This is where Shapiro can give Jews a bad name. Shapiro's an expert at explaining away these issues, at making excuses for compromising his principles. Jews did this long ago when they incorporated cynicism and skepticism into their religion (in Job and Ecclesiastes). That kind of radical doubt was based on harsh experience of being a perennially conquered, uprooted people. So Jews learned to be pragmatic, and the conspiracy theorist mistakes this existential maturity for an evil plan to rule the world in secret.

My point is that Shapiro goes too far with this pragmatism, as he excels at providing excuses for the obvious evil of the Republican Party and of laissez-faire capitalism.