Bill Keller’s entitled generation

What an assemblage of clowns we have on the Opinion page of the New York Times!  It’s a satire, right?  Every day the poor reader confronts such idiocy as Thomas Friedman, Maureen Dowd, Nicholas Kristof, David Brooks, Bill Keller, and others.  But even by the extraordinarily low standards of the Times, Keller’s latest gem is worth noting.

Keller, son of a former Chevron Chairman and CEO, was the executive editor of the paper until 2011.  Today he regurgitates the conventional wisdom of the center-right of the Democratic Party establishment in his typically condescending and offensive manner.  He begins by asking for “a private moment with my fellow baby boomers” and then proceeds to inform this “Entitled Generation”, the title of the piece no less, that they need to cut social security and health spending. We are an “entitled bunch” he tells us, and then continues by quoting others who say we’re “shamelessly selfish”, and “the most self-centered, self-seeking, self-interested, self-absorbed, self-indulgent, self-aggrandizing generation in American history”.  Strong stuff.

Now of course a powerful case can be made on the left that a slice of our society is greatly “entitled”, incredibly self centered, etc, etc.  They are the top 5% which own 72% of all financial wealth or the top 1% that hoards a full 43% of it.  This compared to the neo-serf bottom 90% which has just 17%.  An entitled bunch indeed.  But the modern day lords aren’t the people Keller wants a private moment with.  Not one bit.  Keller, in line with all mainstream Democrats and their Republican kindred souls, directs his attack on the majority population who, it’s becoming increasingly evident, are deeply despised.  Despite massive unemployment, feudal like inequality, tax rates one-third of where they were in the 1960’s, military spending adjusted for inflation that’s higher than any time during the Cold War, corporate profits in the stratosphere, real wages lower than they were 40 years ago, and unsurpassed levels of technological productivity, we can’t seem to afford prosperous retirements or secure health care.

The average social security check is less than $1,200 per month and it’s near rock bottom compared to other OECD countries.  Regardless, it’s too much for Keller.  We’re selfish and “entitled”.  And Keller acts as if it’s a generational thing.  I suppose the young today won’t face retirement or require health care and therefore have no need for strong “entitlements”.  It’s only an issue for the baby boomers.

Keller’s views are patently immoral and deserve the strongest possible condemnation.  He seeks to pose as a moderate unselfish compromiser.  He’s nothing of the sort and anyone located in the bottom 90% of the population would be a fool to take his words seriously.