Reagan and Reaganomics “Voodoo economics” with the theme that “Government is the problem” and only the 1% donor class is of importance continues to persist and practiced, in combination with racism, throughout the Republican establishment, state and Federal. Recent NYT article about a county in Kentucky well described the schizophrenia of solid Trump/McConnell Republican support but citizens extensively dependent upon the Federal Government programs to survive. Republicans are also solidly supported without regard to governance by the evangelical Christian fascist cult seeking theocracy that views reality through the mythical and perverted lens of their religiosity. Justice Louis D. Brandeis also stated: “We can have democracy in this country, or we can have great wealth concentrated in the hands of a few, but we can't have both.”
1
Krugman might want to consider why these blue states lead the nation in exfiltration.
3
Its up to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi & Blue state governors to show the American people who can govern....and who cannot.
1
There is a website for San Francisco that maps out the locations of human feces on the sidewalks and streets. There is not a map that shows the locations of all the used, potentially HIV infected needles that are littered all over the place.
California has the highest adjusted poverty rate in the nation and a disproportionate amount of homeless.
In spite of being near the top in teacher salaries, California ranks #46 in public education performance (not such a problem if you can afford a $2.5M house).
In the last 10 years, California has lost over a million residents in net outward domestic migration. The most common destination is red-state Texas. I personally know several former Californians who moved to Texas, some of them millionaires. If blue state California were so great, why are people leaving?
But percent wise, blue states Illinois, New York, and New Jersey are all losing more people than even Illinois.
What do these blue states have in common? Extremely high taxes. What do the destination red and purple states have in common? Low taxes.
2
Why Edmund J. Brown,'s former governor of California by my count for three terms, admirable actions receive praise from all sides of the American Political System, Dems, Libertarians, some Greens (I have heard them complain though), and Republicans, is that he never wasted time or energy getting down to business.
Some of his solutions, budget solutions, injured persons without power and means - namely the critically disabled, because Brown decided though it was less costly to maintain them in a home environment he planned to move them into institutions that resemble true hell.
While performing legal services, I visited those horrific institutions in the Fresno area. No decent human being would permit another to experience. They are a horror.
He cut the budget that provided in-home care.
2) It's not ALL Jerry Brown which made this state a state of Accountability. It's OUR LAWS (he helped many of those).
Except personal private records, under Sun Shine ACTs a person has the right to see them, read them (as they should all be published on the internet), and to question those laws, meetings, directives, initiatives, proposals, solutions, technical evaluations, everything.
Another Brown wrote and had passed the Brown ACT. All meetings, consequential or not, involving two or more elected persons ( A commissioner is elected by a Municipal Council, and therefore elected), must be made public, before, during and after.
Accountability makes California.
Newsom seems hell bent on rapidly spending the multi-billion dollar surpluses former Governor Jerry Brown carefully accumulated during his terms. Given the inevitability of another recession -- when revenues will dip -- many of us CA residents are not at all sure this is what Newsom should be doing.
1
Great for Krugman to celebrate now, back in 2016 it was rainbows and unicorns if someone (Sanders) proposed it. I guess if a corporate democrat introduces it it is sound policy, if a populist proposes it sounds good but not sound (Coumo's line). But sir you did your job, you got your bosses and you the tax cuts that will grow your wealth as illustrarted in the charts you publish. Please indulge us with who is suitable in your eyes so that the people can support the democrats that you don't. Power to the people this time and no rigging Krugman for the corporatist candidate!
A shout out to Colorado where we now have a trifecta, finally! And the lone GOP US Senator will soon be gone (Corey
Gardner).
1
I am just so tired of the phony accolades for Democrat pols.
I live in Los Angeles and the only good I see that Democrats have done is bilk the citizens out of billions of dollars and then cry poor when it comes to road, infrastructure, and the seriously undermanned police force. Lies, lies, lies.
The streets are severely damaged, 100 year old water mains burst at an alarming rate, tent cities pop up daily. In the meantime the extra taxes on gas (we have the most expensive gas in the county due to it) to pay for road repairs seem to have disappeared. The five billion dollar bond measure to build affordable and shelters for the homeless seems to have gone missing. Not ONE unit has been built. Why? Because the phony liberals won't let the city build in their precious neighborhoods. Now there are thousands of brand new luxury units being built or finished and sitting empty because no that many people can afford five grand a month for a one bedroom apartment.
And already Pretty Boy Gavin is talking about single payer, and several other "unicorn" type measures.
FIX THE ROADS then you can get to your fake liberal programs that probably will not work.
1
Greed Trumps country in Donaldland.
And unfortunately, he has a lot of anti-American Americans behind him, as well as a severely diminished rule of law.
As Benjamin Franklin said “you have a republic. . . If you can keep it”.
Can we keep it?
3
The Affordable Care Act continues to be unaffordable to people over a certain age, e.g., 50. When I informed democrats I was called a liar then an idiot. And, yet, I had talked through plans available to me not once but six times. I gave up. I, for one, as are many voters, am happy to see the mandate (The tax, as Roberts called it.) expunged from the act. It was a dumb idea promoted by Hillary Clinton to appease her insurance company donors. This is one of the reasons why democrats took a beating in 2010, 2012, 2014, and 2016 ---- please don't forget that. If insurance was so great the premiums would be lower and affordable. Instead, negligent governments (perhaps, bought and paid for) have allowed insurers to rake in money from efficiency improvements, create area monopolies and kick back money to helpful parties --- republicans mostly but also some democrats.
1
"Why can’t Republicans govern? It’s not just that their party is committed to an ideology that says that government is always the problem, never the solution. Beyond that, they have systematically deprived themselves of the ability to analyze policies and learn from evidence, because hard thinking might lead someone to question received doctrine."
That's it, Professor. We've had to endure eight years of Reagan, twelve years of Bush(s) and unknown years of Trump drunk driving the nation down the road to irrelevance.
Trump,
1
Appears Blue States just want more laws, more government controls, more government dependence. How about fewer laws, less government dependence, more self reliance, fewer regulations, smaller government budgets? Mr. Krugman fails to understand why Texas has the fastest growing State population in the US. Possibly he and a few hundred thousand liberal NYers might want to visit Texas to understand why.
1
Paul
Could you please explain why the stock market seems completely unconcerned about the government shutdown?
Thanks.
1
We all have to do our jobs, good for politicians who try.
But, just in case you want to forget that our government is run by criminal mafia, new reports, won't let you... a.k.a. a plastic Walmart blue bag full of cash that Michael Cohen delivered to IT company to rig the polling numbers.
The IT Co. was promised 50k, needless to say they got much less, the rest was pocketed by Cohen in a true tradition of real grifter.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/17/us/politics/cohen-polls-trump.html
http://fortune.com/2019/01/17/trump-michael-cohen-rig-election-polls/
TBC...
1
Like all left wingers, you have too short a time perspective. Neither execrable nor salutary policies – especially at the state level – produce Nirvana or Hades instantly. It takes time for socialist poison to kill an economy – see e.g. NJ. CT, IL – and time for freedom to produce great results, e.g. TX.
NJ’s premiums – after exploding by 96% after the “affordable” care act – decreased only because the feds will let huge tax increases NJ imposed on the middle class to underwrite premiums.
https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/health/2018/08/17/new-jersey-nj-health-premiums-likely-go-down-because-federal-decision/1014246002/
So, we keep premiums “low” by jacking up taxes; kindly explain why that’s a good thing.
A “public option” is great, provided it doesn’t come with a taxpayer subsidy; is there anyone stupid enough to believe that government can do health insurance cheaper than the private sector?
CA is not a success: it’s a lot of rich socialists surrounded by grinding poverty. It’s income tax hits “rich” people earning a princely $47K at almost 10%. Small wonder Americans are vamoosing from NJ and CA and moving to TX.
But, excelsior! Go for it! Have CA and NY adopt single payer! And all other sorts of “free” stuff.
The only caveat: the refugees moving to TX should not be allowed to vote for the same people who made the states from which they fled unaffordable and unliveable. It's OK for CA to commit suicide; it shouldn't take TX with it.
2
The GOP is like the burglar who steals you blind and then spreads the rumor that you have nothing because you are such an irresponsible spendthrift.
Well, Paul, there are really only two types of government. One where people band together and attempt to make things better for as many people as possible. And another where people band together and attempt to enrich themselves, their friends. and those like themselves. Doesn't really matter what labels you put on it, communism, socialism, capitalism, democracy, royalty, theocracy; and indeed there are varying degrees of how many are helped and to what extent. But many political leaders today, and many of their followers seem to have forgotten why modern governments exist at all. That is those governments that have come after the American Revolution and modeled themselves at least partly on the idea of all for one; one for all. The democratic form is to help people, help business, further education and stay out of the way of religion. It is truly frightening to look around our world and see the likes of Trump, Putin, Kim Jong, Bolsonaro, Duterte. In it for themselves and willing to damage their own people in order to enrich themselves and their friends. Let's hope they've sown the seeds of their own destruction. Because by now it is patently obvious which form of government they endorse. Any doubts the five mentioned would start a war and then profit from it?
8
Did Massachusetts repeal Romney Care, I do not think so. The Affordable Care Act patterned after a plan the GOP spent going on 9 years to repeal. Yes, the States can lead, innovate and prosper.
4
@texsun
Yes they did! It nearly bankrupted the state.
2
What Professor Krugman fails to understand is that the scope of "problems" the federal government is charged with "solving" is very limited. He needs to read Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution which exhaustively enumerates the responsibilities and powers of the federal government--and, under the 10th Amendment, everything not enumerate there is "reserved to the States respectively, or to the people."
Professor Krugman, and the Left in general, just don't seem to get it that there are fifty near-sovereign states the governments of which are responsible to their own people to do things as those people see fit.
3
Your right Paul. Blue state Illinois is doing a great job under democratic leadership over the last 2 decades. Sorry for the laughing sound in the background!
Illinois voters have endured a lot from their state government. It hasn’t been just one recession or one administration that’s done the damage, either. It’s been nearly a generation of political upheaval and dysfunction at the state Capitol. Always unbalanced budgets. Not paying pensions. Not growing the economy and creating good-paying jobs. Massive corruption, cronyism and patronage.
The cumulative effect is that the state’s credit rating teeters on the edge of junk bond status. Officials have only recently started dealing with a $16.7 billion backlog of unpaid day-to-day bills. Longer term, Illinois is $129 billion short of what it needs to pay its pension obligations. Only a tiny fraction of residents believes the state is heading in the right direction.
3
"they have systematically deprived themselves of the ability to analyze policies and learn from evidence, because hard thinking might lead someone to question received doctrine."
Thank you Dr. Krugman. This is probably the best explanation for what should have been the unlikely overlap of Republicanism and Evangelical Christianity.
3
Thank you Dr Krugman for referring to my state as "...pretty much nowhere else". We had the good sense to install a real (check history) Democrat as Governor in 2012.
1
Republicans can't govern because they live in the past. They refuse to accept the world is changing. They refuse to adapt; they want things to remain static. They are afraid of change.
2
They have their work cut out for them, so stay involved, and be supportive. Governor Jay Inslee's public option would be based on Medicare rates, which are lower than commercial rates, and the Washington State Medical Association has already come out against it, making the false claim that Medicare rates are “artificially low, arbitrary and subject to the political whims of Washington, D.C.”
On the contrary, Medicare rates are based on troves of data on what every type of treatment, test, and other service actually costs to deliver, including direct cost, overhead, capital expense, executive salaries, insurance, education of medical students, and even differences in regional cost of living. Medicare rates are (last I knew) established by CMS outside the influence of either politicians or industry officials.
On the other hand, commercial insurance rates are based on hospital chargemaster prices which are artificially high, arbitrary, and subject to the financial whims of providers. Hospital prices are, on average, four times Medicare rates, completely unregulated, and the primary driver of increasing healthcare costs.
Washington State's initiative to give patients the option of insurance that limits payments to actual cost is a huge step in the right direction.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/why-some-hospitals-can-get-away-with-price-gouging-patients-study-finds/2015/06/08/b7f5118c-0aeb-11e5-9e39-0db921c47b93_story.htm
66
“Republicans turned out to have no idea how to do that, and in particular no plan to protect Americans with pre-existing conditions.” Shouting is easy, thinking is another matter.
4
"Why can’t Republicans govern? "
At this point, I figure it would just be easier to train my dog to speak French than to hope the GOP learns how to govern.
As a Dem, I'm just getting tired and more than a little angry about having to save the country by placing a competent President in the WH, only to have the GOP drive us off the road and into a tree in the next election cycle. They did it with Nixon, Reagan, Bush(s) and now Clarabel, most recently because the electoral college can't get their act together. And each time its major resources lost on worthwhile efforts like helping people or bettering the human condition, because they got us into another war, or trashed the economy or thought we needed a really cool chant like "Lock her up" and boy they're off. Shiny, shiny!
This "bail them out" crap is really getting old.....
4
A very hopeful column but don't forget the liar-in-chief can probably still shoot somebody on Fifth Avenue and still will not lose a vote from his base.
4
Why can't Republicans govern? I see the main reason being that competent, intelligent and honest former members of the party have long departed. What we have left are self serving, egotistical, money grabbing people like Donald Trump and anyone fool enough to work for him. ( My apologies to the few republicans trying their best to maintain their integrity)
64
It seems to me that those few republicans are the ones who should apologize, not you.
18
When I first moved to California I saw a state gov. in constant gridlock as repubs's main purpose seemed to be cutting taxes especially for corporations and saying "no" to demo initiatives. Education and public investment was sacrificed. A miscalculation by Pete Wilson in his run for governor as the anti-immigrant (Hispanic) candidate backfired and the repubs were sidelined w/o filibuster power. The state has been under demos for several decades now and seem to be doing better. Of course some demos are conservative and some liberal but things do get done now w/o the partisanship of the 80s.
5
But I don't want to pay taxes! I think my grand children should pay them for me . Republican mantra.
7
As a long time resident of New Jersey, I had to laugh at Mr. Krugman's rose colored view of the state. He really should get out of his academic bubble more often.
New Jersey now has the highest property taxes in the nation. It spends more per mile on highway maintenance ($1.2 million per mile!) than any other state. It spends more on urban education ($23K/year) than almost all other states, yet has below average marks. It has some of the highest auto insurance premiums and most aggressive ticketing revenues. Most importantly of all, it ranks # 1 in the number of people leaving the state. If Democratic rule was such a wonderful thing, then why are people leaving the state in droves. And unsurprisingly, they are mostly going to Republican run Texas and Florida.
Mr. Murphy, Wall Street Millionaire turned politician, has been an unmitigated disaster. He has a harder time getting things done with the Democratic Run Assembly and state Senate than his Republican predecessor, Chris Christie. Dem. Sen. Pres Sweeney no longer even talks with the governor. The governor has no plans for the looming pension crisis. NJ Transit delays have only gotten worst. The School Construction Admin was run by a sexual predator until the Wall Street Journal outed him. He can't even get recreational marijuana passed in solid Blue NJ. You want to see bad government in action, come to New Jersey. We probably have the dimmest governor in the nation.
4
@Ayaz
Just like in Illinois.
"Soaring housing costs are the biggest flaw in California’s otherwise impressive success story." Ahead of having the country's highest poverty rate when you correct for the cost of living?
3
Well, here is a fix, but an ugly one. Your state cannot receive more Federal funding, taxpayer revenue, than it generates over a three year period. Done.
Welfare states like Louisiana, Mississippi, and Montana need to start paying their way.
7
I live in a Red State, Oklahoma. I don't know who had a worse week the OKC Thunder or Donald Trump. I suspect it was Trump. The Thunder have quality personnel and can recover. Trump, not so much.
3
Without activist governments, democracy is a matter of hiding your head in the sand. Republican orthodoxy can thus be described as anti-democratic. Why can't our media--not just opinionators but reporters--tell it like it is about the Republican party.
Why can't regular order, inclusive of committee investigations, be the default mode for whether a policy is legitimate or not? If that was our standard, it would be conventional wisdom that Trump's wall is not legitimate policy, and Republican excuses for keeping government closed would disappear.
3
>Justice Louis Brandeis famously described the states as the laboratories of democracy
Agree wholeheartedly.
Which is why we should embrace federalism.
Let states decide on most policy, and we can vote with our feet.
So if California and NY want something like the ACA and Indiana and Texas don't....great.
If Vermont wants to subsidize wind power and West Virginia does not....great.
Instead of massive federal taxation and then an army of bureaucrats in Mordor on the Potomac sending money back to the states (after taking their cut) why not just leave that money in the states in the first place?
Remember the 10th Amendment? Yeah, it still exists.
4
@Suvarov
In reality, in red states, it is more like laboratories of corruption. Democrats usually
need to clean up the garbage.
I would like to read Dr Krugman’s analysis regarding Illinois. Democrats control our State and have for the past 50 years. And we are broke. The situation is getting worse each month as more residents flee our high tax, high regulatory Blue State for low tax low regulatory Red States. CA is IL with beaches, mountains and good weather.
3
"....... they have systematically deprived themselves of the ability to analyze policies and learn from evidence, because hard thinking might lead someone to question received doctrine."
The above words from Paul Krugman should be engraved on the entrance to Tennessee Governor's Mansion.
4
We also have two presidents. Donald Trump presides over the Red States and Nancy Pelosi is president of the blue states.
1
Paul says: “they [Republicans] have systematically deprived themselves of the ability to analyze policies and learn from evidence, because hard thinking might lead someone to question received doctrine.”
Almost correct Paul. The deprivation of thinking is there all right, but it is not doctrinal in origin. They can about face in an instant. What decides their direction is their instructions from the billionaires in charge of the GOP.
The billionaires (the Koch’s, the DeVos, the Mercers, and others) have devised a propaganda generator involving Fox, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, extreme Evangelists, and talk radio mavens like Rush Limbaugh. This apparatus assures re-election of their chosen by the brainwashed 45% glued to their machine. Unfortunately, the “reality” it conveys is simply based upon misinformation and spreading division; no place for thinking, but lots for “alternative facts”.
2
If Blue States are so wonderful then why are the top 5 states that are losing population all Blue States?
Why are 9 of the top 10 worst financially managed states Blue States?
In CA - Silicon Valley pays 40% of all income taxes (20% of the population) and about 150,000 families carry the vast majority of California's tax burden. What happens when they move to other less expensive states?
It is imposiible to tax one's way to prosperity and soon even Gavin Newsom will find he will run out of the ability to spend other people's money now that CA is taxing both the air and water.
5
@Lorenzo1027
If California kept all the taxes they send to DC they would truly be a paradise.
Yes, red states cut taxes and then ask for handouts from feds, paid by blue states.
4
Here in Maine we got rid of our mini-Trump Paul Lepage about two weeks ago. We can breathe again.
3
Think back on what these Republican presidents did: Nixon, Ray-gun, W. Bush over two terms. And now I will include The Grifter-in-Chief in just two years. I will say that again. TWO YEARS. Enough to make ones head explode.
4
Never underestimate the gullibility of the American voters or the mendacity of the Republican noise. They will lie to get elected, lie to cover up their corruption, and then lie about Democrats all day and all night.
I don't need to look hard to meet some advocate of the Trump way who will say that Hillary Clinton committed crimes and Obama raised their taxes while increasing the deficits.
Republicans are so good at getting elected and so bad at actual governance.
4
So glad I live in California. Progressive rational governing for the People and the betterment of the Common Good. We have challenges but we have hope in how we mobilize to address the issues. It is a melting pot of wonderfully diverse cultures and people. And I love it! I was born and raised in San Francisco and it is where my parents came for a better life. I hope the Universe sheds good karma on the rest of the Country and that they can too enjoy working together for the Common Good. What a nice feeling it is to know government officials are dedicated to doing the right thing and being ethical.
5
Democrats may think people know who's causing the government shutdown. However, with Trump's constant chanting that it's the Democrat's fault, many who do not follow politics closely may start to believe it.
The Democrats should be more diligent at pointing out who the real culprits are. Perhaps a daily press release stating "Today is the xxx number of days that the House has passed a bill to reopen the government but McConnell refuses to put it on the Senate floor and Trump refuses to sign it."
6
Ah, Paul, you left out Virginia. The once red state became blue a few years ago, and has remained so because it works for its citizens.
5
I'm just worried that in 4 years time an anti-democratic wave fueled by the usual fake-news, right-wing propaganda and Russian meddling will reverse many of the recent electoral victories and destroy the good work that is being done through honest, ethical progressive governance.
Building a better, more equal and fairer nation requires many more years than a single electoral cycle. I would advise Democrats to start collecting all the positive evidence of their work now, to prepare for what will be another ugly fight in 4 years' time. Otherwise all this work will have been for nothing.
1
Trump ignores us entirely here on the West Coast. Fortunately we have a governor Jay Inslee and a state legislature that gets things done. And yes they are both Democrats. The GOP has been placed in the dust bin.
8
In addition, many Democrats in Congress continue to do all they can to govern, even in the face of Republican control in the White House and in the Senate. I suspect that control will flip in 2020 and we will again have a more functional Congress. I hope their first act of business is to outlaw government shutdowns.
3
Is it not facinating that virtually all of those "Blue Governments" preside over train-wreck economies where businesses and citizens are moving out as fast as possible?
4
I live in Ohio, which is becoming more regressive every year. Why did I ever leave Washington state?
2
Here is hoping that Wiscosin and Michigan turn blue the next time they have an election. If ever there was a glowing example of Republican overreach they are it. Besides Trump and McConnell of course
5
From the comments, it would appear we all owe Sam Brownback our gratitude for running the "experiment" he did in Kansas.
3
If progressive governors are doing such a good job ,why does my state have the most corrupt legislature in the country? Why did 1 million New Yorkers leave our state since 2010? Why does our governor shut down corruption investigations when they get close to himself and his cronies?
6
Another well done article by Paul Krugman. Republicans hate government and want to see it fail. You have to admit, they are doing a great job if failure is the goal. Democrats want to see government succeed. A much tougher job, admittedly. And as Paul reminds us, no one is perfect, so mistake will inevitably be made.
I live in New York, and I'm very happy to see Democrats in control of the state senate for the first time in decades. Okay, not technically true. They held control for a brief time and then conservative Democrats broke off and joined the republicans putting them back in power. Those turncoat Dems have been thrown out of office. Maybe now, progressive legislation has a chance.
Progress and the building of society are messy. Hopefully, you can go 2 steps forward for every step back. But that is only true if you want to build, and you value society. Trump is a wrecker who hates progress...and so does the republican party. The republicans want to return the country to the robber barons of the late 1800's. A kingdom for the rich, with the rest of us acting like serfs. Not if I can help it.
The time for revolution is upon us. Let us throw out the wealthy, 1%er's who run the republican party. Let us throw out the republican party. Trump has killed it. Now that we are awake, we need to act to save our country and our future.
4
@rumpleSS -- how about the 0.1%ers that run the Democratic Party. What should we do with them?
2
Inspiring column. The country will do so much better under Democatic leadership. Too bad the violent and regressive GOP wants to hold the US back and take its government hostage with their ill-conceived and ruinous policies of spite.
3
It's worthwhile to compare states. More than a few Republican politicians and pundits declared that California, by implementing Democratic Party policies, had committed "economic suicide". States that implemented Republican Party policies, like Arizona and Kansas, were going to have great economic expansion and great prosperity.
We know how that really turned out.
Justice Brandeis was correct that states were our nation's laboratories, and that one of their best functions was to test policies. Republican policies don't test out as well as Democratic ones do, it seems.
2
Republicans never intend to govern by winning an election. They proselytize and they campaign and they attempt to stop this or that, whatever the favorite boogeyman issue of the day is on their emailed party agenda that month, but never to govern in order to effectively address any issue, as they feel the private sector can solve all ills, as if the egg can teach the chicken a thing or two. Republicans govern to campaign. Democrats campaign to govern. This difference is why democrats govern well and republicans only campaign well. I would qualify that statement though, as when the democrats are through governing, the earth is not scorched over the entirety of their jurisdictions, unlike the republicans, whose campaigns tend to leave a smoking mess in their wake.
2
"hard thinking might cause someone to question received doctrine." how true.
i characterize the above phenomenon as the wisdom of using "inductive", rather than "deductive", reasoning: that is, investigating and determining facts first, and then inducing "truths" from the facts--rather than the reverse: starting with the "received wisdom" and then postulating what the facts must be, or will be.
ideologues believe in deductive reasoning--and that includes many conservative (formerly, chicago-school) economists. for example, right wingers continue to believe that cutting taxes will increase revenue (although likely many don't actually believe that).
right wing economists also, for example, don't believe in the concept of "predatory" pricing by business, despite mounds of record evidence that many businessmen continue to act in a predatory nature, including pricing policy.
let's hope democratic state governments try some new (for us) ideas and measure the results. as one example, we'd like to see a return to state policies of the '80's in which states measured the propriety of corporate behavior in part by its effects on "stakeholders," not just shareholders (and executives). and then the press communicates those results nationally.
or, even better, that the press does a better job of communicating the results of policies carried out throughout the world, in fields like health care and education.
It behooves us to understand how the GOP went from the verge of extinction in 2008 to political dominance and why the Dems have themselves recently come back from the dead. It could be that Fox News and the Russians suddenly switched sides, that fake news disappeared from the web, and that nobody is paying attention to Facebook anymore. Another possibility is that after Trump fooled all those rubes in flyover country into thinking they were going to get a reincarnation of Thomas Jefferson, when he turned out otherwise they began voting for the Dems again. A third is that once Trump and the GOP repealed the Individual Mandate, the compelling reason for electing them disappeared and people were willing to think about voting for responsible politicians again.
Just a hunch, but the third seems most likely.
Granted, without the IM, Obamacare is largely useless. There may be millions of new people with insurance, but most cannot afford to use it because of high deductibles and co-pays. And so the Dems must formulate a policy that folks who don’t live in CA or NJ will accept.
The economics are irrelevant. Psychology rules. What’s important is insight into lower middle class psychology. They are the ones at whom the law is aimed, after all. So anyone who hasn’t grown up in a housing project, been arrested for DUI or domestic violence, done time in jail or the military, or been to a NASCAR race or a wrestling match need not apply. In particular, no academic economists, thank you.
It's great to see some interest here in any or all of our non-federal government. The people will support government if they have close contact with it. Government activities are generally improved by close contact with the people being served. We don't need big government. We need lots of small government. We don't need big commerce (e.g. corporate globalization). We need lots of small commerce (e.g. local industry and agriculture). Border security, in some form, is an unfortunate necessity for any viable Green New Deal.
1
"Their only major legislative achievement was a tax cut that blew up the deficit …" And they have been harping on the looming deficit and national debt, ever since Obama was elected, but only until he left office.
Worry about debt was so pervasive in the national psyche as well -I watched a woman in her mid-30s, a govt. employee from her outfit at a national park, a few yrs ago, was lamenting, "We're passing on so much debt to our children!" If as the Republicans wanted, there were budget-cuts, her job would be among the first to go.
Through a ballot measure, CA raised State income tax up to 13.3% in 2012, which solved their financial woes. However, most Missourians, with a rate of 6% top rate, pay state income tax at a higher rate than most Californians do! MO's 6% rate is levied on over $9K whereas in CA that 6% kicks in only on incomes over almost $60K; for up to $38K the maximum rate is only 2%.
Sales taxes are a huge, stealth-burden on low income folks. In 2014, I think, LA voted against a sales-tax-hike.
Ballot measures similar to CA's 2012 ballot-measure ought to be introduced in all states, along with raising minimum wages as well as of teachers' salaries.
Teachers' job is the MOST IMPORTANT. Their salaries ought to go up to attract the best & most qualified teachers. CA is quite behind, paradoxically.
1
Reasonable people may differ about public policy alternatives, but it appears that more and more of them are becoming increasingly realistic about Republican abdication of their responsibility to actually govern rather than to simply engage in political activity designed to prolong their sinecures and fill their campaign coffers. Sadly, governing has given way to pure politics, and it is we the people who have been and are paying the price.
A case in point: Republicans, during the run up to Obamacare, harped about "death panels" in a cynical attempt to falsely pin unfounded accusations on Democrats. It was pure politics, having nothing whatsoever to do with truth, and even less to do with governing. The only death panels, or what, de facto, amounts to them, have been comprised of Republicans in Congress who have attempted to reduce health care benefits for people at the lower end of the socio-economic spectrum. That's politics, not governing, and it's also hypocritical.
One can hope that a greater number of people will become disabused of the notion that Republicans are governing at all, not because I am particularly enamored of either party, but because the only ships that were raised by the then rising tide of Republicanism were the high-priced yachts of the wealthy and powerful.
2
Paul, you forgot Colorado going full blue. Not to quibble....
Most of the world's major cities are also governed by progressives and democrats and their is a lot of renewal in some of our cities. (Denver for instance is booming. And we are in the heartland.) There have been world wide conferences of mayors working on solutions to problems that effect all cities in some way.
It should be noted that many of t rump's very base base are living in states and regions that have been under the thumb of republican austerity economics so it stands to reason they are miserable and feel left behind. That they keep voting for politicians who are (or seem to be) more concerned with outlawing abortions and gay marriages and common sense gun regulations than in providing good roads and sewers and jobs, etc., is something I just can't understand. I don't, personally, think their politicians are really interested in outlawing those things as much as just keeping these people riled up against Progress.
So let US keep hoping that t rump and his republican enablers will keep digging their grave for the next two years and more voters will see the light and turn these Russian agents out of our government.
C'mon, Bob Mueller.....
3
Congratulations to states that tackle the important issues affecting citizens. But other countries don’t have to ask the U.S. for permission to be dynamic, inventive and forward looking. Maybe countries should have an Olympics for “Quality of Life.” We will not shine.
1
I moved to California 3 years ago from Florida and what a difference in attitudes towards peoples needs. I am a public school teacher of over 30 years experience and in California my insurance is less expensive for both health and property. Even after the fires the insurance companies can't raise the property insurance an exorbitant amount the following year. In republican "run" Florida after any hurricane you can expect your home insurance to possibly double the next year. (Never goes back down bye the way!)
Democratic California looks out for the little people and I recommend the state wholeheartedly!
6
"...New Jersey, where Democrats took control last year...to implement a series of measures — including reimposing the requirement that individuals buy health insurance — that reversed many of the Trump administration’s efforts at health care sabotage. The result was a sharp drop in insurance premiums, which are now among the lowest in the nation."
That one paragraph illustrates the immense disinformation campaign Republicans waged about the ACA since before its inception, and still distributes. The mandate would wreck health insurance, premiums would still rise because too many people would rather pay the penalty, etc. etc. etc.
Republican reasons for policy almost invariably boil down to one thing: fear mongering based on misinformation or lies. Usually both. Like the horde of pestilent drug mules, terrorists, and MS-13 members caravanning towards the border until the results of the 2018 midterms made that story moot. (I see Trump is resurrecting that one again now.) Or illegal immigrants will swamp real citizens with their needs, bankrupting the country. The exception is tax policy, which is always trickle down economics.
Governments are never perfect, but when you look across America the blue states do much better on average for ALL of their residents than the red states, which focus highly disproportionately on their top 10% or so.
2
One of the problems of being over 70 and living in what was always an economic satellite of the USA is common knowledge has suddenly become misinformation.
My wife could not watch her country's abduction and separation of children one more time this morning so we watched the economic report on CBC Newsworld. Twenty eighteen was the boom year of boom years in Canada. This came on the heels of another cut in interest rates by our central bank.
Our economists are not Red or Blue they are professional number crunchers not politicians working at the behest of those is power whether they be the party bosses or the corporate elite.
We are a democracy, and we have chosen professionals to run our economy and people like Laffer invoke laughter in their ideological policies that reflect ideology instead of fact based reality.
Investors are not professionals they are gamblers searching for affirmation rather than reality. This is true whether red or blue.
It's so nice that in the USA we have choices. Those who prefer to live in states characterized by lots of government "solutions" are free to do so. Those who prefer a less encumbered life may live elsewhere.
5
@ScipioTexacanus I live in a "trifecta" Red state, South Carolina. The economically disadvantaged in this state are decidedly not "free" to move somewhere else. They are stuck here. We have public education that is either among the worst or in fact THE worst in the United States. Our rate of stroke and heart attacks are much higher than in blue states. Yes, some of that is due to genetic burden but not all of it. What a comforting illusion your idea of mobility is. But it's not reality.
4
@Darlene Moak Economic disadvantage is not an insurmountable impediment to mobility. Consider the millions of economically disadvantaged people who have been trekking to the USA for centuries, often at great risk and hardship. Consider the great migration of rural poor from southern to northern states in the mid-20th century.
1
@ScipioTexacanus - sure, live "elsewhere" if you want no health care coverage, no safety net should your life ever suffer from a downturn, underfunded public education, slave-wage salaries for all but the top honchos, no regulations on pollution of air, water and soil, budget-busting tax cuts that only benefit the top 1%... and the list goes on.
Living in Europe has made me realize that I could never, ever again live in a Red State. You can stay there, if you want.
1
Good to remember that states like those on the West Coast are shining a bright light when Trump and his kleptocratic administration are intent in showing that the system is broken and the beast needs to be starved. Because the shutdown has not yet been completely catastrophic, the Republicans now have fodder to claim that many government services are not needed. The media has failed to recognize how many services remain functional due to decades of good research, planning, and development by "deep state" federal employees, together with a degree of automation that allows them to continue for awhile during a shutdown. The fact that this is not sustainable only means that the kleptocrats will heighten calls to obtain services through the private sector, oblivious to the fact that this has invariably proven to be more costly and less-effective than the government stepping up to provide them. And, good luck obtaining needed services via the private sector, then telling those working in that sector that they won't be receiving an expected paycheck due to shutdown!
3
Yet among the 10 or 11 worst states for fiscal solvency are Mass. Illinois, New York, and Calf., the bluest of the blue. Here in Indiana, we are among the best funded in public pension liabilities, and the Governor is proposing using funds from a budget surplus to raise teacher pay. Of course, Mr. Krugman is an expert at ignoring contradictory evidence.
3
@TD
California's fiscal solvency problems were created by former borrow and spend Republican administrations.
Gov. Brown raised taxes and turned that around and California has been running budget surpluses for years now; all the while providing better services to Californians.
5
@Bill White
Lots of built in costs in his budgets that will really hurt when the economy turns down, as DC pols seem determined to do in order to end Trump. CA has still added 200 billion in debt over the last 10 years. Relying on the very rich to balance the budget works when times are flush, but they rich are mobile and pay for the best tax attorney's. The cash cow Brown relied on may well wander off. Blue states get by now by saddling children as yet unborn with their spending.
3
@TD your views on New York are not backed up by the data. Look here:
https://ballotpedia.org/New_York_state_debt
NY State credit rating went UP in 2014 to AA+, from AA, due to reductions in state debt and improved transparency.
Between fiscal years 2012 and 2014, the funded ratio of New York's state-administered pension plans increased from 87 percent to 98 percent.
Having 98% funding of state-administered pension plans clearly demonstrated that NY is not in the league of Illinois or New Jersey, or indeed most other states. Few states have pension liabilities this well funded.
2
Let’s hope, Mr. Krugman. Let’s hope.
1
"Government is the problem, put me in charge and I'll prove it!"
-GOP Platform
6
You say the GOP is the party of the dumb and greedy. It is also the party of the racist, despite its beginnings under Abraham Lincoln.
Your column in the New York Times is invariably excellent, as comments here often note, but you are too kind to the GOP.
Over the years, many decent people have voted Republican, but none of them should ever vote for this destructive, utterly corrupt party again.
5
Even before Trump, Bill Maher did a rant on states being the laboratory of democracy. Referring to Red states, "And the results are in, your mice all died!"
A very apt metaphor.
7
Great and to the point about the states as laboratories from Justice Brandeis - we've all heard it and the successes here where governing is done, not just sausage being made, may in fact happen at the top level of our poor country's present reality. Unfortunately, in Texas it has not happened yet as we continue to live in what is a combination of the great past of nationhood, cowboys, barbed wire, Rangers from the fifties or earlier. And of course, oil.
1
The greatest danger is that the five Republican justices on the Supreme Court will decide that their allegiance to "federalism" and "states' rights" doesn't actually apply when Democrats are doing things that the Republican Party doesn't like.
5
Instead of a violent secession and retreating to Richmond the Confederate sons of Alabama Addison Mitchell McConnell,Jr. and Jefferson Beauregard Sessions, III remained to occupy the District of Columbia.
While they are both still whistling " Dixie" and waving the " Stars and Bars" they are aided and abetted by smiling and smirking malign foreigners like Julian Assange, Benjamin Netanyahu, Vladimir Putin and Mohammed bin Salman.
" Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord. He is trampling out the vineyards where the grapes of wrath are stored. His truth is marching on. Glory Glory Hallelujah"
" Lift every voice and sing to Earth and Heaven ring."
" We shall ovecome"
1
We need to have some balance here in the comments section on this liberal lovefest for Democrat controlled states.
CA, maybe the fifth largest economy in the world and is an awesomely diverse state, but also has a very poor record of equality. CA ranks poorly with the gini coefficient (index of income inequality), has the highest poverty rate in the country when counting for costs of living, in 2017 lost a net 130K in residents for other states, is a relatively segregated state by class and race that thanks to NIMBYism, has high costs of occupational licensing that keeps social mobility low for those that need it the most, and has extreme gender/race inequalities in the Tech sector and Hollywood. If you are a landowner and/or educated, California is the progressive paradise you seek. If you are not part of the chosen class, Oregon has beautiful summers and falls, Nevada is close, and Texas is ever-expanding.
Equality is the one concept that combines all people on the left from progressives to moderates to together. Its possible Gavin Newsom’s more aggressive approach could help alleviate some of these problems; it will be interesting to watch the social experiment play out. At this point though, I don’t think California is a place that Democrats can look at and beam with pride. It sounds more Republican than anything else with the low funding of schools.
4
Today's GOP "politicians" don't govern because they were never put in office to do so. They have been bought and paid for and put in place by special interest groups (corporations, industries, the NRA and the rich) to loot the public coffers with no concern for anyone else or our country more generally. (Their so called ideology is just an excuse and a smoke screen.) So far, at least at the level of national government, their plan is working.
3
Paul,
"...hard thinking might lead someone to question received doctrine."
Down here "hard thinking" makes our brains hurt. The headline in yesterday's local paper read: "As dams crumble, SC moves to weaken dam-safety law". You read that right. 3 1/2 years after the "1,000 year flood" when dozens of uninspected dams collapsed causing huge loss of property and a few deaths, our "government is the problem" government wants to WEAKEN government oversight of dam safety. (Or as they say it,'Damn safety.')
The measure hasn't passed yet, but the Republicans who favor it know it's odious. and are trying to limit debate and rush it through before the public gets a wiff of the stench.
Thank you, THE STATE newspaper for at calling attention to it.
5
@Thucydides: Climate change will continue to intensify widespread flooding in South Carolina. Its politicians evidently believe it can be wished away.
2
"There’s no such thing as perfection, in policy or in life, and leaders who never experience failures or setbacks aren’t taking enough risks."
As the misquotation goes : "And therein lies the rub."
Who "experiences" the failure? The "leaders"? Unfortunately no.
This is one thing affluent liberals and progressives seem to refuse to understand. When it comes to actions that fall under the umbrella of so-called "social justice" the impact of failure is generally felt by working class folks.
A seminal event in the lives of many Detroit residents occurred when Judge Roth issued the following proclamation in the Detroit Public Schools desegregation case when attempting to order a multi-school district busing plan:
“Transportation of kindergarten children for upwards of 45 minutes, one way, does not appear unreasonable, harmful, or unsafe in any way. ...kindergarten children should be included in the final plan of desegregation.”
Talk about weaponizing the judiciary - Roth seems to have been the master.
Fortunately for many of the school districts (outside of Detroit) this was overruled by the Supreme Court. Unfortunately it all but destroyed the Detroit Public School system. This was long before Betsy Devos or the Detroit bankruptcy. Working class people were hurt.
It appears NYC is avoiding racial integration of its public schools like it was the plague. But if the failure occurs in flyover country, well, who cares, right?
And there's no dog whistle to it.
1
Dear New York Times Editor,
PLEASE stop using the word “meddle” in reference to Russia’s ATTACK on our democracy! The word “meddle” is ...weak! What the Russians did was ATTACK our democracy. I am referring to another article in today’s paper which did not allow comments.
Sincerely,
A daily reader
5
@Mari: "PLEASE stop using the word “meddle” in reference to Russia’s ATTACK on our democracy! "
Maybe they don't want to call attention to Obama's failure to keep us safe from a "foreign attack on our democracy".
Government isn't the problem; Republicans in government are the problem. They want to convince people to hate the government, so they have no interest in actually making it a positive influence in people's lives. One need only look at the Trump cabinet to see the type of petty crooks and incompetents whose only purpose is to undermine the mission of the departments they control.
Also, Republicans want to rule not govern. Ryan and McConnell for years refused to even discuss bills unless they had a chance of passing them with Republican votes only. Bills or appointees that had bipartisan support and would pass easily if voted upon were never brought to a vote. Missing Mitch's disappearing act regarding bills to reopen the government that passed 100-0 previously is a clear example of that.
1
@Minnoka Too bad it isn't as simple as voting Republicans out of office. While that might seem the case given our current situation, one need only recall 2009-10 when the Democrats had license to do whatever they wanted to and they chose to pass a Heritage Foundation corporate welfare program as healthcare reform. Also remember, they passed this without a single Republican vote.
"Never be deceived that the rich will allow you to vote away their wealth." - Lucy Parsons
1
@Minnoka: Who could imagine ever voting for politicians who promise to prove that government is inherently incompetent if they're elected?
The beauty of Trump and the present GOP is the scope of their depravity. The GOP is now the party of Trump. Trump’s takeover of the Republican party exposes an underlying incongruity. It was once a party of Lincoln, progressive, high-minded and idealistic. It has evolved into a party dominated by mean-spirited, self-serving, incompetent politicians. Trump's election completes the transformation. After Watergate, the GOP developed a negative and spiteful demeanor, less interested in actually governing. Ronald Reagan brought us anti-government government. George W. Bush added evangelical blind faith. The silver lining of this transformation by Trump is that it might rid the GOP of the anti-government, anti-everything that grew out of Watergate. Maybe the GOP will develop an interest positive "progressive" legislation.
1
Aha! The real reason for the government shutdown is not so much that Trump & his Rubs want a wall, but, rather, they want to stop the wheels of government for a more sinister reason. The object is to keep Congress from doing its work of governing. They want to bottle up any progressive action that the House might bring forth. To put the gov't on hold so that no one can actually pass legislation for the good of the country is the aim for Trump & McConnell. They would rather the next two years be spent on delaying, distracting, and fear mongering so that they can derail any plans to make a gov't run smoothly or swiftly. Keep the House occupied so that the investigations into Trump have no room to breathe. What a slimy way to protect themselves. Disgraceful, indeed, but it's the Obscenity of it all that's especially galling!
3
Thank you, Paul, for a ray of sensible hope in this era of madness and (a) “man’s inhumanity to man”....Or is it “Republican men”? Healthy, secure people make smarter choices that serve collective as well as individual interests. Zero-sum game, might makes right, winner take all rules that strike fear into the human heart are not only immoral, they are inefficient.
1
The Republicans don't want to learn from their failed policies, because their policies are deliberately meant to fail. They are NOT governing for the electorate, nor even for their constituents. They are working on behalf of the wealthy and only the wealthy. Ask Mitch Mc Connell and Paul Ryan who their REAL bosses are. All of this is obvious to anyone who has followed American politics for the past forty years. The oligarchy has arrived, and they are quite willing and happy to have an enfranchised clown-criminal in the office of the president, so long as their needs are met.
2
Florida is a state entirely controlled by Republicans and has been so for over 20 years, much to the devastation of the state's educational programs, its ecological health, and its poor and uninsured residents. Without Florida, can a Democrat win the presidency? I have hope that the recently voter-adopted restoration of rights to felons who have served their time (and are not guilty of rape or murder) will give Democrats a fighting chance in 2020. Unfortunately, till then we're stuck with Rick Scott in Congress and a Trump mini-me in the state house. Democrats at the local and state level here have got to develop a better plan if they hope to help at the national level to take the presidency.
One thing I have been pondering lately. Does it now make more sense for liberals to favor decentralizing the federal government, to return control to the states and, more particularly, the cities? America's cities have become bastions of blue, in a sea of red, and are now America's economic engines. The GDP of urban areas far exceeds that of rural areas. In essence, blue America has won, in a huge blowout, and now massively subsidizes red America, because of our goofy system. Red America is America's economic losers, but it has an inordinate amount of political influence.
So, why shouldn't liberals favor smaller federal and even state governments, with lower taxes at both levels, and then they can assess their own local taxes and use the revenue for themselves and progressive ideas, instead of subsidizing loser America? Call red America on its bluff, let them have local self-governance, and see how they like it. I suspect they will not.
Just a thought.....
3
I was going to make a similar, related comment - it's going to be very interesting to see moving forward how those of us on the West Coast and Northeast will be thankful that not everything is Federalized particularly as the balance of the Supreme Court has been shifted. Meanwhile, the "keep your hands off my guns" crowd are sure going to want that tax revenue from the economic engines in the Blue states.
Rhode Island has been a trifecta state for much of its history. We may be small but we’re not “Pretty much nowhere else”.
Good column, Dr. Krugman. The elephant in the room is President McConnell packing the Federal courts and the Supreme Court. Stay well, RBG.
5
Governing as practiced by the modern day right amounts to nothing more than stealing from the poor and giving to the rich.
Once the economy tanks they will then once again steal from those they bankrupted in order to further enrich the already rich. God forbid the wealthy should ever be held accountable for their fair share.
The rich are very lucky to have a party of old white men that values their wants over the needs of the country.
The grift goes on with a man who has made a career of grifting at the helm. The substance of the congressional right literally amounts to nothing more than that of a convenient tool of the wealthy.
1
“ Soaring house prices are the biggest flaw in Californias success story”. Have you ever been in California Paul? California’s urban areas have become all but uninhabitable except to those arriving from places that are so much worse, namely Asia and the America’s, the “natives” have decamped for other areas in such droves as to produce an often virulent backlash against Californians moving to Oregon and slogans in both Oregon and Washington warning against “ Californication”.Your really do need to get out more Paul if you’re holding up California as an example of good governance, Im not sure if even Silicon Valley’s trillions could rectify the damage done to every corner of what was once our most beautiful state. As I have said before, everything is relative, if you’ve recently arrived from a place with open sewers as in India, the killing fields of Cambodia or where people shot in the street is routine as in Central America(or Chicago); I guess the homeless blight in L.A. and San Francisco seems pretty minor, the state wide traffic gridlock nothing compared to Beijing and the general deterioration of the infrastructure no big deal compared to the open sewers of Delhi or Mumbai; but like it or not Paul there are many of us who grew up in a very different America and believe me we are not pleased. Expect to see the riff widen between those already here, the newly arrived and the coastal elites, I hope it’s contained to the ballot box.
3
I can’t say I agree from over here in Illinois. Our State and City have been financially mismanaged for decades, resulting in a debt fiasco and high property and sales taxes.
There is also no vision on traffic and environment, it’s terrible. We still have 6 lanes of stinky traffic as our lakefront, we still have to wait minutes on every block of our main tiny sidewalked shopping street to let cars through, the painted biking lanes meant for look-good-on-paper statistics are a lethal joke with buses and traffic weaving in and out of them, too many Uber and Lyft cars (they are in front of your house before you can grab your coat), we don't have a low emission zone as cars are still more important than residents, our noisy and stinky buses remind me of those in 1990s Europe, etc. etc.
However, our mayor Rahm Emanuel is spending the last months of his tenure ramming real estate deals through, like his pet project Lincoln Yards, which will cause a traffic nightmare.
4
@Liz, and trump just allowed more emissions, mercury and lead into your lives, and the increased pollution won't know to stay away from your neighborhood. Enjoy your resentment of Rahm, though.
Also, Uber and Lyft are the free market you folks love so much. It's just unfettered capitalism. Again, enjoy.
trump is ramming real estate deals through Moscow; I thought you liked 'smart' people like that, who can enrich themselves at the expense of the people they represent?
Indeed, Republicans seem to be willfully ignorant because "hard thinking might lead someone to question received doctrine." I have a button that says "Science doesn't care what you believe." That's true of the Dismal Science too!
Watched the recent State of the City address by Boston Democrat Mayor Marty Walsh. AAA bond rating. 2.5 % unemployment rate. 25% drop in crime. $100 Million spent on libraries and more coming for schools. He touted the city's inclusiveness and noted black police chief, black sheriff, diverse city council, Martin Luther and Correta King statute in Boston Commons commemorating their Boston connections. He said that in Boston we believe in science and that they have improved Boston harbor to make it more resistant to storms and higher water levels. People are really polite in public around here, behavior on the buses that I take is perfect. Republican Governor of Massachusetts Charlie Baker was there to congratulate him and Walsh touted the benefits of their cooperation. Walsh said he and Baker are planning to go to the U.S. Congress together to give them a speech about the benefits of Republicans and Democrats cooperating.
2
I live in MA. A Democrat oligarchy with a milquetoast Republican Governor. They like to govern because underneath they are fussy know-it-all we know best English Puritans whatever the religion or ethnicity.
There's a lot to complain about in this One-Party State, including the way the Commonwealth keeps information from the public and the arrogance (remind you of some other place across the Pond), but when it comes to supporting individual liberty and health care (mandator and subsidized for the poor) it's tops.
As a career educator in NM our republican Governor Martinez and her Secretary of Education tried very hard to gut public education. Their focus came from the Florida playbook, For Private Charter Schools. The For Private Charter Schools had a history of corrupt CEOs pocketing taxpayers monies leaving many of the For Private Charter Schools in bankrupt status. The good news after eight years Martinez and her incompetent Secretary of Education are history. NM is Blue! Totally Blue!
During the Obama Administration, the G.O.P. proudly "wore the mantle"(to steal a phrase) of being the "party of no." Since then, they have morphed into the "party of no clue."
3
...as long as we have pundits who support Dems with ideas and take risks - like Bernie. Dr. K, you need to step up and support those people. No more coronations of loser candidates.
Bless you Mr. Krugman for being an indefatigable advocate for common sense.
1
And "if" the federal government becomes run by the Democrats, how many years will it take to undo the damage done by four years of know nothing, do nothing, deregulation and general malfeasance governance by the dumber than dumb? Is recovery possible after that before yet another election?
Hey, man, how about New Mexico? Even with 8 years of one of those "do nothing, spend nothing" Republican governors it has never gone beserk and now we've the entire administration back on track with Democrats, not to mention that New Mexico is a remarkably decent place, in part, at least, because of its incredible and long term ethnic diversity.
This is kind of an uplifting piece and almost makes me forget just for a moment that we have an ignorant unhinged lunatic in the Oval Office and 51 frightened small minded Republican US Senators that won't stand up to him. Thank you Mr. Krugman for a brief respite.
3
Isn't California and NY a text book case of the the hollowing out of the middle class?
2
There was a time America dreamed big dreams. Going to the moon, curing cancer, spreading democracy to the world, then something happened, democracy was perverted by crony capitalism, and the result is that the fascination of an entire country is focused on building a wall. This country is more divided and racist than it has ever been, and this started way before Trump so don't put all the blame on him, blame all the people who voted for him.
A country at Peace, and really when the draft was abolished we became a people at peace, with war only affecting a small percentage of the population rather than the whole population, Peace is wonderful, but war has its purpose as well, heroes emerge from war, a society is purified by war, we live in an artificial society and the people who run our government are cowards at the most, liars all, patriotism is on their lapels but not in their hearts, they seek power without ever having shown courage and love of country. And that's why we are in a mess. Everyone who want to run for office must serve their country in some way before they do, until then we settle for this, where just doing your job is to be applauded.
2
"...they have systematically deprived themselves of the ability to analyze policies and learn from evidence, because hard thinking might lead someone to question received doctrine."
That says it all in just one sentence. The GOP is totally out of step with both the times and reality itself.
2
Correction: The tax hike that ended CA’s deficits was passed by CA voters, not Jerry Brown.
@Adrian Covert, great observation. But give Jerry credit-- he took this tax plan to the streets and advised voters that only if we ALL agreed to foot the bill could we ever emerge from the funk created by the Enron disaster started during Wilson's reign, which hangover destroyed the Davis years, which resulted in a recall of epic proportion, and which brought us Schwarzenegger-- a man as inexperienced in governing as trump is (albeit smarter, polite, and polished). Jerry Brown was our fixer, and most Californians will be forever grateful.
Republican politicians are being paid handsomely to do nothing except lower taxes and cut regulation. The Koch brothers, the Mercers and their ilk have for decades poured billions into the pockets of federal and state candidates in their campaign to free (their) markets from government interventions. It's up to the Times to divulge the dark money cabal that is in a sense a branch of government. Even the president as blustery and destructive as he appears is a pawn to big money. Let's not be distracted by the hot air balloon in the WH to discern why governments aim to do nothing.
1
How refreshing that Dr. Krugman is giving his fixation on Republican sins a rest and looking at what some Democrats are up to outside the Beltway. The Times, for all its claims to being a national newspaper, pays far too little attention to the many positive things happening in this country away from the lunatic asylum of Trump.
Let's not forget the Republican's success at packing the federal judiciary with right wing activists at every level. This will take a generation or more to undo and in the mean time, these activist judges will have free rein to run roughshod over the institutions of government and personal freedom, all in the name, ironically, of personal freedom -- that is, the personal freedom of the religious right to try to dictate how everyone else lives.
2
So many post on this article are less than generous with their comments about Red states and specifically rural America. It's as if people who have differing opinions, experiences, education and jobs are somehow viewed as less than human. For those who proclaim tolerance and diversity, you don't exhibit those tenants of your philosophy.
2
@Don, I think blue voters are bitter towards red voters because our system of government at the federal level gives disproportionate power to red/rural voters due to two senators per state, the electoral college, and a House stuck at 435 members since 1918 instead of being proportionately increased as it is supposed to be. So-- as Krugman states-- blue voters have entrusted their STATE governments to do better than the GOP mess we seem to be stuck with-- and it seems to work. The situation we have now in the country is not a matter of opinion-- it is a view of reality.
2
You might also consider Massachusetts. We're in good shape here. Republican Charlie Baker isn't always on the side of history, but he's not bad.
Just had a rousing state of the city from Mayor Marty Walsh, it was surprisingly powerful coming from a guy who is not prepossessing.
1
The most recent U.S. Census Bureau Supplemental Poverty Report shows that liberal policies and unbridled illegal immigration has transformed California into the nation’s poorest state with 19.0 percent of its residents living below poverty level. California is even poorer than often maligned Mississippi, where 15.9 percent of residents live below poverty level. New Jersey is doing better than Mississippi, but just barely; 15.1 percent of New Jersey resident live in poverty. The national average is 14.1 percent.
Source, 2017 Supplemental Poverty Report,Table A-5: Number and Percentage of People in Poverty by State Using 3-Year Average Over: 2015, 2016, and 2017, page 26.
https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2018/demo/p60-265.pdf
3
@William Case, seriously, you are comparing CA to MS? Yes our poverty level is high. No we are nothing like MS. We have the greatest public college/university system in te world, our GDP at 5 in the world dwarfs many COUNTRIES. We produce 50% of the produce the rest of our nation (and parts of the world) consumes, and needs.
1
@William Case : Thank you William, unfortunately facts can be inconvenient and many people are reluctant to admit the truth even if the facts are staring them in the face or in the case of California’s poor more likely looking at them as they lay on a sidewalk surrounded by their earthly possessions. California is a terrible example, unless the extremes in equality now prevalent are deemed a worthy result following “growth and diversity”.
1
@karen
I compared California's poverty rate to Mississippi.
California ranks 41st in high school graduation rate.
China's economy dwarfs California's economy; China is also a poor country.
California doesn't produce 50 percent of the world's produce.
2
The simple reality is that Republicans only care about creating a feudal system where wealthy corporate titans pillage the fruits of the lower-class, who have been starved of the education needed to see that they're being tricked. Democrats love this nation and want to make it a better place for everyone.
2
If I understand your enthusiasm through the Obama administration era, I understood you to support single payer as does Jeff Bezo of Amazon , before supporting Obamacare. You write:
"Meanwhile, there has been no hint of the infrastructure plan Trump promised to deliver. And after many years of denouncing Obamacare and promising to provide a far better replacement, Republicans turned out to have no idea how to do that, and in particular no plan to protect Americans with pre-existing conditioning."
The late senator Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts is fundamental when discussing democrats and republicans working toward a healthcare solution. Was Mitt Romney Governorship a factor in this solution? Now Romney is back in his home state as senator that is 55% Mormon; leaving received doctrine aside, according to PRC. This is not a dig at the Mormon faith. It is a factor in the United States of America and probably a factor in the evangelization and crisis at the border. I could be wrong. But in thinking of received doctrine both catholics and mormons have worked together for an "affordable healthcare solution," in their disagreements.
http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/state/utah/
Regarding California you are correct the price of housing is a major failure.
California has the highest rate of material poverty. Is has the lowest percentage of people over 25 with a high school degree or equivalent. It is near the top in income inequality. California may have some beautiful geography and people but its government is among the ugliest.
Gallop ran a poll that showed the Democrat states are generally more likely to be considered the worst states to live in by their residents.
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-07-05/these-are-worst-possible-states-live-ranked-their-residents
2
@FreddyB, Except for Utah and Colorado, no true Californian could move to any state in the top 10, because we cannot tolerate the bad weather in most other states. I read a funny story by a Minnesota woman who was moving back to MN after 4 years in CA becasue she resented paying 10 cents for a grocery bag, or having to bring them into the store. I am sure any true Californian who read that thought as I did: I could not move to a red/evangelical state like SC, I really don't expect a person who gets anxiety for one tiny thing she is asked to do for the environment to move to, much less remain in CA. The values just don't align. So... don't close the door as you move out. As for you Freddy, don't move here. We are pretty full with the 40 MM who happily call CA home.
@karen
Do you have any comment regarding the poverty, inequality, or lack of education in California?
"New Jersey and Washington went full Democratic in 2017, and six more states, including Illinois and New York, flipped in November."
Professor Krugman lauds the new-Democratic statehouse wave.
From the vantage point of an average taxpayer, the rule is miserable, and hopefully short-lived.
New Jersey is a basket case, its unfunded state worker pension-liabilities are infamous, and likely to lead to further credit rating reductions.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/nation-now/2016/11/14/new-jersey-credit-ratings/93820866/
New York, where the Cuomo-DeBlasio cold war makes Trump-Pelosi look like a loveliest, the average New York small business owner can't turn around without encountering new taxes and costs, which will cause a greater loss of jobs and people over the next few years. After all, New York is adopting the "progressive" agenda of free state tuition, financial aid to Dreamers, mandatory paid vacations for private businesses, expanded health care to undocumented aliens, etc. Someone's gonna have to pay for all this.
Illinois is always on everyone's list of almost-bankrupt states. And it aint' getting any better under Dem rule.https://www.illinoispolicy.org/illinois-bonds-once-again-rated-just-above-junk/
So, what does Professor Krugman like in the new Dem rule?
Apparently, lots of payoffs to traditional Dem allies like public pension funds with increased taxes.
More of the same.
2
Ever wonder why the Bankruptcy Code has a whole chapter for municipal bankruptcies but not even a single subsection for state bankruptcies?
Cities are allowed to file bankruptcy (or the equivalent of a Chapter 11 reorganization proceeding), if the state allows cities to do so (as all states do). States, on the other hand, are required to balance their budgets each year -- no bankruptcy filings for them! True, states "balance" their budgets in fiscally clever ways -- such as by assuming that money set aside for pensions will grow at unrealistic rates, often far in excess of historical growth rates -- but there is only so much that a state can do.
Cities, on the other hand, have many more arrows in their quivers. Notably, they can declare bankruptcy, as, say, Stockton CA and Detroit MI recently did.
Mitch McConnell and his wife share the blame. "Meanwhile, there has been no hint of the infrastructure plan Trump promised to deliver." She has instead used her influence to enrich her Taiwanese father, some sources tell us.
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/05/06/elaine-chao-father-james-transportation-department-569686
2
At the height of the Watergate scandal, it was Republicans who eventually blew the whistle on Richard Nixon and precipitated his resignation. 40 some odd years ago , even the most staunch right wing Republican, Barry Goldwater, knew right from wrong and knew that there was a point at which his self interest had to be separated from what needed to be acted on for the good of the country.
Today it is different , and it will take the most flagrant abuse of power by Donald Trump to get the Republicans in Congress to recognize that they cannot use him any longer as a vehicle for realizing their own agendas .
This is why Democrats in Congress need to be bold and need to speak the truth to power at every step of the way.
Make no mistake about it , we are in the midst of a cold Civil War. And it’s not going to get any easier in 2019.
2
@RD -- I despair as to whether the Republicans in the Senate today would remove Adolf Hitler if he were their President. I don't think they would, unless their supporters had gotten to the point where they wanted him gone.
Nixon had declined in the public esteem to the point where it was safer for the Republicans to get rid of hime than leave him in office.
Trump will go only when that point is reached.
The PG&E issue in California will eventually be solved by DEMOCRATS actually acting in the best interests of the people of the state. Note that the majority of California Republicans live in rural areas where fires are more likely to affect their lives and property.
In trumps world and in the Senate, Democrats being hurt by natural disasters would be met with glee.
1
@The 1% -- It is unreasonable to think a vast extent of tinder-dry woodlands can go for long periods without any source of ignition. It is just too easy for a fire to start, if all the conditions are so awful for so long over so wide an area filled with so many people.
It is unreasonable then to look to any one source of an ignition as if that is the cause of it all. If it wasn't a problem with a transmission line, it would have been something else.
It isn't a PG&E issue, it is an issue of the state of woodlands and fire risks. That will require clear thinking and extensive action, not blame seeking for one source of ignition last time.
2
Professor, as someone who has lived for 30 years in the north west end of San Francisco I can say that your comment ..."is also proposing major new spending on education and housing affordability. The latter is very important: Soaring housing costs are the biggest flaw in California’s otherwise impressive success story." is off mark. That flaw IS the story of California and the other success is going to be buried under the tidal wave of it.
Too many families have been uprooted and tossed out of this city and out of California. That dark spot is overshadowing everything else that is going on in California.
We keep hearing from politicians, activists, and pundits about the things they say will make a difference. I think they are just not telling the truth or are deluding themselves.
So Professor, given the structural issues of all the mortgages being owned by investment houses of one form or the other...
Given that those investments are secured by the ever increasing values of those properties...
Given that most people who own a home in California factors into their life the well above inflation raise in their home values...
Given that we need by best estimates to double the housing stock to make it truly affordable to the middle to bottom 1/2 of the people in this state...
Under what law of supply and demand can the market price ever come down to allow those people to every buy a home or rent one at 1/3 of their paycheck?
How about a wonk article on that?
2
Not really:
"[California] has also created a multibillion-dollar rainy day fund with surplus revenues received over the last few years. So not only can Democrats govern, they are also a paragon of fiscal responsibility ... "
CA has a "surplus" IF one chooses to ignore its liabilities to retired state workers. But if one assumes CA will make pension payments to those retired workers (as CA is contractually obligated to do), CA ends up very deep in the hole. That's precisely why former Governor Brown strongly urged legislators to salt away budget surpluses -- so that the state will be able to pay its retired workers when their pension payments come due.
Tough luck for CA's retired workers, though. The CA state government prefers to presume that the good times will just continue, so that even more surpluses roll in.
And the state's pension liabilities? The CA state government takes the approach of Scarlett O'Hara in her final line in Gone With the Wind: "I'll think about it tomorrow."
2
@MyThreeCents -- "CA has a "surplus" IF one chooses to ignore its liabilities to retired state workers."
Unfunded pension obligations are a political ploy. They were not counted as debt until Republicans wanted to find debt.
Why not? Because they are like Social Security funded from ongoing operations on into the future. They were not and were never meant to be a fully-funded trust fund saved up, never to be paid on again.
Why is it done this way? Because it is government. Government goes on and on, and that is one of its great financial strengths.
2
@Mark Thomason, you are 100% right, this is always a ploy the GOP uses. Consider the Post Office-- it should not have to be a money maker though it is set up that way. The reason the budget looks so bad is becasue...the GOP made them put all future pensions into that debt bucket. They WANT to ruin the post office. So they can turn it over to their friends in private industry, so they can charge 5 bucks to mail a bill or a card instead of 50 cents.
1
@MyThreeCents
What Mark Thompson said. Also, both CalPERS and CalSTRS recently increased employer and employee contribution amounts. They did so because California democrats made them do so to close some of the pension gap.
The fact remains that democratic governments work to solve real problems while Republican leaders make up fake ones to tap into people's anger and prejudices. I know veru well which kind of government I'd rather live under.
3
Come to Massachusetts and see a k-12 system that works pretty well. We have severe disparities in racial achievement, which is a huge problem, but overall achievement is good. We need more infrastructure as well.
Some states do prioritize their human citizens over business---that is certainly a ray of hope.
Lets see more coverage of those states, as well as coverage of states such a Kentucky, for side by side (roughly) comparison.
2
I thank God every day that I live in California. In addition to what Krugman talks about, the state has also created a multibillion-dollar rainy day fund with surplus revenues received over the last few years. So not only can Democrats govern, they are also a paragon of fiscal responsibility compared to the GOP and its bankrupt policies.
Add to that the fact that some of the places with the lowest quality of life in California are those where Republicans still dominate local government (e.g. Kern County and some of the northern counties), and the evidence that the GOP is incapable and unworthy of governing is overwhelming.
I just wish we could persuade the last 30% of our fellow citizens of these basic truths.
5
John-let me guess-your marginal state income tax rate is well less than 11%, right ? Newsome. and his colleagues are going to have to show that California’s crushing income tax rates , leta Loren increases, are advancing Californias financial stability and economy for ALL Californians, not just an income transfers from the fortunate/industrious/intelligent to the unfortunate/slacking/undisciplined crowd.
1
New Mexico and Nevada are at the very bottom of the list for education by many measures (e.g. an analysis by 24/7 Wall St). A few months ago the Democrats took control in these states, which are now the only two with Democrat control among the bottom 14 states, almost all of which have Republican trifectas. It will be interesting to see if the ranking of New Mexico and Nevada change over the next years. Incidentally, California is 35th, which is a blot on its copy book, given its wealth.
3
Yes there's reason to be optimistic about the future of some states to address problems important to their citizens. Michigan, a state gerrymander and run by Republicans for years, flipped Blue this Fall electing three outstanding women as Governor, Secretary of State and Attorney General and passed two statewide ballots; one to place redistricting in the hands of a independent commission and another to enhance peoples ability to vote. The state legislature still has a Republican majority (gerrymandering), but there are indications that both Republican and Democrat lawmakers actually want to get some things done like fixing roads and improving health care and education. Also two Democrats (women) were elected to the MSU Board of Trustees providing the necessary votes to finally fire John Engler and appoint Satish Upda as acting president of MSU. That's progress!
1
Yes, Thanks to the Socially Conscious democracy-loving lawmakers are trying to save OUR United States while Putin/Trump/Netanyahu/Erdogan/Duerte/the Koch brothers and other International Mafia 0.01% try to destroy governments across America and around the world so they can try to take over.
WE THE PEOPLE must show our contempt for The Con Don and his Robber Baron brethren inside and outside OUR governments and show our support for the courageous lawmakers who are fighting to save OUR country and lives.
Every American who wants to preserve/restore true democracy in America and show our contempt for everything The Con Don stand for must hit the streets tomorrow.
Scroll down on the page linked below to "sister marches" to find/start a march/demonstration near you. This travesty must end NOW.
http://womensmarch.org
2
The legislature in Arkansas just opened its session under solid Republican control. Forecasts predict a cut in the top income tax rate--no surprise there--and a cut back in services that are already among the thinnest in the country. We've already used a complicated work requirement to cut over 18,000 working poor off the Medicaid roles. I'm glad to read how states run by Democrats are moving to deal with the vacuum left by our failing national government. My Republican state is solidly in the race for the bottom.
6
While I agree that the health care measure referred to are worthy actions, I don't know how anyone can characterize the current situation in New Jersey as effective government. The governor, a Democrat, while achieving some success, has displayed an inability to work with the Democratic head of the state Senate, and appears to have gone out of his way to condescend to him (according to coverage in NJ newspapers.) In addition, he has been unable to meet the legislature halfway on a proposal to deal with the most significant problem in the state which is public pensions. My suburb has great schools. I go five miles away to Paterson (where I have volunteered to work with youth), and the schools are inadequate. And the state consistently has one of the highest net out-migration rates in the country. If you are well off, NJ is a great place to live. If you are a middle-class retiree on a fixed income, or below, it is not. As a life-long resident, the state is a disgrace.
1
Good column Professor Krugman. I'm sure you noticed that today the University of Michigan consumer sentiment survey took its deepest dive since 2015. I wonder if you could address how much of this could be due to the federal government shutdown. Federal employees are consumers and their sentiment must be very low since they don't have paychecks. Ditto for communities where federal employees make up a lot of the workforce, some of which were profiled by the Times this week. Connecticut and other states are taking steps to try and help residents who are nonessential federal employees but I don't know how much of the government workforce will be helped by these measures, and even if all federal workers got assistance, it would not make them very confident of the future I wouldn't imagine. It would be interesting to see you or someone else address this in a future column or article.
1
We'll be waiting longer than two years for a functioning federal government. Assuming the Democrats sweep the 2020 election, they will have just restored the government to functionality when Republicans retake control. That's how bad things are. We're trapped in a sisyphean struggle but we're compelled to keep on rolling that boulder anyway.
The question is why aren't the Republicans ever crushed when the boulder rolls back down the hill. George W. Bush should have meant a generational defeat. Yet, here are we are. The same darn problem but different and worse.
6
@Andy gerrymandering, voter suppression, the artificial suppression of House apportionment and the Electoral College.
4
I think Karl Rove said something like “If people see the government as providing them benefits, that is good for Democrats. If they see government as not providing a benefit, that is good for Republicans.” (Not an exact quote, but the general idea).
Republicans can come into government and show you how disfunctional it is, then say “see, government doesn’t do anything for you. We need to elect people to get government out of the way.”
1
So how are those economic results under Trump?
1. Job creation...faster in Obama's last 23 months than Trump's first 23 months. Unemployment rate improving since 2010 for all groups, total number of persons with jobs in record territory since May 2014.
2. Deficit in 2018...up 60%, $800 billion vs. the $500 billion CBO forecast when Trump was inaugurated, due to the tax cuts and additional spending.
3. Debt addition trajectory 2018-2027...up 45% at $13.7 trillion (CBO April 2018 current policy baseline) vs. when Trump was inaugurated, for same reasons.
4. Uninsured...up 1 million persons in 2017, the first year with an increase since 2010, due to ACA sabotage; 2018 data pending.
5. Health insurance premiums on the exchanges...16% higher in 2019 than they would be without ACA sabotage (Kaiser).
6. GDP growth...Trump's best quarter of 4.2%, even with one-time boost from faux trade wars, not as good as Obama's best 5.1% (Q2 2014). Obama had four quarters of 4% or better. If Trump hits 3.0% growth for full year 2018, not much different than Obama's best 2.9% (2014).
7. Long-term GDP growth...Fed and CBO forecast growth rate falling back to long-term sustainable level around 1.8% over next 4 years, so the tax cuts didn't make a lasting change except to the debt, which we'll be paying interest on for a long, long time.
8. Inflation, interest rates, mortgage rates...all higher under Trump vs. Obama.
Can't wait for more winning!
5
California's success came from the hands and mind of Jerry Brown. A frugal and thoughtful problem solver. I have little confidence that Newsom has Mr. Brown's frugality gene.
Also California's expensive housing is not solvable via government programs. Real estate is priced in a free market economy - the most desirable locations will always be the highest priced.
2
@GLO: If you believe that real estate is a free market, try this: Buy a plot in an expensive neighborhood and try to put in a single wide.
Local governments control almost every aspect of the real estate market through zoning and building codes. They prefer expensive housing because it generates more income and requires fewer expenses.
I'm not advocating that zoning or building codes be abolished, I'm just saying that it is not a free market by any stretch of the imagination. Government encourages the shortages, prices rise, and the county remains solvent.
3
@mlbex Existing property owners want their nominal values to go up, never down. They want a lot of speculative rise, in a ratchet effect.
They get it from local government, because they tend to control local government. They are property owners for the same reasons, they are present, they have money, and they have comparatively more influence.
@Mark Thomason: True enough. Many things work together to make things the way they are.
1
I'm progressive but when I hear about universal healthcare being done at state level I get a little nervous since state finances are much more fragile than federal. But Newsom seems to have started out with some really great commonsense ideas, like letting private health pools join California in negotiating drug prices. That does not involve a big shelling out from CA coffers and if anything strengthens the state negotiator. Great idea! Now, don't take this to construe that I'm saying a universal coverage policy at CA level would be bad - it just makes me nervous and I take it seriously.
1
California is squandering over 100 billion dollars on the promise of a high speed rail system that will never be built and cannot solve the congestion problems in the state. If you think that's "doing your job" then you are simply wrong. There are taxes and regulations in this state on everything you can imagine. Yet when I travel to Texas or Nevada, all I see if that life is the same - just cheaper.
2
@Ross Salinger What you can't see may be the important differences. Do you go where poverty lives? Are you in the schools? The hospitals? The nursing homes? The food pantries? Under the bridges at night? I don't know, I'm just saying you probably don't either, if all you go on is what you happen to see.
@Ross Salinger, this is not a snarky question, but a real one from a fellow Californian: why don't you move to NV or TX if they are so much better than CA?
Although the actual governing is a welcome event, it doesn't do anything to solve the root problem you identified. If the Republicans control everything, then nothing gets done, or useful things get dismantled. If it's split government then nothing gets done. But our long term governance depends on a broad, enduring consensus. Even if Democrats get things done, then if it only happens uni-party, then they will just get dismantled when the Republicans eventually swing back into power. One could hope for a Democratic hegemony, but I live in Illinois, and believe me, single party rule is no fun.
And yet, proposition 13 means California has among the most regressive taxation systems among the states. The fact that this remains untouchable seems to say that even progressive California has the American allergy to fair taxation.
1
@Clothar: California is addicted to Prop 13. If it were repealed, half the population, including myself, would be compelled to leave. Before they can dream of repeal, they need to reduce prices by at least 50%, and that would break the banking system and recent owners as the mortgages went underwater.
California is in a slow-moving housing death spiral. The absurdity of Prop 13 (rock) is moving towards the absurdity of housing prices (hard place). The best it can do is balance the variables until one of them becomes unmanageable. Then the damage will be phenomenal.
1
Let's hope that the Dems don't become too exuberant and get out over their skis.
I would like to see the Dems govern, and by that I mean really govern. That includes rooting out waste and fraud, and eliminating programs that are redundant or have outlived their usefulness.
There is a lot that needs to be done, and our resources need to be used wisely. Let's see if Dems can make that happen. I'll be in their corner.
4
Remember Massachusetts health care plan that led the nation? Well it worked, worked well, and it is still going strong. People not only like it, but just take it for granted. Democrats can govern in spite of Republican governors. Vote Blue!
5
We need solutions not Trump's platitudes. Republicans seem never to be for anything that helps people. They were against social security, medicare, civil rights legislation and Obamacare. They only believe in cutting taxes and trickle down economics. The Republican party is the party of the undereducated and greedy. Jerry Brown turned California around by increasing taxes. Government is not a business and it doesn't make a profit it needs a source of revenue to pay for services. The Republicans and Kansas specially doesn't seem to get that fact.
2
Government has been trending downward in terms of effectiveness ever since Ronal Reagan demonized it and essentially sacrificed all forms of altruism and public service at the altar of private interests.
6
Early in the 20th Century Argentina was thought to have the greatest potential to become a "rich" country, with a GDP per capita 96% of Great Britain in 1905.
Until the reforms in China after the failed "Great Leap Forward" and "Cultural Revolution," China was a country with famine, widespread poverty, and a dismal future. Since then, effective government policies have lifted 800 million people out of poverty and provided economic well being to more than 1 billion human beings.
The United States has had its own problems with a "Great Depression" and "Great Recession" wasteful "wars of choice" and faulty political leadership, governance, and direction. American prosperity is not universal, evenly distributed, or guaranteed to last.
Good government policies and good governance has benefits to people.
On the state level, blue states outperform red states in economic, health and social well-being. Good government, and good execution of well crafted government policies and taxes help make the lives of their citizens better.
Whether in a red or blue state, there are always more problems to solve. If your state's elected politicians don't want to try to solve these problems or run against "the government," they should find work elsewhere and let someone else try.
At the present time, only Democrats seem to want to do their jobs in addressing and trying to solve problems at the federal and state level.
3
Republican Governor Bruce Rouner of Illinois forced the state to go two years without a budget, costing the Illinois tax payer hundreds of millions of dollars (not including social impacts). Ultimately, it took the state legislative Republicans to overturn his veto to pass a budget. They all got swept aside in the last round of elections and the Democratic party now enjoys a super majority. This should be a Yuge warning sign for Republicans nationwide.
That said. The real test in Illinois starts now. We have Yuge pension and debt problems that the Democratic party, with a super majority, must solve and quickly or we will see a reverse in a few years and the GOP will be swept back to power. Don't get too comfy...
1
@Doug -- "Yuge" doesn't really do it justice; I've no idea as to what might be a viable solution.
State unfunded pension fund liabilities is estimated at ≈ 153 B$, Local jurisdiction pension fund liabilities at something more than 50 B$. That's more than 41 k$ per household.
Rauner was a disaster; National Review called him the worst Republican governor.
The state is running a large, but unknown deficit at the moment. J. B. Pritzker restored frozen wage increases to state workers; while a decent thing to do seen in isolation, the State doesn't have the income.
I don't see a way out that the citizens will buy.
1
I hope the amount luck we need is low, but at this point I'm not so sure.
Glad to hear sense is at the helm somewhere. Not in Missouri.
4
And we all need to keep in mind the contrast between the successes that Krugman notes in the states where Democrats have control of the reins and the abject failure in Kansas, which to its regret, went full throttle on the "the government's the problem" and "cutting taxes spurs the economy" theories.
497
@Don Hubin
Every time I talk to somebody who praise republican economic ideas, I always say "well, what about Kansas?". They rarely have much to say after that question.
125
@Don Hubin This is quite evident, starkly frightening in fact, if one ever travels to rural Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, W. Virginia, or pretty much every red state.
77
@catherp, is it the rural populations that you despise? Or is it just anybody from those states? The Left purports to tolerant of all people. Just not those in rural areas or Red states.
3
Dear Dr. K,
The 2018 Tax results have arrived, and the Blue States are going to take it in the seat.
The Titan is 59, single, no dependents, a free soul.
Makes > $150K/year
Property taxes are ~$10K/yr
NJ State Tax ~$9K
Mortgage Usury (i.e., interest for Bernie supporters) $12.5K
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
So for the last 9 yrs since I purchases my crib, I've always received ~ $4.2K to $4.8K back from the Fed Gov't as a return.
NOT this YEAR my accountant just informed me that I'll only receive $1.3K !!!!!! back as to my Fed return N.b., I did nothing different as to deductions or adjusted dependents for the last 9 yrs;
I'd be happy to show proof; give me a ring
People in the NE and other blue states are in for a big surprise.
This will have bad consequences for already sluggish housing and the economy at large.
4
Ahem... what you label mortgage usury for Bernie supporters is actually for the big banks! (the opposite of Bernie)...
@Carolyn C
I meant for Bernie supporters that didn’t know what usury is
My state's governor, Gavin Newsom, has an immediate challenge. The largest school district, the Los Angeles Unified School District, is right now in the fourth day of a teachers' strike that has pretty much completely paralyzed it. Newsom has apparently become directly involved, and may well have to part with a chunk of the state's sizeable ($15 billion) cash reserve.
That said, I can't adequately express how wonderful it is to live in a state in which the Republicans have virtually no power. California has its problems, but if I didn't live here, I'd have to move here.
590
@Vesuviano
I agree in spades with your second paragraph, and live here with a sense of deep gratitude as a recovered Kansan. (My sympathies, Phyliss, hang in there.)
As for your first paragraph, I have serious reservations about Newsom (though I voted for him in the general election) -- character does matter after all -- and feel that Krugman may have jumped the gun. Better I think to have credited Jerry Brown, now retired, for California's good governance -- along with our Democratic legislative supermajority.
58
@Vesuviano Too many people agree with you which is why housing costs are so high. First world problems...
12
@dwalker
I also have my doubts about Newsom, and I credit Jerry Brown entirely with the surplus that Newsom may now have to tap into. How Newsom helps deal with our strike may well affect his political future, and L.A. Mayor Eric Garcetti's as well.
Cheers.
33
A simple question : where would YOU rather raise and educate your children, Red State or Blue State ? For any person with an
“Average “, median income Job, the answer is clear. For a working class or lower income parent, your children have a much greater chance at success, and assistance, in a Blue State. For younger, educated professionals, the choice is glaringly obvious.
In fact, the only persons “ better off “ in Red states might be retired, lower income people. But only if you are in excellent health and don’t foresee a need for any type of social services or assistance. Or, plan on moving into a Nursing Home, Pay them all your Money, when it’s gone, Die immediately.
Choose, and choose wisely. And for those questioning my address, I’m here for the Engineer Husbands Career. He is relatively happy here and is grossly overpaid. We are saving more than half our income for retirement. Priorities, right ???
410
@Phyliss Dalmatian
Well said. But just for the record: as a 72 year old, financially secure, good health white man: I rejoice that I live in Blue California, where people embrace diversity, practice tolerance, and accept science. Sanity and decency are good for EVERYONE! :-)
89
@Alan Richards
I completely agree, Alan. I dream of the glorious day we Retire and move to Seattle. Come visit !
My point is that for someone that doesn’t have much Money, it MAY be feasible to move to a low cost area. My parents live in Florida, on the Gulf Coast, and live very well for not a lot of Money.
It works for THEM. Nice to visit,especially in Winter, but not for ME.
21
@Phyliss Dalmatian
Let's take that a step further, shall we? If you live in a Blue state, like NJ, would you rather have your kids attend a school in one of the deep blue urban areas like Newark or Asbury Park, or one of the (usually) red suburbs, like Randolph or Mountain Lakes? Would you rather educate your kids in TX or in LA, where legions of parents abandoned public schools for charters?
Indeed, consider: you can move to a blue area (like Charlotte or Austin) in a red state. You get to live with all kinds of people who "think" just like you do without have to suffer the consequences of them actually being able to do the things they advocate.
5
We have a breath of fresh air here in Maine, thanks to our new governor, Janet Mills, the first woman ever elected to that post.
Her first decision was to sign a long-delayed implementation of Medicaid Expansion, something fought against by the previous administration. She has just created a new Office of Innovation and the Future, to be led by Hannah Pingree, a well-known figure in Maine politics. She just signed a bond issue for affordable housing which was tenaciously opposed by Mr. LePage.
So, yes, Democrats can get things moving in the right direction.
8
@Bevan
It's like a breath of fresh air, isn't it ? The big thing for all red states turning blue is that medicare expansion, with more access to the #ACA ( ObamaCares). Good luck.
1
The Gifted Generation by David Goldfield provides perhaps the best explanation for our current political woes. The author examines the presidencies of Truman, Eisenhower, and LBJ as typifying functional and effective govt; he then examines those presidencies that followed LBJ (up to and including trump), finding that wealth disparities, gerrymandering, and lobbyist influences apparently dictate what gets done, with wealth supporting (too-often) the 'conservative' agenda.
The book further identifies specific periods and pols that promoted the 'less govt is better' being led by then President Reagan, govt shut-downs, and legislative challenges both met and failed.
I loaned The Gifted Generation to a conservative neighbor for his review but we haven't gotten together to discuss the book. My suspicion is that first, my sister sent me the book in response to my statement that conservatives cannot be educated; then another sister told me my (sending) sister hadn't even read the book. I rest my case.
2
@Michael Abbott: Adhering to and propagating delusion is said to make death a better place for those who do it.
@Michael Abbott: Reaganism made me drop out.
Yes, California has boomed and moved from the 6th largest economy in the world to the 5th (beating out, I believe, the UK).
Yes, Democrats running states prove again and again they are better at Good Government than Republicans. AFAIK, only 2 red states are consistently growing economically: Texas and Florida, for very different reasons. I'm not saying they are actually well-run, but they do seem to be prosperous. However, both are probably going to flip in 2 to 10 years due to populations demographics shifting.
But it doesn't keep Democrats from implementing foolish programs of their own--like trying to force people not to smoke outdoors. While Michael Bloomberg was a nominal Republican for 12 years, he governed as a Democrat and tried to limit what size soft drinks people could buy.
So while Republicans have one kind of restrictive nanny culture--barring abortions and access to birth control for "moral reasons", Democrats have their own nanny culture "for your own good". And not always fact-based, either.
1
@Dadof2: It makes perfect sense to me that all the life cycle costs of products should be built into their costs of ownership. Without that, the efficient market theory of economics fails to optimize allocation of resourses.
@Dadof2
lol that your one example of Democratic "nanny culture" is a Republican who you merely state "governed as a Democrat." A lot of conservatives push anti-smoking legislation, too, when they just listen to what public health people tell them.
1
@Steve Bolger
Also, what are you talking about? You mean the external costs of smoking and, I guess (?) softdrink consumption? If that's the case, then I guess I agree, and would even add costs to compensate for addiction. But I suspect in some cases, cigarettes and soda are being taxed beyond that point simply to achieve desired public health outcomes. Like, let's make smoking even more expensive than it would be if you internalized all of its costs and to counterweight the fact that it's addictive, so that fewer people will smoke because we think it's bad. I think there are reasonable objections to doing that.
I have to ask in relation to California apparently being heaven. Is this the California with record homelessness, Utterly unaffordable housing for a plurality of its population? Not to mention spent how much on a train from nowhere to nowhere? And let us not forget has cities having trouble figuring out how to clear the human feces off their streets. Not exactly my definition of paradise. California, New York and several other blue states I could name are only wonderful places to live if your upper middle class or better! For the rest? Well I came out of South Central LA it hasn't gotten better in the last 30 years. The Red States don't claim to be all wonderful. Points for them. But most of the people claiming how wonderful CA and other Blue States are. Well they don't have a two hour commute to a minimum wage job do they? Better then many of the Red States ? Probably! A wonderful paradise on Earth where everyone is happy and doing well ? Hardly!
4
@Stephan: Don’t underestimate the role of state eat state policies to drive internal migrations in the US. The law is anything but equally protective here.
1
@Stephan Of course California will have "more" of everything; homelessness and high-paying jobs. "Not to mention spent how much on a train from nowhere-to nowhere?
I presume you are referring to the still-in-progress High Speed Rail project? Surprisingly, those trying to stop it live in one of the poorest rural counties in California (Kings County- look it up).
I will gladly stay put and you can stay where you are.
Apparently, in California you need to drive two hours to get to a minimum wage job while in Kansas you can always find one next door.
How can a nexus of nihilistic millenarians even call itself a political party? Trump is a just a bratty racketeer who poisons the lives of everyone else.
3
You seem to love Gavin. Perhaps he can explain to you his plan for funding public pensions. Seems like that should take precedence over aid to illegals.
1
Not to mention that California has done this while going from massive budget deficits to budget surpluses.
3
"... politicians supposedly seek office in order to get stuff done — to tackle real problems and implement solutions."
Perhaps, in theory. However, at the national level, this concept has been undermined by our "system" of primaries and debates, which neglect any real discussions about real issues, real policies, or actionable solutions. Rather, they've devolved into forums for grandstanding and personal attacks.
It'd be a welcome change if policies and programs developed by the States served to drive action at the Federal level. It's beyond time to establish new guidelines related to running for national office.
Candidates should be required to formally submit a slate of issues, policies, and related execution plans that they intend to pursue. Currently there's too much "bait and switch" in the process. "Positions" shift with trending social media, or in response to sound bites from their opponents.
Candidates aren't held accountable for "being for" something. Until they can actually articulate what they support and how they'll implement changes, it's impossible to know what "stuff they'll get done."
Other readers mentioned campaign finance rules as real drivers for candidates. I'd agree it's a valid concern that requires reform. But however candidates are funded, it's their responsibility to show their cards and reveal their visions for the future. But it's also our responsibility to hold them to their word. Until then "stuff" won't get done.
3
@SMKNC: Mitch McConnell holds office to make intelligence a liability to happy life in the USA.
"If you want to live like a Republican, vote Democratic" still applies
7
@Tom Miller
One of my favorite Truman-isms.
2
Leading this story with a picture of gas Gavin Newsom is like giving the Nobel peace prize to Obama before he had done anything.
Newsom hasn't done anything yet except get elected. Why not give it a little time and then see.
6
I've never understood the concept-of "Tax and Spend" as an evil epithet. Taxes are the revenue a government uses to function; and it shows. I never could understand a state like Florida: No income taxes. How does it function?
Living in California- I do not bemoan having to pay higher property, sales and vehicle registration taxes. I get to see those taxes working. ( California expanded Medicaid in 2013 a full year before the ACA).
How do local roads, traffic lights, emergency services, mental health services, early child-hood education get funded? We pay. And....I get "good representation" with my *taxation*.
At times I may gripe; (the DMV registration on my 15 year old vehicle is about the same as it was 15 years ago) but I would not move to a Red State if someone paid me to do so.
I've lived in Red-State-America and the so-called Heartland and am no fan of either.
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@Candlewick: The most specious belief in Republicanism is denial that the multiplier effects of public and private employment are identical.
Dr. K!!! We in Oregon have been a blue several shades darker than our neighbor to the south for years... and Johnny-Come-Lately Washington.... Well...Don’t get me started!
2
This article should be distributed to every voter in red state America.
4
@Richard Perry They won't believe it. It comes from the NYT,
Let's hope the blue wave engulfs the nation and washes us clean of the Republican scourge!
10
Cliff's Notes: Republicans tend to be stupid and to govern stupidly. Democrats don't and don't.
7
@Jeff Atkinson: No actual grown-up claims to know what God thinks. Republican policies are idolatry believed to influence it.
Republicans are liars and losers. Perfect for America. To believe the truth means one must think. Americans do not think, they react.
Also Trump must be impeached if he directed someone to lie for him. [As well as: because Trump lies to the American people]
5
More progressive pablum from Krugman. Please note that the states mentioned have largest net outbound migration.
1
California does not rank in the top ten states for outward migration, but I tell people from red states all the time : you won’t like it here, best you stay put. People tend to be of all different opinions, religions, ethnic groups, languages, and sexual persuasions, yet most tolerate others, and yes, we have lots of people who can’t buy a house or afford rent in a city. Somehow they get by, we work it out.
You mean like the government of Sweden, the governrment where the people and the government are the same, and a social contract between the people and the government is the way of life, where capitalism does not rule supreme. Must be nice to live a life that's not dog eat dog
7
Amazing what happens when you rely on facts and don’t want to drown government in a bathtub.
5
Yes Mr. Krugman, “if we are lucky”...and if we are smart.
2
I worked in the British Virgin Island. They had a National Health System. A payment made out of my weekly salary. It was insignificant enough that I did not worry. I had a stroke, an ambulance took me to the hospital, spent 2 days in ICU, then 3 days in a general care wing. Cat scan, xray, sona gram, MRI, food, medication. When I prepared to leave I checked on my bill. It was 1,000 USD. 800 was covered by the NHS insurance. The remaining 200 was forgiven as I was over 65. I view the operation of health insurance and hospitals for commercial in the USA is insane. They are leeches that do little other than suck every penny they can out of your wallet. We would be better off to end the for profit operations from the major health cost creators and accept a saner attitude toward care for our citizens. Additionally our "governing politicians" should be forced to use the same health coverage system.
13
I love where I live. I'm planning on dying here. They even give you a choice on the nature of your death.
3
“they have systematically deprived themselves of the ability to analyze policies and learn from evidence, because hard thinking might lead someone to question received doctrine.”
Or to put it another way, ideology makes you stupid.
6
The system of united states has utterly failed. Secession is the only option. Even if it means civil war. Bring America to its knees. It deserves what it gets. The American people elected him. They got him. It cannot be undone. Despots live forever. Attitude is not the point. Survival is.
@Tim Barrus
You know there is no right to secede. Any right to secede was rendered moot by force of arms April 1865. In other if a state attempts to secede ? Well no national guard will last long against the regulars. And yes they would move against secession fellow citizens or not. No secession is a pipe dream at best.
From your lips to the electorate's ears...
7
Democrats seek to govern; Republicans seek to rule.
14
The real difference is the "blue team" doesn't take its marching orders from Ann Coulter.
8
More than "laboratories of democracy" blue states should be considered now as the last bastion of an American democracy under siege.
7
Don't over look Nevada's trifecta.
2
Gee this is great. But those of us still stuck in purple states aren't feeling the joy.
3
Scrap the federal government. Bring back the Articles of Confederation.
Feds, take a cue from states! From your lips to God's ears, Prof Krugman!
Signed, Proud Californian
2
And what about Colorado?? We're not exactly chopped liver!
4
The whole Republican program is stealing, when one reads between the lines.
7
Mr. Krugman,
Have you been to San Francisco lately. Mr. Newsom did a great job there. If you can get past the needles on the door step of your $1.5m two bedroom one bath condo. Or if you're the teacher that has to live in a one room hotel style complex because you can't afford housing any where close to the school you teach at. He did a great job of creating the quintessential society of have and have not's. I guess I must have missed that editorial.
4
There are lots of homeless people in Californian cities.
Is this the good "blue" government Paul Krugman is talking about?
2
@Carsten Neumann I always wonder when I've seen them, how many of them just managed to get themselves to California because life is so much easier there with the great weather and all of the services. If California just returned all homeless who were not born in California to their states of their birth, the rest of the homeless population might be of manageable size. No reason the people of California should support all the homeless who move there for a better lifestyle.
1
Any model can be tested mathematically by testing its limits. CA is already bankrupt. It favors foreigners over its citzens. Test 1: What happens if Gavin Newsom gets his way all the way... You get Venzeuela, one of the richest countries in the world brought to its knees by socialism. Test 2: What happens if say a billion poor people choose to move in?
4
Test 1: what if someone citing Venezuela as 'one of the richest countries in the world' is factually wrong.
Test 2: what if someone is using an argument that a billion people would 'move in'. From where exactly? Who are and they exactly how would a billion people move anywhere? (as a a point of reference, a billion people is higher than the total population of Mexico, Central America, and South America. Combined.)
My conclusion? A person making such an argument really shouldn't be calling themselves 'professor'.
3
Professor Ice. “Professor”? Seriously? “Professor” Irwin Corey, The World’s Foremost Authority, made more sense.
And then there are those states (Wisconsin, North Carolina) wherein the legislature passes new laws to limit the power of the New Democratic governor.
6
It is true that, at the federal level and at the state level in certain red states, Republicans don't actually want to govern. The conservative ideology (the Reagan legacy) now means a belief in certain ideas despite all the evidence that those ideas fail to live up to the reality test: e.g. that cutting taxes on the wealthy will produce explosive economic growth. And because the ideas don't work in practice, Republicans have to avoid implementing many of their ideas (at least directly) because of the damage such implementation would do (though Kansas shows that, when not properly checked, some ideas do get implemented with predictably disastrous results). But Republicans are in a tough spot: they won't surrender their ideas (they can't admit their ideas are wrong), but they also know that most Americans, even those who regularly vote for Republicans, don't like the ideas: most Americans want good public schools and affordable health care and clean drinking water and less economic inequality and they believe that climate change is real. Republicans want to stay in power just to prevent workable ideas from being implemented as actual policy and legislation; once those things happen, they might be forced to admit that their own ideas were wrong. To stay in power, Republicans turn to gerrymandering, voter suppression, and propaganda (wedge issues that appeal primarily to single issue voters, many more of whom lean right). This situation is not going to change any time soon.
4
Party of Trump!
Our government works extremely well when it's allowed to. That is to say, when it's not being "run" by Republicans, who are dedicated to its sabotage out of fealty to their failed and ludicrous ideology.
Look, Ronald Reagan has been dead for fifteen years now. We're sick and tired of living under the remnants of his tax codes, under "trickle down", under the insatiable greed of the Koch Brothers and their ilk, under the volcano of lies and bigotry from right-wing media. That's over. It's gone, and it's done with, regardless of what residual hacks and saboteurs still remain. It's their last gasp, and i hope it's a short one.
The midterm election gave me something I haven't felt in a while- hope. Hope, that finally, the moribund and unworkable ideas of the past are fading away. That younger, vital, and diverse members of our society are at last taking their overdue places in public office and positions of influence. And most importantly, that the very real and pressing issues of our time will finally be addressed, not with bizarre and rigid ideology, but with facts, science, logic, compassion, and collaboration.
7
Nice to hear about CA's successes.
But a portion of our population believes that CA is in bankruptcy and that it does not have the 5th largest economy in the world.
No amount of reporting will convince them otherwise.
2
Government in the United States is most dysfunctional at the national level. We have a corrupt and incompetent president. Several of that president's associates have been found guilty of crimes committed while they were acting in his behalf. He has actually shut down the government over the petty issue of a useless border wall that he cluelessly supports. It is difficult to believe that the country can continue to successfully exist in its current sorry state.
5
if jefferson is right, that we get the government we deserve, it's way past time for some serious reflection (no longer an easy task in this day of declining appetite for analysis of issues and proper debate...it's easier to shout opinions though the social media and broadcast media megaphones).
neither party can claim to be past ideological intransigence and
and for at least one progressive (a WPA, CCC socialist, if you will) the puzzle of a democratic party hijacked by a strident, uniformed lot of cutouts given only to trashing a president elected because of their own complacency, exceeds solution.
until we replace the impeachment chorus with, say, an infrastructure choir and offer something that actually means something, something that has the potential to unify (as actual work does) in place of the persistent and pathetic whine of petty insult, which only divides further, trump will be back in 2020.
1
@ecco I agree. Instead of mimicking the slimy behavior of the current occupant of the WH and his Republican toadies, the House Democrats should show what they will do if their party is elected to the presidency and a majority in the Senate. Swamp the Senate with progressive legislation. Maybe some of it will actually make it to the WH. Let the voters clearly see the difference between how Democrats will govern versus the Republicans.
1
If only Donald Trump would do his job. We don't need to be completely Trump-obsessed, but we do need to be Trump-concerned. While praising the intelligence of the American electorate, Trump secretly knows that they can be led around like bulls with nose rings - only instead of bullrings, he uses their beliefs and prejudices to lead them wherever he wants.
If DJT doesn't destroy our fragile democracy, he has published the blueprint and playbook for some other demagogue to do it later. If a democracy like America's is going to exist, there will have to be a paradigm shift in human thought throughout the world.
In the near future, we will program the human mind in the computer based on a linguistic "survival" algorithm, which will provide irrefutable proof as to how we trick the mind with our ridiculous beliefs about what is supposed to survive - producing minds programmed de facto for destruction. These minds see the survival of a particular belief as more important than the survival of all. When we understand this, we will begin the long trek back to reason and sanity.
See RevolutionOfReason.com
1
The republican strategy is to shrink government so no monies will be spent on those less fortunate or the welfare state and that state is one of blackness. These strict conservatives only utilizes the cover of conservatism to hide they racism
5
Dem weakness is in job creation. Show that we can handle that most fundamental issue and the country will flock to the Democratic party across the country.
3
I full-throatedly agree with the Dr's ideas here, but at the other end, these blue-state politicians sometimes need to step back from the level of politicized meddling and leave some things to the experts (looking at you, Andrew 'Mr. Subway' Cuomo).
Massachusetts is as blue as it gets. Yet, we have had a string of successful Republican governors. Yes, democrats elect Republican governors crossing party lines because they deem the candidate capable competent efficient and what our state truly needs at a given time.
You should know that Paul, you went to grad school here in Cambridge.
2
@petey tonei
I seem to remember one of those governors you allude to, who's now a newly minted Senator and just a day or two ago performed one of the mostly disgustingly blatant flip-flops in recent memory when the Russia sanctions vote came up.
"... they have systematically deprived themselves of the ability to analyze policies and learn from evidence, because hard thinking might lead someone to question received doctrine."
Isn't that the truth? And they are dumbing down education, science, making higher education expensive beyond the reach of many.
What voters are they going for with this view of policy? The ones who are low info, less likely to challenge, the sheeple who love to chant and don't read. Like the leader of the party.
3
Conspicuously absent are any examples of a Republican-controlled trifecta state government that has accomplished something constructive
5
@Steve
C'mon expand your thinking! Those governments typically are very constructive when it comes to the investments portfolios of the .1%, particularly the portfolios that reside in tax havens off-shore.
2
@Mikeweb
Very astute.
Everybody’s entitled to their own facts, but nobody’s entitled to their own opinion. Oh,wait, wasn’t it the other way around when Senator Moynihan was still serving?
1
This statement is brilliant: " hard thinking might lead someone to question received doctrine."
2
@Howard Kay
Yes, related to the old saw, "It's hard to get a man to understand something when his job depends on him not understanding it."
2
Democrats in Congress have been trying to do their jobs but Republicans have abdicated. I cannot understand why Mitch McCoward has given up his post as leader of the Senate to be a flunky for Trump. And I cannot understand why other Republican senators have not stripped him of his authority and reasserted control of that separate branch of government. Treason appears to be a communicable disease.
5
I truly believe that the only thing Republicans are good at are lying and grifting, unfortunately most Americans cannot see that fact.
5
With the vacuum in federal governance created by the Trump administration and symbolized by the partial shutdown, it's time for the new Democratic-controlled states to start working together to address major problems like the environment and health care. With respect to the environment, the Democratic states could form a compact to mandate a switch to electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids by 2030 and providing incentives now to encourage the purchase of EVs like eliminating the state sales tax, lowering the registration fee, and implementing a program to locate charging stations. If just California and New York would form such a compact, it would have national impact. Similarly, health insurance policies can be lowered by having a larger pool of diverse recipients. Again, if Democratic states form a combined pool costs would be considerably lower. So, let's have the Democratic states join together to be the "laboratory for democracy" that has failed us in Washington.
2
Reagan's cute "the government is the problem" toss-off line was like Clint Eastwood in a Dirty Harry movie. It wasn't supposed to become the Rosetta stone of republican dogma. It wasn't intended to become the main plank in the wooden platform of the GOP. Maybe this is the republican moment sort of like the essay Bret Stephens says destroyed the democratic party in the late '70's.
I guess it's emblematic of the comic book world our current president resides in and believes in.
Thanks, Mr. K for providing some points of light. States are going to be stuck with the real work while the federal government remains hamstrung; healing a little but still sore. Kudos to those that serve and work to protect us!
2
While all of these policies are great, I really hope these Democrat majorities pass strong laws to protect the freedom to vote. No mandatory id check. And pass a law that states that any polling location that had more than an hour wait needs to open two more fully staffed locations, with back-up machines. If not funded, the money will be made with automatic tax increases on the wealthy and money will be taken from emergency services. Seriously make it as toxic as possible to the right if they try to suppress the vote, or most of the progressive items they are working on will be reversed within a decade.
3
Our NJ Governor Murphy, is doing a lot more for NJ residents than just what was mentioned here. After Christie, he's a breath of fresh air.
4
Paul, you had me until "let's be clear". So let's be clear.
If Democratic policy proposals are never implement and viewed as just another bait-and-switch, then we will end up with someone worse than Trump. Yes I know, hard to believe that there could be someone worse.
If Democratic policy proposals are never implemented because better ideas which benefit the working class win out, then voters we continue to support Democrats.
It is good to see growing support for Democratic candidates. The true test will be whether elected Democrats give voters reasons to continue the support or reasons to vote for another tyrant hoping for something better.
The republican answer to universal healthcare is....what’s next?Clean water?....Clean air? Where does it end? Republicans have not delivered any solutions or tried to move forward on universal healthcare because either they do not believe in it, or the money from big Pharma and health insurance lobbyists forbid it. Governing is hard when you’re being paid not to. We have seen it before and we know that Government CAN work when we elect those that want it to. Elections do have consequences and we better start getting it right.
4
People should take a look at Governor Wolf of Pennsylvania who has brought order to a fractious state and deal with a very Republican state legislature.
3
When will it be time for state legislatures to increase taxes to take over discontinued federal services? They could have fun by requiring payroll processors to reduce federal tax withholding, reflecting the reduction in federal services rendered.
2
@Mike Lafleur interesting..... extending your thought a little it seems that the red states that pay in the least for their federal money will be the big losers if the states take over as you suggest. i am heart broken....
2
The reaction to Trump, the retaking of states by democrats is a good start. The real problem lies ahead with increasing deficits and inadequate tax recites. Trump created a Trojan horse with his tax cuts that will clearly create to a pathway to cuts on entitlements. The issue of how the infrastructural needs for schools and healthcare will be paid for, not to mention roads and bridges is at a critical point. The answer and solutions with republicans still in power is going to be a hard barrier that will require even more democrats in positions of influence, we can only hope that the blue wave continues to all levels of government with every election.
2
In Illinois, I hope one of the things we do is re-establish funding and a coalition with Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and Canada to preserve and regulate the Great Lakes. We're sitting on the country's largest fresh water supply and with climate change reducing the amount of fresh water worldwide, we need to do all we can to preserve it and keep it.
5
Tony Evers, a grandfatherly educator, defeats Scott Walker. All-Repub gerrymandered legislature promptly passes statutes to poach away responsibilities of the governor's office. Evers' response? Initiate meetings with the legislative leaders and try to find common ground on issues they haven't co-opted. Will this work? Who knows? But I've gone from being a complete skeptic to being an admirer. It's a little disarming to cut through the ideology and "actually govern." I think the Repubs are simply at a loss to figure out how to react to this creature from the 1950s.
5
I am surprised Massachusetts is not mentioned. We have had mandatory insurance, started under Governor Romney and have had Governor Baker( beginning second term) who is socially liberal and fiscally conservative. Seems to work in this ultra Blue State.
5
@Marge
Paul Krugman would never acknowledge that a program implemented in part by Republicans could be anything but evil failures. Only all-Democratic plans can be successful.
1
Please don't forget the State of Maine where newly elected Gov. Janet Mills has established a new Office of Innovation and the Future. Hannah Pingree, former Speaker of the House has been appointed to head that office. There is much damage from the ignorance of former Gov. LePage's administration that must be healed, but in looking also to the future, Mills presents us with a strong, intelligent and flexible approach to real governing.
8
What a relief! 8 years under a willfully ignorant, culturally malicious and fiscally fraudulent Republucan governor leaves Maine a lot to do to fix what he and his Republican cohort broke. Maine can be a well-intentioned progressive leader now and contribute to demonstrating what Democrats can do, as California, Washington and others have and will continue to do.
And Lepage has left the state for retirement in FL. Sorry, FL, he's yours now.
2
Agree. The real comparison here are the Democratic policies of California and Minnesota under Jerry Brown and Mark Dayton versus the Republican policies in Kansas and Wisconsin under Sam Brownback and Scott Walker. California dug itself out of a huge hole while Kansas went essentially bankrupt. The growth rate in Minnesota was 2-3 times higher than that of its neighbor in Wisconsin. Democratic policies work and Democrats put people back to work.
10
Republicans can't govern because they are the anti-government party. They break things so that they can prove their point that we need less government, not more. They also can't govern effectively from most citizens point of view because they don't represent them, but rather the 1%. The real question to me is why do so many of the 99% keep electing people over and over again who do things contrary their interests.
Democrats actually try to govern and move the needs of working Americans forward, although they are constantly hobbled by Republicans in their efforts. Yet somehow Democrats have been cast as the enemies of the people what must be opposed at all cost.
Even more interesting to me is that many of the anti-government voters who back Republicans are net beneficiaries of the federal government. They take more than they contribute, all the while castigating that evil old government which so offends them.
P. T. Barnum would be proud.
10
I wouldn't say Republicans can't govern. They govern very well for the rich.
Secondly, they focus on winning by any means possible. And one thing they are very good at is marketing - the American term for propaganda.
Seeing that truth was not on their side, they created their own information ecosystem - starting with the repeal of the Fairness Doctrine under Reagan and other similar measures.
These measures gave rise to Hate Radio and Fox News for which Liberals at present have no equivalent due the decimation of unions.
There is a lot of anger in middle America - some of it quite justified. And Republicans have done a very good job directing that anger at "the Gubmint".
Democrats have to redirect that anger at its right target: corporate power and the preferential option for the rich.
And, just as important, we need to get rid of the electoral college and gerrymandered voting districts.
Make America a true democracy and everything else will fall into line.
Because on issue after issue the American people want Democratic policies.
11
What is republican party for? They conflate free enterprise with capitalism. Free enterprise is an economic theory that works where competition reduces prices to lowest point and still make a profit. Capitalism is the accumulation of money and the ends justify the means. Coroner the market, buy up competition, buy politicians to make cornering the market easier. Republicans sell the idea of capitalism as free enterprise and lower taxes as one in the same. They stand for nothing else. They hate government because the government is the only thing that reigns in large capitalism.
8
The author confuses governing with passing bloated regulations. In blue states like Maryland people are leaving faster than they are coming in because of the pointless regulations and laws implemented to strip away rights and over tax their citizens. Democrats need to find the balance between regulation, job creation, and taxation to have an effective message that resonates to the people the GOP have left behind yet still blindly support.
2
A most welcome bit of optimism from Mr. Krugman this morning. Thank you for pointing out that government works for all when fair minded people of good will are in charge.
7
What's important to point it it that government works for all (or tries to) only when Democrats are in charge — not Republicans — and only when they get out from under their corporate donors who generally call the shots.
1
PK is right about one thing: State’s rights (and local, too). Government is best when devolved to the lowest level. But he should be careful about the states he chooses as examples - they may soon sink in a sea of unfunded liabilities, pension and otherwise.
1
Yes and Republicans mostly caused the problems you cite.
3
To suggest that the shutdown makes no difference because the government has essentially been nonfunctional under Trump is offensive to federal employees at a time when we could use some appreciation. One would hope that a shutdown would make apparent the importance of government's bread and butter, day-to-day functions. It's not only the bright and shiny policy initiatives that matter.
3
Governor Newsom may want to address the pension fund gap while he is petitioning to raise pay levels for state employees.
3
Sensible politicians across state and federal boundaries need to adopt a common, nonideological platform that I call CHILI: Climate, Health Care, Infrastructure, Living Wage, Indivisibility. Living Wage could either take the form of an appropriate minimum wage or, alternatively and perhaps more effectively, full employment combined with a strong social safety net.
4
I think the most important concept is the article is that Trump has found the method to give him autocratic powers: declare the situation a crisis, e.g. the immigration "problem". Sure, monitoring and controlling immigration has always been a problem, that's why we have a government to solve it. But the Republicans, with their dummy in the White House covering for them, seem to favor raising the crisis flag, thus allowing them far more power than business as usual. Unfortunately, they haven't exerted a single drop of energy to attack a real crisis: climate control.
10
Yes, don’t forget Maine. We are looking forward to change in a state that struggles with its identity and. Is deeply divided. I am hoping the new administration and legislature will use their power to stabilize the insurance crisis, help the economy grow sustainably and unite people in hope. The very first action the Governor took was to authorize Medicaid expansion, insuring 25,000 Mainers and bringing $300 million to a state that sorely needs it. Expanding wind power will be another growth opportunity. We all ant a better world for our children and grandchildren. Our last governor sat on his hands and made us a laughingstock. He prided himself that he was “Trump before Trump.” He has since ,owed to Florida. RIP (retire in peace), Paul LePage. We have work to do.
10
Paul, stop saying the Republicans don't govern. They govern just fine--for the rich and super rich--a point made by both pundits and politicians alike.
To them government is always the problem, except when there's a fat government contract to be awarded, for example, in their congressional district, or there's a photo op where the government has provided disaster relief or other aid. Then it's all good.
The greatest irony is those red states that get more money from the Federal government than they send in--while fighting against the concept of "gubmint" constantly.
Incredible, and very sad.
17
Maybe some day our state government will go back to protecting our ground water, making sure our kids get the best education anywhere, ensuring that businesses follow regulations, protecting consumers, and everything else it used to do.
Meanwhile, Dr. Krugman's knowledgeable optimism is a morale booster, legitimizing the hopes of everybody who voted for our new governor here that someday the GOP's power grab will end.
454
@Grennan As a native Wisconsinite, I mourn for your state. Next door in Minnesota we're doing much better - thankfully we stopped the red wave pushing from the east.
39
@Grennan
I admit to not reading this article, just the sentence under the picture. "Gavin Newsom is from a state that offers a good example of a politician doing what politicians are suppose to do." That's too much for me!
The new Governor of California is rapidly spending the budget surplus that Jerry Brown left him. As Lieutenant Governor he's partially responsible for California's 2-3 million illegal aliens. Now as governor he wants to give them both free Medicare and the right to vote?I
Now he's defying Washington and telling TSA workers they can collect unemployment benefits - not permitted during a federal shutdown.
While Newsom pursues these welfare give-aways, both L.A. and San Francisco's main downtown squares are littered with needles, garbage, drugs being openly used and many homeless sleeping on the sidewalks. It's a disgrace and has been for some time, including the time Newsom was mayor of S.F.
Krugman must have his eyes closed.
1
@Grennan From SC, "Dr. Krugman's knowledgeable optimism is a morale booster". So true and needed.
9
Accentuating the positive is a fine thing. I prefer to adopt a Trumpian tactic, fear. Only in this case I have something real for Americans to fear. Not the concept of the GOP trifecta but the devastation it brings. Don’t believe you have something to fear from GOP governance? Ask anybody in Kansas.
354
@jdr1210
Gavin Newsom California's new Governor has supported free Medicare for all of states 2-3 million illegal ailens. As mayor of San Francisco he ignored the central city's littered needles, garbage, open drug use and scores of homeless sleeping on the sidewalks. Krugman endorsement of this record is deplorable.
@Frank Leibold Given that people show up in the far more costly emergency room when they're ill regardless of their immigration status, it makes sense to get them into a system where costs are lower. (I will reserve on the second sentence of your post to gather more facts.)
19
Most Americans who support "small government" do so under the illusion that their taxes are being spent mainly on programs and services that benefit those who are poor and lazy. In fact, most of our tax expenditures- whether at the federal level or at the state and local levels- are used for the benefit of ALL Americans, and in those places in "red America" where taxes remain low, the victims tend to be seniors, schoolchildren and the unemployed. Further, when tax laws are created for the benefit of the affluent (reducing marginal tax rates to the lowest levels on record and exempting capital gains, inheritances, apocryphal business losses, etc.) the rest of us end up having to make up the difference. Lies and calumnies relating to "big government" are much like those that are used to demonize immigrants and Muslims; they're disseminated by the same people and targeted at the same people.
563
@stu freeman True and true. Maybe it will take a LONG government shutdown for Republican voters to understand that. The best lesson, however, would be a complete shutdown. For humane reasons, however, that cannot be done.
41
@stu freeman Yes, and hence the sometimes-voiced idea "OK, let the Republicans have their federal tax cuts." Let most taxes AND services be state-wide, ending the large transfer of wealth from the blue states like Massachusetts, New York, and California to the red states like Mississippi, Oklahoma and West Virginia. Watch the red states become even poorer and the blue states prosper. See if red-state people eventually get the idea.
84
@tsl
Except that now, with the cap on the deductibility of state taxes, the blue states are being further punished. Happily though, most high value tax payers in California would rather live there than anywhere in Trumpland.
41
Maine is finally rid of the shameful GOP governor Paul LePage who spent 8 years denigrating the state. LePage took his marbles and moved to Florida in a huff so he doesn't have to pay Maine income taxes on the pension Maine taxpayers are funding. A very literal fog has been lifted and our Democratic Governor, the first woman elected governor in Maine, now leads with Democratic majorities in the House and Senate.
760
@SCL
I think you mean something stronger that sounds like "denigrating", which means only verbally denunciation. Sorry, though, I can't quite think of the word.
17
@SCL
Congratulations!
Next up: Sen. Susan Collins in 2020. Make her history.
99
@Thomas Zaslavsky - And if you mean what I think you mean, in a state that is 95% caucasian, acknowledgment of such an effort would hardly be worth the political backlash.
2
I would like to see more discussion of housing costs. My town has high housing costs in relation to per capita income, but an easy explanation for that: we're a university town, and students drive up rents, increasing the investment value of housing. One way to attempt to address that is through property taxes, which are lower if the residential property is the owner's primary residence. I wonder if the difference between the two rates is high enough, or if the tax rate could go up for primary residences on value that exceeds $500,000.
I'm not sure subsidizing housing is the way to go except to ensure that low-income people have shelter. Neither subsidies nor tax credits ever seem to help people of median income households.
I'm not pretending to know anything about this. Just asking questions.
2
Your sanguine column gives a reader hope, Dr. Krugman, but there’s the usual “flaw in the plan” (thank you, J.K. Rowling).
For all of the strides that blue state governance has made—or intends to make in the near future—people still have to have an awareness of public policy and be invested enough in their communities and local governments to be what the Constitution says they are: ombudsmen.
The main drawback is Citizens United. Until that game-changer is overturned, it’s still a rich man’s country. The Koch Bottles, the Mercers, ALEC, the uber-wealthy can continue to dictate the terms, particularly in red states where the ground will always be fertile for “government is the problem.” The executives and legislators in these trifecta locales don’t want healthy people or 21st-Century rail service or roads rivaling those in Europe. They want to keep the din going about abortion and immigration and tax cuts and a demographic that is irrevocably declining to the point that “the base” fears that the second-class citizenship that defined “those others.”
Government works when citizens pay into it. Republicans don’t want to do that. They want—and get—their own freebies, but go ballistic when a hungry child gets a hot dog for lunch or a free dental exam because “someone else has to pay for it.”
Citizens United didn’t get Donald Trump elected but it sent to Washington his enablers. They dictate the terms of engagement. Defeat them and we’re having another conversation.
989
@Red
Completely agree, but I would go one step further (even two, or three)
1. Publicly financed elections of no more than 8 weeks
2. Mandatory voting (via mail and paper ballot)
3. An end to all 501.c4s AND an end to religious tax exemption which has morphed with very dark money in recent years.
Then we might have a chance - just a thought.
736
I totally get where you're coming from, but you need to look at your history before you propose getting rid of tax exemptions for churches. Separation of the church and state has been severely weakened of late. Giving the state tax authority over churches would put too much control in the hands of the state (as well as in the hands of any state sanctioned sects) to promote, or demote any given cult through tax policy. The answer is to limit church money and voice in government, not try to increase state voice in the business of the churches.
48
@Steve (assuming the response is to me)
I am not sure what you mean by I have to look at me own history, because the state (fully backed by the church) has (up until very recently) been severely discriminatory in relation to human rights and in particular, towards the rights of women to have complete dominion over their own bodies.
Me countrymen(women) are ecstatic those chains are now broken.
As far as the state ''controlling'' churches - I never said or sanction that. I am merely stating that religious entities have morphed into political organization with dark money. I think we should NOT be subsidizing that through tax dollars going to them.
They can prey on their own dime.
208
And don't forget the shining example of Maine with new Governor Janet Mills and a progressive Democratic Legislature. You Mainers out in the away lands, come back home. Welcome home.
4
Ronald Reagan ushered in the era of government as problem. The Gipper, with his trickle down economics and "welfare queens" laid the groundwork for Trump in most every way. Reagan did it with a smile not a scowl which made him more effective, hence more destructive. Republicans were always willing to sell the Reagan lie, now Democrats have joined in (stop, please). Reagan talked a good fairy tale of a shining city on a hill but he started digging the crater we now occupy.
10
When I see Citizen's United reversed, gerrymandering outlawed, publicy financed elections with matching contributions, real consequences for public and elected officials for breaking thier oath to the Constitution and faor taxes for all with no loopholes foe the rich to avoid paying their fair share, I will believe that Democrocy has a chance. My list is much longer considering the last 40 years of malfeasance by leadership on both sides, but those are a good start. Equal representation under the law and the removal of religion from our government are needed as well. Again, I could keep going. The things needed for our Democrocy to right itself are many but not insurmountable. VOTE
7
@JDH
Well said JDH.
May I recommend Oliver Dowlen's book, "The Political Potential of Sortition" Sortition is the only way I can see our Democracy righting itself.
Sortition is representative. Sortition solves the gerrymandering problem. Sortition elections do not need a wheelbarrow of money to finance them.
I think you'll find Sortition solves many of the problems you mention, and the others in your long list that you hint at.
As a lifelong Democrat, unfortunately when I think of Dem “governance,” the recent L train tunnel debacle seems to be closer to the truth than whatever propaganda Krugman spins. Cuomo was asleep at the wheel as he oversaw the most important piece of infrastructure, the NYC subway, fall into disrepair. And yet, he’ll be running for President!
4
We can thank rural white Americans and mass apathy for the Republican stranglehold ..culturally/geographically insular small town/rural Americans seem to vote on their fears and prejudices .Lets hope the rest of the nation is wide awake during the next election cycle as was the case in 2018 ....
7
How much evidence do we need that states with blue governments—that take in enough in taxes to provide for the commonweal—thrive economically? While those with red governments—that starve their tax coffers on the theory that billiionaires won’t keep it all for themselves—go bankrupt? How many Kansases does it take before red state electorates get picture?
9
You should have skipped NJ as a test case for your opinion piece.
If the government here was so great, we wouldn't find ourselves in a situation where more folks are leaving than moving here.
And it is op-ed, fitting data to tell a narrative.
1
Republicans, contrary to popular opinion, don’t want to sabotage government at all. Just government of, by, and for the people.
2
@JFM If a group of people who have some power have in addition one unthinkable thought that is somehow central to what they are doing together, then anything that threatens to expose the unthinkable and ask the group to consider it has to be attacked without mercy. This leads to dozens of ways in which this powerful group becomes unable to think. It also leads to ferocious attacks on anything that might cause the group, or even members of it, to actually think. "Government of, by and for the people"! Ah, run screaming from the room.
@JFM
Republicans love the parts of the government that business profits from. Boeing, Lockheed, Halliburton love defense contracts; Big Pharma loves the Medicare drug benefit; the For Profit colleges love student loans from the Department of Education and so forth.
Republicans are like the person who said "I want to cut all government spending except for what I am getting."
1
A very good column Dr, Krugman, as always.
But it's really not a complicated equation: Republicans create problems: ginned up issues, bogus scandals, lots of bluster and noise, demonization, vilification, constant nonsensical diversion, war, racism, bigotry and what not, and above all needless and costly drama, all in their 40 year quest to destroy the middle class, and reduce us all to under educated serfs or lightly educated flunkys for their true owners and zookeepers, the Koch Brothers, who fund their odious mission.
Thee is a solution and we can thank Jerry Brown for illustrating a lot of it: just get rid of Republicans. All of them! Vote them out. Each and every one of them. Send them off to their great no taxes, no services, no regulations Republican Paradise: Kansas, while we create a sane and humane society out of the rubble the GOP always leaves. All of them. And let the few who are left whine and moan, just to remind the voters what colossal liars, malicious fools, criminals, moochers, bigots, racists and miscreants Republicans really are.
NO REPUBLICANS: NO REPUBLICAN DRAMA and TRAUMA.
2020
2
Of course, the results of the experimentation in laboratories only do you good if one believes in evidence and a scientific approach...
Mysteriously, we elected twice a buffoon who once proclaimed "government is the problem," then expected "government" to solve problems.
Down the rabbit hole.
Fantasizing about having it both ways is the mark of an immature mind.
2
@David Henry Very well said. Thanks for brevity and clarity.
So I wonder how the dysfunction can be explained in my state (Hawaii) where the Dems hold (and have held for ages) a chokehold on the state legislature, governorship, federal representatives and virtually every other aspect of government yet NOTHING OF SIGNIFICANCE OR BENEFIT TO THE POPULATION GETS ACHIEVED??
These clowns here are intransigent, incompetent and see it their rightful place to feed at the trough for the requisite amount of years until they can collect bennies and retirement, in addition to being lifetime hacks that musical chair their way through state & county governments in addition to stints as executives for the governor or mayor.
Maybe the constant recycling and musical chair system here has produced inbred and damaged individuals that can't help that they are incompetent at best and corrupt at worst??
Whole states are either blue or red? That’s nonsense. I read comments such as, “I’d rather live in a blue state” or “I’d rather raise my kids in a blue state”. More nonsense.
The former ignores measurable statistics: demographics. The latter is just seeking refuge in an echo chamber. Both seem paradoxical in that neither seeks the popular left trope of diversity and inclusion.
Not to rain on your parade, but things won't get better in DC until voters force them to. Judging from the throwback specimens sent to DC from the South, that's not likely to happen.
And it's not just the South. I'm in the Midwest where we have our own nihilistic cannibal heroes.
Our just expired "conservative" GOP governor dismantled the "wasteful" nascent state film board, just in time for states like Georgia to step up. Meanwhile, businesses in film went broke and film projects crashed or went elsewhere. And guess what? 6 years after he cancelled the department, he opened it again. I'd say film is burned here for awhile. It might never have made a ton, but it's an example.
This is the kind of short-sightedness I've come to expect from conservatives. The slipshod conversion away from Detroit water left Flint residents washing with bottled water years after the problem was discovered. Washing with bottled water!
The fact is, the middle class has an uncanny desire to vote against its best interest, so it really doesn't matter what policies get promoted; the middle class will get shafted because 1) you can't get blood out a stone (the poor) 2) they're so ignorant they think they aren't 3) they think that makes them upper class.
We just voted in a Democratic executive. But, clever monkeys they are, the GOP lame duck session managed to nip voter rights and executive power in the bud.
We need a big upgrade in our ability to think a thought through before this gets to DC.
1
You are cherry picking Dr. Krugman. How very unscientific of you.
California has the highest poverty rate in the nation and the worst housing crisis in the nation. Oh yeah, and the worst income inequality in the nation. This is after 8 years of democratic control. California is a demonstration that wealthy Democrats are hypocrites. At least wealthy Republicans are honest that they want to keep all of their wealth. The wealthy democrats spout childish aphorisms about helping the poor, then they build walls around their houses and neighborhoods and golf courses and go on their merry way.
3
@tanstaafl
Alternate facts perhaps? Ol’ Mississippi has the highest poverty rate. California isn’t even in the top 10 which are nearly all ‘red’ states.
1
@KC, let me repeat: California has the highest poverty rate in the nation. Here, read this:
https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/health-and-medicine/article218270905.html
and this:
https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2018/demo/p60-265.pdf
You may not agree with the policies of the Democratic Party but at least they govern in the state that they control. Republicans have done nothing in Washington in two years. They provided no checks on the most corrupt presidency of the United States, nominated two pro-business, theocratic judges to the Supreme Court and passed a tax bill which increases the deficit and we have the Republican Freedom (really?) Caucus obstructing the Republican Party in the House. Let is compared with the Democratic Party of New York State which took control of the three branches of the government there. Here the Bill they adopted:
1)a new election bill enacting early voting, mandating primary elections to be held the same day and letting 16-17years to preregister to vote;
2)bill to ban conversion therapy;
3)bill to include protection of transgender individual in the state hate crime; and
4)bill to limit corporate donations.
And the Democrats did all that in two days. And also no shut down!
1
Connecticut has been under full democrat control for years. It is all but bankrupt with residents and jobs are fleeing.
3
@Rowdy And some of the highest property taxes of any state in the US.
Since you named Gavin Newsom as the CA governor seems only fair to give credit by name to the governors WA and NJ: Jay Inslee and Phil Murphy. Inslee now in his 2nd term.
Don't forget Oregon, Doc.
The problem is with wasted tax dollars. Not just those spent through Medicare that was not done, or substandard cement in a Federal building project. But silly studies done by research fellows, and money spent protecting animals that really have passed their prime. Red America doesn't need a whole lot of these to motivate them to vote for Trump, and Blue America's protestations that all of them are worthwhile are just grist for their mill.
1
"Why can’t Republicans govern? It’s not just that their party is committed to an ideology that says that government is always the problem, never the solution. Beyond that, they have systematically deprived themselves of the ability to analyze policies and learn from evidence, because hard thinking might lead someone to question received doctrine."
You make some good points, Mr. Krugman. Perhaps, Republicans are not as good at governing as they are at, say, launching ad hominem attacks, repeating conspiracy theories, and focusing on trivial issue to try and distract the public.
But, if I may offer a counter rebuttal from the Republican point of view, let me ask you this: Why is Gillette using an ad to lecture men on toxic masculinity?
Trump's failures are epic. Consider today's Trump capitulation to China over tariffs. Trump offered to rescind the tariffs as an inducement to China to simply discuss tariffs. China offered nothing in return.
Consider Trump's N. Korea fiasco. Not one missile has been retired nor any progress on enrichment.
Trump's shutdown has cratered the economy leaving the fed no choice but to stop raising interest rates and to pause the reduction of its balance sheet of mortgage backed securities.
The tax cuts Trump alleged would pay for themselves have done anything BUT pay for themselves.
In total, Trump's presidency has been as successful as his casino that filed bankruptcy.
The states may be America's only salvation till the remaining brain dead Americans wake up to the mess their candidate created.
2
I can remember years ago when I heard a politician, beside Reagan, running on a government does not work platform. While government can always use some improvement, it seemed ridiculous to me that someone would vote for a person with no government experience, a very negative view of government effectiveness, and expect a positive outcome. Capitalism is too nakedly greedy to be left totally unfettered. And now, we are returned to another Gilded Age. Where we have a motley crew of extremely wealthy people competing on a very un level playing field. Corporations are becoming unwieldy behemoths captained by men who are grossly over compensated, while everyone else scrambles for the crumbs left behind. Trump is the worst President in our history and we will not see positive changes until he is run out of town. Democrats need to embrace a simple vision for our future, like the Green New Deal. Blue Wave 2020 !
3
There actually is a Republican corollary at the state level. In Kansas, a Republican governor and state legislature did exactly what they said they would do, reduce taxes way down, but how'd that go for them? Exactly the opposite of what they'd promised: school budgets were slashed beyond the bone and all of it ticked off the populace enough that the populace actually did what voters are supposed to do - kick out the people who created the misery.
In Wisconsin, the governor did what he said he was going to do - bring more employment to the state - but he gave away one of the most egregious deals in history and the populace once again did the right thing by voting him out. Shame they didn't do the same to the legislature, but that's what gerrymandering will get ya - disenfranchisement.
So, let's not just pat state-level Democrats for getting the job done!
2
It does seem that a part of the Republican agenda to destroy FDR America is to simply not govern at all. They often disguise this in the "big government" theory. I think this is why it is so frustrating that they hunger for power the way they do. They want political power to destroy democracy and empower oligarchy. I hope history will shed light on their treasonous and unpatriotic behavior.
2
I’ve often wondered about the motivations of those who seek office and thus direct, for some years, the precious steering of the massive abilities and sums of money that the national government wields. Anyone assuming office should rightly be highly motivated in making better the lives of citizens’ further pursuit of happiness through stepwise development of successful existing or in feasible needed sweeping changes to those programs and rules (i.e., laws) which are proven failures, not engage -at our expense and voting consciousness- in divisive, silly and costly distractions.
1
Democrats understand that Government can be a powerful force for Good. But Republicans spread toxic lies about the evils of Government. Behind it all is the greed of Rich Capitalists like Donald Trump and the Koch Brothers, who don't want to pay taxes and participate in a Democratic Society. No matter how may billions of dollars they have they still want more tax cuts. It's disgusting.
1
What passes for conservative ideology is little more than a screen for blatant criminal activity. But the ideology serves an important purpose by allowing the crooks to dodge the facts. This shows up most vividly in the GOP's attempt to deny the reality of climate change. The scientific consensus is virtually absolute, yet Republicans continue to disregard the science, and claim that attempts by the the government to address the problem represent an intrusion on free enterprise. In fact, their position is simply a gambit that allows the fossil fuel industry to prosper at the expense of the earth as a human habitat. Of course, the Republicans have terrible ideas that don't stand up to scrutiny. But they have even worse practices which deserve the most critical attention.
3
I just wish the states had enough money to pick up the bills for all the federal workers who are effectively unemployed at this point. And then they can send the bill to the devil-president to pay out of his alleged billions.
1
Republicans have lost the ability to govern - they are now a party of looters. Nothing more, nothing less.
It's the political equivalent of vulture capitalism.
3
Paul, you are an intelligent writer, and I love your articles, But what should have been added here is the fact that it is Mitch McConnell, the anti-America, anti-Constitution supposed "Leader" who spits on the Constitution by not allowing any House bills to be voted on on the rationale that he won't bring it to the floor if Trump won't sign. Where does it say that in the Constitution?
What it does say is that the Senate must act on the House bills, send it to the POTUS, he'll sign or veto, and then the Senate can override. How he can reconcile ignoring the words of the Constitution is an outrage though this is not the first time given the Merrick Garland stall to install a radical conservative on the SCOTUS.
The Senate needs a Leader, and not a Trump sycophant. He should either do his job, or the GOP should toss him out and replace him with someone who will adhere to the word of our founders.
4
A side by side column to this one is headlined Malign Incompetence of the British Ruling Class and it's a fine column that details the abysmal leadership of that empire post colonialism after world war two and up to the current day. The incompetence is entrenched, up to Brexit.
I know I'm screaming at the choir when I say this, but why do we tolerate malign incompetence in warped ideology and applied leadership of so many unhinged republicans? If we were to fight them with as much energy and disrespect as they show us in our committment to our democracy, we'd win.
And, where does it say I have to respect someone I disagree with morally, ethically, and every which way?
I don't respect people committed to personal wealth uber alles, I never will, and hold them in no regard, not in their opinions, words, actions, or beliefs.
Why should I, and more importantly, why should you, respect malign incompetence in the pursuit of wealth uber alles?
2
Meanwhile, back in ND our state government is debating Sunday Blue Laws and requiring all public schools to teach the Bible. But then again we are Exhibit B of the impact of the R trifecta, with Kansas as Exhibit A.
3
I have four nieces, Mr. Krugman. All of them more or less grown. But I remember them when they were small. One particular photo (taken at that time) has always stuck in my mind.
The eldest of the four sitting somewhere, contemplating a plate loaded with pancakes or waffles or something. Looking happy.
The NEXT eldest standing to one side, a little behind her sister. Looking--NOT happy. What's this? A delicious treat for my sister--and nothing for ME?
All of which (and I'm sorry to say this, Mr. Krugman) reminds me of today's GOP--and (strange to say) I still AM a registered member of that party.
I hate to assign these people--the GOP leadership across the land--motives of ILL WILL. Or MALEVOLENCE. Or a deep-seated, underlying desire to HURT people.
Yet sometimes I am left wondering: If not those things (odious, even unthinkable as they are)--then WHAT? What would impel my own party (!) to act so openly CONTRARY to the best interests of the nation?
Well sir--thanks for the encouraging report on the BLUE states. Or even the PARTLY blue states. A lot of us (including me) are so focused upon the ongoing disaster in our nation's capital--
--that we forget the states.
I think that, after a period of disastrous inattention--
--the Democrats really ARE focusing on the states. State HOUSES maybe I should say.
None too soon!
2
Blue states and the D's.have to compete with Rs to raise big money to run. They have to listen to the uber wealthy call the shots and set limits to our lawmaking.
See NPR: Why Are U.S. Elections So Much Longer Than Other Countries? They have laws limiting them.
It points to “Big Money In Politics.” Says “Laws may keep some countries' elections short, but other factors allow America's to go long — large amounts of money chief among them.
Candidates can't keep advertising for a year and a half, without millions of dollars at their disposal. The U.S. system requires candidates to raise millions of dollars to even mount a serious run.
‘Voters in [Canada] would not have the tolerance or would not accept a system where that kind of money is spent on campaigns. There would be a huge uproar,’ said Don Abelson, professor of political science.
"The elections tend to be very short, not terribly expensive."
Indeed, Canadians balked even at the country's recent 11-week campaign.
And in many countries, there's not room for a massive advertising arms race like the U.S. has. Brazil, the U.K. and Japan, and many others nations, don't allow candidates to purchase TV ads. (that's our biggest campaign expense)
In some countries liked Japan, candidates each get equal, free, ad space."
Why is this huge issue missing in our media? Most voters and many politicians want to reverse Citizens United. Why do even our liberal columnists and pundits obviously avoid discussing this?
5
Good point - they had control of everything and did nothing. Not that I'm complaining because what they said they wanted to do would have destroyed America, but still...
3
Please add Governor Cuomo to your list, in his State of the State Address put forth the boldest progressive plans in the history of New York State. I am a life long New Yorker and it has never been a better time to live in New York, (I am grateful every day that I do) ESPECIALLY with the useless insanity that goes on in the Federal level.
Right on, Prof Krugman.
In blue state we may (Repubicans in our state cries more about taxes) complain for high taxes, but we do pay them and understand the reasons for it and appreciative of our representative government.
We may have some waste, as part of any modern corporations(work for one and you will know), but we do have way higher ROI on our taxes.
NJ & CT are highest taxed states, but they also offer best chance to earn highest income by every measure.
3
Take a look at what Washington state has done in the past two years. We have mail only paper ballots, environmentally-focused Governor Jay Inslee, a Democratic state house that increased its majority in 2018, two female senators who get things done, and some of the best voter access laws around. And, our economy is humming. We have our problems but we’re working on them.
8
In the future, please address the accusation that wealthy Republicans are heavily invested in funding the US national debt, and thus the bigger that debt can be grown, the more they are making in interest payments. That sure beats paying taxes, if true, and it seems consistent with the GOP hypocrisy about deficit spending.
3
While the country descends into chaos, I just can't let this go by without a major shout-out to our 2nd term Blue-State GOP Governor, Larry Hogan. I don't agree with everything that he says and does, but I'm not supposed to, that's not the point of an elected government. He is a dedicated and pragmatic leader who is working for all the people of Maryland.
12
Without attempting to defend Republican inaction, the democratic activism of which the writer speaks involves more government and more government spending. This writer called for banks to be nationalized in 2008. Much of the action that he applauds is action most Americans, except those on the receiving end of the dole, don't want. I prefer limited government, the kind that acknowledges and demands responsible conduct on the part of the people. I don't want government in every nook and cranny of my life. But I am afraid this is where we are headed. A government that tells when we have enough, what we should do about health insurance, taxes everything and generally grossly interferes in our lives. Liberal government is for the losers; it is bad for the hard working winners
2
@Bryan I remember George W's solution to health care: just go to the emergency room. In other words, sponge off people's taxes. I'm for compulsory health insurance because I don't want people to spend the healthy periods of their life shirking premiums and then when they get sick coming for my tax dollars. They will feel as entitled to health care as they felt entitled to not pay into the system back when they were "hard working winners".
25
@Bryan
Universal Health Insurance via your employment and if one looses ones job, unemployment insurance is what Germany has had at least since after WWII. Government learned from losing the war to be responsible for the health and well being of its citizens. Streets are fixed, bridges are repaired, schools are excellent. Police and Firemen as well as teachers get a livable salary. What I see here is a very selfish society, looking for ever more and more tax savings. Corporate taxes have decreased from 70% to now 20%, and with loopholes many more pay no taxes. It is irresponsible. Not to mentioned that the average worker doesn't benefit from it. The deficit has been increased since Reagan, always under a Republican President. Then a democrat comes in and tries to decrease it by raising taxes to a decree out of necessity. I totally disagree with your comment. We need a good responsible Government who is here for ALL the People not just the very self centered super super rich.
1
@Bryan The great thing about Dr Krugman's opinion is that if, at a later date, he sees data that proves it wrong, he will admit it. I don't know what he thinks now, but if he indeed call for bank nationalization in 2008, it was an opinion offered within the context of an economy melting down before our eyes. Does he stand by it in 2019? I don't know. Consider that not one resident of Wall Street went to jail during that whole mess; including the misery caused by rampant fraudulent mortgage robosigning.
1
Reliance on states to do what the federal government should be doing is a somewhat desperate hope and a divisive measure. Aside from the original 13 colonies (actually 13 separate countries) state borders were often arbitrarily drawn and, for the most part, had nothing to do with differing political views. We are Americans, not Californians, or New Jerseyites, or Pennsylvanians. Individuals residing on either side of the Delaware River are Americans, not members of separate nations, speaking a separate language. They have a common history. "State's rights" are a fiction designed to advance the cause of the party in power (most often conservatives). Asking states to do what the federal government should do further polarizes the nation. Until Washington starts to govern, and act in the best interest of all Americans, we will remain hopelessly divided.
5
@Disillusioned
right now, I need to feel part of a blue, or at least purple, state to ease the pain and shame that comes from living in a country headed by a Deplorable bent on destroying it.California, despite a crushing serious of global-warming disasters, still emerges as a thriving economic powerhouse and the engine of reform, and companies, after failing to lobby it's leadership out of existence, mostly get on board and help distribute those reforms and advances nationally. So we are ALL part Californian, and should be proud to be so.
6
Along the lines of what Krugman is going on about for the states, a progressive idea that conservatives should also be able to get behind - get rid of the Federal gas tax and along with it the Dept. of Transportation.
The President and Congress are merely collecting the Federal gas tax to then pork barrel to road, highway and transit project that the states need to come as supplicants to the Federal government for funding. Let the states take those taxes and then use them as they see fit. For us here in NY, that could be on improving our decrepit subways and commuter lines.
2
Maine ranks 42nd in terms of the States' populations so maybe we are not a good example.
During the last 8 years with a Republican governor both houses of the legislature were controlled by the Republicans for only 2 of those years.
Major accomplishment of those 2 years? A $400 million tax break to the wealth and businesses. While it didn't bankrupt the state it did seem to impede the slow and painful regrowth of the economy after the 2008 debacle. No money for major infrastructure, etc.
The remaining 6 years saw a divided legislature. However, even the Republican Senate on many occasions overruled the vetoes of the governor. Things got done the old fashion way with horse trading and compromise. During those 6 years many of the governor's "important" proposals never saw the light of day. Thankfully!
After 8 years, LePage's single "success" was his $400 million give-away.
For the next 2 years the Democrats control the executive and the legislature. Let's see how they do.
12
Thank you for a
Slightly optimistic column today, Paul. I was beginning to think all was lost reading your recent work
6
New Jersey's newly-elected Governor, and the leaders of our House and Senate, agreed this week to write and pass a bill mandating a $15.00 minimum wage.
A household of two working people, even making just this new minimum wage, will earn more than $62K when that law is fully enacted. That's what Blue Government looks like. Government for the people.
12
@retired physicist -- the problem for most minimum-wage workers is getting hours. They never get a regular 40-hour/week job from one employer; that would mean benefits. Piecing together irregular hours from multiple employers is the norm.
9
In one of his more optimistic columns, Paul Krugman reminds us how important a particular community can be in determining the quality of life of the people who live there, especially in a country as vast and varied as the USA.
5
Here in Illinois, the newly elected Democratic Governor, starts off having to first clean up the purposeful destruction of social services, and a 10 billion dollar increase in unpaid bills left by a republican Koch-brothers-aligned plutocrat Governor. It looks like Governor Pritzker is starting out right, and reaching across the isle to what’s left of the decimated Republican Party in Illinois to help him tackle the big problems the state faces, as well as leading with and developing the many assets Illinois has to offer. I look forward to his efforts to make Illinois the great state that I know it can be. Good luck, and best wishes Governor Pritzker!
32
California famously suffers from a gentrification problem. Rich Dems move in and poor and middle class Dems are priced out. But that aside the GOP and, Mitch McConnell in particular committed himself, to doing any thing to obstruct Obama. Now he's in a prolonged state of dormancy when real leadership is needed to end Trump's gov't shut down.
11
For years, Professor Krugman was an unabashed advocate of the ACA, demonizing anyone who was critical of it. Now, he reluctantly acknowledges that there might be some flaws in the model, without actually understanding what consumers are being forced to buy on the heath insurance marketplace exchanges, which dramatically differ based on the state one resides in.
I'm 62, and from a "blue state"...New York. It was obvious to me from the get go that economists like Krugman never bothered to register onto their state marketplace website(s), or use a proxy to do so, to determine the particulars of the plan offerings being marketed by the few "for-profit" insurance companies that were participating in the exchanges.
The overwhelming hoax of the ACA insurance plans are hidden in the policy's "deductible", which can reach $15,000, turning these offerings into very expensive catastrophic (or hospitalization) policies, whereby they're only effective if something terrible, and extremely costly, happens to the purchaser.
10
@Stone The single biggest cause for personal bankruptcies in the US is medical costs. It shouldn't be any surprise then that the rate of bankruptcy filings has been cut in half since the passage of ACA. Yes, people are paying deductibles, but they're not giving their money over to bankruptcy lawyers, and they're getting the healthcare they need to boot. I'l take it.
37
@TRKapner First, you're justifying the outrageous guaranteed profits that ACA health insurance providers are foisting onto the backs of the vast majority of their policy holders, most of whom are young and healthy, to cover that sliver of the medical patient universe that would detract from their profit margins [the average salary of a U.S. health insurance CEO is $20 MILLION]
Secondly, you're assuming that the average person who is (previously) mandated to purchase an ACA policy can afford the yearly premium [$6,000] plus the out-of-pocket deductible [$15,000] without being forced into bankruptcy. That's elitist of you. I don't think you have a clue about the demographics of ACA policy holders, or you'd know that these are folk with limited savings who will opt NOT to seek necessary medical treatment if they're facing a large deductible.
4
@Stone The ACA is far from perfect. But any proposed health insurance plan faces the same problem -- how to get it passed through Congress. The lobbyists from the health insurance companies, Big Pharma, AMA, American Hospital Association, etc. are a major force on capital hill and it is relatively easy for them to tie things up and prevent passage of legislation.
The ACA is probably the best bill that it's supporters could get passed.
4
Well said, Mr. Krugman!! Excellent column.
6
Mr Krugman is, as usual, precisely wrong. The most popular, and most effective governors are GOP governors like Charlie Baker of Massachusetts; Larry Hogan of Maryland; and Chris Sununu of New Hampshire. These are practical, undogmatic politicians who reach across the isle - they are not doctrinaire hardliners like Mr Newsom. If the California governor is doing so well, what explains the horrendous homelessness problems in LA & San Francisco, and the high personal tax in the state, that puts off investors?
6
@Joe Homelessness: milder climate. Taxes: many factors (and there are states with higher rates).
4
@Joe
I'm sure you know this, but if California were a separate country, its economy would be the fifth largest in the world. It's hard to see how that could be the case if investors were put off.
Krugman granted that housing is one of California's most serious economic issues. Since Governor Newsom was sworn in January 7, I'm challenged to understand how he could resolve the intractable problem of homelessness in ten days.
I'm certainly open to hearing more about the achievements of the governors you take note of, especially in their first ten days of office.
7
@Joe Your point is well taken but I think you are comparing apples and oranges. All of the Republican governors you mention reside in historically moderate to liberal states. Also, they govern divided governments meaning that the democrats control part or all of the legislature. Krugman's statement regarded states ruled by one party. I am a native of Commonwealth of Massachusetts and I have noticed that it seems to work best with a democratic legislature and a moderate republican governor (think Bill Weld, Mitt Romney, and now Charlie Baker). I doubt any of these men, except maybe Romney, would have a chance in a typical red state. My take away is that a divided government when all parties act with integrity and in the spirit of compromise will invariably provide for better governance. (P.S: Krugman, NYC is a mess. Not a good example)
1
Republicans govern effectively. Not according to liberal standards, but according to their own goals, which include preventing government from assisting people in need (a waste of money), deregulating anything that interferes with business practices (creates jobs), keeping in place all the privileges of the privileged class (they worked hard for success), and diminishing the power of minority groups (they threaten American values). In their own version of governance, Republicans know exactly what they are doing, and are convinced their concept of government is best, and will not compromise with what they consider to be disastrous, unrealistic ideals of the left. In their minds, the fact that they are fighting for a noble and righteous cause is beyond question.
31
@William
Absolutely correct. Except real world evidence (you know, measured outcomes) demonstrates that their approaches are ineffective, often counterproductive. You know this, I know this, but they will not accept it. I've said many times that Republicans are a party of principle over pragmatism, which is respectable in some ways, but when those principles become self-destructive it's probably time to reevaluate.
17
@Dan Republicans are indeed a party of principle.
Many republicans that I know of follow the principle that I am successful and doing OK. If you are not doing OK it is your fault for being lazy.
Another republican principle -- Make all the money you can anyway you can. Many republicans view money as the measure of success and worth. If you have little or no money then you are of very little worth as an individual. You should have had the foresight to chose rich parents.
You get the idea of what republican principles represent.
3
@William
Assisting people in need is a "waste of money!?" Deregulating anything that interferes with business?
Keep the privileged class "privileged" because "They worked hard"Diminishing minority groups because they threaten our values?? Either your post is a poor attempt at "dark humor" or you are a very good example of incorrect thought.
1
Every time Paul Krugman writes about health insurance and the wonders of the ACA, I want to scream.
As to governing, I live in a "blue state" (not really - Maryland is a southern state with the federal government plopped down in it). Very progressive and all that, and if you are eligible for Medicaid, one has great health care.
I am in the independent market for health insurance. My independent income is near the state average for a household, but as a single person, that means that I am not eligible for a subsidy. Maryland, like New Jersey, compels participation in an ACA plan. I am 64, have no pre-existing conditions, take no medication, and avoid going to the doctor except for the most serious of ailments because my annual premium of $8,628 for the least expensive "bronze plan" chews up a significant portion of my income. For this, I get an annual flu shot and NOTHING else. Add my deductible of $6,550, and I am $15,178 out of pocket before my insurer pays for anything. And I have no routine coverage if I travel outside of the state, and no protection should I have an emergency (which is paid for after the $15K) but am admitted to hospital that is out of plan. All this, never minding balance billing! Medical bankruptcy looms! I count the days until Medicare! Literally!!!
Meanwhile, my doctor complains that the Medicaid patients come in frequently because they are lonely, but I get charged in three figures to walk in the door!
So much for "blue state governance!"
12
@D I Shaw IF you have an unexpected serious illness requiring extensive treatment and long hospitalization, you will only be on the hook for the out-of-pocket maximum under your policy (probably about $6,500), not hundreds of thousands of dollars. Yes, the ACA (based on the Republican Heritage Foundation plan) is bad, but it could be much worse. In one year you will be on Medicare. Relax.
8
@D I Shaw For years, Krugman was an unabashed advocate of the ACA, demonizing anyone who was critical of it. Now, apparently he acknowledges that there might be some flaws in the model.
I'm 62, and also from a "blue state"...New York. It was obvious to me from the get go that economists like Krugman never bothered to register onto the state marketplace website(s), or use a proxy to do so, to determine the particulars of the plan offerings being marketed by the few "for-profit" insurance companies that were participating in the exchanges.
And you're right, the overwhelming hoax of the ACA insurance plans are hidden in the "deductible", which turns these offerings into very expensive catastrophic (or hospitalization) policies, whereby they're only effective if something terrible, and costly, happens to the purchaser.
4
@Stone - registering was the first thing I did, even though I don't need coverage. In about 10 minutes of poking around I could tell that ACA was un-workable. If you get the subsidy, maybe your ok, if you're just over the bubble forget it you are in deep trouble. Costs are outrageous.
It's amazing that Dr K and all the other media couldn't invest 10 minutes to analyze ACA, they just went on blathering on how great it was.
4
If only those who seek office and, especially, high office, were as focused upon governance and bringing the country back from Trump's several brinks instead of putting up an equal and opposite pugnacious front that doesn't offer much in terms of what we once were, such a short time ago.
3
Blue NYC
-schools
-nycha
-mass transit
These are more objective measures of the effectiveness of a blue .gov. Nycha is a complete failure and the other 2 close behind.
3
@Paul -- NYC has considerably better schools than LAUSD ... or pick the red state of your choice -- like Oklahoma? Show me a red state where the public schools are anything but a bad joke.
NYC has subways, show me the red state that,,,
NYCHA? No argument, total disaster.
1
I don't know if we will be "lucky" in two years Paul.
America loves entertainment, and, Trump gives them what they desire.....the entertainment Presidency.
If Americans wanted governance, Trump would never have made it out of the primaries.
Entertainment is where I think we are headed, not governing.
14
Republican action is always attributed to flawed ideology, but an alternate explanation is simply that ideology is just a cover for maximizing opportunities for corruption.
Occam's Razor tells us that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one.
45
I think Occam's Razor is nonsense -- events are far more complex and "over-determined" than it allows for and it covers for sloppy thinking and easy rationalizations. Take the 2016 election...nothing simple about the result, but the Razor would make one think otherwise.
It will be very interesting to see how state, county and local governments attack economic inequality and its' twin disease, over priced real estate. At some point the service and domestic help gets so priced out the commute from the burbs becomes intolerably long and very expensive, even on public transportation. So let us hope the new leaderships and the local level develop a way to deal with this one issue.
11
'And Republicans still control the Senate and the White House. So even when (if?) the shutdown ends, it will be at least two years before we have a government in Washington that’s actually capable of, or even interested in, governing.'
Buzzfeed just published a story sourced from federal investigators with knowledge of corroborating evidence that president Trump instructed Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about his plan to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Cohen is likely prepared to testify to this before House committees. Trump's children appear to have been fully aware of these plans and supposedly were frequently briefed in detail.
If confirmed, these facts would be evidence of collusion and obstruction of justice by a sitting president. A brief statement by Rudy Giuliani this evening was a non-denial denial. This is grounds for impeachment, and I expect those proceedings to begin shortly after Cohen's House testimony, if not sooner.
Trump is manifestly corrupt at his core, and there's almost certainly more evidence of significant crimes still to be revealed. There's very little chance he serves out his term, being forced out by Congress or a deal with Mueller.
Once Pence becomes president he's entitled to select a VP, but that person requires majority approval in the House and Senate. Dems may block that if Pence looks vulnerable. That could set up Pelosi to be the president that completes this term. Stranger things have happened in the age of Trump.
71
It appears to me that Trump, wit the help of his pals, is systematically gutting this country==no infrastructure plan, natural resources being exploited unnecessarily, no care for the environment, no care for climate change or impacts, no rehabilitated housing,--it is a quiet but systematic destruction. Trump does not care for the US at all--if anything, he hates it. He plans to extract the maximum amount of revenue and then depart with his relatives to what he thinks will be a safe haven. Americans need to understand that they invited the worst of all traitors into our government.
9
@Michael Tyndall -- indeed. There are other felonies we already know about: Trump, Cohen and Pecker conspired in felony violations of FECA, and Trump committed money laundering and tax fraud in his repayments to Cohen for the Cliffords payoff.
The second of these is also a state crime in NY, and I expect Letitia James will indict. That will get interesting.
NY also has "Corrupt Organization" statutes that mirror RICO. Given the exposed felonies of the Trump Foundation and what anyone would expect to find serving a few subpoenas on Wesselberg and Cohen it would be extraordinarily tempting for James to indict the Trumps more broadly -- the Supreme Court would have a far more difficult time halting that case.
6
One might think that all of this government shutdown would show people how much we really need "government". We don't really need airports, or safe food.
15
Governments actually trying to do their job ?
Here in Sydney we have an independent female Lord Mayor (ex-teacher) since 2004 who has done a great job for the people - improving the livability of the city with wonderful new parks, childcare centres, libraries and events.
all the while obstructed at every turn by a conservative state government who have done everything they can to make her work difficult and block progress and try to kick her out so they can install one of their corrupt 'open for business' lackeys.
I just read today that they are so corrupt that they have been handing out secret contracts to some of the most expensive projects ever done in this country - without any community consultation and without even a business case - just mates' rates - give their mates the contract.
While ignoring resident's complaints about damage to their living conditions with pollution, cracked walls over tunnels, and chewing up historic parks just to build 'tollways to a traffic jam' as the Lord Mayor has correctly predicted.
The corrupt state government are predicted to be voted out next election - which cannot come too soon ...
46
The state experiments that need to be done will have to answer the question, How do you expand economic opportunities and raise the standard of living for all without overburdening middle-class taxpayers and discouraging business? Healthcare, housing, jobs and wages, and higher education are central components of any state experiment and it will be interesting to watch how California, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and other rich states deal with them. Good luck to all!
14
Those questions have been answered in multiple countries. The evidence is not experimental it is empirical. It's called socialism. When done right it works to benefit the poor and the middle class, without unduly restricting business or corporate activity.
31
It’s actual called Social Democracy - socialism goes much further than that.
41
Krugman mentions 50% of population used to live in Rep states, and now 28% live in Dem states.
How many states, not people, correspond to these numbers? As the electoral college tells us, states can matter more than people.
4
@Tecsi
There are also the states that have mixed government - one party occupying the governors chair; the legislatures either divided in control, or with neither party in a veto proof majority. These states will also be important in the election of 2020.
"Soaring housing costs are the biggest flaw in California’s otherwise impressive success story."
Anything Gavin Newsom does to improve the affordability of housing in California will have to result in lower costs. This is anathema to Trump and his in laws, the Kushners. Trump has consistently over extended himself investing in properties, expecting housing inflation to bail him out, and when that didn't happen, he went bankrupt. The Kushners own tens of thousands of apartments and townhouses, and anything that reduces rents will cost them dearly.
Large landlords are a powerful lobby, and they depend on housing inflation (aka increased non-affordability) to keep themselves solvent. They will fight tooth and nail before they let some upstart governor break their rice bowl.
Go on Gavin! Take them to the mat. If a state ever needed the government to transfer economic power from big capital to everyday people, California is it.
On the downside, a lot of small landlords and overextended home owners will lose their cash flow and their equity, and Blackstone will snap up the distressed properties. But my barrista might be able to afford his rent.
20
The Republicans have enacted plenty of laws, but none of them count in Mr. Krugman’s narrow world unless he supports them, a sign of Mr. Krugman’s arrogance. There’s charter schools, abortion laws, budget cuts, incentives for new businesses, and tax reform, among countless other Republican initiatives. But unless Mr. Krugman supports the initiative, he declares that it doesn’t exist.
3
@michjas Saying: okay industry, whatever you want to do is good with us, regardless of its effects on the majority of the citizens, is not governing. Letting the foxes 'guard' the hen houses is not governing. It is abdicating one's responsibility and in many cases, doing it for self-enrichment.
74
@michjas You’re right that Dr. K could be more convincing if he used stronger counter arguments, and he could just as easily refute them. Just look at Kansas, for one.
23
@michjas
It is also important to consider the content of these initiatives which differs in important way from the way they are called. For the example, Republican major legislative achievement at the federal level, tax reform, led to falling revenue and increase of the deficit with the tax cut benefiting dis proportionally the richest. The claims that these cuts would lead to an investment boom or pay for themselves did not materialize (as predicted by almost every economist and repeatedly demonstrated by previous republican tax cuts).
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/15/us/politics/federal-deficit-2018-trump-tax-cuts.html
On charter schools, the efficacy of abortion laws on actually curbing abortion rate, government regulations, etc. republicans have been similarly detached from facts and/or serious, informed debate.
33
We are seeing daily the inhibitions of government inherent in Republican conservatism. Now we are seeing the positives in Democratic progressivism.
25
The 2020 election campaign is underway. As it unfolds, I think the evidence gathering must begin and the Democratic Committee Members need to formulate a legislative agenda by addressing the priority issues that affect the quality of life, health, well-being, safety, and economic opportunities of families.
Internationally, we need to formulate policies to foster ideas for dealing with global warming. Rather than a border wall we should look at how we can create sea walls to protect our coastal cities from storm surges.
We need to pay a lot of attention to the capabilities of the Bretton Woods organizations like the World Bank, the IMF, the UN. We need a mechanism for trying a variety of technology approaches for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and shifting away from fossil energy to a non-fossil energy source. We need to use our national and university labs to work on this issue.
Everyone who studies economic history knows that government plays a role in the development of fundamental technologies, think about the great strides in medicine, communications, transportation, nuclear, battery, solar and wind power.
The Government can play a huge role in testing and competing ideas so that inventors can launch their ideas into the market. Clearly, we should test the late Senator Moynihan's idea for a 300 mph superconducting Maglev Network for freight trucks and passengers built along the Interstate Highway System. See www.magneticglide.com for the concept.
15
@james jordan
To be specific, among other options there are processes enhancing biological processes in the ocean that could sequester substantial amounts of carbon. For example, one seemingly whimsical option is restoring natural kelp forests in the Pacific by restoring sea otter populations. This might sequester as much carbon as the entire US coal fired electric utility industry produces; it's something we otter be working on.
1
And the policies - not people - need be communicated. Not catch phrases and photo ops but clear agendas backed up by data etc,
1
Thanks for reading my comment. Several people over my last 50 years of involvement in climate change have made this suggestion. I spent time in Japan and developed a taste for seaweed. So, I see the oceans as a source of food for the 11 Billion population as we close out this century.
This is very good news. Especially the news that Democrats are now governing one third of the country as it has been apparent for years now that Republicans are incapable of governing, not all of them, but those who are subscribing to the notion that lowering tax rates solves all problems. I look forward full of hope to what these functioning "laboratories of democracy" will produce as the federal government is under lockdown while Republican lawmakers are intimidated by Trump's base. In fact I wonder what kind of platform the current national Republicans can run on now that the base is expecting nonsense like white supremacy, no abortions, lower taxes, walls.
20
@Harold Johnson
"...Republicans are incapable of governing, not all of them, but those who are subscribing to the notion that lowering tax rates solves all problems."
By any reasonable definition, it is "all of them," especially when one considers congressional Republicans. The number of prominent Republicans who have "seen the light" can be counted on the fingers of a typical cartoon character. In rare cases, some state-level Republicans, after watching Republican orthodoxy trash state budgets and economies, have made small efforts to undo some of the damage.
2
Indeed, if politicians do their job, serve the people that elected them, with competence and aptitude, and honesty, and a sincere hope to make a difference, they shall be rewarded. Politics is the art of the possible, and compromise is a given. Most unfortunately, what we are living now is not politics...but politicking. That's why we have lost the trust in our democratic institutions.
19
They believe in government and governance. The GOP
does not.
29
I believe that Americans should be offered a Medicare option rather than "Medicare for all." Many people who already have insurance, particularly those who are insured through their workplace, do not want to change, but we should be given the choice.
And the reason for providing health care to undocumented immigrants (besides simple human kindness) is this: Do we really want ill people circulating in our schools and societies?
24
Many (all perhaps?) countries here in Western Europe have private insurance options that either enhance or replace the state health insurance. If there is a market, it would likely happen. I wouldn't think that a business would offer it, though, as it would be significantly more expensive than a public option.
10
Unfortunately a lot of the anti-thinking / anti-evidence of the GOP is cultural or tribal in nature. Dr. Krugman makes the observation that "hard thinking might lead someone to question received doctrine."
Indeed the GOP is like a religion or religious cult: embracing anti-intellectualism and faith-based reasoning. We shouldn't dismiss the possibility that many of these right-wing tribe members learned their way of thinking from their religious organizations of their childhood.
All the more reason to end the tax deduction on all religious organizations.
103
Religious organizations have flaws, because they are all run by people. I am a Roman Catholic myself. I cannot speak for all churches, but I know that our church provides a safe reflective space and an inspiring message every day. They also run many charities that help thousands of people every day. The funds collected at our church are used for salaries, operating expenses and support of these charities. Removing their tax-exempt status would be an onerous burden that would reduce their charitable efforts. Our church is going through a time of great soul searching and self examination due to the cover up of pedophile priests over many years. Pope Francis is a good man and will guide the church to better practices. Placing a large tax burden on our churches would make the transition all the more difficult. God bless you, and God bless America.
1
@joe parrott i have no objection to people spending their own money on religious organizations. And I agree that some religious organizations do more good than harm. However, on balance religion is more divisive than accordant with a net negative effect on society.
The fundamental basis of religion is faith, not reality-based critical thinking, and therefore teaches young children to think uncritically and magically preparing them well for a time period before the enlightenment.
lets spend our tax dollars on un-religious organizations; humanity towards others doesn't require faith, just kindness.
3
"Their only major legislative achievement was a tax cut that blew up the deficit without, as far as anyone can tell, doing anything to enhance the economy’s long-run growth prospects."
It is hard to be critical of anything that Mr Krugman writes or to mention that the Big Orange Buffoon did something good and reasonable but the First Step Act should be considered. It restricts mandatory minimums and increases earned time credit and credit. While it only applies to the federal prison system it is a good first step reform of the penal system.
6
@Brian Casterline
Thanks for mentioning that. It is good legislation. I've worked in prisons and jails as a clinical social worker and it is a heartbreaking experience.
Still, it is merely a first small step in the right direction, and is limited to the Federal facilities, like you mentioned; while the majority of incarcerated individuals are in state systems.
Yet, it is evidence that good legislation is still possible. If I were Pelosi, I'd give Trump the wall in exchange for 10x the money toward democratic initiatives.
2
Michigan had a Republican governor who poisoned the city of Flint. Now, we have a Democratic governor, two Democratic senators, more democratic congressional representatives, and a state congress that is more Democratic.
The R's still have a majority, but there is hope that we can start to see policies aimed to help the people instead of the corporations.
34
Justice Brandeis depicted states as laboratories in the spring of 1932. That was one of the worst years of the Great Depression when governments were trying to stop the slide into an economic abyss.
One of those state laboratories was New York, where then Governor Franklin Roosevelt was trying out ideas that were later to grow into the New Deal. The experiment worked because those ideas were promoted to the federal level when FDR was elected president and began a stronger and larger reform effort almost exactly a year later.
The challenge with this historical example is that the conditions of the experiment are different now. FDR was facing a dramatic, existential economic crisis. He took the oath of office as the financial system collapsed. Calls for action were literally shouted from the House floor.
Today, the economic situation is again serious but not as immediate. While the Democrats explore different solutions in their states, the lessons from those experiments are ignored and lost in today's media storms. We are mesmerized by the latest insults hurled by our leaders. Serious governing gets ignored, and the people in red and blue states come to see both political parties as equally negligent.
The President and the Speaker are a step away from invoking the other’s mothers in this verbal food fight. The perceived false equivalence continues as our federal government is divided and paralyzed.
Is there a new FDR out there?
14
Using your best judgement to implement a solution and adjusting it as you go along, along with admitting failure, beats sitting on your thumbs.
Perfection is the enemy of good.
24
California has become an expensive state to live in according to Republicans. After a series of Republican governors that tried to make it cheaper by cutting services and keeping taxes low, the rainy day funds were spent by giving them back to the taxpayers, who just happened to be those who needed it the least.
Now with the departure of a governor called Moonbeam because he said he envisioned the state having its own satellite after Hughes, a California company launched the first commercial one, the state has a $21.4 billion surplus. Gov Brown was parsimonious yet allowed enough spending for the sate to become the worlds 5th biggest economy and the SF Bay area economy is the worlds 19th biggest. Even so, those who have profited most like the San Joaquin farmers still vote against progressive measures.
Most of us got fed up with the Republicans and almost wiped out the Rs. Now we have to find a way to make housing more affordable which will require some changes in zoning and allow more density, hard to do in a place where developers still hold sway and hold large tracts of land.
It is a tough road to follow for the new Gov, we expect great things from him. Despite the taxes and transportation problems it is actually an easy state to live in. It has been an experiment and been followed many times by the same states that deride us. Some move out, but more move in, good governance attracts good people.
118
@David Underwood
One small step for affordable housing would be non-profit owner cooperative development corporations. These would comprise a group of future owners who would have more incentive to develop their own more affordable housing. This would reduce costs of bridging loans, sales and risk as well better meeting community needs.
For profit developers mostly must try to develop the most expensive housing they can in order to maximize ROI and this can't meet the needs for affordable housing.
This is an especially good option for brownfield sites (or now, dead shopping malls).
5
@David Underwood - you still have Nunes! Lol!!
3
Traditionally, Massachusetts has had a Democrat - dominated legislature and a Republican Governor - not always, but mostly. Even in these partisan times, it seems to have the effect of bringing a balance of the will of the people from across the state and the insight and operational focus of a more corporate statewide perspective.
Of course, much depends upon the people involved, but at least currently the Governor, Beacon Hill legislative leaders and the Mayor of Boston, major political power centers, seem focused primarily on what has to get done for the Commonwealth for today and the future, with far less emphasis upon how the political parties involved stack up.
How refreshing.
29
In fairness, Kansas was a laboratory of democracy as well, implementing libertarian level government services funded by ballooning public debt.
Of course, the laboratory exploded in an uncontrolled radioactive meltdown, but sometimes science demands a measure of sacrifice.
169
Could you comment on Republicans like Larry Hogan of Maryland and Phil Scott of Vermont? Do you consider them sufficiently different from Republicans of the Paul LePage and Paul Ryan variety that Democrats can work with them? If not, why not?
1
@Scott--Also, include Governor Charlie Baker in Massachusetts. We should not forget that Mitt Romney introduced an Affordable Care Act in Massachusetts when he was governor in Massachusetts.
6
@Richard Zaunbrecher
I believe Romney was virtually forced to do so by the Democratic legislature. (Perhaps that is an overstatement.) Wikipedia: First, the Senate President Robert Travaglini called for a plan to reduce the number of uninsured by half. A few days later, Governor Romney announced that he would propose a plan to cover virtually all the uninsured.
10
@Scott
For Republicans to be elected to statewide office in Maryland, Vermont or Massachusetts, they have to be Rockefeller Republicans (i.e.) center-right Democrats. Hogan, Scott and Baker seem to play nice with their Democratic legislatures and things get done.
18
The Republican party has been degenerating for a long time, as for far too long it has eventually purged those who might have a more compassionate or communal viewpoint on the purpose and function of government, devolving into a simple "I me mine" individualism.
It is the heir to the Calvinist/Social Darwinist strain of founding American thought, a libertarian oligarchy whose only attempts at any sort of political philosophy are merely distraction attempts to hide unmitigated greed,
So it's no wonder that it can't govern when in power--there is no there there, no coherent set of theories about the process of governing beyond an attempt to stop anyone not rich from accessing a greater fraction of available resources. And since the rich are greatly outnumbered by the not, the only way it stays in power is through a xenophobic divide and conquer strategy. But that is not a philosophy of government, only one of maintaining power enough to protect and preserve the wealth of those financing campaigns.
Which is why, of course, the way to unravel this would be publicly funded elections, with no contributions allowed from any organization AT ALL, and a very low three figure limit on individual campaign contributions.
114
@Glenn Ribotsky
Somehow the party of Lincoln learned all the wrong lessons from the Richard Nixon experience, 1960 through 1974, much to the country's detriment. Thus, during the 12 years of Reagan/Bush Sr., the GOP learned that if you're better at presentation that Nixon, it's much easier to substitute ideology for facts when you promote and determine policy.
14
@Glenn Ribotskys Sounds like a great plan to me. Would love to see the GOP and corporations and the Koch brothers and their ilk go crazy mad with their advantage taken away from them, and yes also large section of the Democrats who have sold out to corporations as well. This is why the all of the above and even the major networks hate Progressives who do not take bribes.
Oh to see the greedy ones hiss and breath fire! Our very own governor has pretty sticky fingers and he pretends to be a progressive because it looks better on his resume he thinks, but he ain't.
But what a hopeful opinion piece we have here, it cheered me up!
7
@cheerful dramatist
Me too! (And the great thing about Dr. Krugman cheering us up is that we know he doesn't substitute wishful thinking for facts.)
1
Newsom has some political courage. When he went all in on gay marriage, at the time it was regarded as a career ender. Senator Feinstein was furious with him for throwing his career away on the issue, as were reportedly some of his rich donors.
In a place like San Francisco it would not have been easy to oppose the issue, but he could have waffled on it. Instead he put himself at the center of the issue. Perhaps he just liked all the media attention. He did seem to be willing to sacrifice a promising political career for something he believed in.
Fifteen years on, gay marriage is no longer toxic and Newsom's political career is moving forward again. He is very much a product of the elite liberal billionaires who run San Francisco politics. I doubt he will do anything about housing affordability. He will prefer to protect the environment and fight sprawl.
There has been talk about the state implementing single payer healthcare. At the minute it seems like he is going to do piecemeal fixes to health problems rather than a grand scheme. That might be sensible. I'm not sure if the state government has the administrative talent to make single payer work. They have certainly failed to regulate the price of ambulance services.
Time will tell if Newsom is a politician worth supporting or just another tool of the ultra-wealthy.
18
So now that Democrats are putting up electable candidates for state office (something they failed to do for 20 years, leading to Republican governance by default) Democrats are getting elected. Perhaps now we can address what should be obvious: the US constitution makes it easy to block action at the federal level. It was designed for most governance to happen at the state level. If we're going to see one payer healthcare, it will be at the state level. If we're going to see tax reform, it will happen first at the state level. If we're going to see sensible reform of entitlements, it's going to happen at the state level. Whoever may be elected in 2020, it will be possible for the opposition to block significant legislation in Washington DC. The one possible consensus is to transfer federal dollars to the states to allow Republican states to govern as Republicans want, and Democratic states to govern as Democrats want. Let the best reform plans win. It's the only way we're likely to move forward despite Washington gridlock. Change the politics so Washington matters a good deal less.
5
@Tom -- "housing affordability" should not be a state-wide problem, in a big state like CA.
In New York it's a crisis in New York City; go to any of the small towns in the western part of the state and there are useable homes being abandoned. The problem is the distribution of jobs.
10
@Tom -- gosh, I'm having a hard time processing your claim about "unelectable" Democrats in the years when New Jersey was governed by Chris Christie.
1
In other words, surrender to Republicans: block grants all around, and states’ rights uber alles.
There's only one thing that Donald Trump and his band of robber barons can do now that would save us: resign, leave, walk out the door and don't look back and never ever attempt to run anything other than the simplest machine.
In less than two years Donald Trump and the GOP have managed to do nothing but create more chaos and pain for the very people they claimed to care about; working Americans who teach children, who clean offices, who serve meals, who run small businesses, who try to find time to volunteer in their communities, who do as much as they can with a lot less than the likes of Trump, McConnell, Ryan, Cruz, etc.
I miss President Obama and Vice President Biden. I miss men who served us, who didn't say one thing and then turn around and lie about what they said. I miss my country. I'd like to get it back before I die. Perhaps, if we're lucky, the states will rebel against DC and show the GOP what bipartisanship is or what it means to govern for the people who elected them instead of for the richest donors. If not, perhaps the voters will do something instead and vote every one of the bums out. We need politicians who work for us, not for the corporations unless it's holding them accountable for their misdeeds, and not by showering the richest families with tax breaks they don't need.
What we need in America is to have the government spend money on us and on the country. Invest in us and we'll pay it back with hard work and more.
220
@hen3ry
“I want my country back
And a good dream to stand up for.”
Greg Brown - Iowa folksinger
6
@hen3ry
Weren't Saddam Hussein and his family offered the opportunity to exile themselves and leave peacefully?
Surely it's cheaper for America to pay out the Trumps, and get rid of them.
1
I was nervous that Governor Newsome would be proposing all kinds of high-dollar spending schemes. However, I am surprised in a good way so far. By restoring individual mandate, insurance risk is spread out and premiums will be lower. And there will be more insurance companies participating in the exchange. And he is proposing to negotiate directly with big pharmaceutical companies to get the discounts. Hopefully this can be used to defray some of the cost of increasing the subsidies for the middle class families. All of his proposals will make health care more accessible and affordable for Californians. Excellent start.
80
@Terece-As the leader of the 5th largest economy in the world, here's hoping Newsom can use his clout to accomplish big things.
2
@Terece
How about high dollar spending against climate change? We've only got 12 years left... sorry, make that 11
NJ went full democratic when the GOP showed their true colors.
They advertised themselves as the low tax party, which appealed to the high tax NE. But then, in the only major legislation they achieved (other than trashing environmental protections) they eliminated the SALT deductions - with a paltry 10K cap as a compromise - thereby massively raising taxes on NJ and the rest of the blue states.
The bloom is off the rose for NJ homeowners. Maybe the red state farmers, stiffed federal employees, and GM factory workers will wake up to the con now as well.
32
It was probably the tax bill that turned Orange County, CA blue.
Dr. Krugman's column sets the efforts of Blue state politicians in stark relief, as compared to those of the Red states. Increasingly, our people's values are diverging, to the point that we Americans no longer have shared, common goals.
Citizens in Blue states want a growing economy that does whatever possible to protect our environment. They want fairness and equal opportunity for everyone, including women and religious and ethnic minorities. They want discrimination against women, minorities and the LGBTQ to stop. They want to ensure that women continue to have the Constitutional right to control their own bodies. They value education, and families' ability to send their children to college. They understand that health care is not a privilege, but a right in all decent nations.
Red state voters want none of these things. It has become clearer and clear to me these past several years, and certainly with their unrelenting support of Trump, that they will never change. They want to live in the nation of Gilead where Christian sharia is the law, and where bigotry is lauded.
It is time to partition the country. Red states are a net economic drain on Blue states. Blue states have shown that they have more than enough resources to go their own way. It is way past time for two countries. And the sooner our national leadership understands this, the sooner we in Blue states may begin to chart the course for our own future.
63
@Donegal
Please end the lumping. It is destructive and unrealistic. All blue state citizens are not the same. All red state voters are not the same.
16
@Donegal
Concur.
How is this done; logistically/physically/geographically ?
3
I feel very badly for blue voters in red states. It is very important not to write regions or people off. As for splitting into two countries, we gave that a try, and while it was over a very important cause, we also settled that issue. We are a Union.
12
Not mentioned is the ability of states to go farther by interstate compacts. These are particularly critical over shared/distributed resources; there's a long history of compacts over water (much of it not pretty).
Regional compacts over electricity transmission and de-carbonization should be a way for states to make progress in spite of the Trump administration's destruction of EPA responsibilities.
The Regional Greenhouse Gas initiative (RGGI) has been very effective; New Jersey is rejoining, and there is the hope Pennsylvania will join too.
Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Virginia, and Washington, D.C., have joined together in a regional compact to reduce greenhouse gases from transportation.
Increased penetration of renewable resources (wing and solar) will demand improved transmission and grid operation, over longer ranges. By expanding the range local fluctuations in resource and demand average out more, reducing demand for peaking and backup.
In the future the US needs a true national grid for the 48 states. Typically there are 2 or more weather frontal systems moving across the 48 states; these control the wind and the solar flux, averaging at that range largely averages out the local weather.
It will take a coordinated federal program to achieve this, but in its absence states should no more than just be "energy islands."
10
@Lee Harrison...Not sure if a national grid makes sense. In California the power lines are sparking devastating wildfires and the local utility will be filing bankruptcy because of legal liabilities from the Paradise fire. That is a major problem for Gavin Newsom.
1
@Schrodinger
That's because our infrastructure grid, which is at least regional, is falling apart because we haven't spent the money to repair and upgrade.
Roads, electrical grids, water and sewage are anywhere from over a hundred yrs old to 50 or 60 in many places.
Over in new developments are the grids more modern technology.
4
@Schrodinger -- nobody else has PG&E's problems (and their are plenty of dry places). Your utility was simply overloading distribution lines and transformers, and not keeping up with maintenance. Most of the fires were due to overloaded pole transformers (those big gray cylinder hung up high on the poles) blowing up.
Long-distance HVDC are not local distribution lines; they do not have distribution transformers on them, and they are much taller and better monitored.
5
Democratically governed states may be the laboratories of democracy, but Republican-governed states are the laboratories of kakistocracy.
Kansas (which just recently escaped Republican rule) was brought to near bankruptcy by Sam Brownback's and Arthur Laffer's trickle-down bladder fluid theory of economics
Oklahoma is one of those GOP wonderland where Democrats are virtually banned from all elected office; they recently set the record for most earthquakes in a state due to unregulated fracking
Mississippi - another GOP wonderland state; usually ranks last in almost everything and first in Confederate charm
Louisiana - still recovering from former governor's Bobby Jindal catastrophic tax cuts that bankrupted the state
New Jersey - still trying to shower off the corruption of former governor Chris Christie's corruption and still trying to rebuild its state infrastructure after he abandoned it for eight years
Wisconsin - just starting to recover from Scott Walker's 8-year wrecking ball that destroyed its education funding while handing out corporate welfare to crony capitalists
And then there's the White House and the Presidency soiled with an endless stream of dirty diapers, corruption, pollution policy, and oligarchic public policy that warms the cockles of the Kremlin's heart.
The Eighth Wonder of the world will always be how voters support Grand Old Pyromaniacs who keep burning down their states and their country.
The Party of Dumb and Greedy - an American classic.
924
@Socrates You should be a New York Times columnist. You can write rings around all of them.
71
@Socrates I don't know what one does with a country that half its people are emotional reasoners. Rush, Fox et al are thankful for their viewership for sure, but when they vote for a party that never has and never will support their true interests one wonders how long this plutocratic empire will last. Maybe it's time for a fresh start..... we will soon see I'm afraid.
38
@Socrates
Just wanted to add the impact of former Gov. Walker's policies about the environment, fresh water, voter ID and right to work laws to your listing for Wisconsin.
52
I propose a diagnostic antithesis remedy to forcefully counter the specious and self-serving lies of Ronald Reagan, Conservatives and the Republican Party:
Government is NOT the problem. Government has been and continues to play a positive role in the lives of Americans.
Without government, without necessary laws, regulations and safeguards against bad actors with money and power, we would witness the end of our American experiment in self-government and civilization.
In short, Conservatives and Republicans are the problem. They have abused power and cannot be trusted to wield it justly or equitably. It is long past time to render them into minority status where they may continue to express their opinions, but be denied access to the sources of power which they have historically abused.
89
@Chromatic-Michael Lewis' new book "The Fifth Risk" makes the case for both what government can do (even if slowly) that no other organization can achieve. AND also what's at risk when the reigns of government are put in the hands of people who are unprepared or incompetent.
https://www.npr.org/2018/10/02/652563904/the-fifth-risk-paints-a-portrait-of-a-government-led-by-the-uninterested
1
@Chromatic
"... Government is NOT the problem. Government has been and continues to play a positive role in the lives of Americans. …"
Yes.
I too prefer the 'rule of law' over the 'law of the jungle'.
The one and only silver lining over the past 2 years that one can attribute to individual-1:
He has lifted the rock and exposed in blatantly obvious and stark terms that "In short, Conservatives and Republicans are the problem. They have abused power and cannot be trusted to wield it justly or equitably".
4
Reagan was half-right: It's REPUBLICAN government that is the problem.
3
Trump's shutdown is actually brilliant marketing from a brand standpoint. Finally someone has the guts to show the electorate what Republicans really stand for. We're going to have a more savvy group of voters in 2020. Thank you, Donald!
32
@Robert -- this is not the place for an extended comment on Trump and the shutdown, but the spectacle of him being goaded by right-wing gasbags into his own destruction is truly amazing.
Hannity, Limbaugh and Coulter may have actually done America an enormous favor by the time this is all over. Those of us on the left have been pointing out what a joke Trump's "promises" about that wall to no effect. These gasbags threaten him with his nonsense ... and he basically commits himself to political suicide.
1
@Lee Harrison, Maybe. I think it's more likely Trump actually asked Hannity, Limbaugh, and Coulter to whip up support for the wall because he needs this crisis to mask the crisis of his presidency. In my opinion, Trump is no one's puppet, and taking him as one, buys into the reality show he's selling. (And not Putin's puppet either. Some estimates put Putin's wealth at $200 billion, more than Bezos, so corruption pays. And Trump has money in mind, not some tape or kompromat. I mean, really? Donald Trump seems he's worried about shame? Please, it's money, Russian-scale corruption money.)
1
In my state, all we have is a Democratic governor, but he is going to show the Republican-controlled legislature how to actually govern, despite all their desperate attempts to stop him from doing even one single thing. I have no doubt about that.
28
@Mark Lebow -- the problem is that it is so easy to destroy, and so hard to build. Walker destroyed; it will Wisconsin a decade or two to even see all the losses because they are still playing out, and likely longer than that to rebuild.
In my field (atmospheric sciences) U. Wisconsin was a leader, world known. Walker gut-shot UW. Among his stunts you probably know about he cut the budget of UW by 250 M$ so he could give that amount to build an arena for the Milwaukee Bucs.
When you've got an angry little man who barely got through high school running a state for his patrons ... this is what you get. Hope you like the arena.
55
@Lee Harrison
Walker's FoxConn deal won't be fully paid for until 2045 or so! And that's assuming there isn't a secret agreement somewhere to siphon off Lake Michigan or metal mine in our forests.
5
A way a state like California or Washington could achieve a virtual single payer, is attempt to add East Asian mechanisms into the system.
In Taiwan/Japan/S. Korea they have a commission (providers v insurers) that sets prices for all procedures. Setting a broken leg cost $x. It doesn't matter which doctor/heath provider sets the leg. They all get paid the same.
This allows for the state to process insurance like a single payer.
I break my leg. I go to the doctor. I show him my healthcard. I pay a $2 cover charge. He fixes my leg.
He takes my health card, files a claim against it with the processing agency. The state processing agency deducts $x from the insurance company & credits/pays the doctor
Similar to a bank, the insurance company has only 1 function: to hold the money after its deposited & to let go of the money when it is withdrawn & credited to a health provider.
They don't have a say in whether or not the money can be withdrawn & they shouldn't.
Can you imagine:
You brake your leg. It cost $300 to set. You don't have insurance so you will pay cash. You go to the bank & ask to withdraw $300. The banker then says "what's it for?" You reply "I'm going to pay to have my leg set" & then the banker replies, "no, you can't have the money, your leg doesn't look that bad." Then you show them & they reply "well that's a pre-existing condition you broke your leg before you started banking with us, so you can't have the money."
That's what insurance companies do.
48
@Tim Kane
And that's what the Republicans want the Insurance companies to do, that is, the Republicans want to bring back insurance denials for pre-existing conditions. They say the opposite in their campaign rallies, but look at the details of the laws they propose and the laws they want to revoke.
And Arizona votes strong Republican, so Arizona voters must be at least close to OK with what the Republican legislators are proposing....
17
The risk taking in governance is as vital as in business where innovation results in economic growth. Republican efforts to reduce the size of government are counter intuitive to growing our economy. Not only does the Constitution mandate that government "promote the general welfare", but as the nation's population grows, so must the government to provide essential services and grow the economy. The Republican Tax Cuts were counter productive in an economy where independent sectors of the economy require central coordination for optimum growth. The Tax Cuts of the past and those more recent were never going to grow a fractured uncoordinated economy. They were meant as thank you gifts to Republican sponsors.
The idea of Government infrastructure spending is perhaps the best example as universally beneficial projects such as road and bridge work, or internet access promotion, all have the effect of growing all micro economies within our nation. Companies need roads to transport supplies and finished products, and we need government funded mass transit to get everyone to work to grow.
The fact must be that Republican political leaders have no business knowledge while the Democrats have a knack for growing the economy.
As challenging to mainstream thought as this is, we need to grow the government from the states up. Let the accomplishments of states' governments prove the need for promotion of the general welfare of the nation. That is what some are now doing as you write.
9
The Republican Party was already in high dudgeon before President Obama took office, and then it was an exhaustive effort to place stumbling blocks in his way, while he addressed with a Herculean effort, a path to set our Nation back on its feet. Not to be deterred, the Republican representatives responded with a Government Shut-Down.
But rather than looking back in hindsight, responsible politicians and leaders of states are no longer waiting for this G.O.P. to get its act together with a clear governance policy, but are moving forth, leaving Washington to untangle this mess.
There are true elected officials, regardless of party affiliation, who will always place love for country and the well-being of the people first.
Thanking Governor Newsom and others of his kind, for not throwing in the towel but picking up the gauntlet, and inspiring a growing majority to join in a united effort in bringing back America to the fore once again.
10
“Now that Democratic control has expanded, we can expect to see more of this kind of activism.”
Activism? Or just, you know, governing.
24
Since the federal government is not governing, maybe it is time to drown it in the bathtub, like Republicans have been saying for years.
Let’s see, cut federal taxes for middle class earners and cut all,that corporate welfare, farm aid, ethanol subsidies, food stamps, oil & gas deductions, Medicaid, obsolete military bases, etc.
Once all that money returns to the states, mostly blue ones, we’ll have more money available to build out our own solutions to our problems. Citizens will then have to find their state capitals on the map and get to know their state legislators.
6
@Jazz Paw The majority of Federal spending is Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, and the military.
3
Thank Zeus for California, and it's equally sensible neighbor to the north, Oregon. Born in Placerville, CA and raised in Grants Pass, OR, living in Europe at present (and registered to vote in Oregon), I'm very pleased with the leadership of our governor, Kate Brown, especially on expanding the Oregon Health Plan.
24
@Tony Cochran
This is mazing Tony. California has the highest poverty level of the states. 60% of the school kids in LA know the bare minimum of English. Middle class leaving California in droves. I lived in Portland in the late 60's and early 70's. Great town It is now a disaster. Able bodied men panhandling on the street for example which is allowed by Multnomah County officials. Where have you been my blue eyed son?
Psst...there’s a teacher’s strike in LA. You should read about it. There is nothing progressive about California’s education system.
4
@PeterC
What's progressive is the strike by members of the Los Angeles teacher's union as it was for West Virginia's teachers. What's regressive is anti-union governors like Scott Walker and DeSantis and Secretary of Education De Vos.
16
@PeterC
Psst...the article acknowledged that Democratic states aren’t perfect and fall short of ideals. Maybe read the article again?
“Not all of the new Democratic policy proposals will actually be implemented, and not all of those that do go into effect will live up to expectations. There’s no such thing as perfection, in policy or in life, and leaders who never experience failures or setbacks aren’t taking enough risks.”
But seriously, I’d rather live in a blue state that’s trying, facing the occasional backlash for not succeeding, than a red state that sits on its hands or actively dismantles its education system while only pointing out other states’ failures.
28
Psst...Prop 13, the brain child of King Ronnie, crippled CA’s public education system. It went from a model system to a Bottom 10 since 1978.
Please include MA we have a Republican Governor but the rest of the state government is firmly Democratic. I suspect they Democrats have veto proof majorities. By contemporary
GOP standards the MA governor who is popular would be a Super RINO.
7
@GUANNA Theodore Roosevelt, WH Taft, A. Lincoln, Howard Baker, Dwight Eisenhower, Nelson Rockefeller - RINOs all.
Point 1:
"The party that cares the least controls the relationship"
Point 2:
"The GOP has only one prime directive: the ever greater concentration of wealth and power on behalf of the wealthy and powerful"
Point 3:
Decision making, such as what to buy and who to vote for, is not a purely cognitive act but one that relies upon the emotive sphere of the mind
Point 4:
Psychopaths notoriously, genetically have underdeveloped emotive spheres of their mind - however, they know they do and they know how to manipulate people that don't.
The entire conservative agenda has been hoisted upon us by their knowledge and manipulation of those points.
And no they can't govern and no they don't care and yes the party that cares the least controls the relationship - until they are removed from power.
22
Here's a logical extension of these thoughts about Federalism:
- the 1787 Constitution is not adequate to the 21st Century reality of superpower nation states
- the power structure imposed by that document makes people like me, in California, vastly under-represented in the Senate, which is why California does not get a fair shake from the Federal government, and - think about it - is a form of taxation without representation, the original casus belli of the Revolutionary War
- the House and Senate will moving forward be at odds and mutually paralyzed because they literally represent different groups (the Senate is fatally skewed towards small red-state conservative/racist populations)
- culturally and in almost every way, blue America is ready for a divorce from red America due to irreconcilable differences
So - real governments of Blue America, unite! We need a rebirth of the American ideal, one in which we are not weighed down by red state minority control. A new superpower that has the status to check what would be the nuclear bullying of the remaining red states after the divorce goes through. Start with the money - blue states should collect Federal taxes, and remit those to the Federal government in a negotiated fashion with strings attached. Ultimately, that gives us the leverage to change the terms of our political alignments.
20
@Pete
I get your fantasy and actively share in it, believe me, but it is only fantasy short of a war. To change the Constitution, we would need red states to agree to the change which they won’t and the ability to secede was destroyed after the Civil War. This isn’t the EU where member states can trigger an exit declaration to leave the EU.
@Pete
We might not even need structural changes like that if tje Dems can just bring back truth, facts, and transparency.
@Pete
A news flash, Pete - secession has already been tried and didn't work out so well.
How about we just expose the corrupt and vote them out of office?
I realize it's a quaint notion but it will save a lot of needless burials like the last secession caused on both sides.
"... after ... denouncing Obamacare and promising ... a far better replacement, Republicans turned out to have no idea how to do that..."
Not sure most Americans know this, but Obamacare is still alive and well. The "individual mandate" is dead -- meaning that a taxpayer need NOT either have health insurance or pay a tax penalty, but everyone is still guaranteed full coverage, including subsidies.
How will the federal government pay for subsidized health care if nobody pays a penalty?
Simple -- the same way it always does: Borrow the money (i.e. issue bonds), and let future generations worry about paying them off.
5
@MyThreeCents
Some people buy US Savings and other government bonds for their children and grandchildren (the future generations) paying interest at regular intervals or cumulatively at maturity. Obviously you saw no necessity for the US to have issued War Bonds during WWII, and no understanding of the role of bonds in financial major infrastructural projects. Along with a shutdown of government, the Trump administration, may default on these securities, as Republicans in Congress have several times threatened to do by not raising the debt ceiling. That might concern you, every stockholder, bank depositor, pension and social security recipient. Perhaps buying up gold is your thing.
4
@Alan J. Shaw Not sure why you draw baseless conclusions, "obviously" or not. As for the Trump administration defaulting on government bonds by not raising the debt ceiling, it doesn't have that option (as I suspect you know). Once a bond has been issued, the debtor's obligation to pay it is absolute. It's not affected by some decision by the borrower not to raise its "debt ceiling." The debtor is free, of course, not to issue more bonds, but outstanding bonds must be paid.
Did you really not know this?
@MyThreeCents
Did we pay cash or borrow for the several NEW AF1s in the mega million$ each?
And how about those 13 new POTUS Cadillac limos costing $1.3M each?
And the 130+ weekend golf trips?
Will that be cash or credit card?
West Germany was a showcase of the superiority of Capitalismo over Socialism.
Now, the Democratic trifecta in various states is demonstrating the superiority of democratic government over retrograde, Errr, Republican, but. I repeat myself, government.
7
YES! We elect people to positions of power so that they will solve real problems, with practical solutions.
On the border of San Diego and Tia Juana we have a REAL problem: sewage from Tia Juana is polluting our ocean. This is problem can and needs to be solved. We, yes it's "their" problem, and it is now our problem, a REAL problem nonetheless: need a sewage plant, not a wall.
19
I have been talking about the malign pattern of Republican-Reptilian lack of interest in governance for years now. The only government activity they (Republicans) seem interested in is transferring tax money to their Donor Base.
But the "base" here in Red America just can't seem to connect the dots. Even the pattern of Education Strikes last summer failed to teach these people. The 2020 elections can't come to soon.
10
Guessing you didn’t look to closely at Connecticut whilst researched this piece.
Navy blue leadership has left this state in a fiscal crisis: loads of transportation taxes and yet roads and trains are crumbling; public schools turn black and brown students away because of their skin color; small businesses choke under the weight of taxes and regulations.
I was in CA for many years before moving to CT, and I can firmly say living in a blue state is a hardship, not a gift.
8
For every $1 sent to the IRS by a resident of CA, we only get $0.80 from Federal programs. Where does that 20% go? To Red States. Alaska, Mississippi and others receive $2-3 from the Feds for every $1 those residents pay to the IRS.
@Elsa
Hello Elsa. Would a conservative respond "Well then move to conservative State?"
@Elsa
Well, there’s always Alabama.
California, Oregon, Washington. We may as well just go it alone, the federal government is useless.
17
@Bailey
Go ahead. Sad, but Oregon and Washington were once wonderful places to live.
Baja Canada
Cascadia! Ecotopia? Federated States of the American Pacific? Love it.
Republicans will do anything—suppress Democratic votes, gerrymander, undo victorious ballot initiatives, hamstring incoming Democratic governors, you name it—to hold onto power. But once they’ve secured that power they refuse to use it for any constructive purpose. Tax cuts for the rich, union busting, more gerrymanders and voter suppression, pointless gestures to gun fanatics and anti-abortion zealots, sure. Solving real problems? That’s apparently someone else’s job.
34
@Richard
“Republicans will do anything—suppress Democratic votes, gerrymander, undo victorious ballot initiatives, hamstring incoming Democratic governors, you name it—to hold onto power.”
You left out collude with foreign powers to rig elections, something I grew up thinking was IMPOSSIBLE of Republicans. Nixon was a crook but at least he was OUR anti-Soviet, patriotic American crook. I’d take him and his now seeming petty baggage in light of today’s unprecedented corruption over ANY Republican today, hands down.
What's frightening is that states may become too successful and the federal government will have less and less to do. Maybe this is a good thing. This may allow more successful states to not have to support states that support the repulsives and refuse health care, education, etc.
8
I know that way back there in New York City It's hard to keep track of the little states here on the west coast, but Oregon has a Democratic Governor and D's controls the State House and Senate. We have had our Oregon Health plan for quite a while. Our former Governor John Kitzhaber was a bit of a bumbler and was railroaded out of office, but he was on the vanguard of affordable health care for all. And most of us still love him for that.
15
PK, this is exactly what the public needs. Please continue in every column a rundown of constructive steps that govts --anywhere in the nation, local or state---are using to solve problems and represent citizens. Contrast is the best teacher. Show how real people's lives are affected.
Publicizing positive political action will educate voters and prevent them from being vulnerable to GOP phony arguments. Then pressure for continued reform can build.
Eventually, we may get the kind of candidates we can have faith in. Then watch voter turnout go up.
Use constructive examples from other democracies and from our own past.
A book called “The Gifted Generation: When Government Was Good,” by David Goldfield, tells the history of US post WW II decades---under Truman, Ike and LBJ, an activist federal government helped create unprecedented economic, social, and environmental progress and millions were then able to realize the American Dream.
But later came the anti govt movements across the nation. Reagan said govt is the problem not the solution, and Bill Clinton said the era of big govt is over. Our protections and the Dream began slipping away. Millions are now worse off than their parents/grandparents. Up from the swamp swims Trump.
The US GINI score of intl upward mobility ranks the US behind other countries.
These are the contrast we need to face, and then build on any positives that are working, to counter the trend and rebuild our politics.
21
Last night I attended a forum for aldermanic candidates in my local ward here in Chicago.
It was in the auditorium of my old high school.
Built in the 1890s for a largely German and Scandinavian citizenry, above the the stage were portraits of the leading thinkers of an earlier American age. Thoreau, Emerson, Twain, Melville, and others a bit too faded for me to identify. They might read today as old white guys, but I was impressed at how liberal the values were that these parents wanted to inform their children with.
They may have been blue collar but their aspirations were in the clouds.
22
Our new Governor Newsom may end up playing a key role in helping to resolve the current Los Angeles public schools' teachers union strike.
Public schools in California have been underfunded for years, ever since the passage of Proposition 13 all but gutted funding. Sadly as well, the charter school "movement" in L.A. has bled desperately needed funds away from the already inadequately financed public schools. Classes of 35 and up and many children who come to school hungry create daunting challenges for dedicated teachers. Charter school proponents, many of them billionaires, maneuvered to get a charter school supporter in as head of the LA public schools- a businessman who knows next-to-nothing about them.
Fingers crossed that Newsom plays an influential role, including shaking more state money loose to help, plus finding an innovative tax solution to help build back up the once excellent public school system here in California.
Our nation needs well educated citizens, and once upon a time, we knew that investing in educating all our students in public schools was the way to have them.
22
Until someone figures out a way to cut costs, health care is going nowhere. Even Newsom is not going to impose a new tax of $400 billion on California to pay for universal coverage. The same thing happened up in Vermont; they talked big until they saw what the bill would be, then they decided to forget about the whole thing.
Of course we could have 'universal health care' if we decided to tax everyone 35% of their income to pay for it, which is what we are currently spending, but nobody is about to try that approach.
1
@Jonathan - One of the important (if not the most important) factors that makes Medicare for All (and, indeed, all universal government run programs) so efficient is that everyone is treated the same. You cannot do that in a state program.
What do you do about the money people have paid into Medicare and those actually on Medicare? On Medicaid? TriCare, Indian Healthcare?, etc.
The only thing they could think of in Vermont was to leave them out.
Then an even bigger problem came up. What do you do about people who work for multi-state corporations? Would these be covered by the Vermont plan or by the plan the corporation has for all of its employees?
Again they were left out.
If you have a national plan all these problems never even come up.
10
@Jonathan
Here's one thing they could do to achieve virtual single payer:
In addition to mandatory insurance...
Introduce mechanisms used in Taiwan/Japan/Korea. They have a commissions (of providers vs insurers with government as arbiter) that sets prices for all procedures. Setting a broken leg cost $x. It doesn't matter which doctor/heath provider sets the leg. They all get paid the same.
This allows for the state to process insurance like a single payer.
I break my leg. I go to the doctor. I show him my healthcard. I pay a $2 cover charge. He fixes my leg.
He takes my health card, files a claim against it with the processing agency. The state processing agency deducts $x from the insurance company & credits/pays the doctor.
Similar to a bank, the insurance company has only 1 function: to hold the money after its deposited & to let go of the money when it is withdrawn & credited to a health provider.
They don't have a say in whether or not the money can be withdrawn & they shouldn't.
This is doable under Obamacare.
Insurance companies like it because their administration shrinks and they can predict the future based on trends of money coming in and out.
Health providers like it because they can predict the future based on trends as well.
This would shrink the per capita cost significantly. The East Asian model has the lowest cost/highest benefit of any healthcare model. And it can be further improved upon too. And its fairly easy for a state to implement too.
4
@Tim Kane, why bother with an insurance agency at all? Why not a department of the government? Eliminate the middleman and cut costs even further.
8
In this column, PK states in clear, succinct terms the core long-standing reality of the new Republican Party. It hates government so intensely that it wilfully declines to understand the very body which it aspires to lead.
With their abiding contempt for government, of course, GOP-elected officials show the greatest contempt for themselves. Evidence of their self-contempt shows in their abject inability to lead or to, well, govern.
From the White House down through the halls of Congress and state governments under GOP control, it's all smoke, mirrors and self-dealing. There's no time left for governing.
12
@John lebaron
I fully agree with you but for one point: The people the GOP-elected officials show the greatest contempt for are not themselves but their constituents. The voters elected these officials to govern in their names, and the GOP has utterly and cynically abdicated this responsibility by working only for the betterment of themselves, their donors, and their party while claiming to represent the "American people." Nothing could be further from the truth.
18
Trump never promised an infrastructure plan. If you listen carefully, you will hear: he only promised an "infastructure plan".
4
@HandsomeMrToad -- people could never figure out what "covfefe" meant, but I knew: kayfabe.
1
"Why can’t Republicans govern? It’s not just that their party is committed to an ideology that says that government is always the problem, never the solution."
Simple. It's because their policies are dictated by the oligarchs like the Koch family and the Mercers that could care less about anything other than their own interests.
39
@Mike T.: Preach! More people need to be more aware and informed of the nefarious goings-on outside of the current distract and deflect tactics being employed by the GOP bytheir oligarchic masters.
Elect a Democratic woman governor for president in 2020, or failing that, elect a Democratic man governor. They have experience working with all branches of government, negotiating conflicting interests, balancing social needs, and trying to encourage economic growth while making sure everyone gets their share of the rewards. What could be better?
7
With the Democrats allowing Bernie Sanders and now AOC into their tent, there is no way I can accept any Dem candidates.
“Their only major legislative achievement was a tax cut that blew up the deficit without, as far as anyone can tell, doing anything to enhance the economy’s long-run growth prospects.”
Despite Trump’s claims it was a 2017 “Middle Class Christmas Present” it was a bait (middle class givers) and switch (Trump, corporations and wealthy, etc. takers) to Trump et. al for a lifetime tax cut, financed with debt, that will skyrocket our national debt!
Annual deficits are approaching $1 trillion for the foreseeable future. And, total debt is larger and is growing faster than the economy, and will more than likely continue to so!
We must find a way to hold self-interested and self-enriching Elected Politicians, government officials, their staffers and operatives from both parties personally and financially liable, responsible and accountable for the lies and half-truths they have told US, their gross mismanagement of our county, our $22 T and growing national debt (107% of GDP), and our $80 T in future, unfunded liabilities they forced on US jeopardizing our economic and national security, while benefiting themselves, their staffers, their party and special interest donors.
6
@US Debt Forum
Term limits. After eight years, c u later.
When Brandeis described the states as “ the laboratories of democracy“, he lived in a time where science, reason and the enlightenment were all highly respected qualities of our society.
31
So let me get this straight: Democratic governors who were elected by liberals to expand government are doing what they were elected to do, but Republican governors who were elected by conservative voters to limit the role of government aren't doing their jobs when they aren't spending as much money. Such is the whacky world of Paul Krugman. Guaranteeing single-payer health care to illegal immigrants in a city where the subway system is falling apart somehow makes perfect sense. Oh, that's right, he's an Ivy League professor and doesn't have to ride the subway.
7
ha he's a city of New York professor who almost surely rides the subway (almost everyone does!)
17
@Charlie Reidy
And let's look to the example of Kansas under Republican Governor Sam Brownback as a great example of what happens when Republicans actually succeed with their slash-and-burn policies:
After his tax cuts, the state's economy shriveled up; their bond rating fell; and they cut state funding for education and infrastructure. Everyone recognizes that the "Kansas Experiment" was a huge failure.
So yeah, go on heaping praise on backwards do-nothing Republicans. Meanwhile, the rest of us will move forward with the help of smart governmental projects.
58
@Charlie Reidy
Come and visit Kansas, and see the ultimate, inevitable result of GOP policies. The Rich, the 20 percent that are the real, actual middle class, and the poor 60 percent.
NOT good.
33
California and New Jersey... both states have serious long-terms fiscal, pension and tax system issues that are in turn causing net outbound migration of their citizens. Both have been controlled by Democrat legislatures forever. Both are an absolute mess. It's easy to win elections with promises of goodies for everyone - much harder in practice.
9
@Alan
I can't speak for New Jersey, but here in California we have a $14 Billion surplus and our economy would be the 5th biggest in the world. It just passed England in the world ranking. We're not the absolute mess that FOX news would have you believe and I'd certainly take our Democrats over Kansas Republicans any day.
19
@Alan
First, Chris Christie, a Republican, was governor of NJ for the past eight years before 2018 with a good portion of the legislature in Republican hands. He had some major financing issues due to some of his own making and some out of his hands such as Sandy.
Second, California and New Jersey are two wealthy states which contribute far more to federal taxes than many die hard Republican states such as Alabama, Mississippi, or Kentucky. Low taxes, low services, and present fiscal issues. They are also grossly reliant on receiving federal taxes and subsidies. Yes, there is a slight migration as states like NJ and California become more expensive to live but the brightest, the most artistic and the wealthiest still see the tri-state area and California as go to places.
13
You should come live here to see for yourself. We are very happy here. We understand we have problems but are trying to address them.
9
The jury is still out on Gavin Newsom (in fact, the jury hasn't even started deliberations on him):
"... incredibly good governors like Jerry Brown and now Gavin Newsom ..."
Frankly, it's hard not to like Gavin Newsom, but his performance as governor is much too brief to judge. I will say this, though: Californians largely loved Gerry Brown, at least the last iteration of him. Views were much more mixed in his "Governor Moonbeam" days, but views on his recent performance as CA governor were very positive. He was termed out -- and ready to retire even if he hadn't been -- but he'd have been re-elected in a heartbeat.
Gavin Newsom probably will be re-elected too (it's a rare CA governor who's not), but it's much too early to judge his performance.
7
Dr. K. says: "If we’re lucky, two years from now that attitude may re-establish itself in the nation’s capital."
We'll have to be very lucky, indeed, since it appears that Clear & Present Danger 45* - and his rabid ferret (hat tip Gail Collins) Freedom Caucus instigators, spurred by Coulter and Rushbo - have acted since their November election losses to leave the same destruction in their wake as departing GOP'ers left in Wisconsin, Michigan, North Carolina, and elsewhere for incoming Democrats.
Just as importantly, Mayhem 45*'s McConnell Mini-Me seems to be playing along.
We knew before they were elected that GOP'ers had completely lost the political gene that informs actual governing, but the scorched-earth malice of this crowd knows no limits.
It would not be surprising for them to attempt enough chaos that they would declare 2020 elections can't be held - unless they are Resisted at every step.
10
Not to mention there are also states with mixed governance, such as Massachusetts with a Republican governor, Charlie Baker, where ordinary good governance continues without partisan vitriol. It’s not perfection, just fully functioning bipartisan government.
11
@Bruce Ehrlich Maryland, too. But these governors would go nowhere in the national Republican Party. GOP stands for "guns or pollution" but they are giving us both.
3
And be sure to pay no attention whatsoever to the Albany Corruption Festival, now in its sixth or seventh decade.
How long until the first Democratic assemblymember gets perp-walked: one month? two?
7
@knockatize
I live in Chicago and the only difference between Democrats and Republicans - Democrats actually go to jail.
5
@knockatize
I've lived in 4 blue states as a voting adult- RI, NY, CA, and MA (and what the hey, you can throw in NJ where i'm originally from). All horribly corrupt. I suspect it's why we like to vote in Republican governors here in Mass every now and again, to keep a hairy eyeball on the purse strings and on the henhouse. Of course, Republicans, even when in a minority, can be every bit as corrupt as the Dems - see NY, NJ, RI.
1
Democrats need to find strategies and turn them into policies to make large urban areas affordable, particularly young people caught in the wage/rent trap, often commuting two hours or more to work.
The paradox of California is that it is beautiful, progressive and dynamic but so unaffordable for young people to find their way forward, even with incredibly good governors like Jerry Brown and now Gavin Newsom.
It must get better in Blue America too.
17
@JT FLORIDA: At least Democrats will try to find solutions to the problem, as imperfect as they may be. Republicans will continue to insist that the free market will solve everything.
6
Wrong photo. Whatever credit California gets should go to the Govenor Brown. We don't know what Gavin Newsom will do. Note that California has had a severe housing crisis for many years and so far the government has not responded well. With the increasing cost and taxes, it is the middle and working classes that are being forced out of the state. Some of this is due to the success of economic policies, but some of this is due to the recent Democratic infatuation with regressive taxation such as sales taxes, fees and head taxes.
13
It’s encouraging to see true effort being put in by state leaders. Such a contrast with DC, where the politicians are confusing to be paid while not doing their jobs. Come to think of, our federal “leaders” are quite a contrast with federal workers, many of who are doing their jobs ... and not getting paid.
4
If you confined the abuse to the previously governing party I would agree. The Democrats are forbidden by the Republicans to participate in governing in the Senate, e.g., by being excluded from secret meetings, denied permission to bring witnesses to committee hearings, etc.
4
As a New Yorker, I am overjoyed that NYS has finally got Democratic rule.
After all these years we have finally swept out the old guard of Republicans who have been gumming up the works for years.
31
@cl
And the old guard of collaborating Democrats who have been doing the same.
4
I love to read the comments on Paul Krugman's column because you always get people commenting who read. My god, there is a vacuum of real information on that other side. If Trump or his surrogate, Fox News didn't say it ( I did say "Say it") then its not true to that side and they know that any words coming from Trump is going to be a "lie", preordained. It does not matter, they just want to protect their racism.
California, NY, NJ and a few other mostly blue states have to carry the red states because of the corruption in their GOP mgmt and the lower education of their masses yet they get real joy out of being attack dogs for the right. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.
I want to extend an olive branch of engagement to the people on the other side, to ask them to please "READ" and not just listen to the likes of Hannity, Alex Jones, et al. Read the real national and International news. The US can't survive alone in our connected world, regardless of who is in control, we all need each other working together to make it all better.
75
@WorldPeace2017
I wish that I could still retain your magnanimity (or naivete?) about the "people on the other side." But honestly, do you really expect any of them to READ anything at all? Or if they read anything, do you really expect that it would be anything other than FoxNews, Breitbart, InfoWars, The Federalist, or anything that doesn't corroborate their brainwashed views? That they'd deign to read NYTimes or CNN, or even USAToday, or anything else that's part of what they call the Lying Mainstream Media?
I'm done extending an olive branch to uninformed bigots who call me unAmerican because I happen to live in a Blue state; who disdain me as an "elitist" because I happen to have gone to college; and who hate me because I happen to be gay. We've tried the "We go high" approach; they still hate us. I'm done with giving them a second, third, fourth, nineteenth, four-hundreth chance.
I'd rather keep the olive branch, and plant an orchard in my own community (where we manage to disagree but still get along), where I know that my work and contributions to EVERYONE in the community are appreciated in return.
The Deplorables are unabashedly proud of being deplorable. Fine; they can wallow all they'd like. Meanwhile, I'll work within my own community to help everyone to be proud of accomplishing things and rising together.
38
@WorldPeace2017
We need to stop extending that hand to be bitten. It is unfortunate that these uninformed bigots believe what they do, but I can’t change them. I can deprive them of my help if my legislators would just say STOP.
Blue state politicians need to recover the excess federal contributions their taxpayers make and redirect that money within their own states. Paying excess federal tax to subsidize bad behavior and get restrictions on what we can do with our small share of federal spending is a bad deal.
2
@WorldPeace2017
As a resident of a very red state this comment section acts as a snorkel to the breath of intellectual life.
Life among the Philistines has been a challenge.
A thanks to all of you who take the time to comment here. Your efforts are not been in vain.
7
It's no surprise that actual governing is happening only in the Blue States. That's because the GOP mantra is big government is bad and the only thing that the GOP knows how to do is to dismantle government institutions (government shutdowns, undermine Obamacare, rollback environmental regulations, etc.)
The GOP is the party of "No" and will fight to the death anything that challenges the status quo (demographic changes to the white majority population, challenges to the prevalence of Christian traditions in government, efforts to implement diversity and gender equality in representation, etc.) The GOP has no interest in innovating or finding new solutions to longstanding or complex problems. To the GOP the answer to everything is small government, low taxes, unlimited gun ownership and abolishing abortions. Nevermind that time and experience have already proven that these positions do not work (looking at you Kansas!)
So yes, if you want to see governance at work, look to states not controlled by the GOP. Not all experiments by Blue States will work but at least you can say they are at least trying and that in and of itself is progress.
39
@EM
''That's because the gop mantra is big government is bad...'' - correction
BIG (HUGE) government is required so long as it is the military or in the bedroom.
15
@FunkyIrishman
...and to administer the drug war and other forms of redistributive 'justice'...
It's really sad that things have come to this. We were far better served with two parties that disagreed on how to solve problems, but agreed that problems should be solved. Now we have one party attempting to govern in good faith, and the other actively attempting to undermine those good faith actions. It's really nihilistic, this bizarre bottom-spiral that is Republican America.
I don't want single party rule, ever, but if the alternative is power shared with people who hate the thought of the social contract and go in for iconoclasm as an operating philosophy... I guess I'll take single party rule until something can rise from the ashes of conservatism.
287
@Dan
Not to fret, Dan. There will never be "single-party rule." The Democrats will split along obvious lines.
The good news is that the scoundrels will be disempowered and in disarray.
The bad news is that it may be too late.
12
As for the provision of healthcare to their citizens, those states working to provide adequate care are on the right, and feasible, track.
For the past few years I have been looking into becoming an ex-pat. Nowhere, in the places I've researched, list medical care as a significant hurdle. Costs, uniformly, are a fraction of what we in the US are accustomed to. The quality of care is generally given high marks, though cutting edge technology may not be as prevalent.
Perhaps, if Americans could let go of the fantasy of immortality here in America, we could cut costs, too. Drastically.
Think about it. How many of your great, great, great grandparents are still living?
Subtract one of those "greats." Now, how many?
One more. How many now? And just for how much longer would you demand they live, in the conditions in which you see them?
If Americans would just grow up and face up to their mortality, the cost of medical care would, almost overnight, lose its power to ruin us. It does so only because we let it.
16
I like this article , and also if I may add - I like the article from Thomas Friedman recently supporting Chief Justice Roberts and various military leaders - the idea behind these two pieces is to celebrate positive examples and to commend what is being done well. This is in my view one of the most effective counters to the current administration without the negativity and harshness. To set positive examples is to inspire and give hope.
32
Democrats in Oregon have a supermajority in both the state house and the state senate. The governor, attorney general, and commissioner of labor are all women, and democrats.
Things should get very interesting.
289
@Zeca And also, Oregon was ranked as first in the nation for ease of voting. Maybe there's a connection!
131
@Zeca As a person of Color, once proud to say he was an Oregonian, I know from personal experience that having a woman in power, governor, and over the DoJ there, does not change much of the deep racism that pervades at the court houses through out the state, especially in Salem.
There still is much to be done in Oregon for the good and equality for all. Mayor Sam Adams was a good start to a balance but it stalled. Putting women as presiding judges did not address inequality, the women chosen were as bad as the men they replaced. They had to show that they were as tough as the men rather than show they wanted to spread equality.
The courthouses are the places where the rubber meets the road, in other words, where reality sets in. Give real justice and get great peace for all in return.
52
And leaders in both Houses are Women.
6
Here's a thought.
Let's in California build a wall, and make Arizona and Nevada pay for it.
You have to hand it to the post-modern GOP. They keep saying "government doesn't work, government doesn't work, government doesn't work." Then they get elected, and they prove it!
789
@Padonna
"Fixed fortifications are monuments to the stupidity of man." - General George S. Patton
"Don't do stupid." - Barack Obama
"Do the opposite of what Obama did." - Trump
So it is perfectly fitting that Trump make the center piece of his administration the construction of a wall - one whale of a fixed fortification.
102
@Padonna We already have an eastern wall. It is called the Sierra Nevada. This time of year, Donner Pass will close itself if you stop the snow plows. Block the mountain passes down south, and nobody is coming in from the East.
34
@Padonna
Post Reagan Republican government doesn't work. Nixon did not think government was the problem and his ideas on governance were to the left of Obama's. Of course, Nixon had quite a few problems in other departments like honesty and obeying the law, but that is a different kettle of fish.
35
Why no shout-out to the striking L.A. teachers exerting such effective pressure on the new governor and other Democrats? Without the resurgent labor movement, it'd be business as usual, even in the bluest of blue locales. Forty children per classroom is a shame in such a rich state, home to many a Silicon Valley and Hollywood billionaire and mogul.
Bill Di Blasio isn't making new proposals for better health care and low-income housing just out of the goodness of his heart. It's taken citizens with the courage to confront him at his gym workouts, cell phones cameras at the ready, over the shameful conditions in the city's public housing projects. Although he's made strides in the construction of more "affordable" housing, NYC's homeless numbers are still at record highs.
The homeless also just happen to have their own Coalition.
If Dems are moving left and finally beginning to abandon austerity, it's because the public is forcing them to.
Regarding health care: individual states implementing public options is no substitute for a federally administered single payer system. The House majority thus far is only paying lip service to Medicare For All, with the chairwoman of the relevant subcommittee, Anna Eshoo, just announcing that she might not have time to hold hearings after all. She represents Silicon Valley, home of many a tech billionaire.
So the Women's March group plans to storm Congress on Friday to demand Single Payer.
We have miles to go before we sleep.
149
@Karen
(tried to give a comment - will try again)
You make excellent points and thank you for reminding us while keeping it real. We do indeed have much work.
25
@Karen Garcia Your statements were awesome, very inspiring. All that I can say to you is "U GO Lady!" Miles to go!
21
@Karen
Excellent comment - thank you for reminding us and keeping it real.
15
“Republicans still control the Senate and the White House.”
“Until recently Republicans had a virtual lock on state government.”
Republicans have been pulling out all the stops to achieve majorities: disenfranchising Democratic voters, gerrymandering aggressively, and manipulating the voting machines.
A handful of private rightwing corporations count our votes with proprietary software. Is it a coincidence that statistical and pattern evidence from exit polls indicates that vote counts are being shifted to the right?
Exit polls show:
- vote counts shifting in one direction (to the right), statistically impossible
- large discrepancies appear in competitive races but not in noncompetitive races
- hand counted ballots and computer counts are congruent in noncompetitive elections but not in competitive races
- noncongruence between small precincts and large counties in competitive races (it's easier to manipulate votes in large districts)
- In 2010, with 300 safe House seats Republicans won an unprecedented 128 of the remaining 135 seats; they won all the close races; they should break about even
- in 2014, the approval rating of the Republican Congress was about 8%, yet the Party of No gained more seats even though progressive ballot measures have passed by wide margins (even in non-blue states)
Follow Jonathan Simon’s interviews at http://codered2014.com/. He is the author of "Code Red: Computerized Elections and the War on American Democracy” (2018 edition).
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This is what democracy looks like:
Commenter Eric from NYC wrote “I remember my youth when growing up in France.
“France uses only paper ballots that each voter puts into a translucent box in plain view of everyone present, with the voting officer shouting ‘voted’ each time.
“My fondest memories are of going with my father after the polls were closed to witness the counting of ballots. It is always open to everyone. The people counting are private citizens randomly selected on that very day. There can be dozens of people watching this important operation.
“I remember these evenings as the most democratic moments of my life, when French people who didn't necessarily know each other came together to witness democracy in action. We were all indeed ‘fellow’ citizens, although I was not in age of voting.”
German Court Rules E-Voting Unconstitutional https://tinyurl.com/za778ju
“The use of electronic voting was challenged by a father-and-son team. Political scientist Joachim Wiesner and son, physicist Ulrich Wiesner complained that push button voting was not transparent because the voter could not see what actually happened to his vote inside the computer and was required to place ‘blind faith’ in the technology. In addition, the two plaintiffs argued that the results were open to manipulation.”
Europe Rejects Digital Voting Machines https://tinyurl.com/yczjwo64
Joseph Stalin: “The people who cast the votes decide nothing. The people who count the votes decide everything."
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@RLS-You're my hero. Thanks for providing this summary. The discrepancies are due a through investigation by the NYTimes and other national media.
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@RLS-@RLS-"Large-scale voter purges from Florida to Maine. Ultra-strict registration rules keeping voters off the rolls in Georgia and other states. Cuts to early voting sites in North Carolina. A North Dakota voter ID law that could keep Native Americans from the polls. False voting information being spread online....Citizens in 24 states are facing new laws making it harder for them to vote than it was in 2010. And in nine of those states, it’s harder to vote than it was in 2016....By (the Brennan Center's) assessment, the range of voter suppression efforts has been more widespread, intense, and brazen this cycle than in any other since the modern-day assault on voting began, especially when viewed in combination with the accumulated new hurdles to voting."
https://www.brennancenter.org/blog/worst-voter-suppression-weve-seen-modern-era
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Gavin Newsom has been talking a progressive game for some time in preparation for the job he just started to do. It remains to be seen what a largely neoliberal supermajority will give him.
That said, Obamacare as a baseline, is here to stay in California, with or without the Feds involved from here on out. Can California go Medicare For All? I think it can and should. Whether it will is another matter. The same lobbies that pushed us into RomneyCare are very active here in Cali and they are powerful as ever.
Newsom comes from good NorCal stock and has been very well connected with elite San Francisco families from childhood. That both gives him the boost of having all that power backing him but, at the same time, is emblematic of the times we live in. Without the power of old and new money, the chances of getting ahead in politics are slim. The public caught on to that with Bernie Sanders and maybe again with Elizabeth Warren. Gavin Newsom is riding Bernie's wave. Is he the real thing, though? Time will tell.
There is a crop of new politicians rising. Some are real progressives, some aren't. Google can tell us which is or isn't....
As we transition to the next iteration of a world economy, the future is MediCare for All, Free College, Free preschool, and Universal Basic Income. People like Newsom know that. I have every hope he's the genuine article.
---
Things Trump Did While You Weren’t Looking [2019]
https://wp.me/p2KJ3H-3h2
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Gavin Newsom's beginnings and rise are an interesting story which the LA Times covered back on September 9:
How eight elite San Francisco families funded Gavin Newsom’s political ascent
Gavin Newsom wasn’t born rich, but he was born connected — and those alliances have paid handsome dividends throughout his career. A coterie of San Francisco’s wealthiest families has backed him at every step of his political rise, which in November could lead next to his election as governor of California.
https://www.rimaregas.com/2018/08/07/greed-malfeasance-never-sleep-blog42s-things-trump-did-while-you-werent-looking-august-december-2018/14/
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The other big commitment of Newsom's for California is affordable housing, which reached a crisis point in 2014 and was left to languish until two years ago when the legislature set aside $2 billion. That money has yet to be spent. Why? NIMBY. In my county of Orange, cities like Irvine refuse to allow low income housing construction. The same is happening in Los Angeles and everywhere else in part, because of the way the media portrays homelessness, focusing only on the most obvious population: the drug and alcohol addicted and the mentally-ill. But the upward of 70,000 homeless that have been counted on the streets are hardly all in one of those three categories. There are those who've been couch-surfing for the last four years and counting, if they have friends and family. Then, there are those who go uncounted. Those would be people in their late forties to fifties and even sixties who can't rent a home and earn just enough to afford the hundred dollar nightly hotel fee and not much else. The 1-3 star hotels are all half full (or more) of those kinds of guests.
The construction boom we've been seeing is mostly of luxury apartments with less than 10% of units being set aside for the disabled and poor. In many cases, they are rented by multiple families or single people who otherwise can't rent on their own.
This is what Newsom has vowed to fix. We'll see.
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https://www.rimaregas.com/2017/01/02/new-year-ruminations-lucky-among-95-million-losers-yep-thats-me-blog42/
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@Rima Regas Also, Californians are very aware of the dangers of climate change and environmental degradation. Hence our AG is resisting the Trump administration's efforts to rollback our auto emission standards.
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A slightly different arrangement than that looks at trends and changes in the political narrative. Best of the week: Speaker Pelosi subtly denying Trump the SOTU bully pulpit, the imperial night that democracy celebrates its work and goals, repeating narratives of faith that hide its varied evils. But having shuttered government, Trump may not get to smear our neighbors for skin and language differences from the House podium.
Second, Paul noted the media has quickly shut down other freshman national voices and the seismic grass roots voting shifts of their victories.
My four to watch:
1. Michigan 11, never a Democrat since its creation, in a Michigan county with a Republican House Rep since the 1930s, Halley Stevens.
2. California 25, a victory of 9 points over an incumbent by outspoken, expert strategist, homeless specialist 35 year-old Katie Hill--she also rescues animals on a farm with her husband and took no PAC money.
3. Florida 27, a powerful sleeper, Health and Human Services Secretary and President of Miami and Chancellor of Wisconsin (Madison) Universities, Donna Shalala, class elder, the second oldest rep ever to be sworn in, a major legislation asset and a regulation expert.
4. Oklahoma 5, Kendra Horn, elected in a state in which Obama didn’t carry a single county in 2008 or 2012; the first female Democrat ever; she beat a two time incumbent.
(Parts 2 and 3 below.)
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@walterhett (Part 2)
Two media points: No matter how many times the media says so, the progressive explosion is not a division, it's an extension. It gives Speaker Pelosi solid protection on the left and the right. Witness Blue Dog Democrats (from districts Trump carried) turn down Trump’s ask to meet. The left solidly supports her Speakership.
Two, Speaker Pelosi has proved adept at using every inch of the power space of the House. Whether for legislation (passing government funding), committee memberships, press availability; symbolism and transparency (Question: Why can’t Republicans pass their own bill?), she reminds us she holds a constitutional office, vested in article one.
As third in line for the Presidency, she is right to raise the issue of security. It is also a master politician’s move and forces the question of Trump’s judgement on security.
Freshman have changed the syntax and lexicon of members! They have shown they are accustomed to taking direct action, however small. (AOC’s visitors leave post-it notes.) Leveraging media memes gives them a formidable advantage in a House used to operating in lobbyists shadows. By the way, where is Mitch?
AOC is the first member of Congress to gain a consensus/community moniker, showing the creative fidelity of the community process she knows best and operates better than one since Mayor Daley, but she uses values, authenticity and policy rather than voting rolls and patronage.
(Part 3 below.)
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@walterhett (Part 3)
In a twitter post, Rep. Ilhar Omar expresses the values and family touch of the left in her support for Rep. @RashidaTlaib: “They fear your fierce voice sis! Many people across this country and around the world love you and support you. Keep being courageous, I have your back.”
“Khalto @RepMaxineWaters speaking truth,” @RashidaTlaib greets her committee chair. Khalto means aunt, your mother’s sister.
“Queens,” one person noted. “Warriors for justice,” noted another. “Inspiring.” My favorite: “Get em girls!”
From before the swearing-in, AOC has been laser-focused on policy, then student debt, healthcare, housing, income, justice reform, green energy, “with solutions to fit the size of the problems.” Her seat on the House Financial Services committee fits the broad goals, but she has said: “I’m looking forward to digging into the student loan crisis, examining for-profit prisons/ICE detention, and exploring the development of public & postal banking. To start.”
The worldview of these freshmen says never play it safe but always be sure each step makes sense. Smears and insults are turned into stepping stones. They are changing the language: “Can I,” AOC asked, “move that all of Fox News’ “Pinocchios” be renamed “Lloronas”? (Look it up.) The Speaker, women, progressives, Hispanics, Blacks, Asians, Asia Minor, Central Americans, Africans want to join in. They know policy has morality.
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@walterhett
I assume you mean Katie Hill is a homelessness specialist, not a specialist who is homeless.
Seriously, thanks for drawing attention to the (as usual) overlooked progressives.
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No real surprise here. The Republican party has always been unable to govern. Their main purpose of being is to give the wealth to the wealthy therefore keeping themselves in power while keeping down everyone else. Their view of the working class is that workers are only there to provide money to the rich. And if you are not rich, you are not worth thinking about, therefore no action by government to help the average citizen.
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Actually, the Republicans were able to govern in the past. Even Nixon did some good things...like founding the EPA.
Unfortunately that era ended a long time ago; I would suggest in the early 80s.
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@Glenn
Question/Problem is: Why do so many "everyone else" keep voting for them?
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@Mary Ann
Certainly not that late -- it was before Reagan.
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The majority of the problem is that no one is being held accountable, because for the most part, no one is being put on the record.
There is political cover for the President to do whatever, or say whatever he wants, because the republican Senate leader is giving him that cover. HE is responsible for the government shut down (and stand still) because he is not allowing any votes at all.
That simply cannot happen at the local or state level - hence there is more of a turn over. Also at the local and state level, the depth of reporting is FAR more common, and as a result, Representatives, Senators and especially Governors have nowhere to hide.
It probably is going to take a clear majority of Democrats in Congress (especially 60+ in the Senate) AND control of the White House in 2 years time to get the country going again. (for ALL of the people, and not all of just one kind)
Most likely that is going to happen. - a good thing.
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@FunkyIrishman
Quick thought, following up on your v.trenchant point -no-one is being put on the record. At Fed level, it seems to be govt by silence & inaction. Where IS Mitch McConnell ?
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@ilma2045
That is exactly what I was referring to. HE has stated publicly numerous times that he will not put anything on the floor that the President does not agree with. That is complete abdication of his responsibilities as a co-equal branch of government, and really where the President derives his power, and gets his cover from.
I suspect that many would break ranks to vote to release the hostages, but we are all being held hostage by him.
Has to change right quick.
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@FunkyIrishman: yeah except we HAD THAT in 2009-2011 and the Dems did absolutely nothing. Lousy, worthless Obamacare (which Krugman ADORES, since he does not have to HAVE It, and a $9000 a year, per person, deductible!) and remind me again what ELSE they accomplished in that time period? Oh right. Nothing.
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