The Party Line

When we want measured, calm commentary on the current political climate on the right, we always turn to the weirdest Democrat we know — our old pal Mickey Kaus. He helps us navigate Trump’s phone calls, the mysterious Steve Bannon, the wall, and assorted other unique aspects of the first weeks of the Trump administration. Then, Hoover’s Adam J. White joins to help us analyze Neil Gorsuch, Trump’s SCOTUS nominee. Finally, a few thoughts on 1934-ism and yes, Super Bowl picks!

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Music from this week’s podcast: Freak Out by Chic

The ALL NEW opening sequence for the Ricochet Podcast was composed and produced by James Lileks.

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There are 39 comments.

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  1. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    Mickey asks why was the immigration order issued when it was. “Why now?”

    If you’re waiting for the most politically expedient time it’s probably because it’s too late, that is, expediency will come only when there’s a crisis. Is that what you want? Government action due to crisis? Because, most likely, a crisis on this order will mean dead bodies of Americans.

    Peter then opines about Trump’s desk and all the files. To paraphrase our founder, you don’t inundate the President, you only tell him what he needs to know. Who decides what the President needs to know? Mr. Bannon?

    • #1
  2. Guruforhire Inactive
    Guruforhire
    @Guruforhire

    I believe trump is going to defeat the left like Reagan defeated the soviet union.  He is going to keep the energy up, until they run out of money to pay agitators.

     

    Related to teh paper on the desk:

    https://www.google.com/search?q=trump+at+his+desk&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=990&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj14qqC6fTRAhVOxCYKHe0mD-IQ_AUIBigB&dpr=1

    Trump is one of those people who keeps a lot of stuff on his desk.  I wouldn’t read too much into it, he probably likes having the information around as he connects dots in his head.  He has run a big organization around and how he prefers to recieve and keep track of information is his deal.  I am not sure its a matter of competence.

    • #2
  3. Jamie Lockett Member
    Jamie Lockett
    @JamieLockett

    @peterrobinson Should America have treated Cuban boat people the way Australian’s do? Do you thus agree with the Obama administration change to Cuban refugees?

    • #3
  4. Jamie Lockett Member
    Jamie Lockett
    @JamieLockett

    The only reason I use Ricochet advertised products is because of @jameslileks segues.

    • #4
  5. Roberto Inactive
    Roberto
    @Roberto

    Guruforhire (View Comment):
    I believe trump is going to defeat the left like Reagan defeated the soviet union. He is going to keep the energy up, until they run out of money to pay agitators.

    Related to teh paper on the desk:

    https://www.google.com/search?q=trump+at+his+desk&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=990&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj14qqC6fTRAhVOxCYKHe0mD-IQ_AUIBigB&dpr=1

    Trump is one of those people who keeps a lot of stuff on his desk. I wouldn’t read too much into it, he probably likes having the information around as he connects dots in his head. He has run a big organization around and how he prefers to recieve and keep track of information is his deal. I am not sure its a matter of competence.

    Also not often commented upon is the fact that Trump only sleeps 3-4 hours a night, someone that active is going to have unconventional work habits.

    • #5
  6. Guruforhire Inactive
    Guruforhire
    @Guruforhire

    Roberto (View Comment):

    Guruforhire (View Comment):
    I believe trump is going to defeat the left like Reagan defeated the soviet union. He is going to keep the energy up, until they run out of money to pay agitators.

    Related to teh paper on the desk:

    https://www.google.com/search?q=trump+at+his+desk&espv=2&biw=1920&bih=990&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj14qqC6fTRAhVOxCYKHe0mD-IQ_AUIBigB&dpr=1

    Trump is one of those people who keeps a lot of stuff on his desk. I wouldn’t read too much into it, he probably likes having the information around as he connects dots in his head. He has run a big organization around and how he prefers to recieve and keep track of information is his deal. I am not sure its a matter of competence.

    Also not often commented upon is the fact that Trump only sleeps 3-4 hours a night, someone that active is going to have unconventional work habits.

    Holy crap is that true?

    • #6
  7. Goddess of Discord Member
    Goddess of Discord
    @GoddessofDiscord

    Best bumper music. Freak out! I enjoyed having Mickey Kaus this week.

     

    • #7
  8. Merrijane Inactive
    Merrijane
    @Merrijane

    I really miss Rob stepping all over James’s ridiculous segues.

    • #8
  9. rod Inactive
    rod
    @rod

    Does anyone know exactly what Justice Scalia kept “passing” and whether it was before he died or after?

    • #9
  10. Petty Boozswha Inactive
    Petty Boozswha
    @PettyBoozswha

    Great podcast, wish you would utilize Mickey more.

    • #10
  11. Henry Castaigne Member
    Henry Castaigne
    @HenryCastaigne

    I too like Mickey. However, I thought that Mr. Lileks was too dismissive of some of the new information regarding differences in the variance of alleles among different races. But don’t take my word for it, listen to anonymous.

    • #11
  12. Blue Yeti Admin
    Blue Yeti
    @BlueYeti

    Petty Boozswha (View Comment):
    Great podcast, wish you would utilize Mickey more.

    We utilize him as much as he lets us!

    • #12
  13. Skarv Inactive
    Skarv
    @Skarv

    rod (View Comment):
    Does anyone know exactly what Justice Scalia kept “passing” and whether it was before he died or after?

    Indeed.

    • #13
  14. Skarv Inactive
    Skarv
    @Skarv

    What a lame podcast. Ricochet decline accelerating.

    • #14
  15. J Ro Member
    J Ro
    @JRo

    Gosh, why is Australia, a huge country with only 24 million inhabitants, so strictly against immigration by boats?

    Oh right! One of its nearest neighbors is Indonesia.

    • #15
  16. Jamie Lockett Member
    Jamie Lockett
    @JamieLockett

    J Ro (View Comment):
    Gosh, why is Australia, a huge country with only 24 million inhabitants, so strictly against immigration by boats?

    Oh right! One of its nearest neighbors is Indonesia.

    Oh 90% of it is uninhabitable desert.

    • #16
  17. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):
    The only reason I use Ricochet advertised products is because of @jameslileks segues.

    Well, thanks!

    Merrijane (View Comment):
    I really miss Rob stepping all over James’s ridiculous segues.

    Well . . . jeez.

    • #17
  18. rebark Inactive
    rebark
    @rebark

    James Lileks (View Comment):
    James Lileks

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):
    The only reason I use Ricochet advertised products is because of @jameslileks segues.

    Well, thanks!

    Merrijane (View Comment):
    I really miss Rob stepping all over James’s ridiculous segues.

    Well . . . jeez.

    The two are inextricably linked. I appreciate the well-crafted segue, I laugh when Rob tramples it, and then I feel bad for laughing so I go to buy the advertised product.

    • #18
  19. TistelTech Inactive
    TistelTech
    @TistelTech

    Listening to this one now.  Too bad Long is out paying the bills these days.  Loving the Canada is boring burns.  It is true.  Some of us are.  But, I would phrase it differently:  we are disinclined to get as carried away with minor things as our southern cousins.

    • #19
  20. wilber forge Inactive
    wilber forge
    @wilberforge

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    J Ro (View Comment):
    Gosh, why is Australia, a huge country with only 24 million inhabitants, so strictly against immigration by boats?

    Oh right! One of its nearest neighbors is Indonesia.

    Oh 90% of it is uninhabitable desert.

    Noted Peters comment that Australia Has a Lot of Room, as if just looking at a map. What a naive statement,which sounded more like a Swooning Lefty on how selfish the Aussies were. Appallingly Stupid.

     

     

    • #20
  21. Merrijane Inactive
    Merrijane
    @Merrijane

    James Lileks (View Comment):

    Well . . . jeez.

    I mean that in a loving way. I like how Rob always laughs in admiration. Everyone else is so quiet that it seems like the jokes fall flat.

    • #21
  22. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    J Ro (View Comment):
    Gosh, why is Australia, a huge country with only 24 million inhabitants, so strictly against immigration by boats?

    Oh right! One of its nearest neighbors is Indonesia.

    Oh 90% of it is uninhabitable desert.

    Australia has 768,685 sq k of habitable land with a population of 23 million = 30/ sq k.

    US has 1,518,000 sq k of habitable land with a population of 319 million = 210/ sq k.

    Looks like Oz can take a whole lot more refugees.

    • #22
  23. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    J Ro (View Comment):
    Gosh, why is Australia, a huge country with only 24 million inhabitants, so strictly against immigration by boats?

    Oh right! One of its nearest neighbors is Indonesia.

    Oh 90% of it is uninhabitable desert.

    LOL. And the US has as many illegals as Australia has total population.

    • #23
  24. Arahant Member
    Arahant
    @Arahant

    James is pretty good at segues, if he is allowed to get through them.

    • #24
  25. J Ro Member
    J Ro
    @JRo

    Kozak (View Comment):

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    J Ro (View Comment):
    Gosh, why is Australia, a huge country with only 24 million inhabitants, so strictly against immigration by boats?

    Oh right! One of its nearest neighbors is Indonesia.

    Oh 90% of it is uninhabitable desert.

    Australia has 768,685 sq k of habitable land with a population of 23 million = 30/ sq k.

    US has 1,518,000 sq k of habitable land with a population of 319 million = 210/ sq k.

    Looks like Oz can take a whole lot more refugees.

    Actually “90% uninhabitable desert” is an extremely inaccurate guesstimate. CIA World Factbook divides Australia’s land use into agricultural (53.4%), forest (19.3%), and other (27.3%), the last of which includes built-up areas as well as so-called uninhabitable desert.

    The point I was hinting at is that since nearby Indonesia has 11x Australia’s population (including 203 million Muslims) in about one quarter of the land area, Australia carefully and wisely minds its coasts, which also happen to be its only borders.

    • #25
  26. Jamie Lockett Member
    Jamie Lockett
    @JamieLockett

    I guess my estimate was a bit too high. It’s actually 70%: http://www.alicespringsdesertpark.com.au/kids/desert/

    Land use is not the same thing as how land is classified. The simple fact is that Australia supports a lower population than other continents.

    • #26
  27. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):
    I guess my estimate was a bit too high. It’s actually 70%: http://www.alicespringsdesertpark.com.au/kids/desert/

    Land use is not the same thing as how land is classified. The simple fact is that Australia supports a lower population than other continents.

    Your population density is 1/10 that of the US. Come open that big heart, and take em in. You can easily double your population with migrants.

    • #27
  28. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    J Ro (View Comment):
    The point I was hinting at is that since nearby Indonesia has 11x Australia’s population (including 203 million Muslims) in about one quarter of the land area, Australia carefully and wisely minds its coasts, which also happen to be its only borders.

    And I love the ” but they can fly in”.  Sure, except you can’t get on a plane without a passport and a valid visa. Meanwhile we get endless lectures about our lack of humanity and compassion when we want to try and get control of our borders.

    • #28
  29. Jamie Lockett Member
    Jamie Lockett
    @JamieLockett

    Kozak (View Comment):

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):
    I guess my estimate was a bit too high. It’s actually 70%: http://www.alicespringsdesertpark.com.au/kids/desert/

    Land use is not the same thing as how land is classified. The simple fact is that Australia supports a lower population than other continents.

    Your population density is 1/10 that of the US. Come open that big heart, and take em in. You can easily double your population with migrants.

    My population density is the US.

    • #29
  30. Kozak Member
    Kozak
    @Kozak

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):

    Kozak (View Comment):

    Jamie Lockett (View Comment):
    I guess my estimate was a bit too high. It’s actually 70%: http://www.alicespringsdesertpark.com.au/kids/desert/

    Land use is not the same thing as how land is classified. The simple fact is that Australia supports a lower population than other continents.

    Your population density is 1/10 that of the US. Come open that big heart, and take em in. You can easily double your population with migrants.

    My population density is the US.

    Then you should have no problem with Oz taking their ” fair share”.

    • #30
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