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This week, the audacity of grope — can Uncle Joe survive the woke warriors? We (along with Bethany Mandel who sits in for Peter) ponder that question with our guest, Commentary’s Christine Rosen. Also, have the Democrats gotten too far out over their skis with the Mueller Report? Survey says…YES. And what the heck is going on across the pond with Brexit? We call on Quillette’s Toby Young to explain it all to us (and more important issues like Megan Markle’s lack of popularity). Finally, Bethany (home) schools us on her NYT piece on the politics of measles immunization. It’s a very…sharp conversation.
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Scott Adams often talks about this kind of thing.
It’s too costly, too damaging to the ego, for some people to admit they were wrong, so they look for the tiniest loophole in the argument.
Thus, some anti-Trumpers put forward the absurd claim that Trump’s words (construed as negatively as possible, of course) are more important than his deeds.
It’s not disregard, it’s a mindless bad habit. One that I’m striving to break my 14-year old of. Language is contagious. I would bet it’s used frequently in her circle of friends.
Gary, I think you’re being a little bit gullible here. Ms. Carter is obviously a good trooper, but I’d paraphrase Groucho Marx – you can believe her statement or look at the picture and believe your lying eyes. If you don’t like that one look at Chris Coon’s daughter and tell me he’s not really a creep. I’m really surprised he’s getting a pass on this issue. How is parading around naked in front of female Secret Service agents any different than what Charlie Rose got canned for? The issue isn’t sex, it’s gratuitous displays of naked power. Harvey Weinstein could have had binders full of women that would have stood on their heads in Times Square for him, but he wanted to exercise his power over young actresses.
I’d love to hear Max and Taras discuss this issue of the diabolical Trump playing 14th dimensional chess with Jonah Goldberg and Rob. IMHO Trump governs like a drunk put in a barrel and told to piss in the corner.
That an interesting opinion.
I hate that song.
EDIT: That was a little abrupt. When that song came out, there were a rash of suicides at my high school. A coincidence, no doubt, but it still puts my teeth on edge.
Or maybe the music is the same, but you appreciate it more, now?
Why all the concern about impulse control? Everyone knows warp drive is where the real action is! Right, James?
Or not even his words, just his, like, you know (sorry, hadda) “stench.”
Entertain the possibility that Donald Trump is neither an imbecile nor a mutant genius, but something in between. Given what happened in 2016, of course, probably closer to the mutant genius end of the scale. (N.B.: It was only in Ronald Reagan’s final year in office that Democrats like Chris Matthews began to admit that, rather than the “amiable dunce” they had called him, Reagan was a political genius.)
I’d like to ask Jonah Goldberg about the column in which he sneered at Trump for saying he had been tougher on Russia than any other President. Goldberg then went on to give examples of Presidents like Reagan and Eisenhower being tough on “Russia” during the Cold War. Live by pedantry, die by pedantry: during the Cold War, Jonah, there was no such independent country as Russia. It was merely a province — a “constituent republic”, so called — of the Soviet Union.
So you think the latest Cabinet Secretary to walk the plank is proof of his mutant genius?
Can I pushback a little bit on Bethany’s vaccination concerns without being immediately deemed a wacko?
I have been involuntarily enlisted into the “anti-vaxx” movement despite having a few concerns that seem reasonable. We have three kids, the oldest of which is 15 and fully vaccinated (her most recent shots were about two weeks ago). Our middle child, our son, is allergic to the adjuvants in many vaccines. Twice before the age of three he contracted encephalitis immediately following vaccine shots. He has not been vaccinated since (he’s 12 now). As a result of this experience, and because allergies to the metals in many vaccines run in my wife’s side of the family, our youngest (9) has also not been vaccinated.
Thankfully, we live in a state that allows both medical and personal exemptions for vaccinating children. Unfortunately, there is a state bill pending right now which would eliminate personal exemptions and exclude any child who has not been fully vaccinated from any activity at a public school or other facility where children gather.
This shouldn’t be a problem, because why wouldn’t be able to get a medical exemption if we have a medically valid reason to not vaccinate our son? Because the process for obtaining medical exemptions has been made near-impossible. Our son’s reactions don’t qualify and neither do most of the other known contraindications of the various vaccines. Our state lists only 7 valid ground for exemptions, expecting all other vaccine-sensitive kids (and their parents) to suffer.
The state health authority, who is the sole determinant of what qualifies for exemptions, also governs the licenses of pediatricians, and leans on those who issue “too many” medical exemptions, threatening to put them out of business. We have a doctor who has written a book advocating a parent-led vaccination schedule and even he won’t issue any exemptions because he fears being shut down.
Vaccines are good; herd immunity is desirable. I’m not concerned about autism. What does concern me is that the bipartisan support for vaccination and the bipartisan derision of “anti-vaxxers” (many of whom deserve it) has created a vacuum-effect sucking the air out of any space where the tiny minority of people who do need vaccine exemptions for their kids can be heard without being lumped in with “anti-vaxx kooks.” Pro-vaxxers want to crush the anti-vaxxers so badly, that the tiny % of children who *will be* injured by vaccines are getting crushed with them.
There are no alternative vaccines for kids who can’t handle certain ingredients; the vaccination system is not market-based, the vaccine manufacturers are protected by the government from any liability, and there is no recourse aside from public ostracization. We can maintain CDC recommended herd immunity levels (we are maintaining them, actually), without forcing vaccines on kids who can’t handle them.
Eh? Is there an argument, one way or the other, hiding in there?
I figure Trump thinks he can find someone better. Exactly the same thing he would have done if, say, a hotel project were behind schedule: fire the exec in charge.
I would love to hear a Remnant episode where Jonah discusses/debates the Trump era with Victor Davis Hanson. Doubt that will happen but would be a great discussion.
I doubt it would accomplish anything. VDH would give lists of Trump’s accomplishments, while Jonah would just say “icky” over and over.
How about the title of the podcast? “U Can’t Touch This” by MC Hammer.
See comment #22.
Wait wait wait wait wait…
Did James say that a couple of the guys from BOC are Ricochet members?
I think he said at least one is a fan/listener, but maybe they’re among the freeloaders that Rob and Peter need to call out.
I have a suggestion regarding Rob’s pitch for membership. Although most of us probably discovered Ricochet through the podcasts, I think most members will say that the Member Feed is their favorite part of the site. And while Rob and Peter are rarely ever in the Member Feed, @jameslileks does write posts and sometimes participates in the comments of member-written posts. My suggestion is that Rob can continue to talk about the podcast side of the operation, but then give James a minute to talk about whatever articles have caught his attention in the last week. As I recall, he did this a few times maybe a couple years ago, and I think it gives non-members a little better idea of what they’re missing out on.
Good idea!