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Because we have to, we spend an inordinate amount of time discussing the recent events at college campuses around the country. Luckily, we have a Yale grad on the show to help us parse all of the cruel injustices taking place in New Haven. Then, the Mad Dog himself, National Review’s Kevin Williamson joins to discuss his new Encounter Broadside The Case Against Trump. Finally, all the way from Japan, the great Mort Kondracke Skypes in to discuss his new book Jack Kemp: The Bleeding-Heart Conservative Who Changed America and his terrific rebuttal to the New York Times review of the book.
Music from this week’s episode:
How To Be Dumb by Elvis Costello
The opening sequence for the Ricochet Podcast was composed and produced by James Lileks.
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Yes, Peter! Yes! (04:17)
They’ve taken seriously! That’s what I’m saying!
Oh darn… then you lost it 7 minutes later. You’ll come around.
Casey, you’re killin’ me here. What the heck did I say that so please you at 4:17 on which I so foolishly reversed myself a mere three minutes later? (Have experienced each podcast once, as we recorded it, I’ve never been able to force myself to experience it again by listening to it. In other words, Casey, if you don’t tell me what I said I’ll never know.)
Oh, it’s this business of the US being an unserious country. (I went back… looks like closer to the 4 minute mark.)
Last week you all sided with anonymous’s misdiagnosis of this being an unserious country. The problem is that this country is far too serious. You remarked that these college kids have taken what they’ve heard at these institutions seriously. And that’s what concerns me. All this seriousness is making us nuts.
A few minutes later you mentioned the seriousness of the Russian revolutionaries and the unseriousness of the liberals. But a revolution is kind of bonkers. The liberals took their position so seriously they couldn’t work a little bonkers into it.
Politics is not a serious business. It’s a goofy, senseless business.
If we want to win votes and influence people, we need to be less serious, not more serious.
You were right about Cruz–there’s just something about him personally I find unappealing.
Great podcast, so many topics I would like to address but will limit myself to one; I hope Kevin Williamson reads comments because I chose one of his points. He seems to pooh-pooh the idea of a fence and border controls because dealing with visa over-stayers is soooo hard… First, those that overstay a visa are a different quantum of illegal alien than a 4th grade dropout from Chiapas that doesn’t speak English, and may not even speak Spanish. Second, E-Verify will make it difficult for them to get work with even the slightest effort at enforcement of the law, instead of Obama’s policy of prosecuting any employer that questions an obviously forged ID. Third, Chris Christie points out RFID chips can track your FedEx package, why not your passport.
Hmmm, wonder when they’ll have Robin Ellay back on the podcast?
I liked the debut album of Teamster and the Transexuals, but I don’t think the later albums lived up to it.
(Anyone else notice the f-bomb in the outro music?)
Not Orwell, H. G. Wells. The kids are the Eloi. And will probably be delicious.
Apparently youngsters don’t read We anymore, either. (Which means they’ve never heard the line from Telplyakov’s poem Fish in Winter: Fish are always glum/because they’re dumb. Which is just a shame.)
I know. Thought about bleeping it, but in this context I felt it was better to leave it in.
Good to have James back.
In regards to Kevin’s comments about the wall (he would know better than I since he is from Lubbock), I would assume that those parts of the southern border that are too difficult to build a wall are a natural barrier? I think point of wall is too make it more difficult, though not impossible, to cross illegally. In regards to the numbers, those over-staying visas may be a majority but the others are a large minority. Finally, for a more respectful and more understanding of Trump’s appeal and of Trump supporters, people should read Peggy Noonan’s latest column in WSJ. Have you folks ever thought of having her on?
How revealing. From the introduction to the podcast to the segue to Kevin Williamson our trio of hosts discuss the current uproar at Mizzou, Yale and other campuses. They talk about Leftism, fascism, the Bolsheviks – even Robespierre gets a mention.
One insight on the brouhaha is echoed by all three. Rob puts it best: “It’s really about what you’re not allowed to say.” Peter references George Orwell’s stated purpose behind Newspeak as confirmation of that truth.
Further along Rob says he kind of admires how the campus protestors have identified “the soft, cowardly underbelly” of their elders. “They have the(ir) number,” he says.
But what is that “number?” What is it exactly that renders the liberal professors and administrators at Missouri and Yale defenseless in the face of the actual protestors confronting them?
The protestors are black.
What are the administrators and faculty not allowed to say?
Anything disapproving of blacks.
And what group goes totally unmentioned by Rob, Peter and James as they spend 15 minutes criticizing the goings-on at Mizzou and Yale, protests that were initiated and driven solely by the micro-aggressed complaints of blacks?
Black people.
As I said, revealing.
Was Kondrake correct when he said the Reuplican Congress cut AFDC, Medicare and Medicaid during Bush years? Did I mishear him because I don’t recall that happening and in fact thought they were criticized by base for not cutting spending.
And again, comrade EJ Hill gets the Peoples’ Award for the most hilarious propaganda banner.
Cat III
[Anyone else notice the f-bomb in the outro music?]
Yes, indeed. At the end of the first verse. The song sounded interesting, so I looked up the lyrics-one portentous line that goes nowhere after another. I listened again. It still sounded good, but it’s really a dumb song.
Rob, What you say about the precious snowflakes’ appealing to liberals profs’ principles is Alinsky’s third rule: make the bureaucratic enemy follow his own rules. It’s also the basis of the Cloward–Piven strategy.
Peter-You fear the precious snowflakes wouldn’t want to do the usual scut work. That was Michelle Robinson 30 years ago, as a new hire at a law firm.
The earlier comment about the whiners being black is interesting. I don’t know about the girl who felt her affiliation with her dorm had been ruined by the e-mail, but the screaming girl is black. What you say about the cocooned kids is true in spades of affluent blacks, especially re race.
“She’s not Dorian Gray, she’s the picture.” – line of the hour. Thanks.
On the other hand “I don’t think you can cripple this economy” was the howler of the hour. It’s already crippled, Kevin. And Germany is working over time to cripple itself economically with this idiotic Energiewende. The bright spot in the influx of refugees: It’s forcing the Germans to re-think statism, especially in the economic dimension. Maybe they’ll realise shutting down those coal and nuclear plants right now is not the wisest imaginable course of action.
This podcast illustrates why I’m not renewing my membership.
Lately you guys resemble the Dan Akroyd character’s former friends at the club in the movie Trading Places.
Williamson’s characterization of Trump followers was as insulting as it was incorrect. I stopped listening quickly. He reminded me of the Andy Griffith character in the movie A Face In The Crowd only it was out front and unapologetic. Trump’s defense was weak and obsequious.
The has-been publication he writes for has the smug self-satisfaction and condescension of their late founder without the innovation, originality and charisma. (VDH excepted)
There are many in the American conservative movement that do much more than sit at a keyboard, make phone calls to friends and go to lunch with a coterie inbred and distant. That’s why I like the guys at Powerline Blog. They don’t need to tell anyone they’re witty.
In recent trip to NYC I saw at least 6 huge buildings Trump built. Trump critics may have little or no understanding of the work, inspiration, teamwork, organization, imagination, money, bureaucratic approval, conceptual vision and who-knows-what else it may have taken besides the all-pervasive quality of leadership.
Bankruptcy? Bankruptcy? Talk about this President for a change:
http://www.rogerknapp.com/inspire/lincoln.htm