The Daily Signal - #395: Social Justice Challenges America’s Founding Ideals

Social justice -- you’ve probably heard the term. It’s a buzzword, but it’s also an ideology. When you peel back the layers, it becomes quite clear that this new social justice ideology stands directly against America’s founding principles -- things like blind justice and equality before the law. Noah Rothman writes about all this in his new book “Unjust: Social Justice and the Unmaking of America.” He joins us to discuss.We also cover these stories:•California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, pulls National Guard troops from the border.•Freshman Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar of Michigan, after getting serious flack from both parties after tweeting what many consider to be anti-Semitic messages, apologizes.•The National Down Syndrome Society releases a new video celebrating the accomplishments of men and women with down syndrome.The Daily Signal podcast is available on Ricochet, iTunes, SoundCloud, Google Play, or Stitcher. All of our podcasts can be found at DailySignal.com/podcasts. If you like what you hear, please leave a review. You can also leave us a message at 202-608-6205 or write us at letters@dailysignal.com. Enjoy the show!

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Opening Arguments - OA252: Constitutional Conventions & the “Proud Boys”

Today's episode features a deep dive into a listener question about Article V Constitutional Conventions.  Are they dangerous?  (Yes.)  Are they a good idea?  (No.)  We also discuss the latest ridiculous defamation lawsuit.. and discover why this one is a little different.  How?  You'll have to listen and find out.

We begin with a little bit of news you might have missed regarding Attorney General nominee Bill Barr.

After that, it's time to answer a listener question about liberal and conservative groups that are angling for an "Article V" Constitutional Convention to overturn Citizens United (or do other things).  We delve deeply into this provision of the Constitution and discuss the plusses and (mainly) minuses of this procedure.

Then, it's time to dissect the recent lawsuit brought by Gavin McInnes, founder of the "Proud Boys," which Wikipedia calls "a far-right neo-fascist organization that admits only men as members and promotes political violence."  Find out why at least one formerly respectable lawyer thinks it's just crazy (and actionable!) that the Southern Poverty Law Center called this a "hate group."  And find out why the real question in this lawsuit involves something called "tortious interference" and not defamation.

After all that, it's time for the answer to Thomas Takes The Bar Exam #113, which involved the constitutionality of abortion regulations.  As always, remember to follow our Twitter feed (@Openargs) and like our Facebook Page so that you too can play along with #TTTBE!

Appearances

Andrew was just a guest on S3E6 of the fabulous Mueller, She Wrote podcast; go check it out!  And, as always, if you’d like to have either of us as a guest on your show, drop us an email at openarguments@gmail.com.

Show Notes & Links

  1. This is the lawsuit filed by the "Proud Boys" against the SPLC.
  2. This is the Wikipedia entry on the "Proud Boys."
  3. Here's the full text of Article V of the Constitution.

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The Gist - Open Season For America’s Wars

On The Gist, if president Trump wanted to denounce bullying, he could have done better than inviting a boy named Trump (no relation) to the State of the Union address.

In 2001, Congress gave president Bush a nearly blank check for command of an American military bent on punishing the terrorist groups directly (and not so directly) responsible for 9/11. The Authorization for Use of Military Force still benefits U.S. presidents, and few in Congress today seek to curb it. Our guest, Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy, of Connecticut, is among them.

In the Spiel, Sen. Amy Klobuchar is in for 2020, and reports of her being too tough a boss should be taken in stride.

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The Nod - What’s Wrong with A Little Romance? (Feat. Jasmine Guillory)

Romance novels usually conjure images of blonde Fabio wannabees and pale, busty princesses. But Brittany recently discovered a steamy, sensual world of romance novels that center Black women. What can these books offer Black women that other media can’t? Brittany talks to Bim Adewunmi and Nichole Perkins of the podcast Thirst Aid Kit and NYT best selling author, Jasmine Guillory, to find out.

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The Daily Signal - #397: 1 Year After Parkland Massacre, School Board Still Failing

It’s been a year since the tragic school shooting in Parkland, Florida, that took the lives of 17 people. Today, we spoke with Kenneth Preston, a student journalist from Broward County who helped shine light on the corruption in that school district after the shooting. We ask him about what's changed, and what hasn't, since that fateful day. Listen below or read the transcript a little bit further down.We also cover these stories:-Mexican drug lord El Chapo is convicted in U.S. court. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz says, why not use his money to build the wall?-Mitch McConnell calls Democrats' bluff by arranging a vote on the radical Green New Deal.-The accuser of Virginia Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax speaks out.-National debt tops $22 trillion.-A zoo in Texas wants to help you celebrate Valentine’s Day in perhaps the oddest way possible.The Daily Signal podcast is available on Ricochet, iTunes, SoundCloud, Google Play, or Stitcher. All of our podcasts can be found at DailySignal.com/podcasts. If you like what you hear, please leave a review. You can also leave us a message at 202-608-6205 or write us at letters@dailysignal.com. Enjoy the show!

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The Daily Signal - #396: What’s Good, Bad in the Proposed Border Deal

Is 55 miles of border wall or fencing enough? Did liberals get too many concessions? The Heritage Foundation's Hans von Spakovsky joins us to discuss the proposed border deal that, if passed, would avert another shutdown. Plus: We talk about how a journalist got a department store to remove a "Fake News" t-shirt. We also cover these stories:•President Trump is calling for the resignation of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn. •Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, announces California will abandon a high-speed rail between San Francisco and Los Angeles. •A new study finds that voter ID laws had no negative effect on voter registration or turnout,The Daily Signal podcast is available on Ricochet, iTunes, SoundCloud, Google Play, or Stitcher. All of our podcasts can be found at DailySignal.com/podcasts. If you like what you hear, please leave a review. You can also leave us a message at 202-608-6205 or write us at letters@dailysignal.com. Enjoy the show!

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The Intelligence from The Economist - You say you want: Revisiting Iran’s revolution

We examine how the echoes of Iran’s revolution, 40 years ago, still influence how the Islamic Republic deals with the West today. Harley Davidson has become entangled in the Trump administration’s trade war just as changing demographics have put the brakes on the motorcycle-maker. And, we tackle an old ethics conundrum and its relevance to future autonomous vehicles.


Start the Week - The mind unravelling

How far does evolution explain mental health? The psychiatrist Randolph Nesse tells Kirsty Wark that negative emotions make sense in certain situations but can become excessive. He argues that positioning disorders in light of natural selection helps explain the ubiquity of human suffering - and may help in finding new paths for relieving it.

The neuropsychologist AK Benjamin investigates the boundaries of sanity and madness in his book, Let Me Not Be Mad. Through a series of consultations with patients, he explores the mind unravelling at the seams. But the question remains whether this unravelling mind belongs to the doctor or the patient.

The poet George Szirtes looks at the damaging impact of international events on a single family, in his memoir of his mother Magda. The Photographer At Sixteen follows Magda from her teenage life in Hungary, through political uprisings, internment in two concentration camps and transition to life in England. He explores the effect of an unravelling world on a family's mental health.

Producer: Katy Hickman