On political instruction

In its patronizing desire to instruct us on what is wrong with our politics, No Labels ends up being a damning indictment of just how alarmingly out of touch the mainstream political-media elite remains with the grievances that have driven Americans to cynicism and despair in the 21st century’s Gilded Age.

-

Frank Rich on the No Labels Astro-Turf ‘Movement’ [link] (via politicalbrief)

It’s so true. But I will add, as an instructor in the political science field, that it is important that someone point out what is wrong with the political system. Whether that is patronizing or not, it still needs to be done, because if we just leave it up to how people “feel” then what we get is a reaction similar to the TEA Party, which is all emotion and actually opposes reasoned critique as “elitism”.

(Source: The New York Times)