The Ricochet Podcast

Is Bowe Bergdahl a deserter, a hero, or something in between? That’s the primary question on this week’s show, both for the hosts, and for our guest, Senator Ted Cruz. The Senator also weighs in on whether or not the Democrats have abandoned the Bill of Rights (read his WSJ Op-Ed piece here), why Harry Reid is the President’s best friend, and how to stop the EPA’s war on coal. Also... Source

Every few months, we clear the decks of guests and open the floor to you, our faithful Ricochet members. This week, we cover what the boys wanted to be at age 12 (hint: Daniel Day Robinson is Abraham Lincoln), their best meal, who’d they most like to have on the show, are there any issues that can unite the Republican base and the donor, and many, many, more. Did your question get asked? Source

This week, Long is assente in Italy, Lileks is powerless on the phone, and Robinson is rolling with all of it. We’ve got Money & Politics podcaster Jim Pethokoukis to talk about the economy, the budget deficit, and the search for inflation. Then, Commentary’s Peter Wehner joins to discuss what happens when the Right turns on America. And we’re not talking about what happens at a red-light, either. Source

This week, we’re hash tagging like the cool kids as we tackle hash tag diplomacy, global warming, oops, we mean, climate change, no sorry, climate action, oh, whatever. Then it’s some serous DC wonking out with the WaPo’s Bob Costa, followed by political consultant Rick Wilson. Who’s running, who’s sitting, what’s it like to work for Jeff Bezos, and what is Rob Long really doing in Amsterdam? We’... Source

This week, a little history and a little current events. First, author/historian Ken Adelman on his new book Reagan at Reykjavik: Forty-Eight Hours That Ended the Cold War, and on the what lessons from that summit can be applied to the current crisis in Russia. Then, our old fiends Bill Kristol stops by for some conversation on the state of the races to retake Congress, and yes, even 2016. Finally... Source

It’s a Super-Sized 77 minute long edition of the podcast this week (gotta make up for last week’s hooky) as we ponder whether Donald Sterling’s exile from the NBA actually is slam dunk, how to avoid being a Glass-hole, chat with Law Talk’s John Yoo on his new book Point of Attack: Preventive War, International Law, and Global Welfare. Then, Forbes Opinion editor and American Wonk host (yes... Source

Michael Bloomberg is going to heaven, the UN is getting warmer (just ask them), Charles Murray is dispensing indispensable wisdom (courtesy of his new book The Curmudgeon’s Guide To Getting Ahead). Later, what will happen in the Crimea and Ukraine, the Obama administration cares more about regimes than the common man, Troy on the Charlotte meet-up, and should a conservaive accept food stamps? Source

Turns out experts don’t have so much expertise after all; the zen and psychology of the tax code (and Rob’s pitch for the flat tax); the evolution of the word “tranny”; Ricochet editors ( Senik, Levy, and Gabriel) on their favorite member posts; Is the debate about Benghazi over?; a view of the U.S./ Israel relationship from the Israeli P.O.V.; and Lileks needs help finishing his limerick. Source

This week, all we’ve got all is questions: Is ObamaCare decided? Are conservatives who watch MSNBC masochists? Is Jeb Bush a tarnished brand? What should the US response to Russia’s invasion of Russia? Are we in danger of a Michael Totten predicted zombie apocalypse? What does Utah Senator Mike Lee think about Hobby Lobby and who will get Harry Reid’s office when the Republicans take back the... Source

This week on the podcast, we put Putin in his place, D.C. McAllister on that Charlotte mayor and the writer we’d all like to write like. Then, dean of all pundits Charles Krauthammer stops by to discuss his new book “Things That Matter: Three Decades of Passions, Pastimes and Politics” (Audible version available here). It’s a typically elucidating conversation with Dr. K well worth listening to. Source