"American exceptionalism" is indeed a notion of neoconservativism. Unfortunately for your comment, it is entirely absent from the post we're commenting on. Perhaps you can find some other source to back your assertion up? Let's be clear on what "exceptionalism" means: it does not mean that the writer believes America to be a great country, because most writers believe their countries to be great; some even believe many countries to be great simultaneously! Exceptionalism means an argument that America is so great that it should function by different rules than all other countries. My bet is that you're going to have a hard time finding Rowe saying anything like that, because he doesn't write about foreign policy.

Meanwhile, "blame-the-poor economics" are indeed an (unfortunate) notion of right-wing conservatism. But unfortunately for your comment, (a) nowhere in this post does Rowe blame the poor for anything, and (b) the "neo" in "neocon" alludes to the fact that neocons do not in fact hew to the domestic policy notions of right-wing conservatives.

In what part of the linked exchange did he 'blame the poor'?

There are many causes of poverty and I don't think lack of hard work is a big one. However when it comes to young people deciding how they will make their way in the world I think a lot choose to go into debt for a four year degree that won't help them in the real world. That is not a wise decision and so we should encourage those people to make better decisions even if they don't get their dream job right out of the gate at least they would be employable.

For a few of us, it reads as him basically blaming them for not taking the jobs he references time and again.

Maybe that is unfair, but it does echo in the rhetoric to me.

I think he'd be more likely to agree that people just don't know, as in there is an information problem.

This doesn't fit with his rhetoric.

    "Doesn’t it make sense to fill those positions before we start demanding that companies create more opportunities that people don’t aspire to?"  

    "And no matter where I went, the biggest challenge was always the same – finding people who were willing to learn a new skill and work hard."

    "Because virtually every single trainee decided it was just too damn hot. I’m not even kidding. They just didn’t want to work in the heat. And so … they didn’t."

To be fair, he goes well out of his way to not directly criticize everyone. Only, it reads in the same way that I am going out of my way not to imply he is being an ass. :)

My original comments were based on reading additional pages of Rowe's web site...in particular his work pledge:

http://profoundlydisconnected.com/skill-work-ethic-arent-tab...

> 3. I believe there is no such thing as a “bad job.” I believe that all jobs are opportunities, and it’s up to me to make the best of them.

> 6. I believe that my safety is my responsibility. I understand that being in “compliance” does not necessarily mean I’m out of danger.

> 10. I believe that I am a product of my choices – not my circumstances. I will never blame anyone for my shortcomings or the challenges I face. And I will never accept the credit for something I didn’t do.

> 11. I understand the world is not fair, and I’m OK with that. I do not resent the success of others.

> 12. I believe that all people are created equal. I also believe that all people make choices. Some choose to be lazy. Some choose to sleep in. I choose to work my butt off.

*

On the surface his rhetoric seems reasonable, but there's a libertarian bent to his ideas that suggests he places the onus for success squarely on the individual rather than the individual and society at large.