In a world where people run amok on the internet screaming their heads off, Megan McArdle stands (or in this case, sits by a microphone) as a model for the cool and collected. After a pre-game round of dog talk, Megan and Jonah settle in for some candid words on bread, being nice, and feminism — commentary so well-informed, we’re posting Megan twice in one week.

Show Notes:

-The Big Tech Four vs. Congress 

-Maxine Waters asks a particularly garbled question to Bank of America 

-“The Great Relearning,” by Tom Wolfe 

-Megan’s book, not actually titled Permission to Suck. 

-Charlie Kirk’s mask terribleness, as featured in Jonah’s Wednesday G-File 

-Louie Gohmert blames the mask for his COVID-19 

-Megan on why racism kills 

-ZipRecruiter.com/Dingo to try it now for free 

-DrinkHydrant.com/Dingo for 25% off your first order 

Jonah’s had a long week, so grab an Irish whiskey (so long as it’s not Bushmills) and join him for some ruminating punditry on the tactical errors being made by conservative advocacy groups, “Cancel Rent” insanity, “Plandemic” insanity, and additional flavors of insanity. Also, Jameson, if you’re reading this, call us.

Show Notes:

-The glories of Jameson Caskmates 

-The most recent G-File 

-The (underrated) Tyranny of Cliches 

-Plandemic movie picking up speed 

-Our episode on conspiracy theories, with Joe Uscinski 

-Obama floats a falsehood about Rutherford B. Hayes 

A.B. Stoddard is a refreshing presence on today’s podcast as she and Jonah delve into starkly rank punditry and a discussion of the eerie intentionality behind Trump’s coronavirus response. In fact, A.B.’s wise words—on Fauci, on Trump’s fantasies, on panicked Texans—leave only a singular major question remaining: will Jonah end up rocking a man bun?

Show Notes:

-Steve’s piece on the canceling of Liz Cheney 

-Jonah’s recent appearance on the Chuck Toddcast 

-The Washington Post’s reporting of the Trump clan retweeting misleading doctor videos, that have since been deleted 

-Trump’s weirdly made-up invitation to throw the first pitch for the Yankees? 

-Jonah on NPR at the crack of dawn on July 28 

-A.B.’s Bulwark piece on how the Republican Party can’t be reformed from within 

A clean-shaven Michael Strain joins the perennially bearded Jonah to talk about the topic that always brings encouraging news: the economy. Lowering the national debt and the closing of movie theaters are two bullets in this chin-stroking chamber, complemented by banter about barbecue sauce and how to retrieve small children from the sewers.

Show Notes:

-Michael Strain’s new book, The American Dream Is Not Dead: (But Populism Could Kill It)

-Jonathan Chait’s book on Obama’s legacy (got awkward when Trump won) 

-The Montreal Cognitive Assessment

-2001 anthrax attacks 

-Ayanna Pressley’s wise words to cancel everything 

-G-File in which Jonah talks about how the House Freedom Caucus is a bunch of hacks 

-DonorsTrust.com/Dingo for your free resource, “6 Reasons to Use a Donor Advised Fund”