BEg2 ch26 Platt on Republican ethos

[Michael Bailey]

“Back when I was getting into the business, all ‘being Republican’ meant
really was a sort of principled greed.
            You arranged things so that you and your friends would come out
nicely, you behaved professionally, above all you put in the work and took
the money only after you’d earned it. Well, the party, I fear, has fallen
on evil days. This generation—it’s almost a religious thing now. The
millennium, the end days, no need to be responsible anymore to the future.
A burden has been lifted from them. The Baby Jesus is managing the
portfolio of earthly affairs, and nobody begrudges Him the carried interest
. . .”
            Suddenly, and from the cookie’s point of view, rudely, chomping
into it and scattering crumbs. “Sure you won’t have one, they’re quite . .
. No? All right, thanks, don’t mind if I . . .” Grabbing another, two or
three actually, “I just spoke with some
            people. A most puzzling….” (Etcetera)


Platt touches on “millenarian” thinking while reviewing a change in
specifically Republican thought patterns.
It’s common knowledge, the unholy alliance they struck - across class lines
- with the so-called religious right.
But one would think that they didn’t actually have to buy into the more
unhinged notions thereof.


Granting the cookie a point of view here underlines its presence; Platt
taking a crumbly bite and reaching for more renders the cookie as the
proverbial cookie which crumbles; Platt’s stance on this phenomenon in the
larger sense is evident in his action. If elision of one part of speech in
the phrase “principled greed” is happening, he’s keeping the noun, cutting
the adjective loose.

“Look to the cookie!”