The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg

Latest Episodes:

London Calling Jul 09, 2022

Show notes

After kicking off today’s Ruminant with a few reflections on his pesky first name, Jonah soon embarks on a thorough analysis of Joe Biden’s rise to the presidency and the intellectual insecurities that often come packaged with the Oval Office. An eclectic potpourri follows as Jonah explores the distinction between assassination and murder, his relationship with a top British cabinet official, and the hypocrisy of European nations regarding the abortion debate. It all ends with a more lighthearted assessment of the differences between Hollywood movies and real life.

Show Notes:

- The Remnant with Noah Phillips

- The Remnant with Noah Rothman

- David Bernstein’s work for Reason

- Dana Milbank: “Give Biden a Break”

- Mitt Romney: “America is in Denial”

- Vice presidents who became presidents themselves

- The Shinzo Abe assassination

- Boris Johnson’s resignation

- Assasination versus murder

- Michael Gove

- The EU condemns Dobbs

- The Remnant with Megan McArdle

- Jonah’s twitter thread on political movies

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Holy Rollers Jul 07, 2022

Show notes

Commentary ‘s Noah Rothman makes an overdue return to the Remnant to discuss his new book, The Rise of the New Puritans, which compares today’s woke progressives with their pious ancestors. Alternating between vigorous agreement and spirited debate, Noah and Jonah explore the morality of wokeism, the state of sex and comedy, and what’s behind mankind’s puritanical impulse. They also touch on the importance of staying in your lane, the future of safetyism in American life, and whether Mike Pence should be disqualified from pursuing another presidential bid.

Show Notes:

- Noah’s page at Commentary

- Noah’s new book, The Rise of the New Puritans

- Noah: “Joyless on the Fourth”

- Josh Barro on Elon Musk

- George McKenna’s The Puritan Origins of American Patriotism

- Noah: “The January 6 Commission’s Biggest Reveal”

- The Remnant with FTC Commissioner Noah Phillips

- The latest Dispatch Live

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Noah, Can You Paradigm? Jul 06, 2022

Show notes

Noah Phillips of the Federal Trade Commission brings his expertise to the Remnant today for an exceedingly wonky discussion of American law and bureaucracy. The debate over Big Tech has whipped up plenty of discussion about antitrust reforms recently, but how effective could such reforms actually be? For that matter, how problematic are monopolies? Is the FTC in good shape? And how can the harmful effects of social media be mitigated?

Show Notes:

- Noah’s FTC webpage

- Sen. John Cornyn booed at Texas GOP convention

- Amy Klobuchar’s self-preferencing bill

- Hipster antitrust

- Scott Lincicome on the Jones Act

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Born Free Jul 02, 2022

Show notes

If you’re hitting the road this weekend, today’s extra-long, extra-patriotic Ruminant should be a perfect accompaniment for your travels. Jonah begins by looking at the Dobbs decision, the relationship between the judiciary and the legislature, and why conservatives believe in originalism. Then, after offering some additional thoughts on consequentialism and a generous helping of rank punditry, he turns to the Fourth of July. In a moment where pride in America is particularly low, Jonah believes we should still be bullish about this country, and he has enough philosophical insights on hand to explain why.

Show Notes:

- Last weekend’s Ruminant

- Last Friday’s G-File

- Joshua Zeitz: “The Supreme Court’s Faux ‘Originalism’”

- Wednesday’s “news”letter

- David French: “Roe Is Reversed, and the Right Isn’t Ready”

- The Remnant with Megan McArdle

- Only 38% say they’re extremely proud to be American

- Calvin Coolidge on patriotism

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The Fierce Arrogance of Now Jun 30, 2022

Show notes

Megan McArdle is back on the Remnant to explore the Dobbs decision, the culture war over sex and gender, and America’s rising crime. Dingos and the innocence of childhood are also discussed, though you’ll have to tune in to see whether Jonah is willing to divulge more information about his youthful exploits as a supernumerary actor. How should the legislative and judicial branches balance their responsibilities? What does the future hold for the transgender movement? And what would Megan’s criminal justice reform agenda look like?

Show Notes:

- Megan’s page at the Washington Post

- The Remnant with Jay Nordlinger

- Jonah: “How Dobbs Might Shape the Future of Conservatism in Unexpected Ways”

- GLoP: “Occasionally Masculine”

- Megan: “The Left is Counting on an Abortion Backlash That May Never Come”

- Megan: “Don’t Forget the Other Women in the Pool”

- Megan: “A Better Way for Democrats to Talk About Rising Crime”

- Bill James’ Popular Crime

- Jon Ronson’s So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed

- This week’s Dispatch Live

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Dog Eat Dogma Jun 29, 2022

Show notes

Jay Nordlinger, Jonah’s conservative colleague and a senior editor at National Review, joins the Remnant for the first time to provide his uniquely measured blend of rank punditry and linguistic insight. Brace yourself for an eclectic potpourri of topics, including an exploration of the Dobbs decision and the future of abortion in America, a thorough discussion of what it means to be a conservative, and a few etymological asides. Also, tune in to find out whether conservatism’s three-legged stool is still standing.

Show Notes:

- Jay’s page at National Review

- Jay’s podcast, Q&A

- Jay: “The Saudi Golf Tour Is Blatant ‘Sportswashing’”

- Jay: “Roe, gone, &c.”

- Jay: “What is Conservatism?”

- Frank Meyer’s What is Conservatism?

- The Remnant with John McWhorter

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Strictly Consequential Jun 25, 2022

Show notes

Today’s jet-lagged Ruminant finds Jonah haunted by uncomfortable memories of John Dean as he tries to make sense of what the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision means for gun laws in America. Afterward, he offers philosophical musings on an array of topics, including consequentialist ethics, stoplights, and religious edicts. It all ends with a brief reflection on why Jonah is a conservative in the first place. Also, please note that this episode was recorded before the Supreme Court released its decision on Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Jonah will have plenty to say on the subject very soon.

Show Notes:

- The Wednesday G-File

- John Dean’s Worse than Watergate

- The Bruen decision

- The Fairbanks Midnight Sun Run

- Consequentialism

- Trump: “I whine until I win”

- Rationalia?

- Why stoplights use red

- The Remnant (guest hosted by Chris Stirewalt) with Josh Kraushaar

- The Remnant with Christine Rosen

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Think of the Children Jun 23, 2022

Show notes

With Jonah back from the harsh wilds of Alaska, Commentary’s Christine Rosen makes her long-awaited Remnant return. The duo explores the harmful effects of social media on young people, how pornography should be regulated, and what’s led to the rapid spread of transgender ideology. Why has trauma become a political tool? How can epigenetics explain political problems? And will this episode officially bring an end to Jonah’s friendship with John Podhoretz?

Show Notes:

- Christine’s page at Commentary

- The Commentary podcast

- The Remnant (hosted by Jonah’s vocal doppelganger) with Josh Kraushaar

- Christine: “Ban Kids From Social Media”

- Christine: “The Mainstream Media Damaged our Children”

- Jonah and Nick Schulz: “Gated or X-Rated?”

- Christine: “How Trauma Became a Political Tool”

- Jonah: “Who’s Oppressing Whom?”

- The Remnant with Jonathan Rauch

- The Fair Jessica: “Ms. Myths”

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Midterm Madness Jun 22, 2022

Show notes

While Jonah scrambles to escape the wilds of Alaska, Chris Stirewalt takes control of the Remnant to provide some exceedingly rank punditry. His guest is Josh Kraushaar, who joins to explore whether the Democrats really are doomed in the upcoming midterms and what we can expect from Republicans in the remaining primaries. Josh and Chris also consider some of the most pressing questions about the 2024 presidential election: Will Joe Biden run again? How will Trump affect the race? And have the January 6 hearings been helpful to Republicans?

Show Notes:

- Josh’s page at National Journal

- Josh’s podcast, Against the Grain

- Chris’ page at The Dispatch

- Democrats attack Mehmet Oz and David McCormick

- Josh on the building Republican wave

- How Brian Kemp crushed Trump in Georgia

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Call Me Irresponsible Jun 18, 2022

Show notes

How does The Godfather relate to the January 6 hearings? Jonah has the answer on today’s early-morning Ruminant, which also features disquisitions on the Democrats’ economic malpractice, the asinine argument that those who didn’t vote for Trump are responsible for Biden’s failures, and the future of American democracy. Did January 6 create a constitutional crisis? Will the hearings embolden sane Republicans to speak honestly about Trump? And is it time to say buona sera to American life as we know it?

Show Notes:

- The Wednesday G-File

- How Jonah learned to stop worrying and love the January 6 committee

- The Remnant with Chris Stirewalt

- The Editors on the January 6 hearings

- A criminal referral of Trump?

- Andy McCarthy on how Trump should have been impeached

- Noah Rothman: “The January 6 Commission’s Biggest Reveal”

- Newt Gingrich: “Pelosi’s Stalinist Show Trial”

- Jonah: “What I Got Wrong About Fascism”

- The Remnant with Fr. Robert Sirico

- The 500th Remnant-palooza