personal opinion, but knowing them both pretty well, I think Bethany is more pro-Trump than Peter.

    • #2
  3. Quintus Sertorius Coolidge
    Quintus Sertorius
    @BillGollier

    Blue Yeti (View Comment):
    We are attempting to present more than aspect or point of view of a very complicated set of circumstances and issues converging at one time. There is no agenda here beyond that.

    This podcast is not Never Trump and it is not Pro Trump. We book people from across the Right and let them talk. Always has been, always will be. This particular episode is no different. We are not producing a campaign commercial for President Trump nor are we doing one for the Lincoln Project. Our hosts’ political views didn’t spring to life in 2016 either.

    Not that you asked, but we pursued Shermichael and Antonia to do a podcast for us because we feel strongly that their voices and their experiences as young Black Conservatives ought to be promoted and amplified. We actually started talking to them about a podcast months ago, long before the Floyd killing and the unrest that followed. That it debuted in this moment was actually something of a coincidence. That said, we hope it will run have a long run, far beyond what we are experiencing now and will cover whatever issues are in the news cycle. We also hope that their podcast reaches an audience we cannot reach on our own: young people of color. We want them to hear Shermichael and Antonia’s views and their arguments and perhaps become aware that there is indeed an alternative to the status quo and join the cause. Because the Republican party needs them if it is to survive as a major party. We also hope our rank and file Conservative listeners to hear their experiences and point of view, because (and I’m speaking for myself here), it is typically very different than what we deal with. Sorry, but that’s just the way it is.

    I 100% agree….it is time the Republican Party become the party for conservative African Americans and other minority groups….there are large groups of conservatives in all these groups screaming for representation….sell your message….not just tax cuts but actual conservative message….yes Donald Trump did reach out ( that he was the first Republican to really do so since who…Herbert Hoover speaks volumes) but that was more based on him than trying to show that a right of center platform can benefit a not small percentage of minorities. If the Republican Party won’t do it then maybe it is time to form a new party…..

    • #3
  4. Quintus Sertorius Coolidge
    Quintus Sertorius
    @BillGollier

    I would also add that if the Republican Party or a right of center party could reach out and get this conservative minority  to vote for said party consistently, much of what we are seeing right now would be stymied as you could have a real conversation about these issues with in the political process. Unfortunately now the small minority of the “new left” is able to dominate the conversation because this conservative element in the minority community has no where to participate in the political process….see the marginalization of Thomas Sowell or the lack of chatter about Larry Elder’s Uncle Tom (compared to Oprah Winfrey bringing to film the 1619 Project)……the Republican Party has made a massive miscalculation over the past 40 years…….it is time to rectify that mistake

    • #4
  5. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Blue Yeti (View Comment):

    We are attempting to present more than aspect or point of view of a very complicated set of circumstances and issues converging at one time. There is no agenda here beyond that.

    This podcast is not Never Trump and it is not Pro Trump. We book people from across the Right and let them talk. Always has been, always will be. This particular episode is no different. We are not producing a campaign commercial for President Trump nor are we doing one for the Lincoln Project. Our hosts’ political views didn’t spring to life in 2016 either.

    Not that you asked, but we pursued Shermichael and Antonia to do a podcast for us because we feel strongly that their voices and their experiences as young Black Conservatives ought to be promoted and amplified. We actually started talking to them about a podcast months ago, long before the Floyd killing and the unrest that followed. That it debuted in this moment was actually something of a coincidence. That said, we hope it will run have a long run, far beyond what we are experiencing now and will cover whatever issues are in the news cycle. We also hope that their podcast reaches an audience we cannot reach on our own: young people of color. We want them to hear Shermichael and Antonia’s views and their arguments and perhaps become aware that there is indeed an alternative to the status quo and join the cause. Because the Republican party needs them if it is to survive as a major party. We also hope our rank and file Conservative listeners to hear their experiences and point of view, because (and I’m speaking for myself here), it is typically very different than what we deal with. Sorry, but that’s just the way it is.

    With regards to your guest requests, we had Thomas Sowell on literally on the show before this one (#502). Did you miss it? Perhaps you also missed our show with Coleman Hughes. Or the one with Roland Fryer. If so, I recommend you listen to them. We have also had Jason Riley on several times in the past and we have been in contact with him recently. He will be back on in the near future.

    P.S. Just my personal opinion, but knowing them both pretty well, I think Bethany is more pro-Trump than Peter.

    I await the Flat Earth Podcast with bated breath.

    • #5
  6. Blue Yeti Admin
    Blue Yeti
    @BlueYeti

    kedavis (View Comment):
    I await the Flat Earth Podcast with bated breath.

    I have no idea what that means. 

    • #6
  7. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Blue Yeti (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):
    I await the Flat Earth Podcast with bated breath.

    I have no idea what that means.

    Let’s see if anyone else does.

    • #7
  8. James Anderson Inactive
    James Anderson
    @JamesAnderson

    This was a great one.  Thanks.  Lots of ideas and honesty.  People just talking without fear of cancel culture cancer.

    • #8
  9. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    I can’t take anyone seriously, whether it’s Gary Robbins or Shermichael Singleton, who says that what Trump says, or tweets, or re-tweets, or whatever, is more important than what he DOES.  Or if not MORE important, at least significant enough that they decide not voting to re-elect in November, or even voting FOR an empty suit like Biden, is preferable.

    Maybe Trump says/tweets/whatever some “unfortunate” things about whatever happens to be someone’s particular bugaboos, but has so greatly improved the economic situation and freedom situation for EVERYONE, meanwhile you’ve got Biden and the other Dems claiming to “love” black people so much that they’ve been keeping them “in chains” for DECADES…  How smart does someone need to be, to figure out that equation?  Smarter than Shermichael Singleton, I guess.

    • #9
  10. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    A great choice for Post Of The Week, perhaps the best ever so far.  It’s particularly gratifying to see it appear in the “sidebar” on the very same day, not a week or more later as has been the pattern.

    I would very much like to hear @jennastocker on the “Flagship” podcast, here we have evidence that her intellect crushes that of Shermichael Singleton “every day of the week, and twice on Sunday.”

    • #10
  11. J Ro Member
    J Ro
    @JRo

    What is the constitutional argument for the US federal government having a Department of Housing and Urban Development?

    No wonder Dems push for other unconstitutional programs (medical care, free college, etc) which empower the federal government without bothering to amend the constitution. It’s a lot easier and it often works. 

    • #11
  12. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    @jameslileks, thank you for mentioning the overuse and abuse of “at the end of the day.”

     

    • #12
  13. J Ro Member
    J Ro
    @JRo

    (Deleted repeated comment)

    • #13
  14. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    kedavis (View Comment):
    I can’t take anyone seriously, whether it’s Gary Robbins or Shermichael Singleton, who says that what Trump says, or tweets, or re-tweets, or whatever, is more important than what he DOES.

    I believe I said that, not that you said I didn’t. I wanted to make that point, even though I’m tired of it. I am bored with the President’s tweets. What Is The Practical Result of His Tenancy In the Job is the metric, and that includes “stuff that happens just because POTUS is not a D.”

    • #14
  15. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    Arahant (View Comment):

    @jameslileks, thank you for mentioning the overuse and abuse of “at the end of the day.”

    If I’d been on my game I would have said “at the conclusion of the diurnal cycle,” but at least I slapped the fanny of the cliche on the way out.

    • #15
  16. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    J Ro (View Comment):

    Dr Carson is impressive, but what is the constitutional argument for the US federal government having a Department of Housing and Urban Development?

    No wonder Dems push for other unconstitutional giveaway programs (medical care, free college, etc) which empower the federal government without bothering to amend the constitution. It’s a lot easier and it often works and even becomes deeply entrenched.

    Another aspect that bugged me about the Shermichael Singleton segment is that, after so long of apparently admiring Dr Carson and believing he was on the right track etc, now suddenly because of Trump’s tweets, now Shermichael Singleton believes he’s smarter or more principled or whatever, than Dr Carson?  Based on what?  It seems far more likely to me that Dr Carson is still on the right track, and Shermichael Singleton should notice that.

    • #16
  17. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    James Lileks (View Comment):
    If I’d been on my game I would have said “at the conclusion of the diurnal cycle,” but at least I slapped the fanny of the cliche on the way out.

    At least that would be a fresh version.

    At the termination of this date.

    When the sun sets on this cycle.

    When this spin of the Earth has completed.

    As we rotate to a new sunrise.

    There are so many possibilities. We need not always use those six words over and over and over in the same conversation. (See Henry Olson’s first guest on today’s Horserace.)

    • #17
  18. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    James Lileks (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):
    I can’t take anyone seriously, whether it’s Gary Robbins or Shermichael Singleton, who says that what Trump says, or tweets, or re-tweets, or whatever, is more important than what he DOES.

    I believe I said that, not that you said I didn’t. I wanted to make that point, even though I’m tired of it. I am bored with the President’s tweets. What Is The Practical Result of His Tenancy In the Job is the metric, and that includes “stuff that happens just because POTUS is not a D.”

    I hope you don’t think I intended that as stating or suggesting that you didn’t.  It was aimed at Shermichael Singleton (and Gary Robbins, and fellow travelers).

    • #18
  19. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    James Lileks (View Comment):

    Arahant (View Comment):

    @jameslileks, thank you for mentioning the overuse and abuse of “at the end of the day.”

    If I’d been on my game I would have said “at the conclusion of the diurnal cycle,” but at least I slapped the fanny of the cliche on the way out.

    I guess it depends on your definition.  I can easily see a “diurnal cycle” as being day, and then night.  So the conclusion of one – and the beginning of another – would be morning.  :-)

    • #19
  20. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    kedavis (View Comment):
    So the conclusion of one – and the beginning of another – would be morning. :-)

    Or midnight. Or sunset. Or possibly a number of other possibilities.

    • #20
  21. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Arahant (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):
    So the conclusion of one – and the beginning of another – would be morning. :-)

    Or midnight. Or sunset. Or possibly a number of other possibilities.

    Very technically, in theory.  But if you look at something like a sine waveform, “everybody knows” that the wave starts at the zero point, goes through the positive “phase,” back down to neutral, does the negative “phase,” and returns to zero again.  Which completes the wave.  Someone could claim that it actually “starts” at any point along that and “ends” when it returns to that point again.  But nobody takes them seriously.  :-)

    • #21
  22. thelonious Member
    thelonious
    @thelonious

    kedavis (View Comment):

    J Ro (View Comment):

    Dr Carson is impressive, but what is the constitutional argument for the US federal government having a Department of Housing and Urban Development?

    No wonder Dems push for other unconstitutional giveaway programs (medical care, free college, etc) which empower the federal government without bothering to amend the constitution. It’s a lot easier and it often works and even becomes deeply entrenched.

    Another aspect that bugged me about the Shermichael Singleton segment is that, after so long of apparently admiring Dr Carson and believing he was on the right track etc, now suddenly because of Trump’s tweets, now Shermichael Singleton believes he’s smarter or more principled or whatever, than Dr Carson? Based on what? It seems far more likely to me that Dr Carson is still on the right track, and Shermichael Singleton should notice that.

    I know a bunch of left wingers who are smarter than me. Does that mean I have to vote the way they do? Should we find the smartest person on the planet and all vote for the person they vote for?

    • #22
  23. The Cloaked Gaijin Member
    The Cloaked Gaijin
    @TheCloakedGaijin

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Maybe Trump … has so greatly improved the economic situation and freedom situation for EVERYONE…

    No, kidding.  Obama hated economic growth.  That destroyed so many hopes and dreams.

    It seemed that most of the people who succeeded under Obama and loved Obama were the ones with government jobs or some similar jobs where they could not easily be fired.

    When Obama was sworn into office in 2009, my health insurance was less than $100 a month.  When Obama left in 2016, I called to find how much a similar plan would be.  I was told that it would be about $950 a month, of course, now I do not have health insurance.

    In 2016, I also finally sold my car with over about 420,000 miles.  My only car had three different mileages.  One for the car.  One for the engine, and one for the odometer which also had to be replaced.

    You folks are worried about tweets and Confederate battle flags over 150 years after the Civil War?  A lot more human beings were enslaved under the Stars and Stripes than the Stars and Bars and for a much longer period of time.  Vandalizing statues of traitorous, rebellious slave-owners.  Yeah, that’s mostly who signed the Declaration of Independence too.

    • #23
  24. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    Arahant (View Comment):

    James Lileks (View Comment):
    If I’d been on my game I would have said “at the conclusion of the diurnal cycle,” but at least I slapped the fanny of the cliche on the way out.

    At least that would be a fresh version.

    At the termination of this date.

    When the sun sets on this cycle.

    When this spin of the Earth has completed.

    As we rotate to a new sunrise.

    There are so many possibilities. We need not always use those six words over and over and over in the same conversation. (See Henry Olson’s first guest on today’s Horserace.)

    I think there’s a Yes Minister episode where Sir Humphrey runs through a bunch of these cliches, the one that sticks in my head is “In the fullness of time”.

     

    • #24
  25. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    thelonious (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    J Ro (View Comment):

    Dr Carson is impressive, but what is the constitutional argument for the US federal government having a Department of Housing and Urban Development?

    No wonder Dems push for other unconstitutional giveaway programs (medical care, free college, etc) which empower the federal government without bothering to amend the constitution. It’s a lot easier and it often works and even becomes deeply entrenched.

    Another aspect that bugged me about the Shermichael Singleton segment is that, after so long of apparently admiring Dr Carson and believing he was on the right track etc, now suddenly because of Trump’s tweets, now Shermichael Singleton believes he’s smarter or more principled or whatever, than Dr Carson? Based on what? It seems far more likely to me that Dr Carson is still on the right track, and Shermichael Singleton should notice that.

    I know a bunch of left wingers who are smarter than me. Does that mean I have to vote the way they do? Should we find the smartest person on the planet and all vote for the person they vote for?

    Sorry, but I’m not going to tell you who I vote for.

     

    • #25
  26. Bishop Wash Member
    Bishop Wash
    @BishopWash

    Interesting brain fart from Rob during the Heather MacDonald interview. At one point he says that he knows Heather and Jason want to ask her some questions. I understand Bethany becoming Heather; James becoming Jason is interesting.

    • #26
  27. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    I haven’t listened to this yet but I have two points. I don’t understand the enthusiasm for Ben Carson at all. 

    Trump lacks some things but he’s doing some other things really well. He has exposed the media and China for example. The dumb Republicans in Minnesota finally get China. Hopefully they are coming around on the media. There were plenty of smart people in 2016 that were for him and they were right. 

    • #27
  28. ToryWarWriter Coolidge
    ToryWarWriter
    @ToryWarWriter

    First a Podcast I used to listen to has this great jingle about the ‘End of the Day.’

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    • #28
  29. ToryWarWriter Coolidge
    ToryWarWriter
    @ToryWarWriter

    You can be a conservative and not be a Republican.

     

    The purpose of the Republican party is to get elected and its a vehicle for that.  Its a giant get out the vote machine.  Most times the Neo-cons are in control, and somehow the populists go in control.  And it galls those neo-cons that someone else might be in the drivers seat.

    The only thing that shocks me about the second interview is that an experienced campaign manager doesnt understand basic political principles.  

    • #29
  30. Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio… Member
    Jerry Giordano (Arizona Patrio…
    @ArizonaPatriot

    Blue Yeti (View Comment):

    We are attempting to present a number of points of view and experiences of a very complicated set of circumstances and issues that are all converging at one time. There is no agenda here beyond that.

    This podcast is not Never Trump and it is not Pro Trump. We book people from across the Right and let them talk. Always has been, always will be. This particular episode is no different. We are not producing a campaign commercial for President Trump nor are we doing one for the Lincoln Project. Our hosts’ political views didn’t spring to life in 2016 either.

    Not that you asked, but we pursued Shermichael and Antonia to do a podcast for us because we feel strongly that their voices and their experiences as young Black Conservatives ought to be promoted and amplified. We actually started talking to them about a podcast months ago, long before the Floyd killing and the unrest that followed. That it debuted in this moment was actually something of a coincidence. That said, we hope it will run have a long run, far beyond what we are experiencing now and will cover whatever issues are in the news cycle. We also hope that their podcast reaches an audience we cannot reach on our own: young people of color. We want them to hear Shermichael and Antonia’s views and their arguments and perhaps become aware that there is indeed an alternative to the status quo and join the cause. Because the Republican party needs them if it is to survive as a major party. We also hope our rank and file Conservative listeners to hear their experiences and point of view, because (and I’m speaking for myself here), it is typically very different than what we deal with. Sorry, but that’s just the way it is.

    With regards to your guest requests, we had Thomas Sowell on literally on the show before this one (#502). Did you miss it? Perhaps you also missed our show with Coleman Hughes. Or the one with Roland Fryer. If so, I recommend you listen to them. We have also had Jason Riley on several times in the past and we have been in contact with him recently. He will be back on in the near future.

    P.S. Just my personal opinion, but knowing them both pretty well, I think Bethany is more pro-Trump than Peter.

    Thanks for the response.

    I did listen to the Ricochet podcasts you reference. They were very good. I think that I’ve listened to every one in the past 3-4 years.

    My concern is not guest selection. It is the strong promotion of a new podcast in which one of the hosts suddenly goes NeverTrump and publicly leaves the GOP.

    Another concern is the endorsement of Mr. Singleton’s NT criticism in the show notes.

    • #30
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