Final Word from Monday, April 20, 2009
"The rich are different," wrote F. Scott Fitzgerald. Yeah, they read the Financial Times and the Economist. In their old age, though, these two capitalist instruments are turning pinko. Jiří Havel of ČSSD told Petr Šimůnek of TV Prima's "Partie" debate show yesterday that he considers himself a left-wing economist but that these two publications are even to the left of him. Indeed. It's almost as though they received an order from above: They've gone from being wary of state intervention to making such blanket statements as "using taxpayers' funds to prop up America's banking system was a necessary evil" (Economist), or "the U.S. government should battle to support demand" (FT). They surely understand that they're espousing views that will make the situation worse. Czech readers on the Right should hold their breath that their favorite local publications don't get a similar order from above.[Czech Republic The Great Gatsby television]
Glossary of difficult words
pink - having or showing left-wing tendencies;
pinko - (informal, derogatory) a person with left-wing views;
wary - feeling or showing caution about possible dangers or problems;
blanket - total and inclusive; covering all cases or instances;
to prop up - to provide support for something that would otherwise fail or decline;
to espouse - to adopt or support;
to hold one's breath - to be in a state of suspense or anticipation.