Steve Teles joins The Remnant for a second time to explore what can be done to fix our dysfunctional parties. Like many of Jonah’s closest friends, Steve disagrees with his idea that a third party could cure what ails the GOP, and instead argues that we should build moderate factions within it. Brace yourself for an exceptionally wonky discussion, which covers Jonah’s distaste for primaries, why we need a better class of political moderate, and whether Joe Biden should be considered a centrist. There’s also plenty of gratuitous complaining about Congress and the Clintons, so prepare your bingo cards.
Show Notes:
- Steve’s page at the Niskanen Center
- Never Trump, Steve and Rob Saldin’s latest book
- The Captured Economy, Steve’s previous book with Brink Lindsey
- Steve’s previous Remnant appearance
- Jonah: “A Third Party Could Cure What Ails the GOP”
- Jonah: “Words with Friends”
- Steve and Rob: “The Future is Faction”
- “Cost Disease Socialism”
- Matt Yglesias: “Congressional Moderates Could Make a Party of Their Own”
- Mitt Romney’s child benefit plan
- David Shor: “How Democrats Can Save Themselves”