tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8524070301101240472.post9145489238870528589..comments2023-09-28T08:13:11.489-07:00Comments on Only In It For The Gold: Odd ConcordanceMichael Tobishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08229460438349093944noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8524070301101240472.post-57183658718489345072009-11-05T07:51:29.518-08:002009-11-05T07:51:29.518-08:00both speak of a general sense of decline and confu...<i>both speak of a general sense of decline and confusion that has no obvious precedent. I think there is something to that. </i><br /><br />Yes. I agree. <br /><br />Kunstler may have only a few things that sparks his muse, and is histrionic like, say, Romm, but both men have something to say if you can stand to read them. Noonan has been motivated of late to ask questions, and despite her frequent paeans to the rich and the corporation, is making sense. <br /><br />Lots of problems around here. Seems as if <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/environment/2009-11-03-economist-climate_N.htm" rel="nofollow">even the economists</a> are starting to wake from their long slumber.<br /><br />Best,<br /><br />D<br /><br /><br />(word verif Zen agrees: destrict)Danohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03709762632849004871noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8524070301101240472.post-51701687894672935312009-11-05T07:22:49.242-08:002009-11-05T07:22:49.242-08:00TB, yes, true, but both speak of a general sense o...TB, yes, true, but both speak of a general sense of decline and confusion that has no obvious precedent. I think there is something to that.Michael Tobishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08229460438349093944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8524070301101240472.post-87525692884421959472009-11-05T07:11:58.485-08:002009-11-05T07:11:58.485-08:00The two pieces aren't really that similar, and...The two pieces aren't really that similar, and are near cliches of their respective authors.<br /><br />Peggy Noonan is boldly standing up for the wealthiest tier of Americans who face the dire specter of returning to Clintonian taxation levels, and clutches her pearls about increased regulation.<br /><br />Kunstler bemoans how Wall Street has captured the White House and warns that our current trajectory is unsustainable.<br /><br />They aren't arguing for the same thing- if Knustler had things his way, Noonan would be even more aghast. <br /><br />They are superficially united by complaints of a lack of leadership by the White House and a general disaffection of the populace, but such a stance is unsurprising given their positions within the pundit/blogosphere (a conservative concern troll and an anti-bankster doomsayer). <br /><br />There has been no great shift in public opinion that things are getting worse overall[<a href="http://www.pollster.com/polls/us/issue-rdwt.php" rel="nofollow">1</a>]. Congressional approval levels are low, but hardly unprecedented, and the majority of the dissatisfaction is coming from those out of power[<a href="http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/other/congressional_job_approval-903.html" rel="nofollow">2</a>][<a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/108856/congressional-approval-hits-recordlow-14.aspx" rel="nofollow">3</a>][<a href="http://www.gallup.com/poll/122399/Congress-Job-Approval-Ratings-Grow-Polarized.aspx" rel="nofollow">4</a>].<br /><br />You've basically got two people who represent political views that are not dominating the national discourse projecting their "concern" about that onto the general populace.<br /><br />If you follow, say, the never ending saga of Middle East geopolitics (from a US perspective), you see such opposed voices harmonizing on alleged failure of leadership constantly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8524070301101240472.post-57169192407608269102009-11-04T18:46:29.295-08:002009-11-04T18:46:29.295-08:00Fair enough. I'm no great fan of Peggy Noonan&...Fair enough. I'm no great fan of Peggy Noonan's either, and I don't particularly agree with the point of view expressed by either of them.<br /><br />But this surprising agreement on the zeitgeist really is worth noticing.Michael Tobishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08229460438349093944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8524070301101240472.post-25728298279712751732009-11-04T18:34:48.303-08:002009-11-04T18:34:48.303-08:00Any Kunstler piece is guaranteed to have at least ...Any Kunstler piece is guaranteed to have at least one of the following expressions:<br /><br />Happy motoring<br />Banker boyz<br />Salad shooters<br />Nascar idiots<br />Cheez doodles<br />Something for nothing<br /><br />In the age of digital watches the analogy doesn't make much sense, but he's like a clock that's broken. The world will agree with him periodically.King of the Roadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06841601144107400103noreply@blogger.com