judging

This week on the Ricochet Podcast, we cover the SCOTUS rulings with the best panel anywhere on the internets: Ricochet Editor emeritus Mollie Hemingway stops by to give perspective on how the media covered the rulings, and Ricochet contributor Adam Freedman (buy his new book, A Less Perfect Union) visits to give us the legal rationale — as well as a way the ruling might be circumvented. Also, Rob drives across the country, and we welcome our new community moderator overlords.

Music from this week’s episode:

Somewhere Over The Rainbow/What A Wonderful World by Israel Kamakawiwo’ole

The opening sequence for the Ricochet Podcast was composed and produced by James Lileks.

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There are 21 comments.

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  1. Luke Thatcher
    Luke
    @Luke

    Did The Great Courses pay extra for that uninterrupted segue?

    Or, does Casper pay extra for the interrupted segues?

    • #1
  2. Casey Inactive
    Casey
    @Casey

    One week, Mollie.

    Go Time!

    • #2
  3. user_554634 Member
    user_554634
    @MikeRapkoch

    It’s actually pronounced Rap-“cook.” The name has a bizarre pedigree. According to family legend, my great grandfather, who was Russian, changed the name from Raskavich to Rapkoch because he was on the ;lamb when he came to America. One legend has it that he was fleeing the wrath of the Czar because he was a spy. It is true that ggp was the Czar’s stable master, but I think the spy thing is just romanticism. I think he became a common horse thief who was running from the law–possibly the noose. He sneaked into Poland where he married my great grandmother and took her to the US of A. Once here he changed the name to protect his family. I wish he’d kept the original as it’s much easier to pronounce.

    On the other hand, everyone with that last name is related and that has resulted in some interesting coincidences. Over the years I’ve received two phone calls from myself. A Mike Rapkoch from Colorado and Mike Rapkoch of Texas who is a sports agent. Imagine how taken aback I was when my secretary buzzed me to say “Mike Rapkoch” is on the line.

    I actually met myself at a family reunion some years back. My alter ego was fit and trim which means–almost literally–that I, too, was f&t in another life.

    It just occurred to me that ggp chose Rapkoch because Rapcrook was alreay taken.

    Anyway, we who are moderators, salute you.

    • #3
  4. user_1152 Member
    user_1152
    @DonTillman

    Rob,

    Do you know about dogfriendly.com for travel and hotel listings?

    • #4
  5. Dadeo Inactive
    Dadeo
    @Dadeo

    It sure would be interesting getting Richard Epstein or John Yoo to opine on Adam Freedman’s “elegant” work-around for the SCOTUS rulings. If it is legitimate, then it renews hope where hope was flagging. It also raises questions as to the true motivations of the republican leadership, who seem relieved to be able to talk about something else.

    • #5
  6. Jim Kearney Member
    Jim Kearney
    @JimKearney

    Highlights include 52:15-53:00 where Rob asks Adam why his legislative work-around wasn’t tried. Chuckles all around when we’re reminded that the legislation was proposed by Ron Paul.

    Freedman’s best moment comes at 1:03:32, when he accuses Justice Scalia of being not entirely fair to fortune cookies.

    • #6
  7. Pencilvania Inactive
    Pencilvania
    @Pencilvania

    What an utter pleasure to hear Mollie!

    • #7
  8. Dick from Brooklyn Thatcher
    Dick from Brooklyn
    @DickfromBrooklyn

    Great segment by Freedman.

    I purchased a copy of “A Less Perfect Union” and it is spectacular so far.

    His releasing it this week is indeed cause to suspect him of witchcraft.

    Let’s throw him in the water and see if he floats…like sleeping on a Casper Mattress

    • #8
  9. Blue Yeti Admin
    Blue Yeti
    @BlueYeti

    Dadeo:It sure would be interesting getting Richard Epstein or John Yoo to opine on Adam Freedman’s “elegant” work-around for the SCOTUS rulings. If it is legitimate, then it renews hope where hope was flagging. It also raises questions as to the true motivations of the republican leadership, who seem relieved to be able to talk about something else.

    This can be arranged…

    • #9
  10. Rightfromthestart Coolidge
    Rightfromthestart
    @Rightfromthestart

    I’m still ticked off at Christie over the keynote speech that was supposed to fire up the convention and turned into ‘look at me ,Ma, top o the world’ . He seems to think that having a mother who loved him makes him unique among men, someone should clue him in that’s it’s a pretty common occurrence.

    • #10
  11. Matede Inactive
    Matede
    @MateDe

    It was so great to hear Mollie again, and it was amazing to hear that Ricochet has helped change her mind on the marriage issue. Dennis Prager, Ricochet, and the religious liberty violations by certain states helped change my mind on the issue, and Ricochet really helps shape your arguments and forces you to look at issues from many sides. I know some folks think because this is a right leaning site that it is an echo chamber but any right leaning site could NEVER be an echo chamber. Conservatives are like Gambini’s, we live to argue.

    • #11
  12. Randal H Member
    Randal H
    @RandalH

    I really want to read “A Less Perfect Union” but audiobooks are about the only books I’m able to get through these days. Does anyone know if an Audible version is in the works?

    I’m fascinated with this idea that Congress can prevent the SCOTUS from overruling state supreme courts. If that’s true, why didn’t these worthless Republican administrations make that happen when they had the opportunity? Something tells me they wouldn’t do it even if they could. They seem to be as happy with oligarchy as the Democrats.

    • #12
  13. Israel P. Inactive
    Israel P.
    @IsraelP

    If marriage were to be decided by each state, how would that stop the politicized IRS from ending the current tax status of religious institutions who do not toe the line?

    If Ted Cruz had his judicial  retention amendment, is there any way in the world that Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, Robert Bork, Janice Rogers Brown or Miguel Estrada would be approved? No? So what’s the point?

    • #13
  14. ParisParamus Inactive
    ParisParamus
    @ParisParamus

    Henceforth, a trigger warning should always precede the playing of Over The Rainbow. Coupled with the subject matter of most podcasts here, it’s too depressing.

    • #14
  15. user_477123 Inactive
    user_477123
    @Wolverine

    I sometimes wonder if people like Cruz and Scott push proposals that they must know have no chance of being enacted simply to fire up and at same time mollify the base, rather than push for a more realistic suggestion like that of Adam Freedman. Does make you wonder how sincere they are and if they are playing us for fools.

    • #15
  16. Goddess of Discord Member
    Goddess of Discord
    @GoddessofDiscord

    Sorry guys, I couldn’t listen to the whole podcast. Too depressing. The only other time I took a podcast break was after the 2012 election.

    • #16
  17. Charlotte Member
    Charlotte
    @Charlotte

    Oh, Mollie.

    Please come back.

    • #17
  18. Indaba Member
    Indaba
    @

    Mollie, you have a voice for podcasts.

    Peter, thank you for the well described situation in South Africa.

    • #18
  19. listeningin Inactive
    listeningin
    @listeningin

    Re: Charleston and the inability of northeastern elite/media types to understand what the churches are like in Charleston in terms of their ability to work together and address racial issues:

    I had three friends who happened to be in the region at the time of the shooting and who visited the church where the shooting was in the week after that terrible event.  (They are devout Christians and went to pray).  They said that there was a powerful sense of peace over the whole city.  One of the church members (who happened to be black) approached them (they happen to be white) and told them that she wanted to make sure that they understand the concept of forgiveness and that it is all because of Jesus.  Two of the people who died were apparently quite close to her.  My friends asked to pray with her, (they wanted to pray for her), and she took over and prayed for them instead.  My friends were moved beyond words.  They said that after seeing the chaos that has taken places in other racial situations such as Maryland and Furgeson, the media must have been shocked at the levels of kindness and mutual support between the blacks and whites of Charleston.  These are pretty substantial case studies for how to build a culture vs. how to destroy it.  If the Left really cares about black lives, they will take heed.

    • #19
  20. Punumba! Inactive
    Punumba!
    @Punumba

    Peter, did you say “Trickle Down Economics”?  Does Thomas Sowell know about this?

    • #20
  21. Augustine Member
    Augustine
    @SaintAugustine

    Dadeo:It sure would be interesting getting Richard Epstein or John Yoo to opine on Adam Freedman’s “elegant” work-around for the SCOTUS rulings. If it is legitimate, then it renews hope where hope was flagging. It also raises questions as to the true motivations of the republican leadership, who seem relieved to be able to talk about something else.

    We need to talk more about this option.  Consider:

    • This restores power to the states, taking it from the Feds.
    • This restores power to Congress, taking it from the Courts.
    • This shifts some interpretive power to state courts, some of which will be less inclined to think a Constitution changes when its text does not change.  It gives originalist hermeneutics a boost the likes of which could only be achieved by cloning Clarence Thomas to replace Ginsberg and Sotomayor.

    This is a ray of hope when none was looked for.  If it’s viable, it’s almost eucatastrophic–or as close to it as mere politics can get.

    • #21
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