The Remnant with Jonah Goldberg

Entering the final week of his sojourn in Maine, Jonah begins today’s Ruminant with an account of a drive he recently took to Chautauqua, New York and a reflection on the joys of travel. He also offers a few thoughts on free speech and the stabbing of Salman Rushdie, as well as the nature of patriotism and the importance of gratitude for the things we’ve inherited. The episode concludes with some...

What constitutes a life well lived, and what does it mean to truly flourish? Noted economist Russ Roberts provides answers to these pressing questions on today’s Remnant, which concerns his new book, Wild Problems: A Guide to the Decisions That Define Us. In life, we’re faced with many big decisions that can’t be solved by calculation, like when to marry, what career to choose, and whether to have...

Jonah continues to swelter in Maine on today’s Ruminant, as he examines the aftermath of the FBI’s raid on Mar-a-Lago and how we should interpret Merrick Garland’s response. There’s also an extended discussion of Trump’s psychology, the allure of conspiracy theories, and the nature of American exceptionalism, as Jonah explains how he made peace with being part of the Remnant.  Show Notes: - The la...

With his faithful canine in tow, Kevin Williamson saddles up for another Remnant escapade. This time, he and Jonah explore the Mar-a-Lago raid, the problem with new ideas in politics, and the Texas midterm elections. Plus, there’s plenty of dingo discussion mixed in for your edification. Is the president above the law? Should dog shows be banned? And can Kevin’s neighbors convince him to vote for...

Jonah’s aversion to preparation catches up with him on today’s sweaty Remnant. Stuck without a guest, he’s forced to spend an hour answering listener questions selected by Guy, his AEI research assistant. The result is an eclectic throwback to the Remnant AMAs of old, which covers everything from the disappearance of “The Couch” in the G-File to the prospect of a Ron DeSantis presidential bid. How...

Live from an undisclosed location in heat-struck Maine, Jonah gets ranty on today’s vigorous yet thoughtful Ruminant. In light of his surroundings, he begins with a few reflections on Ted Kennedy’s incident at Chappaquiddick before launching into a passionate tirade against the foolishness of the new right. In distinctly nerdy fashion, Jonah leaves no room for interpretation: There is no place on...

Back in the Remnant driver’s seat, Jonah invites newly minted AEI fellow Joshua Katz onto the program for a nerdtastic discussion of language and how free we are to use it. Inevitably, their conversation touches on Joshua’s departure from Princeton, cancel culture, and broader illiberalism in American life. But it also explores current issues in linguistics, how much we can really know about class...

Filling in for an absentee Jonah, Chris Stirewalt is joined by A.B. Stoddard to provide some overpoweringly rank punditry on the state of the midterms. They begin by analyzing how current trends may affect the election results, before turning to the prospect of a political realignment in 2024 and the fear that the Inflation Reduction Act might fail to reduce inflation. Could a third party candidat...

It’s a man’s, man’s world—or so Josh Hawley would have you believe. On today’s Ruminant, Jonah takes a deep dive into the new right’s obsession with masculinity and what it really means to be manly. He also assesses the pros and cons of codifying gay marriage into law, rants about Joe Manchin’s deal with Chuck Schumer, and gives some further thoughts on whether it’s right to launch criminal prosec...

With inflation increasing and the prospect of recession making headlines, David Bahnsen returns to the Remnant to answer a pressing question: How should conservatives approach economic policy? It’s an ultra-wonky conversation that also touches on common errors made by media outlets in their economic coverage and the relationship between moral and economic well being. Plus, tune in to find out whic...

Klon Kitchen returns to the Remnant for another round of vigorous wonkery on all things national security. This time, he’s primarily concerned with the threat of Chinese espionage and the prospect of a geopolitical confrontation between China and the U.S. But he also has thoughts on the Ukraine conflict, the morality of Edward Snowden and Julian Assange, and the nature of quantum computing. Plus,...

Refreshed from his Adirondack vacation, Jonah begins today’s Ruminant with an update on the January 6 hearings and a rant on the strange phenomenon of “capture the flag” media coverage. He also explores the merits of the MAGA republicans testifying in Congress, the silliness of the idea that there’s a “right side of history,” and the general awfulness of Steve Bannon. Stick around until the end to...

AEI Senior Fellow Brent Orrell joins the Remnant for a cheerfully wonky exploration of the modern workplace. With institutions and communities collapsing, Americans are increasingly looking to work as their main source of fulfillment, but is this a healthy development? For that matter, how does immigration alter the workforce? Will artificial intelligence have a positive or negative effect on the...

The Remnant’s wonky streak continues as David Bernstein, professor at Antonin Scalia Law School, joins the program to discuss his new book, Classified: The Untold Story of Racial Classification in America. Racial classifications are ubiquitous in American life, but David believes they are becoming increasingly arbitrary and incoherent. His solution is to abolish official racial classification alto...

July’s drive-time Remnant extravaganza is here, and it’s as deprived of substance as you’d expect. Wedding proposals, cruises, road trips, and other offbeat subjects are all discussed at unnecessary length, but a modicum of serious punditry is also mixed in on the upcoming midterms and the potential for a Trump re-election campaign announcement. Plus, tune in to hear Jonah detail his bygone days a...

Paul Miller, Georgetown professor and regular contributor to The Dispatch, returns to The Remnant to discuss his new book, The Religion of American Greatness: What’s Wrong with Christian Nationalism. In formidably highfalutin fashion, he and Jonah explore what drives mankind’s nationalistic impulse, why Christianity and nationalism have historically been intertwined in America, and what should hol...

An unwashed Charles C.W. Cooke returns to the Remnant for a predictably rank exploration of gun rights, criminal law, and electoral politics. There’s also a deep dive into linguistics prompted by Jill Biden’s taco gaffe, an discussion of America’s fondness for elderly political figures, and an examination of whether stop and frisk policies are constitutional. How is the 2024 presidential race shap...

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...

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 i...

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...

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...

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 re...

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 conservativ...

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 firs...

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 officia...