Rigging The Marketplace Of Ideas

Rick Perlstein

May 30, 2007

Last week, sane people everywhere celebrated the withdrawal of Michael Baroody as nominee to chair the Consumer Product Safety Commission, because he had made his living fighting against the commission of consumer product safety. This scion for the clan I've called the Corleone family of the right did so as lobbyist for the National Association of Manufacturers, which reacted thus: "The withdrawal of Michael Baroody’s nomination to chair the Consumer Product Safety Commission is a sad day for consumers and everyone who cares about good government."

Such public relations absurdities are par for the National Association of Manufacturer's course. I'm glad, in fact, for this teachable moment: There is nothing more fundamental to what NAM than hustling the public about what is good for them. If you love E. coli conservatism, lift a glass daily in honor of NAM.