Episodes

Snowbound in the depths of Pennsylvania, Jonah invites the inimitable Yuval Levin back to the Remnant for a philosophical yet accessible conversation on the responsibilities we face as members of a free society. What’s the best way to approach political and civic life in the United States, and how should we treat our institutions? For that matter, why is cynicism harmful? Can higher education be fixed? And is the internet damaging democracy? Show Notes: - Yuval’s page at AEI - A Time to Build,...

It’s that time again: We’ve reached The Dispatch’s third birthday, and to celebrate, Jonah invites Steve Hayes back to the Remnant to discuss the state of the institution. With water in hand rather than alcohol, they reflect on The Dispatch’s internal growth, its departure from Substack, and some of the most memorable events of the past year. Then, they preview some exciting plans for the future while addressing a few important questions: What sets The Dispatch apart? Will the fabled Dispatch ap...

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...

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 No...

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 par...

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 Rep...

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 R...

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 ...

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...

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? W...

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...

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 De...

Nicholas Eberstadt, AEI’s Henry Wendt Chair in Political Economy, makes an overdue Remnant return to discuss his new book, Men Without Work: Post-Pandemic Edition, an expanded version of his 2016 release which examined the collapse of work for men in modern America. Why are increasingly large numbers of men abandoning the workforce? Is something similar going on with women? And what will be the social, cultural, and economic effects of this trend? Tune in to hear these questions answered, and to...

Michael Strain, Remnant regular and beloved economic policy wonk at AEI, returns to the program to explore the state of inflation and kvetch about the Federal Reserve. He and Jonah also provide some unwashed commentary on House of the Dragon, discuss whether economics really is a dismal science, and mix in some thoughts on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Can inflation be fought at the state level? When should economics and politics mix? And is it possible for a Remnant episode to be too lon...

Live and under-caffeinated from a mysterious compound buried deep in the Adirondacks, Jonah focuses today’s Ruminant on nationalism, liberalism, and the American tradition. After providing an update on the state of The Dispatch and a few thoughts on integrity in politics, he launches into an epic rant on the recent National Conservatism Conference in Miami and the movement behind it. Throughout, he’s keen to stress a particular point: Our constitutional order still works. Show Notes: - Peter T...

Determined to reclaim his Remnant throne from Chris Stirewalt, Jim Geraghty returns to the program to discuss his new thriller, Gathering Five Storms. The novel also provides a launch pad for some exceedingly rank punditry on Russia, the midterms, and the state of the Republican Party. Earlier in the year, it seemed certain that the GOP would make significant gains in November, but is that still the case? For that matter, why does the foreign policy establishment seem to get so many things wrong...

On today’s Ruminant, Jonah provides a distinctly Goldbergian fusion of punditry and nerdery. After evaluating Joe Biden’s use of the phrase “MAGA Republicans” and offering a few further thoughts on the Philadelphia speech, he discusses Steve Bannon’s arrest, the ongoing fallout from the Mar-a-Lago raid, and Gov. Greg Abbott’s migrant busing policy. It all ends on a philosophical note, as Jonah reflects on the distinction between conservatism and radicalism. Show Notes: - Last weekend’s Remnant...

It’s been a while since the Remnant featured an expert on crime, but today, Manhattan Institute fellow Rafael Mangual joins the program to fill that void. Recently, Rafael published Criminal (In)Justice, in which he argues against decarceration and depolicing. Using that book as a launch pad, he and Jonah discuss the sociological factors behind criminality, how crime can be deterred, and why the U.S. is an outlier in its incarceration rate. Plenty of policy wonkery is also mixed in. Show Notes:...

Cato Institute uberwonk Marian Tupy returns to the Remnant to discuss his new book, Superabundance: The Story of Population Growth, Innovation, and Human Flourishing on an Infinitely Bountiful Planet. For some time, the idea that overpopulation will deplete the world of its resources has been popular in sociology. In this extra-long, extra-nerdy outing, Marian explains why its proponents are mistaken. He and Jonah also explore how nations become prosperous, the problem of collapsing fertility ra...

With no preparation and last minute coordination, the drive-time Remnant format returns. Today’s pointlessly random audio adventure covers Biden’s polarizing speech in Philadelphia, Jonah’s unique theory of what happened at Mar-a-Lago, and the dark connection between fast food magnates and conservative think tanks. Musings on TV, movies, and the strange nature of the solo Ruminant are also mixed in. Plus, stick around until the end for some breaking news about The Dispatch. Show Notes: - Biden...

Katherine Mangu-Ward is back on the Remnant, and although Jonah had planned on hosting her for an episode of rank punditry, their conversation takes a more philosophical turn instead. After digging into the weeds of libertarian philosophy, the nature of the social good, and the relationship between libertarianism and feminism, they explore a potpourri of topics ranging from drug liberalization to the transgender debate. Be prepared for unfettered nerdery. Show Notes: - Katherine’s page at Reas...

It’s a Dispatch crossover on today’s Remnant, as Sarah Isgur returns to the program to explore the aftermath of the Mar-a-Lago raid, the meaning of executive privilege, and whether this situation can be compared with the Hillary Clinton email controversy. There’s also an extended discussion of child-rearing and the neuroscience of motherhood prompted by a recent New York Times op-ed. Oh, and a look at Sarah’s strange relationship with spiders. Show Notes: - Who gets to classify (and declassify...

Poised to return from Maine, Jonah’s in especially scatterbrained form on today’s eclectic Ruminant. He begins the program by expanding on Wednesday’s “news”letter and offering some further thoughts on the problematic relationship between data and audiences in today’s media space. Afterward, he addresses Biden’s “morally and politically indefensible” student loan forgiveness plan, the foolishness of politicians who don’t know what they believe, and the nature of a life well lived. Stick around u...

The Remnant offers two guests in one today, as AEI scholars Hal Brands and Michael Beckley join the program to discuss their new book, Danger Zone: The Coming Conflict with China. With the United States and China running a “superpower marathon,” how can we expect the competition to resolve, and is there an appropriate historical analogy for China’s current state? Furthermore, what foreign policy should we pursue toward China? Can China make a stable transition to democracy? And will Michael go d...