AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey
David Brooks is the token “conservative” at the New York Times. (Note the quotation marks.) His conservatism is relative and can be called such only in comparison to his NYT colleagues.
A friend of mine sent me a piece that Brooks wrote in mid-January bearing the headline, “America Is Falling Apart at the Seams.” The piece laments that the social fabric is fraying, that we’re divided and at each other’s throats and that drug use and depression are on the rise while charitable giving is on the wane. Near the end he writes, “What the hell is going on? The short answer: I don’t know.”
Well, David, let’s see if we can suss it out for you. The actual short answer is this. People who get up every day and go make the country work are tired of getting screwed by the people you pal around with. How so? How much time do you have?
Let’s start with the fact that millions of poor, uneducated, social services-consuming peasants are being encouraged by Joe Biden to illegally invade the country. Not merely being allowed, mind you, actually encouraged.
There’s inflation. The gallon of gas that cost $2.40 a year ago costs $3.44 today. A gallon of milk cost $2.90 pre-pandemic. Today, it costs $3.79. David, you can probably take that extra expense in your stride. Millions of working people can’t.
Thousands upon thousands of small, independent businesses into which the owners had invested the entirety of their personal wealth were forced by elitist government officials to shut down during the pandemic while “essential” businesses – like Target Stores – were allowed to remain open. Target, which sells clothing, saw its stock price nearly triple. The clothing store in the strip center space next door went out of business.
On the subject of COVID lockdowns, Johns Hopkins University just confirmed what many of us believed from the start and risked public opprobrium for daring to say out loud. Locking down put individual liberty in peril while doing more harm than good.
Also, on COVID, we were told that we must vax up, mask up and shut up – or else. Why, then, throughout the pandemic did we keep seeing Democrats and lefty swells out in public having a grand old time maskless? From California governor Gavin Newsome hobnobbing without a mask at a swank Napa Valley eatery to Matt Damon, Jay-Z and others maskless at the Super Bowl, we came to understand that when it comes to rules about wearing a mask, rules are for little people. (To be fair, fans were flouting the mask rules at the Super Bowl, too. But that only further begs the question, why do Dems in government keep insisting upon them?)
I could go on (I haven’t even mentioned unprosecuted crime, BLM riots, etc., etc.) but here it really is, David. It’s all of a piece. Working people – the people that Ivy-educated liberals insist come on the double when the air conditioning goes out – are tired of the dripping condescension. They’re tired of the hypocrisy. They’re tired of rules for thee but not for me from lefty elites.
That’s why the country is grumpy, David. Look around you. Is it really that hard to figure out?
Paul, you got it exactly right. I am a few years older than you, but remember our country that once was, and so many folks want that again. We can do it with your continued help. Stay safe my friend.
I do enjoy the way you state and explain the facts. Please continue to educate and entertain us. Thank you.
That is precisely the reason the left fails to actually make anything better. They blame everything on someone/something else and are ALWAYS wrong. At least once, admitting failure and reversing course would help. Instead they shout louder and point fingers, i.e. San Francisco school board recalls, Hilary Clinton’s political resurgence! They may NOT learn.
My answer to David Brooks is as follows.
Is not it clear that Liberals, Marxists, Communists (the LEFT) does NOT CARE about logic, reason, damage to others, or any evidence that they were wrong or had policies that didn’t work. If they can subjugate the masses by ANY dictatorial means, that is OK and public opinion doesn’t matter. They are tyrannical terrorists at heart while they accuse Conservatives (America First Patriots) of being a threat to the Nation. Can we look at what happened in Austria, Australia, Canada, Britain, New Zealand, etc., as examples of their excesses when the opportunity of a FEAR laced “pandemic” can be exploited as the Commiecrats did in the last election with their willing accomplices in the Pravada media as they suppressed the use of early therapeutics that could have reduced the fear quotient to near zero (and eliminate vaccine, lockdown, and mask mandates)?
Tyrants by nature are willing to decimate a country if that is what it takes to solidify their power. Terrorist’s tactics of FEAR are in our future as these Commiecrats become more desperate. The tyrannies in the countries listed above are a dry run example for this country as well. Why else would the “woke” religion be so promoted in the military, medical, business, media, academic, law enforcement, judiciary, and political professions throughout this Nation given the propaganda of the Left as they wreak damage on the country with impunity? The Left has declared WAR on the traditional values of Freedom and Liberty among the American people and the drift towards dictatorship throughout the West has accelerated. Are we prepared to deal with this? Would someone please tell me how we are going to WIN this WAR? Please don’t tell me that the Next (always the Next) election will save us. It doesn’t work!
It would be great to hear examples of all this tyranny and damage with details that has been done by the left . Traditional values ,terrorist attacks. And the fear mongering coming from left as well.
To quote YOU Matthew except I am substituting your name for David. Matthew is obviously not very bright or playing dumb; which is it?
You Sir, have been supplied countless factual examples of the war on conservatives and the American way of life. But lets not allow facts to get in the way of truth huh.
Well this war on conservatives as you call it and American way of life is exaggeration and lies . I’m betting everyone has their own definition of ” American Way of Life ” after all the whole “melting pot” thing , and all men are created equal , Freedom, Liberty. Let’s not forget the differences in what the “American Dream” is or means to them. People have their own ideas and what things are to them . CRT is great example of something grossly exaggerated, had people flippin out,running to school board meetings acting like fools over something that wasn’t even happening, as you say countless factual examples yet it’s still being mentioned over and over as if it’s some monster coming after people’s children, absolutely bizarre. But I realize it’s all part of the head game .
David is obviously not very bright or playing dumb,both are common or popular now more than ever in all forms of media,it’s all just an out of control head game but it’s working quite well as intended for some. Inflation is more than enough to help create a general grumpiness among everyday working folks. The earnings of people has been way behind for many decades for that matter,with no end in site. If border ,mask wearing, are at the top of many people’s list then we’re in big trouble oh and lack of BLM prosecutions. Talk about distractions as a tactic I often hear about. Possible lack of attention in any form of wrong doing doesn’t diminish or cancel out bad behavior elsewhere such as Jan 6th, despite what team a person is on or rooting for. The border situation needs to be gotten under control no doubt , but any funds spent on these people weren’t going otherwise towards things to benefit us all, so no one is giving up or sacrificing anything. Last I checked Corp. America isn’t collectively planning to take better care of its workers regardless of a big influx of illegal or legal immigrants. Maybe constantly saying Freedoms every other sentence subconsciously isn’t working so well anymore, maybe the fact that all conservatives ( politicians) do any more is bash liberals in a juvenile way but never offer anything else. They talk of minimal government yet no description, ideas as to what that would look like,after all we are a nation of laws. It sounds good I must say but what does it look like. Any legislation being brought forward with plans outlining things to do or change ? America is full of ” Peasants ” as said ,not my choice of word, already. There are victims everywhere, the ” Forgtten Man” is good example, news flash ! they were never thought about regardless,ask folks in West Virginia for a start. America is full of miserable people who need something to blame or someone. At least we’re not Venezuela right ? Get a second job, work hard, keep you’re chin up,you’ll be successful, after all Freedom !! Liberty !! and justice for all, right ?