Man of the People

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The commentator David Brooks — who has made a career out of piously trolling liberals for their supposed decadence and lack of morals — posted a photo on Twitter with the caption “This meal just cost me $78 at Newark Airport. This is why Americans think the economy is terrible.” Pictured in the photo were a hamburger and French fries with what appeared to be a fairly large glass of whiskey. Social media users quickly identified the restaurant in question, and the owner chimed in to confirm that the food portion of Brooks’ meal cost around $18, with rest of the tab being liquor. The proprietor also noted that a double-shot of whiskey cost $22, suggesting that Mr. Brooks may have been getting plastered on multiple drinks.

Now, I happen to believe that the economy still feels tough for many people because the cost of living is still high relative their incomes, even if inflation is trending down. But what Brooks did here appears to be intellectually dishonest, a lapse of journalistic ethics in the service of a political cheap shot.

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