Predictable

Unbelievably silly column from Brian Lowry in Variety. Going along with other silly people, he's suggesting we hold pundits responsible for their bad predictions.

Well, we already do, and it's called the court of public opinion. Going at them any more systematically isn't advisable or really possible. It is, however, a popular idea since it's a convenient way for partisans to try to make the conversation more one-sided--after all, the people in this debate only go after the side they disagree with, since the ones you disagree with are pretty much always wrong

It's extremely hard, perhaps impossible, to meaningfully measure anyone's track record, since most issues pundits discuss are matters of opinion, before and after the fact. (Thus we see different partisan groups attacking different pundits.) And the few pundits foolish enough to make specific predictions that can be disproved shouldn't be punished, since anyone who tries this will be wrong on a regular basis, but at least they provide us with entertainment--entertainment that would be taken away if they're punished for not pleasing the most politically powerful people (i.e., the ones who officially get to decide who's "wrong.")

Lowry:

In a roundabout way, this brought to mind an intemperate statement by Brazil's president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, regarding the economic meltdown. "This crisis was caused by the irrational behavior of white people with blue eyes," he said, "who before the crisis appeared to know everything and now demonstrate that they know nothing."

Expunge the race-baiting rhetoric and it actually sounds like he watches a lot of cable news.

No, Lula de Silva, even if you ignore his racism, is a jerk. His advice is imcomparably more stupid and dangerous than what Jim Cramer and his pals spout. It's scary to think about what would happen if people like Lowry got to decide who's right and who's wrong.