Watch your back, Douthat

Ross Douthat today engages in sociological observation of the meritocratic elite in such a way as to infringe on turf claimed by David Brooks. (Via Memeorandum.)

There's nothing really wrong with this particular Douthat column, if op-ed social criticism is what you're looking for. But that's some mighty pricey editorial real estate to be occupied by a latter-day Veblen cleverly commenting on what he sees on TV and reads in magazines when there's so much important news to be reported.

A simple request, Ross: Call up Joe Lieberman's press secretary Erica Masonhall and ask her when Lieberman plans to start holding hearings about Obama's war on inspectors general. Maybe she'll return a call from a Harvard-educated New York Times columnist. She sure as hell didn't return mine.

Leave the Veblen trip to Brooks. Even the New York Times can't afford to support every pompous op-ed windbag in Washington. You start crowding Brooks, and I'm betting he wins that competition. If he outlasted Kristol, he'll outlast you.

Now, somebody needs to hit my tip jar.