The New York Times has got to be kidding, right? After last night's debate, ABC's agenda became blatantly clear to anyone paying attention. Distract, distort, discredit, destroy. In a word, disgusting. So what do I wake up to in this morning's online NY Times center cover story "Don't Hate Me Because I'm Solvent" by Joyce Wadler.

more bellow the fold

IN these times of mortgage crisis and credit card debt, of people living over their heads and losing their homes, it may be instructive to visit David and Gina Giffels, proud owners of an exquisitely renovated 1913 Tudor house, with six fireplaces, a solarium and a billiards room, which is well within their means, in part because they paid $65,000.

The text is obvious, "Don't hate me because I'm solvent", that the Giffels, through their own hard work, sacrifice and determination have etched out the American Dream. But the subtext attempts to divert attention away from class envy and a rising populism. The Giffels after all are moderately average middle class income earners. If you, earning a teacher's salary don't live in a six fireplace Tudor mini-mansion with solarium and a billiards room its your own damn fault, right?

And the text which accompanies the photo; "D.I.Y. COMMANDO David Giffels plastered, painted and pounded his falling-down house into submission." Really, no caption was necessary. How does one deconstruct this image? An obvious middle class homeowner "jumping for joy" during a housing market meltdown, in the rust belt no less. It's all there on the surface, complete with the metaphor of the DIY COMMANDO, reflective of today's over-militarized discourse, the contemporary manifestation of the frontier pioneer, the rugged individual plastering, paining and pounding the "Virgin Land" into submission.

It is well understood that individualism is not only part of a cultural mythology but also forms part of the value systems for many. In fact, individualism and liberalism go hand in hand. I don't mean either to demean the values of "hard work, sacrifice, and determination" which the Giffel family no doubt relied upon in no small measure. But this article is so painfully dishonest and deceptive.

Last night, the debate should have focused around a discussion about the housing crisis and looming recession, among a short list of other things and the Times provides DIY commandos. Perhaps the next administration should declare "war on the housing crisis" and create a DIY task force under the Department of Homeland Security.

...and don't get me started on the accompanying article which follows just bellow the lead;

Pope Praises U.S., but Warns of Secular Challenges. "Pope Benedict XVI warned that a secular tradition often prevented Americans from living their beliefs fully."

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