Every politician's a Spitzer

Another lesson on Spitzer- from Arnold Kling;

The term "Spitzer" belongs in the dictionary, and its definition should be "any politician." We ought to think of all politicians as Spitzers. No, they don't all have lurid involvements with prostitutes. But they all have an inflated view of their superiority over the rest of us.

Suppose that we define "Spitzer" as someone who believes in the aggressive use of political power. A Spitzer believes it is his mission to tell us what to do for own good.

Is Barack Obama--who also comes from a Harvard Law School background, and who identifies the "audacity of hope" with government expansion--a Spitzer? Absolutely. Is Hillary Clinton--who sees the the state as a substitute for a village, making it also a substitute for the family--a Spitzer? Positively. Is John McCain--who Virginia Postrel describes as "an instinctive regulator who considers business a base pursuit"-- a Spitzer? Unfortunately, yes...

This summer, the nominees for President will give their acceptance speeches at their parties' national conventions. We should see these speeches as being delivered by a Spitzer. With every grandiose pronouncement, we should let out a belly laugh. "What a Spitzer...Look--another one...Go Spitzer...Spitzer again...All Spitzer all the time!"