Firehose #122: I Beg Your Pardon
Also: Come out to the first-ever “Reason Versus” debate in D.C. Dec. 18!
Sometimes the news just slides on down the chute just before you hit the “record” button on your weekly Members Only podcast…. Until that posts, please do remember that we were in favor of Freeing Everyone and Supporting No One way back in June of this year.
* It was a long weekend, and the hours before Monday are short, so let’s pivot to some relevant video from the week that was, starting with Rep. Dan Crenshaw (veteran of Episode #476) getting testy with Moynihan and especially Batya Ungar-Sargon (#451) about congressional stock-trading rules and whatnot. Note: We will be discussing this on the afore-teased M.O. episode….
* Moyney did another Free Press vid-convo last week with another past guest, Olivia Reingold (#459), about “her recent reporting on the ongoing trial of Daniel Penny, including a viral minute-by-minute video of his fatal encounter with Jordan Neely released earlier this week.” (We discussed that case on M.O. #164.)
* Moar conversations between past guests: Old Shatterhand Nick Gillespie (Special Dispatch #72, #379) probed The Revolt of the Public author Martin Gurri (#225) about “why Gurri voted for Trump and why he's cautiously optimistic about the next four years”:
* SPEAKING of Gillespie, and Reason, and all the things, two bits of eventually actionable news: 1) Reason’s annual fundraising Webathon begins this week. I don’t have a dedicated Fifth Column-listener hyperlink ready just yet, but WHEN I DO, I expect those of such a mind to let them know who sent ya, as that is a fine way to keep our friend Matt in good with his bosses, such as the evil-fingered podcast-namer Katherine Mangu-Ward (#75 & #395). 2) The mothership is opening up a brand new debate series, called “Reason Versus,” in which a cupla Us yell at a cupla Them about a thing, while people laugh and drink. The inaugural event, in Warshington, D.C., Dec. 18, will be me & Gillespie arguing with delegates (Sarah Longwell and the be-pearled Moynihan-baiter Tim Miller) from The Bulwark over the proposition that “You Don’t Have To Pick a Side in Politics.” There will be sloppy drinks afterward. Buy a ticket!
* Did someone say debate? We’ve already received multiple heads-ups about this recent argument over Ukraine between Niall Ferguson and Scott Horton, so let’s just pass it along:
* Moar events: It’s Christmastime in New York, which is a certain horror/pleasure depending on one’s taste for work-related parties. If I don’t see you at all of these, it’s only because I am sensitive soul…. Dec. 11 in NYC, Soho Forum debate between Glenn Greenwald (#183, #197, #211) and Elizabeth Price Foley over whether “Presidential immunity for official acts is a key factor in the proper functioning of the U.S. government’s executive branch.” Dec. 12 in same city, Ask a Jew Hanukkah party at “the historic Blue Moon Hotel on the Lower East Side, a really cool space built in 1879 and now owned and operated by an orthodox Jewish family. You may have recently heard of them since they were the target of a boycott because the owner’s son Bram is a former IDF soldier. So what’s better than sending some business to an iconic Jewish lower east side establishment, and sharing tons of wine and beer with our friends while we’re at it?” There are more parties that week; ask around!
* Unembeddable musical interlude care of beloved listener and known Chat addict John McWaters.
* Just wanted to flag this delightful little George Will piece reflecting on 50 years of writing what for decades has been the biggest syndicated newspaper column in the country: “Being a columnist is as much fun as can be had away from a ballpark.”
* Comment of the Week comes from Kev:
Just wanted to say that I'm thankful this year that my subscription affords me commenting privileges. This is me lording them over all you freeloaders. Perhaps that makes me a bit of a Thanksgiving Grinch, but at least I'm a Thanksgiving Grinch with 10 bucks to contribute.
Walkoff music comes from my go-to “shuffle Christmas songs by” act, who probably love the Beach Boys even more than I do:
It’s likely because I don’t know the person - thus cannot have the familiar endearment I do have for the MAGA and or Progressive acolytes in my life - but I find Batya literally insufferable. And I’m quite sure she’s a very sweet and nice person and I feel guilt for finding her so insufferable. But I don’t understand how Oren Cass (who I thought of constantly when I read The Fatal Conceit) and his movement somehow end up in the heterodox worlds.
Like they agree with left wingers about the dumbest things left wingers think, and they agree with right wingers about the dumbest things right wingers think. It’s like they read Marx and were just disappointed he didn’t mention “wokeness.” What common cause do I have with such people. Why do I feel so alone on this take?
Man, I love George Will. Very sound views on Madison and baseball. True American Great.