6.24.2009

Robert Reich: Intellectual Pygmy

Living up to his physical stature -- scrawny and 4' 10", making me immediately think of Ellsworth Toohey -- Robert Reich continues to prove what a dissembling, rotten, leftist, intellectual pygmy he is. [Note that I chose "pygmy" and not "midget" purposefully -- he is an intellectually tiny savage.]

In nearly 1,350 rambling words, Reich shills again for socialized medicine in the WSJ today, telling us "Why We Need a Public Health-Care Plan." I dare you to read the whole thing. If you understandably don't want to, I'll sum it up for you:
  1. He asks plaintively why "reform" has stalled in Congress
  2. Cites dubious poll numbers claiming Americans just LOVE the idea of socialized medicine and would be happy to pay more taxes to subsidize care for others
  3. Lies about the destructive impact of a "public option" on what remains of the health care market
  4. Misrepresents or dismisses without evidence the claims of critics of Obamacare
  5. Yada, yada, yada
  6. And ends saying, "Enough talk. [Obama] should come out swinging for the public option."
Reich supposedly has some cache in economics circles, but (and probably because) he's a hardcore Keynesian. All of his arguments call for more government intervention, more restrictions on the free market, and a complete dismissal of individual rights. He never comes right out and claims that people have a "right to health care" but he doesn't have to. It practically oozes from every slimy sentence.

If you feel a little nauseous after reading Reich's progressive pablum, I prescribe a proper defense of Freedom and Individual Rights in Medicine.

6 comments:

Brian Fritts said...

I think that is a common thought among Objectivists, because I always think of Ellsworth Toohey when I see Robert Reich on television.

It is a shame that nobody takes the time and effort to track the predictions of "public intellectuals" such as Reich. Unfortunately, cable news gives him a home more and more, as their version of coverage simply means a mock debate between some liberal and some conservative pundit.

Realist Theorist said...

I just cannot stand Reich. I'll usually turn off the radio when he come on NPR.

Another person working her way to causing me the same level of nausea is Elizabeth Warren.

C. August said...

I remember reading the Forbes article that blasted Elizabeth Warren, but I haven't heard much else about her. Is she a regular guest on NPR or cable shows or something?

And Brian, I wonder if tracking the public intellectuals would even do any good. I agree it would be interesting, but hell, people track what politicians do and it doesn't matter a bit. There just aren't enough critical thinkers out there for it to matter, and the press sure isn't going to cover it if it doesn't fit with their left-leaning bias.

Realist Theorist said...

Warren comes on CNBC every now and then. I'd not heard of her before this current market downturn. She is basking in a new-found fame as custodian of tax-payer money.

Thanks for the link to the Forbes article. In Feb, I had blogged about how Warren's report to congress the waste of time and money.

There is something condescending and gently sneering about Warren's tone that reminds me of Reich.

Brian Fritts said...

Although he did not specifically talk about Elizabeth Warren, Todd J. Zywicki was on Econ Talk in March talking about the evolution of consumer debt. It was absolutely fascinating.

I mean I remember the "layaway" aisle as a kid, but had not thought about it in years.

He spent some time talking about the attempt by some to strangle the consumer debt market, and how we may see the return of "layaway" as a financing method if those in Congress get their way. He also talked about pawn shops, pay day loans etc. He certainly had a free market bent.

The link is:

http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2009/03/zywicki_on_debt.html

Also - C. August - I think you are probably right, tracking public intellectuals would not deter most from their agenda. The problem is that the academy is not really interested in training conceptual thinkers.

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