[Originally published at Corrente]
Now I can die happy. David Broder answered my question in a chat:
Philadelphia: Would you say that a press (in the person of Fred Hiatt) that cheers on an attack on Iran; a president who refuses accountability for Iraq; a Congress that is unable or unwilling to hold him accountable; and consultants who focus on tiny triangulations and meaningless sound bites; together all signal the complete collapse of the Beltway as a functional ruling class? [See here--Lambert]. Or do you believe the collapse is only partial?
David S. Broder: I would say the disability is partial, not complete. There ares till independent voices and still people working within the system to try to make it function and meet its responsibilities. But the problems you cite are real, and I do not minimize them.
Well, yes, you do.
But I can't believe I got a question posted with the words "functional ruling class" in it!
And I was happy with the loaded nature of "Do you believe the collapse is total or partial" as well.
Ah, the simple pleasures....