Tom Friedman's empty rhetoric:

In an Op-Ed this Sunday, Friedman tries to make the case for "nation-building" in America. In what way? Basically through a domestic version of (what used to be called) Japan Inc.:

fix education,... research renewable energy, ... repair our infrastructure, ... help others

With, of course:

big profits and big purposes

Don't ever say Friedman takes his eye off the ball (profits).

But in his essay titled Who Will Tell the People? (!), he never mentions:

• Bush's tax cuts - and commensurate budget restraint in R&D, education, and infrastructure.
• Free Trade and Globalization - which makes it difficult for a first-world economy to chart a path of growth while at the same time competing against the cheap labor of emerging states.
• The huge drain of money and manpower of the Iraq War (which Friedman supports).

To mention a few significant items. Friedman, as an Op-ED columnist can say what he wants, but instead of putting his ass on the line by advocating policies that might offend, he prefers to sit back and say:

We need a president who is tough enough to tell the truth to the American people.

What a wimp.


posted by Quiddity at 5/04/2008 05:22:00 AM