I am always happy to give credit to those who acknowledge their mistakes. While David Brooks has more opportunity than most people, he deserves credit for acknowledging one of the mistakes in his "everything is great" column last week.
As pointed out in BTP, Brooks claimed that earnings for the working poor had risen by 80 percent since 1991. In fact, this claim only applied to families with children, there were no gains in earnings for low-income families without children. Brooks acknowleged this error in his column this morning, although he did not also point out that earnings for these families have fallen by 20 percent since 2001, or that the vast majority of the gains in earnings were offset by a loss in benefits. Nor did he acknowledge any of the other misleading statements in that column, but it's a start.
I’m writing to you today with a sense of urgency that I haven’t felt since I began my journalism career. As executive editor of The American Prospect, I’ve witnessed firsthand how independent journalism serves as a crucial bulwark against the erosion of our democratic institutions. Today, that role is more vital than ever. Can you step up today and show your support?
The winds of authoritarianism are blowing stronger. We’re seeing alarming signs of a coordinated effort to silence critical voices and undermine the very foundations that support progressive causes. As Bob Kuttner presciently wrote in our August 2024 issue, a weaponized IRS could attack the very foundations of the progressive movement. We need readers to step up and help us dig in for the long haul.
We’re falling behind in our spring fundraising campaign, and with so much at stake we can’t afford to come up short. If you value fearless, independent journalism that holds the powerful accountable and defends democracy, now is the time to step up. The American Prospect depends on reader support to stay in the fight. Pitch in today and help us close the gap. Please consider making a donation today.
–David Dayen, Executive Editor
Copyright 2025 | The American Prospect, Inc. | All Rights Reserved