Twitchy favorite J.R. Salzman, who is a professional woodworker if you didn’t know (really — check out his site — the products are amazing) took to Twitter to criticize the media with a must-read thread on Ben Carson’s now infamous $31,000 dining room table.
First up, the $31,000 doesn’t just buy a table:
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976187021289930753
(And note this isn’t a defense of government employees enjoying a luxurious lifestyle on taxpayer dime)
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976188118091972609
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976188941953941504
It’s about honesty in reporting on just what Carson was looking to buy. The $31,000 is for a set, including chairs and a hutch that’s custom made out of hardwood. Do the media folks mocking the cost actually know what they’re talking about, because it doesn’t sound like they do:
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976189887543107584
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976190453501476864
Now here’s what goes into making a custom hardwood table:
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976192323934568448
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976193169657180161
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976193916205547520
And just how much do these journos think the furniture cost in their executive conference room? Maybe they should do articles on that:
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976195329535045632
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976195738794274816
More on the difference between the two types of products:
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976196561234374657
Also of note, John Kelly was mocked for saying the $31,000 set might have made sense economically. Well, actually, he was right:
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976197127553531905
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976198610588073984
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976199893101428736
Maybe Carson should have focused on the environmental benefits of the hardwood set and then libs would’ve been happy:
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976200350288850944
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976201118609948672
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976201762146156544
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976202748977807360
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976203395252944897
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976204454742564864
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976205126879735808
And finally, an economics lesson on the high-end furniture business:
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976207241786277888
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976208779535564800
https://twitter.com/jrsalzman/status/976209799456071680
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