The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg

Latest Episodes:

Inflationary Fever Oct 15, 2022

Show notes

In yet another self-indulgent extravaganza, Jonah tackles political topics both old and new in today's Ruminant. Leading off with current events, Jonah gives his thoughts on the final January 6th hearings and inflation’s tendency to make all other ills hurt worse. Next, in a fit of righteous indignation, Jonah dives deeply into his seemingly bottomless pit of Woodrow Wilson hatred to discuss the historic memory-holing of Wilson’s transgressions and their growing appreciation among the mainstream. Things are finally capped off with a lengthy discussion of tribalism, urban politics, and the failures of universities.

Producer’s note: This episode contains an abundance of Woodrow Wilson references. Out of concern for listeners’ sanity, the musical cue was reserved for only the most poignant of mentions.

Show Notes:

- Rick Perlstein: “When America Had a Moral Panic Over Inflation”

- The New York Times reviews American Midnight

- Jonah: “Of Memory Holes and Memory Buriers”

- The New York Times reviews Liberal Fascism

- This week’s Dispatch Podcast

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Men of the People Oct 13, 2022

Show notes

To mark the arrival of The Dispatch’s new website, Jonah invites Kevin Williamson back to the Remnant for another nerdishly random conversation. They begin by discussing the oppression of the QWERTY keyboard, strange quirks of the free market, and the benefits of democracy, before turning to the legacy of the New Deal and pressing matters of rank punditry. Will the Remnant ever become the majority? Have Kevin’s anarchic instincts mellowed? And what does the future hold for The Dispatch?

Show Notes:

- Kevin’s page at The Dispatch

- The story of QWERTY

- The horseshoe crab: same as it ever was?

- Jonah: “Slouching Towards the Old World”

- Robert Higgs’ Crisis and Leviathan

- Amity Shlaes' The Forgotten Man

- Kevin’s The End Is Near and It’s Going to Be Awesome

- Kevin: “‘A Normal Politician’”

The Remnant (hosted by Sarah Isgur) with Jonathan Swan

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Way Down Under Oct 12, 2022

Show notes

While Jonah flees the oppressive heat of Texas, Sarah Isgur takes control of the Remnant with weird and wonderful results. She’s joined by Jonathan Swan of Axios, and her uncomfortably personal lines of questioning—which cover kangaroo meat, childhood crushes, and the pains of immigration—may discourage him from ever returning. Serious conversation is also mixed in on the midterm elections, which raises a number of questions: How are Trump’s picks likely to perform in November? What will our parties look like in 10 years? And are campaign staffers dragging Democratic politicians to the cultural left?

Show Notes:

- Sarah’s page at The Dispatch

- Jonathan’s page at Axios

- The Herschel Walker situation

- Jonathan: “Trumpier Than Trump”

- Jonathan: “Team Trump Sees Special Masters as Deep FBI Skeptic”

- The Remnant with Ruy Teixeira

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Breaking Bourgeois Oct 08, 2022

Show notes

In a defiant act against the forces that seek to make his recordings shorter, Jonah delivers an especially self-indulgent Ruminant that covers an eclectic range of topics. Following a lengthy period of proverbial throat-clearing, Jonah begins by discussing news of Ben Sasse’s departure from the Senate and tensions within the “Never Trump” wing of conservative politics. Things then take a philosophical turn as Jonah explores the narcissism of small differences, arrogance of intellect, and why Republicans and Democrats irrationally undermine electoral institutions at their own peril. Stick around until the end for some thoughts on Mitch McConnell and a touch of much needed housekeeping.

Show Notes:

-Jonah’s Breaking Bad cover story for National Review

-This week’s French Press

-American Greatness on Jonah and Covfefe

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Clouds Over Coffey Oct 06, 2022

Show notes

Klon Kitchen, The Dispatch’s resident foreign policy maestro, takes control of the Remnant today with predictably wonky results. His guest is Luke Coffey, a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute who shares his expertise on national security. Together, they take a deep dive into the ongoing Ukraine conflict, exploring how things have changed since it began and what we can expect in the coming months. What tactics have the Ukrainians been employing? At this point, what is Putin’s goal? And could Russia use a nuclear weapon?

Show Notes:

- Luke’s Hudson Institute webpage

- Klon’s page at The Dispatch

- Luke: “Prepare Ukraine for Victory in a Long War”

- Klon: “Putin’s Petulance”

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Day of the Tentacles Oct 05, 2022

Show notes

On the mend from a hectic book tour, the ever-reliable Chris Stirewalt returns to the Remnant for some old fashioned rank punditry on partisanship, the midterms, and America’s changing demographics. After discussing the Herschel Walker situation, MAGA’s hatred of Mitch McConnell, and the allure of strange aspects of Japanese culture, Chris and Jonah answer some of the most pressing questions of the moment. Will the Dobbs decision have much influence on the midterms? Is there anything good about primaries? And why can’t politicians talk about how great it is to be alive right now?

Show Notes:

- Chris’ page at The Dispatch

- Chris’ new book, Broken News

- GLoP enters the Uberverse

- GLoP does cornhole

- Herschel Walker’s bad night

- Nick Catoggio: “Forget the Polls. Let’s Talk About Vibes.”

- Sean Trende: “Setting Expectations for the House in 2022 Midterms”

- The Remnant with Ruy Teixeira

- The Remnant with Elaine Kamarck

- David Frum: “If Liberals Won’t Enforce Borders, Fascists Will”

- Dexter Filkins profiles Ron DeSantis

- David Foster Wallace’s Kenyon College commencement speech

- Join The Dispatch’s What’s Next conference in Naples, Florida

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Pipe Dreams Oct 01, 2022

Show notes

On today’s characteristically rambly Ruminant, Jonah seeks to weave a web between current events, history, and philosophy. After briefly theorizing about the identity of the Nord Stream pipeline’s saboteur, Jonah returns to his Liberal Fascism roots to explore the differences between German and Italian fascism and their shared reliance on hyper-nationalism. Next, he addresses the conservative movement’s roots in American exceptionalism and the new right’s embrace of European-style populism. Then, in a contemplative end to the episode, Jonah reflects on his newfound knowledge of rodentology by considering the potential consequences of incestuous rat relationships.

Show Notes:

- The Dispatch Podcast on the Nord Stream sabotage

- Wednesday’s G-File: “Slouching Towards the Old World”

- The Remnant with rat expert Michael H. Parsons

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Manning Up Sep 29, 2022

Show notes

Richard Reeves of the hated Brookings Institution joins the Remnant for the first time to discuss his new book, Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It. In a moment where the family unit is collapsing, gender differences in education are becoming more pronounced, and large numbers of men are withdrawing entirely from the workforce, it’s vital to explore what’s driving these trends and whether they can be reversed. Why is fatherhood important? What defines true masculinity? And how have young men changed psychologically in recent years?

Show Notes:

- The Remnant (on rats!) with Dr. Michael Parsons

- Richard’s page at Brookings

- Richard’s new book, Of Boys and Men

- Richard: “No, the Boys Are Not Doing Just Fine”

- Richard: “Why Boys Should Start School a Year Later Than Girls”

- The Remnant with Nick Eberstadt

- Jonathan Haidt: “Facebook’s Dangerous Experiment on Teen Girls”

- Richard joins Coleman Hughes’ podcast

- Richard and Jonathan Haidt’s illustrated guide to John Stuart Mill

- The Remnant with Brent Orrell

- “The Tenuous Attachments of Working-Class Men”

- Daniel Cox: “American Men Suffer a Friendship Recession”

Jonah: “The Descent of Men”

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Aw, Rats Sep 28, 2022

Show notes

For years, Jonah roamed the moors of the internet in search of a particular kind of expert to host on the Remnant, but his efforts seemed in vain. At last, however, his sacrifices to Baal have been answered. Today, Dr. Michael H. Parsons, an expert on rodentology at Fordham University, joins the program to discuss everything you could possibly want to know about rats, their behavior, and why controlling them in urban areas is so difficult. What does rat culture look like? How do rats really feel about people? Why are certain cities plagued by them while others seem untainted? And should you be concerned by Jonah’s exceptionally good mood?

Show Notes:

- Dr. Parsons: “Better rat control in cities starts by changing human behavior”

- Dr. Parsons: “Revealing the secret lives of urban rats”

- The Norway rat

- Dr. Kelly Lambert’s rat research

- Rats vs. feral cats

- Does New York have more rats than people?

The Remnant with Matt Ridley

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Maternal Instincts Sep 24, 2022

Show notes

Coming to you from a thunderous Sioux Falls, today’s Ruminant features a distinctly Goldbergian potpourri of rank punditry and eggheadery. Jonah begins by discussing the merits of the Letitia James lawsuit, his general distaste for enthusiasm, and Trump’s cavalier treatment of classified materials. After a not-so-brief foray into the consequences of the left’s pro-truth hypocrisy, things end on an esoteric note as Jonah contemplates pragmatism and the philosophical differences between the New Deal and the Great Society.

Show Notes:

- Eli Lake: “Framed and Guilty”

- The Atlantic: “Separating Sports by Sex Doesn’t Make Sense”

- The Fair Jessica’s review of The Frailty Myth

- Chelsea Conaboy: “Maternal Instinct Is a Myth That Men Created”

- Jonah: “Both Parties Are to Blame for the Immigration Crisis”

- The Remnant with Nick Eberstadt

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