AT LEAST HE'S NOT ON THE ROAD TO SERFDOM

Here's a paradox:

We have two major political parties. The members of one of the parties prattle on endlessly about "freedom" and "individualism" and the dangers of "big government" and "socialism." The other party is widely believed to embody "socialism" and "big government"; its members are said to believe that there's a "collectivist" solution to every problem.

Well, one guy in the latter party is in the midst of a scandal. How's he responding?

Anthony Weiner is a Democrat, and it's clear he's formulating his response to allegations and rumors about him completely on his own initiative. His response certainly isn't collectivist: clearly no one in his party has insisted that he shape his responses a certain way, and no one expects any party leader to do so. When you're a Democrat in a situation like this, you're completely on your own -- just as Weiner has seemed to be completely on his own in recent years as he's battled Republicans. You could almost say the Democrat has had to be entrepreneurial.

If Weiner were a Republican in trouble, it's likely that his answers would be polished, shaped, and focus-grouped. Talking points would be formulated and members of the party would memorize them and fan out to various media outlets to recite them verbatim. The right-wing press would spread the same talking points. The response from the major party that's allegedly "individualist" would be, well, collective.

Odd.