Ross Douthat takes his place in the Remnant five-timers club today, joining Jonah for a discussion of (what else?) the dysfunctional state of American politics. Unlike last time, however, the nudity is tasteful, the Exorcist references are sparse, and the tone is (slightly) more optimistic. Is the United States on the cusp of a new civil war, and what would that look like in practice? For that matter, why is Biden a less effective president than Bill Clinton? Can a case be made for mandatory voting? And is there anything worthwhile about Don’t Look Up?

Show Notes:

• Ross’ previous Remnant appearance

• Ross: “Let’s Not Invent a Civil War”

• Ross on the Remnant discussing The Decadent Society

• Jonah’s latest G-File on Biden’s Georgia speech

• David Brooks: “How the Bobos Broke America”

• Jason Stanley, How Fascism Works

• The Remnant with Yuval Levin

• Jonah’s distaste for Don’t Look Up

• Ross on why the movie needs a second cut

• Eric Levitz dissects Don’t Look Up

• The latest Dispatch Podcast

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