About this episode
On today’s program, Jonah chats with an old friend who will definitely NOT polarize the Remnant audience whatsoever (If we wish hard enough then it has to come true, right?): National Review ’s Kevin Williamson. Williamson is out with a new book, Big White Ghetto. Jonah sets up Kevin for a heaping helping of rank punditry to start things off before moving into some book-talk and some eggheadery. In addition to Jonah’s efforts to make Kevin explicate his self-described political ideology (“anarcho-capitalist Eisenhower libertarian”), the two also discuss the ways in which America’s titular big white ghetto actually, well, became a ghetto, and what the solutions might be for the people who feel trapped in struggling communities. In Kevin’s mind, part of the issue is that no one in politics is comfortable saying something that is obviously true: “Cities and towns disaggregate and disincorporate over time, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. But this is also why I’m not running for office.” Show Notes: - Kevin’s new book, definitely in the running for “Greatest Subtitle Ever” – Big White Ghetto: Dead Broke, Stone-Cold Stupid, and High on Rage in the Dank Woolly Wilds of the “Real America” - Karl Rove: This election won’t be overturned - Gangsters don’t have a retirement plan - Conrad Black’s column - Dee Dee Myers appearing generally confused - Jonah’s piece on Republicans and cities - Kevin, reporting from Eastern Kentucky - The most recent Dispatch Podcast - Eisenhower’s response to the prospect of dropping nukes on Dien Bien Phu - The glories of Taco Villa - The Remnant with John McWhorter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices