Quote of the Day: Jonah Goldberg

In discussing "populism in today's NRO, Mr. Goldberg writes a very un-Jonah-like column today: one that's difficult to get through. The column -- which refers to a Simpsons episode in which Homer runs for sanitation commissioner and proclaims that “Animals are crapping in our houses and we’re picking it up! Did we lose a war? That's not America! That's not even Mexico!” -- made me laugh when I finally reached the concluding graph:

It is the first duty of conservatives to say “that’s not a good idea” and “calm down.” It is the first duty of liberals to come up with some whacky idea about how every child should be born with an air hockey table and a lifetime supply of Ho-Hos. When life is unfair to some, we can expect the liberal to blame dark and unseen forces rigging the system against the little guy. It is the conservative’s obligation -- when the truth is on his side -- to say “lighten up Francis” and “life isn’t fair.” And when would-be voices of the people claim that 2+2 is whatever-the-hell-we-say-it-is or that “the man” should be cleaning up our pets’ messes, it’s the job of the conservative to calmly say -- no matter how unpopular or “unenlightened” it may be -- no, 2+2=4, now and forever, and pick up your own damn crap.

Though I wouldn't mind the air hockey table.