Comey, Assange, and Libertarian Purity Tests: The New Fifth Column

Reminder: Go see Kmele Foster debate collegiate racism in New York on May 16

@Ghutfvbjfdrgvc

What's worse, anti-anti-Trumpism, or Kmele Foster singing James Taylor? Or is that just an Obamaesque false choice? These are just some of the questions explored in this week's edition of The Fifth Column podcast, also featuring myself and Michael C. Moynihan. We of course dive into President Donald Trump's firing of FBI Director Jim Comey, and the media reaction thereof, as well as the likelihood of Congress exerting oversight.

Also receiving extended examination is top U.S. law enforcement assertion that Julian Assange is not a "journalist," and the fundamental boringness of libertarians vociferously agreeing with one another. Receiving additional mentions: Augustus Sol Invictus, Reason commenters, Jamie Kirchick, Milo Yiannopoulos, and this great Reason TV video. Listen up:

Reminder: Kmele Foster will be debating Lawrence Ross at the Soho Forum May 16 on whether America's colleges have fostered a racist environment that makes them a hostile space for black students. And as mentioned on the podcat, I'll be on HBO's Real Time With Bill Maher tomorrow night.

Get more Fifth Column at iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, wethefifth.com, @wethefifth, and Facebook.

Comments

[Crusty Juggler aka "Chad"]

This may have been my favorite podcast, especially because of the discussion about labels, about which I completely agree. Also, I don't have no idea why Matt would think a Reason commenter would prefer him to Kmele. I mean, it's not like we think Moynihan is better than him.

[Not a True MJG]

Of course Musty Drugger agrees with Fatty Belch and MyShill BoyInHand about labels. You can pretend to be libertarian and then hide behind being anti-label when you're called out for being an Obamabot prog, just like Jon Leibowitz does with his "jokes."

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

Actually I do have something to say about labels. I think there is a difference between demanding a 'proper' use of a label, and going around policing the adoption of the label by others. I do think it's important to defend a coherent definition of libertarianism, so when someone says, "the libertarian argument here is...", I think it's fair and fruitful to argue over it if it seems to violate the definition. It's not something to write screechy, insulting emails about, but it's part of the work of thinking and shaping ideology. Of course a sound argument is more important than consistency to an ideology, but an ideology built on strong foundations is still useful.

Now, getting bent out of shape because a person who uses the label made an argument you don't agree with? People contain multitudes. We all ask for exceptions now and then. Ideologies have multitudes and exceptions, but usually fewer the more definite the ideology gets. Judge individual arguments by their libertarianishism if you must, don't judge individuals by their slavish adherence to a friggin label. That's not the point of adopting a label.

So fuck you too, Moynihan!

[Cynical Asshole]

...the fundamental boringness of libertarians vociferously agreeing with one another.

Good thing that never happens then.

[Crusty Juggler aka "Chad"]

I don't think it's good that it never happens.

[Cynical Asshole]

You're wrong!

[GILMORE?]

On a scale of 1-to-Peter O'Toole, how drunk is this podcast?

[Fist of Etiquette]

Seems like a couple of them hit the ground stumbling in this one.

[Matt Welch]

It's a pure two-hour progression. Zero to, oh, seven or so.

[Crusty Juggler aka "Chad"]

Kmele sings twice, and Moynihan does like fourteen different accents.

[GILMORE?]

i'm going to need to get some more beer.

[Buddy Bizarre]

Just starting the podcast, but it sounds like it's close to a Dean Martin.

[MSimon]

Comey was a mob banker. He got to be the head of the FBI.

http://classicalvalues.com/201.....-bank-ftm/

[GILMORE?]

Take your blogpimping to the PM links

[DanO.]

[sniff]
Eww, glib.

[MSimon]

Uh. Is that information of interest or not?

BTW the blog is ad free. Always has been.

[GILMORE?]

No one cares if you have clean whores. You heard what i said.

[DanO.]

Donald J. Trump
? @realDonaldTrump
Look he's a showboat, he's a grandstander. The FBI has been in turmoil. You know that, I know that. Everybody knows that. If you don't know that you're a retard. Trust me. Trust me. Faggot.
4:10 AM - 11 May 2017

[Hello Clarice]

So the real question I have for the 5th column crew: how much booze would I have to send you to do a show in my city?

[GILMORE?]

The internet is everyone's city

[Hello Clarice]

Ok fine you caught me, i would have a blast drinking with these guys! I'd be willing to foot the bill too, It'd be the equivalent of drinking and a show.

[Buddy Bizarre]

Quote:

"My level of scorn here, as always, is with Reason commenters who disagree with me..." - Matt Welch

Oh no you didn't!!!!

[GILMORE?]

i didn't know what Matt was talking about until i got to that part of the Podcast.

I still find the answer to the "So what?" question that he (and Mike) provides to be ... less than compelling.

Just being 'unseemly' doesn't make the firing a scandal. As mike (and everyone else) has pointed out, the President doesn't even need a reason to fire the FBI director.

Complaining about the shitty reasons that were submitted seems silly to me; the media seems to want it to be a crisis because the media benefits from faux-crises. The media currently has very-very low credibility, and the more it tries to generate teacup-tempests, the less credible they seem.

And firing the guy doesn't have any undue influence on any Russia-related investigation that may or may not exist. The FBI is not '1 guy'. As the Clinton investigation showed, if the WH wanted to meddle, they could do so in far less obvious and controversy-generating ways.

And as they themselves note - Comey was probably dead on arrival as soon as Trump got elected anyway. He should have been told to hand in his resignation. which basically makes the worst thing you can say about the thing is that it was "poorly done". Shocker.

Not once do they even bother to get into the fact that Comey actually demonstrated on multiple occasions that he was unreliable/incompetent/probably deserving of being shitcanned.

[Rufus The Monocled]

From what I'm gathering, Comey was a big mess from ethics to protocols.

He did serious damage to the image of the FBI.

[XenoZooValentine]

To be fair, doing serious damage to the image of the FBI is like pissing into an ocean of piss.

[Fascist loofa-faced shitgibbon]

We prefer the "swamp" metaphor these days, please.

[Unlabelable MJGreen]

So are you gonna be there Tuesday, Matt, or are you getting a cut on the sweet Soho money or somefin? It should be noted that your debate had nosebleed seats for free, but the others have cost $20 a ticket (less for students). You do get sammies, though. Anyway, I gotta know how much $$$ to bring.

And that was the most inaccurate spot-on impression of Chris Matthews. You may lack Moynihan's vocal range, but you grasp the character.

Fingers crossed for a musical episode.

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