GP Frank Bruni's one of my favorite columnists on the Left. His writing is clear, crisp, and insightful. But on "professionalism" (I'd use "expertise"), he's got the same blind spot as everyone else on the Left. https://twitter.com/Gormogons/status/1194594910676176896

GP Professionalism isn't credentials and benchmarks. Professionalism is how you put knowledge and hard-won wisdom to work in service of a cause or goal. Professionalism is qualitative not quantitative.

GP The Left makes this mistake *constantly.* I'd argue it's not really a mistake so much as a self-replicating delusion. Bruni and all other so-called "professionals" value markers and credentials over actual performance.

GP It allows the Left to pretend that because they have Ivy League degrees and know the right people in NY, LA, DC, BOS, CHI, etc., they deserve to rule over people who went to Directional State University, got an engineering degree and built a multibillion dollar company.

GP Having an Ivy League degree doesn't make you smart or professional. It's an indicator you may be the former; it says nothing about the latter.

GP I have known Ivy League grads that lack any leadership ability, commonsense, and empathy. Sure, they're nearly uniformly book smart but they can't figure out how to change a tire and think socialism's a great idea.

GP It's a conceit of the Left that because you went to the right school, hold the right beliefs (religion is stupid, Democrats are correct, Republicans are evil), and hang in the right circles, you're qualified and professional.

Dare I say expert?

GP And yet these people have gotten us into unmanageable wars, pushed Western democracy on unwilling and unready countries, enabled terrorist regimes like Iran and Syria, presided over genocides like Rwanda and Syria, destroyed the American family, and bankrupted the treasury.

GP These same professionals have given us literally fake news and insisted they were correct (Dan Rather), used media to destroy Republicans and prop up Democrats, refused to report on pedophilia because it would implicated Democrats, and covered for known rapists in their midst.

GP These same professionals have worked from Election Day 2016 to today's date to prevent a duly elected president from implementing the policies and programs Americans elected him for.

GP These same professionals insist there's no "deep state" while ignoring Strozk and his slampiece Page, Brennan, Clapper, Biden, pretty much the entire damned State Department and intel community, activist judges ignoring laws and the Constitution to stymie Trump, etc.

GP Consider for a moment that perhaps Trump and Americans who support him are correct in thinking "professionals" aren't very professional at all.

GP Consider for a moment that "professionals" who have treated voters, taxpayers, and every Republican ever with scorn and contempt for the last five decades might deserve some scorn and contempt in return.

GP Consider for a moment that "professionalism" isn't defined by your degrees, your licensing, or your social circles but rather by how actually good you are at what you do and how you treat those around you.

GP Consider for a moment that "professionals" are frequently wrong and deny it altogether (Rather, Krugman) while leaving the little people to deal with the fallout from their shitshow nationwide programs and policies.

GP True professionalism means knowing your area of expertise or job or hobby better than nearly anyone else.

GP True professionals know the limits of their expertise and claim no special privilege outside of their limited area.

GP True professionals know they can be wrong, work hard to avoid being wrong, and admit when they are wrong.

True professionals learn from their errors. They do not ignore or revel in them.

GP True professionals treat all people with respect and dignity from the guy who cleans the office bathrooms to the CEO of their company.

GP True professionals know their expertise in a small area of life doesn't make them better than anyone else, just different.

They know that they're no different from expert surgeons, expert plumbers, expert sewer workers, expert teachers. No better, no worse.

GP And true professionals don't lord their "superiority" over everyone else. That's the last thing they do. They are humble and grateful for their lot in life.

GP So maybe, just maybe, Bruni's "professionals" might want to take a step back and consider that despite their credentials and benchmarks and accolades that they aren't in fact professionals at all.

They're nothing more than self-important bullies and asshats.