...and David Brooks now weighs in - "Thurston Howell Romney"

[NRaleighLiberal]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/18/opinion/brooks-thurston-howell-romney.html?_r=1

snip

"There are sensible conclusions to be drawn from these facts. You could say that the entitlement state is growing at an unsustainable rate and will bankrupt the country. You could also say that America is spending way too much on health care for the elderly and way too little on young families and investments in the future.

But these are not the sensible arguments that Mitt Romney made at a fund-raiser earlier this year. Romney, who criticizes President Obama for dividing the nation, divided the nation into two groups: the makers and the moochers. Forty-seven percent of the country, he said, are people “who are dependent upon government, who believe they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to take care of them, who believe they are entitled to health care, to food, to housing, to you name it.”

This comment suggests a few things. First, it suggests that he really doesn’t know much about the country he inhabits. Who are these freeloaders? Is it the Iraq war veteran who goes to the V.A.? Is it the student getting a loan to go to college? Is it the retiree on Social Security or Medicare?

It suggests that Romney doesn’t know much about the culture of America. Yes, the entitlement state has expanded, but America remains one of the hardest-working nations on earth. Americans work longer hours than just about anyone else. Americans believe in work more than almost any other people. Ninety-two percent say that hard work is the key to success, according to a 2009 Pew Research Survey."

snip some more.

[aletier_v]

1. Romney and pals are in the midst of destroying that belief and culture

because they can't control their sickness, their greed.

[kysrsoze]

2. It stuns me that I've recently begun to respect David Brooks.

He's one of the few who have basically said, "I'm not shoveling this shit anymore.". Granted, there's still a lot I disagree with him on, but kudos to him for acknowledging the truth and not falling in line with this asshole and his cabal.

[mnhtnbb]

10. Hubby has come to that conclusion recently, too.

[beac]

3. And, as usual, Mittens didn't even have his facts straight b/c quite a few of those 47% "non-payers"

are loophole-using millionaires who are living off their investments, just like Mitty himself.

SHOW US YOUR TAX RETURNS, Mittens you moocher!

[Dawson Leery]

4. Brooks is not a hardliner.

He admits that American's are the world's hardest working people.

[jillan]

5. This reminds me - I can't wait to hear what David Frum is going to be saying tomorrow! He's another

Republican that cannot believe what happened to his party.

[NRaleighLiberal]

6. here's a few of Frum's Tweets tonight

davidfrum ?@davidfrum
If you're not running for president of all the country, you won't be elected president of any of it.


15h davidfrum ?@davidfrum
(7) Over course of campaign, Romney has changed from a pragmatic, capable manager into a dog-whistling culture warrior.

15h davidfrum ?@davidfrum
(6) The problem isn't the campaign leadership; it's the party's followership


15h davidfrum ?@davidfrum
(4) How do you message: I'm doing away w Medicaid over the next 10 yrs, Medicare after that, to finance a cut in the top rate of tax to 28%?

15h davidfrum ?@davidfrum
(3) The policy problem is that the Romney campaign offers nothing but bad news to hardpressed Americans and the broader middle class.

15h davidfrum ?@davidfrum
(2) The Romney campaign has a messaging problem because it has a policy problem.

15h davidfrum ?@davidfrum
(1) This AM's Politico story about Stuart Stevens being to blame for Romney campaign's troubles utterly misses the point.

[Pachamama]

7. Ann "Lovey" Romney may need to comfort him soon...

[grasswire]

8. entitlement state?

Didn't that senior pay into Medicare and Social Security? Isn't a student loan a LOAN? Didn't America promise to provide health care for veterans, in exchange for sacrifices?

There is NO entitlement there.

[cojoel]

9. a minor point, but

The Howells, though largely unable to contribute much due to lack of any specific skills for the situation, seemed to be nice people who did care about the others on the island. For that matter, they were Democrats (in the days when in New England Democrat went to Harvard and Republican went to Yale).

[progressivebydesign]

11. I hope that the media is happy with what they've done....

<a href="http://imgur.com/EbqLz"><img src="" alt="" title="Hosted by imgur.com" /></a>

Look what they've done!

[SoapBox]

12. Barf...Gag...Thurston and Lovey are on KELLY! Live, now

Flipped on the TV machine...VOMIT...Mittens and The Queen on Kelly Ripa's program.

TV off.

[NewJeffCT]

13. If he's lost David Brooks

that's not a good sign for the next 7 weeks or so.