One More For David Brooks
The other day, as I’ve noted, David Brooks argued that Republicans ought to quit belittling big government. “George Washington,” David wrote, “used industrial policy, trade policy and federal research dollars to build a manufacturing economy alongside the industrial one.”
Reading “Principles for Economic Revival” in the Wall Street Journal this morning, it struck me that I’d be happy to offer David a deal. Federal budget outlays as a percentage of GDP, the chart that accompanied the “Principles for Economic Revival” showed, have risen from around two percent during the Washington administration to about 25 percent today.
When David is willing to reduce federal outlays back to two percent, I’ll be willing to join him in arguing for federal policy just as vigorous as David would like.
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Comments :
May '10
Re: One More For David Brooks
I'm beginning to think Mr. Brooks is all style, no substance.
Jul '10
Re: One More For David Brooks
David Brooks was one of the two worst mistakes the sainted William F Buckley, Jr. ever made.
Buckley offered Brooks a job because of a satirical piece Brooks wrote in his college newspaper, lampooning Buckley.
Bill assumed the guy had conservative instincts, but what he really had were opportunistic instincts - to build a career on Buckley's approbation and then dine out for life as the "thoughtful conservative".
When you think about it, Brooks' actual accomplishments are miniscule. - other than his fluffy book, Boho's in Paridise, all he's done is prostitute the reputation that derived from his association with WFB.
Jul '10
Re: One More For David Brooks
Spot on Peter. The most frustrating thing is that David knows better. I mean, how hard is it to distinguish between the following propositions?
1. Conservatives don't want the Feds involved in anything.
2. Conservatives don't want the Feds involved in everything.
May '10
Re: One More For David Brooks
Ah, nothing like Brooks Brothers style.... David and Mel.
Jul '10
Re: One More For David Brooks
Palaeologus: Spot on Peter. The most frustrating thing is that David knows better. I mean, how hard is it to distinguish between the following propositions?
1. Conservatives don't want the Feds involved in anything.
2. Conservatives don't want the Feds involved in everything. · Sep 16 at 9:07pm
I just don't want the Feds.
Period.
Jul '10
Re: One More For David Brooks
Kenneth
Palaeologus: Spot on Peter. The most frustrating thing is that David knows better. I mean, how hard is it to distinguish between the following propositions?
1. Conservatives don't want the Feds involved in anything.
2. Conservatives don't want the Feds involved in everything. · Sep 16 at 9:07pm
I just don't want the Feds.
Period. · Sep 16 at 9:13pm
Hankering for those Articles of Confederation, eh? Not me, without the Feds who'd investigate Koran burnings?
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20100914/NEWS01/9140328/Police-increase-Islamic-Center-patrols-after-Quran-burning
Sep '10
Re: One More For David Brooks
I wonder what the indispensable man would have thought about cash for clunkers?
Jul '10
Re: One More For David Brooks
Damn.
I told myself I wasn't gonna post for a week.
I need an intervention....
Re: One More For David Brooks
Palaeologus: Spot on Peter. The most frustrating thing is that David knows better. I mean, how hard is it to distinguish between the following propositions?
1. Conservatives don't want the Feds involved in anything.
2. Conservatives don't want the Feds involved in everything. · Sep 16 at 9:07pm
Really, really nicely put.
Re: One More For David Brooks
Exactly!
May '10
Re: One More For David Brooks
Kenneth: Damn.
I told myself I wasn't gonna post for a week.
I need an intervention.... · Sep 16 at 9:24pm
Listen. I'm just glad you're still here. After hearing that the Logo is purging members I am lighting candles for everyone until I see evidence they are still credentialed. Ursula got as feisty as I've ever seen conversing with the Major. Ursula? Are you out there?
Aug '10
Re: One More For David Brooks
Peter, I like the way you think.
Re: One More For David Brooks
Cash for clunkers in Washington's era would have consisted of giving people money to buy lame horses, then buying them a bullet so they could shoot it. I think George might have spoken out for eliminating the first step, at least.
I don't mean to slag on David, but my daily tour of internet opinion does not seem overweighted with estimations of his ideas. At best he's regarded as one of those fellows who wants to stand athwart history and yell "reduce your speed from anywhere between three to six MPH." I'm willing to entertain chastening polemics from people who are tired of those who belittle government, but asking us to stop belittling big government is like asking Simon Cowell to be nicer to singers whose auditions recall the sound of someone sawing a ferret in half.
May '10
Re: One More For David Brooks
Sometimes its hard to tell if Brooks is making some subtle joke or facetious comment, or if he's really serious. George Washington? A titan of big government? We didn't even have a Navy!
I also like the assertion that Washington was the architect of the new economy. He was a great man and president, but presidents back then were not the active directors of the national business that we like to imagine modern presidents to be. George kept the big egos in line while the young country went about building itself.
After Washington, presidents began to tinker a bit more with the nation, but they were all playing with tinker-toys compared to the federal power that FDR created and subsequent administrations have grown.
May '10
Re: One More For David Brooks
Oh, and while we're reducing federal outlays to Washington Administration levels, let's bring D.C. back to what it was in his time.
An empty swamp.
Aug '10
Re: One More For David Brooks
G.A. Dean: Oh, and while we're reducing federal outlays to Washington Administration levels, let's bring D.C. back to what it was in his time.
An empty swamp.
Hey, we did manage to keep the swamp part.
Jul '10
Re: One More For David Brooks
I think David is a little too Cartesian for his own good. I like Descartes, and while he's not wrong to "amid many opinions held in equal repute... cho(o)se always the most moderate... for the reason that these are always the most convenient for practice, and probably the best... as that, in the event of my falling into error, I might be at less distance from the truth than if, having chosen one of the extremes, it should turn out to be the other which I ought to have adopted" he's not necessarily right either.
The problem with that approach is that you never try to get big things exactly right. Taking the moderate position on slavery in the 19th century illustrates the point. Sometimes it's immoral (to use Descartes own lingo) to play the odds.
May '10
Re: One More For David Brooks
Exactly. Likewise, any time you hear someone repeat the famous Oliver Wendell Holmes quote, "Taxes are the price we pay for civilization," ask what was the tax rate at the time.
That WSJ op-ed offers an excellent summary. But at least until November, my main principle for economic recovery is: "You Lose, We Win."
Sep '10
Re: One More For David Brooks
sierra
Exactly. Likewise, any time you hear someone repeat the famous Oliver Wendell Holmes quote, "Taxes are the price we pay for civilization," ask what was the tax rate at the time.
That WSJ op-ed offers an excellent summary. But at least until November, my main principle for economic recovery is: "You Lose, We Win." · Sep 17 at 3:28am
Or you could say, "Gee, civilization is getting awfully expensive!"
Aug '10
Re: One More For David Brooks
sitting across from Brooks one night at a dinner, not too far from Palo Alto, I was struck by the overwhelming glumness of the man. his face was smooth, unlined from never smiling, and behind that nixonian five o clocker ( this was 8 pm ) he could perfectly hide any evidence of the wry edge of bobo's smartness. somehow the truth of the peter principle and having sulzberger sign your paycheck provided the answer. i miss safire, a long string of high notes.