Shadows in the Metaverse

There are no crystal balls on Ricochet, but we can’t keep our eyes off the future. What’s to become of the GOP? Hard to say; but our guest David Drucker has written a book and launched his very own podcast to ponder these very questions. Rob and James put him in the interviewee seat for a change get his take on how candidates will have to navigate a climate that’s been permanently altered by Donald Trump.

Photo: Twitter/@holmes_reports/NBC29

How does the former president affect local and state elections? What should make of the upcoming election in Virginia? (What the heck’s up with those tiki-torchers?) And, most importantly, how do the members of the ever-growing crowd of Republican hopefuls get attention while living in Trump’s shadow?

You’ll have to listen to find out!

Also, Peter pops in to tell us about the Rupert Murdoch birthday celebration he attended, plus Rob and James debate the consequences of Zuckerberg’s hopes to take us all to the metaverse.

Music from this week’s podcast: Complicated Shadows by Elvis Costello

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  1. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    JennaStocker (View Comment):
    my favorite part of any episode is the host chat. This was no different.

    I listen to all kinds of radio and podcasts and they are top-tier in this sense every single week. Unique value added every single time.

    Just to be clear, you don’t have to do it that way to have a good podcast etc.

    The genre is known as “dudes chatting”.

     

    • #31
  2. I Walton Member
    I Walton
    @IWalton

    I do not understand how such well informed people accept that Biden won legitimately and believe that Trump, even though he had more votes  than any person in history and Biden who didn’t really campaign and was feeble, but had more votes across the board and in key states the votes weren’t even legitimately counted.  What on earth is going on?  No wonder they think the next election will be fair and honest.  It won’t be unless the swing is vast even in places Democrats usually win.  

    • #32
  3. Bishop Wash Member
    Bishop Wash
    @BishopWash

    I Walton (View Comment):

    I do not understand how such well informed people accept that Biden won legitimately and believe that Trump, even though he had more votes than any person in history and Biden who didn’t really campaign and was feeble, but had more votes across the board and in key states the votes weren’t even legitimately counted. What on earth is going on? No wonder they think the next election will be fair and honest. It won’t be unless the swing is vast even in places Democrats usually win.

    “But it was certified. Certified I say!” – Ends justify the means Biden voter. We had to get rid of the authoritarian. Trump would have forced people to get the shot or lose their jobs. He would have used his Department of Justice to harass his opponents. Why aren’t you rubes grateful we saved you from that fate?

    • #33
  4. HeavyWater Inactive
    HeavyWater
    @HeavyWater

    I Walton (View Comment):

    I do not understand how such well informed people accept that Biden won legitimately and believe that Trump, even though he had more votes than any person in history and Biden who didn’t really campaign and was feeble, but had more votes across the board and in key states the votes weren’t even legitimately counted. What on earth is going on? No wonder they think the next election will be fair and honest. It won’t be unless the swing is vast even in places Democrats usually win.

    Different people seem to have contrasting understands of the meaning of the word “legitimately.”  

    It’s like if someone is “legitimately” convinced of a murder.  Maybe the convicted person didn’t actually commit the murder.  But if a jury said he was guilty and the defense attorneys were unsuccessful in getting an appeals court to rule that there was a mistrial and the person ends up in prison, some might still say that this person was “legitimately” convicted of murder while others would say the conviction was not “legitimate.”  

    • #34
  5. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    I Walton (View Comment):

    I do not understand how such well informed people accept that Biden won legitimately and believe that Trump, even though he had more votes than any person in history and Biden who didn’t really campaign and was feeble, but had more votes across the board and in key states the votes weren’t even legitimately counted. What on earth is going on? No wonder they think the next election will be fair and honest. It won’t be unless the swing is vast even in places Democrats usually win.

    Different people seem to have contrasting understands of the meaning of the word “legitimately.”

    It’s like if someone is “legitimately” convinced of a murder. Maybe the convicted person didn’t actually commit the murder. But if a jury said he was guilty and the defense attorneys were unsuccessful in getting an appeals court to rule that there was a mistrial and the person ends up in prison, some might still say that this person was “legitimately” convicted of murder while others would say the conviction was not “legitimate.”

    Z  U C K E R B E R G

    E L I A S

    • #35
  6. HeavyWater Inactive
    HeavyWater
    @HeavyWater

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    I Walton (View Comment):

    I do not understand how such well informed people accept that Biden won legitimately and believe that Trump, even though he had more votes than any person in history and Biden who didn’t really campaign and was feeble, but had more votes across the board and in key states the votes weren’t even legitimately counted. What on earth is going on? No wonder they think the next election will be fair and honest. It won’t be unless the swing is vast even in places Democrats usually win.

    Different people seem to have contrasting understands of the meaning of the word “legitimately.”

    It’s like if someone is “legitimately” convinced of a murder. Maybe the convicted person didn’t actually commit the murder. But if a jury said he was guilty and the defense attorneys were unsuccessful in getting an appeals court to rule that there was a mistrial and the person ends up in prison, some might still say that this person was “legitimately” convicted of murder while others would say the conviction was not “legitimate.”

    Z U C K E R B E R G

    E L I A S

    So, you can say that Biden wasn’t “legitimately” elected because Zuckerberg put his multi-billion dollar thumb on the scale.   But others might say that there it is perfectly “legitimate” for a billionaire to use his power as Zuckerberg did.  

    It’s like the losing team in a basketball game saying that the opposing team didn’t “legitimately” win because the refs were unfair.  Okay.  But guess which teams gets the W and which team gets the L.

    • #36
  7. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    HeavyWater (View Comment):
    But others might say that there it is perfectly “legitimate” for a billionaire to use his power as Zuckerberg did.  

    I love this. This is just perfect. We need billionaires to rent the government for whatever they want. 

    • #37
  8. HeavyWater Inactive
    HeavyWater
    @HeavyWater

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):
    But others might say that there it is perfectly “legitimate” for a billionaire to use his power as Zuckerberg did.

    I love this. This is just perfect. We need billionaires to rent the government for whatever they want.

    Actually, in recent times it has been the Left that wants the government to crack down on people spending their wealth engaging in political speech.  

    The Left said that they hated the Citizens United US Supreme Court ruling while the Right argued for freedom of speech, not limited by $2,000 contributions.  

    • #38
  9. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):
    But others might say that there it is perfectly “legitimate” for a billionaire to use his power as Zuckerberg did.

    I love this. This is just perfect. We need billionaires to rent the government for whatever they want.

    Actually, in recent times it has been the Left that wants the government to crack down on people spending their wealth engaging in political speech.

    The Left said that they hated the Citizens United US Supreme Court ruling while the Right argued for freedom of speech, not limited by $2,000 contributions.

    They are doing that through ordinary legislative processes. 

    • #39
  10. HeavyWater Inactive
    HeavyWater
    @HeavyWater

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):
    But others might say that there it is perfectly “legitimate” for a billionaire to use his power as Zuckerberg did.

    I love this. This is just perfect. We need billionaires to rent the government for whatever they want.

    Actually, in recent times it has been the Left that wants the government to crack down on people spending their wealth engaging in political speech.

    The Left said that they hated the Citizens United US Supreme Court ruling while the Right argued for freedom of speech, not limited by $2,000 contributions.

    They are doing that through ordinary legislative processes.

    Would you characterize the “ordinary legislative process” as “legitimate?”

    • #40
  11. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    HeavyWater (View Comment):
    But others might say that there it is perfectly “legitimate” for a billionaire to use his power as Zuckerberg did.

    I love this. This is just perfect. We need billionaires to rent the government for whatever they want.

    Actually, in recent times it has been the Left that wants the government to crack down on people spending their wealth engaging in political speech.

    The Left said that they hated the Citizens United US Supreme Court ruling while the Right argued for freedom of speech, not limited by $2,000 contributions.

    They are doing that through ordinary legislative processes.

    Would you characterize the “ordinary legislative process” as “legitimate?”

    This type of thing has to be run through a legislative body. Both parties elected representatives need to scrutinize it.

    • #41
  12. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    Why do I even have to explain that?

    • #42
  13. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    This gets at some thing that is really bothering me. Have you ever heard the details on what the reconciliation process is supposed to be? It’s supposed to be for minor mathematical differences. That’s how they shoved the ACA down our throats. Then the GOP didn’t do anything about it.

    There is stuff in college sports that is like that. Nobody is supervising those people. They are just commandeering the resources. It’s disgusting. 

    There are others, but I can’t think of them right now.

    • #43
  14. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

     

     

     

     

     

    • #44
  15. pooryorick Member
    pooryorick
    @pooryorick

    I enjoyed the Metaverse chat too – although I expected one of the guys to give a hat tip to Neal Stephenson. Looks like Zuck finally got around to reading Snow Crash.

    • #45
  16. Quickz Member
    Quickz
    @Quickz

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Why do I even have to explain that?

    I mean I understand what he (and others) are saying, that in the official way we determine a winner/loser of a POTUS race is X and the results are what they are.

    But this is not what people who are arguing that “Trump’s (insert whatever here) lost the election,” are arguing – they are arguing that it was the actions of Trump, not the multiple of actions taken by the Greater Left (ZuckBucks, Fortifying election, Sue-and-settle, Covid-19 change the rules for voting, outright ignoring your own elections laws b/c of “Reasons”, four years of lies, a fecund establishment press that actively campaigns for the opposition, tech platforms that censor and suppress news, and I can go on – but you get the point) that were what brought about that “official end” of the election.

    If less than 40k of votes separated the winner in three states, with all of the above in play, it is an Occam’s Razor moment of what is the more likely result if any, some, or all of those are removed – Trump likely wins, and if he wins, the argument that “Trump lost Trump the election” is moot, for it was thousands of actions that *were not his own* that “cheated/stole/fortified/etc.” the election. 

    Most folks I know understand this (and according to polls so do Rs, Is, and a chunck of Ds) – not that secret Bolivian servers changed votes.

    • #46
  17. Quickz Member
    Quickz
    @Quickz

    I want to start my “Official Podcast Commentary Post” off with thanks to @jameslileks for how he responded to last week’s guest. I enjoy Continetti immensely, just not his Trump/Trumpism analysis. Lately, I have used stronger than needed language to get my point across. James pushed back strongly, repeatedly , and continued after the interview was over. It was civil, but sharp – abrupt, but congenial – it was, in a nutshell, a great example of how to behave when someone is speaking logic you find fuzzy or wrong.

    Thank you James. I am going to try to embody less of my jabby-self and more of my intellectual disagreement. After all, these are people, “on my side,” as they say. I am a big fan of our big tent. Kudos to you on multiple levels.

    Now, for my comments – which I am sure everyone is waiting for (LOL):

    “Work Horse (Legislative) v Show Horse (“he fights!”)” – the takeaway from the last five years is that if you cannot as a Work Horse learn to fight the actual enemy (the establishment press – who are Dems), then you deserve to lose because you will let them run over you and your legislations won’t see the light of day. This is not hard to do. Fight and the Show Horse loses to you every time. 

    “Virginia as an example of rejecting Trumpism works” Trumpism is popular, Trump not always, but we know that. Trump and the Republicans wisely deployed him in areas that helped Rs in 16, 18, and 20 and avoided that in places that didn’t.

    “The Democrats ran against Bush in ’08 and ’12 – and they will run against Trump in ’22 & ’24!” Yeah, but Bush had started two wars that were still going during BOTH of those elections. How does one do that with Trump’s record? Good economy? Controlled immigration? Cheap gas? Low minority unemployment? What exactly does one run against? His personality – if cited – is avoided by saying, “I don’t do that, nor is there any evidence I ever have – why do you want $7 gas and a bad economy?” You cannot be tarred by Trump because his policies are popular with a majority of people.

    “Trump didn’t know how to deal with Congress” – this is hard to do when your own party is working against you, thinks you are a Russian spy, and in general wants you gone. The R Reconciliation bill could have funded the wall. Thankfully most have retired, been replaced, or learned better and changed.

    “Run away from Trump” – why? The candidate just says: Cheap energy and a good economy are positive things. What are you running from? Mean tweets? I don’t mean tweet – I understand you (the Dem operative interviewer/press) didn’t like his comments and attitude, but I’m talking about policy, employment, and inflation – and the American people are with me. Burning cities and defunding police is bad, not my social media.”

    Just my thoughts…

    • #47
  18. OwnedByDogs Lincoln
    OwnedByDogs
    @JuliaBlaschke

    I Walton (View Comment):

    I do not understand how such well informed people accept that Biden won legitimately and believe that Trump, even though he had more votes than any person in history and Biden who didn’t really campaign and was feeble, but had more votes across the board and in key states the votes weren’t even legitimately counted. What on earth is going on? No wonder they think the next election will be fair and honest. It won’t be unless the swing is vast even in places Democrats usually win.

    Speaking for myself only, I think that there was a whole lot of cheating not just in the 2020 election but all through Trump’s presidency. But you know what? A lot of people just turn their face away and so along with it all because they were sick and tired of Trump. They are still sick and tired of Trump. Even more so. He is that toxic. He needs to stay in Mar O Lago and let someone else take up the good fight.

    • #48
  19. OwnedByDogs Lincoln
    OwnedByDogs
    @JuliaBlaschke

    Bishop Wash (View Comment):
    “But it was certified. Certified I say!” – Ends justify the means Biden voter. We had to get rid of the authoritarian. Trump would have forced people to get the shot or lose their jobs. He would have used his Department of Justice to harass his opponents. Why aren’t you rubes grateful we saved you from that fate?

    More like “Do you really want 4 more years of Trump being Trump. Aren’t you tired of it all?”

    • #49
  20. Bishop Wash Member
    Bishop Wash
    @BishopWash

    It’s odd that a guy who spent millions stealing the election for Biden is renaming his company Make Everything Trump Again. Change of heart?

    • #50
  21. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

     

     

     

     

     

    • #51
  22. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Bishop Wash (View Comment):

    I Walton (View Comment):

    I do not understand how such well informed people accept that Biden won legitimately and believe that Trump, even though he had more votes than any person in history and Biden who didn’t really campaign and was feeble, but had more votes across the board and in key states the votes weren’t even legitimately counted. What on earth is going on? No wonder they think the next election will be fair and honest. It won’t be unless the swing is vast even in places Democrats usually win.

    “But it was certified. Certified I say!” – Ends justify the means Biden voter. We had to get rid of the authoritarian. Trump would have forced people to get the shot or lose their jobs. He would have used his Department of Justice to harass his opponents. Why aren’t you rubes grateful we saved you from that fate?

    It’s one of those “they told me if I voted for Trump we’d have high inflation and military disasters, and they were right!  I voted for Trump and that’s exactly what happened.”

    • #52
  23. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    Bishop Wash (View Comment):

    It’s odd that a guy who spent millions stealing the election for Biden is renaming his company Make Everything Trump Again. Change of heart?

    I wonder if someone slipped that past him without him realizing?

    • #53
  24. Norm McDonald Bought The Farm Inactive
    Norm McDonald Bought The Farm
    @Pseudodionysius

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Haven’t I read that Fox News is now being run by some left-leaning Murdoch offspring?

    Spawn. Left wing Murdoch spawn.

    • #54
  25. Bishop Wash Member
    Bishop Wash
    @BishopWash

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Bishop Wash (View Comment):

    It’s odd that a guy who spent millions stealing the election for Biden is renaming his company Make Everything Trump Again. Change of heart?

    I wonder if someone slipped that past him without him realizing?

    I saw it today on Twitter. I think it’s 4chan trying to make it a thing to ruin Zuck’s rollout. They did a good job turning the ok sign into a symbol of white power. Gullible reporters gobbled that up until Brandon recently used it to say that his plan is going to cost $0. Then all of a sudden context mattered.

    • #55
  26. Bishop Wash Member
    Bishop Wash
    @BishopWash

    Norm McDonald Bought The Farm (View Comment):

    kedavis (View Comment):

    Haven’t I read that Fox News is now being run by some left-leaning Murdoch offspring?

    Spawn. Left wing Murdoch spawn.

    And their Leftist wives too from what I’ve read. I think one son is worse than the other and he’s not allowed anywhere near Fox News.

    • #56
  27. BDB Inactive
    BDB
    @BDB

    RufusRJones (View Comment):
    This gets at some thing that is really bothering me. Have you ever heard the details on what the reconciliation process is supposed to be? It’s supposed to be for minor mathematical differences. That’s how they shoved the ACA down our throats. Then the GOP didn’t do anything about it.

    Under-rated comment.  

    • #57
  28. Gary Robbins Member
    Gary Robbins
    @GaryRobbins

    Nohaaj (View Comment):

    The “surgical removal” of DJT was done by fraudulent mail in votes and finished at 3:00 AM by demo fraudsters, not by Republicans voting all Republican except for Trump. Let’s Go Brandon!

    This does not explain all of the Republican voters who left the President vote blank (or voted for Biden) and then voted down the line for Republicans.  If the Dem’s had fraudulent mail in votes, why did they vote for Republicans down the lihe?  

    • #58
  29. RufusRJones Member
    RufusRJones
    @RufusRJones

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Nohaaj (View Comment):

    The “surgical removal” of DJT was done by fraudulent mail in votes and finished at 3:00 AM by demo fraudsters, not by Republicans voting all Republican except for Trump. Let’s Go Brandon!

    This does not explain all of the Republican voters who left the President vote blank (or voted for Biden) and then voted down the line for Republicans. If the Dem’s had fraudulent mail in votes, why did they vote for Republicans down the lihe?

    You really think that is bigger than Zuckerberg’s operation plus the staggering lack of ballot controls created by Elias?  

    I think Zuckerberg fixed it all by himself, actually.

    • #59
  30. HeavyWater Inactive
    HeavyWater
    @HeavyWater

    RufusRJones (View Comment):

    Gary Robbins (View Comment):

    Nohaaj (View Comment):

    The “surgical removal” of DJT was done by fraudulent mail in votes and finished at 3:00 AM by demo fraudsters, not by Republicans voting all Republican except for Trump. Let’s Go Brandon!

    This does not explain all of the Republican voters who left the President vote blank (or voted for Biden) and then voted down the line for Republicans. If the Dem’s had fraudulent mail in votes, why did they vote for Republicans down the lihe?

    You really think that is bigger than Zuckerberg’s operation plus the staggering lack of ballot controls created by Elias?

    I think Zuckerberg fixed it all by himself, actually.

    It seems like you are using Zuckerberg as an excuse for losing an election.  Even if you are correct, Zuckerberg isn’t going to change his tactics.  So, as we look to the future, the GOP has to find a way to win elections in spite of Zuckerberg and other Lefty tactics.  

    • #60
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