Get the Ricochet app

Ricochet will work fine in a browser on your mobile devices, but for the best experience please download our app.

Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play

Become a member.

Tired of the toxicity of social media? Why not join Ricochet for just $5/month? Think of it as an online bar. Come in, have a drink, hang out, say whatever you want. But don’t badger, bully, or berate the other drinkers. That's our only rule.

Spies Like Us

Subscribe to The Ricochet PodcastSubscribe

There are no secrets at Ricochet: the web's best place for civil conversations. That's why we're happy to have Amy Zegart join us to divulge the details of her soon-to-be-published Spies, Lies, and Algorithms: The History and Future of American Intelligence (pre-order your copy today!)

We rely on Amy's decades of research on the Intel Community to help us make sense of dizzying changes that have upturned the world of espionage. Ever wonder about how technologies from A.I. to your iPhone have changed the game? Amy's got answers!

The hosts also disclose their thoughts on Stephen Breyer's "vacancy"; the fallen heroes of the NYPD; Neil Young, Joe Rogan and Gutfeld! And Rob's got an announcement about some new features coming to Ricochet.

Music from this week's podcast: Nobody Does It Better by Carly Simon

Hosts:
James LileksPeter RobinsonRob Long
Guest:
Amy Zegart

Discussion (34)

  • Al Sparks@AlSparks

    I didn’t realize that Breyer’s retirement announcement had strings. I suspect that he was public about it because the administration leaked his intention to retire.

    But Mickey Kaus is incorrect about the constitutionality of what Breyer’s proposing. All the constitution says is that the president makes appointments on the advice and consent of the senate. It doesn’t require a vacancy, it doesn’t even require a nomination.

    It doesn’t happen that way, but theoretically, a president elect could announce his new cabinet, and the senate could advise and consent to those appointments before the new president took office without a formal nomination. After taking his oath of office, the president could sign those commissions.

    I do vaguely remember a cabinet officer in the Nixon administration announcing his upcoming resignation, where the president nominated his successor before the vacancy occurred. I suspect this is very routine, especially with high level military appointments where the upcoming vacancy is known 4 years in advance.

Scroll for later comments
+29 more comments
Join the conversation

You're seeing five of 34 comments. Sign in, or join for just $5 per month, to read them all and add your own.