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The Three Whisky Happy Hour: The State of American Democracy at Year End, with Richard Samuelson

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For what turns out to be the 300th Power Line podcast as well as the last episode of 2021, we decided to revert to full three-whisky mode with a live audience on Zoom, and an extended conversation with historian Richard Samuelson about the left's distorted and impoverished understanding of democracy. Steve had his usual Islay peat bombs and Lucretia polished off a bottle of Glenfiddich, while Richard, who is under quarantine with an actual case of the Omigod variant, had a soothing toddy.

In between recalling what the Founders thought about democracy (and especially John Adams's contributions, since Richard is an Adams expert), Steve offered up his lexicon of what certain terms mean for liberals:

Populism: When the wrong person or cause wins a free election. (Think Brexit and Trump.) Racism: Any opposition to the agenda of the left. Democracy: When the left gets what it wants.

This explains the left's tantrums when they don't get what they want, and their demands to change the rules until they do.

Richard also reviews for listeners the defects of the stage play Hamilton, even as it is coming under fresh attack from the left.

Host:
Steve Hayward
Guests:
"Lucretia"Richard Samuelson

Discussion (14)

  • Dr.Guido@DrGuido

    So...I took my advice from last night. I took advantage of 6-for $25 and, lo and behold, I won!

    Details are obviously up to you two but I'll bring 3 excellent red wines and leave the rest up to your ministrations.

    I look forward to our dinner sometime in 2022!

    Cheers!

  • Leslie Watkins@LeslieWatkins

    I’ve been away from active membership for the past year-and-a-half (too much whining by Jonah Goldberg for me), but I admit to having listened to this podcast (and a couple others) for a good while, and I felt guilty about no longer having skin in the game I was still partially playing. But after this week of the Three Whiskey Happy Hour I just had to renew my membership so I could comment here on how much I like this podcast—despite getting annoyed at times by Lucretia’s rapid-fire interruptions (though, to be fair, Steve doesn’t really seem to mind them and often asks her to continue rather than pick up the thread of what he had been saying). So …

    It’s fun fun fun as well as intellectually stimulating. (I enjoy hearing Lucretia wax lovingly about Jaffa, whom I like learning about.) As a duo, you remind me of George and Gracie meet Nick and Nora. Or, maybe, an academic version of Sonny and Cher? I suspect the chemistry comes from a history that includes a bit more than friendship. Whatever it is, it works for me.

    Finally there’s this. Treating your appreciative listeners to new-content episodes during the last week of 2021? Priceless.

  • Saint Augustine@SaintAugustine
    ReplyingtoLeslie Watkins

    Leslie Watkins (View Comment):

    I’ve been away from active membership for the past year-and-a-half (too much whining by Jonah Goldberg for me), but I admit to having listened to this podcast (and a couple others) for a good while, and I felt guilty about no longer having skin in the game I was still partially playing. But after this week of the Three Whiskey Happy Hour I just had to renew my membership so I could comment here on how much I like this podcast—despite getting annoyed at times by Lucretia’s rapid-fire interruptions (though, to be fair, Steve doesn’t really seem to mind them and often asks her to continue rather than pick up the thread of what he had been saying). So …

    It’s fun fun fun as well as intellectually stimulating. (I enjoy hearing Lucretia wax lovingly about Jaffa, whom I like learning about.) As a duo, you remind me of George and Gracie meet Nick and Nora. Or, maybe, an academic version of Sonny and Cher? I suspect the chemistry comes from a history that includes a bit more than friendship. Whatever it is, it works for me.

    Finally there’s this. Treating your appreciative listeners to new-content episodes during the last week of 2021? Priceless.

    Leslie, glad you're still here and listening to one of the best podcasts we got! (Maybe the best, but I wouldn't know, and wouldn't know how to decide, and don't have time to think about it anyway!)

    If you find Jonah Goldberg does too much whining, may I suggest you try some more time in the Member Feed? I think there are many, many others there who agree with you on that point.

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