Tornado Alley (PROG)

[StephanieVanbryce]

Rule by the Ridiculous

December 28, 2010, 3:33 pm

There must be a way to construct a word for this out of Greek roots; something like kleptocracy, but meaning rule by ridiculous people instead. But it’s all Greek to me. Anyway, a couple of stories today.

1. Wall Street executives in a complete snit about Obama: he bailed them out with no strings, he’s leaving their bonuses intact, but he doesn’t always invite them to White House events. [ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/12/28/wall-street-whines-to-pol_n_801935.html ]

Who thought that “Ma, he’s looking at me funny!” would become a crucial campaign slogan?

2. Paul Ryan requires that his staffers read Atlas Shrugged. I mean, I was inspired by Isaac Asimov, but I don’t think I’m Hari Seldon — whereas Ryan, it seems, really does think he’s John Galt.Time to bring out the classic quote: [ http://www.tnr.com/blog/jonathan-chait/80552/paul-ryan-and-ayn-rand ]

There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs.

Future historians will giggle at our expense.

http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/12/28/rule-by-the-ridiculous/?pagemode=print