For some inexplicable reason, The New York Times insists on foisting David Brooks on its subscribers. Brooks is one of the worst frauds writing in America today, a person who believes himself to be some sort of profound social analyst. He isn't. He is simply a really articulate Republican propaganda hack. Today, in a lie of astonishing proportions, Brooks claims that Federal aid to education has had no real effect on college graduation or attendance rates (!!!). Washington Monthly has the scoop here. Quoting Kevin Carey, who has analyzed this:
According to the U.S. Department of Education and the Census Bureau, the percent of high school graduates who immediately enrolled in college the fall after graduation increased from 49% in 1972 to 67% in 2004.
The percent of 25- to 29-year olds who completed at least some college increased from 36% to 57%.
The percent of 25- to 29-year olds who earned a bachelor's degree increased from 19% to 29%.
All of those numbers can and should be better. But it's foolish to say that the federal student aid money spent during that time did no good.
Why does a clown like Brooks have a platform at what used to be our most prestigious newspaper? Where is an editor at the NYT when you need one? Doesn't anybody fact check this guy, or are they content to let him put out right wing propaganda with impunity?
Brooks is a big neocon foreign policy fan as well. He has helped bring this country to the crisis it now confronts. He is seemingly reasonable in demeanor, and yet his facade conceals a radical mentality. It's good to see people calling BS on him. It needs to be done more often.
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