“ Good old absolutism, along with wokeness, the bete noir of the gentlemanly rep-tie near edge of the MAGA far right.” Lordy. Perfection. Thank you. The Times is so boring now I have cancelled my subscription.
You lasted longer than I did. I was so disgusted by their coverage of the 2016 election campaign that when they compounded their disgustingness by hiring Bret Stephens I bailed.
I say to Douthat that the country should write more fat checks — as many as it takes to stop Putin. Stop him not just in Ukraine now, inevitably elsewhere in Europe, and also here at home. The damage he's done to U.S. democracy without firing a shot is stunning. The forces he groomed and emboldened, Trump and the MAGA crowd, are still wreaking havoc and likely will for a long time. A strong united Europe, which Putin has awakened militarily, will also pay dividends if China confronts us in a big way.
Like many here, I was brought up in the military after the Second World War. Now that I have lived my own life, I can more fully appreciate the the adults among whom I grew up . Of course, it wasn't perfect, alcohol abuse and all, but my parents and their friends were strong and brave in a stressful, demanding life. Husbands and fathers were gone a lot and sometimes killed, yet, the people I knew were courageous and helped each other. That is what I see in President Zelensky and the Ukrainians. The public figures who want to stop supporting them are pathetic: weak posers who talk tough. Don't they read history?
So many of our so-called leaders appear to lack any semblance of character or real strength,
forget wisdom. I have concern for my grandchildren. In less than ten years, they will be grown. What kind of country will they live in?
that's one of the very few reasons I find myself being a little glad that I have no kids to worry about. if I did, I'd encourage them to prepare a realistic exit strategy. and I do this with the younger people I talk to.
My only hope, ironically, is that the military industrial complex won't let the "congressional" part of their moniker be omitted from the Republican agenda. Most of those checks go to them directly.
Has anyone ever told Ross Douthat that he's a jerk and doesn't write that well? No?
Well then, perhaps the NY Times should tell him and remove him from their line up of motley columnists, most of whom aren't worth the powder.
The only one worth keeping is Paul Krugman who writes intelligently and well. The rest of them are shills who couldn't think up an imaginative thought in their deepest sleep.
And most of them are Republican ass-kissers. That's the worst part of it.
Ross Douchehat never fails to induce my gag reflex. Nevertheless, his remarks here should be recognized as a predictor of future talking points for appeasers, and firsters, and hypocrypto-bros. LKT IV demolishes these points, of course. Surely, Ross was an equity hire (D-v-R) for the NYT ? He has been so wrong on so many occasions that I don't know whether to gag or to giggle. And his record of unforced errors gives Equity-Diversity-Inclusion initiatives a bad name. (OK, now I'm just being provocative.) Upon further reflection, I'm thankful that both camps find him repellent.
I think Friedman was the actual equity hire, because nobody else would hire him..so NY Times took pity on him and we've been suffering from him ever since then.
Friedman's Pulitzers are the best argument I know to convince people that they're mostly a big fix. when has he EVER been right about anything? and since we're on shitty NYT writers, I'd hate like hell to leave out poor David Brooks, who is, I suppose, meant to be the "friendly face" of the idiot right.
I feel sorry for Brooks because it's obvious he's trying hard to be not 'that kind' of Republican but he's stuck there doing exactly that. But he's very irritating when he's being 'kind' to us liberal lefties who obviously don't know any better. I detest intellectual snobs and he's one of the worst.
I have the feeling that whatever article he wrote would contain the sentence: "We are also an internally divided country led by an unpopular president...."
Every time I read a Douthat column I want to puke. He's a shallow dipshit in thrall to the white Nationalists he feels compelled to suck up to. Scratch him and you're going to find the fearful immigrant who just doesn't fit in. The guy with the European accent and manners who sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb. He wants us to believe that the true 'America' begins somewhere west of Massachusetts and ends somewhere to the line where the Pacific Time Zone begins. He can't understand why 'Real. Americans' might want to help people who love their country enought to be willing to fight and die for it.
The way I see it Ross's argument is a twist on a really old one from those who actually believe we can isolate the United States from involvement anywhere outside our borders.
It used to be "We should never send American boys to die on foreign shores where we have no vested interests.
His argument seems to be "We should never send American dollars to a place where we are not going to get a huge ROI; best we keep the money here and spend in on the MI complex and tax cuts for all those hard working Americans who can't find Ukraine on a map."
Yes, he is superficial. But, in case most of us have been asleep for the past six years way too many Americans dig superficial. It doesn't tax their brains at all. Ross is plowing in fertile fields.
Democrats will have mass shootings, the end of Covid, the righteous anger of every American voter who isn't an old white man, and possibly the glorious defeat of Russia by Ukraine. arguing that the money wasn't worth it to save western liberalism, and toss Putin and his Russia in the trash heap, isn't going to be an easy sell -- especially when the horrors of Mariupol are exposed for all to see.
I’m grateful to Lucian for reading Doo-Da’s column because I’m unable to stomach anything he writes. His incomprehensible verbiage, and feints at reasonableness are gut churning. The less-than-venerable NYT has always been a sinecure for one or two right wingers as insurance against the dreaded ‘liberal’ label, but their editorial policy and writing is so constipated and mamby-pamby in general that it’s off-putting, to say the least. After Sulzberger hired Bret Stephens I cancelled, but went back for reasons I don’t remember. I’m going to cancel, again, this time for good.
We should support Ukraine with whatever is necessary, and for as long as it takes to drive the Russians from their territory. Yes, it’s a proxy war for us, but not for the Ukrainians who deserve all the help they can get.
“ Good old absolutism, along with wokeness, the bete noir of the gentlemanly rep-tie near edge of the MAGA far right.” Lordy. Perfection. Thank you. The Times is so boring now I have cancelled my subscription.
You lasted longer than I did. I was so disgusted by their coverage of the 2016 election campaign that when they compounded their disgustingness by hiring Bret Stephens I bailed.
I say to Douthat that the country should write more fat checks — as many as it takes to stop Putin. Stop him not just in Ukraine now, inevitably elsewhere in Europe, and also here at home. The damage he's done to U.S. democracy without firing a shot is stunning. The forces he groomed and emboldened, Trump and the MAGA crowd, are still wreaking havoc and likely will for a long time. A strong united Europe, which Putin has awakened militarily, will also pay dividends if China confronts us in a big way.
This is really depressing.
Like many here, I was brought up in the military after the Second World War. Now that I have lived my own life, I can more fully appreciate the the adults among whom I grew up . Of course, it wasn't perfect, alcohol abuse and all, but my parents and their friends were strong and brave in a stressful, demanding life. Husbands and fathers were gone a lot and sometimes killed, yet, the people I knew were courageous and helped each other. That is what I see in President Zelensky and the Ukrainians. The public figures who want to stop supporting them are pathetic: weak posers who talk tough. Don't they read history?
So many of our so-called leaders appear to lack any semblance of character or real strength,
forget wisdom. I have concern for my grandchildren. In less than ten years, they will be grown. What kind of country will they live in?
that's one of the very few reasons I find myself being a little glad that I have no kids to worry about. if I did, I'd encourage them to prepare a realistic exit strategy. and I do this with the younger people I talk to.
My only hope, ironically, is that the military industrial complex won't let the "congressional" part of their moniker be omitted from the Republican agenda. Most of those checks go to them directly.
Has anyone ever told Ross Douthat that he's a jerk and doesn't write that well? No?
Well then, perhaps the NY Times should tell him and remove him from their line up of motley columnists, most of whom aren't worth the powder.
The only one worth keeping is Paul Krugman who writes intelligently and well. The rest of them are shills who couldn't think up an imaginative thought in their deepest sleep.
And most of them are Republican ass-kissers. That's the worst part of it.
Ross Douchehat never fails to induce my gag reflex. Nevertheless, his remarks here should be recognized as a predictor of future talking points for appeasers, and firsters, and hypocrypto-bros. LKT IV demolishes these points, of course. Surely, Ross was an equity hire (D-v-R) for the NYT ? He has been so wrong on so many occasions that I don't know whether to gag or to giggle. And his record of unforced errors gives Equity-Diversity-Inclusion initiatives a bad name. (OK, now I'm just being provocative.) Upon further reflection, I'm thankful that both camps find him repellent.
I think Friedman was the actual equity hire, because nobody else would hire him..so NY Times took pity on him and we've been suffering from him ever since then.
Friedman's Pulitzers are the best argument I know to convince people that they're mostly a big fix. when has he EVER been right about anything? and since we're on shitty NYT writers, I'd hate like hell to leave out poor David Brooks, who is, I suppose, meant to be the "friendly face" of the idiot right.
I feel sorry for Brooks because it's obvious he's trying hard to be not 'that kind' of Republican but he's stuck there doing exactly that. But he's very irritating when he's being 'kind' to us liberal lefties who obviously don't know any better. I detest intellectual snobs and he's one of the worst.
I have the feeling that whatever article he wrote would contain the sentence: "We are also an internally divided country led by an unpopular president...."
Yup.
Good column. Sad to say, but yes, that's where things are headed.
Every time I read a Douthat column I want to puke. He's a shallow dipshit in thrall to the white Nationalists he feels compelled to suck up to. Scratch him and you're going to find the fearful immigrant who just doesn't fit in. The guy with the European accent and manners who sticks out like the proverbial sore thumb. He wants us to believe that the true 'America' begins somewhere west of Massachusetts and ends somewhere to the line where the Pacific Time Zone begins. He can't understand why 'Real. Americans' might want to help people who love their country enought to be willing to fight and die for it.
Wow. Yet another straw on "the camel's back" of democracy. Thank you for alerting us.
The way I see it Ross's argument is a twist on a really old one from those who actually believe we can isolate the United States from involvement anywhere outside our borders.
It used to be "We should never send American boys to die on foreign shores where we have no vested interests.
His argument seems to be "We should never send American dollars to a place where we are not going to get a huge ROI; best we keep the money here and spend in on the MI complex and tax cuts for all those hard working Americans who can't find Ukraine on a map."
Yes, he is superficial. But, in case most of us have been asleep for the past six years way too many Americans dig superficial. It doesn't tax their brains at all. Ross is plowing in fertile fields.
It’s obvious the Republicans have no compassion-
Not quite. They seem to display it openly - if you're wealthy.
Democrats will have mass shootings, the end of Covid, the righteous anger of every American voter who isn't an old white man, and possibly the glorious defeat of Russia by Ukraine. arguing that the money wasn't worth it to save western liberalism, and toss Putin and his Russia in the trash heap, isn't going to be an easy sell -- especially when the horrors of Mariupol are exposed for all to see.
It's called subversion.
Mr. Douthat is truly a tool for the Koch and their ilk, not to mention the south end of a north bound horse.
First of all, Lucian, thank you for this service to your readers. Every time I try to read Ross Douthat, I end up feeling greasy and queasy.
Him and the horse he rode in on.
I’m grateful to Lucian for reading Doo-Da’s column because I’m unable to stomach anything he writes. His incomprehensible verbiage, and feints at reasonableness are gut churning. The less-than-venerable NYT has always been a sinecure for one or two right wingers as insurance against the dreaded ‘liberal’ label, but their editorial policy and writing is so constipated and mamby-pamby in general that it’s off-putting, to say the least. After Sulzberger hired Bret Stephens I cancelled, but went back for reasons I don’t remember. I’m going to cancel, again, this time for good.
We should support Ukraine with whatever is necessary, and for as long as it takes to drive the Russians from their territory. Yes, it’s a proxy war for us, but not for the Ukrainians who deserve all the help they can get.