Bloodless Coup

George Will is a Liar

That's my response to Matt Yglesias's question. I mean there can be no question that Will's a liar, right? Matt gives but a few of the instances of this administration's mercantilist policies. That Will reports that this administration supports free trade is at the very least stretching the truth since I think one could fairly argue that this White House is the least supportive of free trade of any administration we've had in several decades. The more interesting question is why is he lying. I'd take a wild stab in the dark and say that it has something to do with his career and his wife's career and the fact that many pundits are not paid to give clearly-reasonsed commentary, but are instead elements of a particular power structure in which they are expected to play certain roles. But perhaps that's being too cynical, and he's just desperate to delude himself because he can't deal with the fact that theoretical norms he's championed for years (like the fact that Republicans are supposed to be the party of free trade) now rest in tatters.