37 Comments

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?

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No, you're not alone, I'm completely with you on Batya. I've never found her insightful or worth listening to, even when I was super-duper into the whole heterodox scene during the pandemic. And now she shows up constantly on my Twitter feed, even though I don't follow her, ranting as a cable news guest and basically just regurgitating MAGA talking points.

I know the guys like to shout out their former guests, but they've had so many more interesting and thoughtful ones on over the years who don't get mentioned with the same frequency in these weekly recaps. Oh well, I guess kudos to her for being such a go-getter and making a name for herself in this corner of the media.

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Honestly she’s sitting next to Moynihan, and I try to include every media hit the boys do.

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Yeah to clarify this isn’t some entitled/angry “Why did Matt include this” post. I appreciate these newsletters and wouldn’t think it was weird to include this even if Moynihan wasn’t in it. I appreciate friendships and conversations between people who disagree.

I was just kind of curious about other Fifth column listeners’ thoughts on the whole American Compass thing and how it’s interesting that these positions have purchase in spaces like The Free Press. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with it, I like interacting with different views but I don’t think equally radical views from the left are given as much runway. It’s just interesting to me.

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I'm not overly familiar with the American Compass project, but on a basic level I understand the appeal of Batya's critiques of mainstream leftism and understand why she would find a niche in The Free Press. Her arguments about leftism turning its back on the working class while embracing identity politics fits pretty comfortably within the broader critique of the MSM one finds in those spaces.

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I guess I always thought the point was about too much deference to campus radicals not insufficient deference to the working class. You don’t need Huey Long like populism to get critiques of mainstream leftism. But clearly others disagree. Thanks for taking the time to respond

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That makes sense!

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I tried listening to a FP pod that Moynihan was hosting/co-hosting with Batya, but couldn't make it more than 10 minutes. She was like the world's most tedious ChatGPT bot spitting out "elites" and "coup" every fifth word.

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Holy lord that clip was hard to watch. Crenshaw went after her HARD.

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She has a very emotionally manipulative way of arguing with people.

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She happens to be right, though.

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You’ll have to point me to a logic based argument and not an emotional anecdote if she ever makes one.

I pour concrete for a living and find her positions offensive. It’s the soft bigotry of low expectations. She doesn’t speak for anyone like me or anyone I respect.

She represents the interests of the lazy worthless losers who can’t find work because they’re pathetic and suck and working. Guys I can’t stand to work with cause they aren’t worth a fuck. One day with a company they’re back at the union hall tomorrow. Show up on time, and work hard and you’ll be busy for years in this economy.

People don’t want to do that. They’d like to play the victim to corporate interests when it’s their own weak character and cowardice to blame if they can’t find work. The moment you start the blame the world for your problems you give up the opportunity to ever change them when you’re actually the only person who ever can.

People like Batya just indulge their unfounded self pity and they roll around in it so they don’t have to face the fact that today they’re a fucking pussy and they’re going to have to stop being one if they’d like consistent work and to flourish in this world. The Right used to get that. Now they’d rather play the victim.

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Batya strikes me as the type of person who likes to complain about how the "elites" have abandoned the working class, but I am not positive she has ever actually known or talked to anyone from the working class yet somehow claims to speak for them.

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Man, I love George Will. Very sound views on Madison and baseball. True American Great.

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About time McWaters’ work got some recognition.

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FINALLY

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You don’t live in the Boston area do you?

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Hey. I see you over at the Edjewcation page too. How’s it going?

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They need to use it on at least one episode

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Bravo

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Chat addict. That describes many of us

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Yeah

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I salute you both, I hit my 2024 quota of debating with a handful of derps who don't even listen to the podcast in there.

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Thank you Rent, tbh I mostly don’t do any debating, just screenshots and pining about Olivia

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Congrats on the mention and the song. We'll done.

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I’m waiting for my free year of NFC if it becomes the new theme music

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*well done. Goddamnit I wish there was an edit button so I wouldn't look like such a moran all the time

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Can't wait for 4 years of "But Hunter Biden" before every corrupt decision from the Trump White House. Thanks, Uncle Joe!

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Can ya’ll pretty please host a fun event on Dec 20, 21 or 22nd? I will be in NYC on those day! Much appreciated 😉 😉😉

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Reach out, I’m sure some of us will be down to clown!

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Ok! I just have to find some place to stash my teenage daughters 😂

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Bring them. We’re nice 😌😇

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I admit that I will usually lean toward veterans and business people when deciding whose side I want to be on. This is because they all know real life.

Crenshaw has been one of those people but I was never more convinced than after this interview. The fact that the media was busting his balls about stock trading, confirms that they are scared of him.

If we only had more leaders like this.

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huh, that crenshaw guy is kinda interesting. i’d even say, ‘he’s spicy ‘. and i like spicy. so, knowing little about this cat, i’m gonna check him out. if he’s as real, (truthful), maybe there is someone in washington that speaks truth to power in grab’n by the b#lls way. too bad moynihan was second chair in the interview. i think moynihan and crenshaw would be interesting… in a hitchens / moynihan kinda way. thanks—scott

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Behind the WaPo paywall:

George F. Will on his first 50 years of writing a column for The Post

https://archive.ph/OQ4GW

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What's wrong with that stuff growing on Olivia's head

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FREE HUNTER! Oh wait...Joe already did that? Well, carry on.

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