The Columbia Journalism Review which describes itself as "Founded under the auspices of Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism" (not mentioning the advice that they are funded by Soros) and "in conversation with a community of people who share a commitment to high journalistic standards.." has decided to use those high standards to invest in a classic case of PDS.
In an oh so cleverly snarkily titled article "Sarah Palin, Media Critic" CJR takes Palin to task for "hyperbole" in daring to question the Wall Street Journals Sudeep Reddy for stating "grocery prices haven't risen all that significantly". Firstly Palin is acting as a commentator on economics-Bernanke's QE2 money printing, which she described as misguided and inflationary, she is not acting as a "media critic"
The CJR author starts straight into the East Coast ivy league, ivory tower elitism-they just can't resist it, it is like catnip and a sad and sorry spectacle. "Aw ,shucks" this representative of high journalistic standards commences his hit piece. He continues, "Sarah Palin is "just a former governor and current housewife from Alaska, bur even humble folks like (her) can read the newspaper." Reading's one thing. Comprehending's another". This is brilliant stuff at the Pulitzer level so far.
Lets see what Palin actually said and which thus determines who is indulging in hyperbole is. "Everyone who goes out shopping for groceries knows that prices have risen significantly over the past year or so.Pump priming would push them even higher." Reddy in accusing Palin of hyperbole states that "Grocery prices haven't risen all that significantly. Palin responded that in another article in the WSJ it was stated "Food Sellers Grit Teeth, Raise Prices...an inflationary tide is beginning to ripple through America's supermarkets..prices of staples, including milk, beef, coffee, cocoa and sugar have risen sharply in recent months"
We see here the difference between an ivory tower economist and a person who can relate to the ordinary housewife. Grocery prices may have risen y.o.y. at 1.4% but that is a basket including non-staple items. Palin speaks to and for, especially, those who out of work or who have not had a wage rise in a long time, will feel these rises strongly. Certainly much more strongly than e.g. a WSJ economist or the Editor of a prestigious ivy league journal.
The CJR even gets it wrong on their main premise-that Palin selectively quotes and misunderstands. They state "What the WSJ article said...is that food prices may be beginning to rise" Whereas the article said "An inflationary tide IS beginning to rise". Perhaps they don't teach the difference between "may "and "is" any more but to me the difference is quite clear.
They conclude by calling Palin out on her "ethics", misquoting Reddy, and her having no right to condemn the media.They add insult to their own injury by ending with "Maybe they (Palin and a journalist) can talk about the possible wave of food inflation coming our way" That the editor is so blinded by PDS that he can't understand what is a few paragraphs above his concluding snark "An inflationary tide IS beginning" shows how far the liberal elite have fallen.
What is it about New York that it is so blind to the reality of what is happening in the rest of the country? Certainly the city is depressed, when I was there in July I saw shop after shop closed, and the state has a budget crisis like most others. Yet with all that they elect two senators and their governor with majorities of up to 32%-they must think it is still 1936 or something.
There must be a unique blend of old line unionism, a financial liberal elite. Poverty struck minorities, who are tied to welfarism, or have not woken up to being kept in thrall by the propaganda of the elite, and are thus blind to the fact that minorities round America are fighting their way up and out of poverty by their boot straps.Thankfully New York appears to be the last bastion of this old line leftism and the state is declining in electoral college power being down to only 29 EC votes, the same as Florida. Once mighty NY was the king maker in presidential politics (as per Grover Cleveland's two out of three) winning or losing it made you president or not, but that is nearing its end.
As for the esteemed intellectuals who commented on the CJR article, it is as expected. Intelligent, educated people summon up all their years of scholarship and advise pithily "She's an idiot. Narcissistic personality disorder" and "Palin is a pathological liar...she has most of the hallmark symptoms of a sociopath" and etc. The ultimate indication of PDS elitism is "It is pretty obvious that she and her acolytes have never made it through Econ 101.That fact alone pretty much discredits any opinion she may have on economic matters"
Ronald Reagan, and Harry Truman, who never went to university and was a failed hat salesman, also never made it through Econ 101 unlike Obama/Carter and seemed to manage somehow. But that doesn't fit with the world view of elitists who just don't get it. They, and their Democratic Party, will certainly "get it" in 2012 as voters finish off what was started in 2010. But they won't like what they will get when the great mass of plain folks show them they don't like being condescended to.
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