Posted 10:25 PM by Robert

An Odd Way To Economize

In the movie (and novel)"The Player," a Hollywood studio exec expounds at length on how writers might be completely eliminated from the process of creating a movie. An astute reader points out that The New Republic seems to be economizing by completely eliminating editors from the process of creating that magazine. Surely a harsh charge. But here's the latest evidence:

Page 6: It's been a week since George W. Bush defeated John Kerry, and
something strange is happening: Democrats aren't beating each other's
brains out.... Oddly enough, the Democrats seem almost as united in
defeat as they were during the campaign.

Page 17: It's that time again for Democrats. Kerry aides and party
strategists have thrown themselves into their quadrennial post-campaign
ritual of recriminations. Old scabs are being picked. Scores are being
settled. Clintonites point fingers at the Kennedy wing. Longtime Kerry
aides throw accusations of disloyalty at the Clintonites. Staffers from
the DNC lob bombs at staffers from the campaign. Policy wonks gripe
about inept political consultants. Kerry aides who traveled on the
camnpaign plane snipe at the aides who were based in Washington. Democrats, out
of power and out of jobs, are doing what they do best: turning on one
another.

I'd say that's enough for a directed verdict, maybe even for summary judgment.