Today’s podcast takes up the so-called “billionaires tax” that is the hot topic in Washington and subjects it to scrutiny—is it constitutional? will it generate sufficient revenue? what will the consequences be for ordinary people?—which is maybe the worst (or best!) thing you could do to such a concept. Then, it’s education and why Democrats and liberals seem unable to understand why it may be hurting them. Give a listen.
James B. Meigs joins today’s podcast to discuss his two articles in the November issue of Commentary. One, “COVID and the Authorities: It’s Even Worse Than We Thought,” has only gained momentum over the past week as more has emerged to suggest leading figures in the public-health community might have been involved in a major cover-up at the beginning of the pandemic. The second, “How Alan Sokal Won the Battle but Lost the Science Wars,” tells the story of a brilliant satirical early effort to confront Wokeness and how time has shown wokeness’s horrifying strength. Give a listen.
Can laughter survive the scrutiny of self-serious social justice activists? Director, producer, and screenwriter of such hits as “Airplane!” and the “Naked Gun” series, David Zucker joins the show to discuss his article in the new issue of COMMENTARY, “Destroying Comedy,” and the woke threat to humor.
The podcast welcomes former Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services Tevi Troy back to discuss his article in the latest issue of COMMENTARY, “Wokeness, M.D.” We discuss the ideological threat to the dispassionate conduct of medical science and how ideology is guiding public health practitioners’ approach to the pandemic.
Wilfred Reilly joins the podcast today to talk about his essential article, “The Whiteness of Wokeness.” As we discuss the phenomenon of well-to-do Caucasians supposedly speaking on behalf of the needs of African-Americans and those of color, we delve into the brilliant observations of George Orwell 85 years ago in his book, The Road to Wigan Pier. Then we talk about the Virginia governor’s race. Give a listen.
Today’s podcast pays tribute to Colin Powell’s extraordinary American story and asks why his memoir isn’t taught in schools while memoirs about racial bitterness are. We also wonder at the larger meaning of the DC comic book company’s decision to remove the words “American way” from the Superman slogan and what it means about the possibilities of a conservative counterculture. Give a listen.
Today’s podcast takes up Donald Trump’s statement that Republican voters will not turn out to vote unless the 2020 vote is somehow resolved in his favor. What does this portend? Will the results in the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial elections suggest a different future? And what about all this “national divorce” stuff? Give a listen.
A discussion about the lingering and unknowable negative health effects of mid-pandemic mitigation measures that may not even be fully visible to us for years. Also, the center-left’s new obsession with the political strategist David Shor and his prescription for Democratic success: “popularism.”
Today’s podcast takes up the question of whether McConnell blinked, why Schumer attacked a deal that gave him a face-saving way out, why Manchin put his head in his hands while Schumer did that, why Donald Trump is doing what he’s doing, and why the Chinese are doing what they’re doing in Taiwan. Oh, and some COVID stuff. Give a listen.
Today’s podcast takes up the charges of the Facebook whistleblower and asks whether her perspective is the right one or whether she misunderstands the nature of Facebook’s challenge to American society. And what exactly are Democrats up to when it comes to raising the debt ceiling? Give a listen.
The podcasters today consider crime up close and personal—yesterday I was in proximity to four different acts of violence and another was nearly burglarized. Is there a larger meaning to these actions? Do they connect somehow to the president’s seeming acceptance of the harassment of Kyrsten Sinema? And how are we to understand them in light of the Justice Department’s decision to focus on supposedly terroristic efforts to intimidate school-board members? Give a listen.
The podcast crew expresses puzzlement at the Democratic party spin that the failure of both big spending bills this weekend needs to be viewed as some kind of ideological and partisan triumph. Why? How? What on earth is going on here? And why is Anthony Fauci threatening Christmas? Give a listen.
Today’s podcast explains why Joe Manchin will never, ever, ever, ever do anything near what the progressives in his party want—because it would be the end of him and he wants to remain his state’s dominant politician. We also discuss the finger-pointing among Bidenites about the Afghanistan disaster, whether it’s OK to desire the political failure of your adversaries, and why we’re no longer talking about herd immunity. Give a listen.
