Leave a Comment

Regulation that Doesn’t Work
Matthew Yglesias — ... Ross Douthat is appropriately skeptical of the idea that running on a platform of opposition to broadly shared prosperity will bring electoral success to conservatives. Look back on Ronald Reagan’s key political successes, and I think you’ll find that explicit advocacy of concentrating wealth more tightly in the hands of the few was not a big part of his political appeal. What’s slightly maddening about this, to me, is that the right-wing keeps stumbling around a much better conservative argument in the neighborhood of Joe the Plumber — namely ...

It’s Your Credibility, Stupid
Balloon Juice — Ross Douthat: For a week or so now, I’ve been listening to smart conservatives suggest that Obama’s “spreading the wealth” remark might really, really hurt him – “talk about playing into the most extreme stereotype of your party, that it is infested with socialists,” writes James Pethokoukis – and I have a question: Hasn’t Obama been promising to spread the wealth throughout the entire race – a race he seems to be winning at the moment? His signal domestic-policy proposals are 1) a series of tax ...

An Answer to Ross Douthat
The Sundries Shack — I know that Ross Douthat is supposed to be a tremendously smart man, but when I read something like this, I really wonder. For a week or so now, I’ve been listening to smart conservatives suggest that Obama’s “spreading the wealth” remark might really, really hurt him - “talk about playing into the most extreme stereotype of your party, that it is infested with socialists,” writes James Pethokoukis - and I have a question: Hasn’t Obama been promising to spread the wealth throughout the entire race - a race he seems ...

10/21: Joe Steps In It
Blogometer — ... MASSIVE prescription drug plan, we have watched the government nationalize several industries, the government is currently nationalizing the banks, the Republican party candidate is proposing spending near a half trillion dollars allowing the government to buy private mortgages, and the right wing is running around screaming 'SOCIALISM' because Obama is proposing increasing the top tax rates a few percentage points. That is funny. Sad and depressing, but funny." Conservative blogger Ross Douthat doesn't think this line of attack is particularly effective: "For a week or so ...