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This week, another fair and balanced podcast we bring you quixotic Presidential candidate Evan McMullin. His campaign is a long shot, but his qualifications and demeanor are beyond reproach. Later, the WSJ's Bill McGurn joins the show. Among the members of the WSJ Opinion Page, Bill is the only pro-Trump columnist and he makes the case for his candidate in his typical straight down the middle of road style. Also, Ann Coulter finds herself in a tough spot, the University of Chicago mans up, and a Ricochet member contributes the new member pitch. We podcast, you decide.
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Music from this week’s podcast:
The Impossible Dream by Richard Kiley, Original Broadway recording, Man of La Mancha
The brand new opening sequence for the Ricochet Podcast was composed and produced by James Lileks.
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Hosted by James Lileks, Peter Robinson, and Rob Long, with guests BMBill McGurn and EMEvan McMullin
Discussion (30)
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This week, another fair and balanced podcast we bring you quixotic Presidential candidate Evan McMullin.
I fart in your general direction .....
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Every week we hear the same old binary this and that on the podcast. But here's what I want to hear... What's the effect on the Republican Party?
Despite all of the conservative dissatisfaction, conservatives had moved into control of the party over about 2 decades. Conservative voters were frustrated that they didn't do more but the elected conservatives were constrained by the fact that Republican voters weren't as conservative as they were. OK... as far as I'm concerned, understandable from all sides. That's politics. But conservatives were doing pretty darn good.
Now Trump comes along and wins by appealing to those who were doing the constraining. Those who weren't as conservative as the elected officials jumped in to beat them back.
Obama says "We won." Meaning he can do what he wants. Trump say it's time for us to win and do what we want.
And that's fine. Totally legit position. But it isn't a conservative position. It isn't a call to limit government. It's an Us or Them call.
So if this is what we offer - Us or Them - and that is what they offer -Them or Us - what is conservatism's future?
I get that we can move Trump or get Ryan's plan or this and that. And all of that is better than Hillary. But if we get that, then we've essentially given up on the idea that it shouldn't be.
An interesting podcast. For those wishing to hear more from Evan McMullin listen to his interview on The Federalist Hour.
One point about Bill McGurn's argument about Trump. He says we can not criticize Trump because that will cause us to lose the House, and points to the Democrats not criticizing Clinton as proof of how it is done. I would argue the Clinton's is what you get when you put politics above truth. No amount of unscrupulous behavior will ever be enough to merit risking political power. If Trump himself does not turn into a grafting machine like the Clintons then his successor very well might. The political apparatus to give them cover having already been established and the precedent of moral cowardice well enshrined.
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