Scott Douglas’ Terse Bloviation

David Brooks Gross Oversimplification Watch #5

February 03rd, 2009 | Category: DBGOW,Others

From 2/3/09 column:

The essence of the problem is this: Rich people used to set their own norms. For example, if one rich person wanted to use the company helicopter to aerate the ponds on his properties, and the other rich people on his board of directors thought this a sensible thing to do, then he could go ahead and do it without any serious repercussions.

But now, after the TARP, the auto bailout, the stimulus package, the Fed rescue packages and various other federal interventions, rich people no longer get to set their own rules. Now lifestyle standards for the privileged class are set by people who live in Ward Three.

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7 Comments so far

  1. M. Katz February 3rd, 2009 4:59 pm

    Wow, Brooks is even more of an @#*hole than I thought–hard to imagine.

  2. crowther February 4th, 2009 12:39 am

    Scott, I understand the desire to be terse, but aren’t you overdoing it a bit by reproducing the objectionable text without any comment whatsoever? I’m willing to be convinced that my opinion of David Brooks is overly high, but merely reading the selected passages does not set off the same alarm bells for me that it must for you.

  3. Scott February 4th, 2009 9:46 am

    Greg, in the matter of Brooks glibly oversimplifying complex issues and then pshawing any objections on the grounds that he was being a “sociocomic” (his word), for me, no commentary is necessary. Res ipsa loquitur.

  4. M. Katz February 5th, 2009 4:06 pm

    Any thoughts on running a parallel track on the fact-free spinmeister William Kristol? The NYT finally dropped him (why did they hire him in the first place?), but he has found a new home at The Washington Post.

    Neocons really have cornered the market on failing upward, haven’t they? Amazing!

  5. duncan February 6th, 2009 5:28 pm

    I’d like to see someone put fellow neocons Messrs. Kristol and Brooks in the middle of the Fallujah on a nice Friday afternoon with “I love Abu Bakr” sandwich boards strapped on like Rex Kramer in the Kentucky Fried Movie.

  6. M. Katz February 11th, 2009 9:29 pm

    HA! The other media spectacle I always favored was a head-to-head of Hannity v. Carville … watch until their heads explode!!! (Or better, until Hannity has a complete meltdown) Colmes lacked a spine and cahones in that arena, a total wimp/millquetoast. Shame on him.

  7. M. Katz February 28th, 2009 4:32 pm

    Looks like Kristol-watch is alive and well (woot woot!), as here:

    “Obstruct and Delay”
    William Kristol realizes that Barack Obama is in charge and that the Republicans are in deep trouble.
    http://www.barkbarkwoofwoof.com/2009/02/obstruct-and-delay.html

    “War Pathology”
    Somebody needs to explain to Mr. Kristol that not everyone is as obsessed with his passion for war and destruction. Perhaps that somebody should be his therapist …
    http://www.barkbarkwoofwoof.com/2009/02/war-pathology.html