Fruit so low it scrapes the ground, collecting mud and worms, and the fecal remains of a tired ignorance...

You can count on Matthew Yglesias, for the really low hanging fruit.

I can't tell you why, at one in the morning, with the full knowledge that my kids'll wake after I've only had three or four hours of sleep, I decided to check up on Yggie. Especially since I already have the delightful Lord of War (one of those rare films, where Nick Cage decides to leave behind the hammy schlep half of his divided stage persona) playing background, on the telly.

Probably what I get for reading the latest Donkalot cheerleading, here.

Anyway, the smarmster making it easy:

"...At some point conservatives need to ask themselves about the larger meaning of this kind of conduct—and Andrew Breitbart’s—for their movement. Beyond the ethics of lying and smear one’s opponents, I would think conservatives would worry about the fact that a large portion of conservative media is dedicated to lying to conservatives. They regard their audience as marks to be misled and exploited, not as customers to be served with useful information."

I get playing the scold. Really, I do. It takes no effort. The horse you ride in on has a bright, shiny new saddle. You have a ready made audience, and clearly defined Others to play the MacBeth and Richard III roles. And you get to consign all the naysayers to Gehenna, or somesuch.

But, whatthefuck, Yggie? I mean, really now...

The guy you take money to shill for (1) promised to close Gitmo, (2) promised to take on the banks, (3) promised to deliver health care and health insurance reform, (4) promised to end the Bush Era torture, (5) promised to deliver on financial regulation, (6) promised meaningful environmental protections.

He reneged on all his campaign promises. No surprise here. But, then he went for the extra shivving , and expanded upon everything Bush started.  He pulled a fast one with Bagram. Defended (in the courts) Bush era torturers. Refused and obstructed (again, in the courts) investigations into the same. He and a compliant Congress (which rubber stamped his back room deals) handed the insurance and pharmaceutical industries captive customers and captive markets, as well as legal cover for their pillaging of the tax rolls. He simply abandoned environmental protection. Gave the banks the keys to the treasury. Gave BP control over its own toxic catastrophe. And turned financial and jobs legislation into a sideshow which still managed to help banks and low wage employers financially gang rape the working class and the working poor.

(Yes, yes - I think the word "rape" has a legitimate creative use, in this case.)

Slipped that knife right between the ribs of the commonweal, that wily Imperial Barack.

Regardless of whether or not you agree with expanding government to take on big business, the war machine and corporate polluters, Barack Obama hasn't actually done it. And whether or not (like me) you doubt that any reasonable or realistic separation does or can exist between government and big business, Barack Obama will never play the role of defender of the commonweal, against corporations.

But don't tell Yggie. He has far too much on his plate, worrying about dirty Republican and conservative liars. And scolding them on the intertubewebz.

Don't get me wrong - I don't think anyone should hold Yggie personally responsible. Yggie might play the court jester, but he didn't actually pick the king. Guilt by association sucks. Really, it does.

Just because Matthew Yglesias does it to every conservative, by lumping them in under the broad and general category, doesn't mean we should hold him to that account.

He can't help himself, the dear. Really, he can't.

He has to expend almost all his effort pretending that he's not a "[mark] to be misled and exploited." Or more to the point, that he doesn't daily play the part of just another one of the shameless shills who fails to give his "customers...useful information," what with doing the opposite with almost every word he writes...