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This week, Hillsdale President Dr. Larry Arnn stops by to make the intellectual and academic argument for Donald Trump (h/t to Ricochet member @rushbabe49 for her post This Might Change some Minds on the Election). Can the good doctor sway @roblong, the resident #NeverTrump representative on this podcast, into voting for the Republican nominee? The answer lies within.
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Music from this week’s podcast:
Bad Case of Loving You by Robert Palmer
The brand new opening sequence for the Ricochet Podcast was composed and produced by James Lileks.
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On the Hillsdale cruise, author Michael Walsh enlightened us on Critical Theory, promulgated by Marxists of the Frankfurt school, who assert that no institution, custom or moral precept is beyond criticism and destroying. In the NR interview, Walsh remarks, “It is license to vandalize, and the fact that it was so swiftly embraced by American academe after the war remains a national disgrace.” The problem is this becomes a recipe for destruction, a nihilism of the culture, with no replacement. I sometimes worry that some of us on the right are becoming susceptible to the arguments of Critical Theory and would rather let things go downhill if they can’t have the perfect.
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All of this. Thanks.
Additionally, I now have a different opinion about Hillsdale College. To hear the president of the college twisting himself in knots to support Trump is disappointing. And calling Trump “consistent” is the height of self-deception.
Once again the doctor’s statement is being misstated
He specially said Trump was consistent on one specific issue; an issue that is a priority to Dr Arnn
Edited to add: this comment was specifically in response to the comment proceeding it. On my phone and I have trouble quoting.
Dr. Arnn needs a membership in Ricochet, at the Thatcher level (she was his friend, after all).
And the fact that he more than once referred to someone who disagreed with him as a “silly goose.” I guess he was “just kidding.” Even so, I didn’t think that it was appropriate, particularly from someone who was supposed to be giving us all the really sane and reasonable points for supporting Trump.
I don’t think he was kidding. He was being gentle with Rob Long. And he didn’t call Rob Long “silly goose” for disagreeing with him; he called him that because Rob Long was being disingenuous.
Had I had that conversation with Rob Long and Rob Long had misstated my position then proceeded to disagree with it, I would have used stronger terms than “silly goose”.
Note:
Noted. Email sent to you.My avatar and pen name have been hijacked – I did not write post 62 and do not agree to it.
He called Rob a “silly goose” for putting words in his mouth and characterizing his statements. I don’t think it would have been friendly conversation if he had said stop lying about what I am saying
Reading through the comments, I’m struck by the Right’s hypocrisy; back when the candidates were socially acceptable Milquetoast RINO’s, we were constantly reminded that “The GOP is a big tent”. But now that the candidate is judged to be uncouth and boorish by these same folks, NOW purity tests are essential. Didn’t matter how often McCain or Romney lied or flip-flopped: they got the benefit of the doubt (or people just outright said ” That’s what it takes to win”). The likes of Mike Murphy lectured us that we had to become more socially liberal, and that purity tests were stupid. But NOW it’s essential that we run this fake Republican off to save conservatism! Well, that’s a crock. I think it comes down to this above all: Trump embarrasses you. He’s that guy at a cocktail party that talks too loud and brags about his Corvette. Your other guests are lying about their business, they’re spreading rumors, and their wives are gossiping about who’s a slut at the club, but that’s just fine. Because they’re acceptable. The right kind of people.
“Conservatives” are fine with being lied to, used, and strung along. If it’s the right kind of people doing it. But Heavens! Don’t embarrass them. That simply won’t do.
I think this may be pretty true for Never Trump types. The Cold War was a potentially global existential crisis that lasted 60 years (or if it’s over?). I kind of look at domestic policy as our own business and we can always come around & clean that up. It may suck, and it does, but for the most part we’re not talking about life or death or freedom to exist. With foreign policy, the U.S. has stood since WWII as a bulwark against tyranny – certainly not perfect – but at least a voice that stands for Life. As some people think we are underestimating the importance of the court, I think people are underestimating what a Putin buddy know-nothing isolationist could do to billions of people around the world. What life was like behind the Iron Curtain has been forgotten quite quick.
(Plus I think he’s legitimately crazy…)
I finally joined Ricochet after years of reading and listening because I couldn’t believe my ears when listening to what Dr. Arnn was saying about Trump. My question to Dr. Arnn would be: at what point would the poverty of character of an individual candidate render moot any of his supposed stances on policy?
I am still not even a little bit convinced that Trump is better than Clinton in any tangible way, not least because most of the arguments I’ve heard to suggest he is rely on things that he himself has said – things that he has contradicted in both word and deed. But even if I were convinced that there was some key policy point for which Trump I could consider him obviously superior, where does one draw the line with regards to character?
Btw, whose job at Ricochet is to design the photos for Podcast episodes? @exjon? I particularly like this week’s. Maybe it’s just Rob’s face.
@baker. Thank you for clarifying your position.
As for America’s role in foreign policy being the most important in the world over domestic issues. Right now we have trillions of dollars in debt, an ecomony that has not grown more than 2% in the past 8 years after a huge financial crisis, and a military budget that has been cut to the point that we have military personal salvaging spare parts from military aircraft in museums to make repairs on active aircraft. I wouldn’t dismiss the problems at home to easily, soon we won’t be able to afford being the world’s policeman.
Also, I don’t thank you can qualify anyone as crazy or not just by what you see on television. That is something that annoys me, how people dismiss the mental health of people that they really don’t know personally. I will give you that Trump does have limited control over controlling his mouth I don’t think makes him legitimatly crazy. I myself have been accused of not being able to control my own mouth at times as well, although I guess you could make assumptions about my mental health as well, but I’ll give Trump the benefit of the doubt.
I agree with a lot of this, Douglass. It does seem that some folks “on the right” get hyperbolic when discussing Trump. Some absolutely are embarrassed by his less than intellectual manner and bull dog bite at anyone who criticizes him. I’ve described DJT as the everyman billionaire. I hope that translates into everyman’s vote. He will need a lot of crossover to overcome the visceral dislike by his enemies, both to his right and to his left.
Note to self: start calling people I disagree with “silly goose” instead of <redacted>, <redacted>, <redacted>, or <redacted>.
So is everyman a narcisstic, adulterous con man who preys on those weaker than himself? If you’re right that certainly would explain why our country is going down the crapper so rapidly.
I haven’t listened to all 315 podcasts, so I can’t honestly say this is the worst one ever, but of the hundreds I have listened to, this is the first one I had to turn off.
I highly doubt that Dr. Arnn convinced anyone to vote for Trump, but he did succeed in convincing me to never donate to Hillsdale again.
I don’t disagree but I think we can overcome those problems eventually.
As for the military, I don’t believe the budget is the issue. I think congressmen viewing the military as a jobs program for their district, whether soldiers or contractors, is a big part of the problem. Aren’t there multiple weapons/vehicle/whatever programs the Pentagon has explicitly said we don’t need or will never use? I think we should give a sheet with $650 Billion (we can haggle over numbers sure) on it to the Pentagon and say, what do you want? And the congressmen should just get out of the way. But that will never, ever happen.
Afternoon Douglas,
I agree with every word. In the movie “Guys and Dolls” a thug, Big Julie, to pay off a bet has to go to a prayer meeting. Big Julie says: “But if it ever gets back to Chicago that I went to a prayer meeting, no decent person will talk to me”. In the movie, it’s a laugh line, but about Trump it is not. I could be mistaken but I sensed Mr. Lileks blood pressure was going up as he listed the 4 reasons which had branded Mr. Trump as beyond unacceptable. When the guys were talking about the inbreds from Appalachia, I sensed disgust, with an ignorant, lazy, bigoted population who are announced as the base of Trump supporters. In a podcast, Troy asked VDH what a student could do to learn about life outside the academic world. VDH suggested that a person could go pick peaches, work on a fishing boat for a summer, or work as a welder. I would suggest one could work as a roofer, in a foundry, in any factory on a line, and if at the end of your work you don’t love the team you are working with because they are intellectually beneath you, then the problem is with you and not them, and you are much less wise than you think.
My wife’s family lives in England and we were there when the Brexit vote took place. The distain the elites had for the average “Charlies” was as great as anything we have here with Trump. This distain did not emerge with Trump or even the Tea Party, our high IQ Republicans have felt uncomfortable and embarrassed with Reagan and Goldwater, so this is not new and not about conservative purity or even winning elections. It is more about class, and the fear of man. We have a practical choice, who is worse for the country? I think that Clinton’s ability to harm the country far exceeds what Trump can do.
Not to bang this drum too hard but it’s important.
Dr Arnn did NOT call Rob Long a silly goose for disagreeing with him. He called him a silly goose for misstating Dr Arnn’s positions and then disagreeing with misstated positions.
I agree with you, we will need to restructure our military as the way we have it now it antiquated. Also under the Obama administration it is also a place for social experiments like allowing all combat positions to women or transgenders in the military. It’s ridiculous but I doubt Hillary will do anything to fix these problems we have in the military, I think she’ll make them worse actually.
But I don’t think domestic issues are fixed that easily, th left is embedding itself in this country and if immigration isn’t dealt with soon I don’t know how much of the American culture will be left
In this summer of despair I feel that every reed I lean on for support has been snapping off under my weight. Add Dr. Arnn to that list of disappointments. Rob was absolutely correct, he did not mischaracterize Dr. Arnn’s preposterous sophistries, and Arnn’s “silly goose” response did not refute Rob’s objections. As of today we will probably be protected from the consequences of electing Trump, so the people that have been obfuscating on his behalf will be not held accountable for their actions. But I truly believe that people like Dr. Arnn are participating in a moral Chappaquiddick in this campaign.
All of the of Photoshops on the Ricochet Podcast are courtesy of the great @ejhill.
Can you clarify this @pettyboozswha?
I will freely admit: Trump does embarrass me.
It embarrasses me that he hasn’t done, nor is he likely to do, his homework.
It embarrasses me that he’s disconnected from reality.
It embarrasses me that he reflexively “others” ideological conservatives.
It embarrasses me that insults and lies are his stock in trade.
It embarrasses me that he is purely ego-driven.
It embarrasses me that he doesn’t accept responsibility for his mistakes.
It embarrasses me that he’s playing footsie with the “alt-right” and 9-11 Truthers.
It embarrasses me that, until very recently, he happily wrote checks to Democrats.
It embarrasses me that, in 2012, he thought Hillary was a “terrific woman” who “works really hard and does a good job”.
It embarrasses me that in November he will lose to a criminal.
In short: it embarrasses me to share the conservative label with him.
Trump isn’t a conservative so you don’t have to be embarrassed about that
Peter looks like he’s ready to hurl.
Can you clarify this @pettyboozswha?
Sure, I think Hillary is going to win in a landslide and bring in a Democrat Senate with her, therefore the Hannity’s and Trump apologists will not have to argue the reality of how Trump would destroy this country but will be able to indulge in a fantasy land of what could have been had we meany GOPe NeverTrumpers just gotten on the bus.
After the last month I can say, without hyperbole, that I think a Trump Presidency would be as disastrous as King Joffrey’s rule on Game of Thrones. He is as far outside the ambit of acceptable candidates as have ever been offered in my lifetime.
@roblong–you did a good job parrying Dr. Arnn’s thrusts, but how did you leave out any mention of Trump U, his well-documented ties to the mob, his attempts to bulldoze a poor woman’s home, and his unapologetic use of illegal immigrant labor to counter Dr. Arnn’s ridiculous assertion that Trump has any respect–other than rhetorical–for the rule of law? Same with his assertions that Trump is “fearless”–being fearless, at some level, implies putting something of value at risk. What exactly has Trump risked? He’s teeing up his potential news network up perfectly–where’s the actual courage?