I got this email last night. The subject line is “Now a former listener.” Ted, the listener, writes: Mr. Erickson, I am a lifelong conservative Republican and I have enjoyed listening to your show via podcast most days for the last several years. I found your commentary to be consistently insightful and interesting. However, your recent commentary supporting the 20 +/- crazy, mostly creepy buffoons and hostage takers in the House is beyond the pale for me. These people are a disgrace and doing more serious damage to the conservative and Republican brand. Say what you will about Kevin McCarthy. At least he is not a carnival barking, nutty embarrassment like many of the members of this group. Unfortunately, Chip Roy, whom I previously respected, is my Congressman.
Allowing leadership to use the 'debt default' threat is akin to yielding to Putin's threat to use nukes: It legitimates the use of such threats and over time it could be used in any and all disputes. The best response is to call leadership's bluff: "Go ahead, default - and be damned"
Erick I hope you receive this as I am not able to find an email address for you. I am a subscriber because I enjoy reading your emails. I may not always agree but I like keeping up with the news from you.
My concern is something else. I am concerned because you say you are a Christian and only you know that. My concern is why do you use the world's language if you are a Christian. I believe our language should be above the world's language and this is a great concern to me. I think you know what language I am talking about. I believe there are other ways to express our language without using those words. I am sorry this may be something you disagree with but I have been burdened about this for quite some time.
Jesus lived a perfect life, without sin, and he display anger.
Mark 3:4
At the synagogue, Jesus asked, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.
He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts.
Mark 10:13
People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant.
Matthew 21:12
Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.
Shame on you Eric for mocking Ted, not a good look for somebody who presents himself as a responsible conservative. When you sleep with the dogs you tend to get fleas.
"I will never listen to you again." I wonder how many times a "former listener" has written in to the same host, that he or she has quit listening to umpteen thousand times, with that final parting shot. Reminds me of a furniture store near me in Atlanta that must have been having a "going out of business sale" for at least 20 years.
If McCarthy would have defended his members a little more this might have helped him now but he didn’t so now he is screwed . I notice everybody’s congressman is ok that represents them while yours sucks that what is wrong with congress and voters we need to turn some of these people out Chip Roy is not one of them nor is Lauren Boebert
Last night, I went Mark Levin's Twitter feed and clicked on a post showing Matt Gaetz's image so I could see what it said. It was a fund raising appeal. Just a few minutes later, a text with the exact image and appeal showed up on my phone.
First... its scary that my phone can be so easily manipulated.
Secondly, Matt Gaetz is a sleazy opportunist to use the speaker battle to fund raise (as are any politicians who do so.) Of course, he's sleazy without the fund raising request, but he's even more so now.)
After listening to conversations with Chip Roy and others... I'm now on the anti-McCathy team. I just wish they'd stop trotting folks like Bobert out there.
Clearly, this is a very difficult but critically important issue, especially when it could mean stopping another cowardly Omnibus Bill in the future and I respect the judgement of many who have taken both sides.
However, as a true conservative, both fiscal and otherwise, I ask if not Chip Roy, who and if not now, when?
Although I disagree with him, you can't really blame Ted. How many of us actually do our homework before commenting on public figures? Ted sides with who he believes is telling the truth. Erick takes one side, Dan Crenshaw takes another; Hannity takes one side and Tucker Carlson (*the LESS IMPORTANT Tucker here*) takes the other. Who are we to believe? All have proven themselves credible, all have been keepers of the conservative flame at various times. People respond emotionally rather than putting emotion aside and looking into WHY someone has a different opinion.
The reason we are where we are is due to people like Ted. People like Ted are likely really great people but they can’t be bothered with what’s over the hill. They believe (somewhat), the vote, but they’re complacent. They don’t want to fight and understanding the fight requires that one punch all biases aside and look at thing objectively. We’re a bankrupt nation. We can’t keep spending. We can’t keep wasting tax payer money. We need accountability. The GOP needs to do a far better job articulating how wasteful spending negatively impacts Ted’s life. We scream, but we don’t educate about the cost of money; particularly free money. Don’t agree on Matt Gaetz. He serves a purpose and he knows it.
Erick, I don't understand your hypocrisy. You endlessly attacked conservatives after the election that announced that they were going to investigate President Biden, saying they were just wasting time and making fools of us all. But, you endlessly support this House Speaker incident that should have been handled behind the scenes and never lasted this long. Congress is supposed to be about the art of compromise, not a place to insist that you get your way or nobody gets anything!
Don, that's the whole point here. This should have happened all behind the scenes. McCarthy had two months to make it happen. But he is not a good leader and not a good fit. A good leader wouldn't have careened into crisis. He'd have used the last two months to lock it in.
As a long time Congressional aide and one-time Senate officer, I have watched the House shenanigans with interest. We do not agree, Erick, with the exception of this column on Chip Roy, who I have long respected and is, indeed, the only honest broker with an IQ over 70 among the 20-21 hostage takers. I actually agree with most of the changes being sought by Roy, but the tactics of the clowns around him diminish his work. If this were truly up to him and he was the sole leader of this gang, this deal would have been cut long ago. Sadly, much more is at play and it's not pretty nor admirable. That Gaetz is now clownishly nominating Trump purely for personal fundraising purposes says it all about him.
Allowing leadership to use the 'debt default' threat is akin to yielding to Putin's threat to use nukes: It legitimates the use of such threats and over time it could be used in any and all disputes. The best response is to call leadership's bluff: "Go ahead, default - and be damned"
Erick I hope you receive this as I am not able to find an email address for you. I am a subscriber because I enjoy reading your emails. I may not always agree but I like keeping up with the news from you.
My concern is something else. I am concerned because you say you are a Christian and only you know that. My concern is why do you use the world's language if you are a Christian. I believe our language should be above the world's language and this is a great concern to me. I think you know what language I am talking about. I believe there are other ways to express our language without using those words. I am sorry this may be something you disagree with but I have been burdened about this for quite some time.
Betsy Grenevitch
Eric is a sinner like the rest of us.
Jesus lived a perfect life, without sin, and he display anger.
Mark 3:4
At the synagogue, Jesus asked, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.
He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts.
Mark 10:13
People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant.
Matthew 21:12
Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.
Shame on you Eric for mocking Ted, not a good look for somebody who presents himself as a responsible conservative. When you sleep with the dogs you tend to get fleas.
Poor Ted...he seems clueless. God bless Chip Roy! Wish we had many more just like him in Congress.
"I will never listen to you again." I wonder how many times a "former listener" has written in to the same host, that he or she has quit listening to umpteen thousand times, with that final parting shot. Reminds me of a furniture store near me in Atlanta that must have been having a "going out of business sale" for at least 20 years.
If McCarthy would have defended his members a little more this might have helped him now but he didn’t so now he is screwed . I notice everybody’s congressman is ok that represents them while yours sucks that what is wrong with congress and voters we need to turn some of these people out Chip Roy is not one of them nor is Lauren Boebert
Like paying a contractor up front, then expecting your demands to be met.
Don't work that way.
Last night, I went Mark Levin's Twitter feed and clicked on a post showing Matt Gaetz's image so I could see what it said. It was a fund raising appeal. Just a few minutes later, a text with the exact image and appeal showed up on my phone.
First... its scary that my phone can be so easily manipulated.
Secondly, Matt Gaetz is a sleazy opportunist to use the speaker battle to fund raise (as are any politicians who do so.) Of course, he's sleazy without the fund raising request, but he's even more so now.)
After listening to conversations with Chip Roy and others... I'm now on the anti-McCathy team. I just wish they'd stop trotting folks like Bobert out there.
Clearly, this is a very difficult but critically important issue, especially when it could mean stopping another cowardly Omnibus Bill in the future and I respect the judgement of many who have taken both sides.
However, as a true conservative, both fiscal and otherwise, I ask if not Chip Roy, who and if not now, when?
Bill
Although I disagree with him, you can't really blame Ted. How many of us actually do our homework before commenting on public figures? Ted sides with who he believes is telling the truth. Erick takes one side, Dan Crenshaw takes another; Hannity takes one side and Tucker Carlson (*the LESS IMPORTANT Tucker here*) takes the other. Who are we to believe? All have proven themselves credible, all have been keepers of the conservative flame at various times. People respond emotionally rather than putting emotion aside and looking into WHY someone has a different opinion.
Ted is ignorant. I’ll trade David Scott for Mr. Roy any day.
The reason we are where we are is due to people like Ted. People like Ted are likely really great people but they can’t be bothered with what’s over the hill. They believe (somewhat), the vote, but they’re complacent. They don’t want to fight and understanding the fight requires that one punch all biases aside and look at thing objectively. We’re a bankrupt nation. We can’t keep spending. We can’t keep wasting tax payer money. We need accountability. The GOP needs to do a far better job articulating how wasteful spending negatively impacts Ted’s life. We scream, but we don’t educate about the cost of money; particularly free money. Don’t agree on Matt Gaetz. He serves a purpose and he knows it.
Erick, I don't understand your hypocrisy. You endlessly attacked conservatives after the election that announced that they were going to investigate President Biden, saying they were just wasting time and making fools of us all. But, you endlessly support this House Speaker incident that should have been handled behind the scenes and never lasted this long. Congress is supposed to be about the art of compromise, not a place to insist that you get your way or nobody gets anything!
Don, that's the whole point here. This should have happened all behind the scenes. McCarthy had two months to make it happen. But he is not a good leader and not a good fit. A good leader wouldn't have careened into crisis. He'd have used the last two months to lock it in.
As a long time Congressional aide and one-time Senate officer, I have watched the House shenanigans with interest. We do not agree, Erick, with the exception of this column on Chip Roy, who I have long respected and is, indeed, the only honest broker with an IQ over 70 among the 20-21 hostage takers. I actually agree with most of the changes being sought by Roy, but the tactics of the clowns around him diminish his work. If this were truly up to him and he was the sole leader of this gang, this deal would have been cut long ago. Sadly, much more is at play and it's not pretty nor admirable. That Gaetz is now clownishly nominating Trump purely for personal fundraising purposes says it all about him.
Goodbye Ted. Don’t let the door hit you on the a..
Hate people who are Conservative only when it is easy. Not sure I would trust Ted to have my back when the chips are down.
Ted isn’t telling the truth: he’s no conservative. Erick, you never disappoint! 🏁