Podcasts

Twenty years ago, the Democratic Party seemed poised to dominate American politics. But having alienated many of their traditional working class voters, that dominance didn’t come to pass—and the party could be on the precipice of a political disaster. To understand how we got here, Jonah invites Ruy Teixeira—senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and author of The Liberal Patriot on Substack—back on The Remnant for some white hot wonkery on the shifting demographics of America’s major parties. In his new book, Where Have All the Democrats Gone? Ruy explores the Democratic Party’s evolution and what it should do to get back on track. Why did the working class turn on the Democrats in the first place? What will it take for the party to embrace a more moderate policy platform? And why is everyone so determined to make the perfect the enemy of the good?

Show Notes:

–Ruy’s page at AEI

–Ruy’s Substack, The Liberal Patriot

–Ruy’s new book, Where Have All the Democrats Gone?

–Ruy’s earlier book, The Emerging Democratic Majority

–Ruy: “A Three Point Plan to Fix the Democrats and Their Coalition”

–Jonah’s first AMA on The Skiff, The Dispatch’s members-only podcast feed

Jonah begins today’s Ruminant by staring blankly into the ether, but he’s quickly jolted back to reality by the latest in political asininity. Recently, America has faced an upsurge in antisemitism across the political spectrum, and Jonah has plenty of thoughts about why this is happening and how we can stop it. In predictably slapdash fashion, he also explores the astonishingly dumb trend of young Americans sympathizing with Osama bin Laden, and what 2024’s political coalitions will look like. Also, tune in for an important dingo update.

Show Notes:

–Jonah: “Democrats Are Right to Worry About Biden in 2024”

–Matt Lewis: “Ben Shapiro Astonished by Candace Owens Being Her Usual Self”

–Isaac Schorr: “The Shameful Nods to Antisemitism From Candance Owens and Tucker Carlson”

–Ian Haworth: “Tucker Carlson Sells ‘Just Asking Questions’ Antisemitism”

–Charlie Cooke: “Wokesters for Osama bin Laden?”

–The Economist’s Intelligence podcast on another Trump victory

Jonah’s even more sleep-deprived than usual on today’s Remnant due to dingo-related difficulties. Thankfully, however, his guest has more than enough rich insights on hand to keep him awake. He’s joined by Alexandra Hudson—writer, academic, and author of the new book, The Soul of Civility: Timeless Principles to Heal Society and Ourselves.

It’s clear that American society isn’t in a particularly civil state, and there’s plenty of appetite for improvement. But Alexandra thinks that we often fail to grasp what civility really means in the first place. Armed with an esoteric collection of historical references, she and Jonah explore what the distinction is between civility and politeness, how we can bring about a “civility renaissance,” and why civility is foundational to liberal democracy. Break out your bingo cards.

Show Notes:

– Alexandra’s webpage

– Alexandra’s new book, The Soul of Civility

– Defining the World: The Extraordinary History of Dr. Johnson’s Dictionary

– Video version

Jonah teams up with Mike Rothschild (who, shockingly enough, is not a member of the Rothschild family) to discuss conspiracy theories and the fallacies that undergird them on today’s Remnant. In a conversation that touches on wackiness ranging from Pizzagate to the Rothschilds’ supposed lease on Israel, Jonah and Mike try to understand why conspiracy theories formulate and what makes people subscribe to them. What do pro-Trump conspiracy theories indicate about the state of our institutions? Why is antisemitism such a pervasive evil? And  a general decline in in social media to connect crazy people to crazy ideas in ways that underground bookstores never could.

Show Notes:

– Mike’s new book, Jewish Space Lasers

– Mike: “The Internet Never Met a Conspiracy Theory It Can’t Love”

– Mike: “On the Rothschilds’ Myth in Literature and Film”

– The Rothschilds and Waterloo

The close of another week brings another indulgent Ruminant, in which Jonah dedicates an inordinately long rant to the one subject he’s unquestionably an expert on: his own beliefs. Today’s topics include the latest Republican presidential debate, Joe Biden’s prospects for 2024, the ongoing conflict in Israel, and David Brooks’ recent suggestion that Jonah belongs on the “right edge of the left,” all of which raises important questions: How likely is it that someone other than Biden will be the Democratic nominee? Is there really a distinction between anti-Zionism and antisemitism? Why will Jonah never consider himself a leftist? And will the Fair Jessica’s efforts to end the solo podcast ever prove successful?

Show Notes:

– The Dispatch Podcast, recorded live from New York, on the latest GOP debate

– An audience Q&A with Jonah and Steve, available exclusively for Dispatch subscribers

– Jonah: “How Anti-Zionism Shrugs Off Antisemitism”

– The Remnant with David Brooks

– Jonah’s review of Yuval Levin’s The Great Debate

– Bid to win a lunch with Jonah in D.C.

On today’s Remnant, Jonah welcomes Dan Senor, a prolific pundit, political adviser, and author of the new book, The Genius of Israel: The Surprising Resilience of a Divided Nation in a Turbulent World. As tragic as the unfolding situation in Israel may be, Dan joins the program to bring a welcome degree of optimism to our discourse on the subject. Israel, it turns out, has become one of the happiest societies in the world in recent years. But simultaneously, levels of fulfillment have plummeted in the United States. Dan’s book explores why this is the case, and what lessons Americans should take from Israel to strengthen our social fabric and build communities that emphasize the importance of each individual. Tune in for all of the uplifting details.

Show Notes:

-Watch this episode on YouTube

–Dan’s new book, The Genius of Israel

–Sebastian Junger’s Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging

–The Remnant with Russ Roberts

For the first time in far too long, New York Times columnist David Brooks is on the Remnant to dispense some of the hottest political wisdom you’ll find this side of Lake Michigan. Lately, David’s been concerned with a serious challenge to America’s social fabric: It seems like most of us can’t really get to know other people. Our country is full of people who feel unseen or misunderstood, and this is fueling our loneliness epidemic and the broader collapse of community. In his new book, How to Know a Person, David offers some solutions to this crisis that largely begin on an interpersonal level. But what does it really mean for people to be seen? What common mistakes do we make in our interactions with others? And will those punk kids ever get off Jonah’s lawn?

Show Notes:

-Watch this episode on YouTube

–David’s page at the New York Times

–David’s page at The Atlantic

–David’s new book, How to Know a Person

–Richard Weaver’s Ideas Have Consequences

–The Remnant with Jean Twenge

–Enter to win a lunch with Jonah in D.C.