# The Five Worst Op-Eds of 2010 

December 28, 2010 • Commentary 

By [Gene Healy](https://www.cato.org/people/gene-healy) 

This article appeared in *[The DC Examiner](http://www.washingtonexaminer.com)* on December 28, 2010. 

This time every year, the *New York Times*’ David Brooks writes a column lauding the year’s best magazine articles — a nice gesture from every liberal’s favorite nice-guy-on-the-Right.

For my last column this year, I’d rather tap into my inner Scrooge for a list of the worst op-eds of 2010.

The modern op-ed dates from 1921, when *New York World* editor Herbert Bayard Swope first inflicted the genre upon the world. “Nothing is more interesting than opinion,” he rationalized, therefore, “I decided to print opinion, ignoring facts.”

The worst op-eds of 2010 stayed true to that vision. I looked for bad arguments, bad writing, and bad faith, awarding extra points for warped values, and limiting my picks to the major dailies.

Here goes:

5\. Al Gore and David Blood, “Toward Sustainable Capitalism,” *Wall Street Journal* (June 24):

This pompous and impenetrable piece is the former veep’s deep-think vision for the economy (and a pitch for Gore’s lucrative green-energy investment firm). More than anything, though, it’s a hate crime against clear prose.

The authors’ use of the alleged verb “incent” — as in, we need to “incent investors to manage assets with a long-term perspective” — may leave you wondering, “Where’s the ‘English only’ movement when we really need it?”

4\. Thomas Friedman, “Malia for President,” *New York Times* (May 29):

For bad op-eds, it’s tough to beat the *New York Times*’ Friedman, whose columns are hot, flat, and crowded with mixed metaphors, famous name-droppings, and juvenile political ideas.

During last summer’s “Did you plug the hole yet, daddy” frenzy over the BP oil spill, Friedman urged President Obama to “think like a kid.” “Daddy, why can’t you even mention the words ‘carbon tax’?” the 57-year-old columnist wailed.

3\. Charles Krauthammer, “Throw the Wikibook at Them,” *Washington Post* (Dec. 3):

Craftwise, Krauthammer is among the best in the business — would that he’d more often use his power for good, not evil. In this column, about “getting” WikiLeaker Julian Assange, Krauthammer reminisces about a KGB assassination via “poisoned umbrella tip” but (somewhat grudgingly) concludes we’ll have to settle for making up a crime.

2\. Frank Rich, “The Axis of the Obsessed and Deranged,” *New York Times* (Feb. 27):

Here, Rich waxes nostalgic about the militia scare of the ’90s, warning that the “tax protester” who flew a plane into an IRS building in February may be a dark harbinger of Tea Party terrorism to come. Political figures who tolerate anti-government rhetoric are “palling around with terrorists.”

1\. David Broder, “How Obama Might Recover,” *Washington Post* (Oct. 31):

As the GOP was about to recapture the House, the Grand Poohbah of Beltway Consensus told our embattled president that he could become the “comeback kid” by “orchestrating a showdown” with Iran.

As “we accelerate preparations for war, the economy will improve,” which “will help him politically,” Broder wrote.

“I am not suggesting that the president incite a war to get re-elected,” Broder insisted, just pointing out that doing so might make Obama “one of the most successful presidents in history.” Ah, I see.

This year, America’s opinion leaders fantasized about assassinations and phony terror-scares, begged the president to solve their daddy issues, and helpfully suggested he put lives at risk to goose his approval rating. Still, it’s a good thing we haven’t ceded the nation’s op-ed pages to “extremists.”

There’s my top five. (I’m picturing the winners gushing a la Sally Field at the Oscars: “You hate me! You really hate me!”)

But your mileage may vary, so I welcome your candidates — even if I’m among them. Like they say, “It’s an honor just to be nominated!”

##### About the Author 

[![Gene Healy](/sites/cato.org/files/styles/author_picture/public/2021-01/Gene%20Healy.jpg?itok=EhkBZWC4)](/people/gene-healy) 

##### [Gene Healy](/people/gene-healy)

Former Senior Vice President for Policy, Cato Institute