Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Inauguration blues, liberalism coming on strong, Roe v. Wade is 40: what to do, what to do? Our guests Fox News contributor and talk radio host Monica Crowley and Ricochet’s own Mollie Hemingway help sort through the low points and show us the way forward. Also, Peter asks a burning question late in the show that we ask you to answer in the comments: What Simpsons character best captures each of the hosts? D’oh!
Music from this week’s episode:
- Let’s All Go To Flaming Moe’s by The Simpsons
The Ricochet Podcast opening theme was composed and produced by James Lileks.
Mmmmmmm, EJHill.
Get a free audio book on us. Go to AudiblePodcast.com/Ricochet. Check out Monica Crowley’s books on Audible here.
Subscribe to The Ricochet Podcast in Apple Podcasts (and leave a 5-star review, please!), or by RSS feed. For all our podcasts in one place, subscribe to the Ricochet Audio Network Superfeed in Apple Podcasts or by RSS feed.
Wow, is that ever a sweet illustration!
I lost my bet that the title of this podcast would be “In Praise of Hookers.”
That would have involved you, Monica and fishnet stockings. (And a private URL.)
James Lileks – Ned Flanders (Helpful neighbor who’s always cheerful, even when you don’t want him to be.)
Rob Long – Krusty the Klown (I can totally see him smoking cigars in his office as the suits give him notes that make no sense, and would anyone believe he could resist a dumptruck full of money that pulled up to his house?)
Peter Robinson – Rev. Lovejoy (Mostly because it’s funny to imagine him preparing to torch his workplace while mournfully stating “I never thought I’d have to do this again.”)
I may have watched a wee bit too much TV.
That would have involved you, Monica and fishnet stockings. (And a private URL.) ·6 minutes ago
There’s still time.
I don’t think Rob’s assessment on the abortion issue is accurate. He says that America elected the most pro-abortion president ever, and while that might be true, I don’t think it’s the correct correlation to make from the 2012 election.
A huge number of voters checked Obama’s name because they’re tied in to some sort of welfare and they want more. Or because he’s black. Or because of “hope” and “change”. Etc, etc.
Just because Obama was elected, doesn’t mean everybody that voted for him thinks late-term abortions are awesome. Especially with the “low info” voters, they may not even have known where he stands on abortion.
So don’t let Rob’s negativity get you down, Mollie. I tend to be more optimistic, like you. Small victories are still victories. Keep it up.
Probaby wouldn’t meet expectations.
As I said during the live chat, Rob is right that American voters knew what they were getting when they reelected Obama. But it was not specific policies many of them had in mind. They were electing a dictator. They elected a personality who shares their disdain for Constitutional limits and disdain for conservatives.
I think it was Drew who compared liberalism to a club, and I’d say that’s exactly right. If you’re not in the club, you don’t matter.
Of course, as with all would-be dictators, President Obama doesn’t care much about club members either.
Trivia movie/music moment. The next time you watch the original movie Ocean’s 11 keep an eye out for the scene- or is two – where Sammy Davis drives his dumpster past the billboard which highlights Louis Prima and Keely Smith at the Desert Inn’s Painted Desert Room. Indeed, I think they can been seen performing in another scene if I flash recall it correctly..
Aaron! First rule of live chat club is “Do not talk about live chat club!”
I’m just picking up the advertising where James left off.
Peter: Arthur Herman’s post Benghazi and the Pool of Time throws ice water on your hope that the House Republicans will demonstrate leadership.
Rob said conservative action should be divided into (1) attackers of liberal silliness and (2) communicators of conservatism directly to the people. Peter suggested DC Republicans are in the first group and state-level Republicans are in the second. (Of course, everyone has to cover both jobs but Rob’s point was people have specific jobs to do.)
I think Peter’s application of Rob’s idea may be the reverse of what’s needed.
A lot of liberal critiques and outrage have gotten traction out of the fact that the initial attackers are not prominent people with national stature to risk. The politicians can pick up the line later if needed but it’s not always necessary (granted, sometimes it is necessary). If we disparate citizens take up the role of attack dogs and do it well, there may be a better chance of making the lines stick and spread through our culture than a headline about Boehner or maybe even a Rubio speech. There’s more of us than there are of them (elected Republicans) – why not free them up to really sell conservatism to the people and get their votes?
Wonder if Lileks’ yellow skin prevented (artistically) EJ from dressing him in the trademark yellow muscle shirt. Purple silk works in any case.
Songs like “Flaming Moe’s” are chiefly the result of the musical comedy genius of the early Simpsons writers and composer Alf Clausen. It’s most relevant for closing the Ricochet podcast because much of the episode, and it’s song, is a thinly veiled “Cheers” spoof.
I still cherish my CD of their early work, “Songs in the Key of Springfield” and even have played their parody of the Schoolhouse Rock classic “I’m just a Bill” in my US Government class on the rare occasion when our lesson plan left us with a few extra minutes. After showing them the original Schoolhouse Rock clip (which they all have seen somehow, even though it preceded their birth by decades) I then follow with the clip of “The Amendment Song.” We then discuss until the bell rings. :)
Aaron! First rule of live chat club is “Do not talk about live chat club!” ·2 hours ago
Its only fair that I should warnTeam Edgythat I see 2 exclamation marks in successive sentences in that post.
Tsk, tsk. ·10 hours ago
I accept the reprimand and will aim to improve.
That would have involved you, Monica and fishnet stockings. (And a private URL.) ·5 hours ago
If its a paid subscription, would that violate the Interstate Commerce clause?
Aaron! First rule of live chat club is “Do not talk about live chat club!” ·2 hours ago
Its only fair that I should warn Team Edgy that I see 2 exclamation marks in successive sentences in that post.
Tsk, tsk.
I think Rob sounded a little more like Sideshow Bob today.
Did you see her repressing me? You saw it, didn’t you!
To Rob: before Roe v. Wade, some states were moving toward liberalizing abortion to one degree or another. But the moment Roe v. Wade defined abortion as a fundamental right, that was what pro-abortionists used to justify it, and then it took off like a bandit.
They didn’t change the culture first, and follow it by laws that reflected that cultural change. If the last 40 years have taught us anything, it’s that liberals change the law first, then justify that change to the culture on the grounds that “it is, after all, the law.” Liberals use the law to change the culture.
Besides, the abortion issue is only the most obvious example of taking a general principle (privacy) and using it as if it granted specific power. There are lots of principles in the Constitution that everyone agrees with in general, but we fight tooth and nail over the specifics. In Roe v. Wade, they simply claimed that a general principle gave specific legal power.
So long as that’s firmly in place, not only will abortion continue, but all of the other Constitutional atrocities that flowed from the same source.
Yeah Monica! WOLVERINES!
That Simpson’s song sounds a lot like that old “Cheers” song. Anybody know if it’s the same artist?
One of the best podcasts of all time, guys. Lot’s of red meat, and you had fun doing it.
Scott, this question is why Google was invented. Let’s All Go To Flaming Moe’s (the song appeared in classic “Flaming Moe’s” episode from Season 3) was sung by Kip Lennon. The Cheers theme was performed by Gary Portnoy.
Mnn… the music at the end really warmed my heart.
Those first 8 seasons or so… Especially 2-5. So good.
And that song, if you listen to the words, is so good, it’s just so utterly grim:
And why Blue Yeti was invented. Thank you!
Aaron! First rule of live chat club is “Do not talk about live chat club!” ·2 hours ago
Its only fair that I should warnTeam Edgythat I see 2 exclamation marks in successive sentences in that post.
Tsk, tsk. ·10 hours ago
I accept the reprimand and will aim to improve. ·3 hours ago
Just to be clear — on Ricochet — I hold men and women to the same standards.
I would cast James as Nelson, Peter as Jimbo, and Rob as Dolph.
The “Flaming Moe” ep of the Simpsons is a perfect example of the show’s brilliance – the throwaway title with its echoes of a schoolyard taunt; the seamless progression from enduring a relative’s slideshow -> inventing a drink -> having said drink turn a neighborhood bar into a place where Aerosmith would naturally show up; the spot-on skewer of horrid 70s fern-bar tipple-house names (Tipsy McStaggers) to a take-away line that sums up the main character (“It passed the first test. I didn’t go blind.”)
It was just brilliant. And then the President of the United States said: “We are going to keep on trying to strengthen the American family, to make American families a lot more like the Waltons and a lot less like the Simpsons” and yeah, that really helped the GOP image. I remember being in DC at the time; recapping Simpson on Monday morn with a liberal pal was a kumbaya moment.
When the show got political it became tendentious and unfunny, but at its peak it was not only the sharpest, most ecumenical piece of cultural commentary . . .