Why David Brooks suxes
I realize I shouldn't even bother with this post, because what else does one expect from a "conservative" that the New York Times would give steady work on its Op-Ed page... but what can I say, I'm bored. Anyway, this is a perfect example of why I find Brooks too lame and annoying for words.
It has nothing to do with defending Bobby Jindal, who performed horribly in the GOP response to Obama's quasi-SOTU address, and whose baggage as a religious nut and amateur exorcist will make him dead meat if the Republicans are stupid enough to run him on the national level.
But Brooks' stupidity goes well beyond that kind of valid criticism. To him, Jindal is a "nihilist" because he dares criticize "waste" and "earmarks" in Obama's stimulus legislation. Unbelievable. And it's not like Brooks doesn't have his own problems with his erstwhile (three weeks ago) hero Barack Obama. Sorry, but I find that column to be nonsense as well. I don't see Obama doing any kind of "immoderate," left-wing stuff that he didn't tell us in plain English during the campaign that was going to do. Whence the buyer's remorse?
No wonder the Times loves Brooks. He's their favorite kind of "conservative" -- self-loathing, philosophically vacuous, dedicated to big government, and suffering from the same kind of all-round generic wussiness that afflicts the rest of the Times' editorial department.
All right, enough about Brooks. I regret spending this much time on him already.
Comments
Who would make a good candidate for president in your eyes?
Posted by: Rachel | March 3, 2009 07:13 PM
Unfortunately that's a much harder question. :-) Frankly I don't yet see anyone out there I'd like to hitch my wagon to yet, do you?
To be fair, there's still much I admire about Jindal, but as I practical matter I just don't think his odds are that good in a national campaign.
Posted by: BNJ | March 3, 2009 07:50 PM