Monday, August 31, 2009

The Ideologues Against the White House and David Brooks

Gabriel Sherman, writer with the New Republic, writes that David Brooks is considered an ally to the White House because he's the only conservative with an open mind. The rest of the conservatives are ideologues, people who only believe what they believe and that's it. Everything has to fit into their world view or else.

That's why, day after day, they say the same predictable things. I don't even have to read their columns because I already know they're world view. Nothing new comes out of Krauthammer's mouth or any of the conservative writers.

Sherman also contends that Brooks is fairer to the White House than even liberal Paul Krugman. That would be because Krugman is an ideologue on the left. He's predictable as well.

One opinionator in this video suggest that Brooks and Obama are matched by "intellectual arrogance." They both have an interest in philosophy. Watch Brooks and E.J. Dionne talk about theologian Reinhold Niebuhr and Niebuhr's influence on Obama on Speaking of Faith here.

Since when does being fair and open minded make someone arrogant? Just the suggestion that an interest in philosophy makes you arrogant is more dumbing down of America. I think we've had enough of that. I like reading Brooks' columns because, even though I disagree with him, he makes his points like an adult.