SOME TIME AGO, PAUL KRUGMAN ASKED A QUESTION

Because the competent wingers lie so often, he wondered what the wingnuts regarded as a higher principle than Truth:

I mean, they’re not stupid — life would be a lot easier if they were. So they know they’re not telling the truth. But they obviously believe that their dishonesty serves a higher truth — one that is, in effect, told only to Inner Party members, while the Outer Party makes do with prolefeed.

The question is, what is that higher truth? What do these people really believe in?

I think they only believe in furthering their own agit-prop. Whatever stands in the way of promoting their agit-prop threatens not only their self-esteem, it also threatens their income. Dick Morris provides a perfect example when he decided that it was better for the 2 American journalists suffer 12 years of hard labor in North Korea than talk with the Kim Jong-Il.

Carlson: How are we supposed to get the girls home, though, Dick? And I only have 30 seconds. How are we supposed to get them home?

Morris: I don't know. I don't know. Maybe they don't come home. Maybe they go to North Korea and live with the consequences of their decision to go there.

Morris was the worst of the wingers but there were several others who came close.