In Which Mr. Charles P. Pierce

Kills Ross Douthat:

...

Where in hell does this cosseted layabout get off lecturing people about "work and thrift and upward mobility"? It's like listening to Ann Romney talk about carpet samples. The people who actually have to practice these virtues — which is to say, those who are not the beneficiaries of ideological affirmative-action in our nation's great newspapers — also would just as soon not die of starvation in the cold when they hit 70. They also would like not to have to work when they are 80. If this outrages His Eminence, he can go whistle. But, eventually, we get around to what's really going on. Social Security is a government program that works. It is a government program that people like. Douthat's conclusion that the Republicans can gain back the loyalties of "the middle class" by turning it against Social Security is the funniest political advice since Jonah Goldberg presumed to give the GOP "Negro lessons" last week. By all means, Ross, go out among the many "middle class" workers of your casual acquaintance and tell them that it's Social Security, and not the obscene imbalance of our tax code, that's screwing so many of them. Persuade them that it's really their parents who are bleeding them dry...

Mr. Douthat is survived by one million wormy Ross Douthat imitators just itching to take his place as the New York Times' auxiliary, backup Conservative toady.

He will be missed.