I thought his last column (the web, etc. <link> was horrible, but he nailed this one. Except for maybe the part about Washington functioning as a helicopter parent. Rather than acting like indulgent parents, I think Washington is more like a slightly older teenager who has been hired to watch the younger teenagers - just as clueless and misguided. The younger kids got sick on candy, and they're crying for more, so the babysitter thinks a little more candy will make them feel better.