The new line on the failure of Republicanism from the David Brooks right, wrapped in pretty words and "compassion," is well delivered here by Ross Douthat, it is "liberalism's" fault. Reprising the debate between George Bailey and Mr. Potter in It's A Wonderful Life, Douthat blames Baileyism run rampant:

[T]he fact that Baileyism may have gone too far doesn't meant that the Bailey vision isn't worth defending in the long run.

Apparently Potterism (greed leading to income inequality) had nothing to do with it. It was all Mr. Martini's and George Bailey's fault. Douthat uses the pernicious Brooksian device of playing the "reasonable conservative" all the while adopting the divisive and fallcious world view of the most extreme conservatives, in order to attempt to discredit progressivism. During the last 8 years, it toook many on the Left a long while to realize that David Brooks was a mendacious cretin. I wonder how long it will take for them to see the same things in the new Brookses sure to emerge. Hopefully, not as long.

By Big Tent Democrat, speaking for me only