David "Values" Brooks

Seems conservative opinion shifter David Brooks is at it again not content simply to rewrite history, his de facto persona, but reality as well. He goes a bit too far me thinks in trying to justify the elections outcomes and the American value system. So it is that he can make a statement like this:

"Yet, I’m optimistic right now. I’m optimistic because while our political system is a mess, the economic and social values of the country remain sound. My optimism is also based on the conviction that serious, vibrant societies don’t sit by and do nothing as their governments drive off a cliff."

Really, the economic values that led individuals to massively over leverage their lives in pursuit of over consumption are sound values. Indeed, so after we finish deleveraging from this last binge we should do it again!

Our sound social values require that we pay our government to wage war and reap destruction on people in far off places instead of building a foundation for growth at home in efficient, renewable technologies. Our sound social values are ready and waiting to repeal legislation extending affordable health coverage as a right to life to all Americans. Finally, our sound social values would rather blow money out our tail pipes in the name of freedom than clean up our air and economy.

This is the fundamental issue that plagues America that both political parties need to grasp: value identification and regeneration that can provide for a renewed consensus and governing commitment, a Sputnik moment. Framing the opportunity for a better outcome significantly in light of our past missteps, or diminished returns. The governing philosophy and vision flow directly from these values and goals placing the politics on the results rather than the old comfortable political, ideological space and horse race talking points.

We spent the last 20 years congratulating ourselves on being the last superpower standing after the collapse of the USSR and never set our national interest toward another goal. Instead, we went on a bender, continued to wastefully spend on war planes, ships, subs, hegemony and inflated inequality. The old system had become institutionalized and its relevance only extended with the blossoming of the internet and technology boom.

Finally, while I appreciate the attempt made by Brooks to empower those who might find a third way the assumption that almost miraculously a centrist group will appear and inspire a renewed commitment is beyond the imagination of anyone who is really paying attention. Besides, it appears to sane, reasonable people that we already have someone in the White House who fits that description and he's well on his way to redundancy.

If anything like that is going to happen we need to first have a conversation and a reckoning about what we value and the expected outcome for society. David Brooks values "American pre-eminence" and "Supremacy" as if that is a goal that we should strive to achieve to provide for a better outcomes for America. What is it the same recycled self serving outcome that just destroyed the American economy? According to Brooks it doesn't really matter so long as you can rally people around it. Either way I'm not feeling optimistic.