Posted on 08/03/2008 8:46:26 AM PDT by afortiori
If there's one thing Thomas Frank has, it's certitude. As a result, he has been singularly successful in getting his political views noticed, which, of course, is his goal. No self-doubt restrains his assaults; no nuance clutters his pages; his are books not of arguments but of pronouncements. Frank clearly holds his conclusions to be self-evident, his insights both noble and incontrovertible. Thus it follows quite naturally that disagreement, even skepticism, is proof of a substantial deficiency in either intellect, instruction, or character.
This belief in the superiority of his understanding has led to two books, one building on the other. In the first, "What's the Matter With Kansas?," Frank concluded that Kansans, who fairly often vote in ways he finds puzzling, are too stupid to know what's in their best interests (which would be, of course, the very views Frank himself espouses). Now, in "The Wrecking Crew," he backtracks a bit. Kansans, it now appears, are not stupid so much as they are dupes. Republicans (or "conservatives," since he uses the terms more or less interchangeably) are operating a con. Born apparently with neither conscience nor scruple, Republicans are, in Frank's view, evil-minded connivers. They do not simply see the world differently than he does; they are thoroughly contemptible folks out to destroy all that is best about America.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
1.) Notice how the Boston Globe editors slant the review's headline to reflect the book only, not the review.
2.) The book itself lays bare the fallacy, propagated by the media, that Thomas Franks' "What's the Matter With Kansas?" was somehow objective scholarship.
Arguing that slavery to the state is in your best interest must qualify him as a genius to the Globe editors.
I think all the adoration has gone to Tom’s head. Too bad, as he used to be clever.
It’s amazing to me, as I started to read this, it seemed as if “Franks” was a codename for “Obama”. Substitute the names and it says exactly what is so obnoxious about Barry, too.
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