The enablers are those who elected deceitful, self-important people like Ryan and his pals.
81
I hope I am way off base, but :
Ryan crticizes Hillary and Donald in a Father-Knows-Best tone,while playing to the Koch-ettes economy-wise...He behaves as if he is hoping to be nominated for President at the Republican Convention. I fear he might win. Like I said, I hope I am wrong.
Ryan crticizes Hillary and Donald in a Father-Knows-Best tone,while playing to the Koch-ettes economy-wise...He behaves as if he is hoping to be nominated for President at the Republican Convention. I fear he might win. Like I said, I hope I am wrong.
48
Once Karl Rove got away with engineering W.'s win in the South Carolina primary by spreading a rumor that John McCain had fathered a black baby -- an utterly nauseating and despicable exploitation of the fact that Sen. McCain and his wife had entirely honorably adopted a beautiful child who needed a good home -- and that wasn't a major major scandal, well, all decency was lost.
Prof. Krugman, from the beginning you were calling out the lies of the W. administration, so Norman Ornstein wasn't alone. Thanks for trying.
Prof. Krugman, from the beginning you were calling out the lies of the W. administration, so Norman Ornstein wasn't alone. Thanks for trying.
102
Mr. Krugman's observations about the media are right on target! It really appalls me when I hear supposedly informed and rational "news" commentators glossing over major differences between candidates or elected officials to be "fair." Ignoring the differences isn't fair, but facilitating ignorance.
68
For the record, on Fix the Debt
The four judges, to hand out the Fix the Debt's cash prize of for $10,000 cash prize to the college student creating the best project “designed to educate their peers on the effects of the nation’s rising debt.”
Included, yes, Chelsea Clinton.
https://www.thenation.com/article/pete-petersons-puppet-populists/
The four judges, to hand out the Fix the Debt's cash prize of for $10,000 cash prize to the college student creating the best project “designed to educate their peers on the effects of the nation’s rising debt.”
Included, yes, Chelsea Clinton.
https://www.thenation.com/article/pete-petersons-puppet-populists/
12
Yes llpop
Republican politics is a bare knuckle struggle by big money vested interests to impose their will and reap the bottom line advantages. Ryan has fed at the trough of the Kochtopus. His reputation as a wonk and ideas which were anathema to the middle class have been burnished and popularized by a growing network of shady quasi philanthropic agencies who dole out the 1%'s millions hiding the donors' names. For starters, look into TC4 Trust and Public Notice efforts to popularize Ryan's petty programs.
The 1% is leveraging its $ billions through a concerted and well orchestrated effort to bend the political system to their bottom line interests. Ryan and bandwagon Republican pols all have a big 'for sale' sign on their backs and and we're witnessing the haggling over the price. Is it too much to ask the media to please move beyond providing cover for the messengers and face up to the role of big money's efforts to purchase a controlling interest in the US Government...
The 1% is leveraging its $ billions through a concerted and well orchestrated effort to bend the political system to their bottom line interests. Ryan and bandwagon Republican pols all have a big 'for sale' sign on their backs and and we're witnessing the haggling over the price. Is it too much to ask the media to please move beyond providing cover for the messengers and face up to the role of big money's efforts to purchase a controlling interest in the US Government...
56
When paul condemns republicans, their corporate enablers and the media, he points out their agenda and techniques, just as Sanders has done.
When paul praises hillary he uses all the republican stratagems he otherwise condemns.
Yes he is truly an honest academician! You can rely on his opinions and statements, all crafted to find truth and not promote paul's agenda!
When paul praises hillary he uses all the republican stratagems he otherwise condemns.
Yes he is truly an honest academician! You can rely on his opinions and statements, all crafted to find truth and not promote paul's agenda!
6
Both parties are out for only one person, themselves. Our elected officials do not work for the people who elected them. No, they go to Washington to enrich themselves and their friends. It has been this way for decades, and the only way forward is to both look to third party candidates like the Libertarian Party's Johnson/Weld ticket and to enact term limits for Congress.
8
Add to your analysis this: The Utter Fecklessness of the Democratic Party with no voice willing to names names, and be a voice for the people who feel abandoned by the political system. Why was it it up to Trump to say it, George Bush led us into a disastrous war with even more disastrous outcomes by deception. I think I know why: too many Democrats complicit with all this and many of the items the good Prof lists in his article.
22
Well said Dr. Krugman. If you let crazy go, you let crazy grow. I was surprised initially by the fact that many GOP leaders did not condemn outrageous statements that members of their own party made over the last 8 years. Sure, now we get condemnation when Trump is so explicit with his rhetoric, when the GOP is used to dog whistles and innuendo. They must be tired of the endless press conferences and statements they have to make condemning Trump's latest statement, but most continue to back the guy completely, which makes it hard to take their condemnations seriously.
I believe that the reason that figures like Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter have seen their popularity wane in recent years is because they used to provide an outlet for a portion of the GOP base. Now, those ideas have gone mainstream, and the media has certainly been complicit. Scared of being accused of bias, they try to offer "objective" coverage of things that should be absolutely dismissed. Now, folks don't have to turn to Rush to get their fix, they get it from their elected officials and national party leaders.
When you let crazy go, you let crazy grow.
I believe that the reason that figures like Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter have seen their popularity wane in recent years is because they used to provide an outlet for a portion of the GOP base. Now, those ideas have gone mainstream, and the media has certainly been complicit. Scared of being accused of bias, they try to offer "objective" coverage of things that should be absolutely dismissed. Now, folks don't have to turn to Rush to get their fix, they get it from their elected officials and national party leaders.
When you let crazy go, you let crazy grow.
37
The reality is the GOP never expected control of the White House after Obama's 2008 victory. They came to the conclusion their power base will be permanently administered in both houses. Then Trump comes along and rallies +12 million enthusiastic voters the GOP knew they had BUT- DID NOT WANT! Having them around is like having 12 drunk uncles at a wedding reception. Their new presence in the party is counter effective and risks losing future seats and majority control in both houses and what really keeps the GOP up at night is the formulation of a 3rd political party... and that's where I think this is ultimately headed. That's why Ryan is having trouble keeping Trump in check, because he knows at any minute Trump can take his dollies and go to a 3rd party home..
21
Any one remember the term "flim flam man" ?/ That is Ryan to a tee.....a con man with phony plans -
48
The NYT would do a service to its readers by periodically publishing a simple two-column chart. At the top of the chart would be a photograph of Donald Trump and below would be two columns -- Republicans like the former President Bushes, Governor Romney, and others who have expressly repudiated his candidacy in one column, and Republicans like former Vice-President Cheney, Speaker Ryan, and others who have either endorsed or refused to repudiate his candidacy. We can then cut out the chart and tape it to our refrigerators so that we remember this November and the next few election cycles.
38
"the modern Republican Party is in essence a machine designed to deliver high after-tax incomes to the 1 percent."
This may be the best one sentence summary of the true nature of the Republican Party I have ever read. My quibbles concern the time frame and the range of cons. This statement describes the program of the Republican Party going back, by my calculation, to at least 1876. That's when they bought the election of Rutherford B. Hayes and kicked off the first Gilded Age. The range of cons goes way beyond racism. That's only been the biggie since 1960-64. Anti communism was the leading con earlier. Since they have added gays, guns and God to racism, and those are working for them--the gay think is aging out, but they have moved to T stuff and bathrooms. The system broke down when Donald Trump showed up giving the suckers someone to rally round. The one percent may have to find some new organization to represent their interests. Trust me, they will.
This may be the best one sentence summary of the true nature of the Republican Party I have ever read. My quibbles concern the time frame and the range of cons. This statement describes the program of the Republican Party going back, by my calculation, to at least 1876. That's when they bought the election of Rutherford B. Hayes and kicked off the first Gilded Age. The range of cons goes way beyond racism. That's only been the biggie since 1960-64. Anti communism was the leading con earlier. Since they have added gays, guns and God to racism, and those are working for them--the gay think is aging out, but they have moved to T stuff and bathrooms. The system broke down when Donald Trump showed up giving the suckers someone to rally round. The one percent may have to find some new organization to represent their interests. Trust me, they will.
22
Great op-ed! Clearly defines the GOP agenda. Thank you and keep writing!
Their agenda needs to be more in the media and public dialogue.
Their agenda needs to be more in the media and public dialogue.
18
What I do not understand is why the Republican base, which is mostly economically challenged, supports the Ryan agenda.
I remember speaking with a NYC taxi driver when Reagan was running for president. He said he would vote for Reagan, I countered that Reagan was not his friend, and would do nothing to help him, replied, "great man". And there you have it.
I remember speaking with a NYC taxi driver when Reagan was running for president. He said he would vote for Reagan, I countered that Reagan was not his friend, and would do nothing to help him, replied, "great man". And there you have it.
25
All these indictments of the GOP are true... and yet the American People voted put them in charge of both houses of Congress and made them the governors of 30 states... so who are the real enablers?
33
True, when it comes down to what they do the GOP is the chief house organ of the wealth defense industry. But ideologically they are all about freedom. Yes, they write laws and pass down constitutional rulings that maintain structural racism, but ideologically they are about freedom. Sure, they suppress the vote but ideologically the are about freedom. GOP - good ole' propaganda. And freedom!!
7
"This instrument can teach, it can illuminate..."
Media journalists need to live up to this.
Media journalists need to live up to this.
3
As usual, 100% on target. Well done, well said.
8
Paul Ryan = Coward with no soul.
17
Paul Ryan is Speaker of the House primarily b/c no one else had "clean hands," and he still had to have his arm twisted to take the job.
as for "Enabling the Enablers," look in the mirror, Prof. "Bernie-bad, Hillary-good" Krugman (and can I please sign my name on all US currency, thank you very much) Krugman.
as for "Enabling the Enablers," look in the mirror, Prof. "Bernie-bad, Hillary-good" Krugman (and can I please sign my name on all US currency, thank you very much) Krugman.
9
Early on I could never understand why the MSM thought balanced was giving equal time to an Astrophysicist and the "moon is made of green cheese" crowd, or economic realists vs "trickle down " acolytes. I have come to realize the 4th estate has been put on the market as a "for sale by owner" for ratings and money.
Ultimately this has made this country as stupid as "Idiocracy" and caused the MSM a self inflicted death.
Nice going!!. Hope you all enjoy Trumpocracy.
Ultimately this has made this country as stupid as "Idiocracy" and caused the MSM a self inflicted death.
Nice going!!. Hope you all enjoy Trumpocracy.
17
Did "Fix the Debt's" scolding ever to any meaningful extent ever go so far as Pentagon spending and upper income and investment tax breaks? This was never a principled group and it's misleading to cite them as somehow just now having compromised themselves in support of Mr. Ryan.
9
Ryan has already won. The enablers of those siphoning off the wealth have us just where they want us. Clinton will win and nothing will change. Think Rome,...late Rome.
13
The best way to defeat Trump is to bring crooked Hillary to justice; Bernie then gets the White House.
7
Trump's angry supporters will not read this column. What they need is an understandable break-down of the numbers involved, without a bunch of double-speak about how generosity towards the already-wealthy will give them jobs, or animosity towards a political party that their families have supported for generations. Just the facts.
8
"I’m not saying that all leading Republicans are racists;" You're wrong Paul. They are all racists and here is why. If someone supports a racist while claiming not to be one themselves all they are doing is letting their candidate spew the hate for them while saying things like "Well I don't agree with everything he says but I like his ideas on trade" or my favorite line "Yeah but at least he says whats on his mind." The Republicans have been doing this for a long time and they now have an out of the closet racist as their standard bearer. A vote for Trump will make you a de facto racist. Own it.
185
Maybe at one time, you could say that not all GOP leaders were racist - but not now. Gosh, just because all the current leaders support, tacitly or openly, racist or sexist legislation - are they really all racist and sexist? Yes.
If you weren't racist, sexist or a product of a dumbed down education or a rigid religious outlook - you changed to being an independent or a Democrat.
St Ronnie changed me from a Republican. Bill and NAFTA changed me to a progressive; I just didn't have a candidate until Bernie.
What scares me even more, is that both parties don't want to seriously focus on climate change. Parts of our country will become uninhabitable in the next 30 years.
If you weren't racist, sexist or a product of a dumbed down education or a rigid religious outlook - you changed to being an independent or a Democrat.
St Ronnie changed me from a Republican. Bill and NAFTA changed me to a progressive; I just didn't have a candidate until Bernie.
What scares me even more, is that both parties don't want to seriously focus on climate change. Parts of our country will become uninhabitable in the next 30 years.
16
Paul Ryan, the youthful bluff face in a tie and suit, expressing beggar-your- neighbor Ayn Rand policies, looks straight and earnestly to the camera with the hope that he can fool all the people all the time.
22
This GOP "Southern Strategy", a carryover from the 70s, will not work in an increasingly diverse America. That the GOP hasn't figured this out by now is dumbfounding.
6
I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that you are a staunch Democrat. Dr. K tell us, from an economics perspective, how the Democratic agenda/platform will improve/hamper growth in this country. Interested in jobs and taxes as specific topics.
Talk the positive and not the negative.
Talk the positive and not the negative.
3
No one displays the emperor's lack of clothes better than you, Dr. Krugman! Thanks for another great article deflating the 'moral' pomposity of Republican anti-Trumpers. As you sow, so shall you reap. And they are reaping the whirlwind (to mix my metaphor).
9
The GOP is like and iceberg, mostly under water but you know its there because they are supporting Trump. There are the ignorant and uneducated, the economic losers, out and out racists, members of the KKK, neo-fascists, neo-Nazis, anti-Semites, white supremacists, haters of every stripe, autocrats, people who think torture is just fine and can’t wait for it to resume, and people who believe that Democrats are communists plotting to turn the country over to the terrorists.
This list of crazies is just too long and fortunately not a majority. But that is the underside of the iceberg which Trump has made totally visible, Welcome to the real GOP. The party of the rich? Who cares. When do we start the arrests and build the camps?
This list of crazies is just too long and fortunately not a majority. But that is the underside of the iceberg which Trump has made totally visible, Welcome to the real GOP. The party of the rich? Who cares. When do we start the arrests and build the camps?
8
Krugman is himself an enabler, not of course, enabling the fallacies of Donald Trump, but instead enabling the fallacies of liberal political thought.
We can start with the issue of "fixing the debt." Indeed, paying off the debt would normally be seen as an eminently reasonable position.
But liberals are confronted with growth in entitlement spending. How do they control such growth IN THE LONG RUN?
Well, one way which works IN THE SHORT RUN is taxing savers. The US currently does this via the Fed. Interest rates are held to be lower than the rate of inflation, resulting in negative real interest rates.
This provides revenue for the government, which in turn makes it possible to fund increasing levels of entitlement.
Although negative real interest rates are great in the immediate aftermath of a financial crisis such as that of 2008, in which many Americans faced foreclosures on their homes, it does work well in the long run.
That's because exponential growth becomes exponential decay when interest rates are negative. This makes it harder, perhaps impossible, to save for retirement. And let me remind the gentle reader that retirement savings are a good thing, far better than death due to penury.
Republican COULD argue that the way to cut entitlements in the long run is to cut population growth to zero. Perhaps by stopping illegal immigration and providing incentives for smaller families.
But they can't argue this because it would be labeled as "racist."
We can start with the issue of "fixing the debt." Indeed, paying off the debt would normally be seen as an eminently reasonable position.
But liberals are confronted with growth in entitlement spending. How do they control such growth IN THE LONG RUN?
Well, one way which works IN THE SHORT RUN is taxing savers. The US currently does this via the Fed. Interest rates are held to be lower than the rate of inflation, resulting in negative real interest rates.
This provides revenue for the government, which in turn makes it possible to fund increasing levels of entitlement.
Although negative real interest rates are great in the immediate aftermath of a financial crisis such as that of 2008, in which many Americans faced foreclosures on their homes, it does work well in the long run.
That's because exponential growth becomes exponential decay when interest rates are negative. This makes it harder, perhaps impossible, to save for retirement. And let me remind the gentle reader that retirement savings are a good thing, far better than death due to penury.
Republican COULD argue that the way to cut entitlements in the long run is to cut population growth to zero. Perhaps by stopping illegal immigration and providing incentives for smaller families.
But they can't argue this because it would be labeled as "racist."
5
Krugman is himself an enabler, not of course, enabling the fallacies of Donald Trump, but instead enabling the fallacies of liberal political thought.
We can start with the issue of "fixing the debt." Indeed, paying off the debt would normally be seen as an eminently reasonable position.
But liberals are confronted with growth in entitlement spending. How do they control such growth IN THE LONG RUN?
Well, one way which works IN THE SHORT RUN is taxing savers. The US currently does this via the Fed. Interest rates are held to be lower than the rate of inflation, resulting in negative real interest rates.
This provides revenue for the government, which in turn makes it possible to fund increasing levels of entitlement.
Although negative real interest rates are great in the immediate aftermath of a financial crisis such as that of 2008, in which many Americans faced foreclosures on their homes, it does NOT work well in the long run.
That's because exponential growth becomes exponential decay when interest rates are negative. This makes it harder, perhaps impossible, to save for retirement. And let me remind the gentle reader that retirement savings are a good thing, far better than death due to penury.
Republican COULD argue that the way to cut entitlements in the long run is to cut population growth to zero. Perhaps by stopping illegal immigration and providing incentives for smaller families.
But they can't argue this because it would be labeled as "racist."
We can start with the issue of "fixing the debt." Indeed, paying off the debt would normally be seen as an eminently reasonable position.
But liberals are confronted with growth in entitlement spending. How do they control such growth IN THE LONG RUN?
Well, one way which works IN THE SHORT RUN is taxing savers. The US currently does this via the Fed. Interest rates are held to be lower than the rate of inflation, resulting in negative real interest rates.
This provides revenue for the government, which in turn makes it possible to fund increasing levels of entitlement.
Although negative real interest rates are great in the immediate aftermath of a financial crisis such as that of 2008, in which many Americans faced foreclosures on their homes, it does NOT work well in the long run.
That's because exponential growth becomes exponential decay when interest rates are negative. This makes it harder, perhaps impossible, to save for retirement. And let me remind the gentle reader that retirement savings are a good thing, far better than death due to penury.
Republican COULD argue that the way to cut entitlements in the long run is to cut population growth to zero. Perhaps by stopping illegal immigration and providing incentives for smaller families.
But they can't argue this because it would be labeled as "racist."
8
Ryan, the fresh faced choir boy, McConnell, the grizzled old guard angry guy, and Trump, their *Toon* deserve what's coming their way...
We as a country are tired of these people who are:
• *holier-than-thou* (except Trump, unless we count the inevitable creation of *Trump Church*)
• smartest-guys-in-the-room (except Trump, although he's got "good words")
• unable to compromise (except Trump he's the self proclaimed *unifier*)
• self absorded and only see - and support - their own image (except Trump, "because ______, love me")
• want guns in anyones hands (expect Trump, because he said after Sandy Hook...oh nevermind)
...and not to forget racist, misogynist (except Trump, as long as you have the perfect hourglass figure and measurements) xenophobic (except Trump, because he doesn't know what the word means), homophobic (except Trump, who actually doesn't seem homophobic... how's that working for you fellas?), narcissistic, and all the rest of their *conservative values* we have already witnessed...
And even if they don't display all these vial attributes, they fully support a guy who displays most all of them. And as most of us learned as children, "You are known by the company you keep".
So, please keep driving your '66 Thunderbird (what a waist of a classic car) toward that cliff, hand-in-hand, and come November this chapter of our long national nightmare will be over...
We as a country are tired of these people who are:
• *holier-than-thou* (except Trump, unless we count the inevitable creation of *Trump Church*)
• smartest-guys-in-the-room (except Trump, although he's got "good words")
• unable to compromise (except Trump he's the self proclaimed *unifier*)
• self absorded and only see - and support - their own image (except Trump, "because ______, love me")
• want guns in anyones hands (expect Trump, because he said after Sandy Hook...oh nevermind)
...and not to forget racist, misogynist (except Trump, as long as you have the perfect hourglass figure and measurements) xenophobic (except Trump, because he doesn't know what the word means), homophobic (except Trump, who actually doesn't seem homophobic... how's that working for you fellas?), narcissistic, and all the rest of their *conservative values* we have already witnessed...
And even if they don't display all these vial attributes, they fully support a guy who displays most all of them. And as most of us learned as children, "You are known by the company you keep".
So, please keep driving your '66 Thunderbird (what a waist of a classic car) toward that cliff, hand-in-hand, and come November this chapter of our long national nightmare will be over...
14
Thank You, Mr. Krugman!
The media are seriously enabling Mr. Trump. He doesn't need to run a campaign because the media will run it for him!
The media are seriously enabling Mr. Trump. He doesn't need to run a campaign because the media will run it for him!
19
A quibble with Mr. Krugman's excellent column. He writes: "I’m not saying that all leading Republicans are racists; most of them probably aren’t, although Mr. Trump probably is." I am curious about his use of the word "probably" in regards to Trump. What does it mean to be racist? Is it about what is in your heart? I keep hearing that privately and in person, Trump has not exhibited racism. Let's assume that is true for sake of this argument. It is irrelevant. No one can know what is really in someone's heart of hearts. All that matters is the face one puts out to the world. Trump's words and actions are racist. Hence, let's call him a racist. Not "probably." Definitely..
22
Ryan and McConnell both support Trump, so should be blamed if the GOP loses with Trump. That is, guilt by association is valid. As the the "Fix the Debt" organization, it would be interesting for PK to devote a column to them: who funds them, who are the Board of Directors and who are their "economists". These people need to be exposed for what they are.
23
The Democrats have their enablers too --- they have let one get away with lies for too long. As one who has taken care of babies all my life, she reminds me of a spoiled little girl.
9
The claim is that the man is not really antisemitic or racist. He just uses those sentiments to incite a crowd for opportunistic reasons.
A moral man who only behaves immorally .
Presidential.
A moral man who only behaves immorally .
Presidential.
15
Yes Paul, and BTW welcome back! The GOP has definitely hid behind 'their facade' for decades. Now someone (Trump) actually comes out swinging and they're left literally 'with their pants down'. LOL. Except in this case, it really isn't funny. And this isn't the first time that I have seen the media as complicit. Your colleague Nick Kristoff did as well. So as you say, here we are. But I have to question, where is THAT? With a nominee of a major party who might possibly be de-evolving right in front of us? Check out the rant after Tuesday's FBI report on Clinton's e-mails. Sounded quite disturbing to me at least. Or was it just 'playing to the audience'? With Trump, one never knows. Is he deranged, or is he playing us? Any mental health professionals want to weigh in? Cause by that extension, 'the base' who voted for him to be the nominee seem to be unhinged as well. Now there's the REAL problem Sir.
25
"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." -Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
People who are "not racists" but are willing to use racism to achieve their ends, are, by default, racists.
People who are "not racists" but are willing to use racism to achieve their ends, are, by default, racists.
44
I still believe that Bernie Sanders is the answer to the oligarchic tendencies in both political parties.
PK and the NYT did their part to marginalize Bernie. You are part of the problem.
PK and the NYT did their part to marginalize Bernie. You are part of the problem.
36
Money is power and power is money in a feedback loop that inevitably runs to extreme wealth concentration unless artificial negative feedback is applied to wealth concentration itself.
16
Look to California as a rebuke to Ryan. California has proven you can be progressive and fiscally responsible. A truth the Ryan republicans do not want you to know.
50
So there's an actual plan behind the Republican Congressional agenda to block any progressive legislation on gun control, climate, immigration -- the list goes on and on. I thought these Congressmen were only concerned about their own power and income and damn the rest of the country. This is surely their prime motivation, but as the article points out, the Republican Congressmens' callous disregard for the welfare of others doesn't extend to the l%.
The Republicans have no shame in harnessing the inchoate desire of the American public for "change" to support this agenda. Or the racial hatred which is the outcome of a disempowered poor white class who doesn't wish/can't afford to share the pie.
The Republic Congress and by extension the Republican party at it's base is all about money, getting it and keeping it for themselves, and the l% they undoubtedly aspire to join.
The Republicans have no shame in harnessing the inchoate desire of the American public for "change" to support this agenda. Or the racial hatred which is the outcome of a disempowered poor white class who doesn't wish/can't afford to share the pie.
The Republic Congress and by extension the Republican party at it's base is all about money, getting it and keeping it for themselves, and the l% they undoubtedly aspire to join.
10
For those who still need convincing that Clinton is better than Trump by far, here's a handy comparison https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/open-letter-sanders-supporters-scott-s-sm...
5
Paul...it's good to see you boning up on your Chomsky; he's only been saying all of what you wrote for decades.
7
Trump is doing us a great service by providing a foil that the media cannot ignore. His circus has forced the establishment to discuss ( or in the case of "his party" attempt to paper over) ugly truths that gentlemen and ladies of the popular press traditionally avoid. Thanks to him we have an unmasking, not just of his sad, pathetic self, but of his milieu, the makers and buyers of opinion and power.
11
Yes, Trump and the Republican Party are a collective disgrace and I will do everything in my power as a single voter to keep them out of office. They are both shameful and shameless.
On the other hand, I have little enthusiasm for Hillary Clinton or the Democrats who enable her. But I will vote for her because she is better than the Republican alternative.
So why do I bring this up if the choice is clear? Because as a Liberal Democrat I have higher standards for whom I support for office. I'm not happy with the "lesser of two evils." By this metric, Democratic "enablers" should have more shame than the shameless Republicans. We should know better and aim higher -- much higher.
On the other hand, I have little enthusiasm for Hillary Clinton or the Democrats who enable her. But I will vote for her because she is better than the Republican alternative.
So why do I bring this up if the choice is clear? Because as a Liberal Democrat I have higher standards for whom I support for office. I'm not happy with the "lesser of two evils." By this metric, Democratic "enablers" should have more shame than the shameless Republicans. We should know better and aim higher -- much higher.
13
Among those outside the GOP,many media people,especially on cable directly enabled Trump when at the beginning of the primary/ caucus season they gave him near exclusive coverage,mainly because they found him entertaining.Had they given Bernie similar coverage from the beginning it's possible he'd be the Democrats' presumptive nominee.And the cable media is still entranced by Trump as evidenced Wednesday when his entire hour +speech was covered,without any commercial breaks.Although in this case it may have hurt since was babbling so insanely from subject to disconnected subject it was easy to wonder what drug he'd taken.
It's the fact that the voters believing Obama is Muslim believe that automatically disqualifies him from being President.A believe that 8 years ago "moderate" John McCain encourage when assuring a woman that Obama's not a Muslim added that he's a good American ,implying that even U.S. born Muslims aren't.So that Trump's open accusation that they aren't is neither new or unusual in the GOP.
It's the fact that the voters believing Obama is Muslim believe that automatically disqualifies him from being President.A believe that 8 years ago "moderate" John McCain encourage when assuring a woman that Obama's not a Muslim added that he's a good American ,implying that even U.S. born Muslims aren't.So that Trump's open accusation that they aren't is neither new or unusual in the GOP.
8
I would add that ignorant voters are enablers as well. It takes a special kind of rube to think Donald Trump has the interests of anything other than Donald Trump at heart.
Tax cuts for the wealthy help...the wealthy! Go figure.
Tax cuts for the wealthy help...the wealthy! Go figure.
27
The Republican Party has nothing more to offer but charts,grafts and darkness.
Served up to us by its dark prince Paul Ryan.
Served up to us by its dark prince Paul Ryan.
15
How did Mr. Ryan reach his position? Above all, he's there because, as Dr. Krugman points out, he so very much looks the part. Appearances play a huge role in politics. JFK was the one who pioneered campaigning on his looks.
If George W. Bush looked like someone many people wanted to have a beer with while watching football, Ryan is this generation's Mr. Smith, though not because of his politics. Mr. Ryan has the same earnest boyish charm and appeal of Jimmy Stewart. There are two key looks Mr.Ryan has mastered: the winning smile and the furrowed brow of concern.
Being attractive, looking competent and saying little is the key to Mr. Ryan's success as the One Percent's point person in Congress.
If George W. Bush looked like someone many people wanted to have a beer with while watching football, Ryan is this generation's Mr. Smith, though not because of his politics. Mr. Ryan has the same earnest boyish charm and appeal of Jimmy Stewart. There are two key looks Mr.Ryan has mastered: the winning smile and the furrowed brow of concern.
Being attractive, looking competent and saying little is the key to Mr. Ryan's success as the One Percent's point person in Congress.
17
In the world of enablers, don't forget FBI Director Comey, whose ability to parse the difference between extremely careless and gross negligence puts even Slick Willy to shame. And lest we forget, AG Lynch, who managed to get out of the decision loop without formally recusing herself, another testament to the way the current administration administers justice. [Not to mention, of course, Eric Holder who also didn't think it worthwhile to prosecute the Titans of Wall Street.]
10
It's amazing how each new generation of Repub leaders can manage to make the previous (appalling, inept, awful) GOP-ers look kind of ok. Trump compared to W? Makes Dubya seems like Churchill. Reagan? Sure, he sold weapons to our stated enemy under the table, to fund war in a place that neither the Congress or the people would have tolerated. But hey, he was cheerful and spoke positively about America. My goodness, Nixon at this point, you have to admit was the last liberal president. With each iteration, it seems like we have hit the bottom. But the bottom keeps getting deeper and deeper all the time. So how about we slash taxes for the gazillionaires?
7
"someone able to do a passable job of playing that character on TV."
Once again, Dr. Krugman, unlike the fantasy column of Mr. Brooks today shows that he lives in the REAL world.
Many people are pathologically selfish. If you are not selfish they will come after you to steal from you because they recognize your weakness. If your tendency is to trust people they will use that trust to defraud you (Great recession anybody.}
Paul Ryan thinks that helping the poor and sick is akin to getting them hooked on a drug (seriously), so his "cure" is to withdraw that help so they can "recover" from this addiction.
It is the biggest lie I have ever heard, but he says it so nicely and with utter conviction. The hallmark of a sociopath.
I know, I'm a retired psychiatrist I know sociopathy when I see it. And it is rampant in the Republican Party.
Once again, Dr. Krugman, unlike the fantasy column of Mr. Brooks today shows that he lives in the REAL world.
Many people are pathologically selfish. If you are not selfish they will come after you to steal from you because they recognize your weakness. If your tendency is to trust people they will use that trust to defraud you (Great recession anybody.}
Paul Ryan thinks that helping the poor and sick is akin to getting them hooked on a drug (seriously), so his "cure" is to withdraw that help so they can "recover" from this addiction.
It is the biggest lie I have ever heard, but he says it so nicely and with utter conviction. The hallmark of a sociopath.
I know, I'm a retired psychiatrist I know sociopathy when I see it. And it is rampant in the Republican Party.
11
Let me make a prediction: those who post here quarrelling with Krugman's views reside mostly in southern states...and some even believe, deep in their hearts, that the wrong side prevailed in the Civil War.
8
Listen Liberal,
While every word you speak about your (and my) opposition party is true don't get so smug about our own party. We have as much to do with the rise of Trumpism as the other guys do. The "New", "Third Way Dems" have played a huge part in the fleeing of working class white to the other side. We have been getting our money from the fat cats and Wall Street and oh do the results show. Bill Clinton paved the way for the financial collapse of the 2008 not only with laws but gutting of regulatory functions within the executive branch. You think Obama was a saint - how many bankers have served time on his watch?
The "free trade" agreements? Not about trade at all - but about corporations writing their own rules.
With apologies to Thomas Frank, Listen Liberal, before its too late.
While every word you speak about your (and my) opposition party is true don't get so smug about our own party. We have as much to do with the rise of Trumpism as the other guys do. The "New", "Third Way Dems" have played a huge part in the fleeing of working class white to the other side. We have been getting our money from the fat cats and Wall Street and oh do the results show. Bill Clinton paved the way for the financial collapse of the 2008 not only with laws but gutting of regulatory functions within the executive branch. You think Obama was a saint - how many bankers have served time on his watch?
The "free trade" agreements? Not about trade at all - but about corporations writing their own rules.
With apologies to Thomas Frank, Listen Liberal, before its too late.
10
Let's not forget that Mr. Trump's former butler, Anthony Senecal, called for Obama's death on Facebook, calling our sitting president a "Kenyan fraud." Mr. Trump's response? Keep him on his staff at Mar-a-Lago as an "unofficial historian."
What more do you need to know about Mr. Trump's racial views?
What more do you need to know about Mr. Trump's racial views?
15
Good to read that at least one NYT columnist is willing and able to speak truth to the powerful. Of course, what is going on in America is a deliberate manipulation of events and media to eventually end with the adoration of the very rich, as in Roman times, and the economic enslavement of not only the world's poor, but also those not of the 1% in America.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_for_the_New_American_Century
The link reminds people what is really going on behind the scenes. Soon we will have a third Middle East war, to disrupt oil supplies and raise the profits of America oil.
Hugh Massengill, Eugene
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_for_the_New_American_Century
The link reminds people what is really going on behind the scenes. Soon we will have a third Middle East war, to disrupt oil supplies and raise the profits of America oil.
Hugh Massengill, Eugene
7
In a two party, winner take all configuration (such as are all the political offices in the US) the crazies (read racist mostly southerners) must reside somewhere. Oh sure, they were Dixicrats and ran off with Thurmond and Wallace for a while, but that got them nothing. So after being courted by Goldwater and Nixon, the southern strategy, and used to get more votes, they proceeded take over the GOP. And here we are...
8
Well put, Dr. K. There is a direct line to be drawn between the media's habit of false equivalency and turning a blind eye to the racism central to the base of the Republican Party (thank you for reminding us about that Willie Horton ad), and the murders by cop of black Americans that go unpunished apparently every day.
Racism in the US is watered and fed by the GOP, They are not the only source of it, obviously, but they are by far the largest institutional beneficiary of American racism. Racism to stir up the ignorant, hate-filled base to get votes, then use the power of the elected to cut taxes on the rich and arrange for other corporate welfare. That's what the GOP is; that's what it does.
Crush these people this year. Crush them at the polls - in every town, village, county and hamlet. Register ALL OF US, and get EVERYONE to the polls.
Racism in the US is watered and fed by the GOP, They are not the only source of it, obviously, but they are by far the largest institutional beneficiary of American racism. Racism to stir up the ignorant, hate-filled base to get votes, then use the power of the elected to cut taxes on the rich and arrange for other corporate welfare. That's what the GOP is; that's what it does.
Crush these people this year. Crush them at the polls - in every town, village, county and hamlet. Register ALL OF US, and get EVERYONE to the polls.
12
You might call it "Trickle Down Enabling".
5
Putin clearly read the Republican manual on how to 'take over' the US by using local and State politics and prejudices to divide the country against itself. Now an oligarchical, wannabee trillionaire proxy is coming close to doing just that. The road map has be set, and there is no reason not to believe that other's will follow.
This is an inevitable result of the Republican drive to equate governance with business.
It's not about anything personal [aka human], it's only business.
This is an inevitable result of the Republican drive to equate governance with business.
It's not about anything personal [aka human], it's only business.
6
Most leading Republicans are" probably" not racists? That's a fatuous statement. To an astonishing degree, white Americans are predominantly racists. The leading Republicans are all white.
See a pattern, Doc?
See a pattern, Doc?
7
Republican Leaders are pretending that Trump has nothing to do with them. They are saying his statement have nothing to do with their goals or beliefs. THEY LIE!
This is illustrated by the following."These days, former President George H.W. Bush is treated as an elder statesman, too gentlemanly to endorse the likes of Donald Trump — but remember, he’s the one who ran the Willie Horton ad. Mitt Romney is also sitting this one out — but he was happy to accept Mr. Trump’s endorsement back when the candidate was best known for his rabid birtherism."
Add to that the refusal of the main stream press to confront those in power who treat the law as their own personal weapon to make those with whom the disagree pay and any and pay while pandering to corporate lobbyists, billionaires and foreign governments. We are suffering from a privileged class who can't see what they are doing to this country as they happily accept money from interests whose view of democracy and unincorporated humans is nothing less than a snear.
This is illustrated by the following."These days, former President George H.W. Bush is treated as an elder statesman, too gentlemanly to endorse the likes of Donald Trump — but remember, he’s the one who ran the Willie Horton ad. Mitt Romney is also sitting this one out — but he was happy to accept Mr. Trump’s endorsement back when the candidate was best known for his rabid birtherism."
Add to that the refusal of the main stream press to confront those in power who treat the law as their own personal weapon to make those with whom the disagree pay and any and pay while pandering to corporate lobbyists, billionaires and foreign governments. We are suffering from a privileged class who can't see what they are doing to this country as they happily accept money from interests whose view of democracy and unincorporated humans is nothing less than a snear.
10
If we had a crystal ball that worked, given the track record of GOP speakers of the recent past, we might know the ignominy that will cap Ryan's career.
6
This is a very worrisome election. The biggest and most crucial "enablers" are the middle- and working-class GOP voters who elect Republicans to political office to destroy their own government and country. How does anyone with any solid information, evidence, facts, and common sense get through to these voters? Sadly, I don't think they can or will.
We can only hope Donald Trump and the right-wing, hate-government Republican politicians defeat themselves in 2016, so this country can move forward not backward. Fingers crossed.
We can only hope Donald Trump and the right-wing, hate-government Republican politicians defeat themselves in 2016, so this country can move forward not backward. Fingers crossed.
11
I don't want to let the media off of the hook here, and Mr. Krugman, you are correct. But the Republicans have been bashing the media for as far back as I can remember. And the media defend themselves by trying to appear even handed. So our defanged media is also a result of Republican tactics that also have contributed to the mess of their party. Apparently, it will never stop. Mr. Ryan is now leading the witch hunt on Emailgate. I haven't seen much press about this latest example of Republican over-reach.
13
The goal of the Republican party is to get, and keep power...it's not about governance. Tell the people what they want to hear, then don't deliver...we're seeing the result of this strategy.
18
I don't disagree with anything here, but when I saw the title: All the nominees enablers, I didn't know which nominee the colum was about. It could apply to either. And I am a Clinton supporter
49
I generally just skim Krugman's pieces given that they are all anti-Republican all the time. I look for the little nuggets of pseudo-facts he likes to link to and spin; today's is a CNN poll where he extrapolates that a "plurality" of GOP voters believe Obama is a Muslim.
This poll indicates that 243 people were interviewed who claimed to be Republicans, of which apparently 104 said Obama is Muslim. Hardly a large enough sample to blacken half the voters in the country, especially since no evidence of statistical controls are presented. It's now extraordinarily difficult to obtain a representative sample these days when people are poll-fatigued.
This poll indicates that 243 people were interviewed who claimed to be Republicans, of which apparently 104 said Obama is Muslim. Hardly a large enough sample to blacken half the voters in the country, especially since no evidence of statistical controls are presented. It's now extraordinarily difficult to obtain a representative sample these days when people are poll-fatigued.
4
Paul Ryan is nothing but a con man in a nice suit. The most astounding thing, though, is that his policies are clearly not serving the majority of his own constituents. What gives? Aren't these people paying attention? That they can repeatedly reelect this man is simply beyond my comprehension.
28
Please focus on Rupert Murdoch's insidious influence, as illustrated by the press coverage in Britain of the Iraq war and the savaging of any dissent. Please note that the facts are not clearly established or treated as the clear baseline for discussion that they ought to be - even in good outlets like the NYT. Please return to fact heavy, rather than propaganda heavy. Waving the bloody shirt won't get us anywhere.
13
Well said. Time for a crushing vote in November for the Republican bad apples.
25
Besides racism, the silliness of who uses which Bathroom, defending religion against assault, attacking Planned Parenthood, and other dog-whistles that are ridiculous but do stir up the base,
11
Praise Krugman. He brings to the forum the travesti of pretended neutrality, which is in fact a sitting with the extremists, that are cynically proxying for the uncaring privileged. Should the Republicans win the next election be prepared for an other economic crisis, more killings due to the constitutional right to keep an atomic bomb in the garage, and a few lynchings here and there. Ah....and the hiding and protection of the Saudis that are financing and protecting terrorists all over the World in the name of Ala. After all the only thing that matters is money, and the Saudis have it. Tons of it.
8
Republican class warfare morphs into Trump crass warfare.
Trump is both ego and id. He personifies delusional American exceptionalism. He's the raised middle finger of Adam Smith's invisible hand. His narcissism is his only empathy. Half of his proclaimed net worth is the purported value of his name. The other half is his inflated sense of self.
He cheers for Brexit. And wants to do the same here and have America exit the world. Or the world exit America. With his wealth and privilege, he's benefited humanity by building garish casinos and buying up failing golf courses.
He was born rich but never grew up. Any wisdom he had a dental surgeon extracted years ago. His mind knows no boundaries except the one with Mexico that needs a wall.
He says what's on his mind; others agree and call it trash-talking. He's not racist. He just doesn't want Blacks counting his money, rapists who are Mexican, terrorists who aren't homeland Americans. He says he's not anti-immigrant. After all he married two of them, including his current wife, an immigrant from Slovenia.
Trump doesn't need enablers. Just people who hold strong opinions but are weak-minded. People who confuse selfish with self-interest. Freedom with gun-ownership and hate. Americans who render Reality TV an oxymoron.
Like their candidate.
In a land of entitled losers, the self-enabled winner is king.
Trump is both ego and id. He personifies delusional American exceptionalism. He's the raised middle finger of Adam Smith's invisible hand. His narcissism is his only empathy. Half of his proclaimed net worth is the purported value of his name. The other half is his inflated sense of self.
He cheers for Brexit. And wants to do the same here and have America exit the world. Or the world exit America. With his wealth and privilege, he's benefited humanity by building garish casinos and buying up failing golf courses.
He was born rich but never grew up. Any wisdom he had a dental surgeon extracted years ago. His mind knows no boundaries except the one with Mexico that needs a wall.
He says what's on his mind; others agree and call it trash-talking. He's not racist. He just doesn't want Blacks counting his money, rapists who are Mexican, terrorists who aren't homeland Americans. He says he's not anti-immigrant. After all he married two of them, including his current wife, an immigrant from Slovenia.
Trump doesn't need enablers. Just people who hold strong opinions but are weak-minded. People who confuse selfish with self-interest. Freedom with gun-ownership and hate. Americans who render Reality TV an oxymoron.
Like their candidate.
In a land of entitled losers, the self-enabled winner is king.
12
this guy ryan is pure evil like walker and cruz. what is it about these so called sons of ministers. all i can think of ryan is how ugly he had to keep his face contorted during the last state of the union address. pictures tell a million tales.
17
When you accept people in white sheets wearing swastika armbands in your party without calling out their beliefs, then you are a racist.
18
GOP is all about the money. The business model is to use racism to get enough middle class votes to get elected and then put through tax and trade policies that rip off these same voters and benefit the top earners .
13
I wish we could count on Clinton to raise taxes on the wealthy, but there is little evidence that she will.
5
Krugman is totally correct once again. It's depressing that more Americans have yet to figure out how corrupt and toxic the GOP has become. For decades the GOP has used hints of racism and appeals to ignorance, fear and resentment to assemble its new base. Trump is the result. It's ridiculous that the GOP elite is surprised.
17
Paul,
Donald Trump is the Samson who will bring the GOP Temple of Greed crashing down on him and itself. Out of the remaining shards, a reduced business-friendly faction will form as well as a nativist, America-First faction.
Donald Trump is the Samson who will bring the GOP Temple of Greed crashing down on him and itself. Out of the remaining shards, a reduced business-friendly faction will form as well as a nativist, America-First faction.
4
Paul Ryan has a pretty good job, with benefits, status and probably a pension. He's part of the political welfare class. He knows no other way to earn a living. Following retirement, he will probably lobby the government or take a job at a tax-supported institution. It's the political welfare class merry-go-round. You can be that he will not start up a business and create jobs.
Political welfare is more damaging to our country than corporate or social welfare because the recipients spout anti-government rhetoric, while feeding at the public trough. GOP hypocrisy never ends.
Mr. Ryan, get a real job.
Political welfare is more damaging to our country than corporate or social welfare because the recipients spout anti-government rhetoric, while feeding at the public trough. GOP hypocrisy never ends.
Mr. Ryan, get a real job.
14
Things are the way they are in this country because the rich have all the power, and this is how they want things, unless they can get more, which is what they are constantly trying for.
The media are owned by rich people, and paid for by other rich people (e.g., pharmaceutical ads everywhere you look). High real unemployment means everyone - including reporters - is afraid of losing a job for asking the wrong question. Point out to a politician where his numbers don't add up, that politician will never give you access again, and suddenly you're out of work and can't feed your family.
If we can somehow manage to get money out of politics, we might be able to start turning things around. Until then, nothing will be different.
The media are owned by rich people, and paid for by other rich people (e.g., pharmaceutical ads everywhere you look). High real unemployment means everyone - including reporters - is afraid of losing a job for asking the wrong question. Point out to a politician where his numbers don't add up, that politician will never give you access again, and suddenly you're out of work and can't feed your family.
If we can somehow manage to get money out of politics, we might be able to start turning things around. Until then, nothing will be different.
8
Dr. Krugman omitted reference to the "Southern Strategy" that became part of Republican political orthodoxy decades ago, making racism a key strategy of the Republican game-plan for the so-called party of Lincoln.
As noted in a discerning article in the New Republic, Trump has simply updated the racism script: "Instead of relying on old, worn-out dog whistles about welfare queens and states’ rights, Trump has updated racial paranoia for the 21st century with his talk about banning Muslims and deporting immigrants and building walls that Mexico will pay for" (02.18.2016 -- https://newrepublic.com/article/130039/southern-strategy-made-donald-tru....
The seeds of conservative racial politics sown via the "Southern Strategy" have come to full maturity with Trump. The party of Lincoln now has a full-blown racist advancing the ideology they enabled.
As noted in a discerning article in the New Republic, Trump has simply updated the racism script: "Instead of relying on old, worn-out dog whistles about welfare queens and states’ rights, Trump has updated racial paranoia for the 21st century with his talk about banning Muslims and deporting immigrants and building walls that Mexico will pay for" (02.18.2016 -- https://newrepublic.com/article/130039/southern-strategy-made-donald-tru....
The seeds of conservative racial politics sown via the "Southern Strategy" have come to full maturity with Trump. The party of Lincoln now has a full-blown racist advancing the ideology they enabled.
7
During the primaries the Republican candidates talked about what they would do on day one of their presidencies.
I hope Hillary Clinton appoints Paul Krugman Treasury Secretary on day one of hers.
I hope Hillary Clinton appoints Paul Krugman Treasury Secretary on day one of hers.
6
The Confederacy's wealthy slave owners did the same con job to convince poor dirt farmers to fight and die for their plantation business model. The diversion to race, religion, rage and fear worked then as it apparently works now.
12
Paul,
Good analysis.
Karen Garcia and Socrates, also, had good analysis. My reply to Socrates was in the form of a joke but but he was dead on as to Orwellian world we're headed to.
Good analysis.
Karen Garcia and Socrates, also, had good analysis. My reply to Socrates was in the form of a joke but but he was dead on as to Orwellian world we're headed to.
4
Paul Ryan is a major disappointment and has completely screwed the pooch while speaking through both sides of his mouth every time he talks about Donald Trump.
Paul Ryan thinks just because a great percentage of Americans rely on their low information when voting against their own best interests, that there are not those of us still left that are hip to his grifting of the have-nots.
Not only is Paul Ryan an enabler, but he is a disgrace to his party and to our nation.
Paul Ryan thinks just because a great percentage of Americans rely on their low information when voting against their own best interests, that there are not those of us still left that are hip to his grifting of the have-nots.
Not only is Paul Ryan an enabler, but he is a disgrace to his party and to our nation.
10
Daily News headline from a few weeks ago said everything we need to know about Paul Ryan: "I'm with the racist." You'd expect nothing less from someone who was caught lying about his marathon time.
10
PK's opinion can not be true. If you get the rise of trump like figures in europe where there are no republicans it can't be all their fault. these two nobel winning economists provide a much better analysis. https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/brexit-future-of-advanced-e... and https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/globalization-hurts-poor-in... Plus this paper proves how in oecd countries both major parties have moved to serve the interests of the 1% https://editorialexpress.com/cgi-bin/conference/download.cgi?db_name=SAE...
Sadly this sort of poor analysis just perpetuates the problem and solves nothing
Sadly this sort of poor analysis just perpetuates the problem and solves nothing
5
Wondering if anyone else is also getting that feeling that if Trump gets elected we will ultimately somehow end up with Paul Ryan running the show. I think he knows it so is accepting the clownish aspects of Trump all the more as it will make that eventuality all the easier. Wouldn't be the first time Trump has pulled a bait and switch, either.
9
Four points to make;
1. You are very perceptive and right on the points.
2. The Republicans serve big money. It isn't called "Pouring down economics". It's called "Trickle down economics" and that's all it does....it "only Trickles down.
3. The Republican party has always successfully led the nation through the use of hatred and anger to appeal to primal instincts in the people.
4. The enablers are, after going full circle, the big money interests.
Campaign money is dirty money that "greatly sways" Leaders.
1. You are very perceptive and right on the points.
2. The Republicans serve big money. It isn't called "Pouring down economics". It's called "Trickle down economics" and that's all it does....it "only Trickles down.
3. The Republican party has always successfully led the nation through the use of hatred and anger to appeal to primal instincts in the people.
4. The enablers are, after going full circle, the big money interests.
Campaign money is dirty money that "greatly sways" Leaders.
8
"All the Nominee’s Enablers"—For a second there, I thought Krugman was talking about Clinton.
Bob Herbert: “The Clintons may or may not be led away in handcuffs someday—the Dem. Party overlooked the ethical red flags & made a pact w/ Mr. Clinton that was…a pact w/ the devil…the man is so thoroughly corrupt it’s frightening.”
Sycophants today still scrub the stain of them from our history.
The Left's Faustian bargain w/ the Clintons spills toxicity into—corrupts—the culture.
It produces disturbing dissonance, often w/ dangerous consequences: The Clintons cloak their reflexive abuse of women w/ VAWA & their complicity in Rwanda genocide w/ a few policy crumbs:
It was April 14, 1994. First Lady Hillary Clinton was at the NY Public Library receiving the Elie Wiesel Humanitarian Award for her advocacy on behalf of children.
*At the very same time*, the calculated indifference of the Clintons was enabling Génocidaire slaughter of Rwandan men, women—&, yes, children.
During the 100-day period from April 7, 1994 to mid-July 1994, an estimated 800,000 to 1M Rwandans were slaughtered in the genocide.
Declassified docs confirm the Clintons knew w/in the first few days that a "final solution" to eliminate all Tutsis was underway. They instructed officials not to use the word "genocide" lest it provoke public pressure to do something. Worse, they stopped others from doing anything.
"Be Careful…Genocide finding could commit USG to do something"
nsarchive.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB53/
Bob Herbert: “The Clintons may or may not be led away in handcuffs someday—the Dem. Party overlooked the ethical red flags & made a pact w/ Mr. Clinton that was…a pact w/ the devil…the man is so thoroughly corrupt it’s frightening.”
Sycophants today still scrub the stain of them from our history.
The Left's Faustian bargain w/ the Clintons spills toxicity into—corrupts—the culture.
It produces disturbing dissonance, often w/ dangerous consequences: The Clintons cloak their reflexive abuse of women w/ VAWA & their complicity in Rwanda genocide w/ a few policy crumbs:
It was April 14, 1994. First Lady Hillary Clinton was at the NY Public Library receiving the Elie Wiesel Humanitarian Award for her advocacy on behalf of children.
*At the very same time*, the calculated indifference of the Clintons was enabling Génocidaire slaughter of Rwandan men, women—&, yes, children.
During the 100-day period from April 7, 1994 to mid-July 1994, an estimated 800,000 to 1M Rwandans were slaughtered in the genocide.
Declassified docs confirm the Clintons knew w/in the first few days that a "final solution" to eliminate all Tutsis was underway. They instructed officials not to use the word "genocide" lest it provoke public pressure to do something. Worse, they stopped others from doing anything.
"Be Careful…Genocide finding could commit USG to do something"
nsarchive.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB53/
7
Finally. Some reality brought into the discussion. A large part of the blame for this situation lies at the feet of journalists with their misguided ideology of presenting false equivalencies in the guise of being even-handed. ThIe press is part of the foundation of democracy. If it becomes a propaganda machine a la Fox News on the one hand and a purveyor of false equivalencies on the other, the democracy begins to crumble. We need solid, fact-based reporting and the New York Times should be leading the way, but in my opinion has been falling down on the job.
10
Direct, to the point and well said, Professor Krugman. Thank you!
It would be wonderful if someone or some group would put together a list / dictionary of weasel words used by the enablers in the pundit world and the stenographers in the media.
It would be wonderful if someone or some group would put together a list / dictionary of weasel words used by the enablers in the pundit world and the stenographers in the media.
5
I don't so much disagree with Prof. Krugman's political views as wish he would not express them at the price of his academic credibility. He says that we can afford to run a larger deficit, yet here he is advocating higher income taxes on the rich. Why? Either we need the tax money, or we don't. There may be a good explanation, but why allow us to infer that he simply hates the rich, as his political diatribes permit.
Writing a book called "The Conscience of a Liberal" is a fine thing for a liberal to do, but Krugman cannot be both a partisan and a credible pundit. Partisans are a dime a dozen. Nobel quality economics are harder to come by. As an economist, PK should know this, which makes his decision to go political clearer evidence that his politics cloud his judgment. He could be a powerful academic voice for modern fiscal policy. Instead, he is just a common scold.
Writing a book called "The Conscience of a Liberal" is a fine thing for a liberal to do, but Krugman cannot be both a partisan and a credible pundit. Partisans are a dime a dozen. Nobel quality economics are harder to come by. As an economist, PK should know this, which makes his decision to go political clearer evidence that his politics cloud his judgment. He could be a powerful academic voice for modern fiscal policy. Instead, he is just a common scold.
6
The Republican Party is the rich people's party pretending to be the white people's party.
12
Genuinely curious - is believing Obama to be a muslim, racist? If so, why? I believe he's an imperialist tyrant who illegally murders innocent non-combatants in countries against whom the congress has not declared war - does that make me a racist? I believe he has ordered the murder of U.S. citizens abroad without due process - does that make me a racist? I believe that people of any color who ignore and break our immigration laws are criminals - does that make me a racist? If these beliefs constitute racism, then by God, I'm the biggest racist you ever saw. Who knew?
4
I wrote off the Republicans as a viable political party after they saddled us with a dolt like George Bush for eight miserable years. Now they have managed to come up with somebody who promises to be even worse than Bush. I am tired of guns and bibles and all the other propagandic nonsense they come up with.
17
This is spot on, albeit long after the factual dust has settled and a preach to the choir. I mean, how many Donnie supporters read the NYT?
8
Of course, Mr. Krugman's economic credibility has long been smashed on the altar of market reality, and he long ago exposed himself as the liberal, partisan Democrat that he is. The vast majority of his writing is only fit for fish wrap, and this latest contribution doesn't disappoint.
2
Right, Paul, but it's not just racism that camouflaged and suborned the GOP. It was tied to "family values"—gynophobia, homophobia, xenophobia, in fact omniphobia with one exception which you point out here: plutophilia.
11
A machine to cut taxes for the wealthy? I like that description and think it's a fair assessment of the truth. It's just a shame that so many people can't or won't see the republican agenda for what it is.
14
Enablers?
Has there ever been a candidate in American history with more enablers than Hillary?
She's so corrupt she has now forever tarnished the reputation of the FBI just to keep her out of court.
Has there ever been a candidate in American history with more enablers than Hillary?
She's so corrupt she has now forever tarnished the reputation of the FBI just to keep her out of court.
2
“We wouldn’t have gotten to this point if so many people outside the G.O.P. — in particular, journalists and self-proclaimed centrists — hadn’t refused to acknowledge what was happening.” It would be nice if Krugman started acknowledging these enablers by naming names, especially the journalists. And he can begin with the enablers at the New York Times.
20
"Eddie Munster" Ryan is a political and economics hack without one single clue about what's good for our country. If Hillary wins and the republicans keep the house the only thing he'll be good for is sitting there and looking bored during the state of the union speeches as he did with Obama's last speech.
20
As with most things there are shadings and gradations of enablement. Dr Krugman has enabled the elitist neoliberal surrender of our economy to the wealthy and connected.
6
It's unfortunate that Krugman's political paranoia drives him to distort things outrageously even when there is substantial truth to his view of a situation. He would have you believe that the whole of public support by moderates and conservatives for Republican positions, going back at least to the Reagan years, was a racist conspiracy for the benefit of the wealthy. Rather, beginning with the Tea Party, the Republicans have progressively gone further and further astray, culminating in Trumpism and the pitiful scrambling of many erstwhile "centrist" Republicans to support the party's candidate despite his horns and cloven feet. But the truth is not enough for Krugman who insists that all who differ with him are damned. Further, he exemplifies the sad truth that doctrinaire leftists like Krugman and Bernie, belatedly proclaiming the stale American Marxism that emerged in 1930s New York, rather like hearing dinosaurs bellowing today, have also driven polarization in our politics to the sad point we find today. Both parties have expelled moderates and there is now a need to reject them both and find some way to regain the middle ground.
1
Any individual who supports the Republicans and is not rich, is a fool. The Republicans are all about the 1 % and employ a variety of tactics to gain power. Once they are in power, they introduce legislation that actually harms those who elected them. They accomplish this by appealing to the worst in people during election cycles.
How can anyone even consider tax cuts for the rich, when there is close to 40 % unemployment for black males in some cities??????
How can anyone even consider tax cuts for the rich, when there is close to 40 % unemployment for black males in some cities??????
16
The GOP has long been captured by its right wing extremists. First, Neo-cons and the last generation of warlike evangelicals(their talk radio was full of hate and war). Then the
TeaParty Anarchists et al. Now, the Trumpets.
Western history teaches us that political parties dominated by their extremists do not long survive.
We need, now, a GN(ew)P.
TeaParty Anarchists et al. Now, the Trumpets.
Western history teaches us that political parties dominated by their extremists do not long survive.
We need, now, a GN(ew)P.
11
It amazing that people will consistently vote against their own interests. Their zeal to latch onto a real or made up wedge issue get's them to vote whereas many others will not vote to save their own hides. There's a soccer born every minute and two to find them should replace e pluribus unum on our money.
6
Let's spell out a little more what happened here: The "Fix the Debt" group pretends to care that the government doesn't take in enough money and spends too much, but praises Ryan for proposing taking in far less by massively lowering taxes on the rich and thus making the balance sheet even worse. They admit that his claims that somehow the government would actually gain money this way "don't add up" but support and praise him despite this.
What's going on here? Well one thing is that groups like Fix the Debt are a sham, as much as Ryan's budget is. They pretend to care about the debt and deficit, but prove with endorsements like this that what they really care about is cutting spending on social programs. If someone proposes cutting those, they're on board, even if the end result is in fact increasing the debt, not reducing it.
As for the rest, this line summarizes it perfectly:
"...a base just waiting for a candidate willing to blurt out what the establishment conveyed by innuendo."
What I've heard from the Republican establishment lately could be summarized as:
"I'm shocked, shocked! that Donald Trump is saying out loud what we've been mumbling and implying for years!."
What's going on here? Well one thing is that groups like Fix the Debt are a sham, as much as Ryan's budget is. They pretend to care about the debt and deficit, but prove with endorsements like this that what they really care about is cutting spending on social programs. If someone proposes cutting those, they're on board, even if the end result is in fact increasing the debt, not reducing it.
As for the rest, this line summarizes it perfectly:
"...a base just waiting for a candidate willing to blurt out what the establishment conveyed by innuendo."
What I've heard from the Republican establishment lately could be summarized as:
"I'm shocked, shocked! that Donald Trump is saying out loud what we've been mumbling and implying for years!."
20
Kudos to Norman Ornstein for his work. It's a wonder the American Enterprise Institute has not fired him.
8
I recently attended a Trump rally in Ohio and saw something very different from the fearsome next Mussolini: I saw a rambling, possibly senile old man, and I say this is a 50-something sensitive to ageism. THIS is what so terrified the Republicans? THIS is what could upset the Western world? THIS is the best we can do? He couldn't even connect with the crowd, and he badly needs the base. They booed Nafta and TPP while he meandered on about not playing golf in Scotland. This isn't to say he wouldn't be dangerous in office, but more, I fear, through lack of coherence than dangerous malevolence. My question though is this: why aren't his obvious disabilities reported? Why is he built up as this bigger-than-life figure and not the Oz behind the curtain he really is? What is going on?
549
The the Republican Party has set America on fire. If the electorate allows the logical culmination of is to be the election of Trump, the fire will become a full blown conflagration. Lincoln wept.
10
Please add George W. Bush to the list of slimy Republicans not with Trump. In his own 2000 primary, his campaign appealed to racism by insinuating that John McCain had fathered an illegitimate black child. Come the general election, his platform was dubbed "compassionate conservatism." In truth, his only compassion was for the wallets of the wealthy - and it culminated in the great recession, an economic crisis so damaging, it has taken President Obama's time in office to mitigate.
11
That Republicans have, on whole, fallen in lock-step behind a man clearly incapable of the demands of the office for which he is running is only further proof of their unfitness for leadership in the country.
Democrats have had their fair share of buffoons, but Donald Trump is in a category all by himself. One hopes that, come November, we never have to find out just how outside quotidian right wing incompetence he is.
Democrats have had their fair share of buffoons, but Donald Trump is in a category all by himself. One hopes that, come November, we never have to find out just how outside quotidian right wing incompetence he is.
11
"And so here we are", you say, Dr. Paul. The photo of Speaker Paul Ryan (Cliff Owen, AP) says more than a thousand words. Ryan and all the Republican enablers are caught between a rock and a hard place as their presumptive presidential nominee stands for all the warfare between the haves - the rich whites - and the have-nots - the alienated and disadvantaged blacks, people of colour and the poor who are beginning to stand up like Les Miz against the Bourbon elite in our social media-inspired culture. Thanks to the Republican nominee's enablers, racism, and its attendant evils, is now the Hydra waiting to be beheaded over and over.
6
No one who pledges their policy-making to Grover Norquist should be seen as credible, period.
12
It's not quite that simple. Trump is also tapping into the same frustration with no-fault journalism that you express--as well as the wider cultural trend toward self-censorship (in academia for instance). Part of his appeal is as a supposed truth-teller. Hillary Clinton should not underestimate this power. The more calculated and focus-group-tested her statements appear, the more vulnerable she will be to the charge of being deigned by committee, the Democratic National Committee.
3
I have a sneaking suspicion that the GOP will throw Trump over for Ryan at the Cleveland convention. He will do everything the Kochs tell him.
9
A plurality? When the question is binary, it's either a majority or not (actually, the link said it's 54%).
Everyone should know that Obama attended the Trinity United Mosque of Christ, proving he is a Muslim, since only Muslims believe in the Trinity.
And his birth certificate clearly shows Obama was born in Oahu, which is part of Hawaii. Note that 'Oahu' and 'Hawaii' both have more vowels than consonants, and so cannot possibly be part of America.
Finally, the first time Obama went out for lunch after being elected he asked for arugula, which is the most popular aphrodisiac among Arabs (who call it by its proper name, jarjeer). What more proof does anyone need?
Everyone should know that Obama attended the Trinity United Mosque of Christ, proving he is a Muslim, since only Muslims believe in the Trinity.
And his birth certificate clearly shows Obama was born in Oahu, which is part of Hawaii. Note that 'Oahu' and 'Hawaii' both have more vowels than consonants, and so cannot possibly be part of America.
Finally, the first time Obama went out for lunch after being elected he asked for arugula, which is the most popular aphrodisiac among Arabs (who call it by its proper name, jarjeer). What more proof does anyone need?
15
This morning I just want to cry for America. I just can't believe what is happening to this beautiful country. Has the world gone mad??
10
And now Mr. Ryan wants to deny Hilary Clinton security briefings . . . and apparently it's ok for Donald Trump to continue to get security briefings? Surely Donald Trump knowing these things and Hilary not knowing them is a good idea, right? Maybe if she becomes President, it would be a good idea for her to not be briefed on security matters, Mr. Ryan?
21
RYAN Has clearly shown himself to be nothing more than a shill, a puppet for the GOP mob who are going to thrust the Trumpenstein Monster on the public. A pox on their houses! Tragically, he is trapped in time when he was outraged that his father was a layabout drunk who neglected his family in many ways and died young. The distorted thinking though is that Ryan is therefore obligated to become a reverse Robin Hood, taking from the 99% to give to the 1%. In a separate situation, in the kangaroo court of his mind, Ryan had the audacity to say that Hillary Clinton, cleared by the FBI of criminal charges, must be prohibited from seeing all government records! Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State? Who had access to any and all records. Where were the FBI, CIA, NSA and Secret Service being proactive, meeting to plan how to help Hillary's IT team transition from a personal to a government server? She was one of the top government officials, deserving the highest level of security. We've gone nowhere since 9/11 if the agencies, as demonstrated, beyond being unable to connect the dots, ignore their collective duty to connect the dots! Hillary was jetting around the globe to the tune of nearly 900,000 miles as Secretary of State. When was she supposed to oversee the transition from personal to government server? That wasn't even her job! Why was it not important for the FBI, CIA, NSA and Secret Service to assure that Hillary's communications were secured? WHY?
28
My favorite trick is when they say we can't cut income taxes for the middle class only because they have to have "skin in the game". Then they move to eliminate taxes on inheritors, investors and corporations. No skin in the game needed for them -- taxes are for the little people.
22
You directly enabled the forces that led to Hillary. More's the pity.
9
Paul Krugman today: "We wouldn't have gotten to this point if so many people outside the G.O.P.--in particular, journalists and self-proclaimed centrists--hadn't refused to acknowledge what was happening."
Funny, how the above description fits Dr. Krugman to a T. He certainly failed to acknowledge that the 1% controls the economy by massively and mostly legally bribing politicians (including his chosen one) to do its bidding.
Funny, how the above description fits Dr. Krugman to a T. He certainly failed to acknowledge that the 1% controls the economy by massively and mostly legally bribing politicians (including his chosen one) to do its bidding.
8
The publican party has been getting worse and worse since goldwater. As a group they love the wealthy, hate the middle class and poor, care nothing for the environment and cover it all up with lies. The continue to pursue economic policies that have been proven to fail time and again. Yet the ignorant, ill informed in this country continue to vote for the publicans, against their own best interests.
29
Krugman does not pointed out that Trump has profited by billion in business. Nor does he point out Hillary is no angel. So there is a lot of bad news to go around for both people who want high office. I happened to lose my savings in General Motors bonds as it become government motors. Noted Obama needed UAW to get elected for second term. Not sure that the democrats were helping in this latest recovery as we still will have another recession and there is the problem in what the Fed is going to do besides printing more money. What is the worth of this printed money? So problems of the future will be more complex and there is no saying how the next president will preform. So Krugman statements say nothing except don't vote for Trump. It seems things are not simple Who knows what the future is?
1
What you say is largely true Paul, but that's not the real problem, just another side show to get your canidate elected. The real problem has been the complicity of all sides to engage in Wars of choice fought for special interests(A.I.P.A.C. and oil) that has drained our coffers,a push to privatization of everything they can get their grubby hands on( including our for profit prisons with the help of Clinton and three strikes law), a complicity on all sides to allow Wall Street and the effects of globalization to drag down ninety percent of the population, a continually worsening health care system dedicated to the enrichment of its authors, big pharma, big insurance and Wall Street operators such as Tenant; (the one useful part of the A.C.A. Could have been written on a single page requiring insurers cover those with pre existing conditions). The complicity on all sides since Milton Friedman showed his merry band of neo cons how they might keep more or all of the pie through financial engineering, destroying unions, off shoring jobs and lowering tax rates for corporations and wealthy individuals. No Paul, Ryan's not the problem, Trumps not the problem, they are just bit players, the establishment is the problem and Hillary is not the answer she is part of the problem. Bernie could have been a force for change but pundits with their own agenda helped dash that possibility.
8
All financial transactions should be taxed as other products are. These should include health insurance premiums as the US treats health care as a commodity in a free market. All financial transactions on Wall Street, on life insurance policies, on car insurance policies, etc. should all be taxed. Since we also treat higher education as a commodity, we should also tax college tuition. We also must be strict with nonprofits. For example, hospitals and colleges are charging an obscene amount of money for their services. Their profit should be taxed otherwise they will just hire more VPs and pay more to their CEOs to write it off as expenses. If we cannot treat health care and education as human rights like all other developed countries do, we should tax them. Then we will have more money for profitable contractors for police training, infrastructure, private prisons, private fire departments, private emergency services, etc. This is a capitalist country so be it.
3
Yes, Mr. Krugman, "It’s all about the enablers, and the enablers of the enablers." That would be we voters who allow the wealthiest to manipulate and control OUR governments at all levels. November 8 cannot come soon enough when we will send their operatives back to the dark place they came from - the kings and peons middle ages.
9
Smearing Republicans as "strikingly racist" is offensive.
Krugman deserves credit for being honest about his bigoted views.
Krugman deserves credit for being honest about his bigoted views.
2
He presented his evidence right there in the article. Did you not click on the link that showed how a plurality or Republicans think President Obama is a Muslim? How is that not "strikingly racist"?
3
The GOP displays all the behaviors of an addict. Their drug of choice is power. Conservatives will do anything to obtain it and keep it. That includes lying, stealing, slandering, and other deceptions. They deny citizens the right to vote, and they control most of our media. And, they are surrounded by enablers, willing to put up with the addict's crazy behavior for self-serving reasons of their own.
Power is an addictive substance, to be sure. Having it keeps the GOP employed and in control of our lives. Holding on to power is more important than the welfare of lower and middle class Americans. It is more important than giving our children first-class educations.
This addiction will continue its destructive path for as long as the rest of us stand by and watch the enabling and denials. As with most addicts, the GOP will need to hit rock bottom before it sees the light and begins the road to recovery. It will not be pretty.
Power is an addictive substance, to be sure. Having it keeps the GOP employed and in control of our lives. Holding on to power is more important than the welfare of lower and middle class Americans. It is more important than giving our children first-class educations.
This addiction will continue its destructive path for as long as the rest of us stand by and watch the enabling and denials. As with most addicts, the GOP will need to hit rock bottom before it sees the light and begins the road to recovery. It will not be pretty.
16
Mr. Krugman is too soft on the Speaker. The simple fact is Paul Ryan is a stooge and bagman for billionaires and spokesman for racists.
12
It is refreshing to see Paul Krugman back on course. Doing what he does best, giving economic insight into the underpinnings behind the motives of the right. It was so agonizing watching him try to help crown Hillary.
2
Why is Paul Ryan in politics? It's frustrating to have newscasters and print journalists describe him as the "policy wonk, the moderate republican" and so on. He has never put forward any idea that is not partisan. How are people fooled into voting for someone who is clearly not qualified. Wake up voters, the congress is filled with Republicans who are Regressive!
10
“ Hang the ‘B’ ! “….., yahhhhhhh !!
“ He’s a monkey ! “…… yahhhhhh !!!
We know of whom they speak, and from where…. And it’s not from a Sander’s or a Clinton Rally….
These are the vile, vulgar, destroyers and haters…. Led by a vile, vulgar, destroying hater…. The presumptive of a vile, vulgar, destructive, hating party….
In total, an insurrectionist group of internal, domestic terrorists who sneer at and condemn the very concepts of cooperation, decency, dialogue, intelligence, modernity, and progress…. But embrace vengeance, selfishness, lies and sociopathy.
Do their gripes have a veneer of legitimacy ? Sure !
Do their responses ? Not a whiff !!
And so, let’s see them for what they are…. And we must do everything in our power to stop them….
Stop the G.O.P., as an act of patriotism…. The Nazi analogy, sadly, fits…. And it’s on them…. And us…
“ He’s a monkey ! “…… yahhhhhh !!!
We know of whom they speak, and from where…. And it’s not from a Sander’s or a Clinton Rally….
These are the vile, vulgar, destroyers and haters…. Led by a vile, vulgar, destroying hater…. The presumptive of a vile, vulgar, destructive, hating party….
In total, an insurrectionist group of internal, domestic terrorists who sneer at and condemn the very concepts of cooperation, decency, dialogue, intelligence, modernity, and progress…. But embrace vengeance, selfishness, lies and sociopathy.
Do their gripes have a veneer of legitimacy ? Sure !
Do their responses ? Not a whiff !!
And so, let’s see them for what they are…. And we must do everything in our power to stop them….
Stop the G.O.P., as an act of patriotism…. The Nazi analogy, sadly, fits…. And it’s on them…. And us…
11
What would you expect when Trump's supporters get their information not from reading any in-depth analysis, but from Trump's Tweety Bird tweets?
4
Ryan's 'plan' is much like you describe. Help the rich, stab the poor in the back....and *magically* the books balance.
When in fact, they don't. They never seem to under the NRA Party's endless attacks on ordinary Americans. But hey, if you're rich, it's the plan to support...
When in fact, they don't. They never seem to under the NRA Party's endless attacks on ordinary Americans. But hey, if you're rich, it's the plan to support...
9
But hey, lets give credit to Ryan, for his World class marathon race times!!
5
Donald Trump is the GOP's leader today. If elected, he will remake the Republican Party into his image.
As this generation of Republican leaders cast out moderates, he will cast out today's conservatives and replace them with less principled people.
The GOP is finally shedding its mask and voters can see what their true choice is.
As this generation of Republican leaders cast out moderates, he will cast out today's conservatives and replace them with less principled people.
The GOP is finally shedding its mask and voters can see what their true choice is.
7
It's unbelievable. Trump's qualifications for president apparently now include, according to Corker (another Ryan-type figure), his wonderful family--his daughter, his son-in law, and his son. Please, someone tell me what three entitled, spoiled, rich 30-something kids are doing running a presidential campaign and meeting with Republicans to convince them that their father is NOT the narcissistic, immature, mean madman, bully we know him to be? This is optics? Corker had the nerve to suggest openly in an interview, while he was gushing over Ivanka, that she would be Donald's best pick for VP. OMG. The Republicans have lost their minds and their party. And yes, Donald Trump has been indirectly and now directly ENABLED by these clueless wonders and a very naive pool of supporters who believe in fairies. Jerzy Kosinski needs to write another variation of "Being There".
17
Paul Ryan has sold his soul to the devil. Just how that man can look himself in the mirror every morning is truly perplexing.
13
Republican leaders such as Paul David Ryan and Addison Mitchell "Mitch" McConnell, Jr. think of Donald John Trump as their rubber-stamp President. They figure he will sign any and all legislation that they get to him. Which will be to get rid of Obamacare and not replace it with anything. Gut Social Security/Medicare and privatize it. Massive tax cuts for the 1% robber barons. And turn the country into a police state.
15
Mr. Trump, Mr. Ryan, nor Mr. Romney aren't racists. They are something worse. They are classists. If you have enough money it doesn't matter how reprehensible you are. Your good enough for them.
I am quite sure Mr. Trump laughs over his well-done steak on gold rimmed plates over the "rubes" who follow him.
One day, as a nation, we will grow up and recognize that some of the very best people in the world aren't rich. And some of the very worst are.
I am quite sure Mr. Trump laughs over his well-done steak on gold rimmed plates over the "rubes" who follow him.
One day, as a nation, we will grow up and recognize that some of the very best people in the world aren't rich. And some of the very worst are.
19
Republicans are a blight on the nation?
Since 2009 Democrats have lost 13 senate seats, 69 house seats, 12 governorships, 30 state legislative chambers and over 900 state legislative seats.
And it's the fault of Republicans?
Since 2009 Democrats have lost 13 senate seats, 69 house seats, 12 governorships, 30 state legislative chambers and over 900 state legislative seats.
And it's the fault of Republicans?
3
On this somber morning, Krugman's essay is acute - poignant.
4
Given all that's going on, yes Dallas, we're gonna be "lucky" to make it to Election Day. What a country!
4
Penetrating analysis - it's good to see Krugman returning to form after his intellectual collapse over Bernie Sanders. But I'll now always read him with a grain of salt. Almost every hero has feet of clay.
4
Our citizenry needs to pay close attention to what the republicans say and what they do. Clever at dominating the talking points, but inept at legislation for the good of the majority is the result. Our news media must avoid the false equivalencies so prevalent.
12
Krugman's words are shallow because he speaks as a partisan for the Democratic Party. If he really cared about racism, inequality, and poverty, he would have treated Bernie Sanders campaign seriously, regardless of his support for Hillary Clinton.
Being a salesman for the Democrats is not what this country needs. Our social problems are a symptom of economic injustice, not vice versa.
Lastly, in the next to the last paragraph, Krugman mentions that Fix the Debt is a charade. This is correct. It is. He doesn't mention that Hillary Clinton's closest financial advisor is Larry Fink, former board member of Fix the Debt. Fink is the CEO of BlackRock, the world's largest pension fund, managing $4.6 trillion dollars of retirement money. Fink has been a long standing advocate of privatizing Social Security.
So much for honesty.
Being a salesman for the Democrats is not what this country needs. Our social problems are a symptom of economic injustice, not vice versa.
Lastly, in the next to the last paragraph, Krugman mentions that Fix the Debt is a charade. This is correct. It is. He doesn't mention that Hillary Clinton's closest financial advisor is Larry Fink, former board member of Fix the Debt. Fink is the CEO of BlackRock, the world's largest pension fund, managing $4.6 trillion dollars of retirement money. Fink has been a long standing advocate of privatizing Social Security.
So much for honesty.
9
How many degrees of separation?
So you are against Krugman. But he's just the messenger.
What about what he actually said, such as Ryan making sure no rich people are disturbed?
What about what he actually said, such as Ryan making sure no rich people are disturbed?
2
Peter - I was skeptical so I looked up Larry Fink. In 2013 he is quoted saying "So we need to have a national debate. Should this 12.5 percent that we’re contributing all go into a Social Security pool, or should half go into a mandatory savings plan? I’m not here to debate it. I’m here to introduce these ideas as possibilities." So you are right and I'm happy that you called out Krugman. Would I like to not have to vote for Ms. Clinton? Yes. Do I see any other responsible alternative? NO!
1
Why only go as far back as Reagan when this is the manifestation of Nixon's Southern Strategy? All these years later, Nixon is still the one.
7
Dear Mr. Krugman,
Great column but left me wondering; was Cleveland picked by the GOP/TP/KOCH AFFILIATE as the city hosting their convention because Mordor was booked that week?
Pity, with the "Mountain of Doom" and all....
Great column but left me wondering; was Cleveland picked by the GOP/TP/KOCH AFFILIATE as the city hosting their convention because Mordor was booked that week?
Pity, with the "Mountain of Doom" and all....
1
Used to respect you, Prof. Krugman. (Yeah, you have a Nobel and I don't....hope that difference buoy's you).
Once upon a time, you were coherent and focused on economic issues. You wrote sensical things about the economy. I was fascinated with your books and writings on things like the IMF's treatment of Argentina. I was with you because you were right and did not seem to be swayed by politics.
Now, I find myself in 2016. You have spent a lot of credibility capital on attacking Bernie Sanders. You seem to only write about politics. Have not seen much on Brexit from you (in comparison to your attacks on Bernie or anyone not Hillary).
Sorry, Paul...your credibility in my book is seriously damaged. A damn shame, because a good economist with credibility would greatly help our country right now. Enjoy the accolades and dividends of your prior credibility. It was great when I trusted you. Now, I think you are a shill.
Once upon a time, you were coherent and focused on economic issues. You wrote sensical things about the economy. I was fascinated with your books and writings on things like the IMF's treatment of Argentina. I was with you because you were right and did not seem to be swayed by politics.
Now, I find myself in 2016. You have spent a lot of credibility capital on attacking Bernie Sanders. You seem to only write about politics. Have not seen much on Brexit from you (in comparison to your attacks on Bernie or anyone not Hillary).
Sorry, Paul...your credibility in my book is seriously damaged. A damn shame, because a good economist with credibility would greatly help our country right now. Enjoy the accolades and dividends of your prior credibility. It was great when I trusted you. Now, I think you are a shill.
5
So Trump won the primaries because he not only managed to hoodwink working class whites into thinking that a rich billionaire would have their best interests in mind, but also allows them a safe place in which to vent their racism.
8
So true. For years we were led by mainstream media to believe that Ryan was different--a voice of reason in the GOP wilderness. And then we learned for sure in 2012 that there is no such thing.
5
The media must share the blame for bringing Trump to the forefront. He was given millions of dollars worth of publicity as he ranted on and on at rally's. As for Paul Ryan, he was elevated to "Leader" by the Republican Congress members. Shame on all of them. Shame on them for not correcting a very gullible public about the lies Trump tells.
11
So what to do now that Dems are also expected to pretend there is nothing going on their side that disqualifies the leading (only, really) candidate for the highest office? Don't mean to pretend the two situations are similar in degree, they aren't, but still, I am feeling very uncomfortable as a Democrat to have Hillary Clinton as our candidate. I think my side has some enablers too, folks whose careers are tied to continuing to pretend things are okay with HRC as our candidate.
Oh, I will vote for her over Trump. There ARE worse things.
Oh, I will vote for her over Trump. There ARE worse things.
6
You forgot to provide any support whatsoever for your argument that HRC is "not OK." So you have done nothing to persuade the unpersuaded. How is that helpful to the dialogue?
3
The Republican Party has been for decades a criminal conspiracy aimed at enslaving the vast majority of Americans. Paul Ryan is a poster-child for the intellectual and moral bankruptcy of the GOP.
Are Republicans racist criminals? No, but anyone who enables such people as Trump and Ryan are implicated in the crime.
Are Republicans racist criminals? No, but anyone who enables such people as Trump and Ryan are implicated in the crime.
8
As has been often pointed out, anyone whose political philosophy grows out of his reading of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged is . . . uh . . . intellectually suspect.
13
Or 15 years old. I thought she was amazing then, too. Then I grew up.
2
More of Krugman as the attack dog. Krugman is the counterpart to Fox News. No real analysis, just attack the Republicans no matter what, while defending the indefensible actions of the Clinton. Or not defending the Clintons, just ignoring the Clintons, and stick to being the Republican attack dog. Yada, yada, yada.
5
You neglected to support your argument. Mere conclusions are not persuasive.
2
Attacking the messenger doesn't actually create a sound argument against the message!
1
This is why the Southern Strategy appealed to a bunch of rich white guys without the demographics to win an election with their votes alone. They hitched their star to sadly reliable human impulses of prejudice and hatred. C. Montgomery Burns said: "I'd give it all up in a minute- for a little bit more." That is who the "establishment" GOP is. The others, the haters, are all unwittingly co-opted to that end. It's why Trump gained traction and why black men are getting shot by police. All very traitorous and un-American. You are correct that pretenders like Paul Ryan are coddled by the press to appear "fair and balanced" since it is so hard to find Republicans who aren't foaming at the mouth. But, as you say, that is a false balance that makes people like Ryan look much smarter and more reasonable than they are. How did the press get so lame?
6
Trump fooled you again, especially you so-called Republicans. He actually a a great monkey business plan here:
Step 1: Get the so-called GOP nomination. Easy to fool some of the people all of the time.
Step 2: Nominate a VP who loves Ford's pardon of Nixon.
Step 3: Win the election. At Trump says, "You can fool most of the people on some of the election days."
Step 4: Be himself in the White House. AKA screw up massively. Start a war, declare the country bankrupt, whatever. Resign before impeachment and get pardoned. Step 2 was important.
Step 5: PROFIT.
Much as I despise the Donald, I have to admit it's a great plan for money business. Quite flexible and powerful. For example, if Step 4 goes sour, it doesn't really matter and he can just go directly to Step 5. His brand value has been boosted in either case, though ex-prez would be better than 2016 nominee. Heck, he could skip half of Step 4 and resign on principle before he even has time to screw up the country.
Looking at this week's latest tragedies, it's probably too late. The country is already screwed... Still waiting for details on the Dallas horror, but just read that a fifth policeman died of his injuries.
Step 1: Get the so-called GOP nomination. Easy to fool some of the people all of the time.
Step 2: Nominate a VP who loves Ford's pardon of Nixon.
Step 3: Win the election. At Trump says, "You can fool most of the people on some of the election days."
Step 4: Be himself in the White House. AKA screw up massively. Start a war, declare the country bankrupt, whatever. Resign before impeachment and get pardoned. Step 2 was important.
Step 5: PROFIT.
Much as I despise the Donald, I have to admit it's a great plan for money business. Quite flexible and powerful. For example, if Step 4 goes sour, it doesn't really matter and he can just go directly to Step 5. His brand value has been boosted in either case, though ex-prez would be better than 2016 nominee. Heck, he could skip half of Step 4 and resign on principle before he even has time to screw up the country.
Looking at this week's latest tragedies, it's probably too late. The country is already screwed... Still waiting for details on the Dallas horror, but just read that a fifth policeman died of his injuries.
3
The Republican Party has preached racism, misogyny, and hatred of the poor ever since the Civil Rights movement, and their plan has produced a Donald Trump. They're actually supporting him, thinking they can put the genie back in the bottle. The divide the GOP alone caused guarantees a long, hot summer.
7
Dr Krugman, you've never been about balancing the budget or reducing the federal debt. In fact, you've claimed over and over again that having budget deficits is good, and that the government should spend like a drunken Keynesian sailor whenever consumers fail to consume. That is the "Keynes Way" which you cling to.
Did you review the PPACA before it was signed into law? Because Pelosi told us all that no one had read it. I was just wondering whether you did any quantitative analysis on it, or if you just threw your hands up and proclaimed it the Word of God, because it came from a Progressive President and a Progressive Congress, and satisfied your Progressive bleed-everyone-dry philosophy. Do tell.
Did you review the PPACA before it was signed into law? Because Pelosi told us all that no one had read it. I was just wondering whether you did any quantitative analysis on it, or if you just threw your hands up and proclaimed it the Word of God, because it came from a Progressive President and a Progressive Congress, and satisfied your Progressive bleed-everyone-dry philosophy. Do tell.
2
The fact is that leaders or anybody supporting a racist are racist. Remember "textbook racist"? Anybody?
Laissez faire laissez passer is not going to cut it. The sad think is Paul Ryan will not have to take responsibility because nobody is going to remember him.
In the big picture, history books will be talking about the first woman President of this country, not about a leader of a run down party that hinted no American values.
Many years ago I read in an airplane fiction book something like thinking that "Scruples is a Greek island"... Just came to my mind.
Laissez faire laissez passer is not going to cut it. The sad think is Paul Ryan will not have to take responsibility because nobody is going to remember him.
In the big picture, history books will be talking about the first woman President of this country, not about a leader of a run down party that hinted no American values.
Many years ago I read in an airplane fiction book something like thinking that "Scruples is a Greek island"... Just came to my mind.
3
So what is the media going to do about it? What are journalists going to do? At this point a dark night of the soul is required by American media that has taken us to this point. Will journalists call out other journalists?
10
Will class warfare ever end, why not have an inclusive, market based
Economy? It has been proven through centuries. Venice, Hong Kong,
Etc. Top down govt. control socialist countries are always doomed to
Fail, because they are based on elitism, coercion, and non criticism.
Venezuela is the latest example. Will you ever learn? There will always
Be rich and poor. Always
Economy? It has been proven through centuries. Venice, Hong Kong,
Etc. Top down govt. control socialist countries are always doomed to
Fail, because they are based on elitism, coercion, and non criticism.
Venezuela is the latest example. Will you ever learn? There will always
Be rich and poor. Always
Yeah, when young men and women have to sell their plasma to earn an "income" there's defiantly a problem,
2
I see the same thing all the time. I ask my retired friends and union members I know why they vote GOP as the party wants to bust unions and gut the social safety net. Their answer always revolves around how the GOP wants to stop the give away to foreigners and President Obama is to blame for all including the weather.
7
One piece of action would address many issues; revert federal income tax rates back to 1968 levels. My fellow Republicans succeeded in shifting the discussion regarding balancing the budget from a balanced approach to one of strickly cutting the nations expenses. ... https://goo.gl/KAIINf
3
"The point is that this kind of false balance does real harm. The Republican establishment directly enabled the forces that led to Trump; but many influential people outside the G.O.P. in effect enabled the enablers. And so here we are."
Yes, here we are and we needn't have wound up here if pundits, journalists, and some of our elected officials had been willing to weather the storms and continue to state the truth: the GOP was less interested in helping the middle and working classes of America than it was in having power over us. But we're also here because we voted for these people. We listened to and believed what they told us about "Morning in America" when what we needed to do was plan for the future that is now here. We didn't want to understand that tax cuts have prices. We preferred to believe, until it happened to some of us, that being poor was a personal choice.
I know of many who did not vote for the officials we now have but enough did and that's all it takes. We now have a country that is run by the NRA for gun ownership, the corporations when it comes to businesses, the health uncare industry for medical matters, and the rich for the rest. We haven't invested in our infrastructure, in a jobs program, or in our citizens for years. All we need is a Trump presidency to complete the trip to laughingstock of the world.
Yes, here we are and we needn't have wound up here if pundits, journalists, and some of our elected officials had been willing to weather the storms and continue to state the truth: the GOP was less interested in helping the middle and working classes of America than it was in having power over us. But we're also here because we voted for these people. We listened to and believed what they told us about "Morning in America" when what we needed to do was plan for the future that is now here. We didn't want to understand that tax cuts have prices. We preferred to believe, until it happened to some of us, that being poor was a personal choice.
I know of many who did not vote for the officials we now have but enough did and that's all it takes. We now have a country that is run by the NRA for gun ownership, the corporations when it comes to businesses, the health uncare industry for medical matters, and the rich for the rest. We haven't invested in our infrastructure, in a jobs program, or in our citizens for years. All we need is a Trump presidency to complete the trip to laughingstock of the world.
18
It's clear from the Twitter comments and the behavior observed at his Klan meetings- I mean, political rallies- that The Donald's supporters are just itching to be able to use the "N" word in public again. They're assuming that his election would afford them tacit permission to violate the dread code of "political correctness" and haul their Constitutional right to free speech out of the shadows and into the cold light of day. And if those you-know-whos don't like it, they can go you-know-what themselves.
23
"To put it bluntly, the modern Republican Party is in essence a machine designed to deliver high after-tax incomes to the 1 percent." One of the best quickest, cleanest, farthest-reaching sentences on our current march toward civil war that I've ever, ever read.
29
If Democrats have been the party of social conscience then it must be admitted that the Republican party has positioned itself to become the reactionary counter party to any and all social progress especially if it means entitlement programs and higher taxes. In being the reactionary party the use of divisive techniques is only to be expected. This is not unexpected given that so much or the progress made has been handed down by Court edicts and not by way of the legislative process.
The exploitation of public sentiment offer too fertile a ground for republicans not to see and seize opportunities for division in the interests of their party supporters. If the democratic party wants to neutralize the republican enablers they must find ways to create public consensus rather than Supreme court decisions .
Trump has turned to divisions that Democrats have need to also address and to bring people together over …they should not assume that being the social conscience is enough …they must also address the means of making concrete advances a part of the American political conscience so that advances made can no longer be exploited so easily.
The exploitation of public sentiment offer too fertile a ground for republicans not to see and seize opportunities for division in the interests of their party supporters. If the democratic party wants to neutralize the republican enablers they must find ways to create public consensus rather than Supreme court decisions .
Trump has turned to divisions that Democrats have need to also address and to bring people together over …they should not assume that being the social conscience is enough …they must also address the means of making concrete advances a part of the American political conscience so that advances made can no longer be exploited so easily.
8
I am continually amazed at the outlandish, bizarre things people I know believe. Or, at least, spout. Much of what emanates from the mouths of my peers here in middle America consists of old wive's tales, ignorance of science in general and the scientific method in particular, bigfoot type hokum, ghost stories, FOX and Rush propaganda, unadorned and unexamined adoration of police and authority, racism and bigotry and hatred of all people not of their tribe.
They say things that a moment's logical thought would prove untrue, then bridle and become furiously defensive and abusive if called out. They live their lives in abysmal ignorance and a fog of self-righteous anger, consumed by envy and devoured by a consumer culture that values material goods and money above all else.
Unfortunately, I have come to the late conclusion that it has always been this way, and is unlikley to ever change. The dark ages are the norm, and the Enlightenment has not taken hold; a descent into global chaos and brutality continues as our population grows unchecked. People simply do not care if something is true or not. Their belief is what sustains them and propels them. If I believed in God, I would ask him to help us all.
They say things that a moment's logical thought would prove untrue, then bridle and become furiously defensive and abusive if called out. They live their lives in abysmal ignorance and a fog of self-righteous anger, consumed by envy and devoured by a consumer culture that values material goods and money above all else.
Unfortunately, I have come to the late conclusion that it has always been this way, and is unlikley to ever change. The dark ages are the norm, and the Enlightenment has not taken hold; a descent into global chaos and brutality continues as our population grows unchecked. People simply do not care if something is true or not. Their belief is what sustains them and propels them. If I believed in God, I would ask him to help us all.
33
Yes, but we should rouse ourselves to try before submitting to the dark ages.
Maybe public education needs to change. We need an emphasis on Civics classes, with an aim toward drilling into kids the importance of not only voting, but voting based on actual facts -- not who you think you want to have a beer with. Can't we try to fight back against what Prof. Krugman is talking about -- voters being duped?
Maybe public education needs to change. We need an emphasis on Civics classes, with an aim toward drilling into kids the importance of not only voting, but voting based on actual facts -- not who you think you want to have a beer with. Can't we try to fight back against what Prof. Krugman is talking about -- voters being duped?
2
Its a lot of fun for the Obamabots to focus only on the Republicans policies for the 1%. But it is Corporatists like Rahm Emanuel who have been privatizing everything in sight in Chicago while dismantling public schools and turning them over to the for profit Charters. It is Obama who signed the Dictatorial Finance Board to rule Puerto Rico in the interests of the financial interests who were just fine with extracting billions in profits for years while paying no taxes and promptly leaving as soon as the tax breaks ended. Obama and disgracefully Krugman himself have been fine with the Fed's QE scam of printing up money to give the banks and plutocrats by the trillions which have been used to scoop up real estate while homeowners are foreclosed. The reality is some 90% of the economic gains under Obama have gone to the 1%. I am waiting for Krugman to call out the Corporate Democrats. To their credit Senator Menendez held a filibuster against the financial recolonization of Puerto Rico and Bernie Sanders also opposed it..
There are a handful of truly progressive Democrats for the 99% but most are Corporate sycophants of the plutocrats money and power...
There are a handful of truly progressive Democrats for the 99% but most are Corporate sycophants of the plutocrats money and power...
9
Very true – – there is no perfection on either side.
There is also no rational equivalency.
How much easier to grieve and bemoan than to govern.
There is also no rational equivalency.
How much easier to grieve and bemoan than to govern.
"And there, in miniature, is the story of how America ended up with someone like Donald Trump as the presumptive Republican nominee and possible next president. It’s all about the enablers, and the enablers of the enablers."
Remember they did not welcome Trump until he defeated all 16 of their alternatives, even the ones they hated themselves.
Trump ran by opposing them, and still does.
The Republican voters rebelled. Now the GOP is trying to get back in front of the parade that is going on without them.
However bad Trump may be, and that is pretty bad, the GOP leaders are worse, and their own voters think so. That is the real lesson here -- we are near a possible end of Ryan and his ilk, and if we do end them, it will be Trump who has done it. It won't be Hillary and her money machine so much like them.
Remember they did not welcome Trump until he defeated all 16 of their alternatives, even the ones they hated themselves.
Trump ran by opposing them, and still does.
The Republican voters rebelled. Now the GOP is trying to get back in front of the parade that is going on without them.
However bad Trump may be, and that is pretty bad, the GOP leaders are worse, and their own voters think so. That is the real lesson here -- we are near a possible end of Ryan and his ilk, and if we do end them, it will be Trump who has done it. It won't be Hillary and her money machine so much like them.
19
Republicans no longer want to govern. They no longer want to work for the best interests of the country. Instead they red bait, lie, polarize, waste millions of dollars running never ending investigations and smears into their political opponents, make is as easy as possible for both criminals and terrorists to buy assault rifles to kill the rest of us, and generally just run the country like The Banana Republic of the USA.
They are incapable of responsible leadership. Not fit to govern. They have been essentially promoted to their levels of incompetency. Trump, Ryan and McConnell, these demagogues are the best that the Republicans have to offer. The Republican party needs to die and new responsible political party to arise from the ashes to replace it.
They are incapable of responsible leadership. Not fit to govern. They have been essentially promoted to their levels of incompetency. Trump, Ryan and McConnell, these demagogues are the best that the Republicans have to offer. The Republican party needs to die and new responsible political party to arise from the ashes to replace it.
59
“We wouldn’t have gotten to this point if so many people outside the G.O.P. — in particular, journalists and self-proclaimed centrists — hadn’t refused to acknowledge what was happening.”
It appears that the shift to electronic media of recent years is driving the print media to extinction. Lacking income from subscriptions and newsstand sales, the electronic media depend on ads based on hits. The more sensationalistic the site, the more the hits.
As a result, those employed by the electronic media have no incentive to tell the truth.
It appears that the shift to electronic media of recent years is driving the print media to extinction. Lacking income from subscriptions and newsstand sales, the electronic media depend on ads based on hits. The more sensationalistic the site, the more the hits.
As a result, those employed by the electronic media have no incentive to tell the truth.
26
While your depiction of the GOP and its enablers seems apt, you cannot discount the effect of the emasculation of the Democratic party which has mostly behaved like deer in the headlights since Reagan was elected. Rather than create an intellectual foundation to justify the role of government they have often adopted the role of junior republicans arguing that they can cut too, but humanely. Hence, we have Clinton's Welfare "Reform" and other examples of 'fixing' social insurance programs. Elizabeth Warren seems like such an outsider because she actually articulates a justification for government activity and oversight. Until Democrats actively promote self government as a positive force in American life, no Democratic president will have the mandate to govern that way.
54
Thank you David from DC. You put it in a nutshell! My fear is that the democrats still don't get it and we will probably slog along with Hilary for another four years while she tries to 'work' with her friends across the aisle. Good luck with that!
Excellent comment david. Democrats on the defensive rather than offering Warren like articulation of the proper role of government. I have not pinned that down as well but I do agree. Hoping Hillary, Warren, Sanders, etc can pull the Democrats into a more formidable counter to the GOP madness.
The GOP is not into governing as they strive to privatize everything in the name of efficiency, or whatever. I recall Jeb!'s attempt while governor here to dismantle the public school system by offering vouchers so children could go to Christian schools.
The GOP is not into governing as they strive to privatize everything in the name of efficiency, or whatever. I recall Jeb!'s attempt while governor here to dismantle the public school system by offering vouchers so children could go to Christian schools.
2
So true. Game over for me was when Obama invited the Simpson and Bowles cat food commission to weigh in on cutting SS while extending the retirement age. Both are equally bad for the Average American and for the economy in equal and shared ways. The democratic platform should be : "SS now, SS forever." That they have stepped back from "the general welfare," has baffled me, a loyal and forever dem.
3
While it's by no means equivalent, it's worth noting that over the last ~20 years the Democrats--when actually governing--have similarly become a party focused on economically-liberalism like deregulation and free trade. (NAFTA, TPP, Glass-Stiegel repeal, etc) Even social safety nets like Obamacare are, at heart, market-based initiatives that trust in capitalism and pull government back to a secondary role. While social hot-buttons are used for campaigns and getting out the vote, the actual governing has been much more mainstream than left-wing (e.g., DOMA, welfare reform, civil unions, etc).
Maybe elected Democrats really believe that free-trade and the free-market will help Americans overall--just like maybe elected Republicans really believe that smaller government will help Americans overall--but the actual policies that are implemented by both seem geared to benefit an economic elite while the social campaign issues and rhetoric of both are largely jettisoned once the oath of office is administered.
Maybe elected Democrats really believe that free-trade and the free-market will help Americans overall--just like maybe elected Republicans really believe that smaller government will help Americans overall--but the actual policies that are implemented by both seem geared to benefit an economic elite while the social campaign issues and rhetoric of both are largely jettisoned once the oath of office is administered.
25
PH Wilson, the democratic presidents left us with surpluses, and less debt. Check out the facts. Both Reagan and W quadrupled the deficit. Do not believe what the GOP says, watch what they do.
2
Playing to the electorate's fear is what Republicans do, and they do it well. Unfortunately, we are a highly divided nation, and the most naive and uneducated are easily fooled into supporting the GOP vision for America. Given the current political polarization, it's hard to think the U.S. can maintain its global leadership position. While other countries are making decisions about investing in education and infrastructure, we are paralyzed by gridlock. This will be the legacy of Republican leadership — a downward spiral in American Exceptionalism.
22
My first whiff of the rabid crudity that has infected the Republican party around the goal of "small government" was in 1968 after Ronald Reagan had been elected governor of California. He was speaking in Seattle to a group of mostly small-business Republicans, hard-working mom-and-pop types, white and middle-aged or older. He began his speech with a joke: "The federal government reminds me of the guy in a raincoat in a dirty movie house. He knows what he's doing, but nobody else does." He had apparently used the line a few nights earlier at a Republican gathering in Orange County, CA, where it had inspired loud applause and guffaws. In this very different setting, with a very different crowd, it resulted in dead silence. The sense of distaste was palpable. "Boy, did that lay an egg," one of Reagan's handlers told me later. Yes, but that nasty trope about the U.S. government took root and became the party's leading mantra for the next fifty years. No joke.
29
You are so right, Charles - adding to your excellent comment, let's recall as well that Reagan launched his Presidential bid on the very graves of 3 Civil Rights volunteers, who were murdered in Philadelphia, Mississippi. It was no accident that Reagan chose that spot.
3
Republicans have one more ploy up their sleeve. Many of them are convinced that a President Trump would be catastrophic. But their strategy to defend seats in the House and Senate is to praise Trump and to defame Clinton. They think Trump will lose anyways, but keeping it close will serve their goal. The brexiters never expected to win either. This could go very badly wrong.
28
Appeals to white tribalism are clearly part of the Greedy Oligarchs' Party's strategy, but there's more to it than that, and GOP opponents need to understand that and declare themselves against the rest of it, too.
The Republicans, unlike the Democrats, do not turn a blind eye to the part of the electorate that feels the government (and the establishment in general, but mostly the government) does nothing for them, while taking a whole lot from them. These are the people in the formerly industrial cities and towns, people with no more than a high school education, jobless veterans, retired people who got no cost of living adjustment to their SS checks this year, and the struggling self-employed who are now required by law to spend 1/3 of their net income on health insurance.
These people (documented by Katherine Cramer in The Politics of Resentment) feel they're forced to shoulder most of the costs of government while most of its benefits flow to the cities, to civil servants, and to people of color. The GOP's promises to slash government sounds like money in their pockets to people like that, whereas increased government spending sounds to them like something different in their pockets: someone else's hand.
Democrats need to offer proposals that will benefit northern Wisconsin, western New York state, and all of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Alabama as much as they do New York City and DC and its suburbs if they want to reduce the GOP to ONLY its racist appeals
The Republicans, unlike the Democrats, do not turn a blind eye to the part of the electorate that feels the government (and the establishment in general, but mostly the government) does nothing for them, while taking a whole lot from them. These are the people in the formerly industrial cities and towns, people with no more than a high school education, jobless veterans, retired people who got no cost of living adjustment to their SS checks this year, and the struggling self-employed who are now required by law to spend 1/3 of their net income on health insurance.
These people (documented by Katherine Cramer in The Politics of Resentment) feel they're forced to shoulder most of the costs of government while most of its benefits flow to the cities, to civil servants, and to people of color. The GOP's promises to slash government sounds like money in their pockets to people like that, whereas increased government spending sounds to them like something different in their pockets: someone else's hand.
Democrats need to offer proposals that will benefit northern Wisconsin, western New York state, and all of Kansas, Oklahoma, and Alabama as much as they do New York City and DC and its suburbs if they want to reduce the GOP to ONLY its racist appeals
15
It's a tough job to try and sell people on the need for income equity--or at least a tax plan that tries to tax those at the top 1% with after-tax incomes. The usual line from GOP'ers who rationalize this is that "they" create jobs, earned their wealth, if inherited, the money is "theirs," and other forms of us v. them. By allying themselves w/the wealthy, they hope for the same for themselves. In the meantime, the head of the Federal Reserve at one time, one Alan Greenspan became the spokesperson for continuing economic practices. He, like Paul Ryan, a devotee of Ayn Rand. And Ryan, as Krugman points out, continues the enabling forces that lead to Trump. As many knowledgeable readers note, this thinking includes Reagan as its most recent political sham artist to engender the likes of Trump--a bankrupted builder of casinos and eerily faux gold palaces for those who reach the heights of wealth.
14
Republicans have been signaling racism with dog whistles going back to the Southern Strategy of Nixon. Trump shouts it out with a bull horn. He is the Republican Party. He is big money personified. He plays the same con game promising good things for the little guy, be it trickle-down nonsense or building a wall to keep out illegals.
What is particularly disturbing is that the Republican leadership including McConnell and now Ryan knows that Donald Trump is unstable and suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder as numerous clinical psychologists have described. That illness explains virtually all of his violent response to criticism, his need to for the world to know how great he is. This is exactly the behavior he displayed in his Cincinnati rant.
The Republican leadership knows how ignorant Donald Trump is with respect to the how the US government functions, the rule of law, foreign policy and the economy. In the face of their certain knowledge about Donald Trump's instability and complete lack of qualification to be President and Commander-in-Chief, they have pledged to support Trump,
It is all fraudulent sound and fury. Trump and the Republicans? They are cut from the same cloth. It is merely a question of make-up.
What is particularly disturbing is that the Republican leadership including McConnell and now Ryan knows that Donald Trump is unstable and suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder as numerous clinical psychologists have described. That illness explains virtually all of his violent response to criticism, his need to for the world to know how great he is. This is exactly the behavior he displayed in his Cincinnati rant.
The Republican leadership knows how ignorant Donald Trump is with respect to the how the US government functions, the rule of law, foreign policy and the economy. In the face of their certain knowledge about Donald Trump's instability and complete lack of qualification to be President and Commander-in-Chief, they have pledged to support Trump,
It is all fraudulent sound and fury. Trump and the Republicans? They are cut from the same cloth. It is merely a question of make-up.
34
As horrifying as this is, and in spite of being opposed to Ryan as a leader and Trump as a candidate, I wonder if they are doing a us a service by lifting the lid on the melting pot that is the United States of America; boiling-over with anger, grief and disappointment on the left, the right and everything in between. we can only fix the problems we can see and understand.
10
In the name of party unity, most of the GOP members are semi-endorsing -- I guess not denouncing will have to do -- Trump for president. But it's clear he's going to lose by a landslide, so it will be fascinating to watch the party leaders try to resurrect a political party from the ashes. Trump has already split the party, so whether one can be reconstructed remains to be seen. The 2018 mid-terms will be the first real test.
4
I was a 3 time elected "progressive conservative" Member of Parliament in Canada between 30 and 40 years ago. I also represented Canadian interests in trade and tax negotiations with American politicians during the Reagan and H. W. Bush presidencies and, as an outsider, have observed the transition from collegial party politics to extremely partisan politics focused on an almost narcissistic concentration on "low taxes:" and "prudent spending" i.e. "low taxes for the well to do" and "less spending on the poor".
These trends spread to Canada; but generally didn't take root. I have often wondered what it is that has made these policies successful in the USA when our peoples generally come from the same backgrounds. My conclusion is that it must have its roots in the racial divide that seems to threaten people's self esteem in the USA.
The previous Prime Minister of Canada sought to build on this narcissism benefiting the well off and came close to succeeding before he was firmly defeated in the last national election (by people like me who voted against "my own party"). I have zero regrets at doing what I thought needed to be done to stop the narcism becoming entrenched in Canada.
These trends spread to Canada; but generally didn't take root. I have often wondered what it is that has made these policies successful in the USA when our peoples generally come from the same backgrounds. My conclusion is that it must have its roots in the racial divide that seems to threaten people's self esteem in the USA.
The previous Prime Minister of Canada sought to build on this narcissism benefiting the well off and came close to succeeding before he was firmly defeated in the last national election (by people like me who voted against "my own party"). I have zero regrets at doing what I thought needed to be done to stop the narcism becoming entrenched in Canada.
51
Our inability as a people to govern ourselves can arguably be attributed to a single, dominating facet of Conservative life that can be linked to Ronald Reagan's cynical endorsement of Grover Norquist and his pledge.
President Reagan endorsed it in 1986 and the pledge has become required thinking for Republicans seeking office, and even for Democrats in Republican districts.
"Today the Taxpayer Protection Pledge is offered to every candidate for state and federal office and to all incumbents. Nearly 1,400 elected officials, from state representative to governor to US Senator, have signed the Pledge."
- Americans for Tax Reform
What is the pledge?
" “I _____ pledge to the taxpayers of the __________ district, of the state of __________, and to all the people of this state, that I will oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes.”
Reagan included it in his 1986 Tax Reform Act. One rule of the pledge is that additional tax revenue raised by eliminating or curtailing a tax break is used solely to decrease lower marginal tax rates or used as some other income tax relief. It disallows "net" tax hikes and dictates that higher tax revenues will always result from pro-growth tax policy.
Thus you have Mr. Ryan, and the decline of the American people in our refusal to tax ourselves to invest in infrastructure, research, and our society since that can only be done as revenue from growth.
Which Norquist's pledge results in preventing. And the circle goes on.
President Reagan endorsed it in 1986 and the pledge has become required thinking for Republicans seeking office, and even for Democrats in Republican districts.
"Today the Taxpayer Protection Pledge is offered to every candidate for state and federal office and to all incumbents. Nearly 1,400 elected officials, from state representative to governor to US Senator, have signed the Pledge."
- Americans for Tax Reform
What is the pledge?
" “I _____ pledge to the taxpayers of the __________ district, of the state of __________, and to all the people of this state, that I will oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes.”
Reagan included it in his 1986 Tax Reform Act. One rule of the pledge is that additional tax revenue raised by eliminating or curtailing a tax break is used solely to decrease lower marginal tax rates or used as some other income tax relief. It disallows "net" tax hikes and dictates that higher tax revenues will always result from pro-growth tax policy.
Thus you have Mr. Ryan, and the decline of the American people in our refusal to tax ourselves to invest in infrastructure, research, and our society since that can only be done as revenue from growth.
Which Norquist's pledge results in preventing. And the circle goes on.
37
Absolutely, John McBride. This pledge is in contradiction to the Constitutional responsibilities of our Congress people.
2
Why is it not unconstitutional for elected officials to avow allegiance to an unelected nutbag? Why is doing so not grounds for impeachment? Any lawyers out there who can 'splain this to me?
2
There are innumerable economic, social and cultural factors that have played into Republican successes per transforming the American economy into an ATM for the 1%. What Mr. Krugman does so well in this piece is to simply but surely point out how the GOP's manipulation of the racial animosities and fears of its rabid, right-wing base of middle- to lower-income workers has enabled it to sell them the very economic policies that threaten to drown them. And to successfully lay the blame at the feet of Democrats.
The GOP has done an impressive job of selling supply-side, voodoo economics to their base since the days of Reagan. Supply-side economics---especially in a recessionary or stagnant economy---is nothing more than a profit machine for the 1% and a painful austerity plan for everyone else. Does anyone notice sacrifices for the sake of, uh, debt-reduction being made by top income-earners?
The GOP base has bought the idea that executives are re-investing their massive profits back into the means of production, which would mean more jobs, higher wages and increasing demand. They're not. They're using those profits for stock buybacks, etc., which grow not their companies' portfolios but their own.
Many of these practice, once illegal, were legalized by Reagan's SEC. They could be made illegal again by the same group. Except that the SEC now represents the corporate suite and not the factory floor.
The GOP has done an impressive job of selling supply-side, voodoo economics to their base since the days of Reagan. Supply-side economics---especially in a recessionary or stagnant economy---is nothing more than a profit machine for the 1% and a painful austerity plan for everyone else. Does anyone notice sacrifices for the sake of, uh, debt-reduction being made by top income-earners?
The GOP base has bought the idea that executives are re-investing their massive profits back into the means of production, which would mean more jobs, higher wages and increasing demand. They're not. They're using those profits for stock buybacks, etc., which grow not their companies' portfolios but their own.
Many of these practice, once illegal, were legalized by Reagan's SEC. They could be made illegal again by the same group. Except that the SEC now represents the corporate suite and not the factory floor.
20
The GOP support the right to life from conception until birth. Once you are born, the GOP show zero concern for your health, well being, education, housing, wages, retirement...... God and guns are more important, than our quality of life, environment and infrastructure.
The GOP are experts at getting people to vote against their own self interest. With a better educated population, more Americans could spot politicians who are expert on faking sincerity.
If you are one of the 0.1%, the GOP is your party. Their policies are based around increasing the income and wealth of the 0.1%, to the detriment of the 99.9%.
The GOP are experts at getting people to vote against their own self interest. With a better educated population, more Americans could spot politicians who are expert on faking sincerity.
If you are one of the 0.1%, the GOP is your party. Their policies are based around increasing the income and wealth of the 0.1%, to the detriment of the 99.9%.
5
Well said. The Republican strategy to court and curry favor with racists began with Nixon and his " Southern Strategy" as well as the " Silent Majority". No one until Trump was better at stoking it than the Gipper who talked about welfare queens driving Cadillac's and " States Rights" ,. Paul Ryan received favorable and kid gloves treatment from the press simply because unlike the other Tea Party adherents he wasn't foaming at the mouth castigating and denigrating the poor, the immigrants and people of color. Of course his policies were heartless and would eviscerate the economic safety net and any remnants of the great society but they certainly lined and filled the pockets of the top 1 % ! Needless to say the numbers did not add up and if imposed his policies would have increased the deficit substantially while causing devastating and immeasurable pain to the poor and middle class. But he sounded reasonable when compared to Louie Gohlmert and Michelle Bachman so he has been embraced and used as a poster boy for Republicans who want to be taken seriously. What an absolute and sanctimonious fraud he is!
4
Kudos, Mr Krugman. You have hit the nail squarely on the head.
It is almost humorous to watch Trump tear the fig leaf off the racism, sexism and classism that has been one of the basic building blocks of the Republican party since Dick Nixon trotted out the "silent majority". With the exposure of their skillfully manipulated base, it is very hard to continue to take Paul Ryan's "proposals" seriously. There he stands, as naked as Trump, doling out sugar to the donor class.
And, no, the media has not caught on. There is mostly cotton in those talking heads. We continue to hear drivel from the "Republican Strategists" on the blab shoes with nary a follow up question or, heaven forbid, an interruption.
It is almost humorous to watch Trump tear the fig leaf off the racism, sexism and classism that has been one of the basic building blocks of the Republican party since Dick Nixon trotted out the "silent majority". With the exposure of their skillfully manipulated base, it is very hard to continue to take Paul Ryan's "proposals" seriously. There he stands, as naked as Trump, doling out sugar to the donor class.
And, no, the media has not caught on. There is mostly cotton in those talking heads. We continue to hear drivel from the "Republican Strategists" on the blab shoes with nary a follow up question or, heaven forbid, an interruption.
2
This makes the President an enabler as well.
Quite recently, and I don't recall the occasion or the details, he very publicly praised Pul Ryan, suggesting that Ryan was the voice of reason and someone he could work with.
Ditto the Presidents's remarks on occasion about the Sainted Ronald Reagan.
Let's face it, there's ''them', and there's 'us'.
We don't much matter.
If we mattered, we would have sensible gun laws, universal health care, fewer wars, controls on banks and Wall Street and affordable education.
Quite recently, and I don't recall the occasion or the details, he very publicly praised Pul Ryan, suggesting that Ryan was the voice of reason and someone he could work with.
Ditto the Presidents's remarks on occasion about the Sainted Ronald Reagan.
Let's face it, there's ''them', and there's 'us'.
We don't much matter.
If we mattered, we would have sensible gun laws, universal health care, fewer wars, controls on banks and Wall Street and affordable education.
4
Prof. Krugman notes that "the modern Republican Party is in essence a machine designed to deliver high after-tax incomes to the 1 percent."
Yes, of course they are in that business, besides that of promoting guns and Gods as well.
Yes, of course they are in that business, besides that of promoting guns and Gods as well.
5
Republicans have been ripping off America since Reagan. Give to the rich and take from the poor has been their mantra and they are proud of it. Add in a little racial hostility to satisfy the bigots, along with their inevitable drive to invade our bedrooms (stop the gays!) and health care providers (defund Planned Parenthood) so the sheep dont notice they are getting fleeced. Paul Ryan is just a pretty face they put in front of the public to continue the rip-off.
5
Your lament is a borderline funeral dirge, not only for the 'old' Republican party, but also for America's future, should Trump be elected. So rabid is the GOP's enmity for Hillary Clinton that its leaders are more than willing to sacrifice decency and the Golden Rule in order to deny her the White House. Just look at the constant barrage of leading questions rapid-fired at FBI Director Comey yesterday as the Republicans on the committee attempted to put words in his mouth. He stood up for equal justice under the law. They were beside themselves: precedent and blind justice be damned.
Should it come to pass that DJT wins in November, we will not have the luxury of blaming the enablers, however. No, dear Krugman, the fault will reside in ourselves, for having failed to muster every ounce of our will, energy, and resources to defeat a racist, jingoistic, narcissistic authoritarian. History has had far too many of them already.
Should it come to pass that DJT wins in November, we will not have the luxury of blaming the enablers, however. No, dear Krugman, the fault will reside in ourselves, for having failed to muster every ounce of our will, energy, and resources to defeat a racist, jingoistic, narcissistic authoritarian. History has had far too many of them already.
6
I noted that Larry "Blowhard" Kudlow, that shill for the 1%, introduced Trump at the Republican house meeting yesterday. So here we have the business media (including the always wrong ranter Rick Santelli) who are even less "fair and balanced" than Fox News, putting forward their "experts" that always seem to support the tax and government cutting policies advocated by the Ryan's of the world without a shred of evidence these policies have or ever will work. No wonder our fellow citizens support this idiocy. That is all they hear so. of course, it must be true. Trump is the epitome of what is wrong with our political system.
5
As Jonathan Chait pointed out yesterday, since Trump, a racist authoritarian has won the Republican nomination, there is a not insignificant chance that he could well be the next President, and with an obedient Republican Party controlling Congress and most state legislatures, we could easily end up with a President for Life Trump. So it goes. And events like last night make that possibility just a little stronger.
2
It is unfortunate, and probably tragic, that the only way we will ever overcome the crazy budget, social, and economic policies of the Republicans, is to have Republicans control Congress and presidency, enact their crazy policies and have the depression that will surely ensue. We will, then, if extremely lucky, see the Republican party abolished by voters, and we can have a set of politicians who are rational replace them. Short of this happening, we will muddle along without hope and without responsible politicians.
1
However, it has been well-documented that the Republicans have been selecting hard right candidate for local office over the past several decades in a concerted campaign to shift the nation in their preferred direction. Thus, the system, should your scenario come to pass, would be very difficult to change away from such a future. Self-interest seems to rule much of the thinking in this country today among Republicans, not enlightened self interest, just actions that enhance their economic and cultural goals above all others. I don't see any benefit from your anticipated complete stranglehold on government by one party as a trigger for change.It probably does not happen like that in the real world.
3
Things were rolling along pretty well when Bush took over from Clinton. Then 9/11 happened, after Bush ignored the memos, and one war - Afghanistan - was launched that might have produced a coherent message for the world (hunting down and killing Bin Laden in Tora Bora), but Bush of course had lost interest by that time and had set his sights, with the help of Cheney, on Iraq. Unfunded and unpaid-for wars, runaway de-regulation of the financial industry, and then we get the financial meltdown. Obama takes over in 2009, after having met with those in government reference the crash since shortly after his election, while Bush had retired to his ranch to continue to clear brush, from everywhere except inside his head, apparently. Now, eight years later, after a slow and painful recovery impeded from day one by Republican obstructionism the likes of which this country has never before seen, and Republicans shout from the rooftops that it's all Obama's fault. The general voting populace's understanding of what is taking place, and their patience for the long schlog of digging out from Republican-led fiscal policy disasters, is so limited and short that Republicans are once again able to sell the uneducated voter (Donald's favourite kind) on the idea that Republicans can fix what's wrong with America. One wonders when the Dems will get tired of being blamed for Republican ditch-driving, and of being elected just to clean up their messes.
3
Been there, done that. The recent Bush administration, enabled by republican majorities in congress and the supreme court, proved how utterly disastrous republican leadership can be. The damage they did to the country is historically epic. The GOP remains politically viable only because of its leadership's unequaled skill in telling lies, creating diversions and waging smear campaigns. The GOP will be vanquished only after a majority of Americans wake up and take notice. One can only hope that this will be the year.
3
I am very afraid. When a governing entity strips the majority of the population of the means to achieve a meaningful livelihood and offers instead prejudice, hatred and violence, the seams of a civilised existence come apart. Those with nothing left to lose turn to violence and we are all at risk.
9
I remember long ago reading or being told in a class that "a newspaper's job is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable." The conservative media have managed to turn that upside down to the advantage of the Republican Party, and they call themselves "fair and balanced." The influence of newspapers is so diminished now that there's no in-depth, truly fair and balanced information being disseminated to voters; a candidate can win by tweeting out vacuous "statements" 140 characters or less at a time. It doesn't seem too wildly overstated that America's become a Darwinian, Orwellian hell.
5
Yes, it's been a giant con game for decades, especially since the ascent of St. Ronald of "trickle-down," "voodoo" economics who rallied the bigoted, largely Southern white racists, with his cry of "welfare queens." Now, the party that has fed its elite off the "wedge" issues of race and abortion and now sexual orientation has nominated the con-artist-in-chief in slick Donald, the billionaire of bankruptcy, who is the ultimate, unbalanced and, as many commentators noted after his recent rant in Cincinnati, "unhinged" 1-percenter who makes even less economic sense than Paul Ryan, if that's possible. So Professor Krugman, thanks for calling out the "false balance" both in the reporting, the economics and the very psychological temperament of the entire enabling crowd from Speaker Ryan to an entire political party and their nominee who at best are delusional. This is what you get from a corporate media culture whose motto is, to paraphrase Fox, "Fair and Unbalanced."
5
Many of those "southern white racists" live in rust belt states, upstate NY and rural America everywhere.
3
The press has never figured out how to deal with politicians who are obviously distorting the truth if not outright lying. But at a minimum, journalists should see it as part of their job to report distortions / lies as news. That is, if a politician wants to score points by misrepresenting something (whether it is climate change or President Obama's religion or anything else), that misrepresentation should be covered as a story in its own right: "Representative X distorts the scientific consensus ..." (etc.). As it is, there are simply no consequences for lying, and a polished manipulator (think Dick Cheney) can slowly turn outright lies into half truths which then make it impossible to see actual truth as better than the other half-truth. If journalists cannot come up with a strategy to deal with this problem, they will continue to be complicit in deceit.
13
But the problem is 'journalists' would need to be well-educated in literary analysis and acutely discerning in order to perform the tasks you describe.
The Republican party is held hostage by a donor class, the 1%, whose only goal is to keep their money, the more the better. It is this iron clad pact with this class---you support my billions and I will give you billions---that has ossified Republican thinking and made it impossible for them to address this campaign cycle's primary issue---income inequality. Both parties are dealing with publics that, finally, have gotten the memo---the bait and switch trickle down economics scam is now seen as just that, bait you with a social issue and when elected switch to funneling more money to the top. But the Ryan's of the world, considered to be the intellectual head of the party, can't move his mental model from voodoo economics to middle class reality.
9
I agree that, no matter what they say or how they disguise it, the Republican Party's main focus is to make sure the wealthiest amongst us keeps growing their share of the economic pie. I have friends and family members that have done fairly well financially. They were all once Democrats or moderately Republican. Now a rational conversation on the issues is not even possible. They too go ballistic at the thought of their government taking any more of their money. And they justify themselves by regurgitating the Republican propaganda about "crooked" and "untrustworthy" Hilary. I too might prefer to move past the Clinton era", with new leadership that builds on what President Obama has accomplished.
7
NPR aired an interview with Governor Asa Hutchinson yesterday where he fell in line with supporting "the nominee" despite having had severe misgivings previously. His reason? "We can't have four more years of Obama which is what a Clinton presidency would be." So, let's see: we're supposed to pretend that Obama's presidency has been bad for the country and instead support an unhinged race baiter with no experience? This is putting party before country, power before principle, and the American public won't have it. My only hope is that eventually elected officials like Hutchinson get voted out. Self interest seems to be the only thing Republicans understand.
36
I heard that interview and was impressed with the incredibly shallow explanation he gave for backing Trump. But he was also a strong backer of Mike Huckabee, who is a less presidential character than almost anyone who has recently had the apparent delusional belief that he/she is qualified. So Hutchinson has effectively already disqualified himself as a responsible politician. And the insistence that party comes first may be precisely why many of those who developed the formal plans for this country's government were wary of the party system.
16
I did not see the interview but I just bet the interviewer was very weak on challenging this rt wing hack on exactly what has been so bad about the Obama presidency. This is the crux of our problem-- a media that lets the nuts get away with just about anything. A GOP says "we need to raise the retirement age." The interviewer never says "really? you think a roofer or a tree trimmer can keep going? A hair stylist or clerk in a grocery store? They can do these jobs into their 70's?" They never posit that delayed retirement of white collar workers is a detriment to the younger workers, who have to wait ever longer for advancement opportunities, and the accompanying power and wealth accumulation that in fairness belongs to the next generation. The media refuses to push, and so the blowhards win.
2
"You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things." was Shakespeare's characterization of the public In times of crisis making us easy pickings for a tough tyrant with rhetorical power. Unfortunately for we the people, news media has normalized the demagoguery and pilloried the qualified candidate over things that have nothing to do with policy. The echoes of every human from guns to butter will be processed and displayed for all the stones to see in hopes that outrage can continue to sell this bundle of tax cut malarkey. The answer is for all of us to show up at the polls in the next two elections - the vast majority of Americans know spit from shinola so if the 40% that find it too inconvenient to vote continue to stay home we will truly live in a Shakespearian tragedy ending with a pile of dead souls and regret .
10
Our politics has always had a large contingent of low grade politicians serving in the Congress & Senate. But now in the 21 first century when many thought we might have more intelligent politicians, instead we have a large crop of second raters and worse, many high grade morons grasping for the main chance and no interest in governing for all the people. I blame the public for voting against their own interest and being besotted with sports, celebrity, and electronic toys. Now we have Trump, McConnell, Cruz, Ryan and a slew of tea party congressmen controlling the business of the country. We are in perilous waters and up to our necks in directed stupidity. Perhaps this Empire will split apart into 3 or 4 countries and the gun loving evangelicals can climb into their ark and sail back to the time when people kept dinosaurs for pets. Then perhaps things will settle down, but I would not count on it…
17
Lest we forget the ultimate enablers, the Republican voters. Polls show that the blue collar workers who vote Republican are aware that they are the party of the rich 1%, that they don't care about the middle class and that they are no friend to labor, that they are an impediment to raising the minimum wage, that they view workers' unions negatively and they are the ones who will shred the safety net that protects workers when the worst befalls them. Yet through some sort of illogical Ju Jitsu they are able to present a man who is obscenely rich, who's name appears in gold in most places, a man who profits off the backs of small business' and then stiffs them when the bill comes, a man who wouldn't shake their hand if he wasn't running for president, as a champion of their hard working values. These people are not just afflicted with a case of enabling they are suffering from a dangerous form of Stockholm Syndrome.
5
What to do with Paul Ryan is something it seems the media will never get a grasp on, but maybe Mr. Krugman has touched on it. When it comes to Ryan's take on healthcare for Americans, the media has pretty much left him untouched. If he has the opportunity to schmooze with Trump on his healthcare ideas, the two of them will put the kabosh to much needed healthcare programs for many Americans.
Neither one of them can stand the Affordable Care Act and Ryan has been preaching about his Medicare stipend/voucher plan for years, putting "Medcare as we know it" as he loves to say, in jeopardy.
I was present at a Wisconsin Ryan townhall meeting when Christiana Amanpour was also present. To my knowledge she probably has been about the only media rep to even question Ryan on his Medicare ideas. That was previous to his run with Mr. 47% Mitt Romney.
As a nurse who has advocated for the ACA, albeit its imperfections, I can tell you if Trump gets in, Trump and Ryan will be chomping at the bit on "healthcare reform" and if successful will leave millions without healthcare benefits and thus health care. This country would experience the same turmoil as in 2008 when many had lost their jobs, did not have healthcare insurance, and could not get any because of pre-existing conditions.
If you want to relive those days, look to the Trump/Ryan combo. They might appear not to see eye to eye, but they will be two peas in a pod taking away the means to health care - young and old!
Neither one of them can stand the Affordable Care Act and Ryan has been preaching about his Medicare stipend/voucher plan for years, putting "Medcare as we know it" as he loves to say, in jeopardy.
I was present at a Wisconsin Ryan townhall meeting when Christiana Amanpour was also present. To my knowledge she probably has been about the only media rep to even question Ryan on his Medicare ideas. That was previous to his run with Mr. 47% Mitt Romney.
As a nurse who has advocated for the ACA, albeit its imperfections, I can tell you if Trump gets in, Trump and Ryan will be chomping at the bit on "healthcare reform" and if successful will leave millions without healthcare benefits and thus health care. This country would experience the same turmoil as in 2008 when many had lost their jobs, did not have healthcare insurance, and could not get any because of pre-existing conditions.
If you want to relive those days, look to the Trump/Ryan combo. They might appear not to see eye to eye, but they will be two peas in a pod taking away the means to health care - young and old!
6
Credit to those Americans that are not so gullible as to be taken in by a simpleton flaunting the Republican flag that evidently weighs on its hapless and perhaps equally naive standard-bearers.
However, the Simpleton Phenomenon (pretty obvious who it refers to) is proof that American standards of education are, on average, pretty low.
So, here we are - at the (amphi)theatre.
However, the Simpleton Phenomenon (pretty obvious who it refers to) is proof that American standards of education are, on average, pretty low.
So, here we are - at the (amphi)theatre.
3
I think - and I say this as a lifelong (now mostly-retired) journalist - that the failures of the news media are far more serious than what Mr. Krugman outlines here.
Let me focus on one aspect in particular: It is a core duty of journalists, the only profession explicitly protected in the Constitution, to assure that Americans have clear, accurate information that is the vital lifeblood of democratic decision-making.
Yet journalists utterly failed to rigorously expose and illuminate the poison-spewing failings of a gigantic, 24/7 disinformation machine now nested deep in the heart of American daily life - Fox "News."
To watch Fox for even 15 minutes, especially during the Hannity to O'Reilly prime time hours, is to be utterly aghast at the endless stream of outright lies, disinformation, demonization and half-truths being pumped, like uncontrolled sewage, into the American body politic. And yet no news organization, including the most venerable like this one, found it fitting to focus a relentless long-term spotlight on this veritable Bureau of Disinformation poisoning our national soul.
And so Fox achieved a highly-undeserved "equivalency" in American political discourse, which granted it legitimacy, with results we can see: A gigantic slice of our populace now believes things that are flatly untrue and immensely harmful to the American democratic experiment.
Journalists need to start doing better - now. And I would be more than happy to personally take part.
Let me focus on one aspect in particular: It is a core duty of journalists, the only profession explicitly protected in the Constitution, to assure that Americans have clear, accurate information that is the vital lifeblood of democratic decision-making.
Yet journalists utterly failed to rigorously expose and illuminate the poison-spewing failings of a gigantic, 24/7 disinformation machine now nested deep in the heart of American daily life - Fox "News."
To watch Fox for even 15 minutes, especially during the Hannity to O'Reilly prime time hours, is to be utterly aghast at the endless stream of outright lies, disinformation, demonization and half-truths being pumped, like uncontrolled sewage, into the American body politic. And yet no news organization, including the most venerable like this one, found it fitting to focus a relentless long-term spotlight on this veritable Bureau of Disinformation poisoning our national soul.
And so Fox achieved a highly-undeserved "equivalency" in American political discourse, which granted it legitimacy, with results we can see: A gigantic slice of our populace now believes things that are flatly untrue and immensely harmful to the American democratic experiment.
Journalists need to start doing better - now. And I would be more than happy to personally take part.
5
The GOP now reaches the level of brown, uniformed troopers following Trump and carring military style weapons with malice in their hearts. Just yesterday, they came to a conclusion to investigate Sec. Clinton even more and try to deminish her chances to win the Presidency in favor of Trump. In other words, they would rather destroy America than allow democratic rule. Things are so bad that even the 1% are seeking outside America standing in search of foreign villa purchases and passport residency stamps. I suppose that it might be safer in Angulla or Monaco than Dallas or "anywhere America".
1
GOP party is a Party of deniers. They pretend to be experts in all so they defy all the Scientists, Statisticians, Economists and other experts who have studied all of their lives on different issues that could threaten the world and the future generation.
They are willing to re-write History as we see.
They are willing to re-write History as we see.
2
"Washington is polarized" is the accepted narrative, and promoted daily even by the NYT.
Washington is not polarized. One party has drifted beyond the poles of democratic process and actively undermines successful governance in order to substantiate their claim that "government is the problem"—the foundation of their ideology.
The press did real harm when it gave parity to climate deniers for two decades. It is doing real harm today by giving parity to Republicans.
Washington is not polarized. One party has drifted beyond the poles of democratic process and actively undermines successful governance in order to substantiate their claim that "government is the problem"—the foundation of their ideology.
The press did real harm when it gave parity to climate deniers for two decades. It is doing real harm today by giving parity to Republicans.
4
Thank you, Mr. Kaufman. I find the media's "balanced" coverage as utterly irresponsible. At the top of my list is the constant observation that Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are both flawed candidates. And indeed they are. But their "flaws" are not at all comparable. I hardly know where to begin, except to say that narcissism, racism, and willful ignorance hardly reflect hateful purposefulness lies far outside anything that can be politely referred to as flaws. A responsible media would not be so lazy and careless. But then, like the presumptive republican nominee they are in the entertainment business. It is much easier to be an enabler than to demand responsibility.
4
"How did [Mr. Ryan] reach that position? Not by inspiring deep loyalty in the base, but rather by getting incredibly favorable treatment from journalists and centrists eager to show their bipartisanship by finding a serious, honest Republican to praise — or at least someone able to do a passable job of playing that character on TV. "
And that favorable treatment goes on. On Wendnesday, on the heels of Comey's report, the Speaker of the House calls the administration to deny Hillary Clinton access to classified information during the presidential campaign, and no journalists contests it.
Do we have it right: the former Secretary of State is not trustworthy, but Donald Trump is.
Surreal but true.
And that favorable treatment goes on. On Wendnesday, on the heels of Comey's report, the Speaker of the House calls the administration to deny Hillary Clinton access to classified information during the presidential campaign, and no journalists contests it.
Do we have it right: the former Secretary of State is not trustworthy, but Donald Trump is.
Surreal but true.
4
Thank you so very much Dr. Krugman for your clarity of thoughts and knowledge and eloquence of words to express this so clearly.
Trump as the latest shiny object is giving, in contrast, the Republican establishment a cover to continue to obfuscate the truths, brainwash their supporters and damage the foundations of this country -- the well-being of its people, a sound tax base, and a healthy evidence based democratic political discourse. In comparison to Donald Trump, Paul Ryan and the like look like the good guy, which Krugman clearly points out here, are not.
The differences between the Republican and Democratic Party is no longer just ideological and political. It is in fact the difference between the sane and insane, the honest and dishonest, and perhaps even, the good guy and the bad guy. Confronted with this reality, I am beyond angry. I am full of trepidation and sadness, for my children's future.
Trump as the latest shiny object is giving, in contrast, the Republican establishment a cover to continue to obfuscate the truths, brainwash their supporters and damage the foundations of this country -- the well-being of its people, a sound tax base, and a healthy evidence based democratic political discourse. In comparison to Donald Trump, Paul Ryan and the like look like the good guy, which Krugman clearly points out here, are not.
The differences between the Republican and Democratic Party is no longer just ideological and political. It is in fact the difference between the sane and insane, the honest and dishonest, and perhaps even, the good guy and the bad guy. Confronted with this reality, I am beyond angry. I am full of trepidation and sadness, for my children's future.
2
Well, I blame the rise of Trump on a kind of legal corruption the exists in Washington, I think Bill MOyers would agree and this is what he has to say
But the Democrats’ failure to sound the alarm on lobbying isn’t surprising, really. No one in either of the two party establishments wants to upset the cart that delivers all them golden apples. Besides, as journalist Thomas Frank writes, Washington and the lobbyists that the city nurtures have bonded as “a community – a community of corruption, perhaps, but a community nevertheless: happy, prosperous and joyfully oblivious to the plight of the country once known as the land of the middle class.”
http://billmoyers.com/story/democrats-ignore-lobbyist-room/
the factually inaccurate analysis of PK does nothing to solve the real problem, and in fact is designed to polarize the electorate and allow the dysfunctional system to continue
But the Democrats’ failure to sound the alarm on lobbying isn’t surprising, really. No one in either of the two party establishments wants to upset the cart that delivers all them golden apples. Besides, as journalist Thomas Frank writes, Washington and the lobbyists that the city nurtures have bonded as “a community – a community of corruption, perhaps, but a community nevertheless: happy, prosperous and joyfully oblivious to the plight of the country once known as the land of the middle class.”
http://billmoyers.com/story/democrats-ignore-lobbyist-room/
the factually inaccurate analysis of PK does nothing to solve the real problem, and in fact is designed to polarize the electorate and allow the dysfunctional system to continue
1
Any halfway reasonable person could criticize the GOP for hours on end - it's easy as pie. But what's apparent here is that PK is not only misleading in his commentary, but also so mired in his cloud of privilege that he has little clue.
PK states the GOP's goal is to deliver higher after-tax income to the 1%. I have no doubt that's correct since nearly all our politicians work for them. Yet, during this marvelous "recovery" that Obama is always boasting about, almost all the financial gains have gone to the 1% - the 99% lost ground. Wall Street and the rest of Corporate America is doing great - thanks to Treasury and Fed policies. This is on Obama's watch. Bailing out the banks, but not helping the struggling homeowners...that was his decision.
And Obama didn't really raise taxes on the rich, he just put back some of the Bush tax cuts.
Obama signed bills that cut food stamps, cut heating assistance for the poor and brags about cutting the deficit. He certainly didn't cut it by adding new taxes or cutting obscene military costs. Maybe he got the money by selling off some leases for fracking and oil exploration or from the billions in interest the government takes from its citizens for student loans.
Obama and DEMs enabled Trump's rise by working for the 1% instead of in the people's interest, and thinking we wouldn't notice. If people had any hope left, any faith in these people - there would be no Trump. Obama killed hope except for his loyal, obedient Dems.
PK states the GOP's goal is to deliver higher after-tax income to the 1%. I have no doubt that's correct since nearly all our politicians work for them. Yet, during this marvelous "recovery" that Obama is always boasting about, almost all the financial gains have gone to the 1% - the 99% lost ground. Wall Street and the rest of Corporate America is doing great - thanks to Treasury and Fed policies. This is on Obama's watch. Bailing out the banks, but not helping the struggling homeowners...that was his decision.
And Obama didn't really raise taxes on the rich, he just put back some of the Bush tax cuts.
Obama signed bills that cut food stamps, cut heating assistance for the poor and brags about cutting the deficit. He certainly didn't cut it by adding new taxes or cutting obscene military costs. Maybe he got the money by selling off some leases for fracking and oil exploration or from the billions in interest the government takes from its citizens for student loans.
Obama and DEMs enabled Trump's rise by working for the 1% instead of in the people's interest, and thinking we wouldn't notice. If people had any hope left, any faith in these people - there would be no Trump. Obama killed hope except for his loyal, obedient Dems.
This goes all the way back to Ronald Reagan. (And Richard Nixon)
Reagan declared government was the enemy and gave us voodoo economics. Add in the creation of FOX News with the rise of Rush Limbaugh et. al., and the first steps on the highway to Hell were taken.
Newt Gingrich systematically lobotomized Congress as an instrument of governance in order to make it a purely political theater for posturing. Bill Clinton's triangulation legitimized GOP talking points even as they sought to destroy him. George W. Bush demonstrated the amorality of the GOP agenda - and its total indifference to governing effectively. Barack Obama wasted years trying to look forward, not back, on reaching across the aisle top those who denied his legitimacy.
Class warfare is an old charge against the GOP, but they've pushed it to the level of committing war crimes in the pursuit of wealth and power. Anyone in the establishment who tires to pretend this isn't happening is guilty of collaboration. Anyone who decries the rise of partisanship is turning a blind eye to too much that is seriously wrong. The day is approaching when it will be impossible to not choose a side.
Reagan declared government was the enemy and gave us voodoo economics. Add in the creation of FOX News with the rise of Rush Limbaugh et. al., and the first steps on the highway to Hell were taken.
Newt Gingrich systematically lobotomized Congress as an instrument of governance in order to make it a purely political theater for posturing. Bill Clinton's triangulation legitimized GOP talking points even as they sought to destroy him. George W. Bush demonstrated the amorality of the GOP agenda - and its total indifference to governing effectively. Barack Obama wasted years trying to look forward, not back, on reaching across the aisle top those who denied his legitimacy.
Class warfare is an old charge against the GOP, but they've pushed it to the level of committing war crimes in the pursuit of wealth and power. Anyone in the establishment who tires to pretend this isn't happening is guilty of collaboration. Anyone who decries the rise of partisanship is turning a blind eye to too much that is seriously wrong. The day is approaching when it will be impossible to not choose a side.
4
Ryan is nothing more than an Ayn Rand acolyte, spurred by his shame that his family had to rely on "government hand-outs" after his Dad passed.
Trickle down has been repudiated for 36 years. The booms that Republicans point to as proof of the efficacy of tax cuts for the rich are no more than speculative bubbles that are a boon for the .1% and a bust for everyone else.
Republicans are supplicants to a tax catechism that has zero basis in reality.
Their devotion to faith over facts makes the GOP equivalent to a religion and their burgeoning control of government a theocratic coup of secular government.
Trickle down has been repudiated for 36 years. The booms that Republicans point to as proof of the efficacy of tax cuts for the rich are no more than speculative bubbles that are a boon for the .1% and a bust for everyone else.
Republicans are supplicants to a tax catechism that has zero basis in reality.
Their devotion to faith over facts makes the GOP equivalent to a religion and their burgeoning control of government a theocratic coup of secular government.
5
The whole goal of the Repubs is to say Dems are as bad as them. Say it over and over. It's like sales pitches, you need 7 contacts to get a sale. They knew years ago that Hillary was the most qualified Dem woman and someday, if she wanted, become a presidential candidate. So years ago they started the smear campaign and it still goes on today. Yesterday the Repubs say she lied about having classified material on her server. It turns out there were 3 emails sent either to or from the server that had in their text a "c", designating confidential material. It was not properly notated as required and after the fact, these were not really confidential content. Repubs are screaming, "she lied". this is just terrible.
5
Well, folks, there you have it: feed the wealthy and support racism. The supporters of this killer political stand, although they don't see its end results, will suffer terribly for it. Racism is all-encompassing. Right beside the Blacks, the Mexicans and the Muslims are the lower income Whites.
The Republican Fed does not support any of them. Their solution is to coddle the wealthy, cut Medicare and Social Security, school aid and care for the needy. There will be no winners here.
The candidate who comes prepared to govern our entire country, all 320 million of us, that should be our election goal.
American politics are badly bent and we must remove the kinks.
The Republican Fed does not support any of them. Their solution is to coddle the wealthy, cut Medicare and Social Security, school aid and care for the needy. There will be no winners here.
The candidate who comes prepared to govern our entire country, all 320 million of us, that should be our election goal.
American politics are badly bent and we must remove the kinks.
1
Mr. Ryan is a unique politician. He is relatively young and articulate. He is willing and able to commit his notions and intimations to paper for study, review, and critique. He has developed sufficient computer skills to express ideas in PowerPoint presentations and lay out economic plans in Excel spreadsheets.
Mr. Ryan’s presentable appearance and manners belie his political mindset. His presentations express the outdated notions and muddled thinking of the ol’boy Republicans. His spreadsheets don’t add up.
Mr. Ryan’s presentable appearance and manners belie his political mindset. His presentations express the outdated notions and muddled thinking of the ol’boy Republicans. His spreadsheets don’t add up.
7
Only a fool could fail to see the wisdom in this essay. Therefore the Republican ideology requires that public education be safe for fools. Of all the parts of the beast that need starving, the schools are, to the Republican mind, the fattest.
6
There is no evidence that Mr. Trump is a racist based upon his very public life, in fact the opposite may be true. He sued the city of Palm Beach because his golf club would be open to Jews and Blacks, and won.
The racism lives in the progressive heads, especially when they don't really listen carefully.
Trump also realizes that small business is the backbone of the middle class. You know, the people that have been devastated by Obamanomics, Which is why his tax plan calls for a 15% cap on income pass-throughs, the structure of the vast majority of small business.
This is what HC, Obama, and our good professor calls, "tax cuts for the wealthy". I don't think any of them fully understand the tax code.
The racism lives in the progressive heads, especially when they don't really listen carefully.
Trump also realizes that small business is the backbone of the middle class. You know, the people that have been devastated by Obamanomics, Which is why his tax plan calls for a 15% cap on income pass-throughs, the structure of the vast majority of small business.
This is what HC, Obama, and our good professor calls, "tax cuts for the wealthy". I don't think any of them fully understand the tax code.
2
Hawk, there is concrete, legal evidence that Donald Trump is a racist. Donald Trump was sued by the Department of Justice because of his brazen housing discrimination at his rental properties, and he settled because the evidence against him was so overwhelming. Teams of undercover investigators proved his blatant racism without a shadow of a doubt. A black person or a brown one would go into a rental office on Trump's properties and would be told by Trump's employees that there were no vacancies. Immediately after they left, a white undercover investigator from DOJ would go in and would immediately be told of vacancies, taken on a tour of apartments, etc. by the same exact Trump employees! That "experiment" was replicated many times on Trump properties and established an evil, irrefutable pattern. In depositions, Trump employees stated that Trump had directed them to write the letter "C" for "colored" on rental applications if a members of minority groups DID fill them out. Shaking my head. Managers at Trump properties also stated that they knew to keep black employees out of sight if Trump called them to let them know he was about to make a visit! One Hispanic man said he pretended to be of Greek extraction to get and keep a job at a Trump property! The list goes on. And I would say that Trump's sexism is cause for alarm as well. Trump even went so far as to kiss some unwilling beauty contestants in "his" pageant on the lips. Some complained of retching afterwards.
2
As a Realist and one who has travelled extensively in North America and many parts of the world, one finds Racism is very prevalent, especially in the United States. Very polite well educated people who attend church, participate donating their time etc etc., are often Racist. The so called left professes they are not racist , but they seem unable practice what they preach, as they retract into their own safe enclaves.
1
This is politics at its simplest, and barest. I doubt there's much more to it.
I seem to remember that Speaker Ryan wasn't exactly vying for that position, and perhaps it is more true that he accepted having it thrust upon him than took it in a power grab (either that, or he's much more wily than any of us can imagine).
Now Trump has laid bare politics. At least a plurality of Republicans want Trump - and that does suggest it appeals to the basest racism within them, or at least, a willingness to tolerate un-American behavior in their ranks for the sake of retaining power. It's turned the election into the lowest-common-denominator entertainment of our modern internet-enabled age: reality TV.
Speaker Ryan simply must be an intelligent man. Let's give him his education, his morality, and his intellect. It appears to us who think Trump represents the worst in America - that Ryan has to abandon all of that to support him. And we've seen him squirm making that decision.
In the end, politics wins the day, and even intelligent, moral, wise people are abandoning their stature to bend to mob rule.
Usually, the effect is slightly more subtle (only slightly). Trump has turned it into a flamethrower of idiocy (I believe one Republican called his campaign "a dumpster fire.")
It's no more complicated than that.
I seem to remember that Speaker Ryan wasn't exactly vying for that position, and perhaps it is more true that he accepted having it thrust upon him than took it in a power grab (either that, or he's much more wily than any of us can imagine).
Now Trump has laid bare politics. At least a plurality of Republicans want Trump - and that does suggest it appeals to the basest racism within them, or at least, a willingness to tolerate un-American behavior in their ranks for the sake of retaining power. It's turned the election into the lowest-common-denominator entertainment of our modern internet-enabled age: reality TV.
Speaker Ryan simply must be an intelligent man. Let's give him his education, his morality, and his intellect. It appears to us who think Trump represents the worst in America - that Ryan has to abandon all of that to support him. And we've seen him squirm making that decision.
In the end, politics wins the day, and even intelligent, moral, wise people are abandoning their stature to bend to mob rule.
Usually, the effect is slightly more subtle (only slightly). Trump has turned it into a flamethrower of idiocy (I believe one Republican called his campaign "a dumpster fire.")
It's no more complicated than that.
3
Racism was initiated in this nation of ours by the wealthy who used the men and women held in physical slavery much as now when the majority among us are held in economic and therefore mental slavery.
The use of economic disparity throughout the world should be obvious to anyone who bothers to consider its' use as a tool of control, but as "Freedom Loving Americans" most of us are blinded by the political arguments foisted on us by those who continue to control. We are robbed of wealth every moment of every day, but fail to see the criminals let alone understand the crime
This election, like most of those which have preceded it, is a sideshow used to convince the "marks" and as long we heed the barkers who lead us through this circus we will not wise up.
The real misfortune belongs to the unborn and those too young to have any clear thought about the path to the economic gallows we are encouraging them to follow.
The use of economic disparity throughout the world should be obvious to anyone who bothers to consider its' use as a tool of control, but as "Freedom Loving Americans" most of us are blinded by the political arguments foisted on us by those who continue to control. We are robbed of wealth every moment of every day, but fail to see the criminals let alone understand the crime
This election, like most of those which have preceded it, is a sideshow used to convince the "marks" and as long we heed the barkers who lead us through this circus we will not wise up.
The real misfortune belongs to the unborn and those too young to have any clear thought about the path to the economic gallows we are encouraging them to follow.
1
It's true that the Republican party "is in essence a machine designed to deliver high after-tax incomes to the 1 percent." It is also essentially a ruthless propaganda machine in the interest of gaining and maintaining power at the people's expense. And not only the media but also a cowardly Democratic party have often enabled it. Consider the foolish Democratic"members of congress who booed Bernie Sanders 2 days ago.
197
They didn't boo Bernie Sanders because of policy differences. They booed Bernie Sanders because he is hurting their chances of enacting their _shared_ policies.
Which approach has a better chance of securing a minimum-wage increase? Attacking Hillary Clinton, or campaigning on behalf of Democratic Congressional candidates?
Which approach has a better chance of securing a minimum-wage increase? Attacking Hillary Clinton, or campaigning on behalf of Democratic Congressional candidates?
3
Alleged democrats who sow disunity within the party for selfish reasons, thereby strengthening the GOP, are part of the problem too.
1
While the depiction of the GOP and its enablers seems apt, you cannot discount the effect of the emasculation of the Democratic party which has mostly behaved like deer in the headlights since Reagan was elected. Rather than create an intellectual foundation to justify the role of government they have often adopted the role of junior republicans arguing that they can cut too, but humanely. Hence, we have Clinton's Welfare "Reform" and other examples of 'fixing' social insurance programs. Elizabeth Warren seems like such an outsider because she actually articulates a justification for government activity and oversight. Until Democrats actively promote self government as a positive force in American life, no Democratic president will have the mandate to govern that way.
1
Professor Krugman wrote this excellent article before the Dallas police sniper attacks, but the driving force in his argument, the gentrified but underlying Republican Party code of racism and the underlying Republican class and economic disdain for all things 'workers' and 'poor' is even more applicable to the dynamics behind the Dallas sniper attacks. For too, too long, under cover of that coded political racism we have all passively blessed the reality of an occupation style police operations in minority communities.
On the ground, for the occupied, there were brutal consequences for that passivity. Just as Trump represents, at last, the hurting blue collar Republican base resentment acting out against the comforted Republican moneyed class; the Dallas sniper attacks represent, at last, the inevitable acting out against the police 'occupation' mentality.
Dallas brings it all out in the open. From here it either gets worse or it gets better.
On the ground, for the occupied, there were brutal consequences for that passivity. Just as Trump represents, at last, the hurting blue collar Republican base resentment acting out against the comforted Republican moneyed class; the Dallas sniper attacks represent, at last, the inevitable acting out against the police 'occupation' mentality.
Dallas brings it all out in the open. From here it either gets worse or it gets better.
3
Talk about enablers, how about the splinter we Democrats have in our own eye: The DNC, led by Debbie Wasserman Schultz with the support of millions of people who feel it's time to have a woman in the White House; fervent in the belief that it's Hillary's turn, having been deprived of her rightful turn in 2008 by Barak Obama; abetted by the press - including you, Paul Krugman; by other qualified candidates, such as Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden, who, for their own personal reasons, essentially got out of Hillary's way; and, finally, President Obama.
She may be the "best qualified candidate ever", but now we have a candidate for President of the United States, who has been proven by FBI Director Comey to have lied to the country, not to mention Congress, about her private email server "mistake", both of which reflect poorly on her judgment.
And we can look forward to Republican led House Committees to file a referral with the FBI that it investigate the truthfulness of Hillary Clinton's testimony under oath before Congress. Lying to Congress is an indictable crime. If that doesn't derail her candidacy, it could derail her presidency should she win. And, if she doesn't win, we've got Trump.
People, is there no one who can perceive the best interest of our county and put it first?!
In God we trust...
She may be the "best qualified candidate ever", but now we have a candidate for President of the United States, who has been proven by FBI Director Comey to have lied to the country, not to mention Congress, about her private email server "mistake", both of which reflect poorly on her judgment.
And we can look forward to Republican led House Committees to file a referral with the FBI that it investigate the truthfulness of Hillary Clinton's testimony under oath before Congress. Lying to Congress is an indictable crime. If that doesn't derail her candidacy, it could derail her presidency should she win. And, if she doesn't win, we've got Trump.
People, is there no one who can perceive the best interest of our county and put it first?!
In God we trust...
1
I just read a review of a biography of Hitler, which reminded me that he didn't come to power on his own, but was enabled by cynical elites, who thought they could control him. Trump has been compared to Hitler, and however that may or may not be true in detail, he is certainly equally deranged. Once in power Hitler turned on the elites who had supported his rise, and destroyed them, along with millions of others. Some of Hitler's horrific crimes were actually thought up not by him but by followers whose inhumanity he had released with his foul rhetoric, exactly as Trump is doing, and which Hitler happily adopted because they served his purposes and prejudices. So Trump's enablers need to rethink their support, before he destroys them along with our economy, our democracy, and anyone who dissents from his pursuit of power, particularly if he doesn't like their religion, their gender, or the color of their skin.
2
It's easier to talk about the role of race in politics than it is to examine the role of religion. As controversial as race is, religion is even more so. Just as race has been exploited for political gain, so has religion, but race is spotlighted more often and extensively than religion. Who are the enablers in the religious establishment? How do they operate? What do they hope to gain from throwing their weight behind certain candidates or parties? Let's not allow ourselves to be so persuaded that race is the dominant dynamic in this presidential contest, while accepting the relative dearth of coverage of equally pertinent factors such as the influence of religious leaders and beliefs.
1
It is worth remembering....that the MEDIA, especially cable channels, encouraged a false equivalency in every issue for the sole issue of ratings points and money. Their hosts not just sat there, but encouraged people to argue on issues that clearly there was a right and there was a wrong. But the media sat there cheering them on infrequently stating that one side was making things up. They did that under the guise of not taking any position, as if Walter Cronkite would play ringmaster to people seriously espousing non serious positions and stating things as facts that were contrary to the laws of nature in some cases, or certainly against the overwhelming weight of evidence in the others. Politicians got it, and they played along because it was only positive for them, no consequences to saying nonsensical things.
2
I have no quarrel with Dr. Krugman's analysis, one he has repeated many times. But let us not forget the many enablers of Hillary and Bill Clinton. FBI Director Comey has been attacked by all sides for stating fact-based conclusions. HRC enablers just can't stand the notion Clinton has been self-serving and even close to the line of criminality in reckless handling of state secrets. Yes, others have mishandled email, but for how long is it going to be acceptable politics to point to very low bars created by the other party and call that a passing grade?
Clinton is lucky to be facing such a demonstrably unqualified and dangerous opponent. She benefits from the low bar he and his supporters have created. But it is like getting a passing grade at Trump University. Enablers don't recognize truth in either party.
Clinton is lucky to be facing such a demonstrably unqualified and dangerous opponent. She benefits from the low bar he and his supporters have created. But it is like getting a passing grade at Trump University. Enablers don't recognize truth in either party.
1
The contrast between the Democrats and Republicans can be told as a tale of two cities. Two Philadelphias.
Barack Obama may have captured the Democratic nomination in 2008 with his 'More Perfect Union' speech on racial tolerance in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.
Ronald Reagan signaled dedication to republican racism by his 'States Rights' speech outside Philadelphia Mississippi, a site symbolically close to the murder of 3 civil rights workers in 1964.
Since then, politics in this country has been a 'Tale of Two Cities'; a regressive city of racism in which everything is done to benefit the privileged few, and a progressive city of tolerance in which everything is done to help everyone live the best lives they can,
Before 2016, racist republicans responded to code words, states rights and 'them', The presumption of morality was focused on controlling reproductive rights of women. Trump has changed that to open racism.
Barack Obama may have captured the Democratic nomination in 2008 with his 'More Perfect Union' speech on racial tolerance in Philadelphia Pennsylvania.
Ronald Reagan signaled dedication to republican racism by his 'States Rights' speech outside Philadelphia Mississippi, a site symbolically close to the murder of 3 civil rights workers in 1964.
Since then, politics in this country has been a 'Tale of Two Cities'; a regressive city of racism in which everything is done to benefit the privileged few, and a progressive city of tolerance in which everything is done to help everyone live the best lives they can,
Before 2016, racist republicans responded to code words, states rights and 'them', The presumption of morality was focused on controlling reproductive rights of women. Trump has changed that to open racism.
1
There’s little new to be said about the grotesque state of the GOP or of the America they are creating. But this is what the Old South has always been, a condition shared for a long time by the North. Expecting Paul Ryan to be serious about economic plans is like expecting Idaho farmers to be serious about linguini. Racism was and is a major tool of the greedy. The Supreme Court is another such tool.
When European explorers discovered whole continents of different people, theologians discussed the probability that black and brown people didn't actually have souls. Immigrants to America brought that attitude with them. That attitude saw Europeans relegate Africans to the role of commodities.
Racism wasn't always anti-color. When the colony of Savannah was established, religious liberty was declared for all Protestants and Jews, but not for Catholics. As the American Revolution began to simmer, Ben Franklin advised caution because America might be needed to support England against its Continental enemies—England, a Protestant country, he said.
While the Roman church descended into decay and gross abuse, it’s said that theologians debated the number of angels that might fit on a pin point. This kind of focus on minutiae blinds Americans to the big picture. Some of that blindness was on display in Congress yesterday—and in Dallas.
When European explorers discovered whole continents of different people, theologians discussed the probability that black and brown people didn't actually have souls. Immigrants to America brought that attitude with them. That attitude saw Europeans relegate Africans to the role of commodities.
Racism wasn't always anti-color. When the colony of Savannah was established, religious liberty was declared for all Protestants and Jews, but not for Catholics. As the American Revolution began to simmer, Ben Franklin advised caution because America might be needed to support England against its Continental enemies—England, a Protestant country, he said.
While the Roman church descended into decay and gross abuse, it’s said that theologians debated the number of angels that might fit on a pin point. This kind of focus on minutiae blinds Americans to the big picture. Some of that blindness was on display in Congress yesterday—and in Dallas.
2
The 1% of the U.S. income of the population (so overly rated) is just that 1% and translates into an annual income of $388,000. Clinton's initiative to increase social security benefits, extend family leave, free college for families with incomes $125,000 and below, and letting people at age 50 purchase Medicare, and a mental care initiative will affect everyone's taxes. This will result in less take home money for everyone . More taxing of the scant 1% will not pay for all of these social program enhancements. You will.
The Fix the Debt crowd is a bunch of corrupt lobbyists who want to keep taxes low on the rich. They're the epitome of the cynicism and corruption the rots our politics.
The same with Paul Ryan. The goal is simple: more and more wealth transfer to the wealthy. How you get there, whether it be xenophobia and racism or idiotic deficit scolding when we are paying almost zero interest on our debt and the dollar is way too strong already, is irrelevant: whatever works for plutocracy is fine with them.
The media is derelict in their banal search for equivalency , but I fear they don't understand basic macroeconomics; especially the new evidence that has been documented since 2008. The deficit is not a problem in any meaningful macroeconomic sense - if it were, interest rates would not be a historical record lows.
The core problem is low global aggregate demand. Most economists agree on this, but you never, ever here the MSM discuss it.
The same with Paul Ryan. The goal is simple: more and more wealth transfer to the wealthy. How you get there, whether it be xenophobia and racism or idiotic deficit scolding when we are paying almost zero interest on our debt and the dollar is way too strong already, is irrelevant: whatever works for plutocracy is fine with them.
The media is derelict in their banal search for equivalency , but I fear they don't understand basic macroeconomics; especially the new evidence that has been documented since 2008. The deficit is not a problem in any meaningful macroeconomic sense - if it were, interest rates would not be a historical record lows.
The core problem is low global aggregate demand. Most economists agree on this, but you never, ever here the MSM discuss it.
2
Bush elder I think gets an undeserved bad rap on Willie Horton. The prison furlough issue was entirely legitimate. Dukakis ran as a very competent executive and the furloughs were a program of the executive branch in Massachusetts. He could have defended it better, but that wasn't Bush's concern. The case itself was by far the most prominent case in the program's history well before Bush got involved. Bush did not send people to scour the bushes for a case that fit a specific racial profile - he used a case that the people of Massachusetts were very aware of (I was living there when it happened). As for the portrayal of it in the ad? Well it was racially accurate. They could have hired a white actor for the job, but elected to give a black guy the job. I suppose that the next time a film about OJ is produced a Korean could be cast in the role. Anyway the point was that the Dukakis administration in Massachusetts let a really bad guy out of prison and he then did a really bad thing. Had Dukakis chosen to just say that Horton was a bad black guy who did terrible things to white victims but that overall the prison furlough program was quite positive instead of clucking over Bush using it as a campaign issue it possibly would have been more effective.
1
Something similar happened in CA when Reagan was Governor. Logic dictates that the Republicans would not bring up the Horton issue to avoid being tarred by the same brush. (It was a Jurisprudence Management Thing, not a Dem/Rep Thing.) Yet logic had nothing to do with it. Lee Atwater, well known race-monger, was in charge, so it was pure racist dog-whistling. Note how the campaign tried to 'launder' the source of the ad campaign. They knew exactly what they were doing. Own it.
1
While I agree with Mr. Krugman’s argument in the main, I take exception to the implied proposition that those who foment racism are not themselves, and for that reason, racists. Either it embraces a definition faulty for being too restrictive, or it overlooks the fact that the exploitation of racism for the political or economic advantage of an elite necessarily promotes further violence against, and further disenfranchisement of, those minorities racism targets as a class. Insofar as the Republican leadership exploits the strategy of racism toward the promotion of its interests, the members of that leadership are, by any reasonable definition, racist; and ‘racist’ is what they should be called.
2
Yes, let's talk class please. The GOP prefers to talk about race and gender, so that they can pull the wool over their voters eyes. In pretending that they are fighting to protect a white (working class) way of life against "political correctness," Republicans deflect from the fact that they are working against the economic interests of their voters.
Politically, that's very smart. To a deer-hunting evangelical, government regulations on transgendered bathrooms and bans on high capacity magazines are tangible political decisions, tax and budgetary policy not so much. The same applied to Brexit voters, who thought that the issue of British "sovereignty" was tied to immigration from the Muslim world. Sadly, most people are economically illiterate and, if unhappy with their economic situation, need someone to blame. That's typically immigrants or minorities, and Trump is following this age-old playbook.
Politically, that's very smart. To a deer-hunting evangelical, government regulations on transgendered bathrooms and bans on high capacity magazines are tangible political decisions, tax and budgetary policy not so much. The same applied to Brexit voters, who thought that the issue of British "sovereignty" was tied to immigration from the Muslim world. Sadly, most people are economically illiterate and, if unhappy with their economic situation, need someone to blame. That's typically immigrants or minorities, and Trump is following this age-old playbook.
3
The US government and the states spend about 800 billion dollars annually on Medicaid which is primarily for the poor. This figure does not include other expenditures like food stamps.
After the bloated budgets for defense, Medicaid and Medicare, the US has little money left to fix its infrastructure.
I have never agreed with Republican economic policies. But when LBJ created Medicaid and Medicare with no cost controls, he created a huge problem for the nation, which ironically cuts into money needed to help the poor in more constructive ways.
New York state spends 58 times as much on Medicaid than it spends on the City University of New York. And New York is a blue state.
After the bloated budgets for defense, Medicaid and Medicare, the US has little money left to fix its infrastructure.
I have never agreed with Republican economic policies. But when LBJ created Medicaid and Medicare with no cost controls, he created a huge problem for the nation, which ironically cuts into money needed to help the poor in more constructive ways.
New York state spends 58 times as much on Medicaid than it spends on the City University of New York. And New York is a blue state.
3
Your comments are prophetic given the latest events in Dallas. I mentioned that there was a race war going on in this country and my liberal friends shut me down. It is a class war they said. Well, sort of. The rich don't really care about skin color as much as they do money and business success. But it is hard to join their group as a person of color for historical economic and other reasons. And they have aligned with social conservatives to maintain their privileges.I think there will be one last firebomb and its over. Trump is the bomb that could reset the clock. Only after robbing our nation blind and leaving us (the average Americans without millions) holding the bill. Socialism with all its problems will follow. But whose fault is it really-- democracy demands that people be engaged and our consumer culture is only engaged in one enterprise-- chasing selfies and selfish consumption.
Considering the question of whether Donald Trump will quit after winning, I believe that he will, in effect, do so. The presidency is a hard job and requires long, hard hours of study to arrive at proper decisions. It is obvious to me that Donald Trump does not like hard work. He hires other people to do that. Neither does he have any knowledge of policy history or how government functions. He is a lazy, ignorant man who doesn't like to be criticized and who has shown no signs of wanting to learn. He appears engaged and energetic in the campaign because he is having fun. It is not fun to have to stay up late working on policy alternatives for the next day's meetings.
Why would he put himself in a public position where he is constantly criticized by the press for blunders and outrageous behavior? Why not just win, move into the White House for a few months (just to see what it feels like), and resign? Or abdicate in place by not doing much work.
Why would he put himself in a public position where he is constantly criticized by the press for blunders and outrageous behavior? Why not just win, move into the White House for a few months (just to see what it feels like), and resign? Or abdicate in place by not doing much work.
6
Donald John Trump will abdicate to whoever he selects as his vice president if he wins.
1
I find Paul (Ryan) to be such a hypocrite! A guy with no more than a Bachelor's degree and a mentor named Kemp (should we rename him "Verklempt"?), who likes to view himself as a policy wonk (NOT!).
This column reminds me of something I learned in an anthropology course, almost 50 years ago: The Tlingit people, a tribe from the northwest of our very continent, had a custom where the "giving away of wealth" during a massive event, called a Potlatch, was the proof of high social status. Not the keeping of wealth. But the giving of gifts. A huge gift-giving event.
Now, I'm no Economist, as is Paul (Krugman). I'm no Nobel winner. But I know a con man, when I see one. And I know a "care man" too. And I'm sure readers here know exactly which category each "Paul" falls into.
I'd like it if we could turn our society more in the direction of Tlingit society. One where wealth is for all, not just for some. One where status comes from giving. Not where "greed is good" but where "sharing is good".
It's a simple matter of changing our values, changing what we revere and celebrate versus what we shame.
Shame on the greedy! Shame on the hypocrites! Shame on Paul (Ryan)! Shame on the "Don" (Juan). Shame on the Enablers of greed and hypocrisy.
Blessings upon those willing to share. And upon their Enablers! We need more people willing to enable sharing.
This column reminds me of something I learned in an anthropology course, almost 50 years ago: The Tlingit people, a tribe from the northwest of our very continent, had a custom where the "giving away of wealth" during a massive event, called a Potlatch, was the proof of high social status. Not the keeping of wealth. But the giving of gifts. A huge gift-giving event.
Now, I'm no Economist, as is Paul (Krugman). I'm no Nobel winner. But I know a con man, when I see one. And I know a "care man" too. And I'm sure readers here know exactly which category each "Paul" falls into.
I'd like it if we could turn our society more in the direction of Tlingit society. One where wealth is for all, not just for some. One where status comes from giving. Not where "greed is good" but where "sharing is good".
It's a simple matter of changing our values, changing what we revere and celebrate versus what we shame.
Shame on the greedy! Shame on the hypocrites! Shame on Paul (Ryan)! Shame on the "Don" (Juan). Shame on the Enablers of greed and hypocrisy.
Blessings upon those willing to share. And upon their Enablers! We need more people willing to enable sharing.
4
One of the most accurate and accessible explanations of the rise of right wing extremism and its embrace by the Republican Party that I've ever seen. Professor Krugman is exactly right: the GOP has gone off the rails because its leaders allowed it to do so in pursuit of its donors' insistence upon more and more tax cuts for the super wealthy. They allowed the creation of the unholy alliance between racists and the super-selfish. And an uncritical, ratings-obsessed mainstream media has enabled the process in pursuit of their bosses' demand for bigger profits.
Thank you, Dr. Krugman!
Thank you, Dr. Krugman!
2
The press has also failed to look at the influence of Trump's family on his policies - it's beginning to look like a Trump dynasty. Trump's vocabulary is limited to liar. crook and loser to cover up his ignorance. I expect he is playing the Congress and Senate too. It won't be a Republican in the White House - it will be Trump. Moral character, integrity, and public service will leave Washinton if Trump is elected. The White House will be the next Trump resort. Trump received 14 million votes - about 5% of the population. Enough to get him elected? Where are the serious journalists?
4
Mr. Krugman makes the all too convenient mistake of charging the racism in the GOP to Donald Trump and just a few others. The truth is that has has been a part of American politics for generations. Northerner's rightfully pointed to the Jim Crow South as chief offender. But when northern schools were told to desegregate they frequently answered with the same violence that Little Rock did in 1957.
Ronald Reagan began his presidential campaign the Nashoba County Fair, a few miles from the murder site of three civil rights workers. His kick off speech was on 'states rights' a clear message that a vote for the GOP was a vote against civil rights enforcement. And he delivered on that promise, yet is still proudly hailed as the father of the modern conservative movement.
Trump has simply stirred up a different wave of racism, but not a new one. Anti-immigrant sentiment goes back to the 19th century. Religious bigotry was first directed at the Catholics, then the Jews and now the Muslims. And this has by no means been an exclusively GOP phenomenon.
If we are serious about issues of race and poverty we need to stop pretending that the Paul Ryan's are really different from the Trumps. One is blunt and crude, the other shrewd and calculating. Both know that the weight of a failing system must fall on someone's back and both are clear about who will occupy the bottom of America's economic barrel.
Ronald Reagan began his presidential campaign the Nashoba County Fair, a few miles from the murder site of three civil rights workers. His kick off speech was on 'states rights' a clear message that a vote for the GOP was a vote against civil rights enforcement. And he delivered on that promise, yet is still proudly hailed as the father of the modern conservative movement.
Trump has simply stirred up a different wave of racism, but not a new one. Anti-immigrant sentiment goes back to the 19th century. Religious bigotry was first directed at the Catholics, then the Jews and now the Muslims. And this has by no means been an exclusively GOP phenomenon.
If we are serious about issues of race and poverty we need to stop pretending that the Paul Ryan's are really different from the Trumps. One is blunt and crude, the other shrewd and calculating. Both know that the weight of a failing system must fall on someone's back and both are clear about who will occupy the bottom of America's economic barrel.
5
Kudos to Mr. Krugman for continuing to point out the falseness of the "equivalence" project. That both parties have good and bad and it all evens out. The press has educated Americans to not question this essential untruth. So now here we are, a racial civil war on our hands, a Presidential candidate who exacerbates these tensions and a scorched earth economic policy from the GOP that threatens to increase the economic inequalities that led us to this place.
8
Mitt Romney, let us not forget, also went to Michigan and brayed to the crowd that "no one had to ask Ann or me for OUR birth certificates - you all know where we were born!" The fact that he, too, now appears somehow vaguely "statesman-like" is a harsh commentary on the cesspool of racial animus, xenophobic vitriole, and venal loathing of the poor, which is the foundation of the GOTP. Let us be brutally honest: there are zero "leaders" in that party - Ryan is a juvenile, Ayn Randian acoloyte who pretends to be a "wonk" but has never actually provided any concrete numbers or specific policies other than those which hugely enrich the 1% and steal yet more from the poorest among us. There are very few true "journalists," either - the vast majority of our ostensible "press" is owned by right wing corporations bent upon salacious headlines and sound byte profits, with no appetite for the hard work of investigative reporting. Thank heavens for Mother Jones, The Nation, and a few intrepid, nonprofit media outlets relying upon donations to provide the truth, and hard-hitting investigative journalism - but not enough folks have access to their work, and our supine "press" largely ignores it. The pathetic attempts at equivalency are just that - there is no equivalency at all between the GOTP and the Left, and those same enablers should stop peddling their fiction in that regard. Trump is the living embodiment of 50+ years of GOTP ideology - they wholly own this vulgarian.
591
Every word of Ms. Rabinowitz's succinct comment is true. It extends and amplifies various points of agreement with Dr. Krugman's piece. I would simply like to add emphasis and priority to the false symmetry, the false equivalency the GOP and the Left. Until the anchors of the evening news on the major TV networks of ABC, CBS, NBC the masses will have no awareness of what a vicious and extremist party the GOP has become. I would date this this loss of courage and integrity by the mainstream TV press to the ambush and subsequent firing of Dan Rather. In the tradition of Cronkite and Brinkley, when Rather was taken down the evening news anchors have never been the same since. Out of fear and the decadence of wanting to keep their kushy jobs they maintain the fiction of the false equivalence so that they don't get taken out. The consequences of this has been almost incalculable. The truth of the false equivalency and the pernicious lies constantly told by the extremist GOP has to stated as the set of facts it is on the nightly news. Until then we are all still owned by their intimidation.
4
What is truly frightening is the voters who remain truly (willfully?) oblivious to all this, treating empty suits like Paul Ryan, Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio as serious (potential) leaders.
Try and explain the difference, and you are dismissed as parroting "Liberal talking points."
The plutocratic owners of the modern Republican party have framed the question in their voters mind set as an terrible president and "Government" (Washington) overreach. Driving around town, I see the Confederate Battle flags and bumper stickers.
All we can do is work to elect Democrats. Maybe a miracle will occur and these voters will realize how dependent they are (Federal) transfer payments. I can't even reach Veterans on the Republican budget cuts role in the problems at the Veterans Administration. Don't even mention the role of Federal Disaster relief whenever there is a Tornado or flood.
Try and explain the difference, and you are dismissed as parroting "Liberal talking points."
The plutocratic owners of the modern Republican party have framed the question in their voters mind set as an terrible president and "Government" (Washington) overreach. Driving around town, I see the Confederate Battle flags and bumper stickers.
All we can do is work to elect Democrats. Maybe a miracle will occur and these voters will realize how dependent they are (Federal) transfer payments. I can't even reach Veterans on the Republican budget cuts role in the problems at the Veterans Administration. Don't even mention the role of Federal Disaster relief whenever there is a Tornado or flood.
3
The one true north star of today's Republican Party is to protect and increase the equity of the wealthy. It is a goal they have pursued with determined behind the scene vigor. To hide this unsavory fact they take various public poses to disguise their true intent. They are the protectors of our constitution, they are the defenders of our religious freedoms, and they are the virtuous deficit hawks. Now these charades are made a mockery of by the candidate who they are beginning to bring their full support to. Trump would shred the constitution with all his talk of authoritarian rule, he would make religious freedom a vanishing ideal for millions of American Muslims, and his tax policy would explode the deficit. As to all his talk about a fixed system for the powerful and wealthy, a close examination of his proposals indicate he would actually give a windfall to the rich with income inequality exploding to new heights. The Republicans are hollow they have turned full circle away from the responsible conservatism of their last great leader; Eisenhower. Since then they have been peddling distortions. Now Trump comes along to spread more manure on the landscape.
3
When I read Ryan's health and tax plan a few weeks ago, a wave of panic set in, then frustration.
The panic was over the potential implications of the reform of Medicare into a premium support plan. This means that seniors buy health insurance policies from profit-minded insurance companies, and then get assistance from the federal government to pay a portion of these premiums. But what about co-pays and other policy exclusions? What about escalating premiums as seniors age? I doubt that the premium support will increase lock-step with the increase in premiums and medical care cost. This plan appears tantamount to the so called "death panels" of poor and middle class elderly who will be unable to pick up an increasingly larger proportion of their health care costs.
The frustration is over why the media or democrats hasn't warned the public about this if trump or any other republican is elected.
The panic was over the potential implications of the reform of Medicare into a premium support plan. This means that seniors buy health insurance policies from profit-minded insurance companies, and then get assistance from the federal government to pay a portion of these premiums. But what about co-pays and other policy exclusions? What about escalating premiums as seniors age? I doubt that the premium support will increase lock-step with the increase in premiums and medical care cost. This plan appears tantamount to the so called "death panels" of poor and middle class elderly who will be unable to pick up an increasingly larger proportion of their health care costs.
The frustration is over why the media or democrats hasn't warned the public about this if trump or any other republican is elected.
6
It's fairly clear that the GOP has come to be what it is through the money and manipulation of the uberwealthy such as the Koch brothers, Richard Scaif, etc. Yes, there has been public enabling by the press but there has also been (and perhaps much more importantly) secretive and stealthy manipulation by the greedy with the clear purpose to make "the modern Republican party [the] machine designed to deliver high after-tax incomes to the 1 percent" that Dr. Krugman describes. The transformation of the GOP is multilayered and multifaceted, and is only the first step in the transformation of society into a true oligarchy.
2
I don't agree with Prof. Kaufman that Donald Trump is a racist as much as a political opportunist of the worst kind. Divide and conquer could be the Republican motto since the Nixon southern strategy was devised.
Addressing his points, the Republican platform on taxes and fiscal policy has always been based more on ideology than as on results; based more on enriching their wealthy benefactors than on benefiting the country as a whole.
The media should be more forceful in confronting Paul Ryan an others when they continue to bring forth false statistics on trickle down theory. Too often they just let it slide. There is enough evidence that this theory does not work and will never work. Call the out on it.
Addressing his points, the Republican platform on taxes and fiscal policy has always been based more on ideology than as on results; based more on enriching their wealthy benefactors than on benefiting the country as a whole.
The media should be more forceful in confronting Paul Ryan an others when they continue to bring forth false statistics on trickle down theory. Too often they just let it slide. There is enough evidence that this theory does not work and will never work. Call the out on it.
1
My auto-correct always changes Krugman to Kaufman. A pox on auto-correct!
1
Thanks for the ever-appropriate assault on false equivalencies. It is still a problem. People complain about "politicians" or "Congress." While Democrats can be criticized for many things, their issues are different than what Republicans should be criticized for.
Democrats are meek, submissive, not usually oriented to bold action. They set their sites too low. As a republican form of government, however, we rely on legislative compromise, collegiality, and bipartisanship, so these Democratic characteristics are occasionally unwarranted but often positive.
Republicans, however, dislike government, including (especially) the one they serve in. They drag down any chance at progress, bipartisanship, or dealing through governance with society's biggest, most pressing problems. They propagandize, proffer false analyses (and, often, wrong or misleading "facts"), act divisively and solely in the interests of party, and conduct witch hunts and pursue theocratic goals. They conceal their ever-present interests in serving the 1%, about which Prof. Krugman speaks, and their willingness to rely on bigoted and vicious elements of the populace for their support. As they have described it, they seek to "drown government in the bathtub." That would cause a dead government.
In the future, when we criticize politicians and Congress, in most instances let us criticize "Republican politicians," and the "Republican Congress."
Democrats are meek, submissive, not usually oriented to bold action. They set their sites too low. As a republican form of government, however, we rely on legislative compromise, collegiality, and bipartisanship, so these Democratic characteristics are occasionally unwarranted but often positive.
Republicans, however, dislike government, including (especially) the one they serve in. They drag down any chance at progress, bipartisanship, or dealing through governance with society's biggest, most pressing problems. They propagandize, proffer false analyses (and, often, wrong or misleading "facts"), act divisively and solely in the interests of party, and conduct witch hunts and pursue theocratic goals. They conceal their ever-present interests in serving the 1%, about which Prof. Krugman speaks, and their willingness to rely on bigoted and vicious elements of the populace for their support. As they have described it, they seek to "drown government in the bathtub." That would cause a dead government.
In the future, when we criticize politicians and Congress, in most instances let us criticize "Republican politicians," and the "Republican Congress."
4
The GOP's institutional racism is one thread in what has become the profoundly antidemocratic fabric of the GOP. (Note: I don't mean anti-Democratic.) Consider: here's a presumptive nominee who yesterday awarded the Constitution a few extra articles. Clearly, at best, inconsistent and ego-driven. And party leadership is so desperate to win that even those clear-headed enough to see Trump for what he is, fail to disavow them. Only two interpretations are possible: either they're knowingly putting party ahead of country, or they really believe that even Trump is preferable to Clinton, in which case they've lost touch with reality. Either way, as Mr. Krugman has pointed out, the party has become a machine designed to deliver high-income and unprecedented (in this country, to-date) power to a handful.
3
There is an old New Yorker cartoon, two professors and a complicated equation, which has "And then a miracle occurs" as step two. One points out that perhaps step two needs more explanation.
I know our "math literacy" is sub-par, but the equations have required a miracle in step two for as long as I have lived. Early in my life, pension plans, social programs all required infinite growth. Now our economy depends on the magic of the market to inspire job creators to spend their cash employing people rather than buying mansions and yachts.
People have always tried to sell snake oil; it is up to us to walk away. But we don't. We buy the miracle in step two as fact, and we elect idiots who buy it as well. This works out well for a few, but has served the majority during this era of huge change particularly poorly. Politicians sell us on bread and circuses. We are still waiting for the clowns to leave.
Dr. Krugman indicts the press, the punditry, and I have to agree they have been weak. But the real weakness is in us - the fault lies not in the stars, but in ourselves - we need to start reading newspapers, listening to the talk heads critically, and not getting our news from Yahoo! We need to think, and question Step Two.
I know our "math literacy" is sub-par, but the equations have required a miracle in step two for as long as I have lived. Early in my life, pension plans, social programs all required infinite growth. Now our economy depends on the magic of the market to inspire job creators to spend their cash employing people rather than buying mansions and yachts.
People have always tried to sell snake oil; it is up to us to walk away. But we don't. We buy the miracle in step two as fact, and we elect idiots who buy it as well. This works out well for a few, but has served the majority during this era of huge change particularly poorly. Politicians sell us on bread and circuses. We are still waiting for the clowns to leave.
Dr. Krugman indicts the press, the punditry, and I have to agree they have been weak. But the real weakness is in us - the fault lies not in the stars, but in ourselves - we need to start reading newspapers, listening to the talk heads critically, and not getting our news from Yahoo! We need to think, and question Step Two.
2
"False equivalence is a logical fallacy which describes a situation where there is a logical and apparent equivalence, but when in fact there is none." Examples of Democratic and Republican false equivalence: Science and religion, climate change and clean coal, progressive taxation and flat taxes, demand economics and supply side economics, government for the people and government for the elite.
As Krugman concludes, the press in an effort to get and maintain access equivocate when presenting Republican and Democratic talking points. The absurd is illustrated with Donald Trump's candidacy. Compromised Republicans were unable to silence, or overcome the vile racist, xenophobic, anti-semetic, misogynist diatribe that soils the body politic. Tolerance of double talk in Ryan's budget by journalists is the crux of the matter. Having Democrats criticize the inequity and harm in the budget enables Ryan to counter with additional double talk. Criticism by educated journalists is what is lacking. When many voters cannot distinguish the difference between a flat tax and progressive taxes, journalists, "champions of truth", must parse the consequences.
Sadly, Krugman's partisanship for Clinton and against Sanders has impugned his credibility. His representation of Sanders' healthcare, and college education proposals on the grounds that we can't afford them make his position false as those proposals are affordable in fact less costly and more effective than the chaos we have today.
As Krugman concludes, the press in an effort to get and maintain access equivocate when presenting Republican and Democratic talking points. The absurd is illustrated with Donald Trump's candidacy. Compromised Republicans were unable to silence, or overcome the vile racist, xenophobic, anti-semetic, misogynist diatribe that soils the body politic. Tolerance of double talk in Ryan's budget by journalists is the crux of the matter. Having Democrats criticize the inequity and harm in the budget enables Ryan to counter with additional double talk. Criticism by educated journalists is what is lacking. When many voters cannot distinguish the difference between a flat tax and progressive taxes, journalists, "champions of truth", must parse the consequences.
Sadly, Krugman's partisanship for Clinton and against Sanders has impugned his credibility. His representation of Sanders' healthcare, and college education proposals on the grounds that we can't afford them make his position false as those proposals are affordable in fact less costly and more effective than the chaos we have today.
2
1. We need money to conduct commerce.
2, As the economy grows we need more money.
3. Money can come to the private sector from 2 places--the federal government or from a favorable trade balance.
4. Money comes from the federal government in 2 ways--spending (fiscal) or from the FED to the banks (monetary).
5, The FED has sent a lot of money to the banks with little effect. The money has sat in the vaults of the banks or been lent to the Rich who use it to speculate. This money has low velocity--it doesn't change hands in domestic commerce frequently.
6. Net federal spending is measured by the federal deficit, i.e. the deficit measures the net flow of money to people, businesses (not banks) and state & local govs.
7. Thus in order to get the new money the private sector needs, the federal deficit must be larger than the trade deficit. We have a large trade deficit. We need a large deficit.
8. If the above is correct, periods of negative deficits, surpluses, which pay down the federal debt should lead to a bad economy. They have. There have been 6 such periods of longer than 3 years in US history, They have ALL ended in a real gut wrenching depression. In fact this accounts for all of our depressions.
9. On the other hand, in 1946 we had the largest debt ratio in our history. The public debt ratio was 47% larger than today. We had deficits for 21 of the next 27 years. We increased the debt 75%.
And we had Great Prosperity.
2, As the economy grows we need more money.
3. Money can come to the private sector from 2 places--the federal government or from a favorable trade balance.
4. Money comes from the federal government in 2 ways--spending (fiscal) or from the FED to the banks (monetary).
5, The FED has sent a lot of money to the banks with little effect. The money has sat in the vaults of the banks or been lent to the Rich who use it to speculate. This money has low velocity--it doesn't change hands in domestic commerce frequently.
6. Net federal spending is measured by the federal deficit, i.e. the deficit measures the net flow of money to people, businesses (not banks) and state & local govs.
7. Thus in order to get the new money the private sector needs, the federal deficit must be larger than the trade deficit. We have a large trade deficit. We need a large deficit.
8. If the above is correct, periods of negative deficits, surpluses, which pay down the federal debt should lead to a bad economy. They have. There have been 6 such periods of longer than 3 years in US history, They have ALL ended in a real gut wrenching depression. In fact this accounts for all of our depressions.
9. On the other hand, in 1946 we had the largest debt ratio in our history. The public debt ratio was 47% larger than today. We had deficits for 21 of the next 27 years. We increased the debt 75%.
And we had Great Prosperity.
3
LenCharlap: You are correct, we also had Truman as President and a ninety four percent tax rate for the one percenters, we also had men like Henry Ford creating good jobs for Americans and we had a vibrant manufacturing base, we now have wealth created out of thin air by the likes of hedge funders or vulture capitalists most often leaving a swath of destruction in their path as Kravis, Zell or Lerhman( Marc Mezvinskys old boss and mentor). There was a changing of the guard Len and the new crew is not about societal good. But what is even more frightening is a canidate who would lead the nation to perpetual war and total oblivion in service of her paymasters in A.I.P.A.C. and on Wall Street, don't kid yourself that's where we are headed.
1
It's not surprising that one party, full of blood on their hands from decimating the average middle class, working class, and the working poor class, all economically topped off disproportional law enforcement crack downs to pay exorbitant traffic fines at the low end, and years in private Prisons on the high end as being just as dirty as the Democratic Party.
The false equivalency that both parties are neck deep in blood, money, and controlled by Wall Street and Corporate America simply isn't true. Significant differences are noticeable everywhere one chooses to look. This basic lie started with Ralph, the Traitor Nader and continues to this day. The Paul Ryan budgets he periodically issues is just a non starter, for now. Class Warfare is what the Democrats need to spotlight on the Republicans forthwith every day until the Voting public sees exactly who's inciting it everyday;. the Republicans day in and day out.
The false equivalency that both parties are neck deep in blood, money, and controlled by Wall Street and Corporate America simply isn't true. Significant differences are noticeable everywhere one chooses to look. This basic lie started with Ralph, the Traitor Nader and continues to this day. The Paul Ryan budgets he periodically issues is just a non starter, for now. Class Warfare is what the Democrats need to spotlight on the Republicans forthwith every day until the Voting public sees exactly who's inciting it everyday;. the Republicans day in and day out.
2
In this paper I show through econometric analysis that these movements are accurate: politicians in OECD countries maximize the happiness of the economic elite. In2009 center-right parties maximized the utility of the 100th-98th richest percentile andcenter-left parties the utility of the 100th-95th richest percentile. The situation has
worsened from the seventies when politicians represented, approximately, the median voter
https://editorialexpress.com/cgi-bin/conference/download.cgi?db_name=SAE...
NO matter how many times PK promotes your particular view, it's just not true. it's the party of the 5% Vs the party of the 2%. You can acknowledge that, or just be in denial like PK. That is just simply the fact.
worsened from the seventies when politicians represented, approximately, the median voter
https://editorialexpress.com/cgi-bin/conference/download.cgi?db_name=SAE...
NO matter how many times PK promotes your particular view, it's just not true. it's the party of the 5% Vs the party of the 2%. You can acknowledge that, or just be in denial like PK. That is just simply the fact.
Dear Paul,
Some could argue that you are an enabler of sorts, insofar as you do not challenge the central assumption that deficit reduction is a good thing.
Probably no other myth has done as much harm as the universally assumed idea that Gov deficits are "bad".
A (Federal) Gov deficit is identical to a non-Gov sector (that's you and me) surplus. They are the same thing. Conversely, a Gov Surplus is identical to a non-Gov sector deficit.
The Private Sector (that's you and me) cannot be in deficit for very long. Whenever it is in deficit, it tries to sustain itself by going into debt. Private sector debt expansion always has to stop, and when it does there is either a recession or a depression, as aggregate demand falls off (that's 2008).
Private sector surpluses can be maintained either by Gov deficits or by Trade Surplus (Foreign Sector deficit). Thus if you are running a Trade deficit--as the US almost always is, and that's a good thing--the Gov must run a deficit, in order to keep the Private Sector in surplus.
The last thing to understand is that if the Gov controls its own currency (as the US does, and as EU countries do not), the Fed Gov cannot become insolvent. A currency issuer can sustain any amount of debt/deficit indefinitely, without difficulty.
In fact, currency issuers (like the US Fed Gov) do not go into debt in order to get the money to spend. They issue debt in order to drain reserves, in order to hit an interest rate target.
Some could argue that you are an enabler of sorts, insofar as you do not challenge the central assumption that deficit reduction is a good thing.
Probably no other myth has done as much harm as the universally assumed idea that Gov deficits are "bad".
A (Federal) Gov deficit is identical to a non-Gov sector (that's you and me) surplus. They are the same thing. Conversely, a Gov Surplus is identical to a non-Gov sector deficit.
The Private Sector (that's you and me) cannot be in deficit for very long. Whenever it is in deficit, it tries to sustain itself by going into debt. Private sector debt expansion always has to stop, and when it does there is either a recession or a depression, as aggregate demand falls off (that's 2008).
Private sector surpluses can be maintained either by Gov deficits or by Trade Surplus (Foreign Sector deficit). Thus if you are running a Trade deficit--as the US almost always is, and that's a good thing--the Gov must run a deficit, in order to keep the Private Sector in surplus.
The last thing to understand is that if the Gov controls its own currency (as the US does, and as EU countries do not), the Fed Gov cannot become insolvent. A currency issuer can sustain any amount of debt/deficit indefinitely, without difficulty.
In fact, currency issuers (like the US Fed Gov) do not go into debt in order to get the money to spend. They issue debt in order to drain reserves, in order to hit an interest rate target.
1
When the racist south switched from Democrat to Republican because of the Civil Rights Law that Johnson gave us, it was not a secret. The Republicans have harbored racism since that time. They may try to conceal it, but it is always played for votes. Working class Americans who vote for the party that will suppress their wages and benefits need something and that something is racism. How is being an enabler of those who practice racism different from one's being a racist? Ryan is a poseur. I am not sure he understands what his economic proclamations mean. If he understood them, he would be able to roll out the plan and explain its math so that we could all understand what he is saying. Trump is no more a Republican than a Democrat. He has contempt for all political parties. In fact, he has contempt for anyone who isn't Trump. Nobody living in America over the age of 60 can claim ignorance about David Duke. Enough said! The question is: how do we get the working class racists to vote in their best economic interest? If there is no solution, the best we can do is hope the young voters will never develop into racists. And then the women's vote comes to mind. Trump said that women who have abortions ought to be punished. Why would any sane woman vote for him? The only group that can vote for him because he is protecting their self interest is the top 1%. Granted that there are probably 10% of us who are stupid. That still would have a sane candidate with 89% of the vote!
4
As other commenters have mentioned, the press has played a part in enabling the GOP and its current apotheosis, Trump. Beginning about 25 years ago, a small group of Republicans discovered that they could repeat outright lies often enough that a lot of uninformed people would believe them. Since then that has become their chief tactic in the struggle to increase the wealth of the 1%. They invented Fox "News" to move the tactic from retail to wholesale.
The mainstream press still has not figured out how to respond to public figures who lie. The default position has been to report their statements and assume that an educated populace would see for themselves what was happening. To actively point out the falsehoods would come across as partisan, so "neutrality" carried the day, allowing the GOP lies to be repeated over and over. Since a large chunk of the populace is in fact poorly informed about the complexities of government and economics, the lack of immediate reality testing allowed the lies to seep into the public perception.
It is only very recently that the press has been trying to find ways of pointing out that pigs don't actually fly and the sky is not in fact green, even if Ryan and Trump and McConnell keep saying so. It is absolutely crucial that the independent media start calling out these lies every single day, and to take a hard line when the howls of "partisanship" from the rabid right begin.
Reporting reality is not partisanship, it's their job. You too, NYT.
The mainstream press still has not figured out how to respond to public figures who lie. The default position has been to report their statements and assume that an educated populace would see for themselves what was happening. To actively point out the falsehoods would come across as partisan, so "neutrality" carried the day, allowing the GOP lies to be repeated over and over. Since a large chunk of the populace is in fact poorly informed about the complexities of government and economics, the lack of immediate reality testing allowed the lies to seep into the public perception.
It is only very recently that the press has been trying to find ways of pointing out that pigs don't actually fly and the sky is not in fact green, even if Ryan and Trump and McConnell keep saying so. It is absolutely crucial that the independent media start calling out these lies every single day, and to take a hard line when the howls of "partisanship" from the rabid right begin.
Reporting reality is not partisanship, it's their job. You too, NYT.
6
Yes, Trump has many enablers. Until recently the press has been one of his Super PACs, providing billions in free air time. The press must dig deeper into "A Better Way", Paul Ryan's half-baked plan that will become Trump's. Ryan should not be allowed to get away with saying we have a plan when he has only released an outline. Americans need to understand that "A Better Way" is really "No Way".
Ryan does not provide any funding information that is crucial to knowing whether Americans will be able to afford plans, whether employer-based plans can continue to exist with lowered tax deductions, to knowing whether Medicaid and Medicare will be adequately funded. The "plan" should be panned as meaningless until specific funding information is provided.
The vast majority of Ryan's document is a critique of Obamacare, much of it erroneous, such as claims it results in loss of jobs. Most of the rest of it lays out ideas, without full detail, for alternative approaches. But several things are clear:
Control of healthcare will be turned over to insurance companies - we've seen how well that worked prior to ACA
Medicaid will be funded via block grants to states - great history there!
People age 50-64 will pay 67% more than they pay under the ACA
Medicare will be cut
Religious organizations that run businesses won't cover contraception
Competition across states lines means most plans will be registered in Idaho, which has the fewest protections
Out of space Just say No!
Ryan does not provide any funding information that is crucial to knowing whether Americans will be able to afford plans, whether employer-based plans can continue to exist with lowered tax deductions, to knowing whether Medicaid and Medicare will be adequately funded. The "plan" should be panned as meaningless until specific funding information is provided.
The vast majority of Ryan's document is a critique of Obamacare, much of it erroneous, such as claims it results in loss of jobs. Most of the rest of it lays out ideas, without full detail, for alternative approaches. But several things are clear:
Control of healthcare will be turned over to insurance companies - we've seen how well that worked prior to ACA
Medicaid will be funded via block grants to states - great history there!
People age 50-64 will pay 67% more than they pay under the ACA
Medicare will be cut
Religious organizations that run businesses won't cover contraception
Competition across states lines means most plans will be registered in Idaho, which has the fewest protections
Out of space Just say No!
5
The Republican party has become a hollow shell over the past several decades. Rigind adherence to the disproved theory of supply side economics has shut down any serious thinking on economic policy. In the six years since the Affordable Care Act was passed, the Republicans have yet to put forth any counter-proposal. Regardless of the issue, the answer is always "cut taxes, gut entitlements, increase defense spending." Paul Ryan is the poster child for this.
The media is not without blame. Gone is any hard, factual analysis of what our political "leaders" are saying. In its place is a mistaken notion that all policy positions and statements are equally valid and should be taken at face value. The media caves under any pressure and has become the modern day equivalent of Neville Chamberlain.
The media is not without blame. Gone is any hard, factual analysis of what our political "leaders" are saying. In its place is a mistaken notion that all policy positions and statements are equally valid and should be taken at face value. The media caves under any pressure and has become the modern day equivalent of Neville Chamberlain.
6
I wish the avid middle- and working-class Republican base would take time to think and imagine what the elitist Republican agenda is actually advocating and what the consequences would be for our country
Maybe ask them to imagine dying and going to Republican heaven—as constructed by Wall Street, the Koch brothers, and Big Corporate, and run by the winners of the only TV show "The Biggest Lying Demagogue." What would GOP Heaven look like?
1. There would be only a figure-head weak government. The 2 gvt. tasks are to protect the rich and engage in unending wars of mass destruction. Corporations control the legislative & judicial systems. Everything is privatized; there is no public sector.
2. The heavenly air is always dark, cloudy, and stifling with pollution, and weather disasters are extreme & occur daily. Everyone has lots of guns and shoots each other at any provocation, as a means of population control.
3. There is no contraception or abortion allowed; women are jailed for disobeying husbands or male bosses; and no support is given for 99% of children after they are born. They attend private indoctrination schools run by Fox to prepare them for bare subsistence living & obedient citizenry.
4. There is no publicly funded health care or any type of social security for retired people; roads and infrastructure are never fixed but everyone pays a toll to the owners of sidewalks, bridges, and roads. Hate Fests replace holidays.
Welcome to the GOP's Heaven on Earth
Maybe ask them to imagine dying and going to Republican heaven—as constructed by Wall Street, the Koch brothers, and Big Corporate, and run by the winners of the only TV show "The Biggest Lying Demagogue." What would GOP Heaven look like?
1. There would be only a figure-head weak government. The 2 gvt. tasks are to protect the rich and engage in unending wars of mass destruction. Corporations control the legislative & judicial systems. Everything is privatized; there is no public sector.
2. The heavenly air is always dark, cloudy, and stifling with pollution, and weather disasters are extreme & occur daily. Everyone has lots of guns and shoots each other at any provocation, as a means of population control.
3. There is no contraception or abortion allowed; women are jailed for disobeying husbands or male bosses; and no support is given for 99% of children after they are born. They attend private indoctrination schools run by Fox to prepare them for bare subsistence living & obedient citizenry.
4. There is no publicly funded health care or any type of social security for retired people; roads and infrastructure are never fixed but everyone pays a toll to the owners of sidewalks, bridges, and roads. Hate Fests replace holidays.
Welcome to the GOP's Heaven on Earth
10
The math is straightforward. Jimmy Carter left office with a $900 billion federal debt. It is now about $19 trillion, which represents the difference between spending and revenues over the last 35 years. (Duh.) The debt fixers say that we spent too much, when in fact we didn't collect enough taxes (from top bracket earners) to cover necessary expenses and contingencies like the feckless Middle Eastern wars. Expenditures are largely the military and social programs--one of which (social security) is financed entirely outside the budget cycle. What happened since 1980? The trickle down experiment. We cut top tax rates in the hopes the rich would pour that money into the economy and grow (at a lower rate) tax revenues. After 35 years we're still waiting. The ugly truth isn't that we spent too much but we didn't collect enough. The net result is that taxpayers have subsidized income and wealth inequality with BORROWED MONEY. That $19 billion financed the enrichment of the rich, not essential domestic investments in infrastructure (which do pay for themselves) and now the oligarchs want to slash safety net benefits for ordinary Americans to fix the debt. It's a double whammy: they keep the money and the "bottom" ninety-nine percent get pushed deeper towards poverty in order to cover their debt. Nice trick.
22
So says Hillary Clinton's enabler who will pretty much say anything so long as the rich benefit. There is a reason why from London to Washington populist movements are rejecting traditional narratives and embracing non traditional candidates.
It isn't that both sides are thoughly corrupt, though in the politics of money, the corruption does't help. It is the fact that the political and economic adgenda that has been pushed for the last 40 years by people, such as yourself, has failed. Yours is an economics of innequality every bit as toxic as the one pushed by the Republican elite.
Consider this. Even as conservative an organization as the IMF (International Monetary Fund) is having massive doubts about the economics they've pushed for decades.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2016/06/ostry.htm
I certainly hope Hillary Clinton will be a good President. She is definitely better than the alternative. But from my, admittedly uneducated and ill informed perspective, the Democrats have simply chosen someone Margaret Thatcher-esque or Ronald Reagan-like economic policy and labeled her "Liberal"
It isn't that both sides are thoughly corrupt, though in the politics of money, the corruption does't help. It is the fact that the political and economic adgenda that has been pushed for the last 40 years by people, such as yourself, has failed. Yours is an economics of innequality every bit as toxic as the one pushed by the Republican elite.
Consider this. Even as conservative an organization as the IMF (International Monetary Fund) is having massive doubts about the economics they've pushed for decades.
http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2016/06/ostry.htm
I certainly hope Hillary Clinton will be a good President. She is definitely better than the alternative. But from my, admittedly uneducated and ill informed perspective, the Democrats have simply chosen someone Margaret Thatcher-esque or Ronald Reagan-like economic policy and labeled her "Liberal"
6
'Class interests' is basically wealth interests. We have been too greedy for too long. We want 'our' wealth to grow, double, triple; as much as we can get. And, the 'we' I'm talking about is most surely not 'We the People'.
The wealthiest 10 or 20% or so of Americans controls most of what we see, read and do. They're the kingmakers. They're the media owners. They're a pretty disjointed group that nonetheless agrees of acquiring wealth, enlarging wealth and protecting wealth. Nearly all other issues are of little concern. If America creates large areas of poverty and crime, then they'll live elsewhere behind gates and maybe with private security. If we poison the land then they'll make sure their food and drink comes from the last, best sources. If we change the weather to extremes, then they'll make sure their insurance and lawyers are up to date and fully-funded.
The sickness of the world is broad and deep. The 'charade' Krugman speaks so forcefully about, is real. We can only do our best to be clear and open and good-hearted in such times (in any times). The despair and deprivations we create here come back to haunt us (and worse).
Community is nothing without equality. There's the center. If the center doesn't hold, then it all falls apart. We must raise the rates on the most wealthy. We need a wealth tax to return some of the booty that pirateers have made off with for so long). We need a new cultural commitment to one another as human beings. Only love wins.
The wealthiest 10 or 20% or so of Americans controls most of what we see, read and do. They're the kingmakers. They're the media owners. They're a pretty disjointed group that nonetheless agrees of acquiring wealth, enlarging wealth and protecting wealth. Nearly all other issues are of little concern. If America creates large areas of poverty and crime, then they'll live elsewhere behind gates and maybe with private security. If we poison the land then they'll make sure their food and drink comes from the last, best sources. If we change the weather to extremes, then they'll make sure their insurance and lawyers are up to date and fully-funded.
The sickness of the world is broad and deep. The 'charade' Krugman speaks so forcefully about, is real. We can only do our best to be clear and open and good-hearted in such times (in any times). The despair and deprivations we create here come back to haunt us (and worse).
Community is nothing without equality. There's the center. If the center doesn't hold, then it all falls apart. We must raise the rates on the most wealthy. We need a wealth tax to return some of the booty that pirateers have made off with for so long). We need a new cultural commitment to one another as human beings. Only love wins.
9
Instead of passing judgment on what lies in people's hearts, like racism, it may be preferable to just look at the facts: Republicans rely upon dominating, through gerrymandering and other nondemocratic means, increasingly smaller states. The only big population states that are red at this point are Texas and Florida, and there is reason to believe (see the article about Florida moving leftward in this paper just days ago, and read the comments) that will not last more than a few more election cycles. The strategic decision by the GOP to increase voter suppression efforts was just plain stupid and short-sighted, and people noticed. Specifically, the fastest growing segment of the population noticed BIG time: Hispanics. And, as the professor noted, what the GOP is REALLY all about is providing a political organization at the beck-and-call of a few obsessive hyper-rich donors whose agendas are in complete disharmony with the dreams and wishes of the American voter.
So it doesn't take a political pundit to see the future -- Republicans, as currently constituted, will not be around much longer. They are the polar bear dancing on the melting iceberg. And, if you study the tides of history, the death spiral of any political movement is often accompanied with a pathetic double-down overreach at the very end which effectively pulls the plug on the whole thing. Hello Donald Trump.
So it doesn't take a political pundit to see the future -- Republicans, as currently constituted, will not be around much longer. They are the polar bear dancing on the melting iceberg. And, if you study the tides of history, the death spiral of any political movement is often accompanied with a pathetic double-down overreach at the very end which effectively pulls the plug on the whole thing. Hello Donald Trump.
4
The enablers of whom Professor Krugman speaks are going to have a much harder time denying and tolerating the racism that is a big part of the beating heart of the modern Republican Party in view of what happened this past week in Baton Rouge, Minnesota, and Dallas.
Those three events have changed the country, I think permanently. Any reasonable, thinking person must now look at the issues of racism in law enforcement and gun control differently than before. We've already seen a thoughtful, honest response from the Governor of Minnesota about the murder of a black man by police in his state. The Governor of Louisiana has called for federal help with investigating the murder of a black man by police in his state. What happened in Dallas is simply appalling.
In the face of those three incidents, politics as usual will not fly. Where do we go from here?
Those three events have changed the country, I think permanently. Any reasonable, thinking person must now look at the issues of racism in law enforcement and gun control differently than before. We've already seen a thoughtful, honest response from the Governor of Minnesota about the murder of a black man by police in his state. The Governor of Louisiana has called for federal help with investigating the murder of a black man by police in his state. What happened in Dallas is simply appalling.
In the face of those three incidents, politics as usual will not fly. Where do we go from here?
1
Well, "enablers" do exist, of course, but Paul has hardly scratched the surface of the GOP iniquities in supporting the "comfort of the very comfortable". In addition to racism, he might mention denial of education, health care, and a living wage, arming the deranged, and encouraging religious intolerants.
A missing concern here is that now the GOP is laid bare as a machine driving the country toward a selfish miserable oligarchy at all costs, all we are left with is a one-party system with too little to keep it from ultimately heading in the same direction.
A missing concern here is that now the GOP is laid bare as a machine driving the country toward a selfish miserable oligarchy at all costs, all we are left with is a one-party system with too little to keep it from ultimately heading in the same direction.
2
Playing to racial animus had been a not so subtle stratagem of the GOP since I can remember. Best bet is that the tragic shooting of our police officers in Dallas will not be an impetus to a national dialogue on race relations and gun addiction, but a call by Trump to arm ourselves against the dark intentions of the "other". We are becoming a seriously sick nation.
4
Regarding racism and cynicism, sadly these have not been the monopoly of one political party. As a senior citizen I recall that in the 1930's, 40's and 50's, the Democrats controlled both houses of Congress, based in large part on the fact that every single deep south Representative and Senator was a Democrat and in many elections they ran either unopposed or with only token opposition. The Republican Party in the South was comatose.(Because of their seniority, most major committees in Congress were chaired by them.) And all of these Democrats ran campaigns that were either explicitly or implicitly racist/ segregationist. Recall also that Gov. George Wallace of Alabama and Senator Strom Thurmond were elected and served long as Democrats before bolting the party. And all of this was tolerated by the Democratic Party establishment. Only in the 1960's after the passage of the Civil Rights Act were the Republicans able to successfully plough in the same fields and on a more widespread area geographically. Again,sadly, neither party has been immune.
1
What is your point? Democrats have evolved, Republicans have devolved. I am constantly amazed that a group of Ill informed voters will consistently vote against their own best interests. I'm saddened by how often I am ashamed to be an American and it usually occurs after a republican member of he legislature stands up and with a straight face, tells me that background checks will not fix anything or that tax cuts for the wealthy will stimulate the economy. It has never worked, it will never work...I'm just so sad right now.
2
Ryan has been talking about tax reform and health care reform for years. And still nothing but generalities. And every generality favors the corporations and the wealthiest.
For example, giving health insurers the ability to compete across state lines sounds like it will increase competition, which should lower rates and expand quality. EXCEPT, there will be no uniform regulation. This will allow a race to the bottom. Cheap prices for no coverage. Fine for the corporations but horrible for the consumers.
For example, giving health insurers the ability to compete across state lines sounds like it will increase competition, which should lower rates and expand quality. EXCEPT, there will be no uniform regulation. This will allow a race to the bottom. Cheap prices for no coverage. Fine for the corporations but horrible for the consumers.
6
The enablers also need funding and that has been largely supplied by the Koch family or their friends. Their many political groups all focus on the same strategy of disruption of government activity as they profit from the status quo. They generate political noise for those who cannot think for themselves because it obscures what is really going on. Fox News is the media arm of this more or less fascist cast of characters. Other commenters here have correctly noted that the number of Trump votes will indicate the number of racist voters in America. It is really the beginning of American discovery about how far we as a nation have come since the civil rights era. It will probably mean a majority for Hillary Clinton but with too large a minority to make real change. That is a systemic problem with widespread racism in our country. The reversal of the effects of cronyism perpetuated by Republican elites will take decades to occur but Hillary election should tip the necessary balance in the Supreme Court required to enable that change to begin again. But it will also take a concerted effort among progressives to understand that they must always fight against people who are paid to do what they do. The Republican elite do not care about acting in the nation's interests, their only goal is personal enrichment. And that means that journalists have to be journalists and not just winners of a ratings game. Bravo to Krugman for kicking it up a notch because this is what is necessary.
6
PK makes his points but the press and the media never address how we got to this position. They cover the sensationalism of the moment in order to sell their wares which helps their careers at the expense of the real truth. Since St. Ronnie became president, he successfully sold his ideology that the government was the problem and at the same time began the defunding of our institutions, the most important being the Department of Education. He broke the Air Traffic Controllers union which was not only dangerous but began a trend which over the years has reduced the percentage of union workers from 30% to 10% today. Compounding this disaster which will not be looked upon favorably by future historians, he instituted the trickle down economic tax policy which has resulted in the enormous disparity of income inequality. What intelligent person would sign onto these policies? the answer lies in the fact that we are a dumbed down society who are not equipped to understand that they continue to vote against their own self interest. As a country, we rank near the bottom of all educational standards when compared to the rest of the industrialized world. Keep smiling because things could be worse, so we kept smiling and sure enough things became worse.
11
Thanks to the Clintons and the rest of the Corporate Democrats we now have two parties using the good old "Bait-and-switch" tactic to enrich and defend the rich, and you, Professor Krugman, are doing the same by pointing out the Plutocrat friendly policies of the Republicans while ignoring the same policies endorsed by Hillary & Co.
Yes, the Republicans use racism, sexism and old time religion to draw in the peasants of the Right, but the Democrats use multiculturalism, feminism and modernism to draw in the Peasants of the Left.
But what happens when they get in Office? They both work diligently for the Rich.
Bill Clinton gave us NAFT and the deregulation of the Banks which was great for the rich and terrible for the rest of us. Obama's recovery plan, which was necessary because the rich cheated and stole and nearly destroyed the world economy was a bailout for the rich and the main beneficiary of his health plan are the insurance corporations owned by the rich.
And look at Hillary's record in the Senate and as Secretary of State: Defend the rich and the status quo at all costs. Our unending oil wars, supported by Hillary & her Neoliberal Democratic cohorts are just armed robberies of the oil of the middle east for the benefit of the rich.
By pretending the Republicans are the only party of the rich you are trying to hide the fact that our whole system is working for the short term profits of the rich.
We must fix the whole system or we are doomed.
Yes, the Republicans use racism, sexism and old time religion to draw in the peasants of the Right, but the Democrats use multiculturalism, feminism and modernism to draw in the Peasants of the Left.
But what happens when they get in Office? They both work diligently for the Rich.
Bill Clinton gave us NAFT and the deregulation of the Banks which was great for the rich and terrible for the rest of us. Obama's recovery plan, which was necessary because the rich cheated and stole and nearly destroyed the world economy was a bailout for the rich and the main beneficiary of his health plan are the insurance corporations owned by the rich.
And look at Hillary's record in the Senate and as Secretary of State: Defend the rich and the status quo at all costs. Our unending oil wars, supported by Hillary & her Neoliberal Democratic cohorts are just armed robberies of the oil of the middle east for the benefit of the rich.
By pretending the Republicans are the only party of the rich you are trying to hide the fact that our whole system is working for the short term profits of the rich.
We must fix the whole system or we are doomed.
8
False and ridiculous equivalencies, Roy.
2
The only things that distinguish Trump from the GOP is his crassness, loudness and outright incoherence. The entire operation is strategically dedicated to coddling the already over-coddled at the expense of Americans who are really hurting using the tactic of pitting one wounded group against other victimized classes. Credit where it's due; these well-heeled tactics seem to work.
www.endthemadnessnow.org
www.endthemadnessnow.org
13
There is nothing surprising about the rise of Donald Trump. He is the end product of decades of GOP strategy that has placed winning over principle, the party ahead of the country.
The rot began with Ronald "Morning in America" Reagan who told us government was bad, tax cuts would make us rich and less government = more freedom. Has everyone forgotten his racist dog whistles? His deficits? His administration scandals like Iran-Contra or his foreign misadventures?
Somewhere along the way the media bought into the idea that only Republicans were the serious party, good on defense, good on the economy, good on the deficit, good for business. None of that is true - but the press has closed its eyes to that reality because it would suggest - heaven forbid - it matters which party is in charge.
The rot began with Ronald "Morning in America" Reagan who told us government was bad, tax cuts would make us rich and less government = more freedom. Has everyone forgotten his racist dog whistles? His deficits? His administration scandals like Iran-Contra or his foreign misadventures?
Somewhere along the way the media bought into the idea that only Republicans were the serious party, good on defense, good on the economy, good on the deficit, good for business. None of that is true - but the press has closed its eyes to that reality because it would suggest - heaven forbid - it matters which party is in charge.
14
And let's also factor in the tacit, expected quid pro quo of the symbiosis of GOP and their wealthy supporters. Portions of their present or projected tax savings are flowing into Republican't coffers in record amounts as worthwhile upfront fees for the present and future ROI. The Koch Bros, members of ALEC and the Chamber of Commerce, stakeholders in American Petroleum Institute, the majority of financial interests who worship just about anyone who pledges to not change the rules governing capital gains, all those corporations that may actually, gasp, have to abide by clean air regulations should HC win the general, and many others, they know who they are--most of them support Trumpenstein in exchange for the services a so-called Trump Adminstration would render to their ilk, cliques, ol boys and fraternities. A couple hundred million is pocket change and a 15% tip while they rationalize their capitalist evangelism and look the other way, to the horizon and buffets of countless billions to be delivered direct and fresh. Citizens United? If ever there was an Orwellian world-class hoodwink, that's it.
15
Given all that has happened in recent days, I'm of no mind to slog through a detailed discourse. So, at this moment I simply repeat what I've said elsewhere. The Republican Party is broken. It seeks power, not to govern but evidently for the sake of power alone. And it employs any means of attaining that power, including conspiracy theory, innuendo, slander, personal attack, threats to stop government, and all the rest of a familiar litany. There is no moral grounding. The ultimate result: Ryan becomes the Party intellectual, Congressional committees engage in witch hunts and little else, and "the base" buys a Trump who nearly no one believes is in any way qualified.
The Party needs A Reformation.
The Party needs A Reformation.
26
The idea of equal time/equal consideration seems to have gone out of whack, due possibly to changes in technology. The "birther" coverage is an example: treating a categorically false position as valid, or at least potentially valid, because it was oppositional. But with what appears to be an ongoing obligation to present symmetrically opposed arguments, how is the incessant coverage/validation of right-wing fanaticism justified? The obligation seems to wither when one side is overwhelmingly sensational and simplistic, and therefore more appealing to an audience that prefers entertainment over information. The issue is reality, and the extent to which reality exists outside of people's immediate circumstances. There has always been a need to accept some "facts" as given, for example, "knowing" that a certain type of plant is poisonous, or that men have landed on the moon, and incorporating that information into personal decision-making (what to eat? what to study?). Now, with so much to see and hear -- not just the nonsense Paul Ryan says, but also the color of his eyes, his facial expression, and his choice of tie -- there is more to sift through and ultimately process or ignore. It is a "reality show" -- with intervals of journalism here and there -- but how to determine which is which? And what if the listeners don't care? Future Shock it is!
22
It's called closure, that is the 'weaving' of a delusion to explain the unknown. It helps us to avoid the fear and uncertainty of the unknown and take the risks of exploration and change.
In general, the greater our individual level of ignorance, the denser and heavier the requirement for closure, but that very same mechanism also provides a means to increase focus by 'screening out' reality. That is, ignoring facts about things and issues that might otherwise require personal empathy or energy.
Change is the enemy of closure because it disrupts the 'weave' in ways that require both empathy and energy to correct (or defend the delusion). In the end, the risk of too much closure is too much ignorance, too much human over reach, and too much human over reaction.
We're now living in a time of information availability that requires high levels of systemic change. Threads around the globe are breaking and eroding the integrity of delusional weaves of closure that have been built over centuries (even millenia).
In general, the greater our individual level of ignorance, the denser and heavier the requirement for closure, but that very same mechanism also provides a means to increase focus by 'screening out' reality. That is, ignoring facts about things and issues that might otherwise require personal empathy or energy.
Change is the enemy of closure because it disrupts the 'weave' in ways that require both empathy and energy to correct (or defend the delusion). In the end, the risk of too much closure is too much ignorance, too much human over reach, and too much human over reaction.
We're now living in a time of information availability that requires high levels of systemic change. Threads around the globe are breaking and eroding the integrity of delusional weaves of closure that have been built over centuries (even millenia).
Yes.
But.
The Democrats do not get a pass on this. "Us against them" politics has always been handy for driving your base and motivating lackadaisical voters.
The GOP has become increasingly obvious about this, picking out identity groups - gays, blacks, women, Latinos, immigrants, the poor - to demonize as "threats" and ginning up fear to get their voters to the polls. Republican failure to actually DO anything about these manufactured "threat groups" has caused the frustrated fury that coalesced into Trump.
The Democrats are on the same page. The DNC has permitted Wasserman-Shultz to collude with Clinton and foist a candidate as flawed as she is unpopular upon the Party while ginning up anger about income disparity, racial bias and immigration that no Establishment politician - particularly Clinton - is willing to substantively address.
Clinton has refused to release her speeches to Wall Street, for which she was paid obscene and highly suspect amounts of money. She fumbled and flustered when Black Lives Matter protesters appeared at her Atlanta campaign stops. She has no substantive or realistic policies on immigration or income disparity. She can't - she's attached by the umbilical cord of cash to the 1%, and they like things just the way they've bought them.
The press refuses to recognize this behavior in either of the parties. The proof, however, is in the diminished lives of the middle and lower classes, and in the crumbling of American democracy.
But.
The Democrats do not get a pass on this. "Us against them" politics has always been handy for driving your base and motivating lackadaisical voters.
The GOP has become increasingly obvious about this, picking out identity groups - gays, blacks, women, Latinos, immigrants, the poor - to demonize as "threats" and ginning up fear to get their voters to the polls. Republican failure to actually DO anything about these manufactured "threat groups" has caused the frustrated fury that coalesced into Trump.
The Democrats are on the same page. The DNC has permitted Wasserman-Shultz to collude with Clinton and foist a candidate as flawed as she is unpopular upon the Party while ginning up anger about income disparity, racial bias and immigration that no Establishment politician - particularly Clinton - is willing to substantively address.
Clinton has refused to release her speeches to Wall Street, for which she was paid obscene and highly suspect amounts of money. She fumbled and flustered when Black Lives Matter protesters appeared at her Atlanta campaign stops. She has no substantive or realistic policies on immigration or income disparity. She can't - she's attached by the umbilical cord of cash to the 1%, and they like things just the way they've bought them.
The press refuses to recognize this behavior in either of the parties. The proof, however, is in the diminished lives of the middle and lower classes, and in the crumbling of American democracy.
14
It's basically humans against business, and that's a no-brainer!
The argument that humans everywhere are corrupt is a given. The issue is 'how much common, human progress' can be spun off from the 'organized corruption' that surrounds us.
Generally, I have a large problem finding any Republican (other than Eisenhower) who has contributed anything toward the advancement of 'we, the humans'. The Eisenhower 'national highway system' inadvertently created not only the jobs that built the highways, but also the auto industry, the motel industry, the fast food industry, the modern agricultural industry, the travel and tourism industry, and the free movement of goods and services across the US.
As with all great government projects, we [aka "the greatest generation"] owe our legacy to expansive and visionary governance that allows business to grow and thrive in a natural and competitive way that benefits humans, not as a proxy for wealth accumulation by the few.
There are corrupt Democrats, and there are places where the corruption is systemic, but it never offers less than a bone to 'we humans'. On the other hand, Republicans pretty much want to turn the bones into a product that benefits them, their relatives, and their pay-to-play friends.
The argument that humans everywhere are corrupt is a given. The issue is 'how much common, human progress' can be spun off from the 'organized corruption' that surrounds us.
Generally, I have a large problem finding any Republican (other than Eisenhower) who has contributed anything toward the advancement of 'we, the humans'. The Eisenhower 'national highway system' inadvertently created not only the jobs that built the highways, but also the auto industry, the motel industry, the fast food industry, the modern agricultural industry, the travel and tourism industry, and the free movement of goods and services across the US.
As with all great government projects, we [aka "the greatest generation"] owe our legacy to expansive and visionary governance that allows business to grow and thrive in a natural and competitive way that benefits humans, not as a proxy for wealth accumulation by the few.
There are corrupt Democrats, and there are places where the corruption is systemic, but it never offers less than a bone to 'we humans'. On the other hand, Republicans pretty much want to turn the bones into a product that benefits them, their relatives, and their pay-to-play friends.
1
You are comparing apples and cars. Yes, the Democratic party has flaws like we all do. There are power struggles like the Roman empire had. But, please do not compare the issue of the Republican party to the issue of the Democratic party.
Hillary Clinton has never called my immigrant ancestors rapists or called a ban on people who share my husband's religion!!!!
She has never insulted my gender.
Can you not see that?
Yes, Hillary Clinton wants power and so does the Democratic party - but their practice of divide and conquer are not the same as the Republican party.
Hillary Clinton has never called my immigrant ancestors rapists or called a ban on people who share my husband's religion!!!!
She has never insulted my gender.
Can you not see that?
Yes, Hillary Clinton wants power and so does the Democratic party - but their practice of divide and conquer are not the same as the Republican party.
5
Those speeches are beyond irrelevant. Issues!!!
Paul Krugman writes, "I’m not saying that all leading Republicans are racists; most of them probably aren’t..." That is a reminder that we should all take to heart, especially with respect to the white working class that has fallen on hard times.
http://tinyurl.com/nrf6d5x http://tinyurl.com/oeudqug http://tinyurl.com/jt65v5m http://tinyurl.com/hg5ykpy
Most people are not racists; in any group only a small fraction are hard-core haters; the rest go along for the ride when times are tough and they need someone to blame. People of color, immigrants, Muslims, anyone thought of as belonging to an underclass, become convenient scapegoats.
It is all too easy for us liberal Democrats to tar all working-class whites as angry racists and supporters of Trump. That gets us off the hook. We don't have to acknowledge our own culpability and responsibilty for their plight.
http://tinyurl.com/ngvzmz9 http://tinyurl.com/z42mm8y
http://tinyurl.com/nrf6d5x http://tinyurl.com/oeudqug http://tinyurl.com/jt65v5m http://tinyurl.com/hg5ykpy
Most people are not racists; in any group only a small fraction are hard-core haters; the rest go along for the ride when times are tough and they need someone to blame. People of color, immigrants, Muslims, anyone thought of as belonging to an underclass, become convenient scapegoats.
It is all too easy for us liberal Democrats to tar all working-class whites as angry racists and supporters of Trump. That gets us off the hook. We don't have to acknowledge our own culpability and responsibilty for their plight.
http://tinyurl.com/ngvzmz9 http://tinyurl.com/z42mm8y
9
I agree. I think that for Republicans it's more about tribalism than racism (although tribalism itself is generally rooted in ethnicity and pride in tribe).
The advancement of civilization has been all about creating a 'larger tent' in support of 'pan-tribalism'. This requires humans to overcome their natural aversion to trusting "others", and thus to compromise the certainty and control of self direction. The trail of misery working against our march toward 'pan-tribalism' is what has led us to invent democracy (and it's more liberal cousin, socialism).
That, in fact, is the major difference between liberals and conservatives. Making it an economic issue, and denigrating "others" in order to keep them out of the tent creates an incentive against moving past tribalism.
None-the-less, it will happen or we will perish (at the hands of either ourselves or nature).
The advancement of civilization has been all about creating a 'larger tent' in support of 'pan-tribalism'. This requires humans to overcome their natural aversion to trusting "others", and thus to compromise the certainty and control of self direction. The trail of misery working against our march toward 'pan-tribalism' is what has led us to invent democracy (and it's more liberal cousin, socialism).
That, in fact, is the major difference between liberals and conservatives. Making it an economic issue, and denigrating "others" in order to keep them out of the tent creates an incentive against moving past tribalism.
None-the-less, it will happen or we will perish (at the hands of either ourselves or nature).
Joseph E. Stiglitz
Joseph E. Stiglitz, recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2001 and the John Bates Clark Medal in 1979, is University Professor at Columbia University, Co-Chair of the High-Level Expert Group on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress at the OECD, and Chief
"And yet, while many might deny it, an increase in the supply of low-skill labor leads – so long as there are normal downward-sloping demand curves – to lower equilibrium wages. And when wages can’t or won’t be lowered, unemployment increases"
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/brexit-future-of-advanced-e...
Joseph E. Stiglitz, recipient of the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences in 2001 and the John Bates Clark Medal in 1979, is University Professor at Columbia University, Co-Chair of the High-Level Expert Group on the Measurement of Economic Performance and Social Progress at the OECD, and Chief
"And yet, while many might deny it, an increase in the supply of low-skill labor leads – so long as there are normal downward-sloping demand curves – to lower equilibrium wages. And when wages can’t or won’t be lowered, unemployment increases"
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/brexit-future-of-advanced-e...
1
The nominee's enabler includes, notably, Mr. Krugman who declared
"Trump Is Right on Economics"
NY Times, SEPT. 7, 2015
to attack and discredit his more sensible Republican rivals, in particular Mr. Bush. Yes, Mr. Krugman stated "Again, I’m not making a case for Mr. Trump" but he used him to discredit his rivals.
Damage done, and done well.
As to the Democratic nominee, he attacked Mr. Sanders, becoming the enabler of Ms. Clinton.
Damage done, and done well.
"Trump Is Right on Economics"
NY Times, SEPT. 7, 2015
to attack and discredit his more sensible Republican rivals, in particular Mr. Bush. Yes, Mr. Krugman stated "Again, I’m not making a case for Mr. Trump" but he used him to discredit his rivals.
Damage done, and done well.
As to the Democratic nominee, he attacked Mr. Sanders, becoming the enabler of Ms. Clinton.
Damage done, and done well.
36
I don't think Trump had released his tax plan at that time; all Krugman had to go by were various statements made that indicated a willingness to raise taxes on the wealthy, particularly hedge fund managers and Wall Street executives.
As for enabling Clinton: from a tax and spend standpoint, her policies have always been engineered to provide benefits yet still maintain a reasonable deficit. Sanders's plans had no concern for the explosion of the deficit, and were based on largely wishful thinking.
As for enabling Clinton: from a tax and spend standpoint, her policies have always been engineered to provide benefits yet still maintain a reasonable deficit. Sanders's plans had no concern for the explosion of the deficit, and were based on largely wishful thinking.
3
Trump simply read the Republican manual on 'How to take over America from Within', and executed it's step-by-step instructions in a Republican way.
Hopefully, "we, the people" (even if it is only 60%) will react against the idea that the rules of democratic governance and the rules of business have anything in common.
Business operates in the abstract reality of laws and regulations designed to harness the unevolved animal within us. Governance is all about defending the broader population of humans against the actual realities of nature itself (including human inventions like business).
As our founders suggested, we should never equate the two.
Hopefully, "we, the people" (even if it is only 60%) will react against the idea that the rules of democratic governance and the rules of business have anything in common.
Business operates in the abstract reality of laws and regulations designed to harness the unevolved animal within us. Governance is all about defending the broader population of humans against the actual realities of nature itself (including human inventions like business).
As our founders suggested, we should never equate the two.
1
Sanders really hasn't got a clue why banking got so concentrated and what would actually work to reverse the trend.
3
All largely true. No one should be in any doubt whatever about the fundamental goals of the Republican party which were explained to me very clearly by my grandpa and pa (who were dyed in the wool Republicans) when I was about 12 during a family Sunday lunch. It was to protect the interests of the wealthy which included the upper middle classes (which we were) and big business. In the context of the times (50's) when there was a booming economy and much less income inequality it wasn't an entirely irrational position. The problem is the Republican party has been willing to jettison all reason in myriad ways in pursuit of these goals in today's entirely changed social, environmental, and economic circumstances. Of the problems facing the country income inequality ranks fairly high on the list. And they have no remedy other than to increase it still further although it's totally counterproductive. In a post industrial economy you're not going to increase national wealth by the progressive public and private impoverishment of 90% of the country in the interests of the top 10% or more likely 1%.
135
Temporarily, at least, American consumers have be somewhat marginalized by the fact that our corporations get 1/2 or more of their profits overseas.
It's happened before, and trail of failed empires seems to be closely linked to 'monopolistic' trade practices.
Our corporations are already 'global citizens' even if we are not. We need to find ways to protect our ability to be a part of and share in the 'bigger picture'.
It's happened before, and trail of failed empires seems to be closely linked to 'monopolistic' trade practices.
Our corporations are already 'global citizens' even if we are not. We need to find ways to protect our ability to be a part of and share in the 'bigger picture'.
John--Usually on the money. Thanks.
3
Practically every Republican issue is a red herring now.
2
It has always been the case that selfishness wins over reasonableness or even logic.
If you look at the world map, you will see a handful of countries, mostly in northern Europe where stability and social order is correlated to a low income gap. It is clear that the better off people are, the better off is society at large. It doesn't take a deep knowledge of economics to arrive at this conclusion. I can see the rich protecting their wealth as an instinctive reaction, but I wonder what politicians are thinking, seeing what both logic and experience tell us. Giving more money to the wealthy doesn't sell more cars or steaks or houses. Taking money for the public at large decreases buying which lessens production which removes jobs, and eventually reduces the profits of the owners. Is it so hard to understand or is it that Republicans have drunk the Kool-aid or, if not, are so dependent on their jobs to the big donors that they are willing to shut off their minds?
If you look at the world map, you will see a handful of countries, mostly in northern Europe where stability and social order is correlated to a low income gap. It is clear that the better off people are, the better off is society at large. It doesn't take a deep knowledge of economics to arrive at this conclusion. I can see the rich protecting their wealth as an instinctive reaction, but I wonder what politicians are thinking, seeing what both logic and experience tell us. Giving more money to the wealthy doesn't sell more cars or steaks or houses. Taking money for the public at large decreases buying which lessens production which removes jobs, and eventually reduces the profits of the owners. Is it so hard to understand or is it that Republicans have drunk the Kool-aid or, if not, are so dependent on their jobs to the big donors that they are willing to shut off their minds?
98
One need only go back to LBJ's signing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964 and the Voting Rights Act in 1965, which caused many Southern Democrats (Dixiecrats) to leave the party. This was followed by Lee Atwater's Southern Strategy, which sealed the deal on Republican endorsement of racism (and dog-whistle racism) as part of their campaign to expand their base with voters who would be willing to support the party despite the fact that many of the GOP's main objectives were detrimental to their own lives and livelihood. Don't forget, Ronald Reagan started his campaign at the Neshoba County State Fair, outside of Philadelphia, Mississippi, the site of a vicious white-supremacist stronghold. Just days earlier, members of the Ku Klux Klan had firebombed a black church in the county and had beaten terrified worshipers.
Add to this the Powell Memo of 1971, and we see the blueprint of the GOP that Ryan and others have adhered to and promoted.
The goals and tactics of the Republican Party would bring about the death of the United States as an experiment in Liberty and Justice for All.
Add to this the Powell Memo of 1971, and we see the blueprint of the GOP that Ryan and others have adhered to and promoted.
The goals and tactics of the Republican Party would bring about the death of the United States as an experiment in Liberty and Justice for All.
117
This is also 90% true of the Democratic nominee and her enablers. Of course, their racism is against average white Americans, and those like Krugman not only supports this (including here) but calls on her to strengthen her identity politics. This is not supposed to strengthen identities and emotions on both sides???
Bill moved the Democratic Party to Eisenhower on economics and McGovern on culture to win the Country Club Republicans in places like Westchester. He succeeded. With their Northern moderates stolen, the Republicans stayed to his right and became a Goldwater party.
Now this year the Democrats have nominated a Goldwater supporter and Trump is appealing to the same economic interests as Bernie. The Fed says wages have fallen under Obama for the bottom 90%. The bottom 90% votes against that only for racist reasons???
Why--pray tell why--do solid Republicans like Hank Paulsen and George Will now support Hillary? Because she is an economic liberal and Trump speaks for the top 1%???
Bill moved the Democratic Party to Eisenhower on economics and McGovern on culture to win the Country Club Republicans in places like Westchester. He succeeded. With their Northern moderates stolen, the Republicans stayed to his right and became a Goldwater party.
Now this year the Democrats have nominated a Goldwater supporter and Trump is appealing to the same economic interests as Bernie. The Fed says wages have fallen under Obama for the bottom 90%. The bottom 90% votes against that only for racist reasons???
Why--pray tell why--do solid Republicans like Hank Paulsen and George Will now support Hillary? Because she is an economic liberal and Trump speaks for the top 1%???
18
It's true, the Democrat's constituency is more representative of the actual population of the county. That fact is and always has been anathema to the entrenched, but that's pretty much the prime function of democracy, and a primary reason that the US became great in the first place.
As demonstrated by the last 2000 years, it's tough to get diverse tribes to work together to move humanity forward. But, in the end, it seems to be the best way to 'raise all boats'.
As demonstrated by the last 2000 years, it's tough to get diverse tribes to work together to move humanity forward. But, in the end, it seems to be the best way to 'raise all boats'.
5
Really sloppy and irresponsible thinking on your part and on the part of the Fed to say that wages for the bottom 90% have fallen "under" Obama. That's a ridiculous attempt at creating a causal association. George W, who could only pay attention to pushing war was the man responsible for our economic crash. "Under" Obama, the economy turned around. It was a long haul because of the extreme danger that Bush had allowed to develop while he was warring. Furthermore, many of the lost jobs and lost and lower wages are products of our move from a mechanized age to a digitized age.
14
Okay, it's time to get out of the Bernie bubble and remember some elementary school civics. There are three branches of the federal government: the executive, legislative, and judiciary. Tax bills initiate in Congress, in particular the House of Representatives, and must be passed by both houses. Under the House's Hastert Rule, bills proposed by the minority party don't even get a vote unless the majority of the House Republicans allow it. For the past six years, the House has been controlled by Republicans and paralyzed by a cadre of conservatives -- this in spite of the fact that the majority of the country, and indeed of some of the states they come from, are Democrats. For the past two years, the Senate also has been under Republican control. To blame the woes of the 90% on Obama is wrong and naive. And to say that Hillary Clinton is not an economic liberal, especially compared to Paul Ryan and the House Republicans, is even more so. the problem is Congress and the voters who allowed the Republicans to take it by being too busy or too cool to bother to vote in the off-year elections.
14
"So the party has prospered politically by harnessing its fortunes to racial hostility, which it has not-so-discreetly encouraged for decades."
Add in the play for evangelicals (anti-abortion, anti-anything non-WASP, anti-gay marriage) and I think you have it covered.
Add in the play for evangelicals (anti-abortion, anti-anything non-WASP, anti-gay marriage) and I think you have it covered.
35
Professor Krugman left out the third leg of the Republican strategy to keep a white blue collar base voting against its own interests; guns. It works out well with a campaign of racial fear and fear of "big government" that "real Americans" need to arm themselves to the teeth because any day the government agents and hordes of "too know who" from the cities and south of the border will arrive at your house if the Democrats have their way. (I exagerate to make a point, but not much. I'm a construction worker and I hear it a lot.) It doesn't matter how many innocent children get mowed down in their school.
If the stakes weren't so high it would be amusing watching Republican grappling with the Frankenstein monster of their own making.
If the stakes weren't so high it would be amusing watching Republican grappling with the Frankenstein monster of their own making.
55
I dimly remember a time when the Republican Party offered some kind of leadership and perhaps even statesmanship. I supported Eisenhower as a child, despite his affiliation with Nixon I think he might have regretted his choice of Nixon, belatedly.
But once Ronald Reagan and his "voodoo economics" acceded to the Presidency, I gave up all hope of John Lindsay running for national office as a Republican, as, eventually, did he.
The Republican Party now lives up to its stereotype as the party of the Wealthy, but now it also thrives as the party of the bigoted, the heartless, and, increasingly, the stupid. Not only appalling Paul Ryan, the theoretical White Knight of the House, but Mitch McConnell, obviously racist and not even subtle opponent of Obama. Jason Chaffetz is this week's cable news hero. I've decided to give up cable news.
I can't think of one decent Republican who might be in Congress to do a job, unless it is Jeff Flake. I hope Hillary's coattails conclude many of their do-nothing careers. I wish I could figure out a way to revoke their pensions. They wouldn't last a month in a real job. But they complain about "welfare queens." I guess they're preparing for futures as lobbyists for the NRA.
But once Ronald Reagan and his "voodoo economics" acceded to the Presidency, I gave up all hope of John Lindsay running for national office as a Republican, as, eventually, did he.
The Republican Party now lives up to its stereotype as the party of the Wealthy, but now it also thrives as the party of the bigoted, the heartless, and, increasingly, the stupid. Not only appalling Paul Ryan, the theoretical White Knight of the House, but Mitch McConnell, obviously racist and not even subtle opponent of Obama. Jason Chaffetz is this week's cable news hero. I've decided to give up cable news.
I can't think of one decent Republican who might be in Congress to do a job, unless it is Jeff Flake. I hope Hillary's coattails conclude many of their do-nothing careers. I wish I could figure out a way to revoke their pensions. They wouldn't last a month in a real job. But they complain about "welfare queens." I guess they're preparing for futures as lobbyists for the NRA.
83
That's the best way to describe the modern Republican Party as a machine designed to deliver the highest after tax profits to the 1 percent.
Now is there any chance the Democratic Party establishment will be conscious of this and respond effectively?
I'm not hopeful about this with there being no effort to overturn Citizens United or any other form of reducing the influence of money in politics.
Now is there any chance the Democratic Party establishment will be conscious of this and respond effectively?
I'm not hopeful about this with there being no effort to overturn Citizens United or any other form of reducing the influence of money in politics.
32
From Hillary's Platform:
"Overturn Citizens United. Hillary will appoint Supreme Court justices who value the right to vote over the right of billionaires to buy elections. She’ll push for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United in order to restore the role of everyday voters in elections.
End secret, unaccountable money in politics. Hillary will push for legislation to require outside groups to publicly disclose significant political spending. And until Congress acts, she'll sign an executive order requiring federal government contractors to do the same. Hillary will also promote an SEC rule requiring publicly traded companies to disclose political spending to shareholders.
Amplify the voices of everyday Americans. Hillary will establish a small-donor matching system for presidential and congressional elections to incentivize small donors to participate in elections, and encourage candidates to spend more time engaging a representative cross-section of voters."
https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/campaign-finance-reform/
"Overturn Citizens United. Hillary will appoint Supreme Court justices who value the right to vote over the right of billionaires to buy elections. She’ll push for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United in order to restore the role of everyday voters in elections.
End secret, unaccountable money in politics. Hillary will push for legislation to require outside groups to publicly disclose significant political spending. And until Congress acts, she'll sign an executive order requiring federal government contractors to do the same. Hillary will also promote an SEC rule requiring publicly traded companies to disclose political spending to shareholders.
Amplify the voices of everyday Americans. Hillary will establish a small-donor matching system for presidential and congressional elections to incentivize small donors to participate in elections, and encourage candidates to spend more time engaging a representative cross-section of voters."
https://www.hillaryclinton.com/issues/campaign-finance-reform/
9
You can't "overturn" a Supreme Court decision that was based on the constitution. Through politics, you only have two options: change the constitution (next to impossible), or elect a president who can ultimately change the composition of the Court, which does have the power to overturn its own decisions.
This is a reason why some establishment Republicans are reluctantly endorsing Trump – – because of panic about a changed Supreme Court under a Democratic administration.
Are they worried about abortion? Of course not. The vast majority of establishment Republicans could not care less about this issue – – that's just another sop to the base. Establishment Republicans care about the 1% and about their own well-being (which, thanks to Citizens United, are pretty much the same thing).
This is a reason why some establishment Republicans are reluctantly endorsing Trump – – because of panic about a changed Supreme Court under a Democratic administration.
Are they worried about abortion? Of course not. The vast majority of establishment Republicans could not care less about this issue – – that's just another sop to the base. Establishment Republicans care about the 1% and about their own well-being (which, thanks to Citizens United, are pretty much the same thing).
2
In embracing our darker side of racism and special privilege, the GOP has made a Pact with the Devil. Support for the concept of "smaller government" has become so solely consumed with delivering benefits for the wealthy and super-wealthy Top 1% that the party has truly lost their way and has become a cult of hatred. All we can do is to vote, and vote intelligently against Trump-Enablers.
48
A sad day in America; police and black men shot in the street. But follow this election closely. The number of votes THE DONALD gets will be a good proxy for the number of racists in the US.
The Republicans collected the racists of the South after President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Acts in the late 60's. They kept them through the tenures of Strom Thurmond and Jesse Helms, up to today.
The police of today, across the country, seem to have the right to pump multiple bullets into black men dead in the street without any blow back from their colleagues standing at their side. A black driver, told simultaneously to keep his hands visible and to produce his driver’s license, is shot multiple times as he reaches for his license. Skin color and Spanish accents mark the poor as likely victims of police action.
The Republicans collected the racists of the South after President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Acts in the late 60's. They kept them through the tenures of Strom Thurmond and Jesse Helms, up to today.
The police of today, across the country, seem to have the right to pump multiple bullets into black men dead in the street without any blow back from their colleagues standing at their side. A black driver, told simultaneously to keep his hands visible and to produce his driver’s license, is shot multiple times as he reaches for his license. Skin color and Spanish accents mark the poor as likely victims of police action.
53
"...President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Acts in the late 60's..."
(no, they were enacted July 2, 1964 so, technically, during the EARLY 1960's)
Coincided with some of the greatest rock'n'roll musical years of all time. Why do people revert to racism, when the benefits of the opposite are so obvious?
But also with the Vietnam tragedy, which I continue to this day to suspect Johnson probably built a "deal" on: like, my civil rights acts, vs. your little war down in a corner of the world NOBODY WILL EVER NOTICE
And yet, he, Johnson, knew Southeast Asia, he knew Vietnam, he had been there; he had to know better. Who did he make the promise to, to Helms or to Wisner?
Wha'd ah say?!
(no, they were enacted July 2, 1964 so, technically, during the EARLY 1960's)
Coincided with some of the greatest rock'n'roll musical years of all time. Why do people revert to racism, when the benefits of the opposite are so obvious?
But also with the Vietnam tragedy, which I continue to this day to suspect Johnson probably built a "deal" on: like, my civil rights acts, vs. your little war down in a corner of the world NOBODY WILL EVER NOTICE
And yet, he, Johnson, knew Southeast Asia, he knew Vietnam, he had been there; he had to know better. Who did he make the promise to, to Helms or to Wisner?
Wha'd ah say?!
We are witnessing in Washington the lengths to which Republicans will go and the contrivances they are willing to adopt in order to bolster their nominee, Donald Trump.
They have built a bonfire, lit it and are dragging Hillary Clinton ever closer to the flames. All sorts of imaginary crimes are being listed in the Republican Bill of Particulars, which changes by the hour.
Mrs. Clinton’s only real crime is that she is a woman running for the presidency, and she probably will beat Donald Trump handily – unless the Republicans can somehow, some way remove her from the contest.
They have built a bonfire, lit it and are dragging Hillary Clinton ever closer to the flames. All sorts of imaginary crimes are being listed in the Republican Bill of Particulars, which changes by the hour.
Mrs. Clinton’s only real crime is that she is a woman running for the presidency, and she probably will beat Donald Trump handily – unless the Republicans can somehow, some way remove her from the contest.
63
Republicans blow the racist dog whistle to promote the idea that taxes paid to the government are transfer payments from hard working (white) people to poor (dark) ones. Promoting this view enables the party to attract voters who act against their self interest to enable policies that primarily benefit the richest of the rich.
Maybe the presumptive Republican nominee will hit on this theme with his trademarked Honesty™, throw out the dog whistle and say, "as President I'll get government out of Medicare and so that white people get more of it and cut your taxes by paying less welfare to the blacks and the browns."
Maybe the presumptive Republican nominee will hit on this theme with his trademarked Honesty™, throw out the dog whistle and say, "as President I'll get government out of Medicare and so that white people get more of it and cut your taxes by paying less welfare to the blacks and the browns."
48
In my opinion, Paul Ryan is the worst of the worst. Not only is he inept with his insane budget proposals, he is mean, really mean. First, as you say, he wants to make it even worse, brutally worse, for poor people. Now he wants to totally demoralize and make a mockery of Hillary Clinton by saying she ought to lose her security clearance, even though the Feds have exonerated her. I have been calling him names all night. I don't want to say -- trust me -- that's a Trump line. But I believe that this guy is capable of making Trump look like a pussycat.
P.S. I also believe we'll have gun control before we have an honest media.
P.S. I also believe we'll have gun control before we have an honest media.
96
Ryan, to me is the epitome of evil. As a young man he was a recipient of Social Security and would now deny it to all. He got his. Ryan has never had a private sector job, an egomaniac, with seriously impaired policy/budget knowledge. The "Fourth Estate" has seriously let our nation down, by the superficial focus on his physical attractiveness, not the reality of his motives. Too much false equivalencies and settling for the lazy analysis, that Ryan's facts and figures are fantastical.
7
I agree with you that Ryan is ruthless with regard to the poor. And his recommendation to deny Clinton security clearance loses all credibility when he has endorsed Trump.
4
Proverbs. A poor man pleads for mercy. A rich man answers harshly.
34
We get elected officials that represent and reflect the voters. Everyone in the republicans party is not a racist or a bigot but a large part (majority) of the party (the base) is, so you get a Trump as nominee. The same in many states (such as Alabama).
Everyone in Alabama is not a racist but a majority of the voters are and for them race (and how the candidate fits into race or his/her stance on race, immigration, etc.) is probably the first thing to think about when casting a vote. Generally, all other issues (such as schools, the economy, etc) take a backseat to race. Hence, we are reelecting Jeff Sessions for the senate this year.
Everyone in Alabama is not a racist but a majority of the voters are and for them race (and how the candidate fits into race or his/her stance on race, immigration, etc.) is probably the first thing to think about when casting a vote. Generally, all other issues (such as schools, the economy, etc) take a backseat to race. Hence, we are reelecting Jeff Sessions for the senate this year.
51
Ignorance is the reason republicans are elected, and their ability to lie and control the message. There will be no issues discussed this election, because the GOP have no plans or solutions for anything, so they will keep at "scandals" against the qualified candidate in Nov.
With the 60+ attempts to repeal the ACA, there has been no republican alternative put forth. The party of "no" is a disgrace to our Constitution.
With the 60+ attempts to repeal the ACA, there has been no republican alternative put forth. The party of "no" is a disgrace to our Constitution.
3
On the one hand we have the GOP creating a system favoring the wealthy. Some call this a two-tiered system.
On the other hand we have the GOP criticizing the two-tiered system when it appears to benefit Hillary Clinton.
On the other hand we have the GOP criticizing the two-tiered system when it appears to benefit Hillary Clinton.
48
As was so eloquently summarized by the Republican senator from Nebraska, Roman Hruska, "even the mediocre deserve representation". The modern Republican party has perfected this strategy by capturing the "mediocre" vote to support destruction of public governance, public infrastructure, and public justice, transferring resources to private ownership and control, with a Trumpian wall of deductions and exclusions to avoid taxation.
If only the "mediocre" could understand that representation requires that the represented share in the benefits of the representatives.
If only the "mediocre" could understand that representation requires that the represented share in the benefits of the representatives.
50
That was what Nixon said after he nominated Carswell for the Supreme Court, a nominee deemed "mediocre" by the American Bar Association.
1
I think that Mr. Krugman has made an accurate assessment of the situation. I have no condolences to offer, but will say that it couldn't happen to a "nicer" group of people. Witness the Karma of money grubbers.
42
The party of hate and greed produced some fine results last night.
37
Perhaps the single most interesting aspect of fix the debt is they have no peer reviewed research material to back their bet. They have a couple of carnival barkers like Simpson-Boles and thrown together charts and graphs, stapled in nice binders on expensive paper. These put together materials make assumptions about future events no one can possible predict. Using time series is a shaky technique. Guarantee 90% of their "sales" material is a time series graph. So enough, this still comes back to the "usual suspects". I say round them up, sequester them off and let the real experts do their jobs. And let Paul Ryan try to make stuff up on the fly sans cheerleading crew. And he asks for our badges. You know the answer to that request.
35
It hard to write a paper that will get through referees when there is historical data like the following to explain:
The federal government has balanced the budget, eliminated deficits for more than three years in just six periods since 1776,
bringing in enough revenue to cover all of its spending during 1817-21, 1823-36, 1852-57, 1867-73, 1880-93, and 1920-30. The
debt was paid down 29%. 100%, 59%, 27%, 57%, and 36% respectively. A depression began in 1819, 1837, 1857, 1873, 1893 and 1929.
The federal government has balanced the budget, eliminated deficits for more than three years in just six periods since 1776,
bringing in enough revenue to cover all of its spending during 1817-21, 1823-36, 1852-57, 1867-73, 1880-93, and 1920-30. The
debt was paid down 29%. 100%, 59%, 27%, 57%, and 36% respectively. A depression began in 1819, 1837, 1857, 1873, 1893 and 1929.
The thing I find striking is that Ryan keeps peddling exactly the same conservative fiscal orthodoxies that Republican primary voters seemed to reject - in pretty overwhelming fashion. At the Presidential level the reality seems to have finally set in that those policies have probably done more harm than good for the average base voter. But ironically, that new reality doesn't seem to be filtering down to the House and local levels yet.
74
The Republicans like their appointed goofball Ryan are racists only incidentally, as it fits into the plutocratic world view they have espoused. Why anyone would follow a speaker who looks like a silent-screen era villain with his low forehead and widow's peak escapes me, but perhaps others are attracted to his personality cult. Because there is certainly no compelling intellectual substance to Ryan's disastrous, dimly-lit budgetary conceptualizations...
89
Including personal appearance in your attack? How Trumpian.
Even if you stick to substance, you'll find no shortage of flaws in Paul Ryan. So why descend?
Even if you stick to substance, you'll find no shortage of flaws in Paul Ryan. So why descend?
1
That's not exactly true. There will definitely be something in it for Ryan, his relatives, and his pay-to-play friends.
That said, it is fairly certain that there will be nothing in it for you and yours.
That said, it is fairly certain that there will be nothing in it for you and yours.
1
Like Reagan, Ryan is enough of an actor to fool the rubes. Blue boy scout eyes dripping with "sincerity" and righteousness are the tools of his trade, masking a savage soul.
344
When dealing with a Republican, one should always look for the machete behind the smile.
Confucius didn't say that, but he should have!
Confucius didn't say that, but he should have!
2
Has anyone really added up the costs of the Bernie/Hillary proposals? Do we really know, in any campaign, what the costs will be of all the blue sky promises emitted by various candidates? In reality, are the Democrat Liberals any different from the Republican Conservatives in this regard?
12
Good point, but it is notable that the Democrat focus is on humans rather than business. As far as I can tell, that human progress is the most proper and productive focus for government. That's pretty much how we built our current platform of civilization.
Business, on the other hand, is built on an abstract 'rule base' that is focused on humanizing and civilizing the rough and tumble world of mammon allocation.
Conservatives love business simply because it is 'rule based', and they like to 'latch on' to rules and make them absolute. This increases certainty and control, by reducing the 'irregularities' of the natural forces of change and happenstance that surround us. The problem is that, to date, humans have not managed to define a set of rules that are immutable. Time and experience demands change, and when the need to change comes, conservatives 'go to the mattresses' to protect their perceive turf (aka, the rules that define their certainty, control, and personal security).
We all have a bit of a conservative bent. Its a natural requirement for survival. But it's generally balanced by our inner drive to know, to explore, and to progress; our willingness to take risk. Life isn't a happy straight line. It's full of curves and cul-de-sacs, and the battle to recognize and go with the flow of nature; learning not to pollute, exploit, and destroy the planet for personal gain, but to find ways thrive within the 'rules of nature'
Business, on the other hand, is built on an abstract 'rule base' that is focused on humanizing and civilizing the rough and tumble world of mammon allocation.
Conservatives love business simply because it is 'rule based', and they like to 'latch on' to rules and make them absolute. This increases certainty and control, by reducing the 'irregularities' of the natural forces of change and happenstance that surround us. The problem is that, to date, humans have not managed to define a set of rules that are immutable. Time and experience demands change, and when the need to change comes, conservatives 'go to the mattresses' to protect their perceive turf (aka, the rules that define their certainty, control, and personal security).
We all have a bit of a conservative bent. Its a natural requirement for survival. But it's generally balanced by our inner drive to know, to explore, and to progress; our willingness to take risk. Life isn't a happy straight line. It's full of curves and cul-de-sacs, and the battle to recognize and go with the flow of nature; learning not to pollute, exploit, and destroy the planet for personal gain, but to find ways thrive within the 'rules of nature'
10
Yes, attempts have been made to do just that. Trump's plan increase the deficit the most, followed by Cruz, followed by Rubio, followed by Clinton, whose plan is the closest to being deficit neutral according to the Tax Foundation.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/not-one-presidential-candidate-cares-ab...
Sanders' plan is really difficult to analyze because it's so extreme (significant tax hikes, significant increases to federal spending), but the general sense is that it is like many of the Republican plans in that it requires a very rosy economic outlook to be deficit neutral (i.e. economic growth yields higher incomes yields more revenue).
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/not-one-presidential-candidate-cares-ab...
Sanders' plan is really difficult to analyze because it's so extreme (significant tax hikes, significant increases to federal spending), but the general sense is that it is like many of the Republican plans in that it requires a very rosy economic outlook to be deficit neutral (i.e. economic growth yields higher incomes yields more revenue).
5
Laughable and yes they have run the numbers! I am pointing out that Bernie and Hillary cannot be lumped together as one as they are two different candidates with significantly different proposals each with widely differing costs. Bernie's plan was always woefully short on detail and very high on cost. Those economists in the know, including Krugman, independent minded economists, and other democratic leaning experts, acknowledged that Bernie's proposal's were pretty much pie in the sky due to unworkable high costs. Trump's proposals are just as financially unworkable as Bernie's proposals if not worse! Hillary is the only candidate in the room who has provided plans with enough detail to enable outside, independent minded economic analysts to determine a roughly accurate cost. It's a no brainer if one wishes to use their brain.
3
Just as Meagan Trainor's song ' Me Too ' has provided the GOP'er presumptive with his campaign theme song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDRORgoZxZU
so should the pachyderm be replaced as the GOP'er mascot by a Trojan Horse, to house all the enabler minions - the disruptors - that have carried water for the ' drown the government in the bath tub ' crowd since St. Ray-gun.
They committed the ultimate tactical mistake that we've seen committed over and over in some of America's military adventures - they never planned for ' then what; what next ' ?
Same as Ryanomics is not a ' what next ' plan at all, just more subterfuge .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDRORgoZxZU
so should the pachyderm be replaced as the GOP'er mascot by a Trojan Horse, to house all the enabler minions - the disruptors - that have carried water for the ' drown the government in the bath tub ' crowd since St. Ray-gun.
They committed the ultimate tactical mistake that we've seen committed over and over in some of America's military adventures - they never planned for ' then what; what next ' ?
Same as Ryanomics is not a ' what next ' plan at all, just more subterfuge .
28
There are many who believe that the same strategy described here with the enabling the GOP's ideology is also in use with Islam-derived ideologies. When Bangladeshi youth from their upper 10%, if not their 1%, perpetrate a massacre in their capital city of Dhaka in the name of religion, we fail to ask what are the enablers of their ideology.
23
Religion has been used as an excuse for mayhem for centuries. Deus lo volt was the battle cry of the Crusaders. No religion is immune from such abuse.
17
Another appropriate quote is "Caedite eos. Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius."
1
Democracy was a great experiment, but it appears some humans are simply unable to resist the siren's call for power and money. And so we devolved into a plutocracy, represented well by the republican party. With the experiment reaching it's end, we average Americans really need to start asking ourselves a question. Now what?
67
It could be argued that as a country we have never practiced democracy. The Anti-Federalists in the late 1780s argued that the proposed system (our current one) was inherently undemocratic.
Here in Maine many towns still have the town meeting form of government; these days it democracy in its purest form. Yet many, if not most, towns have experienced a dramatic decline in participation by "we average Americans" in town meetings. The sad reality may be that many refuse the responsibility of democracy.
So we are left with your question, Now what? I don't have an answer but I am pretty sure that the current 2-ring circus we have is incapable of providing an answer.
Here in Maine many towns still have the town meeting form of government; these days it democracy in its purest form. Yet many, if not most, towns have experienced a dramatic decline in participation by "we average Americans" in town meetings. The sad reality may be that many refuse the responsibility of democracy.
So we are left with your question, Now what? I don't have an answer but I am pretty sure that the current 2-ring circus we have is incapable of providing an answer.
2
Yep. Wasn't it Karl Marx who asserted that Democracy, if done passably right, will inevitably lead to its own destruction in just the way you describe? Too lazy to look it up, but yeah I think it was Marx.
1
If you’re going to cut income taxes because you believe it has a stimulus effect and because we unfairly tax too much, then you have no choice but to cut them on those who earn a fair bit, since they’re the ones who pay most of them. Similarly, if you believe that our social safety net is unsustainable, then you’re forced to cut its outlays to the poor and elderly, since others really don’t receive excessive social safety net benefits.
But to Krugman it doesn’t really matter, because he believes in very high taxes and very high outlays of direct welfare of various kinds. As it is, Ryan’s “A Better Way” is DOA with our current president and it certainly would be if Mrs. Clinton wins the presidency.
But this is what Ryan will settle for, or at least negotiate; and he doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. So if Mrs. Clinton does win, we can look forward to another four years of the frozen politics that has Mr. Obama dictating policy from the Oval Office because Congress won’t abide his agenda, and with the federal courts regularly spanking him on the unconstitutionality of his actions. That strikes me as just dumb.
To Krugman this is racist, despite the far larger number of WHITE poor than non-white poor. And Ryan is supporting Trump because Ryan knows that his “A Better Way” would be DOA with Mrs. Clinton. This all seems perfectly understandable and rational to me. At least Trump would be willing to negotiate the only game in town, instead of simply rejecting it as “racist”.
But to Krugman it doesn’t really matter, because he believes in very high taxes and very high outlays of direct welfare of various kinds. As it is, Ryan’s “A Better Way” is DOA with our current president and it certainly would be if Mrs. Clinton wins the presidency.
But this is what Ryan will settle for, or at least negotiate; and he doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. So if Mrs. Clinton does win, we can look forward to another four years of the frozen politics that has Mr. Obama dictating policy from the Oval Office because Congress won’t abide his agenda, and with the federal courts regularly spanking him on the unconstitutionality of his actions. That strikes me as just dumb.
To Krugman this is racist, despite the far larger number of WHITE poor than non-white poor. And Ryan is supporting Trump because Ryan knows that his “A Better Way” would be DOA with Mrs. Clinton. This all seems perfectly understandable and rational to me. At least Trump would be willing to negotiate the only game in town, instead of simply rejecting it as “racist”.
But it is contrary to the known facts that cutting income taxes has a stimulus effect and that we unfairly tax too much. It is therefore not rational, no matter how many times you, Ryan and the Murdoch media repeat it.
One then has to look for reasons for some people not to pay any attention to the facts.
One then has to look for reasons for some people not to pay any attention to the facts.
66
Let me be a bit clearer, if you cut income taxes and correspondingly cut government expenditure, specifically welfare spending or infrastructure, it does not have a stimulative effect. It has the opposite effect because the multiplier effect of income tax cuts is smaller than the multiplier effect of the government spending.
83
These are just a few pieces of the radical Obama policy agenda that Republicans in Congress wouldn't abide--which is odd because the GOP once supported all of them: signing the nuclear START treaty; establishing national energy laboratories, hybrid-vehicle manufacturers and developing electric car batteries; transparency in campaign contributions; gun-violence prevention; end-of-life counseling; infrastructure spending; immigration reform; eliminating red tape in order to move families out of welfare and into jobs; and of course health-care mandates.
Congressional Republicans wouldn't abide President Obama's agenda because, well, it was President Obama's agenda. To the GOP, the way to unfreeze politics is to put them in the majority. Since that's not going to happen, they'll continue stamp their little feet and just say no. And by their logic, it will be a Democratic president's fault.
Congressional Republicans wouldn't abide President Obama's agenda because, well, it was President Obama's agenda. To the GOP, the way to unfreeze politics is to put them in the majority. Since that's not going to happen, they'll continue stamp their little feet and just say no. And by their logic, it will be a Democratic president's fault.
43
Even if no Congress member or American leader were racist, racism as a system would remain intact. More, it would flourish! Its built-in denials and justifications would become an ordinary part of the public order and a familiar social meme (witness Donald Trump). What gives racism and its band of merry supporters such high appeal is it combines twin goals: a system of economic oppression and social restriction; it meets economic and psychological demands for appropriating wealth and labor in support of an ideology that justifies injustice, curtails freedom and robs workers through fear. Last night, former Congress member Joe Walsh (IL) twitter post showed the worst of the system: "This is now war. Watch out Obama. Watch out black lives matter punks. Real America is coming after you."
Be clear: every American grieves the horrible loss of lives of police in Dallas. But Walsh has jumped to blame those not responsible. while conjuring the appeal of a "Real" America.(He ignores the videos from Baton Rogue and MN--not his "real.")
At the other end of violence are economic and civic proposals, whose "authoritarian impulse lurks behind democratic norms." What most Americans miss is that racism--the system--is the steer's neck: twist it and it bends the entire economy and social order toward poverty and lost civil liberties. It is not China, India or Malaysia who is the enemy of jobs--but a homegrown system that weakens us through our own denial and deflection.
Be clear: every American grieves the horrible loss of lives of police in Dallas. But Walsh has jumped to blame those not responsible. while conjuring the appeal of a "Real" America.(He ignores the videos from Baton Rogue and MN--not his "real.")
At the other end of violence are economic and civic proposals, whose "authoritarian impulse lurks behind democratic norms." What most Americans miss is that racism--the system--is the steer's neck: twist it and it bends the entire economy and social order toward poverty and lost civil liberties. It is not China, India or Malaysia who is the enemy of jobs--but a homegrown system that weakens us through our own denial and deflection.
189
"Watch out" directed by Joe Walsh to the President of the United States sounds like the threat it was intended to be; I'm sure the Secret Service will be visiting the former congressman shortly.
5
Yes, the GOP has long been the party of division even as they repeatedly accused the Democrats of "class warfare." Mr. Romney's most telling moment was his talk about "the 47%." One tried and true GOP tactic is to stoke resentment among their conservative, white base - resentment based upon race, but also based upon economics (i.e., "those lazy, undeserving poor are living the life of luxury on government handouts paid for by the hard earned tax payments of 'real Americans' like you").
The "them" against "us" tone of the GOP message came to a head with the election of Mr. Obama. As a black man and a liberal (moderately so), Obama was part of the "them" to the GOP's "us." The de-legitimizing started immediately - he couldn't possibly be one of us, ergo he must have been born elsewhere; he must "hate America," "hate whites," and "hate Christians." In short, he is not a valid President, but "the enemy," who must be thwarted at every turn. Any GOP leader who is surprised by the rise of Trump is either brain dead or has been completely off the grid for the past 7 years...
The "them" against "us" tone of the GOP message came to a head with the election of Mr. Obama. As a black man and a liberal (moderately so), Obama was part of the "them" to the GOP's "us." The de-legitimizing started immediately - he couldn't possibly be one of us, ergo he must have been born elsewhere; he must "hate America," "hate whites," and "hate Christians." In short, he is not a valid President, but "the enemy," who must be thwarted at every turn. Any GOP leader who is surprised by the rise of Trump is either brain dead or has been completely off the grid for the past 7 years...
303
It's worth remembering that a guiding light for the modern Republican party is Ayn Rand's novels.
Works of fiction about a winners-deserve-more society have been inspirational for countless Republican leaders.
They might as well be seeking to run the country based on comic books. In fact, maybe they are already.
Works of fiction about a winners-deserve-more society have been inspirational for countless Republican leaders.
They might as well be seeking to run the country based on comic books. In fact, maybe they are already.
538
Interesting part of Ayn Rand the persona: she was an atheist, pro abortion in that she believed in a woman body being hers to choose to do with it what she may, pretty anti military and for the most part pro science/technology. She fails every litmus test of the modern day GOP. She only has two characteristic they like, she was excessively greedy and rat finked on her fellow Hollywood screen writing cohorts.
13
Ann Rand has far more influence than she has a right to have. Her ideas are wrong both logically and morally. Her ideas are not only the the guiding principles of Paul Ryan but also of Gary Johnson, head of the Libertarian Party.
2
Please do kot insult comic books by comparing them to the total fiction of Atn Rand, a go-it-alone advocate whi ended up taking BOTH Social Sevurity and Medicare, or more succinctly, ended up a hypocrite.
3
The Republicans know a good propaganda book when they see one, and what better book to model Grand Old Prevarication on than Orwell's '1984' that coincides with the ruinous reign of their political archangel, Ronald 'Tax Cut' Reagan.
In '1984', there's a world of perpetual war, government surveillance and public manipulation, dictated by a tyrannical political party under the control of a privileged elite (0.1%) that persecutes independent thinking and new ideas as "thought crime."
The Big Brother (GOP) Party ''seeks power entirely for its own sake....it's not interested in the good of others; it's interested solely in power."
'Memory holes' are a favorite GOP device to erase and alter any inconvenient or embarrassing documents, photographs, transcripts, and all evidence of reality to give the impression that reality never happened (e.g., the 2000 right-wing Presidential Election and 2001 - 2009 Bush-Cheney catastrophe)
The (Grand Old) Party's Ministry of Truth and Propaganda (FOX News, hate radio, etc.) systematically revises and rewrites all of history to match the party propaganda.
'Doublespeak' is employed to obscure, distort, and reverse the meaning of words - i.e., Guns Don't Kill People - Deficits Don't Matter - Operation Iraqi Freedom - Tax Cuts Increase Tax Revenues, etc.
Doublethink is employed to legitimize right-wing hypocrisy, contradiction and to normalize cognitive dissonance.
1984, by George Orwell....starring the entire Republican Party.
In '1984', there's a world of perpetual war, government surveillance and public manipulation, dictated by a tyrannical political party under the control of a privileged elite (0.1%) that persecutes independent thinking and new ideas as "thought crime."
The Big Brother (GOP) Party ''seeks power entirely for its own sake....it's not interested in the good of others; it's interested solely in power."
'Memory holes' are a favorite GOP device to erase and alter any inconvenient or embarrassing documents, photographs, transcripts, and all evidence of reality to give the impression that reality never happened (e.g., the 2000 right-wing Presidential Election and 2001 - 2009 Bush-Cheney catastrophe)
The (Grand Old) Party's Ministry of Truth and Propaganda (FOX News, hate radio, etc.) systematically revises and rewrites all of history to match the party propaganda.
'Doublespeak' is employed to obscure, distort, and reverse the meaning of words - i.e., Guns Don't Kill People - Deficits Don't Matter - Operation Iraqi Freedom - Tax Cuts Increase Tax Revenues, etc.
Doublethink is employed to legitimize right-wing hypocrisy, contradiction and to normalize cognitive dissonance.
1984, by George Orwell....starring the entire Republican Party.
1653
1984 is sadly quite apt, especially too with the propaganda bulletins, as in 1984, constantly telling us the economy is improving as our lives deteriorate. But let's not forget Mein Kampf either, with it's hatred of democracy and its ideology of smoothing the path for unimpeded elite rule while everyone else knuckles under.
10
We know the book. Orwell's ideas wouldn't only apply to the GOP, despite the easy temptation to state it.
22
Because of course....Hillary Clinton does NOT want power. She's a pure soul, who only wishes to serve.
Honestly, you are hilarious!
Honestly, you are hilarious!
1
Ryan is a puppet of those who benefit from income inequality. He even has a gangly Mortimer Snerd quality that comes from years of having his strings pulled by people up in the fly gallery, whom we never see. Only this explains how someone who is considered an economic policy wonk can present proposals that make no economic sense, except to benefit the wealthiest members of society.
He's aided and abetted by a system that demands equal time for people who are already far more equal than others. It's not enough that the one percent controls the economy. We're made to think that their interests are our interests, while we scrape by and they live lifestyles that would embarrass a banana-republic dictator.
All conservative philosophy seems to benefit people we never see, but who have enormous representation in the halls of Congress. Corporations even have the rights of people, wielding power that no individual could ever muster. Corporations now also have religion, which allows them to completely trample over the wall that separates church and state.
We agree to this odd arrangement because conservatives tell us to be afraid. Be very afraid. The moochers and takers will win if we provide welfare and food stamps to the needy. Congress says that in order to thrive, we must be austere. We can cut our way to prosperity, downsize our way to full employment and starve our way to full bellies.
Replace the budget numbers with asterisks, and all things are possible.
He's aided and abetted by a system that demands equal time for people who are already far more equal than others. It's not enough that the one percent controls the economy. We're made to think that their interests are our interests, while we scrape by and they live lifestyles that would embarrass a banana-republic dictator.
All conservative philosophy seems to benefit people we never see, but who have enormous representation in the halls of Congress. Corporations even have the rights of people, wielding power that no individual could ever muster. Corporations now also have religion, which allows them to completely trample over the wall that separates church and state.
We agree to this odd arrangement because conservatives tell us to be afraid. Be very afraid. The moochers and takers will win if we provide welfare and food stamps to the needy. Congress says that in order to thrive, we must be austere. We can cut our way to prosperity, downsize our way to full employment and starve our way to full bellies.
Replace the budget numbers with asterisks, and all things are possible.
512
By using the word "puppet" you absolve him of responsibility. He runs for office to cut his own taxes, like Reagan, the Bush clan, McCain, Palin, and Romney.
5
Would really love to see this clowns college transcripts.
5
I never did speak to the enablers Dr. Krugman so well described, although I began calling the media out since Trump announced last June.
Nobody, even those with a stake in the GOP outcome, took him seriously but they found him so "entertaining" that they gave him nonstop free air time, breaking into established news shows to present yet another Trump rally where the man could whip up the crowd into a frenzy, with racial and xenophobic undertones.
So did his party. Enable him, that is. Nobody ever expected him to get that far. Instead, pleased that Trump was keeping the base entertained, with lots of calls to "help the little guy", they could work their machinations and promise their donor class a big payoff once a nominee was chosen.
But something funny happened along the way to having a primary winner, and the man they secretly loved for running racial interference for their party now has them on the ropes. And most of they still refuse to condemn the nominee, as the prospect of giving power back to the billionaire class is too tempting.
The media, should get a special shout-out about refusing to treat Trump as anything other than a colorful gadfly. Yes, the GOP built a "safe space" for racists. But where were the NYT, the Wall Street Journal, and all the "serious thinkers" including pundits who laughed Trump off? The Times only began serious in-depth reporting on Trump's business history a few months ago.
Enablers should think twice about what they enable.
Nobody, even those with a stake in the GOP outcome, took him seriously but they found him so "entertaining" that they gave him nonstop free air time, breaking into established news shows to present yet another Trump rally where the man could whip up the crowd into a frenzy, with racial and xenophobic undertones.
So did his party. Enable him, that is. Nobody ever expected him to get that far. Instead, pleased that Trump was keeping the base entertained, with lots of calls to "help the little guy", they could work their machinations and promise their donor class a big payoff once a nominee was chosen.
But something funny happened along the way to having a primary winner, and the man they secretly loved for running racial interference for their party now has them on the ropes. And most of they still refuse to condemn the nominee, as the prospect of giving power back to the billionaire class is too tempting.
The media, should get a special shout-out about refusing to treat Trump as anything other than a colorful gadfly. Yes, the GOP built a "safe space" for racists. But where were the NYT, the Wall Street Journal, and all the "serious thinkers" including pundits who laughed Trump off? The Times only began serious in-depth reporting on Trump's business history a few months ago.
Enablers should think twice about what they enable.
703
The night that Comey delivered the FBI's decision on Hillary's emails, the "liberal" MSNBC pre-empted "Hardball" to bring Trump's rally in toto. CBS Morning News did a 3-minute interview with a reliably rabid GOPer in response to the FBI's decision with no attempt at "fair and balanced" perspective from a Democrat.
The thrill of ratings seems to truly "Trump" any urge the media might have to present unbiased factual reportage in the public good.
The thrill of ratings seems to truly "Trump" any urge the media might have to present unbiased factual reportage in the public good.
7
Paul Ryan is loved by the D.C. establishment for one very important reason. He's the cool guy willing to buck his own party's ideologues and horse-trade with Democrats over cuts to the social safety net.
The founder of Fix the Debt is Wall Street mogul Pete Peterson, host of an annual bipartisan Fiscal Summit in D.C. Politicians and "wonks" schmooze about "best practices" in the fine art of oligarch-serving. Bill Clinton was until very recently a major attraction at this event. A few years ago, he and Ryan were caught on an open mike, talking about working together to "reform" Medicare.
Because Hillary is now so busy making promises to the Left, the Clintons this year sent a campaign economic adviser named David Kamlin in their stead.
Kimlin wrote a paper on how to reduce Social Security and other benefits in times of "fiscal uncertainty" (code for the rapacious need of plutocrats to steal from the poor). He suggests the use of "triggers" to prevent what he calls "policy drift", thus absolving congress critters up for re-election from actual responsibility and discussion:
http://www.law.nyu.edu/sites/default/files/upload_documents/David%20Kami...
Also pre-Hillary campaign, Chelsea Clinton helped Peterson run a scam called "It's Up To Us" with the aim of turning young people against their own grandmas:
https://newrepublic.com/article/113141/pete-petersons-plans-turn-college...
So many enablers of the feral rich. But look over there, it's Trump!
The founder of Fix the Debt is Wall Street mogul Pete Peterson, host of an annual bipartisan Fiscal Summit in D.C. Politicians and "wonks" schmooze about "best practices" in the fine art of oligarch-serving. Bill Clinton was until very recently a major attraction at this event. A few years ago, he and Ryan were caught on an open mike, talking about working together to "reform" Medicare.
Because Hillary is now so busy making promises to the Left, the Clintons this year sent a campaign economic adviser named David Kamlin in their stead.
Kimlin wrote a paper on how to reduce Social Security and other benefits in times of "fiscal uncertainty" (code for the rapacious need of plutocrats to steal from the poor). He suggests the use of "triggers" to prevent what he calls "policy drift", thus absolving congress critters up for re-election from actual responsibility and discussion:
http://www.law.nyu.edu/sites/default/files/upload_documents/David%20Kami...
Also pre-Hillary campaign, Chelsea Clinton helped Peterson run a scam called "It's Up To Us" with the aim of turning young people against their own grandmas:
https://newrepublic.com/article/113141/pete-petersons-plans-turn-college...
So many enablers of the feral rich. But look over there, it's Trump!
208
I apologize, not yet having had my morning coffee at the time I wrote the above comment, for misspelling the Clinton adviser's name not once, but twice. The correct spelling is Kamin.
His paper is actually pretty sneaky. If/when the Social Security trust fund starts going into negative territory (due to increase in the aging boomer population, loss of tax revenue due to chronic unemployment and underemployment, etc.) then both cuts in benefits and a slight increase in taxes would be triggered "automatically" so that everybody appears to "share the sacrifice." It's the beloved centrist "balanced approach".
So, although Hillary Clinton is currently campaigning on an expansion of social security, this economic adviser of hers is still preaching austerity-lite, if not outright austerity. Draw whatever conclusion you wish.
The sanest solution to ensure Social Security solvency into perpetuity would be either to raise the FICA cap on very high incomes, or just scrap it entirely. Then there would be no need at all for Kamin's cute little triggers to avoid the dreaded Policy Drift in times of the fiscal uncertainty being deliberately manufactured by Paul Ryan and the rest of the deficit hawk brigade!
Oh what a tangled web they weave. Also, heads they win, tails you lose.
His paper is actually pretty sneaky. If/when the Social Security trust fund starts going into negative territory (due to increase in the aging boomer population, loss of tax revenue due to chronic unemployment and underemployment, etc.) then both cuts in benefits and a slight increase in taxes would be triggered "automatically" so that everybody appears to "share the sacrifice." It's the beloved centrist "balanced approach".
So, although Hillary Clinton is currently campaigning on an expansion of social security, this economic adviser of hers is still preaching austerity-lite, if not outright austerity. Draw whatever conclusion you wish.
The sanest solution to ensure Social Security solvency into perpetuity would be either to raise the FICA cap on very high incomes, or just scrap it entirely. Then there would be no need at all for Kamin's cute little triggers to avoid the dreaded Policy Drift in times of the fiscal uncertainty being deliberately manufactured by Paul Ryan and the rest of the deficit hawk brigade!
Oh what a tangled web they weave. Also, heads they win, tails you lose.
167
Karen
To conflate Ryan / Trump with Chelsea Clinton is disingenuous at best; out right malarkey at worst.
To conflate Ryan / Trump with Chelsea Clinton is disingenuous at best; out right malarkey at worst.
12
Karen,
Tip of the hat to you Ms. Garcia.
Well done.
Tip of the hat to you Ms. Garcia.
Well done.
7
Excellent analysis but sad. when Paul Ryan, with his totally unoriginal tax plan that's all hype and no substance ((the numbers never add up, do they?) is considered an intellectual because he speaks in coherent sentences, you know how much trouble America is in.
As for Trump, the man has serious personality and mental health issues. That crazy harangue the other night showed an angry red-faced wing nut off on a tear, which was actually frightening to listen to. Now we read that if elected the man would not serve. Say what? a Constitutional crisis the day after Election Day, leaving the country with a Gingrich or a Christie?
Trump is a Trojan Horse for Paul Ryan, as his tax plan was stolen right off his desk. With no knowledge of government, should Trump win with all the half attention of a toddler, he would lean heavily on the speaker on his way to his next golf course.
Bear that in mind in November. The intellectually bankrupt GOP, that would keep raiding the poor to reward the rich, playing on the fears and racist feelings of their voter base, is pulling a con job that's out in the open. So desperate to capture the White House so they can reward their donor class, they will stop at nothing--even allowing the rise of a seriously deranged candidate, so unpredictable he might not even serve if elected.
Let's make sure he doesn't get the chance to turn down the job.
As for Trump, the man has serious personality and mental health issues. That crazy harangue the other night showed an angry red-faced wing nut off on a tear, which was actually frightening to listen to. Now we read that if elected the man would not serve. Say what? a Constitutional crisis the day after Election Day, leaving the country with a Gingrich or a Christie?
Trump is a Trojan Horse for Paul Ryan, as his tax plan was stolen right off his desk. With no knowledge of government, should Trump win with all the half attention of a toddler, he would lean heavily on the speaker on his way to his next golf course.
Bear that in mind in November. The intellectually bankrupt GOP, that would keep raiding the poor to reward the rich, playing on the fears and racist feelings of their voter base, is pulling a con job that's out in the open. So desperate to capture the White House so they can reward their donor class, they will stop at nothing--even allowing the rise of a seriously deranged candidate, so unpredictable he might not even serve if elected.
Let's make sure he doesn't get the chance to turn down the job.
849
@Christine: the GOP did not "alllow" Trump to win -- they tried to prevent it and failed. It is clear that all the top GOP members HATE Trump and many refuse to support him -- or support him like Ryan without conviction or enthusiasm. Trump was not elected by the GOP elite. He was elected BY THE VOTERS....the ordinary people in voting booths across America.
If Trump resigns (the new meme, I guess)....well, what are you worried about then? He won't be President, if he resigns or quits at this point. The Party is not supporting him, nor raising money for him. Trump will either do it mostly on his own, or not at all.
It can't be BOTH, Christine. The GOP cannot be so desperate they are running a candidate everyone hates -- but ALSO undercutting and destroying that candidate so he will LOSE. How could it benefit the GOP to capture the White House....then have their candidate QUIT before he could "reward the donor class"? And anyways: isn't it abundantly clear the "donor class" has rejected Trump and refused him money? Why would a President Trump reward people who didn't help him?
Lastly: any President, including Obama, has a cabinet full of advisors HE CHOOSES to help him. In Obama's case, it was a bunch of Goldman Sachs alums. The President does NOT "lean on the Speaker of the House" to show him the ropes. That's silly. Also Ryan is no friend of Trump's, and barely willing to be civil to him.
If Trump resigns (the new meme, I guess)....well, what are you worried about then? He won't be President, if he resigns or quits at this point. The Party is not supporting him, nor raising money for him. Trump will either do it mostly on his own, or not at all.
It can't be BOTH, Christine. The GOP cannot be so desperate they are running a candidate everyone hates -- but ALSO undercutting and destroying that candidate so he will LOSE. How could it benefit the GOP to capture the White House....then have their candidate QUIT before he could "reward the donor class"? And anyways: isn't it abundantly clear the "donor class" has rejected Trump and refused him money? Why would a President Trump reward people who didn't help him?
Lastly: any President, including Obama, has a cabinet full of advisors HE CHOOSES to help him. In Obama's case, it was a bunch of Goldman Sachs alums. The President does NOT "lean on the Speaker of the House" to show him the ropes. That's silly. Also Ryan is no friend of Trump's, and barely willing to be civil to him.
Christine, the trouble is that Democrats are not that much better. Remember it was Clinton who signed NAFTA and it was Obama who did not put a single banker in prison. Hillary is too cosy with Wall Street and Saudi Arabia.
The problems of this country will not be solved by either Republicans or Democrats. They can only be solved by someone who sees the full picture. And our primary system encourages candidates who only see half the picture.
Here in the NYT we see the liberal half which is largely unchallenged. But it is only a half.
The problems of this country will not be solved by either Republicans or Democrats. They can only be solved by someone who sees the full picture. And our primary system encourages candidates who only see half the picture.
Here in the NYT we see the liberal half which is largely unchallenged. But it is only a half.
1
With the Trumptster considering the Newtster for Veep we have come full circle. Newtie is the one who drove the Repubs from policy to politics, happily. For him to come home as the 'wise old policy hound' advising the political monster is ironic at the very least. I do appreciate Krugman's citation of GHWB, who is not only the Willie Horton source, but the author of the single worst appointment to the Supreme Court, Clarence Thomas, a cynical political act that lives on. HW was cynical and thin; he had nothing but ambition. W, of course, had even less lacking even ambition. But Newtie took the new GOP to levels of crassness that made The Hammer an acceptable elected official. DeLay had even fewer ideas, scruples, or principles than Newtie, a low bar if there ever was one--political limbo games.
351
When Newt said that the problem with the GOP was that they were not nasty enough, I was shocked. But then he went to work to change that and I have been more shocked every year as they learned how to be more and more nasty. Trump is the result and it is no surprise that Newt would love to be his VP.
The GOP has certainly learned to be nasty.
The GOP has certainly learned to be nasty.
4
Welcome to Republican land, where math, science and inconvenient facts can be disregarded in favor of ideology.
If Mr. Ryan can continue to offer proposals which can't rely on basic math for justification, how much harder can it be to continually manufacture reasons to support a buffoon such as Mr. Trump?
Mr. Trump and Mr. Ryan are the faces that the Republican party deserves. Throw in Sarah Palin as the icing on the cake.
If Mr. Ryan can continue to offer proposals which can't rely on basic math for justification, how much harder can it be to continually manufacture reasons to support a buffoon such as Mr. Trump?
Mr. Trump and Mr. Ryan are the faces that the Republican party deserves. Throw in Sarah Palin as the icing on the cake.
1440
I'd throw in Mitch McConnell before Palin. She's meaningless in the scheme of things.
3
Although Trump and Ryan are the faces that the Republican Party deserves, all of us unfortunately have to be hitched along.
2
Thank you Paul! I wish my fellow Americans would wake up and dump the entire Republican party. Trump is an abomination.
320
Could it not be said that Krugman is an enabler of HRC?
1
Ryan's Austerity by the rich and for the rich by not of the rich needs to be stressed tested with unbiased projections of its impact over one year, five years and ten years.
If Ryan is unable or unwilling to provide enough of a plan to be stress tested then the plan should be rejected as inadequate and politically biased whatever the bias might be
Ryan should be then told by the people not to bother to address this issue in public again unless he can delineate his plans for change in taxes and benefits so that they can be stress tested
Any organization that sanctions Ryan's propaganda without certification of its impact should be bludgeoned by the people as being co-conspirators to promulgate an economically and socially destructive process for the USA.
The question for retort is: How does one amplify the voice of the People without being political. Paul Krugman is not the spokesperson for the People. Is the Congressional Budget Office a unbiased reviewer of these plans at this point? Is thee a way to construct an unbiased review of these plans that is not alterable by politicians, the "elite", the media or by biased counter evaluations?
If Ryan is unable or unwilling to provide enough of a plan to be stress tested then the plan should be rejected as inadequate and politically biased whatever the bias might be
Ryan should be then told by the people not to bother to address this issue in public again unless he can delineate his plans for change in taxes and benefits so that they can be stress tested
Any organization that sanctions Ryan's propaganda without certification of its impact should be bludgeoned by the people as being co-conspirators to promulgate an economically and socially destructive process for the USA.
The question for retort is: How does one amplify the voice of the People without being political. Paul Krugman is not the spokesperson for the People. Is the Congressional Budget Office a unbiased reviewer of these plans at this point? Is thee a way to construct an unbiased review of these plans that is not alterable by politicians, the "elite", the media or by biased counter evaluations?
39
It is not necessary to do any large-scale testing. Just look at Kansas and see the GOP future.
4
It's also worth remembering how Reagan personified Nixon's "southern strategy" by opening his presidential campaign in Mississippi, where civil rights workers had been killed, preaching about "states' rights," the historical justification for slavery.
We elected Reagan anyway.
Talk about enablers!
We elected Reagan anyway.
Talk about enablers!
547
Well let's say someone else besides me did.
5
Excellent. Reagan however is the patron Saint of Ryan and the Conservatives. More people in Reagan administration indicted or charged than any administration in US history! And Cons spend every waking minute trying to nail Hillary over her misuse of e-mails. Sad.
10
The GOP is indeed a scam. Those who vote in favor really don't get it that they're giving their money away to some rich folks. GOP voters care so much about some pet issue, such as guns, making people dumber by gutting school funding, bringing the Spanish inquisition to America or hating on minorities, that they forget that the package also contains poverty for them and enrichment for the rich
443
Another big pet issue that garners the GOP many votes is their anti-abortion, anti a woman's right to choose stance.
17
BB Regarding guns...We now have 5 dead Police Officers and another 6 wounded in Dallas. They were shot by assault weapons. The blood of these Officers is on the hands of Republicans who refuse to BAN assault weapons for civilian use in this country.
14
At least since the days of Richard Nixon, the Republican party has demonstrated a genius for harnessing people's worst instincts: greed, tribalism, militarism and arrogance, to name a few. To be a Democrat, or a liberal of almost any stripe, requires a willingness to heed the angels of our better natures. The differences between the parties has come down to the antitheses of hate vs. love.
We are likely best governed by a two-party system, but such a system requires that both sides have the best interests of the people at heart. We have not been operating under such a system for a long time. Trump is not the cause of our failures. Rather, he is a symptom and a symbol, a vivid paradigm of what happens when hate becomes a major cultural and political force.
The Constant Weader at http://www.RealityChex.com
We are likely best governed by a two-party system, but such a system requires that both sides have the best interests of the people at heart. We have not been operating under such a system for a long time. Trump is not the cause of our failures. Rather, he is a symptom and a symbol, a vivid paradigm of what happens when hate becomes a major cultural and political force.
The Constant Weader at http://www.RealityChex.com
286
Paul Ryan being considered a moderate by many media is strictly appalling. To know he is sort of the "respectable"face of the GOP establishment, when he doesn't seem to have invented lukewarm water and calculated his economics is dreadful. Why don't the media put more forward some of the last Republican with a sense of dignity, democracy and decency? There are some, but from here in France, they seem to have been hidden.
Hence the result of the primaries
Hence the result of the primaries
501
The Republican leaders figure they can neutralize Trump once he is elected. They have had plenty of experience in obstruction of Obama, so Trump should be relatively easy to contain.
Of course Trump would have vetoe power that he could wield, but he would look rediculous in thwarting tax reductions for the rich and draconian cuts to social programs.
So, Trump but he will be captain at the helm of a ship of state where the crew just can't quite hear his orders over the engine noise, but where he can entertain his passengers with nightly stand up. Of course there will be plenty of time for rearrangement of the deck chairs.
Of course Trump would have vetoe power that he could wield, but he would look rediculous in thwarting tax reductions for the rich and draconian cuts to social programs.
So, Trump but he will be captain at the helm of a ship of state where the crew just can't quite hear his orders over the engine noise, but where he can entertain his passengers with nightly stand up. Of course there will be plenty of time for rearrangement of the deck chairs.
47
You miss the point that the GOP which obstructed Obama just because he is a black man, will NOT obstruct Trump no matter how crazy, because he embodies the GOP true identity and philosophy (hatred of minorities, and let's make the richer, America be damned). They can't or won't control Trump now, so what makes you think they will control him later? They don't want to control him; he is their creature, they made him, and they created the base that voted for him in their primaries. The GOP loves him, make no mistake about that.
10
It seems much of the press and public are not knowledgable enough to criticize Ryan and other GOP politicians for poor policy. Ryan is not the only one who has gotten off easy. Can we go back to Reagan? He certainly was not a bastion of good ideas, yet he was a two term president, as was Bush 43, another embarrassing choice for top office. For that matter, how does Inhof stay in the Senate for so long? Does no one read?
270
Two words, Dr. Krugman, that might help explain the soft cloths with which so many Americans are willing to cover their eyes: "policy wonk."
This empty phrase first appeared in September, 2012, in the New Republic, gushing that "now, Paul Ryan stands as the Republican Party's big thinker, a “very, very ambitious politician who is also a very fluent policy wonk."
This is what happens when American journalists are sloppy and don't do their homework. They slap quick hashtags, because that's what "policy wonk" is, on people without any serious investigation of the depth of their platforms. And Ryan, with his Basset hound eyes, looks the part as in, "oh, he's so cute. Let's pet him."
House Speaker Ryan is the waffling, turnstile Republican whose only goal in life is to increase the wealth of the already wealthy. He's the highest elected official in the land. The presidents who played the race card with notable electoral success (Richard Nixon, Bush I and II, Ronald Reagan) were merely the first yellow bricks in the GOP's road to Oz.
Speaker Ryan is simply the latest in a line of "policy wonks" that began Lee Atwater and Pat Buchanan and continues today with Karl Rove and Grover Norquist. They all possess the same DNA: a slavish devotion to wealth and whiteness, abetted by the Koch Bottles, ALEC and the shadow money that now spikes the wheels of our "democracy."
Ryan is no accident; he's a deliberate ornament of the Right. Set beside him, Donald Trump is a mere puppet.
This empty phrase first appeared in September, 2012, in the New Republic, gushing that "now, Paul Ryan stands as the Republican Party's big thinker, a “very, very ambitious politician who is also a very fluent policy wonk."
This is what happens when American journalists are sloppy and don't do their homework. They slap quick hashtags, because that's what "policy wonk" is, on people without any serious investigation of the depth of their platforms. And Ryan, with his Basset hound eyes, looks the part as in, "oh, he's so cute. Let's pet him."
House Speaker Ryan is the waffling, turnstile Republican whose only goal in life is to increase the wealth of the already wealthy. He's the highest elected official in the land. The presidents who played the race card with notable electoral success (Richard Nixon, Bush I and II, Ronald Reagan) were merely the first yellow bricks in the GOP's road to Oz.
Speaker Ryan is simply the latest in a line of "policy wonks" that began Lee Atwater and Pat Buchanan and continues today with Karl Rove and Grover Norquist. They all possess the same DNA: a slavish devotion to wealth and whiteness, abetted by the Koch Bottles, ALEC and the shadow money that now spikes the wheels of our "democracy."
Ryan is no accident; he's a deliberate ornament of the Right. Set beside him, Donald Trump is a mere puppet.
678
And speaking of bricks in the road to Oz... For a preview of Ryan's tax policy proposal, look no further than the land of Oz, Kansas's own Governor Brownback in a slash and burn defunding of government services. Raiding transportation funds and deferring state pension contributions to balance the state budget, fighting his own judicial branch to defund public education while encouraging religious-based charter schools, and... The bigwigs in Wichita who fund conservative PACs, agendas and races across the US no doubt are smiling about both Ryan's and Brownback's policies at this time.
13
I wonder who the bigger con man is, Donald Trump or Paul Ryan!
183
Well Mr. Krugman has been right. Ryan is every bit a flim flam
artist as Trump. The press has dropped the ball and refused to
be on the level about Ryan. Our press in the name of balance
has refused to report on what today's GOP has become.
Trump is the logical heir to Nixon and Atwater. Lying has been
the GOP's coin of the realm for decades. Math, science, and
facts do not matter.
Ryan has been running the same grift as Trump.
As far as race goes, Trump has just dispensed with the coded
words and dog whistles.
By the way what was a candidate for President doing cruising
neo Nazi hate sites for content.
It did not appear to be a Star of David, it WAS a Star of
David. Right, and Hitler made them all Deputy Sheriffs.
word
artist as Trump. The press has dropped the ball and refused to
be on the level about Ryan. Our press in the name of balance
has refused to report on what today's GOP has become.
Trump is the logical heir to Nixon and Atwater. Lying has been
the GOP's coin of the realm for decades. Math, science, and
facts do not matter.
Ryan has been running the same grift as Trump.
As far as race goes, Trump has just dispensed with the coded
words and dog whistles.
By the way what was a candidate for President doing cruising
neo Nazi hate sites for content.
It did not appear to be a Star of David, it WAS a Star of
David. Right, and Hitler made them all Deputy Sheriffs.
word
176
Sorry, but there is nothing that unique about the Star of David -- it is a six pointed star, no more than that. Six pointed stars exist in our cultures and have other meanings, ONE OF WHICH is clearly the six pointed star badge of western deputies.
Typically a Star of David consists of 2 interlocking triangles -- not a sold shape, which was what the Trump had featured.
I'm a Jew, and I read it clearly as a BADGE. Hillary is not Jewish and I've never heard it alleged she was Jewish. On the other hand, Trump's daughter, son-in-law and all of his grandchildren ARE Jewish -- so what would he gain from an anti-Semitic ad?
Typically a Star of David consists of 2 interlocking triangles -- not a sold shape, which was what the Trump had featured.
I'm a Jew, and I read it clearly as a BADGE. Hillary is not Jewish and I've never heard it alleged she was Jewish. On the other hand, Trump's daughter, son-in-law and all of his grandchildren ARE Jewish -- so what would he gain from an anti-Semitic ad?
1
Reading this made me think of the Fiscal Cliff Deal.
After the stimulus and the passage of the ACA, right wing media was all a buzz with debt and deficit hysteria and of course claims of "death panels" and fake birth certificates.
This flurry of fear inducing mythology created the Tea Party who protested with signs that read, "Don't kill Grandma" and if memory serves, Jeff Beck engaged in some sort of MLK remake on the steps of the Lincoln memorial wearing 1960's style clothing.
This bizarre hoopla allowed the GOP to retake the House of Representatives electing so-called "deficit hawks" who promised their furious and fearful constituents that they would be fiscally conservative and bring down deficits and debt and of course repeal the ACA.
Never mind the fact that the CBO had determined that repealing the ACA would add to, not reduce, the deficits and debt. In fact, the CBO wrote letters to both Ryan and Bohner explaining that a repeal would do just this, but they persisted endlessly.
So, what was one of the main things to occur after the election of the so-called deficit hawks? The Fiscal Cliff Deal, which extended most of the Bush era tax cuts and added 3.64 trillion to the projected increase in the debt over ten years.
Yes, trillion with a "T"
This was what the GOP insisted on, holding firm until the 11th hour threatening an already fragile economy still struggling to recover.
The deal doubled the projected increase in the debt over the following decade.
After the stimulus and the passage of the ACA, right wing media was all a buzz with debt and deficit hysteria and of course claims of "death panels" and fake birth certificates.
This flurry of fear inducing mythology created the Tea Party who protested with signs that read, "Don't kill Grandma" and if memory serves, Jeff Beck engaged in some sort of MLK remake on the steps of the Lincoln memorial wearing 1960's style clothing.
This bizarre hoopla allowed the GOP to retake the House of Representatives electing so-called "deficit hawks" who promised their furious and fearful constituents that they would be fiscally conservative and bring down deficits and debt and of course repeal the ACA.
Never mind the fact that the CBO had determined that repealing the ACA would add to, not reduce, the deficits and debt. In fact, the CBO wrote letters to both Ryan and Bohner explaining that a repeal would do just this, but they persisted endlessly.
So, what was one of the main things to occur after the election of the so-called deficit hawks? The Fiscal Cliff Deal, which extended most of the Bush era tax cuts and added 3.64 trillion to the projected increase in the debt over ten years.
Yes, trillion with a "T"
This was what the GOP insisted on, holding firm until the 11th hour threatening an already fragile economy still struggling to recover.
The deal doubled the projected increase in the debt over the following decade.
234
ooops "Glen Beck"
32
Read http://articles.latimes.com/2012/dec/21/opinion/la-oe-kelton-fiscal-clif...
"We may strive to balance our work and leisure time and to eat a balanced diet. Our Constitution enshrines the principle of balance among our three branches of government. And when it comes to our personal finances, we know that the family checkbook must balance.
So when we hear that the federal government hasn't balanced its books in more than a decade, it seems sensible to demand a return to that kind of balance in Washington as well. But that would actually be a huge mistake.
History tells the tale. The federal government has achieved fiscal balance (even surpluses) in just seven periods since 1776, bringing in enough revenue to cover all of its spending during 1817-21, 1823-36, 1852-57, 1867-73, 1880-93, 1920-30 and 1998-2001. We have also experienced six depressions. They began in 1819, 1837, 1857, 1873, 1893 and 1929.
Do you see the correlation? The one exception to this pattern occurred in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when the dot-com and housing bubbles fueled a consumption binge that delayed the harmful effects of the Clinton surpluses until the Great Recession of 2007-09.
Why does something that sounds like good economics — balancing the budget and paying down debt — end up harming the economy? The answers may surprise you."
"We may strive to balance our work and leisure time and to eat a balanced diet. Our Constitution enshrines the principle of balance among our three branches of government. And when it comes to our personal finances, we know that the family checkbook must balance.
So when we hear that the federal government hasn't balanced its books in more than a decade, it seems sensible to demand a return to that kind of balance in Washington as well. But that would actually be a huge mistake.
History tells the tale. The federal government has achieved fiscal balance (even surpluses) in just seven periods since 1776, bringing in enough revenue to cover all of its spending during 1817-21, 1823-36, 1852-57, 1867-73, 1880-93, 1920-30 and 1998-2001. We have also experienced six depressions. They began in 1819, 1837, 1857, 1873, 1893 and 1929.
Do you see the correlation? The one exception to this pattern occurred in the late 1990s and early 2000s, when the dot-com and housing bubbles fueled a consumption binge that delayed the harmful effects of the Clinton surpluses until the Great Recession of 2007-09.
Why does something that sounds like good economics — balancing the budget and paying down debt — end up harming the economy? The answers may surprise you."
5
@Peg: I believe that you meant to refer to Glenn Beck. Jeff beck is a British Rock & Roll Hall of fame guitarist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFi94V3jIUg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFi94V3jIUg
Apologies to Kiplng
You can talk about Paul Ryan
And all the things he's rryin'
The way he loves to make the Rich more rich,
And tax cuts for the Mighty
Will never make him flighty
It's such a short on details smarmy pitch.
And its Trump, Trump, Trump,
He never backed the Trumpster on the stump,
Despite open racist guff
Donald promises the right stuff
And Obamacare he really wants to dump.
You can talk about Paul Ryan
And all the things he's rryin'
The way he loves to make the Rich more rich,
And tax cuts for the Mighty
Will never make him flighty
It's such a short on details smarmy pitch.
And its Trump, Trump, Trump,
He never backed the Trumpster on the stump,
Despite open racist guff
Donald promises the right stuff
And Obamacare he really wants to dump.
54
I can not say Trump is a racist, but he does appeal to racists, and other groups that believe they have been minimized, and are being take advantage of by those Liberal do-gooders, what many of them call anti-Americans.
We see who his followers are, and what about him appeals to them. They are so convinced of their own righteousness that they overlook, or do not believe he is a swindler and a fraud. They have been brought into the GOP cult, and are as much believers as any religious cult, which is what the GOP has become.
For as long as any of us can remember, and even from a historical record, taxes are the villain of any government. Nowhere have I ever read that some society thought their taxes were what they should be. They want the benefits that taxes give, but do not want to pay personally. That is not the end of it however, those who have more money than they can spend in their lifetime are who complain the most about taxes. They say paying taxes hurts the economy, so they hide their money in some tax haven, as if that is going to help the economy. The worst of these are the hedge fund managers, and private equity owners why have special tax breaks like the carried interest rule. What do they do with incomes of hundreds of millions? They put it where it collects even more dividends and interest, and complain about the taxes. And, they call that patriotism. That is right up Ryan's ideological foundation, it fits his membership in the Cult.
We see who his followers are, and what about him appeals to them. They are so convinced of their own righteousness that they overlook, or do not believe he is a swindler and a fraud. They have been brought into the GOP cult, and are as much believers as any religious cult, which is what the GOP has become.
For as long as any of us can remember, and even from a historical record, taxes are the villain of any government. Nowhere have I ever read that some society thought their taxes were what they should be. They want the benefits that taxes give, but do not want to pay personally. That is not the end of it however, those who have more money than they can spend in their lifetime are who complain the most about taxes. They say paying taxes hurts the economy, so they hide their money in some tax haven, as if that is going to help the economy. The worst of these are the hedge fund managers, and private equity owners why have special tax breaks like the carried interest rule. What do they do with incomes of hundreds of millions? They put it where it collects even more dividends and interest, and complain about the taxes. And, they call that patriotism. That is right up Ryan's ideological foundation, it fits his membership in the Cult.
484
I Can say it. He's a racist.
11
Great comment David, but these people can spend all the obscene amount of money that they make. Look at Trump- he has his own jet, his own helicopter, gold plated faucets and more. Expensive products will always be manufactured to part the wealthy and their money. We now have luxury submarines since yachts apparently weren't enough of a status symbol. Harry's razors makes sapphire encrusted razors that cost $100K apiece, for a RAZOR!! The manufacturers prey on the insecurity of the wealthy who always need to have what others don't. Amazing as it seems, the wealthy still envy. There is always some one out there who has a nicer yacht, a nicer mansion, better clothes, better hair, better everything. It seems there is no bottom to the envy and they will spend all their money pursuing ever greater wealth. Greed is a sickness.
It would be nice to be aware of what our taxes buy. So many don't appreciate that our taxes actually do buy us something, not that I believe that a government shouldn't be cost conscious. I live in a small rural town of about 15K. We have one of the lowest tax rates in the state, yet also have one of the best school systems, a full time fire, police, EMT, on-going road paving, great snow removal and very low crime. We do this all with largely a residential tax base since we have little industry. Despite this many complain about taxes out of ignorance, not knowing how well managed our tax dollars are. The free lunch crowd is alive and well. Even in liberal MA!
It would be nice to be aware of what our taxes buy. So many don't appreciate that our taxes actually do buy us something, not that I believe that a government shouldn't be cost conscious. I live in a small rural town of about 15K. We have one of the lowest tax rates in the state, yet also have one of the best school systems, a full time fire, police, EMT, on-going road paving, great snow removal and very low crime. We do this all with largely a residential tax base since we have little industry. Despite this many complain about taxes out of ignorance, not knowing how well managed our tax dollars are. The free lunch crowd is alive and well. Even in liberal MA!
9
At least with Hillary, it is not a "belief" she is a swindler and fraud, but proven fact.
1