David Brooks: Bard of the 1 Percent

[Donnachaidh]

http://my.firedoglake.com/deanbaker/2011/10/11/david-brooks-bard-of-the-1-percent/

David Brooks delved deep into his storage locker of misinformation to tell readers that the idea of blaming the richest 1 Percent for the country’s problems is just silly. He told us that the really big ideas aren’t about reversing the upward redistribution of income from the top, they are from centrists who want to do things like cut our Social Security and make us pay more for health care. Let’s have some fun with Mr. One Percent.

First he begins his piece by telling us:

The U.S. economy is probably going to stink for a few more years. It is beset by short-term problems (low consumer demand, uncertain housing prices, too much debt) and long-term problems (wage stagnation, rising health care costs, eroding human capital).

Realistically, not much is going to be done to address the short-term problems, but we can at least use this winter of recuperation to address the country’s underlying structural ones.

In other words, Brooks wants all those people who are unemployed and losing their homes to just suck it up. Nothing is going to be done to help you: get over it.

More at the link --

[Old and In the Way]

1. One good outcome of OWS...

we are certainly finding out which side of the issue these talking heads are supporting. No surprise that folks like Will, Brooks, Limbaugh, et al. are all weighing in on the side that's signed their paychecks over the past decades. As the movement grows, all hired hands must be made available to protect the institution - the chits are being called in.

Going forward, the line will certainly be made a lot clearer for the American public as to who stands with whom.